A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare funky treasure – lost live material from Grant Green's hippest years at Blue Note – recorded in the early 70s funky years, but unissued for decades! The set's an incredibly smoking one – with loads of long tracks that really stretch out in a hard-hitting, bottom-heavy funky mode – no surprise, considering that Idris Muhammad's on drums, as part of a lineup that also includes Ronnie Foster on organ, Houston Person on tenor, and the more obscure Clarence Thomas on soprano sax and tenor! The groove here is a bit more Prestige jazz funk than Blue Note – the kind of rough-edged and spontaneous vibe that Rusty Bryant, Leon Spencer, and others cooked up during the early 70s on some of their best classics for that label – but Green's a perfect person to catch the spirit of that wildfire, and jams long and nicely here on 8 tracks that include "Farid", "Jan Jan", "One More Chance", "Patches", "I Am Somebody", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Bottom Of The Barrel", and "Walk On By". LP, Vinyl record album

A really burning record from the Venezuelan scene at the height of its musical growth – and an album that seems to echo the blend of Latin and rock styles that were happening on the American west coast at the time – but with a nicely different vibe! Guitars and keyboards come into play with plenty of percussion and jazzy instrumentation – and the result is a sound that's wonderfully funky at times, and also compressed in a way that's different from the longer jams of some of US groups. Yet there's also all these weird little twists and turns – that almost-experimental vibe that you'll hear in Venezuelan groovers from the period – great surprises along the way, on titles that include "Caliente", "Amor Y Felicidad", "Escandalo", "Semilla", "Vete", "Sinfonia Numero 20", and "No Te Olvides Del Senor". LP, Vinyl record album

Guru's second foray into the jazz/rap crossover world, with a huge amount of guest stars, and a little bit less of Guru. In parts, it actually seems to work better than the first one. Why? Because there's not as much of a forced effort to bring jazz and rap together in an obvious way, which leaves guests like Ramsey Lewis, Jamiroquai, Ronny Jordan, Donald Byrd, Kool Keith, Reuben Wilson, Bernard Purdie, and The Solsonics more room to do their thing. Includes "Lifesaver", "Looking Through The Darkness", " Respect The Architect", "Choice Of Weapons", "Count The Blessings", "Lost Souls", "Watch What You Say", and more. CD

We love our Buddy Guy here in Chicago – and this set cut for Vanguard, one of his first full solo albums with his own band will always be a favorite! Buddy's late 60s sound was as charismatic as he'd always be, but there's an understated approach to his lead that's really wonderful, and hits us much deeper than the showy, guitar solo heavy stuff that the blues club tourists want to hear! He's got the great Otis Spann playing piano, Wayne Bennett on rhythm, Jack Myers on bass, Lonny Taylor and Fred Below on drums, and Donald Hankins, Aaron Corthen and Bobby Fields on saxes. Titles include "A Man And His Blues", "I Can't Quit The Blues", "One Room Country Shack", "Just Playing My Axe", "Worry, Worry", "Jam On A Monday Morning" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With Max Roach, Kenny Dorham, James Moody, and Tommy Potter in 1949; and with Bill Crow and Lee Abrams in 1954. LP, Vinyl record album

Paris was always a great city for Lionel Hampton – but it seemed like in the mid 50s, it was also a place where he cut some of his best work, too! The French New Sound pair of albums are both classics in Hamp's book – records that take off from the looser, longer-form style that he'd been hitting with his Verve recordings of the early 50s – yet which also retain some of the tighter, fuller elements of his famous large ensembles. Players on the records are great – a lineup that includes travelling American jazz greats like Benny Bailey and Nat Adderley on trumpets, and a young David Amram on French Horn – plus crack Parisian players who include Sacha Distel on guitar, Rene Urtreger on piano, and Guy Pederson on bass. The tracks are simple jamming numbers – long and open-ended, in the mode of some of Hamp's very popular live work at the time, and the vibes are right out front – hard-edged, with that soulful sound that Hamp pioneered on the instrument – and the other players are given very ample room to solo. Tracks on this second volume include "All The Things You Are", "Night & Day", and "Red Ribbon". CD

Soulful 70s work from Herbie Hancock – a record that tightens things up from the Headhunters and Sextant sessions, but which still retains a lot of their depth and charm! Players here including some previous partners – like Bennie Maupin on reeds and Paul Jackson on bass – plus the mighty Wah Wah Watson on guitars, James Levi on drums, Kenneth Nash on percussion, and Ray Parker on additional guitar. Tracks are tightly electric fusion, but still have some of the sharper tones of Herbie's electric work – weird moogy moments mixed into more straight ahead funk – all with a sound that's not unlike some of Ramsey Lewis' best Columbia work of the period. Herbie plays Fender Rhodes, Arp, clavinet, mini-moog, and more – and titles include "Doin' It", "Spider", "Swamp Rat", "People Music", and a remake of "Cantelope Island" that's pretty darn tasty! LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music from Hapshash & The Coloured Coat – a group with a sound that's every bit as freewheeling as their name! The set's a unique collaboration between DJ/producer Guy Stevens and psych poster designers Michael English and Nigel Weymouth – and has this loose, unfettered feel that's almost more like a "happening" in the studio instead of some road-jamming band cutting its music to vinyl – a really hair-down party with instrumentation on trippy percussion, jangly guitar, and other odd sounds that step in and out of the mix – showing a larger studio sense of manipulation for the whole record. There's an odd groove to the record at parts – almost a chaos theory return of the eternal – and titles include "H-O-P-P Why?", "A Mind Blown Is A Mind Shown", "The New Messiah Coming 1985", "Aoum", and the epic side two jam "Empires Of The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from the amazing Eddie Harris – a record that's got a perfect blend of jazz and funk, but still holds onto more righteous elements too! Eddie's using his electric sax in a really great way – not as a gimmick at all, but as a way of linking both the soulful and progressive sides of the Chicago jazz scene – much like the way his old bassist Melvin Jackson did on the classic Funky Skull record! The group here is a small one, but features some really surprising work from players who include Muhal Richard Abrams on electric piano, Rufus Reid on electric and acoustic bass, Billy James on drums and Kalimba, Ronald Muldrow on guitar, and Henry Gibson on some mighty nice percussion. Eddie himself is a stunner – working not just on electric tenor, but also trumpet with a reed mouthpiece, and some weird way of vocalizing through a horn as well. The whole thing's got a vibe that matches the hippest, coolest electric jazz of the Cadet/Concept years – and titles include the great groover "Zambezi Dance", plus "Nightcap", "Tampion", "Instant Death", and "Superfluous". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous set from one of the best – and most under-recognized – groups of the British jazz rock scene at the end of the 60s! The group have an approach that mixes heavy blues-influenced jamming with some of the lighter, more lyrical touches that were showing up at the time – in a way that gives them a firmly grounded sound at one level, but also a slightly more sophisticated, contemplative approach – making the group almost a UK equivalent to the sound of the Steve Miller Band at the time. The jazzier tracks on the album feature work by some great straight British players – including Harry Beckett and Ray Warleigh – and the album's also got a few nice slightly funky cuts that are known for their breaks! Tracks include "The Dansette Kid", "Hickory", "Not Foolish, Not Wise", "Poor Mabel", "Believe In Me", "Don't Give Up", "Hickory", and "Tadpole". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster of a jazz rock set from drummer Keef Hartley – a player who initially came to fame for his funky grooves in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers! Hartley's sound here is a great mix of rootsy rock and some of the jazzier touches that were creeping into the London scene at the time – with plenty of tightly snapping rhythms at the bottom of the tunes, enough to create a nice funky rock undercurrent on most numbers. The set's made even better by some great keyboard work from Mick Weaver – and the best cuts have some really jamming elements that let Weaver open up on organ and electric piano. Titles include "Roundabout", "Overdog", "Imitations From Home", "We Are All The Same", "Enroute", and "Plain Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy jamming with guitarist Hiram Bullock and a great group of Japanese cats, including Kankawa on organ and keyboards, Kenji Hino on electric bass, and Fuyu on drums. Titles include "Smoke On The Water", "California Dreaming", "Jan Jan", and two Kankawa originals – "Organic Swamp" and "Cat Street". CD

