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A classic! Where would electronic pop be without Gary Numan's "Cars"? Alongside Kraftwerk's classic 80s albums and Yellow Magic Orchestra's first LP, this album by Gary Numan ranks as one of the most essential synth driven LPs on a creative level – and it rightly brought the sound to the masses at the time, too – thanks to a brilliant pop sensibility, awash with robotic tones that will forever vindicate 80s new wave. Includes "Airlane", "Metal", "Complex", "Films", "ME", "Tracks", "Observer", "Conversation", "Cars" and "Engineers". LP, Vinyl record album

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The third of three masterful synth rock masterpieces by Gary Numan! Telekon wasn't as massively popular as Pleasure Principle or as trailblazing as Replicas, but we love it just as much, with the icy cool, almost ominous mood of Numan at his best, ever so slightly taking some creative steps into synthy funk, but most often really honing on this darkness-tinged synth rock that he made his name on in the late 70s at just as high a level here at the dawn of the 80s. LP, Vinyl record album

Mostly solo recordings by bassist Gary Peacock, joined by Jan Garbarek on saxophone on "Winterlude" and "Greenwings". LP, Vinyl record album

Bassist Gary Peacock really transformed his sound in the 70s – thanks in part to the smaller settings and more open space of the ECM label – to a point where he was able to bring his approach back to a group setting with a really fantastic record like this! At the outside, the record might appear to be more conventional – but the players within really move with Peacock's energy and inspiration – slowly shaping the sounds in their own ways, with great work from Jan Garbarek on tenor and soprano sax, Palle Mikkelborg on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Peter Erskine on drums. Titles include "Lila", "Thyme Time", "Gardenia", "Introending", "Guamba", and "Requiem". CD

Gary Peacock's bass has always had a wonderful home on the ECM label – one of the few places its deepest, most powerful tones can really come to light – as they do strongly on this well-balanced trio recording with Marc Copland on piano and Joey Baron on drums! All three players are masters of understatement – able to make such powerful movements with just a bit of energy – and the brooding quality of Peacock gets offset through some illuminations on Copland's piano in this really great way – while Baron shifts in these careful, thoughtful modes that greatly accommodate both musicians. Titles include "Gaia", "Christa", "Vignette", "Gloria's Step", "Requiem", "Shadows", and "Esprit De Muse". CD

A beautifully rich session from bassist Gary Peacock – one that draws equal energy from his three associates on the date – all of whom did some great ECM Records work on their own! Peacock composed the tunes, and his spacious notes on bass provide the core setting – but the album really sparkles with sharp-edged tenor and soprano sax lines from Jan Garbarek, some moody trumpet tones from Tomasz Stanko, and unbridled work on drums from Jack DeJohnette, who almost seems much more free of structure than Peacock on bass. Titles include "Allegory", "Paradigm", "Moor", "Legends", "Voice From The Past", and "Ode For Tomten". LP, Vinyl record album

Gary Peacock on bass and Bill Frisell on guitar. CD

Gary Peacock on double bass and Ralph Towner on classical and 12 string guitar. CD

Features Russ Freeman on piano, Ben Tucker on Bass & Gary Frommer on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collaboration between vibist Gary Burton and the legendary Argentine tango master Astor Piazzolla – a key US release for Astor in the 80s, and a record that helped bring his talents to a whole new audience! The record's actually one of the most sensitive sides that Piazzolla ever recorded – and the presence of Burton's vibes really helps shape a whole new sound for the record – one that still holds onto some of Astor's "new tango" modes, but which also opens up with a freer sense of exploration on both instruments. The group appears to be Astor's own – with piano, guitar, violin, and bass alongside the two main players – and titles include "Vibraphonissimo", "Nuevo Tango", "Laura's Dream", "Operation Tango", and "Milonga Is Coming". CD

