A wonderful session from one of our favorite Japanese pianists – and a session that's done with equal parts acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes! Takehiro Honda's getting some great help here from Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums – gently grooving on most of the album's best numbers, with a vibe that reminds us of some of the best Herbie Hancock Japanese trio sessions from the 70s – recorded with a similarly open, spacious vibe! The Fender Rhodes tracks are great, but the acoustic numbers groove pretty nicely too – and Honda's definitely pulled out some of his most rhythmic modes for this album, really opening up in the company of the American players. Titles include "Wonder", "Longing", "Puddle", "Spirits Flow", and "Calypso Street". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set by this spiritual jazz ensemble from Pakistan – one who work with this really wicked blend of familiar jazz elements, some regional instrumentation, and some of the forward-thinking jazz ideas that have been bubbling up from the London scene of late! The music weaves together acoustic and electric elements wonderfully – blending Fender Rhodes and guitar with trumpet, piano, flute, tenor, tabla, and sarangi – plus a bit of electronics from Tenderlonious, who also handles the reeds! There's a really evocative quality to the record – east meets west in the world of spiritual jazz – and titles include "Mingusterstood", "A Sound Heart", "Forgive Me", "Reflections Of God", "Wings Of Submission", "Lahori Blues", and "Raga Bairagi Todi". CD

A righteous set of spiritual jazz from the Portland scene – served up by a group who really have a natural, organic approach to their music! The tunes here take a nice amount of time to build things up – with the flowing progression you might find in early 70s work on Impulse Records, or some of the best records by Nat Birchall – but there's also a really special element here in the Fender Rhodes work of Andre Raiah, who uses his instrument gently, in a Geechee Reflections sort of mode – which sounds great next to the longer-spun alto and soprano work of the leader, Roman Norfleet. The rest of the group features Darian Anthony Patrick on drums, and Elijah Jamal Asani on percussion – and there's a slight touch of vocals, but things are mostly instrumental – on titles that include "Future Ancestors/Awaken", "Joy Song", "Turiya The Butterfly", "Cosmic Forces", and "A Vessel". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from trumpeter Jeremy Pelt – and like some of his other brilliant albums, a set that really has him sparkling alongside some sweet Fender Rhodes! Pelt's trumpet has always been great – but here, in the company of keyboardist David Bryant, it really seems to find some rich new colors – almost as if the keys open up a layer of Pelt that's been hiding for years – set free to really soar and flow here. Bryant also plays some Hammond and clavinet as well, and other Fender Rhodes and keyboard work is by Frank LoCrasto – and the group also features Roxy Cross on soprano and tenor, Burniss Earl Travis on bass, Dana Hawkins on drums, and Jeffrey Haynes on percussion. Both Ra Re Valverde and Angela Roberts each sing on a track – and titles include "Reimagine The World", "Boom Bishop", "Butterfly Dreams", "Pieces Of A Dream", "Meditations On A Conversation We Had", and "Mystique". CD

A really great collection – five full albums from keyboard giant Patrice Rushen, plus bonus tracks too! First up is Patrice – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and clavinet, handled with a smooth and soulful quality that's wonderful all the way through – a blend of soul and jazz that few other players could do this well – no matter how many others tried to copy her style over the years! Rhythms are as hard and heavy as on the Prestige years, and the keyboards have a great sort of focus too – just the right mix of jazz to offset the vocals – which themselves are a wonderful discovery. The whole album's a gem – and tracks include the great funky classic "Hang It Up", plus "Changes (In Your Life)", "When I Found You", "Play", "Didn't You Know?", and "Music Of The Earth". Pizzazz is one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". Posh is an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in a sublime blend of 70s jazz funk and Minnie Riperton-esque soul! The whole album's a winner – real magic that never gets old, and the kind of LP that makes you understand why you'll find Patrice's records in just about any soul collection from the time! Tracks include "I Need Your Love", "Time Will Tell", "The Dream", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Don't Blame Me". Straight From The Heart is one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". The album Now is a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with a degree of soul that sets it apart from work by most of her contemporaries – and the music has this warm flow that really sets Rushen apart from the rest – a sublime mix of soul, funk, and fusion that holds together perfectly throughout! Titles include "Gotta Find It", "Gone With The Night", "My Love's Not Going Anywhere", "High In Me", "To Each His Own", "Heartache Heartbreak", and "Feels So Real". 5CD set features bonus tracks from original 12" singles – and other remixes too! CD

A really great collection – five full albums from keyboard giant Patrice Rushen, plus bonus tracks too! First up is Patrice – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and clavinet, handled with a smooth and soulful quality that's wonderful all the way through – a blend of soul and jazz that few other players could do this well – no matter how many others tried to copy her style over the years! Rhythms are as hard and heavy as on the Prestige years, and the keyboards have a great sort of focus too – just the right mix of jazz to offset the vocals – which themselves are a wonderful discovery. The whole album's a gem – and tracks include the great funky classic "Hang It Up", plus "Changes (In Your Life)", "When I Found You", "Play", "Didn't You Know?", and "Music Of The Earth". Pizzazz is one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". Posh is an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in a sublime blend of 70s jazz funk and Minnie Riperton-esque soul! The whole album's a winner – real magic that never gets old, and the kind of LP that makes you understand why you'll find Patrice's records in just about any soul collection from the time! Tracks include "I Need Your Love", "Time Will Tell", "The Dream", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Don't Blame Me". Straight From The Heart is one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". The album Now is a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with a degree of soul that sets it apart from work by most of her contemporaries – and the music has this warm flow that really sets Rushen apart from the rest – a sublime mix of soul, funk, and fusion that holds together perfectly throughout! Titles include "Gotta Find It", "Gone With The Night", "My Love's Not Going Anywhere", "High In Me", "To Each His Own", "Heartache Heartbreak", and "Feels So Real". 5CD set features bonus tracks from original 12" singles – and other remixes too! CD

