One of David Behrman's coolest albums – a set of wonderful electronics that really lives up to the strange image on the cover – music that moves in these open, blocky passages that maybe take off from the future sound of the German electronic scene of the 70s, but which also have a starker, more spacey vibe overall! The long title track "Leapday Night" features trumpet from Rhys Chatham and Ben Neill – the latter of whom also plays "mutantrumpet" – and the use of those instruments almost links the work to that of Jon Hassell during the time, but with the electronics from Behrman much more at the core. The album also features the long "Interspecies Smalltalk" – which has similar blocky electronics, pulsating back and forth – mixed with violin from Takehisa Kosugi. CD also features one long bonus track – "Berlin NY" – with sound effects from Clara Mondshine, and keyboard improvisation from Jakino! CD

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". CD

Larry Graham and crew are definitely going for a fuller sound on this set – starting off the record with a funky marching band, in Tusk-like fashion – then rolling into some bass-heavy funk that tops even their previous records for tightness! The groove is a key element in the growth of west coast funk in the 70s – bass in the lead, but keyboards percolating in all over the place, in a style that's almost got touches of jazz – and which sets the stage for many of the Zapp-sounding projects of the future! A surprisingly great little record – and one we like almost better than the first few! Titles include "Love", "Mirror", "Entrow", "Do Yah", "Save Me", and "I Got A Reason". CD

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

An insane tribute to one of the greatest female soul singers to emerge in the 70s – the magnificent Phyllis Hyman, a vocalist who first began in jazz, then moved to soul music to help chart a whole new sound for the future – a new sort of sophistication that was key to a shift in the way that female soul singers came across – with plenty of pride, maturity, and subtle power that really comes through in these recordings! Right from the start, Hyman was very much her own artist – as you'll hear in this set, which begins with some of her earliest, jazziest work, and includes a few contributions with Norman Connors – then moves through a rich legacy of full length albums before Phyllis was taken from our planet all too soon! The set features nine full albums, most with some bonus tracks – and albums include Phyllis Hyman, Somewhere In My Lifetime, You Know How To Love Me, Can't We Fall In Love Again, Goddess Of Love, Living All Alone, Prime Of My Life, I Refuse To Be Lonely, and Forever With You. 119 tracks in all! CD

Mildlife serve up a very classic groove, but one that's maybe got more 80s elements than their previous work – in part because the vocals often use processing to come across in a very cool way! The music is funk, but with some nice tightness too – almost a leaner take on the wider ambitious modes of 70s AOR, filtered through an 80s cosmic club aesthetic, all with a sound that's sparkling and spacey all the way through! The basslines and keyboards are great – and titles include "Musica", "Sunrise", "Forever", "Yourself", "Return To Centaurus", and "Future Life". CD

An incredible full length set from Amp Fiddler – and the kind of record that's well worth all the hype it's been getting! Think of this one as Stevie Wonder for the 21st Century – keyboards and vocals taking off in a rocketship for the future, yet packed to the brim with all the best influences from the past! The whole set's got an amazingly well-crafted sound that fuses older funk, future jazz, and cosmic soul into one unified vision that's sure to be one of the biggest influences on soul music for years to come. Tremendous stuff – and the kind of record that can only be best described by a listen. After 3 seconds, you'll be hooked – trust us! Titles include "Dreamin", "I Believe In You", "Soul Divine", "Love & War", "Eye To Eye", and "This Is How". CD

Lovely work from one of the sweetest voices in the Carter Family – sister Anita Carter – nice stuff recorded for RCA in the 60s & 70s! Anita was fairly overlooked as a solo singer throughout her career, at least as far as breakout success goes (she likely didn't lack for the admiration and respect of her peers) – and the material on this excellent compilation by Omni is actually far more engaging than we expected, even as longtime fans of the Carters. The sound is probably a bit too quiet and folksy to have gotten over in the honky tonk scene of the time, and likewise a bit too modern, lean and crisp for fans of the uber old school Carter Family of earlier decades, but it holds up beautifully all of these years later. A discovery we're happy to have finally caught up with! Includes some duets with Waylon Jennings, Hank Snow, Johnny Cash, and the Carter Family. 28 tracks in all: "2001 (Ballad Of The Future)", "I Won't Change For You", "Poison Red Berries", "Hang A Little Sign", "Twelve O'Clock High", "Carmel By The Sea", "I'm Counting On You", "Sweet Memories" and lots more! CD

