With Cat Anderson, Gene Goe, Blue Mitchell, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet; Britt Woodman, Jimmy Cleveland, Benny Powell, and Tricky Lofton on trombone; Marshal Royal, Lanny Morgan, Richie Kamuca, Don Menza, and Jack Nimitz on saxophone; Monty Budwig on bass, Dave Frishberg on piano, and Frank Capp on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A lost gem from Anne Briggs – one of the lesser-known artists of the British underground folk scene at the end of the 60s – but a singer we'd rank right up there with the great Sandy Denny! Briggs works here in an ancient-sounding batch of material – the kind of tracks that conjure up the darker corners of the British landscape and its history – performed by Anne with mostly just vocals and guitar, but in a lyrical style that arcs, and turns, and dips with maybe more energy than if there were an entire group behind her. The style is spare, but never sleepy – and there's a hell of a lot of power in these tunes, especially on the few numbers that feature a bit of bouzouki as well. Titles include "Reynardine", "Young Tambling", "Living By The Water", "Maa Bonny Lad", "Blackwater Side", "The Snow It Melts The Soonest", and "Go Your Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Maxine Brown on Wand Records is really something amazing – not just because she began her recording career at the label, but also because she never again hit the heights of these recordings! Brown was a really important singer with these sides – still partly in the class and poise of some of the jazz-tinged vocalists that came before her – but also able to open up with a deeper soul vibe that paved the way for Aretha Franklin and so many other singers to come in the second half of the 60s! The production and presentation of these tracks is wonderful, too – great songwriting, and top-shelf studio charts that only lift, and never drown the brilliance of Maxine's unique voice. Titles include "One In A Million", "It's Torture", "Let Me Give You My Lovin", "Yesterday's Kisses", "Oh No, Not My Baby", "Gotta Find A Way", "Baby Cakes", "Why Did I Choose You", "Misty Morning Eyes", "Since I Found You", "Losing My Touch", "If I Had Known", "It's Gonna Be Alright", and the completely fantastic "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody". CD

After Hours jamming the way it should be – recorded in a very relaxed, open-ended setting! The album's a classic Prestige Records jam session from the late 50s – one that features Kenny Burrell on guitar, Thad Jones on trumpet, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, Mal Waldron on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all players who've got a great ear for material for this, and who really make the session their own when they get a chance! Though Burrell's name got top billing on subsequent issues of this album, and his playing is wonderful, Waldron's the great unsung hero of these sessions, as his playing's consistently remarkable, providing great accompaniment for the horn players. Four numbers: "Steamin", "Count One", "Empty Street", and "Blue Jelly". CD

Very weird soundtrack to this spooky 70s film starring Peter Boyle! Bobby Scott did the score, and it's hipper than most of his other stuff – with a mixture of jazz, groovy, and straight orchestral scoring. Jerry Butler sings vocals on the tracks "Where Are You Going?" and "You Can Fly", which is a killer 11 minute workout with hard soulful drums, a tight driving groove, and lots of funky changes! Exuma sings on the cut "You Don't Know What's Going On", and other tunes include "Compton's Hangout", "The Expiration Of Frank", and "Send The Hippies To Hell". LP, Vinyl record album

The genius of Joe Chambers knows no bounds – and record after record, his recent stretch has really continued to blow our mind! Chambers was always a hell of a talent back in the day – even at his start as a 60s Blue Note sideman – but in the past decade or so, he's really found his voice – and shows a talent for larger-concept projects that's really amazing – such as this project with his Moving Pictures Orchestra! The group's a largeish jazz ensemble with some top-shelf players – and they work together on Chambers arrangements that definitely have a cinematic feel – but there's also a richer jazz-based approach too – one that almost reminds us of classic charts from Gil Evans or Ralph Burns. Players include Craig Handy on tenor and soprano sax, David Weiss and Frank Greene on trumpets, Conrad Herwig and Steve Davis on trombones, Xavier Davis on piano, Steve Berrios on percussion, Dwayne Burno on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums and vibes. Titles include the "Moving Pictures Suite", plus "Lonesome Lover", "Power To The People", "Theme From M Squad", and "Mendacity" – which features vocals from Nicole Guiland. CD

