A beautiful group, and one with a very unique sound – a style that draws from the early 50s experiments in Brazilian jazz by Bud Shank and Laurindo Almeida – but which also moves the approach into even more sophisticated 70s territory! The quartet features Almeida on acoustic guitar and Bud Shank on some wonderful reeds – plus bass from Ray Brown and drums from Shelly Manne, but players who are open to all the new ideas of Bud and Laurindo, but who can also throw in a stronger groove when needed. The album's a wonderful experiment in really pushing the envelope of jazz expression further – but never in any sort of outside ways – and titles include a reading of Ravel's "Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte", plus "C'Est What", "Corcovado", "Autumn Leaves", "Samba De Orfeu", and "Reveil". LP, Vinyl record album

Symphonic ballet produced by John Lewis, following up his work on The Modern Jazz Quartet & Orchestra album. LP, Vinyl record album

A great example of why Little Milton was always one of the few Chicago blues artists who could also break strongly in the soul camp at the time – and a beautifully balanced set that perfectly shows both sides of the Chicago scene of the time! Production is by old Vee Jay maestro Calvin Carter, and arrangements by Gene Barge, who manages to slide effortlessly between blues and soul on the set – almost pushing Milton into Tyrone Davis territory, but keeping things a bit more rougher and down home on some of the other numbers. The sound is wonderful – very deep and rich, and with a sound that's head and shoulders above most other albums of this type in the late 60s. Titles include "Baby I Love You", "If Walls Could Talk", "Things That I Used to Do", "Let's Get Together", "I Play Dirty", "Blues Get Off My Shoulder", "I Don't Know", and "Poor Man". LP, Vinyl record album

An Italian prog classic from the New Trolls – a group who sing in English throughout, and work with a quality that makes us wonder why this set never broke big on the British or American scenes of the 70s! The record's got a very special vibe right from the start – a blend of acoustic guitar and stronger electric elements – served up in modes that use the acoustic instrument to underscore some of the darker, personal currents in the lyrics – almost a departed spirit that seems to leave the singer in this soul-searching position that really colors the tunes. Other instrumentation is a blend of heady guitars, keyboards, and drums – but often used in these really thoughtful ways – not just jamming for jamming's sake, and instead balanced with the lyrics in a very careful manner. Titles include "St Peter's Day", "Percival", "Searching", "Giga", "Bright Lights", "Lying Here", and "A Land To Live A Land To Die". LP, Vinyl record album

As you'd expect from the title, this one features Cecil Payne performing a number of Charlie Parker compositions – and for the Charlie Parker label, no less! The session has a slightly off-beat quality, given that Payne's horn is a baritone, and not an alto, like Parker's – but given the fluid approach that Cecil always used, the sound is great – thanks also to support from a great combo that includes Duke Jordan on piano, Clark Terry on trumpet, Charlie Persip on drums, and Ron Carter on bass. Titles include "Cool Blues", "The Hymn", "Communion", and "Bongo Beep". LP, Vinyl record album

Proof that Max Roach was always experimenting with his music – even in the later years! The album's one of a few 80s efforts to feature Roach's Double Quartet – a group that takes his regular four-piece jazz group and augments it with a string quartet – all in a sound that's almost an extension of modes first begun by Roland Kirk in the 60s! The Kirk reference isn't accidental – as the title track here is a great version of Kirk's "Bright Moments" – one that uses the strings to offset the core jazz work of Roach on drums, Odeon Pope on tenor, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, and Tyrone Brown on electric bass – all in ways that are as creative as they are playful, definitely in a Kirk-styled spirit. Other tunes follow suit – and use the strings to echo Kirk's dream of a black classical music, but also one that's always firmly jazz-based at all times. Titles include "Double Delight", "Hi Fly", "Bright Moments", "Elixir Suite", and "A Tribute To Duke & Mingus". LP, Vinyl record album

Johnny Shines isn't standing at the crossroads at the same time as Robert Johnson, but he's still sounding pretty darn great here – recording this stripped-down set in Cali in 1970, with just his own guitar alongside his vocals! Shines is maybe best known for his Chicago recordings of the postwar years – but the sound here is in a style that actually goes back farther than that, and recalls the modes that Johnny first used when picking up the guitar in the early 30s – a time in which he also crossed paths with Johnson, given a tribute here in the approach of the record. Titles include "Standing At The Crossroads", "My Rat", "Don't Take A Country Woman", "Kind Hearted Woman", "Baby Sister Blues", and "Drunken Man's Prayer". LP, Vinyl record album

