A seminal moment for the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – one of their first albums for a widely-distributed label, and an exceptionally strong live performance that really gets to the core of the group's unique approach! The material was recorded at the Ann Arbor Festival in 1972 – and has the Ensemble playing with a sense of focus and power that's even stronger than their previous indie and European records – really hitting their stride before a large live audience who totally gets their groove, and really eggs them on with enthusiastic support! As usual, the range of instrumentation is great – lots of different reeds, percussion, and brass – handled by the legendary lineup of Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Malachi Favors, and Don Moye. Titles include "Oouffnoon", "Ohnedaruth", "Unanka", "Immm", and "Odwalla". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful live set from 1972 – and a very unique album from Roy Ayers' Polydor years! The album originally was never issued in the US – clearly done for a hipper European market at the time – and it's got more of a jazz vibe than some of Roy's other work on Polydor, with sounds that echo back to his earlier years on Atlantic! Yet despite the jazz setting, there's still a nice dose of funk in the mix too – a bit like the vibe that Ayers hit on his Virgo Red album, but leaner too – given that the group's only a quartet. The smaller lineup really allows Roy a lot of space to solo strongly on vibes – and he's also joined by the great Harry Whitaker on electric piano, always a treat in a setting like this. The album features an extended early version of "Move To Groove", plus "In A Silent Way", "Your Cup Of Tea", and "Daddy Bug". LP, Vinyl record album

Roy Ayers in a tight mid 80s funk mode – commanding a modern vibe really well, especially with his vibes so prominent in the sound! Although the sound's a step or two more modern than the Polydor years, Roy still sounds great – and he grooves nicely on this batch of tracks that mix his older jazz funk style with an 80s groove sound that has slight touches of electro. This mix of modes is really unique for the time, with Roy embracing the new school without completely letting go of his trailblazing personal approach. Jean Carn sings lead vocals on the cut "Can I See You", and the album also includes the nice stepper "Programmed For Love", plus "Virgo", "Night Flyte", and "For You", a smooth mellow cut that's got great vocals by Roy! LP, Vinyl record album

Ayler's last album ever – and an incredibly strange batch of tracks that shows perfectly the kind of stylistic and emotional struggle he was going through in the final years of his life. Like the albums New Grass and Love Cry, this one shows Ayler toying with influences from other genres – like rock and soul – in order to better communicate his message to the masses. And while there's some strange odd moments that don't really work, there's others that have a gutsiness that's stunning – especially from the otherwise serious (by this point) NY underground. Players include Bobby Few, Muhammad Ali, and Stafford James – and tracks include "Untitled Duet", "Again Comes The Rising Of The Sun", "Toiling", "Birth Of Mirth", and "Desert Blood". LP, Vinyl record album

The Band's surprising step back to their roadhouse roots – paying homage to early rock and rhythm & blues the grew up on, and honed their chops on when in their years as The Hawks! Moondog Matinee features a few great covers that split the difference between the raucous energy of their inspirations, from Chuck Berry to Clarence Frogman Henry to Fats Domino to Junior Parker – and the well-oiled, multi-voice Band groove at near-peak form. Titles include "I Ain't Got No Home", "Holy Cow", "Share Your Thoughts", "Mystery Train", "Third Man Theme", "Promised Land", "The Great Pretender", "I'm Ready", "Saved" and "A Change Is Gonna Come". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lesser known John Barry soundtracks, to one of the lesser known Bond films – but a nice one! The record has a beautiful easy quality that's a bit different from some of Barry's other work, and which allies it a bit more with the Sound Gallery/Sound Spectrum sound of the late 60s. The vocal cut's sung by Louis Armstrong – but we love the sweeping strings and harpsichord of tracks like "Ski Chase", "Main Theme", and "Journey To Blofeld's Hideaway". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little James Bond soundtrack – written for one of the lesser-remembered Bond films, but filled with nice moments! There's a darker, moodier feel here than on some of Barry's other Bond scores – lots of stretched out tracks that have a bit more space than usual, and odd instruments punctuating the themes with an eerie, other-worldly edge that almost reminds us of some of the best Italian thriller work from the time. Nancy Sinatra sings a very moody title track – and other tunes include "Takana's World", "The Wedding", "Mountains & Sunsets", "A Drop In The Ocean", "Bond Averts World War Three", and "The Death Of Aki". LP, Vinyl record album

Later Bond, but John Barry's still firmly in place – and is more than capable of turning out another wonderful thriller soundtrack! As with the scope of the film, the range of tunes is a bit more spread out than usual – stepping across a variety of locales to set the mood with an expansive array of themes. Lulu sings the title cut – one of the lesser-remembered Bond tunes – and the other tunes include "Kung Fu Fight", "Hip's Trip", "Chew Me In Crisly Land", "In Search Of Scaramanga's Island", "Getting The Bullet", and "Goodnight Goodnight". LP, Vinyl record album

