A well-done set, and one that stretches from the pre-Verve years of these groupings, to the big run when they were starting to really shine on record! The first half features mid 40s material – with performances from Illinois Jacquet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Flip Phillips, and Jack McVea on tenors – plus Willie Smith on alto, Buck Clayton and Shorty Sherock on trumpets, JJ Johnson on trombone, Nat King Cole on piano, and Les Paul on guitar. The second half features early 50s material, including three long ballad medley tracks – with performances from Benny Carter and Willie Smith on altos, Oscar Peterson on piano, Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge on trumpets, and Ben Webster, Lester Young, and Flip Phillips on tenors! LP, Vinyl record album

A classic run of records from Waylon Jennings – brought together in a single package! First up is Lonesome Onry & Mean – a pivotal album for Waylon Jennings – the record where he really found the new direction that would finally get him the fame he deserved – delivered in a way that's free from all the later cliches, and which also ties Waylon pretty strongly to the hipper currents of the underground – especially that point where singer/songwriter genius intersected with country! The production is his own, and vastly different than the late 60s records – even though we love those to death too – and that magical Jennings vocal approach does fantastic things to tunes by Steve Young, Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson, and others! Titles include the fantastic "Lonesome Onry & Mean", plus "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues", "Freedom To Stay", "Lay It Down", "You Can Have Her", "Pretend I Never Happened", "San Francisco Mabel Joy", "Sandy Sends Her Best", and a great take on "Me &Bobby McGee". Honky Tonk Heroes is genius material from Waylon Jennings – one of those career-defining records from the early 70s that completely put him on top, and heralded a whole new generation in country music! The set's maybe equally noteworthy as a showcase for the up-and-coming Billy Joe Shaver, who wrote much of the songs on the record – and it's also a great showcase for the important production talents of Tompall Glaser, who really gets the spirit of the music right! Titles include great versions of "Honky Tonk Heroes", "Old Five & Dimers Like Me", "Ride Me Down Easy", "Black Rose", "Willy The Wandering Gypsy & Me", "Omaha", and "Ain't No God In Mexico". This Time is one of those Waylon Jennings records from a time when he could do no wrong – fighting the stronger powers at RCA to really find his voice – recording at the studio of Tompall Glaser, with great production help from Willie Nelson – who was enjoying his own transformation at the time too! As with the previous two gems from this period, the choice of material and presentation is great – songs by Willie, JJ Cale, and Billy Joe Shavers – in a set of titles that include "Heaven Or Hell", "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way", "This Time", "Pick Up The Tempo", "If You Could Touch Her At All", "Walkin", "Slow Rollin Low", "Louisiana Woman", and "Slow Movin Outlaw". Ramblin Man is Waylon Jennings at peak mid 70s perfection! Ramblin' Man fits in stylistically with the gruff honky tonk hero mode he first fully realized a couple albums earlier, but he's still fiercely blazing trails here, pairing his gruff lead vocals with sweeter female harmonies on some tracks, changing the groove from laidback swagger to fast-paced honky tonk, working in some tender ballads with the gruffer numbers...Waylon at his best. Starts up with the eternal title track and equally classic "Rainy Day Woman" and hardly lets up in greatness from there, with "Cloudy Days", "The Hunger", "It'll Be Her", a great cover of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider", "Memories Of You And Me", "Amanda" and more. Features bonus tracks too – "Laid Back Country Picker", "The Last One To Leave Seattle", "Big Big Love", "Got A Lot Going For Me", "The Last Letter", and "The One I Sing My Love Songs To". CD

A pivotal album for Waylon Jennings – the record where he really found the new direction that would finally get him the fame he deserved – delivered in a way that's free from all the later cliches, and which also ties Waylon pretty strongly to the hipper currents of the underground – especially that point where singer/songwriter genius intersected with country! The production is his own, and vastly different than the late 60s records – even though we love those to death too – and that magical Jennings vocal approach does fantastic things to tunes by Steve Young, Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson, and others! Titles include the fantastic "Lonesome Onry & Mean", plus "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues", "Freedom To Stay", "Lay It Down", "You Can Have Her", "Pretend I Never Happened", "San Francisco Mabel Joy", "Sandy Sends Her Best", and a great take on "Me &Bobby McGee". CD includes 3 previously unreleased tracks: "Laid Back Country", "The Last One To Leave Seattle" and "Big, Big Love". CD

Philadelphia Freedom from Elton John – a trio of tracks recorded with legendary Philly Soul producer Thom Bell, all with a Sigma Sound vibe that's quite different than most of John's other work at the time! In fact, although these tracks were recorded right at the height of the disco era, they're quite restrained and more focused on a soulful sound overall – in a style that's very similar to Davie Bowie's great Philly Soul recordings on the Young Americans album! MFSB, Bell & James, Bobby Eli, and many other key Philly talents are in the lineup – and titles include "Mama Can't Buy You Love", "Are You Ready For Love", and "Three Way Love Affair". This version features six tracks in all – more than the original EP release – including "Shine On Through", "Country Love Song", and "Nice & Slow". LP, Vinyl record album

Philadelphia Freedom from Elton John – a trio of tracks recorded with legendary Philly Soul producer Thom Bell, all with a Sigma Sound vibe that's quite different than most of John's other work at the time! In fact, although these tracks were recorded right at the height of the disco era, they're quite restrained and more focused on a soulful sound overall – in a style that's very similar to Davie Bowie's great Philly Soul recordings on the Young Americans album! MFSB, Bell & James, Bobby Eli, and many other key Philly talents are in the lineup – and titles include "Mama Can't Buy You Love", "Are You Ready For Love", and "Three Way Love Affair". This version features six tracks in all – more than the original EP release – including "Shine On Through", "Country Love Song", and "Nice & Slow". LP, Vinyl record album

The crowning achievement of a young Elton John – and the record that took an already-great run of earlier records, and pushed it even further with a new depth of songwriting and imagination! The double-length set isn't exactly a concept album – at least not one with a unified narrative – but it works beautifully as a set of little pictures of the world seen through the eyes of Elton and Bernie Taupin – both at the height of their powers, and able to balance catchy commercial tunes with some grittier undercurrents. The set's filled with classics – and titles include "Candle In The Wind", "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", "Bennie & The Jets", "Social Disease", "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", "Harmony", "Jamaica Jerk-Off", and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". LP, Vinyl record album

The crowning achievement of a young Elton John – and the record that took an already-great run of earlier records, and pushed it even further with a new depth of songwriting and imagination! The double-length set isn't exactly a concept album – at least not one with a unified narrative – but it works beautifully as a set of little pictures of the world seen through the eyes of Elton and Bernie Taupin – both at the height of their powers, and able to balance catchy commercial tunes with some grittier undercurrents. The set's filled with classics – and titles include "Candle In The Wind", "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", "Bennie & The Jets", "Social Disease", "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", "Harmony", "Jamaica Jerk-Off", and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". CD

