An incredible collaboration from John Coltrane and Milt Jackson – and one that gives Milt one of his sharpest records ever! The setting is relatively straight – tenor from Coltrane, vibes from Jackson – plus rhythm from Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Yet there's also a sense of openness here that you'd hardly ever expect on other records by Jackson – especially his contemporaneous sides with the Modern Jazz Quartet – and Coltrane's tenor gets as much room to roam here as it did on Prestige – really cutting some beautifully soulful, open, and flowing lines throughout! Titles include "Bags & Trane", "Three Little Words", "Be-Bop", "Late Late Blues", and "The Night We Called It a Day". LP, Vinyl record album

A real breakthrough in female soul for the 70s – the initial album from Labelle – a set that's very different material than the group were doing on their girl group singles in the 60s! The trio here is legendary – Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash – three tremendous singers all working together at a level that really sets the standard for bad-rapping female soul in the 70s! We're not sure what happened with Patti and the group between their 60s material and this set – but whatever it was, it was something great – a turn towards a style that would keep them in the record racks for years! Titles include "Too Many Days", "Running Out Of Fools", "When The Sun Comes Shining Through", "Heart Be Still", and a nice version of "Time & Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Don Leisure is more of a producer and beatmaker than a jazzman – but he's got a very spiritual vibe here, thanks in part to very strong participation on the album from harpist Amanda Whiting – who brings in this amazing cosmic energy that's very similar to the vibe on her own great records! Most tunes have a mellow groove – laidback beats with harp from Amanda, and saxophone solos on three tracks, trumpet on one more – and two of the selections also feature excellent vocals from Deborah Jordan, the British soul singer we've dug for many years! There's a great blend of slow funk soundscapes and jazzy solos on the set – and titles include "Walk With Us", "Peace Of Mind", "The First Chant", "Just Be Free", "Crying Tiger", "Beyond The Midnight Sun", and "Third Bass". LP, Vinyl record album

The third album from this wonderfully well-matched trio – Joe Lovano's Tapestry Trio group, with superb work on piano from Marilyn Crispell and drums and bells from Carmen Castaldi! All three players are working together here as one – mentally tied to each other, with a sense that allows for sonic properties we never would have guessed in a Joe Lovano record from years back – and which also marks new territory for Crispell, too – as she's resonating strongly with the others in ways that are different than some of her more freewheeling improv work. Tunes are still open and full of freedom, but in a cohesive way – as Joe blows tenor and tarogato, on tunes that include "All Twelve", "One For Charlie", "Crystal Ball", "RhythmSpirit", "The Power Of Three", and "Grace Notes". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great solo album from Clyde McPhatter – nicely different than his earlier solo work for Atlantic! The ex-lead Drifter gets a sort of "Spanish Harlem" treatment as he sings this great album of city songs for Mercury, including "My Block", "Deep in the Heart of Harlem", and "Three Rooms with Running Water", all of which are exclusive (we think) to this album. Great stuff, and maybe our favorite post-Atlantic album by Clyde! Arranged and produced by Alan Lorber, with a nice sound that's missing from some of his later pop efforts. LP, Vinyl record album

A 2LP set that brings together most of the material from the first three full-length albums by the Modern Jazz Quartet – all recorded at a time when the combo were first forging their famous sound! Most of the sides here are in contrast to the group's better-known Atlantic work, because the group at this point still featured Kenny Clarke on drums – and although a few tracks here include Connie Kay, the bulk of the recordings are touched by Clarke's tighter, sometimes more aggressive work on percussion – making for a less-than-trademark sound that we really like. As usual, the rest of the group features Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, and Percy Heath on bass – and the 2LP set features 18 tracks that include "Concorde", "Vendome", "Milano", "La Ronde", "Django", "All The Things You Are", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Delauney's Dilemma", "La Ronde Suite", "All Of You", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". Very cool 2LP pressing – with alternate takes of three tracks on the album! LP, Vinyl record album

A massive double-dose of unissued material from the sessions for the legendary Vibes From The Tribe album – with a focus on some especially funky tracks! Trombonist Ranelin was one of the key figures in the city's Tribe Records scene – and Vibes From The Tribe is one of the greatest albums that the label ever issued – a perfect blend of the spiritual currents that were bubbling under in the scene, and some of the funky touches that helped make Ranelin and the label legendary over the years. The set features Ranelin on trombone, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Kenny Cox on electric piano, and Harold McKinney on piano – plus other luminaries from the incredibly strong Detroit scene of the time. This special album features three great mixes of the title track – "Vibes From The Tribe (alt mix)", "Vibes From The Tribe (extended)", and "Vibes From The Tribe (8 Track version)" – plus "Sounds From The Village (alt mix)", "Sounds From The Village (extended)", "Wife (alt mix)", For The Children (alt mix)", and "He The One We All Knew (alt mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost chapter in the career of Sonny Rollins – material recorded live at MOMA in 1965, but unissued until this brief package in the late 70s! The work is right up there with Rollins' best for RCA at the time, and almost feels a bit like his live Village Vanguard material from Blue Note – freewheeling, open, and with that continuously creative style that marks his solo talents at their best! The group's a quartet – with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Billy Higgins or Mickey Roker on drums – and tracks are longish, and have that arch mix of modern and traditional modes that we always appreciate in Rollins. Titles include "On Green Dolphin Street", "To A Wild Rose", "Three Little Words", and "There Will Never Be Another You". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer trio material from drummer Daniel Villarreal – a lean, clean record that's a really great showcase for all three players involved! The music's got a vibe that's more live and spontaneous than some other efforts on the International Anthem label, and a sound that's almost funky at times – as Daniel's snapping drums get plenty of encouragement from the basses of Anna Butterss, which really sets fire to the guitar of Jeff Parker! Parker's back here at a level that we haven't heard on record in awhile, and the record seems to resonate with all his long experience with a variety of players – while also standing as a showcase for his ability to really deliver some warmly chromatic tones on the guitar. Titles include "Things Can Be Calm", "Daytime Nighttime", "Salute", "Sunset Cliffs", "Republic", "Chicali Outpost", and "Bring It". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to find soundtrack to this early Don Siegel film that starred John Cassavetes, Sal Mineo, and James Whitmore as a bunch of JD's. The score has a dramatic crime jazz sound, similar to Elmer Bernstein's work in the same vein – and the LP also includes Waxman's "Three Sketches for Jazz Orchestra", which features nice solo passages by the likes of Pete Candoli, Joe Mondragon, and Jack Dumont. A classic Decca score, and one that we never see! LP, Vinyl record album