A fantastic electric session from the 70s Polish scene – a record that not only features freewheeling trumpet from Tomasz Stanko, and sweet Fender Rhodes from Adam Mackowicz, but also includes some very inventive work on drums and percussion from the great Czelaw Bartkowski! All three players are at the top of their game here – artists who have a strong knowledge of the outside territory of jazz, but also often work a bit more inside – so that their music here can be open and exploratory, but also come back to more soulful, swinging territory too! Most tracks are long, and have the sort of textural energy you'd know especially from Stanko's work – and titles include "Countdown", "Unit", "Solar", "Matce", "Ballad For Randi Hultin", "Zaduma", and "Pony Lungz". CD

Saxophonist Gary Bartz joins the duo of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – bringing a warm sense of soul to their soulful backings – which range from funky to spacey, and do a nice job of capturing the mid 70s feel of Gary on record! The sound isn't the Larry Mizell or Ntu Group version of Bartz – but a warm, spiritual take on alto sax – with strong solo that really soar out over the proceedings, even when the Young/Muhammad rhythms might not be as dynamic – but that's maybe no surprise, given that Gary Bartz always made the best of any situation – and really shines here amidst the Fender Rhodes, Hammond, guitars, and vibes that make up the rest of the music. Titles include "Soulsea", "The Message", "Day By Day", "Blue Jungles", "Spiritual Ideation", and "Black & Brown". CD

A late 70s return to glory for the Captain – and a set that has a bit of a checkered path, in that it was originally done for Frank Zappa's Discreet label as the album Bat Chain Puller – then was held back, and mostly re-recorded for this seminal release on Warner Brothers! The set shows all the grown that Don Van Vliet had undergone during the decade – and also echoes his previous collaboration with Zappa – served up with instrumentation that is wonderfully complex, but still quite personal and earthy – a blend of composition, improvisation, and individuality that almost has Beefheart rivaling the work of Hermeto Pascoal during the decade, yet in a very different mode – given his vocal styles and occasional spoken musings! The Cap sings, plays harmonica, and blows soprano sax – alongside Jeff Moris Tepper on slide guitar and spell guitar, Bruce Lambourne Fowler on trombone, Eric Drew Friedman on Fender Rhodes and bass, Art Tripp III on marimba and percussion, Robert Arthur Williams on drums, and Richard Redus on slide guitar, bottleneck guitar, fretless bass, accordion, and guitar. Tracks include "The Floppy Boot Stomp", "Ice Rose", "Bat Chain Puller", "Candle Mambo", "Love Lies", and "Suction Prints". LP, Vinyl record album

That's Andre Gibson sitting at an electric piano on the cover – an image that will give you very much an idea of the record – as the music here is more personal and intimate than previous recordings by the Universal Togetherness Band – and tracks that actually seem to show a lot more depth and soul overall! The mixture of Gibson's voice and Rhodes is like hearing some demo material from the Donny Hathaway side of the spectrum – definitely more 70s-styled than you'd guess from the date range in the title, but a bit more gritty overall – and mostly with electric piano and vocals, on all numbers, with occasional added instrumentation thrown in from time to time. Titles include "Bring Me Home", "Love Changes Life's Changes", "All My Pals", "Thankful For You", "Say I Will", "Stuck On A Thrill", "Don't It Feel Good", "I Wanna Take You Away", "Breakaway", and "I'm Falling". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning jazz set from the LA scene – and one that's got even more spiritual, forward-flowing energy than some of the studio sessions recorded by Terrace Martin! The performance continues Martin's strong move into jazz over the past decade plus – with lots of alto solos from the leader, amidst a lineup that features keyboards from Paul Cornish, bass from Joshua Crumbly, and drums from Ronald Bruner. There's plenty of warm Fender Rhodes lines that really make the record shine with soulful energy throughout – and Martin's sharper reed lines are matched by the richer tenor of Kamasi Washington on the tracks "Juno" and "Stop Trippin" – the latter of which also features trumpet from Maurice Brown. Other titles include "For Free" and "Great Is Thy Faithfulness". LP, Vinyl record album

Two really beautiful tracks – both with keyboards from Antero Sievert and trumpet from Noah Halpern – served up in a nice lean groove! Side one features an introspective take on the famous Beatles tune – done in a way that's nicely contemplative, and with energy that's much more personal than you might expect! "Peace On Earth" has this great warm Fender Rhodes – played with a mellow sense of tone that's a beautiful match for the crisper lines of the trumpet! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really lovely little record from tenor saxophonist/pianist Ben Wendel, and a set that's definitely got a high heart – this warmth that almost belies the cover – and which comes from Ben's own work on tenor, and the very cool wordless vocals of Michael Mayo! Mayo begins the record with a warmly singing mode – elevating notes, in the way that Nana Vasconcelos might have done on some classic Pat Metheny albums – but the vibe here is very different, maybe with some sharper edges at times, and a complexity to the rhythmic progression of the songs – which also feature Rhodes and piano from Shai Maestro and Gerald Clayton, bass from Joe Sanders, and drums from Nate Wood – all players who are very much up for the unusual patterns of sound between the tenor and voice. Titles include "Burning Bright", "Fearsome", "High Heart", "Kindly", "Less", and "Drawn Away". CD

