A lesser-known album from One Way, but a great one – and in some ways, even fresher and more appealing than some of their more famous work from the time! The set's still got plenty of the great One Way bounce in the mix – but there's also a deeper, more sensitive soul sound going on here – one that has the group coming across as strongly on the ballads as the groovers – creating a sense of balance that gives us even more respect for the group than usual. Titles include "Wild Night", "Back To Yesterday", "Making You An Offer", "Don't Fight The Feeling", "Toast To The Other Man", "Can I", and "Put Your Trust In Me". CD

A totally massive set from One Way – a record that has them sounding even better than ever – drawing on all the strengths of the previous few records, and really knocking it out of the park! Although the group's got a great way with a groove, the mellow cuts here are equally nice – including the sublime title number, which begins the set as a sweet stepper – then lets the grooves pick up pace as things move on. Everything's nicely restrained – no overdone boogie modes, or too-funky rhythms that would usually show up on a set like this – and if anything, One Way should be given plenty of props for not just going for the dancefloor – and really coming up with a richly-voiced album like this! Titles include "Love Is", "My Lady", "Wait Until Tomorrow", "Push", "I Didn't Mean to Break Your Heart", and "All Over Again". CD

A great batch of boogie from One Way – one of the few late 70s funky combos who were especially well suited to make the transition to 80s groove! The sound here is more electric and keyboard-heavy than previous One Way records – but the group's trademark soul-heavy approach to groove is still firmly in placed – and Al Hudson's vocals are matched by some equally great work from Kevin McCord, who's really helping the group find a deeper soul sound on the mellower tracks. Titles include "Shine On Me", "So Afraid It's Over", "Didn't You Know It", "Sugar Rock", "Together Forever", "Let's Get Together", and "Bring It Down" CD

A classic from One Way – who're still going strong in the early 80s! The group's ace in the hole was always the great work of Al Hudson – a fearless leader who kept things funky, and who wrote in some great hooks to tracks that give them uncommon strength. Case in point is the classic "Cutie Pie", which is the leadoff track here – with a funky bassline would be right at home on George Clinton's Computer Games – but it really takes flight thanks to One Way's deeper-sinking hook. The album is among their bigger hits of the period – but it's also proof that they were still going strong creatively, too. No foolin'! Lots of solid cuts, including "Runnin Away", "Who's Foolin Who", "Sweet Lady", "Give Me One More Chance" and "You're So Very Special". CD

Damn, One Way never lets us down – and although the group cut many albums back in the day, all of them have some great standout moments! The groove here seems even tighter than ever, but never slick or commercial – a very important distinction, given that so many of One Way's contemporaries really let things slide as they headed for the pop charts. Not so with Al Hudson and group, though – as they always know how to balance things out with all the best elements they had from the start – a good mix of upbeat groovers and some mellower steppers – the latter of which really make us love the record. Titles include the smooth stepper "More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers", which features lead vocals by Ewana Wilson, and some sweet harmonies by the Ridgeways that really make the track – and other titles include "Let's Talk", "Serving It", "Condemned", and "If I Knew". CD also features the bonus track "Let's Talk (extended version)". CD

Damn, One Way never lets us down – and although the group cut many albums back in the day, all of them have some great standout moments! The groove here seems even tighter than ever, but never slick or commercial – a very important distinction, given that so many of One Way's contemporaries really let things slide as they headed for the pop charts. Not so with Al Hudson and group, though – as they always know how to balance things out with all the best elements they had from the start – a good mix of upbeat groovers and some mellower steppers – the latter of which really make us love the record. Titles include the smooth stepper "More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers", which features lead vocals by Ewana Wilson, and some sweet harmonies by the Ridgeways that really make the track – and other titles include "Let's Talk", "Serving It", "Condemned", and "If I Knew". CD also features the bonus track "Let's Talk (extended version)". CD