A wicked reinvention of the sound of Bo Diddley – a set that electrifies his groove even more than before – and takes him into the same mix of funk and blues that Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf were exploring at the time! This album's right up there with the two Cadet/Chess classics by both of those artists – and is possibly even more messed-up too – with lots of jagged edges that push past the usual Bo Diddley groove – even though that classic sense of rhythm is still at the core to drive things along! We don't know who's playing drums, but they've got a nice heavy handed approach that makes these tracks really boom – and the set's in a massively funky style that's taken far too many years to be acknowledged for in the mainstream! Lots of nice ones, including "Shut Up Woman", "Funky Fly", "Power House", "Black Soul", "Elephant Man", and "I've Got A Feeling". CD

The first-ever full length set we've seen from Daniel Maunick – an artist who you might know from his remix work as Venom, or for his ties to the Incognito universe – given that Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick is his father! Yet the sound here is definitely Daniel's own – rootsier than some of his remix work, but with the feature future-sounding elements of those tracks too – almost a globe's worth of sonic elements, fused with more contemporary keyboards and beats – providing a great bridge between some of the 12" releases of the Far Out label, and directions they might take in the future. The percussion on some tracks is especially nice – and maybe ties Daniel's music to some of the global house currents at the start of this century – on titles that include "Sombra Do Dragao", "Until The End", "A Vicious Circle", "One Nite Stand", "Red Doves", "Orbitus", "As Light Fades", and "Amnesia Haze". CD

One of the most hard-hitting Jimmy McGriff albums of the 70s – a raw live date recorded in Newark – and a set that's a perfect bridge between the sharp soul of his Sue Records sessions and his later funk to come! The whole thing's got a gritty vibe the really recalls the sound of a Hammond combo in a small club back in the day – a sense of recording that's different than the usual Blue Note record, and we mean that in a good way! Future Groove Merchants Fats Theus and O'Donel Levy are both on the record – the former on tenor, the latter on guitar – and Jimmy gets plenty of room to really open up and soar on the Hammond. The group also features the lesser-known Ronald White on trumpet and Joseph Morris on alto – and titles include "In A Mellow Tone", "Groove Alley" and "Man From Bad" – and a nice cover of "Ode to Billie Joe"! CD

Moodymann takes a far deeper path on this addendum to his Black Mahogani set – introducing a heady soul jazz approach! The big surprise here is the mammoth, 18-minute "When She Follows" – a track that's anchored by the solid bass and stuttering house beats we'd expect from Moodymann – but the groove shoots skyward from there! It's a languorous, hypnotic blend of those primary elements, plus some sweet live drums, vibes and sporadic vocals that recall Sun Ra as much as they do the soulful house groove we were expecting! The soul jazz vibe continues on the flip, which features the far shorter but similarly jazzy groove on "Rectify", plus some bonus beats and a "When She Follows" reprise. The track list can be counted on one hand, but the sound is as spacious and fulfilling as can be – a big step for Moodymann, whom we hope will follow similar terrain on future releases! CD

One of the richest and most complex recordings we've ever heard from Silent Poets – a brilliant blend of strings, soul, and sounds! The style here is a bit more cinematic than before – taking cues from recent Silent Poets work, but unlocking a new sense of majesty in the music – one that unfolds gently as the tunes go on, and really finds a unique place for itself in the modern sound spectrum. There's a sense of confidence and power here that goes way beyond the last few Silent Poets records – and the initial forays into this type of music have finally found their place, and come together much more strongly here. Shawn Lee delivers a bit of guest work on the record, and titles include "Rock Star", "From Earthling", "Future", "Dumb Girl", "Next Episode", "Man On The Street", "Fate", and "Wonder". CD

An overlooked AOR gem from this cool southern group – one who've got a nicely funky vibe at times, and a style that creates this different spin on LA styles of the period! The vocals have an electrified vibe that works very well with the keyboards and guitar – and there's plenty of soulful currents in the rhythms that almost make some of the best cuts sound like the midtempo AWB gems from the late 70s! Titles include "City Of The Future", "Call Me", "Sunset Eyes", "A Fool In Line", "Little Bird", and "Fat Boy". CD

