Maybe our favorite album from Procol Harum – a set that adds in some wonderful use of strings to the group's unique style – almost moving forward on the promise of the earlier single "Whiter Shade Of Pale", moving into much deeper territory overall! There's something about Procol Harum on their early album's that's really indescribable – certainly an influence from blues and roots, but this really striking step forward with their song ideas and overall construction – not into jamming or progressive modes, like some of their contemporaries – although they're certainly never afraid to rock – but almost this balance between personal poetry and brashness, with kind of a slightly creepy current at times – as illustrated beautifully by the image on the cover. Titles include the completely wonderful "A Salty Dog", p0lus "Wreck Of The Hesperus", "Boredom", "The Devil Came To Kansas", "Too Much Between Us", "All This & More", and "The Milk Of Human Kindness". CD

Maybe our favorite album from Procol Harum – a set that adds in some wonderful use of strings to the group's unique style – almost moving forward on the promise of the earlier single "Whiter Shade Of Pale", moving into much deeper territory overall! There's something about Procol Harum on their early album's that's really indescribable – certainly an influence from blues and roots, but this really striking step forward with their song ideas and overall construction – not into jamming or progressive modes, like some of their contemporaries – although they're certainly never afraid to rock – but almost this balance between personal poetry and brashness, with kind of a slightly creepy current at times – as illustrated beautifully by the image on the cover. Titles include the completely wonderful "A Salty Dog", p0lus "Wreck Of The Hesperus", "Boredom", "The Devil Came To Kansas", "Too Much Between Us", "All This & More", and "The Milk Of Human Kindness". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe our favorite album from Procol Harum – a set that adds in some wonderful use of strings to the group's unique style – almost moving forward on the promise of the earlier single "Whiter Shade Of Pale", moving into much deeper territory overall! There's something about Procol Harum on their early album's that's really indescribable – certainly an influence from blues and roots, but this really striking step forward with their song ideas and overall construction – not into jamming or progressive modes, like some of their contemporaries – although they're certainly never afraid to rock – but almost this balance between personal poetry and brashness, with kind of a slightly creepy current at times – as illustrated beautifully by the image on the cover. Titles include the completely wonderful "A Salty Dog", p0lus "Wreck Of The Hesperus", "Boredom", "The Devil Came To Kansas", "Too Much Between Us", "All This & More", and "The Milk Of Human Kindness". CD

A bold step forward for the Rascals – and a record that really has them taking some great chances with their music! There's a definite psychedelic influence in the mix, but the sound is also more ambitious too – not just a scattering of elements borrowed from their contemporaries, but a real effort to find a new place for their music – with some wonderful results! The great Arif Mardin is firmly teamed with the group here on arrangements – filling in the rough ideas of the tunes with some near-perfect backings – and the vocals themselves have a quality that's much more deeply personal than before – moving past the simple soul themes of earlier years. Titles include "Silly Girl", "My World", "Easy Rollin", "Please Love Me", "My Hawaii", "I'm Gonna Love You", "Singin The Blues Too Long", and "Sattva". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful step forward for drummer Max Roach – working here in very creative company with saxophonist Anthony Braxton! Although Roach could have easily rested on his laurels as a famous bop drummer – and have spent endless years touring on highly-paid revival/reunion tours – he was a true creative giant who never stopped expanding his talents, especially during the late 70s, when he was matching up with some of the greats of the avant garde. This album is a perfect example of that commitment to modernism, as Roach duets with Anthony Braxton on a set of 7 fantastic tracks that stand apart from individual work by either artist – more loose and open than earlier Roach work, but a bit more inside than some of Braxton's – with fresh results from both players that never fail to delight! Titles include "Dance Griot", "Birth", "Tropical Forest", and "Spirit Possession". CD

A wonderful step forward for drummer Max Roach – working here in very creative company with saxophonist Anthony Braxton! Although Roach could have easily rested on his laurels as a famous bop drummer – and have spent endless years touring on highly-paid revival/reunion tours – he was a true creative giant who never stopped expanding his talents, especially during the late 70s, when he was matching up with some of the greats of the avant garde. This album is a perfect example of that commitment to modernism, as Roach duets with Anthony Braxton on a set of 7 fantastic tracks that stand apart from individual work by either artist – more loose and open than earlier Roach work, but a bit more inside than some of Braxton's – with fresh results from both players that never fail to delight! Titles include "Dance Griot", "Birth", "Tropical Forest", and "Spirit Possession". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's a real step forward for The Rolling Stones – a set that really marks the emergence of the Jagger/Richards team as a songwriting powerhouse for the 60s – and which has the group moving past bluesy roots into some nicely trippier territory at times! Everything from the previous years is still nicely intact – but the band are definitely on the way towards that Stones sound that made them very distinct from other blues-inspired UK acts of their generation – heard here in a mix of classic singles and overlooked LP tracks that include "Paint It Black", "Stupid Girl", "Lady Jane", "Under My Thumb", "Flight 505", "High & Dry", and "Going Home". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from The Rolling Stones – a set that still draws on all the bluesy roots of their best 60s material, yet which also shows a sharper, nastier edge as well! The album shows the tremendous sense of focus and power the Stones had in this crucial late 60s stretch – a bold step forward that would give them some of their most memorable moments ever, launched by this sublime set of tracks that includes "Sympathy For The Devil", "Street Fighting Man", "Dear Doctor", "Parachute Woman", "Prodigal Son", "Factory Girl", and "Stray Cat Blues". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from The Rolling Stones – a set that still draws on all the bluesy roots of their best 60s material, yet which also shows a sharper, nastier edge as well! The album shows the tremendous sense of focus and power the Stones had in this crucial late 60s stretch – a bold step forward that would give them some of their most memorable moments ever, launched by this sublime set of tracks that includes "Sympathy For The Devil", "Street Fighting Man", "Dear Doctor", "Parachute Woman", "Prodigal Son", "Factory Girl", and "Stray Cat Blues". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from The Rolling Stones – a set that still draws on all the bluesy roots of their best 60s material, yet which also shows a sharper, nastier edge as well! The album shows the tremendous sense of focus and power the Stones had in this crucial late 60s stretch – a bold step forward that would give them some of their most memorable moments ever, launched by this sublime set of tracks that includes "Sympathy For The Devil", "Street Fighting Man", "Dear Doctor", "Parachute Woman", "Prodigal Son", "Factory Girl", and "Stray Cat Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever from The Rolling Stones – a set that still draws on all the bluesy roots of their best 60s material, yet which also shows a sharper, nastier edge as well! The album shows the tremendous sense of focus and power the Stones had in this crucial late 60s stretch – a bold step forward that would give them some of their most memorable moments ever, launched by this sublime set of tracks that includes "Sympathy For The Devil", "Street Fighting Man", "Dear Doctor", "Parachute Woman", "Prodigal Son", "Factory Girl", and "Stray Cat Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone 70s classic in the Island Records catalog – proof that although the label was scoring big with some of their superstar acts, they still had a great ear out for groundbreaking reggae material! The mighty Max Romeo works here with Lee Scratch Perry in the studio – who gives him fantastic support, at a level that opens up really righteous currents in his music – a fantastic blend of the roots reggae spirit of Romeo and the studio genius of Perry! Romeo's soulful inflections matched perfectly to the dark, swampy Black Ark grooves – on titles that include "War Ina Babylon", "Chase The Devil", "Stealin'", "One Step Forward", "Smile Out Of Style", "Uptown Babies", "Tan And See", "Smokey Room", and "Norman". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great step forward for singer Alice Russell – an artist you might know best from heavier funk sets, but who comes across here in lean deep soul style that's even better for her incredible voice! In face, although we fell in love with Alice from her very first record many years ago, we'd kinda forgot how great she is – an error that's corrected strongly by this well-crafted album, which is also a set that may well catapult Russell into the world of superstardom! Titles include "Agreement", "Gravity", "Square", "I Am", "Things", "Sinner", "Light", "I See You", and "Rain". CD