June's got rhythm, sure, but the real thing that makes her great is her dark and moody sense of melody! This album's one of June's late 50s efforts done with husband/arranger Bob Cooper – not as arch modern as some of her work with Pete Rugolo, but still in a style that's definitely inspired by that classic work. Backing is by a small group of LA jazzers – including Shelly Manne, Russ Freeman, Laurindo Almeida, Frank Rosolino, and Cooper – and titles include "My One & Only Love", "Blue Moon", "I Can Make You Love Me", "When Lights Are Low", and "Gypsy In My Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums by Nat King Cole – done with a bit more depth and feeling than some of his other Capitol sets of the time – and some great jazzy backings, too! Arrangements are by Dave Cavanaugh, but there's almost a Basie-like quality to the group at times – never too hard-swinging, but definitely that slow-burning quality the Count could hit so well with a singer, especially on the horns! The group is awash with Basie-ites – and saxes are by Marshall Royal, Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell, and Frank Wess; trumpets include Joe Newman and Thad Jones; trombones feature Al Grey, Henry Coker, and Benny Powell; and rhythm features guitar from Freddie Greene, piano from Gerald Wiggins, and drums from Sonny Payne – definitely a swinging lineup. Titles include the great "Welcome To The Club" – plus "Anytime Anyday Anywhere", "The Late Late Show", "Wee Baby Blues", "Avalon", "She's Funny That Way", and "The Blues Don't Care". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Alice Coltrane's most ambitious albums of the early years – recorded with a full set of heavenly orchestrations! The core group features Alice on piano, organ, and harp – alongside Frank Lowe on saxes, Reggie Workman on bass, Leroy Jenkins on violin, and Ben Riley on drums. Added to this combo is a much larger set of strings – swirling around in a rich musical backdrop that gives Alice's work a sense of majesty and power we could have never imagined. This is the album that really showed the world that she was far far more than just the wife of the late great one – a true mystical visionary with a sound that demanded to be heard! Side 2 features a recitation by Alice's spiritual mentor, Swami Satchdiananda – and the album features a wonderful version of "My Favorite Things", done with both organ and harp, plus the tracks "Love Supreme", "Galaxy In Turiya", and "Galaxy In Satchidandana". LP, Vinyl record album

Modal Coltrane at its finest – a record that almost returns the great one to the territory explored at the end of his years at Atlantic Records, but which still incorporates all of the new ideas learned afterwards! The album's actually one of the straightest that John Coltrane cut after 1964 – and it features 4 long, beautiful tracks that soar with rhythms from McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones – topped with searing, searching work on tenor and soprano sax from Coltrane! Titles include one of the greatest readings of "Chim Chim Cheree" we've ever heard – a version that remakes the tune almost as a part 2 of "My Favorite Things" – and other titles include "Song of Praise", the classic "Nature Boy" and "Brazilia". The CD features two bonus versions of "Nature Boy", one of them live, and the bonus track "Feelin' Good"! Great stuff, and an album that ranks up there with the best of his work! CD

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A great little album that's every bit as wonderful as you might expect from its cover – one of the key late 50s sides as a leader from bassist Curtis Counce – cut with a killer lineup that includes Harold Land on tenor sax, Rolf Ericson on trumpet, and Elmo Hope on piano! The set's got the mix of modernism and soul bop leanings you might expect from the players – a really fresh approach that comes off especially well in the non-iconic production style of the Dootone label – a mode that really let the players do their own thing, and break out from some of the tighter restrictions of other LA labels on the scene. Frank Butler completes the quintet on drums – and titles include "The Countdown", "Into The Orbit", "Race For Space", "Move", "Angel Eyes", and "So Nice". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album of mellow soul tracks! The record is Lou Courtney's masterpiece – and it's a jam-packed set filled with great tracks that rank right up there with classic 70s work by artists like Marvin Gaye, Leroy Hutson, or Leon Ware! Leon Pendarvis handled most of the arrangements – and the record's got a wonderfully full soul sound – with a mix of moody keyboard-driven groovers and ballads – all topped by excellent vocals from Lou, miles ahead of any work he did in the early days! The best thing, though, is the songwriting, as these tracks rank right up there with the best underground mellow soul we can think of – sophisticated yet not soppy, filled with soulful lyrics about love and losing it, never giving into cliches of other soul from the time. A real dream of an album – and filled with great tracks like "I Will If You Will", "I'm In Need Of Love", "Just To Let Him Break Your Heart", "Somebody New Is Loving On You", and "The Common Broken Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

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The breakout album for The Cryan Shames – a wonderfully groovy harmony pop combo from the 60s – one with a sound that's very much the best Sunshine Pop of LA, even though these guys hail from our hometown of Chicago! The vocals come together with a really magical feel – sometimes mellow and drifty, ala The Association – sometimes vibrant and soaring, in a really catchy way! The whole album's great – with just a touch of Brit invasion guitar jangle behind the vocals at times – and titles include "Heat Wave", "We'll Meet Again", "If I Needed Someone", "Hey Joe", "Sugar & Spice", "July", "I Wanna Meet You", and "Ben Franklin's Almanac". LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy soundtrack to this "establishment hip" film starring Anthony Quinn, Milton Berle, and Robert Walker – set in Miami beach, and kind of a run-in between a businessman (Quinn) and some "young swingers" (including Faye Dunaway.) DeVol's approach to the material isn't as totally out there as might be, given the time of the film – and the styles that were often used on other soundtracks of this type – but the album does have some nice moments that get kind of 60s easy and groovy. Tracks include "The Fuzz", "Fred Splits", "Escapism", "Let's Play Games", "The Airport Caper", "All I Know About You", and "Turndown". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully jazzy soundtrack – one of our favorite Jerry Fielding film scores of the 70s, thanks to key solo work from Art Pepper on alto and Jon Faddis on trumpet! The music is far deeper than you might expect for the Clint Eastwood action film setting – funky enough in the best parts, but also with a sensitivity that gets past the usual cop/crime grooves – making for a really rich record that's almost as pleasing from a jazz perspective as it is from a funk soundtrack perspective too! The album sports a great Frank Frazetta cover – and titles include "The Pickup", "Bleak Bad Big City Dawn", "The Box Car Incident", "The Delivery", "The Black Sedan", and "Manipulation On The Center Divider". LP, Vinyl record album