Groove-happy soul – a 14 track collection that brings together some of the best dancefloor numbers from Al Hudson's group One Way, plus a few solo tunes by one of its best singers, Alicia Myers! Hudson had a unique style that wasn't really disco, wasn't really funk – but took elements of both to craft a modern soul style that worked very well on the dancefloor, and which still holds up in many scenes today. The package includes One Way hits "Cutie Pie", "Lady You Are", "Pop It (single version)", "Push (single version)", "Mr Groove", "Something In The Past", "You Better Quit", and "You Can Do It" – plus Alicia Myers tunes "You Get The Best From Me", "I Want To Thank You", "Appreciation", and "If You Play Your Cards Right". CD

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD

One of the more soulful, spiritual records to ever come from the horn of Peter Brotzmann – thanks to tremendous work from both Rashied Ali on drums and Fred Hopkins on bass – a duo who give the record a very different flavor than some of Brotzmann's other albums for FMP! The record gives lots of open space both musicians, and Hopkins is especially wonderful – almost inheriting a Jimmy Garrison legacy in his work here, with a balance between outside steps and a core pulse that really sounds wonderful. Ali's as great as on his late work with Coltrane – and Brotzmann seems to respond in spirit in his work on tenor, alto, and tarogato. Titles include "Songlines", "Two Birds In A Feather", "No Messages", "Old Man Kangaroo", "Man In A Vacuum", and "It Is Solved By Walking". CD

A lost smoker from the legendary tenorist Hank Mobley – recorded relatively late in his career, at a time when his music on Blue Note was really taking some great new directions! The approach here is maybe a bit more straightforward than those records, but still completely amazing – as Mobley's soloing with all these unusual twists and turns, and phrasing that you never would have heard a few years before – all while working with a variety of Dutch backing combos on these live performances from the Netherlands in 1968! One group features Pim Jacobs on piano, Wim Overgaauw on guitar, Ruud Jacobs on bass, and future avant legend Han Bennink on drums – and another features the great Rob Agerbeek on piano, with Hans Van Rossem on bass and Cees See on drums. There's also two studio performances with the larger Hobby Orkest ensemble – quite an unusual setting for Hank, and a great one too – and titles include "Summertime", "Twenty Four & More", "Three Way Split", "Vierd Blues", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "Sonny's Tune", "Autumn Leaves", and "Blues By Five". CD

With Willard Dyson on drums. CD

13 songs from Alaap, Rama & Bally Sagoo, Bombay Talkie, Sangeeta, Malkit Singh, Mohinder Kaur Bhamra, AS Kang, Satwinder Bitti & Bally Sagoo, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Baldip Jabble, Safri Boys, Saqi, and Labh Janjua & Panjabi MC. CD

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A great little relic from the San Francisco scene of the late 60s – the first album released by a group who'd been making some big waves in the city for the past few years, but never hit the fame of some of their contemporaries! The group originally featured Dan Hicks – of Hot Licks fame – who had departed by the time of this recording, yet still left some of his own love of roots elements in their sound. But there's some rougher moments too – sharper guitars, and a bit bolder vocals – alongside other tunes that have a slightly warmer, more nostalgic appeal. Titles include "Time To Get Straight", "High Coin", "Easy When I'm Dead", "When I Go Sailin By", "Wabash Cannonball", and "When The Movies Are Over". CD

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A great collection of rare work from Love – one side studio, one side live! The studio tracks were on Blue Thumb albums, but the live material appears here for the first time ever – recorded at Bill Graham's Fillmore East, with tracks that include "Product Of The Times", "Stand Out", "Singing Cowboy", and "Keep On Shining". CD

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Titles include "Back In The City", "Swear", "Hard To Say It's Over", "Hungry Eyes", "All By Myself", "Love & Affection", "Strut", and "Sugar Walls". CD

Titles include "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", "Sweet Soul Music", "Joabim", "Looking For A Sign", "Going To Tennessee", "We Just Can't Make It Anymore", and "Same Old Blues". CD

The amazing debut of Soft Machine! It's hard to find a more seminal moment of jazz rock from the British scene – and there's certainly few albums from its generation that stand up as well over the years as this one! The trio of Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Michael Ratledge carve out the future of progressive playing on this excellent set of shorter tunes that still offer up all the hard jamming of later years. Beat group morphs into prog jazz before your very eyes – on tracks like "Hope For Happiness", "Why Am I So Short", "Save Yourself", "Priscilla", "So Boot If At All", "A Certain Kind", "Lullabye Letter", and "Why Are We Sleeping?". CD