Jimi's legendary live recordings for BBC radio and television – live studio sessions from 1967 to 1969 – remastered from BBC tapes and sounding incredible! Most of the tracks feature the trio of Hendrix, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell at their fiery best, on classics like "Foxey Lady", "Fire", "Love Or Confusion", "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe" and more, plus some great, loosier, bluesier performances, such as"Drivin South", "Hear My Train A Coming" and more. The few guest musician appearances are incredibly notable – Alexis Korner plays some slide guitar on "(I'm Your) Hoochie Choochie Man" – and Stevie Wonder plays drums (!!!) on "Jammin" and "I Was Made To Love Her". Also includes the never before released bonus track "Burning Of The Midnight Lamp", a cover of "Day Tripper" and more. 38 tracks on 3LPs. LP, Vinyl record album

This is the new remix of Pierre Henry's famous funky electronic ballet from 1967. They've selected a wide range of artists to handle it, from the great Dimitri from Paris, to the popular Fatboy Slim, and the list includes other names like The Mighty Bop, William Orbit, Coldcut, and Funki Porcini. The sound varies, but there's some very nice moments that add a good bit to the original. Some of these cuts were floating around on expensive 12" singles before, and although this French issue isn't cheap, it's still a nice jam-packed selection of cuts, and has some great moments that bridge the history of electronica. CD

A soulful classic from The Heptones – easily one of the greatest trios to emerge from the Jamaican scene in the late 60s – and one of the few who were really able to evolve their style as the years went on! The style here is to earlier Heptones material as the early 70s Impressions records on Curtom were to their 60s albums on ABC – more righteous in content, and hipper in overall expression – with this beautiful interplay between the vocals of Leroy Sibbles, Barry Llewellyn, and Earl Morgan – all captured with this warm glow in the Harry J Studio! Includes material originally released in Jamaica on the album Book Of Rules, then issued by Trojan as Cool Rasta with additional tracks. Titles include "Black On Black", "Over & Over", "Peace & Harmony", "Dreadlock", "Suffering So" and and "Wah Go Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual session for trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a set done during his early run of albums for Blue Note, but one that's got some much darker, more modern qualities than the rest! The music here almost verges on some of the "new thing" material of the period on the label – although is not as far outside as some of the others – and the record features two different groups – both with excellent early work from James Spaulding on alto and flute, and really unique use of euphonium from Kiane Zawadi, whose depth on the instrument really explores the darker currents of sound. In addition to Freddie's trumpet work, the set also features Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley on tenors, Harold Mabern and McCoy Tyner on pianos, and Clifford Jarvis and Pete LaRoca on drums. Big Black also adds in percussion on the cuts "Cunga Black" and "Soul Surge" – and other titles include "Outer Forces", "Blue Spirits", and "Jodo". LP, Vinyl record album

Pivotal work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a tight, edgy quintet performance that's done with a modern jazz sound that approaches the Blue Note "new thing" sound, but which stays just this side of the fence to keep in line with Freddie's other soulful work of the 60s – yet still with an edge that you never would expect if you only know his electric and funky work of the 70s! The group features some great work by James Spaulding, who gets a lot of solo room on alto and flute – and Ronnie Matthews is on piano, effortlessly shifting between rhythmic and soulful lines, and passages that get a bit darker and deeper. The tunes are nearly all Freddie Hubbard originals, except for the classic "Mirrors", written by drummer Joe Chambers, who's also a key part of the group – and other tunes include "Breaking Point", "Far Away", "Blue Frenzy", and "D Minor Mint". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a classic modernist cover image – and one that's also got the same sort of sound to match – brilliant early work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who's really coming into his own as a leader with this date! Freddie's really finding a voice here – a sharper edge than on some of his later albums, at the beginning of a more modernist phase in the mid-60s – when his efforts would mark him as one of the more straight ahead players of the "new thing" scene. There's a careful balance in Hubbard's work here – spurred on by youthful energy of group mates Herbie Hancock on piano, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Reggie Workman on bass, and Clifford Jarvis on drums. Hubbard is really brimming over with new ideas – as are the other players – and titles include "Lament for Booker", "Prophet Jennings", "Hub Tones", "For Spee's Sake", and "You're My Everything". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic soul record from the post-Motown underground in Detroit – and one that also has ties to the Tribe Records scene of the 70s! William Odell Hughes is a great soul singer, with an ability to stretch out on a long, sensual line – a quality that's a bit in the territory of Marvin Gaye in the early 70s – and he works here with arrangements from reedman Wendell Harrison, who plays tenor and flute on the record, and also a bit of keyboards too – serving up this lean backing that really fits the open, flowing style of William's vocals – on tracks that are all nice and long, and very different than the usual indie soul of the time! There's a wicked blend of deep soul and slinky grooves here – a bit like the best from Mike James Kirkland – and titles include "Waiting", "Where Am I", "Cruisin", "I've Got Love On My Mind", and "Super Funk A Ga La Listic Freak". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic little record – one that's an equal blend of jazz and soul, with a sound that's very much in the most righteous side of the spectrum for both! These guys are maybe a bit like James Mason on his classic album – in that they've clearly got deeper ideas going on, and a vision that's very much their own – which means that even when things are funky, they're still pretty fresh and complex – and when there's vocals, they're very different than the usual sort of soul-based lyrics – especially for the early 80s time of the record. The album only features four tracks – all great, but definitely leaving us wanting more – and titles include "Byrd's House", "Somebody's Love", "Friendship Cover Charge", and "Just Another Love Song". LP, Vinyl record album

