Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Two excellent Bryant sets, recorded for Prestige, though he's more well known for his Cadet sides. The first disc of the set is a very striking album – one of Bryant's most noteworthy of the time! The album features Ray playing solo piano – quite unusual for the period, as most piano jazz records, especially his, were at least cut in a trio format. Ray's wonderfully unfettered here – hitting grooves with a level of expression and sophistication that far surpasses most of his other records. The intimate time on the keys never gets hokey or overindulgent – but it does let Ray open up and show a side that we've rarely heard on wax. Titles include "Stocking Feet", "Blues #3", "Joy", "Me & The Blues", and "My Blues". The Ray Bryant Trio is another wonderful early side, featuring Ike Isaacs and Specs Wright in a trio alongside Bryant, performing sparkling renditions of standards and a couple originals, that are still infused with his bluesy groove. Titles include "Golden Earrings", "Angel Eyes", "Blues Changes", "Splittin'", "Django", "The Thrill Is Gone", "Daahoud" and "Sonar". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from Otis Clay, but also one of his greatest albums ever! The record features him with some fuller arrangements than usual – in less of a bluesy mode than during the Hi years, with a smooth sound that really brings out a whole new side of his style. The set was recorded in Chicago for the Japanese market – and the arrangements are by Benjamin Wright, Bill McFarland, and Clay himself. Includes the massive groover "The Only Way Is Up", an anthemic modern dancefloor number that later yielded a bit hit for Yazz – plus the tracks "Cheatin In The Next Room", "All I Need Is You", "Special Kind Of Love", "Messin With My Mind", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", and "Check It Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful session of 60s Hammond jazz – a record that was somewhat overlooked at the time, but which has really gotten the attention it deserves over the years! The album's one of a rare few cut by organist Gloria Coleman – an obscure east coast player who was also the wife of tenorist George Coleman, and who follows wonderfully in a strong tradition of female organists that includes Trudy Pitts and Shirley Scott. Even hipper is the fact that Gloria's quartet has a female drummer – the fiery Pola Roberts, who's got a light touch on the kit that makes the cuts dance nicely. And even still hipper is the fact that that group is completed by Grant Green on guitar and Leo Wright on alto – both of whom groove in a totally tight soul jazz mode that resembles their best work from the early 60s. The session's a wonderful burner, of the sort that you'd proudly display in a collection of 60s soul jazz – and it's filled with excellent original cuts like "Que Baby", "Hey Sonny Red", "Melba's Minor", and "Funky Bob". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2-fer – featuring both of Noel Coward's Columbia albums in one 70s set. First up is Noel Coward In New York – a very cool album from Coward – a talent you're probably more familiar with as a playwright, but who also happens to be quite the entertainer! This album is one of two great sets that Coward recorded live in the US in the mid 50s, and they really show him opening up a lot from earlier recordings – singing with an ease and swinging style that adds a whole new level to his classic compositions. It helps that Peter Matz is handling the backing and arrangements – jazzing up Noel's tunes with a nice 50s style – and the live setting of the recordings make them come off well, especially as the audiences are very enthusiastic! Titles include "Wait A Bit Joe", "Why Must The Show Go On", "I Like America", "Luisa", "I Went To A Marvelous Party", and "20th Century Blues". Next is Noel Coward at Las Vegas, one of our favorite vocal albums of the 50s – an incredibly witty live set from Noel Coward, recorded in Las Vegas, with a very different style than some of his other records! The Noel Coward you'll hear here is still steeped in the mannered wit of his earlier plays, but he's also let himself go considerably – working in front of a live audience with an eager ear for well crafted lyrics and innuendo. The songs are mostly numbers from Coward's earlier shows, but they're sung in a hip swinging loungey style that really gives them legs – moving them past their staid roots into strong 50s vocal territory. Includes 2 great remakes of Cole Porter numbers – "Let's Do It" and "Begin The Beguine", both with Coward's own lyrics – plus "Uncle Harry", "A Bar On The Piccola Marina", "World Weary", and "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool album from Noel Coward – a talent you're probably more familiar with as a playwright, but who also happens to be quite the entertainer! This album is one of two great sets that Coward recorded live in the US in the mid 50s, and they really show him opening up a lot from earlier recordings – singing with an ease and swinging style that adds a whole new level to his classic compositions. It helps that Peter Matz is handling the backing and arrangements – jazzing up Noel's tunes with a nice 50s style – and the live setting of the recordings make them come off well, especially as the audiences are very enthusiastic! Titles include "Wait A Bit Joe", "Why Must The Show Go On", "I Like America", "Luisa", "I Went To A Marvelous Party", and "20th Century Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice collaboration between Miles and Marcus Miller from the latter part of Miles career. As much of the recording here is overdubbed, with many multiple instruments played by Miller, it doesn't have the improvised vibe of Miles' classic performances, but the songwriting and arrangements are head and shoulders above much of the contemporary jazz being recorded at the time, Miles is in great form, and the glossy production sits better with us now than ever before. Paulinho DaCosta, George Duke, Michael Urbaniak and Bernard Wright all make guest appearances. 8 tracks in all: "Tutu", "Tomaas", "Portia", "Splatch", "Backyard Ritual", "Perfect Way", Don't Lose Your Mind" and "Full Nelson". LP, Vinyl record album