Horace Silver's last record for Blue Note – and an amazing end to his decades of work for the legendary label! The set's a perfect summation of all the new directions that Horace took in the 70s – new territory that's deeply spiritual, and undeniably righteous – yet which also has a fully focused approach too – one that's showcased here wonderfully in an expansive suite of tracks with a really positive message! The "strings" in the title isn't really accurate – as the set's more of a large arrangement session that feels Strata East spiritual – done in collaboration with Wade Marcus, but with jazzier, more acoustic tones than most of Marcus' other music. In addition to Silver's piano, key core players include Tom Harrell on flugelhorn, Larry Schneider on tenor and soprano sax, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – who play beautifully together, with a very fluid vibe. The set also features some key vocal passages at points – sung by Brenda Alford, Chapman Roberts, Carol Lynn Maillard, and a young Gregory Hines – on titles that include "The Soul & Its Expression", "Self Portrait No 1", "The Conscious & Its Desire For Change", "Inner Feelings", "Expansion", and "The Creator Guides Us". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty tasty album of instrumentals – all Motown, as you'd expect by the title, and all played by the Soultown Symphony, a side project of Wes Farrell and Joe Renzetti. The band have a similar style to the Jazz Rock Symposium – another Renzetti group on Anvil – with driving rock-heavy instrumentation set amidst larger orchestrations with strings and Motown-esque arrangements. The record's not totally funky – but there's a nice hard soul sock on many tracks, more so than on the original versions of some of the songs it covers. Titles include "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted", "Love Child", "Stop! In The Name Of Love", "A Place In The Sun", and "My Whole World Ended". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A great one from pianist Mal Waldron – a set that marks that renewed sense of energy he found as the 80s approached – a move back to some tighter forms in terms of the inside/outside edge of the improvisational spectrum – but still with some of the freer spirit he'd unlocked in the 70s! The tracks are all nice and long, and are forged by a quartet that features Clifford Jordan on tenor, Cecil McBee on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – a group who definitely have some of the spirit of Jordan in this setting, but with all the deeper tones that Waldron can bring to a date. Jordan is tremendous, and the album features three long tracks – "Charlie Parker's Last Supper", "Hymn From The Inferno", and "What It Is". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest albums ever from singer Joe Lee Wilson – a righteous vocalist with a style we'd rank right up there with Leon Thomas or Andy Bey in the 70s! The album's got an easygoing vibe that's a nice change from some of Joe's other records – a quality that's never too forced, and which has Wilson sliding into the tunes wonderfully without any sort of gimmicks or tricks. His voice often has a nice crackle, which further underscores his instrument-inspired approach – and also makes the lyrics sound that much more wonderful too. The set was produced by Noah Howard, possibly in Paris – and it features a quartet with Bobby Few on piano, Steve Sax on saxes and flute, Jack Gregg on bass, and Al Levitt on drums. Includes the lovely originals "Dedicated To My Father", "Come & See", and "Secrets From The Sun" – plus a great take on Billy Gault's "Mode For Trane". LP, Vinyl record album

Joshua Abrams just keeps on getting better and better as the years go on – to the point where he's a leader who's emerging with one of the proudest, most righteous visions in jazz! Abrams has played for years in the company of others – and his contributions have always impressed us – but once he started to step into the spotlight as a leader, his voice has just continued to grow – where an album like this has Joshua bringing together a really surprising array of talents from the Chicago scene, and creating a spiritual masterpiece that may well rival older classics on Impulse Records! Many of the tracks have a modal approach, which Joshua drives along beautifully with his bass – and Abrams also plays guimbri and a small harp too – in a group that features Ari Brown on tenor, Emmett Kelly on guitar, Frank Rosaly on drums and percussion, Mikel Avery on drums, Lisa Alvarado on harmonium and percussion, and Ben Boye on the wonderfully cool chromatic electric autoharp! Titles include "Sideways Fall", "St Cloud", "Maroon Dune", "Ophiuchs", and "2128 1/2". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly the blues that you might expect from the title – although knowing Muhal Richard Abrams, there's no doubt some sort of blues influence lurking in the background of his complicated orchestrations for the date! The album's a suite of original compositions by Abrams – all numbers played by a largeish group with lots of wonderful horn patterns – complexly woven together with lots of shifting shapes and tones, then sometimes breaking out in bold, free moments of improvisation! It's records like these that show why Abrams was one of the leading lights of the AACM by the early 80s – as much an important composer as a musician – equally skilled at both levels, and very sensitive to the strengths of the players he chose to work with. Muhal plays piano here – and other group members include Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Craig Harris on trombone, Wallace Laroy McMillan on baritone and flute, Jimmy Vass on alto and flute, Eugene Ghee on tenor and clarinet, Howard Johnson on tuba, Jean-Paul Bourelly on guitar, Michael Logan on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums. Titles include "Cluster For Many Worlds", "Quartet To Quartet", "Ancient & Future Reflections", "Du King", "Chambea", and "Duet For One World". LP, Vinyl record album

The Allman Brothers at their best – and a key 70s set that may well have the group working at their peak! All their best southern roots are firmly tied together here – not just the country-touched approach to rock that was the group's calling card, but also their ties to some of the Georgia soul scene as well – an element that really surfaces in some of the album's piano lines and rhythms, which really help underscore the depth of the tunes – and give the group a solid footing that's stronger than some of their more cliched contemporaries. These tunes hold up wonderfully over the years – and have a visionary approach that almost sparkles even more strongly here in the 21st Century than when we first started digging their sounds on radio back in the 70s. Titles include "Southbound", "Jessica", "Pony Boy", "Wasted Words", "Ramblin Man", "Come & Go Blues", and "Jelly Jelly". LP, Vinyl record album

Barclay James Harvest sound almost a bit more melancholy here than on previous records – maybe just because the leadoff hit track "Hymn" has a brooding message on drug deaths – but also because there seems to be a slightly more intense quality to their overall approach! The group are in very comfortable, confident territory – so much so, they can slow things down a bit and move with a brooding sense of soul that almost seems a precursor to the power ballad scene that would emerge a few years later. These tracks are still nicely free of the schmaltz of those – but definitely have a sense of compression that points the way forward – on titles that include "Hymn", "Love Is Like A Violin", "Leper's Song", "Taking Me Higher", "Spirit On The Water", "Sea Of Tranquility", and "Hard Hearted Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest live albums ever, and probably THE best album Johnny Cash ever recorded! In 1969 Cash had more angst than you could shake a stick at – he just kicked drugs, and he hadn't had a big hit in years, so his respectful and thoughtful empathy for the audience of inmates not only cemented his persona as the real deal, but carries an air of dizzying emotion throughout the set. Appropriately filled with his darkest tunes, Folsom is one of the few cases in which a live recording of a hitmakers catalog is stronger and more vital than the studio versions. Includes "Folsom Prison Blues", "Dark As A Dungeon", "Cocaine Blues", "25 Minutes To Go", "Orange Blossom Special", "The Long Black Veil", "Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog", plus "Jackson" and "Give My Love To Rose" featuring June Carter. LP, Vinyl record album