Sublime early work from Robert Wyatt and crew – a psychedelic accented jazz rock classic that never gets old – and a visionary set that inspired a generation! The heavily fuzzy guitar sound is transcendent on Volume Two – with sudden jazzy changes, augmented by horns, and all done with a sly sense of humour for which the group doesn't get enough credit. It's broken up into two different "concept" halves – the first half is "Rivmic Melodies" – and includes "Pataphysical Introduction", "A Concise British Alphabet", "Dada Was Here", and "Out Of Tunes". The second is "Esther's Nose Job" – with the parts "Pig", "Fire Engine Passing With Bells Clanging", "Orange Skin Food", and "A Door Opens & Closes". Wyatt's on vocals and drums; Hugh Hopper is on bass, guitar, and alto; and Mike Ratledge plays some great Lowry and Hammond organ, plus a bit of harpsichord and flute! CD

A live trio date from guitarist Lenny Breau – and a set that's maybe got a bit more of an edge than some of his studio albums of the time! Lenny introduces the set, which helps enforce the concert feel of the proceedings – then works through a set of nicely varied material that really opens up with his solos – sometimes very careful single-note lines, sometimes more complicated flurries that show references towards other styles, as a reminder that Breau was never just a straight jazz guitarist. Titles include the beautiful "Indian Reflections For Ravi" – plus "Bluesette", "Spanjazz", "Mercy Mercy Mercy", "That's All", "Blues Theme #2", and "The Claw". CD

Mindblowing music from Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band – a record that's got plenty of garagey grit at the core, but which also has a heady freak rock vibe overall! The 1967 album really captures this perfect moment – one when so many artists like Don Van Vliet had their feet in older rockish modes, but were really tripping out with new ideas – able to get nice and freaky in the course of a short tune, yet still never lose a groove that really helped send the music home! In other words, there's nothing too hippieish about the record, and nothing that's ever too self-indulgent – yet the blend of organ, guitar, and drums is completely mindblowing – and as revolutionary today as it was back then. Titles include "Abba Zabba", "Dropout Boogie", "Zig Zag Wanderer", "Electricity", "Yellow Brick Road", "Grown So Ugly", and "Autumn's Child" – this version includes 9 bonus tracks! CD

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Julie Driscoll's come a long way from her years with Brian Auger here – stepping out in a freer sound that marks the shift in the British scene from beat group grooving to jazz-rock jamming. The session features a host of likely suspects from that hip side of the scene where avant jazz and rock merge – a lineup that includes Keith Tippett on piano, Elton Dean on saxes, Chris Spedding and Brian Godding on guitars, and Nick Evans on trombone – and Julie's vocal style is finely tuned to match the craft of the players on the set, with with fantastically deft twist and turns! She's a lot more open-ended in her singing, with less of the R&B inspired approaches of the late 60s, and more of the expansive vocalizations that were showing up in the work of other European vocalists of the 70s. Titles include "Leaving It All Behind", "Break-Out", "A New Awakening", "Walk Down", and "I Nearly Forgot – But I Went Back". CD

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The first-ever full length collection of work by Calvin Arnold – a killer 60s soul singer and guitarist, and one who cut some classic funky 45s back in the day, but never got a chance to record an album! All the material here came out on the Venture label – a small label, but one that got great circulation at the time – which helped Calvin's strong style get into more record collections than you might expect! Arnold's a great singer, with a raw southern style – and the use of guitar here really underscores all the best elements in his voice, as does the lean backings, which often have nice drums! The style here kind of takes off where Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle" began – strong praise in our book – and titles include "Snatchin Back", "Funky Way", "Scoobie Doo", "Mini Skirt, "Fool Me Baby", "Lovely Way To Go", "Just A Matter Of Time", "Messin With The Old Folks Home", "Your Love Is Too Much", and "You Got To Live For Yourself". CD