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Soaring pop from this groovy 60s group – with arrangements by Al Capps, and titles that include "Young Girl", "I'm Losing You", "Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife", "Kiss Me Goodbye", and "Wait Till The Sun Shines On You". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that's a really great showcase for both musicians – Nate Radley on guitar and Gary Versace on piano – coming together with a sense of chromes and tones that's really wonderful, and a gentle sort of swing that doesn't need any bass or drums to help the pair out! These tunes all have a groove, even if it's a bit gentle at times – and the sharper tones of Radley make for a nice match with Versace's phrasing on piano – very different than, say, a guitar/piano album in the hands of players like Bill Evans and Jim Hall! Radley contributed a number of great original tunes to the record – including "Wrong Ago", "Almost April", "Penumbra", "Big Reach", and "Juniors" – and the pair also do nice takes on "Some Other Blues" and "Who Can I Turn To". CD

A legendary sound library set from the 70s Italian scene – exactly the kind of record that got so many folks digging for sound library funk so many years ago! The record's a masterpiece of funky rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and warmer touches – served up with plenty of Fender Rhodes in the mix, plus sweet flute lines, wah wah guitar, and just the right use of strings to give the whole thing almost a blacksploitation vibe at times! The set was billed to the team of Jay Richford and Gary Stevan – but it's actually the product of better-known sound library maestros Sandro Brugnolini and Stefano Torossi, who work here at a level that's at the top of their powers. There's almost a cop/crime vibe to the record at times – and although some instruments solo at points, the real groove lies in the tight vamping of the orchestra – which hits all the right notes to really send the whole thing soaring – often with a nice use of tone and color too! Titles include "Flying High", "Fearing Much", "Going Home", "Running Fast", "Walking In The Dark", and "Feeling Tense". LP, Vinyl record album

The lovely Jane Birkin is maybe most famous for her late 60s duets with Serge Gainsbourg, but the singer's also got a huge legacy of great music as well – both with Serge and on her own! Author Gary Simons digs deep into the long legacy of Jane Birkin's recordings – from those late 60s/70s moments when Serge was writing a lot of her material and handling production – to that surprisingly long run in later life, when after the passing of Gainsbourg, she turned into a creative force on her own – far more so than anyone might have guessed from her early teen years as an actress. Simons presents Birkin's discography in a very cool way – with full color pages that focus on each album, with images of the album covers and other details – plus other notes on the contents. The book begins with an essay on Jane, then runs through all the records – even up to the recent complete CD box set. The book is relatively slim, but hardcover and well done – full color images throughout! Book

Gary Smulyan on baritone sax – with Christian McBride on bass and Billy Drummond on drums! CD

A tribute to the great Pepper Adams from fellow baritone sax player Gary Smulyan! The rest of group features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – who join Smulyan for a set of Adams originals. Tracks include "Muezzin", "Claudette's Way", "Twelfth and Pingree", and "Trentino". CD

Gary Smulyan on baritone sax, Mike LeDonne on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – backed by a string section that includes Mark Feldman and Regina Carter and features arrangements by Bob Belden. CD

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Gary Smulyan on baritone saxophone, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums. CD

A really unique take on the music of jazz legend Tadd Dameron – a set that focuses entirely on vocal versions of his compositions – a side of Dameron's legacy that's sometimes overlooked! Tadd wasn't that much of a lyricist himself – although he did do two of the songs here – while others are written by Irving Reid, Bernie Hanighen, and Jack Reynolds – all with a mix of lyrics that really fit the famous modern idiom in Dameron's music – delivered instrumentally by a core combo that features Gary Smulyan on plenty of strong baritone sax solos, with Pete Malinverni on piano, David Wong on bass, and Matt Wilson on drums. Anais Reno handles all the vocals – and titles include "Sweet Life", "Never Been In Love", "Whatever Possessed Med", "Weekend", "Lovely One In The Window", and "You're A Joy". CD

An excellent group! Features Kenny Barron on piano, Gary Bartz on soprano and alto, Ben Riley on drums, and Buster Williams on bass. CD

