An essential collection of work from the legendary Minnie Riperton – a set that was crucial to so many listeners, as during the early years of the CD era, it was the only way you could find any of her music in print! And all these many years later, the set's still a wonderful introduction to her charms – filled with all the right cuts that will both introduce you to Minnie's many charms, and help longtime listeners remember just what a special talent she was in soul music, before being taken from our planet all too soon! The work here is all post-Rotary Connection, post-Chess Records – when Minnie was out in Cali, and working with key musical partner Richard Rudolph, as well as heavyweights like Stevie Wonder and Leon Ware too. CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Perfect Angel", "Memory Lane", "Lovin You", "Stick Together", "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "Young Willing & Able", "Light My Fire", Simple Things", "Stay In Love", "Can You Feel What I'm Saying", "Wouldn't Matter Where You Are", "Give Me Time", You Take My Breath Away", "Inside My Love", "Here We Go", and "Adventures In Paradise". CD

An amazing reunion of a legendary group – the 70s free jazz trio of Sam Rivers on reeds, Dave Holland on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums! Rivers had already carved out a strong name for himself with earlier work – but his meeting with Holland and Altschul really helped the reedman take off – and together, the three musicians made some of the most creatively unbridled work of Sam's career! And yet the players hadn't worked together for over 25 years – until the time of this special recording, done as part of a Sam Rivers marathon at Columbia University – an amazing moment in jazz that has all three members of the group picking up beautifully, and improvising together in a long session of music that's simply mindblowing! The album's easily one of the best we've heard from Rivers in his later years – and has all the sort of soulful undercurrents that take us back to the 70s loft jazz years of the original group – sounding way more like some lost tapes from the old days than the reunion captured within. Genius – and a great treasure from the late Rivers! CD

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". CD

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

The second chapter in the soul career of the great Rockie Robbins – two albums on a single CD! I Believe In Love is one of the strongest albums by Rockie Robbins – and they're all pretty darn great – thanks to some sweet production and arrangements from the team of Skip Scarborough and Jerry Peters! Skip and Jerry bring a nice sense of smoothness to Rockie's Chicago-forged sound – expanding his sound with fuller arrangements than before, and creating a style here that's tight and professional, yet never slick or poppy. Titles include "Time To Think", "I Believe In Love", "My Old Friend", "Look Before You Leap", "Give Our Love A Chance", "An Act Of Love", "I'll Turn To You", "For You For Love", and "Talk To Me". On his self-titled set from 1985, Rocky's definitely hitting the 80s groove a lot harder than on some of his earlier albums, but the record still features work by Richard Evans – whose arrangements and production made some of Rocky's earlier records so nice! Evans handles about half the record, and the other half's in the hands of Wardell Potts and Dana Meyers. Tracks include "Caught In The Act", "I Found Love", "We Belong Together", "You Finally Found The One", "I've Got Your Number", "Stay With Me", and "Work For Love". CD

Four classics from this legendary Motown group – including 2 albums on CD for the first time ever! First up is What Love Has Joined Together – excellent work by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – recorded with a super-heavy vibe that's very different than his sweeter 60s work! The record has an amazingly large conception of arrangements – mostly handled by Smokey, and done in a complicated baroque harmony style that points forward towards his later Quiet Storm sound – but which isn't as laidback and compressed. Most tracks are covers, but they're redone fantastically – with better vocals than you could imagine – and titles include "What Love Has Joined Together", "My Cherie Amour", "If This World Were Mine", "This Guy's In Love", and "And I Love Her". Pocket Full Of Miracles is a great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "The Reel Of Time", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". Also features a great medley of "Something" and "Something You Got". One Dozen Roses is an early 70s set from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – and a set that mixes great new material with a few older gems from the previous decade too! The new cuts are fantastic – and have Smokey and the group continuing that mellower, more laidback harmony style that really knocks it out of the park – almost as if The Miracles were trying to challenge some of the younger sweet soul acts who were coming onto the scene. Titles include the older cuts "Tears Of A Clown" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" – plus "I Don't Blame You At All", "That Girl", "I Love You Dear", "No Wonder Love's A Wonder", and "When Sundown Comes". Flying High Together is excellent 70s work by Smokey and crew – sort of their way of showing the emerging east coast vocal stars how much talent they still had! The record has a sweet, slightly modern sound – with an approach that hints at Smokey's later Quiet Storm sound, but maybe a bit more laidback overall – set up with really great arrangements from both David Van De Pitte and HB Barnum. Titles include a killer reading of Stevie Wonder's "We Had A Love So Strong", plus "Got To Be There", "You Ain't Livin 'Till You're Lovin", "Flying High Together", "It Will Be Alright", and a cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD features bonus tracks "You've Got Me Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" and "Paper People". CD

A lean and spooky little set from the Rockers All Stars – put together with killer production from Augustus Pablo and Everton Da Silva! The vibe here is in the moodiest territory that Pablo might explore on albums under his own name – and although the father is providing help, it's clear that the group can make plenty of fantastic magic on their own! The set was mixed at King Tubby's and Harry J's – and although we're guessing the proceedings were laidback and casual, the record's gone on to become an underground dub classic over the years. Titles include "Hammer Dub", "Fire Dub", "Jah Dub", "Money Dub", "Static Dub", "Equal Rights Dub", and "Clean Sweep". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice mid 90s collection of Diana Ross tunes, all done up in house versions by Frankie Knuckles, Satoshi Tomiie, David Morales, E Smoove, Steve Silk Hurley, Maurice Joshua and others. 7 tracks in all: "The Boss", "Love Hangover", "Upside Down", "Soeday We'll Be Together", "Chain Reaction", "You're Gonna Love It" and "I'm Coming Out". 12-inch, Vinyl record

An under-appreciated gem by Rufus – the group's last album before Chaka left to depart on her successful early 80s solo career – and a nice one nonetheless! There's a trace of 80s groove in the mix – especially on the bass and percussion – but these elements are handled with all the warmth and jazziness that we've come to love from the group's 70s recordings – and Chaka's voice, as always, keeps things strongly soulful no matter what the setting! The album's overflowing with catchy groovers – and titles include "Secret Friend", "Jigsaw", "Better Together", "Music Man", "True Love", "Quandry", "Lilah", "Sharing The Love", and "Losers In Love". CD

Raucous R&B-flavored rock instrumentals by The Rumblers – the second great compilation of their early-to-mid 60s material put together by Ace UK – and a superior one! It's got more of their great Downey singles from the period, along with previously unreleased gems. The rhythms rumble, alright – and they're nice and raw, too – but even more appealing is the way the sax and guitars play off of each other so brilliantly! The tracks on Rumblin' & Rare seems to have a bit more of a focused vibe than on the previous comp – we're guessing because the group really found and honed in on their sound, come '63 or so – but whatever the reason, it's incredible stuff! 24 tracks in all – many of of which were previously unreleased! Includes "Boss Drums", "Poor Boy", "Wockytok", "Slippin'", "Rumblin' & Stumblin'", "Saxwax", "Walkin' With The Boss", "Till Always", "Wedgee", "Charger", "The Nervous Set", "Lost Weekend", "Sweet Potato" and more. CD

Never-issued material from the legendary Arthur Russell – a set of tracks that's maybe closest in spirit to his groundbreaking World Of Echo album – as it blends together voice, cello, effects, and plenty of the echo promised in the title – all with a style that's beyond easy description, and completely sublime throughout! This work captures Russell at his most creative – definitely more of an artists' musician than the sort who'd tried to crack more mainstream modes in his earlier years – almost set free to find that special voice that was always inside him, delivered in a style that's undeniably his, and years ahead of its time! And although we've loved some of the other issues of his lost material by Audika, this set may well be the best of the recent batch – with titles that include "The Boy With A Smile", "Fuzzbuster #6", "Not Checking Up", "Telling No One", "In The Light Of A Miracle", "Very Reason", and "Picture Of Bunny Rabbit". CD

