Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz – music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary – and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip late 60s soul jazz group of Max Roach – and Bartz's playing at the time is a perfect model of mid-Coltrane searching with some of the tighter sides of soul jazz that were being forged at labels like Blue Note by players like Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan. The record's a masterpiece of youthful soulful energy – and the group includes Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, Albert Dailey on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums, all players who are perfectly matched to fit Bartz's stridently creative vision. His solos on alto are impeccable – some of the most meaningful we've ever heard on the instrument from the time – and the album's a great one all the way through! Titles include "Air & Fire", "Eastern Blues", "Libra", "Freedom Of The Day", and "Cabin In The Sky". Another Earth is amazing too – one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut – done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell, Freddy Waits, Charles Tolliver, Pharoah Sanders, and Reggie Workman – and the music sounds like it was lifted from one of the best albums on Strata East from the 70s. There's no funk, no vocals, no weird rhythms – just pure spiritual jazz, played to perfection, and filled with a creative vitality that most of the players had lost a few years later. Tracks include the album-side "Another Earth", plus "Dark Nebula", "UFO", and "Perihelion & Aphelion". Note: CD omits the track "Disjunction" from Libra – due to space restrictions. CD

The second half of Bowie's Thin White Duke years in the studio – a record that's more cool and condensed than his Young American album – but equally sublime in its own sort of way! The format here is much more compact – with a small group working alongside Bowie, still with some currents of Philly soul – but also some of the darker tones that would come to the forefront during the Berlin years after this album's release – a mode that's maybe hinted at by the Man Who Fell To Earth image on the cover. A few tracks are long, and build up beautifully – showing a new sort of subtlety from Bowie – and titles include the classic "Station To Station", plus "Golden Years", "Word On A Wing", "TVC 15", "Stay", and "Wild Is The Wind". CD

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and Afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth, Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid-70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid 70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD also features 5 bonus tracks – "Shining Star (future star)", "All About Love (first impressions)", "Happy Feelin (anatomy of a groove)", "Caribou Chaser (jazzy jam)", and "That's The Way Of The World (Latin expedition)". CD

One of the most obscure ensembles of the groundbreaking Paris scene of the end of the 60s – a progressive group that featured Glenn Spearman on saxes, Takashi Kako on piano, Bob Reid on bass, Boulou Ferret on guitar, and Sabu Toyozumi on drums! There's an energy here (no pun intended) that matches other work from the BYG/Actuel generation – but somehow the overall sound is a bit different – earthier at times, with a starker approach to the work that we really love. Spearman's talent on reeds is remarkable (the album stands as one of a rare few examples of his genius on wax) – and we're also struck by the power of Kako's work on piano, which has a majesty of color and tone that almost matches Cecil Taylor at times. Tracks are long, and titles include a version of the Art Ensemble's "People In Sorrow", plus "Emergency Theme", "Kako Tune", and "Infidels". CD

Get Ready, the first really major album from Rare Earth, is a perfect blend of the rich undercurrents of the heady Detroit scene of the late 60s – at one level a tripped-out rock record with styles that almost hint at MC5, at another level a batch of blue-eyed funky soul, with keen appreciation for the grooves coming out of the headier end of the Motor City indie spectrum! There's lots of tripped-out guitar work on the set – reminiscent of contemporary work by Dennis Coffey and George Clinton – mixed with a Mitch Ryder, R&B-inspired vocal style that actually comes across pretty darn well. Added to this is the group's flat-out ability to jam – showcased best in the side-long title cut "Get Ready" – a massive jammer which runs for nearly 22 minutes, and takes up all of side two! Other tracks include "Train To Nowhere", "Magic Key", "Tobacco Road", and "In Bed". Ecology is some blue-eyed soul from Detroit's Rare Earth. The most popular track from this record was "Born To Wander" but there are some other good ones like "(I Know) I'm Losing You" by the Temptations – Norman Whitfield produced the track for this album and it clocks in at over ten minutes long. Other titles include "Long Time Leavin", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Nice Place To Visit", "No 1. Man", and a version of "Eleanor Rigby". CD

Otis Redding Sings Soul – plenty of truth in that – but on this sweet little set, he somehow does it even better than before! The album's got a tightness that's totally great – but it's light years from the smoother soul of Motown, and still has plenty of the gritty Memphis edges that helped Otis rise to the top in the 60s – that burning-under sort of groove that pushes up from the earth along with his vocals, and gives the album a push that most other singers never got! Redding's vocals are as perfect as usual – deeply personal, and free from cliche – even from all of those laid down by Otis' copycats of the time. Titles are a near-perfect mix of numbers too – and include the raw groovers "Respect", "Shake", and "Satisfaction", then hits a wonderfully warm soulful ballad style the classic "I've Been Loving You Too Long", and really sparkles on southern soul tributes like "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "Down In The Valley". Very solid stuff all the way through – and one of the best-conceived albums of his career! CD

Soul Junction's a great title for this one – because the album's a great meeting point between 50s hard bop and some of the looser, earthier styles that were beginning to show up in the first years of soul jazz! The title track of this one is worth the price of admission alone – as Red Garland works with John Coltrane and Donald Byrd on a 15 minute tune that starts slow, builds in a bluesy way with nearly 8 minutes of trio work by Garland, Art Taylor, and Jamil Nasser – then finally rolls into some great late nite solo work on the horns! Other tracks are a bit shorter, but follow a similar easygoing and soulful approach – and tracks include "Woody'N You", "Birk's Works", "I've Got It Bad", and "Hallelujah". From the same sessions that also created the album All Mornin Long! CD

One of the greatest albums ever from Lorez Alexandria – an ultra-hip singer who recorded for Impulse and King, but who sounds especially wonderful on this rare date for Chess Records! The album's got a groove that definitely lives up to its title – a jazzy, bouncy sort of rhythm that's definitely "for swingers only", and which is a nice contrast to overdone torch or standard jazz vocal modes. Alexandria's singing is completely sublime – quite fluid, yet with a soulful depth that's really amazing – and her backing combo is equally hip – a group led by John Young on piano, and also featuring George Eskridge on guitar, Jimmy Garrison on bass, Phil Thomas on drums, and Ronald Wilson on flute and tenor – an obscure player whose reed work really makes the album sparkle! The song choices are great too – a mix of some under-recorded gems and a few blue-toned classics – all redone amazingly by Lorez with a sound that's quite unique. Titles include her classic Argo reading of "Baltimore Oriole", which begins with an amazing drum/bass passage that's worth the price of the album alone – and other tracks include "The End Of A Love Affair", "Baltimore Oriole", "All Or Nothing At All", "Mother Earth", "Love Look Away", and "Traveling Down A Lonely Road". CD

An incredible little record – and the set where it really all comes together for this legendary funky jazz group! Azymuth were already great on their debut, although maybe a little experimental at times – but here, they really find the soulful groove that later got them big fame on the US scene – effortlessly blending their tight jazz skills with a dose of samba soul, and turning out some wonderfully groovy music in the process! There's clearly an influence here from the best years of Earth Wind & Fire – but also more of the edge that you'd expect from the young trio – as the amazing Jose Roberto Bertrami blows us away with his wickedly sharp keyboard solos, as Alexandre Malheiros and Mamao create these beautiful rhythms that go way past anything you might have expected from a trio. The whole thing's wonderful – one of the most soulful Brazilian records of the 70s – and titles include the great cuts "Tarde", "Tamborim Cuica Ganza Berimbau", "Falcon Love Call", and "Aguia Nao Come Mosca". CD

The rarest of all of Art Blakey's percussion group projects – and quite possibly the best, too! The session features Blakey at the head of a strong mix of jazz and percussion players – with Art Taylor and Philly Joe Jones on the regular drum kit, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Ray Bryant on piano, and a host of assorted percussion work by the likes of Ray Barretto, Sabu Martinez, Victor Gonzalez, Julio Martinez, and others. The resultant sound is incredible – very full, rich, and earthy – and done in a way that interweaves African and Latin percussion styles with straighter American jazz! A few cuts have chanting by Blakey and Sabu – and titles include "The Feast", "Mirage", "Lamento Africano", "O'Tinde", "Swingin Kilts", "Dinga", "Reflection", and "Aghano". CD

