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Tremendous work from the great Roy Brown – pulled from his groundbreaking years at King/Deluxe Records – and featuring very pure sound taken from original acetates in the vault! Brown is one of our favorite R&B singers ever – a vocalist with the range and skill of a jazz singer, but able to get down and dirty at a level that was a huge influence on later soul – and rock and roll as well. The package is way more than a greatest hits set, or just another Roy Brown collection – as it features close examination of his recordings in the years 1949 and 1950 – including work recorded in Texas, New Orleans, and Atlanta – and a good number of songs we'd never heard before. In the early years, King recorded directly to acetate discs, not tape – so these recordings are the purest, strongest versions of Brown's music you'll ever hear – served up with power that really beats some of the lower-end collections on the market – none of which feature this intense of a track selection either. Titles include "Fanny Brown's Wedding Day", "Special Lesson #1", "Love Don't Love Nobody", "Dreaming Blues", "Sweet Peach", "New Rebecca", "Butcher Pete (parts 1 & 2)", "End Of My Journey", "I Feel That Young Man's Rhythm", "Miss Fanny Brown", "China Blues", and "Cadillac Baby". CD

Killer 50's R&B – of the sort that will blow your mind if you never knew that the music could get this raunchy! Wynonie Harris' material alone is worth the price of the album – as it includes insane drunken hard-loving tracks like "Bloodshot Eyes", "Loving Machine", "Shake That Thing", and "All She Wants To Do Is Rock". CD

The battle here is almost no contest – given that both singers come out on top! The set's a classic in the Harris/Brown "battle" records for King – and includes a side each of amazing R&B vocal numbers by the singers – some really hard-edged stuff that's really at the top level of the genre at the time! Wynonie Harris is especially great – often as raunchy as soul and funk singers from later years – but Roy Brown is excellent too, and has a voice that really comes across with a great deal of power, with a lot more bite on his King recordings than his work for other labels. Harris numbers include "Man Have I Got Troubles", "I'll Never Give Up", "Drinking Blues", "Tremblin", and "Luscious Woman" – and Brown tracks include "Sweet Peach", "Hard Luck Blues", "Dreaming Blues", and "Wrong Woman Blues". CD

Although Roy Brown had a slightly softer edge than some of his King R&B contemporaries – he could definitely rock and wail when he wanted to, as you'll hear on this CD! The folks at Rhino have done a good job of digging through Roy's work at King, pulling together 18 tracks that have a fierce Wynonnie Harris-ish sound to them – no surprise, as King often had Brown and Harris splitting "Battle Of The Blues" albums together! Tracks include "Black Diamond", "Mighty Might Man", "Rockin At Midnight", "Cadillac Baby", "Hard Luck Blues", "Bar Room Blues", "Big Town", "Gal From Kokomo", "Beautician Blues", and the original version of "Good Rockin Tonight", which is a lot rawer than you'd expect! CD

A classic pairing of postwar trumpets – those of Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge, each given plenty of space to speak their piece here in the best Verve all-star tradition! The group's great too – with Herb Ellis on guitar, Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Louis Bellson on drums. The album's got some sweet stretched out tracks that feature the two trumpet giants really opening up! CD

A classic pairing of postwar trumpets – those of Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge, each given plenty of space to speak their piece here in the best Verve all-star tradition! The group's great too – with Herb Ellis on guitar, Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Louis Bellson on drums. The album's got some sweet stretched out tracks that feature the two trumpet giants really opening up! CD

Two great albums in the Verve Jam Session tradition – both featuring twin-trumpet leadership from Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge! Diz and Roy come together in a nice blend of two traditions – blowing in a relaxed mode that's less of the "battle" you might expect from the title – and more of a friendly exchange of solos, recorded in the open and laidback style of Verve at the time. The group features Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Louis Bellson on drums – and Dizzy himself even vocalizes a bit on the set! Tracks are mostly longish, with plenty of solo space, and the 10 titles include "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Algo Bueno", "The Heat's On", "The Ballad Medley", "Trumpet Blues", and "Blue Moon". CD