Never-issued material from the legendary Arthur Russell – a set of tracks that's maybe closest in spirit to his groundbreaking World Of Echo album – as it blends together voice, cello, effects, and plenty of the echo promised in the title – all with a style that's beyond easy description, and completely sublime throughout! This work captures Russell at his most creative – definitely more of an artists' musician than the sort who'd tried to crack more mainstream modes in his earlier years – almost set free to find that special voice that was always inside him, delivered in a style that's undeniably his, and years ahead of its time! And although we've loved some of the other issues of his lost material by Audika, this set may well be the best of the recent batch – with titles that include "The Boy With A Smile", "Fuzzbuster #6", "Not Checking Up", "Telling No One", "In The Light Of A Miracle", "Very Reason", and "Picture Of Bunny Rabbit". LP, Vinyl record album

A mix of post-Tropicalia Brazilian rock and some of the more soulful elements filtering through the country's music in the early 70s – and one of the most enigmatic albums by this unique singer! Sergio's got a sound that's incredibly hard to describe – at once sweet and melodic, but also kind of twisted, in an intimate singer/songwriter mode. The production of the album is compressed with a number of post-Beatles touches that make it sparkle like work by Caetano Veloso in the mid 70s, or some of the Peruvian rock by groups like We All Together – and hearing the record gives us the same sort of excitement of new discovery as when we heard their best work. Titles include "Rulzito Seixas", "Viajei De Trem", "Pobre Meu Pai", "Labirintos Negros", "Filme De Terror", and "Lero E Leros E Boleros". LP, Vinyl record album

A very wild record – maybe more free jazz than you'd guess from the image on the cover, and the Guatemala in the title! These guys are a brass band, but the way they mix their horns together often feels more like some Lester Bowie experiment, or some other AACM-related project – as folkloric modes really get changed up in a blend of cornet, baritone horn, and c melody sax – all combined with spare percussion, and an occasional touch of violin! Given the cultural currents, we might also link this one slightly to some of Charlie Haden's Liberation Music records – even though the group themselves are the authentic real deal, a funeral band from a remote mountain village. Titles include "Las Tres Botellas", "Marcha Numero Cuatro", "Chufa", "El Son De Los Altos", "Noches Eternas", and "Marcha Numero Seis". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A stone 70s classic from Carlos Santana's lesser-known brother – a set that effortlessly brings together Latin and soul, often with the same sort of vibe as the Coke Escovedo records on Mercury from the same time! Jorge plays guitar, but lead vocals are from Richard Bean (of Malo and Sapo fame) – often in a sweetly crackling style that's kind of a smoother 70s update of Latin Soul modes from a few years before. Tunes are all lively, with nice hooks – never too uptempo, and carried off with a jazzy edge on most numbers. Titles include "Sandy", "Seychells", "Nobody's Perfect", "Love The Way", "We Were There", and "Tonight You're Mine". CD

Contemporary recordings from Mali, featuring female singer Kokanko Sata in spare settings, mostly accompanying herself on the N'Goni, which is similar to the banjo, and on the calabash. Some numbers feature a larger ensemble, adding flute, guitar, balafon and djembe. Like some other Malian music, this set features the singer at the forefront, over spare, interlocking rhythm parts with gentle arpeggios and pulsating tones. 12 tracks in all, including 'Tata Kan To Gnonkon Ye (Parting Is Hard)", "Kan Be (See You , My Love)", "Be Mogo Ya (The World We're Living In)", "Djudjon (The Beginning)", "Wonanfeku (The Hypocrite)", "Djina Musso (The Goddess)" and "Kono Kuru (Birds That Flock Together)". CD

A gem of a record from pianist Finn Savery – a set that's at once immediately modern, yet also filled with warmer tones and sadder notes from years past! In a way, Savery seems to link together the 60s experiments of pianists like Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett with a more timeworn sensibility that takes us back to small club piano of the postwar years – a unique blend of modes that darts out boldly at one minute, but holds close with a sense of sentiment the next. The trio here features impeccable work from Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Alex Riel on drums – and titles include "Queen's Fancy", "But Not For Me", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Satin Doll" – but all done in very abstracted versions that are unlike anything we've ever heard before! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully done look at the music of Harvey Scales – a damn funky cat from the Milwaukee scene, finally getting his due! The package is overflowing with groovers – hard funky 45 cuts that Scales recorded for the Magic Touch label – mostly in the late 60s and start of the 70s – wrapped up here in a lavish booklet that's filled with well-researched notes, and vintage photos – a set that really sets a whole new standard for the Tuff City label! Scales' groove is one that we've always loved on 45 – a dancefloor-directed version of soul that falls somewhere in a space between Archie Bell & The Drells and Dyke & The Blazers – but with a heavier sound overall. Yet having all these cuts together in one place seems to give them even more intensity than before – a powerhouse package of 20 rare tracks that run the gamut from upbeat soul to heavy funk to a few early disco numbers as well. Titles include "Love-It is", "Broadway Freeze", "Get Down", "The Yolk", "The Funky Yolk", "Get Down 1970", "Funky Football", "Trying To Survive", "Bump Your Thang", "Groove On Sexy Lady", "Rock The World", "Welcome Home", "The Sound Of Soul", "Too Good To Be True", and "Love Is A Gas". Beautifully done package – with an almost Numero-like feel inside the booklet! CD

A trio of fantastic albums from Christian Scott – all packaged together! First up is Ruler Rebel – a fantastic step forward for trumpeter Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah – an artist who takes on a new name with this recording, and a vibrant new sound as well! Scott still plays trumpet, but he also works with some electronics and effects, too – in a group that mixes acoustic elements from piano, flute, and percussion with electric work on Fender Rhodes and guitar – all in a sound that's swirlingly soulful, and as enigmatic as you might expect! The music reaches back to some deeper roots, but reworks the sound completely with lots of contemporary elements – and Scott's trumpet takes on a new sort of majesty in the setting – maybe hitting the promise we first saw in his music years back, but with even more focus here. Titles include "Encryption", "The Coronation Of X A Tunde Adjuah", "The Reckoning", "Ruler Rebel", and "New Orleanian Love Song". Next is Diaspora – a set that has Christian Scott really opening with a new sense of pride and power after adopting the Atunde Adjuah name – and blowing here not just on trumpet, but also "reverse flugelhorn", sirenette, and siren – and also using some sonic architecture to open up and expand his sound! Rhythms are a compelling mix of drum programs and acoustic percussion – peppered with work on alto, Fender Rhodes, bass, guitar, and drums – in this groove that's much more sharp-edged and sonically compelling than most other projects of this nature. Titles include "Lawless", "Our Lady Of New New Orleans", "IDK", "Desire & The Burning Girl", "Completely", "No Love", and "The Walk". Last is Emancipation Proclamation – part of Scott's brilliant trilogy that has him reworking his sound even more than before – using his horn in both acoustic and electric settings, and mixing with bits of funk and deeper musical currents – all at a level that's vaguely in the territory of Don Cherry in the 70s, but served up with a vibe that's very much Christian's own! Rather than be buried in the mix of percussion, Fender Rhodes, and other horns here – Scott seems to be set free, and really opens up with both the space of his solos, and the style of his phrasing – which is even more personal than before. The other players are great, too – a shifting lineup who retain the same bristling energy throughout – on titles that include "Ashes Of Our Forever", "The Emancipation Procrastination", "AvengHer", "Cages", "New Heroes", "Videotape", "The Cypher", "Michele With One L", and "Unrigging November". CD

Mindblowing work from Jill Scott – possibly the best thing we've heard from her since her classic debut – and a record that reminds us that she's still one of the greatest soul singers around! Jill's a bit more grown up here than before – shaking off some of the more passive themes of other tunes for a fuller, prouder approach that's followed through beautifully with tremendous vocals, and a production style that makes each tune explode with a range of new sonic delights! There's a sense of flow here that's simply amazing – a way of putting an album together, and putting a tune over that few other artists could ever touch – that special magic that first grabbed us in Jill's music years back, and which seems to have returned beautifully here. Instrumentation includes some especially great drums, which only add to the crisp, fresh feel of the record – and titles include "The Real Thing", "Hate On Me", "Come See Me", "Crown Royal", "Epiphany", "My Love", "Insomnia", "How It Makes You Feel", "Only You", "Celibacy Blues", and "All I". CD