The Ingram Family tighten things up nicely with this follow-up to their first funky album – and they get a slicker sound that points the way towards their excellent modern soul sides of the 80s. Tracks are written by James, William, Butch, and John – and although the album was excecutive produced by the H(ugo) & L(uigi) Records team, the Ingrams handled most of the production and arrangements, and give the record a much more sophisticated sound than other work on the label. Filled with loads of great moments that bridge the gap between 70s harmony soul and modern 80s groove. Titles include the moogy space soul classic "I Don't Want To Be Alone", plus "Mi Sabrina Tequana", "I Just Wanna Testify", "Music Has The Power", "Get Your Stuff Off", and "That's All". LP, Vinyl record album

Early crossover work as a solo act from James Ingram – and a set that features some stellar production from Quincy Jones! The album's one of the best of Q's pop-styled efforts of the time – and although it played big at the time, it's got a sound that's much better than we remember, especially on the more upbeat numbers – rock-solid vocals from Ingram, sung with a youthful quality that's nicely shies away from some of his more clunky commercial modes. Titles include the big hit "Yah Mo B There", plus "She Loves Me", "Try Your Love Again", "Party Animal", "Whatever We Imagine", "One More Rhythm", and "There's No Easy Way". LP, Vinyl record album

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A genius bit of work from the legendary Weldon Irvine – a mightily righteous effort that more than lives up to its heady title and cover! After turning out 2 great albums on his own indie Nodlew label, Weldon really steps into greatness with this set – using the bigger budget of his deal with RCA to expand out his musical vision in a number of different directions. Keyboards are still very much at the forefront of his sound – played with that heavily vamping left hand that makes his work so funky – but there's also a focus on lyrics here too – sung by Weldon with support form singers Ojuleba & Nalo, in a way that creates a righteous "many voiced" mode on the lyrical tracks! Things get plenty jazzy on side two, though – and a few key tracks really take off in a heavily jamming way, mixing Weldon's keys with additional reeds, guitar, and percussion. Titles include excellent track "Walk That Walk, Talk that Talk", plus other great ones like "Love Your Brother", "Let Yourself Be Free", "Quiet", "I'll Name It Tomorrow", and "Love Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning live work from piano genius Ahmad Jamal – still very young at this point, but already working with the fluid sense of imagination that would only unfold even more in the 60s! As with most of Jamal's live dates of the time, the balance of lyrical energy on the keys and rhythmic sensitivity at the core is fantastic – given sublime support from Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums – a trio who were as unique in their own way as the three piece combo of Ramsey Lewis was as well – although in a completely different style. The tunes are all familiar, but given these really fantastic readings – and titles include "April In Paris", "I'll Take Romance/My Funny Valentine", "Falling In Love With Love", and "The Second Time Around" – plus the Jamal original "Night Mist Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning live work from piano genius Ahmad Jamal – still very young at this point, but already working with the fluid sense of imagination that would only unfold even more in the 60s! As with most of Jamal's live dates of the time, the balance of lyrical energy on the keys and rhythmic sensitivity at the core is fantastic – given sublime support from Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums – a trio who were as unique in their own way as the three piece combo of Ramsey Lewis was as well – although in a completely different style. The tunes are all familiar, but given these really fantastic readings – and titles include "April In Paris", "I'll Take Romance/My Funny Valentine", "Falling In Love With Love", and "The Second Time Around" – plus the Jamal original "Night Mist Blues". CD

A beautiful demonstration of the unique piano genius of Ahmad Jamal in the early years of his career – his way of blending together some of the complex fluidity and keyboard range of postwar pianists from more staid settings, while also picking up a warmer, more soulful groove – but in styles that are so different than soul jazz contemporaries like Ramsey Lewis and Ray Bryant! Instead, Jamal's got this way of swinging the whole trio with a beautiful sense of cohesion – pulsating enough to groove, but also light enough to be lyrical as well – qualities that are really shared by the bass of Israel Crosby and drums of Vernell Fournier – as they work here alongside Jamal in the space of his famous Alhambra nightclub. Titles include "Time On My Hands", "Angel Eyes", "You Go To My Head", "Star Eyes", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". CD

A mindblowing album from Ahmad Jamal – a fantastic start to the 70s, and a set of music that shows just how far the pianist had come in just a few short years! The album's all acoustic, but has some of that spacious flow that Jamal would bring to his work on Fender Rhodes – with an approach that's even more open in terms of song structure than his earlier trio material – as if Jamal's choosing to omit more notes than he's including – but all with a quality that still keeps the music very full and rhythmic – pulsating with a special sort of energy that's neither Bill Evans, nor McCoy Tyner – but instead this really amazing sound that's all Ahmad's own. The trio features equally wonderful work from Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums – and titles include "The Awakening", "I Love Music", "Patterns", "Wave", and "Dolphin Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

60s Ahmad Jamal in the studio is already pretty darn great – but live, his group is even more amazing – as the pianist is able to stretch out more, and take a lot more chances too – not just in the way he's striking the keys of the piano, but also working with the fantastic rhythms of Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums! The trio have a legendary way of working together – sensing space as much as moments of music – and their work here on this series of unreleased tracks is completely sublime – and maybe one of the best recorded demonstrations of why Jamal was so revolutionary at the time! The mix of new ideas and soulful swing is incredible – and tracks here are mostly nice and long, filled with bold energy throughout – on versions of "Naked City", "Mr Lucky", "Where Is Love", "Dance To The Lady", "Fantastic Vehicle", "Gloria", "Misty", and "Autumn Leaves". LP, Vinyl record album

60s Ahmad Jamal in the studio is already pretty darn great – but live, his group is even more amazing – as the pianist is able to stretch out more, and take a lot more chances too – not just in the way he's striking the keys of the piano, but also working with the fantastic rhythms of Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums! The trio have a legendary way of working together – sensing space as much as moments of music – and their work here on this series of unreleased tracks is completely sublime – and maybe one of the best recorded demonstrations of why Jamal was so revolutionary at the time! The mix of new ideas and soulful swing is incredible – and tracks here are mostly nice and long, filled with bold energy throughout – on versions of "Naked City", "Mr Lucky", "Where Is Love", "Dance To The Lady", "Fantastic Vehicle", "Gloria", "Misty", and "Autumn Leaves". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet piano and soaring strings – a wonderful little record that brings the keyboard work of Ahmad Jamal into play with larger arrangements from Richard Evans, both working together here in an update of the sound from earlier albums at Chess! Although a later Jamal recording, the sound here is surprisingly great – and Ahmad's on acoustic piano throughout, playing in bold tones and strong colors – while Evans shades things in with just the right amount of orchestrations to expand on the themes without smothering them. There's very few "modern" touches here, save for perhaps the careful recording of Jamal's grand piano – and titles include "Fly Away", "Apple Avenue", "Pittsburgh", "Bellows", "Mellowdrama", "Divertimento", and "Foolish Ways". CD