Four lost albums from David Blue – a really compelling singer/songwriter, ripe for rediscovery! First up is These 23 Days In September, recorded for Reprise – a really moody little record from David Blue – a folksy singer who's got a style that definitely lives up to the melancholy promise of his name! Blue's definitely an artist with a difference – working in the familiar mode of vocals and acoustic guitar, but with an edge and distinctness that really sets him apart from the folkies of a few year before – that sense of different that really set apart a new wave of contemporaries, like Leonard Cohen, Fred Neill, or Tom Rapp. Titles include "These 23 Days In September", "The Sailor's Lament", "Scales For A Window Thief", "You Will Come Back Again", "Slow & Easy", and "The Grand Hotel". Stories is an overlooked early set on Asylum – the kind of really special singer/songwriter material that really set the label apart at the start of the 70s! David Blue has this compelling vocal style that's moody, but down to earth – inflected here and there with guitar contributions from Ry Cooder, who's understated, but really brings out some special qualities in the tunes. Jack Nitzsche adds in some light strings at points – but overall, things are pretty spare and personal – and titles include "Looking For A Friend", "Another One Like Me", "Sister Rose", "The Blues", "Come On John", "Marianne", and "Fire In The Morning". Nice Baby & The Angel shows David Blue really starting to get some star power in his mix – a fuller set, produced by Graham Nash – with work from Nash on guitar, plus more guitar from Dave Mason and David Lindley – in a nice mix of roots elements, but which never overwhelm that unique sense of songwriting and vocals that set David Blue apart from the rest. Titles include "Darlin Jenny", "Troubadour Song", "Train To Anaheim", "True To You", "On Sunday Any Sunday", and "Outlaw Man". On the cover of Cupid's Arrow, David Blue might look a bit cheesy, what with his open shirt and all – but he's definitely the real deal, and very down to earth in his singer/songwriter approach – with a quality that's only underscored by the lineup on the set – a group that features Levon Helm on drums, Jesse Ed Davis on guitar, David Lindley on mandolin and slide, and Barry Goldberg on piano and organ, and also handling production of the album too. The shift from David's roots is a bit like that taken by other contemporaries who once started in more folksy territory, then found a new way to grow in the west coast singer/songwriter scene – and that means that things are more electrified, but still quite far from mainstream music – with original tunes from Blue throughout, and titles that include "I Feel Bad", "Maria Maria", "Primeval Tune", She's Got You", "Tom's Song", and "Run Run Run". CD

A long-overdue look at a little-heard side of the career of 60s pop giant Lou Christie – his great but ill-fated recordings for Columbia Records – most of which appear here for the first time ever! Lou hit the label right after a massive hit for MGM – and Columbia gave him plenty of time in the studio, and continued his work with producer Charles Calello – the genius who crafted so many wonderful settings for Christie, as well as the Four Seasons at the time. Calello's genius is in full effect here – creating these incredible backdrops for Christie's stunning vocals – really pushing him past simple pop into a whole host of different modes that make the whole thing a great "what if" – had the label not given up on Lou so quickly. The CD features great sound, detailed notes, and 24 tracks in all – 15 of which appear here for the first time ever – a blindingly great mix of tracks that includes "I Remember Gina", "The Greatest Show On Earth", "Blue Champagne", "Tender Loving Care", "Gypsy Bells, "Escape", "Standing On My Promises", "Shake Hands & Walk Away Cryin", "Self Expression", "Yellow Lights Say", "Meditation", and "How Many Days Of Sadness". CD

A beautiful name for a beautiful record – a classic set of hardbop material from John Coltrane's early years as a leader – and a session that has him working with Donald Byrd on trumpet, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums! The album's got a beautifully laidback feel that prefaces some of the Coltrane's more exploratory work on Impulse and Atlantic – but one that still also has the earthy, straight ahead feel of his best early years on Prestige – a great combination that makes the record a key moment in the early career of The Great One. Tracks are all quite long – not exactly blowing session tunes, but done with a feel that's more open than some of the other Coltrane albums of the time – and titles include "Black Pearls", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "Sweet Sapphire Blues". CD

Pure and simple genius from Tal Farlow – one of THE greatest jazz guitarists of all time, especially on these important 50s recordings for Veve! Tal's playing here with a simply incredible tone – raspy and earthy, yet with notes that are impeccably placed on his solos – making for a compelling mixture of the rough and the smooth that seems to unlock a huge future potential for the electric guitar in jazz. The group's a quartet, with Gerald Wiggins on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Chico Hamilton on drums – and titles include "Little Girl Blue", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Tal's Blues", "Cherokee", and "Autumn In New York". CD

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem – and as usual, the full tale of the group, the movie, and the music is told at length in the accompanying 16 page booklet! Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", "Theme From Brotherman", "No Place To Run", and "We Can Work It Out". CD

An incredible record from the southern scene of the 70s – a really unique set that's filled with righteous soul touches, and which really stands out from most other southern soul of the time! The feel here is often in a cosmic mode with plenty of jazz at the bottom – a sound that's influenced by Earth Wind & Fire, but which is also carried off here in a more laidback mode that seems to get equal inspiration from soulful fusion of the mid 70s. The group has both male and female singers trading things back and forth nicely and sometimes coming together on the choruses – creating an overall feel that's almost like Roy Ayers at times. And as with Ayers' best work, there's a tightness and focus to the whole record that's really wonderful – a cohesive groove that's way more than just a few ensemble funk tracks cut in the studio, and which really displays a wide musical vision! Titles include "My Queen", "Clock In", "Fantasy Garden", "Clap Song", "Love & Affection", "My Dreams", and "Magnificent Choo Choo". CD

Firey guitar work from one of the all-time greats! Grant Green was one of the most incredible jazz guitarists of all time, and his early Blue Note work has always been some of the best guitar jazz ever recorded. With this great album, Blue Note has finally unearthed an amazing early session by Green – recorded in trio format with drummer Ben Dixon and organist John Patton. Both Patton and Green originally hailed from St. Louis, but were picked up on a tour by Lou Donaldson to join his band – and brought by Donaldson to Blue Note when the group hit New York. This set of tracks, dedicated to their boss, shows Patton and Green in sparkling interplay – trading lines with an ease, confidence, and rawness that would make most other organ/guitar teams weep with joy to achieve! The CD's a perfect one if you're a fan of Green's First Stand or Green Street albums – and it includes the tracks "Blues For Lou", "Big John", "Look At That Girl", and "This Little Girl Of Mine". CD

One of Emmylou Harris's best loved albums, and for good reason – it's a major departure from the some of the more straightforward, if neo classic country of her late 80s and earlier 90s work, taking on a more atmospheric sound with producer Daniel Lanois. Lanois deserves credit for inspiring a new direction for Emmylou, but Wrecking Ball is her show – and of all the folk, country and roots-oriented artists Lanois worked with over the years, Harris is the one with a voice big enough fill the atmosphere, and intimate enough to pull it back down to earth. Includes "Where Will I Be", "Goodbye", "All My Tears", "Wrecking Ball", "Goin' Back To Harlan", "Blackhawk", "Orphan Girl", "May This Be Love" and "Waltz Across Texas". CD

Two classic 60s albums from pianist Andrew Hill – back to back in a single set! First up is Point Of Departure – mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". Compulsion is one of the most dynamic albums that Andrew Hill ever cut for Blue Note – a record of long tracks, played by a largeish group who seem perfectly suited to Hill's most creative musical ideas! There's an approach here that almost predates some of the more righteous soul jazz ensemble sides of the 70s – as Hill's piano leads a octet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, John Gilmore on tenor and bass clarinet, Cecil McBee and Richard Davis on basses, Joe Chambers on drums, and Nedi Quamar and Renaud Simmons on percussion. The percussionists roll out with quite a bit of presence in the set – not so much as on some of the Art Blakey percussion sides for Blue Note, but more with a pronounced sense of "bottom" that you might not always hear from Hill – an earthy, sometimes organic way of riffing that then allows freer solo work from the horns and piano on the top! Titles include "Compulsion", "Legacy", "Premonition", and "Limbo". CD

