Early genius from Kenny Burrell – a set that features the guitarist sounding beautiful in a variety of settings, all of them great! The format really mixes things up nicely – almost showing a more diverse Kenny than in later years – as one track is solo, and the others feature quartet, quintet, and sextet lineups – with players who include JR Monterose or Frank Foster on tenor, Tommy Flanagan or Bobby Timons on piano, Oscar Pettiford or Sam Jones on bass, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, and Kenny Clarke or Shadow Wilson on drums. The solo track is a great version of "But Not For Me" – and other titles include "Mexico City", "Cheeta", "Phinupi", and "Now See How You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic Lloyd Charmers albums – both new to CD, and presented here with lots of first-time CD bonus tracks too! First up is the great Gold Connection album – an obscure little record, but a soulful one too – a rare 70s Federal Records session that mixes together reggae and soul – with vocals by a trio of female singers that includes a young Marcia Griffiths and Cynthia Schloss! Lots of tracks take a disco inspiration, but slow the pace down a lot more for the Kingston scene – so that the grooves are dubby steppers with a lot more going on at the bottom than their American counterparts up north – laidback, and given some nice instrumentation from Willie Lindo on bass, Harold Butler on keyboards, and Cedric Brooks on tenor! Titles include "That's The Way I Like It", "Fly Robin Reggae", "Love's Theme", "Soul Charm", "Do It Anyway Reggae", "Latin Hustle Reggae", and "Darling I Like It". Next up is Sweet Dreams, a very unique album from Jamaican sweet soul singer Dobby Dobson – an artist who seems to owe a bit to Sam Cooke, and who references music from Sam's era too – remaking some older cuts with a warmer, sweeter 70s vibe overall! The Lloyd Charmers production makes for an unusual blend of reggae and classic soul – and titles include "Little Stars", "Sweet Dreams", "Oh Gee", "You're Mine All Mine", "Muriel", "My Special Prayer", and "It's A Miracle". 2CD set features 20 more bonus tracks – including the great Supernatural Thing project from Richard Ace with Lloyd Charmers – and more tracks from Sister Stern, The Africans, Richard Ace, Delroy Wilson, and CHARM! CD

A great little concept album – and one that really shows the continuing sophistication and growth of Jerry Butler's music in the 70s! The record is dedicated to the "single girl" of the 70s (portrayed with the sad little photo of a brown bag lunch and a Gucci purse on the cover) – the new professional woman in the workplace – a surprisingly popular theme for many other singers of the period, but handled here by Butler with way more poise and class than any of his contemporaries! Arrangements are by James Mack and Paul Wilson, who often bring a great mellow mode to the best cuts – almost a Leon Ware style of laidback sensuality. A few other tunes are groovers, but still fit in just right – and titles include "Suite For The Single Girl", "I Wanna Do It To You", "Music In Her Dreams", "Only Pretty Girls", "Let's Go Get Out Of Town", "Chalk It Up", and "Ms Fine". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary James Carr – a singer that those in the know place at the same level as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, or any of the deep soul greats of the 60s! Like Otis, James recorded heavily on the Memphis scene at the time – not for Stax or Atlantic, but for the smaller Goldwax label – who really hit magic with the sounds you'll hear on this set – a perfect blend of the richness of James' voice with the kind of slow-burning soul sounds that the scene was really hitting during its golden years! The songwriters alone here are enough to sell the set to any fan of classic southern soul – as tunes include contributions from Chips Moman, Dan Penn, Quinton Claunch, William Bell, and Spooner Oldham – writers who maybe never had a better interpreter of their work than Carr – who knocks it out of the park here on tunes that include "Love Attack", "Dark End Of The Street", "Freedom Train", "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "A Man Needs A Woman", "Let's Face Facts", "You Hurt So Good", "I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore", "I'm A Fool For You", "Your Love Made A U-Turn", and "Let It Happen". CD

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary James Carr – a singer that those in the know place at the same level as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, or any of the deep soul greats of the 60s! Like Otis, James recorded heavily on the Memphis scene at the time – not for Stax or Atlantic, but for the smaller Goldwax label – who really hit magic with the sounds you'll hear on this set – a perfect blend of the richness of James' voice with the kind of slow-burning soul sounds that the scene was really hitting during its golden years! The songwriters alone here are enough to sell the set to any fan of classic southern soul – as tunes include contributions from Chips Moman, Dan Penn, Quinton Claunch, William Bell, and Spooner Oldham – writers who maybe never had a better interpreter of their work than Carr – who knocks it out of the park here on tunes that include "Dark End Of The Street", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "I'm A Fool For You", "A Lucky Loser", "Let's Face Facts", "Your Love Made A U Turn", "Freedom Train", "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man", "You Hurt So Good", "Love Attack", and "A Man Needs A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible look at the format of vinyl – put together by a guy who's got one of the hippest record collections we've ever seen! John Corbett's been writing about music, art, and other formats for decades – but his real labor of love is vinyl records – a format he continued to embrace even at the height of the CD era – so much so that he talked Downbeat magazine into letting him write a special column on musical delights that had never made it to the digital format! Corbett helped plenty of music get reissued on CD himself – thanks to countless label projects – but he also always held a special place in his heart for the kinds of records that never got reissued – and those are the sorts of titles featured here – a massive run of music that runs from jazz to funk, American and European, totally obscure to completely common – presented beautifully together in this massive book! The volume doesn't just bring together Corbett's columns, but also offers up full color reproductions of all the record covers, along with a few other details too – to support efforts on dozens of artists – a huge list that includes Melvin Jackson, Bill Leslie, Black Grass, Night Blooming Jazzmen, Phil Seamen, Khan Jamal, Klaus Doldinger, The Mad-Hatters, Tommy Jones, Guy Warren, The Three Souls, United Front, Johnny Lytle, London Experimental Jazz Quartet, Paul Smoker, AK Salim, Noah Howard, Jack Wilson, and many others – a good number of whom have yet to be reissued. The book is wonderful – and Corbett's longtime declaration of being a vinyl freak is more important than ever, given the rebirth of the medium! Book is 250 pages, softcover, with color images. Book