A really great step forward for singer Alice Russell – an artist you might know best from heavier funk sets, but who comes across here in lean deep soul style that's even better for her incredible voice! In face, although we fell in love with Alice from her very first record many years ago, we'd kinda forgot how great she is – an error that's corrected strongly by this well-crafted album, which is also a set that may well catapult Russell into the world of superstardom! Titles include "Agreement", "Gravity", "Square", "I Am", "Things", "Sinner", "Light", "I See You", and "Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great step forward for singer Alice Russell – an artist you might know best from heavier funk sets, but who comes across here in lean deep soul style that's even better for her incredible voice! In face, although we fell in love with Alice from her very first record many years ago, we'd kinda forgot how great she is – an error that's corrected strongly by this well-crafted album, which is also a set that may well catapult Russell into the world of superstardom! Titles include "Agreement", "Gravity", "Square", "I Am", "Things", "Sinner", "Light", "I See You", and "Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of fantastic albums from Christian Scott – all packaged together! First up is Ruler Rebel – a fantastic step forward for trumpeter Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah – an artist who takes on a new name with this recording, and a vibrant new sound as well! Scott still plays trumpet, but he also works with some electronics and effects, too – in a group that mixes acoustic elements from piano, flute, and percussion with electric work on Fender Rhodes and guitar – all in a sound that's swirlingly soulful, and as enigmatic as you might expect! The music reaches back to some deeper roots, but reworks the sound completely with lots of contemporary elements – and Scott's trumpet takes on a new sort of majesty in the setting – maybe hitting the promise we first saw in his music years back, but with even more focus here. Titles include "Encryption", "The Coronation Of X A Tunde Adjuah", "The Reckoning", "Ruler Rebel", and "New Orleanian Love Song". Next is Diaspora – a set that has Christian Scott really opening with a new sense of pride and power after adopting the Atunde Adjuah name – and blowing here not just on trumpet, but also "reverse flugelhorn", sirenette, and siren – and also using some sonic architecture to open up and expand his sound! Rhythms are a compelling mix of drum programs and acoustic percussion – peppered with work on alto, Fender Rhodes, bass, guitar, and drums – in this groove that's much more sharp-edged and sonically compelling than most other projects of this nature. Titles include "Lawless", "Our Lady Of New New Orleans", "IDK", "Desire & The Burning Girl", "Completely", "No Love", and "The Walk". Last is Emancipation Proclamation – part of Scott's brilliant trilogy that has him reworking his sound even more than before – using his horn in both acoustic and electric settings, and mixing with bits of funk and deeper musical currents – all at a level that's vaguely in the territory of Don Cherry in the 70s, but served up with a vibe that's very much Christian's own! Rather than be buried in the mix of percussion, Fender Rhodes, and other horns here – Scott seems to be set free, and really opens up with both the space of his solos, and the style of his phrasing – which is even more personal than before. The other players are great, too – a shifting lineup who retain the same bristling energy throughout – on titles that include "Ashes Of Our Forever", "The Emancipation Procrastination", "AvengHer", "Cages", "New Heroes", "Videotape", "The Cypher", "Michele With One L", and "Unrigging November". CD

A fantastic step forward for trumpeter Christian Scott – an artist who takes on a new name with this recording, and a vibrant new sound as well! Scott still plays trumpet, but he also works with some electronics and effects, too – in a group that mixes acoustic elements from piano, flute, and percussion with electric work on Fender Rhodes and guitar – all in a sound that's swirlingly soulful, and as enigmatic as you might expect! The music reaches back to some deeper roots, but reworks the sound completely with lots of contemporary elements – and Scott's trumpet takes on a new sort of majesty in the setting – maybe hitting the promise we first saw in his music years back, but with even more focus here. Titles include "Encryption", "The Coronation Of X A Tunde Adjuah", "The Reckoning", "Ruler Rebel", and "New Orleanian Love Song". CD

A bold step forward for drummer Kendrick Scott – a set that bristles with way more sharp changes and soulful undercurrents than any of his previous work – and which almost feels nicely in the same vein as some of the best recent artists to step forth on Blue Note! The record is definitely jazz, but has a lot more going on, too – similar to recent records from Robert Glasper – and in addition to work on drums, Scott also sings a bit, and plays some keyboards – alongside main lines on Fender Rhodes from Taylor Eigisti, whose shimmering style really adds a lot to the set! The group also features tenor and bass clarinet from John Ellis, guitar from Mike Moreno, and bass from Joe Sanders – and Alan Hampton sings lead vocals on a few tracks too. Titles include "Cycling Through Reality", "Be Water", "Apollo", "Serenity", "Memory Of Enchantment", "We Shall By Any Means", and "Liberty Or Death". CD

