A very nicely selected 2LP set of tracks from Stitt's oft-overlooked years at Argo/Chess! The tracks have him in great company that includes the pianists Barry Harris, John Young, and Ronnie Matthews – and if you know Stitt's style from the time, you know that his choice of piano player made a very important difference in the sound of his playing. Most of the cuts are easily blown quartet material – with a lot of creative imagination applied to tunes that would otherwise be top-snooze material in the hands of a lesser player. Titles include "Ko Ko", "It's Hipper Than That", "A Natural Fox", "Wee", "Reed & A Half", "Flame & Frost", and "A Minor Sax". LP, Vinyl record album

Sonny Stitt's work for Verve was some of his best on record – and this album is a perfect illustration of that bold claim! Sonny's blowing here in a wonderful style – a bit more restrained than on his early bop sides, more complicated than on his later soul jazz sessions, and all together totally solid, totally in-the-pocket – with not a note out of place, nor a moment of superfluous blowing on the set. Stitt's extremely confident here – dominating the intimate quartet setting with lots of fire, warmth, and imagination. The rhythm section includes Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – and tracks include "Sonny's Tune", "Down Home Blues", "Alone Together", and "Norman's Blues". CD

Sonny Stitt's work for Verve was some of his best on record – and this album is a perfect illustration of that bold claim! Sonny's blowing here in a wonderful style – a bit more restrained than on his early bop sides, more complicated than on his later soul jazz sessions, and all together totally solid, totally in-the-pocket – with not a note out of place, nor a moment of superfluous blowing on the set. Stitt's extremely confident here – dominating the intimate quartet setting with lots of fire, warmth, and imagination. The rhythm section includes Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – and tracks include "Sonny's Tune", "Down Home Blues", "Alone Together", and "Norman's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Head to head blowing from Sonny Sitt and Paul Gonsalves – just the kind of twin-horn performance that Stitt was famous for in his live battle days, and one that also reminds us that Gonsalves can be a very loose swinger when he wants to be! The tracks are all long, and played with the sort of feel you'd hear if you caught these guys live at some small southside club – and the solos also show the kind of inventiveness and imagination you'd catch in that sort of setting – backed by a swinging rhythm combo that features Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Titles include a version of "Perdido" that's nearly 13 minutes long – plus "Stardust", "Sposin", "Salt & Pepper", and "Theme From Lord Of The Flies". CD

Head to head blowing from Sonny Sitt and Paul Gonsalves – just the kind of twin-horn performance that Stitt was famous for in his live battle days, and one that also reminds us that Gonsalves can be a very loose swinger when he wants to be! The tracks are all long, and played with the sort of feel you'd hear if you caught these guys live at some small southside club – and the solos also show the kind of inventiveness and imagination you'd catch in that sort of setting – backed by a swinging rhythm combo that features Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Titles include a version of "Perdido" that's nearly 13 minutes long – plus "Stardust", "Sposin", "Salt & Pepper", and "Theme From Lord Of The Flies". LP, Vinyl record album

Head to head blowing from Sonny Sitt and Paul Gonsalves – just the kind of twin-horn performance that Stitt was famous for in his live battle days, and one that also reminds us that Gonsalves can be a very loose swinger when he wants to be! The tracks are all long, and played with the sort of feel you'd hear if you caught these guys live at some small southside club – and the solos also show the kind of inventiveness and imagination you'd catch in that sort of setting – backed by a swinging rhythm combo that features Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Titles include a version of "Perdido" that's nearly 13 minutes long – plus "Stardust", "Sposin", "Salt & Pepper", and "Theme From Lord Of The Flies". Also features the full bonus album – Now! CD

A sweet Japanese piano trio session, but one with a great added kick – thanks to the conga work of Yohichi Ogawa, who's rhythms really bring a lot to the trio of Kunhiko Sugano on piano, Eizoh Honda on bass, and Teruhiko Takada on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have that fluid, open vibe we always love in Sugano's music – a blend of lyrical imagination, gentle swing, and really freewheeling energy that shows up especially well on the longer tracks on the set! Titles include versions of "Wave", "Summertime", and "Menina Moca" – plus the original "Blues". CD

Frankie, Frankie – OW! Take a broken-down synth, some crazy vocals, and a rich sense of imagination – and you've got one of the seminal groups of the New York scene of the early punk years. Suicide were a key bridge between earlier prog underground sounds and the art-rock punk styles that were coming out of New York in the late 70s – and one that was in a space that was completely their own – and still is, after all the decades since the release of this record! With this one landmark album, the band completely dismantled the cold German prog synth of groups like Kraftwerk, La Dusseldorf, and Tangerine Dream – and created a wild sound of spare anguish that brought a whole new dimension to punk rock. The album has got to be one of the top 50 "must have" rock records of all time – and titles include the cuts "Ghost Rider", "Rocket USA", "Johnny", "Frankie Teardrop", "Che", and "Cheree". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record – not only for the early trumpet work of Ira Sullivan, but also for the presence of tenorist Nicky Hill – an under-recorded legend from the Chicago scene of the 50s! The set features Sullivan in extremely tight bop formation – working on longer tracks that represent some of his greatest work on record – studio sides, but done with the sense of on-the-fly imagination of his landmark live dates. Hill's a great partner on this date – a player whose edge and timing really makes things bristle, and a reminder that Chicago had a lot of great jazz to offer the world back in the day! Rhythm is by Jodie Christian on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, and Wilbur Campbell on drums – and titles include "Nicky's Tune #3", "Wilbur's Tune #2", "My Secret Love", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "Nicky's Tune #2", and "Mock & Roll Blues". CD

A wonderful biography of one of the most colorful and significant figures in modern music. There's no need for us to go into the impact Sun Ra's music has made in the realm of the sort of records our pages are filled with – in spite of the mainstream musical audience's ignorance of his vast and important oeuvre – and the story of his life is equally as engrossing, filled with as much mystery and imagination as the sounds he left behind on record! Until this book, so much of the story of Ra was just legend, and difficult to penetrate in the veil between fact and fantasy – but author John Szwed did a landmark job of getting to the real story, unearthing an insane amount of details, and doing a fair bit of interviews for the project – which took many years to put together. This edition of the book is huge – with a new forward, a discography in the back, and a section of photos in the middle. 476 pages, softcover. Book

A brilliant early album from pianist Aki Takase – already at the top of her game with an amazing command of the keyboard – a reach and sense of imagination that almost opens into the freewheeling territory of Cecil Taylor, but one that's also got a lot of room for gentler, more sensitive moments – which makes the balance of expression on the album a real delight! The tracks are all quite long, and there's some equally wonderful work on bass from Nobuyoshi Ino – a player whose thoughtful qualities really open up the piano, and also provide some soulful grounding for the record next to the drums of Takeo Moriyama. Tracks include "Mountain Forest", "Minerva's Owl", "Monologue", and "Song For Hope". CD

A brilliant early album from pianist Aki Takase – already at the top of her game with an amazing command of the keyboard – a reach and sense of imagination that almost opens into the freewheeling territory of Cecil Taylor, but one that's also got a lot of room for gentler, more sensitive moments – which makes the balance of expression on the album a real delight! The tracks are all quite long, and there's some equally wonderful work on bass from Nobuyoshi Ino – a player whose thoughtful qualities really open up the piano, and also provide some soulful grounding for the record next to the drums of Takeo Moriyama. Tracks include "Mountain Forest", "Minerva's Owl", "Monologue", and "Song For Hope". LP, Vinyl record album