A really rare quartet date, on a par with Buddy's work for Verve and MGM – with Kenny Drew on piano, Eugene Wright on bass, and Art Blakey on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

The team of Paul Desmond and Jim Hall was one of the best ideas ever forged in American jazz of the 60s – and the icy pair are perfect company together on this album of bossa-inflected tracks with a very cool edge! The album allows Desmond's alto to take on a warmth and flowing quality it never had in the Dave Brubeck group – and Hall's guitar work, while a masterpiece of understatement, brings in just the right amount of ringing tone to echo out the brilliance of Desmond's ideas. Gene Wright and Connie Kay complete the group, and titles include "O Gato", "Samba Cantina", "Girl From East 9th", "Ship Without A Sail", and "Bossa Antigua". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary alto saxophonist Paul Desmond serves up his own versions of key tunes by Simon & Garfunkel – with results that are simply amazing, and very different than the originals! The style here takes all the airy brilliance of the original S&G tunes, and turns it towards a more jazz-based mode – one that has some of the slight Brazilian undercurrents in the rhythms that you'll find on Desmond's previous two albums for CTI! The full arrangements are by Don Sebesky, who brings a great sense of balance to the set – and Herbie Hancock plays some great electric piano, in a group that also features Airto on percussion and Gene Bertoncini on guitar. But the real star of the set is Paul Desmond – blowing with that amazing tone of his – and sliding from tune to tune with effortless ease, in a way that really transforms these tunes in their instrumental readings. Titles include "Cecilia", "Mrs. Robinson", "America", "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright", and "Scarborough Fair" – all done with a sweet jazzy A&M approach! LP, Vinyl record album

That's "Take Ten", not "Take Five" – a great title cut that echoes Paul Desmond's previous work with Dave Brubeck – but which then gives way quickly to some sweet bossa-styled grooves done with guitar from Jim Hall! The album's one of the strongest of the Hall/Desmond collaborations for RCA – A sublime showcase not just for Paul's impeccable alto, but also for the amazing tones and chromes that fly freely from the strings of Jim's guitar! Both players are set up with just a bit of gentle backing – light percussion from Connie Kay, and a bit of bass from Gene Cherico or Gene Wright. The whole thing's a well-conceived study in economy, as the two players craft sly and subtle lines around spare drum and bass backings – slowly hanging sound in space to weave a rich web of sound that's as compelling as it seems to be effortless! Titles include "Take Ten", "El Prince", "Embarcadero", "Samba De Orfeu", "Theme From Black Orpheus", and "Alone Together". LP, Vinyl record album

Paul Desmond doesn't get any better than this – blowing his icy cool alto next to warm guitar lines from the mighty Jim Hall – a classic RCA Records pairing in jazz, heard to great effect on this classic album! There's a slight bossa groove to some of the rhythms, which is great for Desmond's sound – and the backing is also free of piano, so the guitar and alto hang together wonderfully by themselves – suspended in space, dipping and turning around each other beautifully! The pair get some very light rhythmic accompaniment from Connie Kay on drums, and either Percy Heath or Gene Wright on bass – on titles that include "That Old Feeling", "Easy Living", "Blues For Fun", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "When Joanna Loved Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of southern funk from the 70s – upbeat, grooving, and with a really righteous sound! "People" is one of those cuts that just grabs you right away – a unique-sounding tune that's all the way out there – tightly riffing instrumentation topped with some slightly raspy vocals – all with an offbeat charm that almost reminds us of the first time we heard the 70s classics by Milton Wright! "Gregory Moore" is great too – a bit more laidback, and almost with the same horn patterns as the first track, but slower. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Funky funky Maynard – and a sweet set of electric big band jazz that's got plenty of nice moments! The album features a core rhythm group that really goes to town – jamming in sort of a Clarke-Boland sort of way, with lots of propulsive changes that create a full-on and often funky groove – as Maynard and other horns blow like mad over the top, sending the album into screaming, soaring grooves that almost never let up. The record was Maynard's first US effort in a long time – and was produced by Teo Macero with a very electric-conscious sound that further enforced the hipness of the music! Titles include "Pochahontas", "Awright Awright", "Nice N Juicy", "SOMF", and "Mother Fingers". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the harder to find Red Garland albums on Prestige, and a trio session recorded with Specs Wright on drums and Jimmy Rowser on bass. This was Prestige's first live night club recording, and it's recorded live on location at the Prelude in Harlem. Red's a little bit less mannered than usual, and he opens up nicely on a set of material that's pretty much in the Harlem jazz lounge bag of the time – "Satin Doll", "Perdido", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "There'll Never Be Another You", "Let Me See", "Prelude Blues", "Just Squeeze Me" and "One O'Clock Jump". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent small group work from vibist Terry Gibbs – just the kind of set that shows why he was one of the best known players on his instrument in the 50s! Gibbs has a clear, clean style here that's never too laidback, nor too prone to over-done flourishes – a style that was born in swing, informed by bop, and carried off beautifully by a quartet on the date that includes Terry Pollard on piano, Herman Wright on bass, and Bert Dale (aka Nils Bertil Dahlander) on drums. The sound is nicely straight ahead – no gimmicks, no schtick, just nicely grooving work on vibes and piano – with tracks that include "Seven Come Eleven", "Lonely Dreams", "Dickie's Dream", "Imagination", "King City Stomp", "Pretty Face", "The Continental", "Bless My Soles", and "Nutty Notes". LP, Vinyl record album