A sweet electric 70s session from the mighty Joao Donato – very different than his earlier bossa work of the 60s – and with the same funky appeal as the best work on his classic Quem E Quem album! This set's got a tighter feel overall – very much in a samba soul style, with lots of great Brazilian bits mixed up with funk and jazz touches – including a range of great keyboards handled by Donato himself! Drums are by the mighty Wilson Das Neves – who brings in some breaks at a few points – and the whole thing's supremely soulful too – with titles that include the funky classic "Bananeira", plus "Patumbalacunde", "Lugar Comum", "Tudo Tem", and "Naturalmente". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff – and the beginning of a strong tradition of west coast funky Latin groups! El Chicano were one of a number of groups to emerge from LA of the 60s – rising forth on a wave of Mexican American pride to come up with a west coast version of the Latin Soul sound that had been emanating from Spanish Harlem a few years earlier. The group had an organ-heavy sound that first scored big on their rendition of Gerald Wilson's "Viva Tirado" – done as a single by the group with a stepping jazz beat that was missing from the earlier version, which worked great with their bubbly organ sound. The album was recorded to follow up the hit – done as a live set after hours at the Kabuki Sukiyaki Restaurant in south LA, and filled with tight jazzy covers 60s groovers like "Cantaloupe Island", "Eleanor Rigby", "Hurt So Bad", and "Coming Home Baby". The record's also got an amazing version of "Quiet Village" – and while it may not be as Latin as some of the group's later work, it's the beginning of a great tradition, and has a sound that was copied endlessly – but rarely matched! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most hard-hitting early albums from the legendary Fruko – a set that really lives up to the powerful image on the cover and the title of the record – almost as if Fruko's trying to answer the badass energy of Willie Colon on the New York scene! The record definitely burns as hard as any of Willie's best from the time, but with that earthier groove that Fruko did so well – that quality that made his music from the time such a fresh, powerful new voice that showed the world that Colombia had plenty of great sounds of its own to offer – served up with styles that owned nothing to NYC or PR at all! Vocals are by Joe Arroyo and Wilson Saoko – and titles include "Salsa Na Ma", "Alma Navidena", "Mosaico Matancero", "La Nueva Bamba", "Vamos Pa'L Campo", "Rumba En Navidad", "Tronco Seco", "El Violento", "Nadando", and "Tu Solo Tu". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare bit of lost rocky funk, recorded by Alan Douglas for his short-lived 70s label. The record includes a lot of nice keyboards by Neil Larson, funky drums by Phillip Wilson, and some heavy guitars by Buzz Feiten. There are also some guest playing by Airto, Ray Barretto, and Randy Brecker – but the core sound's by the funky Full Moon. Some tracks have vocals that are a bit weak, but there are some nice fuzzy funky moments to make up for them. Titles include "The Heavy Scuffle's On", "To Know", "Midnight Pass", "Selfish People", and "Need Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive music in a wonderful package – three funky classics from The Gap Band! First up is the group's self-titled album from 1979 – the start of the legendary second chapter for the Gap Band – the point when the group had reemerged as the tight funky trio of the Wilson Brothers, with a groove that would really set them up nicely for the 80s! This first album in the new format has a wonderfully tight feel – still plenty of sharp edges that echo their earlier groove, but a leaner quality too – one that's got the bass and drums snapping together wonderfully, really setting the tone for the heaviest grooves. There's also a few mellower cuts too – which really sound great, and give the record the same sort of balance you might hear on work by Heaven & Earth at the time. War's Lonnie Simmons produced – and held the cash bag all the way to the bank! Titles include "I'm In Love", "Got To Get Away", "Messin With My Mind", "Shake", "Baby Baba Boogie", "Open Your Mind Wide", and "I Can Sing". Gap Band II features mean, lean grooves from The Gap Band – a legendary batch of mainstream funk from the end of the 70s – and a record that really has the trio working at the top of their game! There's a wonderful balance here between funky numbers and mellow ones – the latter of which really help pace the record nicely, giving it a depth that takes the group way beyond the cliches of some of their contemporaries, and firmly establishing the Gap Band as one to watch for the 80s! Titles include the massive "I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up & Dance" – with its classic "Oops Upside Your Head" refrain – plus "Who Do You Call", "No Hiding Place", "Steppin Out", "You Are My High", and "Party Lights". Gap Band III is sagreat one from the Gap Band – funky gems and sinister groovers – the best of both worlds for the group! Tunes like "Burn Rubber On Me (When You Want To Hurt Me)" and "Humpin" packed 80s dance floors for good reason, and put the band in steady rotation, while numbers like "Yearning For Your Love" showed the band could drop the tempo, stretch out a bit, and deliver the mighty mellow. This one's certainly at the top of the heap of 80s groovers, as far as we're concerned – a record that really took the Gap Band over the top! Other tracks include "Nothin' Comes To The Sleepers", "Are You Living", "The Way", "Gash Gash Gash" and more. CD

Drummer Gerry Gibbs has a hell of a trio for this set – and a great batch of guests as well – all of whom help make some real magic on jazz instrumental versions of soul tunes from the 70s! The core trio features Kenny Barron on piano and Ron Carter on bass – both wonderfully sensitive players, without any of the "thrasher" qualities you might guess from the group's name on the cover – and some passages expand things with the addition of Warren Wolf on vibes, Steve Wilson on alto sax, and Larry Goldings on Hammond – all players we really love too. Titles include "Pick Up The Pieces", "Where Is The Love", "What's Going On", "Reasons", "Too High", "Fantasy", "Creepin", and "Brazilian Rhyme". CD

An amazing record, and one that forever transformed the sound of opera in the US – the amazing summation of all the many musical ideas that Philip Glass had been cooking up since the 60s, done as a mindblowing stage presentation with Robert Wilson! Voices, organ, reeds, and piano come together in wonderful lines that go on and on, seemingly forever, in endless variations and rivulets of sound – as simple in structure as the leaner small combo minimalist work from Glass – but with a very different style in the fuller setting, with a sonic quality that still is as groundbreaking today as it was back in the 70s! CD

An amazing record, and one that forever transformed the sound of opera in the US – the amazing summation of all the many musical ideas that Philip Glass had been cooking up since the 60s, done as a mindblowing stage presentation with Robert Wilson! Voices, organ, reeds, and piano come together in wonderful lines that go on and on, seemingly forever, in endless variations and rivulets of sound – as simple in structure as the leaner small combo minimalist work from Glass – but with a very different style in the fuller setting, with a sonic quality that still is as groundbreaking today as it was back in the 70s! LP, Vinyl record album

A four-pack of albums from this seminal group – all brought together in a single set! Where Were You is a seminal set from the Sunset Strip scene of the 60s – and just the kind of record that shows why the changes taking place in Cali were so important to the growth of so much other music at the time! A few years before, and The Grass Roots would have been a pop folk combo re-tuning traditional tracks for the coffeehouse scene – but here they're taking off with some post-folk modes that are partly sunshine pop, partly the headier currents that were the darker side of the west coast – all put together with superb production by PF Sloan and Steve Barri – who also penned some of the best tunes on the record. Titles include the great "Where Were You When I Needed You" – plus "Only When You're Lonely", "Look Out Girl", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "I've Got No More To Say", "I Am A Rock", "Tell Me", and "Mr Jones". Let's Live For Today is maybe the most famous record ever given to the world by California quartet The Grass Roots – famous for its title tune, and for the way that it effortlessly blends together folk inclinations and psych inspirations! The record's definitely one of those that showed the world that there was something new in the air at the time – put together with perfect production in the studio from Steve Barri and PF Sloan – who are in territory that's somewhere between the best from Brian Wilson and Abbey Road Studios – but a bit more understated than both! Titles include the classic "Let's Live For Today" – plus "Things I Should Have Said", "Wake Up Wake Up", "No Exit", "This Precious Time", "House Of Stone", "Is It Any Wonder", and "Tip Of My Tongue". Feelings is a great departure for The Grass Roots – a set that has the group taking a stronger role overall in the instrumentation and songwriting on the record – at a level that makes the whole thing a fabulous extension of all the genius they'd given the world on previous sets! There's still that cool blend of post-folk and psychedelic elements taking place here – gently swirled together with acoustic and electric guitars setting the tunes up just right – all with a late 60s Cali vibe that's as great today as when it was recorded. Titles include "The Sins Of A Family Fall On The Daughter", "Melody For You", "You Might As Well Go My Way", "Dinner For Eight", "Good Things Come To An End", "You & Love Are The Same", and "Hey Friend". CD

A Brazilian tribute to football – but one that's given a distinctly London twist – as core rhythms by Wilson Das Neves, Dom Um Romao, and others are mixed up and augmented by Da Lata, Zero dB, Roc Hunter, Fauna Flash, and Osunlade! The album's got a depth and compelling quality that goes far beyond other records by Grupo Batuque – as tightly-played percussion riffs are mixed with sound effects, crowd noise, and commentary from football games – all in a rich sonic tapestry that goes past simple samba or batucada! The whole thing's almost like an audio document to the greatness of the sport and its importance in Brazilian culture – but thanks to the globe-spanning efforts of Far Out, the added production help should help settle more than a few disputes at the World Cup! Titles include "Torcida Do Flamengo", "E Ruim (Zero dB rmx)", "Ole Ola", "Isto E Samb", "Na Cancao Do Samba", "Ole Ola (Fauna Flash rmx)", "Na Batida Do Agogo (Osunlade rmx)", and "Berimbal Capoeira (Da Lata rmx)". CD

A tasty session of tracks recorded in Brazil, during the Carnival in Rio! The Far Out team took a bunch of legendary Brazilian percussionists into the studio and recorded this album of funky batucada tracks that includes the cuts "Mama Samba", "Ona Leve", and "Percussion Livre". Wilson Das Neves, ex-leader of Os Ipanemas, heads up the group, and other featured players include Mamao, Chacal, and Zezinho. Groovy batucada sounds, with the usual high Far Out quality. CD