Wonderfully warm work from the great Chris Bangs – an artist who sometimes serves up more programmed/sampled jazz material – but who here steps out in this strong array of live instrumentation, at a level that may well make the record the greatest that Chris has ever given us! Way back in the late 80s, Bangs was a DJ on the London scene, coined the term "acid jazz", and helped usher in a new love of classic grooves – alongside mates Gilles Peterson and Eddie Pillar – and here, decades later, he's evolved to become a hell of an artist too – almost making the same shift in his music that Nicola Conte did years earlier. The group features fantastic Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Luciano De La Rosa, plenty of Latin rhythms, and strong use of trumpet and trombone – plus a bit of vocals too. The set begins with a great remake of the George Duke classic "My Soul" – and turns through other gems that include "You Are My Starship", "Riding On The Storm", "Sugar Slam", "Mozambique", "Better Days", "Dream World", and "Alegria". CD

Wonderfully warm work from the great Chris Bangs – an artist who sometimes serves up more programmed/sampled jazz material – but who here steps out in this strong array of live instrumentation, at a level that may well make the record the greatest that Chris has ever given us! Way back in the late 80s, Bangs was a DJ on the London scene, coined the term "acid jazz", and helped usher in a new love of classic grooves – alongside mates Gilles Peterson and Eddie Pillar – and here, decades later, he's evolved to become a hell of an artist too – almost making the same shift in his music that Nicola Conte did years earlier. The group features fantastic Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Luciano De La Rosa, plenty of Latin rhythms, and strong use of trumpet and trombone – plus a bit of vocals too. The set begins with a great remake of the George Duke classic "My Soul" – and turns through other gems that include "You Are My Starship", "Riding On The Storm", "Sugar Slam", "Mozambique", "Better Days", "Dream World", and "Alegria". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set of tracks that was recorded at the cusp of the 70s, but which wasn't (for some strange reason) released until many years later! Donald Byrd's playing here with two different larger groups, and the music is a perfect bridge between his spacey late 60s attempts to mimic Miles Davis, and his tighter early 70s jazz funk work with Larry Mizell. The instrumentation's a bit different than usual, and includes a warm frontline of Frank Foster on tenor, Lew Tabackin on flute and tenor, and William Campbell on trombone – all working with these charts that are full and flowing – really strong, soulful elements that get some further great touches from Duke Pearson on Fender Rhodes! Rhythms echo some of Pearson's own great music of the time, with lots of Brazilian undercurrents – no surprise, given that Duke produced the record – and titles include "Kofi", "Fufu", "Perpetual Love", and "Elmina". LP, Vinyl record album

Gary Corben's a contemporary artist, and he works here in the best modes of some of the most compelling Brazilian underground artists in the past decade or so – especially the mighty Kassin, who also produced this set with a really wonderful sound! As with Kassin's music, Gary's has a way of embracing an older generation of Brazilian experimentation, then moving things forward nicely – using instrumentation that changes up in different ways from track to track – funky drums on one number, shimmering vibes on another, and plenty of Fender Rhodes throughout – all a perfect complement to his raspy, warm vocals – with lyrics mostly in English. Titles include "Daisy" "Summer's Almost Here", "Tudo Bem Tudo Bom", "Out Of The Past", "Ana Santana From Copacabana", and "I'm OK You're OK". LP, Vinyl record album

The group's no ensemble, but they're definitely analog – as the one-man combo Charif Megarbane handles a whole host of cool electric sources for the music – a mix of mellotron, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Farfisa, Moog, and other keys – mixed with an electric koto, flute, vibes, theremin, and field recordings too! There's also key use of acoustic guitar, which warms up and humanizes the sound wonderfully – as do the French vocals, which appear from time to time, and make the whole thing sparkle like some underground Parisian project from years back – almost building a bridge from the 70s Saravah scene forward to the music of Stereolab and Laetitia Sadier. The album's every bit as great as those two references would imply – and titles include "The Patterns Of A Hand", "Ainsi Souffle Le Vent", "Sens Dessus Dessous", "Passe Compose", "Les Orpailleurs", and "Octopolis". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little collaboration between saxophonist Hank Crawford and guitarist Calvin Newborn – a record that turns out to be one of the best from both players for the time! Crawford's managed to shake off some of the hoke of his earlier records – and although his sound here isn't earth-shattering, it's a lot fresher than it might be – with a laidback use of the alto that's augmented by some especially nice Fender Rhodes, as part of Hank's growing talents on the keyboard. Crawford also arranged and produced, but Newborn still gets in plenty of space too – using some bluesier licks to bring in an earthier tone, while still also staying in the smoother feel of the record. Titles include a remake of "Breezin", plus "Centerpiece", "Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You", "I Can't Stand It", "I Had A Dream", and "Frame For The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach – because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's greatest tunes ever – all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect – a true high point in the career of all parties involved – and a tremendous recasting of Bacharach's original brilliance – taking his key compositions into the most sophisticated styles of the Chicago soul scene in the 70s! There's a sense of timing and phrasing here that's quite unique – hardly simple covers of Dionne Warwick's approach to these hits – and Stepney's backings feature his own Fender Rhodes, guitar from Phil Upchurch, percussion from members of The Pharoahs, and some fuller horns, harp, and strings. The Dells are equally great too – and serve up some of the best vocals of their career – really magnificent harmonies, and soaring solo parts that seem to even go beyond their best-known hits. Titles include "Walk On By", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Wives & Lovers", "Close To You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", and "A House Is Not A Home". CD

