Includes "Rock This Town", "Stray Cat Strut", "Rumble In Brighton" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Rock This Town", "Stray Cat Strut", "Runaway Boys", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The lost second album from Stray – a very cool UK group who've got a sound that's very different than most of their contemporaries on the Transatlantic label – much heavier work on electric guitars, and a fair bit of hard rock elements – but fleshed out with a style that's very much their own! The drums are nice and heavy, and the bass has some heavy fuzz on the best tracks – but those are also mixed with some more thoughtful instrumentation on guitars and keyboards from Del Bromham, who penned most of the tunes, and shares vocals with singer Steve Gadd. Titles include "Son Of The Father", "Suicide", "Run Mister Run", "Do You Miss Me", and "Where Do Our Children Belong". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great set from the John Abercrombie Quartet – that late 70s group that seemed to find one of the best matches for John's unusual phrasing on the guitar – with round, warm work on bass from George Mraz, equally great piano from Richie Beirach, and drums from Peter Donald. The songs are a mix of melodic moments and more chromatic shades – and titles include "Blue Wolf", "Dear Rain", "Stray", "Madagascar", "Foolish Dog", and "Riddles". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal live set by a young Albert Ayler – an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that hardly leaves room for complaints about the shortness of the album! The single track "Bells" was performed at Town Hall by Ayler with a group that includes Donald Ayler on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Sunny Murray on percussion – all coming together in a raw, real sense of freedom – beautifully explored here without ever getting too overindulgent. The tune may well be one of the greatest illustrations of the ESP format at its best – as Ayler and company never stray too far, but carve out some incredibly imaginative space through their starkly-blown horn solos! LP, Vinyl record album

With guests Nick Lowe and the Stray Cats! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little set for Sister Sledge – their first post Nile Rodgers album of the 80s – with production this time out by Narada Michael Walden – with a crisp, uptempo vibe the does a great job of balancing the righteous post disco club groove with the sing-a-long chorus vocals and catchier compositions that made the Sisters famous! Narada doesn't stray too far from the Chic-styled sound of the previous couple of records – with some really catchy songs that hint at the cleaner pop sound of later records with retaining the dancefloor groove. Sweet stuff from Sister Sledge! The sequencing of the record is top notch, each track floating into the next, with the tunes "All American Girls", "He's Just A Runaway", "If You Really Want Me", "Next Time You'll Know", "Happy Feeling", "Ooh, You Caught My Heart", "Make A Move", "Don't You Let Me Lose It", "Mais Makes Me Feel Good" and "I Don't Want To Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring their Billboard number one hit, "Babe"! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "What's Now", "Men And Women", "Road Song", "Times We Shared", "Good News", "Desert Ride", "Tip Away", "Stray Birds", "Maisha", and "Paysages". LP, Vinyl record album

With tracks from Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Stray Gators, The Tony & Susan Alamo Christian Foundation Orchestra & Chorus. LP, Vinyl record album

An important early 70s live album from Neil Young – in part because it contains some fresh material, not just live takes of studio songs – and stands at a pivotal time in Young's career and creative development! Neil gets support from the Stray Gators, and the set also features guest appearances from Graham Nash and David Crosby – but it's the melancholia of Young that really dominates the record – almost as if he's sheepish about bringing out some of the new songs, which only seems to give them more resonance overall. Titles include "The Bridge", "Yonder Stands The Sinner", "Time Fades Away", "Journey Through The Past", "LA", "Don't Be Denied", "Love In Mind", and "Last Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