Elvin Jones introduces Japanese pianist Takehisa Tanaka to a larger audience – giving him a perfect setting with a quartet format that also includes Cecil McBee on bass Sonny Fortune on flute and tenor sax! Tanaka's style is a bit laidback – spacious, but sometimes a bit wispy, even more so on the tracks that have Jones playing in an unusually subtle manner. But thanks to the strength of Fortune's reed work, and the power of McBee's bass, the longish tracks all fill up with plenty of bright moments – and if anything, we really dig the set as a strong showcase for Fortune's always-great talents! Titles include "Dream Gypsy", "I Was Too Young", "My Dream Come True", "Soultrane", and "When I Was At Aso Mountain". CD

A killer set from those magical 70s years when Quincy Jones was effortlessly blending jazz, soul, and contemporary R&B – all to come up with a genre that's almost completely his own! In the early 70s, Quincy Jones surrounded himself with some of the best young soul and jazz talent he could find, plus a few older pros – and the result was a great series of albums that spanned genres and created a whole new approach to modern R&B. This gem of an album was put together with a young Leon Ware and an older Ray Brown – and it features some killer mellow soul tracks that rank with Quincy's best work – with especially strong contributions from Ware, who'd yet to really shine on his own! Titles include the sublime version of "If I Ever Lose This Heaven", plus "Body Heat", "Soul Saga", "Everything Must Change", "One Track Mind", and "Along Came Betty". CD

One of the only two vocal jazz albums that the Blue Note label recorded back in the day – and a haunting batch of tracks from a young Sheila Jordan! The style here is quite different than that of Jordan's later, more experimental records – and this early session shows her as an extremely talented young vocalist, with a unique approach that adds a sparkling modernist touch to familiar tunes – yet which still keeps things in a relatively more straightforward fashion. There's a great mixing of older and newer visions in the set – not just in Jordan's vocals, but also in the small combo backing by the trio of Barry Galbraith on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Denzil Best on drums. Titles include great versions of "Baltimore Oriole", "Dat Dere", and "Hum Drum Blues" – plus the tunes "I'm A Fool To Want You", "Am I Blue", "Laugh Clown Laugh", and "Who Can I Turn To?". CD

A key example of why the Japanese scene was so great at the start of the 70s – really mindblowing work from keyboardist Masabumi Kikuchi, and every bit as wonderful as some of our favorite American sides from the time! Kikuchi acoustic piano with a warmly soulful sensitivity – alongside the Fender Rhodes of Masahiro Kikuchi, who has a hard-edged sound that almost takes off from Joe Zawinul's use of the instrument, then soars into even mightier territory. The style is somewhat loose at times, but never too free – and the group here is a sextet that also includes amazing alto from Kosuke Mine – an excellent player who's never gotten his due on this side of the Pacific. Titles include "Love Token", "Tenacious Prayer Forever", "Roaming In Darkness", "Young Bloods", and "Piece To Peace". CD

2 excellent early albums from overlooked saxophone genius Eric Kloss! Grits & Gravy is a really incredible little set – with a varied approach that we love! About half the record has Kloss blowing with a quartet that includes Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums – going for a style that's more towards the soulful end of Byard's modern approach – and featuring some incredibly well-crafted alto solos for his young age. The other half of the album features a strange but cool larger group – one with Teddy Charles on vibes, Billy Butler on guitar, and even some female backing vocals! The approach on these sides is like that on some of the George Braith and Freddie McCoy sides for Prestige – a great blend of groovy and funky, with a soulful undercurrent that's really sent home by Kloss' solos! A stunning album with a really unique blend of sounds – and titles that include "Repeat", "Grits & Gravy", "Gentle One", "Slow Hot Wind", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". First Class Kloss catches the young saxophone genius at a perfect point in his career, right when he was stretching out from the organ jazz roots of his first few records, but in a way that's not as noodly as in some of his later recordings. The group's incredibly hip – with Jimmy Owens, Cedar Walton, Leroy Vinnegar, and Alan Dawson – and the record bounces with that soulful pre-funk mode that crept into only the best of the Prestige sides of the late 60s. Titles include "African Cookbook", "Chittlins Con Carne", "Comin Home Baby", and "The Chasin Game". 16 tracks in all, including one previously unissued track – "Psychedelicatessen Rag". CD

Totally great work from a young Eric Kloss – grits, gravy, and a whole lot more! About half the record has Kloss blowing with a quartet that includes Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums – going for a style that's more towards the soulful end of Byard's modern approach – and featuring some incredibly well-crafted alto solos for his young age. The other half of the album features a strange but cool larger group – one with Teddy Charles on vibes, Billy Butler on guitar, and even some female backing vocals! The approach on these sides is like that on some of the George Braith and Freddie McCoy sides for Prestige – a great blend of groovy and funky, with a soulful undercurrent that's really sent home by Kloss' solos! A stunning album with a really unique blend of sounds – and titles that include "Repeat", "Grits & Gravy", "Gentle One", "Slow Hot Wind", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of rock stars have walked the walk and talked the talk over the years – but few have been through the trenches as much as Wayne Kramer – the revolutionary guitarist whose work was a key part of the MC5 and their importance in music! Even after decades, Kramer is still highly regarded for the small number of albums the group gave the world – albums that were soon followed by years of excesses in drugs and then crime – leading Wayne to spend a few young years behind bars in a federal prison, before emerging to play a surprisingly important background role in scenes on both the coasts. Part of that life was some time as a music writer – which really helped shape Kramer's prose here, and create a book that's a very riveting read – honest and upfront, but not in the braggy way that some musicians sometimes treat their personal tragedies in projects of this nature. Softcover volume is 310 pages, with some black and white images. Book

Ramsey Lewis on piano, Christopher White, Cleveland Eaton, and Eldee Young on bass, Maurice White and Red Holt on drums, and Eldee Young on cello. CD

One of the key records from the Cadet/Concept scene in late 60s Chicago – a tremendous collaboration between pianist Ramsey Lewis and arranger Charles Stepney – and the kind of record that took soul and jazz to a whole new level! Ramsey on his own is great enough at this point – but add in Stepney's touch, and the record becomes something really brilliant – a blend of soaring strings, groovy rhythms, and spaciously stepping piano lines – all held together with a tremendous amount of creative imagination! The group here features a young Maurice White on drums and Cleveland Eaton on bass – both hitting a groove that's quite different than the Ramsey Lewis Trio sound of years back, with a lot more space, a lot hipper rhythms, and just the right sort of groove to match Stepney's sophisticated touches. The piano gets a bit electric at times, but is mostly acoustic overall – and titles include a great version of Minnie Riperton's "Les Fleur", a funky version of "Mighty Quinn", and the cuts "Afro Boogaloo Twist", "Maiden Voyage", "Ode", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", "Only When I'm Dreaming", and "Eternal Journey". CD