Both of the classic Deodato albums for CTI – back to back in a single Japanese-only set! First up is Prelude – a legendary album from the 70s funk scene – and one of the crowning achievements of keyboard maestro Eumir Deodato! Deodato got his start during the bossa years of the 60s – where his sophisticated charts were already enough to make his career a landmark – but in the following decade he picked up the Fender Rhodes, and really took off in a great new direction with classic records like this! The set's a wonderful blend of larger charts and jazzy soloing – with sublime Rhodes lines from the leader, plus a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in the best CTI mode – underscored by percussion from both Ray Barretto and Airto. The features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole". Next is Deodato 2, filled with funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever from funky trumpeter Don Ellis – partly because he takes off in a whole new direction of tones and sounds! Don blows both a quarter-tone trumpet and four-valve trombone here – both instruments with a very distinctive vibe, which are then set up in a groovy large ensemble that features more trumpet and trombone, plus woodwinds and a bit of strings – and some great electric touches on Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and ring modulator! The tunes have that bold Ellis punch of a few years before, but also really hit an earthier vibe too – not just new ideas in sound, but also some rhythmic pulsation that really gives lots of the tunes a fresh sort of flavor. Titles include "Samba Bajada", "Strawberry Soup", "Euphoric Acid", "Get It Together", and "Bulgarian Bulge". CD

Wonderful post-CTI material from saxophonist Joe Farrell – a set that has the reedman still going every bit as strong as on those classic records, but an album that's also a lot more obscure! Joe plays tenor throughout – and still has that compellingly sharp tone on his horn – that quality that has him bringing out an edge, even when blowing more gently – although most of the tracks here still have Farrell coming on pretty strong! And the group is great, too – a no-nonsense quartet that features some key work by Chick Corea on both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, maybe straighter here than on some of his own records – plus bass from Bob Magnusson, and drums from LA legend Lawrence Marable. Titles include "High Wire", "Skate Board Park", "Cliche Romance", "Speak Low", and "Bara Bara". CD

A great package – one that features the self-titled Taana Gardner album from the legendary New York club act on West End Records – plus lots of bonus material too! The core record is the only full length album cut by singer Taana Gardner – quite a surprise, given how much impact she had on the clubs with her 12" singles at the start of the 80s! The album's got Gardner as a much richer singer than you might expect – able to lay back on a mellow track as well as step out on a groover – always with that higher range of vocals that really made her a standout at the time, but in ways that are never gimmicky or poppy at all. And in fact, there's a lot more depth to the record than you'd guess from the dated exercise cover image – a classic soul approach that's also quite a surprise for the mostly disco West End label too. Tracks are all nice and long – and backings are by Sunship, with Bernard Wright on Fender Rhodes. Titles include "Work That Body", "We Got To Work It Out", "When You Touch Me", "Paradise Express", and "Just Be A Friend". 2CD set features lots of bonus material – Kenton Nix extended mixes of "When You Touch Me", "Just Be A Friend", and "Work That Body" – plus two key non-LP singles, "That's The World (12" club)" and "Heartbeat (12" club) – and lots of later mixes that include "No Frills (Larry Levan mix)", "I'm Comin (radio mix)", "Work That Body (MAW re-edit)", "When You Touch Me (MAW re-edit)", "Work That Body (wing it for the A-Man Tom Moulton edit)", and "Paradise Express (Gomi's tribute vocal)". CD

Mindblowing work from Robert Glasper – a set that makes us fall in love with his music even more than before – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given that we've loved him for years! Glasper's working here in his collaborative Black Radio format – but at a level that's even more perfected than the initial album of this project – a really groundbreaking blend of live jazz instrumentation and underground soul inspiration – served up by Robert's core quartet, with help from a whole host of wonderful guest singers! Glasper alone is worth the price of admission – Fender Rhodes and piano lines that are completely sublime, in that flowing groove that's only gotten better with age – and the combo also features wicked bass from Derrick Hodge, sax and flute from Casey Benjamin, and some damn funky drums from Mark Colenburg – who proves that you don't need any drum loops or samples to make music this great. The singers are the icing on the cake – a lineup that includes Faith Evans, Dwele, Jill Scott, Common, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Norah Jones, and others – on titles that include "Calls", "Worries", "I Stand Alone", "What Are We Doing", "Trust", "Yet To Find", "You Own Me", "Somebody Else", "Persevere", and "Let It Ride". CD

Tenorist Chris Greene is one of the secret heroes of our scene in Chicago – a player whose work hearkens back to the strong legacy of Windy City reedmen, and an artist who's always deserving of wider recognition on the national scene! Greene seems to get better and better with each new record – and that's definitely the case here, as he blows with a strong degree of confidence, and a sense of timing and phrasing that's very much his own – even when he shifts to soprano sax, which he does at a few points on the record. There's a nicely understated sense of soul to his blowing, which is echoed by the work of Damian Espinosa on piano and keyboards (Fender Rhodes?) – in a group that also features Marc Piane on bass and Steve Corley on drums. The set includes some great originals – including "Thumper", "Gentleman's Breakfast", "The Emperor Strikes Back", "Inspiration", and "Broken Glass". CD also includes a nice take on the Eddie Harris tune "Boogie Woogie Bossa Nova". CD

Tenorist Chris Greene is one of the secret heroes of our scene in Chicago – a player whose work hearkens back to the strong legacy of Windy City reedmen, and an artist who's always deserving of wider recognition on the national scene! Greene seems to get better and better with each new record – and that's definitely the case here, as he blows with a strong degree of confidence, and a sense of timing and phrasing that's very much his own – even when he shifts to soprano sax, which he does at a few points on the record. There's a nicely understated sense of soul to his blowing, which is echoed by the work of Damian Espinosa on piano and keyboards (Fender Rhodes?) – in a group that also features Marc Piane on bass and Steve Corley on drums. The set includes some great originals – including "Thumper", "Gentleman's Breakfast", "The Emperor Strikes Back", "Inspiration", and "Broken Glass". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic step forward for Muriel Grossmann – an artist who just keeps on expanding her talents at the same time she's expanding our minds! Murial delivers her familiar reed work here – on tenor, alto, and soprano sax – but she also brings deeper spiritual currents into play with sounds on harp, tambura, and harmonium – all instruments that really match the modal, spiritual sounds that emanate from the guitar of Radomir Milojkovic, drums of Urus Stamenkovic, and Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes, and moog of Abel Boquera! All these instruments flesh out the music and give it a slightly different vibe than some of Grossmann's recent records – still every bit as spiritual and soulful, but wider-reaching too – on tunes that include "Pointing Out", "Ultimate Awareness", "Eternal Laughter", "The Light Of The Mind", and "Unison Unveiled". CD

