A surprising record from the glory days of the UK punk scene – served up by a group who frequently opened for the big acts of the day, but who have a vibe that's decidedly much more old school overall! Whirlwind have a sound that's very much in keeping with their look on the cover – a raw-styled groove that goes back to the early years of rock and roll – which includes them serving up a few hip covers from the 50s, and mixing them with their own well-crafted originals too! The whole thing's a great reminder that if you were on the ground in the UK scene in the late 70s, things were a lot more complicated than the history books might make you think – a legacy that certainly lives on here, in cuts that include "Slow Down", "Tore Apart", "Together Forever", "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It", "My Advice", "Don't Be Crazy", and "Blue Moon Of Kentucky". LP, Vinyl record album

Lakecia Benjamin has become one of the most unique saxophonists in jazz over the course of her past few records – an artist who can hit deeply spiritual tones when she wants to, but one who's also got a strong sense of soul – able to mix inspirations from the farther reaches with some warmer, straight-ahead grooves – all at a level that's got her hitting strongly in both the worlds of jazz and R&B! Here, Lakecia really expands her palette – blowing the alto pictured on the cover, but also adding in keyboards and shaping the overall sound of the set with the ear of a great producer – in a core lineup that features Victor Gould on Fender Rhodes and organ, EJ Stickland on drums, and Josh Evans on trumpet – with plenty of guest work throughout, including appearances from Dianne Reeves, Patrice Rushen, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and even the great Angela Davis! Titles include "Moods", "Rebirth", "Trane", "Amerikkan Skin", "New Mornings", "Phoenix", "Jubilation", "Basquiat", and "Supernova". LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Raynald Colom blows in great territory here – stretching out on long tracks that have some of the spacey vibe you might guess from the cover image, graced with superb piano, Fender Rhodes, and Yamaha keys from Tony Tixier! The tracks never get too mellow, but really take their time building things up – and bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Francesco Ciniglio do a great job of providing the sort of spacious accompaniment that lets the keys and the trumpet do their thing – even stepping out on the album's long reading of "The Peacocks", which just features piano and trumpet. Other titles include "Wholeness", "Powder Keg", "Stablemates", "When Logan Meets Miro", and "Sketches Set Seven". CD

With Russ Lossing on piano, Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ. CD

We've always loved the music of Logan Richardson, but here he's onto something completely new and groundbreaking – as you might begin to guess from the cover and title! Logan still blows alto sax, but he also handles piano and keyboards, and works in this swirling mix of sound that really lives up to what you might expect – really far-seeing future jazz – with rhythms that shift and soar, instrumentation that shimmers and glows, and a sound that's very cosmic and righteous throughout! The set also features vibes and keyboards from Peter Schlamb, guitars from Igor Osypov, bass from Dominique Sanders, and drums from Ryan Lee and Corey Fonville – set to some occasional vocals from Laura Taglialatela, and light use of strings to really give the music a sense of majesty. Titles include "Say My Nhame", "Awaken", "The Birth Of Us", "Black Wallstreet", "Farewell Goodbye", "For Alto", "According To You", "Praise Song", and "Photo Copy". LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful record from London pianist Sultan Stevenson – a set that seems to hearken back to the wonderful 70s territory of McCoy Tyner, especially in the way that Sultan can balance a sense of subtle majesty with an undeniable flow! Half the record features a core trio – with Jacob Gryn on bass and Joel Waters on drums – but the other half of the set also brings in some superb horn work that really rises the righteous power of the record – trumpet from Josh Short and tenor from Denys Baptiste, playing together with a richly spiritual vibe. Titles include "He Has Made Me Whole", "Faithful One", "Safe Passage", "Prayer", "Guilt By Association", and "Summer Was Our Holy Place". LP, Vinyl record album

Will Vinson on alto sax, wurlitzer, and synth, Gilad Hekselman on guitars, and Nate Wood on drums and bass. CD

Lakecia Benjamin has become one of the most unique saxophonists in jazz over the course of her past few records – an artist who can hit deeply spiritual tones when she wants to, but one who's also got a strong sense of soul – able to mix inspirations from the farther reaches with some warmer, straight-ahead grooves – all at a level that's got her hitting strongly in both the worlds of jazz and R&B! Here, Lakecia really expands her palette – blowing the alto pictured on the cover, but also adding in keyboards and shaping the overall sound of the set with the ear of a great producer – in a core lineup that features Victor Gould on Fender Rhodes and organ, EJ Stickland on drums, and Josh Evans on trumpet – with plenty of guest work throughout, including appearances from Dianne Reeves, Patrice Rushen, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and even the great Angela Davis! Titles include "Moods", "Rebirth", "Trane", "Amerikkan Skin", "New Mornings", "Phoenix", "Jubilation", "Basquiat", and "Supernova". CD

Features George Colligan on piano, Nicole Glover on saxophones, Linda May Han Oh on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums. CD

John Escreet on piano, Fender Rhodes, and harpsichord – with David Binny on alto and soprano, Chris Potter on tenor, Matt Brewer on bass, and Jim Black on drums. CD