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla, in a lineup that also includes work from Frank N Dank, Blu, Phat Kat, and Beej. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century – on titles that even include tributes to some key inspirations – like "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd). The whole thing is classic – and other cuts include "Rico Suave Bossa Nova", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It". CD

One of the best-remembered albums from the Atlantic Records run of the legendary Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a set that stands as Kirk's answer to all the hipper soul currents that were taking place at the time – including some that were being issued by singers on Atlantic Records! The album is mostly instrumental, but Roland has this way of singing through his reeds at times, especially his flute – really bringing an earthy sense of personality to the whole thing – as he mixes his acoustic lines on flute, tenor, and other reeds with work from Richard Tee on electric piano, Mickey Tucker on organ, Billy Butler on guitar, and Dick Griffin on trumpet. There's a few vocal spots from other singers – Cissy Houston sings on two great cuts – and titles include remakes of "Never Can Say Goodbye", "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me", "My Girl", and "Ain't No Sunshine" – plus some other nice originals by Roland, including Blacknuss", "Which Way Is It Going", and "One Nation". CD

A pair of wonderful records – reissued here together as a single CD set! The core album Let's Make A Record is a starkly beautiful album from New Orleans street evangelist Sister Gertrude Morgan – recorded in 1968 with only voice and tambourine, but in a way that's got a highly rhythmic groove! Gertrude's been rediscovered of late, due to interest in her artwork – and this record itself is coming back strongly into the spotlight, thanks to King Britt's own brilliant reinterpretation of most of the tunes! But honestly, even if Britt hadn't picked up on this one, we'd still find it extremely compelling – because with only a tambourine to set the groove, Gertrude manages to shake out some tightly snapping little tunes that crackle with an earthy electricity that's pretty darn unique. Titles include "Let Us Make A Record" – which should be chanted at the start of every recording session from now on – plus "Way In The Middle Of The Air", "Power", "I Am The Living Bread", "He Wrote The Revelation", "I Got The New World IN My View", and "I Was Healed By The Wound In His Side". For the other LP, the cosmic talents of King Britt takes older acapella vocals and tambourine rhythms from New Orleans evangelist Sister Gertrude Morgan – originally recorded in 1969, but expanded tremendously here through use of additional keyboards, percussion, and a surprising amount of acoustic instrumentation! Britt's got his usual drum patterns and electronics in the mix, but there's also a fair bit of slide guitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar, and even a bit of lap steel on the set – all of which makes for a sound that's as folksy as it is modern – really opening up a whole new chapter in Britt's career! Titles include "Let's Make A Record", "Living Bread", "Devil's Music", "Power", "New World In My View", "Unceremonious", and "I Was Healed By The Wounds". CD

A trio of classic albums from The Muscle Shoals Horns – with bonus tracks too! First up is Born To Get Down, by a group who were definitely born to get down – as they'd proved before on countless funk and soul sessions in the south – and as they prove once again with this masterful album on their own! The style here is surprisingly well-formed – not just horn players getting to shine in the lead, but a soul group with a tightness that matches some of the hippest, most sophisticated groups of the time – working here with really well-crafted rhythms that often hit an excellent midtempo groove, and avoid any disco-era cliches. Muscle Shoals legend Barry Beckett helps the group out on keyboards, arrangements, and production – and trumpeter Harrison Calloway turns out to be a surprisingly great singer in the lead. Titles include "Born To Get Down", which has a nice keyboard break in the middle, plus "Bump De Bump Yo Boogie", "Give It To Me", "Open Up Your Heart", "Where I'm Coming From", and "Break Down". Doin It To The Bone is a killer album from the Muscle Shoals Horns – and way more than just a set of studio players stepping out for some time in the spotlight! Sure, the MSH had worked on hundreds of sessions by this point – but there's also a sense of ownership and leadership they never had before – a real sense of trying something fresh, and really making the album all their own! To that respect, they certainly use their horns – but also work in plenty of vocals, too – and definitely emphasize the rhythms, which often have this cool compressed vibe that's very much in the best Earth Wind & Fire style – especially on the midtempo numbers that really make the album a killer. Production is by Barry Beckett, who goes for a nicely modern soul approach – and of all the horns, Harrison Calloway is probably the lead talent here – handling most of the arrangements, songwriting, and vocals. Titles include "What's Goin Down", "Dance To The Music", "I Just Wanna Turn You On", "Addicted To Your Love", "Beware Of The Rip Off", and "Keep On Playing That Funky Music". Last up is Shine On – an early 80s set from the mighty Muscle Shoals Horns, but one that cooks every bit as much as their funk classics from the 70s! At some level, this album may well be the group's funkiest – but in a style that's got some of the best 80s qualities in the grooves – the kind of tight basslines and sweet keyboard lines that marked some of the best work of the time – mixed with the group's sublime horn lines, which provide these jazzy inflections that really warm things up in a brilliant way! Most of the rhythms are nicely right in the middle – neither too uptempo, nor too head-noddy – and the whole thing's a really overlooked gem that's a standout funky set from the time. Titles include "Celebrate Recreate Participate", "She Was Once My Woman", "Shoalin", "More Than Ever Now", and "Don't Bust Yo Bubbles". 2CD set features bonus tracks – 7" mixes of "Born To Get Down", "Bump De Bump Yo Boodie", "Where I'm Coming From", and "She Was Once My Woman" – plus "I Just Wanna Turn You On (12" mix)". CD

Some of the most unusual Sun Ra material of the 80s – a series of performances done with the Outer Space Visual Communicator – a unique instrument that mixed light and music together, and created a very trippy experience for both the Arkestra and the audience! Most of these tracks have never been heard before – only two have appeared on a video – and together, they showcase a really unique experiment for Ra – which is really saying something, given how experimental Sun Ra could be with his music! The package was put together in collaboration with the inventor of the OVC, and titles include "Calling Planet Earth", "Sunset On The Nile", "Love In Outer Space", "Theme Of The Stargazers", "East Of The Sun", "Saturn Rings", and "El Is A Sound Of Joy" – plus a very long take of "Discipline 27-II". CD

Incredible work from one of Sun Ra's most enigmatic periods! The album was recorded in Italy in 1978, right around the same time as "Disco 2000" (and not too far off from Lanquidity) – and it features Ra playing around with lots of cool spacey keyboards, in a spare cosmic style that's really out of this world! The overall sound is incredible – with an incredible sense of otherness that has Ra pushing the limits of the moog and organ to a level never heard before on record – and in a way, the set is everything you might have imagined when you first heard of Sun Ra as some strange jazz musician who claimed to be from outer space! The group is a quartet, with Michael Ray on trumpet, John Gilmore on tenor, and Luqman Ali on drums – and titles include "Saturn Research", "Media Dreams", "Year Of The Sun", "Constellation", and the haunting straight jazz piece "Twigs At Twilight". Expanded 2CD version features a huge amount of unheard music – a full disc of bonus tracks that includes "Friendly Galaxy", "An Unbeknown Love", "Of Other Tomorrows Never Know", "Images", "The Truth About Planet Earth", "The Shadow World", and even a version of "Space Is The Place"! CD

The last-ever album from the legendary Lou Reed – and a set that's completely different from the sounds he gave the world in the Velvet Underground, and on most of his solo work in recent decades too! The music is spare and ambient, and very much lives up to the "meditations" in the title – inspired strongly by Lou's love of Tai Chi, but also delivered with a quality that echoes a lot of the ambient work of Brian Eno too! There's a great sense of texture and tone here – really slow-building, quiet-shifting sound that has this really subtle, almost earthy power – definitely music that is designed to alter the body and mind, but in very peaceful ways. Titles include "Move Your Heart", "Find Your Note", "Wind Coda", and "Hudson River Wind". CD