A really tremendous album from The Talking Heads – and a set that moves far past their already-great early records, to really show a rhythmic complexity we never would have expected! Brian Eno is helping the group in the studio again here, and the record really shows both David Byrne and Eno's late 70s fascination with global rhythms – elements that are often used in spare, simple little ways to really help inflect the tunes with a playful imagination that goes way beyond the colder post-punk and new wave of most of their contemporaries! The balance of previous aesthetics with these new grooves is wonderful – heard to great effect on the classic club cut "I Zimbra" – but brewing up strongly underneath on gems that include "Mind", "Paper", "Cities", "Life During Wartime", "Memories Can't Wait", "Air", "Heaven", "Animals", "Electric Guitar", and "Drugs". CD

A really tremendous album from The Talking Heads – and a set that moves far past their already-great early records, to really show a rhythmic complexity we never would have expected! Brian Eno is helping the group in the studio again here, and the record really shows both David Byrne and Eno's late 70s fascination with global rhythms – elements that are often used in spare, simple little ways to really help inflect the tunes with a playful imagination that goes way beyond the colder post-punk and new wave of most of their contemporaries! The balance of previous aesthetics with these new grooves is wonderful – heard to great effect on the classic club cut "I Zimbra" – but brewing up strongly underneath on gems that include "Mind", "Paper", "Cities", "Life During Wartime", "Memories Can't Wait", "Air", "Heaven", "Animals", "Electric Guitar", and "Drugs". LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more percussion, horns, electronics, and some of those elements from funk and global music that were such a continuing influence. Here, the group's fresh out of school, filled with imagination, and able to do so much with just a little – all led by Byrne's fantastic sense of songwriting and presentation – in a mode that's completely his own. The record's not punk, not new wave, and still continues to be in its own space of inventiveness, imagination, and forthright lyricism. Every song's a classic – and titles include "Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town", "New Feeling", "Tentative Decisions", "Happy Day", "Who Is It", "No Compassion", "The Book I Read", "Don't Worry About The Government", "First Week/Last Week Carefree", "Psycho Killer", and "Pulled Up". CD

The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more percussion, horns, electronics, and some of those elements from funk and global music that were such a continuing influence. Here, the group's fresh out of school, filled with imagination, and able to do so much with just a little – all led by Byrne's fantastic sense of songwriting and presentation – in a mode that's completely his own. The record's not punk, not new wave, and still continues to be in its own space of inventiveness, imagination, and forthright lyricism. Every song's a classic – and titles include "Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town", "New Feeling", "Tentative Decisions", "Happy Day", "Who Is It", "No Compassion", "The Book I Read", "Don't Worry About The Government", "First Week/Last Week Carefree", "Psycho Killer", and "Pulled Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of work from this legendary pianist – material that's issued here for the very first time, but which may well top some of the most important albums in Art Tatum's catalog! As with his classic 20th Century material, the setting here is a live one – the Blue Note club in Chicago, where Art is working with a trio that features Slam Stewart on bass and Everett Barksdale on guitar – a really cool group in that it features no drums at all, which is maybe no surprise, given the inherently rhythmic pulse that Art brings to the material! The whole thing is great – crisp, clear, and full of imagination – and the expanded package also features great notes that really benefit the recordings – a huge amount of tracks that include "Air Mail Special", "What Does It Take", "Crazy Rhythm", "Tea For Two", "The Man I Love", "Where Or When", "Night & Day", "Body & Soul", "Laura", "Humoresque", "Dark Eyes", "Judy", "Tabu", and "Lover". CD

A beautiful set of work from this legendary pianist – material that's issued here for the very first time, but which may well top some of the most important albums in Art Tatum's catalog! As with his classic 20th Century material, the setting here is a live one – the Blue Note club in Chicago, where Art is working with a trio that features Slam Stewart on bass and Everett Barksdale on guitar – a really cool group in that it features no drums at all, which is maybe no surprise, given the inherently rhythmic pulse that Art brings to the material! The whole thing is great – crisp, clear, and full of imagination – and the expanded package also features great notes that really benefit the recordings – a huge amount of tracks that include "Air Mail Special", "What Does It Take", "Crazy Rhythm", "Tea For Two", "The Man I Love", "Where Or When", "Night & Day", "Body & Soul", "Laura", "Humoresque", "Dark Eyes", "Judy", "Tabu", and "Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from Cecil Taylor – a Japanese album that captures the pianist at the peak of his power – when he was breaking through into this amazing new territory in improvised music, with energy and dexterity that's completely unlike anyone else! Taylor in the 60s was great, but Taylor in the 70s – especially here – is mindblowing – as he attacks the piano with this reach and sense of imagination that would have blown away any of the big cockrock guitar heroes of the decade – all with a style that might sound like chaos at first listen, but which has this incredible understanding of notes, sounds, and colors – all effortlessly cascading from Cecil's fingers throughout! The album was recorded live in Lino Hall, Tokyo, at 2 in the morning – and titles include "Lono", "Choral Of Voice (Elesion)", "First Layer", and "Asapk In Ame". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little collection of work by the Temptations – stretching back to their early days at Motown, and sticking with the group through the 70s, and into the early 90s. The package is quite nicely done – better than the average Motown "best of" – and titles include "It's Growing", "Psychedelic Shack", "Superstar", "Just My Imagination", "Hey Girl", "Let Your Hair Down", "Shakey Ground", "Power", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "Cloud Nine", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Runaway Child Running Wild", "I Can't Get Next To You", "Ball Of Confusion", "Don't Look Back", and "Dream Come True". Steppers take note: the CD also features the 12" surgery mix of "The Joneses". 27 tracks, with rare photos, and new notes by Otis Williams! CD

A really fantastic album from tenorist Harold Land – a very rare Japanese set that may well blow away even his best albums of the 70s! The record features pianist Makoto Tarashita in the lead – a strongly spiritual player with a nicely modal sensibility – spun out over long tracks that have wonderful energy, and which seem to set Land loose on these solos that are full of life and imagination, and a sense of soul that he doesn't always bring to the studio! The rest of the group features Yasushi Yoneki on bass, Mike Reznikoff on drums, and Takayuki Koizumi on percussion – and the percussion really adds a lot to the songs, picking up the rhythmic core, while also giving them a nicely organic vibe too. Titles include "Dragon Dance", "Takeuma", "Crossing", "World Peace", "Dear Friends", and "I Ha To Bo". CD

The title gets it right on this one – as the set's one of Cal's greatest straight jazz albums of the early years – done in a harder, and more soulful mode than some of his Latin-based sets from the time! The album features 2 different groups, both of them great – a main quintet that includes Brew Moore on tenor and Sonny Clarke on piano – and an additional quartet that features Bob Collins on trombone and Eddie Duran on guitar. The use of horns on the set is a nice change from some of the heavily percussive styles of Cal's other Fantasy records – and Moore's work on the album is especially nice, with some strong tenor moments that really make the album! Titles include "Moten Swing", "I've Never Been In Love Before", "Imagination", "I'll Know", "Brew's Blues", "A Minor Goof", and "How About You". CD