While actually not as electrifying as some of Dizzy's other albums from the time, this one's still pretty darn great, and features his great group with Leo Wright on alto and Lalo Schfrin on piano. The band grooves with a subtly Latinish vibe, and the tracks are nice and long long long. Titles include "Kush", one of Dizzy's best Latin numbers, plus "The Mooch" and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of recordings by Dizzy's second band, with Dave Burns, Elmon Wright, Matthew McKay,and Ray Orr on trumpets, Ted Kelly and Bill Shepherd on trombones, John Brown and Howard Johnson on alto, George Nicholas and Joe Gales on tenor, Cecil Payne on baritone, and Kenny Clarke on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A lost bossa jazz classic from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded at a time when Lalo Schifrin was working in his combo! The record's got a cool, laidback kind of groove – one that's miles away from Gillespie's earlier bop work, and which shows him opening up his rhythmic conception strongly in the 60s. Rhythms are percolated by the piano of Schifrin, guitar of Bola Sete, bass of Chris White, and some well-chosen added percussion work – and the overall groove is one of the best American takes on the bossa jazz sound of the time, delivered with wonderful horn work from Dizzy on trumpet, Leo Wright on flute and alto, and Charlie Ventura on tenor! Even familiar tunes are transformed by the sound – and titles include "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", "Careless Love", "Taboo", "One Note Samba", "Pergunte Ao Joao", and "Chega de Saudade". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best of ZZ's 70s albums – recorded with a really tight down-home feel, and a style that's maybe even a bit more straight southern soul than some of his albums on smaller labels! Arrangements are by Arthur Wright, and they've got lots of warm touches that really work perfectly with ZZ's vocals – pushing the whole album to a top-shelf level, and making it a lost treasure of southern soul that we'd rank with the best of the genre from the time! Titles include "Your Love Makes Me Feel Good", "Cause I Love You", "Friendship Only Goes So Far", "You Were Wrong", and "I've Got To Get You Back". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking Motown work from Thelma Houston – a great 70s set that catches the singer at the top of her groove! The album's polished, but never in a too-commercial way – and the grooves acknowledge the growing role of the dancefloor in mainstream soul, yet also mostly stay away from some of the disco cliches of the time – thanks to sophisticated work by arrangers Art Wright, Paul Riser, and Michael Smith! Although we should also point out that this is the record that gave Houston one of her bigger hits – the key crossover track "Don't Leave Me This Way" – nestled nicely amidst other great numbers like "Don't Know Why I Love You", "Any Way You Like It", "If It's The Last Thing I Do", and "Don't Make Me Pay". LP, Vinyl record album

Thelma's one of those singers who must have been waiting years for disco to come around and help her find a reason to sing! Her career was slightly ill-timed in the beginning, coming along with a baroque soul beginning that was great, yet somewhat out of place in the early 70s. But enter a record like this – which takes Thelma's beautiful voice and fills it up with strings and disco rhythms – and you've got a well-done set that suddenly makes her whole sound make sense! Arrangements are surprisingly great, and relatively cliche-free on the best numbers – handled by Kim Richmond, James Carmichael, Greg Wright, and Michel Rubini. Titles include "I'm Here Again", "Triflin", "I've Got The Devil In Me", "Give Me Something To Believe In", "Memories", "Your Eyes", and "I Can't Go On Living Without Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Antonio Carlos Jobim's classic Verve session from 1963 – a tremendous record, done with a wonderful airy sound that became the trademark for bossa production in America – and which also had a great inspiration on the sound of mid 60s bossa in Brazil! Claus Ogerman arranged and conducts the orchestra, and Jobim plays guitar and piano – with a core group that also features Jimmy Cleveland on trombone and Leo Wright on flute, both American jazz players who help add some further complexities to the sound. Tracks include "Jazz Samba", "Favela", "O Morro", "Aqua De Beber", "Girl From Ipanema", and "Chega De Saudade". LP, Vinyl record album

