One of the greatest moments ever from Psychic TV – and a really stunning surprise after the breakup of Throbbing Gristle! Genesis P Orridge and Peter Cristopherson go in a completely different direction here – a mode that still holds onto some of the noise lessons learned in TG, but which also shows this incredible love of both more complicated pop modes from the 60s, and some of the farther reaches of minimalism as well! The album sports these tremendous ballads with eerie vocals by Genesis – including "The Orchids" and "White Nights" – which are both eerie recastings of an older mode of UK pop love songs – and there's other tracks that maybe echo a bit of Meredith Monk, or some of the underground experimentalists on the Lovely Records scene – including bits that have weird phone rings, dog barks, and other great touches. A spare and subtle use of noise and darker sounds wends its way throughout – but never with the heavier handed touches of later years – and titles include "Hymn 23", "The Orchids", "Botanica", "Iron", "Glove", "Always Is Always", "White Nights", "Finale", "Eleusis", "Medmenham", "Ancient Lights", "Proof On", "Eden 1 Eden 2 Eden 3", "Clouds Without Water", "Black Moon", "Silver And Gold", "In The Nursery", and "Circle". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Pucho and his legendary Soul Brothers group of the 60s – a record that's beyond definition – as it combines Latin, soul, jazz, and even a few funky touches – all into one totally amazing sound! This one really gets all the elements right – and the fantastic Pazant Brothers (Eddie & Al) are on sax and trumpet (respectively), and a young Neal Creque is on piano, really bringing a sharp edge to Pucho's groove that other Latin combos of the time never had – and the set also features some vocals by Jackie Soul on a few cuts, who's a great singer that really helps cross a few cuts over into Latin Soul territory. Titles include the soul jazz cuts "Heat" and "Psychedelic Pucho", plus other great Latin soul cuts, like "Payin' Dues" and "Candied Yam". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most progressive albums on the American scene of the late 60s – a set that's definitely psych, but which has a put-together quality that's something else as well! The group still have plenty of the optimistic charms you'd expect from their placement on the SF scene of the period – but there's a way of stepping out and really letting loose instrumentally that's pretty great too – in ways that are different than the Dead on record, at least at the time – and captured surprisingly well by Capitol. Dino Valenti delivers some great lyrics – and titles include "Gold & Silver", "The Fool", "The Pride Of Man", "Light Your Windows", and "Dino's Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A confusing title, but a wonderful little record! The album's as much a Herbie Mann Latin session as it is a record by Johnny Rae – which is probably why the album's titled as such – and the group on the set features Rae on vibes, Herbie on flute, Jack Six on bass, Philly Joe Jones on drums, Bobby Corwin on piano, and Jose Mangual, Patato Valdes, and Victor Pantoja on an assortment of Latin and African percussion. The groove is tremendous – Latinized jazz, but with a real tension between the heavy percussion on the bottom and the ligher flute and vibes on the top – especially on the album's more tribal, African-styled numbers. The "suite" features 7 tracks in all – 5 composed by Herbie ("Sorimao", "Beouin", "Sudan", "Ekunda", "Guinean"), plus a version of Sonny Rollins' "St Thomas", and the track "Jungle Fantasy" by Noro Morales. LP, Vinyl record album

You may not know the name of Boyd Raeburn – but you'll certainly recognize the great players on this album, a hip set that includes Dizzy Gillespie, Hal McKusick, Lucky Thompson, Serge Chaloff, and Oscar Pettiford. Raeburn was a modernist swinger – in a mode that was a bit like some of the work that McKusick was laying down during the mid 50s, but with traces of the postwar work of Stan Kenton, and maybe a hint of the straight side of Raymond Scott. The tracks on this set are some of the finest sides he ever cut – and they sparkle with imagination and modernist zeal, yet never fail to swing hard and tight. Titles include "March Of The Boyds", "Boyd's Nest", "Boyd Meets Stravinsky", "Dalvatore Sally", and "Interlude (Night In Tunisia)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best albums that Lou Rawls cut with the team of HB Barnum and David Axelrod – that incredible duo who made some of his 60s Capitol albums so great! The style here is wonderful – upbeat grooves from Barnum – who brings more soul into Lou's music than before – recorded by Axelrod with the right sort of sharpness and punch – that special quality he brought to Cannonball Adderley's 60s soul classics too! Rawls is really at home in the setting – stepping out in some points with these hip monologue passages that are as great as his singing – maybe even better, too – as they show a whole new side of Lou's personality – that badass, totally hip quality that people might never have expected from the early days. One of the best of these is the excellent "Old Man's Memories", about a guy sitting on a bench in Washington Park on the south side of Chicago, which then rolls into an amazing version of "It Was A Very Good Year". Other tunes have a great mix of soul and jazz – and titles include "Love Is A Hurtin Thing", "A Whole Lotta Woman", "Don't Explain", "Old Folks", and "Breaking My Back (Instead Of Using My Mind)". LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely understated set from the great Eugene Record – one that really has him moving forward in a mature, masculine role after his work with The Chi-Lites! Record's a great lead act on his own – and has a sense of confidence that's nicely balanced with some of the heartbreaking tones he'd use when a bit younger – sharpened to perfection here by arranger Tom Tom 84, who finds these warm, mellow, midtempo grooves that are perfectly suited to Eugene's style! Titles include "Time", "We Belong Together", "Come To My Party", "I'm So Glad", and "Share My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing set from altoist Sonny Red – a player who hardly ever got to make any albums as a leader, and who really burns brightly on this Blue Note classic! Red's got a tone on alto that's as deep and sharp as most tenorists of his generation – extremely soulful, but with a really raspy edge that's almost modern at times – a combination that's quite unique, and which makes his playing on a few key albums well worth tracking down. This album's one of the best of Sonny's few dates on record – and it features the saxophonist working with two different groups – both headed by Wynton Kelly on piano, and with either Sam Jones or Paul Chambers on bass, and either Roy Brooks or Jimmy Cobb on drums – a hell of a great rhythm lineup, no matter how you slice it! Both groups are right on the money, and the whole album swings very nicely – and titles include "Alone Too Long", "The Lope", "Nadia", "Bluesville", and "Blues In the Pocket". LP, Vinyl record album