The soundtrack that put John Barry over the top – and to many, THE James Bond soundtrack! The album chills from the first notes of the haunting title theme – the majestic "Goldfinger", sung by Shirley Bassey with a tone that's as dangerous as a razor-sharp hat spinning through the air! Barry then takes over with some wonderful instrumentals – a blend of crime jazz, mood pieces, chase themes, and more – all peppered with that dark dark Bond theme that we love so much! Titles include "Into Miami", "Teasing The Korean", "Alpine Drive", "Bond Back In Action", "Gassing The Gangsters", and "Death Of Goldfinger". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent gimmick – and yet another way that United Artists was trying to push its "Bond" catalog in the 60s! Count Basie brings a soulful swing to the work of John Barry – hitting hard on the tracks with his own smoking piano, and an orchestra filled with some of his best players, like Al Grey, Eric Dixon, and Freddie Green – as well as Eddie Lockjaw Davis, an artist who wasn't credited on the session at he time. Arrangements are by Chico O'Farrill and George Williams – and titles include "Thunderball", "From Russia With Love", "007", "Girl Trouble", and "Goldfinger". LP, Vinyl record album

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An overlooked gem from the 70s – the one and only album from Batteaux, a group who do a great job of mixing older folksy soul modes with some tighter 70s production! David and Robin Beatteau are the core of the group – and work in this sing-song blend of vocals and acoustic guitar that's not too far from Alzo & Udine – with a similar blend of folk funk and mellow soul elements – but all wrapped up in a sound that's quite unique! The production is impeccable – tight enough to isolate all the best elements at hand – yet subtly wrapping everything up in a sound that's nice and warm, while still sounding very organic. The set includes the wonderful tune "Tell Her She's Lovely" – a mellow groover – plus the tracks "Mirror", "Wake Me In the Morning", "Lady of The Lake", "Katy", "High Tide", and the cut "Dig Up The Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Beach Boys karaoke – or kind of a "music minus one" album – but whatever the case, the set's a pretty unique outing in the field of 60s pop! The record's exactly what the title promises – a "stack o tracks" from the group's earlier records – rhythm parts, some instrumental bits – all laid out with key guitar parts missing and no vocals at all – so that you can pick up your instrument and play along with the record – and maybe get your friends to harmonize too! At the time, the approach seemed somewhat crazy – but after spending decades tracking down Smile-era bootlegs of Brian Wilson studio tracks just like this, the record's got a surprising sort of brilliance – almost as if Brian had guessed there's be a market for his "studio progress" sort of material. Titles include "Darlin", "Salt Lake City", "Wild Honey", "Catch A Wave", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Surfer Girl", "God Only Knows", "Little Honda", and "Let Him Run Wild". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure brilliance from start to finish – especially the second side of the record, which has a continuous run of tunes that's very unique – and still completely sublime all these many years later! The album shows the fracturing ideas of the group, but crafted together with a unity you won't find on The White Album or Let It Be – still a way of making it all gel together beautifully, as the fab four stretch their wings to find new ways of being. Added instrumentation is used wonderfully – never overdone, but with orchestral passages that can really hammer home the best musical moments – and titles include "I Want You", "Because", "You Never Give Me Your Money", "Golden Slumbers", "The End", "Her Majesty", "Polythene Pam", and "Sun King". LP, Vinyl record album

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A 1975 reunion from the Beau Brummels – recorded after the ill-fated solo career of vocalist Ron Elliott, but done in a way that definitely shows some of the deeper themes of those later years as well! The style's a bit more polished than the group's previous Warner albums – but not in a way that's too slick – just a bit more confident and sure overall, especially about some of the country influences in the tunes. As before, there's an indefinable mix of modes going on here – a definite nod towards Nashville and Bakersfield, but not a straight cop of country either. Ron Elliott wrote most of the tunes on the set, and titles include "First In Line", "Gate Of Hearts", "Goldrush", "Today By Day", "The Lonely Side", "Singing Cowboy", and "You Tell Me Why". LP, Vinyl record album

An early George Benson groover from the A&M years of CTI – a set that's quite different than his famous 70s sets, with a really unique sound overall! The arrangements here are by Latin Soul maestro Marty Sheller – who brings some of the vibe to the set that he brought to his 60s work with Mongo Santamaria – not a straight Latin sound overall, but one that comes through strongly in some of the percussion and horns! Players are all pretty hip – and keyboards are from Richard Tee on most of the best tracks – and drums are from Idris Muhammad throughout, working here under his original name of Leo Morris. Main solos are from Benson on guitar – although the record also features alto solos from Sonny Fortune and Bobby Porcelli – who'd both stepped out a bit with Santamaria too. Titles include "Water Brother", "Jama Joe", "Dontcha Hear Me Callin' To Ya", "Jackie All", "Soul Limbo", "Are You Happy", "Land Of 1000 Dances", and "Out in the Cold Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Elmer Bernstein's score for the sexy late 50s film based on Erskine Caldwell's book – done with a mix of southern styles, jazzy bits, and fuller orchestrations! Bernstein's music of the 50s is all just about as perfect as you can get for soundtrack scoring – and like some of his other classics, the music here works wonderfully well away from the images on screen – quite vivid overall, with an illustrative quality that's really amazing – lots of moody moments, tense action, and haunting themes – a perfect companion to Man With The Golden Arm or Some Came Running. Titles include "Gold Hunt", "The Fight", "God's Little Acre", "Diggin In The Morning", "Will's Blues", "The Love Scene", and "The Funeral". LP, Vinyl record album