Tremendous work from a young Jimmy Scott – a great collection that brings together rare singles for Decca, Coral, and Brunswick – plus a few tracks that were never issued at the time! Although Jimmy's work has become famous in recent years – thanks to much-needed support towards the later stretch of his life – he seems to sound even more compelling on these early sides – hanging in a sublime space between male and female vocal traditions, and often backed by groups that bring a bit of a modern flavor to the music. We'd almost say that we dig these sides more than Jimmy's better-known work for Savoy in the 50s – and backings are by the groups of Lionel Hampton, Billy Taylor, and Lucky Thompson – all artists who really keep jazz at the forefront. Titles include "Wheel Of Fortune", "I Wish I Knew", "I've Been A Fool", "Come What May", "They Say You Cry", "Alone With A Memory", "When You Surrender", "Why Was I Born", and "The Bluest Blues". CD

Wonderful soul duet work from Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson – a pair who were maybe to the southern scene of the 60s what Marvin Gaye and his ladies were to the Motor City – able to trade lines in a wonderful way, and make their songs always come together with a vibe that was way more than just two singers working together in the studio! Peggy later went onto fame in the blues underground a few decades later – but here, her style is a sweet contrast to the bolder vocals of Jo Jo – as the pair move through modes that are groove at times, warmer at others – and all really well-done in the best SSS International mode of the Tennessee scene. This first album by the duo includes their lovely hit "Lover's Holiday", plus "Soul Shake", "We Got Our Bag", "We Were Made For Each Other", "Pickin Wild Mountain Berries", "Fine As Frog Hair", "Doin Our Thing", and "Blow Your Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

We've always loved the music of pianist Bernie Senesky – a Canadian musician with a richly lyrical, expressive style – one that doesn't always get the recognition it deserves on our side of the border! And we've also always loved the tenor of Eric Alexander – a player we've been following since his start, and who has had some amazing moments of growth in recent years – one of them on this record with Bernie, a player who seems to bring out all this warmer, more sensitive elements in Alexander's horn – as the two of them work together in a very unexpected pairing, but one that we'd love to hear more of on future recordings! Other players on the date include Kieren Overs on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums on most tracks, save for two, which feature Morgan Childs on drums and Dave Young on bass. Titles include the originals "Blues For EJ", Alexander's Realtime Band", "Stand Pat", and "Make Believe" – plus a nice take on "Matchmaker". CD

We've always loved the music of pianist Bernie Senesky – a Canadian musician with a richly lyrical, expressive style – one that doesn't always get the recognition it deserves on our side of the border! And we've also always loved the tenor of Eric Alexander – a player we've been following since his start, and who has had some amazing moments of growth in recent years – one of them on this record with Bernie, a player who seems to bring out all this warmer, more sensitive elements in Alexander's horn – as the two of them work together in a very unexpected pairing, but one that we'd love to hear more of on future recordings! Other players on the date include Kieren Overs on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums on most tracks, save for two, which feature Morgan Childs on drums and Dave Young on bass. Titles include the originals "Blues For EJ", Alexander's Realtime Band", "Stand Pat", and "Make Believe" – plus a nice take on "Matchmaker". CD

A fantastic record – one of Shaw's real landmarks of the 70s, and a lasting testament of soul jazz genius! The record features Shaw working with a group that includes a number of like-minded players – Frank Strozier, Ronnie Matthews, and Stafford James – all of whom fit together perfectly with Shaw to craft some strident tunes with the same sort of modal groove and soulful spiritualism as his work on the Moontrane record. Titles include "Sashianova", which has a great modal groove, "Jean Marie", and "Tomorrow's Destiny" – but the whole album is great together, and we never tire of listening to it! CD

The time is always right for Woody Shaw – as just about every album from the trumpeter's a gem, and this set's no exception to that rule! The set's an overlooked live date from the early 80s – one that features four long songs, just the sort of extended numbers that demonstrate Woody's wonderful talents on the trumpet – that soulful, soaring, exploratory style that really transformed the use of the instrument during Shaw's all-too-short time on this planet. The rhythm section is great – with Mulgrew Miller on long spiraling piano lines, Stafford James on bass, and Tony Reedus on drums – and Steve Turre's also in the group, blowing both trombone and that unique shell of his. Titles include "From Moment To Moment", "Time Is Right", "We'll Be Together Again", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

The time is always right for Woody Shaw – as just about every album from the trumpeter's a gem, and this set's no exception to that rule! The set's an overlooked live date from the early 80s – one that features four long songs, just the sort of extended numbers that demonstrate Woody's wonderful talents on the trumpet – that soulful, soaring, exploratory style that really transformed the use of the instrument during Shaw's all-too-short time on this planet. The rhythm section is great – with Mulgrew Miller on long spiraling piano lines, Stafford James on bass, and Tony Reedus on drums – and Steve Turre's also in the group, blowing both trombone and that unique shell of his. Titles include "From Moment To Moment", "Time Is Right", "We'll Be Together Again", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

Damn wonderful work from Woody Shaw – a sublime set for Columbia Records, and one that's head and shoulders above most major label jazz of its generation! Woody's still in his most soulful modes here – the soaring, spiritual, joyous tones we always love in his Muse Records work from a few years before – delivered here with a tightness and vision that even goes beyond those records – thanks to help from Mulgrew Miller on piano, Gary Bartz on alto sax, Steve Turre on trombone, Stafford James on bass, and Tony Reedus on drums. As with most of Shaw's best records, this is truly a great group effort – from the bold tones of Turre, to the soul-drenched pulsations of James, to the highly rhythmic modes from Miller's piano – all fused together perfectly under Woody's magical vision as a leader, and set fire on tunes that include "United", "Katrina Ballerina", "Pressing The Issue", and "The Greene Street Caper", and "Blues For Wood". LP, Vinyl record album

A really compelling blend of sounds – the trumpet and flugelhorn of Susana Santos and the bass of Torbjorn Zetterberg – all coming together in ways we really wouldn't expect! The tracks each seem to have a very different flavor – not just a trumpet solo over a bassline, but instead a completely re-conceived pairing of both instruments – at a level that's especially a surprise when compared to some of Zetterberg's other, straighter work. Torbjorn still has that round, warm, really deep sound we love so much – but he also manages to shift into other sonic ranges in the company of Susana – who herself is very free in trying out a number of different voices on the set. Titles include "Feet Machine Song", "Cow Safari", "Flocos De Mel", "Falling & Falling & Falling", and "Head Distortion Machine". CD

Sweet electro funk from Sinkane – a group who manage to pull together all these classic elements of 80s soul, yet come across with a mode that's very 21st century overall! The keyboards, basslines, and beats all have tonal qualities you might find in older street soul or boogie cuts – but they're reworked here with very different rhythms, arrangements, and vocal productions – modes that have learned plenty from the decades in between – and which really have this wonderfully crisp, totally bristling sort of vibe! The set features guest appearances from Stout, Bilal, and Tru Osborne – and titles include "We Belong", "Home", "The Anthem", "Invisible Distance", "Another Day", "Come Together", and "Everything Is Everything". CD

Sweet electro funk from Sinkane – a group who manage to pull together all these classic elements of 80s soul, yet come across with a mode that's very 21st century overall! The keyboards, basslines, and beats all have tonal qualities you might find in older street soul or boogie cuts – but they're reworked here with very different rhythms, arrangements, and vocal productions – modes that have learned plenty from the decades in between – and which really have this wonderfully crisp, totally bristling sort of vibe! The set features guest appearances from Stout, Bilal, and Tru Osborne – and titles include "We Belong", "Home", "The Anthem", "Invisible Distance", "Another Day", "Come Together", and "Everything Is Everything". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge package of material from The Sorrows – one full album, a wealth of rare singles, and even some solo material by group member Don Fardon too! The set begins with the album Take A Heart – a searing set from the mid 60s wave of the British scene – delivered with this mix of tunefulness and raw guitars that's totally great, echoed most strongly in the vocals, which really have an edge, even when delivering familiar themes on the lyrics – moodier than most, and in a really great way! The set then moves into a massive 28 more tracks that make up the a-sides and b-sides of the group's singles for Pye Records at the time – titles that include "Baby", "Gonna Find A Cave", "We Should Get Along Fine", "Pink Purple Yellow & Red", "My Gal", "Don't Sing No Sad Songs For Me", "Hooky", "Vivi", "Armchair King", and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". The set then concludes with 10 more solo tracks from Don Fardon – some of the hardest to find material in the collection, and some of the most interesting too. Titles include "Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian", "Daytripper", "Coming On Strong", "Ruby's Picture On My Wall", "We Can Make It Together", "Dreamin Room", and "I Need Somebody". 50 tracks in all! CD