A one of a kind record that still sparkles as brightly today as it did back in the late 60s – an amazing collaboration between Brazilian vocalist Elis Regina and Scandinavian jazzman Toots Thielemans – done in a style that easily makes it one of the best records ever from both artists! Elis is at the height of her jazzy late 60s powers here – working in a soaring, breezy sort of style – but one with a lot more depth and soul than some of her contemporaries. She brings a great deal of feeling to the tunes, but always without doing too much – and this leaves plenty of space for Toots to add his touches – on harmonica, guitar, and even a bit of whistling – which really sits in nicely with the grooves. The production and overall sound is sublime – one of those never matched again sort of studio dates – and titles include great versions of "Canto De Ossanha", "Wave", "Voce", "Wilsamba", "Five For Elis", "Volta", and "O Sonho". LP, Vinyl record album

The last full album recorded by Minnie Riperton before she left our planet all too soon – and a killer batch of work that really has us wondering how great the world of soul music would have been, had Minnie stuck around to keep on growing into the 80s and 90s! The set's filled with the kind of all-star help that Riperton always seemed to attract over the years – strong contributions from Minnie's longtime fan/friend Stevie Wonder, plus work from Phil Upchurch, Jose Feliciano, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and many others – all helped out by Minnie and her partner/producer, the great Richard Rudolph – whose connection to Riperton can always be felt in the music. Titles include the great track "Memory Lane", which gets endless airplay here in Chicago, plus the beautiful ballad "Never Existed Before", and the cuts "I'm A Woman", "Lover & Friend", and "Return To Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a cheesy sort of cover – one that almost looks like it's about to melt – and one that hides the great all-star talents within – a lineup that includes Alexis Corner on guitar, Jack Bruce on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums! Yet maybe even better than the non-rockers on the date – as the group also features tenor from Hal Singer and Don Weller, and piano from both Bob Hall and George Green – both of whom really smoke up the keys in a very old-school mode! Korner and Bruce each sing a bit on the set, but the main focus also seems to be in the mix of R&B and bluesy currents from all the instrumentalists – who also include Colin Smith on trumpet and John Picard on trombone. Titles include "Roadhouse Boogie", "Rocket 88", "Waiting For The Call", "St Louis Blues", and "Talking About Louise". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking album of theremin music – recorded at a time when many people had forgotten about the instrument a bit, but at a level that takes the electronic force to a whole new level! The theremin first rose to fame on 50s sci fi soundtracks and weird mood music records – and although it had gotten use on rock albums during the psychedelic years, it never got the proper treatment it deserved until this groundbreaking set from theremin wizard Clara Rockmore! Rockmore plays the instrument here alongside piano from Nadia Reisenberg – really stripping away sci fi futurist stereotype of the theremin, as she takes on work from serious composers, plus other sources too – using the instrument with a sense of drama, and the virtuosic control of a master instrumentalist – on titles that include "Vocalise", "Song Of Grusia", "The Swan", and "Chant Du Memestrel". LP, Vinyl record album

Hot and wild – two of the best words you could use to describe the late 60s Latin Soul material of Pete Rodriguez – especially on an album like this! This album has Pete and his combo at their best – stepping effortlessly between English-language, soul-based tracks – and other material that has them showing their Latin chops in a straighter Pacheco-inspired style – really tight small combo grooving, with that Spanish Harlem sound that cats like Pete could do so well. The whole thing's a winner, and titles include "Here Comes the Judge" and "People Want to Know", plus "Tears on My Pillow", "Carmela", "Pa'Lla Va", "Arranca En Fa", and "Cata Con Tata". LP, Vinyl record album

A lovely little tribute to one of our favorite songwriters of all time – the lyrical genius Tommy Wolf, whose compositions were first championed back in the 50s and 60s by Bob Dorough, Jackie & Roy, and Blossom Dearie! Wolf's got a wonderful way with a twist of a phrase – playful, but never too silly – just freshly original in a world of overdone standards, and a reminder that creative American songwriting didn't stop with Cole Porter and Harold Arlen! Bobbi's voice has a warmly sweet quality that makes for a slightly different approach to the material than others before her – and backing on the record is by a piano trio led and arranged by Chick Cicchetti. Titles include "There Are Days When I Don't Think Of You At All", "Say Cheese", "I'm Alright Til You Touch Me", "It's Nice Weather For Ducks", "You Smell So Good", "I've Never Been Anything", and "A Face Like Yours". LP, Vinyl record album

Kenny Rogers gets bigger billing on the cover, but the real treat is the instrumentals by Shorty Rogers – including "Cajun Source", "Take A Walk", "Up Yours", "Someone Who Cares", and "Anais & Mathew". LP, Vinyl record album