A landmark record – not only for Bob James, but a seminal release for CTI and the Fender Rhodes as well! This is the album where all the magic starts – the first of many extremely successful albums that Bob recorded during the 70s under his own name, and almost the birthplace of the modern hip hop keyboard sample line! The album's stuffed with great numbers – including a sublime reading of "Feel Like Making Love", and the classic "Nautilus" – a slow, dark, funky tune that's worth the price of the album alone! Other tracks include "Valley Of The Shadows", "Night On Bald Mountain", and "Soulero". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 30 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey". LP, Vinyl record album

Skip plays both guitar and piano along with his vocals – and titles include "Special Rider Blues", "Crow Jane", "All Night Long", "Cypress Grove", "My Gal", and "Look Down The Road". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary bluesmen of the early 78rpm generation – heard here in a wonderfully-recorded set from 1964! The session came at a time when Skip James was hardly getting any mainstream attention, but had been rediscovered by a younger generation – which led to the fledgling Adelphi Records bringing him into the studio and really letting him do his thing! There's no attempt at commercialism here at all – as the tracks are spare, of varying length, and have James letting that amazing vocal style loose – soaring out with a heavenly sound at some moments, and hewing to the rhythms of his guitar at others – given reverent production treatment by the young John Fahey. Titles include "Broke & Hungry", "Crow Jane", "Cypress Grove Blues", "Black Gal", "Drunken Spree", "Illinois Blues", "Look Down The Road", and "Bad Whiskey". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary bluesmen of the early 78rpm generation – heard here in a wonderfully-recorded set from 1964! The session came at a time when Skip James was hardly getting any mainstream attention, but had been rediscovered by a younger generation – which led to the fledgling Adelphi Records bringing him into the studio and really letting him do his thing! There's no attempt at commercialism here at all – as the tracks are spare, of varying length, and have James letting that amazing vocal style loose – soaring out with a heavenly sound at some moments, and hewing to the rhythms of his guitar at others – given reverent production treatment by the young John Fahey. Titles include "Broke & Hungry", "Crow Jane", "Cypress Grove Blues", "Black Gal", "Drunken Spree", "Illinois Blues", "Look Down The Road", and "Bad Whiskey". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare rocker from Jamul – a group who are somewhere right on the cusp between blues rock and hard rock territory – working with equal amounts of both in this obscure debut! The record's a great illustration of the way that so many groups who grew up playing blues rock in bars during the 60s were discovering styles that were forming into hard rock at the start of the 70s – guitar lines informed by older modes, but played with a heck of a lot more power – and vocals that push things a bit more than any blues singer might – to the point where they often hit a rasping sort of frenzy! There's still a bit of the old modes here – occasional harmonica lines and slower numbers – but it's the heavier tunes that really shape the record. Titles include "Ramblin Man", "Valley Thunder", "All You Have Left Is Me", "I Can't Complain", "Nickel Thimble", and "Sunrise Over Jamul". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool issue of this always-great magazine – one that offers up a special look at European jazz singers from the postwar years onwards – with key recordings for dozens of artists, laid out in Japanese discography style! That means that the core text is Japanese, but you'll find album covers and other details in English to really point you in the right direction – to help you discover rare work by singers who include familiar names like Georgie Fame, Sathima Bea Benjamin, Norma Winstone, and others – mixed with dozens of others who are equally great, but much more obscure! There's other features in the mix too – and the book-style issue is 216 pages, with black and white images, and some in color. Book

One of the best versions of "Funky Four Corners" we've ever heard! The bass is rattling along at a level so loud and heavy that it's bound to pop the top off your speaker – while Jerry screams and shouts his way through the lyrics in a way that would make James Brown proud, a fact that he even acknowledges when he shouts "Sorry JB!" at one point in the cut! "Soul Lover" is fantastic too – a funky answer song to "Tramp", with a similar hard sock beat, and a hard break at the intro, which is augmented here by conga work! Both cuts are great – and one of the best singles ever by Jerry O! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Philadelphia Freedom from Elton John – a trio of tracks recorded with legendary Philly Soul producer Thom Bell, all with a Sigma Sound vibe that's quite different than most of John's other work at the time! In fact, although these tracks were recorded right at the height of the disco era, they're quite restrained and more focused on a soulful sound overall – in a style that's very similar to Davie Bowie's great Philly Soul recordings on the Young Americans album! MFSB, Bell & James, Bobby Eli, and many other key Philly talents are in the lineup – and titles include "Mama Can't Buy You Love", "Are You Ready For Love", and "Three Way Love Affair". This version features six tracks in all – more than the original EP release – including "Shine On Through", "Country Love Song", and "Nice & Slow". LP, Vinyl record album

Philadelphia Freedom from Elton John – a trio of tracks recorded with legendary Philly Soul producer Thom Bell, all with a Sigma Sound vibe that's quite different than most of John's other work at the time! In fact, although these tracks were recorded right at the height of the disco era, they're quite restrained and more focused on a soulful sound overall – in a style that's very similar to Davie Bowie's great Philly Soul recordings on the Young Americans album! MFSB, Bell & James, Bobby Eli, and many other key Philly talents are in the lineup – and titles include "Mama Can't Buy You Love", "Are You Ready For Love", and "Three Way Love Affair". This version features six tracks in all – more than the original EP release – including "Shine On Through", "Country Love Song", and "Nice & Slow". LP, Vinyl record album

