The last album ever recorded by The Byrds, and a set that almost has the group going full circle – as the record's a reunion of sorts, and features an early lineup of the group back together – then-leader Roger McGuinn, joined by Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke! The sound of the set shows all the many paths the individuals had followed since they had split from the group – and although there's still some of the more acoustic-oriented tracks you might expect from early 70s Byrds albums, there's also some more pronounced tracks that amp things up a bit – yet all without having any sort of the ego collision such a reunion might normally inspire. Titles include "Full Circle", "Cowgirl In The Sand", "See The Sky About To Rain", "For Free", "Things Will Be Better", "Borrowing Time", "Long Live The King", and "Sweet Mary". LP, Vinyl record album

Features the classic "Got My Mind Set On You" – plus "Cloud Nine", "Just For Today", "When We Was Fab", "Devil's Radio", "Breath Away From Heaven", "Fish In the Sand". Guests include Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Elton John, and more. Produced by Jeff Lynne. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest Lee Hazlewood albums, and one of the coolest, too – the set falls a bit later than some of his other work on the Swedish scene – and, like Cowboy In Sweden, it's also a soundtrack too – but the vibe is different than that one, and almost shows this maturation of Lee's style – as if he's absorbing even more unusual elements during his time overseas, and finding a way to keep growing his sound away from his American years in LA! All the Hazlewood craft for songs and nicely wry vocals is still very much in place – but there's also some nice shifts in the arrangements, too – deepening things some fuller elements at times, yet stepping back into tighter elements at others. Titles include "Soul's Island", "A House Safe For Tigers", "Our Little Boy Blue", "Sand Hill Anna & The Russian", "Absent Friends", and a nice remake of "The Nights"! LP, Vinyl record album

Magical interplay from the twin-trombone team of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding – heard here on one of their key classics for Columbia Records in the 50s! The great thing about the set is the way in which both players really bring a sense of "voice" to their music – trading back and forth almost like two friends chatting in friendly conversation – but managing to do so with a lot more swing than most! Backings are by Dick Katz on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums – and there's a short, simple brilliance to these tunes that's hard to deny. Titles include "We Two", "It's Sand Man", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Turnabout", and "Trombone For Two". LP, Vinyl record album

Great material from the tail end of their Reprise years – non-album tracks, collected to form one great last record! Titles include "Pictures In The Sand", "Where Did The Spring Go", "When I Turn Off The Living Room Light", "There Is No Life Without Love", "Til Death Do Us Part", "Groovy Movies", "Misty Water", and "Where Did The Spring Go". LP, Vinyl record album