Hmmm...we've never heard of the film, but this "soundtrack" is actually a nice Ronco compilation with a lot of groovy 70's soul cuts by both American and UK artists. Titles include "Girls" by The Moments & Whatnauts, "Dance With Me" by The Real Thing, "Living On the Dole" by The Cimarons, "Lonely I" by Lee Vanderbilt, "Darlin Darlin Baby" by The O'Jays, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and "When Will I See You Again" by the Three Degrees. LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue entry in this legendary series of compilations – one that taught us an awful lot about funky soundtrack music back in the day, finally back in action after a long hiatus! This time around, the groove has gotten even deeper – as the series has stretched to include some killer sound library material as well – really mixing together all the jazz, funk, and cinematic elements that were in the previous volumes – yet all with the hip Euro-styled groove that we loved in all of those releases too! There's a huge amount of funky nuggets here, but all with a vibe that's very different than 70s work from the US scene – and although we've missed the Easy Tempo series for many years, we're so glad to have them back – as they're still one of the best. Titles include "Take Me To New York" by Brooklyn Bridge Group, "Undertown" by Orchestra Mustang, "First Time Three" by Roberto Pregadio, "Angelus" by Soul's Soul, "African Flute" by Ninety, "Super Cat" by Les Chakachas, "Sunshine Train" by Hugh Bullen, "Un Uomo Che Lavora" by Carlo Cordara E I Waterloo, "Meeting" by Gino Marinaaci, and "Guida Sicura" by Enzo Scoppa. LP, Vinyl record album

The folks at Numero bill this set as "the only boogie record you'll ever need to own" – and while we might take issue with that, as there's so many great boogie records out there in the world, we can say that the set features some great 80s-styled groovers from their never-ending vaults of music! The set ranges across different labels and scenes, to bring out the best of some overlooked gems that barely got any play back in the day, but have a style that's gained new appreciation for contemporary ears – a lean, post-disco groove that's got plenty of resonance with soulful styles of the 21st Century scene! Titles include "If You Love Me" by Stylle Band, "Let's Boogie Tonight" by Unit Three, "Quick" by Steven, "Lady Luck" by Duke D, "Contagious" by Ronnie Robbins, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "Slippin In The Night" by Contrast, "Burning Up" by Donnell Pitman, and "Don't Touch It" by Maxx Traxx. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic funk, rare soul, and contemporary goodies too – all served up in a beautiful package designed by the folks at Seth Rogan's Houseplant! As with the previous set, this one is divided into three modes – one record sativa, one indica, and the third a hybrid – capturing different moods with each record, but with an all-soul, rock-solid selection of tunes throughout! As with previous volumes, the classic and contemporary come into play in a really great way – and this volume also features some great international titles too – a set list that includes "Follow The Wind" by Coletta Woodson, "Cookin" by Tortilla Factory, "Bra" by Cymande, "High Beams" by Tkay Maidza, "Lupita" by Nico Gomez, "Pretty Woman Pass On By" by Richard Marks, "Norma Jean" by Napoleon Demps, "Bizness" by Tune Yards, "Right On" by Carleen & The Groovers, "The Love You Left Behind" by Syl Johnson, "Groovy Babe" by Durand Jones & The Indications, "Kill Dem" by Jamie XX, "Aminata Du The" by Amadou Balake, "Help Me To Understand" by Harlem Gospel Travelers, "Will I See You Again" by Thee Sacred Souls, "Grow Forever" by Lizette & Quevin, "Tearz" by El Michels Affair & Lee Fields, "Everything That Looks Good" by Charles Suggs, "Raggio Verde" by Il Quadro Di Troisi, "Let's Do It Today" by The US, and "When We Would Ride" by Kendra Morris & Eraserhood Sound. LP, Vinyl record album