Includes "Back Slider's Wife", "Little Junior", "Are We Dreamin' The Same Dream", "In Some Room Above The Street", "I See The Want To In Your Eyes", and two classics that really define Gary's sound – the seminal "Drinkin Thing" and "She's Actin Single (I'm Drinkin Doubles)" – which are a great update of older drinking themed country cuts, but with a much more vibrant 70s approach, one that shows the way that rock music was sliding in to influence crossover stars like Gary! LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album from Gary Stewart – one of those key 70s albums that helped establish him as a rising star on the bandstand and the barrooms – thanks in part to some very booze-oriented tracks on the set! The record's got two classics that really define Gary's sound – the seminal "Drinkin Thing" and "She's Actin Single (I'm Drinkin Doubles)" – which are a great update of older drinking themed country cuts, but with a much more vibrant 70s approach, one that shows the way that rock music was sliding in to influence crossover stars like Gary! The whole thing's great, though – and the record's filled with other great tracks that include "Sweet Country Red", "Back Slider's Wine", "Draggin Shackles", and "Out Of Hand". CD

A pair of country gems from the great Gary Stewart – back to back in a single set! First up is Out Of Hand, a seminal album from Gary Stewart – one of those key 70s records that helped establish him as a rising star on the bandstand and the barrooms – thanks in part to some very booze-oriented tracks on the set! The record's got two classics that really define Gary's sound – the seminal "Drinkin Thing" and "She's Actin Single (I'm Drinkin Doubles)" – which are a great update of older drinking themed country cuts, but with a much more vibrant 70s approach, one that shows the way that rock music was sliding in to influence crossover stars like Gary! The whole thing's great, though – and the record's filled with other great tracks that include "Sweet Country Red", "Back Slider's Wine", "Draggin Shackles", and "Out Of Hand". Brand New is a set that Gary Stewart cut away from some of his major label fame, and a record that maybe has him burning even more strongly in the setting – working with a leaner sort of production that puts him in the territory of some of the younger up-and-comers of the generation, and which also shows just how much his 70s material might have been an influence to them! Stewart's still got that incredible voice that few others can match – inflections that really send the tunes home – on titles that include "Son Of A Honky Tonk Woman", "Brand New Whiskey", "An Empty Glass", "Murdered By Love", "Romona", and "I Get Drunk". CD

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Gary Taxali is an artist with a really great style – a way of taking vintage aesthetics and giving them a more contemporary, underground vibe – maybe a bit like some of the artists associated with Raw magazine many years back, but at a level that makes Taxali's art a lot more versatile across different fields! The book features an introduction from Aimee Mann in a number of languages – but the contents are mostly images – page after page of full color reproductions of prints, posters, and a number of other modes – presented back to back, with no text at all – so that diving into the book is like living in the weird and wonderful universe of Gary Taxali! Hardcover edition is 141 pages, full color throughout. Book

The early 80s debut from singer, songwriter Gary Taylor – also playing Rhodes, piano and synth on this set – filled with nicely grooving 80s soul! The songs are solid, and though he'd go on to write songs for a number of soul and R&B stars, he lets these numbers build slowly into the hooks and choruses. There's lots of bouncing keys and drum machine thump and washes of synth – and nice, funky bass lines. Includes "Down For The Count",, "Just What I Have In Mind", "On The Line", "This Time", "Looking Back", "Special" and more. This CD edition includes the bonus track "On The Line (Long Version)". CD

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A classic from the early days of the east coast club scene – pre-disco really, but with a sound that would inspire countless dancefloors in the years to come! Gary's well-honed funk ensemble grooves it hard through a set of upbeat tunes that includes the famous title track, plus "Do Your Thing", "Slow & Funky", "The New Empire", "Feel That Funky Groove", and "Drive My Car". LP, Vinyl record album

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Two of the greatest things going for ECM in the 70s – brought together on one record! The vibes of Gary Burton are a wonderful match for the careful guitar work of Ralph Towner – particularly his 12-string guitar, which is used in a space that's somewhere between folk and jazz, and which seems to evoke Gary Burton's Tennessee roots in a really poetic way! The style isn't entirely jazz, although that term is the best description for it – and instead, both players find this really magical space together – creating special sounds that resonate with sensitivity and a unique sort of soul. Titles include "Drifting Petals", "Icarus", "Brotherhood", "Song For A Friend", and "Goodbye Pork Pie Hate". LP, Vinyl record album