The only solo album ever from William Lyall – an artist with ties to 70s UK pop giants Pilot and The Bay City Rollers – although don't hold that latter reference against him, as the music here is much like his work in Pilot! As with that group, the songs here are wonderfully sharp and compressed – well-crafted UK pop with that cool sense of production that could make a tune like "Magic" crackle and spark at a level that's different than so many US hits of the time – a quality that's even better when you start to listen to William's great work on keyboards too. Phil Collins played drums on a number of tracks, Paul Buckmaster delivers some great orchestrations at points – and titles include "Playing In The Sand", "Us", "Reasons", "Maniac", "The Deeper You Get", "Sleep", "Don't Be Silly", and "Supertrader". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the best album we've heard from Homer Dennison and his Night Strings – a slinky, sexy set of grooves that has some of the best touches of the European soundtrack scene of the time! As you'd guess from the name of the group, the strings are in the lead – but there's lots of nice electric bass grooving at the bottom, and some heavier piano over the top – creating the kind of soulful juxtaposition that we love in the best MPS easy/Snowflakes mode! The album sports a few original tunes that are worth the price of the album alone – and titles include "Black Sand & White Stars", "Blue Stoned Eyes", "Sagittarius", "On The Road To The Blues", and "On Days Like These". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that combines the work of two lost horn players from the 50s! The first 8 tracks feature titles from an earlier 10" recording by Eddie Shu – an icy genius on the alto and tenor, working here in quartet format with Bobby Scott, Vinnie Burke, and Roy Haynes. Shu's got an angular tone that's a bit like that of Lee Konitz, but which is slightly less acrobatic, and perhaps a bit warmer – and he's a hell of a player, as you'll hear on the tracks "Tom Dick & Jim", "It's Sand Man", "Justice", "On East Side", and "Peace". Side two features one of the only albums ever cut by tenorist Bob Hardaway – a young west coast player who really cooks on this obscure record for Bethlehem! Hardaway's tenor has a bit more bite than some other Bethlehem horns of the time – and the vibe is almost east coast at time – with a stronger attack on the solos, and a sense of soul that comes through even more strongly on the ballads. The lineup is great, too – with Marty Paich on piano, bringing a nice punch to the tunes – plus vibes from Larry Bunker on side one, ringing out with a really wonderful tone. Bunker shifts to drums on side two – and the record features bass from either Max Bennett or Joe Mondragon, and additional drums from Art Madigan. Titles include "Jr", "Lou's Blue", "Indiana", "I Cover The Waterfront", and "Out Of Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest, wildest pop albums of the 60s – maybe the crowning achievement of both Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood – two artists who'd worked together before, but never with an intensity this great! The record is overflowing with all the great touches you'd expect from Lee – that sense of spacious production, all-adult performance, and deep-tinged vocals that are a perfect counterpoint for the lighter style of Nancy – almost as if he's continuing to urge her to adulthood over the course of the set – which he certainly does through the sensuality of the performance! The album features the insanely wonderful "Some Velvet Morning" – a pop duet unlike anything you've ever heard – plus Hazlewood tunes "Summer Wine", "Sand", "Lady Bird", "I've Been Down So Long", and "Sundown Sundown" – but even the remakes are stunning, and include "Storybook Children", "Jackson", and "You've Lost That Lovin Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget the stupid joke of the title – as the record's a fantastic bit of west coast jazz from the 50s – right up there with some of the best Pacific Jazz sides of the decade! The approach is great – slightly larger arrangements – handled by Johnny Mandel, Cy Touff, and Richie Kamuca – nicely off-kilter, in the vein of some of Shorty Rogers work from the early 50s. As with those recordings, there's some standout solo moments – in a great lineup that features Kamuca on tenor, Cy Touff on bass trumpet, Harry Edison on standard trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, and Leroy Vinnegar on bass. Titles include "Prez-ence", "Primative Cats", "TNT", and "It's Sand Man". LP, Vinyl record album

An ECM treat from bassist Eberhard Weber! Yellow Fields has great soprano sax from Charlie Mariano, who also plays shenai and nagaswaram too – plus keyboards from Rainer Brunighaus and drums from Jon Christensen – on titles that include "Touch", "Left Lane", "Yellow Fields", and "Sand Glass". LP, Vinyl record album

With local bands out of Perth, Australia that include Paint, Vendors, Hot Sand, Asbestos Fence, Sofa, Star Arcana, Gloam, and Spacerhead. LP, Vinyl record album