Features work from Winston Wright on organ and Willie Lindo on guitar – on titles that include "Can't You Tell It's Me", "Hold Me Tight", "Shining Star", "Sail On", "Hold Me Tight", and "Mr Sea". LP, Vinyl record album

Stellar Manhattans from the start of the 80s – and proof that the group could still hold strong, even at a point when soul music was really changing up around them! The sound is somewhat smoother than before, but never in a throwaway style – and as you might guess from the title, the record's a mostly-mellow affair that really hones in on the great ballad style that the group had perfected during their time at Columbia! The vocals are superb – not nearly as fragile as in the early days, but really still filled with a great sense of warmth and humanity – the group really maturing into a special space of their own. Arrangements are by James Mack, Benjamin Wright, Bert DeCoteux, and others – and titles include the hit "Shining Star", plus "It's Not The Same", "Just As Long As I Have You", "If My Heart Could Speak", "One Life To Life", "The Closer You Are", and "Girl Of My Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A real killer from Brother Jack McDuff – one of his first truly great albums, and a record that has him breaking from the sleepier R&B organ sound of the 50s – into the leaner, cleaner mode of the 60s! The album's one of the first to have him playing with the incredible drummer Joe Dukes – who gives the grooves plenty of weird twists and turns – that trademark McDuff approach to rhythm that would really set him apart from other organ players. The rest of the group features Leo Wright on alto sax and Kenny Burrell on guitar – both great players here, and not always heard with Jack. Titles include an early take on "Soulful Drums", plus the cuts "After Hours", "Screamin", and "He's A Real Gone Guy". LP, Vinyl record album

The electric years of Miles Davis have left a huge legacy in music – one that's referenced again and again, and continually revisited by generations of musicians, both young and old! Here, that legacy gets some especially nice treatment – by a group of artists who include some key collaborators with Miles in years back, plus other musicians too – in a project that even features two unreleased solo performance by Davis himself! Vince Wilburn Jr is the leader of the project, and players are almost far too many to mention here – so we'll just list a few – including Wallace Roney, Bernard Wright, Vernon Reid, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Donald Harrison, Marcus Miller, Jeremy Pelt, John Scofield, and Lenny White – all working in deeply layered territory that definitely pushes the older electric mode forward. Titles include "Over My Shoulder", "Hail To The Real Chief (long version)", "Mellow Kisses", "That You Dare Not To Forget", and "Bitches Are Back". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set of 70s crossover deep soul – recorded in the mode of similar work by Betty Wright or Laura Lee, and done with a similar mix of raw southern vocals and tighter production! About half the work was handled by the team of Dave Crawford and Brad Shapiro – working in the Criteria Studios in Miami to give Jackie a sound that's similar to Shapiro's work with Millie Jackson. The other half was produced in Philly, by the Young Professionals team of LeBaron Taylor, Tony Bell, and Phil Hurt – who give Jackie a warm, gliding, sweet 70s Philly groove! And although you might think that this Philly/Miami split would make for a mixed bag of tunes, the album's surprisingly unified – and in a way, does plenty to link together the growing dancefloor scenes in both cities. Titles include "Willpower", "Both Ends Against The Middle", "Time", "Something In A Look", "Clean Up Your Own Yard", "If", and "Darling Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