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A fantastic early demonstration of the solo powers of Diana Ross – a live date from Vegas, and one that has her commanding the stage not just as a singer of soul music, but as a female star ready to rival the talents of any of her contemporaries in the mainstream! Ross shines here with a brilliant brightness right from the start – working with a large ensemble that echoes all her best Motown roots, but which also pushes things out in fuller, more vibrant modes too – as Diana runs through tracks that include old soul favorites, jazz standards, and even some surprising choices from the charts – at a level that's filled with poise, class, and soul throughout. Titles include a great "Supremes Medley", plus "Don't Rain On My Parade", "Corner Of The Sky", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and a "Lady Sings The Blues Medley" with titles from the Billie Holiday songbook. LP, Vinyl record album

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A great document of a famous 70s TV special from Diana Ross – and a record that also features excellent guest work from Bill Cosby and The Jackson 5 – as well as an odd Motown appearance from Danny Thomas! Ross dominates the set, working with sublime larger arrangements that really showcase her growing power as a solo star – on titles that include "Close To You", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "I Love You", "Remember Me", and "Don't Rain On My Parade". And Bill Cosby steps in for a bit of dialogue with Ross – as they talk together, then lead into a surprising duet on Randy Newman's "Love Story"! The Jackson 5 serve up two nice medley tracks – "I'll Be There/Feelin Alright" and "Mama's Pearl/Walk On By/The Love You Save" – and Danny Thomas does a bit of comedy, but doesn't sing – thankfully. LP, Vinyl record album

Clubby tracks with a bit of a Caribbean influence – recorded in New York, with some really great instrumental touches on keyboards! The tracks mostly feature chorus vocals by a group of singers that includes Luther Vandross, Gloria Covington, and Lani Groves – but the best part of the set is the overall instrumentation, which gets a chance to break out on the longer tunes. Titles include "Discocide", "Get On Up Get On Down", "Tonight's The Night", "Manhattan Fever", and "Lightning Striking Twice". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous little album from Jimmy Ruffin – as "ruff" as the title implies, with a much deeper groove than you might find from other Motown releases at the time! The style here is really wonderful – rich, heartfelt vocals from Jimmy that easily match the best of the Detroit underground of the time – a style that's a bit like Darrell Banks or JJ Barnes, with echoes of the southern sound of the 60s – but produced to perfection with all the best that Motown could muster! Jimmy gets lots of heavy help from Norman Whitfield – who produced about half the tracks on the set, and gives Ruffin a sound that's somewhere between his righteous soul with the Temptations, and the best Motown grooves of his earlier work for the label. Other production is by Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier, William Weatherspoon & James Dean, and Richard Morris – all of whom follow Whitfield's lead nicely – and although the album's got few runaway hits, it's a rock-solid effort throughout – just the kind of album that makes us love the Motown full-length scene even more than the label's singles! Titles include "Lonely Lonely Man Am I", "It's Wonderful (To Be Loved By You)", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "Everybody Needs Love", "Sad & Lonesome Feeling", "Love Gives Love Takes Away", and "Farewell Is A Lonely Sound". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work by composer/leader Pete Rugolo – Stan Kenton's old partner in modernist jazz, and the force behind excellent work by June Christy, The Four Freshmen, and others. This album's got a great "crime jazz" sound – with an approach that sort of starts at the Peter Gunn level, but which gets much crazier as the record goes on. Titles include "The Teaser", "Richard Diamond Theme", "Who's Sam?", "All Star", and "Teen Age Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

Todd Rundgren in all of his great early glory – a record that's filled with simple, honest pop tunes – and one that also takes on a few experimental touches as well – but only in ways that further the earnest charm at its heart! There's a really upfront, unpretentious feel to the record – one that matches Todd's indie rock look on the cover, and which comes through beautifully in the balance of material in the set. Some tunes are a bit harder rocking, but they're always offset by gentler moments that really stand out. Titles include "We Gotta Get You A Woman", "The Last Thing You Said", "Broke Down & Busted", "Who's That Man", "Birthday Carol", "Believe In Me", and the great medley of "Baby Let's Swing/The Last Thing You Said/Don't Tie My Hands". LP, Vinyl record album

A great session that features Jimmy Rushing singing in the rootsy style of his early Kansas City recordings, with backing by a group that includes the legendary Pete Johson on piano, plus Rudy Powell on alto, Emmett Berry on trumpet, Buddy Tate on tenor, and Freddie Greene on guitar. Titles include "Evenin", "Rock n Roll", "Don't Cry, Baby", "Take Me Back, Baby", and "It's Hard To Laugh A Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that marks a new label for Doug Sahm, and maybe a slight shift in sound too – one that uses roots modes that extend a bit more past more familiar Texas territory, but only to showcase the depth in Sahm's music that continued to make him a legend long after his too-early passing! Doug's got a way of delivering a lyric that goes right past any sense of poster or artifice – a quality that makes these tunes completely charming, even though the modes might seem easy or familiar. The lineup includes some nice tenor sax and organ work – and titles include "Hangin On By A Thread", "Tunnel Vision", "Ain't Into Lettin You Go", "All The Way To Nothing", "Hell Of A Spell", "Can't Fake It", and "I Don't Mind At All". LP, Vinyl record album

