A beautiful set from Freddie Hubbard – part of his move back to straighter, more long-form jazz at the start of the 80s! The set's still got some keyboards in the mix, but it's also got a soaring, searching, soulful groove that reminds us a lot of Hubbard's best late 60s moments for Atlantic or CTI – and a lot less of some of the more R&B work he was cutting towards the end of the 70s. Tracks are nice and long – and in addition to bold trumpet lines from Freddie, the set also features killer tenor from Harold Land, keyboards from Billy Childs, bass from Larry Klein, drums from Steve Houghton, and percussion from Buck Clark. Titles include "Gibraltar", "True Colors", "Born To Be Blue", "Joy Spring", and "Up Jumped Spring". CD

Always-great work from Jazztronik – a record that seems to open yet another great chapter in their endless pursuit of the groove! As before, keyboardist Ryota Nozaki is very firmly at the helm of the proceedings – playing a mixture of acoustic piano and electric keys in a way that really fleshes out the spirit of his tunes, and which adapts itself nicely to presence of a variety of different singers on the set! Nozaki's getting help here from vocalists who include Miki Imai, Robert Gallagher, Sonia Santana, Kaoru Kurosawa, Yurai, and even Flora Purim – an especially nice choice for the record, given that there's plenty of Latin and Brazilian-styled grooves on the set! Nozaki's keyboards take on a harder tone on the album's heavier, more percussive Latin-styled numbers – and they drift along with some spacier styles on the gentler numbers that recall some of the older Jazztronik work. Really great all around – with a deeper feel than before, and plenty of great tunes with English language lyrics! Titles include "Dentro De Mim", "Beeping", "Verdades", "South Of The Border", "Searching For Love", "Madrugada", "Reminisce On Joy", and "Cannibal Rock". CD

A really mindblowing session from McCoy Tyner – perfectly titled "Expansions" to showcase the change in his style at the time! The record is one of Tyner's first larger group efforts – and is a brilliant example of the expansion of his talents in the post-Coltrane years – a searing, soaring batch of longer tunes that dance with joy, life, and a new sense of energy in jazz – carried off perfectly by a lineup that includes excellent contributions from Gary Bartz on alto, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Woody Shaw on trumpet. The album is as spiritual and swinging as you'd expect from those players – with a sound that's more Strata East than Blue Note – and titles include "Vision", "Song of Happiness", "Smitty's Place", and "Peresina". LP, Vinyl record album

A cooking set of live performances by The Ventures – key proof that their searing guitar sounds weren't just the result of some studio trickery! The set features the group in three different settings – at home in the US, over in the UK, and in Japan – where they enjoyed a huge amount of fame in the 60s! All cuts are mighty smoking – core grooves that are heavy on tight, fuzzy guitar lines – and driven by drums that are arguably even more pounding than on the studio albums. The applause is quite high at times – possibly dubbed in – and titles include "Driving Guitars", "Yellow Jacket", "Wipeout", "Journey To The Stars", "Caravan", and a sweet medley of "Walk Don't Run/Perfida/Lullaby Of The Leaves". LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington on piano with Rex Stewart on cornet, Cat Anderson, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan & Ray Nance on trumpets, Joe Nanton, Claude Jones & Lawerence Brown on trombones, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet & tenor sax, Johnny Hodges & Otto Hardwick on alto saxophones, Al Sears on tenor saxophone, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone & clarinet, Ray Nance on violin, Fred Guy on guitar, Junior Raglin on bass, Sonny Greer on drums with vocals from Ray Nance, Joya Sherill & Al Hibbler. CD

A long-overdue collection – and a rich document of one of our favorite sides of the Chicago soul scene! The package is devoted to the tiny Nickel and Penny labels, but it's also equally a set dedicated to legendary radio DJ Richard Pegue – whose work in both mainstream soul and later dusties formats really helped to shape our understanding of soul music! Pegue produced and wrote nearly every track on the set – which makes the collection one of the most unified the Numero Group has ever produced – a true tribute to Richard's great ear for a groovy soul record, and to all the smaller-name groups he helped support on the Windy City scene. The booklet does a great job of telling Pegue's story – really getting at the unique vision he brought to Chicago soul, and the wit and warmth that made him a favorite of many folks over the space of decades. The music alone is enough – stuff we've been waiting to get reissued for years – but together with the Numero research and booklet, the end result is sublime! Titles include "Just Say The Word" by Jerry Townes, "Fall In Love Again" by The Voices, "Never More" by Little Ben & The Cheers, "Why Do You Want To Make Me Sad" by The Norvells, "Instrumental 1" by Richard Terry & Company, "Shadows" by South Shore Commission, "This Is The Woman" by Sidney Pinchback, "The Ember Song" by Sidney Barnes, "Sign Of The Zodiac" by South Suburban Electric Strings, "This Love Of Mine" by Extensions, "Forever Is A Long Long Time" by The Voices, "Do The Pearl Girl (part 2)" by The Matta Baby, "I've Got To Find A Way" by Hallelujah Chorus, "First Thing I Do In The Morning" by Joyce Williams, and "I'm Gonna Get Even With You" by Little Ben & The Cheers. CD

A heavenly set of funky tracks from the indie scene of the 70s – titles that were all recorded as singles for the gospel market, but which have a fair bit of funk in the rhythms! These tunes all have massive appeal well beyond their spiritual message – heavy drums, amazing basslines, and nicely gritty instrumentation that sets these cuts up right next to funky 45 treasures from the mid 70s – but which also gives them a slightly different feel, too – thanks to some uplifting messages in the lyrics, which also means that the vocal styles are nicely changed up from more standard funk-based lyrics! The blend is wonderful, and completely captivating – and we'd not heard most of these cuts before digging into the collection – which goes every bit as deep as the Good God gospel/funk collections on Numero. Titles include "If You See Me Doing Wrong" by Wearyland Singers, "I Don't Want To Be Alone" by Allen Gauff Jr, "Troubles Of The World" by The Christian Harmonizers, "Save A Seat For Me" by Vocal Aires, "Blackman Keep On Doing Your Thing" by The Original Christian Harmonizers, "Days Are Just Like People" by Zella Jackson, "I've Got Power In My Mind" by Preacherman Isidore Womack, and "Who's Your Boss" by Pearl Farano & The High Lites Of Joy. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful overview of contemporary female soul – none of it commercial, and nearly all of it from the mighty Expansion family of labels – home to some of the hippest Neo Soul around! Work here is from both American and overseas sources, and although a few tracks are issued under the name of a male artist, they also feature a female singer taking on a key lead vocal for the cut. 2CDs and 30 tracks in all, with titles that include "Stay With Me" by Steve Harvey with N'Dambi, "Joy From That" by Tonia Smith, "Same As I Ever Was" by Adriana Evans, "That's What Love Can Do" by Yvonne Shelton, "Love Will Get Us Through The Times" by Preston Glass with Latoya London, "Closure" by Maysa Leak, "Shine" by Aja, "Let's Not Lose" by Kloud 9 with Karen Bernod, "Good News" by Noel Elmowy with Erana Mei Leef, "Is It Love" by Brigette, "Out Of Luck" by Jackie Campbell, "Sensual Loving" by Nicole Jackson, "Blew My Cool" by Eleana Young, "Vanilla Tree" by Gwendolyn Joy, and "I Can't Let You Go" by Steve Harvey with Ledisi. CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Beautiful new work from Joyce – possibly her best album in years! The lovely Brazilian singer/guitarist blows away all the newcomers in the modern bossa field – and shows the world that she's still one of the strongest talents of her generation. The album's got a stronger jazz component than some of her other recent albums, quite driving, in the mode of classic albums like Agua E Luz and Feminina – and Joyce's voice, guitar, and songwriting skills are top-notch all the way! An instant classic – one that will have you shelving all your faked-out remixed, Nu Brazil albums for the real thing! Titles include "Bota De Sete Leguas", "Azul Bahia", "Forcas D'Alma", "Na Casa Do Villa", "Quatro Elementos", "The Band On The Wall", and "Samba Da Silvia". CD