A fantastic CD collection – one that brings together all five volumes of Stereolab's Switched On albums in one set – a huge collection of unusual material and rare singles! On the original Switched On record, moog, fuzz, and farfisa have never sounded so great together – and although these guys drank deep of the well of 60s pop magic before making this modern-day classic – they also come off sounding pretty darn original on their own! When this gem of a record first hit the world, it was as if all of us were hearing music from the cosmos for years, but could never find a way to make it part of our everyday lives. Then along come Tim Gane, Laetitia Sadier, and crew – and completely change the world for the better! An album that no home should be without – with titles that include "Contact", "Super-Electric", "Doubt", "Brittle", "Au Grand Jour", "The Way Will Be Opening", and "Changer". Refried Ectoplasm is the second in the holy trinity of "switched on" albums from Stereolab – a set that collects together all the unusual recordings and other side bits the group were doing in the early years of their career – standing strong as a testament to their non-stop efforts to forever push the boundaries of electric fuzzy pop! The vocals Laetitia Sadier are completely sublime – almost a bridge between the darker modes of the previous pop generation and all the new ideas of the world to come – when the rest of rock music would finally catch up to these guys, and realize that the best path to the future is through the past! Titles include "Farfisa", "John Cage Bubblegum", "Tempter", "Exploding Head Movie", "French Disko", "Harmonium", "Revox", "Mountain", and "Sadistic". By the time of Aluminum Tunes (Switched On Vol 3) – it had only been a few years since the previous Switched On set, but Stereolab had already created so much musical magic, they needed a double-length record to keep the whole thing intact! The sound here is somehow getting even more dreamy and wonderful – definitely showing their work with the mighty Sean O'Hagan, and also really opening up into all the many musical ideas that Tim Gane was picking up from his never-ending search for unusual records! The 60s swirl through time and space, and make the future sound even better than we could have imagined it – while the Channel is drained, and England and France become one in a genius marriage of pure pop modes. Titles include "The Extension Trip", "How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight", "Space Moment", "Iron Man", "The Long Hair Of Death", "One Note Samba/Surfboard", "Percolations", "1000 Miles An Hour", "Klang Tone", and a great take on the theme to "Get Carter". Switched On 4 is full of fantastic sounds from Stereolab – an assortment of rare singles and other unusual recordings that were mostly issued on their own Duophonic label, and which are far more obscure than their bigger label albums during the same period! Even though Stereolab gave the world some undeniable classics in the late 90s and early 00s, they were also working endlessly, and seemed to record more than they could ever fit on a full length set – which resulted in all the cool singles, limited releases, and other material included here – not dusty tapes pulled from the archives, but beautiful work that often returns the group to all the space age charms of their first few records! The package is huge – 25 tracks in all, of varying length – and titles include "Barok Plastik", "Calimero", "Fried Monkey Eggs (voc)", "Solar Throw Away", "Variation One", "Monkey Jelly", "Explosante Fixe", "Jump Drive Shut Out", "The Super-It", "L'Exotisme Interieur", "Pandora's Box Of Worms", "Retrograde Mirror Form", "Nomus E Phusis", "I Feel The Air Of Another Planet", "Outer Bongolia", and "Intervals". Includes tracks from Duophonic 45s, Underground Is Coming EP, Moog, First Of The Microbe Hunters, and work from compilations, unreleased tracks, and even a collaboration with Brigitte Fontaine! Switched On 5 is maybe the coolest entry so far in this really wonderful series – a set that's overflowing with rare and unusual work from Stereolab – most of it done at a time when the group were riding high on a major label, but still managed to issued a huge amount of music on their own, and work in a variety of collaborative settings too! One of our favorite is their work with Nurse With Wound, and tracks from that partnership begin this set – which then moves into rare singles, work with artists, compilation contributions, and plenty more – all with the usual Stereolab charm, but often with a nicely different vibe too! Titles include "Simple Headphone Mind", "Symbolic Logic Of Now", "Magne Music", "Forensic Itch", "Spool Of Collusion", "Robot Riot", "Trippin With The Birds", "Cybele's Reverie (live)", "Nth Degrees, "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse (Autechre Feebate mix)", and "Plastic Mile (original version)". CD

A wonderful tribute to Suba – the underground electronician who's had such a strong effect on the sound of Brazilian grooves over the past decade or so. Suba's lifetime journey – from Yugoslavia, to Paris, to Brazil – left him with a wealth of cultural influences, and at the time of his early death in 1999, he was just beginning to realize his full potential. You'll get a good idea of how much he had to offer on this album – which brings together the 2 surviving tracks from his last album with a host of other collaborations, and "tribute" tracks recorded for him by other artists. The groove is light and breezy – better than most other recent projects of this nature – and titles include "Voce Gosta mix" by Phil Asher, "Nightly Sins" by Joao Parahyba, "Tantos Desejos mix" by Modern Quartet & Cibelle, "Segredo Remake" by Boyz From Brazil, "Felicidade Mix" by Buscemi, "Sereia, Amor D'Agua' by Cibelle, "Future Primitivo 1, 2, & 3" by Suba & Joao Parahyba, "Lagoa Pinheiros" by Suba & Marina Lima, and "Samba Do Gringo Paulista" by Bigga Bush. CD