The most sophisticated album to date from this wonderful musician – a set that has Sly5thAve working with a large ensemble of players who shift along from track to track – delivering a very righteous reading of his core musical ideas, at a level that feels even more powerful than anything else he's ever given us! Many know Sly as a soulful production talent – but here, he's showcasing himself more as a composer/arranger – mixing jazz with larger instrumentation, yet all still set to funky beats and rhythms that tie the whole project to his roots. The whole thing is a huuuuge step forward for the artist – as Sly5thAve plays saxes, flute, bass clarinet, and keyboards – with a huge lineup of players on trumpet, tenor, keyboards, trombone, bass, flute, and other instrumentation too. Two tracks have vocals – sung by MacKenzie on one cut, and Kyle Rapps on another – and titles include "Water Suite", "Liberation", "No No No", "Exodus", "Monoxide", "Proverbs", and "Actin Whyte". LP, Vinyl record album

A really massive package – one that features six full albums from Starpoint, plus 34 bonus tracks as well! The group began as a more conventional funk outfit, but by the time of these records, they'd really found a sound that was strongly their own – a way of taking older ensemble modes forward to the 80s generation, yet without losing any of the warmth and beating heart that made them so great in the first place! There's so many different elements that come into play that make these records great – including key lead vocal performances from Renee Diggs, and well-crafted production that kept things fresh from record to record. The package features loads of classics amidst the full albums within – including the cuts "It's So Delicious", "Don't Be So Serious", "Breakout", "Am I Still The One", "Let Go", "Restless", "Object Of My Desire", "He Wants My Body", "DYBO", "Another Night", "Touch Of Your Love", "Say You Will", "I Want You You Want Me", "Midnight Love", and "One Step Closer To Your Love" – and each album is expanded with bonus tracks that include all the rare single mixes issued at the time. CD

Sweet percolated soul from Suave – a singer who makes plenty of use of the new beats that were bubbling up in contemporary R&B – all to give his music a nicely crackling edge! The record's a great step forward from some of the clunkier 80s efforts of its style – in part because hip hop production had shifted into more sophisticated territory, which was also having an effect on mainstream soul – maybe not in a De La or Tribe sort of way, but certainly tying American work like this to some of the hipper currents of British soul. Titles include "Perfect", "Foolin Around", "Dog Me Out", "Got Me Goin", "Special Lady", "Shadows Of Time", "One & Only Lover", "Rocked Your Boots", and "Forever & A Day". CD

The Temptations on Atlantic Records – sounding different than their Motown years, and still pretty darn great! The group's got some wonderful help here from the team of Brian and Eddie Holland – still very much in fine fine form, and coming up with some backings that have a warm modern soul groove that really works great with the group's harmonies – a great step forward they might never have gotten at their previous label – almost handled here as if the Temps were some bold new discovery in soul, getting really top-shelf treatment. Otis Williams is firmly in place with a fine lead vocal, and there's a smooth grooving feel here that really matches the bigger Philly groups on Atlantic at the time. Titles include "That's When You Need Love", "Mystic Woman", "Ever Ready Love", "Touch Me Again", "I See My Child", and "You're So Easy To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A great step forward for Sarah Vaughan – a set in which she gets the same sort of "songbook" treatment that was really helping Ella Fitzgerald elevate her career at the same time! Backings are by Hal Mooney, who does a good job of bringing a bit of sophistication into the setting, but not at a level that's ever sleepy or overdone – a fair bit like the wonderful mode that Sarah would hit on her Roulette Records material to come! Jimmy Jones plays piano on most numbers, too. CD

A great little date – one that's presented here with a really classic sense of jazz vocal recording, but oddly the kind of record that Sarah Vaughn hardly ever got to make back in the 50s! The setting is spare and simple – backing by a quartet that includes Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, and Louis Bellson – but all players are nicely relaxed here, and never too uptight, or trying to over-express their place in the lineup – and instead step forward gently, quietly, to match Sarah's wonderfully mature vocals on the record. Titles include "Easy Living", "You're Blase", "More Than You Know", "Teach Me Tonight", "Body & Soul", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "Midnight Sun". CD

A great little date – one that's presented here with a really classic sense of jazz vocal recording, but oddly the kind of record that Sarah Vaughn hardly ever got to make back in the 50s! The setting is spare and simple – backing by a quartet that includes Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, and Louis Bellson – but all players are nicely relaxed here, and never too uptight, or trying to over-express their place in the lineup – and instead step forward gently, quietly, to match Sarah's wonderfully mature vocals on the record. Titles include "Easy Living", "You're Blase", "More Than You Know", "Teach Me Tonight", "Body & Soul", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "Midnight Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that strongly continues the special spirit that Grover Washington brought to his music during the Elektra Records years – as one of the few artists who really found a way to move forward from the style of 70s jazz funk, but not fall into some of the smoother jazz cliches that were about to envelop his contemporaries! Part of the strength of the record lies in Grover's strongly soul-based sense of timing – allowing for just the right amount of space between the notes to remind you that you're listening to a jazz soloist first and foremost, even when a guest like Patti Labelle might step in for a bit of vocals. Titles include "Brazilian Memories", "Mixty Motions", "Can You Dig It", "I'll Be With You", "Things Are Getting Better", and "The Best Is Yet To Come". LP, Vinyl record album

The incredible second album by The Wipers – a record that cements Greg Sage's status as not only a pioneering figure in Pacific Northwest punk/post punk songcraft, but also as one of the more innovative guitarists in that scene. Youth Of America carries on the surprisingly melodic, yet blazing intensity of the debut, but with richer guitar atmosphere. The 10+ minute title track is the biggest step forward in that regard, but the whole record is a underappreciated gem! Other titles include "Taking Too Long", "Can This Be", "Pushing The Extreme", "When Its Over" and "No Fair". LP, Vinyl record album