A later effort from the Dells, cut around the time ABC was having some great luck with the Detroit soul of The Dramatics – and also recorded in Detroit, with production work by the likes of Al Perkins, Rudy Robinson, and Calvin Carter, the Dells' old boss at Vee Jay. The tunes have a smoother approach than the group's work at Chess/Cadet – but their vocals are still top notch, with that raspy soul quality that has made them sound consistently strong over the years, no matter what the setting. Includes "Face To Face", "Thought I Could", "Face To Face", "Hooked On Loving You", "Love Me", "Wrapped Up Tight", and "Changed Man". Lots of nice ballads! LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington and jazz violin – a mode that's maybe not such a surprise, once you realize how important Ray Nance was to his group! Nance played trumpet, but also turned in plenty of violin solos for Ellington over the years – and here, he's joined by European greats Stephan Grappelli on violin, and Svend Asmussen on viola – both players who had a huge reputation overseas, and who work here with a core lineup of Ellington musicians that includes Russell Procope on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Buster Cooper on trombone! The setting is a bit more relaxed and small combo than larger Ellington dates – and although the session was recorded by Reprise Records in 1963, it wasn't issued until over a decade later – making it a nice surprise to fans of the recently-departed Duke. Titles include "Cotton Tail", "Blues In C", "String Along With Strings", "Limbo Jazz", "The Feeling Of Jazz", and "Tricky's Licks". LP, Vinyl record album

A real lost treasure from Art Farmer – a tremendous album that hardly ever shows up in the history books, and which, to our knowledge, has never properly been reissued! The set's a rare jazz side for the mostly-pop Scepter label – featuring Farmer at the head of a small group working with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Charles McPherson on alto, and either Steve Swallow or Ron Carter on bass. The album was done under the direction of Tom McIntosh – the brilliant young composer who had a magical talent for blending together modern and lyrical modes while still keeping a strong degree of soul. McIntosh contributed a few tunes to the set, as did Dennis Sandole – the nearly-forgotten trumpeter from the Philly scene of the 50s. There's a dark beauty to this session that surpasses even many other Farmer sides from the time – and titles include "Hyacinth", "Ally", "Happy Feet", "Minuet In G", and "Saucer Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than the simple Charlie Parker tribute promised in the title! For starters, the set's got two of the best cuts by Gillespie's mid 60s group with James Moody – "Um-Hmmm" and "Groovin High" – both of which have Moody playing in an incredibly unbridled tone that's just great! Next up are Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge fronting a hip group with Billy Taylor on a long version of "Now's The Time". Taylor also makes an appearance on Dave Lambert's scatted vocal version of "Donna Lee", as well as on a large group medley of the tunes "Bird Watcher" and "Disorder At The Border". Finishing off the set is an amazing Lee Konitz solo version of "Blues For Bird", his own composition, played as a spare solo tune on alto! LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime bit of electric funk in concert – proof that the CTI approach was always a great one, even out of the studio! The record features 2 long tracks – album-side versions of "Povo" and "Gilbraltar", both done in the best format of Hubbard's strongest CTI work, mixing in just the right amount of electric rhythms with straight forward soulful acoustic solos on tenor and trumpet! Herbie Hancock is on the piano, and the rest of the group includes Eric Gale on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all grooving with a sense of tightness that puts the record right up there with the best CTI studio sides of the early 70s! LP, Vinyl record album