One of the most unique albums from Ramsey Lewis' early years at Chess Records – a spare set of bossa groovers that has the Lewis trio with Eldee Young and Redd Holt augmented by added Brazilian percussion and guitar! The sound is spare, sharp, and soulful – and the record's one of the first small combo bossa dates like this in the US – a 1962 effort that even predates most of Verve's better known bossa jazz albums of the 60s, and which matches their groovy energy wonderfully. The record's quite an unusual one for Lewis, and it's further proof that the trio with Young and Holt was an incredibly dynamic outfit! Two tracks on the album – "A Noite Do Meu Bem" and "Cara De Palhacao" – feature vocals, by Carmen Costa and Josef Paulo, respectively – and other tracks are all instrumental, and include "Samba De Orpheus", "O Pato", "Roda Moinho", "Roda Moinho", and "Cancao Para Geralda". CD

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

A set that's brimming over with improvising jazz talent – but one that's an especially great reminder of the guitar genius of the great Arto Lindsay! Lindsay is amazing here – playing with energy to match the brilliance of Ken Vandermark and Joe McPhee – which is really saying a lot, and which has us almost feeling like a younger version of Arto's self stepped forward straight from the New York no wave scene, in order to create a pan-historical bridge with the improvising strengths of the Corbett Vs Dempsey universe! Drummer Phil Sudderberg is wonderful too – a master of sounds and moments – and the short tracks allow for plenty of sharp changes, and shifts in energy between each selection. McPhee blows alto, tenor, and pocket trumpet – and Vandermark is on tenor, baritone, and clarinet – on titles that include "The Push & Pull Beneath The Surface", "She Must Have Known", "Whether You Were There Or Not", "When I Lose Any Sense Of Perspective", and "The World's Longest Afternoon". CD

A classic set from reedman Charles Lloyd – a set that really pushes forward all the experiments he'd begun in the Chico Hamilton group – and shows a bold move forward for rhythms in 60s jazz! The tracks are long, and spiral out wonderfully – but in ways that are different than those used by other creators of the time – like Eric Dolphy or John Coltrane. Even though leading the group on tenor and flute, Lloyd's got a real sense of rhythm to his playing – echoes of the Hamilton group – but set loose with a stellar quartet of younger players – including Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all perfect choices for inventive music like this! The standout cut is the amazing "Sombrero Sam", a tight little groover that we never tire of – and one that has Jarrett sounding much more in the pocket than you'd ever imagine – and other tracks include "Dream Weaver", "Autumn Sequence", and "Bird Flight". LP, Vinyl record album

A famous album – and for good reason too! The set's something of a landmark in spiritual jazz from the 60s – and it features a classic live performance from Charles Lloyd, recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival – almost as a distillation and popularization of ideas that were brewing in the music of John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, and others! The group here features a young Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all flowing magnificently with Lloyd's work on tenor and flute – in an open-ended groove that draws on modal rhythms for inspiration, and which features solos that stretch out, but never go "outside"! The classic performances of "Forest Flower" takes up all of side one – with a dreamy drifting quality that has Jarrett at his best – and side two features a version of his "Sorcery", plus McBee's "Song Of Her", and a version of "East Of The Sun". CD

A famous album – but for good reason! The set's something of a landmark in spiritual jazz from the 60s – and it features a classic live performance from Charles Lloyd, recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival – almost as a distillation and popularization of ideas that were brewing in the music of John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, and others! The group here features a young Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all flowing magnificently with Lloyd's work on tenor and flute – in an open-ended groove that draws on modal rhythms for inspiration, and which features solos that stretch out, but never go "outside"! The classic performances of "Forest Flower" takes up all of side one – with a dreamy drifting quality that has Jarrett at his best – and side two features a version of his "Sorcery", plus McBee's "Song Of Her", and a version of "East Of The Sun". Soundtrack features a similar line-up with Lloyd on tenor and flute, Keith Jarrett on piano, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – adding Ron McClure in place of Cecil McBee on bass. Titles include "Forest Flower 69", "Pre-Dawn", "Sombrero Sam", and "Voice In The Night". CD

Two great sets from reedman Charles Lloyd! Dream Weaver really pushes forward all the experiments he'd begun in the Chico Hamilton group – and shows a bold move forward for rhythms in 60s jazz! The tracks are long, and spiral out wonderfully – but in ways that are different than those used by other creators of the time – like Eric Dolphy or John Coltrane. Even though leading the group on tenor and flute, Lloyd's got a real sense of rhythm to his playing – echoes of the Hamilton group – but set loose with a stellar quartet of younger players – including Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all perfect choices for inventive music like this! The standout cut is the amazing "Sombrero Sam", a tight little groover that we never tire of – and one that has Jarrett sounding much more in the pocket than you'd ever imagine – and other tracks include "Dream Weaver", "Autumn Sequence", and "Bird Flight". Love-In features a classic batch of modal grooves from Charles Lloyd – recorded during the height of his mind-expanding years, with his famous quartet that included Keith Jarrett on piano and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The tracks are long and magical, done with that spiritual spiraling sound that Lloyd was wowing the hippies with at the time – and considering that this set was recorded live at the Fillmore, there were an awful lot of hippies present to be wowed! But the set's also got a charm that lives long past its time – thanks to an expansive vision from Lloyd on flute and tenor, and from Jarrett on piano too. Titles include "Sunday Morning", "Love-in", "Tribal Dance", and "Temple Bells". CD

A really beautiful record from vibist Joe Locke – and maybe his most dynamic album in years! The set's got Joe working in a particularly angular mode – carving out these wonderful lines of sound with core rhythms from the trio of Robert Rodriguez on piano, Terreon Gully on drums, and Ricky Rodriguez on bass – all younger players who provide a very fresh setting for Locke's vibes! Joe's still got all the warmth of his recent records, but also has a bit more edge, too – which we like a lot – and this quality seems to come out especially strong alongside some of the guests – who include Rosario Giuliani on alto and soprano sax and Donny McCaslin on tenor. Titles include "For Jesse Mountain", "Love Is Letting Go", "Love Is A Pendulum", "Love Is The Tide", and "Variation On Wisdom". CD

One of the few albums cut as a leader by trumpeter Henry Lowther – a great player on the British scene of the end of the 60s, but one who mostly labored in the service of other groups at the time! Lowther emerges here as an extremely visionary leader – one with a scope of expression and embellishment to match the work of some of his Deram labelmates at the time – especially Mike Westbrook and John Surman. For the album, Lowther plays both trumpet and violin – working in a group that includes tenor, bass clarinet, percussion, and some sparing, but beautiful use of electric piano – just enough to tipple along with the tunes in a lyrical way, and never too much to over-electrify things past the gentler notes of the acoustic instruments. The keyboardist for the set is the lesser-known Mike McNaught, and his work on the session is really wonderful – and the whole album has a gentle approach that's really great, and proof of the depth that was going on in the younger side of the British scene of the time. Titles include "Puppet Song", "Between", "Trav'lling Song", and "Plaything". CD