The first recordings ever from Orchestra USA – the landmark third stream jazz group co-led by John Lewis and Gunther Schuller! The group sprang out of Schuller and Lewis' preoccupations with bringing jazz to a more serious environment – merging traits of 20th century classical with jazz-based improvisation – in a format that included standout solo players, as well as larger backings from strings and woodwinds. And while some of that group's recordings were a bit dull, this one's totally great – not nearly as stiff and academic as you'd think – with some really strong solo work on saxes, and a soulful approach that gets past any formalism that could mar the proceedings. Players include Eric Dolphy, Phil Woods, Leo Wright, Nick Travis, and Jim Hall – and titles include "Three Little Feelings (parts 1, 2, & 3)", "Milesign", "Milano", "Natural Affection", and "Donnie's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-remembered albums from the mighty Originals – thanks to a surprisingly strong step into club and disco rhythms! The group were always great on the harmony tip – and earlier music often had them really shining on the ballads – but here they work with arrangers Frank Wilson, Dale Warren, and Art Wright on a set of grooves that rival the best group soul club work coming out of Philly and New York at the time! The vocals are never overwhelmed by the grooves – and instead seem to really be set loose with the lively arrangements – finding a soaring space they might never have hit this well before. Titles include the clubby classic "Down To Love Town" – plus "You Are A Blessing", "Call On Your Six Million Dollar Man", "Hurry Up & Wait", "Been Decided", and "Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever from this legendary Hungarian bassist – with work by Art Farmer and Benny Bailey on trumpets, and Leo Wright on alto – plus some great Fender Rhodes by Jeno Balogh! LP, Vinyl record album

Although James Phelps has a deep raw soul voice – he's matched here with some nice uptown arrangements courtesy of Phil Wright, for a sound that's a lot like some of the best solo Ben E. King solo stuff for Atlantic! "Love Is A 5-Letter Word" is a nice slowly-rolling track with a catchy chorus – and "I'll Do The Best" has an uptowny style that's wonderful – really one of those "shoulda been a hit" kind of tunes! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great Jean Luc Ponty album – quite possibly his best, with a hip approach that's more MPS than World Pacific! The record has Ponty working under the supervision of George Gruntz, with an incredibly hip group that includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Daniel Humair on drums, and Gruntz himself on piano – a really great lineup that brings together late 60s Europea and Cali groovy styles! Tracks are skittish, jaunty, exploratory, and even a bit funky – in that groovy late 60s MPS/Saba way – and the album features some nice originals that include "Pacific Drove", "Fort Ord Canon", "Pebble Beach Walk", and "3 + 2 = 1". LP, Vinyl record album

Freddie Roach always makes a good move on his Blue Note sessions – going for a lean and tight style on the organ that never fails to please! On this set, he's working with a mixed group of hardbop and soul jazz players that includes two Blue Note heavyweights – Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Hank Mobley on tenor – key proof that the label really thought a lot of Roach's playing at the time, and a great way to hear Mobley open up with a Hammond – which he doesn't always do! The rest of the group also features Eddie Wright on guitar and Clarence Johnson on drums – all moving with Freddie on some tight tracks that have a triple punch of organ, tenor, and trumpet! Titles include "Wine Wine Wine", "I.Q. Blues", "On Our Way Up", and "Pastel". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the raunchiest albums ever cut by organist Freddie Roach – not as high-reaching as some of his later work, but with lots of short tracks that groove with a tight jukebox organ/tenor approach! The band is a strong one – with Conrad Lester on tenor, Eddie Wright on guitar (replaced by Kenny Burrell on a few cuts, and Clarence Johnson on drums – a power packed quartet groove that's lean, clean, and simple – giving the record a raw sound that's a bit more Prestige Hammond than the usual Blue Note set! Titles include "Baby Don't You Cry", "I Know", "Googa Mooga", "Mo Greens Please", "Nada Bossa", and "Party Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual record for Sonny Rollins – but a great one too! At first glance the concept is a strange one – almost a crazy decision to pair modernist tenorist Sonny Rollins with a set of large brassy arrangements – but oddly, the idea works, and works nicely – as Rollins' edgey solos cut through the heavy arrangements with ease, creating some angular counterpoint and a tight little space to make his own sound. The group was conducted by Ernie Wilkins, and the flipside of the album features Rollins playing in a small trio with the great Henry Grimes on bass (who also played with Rollins on some of his best sessions from the time!) and Charles Wright on drums. Titles include "Manhattan", "If You Were The Only Girl In the World", "Who Cares?", and "Far Out East". Originally issued on MGM/Metro – but this is the Verve pressing. LP, Vinyl record album

Diana Ross in the sweet clubby 70s – working here in a set of upbeat groovers that really show off her talents as a disco diva! The tunes are mostly upbeat, and surprisingly fresh – not nearly as disco cliched as you might expect, and handled in just the right way to take advantage of Diana's soaring solo vocals. Nothing's ever too overly-postured, and there's no throwaway hits here, either – which makes the album a nice discovery of overlooked Diana Ross gems from the time. Arrangements are by Art Wright, Greg Wright, Jimmie Haskell, Michael Masser, Gene Page, and Paul Riser – and titles include "Lovin Livin & Givin", "Never Say I Don't Love You", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "You Were The One", "To Love Again", and "Together". LP, Vinyl record album