Ouch, what a terrible title – and for such a nice album! The record brings together sides recorded by Frank Wess and Frank Foster for the Savoy label in 1956 and 1957 – laidback hardbop tunes that have both players working in easy-going company, with the feel of a late 50s Prestige Records blowing session. Neither player is at the top of their form here, but overall, the material is still pretty darn great – and other players include Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Henry Coker, Kenny Clarke, and Benny Powell. Tracks include "Stop Gap", "MC", "La Jolie", "Lazy Sal", "Casa De Marcel", "Hard Sock Dance", "South Side", and "Salvation" – and the album features a few previously unissued tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

A real 70s stormer from Frank Foster – recorded with the Loud Minority ensemble used for the Mainstream album of the same name, done in a style that's a bit more straight ahead, yet still plenty darn soulful! Frank's hanging here between the two sides of his career – working in a larger band mode at one level, yet also scoring some charts that are a lot hipper than anything the Basie generation might have imagined! The rhythm section on the set features Mickey Tucker on piano, Earl May on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – augmented by a bit of extra percussion and guitar from time to time, in a way that really makes the tunes skip along nicely. Frank himself is on both soprano and tenor sax – sounding great on the album's title remake of his "Manhattan Fever" – and also stretching out on longer tunes that include Ronnie Matthews' great "Marie Jean", and Frank's originals "Thruway Traffic" and "Four Five Six". LP, Vinyl record album

A compilation album, but one that's classic enough to stand on its own – thanks to a rock-solid roster of talent from the mighty Savoy Records catalog of the 50s! The format here follows in the looser blowing session mode of some of Savoy's best sides of the period – and groups shift from track to track, but really maintain the feel of the record overall. Titles include "Walkin" by a large group arranged by Billy Ver Planck, "Monday Stroll" by Frank Wess and Kenny Burrell, "Sram" by Yusef Lateef, "MC" by Frank Foster with Donald Byrd, "June Is Busting Out All Over" by AK Salim, "Stop"by Sonny Redd & Pepper Adams, and "Sugar Dugar" by Sahib Shihab with Phil Woods. CD

With guest appearance by Aretha Franklin! LP, Vinyl record album

A later Motown Christmas session – recorded by The Four Tops in the mid 90s with a decidedly modern soul take on the sounds of The Holiday! Most of the numbers are traditional tunes – both secular and spiritual – and the group's producing their own work throughout the set. Aretha Franklin joins on 3 tracks, and titles include "Christmas Here With You", "This Christmas", "The Christmas Song", "Silent Night", "Twas The Night Before Christmas", "Little Drummer Boy", and "Christmas Delight". CD

One of the last albums the Four Tops ever issued on Motown – but also one of the best, and a set that really has the group taking off in a strong new direction for the 70s! Frank Wilson's at the production helm, and the set has all these cool little twists and turns that work perfectly with the magnificent harmonies of Levi Stubbs and the group – a mode that draws on all their vocal highlights from older years, but also refits them with a more spacious, more mature sort of sound! The approach is different than that used with the Temptations at the same time – less political, but still flowing with plenty of new ideas – handled by arrangers Jerry Long, Jimmy Roach, and David Van DePitte. The title cut – "Still Waters (Run Deep)" – is a perfect example of this – as the tune's got weirdly wonderful production, almost as watery as the cover image, and a bit of moog buried in there – which comes forward even more on the reprise of the song at the end of the record. Other titles include "Love Is The Answer", "Reflections", "I Wish I Were Your Mirror", "Bring Me Together", "LA (My Town)", and "Everybody's Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last albums the Four Tops ever issued on Motown – but also one of the best, and a set that really has the group taking off in a strong new direction for the 70s! Frank Wilson's at the production helm, and the set has all these cool little twists and turns that work perfectly with the magnificent harmonies of Levi Stubbs and the group – a mode that draws on all their vocal highlights from older years, but also refits them with a more spacious, more mature sort of sound! The approach is different than that used with the Temptations at the same time – less political, but still flowing with plenty of new ideas – handled by arrangers Jerry Long, Jimmy Roach, and David Van DePitte. The title cut – "Still Waters (Run Deep)" – is a perfect example of this – as the tune's got weirdly wonderful production, almost as watery as the cover image, and a bit of moog buried in there – which comes forward even more on the reprise of the song at the end of the record. Other titles include "Love Is The Answer", "Reflections", "I Wish I Were Your Mirror", "Bring Me Together", "LA (My Town)", and "Everybody's Talkin". CD