An incredible package from the great Darrell Banks – a set that brings together his sublime Stax Records album, plus lots of rare bonus tracks too! The core record – Here To Stay – is incredible work from the great Banks – one of the few albums this genius Detroit soul singer cut before his untimely early death! Darrell's got a raw sound and a way with a groove that makes him a perfect choice for late 60s Stax/Volt Records – and he works here with Detroit studio genius Don Davis – who really knows how to mix the rough and the smooth in a perfect way – very different than both the usual Memphis or Detroit soul of the time! Tracks are very well-written – each one's a total lost nugget – and the arrangements have this punch that works perfectly with Banks' tremendous vocals. Titles include "I Could Never Hate Her", "My Love is Reserved", "No One Blinder", "Just Because Your Love Is Gone", and "We'll Get Over". CD then includes a wealth of bonus tracks – some previously unissued – including "Love Is Not An Easy Thing (demo)", "Mama Give Me Some Water (demo)", "Love Why Have You Forsaken Me (demo)", "Just Because Your Love Is Gone (single version)", "No One Blinder (single version)", and "Beautiful Feeling (single version)". CD

Two classic Chess albums from Chuck Berry – issued here on a single CD! First up is One Dozen Berrys – the fresh fruits of the labors of a young Chuck Berry – heard here at his raw, early best! The sound here is stunning – a version of Chuck that gets way past any oldies cliches – and which reminds us that at the start, his music was coming from the same Chess Records fount as Bo Diddley's riffing guitar and Muddy Waters' Chicago blues! The tunes all work together perfectly – and the familiar numbers fit in perfectly with overlooked gems that really make the album great – especially when Chuck's guitar is really given a chance to step out and solo. Titles include "La Juanda", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "It Don't Take But A Few Minutes", "Rock & Roll Music", and "Low Feeling". Juke Box Hits is way more than a "hits" album – as it's filled with some great obscure material that always gets eclipsed by Chuck's big hits. Despite the idea that these would be "new jukebox hits", the material has an approach that was probably a bit too hard for radio, but that's ok with us! Titles include "13 Question Method", "Don't You Lie To Me", "The Way It Was Before", "Away From You", "I'm Talking About You", and "Stop & Listen". CD

Two classic Chess albums from Chuck Berry – issued here on a single CD! First up is One Dozen Berrys – the fresh fruits of the labors of a young Chuck Berry – heard here at his raw, early best! The sound here is stunning – a version of Chuck that gets way past any oldies cliches – and which reminds us that at the start, his music was coming from the same Chess Records fount as Bo Diddley's riffing guitar and Muddy Waters' Chicago blues! The tunes all work together perfectly – and the familiar numbers fit in perfectly with overlooked gems that really make the album great – especially when Chuck's guitar is really given a chance to step out and solo. Titles include "La Juanda", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "It Don't Take But A Few Minutes", "Rock & Roll Music", and "Low Feeling". Juke Box Hits is way more than a "hits" album – as it's filled with some great obscure material that always gets eclipsed by Chuck's big hits. Despite the idea that these would be "new jukebox hits", the material has an approach that was probably a bit too hard for radio, but that's ok with us! Titles include "13 Question Method", "Don't You Lie To Me", "The Way It Was Before", "Away From You", "I'm Talking About You", and "Stop & Listen". CD

Killer work by Art Blakey from the last years of his life – and proof that the drummer still had an amazing ear for the best young talent in jazz! The session's got Art working with (then) up-and-comers Steve Davis on trombone, Brian Lynch on trumpet, Geoff Keezer on piano, and Javon Jackson on tenor sax – giving them all the same space to write, arrange, and solo freely with the same sort of limelight placement Blakey gave Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, and Bobby Timmons in earlier years! Art's still more than holding his own on drums, but as with much of his excellent later work, the real strength of the set is the way in which the younger players hold the set together with a fluid sense of soul. Titles include "Bunyip", "Logarhythms", "I'll Wait & Pray", "Green Is Mean", "Accidentally Yours", "One For All", and "Theme For Penny". CD