The genius first album from Gary Numan and Tubeway Army – a set that stripped down all sorts of influences from the early part of the 70s, filtered them through a punkish sort of energy, and came up with a great antidote to some of the more overblown projects from years before! There's plenty to love here if you love Bowie in Berlin, or the offbeat spirit of Roxy Music – yet the record's far more than just a second chapter to that generation – as Numan and the group have a way of sounding colder and more sinister, and really helping give birth to a spirit that so many others would steal in years to come! If you only know Numan's later solo work, you'll be nicely surprised here by the sharper edge and sometimes heavier guitar – an instrument played along with keyboards by Numan, with help from Jess Lidyard on drums and Paul Gardiner on bass. Numan produced the whole thing himself, with further genius energy in the studio – and titles include "Are You Real", "Listen To The Sirens", "Everyday I Die", "The Life Machine", "Shadow In Vain", "Jo The Water", and "The Dream Police". LP, Vinyl record album

Mark Turner on tenor saxophone, Gary Foster on alto saxophone, Putter Smith on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums. CD

Far-reaching and incredibly soulful work from Mal Waldron and Gary Peacock! Both players are at the height of their powers here, and have a warmth and sense of interplay that makes the session one of the best they did alone or together during the time. The group's a trio, with Hiroshi Murakami added in on bass – and the overall feel is similar to some of the best Japanese trio sessions of the early 70s, with great recording, long drawn-out introspective songs, and free unbridled playing that you don't always get on American sessions by the same players. Titles include "Walking Way", "What's That", "She Walks In Beauty", and "The Heart Of The Matter". LP, Vinyl record album

Far-reaching and incredibly soulful work from Mal Waldron and Gary Peacock! Both players are at the height of their powers here, and have a warmth and sense of interplay that makes the session one of the best they did alone or together during the time. The group's a trio, with Hiroshi Murakami added in on bass – and the overall feel is similar to some of the best Japanese trio sessions of the early 70s, with great recording, long drawn-out introspective songs, and free unbridled playing that you don't always get on American sessions by the same players. Titles include "Walking Way", "What's That", "She Walks In Beauty", and "The Heart Of The Matter". LP, Vinyl record album

The rare first solo album from Gary Walker of the Walker Brothers – originally released only in Japan in 1968 – compiled on CD with some equally rare singles! Gary's solo work really is a world away from the baroque noir of his "brother" Scott's solo LPs of the 60s – a buzzing, melodic batch of chiming psychedelic pop with strong harmonies from his Rain band members – which included a pre-Badfinger Joey Molland. Titles include "Magazine Woman", "The Sun Shines", "Doctor Doctor", "I Can't Stand To Lose You", "Market Tavern", "Spooky", "The View", "If You Don't Come Back", Thoughts Of An Old Man", "Francis", "I Promise To Love You" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Wax Poetics is pulling out a big talent roster this time around – covers with Raury and Gary Clark Jr – and inside articles on Leon Bridges, Boz Scaggs, Marilyn McLeod, Kamasi Washington, Onra, John Simon, and others! As usual, the coverage is as eclectic as the artists included – great features on talents both classic and contemporary, but who are often sometimes a bit far from the spotlight – and brought to light with the crate-digging commitment that's always made WP so great! Photos are great, text is rich, and there's hardly any ads in the magazine either! Magazine

A wonderfully obscure set of work from Gary Williams – not the blues singers you might expect from the title, but a northwest Pacific country singer who drew plenty of inspiration from the Jimmie Rogers blues folk legacy – which he then served up with a tighter postwar flair! Williams recorded for a number of small labels in the late 50s and 60s – Verve Records is the best known, and the most unusual, given that they mostly issued jazz – and this collection brings together 34 tracks from the short but strong legacy of his singles, with a surprising depth that really contrasts with his obscurity. Titles include "Death Row", "Alaska", "Manhunt", "Heartbreak Special", "My Restless Rollin Mind", "The Great Northwest", "Walla Walla State Prison", "Such A Good Good Girl", "Branded An Outlaw", "Dueling Green", "Rule Number One", and "In The Prison Cell". CD