Jamila Woods already blew us away with her debut – but this second set has the singer ready to take on the world with a huge step forward in her style! Jamila caught us almost by surprise when she first emerged – a Chicago soul singer who wasn't on our radar, and who already had this fully-formed, completely unique style – but here, she embraces legacies of past musical and cultural inspirations, folding them into a instrumental settings created almost completely on her own, and which are topped by these shape-shifting lyrics that really live up to their references. The album shows a powerful, personal, and completely self-contained approach to the music – something that many of Jamila's contemporaries can hardly match – and titles include "Miles", "Baldwin", "Basquiat", "Eartha", "Giovanni", "Zora", "Betty", "Frida", "Sun Ra", and "Octavia". CD

An insanely fantastic lost chapter in the career of pianist Denny Zeitlin – a never-issued session of electric keyboards and vocals – put together with his famous trio of the 60s, but lost to the world for many decades! Zeitlin was a hell of a pianist right from the start, and he also had a great ear for electric experiments at points in his career – which here has him working on a Clavinet, Farfisa organ, and other instruments – as well as using his own effects to offset the sound of his own instrumentation, as well as the bass and drums! But maybe most interesting are the vocals created for the set – jazzy but offbeat lyrics that pop in and out of the tunes in this very cool way – used in the way that Steve Kuhn was experimenting with voice at the start of the 70s, but with a vibe that's maybe closer to the legendary sound of The Stark Reality! The album's definitely one that we'd put right up there with the best of those two famous references – and resonates too with work from David Axelrod, and some of the wilder Gary McFarland projects too – on titles that include "Gonna Take You Away", "2 Steps Forward 1 Step Back", "Free Piece", "The Wizard", and "The Name Of This Terrain". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of gospel from one of the greatest labels in the business – the early Excello Records, which later morphed into gospel powerhouse Nashboro, but already had a great ear for the best of the genre right from the start! Excello's roots in the south gave it key access to some of the best groups of the period – the kind of acts who were really pushing gospel forward with the same sort of inventive harmonies and richly expressive phrasing that secular acts were bringing to R&B and vocal group work at the time! The collection is wonderful – one of Ace's very well-done collaborations with Excello, still yet to be topped as a representation of that label's work – and titles include "On The Beautiful Shore" by The Hendrix Sisters, "Step By Step" by The Boyer Brothers, "In My Heart" by The Silvertone Singers Of Cincinnati, "I'm Waiting & Watching" by Sons Of The South, "After Awhile With Jesus" by Jewel Gospel-Aires, "One Day" by Sons Of The South, "Trust Him Today" by The Waldo Singers and "I Can Call Jesus Anytime" by The Young Gospel Singers. CD

Tremendous work from the Spanish scene of the 60s and early 70s – way more than just a batch of obscure jazz cuts, and instead a true testament to this very vibrant musical community! The package brings together some really special tracks from Spanish labels like Edigsa, Ensayo, Hispavox, and others – and really shows that in Spain at the time, there was musical growth that was every bit as strong as in better-known scenes in Germany, France, and Italy – a really rich step forward from American inspiration of the postwar years – into a world of freshly inventive rhythms, really imaginative solos, and some key local touches that really made the music sparkle! Not all players here are of Spanish origin, as the set also shows the key crossroads the scene was offering at the time – a wealth of wonderful hardbop, soul jazz, and modal numbers that include "El Cant Dels Ocells" by Catalonia Jazz Quartet, "Movimiento" by Lou Bennett, "Psique" by Juan Carlos Calderon, "Tema Per Alicia" by Jazz Group, "Asteriscs" by Nits De Jazz Al Jamboree, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, "Israel" by Modern Jazz Sextet, "Rememberance To Madrid" by Elia Fleta, "Marcha De Los Dioses" by Tino Contreras, and "Laberinto (2nd part)" by Vlady Bas. CD

A well-done look at London's V4 Visions label – a small but important label on the underground scene in the early 90s – one who was close enough to the ground to pick up all the best styles that were taking place at the time! British soul had a bit step forward at the end of the 80s, and had even entered the American mainstream with a few key acts – but there was still plenty of experimentation taking place underground – new takes on American styles, interwoven with new jungle modes from London – and sometimes even with the grittier electro quality of street soul of the decade before! You'll hear all that and more here, served up in the usual well-done Numero style – normally reserved for older soul music labels, but very well suited here to V4 – on titles that include "What's This World Coming To" by Ashaye, "Just Dreaming" by Julie Stapleton, "The Way I Love You" by Rohan Delano, "I'm Believing In Love Again" by Maureen Mason, "Get Off That" by The Wades, "All The Way (guitar mix)" by Julie Stapleton with Ashaye, "Endangered Species" by Endangered Species, "Joy In The Jungle" by Jungle Biznizz, "Inflight" by Rohan Delano, "Fantasy (insight mix)" by Insight with Ashaye, "Just A Memory" by Endangered Species, and "If This Is A Dream" by Maureen Mason. LP, Vinyl record album

Funky Bo Diddley – one of Bo's key early 70s sessions for Chess Records – all of which have him stepping out in a much harder groove than years past! The sound here is relatively tight – with Diddley guitar and vocals on top of some larger arrangements from Bob Gallo – backings that mix together sounds from contemporary rock and soul, but always with an ear for the roots that Bo inspired in the first place – put forward towards a new generation with nicely kicking rhythms and really fuzzy guitars! The standout number here is the break classic "Go For Broke" – a drum-heavy instrumental that's worth the price of the record alone – and other titles include the great original "Pollution", plus versions of "The Shape I'm In", "Down On The Corner", "Lodi", "Bad Side Of the Moon", and "Bad Moon Rising". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice, moody hip hop/funk album from one of the deepest talents on the Stones Throw roster! Dudley came to underground hip hop fame as Declaime, but really stepped forward as a durable, innovative artist with the Dudley Perkins singles that have dropped thus far – and A Lil Light soundly delivers on that promise. It's all about mood – this may be the murkiest, most muddily funky thing Madlib has ever produced, with crackly, hissing beats, bass and samples. Dudley's vocals are about as far from the crooning NuSoul sound as you can get. He's grooves along with an improvised feel to the lyrics, loosely scatting in both a rolling deep bass and a soulful, nearly crying falsetto. The sound falls somewhere between the denser parts of D'Angelo's Voodoo and the spacier aspects of 70s soul and funk. Totally unique and satisfying – would you expect any less of Stones Throw? Tracks include "Money", the Sun Ra-inspired "Gotta Go", "You Really Know Me?", "Washedbrainsyndrome", "Flowers", "Just Think", "Yo' Soul", "Momma", "Lil' Black Boy" and more. CD

