A lost chapter in the all too short history of Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra – an album recorded shortly after the group's better-known album for ECM in the 80s! Like other Liberation Music outings, Carla Bley is a very strong presence on this set – penning original tunes for the album, handling arrangements, and sharing Charlie Haden's love of rhythms and inspirations from Latin and African sources – inspirations that are brought in subtly, and shaped to fit the overall spirit of the group. Players include Tom Harrell, Ken McIntyre, Joe Lovano, Dewey Redman, and Ray Anderson – and titles include "Dream Keeper", "Rabo De Nube", "Nkosi Sikelel'I Afrika", and "Sandino". CD

Recorded live at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and a special set featuring the acoustic talents of trumpeter Tim Hagan and soprano saxist Bob Belden, mixed with electronics by Scott Kinsey, and turtablism by DJ Kingsize. Most of the material is fairly out – with off-kilter solos draped over loud junglist rhythms – and the album reminds us more of Derek Bailey's drum n bass album of a few years back, than it does some of the more recent new funky work on Blue Note. Titles include "Big Moment", "Dans La Ville Sombre", "Love's Lullaby", "Are You Threatening Me?", and "Trumpet Sandwich". CD

Slide Hampton's not on every track here, but his presence really makes the album sparkle – blowing with his usual strong, soulful vibe in the company of two younger tenor players! The album's a live one, recorded in Holland with a Dutch quintet that features the great Cees Slinger on piano, and both Sjoerd Dijkhuizen and Simon Rigter on tenors – blowing in tight formation on all numbers, but sounding their best when Hampton joins the group on 6 of the album's 9 tracks! As with so many Hampton dates overseas, there seems to be a little something extra in the rhythms – a bounce, or a balance between force and lyricism, that really pushes his tunes in a fresh sort of way – skippingly soulful, just as we first came to love in Slide's music so many decades ago. Titles include "Lament", "Griffin", "Invitation", "Sandra", "The Loner", "Sallitwhachawana", and "The Eternal Triangle". CD

Always the master storyteller, Kip Hanrahan turns his unique musical vision to source material from 1001 Arabian Nights – interweaving stories from the text with jazz-based expression, augmented by spoken and vocal passages. Carmen Lundy sings quite a bit on the record – which is a real treat to our ears, as its great to hear her in such a left-field project – and other artists on the set include Don Pullen, Milton Cardona, Mike Cain, Jack Bruce, JT Lewis, and Henry Threadgill. Tracks include "Diente De Oro", "Aziz & Azizah", "Dunya's Nocturnal Realization", "The Hasheater's Tale", "The Angel Charles & The Caravans Of Jinns & Dreams", and "The Jewish Doctor's Tale". CD

An amazing set – all four of the legendary Warner Brothers albums by harmony giants Harpers Bizarre – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Feelin Groovy – the fab first LP by Harpers Bizarre! The group were one of the strangest pop ensembles operating in the seminal LA scene of the mid 60s – ostensibly a sweet harmony vocal group, but with a strangely childish approach that also had an ear open for the mind-blowing production styles of the Brian Wilson era. Van Dyke Parks was a big supporter of the group – and they perform a sublime version of his tune "Come To The Sunshine" as the leadoff track on the album – and even though Van Dyke didn't handle the arrangements of the record, the style of the music is very similar to his own, with guitar, bass, and drums coming into play with strings, woodwinds, and baroque orchestral touches. The record is as dark as it is sublime – one of those pop gems that hit big, but which has a brooding depth bubbling underneath the sugary coating – ala Pet Sounds. Tracks include "Happy Talk", "The Debutantes Ball", "I Can Hear The Darkness", "Raspberry Rug", and their huge hit version of "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy)". Next is Anything Goes – the group's second album – and while it has a lot of similarities with the first, it's also a lot deeper of an expression of their strange blend of harmony vocals, sweet 60s pop, and the nostalgia for the early 20th century that was running through the Burbank Warner scene that included a young Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Lenny Waronker, and other LA underground of the mid 60s. The whole record fits together beautifully – beginning with an old-timey radio kind of announcer, then sliding into sublimely crafted harmony tunes that include originals from the LA luminaries and the group, plus a few other surprising covers. Titles include the hit version of "Anything Goes", plus "The Biggest Night Of Her Life", "Milord", "Virginia City", "High Coin", "Jessie", "This Is Only The Beginning", and "You Need A Change". The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre is the third album by Harpers Bizarre – and one that shows them growing in leaps and bounds with each new release! The record is a sublime fusion of sweet pop California 60s harmonies (ala The Sandpipers or The Lettermen), baroque arrangements with a fake dreamy nostalgia (ala Van Dyke Parks or Randy Newman), and drug-addled underground takes on the eazy sound of the generation (ala Brian Wilson or Love). This album is one of their most perfectly-realized visions, and it features a great blend of older songs, all hipped-up to modern LA arrangements by the likes of Nick De Caro, Perry Botkin, and others. The record has an approach that's simply mindblowing when you consider the amount of funds and effort that must have been put into a record that would only be truly appreciated 40 years later – and it's filled with great titles that include "Me, Japanese Boy", "Look To The Rainbow", "Funny How Love Can Be", "Mad", "Green Apple Tree", and "Las Mananitas". Last up is the group's fourth album, unfortunately, the last Warner album by Harpers Bizarre – one of the few testaments of genius left to us by this incredible group! The record shows the group moving past the sweet pop and dreamy nostalgia of earlier albums – tentatively stepping into the haze of the late 60s LA scene with a blend of songs that share a lot musically with earlier work, but which also seem to have a more adult approach to some of their themes. Arrangements are by the group mostly – with help from pop geniuses like Jack Nitzsche, Nick De Caro, Lenny Waronker, Harry Nilsson, and Perry Botkin Jr. The harmonies are sublime – and the group effortlessly blends original tunes like "Soft Soundin Music", "All Through The Night", "When The Band Begins To Play", and "There's No Time Like Today, along with bizarre covers like "Hard To Handle", "Something Better", "I Love You Alice B Toklas", and Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", which is worth the price of the record alone! Bonus tracks include "Both Sides Now", "Small Talk", "Poly High", "If We Ever Needed The Lord Before", "Malibu U", "Cotton Candy Sandman", "Lost My Love Today", and "Bye Bye Bye". CD