Fender Rhodes and vibes – a combination that always sounds fantastic, but which maybe sounds especially great here in a rare 70s session from Dutch keyboard legend Rob Franken! Rob's usually fantastic, no matter what the setting – but here, he's working on a set of spacious grooves that get plenty of great tones and colors from the vibes of Wolfgang Schulter – who works alongside Rob in a groove that's right up there with some of the best MPS funky electric jazz from the early 70s! About half the tracks on the set were written by German pianist Michael Naura – who himself was also doing some great Fender Rhodes work in the 70s – and titles include "Call", "Samba For Sander", "Song For Josef", "Barracuda", "Brown Out", "Concensus", and "Serenade For Myself". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing package of rare work on Fender Rhodes – a 3CD set that brings together six full albums that were recorded in the 70s, but never saw the light of day until vinyl issued in recent years! Pianist Rob Franken is totally great – maybe one of the hippest cats on the Dutch scene of the 70s when it came to the Fender Rhodes! Rob's a master of the instrument here – playing it jazzily, but also with this open flow that's really wonderful – and which really makes the best use of the instrument's potential, and doesn't drown it in too much jamming, which could sometimes be the case with other European musicians who handled the instrument! Instead, Franken lets the space between the notes do as much as the notes themselves – which really keeps things soulful throughout – and although most of the cuts feature an augmented trio, sometimes with added percussion or keyboards – a few of the tracks feature Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, and Jiggs Whigham on trombone. But even without the horns, the keys are more than enough – as they step out and soar on a whopping 70 tracks in all – including a few bonus tracks too! CD

Aretha Arrives in great style – and a mixture between her earlier vocal jazz years at Columbia, and her later southern soul sides of the 60s! Arif Mardin is already arranging Aretha's work at this point, and the backing group includes southern soul studio giants like Spooner Oldham, Tommy Cogbill, and Roger Hawkins – but there's also a number of tracks that have mellow strings and horns by Ralph Burns, very much in the lush style of Burns' work for other vocalists – and a bit different than some of Franklin's other Atlantic work. The Sweet Inspirations back up Aretha on "Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around)", and a few other tracks feature backings by sisters Erma and Carolyn – who are always a welcome addition! Titles include "Prove It", "Never Let Me Go", "I Wonder", "Going Down Slow", and "Night Life". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's certainly right on this one, because the album is soft and beautiful – recorded by Aretha Franklin in a moody late nite mode that's similar to early 60s work by Sarah Vaughn or Dinah Washington on Roulette! Backings are by Belford Hendricks – relatively full, with strings and sometimes a bit of backing vocals – and Aretha's vocals drift nicely over the top with a relatively slow pace overall. And while this isn't the hard-hitting Atlantic soul that made her fame, the record's still a great demonstration of Franklin's many talents – and heck, if she'd cut a set like this these days, we're sure she'd get a Grammy for returning to the classics! Titles include "Only The Lonely", "Shangri-La", "A Mother's Love", "Jim", "Friendly Persuasion", and "People". LP, Vinyl record album

Aretha Franklin at the end of the 80s – capping off a big run of records for Arista with another successful collaboration with Narada Michael Walden! There's a bit more of a groove here than before – a nice bounce on many cuts that almost brings in a slight new jack flavor – but handled with a bit more class, given Walden's legacy – and the album's got a lot of collaborative moments, including appearances from James Brown, Whitney Houston, Elton John, The Four Tops, and Kenny G. Titles include "Gimme Your Love", "Mercy", "It Isn't It Wasn't It Ain't Never Gonna Be", "Through The Storm", "If Ever A Love There Was", "Think 1989", and "Come To Me". CD

Aretha Franklin at the end of the 80s – capping off a big run of records for Arista with another successful collaboration with Narada Michael Walden! There's a bit more of a groove here than before – a nice bounce on many cuts that almost brings in a slight new jack flavor – but handled with a bit more class, given Walden's legacy – and the album's got a lot of collaborative moments, including appearances from James Brown, Whitney Houston, Elton John, The Four Tops, and Kenny G. Titles include "Gimme Your Love", "Mercy", "It Isn't It Wasn't It Ain't Never Gonna Be", "Through The Storm", "If Ever A Love There Was", "Think 1989", and "Come To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album that perfectly mixes both sides of Aretha Franklin's talents – the hard-edged soul singer who first flourished at Atlantic records in the late 60s, and the artist who was growing even more as a vocalist – really reaching out her wings to more sophisticated material! There's a balance here that makes the record one of the deepest that Franklin ever recorded for Atlantic – lots of larger Arif Mardin touches, but also some raw moments that really round things out – on titles that include Aretha's classic take on the Weldon Irvine/Nina Simone tune "Young Gifted & Black", the funky classic "Rock Steady", the wonderful mellow groover "Day Dreaming", the hit "Brand New Me", and the strangely compelling "First Snow In Kokomo" – plus other titles that include "All The King's Horses", "Oh Me Oh My", "Border Song", "Didn't I Blow Your Mind", "April Fools", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", and "The Long & Winding Road". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the most famous Jerry Goldsmith soundtracks ever – even if the film itself wasn't much of a hit! Goldsmith really rose to the top ranks of film composers with his work for Blue Max – able to orchestrate both full action and quiet moments with effortless ease – often through these compressed passages that really move beyond the usual Hollywood scoring standard of the time! Things are never too flowery, yet still remain quite full at times – and Goldsmith really demonstrates his great skill with creating special odd sounds out of more familiar instruments. Titles include "First Blood", "Bridge Duel", "The Lonely Victor", "Small Favor", "Statchel in Berlin", and "The Bridge". CD