An obscure one from Stax – the first (and only?) solo effort from John Gary Williams, who earlier headed up the excellent Mad Lads vocal group for the label! Williams is working here with a fairly sophisticated set of arrangements – ones that almost have a Curtom Chicago sound to them, instead of the usual Stax groove – and we mean that in a good way, as the overall quality of the album's sweet soul arrangements is quite good! The whole thing's light years from familiar Memphis modes, but a real standout from Stax – and tracks include "Lovin You (It Ain't Easy)", "I See Hope", "How Could I Let You Get Away", and "Ask the Lonely". CD

In Bizarroland, low fi pioneer and semi-unhinged cult icon Gary Wilson will put a record out on Stones Throw, and said comeback album will be reviewed in hip hop and DJ-centered publications and receive favorable notices. By Bizarroland, we mean the real world in 2004. The detached, minimalist low fi electro soul frappe of his You Think You Really Know Me, recorded way back in the late 70s, is taken to the next obvious step here, with the childlike melancholy just a little bit more blue. The vocal distortion has the appropriately disquieting effect, as it did back in the day. Tracks include "A Very Small Town", "Linda Wants To Be Alone", "Shauna Made Me Cry", "Gary's In The Park", "Sodus Point", "Gary Saw Linda Last Night", "Electric Depression", "She Makes Me Think Of Endicott", "Hold Back The Daylight" and more – plus the bonus tracks "6.4=Makeout" and "Chromium Bitch" – recorded in 1976! CD

A great reissue of Gary Wilson's self-produced album from the late 70s – a sly blend of styles that is accurately described in the notes as "equal parts Steely Dan, James Brown, and David Lynch." The record's got a strange at-home feel – almost as if Jandek wanted to record a soul album, and called in some new wave producer to make the whole thing fit together. The tunes are quite strange at times, a little bit noisy at others, but mostly honest attempts at soulful vocals, with almost a naive quality that offsets Wilson's occasional anger. Titles include "When You Walk Into My Dreams", "You Keep On Looking", "Another Time I Could Have Loved You", "Chromium Bitch", "I Wanna Lose Control", and "Groovy Girls Make Love At The Beach". Very nicely redone – with a booklet with lots of notes on the material! CD

Includes the gigantic hit, "Dream Weaver" and the lesser known – but just as great track, "Love Is Alive". LP, Vinyl record album

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Pavement drummer's solo outing. CD

Saxophonist Gary Bartz joins the duo of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – bringing a warm sense of soul to their soulful backings – which range from funky to spacey, and do a nice job of capturing the mid 70s feel of Gary on record! The sound isn't the Larry Mizell or Ntu Group version of Bartz – but a warm, spiritual take on alto sax – with strong solo that really soar out over the proceedings, even when the Young/Muhammad rhythms might not be as dynamic – but that's maybe no surprise, given that Gary Bartz always made the best of any situation – and really shines here amidst the Fender Rhodes, Hammond, guitars, and vibes that make up the rest of the music. Titles include "Soulsea", "The Message", "Day By Day", "Blue Jungles", "Spiritual Ideation", and "Black & Brown". CD

Saxophonist Gary Bartz joins the duo of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – bringing a warm sense of soul to their soulful backings – which range from funky to spacey, and do a nice job of capturing the mid 70s feel of Gary on record! The sound isn't the Larry Mizell or Ntu Group version of Bartz – but a warm, spiritual take on alto sax – with strong solo that really soar out over the proceedings, even when the Young/Muhammad rhythms might not be as dynamic – but that's maybe no surprise, given that Gary Bartz always made the best of any situation – and really shines here amidst the Fender Rhodes, Hammond, guitars, and vibes that make up the rest of the music. Titles include "Soulsea", "The Message", "Day By Day", "Blue Jungles", "Spiritual Ideation", and "Black & Brown". CD