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With Marcus Miller on keyboards, bass, and rhythm guitar, Steve Ferrone on drums, Hiram Bullock on lead guitar, Bernard Wright on synthesizer, Steve Gadd on drums, Don Grolnick on piano, Hugh McCracken on slide guitar, Mac Rebennack aka Dr John on piano, and Paulinho da Costa on percusion. LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal bit of crossover disco from the mid 70s – and a record that broke big on its title reworking of The Animals' earlier hit! Leroy Gomez heads the group on vocals and alto sax – and brings a slight Latin flourish to the album – mixing strings with some brassier "Spanish" horns and acoustic guitars – used here in a way that predates the Gypsy Kings' move onto the dancefloor many years later. Side one is taken up completely by an extended reading of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" – which runs into the "Esmeralda Suite", really just an extension of the first number. Side two continues the "oldies" mode of the first with a cover of "Gloria" – then rolls into the original tunes "You're My Everything" and "Black Pot". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal bit of crossover disco from the mid 70s – and a record that broke big on its title reworking of The Animals' earlier hit! Leroy Gomez heads the group on vocals and alto sax – and brings a slight Latin flourish to the album – mixing strings with some brassier "Spanish" horns and acoustic guitars – used here in a way that predates the Gypsy Kings' move onto the dancefloor many years later. Side one is taken up completely by an extended reading of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" – which runs into the "Esmeralda Suite", really just an extension of the first number. Side two continues the "oldies" mode of the first with a cover of "Gloria" – then rolls into the original tunes "You're My Everything" and "Black Pot". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual soundtrack from the mighty Lalo Schifrin – and one that seems to show off all of his best modes in its shifting range of styles! The film is a somewhat understated story set on the streets of New York – and the music often takes on the same sort of vibe – with some beautiful melodic passages that are quite different than Lalo's big hits of the 60s. But then there's also some beautiful orchestra moments too – with these arrangements that are complicated, yet sparkling – that sophisticated charm that always put Schifrin ahead of the pack! And then Lalo even opens up with a few funkier tracks that recall his electric jazz albums of the late 70s for the CTI label – fuller groovers that are showcased on the two longest tracks – "Hey Nunzio" and "Candy Store Frenzy". Other titles include "Sad Nunzio", "Superspeed", "To The Rescue", "Only A Memory", "Nunzio In Love", "Goodnights My Little One", and "Flying Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The only album we've ever seen from this hip Detroit group of the 70s – a harmony soul act who mix sweet vocal styles with a more badass approach – very much at the level of the best Philly or New Jersey acts of the time! Production gets funky and fuzzy at times – with a very strong Norman Whitfield influence – and although the set was issued on Sussex, it resonates much more strongly with Westbound or HDH material of the time – really laying into the richness of the Detroit style of the early 70s, which has a great way of maximizing the group's vocals too! "Are You Too Blind To See", "Doing Time In Poverty", "Will of the People", "Song to the System", and "When That Day Comes". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. Title track produced by the Shocklees. Includes "That's How We're Livin", "Everybody Get Loose", "Coolin In Cali", "Goes Like Dis", "Drums Of Steel", "Freestyle 88", "Express The Mind", "A Man's Gotta Do What A Man's Gotta Do" and "Hit Em Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A set of two live dates from the late 30s – from the Hotel Lincoln's Blue Room in 1938, with Les Robinson and Hank Freeman on alto; Tony Pastor, Ronnie Perry, and Georgie Auld on tenor; Chuck Peterson, Johnny Best, and Bernie Privin on trumpet; Geroge Arus, Les Jenkins, and Harry Rodgers on trombone; Bob Kitsis on piano, Al Avola on guitar, Sid Weiss on bass, and Cliff Leeman and Buddy Rich on drums; and from the Hotel Pennsylvania's Cafe Rouge in 1939, with most of the same personell but with Harry Geller replacing Johnny Best. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Blue Note work by Horace Silver – the stuff that soul jazz legends are made of, and an album that showed he was destined to be a huge force away from the Jazz Messengers! Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook hold down the frontline with Horace – playing in a mellifluous style that links the tenor and trumpet magically, dancing in sweetly lyrical lines over the impeccable rhythm team of Gene Taylor on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are short, tight, and grooving with a sound that's virtually the blueprint for early soul jazz – and the album includes classic Silver tunes like "Come On Home", "Mellow D", "Finger Poppin", and "Swingin The Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful, beautiful record from Horace Silver – one of his great 70s experiments for Blue Note – and a set that has him working in the same "jazz with voices" mode explored by Max Roach and Donald Byrd in earlier years! The core of the set is focused around the great work of Silver's combo – with Tom Harrell on trumpet, Bob Berg on tenor, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a wonderfully cohesive unit that arcs and turns with all these sweet little shifts – keeping up with the creative rhythms directed from Silver, while cascading through a beautiful range of tones and colors as well! The vocals follow suit beautifully – directed by Alan Copeland, but with a much more soulful approach than his 60s material – bursting forth with this warmth and sense of tone that really matches the instrumentation. Titles include "I Will Always Love You", "Out Of The Night", "Incentive", "New York Lament", "Mood For Maude", and "All In Time". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – the kind of album that only Blue Note could put out, and an instant classic that will sound wonderful forever! The album's truly one of the great ones – one of those Blue Notes that still makes you stop and pause when you hear it, even though you've heard it a million times in Starbucks and places like that. Horace Silver is working here at the height of his powers – lyrical, free, yet also damn soulful, in a style that makes for some of the most evocative jazz-based grooves cut to wax at the time. Carmell Jones is in the group, and plays some of his best trumpet ever – and Joe Henderson really drives the whole session home with some incredible tenor work. Other group members include Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – and titles include the instantly famous "Song For My Father", plus "Que Pasa", "The Kicker", and "Calcutta Cutie". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest records ever from Shel Silverstein – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given what a weirdo he is! The set was recorded hot on the heels of the big Johnny Cash recording of "Boy Named Sue" – and it features Shel singing that famous tune, plus a host of other original country material – all of which is quite different than the usual songs coming from Nashville in the 60s! Production was done by Chet Atkins – who must have flipped a wig recording this one – and Shel's raspy, nasally voice is surprisingly at home in the professional Nashville backings. The record's a great leftfield country relic from the 60s – and titles include "Boy Named Sue", "Dirty Ol Me", "Alimoney", "Someday's Here", "Time", "Comin After Jinny", and "Daylight Dreamer". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavenly work by one of the greatest vocal jazz combos ever! The Singers Unlimited cut many mighty albums for MPS with arrangements by some of the label's best bandleaders – but this one features them all alone, with only their voices to hold them up, which they do wonderfully, thanks to some crack arrangements by Gene Puerling of the group! The approach is natural – given that their vocal interplay was always the group's strongest calling card – and thanks to sublime MPS production, acapella vocals have never sounded so amazing. Titles include "The Fool On The Hill", "Emily", "Since You Asked", "Lullaby", and "London By Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record from singer Carol Sloane – a singer who's billed as a discovery from the Newport Jazz Festival – but who sings here with shimmeringly modern arrangements that recall some of June Christy's best 50s work with arranger Pete Rugolo! The force behind the backings here is mostly Bill Finegan – of Sauter-Finegan fame – who uses just the right amount of subtle modern colors and tones to instantly announce Sloane as a singer from a new generation – one who's not trying to cross over to pop, nor please the dancers – and instead revel in all the advances that jazz vocals had made in the postwar years. Bob Brookmeyer also arranged a few tunes – and plays often on the record, with a great tone that underscores the blue vibe of the set – and titles include "Who Cares", "My Ship", "Little Girl Blue", "Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries", "Night & Day", "My Silent Love", and "The More I See You". LP, Vinyl record album