Mighty nice work from drummer Francesco Sotgiu – a player we're not sure we've ever heard at the helm before, but who does a superb job with a very cool Italian combo that moves between modal numbers and more hardbop-styled jazz – all with plenty of strong sounds from reed players Emanuele Cisi and Riccardo Luppi, both of whom really make the record soar! Both players handle tenor and soprano, and Luppi blows a bit of flute – in a combo that also features excellent work from Salvatore Maiore on bass, a player with a bold sound that matches the crispness of Sotgiu's drums in the mix – sewn together by these massive piano lines from Luigi Bonafede. Palo Fresu plays guest trumpet on the title "My Foolish Heart" – and other cuts include "Wise One", "7th Street", "Wishes", "Ballad For Aisha", "Stranatole", "Calm", "Lotus Blossom", "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love", "Passing", and "Black Bats & Poles". LP, Vinyl record album

Two beautiful albums by one of the greatest soul groups of all time! The Soul Children were a wonderful Memphis vocal group – with a two parts female/two parts male vocal style that just sounded incredible. All the members of the group were great singers, and the overall sound was a mixture of rootsy southern soul, and sweeter harmony sounds. There truly was no other group like them – and this CD brings together the band's first two, super-rare albums (which we almost never see on vinyl.) Titles include "I'll Understand", "Move Over", "The Hang Ups Of Holding On (parts 1 & 2)", "Don't Break Away", "Finish Me Off", "Doing Our Thang", "Take Up The Slack", and "Super Soul". Best Of Two Worlds is a beautiful album of Memphis soul by one of the sweetest vocal groups ever to come out of the south! The record's a bit more complicated than some of their earlier ones, and features some nice tracks with a more extended style, and more sophisticated arrangements that work great with the group's rich harmonies. Includes "The Hang Ups Of Holding On (parts 1 & 2)", "Wrap It Up", "Let's Make A Sweet Thing Sweeter", "Don't Break Away", and "Give Me One Good Reason Why". CD

A great pairing of two Chicago soul talents – as vocalist Jackie Ross gets backing from the funky South Side Movement! The album's an obscure EP put together by producer Jimmy Van Leer – possibly as an attempt to revive the careers of both artists, and possibly only ever circulated as a promo – since we've never seen an official commercial release of this material. Jackie's vocals are a lot bolder and more adult here than on some of her earlier work – sung fully and with some backup vocals from members of South Side Movement, who also hit a pretty tight, almost clubby groove for the set. The album features 6 tracks that include "Inner Light", "Open Air", "You Are The One That I Need", "Cold Hearted Woman", "It's All Over", and "Try It Before You Buy It". Plus, this CD version features rare bonus material – additional tracks that include "Funk Talk", "Pay My Dues", "Done Got Good To Me", "I'm So Glad That I've Got You", "Disco Freak", and "Soap Opera Law". CD

A great pairing of two Chicago soul talents – as vocalist Jackie Ross gets backing from the funky South Side Movement! The album's an obscure EP put together by producer Jimmy Van Leer – possibly as an attempt to revive the careers of both artists, and possibly only ever circulated as a promo – since we've never seen an official commercial release of this material. Jackie's vocals are a lot bolder and more adult here than on some of her earlier work – sung fully and with some backup vocals from members of South Side Movement, who also hit a pretty tight, almost clubby groove for the set. The album features 6 tracks that include "Inner Light", "Open Air", "You Are The One That I Need", "Cold Hearted Woman", "It's All Over", and "Try It Before You Buy It". Plus, this LP version features rare bonus material – additional tracks that include "Pay My Dues", "Done Got Good To Me", "I'm So Glad That I've Got You", and "Keep On Doing It". LP, Vinyl record album

Something of a concept album from Jeri Southern – a record of familiar tunes, but all strung together as "the story of a love affair", and set to backings by Gus Levene! The approach here is a bit like some of the Sinatra Capitol sides of the mid 50s – with a really unified sort of mood overall, one that's mostly that of sadness and longing – thanks to Levene's darkly gentle string arrangements. Jeri's breathy vocals sound great in the setting, and the album's got a solidity that we really love. Titles include "Close To You", "Close As Pages In A Book", "The Touch Of Your Lips", "Please Be Kind", "Cross My Heart", and "Prelude To A Kiss". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest records we've ever heard from Esperanza Spalding – a set that almost feels as if she's stepping back into some of the more experimental, individual qualities that made her so different at the start! There's definitely some appealing, catchy songs here – but the record is one to definitely be taken as a whole – this really lovely tapestry of voice and music that shimmers and glistens throughout – tunes that work together as a single suite that really keeps the album sounding fantastic all the way through, in this blend of jazz and soul that comes not just from Esperanza's vocals and work on bass, but also from the piano of Leo Genovese, who co-wrote most of the material on the album. Wayne Shorter plays on one track, the record features guest vocals from Corey King and Ganavya, and the set features 13 tracks, all numerically titled "Formwela". CD

Four albums from this wonderful group – all brought together in a single set! First up is the self-titled Spanky & Our Gang – the first, and perhaps the most conventional album by the group, but still pretty darn insane! Spanky & Our Gang are a strange mix of 60s styles – with bits of We Five, bits of Harpers Bizarre, bits of The Association – but a totally strange and totally fun approach to pop that's very much their own. Cuts on the album are a mix of originals and covers – and highlights include the incredible "5 Definitions Of Love" by Bob Dorough, "Distance" by Joe Renzetti, "Commercial" by the band, and the track "It Ain't Necessarily Bird Avenue". Great groovy stuff – and with arrangements by Renzetti, Dorough, and Stuart Scharf. Like To Get To Know You is a tiny little pop masterpiece was produced and arranged by Stuart Scharf and the great Bob Dorough, and is filled with one of the grooviest approaches to pop we've heard in ages. The album includes the sublime hit "Like To Get To Know You", set in a very different LP setting – plus great versions of "Suzanne" and "Everybody's Talkin", and the cuts "Stardust", "The Swingin Gate", and "My Bill". Anything You Choose is the third movement in the fantastic pop symphony that is Spanky & Our Gang! The record's perhaps their oddest to date – and mixes groovy vocal stylings with some fairly advanced production approaches that work perfectly with the incredible songs written by Stuart Scharf and Bob Dorough. The voices swirl about in a mad rush – interweaving lines of melody and poetry, punctuated by strange sounds, spacey airy instrumentation, and wonderful little rhythms. Titles include "Anything You Choose", "1-3-5-8", "Without Rhyme Or Reason", "Give A Damn", and "Nowhere To Go". Live is an unusual album from this groovy group – especially given that most of their famous work was in the studio – and done with really inventive arrangements and production! Yet those qualities still come through here, even in a live setting – as the record's got this stripped-down approach that shows just how much of the group's own inventive vocal interplay and harmonies were part of their fantastically groovy style! Titles include "Wasn't It You", "Dirty Old Man", "The Klan", "Nagasaki", "Amelia Earhart's Last Flight", and "That's What You Get For Lovin Me". CD

A hell of a record from the Italian scene of the 70s – a heavy set of electric jazz with a soaring, righteous sort of vibe – served up by a quintet who somehow manage to work as if they've got the spirit of a much larger ensemble! We don't know any of the players at all from other records, but they come together wonderfully here – a lineup that includes trumpet and trombone from Gaetano Delfini, saxes and flute from Giancarlo Maurino, Fender Rhodes and piano from Corrado Nofri, bass from Peppe Caporello, and drums from Giampaolo Ascolese – all players who draw a lot more from the spiritual jazz underground of the time than some of the more prog-based acts on the Italian scene. Most tracks are nice and long, with a really soaring sort of vibe – and titles include "Peperoncino", "Rising", "Cabral Anno 1", and the shorter ballad "Una Ballata Per Yanez". LP, Vinyl record album