Proof that Milt Jackson was easily the hippest member of the Modern Jazz Quartet – and one of the few who could really open up into different sounds away from that combo! This sweet 70s set for CTI is totally great – a whole new chapter for Jackson's vibes, and a real re-setting of the soulful modes he'd explored as a leader in the 60s. There's a wonderfully warm and chromatic feel to the set from the start – as Milt's vibes are set in fuller arrangements from Don Sebesky – with added instrumentation from Herbie Hancock on electric piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Phil Bodner on reeds. The highlight of the album is a nice long take on "People Make The World Go Round", but it's all pretty sweet, and other titles include nice versions of "Sunflower" and "What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life" – and Jackson's own "SKJ" and "For Someone I Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The standout classic from Junior Giscombe – one of the more unique soul artists of his generation! The set's probably best known for its huge hit single "Mama Used To Say" – a killer cut with an incredibly catchy hook, and a groove that's lasted for years on 80s groove dancefloors – but the whole album's pretty darn wonderful overall, with slight twists and turns that are quite different than other mainstream soul sets of its type. Junior did the record in collaboration with producer Bob Carter, who also plays a fair bit of keyboards on the set – bringing in an airy, open feel that matches Junior's vocals wonderfully – in a sound that's somewhat sweeter than other male soul of the early 80s, but never in a way that's too soft or sleepy. Titles include "Mama Used To Say", "Too Late", "I Can't Help It", "Let Me Know", "Down Down", "Love Dies", "I Can't Help It", and "Darling You (Don't You Know)". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic meeting of east and west coast artists of the third stream jazz sphere of the late 50s – one that features the team of John Lewis and Percy Heath of the Modern Jazz Quartet working alongside the west coast tenor of Bill Perkins, plus the guitar of Jim Hall and drums of Chico Hamilton! The whole album's got quite a unique feel – one that's as airy as that of the MJQ work of the time, but not nearly as academic or sleepy – thanks to a nice biting tone from Perkins' tenor, which really seems to stretch out in the space provided by Lewis. There's almost a similarly sublime quality here as on Lewis' album with Sacha Distel – Afternoon In Paris – which featured a similar use of space for great tenor sound (in that case, the tenor of Barney Wilen.) Titles include "2 Degrees East 3 Degrees West", "Easy Living", "Skylark", and "I Can't Get Started". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly wonderful 70s meeting between Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker – recorded live, with sweet electric touches from CTI – in a style that shouldn't work so well, but which really comes off great! The approach is simple – Mulligan and Baker solo in a manner that's a bit like their 50s work, but which also unfolds more than usual with backing from a group that includes Bob James on electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, John Scofield on guitar, and Harvey Mason on drums. Tracks are long, with lots of space – hanging in a beautiful balance between electric and acoustic sounds. Titles include "Line For Lyons", "Song For An Unfinished Woman", "Song For Strayhorn" and Baker's favorite standard "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring disco vocals from the Ritchie Family – a trio who get plenty of great clubby help here from Richie Rome and Jacques Morali, both of whom ensure that the whole thing is a super-charged powerhouse of late 70s disco elements! The strings glide in nicely next to the vocals, and the rhythms are live and played with a nice intensity – maybe more New York than the usual TK Records release of the time, but that's probably Morali's work on the set! The trio vocals follow in the tradition started for 70s disco by Three Degrees – and titles include "Life Is Music", "Lady Luck", "Super Lover", "Disco Blues", "Liberty", and "Long Distance Romance". LP, Vinyl record album

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the greatest album ever from Side Effect – a wonderful set that mixes their soulful harmonies with some killer jazz funk from Wayne Henderson! The album may be the most perfect realization of the groove that Henderson was going for during his At Home Productions years – lots of funky fusion in the instrumentation, but all directed towards a tighter, more soul-based style – that perfect contribution that Fantasy Records made to the world in the 70s – after labels like Blue Note and Columbia first started setting things down. Whatever the chronology, though, this set's a standout no matter how you slice it – damn catchy tunes, incredible vocals, and a set of rhythms that are every bit as hip today as they were back when first recorded – really genre-defining grooves that you'll definitely recognize in the album's classics "Always There" and "Keep That Same Old Feeling" – and will go on to love in the cuts "Life Is What You Make It", "Changes", "I Know You Can", "SOS", "Time Has No Ending", "Finally Found Someone", and "Honky Tonk Scat". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a simple, elegant title – and a similar cover image too – but if you know Sonny Stitt, you know there's often plenty beneath the surface, and this classic Chess Records has plenty to offer, once you start listening! The album's right up there with Sonny's work for Roost – in terms of straight, strong, confident blowing – remarkably subtle, but also remarkably well-conceived, and proof that by the end of the 50s, Stitt had really matured greatly as a player – bringing so much to bear in very short space, and really coming up with imaginative solos in the process! The group's a quartet with Barry Harris on piano (although conflicting information also claims that it's Ramsey Lewis) – but Stitt's the main focus on this set, and for good reason – on titles that include "Jack Spratt", "Propapagoon", "This Is Always", "Everyone Does", and "Mr Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by Johnny Winter – with cuts that include "The Blues Had A Baby & They Named It Rock & Roll", "Little Girl", "Deep Down In Florida", "Jealous Hearted Man", and "Mannish Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few truly great albums by one of the hippest guitarists we can think of! Zoller was a fantastic talent of the European scene – with an approach to the guitar that's unlike anyone else we've heard. Unfortunately, though, he didn't always make that many albums as a leader in a regular jazz format – where his modernist ideas were allowed free reign, without some sort of gimmicky presentation getting in the way. This album's one of the rare few that let Zoller really take hold of the direction of the record – and it might be the best ever to hear his amazing work in action. The group's a quartet of well-matched players that includes Don Friedman on piano, Barre Philips on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – and the album includes 4 originals by Zoller, including "Explorations", "Blizzards, and "The Hun", plus a version of Carla Bley's "Ictus". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work by a group fronted by fusion keyboard maestro Bayete – known most to Dusty Groove customers for his two classic albums on Prestige, both of them Herbie-esque soulful explorations. Some of that fusion feel is still here on this set – which is a mixture of smooth soul, rock fusion, and some compressed LA production. The group's a quartet, and Bayete's singing and playing keyboards – and the album's got some really wonderful moments that are a lot more soulful than you'd expect from the album's Krafterk-like cover. Titles include "Here I Am Now", "What's Done", "Give It To Me", "Live Wire", "Y 2 Me", and "So You Wanna Be". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime second solo effort from Syd Barrett – and maybe his most perfectly-formed album ever! There's a sinister balance to the record right from the start – a gentle approach to the offbeat themes that is almost more unsettling than if the matter was undertaken more forcefully – weird little bits just tossed off by Syd as if they're really the ramblings of the madman promised on the cover of his first LP – almost with a deadpan quality that makes the whole thing even more unsettling with repeated listenings! Instrumentation is relatively lean – almost a folksy mix of acoustic guitar, electric, sullen bass, and some haunting keyboards – all as if someone picked apart Pink Floyd, then started to construct a rough sketch from the parts that lay scattered on the floor. The album's had an influence from psych through punk and many years beyond – and titles include "Baby Lemonade", "Gigolo Aunt", "Wolfpack", "Effervescing Elephant", "Winde & Dined", "Rats", and "It Is Obvious". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2-fer – with 2 different classics from Dave Brubeck! First up is Gone With The Wind – a surprisingly nice little album from Brubeck – one that's mostly comprised of old-fashioned type tunes, but which all take on a hip new light in the hands of his classic quartet! As usual, Paul Desmond's one of the main assets of the set – working with Brubeck to forge a slightly off-beat and swinging approach that brings plenty of nice moments to tunes like "Gone With The Wind", "Ol Man River", "Shortnin Bread", "Camptown Races", and "The Lonesome Road". Time Out is easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Brubeck takes on the Eurasian scene – with wonderfully groovy results! The album's one of Brubeck's first in the "impressions" series, and it's a really colorful assortment of tunes – tracks with some lyrical and exotic moments that come through strongly, and which really offer a slightly different take on the Brubeck groove. Paul Desmond's alto sax is key to the sound here, and so is the progressive percussion of Joe Morello – and in addition to Brubeck's piano, the quartet also features bass from Joe Benjamin. Titles are all originals by Dave, and they include "Calcutta Blues", "Marble Arch", "Brandenburg Gate", "Nomad", and "The Golden Horn". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked Dave Brubeck from the 60s – and one of his most striking sessions at the time! The album steps a bit into the Blues Roots promised in the title – but overall, it's more of a unique meeting between Brubeck's piano and the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan – coming together here in warm, open quartet company – with a sound that's quite different than some of the Brubeck/Paul Desmond sessions of the time! Dave really sets the tone on piano – and is maybe a bit less concerned with overall jazz concepts than just laying down some expressive solo passages – and the group also features Jack Six on both acoustic and electric bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. Mulligan is as fluid as ever – and has that great sound he was bringing to his own small group sessions of the time – a mode that burns a gentle fire on titles that include "Broke Blues", "Journey", "Cross Ties", "Blues Roots", and "Moving Out". LP, Vinyl record album