The group features Michael Small on tack piano – plus Pat Rebillot on piano, Joe Beck on acoustic guitar, David Spinozza on electric guitar, Dave Bromberg on dobro, and Eric Weissberg on banjo and fiddle. LP, Vinyl record album

Led by drummer Hal Smith, with Chris Tyle on cornet and comb, Richard Hadlock on soprano and alto, Butch Thompson on piano, Becky Kilgore on guitar, Mike Duffy on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Jimmy's most classic albums for Blue Note – and a key example of why his solo skills on the organ surpassed most of his contemporaries! The record's got a stripped-down trio group of Jimmy, guitarist Quentin Warren, and drummer Donald Bailey – working through mostly familiar numbers, but taking them to places previously unheard of! The best example of this is the album's amazing version of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" – a classic groover that takes the old snoozer and pumps it up with a snapping rhythm, then features Jimmy really working the whole thing over with an incredible solo! A similar format's applied to numbers that include "Mack the Knife", "Night in Tunisia", "What's New", and "Makin Whoopee" – and the album soars with an easy groove that's every bit of Jimmy at his best! LP, Vinyl record album

The second great session from two of Verve's biggest jazz stars of the 60s – organist Jimmy Smith and guitarist Wes Montgomery – an unlikely pair, to be sure, but one who work great together on the set! The real change here is in Wes' playing – as it's shifted from the mellower style used over larger backings on most of his Verve sets, back to the rootsier soul jazz tone of his earliest recordings from his days on the Indianapolis scene. Jimmy and Wes are working with a core combo that includes Grady Tate on drums and Ray Barretto on conga – making for a lean organ/guitar groove that's only got percussion to kick it along. Titles include "Call Me", "OGD", "King Of The Road", "Mellow Mood", and "Maybe September" – plus a great version of "Milestones" that features some hard swinging larger backings from Oliver Nelson! LP, Vinyl record album

The first, and perhaps the most conventional album by Spanky & Our Gang – but still pretty darn insane! The group are a strange mix of 60s styles – with bits of We Five, bits of Harpers Bizarre, bits of The Association – but a totally strange and totally fun approach to pop that's very much their own. Cuts on the album are a mix of originals and covers – and highlights include the incredible "5 Definitions Of Love" by Bob Dorough, "Distance" by Joe Renzetti, "Commercial" by the band, and the track "It Ain't Necessarily Bird Avenue". Great groovy stuff – and with arrangements by Renzetti, Dorough, and Stuart Scharf. LP, Vinyl record album

Spooky Tooth have grown their hair since the cover of their first album – and they've also grown their sound a bit too – into a brew that's even headier and more powerful than before! The album's still got an undercurrent of soul – and begins with a fantastic drumbreak on the first cut – but these guys are also swirling their basslines, guitars, and keyboards into territory that's unabashedly hard rock – a mode that really has singer Gary Wright opening up with soaring vocals on most of the tracks! The album really represents that full turning of the UK scene from beat group modes into badass territory that's completely unique – a sound that Island Records was perfect to usher in for the group – and the whole thing's got an instant classic sort of vibe, and we've always wondered why it never had a greater place in the rock canon of the period. Titles include "That Was Only Yesterday", "Waiting For The Wind", "Feelin Bad", "Evil Woman", "Lost In My Dream", and "Hangman Hang My Shell On A Tree". LP, Vinyl record album

