Funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin". LP, Vinyl record album

That's "Take Ten", not "Take Five" – a great title cut that echoes Paul Desmond's previous work with Dave Brubeck – but which then gives way quickly to some sweet bossa-styled grooves done with guitar from Jim Hall! The album's one of the strongest of the Hall/Desmond collaborations for RCA – A sublime showcase not just for Paul's impeccable alto, but also for the amazing tones and chromes that fly freely from the strings of Jim's guitar! Both players are set up with just a bit of gentle backing – light percussion from Connie Kay, and a bit of bass from Gene Cherico or Gene Wright. The whole thing's a well-conceived study in economy, as the two players craft sly and subtle lines around spare drum and bass backings – slowly hanging sound in space to weave a rich web of sound that's as compelling as it seems to be effortless! Titles include "Take Ten", "El Prince", "Embarcadero", "Samba De Orfeu", "Theme From Black Orpheus", and "Alone Together". CD

One of the great groups of the Detroit soul scene at the end of the 60s – but an act who never got the full fame of contemporaries like The Four Tops or Temptations! That didn't stop the Detroit Emeralds from being a hell of a vocal act, though – as they've got a mixture of tight harmonies and raw soul that's completely wonderful – and which finally gets full exposure here in a well-done selection of all their singles for the Westbound label! The imprint might be best known as the home for trippy soul by Funkadelic and Ohio Players – yet during the same classic stretch, Westbound also handled this hip Detroit trio to perfection – taking their 60s-schooled harmonies, and giving them a more sophisticated spin for the 70s – really letting the vocals take off as the group demonstrates their Dells-like power, and moving the arrangements of the tunes past overdone Motown styles of the decade before. The result is some of the hippest harmony soul you'll ever hope to hear – all presented here with the wonderfully deep Ace/Kent Records presentation – with 23 tracks that include "If I Lose Your Love", "Things Are Looking Up", "Lee", "Wear This Ring With Love", "Feel The Need In Me", "Whatcha Gonna Wear Tomorrow", "I Think Of You", "Rosetta Stone", "Set It Out", "Til You Decide To Come Home", "I'll Never Sail The Sea Again", "There's Love For Me Somewhere", "You're Gettin A Little Too Smart", and their classic "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms". CD

A real 70s standout from guitarist Al Di Meola – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of most of his albums from the decade! The record's one that broke Al's talents out to so many different groups – yet never in a way that waters down his sound, nor dims his genius for a solo. Al plays a host of guitars – electric, and both six and 12 string acoustic – the latter of which are especially beautiful, and handled in a balance between European virtuoso modes, and some of the more rhythmic elements of the American fusion scene. Speaking of fusion, the other players on the date really help set the tone – Chick Corea on keyboards and piano, Barry Miles on Fender Rhodes and mini-moog, Stanley Clarke on bass, and both Steve Gadd and Lenny White on drums – each setting a different pace when they appear. Titles include "The Wizard", "Suite Golden Dawn", "Short Tales Of The Black Forest", and "Land Of The Midnight Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare bit of Dutch jazz from the 60s – a hip quintet led by pianist Cees Slinger, and featuring a cooking lineup that's every bit as great as groups coming out of the British or French scenes at the time. Slinger was the pianist in the legendary Wessel Icken trio – and through his years in that group, he developed a solid swing that started stretching out into a more modal styled groove – and works here with Cees Smal on trumpet, Harry Verbecke on tenor, Jacques Schols on bass, and John Engels on drums – all top shelf players too! Many of the tracks on this set are a lot more adventurous than you might expect from the staid look of the group – and the album burns with the warmth and originality of some of the best Saba records of the late 60s, with slightly longer tracks that really stretch out, both in terms of rhythm and solo work. The writing is superb, and all titles are originals by European players – with tracks that include "Ruined Girl", "Lutuli", "Lining Up", "New Born", and "Monosyl". CD

The great CD release of two previous albums from this hip contemporary combo – two vinyl albums back to back on a single CD! Both albums have a fantastic blend of jazz, contemporary soul, and hip hop – served up by a group who can really get the sound right – Terrace Martin on keyboards and alto, Robert Glasper on keyboards, Kamasi Washington on tenor, and 9th Wonder on beats! Vocals on most tracks are by Phoelix, who really helps give the instrumentation some focus – yet the jazz component of the record is never buried under the lyrics, as the players get plenty of space to do their thing – with a vibe that's a bit like some of Glasper's Black Radio project, yet given much more the kind of cool Crenshaw vibe that we've loved in Martin's previous records. All four artists are credited with songwriting and production and you can really hear that balance in the sound – on tracks that include "Love You Bad", "Sleepless Nights", "The Mighty Tree", "Freeze Tag", "Luv U", "Sleepless Nights", and "From My Heart & Soul". The Dessert album offers up a reworked version of the core record – with titles that are partly remixes, partly reworks – with guest appearances from Snoop Dog, Cordae, Herbie Hancock, Reuben Vincent, and others! CD

A totally cool little album from DJ Harrison – one that offers up a whole host of unusual cover versions – these soulful re-styles of a host of well-chosen cuts – all given a lean, funky sort of style – lots of jazzy keyboards in the background, and raspy vocals from Harrison up top! This is almost bedroom soul at its best, but there's also an ear for a wider range of music – no surprise, given that the mix of original sources here runs from the Ohio Players to Donald Fagan to Vince Guaraldi – a wide reach that DJ handles beautifully, on titles that include "Little Birdie", "Together", "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Contusion", "Sweet Sticky Thing", "Galaxy", "IGY", and "Ebony Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