Some of the grooviest tunes from the Peanuts cartoons – key character themes penned and played by the legendary Vince Guaraldi, in a set of recordings that features both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes! A few cuts get really funky, too – the electric numbers, which remind us that back when we were wee ones, watching these cartoons, Guaraldi was already shaping our consciousness with his great way with a groove. The package is one that really gets right to the heart of Guaraldi's genius – and shakes free of some of the holiday spirit of other Peanuts jazz packages, to get into some incredibly groovy numbers that include "Peppermint Patty", "Joe Cool", "Charlie's Blues (variation)", "Blue Charlie Brown (version 2)", "Frieda (alternate)", "Little Birdie", and "Schroeder (alternate)" – plus the famous "Linus & Lucy". Also features versions of "The Masked Marvel" and "Linus & Lucy" played solo by George Winston. CD

A set that's got a fuller, richer sound than some of the other recent work from trumpeter Tom Harrell – in part because a number of tracks feature Fender Rhodes and organ from Luis Perdomo, as well as guitar from Charles Altura – both players who create these warm colors that shimmer nicely next to the Tom's work in the lead! And there's also some great resonance with the tenorists on the date – Dayna Stephens and Mark Turner – players who alternate tracks, and each play on half the album – next to Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Adam Cruz on drums. Perdomo also plays acoustic piano – and titles are all unique numbers by Harrell, with titles that include "Intermezzo", "Chalcedon", "Heliotrope", "Plateau", "UV", and "Radius". CD

Drummer Roy Haynes works here with an ensemble that's definitely as hip as the title promises – a really righteous group that makes the album one of Roy's most spiritual records ever! Haynes was always a drummer who was really a cut above, even back at the start – but here, he really steps out strongly with a new musical vision for the 70s – working with a lineup that includes George Adams on tenor and flute and Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet – but players who give the music a really bold feel, right from the start! The rest of the lineup is wonderful, too – as Carl Schroeder plays Fender Rhodes with this flowing vibe that's plenty soulful – alongside bass from Terud Nakamura and Mervin Bronson, conga from Lawrence Kilian, bongo from Elwood Johnson, and more drums from Haynes himself. Titles include a sublime reading of Stanley Cowell's "Equipoise" – plus "Tangiers", "You Name It", and "Satan's Mysterious Feeling". CD

Drummer Roy Haynes works here with an ensemble that's definitely as hip as the title promises – a really righteous group that makes the album one of Roy's most spiritual records ever! Haynes was always a drummer who was really a cut above, even back at the start – but here, he really steps out strongly with a new musical vision for the 70s – working with a lineup that includes George Adams on tenor and flute and Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet – but players who give the music a really bold feel, right from the start! The rest of the lineup is wonderful, too – as Carl Schroeder plays Fender Rhodes with this flowing vibe that's plenty soulful – alongside bass from Terud Nakamura and Mervin Bronson, conga from Lawrence Kilian, bongo from Elwood Johnson, and more drums from Haynes himself. Titles include a sublime reading of Stanley Cowell's "Equipoise" – plus "Tangiers", "You Name It", and "Satan's Mysterious Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty remarkable set of spacey soul songcraft from Hiatus Kaiyote – a Melbourne group that blends moody, laidback live soul instrumentation with bubbling futuristic elements in a surprisingly seamless way – elevated even higher by strong songwriting and the soulful vocals of Nai Palm! Haitus Kaiyote has a sound that's steeped in cosmic soul, moody soul jazz and the artier/synth and programmed atmosphere of spacier moodscape figures like Flying Lotus – but it's band-based and song-based in a way that could really break Hiatus Kaiyote in a big way. Includes "Mobius Streak", "The World It Softly Lulls", "Leap Frog", "Malika", "Ocelot", "Boom Child", "Lace Skull", "Rainbow Rhodes", "Sphinx Gate" and "Nakamarra". LP, Vinyl record album

A searing live performance from this brilliant Japanese trumpeter – working here at the height of his stretched-out, open-ended powers – but with a style that's a bit more inside than some of his work from the start of the 70s! Hino really shows himself to be a great leader here – working with a group that includes Hideo Miyata on tenor, Kiyoshi Sugimoto on guitar, and Fumio Itabashi on some especially great Fender Rhodes and piano – a wonderful player who really gives the album a solid grounding, which then allows the horn players to really soar! Hino's really finding his voice here – growing into one of the best trumpet talents of his generation – and this first volume features two long tracks – "Mocco" and "In The Darkness", both of which spin out for over 15 minutes! CD