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A rare Italian-only album from Chet Baker – wonderfully cooking small group work that's a far bit greater than his more familiar "with strings" session recorded in Italy during the same period! The album's got Chet working with an array of great players from the local scene – including Gianni Basso on tenor sax, Renato Sellani on drums, and Glauco Masetti on alto sax – all in a groove that shows plenty of traces of that opened-up sound that Baker was exploring in the very late 50s – the modes he was crafting in his group with Phil Urso on tenor, as he started to get a bit more bit in his style! Yet there's also a nicely compressed approach going on here too – that west coast sound that was a strong influence on the Italian players of the postwar years, but which was unfolded to new ends in their hands. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Line For Lyons", "Tune Up", "Cheryl Blues", "Indian Summer", and "Pent Up House". LP, Vinyl record album

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A collection of classic work by Dave's group with Paul Desmond – featuring 5 tunes from West Side Story, inlcuding "Tonight", "Somewhere", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty", plus others from shows and standards. The group, as usual, really opens up the tunes – and Desmond's icily skating alto really makes the best of the material. Other titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", and "Night & Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", and "Someday My Prince Will Come". LP, Vinyl record album

With Bill Smith on clarinet, Chris Brubeck on electric bass and bass trombone, and Randy Jones on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Paul Desmond records of all time – a set of understated brilliance that really lets him display his genius! Desmond at this time had been lost in some other sets that respected his talents, but didn't offer the greatest proof that he'd been growing as an artist – and this live album presents his magical alto work in a totally unfettered setting, with just guitar, bass, and drums backing him up. The spare sound is simply sublime – as Desmond's alto floats in air, magically picking notes out of nowhere, and illuminating the empty space with notes that seem to fall from the heavens. Titles include "Manha De Carnaval", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Wave", "Wendy", and "Take Five" – all done in nice long takes! LP, Vinyl record album

A 2LP set that brings together most of the material from the first three full-length albums by the Modern Jazz Quartet – all recorded at a time when the combo were first forging their famous sound! Most of the sides here are in contrast to the group's better-known Atlantic work, because the group at this point still featured Kenny Clarke on drums – and although a few tracks here include Connie Kay, the bulk of the recordings are touched by Clarke's tighter, sometimes more aggressive work on percussion – making for a less-than-trademark sound that we really like. As usual, the rest of the group features Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, and Percy Heath on bass – and the 2LP set features 18 tracks that include "Concorde", "Vendome", "Milano", "La Ronde", "Django", "All The Things You Are", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Delauney's Dilemma", "La Ronde Suite", "All Of You", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An extremely haunting version of the score to Porgy & Bess – recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet at the height of their powers, in a gently soulful version that really takes off from the original. The group have a very free approach here – one that uses Gershwin's originals as a set of loose guidelines to work from – shading in the spaces with their own tones and colors on vibes, piano, bass, and drums. The album features some great modern takes on "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" – and other tracks include "O Bess, Where's My Bess", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man's Gone Now", and "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York". LP, Vinyl record album