Not the first famous Twin Peaks soundtrack – but instead a big collection of all the cool tunes that David Lynch pulled together for the reboot of the series in 2017! Titles include "The World Spins" by Julee Cruise, "Snake Eyes" by Trouble, "My Prayer" by The Platters, "Shadow" by Chromatics, "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MGs, "Wild West (roadhouse mix)" by Leslie, "Out Of Sand" by Eddie Vedder, "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top, "I've Been Loving You Too Long (live)" by Otis Redding, "Lark" by Au Revoir Simone, "Twin Peaks Main Theme (edit)" by Angelo Badalmenti, "Tarifa (roadhouse mix)" by Sharon Van Etten, and "She's Gone Away" by Nine Inch Nails. LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual jazz session – one that features lead lines from Baby Laurence, who's a tap dancer and not a musician! The approach sounds odd, but it works surprisingly well – thanks partly to the group who backs Baby up on the different sessions on the record – players who include Paul Quinichette on tenor, Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, Nat Pierce or Roland Hanna on piano, and Skeeter Best on drums. Laurence's taps are as rhythmic as you might expect, but also carry a bit of a tune as well – enough melodic energy that they work surprisingly well without his dancing as visual accompaniment for the record! Titles include "Buck Dance", "Mall March", "Whispering", "Baby At Birdland", "The Sand", "Ornithology", and "Delila's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice soundtrack to the now-legendary film by Bruce Weber that tracked Chet Baker during some of the last days of his life. The set's got a nice mix of vocal and instrumental tracks, with Chet in fine enough form at the time of the recording. Titles include "You're My Thrill", "Moon & Sand", "Zingaro", "My One & Only Love", and "Almost Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure Canadian group, but recorded in Chicago – with cool vocals from singer Rich Wamil, who's multi-tracked on most numbers! Titles include "Castlles Of Sand", "It's A Happy Day", "Stop", "I've Been Hurt Before/Ritchie's Party", "That Was The Game", and "Why Don't You Go For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic "discovery" of tenor saxophonist Von Freeman – one that was already relatively late in his career, but a key appearance on Atlantic under the auspices of Roland Kirk! The setting here is as loose and laidback as Von needs to really do his thing – backing by a trio that features fellow Chicagoan John Young on piano, plus Sam Jones on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – all hanging back nicely to let Freeman dominate the set on tenor. The album's noteworthy for its inclusion of a few original tunes by Von – "White Sand", "Portrait Of John Young", "Doin It Right Now", "Brother George", and "Catnap" – all of which mark a nice contrast from some of the more traditional standards that show up on other Freeman albums of the 70s. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums ever by this legendary jazz vocal group! LHR do the incredible – and create a set of vocal renditions of standards by the Basie band, putting jazzy lyrics in to replace the instrumental solos, but keeping the same vibe as the original tracks. The sound and approach is amazing – and it's ndo wonder this record made them instant legends. Titles include "Down For The Count", "Fiesta In Blue", "Blues Backstage", and "It's Sand, Man!" LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Sifting Sand", "November Song", "Rock N Roll Machine", "Backfire", "Slow Blues", "Scotch Crotch", and "Dirty Shoes". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by The Pleasure Seekers, Larry & The Loafers, The Teddy Boys, The Grains Of Sand, The Magic Mushrooms, The Knaves, The Renegades, The First Four, Richard & The Young Lions, The Beech-Nuts, The Human Beinz, The Swingin' Machine, The Enfields, and Sonny Gee & The Standells. LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy little soundtrack – played by The Sandals, the same group who worked on the film The Endless Summer – director Bruce Brown's strange documentary about surfers around the world. This time around, the theme is skiers – and The Sandals more than rise to meet the challenge – crafting some tight and groovy 60s instrumentals, with lots of guitar riffing over crackling bass and drum parts. Check out the tracks "Soul Something" and "Porsche" for some real grooviness – and keep on grooving through "Ski Bum", "Yellow Dove", "Return From The Casino", and "Water & Stone". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful live material from Pharoah Sanders – a key record in a time when the tenor genius was really coming back into his own in the 80s – finding a new level of soul and spiritualism after his early run of albums on Impulse Records! The group here are a well-matched array of players who would accompany Pharoah on other key musical journeys at the time – John Hicks on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – the last of whom is also going through a righteous transformation as he gets past some of his funk and club modes of the 70s. The centerpiece of the album is a long quartet version of "You've Got To Have Freedom" – one that's nice and grooving, but in a very different way than the more famous studio version. Another real winner is "Pharomba", a 13 minute long track that has a gentle groove and some extremely nice work on tenor from Pharoah! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first moments of genius from a young Pharoah Sanders – a set that builds on the energy of John Coltrane's Love Supreme generation – but takes it in a much more expansive direction! The album's got a sense of majesty that's years ahead of its time – righteous, positive, spiritual jazz that flows out with a timeless power, and a quality that almost out-Coltrane's Coltrane! All tracks are long, expressive, and freely flowing – building with a very organic sense of energy – totally free from any gimmicks or cliche. Players include Dave Burrell on piano, Henry Grimes on bass, and Sonny Sharrock on guitar – and Pharoah plays alto, tenor, and piccolo – and even vocalizes a bit. The album begins with the amazing "Upper & Lower Egypt" – which is a perfect illustration of the two sides of Pharoah's genius – free/out & spiritual/modal – and other titles include "Japan", and "Capricorn Rising". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A set that has the sweet alto sax of Johnny Hodges working with great arrangements from Claus Ogerman – a mode that's a bit more groovy and 60s than some of Johnny's previous work – in a setting that offers up a nice change for his sound! Claus is in fine form here – swinging with the same style as his own instrumental records for RCA in the 60s – echoes of his German roots, especially in the use of bass at the bottom – which gives even some of the gentler tunes a nice kick we're not used to hearing in Johnny Hodges material. Johnny's got a sound that's soulful, yet sweet too – almost pop, but still very strongly rooted in jazz – on titles that include "Again", "Sandy's Gone", "Monkey Shack", "Scarlett O'Hara", "Candy's Theme", and "Follow Me". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Classic spiritual soul jazz from Pharoah – recorded with an all star lineup that includes Lonnie Liston Smith, Cecil McBee, Roy Haynes, and Michael White. The album's got a strong influence from the members on the set – particularly Lonnie Liston Smith, who seems to bring in a very nicely soulful approach to a few of the numbers, and Michael White, whose spiritual consciousness is still a bit rough-hewn and personal at this point. The record oddly shifts mood from track to track – going from the mellow soul of "Astral Traveling", into the loud free jazz of "Red Black & Green", to the modal grooving of "Thembi", and into the spiritual joy of "Love" and "Bailophone Dance" – all of which makes for a really wonderful album, one of Pharoah's strongest statements of the time! LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