With Marcus Miller on keyboards, bass, and rhythm guitar, Steve Ferrone on drums, Hiram Bullock on lead guitar, Bernard Wright on synthesizer, Steve Gadd on drums, Don Grolnick on piano, Hugh McCracken on slide guitar, Mac Rebennack aka Dr John on piano, and Paulinho da Costa on percusion. LP, Vinyl record album

Supreme reggae saxophone work from Ossie Scott – playing here with production from Bunny Lee, and backing from Sly & Robbi, with Winston Wright on keyboards! LP, Vinyl record album

Features Archie Shepp on piano, Herman Wright on bass, and Clifford Jarvis on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "El Condor Pasa", "Cecilia", "So Long Frank Lloyd Wright", "Baby Driver", "The Boxer", "The Only Living Boy In New York", "Keep The Customer Satisfied", and "Song For The Asking". LP, Vinyl record album

The final album from Spooky Tooth – at least during their initial run – and a surprisingly strong set that really points to a huge amount of new directions and ideas! Mike Patto is in the group this time around – and the presence of his vocals and deft instrumental work really give Spooky Tooth a renewed focus and sense of energy – which seems to push the guitars of Mick Jones into territory that's even bolder than before – with more than a few hints of the Foreigner to come! Gary Wright's vocals are still at center stage, but the whole album almost feels like the whole group coming together to really stretch their wings and soar. Titles include "Fantasy Satisfier", "Two Time Love", "Higher Circles", "Hell Or High Water", "The Hoofer", "I'm Alive", and "The Mirror". LP, Vinyl record album

Spooky Tooth have grown their hair since the cover of their first album – and they've also grown their sound a bit too – into a brew that's even headier and more powerful than before! The album's still got an undercurrent of soul – and begins with a fantastic drumbreak on the first cut – but these guys are also swirling their basslines, guitars, and keyboards into territory that's unabashedly hard rock – a mode that really has singer Gary Wright opening up with soaring vocals on most of the tracks! The album really represents that full turning of the UK scene from beat group modes into badass territory that's completely unique – a sound that Island Records was perfect to usher in for the group – and the whole thing's got an instant classic sort of vibe, and we've always wondered why it never had a greater place in the rock canon of the period. Titles include "That Was Only Yesterday", "Waiting For The Wind", "Feelin Bad", "Evil Woman", "Lost In My Dream", and "Hangman Hang My Shell On A Tree". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge disco cash-in moment of the 70s – but a great one too, and a strong illustration of the power that Casablanca Records had in both the clubs and charts at the time! The movie and record were both a bit over-pressed upon release, but they nonetheless stand as a great snapshot of the way that funky soul had taken over the clubs during the disco generation – giving showcase to a whole host of new young artists, and exposing lots of mainstream listeners to soul music at a level they wouldn't have touched a few years before! Donna Summer was one of Casablanca's big acts at the time – and she really dominates the record with her classic rendition of "Last Dance", plus tracks "With Your Love" and a disco remake of "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus". Both other cuts are strong too – and include "Lovin, Livin, & Givin" by Diana Ross, "Too Hot Ta Trot" by The Commodores, "Disco Queen" by Paul Jabara, "Leatherman's Theme" by Wright Bros Flying Machine, "Floyd's Theme" by Natural Juices, and "Find My Way" by Cameo. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary solo debut of Bunny Wailer – a set that maybe marks him as the most righteous member of The Wailers! The style here is heavy on the roots tip, but there's also a special sort of vibe going on too – these warm currents that are laced with occasional touches of jazz, amidst a mellow-flowing presentation that's right up there with the best of Island Records in the mid 70s – but somehow deeper too! Peter Tosh joins a great lineup that includes Winston Barrett, Robbie Shakespear, Winston Wright, and other Jamaican instrumental giants – but it's definitely Bunny who holds the whole thing together with a spirit that's quite different than his famous previous partner, Bob Marley. Titles include "Blackheart Man", "Rasta Man", "This Train", "Reincarnated Souls", "Armagideon", "The Oppressed Song", "Fig Tree", and "Fighting Against Convictions". LP, Vinyl record album

Album III from Loudon Wainwright III – a fine showcase for his wry songwriting, uncommon melodies and a unpredictable niche in the 70s singer/songwriter realm! Album III continues Loudon's progression from folk influenced storyteller to more of a pop rock mode, a record that starts out with the funny "Dead Skunk", kind of catching you off guard for some sharper words to come. Titles include the weird leftfield hit "Dead Skunk", plus "Red Guitar", "East Indian Princess", "Hometeam Crowd", "Needless To Say", "Drinking Song", "Say That You Love Me" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Loudon Wainwright III albums of the 70s, and a nice encapsulation of his rambling creative spirit – featuring one side of studio recordings ranging from small combo rockers to voice and guitar backed sparseness, to Carribbean pop flavors – and one side recorded live at The Bottom Line in a more introspective folk style. Titles include "Sweet Nothings", "The Lowly Tourist", "Kings And Queens", "On The Rocks", "Guru", "Mr Guilty", Unrequited To The Nth Degree", "Old Friend", "Rufus Is A Tin Man" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