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! CD

Two Capitol classics from the great Gene Dunlap – back to back on a single CD! First up is It's Just The Way I Feel – a classic soulful fusion album recorded and released during the crucial years of the "Capitol Rare" sound! Gene Dunlap is a jazz drummer at heart – but he's got a flair for the modern soul song – and in the same style as Norman Connors or Harvey Mason before him, he manages to put together a strong record of grooves and ballads from behind the kit! The strongest point of the record is work by The Ridgeways, a female soul trio who sing on the best tracks, giving them a smooth Jones Girls-ish kind of sound. The album includes two modern soul classics – "Before You Break My Heart" and "It's Just the Way I Feel" – plus "Love Dancin", "Rock Radio", "I Got You", and "Surest Things Can Change". Party In Me is wonderful work from Gene Dunlap – a jazzy soul drummer, and also a maestro with a killer ear for a modern soul groove! The album's got a mix of grooves and sophistication that are a bit like the best early 80s material from Roy Ayers – never chartbound, and never too commercial – but nice and tight, and really well put together! The instrumentation has plenty of jazzy 80s groove touches – especially in the keyboards – and Dunlap does a nice job of balancing up beat tracks with the mellow moments we love so much in his work. Vocals are from a variety of singers – including the great Ethel Beatty, who'd sung with Roy Ayers – plus Phillippe Wynne, Pam Lawson, and Gene himself – and titles include "Something Inside My Head", "Something Special", "Corner Pocket", "There Will Never Be Another (Like You)", "Party In Me", "Jam City", and "This One's On Me". CD

A pair of classics from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! First up is Spirit – a big hit for the group – and a great album of smooth funky soul! Spirit is a perfect example of the way that Earth Wind & Fire could tighten things up, yet still keep them real – holding onto the deeply spiritual side that first made them great – but also focusing their energy towards a wider audience that showed their influence for years! Of course, with Charles Stepney helping out on production, it's hard to miss – and he's one of the few cats who could handle a blend like this so well. The compression in the band's playing is impeccable – with just the right mix of spacey spiritualism, sophisticated jazzy playing, and a straight ahead love of the soulful hook. Includes the instrumentals "Biyo" and "Departure", plus the vocal tracks "Earth Wind & Fire","Burnin Bush", "Spirit", "Imagination", and "Getaway", all produced to perfection by Maurice White and Charles Stepney! That's The Way Of The World may be Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and Afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth, Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid-70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD

A great little combo, and one with a fair bit of organ in the mix – more of a rock instrumental combo than a jazz one, but still with plenty of jazzy touches – thanks to the keyboards! The tunes here are all instrumental – a bit fuzzy at times, but nice and clear at others – and the group stretch out with a wonderful vibe that's much more soulful than some of their contemporaries on the Euro scene – a style that reminds us of the best British jazz rock moments at the end of the 60s, before part of that scene went a bit over the edge. Guitar and organ take the lead on most numbers, and there's almost a Colosseum sense of rhythm going on at the bottom. All titles are pretty great – and titles include "Faster & Faster", "Obsession", "On The Way To Eden", "Feeling In The Living", "Travelling", and "Reinyet Number". This CD version includes the bonus tracks "Under The Sun" and "Travelling (Single Version)". CD

An excellent serious score from Gerald Fried – very different than some of his sci fi or TV work, and handled with a depth that really fits the material! Fried's very much in the social realism mode of the period – not above using whimsy when needed for the lighter moments, but often going for some of the right light scoring with elements that are modern enough to evoke deeper emotion in a subtle way, very different from more mainstream Hollywood gloss. The film's a lost classic of American independent cinema, and Fried's score really fits the material – presented here in a package that includes 24 tracks in all – including a vocal performance of the theme "One Potato Two Potato" by Alan Arkin, and a short commentary by Fried. CD

One of the crowning moments of genius from the great George Clinton – a record that has Funkadelic really finding their groove, in the same way that Parliament were helping push underground funk into both the clubs and the mainstream – while also showing that the P-Funk empire can jam better than just about anyone else! The whole thing is hitting on all burners throughout – with an impeccable sense of instrumentation, balanced with an easygoing attitude that makes the whole thing seem effortless – especially compared to other funk ensembles who were picking up the speed a bit too much in the disco generation. The centerpiece of the album is the classic "One Nation Under A Groove" – a monster cut with a hook that won't quit, spun out here in a great extended version – followed by other classics that include "Into You", "Grooveallegiance", and "Cholly". Features bonus tracks – "Maggot Brain/Chant", "Lunchmeataphobia", and "PE Squad/Doo Doo Chasers". CD