More material from the famous Last Concert record from the MJQ – not really the last concert ever from the Modern Jazz Quartet – but a set that seemed so at the time, given that the group went their separate ways for a number of years! The record's got the combo in really top form – very much back to the basics of their early time on Atlantic Records, with a sublime focus on that unique sound that no other group like this could match. Milt Jackson's vibes are chromatically aligned in this amazing way with the piano of John Lewis – and somehow the live recording seems to bring out even more tones in the bass of Percy Heath, who feels an even stronger presence here than usual. Connie Kay's work on drums are a masterpiece of percussive understatement – and titles include "The Jasmine Tree", "Tears From The Children", "England's Carol", "Blues In H (b)", and "Really True Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The lovely Quarteto Em Cy sing the work of Dorival Caymmi, Edu Lobo, and Antonio Carlos Jobim – plus additional contributions from junior members of their families! The style is that warm four-part harmony that the group first forged back in the bossa years – updated here a bit with some slightly modern production and instrumentation, but kept relatively spare and simple throughout – never too overdone, and always with a strong focus on the vocals. Paulo Jobim and his father help a bit on the arrangements here – and titles include "Maria E Dia", "Milagre", "Desenredo", "Caminhos Cruzados", "Tataravo", "Borzeguim", "Preconceito", and "Vento Bravo" – always a great track, but especially great in this version! LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album from Quarteto Em Cy – the Brazilian vocal quartet who first rose to prominence during the bossa nova years, but soon moved into even more sophisticated material during the 70s! The approach of this set is telegraphed in the title – as the group take on songs penned by Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, and Gonzaguinha – the new MPB generation of the 70s, whose music turns out to be perfect for the growing talents of the girls – topped off with some beautiful arrangements from Octavio Burnier, whose work really rises to the level of the vocals! The whole thing's great – a magnificent journey in sound – and titles include "Idolatrada", "Barco Fantasma", "Antes De Seja Tarde", "O Ultimo Trem", "Um Dia", "Ponta De Areia", "Gira Girou", "Ciranda Menina", and "Abandonado". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Grand Puba. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Produced by Sir George Martin. LP, Vinyl record album

A key later album from alto saxophonist Benny Carter – one that has him at the helm of a largeish group, but playing with a nicely focused sort of groove! In addition to Benny's alto, the record also features tenor sax from Charlie Rouse and Coleman Hawkins, plus one more alto from Phil Woods – supported by rhythm from John Collins on guitar, Dick Katz on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. The tunes are traditional, but have some sharper-edged modern ideas on some of the solos – and there's a nicely echoey feel to the production, which further adds to the quality of the record. The album's a bit like a Swingville session for Prestige, but has a bit more going on – and titles include "Doozy", "Blue Star", "Midnight Sun Will Never Set", and "Crazy Rhythm". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest Blue Note bop sides, and one that's hardly ever been reissued! Not only that, but the record's a beautiful set of tracks that mix hardbop and modernist approaches – in a style that's similar to the Blue Note recordings by Gil Melle (and in fact, Mecca was the guitarist on 2 of Melle's early 10" sessions for the label). Mecca's group here features the little-known vibist Jack Hitchcock, whose playing sounds great next to Mecca's tight single-note playing. Titles include "All The Things You Are", "Stan's Invention", "The Song Is You", and "Bernie's Tune". Cool cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Great early material from Mobley, and a record that's practically a Jazz Messengers album! This rare 10" session features Mobley playing with Horace Silver, Doug Watkins, and Art Blakey – and the tracks are hard hard hard bop grooves with a knock-down-dead straight-on approach. Titles include "Hank's Prank", "Walkin The Fence", "Just Coolin", and "Avila & Tequila", and the whole thing's packaged in a 10" LP format! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one! The MJQ record for the Beatles' label, and the record's one of their most interesting in years! The production's pretty straight, but the group's playing in a cool open-ended style that still has elements of their earlier work, but which really makes things a lot more interesting than some of the Atlantic recordings. Milt Jackson's vibes have a bit more of a bell-like quality on some parts, and the rhythm team of Percy Heath and Connie Kay kick it with a soul jazz vibe on a few numbers – a nice change from the sleepier rhythms of earlier albums. Titles include "The Blue Necklace", "Exposure", "Jasmine Tree", and "Three Little Feelings". LP, Vinyl record album

Key early work from trumpeter Jack Sheldon – a set that captures his talents at their most basic and most stripped-down – very much in the spirit of the best LA jazz coming out on the Pacific Jazz label at the time! If the cover makes the set look a bit like a Chet Baker album, that's because there's a bit of the Baker approach here – one that's simple and focused, with a strongly melodic style that comes through beautifully on Sheldon's shimmering horn. But there's also a bit more of an edge, too – thanks to bold piano work from Walter Norris, and the addition of Zoot Sims on a number of tracks – and unlike Baker (or Sheldon on later records), there's no vocals here at all – just a strong instrumental groove. Titles include "Beach-Wise", "Groovus Mentus", "Dozo", "Jack Departs", and "Palermo Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual album from the great Toshiko Akiyoshi – and a set that features her young daughter Monday Michiru playing flute on the record! Monday's part of a flute quartet, who play here alongside Toshiko on piano, Bob Bowman on bass, and Joey Baron on drums – on original tunes "Chic Lady", "Blue Dream", "Last Minute Blues", and "Falling Petal". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing early work from Chet Baker – quite possibly as clear a statement of the young trumpeter's genius as you might hope to find, served up here in a beautiful 10" LP package! The tracks are short, sweet, and very much to the point – but they already display a tremendous approach to the trumpet that was different from any other player – a sound that's recorded cleanly and clearly throughout, without any vocals at all. The great Russ Freeman is on piano, and titles include "The Lamp Is Low", "Russ Job", "Batter Up", "Easy To Love", and "Maid In Mexico". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic 70s album from Gary Burton – a set that definitely has the "new" promised in the title, as it takes off more from some of Gary's work in previous years! The record's got this explosive sense of color that really comes through in Gary's vibes – and in the way the group can leaop into the fray when needed – almost funky at points, but also able to shift into more sensitive modes too – balanced between the guitar of Michael Goodrick,bass of Abraham Laboriel, and drums of Harry Blazer. Burton's got a bit more bite at times than before – pushing even past his Atlantic Records sound and the tunes are a well-chosen array of songs by contemporaries who include Keith Jarrett, Mike Gibbs, Chick Corea, and Carla Bley. Titles include "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly", "Coral", "Tying Up Loose Ends", "Olhos De Gato", and "Mallet Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost hard rock gem from a Milwaukee quartet – produced by Kim Fowley with a sound that's as raw and garagey as his best indie productions from the mid 60s! These guys have all sorts of familiar elements in the mix – an influence from blues, a trippier style of guitar, and some nicely soulful currents in the vocals of Den Geyer – but there's a special brew that takes all of these qualities into special territory, making for the kind of standout set that was mysteriously overlooked at the time – but which makes for one of those rare treasures that lie far below the giants of the classic rock generation. Titles include "Gotta Be Free", "Hope For The Future", "Pearl", "Lady In The Dark", "I'm Walkin", "Trackin Shoes", "Sweet Mother Earth", and the jazzy guitar tune "Gazebo" – dedicated to the great Gabor Szabo! LP, Vinyl record album