An amazing set – all four of the legendary Warner Brothers albums by harmony giants Harpers Bizarre – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Feelin Groovy – the fab first LP by Harpers Bizarre! The group were one of the strangest pop ensembles operating in the seminal LA scene of the mid 60s – ostensibly a sweet harmony vocal group, but with a strangely childish approach that also had an ear open for the mind-blowing production styles of the Brian Wilson era. Van Dyke Parks was a big supporter of the group – and they perform a sublime version of his tune "Come To The Sunshine" as the leadoff track on the album – and even though Van Dyke didn't handle the arrangements of the record, the style of the music is very similar to his own, with guitar, bass, and drums coming into play with strings, woodwinds, and baroque orchestral touches. The record is as dark as it is sublime – one of those pop gems that hit big, but which has a brooding depth bubbling underneath the sugary coating – ala Pet Sounds. Tracks include "Happy Talk", "The Debutantes Ball", "I Can Hear The Darkness", "Raspberry Rug", and their huge hit version of "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy)". Next is Anything Goes – the group's second album – and while it has a lot of similarities with the first, it's also a lot deeper of an expression of their strange blend of harmony vocals, sweet 60s pop, and the nostalgia for the early 20th century that was running through the Burbank Warner scene that included a young Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Lenny Waronker, and other LA underground of the mid 60s. The whole record fits together beautifully – beginning with an old-timey radio kind of announcer, then sliding into sublimely crafted harmony tunes that include originals from the LA luminaries and the group, plus a few other surprising covers. Titles include the hit version of "Anything Goes", plus "The Biggest Night Of Her Life", "Milord", "Virginia City", "High Coin", "Jessie", "This Is Only The Beginning", and "You Need A Change". The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre is the third album by Harpers Bizarre – and one that shows them growing in leaps and bounds with each new release! The record is a sublime fusion of sweet pop California 60s harmonies (ala The Sandpipers or The Lettermen), baroque arrangements with a fake dreamy nostalgia (ala Van Dyke Parks or Randy Newman), and drug-addled underground takes on the eazy sound of the generation (ala Brian Wilson or Love). This album is one of their most perfectly-realized visions, and it features a great blend of older songs, all hipped-up to modern LA arrangements by the likes of Nick De Caro, Perry Botkin, and others. The record has an approach that's simply mindblowing when you consider the amount of funds and effort that must have been put into a record that would only be truly appreciated 40 years later – and it's filled with great titles that include "Me, Japanese Boy", "Look To The Rainbow", "Funny How Love Can Be", "Mad", "Green Apple Tree", and "Las Mananitas". Last up is the group's fourth album, unfortunately, the last Warner album by Harpers Bizarre – one of the few testaments of genius left to us by this incredible group! The record shows the group moving past the sweet pop and dreamy nostalgia of earlier albums – tentatively stepping into the haze of the late 60s LA scene with a blend of songs that share a lot musically with earlier work, but which also seem to have a more adult approach to some of their themes. Arrangements are by the group mostly – with help from pop geniuses like Jack Nitzsche, Nick De Caro, Lenny Waronker, Harry Nilsson, and Perry Botkin Jr. The harmonies are sublime – and the group effortlessly blends original tunes like "Soft Soundin Music", "All Through The Night", "When The Band Begins To Play", and "There's No Time Like Today, along with bizarre covers like "Hard To Handle", "Something Better", "I Love You Alice B Toklas", and Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", which is worth the price of the record alone! Bonus tracks include "Both Sides Now", "Small Talk", "Poly High", "If We Ever Needed The Lord Before", "Malibu U", "Cotton Candy Sandman", "Lost My Love Today", and "Bye Bye Bye". CD

One of the true pop masterpieces of the 90s! This albums' a beautiful mix of Brian Wilson-y production, Capitol countrified pop, soaring LA 60s instrumentation, and about a million other influences! Genius Sean O'Hagan's put the whole thing together, and the record is the kind of lost pop treasure you've always hoped to find searching through the old LP racks – but never thought you'd get on a CD in the 90s. Includes the amazing "Checking In, Checking Out" – which outdoes Jimmy Webb in its Webb-ness; the moody "Giddy & Gay"; and lots of other nice moments like "The Goat Strings", "Track Goes By", and "Up In the Hills". CD

Pianist Ethan Iverson seems to be using his time at the Blue Note label to open up whole new pathways in his sound – recasting his trio performance in ways that have an inherently rhythmic quality, while also really letting loose with some lyrical flights on the keys – a balance that's a bit hard to describe in words, but which really comes through in the music! The set features two different trios – one with Thomas Morgan on bass and Kush Abadey on drums, the other with Simon Wilson on bass, and Vinnie Sperrazza on the kit – and on one track, Rob Schwimmer adds in a bit of theremin. Titles include "Victory Is Assured", "Who Are You Really", "The Chicago Style", "It's Fine To Decline", "Killing Me Softly", and "The Feeling Is Mutual" – plus the "Piano Sonata" suite. CD

Pianist Ethan Iverson seems to be using his time at the Blue Note label to open up whole new pathways in his sound – recasting his trio performance in ways that have an inherently rhythmic quality, while also really letting loose with some lyrical flights on the keys – a balance that's a bit hard to describe in words, but which really comes through in the music! The set features two different trios – one with Thomas Morgan on bass and Kush Abadey on drums, the other with Simon Wilson on bass, and Vinnie Sperrazza on the kit – and on one track, Rob Schwimmer adds in a bit of theremin. Titles include "Victory Is Assured", "Who Are You Really", "The Chicago Style", "It's Fine To Decline", "Killing Me Softly", and "The Feeling Is Mutual" – plus the "Piano Sonata" suite. CD

A brilliant concert date from Willis Jackson – the second half of material recorded during the Jackson's Action performance! Like his Prestige labelmate Jack McDuff, Willis Jackson could really cook in a live format – opening up his style a lot from studio albums, yet also not getting too sloppy, too overindulgent, or too solo-focused to lose the general groove of the tracks. This set's one of Jackson's finest in the live setting, and features his group with Frank Robinson on trumpet, Carl Wilson on organ, and Pat Azzarra on guitar. Tracks have a good jaunty soul jazz sound – and titles include "Blowin Like Hell", "Blue Gator", "Gator Tail", and "Annie Laurie". LP, Vinyl record album

JJ Johnson and Kai Winding at the height of their dual powers – working together here beautifully at a level that both embraces the modern sound of the trombone in larger 50s ensembles, but also offers up the more fluid personality of the instrument in the smaller combo scene! The pair have a great way of coming together at the start, then splitting off to find their own space on the tunes – a wonderful antidote to some of the too-tight trombone lines of the 50s, and a great reminder that there's always a voice behind the horn. The group on the record features Dick Katz on piano and celeste, plus either Bill Crow or Milt Hinton on bass, and Shadow Wilson or Kenny Clarke on drums. Candido plays a bit of percussion on the track "Caribe" – and the pair play tromboniums on the tune "Tromboniums In Motion". Other tracks include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe", "The Song Is You", and "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo album that Eddie Kendricks cut after leaving The Temptations – and a great one! Motown genius Frank Wilson produced the whole album, and it's got a really unified feel that you don't always get on Motown albums – possibly proof that the label was really invested in starting Eddie off on a strong solo career. The record's got a wonderful sweet soul sound – with Eddie's great vocals at the center, and some complicated arrangements that work very well on the ballads, and which kick it up on a few tracks, hinting at Eddie's later successful boogie style. Titles include "Something's Burning", "Let's Go Back To Day One", "It's So Hard For Me To Say Goodbye", and "Can I". LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie certainly was the "hit man" on this one – a tight album of hard stepping soul tracks, mostly cut in Eddie's famous "boogie" mode of the mid 70s! The cuts mix wonderful soul vocals with some tight jazzy instrumentation – laid down by players like Wah Wah Ragin, Harvey Mason, Ray Parker, and Leonard Caston, who produced the album with Frank Wilson. The record's got swirling strings around harder instrumentation – in a mode that's perfect for Eddie's sweet vocal style – and the sound is right up there with classic work by Marvin Gaye or Barry White. Includes the nice long cut "Body Talk", plus "Happy", "If Anyone Can", "Fortune Teller", "I've Got To Be", and "Skippin' Work Today". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing sounds from the great Bunny Lee – and exactly the kind of collection that makes us love the Pressure Sounds label so much! The track selection is wonderful – and most numbers are balanced in a unique space between reggae and rocksteady, and often have some crucial influences from American soul and funk as well – but they come across with a mode that's very different from more standard reggae, especially the style of the music that would be more codified a few years later. Instead, there's a really rich sense of experimentation here – as Bunny Lee and his All Stars work on instrumental tracks, or alongside other key artists like Delroy Wilson, Rico Rodriguez, Tommy McCook, U Roy, or Winston Williams. Some tunes have amazingly trippy touches – and a few points even mix in some wild moog too – and titles include "Double Attack", "Ivan Itler The Conqueror", "Scarface", "Joe Lewis", "War", "Wet Vision", "When I Get My Freedom", "Smooth & Sorts", and "Death Rides A Horse". CD