While most collaborations between hip hop producers and jazz players have been mediocre at best, neither really being able to get invloved enough in each other's music, this collaboration between Kondo and Krush is almost entirely successful. Kondo's played in just about every style from all out free jazz to hard bop, and Krush's spare and slightly abstract approach to both the turntables and with his beats creates just the right backdrop. We got open on "Ha Doh", "Sun Is Shining", "Fu Yu" and "Ki gen". 13 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic Eric Dolphy albums – back to back in a single set! First up us Outward Bound – Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". Out There is Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Eric Dolphy – one of his most perfectly realized moments at the head of a larger ensemble – and a record that definitely set the tone for countless spiritual jazz sessions of the 70s! Dolphy recorded this session for Alan Douglas in 1962, and it features a larger array of players than you'll find on most of his records for other labels – the cream of the "new thing" players that were around New York at the time, including Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Prince Lasha on flute, Sonny Simmons on alto, and even Clifford Jordan on soprano sax – making a rare appearance on record on that instrument! Together, the players create a set of soundscapes that lies somewhere between Dolphy's Out To Lunch album, and some of the more modernist work by Mingus – a stunning batch of tracks that go out, but never too far. Titles include "Ode to CP", "Burning Spear", "Iron Man", and "Mandrake". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". CD

Some of the most striking Eric Dolphy work we've ever heard – a set of live performances from the years 1962 and 1963 that feature Dolphy in a free-thinking mode that surpasses even the modernism of his classic studio sides! The recordings feature Dolphy amidst a variety of players – including a number of unlikely suspects like Barry Galbraith, Eddie Costa, and Jim Hall – and although some of the tracks have a moody and introspective third stream quality (3 of the numbers are written by Gunther Schuller), others are quite open, and almost have an ESP-like intensity. One longer title is a jam session take on Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" – recorded with a lineup that includes Phil Woods, Nick Travis, Benny Golson, Don Ellis, and Lalo Schifrin! Other titles include "Iron Man", "Half Note Triplets", "Densities", and "Night Music". CD

Eric Dolphy's first meeting in the studio with trumpeter Booker Little – a brilliant batch of modernism that's easily one of the hippest records Little ever worked on! The Dolphy heard here is Eric at his most inventive – sharp-edged and angular one minute, then spiritually lyrical the next – playing flute, bass clarinet, and alto sax equally well on the record – and somehow managing to get Little to share his inspiration perfectly on every number. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a rhythm team whose abilities are a big part of the success of the record – and titles include "Far Cry", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "Left Alone", "Ode To Charlie Parker", and "Miss Ann". CD features 1 bonus track – "Serene". CD

An unusual session from the heart of Lou Donaldson's return to Blue Note in the late 60s – a mellower date that stands in strong contrast to his funkier albums of the time! As you might guess from the title, there's a lusher feel going on here – one that has Lou's alto sax augmented by larger backings from Duke Pearson – who manages to score things perfectly with a balance of soul and sophistication. The album's hardly a "Donaldson with strings" date – and instead is done in the more mature mode that Duke was using in some of his own sides from the time, and on work with players like Donald Byrd or Stanley Turrentine. Other players here include Wayne Shorter on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Garnett Brown on trombone – plus core rhythms from the trio of McCoy Tyner on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Harewood on drums. Titles include "Sweet Slumber", "The Good Life", "Sweet & Lovely", "Stardust", and "You've Changed" – and the album was recorded in the 60s, it was only first issued in Japan in 1980 – and even then only later in the US! CD

Early work by Kenny Dorham as a leader – a Riverside session recorded in two "contrasting" moods that both perfectly show his young talents on the trumpet! Side one is a bit more in a hardbop mode – with two long lyrical tracks ("Falling In Love With Love" and "I'll Remember April") – recorded with a quintet that features Sonny Rollins on tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Max Roach on drums – with plenty of space for all players to solo nicely! Side two features the same group, but also adds in some work on harp by Betty Glamman – an unusual player, but one who works well in the setting – and really helps to emphasize the sweeter sounds in Kenny's horn! Titles on that side include "La Villa", "Larue", and "My Old Flame". CD

A fantastic bit of lost hardbop – an obscure ABC album that has Kenny Dorham working with his Jazz Prophets group! The combo's a quintet with a unique lineup that includes Dick Katz on piano, JR Monterose on tenor, Sam Jones on bass, and Arthur Edgehill on drums – and the whole set's got an open-ended sort of approach that's much more like albums of the time on Blue Note or Savoy than it is the usually more staid ABC jazz sides of the 50s! Monterose and Dorham are fantastic, and really open up on the 5 tracks on the album – all of which are long enough to give the players plenty of room to blow. Probably one of the best jazz records ever recorded for ABC – with titles that include "The Prophet", "DX", "Tahitian Suite", and "Blues Elegante". CD