A fantastic album from trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire – a set that really kicks his career up to the next level, and which is easily the most powerful record he's ever given us! The music finds Ambrose in many moods, all of them righteous – sometimes blowing hard and fierce in a small combo, sometimes issuing out more personal statements in a more stripped-down setting – working with players that include Harish Raghavan on bass, Justin Brown on drums, and Sam Harris on piano – plus vocalist Genevieve Artadi on one especially beautiful number that features Akinmusire on Fender Rhodes! We've loved the music of Ambrose for many years – and this is one of those faith-rewarding sets that always makes it so wonderful to follow the career of any key jazz musician – as we hope you'll also find on titles that include "Roy", "4623", "Moon", "Tide Of Hyacinth", "Cynical Sideliners", and "Mr Roscoe". CD

A wonderful meeting of two of the biggest 50s talents on the drums – and a session that's great not only for the expected firey percussion, but also for the horn work by other members on the set! Given the "drum battle" style of the record, the tracks are long and very open – done in a studio mode that recalls some of the Krupa/Rich meetings at JATP, and like the JATP sides, featuring plenty of space for players to take longer solos. Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips, and Roy Eldridge get in some nice licks on the set – and other players include Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, and Ray Brown. Titles include "Gene's Blues", "Bernie's Tune", "Buddy's Blues", and "I Never Knew". CD also includes bonus tracks "Sunday" and "Monster". CD

Wonderful work from Harry "Little" Caesar – a singer who made some great R&B singles for the west coast scene in the 50s, but hardly ever got his due on the other side of the US! Harry's got a nicely rough edge in his vocals – a style that reminds us a lot of the best male singers at King, like Roy Brown or Wynonie Harris – and although Caesar's perhaps not as raw and raunchy as the latter, he often covers similar down-to-earth topics in his tunes – material that makes these sides a real joy to rediscover! As the title implies, the work here was recorded for a handful of different labels – Modern, Dolphin, and Downey – and together, the tunes paint a vivid picture of this under-discovered talent from LA – a picture that's expanded on nicely by Billy Vera's notes as well. CD features 26 tracks in all – including "Cadillac Baby", "Don't Mention The Blues", "Lying Woman", "Atomic Love", "Going Down To The River", "Move Me", "Personal Question", "Tried To Reason With You Baby", and "What Are They Laughing About" – plus numbers sung with The Turbans, including "The Nest Is Warm", "No No Cherry", and "Tick Tock A Woo". CD

A massive record – and an instant legend the day it was released! Masters At Work host the beautiful meeting of a host legendary artists – Roy Ayers, George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Jocelyn Brown, Vince Montana, and others – all united in a magical session that brings Latin firmly back to the dancefloor with the power and majesty of the best 70s recordings! The whole thing's amazing – a fantastic mix of Latin, funk, jazz, and house that's inspired a whole new generation of musicians – and which has still yet to be duplicated years later! Includes the massive remake of "I Am the Blackgold of the Sun", plus "Runaway", "Sweet Tears", and the great cover of Bob James' "Nautilus". CD

Attica Blues, and beyond – a great late 70s performance that has Archie Shepp turning the clock back towards that famous album – but also making some very new grooves with a richly expanded lineup! The double-length set was recorded in Paris, in front of a very lively crowd – and it's honestly one of Shepp's most dynamic records from the time – definitely inspired by all the freedom he'd had in the French scene for the previous decade – yet also brought together with a great sense of focus too. The lineup is excellent – with vocals from Joe Lee Wilson and Irene Datcher – trumpets from Malachi Thompson, Charles McGhee, and Roy Burrowes; trombones from Charles Greenlee, Dick Griffin, and Steve Turre; reeds from Marion Brown, James Ware, and Marvin Blackman; plus piano from Art Matthews, some added strings, great percussion, and piano, tenor, and soprano sax from Shepp himself! Ray Copeland directs the group – giving it the hip focus of his few key recordings like this – and titles include "Star Love", "Moon Bees", "Attica Blues" (in two parts), "Steam", "Quiet Dawn", "Hi Fly", "U-Jaama", "Ballad For A Child", "Simone", "Crucificado", :A Change Has Come Over Me", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", and "Skippin'". CD

Probably the most classic of Stitt's sides for Verve – and certainly the one that gets rated time and time again by jazz collectors. We think it's pretty darn great – although we always wonder why folks don't give Stitt's other sides for Verve as much of a chance, because they're all pretty darn excellent! The record's a very laidback session, with 4 long tracks that feature plenty of room for Stitt to meander along on his solos. The group includes Roy Eldridge, Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and Stan Levey – and titles include "The String", "BW Blues", and "Blues For Bags". CD