A massive set of work from trumpeter Charles Tolliver – a 3CD package that contains seminal live work from Tolliver's Strata East years, plus bonus previously unreleased titles from the concerts! The first half of the collection features work from Tolliver's seminal Live At Slug's albums – both recorded on the same night in 1970, and done with a free-thinking, spiritually soaring energy that set a whole new tone for live jazz in the 70s! For the records, Tolliver fronts the classic Music Inc lineup – a group that includes Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jimmy Hopps on drums. Tolliver is stunning on trumpet – and he and Cowell handle the majority of the solos with the kind of imagination that characterized this strong point in both of their careers. Slugs titles include the previously unissued "On The Nile", "Ruthie's Heart", and "Repetition" – plus "Drought", "Felicite", "Orientale", and "Spanning". Next up is the equally great Live In Tokyo album – recorded 3 years later with a similar group that includes Cowell on piano, Clint Houston on bass, and Clifford Barbaro on drums – and although Tolliver's trumpet solos are always a treat, the interplay between Houston's bass and Cowell's piano is enough reason to buy the record! The highlight of the album is a great take of Cowell's modal groover "Effi", but the set also contains some masterful compositions by Tolliver – long versions of "Truth", "Stretch", and "Drought". Previously unissued titles include "Our Second Father", "Impact", and "Earl's World". Complicated, spiritual work – even more so than some of Tolliver's studio sessions! CD

Great live work from Mel Torme – a 2CD set that features his best concert performances of the 50s! CD 1 features a live date originally issued on Decca – a whopping 20 track set that's done with spare backings from the Al Pellegrini Trio – possibly the most stripped-down Torme recording from these early years, delivered with an intimacy that's quite different than some of Mel's work on Bethlehem! Pellegrini plays mostly piano, but also a bit of clarinet too – given that Torme also handles a bit of piano – and the backings are always somewhat light, so that Mel's voice really dominates the proceedings. Titles include "County Fair", "Goody Goody", "You're Driving Me Crazy", "Jeepers Creepers", "Imagination", "Get Happy", "Get Out Of Town", and "From This Moment On". CD 2 features two albums' worth of material – a performance at the Crescendo from 1957 that was issued on the albums Mel Torme At The Crescendo and Songs For Any Taste – done in the same jazzy style as his studio albums for the Bethlehem label from the 50s! The combo behind Mel is a smallish one – Marty Paich on piano and arrangements, Larry Bunker on vibes, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Max Bennett on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums – and the arrangements here all have that great mix of sensitivity and swing that Paich was first showing at the time – an approach that really helped Torme hit new levels in his music! Tracks include "Love Is Just A Bug", "Just One Of Those Things", "The Tender Trap", "I'm Beginning To See The Light", "Home By The Sea", "It's De-Lovely", "Taking A Chance On Love", "Nobody's Heart", "Manhattan", and "One For My Baby". CD

A great "birth of the cool" album from Capitol – a 10" record that brings together some key recordings from that pivotal jazz year of 1949! Titles include "Imagination" by a large group with Bill Harris in the lead on trombone; "Wow", "Marionette", and "Yesterdays" from a great Lennie Tristano group with Warne Marsh on tenor, Lee Konitz on alto, and Billy Bauer on guitar; "Boplicity" by Miles Davis with JJ Johnson and Lee Konitz; and "Penthouse Serenade", "Extrovert", and "Good For Nothin Joe" by a quintet with Buddy DeFranco on clarinet and Teddy Cohen on vibes. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Stanley Turrentine albums ever – a hard-blown session that's been one of our favorite Blue Notes for years! Turrentine's tone here is amazing – really raspy and earthy, with a quality that never shows up much in later recordings – a mode that's incredibly focused, yet deeply personal – stepping out with equal parts of gritty groove and creative imagination. The group's a perfect one too – with Horace Parlan really setting fire to the keys of the piano, and the team of George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums giving Stan some super-tight rhythmic backing. The record is incredible, and the kind that keeps us hanging for every moment that it's on – and titles include "Journey Into Melody", "Return Engagement", "Little Sheri", "Tiny Capers", "Minor Chant", and "Look Out". CD

As pure a distillation of McCoy Tyner's lyrical vision as one could ever hope for – a brilliant early standout session for the pianist as a leader! McCoy is backed up here by the energetic drumming of Elvin Jones – with whom he shares a natural empathy from their many years together under Coltrane – as well as the incomparable bass of Ron Carter, and the spirited tenor of Joe Henderson – both players who make the quartet date explode with a fresh sense of imagination – the kind of work that has McCoy stepping out strongly from the shadows of The Great One, into a hip space of his own. The set glistens with 5 Tyner originals – including "Passion Dance", "Four By Five", "Contemplation" and "Search for Peace" – all of which point towards new directions in the post-Coltrane years! LP, Vinyl record album

As pure a distillation of McCoy Tyner's lyrical vision as one could ever hope for – a brilliant early standout session for the pianist as a leader! McCoy is backed up here by the energetic drumming of Elvin Jones – with whom he shares a natural empathy from their many years together under Coltrane – as well as the incomparable bass of Ron Carter, and the spirited tenor of Joe Henderson – both players who make the quartet date explode with a fresh sense of imagination – the kind of work that has McCoy stepping out strongly from the shadows of The Great One, into a hip space of his own. The set glistens with 5 Tyner originals – including "Passion Dance", "Four By Five", "Contemplation" and "Search for Peace" – all of which point towards new directions in the post-Coltrane years! CD

As pure a distillation of McCoy Tyner's lyrical vision as one could ever hope for – a brilliant early standout session for the pianist as a leader! McCoy is backed up here by the energetic drumming of Elvin Jones – with whom he shares a natural empathy from their many years together under Coltrane – as well as the incomparable bass of Ron Carter, and the spirited tenor of Joe Henderson – both players who make the quartet date explode with a fresh sense of imagination – the kind of work that has McCoy stepping out strongly from the shadows of The Great One, into a hip space of his own. The set glistens with 5 Tyner originals – including "Passion Dance", "Four By Five", "Contemplation" and "Search for Peace" – all of which point towards new directions in the post-Coltrane years! CD

Really great stuff from bassist Matt Ulery – a player with an imagination as rich as his sound, and an artist who's really becoming a force on the scene here in Chicago! Matt works here in that mix of arrangements and freedom used by some of his contemporaries on the left side of the scene – but he's also got a wider vision, too – one that has the longer pieces stretching out with a compositional vision that goes way beyond just small combo jazz – a really wonderful sense of tones, timings, and layers – served up by a quintet that includes Geoff Bradfield on bass clarinet, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Rob Clearfield on piano and accordion, and Jon Dellemyer on drums. The mix of bass clarinet and trumpet is wonderful – all fluttery and shimmery over the blocky rhythms of the group – and the record has a bold sense of energy that never lets up. Titles include "In Every Lonely Chamber", "Coriander", "Over Under Other", "My Favorite Stranger", "Carefree", and "All The Riven". CD

A wonderful sound library set from the great Piero Umiliani – and a record that's filled with some of his coolest electronics ever! The feel of the record is very much in keeping with the image on the cover – kind of sci fi, but kind of playful too – a wonderful blend of keyboards and moogy bits, often played with a cool little groove – but one that's laidback enough to recall Umiliani's best soundtrack music! Tunes are relatively short – between one and four minutes in length – but really have a great sense of variety and imagination – at a level that goes way beyond some of the overdone repetition you might find in other albums of this nature. Really great all the way through – with cuts that include "Futuristic Jam", "Killer Robot", "Soft Key", "Bric Brac", "Soundmaker Blues", "Gadget", "Danza Galattica", and "Jingle No 1". CD

A wonderful sound library set from the great Piero Umiliani – and a record that's filled with some of his coolest electronics ever! The feel of the record is very much in keeping with the image on the cover – kind of sci fi, but kind of playful too – a wonderful blend of keyboards and moogy bits, often played with a cool little groove – but one that's laidback enough to recall Umiliani's best soundtrack music! Tunes are relatively short – between one and four minutes in length – but really have a great sense of variety and imagination – at a level that goes way beyond some of the overdone repetition you might find in other albums of this nature. Really great all the way through – with cuts that include "Futuristic Jam", "Killer Robot", "Soft Key", "Bric Brac", "Soundmaker Blues", "Gadget", "Danza Galattica", and "Jingle No 1". LP, Vinyl record album