One of the best-remembered moments of music from the enigmatic Vangelis – a set that's maybe a bit darker and more moody than some of his other records of the time – thanks to the Blade Runner setting provided by director Ridley Scott! Vangelis works plenty of familiar early 80s soundtrack elements here – lots of keyboards and electronic wash, plus even a bit of almost-cheesy sax at times – but he makes the whole thing sound nicely off-kilter at most moments, with just the sort of awkward replication that fits perfectly with the narrative theme of the film. There's some beautiful exotic currents that are maybe even more captivating here on record than you might remember from their use onscreen – and titles include "Memories Of Green", "Tales Of The Future", "Rachel's Song", "Blush Response", "Lone More Kiss Dear", and "Tears In Rain". CD

A Tom Verlaine double header – two albums back to back on a single CD! First up is the fantastic first solo album from Tom Verlaine – a set recorded shortly after the breakup of Television, but with a vibe that almost makes it feel like the group's third album! The songs are maybe a bit tighter, but no less creative – both from a lyrical and sonic perspective – and Verlaine's got that fantastic sense of edge in his vocals, which can even make some of the nicer lyrics feel a bit nasty – but all at a level that's never overstated, and which should be a blueprint for later generations of singers who always try too hard. Titles include "The Grip Of Love", "Kingdom Come", "Mr Bingo", "Yonki Time", "Red Leaves", and "Last Night". On Dreamtime, Tom Verlaine has lost none of his edge – and instead has almost emerged as one of the most mature singer/songwriters on the New York scene – an underground-to-mainstream poet to match the skills of Lou Reed and Patti Smith! The album's got a vibe that's almost like Reed's work of the time – in that Tom's an artist who clearly knows the path to the dark side, and ways to overindulge – but always instead finds a way to keep things well-crafted and economical, but without sacrificing his sound or his intellect. Titles include "Penetration", "The Blue Robe", "Mr Blur", "A Future In Noise", "Down On The Farm", "Without A Word", and "Fragile". CD

The real sound of the British underground at the end of the 60s – a stellar 3CD package that goes way beyond the oft-heard modes from the classic rock and progressive years! Sure, all the big names from those years are totally great – but they've also obscured the really rich tapestry of lesser-knowns who were working in London and beyond at the time – extremely inventive groups who work here in a blistering array of fuzzy, freaky, and mad mod styles! The book's got plenty of details on the 65 tracks included in the box set – more than enough info to help situate these really unique sounds, and no doubt start you digging for more in the future. Yet there's hardly any need to dig when you've got a set this great – a package that includes "Pretty Colours" by Deep Feeling, "Ebeneezer Beaver" by The Mirage, "Amanda Jane" by West Coast Consortium, "Love" by Shy Limbs, "Santa Lucia" by Respect, "Iridescent Butterfly" by Fat Mattress, "Story Book" by Alan Bown, "Just Another Day" by Neon Pearl, "I'll Be Late For Tea" by Blossom Toes, "Am I Glad To See You" by The In Crowd, "Busy Bee" by Tintern Abbey, "Fillin A Gap" by Paper Bubble, "Creation" by Beau, and "Hurry On Sundown" by Hawkwind Zoo. CD

One of the deepest entries in this long-running series – and like some of the other recent volumes, a package that goes way farther than some of the earlier compilations! The music here is not straight disco or funk – and instead, captures that really hip blend of modes that came into play when mainstream attention wasn't focused on the clubs, and artists were able to really get creative with their sound – using other soul styles and boogie modes to turn out the kind of overlooked gems you'll find within! We're not sure we've ever seen most of these tracks on CD before – and titles include "Love COD" by David Sea, "Sea Of Love" by Rosetta Jefferson, "Pretty Baby" by Mark Mitchell, "Nothing You Can Do About Love (ext version)" by The Blackstones, "If You Want My Love" by The Chequers, "Fool For You" by Tammi Holt, "You Are The Future" by Ben E King with Cassandra, "Change (long version)" by Tanya Love, "Incredible (dance mix)" by Scherrie Payne & Philip Ingram, and "Groove With Me" by Larry Bailey. CD

Crackling with excitement – and the future of piano jazz! The Bad Plus are a totally tight trio that explore the realm of acoustic piano with the same depth and imagination that Medeski, Martin, & Wood once brought to the Hammond. The trio are clearly steeped in pop influences from the past 20 years – but manage to play together with the free-thinking complexity and rhythmic conviction of some of the best French and Japanese piano trios of the 70s. The set includes a few great covers that might otherwise sound gimmicky, but which come across amazing well – thanks to the group's depth and level of execution – plus some even better original tunes that we love especially much! Titles include "Big Eater", "Everywhere You Turn", "1972 Bronze Medalist", "Boo Wah", "Flim", "Silence Is The Question", "Heart Of Glass", and "Smells Like Teen Spirit". CD