Prepare to discover your new favorite artist – a tremendously hip cat who never got his due – and who should be held as high on these shores as British talents like Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, or John Martyn! Like all of those three, Davy Graham is a complete original – a guy with an acoustic guitar, but light years beyond familiar folk – often using all these jazzy changes in his style, and mixing his own music with songs by Dylan, The Beatles, Muddy Waters, and even Art Blakey – but all in ways that are completely transformative, and which maybe use the familiar songs just as a way for Graham to show us how individual he can be – because even a song we know sounds nothing like the original. His guitar work is superb – full of all the fresh ideas, unusual phrasings, and special sounds that the best of his generation were bringing to acoustic music – and titles include "Lotus Blossom", "Down Along The Cove", "Stan's Guitar", "Bulgarian Dance", "Buhaina Chant", "I'm Ready", "Getting Better", "Hornpipe For Harpsichord Played Upon Guitar", and "Pretty Polly". LP, Vinyl record album

The third of three masterful synth rock masterpieces by Gary Numan! Telekon wasn't as massively popular as Pleasure Principle or as trailblazing as Replicas, but we love it just as much, with the icy cool, almost ominous mood of Numan at his best, ever so slightly taking some creative steps into synthy funk, but most often really honing on this darkness-tinged synth rock that he made his name on in the late 70s at just as high a level here at the dawn of the 80s. LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from Pepper Adams – one of those players we sometimes forget about, then drop the needle on a record like this and fall in love with his music all over again! Adams blows baritone sax like nobody else – with a sensitivity that you'd normally hear on tenor, and a mix of modes that should have made him one of the most respected saxophonists of his generation – something that maybe didn't happen because of his unusual horn! Yet although big, there's nothing heavy about the way Pepper handles his horn – as you'll hear especially on the few ballads – and as usual for Adams, his choice of a group is great too – a sharp lineup with Walter Norris on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Makaya Ntshoko on drums. Titles include "Julian", "Ad Astra", "Jirge", "Spacemaker", and "Three & One". LP, Vinyl record album

Three really fantastic musicians – working together to turn out one the best records we've ever heard from any of them in years! Make no mistake, we love these guys in all sorts of other settings – but here, there's something really special, and definitely a cut above – this warm sense of spontaneous creation that almost seems to call up an image of the musicians as they work together – Mike Reed on drums, Tomeka Reid on cello, and Nicole Mitchell on flutes and electronics! There's a magic here that really represents the Chicago scene at its finest – the kind of sympathetic, respectful collaboration in which already-strong artists move each other forward together – a magic we hope you'll share on titles that include "AF", "Reflections", "No Side Effects", "JJ", "Soprano Song", "In Response To", and "Blessed". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes their great version of Brian Eno's "Third Uncle" – plus "The Three Shadows", "All We Ever Wanted Was Everything", "Exquisite Corpes", "Swing The Heartache", and "Spirit". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Biting Tongues – a group who gave Factory Records a few great singles in the mid 80s, but who are heard here a few years before – on an album that was only issued on cassette at the time! We've always loved these guys – and they've got a way of mixing the punk/funk of A Certain Ratio with some of the moodier currents of the Manchester scene – touched also by lots of great lines on trumpet and tenor sax, the latter of which almost gives their music some Blurt-like qualities! Yet the rhythms also move more in the cold wave mode – which mixes with the horns and live percussion to create a very cool blend – on titles that include "Denture Beach", "Read This", "Unhook That Boy", "Forty Three", "Evening State", "Or With Eyes Closed", and "Reflector". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best sessions that Al Cohn ever cut – done with a small group setting, a rare privilege for Al, who was so often lost in a larger group! Cohn's tenor is right out front, and the rest of the players include Frank Rehak, Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson. Cohn contributes the original tunes "Be Loose", "Good Ol Blues", and "Abstract Of You" – and the rest of the tracks include "We Three", "Idaho", "When Day Is Done", and "Blue Lou". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A fantastic selection of work from one of the hippest girl groups of the 70s – the mighty Love Unlimited trio, three singers who all worked under the genius of Barry White in his prime! Unlike other girl trios of the time, who often used an older soul mode refitted with disco grooves – sometimes acting more like a chorus than a lead act – Love Unlimited always brought their full vocal strengths to play, and do a fantastic job here working in modes that rival some of the best male harmony groups of the early 70s – especially the sweet soul groups from New Jersey, New York, and Philly. And yes, Barry does kick up the groove a bit at times, but even then things are usually more in a midtempo mode, not a disco one – which makes for tremendous sounds throughout. This is the first-ever proper collection of the girls' singles from the early 70s – and titles include "Oh Love Well We Finally Made It", "Fragile Handle With Care", "Are You Sure", "I Should Have Known", "Is It Really True Boy Is It Me", "Walkin In The Rain With The One I Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "It May Be Winter Outside", "I Love You So Never Gonna Let You Go", "I Belong To You", "So Nice To Hear", "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today", and "Share A Little Love In Your Hear LP, Vinyl record album