Adam Rudolph works here with a whole host of instruments of his own, then opens the door for a huge amount of guests – all of whom help the proceedings come across with an organic, earthy blend of both acoustic and electric instrumental elements! Rudolph himself handles kalimba, keyboards, and a global mix of reeds and percussion instruments – and the set features guitar from Eivin Aarset, Fender Rhodes and organ from Alexis Marcelo, and drums from Hamid Drake – plus more contributions on sitar, tablas, wood flute, and other instruments that really echo the post-jazz, pan-global approach that Rudolph has brought to his work, both as Hu Vibrational and in other settings too. Titles include "Psychic", "Hittin", "Space", "Timeless", "Honey Honey", and "Proto Zoa Gogo". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge musical treasure – a full unreleased album by Weldon Irvine, plus a bonus video as well! The music is from the stage play Young Gifted & Broke – a short-lived production by Weldon, and one that's done with some of the same hip modes he was bringing to his own music of the 70s – as well as to other artists as well, especially Nina Simone! The style's more jazz than funk, but is still mighty nice – as the instrumentation features loads of electric piano lines from Weldon, and a sparklingly soulful style that's way hipper than most of what you'd find on the stage at the time. Most tunes have lyrics, but are still heavy on Fender Rhodes lines from Weldon – and titles include "Karate Dancer", "Pity for The Man", "Black Lightning's Song", "Musical Interlude", "Comin Home", "We Got A Deal", "No Now Never None", and "Ghetto Lament". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge musical treasure – a full unreleased album by Weldon Irvine, plus a bonus material as well! The music is from the stage play Young Gifted & Broke – a short-lived production by Weldon, and one that's done with some of the same hip modes he was bringing to his own music of the 70s – as well as to other artists as well, especially Nina Simone! The style's more jazz than funk, but is still mighty nice – as the instrumentation features loads of electric piano lines from Weldon, and a sparklingly soulful style that's way hipper than most of what you'd find on the stage at the time. Most tunes have lyrics, but are still heavy on Fender Rhodes lines from Weldon – and titles include "Karate Dancer", "Pity for The Man", "Black Lightning's Song", "Musical Interlude", "Comin Home", "We Got A Deal", "No Now Never None", and "Ghetto Lament". CD

A mindblowing album from Ahmad Jamal – a fantastic start to the 70s, and a set of music that shows just how far the pianist had come in just a few short years! The album's all acoustic, but has some of that spacious flow that Jamal would bring to his work on Fender Rhodes – with an approach that's even more open in terms of song structure than his earlier trio material – as if Jamal's choosing to omit more notes than he's including – but all with a quality that still keeps the music very full and rhythmic – pulsating with a special sort of energy that's neither Bill Evans, nor McCoy Tyner – but instead this really amazing sound that's all Ahmad's own. The trio features equally wonderful work from Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums – and titles include "The Awakening", "I Love Music", "Patterns", "Wave", and "Dolphin Dance". CD

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla, in a lineup that also includes work from Frank N Dank, Blu, Phat Kat, and Beej. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century – on titles that even include tributes to some key inspirations – like "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd). The whole thing is classic – and other cuts include "Rico Suave Bossa Nova", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It". CD

Allysha Joy's a singer, but she's also plenty great on Fender Rhodes – an instrument she uses to deliver all these wonderfully warm currents on the album, while blending them with the raspier charms of her soulful voice! Allysha's got a very striking approach right from the start – a voice that's clearly rooted in classic soul modes, but which isn't aping older legends at all – as her way of delivering tunes is very unique, and as mentioned, seems to resonate very strongly with her work on the keys of the Rhodes – almost using the instrument to direct the way she delivers the lyrics! Titles include "Raise Up", "Hold On", "Learning To Love", "Stay", "Nothing To Prove", "Dropping Keys", "Reset", and "Your Touch". CD

Allysha Joy's a singer, but she's also plenty great on Fender Rhodes – an instrument she uses to deliver all these wonderfully warm currents on the album, while blending them with the raspier charms of her soulful voice! Allysha's got a very striking approach right from the start – a voice that's clearly rooted in classic soul modes, but which isn't aping older legends at all – as her way of delivering tunes is very unique, and as mentioned, seems to resonate very strongly with her work on the keys of the Rhodes – almost using the instrument to direct the way she delivers the lyrics! Titles include "Raise Up", "Hold On", "Learning To Love", "Stay", "Nothing To Prove", "Dropping Keys", "Reset", and "Your Touch". LP, Vinyl record album

There was something wonderfully freaky going down in the Finnish jazz scene of the 70s – as you'll hear on these two rare performances by fusion combos of the time! First up are the Jupu Group – a sextet led by violinist Juhani Poutanen, who really opens up his instrument in ways that match the electric violin frenzy of contemporaries like Jean-Luc Ponty or Michal Urbaniak! Like both of those giants, Poutanen hardly sticks in older violin phrasing of the past – or even the French jazz years – and instead, almost "blows" his instrument with the open solo quality of a reed instrument – creating angular notes and long musical flights that get strong support from the rest of the group – which includes Sakari Kukko on soprano sax, Jukka Linkola on Fender Rhodes and organ, Janne Louhivuori on guitar, Ilkka Hanski on bass, and Upi Sorvali on drums and percussion. Titles include "Tascot", "Cybele", "Lokki", and "Ahmoo". Next up is work by the Jukka Linkola Octet – a group led by Jukka on Fender Rhodes, but which also features beautiful contributions from all the members – who come together in a vividly colorful sound! Linkola wrote all the songs, and gets in some heavy action on the keys – but the group also features a wonderful brace of horn players – each of whom shade in the sound with deft notes and a strong jazz sensibility that offsets any too-freewheelingly fusion inclinations. Players include Esko Heikkinen on trumpet, Tom Bildo on trombone, Pentti Lahti on alto and flute, and Teemu Salminen on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – on titles that include "Morning Song", "Pieni Kansanlaulu", and "Dithyrambos (parts 1 to 3)". CD