The landmark first album recorded by Andy Bey and his hip sisters Salome and Geraldine – cut even before their 2 rare classics on Prestige! The style here is completely sublime – a unique blend of jazz, folk, and some earthier elements – all served up with the warm and wonderful harmonies the Beys brought to jazz. The tracks are sometimes familiar numbers, but they're done with a really unique twist – and the album features an incredible reading of "A Felicidade", plus the cuts "Mood Indigo", "Zombie Jamboree", "Dreamy", "Smooth Sailing", "Trees", "Revenge", and "It Must Be So". LP, Vinyl record album

The third album by Black Sabbath – the album that put the heavy in metal – one of the most influential rock albums of all time and a record that finds Sabbath at absolute peak perfection! This is the one that set the Sabbath style in stone, honing in the the heavy riffs, thundering drums and eerie mood perfectly. Includes the ultra classics "Sweet Leaf" and "Children Of The Grave", plus "After Forever", "Lord Of This World", "Solitude", "Into The Void" and the instrumentals "Embryo" and "Orchid". Beautiful reissue features lots of bonus tracks – including "Weevil Woman 71", "Sweet Leaf (outtake with new lyrics)", "Children Of The Grave (outtake with alt lyrics)", "Orchid (outtake with count-in)", "Solitude (outtake with alt guitar tuning)", and "Into The Void Spanish Sid (alt version)". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky jazz treasure – and the band's landmark first album! The Blackbyrds were a legendary 70s combo that were discovered by Donald Byrd while he was teaching at Howard University – and they had a tight style that mixed raw funk influences with smoother jazz playing, creating a sound that was different from many of their contemporaries, and which pushed funk and soul into a whole new level. Byrd's work with the band was as groundbreaking as Larry Mizell's work on his own Blue Note albums – and coincidentally, Larry Mizzell's Sky High Productions handles the studio chores for the set – but in a way that's much more sharply funky than his albums with Byrd! Titles include the tight choppy funk tracks "Do It, Fluid" and "Funky Junkie", plus other nice groovers like "Summer Love", "Gut Level", and "The Runaway". LP, Vinyl record album

The hazy, hook-heavy debut of Blur! The group's next couple of records would prove to be so influential, it's all too easy to overlook Leisure's strengths nowadays despite the massive popularity of the biggest singles at the time, but it's a real gem – setting a mood as strongly as anything to come! Leisure personifies the moment in Britpop very strongly, like a heavier sounding Stone Roses, but the fuzz-drenched guitar sound here is pretty unique – especially on tunes like "Slow Down" and "Repetition" – more indicative of 60s psych, while hinting at the more ambitious Blur to come. Includes the great early singles "She's So High" and "There's No Other Way", plus "Bad Day", "Sing", "Come Together", "High Cool", "Wear Me Down" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just another Eddie Bo compilation – as the set features lots of rare singles from the Seven B label, plus a few previously unissued tracks as well! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer bit of early funk from the great Hamilton Bohannon – and quite possibly his greatest album ever – a really unique approach to funky rhythms, with a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The album's got a slower funk sound than Bohannon's later disco groove a few years later – and the wonderful rhythms mix together scattershot drums with funky wah wah guitar, organ, and hard-plugging basslines – all in a blend that's pretty mindblowing not just for its instrumental dexterity, but also for the way it brings complex patterns together in a really hypnotic way! All cuts are instrumentals, save for a few chorus vocals – and players on the album include Wah Wah Watson, Ray Parker, Travis Biggs, and Mose Davis. Bohannon's on drums and percussion – and titles include "The Pimp Walk", "Stop & Go", "Getting to the Other Side", "It's Time For Peace", "Save Their Souls", and "Singing a Song for My Mother". LP, Vinyl record album