This is the kind of battle we like to see! Three heavy tenors – Nelson, King, and Jimmy Forrest – come head to head in a relaxed set of tunes cut in that Prestige blowing session mode, but tweaked with a bit more tightness, in the style of some of the label's emerging soul jazz sides of the 60s. Nelson's gutsy tenor will shock you if you haven't heard him in this sort of less restrained setting – and Forrest's work from this time is always a treat. Titles include "Blues For MF", "Anacruses", "Perdido", and "In Passing". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of an album from this legendary group – hard and funky right form the start, with these long tracks that have the TP Orchestre showing that they can jam just as hard and long as Fela Kuti & Afrika 70 – but in a very different way! The percussion is great, the guitar lines completely seductive, and the horn parts have all these cool, crispy currents that really shade in the sound in a wonderful way – making for a rich balance against the leaner qualities of the guitar lines that cut back and forth over the grooves in a really wonderful way. A killer sets from one of the African greats of the 70s – with three long tracks that include "Davi Djinto Super No 2", "Homin Si Tche", and "Aiha Ni Kpe We". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic guitarist from the Japanese scene, and a player with a tone that's unlike anyone else we can think of – the great Masayuki Takayanagi, heard here in an early session done years before his work on the Three Blind Mice label! Masayuki has a raw edge on the strings – a rasp that's very different from what you might expect on the Japanese scene at the time, which often has guitarists who are much more polished in tone. At times, he's almost sounding as if he's trying to ply the instrument with the inflections of an acoustic guitar – although the more chromatic moments are definitely more electric – and the whole thing is set up with great arrangements from pianist Takeshi Shibuya, whose contributions really make the record shine! Titles include "Say It", "That Old Feeling", "My Foolish Heart", "Moritat", "Prelude In Chords", and "Who Can I Turn To" – all sounding very different than you might expect! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever releases in this amazing series – and a smoking batch of great little cuts that mix dope guitar, funky hammond, and odd off-beat grooves in a very nice way! The whole thing's nicely packaged, with a fresh approach to funk tunes that's quite different from a lot of recent compilations we've stocked – and we're still grooving to this one, even though we've played it three times in a row! Tracks include "Petite Soul" by Little Ed, "Contagious" by Kenneth Wells, "Gasoline Alley" by Dave Grusin, "Pick & Shovel" by The Touch, "Mind Blow" by Roger Hamilton Spotts, "Un Homme De Mort" by Michel Legrand, "Chicano Chaser" by Ian Langley, "Studio 69" by The Mohawks, "Soul Thing" by Tony Newman, "It's Your Thing" by The Invaders, and "Move Your Hand" by La Clave. 20 cuts in all! LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued work from this very cool Swiss combo from the 70s – a legendary combo, even though they only recorded a handful of records – and very well-known for the way they mix together Fender Rhodes and the great tenor and flute of Raymond Therace! This live set has the group stretching out even more than on their studio records, and there's some especially great use of congas in the lineup too – in a way that makes things extra funk, and really emphasizes the funky rhythms in the music in a really great way! Plenty to love here if you dig 70s funky jazz and Fender Rhodes – on titles that include "Spain", "Backlash", "Cenovis", "1224", "Le Colin", and "Rahsaan Rahsaan". LP also features three bonus studio tracks – "Adam's Apple", "Dolphin Dance", and "5th Of July Dulong Street". LP, Vinyl record album

A seasonal classic from the legendary Stax Records – a set of all instrumental Holiday tunes, played by Booker T & The MGs! The album was recorded at the height of the group's early fame – and features a simple, straightforward groove that features plenty of Hammond from Booker T – plus tight grooves from Steve Cropper on guitar, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson on drums – all of whom cook up some Memphis soul instrumental takes on seasonal favorites – in a mode that easily makes the record one of the hippest Christmas sides from the time! The whole thing's great – almost like a lost Booker T album overall – and titles include "Blue Christmas", "We Three Kings", "Winter Wonderland", "Silver Bells", and "Merry Christmas Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty fresh Christmas album from pianist George Burton – one that goes way past familiar territory, with an unusual mix of tunes next to familiar Holiday favorites – and served up with a mix of sounds and styles that really sets things apart from the pack! George plays acoustic piano, but this isn't just another piano trio Holiday outing – as the set also features Burton on some harmonium, and a small string grouping in the lineup, next to the bass and drums in the group – plus inventive arrangements, and vocals on nearly every tune – sung on most by Nancy Harms, and by Aryssa Leigh Burrs on one more. Titles include "Fum Fum Fum", "Little Altar Boy", "We Three Kings", "Jesu Parvule", "Christmas Waltz", "Some Children See Him", "Christmas Time Is Here", and "The Holly & The Ivy". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include their classic anthem "This Is England" – plus "Three Card Trick", "Play To Win", "Life Is Wild", "North & South", "Movers & Shakers", "Cool Under Heat", "We Are The Clash", and "Dirty Punk". LP, Vinyl record album