A fantastic bit of lost hardbop – an obscure ABC album that has Kenny Dorham working with his Jazz Prophets group! The combo's a quintet with a unique lineup that includes Dick Katz on piano, JR Monterose on tenor, Sam Jones on bass, and Arthur Edgehill on drums – and the whole set's got an open-ended sort of approach that's much more like albums of the time on Blue Note or Savoy than it is the usually more staid ABC jazz sides of the 50s! Monterose and Dorham are fantastic, and really open up on the 5 tracks on the album – all of which are long enough to give the players plenty of room to blow. Probably one of the best jazz records ever recorded for ABC – with titles that include "The Prophet", "DX", "Tahitian Suite", and "Blues Elegante". CD

One of our favorite albums by Kenny Dorham – and a really different session than his usual studio work! The album captures Kenny in a relaxed live setting, with a bit more dirt on his horn than usual, and some great gutsy players in the group, like Bobby Timmons, Sam Jones, and JR Monterose. This second volume to the set is a Japanese-only vinyl pressing – with titles that appeared later on CD, but weren't on the original album. Tracks include "Who Cares", "The Prophet", "Royal Roost", "KD's Blues", and "My Heart Stood Still". CD

A fantastic lost set – some of the most interesting early 60s work by both of the players! The group's co-led by Kenny Dorham and Jackie McLean – with rhythm backing by Walter Bishop Jr on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – a trans-continental trio of players who really make for a lot of fire in the date! The quintet play a fiercely modernist approach to hardbop – somewhat like McLean's studio albums from the time, but even a bit more unbridled, thanks to the live setting of the album – which was recorded at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco. Titles include "Us", "San Francisco Beat", "Lover Man", and "No Two People". LP, Vinyl record album

Silent film score by trumpeter Dave Douglas – with Jamie Saft on wurlitzer, Marcus Strickland on saxophones, Brad Jones on bass, Gene Lake on drums, and DJ Olive on turntables. Tracks include "Just Another Murder", "Fatty's Day Off", "Famous Players", and "Barnyard Flirtations" – plus a DVD featuring the original 1916 Fatty Arbuckle movie "Fatty & Mabel Adrift" with score by Douglas. CD

An strong session of soulful hardbop – featuring reunited 60s legends Junior Cook on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The album was recorded in Japan, using some of that high-tech production ("super disc", the label says), but still nicely retaining the warm interplay between the players. Titles include "Alone Together", "Sunset", "John Paul Jones", and "All The Things You Are". CD

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

A sweet, stretched-out session from saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera – one that still has a bit of the Latin roots of the past, but which also hits a more spacious style that almost reminds us of the best CTI sides of the early 70s! The album's recorded live at San Francisco's Keystone Korner – and Paquito's playing alto sax throughout, working with a hip sextet that includes Carlos Franzetti on keyboards – bringing in some warm, soulful touches to the music that are totally great! Other players include Claudio Roditi on trumpet and trombone and Daniel Ponce on percussion – and all tracks are nice and long, with titles that include "Song For Maura", "Red On Red", "Deja Vu", "Zanaith", and "Estamos Ah". LP, Vinyl record album

An underappreciated soul set from George Duke for Epic – his Rendezvous from '84 – an engagement worth keeping! Given the mid 80s release date, you might be expecting a whole lot of programming and drum machine action – there's a bit of it, but this is a really lively set with some great musicianship across the board – and the songs are pretty strong, too. Duke produced, sings and handles an array of instrumentation from keys to synths and programming, with Stanley Clarke, Paulinho Da Costa, Ernie Watts, Oscar Castro Neves and other great players in the mix. Titles include "Got To Get Back To Love", "Take It On", "She Can Wait Forever", "Stay Awhile", "Thinking Of You" (with some nice extended string arrangements), "Secret Rendezvous", and "Ipanema Lady" LP, Vinyl record album

Key work as a leader from bassist Johnny Dyani – one of his most soulful, spiritual outings ever – and a record dedicated to the important South African political prisoner Stephen Biko! There's a sense of flow and rhythmic focus here that's wonderful – as Dyani comes together with a tremendous quartet that features Don Cherry on cornet, Dudu Pukwana on alto sax, and Makaya Ntshoko on drums – players that are joined as one in meaning and message as they make their way through the original Dyani compositions on the set. The album features a wonderful extended tune, running for all of side two, entitled "Jo'Burg–New York" – a musical journey that's worth the price of the album alone – and the set also features a number of great shorter tunes that include "Wish You Sunshine", "Song For Biko", and "Confession of Moods" LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the richest album to date from South African pianist Bokani Dyer – a set that has vocals on most tracks, and which also carries a more direct and powerful message than any of his previous releases – very uplifting and righteous, at a level that marks Dyer as one of the key forces to help shape the new vibrant energies of his scene in recent years! Piano and keyboards are still at the core of the record, but the vocals share center stage – and the album features lots of great instrumental contributions from players who include Bokani's dad Steve Dyer and Linda Sikhakhane on saxes, Sthembiso Bhengu on trumpet, and Alder Du Toit and Shane Cooper on guitars. Titles include "Move On", "State Of The Nation", "Spirit People", "Picturesque", "Victims Of Circumstance", "Resonance Of Truth", "Be Where You Are", and "You Are Home". CD

A pivotal moment for Bob Dylan – and maybe one of THE albums of the 60s! The newly-electrified Dylan really takes off here – putting more punch and bit into his already-strong lyrical approach – and twisting things in amazing ways that still leave us breathless all these many years later! And sure, the album gave Bob a few hits – which are nestled in here next to headier tunes that work together perfectly. Titles include "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ballad Of A Thin Man", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "From A Buick 6", "Desolation Row", "Highway 61 Revisited", and "Queen Jane Approximately". CD