An important early 70s live album from Neil Young – in part because it contains some fresh material, not just live takes of studio songs – and stands at a pivotal time in Young's career and creative development! Neil gets support from the Stray Gators, and the set also features guest appearances from Graham Nash and David Crosby – but it's the melancholia of Young that really dominates the record – almost as if he's sheepish about bringing out some of the new songs, which only seems to give them more resonance overall. Titles include "The Bridge", "Yonder Stands The Sinner", "Time Fades Away", "Journey Through The Past", "LA", "Don't Be Denied", "Love In Mind", and "Last Dance". Includes the bonus track "Last Trip To Tulsa". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that really digs deep into the British scene of the early 70s – a package pitched around the idea of opening acts for supergroups at a rock festival, and one that serves up a whole host of groups who never fully got their due on our side of the Atlantic at the time! These aren't underground or experimental groups – and most recorded for major labels – but they also weren't chart-topping acts, or those that have gone into the classic rock pantheon – which makes for a really great discovery to most ears not fully acquainted with this moment in UK rock! The set was put together by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – who've given us other seminal sets of UK music from the 70s, and groovy 60s compilations too – and they really do a great job here of setting the scene, and picking the best cuts from groups who are top-shelf in their effort and execution. As always with the pair, the notes with the set are as illuminating as the music – and titles include "Taken All The Good Things" by Stray, "Out Demons Out" by Edgar Broughton Band, "One Way Glass" by Manfred Mann Chapter Three, "Hold On To Your Mind" by Andwella, "Big Boobs Boogie" by Slowload, "Third World" by Paladin, "For Mad Men Only" by May Blitz, "Met Pies Ave Come" by Stack Waddy, "Ricochet" by Jonesy, and the surprising inclusion of some rocking KPM sound library tracks – including "Hot Pants" by Alan Parker & Alan Hawkshaw, "Led Balloon" by Steve Gray, and "Confunction" by Dave Richmond. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark live set from the Rolling Stones – featuring material from their smoking tour of 1969! The set really captures the Stones at their most nasty – that great turning point when their edge was maybe sharpest of ever, right in the best Let It Bleed mode – but with even more raw energy from the live setting. Titles include "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Love In Vain", "Carol", "Live With Me", "Street Fighting Man", "Sympathy For The Devil", "Little Queenie", "Honky Tonk Women" and "Stray Cat Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of David Newman's grooviest albums of the 60s – a stripped-down set that features a quartet with Hammond and guitar – all in a vibe that's a bit more relaxed than some of Newman's other sessions for Atlantic! There's a gritty edge to the record – with organ by the obscure Kossie Gardner, and a young Ted (listed as "Tod") Dunbar on guitar – in a combo that also features Milt Turner on drums. This less "iconic" presentation seems to open up a new side of Newman's tenor (as well as flute) – and titles include a great version of Cedar Walton's "The Holy Land", plus the Newman originals "Little Sister", "Blue New", "Miss Minnie", and "House Of David". 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

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 pretty sweet 70s session from Michal Urbaniak – done in the same heavy funk style as his bigger label recordings of the time, with a solid blend of electric rhythms and some nice trippy solo work! The core of the group is Urbaniak on violin and lyricon, Urszula Dudziak on voice and percussion, and the great Zbigniew Namyslowski on alto sax and flute – and Kenny Kirkland adds more than a few nice touches on Fender Rhodes and mini moog. Jamming is at a minimum, and the tunes really keep a strong rhythmic pulse – making for a good set that's filled with jazz funk groovers! Titles include "Stray Sheep", "Always Ready", "Jasmine Lady", "Strife", and "Tie Breaker". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Stray Cats, Annie Golden, Ira Newborn & The Geeks, Patti Smith, and Thompson Twins. LP, Vinyl record album