Four Christmas classics in one package – two from Verve, two from Chess Records! First up is the album Ella Fitzgerald Wishes You A Swinging Christmas – a wonderful Holiday album that's stayed fresh for years! Ella's got a perfect style to interpret these numbers – working with Frank DeVol and Russ Garcia in a set of lightly jazzy versions of Christmas favorites like "Sleigh Ride", "Jingle Bells", "Winter Wonderland", "White Christmas", "Frosty The Snowman", and one of the best versions of "What Are You Doing New Years Eve" ever recorded! The Sound Of Christmas album by Ramsey Lewis is a classic – and probably one of the best-selling Christmas jazz albums of all time! Ramsey and his classic trio with Redd Holt and Eldee Young serve up a tight set of grooves based around Holiday favorites like "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Winter Wonderland", "Here Comes Santa Claus", "The Christmas Song", and "Sleigh Ride" – and also carve out a few nice originals like "Christmas Blues" and "The Sound Of Christmas". Side one features the trio on its own, and side two features added arrangements by Riley Hampton – swirling around to expand the groove even more! Christmas 64 – also issued as Christmas Cookin – is as cookin a Christmas album as you'll ever find! Jazz organ giant Jimmy Smith works with Billy Byers to craft some sublime instrumentals that have his Hammond interpreting Christmas classics like "We Three Kings", "White Christmas", "Silent Night", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". If you know Jimmy from the time, you know that he can really make tracks like these groove nicely – and take them to places you never expected! Last up is the album Have Yourself A Soulful Little Christmas, from guitarist Kenny Burrell – on which he grooves nicely and gently over arrangements by Richard Evans, perfectly crafted in that soul jazz mode of his 60s work for Chess – not Kenny's most challenging format, to be sure, but proof that he often works better in a more structured environment than a freer one. Titles include "Away In A Manger", "My Favorite Things", "Little Drummer Boy", "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", "Merry Christmas Baby", and "Go Where I Send Thee". LP, Vinyl record album

Not nearly as raunchy as some of his other blue comedy LPs, but still with quite a few funny moments with Redd snapping on audience members in this live performance. We have to admit these Redd Foxx LPs hold up a lot better than some of the party records selling for three times the price. LP, Vinyl record album

An organ trio, and one with plenty of soul – romping drums, riffing guitar, and some mighty sweet work on the Hammond by Delvon Lamarr! This is the first we've ever heard of the group, but they're rock solid and right on the money – working with a lean, hard style that's completely classic, but also a bit contemporary too – maybe swinging in the best sort of space between the Jack McDuff Quartet of the 60s and the Sugarman Three group of Desco Records fame! David McGraw handles the drums with a clear love of funk, and Jimmy James is wonderfully wicked on guitar – never trying to dominate too much, as there's no need – given how much he brings to the overall groove. Delvon's a hell of an organist too – the kind that knows that a little can often go much farther than a lot when handling the electric keys – which he does to set up some sweet solos on cuts that include "Ain't It Funky", "Al Greenery", "Can I Change My Mind", "Walk On By", "Between The Mustard & The Mayo", "Raymond Brings The Greens", and "Little Booker T". LP, Vinyl record album

Ramsey Lewis had such great success with his first album of Christmas instrumentals for Chess Records, he soon hopped back in the studio for a second record – but one with a very distinct difference! This time around, the trio's a bit unusual – in that it features regular bassist Eldee Young, but also the great Steve McCall on drums – a percussionist who'd later really flourish in the 70s, and gain great fame for his work in the group Air! The presence of McCall is no surprise, though – Malachi Favors and Muhal Richard Abrams also make appearances on early 60s Chess jazz albums – but it does give the record a nicely special sort of sound, as does the added instrumentation on some tracks too. About half the set features the trio, and the rest features a bigger group that's arranged by King Fleming and Will Jackson – jazz trio with a bit of strings, including some nice harp, and a touch of trombone from John Avant. Titles include "We Three Kings", "Snowfall", "Plum Puddin", "Little Drummer Boy", "Snowbound", "Egg Nog", and "Jingle Bells". LP, Vinyl record album

The only full album ever cut by The Majors – a hell of a vocal group from the Philly scene of the early 60s, and one with a fantastic approach that's a bit unlike anyone else we can think of! The group sports soaring lead vocals from singer Ricky Cordo – a singer with a range that's really amazing, and used in these ways that can be really dynamic, even on the mellow cuts – as he's backed by the group's three guys and one gal, who sometimes get a bit more spotlight in the lead – amidst this wonderful palette of instrumental touches, which includes bits of vibes, organ, and other nice touches that really keep things interesting. Titles include "Oh Wee Baby", "Time Will Tell", "She's A Troublemaker", "Don't You Lose Your Cool", "Come One Come On", "What In The World", "A Wonderful Dream", and "Anything You Can Do". LP, Vinyl record album