Early 80s Chicago new wave. Two songs from this release also appear on very early Sub Pop cassette 'zine compilations. LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's got a slightly different vibe than previous Stackridge albums – yet which also continues that special sort of hard to define quality that always made the group so unique! There's a feel to the set that's maybe a bit in keeping with the image on the cover – slight touches of an older carnivalesque aesthetic, yet filtered through that cool British 70s production style – compressing any prog influences down to modes that often have some very slight glammy touches around the edges, which also steps up some of the hooks on the tunes as well! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful Roost material from Sonny Stitt – solid, mature, and extremely well-placed lines on the alto sax – all caught at a level that's higher than most of his contemporaries were dising out at the time! The boppier side of Stitt's roots is nicely suppressed here – and in its place is a focused and deeply personal approach to the music – one that's wonderfully complemented by the "New Yorkers" combo of Hank Jones on piano, Shadow Wilson on drums, and Wendell Marshall on bass. The record's one of the jewels in the crown of his Roost catalog – and titles include "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Engos, The Bloos", and "Bloosey". LP, Vinyl record album

Dreamy dreamy pop psych from Strawberry Alarm Clock – a great late 60s group who skirted the worlds of Sunshine Pop and more jamming garage rock! This album's got a lot more to offer than you might guess from just the title hit – as the instrumentation sometimes gets nicely tripped out – with cool use of organ, harpsichord, and guitar – plus plenty of special effects in production – and even some of the song styles and lengths are unusual too, making the album way more than just a batch of cute little tunes. Titles include the classic "Incense & Peppermints", the 8 minute jammer "The World's On Fire", the instrumental "Pass Time With SAC", and the cuts "Paxton's Back Street Carnival", "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow", "Strawberries Mean Love", and "Unwind the Clock". LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length disco fantasy from Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder – both very much at the A double-length, 4 act disco fantasy from Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder – both very much at the height of their powers here – and able to keep up enough energy to make it through what was originally 2LP set! The work's a unified sort of story – kind of a disco opera of sorts – but more than the lyrics or the story, what makes the album great is the rhythms – full-on and non-stop, rolling strongly from tune after tune in a highly energized blend. Titles include "Once Upon A Time", "Fairy Tale High", "Queen For A Day", "Now I Need You", "Dance Into My Life", "A Man Like You", "I Love You", and "Rumor Has It". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from the early days of The Supremes – and way more than you'd guess from the "hits" in the title! The record's not really a roundup of the hit singles already out on 45 – and is actually just an apt title for what the album was destined to be – a stone hit that really put these Motown legends on the map! Production is by the Holland/Dozier/Holland team – with a marvelous wall of sound-style groove that really pushes the vocals forward tremendously – that brilliant all-in Motown mode of the best early years, where the Detroit studio was working overtime to make things sound amazing. Titles include the massive hit "Stop! In The Name Of Love" – but the whole thing's a solid effort with no filler, and other cuts include "I'm In Love Again", "He Holds His Own", "Whisper You Love Me Boy", "The Only Time I'm Happy", "Nothing But Heartaches", "Honey Boy", and "Back In My Arms Again". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever albums by the Supremes – and filled with stone classics, to boot! As the title states, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard team up with Holland Dozier Holland – and they really to create the sound that would put them and Motown on the map. A couple of the biggest hits are laid down, but album also features tracks that are arguably even better to hear these days – as they spin out that quintessential Motown sound but aren't hampered by the ubiquity of the oldies radio staples! Titles include "You Keep Me Hanging On", "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone", "I Guess I'll Always Love You", "I'll Turn To Stone", "It's The Same Old Song", "Love Is In Our Hearts", 'There's No Stopping Us Now" and "Love Is Like A Heatwave". LP, Vinyl record album

This one's probably best known for the cover – a disco parody of the famous Herb Albert Sweet Cream cover, one that shows an African American model covered in whipped cream like the one on the more famous A&M record jacket. Sweet Cream themselves are a hip girl trio from Detroit, featuring Gloria, Gracie, and Esther Ridgeway – who later operated under that last name as The Ridgeways on a more famous record with Gene Dozier on Capitol. And despite the fact that this one looks like a throwaway disco album, it's actually got a funky sound that's not that different from their later modern soul grooves with Dozier – a bit disco in parts, but also with a bit of a jazz fusion finish that keeps things real, and pretty interesting instrumentally. Some tracks are well-done mellow cuts, and titles include "Skunk Funk", "We're Not Gonna Make It", "You Brought Joy", and "Pretty Little Black Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

Original tunes and arrangements by Buck Clayton – played by a group that features Buddy Tate on tenor and clarinet, Bruce Turner on alto, and Humphrey Lyttelton on trumpet. LP, Vinyl record album