The long-awaited 3rd album in the trilogy of modern Brazilian grooves from the trio that's recorded under the names of Moreno Veloso and Domencio – and the first one to be issued under the name of Kassin! Following the format of the other variations in the series, Kassin takes the lead here – singing beautifully with a breathy sound that reminds us a lot of Brazilian funk recordings from the 70s – particularly the most spacious, most mellow funk of Joao Donato or Marcos Valle – both of whom seem to have a bit of influence on the sound here! Donato actually guests on Fender Rhodes on one track – and there's some other guest stars here who really keep things interesting – but the main star in the spotlight is Kassin, and he really blows our mind with the depth of his work on the set! The record's a real instant classic from Brazil – a sublime blend of electronic pop, subtle funk, and jazzy flourishes – all put together with a whole that's far greater than the sum of its parts. Genius throughout – with tracks that include "Ponto Final", "O Seu Lugar", "Esquecido", "Pra Lembrar", "Quando Nara Ri", "Agua", "Namorados", "Homem Ao Mar", "Astronauta", "Samba Machine", and "Antes Da Chuva". Japanese version features 3 bonus tracks – "Tranquilo (super stereo sound system)", "Sal Do Pedro Sa (mono)", and "Trouble". CD

One of the best albums ever from Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a set recorded with help from a hip array of American players who really help come up with a tight, soulful, electric groove! Kawasaki plays both electric and acoustic guitar – and as on other records, there's a strong dose of the organic that really sets his playing apart from other fusion artists of the time – a bit of exoticism, maybe, almost echoing some Japanese folk roots – but always focused more strongly into jazz-based territory. Artists on the set include Sam Morrison on flute and soprano sax, Larry Willis on Fender Rhodes, Alex Blake on bass, Badal Roy on tabla, and Steve Gorn on bamboo flute – and titles include the great track "Frostbite" – plus "Tane's Dream", "Bones", "Sombrero", "Sarabande", and "Suite In D". CD

The deepest record we've heard so far from London's Sean Khan – and that's saying a lot, as we really loved his previous albums! Sean got his start on the broken beat scene a number of years back, and has slowly been evolving into more of a jazz-based artist – which he hits fantastically here in the company of the legendary Hermeto Pascoal, who plays Fender Rhodes and melodica on the record too! But honestly, even without Hermeto, Sean's pretty fantastic on his own – as his alto sax lines have this beautifully sharp edge, as does his work on flute and soprano – these soulful currents that almost rival recent work by Nat Birchall and some of his contemporaries. Other players include Ivan Conti on drums and Jim Mullin on electric guitar – and Heidi Vogel sings on two tracks, and Sabrina Mahleiros on one more. Titles include "Moment Of Collapse", "Waltz For Hermeto", "Palmares Fantasy", "Montreux", "Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser", "The Blonde", and "The Conversation". CD

Beautiful fusion from guitarist Steve Khan – one of those great 70s players who could play things tight, yet still keep an edge! The album's got a well-produced groove – the same sort of soulful undercurrent you'd get in other Columbia fusion sets of the period – yet Khan's guitar has a bit more rasp than most, less of the sanded-down, clean-toned notes that you'd get from some of his contemporaries. Bob James produced, and you can certainly hear his ear on some of the keyboard parts – especially the sweet Fender Rhodes, handled by both James and Don Grolnick. Titles include "Some Punk Funk", "Darlin Darlin Baby", "The Big Ones", "Star Chamber", "Tightrope", and "Soft Summer Breeze". CD

2 early 70s gems from pianist Steve Kuhn – back to back on one CD! First up is his amazing self-titled set for Buddah from 1971 – an incredibly inventive album that takes his earlier modern style, and fuses it with a warmer sort mode for the 70s! The approach is quite unique – in that Kuhn's core trio style is augmented both by additional percussion from Airto, plus occasional string quartet backing – for a sound that's fresh and different on each new tune! Some tracks feature Fender Rhodes, but most are acoustic – and Steve even sings a bit at one point, showing his newly discovered talent for penning a creative lyric. Our favorites are the groovers "The Baby (aka Saharan)" and "Time To Go (aka Tomorrow's Son)" – and the album also features a great version of "Pearlie's Swine (aka The Zoo)". Other tracks include "The Drinking Song", "The Meaning Of Love", and "Silver". Added to that set is another equally brilliant set – one that features all Fender Rhodes throughout, with a combo that includes Steve Swallow on electric bass, Bruce Ditmas on drums, and Sue Evans on percussion – a lineup that's almost similar to Kuhn's Trance album for ECM, as is the sound of this set! The groove's a bit more open and flowing than Trance, though – with more of those wonderfully rolling numbers that were fast earning Kuhn a name at the time – tracks that are a bit modal, but also have their own unique sense of flow, and a sound that's never nearly as outside as Steve's work from a few years before. Titles include "Day Dreaming", "A Change Of Face", "Remembering Tomorrow (aka Ulla)", "Last Tango In Paris", "Life's Backward Glance", and "Trance". CD

A really cool little record, but one that always gets a bit lost in the racks – partly because it's kind of in a strange, weird space of its own – although that's also very much it's appeal! The album is very much what's promised in the title – kind of a soundscape with an outer space vibe – recorded by reed player Jack Lancaster and keyboardist Robin Lumley – the latter of whom plays Fender Rhodes, moog, Arp, and a heck of a lot more! The style is kind of in a post-Herbie mode – almost Pat Gleeson at times – with spare tracks, jamming tracks, and a slight bit of funk on a few numbers – very much in a unique space between instrumental prog and funky fusion – with all the best bits of both styles rolled into one record! The set is also noteworthy for featuring drums by Phil Collins, and guitars from JOhn Goodsall – on titles that include "Take Off", "Homelight", "Blowholes (The Pipes of Mars)", "Dust Storm", "Sail On Solar Winds", "Hopper", "With A Great Feeling Of Love", and "Olympus Mons". CD features bonus single versions of "With A Great Feeling Of Love" and "Hopper". CD