The title certainly gets it right – as the album definitely brings a bit of jazz into the mix for the great John Mayall – given that the set features strong work from funky jazz heavyweights Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Freddy Robinson on guitar! Both are musicians that we love for their late 60s records on their own, and they work mighty nicely here with Mayall in a live setting – alongside heavy saxes from Clifford Solomon, and lots of great guitar, harmonica, and piano from John Mayall himself! The style is still more blues than jazz, but definitely shows an expanding style past the more slavish roots of Mayall's early years – especially reflecting his new interaction with the American scene after the breakup of the Blues Breakers. The first side of the album features a live set from Boston – and includes "Country Road", "Mess Around", "Good Time Boogie", and "Change Your Ways" – side two is from New York shows, and features three longish tracks – "Dry Throat", "Exercise In C Major", and "Got To Be This Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet session of Japanese fusion – one that features guitarist Hiroki Miyano working in the US with arrangements from Teo Macero! The sound here is bright and sunny – somewhat polished, but never too much so – in the best Japanese fusion styles of the time. And although we don't normally associate Macero with this sort of a record, his help on arrangements is really great here – bringing a nice sort of depth to the record that really surprised us. Other players include Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, Marcus Miller on bass, Dave Valentin on flute, Warren Bernhardt on Fender Rhodes, and Jorge Dalto on drums – and possibly best of all, singer Ilana Morillo joins the group on three tracks, singing in a cool wordless way that has some great traces of Brazilian fusion! Titles include "Manhattan Skyline", "Go Away From Summer", "Song Of Clouds", "Slow Down For Love", "Sunset City", and "Teo's Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing! This is one of the coolest sets we've seen in years – and everything about it is fantastic, from the package right down to the triple-length set of music! The set features rare unreleased recordings from Raymond Scott's legendary Manhattan Research electronic music studios – originally set up in 1946, and home to some of Scott's landmark early work on non-acoustic music during the 50s and 60s. Far from being the sort of turgid, dark knob-twiddling that computer music later became in the academy, Scott's early experiments are filled with a sense of whimsy and joy – exported directly from his early cartoon-based work, and applied in a fantastic way to his evolving musical inventions! The LP edition comes in three separate sleeves, plus a great 8 page booklet of notes, in a brilliant graphic style that complements the package even further! Don't forget the music, though – because it's totally fantastic – and kind of reminds us of bits of Jon Appleton's Syntonic Menagerie, Pierre Henry's early Musique Concrete, and later punk-era DIY electronics. That doesn't even come close to pinning it down, though – and with 3 LPs worth of material, the scope of the work is amazing! LP, Vinyl record album

A set recorded during that tremendous late 80s/early 90s point when guitarist Sonny Sharrock was really hitting on all creative burners – and one that also features the legendary Pharoah Sanders on tenor, who gives the record a slightly different vibe than some of Sharrock's other records from the time! Make no mistake, Sonny is very strongly in the lead – and he also produced the record with Bill Laswell, whose efforts are definitely felt here – but there's also more of a jazz core to the whole thing, with long tracks that have a very live, spontaneous vibe – as Sharrock fuzzes out his guitar, but is matched with soulful energy from Sanders on tenor – and given some great pulsating rhythms from Charnett Moffett on acoustic bass and Elvin Jones on drums. These three players really offset some of Sonny's more self-indulgent tendencies – and titles include "Little Rock", "Promises Kept", "Who Does She Hope To Be", "As We Used To Sing", and "Many Mansions". LP, Vinyl record album

Among the best of the best of early Patti Smith albums – the Easter LP from 1978 – also her biggest hit ever! Easter splits the difference between accessible, if rawly impassioned rock & roll and more raucous and in yer face rebellious poetry. There's a stylistic gulf between the more delicate songs and the rawer ones, and that tension makes for a more amazing record overall. Titles include "Till Victory", "Space Monkey", "Because The Night", "Ghost Dance", "Privelege (Set Me Free)", "We Three", "25th Floor", "Easter" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds from the Nigerian scene at the start of the 70s – music from the key figure of Celestine Ukwu, an artist who helped to reinvigorate the highlife style of years past, and pave the way for Afro Funk changes in years to come! Celestine's sound is nice and lean here – very rhythmic, with the guitar wrapped around the percussion and basslines in beautifully snakey action – while the vocals also have a quality that's maybe more personal than before – at points almost the raspy intimacy we love in some Brazilian singers! The package brings together work from three different albums from the early 70s – all long tracks that include "Tomorrow Is So Uncertain", "Onwunwa", "Ejina Uwa Nya Isi", "Ilo Abu Chi", and "Okwukuwe Na Ncheckwube". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool music from UK experimentalist Lori Vambe – an artist who works here on two very percussive albums that were issued on his own label back in the 80s, but with a style that's really unlike anything else we can think of! The music has a bit more punch than the "dreamtime" title might make you expect – but it's also not all drums, either – as instead Vambe has a way of using a variety of other instruments, including the stringed instrument on the cover, in a way that pulsates rhythmically with the percussion – all with a spare and haunting sound that's maybe a bit like some sort of post-punk expansion on the early ideas of Moondog! The set features the two full albums Drumgita Solo and Drumland Dreamland – the latter of which has a slightly fuller instrumental palette – and titles include "Un Minuto (Two)", "Going Home Boogie (One)", "Strumelody", "Drumsong (Three)", "Ydolemurd", and "Hum Drum Dring (Two)". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer trio material from drummer Daniel Villarreal – a lean, clean record that's a really great showcase for all three players involved! The music's got a vibe that's more live and spontaneous than some other efforts on the International Anthem label, and a sound that's almost funky at times – as Daniel's snapping drums get plenty of encouragement from the basses of Anna Butterss, which really sets fire to the guitar of Jeff Parker! Parker's back here at a level that we haven't heard on record in awhile, and the record seems to resonate with all his long experience with a variety of players – while also standing as a showcase for his ability to really deliver some warmly chromatic tones on the guitar. Titles include "Things Can Be Calm", "Daytime Nighttime", "Salute", "Sunset Cliffs", "Republic", "Chicali Outpost", and "Bring It". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing! Although Scott Walker had issued one solo album before this one, Scott 2 is the record that really has his true genius beginning to shine through! The record still features Scott singing dark moody takes on 60s pop tunes – like "Best Of Both Worlds" and "Black Sheep Boy" – plus the usual round of Brel tunes – including "Jackie" and "The Girls & The Dogs", but it's also got some of his best songwriting ever, etched out in incredible original compositions like "The Amorous Humphrey Plugg", "The Girls From The Streets", and "Plastic Palace People". Those three songs alone might have been enough if Scott had stopped there in his career – as they're perfectly realized visions that match the world of Brecht, Bergman, and Sartre he'd been steeping himself in. Orchestrations are sublime on all tracks, and the record's one we'll treasure forever! LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool 70s album from the great Link Wray – done at the time when he was reinventing himself, and changing from a damn great instrumental guitarist to a singer as well – one with a much bolder presence in the limelight than ever before! Wray serves up some fantastic electric solos here, and sings a fair bit too – and the record has some connection to his earlier self-titled set on Polydor, but was recorded at Wally Heider's in San Francisco – instead of Link's three-track shack – which makes for a richer vibe overall! There's plenty of great help on the session – all-star work from Boz Scaggs on guitar, Pete Escovedo on congas, and Lenny Pickett on tenor – and Wray may well be at the apex of his 70s confidence in the lead, as you'll hear on titles that include "It Was A Bad Scene", "Good Time Joe", "Walkin/Bulldog", "I Got To Ramble", "We Said I Do", "Step This Way", "Super 88", and "She's That Kind Of Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzman take on the Cali scene – and the results are every bit as amazing as you might imagine! Like previous Texas, Florida, and Midwest Funk comps on the label, this volume is essential listening all the way through – a massive dig into rare west coast grooves of the late 60s and 1970s – presented with excellent notes on every single track, and more than enough historical detail to put the music in perspective! The whole thing's fully legit, with great mastering on most cuts – and the track list is filled with rare gems we've never seen on any other collections before – a massive funky treasure trove that includes "Turn It Over" by Chucky Thurmon, "Farm Song" by Leon Gardner, "What Goes Around Comes Around (part 1)" by Arthur Monday, "Get It Right" by Rhon Silva, "Funky Fire" by Billy Larkin, "WB" by California Gold Notes, "Curse Upon The World" by Apple & The Three Oranges, "Cold Heat" by Lil Lavair & The Fabulous Jades, "Bones" by Winter, "Smokin Tidbits" by Edwards Generation, "Al's Place" by Enrique Olivarez Y Los Vampiros, "Talking About My Baby" by John Heartsman & Circles, "What's Going On" by Mr Clean & The Soul Inc, and "All Bundled Into One" by Water Color. LP, Vinyl record album