The first three albums by Undisputed Truth – finally on CD, with bonus tracks too! First up is the amazing debut of Undisputed Truth – one of the coolest new Motown groups of the 70s – and one of the few that really continued the experimental legacy of the label in the late 60s! As with the Temptations during their psychedelic years, Undisputed Truth are handled by superproducer Norman Whitfield – who does a fantastic job of mixing deeper ideas and righteous themes with some of the soaring soul that was the Motown stock in trade – a wonderful blend that made these guys one of the best groups poised to push the label into the new decade! Titles include the huge hit "Smiling Faces Sometimes", plus lots of covers of cool tracks like "California Soul", "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ball Of Confusion", and "You Got The Love I Need". Law Of The Land is an unstoppable groove from The Undisputed Truth – a group who worked with Norman Whitfield in the same psychedelic soul territory as The Temptations – and who arguably got the sound across even better than them! This set's not as much of a bit hit as the group's other records from the time – but that makes it sound even fresher and more fierce – loads of those hard-rolling basslines you'd expect from Whitfield's production – and some soaring arrangements from Paul Riser and David Van DePitte, both of whom give the album a sense of majesty to match its inherent righteousness. Titles include "Law of The Land" and "Mama I Got A Brand New Thing" – plus covers of Temps tunes "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Just My Imagination" – and other covers that include "Love & Happiness", "If I Die", "Feelin' Alright", and "Killing Me Softly", done in the full soul mode of the group. Down To Earth features Undisputed Truth at the height of their powers – still working in the psychedelic soul style they forged with Norman Whitfield at the end of the 60s – but with a groove that's tighter and sharper than ever before! We might well call the record the funkiest the group ever cut – as Whitfield's production really brings the rhythms into strong focus, while still letting the righteous message in the lyrics shine through in the group's strong sense of interplay – that back/forth between male and female vocals that really helps the group create a sense of social conversation. Titles include the Whitfield originals "Help Yourself", "Big John Is My Name", "Save My Love For A Rainy Day", and "Law Of The Land" – but the best tracks might be their covers, like "Love & Happiness" and "Our Day Will Come", both totally remade here into great new versions! CD features 6 more bonus tracks – including "Let's Go Back To Day One" and "Gonna Keep On Tryin Till I Win Your Love" – plus single edits of "What's Going On", "What It Is", "You Make Your Own Heaven & Hell", and "Law Of The Land". CD

A massive Fender Rhodes set from early 70s Belgium – the kind of set that never shows up on this side of the Atlantic, and which is pretty darn rare in its home territory too! Keyboardist Jack Van Poll has a wonderful sense of space on this set – a way of letting the tunes build simply and gracefully – often with a slow-growing groove that lets the Rhodes roll along wonderfully – never too slow, though, and always with a sweet funky undercurrent! And while we'd never heard of Jack before this set, he's got a great sense of style and imagination on his solos – very open, but always with a soulful undercurrent. The rest of the trio includes Mary Hehuat on Fender bass and Ruud Pronk on drums – and titles include "Marriedyet", "Blue Tait", "A Box For Leslie", "Sweet Georgie Fame", "Passage To Pferov", and "Objizdka". LP, Vinyl record album

In the years immediately preceding the rise of the MPB giants of the post-Tropicalia years, Geraldo Vandre was one of Brazil's best talents, and an extremely strong singer/songwriter who managed to build a bridge from the bossa era to the present. This incredible album from the mid 60s is one of his best – and features an amazing set of songs that match any of the best Brazilian work of the 60s. Some tracks are folksy, some have a bit of a jazz sound – and the range of styles seems to run from Leonard Cohen to Marcos Valle to Dick Farney. Really great stuff – with an imagination and soulfulness that still leaves us breathless. Titles include "Requiem Para Matraga", "Tristeza De Amar", "Pequeno Concerto Que Ficou Cancao", "Rosa Flor", "Que Quizer Encontrar O Amor", and "Porta Estandarte". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Geraldo Vandre – an overlooked singer/songwriter who was a key bridge between the early bossa years and more sophisticated MPB sounds in the 70s! In the years immediately preceding the rise of the MPB giants of the post-Tropicalia years, Geraldo Vandre was one of Brazil's best talents, and an extremely strong singer/songwriter who managed to build a bridge from the bossa era to the present. This incredible album from the mid 60s is one of his best – and features an amazing set of songs that match any of the best Brazilian work of the 60s. Some tracks are folksy, some have a bit of a jazz sound – and the range of styles seems to run from Leonard Cohen to Marcos Valle to Dick Farney. Really great stuff – with an imagination and soulfulness that still leaves us breathless. Titles include "Requiem Para Matraga", "Tristeza De Amar", "Pequeno Concerto Que Ficou Cancao", "Rosa Flor", "Que Quizer Encontrar O Amor", and "Porta Estandarte". LP, Vinyl record album

Brazilian "greatest hits" comp of Caetano's work, with a majority of material from the late 70's and early 80's, but also with a few cuts from the late 60's Tropicalia years. Every cut's a winner, though – with the high high level of imagination that you'd expect from Caetano! Tracks include "Coisa Mais Linda", "Muito", "Menino Do Rio", "Superbacana", "Eclips Oculto", and "Soy Loco Por Ti, America". CD

Wonderful work from Charlie Ventura – just the kind of record to make you appreciate what an amazing player he was back in the day! The session's a nice spare one, without some of the pyrotechnics or showmanship of other Ventura albums – especially the live dates – and the intimacy really lets Charlie open up in a personal, creative sort of way on his tenor – almost rivaling Lester Young or Ben Webster for tone and imagination. Great Verve-like work throughout – with rhythm by Gene Kutch, Louis Cicchini, and Ace Tesone – and tracks that include "Blues For Two", "Somebody Loves Me", "Limehouse Blues", "Blue Prelude", and "Girl Of My Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful solo material from of the greatest avant European pianists of the past 50 years – a musician that we'd rank right up there with Cecil Taylor for his sense of freedom on the keys – but who's even more amazing given his tighter focus at times, and his richer sense of jazz history! The album's one of Schlippenbach's best – really wonderful throughout, with a sense of imagination that never lets up – sometimes leading to Monkish moments or Herbie Nichols whimsey – sometimes much freer and fiercer – and extremely moving throughout. Titles include "Payan", "Nimmy Pimmy", "Pumpkin", and "Kinds Of Weirdness", which features Schlippenbach on added percussion! CD