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The genius of Richie Havens at this point is beyond compare – a unique take on the dying folk sound of the 60s, one that infused it with a deeper sense of soul that helped it get new legs in the Woodstock generation – yet which is also heard here before any of the post-hippie cliches that would bog down some of Richie's later work. There's an earnestness to this music that's also touched with a good degree of worldly sense – a notion that the world was changing, but one person at a time, and mostly through the gentle efforts and honest efforts of souls like Richie. This LP features 11 tracks in all – with titles that include "High Flyin' Bird", "San Francisco Bay Blues", "Just Like A Woman", "Sandy", "Three Day Eternity", "Follow", and "Handsome Johny". CD

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Excellent work from pianist Art Hodes – tracks he recorded in the early years of Blue Note – with help from players who include Baby Dodds on drums, Sandy Williams and Ray Coniff on trombones, Rod Cless on clarinet, Bob Hggart on bass, and Max Kaminsky on trumpet! Hodes was a great player in the trad tradition, but he was also sharp enough to be reflecting on the music, too – finding ways to push it forward in the postwar years. The set features rare tracks from 78rpm singles and early 10" releases – plus a few unissued numbers too! CD

One of the most sophisticated albums that Bobby Hutcherson recorded with reedman Harold Land – a very hip session that features the arrangements of piano player Todd Cochran – also known as Bayete for a pair of early 70s albums on Prestige! The sound here is more farther-reaching than before for the team of Hutcherson and Land – a deepening of the soulful spirits first cooked up on their earlier collaborations, stretched out to farther-reaching territory in the hands of Cochran's arrangements and compositions. The group's got a full sound too – with trumpet and flugelhorn from Oscar Brashear, trombone from George Bohannon, and added reeds from players who include Ernie Watts, Fred Jackson, and Charles Owens. Harold Land plays tenor and flute, Hutcherson vibes and marimba, and Cochran is on acoustic piano throughout – but the record also features some electric keys from William Henderson. Titles include the 3 part suite "At The Source", plus "Many Thousands Gone", "Clockwork Of The Spirits", and "Mtume". CD also features 3 great bonus tracks – the funky 17 minute "Hey Harold", plus "Jonathan" and "Togo Land". CD

A seminal album – a late 60s classic meeting of the brain trust of the avant garde jazz scene in New York, recorded for the young JCOA label – and put forth as one of their early attempts to prove that musicians could be in charge of the means of production! Michael Mantler provided the core composition, and directs the group – but the lineup is a who's who of forces who'd record for ESP, Impulse, and other labels – with bold solos from Don Cherry on cornet, Gato Barbieri on tenor, Larry Coryell on guitar, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Cecil Taylor on piano, and Pharoah Sanders on tenor – in a larger lineup of players who also include Steve Marcus, Andrew Cyrille, Reggie Workman, Alan Silva, Carla Bley, Beaver Harris, Charles Davis, Robert Northern, Kent Carter, and many other key avant musicians! Titles include "Communications 8", "Communications 9", "Communications 10", and "Communications 11".' CD

A wonderful later album from these two Coltrane bandmembers – reunited here in the early 80s, working in a mode that's very much in keeping with their rich spiritual jazz legacy! The group on the album's a quintet – with Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Richard Davis on bass, and Jean-Paul Bourelly on electric guitar. Sanders' majestic tenor solos really make the album sparkle – as he's blowing in a mode that feels a lot like Coltrane, circa 1963, touched with some of his own raspy soul, which makes for a different edge. Titles include "Little Rock's Blues", 'Hip Jones", "For Tomorrow", "Korina", and "Origin". CD

A great 90s appearance from Pharoah Sanders – working here with drummer Franklin Kiermyer, next to John Esposito on piano and Drew Gress on double bass. CD

Guillermo Klein on piano and vocals – with Bill McHenry and Gorka Benitez on reeds, Sandro Tomasi on trombone, Taylor Haskins on trumpet, Ben Monder on guitar, and others. CD