Accompanied by Ray Brown on bass, Benny Carter on alto, Ron Eschete on guitar, Marshall Otwell on piano, and Jimmie Smith on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Chet Baker's most classic albums of the 50s – a record that features both vocals and strong trumpet solos – all from a time when Baker was one of the hottest things going in jazz! The album's different from records from previous years, in that it moves Baker from LA to New York – where he works with a great quartet that features Kenny Drew on piano, George Morrow or Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Danny Richmond on drums – all players who have a slightly different approach than some of Baker's compatriots on Pacific Jazz sessions, which also seems to bring out a bit more bite in Chet too. Tracks are still shortish, with those breathy Baker vocals we love so much, balanced with really well-crafted trumpet solos – and titles include "It Could Happen To You", "Do It The Hard Way", "Old Devil Moon", "Dancing On The Ceiling", and "The More I See You". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record from the days before George Benson had totally hit his smooth jazz sound of the 70s, and was being pushed by Columbia as a hard wailing soul jazz leader! The record features his classic quartet with Lonnie Smith on organ – grooving away hard hard hard, sometimes even harder than George! Benson's fresh off his work with the Jack McDuff quartet, and his style's nice and lean, with some good riffs, and a very tight approach to the strings. Titles include "The Cooker", "Benny's Back", "Bossa Rocka", and "Benson's Rider". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

A light and dreamy set of Brazilian vocal tracks – recorded in 1967, and featuring the voice of singer Lenita Bruno, a strong 60s talent with a style that's somewhat like Sylvia Telles. Arrangements on the set are by Clare Fischer – who plays piano, organ, and electric harpsichord in a small combo that also includes guitar by Laurindo Almeida, flute by Bud Shank, and percussion by Paulinho. Some tracks augment the ensemble with a string quartet – who give the material an appropriately sad tone, perfect for Lenita's blue-styled vocals. Includes a nicely grooving version of "Chove Chuva", plus the tracks "Wave", "Winter Moon", "Sing Sing More", "Dindi", "Stay My Love", and "Someone To Light Up My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album by Donald Byrd – the first one where he really started to click with jazz-funk producer Larry Mizell! Mizell and Byrd had worked together previously on the Black Byrd album – a soaring bit of futuristic jazz funk that took Byrd's career to a whole new level – but this album's the one where they really began to make the formula cook, blending together tight funky rhythms, spacey keyboards, soulful vocals, and some of Donald's best solo work of the 70s! The whole thing's a masterpiece, and all tracks sparkle – including "Lansana's Priestess", "Witch Hunt", and "Street Lady", one of the funkiest tracks ever on Blue Note. A haunting record with a beautiful spacey groove, and one of the best-ever albums on Blue Note! LP, Vinyl record album

Well, we don't know if Mr B could ever be considered "modern", but this is a pretty groovy batch of 60s pop tunes – like "Mister Kicks", "People", "Wanted", "Wives & Lovers", and "A Beautiful Friendship" – all done to arrangements by Billy Byers, Benny Carter, and Bobby Tucker, with that great mid 60s Mercury pop feel to them. There's some nice jazz elements in the mix, and Billy's always a treat for us! LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album from Friends Of Distinction – a very groovy LA harmony vocal group who really transcended the worlds of pop and soul! The quartet were originally part of the earlier Rex Middletone's Hi Fi group – which split into both Friends Of Distinction, and 5th Dimension – and like that other, slightly more famous group, FoD have a soaring approach that really reflects their years in music, tuned towards a groovier late 60s style! The record sports their hit vocal version of Hugh Masekela's "Grazing In The Grass", with the great "I can dig it" line, plus an excellent reading of a lost cut by funky drummer Roy Porter, entitled "Lonesome Mood" – next to other great titles that include "Sweet Young Thing Like You", "Peaceful", "Baby I Could Be So Good At Loving You", "Eli's Coming", and "Going In Circles". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful dreamy album that's quite different from the classic Getz/Gilberto collaboration – but which also shares much of that set's lyrical beauty! This album was recorded live, in 1964, when Stan Getz was playing with his quartet that included Gary Burton on vibes – an incredible lineup that made for some wonderfully moody sounds! The vibes/tenor approach was a high point in Getz's career – especially as the young Burton could create these beautiful washes of sound that were a perfect counterpoint to Getz's breathy playing. And although Astrud Gilberto is thrown into the mix here to give the album a bit of bossa appeal – vocals on 6 titles that include "Corovado", "Eu E Voce", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "One Note Samba", "Only Trust Your Heart", and "The Telephone Song" – there's also 4 more tracks that are all instrumental, and which show the Getz/Burton union in all of its glory! These tracks include "6 Nix Pix Flix", "The Singing Song", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "Summertime". And for reference, the rest of the group includes Gene Cherico on bass and Joe Hunt on drums – but on 3 tracks, Chuck Israels plays bass instead of Cherico, and on a few others, Helcio Milito plays drums instead of Hunt, and Kenny Burrell joins in on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