"Do Your Thing" is a great one from Charles Wright and the group! The cut's got that messed-up funky groove they hit so well – with lots of tight funky playing, some great shouted lyrics, and a hook that drives the whole thing home. "A Dance" is more conventional soul – but still pretty nice! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Mad mad funk, and the fantastic second LP by the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – the group that proved to everyone that LA could be just as funky as any other city in the 60s! The record draws strongly from the group's indie roots in the funky 45 scene – and the album's filled with short tracks that bump along in jagged rhythms, offbeat arrangements, and some slight touches of sweeter soul. Charles Wright is leading the group on vocals, and taking a stronger presence on these soul-based cuts – but as before, it's the strength of the overall group that really makes the album great – especially the bass work of Melvin Dunlap and the funky drums of James Gadson! Titles include some killer original tracks by the band – like "Do Your Thing", "Giggin' Down 103rd", "Phuncky Bill", "65 Bars & A Taste Of Soul", and "A Dance, A Kiss, & A Song" – plus great covers of "Something You Got", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", and "Knock On Wood". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant session of modernist hardbop – one of the few records ever cut as a leader by trumpeter Richard Williams! Williams was a key part of the Charles Mingus group for a few years – and his soulful approach ranks with Ted Curson as some of the most compelling underground trumpet work of the early 60s. The set features Williams in a great group – with Leo Wright on alto, Reggie Workman on bass, Richard Wyands on piano, and Bobby Thomas on drums – and they're playing material that isn't too far out, but which does have significantly modern tendencies. Williams solos are fantastic, and the album is proof that he was one of the 60s great under-recognized talents! Titles include "Ferris Wheel", "Blues In A Quandry", "Raucous Notes", and "Renita's Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great album from Nancy Wilson – a set that still has her working with the jazzy undercurrents of her best 60s work for Capitol Records – yet also moving into some hipper, more sophisticated soul styles too! There's a really strong adult vibe to the record – not that Nancy didn't have one before, but this time around there's even more sense of personality and experiential depth that really comes through in the choice of songs – and in Wilson's wonderful treatment of them. Tunes that might be stiff in the hands of someone else are really transformed here – with added thanks to Phil Wright for great arrangements on the record. Titles include a version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne", Burt Bacharach's obscure "Waitin For Charlie To Come Home", and the tracks "Trip With Me", "This Girl Is A Woman Now", "Mixed Up Girl", and "Words & Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully groovy album from Nancy Wilson – filled with hip jazzy touches and lots of bouncy soul – in that sweet blend that was a perfect fit for the style of late 60s Capitol Records! Nancy really steps out from some of her more staid modes here – swinging a groove with some bad-rapping late 60s styles, yet still also reminding us that she's a sophisticated lady on some of the record's more adult tracks too. Arrangements are by the trio of Jimmy Jones, Phil Wright, and Joe Parnello – each of whom bring a different feel to the record, and help create a strong sense of variety amongst tracks that include "Son Of A Preacher Man", "Make The World Go Away", "I Made You This Way", "Husbands & Wives", "Mr Walker It's Over", "Almost Persuaded", and "Got It Together". LP, Vinyl record album