A sweet 80s set that has Ramsey Lewis showing the world that he's still one of the reigning master of the keyboard – as he opens up here with a whole bunch of keys from that decade, at a level that marks a strong new chapter from his electric work of the 70s! Lewis works alongside additional keyboardists Morris Butch Stewart and Lonnie Graves – and at times, even the rhythms are electric too – influenced by both R&B and hip hop at times, similar to Herbie Hancock electric experiments of the time – but with more of that soulful vibe that we love from Ramsey! There's a bit of vocals on the record – courtesy of Stewart, Maurice White, Brenda Mitchell, Josie Aiello, and Alice Sanderson Echols – on titles that include "Les Clefs De Mon Coeur", "It's Gonna Change", "Victim Of A Broken Heart", "Slow Dancin", "Ram Jam", "This Ain't No Fantasy", "Part Of Me", and "The Quest". CD

Kai Fagaschinski on Clarinet and Klaus Filip on electronics. CD

An incredible legacy of jazz – one that's certainly as disconnected as promised by the title, but which stands as a much-needed look at the many-sided talents of tenorist Allen Lowe! The set's on ESP Records, but often has sounds that are somewhat straight ahead – although often in a way that's a bit more than you might expect – as Lowe's a player with a strong knowledge of older generations of jazz, but who can put things together with a very contemporary ear – maybe best summed up in the Avant Garde Tribute To Louis Armstrong – a Knitting Factory performance that's part of this set. Lowe works with a compelling range of musicians throughout – maybe most importantly, trumpeter Doc Cheatham, who shows that in the 80s and 90s, he was still very open to new ideas – as well as Percy France and David Murray on tenor, Randy Sandke on trumpet, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Matthew Shipp on piano and Farfisa organ – and many others along the way. The massive 8CD set features countless rare recordings from over 40 years of Lowe's career – private recordings, live sets, and lots more – a huge addition not just to his own catalog, but a revelation of a connecting web on the east coast scene for decades! CD

Steve Coleman and Greg Osby on saxophones, Robin Eubanks on trombone, and Cassandra Wilson on vocals. CD

Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Printup, Riley Mullins, Roger Ingram, Russell Gunn, Ryan Kisor, and Seneca Black on trumpet, Wess Anderson on clarinet, alto and soprano saxophone, James Carter on clarinet, bass clarinet, and baritone saxophone, Victor Goines on clarinet, tenor and soprano saxophone and bass clarinet, Walter Blanding on soprano saxophone, Robert Stewart on tenor saxophone, Ron Westray and Wayne Goodman on trombone, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone and tuba, Michael Ward on violin, Eric Reed on piano, Reginald Veal on bass, and Herlin Riley on drums and tambourine with vocals from Cassandra Wilson, Jon Hendricks, and Miles Griffith. CD

With performances by Cassandra Wilson, Shirley Caesar, Mark O Connor, Marcus Roberts and more. CD

Mazzy Star's second album and first for Capitol, one of those rare, wonderful moments in the early 90s when a band that had been bubbling just under the popular radar hooked up with a major label and managed to hit both a popular and creative peak! This one really hasn't aged a day since it came out. The songwriting pair of guitarist David Roback and Hope Sandoval – the former transcending pop psych influences as far back as the early 80s in The Rain Parade, the latter with one of the most hauntingly beautiful voices in rock at the time – put together their best, moodiest effort. Includes the breakout hit "Fade Into You", a cool cover of Arthur Lee & Love's then recent "Five String Serenade", "Blue Light", "She's My Baby", "Wasted", "Into Dust", "So Tonight That I Might See", "Mary Of Silence", "Unreflected" and "Bells Ring". CD

Wes Montgomery with a bit of sax and flute – a nice change from the sound of some of his other early records, thanks to key work on the set from James Clay! Clay plays mostly flute on the record, but does so with a hard edge that reminds us of Frank Wess' work from the same stretch – really bringing a raspy edge to the record, and seeming to bring out the same in Wes' guitar work. The rest of the group includes Victor Feldman on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – and titles include the nice groover "Movin' Along", plus "So Do It", "Sandu", "Tune Up", and "Says You". CD

A rich tapestry of Afro-Caribbean rhythms – and one of the most compelling albums we've heard in years from David Murray! The set features an expanded group of percussionists, vocalists, and other instrumentalists – fronted by lead solo stars David Murray and Pharoah Sanders – all jamming freely in styles that bring together bits of African, Haitian, and Cuban rhythms – forging them into a bold new sound for the project! Tracks are all quite longish, and given the previous skills that both Murray and Sanders have exhibited in such settings, they're more than up for the challenge of working with such a heady group of players! Titles include "Go To Jazz", "Gwotet", "Djolla Feeling", "La Jwa", "O Leonso", and "Ovwa". CD

One of the greatest albums we've heard from David Murray in many years – a beautifully spiritual set that really reminds us of the promise we first heard in his music decades ago! Murray's working here with a lean, soulful ensemble that includes Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – all in a groove that has plenty of sharp edges, but which is also nicely inside – very focused, and with a sense of depth that's really wonderful! All tracks are originals by Murray – penned with the sensitivity of an older soul jazz recording – and two numbers feature lyrics by Ishmael Reed, sung by Cassandra Wilson on guest vocals. Titles include "Sacred Ground", "Transitions", "Family Reunion", "The Prophet Of Doom", "Believe In Love", and "Banished". CD