Music from The Honeycombs, The Supremes, The Dixie Cups, Don Covay, The Murmaids, Roy Orbison, The Kingsmen, The Shangri-Las, The Impressions, Maxine Brown, The Beach Boys, The Searchers, The Reflections, and more - 22 tracks in all. CD

22 songs from Bill Doggett Combo, the Flamingos, Joe Lutcher, Tiny Bradshaw, Wynonie Harris, Earl Bostic, Joe Lutcher, Roy Brown, Little Esther, the Dominos, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and more. CD

A set that really gets at the full spectrum of the boogaloo groove – not just the Spanish Harlem sounds of the Latin Soul generation – but also the deeper roots of the style from across the USA! "Boogaloo" is a term that most folks use to refer to that New York uptown fusion of Latin rhythms and soulful vocals – and while the NYC styles were key to its fame, the music also burst forth from lots of points west, too – and came together in a flurry of fast rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and hard-driving vocals that made for a completely infectious blend! This package is a fantastic testament to that mad musical moment – and is overflowing with a selection of gems that goes way past the obvious – not the Fania Records catalog that usually shows up on other boogaloo releases, but a huge batch of tracks from small labels and indie singles too. Titles include "Skate Boogaloo & Karate Too" by Lee Harris, "Block Party" by Jimmy Castor, "Boogaloo #3" by Roy Lee Johnson, "Do The Boo-Ga-Loo (part 1)" by Tom & Jerroo, "Playing It Cool" by Hector Rivera, "Ready Steady Go" by Prince & Princess, "Bar Kays Boogaloo" by The Bar-Kays, "What I Feel" by Richie & The PS 54 School Yard, "Have Some Boogaloo" by Timmy Thomas, "Bugalu" by Charlie Palmieri, "Boogaloo (part 1)" by The Bob & Earl Band, "Me & You Doing The Boogaloo" by Lou Courtney, "Boogaloo Zoo" by Shirley Butler, "Bugaloo Party" by Harold & Connie, "Boogaloo Investigator" by The Exotics, "Funky Funky Boogalo" by Jimmy Brown, and "Let's Do The Funky Boogaloo (part 1)" by Barry Jones. CD

A treasure box of early 60s R&B 45s – a top shelf collection of singles cut for the King & Federal labels from 1960 to 1964 – amazing numbers from Hank Ballard, Freddy King, The Drivers, Little Bobby Moore, Willie Dixon & The Big Wheels, Johnny Guitar Watson, Carol Ford, Little Willie John and more. Early 60s soul and rollicking R&B sides to rival the best and most exciting sounds of the era – compiled by DJ Mr Fine Wine, most of which have never been reissued before now! Includes "Gibble Gobble" by Willie Wright & His Sparklers, "Broadway" by Hank Ballard, "What Makes You So Cold" by Lulu Reed, "My Nerves" by Little Willie John, "The Slummer The Slum" by The 5 Royales, "I Don't Know About You" by Lloyd Nolan, "Where You At Jack" by Little Mummy,, "That's It Man" by The Valentines, "Mind Your Own Business" by Eugene Church, "Regardless" by Charles Brown,, "Texas Oil" by Freddie King", "One Zippy Zam" by Roy Mildton & His Orchestra, "Mom, Won't You Teach Me To Monkey" by Little Emmett Suttoon, "Hog Killin Time" by Eddie Kirk and more. CD

Music from Bob Andy, Derrick Harriott, Freddie McKay, Val Bennett, Keith & Tex, U Roy, Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown, Big Youth, I Roy and more. CD

Music from Hank Williams, T Bone Walker, the Ravens, Paul Williams, Roy Brown, Hank Snow, Howlin' Wolf, Peppermint Harris, the Larks, Rosaco Gordon, Johnny Ace, the Drifters, and more. CD