This Blue Cheer record, their first of two in 1969, has a different lineup on each side–with Bruce Stephens on guitar, tortoise shell, & sandblocks, and Burns Kellogg on piano & organ on the somewhat more bluesy & song-oriented Side 1, while Randy Holden takes over guitar & vocals for the much heavier psych-rock approach on Side 2. Titles include "When It All Gets Old", "I Want My Baby Back", "Aces'N'Eights", "Peace Of Mind", "Honey Buter Lover", and the mind-melting "Fruit & Iceburgs". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost gem from Anne Briggs – one of the lesser-known artists of the British underground folk scene at the end of the 60s – but a singer we'd rank right up there with the great Sandy Denny! Briggs works here in an ancient-sounding batch of material – the kind of tracks that conjure up the darker corners of the British landscape and its history – performed by Anne with mostly just vocals and guitar, but in a lyrical style that arcs, and turns, and dips with maybe more energy than if there were an entire group behind her. The style is spare, but never sleepy – and there's a hell of a lot of power in these tunes, especially on the few numbers that feature a bit of bouzouki as well. Titles include "Reynardine", "Young Tambling", "Living By The Water", "Maa Bonny Lad", "Blackwater Side", "The Snow It Melts The Soonest", and "Go Your Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A lasting tribute to Brownie! The album was released some years after Brown died, and is comprised of songs from his 1955 album Clifford Brown With Strings, plus a few tracks from other recording sessions from that year before his death. The players include Richie Powell (Bud Powell's brother who also died in the crash with Brown),piano; Max Roach on drums and Harold Land and Sonny Rollins on tenor sax. Brown's original composition "Sandu" and Richie Powell's own "Time" are included as well as "Yesterdays," "Cherokee (Indian Love Song)," "Willow Weep for Me" and an unusual version of "Take the A Train." LP, Vinyl record album

A nice record of modern soul that got a bit overlooked at the time because of the poor fate of the Chi-Sound label. The record's filled with Chicago soul talent like Tom Tom 84, Sonny Sanders, and Carl Davis, and it's a good updating of Gene's Chicago soul sound towards a style that's more modern soul-oriented. We've got a huge soft spot for the track "Does She Have A Friend?", which is a nice two-step groover, and the LP includes a number of other nice ones like "All About The Paper", "Let Me Make Love to You", and a remake of his classic, called "Rainbow '80". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Gene Chandler gets down, and gets down good – in this classic late 70s set of clubby numbers and upbeat groovers! The set's one of the best moments on the Chi-Soul series from producer Carl Davis – and features a nicely evolved version of earlier Chicago soul modes from Tom Tom 84 and Sonny Sanders – both of whom push an older Brunswick style into some smoother, more sophisticated modern soul territory! Chandler's vocals are wonderful, as always – and have a catchy snapping feel on the groovers, mixed with surprisingly deep soul on the few mellower moments. Titles include a remake of "Please Sunrise", plus "I'm The Travelin Kind", "Get Down", "Tomorrow I May Not Feel The Same", "Greatest Love Ever Known", and "What Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work by Gene Chandler – but a surprisingly great little set overall, and proof that Carl Davis was really stretching for greatness in the glory years of his Chi Sound label! Rather than rehash the styles he'd hit with on Vee Jay, Constellation, Mercury, or Brunswick – Chandler steps out here almost as a whole new singer overall – one with surprising sensitivity for ballads, and a maturing approach that almost reminds us of Walter Jackson's same stretch on the Chi Sound label. And like Jackson, Chandler also manages to move a bit into clubby territory too – with arrangements from Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders that are quite solid overall – and almost a Chicago take on Philly. Titles include "Do What Comes So Natural", "That Funky Disco Rhythm", "When You're #1", "Dance Fever", "Stay Here In My Heart", and "I'll Remember You". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Gene Chandler is best known for his 60's Chicago soul hits, he also did some great modern soul tracks right around the turn of the 80's. This cut is one of them, and it's a sweet midtempo duet with Jaime Lynn that features some excellent mellow arrangements by Sonny Sanders. Gene's voice is as great as ever, and the production is very nice. 7-inch, Vinyl record