Ingrid Jensen on trumpet and electronics, Christine Jensen on saxophone, Ben Monder on guitar, Fraser Hollins on bass, and Jon Wikan on drums. CD

We've always loved the music of Logan Richardson, but here he's onto something completely new and groundbreaking – as you might begin to guess from the cover and title! Logan still blows alto sax, but he also handles piano and keyboards, and works in this swirling mix of sound that really lives up to what you might expect – really far-seeing future jazz – with rhythms that shift and soar, instrumentation that shimmers and glows, and a sound that's very cosmic and righteous throughout! The set also features vibes and keyboards from Peter Schlamb, guitars from Igor Osypov, bass from Dominique Sanders, and drums from Ryan Lee and Corey Fonville – set to some occasional vocals from Laura Taglialatela, and light use of strings to really give the music a sense of majesty. Titles include "Say My Nhame", "Awaken", "The Birth Of Us", "Black Wallstreet", "Farewell Goodbye", "For Alto", "According To You", "Praise Song", and "Photo Copy". LP, Vinyl record album

Lakecia Benjamin has become one of the most unique saxophonists in jazz over the course of her past few records – an artist who can hit deeply spiritual tones when she wants to, but one who's also got a strong sense of soul – able to mix inspirations from the farther reaches with some warmer, straight-ahead grooves – all at a level that's got her hitting strongly in both the worlds of jazz and R&B! Here, Lakecia really expands her palette – blowing the alto pictured on the cover, but also adding in keyboards and shaping the overall sound of the set with the ear of a great producer – in a core lineup that features Victor Gould on Fender Rhodes and organ, EJ Stickland on drums, and Josh Evans on trumpet – with plenty of guest work throughout, including appearances from Dianne Reeves, Patrice Rushen, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and even the great Angela Davis! Titles include "Moods", "Rebirth", "Trane", "Amerikkan Skin", "New Mornings", "Phoenix", "Jubilation", "Basquiat", and "Supernova". CD

Quinsin Nachoff on tenor and soprano sax, David Binney on alto sax, Matt Mitchell on piano and synths, and Kenny Wollesen or Nate Wood on drums. CD

A really beautiful record from London pianist Sultan Stevenson – a set that seems to hearken back to the wonderful 70s territory of McCoy Tyner, especially in the way that Sultan can balance a sense of subtle majesty with an undeniable flow! Half the record features a core trio – with Jacob Gryn on bass and Joel Waters on drums – but the other half of the set also brings in some superb horn work that really rises the righteous power of the record – trumpet from Josh Short and tenor from Denys Baptiste, playing together with a richly spiritual vibe. Titles include "He Has Made Me Whole", "Faithful One", "Safe Passage", "Prayer", "Guilt By Association", and "Summer Was Our Holy Place". CD

Tracks include "Freefall", "Body Wave", "Swept Away", "Guiltless", and "Whirlwind". CD

Quite possibly the biggest early moment of US fame for Roxy Music – thanks to the classic "Love Is The Drug", which kicks off the album and is easily one of the group's best-known tunes of the 70s! The album tightens things up slightly from the sound of Country Life before – not as many dark corners, but still plenty of the offbeat styles that make these early Roxy Music albums so great – with none of the softer styles that took over during the early 80s years. Other tracks include "End Of The Line", "Sentimental Fool", "She Sells", "Could It Happen To Me", "Both Ends Burning", "Just Another High", and "Whirlwind". CD

A really great collection of unusual female soul and pop from the 60s – a package that features rare singles, unreleased tracks, and other gems we never would have heard otherwise! Few folks know 60s music as well as the folks at Ace/Kent Records in the UK – which means that you can really trust them to serve up the best when it comes to a collection of girl group music – the sort of tracks that go way past the obvious, and really get at the fantastic range of sounds that were transforming the female side of the spectrum in the US! The package features 16 tracks in all, and spans a nice mix of artists and styles – with titles that include "Too bad He's Bad" by Beverly Williams, "Cupid's Got A Hold On Me" by The Belles, "Whirlwind" by The Rev-Lons, "First Love Baby" by Lena Calhoun & The Emotions, "So In Luv" by Othello Robertson, "You Are My First Love" by Pat Hunt, "I Need A Guy" by The Lovettes, "He's All Right With Me" by The Mirettes, "Mr Everything" by Little Eva Harris, "Sing Me A Love Song" by Felice Taylor, "Sir Galahad" by The Elites, "I Say Yeah" by The Pets, "Summertime Is Surfin Time" by The Surf Bunnies, and "It's Better To Live Or Die" by Mary Saxton. LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "D&D Soundclash" with Cocoa Brovas and production by Da Beatminerz, "Mic Stance", "Equality", "Defeat", and "Monotony", all with production by Premier, "Whirlwind Thru Cities", "Mortal Kombat" with Masta Killa, "Bring It Right", "Trilogy Of Terror" with Guru & Hannibal Stax, "Self Mastery", "Bigacts Littleacts" with GZA, "Warfare" with M.O.P., "Soul Assassination", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A quartet of live performances from Sun Ra – all recorded within the span of a single week in 1983 – at a time when the Arkestra was clearly covering a fair bit of territory in Europe! As you might guess from the title, the concerts here were recorded in Milan, Zurich, West Berlin, and Paris – all during the last week of October and first day of November – in a whirlwind series of sets that also included Montreux material that ended up on the Hiroshima album (not included in this package.) Ra's at the start of his key 80s growth here – able to open up to new audiences in a range of styles, from freely experimental to more traditionally jazzy – all in ways that link together many traditions in a single set, and show that his talents were rooted in a deep tradition of musical expression. The 5CD set features a huge amount of material – and apart from Ra on piano and keyboards, other "all star" players include Lester Bowie and Don Cherry on trumpets, John Gilmore on tenor, Archie Shepp on tenor and soprano sax, Marshall Allen on alto and flute, Richard Davis on bass, Philly Joe Jones on drums, and Don Moye on percussion. CD