An overlooked gem from singer Mamie Lee – a vocalist who inhabits the same space between jazz and soul as Nancy Wilson! The album's got a very groovy feel overall – thanks to small combo backing from The Swingmen, a piano trio who backed up Mamie in live appearances, and who really fit in great for this studio session. Lee's got a great repoire with the group, and they work together to make the album way more than the usual vocal session from the time – a nicely swinging, hip, and lean little set that's totally great! Titles include "Charade", "Come Back To Me", "Once Upon A Time", "Poor Everybody Else", and "Try To Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous lost masterpiece from Jose Mauro – a less-remembered figure in Brazilian music at the start of the 70s – but one we'd rank right up there with the best of the time, on a short list that would include Marcos Valle, Milton Nascimento, and Arthur Verocai! Like those three giants, Mauro's got a way with a tune that's completely his own, and very different than music taking place in the Anglo scene at the time – sophisticated, but never full of itself – personal, but also always reaching for higher ideas too – set up in these sublime arrangements by Roberto Quartin, who recorded the date for his own famous label – with a killer studio group that includes Dom Salvador on organ and piano, Paulo Moura on alto, sax, and Wilson Das Neves on drums. Jose's vocals are fantastic, as is his subtle use of acoustic guitar – and arrangements on the set are by Maestro Gaya, who you might know from a wealth of brilliant work for the EMI/Odeon label in Brazil. The set includes three never-issued tracks – "Rua Dois", "Moenda", and "Variacao Sobre Um Antigo Tem" – plus "A Viagem Das Horas", "O Nino", "Morango Encanto", "O Oitava Morada", "Romanza", and "O Cavaleiro De Antonina". CD

A really fantastic large project by Christian McBride – maybe one of his most ambitious records ever, and one that really lives up to its intention! The movement here is the Civil Rights movement – recalled through the words of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks, and Dr Martin Luther King Jr – then set to jazz instrumentation by a wonderful lineup that includes Warren Wolf on vibes, Steve Wilson on alto and flute, Ron Blake on tenor and soprano sax, Michael Dease and Steve Davis on trombones, Lew Soloff on trumpet, and Geoffrey Keezer on piano. Four different figures each take on the voices, with an approach that's as great as the music – actors Wendell Pierce, Vondie Curtis Hall, and Dion Graham – plus poet Sonia Sanchez – often shifting the words of the key figures throughout a single musical work, with results that are surprisingly powerful. Titles include "Brother Malcolm", "Sister Rosa", "Rumble In The Jungle", "Ali Speaks", "Soldiers", and "A View From The Mountaintop". A fantastic record – and one that reminds us of the great power in this nation, at a time when its light is sometimes eclipsed. CD

Bassist Christian McBride's always got a great ear for the players he chooses to work with – and that's definitely the case here, as the group features the great Warren Wolf on vibes and reedman Steve Wilson on both alto and soprano sax! Wilson and Wolf have this great way of balancing each other out – the sometimes-sharp edges of Steve's saxophones, and the inherent warmth of Warren's vibes – dancing together joyfully and really opening up the sound, in the company of other players who include Peter Martin on piano and Carl Allen on drums. As always, McBride proves to be a really special sort of bassist-as-leader – and titles include "Ms Angelou", "The Shade Of The Cedar Tree", "Fair Hope Theme", and "Gang Gang" – all nice and long! CD

Bassist Christian McBride's always got a great ear for the players he chooses to work with – and that's definitely the case here, as the group features the great Warren Wolf on vibes and reedman Steve Wilson on both alto and soprano sax! Wilson and Wolf have this great way of balancing each other out – the sometimes-sharp edges of Steve's saxophones, and the inherent warmth of Warren's vibes – dancing together joyfully and really opening up the sound, in the company of other players who include Peter Martin on piano and Carl Allen on drums. As always, McBride proves to be a really special sort of bassist-as-leader – and titles include "Ms Angelou", "The Shade Of The Cedar Tree", "Fair Hope Theme", and "Gang Gang" – all nice and long! LP, Vinyl record album

2 of the greatest artists on Pacific Jazz meet head to head in the studio – as the Les McCann trio gets backed up by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra! Given the hipness of Wilson's sound, and the fact that his group features solo work by Teddy Edwards and Dennis Budimir, the overall approach to the record is really wonderful – pushing McCann way past his usual bag, and fleshing out the core grooves of the trio very very nicely! Tracks include "Maleah", "Love Of Living To Do", "Kathleen's Theme", "Gus Gus", "Restin In Jail", and "Bailor The Wailor". LP, Vinyl record album

Two great lost albums from Carmen – very different than her earlier work, kind of a mixture of jazz, soul, and pop, in territory that's a bit like work by Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw. Sound of Silence has Carmen working with arrangments by Shorty Rogers and Jimmy Jones – nicely jazzy, but with other sophisticated touches that open up Carmen's palette a lot. Titles include "Watch What Happens", "Sound Of Silence", "MacArthur Park", "Can You Tell", and "Gloomy Sunday". Portrait Of Carmen is one of her hippest LPs ever, and a great set of vocal gems that often gets overlooked. Arrangements are by Benny Carter, Shorty Rogers, and Oliver Nelson – and the album's got a swinging groovy style that pushes Carmen past her schmaltzier jazz vocal roots. The album kicks off with an amazing reading of Tommy Wolf's "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco", done by Carmen in a way that makes you know she owns the song – and then it moves through a compelling blend of compositions that includes "My Very Own Person", "Ask Any Woman", "Boy, Do I Have A Surprise For You", and "Elusive Butterfly". CD

Sublime early work from Carmen McRae – a collection of recordings done with backing from pianist Ray Bryant in both small combo and large group settings! The first dozen tracks on the album have Carmen singing in a beautifully fragile mode – with only Ray's piano and a bit of bass and drums to back her up – and it's a real treat to her the McRae vocal approach in such an unfettered format, because even at this earlier age, Carmen had a sense of control, poise, and grace that shines through immediately. Next up are 14 more tunes that also feature Bryant's piano, but over larger backings directed by Jack Pleis – in a way that's more similar to some of McRae's better known recordings from the time, but still quite great – done with a level of sophistication that clearly paved the way for Nancy Wilson and Marlena Shaw in years to come – on a batch of 12 mostly Noel Coward numbers, and 2 other tunes. 26 tracks in all – and titles include "I Can't Escape From You", "Guess Who I Saw Today", "Exactly Like You", "All My Life", "Dream Of Life", "Zigeuner", "A Room With A View", "Never Again", "Invitation", "If Love Were All", "Why Does Love Get In The Way", and "Mad About The Boy". CD