Adam Wade is fantastic here – a singer with a sound that could easily rival Nat King Cole or Johnny Mathis, but who also gets a slightly deeper current of soul! Arrangements are full and rich – often with a bit of vocals behind Wade's lead – but the sophisticated charts never get in the way of the more personal touches, which really help the tunes sparkle with a nice sort of imagination, and occasional touches of jazz. Titles include "Gloria's Theme", "We Kiss In A Shadow", "My Reverie", "I Have Dreamed", "For You", and "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry". LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic from those early 70s European years of exploration by the great pianist Mal Waldron – music that really has Mal pushing forward in ways that are completely unexpected if you only know his American records from earlier years – but maybe a bit more understandable, given the ever-growing genius he showed over the decades! The group's a trio – recorded live with Pierre Favre on drums, and the great Jimmy Woode on bass – and the combination of Favre's free modernism and Woode's soulful swing makes for a very interesting rhythm section – and Waldron, as he often did in this sort of session, dominates the proceedings with some moody and introspective work on the piano – bridging the players with a wonderful sense of creative imagination. Titles include "The Call", "Sieg Haile", "MC", "La Gloire Du Noir", and "Rock My Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunningly powerful batch of hardbop tracks from Mal Waldron – one that's different both from his trio material of the time, and from some of the ways that he works on the Prestige blowing sessions of the period – as Waldron is clearly the leader here, and really works magic with a group of legendary players! The lineup features two different groups – both with John Coltrane on tenor, a key force on the record – one with Sahib Shihab on alto and Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, the other with Jackie McLean on alto and Bill Hardman on drums. Both feature the more obscure Julien Euell on bass, and the Sulieman set features Ed Thigpen on drums, the other Art Taylor on the kit. The groove is incredible, and the tracks scream with a sheer raw power that is sometimes missing from these late 50's Prestige sides – as Waldron takes all of his imagination from the looser "blowing" sessions for the label, and packs it into tight arrangements and compositions that bring out the best in all soloists! Titles include "Potpourri", "JM's Dream Doll", "One By One", "From This Moment On", and "Don't Explain". LP, Vinyl record album

The second trip into the studio for Cedar Walton's mighty Eastern Rebellion ensemble – and every bit as great as the first! This time around, the lineup's a bit different – with Bob Berg in on tenor, and Curtis Fuller expanding the group on trombone – but the groove is still the same – wonderfully in the pocket soul jazz, swinging with a gentle and fluid glide that's really tremendous. The work ranks up there with the best of Walton's recordings ever – and the tunes are all originals with a rich imagination for tone, soul, and color – and plenty of space for strong solo work. Titles include "The Maestro", "Sunday Suite", "Ojos De Rojo", "Fantasy In D", and "Clockwise". CD

The second trip into the studio for Cedar Walton's mighty Eastern Rebellion ensemble – and every bit as great as the first! This time around, the lineup's a bit different – with Bob Berg in on tenor, and Curtis Fuller expanding the group on trombone – but the groove is still the same – wonderfully in the pocket soul jazz, swinging with a gentle and fluid glide that's really tremendous. The work ranks up there with the best of Walton's recordings ever – and the tunes are all originals with a rich imagination for tone, soul, and color – and plenty of space for strong solo work. Titles include "The Maestro", "Sunday Suite", "Ojos De Rojo", and "Fantasy In D". LP, Vinyl record album

The title says it all – as the record's a session of ballads recorded by modern tenor giant David S Ware – done in a mode that's filled with soul and imagination, and a sense of care that possibly makes the album one of Ware's greatest in many many years! The group here is a quartet of familiar players – Matthew Shipp on piano, William Parker on bass, and Guillermo Brown on drums – but Ware is clearly the star of the set, and rolls out quietly contemplative solos that are awash in earthy phrasing – sounding a bit like some of Archie Shepp's best recordings in a similar mode from the late 70s. And in case you worry that David's getting soft with these ballads, there's no fear of that – because his interpretation of the tunes is still free-thinking and complex – a record that can stand proudly next to the best of his older catalog. Titles include "Yesterdays", "Dao", "Autumn Leaves", "Godspelized", "Sentient Compassion", and "Angel Eyes". CD

One of the richest albums from the Kudu years of Grover Washington – a double-length set that shows the full range of his soul and imagination! The album was done in collaboration with Bob James – who arranged and conducted all tracks, and also plays keyboards on the date – and the style is kind of an added extension of other Washington work on Kudu, with added string and chorus bits to round out the sound! Things are still wonderfully soulful – thanks to James' sense of space and timing on the charts – and if anything, the added voices and orchestrations bring an almost soundtrack-like quality to the record – but one that still leaves plenty of room for Washington's solos on tenor, alto, and soprano sax! Most tracks are quite long – really stretching out with lots of room for fresh ideas – and titles include a 15 minute version of "Trouble Man", plus "Taurian Matador", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Masterpiece", "Aubrey", and "Don't Explain". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the richest albums from the Kudu years of Grover Washington – a double-length set that shows the full range of his soul and imagination! The album was done in collaboration with Bob James – who arranged and conducted all tracks, and also plays keyboards on the date – and the style is kind of an added extension of other Washington work on Kudu, with added string and chorus bits to round out the sound! Things are still wonderfully soulful – thanks to James' sense of space and timing on the charts – and if anything, the added voices and orchestrations bring an almost soundtrack-like quality to the record – but one that still leaves plenty of room for Washington's solos on tenor, alto, and soprano sax! Most tracks are quite long – really stretching out with lots of room for fresh ideas – and titles include a 15 minute version of "Trouble Man", plus "Taurian Matador", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Masterpiece", "Aubrey", and "Don't Explain". Both volumes together – for the price of a single CD! CD

One of the richest albums from the Kudu years of Grover Washington – a double-length set that shows the full range of his soul and imagination! The album was done in collaboration with Bob James – who arranged and conducted all tracks, and also plays keyboards on the date – and the style is kind of an added extension of other Washington work on Kudu, with added string and chorus bits to round out the sound! Things are still wonderfully soulful – thanks to James' sense of space and timing on the charts – and if anything, the added voices and orchestrations bring an almost soundtrack-like quality to the record – but one that still leaves plenty of room for Washington's solos on tenor, alto, and soprano sax! Most tracks are quite long – really stretching out with lots of room for fresh ideas – and titles include a 15 minute version of "Trouble Man", plus "Aubrey" and "Masterpiece"! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut as a leader by the legendary bassist Doug Watkins! Although Watkins was one heck of a hardbop bassist in his day, he shows a new side on this enigmatic album from the early 60s – one that has him playing cello as the frontman for a group that includes Yusef Lateef and other Lateef bandmates like Herman Wright, Hugh Lawson, and Lex Humphries. The overall sound of the album mixes soul jazz and Lateef's mystical approach to jazz – with an unusual flute/cello/piano sound that's very nice – and which makes the album one of the most compelling Prestige sides from the time! Tracks include "Soulnik", "Andre's Bag", "Imagination", and "One Guy". CD

One of Bobby Watson's more urgent-sounding albums from the 80s – a quartet session recorded with an Italian rhythm trio – in a style that mostly features Watson blowing in the lead – really holding the session together with the strength of his own imagination – that boundless sense of creativity he always had at this point in his career! The rest of the group features Piero Bassini on piano, Attilio Zanchi on bass, and Giampiero Prina on drums – and it's great to hear Watson really opening up in a very different way, and in a very different group – than some of his better-known American records of the time. Titles include "Round Trip", "Blue In Green", "Ceora", and "All The Things Of Jo Maka". CD

One of Bobby Watson's more urgent-sounding albums from the 80s – a quartet session recorded with an Italian rhythm trio – in a style that mostly features Watson blowing in the lead – really holding the session together with the strength of his own imagination – that boundless sense of creativity he always had at this point in his career! The rest of the group features Piero Bassini on piano, Attilio Zanchi on bass, and Giampiero Prina on drums – and it's great to hear Watson really opening up in a very different way, and in a very different group – than some of his better-known American records of the time. Titles include "Round Trip", "Blue In Green", "Ceora", and "All The Things Of Jo Maka". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't be fooled by the cover – as Trevor Watts and Liam Genockey may look like a pair of aging hippies, but have an intensity of sound that's right up there with some of the best loft jazz experiments of the 70s! These improvisations were recorded in 1989, unissued at the time, and have a very ageless feel – as Watts is as tremendous here on alto and soprano as he was back in the day – endless imagination that really seems to be set fire by the drum work of Genockey, a player who's got a touch on the kit that's both subtle and powerful – rhythmic enough overall, but nicely loose too! The whole thing's great – and the set features three long tracks, titled "Rhythmic Variants", "Echoes Of Bird", and "Dedicated To Eric D". CD

