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With George Garzone on saxophone. CD

An expanded version of Bill Evans' first album as a leader – and a well-titled set that went onto transform the sound of the piano in jazz! The core session isn't as lyrically free as some of Evans' later classics, but already has an undeniably fresh approach to the keys – one that's modern, yet never academic – fluid, but never flowery – pure genius of economy and understatement, while also at the same time opening bold new worlds in sound. The trio features drummer Paul Motian and bassist Teddy Kotick, and titles include the classics "Five" and "Waltz For Debby", the latter of which is performed solo by Evans – plus tracks that include "Displacement", "I Love You", "My Romance", "No Cover, No Minimum", and "Our Delight". Added to the original album is a full record of (then) previously unissued tunes – mostly solo piano numbers recorded in 1958 and 1962 – on titles that include "Easy To Love", "Some Other Time", "Danny Boy", and "In Your Own Sweet Way". LP, Vinyl record album

The Faithful Brothers are an Israeli duo, but one who come to their debut after years of collecting Northern Soul 45s – decades of listening, learning, and absorbing – all of which really shows through in this well-done debut! The pair work with a very full lineup of musicians – horns, Hammond, and even a bit of vibes – used like you might hear on some late 60s Detroit indie soul single, with soaring sounds over the romping grooves – all of which really do a great job of elevating the vocals! Yet since the Faithful Brothers themselves just handle instruments, they're also not slavish to the singer – and the album's equally strong on the instrumental tip as it is on the vocal one. Titles include "So Low", "Downtown Uptown", "Night Man", "The Town I Live In", "Joy", "They Don't Know", "Let's Break The Curfew", and "Tell Me One More Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little live album from The Fania All Stars – one that's recorded a few years after their classic sets at the Cheetah, Red Garter, and Yankee Stadium – but which still burns with the same sort of energy! The groove here has a bit more of a straighter salsa approach – as you'd guess from the date – but the record still features the cream of the crop of the New York scene, coming together with a masterful sense of power and togetherness! Vocalsits include Justo Belancourt, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, and Ismael Rivera – and titles include "Felicitaciones", "Ahora Si", "Publico Corriente", "Toro Mata", "El Nazareno", "Cucala", and "Yo Soy La Candela". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little electro groover from Fatback – less funky and more beat-heavy than the group's other work – but a great crossover tune with a heck of a pretty hook! Dance version has a nice mix by Francois K, too! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A deep dive into the genius of Faust – material recorded by the groundbreaking experimental collective at their home base during the early 70s, none of issued at the time! The work here stands as a seminal addendum to the too-small catalog of the group's material from these days – and the sounds within really show Faust at their most creative – moving through the kind of sonic territory that you'd know from their records, but presented here as if you've discovered an album that you somehow passed by! Some tracks are spare and moody, others driving and jamming – and throughout the material, Faust show that really unique ear for mixing live instrumentation and studio experimentation – all at a level that was very much their own, even in the heady company of the Krautrock generation. The material was originally part of the expensive Faust box set, but is presented here as a standalone release – and titles on volume two include "Danach", "Lampe An Tur Zu Leutte Rein", "Wir Wollen Mehr Volumen Kriegen", "Arrampicarsi Sul Vesuvio", "As Tu Vu Mon Ombre", "Ma Trompette", and "Dampf". CD

Although Motown wasn't necessarily the best place for an artist like Jose to be recording at the time, they actually did a pretty decent job of keeping the same sort of vibe that you'd hear on some of Jose's best work for RCA during the mid 70s. Titles include "Free My Freedom", "Ain't That Peculiar", "I Second That Emotion", "The Drought Is Over", and a great version of "I Wanna Be Where You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album recorded by Cuban vocal legend Ibrahim Ferrer in the wake of the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon – and maybe the best! Ferrer's vocals are superb throughout – and the production is relatively stripped down, and never too intrusive – even when producer Ry Cooder is getting some time on the tracks on guitar. To our ears, the best musical element may be the bassist Cachaito – whose rock-solid lines ground everything perfectly – on titles that include "No Tiene Telarana", "Naufragio", "Fuiste Cruel", "Boquinene", "Boliviana", and "Hay Que Entrarle A Palos A Ese". This new version features fresh mastering by Ry Cooder, a shifted song order, and unreleased tracks that include "Ojos Malvados", "Me Voy Pa Sibanicu", "Mujer", and "Ven Conmigo Guajira". LP, Vinyl record album