Two older Roulette albums – brought together in one 70s package! The first set is a live Billy Strayhorn date – recorded with a group that includes Johnny Hodges and Paul Gonsalves on reeds, Harold Baker and Clark Terry on trumpets, and Quentin Jackson on trombone. Next up is Jazz From Abroad – an incredible early work from British leader Johnny Dankworth – jazz work that's as fluid and grooving as his best 60s soundtrack sessions, and cut with an early sense of power that's really great! Dankworth's tight on the head arrangements, really leaping into the rhythms of the tune with the same love of groove as contemporary Johnny Keating – but he also makes some strong solo space on the best tracks on the album, really letting the sax players in the group stretch out searingly. Players aren't named in the credits, sadly, but we're guessing they're the top-level players who made appearances on Dankworth's key British sides of the time. Titles include "A String Of Camels", "Cannonball", "Chano", "Avengers Theme", "Sack O Woe", "Esso Blues", and "Curtain Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare set of Billy Strayhorn tracks recorded in Paris by Alan Douglas. The tracks are incredibly haunting, and mostly feature Strayhorn's solo piano with spare backing by Parisian bassist Michel Goudret. There are a a few short moments on the record that add backing voices or strings – but even in those moments, Strayhorn's tender tentative piano is right up front in the mix. The whole thing's a treasure, and a rare peek at the solo talent that made Ellington's band one of the best. Titles include "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", "Lush Life", "Strange Feeling", and "Chelsea Bridge". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful stripped-down set of piano work from Duke Ellington – presented here in an obscure set of duets recorded with Billy Strayhorn in 1950, finally issued as a full package by Riverside in the mid 60s – at a time when more folks seemed to be paying attention to Duke's stylings on the keys! The tracks are all relatively shortish, and accompaniment includes bass from either Lloyd Trotman, Joe Schulman, or Wendell Marshall, plus a bit of drums from Jo Jones. Strayhorn plays celeste on two numbers, and some numbers feature either artist solo. Titles include "Oscalypso", "Flamingo", "Cottontail", "Bang Up Blues", "Johnny Come Lately", "Tonk", "In A Blue Summer Garden", and "Blues For Banton". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet solo set from the great revival years of pianist Jimmy Rowles – produced by French jazzman Henri Renaud! LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual non-Ellington session from Billy Strayhorn – but one that's recorded in septet formation with plenty of the Duke's men at his side! Strayhorn's in the lead on piano, and other players include Quentin Jackson on trombone, Cue Porter (Johnny Hodges?) on alto sax, Shorty Baker on trumpet, and Russell Procope on clarinet – all gliding nicely with a bit more solo room than usual, in the great swing-based mode used by the Felsted label for it's short-lived series of sessions. Titles include "Watch Your Cue", "Cue's Blue Now", "Cherry", "Gone With The Wind", and "Rose Room". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic slice of rare Duke Ellington – a unique set that features both Duke and Billy Strayhorn on pianos, with just bass accompaniment – Wendell Marshall on side one, and Joe Shulman on side two! LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely understated session that was recorded in honor of Billy Strayhorn – who'd passed away a few months before the recording. The set features all classic Strayhorn compositions – played in new versions by Duke and a group that includes Clark Terry, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Aaron Bell, and Jimmy Hamilton. The recording quality is great, and the sound of the album really makes old classics sparkle nicely once again! Titles include "UMMG", "Blood Count", "Boo Dah", "Rain Check", "Day Dream", "All Day Long", and "Lotus Blossom", done in a haunting solo piano version by Duke! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus a 13 minute reading of "A Tone Parallel To Harlem (aka The Harlem Suite)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus "The Controversial Suite". LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by Tommy Couch, with tracks that include ZZ's classic "Down Home Blues" – plus "Givin It Up For Your Love", "Woman Don't Go Astray", "When It Rains It Pours", and "Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Blues-a-plenty, but still pretty darn jazzy too – as the "blues" in the title is just Verve's code for the way the album's put together – loose, unstructured, and a great format for Johnny Hodges to do some wonderful blowing on alto sax! The album also features strong work from Ben Webster, too – whose tone is perfect for the late nite vibe of the record – and other players include Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Vic Dickenson on trombone, Billy Strayhorn on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums – kind of an Ellington small combo, relaxing here in a wonderfully intimate setting. The sound is beautiful, and the album's one of Hodges' best-ever for Verve – with cuts that include "Cool Your Motor", "Honey Hill", "Saturday Afternoon Blues", and "I Didn't Know About You". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible lost slice of music from the young Bob Marley – an unissued set of recordings done at the Capitol Studios in LA, at a time when the Wailers were just beginning to rise in global power! The session came at an unusual moment for the group – they had come to the US to tour with Sly & The Family Stone, and were fired because the audiences were not yet ready for their groove – leaving the group a bit astray in California. But an opportunity arose to record at Capitol, a performance that was also filmed – and the result is this amazing set of tracks that captures Bob and the group at a level that's even different than their massive Island Records sets to come. There's a current of funk running through a number of these tracks, and a lean groove that's wonderfully soul-drenched throughout – not just in Marley's vocals, but in the overall performance of the rest – a tight sextet that includes Peter Tosh, Joe Higgs, Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett, and Earl Lindo. Titles include "Rastaman Chant", "Midnight Ravers", "Put It On", "Stop That Train", "Get Up Stand Up", "You Can't Blame The Youth", "Slave Driver", "Duppy Conqueror", and "Burnin & Lootin". LP, Vinyl record album