Don't be fooled by the cover – as Trevor Watts and Liam Genockey may look like a pair of aging hippies, but have an intensity of sound that's right up there with some of the best loft jazz experiments of the 70s! These improvisations were recorded in 1989, unissued at the time, and have a very ageless feel – as Watts is as tremendous here on alto and soprano as he was back in the day – endless imagination that really seems to be set fire by the drum work of Genockey, a player who's got a touch on the kit that's both subtle and powerful – rhythmic enough overall, but nicely loose too! The whole thing's great – and the set features three long tracks, titled "Rhythmic Variants", "Echoes Of Bird", and "Dedicated To Eric D". CD

A great late 70s set from Weather Report – a record that's certainly got more polish than the early years, but which still sounds plenty darn great to our ears – thanks to a really free-flowing sense of imagination! The tunes here have a wonderfully chunky sort of approach to the groove – that kind of building, pulsating quality that always marked Weather Report as organic, even when electric – and which gave their music a sense of soul, even when it was sometimes smooth. There's enough dark corners here to shake off any of the more commercial touches – and it's wonderful to hear the way that Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul have evolved the original Weather Report ethos into something new and fresh. Titles include "Punk Jazz", "Mr Gone", "The Elders", "Young & Fine", "River People", and "The Pursuit Of The Woman With The Feathered Hat". CD

A great late 70s set from Weather Report – a record that's certainly got more polish than the early years, but which still sounds plenty darn great to our ears – thanks to a really free-flowing sense of imagination! The tunes here have a wonderfully chunky sort of approach to the groove – that kind of building, pulsating quality that always marked Weather Report as organic, even when electric – and which gave their music a sense of soul, even when it was sometimes smooth. There's enough dark corners here to shake off any of the more commercial touches – and it's wonderful to hear the way that Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul have evolved the original Weather Report ethos into something new and fresh. Titles include "Punk Jazz", "Mr Gone", "The Elders", "Young & Fine", "River People", and "The Pursuit Of The Woman With The Feathered Hat". LP, Vinyl record album

Two older players, cooking together beautifully on this early 80s session – and both hitting a vibe that almost makes the set smoke like some rare 60s gem on Blue Note! Frank Wess plays both tenor and alto sax – both of them extremely deep and soulful – with these open, thoughtful solos that almost show more imagination and maturity than in the early days – and also a swinging vibe that's undeniably great. Trumpeter Johnny Coles turns out to be a perfect partner for the session – and manages to mix his sweeter tones with some of his more modern phrasing too – in ways that make the album a treasure trove of unexpectedly great surprises – loads of illuminated passages that keep us coming back again and again over the years. The rhythm section is a good reason for the strength of the set too – and features Kenny Barron on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – on titles that include "Celia", "Minority", "An Oscar For Oscar", "Ill Wind", "Morning Star", and "Whistle Stop". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard-swingin tracks from Ernie Wilkins – one of the most soulful arrangers of his time, working here in a wonderful all-star session from the 50s! The album's definitely got the "top brass" promised in the title – a lineup that features Donald Byrd, Ray Copeland, Idrees Sulieman, and Joe Wilder on trumpets – all working at a level that allows plenty of space for well-blown solos, but tied up in tighter ensemble formation overall – all with that Wilkins sense of swing that really set Ernie apart at the time. Rhythm is from a trip that includes Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kelly Clarke on drums – and titles include "58 Market Street", "Trick Or Treat", "Speedway", "Dot's What", "Top Brass", "Imagination", and "Willow Weep For Me". Also features the album Trumpets All Out – an all-trumpet affair, one that features 5 different players on the instrument – Art Farmer, Emmet Berry, Charlie Shavers, Ernie Royal, and Harold Baker – supported by spare rhythm from the trio of Don Abney on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Bobby Donaldson on drums. There's a definite swing-based approach here – different than usual for some of Farmer's outings of the time – but the differences between the players are nicely pronounced, and the amazing thing about the album is how it manages to pack so much solo energy in such a relatively small space, in a way that still lets you hear the different voices clearly. Titles include "She's Just My Size", "Five Cats Swingin", "Blues In 6/4", "Trumpets All Out", and "Low Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of excellent albums from master drummer Tony Williams – all brought together in a single package! Believe It is crackling funky fusion from Tony Williams' "new" version of his classic Lifetime group – a quartet that featured some smoking guitar work by jazz rock legend Allan Holdsworth! The sound on the set is very full-on and jamming – fuzzed-out guitars taking over most of the tracks, and Tony jumping into the fray with some really frenetic work on drums – miles away from his earlier jazz work in the 60s, and really taking off with the best sort of rock/jazz fusion energy! Titles include "Snake Oil", "Fred", "Proto Cosmos", "Red Alert", and "Mr Spock". On Million Dollar Legs, Tony Williams is a million miles from his work with the Miles Davis Quintet on this record – grooving in a heavy rock/fusion mode with his New Lifetime group that includes Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Tony Newton on bass and vocals, and Alan Pasqua on keyboards! The tracks have a post Jeff Beck kind of approach – lots of heavy riffing in a way that does create a bit of funk at the right moments, almost in the Alphonze Mouzon/Tommy Bolin mode – and Williams' drums are right at home in the setting, and somehow filled with as much imagination and creativity as before! Titles include "Sweet Revenge", "Inspirations Of Love", "Lady Jade", "What You Do To Me", and "Joy Filled Summer". Joy Of Flying is a key record in the evolution of Tony Williams as a drummer – and kind of a powerful summation of all the changes he'd made in the 70s – before a return to straighter jazz in the next decade! Williams' drumming here is incredibly fierce at points – almost at a Billy Cobham level – but he also shows the sensitivity to deeper sounds that he first brought into play during the 60s – and manages to mix an ear for fusion modes with some freer elements too – thanks to help from a lineup of players that includes Herbie Hancock and Brian Auger on keyboards, Cecil Taylor on piano, Jan Hammer on Fender Rhodes, Stanley Clarke on bass, Ton Scott on lyricon, and Ronnie Montrose on guitar. Titles include "Tony", "Coming Back Home", "Morgan's Motion", "Eris", "Open Fire", and "Hittin On 6". Great CD reissue – full notes, and a 20 page booklet with the usual Reel Music attention to detail! CD

A record from a pianist we totally love, but one who also seems to have really unfurled a bold new chapter in his life as well – with music that's very different than some of the previous albums that Spike Wilner's given us, full of joy, life, and this boundless sense of optimism that comes as a real surprise! Spike's never been one to be lazy on the keys – but here, he feels like he's bursting forth with all this fresh imagination – as if he's seen some sort of life that's driving him onward, and which is also shared by trio members Paul Gill on bass and Anthony Pinciotti on drums – a group who seem to move effortlessly, driven by the vision of the leader. Titles include "Contrafactus", "Happy Ending", "Cognitive Dissonance", "At First Blush", "Kinetic Neurosis", and "Ants Go Marching". CD