Sonny without Cher – and sounding pretty darn amazing! The album's a really unique solo effort from the man on the LA scene – and as you might guess from the title, one that's a lot more cerebral than the jangly pop he was better known for at the time – almost psychedelic at times, with some really "right on" lyrics that kind of take off where "The Beat Goes On" ended – offering up some commentary on the times, with tripped-out arrangements that definitely fit the flavor of the lyrics! The leadoff track – "I Just Sit There" – is a stunning twelve minutes long – and the whole album hangs together line a suite of similarly-themed tunes – with other titles that include "I Just Told My Girl To Go Away", "I Would Marry You Today", "My Best Friend's Girl Is Out Of Sight", and the ultra-groovy drug song "Pammie's On A Bummer". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Boogie Down Productions circa '89 – with prime street poetry from KRS, perfectly raw beats and overall peak end of the 80s production! Blueprint is an apt title for a couple reasons – the beats aren't what we'd call spare, but they're raw and unvarnished – a perfect framework for KRS's clear, concise and tough rhymes. It's also the blueprint for some of the best, toughest, street conscious hip hop to come. It's a unique snapshot of the time, too, coming at the crossroads of hip hop's rise from the 80s streets to the mainstream, with KRS One standing for realness right there at the brink. Includes "Jack Of Spades", "The Blueprint", "You Must Learn", "Who Protects Us From You?", "Why Is That?", "Breath Control", and "Bo! Bo! Bo!". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest records ever to come out of Chicago – the sole recording by Boscoe, a group who was even more obscure and experimental than contemporaries like The Pharoahs or Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Like those groups, Boscoe has a very unique, very visionary approach – one that's not content just to echo the standard post-Coltrane modes that other spiritual jazz groups around the country were hitting – but which instead moves into territory that touches on the darker sides of funk, soul, and spoken word of the time – all with a message that's incredibly powerful, and conception that's wonderfully fresh throughout! The group's lineup features tenor, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, and drums – but they way they're put together is often far different than other funky combos – and it's clear that the group had as much of a sensibility about the overall sound of their record as they did their freer grooves. At times, there's a righteousness here that recalls the best of the early Westbound Records scene from Detroit – but there's an even higher agenda too, which is more in keeping with the spiritual aspriations of their Chicago contemporaries, and which really show up in the lyrics. The whole album's a masterpiece from start to finish – unlike anything that we can think of, still ripe for rediscovery today, and just the kind of set that makes us prouder than ever of our Chicago heritage! Titles include "We Ain't Free", "Money Won't Save You", "Now and Den", "He Keeps You", "I'm What You Need", and "Writin' On The Wall". LP, Vinyl record album

4 tracks plus their instrumentals on the flip: "Beautiful Women", "Step On Up", "Bounce, Shake, Move, Swing" and "Good Guy". LP, Vinyl record album

A real gem from The Brass Ring – and an album that has a goofy cover designed to recall the famous TV commercial that used the title hit! The record itself is a work of pure genius – tightly compressed easy instrumentals, all in that unique Brass Ring mode – a sound that's sweetly stepping, slightly Latin, and peppered with great sax parts on top of slinky organ lines! The groove is much more stripped-down than other material of its type at the time, with sax in the lead, and small combo rhythms that really sound great – almost a distillation of all the best 60s influences from bossa Brazil and A&M. Tracks are wonderful too – and titles include "Music To Watch Girls By", "The Dis-Advantages Of You", "I Will Wait For You", "The Dating Game", and "A Man & A Woman". All this, and a wonderful cover of a short old guy with a tall sexy blonde! LP, Vinyl record album

Sound, space, tone, and color – a tremendous effort from trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, and a record with a really unique feel! The album features a wonderful group that includes Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Stan Getz on tenor, Gary Burton on vibes, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – all coming together in a way that's extremely equally-weighted – with less of Brookmeyer as the leader, than as a warm friend, gathering together a few key players in the studio. Given that Getz worked with Brookmeyer back in the early 50s, and had Burton in his group at the time, the album's always a link between both sides of a decade in Stan's career – but with the presence of the modernists on the rhythm team, there's a sound here that's much more unique – one that has a place for Stan's wonderful tone, and Brookmeyer's airy phrasing – but which also drives along in a rhythmically pulsing mode that almost puts Burton's vibes at the top of the set on some numbers. There's a change in mood from tune to tune that gives the record a remarkable depth, but without sounding schizophrenic – and titles include "Bracket", " Wrinkle Time", "Jive Hoot", "Skylark", "Sometime Ago", and "Who Cares". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of mellow modernist jazz from the unique talents of Bob Brookmeyer and Teddy Charles. The full LP brings together tracks from earlier 10" albums – and the music fits in with that rare breed of mid 50s experimentation that includes Gil Melle and Jimmy Giuffre. Brookmeyer plays valve trombone and piano, Charles is on vibes (on about half of the tracks), and Jimmy Raney adds in some guitar. Nancy Overton sings on a haunting version of "Nobody's Heart", and other tracks include "Rocky Scotch", "Potrezbie", "Revelation", and "Loupe Garoupe". LP, Vinyl record album