A tight set of fusion from Sweetbottom – an American combo who definitely seem to draw a lot from the rock-inspired Euro fusion sound of a few years before! There's also a bit of the PM Records vibe – from the Steve Grossman/Gene Perla camp – lots of sharp, fast changes in the rhythms – and some heavy guitars at points, linking the group to Brand X a bit – and also some vocals on a few cuts, sure to please the rockish audiences who might be straying over to the fusion realm of the spectrum. The set's pretty sweet overall – tight, but without sounding slick – and the drums really drive some of the best numbers. Titles include "Veena Deva", "Monique", "Electro Strut", "Amazon Ritual", "Her", and "Shrapnel In My Ankle". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a really special sound – Japanese pop moving past some of the more emotive modes used a few years before, and working with a gentle, breezy style that sometimes echoes the best A&M Records styles from the Cali scene of the late 60s! Both singers intertwine in a wonderful way, often harmonizing with a great sense of balance – and the backings are often nicely groovy, with electric bass creating a gentle glide that's mighty nice! The whole thing is well-produced, but also has a laidback vibe that fits the barefoot image on the cover – and titles translate as "Being Astray On The Corner", "Another World For Lovers", "The Day We Lose Our Peace", "Moment By Moment", "A Rose & An Apple", and "Early Days". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder". LP, Vinyl record album

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

An unexpected treasure – like so many of Art Farmer's later albums! The record is ostensibly a tribute to the music of Billy Strayhorn – which might make us expect some soporific Ellington cliches – but the session's really just a small group one, played by Art with a quintet that includes Clifford Jordan, James Williams, Rufus Reid, and Marvin Smitty Smith – all coming together in a fluidly soulful style that's really great. Farmer's work on flugelhorn seems even more inventive than ever – and titles include "Bloodcount", "Johnny Come Lately", "Isfahan", "Raincheck", and "Upper Manhattan Medical Group". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great overlooked dates from Gerry Mulligan's sometimes-ignored stretch of the mid 70s – a time when he was really trying out some excellent new musical experiments! This cooking set features his baritone in a group that really cooks nicely – and in ways that are quite different than you'd ever expect from the Mulligan of the 50s – and maybe even the Gerry of the 60s too! There's a bit of electricity in the group – thanks to Fender Rhodes from Tom Fay and guitar from Mike Santiago – and that element is a surprisingly wonderful complement to Gerry's baritone – which only seems to have a deeper sense of soul in comparison. Dave Samuels adds in some excellent vibes – and the other players include George Duvivier on bass and Bobby Rosengarden on drums – on titles that include "Strayhorn 2", "Idol Gossip", "Taurus Moon", "Waltzing Mathilda", and "Walk On Water". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Billy Strayhorn on piano, Oscar Pettiford on cello, Joe Jones on on drums. LP, Vinyl record album