A rare gem of a session – live material recorded by the Voice Of America in 1957, and featuring a unique Thelonious Monk quartet with John Coltrane on tenor! The performance is contemporaneous with Coltrane's appearance on the legendary Monk's Music album for Riverside – and the overall feel here is a bit similar to that classic. Yet the live setting also allows Coltrane to open up and improvise a lot more – stretching out in fluid lines that are often a strong contrast to the more angular notes coming out of Monk's piano. Rhythm is by the team of Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums – and titles are broken up into an "early show" and "late show" – 9 numbers in all that include "Bye-ya", "Epistrophy", "Nutty", "Crepuscule With Nellie", "Monk's Mood", and "Evidence". CD

Quite a weird little record – issued after the untimely death of Wes Montgomery, and featuring a variety of his older recordings – augmented by new string and horn parts by Gerald Wilson! Most of the tunes on the set are from older Pacific Jazz sides by The Montgomery Brothers, plus a session with vocalist Jon Hendricks – but for this album, the original tracks feature layered on orchestrations by Wilson – in a style that was done to match the fuller orchestrations of Wes' later sides for Verve and CTI, cut in the years right before his death. The sound actually works surprisingly well, and serves to soup up some of the sleepier material from the Montgomery Brothers records. Other players include Pony Poindexter, Freddie Hubbard, and Harold Land – and titles include "A Good Get Together", "Fingerpickin", "Bock To Bock", "Old Folks", "Far Wes", "Montgomeryland Funk", "Summertime", and "Leila". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a female soul album from the 70s – recorded in Texas by singer Shirley Nanette, but issued on a tiny label and never circulated at the time! The music here is all handled by guitarist Hanc Swarn – who'd worked with Earl Grant, and helped create that cool syncopated groove that made Grant a favorite with the steppers – a style that's expanded here into some funkier 70s modes, which really let's Nanette's vocals soar! Shirley's hardly the rootsy singer you'd expect from the Texas scene – as she's sometimes got this poise and class that almost rivals Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw, but can also hit these badass modes when the tunes get funkier too. The set's great – way more than just another rarity, and the kind of overlooked 70s gem we'd rank right up there with lost indie soul treasures by Mike James Kirkland or Penny Goodwin. Titles include "Give & Take", "Limelight", "Tropic Of Love", "I'm So Glad", "Heaven On Earth", "People Are Thinking", and "Yours Truly Love". LP, Vinyl record album

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

One of Anita's strongest for Verve – featuring backing by a few different groups. One features Ralph Burns on piano and arrangments, leading a septet that includes Bill Harris, Cecil Payne, and Roy Eldridge – on the tracks "Rock N Roll Blues", "Love For Sale", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "Lullaby Of The Leaves". Next up is Roy Kral, playing piano and arranging a quintet that includes Earl Backus on guitar and Jim Wilson on bongos – on tracks that include "No Soap, No Hope Blues", "Strawberry Moon", and "Speak Low". The last four tracks feature arrangements by Larry Russell – and they include "Pagan Love Song" and "Somebody's Crying". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-remembered albums from the mighty Originals – thanks to a surprisingly strong step into club and disco rhythms! The group were always great on the harmony tip – and earlier music often had them really shining on the ballads – but here they work with arrangers Frank Wilson, Dale Warren, and Art Wright on a set of grooves that rival the best group soul club work coming out of Philly and New York at the time! The vocals are never overwhelmed by the grooves – and instead seem to really be set loose with the lively arrangements – finding a soaring space they might never have hit this well before. Titles include the clubby classic "Down To Love Town" – plus "You Are A Blessing", "Call On Your Six Million Dollar Man", "Hurry Up & Wait", "Been Decided", and "Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

A key moment in the career of Esther Phillips – and a record that really has her shaking off the rougher bluesy styles of the earlier years, and pointing the way towards strong jazz success in the 70s! The album's definitely burnin, but with a sophisticated vibe too – as Esther works with backing from a small combo that includes Jack Wilson on piano, Richard Tee on organ, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Cornell Dupree on guitar – a lineup that almost hits the same vibe as her later work on CTI/Kudu – and which brings out a new depth in Esther's vocals that's simply amazing! There's a heartbreaking quality to most of the numbers – a mix of roots and class, depth and poise – all served up in a style that's unlike any other singer before or since. Titles include "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream", "And I Love Him", "Shangri-La", "I'm Getting Long Alright", and "Please Send Me Someone To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Music beyond description – a unique blend of disco, funk, avant garde, and dub – the wonderful world of the late Arthur Russell! Russell was a bass player by trade, but he was schooled in both classical and Eastern music forms – and brought an incredibly fresh vision to his work in New York in the late 70s and early 80s. To some, Russell was a groundbreaking disco pioneer – with an offbeat production style and unique conception of rhythm. To others, Russell was a performance artist and avant garde musician – working in circles that included Phillip Glass, David Byrne, and Robert Wilson. This mix of modes was very much a part of the post-disco, post-punk sound of New York at the time – and nobody summarized it (or allowed it!) better than Russell himself. This excellent set from Soul Jazz is one of the first to truly give him his due – and it brings together a large amount of his disco-related projects, plus a few more introspective numbers cut under his own name. The sound is incredible – unlike anything you could categorize – especially on the Russell-titled numbers – and as always with Soul Jazz, the whole thing's beautifully packaged, with rich notes on the music and the person behind it! Titles include "Go Bang (Francois K mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Wax The Van" by Lola, "Is It All Over My Face (Larry Levan mix)" by Loose Joints, "In The Cornbelt (Larry Levan mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Pop Your Funk" by Loose Joints, "Schoolbell/Treehouse (Walter Gibbons mix)" by Indian Ocean, and "Let's Go Swimming (Walter Gibbons mix)", "A Little Lost", "In The Light Of The Miracle", and "Keeping Up" by Arthur Russell himself! CD

A tough title to live up to – but Raphael makes it happen! The album's as wonderful as you might think – all the deeply soulful styles Saadiq worked out with Tony Toni Tone, taken back through a historical range of soul music – firmly planted in a legacy that begins with Stevie Wonder, runs through Maxwell and D'Angelo, and which points the way towards the future of urban soul. Backings are very much in the beats-n-keyboards mode, but Raphael works out such a wide range of moods and modes that the album avoids any of the shortcomings of other albums in such a style. Includes guest performances by Angie Stone, Leslie Wilson, T-Boz, Calvin Richardson, and D'Angelo – and titles that include "Doing What I Can", "Be Here", "Still Pay", "You're The One That I Like", "Excuse Me", "Tick Tock", "People", "Faithful", "Make My Day", "Blind Man", "Different Times", "What's Life Like", and "Skyy, Can You Feel Me". CD

A tough title to live up to – but Raphael makes it happen! The album's as wonderful as you might think – all the deeply soulful styles Saadiq worked out with Tony Toni Tone, taken back through a historical range of soul music – firmly planted in a legacy that begins with Stevie Wonder, runs through Maxwell and D'Angelo, and which points the way towards the future of urban soul. Backings are very much in the beats-n-keyboards mode, but Raphael works out such a wide range of moods and modes that the album avoids any of the shortcomings of other albums in such a style. Includes guest performances by Angie Stone, Leslie Wilson, T-Boz, Calvin Richardson, and D'Angelo – and titles that include "Doing What I Can", "Be Here", "Still Pay", "You're The One That I Like", "Excuse Me", "Tick Tock", "People", "Faithful", "Make My Day", "Blind Man", "Different Times", "What's Life Like", and "Skyy, Can You Feel Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from Seawind – and a killer batch of jazzy soul tracks all the way through! The set's easily one of the hippest to come out on CTI in the 70s, although with the record's strong use of vocals, it also feels a bit more like some of the work coming out on Fantasy at the time – lots of jazzy riffing underneath in the rhythms, and solidly soulful vocals over the top – all in a blend that's totally great, and produced to perfection by the great Harvey Mason! Pauline Wilson sings lead vocals on most tracks, and the tunes are filled with riffing guitar and keyboards with a really sharp edge – yet never too much so that they lose the sense of soul laid down by the vocals. Wonderful work throughout – with titles that include "Roadways (part 1 & 2)", "Make Up Your Mind", "We Got A Way", "A Love Song", "He Loves You", and "The Devil Is A Liar". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty obscure late 60s set on Capitol Records – by one of those great bands who briefly got the chance to record for the label, then never showed up again! The Serfs have a lot going on for such a relatively unknown group – a sound that's partly folk, partly roots, and with some groovier touches too – even a bit of jazz inflections at points, in ways that remind us a bit of The Shades Of Joy on Fontana. Instrumentation includes congas, vibes, organ, tenor, and trumpet. Production is by Tom Wilson – the force behind so many great records at the time – and titles include "Evil Days", "Early Bird Cafe", "All Blue", "Leda", "I'm A Man", and "Prologue & Mechanical Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty obscure late 60s set on Capitol Records – by one of those great bands who briefly got the chance to record for the label, then never showed up again! The Serfs have a lot going on for such a relatively unknown group – a sound that's partly folk, partly roots, and with some groovier touches too – even a bit of jazz inflections at points, in ways that remind us a bit of The Shades Of Joy on Fontana. Instrumentation includes congas, vibes, organ, tenor, and trumpet. Production is by Tom Wilson – the force behind so many great records at the time – and titles include "Evil Days", "Early Bird Cafe", "All Blue", "Leda", "I'm A Man", and "Prologue & Mechanical Man". CD