Features very early work with Chris Powell & His Blue Flames – on "Ida Red" and "I Come From Jamaica" – plus 3 longer Philly sides from 1956, with Billy Root on tenor and Sam Dockery on piano – on titles that include "Walkin", "Donna Lee", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked Dave Brubeck from the 60s – and one of his most striking sessions at the time! The album steps a bit into the Blues Roots promised in the title – but overall, it's more of a unique meeting between Brubeck's piano and the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan – coming together here in warm, open quartet company – with a sound that's quite different than some of the Brubeck/Paul Desmond sessions of the time! Dave really sets the tone on piano – and is maybe a bit less concerned with overall jazz concepts than just laying down some expressive solo passages – and the group also features Jack Six on both acoustic and electric bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. Mulligan is as fluid as ever – and has that great sound he was bringing to his own small group sessions of the time – a mode that burns a gentle fire on titles that include "Broke Blues", "Journey", "Cross Ties", "Blues Roots", and "Moving Out". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Rusty Bryant's last albums for Prestige – recorded in that more-electric mode that graced the label's albums of the year 1973 – but in a style that's still pretty darn nice! The group's still a small combo – with Rusy on tenor and alto, plus with Hank Jones on electric piano, and the twin guitars of Joe Beck and Hugh McCracken. The rhythm team of Tony Levin and Steve Gadd is still pretty tight too – and there's some nice numbers on the set that cook with a warm electric soul jazz groove. Titles include the mellow "Theme From Deep Throat", a nice soundtrack groover, plus "The Last One Out", "Night In Tunisia", "Killing Me Softly", and "Appalachian Green". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Kenny Burrell albums – and a record with a much deeper feel than lots of his other work! Kenny cut this album with John Coltrane in 1958 – and the session's a real standout in both of their careers at the time – Kenny's, for being a well-crafted, highly-focused effort – and Coltrane's, for being a unique outing with a guitar, but one that's done with the same deep-spirited sound of his best work for Prestige. The group's a quintet, with Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb in the rhythm section – and titles include "Big Paul", "Lyresto", "Why Was I Born?", "I Never Knew", and "Freight Trane". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual 2LP set – one that brings together important duo albums on ECM by vibist Gary Burton! Hotel Hello is a beautiful showcase of the early ECM style at its best – as the set features Gary Burton on organ and marimba, in addition to his usual vibes – alongside bass and piano from Steve Swallow! Matchbook has two of the greatest things going for ECM in the 70s – brought together on one record! The vibes of Gary Burton are a wonderful match for the careful guitar work of Ralph Towner – particularly his 12-string guitar, which is used in a space that's somewhere between folk and jazz, and which seems to evoke Gary Burton's Tennessee roots in a really poetic way! The style isn't entirely jazz, although that term is the best description for it – and instead, both players find this really magical space together – creating special sounds that resonate with sensitivity and a unique sort of soul. Titles include "Drifting Petals", "Icarus", "Brotherhood", "Song For A Friend", and "Goodbye Pork Pie Hate". LP, Vinyl record album

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An incredible early album from Eddie Cano – one that features his Latin tinged piano amidst some incredibly sharp orchestrations, all cooking up a set of tight and rhythmic readings of Ellington standards! The feel isn't as Latin as some of Eddie's other albums, but there's still some Latin percussion at the bottom, driving most tracks – and really working the blue moods of the Ellington material into some uniquely swinging readings! Titles include "Azure", "Perdido", "Caravan", "Squeeze Me", "Take The A Train", "Mood Indigo", and "Daydream". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of early work from singer Georgia Carr – including a number of previously unissued tracks, and a fair bit done with backing from Nelson Riddle! LP, Vinyl record album

An early albums from the lovely Diahann Carroll – in a very classy vocal style! 12 tracks featuring work that Carroll cut with the Andre Previn trio – done in a lightly laidback mode that has Diahann singing cooly and intimately on tunes that include "Spring Is Here", "I Should Care", "Gingerbread Joy", "Change Of Heart", "Glad To Be Unhappy", and "Nobody's Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electric work from Ron Carter – subtle magic in the best CTI mode! Ron arranged the set himself, but he's working with a core group of CTI players that includes Bob James and Richard Tee on electric piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Ralph MacDonald on percussion, and Billy Cobham on drums – shifting mood, tone, and color with ease as each new track on the album emerges – and uniting the whole proceedings with work on acoustic bass and piccolo bass! Not funky, but very soulful – with a keen sense of space, but never too much so to make things snoozy. Titles include "Blues Farm", "Hymn For Him", "Two Beat Johnson", and "R2, M1". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer set of hardbop tracks recorded during the mid 50s for the Jazz West, Transition, and Blue Note labels – and seminal early work by Coltrane, playing under the leadership of his frequent bass partner Paul Chambers. One album was issued under the name of the Paul Chambers Quartet, another was issued as Whims Of Chambers, and the last batch of tracks was unissued until the time of this release. The whole thing's pretty darn great, and Trane plays with a nice rootsy relaxed style that you don't get from his Prestige recordings, made slightly after these. Titles include "Trane's Strain", "Omicron", "Nita", "Eastbound", and "Nixon, Dixon, & Yates Blues", a fantastic improvisation between Trane, Chambers, Pepper Adams, and Curtis Fuller! LP, Vinyl record album