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The keyboards of Greg Foat have a really great setting here in a collaboration with Gigi Masin – served up in a style that's maybe more laidback and spacious than before, yet in a way that makes us fall in love with Greg's electric piano lines all over again! Masin's got roots in more ambient sounds, but the record definitely has a jazz approach at the core – plenty of the increasingly sensitive styles that Foat has developed as the years moved on – shifting from an initial role as a guy who could handle vintage keys, to a point where he's really emerged as a more fully-fledged jazz player overall! The blend of keyboards and a larger sonic palette still has plenty of live instrumentation in the mix – different than a project of this sort by an artist like Bugge Wesseltoft – and titles include "London Nights", "Viento Calido", "Your Move", "Sabena", "Leo Theo", "Love Theme", and "Dolphin". LP, Vinyl record album

Greg Foat and Gigi Masin served up some great keyboards together on their Dolphin album – and here, they sound maybe even more amazing as they play live in the studio – working with bass from Tom Herbert and drums from Moses Boyd – as they stretch out on four long tracks presented in a variety of different sounds! Foat plays a fair bit of acoustic piano on the record – different than usual – but also adds in some electronics too – while Gigi is on Fender Rhodes, but also uses some programs to abstract his sound at times, creating all these cool colors and tones that are really unique for such an intimate live performance! Titles include "Sabena", "Three Piece Suite", "Viento Calido", and "Jubilation". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from Sonny Fortune – emerging here as a strong leader with a spiritual soulful style that was steeped in traditions from labels like Strata East and Muse, but which also worked quite well in the slightly-expanded setting of A&M's Horizon projects. The group here is a well-selected one – with John Hicks and Kenny Barron on piano, Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Wayne Dockery and Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. Fortune really knows when to sit back and let the group groove – but he also burns away strongly on his own solos. Titles include "Triple Threat", "Nommo", "Sunshower", and "Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet smooth funk from David Fostex – a set that's heavy both on 80s boogie modes, and some of the "yacht soul" elements referenced by the title – but which also has a very unique spin of its own! The lineup here is large, although given the names of some of the musicians, that might also be an in-joke – as we're not sure that Herbie Handjob actually played Rhodes on the set – yet despite any question about the origins of the sound, the result is nice and tight – a great contemporary take on classic modes, with a few wisecracks mixed in alongside the soulful vocals. Titles include "Lost My Keys", "Butt Dial", "Glasses For The Masses", "Should Have Washed My Hands", "Livin The Stream", and "What's That Smell Barry Manilow". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty darn big collection of work from the 4 Tops – collecting the best of their early years at Motown on up through the 70s. There's a total of 39 tracks on the set, and titles include "Baby I Need Your Loving", "Ask The Lonely", "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)", "It's The Same Old Song", "Something About You", "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "Standing In The Shadows Of Love", "I Got A Feeling", "Bernadette", "I'll Turn To Stone", "You Keep Running Away", "Walk Away Renee","If I Were A Carpenter", "Yesterday's Dreams", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", "Everybody's Talking", "Reflections", "For Once In My Life", "A Place In The Sun", "Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "It's All In The Game", "Still Water (Love)", "In These Changing Times", "You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart" and "(It's) The Way Nature Planned It". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking sounds from the Norwegian scene of the late 60s – an album that's got George Russell's name on the cover, but which actually features brilliant performances from a quartet who'd go onto become huge names in the ECM scene of the 70s! Yet the sound here is quite different than ECM, too – very full and free – with vibrant work that really illuminates the younger years of these musicians – a sublime quartet that includes Jan Garbarek on tenor and soprano sax, Terje Rypdal on guitar, Arild Anderson on bass, and Jon Cristensen on drums! Some tunes are quite free, while others have a spiritual sense of soul that's equally grat – and throughout the record, all players express themselves in an unfettered way – with visionary performances on tracks that include "Nefertiti", "Traneflight", "Esoteric Circle", "SAS 644", "Karin's Mode", and "Breeze Ending". CD

Funky club from 70s France – a great blend of disco, jazz funk, and slightly warmer soul – all served up by keyboardist Christian Gaubert with vocals but the ultra-sweet Last Exit group! Gaubert's style is right up there with the best European club at the time – tight rhythms, soaring keyboards, and an overall sound that's much deeper than some of the competing work coming from other territories at the time – especially the colder club sounds of Germany. Most lyrics are in English, and sung in an ensemble style by the group – and Gaubert's keys include Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and acoustic piano. Titles include "It", "Man On A Wire", "Sweet & Fool Like A Child", "Sweet Maryline", "Keep On Keep On", "Running Wave", and "Going Ups & Coming Downs". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever cut by altoist Herb Geller, and one of the few to document the work of his group that included wife Lorraine Geller on piano! Lorraine's quite nice, and the rhythm by Keith Mitchell and Mel Lewis is good too – but the real wonder is Herb's alto, which cuts along in a razor-sharp mode that clearly defines him as one of the best players of his generation on the instrument! The set's one of the few times you can really hear Herb cut loose – unencumbered by overwritten arrangements, or by other players in the group – and its his work on the album that makes this record a treasure! Titles include "The Answer Man", "Patterns", "Suppertime", "The Heather On The Hill", and "Love". CD