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, you'll find an undercurrent of politics, feminism, and social commentary delivered with surprising intensity. Marlena Shaw's voice is generally sweet, but she's set up in some extremely powerful arrangements by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that recast even the simplest phrase into a whole new setting of strength and pride – and Bobby Miller of Dells fame also helped make the record what it is, and helped write some of the best songs on the record. The set includes Marlena's classic original reading of "Woman Of The Ghetto", which has been sampled by just about everyone, plus "California Soul", which has a nice hard break, and the tunes "Liberation Conversation", "Where Can I Go?", and the original version of "Go Away Little Boy" – as sweet a statement of womanhood if there ever was one! CD

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, you'll find an undercurrent of politics, feminism, and social commentary delivered with surprising intensity. Marlena Shaw's voice is generally sweet, but she's set up in some extremely powerful arrangements by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that recast even the simplest phrase into a whole new setting of strength and pride – and Bobby Miller of Dells fame also helped make the record what it is, and helped write some of the best songs on the record. The set includes Marlena's classic original reading of "Woman Of The Ghetto", which has been sampled by just about everyone, plus "California Soul", which has a nice hard break, and the tunes "Liberation Conversation", "Where Can I Go?", and the original version of "Go Away Little Boy" – as sweet a statement of womanhood if there ever was one! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, you'll find an undercurrent of politics, feminism, and social commentary delivered with surprising intensity. Marlena Shaw's voice is generally sweet, but she's set up in some extremely powerful arrangements by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that recast even the simplest phrase into a whole new setting of strength and pride – and Bobby Miller of Dells fame also helped make the record what it is, and helped write some of the best songs on the record. The set includes Marlena's classic original reading of "Woman Of The Ghetto", which has been sampled by just about everyone, plus "California Soul", which has a nice hard break, and the tunes "Liberation Conversation", "Where Can I Go?", and the original version of "Go Away Little Boy" – as sweet a statement of womanhood if there ever was one! CD

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". CD

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". CD

A fantastic early bossa session from Wilson Simonal! His deep soulful voice is in perfect form – and it sounds super next to sweet lilting arrangements by the great Lyrio Panicalli – who uses larger orchestrations to open up that soulful side of Wilson's vocals – the sort that made him a key precursor of the 70s samba soul generation! The whole thing's upbeat and groovy – in a way that really points towards some of Simonal's giant work to come – and titles Include a version of Marcos Valle's "Tudo De Voce", plus the tracks "Telefone", "Lagrima Flor", "Menino Triste", "Samba E Verbo", and "Balanco Zona Sul". LP, Vinyl record album

A motherlode of great music from Zoot Sims – mid 70s recordings done for the Groove Merchant label, presented here in a double-length package! Although Groove Merchant was mostly known for its funkier sounds, the work here is nicely back to basics for Sims – small group sessions that give him plenty of room to open up and blow – paired with players that include Lionel Hampton on vibes, Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Teddy Wilson on piano, and Buddy Rich on drums. The sound is warm, but never sleepy – and Zoot's tenor has a nice edge on his solos that dominate most tunes. CD features 14 tracks that include "Nirvana", "Somerset", "A Summer Thing", "Somebody Loves Me", "Up A Lazy River", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Send In the Clowns", "Air Mail Special", "Ham Hock Blues", and "Ring Dem Bells". CD

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

One of the best-ever albums by the Supremes – and filled with stone classics, to boot! As the title states, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard team up with Holland Dozier Holland – and they really to create the sound that would put them and Motown on the map. A couple of the biggest hits are laid down, but album also features tracks that are arguably even better to hear these days – as they spin out that quintessential Motown sound but aren't hampered by the ubiquity of the oldies radio staples! Titles include "You Keep Me Hanging On", "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone", "I Guess I'll Always Love You", "I'll Turn To Stone", "It's The Same Old Song", "Love Is In Our Hearts", 'There's No Stopping Us Now" and "Love Is Like A Heatwave". LP, Vinyl record album

They may be Teenagers, but this is hardly teen pop – as the album's a key step in the direction towards soul music for the 60s – thanks to the mighty power of the tragic Frankie Lymon! There's a sense of darkness to the album right from the start – even in the hit that kicks things off – and Lymon's heartbreaking quality never lets up – with a deep soul sensibility that may well top the group leads of Clyde McPhatter or Jackie Wilson in the same generation. Even some of the more playful moments have an undeniable power – and titles include the classic "Why Do Fools Fall In Love", plus "I'm Not A Juvenile Deliquent", "I'm Not A Know It All", "Love Is A Clown", and "Please Be Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-remembered albums from the Underground Kingz – a set that was even more expansive than most of the big hip hop records on the charts at the time – which leaves plenty of room for the Kingz and all of their entourage to do their thing! The set features plenty of guests, both older school and newer artists, some of whom balance the harder sound at the core with some soulful warmth – others of whom fan the flames a bit more. Outkast famously help shape the sound of "Intl Players Anthem" – and other features include Too Short on "Life Is 2009", Rick Ross on "Cocaine", Charlie Wilson and Willie D on "Quit Hatin The South", Talib Kweli and Raheem DeVaughn on "Real Women", and Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap on "Next Up" – next to other tracks that include "Underground Kingz", "Like That", "Living This Life", "Stop N Go", "How Long Can It Last", "Grind Hard", "The Game Belongs To Me", and "Swishas & Dosha". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool, very groovy soundtrack from this Italian film about satanic ritual and demonic possession! The great Piero Umiliani serves up a wide-ranging batch of tracks, from breezy vocal pop numbers (with vocals by Shirley Hammer), to spooky funk instrumentals with a sort of "haunted feel", to some surprisingly-placed Brazilian inspiration (actually recorded in Brazil, with performances by Wilson Das Neves)! Insane stuff, but wildly entertaining throughout, and with mix of moods, all incredible! Includes "Sweet Revelation", "Saudade", "Magical Children", "Macumba", "Now I'm On My Own", "Toccata E Samba", "Iniziazione Di Una Giovanea Strega", "La Foreesta Incantata" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughn hit a very groovy new style on her handful of records for the Mainstream label in the early 70s – a new approach that offered her amazing voice a way to stretch out with some of the new sophistication of the time! The arrangements are still jazz, but they've taken a direction that other younger singers, like Nancy Wilson, were following as the decade began – maybe more adult themes in the lyrics, and a way of balancing out the larger charts without ever getting in the way of the singer – which is especially important here, in the way that the album demonstrates that phrasing that not only made Sarah so unique at the start, but which got even more amazing as the years moved on. The arrangers are a hip lot who are definitely up to the job – and include Michel Legrand, Peter Matz, and Jack Elliott – on titles that include "Run To Me", "And The Feeling's Good", "Just A Little Lovin", "Deep In The Night", "When You Think Of It", and a nice take on "Easy Evil". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's no lie – as Sarah Vaughan sings here in some very soulful company – thanks to arrangements from Gerald Wilson, which make this record one of the standout from her years on Roulette Records! The other players aren't listed, but they're clearly the kind of top-shelf bunch that Wilson would have pulled together – and there's a nice Hammond player who gets a lot of space, and brings the organ to bear with Vaughan's vocals – in a way you don't always hear on other records! There's also a strong trumpet and tenor soloist, who both do a great job of opening up Wilson's charts – and titles include "Taste Of Honey", "Easy Street", "Gravy Waltz", "In Love In Vain", "What Kind Of Fool Am I", "The Good Life", and "Moanin". CD