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A great little record – one that keeps up the high standards set by Teddy Charles' earlier work! The set has a bit of a goofy gimmick – in that it takes work by Russian composers (Stravinsky, Korsakoff, Borodin), and makes it swing with a jazzy groove. But because Charles is working here with "the all stars" – a group of players that includes Jimmy Giuffre, Jim Hall, Howard McGhee, Zoot Sims, and Jerome Richardson – he's got more than enough talent to make the whole thing work wonderfully. The album reminds us a lot of some of Richardson's work for United Artists from the 60s – with a slightly goofy edge, but incredible playing throughout, and a good commitment to swinging hard. Titles include "Borodin Bossa Nova", "Lullaby Of The Firebird", "Scherezade Blue", "Dance Arabe", "Etude", and "Love For Three Oranges March". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to find early work by Judy Cheeks – produced by Ike and Tina Turner, with arrangements by Ike! Titles include "Crazy Bout You Baby", "Getting It Togetha", "Endlessly", "Early In The Morning", "You Flu", and "Please Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different album than usual for June Christy – one of her last for Capitol, and a very swinging, upbeat affair! As the title implies, June's singing a set of tunes made famous during the glory days of the big bands – tracks associated with Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and others – all given a nice reworking here by June, in a style that's got a hipper, swinging California kind of groove! Arrangers on the set are Bill Holman, Bob Cooper, and Shorty Rogers – and they all keep things light and above board – shaking away the bluer tones and quieter moods of some of June's other records, taking her vocals back to the highly swinging style that first brought her fame in the 40s. Titles include "Frenesi", "Time Was", "Good Bye", "Night In Tunisia", "Stompin At the Savoy", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "Skyliner". LP, Vinyl record album

A genius idea – almost like the World Sax Quartet, but even more groundbreaking, in that the group unites 2 older players (Alvin Batiste and Jimmy Hamilton) with 2 younger players from the forefront of modern jazz (John Carter and David Murray). The result is wonderful – a record that will forever change your expectations of the sound of the clarinet in jazz, and which shows that reed work from a variety of generations can be equally influential across a variety of scenes. Titles include "Clariflavors", "Groovin High", "Sticks & Bones", "Sweet Lovely", and "The Washington Square Park Episode". LP, Vinyl record album

A genius idea – almost like the World Sax Quartet, but even more groundbreaking, in that the group unites 2 older players (Alvin Batiste and Jimmy Hamilton) with 2 younger players from the forefront of modern jazz (John Carter and David Murray). The result is wonderful – a record that will forever change your expectations of the sound of the clarinet in jazz, and which shows that reed work from a variety of generations can be equally influential across a variety of scenes. 7 numbers in all, including "Clariflavors", "Mood Indigo", "Night Mist Blue", "Creole Love Call", "Waltz A Minute", "Solo & Ballad For Four Clarinets", and "Satin Doll". LP, Vinyl record album

The longest album ever from The Clash – a stunning triple LP set that really shows the group bristling with new ideas and energy throughout! There's a hell of a lot going on here – some cuts that are every bit as strong as the previous records, others that offer a few mis-steps but in a wonderfully playful way – and a few more that really hit this sort of unique mix of genres and politics that could only be summed up as Clash-like at its best! Bits of hip hop, reggae, new wave, funk, and more mix together beautifully – and the album's got a hell of a lot of charm and character, even if you're skipping past a few of the cuts you don't like as much as the others. 36 tracks in all – and titles include "The Magnificent Seven", "Hitsville UK", "Junco Partner", "The Leader", "Police On My Back", "Midnight Log", "The Call Up", "Washington Bullets", "Broadway", "Rebel Waltz", "Look Here", "The Crooked Beat", "Somebody Got Murdered", "Lose This Skin", "Charlie Don't Surf", "Kingston Advice", "Corner Soul", "Let's Go Crazy", "The Sound Of Sinners", "Living In Fame", "Silicone On Sapphire", and "Career Opportunities". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the funkiest work ever recorded by The Coasters – a set that features their few funky late 60s singles for Date Records, plus some other gems cut for King! The cuts have The Coasters reunited with the Leiber & Stoller team – but in a way that's quite different from their Atlantic work with the pair – much grittier, dirtier, and with some great backings at the bottom – so that most of the tunes jump along with an unexpectedly funky groove! Arrangements are by Mike Stoller, Artie Butler, and others – and titles include the break-heavy "Soul Pad" and "Down Home Girl" – plus "Mohair Sam", "Cool Jerk", "Everybody's Woman", "Talkin Bout A Woman", and "DW Washburn". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare later date from tenor giant Arnett Cobb – and one of the few to match the groove of his Prestige Records sessions! There's an easygoing groove here that takes us back to the brilliantly understated soul of Cobb's Party Time Records – as the set's got a similar laidback rhythm vibe – with piano from Junior Mance, bass from George Duvivier, and drums from Panama Francis – all players who really keep things cool, while Cobb steps out with some well-blown solos in the lead. The album also features a bit of guest work on two tracks from Joe Newman on trumpet and Al Grey on trombone – and titles include "Cheatin On Me", "Blues For Lisette", "Keep On Pushin", "Stardust", and "Deep River". LP, Vinyl record album