Classic Savoy bop work from Diz – featuring some sides cut with the orchestra of Johnny Richards, plus some cut with the "Bepop (sic) Boys", a group that includes Milt Jackson, James Moody, Hank Jones, Dave Burns, and John Brown. The Richards sides are great – a bit more swinging than the ones he and Diz cut on Verve, but no less well-conceived. Titles include "Interlude In C", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", "The Things I Love", "Moody Speaks", "For Hecklers Only", and "Boppin The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A key lost chapter in the career of Kevin Godley and Lol Creme – material recorded for the Marmalade label in the years before they burst forth to greater fame in 10CC – all with a very different vibe than the sound of that later group! There's still plenty of the heavenly quality of Godley & Creme material going on here – but with a vibe that's maybe got some of the same post-folk elements as the coolest LA Sunshine pop – almost as if Godley were singing on a Millennium album, but with all the spaced-out, completely sublime approach that Creme would bring to the sessions. Titles include "Cowboys & Indians", "Take Me Back", "Today", "Hot Sun", "Virgin Soldiers", "To Fly Away", "Seeing Things Green", and "Animal Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's as overflowing with energy as the vibrant image on its cover – one of those rare late 60s gems from the Venezuelan scene, from a time when that nation's fortunes were really on the rise, and records like this were a proud declaration of all of its power and promise! Jesus Gomez borrows heavily from some of the big Latin modes of the time, but really gives the music his own sort of special twist – using some of the slightly offbeat elements you might find in the music of some of his contemporaries, like Ray Perez – and turning some nice tricks with the rhythms on key cuts. Titles include the great "Mamita", plus "Ritmo Sabroso", "Sueno De Ilusion", "Amor Falso", "El Rey Del Timbal", "Elida", and "Mi Musa". LP, Vinyl record album

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Funk Doc is better known as Redman. Produced by Diezzle Don. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Hi Records perfection from the mighty Al Green – slightly later than some of his key early hits, but a record that shows Green still taking fire on all burners! Production is by the team of Al and Willie Mitchell – in a mode that's slightly fuller and more updated than before, but still very much that original mode the pair pioneered during Green's first years at Hi – a smooth, rich sound that's never slick, never poppy, and never cloying – and a mode that never falls into disco or pop temptations other singers were trapped in at the time. Backings are by the Memphis Horns and Memphis Strings – with some occasional backup vocals from Rhodes Chalmers & Rhodes or The Duncan Sisters – and titles include "I'd Fly Away", "That's The Way It Is", "Glory Glory", "Always", "Full Of Fire", "Together Again", "Soon As I Get Home", and "Let It Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual groups we've heard from the Lagos scene of the 70s – a combo who definitely have a bit of funk in their style, but also a pretty trippy sound too – one that seems to draw from some of the headier sounds in the UK from a few years before – maybe folk-funk, touched with a bit of acid guitar – set to basslines that groove nicely on some of the album's best tracks – in a way that nicely offsets the unusual vocals! The whole thing's pretty trippy – even when funky – maybe more like some of the Zamrock funk of the period, but very much its own thing too – with tracks that include "Grottic Depression 1", "Change Of Tide", "Doomed", "Funk From Mother", "Grottic Depression 2", and "Bad Times". CD

One of the most unusual groups we've heard from the Lagos scene of the 70s – a combo who definitely have a bit of funk in their style, but also a pretty trippy sound too – one that seems to draw from some of the headier sounds in the UK from a few years before – maybe folk-funk, touched with a bit of acid guitar – set to basslines that groove nicely on some of the album's best tracks – in a way that nicely offsets the unusual vocals! The whole thing's pretty trippy – even when funky – maybe more like some of the Zamrock funk of the period, but very much its own thing too – with tracks that include "Grottic Depression 1", "Change Of Tide", "Doomed", "Funk From Mother", "Grottic Depression 2", and "Bad Times". LP, Vinyl record album