The first of Bobby's highly successful Poet albums from the early 80s – wonderfully done albums that showed the world that he was still very much on top of his game at the time! The sound here is great – still with that older Womack rasp and warmth, but also done in a slightly smoother mode that grooves things up with some modern soul touches, yet never loses Bobby's charm! Tunefully, the record is one of his best in years – with some wonderful mellow soul groovers that never fail to delight – all produced with a warm California sound, and featuring some great backing vocals by The Waters and a host of other Womacks. Titles include "So Many Sides Of You", "Lay Your Lovin On Me", "Secrets", "Just My Imagination", "Games", "If You Think You're Lonely Now", and "Where Do We Go From Here". CD

The first of Bobby's highly successful Poet albums from the early 80s – wonderfully done albums that showed the world that he was still very much on top of his game at the time! The sound here is great – still with that older Womack rasp and warmth, but also done in a slightly smoother mode that grooves things up with some modern soul touches, yet never loses Bobby's charm! Tunefully, the record is one of his best in years – with some wonderful mellow soul groovers that never fail to delight – all produced with a warm California sound, and featuring some great backing vocals by The Waters and a host of other Womacks. Titles include "So Many Sides Of You", "Lay Your Lovin On Me", "Secrets", "Just My Imagination", "Games", "If You Think You're Lonely Now", and "Where Do We Go From Here". CD

The first of Bobby's highly successful Poet albums from the early 80s – wonderfully done albums that showed the world that he was still very much on top of his game at the time! The sound here is great – still with that older Womack rasp and warmth, but also done in a slightly smoother mode that grooves things up with some modern soul touches, yet never loses Bobby's charm! Tunefully, the record is one of his best in years – with some wonderful mellow soul groovers that never fail to delight – all produced with a warm California sound, and featuring some great backing vocals by The Waters and a host of other Womacks. Titles include "So Many Sides Of You", "Lay Your Lovin On Me", "Secrets", "Just My Imagination", "Games", "If You Think You're Lonely Now", and "Where Do We Go From Here". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from Junky Yagami – definitely one of the more soulful singers of the 80s city pop generation, thanks in part to production work from frequent musical partner JJ Stanley! Stanley gives the record lots of electro soul modes in the backings – working with great arrangements from Ken Yajima, Masaaki Ohmura, and Shiro Sagisu, which are all filled with basslines, beats, and mighty nice keyboard parts! This is definitely a groove-heavy record, and Junko's vocals really keep pace with the rhythms – on titles that include "Believing", "Reaching Out", "Miss DJ", "1984", "Cheater", "Imagination", and "Communication". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic session of mellow magic from tenorist Lester Young and pianist Teddy Wilson – both giants of jazz from an earlier generation, but maybe sounding even better here in a sublime Verve Records setting from the 50s! Young's tenor fronts the trio of Wilson – with Gene Ramey on bass and Joe Jones on drums – a somewhat unassuming group, which means that Lester's power really holds sway throughout – these magical solos that so easygoing they almost seem effortless – but which are filled with soul and imagination. Titles include "Love Me Or Leave Me", "All Of Me", "Prisoner Of Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic session of mellow magic from tenorist Lester Young and pianist Teddy Wilson – both giants of jazz from an earlier generation, but maybe sounding even better here in a sublime Verve Records setting from the 50s! Young's tenor fronts the trio of Wilson – with Gene Ramey on bass and Joe Jones on drums – a somewhat unassuming group, which means that Lester's power really holds sway throughout – these magical solos that so easygoing they almost seem effortless – but which are filled with soul and imagination. Titles include "Love Me Or Leave Me", "All Of Me", "Prisoner Of Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". Also features the bonus track "Pres Returns". CD

A pair of Verve Classics – back to back on this UK album from the 70s! First up is Jazz Giants 56 – a timeless ensemble session from Verve Records! The feel here is almost in jam session mode, but perhaps a bit tighter – a group of all-star players from the mid-50s, with Lester Young on tenor, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Vic Dickenson on trombone, Teddy Wilson on piano, and Freddie Green on guitar – a nice mix of generations and styles that really helps open up the sound of the record. Tracks are nice and long, taken in that open, solo-conscious Verve mode – and tunes include "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan", "This Year's Kisses", "You Can Depend On Me", and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". Next is Pres & Teddy – a classic session of mellow magic from tenorist Lester Young and pianist Teddy Wilson – both giants of jazz from an earlier generation, but maybe sounding even better here in a sublime Verve Records setting from the 50s! Young's tenor fronts the trio of Wilson – with Gene Ramey on bass and Joe Jones on drums – a somewhat unassuming group, which means that Lester's power really holds sway throughout – these magical solos that so easygoing they almost seem effortless – but which are filled with soul and imagination. Titles include "Love Me Or Leave Me", "All Of Me", "Prisoner Of Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

Key tracks from this long-running series – taken into new territory by a whole host of contemporary remix talents! The set's heavy on producers and musicians from the London scene – so that the earlier LA efforts of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad are given new cosmic inspiration in the hands of the mixers – really bringing new energy and imagination to tracks from the series recorded with artists who include Tony Allen, Lonnie Liston Smith, Phil Ranelin, Wendell Harrison, Jean Carne, and others! Titles include "African Sun (Shabaka Hutchings rmx)", "Phoenix (Theon Cross rmx)", "Black Rainbow (Melanie Charles mrmx)", "Love Brings Happiness (Tall Black Guy with Kaidi Tatham rmx)", "Don't Believe The Dancers (Monphono rmx)", "Reflections (Bei Ru rmx)", and "Running With The Tribe (DJ Nyack rmx)". CD

Key tracks from this long-running series – taken into new territory by a whole host of contemporary remix talents! The set's heavy on producers and musicians from the London scene – so that the earlier LA efforts of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad are given new cosmic inspiration in the hands of the mixers – really bringing new energy and imagination to tracks from the series recorded with artists who include Tony Allen, Lonnie Liston Smith, Phil Ranelin, Wendell Harrison, Jean Carne, and others! Titles include "African Sun (Shabaka Hutchings rmx)", "Phoenix (Theon Cross rmx)", "Black Rainbow (Melanie Charles mrmx)", "Love Brings Happiness (Tall Black Guy with Kaidi Tatham rmx)", "Don't Believe The Dancers (Monphono rmx)", "Reflections (Bei Ru rmx)", and "Running With The Tribe (DJ Nyack rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

Key tracks from this long-running series – taken into new territory by a whole host of contemporary remix talents! The set's heavy on producers and musicians from the London scene – so that the earlier LA efforts of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad are given new cosmic inspiration in the hands of the mixers – really bringing new energy and imagination to tracks from the series recorded with artists who include Tony Allen, Lonnie Liston Smith, Phil Ranelin, Wendell Harrison, Jean Carne, and others! Titles include "African Sun (Shabaka Hutchings rmx)", "Phoenix (Theon Cross rmx)", "Black Rainbow (Melanie Charles mrmx)", "Love Brings Happiness (Tall Black Guy with Kaidi Tatham rmx)", "Don't Believe The Dancers (Monphono rmx)", "Reflections (Bei Ru rmx)", and "Running With The Tribe (DJ Nyack rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest European jazz guitarists – heard here in some of his grooviest work of the 60s – an amazing batch of material recorded for the art house films of director Hansjurgen Pohland! Zoller already had a modern tone by the time of these recordings – a sublime sound on the guitar that rivaled that of Billy Bauer with the Lee Konitz group of the 50s, but which was also freer, and open to rich new ideas too – especially from a rhythmic and tonal standpoint, which always keeps Zoller's work compelling! Attila's way more than just another jazzy player on the instrument – and film material like this really lets him stretch his imagination – and unlock a whole whose of tones and colors that are quite imagistic in nature. Most tracks are played by a small combo led by Zoller – often working in front of the screen as images passed by – scenes from films that include Katz Und Maus, Tamara, and The Bread Of Our Early Years. This set marks the first release of the material actually recorded for those films on record – and titles include "Family Bricks", "Pilenz", "Road Song", "Minesweeper", "Cold Fusion", "Adam's Apple", "Hedwig's Departure", "Mousetip Strut", and "Mahlke". CD