Four early 80s classics from Johnny Mathis – presented here in a single 2CD package! Different Kinda Different is a tremendous start to the 80s for Johnny Mathis – and a set that really continues that strong shift into soul-based territory he begun in the 70s! Gene Page handles a lot of the arrangements here, and gives the whole thing that strong blend of strings and soul that he worked on other 70s classics for different artists – a perfect approach for that magnificent Mathis voice, especially when the tunes have a bit of a groove! Two of the best numbers here – "Different Kind Of Different" and "I'll Do It All For You" – are duets with Paulette McWilliams, who'd recorded on her own, but who really seems to hit her stride with Johnny, and in a way that's different than any of his other soul partners in duets. Other titles include "Never Givin Up On You", "With You I'm Born Again", "I Will Survive", "The Lights Of Rio", and "Love Without Words". Friends In Love is mature 80s work from Johnny Mathis – a set that features two duets with Dionne Warwick, plus some other nice material that shows that Johnny wasn't going to be left behind in the shadows of his older work! At some level, the approach of the 80s, and the rise of a new sort of adult contemporary scene, really helped Mathis find a new audience – especially when teaming with Dionne, who was also having a rebirth at the time! Titles include the classic duet title cut "Friends In Love", and another duet on "Got You Where I Want You" – plus other titles that include "What Do You Do With The Love", "When The Lovin Goes Out Of The Lovin", "I Remember You & Me", and "Somethin's Goin On". Special Part Of Me is a sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. Live is a later live album from Johnny Mathis, and one that brings together classics, newer cuts, and a few titles he'd never sang before – all served up with a sound that shows the continuing strengths of the legendary singer! There's a variety of arrangers used on the set – including Gene Page and Michel Colombier – and titles include "Orange Colored Sky", "When A Child Is Born", "Begin The Beguine", "I Believe In Love", "Fly Away", "99 Miles From LA", and "A Certain Smile". CD

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". CD

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". Plus, the 2CD set features a huge amount of bonus tracks – including the additional 1969 stereo mixes for the album (main album presented in mono), and a full bonus disc of live tracks from BBC Saturday Club Sessions and The Flamingo Club – plus singles on the Pye, Immediate, and Purdah labels! 19 tracks on disc 2 – a good number previously unreleased! CD

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". CD

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

The MC5 move to Atlantic Records after their first album – and find a whole new sort of focus that's pretty great! Their classic debut was a raw live album – designed to capture their intensity on the Detroit scene of the late 60s – but this set has the group stretching out, and really going for something else – working in the studio for the first time, with surprisingly strong production from a young Jon Landau – and a sense of focus in the songs that shows a great degree of maturity, while still keeping all their pre-punk edges! Wayne Kramer and Fred Sonic Smith are plenty darn fierce on guitar – and the titles alone give a good idea of the energy of the record – and include "Tutti Frutti", "Teenage Lust", "High School", "Shakin Street", "The Human Being Lawnmower", and "Back In The USA". LP, Vinyl record album

The MC5 move to Atlantic Records after their first album – and find a whole new sort of focus that's pretty great! Their classic debut was a raw live album – designed to capture their intensity on the Detroit scene of the late 60s – but this set has the group stretching out, and really going for something else – working in the studio for the first time, with surprisingly strong production from a young Jon Landau – and a sense of focus in the songs that shows a great degree of maturity, while still keeping all their pre-punk edges! Wayne Kramer and Fred Sonic Smith are plenty darn fierce on guitar – and the titles alone give a good idea of the energy of the record – and include "Tutti Frutti", "Teenage Lust", "High School", "Shakin Street", "The Human Being Lawnmower", and "Back In The USA". LP, Vinyl record album

The MC5 move to Atlantic Records after their first album – and find a whole new sort of focus that's pretty great! Their classic debut was a raw live album – designed to capture their intensity on the Detroit scene of the late 60s – but this set has the group stretching out, and really going for something else – working in the studio for the first time, with surprisingly strong production from a young Jon Landau – and a sense of focus in the songs that shows a great degree of maturity, while still keeping all their pre-punk edges! Wayne Kramer and Fred Sonic Smith are plenty darn fierce on guitar – and the titles alone give a good idea of the energy of the record – and include "Tutti Frutti", "Teenage Lust", "High School", "Shakin Street", "The Human Being Lawnmower", and "Back In The USA". CD

Maybe the most majestic album that Makaya McCraven has recorded to date – and that's really saying a lot, given the power of his music on previous records! This time around, the group is large, and the performance is more organic than some of the more mixed/produced sessions that Makaya has given us – and great as those records have been, there's a sense of power here that really places McCraven strongly in the Chicago legacy of the 20th Century – a jazz spectrum that includes Eddie Harris, Ramsey Lewis, Charles Stepney, the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and so many other musical giants! The mix of instrumentation is almost like some Chess/Cadet session from the end of the 60s – but Makaya still adds in some samples and electronics next to his acoustic work on percussion, drums, and a variety of other instruments – next to Jeff Parker on guitar, Brandee Younger on harp, Joel Ross on vibes, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and Junius Paul on bass – all tremendous players and strong leaders in their own right – working here to make a special sort of magic with McCraven. There's other voices on the set too – more violins, cello, alto, tenor, piano, and other sounds – on titles that include "So Ubuji", "Seventh String", "This Place That Place", "The Fours", "Dream Another", "High Fives", "The Knew Untitled", and "In These Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most majestic album that Makaya McCraven has recorded to date – and that's really saying a lot, given the power of his music on previous records! This time around, the group is large, and the performance is more organic than some of the more mixed/produced sessions that Makaya has given us – and great as those records have been, there's a sense of power here that really places McCraven strongly in the Chicago legacy of the 20th Century – a jazz spectrum that includes Eddie Harris, Ramsey Lewis, Charles Stepney, the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and so many other musical giants! The mix of instrumentation is almost like some Chess/Cadet session from the end of the 60s – but Makaya still adds in some samples and electronics next to his acoustic work on percussion, drums, and a variety of other instruments – next to Jeff Parker on guitar, Brandee Younger on harp, Joel Ross on vibes, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and Junius Paul on bass – all tremendous players and strong leaders in their own right – working here to make a special sort of magic with McCraven. There's other voices on the set too – more violins, cello, alto, tenor, piano, and other sounds – on titles that include "So Ubuji", "Seventh String", "This Place That Place", "The Fours", "Dream Another", "High Fives", "The Knew Untitled", and "In These Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the crowning achievement of drummer Makaya McCraven so far – a double-length set that stands as a huge testimony to all the many waves he's been making in jazz for the past few years! The album features four slices of live performance – recorded in New York, Chicago, LA, and London – and as with every one of his different projects, Makaya seems to bring a different voice to each live track here – recording with Brandee Younger on harp and Joel Ross on vibes in New York, Shabaka Hutchings on tenor in Chicago; Nubya Garcia on tenor and Ashley Henry on Rhodes in London; and Josh Johnson on alto, Jeff Parker on guitar, Carlos Nino on percussion, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson on violin in LA! The rhythms are as amazing as the contributions from the different soloists – and the sound of the record is maybe something we'd call post-spiritual – moving past that Coltrane-inspired mode that's been revived so well in the 21st Century, while still holding onto its best sense of energy. The whole thing is fantastic – and titles include "The Count Off", "Brighter Days Beginning", "Universal Beings", "Mantra", "Young Genius", "Holy Lands", "Wise Man Wiser Woman", "Prosperity's Fear", "Atlantic Black", "Flipped Out", "Voila", and "Suite Hans". CD