NSI stands for "new sounds from the islands" – and that's definitely what you'll get here from this combo who serve up a fantastic blend of Antilles rhythms and contemporary club funk – all very much in the best spirit of the early zouk movement at the time! There's lots of great bass on the record – often used as the key core element of the tunes, with keyboards, guitar lines, and vocals layered alongside – almost with a quality that seems to echo the way that American groups were borrowing bits from the Caribbean and using it to inflect funk and soul up in the New York scene of the early 80s. The music is plenty playful, and very groovy – and titles include "Turn Your Face On Me", "Steel Ka Dance", "Oui Ce Yes Roger A Ti Wawa", and "Moin Epi Vou". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky fusion from the Brazilian scene of the 80s – music from a time when the best electric jazz was more the product of indie labels like the Som Da Gente powerhouse – a company who really let Grupo Medusa find their groove! The band features some great keyboard work on Fender Rhodes and clavinet by Amilson Godoy, plus some great guitar playing by Heraldo Do Monte, in a style that's much more soaring, groovy, and upbeat than some of his solo albums. There's also lots of great Brazilian percussion in the rhythms – and as with other Brazilian jazz of the style, there's often a bit of vocals mixed in, almost at an instrumental sort of level. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Pe No Chao", "Uma Viagem", "Ponto De Fusao", and "Baiana". LP, Vinyl record album

A really special album in the career of the great Merle Haggard – a moment when he really started looking back to give credit to those who inspired him – and when he was also really able to express himself in a longer format too! Part of the credit might go to Capitol Records, who trusted Merle so much they not only let him record a concept album, but a 2LP set as well – plenty of space for Haggard to deliver some great spoken passages about the great Jimmie Rodgers, his life, and music – then move into some of Jimmie's classics, but updated nicely with a vibe that's very much Merle's own! Given the way that Hag was stretching out his vocal skills tremendously at the end of the 60s, there's a sense of inflection that's perfect for the bluesy currents of the songs – on titles that include "Blue Yodel No 4", "Waitin For A Train", "Mother The Queen Of My Heart", "My Old Pal", "No Hard Times", "Travelin Blues", "Down The Old Road To Home", "Jimmie's Texas Blues", "Train Whistle Blues", and "Mule Skinner Blues" – plus the classic train song "Hobo Bill's Last Ride". CD

A wonderful album from guitarist Jim Hall – different than some of his other work, and with a slightly harder edge! The unique session has him playing in an MPS 60s mode – more straight-on than some of his more airy moments – with a sound and tone that still recalls his work with Paul Desmond or Art Farmer, but a more direct approach, and an occasional groove as well! The trio's as unique as the record – the great Jimmy Woode on bass and drums from Daniel Humair – and titles include "Blue Joe", "Romaine", "Young One For Debra", "Body & Soul", and a great version of "Up Up & Away", which soars to the sky in a way you'd never expect from Jim! LP, Vinyl record album

The title's an apt one, as the session features spare, unaccompanied duets between guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ron Carter – done at a time when both players were stepping into some of their warmest, most sensitive years. Hall's especially great here – and even though he had already built a career out of working in lighter, less rhythm section-based settings, the early 70s saw him moving into even more unfettered territory – and opening up with incredibly personal, sensitive notes that danced equally well with the space around them. Titles include "St Thomas", "I'll Remember April", "Alone Together", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "Autumn Leaves". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – just an EP, but one that features material from the same recordings that gave us his Ever Changing View album – two long tracks that almost act like a ".5" to that original record! As with the full album, the performances here feature a small ensemble that comes together in very gentle, organic ways – modal grooves served up on percussion, bass, and drums – blended with warmer touches on harp, piano, and flute – plus trumpet from the leader, who also plays kalimba and percussion too! The set features tree tracks, and is over 24 minutes – almost as long as a vintage jazz record – with titles that include "Bright Sparkling Light", "Newborough Forest", and "The Tide & The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

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An amazing bit of jazz funk from Johnny Hammond – and one of his greatest LPs! This is the first album that Johnny recorded with Larry Mizell, cut right before the pair of them went onto do the landmark Gears album. While this one never became as famous as Gears, it's got some fantastic moments that are every bit as great – a perfect blend of Mizell's spacey fusion and Hammond's fiercely soulful soloing, with lots of great jazzy changes to keep the pace fresh throughout. Includes the great spacey jazz cuts "Star Borne" and "Yesterday Was Cool", the latter of which is an excellent piece of work by Larry Mizell – plus the cuts "Back To The Projects", "Gambler's Life", "Rhodesian Thoroughfare", and "Virgo Lady". Plus, the CD features 4 bonus tracks that represent some of Johnny's best work for the Kudu label – including "Rock Steady", "Higher Ground", "Breakout", and "Who Is Sylvia". CD

An amazing bit of jazz funk from Johnny Hammond – and one of his greatest LPs! This is the first album that Johnny recorded with Larry Mizell, cut right before the pair of them went onto do the landmark Gears album. While this one never became as famous as Gears, it's got some fantastic moments that are every bit as great – a perfect blend of Mizell's spacey fusion and Hammond's fiercely soulful soloing, with lots of great jazzy changes to keep the pace fresh throughout. Includes the great spacey jazz cuts "Star Borne" and "Yesterday Was Cool", the latter of which is an excellent piece of work by Larry Mizell – plus the cuts "Back To The Projects", "Gambler's Life", "Rhodesian Thoroughfare", and "Virgo Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