The record where it all really came together for Fairport Convention – the point at which the already-great group really stepped forward to become something totally unique! By this point all the key elements are firmly in place – sublime vocals from the great Sandy Denny, amazing guitar and songwriting from the young Richard Thompson, and an overall approach to the music that was way more than folk – in the way the elements are layered together carefully, and build in these hypnotic lines that are completely amazing – almost modal in conception, but much more subtle – and the quality that really makes their work so unique. Titles include "Genesis Hall", "Autopsy", "Cajun Woman", "Percy's Song", "Million Dollar Bash", and "Who Knows Where The Time Goes". CD

The record where it all really came together for Fairport Convention – the point at which the already-great group really stepped forward to become something totally unique! By this point all the key elements are firmly in place – sublime vocals from the great Sandy Denny, amazing guitar and songwriting from the young Richard Thompson, and an overall approach to the music that was way more than folk – in the way the elements are layered together carefully, and build in these hypnotic lines that are completely amazing – almost modal in conception, but much more subtle – and the quality that really makes their work so unique. Titles include "Genesis Hall", "Autopsy", "Cajun Woman", "Percy's Song", "Million Dollar Bash", and "Who Knows Where The Time Goes". LP, Vinyl record album

The record where it all really came together for Fairport Convention – the point at which the already-great group really stepped forward to become something totally unique! By this point all the key elements are firmly in place – sublime vocals from the great Sandy Denny, amazing guitar and songwriting from the young Richard Thompson, and an overall approach to the music that was way more than folk – in the way the elements are layered together carefully, and build in these hypnotic lines that are completely amazing – almost modal in conception, but much more subtle – and the quality that really makes their work so unique. Titles include "Genesis Hall", "Autopsy", "Cajun Woman", "Percy's Song", "Million Dollar Bash", and "Who Knows Where The Time Goes". Includes two bonus tracks – "Dear Landlord" and "The Ballad Of Easy Rider". CD

A long-overdue package – one that finally brings together all the many strands of music from underground Cali rock legend Merrell Fankhauser! CD1 features some of Merrell's earliest music – a host of early singles by Merrell & The Exiles, some of which were issued on the Glenn and Golden Crown labels – mixed here with rare unissued titles too – for a whopping 19 tracks that offer up a rare look at Fankhauser's earliest years! CD2 features the classic Fapardokly record – a lost bit of legend from the west coast scene of the 60s – and a record that's maybe best-known as a showcase for the early genius of Merrell Fankhauser – who wrote most of the songs on the set, a good number of which were actually recorded for the record by his previous group, The Exiles! Yet despite that little bit of trivia, there's a great vibe going on here – a seminal shift in the Cali scene from garagey work to trippier modes – served up beautifully on titles that include "Glass Chandelier", "Suzie Cryin", "Tomorrow's Girl", "Lila", "Mr Clock", "No Retreat", "Gone To Pot", "When I Get Home", "Supermarket", and "The Music Scene". CD3 features the album Things, recorded by Merrell Fankhauser & HMS Bounty – a perfect blend of Fankhauser's earlier garage rock modes and latter trippier styles! The tunes are short and wonderfully tuneful – produced at Gold Star studios, with a simple, straightforward style that makes all the deftness of the songwriting come through even more – an approach that, although supposedly steeped in Pacific Ocean inspiration, almost feels more like that great moment when some UK groups of the mid 60s were tripping out, but not too much. Titles include "Lost In The City", "Your Painted Lives", "In A Minute Not Too Soon", "A Visit With Ashiya", "The Big Gray Sky", and "Rich Man's Fable". CD4 features MU – an incredible record, and one that really lives up to all its well-deserved legend over the years – one of those sets that's not just rare, but which has all the chops to really deliver the goods! A few short years before, Merrell Fankhauser was recording garage and psych on the LA scene – but here, he steps off the latter with a bit of post-60s hangover – working with a current of darkness that really changes things up, while still providing a great outlet for his legendary work on guitar – and his mindblowing sense of a lyric! Titles include "Ballad Of Brother Lew", "Eternal Thirst", "Too Naked For Demetrius", "Mumbella Baye Tu La", "The Clouds Went That Way", and "Nobody Wants To Shine". CD5 features MU's The Last Album – 20 more tracks recorded in 1974, but unissued for many years – and CD6 features the legendary Maui album from the enigmatic Merrell Fankhauser – a self-released set that drew inspiration from his time in Hawaii – even though the set was mostly recorded in LA and San Francisco! The tunes are beautiful – nicely evolved from Merrell's psych of earlier years, with a much more personal vibe – yet all without some of those west coast cliches that were creeping into more mainstream music of the period. You might get the vibe partly right if you could maybe imagine a more personal singer/songwriter take on the AOR vibe of the period – with leaner, better instrumentation and unslick production – but that's also only part of the picture too! Titles include "On Our Way To Hana", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Garden In The Rain", "Waterfall", "The Source", "Sail It Over The Ocean", and "We Were All Free". Box set features a very detailed book of notes – bonus tracks added to most of the albums, and a massive 95 tracks in all! CD

A wonderful little tribute to the late, great John Coltrane – served up as a piano trio session led by Tommy Flanagan, but done with a sense of power and imagination that rivals the strength of Trane's classics! All tracks here are originals by Coltrane, performed by Flanagan with a forceful approach to the piano that shows a bit more McCoy Tyner than usual – and which is propelled strongly on most numbers by bold rhythm work from the team of George Mraz on bass and Al Foster on drums. Foster's work on the kit is especially nice – quite bold, and really soaring forward with a sense of righteous energy – inspiring Flanagan to heights we've never heard before on a session like this. Titles include "Naima", "Giant Steps", "Syeeda's Song Flute", "Central Park West", "Mr PC", and "Cousin Mary". CD