A damn funky record – way more so than you might expect from the "string" in the title! The group's kind of an answer to the Soulful Strings ensemble headed by Richard Evans for Cadet/Concept in Chicago – and like that group, it mixes up funky rhythms with some sweet large orchestrations – in a style that's almost a precursor of blacksploitation funk to come in the 70s! Paul Riser handles arrangements – very much in the same spirit of Evans – and he picks up a hip Motown groove that bridges sweeping soul and gritty funk – all played to perfection by an ensemble led by Gordon Staples, and featuring players from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra! There's lots of funky nuggets in the set – and titles include excellent originals like "Strung Out", "Toonie", and "Sounds of the Zodiac" – plus "The April Fools", "The Look Of Love", "Get Down", "If Your Love Were Mine", "Someday We'll Be Together", and "From A Heart That's True To Only You". LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed masterpiece, and a record we never tire of hearing – unabashedly the inspiration for our years of jazzy exploration as adults, even though it was probably the closest thing we ever got to the genre as wee lads! Walter Becker & Donald Fagan raise their already-high bar to new heights here – creating one of those rare records that flows together so beautifully, it's hard to remember where some songs begin and others end. There's a sense of perfection in everything about the record – the sound, the songs, the instrumentation – all woven together beautifully without any sense of self-consciousness. One majestic flow that starts with "Black Cow", and runs through classics that include "Aja", "Deacon Blue", "Peg", "Home At Last", "I Got The News", and "Josie". CD

An undisputed masterpiece, and a record we never tire of hearing – unabashedly the inspiration for our years of jazzy exploration as adults, even though it was probably the closest thing we ever got to the genre as wee lads! Walter Becker & Donald Fagan raise their already-high bar to new heights here – creating one of those rare records that flows together so beautifully, it's hard to remember where some songs begin and others end. There's a sense of perfection in everything about the record – the sound, the songs, the instrumentation – all woven together beautifully without any sense of self-consciousness. One majestic flow that starts with "Black Cow", and runs through classics that include "Aja", "Deacon Blues", "Peg", "Home At Last", "I Got The News", and "Josie". LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed masterpiece, and a record we never tire of hearing – unabashedly the inspiration for our years of jazzy exploration as adults, even though it was probably the closest thing we ever got to the genre as wee lads! Walter Becker & Donald Fagan raise their already-high bar to new heights here – creating one of those rare records that flows together so beautifully, it's hard to remember where some songs begin and others end. There's a sense of perfection in everything about the record – the sound, the songs, the instrumentation – all woven together beautifully without any sense of self-consciousness. One majestic flow that starts with "Black Cow", and runs through classics that include "Aja", "Deacon Blues", "Peg", "Home At Last", "I Got The News", and "Josie". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent funky jazz from Jeremy Steig – the funkiest flute player we can think of! The album's a 2LP set that brings together Steig's Energy album for Capitol, plus more material that was also recorded by producer Sonny Lester. Energy takes up where Jeremy's LPs on Solid State left off – adding Steig's hard-blowing flute to some groundbreaking beat-heavy backings by Gene Perla and Eddie Gomez on bass, Don Alias on drums, and Jan Hammer on electric piano. The sound is super-dope – and the cuts feel like they fell off some lost blacksploitation soundtrack from the early 70s. All titles are great, and the record's a completely unified, fiercely funky set that should be in the collection of any fan of funky electric jazz. Titles include "Down Stretch", "Swamp Carol", "Home", "Cakes", and "Come With Me". The rest of the tracks on the set are equally great – played by the same group, and probably recorded at the same time – with a free-flowing energy that's easily some of the hippest flute work of the early 70s! Titles include "Rock #6", "Elelphant Hump", "Something Else", and "Up Tempo Thing". CD

A huge amount of work from a reedman we'd never heard before – Martinique-born Alexandre Stellio – a hell of a clarinet player, and one who effortlessly weaves together island rhythms and early strands of jazz! All of the recordings here were done in Paris during the mid 30s, and provide a great illustration of the way that the crumbling French colonial empire was allowing all sorts of unusual criss-crossing in sound – in this case, the already-strong Parisian love of jazz mixed with the influence of new phrasings, colors, and rhythms from the French Caribbean – very much in the spirit that would soon become known as biguine! Stellio recorded a surprising amount of music during these years – and the set brings together every session with detailed notes and excellent sound – recordings that are all awash with his amazingly deft, edgey reed lines over romping rhythms, piano, and guitar – the last of which has some slight echoes of Parisian swing. 85 tracks in all – and notes in French and English! CD

A fantastic CD collection – one that brings together all five volumes of Stereolab's Switched On albums in one set – a huge collection of unusual material and rare singles! On the original Switched On record, moog, fuzz, and farfisa have never sounded so great together – and although these guys drank deep of the well of 60s pop magic before making this modern-day classic – they also come off sounding pretty darn original on their own! When this gem of a record first hit the world, it was as if all of us were hearing music from the cosmos for years, but could never find a way to make it part of our everyday lives. Then along come Tim Gane, Laetitia Sadier, and crew – and completely change the world for the better! An album that no home should be without – with titles that include "Contact", "Super-Electric", "Doubt", "Brittle", "Au Grand Jour", "The Way Will Be Opening", and "Changer". Refried Ectoplasm is the second in the holy trinity of "switched on" albums from Stereolab – a set that collects together all the unusual recordings and other side bits the group were doing in the early years of their career – standing strong as a testament to their non-stop efforts to forever push the boundaries of electric fuzzy pop! The vocals Laetitia Sadier are completely sublime – almost a bridge between the darker modes of the previous pop generation and all the new ideas of the world to come – when the rest of rock music would finally catch up to these guys, and realize that the best path to the future is through the past! Titles include "Farfisa", "John Cage Bubblegum", "Tempter", "Exploding Head Movie", "French Disko", "Harmonium", "Revox", "Mountain", and "Sadistic". By the time of Aluminum Tunes (Switched On Vol 3) – it had only been a few years since the previous Switched On set, but Stereolab had already created so much musical magic, they needed a double-length record to keep the whole thing intact! The sound here is somehow getting even more dreamy and wonderful – definitely showing their work with the mighty Sean O'Hagan, and also really opening up into all the many musical ideas that Tim Gane was picking up from his never-ending search for unusual records! The 60s swirl through time and space, and make the future sound even better than we could have imagined it – while the Channel is drained, and England and France become one in a genius marriage of pure pop modes. Titles include "The Extension Trip", "How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight", "Space Moment", "Iron Man", "The Long Hair Of Death", "One Note Samba/Surfboard", "Percolations", "1000 Miles An Hour", "Klang Tone", and a great take on the theme to "Get Carter". Switched On 4 is full of fantastic sounds from Stereolab – an assortment of rare singles and other unusual recordings that were mostly issued on their own Duophonic label, and which are far more obscure than their bigger label albums during the same period! Even though Stereolab gave the world some undeniable classics in the late 90s and early 00s, they were also working endlessly, and seemed to record more than they could ever fit on a full length set – which resulted in all the cool singles, limited releases, and other material included here – not dusty tapes pulled from the archives, but beautiful work that often returns the group to all the space age charms of their first few records! The package is huge – 25 tracks in all, of varying length – and titles include "Barok Plastik", "Calimero", "Fried Monkey Eggs (voc)", "Solar Throw Away", "Variation One", "Monkey Jelly", "Explosante Fixe", "Jump Drive Shut Out", "The Super-It", "L'Exotisme Interieur", "Pandora's Box Of Worms", "Retrograde Mirror Form", "Nomus E Phusis", "I Feel The Air Of Another Planet", "Outer Bongolia", and "Intervals". Includes tracks from Duophonic 45s, Underground Is Coming EP, Moog, First Of The Microbe Hunters, and work from compilations, unreleased tracks, and even a collaboration with Brigitte Fontaine! Switched On 5 is maybe the coolest entry so far in this really wonderful series – a set that's overflowing with rare and unusual work from Stereolab – most of it done at a time when the group were riding high on a major label, but still managed to issued a huge amount of music on their own, and work in a variety of collaborative settings too! One of our favorite is their work with Nurse With Wound, and tracks from that partnership begin this set – which then moves into rare singles, work with artists, compilation contributions, and plenty more – all with the usual Stereolab charm, but often with a nicely different vibe too! Titles include "Simple Headphone Mind", "Symbolic Logic Of Now", "Magne Music", "Forensic Itch", "Spool Of Collusion", "Robot Riot", "Trippin With The Birds", "Cybele's Reverie (live)", "Nth Degrees, "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse (Autechre Feebate mix)", and "Plastic Mile (original version)". CD