A well-chosen batch of rare garage rock gems from the 60s – rare work from labels that include Stax, Fantasy, Original Sound, and Vanguard – including three never-issued tracks! The choice of material is great, and the whole thing features notes from producer Alec Palao – a name we've really come to trust for sets like this, which go way past the hits and obvious choices. Titles include "Can't Get Enough" by The Pullice, "Attention" by Lonnie Duvall, "Harmonica Man" by The Torquays, "Psychotic Reaction (unedited version)" by Count Five, "She's Gone" by Group B, "Double Whammy" by Jack Bedient & The Chessmen, "In The Night" by The Bittersweets, "Short Haired Fathers" by Circus Maximus, "Anytime Anywhere" by The Squires, "This Calls For A Celebration" by The Fantastic Zoo, "Rat Race" by The Tears, "I Can't Make A Friend" by The Vagrants, "The Animal In Me" by The Orfuns, and "The People In Me (full length version)" by The Music Machine. LP, Vinyl record album

A lost side of work from 70s funk powerhouse Mainstream Records – a company best known for its jazz albums of the early 70s, but one that also cut some great soul and club material too! Most of the work here came out only as singles, and wasn't nearly as well-circulated as the albums on Mainstream – and much of it was much more underground too, from a time when funk groups were picking up the pace a bit for the new styles of dance on the scene – yet still nicely far from the more slickly produced disco that would top the charts at the end of the 70s! Most tracks appear here on vinyl for the first time since the 70s – and titles include the unissued "Disco Man (parts 1 & 2)" by Three Ounces Of Love – plus "Get Down Get Down" by South Side Coalition, "Music Is Fun To Me" by The Grand Jury, "We've Got To Get Together" by Chocolate Syrup, "Gonna Have A Good Time" by Crystal Image, "Nothing Between Us" by Electric Ladies, "Whatever's Your Sign You've Got To Be Mine" by Prophecy, "Hundred Pounds Of Pain" by Lenny Welch, and "No Rebate On Love" by The Dramatics. LP, Vinyl record album

Sure, it was silly stuff when we were kids – but once De La Soul sampled "Three Is The Magic Number", this record became one of the most prized in our possession! And thanks to that hip hop reintroduction, we've really fallen in love with the music again over the years – partly because the tunes are all so groovy, and partly because we've really come to know the jazz-based work of composer Bob Dorough! At the time of this set, Dorough was coming off some great work in the 60s – his own rare recordings, music for Spanky & Our Gang, and others – all of which seems to inform these math-based tunes written for Saturday morning TV. The tunes are all pretty darn catchy, and often quite jazzy – and instrumentation often features some great electric piano nestled in alongside the vocals. Dorough sings the lion's share of the work for this album – although Grady Tate sings on two numbers, and Blossom Dearie on one more. Titles include the amazing "Three Is A Magic Number" – plus "Lucky Seven Sampson", "Little Twelve Toes", "Ready Or Not Here I Come", "I Got Six", "Naughty Number Nine", "Figure Eight", and "The Four Legged Zoo". LP, Vinyl record album