The original album of lovely clarinet work by Buddy DeFranco –backed by Oscar Peterson's quartet – plus a mammoth bonus number that runs nearly half an hour! The players includes Ray Brown on bass, Herb Ellis on guitar, and Louis Bellson on guitar. The tracks are open-ended, in that swinging Verve style used on the best mid 50s LPs – and while the Peterson group doesn't work in the same soul style of some of DeFranco's recordings with Sonny Clark, they make up for it with their own light touch that helps DeFranco take some chances on his solos! Titles include "Sweet & Lovely", "Fascinating Rhythm", Pick Yourself Up", "Love For Sale", and "Easy To Love". As a bonus track for this edition you get the 23+ minute "Lullaby In Rhythm" – recorded with the same personel plus all star winds Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Harris and Flip Phillips – with great soloing throughout! CD

A great little session that builds on the strength of Johnny Hodges' small group 50s sessions for Verve – and which lets Duke Ellington in on some of the action! The format is nicely stripped-down throughout – featuring Hodges in sextet and septet formation with players who include Ben Webster on tenor, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Les Spann on flute, Lawrence Brown on trombone, and Jo Jones on drums. Surprisingly, Duke's actually only on piano on three tracks on the album – Billy Strayhorn handles keys on the other – but the session's still a great example of small combo Ellingtonia at its best, the special way Ellington players could extrapolate his ideas into a leaner formation on a record like this! Titles include "Ruint", "Stompy Jones", "Big Shoe", "Going Up", "Just A Memory", and "You Need to Rock". CD

The essence of Duke Ellington – but in the hands of William Parker, it's a very different thing than you might expect! The group here is larger than usual for Parker – a great ensemble used in ways that definitely echo some of Ellington's more inventive scoring, especially his mature use of tone and color – yet both the solos and ensemble moments go way way farther than anything the Duke might have imagined – all the bold, righteous brilliance that we've come to love in Parker's own recordings – focused back on one of his greatest inspirations. The lineup is quite impressive – as musicians include Roy Campbell on trumpet, Ras Moshe on tenor and soprano, Rob Brown and Darius Jones on alto, Sabir Mateen on clarinet and tenor, Steve Swell on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, Hamid Drake on drums, and Parker himself on bass – and titles include "Take The Coltrane", "Essence Of Sophisticated Lady/Sophisticated Lady", "Caravan", "Essence Of Ellington", "Take The A Train/Ebony Interlude", and "Portrait Of Louisiana". CD

Features Susie Ibarra, Roy Campbell, Rob Brown, and Steve Swell. CD

One of the key records from the Detroit Tribe Records scene of the 70s – a masterful blend of spiritual jazz and deeper ideas, and maybe the greatest record ever cut by trumpeter Marcus Belgrave! The set was originally issued on the Gem Eye label in 1974, in a pressing of only 1000, the record's done nothing but increase in legend since – and for good reason too, given that the Tribe pressing got wider circulation, and other reissues have really helped establish the legend of the music! The groove picks up in the same domain as the better Art Ensemble Of Chicago records of the late 60s and early 70s – with the rubbery funk electric bass lines and celestial groove of the funkier moments, but deeper sounds of more spiritual points too. Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave plays in a beautiful ensemble, packed with Tribe labelmates – Wendell Harrison on tenor sax & percussion, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Harold McKinney on electric piano. Roy Brooks and Billy Turner are on drums and percussion, and the expansive vibe is fleshed out with the help of Lorenzo Brown on bongos and Daryl Dybka on mini Moog. The record includes Belgrave's beautiful epic "Space Odyssey", which has a long flowing cosmic groove, nice electronics, and haunting trumpet solos. Other cuts include "Gemini II", "Marcia's Opal", "Glue Fingers (Parts I & II)", and "Odoms Cave". CD

A stone killer from the legendary 5 Royales – one of the greatest groups to ever record for King Records in the 50s, and a key force in helping move things forward from doo wop to soul! The balance between Lowman Pauling's lead and the harmonies is amazing – a big inspiration on the young James Brown & The Famous Flames – and many cuts have this hard guitar used in a very rhythmic way, which creates a groove that few other groups could touch! The tracks all have a great hard-edged sound, with little of the schmaltz that can sometimes date these albums a bit too much – just lots of raw group vocals that definitely pave the way for 60s soul, but also have a stronger 50s R&B current in the background! The material is very rootsy soul stuff – and titles include "One Mistake", "Mine Forevermore", "Wonder Where Your Love Has Gone", "I Know It's Hard But It's Fair", and "Get Something Out Of It". CD