Soul singer Ruby Johnson never recorded a full album back in the day – and this set nicely corrects that fact, by bringing together some of her rare singles as a wonderful ten track album! Ruby's got a richness that's in the best southern soul mode of the time – a voice that would fit easily right next to the best Chess material by Etta James, but occasionally giving a slight uptown pitch in the backings – maybe a bit like Maxine Brown at moments too! Yet whatever the case, Johnson's a wonderfully expressive singer – and really knocks it out of the park on this set of heartbreaking gems – titles that include "No No No", "If I Ever Needed Love", "It's Not That Easy", "I'll Run Your Heart Away", "Let Me Apologize", "I'd Better Check Myself", "Come To Me My Darling", and "How Strong Is My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Syl's last big record – a sweet bluesy groover for the clubs, with a bit of an older feel to it. "Ms Fine Brown Frame" was written with General Crook, who also produced and arranged. Backing on all tracks is by the James Cotton group. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A real step forward for Quincy Jones – a record that really shows the jazzman moving into sophisticated new territory – a sound that's just right for the CTI generation! The album's got a vibe that's a bit similar to Quincy's Walking In Space album, but it's a lot deeper too – touched with some of the African elements you might guess from the title – arranged in ways that are often quite spacious, so that the tunes really take some time to find just the right groove! Backings are large, but show the leaner elements that Jones was bringing to his soundtrack work – and instrumentation includes vibes from Milt Jackson, marimba from Don Elliott, flute from Hubert Laws, soprano sax from Jerome Richardson, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, trombone from Al Grey, and guitar from Eric Gale. Keyboards figure strongly – played by Herbie Hancock and Bob James – and special features include a bit of guitar and whistling from Toots Thielemans, plus some soulful vocals from Valerie Simpson. "Gula Matari" is an incredible 12 minute tribal groove – and other titles include a killer take on Nat Adderley's "Hummin", plus "Walkin" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual Japanese-only live album from Quincy Jones – with vocals by Patti Austin and James Ingram – plus harmonica from Toots Thielemans, keyboards from Greg Phillinganes and Rod Temperton, and backings from the Japanese Sharps and Flats group of Nobuo Hara! Includes versions of "Ironsides", "Just Once", "Manteca", "Razzamatazz", "Bluesett", "Stuff Like That", and "Ai No Corrida". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet sweet Quincy! Although the Q's probably best remembered round these parts for his funky 70s work or classic 60s soundtracks, we also have to admit that we love him for his mellow grooves – the sly and seductive tunes that often hid out amidst his albums of the 70s and 80s, and which also featured early work by singers that later went onto much greater fame. This excellent set brings together 17 of those wonderful mellow moments – stretching back to some of Quincy's important collaborative A&M efforts of the 70s, and running up to some of his best work of more recent vintage. Titles include "Superwoman" and "Love Me By Name", with Patti Austin; "Body Heat", with Leon Ware; "I'm Gonna Miss You In The Morning", with Luther Vandross & Patti Austin; "Velas" and "The Getaway", with Toots Thielemans; "How Do You Keep The Music Playing" and "Baby Come To Me", with Patti Austin & James Ingram; "The Places You Find Love", with Siedah Garrett, Chaka Khan, & Herbie Hancock; "The Secret Garden", with El DeBarge, James Ingram, Al B Sure, & Barry White; "Sax In The Garden", with Barry White & Kirk Whalum; "Turn Out The Lamplight", with George Benson; and "Just Once", with James Ingram. CD

Quincy Jones may be best remembered for his funky soundtrack work of the 70s – but the man can also hit a deeper, more serious vein when he wants – as he does on this ambitious album-length project inspired by the landmark Roots mini-series! The music isn't a straight soundtrack from the program, but instead evokes the longer narrative over the passage of its different selections – working as its own "saga of an American family", as it moves from African roots, through years of oppression, to moments of pride and power – amidst larger orchestrations from Jones, with help from Letta Mbulu on some key vocals, and more help from Bill Summers, James Cleveland, and even Lou Gossett. Titles include "Many Rains", "Free At Last", "Jumpin De Broom", "Ole Fiddler", "Boyhood To Manhood", "Oluwa", and "Motherland". LP, Vinyl record album

A really all-star performance from Quincy Jones – one done at the Budweiser Superfest, and which features vocal contributions from James Ingram, Patti Austin, Ashford & Simpson, and Michael Jackson! Q is at the height of his R&B production years here – and he translates that studio magic into a stunning live performance, with help from all-star giants in the instrumental lineup – including Greg Phillinganes and Rod Temperton on keyboards and a bit of vocals too! The set was originally recorded for radio broadcast – and titles include "Love Is In Control", "Razzamatazz", "Stuff Like That", "Ai No Corrida", "Just Once", "Do You Love Me", and "One Hundred Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

A full set of Louis Jordan's excellent work for Mercury Records in the mid 50s – material that often reworks his older songs, but with a lean, mean vibe that's got a lot more early rock and R&B touches! The instrumentation is razor-sharp – often with searing sax solos from the man himself, and a groove that has all the other players hitting hard on the rhythms – romping in a way that definitely lives up to the rock and roll of the title, but with a quality that reminds us that Jordan was one of the originators, and not just some older talent trying to cash in on the new scene! CD features 21 tracks in all – and titles include "Run Joe", "Salt Pork West Virginia", "Beware Brother Beware", "Knock Me A Kiss", "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", "The Jamp", "Ella Mae", "Saturday Night Fish Fry", and "Morning Light". CD

Sweet sound library funk from Joy Unlimited – an early 70s German combo heard here on their rarest record ever! As with the group's commercial releases, there's a wicked blend of funky jazz and hard-riffing instrumentation – and unlike other records, this one's got an even leaner, meaner groove – all instrumental, and with a great focus on key elements of the sound – funky flute here, sweet keyboards there, and lots of tightly-played guitar lines – which really help give the music a nice edge! The set's got a sound that's a lot like some of the best MPS funk of the time – no surprise, given that it comes from the same scene – and instrumentation includes Fender Rhodes, flute, guitar, saxes, marimba, trumpet, and lots of sweet drums. Titles include "Jamara", "Soul Gravy", "Homunkulus", "Breeding Ground", "Jigsaw Man", "Blue Box", "Parabolica", "Spectrum", "Herbie", and "Laguna Seca". CD

A really cool combo from the Carolina scene – headed up by singer/guitarist Jimmy Person, and working here in a mode that's a lot tighter and groovier than most other soul acts of the period! The group played local bars and restaurants – indicated by a reproduction of one of their older ads – but they've got a sharp, professional quality that's really great – classy, but never commercial – tight, but never uptight – just really sharp instrumentation from a quintet lineup that includes keyboards, bass, drums, and more guitar. All tracks are originals, and have a deeper quality of jazz at some points, more forward funk at others – on numbers that include "Take It To The Bank", "Baby That's The Way I Feel", "Have A Little Faith In Me", "Don't Cop No Attitude", "If I Could Make You Understand", and "E-Jam Sammich". LP, Vinyl record album

The drama master of hip hop and pretty much all of contemporary pop music returns with his Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – a full length hip hop rumination on being hated and the struggle of needing that hate to be creatively fruitful. It's not always an easy listening experience, but it's a hella strong record, and yet another "Album Of The Year" candidate for Mr. West, love him or hate him. Includes "Georgeous" feat Kid Cudi & Raekwon, "Power", "All Of The Lights", "So Apalled" with Jay Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz & The RZA, "Runaway" feat Pusha T, "Hell Of A Life", "Blame Game" with John Legend, "Who Will Survive In America" and "Dark Fantasy". CD

The drama master of hip hop and pretty much all of contemporary pop music returns with his Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – a full length hip hop rumination on being hated and the struggle of needing that hate to be creatively fruitful. It's not always an easy listening experience, but it's a hella strong record, and yet another "Album Of The Year" candidate for Mr. West, love him or hate him. Includes "Georgeous" feat Kid Cudi & Raekwon, "Power", "All Of The Lights", "So Apalled" with Jay Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz & The RZA, "Runaway" feat Pusha T, "Hell Of A Life", "Blame Game" with John Legend, "Who Will Survive In America" and "Dark Fantasy". The CD/DVD combo special edition includes Kanye's crazy ambitious film Runaway on the DVD. CD