Features Bill Laswell, Philip Glass, Pharoah Sanders, Mandingo, and others. CD

Henry Threadgill on alto and tenor, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Pheeroan Aklaff on percussion – plus vocals from Cassandra Wilson! CD

New Edition show they're no Johnnies-come-lately on the harmony soul scene – and pay tribute to a host of older groups from the 50s and 70s – singing a mix of hits and soul classics in a laidback late nite mode that brings a real focus on their vocals. Given their age, there's a sound here that's still a bit kiddie at times – but that works well on the tunes that have a more youthful approach in the originals. Backings still have a relatively 80s sound to them, and production was handled by Freddie Perren. Titles include "Duke Of Earl", "Hey There Lonely Girl", "A Thousand Miles Away", "What's Your Name", "Tears On My Pillow", "Blue Moon", and "Bring Back The Memories", an original tune written for the set. CD

A gem by Joe Pass – recorded "live" in the studio a few months before his legendary For Django album, but never issued until the 70s! The set's got a freeness that you don't always hear in some of Pass' other more restrained work – and working with a quartet that includes Mike Wofford on piano, Pass crafts some long and beautiful versions of tracks that include "Joy Spring", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "Relaxin At Camarillo", and "Some Time Ago". CD

Really lovely work from pianist Danilo Perez – a set that features some wonderful orchestrations from Claus Ogerman, who brings a similar spirit to the record as some of his best backings in the 70s! The core group features Perez on piano with a hip rhythm duo of Christian McBride on bass and Lewis Nash on drums – augmented with percussion from Luis Quintero, and a group that would already sound wonderful on their own, even without the backings! But Ogerman's sensitive shadings really help deepen the sound – bringing in a sense of space and majesty, but in really subtle ways – letting Danilo's piano ring out with great tones, and even allowing plenty of sound for McBride's warm basslines. Cassandra Wilson sings on two tracks – "Lazy Afternoon" and "My Heart Sings" – and other titles include the Ogerman originals "Across The Crystal Sea", "Rays & Shadows", "The Purple Condor", "If I Forget You", and "Another Autumn" – all wonderful compositions! CD

With Keith Smith on trumpet and Sandy Brown on clarinet. CD

Key Sun Ra albums for ESP records – the Heliocentrics World trifecta – in a 3CD set! The work here is a bit more intense than usual – almost cerebral at times, with very contemplative passages on percussion and reeds, offset by strong piano lines from Ra – all in a mode that marks a sharp break from earlier Saturn albums. Volume One finds the group working in an interstellar formation that holds up strongly with the Saturn sides – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto, Teddy Nance on trombone, Chris Capers on trumpet, Danny Davis on flute and alto, and Ra on piano, bass marimba, and some especially nice electronic celeste! Things get quite out at points – freer almost than other Arkestra sides of the time – and titles include "Outer Nothingness", "Other Worlds", "Nebulae", "Dancing In the Sun", "The Cosmos", and "Of Heavenly Things". Volume Two has a freer feel than the first volume, and a bit more avant-oriented work overall. Ra and the group play a lot of percussion – and Ra himself is on tuned bongos, piano, and clavioline, which has a very nice spooky sound! The reed work on the album is by Robert Cummings, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, and Marshall Allen – with bass by Ronnie Boykin and percussion by Roger Blank. Tracks include "Cosmic Chaos", "House of Beauty", and "The Sun Myth". Volume Three features tracks recorded during the sessions for Volume Two, but it was lost to the sands of time for nearly 40 years! Like that previous album, this one features a smaller version of the Arkestra than usual – an octet that has Ra working with core hornmen Pat Patrick, John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Walter Miller, and Robert Cummings – supported by a rhythm section that includes Ronnie Boykins on bass and Roger Blank on percussion. Apart from a lot of added percussion by various members of the group, the instrumentation overall is relatively straightforward – even if Ra's compositions are not. The set kicks off with the 17 minute "Intercosmosis" – a relatively free, stretched-out tune – then is followed by shorter numbers that travel along darker, more introspective pathways. These titles include "World Worlds", "Interplanetary Travelers", "Mythology Metamorphosis", and "Heliocentric Worlds". CD

The complete Blue Note recordings of trumpeter Dizzy Reece – an amazing West Indian player who made some big waves on the London scene of the late 50s, then came to the US to cut a few key sides! Reece had an approach to the trumpet that shared some of the boldness of his US contemporaries on the hardbop scene, but which also occasionally had a few more exotic touches as well – not just in Dizzy's phrasing, but also in the way he liked to set up a tune – mixing modern and soulful modes together nicely, in a way that made him a perfect match for the Blue Note era that boasted work by Horace Silver and Art Blakey! The 3CD set features Dizzy's three Blue Note albums Blues In Trinity, Star Bright, and Soundin Off – plus material that was unissued at the time, but later appeared on the now-deleted Comin On CD – a real lost treasure of a session that has Dizzy stepping out even more strongly than before. Players include Hank Mobley, Tubby Hayes, Donald Byrd, Art Taylor, Walter Bishop Jr, Stanley Turrentine, Musa Kaleem, and Art Blakey – and titles include "Blues In Trinity", "Color Blind", "Shepherd's Serenade", "Groovesville", "The Rebound", "A Variation On Monk", "Blue Streak", "Ye Olde Blues", "Comin On", "Sands", "Goose Dance", "Achmet", and "The Case Of The Frightened Lover". CD