One of the most famous Jerry Goldsmith soundtracks ever – even if the film itself wasn't much of a hit! Goldsmith really rose to the top ranks of film composers with his work for Blue Max – able to orchestrate both full action and quiet moments with effortless ease – often through these compressed passages that really move beyond the usual Hollywood scoring standard of the time! Things are never too flowery, yet still remain quite full at times – and Goldsmith really demonstrates his great skill with creating special odd sounds out of more familiar instruments. Titles include "First Blood", "Bridge Duel", "The Lonely Victor", "Food Riot", "Confirmed Kill", and "Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album from Dexter Gordon's later years at Columbia – and a rare session that pairs larger arrangements with his soulful voice on the tenor and soprano saxophone! Although other players worked often in this mode, the record may well be the only one of its type for Dexter – but that doesn't stop it from being a standout treasure that lets us hear a whole new side of his talents. Slide Hampton handled the arrangements, and he really works some magic with players that include Woody Shaw and Benny Bailey on trumpets, Frank Wess on flute and alto, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – using their best talents to create richly chromatic backdrops for Dex's solos. A few of the players step out on their own lines on longer tracks, and titles include "Fried Bananas", "You're Blase", "Insensatez", "Moontrane", and "Laura". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album from Dexter Gordon's later years at Columbia – and a rare session that pairs larger arrangements with his soulful voice on the tenor and soprano saxophone! Although other players worked often in this mode, the record may well be the only one of its type for Dexter – but that doesn't stop it from being a standout treasure that lets us hear a whole new side of his talents. Slide Hampton handled the arrangements, and he really works some magic with players that include Woody Shaw and Benny Bailey on trumpets, Frank Wess on flute and alto, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – using their best talents to create richly chromatic backdrops for Dex's solos. A few of the players step out on their own lines on longer tracks, and titles include "Fried Bananas", "You're Blase", "Insensatez", "Moontrane", and "Laura". CD incldues two non-LP bonus tracks – "Diggin' In" and "It's Only A Paper Moon". CD

Prime Grateful Dead from the mid 70s – a time when the group were traveling famously around the globe, spinning out long songs with plenty of solos – but also able to keep on coming up with nicely sharp songs on records like this! By this point in their career, they're so instrumentally strong, they hardly need to show off – that is, they certainly do, but in a much more subtle way than before, and maybe than in a live setting – packing decades of roots and years of deftness into songs that include "Franklin's Tower", "Crazy Fingers", "Sage & Spirit", "Blues For Allah", "Sand Castles & Glass Camels", and "The Music Never Stopped". LP, Vinyl record album

A hard set of soul jazz grooves – recorded under the leadership of the great trombonist Benny Green, and one of his few albums not for Blue Note or Prestige! The sound is very much in the Prestige hardbop mode of the late 50s – and Green heads up a group that includes Gene Ammons and Frank Foster on tenor, Nat Adderley on cornet, Frank Wess on flute and tenor, and Tommy Flanagan on piano– a similar lineup, with a similar sound, to some of the albums recorded under Ammons' name as "blowing sessions". The cuts are long, with laid back laid out solos – and titles include "Jim Dog", "Going South", and "Little Ditty". LP, Vinyl record album

Dick Gregory at his most righteous – recorded live at the Bronx Community College, and speaking on topics that include The Black Panthers, the Chicago 7, Black Power, Money, Patriots, Riots, and "Checking Out Whites". Less funky than political – which actually makes it a lot more compelling than Gregory's early work. LP, Vinyl record album

A wild and wooly take on the girl group genre – produced by Frank Zappa, and issued on his own label too! LP, Vinyl record album

A story of "spaceship earth" – created and performed by electronics genius Bruce Haack, ostensibly for children, but a really tripped-out set! The album's got a stark, spare feel – one that uses Haack's echoey voice alongside homemade electronics and rhythms – all in a style that's vaguely educational, but which also has a madly frenetic electric feel. The topics here are a bit deeper, and somehow darker than some of Haack's other albums – and the whole thing's a beautifully spacey set that we'd rank as one of Haack's best! Titles include "Army Ants In Your Pants", "Mallangong", "The Universal Unicycle Show", "Metric Conversion", "American Eagle", and "Catfish". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little soul album from Herbie Hancock – but one that's often lost in the valleys between his bigger hits of the time! The record was cut in the space right before Herbie's big "Rockit" success – and it's a sweet bit of funky fusion that has a good dose of R&B in the mix – similar to other records from Hancock's Columbia label keyboardist contemporaries – like Rodney Franklin, Webster Lewis, or Charles Earland! All orchestrations are performed by Herbie on a host of keyboards and synthesizers, and just about every cut has vocals – from singers who include Sylvester, Gavin Christopher, and The Waters. But even with this soul component, Herbie still keeps things jazzy – using a good bit of keyboards to open up the tunes in the middle, and hitting hard on all numbers with that classic Hancock approach to funk! Titles include "Magic Number", "Tonight's The Night", "Everybody's Broke", "Help Yourself", and "Satisfied With Love". CD also features the bonus "Magic Number (disco mix)". CD