A freewheeling jazz set from the German scene of the 70s – one of those really great Euro albums that's not free jazz, but not conventional hardbop either – maybe borrowing a bit from Brazilian jazz, mixed with some of the warmth of the Cali 70s scene as well, and a touch of modal energy too – all wrapped up in a warmly flowing style that's mighty nice! The set features strong work on both tenor and soprano sax from Wilson De Oliveira, mixed with both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes from Henryk Darlowski – and a mixture of electric and acoustic bass from Reinhard Gloder, next to drums from Clemens Schuster, listed as playing "orange drums" (?) – on ttles that include "Summer Dance", "Henryk's Trick", "High Do", "Slow Post", and "Montserrat". CD

Strong later work from the great Ben Webster – three albums in a single set! On the first record, Ben Webster plays live in Harlem – not the uptown scene in New York, but the Dutch city that became a surprisingly strong showcase for American players overseas! The date's got that easygoing style of some of Webster's best late live performances – a laidback rhythm trio, and Ben himself blowing these raspy, blue-tinged notes that are full of feeling – even when in a familiar setting – that quality that can make even subtle handling of a standard pop out with such Webster-like charm! The group features Tete Montoliu on piano, Rob Langereis on bass, and Tony Inzalaco on drums – and titles include "Stardust", "How Long Has This Been Going On", "Sunday", "For All We Know", and "Perdido". Live In Stockholm is a posthumous release of live material recorded in Sweden, during a time when tenor genius Ben Webster was doing some of his best work overseas! The tracks here feature Ben in a few different settings – with piano from Teddy Wilson or Lasse Sjosten, bass from Red Mitchell or Sture Nordin, and drums from Ed Thigpen and Frederik Noren. But maybe best of all is the trumpet work on most tracks – played by either Arne Ryskog or Rolf Ericson, both players whose presence really brings a lot – and makes the record a bit different than some of those other "older American soloists with a European rhythm section" dates of the time. Titles include "Indiana", "C Jam Blues", "The Theme", "Satin Doll", "I Got Rhythm", and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore". The last album is a late live set from Ben Webster – recorded in Norway with an unusual rhythm section that really lets Ben open up and do his thing, always with that fantastic twist on his tone he developed later in life! The group features Tore Sandnaes on piano, Bjorn Alterhaug on bass, and Kjell Johansen on drums – and titles include "In A Mllotone", "Sunday", "Satin Doll", "Perdido", "I Got Rhythm", and "Stardust". CD

Lenny's working here with Frank E Wilson – a great producer who really understood his style of singing, and who classed up his act considerably after the early days in Tower of Power. The album's got a good mix of smooth soul and uptempo numbers – and tracks include "Sweet Ecstasy", "If You're In Need", "Last Night I Dreamed", "Doing The Loop De Loop", "Here's To The Lady", and "Though We Loved Once". LP, Vinyl record album

A rich overview of the shift in art that took place in the UK from the mid 60s through the late 70s – that moment of new practice and unusual forms that was quickly known as conceptual art, thanks to its mix of theory, politics, and culture! The book offers up a history of the movement, along with many images of artworks – done in conjunction with an exhibit at the Tate in London, from which most of the works were taken. Andrew Wilson provides the main history, and there's some other essays too – and the book features works by Sol LeWitt, Hamish Fulton, Margaret Harrison, Terry Atkinson, Sue Arrowsmith, Mary Kelly, Barry Flanagan, Richard Long, and many others. Softcover, 160 pages, with color images throughout. Book

One of the landmark albums of 70s mellow soul! Bobby Wilson hasn't left behind much of a recorded legacy, but he did come up with this godlike album that should be in any collection of classic soul. The record is a perfect blending of the styles of soul that were running through the east coast underground of the early 70s – with some elements of the burgeoning club scene on the more uptempo numbers, and a sweet warm vocal style on the album's super-strong mellow cuts. Vernon Bullock arranged, produced, and wrote most of the songs with Bobby – and the record takes the best elements of Vernon's own music, and pushes it to the next level. Titles include "Deeper & Deeper", "Here Is Where The Love Is", "I'll Take Good Care Of You", "Hey, Girl (Tell Me)", "All I Need (I've Got)", "You Make Me Feel Good All Over", "Let Me (Put Love Back In Your Life)" and "I'll Be Your Rainbow". CD

Two classic Lloyd Charmers productions – back to back on CD, with lots of bonus tracks too! Delroy Wilson steps up strongly with Sarge – a set that's got an unassuming cover and a very deep vibe – this mellow groove that always seems to work great with Delroy's style – and lets him really push over the top with all sorts of warmly crackling energy, stretching things more than some of his contemporaries who were maybe just content to kick back in the rhythm. The set's definitely one to remind you that Wilson was one of the more soulful Jamaican singers of his time – and titles include "My Conversation", "I'm Still Waiting", "My Cecilia", "Ain't That Loving You", "Everybody Needs Love", "Got A Date", and "The Last Thing On My Mind". On Boothe Unlimited, the great Ken Boothe is featured strongly on vocals, but the set also features a fair bit of instrumentals too – that balance between soulful lyrics and dubby instrumentals that you'd usually find on a 7" single, carried out here as a showcase for some stunning production from the great Lloyd Charmers! Titles include "Ain't No Sunshine", "Look What You've Done For Me", "You've Broken The Guitar", "Out Of Love", "Missing You", "To Get Rhythm", and "Second Chance". CD features 13 tracks on CD for the first time ever – and also includes 12 bonus tracks, all discomixes of titles on the albums! CD

A seminal moment on the west coast scene of the 60s – a record that has the great Gerald Wilson pulling together some of the best elements that were going on at the time, and also pointing the way towards changes to come in the future! The set's not the first effort by Wilson on record, but it's maybe one of his most classic – and begins with superb selection of members for the ensemble – a lineup that includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Teddy Edwards and Harold Land on tenors, Joe Pass on guitar, and the great Jack Wilson on piano! But key to the set are the rhythms – with the wonderful bassist Jimmy Bond setting up a groove that seems to pull out the best from drummer Mel Lewis – as the pair help ground the larger group with a rock-solid groove that keeps things soulful throughout! Nearly every track's an original, and the album includes Wilson's killer track "Viva Tirado" – a tight jazzy stepper that was covered by many artists over the years, most famously El Chicano – with a Latin-tinged groove that really opens up a new sound in Los Angeles jazz! There's lots of other great cuts too – including "Moment of Truth", "Latino", "Josefina", and "Patterns". CD