Classic work by Django Reinhardt – and a CD that reissues material that originally appeared on Decca 78s from the early 40s. All the work was recorded in 1939, by Django and the Hot Club Of France (which included Stephane Grappelli, Joseph Reinhardt, and Pierre Barro Ferret). Titles include "Twelfth Year", "Jeepers Creepers", "Swing 39", "Japanese Sandman", "Tea For Two", "I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight", "Time On My Hands", and "Hungaria". CD

Amazing sounds from the legendary Rodriguez – the brilliant 70s singer who had a groove that was equal parts soul, funk, rock, and folk – and an overall approach that was pretty darn unique! Most numbers here have some acoustic guitar over slightly funky rhythms – perfectly scored to work with Rodriguez's raspy soul vocals, which have an undeniably heartfelt style – somewhere in a space between Terry Callier and early Jose Feliciano, but very much its own mode too! This CD features great gems from Rodriguez's years at Sussex Records – including three tracks not on the albums – "Can't Get Away", "Street Boy", and "I'll Slip Away" – plus other titles that include "Sugar Man", "Cause", "I Wonder", "Like Janis", "Jane S Piddy", "I Think Of You", "Inner City Blues", and "Sandrevan Lullaby Lifestyles". CD

Really unique work from the team of Kevin Sandbloom and Melany Bell – both sweetly soulful singers who intertwine their vocals nicely on the tunes in the set! Kevin's got a bit of a jazzy approach, and Melany a deeper sound overall – and paired together, they really sound great – with this full range that unfolds nicely over spare backings that often just feature a bit of acoustic guitar and percussion – quite a change from the usual indie soul set! Sandbloom's clearly going for some deeper tones with his vocals, and Bell helps bring a good sense of focus to the record when she joins in – and the overall sound is surprisingly sophisticated, given the simplicity of the setting. Titles include "Viva Los Angeles", "Lovechild", "Always", "All That Money", "Smooth Assassination", "Let's Stay Together", "Echoplex", and "Devotion Time". CD

A solo piano album – tracks include "Typhon's Memory", "The Spinning Door", "Dancing In An Empty Room", and "Stained Glass Memory". CD

A brilliant 80s set from Pharoah Sanders – a record that has him a much more understated setting than some of his other albums from the time – but one that's maybe even more soulful and searching overall! The great one plays blistering tenor right from the start – in a quartet with John Hicks on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – all players who have this way of doing a lot with a little, especially in the rhythm department – where they seem to give Sanders some of his strongest sense of groove since the key albums for Theresa. Muhammad's got this tight sense of timekeeping, but with a looseness that we love – and Lundy's warm soulful bass does more than enough to give the set a sound bottom – and Hicks' free lyrical piano works nicely with Sanders' spiritual horn. Titles include a remake of "You've Got To Have Freedom", plus "Naima", "Origin", "Speak Low", "After The Morning", and "Africa". Also features the tracks "Duo" and "Heart To Heart" – not on the vinyl release! CD

A brilliant 80s set from Pharoah Sanders – a record that has him a much more understated setting than some of his other albums from the time – but one that's maybe even more soulful and searching overall! The great one plays blistering tenor right from the start – in a quartet with John Hicks on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – all players who have this way of doing a lot with a little, especially in the rhythm department – where they seem to give Sanders some of his strongest sense of groove since the key albums for Theresa. Muhammad's got this tight sense of timekeeping, but with a looseness that we love – and Lundy's warm soulful bass does more than enough to give the set a sound bottom – and Hicks' free lyrical piano works nicely with Sanders' spiritual horn. Titles include a remake of "You've Got To Have Freedom", plus "Naima", "Origin", "Speak Low", "After The Morning", and "Africa". Also features the tracks "Duo" and "Heart To Heart" – not on the vinyl release! CD

A righteous cover, a righteous title, and a righteous little session that features one long song that spans the entire length of the album! "Black Unity" may well be Pharoah Sanders' freest expression on record to date – but it's also still got all the hallmarks of his best moments on Impulse – especially the tighter rhythmic focus that always makes his work so compelling – and which has kept his legacy fresh for generations and generations of new jazz listeners! The group here is wonderfully put together – with Joe Bonner on piano, Carlos Garnett on tenor, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, Cecil McBee and Stanley Clarke on basses, and Norman Connors and Billy Hart on drums – all with plenty of space to stretch out, open up, and really do their thing! In contrast to some of the totally free work coming out of the European scene during the same stretch – especially that by American players overseas – the album's a great reminder that rhythm in jazz is always a key component – as Pharoah finds a way to make things swing, even at unexpected moments! CD