A sweet little 50s session from Hawk – recorded for the World Wide subsidary of Savoy, in a great style that has plenty of room for solo space! Tracks are long, and arranged by Billy Ver Plank – with a moody small combo mode that lets Hawkins get in plenty of those edgey bits in his solos, hidden underneath ostensibly sweeter playing. The rest of the group includes Frank Wess, Marshall Royal, and Frank Foster – and titles include "Ooga Dooga", "Thanks For The Misery", "There Is Nothing Like A Dame", and "An Evening At Papa Joe's". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a few albums cut in America by French 50s modernist Andre Hodeir – a set of compositions arranged and conducted by Hodeir himself, featuring American players that include Idrees Sulieman and Donald Byrd on trumpets, Hal McKusick on alto and bass clarinet, Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, Jay Cameron on baritone and clarinet, Eddie Costa on vibes, and Frank Rehak on trombone. Annie Ross does a very nice vocal obligatto on the track "The Alphabet", and other tunes include "On A Standard", "On A Riff", "On A Blues", "Criss Cross", and "Paradoxe II". LP, Vinyl record album

A great big band indeed – a session from 1960 that has Bill Holman still sitting nicely at the top of the west coast large group format from the 50s! As with previous dates of this nature, Holman's got a way around the charts that few can match – a way of swinging the whole ensemble strongly, yet never in ways that are cloying, commercial, or cliched. All the right players find a space for expression – and the lineup includes Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenor sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all players who really sparkle nicely when they step out from the larger group. Titles include "Stereoso", "Shadrack", "Quickstep", "Aura", "The Moon Is Blue", "June Is Busting Out All Over", and "Spinuet". LP, Vinyl record album

A full package of work from the mighty Bill Holman – 2CDs worth of music – including three full albums plus bonus tracks! First up is material from the 1957 Coral album The Fabulous Bill Holman – a record that's got a maturity of expression that pushes Holman way past his Kenton years! The tracks are all larger ensemble ones, arranged and partially written by Bill, and played by the group in a broad chromatic style that's very nice – certainly Kenton-esque, but with a style that's somehow a bit more personal. Players include Charlie Mariano, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, Conte Cantoli, Stu Williamson, and Holman himself – and titles include "Evil Eyes", "You & I", "Bright Eyes", and the extended "The Big Street" – a great 17 minute tune! Next Is In A Jazz Orbit – a set that has Holman 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". Bill Holman's Great Big Band is a session from 1960 that has Bill Holman still sitting nicely at the top of the west coast large group format from the 50s! As with previous dates of this nature, Holman's got a way around the charts that few can match – a way of swinging the whole ensemble strongly, yet never in ways that are cloying, commercial, or cliched. All the right players find a space for expression – and the lineup includes Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenor sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all players who really sparkle nicely when they step out from the larger group. Titles include "Stereoso", "Shadrack", "Quickstep", "Aura", "The Moon Is Blue", "June Is Busting Out All Over", and "Spinuet". CD features 10 more bonus tracks – tunes from Holman's Kenton Presents sessions for Capitol in 1954 – octet material done with Don Fagerquist, Bob Eneveldsen, and Stu Williamson providing full brass support on trumpet and trombones – while Holman, Herb Geller, and Bob Gordon cut some broader lines themselves on saxes. Tunes are all great originals by Holman – extremely inventive in both melody and structure – with titles that include "Sparkle", "Tanglefoot", "Song Without Words", "Cousin Jack", "Back To Minors", and "Jughaid". CD

The album's titled after a famous song by Betty Carter, and the sound of the set might well match her legacy too – as Jazzmeia Horn is clearly a singer we'll be hearing plenty from in years to come! Horn's got an incredible range – the first female jazz singer we've heard in years to really open up in the instrument-inspired style of the famous vocalists of years back – but she's also an artist who's not just copping old school jazz modes, as the presentation and choice of material is very strongly her own, and really blows us away! For everyone who's dug the music of top-shelf jazz singers like Betty Carter, Shirley Horn, and Dee Dee Bridgewater – Jazzmeia Horn may well be the next step forward. Players on the album include Victor Gould on piano, Ben Williams on bass, and Jerome Jennings on drums – and the set also features contributions from Josh Evans on trumpet, Frank Lacy on trombone, and Stacy Dillard on tenor. Titles include "Tight", "Up Above My Head", "Social Call", "People Make The World Go Round", "The Peacocks", "I Remember You", and "Afro Blue/Eye See You/Wade In The Water". CD