A simple but elegant set from the west coast scene of the 50s – one that features the trio of "poll winners" Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – all coming together in tight formation for the set! There's a well-crafted mood to the record that's way more than just "stars in the studio jamming" – and tunes are focused nicely, and often dominated by Kessel's solo work, which is clearly the strongest draw to the record. Titles include the original "Minor Mood", plus west coast readings of jazz standards like "Green Dolphin Street", "Jordu", "Mean To Me", and "You Go To My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely hip little record from Morgana King – one that takes her amazing voice, and sets it amidst some expansive arrangements that push past jazz to include some trippier 70s styles! The whole session's got a nice mix of the mellow and baroque – with a subtle funky undercurrent at points, and definitely a fair bit more soul than we're used to hearing from Morgana! Arrangements are by Torrie Zito and Bob James – and the production often compresses the vocals in a really cool way – sliding them amidst the instrumentation with a haunting quality that's hard to describe in words, but which makes the album one of King's most breathtaking ever! The back cover has Morgana getting props from Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Paul Williams, and Kenny Rankin – all names we can certainly trust – and titles include a great version of "We Could Be Flying", "All In All", "A Song For You", "Like A Seed", and "The Sands Of Time & Changes". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing work from Kool & The Gang – from a period when they were pushing past their tight early funky sound, into a super-dope mix of electronics and spacey jamming that is still pretty darn revolutionary today! Although you might think the album would be a bit disco by the date, it's not – and instead has the group moving more towards a style of cosmic righteousness that was undoubtedly influenced by the early work (and success) of Earth, Wind, & Fire. The album has a few live cuts - including an amazing 8 minute long live version of "Summer Madness", with an extended keyboard solo that's just great! Other titles include "Cosmic Energy", "Do It Right Now", "Universal Sound", and a remake of "Hollywood Swinging". CD

Really moody magic from the great Yusef Lateef – an artist who was definitely using his time on the Impulse label to open up some new territory in his music! This set might well be the most experimental that Lateef had recorded to date – still filled with the exotic touches of his previous records – including work on a wide range of global reed instruments – but handles with a deeper fascination with sound and shape, so much so that Lateef sometimes steps away from straight swing to some very creative moments. A key part of this sound is pianist Mike Nock – who joins Lateef here, and really opens up his own sound too – playing at a level that's light years past many American pianists, and really setting the stage for some of his work to come as a leader. The rest of the group is great too – an unusual quartet with Reggie Workman on bass and James Black on drums – and titles include "Try Love", "Soul Sister", "Love Waltz", "Warm Fire", "Gee Sam Gee", and "Listen To the Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever recorded by the mighty Yusef Lateef – and that's really saying a lot, given his fantastic legacy of albums! The set's a live one, which is a bit unusual in Lateef's catalog at this time – and the concert setting is perhaps a window onto some of his more expressive, experimental modes that didn't always show up on record, especially the Impulse studio sides he was recording at the time. Lateef's group is pure genius – with a young Mike Nock on piano, sounding all weird and dark, with amazing tones from his instrument – plus the great Richard Williams on trumpet, a player who always seems to bring something special to a record! The team of Ernie Farrow on bass and James Black on drums help create all these modal rhythms that are really fantastic – and Lateef himself blows tenor and flute, plus the more exotic reed instruments argol and shanai. Titles include "The Magnolia Triangle", "Sister Mamie", "Number 7", "The Weaver", and "Slippin' & Slidin'". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual album for Yusef Lateef – and that's saying quite a lot, given how quirky most of his work can be! The session has Lateef exploring both rootsy and modern modes – working in a unique quartet that features George Arvanitas on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and legendary New Orleans musician James Black on drums and assorted percussion. Arvanitas has an excellent style with a very dark edge, and his playing is augmented strongly here by Workman's exploratory basslines, and Black's creatively rhythmic way of approaching the percussion. The whole thing's a very moody session, with a subdued sound, and a nice edgy approach to the material that differs nicely from some of Lateef's other recordings – an earthy feel that grabs the listener from the very first track. Yusef plays flute, tenor, and other wind instruments – and tracks include "Psychicetmotus", "Medula Sonata", "Semiocto", and a version of Satie's "First Gymnopedie". LP, Vinyl record album

An artist with a sound that's as wild as his look on the cover – a definite individual from the Australian underground of the 70s – serving up some incredibly offbeat vocals alongside a range of his own instrumentation on guitar, alto, tenor, and flute! The album's got some nice heavy bass at points, which creates a raw funky edge that's a real surprise – not straight funk, but kind of a psych-funk groove that really fits with the rawer bluesy energy that Leong brings to the way he put the whole thing together. A very compelling fusion of sounds from many different corners – with titles that include the long jammer "Deep In The Jungle", the funky flute workout "Dragon Man", and the tracks "Soul Baby", "The Atlas Revolution", and "Rhythm Pounding". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure set from Azar Lawrence – self-produced and self-arranged, in a smooth modern soul mode that's kind of an 80s extension of his work in the 70s for Prestige. There's a definite R&B groove on most tracks, and vocalist Coco Evans sings on 2 of the album's 8 tracks – and an undercurrent of bass heavy funk all the way through! Lawrence is on reeds, and other players in the group include Leo Nocentelli on guitar and James Gadson on drums. Titles include "Keep It Hot", "Your Love Is Keeping Me Alive", "Magic In The Night", "Shadow Dancing", "One More Time", and "Inside Stuff". LP, Vinyl record album

A very strange record from Chicago! The album features one side of soul jazz piano work by the Lafayette Leake trio – a bluesy group from Chicago that feature Leake on piano, Clifton James on drums, and Willie Dixon on bass. They play one very long track called "Soul Wrinkles", with lots of nice changes, and a good live feel. The flipside of the record features radio DJ E. Rodney Jones reciting an extended work called "Might Is Right", with backing "courtesy of Chess Records". The work is vaguely political, and has a similar sound to records by Gary Byrd and Jim Ingram – although less funky. A strange one, but a great relic of the kind of indie record scene that once helped spread knowledge and wisdom through the African American community. LP, Vinyl record album

A reformed version of this legendary Philly soul group – working here on a special set of tunes for the Holiday season! Singer Sugarbear Aikens is in the lead – in the spot that Teddy Pendergrass once held back in the 70s – and Butch Ingram produced and arranged the set, with a vibe that's more contemporary Philly than classic – but in the best style of Ingram's other recent work on the Society Hill label! Sugarbear dominates most of the vocals, but the group do a decent job on the harmonies – and titles include "The Mistletoe Jam", "Fatman Christmas", "Marry Me This Christmas", "Every Year At Christmas", "My Gift To You", and "Mary Did You Know". CD