A great lost gem from Sonny Stitt – one of his most obscure sides for Argo, recorded with a no-nonsense quartet that included Barry Harris on piano, William Austin on bass, and Frank Gant on drums – all on the day after the trio worked together on Harris' Breakin It Up session for the label! There's a soulful quality to the rhythm section that takes Stitt way past bop – a relaxed groove from Harris that flows nicely into that confident, exploratory territory that we love so much on Stitt's Verve and Roost albums from the time. Sonny blows strongly on both alto and tenor sax – and titles include "It's Hipper Than That", "I'll Tell You Later", "Lover Man", and "A Minor Sax". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure if the music here actually came from outer space – but the tunes definitely have a cosmic connection in the way they mix together so many groovy modes at once! The core energy comes from a love of 80s groove – particularly basslines, beats, and keyboards from the earlier part of the decade – but Diogo Strausz hails from Brazil, and brings in some music from his own culture as well, plus bits of Afro Funk and house – all of which makes for some mighty fresh tracks throughout! Titles include "Flexivel", "Dans Une Langue", "Junto De Nos", "Samba From Outer Space", "La Forme D'Un Grand Coeur", and "Why Can't We Be Together". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure group from the Michigan scene of the 70s – but one who work with a breezy vibe that feels a lot more like some of the Bay Area material we know from the time! These guys bring together a bit of jazz, touches of folk, and even some Brazilian currents – all in a mode that's nicely groovy on most numbers, and served up with a great degree of indie charm! Vocals shift between male and female leads – the latter of which are sometimes paired up on some of the best tracks, ala Sergio Mendes – creating a fullness that really lets those tunes flow! We're still not sure what was going on in the water in Michigan to create the group's special sound – but it's definitely been something that's keep the album going with collectors over the years. Titles include the funky fusion "People Suite" – plus"Surround Me", "Gotta Find Out", "Papa Taco", "Good Day", and "The Earth Has Music". CD features the bonus tracks "Angisa Alusa" and "Povo" – both mighty nice live cuts! CD

Searing sounds from the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s – music that's equal parts noise and equal parts free jazz – served up on some freaky, fuzzy guitar from Masayuki Takayanagi – and a mix of alto sax, harmonica and bass clarinet from Karou Abe! Abe's a lot noisier here than on some of his later records – and maybe has to be, too – to match the frenetic sounds from Takayanagi's guitar – at a level that prefaces so much later electronic noise improvisation to come – as both musicians come together on two long, improvised tracks. Yet the intensity also abates a bit at points – making for a richer balance of tones as the set goes on – even though we'd guess that if Takayanagi had his way, the whole thing would be full-on, all the way through! CD

We love Wayne Talbert – and think he's one of the great under-discovered talents of his time! Wayne worked in the Sir Douglas Quintet, which is probably how he ended up recorded for Mercury – but he's got a sound that's very distinct, and has this really amazing mix of jazz, soul, and Texas elements – but all with a vibe that's unlike anything else we can think of! Wayne wrote most of the tunes on this set himself, and they often have these jazzy arrangements that includes bits of vibes, modal piano, soaring horns, and other elements that are all jumbled together – with a unique blend that's maybe in the territory of that great Shades Of Joy album on Fontana, with a similar disregard for easy labels or tags! Yet Talbert's soulful vocals also have a charm that really sets this one apart, too – almost Mose Allison meeting Joe Cocker somewhere down near the border – a quality that should have made Wayne huge – on titles that include "Dues to Pay", "What More Can I Say", "Schizophrenic Susan Minnick", "Funky Ellis Farm", and "Hell of a World". CD

Hey, now – this is much more than merely Words & Music – it's a solid further step into a sweet 80s groove for the Tavares brothers! Their status as one of the great sibling vocal groups in R&B is on full display on this final album for RCA. The production is right at home in the keyboards-heavy 80s modern mode – but it's the vocals lead the way! Butch, Tiny, Chubby, Pooch and Ralph Tavares are such pros, and such a tight unit, there's really nothing they couldn't pull off! They still sound great here with a stylistic update of their sound – without ever compromising the classic R&B-styled vocal groove! Includes "Ten To One", "Deeper In Love", "Caught Short", "You're My All In All", "Baby I Want You Back", "I Really Miss You Baby", "Don't Play So Hard To Get", "Us And Love (We Go Together)" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Cecil Taylor's most spiritual sessions of the 70s – a live set recorded in Yugoslavia in 1976, and done with this really open sound, but one that comes as much from the horns as it does from Cecil's piano! In fact, we might well say that the horns are the best attraction here – as the record features strong tenor from a young David S Ware – as well as trumpet from Raphe Malik and alto from Jimmy Lyons – who all spin out with freewheeling creativity, alongside Taylor's bold lines on piano, and the drums of Marc Edwards. As with other Taylor albums of the time, the set's built around one long performance – of a tune entitled "Streams & Chorus Of Seed" – put together in a way that have the horns layering over one another, building up sound next to Taylor's free piano improvisations – then taking off on their own! Extremely spirited work – and a great showcase for the young Ware! CD

A stunning set of soul – and an album that will win you over right from the very first offbeat note! Some mad guitars introduce Gloria Ann Taylor's title cover version of "Love Is A Hurtin Thing" – and the whole album follows suit with these really unusual funky elements – echoey piano that feels like it was lifted from Charles Stepney, a righteous fuzzy funk part that has a Tribe Records vibe, and even certain elements that remind us of old Italian soundtracks – but mixed with much deeper soul! And the best thing of all is that all these cuts are classics, not some retro remakes – instead these overlooked nuggets that remind us that just when we think we've heard all the great soul there is to hear, a record like this comes around to open our minds all over again. Gloria never had a full length album back in the day, but this set brings together most of her rare singles – a massive batch of tracks that includes "What I Want", "How Can You Say It", "Love Is A Hurtin Thing", "Deep Inside Of You", "World That's Not Real", "Music", "Had It All The Time", "Burning Eyes", and "What's Your World". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest albums from the legendary Peruvian scene at the start of the 70s – served up by a group who've got a Bay Area reference in their name, and who definitely work with a mix of Latin and psychedelic elements that echo that scene – but with a special sort of vibe that's all their own! Some moments on the record have that perfect pop production and presentation that we love from their contemporaries We All Together – yet other points echo more of the older sound of Mag Records, and the way the label could cook up some really heavy Latin groovers to rival the best of New York. Yet the trippier sounds of the psych generation are what really make the record great – clearly a Santana inspiration, but taken in new directions too – on titles that include "Sungaligali", "Sweet Whatever", "Happy", "Something Going", "Telegraph Avenue", and "Sometimes In Winter". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent little album that's also one of Clark Terry's hippest! The set was recorded as part of the monumental Candid catalog in the early 60s – and it's got an edgey quality that we don't normally hear in Terry's work. At some level, he's working in a mode picked up from his time with Ellington – painting in wide shades of tone and color – but at another level, he's also using some more modern small group modes, of the sort that Candid was perfect at recording! Other players on the session include Jimmy Knepper, Yusef Lateef, Julius Watkins, and Seldon Powell – all fluidly coming together with Terry's horn to create some tremendously evocative work! Titles include "Chat Qui Peche", "No Problem", "La Rive Gauche", "Blue Waltz", and "Brother Terry". CD

Nearly lost work by Lucky Thompson – recorded in New York shortly before he departed for a very productive stay in Europe! Some of the material has shown up on other reissues over the years, but this set's the first time we've seen all 9 tracks from the session together, with the sort of notes and details we'd like, and a reproduction of the original groovy cover. Thompson plays with 2 groups, and the players include Oscar Pettiford, Billy Taylor, Sidney Gross, and Jimmy Hamilton. Thompson's tone is nice and sweet, and the tracks include "Prelude To A Mood", "Easy To Love", "Ever So Easy", and "Mr. E-Z". CD

Groovy compilation that brings together tracks from Cal's hard-to-find albums for the Skye label from the late 60s – all of which are excellent, and all of which we can't find that easily on wax anymore! Cal's hitting a nice sweet funky vibe here, with a lot of electric piano grooving nicely next to his classic moody sound. Titles include "Solar Heat", "Here", "Alonzo", "Nica's Dream", "Don't Make Me Over", and a tasty cover of "Ode To Billie Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