A beautiful album from Joyce – one of the few older Brazilian artists whose recent albums sound as good as their old ones! The record is a sparkling set of newly recorded tracks, all handled perfectly by Far Out – one of the few labels that really knows how to make a Brazilian recording these days. Joyce's lovely voice and guitar are backed by a jazzy combo that features husband Tutty Moreno on drums, plus additional guitar, bass, flute, sax, and percussion. The record includes a lot of great new material, and Joyce's voice is in better form than we've heard in years – especially than on her larger-label recordings. Titles include "Hard Bossa", "Zoeira", "Crianca", "London Samba", "Todos Os Santos", "Novelo", and "Vatapa". (CD comes with 2 more tracks than the LP.) Great cover, too! CD

Joy Dan's a little-known singer from Chicago – but she confidently takes on a variety of soul hits here – working with arrangements that are somewhat modern, but still earthy enough to live up to the indie soul look of the set! Joy's vocals are a bit shaky at times, but that's the great thing about them – as she makes her way through more familiar soul covers – slowly unmaking their cliches as she does so! Think of the album as an appealing lounge set caught at a small club – and enjoy the record's versions of tracks that include "For Your Precious Love", "Midnight Train To Georgia", "Try Me", "Release Me", "Misty", "Stand By Me", "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and "Unchained Melody". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Ronnie Darling on vocals, and Ric Eiserling on guitar – on titles that include "I Idolize You", "Well Tuesday", "Who's Been Talking", "Light In My Window", "Three Hundred Pounds Of Heavenly Joy", and "Long Stemmed Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A very successful album for Blue Note – and one that took the searing tenor sax of Stanley Turrentine and backed it with some boldly soulful arrangements from Oliver Nelson! Nelson was perfect at this sort of session – able to provide full backings that infused the record with energy, yet never dominated the space of the soloist – and Turrentine really rises to the occasion here, and matches the quality heard in similar Nelson sessions with Jimmy Smith, Lou Donaldson, and Cannonball Adderley! Other players in the core group here include Kenny Burrell and Herbie Hancock – but Stan's the main star of the set with his gutsy tenor lines, all blown beautifully in a way that points towards his later experiments in this mode. Titles include "Bayou", "Mattie T", "Little Sheri", and "River's Invitation". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible companion to the book Enjoy The Experience – and like that volume, a set that's filled with gems from the obscure sides of the American recording industry – vanity and privately pressed records that are plenty darn groovy, and pretty darn funky in all the right spots! The book is a painstakingly researched collection – and this soundtrack is just as carefully put together – with a great range of styles – heavily steeped in freaky funk, upbeat boogie, acid folk, offbeat psych, and trippy jazz! The range of sounds is really wonderful – with a feel that's somewhere between a Trunk Records or Finders Keepers compilation – and titles include "Intro (Excerpt)" by The Muzzy Band, "Spacing Out" by The Invaders, Diska Limba Man" by Medico Doktor Vibes, "Music Slave" by Jade, "White Panther" by Arcesia, "Never Come Back" by Boa, "ESP Switch" by Michael Farneti, "6.4 = Makeout" by Gary Wilson, "Just To Say Goodbye" by Russ Saul, "Cadillac Woman" by Stephen David Heitkotter, "Piledriver" by Dennis The Fox, "Old Time Feeling" by Circuit Rider, and "666" by Ray Torske. CD

Joyous grooves indeed – the second album by this legendary 70s jazzy soul outfit – and a landmark album in the Fantasy Records Bay Area funk mode! The record will forever be remembered for the cut "Joyous" – a monster groover with a killer hook, strong funky playing, and a searing tenor solo that wails for about a minute before the vocals even come in! Wayne Henderson produced the record – and it's very much in the mode of work that he was doing for other groups at Fantasy, but also sounds a bit like later jazz funk groups, such as Breakwater or Smoke – tight, but never uptight – funky, but never with the kind of grit you'd find in the indie underground. The vocals are a bit in the Average White Band mode, and the instrumental playing is top-shelf all the way – a monster mix that's possibly carried off better here than on any other album by the group! The album includes 2 instrumentals, "Selim" and "Sassafras Girl", as well as the vocal tracks "Tune In", "Let Me Be The One", and "Can't Turn You Loose". CD

Joyous grooves indeed – the second album by this legendary 70s jazzy soul outfit – and a landmark album in the Fantasy Records Bay Area funk mode! The record will forever be remembered for the cut "Joyous" – a monster groover with a killer hook, strong funky playing, and a searing tenor solo that wails for about a minute before the vocals even come in! Wayne Henderson produced the record – and it's very much in the mode of work that he was doing for other groups at Fantasy, but also sounds a bit like later jazz funk groups, such as Breakwater or Smoke – tight, but never uptight – funky, but never with the kind of grit you'd find in the indie underground. The vocals are a bit in the Average White Band mode, and the instrumental playing is top-shelf all the way – a monster mix that's possibly carried off better here than on any other album by the group! The album includes 2 instrumentals, "Selim" and "Sassafras Girl", as well as the vocal tracks "Tune In", "Let Me Be The One", and "Can't Turn You Loose". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Carrothers on piano, Drew Gress on bass, and Bill Stewart on drums. CD

A stunning record – and one that still chills us to the bone after all these years! The set's the first (and one of the few) from Joy Division – and really set a whole new standard for the post-punk underground – thanks partly to the group's brooding sense of darkness, but also to the brilliant production from Martin Hannett – who uses slight bits of electronics to augment the group's stark guitars and Ian Curtis' moody vocals. The whole thing's a classic – and titles include "Disorder", "She's Lost Control", "New Dawn Fades", "Interzone", and "I Remember Nothing". LP, Vinyl record album