A legendary group from the British modern jazz scene of the 60s – captured here in all their young brilliance, in a double-length live date recorded between the space of their first two albums! We've raved about the partnership of trumpeter Ian Carr and saxophonist Don Rendell many times before, so they likely need no introduction here – yet there's also something special in this live date too – as it's got the group still working very much with their own music and new ideas, but in a way that's got maybe a slightly more down to earth quality too, maybe from the setting of the club. The whole lineup is great – and pianist Michael Garrick is a key member on both his instrument, and his contributions of key songs to the date – working alongside Carr on trumpet and flugelhorn, Rendell on tenor, soprano, and flute – and Dave Green on bass and Trevor Tomkins on drums. The package features a huge amount of notes, really giving background on all aspects of the recording – on titles that include "Ursula", "Promises", "Blues By Five", "Jonah & The Whale", "The Sixth Seal", "Shades Of Blue", "Hot Rod", and "No Blues". CD

Vocalist Jimmy Rushing first came to fame working with Count Basie in the 30s, but it wasn't until the 50s that he really got the chance to step out on his own and cut a number of great sessions in the studio! This set features one of Jimmy's finest moments of the 50s – material recorded for Vanguard Records in 1954 and 1955, respectively, and featuring Rushing in the company of great small group trad players like Buddy Tate, Pat Jenkins, Emmett Berry, Lawrence Brown, and Freddie Green. The format is laidback and simple on both records – a style that clearly hearkens back to the Kansas City swing of the 30s, but which is delivered here with a more stripped-down approach that lets us focus even more on Rushing's earthy vocal presentation. Titles include the original tracks "Good Morning Blues", "Take Me Back Baby", "Sent For You Yesterday", and "Goin To Chicago" – plus versions of "How Long", "See See Rider", "Evenin". CD

A set that's got a slightly different vibe than previous Stackridge albums – yet which also continues that special sort of hard to define quality that always made the group so unique! There's a feel to the set that's maybe a bit in keeping with the image on the cover – slight touches of an older carnivalesque aesthetic, yet filtered through that cool British 70s production style – compressing any prog influences down to modes that often have some very slight glammy touches around the edges, which also steps up some of the hooks on the tunes as well! Titles include "Benjamin's Giant Onion", "Grease Paint Smiles", "Spin Around The Room", "Rufus T Firefly", "No One's More Important Than The Earthworm", and "Highbury Incident". 2CD set features a full bonus CD of live BBC material! CD

An obscure group from the Michigan scene of the 70s – but one who work with a breezy vibe that feels a lot more like some of the Bay Area material we know from the time! These guys bring together a bit of jazz, touches of folk, and even some Brazilian currents – all in a mode that's nicely groovy on most numbers, and served up with a great degree of indie charm! Vocals shift between male and female leads – the latter of which are sometimes paired up on some of the best tracks, ala Sergio Mendes – creating a fullness that really lets those tunes flow! We're still not sure what was going on in the water in Michigan to create the group's special sound – but it's definitely been something that's keep the album going with collectors over the years. Titles include the funky fusion "People Suite" – plus"Surround Me", "Gotta Find Out", "Papa Taco", "Good Day", and "The Earth Has Music". CD features the bonus tracks "Angisa Alusa" and "Povo" – both mighty nice live cuts! CD

A soaring stormer from T-Connection – and a set that has them sounding even better than before! There's a perfection here the group didn't have with earlier releases – a quality that goes way past indie funk ensemble, into the realm of some of the best mainstream acts on the bigger labels at the time – company shared by a rare few, like Earth Wind & Fire, Ohio Players, or the Bar-Kays! Things are every bit as funky as before – but there's a way of putting the tunes together that really blows us away – fusing all the elements together perfectly, and making everything work towards the groove – yet all without making anything sound too slick or polished either. Mighty nice all the way through – and titles include "Funky Lady", "Don't Stop The Music", "Funkannection", "Saturday Night", "At Midnight", and "Love Supreme". CD

Beautiful and underappreciated 70s soul from Ted Taylor from his stint with Ronn Records – great series of singles and slew of excellent unissued tracks! Ted was a huge talent with a soaring voice, better remembered for his earlier work at Okeh, but still in incredible form and served well by the 70s style southern soul sound! It includes some early 70s singles that would have sounded at home on Hi Records, some mid 70s duets with Little Johnny Taylor, and a treasure trove of newly unearthed numbers. Titles include4 "Farewell", "Call The House Doctor", "Sweet Lovin' Pair", "A Lick And A Promise", "Why Do I Have To Suffer", "Got To Have A Woman", "She's Got A Munchy Tunchy" "Cry It Out Baby", "Funky Ghetto" and more with Little Johnny Taylor, "Cummins Prison Farm", "Let Me Fix Up Your Feelings" and more. 24 tracks in all. CD

A pair of late Motown albums from Undisputed Truth – both issued here back to back, as they originally appeared for the label! First up is Cosmic Truth – a fantastic 70s album from Undisputed Truth – and the first to fully feature the new version of the lineup, after the Magictones had been recruited to form the second version of the group! The sound here is even funkier and more guitar-based than before – a fully-realized take on the Norman Whitfield modes that had been brewing up since his late 60s work with The Temptations – almost as tripped-out at times as early 70s Funkadelic – as if Undisputed Truth were being put forth as a Detroit challenge to the George Clinton universe! Production and arrangements are great – very far-reaching at times, with some bigger ideas in the mix – although all the tight funky soul elements that always made these guys so great. Titles include "1990", "Squeeze Me Tease Me", "Earthquake Snake", "Spaced Out", "Lil Red Ridin Hood", "Got To Get Me Some Lovin", and the great cut "UFO's". Higher Than High is a great later Motown effort from the Undisputed Truth – working in a groove that's a bit tighter and more upbeat than before, but still plenty darn great! Norman Whitfield is still very firmly in charge of the group's sound on the record – arranging, producing, and writing most of the cuts on the album – and he's doing a great job of keeping his sound fresh here – not just sticking in the bass-heavy styles of previous years, and instead moving into some fresher territory that has the group continuing to grow nicely. In a way, the whole thing's almost a precursor for the grooves to come on Norman's own Whitfield label – a great batch of well-crafted titles that include "Overload", "Higher Than High", "Poontang", "I Saw YOu When You Met Her", "Help Yourself (second version)", "I'm In The Red Zone", "Boogie Bump Boogie", and "Ma". CD

One of the greatest things about Ken Vandermark – and one of the reasons why we think he's one of our favorite players in the Chicago underground – is the way that he's completely open about his roots and influences, never failing to give credit where credit is due, and let folks know about the music that's inspired him over the years. And although Ken's recorded more than a few tracks by these influences on his own albums in years past, this set goes that one better – by acting as a 2CD set that's almost a "primer" in avant jazz of the late 20th century. There's a great batch of material on the set – works by Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Lester Bowie, Joe McPhee, Sun Ra, Don Cherry, Frank Wright, Archie Shepp, and others – all recorded live at Chicago's Empty Bottle, by a very well-honed Vandermark 5. Titles include "Saturn", "Goodbye Tom B", "Happy House", "69L", "Wherever Junebugs Go", "King Korn", "The Earth", and "Scootin About". CD

Some of the most important work ever recorded by Randy Weston – 5 early albums that really pushed the boundaries of modern jazz! First up on the set is Little Niles – a fantastic set that features some of Weston's best early compositions – angular and Monk-ish numbers, but with a profound influence from African rhythms. Next up is Live At The Five Spot – a really compelling live set that features Randy working out Little Niles-ish numbers with a live group that includes Kenny Dorham and Coleman Hawkins. After that is Piano A La Mode – a sublimely simple album of mellow piano tracks – followed by a series of previously unissued tracks done with a quartet that includes Roy Haynes, Cecil Payne, and Ron Carter. Following that are some of Randy's most Afro-centric albums – very unique for the time, and equally powerful today – the records Uhuru Afrika and Highlife – both of which feature larger groups working through some distinctly African ideas in jazz. Nearly every record features arrangements by Melba Liston – and if you've ever wondered where to start with Randy, this is it – because the set encapsulates nearly all of the biggest contributions he ever made to jazz! 40 titles in all – with tunes that include "Little Niles", "Nice Ice", "Earth Birth", "Gingerbread", "Saucer Eyes", "204", "CB Blues", "Where", "Fe Double U Blues", "African Lady", "Bantu", "Kucheza Blues", "Blues To Africa", and "Congolese Children". CD