The classic debut album by the DOC, from the glory days of Ruthless Records – one of the few records on the label to live up to the brilliance of NWA at their height! Dr Dre handles the production here – and there's a razor-sharp edge that really matches DOC's wordcraft – as powerful as the rest of the Ruthless crew, but in a different way too – almost more sophisticated, with the messaged buried a bit more in the lyrics. Titles include "The Formula", "It's Funky Enough", "Mind Blowin", "Lend Me An Ear", "Portrait Of A Master Piece", "Whirlwind Pyramid", "No One Can Do It Better", and "The DOC & The Doctor" – plus "The Grand Finale", which features guest work from Ren and Ice Cube. LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the biggest early moment of US fame for Roxy Music – thanks to the classic "Love Is The Drug", which kicks off the album and is easily one of the group's best-known tunes of the 70s! The album tightens things up slightly from the sound of Country Life before – not as many dark corners, but still plenty of the offbeat styles that make these early Roxy Music albums so great – with none of the softer styles that took over during the early 80s years. Other tracks include "End Of The Line", "She Sells", "Could It Happen To Me", "Both Ends Burning", "Just Another High", and "Whirlwind". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Nicholas Payton on trumpet. Tracks include "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo", "Shaw Nuff", "Whirlwind Soldier", "Milton On Ebony" and "Bernie's Tune". CD

I-Robots take a mighty cool look at the Phantom Records label – a small imprint from that great moment when the Italian club scene was getting pretty electric and cosmic – almost as a dancefloor extension of sound library modes from a few years before! The cuts here all have plenty of keyboards and a fair bit of spacey touches – all while managing to sound upbeat and funky, although with more colder electro modes as some of the tracks move a bit further into the 80s run of the label. Some tracks are quite short, others are longer groovers – and titles include "Come With Me (I-Robots reconstruction)" by Carlotto, "Cometa Music Hall" by Cometa Music Hall, "Whirlwind" by Don Bernini, "Radio Cosmo 101" by The One O Ones, and "Music One (parts 1, 7, & 8)" by Musicone. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet keyboard soul from Deodato – a set that steps off nicely from the strengths of his big hits on CTI, hitting a similarly flowing groove that's really great! The instrumentation here is a bit more expanded than before, but never in a way that buries the keyboards – and Deodato's right out front on a range of electric keys that get some great support from John Tropea's finely-honed work on guitar! Titles include "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "West 42nd Street", and a nice cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again". And heck, even the album's version of Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" manages to come off like a funk tune! LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two post-CTI gems from Deodato – back to back on a single CD! Whirlwinds is sweet keyboard soul from Deodato – a set that steps off nicely from the strengths of his big hits on CTI, hitting a similarly flowing groove that's really great! The instrumentation here is a bit more expanded than before, but never in a way that buries the keyboards – and Deodato's right out front on a range of electric keys that get some great support from John Tropea's finely-honed work on guitar! Titles include "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "West 42nd Street", and a nice cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again". And heck, even the album's version of Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" manages to come off like a funk tune! Artistry is a live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin". CD

The best Deodato album we've heard in years – a spare trio set that hearkens back to his best jazz funk years of the 70s! Deodato's working here in a live setting, but the sound is just as tight as some of his classics in the studio – totally sweet all the way through, with that lean, soulful approach to the keys that went onto inspire a whole generation. Other instrumentation is just bass and drums – and often, the keyboards seem to step out past them, working almost in their own space in sound. Titles include "Sabia", "Berimbau", "Whistle Bump", "Skyscrapers", "Dindi", "Whirlwinds", "Wave", "Super Strut", "Carly & Carole", "Also Sprach Zarathustra", and "San Juan Sunset". CD

Songs by the Tan Tones, Vibes, Metrotones, Troopers, Monitors, Orbits, Golden Tones, Dixie Aires, Socialites, Mandells, Whirlwinds, Bobby Woods, the Noble Tones, Artamer James, Nat Roman, the Arrows, and more – 56 tracks total! CD