Great early work from trumpeter Jon Eardley – captured here at a point when he was a budding young modernist in the 50s! The album features 2 early 10" LPs – Jon Eardley in Hollywood and Hey There Jon Eardley – both recorded for Prestige within a few months in the mid 50s. The first date features Eardley's trumpet right out front in the mix – hard, spare, and a bit angular – with backing from the piano of Pete Jolly, as well as Red Mitchell on bass and Larry Bunker on drums. Titles include "Late Leader", "Indian Spring", "Black", and "Gloss". The second session is even more interesting, as it features Eardley's horn in tandem with tenor saxophonist JR Monterose, brimming with new ideas at this point in his career, and adding a real edge to the tracks. The remaining players include George Syran on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – and titles include "Hey There", "Sid's Delight", "Demanton", and "If You Could See Me Now". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from organist Charles Earland – a double-length set that's filled with spiritual, soaring grooves! The style here is a perfect blend of the rougher soul jazz of Earland's roots with some of the spacier styles of his later recordings – served up in a sound that's majestic and powerful, almost with an indie soul jazz sort of vibe overall! There's an immediate urgency to most numbers that's totally undeniable – a lesson learned from the electric experiments of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis, but fused down into a core essence – then let loose on a soaring journey to the heavens. Earland plays Hammond, moog, clavinet, and Arp on the set – and other players include Joe Henderson on tenor, Dave Hubbard on alto and soprano sax, Eddie Henderson and Freddie Hubbard on trumpets, Marc Elf on guitar, Harvey Mason on drums, and the incredible Patrick Gleeson on synthesizers – bringing in a spacey edge to the record that's really amazing! Rudy Copeland sings a wonderful vocal on the title cut, "Leaving This Planet" – and all other instrumental cuts include "Red Clay", "Warp Factor 9", "Tyner", "Van Jay", "Never Ending Melody", "Mason's Galaxy", and "Asteroid". CD

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". 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

One of a few rare albums recorded as a leader from bassist Cleveland Eaton – a player who first rose to fame with Maurice White in the second Ramsey Lewis trio – and one who gave the world some amazingly hip records on the Black Jazz label in the 70s! This set is a unique effort for the label of Philly soul team of Gamble & Huff – yet the set was recorded in Chicago, and has a wickedly funky vibe that's very much like the coolest Chess/Cadet material of the period – nice fuzzy touches around the edges, and some righteous soul currents too! There's plenty of great Chicago players on the session – Odell Brown on Fender Rhodes, Artee Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on drums – on titles that include "Keep It Funky", "Slipping Into Darkness", "Here Comes Funky Lou", "Day Dreaming", "Ah Movin On", and a nice cover of "People Make The World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". CD

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". CD

One of the few albums we've ever seen by keyboardist Hubert Eaves – a great player whose work crops up on some of our favorite 70s soul jazz and jazz funk sides, but who rarely got a chance to lead his own group! Fortunately, he did get the chance to cut this one – as the session's a real doozy – sweet mellow fusion, handled very soulfully, with a kicked-back feel that's right up there with the most righteous soulful fusion of the time. Players include Mtume, John Lee, Reggie Lucas, Malachi Thompson, and Rene McLean – and Cheryl Alexander sings vocals on the track "Under Standing". A great blend of laidback funk and soulful grooves – in the manner of Bobby Lyle at his best – and titles include "Slow Down", "Painful Pleasure", "Call To Awareness", and "Flead Dancing". CD

A really unique record, and one with a very unusual pedigree – as the group features key members of some acts from the Ivory Coast in the late 70s, mixed with various Motown session players in the studio – all in a way that offers up a completely different take on Cali soul from the time! The African artists contribute a lot of vocals and work on kora that's especially beautiful – and the other players are led by Gregg Middleton on bass, who also does all the arrangements – and the combo features Ernie Fields on saxes, Nolan Smith on trumpet, and Fred Wesley on trombone! Every song has a nicely different flavor – and titles include "Fasso", "Sing A Happy Song", "Desire", "I Love All", and "Mogofindeou Sopeunte". LP, Vinyl record album

Rachel Eckroth has a resume that includes work behind some famous singers in a variety of styles – but here, she's a very committed jazz instrumentalist – working with a very bold touch on the piano at times, alongside guitarist Andrew Renfroe, who's got this edgey sense of tone on his instrument that really makes the record shine! The set's way more than just another quartet date with piano and guitar – as both players are clearly trying to distinguish themselves with individual sounds, while also working together in a cohesive vision that draws strongly from the bass of Billy Mohler and drums of Tim Raymond. Titles include "Humanoid", "Mind", "Evolution", and "Fleurette Africaine". LP, Vinyl record album

Two of the best west coast boppers of the postwar years – back together again in a killer revival date cut by Contemporary Records! As the title implies, the set's got a backward-looking sort of feel – at least for the early 60s recording date – but from the perspective of our generation, the whole thing merges nicely into the classic sound of LA bop – perhaps extending out the original Central Ave groove a bit more, thanks to the generous recording spirit of Contemporary, and the longer tracks on the date. Edwards plays tenor, McGhee plays trumpet, and other players include Phineas Newborn on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include "Together Again", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "Up There", "Perhaps", "Misty" and "Sandy". LP, Vinyl record album