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more. CD

One of the coolest club combos of the 70s – the mighty Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – a group with a sound that's a lot tighter than their name! The group's probably best known for giving exposure to August Darnell in his pre-Kid Creole years – but they've also got a sound that's really all their own, and which draws strongly from all members of the group – making them way more than just another Darnell side project. Old and new styles come together wonderfully in the band's music – but the approach isn't just easy retro disco, and instead is often a warmer take on mainstream 70s disco modes – one that dips into the past to pull back the right elements to bring a bit more life to the sound. Arrangements are mostly by Stony Browder Jr, who co-wrote most of the tunes – and titles include "The Gigolo & I", "You Got Something/Betcha The Love Bug Bitcha", "Transistor Madness/Future DJ", "Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon", "Mister Love", "Sunshower", "Nocturnal Interludes", "Soraya/March Of The Nignies", "Auf Wiedersehen/Darrio", "I'll Play The Fool", and "Hard Times". CD

A really fantastic collaboration between Coldcut and a host of South African musicians – and a set that also features a number of key contributions from the legendary Tony Allen! The record uses the older cutup style that Coldcut first forged on the London scene of the 80s – but has lots of live musicianship from an array of jazz and percussion players, plus a variety of singers too – stretching out in this really visionary blend that includes contributions from Dele Sosimi, Tenderlonious, Tony Allen, The Watts Prophets, Nono Nkoane, Lani Sigers, Gally Ngoveni, Miles James, Antibalas, and others! The project comes off way better than most of this type – very collaborative, and with a sound that's very unified, very together, and very fresh – definitely a whole that's even greater than the sum of its parts. Titles include "Freedom Groove", "Broken Light", "Crystallise", "Papua Merdeka", "Swift Gathering", "International Love Affair", and "Future Toyi Toyi". CD

After this one, there was no turning back for Kool & The Gang! The record has them bringing their underground funk sound to the masses – with a choppy riffy groove that stands out almost as a public challenge to all the other pretenders that had been cropping up on major labels during the same time. The band are as tight as they ever were – and they're rolling like a non-stop locomotive with a horn-heavy groove on classics like "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging", while also showing hints of their strong mellow future on the cut "Wild & Peaceful". The album also includes the massive two part jammer "Funky Stuff" and "More Funky Stuff", plus "This Is You, This Is Me" and "Life Is What You Make It". CD

A brilliant standout in a late 60s world of blues rock – a set that goes way beyond what most of Steve Miller's contemporaries were doing at the time – to find a brave new world that's all its own! As before, the drums are key to the group's sound – harder and funkier than most of their contemporaries – with a propulsive energy that really pushes the group past any sort of sleepy cliches, and allows Miller to grab a whole host of other influences, and manage to forge them into the sound. Tim Davis is the mighty man on the kit – really kicking it throughout – and the group also features work from future jazz singer Ben Sidran on keyboards, and an appearance by Paul McCartney on one track too! Titles include "Space Cowboy", "Got Love Cause You Need It", "Celebration Song", "In My Dark Hour", "Kow Kow", and "Brave New World". CD

One of the greatest albums on ESP – and a darkly-tinged document that points strongly towards the future of jazz at the end of the 60s! The album's one of the most focused of the early ESP years – and it features drummer Sunny Murray stepping out strongly as a leader – working with players who include Jacques Coursil on trumpet, Byard Lancaster and Jack Graham on alto saxes, and Alan Silva on bass – all with an intensity that prefaces some of the players' later freedoms on the French scene at the end of the decade, and modes to come during the loft jazz years of the 70s! The horns are never too free, and they come together in a flurry of sharp edges that reminds us a bit of sound structures in Archie Shepp's work at the time – but almost more organic and open overall. Titles include "Phase 1234", "Hilariously", "Angels & Devils", and "Giblet". Plus, the CD also features over 30 minutes of bonus interview material! CD

Soaring piano lines, burning trumpet solos, and soulful tenor sax – all wrapped together beautifully in this obscure Japanese session from the 80s – a date that has all the free-thinking power and unbounded energy of some of our favorite American soul jazz sessions from a decade before! The group's led by bassist Shintaro Nakamura, but features wonderful contributions from trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, tenorist Robert Kenmotsu, and pianist Jeff Jenkins – all of whom get plenty of space to state their case on the album's long and stretched-out tracks. The bass of Nakamura and piano of Jenkins sets up a good modal groove on most numbers – and titles include "Future On You", "Don't Forget Me", "Sweet & Sour Sound", "Evolution", and "A Blind Man". CD