Bizet never sounded so groovy – and the album's a very unique jazz version of his famous opera Carmen, handled by drummer Cozy Cole with plenty of swinging rhythms! Cozy always had a flair for the exotic in his work, and the music of Carmen turns out to be a perfect choice for his driving style of drums – augmented here by a bit of extra percussion that further enhances the Spanish tinges in the music, and topped off by some well-crafted horn parts by a small group that includes Jerome Richardson on baritone sax, clarinet, piccolo, and bass clarinet! Bob Hammer contributes some piano, organ, and glockenspiel to the record – the last of which further enhances the rhythmic pulse of the tunes – and far from being an operatic snoozer, the whole album's a surprising groove fest we really didn't expect! Titles include "Prelude", "Chorus Of Street Boys", "Habanera", "Seguidilla", "Flower Song", "Sextet", "Entr'acte", and "Castanet Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Ornette Coleman's most groundbreaking albums – a set that takes his best free jazz energy of the 60s, and expands it out into the space of a longer suite – all originally designed as a film soundtrack, then never used in the movie at all! Yet even without the film placement, the album's one of Coleman's greatest – a unique blend of his best small combo 60s energy with some larger orchestrations that really go way out – mixing tones and modes from the soloists against a larger backdrop of woodwinds and strings. The result is mindblowing – very open-ended and freewheeling, yet filled with soul too – thanks to great alto and trumpet from Ornette, and raw tenor from Pharoah Sanders – working in the core quartet with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums. The set features one long double-length piece – four sides' worth of amazing music! LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique chapter in the career of Ornette Coleman – an album that he produced by himself in 1962, away from any other label – as an effort to showcase the newly freer sounds of his music! The recording's the first in a really groundbreaking stretch for the 60s – and it was fortunately finally issued by ESP Records a few years after the recording – providing a nice link between Coleman's earlier experiments and the sound of the younger generation usually showcased by the label. The group's a trio, with a sound that's quite different than the more rhythmic modes of Coleman on Atlantic Records – a freer, less structured lineup that features percussion from Charles Moffett and bass from David Izenzon. One track also adds in a string quartet – making the record one of Coleman's first experiments with this format – and titles include a 23 minute recording of "The Ark", plus "Doughnut", "Sadness", and "Dedication To Poets and Writers". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique chapter in the career of Ornette Coleman – an album that he produced by himself in 1962, away from any other label – as an effort to showcase the newly freer sounds of his music! The recording's the first in a really groundbreaking stretch for the 60s – and it was fortunately finally issued by ESP Records a few years after the recording – providing a nice link between Coleman's earlier experiments and the sound of the younger generation usually showcased by the label. The group's a trio, with a sound that's quite different than the more rhythmic modes of Coleman on Atlantic Records – a freer, less structured lineup that features percussion from Charles Moffett and bass from David Izenzon. One track also adds in a string quartet – making the record one of Coleman's first experiments with this format – and titles include a 23 minute recording of "The Ark", plus "Doughnut", "Sadness", and "Dedication To Poets and Writers". LP, Vinyl record album

This is the rare first take of Ascension, and it differs greatly from the second take, which is the more widely available one. It's designated by the fact that the recording doesn't say "Version II" on the runoff groove. One of the freest, most exploratory albums ever recorded by Coltrane – and a unique session done with an expanded group of some of the most important avant jazz players of his generation! The format here is similar to Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz album – in that the music is freely improvised, and spans the entire LP as a non-stop performance – one that has Coltrane in the lead, but which also features alto from Marion Brown and John Tchicai, tenor from Archie Shepp and Pharaoh Sanders, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard and Dewey Johnson – and core rhythms from McCoy Tyner on piano, drums from Elvin Jones, and double basses from Art Davis and Jimmy Garrison. The record set the format for larger improvisatory groups in years to come – but is still one of the best examples of the form! LP, Vinyl record album

Darkly brooding work from John Coltrane's early years as a leader on Prestige – a very unique little record that features twin baritone sax support from Pepper Adams and Cecil Payne! Both players are wonderfully hip here – more than enough to match Trane's unique musical vision for the group's format – and the sound of the session is much edgier than some of his other Prestige work – which may be why the label chose not to issue it until 1963, even though it was recorded back in '57. There's a nice roughness here – the same inspirational early sound you'll get on Coltrane's early sides for Savoy or Imperial – and other players include Mal Waldron on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Cat Walk", "Dakar", "Route 4", "Velvet Scene", and "Witches Pit". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff – and one of Chris Connor's greatest records for Atlantic! There's a depth to this set that passes some of her others from the time – partially because the album features a very hip set of tunes, written by Ornette Coleman, Norman Mapp, John Lewis, Peggy Lee, and others – and partially because the album has some sublime arrangements by Al Cohn that easily shift between darkness and swinging brilliance – all with that perfect sense of balance that Connor brought to her best sessions. Titles include "I'm Gonna Go Fishin", "Jump For Joy", "Night Bird", "Opportunity Please Knock", "Milano", "Day Dream", "Free Spirits", and a great version of "Lonely Woman"! LP, Vinyl record album

A warmly romantic journey from the stellar Norman Connors – but a set that's also got a fair bit of spiritual jazz undercurrents too! Norman's at that perfect Starship point in his career – giving equal space to the vocals and instrumental passages on the record – at a level that perfectly sums up his unique, sophisticated blend of jazz and soul! The sublime Eleanor Mills sings on some key cuts – a singer we love from her earlier New Jersey soul sides – and Prince Phillip Mitchell handles the male leads, with a level of class that even goes beyond his own records. Reeds are handled by Gary Bartz and Pharoah Sanders – both players who bring in a nice sort of depth to the record – and Sanders really sparkles on a remake of his classic "Thembi", taken in a mellow stepping tone, as well as a reading of Gato Barbieri's "Last Tango In Paris". The whole album's wonderful – and other titles include "Once I've Been There", "Romantic Journey", "Destination Moon", "For You Everything", and "You Are Everything". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

