Billy Drewes on alto and soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet, Dick Oatts on alto and soprano saxophone, flute, and piccolo flute, Ralph Lalama on tenor saxophone, clarinet and flute, Rich Perry on tenor saxophone and flute, Gary Smulyan on baritone saxophone, Douglas Purviance, Jason Jackson, John Mosca, and Luis Bonilla on trombone, Frank Greene, Nick Marchione, Scott Wendholt, and Terell Stafford on trumpet, John Clark on French horn, Jim McNeely and Michael Weiss on piano, Phil Palombi on bass, and John Riley on drums. CD

Billy Drewes and Dick Oatts on alto and soprano saxophone and flute, Gary Smulyan on baritone saxophone, Rich Perry on tenor saxophone and flute, Ralph Lalama on tenor saxophone, flute and clarinet, Frank Basile on bass clarinet, David Peel on French horn, Douglas Purviance on bass trombone, Luis Bonilla, Jason Jackson and John Mosca on trombone, Nick Marchione, Scott Wendholt, Tanya Darby, and Terell Stafford on trumpet and flugelhorn, Jim McNeely on piano, David Wong on bass, John Riley on drums, and Mike Truesdell on percussion. CD

Trakcs include "Shining Star", "Elis", "Tapestry", "Triumph", and "Fast Love". CD

Apes, fight like apes! This great CD pairs the soundtracks for the last two Planet Of The Apes films – Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes and Battle For The Planet Of The Apes both of which were much more low-budget and a bit more unbridled than the original movies. Conquest features 14 tracks written by funky jazzer Tom Scott – done in a mix of orchestral suspense and military themes, often handled with some nice touches of 70s electric instrumentation that's similar to that used by Scott in his TV show work. Battle features 17 tracks written by Leonard Rosenmann, who'd scored the earlier Beneath The Planet Of The Apes film, and who here returns to the moody feel of that score. A great package, with a wonderful booklet and nice images – limited to 3000 copies, with titles that include "Ape Servitude", "1991 Restaurant", "Teacher Teacher", "Caesar Departs", "Ricky's Theme", "Electrocution", "The King Is Dead", and "Subjugation Soul". CD

Probably the most hyped hip hop album by rock critics of the last decade – but don't hold that against Stankonia, because these ghetto grooves from planet P-Funk were exactly what world needed in 2000! The millenium blowout party jam feel throughout is surely a nice change of pace from all the doom and gloom out there, but they still manage to spit out enough reality to keep things feeling true – particularly in the playful battle of the sexes showdowns. Dre, Big Boi and Organized Noize continue to innovate, even if they are at the top of the charts – and we can't wait to see where they take it all next! Tracks include "Gasoline Dreams", "So Fresh, So Clean", "Ms. Jackson", "Spaghetti Junction", "I'll Call Before I Come" featuring Gangsta Boo & Eco, "B.O.B.", "Xplosion" featuring B-Real, "We Luv Deez Hoez", "Humble Mumble" featuring Erykah Badu, "Red Velvet", "Gangsta Sh*t", "Toilet Tisha" "Slum Beautiful", and "Stankonia (Stanklove)". CD

Probably the most hyped hip hop album by rock critics of the last decade – but don't hold that against Stankonia, because these ghetto grooves from planet P-Funk were exactly what world needed in 2000! The millenium blowout party jam feel throughout is surely a nice change of pace from all the doom and gloom out there, but they still manage to spit out enough reality to keep things feeling true – particularly in the playful battle of the sexes showdowns. Dre, Big Boi and Organized Noize continue to innovate, even if they are at the top of the charts – and we can't wait to see where they take it all next! Tracks include "Gasoline Dreams", "So Fresh, So Clean", "Ms. Jackson", "Spaghetti Junction", "I'll Call Before I Come" featuring Gangsta Boo & Eco, "B.O.B.", "Xplosion" featuring B-Real, "We Luv Deez Hoez", "Humble Mumble" featuring Erykah Badu, "Red Velvet", "Gangsta Sh*t", "Toilet Tisha" "Slum Beautiful", and "Stankonia (Stanklove)". CD