Three full albums from Juicy Lucy – plus bonus tracks too! First up is the self-titled debut from Juicy Lucy – an American act who made a trip to the London scene in the late 60s, where they found a way to forge a whole bunch of influences into a very unique groove! Had they stayed back home in Cali, Juicy Lucy might have gravitated towards the Bay Area scene, and ended up sounding a bit freakier and hippieish – but in London, they sharpened their sound, unleashed some deeper bluesy currents, and put the whole thing together with a mix of wit and flair that really set them apart! The group boasts great lead vocals from Ray Owen, a cool mix of electric and acoustic sax parts from Chris Mercer, strong lead guitar from Neil Hubbard, and a range of great sounds from Glenn Ross Campbell – who uses steel guitar and mandolin in ways that are very different than American groups of the time. Forgive the album its quickly-dated, exploitative cover – because it's got a lot more to offer than that – and titles include "Chicago Northwestern", "Train", "Nadine", "Mississippi Woman", "She's Mine She's Yours", and "Just One Time". Lie Back & Enjoy It is hard and heavy work from Juicy Lucy – a group who are even stronger here on this second set than on their debut – effortlessly spinning out lines that are very much in the best hard rock modes of the period, but which also retain some nice bluesy influences as well! The group's a sextet – and in addition to some very unique vocals from singer Paul Williams, who also plays piano and congas, the set also has some surprisingly nice use of steel guitar and mandolin, but never in ways that sound like the instruments might in the handling of some of the Cali crowd at the time. Lead guitar is from Mick Moody, sax and keyboard lines are from Chris Mercer, and titles include "Pretty Woman", "Built For Comfort", "Whisky In My Jar", "Hello LA Bye Bye Birmingham", "Thinking Of My Life", and "Willie The Pimp". For Get A Whiff Of This, the title's a bit of a joke, especially in relation to the cover – but Juicy Lucy come on strong here, with a searing sound that shows that they're way past the novelty of the image on the front! Over the course of the previous records, the group really honed their unique blend of American blues and Brit hard rock inspiration – very well-focused here, with a sound that paves the way for some of the bigger crossover acts that would soon dominate American radio in the mid 70s – something the group unfortunately never got the chance to do. Titles include "Mr Skin", "Midnight Rider", "Mr A Jones", "Sunday Morning", and "Jessica". 2CD set features the bonus b-side tracks "Walking Down The Highway" and "I Am A Thief". CD

With Nick Brignola on baritone saxophone, Roger Kellaway on piano, John Lockwood on accoustic bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. CD

A fantastic jazz group from the contemporary South African scene – one who've got a very righteous vibe, and a sound that's maybe even more far-reaching than any jazz we've heard from that scene back in the 60s or 70s! The group's led by Shabaka Hutchings on tenor, but is a very collaborative ensemble – with these tremendous upfront vocals from Siyabonga Mthembu, a singer with a very unique approach, and a spiritual current that we'd rank right up there with work by Leon Thomas, Dwight Trible, or Joe Lee Wilson, even though Mthembu's very much his own man. The group's also got two other great horn players – Mthunzi Mvubu on alto and Mandla Mlangeni on trumpet – plus Fender Rhodes and piano from Nduduzo Makhathini, and a wonderfully early array of bass, percussion, and drums – which lay down a fantastic groundwork for each tune. The music starts somewhere in the spiritual territory of the post-Coltrane scene – but really takes off immediately with its own individual spirit – ala Kamasai Washington – and the performance is live and unadorned, without some of the studio efforts that show up on other Brownswood label releases. Beautiful work throughout – an instant classic that we'd rank right up there with the best material by folks like Nat Birchall or Matthew Hallsall, but very different too. Titles include "Nguni", "Mzwandile", "Joyous", "The Sea", "The Observer", and "Give Thanks". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of early solo albums from Kevin Ayers – back to back in a single set! First up is Joy Of A Toy – a wonderful departure for Kevin Ayers – an album that's a lot lighter and more whimsical than his original fame with Soft Machine! The tunes are extremely playful, and often quite catchy – almost a Donovan-esque blend of folksy roots and jazz inflections – but tuned a bit more towards trippier ends, thanks to instrumentation that includes celeste, electronics, flute, oboe, kazoo, cello, organ, and a wide range of different guitars! David Bedford handled arrangements, and other players on the session include some ex-Soft Machine comrades – like Hugh Hopper and Robert Wyatt! Ayers' vocals are produced with a nicely compressed quality that squeezes them in alongside the instrumentation – and titles include "Joy Of A Toy Continued", "The Lady Rachel", "All This Crazy Gift Of Time", "Eleanor's Cake", and "Girl On A Swing". Shooting At The Moon is a wonderful little record – one that's filled with subtle charms and surprising moments of beauty – played by an intimate group of musicians who include Lol Coxhill, David Bedford, and Mike Oldfield! In a way, the record's a bit of a precursor for some of the experiments to come from Coxhill and Bedford – because the set blends together bits of rock, jazz, and other musics – all with a careful sense of production that filters the best elements together nicely, the focuses them into some extremely compelling tunes. Ayers sings on most numbers, but the instrumental side of the album almost gets greater focus – and titles include "May I", "Pisser Dans Un Violon", "The Oyster & The Flying Fish", "Shooting At The Moon", "Red Green & You Blue", "Underwater", and "Lunatics Lament". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant celebration of Blue Note Records – one that features some key songs from the label's classic years, interpreted by a sharp-edged group of younger players! The lineup here is wonderful – Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Steve Wilson on alto and flute, Ravi Coltrane on tenor, Peter Bernstein on guitar, and rhythm from Bill Charlap on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums – all players who are great in their own right, but who really come together with a classic sort of sound here – a vibe that really respects the Blue Note leaders of years past, and which really gets their energy right! The rhythms are tremendous – no surprise, given how great Nash and Washington can be – and the tunes have a soulful, soaring quality that draws on all the joy Blue Note's given the world over the years – proclaimed boldly by the horn solos in the set. Titles include "Little B's Poem", "Inner Urge", "Mosaic", "Dolphin Dance", "Criss Cross", "Search For Peace", "The Outlaw", and "Idle Moments". CD

A double-length collection of work from one of the greatest electro pop bands ever! Depeche Mode took the darkness of the UK post-punk years, and found a way to make everything bright, groovy, and downright danceable – all while doing a surprisingly good job of keeping their composure, even while posturing! At the time, we never would have guessed these tunes to have had such long legs – but years later, they still have an undeniable charm that keeps on pleasing generations. Titles include "Personal Jesus", "Just Can't Get Enough", "Master & Servant", "New Life", "Walking In My Shoes", "People Are People", "It's No Good", "Strangelove", "Suffer Well", "Enjoy The Silence", "Shake The Disease", "See You", and "Everything Counts". CD