In the electric universe of the GRP label, Chick Corea makes a bold move with his Akoustic Band here – even if the overall conception of the cover and the group's fashions have kind of an "electric" 80s look to it! The group here is a trio – with John Patitucci on bass and Dave Weckl on drums – and Corea's flowing piano lines are at the forefront of the group's work, initiating the tunes with a surprisingly heartfelt feel, and showing some of the sense of space and sound he developed on his electric recordings. Titles include "Spain", "Circles", "TBC", "Morning Sprite", "Bessie's Blues", and "My One & Only Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the stranger soul acts of their day – but with a great capacity for coming up with catchy groovers when they wanted to! This one features their standout hit "Treat Her Like A Lady", plus "Let Me Down Easy", "Since I Found My Baby", "Big Time Lover", "Got To Testify", and "Good Lovin Don't Come Easy". LP, Vinyl record album

Larry Coryell's lost none of his genius over the years – and this recent session still has the guitar innovator working with all the best styles we first loved in his initial recordings for Vanguard! Larry's got a tone that can be clear and clean one minute on the electric, then filled with this full fuzz that really takes off – never sloppy, but really unique for a jazz musician – and his acoustic work is equally brilliant, with a knowledge of folk, but still very focused on jazz phrasing – balanced out here alongside electric performances in a really great way. Larry's not just rehashing old territory, though – as he works with a fresh group that also includes George Brooks on soprano sax, Matt Montgomery on bass, and Mike Hughes on drums – on titles that include "River Crossing", "Ghost Note", "Polished", "2011 East", "Heavy Feel", and "Foot Path To Oasis". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal session of LA hardbop – featuring a great group that includes Gerald Wilson, Jack Sheldon, Harold Land, Frank Butler, and pianist Carl Perkins, the unique talent who had a strange way of playing the keys (sideways!), and who died shortly after the recording of this set. As the title might imply, the album's dedicated to Perkins – and titles include "Nica's Dream", "Pink Lady","Carl's Blues", and "Larue". LP, Vinyl record album

The massive first album from Creative Source – a really unique group who really helped push the ensemble vocal mode forward in the 70s! The mixed male/female lineup recalls similar groups of the late 60s – but Creative Source also have a deeper, hipper style that comes through right away – a good ear for jazz in their phrasing, and an ability to get past any of the hoke of more sing-song gal/guy groups. The tunes are very progressive, and the album features sublime arrangements from Skip Scarborough – who's working here in a wonderful realization of the style he'd work later for so many other artists. The group does a classic rendition of Scarborough's "You Can't Hide Love", which was a hit for Earth Wind & Fire, plus nice covers of two tracks by Sussex labelmate Bill Withers – "Who Is He & What Is He To You" and "Let Me In Your Life". Also includes the group's own "Oh Love", which is a nice groover – plus "Magic Carpet Ride", "Wildflower", and "Lovesville". LP, Vinyl record album

We never tire of the saxophone work of Sonny Criss – and this mid 70s gem is a perfect example of his brilliance! Sonny's sound on alto here is completely his own – raspily, soulful style that's really unique – and which draws strongly from Criss' rich life experience, including his years away from music (he'd been retired for most of the 70s before the time of this album.) The group's laidback and open – with Dolo Coker on piano, Ray Crawford on guitar, Larry Gales on bass, and Jimmy Smith on drums – a group that's all well with Criss on his journey – but also lets him sparkle brightly in the lead. Titles include the extended track "Isle Of Celia", plus "This Is For Benny", "Blues In My Heart", and "Crisscraft". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty fierce stuff from this German all-sax group that includes Alfred Harth as the major writer, arranger, and soloist. The record has a fair number of short tracks, but they have an incredibly dense and loud sound – and redd players include Max Eipp, Thomas Conrad, Chris Becker, Gerhard Gugel, Florian Nikel, Robert Sprun, Ole Schmidt, Michael Kloss, and others. Titles include "Theme Fur Orpheus", "Halloween Fantasies", "Unisono", "Harth Rock" – and versions of Trane's "Giant Steps" and Zappa's "Sofa". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Serve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking twin-tenor session for MPS – one that reunites the mighty talents of Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The album was done as an offshoot of both players' work for the Clarke Boland Big Band at the time – and the set was not only produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi, but also features a core rhythm trio from that ensemble – Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have a sound that really shows the evolution of both players since their famous recordings of the early 60s – tones that are even more modern and edgey at points, served up with a fire that hasn't died at all – and set loose on rhythms that move past the usual grooves you might have expected from their American sessions together. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Jim Dawg", "Gigi", "When We Were One", and "Again N Again". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! LP, Vinyl record album