A fantastic album by Pharoah Sanders – one of his later albums for Impulse, but one of his best! The record has Pharoah grooving in a strongly modal style – working up long passages of rhythm, piano, and percussion that really build on the promise delivered in earlier tunes on records like Jewels Of Thought and Tauhid – that strong sense of flow that was possibly Sanders' greatest contribution to the world of spiritual jazz – over and above his own work on tenor sax! The tunes never go too far out, and have a really joyous feel that we totally love – opening Pharoah up with that bright spirit that makes some of his 70s work so great, really pushing him past the darkness of the immediate post-Coltrane years. Other players include Joe Bonner on piano, Calvin Hill on bass, Michael White on violin, and Michael Carvin on drums – and titles include the tremendous track "Greeting To Saud", plus "Elevation", "Spiritual Blessing", "Ore Se Re", and "The Gathering". CD

A wonderful reunion of Pharoah Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas – and a set that captures a lot of the same energy as the pair's previous record – Karma! Thomas' vocals are in wonderful form for the set – stretching out soulfully on the extended classic "Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah" – a title that has much of the same grace and power as "The Creator Has A Master Plan. The rest of the players on the date include Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Cecil McBee on basses, and Idris Muhammad and Roy Haynes on drums – and unusually enough, each of the double bassists and drummers gets their own channel of sound to work with! The other long track on the album is the extended "Sun In Aquarius" – which is a bit more outside, but still pretty great! CD

A stunning little record from Pharoah Sanders – a double-length set that has all the soul and spirit of his Impulse Records classics, but with a very different vibe! There's a sense of focus here that's tremendous – as if Sanders has found a way to take the energy of his side-long performances and hone them to a level that's maybe even more expressive in its economy – maybe a streamlining of spiritual jazz for the new decade, but not at a level that tries to sound commercial or mainstream at all. Sanders is joined here by a host of equally well-voiced players who really match his energy – Joe Bonner and John Hicks on piano, Eddie Henderson on flugelhorn, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and the set also features a bit of great work on koto from Yoko Ito Gates as well. Titles include the classic "You've Got To Have Freedom" – a fantastic soaring anthem of joy – plus "After The Rain", "Soledad", "Greetings To Idris", "Doktor Pitt", "Think About The One", "Bedria", and "Yemenja". CD

A later recording from Pharoah, when he was working with Bill Laswell in the mid and late 90s. Laswell's on production, and the lineup features some of his international and funk-based crew like Foday Muso Sosa, Bernie Worrell and Aiyb Deng, plus older collaborators like Michael White, and some of the then young newer scene liek Charnett Moffett. The vibe is definitely of the times, with some heavier elements and hip hop influenced beats, but a few classic spiritual grooves too. 6 numbers in all, including "Our Roots (Began In Afrca)", "Nozipho", "Tomoki", "Ocean Song", "Kumba" and "Country Mile". CD

Stunning live work from the great Pharoah Sanders – a set that's right up there with his best for the Teresa label in the 80s, but which also has some of the bite of his later Impulse material too! Tracks are long and modal – that groove that always seems to unlock the most soulful, mystical currents in Sanders' tenor – and the group is superb, with this beautiful work on bass from the young Curtis Lundy, plus John Hicks on piano and Idris Muhammad on drums – the latter of whom is in that looser mode he reopened in the 80s, and very different than his 70s funk years. Tracks are all nice and long – and titles include "Dr Pitt", "Greetings To Idris", "You Gotta Have Freedom", "It's Easy To Remember", and "The Creator Has A Masterplan". CD

Pharoah Sanders is working here with some excellent horn players in the frontline – Woody Shaw on trumpet and Gary Bartz on alto sax – both of whom really bring a lot of power to the record! As with some of Sanders' other Impulse albums of the period, the record only features two long songs – both of them great, and both of them balanced between more modal moments, and freer flights of jazz expression. Bartz and Shaw are obviously well suited for both of these sides of the spectrum – as are the other players, who include Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Clifford Jarvis on drums. Nathaniel Bettis and Anthony Wiles play additional percussion – as do some of the other members of the group from time to time. Both tracks build with a stretched-out, organic quality – and titles include "Summun Bukmun Umyun" and "Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord". CD

Includes the songs "Just The Way You Are", "Come Back To Me", "Englishman In New York", "Let's Stay Together", "All Night Long", "Baby Come To Me", "Killing Me Softly With His Song", "If You Leave Me Now", "She's Out Of My Live", "We've Only Just Begun", and "Isn't She Lovely". CD

Features Gloria Estefan, Vikki Carr, Dave Valentin, Danilo Perez, Ed Calle, and others. CD

Arturo Sandoval on trumpet and flugelhorn, David Sanchez and Ernie Watts on tenor saxophone, Kenny Kirkland on piano, and Charnett Moffett on bass. CD

With Hilario Duran Torres on piano. CD

Titles include "Manteca", "The Man With A Horn", "My Funny Valentine", "Round Midnight", "I Can't Get Started", "Up Jumped Spring", and "Concerto For Cootie" – 19 tracks total. CD