Fantastic material from the late 60's period in which Eddie Harris was using his amazing tone, Atlantic's money, and the deep resources of the Chicago jazz scene to come up with some of the best recordings of his career. The four albums on this CD set – The In Sound, Mean Greens, Tender Storm, and Silver Cycles – blend soul jazz, groovy production, and larger concepts into a haunting melange of jazzy tracks that bring us joy time and time again – even though we've owned most of the albums for years! The whole thing's packaged together very nicely, and includes all the original cover art, plus new and old liner notes, and great sound. There's a far too much music on here to mention in great detail, but we're super-pleased to see something like this on the market – and to see this under-reissued side of Eddie's career finally get this kind of attention! CD

Sweet work from Joyce – a very intimate album that really reminds us of her classics from years back! Most of the set just features Joyce's vocals and guitar – but as you'll know if you love her as much as we do, that alone is enough to make the record wonderful – a slyly seductive blend that few other artists could carry off this well! The style is rooted in bossa, but inflected with jazz – and yet carried off with an individual style that nobody else can touch. Titles include "Adeus America", "Puro Ouro", "Vela No Breu", "Manha No Posto 6", "Viva Meu Samba", "Rio Meu", and "Mascarada". CD

Music direction by Lou Levy – which is quite a surprise – with arrangements by Dave Grusin, Lalo Schifrin, and Billy May – on some unusual tracks that include "My Sin", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Talk To Me Baby", "The Right To Love", "Theme From Joy House", and "Senza Fine". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic collaboration between Peggy Lee and Nelson Riddle – and a record that really set the tone for Lee's famous Capitol sides of the 60s! The groove here is very upbeat – as you might guess from the title – with a bouncing, almost syncopated approach that's definitely Riddle's, but which also hints at some of Lee's more soul-based backings of the 60s from Jack Marshall – those slinky-stepping groovers that would really put her back in front of American ears. Many tunes are older numbers, but they're updated nicely by Riddle's playful backings – and cuts include "Jump For Joy", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "Old Devil Moon", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "Just In Time", "Music Music Music", "Four Or Five Times", and "Ain't We Got Fun". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Listen To The Rockin Bird" and "Baby Baby Wait For Me". CD

A mid 80s hit for Pieces of a dream – moving here a lot farther from their roots as a smooth fusion soul ensemble. The album's got production by Lenny White and Maurice White – both of them working in the more electronic style that infused their own soul work as the 80s progressed. The style's not a bad one for the group, but we have to admit that we miss the warm soul of earlier albums. Titles include "Say La La", "Outside In", "Winning Streak", "Sunshine", "Joy Ride", and "I Can Give You What You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

Pieces include Saint-Saens' "Le Rouet D'Omphale", Debussy's "Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune", Berlioz's "Dance Of The Sylphs" and "Royal Hunt And Storm", Chabrier's "Joyeuse Marche", Suppe's "Overture Poet & Peasant", Sibelius' "Valse Triste", and Mozart's "March In D Major K 249". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite female Brazilian singer, Joyce, pays tribute to our other favorite female Brazilian singer, Elis Regina! The set was recorded a few years back, and Joyce is backed by a group that includes her husband Tutty Moreno on drums, plus Dori Caymmi, Joe Lovano, Mulgrew Miller, and Renee Rosnes. The set's longer than you'd expect, and includes classics from the Elis Regina songbook – like "Canto De Ossanha", "Upa Neguinho", "Aquarela Do Brasil", "Aquas Do Marco", and "Astronauta". The album's a bit mellow, but like all other Joyce recordings from overseas sources, it's way better than her recent work on major labels, and it really captures the best side of her cool gentle style! CD

A classic collaboration between Peggy Lee and Nelson Riddle – and a record that really set the tone for Lee's famous Capitol sides of the 60s! The groove here is very upbeat – as you might guess from the title – with a bouncing, almost syncopated approach that's definitely Riddle's, but which also hints at some of Lee's more soul-based backings of the 60s from Jack Marshall – those slinky-stepping groovers that would really put her back in front of American ears. Many tunes are older numbers, but they're updated nicely by Riddle's playful backings – and cuts include "Jump For Joy", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "Old Devil Moon", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "Just In Time", "Music Music Music", "Four Or Five Times", and "Ain't We Got Fun". LP, Vinyl record album

Features 22 tracks including "St. James Infirmary", "Walkin In A Daze", "Lovin Mama Blues", "Indiana", "When You're Smiling", "Limehouse Blues" and "Got An Uncle In Harlem" –plus alternate takes and a few unreleased cuts. CD

A fantastic jazz group from the contemporary South African scene – one who've got a very righteous vibe, and a sound that's maybe even more far-reaching than any jazz we've heard from that scene back in the 60s or 70s! The group's led by Shabaka Hutchings on tenor, but is a very collaborative ensemble – with these tremendous upfront vocals from Siyabonga Mthembu, a singer with a very unique approach, and a spiritual current that we'd rank right up there with work by Leon Thomas, Dwight Trible, or Joe Lee Wilson, even though Mthembu's very much his own man. The group's also got two other great horn players – Mthunzi Mvubu on alto and Mandla Mlangeni on trumpet – plus Fender Rhodes and piano from Nduduzo Makhathini, and a wonderfully early array of bass, percussion, and drums – which lay down a fantastic groundwork for each tune. The music starts somewhere in the spiritual territory of the post-Coltrane scene – but really takes off immediately with its own individual spirit – ala Kamasai Washington – and the performance is live and unadorned, without some of the studio efforts that show up on other Brownswood label releases. Beautiful work throughout – an instant classic that we'd rank right up there with the best material by folks like Nat Birchall or Matthew Hallsall, but very different too. Titles include "Nguni", "Mzwandile", "Joyous", "The Sea", "The Observer", and "Give Thanks". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazz versions of classics by Antonio Carlos Jobim – all done by a group arranged and directed by guitarist Mario Adnet, and featuring guest work from Joyce, Helio Delmiro, Romero Lumbambo, and others! The sound here is really fresh – not merely just a reworking of Jobim's original ideals, but a recasting of them in lightly arranged modes that often take on the shapes, colors, and textures of work by Moacir Santos – styles that are warm, but often have some sharper edges underneath, thanks to great interplay between the instruments. Bits of horns, guitar, piano, and percussion all come together with a tremendous sense of grace – and titles include "Tema Jazz", "Sue Ann", "Domingo Sincopado", "So Danco Samba", "Paulo Voo Livre", "Polo Pony", and "Bate Boca". CD