Solo recordings with a side's worth of originals and standards on the flipside. LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 70's album of funky soul tracks cut by ex-Gator Willie Tee, with a number of other members of the Gators, for United Artists. Don't go thinking that it's raw New Orleans soul, though, because the sound is a lot more polished, with more of a 70's modern groove to it. Willie's still got some nice moments on keyboards though, but most of the cuts also have some vocals. Tracks include "Anticipation", "Come To Me", "I Can Feel It", "Liberty Bell", and "Moment Of Truth". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the crowning moments of genius from 10CC – a record that has the duo of Godly & Creme really hitting their stride in the studio, and taking the group into completely different territory than on their first few records! The brilliance of the mega-hit "I'm Not In Love" is very well-known – and the rest of the record follows with a similar sort of sonic intensity, one that holds strong even as the song styles shift throughout – almost with the sort of mini-masterpiece in album format that Trevor Horn would so loudly proclaim at ZTT. The record's both a key part of 70s pop, and one that's also very much apart from the pack – with titles that include "I'm Not In Love", "The Second Sitting For The Last Supper", "The Film Of My Love", "Brand New Day", "Blackmail", "Flying Junk", and the three part "Une Nuite A Paris" suite. LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful reedman Tenderlonious plays flute this time around – but as always, it's the overall sound that makes the record so great – not just the solo bits on flute, but all the keyboards, basslines, and beats – stretched out in this cool 21st Century take on funky fusion! The music is jazz at the core, but more electrified too – with a straightforward funky groove on some numbers, and some more enigmatic modes on others – all a great blend of keyboards and flutes, which often share the same tonal range. Titles include "Dale's Corner", "Autumn Leaves", "Ghana", "Odeo Bushi", "In A Sentimental Mood", and "Song For My Father" – and the three tunes with familiar titles are actually originals by the man himself. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet bit of electric sax work from Buddy Terry – who plays acoustic tenor on half the album, and Varitone on the other half! The groove is great – a bit more unusual and open than the regular Prestige soul jazz outing of the time – and with a great lineup that includes Jimmy Owens on trumpet and Harold Mabern on Fender Rhodes! The album's a sweet precursor to the sounds to come in the 70s on CTI – and titles include "The Band Bandit", "The Ubangi That Got Away", "Jimmy", and "Electric Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the first true moment of greatness from Thin Lizzy – a record that really has them coming into their own, with a sharpness that really points the way at their later classics – and that unique approach that has Phil Lynott standing out as one of the most unique singers of his generation! There's still a bit of a bluesy undercurrent at the start, but as the album comes together some really tremendous songs emerge – tuneful yet rocking, and with a surprising undercurrent of soul as well. Titles include the classic "The Rocker", the great "Mama Nature Said", and "The Hero And The Madman", "Vagabond Of The Western World", and "A Song For While I'm Away". 2LP set features all sorts of great bonus material – tracks from singles that include "Whiskey In The Jar", "Black Boys On The Corner", "Randolph's Tango", "Broken Dreams", "Here I Go Again", "A Ride In The Lizzy Mobile", and "The Rocker (edit)" – plus "Whisky In The Jar (alt mix extended)", "Black Boys On The Corner (alt)", and "Gonna Creep Up On You (acetate mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice post-Pere Ubu material – with work from Richard Thompson, Anton Fier, Chris Cutler, and Lindsay Cooper – a lineup who really helps give the vocals of David Thomas an edge! LP, Vinyl record album

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Prime mid 50s work from Lucky Thompson – recorded in Paris with the group of drummer Dave Pochonet, and featuring tracks that are longer than usual for a Thompson session! Thompson is on tenor throughout – and the other players include either Henri Renaud or Martial Solal on piano, Michel De Villers on baritone and alto, and Fernand Verstraete on trumpet. There's a bit looser feel to the set than some of Thompson's tighter sides from the US – and titles include "Let's Try Again", "Stewin Up A Wig", "Fascinating Blues", "Home Free", and "One For The Boys & Us". LP, Vinyl record album

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Quite possibly one of the most successful Japanese piano trio recordings of the 70s – a super-session performed by a group that includes Joe Sample on acoustic piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums! Given that Sample's best known during the era for his electric keys with the Crusaders (and on countless studio sessions), it's a real treat to hear him tickle the ivories in an acoustic way – and a genuine surprise to hear how strong his work is in such a format. Joe manages to swing the tunes with plenty of creative improvisation, but also keeps a strong focus on the groove too – making for an album that's got some of the rhythmic flourishes of the best work of the Oscar Peterson trio in later years, but with some of the added freedoms of the Japanese scene. Titles include "On Green Dolphin Street", "Round Midnight", "Funky Blues", "Manha Do Carnaval", "Yearnin", and "Satin Doll". LP, Vinyl record album