24 tracks total! CD

Killer early work from Horace Silver – and a rare non-Blue Note session from the 50s! The album's Horace's only date for Columbia, and it's got a feel that's similar to some of the Jazz Messengers' hardbop recordings for the label at the time – cooking with a soulful intensity at the bottom, yet taking off with some tremendously well-carved solos on the top! The group's an all-star ensemble that includes some of the best harbop players of the time – Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Donald Byrd and Joe Gordon on trumpet, Doug Watkins on bass, and Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums – all grooving together with Horace as if they'd been backing him up for years. Titles include great originals "Silver's Beat", "Shoutin' Out", and "Hank's Tune – plus versions of "I'll Know" and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD

If you've ever loved these guys on record – you'll love them live! This set is brilliant – a perfect example of the way that Frank, Dean, & Sammy could interact together – singing, joking, talking, and effortlessly moving through a range of material in ways that are simply mindblowing when compared to the weak-ass kind of performance that passes for "entertainment" today! The set's got a separate batch of tracks each from Frank, Dean, and Sam – plus routines done by the singers in duo or trio format. Titles include "Via Veneto", "Please Be Kind", "Ring A Ding Ding", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "All The Way", "Guys & Dolls", and lots of tunes done in medley form, with jokes and new lyrics added in! CD

A real gem from Lonnie Liston Smith's early years in the studio – and a record that's perhaps a bit more "cosmic" than it is "funk" – but that's why we like it so much! The session has Lonnie stretching out a bit more than usual – borrowing some of the righteousness from his years with Pharoah Sanders, and tripping out on tracks that revel in their own spacey brilliance. Lonnie plays both acoustic and electric piano on the record – stretching out on some Impulse-influenced grooves that feature some great soprano sax and flute from the lesser-known George Barron. Titles include the soulful "Beautiful Woman", the ethereal "Sais", and the heavier groover "Cosmic Funk" – plus great versions of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and John Coltrane's "Naima". CD

Sonic Youth near the end of the 90s – once again in creative ascension! After flirting with mainstream appeal a bit earlier in the 90s – without going too far out of their alt noise comfort zone – they seemed to lean more and more towards their slow-building exploratory facets as the years went on. A Thousand Leaves is probably their boldest Geffen record to that point ,with longer songs that are just "out" enough. Includes "Contre Le Sexism", "Sunday", "Female Mechanic Now On Duty", "Wildflower Soul", "Hoarfrost", "French Tickler", "Hits Of Sunshine (For Allen Ginsberg)", "Karen Koltrane", "The Ineffable Me", "Snare, Girl" and "Heather Angel". CD

Cosimo Fiaschi on soprano sax, Alessandro Giachero on piano and prepared piano, Emanuele Guadagno on electric guitar, and Nicholas Remondino on drums and electronics. CD

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Jacky Terrasson on piano, Lonnie Plaxico and Kenny Davis on bass, Mino Cinelu on percussion, and Cassandra Wilson on vocals. CD

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". CD include 3 versions of "Take The 'A' Train", 2 takes of "Walkin'", 2 takes of "Willow Weep For Me", and 2 takes of "If It Didn't Hurt So Much". CD

"Moods" is right – as the album's got a wonderfully dark undercurrent, one that makes it one of the most captivating early Three Sounds albums for Blue Note! Pianist Gene Harris leads a trio that includes Andrew Simpkins on bass and Bill Dowdy on drums – and even though the set list includes a few familiar tunes, the overall pitch of the album makes the music really unique. The group play some sweet renditions of "Love For Sale" and "Green Dolphin Street", plus a great reading of Clifford Brown's "Sandu", which works very well as a piano tune. Also includes the tracks "Loose Walk" and "Tammy's Breeze". CD

Trombonist Juan Pablo Torres is consistently putting out some of the best Latin jazz these days – and this excellent album is complete proof of that fact! The set features Torres working with an all-star cast that includes Arturo Sandoval, Chucho Valdes, Steve Turre, and others – sliding through a host of well-crafted instrumentals that are the very essence of Latin jazz. Tracks are long, solo room is great, and titles include "Salt & Pepper", "Ache", "When Day Breaks", "Slide Force", "All Rhythm Ahead", "Blowing Up", and "Yunfa". CD

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Totally amazing – includes all the classic albums – Velvet Underground & Nico, White Light/White Heat, Velvet Underground (3rd LP), and Loaded – plus loads of bonus tracksand unreleased demos and alternate mixes! CD

We'll be the first to admit that David S. Ware has made some clunky records over the years – but we love this album from 1992, and think it's one of the best that he ever made! The record is tighter than most, and Ware is nicely restrained, and locked into a spiritual groove that links him in a tradition with players like Billy Harper and Pharoah Sanders. He's also playing with his excellent quartet that includes Matthew Shipp, William Parker, and Marc Edwards. Shipp and Parker lay down these amazing modal grooves, and Ware dips in, searches around, and blows out incredibly soulful solos – filled with a lot more emotion and meaning than some of his other work from the mid 90s. Titles include "Aquarian Sound", "Yesterdays", "Infi-Rhythms #1", and "Sad Eyes". CD

Ernie Watts on saxophone, Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Charles Fambrough on acoustic bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. CD