The second album from The Clash – ferocious, melodic and masterful bits of barbed greatness from the group – the greatest flaw of which is that it's not the first album. They're still completely great, playing in peak form even with the less shambling, slightly more polished production of Sandy Pearlman. This one stands out beautifully to us nowadays, since most of the songs aren't as overplayed as the more zeitgeiest-y earlier ones or the Mtv hits that came later on. Essential!! Titles include "Julie's In The Drug Squad", "All The Young Punks", "Last Gang In Town", "Guns On The Roof", "Cheap-Skate", "Drug-Stabbing Time", and "Safe European Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Unissued Liberty Records material from the great Eddie Cochran – with titles that include "Jam Sandwich", "Dark Lonely Street", "Am I Blue", "Guybo", "Eddie's Blues", "Little You", "Hammy Blues", and "I've Waited So Long". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the freest, most exploratory albums ever recorded by John Coltrane – and a unique session done with an expanded group of some of the most important avant jazz players of his generation! The format here is similar to Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz album – in that the music is freely improvised, and spans the entire LP as a non-stop performance – one that has Coltrane in the lead, but which also features alto from Marion Brown and John Tchicai, tenor from Archie Shepp and Pharaoh Sanders, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard and Dewey Johnson – and core rhythms from McCoy Tyner on piano, drums from Elvin Jones, and double basses from Art Davis and Jimmy Garrison. The record set the format for larger improvisatory groups in years to come – but is still one of the best examples of the form! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from John Coltrane – but a record that's sometimes eclipsed by the genius of A Love Supreme! The feel here is very similar to that one – long tracks that introduce a new mode of searching, spiritual jazz for the 60s – one that's performed by a core quintet with Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones – but which also features added players on the side-long title track! "Kulu Se Mama" is a tremendously bold statement in music – one that features a bit of spiritual vocals from Juno Lewis, plus added bass clarinet from Donald Garrett, tenor from Pharoah Sanders, and drums from Frank Butler. The two other tracks – "Vigil" and "Welcome" – are performed by a quartet, but are still equally great! LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a set that's issued under his own name, but which continues a string of key early 60s performances with tenorist Bill Barron – who's work together here with Ted is fantastic! The group has no piano – just Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums – both players with a fluid, open sense of rhythm – one that allows for plenty of horn interplay, at a level that almost has Curson borrowing some of the lessons he learned from Mingus, then taking them into small group formation and really opening things up! Curson also blows a bit of pocket trumpet, and Barron handles some clarinet – on a set of all original material that includes a great version of Curson's "Quicksand", plus the tracks "Kassim", "East 6th Street", "Tears For Dolphy", "7/4 Funny Time", and "Desolation". LP, Vinyl record album

With Joe Benjamin on bass, Sam Woodyard on drums, Harold Shorty Baker, Willie Cook, and Clark Terry on trumpets, Ray Nance on cornet, Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, and Johnny Hodges on alto, Russell Procope and Jimmy Hamilton on alto and clarinet, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on baritone and bass clarinet. LP, Vinyl record album