Handy's really going for the college crowd here – breaking away from the modernist hardbop of his post-Mingus years, going for a melange of styles put together with a host of hipper San Francisco players that includes Jerry Hahn on guitar and Michael White on violin. There's traces of some of Chico Hamilton's grooves from the same time, but the overall sound is a lot freer. Titles include "Theme X", "Dance For Carlo B", "Scheme #1", and "Dancy Dancy". LP, Vinyl record album

The second fantastic album from Tim Hardin – a singer/songwriter classic that's gone on to have a tremendous amount of pull and power over the years – and for good reason too! With songs like these, Hardin set the stage for so many other singers to come – bringing in a lot of his own personal sense of history and failings, but never in a way that was wallowing in its own weakness – and instead used just the right balance in the lyrics to help these songs instantly transcend Tim's own handling of the words! And yet, despite so many versions of so many of these tunes by others, we still love Hardin's readings the best – augmented here by some light arrangements that set things up personally, yet still retain all the intimacy of the music – on tunes that include the classic "If I Were A Carpenter" , plus "Red Balloon", "Black Sheep Boy", "It's Hard To Believe", "Lady Came From Baltimore", and "You Upset The Grace Of Living When You Lie". CD

Features Eddie Harris on tenor sax, piano, reed trumpet, organ, and vocals – with Ronald Muldrow on guitar, Ray Peterson on bass, and Norman Fearrington on drums. CD

A real oddity from George Harrison – a record of abstract electronics, cut right around the same time as his bigger mainstream solo hits! The record is a highly experimental one – a session that has Harrison working with Bernie Krause, and exploring territory that's much more in the late 60s Limelight Records mode than it is that of Apple – which is quite possibly why the label is listed as "Zapple", not "Apple"! Each tune takes up a full side of the album – and builds slowly out of soundshapes and textures, very much in the manner of some of the best work from the academic electronic music centers in the US at the time. And while the album may be a bit loose and unfocused overall, it's actually got a really appealing quality that we love a lot – a sense of free and naive exploration that's pretty great. Titles include "Under The Mersey Wall" and "No Time Or Space". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lasting moments of genius from trumpeter Jon Hassell – his second entry in Brian Eno's 4th World series, and a set that's even more mindblowing than the first! As with that one, the approach here mixes together electric and acoustic sounds, with an imagined landscape of possibilities – music that sometimes feels as if it's come from ethnographic sources, but other times feels as if it's floated down from the future! Hassell blows trumpet on all tracks, often with a fair bit of electronic processing – alongside lots of percussion from other players, all mixed up by Daniel Lanois in the studio. The sound is almost a more abstract extension of the mixture of jazz and global elements that Don Cherry first explored about a decade before – and titles include "These Times", "Gift Of Fire", "Chor Moire", "Courage", and "Dream Theory". Features the bonus track "Ordinary Mind". CD

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A searing set of southern rock from Ronnie Hawkins – already working here in a revivalist mode of sorts, with backing from the Dixie Flyers and a real blend of Atlantic and Capricorn-styled approaches to rock. Duane Allman and Donald Duck Dunn both sit in on the sessions, and the whole thing's got a relaxed, rootsy rock feel overall – Ronnie singing along with the Flyers on tunes that include "Red Rooster", "Ooby Dooby", "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles", "Drinkin Wine Spo-dee-o-dee", "Lonely Weekends", "Treasure Of Love", and "The Lady Came From Baltimore". LP, Vinyl record album

The "man" is at the top of his powers here – as the set pulls together an insanely great run of music from Isaac Hayes' first years as a solo act – coming on strong with a new sort of sophisticated soul sound that would transform a generation! Hayes had already hit big in the 60s working with writer David Porter – as the force behind some of Stax Records' fiercest, funkiest acts of the time – but as the 70s approached, he broke off as a magnificent artist on his own – full of righteous power, pride, and new ideas for soul music. This collection brings together some of Isaac Hayes' best work for the Stax/Enterprise label – with an especially strong focus on the kind of jams that have held up well for a 21st Century audience – including titles that have either been sampled by hip hoppers, or which represent some of Ike's strongest funkier tunes from the time. Titles include "Part Time Love", "Theme From The Men", "Ike's Rap 2", "Joy", "I Can't Turn Around", "Chocolate Chip", "Feel Like Makin Love", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Walk On By", "Ike's Rap 1", "Good Love", "Rolling Down A Mountainside", and "Theme From Shaft". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album – and one of Joe Henderson's boldest sets from the early 70s! The record features Joe working with a hip group of young Japanese players that includes Terumasa Hino on trumpet and Masabumi Kikuchi on piano and electric piano – and the sextet format of the session stretches way past Joe's other Japanese recording from the time, which was issued in the US on Milestone. This one features very long tracks, with tremendous intensity from both the group and Joe, who's got a real edginess to his playing here. Includes a version of "So What", plus the originals "Sunrise In Tokyo" and "Get Magic Again". CD