The name, and the title, give the whole game away – as Eliane performs a set of older Brazilian tunes, all in that wonderful light-hearted style of hers! About half the tracks feature Eliane on vocals, the rest just piano – working with players that include Eddie Gomez, Jack DeJohnette, Marc Johnson, Oscar Castro-Neves, and Nana Vasconcelos. The overall style is a bit bossa, a bit MPB – but overall, mostly jazz-based – as Eliane uses older standards like "Chega De Saudade", "Passarim", "Waters Of March", "Garota De Ipanema", and "Cravo E Canela" to work out some warm and jazzy stylings. The tracks are collected from older albums, but come together very nicely as a unified set! CD

Great early work from Eliane Elias – Brazilian-influenced rhythms, warm piano lines, and a surprising undercurrent of soul! The set features Eliane strongly out front on acoustic piano – working with some elements of other American jazz at the time – kind of that post-fusion sense of soul that came from the electric years of other players, brought back into the acoustic keyboard as the 80s scene moved on. But Elias also brings in some of her best Brazilian elements too – really just in the way the keyboard lines come together with a sense of joy and life – and other players include Stanley Clarke and Eddie Gomez on bass, Al Foster and Steve Gadd on drums, and Toots Thielemans on a bit of guest harmonica. Titles include "Illusions", "Moments", "Iberia", "Chan's Song", "Through The Fire", and "Choro". CD

One of the best studio albums in years from Kurt Elling – the much-overlooked Blue Note vocalist who's truly one of the greatest singers of his generation! The album returns Elling to a format that we really love – a setting in which he's able to craft his own lyrics to tunes – either jazz classics by Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Joe Zawinul, and others, or original tunes written in collaboration with players on the album. More than ever, Elling displays a tremendous understanding of jazz in all its shapes and forms – pushing the boundaries of jazz vocals farther than anyone we've heard since Mark Murphy in the 70s, and giving us hope for the future of singers in jazz! There's no warmed-over standards or easy classics here – but really incredible tunes that show that at least there's one person out there willing to do more than just provide a soundtrack to Starbucks. Titles include great versions of Coltrane's "Resolutions" and Herbie Hancock's "A Secret I", plus the tunes "Higher Vibe", "All Is Quiet", "Minuano", "In The Winelight", "Time To Say Goodbye", and "The More I Have You". CD

The album's a bit less "historical" than you might guess from the title – at least at the time it was issued in the mid 50s! The material is from Chicago sessions recorded in 1956 – unusual non-Columbia material for the period, featuring the Ellington group working in a slightly older-styled mode. Much of the material is from the earlier songbook of the orchestra – but it's done here with some slight modern touches that show the 50s impulses of the group firmly in place. Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on baritone sax – and titles include "Midriff", "Ko Ko", "Lonesome Lullaby", "Upper Manhattan Medical Group", "Jack The Bear", "Stompy Jones", and "Creole Love Call". LP, Vinyl record album

Deep and bluesy work from the all-star Ellington group of the late 50s – a beautifully recorded album that moves way past the simple cliche of its title! The set features a host of original tunes from Duke Ellington and other members of the group – and players include Jimmy Hamilton on tenor, Ray Nance on trumpet, Matthew Gee on trombone, and the wonderful Johnny Hodges on alto – playing here at the peak of his later powers. Titles include "Three J's Blues", "Smada", "C Jam Blues", "Sweet & Pungent", "Blues In Blueprint", "The Swinger's Jump", and "Blues In Orbit". LP, Vinyl record album

A hokey cover and title, but a hip little record from Duke Ellington – kind of a story of percussion and jazz, all wrapped together with some great vocals and narration! The format is kind of far-reaching, but never too stuffy – and in a way, the album offers a great opportunity to hear some of the Ellington players stepping out in a slightly different vibe than the usual Columbia date from the decade. Duke does a bit of narration himself – and singers include Margaret Tynes, Joya Sherrill, and Ozzie Bailey – who beautifully illustrate the shifting passages of the longer suite. Solos are by Johnny Hodges on alto, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Paul Gonsalves on tenor – and titles include "Congo Square", "Madam Zajj", "Drum is A Woman", "You Better Know It", "Rhythm Pum Te Dum", and "Rhumbop". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare slice of Duke Ellington at Newport in the 50s – recorded live at the festival in 1959, but unlike other sessions of the time, never issued on record! The set remained unissued until Duke's 90th birthday, and it's a great discovery that easily matches the strength of Ellington's larger live recordings for Columbia at the same time. As is usual for this type of outing, there's a number of shorter tracks that reprise Ellington favorites for the crowd – but those are offset by longer, more serious works that are deeply complex, the highlight of which is "Idiom 59", a great lost composition done especially for the Festival! The full performance runs for over an hour – with players that include Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Harry Carney, and Johnny Hodges – and other tunes include "Cop Out", "Rockin In Rhythm", "Skin Deep", "Jam With Sam", "Perdido", and "Jones". CD