The last set of duets from the team of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell – and a sublime set of tracks that really stretches their partnership even further than before! It's no secret that Terrell was Marvin's favorite partner in the studio – and you can really hear his strong feeling for her in the quality of the work here – upbeat and joyous one minute, tender and sensitive the next – all put together with that growing range that Gaye was showing so strongly at the end of the 60s. This one goes way past the standard Motown duo mode – and it's filled with great tracks that include "California Soul", always a favorite round these parts – plus "I'm Your Puppet", "The Onion Song", "Good Lovin Ain't Easy To Come By", "Love Woke Me Up This Morning", "What You Gave Me", and "Satisfied Feelin". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful lost treasure that's finally seeing the light of day! This legendary double album of songs was recorded by Gilberto Gil between 1973 and 1974 – but it was never issued at the time, having a fate that was almost similar to the Beach Boys' legendary Smile sessions! The record takes the intimacy of Gil's London LP, and opens it up with some jazzier phrasing, and nice small combo instrumentation – and since the whole thing's spread out over a double-length set of tracks, there's an amazing range to the music and ideas expressed in the set. Joyce's longtime partner Tutty Moreno is on drums, and he gives the whole thing a nice flowing groove that works well with Gil's soulful voice – and the rest of the group has a flexible style that matches Gil's changes of mood throughout the record. There's a huge amount of songs on the whole package, and the material ranges from jazzy sambas to much more avant-oriented tracks. Titles include "Maracatu Atomico", "Imbalanca", "Meditacao", "Doente, Morena", "Iansa", "O'Maria", "Tradicao", "Umeboshi", "Duplo Sentido", and "Eu Preciso Aprender A So Ser". CD

A pretty sweet set from the legendary Ramsey Lewis – possibly his best in years – all original material performed with his impeccable trio! If title Songs From The Heart has you expecting smooth, commercial fluff, you'll be pleasantly surprised. It's exceptional trio jazz all the way. Lovely and tender, but precise and very moving material. It includes songs Ramsey wrote, quite surprisingly, for the Joffrey Ballet Company, and other pieces he wrote to perform with the Turtle Island Quartet. Straight forward, lyrical jazz from Ramsey's piano to your soul, backed masterfully by bassist Larry Gray and drummer Leon Joyce, plus some equally wonderful solo pieces. Titles include "To Know Her Is To Love Her", "Touching, Feeling, Knowing", "Clouds In Reverie", "The Spark", "Conversation", "The Way She Smiles", "The Glow Of Her Charm", "Long Before She Know", "Watercolors" and more. CD

A sweet set of electric funk from James Moody – and a great little record to match the grooves he was laying down at the Perception label in the early 70s – with a very unique sound! Moody's working here alongside some sweet work on electric piano by either Jodie Christian or Tennyson Stephens – and with some sly and soulful arrangements by Chicago soul maestro Richard Evans, who also plays bass on the record and gives it a style that's almost an extension of the later Cadet kind of groove. The album features an excellent funky instrumental version of " First Thing I Do In the Morning", originally a funky vocal 45 by Chicago singer Joyce Williams – and other cuts include "Trilby", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely", "World Is A Ghetto", "Good Sense Humor Man", and "Country City Country". CD

Tremendous work by Lee Morgan – easily one of his greatest albums, and a soaring session of modal energy that easily rivals the best work of the Impulse era! The album's got a slightly different feel than usual for Blue Note – a sense of freedom, joy, and soaring energy that's totally great – explored by a crack group that features Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all coming together with a unique sense of creativity! The rhythm section is one of the key factors here – as Mabern, Cranshaw, and Higgins have a fluid groove that really sets the tone for the record – letting Morgan and Shorter stretch out to the height of their powers, and explore some incredible modal and soulful themes. Titles include the seminal 11 minute reading of "The Gigolo", plus "Yes I Can No You Can't", "Speedball", and "Trapped" – as well as an excellent reading of "You Go To My Head" that completely opens up the old standard! Plus, this CD reissue's got a bonus alternate take of "The Gigolo", for an extra 10 minutes of music! CD

Although Osibisa were one of the most successful of the London-based Afro-funk groups, they were also one of the best. This cool first album is filled with (as the label says) "criss cross rhythms that explode with happiness". Translated, that means that the record's got lots of nice cuts that have African percussion, electric funk rhythm, and a fairly joyous groove. Tracks include "Akwaaba", "Oranges", "The Dawn", "Think About The People", and the groovy "Music For Gong Gong". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly groovy musical based on the film Some Like It Hot – one of the better of a slew of 20s-set musicals that played big on Broadway in the 60s! The music and lyrics are by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, respectively – but the thing that really makes the soundtrack itself work is the lead performances by Robert Morse and Tony Roberts – the former always a charming presence on the stage, the latter a surprisingly good straight man. Elaine Joyce handles the Marilyn Monroe character – and the music sports some nicely jazzy arrangements by Elliott Lawrence. Titles include "It's Always Love", "Hey Why Not", "Sugar", "November Song", and "Sun On My Face". 2CD version features a full bonus mix of the score – remixed just for this release, with better sound than the original album! CD

A stone cooker from Jr Walker – the kind of hard-driving soul that made his 60s Motown work a key link between the Detroit sound of the time, and R&B sounds of earlier years! Jr's soulful sax is right up in the mix on most numbers – and the overall sound is nicely freewheeling and almost spontaneous – almost a Motown studio jam at times, with vocals and instruments dancing together in joyous formation! Most tracks are instrumentals, but many also have some sort of vocal chorus – and titles include "Anyway You Wanta", "Pucker Up Buttercup", "Twist Lackawanna", "San Ho Zay", "Money", "Last Call", "Ame Cherie", "Mutiny", and "Road Runner". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great UK collection – one that brings together some very hip Chess Records material from the late 60s and early 70s, mostly spun together as if you were hearing a British soul DJ serve the tracks up in a club! There's lots of great obscure material here – making the set a treasure for Chess fans – and titles include "In Orbit" by Joy Lovejoy, "Searching For My Love" by Bobby Moore, "Hold On" by The Radiants, "She's A1" by The Knight Brothers, "Burning Spear" by Soulful Strings, "I'm My Own Man" by Na Allen, "Who's That Guy" by Kolettes, "To Make A World" by the Intrigues, and "Betcha Didn't Know" by Image. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning debut that's well worth all the buzz it's been getting! Perry Hemus – in case you can't guess from the title – is a whiz on the Fender Rhodes, and he's working here in a perfectly-conceived album that's filled with wonderful tunes. Some of the tracks are spare and contemplative – letting Hemus' keys take the lead with light support on percussion – but others soar to the skies on rhythms that are filled with life and joy. A number of tracks feature some great vocals by Lizzy Parks, and other instrumentation includes a lot of acoustic percussion, guitar, trumpet, flute, and upright bass. Really great stuff – with a deeply soulful vibe throughout – and tracks that include "Rhodesmode (freefall mix)", "Closer Point Of View", "Shifting Seasons", "Appointment In Madrid", "Oribiting The Sun", "Pressentimento", "Freedom Dance", and "Changes In 3/4". CD