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A record with a really special sound – Japanese pop moving past some of the more emotive modes used a few years before, and working with a gentle, breezy style that sometimes echoes the best A&M Records styles from the Cali scene of the late 60s! Both singers intertwine in a wonderful way, often harmonizing with a great sense of balance – and the backings are often nicely groovy, with electric bass creating a gentle glide that's mighty nice! The whole thing is well-produced, but also has a laidback vibe that fits the barefoot image on the cover – and titles translate as "Being Astray On The Corner", "Another World For Lovers", "The Day We Lose Our Peace", "Moment By Moment", "A Rose & An Apple", and "Early Days". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a legend – a record that may well be called the birthplace of the Strata East record label – as the let features both trumpeter Charles Tolliver and pianist Stanley Cowell, working together in an early version of the Music Inc group that would be one of the key acts on Strata East during the 70s! The set came at a time when both Tolliver and Cowell had been working in Max Roach's groundbreaking group of the late 60s – getting plenty of training from Max, but also, along with Gary Bartz, opening up with all these new spiritual ideas and fresh compositions – to a point where there's already a very mature, focused vibe on this early set! The rest of the group features Steve Novosel on bass and Jimmy Hopps on drums – and together, the musicians soar beautifully on a set of all original tunes by Tolliver – some of which you'll recognize from later readings, but which are already in a perfect modal, spiritual groove here. Tracks include "Spur", "The Ringer", "Mother Wit", "Plight", and "On The Nile". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic performance by one of the most groundbreaking soul jazz groups of the 70s! Tolliver's leading his Music Inc ensemble here – an important quartet that featured him on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jimmy Hopps on drums. During their time recording for the Tolliver/Cowell owned label Strata East, the group forged a strident spiritual approach to jazz – one that took all of the experiments of Coltrane, and fused them with a soulful sound that was packed with all of the righteousness of the time. The group's at their finest here – working before a very friendly crowd at the legendary Slugs nightclub in the East Village – and tracks on this first volume include "Drought", "Felicite", and "Orientale", all done in nice long readings! LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the grooviest Mel Torme albums ever – a smoking little live set that has the Velvet Fog hitting a whole new soulful sound for the 60s – with a leaner groove than ever before! Backing is from the trio of pianist Jimmy Wisner – although Mel himself also plays a bit of piano on the record – and the rhythms have this upfront, super-tight sound that really makes Torme's vocals pop – coming across with a fresh, swinging sound that's quite a change from the 40s and 50s! Yet throughout it all, ol' uncle Mel still keeps his pipes in perfect tune – that amazing voice that never lets up for a minute – and which holds its own beautifully on tunes that include "Anything Goes", "Love For Sale", "Love Is Just Around the Corner", "Shakin The Blues Away", and "In Other Words". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album of Trapeze – a great little group that's maybe best known as the early home of Glenn Hughes, but who have plenty to offer on their own! Production is by John Lodge, of the Moody Blues – a strong supporter of the group at their start – but the sound is very different than his own work – sometimes with harmonies that almost have the group coming across in heavier territory than the earlier Bee Gees, sometimes with hints of the hard rock elements that Hughes would bring to later music. Drummer Dave Holland provides excellent work on the set – and titles include "The Giant's Dead Hoorah", "Over", "Nancy Gray", "It's Only A Dream", "Suicide", "Send Me No Letters", and "It's My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Features work by Conte Candoli on trumpet, Bob Cooper on tenor, Paul Horn on flute, Bud Shank on alto, and Frank Rosolino on trombone. LP, Vinyl record album

Recorded with a hip group that includes Lloyd Glenn on piano, Pee Wee Crayton on guitar, Joe Banks on trumpet, and Hollis Gilmore and Bill Clark on tenor. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best CTI albums from the early 70s – and one of Stanley Turrentine's funkiest records as well! The album's got a sharper edge than most other Turrentine albums of the time – a quality that goes beyond Stan's already soulful approach to the tenor, and which brings in some tight changes and more pronounced rhythms that really give the best cuts a great groove! The group's a sextet – with Bob James on electric piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Cornell Dupree on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums – and titles include a monster version of Weldon Irvine's "Sister Sanctified" – a great funk tune that's probably best known as the sample for "My Philosophy" by BDP! Other tracks include "Speedball", "Cherry", and "The Revs". LP, Vinyl record album

Stanley Turrentine meets Bob James – on a record that's one of the 70s classics on CTI! Bob James handles the arrangements – with that laidback, mellowfunky approach to jazz that he helped pioneer at the time – lots of modal chords in the rhythms, and these wonderfully soulful solos by the great Stan himself! James plays keyboards on the set – and Harold Mabern adds some piano too – and the lineup also includes the mighty Eric Gale on guitar, and Idris Muhammad on drums. Titles include the great title cut – a remake of Marvin Gaye's "Don't Mess With Mister T", plus "Too Blue", "Two For T", and "I Could Never Repay Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Stanley Turrentine's no spoiler here – as his tenor sax soars out over the top of some sweet larger group arrangements from Duke Pearson – all awash in a great sense of soul, joy, and life! The album's got a much brighter feel than you might guess from the cover – a vibe that's a bit similar to Stan's classic Joyride album, but a bit more open and free – thanks to the lyrical touches of Pearson on the charts. Other players include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Pepper Adams on baritone sax – plus rhythm from McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on electric bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Joseph Rivera on percussion. As on some of the other Pearson dates from the time – particularly those with Donald Byrd – the use of electric bass really opens things up, by creating a subtle rhythmic pulse that really drives most numbers along. And also in the Pearson mode, the added players aren't really a horn section in the conventional way – just a group of like-minded, top-shelf jazz players who egg on the main soloist with a great sense of enthusiasm for the music! Titles include "La Fiesta", "The Magilla", "Sunny", "Maybe September", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", and "When The Sun Comes Out". LP, Vinyl record album

We'll be the first to admit smooth jazz radio has made us very wary of GRP, but the label put out enough nice records in it's early years, we're constantly rethinking that opinion! This early set by Dave Valentin is a great example – as it captures the flautist at his early best, way before he got too smooth, and still had some credibility gained from his work on the NYC Latin scene. Arrangements are by Dave Grusin, who's working here in a sweet blend of his own fusion styles with a few more Latin touches to suit Valentin's roots – and titles include "Legends", "Bouree In E Minor", "Sea Pines", "Crystal Silence", "Afro Blue", "Masquerade", "Patterns For The Sky" and "I Want To Be Where You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

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The mid 70s double LP release of the Velvets live – just past the uber prime point, in 1969 after Doug Yule had steeped in for the departed John Cale! Includes very solid live versions of benchmark numbers, with the VU sounding remarkably sharp on stage on the classics and more. Includes "Waiting For My Man", "Lisa Says", "What Goes On", "Sweet Jane", "We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together", "Femme Fatale", "New Age", "Rock And Roll" and "Beginning To See The Light". LP, Vinyl record album