A wonderful little tribute to the late, great John Coltrane – served up as a piano trio session led by Tommy Flanagan, but done with a sense of power and imagination that rivals the strength of Trane's classics! All tracks here are originals by Coltrane, performed by Flanagan with a forceful approach to the piano that shows a bit more McCoy Tyner than usual – and which is propelled strongly on most numbers by bold rhythm work from the team of George Mraz on bass and Al Foster on drums. Foster's work on the kit is especially nice – quite bold, and really soaring forward with a sense of righteous energy – inspiring Flanagan to heights we've never heard before on a session like this. Titles include "Naima", "Giant Steps", "Syeeda's Song Flute", "Central Park West", "Mr PC", and "Cousin Mary". CD

A double-length set from Chicago tenorist Chris Greene – but a package that may well not be enough to hold all the new ideas in his music! We've really watched Chris grow strongly over the past few years – and with this wonderfully well-crafted, rich-voiced album, he steps forward to a level that rivals some of the much bigger saxophone talents recording these days for labels like High Note or Criss Cross! Greene's always had a deep tone in his horns – one that draws from a Chicago tradition, but inflects it with some of the more contemporary modes of later players on the scene – like Eric Alexander, who Chris might be approaching with this set. The range of rhythms and song styles is great – never gimmicky, but expanding past standard expectations – so that Greene's group is playing Coltrane and Wayne Shorter one minute, then Martin Denny the next, then Ed Motta, then a huge batch of their own great compositions as well. Instrumentation is simple – Chris on saxes, plus piano or keyboards, bass, and drums – but there's some wide voices here that really make the album compelling – and the longer length very necessary to contain it all. Titles include "Firecracker", "Deluge", "Day of Honor", "Divers", "Solution", "Papuera", "Clean & Clear", "Institutional Samba", and "Nostalgia In Times Square". CD

Overlooked genius from Hampton Hawes – one of a number of excellent albums made during a late 60s stint on the European scene – and a set that really has Hamp pushing forward from his previous albums in the US! The tracks are wonderfully fluid – set fire with that Hawes style that was already magical at the start, but which really seemed to find a new sort of energy overseas – possibly here because of the excellent rhythms from Jimmy Woode on bass and Art Taylor on drums – also two players who were really coming into their own at the time. Hampton's got this great blend of lyricism and soulful swing – one that feels a bit like some of the MPS projects that Woode was recording at the time with other players, and which makes the album a real treasure in Hawes' catalog. Every cut save one is an original – and titles include "Sonora", "Blues Enough", "Black Forest", "Spanish Steps", and "Dangerous". CD

Overlooked genius from Hampton Hawes – one of a number of excellent albums made during a late 60s stint on the European scene – and a set that really has Hamp pushing forward from his previous albums in the US! The tracks are wonderfully fluid – set fire with that Hawes style that was already magical at the start, but which really seemed to find a new sort of energy overseas – possibly here because of the excellent rhythms from Jimmy Woode on bass and Art Taylor on drums – also two players who were really coming into their own at the time. Hampton's got this great blend of lyricism and soulful swing – one that feels a bit like some of the MPS projects that Woode was recording at the time with other players, and which makes the album a real treasure in Hawes' catalog. Every cut save one is an original – and titles include "Sonora", "Blues Enough", "Black Forest", "Spanish Steps", and "Dangerous". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful showcase for the arranging talents of Bill Holman – one that steps off with a more straightforward and swinging style than some of his work of the time for the Stan Kenton group! Holman here is in a great mode that bridges the large group styles of the swing years and the changes in big band sounds that would take place in the 60s – and he's almost prefacing the style of the Clarke Boland Big Band by writing charts here that pack a real punch on the ensemble passages, yet which also rely very strongly on breakaway horn solos to tear up the tunes! The strength of the players is a key factor in the success of the album – as soloists include Frank Rosolino, Jack Sheldon, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, and Holman himself – on titles that include "Kissin Bug", "You Go To My Head", "Far Down Below", "Aura", "Theme & Variation #2", and "No Heat". CD

The Hurley machine keeps heaving forward – stepping out here in a set of contemporary recordings, but with sounds that are as timeless as anything else we've heard from him before! The album begins with a haunting number that features just vocals and electric piano – but played in ways that are almost like hammered dulcimer – and two more cuts feature wonderfully spooky pump organ, pulsating in ways that make the music sound even moodier than ever. Other tracks feature acoustic guitar, but still mighty nice, with all the Hurley charm in the vocals – and titles include "The Corridor", "In The Morning", "Tea", "Meara O'Reilly", and "Shockoe Bottom". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that really has Ice T and Afrika Islam moving forward in a wonderful way – stepping things up from the already-great previous record, and pushing Ice well into the kind of superstar role that he'd follow up in coming years in so many ways! At the time, Ice T was part of the rising voice of the west coast – but also had more wit and focus than so many of his contemporaries – able to turn his rage and street experience into sly critiques that get past just swagger – and really thinking of things in the space of a full length album. Titles include "I'm Your Pusher", "Heartbeat", "High Rollers", "Girls LGBNAF", "Grand Larceny", "The Syndicate", "Radio Suckers", "Soul On Ice", and the iconic Glen Friedman cover! LP, Vinyl record album

The album that really has Ice T and Afrika Islam moving forward in a wonderful way – stepping things up from the already-great previous record, and pushing Ice well into the kind of superstar role that he'd follow up in coming years in so many ways! At the time, Ice T was part of the rising voice of the west coast – but also had more wit and focus than so many of his contemporaries – able to turn his rage and street experience into sly critiques that get past just swagger – and really thinking of things in the space of a full length album. Titles include "I'm Your Pusher", "Heartbeat", "High Rollers", "Girls LGBNAF", "Grand Larceny", "The Syndicate", "Radio Suckers", "Soul On Ice", and the iconic Glen Friedman cover! LP, Vinyl record album

Jiro Inagaki's definitely in the groove here – hitting hard with a sweet electric vibe, on a set that's easily one of his funkiest albums ever! The set's got a wicked mix of jazz and funk that's right up there with the best on 70s CTI or Kudu – but maybe even leaner overall, given the focused nature of the tunes – and their strongly rhythmic approach! Jiro's on both tenor and soprano sax, and also handles arrangements with Norio Maeda – and the set's especially heavy on Fender Rhodes and electric bass, carved up nicely by sweet guitar lines that almost have a Joe Beck sort of sound. Many tracks are originals, and all are definitely in a tight 70s mode – really stepping forward from some of the more formative funky years of Jiro's previous albums. Titles include "Joie De Vivre", "Crazy Medicine", "That's How I Feel", "Blue Blood", "Raven Speaks", and "Samba Chimba". LP, Vinyl record album