A wonderful project from late 80s Blue Note – a group that features trumpet and arrangements from Don Sickler, plus some great help from Bobby Watson as well – all to craft a sound that's as rich, soaring, and joyous as any solo projects from either player! The group's an octet, but have the tightness of a Blue Note quintet from the 60s – working with sharp arrangements in a really classic sound – one that has the horns in tight formation, but also really opens up to solo space right away – allowing plenty of room for Sickler on trumpet, Watson on alto, Frank Lacy on trombone, Roy Hargrove on trumpet and flugelhorn, Bill Pierce on tenor, and Mulgrew Miller on piano. The bass of Bob Hurst and drums of Kenny Washington provide some smoking rhythms throughout – and titles include "Open Sesame", "Conservation", "M&M", "Time Off", and "Marvelous Marvin". CD

A British rock combo, but one with a distinctly jazzy feel – one that's often quite funky at times too! The core instrumentation is heavy on keyboards and guitar, set over some tightly rhythm bass and drums – often moving with some hip jazzy changes in the mix, and a nice sense of space between the notes that really helps things groove. Vocals are by Linda Hoyle, who again has a bit of a jazz-based approach – almost like Norma Winstone or Julie Driscoll at times in the way she soars out majestically over the rhythms, but somewhat more lyrically oriented overall. Titles include "I Am & So Are You", "Night Flight", "Three Sisters", "Mr Joy", and "I Wonder If I Care As Much". LP, Vinyl record album

A soul record we'd put up there with some of our favorites produced in Chicago during the early 70s – a gospel album from Pastor TL Barrett, but one that's gone on to legendary status among funk and soul collectors over the years! Barrett works here with his Youth For Christ Choir, of Mt. Zion Baptist Church – a south side ensemble that's filled with genuine spirit and passion, aimed towards lofty ideals – but set up with some deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that keep things razor sharp throughout! The album was cut at the affordable Sound Market Studio – but behind the soaring, spirited lead and chorus vocal arrangements are players supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with other Chess players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch on the sessions too. Raw drums, grooving organ, and incredible bass lines lay the foundation, but it's the voices that really shine on this completely wonderful, totally essential set! Titles include "Like A Ship", "Wonderful", "It's Me O Lord", "Ever Since", "Nobody Knows", "Joyful Noice", "Medley/Dr. Watts Hymn & The Disciples Prayer" and "Blessed Quietness". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that seemed to open the music of Peter Brotzmann up for a whole new generation of listeners – in part because it features the European legend on an American label that got him some of the widest circulation he'd enjoyed here in years – and also in part because drummer Hamid Drake provides a very different foil for his music! The sound is almost an imaginary 70s meeting between the FMP and loft jazz scenes – with Hamid offering up these beautifully rich tones on standard drums, frame drum, and tablas – while Brotzmann blows tenor, alto, tarogato, and e flat clarinet – often with a sound that's searing, but more soulful than usual too – especially on some of the more spacious, open moments on the record. Titles include "It's An Angel On The Door", "Trees Have Roots In The Earth", "The Uninvited Entertainer", and "Dark Wings Carry Off The Sky". CD

Bill sings on most tracks, but Joyce Collins also joins in on vocals and plays piano – and Dave MacKay plays electric piano, too! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Bobby Hutcherson's greatest records ever – and a session that never got released at the time! The album's an excellent quartet session, one that's very much in the best spirit of Bobby's great Happenings album on Blue Note – and it features a similar group that includes Hutcherson on vibes, Herbie Hancock on piano, Albert Stinson on bass, and Joe Chambers, one of Hutcherson's best accompanists from the 60s, on drums. The format's a bit more modal than Happenings – and the set features 6 wonderful little tracks that mix together the "new thing" sound of earlier Hutcherson Blue Notes, with some of the nascent soulfulness that started creeping into his work at the end of the 60s. The album was recorded in 1967, but only first issued in Japan in at the end of the 70s – and then later in the US, and even then only briefly – but we'd still rank the set as one of Bobby's best for Blue Note! Titles include "Til Then", "Mr Joy", "Subtle Neptune", and "Theme From Blow Up". CD

Great stuff – and a key link between the early work of the Jackson 5 on Motown and Michael's later grooves with Quincy Jones! The Gamble/Huff team give the group a smooth sweet sound – definitely in a dancefloor mode, with some of the bassy riffs of Michael's Off The Wall album, but also with all the sweet catchy soul of earlier years – a really great blend that makes the album a great winner in the group's post-Motown years! The album includes the incredible smooth soul number "Show You The Way To Go", a killer cut that's very much in the Philly modern mode – and other tracks include "Style Of Life", "Enjoy Yourself", "Think Happy", "Blues Away", and "Living Together". 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 great album that's often overlooked amidst the flurry of early 70's releases on Curtom, but which stands as one of Mayfield's greatest from the 70s! In fact, we'd say that the album's one that we enjoy putting on more than most – because the songs are less familiar, and not nearly as played-out as some of Curtis' bigger hits. The production style's still the same – with plenty of rumbling funky soul, arranged by Rich Tufo in that classic Curtom mode – and you can't beat Curtis' vocals on songs like "Mother's Son", "Love Me (Right In The Pocket)", "A Prayer", and "Ain't No Love Lost". LP, Vinyl record album

Billy Preston's getting some really wonderful help on this mid 70s set – assistance from a cool array of talents that includes Syreeta, Stevie Wonder, Shuggie Otis, and Keni Burke! Most of these guests artists only appear on a song or two each, but they really help Preston expand his sound from the past – and move into some of the hipper territory that each of the guests was laying down on their own records of the time. Billy's not trying to push himself as strongly as before, and in a way it's almost like he's laying back to take a few lessons from others – still somewhat righteous and gospel-influenced in his groove, but also somewhat more restrained and moving towards mellower soul at points. Titles include "Fancy Lady", "Found The Love", "That's Life", "Song Of Joy", "It's My Pleasure", "All Of My Life", and "I Can't Stand It". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that seemed to open the music of Peter Brotzmann up for a whole new generation of listeners – in part because it features the European legend on an American label that got him some of the widest circulation he'd enjoyed here in years – and also in part because drummer Hamid Drake provides a very different foil for his music! The sound is almost an imaginary 70s meeting between the FMP and loft jazz scenes – with Hamid offering up these beautifully rich tones on standard drums, frame drum, and tablas – while Brotzmann blows tenor, alto, tarogato, and e flat clarinet – often with a sound that's searing, but more soulful than usual too – especially on some of the more spacious, open moments on the record. Titles include "It's An Angel On The Door", "Trees Have Roots In The Earth", "The Uninvited Entertainer", and "Dark Wings Carry Off The Sky". CD