A quadruple-header from Ramsey Lewis – four albums from his great 70s electric period on Columbia Records! First up is Funky Serenity – sweet electric funk from Ramsey Lewis! The album's one of his best from the 70s – and it's got Ramsey on Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and other keyboards, grooving away in an open-ended 70s mode that still retains all the heavy soul of his classic work for Chess. Morris Jennings adds in some very nice percussion with his drum work, and Cleveland Eaton's on funky bass, giving the set a strong bottom groove. Features the sublime sample cut "My Love For You", a great version of "Knights In White Satin" that's done with a weird spacey groove, plus the tracks "Kufany Mapenzi (Making Love)", "Serene Funk", "What It Is!", and "Dreams". Golden Hits isn't a "best of", but instead has Ramsey and his funky mid 70s trio with Morris Jennings and Cleveland Eaton revisiting some of his best loved material from the Cadet years, but with the groovy Rhodes and wah wah sound that we dig so much about his CBS recordings. Unlike some of the other records from this period, the group's nice and stripped down, just the electric piano, bass and drums, so the groove's nice and wide open, Ramsey and company popping along with the sanctified soulful vibe of his 60s work, but updating their sound with some nice electric touches. 9 numbers in all: "Hang On Sloopy", "Blues For The Night Owl", "Hi-Heel Sneakers", "Carmen", "Delilah", "Wade In The Water", "Slippin' Into Darkness", "Somethin' You Got", and "The In Crowd". Solar Wind was cut smack dab in the middle of Ramsey's glory days at Columbia Records – with great production help and work on bass from the mighty Cleveland Eaton! The style is nice and lean, with just some occasional fuller touches – and Ramsey plays plenty of Fender Rhodes, in addition to bits of Arp and moog too – in a setting that's mostly trio, with a few guest players stepping into the mix from track to track! There's a nice degree of fuzz at points, thanks to added help from Steve Cropper – and titles include a great funky version of "Summer Breeze", plus "Solar Wind", "Come Down In Time", "Love for A Day", "Hummingbird", "Jamaican Marketplace", and "Sweet & Tender You". Sun Goddess is one of our favorite Ramsey Lewis albums ever – and a perfect summation of the genius that was brewing on the Chicago scene in the late 60s and early 70s! The album has Ramsey working strongly with Earth Wind & Fire – no surprise, given his close ties to Maurice White, who was the drummer in Ramsey's trio before starting his own group – and the shared relationship both artists had with producer Charles Stepney! The three were all key parts of the late 60s sound at Chess Records – but here, they've brought the same soulful energy to Columbia – working in a wider, more mature groove for the 70s – one that has Lewis' wicked Fender Rhodes lines stretching out strongly over tight, compressed, funky lines from EWF! The centerpiece of the set is the massive 7 minute "Sun Goddess", but there's lots of other nice ones like "Living For The City", "Gemini Rising", and "Jungle Strut". Funky, electric, and sublimely wonderful all the way through! CD

Sweetly soulful fusion from the Atlanta scene – a wonderfully righteous album, and a pretty darn obscure one as well! Life Force play here in a style that reminds us a lot of the artists on the Black Jazz label in the decade before – particularly the group Awakening, with their great blend of sharp edges and funkier moments – but also a bit like Rudolph Johnson, given the strong reed work in the set. The combo's a sextet – with alto and soprano by Joe Jennings, tenor and soprano by Howard Nicholson, and keyboards by Oliver Wells – and although the set was recorded at the start of the 80s, the overall sound is much more 70s indie soul fusion overall – nicely stripped-down and never too jamming – with just as much focus on the core rhythmic elements and grooves of the tunes as there is the bolder solos of the group members. Titles include "To Pharoah With Love", "Fearless Warriors", "Wow", "I Remember Duke", "Sister Bea", and "Atlanta Anna". CD

Wonderful work from this New Orleans combo – a Latin act that feels like they'd be much more at home in the Spanish Harlem scene of the 60s, especially given the soulful undercurrents of this set! On previous releases, the group already showed a great talent for crafting just the right sort of classic Latin groove – tight percussion and sharp instrumentation, all honed down with the rhythms in a way that really carried a strong old school punch. But this time around, they've got all that and more – a stronger Latin soul spirit than before, which really comes through in the pacing and presentation of the songs – holding back sometimes to give the listener more, in ways that few young Latin groups seem to get! The style is wonderful – and in addition to older New York modes, these guys bring in a few other elements as well – always without any hoke or gimmick at all. Titles include "Dejame", "Mary Wants To Boogaloo", "Oye Mamacita", "Hasta", "Sad Eyes", and "Swahili Baby". CD

Amazing music from the greatest chapter of the legendary Louvin Brothers – the kind of work that's made them a legend for generations! Handpicked Songs features Louvin classics chosen by a reverent group of singers and songwriters that really run the gamut – Dolly Parton, Beck, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Hilman, Emmylou Harris, Will Oldham, Zooey Deschanel, The Black Angels, Mark Lanegan, M Ward, and Jim James – but all artists who have been undeniably influenced by Ira and Charlie Louvin, and their way of melding melancholy harmonies into something that goes way beyond everyday country music! The packaging is great – very much up to the Light In The Attic standard – and titles include "Almost Persuaded", "My Baby's Gone", "I See A Bridge", "Knoxville Girl", "Great Atomic Power", and "Alabama". LP, Vinyl record album

Before Carlos Malcolm would go on to cut the extra funky collector's item Bustin Out Of The Ghetto, he plied the Ska trade, and was one of the genre's leading lights in the early days of Jamaican music. Malcolm and crew bust out a fine batch of mostly instrumental horn driven tracks, with all 11 jaunty, skanking numbers from the original LP included here, plus one bonus track, including titles like "Skamania", "Run For Cover", "Hunchback No. 1", "Tiptoe", "Skaramouche", "Bonanza Ska", "Earthman", "Skokian", "Head Shrinker" and "Hopalong Cassidy". CD

Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Printup, Riley Mullins, Roger Ingram, Russell Gunn, Ryan Kisor, and Seneca Black on trumpet, Wess Anderson on clarinet, alto and soprano saxophone, James Carter on clarinet, bass clarinet, and baritone saxophone, Victor Goines on clarinet, tenor and soprano saxophone and bass clarinet, Walter Blanding on soprano saxophone, Robert Stewart on tenor saxophone, Ron Westray and Wayne Goodman on trombone, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone and tuba, Michael Ward on violin, Eric Reed on piano, Reginald Veal on bass, and Herlin Riley on drums and tambourine with vocals from Cassandra Wilson, Jon Hendricks, and Miles Griffith. CD