A tight collection of uptempo funk and disco-driven soul tunes – with a selection that goes way past the usual dancefloor favorites! We're not sure how to read the title (which seems to have some sort of "inside take" on black culture in America) so we'll write that off to the overzealous imagination of the British compilers of the set – but we will say that the package includes some great numbers that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, including a few previously unissued tunes by artists on the Westbound label! The groove is upbeat on most tracks, with plenty of jazzy flourishes and a soulful approach to disco. Titles include "Disco Booty" by Melvin Sparks, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" by Sylvester, "Free Man" by South Shore Commission, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Latin Disco" by The Counts, "Alvin Stone (The Birth & Death Of A Gangster)" by Fantastic Four, "Moon Trek" by Mike Theodore, "Sadie" by Joe Bataan, "Sure Can't Go To The Moon" by CJ & Co, and "The Magic Man" by King Errison. CD

A great collection of grooves – as some of Blue Note's best soul jazz artists of the 60s and 70s take on a host of funky tunes and soul music classics. The vibe is great throughout – and most cuts are instrumentals, based around tunes that you might know, but redone here with that great Blue Note funkosity that made the label so wonderful! Titles include "Think" by Lonnie Smith, "As" by Gene Harris, "Pillow Talk" by Lou Donaldson, "Ain't That Peculiar" by Big John Patton, "If You Really Love Me" by Grant Green, "Feel Like Makin Love" by Marlena Shaw, "Me & Mrs Jones" by Ronnie Foster, "Soul Limbo" by Candido, "I'll Be There" by Hank Mobley, "Mr Big Stuff" by Reuben Wilson, "People Make The World Go Round" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Can't Hide Love" by Carmen McRae, and "Just My Imagination" by Donald Byrd. CD

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. CD

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. LP features two bonus tracks – "Case Of The PTA" by Leaders Of The New School and "What's Up Doc (K-Cut's fat trac rmx)" by Fu Schnickens. LP, Vinyl record album

The second volume of the soundtrack to the film Dead Presidents. Like the first volume, this is a whopping batch of classic 70s soul tracks – including "Right On For The Darkness" and "We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue (Live)" by Curtis Mayfield, "I Got The Feelin" and "Ain't That A Groove" by James Brown, "Smiling Faces Sometimes" by The Undisputed Truth, "Cowboys To Girls" by The Intruders, "Keep On Pushing" and "(Man Oh Man) I Want To Go Back" by The Impressions, "I Was Made To Love Her" by Stevie Wonder, "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" by Sam & Dave, "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Jerry Butler and "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" by The Temptations. CD

One of the most fantastic collections we've ever heard from DJ Amir – a set that may well blow away his classic On/Off Track sets for the depth of its spirit and feeling! Amir's been well-known as a crate digger for many years – and while digging for funk, soul, and hip hop on the New York scene, he's also come across plenty of rare Latin nuggets – not familiar salsa or crossover Latin Soul, but instead some much deeper numbers that show just how much spirit and imagination the music had when it was at its best! Most of the numbers here are from late 60s and 70s vintage – and many have this jazzy energy that goes way past just simple grooves, and which instead features the richer colors and complicated motions of some of Eddie Palmieri's music, especially in the 70s. Titles include the previously unreleased "Salsa (parts 1 & 2)" by Fito Foster – plus "Picadillo" by La Moderna Of New York, "Bomba" by Dax Pacem, "Paranoia" by Wayne Gorbea Y Su Conjunto Salsa, "Rogelio Tiene La Salsa" by Chino Y Su Conjunto Melao, "Yo No Bailo Con Juana" by Cortijo Y Kako, "Vete De Aqui" by Joey Aponte, "Asi Asi Descarga" by Mike Hernandez Y Su Sonora Casino, "Tembelque" by Louie Colon, "El Ritmo Soledad" by Orchestra Soledad, and "El Pulpo" by Joey Pastrana. CD

Iconic soundtrack in peak 80s fashion scored by Giorgio Moroder, features the title theme by Irene Cara, "Maniac" by Michael Sembello, "Romeo" by Donna Summer, "Imagination" by Laura Branigan, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

This first volume of Compost's Glucklich series is one of the most groundbreaking compilations of the 90s! It brings together 10 stunning rare German fusion tracks that have a deeply Brazilian groove – and the set is not only interesting from a cross-cultural perspective, but it's also a fantastic treat for funky listening. Nearly all of these tracks are totally rare, and you'll never find them in the original. They all sparkle with a deep sense of imagination, creativity, and a strong desire to groove – and titles include "Ocean Song" by Sunbirds, "Mixing" by Rainer Pusch Quartet, "Mato Pato" by Kitty Winter, "Mystic Latin" by Namaz, "Onkle Joe" by Catch Up, and "Glucklich" by To Be. Great stuff, and one that we still come back to again and again! CD

Never-heard songs from the Motown empire of the 60s – all new discoveries from the label's mighty deep vaults – all of them totally great tracks that make for a superb new look at the Detroit powerhouse of soul! Many of these cuts are in a Northern Soul mode – the kind of upbeat groovers that made Motown a huge favorite on the British scene right from the start, and which make the UK Kent label a perfect spot to showcase work this great – with detailed notes on all the tracks, excellent sound quality, and an impeccable ear for choosing just the right sort of tracks to pop a groove like the bigger singles from the label. Some of the cuts here are early recordings by artists who'd later break big, others are more obscure Motown acts – and the package features 24 titles that include "Goose Wobbling Time" by Popcorn Wylie, "I'll Be Satisfied" by Frank Wilson, "Where Are You" by Ivy Jo, "One Track Mind" by Marv Johnson, "Heart To Heart" by Earl Van Dyke, "Head Over Heels In Love With You Baby" by Edwin Starr, "I'm Here Now That You Need Me" by The Fantastic Four, "Imagination Is Running Wild" by The Spinners, "The In Crowd" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Wish I Didn't Love You So" by The Monitors, "The Touch Of Venus" by Marvin Gaye, "I'd Rather Forget" by The Temptations, and "Kissing In The Shadows" by Johnny Bristol. CD

A really wicked compilation, of the sort that BBE first started doing back in the day – a mix of records that spans both scenes and generations, yet which come together with a beautifully integrated vibe! There's a warmth here that's undeniable – currents of jazz, Brazilian, acoustic soul, and more – all wrapped up with a sunny vibe that really makes the whole thing soar wonderfully, as strange musical bedfellows really find a great space to play together that's full of imagination, spirit, and plenty of soul! Titles include "Factory Rhythms" by Jr Quintet, "Life" by Bugs Beddow, "I Had A Friend" by Peter Gallway, "Palavras" by Caixa Cubo, "Mystery Of You" by Jeff Scott, "Place In Space" by Joe Thomas, "Heaven" by Crosswind, "Como Aprendi A Soportar Tus Inseguridades, "Easter Suite (edit)" by John Standefer & Friends, "California (Shawn Lee mix)" by Kirk Reed, "Make The Call (ext version)" by MF Robots, "Smile Upon Your Brother" by Ambassador College Band & New World Singers, and "I Know (demo version)" by Astronauts Etc. CD