A mid-90's trio date captured in Portland, Oregon with Jessica Williams on piano and Mel Brown on drums. Tracks include "Sunny Side Of The Street", "Cold Duck Time", "Makin' Whoopee", and "Birks Works". CD

One of the first larger concept albums from Oliver Nelson – and a set that really marked a strong step forward as a jazz arranger! The album is one long suite – as you might guess from the title – with righteous themes that deal not just with rising independence in postwar Africa, but also the Civil Rights struggle in the US – performed by a superb lineup that includes Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Eric Dixon on flute and tenor, Joe Neman and Ernie Royal on trumpets, Melba Liston and Billy Byers on trombones, Patti Brown on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Ray Barretto on congas. Nelson is fantastic too – and blows tenor and alto with some fantastic moments. Passages of the suite include "Disillusioned", "Freedom Dance", "Emancipation Blues", and "Jungleaire". CD

Two classic albums from the great Sonny Rollins – both made during some time on the LA scene of the late 50s, and matched here with a more obscure third album that issued alternate sides from the sessions! First up is the classic Way Out West – a set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". Next is Sonny Rollins & The Contemporary Leaders – one of Sonny's brilliant west coast sessions for Contemporary – records that shouldn't sparkle as much as they do, but which actually stand with his best work of the 50s! Sonny's blowing in front of a session of "leaders" that includes Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, and Victor Feldman, who plays vibes on one track. Sonny's the real leader here, though – as his bold, proud tenor tone really takes front seat, carving lines that never get tired, bringing a sparkle into tunes like "You", "How High The Moon", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Song Is You", and "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". Heck, even with songs like those, the album should be weak – but there's an undeniable magic that really makes it great! Last is Contemporary Alternate Takes – a great collection of alternate takes from Sonny's landmark recordings for Contemporary Records in the late 50s – material recorded in LA with an easier-swinging groove than some of his New York work, in a style that let Sonny blow in round, warm, and really open tones – almost foreseeing his work for RCA in the mid 60s. Players include Ray Brown, Shelly Manne, Victor Feldman, and Barney Kessel – and the set features alternate takes of "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Come Gone", "Way Out West", "The Song Is You", and "You". CD

An excellent set of recordings from a unique moment for the Xanadu Records label – an imprint that was carrying the torch of the Prestige label style well into the 70s – also run by that label's old head, Don Schlitten! The tracks here were all recorded live in Dakar – by a tight quintet that features some of the best Xanadu players at the time – both Al Cohn and Billy Mitchell on tenor, plus Dolo Coker on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Frank Butler on drums. Mitchell is especially wonderful – an excellent soloist who was often lost in larger groups throughout his career, but who really got the chance to shine in the bigger, more open space of the small group sides. Both he and Cohn blow at some of their best levels for the performances – and titles include "Night Flight To Dakar", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", "Blues Up & Down", "Sweet Senegelese Brown", "Robbins Nest", "Blues In The Closet", "Easy Living", and "The King". CD

Don't think rock – think rhythm 'n' blues – with music from the Nutmegs, Louis Jordan, Shirley & Lee, the Five Royales, Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters, Little Walter, Joe Liggins, Nappy Brown, Johnny Ace, the Clovers, Five Keys, Billy Ward, and more! CD

A massively expanded version of a legendary album – presented here as a 2CD set, with 22 tracks that appear on CD for the first time ever! At the core is the original Dubbing With The Observer album, the first-ever dub album from Niney The Observer – based around rhythms he'd cooked up for Dennis Brown, Max Romeo, and Delroy Wilson – all transformed completely in the studio by King Tubby! The sounds here are often very abstract – light years away from the originals – and given these spacey, repetitive cycles that seem to trip out even more than conventional dub! A landmark little record, and one that sounds even darker all these many years later – with cuts that include "Casanova Dub", "Rebel Dance", "Jam Down", "Parade Dub", "Turntable Dub", "Corn Man", "Mister D Brown Skank", and "Youth Man". The set then goes way way deep, with 37 more bonus tracks, that really take off as a magnificent demonstration of Niney's skills in the studio – all presented here with very detailed notes that really get at this important moment of genius in the history of dub! CD