Electric funk from Freddie Hubbard – a great 70s session that has him bringing in a bit more soul to the mix than usual! Things are a bit tighter here than on the CTI sides, but still pretty open and fluid – almost in a Donald Byrd mode with Larry Mizell, given the fuller backings on the set, and Hubbard's lean, clean tone on the top! Hubbard did the arrangements with George Cables – who plays some wonderful keyboards on the set, and keeps things solid throughout – creating the kind of open lines that always seems to get the best out of Freddie. Other players include Ray Parker on guitar, Carl Randall on tenor and flute, Henry Franklin on bass, and Spider Webb on bass – and a few cuts have some chorus vocals, which again take on a great Mizell-like quality in the mix. Titles include "Kuntu", "Put It In The Pocket", "Liquid Love", "Yesterday's Thoughts", "Lost Dreams", and a version of "Midnight At The Oasis". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Wonderful open-ended Ahmad Jamal music from the end of the 60s – and a set that really shows his growth as a player at the time! The "revisited" in the title refers to Jamal's earlier success on Argo records with a recording of "Poinciana" – one that forever made the tune his, thanks to a long-flowing approach that took the familiar standard, and turned it into the perfect foil for Jamal's expressive piano style. But the vibe here is very different – even more open than before, with a beautiful 9 minute reworking of the tune that's worth the price of admission alone! The trio features Jamil Sulieman on bass and Frank Gant on drums – and titles include "Poinciana", "Call Me", "Lament", "How Insensitive", and "Have You Met Miss Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete recordings of a crucially overlooked deep soul singer – the amazing Rozetta Johnson, a voice that should have been as big as Aretha Franklin or Gladys Knight, if there were any justice in the world! And Johnson isn't just a great singer on her own – she gets incredible help here from Sam Dees – a hell of a songwriter, and a great producer that puts Rozetta in perfect territory – a mode that's often more righteous than traditional southern soul, with some funky currents at the bottom – and an overall badass vibe that fits her vocals perfectly! There was a previous collection of Rozetta's music about a decade ago – but this set supercedes that with excellent sound and some unreleased alternate tracks, too – plus the usual top-shelf Ace/Kent presentation, which makes the collection as much of a joy to hold as it is to hear. Titles include "Mama Was A Bad Seed (alt)", "You Better Keep What You Got (alt)", "I Can Feel My Love Coming Down", "It's Been So Nice", "Personal Woman", "Chained & Bound", "Holding The Losing Hand", "Who Are You Gonna Love (Your Woman Or Your Wife)", "Mine Was Real", "A Woman's Way", "Willow Weep For Me", "That Hurts", "For That Man Of Mind", "How Can You Lose Something You Never Had", and "To Love Somebody". CD

An album that really lives up to its title – as the set bristles with upbeat, joyous energy throughout – in a fantastic criss-crossing of players from different global scenes, all cooking together in the cultural hotbed of 70s London! The record's got some echoes of the Brotherhood Of Breath work by Chris McGregor also issued by the Cadillac label – and also features ties to some of the musicians from the South African scene – but the group's also got a youthful energy that really makes the whole thing soar – fantastic bass from Ernest Mothle, killer piano from Frank Roberts, and tight drums from Keith Bailey – topped with trumpet from Jim Dvorak and alto from Chris Francis – both mighty nice players! Some tracks have a great pulsating groove – and titles include "PM", "Tribute", "Hidden Spirits", "Martini Suite", and "Spirals". CD

An album that really lives up to its title – as the set bristles with upbeat, joyous energy throughout – in a fantastic criss-crossing of players from different global scenes, all cooking together in the cultural hotbed of 70s London! The record's got some echoes of the Brotherhood Of Breath work by Chris McGregor also issued by the Cadillac label – and also features ties to some of the musicians from the South African scene – but the group's also got a youthful energy that really makes the whole thing soar – fantastic bass from Ernest Mothle, killer piano from Frank Roberts, and tight drums from Keith Bailey – topped with trumpet from Jim Dvorak and alto from Chris Francis – both mighty nice players! Some tracks have a great pulsating groove – and titles include "PM", "Tribute", "Hidden Spirits", "Martini Suite", and "Spirals". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Roy Eldridge, Anita O'Day, Frank Rosolino, Charlie Ventura, Red Rodney, Buddy Stewart, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

Really fantastic work from Jarrod Lawson – one of those underground singers who should be huge, if the world had any justice! Lawson's a cut above, and completely his own singer – the kind of individual talent that comes along once in a generation, like Al Jarreau or Michael Franks – and like both of them, he's got a way of singing in a style that's steeped in jazz, but which comes across with a soulful palette that's all his own – the kind of mode that grabs you right away, and makes you know that you're listening to something really unique, really different, and really special! And while we've loved Lawson before, this album is his crowning achievement to date – the kind of set that really pushes him over the top, and which earns the term "instant classic" in our book. Lawson plays plenty of sweet keyboards next to his amazing vocals – and titles include "Be The Change", "Universal Chord", "Evalee", "Connected", "Embrace What We Are", "Soul Symphony", "Love Isn't Always Enough", "I'll Be Your Radio", and "How Long". CD

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

The Jeff Lorber group makes a move into R&B with a few tracks on this set – adding in vocals to their core sweet fusion approach, but in a style that totally makes sense! Lorber's always had a great way with a soulful tune – working with both electric and acoustic keys in a style that's similar to Rodney Franklin – and like Franklin, the occasional vocal in his work only seems to bring out the more soul-based aspects of his work. Donnie Gerrard sings on 2 tracks – "Monster Man" and "Think Back & Remember" – and other tunes include "Bright Sky", "Galaxian", "Magic Lady", and "Night Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A righteous set of lovers rock from the Love Joys – a female duo, as you might guess from the cover – but one who work here with a wonderfully deep sound! This isn't the crossover material you might hear from other artists of this nature – as there's a very tough-edged presentation to the whole thing – echoey, dubby rhythms recorded at Wackies, with some especially splashy drums next to the nodding basslines – allowing lots of space that has the vocals echoing out in space as they trade back and forth – in a way that's quite different from more familiar harmony modes. Titles include "Stranger Get Up", "All I Can Say", "Watch Them", "How Long", "Love Is Not A Game", "Jah Light", "Studio Man", "Wherever Jah Send Me", and "Are You ready". CD