A whole new side of Charles Tolliver's talents – a majestic big band album, with Charles' trumpet right out front in the lead! At some level, the album's an extension of Tolliver's larger group projects with Music Inc back in the 70s – but at another level, the feel here is totally different – much more complex and dynamic, with a rich array of colors and tones we'd never heard before in his work! The group's definitely a big band – with a full brace of trumpets, trombones, and saxes – all working together in very tight formation to realize Tolliver's musical vision. Solos are by Charles on trumpet on most tracks, plus Bill Saxton and Billy Harper on tenor, Staffort Hunter on trombone, Todd Bashore on alto sax, and Robert Glasper and Stanley Cowell on piano. Titles include "With Love", "Rejoicin", "Mournin Variations", "Right Now", "Suspicion", and "Hit The Spot". CD

Heavily grooving Italian jazz from 1960 – featuring the piano of Amedo Tommasi, and the twin-horn team of Cicci Santucci and Enzo Scoppa! Santucci plays trumpet and Scoppa plays tenor, and together, the pair were one of the tightest front lines working south of the Alps. We've stocked sets that include some of their funky work from the 70s – but this little gem is a rare early appearance in a straight bop mode, grooving nicely all the way through with the soulfulness of a rare side on Blue Note or Prestige from the same time! Titles include "Mulatto", "Zamboni 22", "Ballad For Micheline", "Coltrane", and "Auto Strada Del Sole". CD

An album that really lives up to its title, and one that brings together a host of rare singles from this legendary group – all of which are maybe even funkier than some of the tracks on their albums of the time! The bulk of the record is from very rare 7" singles issued on the Albarika Store label, and the set's completed by two rare compilation cuts as well – and the result is a record that's overflowing with hard-edged gems that really show off the unique funky sound of the TP Orchestra Poly Rhythmo – lots of heavy drums at the bottom, cool criss-crossing organ lines, and a style that's a lot leaner than that of Fela and some of his contemporaries. Titles include "Mi Si Ba To", "Minko E So Non Moin", "Gbeti Ma Diro", "Segla", "Kou Tche Kpo So O", "Mi Ve Wa Se", and "Aiha Ni Kpe We". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet, smooth, and soulful – a heck of a great album from Stanley Turrentine, and one that's recorded in a mode that steps off nicely from his best work at CTI! The sound's a bit tighter than most of his sides as Mister T, but the groove is still quite similar – a warm approach to electric soul jazz, played by the best in the business, and topped off by some great lead solo work from Stan – all in that impeccable tone, and with some surprisingly creative solo flourishes that seem to pop out of nowhere and keep the record interesting! Wade Marcus arranged, and players include Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, Bill Summers, and Joe Sample – on tunes that include "I'm Not In Love", "There Is A Place", "Stairway To Heaven", "Everybody Come On Out", "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon", and "Airport Love Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost bit of Cali soul from the 80s – the first album from Twilight, not really a group, but more of a solo studio project from Lawrence Ross! Ross was a shift worker at General Mills, but had some free time to conceive his dream soul album during the twilight hours of the day – hence the name of the "group" –and after slaving away on his off hours to put the whole thing together, he recorded most of this set within the space of a week playing most of the instruments himself! A few other guest artists came in to round out the sound, but there's definitely a personal quality to the record that belies Ross' close association with the whole thing – carefully written tunes that could have challenged the mainstream, had they gotten bigger production, but which have a great deal of charm since they're done here in a more stripped-down, indie-styled way. Twilight has all the best aspects of soul acts of the time – some tight groovers that mix up boogie rhythms with some warmer Cali soul – and a few mellower cuts that benefit from some cool spacey keyboards. Titles include "Play My Game", "Scorpittiarus", "We'll Be Special", "Love's High", "You Know It's Me", "Love's The Way", "Straight To My Heart", and "Just A Kiss Away". CD

Bold, beautiful work from the team of Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson – two of the most inventive reed players of the past few decades – working together here in free, unfettered formation! The set was actually recorded right above Dusty Groove – in a very open, woody loft space – which really helps shape the sound of the set – as the notes from both players ring out wonderfully in the loft – almost recalling the creative improvisations of the New York scene from decades before – but handled here with all the amazing new sense of invention that both Vandermark and Gustafsson seem to bring to any instrument they touch! Ken plays tenor, bass clarinet, and b flat clarinet – and Mats handles alto, tenor, and baritone – all in a rich range of sounds and tones that really leave us breathless. Titles include "Ripolin", "The Madness Of Branches", "I Never Dreamed", "Fortunate Rust", "We Turn The Page", and "Beside Me Images". CD

A trio of mid 80s albums from Narada Michael Walden – all together in one 2CD set! First up is Looking At You Looking At Me – an album with plenty of beats– so much so you might forget that Narada Michael Walden first rose to fame as a drummer – but all the electricity is fine with us, given the 80s groove sound of the set! There's a nice sense of energy that informs most of the tracks – a somewhat funky undercurrent that almost shows traces of the Minneapolis influence on soul at the time, but without a too-Prince sort of sound overall. There's also a few key ballads too – some gentler cuts that round out the set nicely, and which showcase the increasing confidence Walden's had with his vocals over the years. Titles include "Reach Out", "Looking At You Looking At Me", "Burning Up", "Shake It Off", "Dream Maker", and "Tina". Nature Of Things is a highly electric set from Narada Michael Walden – a mid 80s effort that's filled with catchy little tunes! The style's certainly more mainstream than we might have guessed, given Walden's early career – but it's still much better than most of the pop of its generation – thanks to Michael's strong jazz pedigree, which does seem to inform some of his arrangements and instrumental choices on the album. Most of the percussion is in the form of beats, but Walden's also credited with playing drums (roto-toms, perhaps?) – and in addition to his own lead vocals, the set also features work by Patti Austin and Marth Wash. Titles include "Live It Up", "Nature Of Things", "High Above The Clouds", "Gimme Gimme Gimme", "Suspicion", and "Dancin On Main Street". Divine Emotion is sweet 80s soul from Narada Michael Walden – a set that has the singer/drummer very confidently in the tight R&B territory that served him so well during the decade! As with previous records, there's a fair bit of 80s electronic elements in the mix – bursting, bubbling, and exploding with a joyful groove that really fits Walden's spirit – and serves to emphasize his ever-growing talent for penning at catchy tune! Titles include "Wild Thing", "Explosion", "Jam The Night", "Divine Emotions", "Can't Get You Outta My Head", "That's The Way I Feel About Cha", and "Certain Kind Of Lover". CD

Sublime work from pianist George Wallington – and one of his best albums ever! The set's also one of the few he ever recorded as a leader outside the trio format, and has him working with a very hip quintet that features Phil Woods, Donald Byrd, Teddy Kotick, and Art Taylor – all players that help push the record with a tremendous amount of hardbop and modern jazz energy! Byrd and Woods are at their best youthful prime on the set – and the longish tracks really give both artists room to stretch out and show off their talents! Titles include "Foster Dulles", "Together We Wail", "Our Delight", and "But George". CD

Sublime work from pianist George Wallington – and one of his best albums ever! The set's also one of the few he ever recorded as a leader outside the trio format, and has him working with a very hip quintet that features Phil Woods, Donald Byrd, Teddy Kotick, and Art Taylor – all players that help push the record with a tremendous amount of hardbop and modern jazz energy! Byrd and Woods are at their best youthful prime on the set – and the longish tracks really give both artists room to stretch out and show off their talents! Titles include "Foster Dulles", "Together We Wail", "Our Delight", and "But George". CD

Sweet jazzy work from War – a record that has them stretching things out a bit from before, and finding new ways to groove for the second half of the 70s! All the core elements are still firmly in place – that sublime blend of jazz, soul, funk, and Latin elements – but there's a slight shift in the presentation, with maybe just a touch more of the jazz promised in the title – which might have to do with the album's initial placement as a Blue Note Records title! The first half of the record features all new material, showcasing this slight shift in the group's sound – and a mode that's nicely free of any hits – and the second half of the set brings back some key jazzy tracks from earlier records, which fit perfectly into place. Titles include "War Is Coming", "I Got You", "LA Sunshine", "Platinum Jazz", "Slowly We Walk Together", "River Niger", "H2Overture", "City Country City", "Four Cornered Room", and "Deliver The Word". CD