An amazing compilation – a decade in the making, and filled with wonderful grooves – most of which have never appeared on CD or LP reissues! And while the music itself is already wonderful, the package also includes an amazing 80 page book, too – a rich research project that digs deep into the American underground of the 70s – and features a wealth of photos, images, and historical details on music that never got it's due back in the day! The set's based around the groundbreaking series of Soul Cal 12" reissues put together by Stones Throw about a decade ago – wonderful records that unearthed rare grooves that fall beautifully in a space between funk and club – almost all originally issued on tiny little labels from all over the US, but working together to create a rich vibe in the set. Given the book, there's a Numero-like heft to the whole thing – although the range of grooves is even greater than one of their collections – and titles include "Ecology" by Anubis, "You Can Be A Star" by Luther Davis, "Don't Get Discouraged" by UPC All Stars, "Things Cannot Stop Forever" by Stanton Davis, "Free Your Mind" by Record Player, "Get Down" by Freedom Express, "Keep Running Away" by Clifford Nyren, "Love Is" by Leon Mitchison & The Eastex Freeway Band, "What It Takes To Live" by Key & Cleary, "I'm Gonna Miss You Girl" by Ellis & Cephas, "It's A Bad Feeling" by Mixed Sugar, and "Put A Smile On Time" by Rhythm Machine. CD

An incredibly evocative record – one of the strangest of its kind, and an audio treasure that we've loved for years! Eden Ahbez first came into public prominence as the man who wrote "Nature Boy" for Nat King Cole – a dark, moody tune that was as mysterious and earthy as the man who wrote it! This album was recorded nearly a decade after Cole's original hit, and features Ahbez almost in Moondog-like territory – working in an amazing setting of odd instruments and exotic percussion – but also singing in this almost spiritualist kind of way! The record's got plenty of ties to the exotica scene of the late 50s – but also stand out from the pack with a mad vision that's all its own – a strange intersection of lines that one might draw between Moondog, Martin Denny, and Anton La Vey! Tracks include "The Wanderer", "Eden's Island", "Tradewind", "Full Moon", "Mongoose", "Market Place", "The Old Boat", "Island Girl" and "La Mar". Great expanded package – with bonus tracks that include the unreleased "Surf Rider", plus "The Wanderer (alt)", "Tobago (45 rpm mix)", "Jam Session 78", "India (demo)", "Big Square From Nowhere", and "The Planet Song". Also includes related tracks "Sahara" by Bob Romeo, "Song Of The Fool" by The Crew Cuts, "End Of Desire" by Jack Powers, "The Shepherd" by Herb Jeffries, "Hey Jacque" by The Mt Holyoke V8s, "Monterey (alt version)" by John Harris, "Big Rock Steam Roller" by Biggie McFadden, "Green Flamingo" by Robbie Lester, and "Lonely Island" by Gene Chandler. CD

Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby – a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam – one of the forces guiding Dorothy's more spiritual sound at the end of the 60s, clearly opened up in a way that's not unlike the direction of Alice Coltrane's work, but a lot more focused and a lot more funky! Ashby not only plays her usual jazz harp, but also koto as well, and even sings a bit too – and the larger group directed by Evans features work by Stu Katz on vibes and kalimba, Lenny Druss on flutes, and Cash McCall on guitar – all in a groove that's really a precursor to the Earth Wind & Fire generation of the Chicago scene! Titles include the amazing break "The Moving Finger" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Dust", "Joyful Grass & Grape", "Heaven & Hell", "Wax & Wane", "Shadow Shapes", "For Some When Young", "Myself When Young", and "Drink". CD

A massive set, and one that features way more material than this legendary group released back in the day – all the full albums from Brinsley Schwarz, plus unissued studio material and other rarities too! The group were named after their guitarist, Brinsley Schwarz – but the group also featured key work from a young Nick Lowe, sounding wonderful here before going out as a solo act – and, with Schwarz, really helping to craft that smaller group, pub rock-styled approach that was such a strong antidote to prog and classic rock excesses of the period! There's a very down to earth vibe on many of these cuts – not entirely the roots rock of the US scene, but not far off – and also already echoing some of that tunefulness that Lowe would continue in his own recordings and productions – almost a secret evolution of a mod aesthetic, but hidden amidst other 70s trappings. Maybe we're pitching it wrong – but the records don't lie, and have plenty to tell here – full albums Brinsley Schwarz, Despite It All, Silver Pistol, Nervous On The Road, Please Don't Ever Change, The New Favourites Of Brinsley Schwarz, and It's All Over Now – plus dozens of bonus tracks, both live and studio – including work as The Brinsleys, The Hitters, and Limelight. 132 tracks on 7CDs, with very detailed notes! CD

One of the most dynamic albums that Andrew Hill ever cut for Blue Note – a record of long tracks, played by a largeish group who seem perfectly suited to Hill's most creative musical ideas! There's an approach here that almost predates some of the more righteous soul jazz ensemble sides of the 70s – as Hill's piano leads a octet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, John Gilmore on tenor and bass clarinet, Cecil McBee and Richard Davis on basses, Joe Chambers on drums, and Nedi Quamar and Renaud Simmons on percussion. The percussionists roll out with quite a bit of presence in the set – not so much as on some of the Art Blakey percussion sides for Blue Note, but more with a pronounced sense of "bottom" that you might not always hear from Hill – an earthy, sometimes organic way of riffing that then allows freer solo work from the horns and piano on the top! Titles include "Compulsion", "Legacy", "Premonition", and "Limbo". CD

One of the most starkly beautiful recordings in Paul Horn's career – with spiritually resonant, almost spine tingling solo flute and some chants, all recorded in the Taj Majal one day in April of 1968! It's really all about the atmosphere, as it would have to be given the location – with Horn playing of the amazing echo in a completely wonderful way, never feeling anything less than wholly authentic and genuinely inspired! Titles include "Vibrations", "Akasha", "Jumna", "Shah Jahan", "Mantra II/Duality", and "Unity". Paul Horn follows up his Inside The Taj Majal set – in someways leaving behind the stark, spare initimacy of that set for a more layered and tailored approach – and also leaving behind his more pronounced jazz roots for a more earthy and nature themed mode! Like Inside, it's a solo flute record and a spatial exploration – this time handled with a number of different flutes, and also dabbling in overdubbing – with wind and other nature sounds, up to and including some live dolphin sound effects! Titles include "The Mahabhutas" suite, plus "Centaur", "Morning Song", "Haida", and "Mass: Kyrie". CD

Really wonderful early work from Keith Jarrett – a spiritually-driven session that's free from the cliches of his later work! The album's a spectacular group effort – one that has Jarrett playing piano, percussion, and sax – in an ensemble that also includes Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian, and Guilherme Franco. There's a lightly percussive sound underneath most of the tracks – spare, organic, almost earthy – as the tunes open up and flower over a long passage of time – gently stretching out in that beautiful post-Coltrane Impulse spiritual approach to jazz of the early to mid 70s. Great stuff throughout, and with 3 long tracks that include "Great Bird", "Prayer", and "Death & The Flower". CD

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century. This one returns the project to more of that pre-planned breakbeat feel. A stellar set, with lyrics, or without – one that laid the groundwork for Dilla's subsequent production aesthetic! Features great remakes of "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd), plus the cuts "Y'all Ain't Ready", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It", "Think Twice" and more! CD