A beautiful piece of music, and one that features Mats Gustafsson working as both an instrumentalist and conductor – contributing work on baritone, flute, and the unusual spilapipa throughout the course of the album's single extended performance! As with Mats' instrumentation, the rest of the ensemble brings in some unusual sounds as well – including work on organ, prepared piano, hardanger fiddle, and clavichord – used in these ways that build beautifully as the set moves on – clearly improvised, but held together with a sense of unity, and delivered in this spacious way that really allows resonance of the individual components of the music. Maniucha Bikont provides some unusual vocalizations at points – and the piece "EE Opus One" runs for 48 minutes in length. CD

A really cool set from the Italian scene of the 70s – one that features very hip vocals from the great Shirley Bunnie Foy, set to lean instrumentation that makes the whole thing nicely different than just a standard jazz vocal session! Shirley plays percussion next to her vocals, and the set features some mighty nice organ and piano from Sonnie Taylor – plus added percussion by a third player too, all with a vibe that makes for some really unusual tracks that have the piano and percussion dancing around with a loose, open vibe – which Shirley is only happy to explore with these vocals that unravel in a completely wonderful way – all sorts of personal inflections that groove with the rhythms, in a unique style that goes way past jazz – maybe with some of the righteous energy of Nina Simone at her hippest! Titles include "Go Down Moses", "Way O Comin Home", "Ulele Angolian Blood", "Gershwin/Summertime", "When Sunny Gets Blue", and "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child". CD

Funky, soulful, and completely sublime work from keyboardist Gene Harris – working here with some great help from Jerry Peters on arrangement and production – in a style that makes the album one of Harris' most compelling sets of the 70s! The backings are full, but tight too – and in addition to Gene's own sweet work on keyboards, the set's also got some massive drums from Harvey Mason and James Gadson – both of whom really help things crackle at the bottom! Other instrumental highlights include more keyboards from Jerry Peters, tenor from Azar Lawrence, and trombone from George Bohannon – plus guitar from Lee Ritenour too. There's a bit of vocals on the set – mostly a soul chorus sort of mode that works perfect with Peters' groovy arrangements – and titles include "Love For Sale", "Theme For Relana", "Rebop", "Zulu", and "Soft Cycles". CD

A long-overdue full length album from Ace Of Cups – a really unusual female group from the Bay Area scene of the late 60s – but one who never hit the heights of their bigger San Francisco contemporaries! The girls have this really great look on the back – kind of flower power, but with a bit more charm – a quality that comes through in the music, with is often more garagey than trippy – but which also has a way of putting forth female vocals and honest ideas that might not flourish this strongly for similar groups until the post-punk years. That approach makes the whole thing a truly timeless collection of tracks – of the sort that maybe resonate more strongly today than they did back in the 60s. Titles include "Music", "Boy What You'll Do Then", "Glue", "Taste Of One", "Stones", "Looking For My Man", "Pretty Boy", "Waller Street Blues", "Catch You Later", "Simplicity", "I Wanna Testify", "Hear Every Sound", and a great version of "Afro Blue". CD

With a record like this, it's hard to believe that Christian Scott started out in more standard jazz – as Chief Xian Atunde Adjuah is a very different artist altogether, one who wraps together worlds and eras of musical heritage – working here in a set that's very heavy on percussion, vocal refrains, and other elements you never would have heard in his earlier music! The leader works a whole host of percussion along with other members of the group, but also adds in some larger production elements too – always in a way that's nicely subtle, and preserves the acoustic energy at the core – yet which really enriches the proceedings too! The album's overflowing with righteous power – and titles include "On To New Orleans", "Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lighting", "Xodokan Iko Hu Na Ney", "Trouble That Mornin", "Blood Calls Blood", "Ashe Chief Donald", "Golden Crown", and "Shallow Water". CD