Great duets between pianist John Hicks and bassist Ray Drummond – a record done with a really lively feel, despite the spare setting of the date! Hicks always has a very fluid touch on the keys, and the inspiration of Drummond really seems to open him up here – pushing the session a bit more than the mellow, introspective one you might expect – very much in the space of some of Hicks' classic trio work from the time. Most tunes are standards, but they're opened up nicely by the pair, thanks to some warm interplay – and titles include "I'll Be Around", "Take The Coltrane", "For Heaven's Sake", "Without A Song", "A Rose Without A Thorn", "Parisian Thoroughfare", and "Springtime Fantasy". CD

Great experimental work from Holger Hiller – a set that was issued on the important German new wave label Ata Tak, but which was maybe even more revolutionary than most other records on the imprint at the time! Hiller bridges so many different worlds here – earlier German electronic experimentation at an academic level, some of the spacier sounds of the prog generation, and the really creative exploration of earlier ideas in a more personal level that marked the new wave of the post-punk years – using some elements here that would be right at home on a cold wave recording, but with modes that are sometimes more playful, and almost in territory that Holger Czukay would explore on some of his solo work of the decade. The mix of keyboards, vocals, and analog elements is great – and titles include "Jonny", "Hosen Die Nicht Aneinander Passen", "Mutter Der Frohlichkeit", "Das Feuer", "Ein Hoch Auf Das Bugeln", and "Budapest Bukarest". CD

Great experimental work from Holger Hiller – a set that was issued on the important German new wave label Ata Tak, but which was maybe even more revolutionary than most other records on the imprint at the time! Hiller bridges so many different worlds here – earlier German electronic experimentation at an academic level, some of the spacier sounds of the prog generation, and the really creative exploration of earlier ideas in a more personal level that marked the new wave of the post-punk years – using some elements here that would be right at home on a cold wave recording, but with modes that are sometimes more playful, and almost in territory that Holger Czukay would explore on some of his solo work of the decade. The mix of keyboards, vocals, and analog elements is great – and titles include "Jonny", "Hosen Die Nicht Aneinander Passen", "Mutter Der Frohlichkeit", "Das Feuer", "Ein Hoch Auf Das Bugeln", and "Budapest Bukarest". LP, Vinyl record album

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A set that was originally issued on the legendary Vertigo Records label, but one that's maybe a bit more down to earth than some of its cosmic contemporaries – as Hokus Poke have a style here that mixes some hard rock elements with maybe a more pastoral approach – all served up in a way that's easygoing and understated at times, but with top-shelf presentation throughout! Singer/guitarist Clive Benkhorn is great, and he gets additional guitar leads from Roger Clarke at times too – on original tunes written by various members of the group as they come together with this special sort of sonic ear that makes the album more and more hard to peg as the set goes on! Titles include "Living In Harmony", "The Poke", "Big World Small Girl", "Down In The Street", "Hag Rag", "HP Boogie", and "Sunrise Sunset". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Moanin Low", "Don't Explain", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "Stormy Weather" – 16 tracks in all. CD

A really great, but very unusual John Lee Hooker album – one that was recorded in London with backing from later blues rock heroes The Groundhogs – a group who do a really great job here of hanging back, and letting Hook really take the lead! All those raw, gritty charms of Hooker's music are firmly in place – tunes that build with spare but intense guitar, and which have that sort of open, spacious quality of production that makes the core essence of the man himself ring out with all its glory! Later versions of the record added in a few more elements, but this set is the core original recording – with titles that include "Mai Lee", "It's A Crazy Mixed Up World", "Seven Days & Seven Nights", "Bad Luck & Trouble", "Waterfront", and "It's Raining Here". LP, Vinyl record album