A seminal Dee Jay LP from Jah Youth. Mad, bad riddims – courtesy Gussie Clarke, Big Youth's prowess on the microphone and a smattering of nice dub like effects blend to create a landmark early 70s reggae LP, forever raising the bar for DeeJays. Includes the original LP with 10 tracks: "The Killer", "Screaming Target", "Tipper Tone Rock", "Pride & Joy Rock", "Lee A Low", "Honesty", "I Am Alright", "These Fine Days", "Be Careful" and "Solomon A Gundy", plus 14 bonus tracks on this CD edition, with a number of the original versions of the tracks, including "Origan Style" by Augustus Pablo, "Pride & Ambition" by Leroy Smart, "Their Own Way" by Dennis Brown, "Rhythm Style" by Simplicity People, "Skylarking Version" by the Society Squad, "Slaving (Every Day)" by Lloyd Parks,"No More Slavery" by Glen Brown, and "I Am Alright (aka Loving Pauper)" by Gregory Isaacs. CD

An unusual large group recording from this legendary pianist from the Three Sounds – definitely done in a Basie mode, with Gene on piano – and other players who include Jon Faddis and Snooky Young on trumpets, Marshal Royal on alto, Bob Cooper on tenor, Jack Nimitz on baritone, Thurman Green and Garnett Brown on trombones, Herb Ellis on guitar, and Ray Brown on bass. CD

Rare dancefloor soul on King Records – and another crucial look at a side of the label that's beloved by the most devoted of 60s & 70s soul seekers – but it's deeply overlooked by the mainstream! Volume 3 is the best yet in the series – partly because they're found some stellar proto-funk treasures that work just as strongly with the Northern Soul community – and also because there's some really great stuff here that paves the way for some of our favorite 70s soul! It's heavy with singles released from 1968 to 1971 – by Marva Whitney, Mill Evans, Charles Spurling, Mary Johnson, Royal Flush, The Presidents, Willie Hatcher, The Brownettes and many more! 24 tracks in all: "Unwind Yourself" by Marva Whitney, "Right Now" by Mill Evans, "Popcorn Charlie" by Charles Spurling, "Thunder" by Lord Thunder, "Name In Lights" by Freddie Williams, "You Have My Blessings" by Mary Johnson, "Mama's Baby" by Royal Flush, "Something You Didn't Done" by Mike Williams, "When We Get Together" by Otis Williams & His Charms and many more. CD

Howard McGhee and his trumpet team up with pianist Phineas Newborn, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and Shelley Manne on drums for this great early 60s session. The record features the McGhee original "Demon Chase" and two Teddy Edwards songs, "Sunset Eyes" and his salute to McGhee "Maggie's Back in Town." McGhee himself pays tribute to one of his favorite trumpet players, Clifford Brown by doing Brown's "Brownie Speaks." Other titles include "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," "Willow Weep for Me" and "Summertime." CD

The original version of this landmark album in Jamaican music – a set that's not just a very early showcase for the instrumental talents of the Skatalites, but also the growing wave of new talent coming up on the scene! Unlike later versions, which focus mostly on the Skatalites work – this set also brings equal focus to some key singers – young artists who include Jackie Opel, Delroy Wilson, The Gaylads, The Maytals, and even a young Lee Scratch Perry! Throughout the set, the Skatalites are wonderfully wicked – sharp-edged, and with lots of jazzy inflections – thanks to the work of Tommy McCook and Roland Alphonso on tenors, each of whom also get time in the solo spotlight on the instrumentals – plus the great Don Drummond on trombone, Jackie Mittoo on piano, Jerry Hines on guitar, and Lester Sterling on alto. Titles include "Freedom Sounds", "Brown Skin Girls", "Lee Oswald", "Rolling Down", "Ska Ba", "Sammy Dead", "Wondering Now", and "Turn Your Lamp Down". CD

Sonny Terry may be the king – but his vocals and harmonica are working here with a real "royal court" of blues – Lightnin Hopkins and Brownie McGhee on guitar, each of whom set a side of the record – alongside Terry, plus bass from Leonard Gaskin and drums from Belton Evans. CD