Stunning sounds from Japanese bassist Isao Suzuki – a 70s player who seemed to owe nothing to anyone else on the planet with a recording like this! The set is partly fusion at the start, but never in a way that's like any of Suzuki's American counterparts – in that he can get full and a bit funky, but always keeps this looser, more open approach – a special ear for sound that really sets the record apart, and which has those longer, flowing tracks that you'll find on some of Suzuki's other records of the time. Then there's plenty of acoustic moments, too – but with an ear that understands the electric qualities of the instrument – balanced with work from Kunihiko Sugano on piano, Tatsujiro Ohara on drums, and Katsumi Watanabe on guitar – plus a bit of congas from Yoichi Ogawa. All tracks are long – and titles include "She's Funny That Way", "Doing Down The Mountain Path", "Touch", and "Round Midnight". CD

One of the weirdest records Sun Ra ever made – music to accompany the strange film Space Is The Place – which itself was an odd mixture of science fiction and blacksploitation-type action! The sounds here are sometimes in the usual Arkestra mode – wonderfully exotic rhythms mixed with freewheeling jazz solos – but other parts seem to follow more of a soundtrack-styled need – and include some bolder action riffs, spare scene-setting moments, and even some strong vocal themes. Titles include "Watusa", "Calling Planet Earth", "Mysterious Crystal", "Outerspaceways Incorporated", "Cosmic Forces", "Satellites Are Spinning", and a version of "Space Is The Place". This special set also includes the bonus Mathematics Of The Altered Destiny, a full LP of unreleased music from Sun Ra featuring June Tyson – and the first ever US Blu-ray release of the film, and a standard DVD as well! CD also features the bonus track "The Idea Of A Greater Age". CD

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary Phyllis Hyman – a set that not only includes her groundbreaking records as a solo act, but also a big range of her famous collaborations with jazz artists who include Norman Connors, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, and Grover Washington! Hyman is a singer unlike anyone else – an artist who was raised equally in jazz and soul, then found a way to mix the best of both with a new sort of sophistication that made her one of the most important female soul talents to show the way forward during the 80s – an artist who was always equal parts class and care, soul and style – and one who departed our planet all too soon. Fortunately, even after a short time of recording, Phyllis already left us an amazing legacy of music – as you'll hear in this set of overstuffed gems – a 33 track package that includes "Sacred Kind Of Love", "Baby", "You Know How To Love Me", "Under Your Spell", "Sleep On It", "Loving You Losing You (12" mix)", "Deliver The Love", "Can't We Fall In Love Again", "Let Somebody Love You", "Gonna Make Changes", "Black & Blue", "Somewhere In My Lifetime", "I'll Be Around", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "No One Can Love You More (7" version)", "Just Imagine", "Love Surrounds Us Everywhere", "In A Sentimental Mood", "In Search Of My Heart", "I Don't Want To Lose You", "Why Did You Turn Me On", "Riding The Tiger (single)", and "Tonight You & Me (disco version)". CD

A sublime blend of Caribbean roots and contemporary soul – and a set that's even more fantastic than the previous album from David Walters! Walters is one of those globe-trotting talents who manages to pick up all sorts of great inspirations along the way, then forge them into something that's all his own – music that would certainly live up to the heritage of his roots in the West Indies, but with a global current that really fits the best spirit of the Heavenly Sweetness label and their excellent legacy of crossing boundaries with effortless ease! If the world were a better place, this album would be huge – showing up in all sorts of scenes and charts – yet we don't mean that in any sort of commercial way at all, as Walters has a way of being a really unique superstar without any sort of pretense or ego. Titles include "Soul Tropical", "Don't U", "Light", "Toxic Tropic", "Vanse Carnival", "An Lot Soley", "La Vi A Bel", "Gimme Love", and "No One (Captain Planet disco edit)". CD