Maybe the crowning achievement of drummer Makaya McCraven so far – a double-length set that stands as a huge testimony to all the many waves he's been making in jazz for the past few years! The album features four slices of live performance – recorded in New York, Chicago, LA, and London – and as with every one of his different projects, Makaya seems to bring a different voice to each live track here – recording with Brandee Younger on harp and Joel Ross on vibes in New York, Shabaka Hutchings on tenor in Chicago; Nubya Garcia on tenor and Ashley Henry on Rhodes in London; and Josh Johnson on alto, Jeff Parker on guitar, Carlos Nino on percussion, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson on violin in LA! The rhythms are as amazing as the contributions from the different soloists – and the sound of the record is maybe something we'd call post-spiritual – moving past that Coltrane-inspired mode that's been revived so well in the 21st Century, while still holding onto its best sense of energy. The whole thing is fantastic – and titles include "The Count Off", "Brighter Days Beginning", "Universal Beings", "Mantra", "Young Genius", "Holy Lands", "Wise Man Wiser Woman", "Prosperity's Fear", "Atlantic Black", "Flipped Out", "Voila", and "Suite Hans". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the crowning achievement of drummer Makaya McCraven so far – a double-length set that stands as a huge testimony to all the many waves he's been making in jazz for the past few years! The album features four slices of live performance – recorded in New York, Chicago, LA, and London – and as with every one of his different projects, Makaya seems to bring a different voice to each live track here – recording with Brandee Younger on harp and Joel Ross on vibes in New York, Shabaka Hutchings on tenor in Chicago; Nubya Garcia on tenor and Ashley Henry on Rhodes in London; and Josh Johnson on alto, Jeff Parker on guitar, Carlos Nino on percussion, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson on violin in LA! The rhythms are as amazing as the contributions from the different soloists – and the sound of the record is maybe something we'd call post-spiritual – moving past that Coltrane-inspired mode that's been revived so well in the 21st Century, while still holding onto its best sense of energy. The whole thing is fantastic – and titles include "The Count Off", "Brighter Days Beginning", "Universal Beings", "Mantra", "Young Genius", "Holy Lands", "Wise Man Wiser Woman", "Prosperity's Fear", "Atlantic Black", "Flipped Out", "Voila", and "Suite Hans". LP, Vinyl record album

The first really in-depth look at the life of the great Al Green – a book that traces the fascinating journey that led a young man from Memphis to the top of the soul charts in the 70s – only to leave the world of secular music for the church in the following decade, then go on to a surprisingly rich career in decades that followed! The book is especially great at the roots of Al's sound and style – and if you dig southern soul as much as us, you'll really appreciate the author's account of the long journey before Green rose to fame at Hi Records – the kind of journeyman work that's often eclipsed when an artist becomes a star. The book also includes an appendix with a discography and legal notes too – and is over 400 pages, hardcover, with some black and white images. Book

A very unusual set from Prestige records – rural southern blues, recorded by Alan Lomax with help from Shirley Collins – featuring tracks from Fred McDowell, John Dudley, Matti Gardner, Miles Pratcher, Ed Young, Viola James, Leroy Gary, and Leroy Miller! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare material from one of our favorite jazz musicians of all time – legendary Hammond hero Jack McDuff, heard here in a really wonderful setting! McDuff in the 60s was already great – an organist who played in ways that really stood out, with a sense of rhythm that was completely unique – and which only took off even more strongly as the 70s approached. Here, McDuff is in a very fruitful part of that decade – playing live in a way that really echoes his classic Heatin System album, recorded in the same year for Chess Records – really long, exploratory tracks that also feature strong solo work from Dave Young on tenor and soprano sax, Leo Johnson on tenor and flute, and Vinnie Corrado on guitar. There's an unknown trumpeter on two tracks too – and titles include "Ain't No Sunshine", "Blues 1 & 8", "6:30 In The Morning", "Middle Class Folk Song", "Jolly Black Giant", and the killer "Theme From Electric Surfboard". CD

Rare material from one of our favorite jazz musicians of all time – legendary Hammond hero Jack McDuff, heard here in a really wonderful setting! McDuff in the 60s was already great – an organist who played in ways that really stood out, with a sense of rhythm that was completely unique – and which only took off even more strongly as the 70s approached. Here, McDuff is in a very fruitful part of that decade – playing live in a way that really echoes his classic Heatin System album, recorded in the same year for Chess Records – really long, exploratory tracks that also feature strong solo work from Dave Young on tenor and soprano sax, Leo Johnson on tenor and flute, and Vinnie Corrado on guitar. There's an unknown trumpeter on two tracks too – and titles include "Ain't No Sunshine", "Blues 1 & 8", "6:30 In The Morning", "Middle Class Folk Song", "Jolly Black Giant", and the killer "Theme From Electric Surfboard". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Chess Records session from organist Jack McDuff – a set that also features great work on saxes from Red Holloway, Leo Johnson, and David Young – working with jack on a club date in the Bay Area! The vibe is great – very much as groovy and unusual as some of McDuff's Blue Note work – with some especially great rhythmic modes on the cuts "Soul Yodel" and "The Jolly Black Giant" – next to other tunes that include "Middle Class Folk Song", "Georgia", and "Red White & Blooze". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer live set from Hammond genius Jack McDuff – one of a few totally smoking records he did in this style for Prestige during the 60s! The group's a quartet, with stunning work from the young George Benson on guitar, burning tenor from Red Holloway, and amazing drums from Joe Dukes – one of the few players on the kit who really got the right energy to match McDuff on the keys! The album's filled with screamin' groovers throughout, including a great version of "Girl From Ipanema", plus originals like "Another Goodun" and "S'Okay". McDuff was always best in a live setting – and this rare gem is a great testament to that fact! LP, Vinyl record album