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A landmark album that is perhaps the single most influential beat source in hip hop! The record was the brainchild of bongo player Michael Viner – who also happened to be running the Pride subsidiary of MGM at the time. Viner's got a meeeeeean touch on the bongo, hitting it hard and funky like the best 70s conga players – and his approach to the instrument is kind of like a funky update of popular instrumental styles laid down on guitar by The Ventures or on moog by Hot Butter. This album features the classics "Apache" and "Bongo Rock" – both with monster funky breakdowns that showed up on a heck of a lot of hip hop records over the years – plus loads of other goodies like "Last Bongo In Belgium" and "Bongolia". Excellent stuff – and darn hard to find! (We can still remember how stunned we were when we found our first copy in a Canadian record store back in 1987 – and even then we had to pay plenty!) LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the first albums ever from the team of Jackie Caine and Roy Kral – and one of the best, too! The album's got a relaxed, open-ended approach to jazz vocals that already carries all the hallmarks of the Jackie & Roy style – wordless scatting on some tunes, playful lyrical interplay on others, and a focus on Jackie's ballad talents on some of the gentler numbers – all wrapped up in small combo backing that's sensitive, creative, and modern – yet never in a way that overwhelms the vocals. It's hard to match the poise, class, and cleverness of this one – and the album easily set a new standard for vocal jazz in the 50s! Titles include a few great early tunes by Tommy Wolf – the songwriter who would become so important for the pair – and backing is by Roy on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. Titles include "Let's Take A Walk Around The Block", "You Smell So Good", "Listen Little Girl", "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most", "Bill's Bit", "Dahuud", "I Wish I Were In Love Again", and "Lover". CD

Excellent late 50s work by Milt Jackson for Atlantic! Bags & Flutes is very much in the style of Milt's classic Savoy sides from the preceding couple of years – mixing together his jazzy vibes with light lilting solos on flute, either by Bobby Jaspar or Frank Wess, Milt's old compatriot from the Savoy sessions. Piano is by Tommy Flanagan or Hank Jones, and Kenny Burrell plays guitar on the whole album. Tracks include "Ghana", "Connie's Blues", "Sandy", "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" and "Bag's New Groove". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful combination we'd like to hear more of – one that comes from the meeting of Milt Jackson's vibes and the guitar of Wes Montgomery – both recorded here in easygoing brilliance! The session's a nice break from the usual sound of both players at the time – and although Wes played a bit with vibes when working in The Montgomery Brothers, the Jackson approach here is a bit different – more soulful, and a bit more driven on by the rhythm section of Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones, and Philly Joe Jones. Titles include the originals "SKJ", "Blue Roz", "Jingles", and "Sam Sack" – plus versions of "Stairway To The Stars" and "Delilah". LP, Vinyl record album

The title track on this one's a slammer, and the whole album has Leela James really working at the top of her game – maybe using a touch of her maturity to really sharpen her songwriting edge, and serve up the kind of material that really lets us focus on her strengths! There's a confidence here that's great – as James makes no bones about her ability to inhabit a tune, and come across acting like she owns it – a quality that's emphasized by the also-maturing talents of Rex Rideout as co-producer of the set. Yo Yo makes a guest appearance on "I Was Your Woman" – and other cuts include "Thought U Knew", "Good On Me", "Right Back In It", "Satisfied", "Be Your Baby", "Whatcha Done Now", and "When It's Over". CD

A great but overlooked bit of crossover funk from Chas Jankel – guitarist for Ian Dury & The Blockheads during the late 70s! The real standout here is the original version of "Ai No Corrida" – a track probably best remembered from Quincy Jones' Dude album, but sounding even better here in Jankel's original! We're pretty partial to the cut "Glad To Know You" – which is a wicked post-punk crossover tune – almost in the Human League mode, but with some of the playful qualities of Ian Dury's work! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A real turning point in the career of Japan – and a set that really shows David Sylvian coming into his own, both as a singer and a songwriter! The sound here is a complete change from the group at the start – these really wonderful tunes that mark Japan as one of the smarter, more sophisticated groups of the new romantic generation – and one that maybe is even better, as they never had the same sort of chart success, and only let the skills of David Sylvian deepen as they went on – instead of trying to sound more commercial, and grabbing for hits! John Punter produced, and does a good job of focusing on the more subtle elements in the mix – on titles that include "Quiet Life", "Fall In Love With Me", "Halloween", "Alien", "The Other Side Of Life", "Despair", and a nice remake of "All Tomorrow's Parties". CD

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

Music for individual soloists and tape – features performers on tuba, harpsichord, flute, bass clarinet, and percussion. CD

One of the best versions of "Funky Four Corners" we've ever heard! The bass is rattling along at a level so loud and heavy that it's bound to pop the top off your speaker – while Jerry screams and shouts his way through the lyrics in a way that would make James Brown proud, a fact that he even acknowledges when he shouts "Sorry JB!" at one point in the cut! "Soul Lover" is fantastic too – a funky answer song to "Tramp", with a similar hard sock beat, and a hard break at the intro, which is augmented here by conga work! Both cuts are great – and one of the best singles ever by Jerry O! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