One of Duke's most popular albums of the 50s – but we won't hold that against him! The session's one of a number of 50s outings that revisit older classics with the new level of quality offered in the studio – and it's got a similar feel to some of Duke's work for Bethlehem around the same time, which was also done by producer Gus Wildi – tight, but never too facile – and a perfect demonstration of the great balance the Ellington orchestra had at the time. The group includes key players Ray Nance, Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, Juan Tizol, Harry Carney, Paul Gonsalves, and Jimmy Hamilton – and titles include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "Rockin In Rhythm", "Flying Home", "Happy Go Lucky Local", and "In The Mood". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus a 13 minute reading of "A Tone Parallel To Harlem (aka The Harlem Suite)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus a 13 minute reading of "A Tone Parallel To Harlem (aka The Harlem Suite)". Plus, this CD brings together all material issued on later versions of the album – Hi-Fi Ellington Uptown and a third version – with addition of the full "Liberian Suite" and "The Controversial Suite". CD

One of Ellington's greatest albums of the 60s – and a record tinged with Eastern themes and darkly angular modern arrangements. The group here features Ellington stalwarts Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, and Rufus Jones – and the players work together tightly to craft the suite of tracks based on Ellington's impressions of recent travels through the Mid and Far East during the 60s. Titles include "Tourist Point Of View", "Isfahan", "Depk", "Mount Harissa", "Amad", "Agra", and "Blue Pepper". CD

One of Ellington's greatest albums of the 60s – and a record tinged with Eastern themes and darkly angular modern arrangements. The group here features Ellington stalwarts Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, and Rufus Jones – and the players work together tightly to craft the suite of tracks based on Ellington's impressions of recent travels through the Mid and Far East during the 60s. Titles include "Tourist Point Of View", "Isfahan", "Depk", "Mount Harissa", "Amad", "Agra", and "Blue Pepper". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus "The Controversial Suite". CD

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus "The Controversial Suite". LP, Vinyl record album

The album's a bit less "historical" than you might guess from the title – at least at the time it was issued in the mid 50s! The material is from Chicago sessions recorded in 1956 – unusual non-Columbia material for the period, featuring the Ellington group working in a slightly older-styled mode. Much of the material is from the earlier songbook of the orchestra – but it's done here with some slight modern touches that show the 50s impulses of the group firmly in place. Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on baritone sax – and titles include "Midriff", "Ko Ko", "Lonesome Lullaby", "Upper Manhattan Medical Group", "Jack The Bear", "Stompy Jones", and "Creole Love Call". CD

The album's a bit less "historical" than you might guess from the title – at least at the time it was issued in the mid 50s! The material is from Chicago sessions recorded in 1956 – unusual non-Columbia material for the period, featuring the Ellington group working in a slightly older-styled mode. Much of the material is from the earlier songbook of the orchestra – but it's done here with some slight modern touches that show the 50s impulses of the group firmly in place. Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on baritone sax – and titles include "Midriff", "Ko Ko", "Lonesome Lullaby", "Upper Manhattan Medical Group", "Jack The Bear", "Stompy Jones", and "Creole Love Call". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic testament of the live genius of Duke Ellington – material recorded from a few different 60s shows recorded in Europe – woven together to make an album that's every bit as magical as some of the Duke's famous studio sides from the 40s and the 50s! The choice of tunes is great – some less-familiar Ellington compositions, highlighted by that fantastic blend of modernism and swing that the group was developing strongly from the mid 50s onwards – even more so than in previous years, with a maturation in both the leader and group members that made whole new heights of colorful expression possible! Players include Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, and Harry Carney on saxes – and Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, and Cootie Williams on trumpets – on titles that include "Bula", "Silk Lace", "Star Crossed Lovers", "ESP", "Guitar Amour", "Kinda Dukish", and two takes on "The Shepherd", which was done for a film about Jean Miro! CD

Really fantastic late material from Duke Ellington – two different performances from the Berlin Jazz Festival, both of which really capture him in that mature, modernist mode that we love so much! The first session here definitely has Duke working at that level – beginning with a beautiful long piano improvisation, then shifting into some smaller combo performance material with Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Harold Johnson on trumpet, Harry Carney on baritone, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Quinten White on drums. There's less of the full orchestra Ellington approach, which allows even more focus on those wonderful late piano lines that made Duke's final years so distinct – on titles that include "Piano Improvisation No 1", "Pitter Panther Patter", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Tap Dance", which has tapping from Baby Laurence! Next is a set of tracks from 1969 – recorded with a larger group that contains most of the important Ellington players of the 60s – serving up some beautiful ensemble performances of titles that include "La Plus Belle Africaine", "El Gato", "Caravan", "Meditation", "Satin Doll", and "Mood Indigo". CD

Don't let the title put you off, because this certainly isn't a session of background music – and the name simply refers to the fact that the arrangements on the set really showcase the strong horn work of the Ellington orchestra! Duke's still on piano for the session, but the real strength of the album's carried by classic Ellington players that include Ray Nance, Willie Cook, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, and Lawrence Brown. Arrangements are by Bill Mathieu and Gerald Wilson – and although many of the tunes are older Ellington numbers, they've got a tight groove (and excellent recording quality) – which updates the material nicely. Titles include "Midriff", "Main Stem", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "What Am I Here For", "Kinda Dukish", and "Perdido". CD