A great follow up to Mille Jackson's classic Caught Up album – but one that's also a key turning point too! The theme here is the same as the album before – with tunes that have a woman "caught up" in love and all of its tangles – but the sound is also bolder, more positive, and somehow more righteous than before – with Millie stepping from the weepy shadows very firmly into the mainstream – making a bold move forward for women in general in the process! Production is still by southern soul whiz Brad Shapiro – but he's also brightened things a bit too, in keeping with Millie's bolder spirit – shaking off some of the earthier tones of the music, and hipping things up slightly with some more modern instrumentation. Millie's vocals are completely wonderful throughout – rasping with that badass style that would later explode even more strongly – and there's lots of spoken bits that make the tunes sound even more personal – as if you're listening at the door, or tapping the phone while Millie's talking to her man! Titles include "Loving Arms", "Do What Makes You Satisfied", "Making The Best Of A Bad Situation", "The Memory Of A Wife", "Leftovers", and "Tell Her It's Over". LP, Vinyl record album

A great follow up to Mille Jackson's classic Caught Up album – but one that's also a key turning point too! The theme here is the same as the album before – with tunes that have a woman "caught up" in love and all of its tangles – but the sound is also bolder, more positive, and somehow more righteous than before – with Millie stepping from the weepy shadows very firmly into the mainstream – making a bold move forward for women in general in the process! Production is still by southern soul whiz Brad Shapiro – but he's also brightened things a bit too, in keeping with Millie's bolder spirit – shaking off some of the earthier tones of the music, and hipping things up slightly with some more modern instrumentation. Millie's vocals are completely wonderful throughout – rasping with that badass style that would later explode even more strongly – and there's lots of spoken bits that make the tunes sound even more personal – as if you're listening at the door, or tapping the phone while Millie's talking to her man! Titles include "Loving Arms", "Do What Makes You Satisfied", "Making The Best Of A Bad Situation", "The Memory Of A Wife", "Leftovers", and "Tell Her It's Over". Expanded CD features 2 bonus tracks – "The Memory Of A Wife (rehearsal version)" and "How Can I Make Sweet Love To You If You Won't Stand Still", which is an earlier version of "One Night Stand". CD

A great follow up to Mille Jackson's classic Caught Up album – but one that's also a key turning point too! The theme here is the same as the album before – with tunes that have a woman "caught up" in love and all of its tangles – but the sound is also bolder, more positive, and somehow more righteous than before – with Millie stepping from the weepy shadows very firmly into the mainstream – making a bold move forward for women in general in the process! Production is still by southern soul whiz Brad Shapiro – but he's also brightened things a bit too, in keeping with Millie's bolder spirit – shaking off some of the earthier tones of the music, and hipping things up slightly with some more modern instrumentation. Millie's vocals are completely wonderful throughout – rasping with that badass style that would later explode even more strongly – and there's lots of spoken bits that make the tunes sound even more personal – as if you're listening at the door, or tapping the phone while Millie's talking to her man! Titles include "Loving Arms", "Do What Makes You Satisfied", "Making The Best Of A Bad Situation", "The Memory Of A Wife", "Leftovers", and "Tell Her It's Over". Expanded CD features 2 bonus tracks – "The Memory Of A Wife (rehearsal version)" and "How Can I Make Sweet Love To You If You Won't Stand Still", which is an earlier version of "One Night Stand". CD

A pair of soul jazz guitar gems from the legendary Boogaloo Joe Jones – back to back on a single CD! First up is the first-ever album from one of our favorite jazz guitarists ever – the mighty Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones – the man who helped funky guitar find a whole new place in jazz with his albums for Prestige Records! This set's the first in that legendary run – and has Joe working in a style that's maybe a big straighter than in later years – but still more than wild enough to earn the "psychedelic" tag in the title! The record begins with some quartet tracks that really have Joe taking off – in a group with Ron Carter on bass, Ben Dixon on drums, and Richard Landrum on congas – then the set moves into some Hammond-based material with Limerick Knowles on organ, plus Alexander Witherspoon on electric bass and Bud Kelly on drums – obscure players overall, but who bring a nice edge to the record. Most of the cuts are covers, but the sound's nice and groovy, and Boogaloo Joe, as usual, is a great soloist – on titles that include "There Is A Mountain", "The Mindbender", "Games", "Sticks & Stones", and "Right Now". On My Fire, Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones steps forward strongly on his second set for Prestige Records – working with a nicely unified combo that includes the great Harold Mabern on piano, plus a bit of electric piano too – alongside tight rhythms from Peck Morrison on bass, Bill English on drums, and Richard Landrum on conga – all in a mode that's a mix of 60s soul jazz, and some of the wilder styles that Jones would pick up even more in a few records. A few tracks are nice and long, which allows for good solo space – and titles include "Light My Fire", "Time After Time", "Ivan the Terrible", "Take All", and "For Big Hal". CD

The title's a reference to a mis-heard Prince lyric back in the day – and it's clear that there's some influence from the purple one in the music – but at a level that's nicely distilled and taken into mellow-stepping territory that's mighty nice! The record's got a great way of bringing 80s elements future forward with a swirling sense of production – the intimacy of more personal projects by contemporary soul artists, who can deliver a grand vision of their own without needing to bring a full band into the studio! Tunes are trippingly soulful in a mighty nice way – and titles include "Sherbet Sky", "Arrive", "Pain Inside", "Peace Love Respect & Adoration", "Vilified", "Talk To You", and "All I Gotta Do". LP, Vinyl record album