A noteworthy session from pianist Hampton Hawes – a rare quartet session from the 50s (at a time when Hawes was mostly working in trios) – and also a three volume set of releases, all recorded in the space of a single night! The album is truly an All Night Session – as the material here was recorded during the night of November 12 and early morning hours of November 13, 1956 – with an unusual group that features Hawes on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, Bruz Freeman on drums, and Jim Hall on guitar! Hall's ringing tones are a perfect partner for Hawes' light approach to the keys – and the relaxed, extended nature of the recording has both players really opening up on some of the album's longish tracks. Titles on this volume include "Blues #4", "Blues #3", and "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet late 70s set from Freddie Hubbard – a slight move away from some of his highly-electric sides of the CTI years, yet one that still has some of the most soulful qualities of that work! Freddie's trumpet has a nicely spacious quality throughout – one that's flowing, and almost glowing at time – cascading along with qualities you might be more likely to hear from Art Farmer on some of the gentler numbers, yet really bursting out with that old Hubbard dynamism on the rest. Other players include Joe Henderson on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, Kenny Barron on piano and keyboards, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and George Benson also guests on guitar on one number too. A good number of the titles are originals, and tracks include "Super Blue", "To Her Ladyship", "Take It To The Ozone", "The Gospel Truth", and "Theme For Kareem". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked early work from Milt Jackson – a record that's got a lot more of an edge than some of his later work with the Modern Jazz Quartet – a near-perfect modernist bop sound that's every bit the best side of Blue Note in the early 50s! The groups here are really great – one a quintet that features Jackson's partners in the MJQ – John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums (who was in the first rendition of the quartet) – the group's also joined by Lou Donaldson on alto sax, who blows with this boppish edge that really deepens the sound! And the other quintet is even better – with Thelonious Monk on piano and Sahib Shihab on alto sax. Milt's vibes ring out in this boldly chromatic way – clearly a sense of discovery in process during the session – and titles include "Bag's Groove", "On The Scene", "Willow Weep For Me", "Criss Cross", "Eronel", "Tahiti", and "What's New". LP, Vinyl record album

A Pablo Records release – but featuring material that was originally destined for Verve Records in the 50s – a rare performance in Japan by the Jazz At The Philharmonic! The double-length set is overflowing with goodness, all recorded in the open-ended, warm-hearted style that Norman Granz brought to these classic performances! The album starts with an extended set by the JATP All-Stars – a group that features Roy Eldridge and Charlie Shavers on trumpets, Willie Smith and Benny Carter on alto, Bill Harris on trombone, and Ben Webster and Flip Philips on tenors – with rhythm from the combo of Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and JC Heard on drums. JATP titles include a "Ballad Medley", "Tokyo Blues", and "Cotton Tail". The set then features six more tracks by the Oscar Peterson Trio – including "Sushi Blues" and "Up" – and another four by the Gene Krupa Trio – including "Don't Be That Way", and "Cocktails For Two". The set then ends with a long set by Ella Fitzgerald with a quartet – on titles that include "Smooth Sailin", "How High The Moon", "Body & Soul", "Lady Be Good", and "My Funny Valentine" – plus a reading of "Perdido" with the whole JATP group. LP, Vinyl record album

The Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross tradition lives on – in a smoking live set that features Indian singer Yolanda Bavan joining the group in place of recently-departed Ross! Bavan's ability to groove and improvise is every bit as great as that of Annie Ross – and she fits in nicely next to the warm lyrics of John Hendricks, and the sweetly crackling bop vocals of Dave Lambert. Plus, the live setting seems to open the whole group up even more – as they're working with a great combo that features Coleman Hawkins and Clark Terry sitting in with the Gildo Mahones trio that includes George Tucker on bass and Jimmie Smith on drums. The tunes are all very soulful and swinging – and the album easily sits with the best Columbia work by the older version of the group! Titles include "Watermelon Man", "Sack o Woe", "Deedle-Lee Deedle-Lum", and "Walkin", taken in a nice long stretch1 LP, Vinyl record album

Led Zeppelin at their most sprawling – in both ambition and in the pacing – on the gargantuan Physical Graffiti! This is the album where they started bringing some odd synth textures to the sound, and it's to Zeppelin's eternal credit that this doesn't compromise their blues-reverent hard rock one bit! There's no better Zeppelin album when it comes to giving the fans what they want, while chasing the band's adventurous muses at the same time. Includes the classics "Kashmir", "Custard Pie", "Houses Of The Holy", "In The Light", "Ten Years Gone", "Boogie With Stu", "Sick Again" and more. LP, Vinyl record album