A massive collection of work from these important years in music – and even if you don't know or care about Gary Crowley, who's pictured on the cover, you'll find plenty to love here if you dig UK sounds from the late 70s and early 80s! As indicated by the title, the set focuses on new wave and punk tracks – which also means that there's plenty of post-punk too – and the package does a really great job of offering up music that stands the test of time, even though much of it never got much play on American airwaves back in the day – music that really helped set the tone for a generation, and whose effects are still resonating all these many years later. As with volume one, the presentation is great – a very nice package, with detailed notes – and the 2LP version features 28 titles – with work by The Times, Shake, The Limps, Newtown Neurotics, The Slits, Gary Valentine, Basement 5, Dolly Mixture, Liquid Stone, The Subterraneans, Stiff Little Fingers, The Jam, Zounds, The Cure, The City Limits, Moving England, The Barracudas, Penetration, X-Ray Spex, The Limit, Magazine, Golinski Brothers, The Clash, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive collection of work from these important years in music – and even if you don't know or care about Gary Crowley, who's pictured on the cover, you'll find plenty to love here if you dig UK sounds from the late 70s and early 80s! As indicated by the title, the set focuses on new wave and punk tracks – which also means that there's plenty of post-punk too – and the package does a really great job of offering up music that stands the test of time, even though much of it never got much play on American airwaves back in the day – music that really helped set the tone for a generation, and whose effects are still resonating all these many years later. As with volume one, the presentation is great – a very nice package, with detailed notes – and the 4CD set features 77 titles – with work by The Times, Shake, The Limps, Newtown Neurotics, The Slits, Gary Valentine, Basement 5, Dolly Mixture, Liquid Stone, The Subterraneans, Stiff Little Fingers, The Jam, Zounds, The Cure, The City Limits, Moving England, The Barracudas, Penetration, X-Ray Spex, The Limit, Magazine, Golinski Brothers, The Clash, and others. CD

Gary, Indiana is maybe best known as the hometown of the Jackson 5 – but the city also had plenty of other soul singers back in the day – as you'll discover on this really well-done collection of tracks! The set's titled after the Chicago Skyway, a huge industrial structure that links the south side of the Windy City with Gary – and that link is a key one, as many of the artists here have a resonance with Chicago soul too – working with qualities that are often a bit more sophisticated than usual, and not as directly aimed at the charts or the dancefloor – a really special breed of soul music that makes for a wonderfully rich collection! As usual with Numero, the package is as great as the track list – and titles include "Trouble" by General Lee & Lost Weekend, "Sweet Jo-Ann" by El Anthony, "Main Squeeze" by Nate Evans, "So I Can Make This Change" by The Krash Band, "Bridge Of Love" by Lost Weekend, "Give Your Love To Me" by Wilton Crump, "Don't Be Afraid" by Sky's The Limit, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "You Just Be You" by Into New Dimensions, "I Need Your Love" by Billy Foster, "Pleasure" by General Lee, "Night Music" by Billy Foster, "The Look On Your Face" by Nate Evans & Mean Green, and "We've Been In Love Too Long" by El Anthony. LP, Vinyl record album

Gary, Indiana is maybe best known as the hometown of the Jackson 5 – but the city also had plenty of other soul singers back in the day – as you'll discover on this really well-done collection of tracks! The set's titled after the Chicago Skyway, a huge industrial structure that links the south side of the Windy City with Gary – and that link is a key one, as many of the artists here have a resonance with Chicago soul too – working with qualities that are often a bit more sophisticated than usual, and not as directly aimed at the charts or the dancefloor – a really special breed of soul music that makes for a wonderfully rich collection! As usual with Numero, the package is as great as the track list – and titles include "Trouble" by General Lee & Lost Weekend, "Sweet Jo-Ann" by El Anthony, "Main Squeeze" by Nate Evans, "So I Can Make This Change" by The Krash Band, "Bridge Of Love" by Lost Weekend, "Give Your Love To Me" by Wilton Crump, "Don't Be Afraid" by Sky's The Limit, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "You Just Be You" by Into New Dimensions, "I Need Your Love" by Billy Foster, "Pleasure" by General Lee, "Night Music" by Billy Foster, "The Look On Your Face" by Nate Evans & Mean Green, and "We've Been In Love Too Long" by El Anthony. LP, Vinyl record album