A trio of 80s albums from piano genius Ramsey Lewis – all brought together in a single package! First up is Les Fleurs – a bit later than Ramsey Lewis' classic electric sides for Columbia Records in the 70s, but still a pretty great little album – and one that mixes mellow grooves on Fender Rhodes with a nice dose of acoustic piano – in a style that's a bit like Rodney Franklin at the time, but considerably warmer and sweeter overall! The core trio backs Ramsey on acoustic bass and drums – but there's plenty of extra bits added in throughout, including a bit of sax from Ronnie Laws, and some overall arrangements and additional keys from Tom Tom 84 – who really helps keep a sophisticated Chicago vibe in place – almost a ghost of Charles Stepney, lurking nicely in the background. Titles include remakes of "Reasons", "Les Fleurs", and "Super Woman" – plus the tracks "Physical", "With A Gentle Touch", and "Essence Of Love". Fantasy is a sweet 80s set that has Ramsey Lewis showing the world that he's still one of the reigning master of the keyboard – as he opens up here with a whole bunch of keys from that decade, at a level that marks a strong new chapter from his electric work of the 70s! Lewis works alongside additional keyboardists Morris Butch Stewart and Lonnie Graves – and at times, even the rhythms are electric too – influenced by both R&B and hip hop at times, similar to Herbie Hancock electric experiments of the time – but with more of that soulful vibe that we love from Ramsey! There's a bit of vocals on the record – courtesy of Stewart, Maurice White, Brenda Mitchell, Josie Aiello, and Alice Sanderson Echols – on titles that include "Les Clefs De Mon Coeur", "It's Gonna Change", "Victim Of A Broken Heart", "Slow Dancin", "Ram Jam", "This Ain't No Fantasy", "Part Of Me", and "The Quest". Keys To The City is a late 80s effort that still has the piano genius very much at the top of his game – tight, but never in the sleepier territory of some of the smooth jazz artists who were coming into the scene! Ramsey's on piano both electric and acoustic – getting more keyboard help from Larry Dunn, who also handles arrangements – with musicians who include Don Myrick on saxes, Roland Bautista on guitar, and Maurice White on percussion – the last of whom is a key influence here, as it's clear that Lewis is holding onto that great balance of jazz and soul that he furthered in his work with White and Earth Wind & Fire in the 70s. Titles include "Keys To The City", "7/11", "Strangers", "My Love Will Lead You Home", "You're Falling In Love", "Shamballa", and "Love & Understanding". CD

A title and cover that beautifully illustrate the sharp-edged power of the Thelonious Monk quartet on Columbia – and a wonderful place to start if you're just digging Thelonious' music! The record is similar to the best of Monk's Columbia sides – in that it revisits older tunes and themes from previous years, but in a way that's often much better than the original recordings – thanks to some incredible energy between group members Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Ore on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums! Rouse's sharp horn is easily a real bnous here – as it dances beautifully with Monk's piano lines and creates a magical sense of juxtaposition and fluidity, but is still nicely earthy and soulful as well! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Think Of One", "Eronel", "Hackensack", "Rhythm-a-Ning", and "Crepuscule With Nellie". This CD adds the bonus tracks "Coming On The Hudson","Tea For Two" and "Eronel". CD

A great recent chapter in the rediscovery of 60s soul legend Howard Tate – a set that's arguably more laidback and relaxed than his initial comeback album, and which has some deeper, more complicated edges as well! Backings are by the orchestra of Steve Weisberg, who mix in some slightly jazzier moments with the bluesier ones you might expect from Tate – all in a style that opens him up somewhat, and covers some surprising ground with the choice of tunes on the set. Tate's vocals haven't dimmed at all with time, and the production has him right up front in the mix – on titles that include "Hell Is Just A Place On Earth", "Dear Lord", "Louisiana 1927", "Homewrecker", "Close To You", "I'll Be Home", "Left For Dead", "Every Time It Rains", and "Solid Ground". CD

An early one from Waits – his second album – and it's a great one! Like a lot of his early oeuvre, this is a kind of like a street-savvy, hipster cabaret affair, with less of the eccentricity that would reveal itself later in his career. Still a great record though, rendered with a Bukowski-esque salt of the earth palette. Includes "Fumblin' With The Blues", "Please Call Me, Baby", "Diamonds On My Windshield", "New Coat Of Paint", "The Heart Of Saturday Night", "Drunk On The Moon", "Shiver Me Timbers", "San Diego Serenade", "Semi Suite", "Depot, Depot", and "The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone's Pizza House)". CD

We're not normally the types to walk around singing the praises of the major labels – but hats off to MCA's Country Music Hall Of Fame Series, with beautifully remastered classic tracks that were previously nearly impossible to track down on vinyl, and excellent notes and biographical details. Honky tonk angel Kitty Wells gets the queen's treatment here – with 16 sweet, heart-tugging (but too endearing to be heartbreaking) singles originally released on Decca between the early 50s and mid 60s. Kitty sounds sad, sweet and beautifully earth-bound, with her vocals placed well out in front of the spare steel and waltz-picked guitar, and distant fiddle. Every ones a classic! Tracks include "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", "Icicles Hanging From Your Heart", "My Cold, Cold Heart Is Melted Now", "I Gave My Wedding Dress Away", "Release Me", "Making Believe", "I'd Rather Stay Home", "Mommy For A Day", "Heartbreak U.S.A", "Will Your Lawyer Talk To God", and "A Woman Half My Age". CD

Amazing music from one of our most-treasured stretches of David Bowie's career – that creatively-fertile time when he escaped to West Berlin, hid from the mainstream, and made some groundbreaking records with Brian Eno – then returned to the limelight to remind us all that he was still a hell of a force to be reckoned with! The set includes everything post-Thin White Duke, and pre-Let's Dance – a run of music that's still shaping new sounds on this planet all these many years later. The set begins with Low – the mix of experimental instrumentals and subtle vocal tracks that was a complete change from Ziggy Stardust – and follows with Heroes, Lodger, and Scary Monsters & Super Creeps – all albums that reintroduce some sense of song and lyrical interplay, but at a level that clearly indicates how important Bowie was to the generation of post-punk and new wave as his earlier work was to psych, prog, and glam! But the package isn't just a standard collection of albums – because along with those four studio records, it also features the live album Stage, presented here in two different full mixes – plus a new 2017 mix of Lodger, which really increases the edge. There's also a special Heroes EP, with all the different language versions of the song – and a very cool Re:Call 3 album – which features all the singles that were issued at the time, plus other rare material – and Bowie's very unique take on Bertolt Brecht's Baal. Titles on this album include "Alabama Song", "Crystal Japan", "Under Pressure", "Remembering Marie A", "The Drowned Girl", "The Dirty Song", "Cat People", and even his "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy" duet with Bing Crosby. As with other entries in this complete Bowie series, the presentation is wonderful – album sleeve replicas, great packaging, and lots of notes – kind of a treasure, even if you already own some of the records! CD

The legendary debut of Bobby Caldwell – a blue-eyed soul singer who borrowed just the right amounts from AOR and R&B! Bobby's got a voice that's really great, and wrapped up warmly amidst keyboards and larger arrangements that all come across with a very cool compressed style – almost as if Caldwell discovered that midtempo and mellow style on some of the Earth Wind & Fire albums from a few years before, and used it as inspiration to craft a classic groove that's very much his own! The set features Bobby's huge classic "What You Won't Do For Love" – but the whole album's great, and other titles include "Special To Me", "Can't Say Goodbye", "My Flame", "Love Won't Wait", "Come To Me", "Down For The Third Time", "Take Me Back To Then" and "Kalimba Song", another nod to Maurice White and crew, to be sure! Also includes a bonus track – the TK version of "Can't Say Goodbye". CD

Wonderful work from our favorite stretch of music from the legendary Gene Chandler – an artist who started out on Vee Jay Records, but really hit his prime here at Brunswick! Chandler was a key singer in the early years of soul – and some of his first recordings had strong appeal to doo wop and R&B crowds – but by the time of this set, Gene was really moving into some more mature, more sophisticated styles – an approach that easily rivals that of Chicago soul contemporaries Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson! Chandler's often a bit more upbeat and swinging than either of those – especially Jackson – but here, he shares a similar open, emotive quality – much more adult than before, and delivered with a confidence that's very different than earlier weepy pop. A number of cuts here are duets with the great Barbara Acklin – and titles include "Will I Find You", "Show Me The Way To Go", "The Girl Don't Care", "Love Won't Start", "There Was A Time", "Teacher Teacher", "Anywhere But Nowhere", "This Bitter Earth", "Familiar Footsteps", "My Love", "There Goes The Lover", and the sublime "Suicide" – maybe one of our favorite Gene Chandler tracks ever! CD