Sweet jazzy work from War – a record that has them stretching things out a bit from before, and finding new ways to groove for the second half of the 70s! All the core elements are still firmly in place – that sublime blend of jazz, soul, funk, and Latin elements – but there's a slight shift in the presentation, with maybe just a touch more of the jazz promised in the title – which might have to do with the album's initial placement as a Blue Note Records title! The first half of the record features all new material, showcasing this slight shift in the group's sound – and a mode that's nicely free of any hits – and the second half of the set brings back some key jazzy tracks from earlier records, which fit perfectly into place. Titles include "War Is Coming", "I Got You", "LA Sunshine", "Platinum Jazz", "Slowly We Walk Together", "River Niger", "H2Overture", "City Country City", "Four Cornered Room", and "Deliver The Word". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely mesmerizing work from singer Warda Algazaireya – a vocalist who presents the lyrics here in Arabic, but only after a wonderfully long build-up from an Egyptian orchestra who blend together a very cool groove with all sorts of beautiful touches on organ, woodwinds, and strings! The sound is beautiful – and once Warda's vocals come in, the whole thing opens up in this tremendous way – as her range is fantastic, and she has a way of stretching out and making her vocals soar at a level that goes way beyond language – almost as if she's a solo instrument with the larger ensemble, taking her time in the spotlight! There's echoes here of some of the 70s work of Salah Ragab, and the record also resonates very well with the reissues we've loved from the Habibi Funk label too – and like those, the whole thing is a key window on a musical world we never would have heard otherwise. LP, Vinyl record album

A stone cold smoker from the Chicago scene of the 50s – the kind of record we're proud to say came from our hometown! The album brings together the best of some of the under-recognized players in the Windy City at the time – including bassist Wilbur Ware, alto saxophonist John Jenkins, pianist Junior Mance, and a young Johnny Griffin – really tearing up the set on tenor! There's a groove here that's modern, yet soulful – fresh, clear, and very concisely blown – with a number of different musical strands all tied together tightly, and handled by the players with a sharpness that few groups today could hope to match. Titles include the legendary "Mama Daddy", plus "Desert Sands", "Be-Ware", "31st & State", and "Latin Quarters". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of wonderful albums from The Whispers – with a bit of bonus tracks too! First up is One For The Money – one of our favorite Whispers albums of the 70s – thanks to wonderful work from Philly soul maestro Norman Harris! Harris produced the record, and also played guitar on the set – giving the group this Sigma Sound-styled backdrop that almost puts the west coast harmony quintet in the territory of Gamble & Huff's work for Philly International! There's plenty of grooves on the set, but also plenty of deeper soul elements too – balanced beautifully with a richness that makes this Whispers album every bit as rewarding as work by some of their east coast contemporaries. Tracks include the sublime mellow cut "Living Together (In Sin)" – plus "One For The Money", "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are", "Sounds Like A Love Song", and "In My Heart". On Open Up Your Love, The Whispers are really riding high on the Soul Train – perfectly set up with production help from the team of Don Cornelius and Dick Griffey – who really help the group make the best of their harmonies, both on mellow cuts and upbeat groovers! The latter cuts are what The Whispers are sometimes remembered most for at this time in their career – but we really love the more laidback cuts too – as they seem to have an even more magical approach, with this floating style that really does wonders for the vocals. Titles include "Open Up Your Love", "You Are Number One", "I'm Gonna Make You My Wife", "Love Is A Dream", "I Fell In Love Last Night", and "Chocolate Girl". Headlights is sublime stuff from The Whispers – a record that features some wonderfully easy-drifting harmony vocals, put together in a careful way that preserves the smooth mellow tip that always made the group sound best! There's a maturity to the record that takes the quintet far past their early harmony soul roots, and even past some of the more clubby styles they were using during the 70s – almost the mix of sophistication that some of the hipper groups at Philly International would reach during the same stretch. The set's definitely got a few groovers, but the mellower steppers are the most wonderful – including the fantastic cut "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out", a sweet little groover with a hook that's undeniably catchy. Other tracks include "The Planets Of Life", "Disco Melody", "Children Of Tomorrow", "All The Way", and "You're A Special Part Of My Life". CD features bonus tracks – "Sounds Like A Love Song (7" version)" and "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are (7" version)". CD

A record we'd never part with – and easily our favorite album ever from The Who! Quadrophenia represents the group at its peak from all perspectives – songwriting, performance, and even studio presence – as the album's got a sonic sensibility that few other albums of the time can match! The set's a concept record – a story, like Tommy – yet it remains incredibly lean, without any overcluttered rock opera feel – so much so that most tunes stand mightily on their own, but also have a dense sense of texture when taken together as part of the double-length album. And we'll also say that the record's one of the few extended sets we always end up breezing through from start to finish – almost surprised by the time it comes to a close – and often hitting repeat to hear the whole thing over again! Titles include "I Am The Sea", "The Real Me", "Cut My Hair", "The Punk & The Godfather", "Sea & Sand", "5:15", "Bell Boy", "Love Rein O'Er Me", and "Is It In My Head". CD

A record we'd never part with – and easily our favorite album ever from The Who! Quadrophenia represents the group at its peak from all perspectives – songwriting, performance, and even studio presence – as the album's got a sonic sensibility that few other albums of the time can match! The set's a concept record – a story, like Tommy – yet it remains incredibly lean, without any overcluttered rock opera feel – so much so that most tunes stand mightily on their own, but also have a dense sense of texture when taken together as part of the double-length album. And we'll also say that the record's one of the few extended sets we always end up breezing through from start to finish – almost surprised by the time it comes to a close – and often hitting repeat to hear the whole thing over again! Titles include "I Am The Sea", "The Real Me", "Cut My Hair", "The Punk & The Godfather", "Sea & Sand", "5:15", "Bell Boy", "Love Rein O'Er Me", and "Is It In My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – and one of the most revolutionary rock albums of the late 60s! The Who recorded this one as a tribute to mainstream radio at the time – linking together some solid stand alone tunes with shorter, wittier tracks that were recorded as commercials for products that included baked beans, acne cream, and deodorant – as well as cool announcer bits too! The end result is one of the most sonically complex records issued by a mainstream rock act of the time – sort of like The Who said "yeah, everyone's trying to copy Sgt Peppers with big arrangements, but we'll take this concept album thing in a whole new direction!" Brilliant all the way through, and with tracks that include "Armenia City In The Sky", "Heinz Baked Beans", "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand", "I Can See For Miles", "I Can't Reach You", "Rale", "Sunrise", and "Silas Stingy". CD features some great bonus tracks too – including "Glow Girl" and "Early Morning Cold Taxi". CD

An incredible album – and one of the most revolutionary rock albums of the late 60s! The Who recorded this one as a tribute to mainstream radio at the time – linking together some solid stand alone tunes with shorter, wittier tracks that were recorded as commercials for products that included baked beans, acne cream, and deodorant – as well as cool announcer bits too! The end result is one of the most sonically complex records issued by a mainstream rock act of the time – sort of like The Who said "yeah, everyone's trying to copy Sgt Peppers with big arrangements, but we'll take this concept album thing in a whole new direction!" Brilliant all the way through, and with tracks that include "Armenia City In The Sky", "Heinz Baked Beans", "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand", "I Can See For Miles", "I Can't Reach You", "Rale", "Sunrise", and "Silas Stingy". This fantastic new package features the whole album in stereo and mono – plus 26 more bonus tracks, and a 16 page booklet of new notes and photos! CD

The best in years from the enduring, still evolving avant rock treasure Wilco! Over the years, and especially in later ones, Jeff Tweedy and company have become much more adept at blending their poetic, acoustic country rock tendencies with art rock textures – as opposed to trading both in fits and starts. We loved their early post-Uncle Tupelo country rock efforts, loved their at the time stunning efforts to leave "alt country" behind on Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and after all these years, with strong core line-up of Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Mikael Jorgensen, Nels Cline and Pat Sansone holding together, they're really hitting later career peak in the post-millennium teens! Includes "Normal American Kids", "If I Ever Was A Child", "Cry All Day", "Common Sense", "Nope", "Someone To Lose", "Happiness", "Quarters", "Locator", "Shrug And Destroy", "We Aren't The World (Safety Girl)" and "Just Say Goodbye". CD