Philadelphia has always had a strong legacy of amazing jazz musicians – so much so, that sometimes really great players sometimes get overlooked! That's definitely the case with the young DB Shrier here, a tenorist who's got a fresh modern sound that's all his own – not free jazz, but different than earlier modern styles too – stretched out with a new sense of space, and done with a very cool group of equally hip younger players too! Probably the biggest name in the group is bassist Tyrone Brown – a player who'd go on to do a number of great records over the years – and the rest of the lineup features William Roye on drums and Mike Michaels on piano. Michaels contributed a very cool Indian-inspired tune to the set, titled "Raveesh" – and other titles include Brown's "East", plus versions of "Blue Lights", "These Foolish Things", and "All Blues". CD features bonus material – "Steeplechase", "Opus #3", "Indiana", "Helene", and "Just You Just Me". CD

A pair of King Jammy sets, both making their CD debut – and presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is The Exit – a stunning set from Dennis Brown, and the kind of record that shows why he was one of the most soulful singers of the early digital scene! King Jammy put the set together, and uses all these bits borrowed from dub, but in a sparing way – so that Dennis is allowed to step out strong, in a very straightforward way – crafting these wonderful vocals next to sweet electro bits and warmer rhythms – on titles that include "The Exit", "Too Late", "Dance All Night", "Tracks Of Life", "We Should Make Love", and "Material Girl". Added to the set is another great Jammy's production, but one that was never released at the time – the album Hold Your Corner, with vocals from Al Campbell – a mighty great singer, and one with a sweetly crackling style! Titles on that record include "Hot Love", "Big Wheel", "Equalise It", "Stop You Fussing & Fighting", and "Buss Them Shut". The CD also features four more Jammy's productions – on cuts that include "She's Done With It" and "I Love You" by The Mighty Rudo, and "She Only Want Something" and "Crucial Lover" by Leroy Smart. CD

A rootsy blues 2-fer – with two rare Prestige Blues sessions on a single CD! First up is Blues & Folk – a set with a very appropriate title, given the earthy feel of the music – mostly just guitar from Brownie McGhee and harmonica from Sonny Terry – plus vocals by both! There's a really laidback, back-to-the-delta sort of sound here – all acoustic, and a real change from the electric blues that was coming out in the mainstream at the time. Titles include "Gone Gal", "Red River Blues", "Sonny's Squall", "Tryin To Win", "Too Nicey Mama", and "Meet Me Down The Bottom". Next is Blues All Around My Head – very stripped down material from the team of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – recorded during the pair's big revival with the folk blues crowds of the 60s! The sound is all acoustic – mostly just vocals, guitar, and harmonica – played with a timeless quality on titles that include "Muddy Water", "My Plan", "Trying To Destroy Me", "Jealous Man", "Understand Me", and "Blues Of Happiness". CD

One of James Brown's earliest full albums for King Records – and a set that kicks off with his monstrous reworkin of the tune "Think" – originally recorded by the Five Royales, but recast here by James as the blueprint for all the funky goodness in years to come! That track really sets the scene for the record – and James follows up with some other harder, sharp-edged tunes – offset by a few more deep-burning mellower soul tracks. Other titles include "You've Got The Power", "If You Want Me", "So Long", "Baby, You're Right", "I'll Go Crazy", "Good Good Lovin", and "I Know It's True". Reissued with the great original cover, too! CD

Cannonball Adderley and Earle Warren on alto saxophone, Jerome Richardson on baritone saxophone and flute, Ray Brown and Sam Jones on bass, Ray Brown on cello, Nat Adderley on cornet, Albert Heath, Grady Tate, and Osie Johnson on drums, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Wild Bill Davis on organ, Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Danny Bank, Jimmy Heath, Phil Woods, and Robert Ashton on reeds, Budd Johnson and Seldon Powell on tenor saxophone, Yusef Lateef on tenor saxophone and flute, Britt Woodman, Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston, Paul Faulise, Tom McIntosh, Tony Studd, and Urbie Green on trombone, Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Joe Newman, and Snooky Young on trumpet, Milt Jackson on vibraphone, and Marion Williams on vocals. CD

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Recordings from 1946 through 1950 – with sidemen that include Charles Brown, Johnny Moore, Eddie Williams, Ernie Royal, Pee Wee Crayton, Tyree Glenn, Russell Procope, Oscar Pettiford, Wendell Marshall, and others! CD