British blues meets LA's Laurel Canyon – a trans-Atlantic (or is it Pacific?) blend that makes for one of John Mayall's most compelling albums of the 60s! The album was recorded after the breakup of the Blues Breakers group – but it still features strong support from Mick Taylor on guitar – a key factor in the previous combo's sound, given almost even more space here to stand out front with Mayall. Other instrumentation includes bass and drums, plus a bit of tablas – and the overall approach is a lot more spare than other Blues Breakers sets – still bluesy in approach, but with some definite freer-thinking moments too, picked up from a trip to Laurel Canyon that was Mayall's inspiration for the set. Titles include "Walking On Sunset", "Vacation", "Ready To Ride", "Medicine Man", "Miss James", "The Bear", "First Time Alone", and "Fly Tomorrow". CD

Stunning early work from one of our favorite reggae groups ever – the mighty Toots & The Maytals, a key link between the soul styles of the Jamaican scene of the 60s, and the righteous years to come! There's a groove to the Maytals music that nobody else seems to get this right – or this tight – a fantastic criss-crossing of rhythms that's often nicely stripped-down, and which seems to set fire to the vocal interplay between Toots and the rest of the group – in a way that's as vocally explosive as the instrumentation at the core! Sure, these guys can harmonize as well as the rest of their contemporaries – but they've also got an even greater talent for trading back and forth, which seems to make every one of their tunes an instant groove. Titles include "Pee Pee Cluck Cluck", "Loving Spirit", "Dr Lester", "Gold Silver", "Koo Koo", "Revival Reggae", "Thy Kingdom Come", "One Eyed Enos", "A Time To Love", "9 O'Clock", "Know Me Good", "Got To Feel", "Feel So Good", and "Give Peace A Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-collected batch of tracks from the mighty MC5 – easily the second heaviest sound to come out of the 60s Detroit rock scene after The Stooges! The package offers up the classic uncensored version of "Kick Out The Jams" – the controversial cut whose story is almost more famous than the band itself – plus loads of other gems that include "I Can Only Give You Everything", "Looking At You (A Square single version)", "Ramblin Rose", "Come Together", "Rocket Reducer 62", "Teenage Lust", "Tonight", "High School", "Call Me Animal", The American Ruse", "Shakin Street", "The Human Being Lawnmower", "Miss X", "Sister Anne", "Skunk", and "Over & Over". CD

Motor City madness from the MC5 – a searing batch of work that still has the groups kicking out the jams whenever possible! Guitars are fuzzy, freaky, and full-on – played with plenty of force by Fred Smith and Wayne Cramer, and driven home with some heavy drums by Dennis Thompson – almost a blues into funk approach, via hard rock – and definitely standard-setting work for the time. The album's often overlooked in favor of their debut, but it's well worth seeking out – and features tracks that include "Future/Now", "Skunk (Sonicly Speaking)", "Poison", "Gotta Keep Movin", and "Sister Anne". CD

Motor City madness from the MC5 – a searing batch of work that still has the groups kicking out the jams whenever possible! Guitars are fuzzy, freaky, and full-on – played with plenty of force by Fred Smith and Wayne Cramer, and driven home with some heavy drums by Dennis Thompson – almost a blues into funk approach, via hard rock – and definitely standard-setting work for the time. The album's often overlooked in favor of their debut, but it's well worth seeking out – and features tracks that include "Future/Now", "Skunk (Sonicly Speaking)", "Poison", "Gotta Keep Movin", and "Sister Anne". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget The Stooges, forget Alice Cooper, forget the White Stripes, and maybe even forget Funkadelic – because this landmark album is one that really put the ferocity of the Detroit scene on the map – rising up the city's legacy of raw sounds next to their better-known soul and pop of the 60s – and forever putting MC5 on the great rock and roll map! The group had been honing their craft in the city for a few years before this set – and it was the genius of Elektra Records to capture them live at the city's Grande Ballroom, and not in the studio – which is part of the intensity of the record's charm, especially on the sometimes-edited bit of profanity. Titles include the seminal "Kick Out The Jams", plus "Come Together", "Rocket Reducer No 62", "Borderline", "Motor City Is Burning", "I Want You Right Now", and "Starship". LP, Vinyl record album

The Medeski, Martin, & Wood trio is augmented by the guitar of John Scofield – and the result is one of their funkiest records in years! There's almost a back-to-basics sort of style going on here – the kinds of grooves the trio first brought to the table during their groundbreaking years on Gramavision – back at a time when nobody was jamming that much, and few modern groups could ever really get a funky sound right. Back at that point, John Scofield was just beginning to get a bit funky too – so in a way, this record's almost like a merger that should have happened a decade ago – but hey, better late than never, especially when it sounds this nice! There's still plenty of left-field sounds and notes in the mix, even when the style is more directly funky – and Scofield's doing plenty here to match the inventive styles on the keyboard from John Medeski. Titles include "In Case The World Changes Its Mind", "Little Walter Rides Again", "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing", "Hanuman", "Telegraph", "Julia", "What Now", "Down The Tube", and "Legalize It". CD

A really wonderful little record from Pat Metheny – quite possibly our favorite by the man, thanks to some really inventive sounds that still resonate strongly in the groove scene today! Pat's skirting nicely here between the sound-based quality of earlier records, and some of the more fluid and Brazilian-influenced song structures that were emerging in his work – using the percussion of Nana Vasconcelos to give the tracks a nice earthy undercurrent, but still also managing to slide around wonderfully in that fluid groove he was building with keyboardist Lyle Mayes. Includes the great cut "Are You Going With Me?", plus "The Bat", "James", "Barcarole", and "Eighteen". CD

A really wonderful little record from Pat Metheny – quite possibly our favorite by the man, thanks to some really inventive sounds that still resonate strongly in the groove scene today! Pat's skirting nicely here between the sound-based quality of earlier records, and some of the more fluid and Brazilian-influenced song structures that were emerging in his work – using the percussion of Nana Vasconcelos to give the tracks a nice earthy undercurrent, but still also managing to slide around wonderfully in that fluid groove he was building with keyboardist Lyle Mayes. Includes the great cut "Are You Going With Me?", plus "The Bat", "James", "Barcarole", and "Eighteen". CD

A really wonderful little record from Pat Metheny – quite possibly our favorite by the man, thanks to some really inventive sounds that still resonate strongly in the groove scene today! Pat's skirting nicely here between the sound-based quality of earlier records, and some of the more fluid and Brazilian-influenced song structures that were emerging in his work – using the percussion of Nana Vasconcelos to give the tracks a nice earthy undercurrent, but still also managing to slide around wonderfully in that fluid groove he was building with keyboardist Lyle Mayes. Includes the great cut "Are You Going With Me?", plus "The Bat", "James", "Barcarole", and "Eighteen". LP, Vinyl record album