Tight funky instrumentals from Brother Jack McDuff – an Atlantic groover that's probably closer to his late 60s gems for Cadet Records than it is his earlier work for Prestige! The solos are shorter, but they're packed nicely around the rhythms – played by a combo that features a young Melvin Sparks on some mighty nice guitar – plus Leo Johnson on tenor and Ray Appleton on drums! The groove is tight and choppy, with little bits of funk, and McDuff's usual sense of humor and warmth – and for the record, Jack wrote loads of original tracks, including "Mush Melon", "Snap Back Jack", "Strolling Blues", and "Do It Now". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the records that put a young Brother Jack McDuff on the map – and a perfect example of the rougher R&B roots that first emerged in his early work on the Hammond! The session's got a much more down-n-dirty feel than some of McDuff's tighter 60s quartet work – and offers a nice bridge between 50s use of the organ in R&B, and the growing soul jazz take on the instrument that McDuff was helping to forge at the time. The group's a real cooker too – with some great work on guitar by a young Grant Green, smoking tenor from Jimmy Forrest, and lyrically dancing drums from the great Ben Dixon. Titles include the great original "Whap!", plus versions of "I Want A Little Girl" and "The Honeydripper" – and an excellent reading of Henry Mancini's "Mr Lucky", virtually worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our all-time favorite albums from Brother Jack McDuff – not just for the cover (which is plenty appealing to us as BBQ fans!), but also for the tight, sharply focused grooves on the set – some of Jack's first really firey work on record! The combo here is great – with a young George Benson hard-wailing on guitar, cutting lines so fast and furious it's hard to believe – especially if you only know his later work. The legendary Joe Dukes is on drums – dancing all over the place under Brother Jack's great groovy solos – and Red Holloway completes the group on tenor sax! The title track's got a rare vocal refrain – with Jack shouting out "Hot Barbeque" over the organ – and other cuts include "Briar Patch", "Hippy Dip", "601 1/2 North Poplar", and "The Three Day Thang". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our all-time favorite albums from Brother Jack McDuff – not just for the cover (which is plenty appealing to us as BBQ fans!), but also for the tight, sharply focused grooves on the set – some of Jack's first really firey work on record! The combo here is great – with a young George Benson hard-wailing on guitar, cutting lines so fast and furious it's hard to believe – especially if you only know his later work. The legendary Joe Dukes is on drums – dancing all over the place under Brother Jack's great groovy solos – and Red Holloway completes the group on tenor sax! The title track's got a rare vocal refrain – with Jack shouting out "Hot Barbeque" over the organ – and other cuts include "Briar Patch", "Hippy Dip", "601 1/2 North Poplar", and "The Three Day Thang". LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic greasy grooves – hot off the grill from chef Jack McDuff! Hot Barbeque is one of our favorite all-time Jack McDuff albums, and one that features his classic quartet in totally amazing form. George Benson's wailing on guitar, and proving that he was a genius, even at this tender young age (and in fact, maybe only at this age!), Red Holloway's on tenor, and the amazing Joe Dukes' is skipping away on drums, dancing all over the place under Brother Jack's great groovy solos. With the short vocal ditty that comprises the title cut, plus other long groovers including "The Party's Over", "Happy Dip", and "Cry Me A River". All this, and the cover's got a great photo of Jack chompin' on a slab of ribs! The other half of this CD is one of three live sides McDuff cut, all with similar covers, but this one's got the red and orange lettering. Red Holloway blows and hollers over the fingerpoppin' grooves delivered by a young George Benson on his first major gig, and the soulful drums of Joe Dukes. Features cookin' live versions of "Rock Candy", "Sanctified Samba" and "A Real Goodun'". Jack McDuff Live is a killer, and one of three live sides McDuff cut for Prestige during the 60s – a monster session of stretched-out jazzy grooves, with many fine little dancers, and a raw soulful feel throughout! The group's one of Jack's best – as Red Holloway's tenor blows and hollers over the fingerpoppin' grooves delivered by a young George Benson on his first major guitar gig – and the soulful drums of Joe Dukes scatter across the place, taking the whole band into some incredible rhythms! Titles include cookin' live versions of "Rock Candy", "Sanctified Samba", "Undecided", and "A Real Goodun'". CD

A killer, and one of three live sides that Hammond organ genius Brother Jack McDuff cut for Prestige during the 60s – a monster session of stretched-out jazzy grooves, with many fine little dancers, and a raw soulful feel throughout! The group's one of Jack's best – as Red Holloway's tenor blows and hollers over the fingerpoppin' grooves delivered by a young George Benson on his first major guitar gig – and the soulful drums of Joe Dukes scatter across the place, taking the whole band into some incredible rhythms! Titles include cookin' live versions of "Rock Candy", "Sanctified Samba", "Undecided", and "A Real Goodun'". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer diller of a live set from Brother Jack McDuff – a cut that burns with energy that almost beats his studio 60s classics for Prestige! The group is one of Jack's best ever – a lineup that includes the twin tenors of Red Holloway and Harold Vick, plus incredibly sharp guitar from a young George Benson, and some of the most unique soul jazz drum work you'll ever hear – courtesy of the amazing Joe Dukes. Despite their individual strengths, which might make this whole thing an ego-fest – all players fit perfectly into place on the album's hard wailing batch of groovers, and groove together with a sympathetic energy that's simply amazing! Titles include a great remake of "Jive Samba", plus "Dink's Blues", "Grease Monkey", "Passing Through", and "Vas Dis". This is the kind of thing live recording equipment was made for! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lesser-known 60s albums from Hammond genius Brother Jack McDuff – a set that features his stunning work on organ in a few different settings! The great Red Holloway is on tenor on most of these cuts – and the young George Benson plays guitar on three, Pat Marino on one more. Joe Dukes provides tremendous work on drums on the small combo tracks – and the set also features one very cool cut with large arrangements from Benny Golson! Tracks are fairly long, with lots of fire from McDuff and Benson – and titles include "Stop It", "Midnight Sun", "Love Walked In", and "Misconstrued". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album for Brother Jack McDuff – and one that has him cleaning the sound of his Hammond a bit – moving into the lean, clear tone that would dominate his work for most of the 60s! There's a great sense of focus here – one that moves past simple R&B-influenced organ lines, and into a more confident jazz-based mode – one that's starting to unlock the unique rhythm and solo inflections that made McDuff so great. The group here is excellent too – with a very young Grant Green on guitar, Harold Vick on tenor, and Joe Thomas on drums. The tracks are long, with some nice flourishes that make the record shine nicely – and titles include "I'll Be Seeing You", "McDuff Speaking", "A Smooth One", and "Sanctified Waltz". (Also issued under the title Goodnight It's Time To Go.) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more open-ended sessions that Brother Jack cut for Atlantic – with less of the tight larger soul arrangements that the label usually saddled him with. (Not that we mind those, though!) David Newman plays a variety of saxes, and the group also includes a young Melvin Sparks on guitar. Tracks are longish, and the album includes the originals "Duffin 'Round", "Esperanto", and "More Head" – as well as stunning versions of "Sunny" and "But It's Alright"! LP, Vinyl record album