A seminal moment on the west coast scene of the 60s – a record that has the great Gerald Wilson pulling together some of the best elements that were going on at the time, and also pointing the way towards changes to come in the future! The set's not the first effort by Wilson on record, but it's maybe one of his most classic – and begins with superb selection of members for the ensemble – a lineup that includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Teddy Edwards and Harold Land on tenors, Joe Pass on guitar, and the great Jack Wilson on piano! But key to the set are the rhythms – with the wonderful bassist Jimmy Bond setting up a groove that seems to pull out the best from drummer Mel Lewis – as the pair help ground the larger group with a rock-solid groove that keeps things soulful throughout! Nearly every track's an original, and the album includes Wilson's killer track "Viva Tirado" – a tight jazzy stepper that was covered by many artists over the years, most famously El Chicano – with a Latin-tinged groove that really opens up a new sound in Los Angeles jazz! There's lots of other great cuts too – including "Moment of Truth", "Latino", "Josefina", and "Patterns". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal moment on the west coast scene of the 60s – a record that has the great Gerald Wilson pulling together some of the best elements that were going on at the time, and also pointing the way towards changes to come in the future! The set's not the first effort by Wilson on record, but it's maybe one of his most classic – and begins with superb selection of members for the ensemble – a lineup that includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Teddy Edwards and Harold Land on tenors, Joe Pass on guitar, and the great Jack Wilson on piano! But key to the set are the rhythms – with the wonderful bassist Jimmy Bond setting up a groove that seems to pull out the best from drummer Mel Lewis – as the pair help ground the larger group with a rock-solid groove that keeps things soulful throughout! Nearly every track's an original, and the album includes Wilson's killer track "Viva Tirado" – a tight jazzy stepper that was covered by many artists over the years, most famously El Chicano – with a Latin-tinged groove that really opens up a new sound in Los Angeles jazz! There's lots of other great cuts too – including "Moment of Truth", "Latino", "Josefina", and "Patterns". LP, Vinyl record album

Pianist Jack Wilson is one of our favorite underdiscovered talents of the 60's – and we treasure all of the albums we can find by him. His lyrical writing and playing are extremely refreshing, and he manages to spin out long free lines on the piano, while also still keeping a very soulful groove. This mid 60's recording for Atlantic features Wilson in a trio with Philly Joe Jones and Leroy Vinnegar, and the record is divided up into "2 sides" – one fast, and one slow. The fast side has Wilson playing a bit more boppishly than usual – on tracks like his own "Kinta" and "Good Time Joe", and Bud Powell's "Glass Enclosure". The slow side is more of our favorite, and features some very nice reditions of material like "The Good Life" and "Once Upon A Summertime". CD

Pianist Jack Wilson is one of our favorite underdiscovered talents of the 60's – and we treasure all of the albums we can find by him. His lyrical writing and playing are extremely refreshing, and he manages to spin out long free lines on the piano, while also still keeping a very soulful groove. This mid 60's recording for Atlantic features Wilson in a trio with Philly Joe Jones and Leroy Vinnegar, and the record is divided up into "2 sides" – one fast, and one slow. The fast side has Wilson playing a bit more boppishly than usual – on tracks like his own "Kinta" and "Good Time Joe", and Bud Powell's "Glass Enclosure". The slow side is more of our favorite, and features some very nice reditions of material like "The Good Life" and "Once Upon A Summertime". CD

Pianist Jack Wilson is one of our favorite underdiscovered talents of the 60's – and we treasure all of the albums we can find by him. His lyrical writing and playing are extremely refreshing, and he manages to spin out long free lines on the piano, while also still keeping a very soulful groove. This mid 60's recording for Atlantic features Wilson in a trio with Philly Joe Jones and Leroy Vinnegar, and the record is divided up into "2 sides" – one fast, and one slow. The fast side has Wilson playing a bit more boppishly than usual – on tracks like his own "Kinta" and "Good Time Joe", and Bud Powell's "Glass Enclosure". The slow side is more of our favorite, and features some very nice reditions of material like "The Good Life" and "Once Upon A Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of modal jazz tracks – recorded by the great LA pianist Jack Wilson with a young Roy Ayers! The set is amazing, and features haunting piano and vibes interplay between Ayers and Wilson – in a style that could best be summed up as LA modern modal, but which is also embellished by lots warm, lyrical twists by both of the soloists. The title cut is a totally groovy workout on Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin", and the rest of the set includes Coltrane's "Impressions", Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments", Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder", and a great 3-part reading of "The Sandpiper". One of our favorite albums from the 60's, and a beautiful document of one of the lesser-known streams of jazz that was coming out of the west coast during the time – and it's key proof that Ayers was an incredible jazz player in his years before moving to soul music! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of modal jazz tracks – recorded by the great LA pianist Jack Wilson with a young Roy Ayers! The set is amazing, and features haunting piano and vibes interplay between Ayers and Wilson – in a style that could best be summed up as LA modern modal, but which is also embellished by lots warm, lyrical twists by both of the soloists. The title cut is a totally groovy workout on Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin", and the rest of the set includes Coltrane's "Impressions", Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments", Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder", and a great 3-part reading of "The Sandpiper". One of our favorite albums from the 60's, and a beautiful document of one of the lesser-known streams of jazz that was coming out of the west coast during the time – and it's key proof that Ayers was an incredible jazz player in his years before moving to soul music! CD

A beautiful set of modal jazz tracks – recorded by the great LA pianist Jack Wilson with a young Roy Ayers! The set is amazing, and features haunting piano and vibes interplay between Ayers and Wilson – in a style that could best be summed up as LA modern modal, but which is also embellished by lots warm, lyrical twists by both of the soloists. The title cut is a totally groovy workout on Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin", and the rest of the set includes Coltrane's "Impressions", Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments", Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder", and a great 3-part reading of "The Sandpiper". One of our favorite albums from the 60's, and a beautiful document of one of the lesser-known streams of jazz that was coming out of the west coast during the time – and it's key proof that Ayers was an incredible jazz player in his years before moving to soul music! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from one of our favorite jazz duos of all time – pianist Jack Wilson and the young vibes genius Roy Ayers – working here back before his soul/funk fame of the 70s, in a completely different style! Ayers and Wilson only made a handful of records together back in the day – including important dates for Atlantic and Blue Note – and this set of unreleased live material from 1966 provides a much-needed addition to their short catalog of sides together – sublime modal jazz that we'd put right up there with anything else they ever did! Wilson is already a hell of a pianist on his own – one of the unsung greats of his generation, with a fantastic sense of flow and this mixture of lyricism and soulfulness that leads to all these very vivid moments and tonal explosions. Add Ayers to the mix, and you've really got something special – a vibes/piano pairing that sounds like nobody else – and which shows that even back before he worked with Herbie Mann, Roy was a tremendously unique player, destined for greatness. The group has a rock-solid rhythm duo – Buddy Woodson on bass and Von Barlow on drums – and titles include "Serenata", "Harbor Freeway 5pm", "Here's That Rainy Day", "CFD", "Pensativa", "Stolen Moments", "Nirvana", and "Call Me". CD

Beautiful recent work from one of our favorite pianists ever – the lovely, lyrical Jack Wilson – an artist we first came to love for his classic 60s work with Roy Ayers on the LA scene, and a player who's continued to grow tremendously over the years! The setting here is a relatively traditional one – in the mode of some of the other DIW trio albums from the time – but Jack's free and open approach to the keys makes for an inventive approach to even familiar numbers – touched with that classic Wilson style that's openly emotive, yet never overdone or saccharine. There's a sense of years passed here that gives the record a wonderful depth – like catching up with Wilson in the time since we'd last heard him record (was it for Discovery Records, at the start of the 80s?) – and letting him tell us the story of those intervening years through his magic at the keys. The group's a quartet with Leon Maleson on bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums, and James Chirillo on guitar – but the production by Mickey Bass makes sure that Wilson's work on the keys is very much at the forefront of the set! Titles include "Sandie My Love", "This Heart Of Mine", "That Sunday That Summer", "How Soon", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Moon Mist", and "If She Walked Into My Life". CD

The Jackie Wilson style soars into the 70s – in a mode that's definitely different than Wilson's Brunswick work of a decade before – but which also show's a really bold evolution in style! Jackie's in the higher end of his range here – and really grooves greatly on some great Chicago soul arrangements from Willie Henderson – those upbeat, joyous sort of charts he seemed to save only for the best Brunswick artists – and which make the album a soaring gem that really lives up to its title! The mighty Carl Davis is at the production helm – keeping things right and tight throughout – and the level of expression in Jackie's voice hits a new sort of maturity and sophistication that really make the record a standout from his later years at the label. The title cut "Beautiful Day" is an especial gem that's really great – but the whole thing's wonderful too, and other tracks include "It's All Over", "What'cha Gonna Do About Me", "I Get Lonely Sometimes", and "Go Away". CD features three bonus tracks – "Sing A Little Song", "No More Goodbyes", and "Shake A Leg". CD