Don't let the title put you off, because this certainly isn't a session of background music – and the name simply refers to the fact that the arrangements on the set really showcase the strong horn work of the Ellington orchestra! Duke's still on piano for the session, but the real strength of the album's carried by classic Ellington players that include Ray Nance, Willie Cook, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, and Lawrence Brown. Arrangements are by Bill Mathieu and Gerald Wilson – and although many of the tunes are older Ellington numbers, they've got a tight groove (and excellent recording quality) – which updates the material nicely. Titles include "Midriff", "Main Stem", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "What Am I Here For", "Kinda Dukish", and "Perdido". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the title put you off, because this certainly isn't a session of background music – and the name simply refers to the fact that the arrangements on the set really showcase the strong horn work of the Ellington orchestra! Duke's still on piano for the session, but the real strength of the album's carried by classic Ellington players that include Ray Nance, Willie Cook, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, and Lawrence Brown. Arrangements are by Bill Mathieu and Gerald Wilson – and although many of the tunes are older Ellington numbers, they've got a tight groove (and excellent recording quality) – which updates the material nicely. Titles include "Midriff", "Main Stem", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "What Am I Here For", "Kinda Dukish", and "Perdido". CD features 5 bonus tracks – "Lullaby Of Birdland" (in 2 versions), "The Wailer", "Dreamy Sort Of Thing", and "Harlem Air Shaft". CD

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder". CD also features 3 previously unissued tracks, and a bunch of alternate takes and outtakes – for a total of 22 cuts in all! CD

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder". CD also features 3 previously unissued tracks, and a bunch of alternate takes and outtakes – for a total of 22 cuts in all! CD

Hard to believe it took a few decades in the careers of both players for them to record together – but that's exactly what you've got here – a landmark meeting of Count Basie and Duke Ellington from the early 60s, near the tail end of Duke's classic stretch on Columbia! Teo Macero produced the session with just the right amount of care and class to keep the whole thing from being an exercise in cliche – and there's a surprising amount of depth here that you might not expect – the best modern elements of Duke's orchestra on Columbia, coming into play with a bit more of the fire and vamp of the Basie group at the time! Titles include "Battle Royal", "Wild Man", "Segue In C", "Jumpin At The Woodside", "To You", and "Take The A Train". LP, Vinyl record album

True masterpieces from Duke Ellington – some of his greatest compositions, presented here in an early Columbia LP that offers up "uncut concert arrangements" – clearly grooming a new side of Duke for the long-playing audience! The recordings were made in 1950, with players who include Johnny Hodges and Paul Gonzalves on saxes, Ray Nance and Cat Anderson on trumpets, and Tyree Glenn and Quentin Jackson on trombones. The tracks include "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", "The Tattooed Bride" and "Solitude". CD

True masterpieces from Duke Ellington – some of his greatest compositions, presented here in an early Columbia LP that offers up "uncut concert arrangements" – clearly grooming a new side of Duke for the long-playing audience! The recordings were made in 1950, with players who include Johnny Hodges and Paul Gonzalves on saxes, Ray Nance and Cat Anderson on trumpets, and Tyree Glenn and Quentin Jackson on trombones. The tracks include "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", "The Tattooed Bride" and "Solitude". Includes 3 bonus tracks – shorter numbers, but great ones – "Vagabonds", "Smada", and "Rock Skippin At The Blue Note". CD

A seminal meeting of the old and new generations of jazz in the 60s – put together in perfect Impulse fashion! At some level, this is actually an early 60s John Coltrane Quartet album – with Duke Ellington sitting in for McCoy Tyner on piano, as that's the lineup on about half of the album – tracks that feature Coltrane on tenor, Elvin Jones on drums, and Jimmy Garrison on bass, all working with Ellington on the keys. On other titles, though, the album features Coltrane playing with a Duke-ish trio that has Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums – slightly less modern, but with a nice sense of depth throughout! Overall, the the record does a great job of balancing between the best talents of both players – and titles include "Big Nick", "The Feeling Of Jazz", "Take The Coltrane", and "My Little Brown Book". LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington makes a rare Verve appearance on this classic album – and works strongly in the mode of earlier sides recorded for the label by Johnny Hodges! There's a relaxed, small group feel going on here – one that's a bit different than some of the tighter Ellington work on Columbia during the 50s, and which almost paves the way for some of the more intimate piano sides that Duke would record during the 60s. In a way, Hodges is almost at the lead – given how comfortable he is here in a Verve setting – and other players include Harry Edison on trumpet, Les Spann on guitar, Sam Jones on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. The real charm, as always, is Hodges' solos, lean, mean, raspy, and soulful – and titles include "Weary Blues", "Royal Garden Blues", "Loveless Love", "St Louis Blues", and "Wabash Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost Duke Ellington gem from the late 50s – a session that has a decidedly different look than some of his other records of the time! We don't know if the Duke was into Sun Ra – but it almost seems like he was copping his thunder with this title and band name – a fair bit more flashy than the usual presentation for the Ellington group! The record's not nearly as trippy as you'd expect – but it's still a prime set of Ellingtonia from those key late 50s years – material played by a smaller group of "Spacemen" than Duke's fuller orchestra – with a bit more room for small group interaction, almost in a Verve mode. Players include Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Clark Terry on trumpet, Paul Gonzalves on tenor, Quentin Jackson on trombone, and Jimmy Woode on bass – and titles include "Avalon", "Midnight Sun", "Spacemen", "Bass-ment", "Early Autumn", and "Jones". CD also features a bonus alternate take of "Jones". CD