One of the most soulful records we've heard in years from the late pianist Harold Mabern – and that's saying a hell of a lot, as Harold gave us plenty of soulful sets during his many years on the planet! The record is as fantastic as you might guess from the title – as Mabern takes on tunes made famous by John Coltrane, but delivers the goods in this soaring style that's very much his own – and maybe most specifically, at a level that recalls the vibe he first hit in the 60s when playing with Lee Morgan, and then took to even newer heights on some of his fantastic 70s material – particularly recordings with reedman Frank Strozier! Here, the reeds are handled by Eric Alexander on tenor and Vincent Herring on alto – a hell of a pair – and the group also features really strong work from Steve Davis on trombone, who's really at the top of his game throughout. The rest of the group feature the familiar team of John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums – both also really rising to the occasion – and although we'll not be hearing much from Mabern in years to come, this set is a hell of a farewell. Titles include "Impressions", "Blue Train", "Naima", "Straight Street", "My Favorite Things", and "Dahomey Dance". CD

Bold, soulful work from the great Harold Mabern – and a record that really takes us back to his soaring modal groove of the 60s! Mabern's still got some of the lighter lyricism of more recent years here – but he also seems to pack a bit more punch from a rhythmic tip, too – no surprise, given that his trio features the great John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums! Over the years, both players have really seemed to grow tremendously working with Mabern – and a record like this really comes across with a strong sense of fruition – proof that great jazz musicians never stop growing, and can always hit even higher heights than before. Titles include "Dance With Me", "My Favorite Things", "Edward Lee", "Making Our Dreams Come True", "Charade", "Cherokee", and "Blues For Frank N Paul N All". CD

A contemporary set, but one that's unlike any other recent Brazilian recording we can think of – given the very unique vibe that Mauricio Maestro is going for! You might know Mauricio from his mid 70s work with Joyce on Visions Of Dawn – and although this set is a recent recording, it has a same sort of classic feel overall. The sound here has deep rhythms and folksy touches – a warm acoustic mode, but topped with some slight electricity and larger arrangements – a bit like some of the more creative sounds in the Brazilian underground during the post-Tropicalia years – yet with a richness that takes it much farther too! Maestro handled the arrangements, and he brings in a jazz-tinged quality that's not unlike the Milton Nascimento generation – yet the overall approach is earthier too, and vocals are handled by Mauricio, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, and Kay Lyra – swirled up with a bit of light string backings that really help the record soar to the skies! We'd rank this one right up there with classics from the 70s by Joyce or Edu Lobo – but we also recognize that it's very much it's own record too. Titles include "Jungle Bells", "Agua Clara", "Canto Do Paje", "Todos Os Santos", "Ciclo Da Vida", "Ouvindo Estrelas", "Upside Down", and "Horizonte". CD

One of the sharpest, most righteous albums from Bob Marley – in case you couldn't guess from the title, which is his response to a recent assassination attempt! The whole thing's got a very classic vibe – and the lyrics have even more of a political current than some of Marley's other music from the period – a renewed sense of purpose that rises with a global anthemic power that really echoes the different national spirits pictured on the cover! Titles include "Ambush The Night", "Ride Natty Ride", "One Drop", "So Much Trouble", "Zimbabwe", "Wake Up & Live", "Africa Unite", and "Top Rankin". LP, Vinyl record album

A second set of super-rare tracks from the Bob Marley side of the universe – not material that was issued by Island Records as part of his run of hit albums in the 70s – but instead some very obscure dubs that were taken from acetates that were initially only circulated through Jamaican soundsystems back in the day! The material here is very different than the cleaned-up hits – as the tracks often mute the vocals, bring up the rhythms, and go for an echoey brilliance that must have sounded great coming out of some massive speakers in the street! You'll definitely have to turn your stereo up to 11 when playing this one – for titles that include "Black Survivor Dub", "Top Rankin Dub", "So Much Trouble Dub", "Babylon System Dub", "Ride Natty Ride Dub", and "One Drop Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful TV soundtrack work from Skip Martin – who's really giving Henry Mancini a run for his money in the crime jazz department! Martin's score for the Mike Hammer show here is totally great – penned with a range of styles that run from swinging to sentimental – all handled by a top-shelf crew of west coast jazz players that includes Ted Nash on flute and alto, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Bud Shank on alto, Don Fagerquist and Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Pete Jolly on piano. Titles include "Bad Guys", "Coffee House", "Like Mike", "Summer Mood", "Corn Pone Woman", and "Riff Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from Hugh Masekela – and the album that pushed him over the top! The record features his version of "Grazin In The Grass", a runaway instrumental hit when it was issued – and a sly little groover that was based upon some earlier South African pop melodies that Hugh copped from his roots. The group's a tight little quintet with Al Abreu on tenor and soprano sax, William Henderson on piano, Chuck Carter on drums, and Henry Franklin on bass. The whole thing's great – and tracks include "Stop", "Bajabula Bonke", "There Are Seeds To Sow", "Vuca", "Almost Seedless", and "No Face, No Name, and No Number". LP, Vinyl record album