The brilliant return of Rolf and Joachim Kuhn to Impulse Records – and a set that's every bit as their landmark album for the label in the 60s! As with that classic – Impressions Of New York – there's a sound here that's let free right from the start – bold stepping forward by both players, with piano and clarinet interwoven together in lines that are free, yet still have an inherent sort of pulse – guided subtly by the work of John Patitucci on bass and Brian Blade on drums! What's truly amazing is that the Kuhns sound as vibrant, urgent, and potent as ever – as if the passage of decades hasn't dimmed them a bit, and that they're still breaking down barriers of jazz with a record like this. Titles include "Girona", "Lion's Speech", "Mosquitas", "A Little Time Machine", "Light Year", and "Researching Has No Limits". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold brilliant statement from pianist Steve Kuhn – his next great record after the seminal Three Waves, and a record that pushes the envelope even further! From the title, you might think that Kuhn's playing some familiar 60s standards for MPS – but he's really working strongly in his own agenda here, stepping forward in strong new voice he was bringing to piano at the time, and even going a bit more outside than ever before. The trio includes Palle Danielsson on bass and Jon Christensen on drums – and although familiar, some of the titles have a sense of freedom that really transforms them. Titles include Burt Bacharach's great "Windows On The World", Michel Legrand's "Watch What Happens", Gary McFarland's "Once We Loved", Carla Bley's "Ad Infinitum", and Kuhn's own "Silver". Prestige US reissue of this MPS recording. LP, Vinyl record album

A bold brilliant statement from pianist Steve Kuhn – his next great record after the seminal Three Waves, and a record that pushes the envelope even further! From the title, you might think that Kuhn's playing some familiar 60s standards for MPS – but he's really working strongly in his own agenda here, stepping forward in strong new voice he was bringing to piano at the time, and even going a bit more outside than ever before. The trio includes Palle Danielsson on bass and Jon Christensen on drums – and although familiar, some of the titles have a sense of freedom that really transforms them. Titles include Burt Bacharach's great "Windows On The World", Michel Legrand's "Watch What Happens", Gary McFarland's "Once We Loved", Carla Bley's "Ad Infinitum", and Kuhn's own "Silver". CD

A beautifully bracing title from this hip Scandinavian trio – one of the best recent releases on the mighty Jazzland label – very much up to the high standards of the imprint! The group here is a slightly unusual one – a trio with violin from Ola Kvernberg, plus bass and drums – all played in a way that's quite different than other violin jazz on the European scene – much more sound-based and textural, with the violin working in a way that's still melodic, but not in conventional ways. The bass here is especially strong – a richly pulsating sound from the hands of Steinar Raknes, which really pushes most tunes forward into very dark space – and the drums aren't bad either, done by Erik Nylander, with a spare snap that further echoes out the space. Kvernberg also sings, howls, and claps a bit – but his main contribution is violin – on titles that include "Lament", "Song Before Breakfast", "Music For A While", "Octacgon", "Haifas Steps", and "Adaptation Suite". CD

You might know Dave Lee under his other name of Joey Negro, which has long been associated with some of the best clubby cuts on both sides of the Atlantic – but whatever the case, whoever the name, the man himself has always given us nothing but top-shelf work – a tradition that's definitely continued with this wonderful set! Dave/Joey has always had a really great ear for the classic – carrying forward the best sorts of 70s and 80s elements from the world of funk, club, and soul – all with a sense of perfection that rivals the work of bigger names like Incognito or Brand New Heavies, and always served up with a killer ear for the dancefloor! Here, Dave steps forth with a dozen new tracks under an array of various group names and projects – all produced with the love promised in the title, and a heavy dose of soul as well. Titles include "Do It Again" by Rare Essence with Lifford, "Starlight" by Dave & Omar, "Love Walked In The Room" by Jayenne with Gina Carey, "Raise A Blaze" by Foreal People with Xan Blacq, "Want Me Back" by Mistura with Jemini, "Power Of The Mind (power trip mix)" by Dave Lee with Billy Valentine, "Let's Do It In Style" by The Sunburst Band, "Taste My Love" by Dave Lee with Billy Valentine, "Face The Love" by The Sunburst Band with Angela Johnson, and "If You Ever Need Someone" by Mistura With Tiffany T'Zelle. 2CD version features a full bonus CD of remixes – 10 more tracks that include "After The Rain (Dave Lee destination boogie mix)" by Str4ta, "Don't Leave Me This Way (Dave Lee Philly World mix)" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Mountains (Dave Lee live & direct ext mix)" by The Vision with Adreya Triana, "Prospect Park (Dave Lee disco reshake)" by Prospect Park, "Use Your Imagination (Dave Lee reimagined mix)" by Kokomo, and "One Plus One (Dave Lee ext mix)" by Leroy Burgess. CD

A set that's brimming over with improvising jazz talent – but one that's an especially great reminder of the guitar genius of the great Arto Lindsay! Lindsay is amazing here – playing with energy to match the brilliance of Ken Vandermark and Joe McPhee – which is really saying a lot, and which has us almost feeling like a younger version of Arto's self stepped forward straight from the New York no wave scene, in order to create a pan-historical bridge with the improvising strengths of the Corbett Vs Dempsey universe! Drummer Phil Sudderberg is wonderful too – a master of sounds and moments – and the short tracks allow for plenty of sharp changes, and shifts in energy between each selection. McPhee blows alto, tenor, and pocket trumpet – and Vandermark is on tenor, baritone, and clarinet – on titles that include "The Push & Pull Beneath The Surface", "She Must Have Known", "Whether You Were There Or Not", "When I Lose Any Sense Of Perspective", and "The World's Longest Afternoon". CD

An amazing record – quite possibly one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, and a session that has Charles Mingus stepping boldly forward in a whole new direction! The album shakes loose the sometimes too-academic modern tones of Mingus albums from the previous year or two – and unleashes the bold, raw emotion that would drive him firmly into the 60s – a new sense of freedom in music, filled with poetry, anger, joy, and life! The tracks are all quite long – and played by a sharp quintet with Mingus on bass, Jackie McLean on alto sax, JR Monterose on tenor, Mal Waldron on piano, and Willie Jones on drums. Titles include "Pithecantrhopus Erectus", "A Foggy Day", "Love Chant", and "Profile of Jackie". The whole thing bubbles over with an anger and intensity that you hardly find in other Mingus albums, and if you've ever heard a weak Mingus album, and wondered what all the fuss was about, you owe it to yourself to own this one! We promise that it will never ever let you down. CD