Abstract beats with a depth of global influences from Dimlite – the Swiss beatmaker/producer's debut for the Now Again/Stones Throw – and far reaching effort that covers a lot of aural atmosphere over its running time! Dimlite's work for Sonar Kollectiv was among the most forward looking on the roster, and that unpredictable approach is well served here. Glitchy synth sounds and bubbling electronic errata mix with more earthy rhythms and hazy melodies – with vocals that also give it a more grounded feel in spots, but this is adventurous and unpredictable in all the right ways. Titles include "Kalimba Sewathswamp/Kurt Feelings", "On The Same Picture" featuring vocals by Elan Tamara, "Firevomit (ODN)", "Elbow Flood", "Can't Get Used To Those (Afterlude)" and more. CD features the bonus "Elbow Flood" instrumental. CD

An early Warner Brothers classic from the Grateful Dead – a set that has them stretching out in maybe a more collaborative way than usual – using a few key guests to expand their freewheeling sound! The larger posse is pictured on the back cover, with a down to earth image that's a nice contrast to the trippy vibe of the front – and that may well be the best illustration of the group's changing spirit during this key year – as they shake off a bit of the hippie stink, and settle into even more serious musicianship overall. Titles include "Cosmic Charlie", "China Cat Sunflower", "Doin That Rag", "Mountains Of The Moon", and "Dupree's Diamond Blues". Includes the original 1969 mix, the 1971 mix and at the Avalon Ballroom San Francisco 1969. CD

A record that's maybe as famous for its cover art, done by comic legend Neal Adams, as it is for the music of The Groundhogs – who are really moving away here from the more blues-based work of their roots! The great Tony McPhee is on vocals and guitar, and also uses mellotron and harmonium in some really wonderful ways – and the sound here really has the group soaring with the sort of super-powered energy you might guess from the cover – a case of a British group tipping over nicely past their original inspirations, and finding a way to make hard rock magic that's very much all their own! Titles include "Wages Of Peace", "Music Is The Food Of Thought", "Bog Roll Blues", "The Grey Maze", "Earth Is Not Room Enough", and "Body In Mind". CD

Heavy funk from a hip Japanese combo – one that features lots of drums and percussion from leader Akira Ishikawa, plus plenty of guitar, keyboards, and hard-riffing horns! Akira's taking most of his cues here from American funk of the early 70s – work by Incredible Bongo Band, BT Express, and others – but he often serves up the music with a fair bit of conga work at the front of the arrangements, in a way that takes familiar tunes and gives them a much rootsier, earthier kind of groove! The approach is unique, but totally great – and the album's a funk album unlike anything else we can think of – quite unusual even for the experimental Japanese scene of the time. Titles include "Bongo Rock", "Pick Up The Pieces", "Do It Til You're Satisfied", "I've Got To Use My Imagination", "Let's Start", "Love Is The Answer", and "Boogie On Reggae Woman". CD

Way more than just a "boogie" album – as you might think from the title – and much more a hard-hitting batch of funky tunes, mixed with some even cooler laidback numbers! The album follows heavily off the style of Wild & Peaceful – mixing together the group's older crack rhythms with some newer, hipper, jazzier inflections – making for an incredibly powerful sound that really opens them up. Titles include the massively funky "Jungle Jazz" – a jazzy follow up to "Jungle Boogie" – plus some spiritual numbers that have a cosmic soul jazzy feel, like the tracks "Cosmic Energy", "Ancestral Ceremony", and "Winter Sadness". The whole thing's great – and other titles include "Mother Earth", "Caribbean Festival", and "Ride The Rhythm". CD

A really freewheeling set of improvised jazz from the French scene of the 70s – and a record that's a bit different than some of the more structured material that was usually issued on the Palm label, and maybe a bit more like some of the famous 1969 sessions on the BYG/Actuel imprint! The group's co-led by alto saxophonist Philippe Mate and pianist Jef Gilson – the latter of whom moves from acoustic keys to play electric piano, organ, and some very cool ondioline – an instrument that creates a very spooky sound at parts! Pierre Moret provides additional electric piano and organ, and the group also features Maurice Bouhana on flute and drums, Bruno Di Gioia on cor and percussion, Elie Dos Reis on percussion, Didier Levallet on bass, and Jean-Claude Pourtier on drums – a lineup who work together with unbridled power throughout! Given the amount of percussion on the set, there's some great earthy tones on the bottom – and the set features two side-long improvisations, titled "L'Oeil" and "Vision". CD

Sweeeeeet work from the wonderful Maysa Leak – quite possibly her best album so far! The record has a really warm original feel – far steps from the earlier Incognito-influences sound of past records (not that that was a bad thing, mind you – but it's even better to hear Maysa stepping out on her own!) The songs are incredibly seductive – a good blend of original tunes, and covers of work by Jhelisa, Earth Wind & Fire, Sly Stone, and other influential artists. Titles include "Friendly Pressure", "Out Of The Blue", "Mr So Damn Fine", "MSDF Interlude", "Tailor Made Love", "Family Affair", "Blue Horizon", "Osaka", and "Head To The Sky". CD

Nirvana's lean, economical predecessor to Nevermind – an album that's plenty earthshaking in its own right – the mean, metallic Bleach LP! If you weren't around and listening to underground rock in 1989, it's tough to impart how unique Nirvana was at the time – there weren't a lot of rock bands playing this kind of ferocious, pummeling music that married metal's volume and intensity with college rock's artfulness. Good stuff, this. Titles include "Blew", "Floyd The Barber", "About A Girl", "Negative Creep", "Mr Moustache", "Big Cheese", "Downer", "Scoft", "Love Buzz" and more. CD

The third album from symphonic rock pioneer Mike Oldfield – at this point unable to steer his way out of the engulfing shadow of his massive Tubular Bells album of a couple years earlier – yet still bearing fruit creatively, as Ommadawn is his third excellent and pretty much unprecedented album of layered instrumental mood rock grandeur in a row! It's not only his third album, it's his third 2 part, single piece epic in a row that's woven from acoustic, electric, classic and modern instrumentation – with a choir and and folk instrumentation keeping in something of an earthy realm, even with synthezisers and more otherworldly touches. Influences from Irish folk to African percussion, it's uncompromising, intricate and interesting to this day! This 2010 CD version features new stereo mixes by Oldfield, bonus tracks, and nice booklet of notes. Bonus tracks include "In Dulce Jubilo" and "Portsmouth" (both A-sides of singles), "First Excursion" and Argiers". CD

One of Ra's last recordings – and a great one – caught live at a festival in Germany, with a group that includes Marshall Allen, Ahmed Abdullah, Jothan Callins, Tyrone Hill, Stanley Morgan, and Michael Ray. The set has that Ellingtonish flourish that crept into much of Ra's work after the mid 80s – handled with an edge that still keeps the sound all his own, but which shows an increasing preoccupation for straighter jazz expression, and well crafted large group arrangements – peppered with a few numbers that are more in the older space-spirit of the group. Ray sings vocals on a few numbers with Abdullah and Allen, and titles include "Satellites Are Scanning", "Calling Planet Earth", "Theme Of The Stargazers", "We Travel The Spaceways", and "Carefree". CD