The initial uttering from the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – a group with a heady sound that definitely lives up to their name! There's less "pop art" going on here than just trippy psych – served up at a level that makes the group one of the best bigger label examples of the style at the time – and definitely a lot more edgey than some of their labelmates on Warner. Jimmy Bowen produced, but really keeps all the edges intact – and titles include the completely insane "Help I'm A Rock" (actually about a rock calling for help!) – plus "Shifting Sands", "1906", "Transparent Day", "Here's Where You Belong", and "If You Want This Love". CD features bonus single mixes of "Help, I'm A Rock" and "Transparent Day". CD

A great lineup – with Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Benny Powell on trombone, Billy Harper on tenor, Talib Kibwe on alto, Dewey Redman on tenor, Idris Muhammad on drums, and Big Black on percussion – plus guest work from Pharoah Sanders and Dizzy Gillespie! CD

A beautiful early album from Cassandra Wilson – a singer who already had a really deep sound, right at the start – and definitely hit her stride with music like this! The album mixes jazzy currents with rootsier elements – some of them from a more global perspective – and the production is nicely understated, so that Wilson's strongly in the lead throughout. Titles include "Sankofa", "Black Crow", "I Can't Stand The Rain", "Children In The Night", "Hellhound On My Tail", "Come On In My Kitchen", and "Tell Me You'll Wait For Me". CD

Accompanied by Mulgrew Miller on piano, Lonnie Plaxico on bass, and Terri Lyne Carrington on drums. CD

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Features Steve Coleman and Greg Osby on alto, Robin Eubanks on trombone, and Graham Haynes on trumpet. CD

A pivotal set from Cassanda Wilson – and a record that firmly established her as one of the freshest new singers in jazz at the time! The album's awash in rootsy, dusky tones – and has an earthiness that's clearly inspired by older blues, but expressed by Cassandra in voicings that are more clearly jazz-based. Titles include an unusual range of covers – used in this way many years before the Starbucks generation of vocalists made it common place – with covers that include "Last Train To Clarksville", "Harvest Moon", "Skylark", and "Love Is Blindness" – alongside originals that include "Until", "A Little Warm Death", "Find Him", "Solomon Sang", and "Memphis". CD

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Backed by Mulgrew Miller, Rod Williams and James Weidman on piano, Grachan Moncur III on trombone, Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Terri Lyne Carrington on drums! CD

Featuring Keb Mo and Marc Ribot on guitar. CD

Cassandra Wilson's tribute to Miles Davis – a pretty brave and ambitious move, writing lyrics to classic Miles compositions – and a winning one! Wilson produced the record, too, and her genuine love of the material makes it worth – as does her fairly earthy, timeless production. Made in the late 90s, and it honestly hasn't aged a day. Very impressive! It's a Miles-centric set, but there's a couple non-Miles numbers too, and the titles include "Run The Voodoo Down", "Traveling Miles", "Time After Time", "When The Sun Goes Down", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Resurrection Blues (Tutu)", "Piper", "Prancing", "Right Here, Right Now" and more. CD

The long-overdue issue of a classic Nancy Wilson album recorded live at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas – one that captures her at the height of her youthful powers! The style here is a great illustration of the genius of Nancy Wilson at the time – an approach that was classy and careful, yet also relaxed and soulful – with a quality that not only reached out to a variety of audiences at once, but which also helped to further transform the role of the female singer in jazz through its success. Backings are swinging and jazzy – tightly arranged, but with a style that's different and more jazz-based than most of Nancy's studio arrangements of the 60s – and titles include "Small World Isn't It", "The Man That Got Away", "If We Only Have Love", "Gypsies The Jugglers & The Clowns", "We Would Have Been Fine", and "KC Medley". CD

A landmark collection of music – the now-famous series of American Folk Music volumes put together by Harry Smith in the 50s! The work here spans the space of a few early decades of recorded music – all in styles expertly chosen by Smith, with countless examples of music that might have fallen beneath the sands of time if not otherwise included in the series! Even back at the original release of the collection, the series was a crucial bit of musical archaeology – and over the ensuing space of decades, has only gone onto become even more important. Styles run the gamut from blues to roots to folk and other styles in between and features tracks by Dick Justice, Coley Jones, Buell Kazee, Kelly Harrell, the Carter Family, the Bently Boys, Henry Thomas, the Alabama Sacred Harp Singers, Blind Willie Johnson, Dock Boggs, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and more! CD

A really unique take on the music of The Beatles – one that starts in the classic 60s years of the Blue Note label, and which moves into the more recent vocal work that's become the label's strongest calling card! All tracks are Lennon/McCartney numbers (sorry George & Ringo!) – and titles include "Can't Buy Me Love" by Grant Green, "Yesterday" by Lee Morgan, "Norwegian Wood" by Buddy Rich, "Hello Goodbye" by Bud Shank & Chet Baker, "A Day In The Life" by Grant Green, "Eleanor Rigby" by Stnaley Jordan, "Blackbird" by Tony Williams, "I've Just Seen A Face" by Holly Cole, and "Come Together" by Dianne Reeves & Cassandra Wilson. CD

Music from Matt Dennis, Peggy Lee, Chet Baker, Mark Murphy, Kay Starr, Lou Rawls, June Christy, Dick Haymes, Irene Kral, Sheila Jordan, Jeri Southern, Dinah Shore, Nat King Cole, Hoagy Carmichael, and Cassandra Wilson. CD