Two giants from the LA bop scene of years past – still sounding wonderful here in the later years of their career! We're not sure we'd rapidly embrace the "young" in the title – but only because there's a maturity of playing here that really makes the record great – a sense of pacing and individuality that makes the trumpet of Howard McGhee and tenor of Teddy Edwards so strong – as they get respectful accompaniment from Art Hillery on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all players who seem to step into the McGhee/Edwards mode, rather than shape things on their own. Titles include "Reflections", "Relaxin At Camarillo", "Yardbird Suite", "On A Misty Night", and "Blues In The Closet". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy McGriff is tearing it up on the Hammond organ here – really hitting hard in that smoking soul jazz vein that made all of his albums for Sue Records instant classics! The group on this set is nice and small, nice and tight – featuring a young (pre-Black Jazz) Rudolph Johnson on tenor, Jimmy Smith (not the organist) on drums, and Larry (the "Lar" with the "Flair") Frazier on guitar – a really raw-toned player whose work often had a sound like that of George Freeman! Includes the single "Kiko", plus raw soulful versions of tracks like "Close Your Eyes", "All Day Long", and "That's All". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most spiritual albums to come from the young AACM movement in Chicago – a session that's somewhat equal in expression to some of the best post-Coltrane work on Impulse Records! Maurice McIntyre plays here with a sound that's already fully formed – an approach to the tenor that's as searingly human as that of Pharoah Sanders or Albert Ayler – but which is also played with a sharpness at times that recalls a young Marion Brown. The rest of the group is equally well-matched – a tremendous array of talent from the Chicago scene, with Malachi Favors on bass, Thurman Barker and Ajaramu on drums, Leo Smith on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Stubblefield on soprano sax, and Amina Claudine Myers on piano. George Hines vocalizes a bit on a few tracks – singing in a spiritual tone that's somewhat like Leon Thomas, but much freer and more abstract – and the album beautifully balances shorter musical statements with a fuller suite on side two – showing the deeper, more ambitious expressions that were starting to well up in the AACM. Titles include the tremendous "Humility In The Light Of Creator", plus "Hexagon", "Kcab Emoh", "Pluto Calling", "Life Force", and "Suite – Ensemble Fate". CD also features a bonus version of the title track! CD

One of the most spiritual albums to come from the young AACM movement in Chicago – a session that's somewhat equal in expression to some of the best post-Coltrane work on Impulse Records! Maurice McIntyre plays here with a sound that's already fully formed – an approach to the tenor that's as searingly human as that of Pharoah Sanders or Albert Ayler – but which is also played with a sharpness at times that recalls a young Marion Brown. The rest of the group is equally well-matched – a tremendous array of talent from the Chicago scene, with Malachi Favors on bass, Thurman Barker and Ajaramu on drums, Leo Smith on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Stubblefield on soprano sax, and Amina Claudine Myers on piano. George Hines vocalizes a bit on a few tracks – singing in a spiritual tone that's somewhat like Leon Thomas, but much freer and more abstract – and the album beautifully balances shorter musical statements with a fuller suite on side two – showing the deeper, more ambitious expressions that were starting to well up in the AACM. Titles include the tremendous "Humility In The Light Of Creator", plus "Hexagon", "Kcab Emoh", "Pluto Calling", "Life Force", and "Suite – Ensemble Fate". CD also features a bonus version of the title track! CD

An intensely jamming album from guitarist John McLaughlin – and a record that set a whole new tone for electric jazz in the 70s! The album was recorded shortly after McLaughlin's work with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew and Tony Williams on the first Emergency album – and in a way, it's a key piece of the jazz-rock fusion puzzle that has those two sets as cornerstones. McLaughlin's working here with keyboardist Larry Young from the Emergency group – playing both his usual organ on the record, plus a bit of electric piano – and the rest of the group includes bassist Billy Rich, plus superdrummer Buddy Miles – really giving a lot of power to the album's sound at the bottom! McLaughlin is getting into a bit of his mystic trip on the record, but is still playing with a lot of electric power here – plenty distorted and fuzzy on most numbers, and really jamming throughout! Titles include "Devotion", "Dragon Song", "Marbles", "Siren", "Don't Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother", and "Purpose Of When". LP, Vinyl record album

A crackling date from Jackie McLean – a set that's got a more expansive feel than some of his earlier Blue Note work – filled with fire, far from the 50s – and really pointing the way towards his new directions to come! There's a hint of modernism in the mix, mostly on the tone from McLean's alto sax – but most numbers are forward-thinking, and played with a sense of perfection that's pure Blue Note all the way through – served up in original material penned by different members of the group – a killer lineup that includes a young Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, with Kenny Drew on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums. The whole set is wonderful – and titles include "Cool Green", "Torchin", "Bluesnik", "Drew's Blues", and "Blues Function". CD reissue includes 2 non-LP bonus cuts! CD

A crackling date from Jackie McLean – a set that's got a more expansive feel than some of his earlier Blue Note work – filled with fire, far from the 50s – and really pointing the way towards his new directions to come! There's a hint of modernism in the mix, mostly on the tone from McLean's alto sax – but most numbers are forward-thinking, and played with a sense of perfection that's pure Blue Note all the way through – served up in original material penned by different members of the group – a killer lineup that includes a young Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, with Kenny Drew on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums. The whole set is wonderful – and titles include "Cool Green", "Torchin", "Bluesnik", "Drew's Blues", and "Blues Function". LP, Vinyl record album

A crackling date from Jackie McLean – a set that's got a more expansive feel than some of his earlier Blue Note work – filled with fire, far from the 50s – and really pointing the way towards his new directions to come! There's a hint of modernism in the mix, mostly on the tone from McLean's alto sax – but most numbers are forward-thinking, and played with a sense of perfection that's pure Blue Note all the way through – served up in original material penned by different members of the group – a killer lineup that includes a young Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, with Kenny Drew on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums. The whole set is wonderful – and titles include "Cool Green", "Torchin", "Bluesnik", "Drew's Blues", and "Blues Function". LP, Vinyl record album

A crackling date from Jackie McLean – a set that's got a more expansive feel than some of his earlier Blue Note work – filled with fire, far from the 50s – and really pointing the way towards his new directions to come! There's a hint of modernism in the mix, mostly on the tone from McLean's alto sax – but most numbers are forward-thinking, and played with a sense of perfection that's pure Blue Note all the way through – served up in original material penned by different members of the group – a killer lineup that includes a young Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, with Kenny Drew on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums. The whole set is wonderful – and titles include "Cool Green", "Torchin", "Bluesnik", "Drew's Blues", and "Blues Function". CD

A seminal album from altoist Jackie McLean – and a set that serves as a key bridge between his mid 60s avant work in the "new thing" scene, and the deeper, spiritual sounds he'd play in years to come! There's a sense of balance here that grabs us right from the start – especially on the album's leadoff track "Soul" – written by Grachan Moncur, and featuring this very hip, very righteous spoken passage from Barbara Simmons – kind of a discourse on the idiom of the title! The group features key McLean associates – a young Woody Shaw on trumpet, plus Moncur on trombone, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scotty Holt on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums – and titles include "Soul", "Big Ben's Voice", "Conversion Point", and "Erdu" – plus an alternate take of "Big Ben's Voice"! CD