A stunning celebration of one of the greatest pairings in Brazilian music – and in American music as well, given that both Airto Moreira and Flora Purim recorded plenty of these cuts up in our neck of the woods! Airto's percussion is the stuff of legend – a key force in Brazilian recordings in the late 60s, and then equally important in American jazz – in famous recordings with Miles Davis and other artists, and plenty of great records on his own! Flora's vocals are equally crucial – a soaring, fluid approach that forever changed the way that female singers approached jazz – bred in 60s bossa, but instantly something new by the time the 70s came along – especially when Airto was supporting her with great grooves! This huge package brings together material that both artists recorded – often under the name of one or the other, but often with the other artist present on the recording – with a heavy batch of work from the 70s and 80s, but also crucial cuts from other years too! 3CD set features 37 tracks and a really great package – with titles that include "Love Lock", "The Happy People", "Hungry On Arriva", "The Road Is Hard", "Samba De Flora", "O Canto Da Sereia", "Jeito Bom De Sofrer", "Papo Furado", "Xibaba", "Back Streets Of Havana", "Vera Cruz", "Flora's Song", "When Angels Crie", "Celebration Suite", "Casa Forte", "Black Narcissus", "A Secret From The Sea", "O Cantador/I Just Want To Be Here", "Jump", and "Hot Sand". CD

CTI Records meets that Brazilian fusion sound of the 70s – served up here on two classic albums! Fingers is one of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! Flora Purim joins in here on both vocals and percussion – and the rest of the group features Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards and harmonica, Jorgte Fattoruso on drums, and David Amaro on both electric and acoustic guitars – shifting nicely between both instruments in a way that further underscores the blended vibe of the record! Most of these tracks are Airto classics – like "Tombo in 7/4", "San Francisco River", "Romance Of Death", "Ringers", and "Wind Chant" – and the record has a very sweet CTI production style, but is still rough enough around the edges to keep things nice and real! Deodato In Concert is an excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as tight and funky as his studio albums, and possibly even more interesting because he manages to pull it off equally well in a live setting! The record features percussion by Airto, guitar by John Tropea, and vocals by Flora Purim – and those are just the marquee names of a large and amazing grew of great musicians! All tracks are long and complicated, for very hynotic feel throughout. The funkiest number is "Tropea", which has a nice long 8 minute groove – and the set also features a cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", plus the tracks "Parana", "Branches", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and "Skyscraper". Amazing! CD

One of our favorite mixing of modes from the old school – a tremendous second album from the legendary Aksak Maboul! The record mixes arty playfulness with some rootsier elements – bits of Eastern instrumentation, jazz, improvisation, and even some post-punk elements – all in a way that makes for one of the most creative recordings of its time – a set that easily provides key inspiration for more recent genre-crossing acts like this! There's a bit of Y or Ze Records whimsy at times – but the end result is much deeper, and much more compelling– as you'd expect from a group that features Fred Frith on guitar, Chris Cutler on drums, Marc Hollander and Michel Berkmans on reeds, and Denis Van Hecke on a range of cool cellos! Each tune has a slightly different flavor, but there's still a really unified feel to the record too – one of those European projects that comes together like nothing you'd hear from the US. Titles include "Geistige Nacht", "A Modern Lesson", "Palmiers En Pots", "Inoculating Rabies", "Cinema", and "Bosses De Crosses". CD

This tenor giant gets better and better with each new album! Eric Alexander is one of our favorite new jazz artists of the past decade – still a relatively young player, but with a sound that's incredible, steeped in years of tradition, yet freely creative in his own unique way. His tenor solos on this set stand up to some of our favorite older work by players like Clifford Jordan or Sonny Rollins, and if anything, the backing may be some of the best he's ever received on record. Alexander's playing here with longtime friend and musical partner Harold Mabern – who's as sympathetic to Alexander's sound as he once was to that of Frank Strozier – and the other players in the group include trumpeter Nicholas Payton, John Webber, and Joe Farnsworth. Titles include "Andre's Turn", "After The Rain", "This Girl's In Love With You", "A House Is Not A Home", and "Summit Meeting". CD