A contemporary legend in Latin music – one that was done in collaboration with the film of the same name – organized by Ry Cooder, directed by Wim Wenders, and put forth as a reminder to America that Cuban culture was still going strong, even decades after we turned our backs on the nation! The "social club" in the title is well-put – as there's a relaxed, easygoing approach to the music here – warmly collaborative efforts from some of the greats of the scene in Havana – many of whom were able to enjoy renewed global attention, thanks to the efforts of the record and film. The lineup features Ruben Gonzalez on piano, Eliades Ochoa on guitar, Cachaito on bass, and Guajiro on trumpet – plus famous vocal contributions from Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Omara Portuondo. Titles include "Chan Chan", "Dos Gardenias", "El Carretero", "Candela", "Viente Anos", "El Cuarto De Tula", "De Camino A La Vereda", "Murmullo", and "Orgullecida". LP, Vinyl record album

The John Coltrane sound stretching out to Infinity – beautifully collaborating core spiritual sounds recorded when The Great One was still alive, and later string passages done by Alice Coltrane in the early 70s! The initial tracks are very open and almost easygoing – not the full-on outside expressions of some other Coltrane unreleased sides from the time, but the more cosmic sound of Love Supreme – carried out by musicians that include Alice Coltrane on harp, piano, and organ – plus Pharoah Sanders on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison and Charlie Haden on bass, Rashied Ali on percussion, and Elvin Jones on drums. The strings are surprisingly wonderful, too – kind of linking the Coltrane and post-Coltrane generations in ways that are really marvelous, and filled with the kind of majesty that Coltrane should have deserved while still on this planet! Titles include "Living Space", "Joy", "Leo", and "Peace On Earth". LP, Vinyl record album

A great reunion of Buddy DeFranco and Oscar Peterson – two players who recorded together famously for Verve in the 50s, working here on an 80s date under the supervision of old Verve head Norman Granz! The setting here is even more loose and laidback than in the 50s – that mellow Pablo Records mode that seems to bring in a lot more feeling to the players than some of their dates for other labels at the time – and Buddy's lost none of the charm in his tone, playing the clarinet with a soulful swing that's almost more like an alto sax at times! Other players include Joe Pass on guitar, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Martin Drew on drums – and titles include "Summer Me Winter You", "Llovisna", "By Myself", "Joy Spring", "All Too Soon", and "Hark". CD

A hokey cover and title, but a hip little record from Duke Ellington – kind of a story of percussion and jazz, all wrapped together with some great vocals and narration! The format is kind of far-reaching, but never too stuffy – and in a way, the album offers a great opportunity to hear some of the Ellington players stepping out in a slightly different vibe than the usual Columbia date from the decade. Duke does a bit of narration himself – and singers include Margaret Tynes, Joya Sherrill, and Ozzie Bailey – who beautifully illustrate the shifting passages of the longer suite. Solos are by Johnny Hodges on alto, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Paul Gonsalves on tenor – and titles include "Congo Square", "Madam Zajj", "Drum is A Woman", "You Better Know It", "Rhythm Pum Te Dum", and "Rhumbop". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing package – three great albums by The Fall, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Hex Enduction Hour – one of our key go-to albums by The Fall – a set in which all their early promise really came into focus – with even more wit and power than before! The jagged lyricism of Mark E Smith is razor-sharp – as is the instrumentation, which is heavy on that trademark noisy guitar from Craig Scanlon, weird keyboards from Marc Riley, and the driving power of the double drummers in the group! The music is every bit as textually explosive as the words on the cover – and titles include "Who Makes The Nazis", "And This Day", "Jawbone & The Air Rifle", "The Classical", "Mere Psued Mag Ed", "Fortress/Deer Park", and the classic "Hip Priest". Is Room To Live the greatest album ever by the Fall? We're always tempted to say so – because there's something here so perfect, so focused, it's hard to think of a better album to illustrate the genius of Mark E Smith! The rhythms are weirder, the lyrics more poetic, and the guitars a bit more razor sharp than before – yet the record's also not going as easily for the catchy hooks and clever turns of phrase that would take a bit of steam out of the whole Fall sound in years to come. Darkness, but delivered with a smirk – and a record that still brings us limitless joy today! Titles include "Joker Hysterical Face", "Hard Life In The Country", "Marquis Cha Cha", "Room To Live", "Papal Visit", and "Solicitor In Studio". In A Hole is a fantastic double-length live album by The Fall – recorded at a time when the group was at the height of their creative powers! Tracks are pulled from their important early albums and singles, and delivered with a searing intensity that shows just how much the group could hang on to their jagged edge and razor-sharp wit in front of a live audience – especially one on the other side of the globe! Titles include "The Container Drivers", "Fantastic Life", "English Scheme", "Impression Of J Temperance", "Room To Live", "Hip Priest", "Marquis Cha Cha", "Backdrop", "Hard Life In The Country", "Who Makes The Nazis", "Gramme Friday", "Slags Slates Etc", and "Look Know". Box set features a bonus CD with Sessions, Singles, and Soundchecks – including material from live sets in Leeds, Manchester, and London, plus John Peel material from 1981. And another bonus CD with a full live set recorded in Melbourne, in 1982 – 14 tracks in all! CD

Beautiful solo work from Andrew Hill – 2 side-long works that both spin out with more freedom and exploration than even most of his other 70s recordings! The style here is wonderfully laidback – never obsessed with the freedom too much, and instead concerned with painting beautiful little pictures in sound – exploring the themes of the tunes with a sense of color, and a feeling of joy that's also mixed with just the right amount of sadness the increase the depth of the work. Titles include "From California With Love" and "Reverend Du Bop". LP, Vinyl record album

Bass-heavy grooves from Indigo Jam Unit – easily one of the hardest hitting combos on the Japanese scene in recent years! The tunes here are very heavy on acoustic bass – played in loud, bold lines alongside piano, bass, drums, and added percussion – all recorded with a really full sort of feel, in joyously searching grooves that owe a lot to soul and modal jazz of the 60s and 70s! There's a stripped-down quality to the album that's really appealing – a focus on the core elements and rhythmic moments – making the record a delight for groovehounds, although it's also got a strong jazz component too. Titles include "Pirates", "Rumble", "Trailer", "Raindrop", "Time", "Nostalgia", and "Himawari". CD

An album dedicated to Sidney Bechet, but one that features some mighty strong tenor and soprano sax from the great Budd Johnson – a player who enjoyed the same sort of overseas attention as Bechet, but blew a much bolder horn! The album's an easygoing gem – of the sort that Johnson hardly ever got to cut in the US back in the day – and while Budd's tenor is always a big draw for us, his work on soprano sax is equally amazing here – blown with almost as much depth as his bigger horn, but with longer lines, and a nicely snakey feel that's really compelling – almost a 70s transformation of the older legacy from Bechet. The group features Earl Hines on piano, Jimmy Leary on bass, and Panama Francis on drums – and titles include "Am I Wasting My Time", "Dirty Old Man", "Linger Awhile", "Blues For Sale", and "Gone With The Wind". CD