An important larger work from Duke Ellington – a suite of tracks that encompasses a range of styles and emotions in African-American expression! The work features some key guest work from Mahalia Jackson – singing here in a way that's different than other vocalists who worked with Duke in the 50s – much more steeped in a rootsy tradition. Group members include John Sanders, Harry Carney, Ray Nance, Quentin Jackson, and Cat Anderson – and the piece is divided into 6 sections, and includes the famous "Come Sunday" theme throughout most of the second half. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really has Fairport Convention knocking it out of the park – making a bold turn towards British traditional music, but in a way that imbues these relics with a whole new life of their own! The album came at a key turning point – after an accident that took one of their members, and which almost saw the group disband – but instead turn towards the past for even deeper inspiration than some of their contemporaries, whom they'd covered on other records – at a level that seems to set Sandy Denny free into this sublime territory of her own! Denny's vocals are incredible – like a thing unlocked from some ancient vault – and they're given this wonderful focus through the growing complexity of Richard Thompson's guitar work, and the understated brilliance of Ashley Hutchings' bass – both of which bring in these modal inflections that are very 60s, and hardly conceived of as accompaniment with the original tunes. The result is tremendous – tunes that are completely transformed, as a touchstone for generations. Titles include "Matty Groves", "Reynardine", "Come All Ye", "The Deserter", "Tam Lin", and "Crazy Man Michael". LP, Vinyl record album

Their second album – a mad masterpiece of hippie freakout from Ed Sanders, Tulip Kupferberg, and the rest – with tracks that include "Group Grope", "Dirty Old Man", "Coming Down", "Virgin Forest", "Kill For Peace", and "Frenzy". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A definite sweet return from Freddie Hubbard – a record with a cover and title that might appear to be smooth jazz, but one with a sound that's solidly acoustic and soulful all the way through! The album's a great example of Hubbard's amazing work in the early 80s – a time when he was shaking off the larger and electric trappings of the 70s, to return to smaller combo work – but often with a really fluid and warm feel that showed the best lessons learned from the previous decade! Freddie's tone and timing here are impeccable – and the long tracks are especially great, with continually-inventive solo work that holds us rapt with attention. Other players include Lew Tabackin on tenor and flute, Joanne Brackeen on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and titles include "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "Heidi B", "Sweet Return", "Whistling Away The Dark", and "Calypso Fred". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent late 50s work by Milt Jackson for Atlantic! Bags & Flutes is very much in the style of Milt's classic Savoy sides from the preceding couple of years – mixing together his jazzy vibes with light lilting solos on flute, either by Bobby Jaspar or Frank Wess, Milt's old compatriot from the Savoy sessions. Piano is by Tommy Flanagan or Hank Jones, and Kenny Burrell plays guitar on the whole album. Tracks include "Ghana", "Connie's Blues", "Sandy", "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" and "Bag's New Groove". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic final studio album from Jefferson Airplane – a set that's definitely different than their early work, and which shows the new directions that members would soon take on their own – but done with a vibe that's also a fantastic evolution of the core group's famous sound! The guitar work is even more complex than before – Jorma Kaukonen really blowing us away with his skills, but never in a show-offy way, as the whole thing is wrapped around these honest core rhythms that are almost a rootsier take on psyche elements – with Grace Slick's lead vocals almost coming off with a Sandy Denny quality at times. Titles include "Long John Silver", "Aerie (Gang Of Eagles)", "Twilight Double Leader", "Milk Train", "The Son Of Jesus", "Easter", "Trial By Fire", and "East Starch Mom". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely hip little record from Morgana King – one that takes her amazing voice, and sets it amidst some expansive arrangements that push past jazz to include some trippier 70s styles! The whole session's got a nice mix of the mellow and baroque – with a subtle funky undercurrent at points, and definitely a fair bit more soul than we're used to hearing from Morgana! Arrangements are by Torrie Zito and Bob James – and the production often compresses the vocals in a really cool way – sliding them amidst the instrumentation with a haunting quality that's hard to describe in words, but which makes the album one of King's most breathtaking ever! The back cover has Morgana getting props from Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Paul Williams, and Kenny Rankin – all names we can certainly trust – and titles include a great version of "We Could Be Flying", "All In All", "A Song For You", "Like A Seed", and "The Sands Of Time & Changes". LP, Vinyl record album

A great second album from Mahavishnu Orchestra – one that has them still very might in the same tight formation as the first! As before, there's a heck of a lot of power here – monstrous work on drums from Billy Cobham, sharp-edged guitar from John McLaughlin, and a range of great keyboards from Jan Hammer – all played without the cliche of his later years! The group's completed by the surprisingly great electric violin of Jerry Goodman and the bass of Rick Laird – and the tunes nicely blend a few more contemplative moments with full-on, rock-inspired fusion jamming. Titles include "Miles Beyond", "One Word", "Sanctuary", "Open Country Joy", "Resolution", "Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love", and "Thousand Island Park". LP, Vinyl record album