Sublime jazzy soul from Pleasure – one of the greatest groups of the west coast scene of the 70s – and a key force in defining the Fantasy Records groove of the time! Pleasure have a sound that's head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – especially groups on major labels who tried for this sort of blend, but never made it come off that right – usually too smooth or too commercial. The mighty Wayne Henderson is a key factor in their sound – as he produced some of the best tracks with that well-balanced groove he brought to his best work under At-Home Productions umbrella. CD features 14 titles that include "Ghettos Of The Mind", "Future Now", "The Real Thing", "Let's Dance", "Foxy Lady", "Yearnin' Burnin", "Take A Chance", "Joyous", "Sassafras Girl", and 3 mixes of "Glide". CD

Sun Ra's first album as a leader – originally issued on the Transition label, but presented here in its better-known incarnation by Delmark Records! Even at this early point, Ra had a sound unlike any of his contemporaries – large group and modern, but not in a way that showed any similarities to work going on in New York or LA – a voice that was all his own, and already quite boldly stated, even in these early years! The format might be somewhat familiar – an ensemble with horns and rhythm – but the overall execution really starts to open up as the album moves on – with odd phrasings, timings, and unusual moments that live up to all the promise you might expect from Ra. Even Mingus and some of his better-known contemporaries weren't heading in these directions in the mid 50s – and the record is a proud showcase of the freedoms that players were often accorded in the less-trafficked Chicago scene of the time. Horns include Art Hoyle & Dave Young on trumpets, John Gilmore on tenor sax, Pat Patrick on baritone, Julian Priester on trombone, and James Scales on alto sax – and rhythm includes Jim Herndon on tympani, Robert Barry on drums, Wilbur Green on electric bass, and a young Richard Evans on acoustic bass! Titles include "Brainville", "Call For All Demons", "Transition", "Lullaby For Realville", "Street Named Hell", "New Horizons", "Fall Off The Long", "Possession", and "Future". This CD reissue is really well-done too – with pages of writings by Ra, including some poetry! Also features the bonus track "Swing A Little Taste". CD

A double length set – with the complete ABC/Probe recordings of Soft Machine! The first disc features the amazing debut of Soft Machine! It's hard to find a more seminal moment of jazz rock from the British scene – and there's certainly few albums from its generation that stand up as well over the years as this one! The trio of Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Michael Ratledge carve out the future of progressive playing on this excellent set of shorter tunes that still offer up all the hard jamming of later years. Beat group morphs into prog jazz before your very eyes – on tracks like "Hope For Happiness", "Why Am I So Short", "Save Yourself", "Priscilla", "So Boot If At All", "A Certain Kind", "Lullabye Letter", and "Why Are We Sleeping?". Soft Machine Two is sublime early work from Robert Wyatt and crew – a psychedelic accented jazz rock classic that never gets old – and a visionary set that inspired a generation! The heavily fuzzy guitar sound is transcendent on Volume Two – with sudden jazzy changes, augmented by horns, and all done with a sly sense of humour for which the group doesn't get enough credit. The set's broken up into two different "concept" halves – and side one is "Rivmic Melodies" – and includes "Pataphysical Introduction", "A Concise British Alphabet", "Dada Was Here", and "Out Of Tunes". Side two is "Esther's Nose Job" – with the parts "Pig", "Fire Engine Passing With Bells Clanging", "Orange Skin Food", and "A Door Opens & Closes". Wyatt's on vocals and drums; Hugh Hopper is on bass, guitar, and alto; and Mike Ratledge plays some great Lowry and Hammond organ, plus a bit of harpsichord and flute! CD

A very nice little album – and one that moves way past the gimmicky nature that you might guess from the title! The Sun Ra influence is obvious – as it seems natural for the Chicago-based players to show a bit of respect to what's gone before them in the city. The Funkadelic twist might seem a bit more odd, though – but not if you consider the fact that Vandermark's played a heck of a lot with funky jazz combos over the past 10 years, and that Drake can really kick it on the set when he wants to! In fact, the two of them go so full-out on the Funkadelic tunes that you'll be hard-pressed to believe that there's actually only a trio of sax, drums, and bass playing the music! The Ra tunes seem a bit restrained next to the Funkadelic ones – but that also makes for a nice mix of styles on the CD. Titles include "Tapestry From An Asteroid", "Cosmic Slop", "Future", "Super Stupid", "You & Your Folks, Me & My Folks", "El Is A Sound Of Joy", and "Street Named Hell". CD