An amazing album – simply groundbreaking, and a key turn for Jackie McLean! The record features a group of hip young players – including a very young Tony Williams, plus Grachan Moncur III, Bobby Hutcherson, and Eddie Kahn – all playing in a spare contemplative modernist mode that would soon become known as "new thing" jazz. The four tracks on the album – "Frankenstein", "Ghost Town", "Blue Rondo", and "Saturday & Sunday" – are extremely stark, and even Hutcherson's often-warm vibes sound harsh and metallic, especially next to McLean's razor-sharp tone. The record's a real treasure – and never too out to be unenjoyable by fans of McLean's more inside work. Extremely compelling – and we sure wish they were making them like this again! CD

Sockin soul from an under-heard Chicago legend! Johnny Moore was one of the best deep soul singers in the Windy City scene of the late 60s – but an artist who only ever recorded singles across a variety of labels, so he's not as well remembered as album-oriented artists, like Syl Johnson or Tyrone Davis. Not that that's a problem, though – because in some way, it means that a CD like this is even more essential than finding the original vinyl! The set's really wonderful – and features Johnny belting out a huge range of original tunes – all with a care, confidence, and soulful depth that makes us wonder why he wasn't huge! The first-ever set like this of Johnny's work – with a total of 25 tracks, and great notes. Titles include "Lonely Heart In The City", "It May Be Tears Of Joy", "Sold On You", "You're The One To Blame", "It's All Over", "Just Be For Real", "That's What You Said", "What More Can I Do", "Spend The Rest Of My Life", and "Baby If You Let Me". CD

Tremendous work by Lee Morgan – easily one of his greatest albums, and a soaring session of modal energy that easily rivals the best work of the Impulse era! The album's got a slightly different feel than usual for Blue Note – a sense of freedom, joy, and soaring energy that's totally great – explored by a crack group that features Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all coming together with a unique sense of creativity! The rhythm section is one of the key factors here – as Mabern, Cranshaw, and Higgins have a fluid groove that really sets the tone for the record – letting Morgan and Shorter stretch out to the height of their powers, and explore some incredible modal and soulful themes. Titles include the seminal 11 minute reading of "The Gigolo", plus "Yes I Can No You Can't", "Speedball", and "Trapped" – as well as an excellent reading of "You Go To My Head" that completely opens up the old standard! CD

Fantastic work from the legendary Idris Muhammad – the funky drummer who first rose to fame making breakbeats with Lou Donaldson in the 60s, then recorded some hip soul-based records in the 70s – here really getting back to basics with a set of soulful, spiritual small combo jazz! The record is a beautifully stripped-down session – with Muhammad playing un-funky drums, Ray Drummond on bass, and either Pharoah Sanders or George Coleman on tenor sax. The best tracks are long and lively – with Muhammad dancing out across the drum kit, filled with joy and life, exhibiting that rare straight jazz quality that he only brought to a few recordings, most notably his contemporary sides with Pharoah Sanders. Titles include a great remake of Jack McDuff's "Soulful Drums", plus "Kabsha", "Little Feet", "St M", and "GCCG Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool cooker from Oliver Nelson – one of the few 60s albums he cut as a leader with the same sense of soul and swing as his backings for other players! The sound here is right up there with Nelson's work with Jimmy Smith over at Verve – soaring, soulful arrangements that sparkle in ways that few other arrangers could match – perfectly balanced between bold statements by the soloists and a tight ensemble feel overall! The players are all top-shelf – and include Phil Woods on alto sax, Jerome Richardson on flute and baritone, Robert Hashton on tenor, Art Hoyle on trumpet, and Patti Brown on piano – plus Nelson himself on alto, getting in a few key solos. The whole thing's wonderfully upbeat and joyous, but with a deeper sense of feeling too – and many titles are originals by Nelson, including "Hobo Flats", "Post No Bills", "Laz-ie Kate", "Teenie's Blues", and "Three Plus One". CD

Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Peter Washington on bass, Dave Eggar on cello, Lewis Nash on drums, David O'Rourke on guitar, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ron Lawrence on viola, and Joyce Hammann and Meg Okura on violin. CD

A real high point in Jimmy Smith's famous 60s run at Verve Records – a key collaboration with arranger Lalo Schfrin, who brings a great blend of jazz and soundtrack styles to Jimmy's famous groove on the Hammond! Lalo's backings are totally great – with touches of Latin and Brazilian that really open up the sound from some of Smith's other records – but in a way that still keeps the whole thing nicely on point as Jimmy soars away on his solos. The single "The Cat" was kind of a minor hit for Smith – and there's a lot of other nice tunes on the album, including "Theme From Joy House", "Chicago Serenade", "Delon's Blues", and "Main Title From Carpetbaggers". CD

That title exclamation's an apt one – as the album's one of the first few from the great Dusty Springfield – whose sense of soul is already a thing of joy! The record bursts out with a punch-packing power that really rises Dusty up from her contemporaries – no tears jerked too long, no overdone humility – and instead this subtle energy that has her completely in control, even when opening up on more emotive lyrics – polished in the right ways, but never in the too-bright styles that UK pop was trapped in a few years before. The whole thing's years before Springfield recorded over on these shores, but you can already hear that direction – on titles that include "Once Upon A Time", "You Don't Own Me", "Now That You're My Baby", "If Wishes Could Be Kisses", "I Wanna Make You Happy", "Your Hurtin Kind Of Love", and "I Want Your Love Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful collection of modern Nu Jazz takes on bossa, with 14 tracks in all: "Nacer Do Sol" by Kyoto Jazz Massive, "People From The Sun & The Earth (MKL vs Soy Sol Dark Sun mix)" by Calm, "Aracaju" by Modaji, "Plein Soleil (MAW mix)" by Yasushi Ide, "Illusion (Rollercone mix)" by Limbo Experience, "Candomble (Anthony Nicholson rmx)" byUtsumi, "Vai Minha Tristeza (FK & Eric Kupper jazzy vocal mix)" by Tom & Joyce, "Tres Bien" by Jazzanova, "Black Shrine (Waiwan mix)" by Chari Chari, "Searchin' (At Jazz mix)" by Little Big Bee, "Outro Lugar" by Salome de Bahia and "Ms Loneliness (Bougie Soliterre rmx)" by Jazztronik. CD

A set of classic funk tracks from the 70s, all of which have been sampled for some genre or other – mostly used in hip hop tracks, but also including a few that have found new life on club cuts as well! The package is full of classics, all presented in their full length versions – all the kind of cuts that you can enjoy plenty on their own, even if you're not aware of their later reuse in contemporary music! Titles include "I've Been Watching You" by South Side Movement, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Superman Lover" by Johnny Guitar Watson, "Ashley's Roachclip" by The Soul Searchers, "Express" by BT Express, "Heartbeat" by Taana Gardner, "Living Together Is Keeping Us Apart" by Clarence Reid, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "I Got My Mind Made Up" by Instant Funk, and "Fly Robin Fly" by Silver Convention. LP, Vinyl record album