A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". CD

A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". CD

A modernist classic from 60s Blue Note! The album's one of Jackie McLean's greatest from the time – and one of his seminal "new thing" sessions cut with young modernists Grachan Moncur III on trombone and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – both young players who were really finding the sharper edges of their sound at the time! Three of the four long tracks on the record were written by Moncur, and have a similar approach to his own recordings for Blue Note – moody and introspective, in a style that's as concerned with sound and space as it is jazz and rhythm – and Hutcherson's vibes are beyond compare here, with have a sinister metallic quality that he only used briefly in his early career! The whole record's a gem, and one not to pass up! Titles include "Kahlil The Prophet", "Riff Raff", and "Love & Hate". LP, Vinyl record album

A modernist classic from 60s Blue Note! The album's one of Jackie McLean's greatest from the time – and one of his seminal "new thing" sessions cut with young modernists Grachan Moncur III on trombone and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – both young players who were really finding the sharper edges of their sound at the time! Three of the four long tracks on the record were written by Moncur, and have a similar approach to his own recordings for Blue Note – moody and introspective, in a style that's as concerned with sound and space as it is jazz and rhythm – and Hutcherson's vibes are beyond compare here, with have a sinister metallic quality that he only used briefly in his early career! The whole record's a gem, and one not to pass up! Titles include "Kahlil The Prophet", "Riff Raff", and "Love & Hate". CD

A modernist classic from 60s Blue Note! The album's one of Jackie McLean's greatest from the time – and one of his seminal "new thing" sessions cut with young modernists Grachan Moncur III on trombone and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – both young players who were really finding the sharper edges of their sound at the time! Three of the four long tracks on the record were written by Moncur, and have a similar approach to his own recordings for Blue Note – moody and introspective, in a style that's as concerned with sound and space as it is jazz and rhythm – and Hutcherson's vibes are beyond compare here, with have a sinister metallic quality that he only used briefly in his early career! The whole record's a gem, and one not to pass up! Titles include "Kahlil The Prophet", "Riff Raff", and "Love & Hate". CD

One of Jackie McLean's beautiful recordings for Steeplechase from the early 70's – a real return to basics that helped form the groundwork for his soulful playing of later years! This set features two long compositions by Billy Gault, the magical young pianist who graced some of McLean's best work – and although Billy's not actually playing on this session, his presence is more than felt on the excellent tunes "Mode For Jay Mac" and "Ghetto Lullaby". The set was recorded live, with backing by a European group that includes (then expat) Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and other tracks include "Callin", "Jack's Tune", and "Where Is Love". CD

It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally "out there" as some of his other ones from this period, but it's a seminal release in Jackie's modernist period – and it's one of the hardest to find from the era. Filled with warmly wonderful original compositions like "Revillot", "Snuff", "Truth", and "Das Dat" – the record is unpacked and remodeled nicely by the trio of young players, aided by Jackie's moody alto, and given a great spin by Roy Haynes on drums. Striking cover, too – with a huge field of exclamation points! LP, Vinyl record album

It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally "out there" as some of his other ones from this period, but it's a seminal release in Jackie's modernist period – and it's one of the hardest to find from the era. Filled with warmly wonderful original compositions like "Revillot", "Snuff", "Truth", and "Das Dat" – the record is unpacked and remodeled nicely by the trio of young players, aided by Jackie's moody alto, and given a great spin by Roy Haynes on drums. Striking cover, too – with a huge field of exclamation points! LP, Vinyl record album

It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally "out there" as some of his other ones from this period, but it's a seminal release in Jackie's modernist period – and it's one of the hardest to find from the era. Filled with warmly wonderful original compositions like "Revillot", "Snuff", "Truth", and "Das Dat" – the record is unpacked and remodeled nicely by the trio of young players, aided by Jackie's moody alto, and given a great spin by Roy Haynes on drums. Striking cover, too – with a huge field of exclamation points! CD

A young Jackie McLean at the height of his powers – really stretching out here, but never going too far out – a perfect balance between his modern bop of previous records, and his groundbreaking "new thing" jazz to come! The group is a relatively straight ahead one – with Walter Davis on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but the tracks are all quite long, and have this really arch sensibility on Jackie's horn – this edge, this cry he didn't have a few years before – easily one of the freshest voices in alto sax at the time, yearning here to break free with new ideas and new modes of expression. The vibe is perfectly balanced – like McLean's classic A Fickle Sonance – and titles include the classic "Melody For Melonae", plus "Rene", "I'll Keep Loving You", and "Omega". CD

Two key albums from a young Jackie McLean – both very early entries in the "new thing" mode of the 60s! First up is Let Freedom Ring a record that features a young Jackie McLean at the height of his powers – really stretching out here, but never going too far out – a perfect balance between his modern bop of previous records, and his groundbreaking "new thing" jazz to come! The group is a relatively straight ahead one – with Walter Davis on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but the tracks are all quite long, and have this really arch sensibility on Jackie's horn – this edge, this cry he didn't have a few years before – easily one of the freshest voices in alto sax at the time, yearning here to break free with new ideas and new modes of expression. The vibe is perfectly balanced – like McLean's classic A Fickle Sonance – and titles include the classic "Melody For Melonae", plus "Rene", "I'll Keep Loving You", and "Omega". Destination Out is a modernist classic from 60s Blue Note! The album's one of Jackie McLean's greatest from the time – and one of his seminal "new thing" sessions cut with young modernists Grachan Moncur III on trombone and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – both young players who were really finding the sharper edges of their sound at the time! Three of the four long tracks on the record were written by Moncur, and have a similar approach to his own recordings for Blue Note – moody and introspective, in a style that's as concerned with sound and space as it is jazz and rhythm – and Hutcherson's vibes are beyond compare here, with have a sinister metallic quality that he only used briefly in his early career! The whole record's a gem, and one not to pass up! Titles include "Kahlil The Prophet", "Riff Raff", and "Love & Hate". CD

Long-blowing late 50s work from Jackie McLean – one of his standout sets as a leader from the pre-Blue Note years! The album features McLean in two different settings – really opening up on side one with a sextet that includes Curtis Fuller on trombone, Webster Young on trumpet, Gil Coggins on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – in two long takes of "A Long Drink Of The Blues", which features Jackie on both alto and tenor! Side two is a bit tighter, with Jackie heading up a quartet that includes Mal Waldron on piano, Art Phipps on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – on tunes that include "I Cover The Waterfront", "These Foolish Things", and "Embraceable You". CD

Long-blowing late 50s work from Jackie McLean – one of his standout sets as a leader from the pre-Blue Note years! The album features McLean in two different settings – really opening up on side one with a sextet that includes Curtis Fuller on trombone, Webster Young on trumpet, Gil Coggins on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – in two long takes of "A Long Drink Of The Blues", which features Jackie on both alto and tenor! Side two is a bit tighter, with Jackie heading up a quartet that includes Mal Waldron on piano, Art Phipps on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – on tunes that include "I Cover The Waterfront", "These Foolish Things", and "Embraceable You". LP, Vinyl record album