A seminal moment on the west coast scene of the 60s – a record that has the great Gerald Wilson pulling together some of the best elements that were going on at the time, and also pointing the way towards changes to come in the future! The set's not the first effort by Wilson on record, but it's maybe one of his most classic – and begins with superb selection of members for the ensemble – a lineup that includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Teddy Edwards and Harold Land on tenors, Joe Pass on guitar, and the great Jack Wilson on piano! But key to the set are the rhythms – with the wonderful bassist Jimmy Bond setting up a groove that seems to pull out the best from drummer Mel Lewis – as the pair help ground the larger group with a rock-solid groove that keeps things soulful throughout! Nearly every track's an original, and the album includes Wilson's killer track "Viva Tirado" – a tight jazzy stepper that was covered by many artists over the years, most famously El Chicano – with a Latin-tinged groove that really opens up a new sound in Los Angeles jazz! There's lots of other great cuts too – including "Moment of Truth", "Latino", "Josefina", and "Patterns". CD

An overdue reunion for Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll (now billed as Tippetts) – and a late 70s session that sounds quite a bit different than their mod soul of the 60s! The format here is still somewhat in a soul-based vein – but the sound is much more 70s, and much more "adult" as well – sometimes smooth, sometimes mellow, with Julie singing in a way that's still heartfelt, but not with the clear nod to American soul of her earlier work. Brian's still playing plenty of keyboards, although not getting in as many licks as on his own albums of the decade – yet still with enough space to help transform some of the best tunes. Titles include "Git Up", "Freedom Highway", "Spirit", "Future Pilot", "Rope Ladder To The Moon", "No Time To Live", and "Nothing Will Be As It Was" – a great English remake of a song by Milton Nascimento! CD

Bassist Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen has been the background force on countless jazz records over the years – and when he gets the chance to step into the spotlight as a leader, he always seems to bring a lot to the proceedings! Here, Pedersen exposes the qualities of his bass in all sorts of wonderful ways – sometimes spare and very melodic, sometimes with more force driving the group – a great lineup that includes David Liebman on tenor, soprano, and flute – plus John Scofield on guitar and Billy Hart on drums. Scofield and Pedersen have a way of resonating together wonderfully – and titles include "Future Child", "Evening Sound", "Clouds", and "Dancing On The Tables". CD

A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, LA raised singer Dorris Henderson moved to London in 1965 and was soon singing London's folk clubs, where she met Rensbourn. A solid mix of traditionals and then contemporary folk songs – stripped down and honest takes on "Saly Free And Easy", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Going To Memphis", Something Lonesome", "Mist On The Mountain" and more. This edition includes bonus tracks from a rare 45 – "Hangman" and "Leaves That Are Green". Next is the self-titled John Renbourn from 1965 – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Bert & John is a hell of a collaboration between British legends Bert Jansch and John Renbourn – both working here together to completely redefine the sound of their music for the generation to come! This one album may well hold all the sense of subtle power and possibility that was about to flower in the Brit movement often known as "acid folk" – that reworking of older aesthetics with modern conceptions, and doing so mostly with their work on acoustic guitar – quite a feat, given the stripped-down instrumentation of the set! Bert sings a bit – in that incredible style of his – but the real attraction here is the guitar interplay, which is always fresh, never hokey, neither familiar American folk nor forced singer-songwriter backup material. Titles include a wonderful reworking of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – plus "Red's Favourite", "Orlando", "Soho", "Piano Tune", "East Wind", "After The Dance", and "The Time Has Come". Another Monday is maybe the most obscure album in the collection – a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". Watch The Stars is another great collaboration with Dorris Henderson – an American singer, but one who moved to London in the 60s – where she cut this rare gem with guitarist John Renbourn! The album's got a righteous vibe that's hipper than the usual folk set – with some traditional tunes and some contemporary material – recorded with that amazing phrasing that made Renbourn's guitar so distinct right from the start, with lots of those jazzy currents we love so much – and which really fit the creative vocal approach of Henderson! Dorris also plays some autoharp, and there's a bit of bass in the backings – although overall the main focus here is on Renbourn's guitar and Henderson's vocals. Titles include "Come Up Horsey", "God Bless The Child", "Watch The Stars", "30 Days In Jail", "Mosaic Patterns", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "There's Anger In This Land". Sir John A Lot Of is perhaps one of the best-known albums from British guitar legend John Renbourn – as it was issued widely in the US, and kept in print for a surprisingly long time over the years! The approach here is slightly different than Renbourn's previous records – a bit in the image presented by the cover, although with maybe not as slavish a sound – as John just uses the whole thing to go a bit more ancient than before, in ways that echo the time travel that the whole British folk scene was taking as the 70s approached. The tunes are done in ways that are really beautiful – still lots of the incredible guitar work that made Renbourn such a standout on the scene – plus flute from jazzman Ray Warleigh, who's very different here than usual – and spare use of finger cymbals, African drums, and glockenspiel by Terry Cox. Titles include "Morgana", "Transfusion", "The Trees They Do Grow High", "Sweet Potato", "Seven Up", and "White Fishes". 6CD box features all records in original artwork sleeves, with a booklet of notes – and bonus tracks that include "Message To Pretty", "The Waggoner's Lad", "Lucky Thirteen", "Blues Run The Game", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity (alt)", "Can't Keep From Crying", "Transfusion (alt)", and "The Leaves Are Green". CD