By the mid 80s, Bernard Wright had dropped some of his jazz funk sound, and moved towards more of a smoother R&B sound – although the mix proved out to work surprisingly well, and has made this album a bit of a classic in the 80s groove mode. Includes the cut "Who Do You Love", which is still quite popular here in Chicago, plus "Too Damn Hot", "Killin' Me", "Yo Nard", and "Love You So". Lenny White and Marcus Miller produced. LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully mature work from Miami soul legend Betty Wright – one of her overlooked albums recorded for Columbia Records, after big 70s fame at the TK label – and a set that has Betty mixing all her deep soul roots with a tighter, more sophisticated groove! Most of the album was handled by Andre Fischer, of Rufus fame – although Stevie Wonder and Richard Dimples Fields also put together one cut each – and there's a sweet jazzy soul to some of the best numbers that really makes Betty sound great – a mode that's nicely tripping along, with a groove that allows her to really be free and stretch out with her vocals. There's maybe a few moments that echo the late TK years – but go places that those records never would – and titles include "Give A Smile", "I Come to You", "Make Me Love the Rain", "What Are You Going To Do With It", and "Body Slang". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic live album from the great Betty Wright – and one of the few recorded documents of the way that classic soul singers would evolve the nature of their songs in a concert setting! Betty's recording for Alston/TK here, but the mode she uses is one that would grace countless performances to come from lots of her southern soul contemporaries, including many who would end up recording for Malaco in the 80s – this warmly personal, all-entertainment approach that really heightens the spirit of the singer way past their familiar songs and lyrics. Betty does some great monologue bits on the album – the most famous of which is on her 8 minute take of "Tonight Is The Night" – hugely superior to the studio version. There's also a great "Clean Up Woman Medley", in which betty sings that song and mixes it with bits of other 70s songs over the course of 11 minutes – showing that she's the one and only clean up woman! Other tracks include "Where Is The Love", "You Can't See For Lookin", "Lovin Is Really My Game", and "A Song For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Betty Wright explodes with soul on this sweet 70s classic – really stretching out past the simpler grooves of her roots, and showing the world she's got more than enough talent to be one of the standout soul divas of her generation! The record's also a great illustration of the way that Miami soul was growing up at the time, too – and sparkles with Willie Clarke production that help balance some of the new smoother modes with Betty's core down-home energy – captured perfectly here with a quality that makes the record southern enough to appeal to longtime fans, yet hip enough to get plenty of play up north too. Vocals get nice and complicated at times, almost jazzy with a Rufus/Chaka touch – and titles include "Do Right Girl", "I Think I'd Better Think About It", "Smother Me With Love", "Open The Door To Your Heart", "Life", "If I Ever Do Wrong", and "Don't Forget To Say I Love You Today". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo album by Charles Wright – and a really mindblowing set that shows that he was the key psychedelic force in the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band! The set's got a much more stoner funk approach than ever before – one that's clearly fascinated with the bassy "rhythm" of the title, but which also has Wright really leaning into some soulful lyrics that represent the "poetry" of the set. A few of the cuts on the album go for quite a long stretch – especially the messed-up jam "Soul Train", which is almost a Funkadelic number, and the really crazy "Run Jody Run", a 13 minute jam filled with heavy guitars, soulful horns, and some mad shouted lyrics by Charles! Other tracks are mixture of soul and funk, and titles include "Girl Don't Let Me Down", "Just Free Your Mind", "Good Things", and a trippy cover of "Here Comes The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album recorded by Charles Wright with the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – and a set that's even more stretched out and trippy than their other albums! Gone are the tight short cuts of earlier days, and in their place are longer messed-up funky numbers that have more of a jamming party feel – tunes that let the whole group open up in a relaxed and soulful mode that must have been plenty great to see happening live in the studio! Charles sings in a style that mixes straighter soul with "crazy man" kind of lyrics – of the sort that he later sang on his own LPs – and the album features the wicked tune "Express Yourself II", a great follow-up to the first one, done in a more open-styled way, but still with the same hook and rhythm! Other tracks include "Just To Settle My Nerves", "Let's Make Love Not War", "What Can You Bring Me?", "Your Love", and "You're So Beautiful". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest singles by Charles Wright – and backed with a nice b-side! "Love Land" is a great loping vocal soul cut – a lot sweeter than your average cut by the Watts Rhythm Band, but very catchy and very nice, too! "Sorry Charlie" is an instrumental – with horns on top, and lots of echoey piano playing on the melody, some of it off-key! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record of incredible beauty from the great Leo Wright – and one that we'd never part with at all! Wright's one of those excellent players from the 60s who never really gets his due – largely because he was always hiding behind larger groups, and because he left the US in the decade for an extended stint in Europe. Still he cut some fantastic early work with both Dizzy Gillespie and Lalo Schifrin – and this album captures him right during the peak of that early period! The record features light lively backing from a quartet that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums – and some tracks have a beautifully groovy sound that's slightly bossa, slightly soul jazz. One of the best of these is Wright's great cover of "A Felicidade", but the record contains many other great moments, like "The Wiggler", "Tali", "Sassy Lady", and "Dionysis". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Guests include Dr John, Leon Russell, Lowell George, Betty Wright, and lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

An early solo album cut by Eldee Young, back in the days when he was Ramsey Lewis' bassist, and before he formed the Young-Holt trio. The record's a good example of the strong humor that Eldee would later display in the Young-Holt group, and it's got a great batch of groovy tracks that have a tight soulful sound, with lots of nice tricks and surprises. The group includes Leo Wright, Mal Waldron, Redd Holt, and Richard Evans, who plays bass on some tracks while Eldee picks up the cello. The album's got a great version of Oscar Brown's "Mr. Kicks", plsu the tracks "Just For Kicks", "Truly", "Big Brother", and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", done in a very groovy way! LP, Vinyl record album