A landmark set of recordings – both of Gary Bartz's Harlem Bush Music albums, back to back on one CD! After a few years as a modern-tinged soul jazz saxophonist, Bartz broke strongly into the 70s with this pair of sessions – working in a mode that brought together rhythmic percussion, funky bass, and some incredibly righteous vocals from singer Andy Bey! Bey's presence on the record really marks them as a departure for Bartz – as it's the first time that Bartz used vocals on his recordings, in a style that was neither straight jazz, nor sellout soul – but rather a progressive approach that set a whole new tenor for the voice in jazz! Gary plays both soprano and alto sax – blowing in a rhythmic mode that's a perfect match for the chunky rhythms of the tunes – and which seems to often take on the same tone as Andy Bey's unique approach to the lyrics. There's an earthy, organic, almost tribalistic quality to some of the tracks – and titles include "Rise", "People Dance", "Drinking Song", "Taifa", "Parted", "Uhuru Sasa", "Vietcong", "Celestial Blues", and "The Planets". (Note, the CD omits one tune from the albums – "Du (Rain)", from Taifa – due to space limitations.) CD

A crucial album in the sound of late 60s Warner – recorded by west coasters The Beau Brummels in the heart of Tennessee, at the legendary studios of country producer Owen Bradley! This meeting of west and country is fantastic – a really incredible extension of earlier folksy rock styles forged by Dylan, Fred Neil, Tim Buckley, and others – handled with incredible care, and a style that's equally honest and ironic – but coming together with a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – one of those rare few albums that somehow draws from a wealth of inspiration, but manages to make something completely standout in the process – almost a Feelies/Good Earth for its own generation! Tremendous stuff – and titles include "Jessica", "Bless You California", "I'm A Sleeper", "Little Bird", "Turn Around", and "An Added Attraction". CD

One of the key records that helped the British scene leap forward in the mid 60s – even if the group never fully got their due at the tome! This set by Blossom Toes has gone on to become the stuff of legend – a record that fully embraced, the headiest psych modes of the period, but also delivered things with a unique vibe and quality level that really sets the record apart – putting it an elite space that would include debut albums from Pink Floyd and Tomorrow! The group are led by the incredible Brian Godding – a hell of a singer, and one whose voice is perfectly tuned to the offbeat production that really makes the whole thing sparkle – as does the fantastic work on guitar. There's some larger arrangements on the set at time, but they only seem to augment the genius at the core – on titles that include "Look AT Me I'm You", "The Remarkable Saga Of The Frozen Dog", "People Of The Royal Parks", "What On Earth", "The Intrepid Balloonists Handbook Vol 1", "You", and "Mrs Murphy's Budgerigar". CD

A late 70s return to glory for the Captain – and a set that has a bit of a checkered path, in that it was originally done for Frank Zappa's Discreet label as the album Bat Chain Puller – then was held back, and mostly re-recorded for this seminal release on Warner Brothers! The set shows all the grown that Don Van Vliet had undergone during the decade – and also echoes his previous collaboration with Zappa – served up with instrumentation that is wonderfully complex, but still quite personal and earthy – a blend of composition, improvisation, and individuality that almost has Beefheart rivaling the work of Hermeto Pascoal during the decade, yet in a very different mode – given his vocal styles and occasional spoken musings! The Cap sings, plays harmonica, and blows soprano sax – alongside Jeff Moris Tepper on slide guitar and spell guitar, Bruce Lambourne Fowler on trombone, Eric Drew Friedman on Fender Rhodes and bass, Art Tripp III on marimba and percussion, Robert Arthur Williams on drums, and Richard Redus on slide guitar, bottleneck guitar, fretless bass, accordion, and guitar. Tracks include "The Floppy Boot Stomp", "Ice Rose", "Bat Chain Puller", "Candle Mambo", "Love Lies", and "Suction Prints". CD

A beautiful live performance from the same trio that delivered the Third World Underground album for Trio Records in 1972 – a set done with a similar mix of earthy, global elements as that gem – delivered by Carlos Ward on alto and flute, Dollar Brand on piano and flute, and Don Cherry on flute, trumpet, and percussion! There's a style here that's almost an extension of the energy of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – especially in the way the musicians mix up instruments – combined with some of the more globally-sensitive elements of Don Cherry's work in Sweden, which clearly brings out qualities in Brand and Ward that are different than their already-great work together on other albums. Titles include "African Session", "Air", "Berimbau", "Waya Wa Egoli", "Cherry", and "Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro". CD

Spiritual sounds galore – an amazing 2-fer from Alice Coltrane! Huntington Ashram Monastery is powerful work from Alice Coltrane – an incredible trio album that features her heavily on harp, plus a bit of piano – in a trio with Ron Carter on bass and Rashied Ali on drums! The sound is wonderful – lush, yet contemplative – in a personal style that really shows Alice beginning to express herself in new modes after the death of The Great One. The us of harp is especially incredible – handled here with a sense of majesty that really leaves us breathless, and which goes far beyond other use of that instrument in jazz. And even Alice's piano is surprisingly nice – with these mellow, earthy undertones that bubble at the bottom and ground the whole effort on earthly territory. Titles include "Turiya", "HIS", "Jaya Jaya Rama", and "Via Sivanadagar". World Galaxy is one of Alice Coltrane's most ambitious albums of the early years – recorded with a full set of heavenly orchestrations! The core group features Alice on piano, organ, and harp – alongside Frank Lowe on saxes, Reggie Workman on bass, Leroy Jenkins on violin, and Ben Riley on drums. Added to this combo is a much larger set of strings – swirling around in a rich musical backdrop that gives Alice's work a sense of majesty and power we could have never imagined. This is the album that really showed the world that she was far far more than just the wife of the late great one – a true mystical visionary with a sound that demanded to be heard! Side 2 features a recitation by Alice's spiritual mentor, Swami Satchdiananda – and the album features a wonderful version of "My Favorite Things", done with both organ and harp, plus the tracks "Love Supreme", "Galaxy In Turiya", and "Galaxy In Satchidandana". CD

2 lost jazz rock classics from Cressida – back to back in a single package! While decidedly more rock-oriented than some of their progressive contemporaries in the UK jazz rock scene, Cressida still had a great approach to rock that used a lot of jazz-based chords and rhythms, in the manner that was being explored by other bands at the time – like Colosseum or Nucleus. On the self-titled Cressida album, the general instrumental mix features hard drums, organ, and guitars – plus vocals that are very much in a Moody Blues tradition, but which seem to have more of an early King Crimson approach to lyrics, touched by some of the Nick Drake chord progressions on guitar. A hard one to pin down, but surprisingly enjoyable today – and the kind of record that lives way way past its noodly progressive roots! Titles include "Lights IN My Mind", "The Only Earthman In Town", "To Play Your Little Game", "Time For Bed", and "Down Down". Asylum has an even fuller, more ambitious feel than the first album – and the lineup is expanded slightly to make some great room for the legendary Harold McNair on flute! Tracks are bold and focused – with great lead vocals from Angus Cullen, who sometimes sings in a jazzy mode – but other times comes off with a raspy, heartfelt quality – and there's almost a Moody Blues-esque sense of mysticism going on with some of the best tracks. Titles include "Munich", "Asylum", "Goodbye Post Office Tower Goodbye", "Let Them Come When They Will", "Summer Weekend Of A Lifetime", and "Survivor". CD

A stunning batch of tracks from a very unusual LA group of the early 70s – a funk combo at the core, but one that was also equally comfortable with bits of psych and redneck rock as well! The music here was all recorded within a short span of years, and mostly issued on the small Alpha label as a handful of funky 45s – but the style is surprisingly spacious, and shows a strong sense of musicianship from the members of the group – so much so that they seem equally comfortable and right on top of their game, no matter what direction they choose to take! And don't think that this multi-style description means that these guys are too all over the map, because there's a really unified sense of soul that holds the whole thing together – so that when they get a bit rootsy, the result is country soul – or when they get a bit trippy, they hit some Funkadelic-styled sounds. The collection includes great notes on the setting that produced these tracks – penned by Egon, who put the set together with help from Malcolm Catto, DJ Shadow, and others. Titles include "Don't Let Him Take Away Your Mind", "Strange Things", "Heaven & Earth", "Take Time", "We Got Love", "Waterloo At Watergate", "Why Don't You Trust In Me", "Cruising Central Ave", "The Dead Don't Die Alive", and "You're My Precious Someone". CD