JJ Johnson's always a cooker, but during the late 50s he cut some incredible records for the Columbia label – tight bop sessions that still stand as some of his best work! This album's one of them – a real smoker of a set that features Johnson's trombone as the only lead horn in a cool quartet that also includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Max Roach on drums – a crackling rhythm trio who make the record move a lot more than most other jazz sessions on Columbia at the time! Johnson's sense of tone and phrasing is wonderful – unadorned by any other horns, but a very powerful solo vehicle, especially in the company of the other players – and titles include "Harvey's House", "That Tired Old Routine Called Love", "Nickels & Dimes", "Be My Love", "Paul's Pal", and "Commutation". LP, Vinyl record album

Rockabilly legend Billy Joy definitely rocks – hardly a household name in the 50s, but a killer figure in the rock and roll underground – and one whose fame has just grown more and more over the years! The package is a beautifully-done tribute to Benny's genius – and presents the most hard-rocking of his important 50s recordings, as well as a host of unreleased tracks from later demos too! Joy's guitar work alone is amazing, but when it's coupled with the kickass rhythms of the tunes, the music really takes off to a whole new level – burning with the power you'd expect from the classic Johnny Burnette Trio – and that's before Benny's gritty vocals even come into play! CD features 30 tracks in all – including some lost recordings from the 70s – titles that include "Rollin To The Juke Box Rock", "Dark Angel", "Miss Bobby Sox", "Little Red Book", "Button Nose", "Come Back", "Wild Wild Lover", "In Study Hall", "Crash The Party (unedited)", "Spin The Bottle (Nashville demo)", "Big John Taylor", "High High School Baby", and "Nosey Nosey Neighbors". CD

We don't normally dig hippies that much, but these guys are great – and this album may be one of the sweetest we've heard from the Bay Area scene of the early 70s! Joy Of Cooking have a wonderful style that puts plenty of jazz in the vocals of lead singers Toni Brown and Terry Garthwaite – a sweetly gliding approach to the music that pulls the folksy instrumentation of the rest of the combo into hipper territory, and which almost points towards some of the best breezy vocal work to come out of the SF scene later in the 70s. Instrumentation includes keyboards, guitar, alto sax, trombone, and lots of great percussion that punctuates the tunes with an earthy groove, and really emphasizes the rhythmic quality of the work. Titles include "Pilot", "Closer To The Ground", "Blues For A Friend", "New Colorado Blues", "A Thousand Miles", "Sometimes Like a River", and "The War You Left". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first new music we've heard in years from Afro Funk giant Orlando Julius – wonderfully paired here with the always-great Heliocentrics! Orlando's definitely in the lead here – singing, playing tenor, and contributing percussion to the overall groove of the group – which leans a bit more towards a 70s African vibe than some of their other releases, yet still retains all their wonderful style of psychedelic funk! Some of the rhythms have an Ethiopian sense of slinkiness, while others hit more of a full-on Nigerian groove – and the whole thing's never forced, never gimmicky, and instead just the right sort of setting for Julius to re-emerge as a true giant of his generation. Titles include "Buje Buje", "Love Thy Neighbor", "Aseni", "Sangodele", "Jaiyede Afro", "Omo Oba Blues", "In The Middle", and "Be Counted". LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Goran Kajfes has been giving us great sounds in a variety of formats over the years, but this album may well be one of his most inventive – a session of spare, slow-growing sounds done with some very like-minded musicians – Alex Zethson on piano and organ, Johan Berthling on bass, and Johan Holmegard on drums – all sharing the same spacious sensibility that Goran's bringing to the session! Both Kajfes and Zethson add in some especially cool electronics – building things nicely from the background to the front – and the record also features beautiful guest work on violin and cello, both elements whose contributions here are crucial. The set features three long, beautifully-flowing tracks – "Magmatique", "Prije I Posle", and "Unity In Diversity". CD

Trumpeter Goran Kajfes has been giving us great sounds in a variety of formats over the years, but this album may well be one of his most inventive – a session of spare, slow-growing sounds done with some very like-minded musicians – Alex Zethson on piano and organ, Johan Berthling on bass, and Johan Holmegard on drums – all sharing the same spacious sensibility that Goran's bringing to the session! Both Kajfes and Zethson add in some especially cool electronics – building things nicely from the background to the front – and the record also features beautiful guest work on violin and cello, both elements whose contributions here are crucial. The set features three long, beautifully-flowing tracks – "Magmatique", "Prije I Posle", and "Unity In Diversity". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Titles include "Three O'Clock Thrill", "Jumpin' Jack", "Forget Me Not", "Clickety Clack", "It's Just Terrible", and "Tonight You Belong TO Me" – 30 tracks total. CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record