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

A great bit of soulful fusion from drummer Peter Erskine – one of the few albums he made as a leader of this nature, even though his playing graced lots of other wonderful records at the time! The approach here is tight, but never too much so – smooth, but never slick – a warmly electric groove that's really a lot more in a mid-70s sort of style than you'd expect from the early 80s date of the album. Other players here are all well-suited for the set – and include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Michael Brecker on tenor, Bob Mintzer on tenor, Don Grolnick on electric piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, Don Alias on percussion, and Mike Mainieri on vibes – and titles include "Leroy Street", "In Statu Nascendi", "All's Well That Ends", "My Ship", and "ESP". CD

A tremendous non-Prestige moment from tenorist Booker Ervin – one of his first albums ever as a leader, and a record that bristles with 60s modern energy! The group here is only a quartet – with Horace Parlan on piano – and the album's got Booker's amazing tenor right out front, played with those angular, searching tones that are heard most famously on the Space and Freedom Book sessions for Prestige – but which seem to get almost more room for expression here! The remaining players are George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – both of whom help the album maintain a nicely rhythmic pulse, even when Ervin is going off into the stratosphere – and the album features 4 original tunes – "Mojo", "Uranus", "Boo", and "Booker's Blues" – plus versions of "Speak Low" and "Poinciana". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty nice record that carries on some of the work from the European scene of the early 70s – that moment when prog got a slight influence from classical in the way the instrumentation opened up – not just with the virtuoso dexterity of the players, but also in the way the sound would rise up and almost create a more symphonic sensibility from a smaller combo performance! By that, we don't mean that this is a "with strings" presentation – just that the group have a way of soaring together, which really fits the vocals on the tunes too – all in Spanish, given that these guys hail from Venezuela – on titles that include "Krakatoa", "Aun No Puedo Ver", "Arco Iris", "Sharon", "Blanco Y Negro", "Mar Vestido De Mujer", and "Paginas De Tiempo". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from Bill Evans – one of his rare non-trio sides of the 60s – and a stunning batch of tunes with backings from the mighty Claus Ogerman! Most of the tunes here are of classical origin, but they're recast by Evans and Ogerman with almost a soundtrack sensitivity – Bill's piano up front, moving spaciously at very much its own pace – none of the too-virtuoso styles of other 60s jazz-meets-classical players. And Ogerman's backings are also great too – hardly ever strong, and more just light shading amidst the notes of Bill's piano – beautifully sliding in to bring a nice level of warm to the tunes. Titles include a sublime reading of "Pavane", plus the tracks "Granadas", "Time Remembered", "Blue Interlude", "Elegy", and "My Bells". LP, Vinyl record album

A later session from Bill Evans – but one that features some great work from Lee Konitz on alto and Warne Marsh on tenor – one of Evans' last sessions with horn players! Eddie Gomez plays bass – and titles include "Eiderdown", "Pensativa", "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Pensativa", and "Speak Low". LP, Vinyl record album

The Bill Evans trio with Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums – a near-perfect lineup that forever raised the bar for jazz piano expression! The title here is certainly apt – because even though many of the tunes are shortish, Evans has a sense of exploration in the way he's approaching the keys – one that still retains some of the lyrically rhythmic traces of his first few records – but which also glides forth into territory that was virtually untapped on record for the time. The revolution here is so subtle, it's easy to miss from the perspective of our generation – but give it a few listens, and the record will open up beautifully! Titles include "Israel", "Haunted Heart", "Elsa", "Nardis", and "I Wish I Knew" – CD adds two bonus tracks. CD

Lost Bill Evans material from his tremendous early run on Riverside Records – sessions recorded in 1959, but unreleased to the public for many years! The core of the record features Evans working with Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones both rhythm players that Bill interacted with while working in the Miles Davis group, and a strongly-voiced team to echo the sense of space and timing that was the particular Evans touch in the early days. Why these tracks never came out is a real mystery to us – because Bill's still very much at the top of his game, despite having not liked the material at the time of recording – and the Chambers/Jones rhythm section give the tunes a very solid focus throughout. Titles include "You & The Night & The Music", "My Heart Stood Still", "On Green Dolphin Street", "How Am I To Know", and 2 takes of "Woody N You". Added to that number is a really surprising bonus – a 1962 recording of "Loose Bloose", done with Jim Hall on guitar and Zoot Soms on alto – making for one of those rare non-trio dates by Evans! CD

A very hip set from Bill Evans' second trio – the legendary lineup that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Both players bring Evans' sound to an even greater level of spaciousness – allowing for lyrical interplay that's completely amazing, and even furthers the promise of genius made by Bill on his first few albums – a bold step forward that really makes this album one of Evans' standout sets of the early 60s! Titles include an early reading of Evans' wonderful tune "Re: Person I Knew", plus "Very Early", "In Love In Vain", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "If You Could See Me Now", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". CD

Sublime late live work from Bill Evans – a well-recorded performance for French radio, and one that really stands out from some of the scratchier late 70s concerts on the market! Bill's working here with a sound as sensitive and picturesque as the cover image – never pushing things too hard, but letting each tune unfold organically in waves of sound few other players could conjure up! Trio musicians include Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums – and titles on this first volume include "Quiet Now", "My Romance", "Noelle's Theme", "I Loves You Porgy", and "Up With The Lark". CD