A set of incredible records from Charles Mingus – all presented together in one mighty nice package! First up is Mingus Moves – a fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". CD also features bonus tracks – "Big Alice" and "The Call". Changes is key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", "Remember Rockefeller At Attica", "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. On 3 Or 4 Shades Of Blues, Charles Mingus is returning to the soulful gospel-influenced mode he swung big in the early 60s! The record's something of a later predecessor of the classics Blues & Roots for Atlantic and Mingus (x5) for Impulse – and the style is slightly less dramatic, but still quite steeped in soulful explorations that feature plenty of notes from the bluer side of the spectrum! Players include George Coleman and Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and titles include new takes on "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" and "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" – plus"Nobody Knows", "Noddin Ya Head Blues", and "Three Or Four Shades Of Blues". Next is Cumbia & Jazz Fusion – one of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". Me Myself An Eye is complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker on tenors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side two contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". Something Like A Bird is one of the last albums Charles Mingus ever gave us – before departing this planet way way too soon! The set shows the increasing sophistication of Mingus' music in these later years – a mode that almost echoes the path that Duke Ellington would take in his final decade – a move towards some larger-form material that still holds onto all the raw energy of the early days, but finds a way to not only bridge larger musical ideas – but musical generations as well! As part of this, the set's got a wonderful lineup – with Lee Konitz on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, George Coleman on tenor, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include the long title track, "Something Like A Bird", split up over 2 sides of the LP, plus "Farewell Farwell". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic album from Prince – recorded in 2010, and unreleased at the time – but clearly one of the greatest things he gave us in the final decade of his life! This isn't uncooked demo material, or under-thought studio tracks – and instead, the whole thing is a fully-formed record with a message that really comes through in the title – more political Prince than usual, with an eye for our nation that rivals Sign O The Times! It may be that back when Prince recorded the set, the time wasn't right for the message – but these tracks definitely hit home now – and are often delivered in this sinister slow funk mode that really fits the lyrics – almost as if Prince were trying to give the world his version of a righteous 70s album on Curtom Records. Titles include "Running Game", "Born 2 Die", "Welcome 2 America", "Check The Record", "Hot Summer", "Stand Up & B Strong", "Same Page Different Book", and "One Day We Will All B Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Sophisticated soul from William Salter – a lost treasure from the Ralph MacDonald camp at the end of the 70s, and a vocalist that we only know from this one obscure album! MacDonald produced the set with William Eaton – who also did the arrangements, as he did on some of Ralph's own work – and Salter sings lead in a style that's part modern soul, part adult – working with some nice jazzy touches on the best cuts. The album's got work from jazzers like Bob James, Eddie Daniels, and Jon Faddis – plus backup vocals from Patti Austin and Valerie Simpson – and the best tracks groove along at midtempo pace with a sunny kind of finish. There's a few clunkers on here, but the good cuts more than make up for them – and titles include "You Got Style", "It Is So Beautiful To Be", "Three Days Of Flowers", "Lena", and "When You Smile" – a nice jazzy stepping tune! LP, Vinyl record album

A modern day spiritual jazz treasure – completely wonderful all the way through, and a set you might well file proudly next to your classics from John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders! The record's as epic as it promises in the title – a three volume journey in jazz, headed by tenorist Kamai Washington, who emerges here as a tremendous leader, a hell of a writer, and a rich jazz talent in every sense of the word – carefully steering a group of musicians through work that's searing, searching, and driven with a very cosmic vibe! Tunes are often modal, and never step too far outside, but always push the boundaries – and the instrumentation is a shifting mix of keyboards, piano, trombone, trumpet, bass, drums, and percussion – plus some vocal performances from Dwight Trible and Patrice Quinn. You might know Kamasi from his work with Flying Lotus and Thundercat – the latter of whom plays bass on this set – but the album's very much his own, and very much jazz all the way through. The kind of record we're mighty proud to be offering – with tracks that include "Askim", "The Next Step", "Rhythm Changes", "Miss Understanding", "Leroy & Lanisha", "Re Run", "Seven Prayers", "Malcolm's Theme", and "The Message". LP, Vinyl record album

A wealth of rare funky 45 and album cuts – served up here in a selection that really lives up to the "rare soul" promise of the title! Some of these cuts are rare groove classics from back in the day – the big years when UK DJs first started playing older 70s cuts – and some of them are numbers that have been discovered in more recent years, showing that the field for rare soul collectors is always wide open, if you know where to dig! Titles include "Smooth Sailing" by Three Shades Of Soul, "Look What You've Done For Me" by Al Jarreau, "Every Day's A New Day" by Teresa Graves, "Take My Best Shot" by Liberation, "Be Your Man" by The Harmonics, "If We Don't" by 94 East with Prince, "You Put A Hurtin On Me" by Mary Mundy, "I'm Walking Away" by Gene Townsel, "I'm Crazy About You" by Brief Encounter, and "I Love You Pretty Baby" by Touch Of Class. LP, Vinyl record album