One of those few classic cases where a compilation of tracks was maybe even more influential than the original music itself – as this early 70s collection of 60s material turned out to shape and influence generations for decades to come! Guitar genius Lenny Kaye put the set together famously for Elektra Records in 1972 – as a reminder that, just a few years before, there were some amazing sounds that were not only brewing up in local indie scenes around the country, but also on the radio as well – even though most of those groups had been pushed into relative obscurity by the rise of soft rock, hard rock, and classic rock of the early 70s! The package is a return to the pre-prog years, with an especially strong ear for garage-tuned tracks that would go on to shape later punk, 80s indie, and lots more underground sounds in the future. Volume 3 includes tracks by the Hombres, New Colony Six, the Palace Guard, Lollipop Shoppe, Mojo Men, the Amboy Dukes, the Standells, E Types, and Lyme & Cybelle – 30 tracks total. CD

One of those few classic cases where a compilation of tracks was maybe even more influential than the original music itself – as this early 70s collection of 60s material turned out to shape and influence generations for decades to come! Guitar genius Lenny Kaye put the set together famously for Elektra Records in 1972 – as a reminder that, just a few years before, there were some amazing sounds that were not only brewing up in local indie scenes around the country, but also on the radio as well – even though most of those groups had been pushed into relative obscurity by the rise of soft rock, hard rock, and classic rock of the early 70s! The package is a return to the pre-prog years, with an especially strong ear for garage-tuned tracks that would go on to shape later punk, 80s indie, and lots more underground sounds in the future. The Chocolate Watchband, The Leaves, The Brigands, The Barbarians, Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, The Strangeloves, The Kingsmen, The Knickerbockers, Wailers, Harbinger Complex, and more - 30 songs in all. CD

A fantastic look at the righteous current of energy that swept through American music at the end of the 60s – that huge wave of knowledge and political inspiration that still stands as one of our favorite moments in jazz and soul! The Civil Rights generation had gotten some things accomplished, but not everything – and a new wave of action arose in various scenes of the underground – not just pushing the musical formats past anything that had happened before, but also doing so with a strong message of pride and empowerment! This collection surveys some of the best tracks of that moment – and also provides a great batch of historical notes to put the whole thing in context – done in collaboration with the book of the same name, but equally great as a soundtrack and document on its own. The package is overflowing with Dusty Groove classics – and titles include "Sweet Songs" by Sarah Webster Fabio, "Surtal Ihklas" by Doug Carn, "Vibes From The Tribe" by Phil Ranelin, "Desert Fairy Princess" by Horace Tapscott & The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, "Sounds From The Bush" by The Mandingo Griot Society with Don Cherry, "Is It Too Late" by Duke Edwards & The Young Ones, "Strong Men" by David McKnight, "Black Narcissus" by Joe Henderson, "Malcolm X" by Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble, "Mother Of The Future" by Carlos Garnett, "Red Black & Green" by Roy Ayers, "African Rhythms" by Oneness Of Juju, and "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Gil Scott-Heron. CD

British alto player Ronan Perrett works here with great help from bassist Ferg Ireland – in a bold trio setting that's very much in the same spirit as Ferg's recordings in the same format! The group also has Ferg's drummer, James Maddren, and there's a nicely choppy sense of rhythm to the tunes – which are then given these more complex, swirling lines over the top from Perrett's alto – blowing with a nice shift in sonic quality from track to track, at a level that really brings some depth to the record! The whole thing's a nice chapter in the contemporary London scene – with the sort of lean energy we love in a group like Ill Considered – on titles that include "Who Owns The Sky", "All The Time Engaged In Fantasy", "Phantoms", "Snapperjacks", "The Rest Is Silence", and "Ten Futures". CD