An unreleased 70s session from keyboardist Andy LaVerne – and a set that features a mighty hip assemblage of musicians! Stan Getz is on two of the album's tracks – soaring out in a way that's maybe more in his Captain Marvel mode, than some of his straighter work that was emerging at the time – a quality that possibly comes from the group's great work from guitarist John Abercrombie, who's got a really explosive variation of his usual chromatic style – served up here on both acoustic and electric guitars, and electric mandolin too. Bass is from Eddie Gomez and drums are from Billy Hart – save for two tracks that also include additional bass from Jon Burr and additional drums from Victor Jones – and LaVerne himself plays acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, and minimoog – on titles that include "Come To Me", "Cappaqua", "Hymn For Her", "Get Back To Me", "Metropolis", "Dreamboat", and "Empty Shells". CD

A quadruple-header from Ramsey Lewis – four albums from his great 70s electric period on Columbia Records! First up is Funky Serenity – sweet electric funk from Ramsey Lewis! The album's one of his best from the 70s – and it's got Ramsey on Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and other keyboards, grooving away in an open-ended 70s mode that still retains all the heavy soul of his classic work for Chess. Morris Jennings adds in some very nice percussion with his drum work, and Cleveland Eaton's on funky bass, giving the set a strong bottom groove. Features the sublime sample cut "My Love For You", a great version of "Knights In White Satin" that's done with a weird spacey groove, plus the tracks "Kufany Mapenzi (Making Love)", "Serene Funk", "What It Is!", and "Dreams". Golden Hits isn't a "best of", but instead has Ramsey and his funky mid 70s trio with Morris Jennings and Cleveland Eaton revisiting some of his best loved material from the Cadet years, but with the groovy Rhodes and wah wah sound that we dig so much about his CBS recordings. Unlike some of the other records from this period, the group's nice and stripped down, just the electric piano, bass and drums, so the groove's nice and wide open, Ramsey and company popping along with the sanctified soulful vibe of his 60s work, but updating their sound with some nice electric touches. 9 numbers in all: "Hang On Sloopy", "Blues For The Night Owl", "Hi-Heel Sneakers", "Carmen", "Delilah", "Wade In The Water", "Slippin' Into Darkness", "Somethin' You Got", and "The In Crowd". Solar Wind was cut smack dab in the middle of Ramsey's glory days at Columbia Records – with great production help and work on bass from the mighty Cleveland Eaton! The style is nice and lean, with just some occasional fuller touches – and Ramsey plays plenty of Fender Rhodes, in addition to bits of Arp and moog too – in a setting that's mostly trio, with a few guest players stepping into the mix from track to track! There's a nice degree of fuzz at points, thanks to added help from Steve Cropper – and titles include a great funky version of "Summer Breeze", plus "Solar Wind", "Come Down In Time", "Love for A Day", "Hummingbird", "Jamaican Marketplace", and "Sweet & Tender You". Sun Goddess is one of our favorite Ramsey Lewis albums ever – and a perfect summation of the genius that was brewing on the Chicago scene in the late 60s and early 70s! The album has Ramsey working strongly with Earth Wind & Fire – no surprise, given his close ties to Maurice White, who was the drummer in Ramsey's trio before starting his own group – and the shared relationship both artists had with producer Charles Stepney! The three were all key parts of the late 60s sound at Chess Records – but here, they've brought the same soulful energy to Columbia – working in a wider, more mature groove for the 70s – one that has Lewis' wicked Fender Rhodes lines stretching out strongly over tight, compressed, funky lines from EWF! The centerpiece of the set is the massive 7 minute "Sun Goddess", but there's lots of other nice ones like "Living For The City", "Gemini Rising", and "Jungle Strut". Funky, electric, and sublimely wonderful all the way through! CD

A great little album of mid 70s funk from Ramsey Lewis – very much in the mode of his Earth, Wind, & Fire related work – no surprise, since the album's dedicated to Charles Stepney, whose influence was such a key part of the sound of the group, and of some of Ramsey's other Kalimba-produced albums from a few years before! Ramsey plays Fender Rhodes, mini moog, and Arp – and he gets help on keyboards from Stevie Wonder and Derf Reklaw, who also plays saxes and percussion on the set. Features versions of Wonder's "Love Notes" and "Spring High", plus Reklaw's "Chili Today Hot Tamale", "Shining", and "Stash Dash". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky fusion with plenty of Latin touches – a really compelling set from the Nicaraguan scene of the 70s! The album's got the same criss-crossing of influences you'd hear in some of the best Bay Area projects of this type – no surprise since Jose Chepito Areas is a key member of the group on percussion – and there's a wonderful blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation, rootsy rhythms and free-thinking fusion – all of which make this sweet little set feel like some lost Impulse Records gem from the early 70s – particularly the label's releases that get a bit more global in their outlook! Alfonso Lovo plays loads of sweet Fender Rhodes, and also sings a bit – and titles include "Nueva Segiova", "Firebird Feathers", "Rio San Juan Drums", "Los Conquistadores", and "Tropical Jazz". CD

Jan Lundgren plays both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes here – taking on a host of very groovy tunes from the European scene of the 60s onwards – including some great soundtrack numbers, and a few surprising jazz takes on pop cuts as well! The album's got a subtle, soulful vibe throughout – with rhythm from Mattias Svensson on bass and Zoltan Csorsz on drums and percussion – and the set list is very well-chosen, with great jazz versions of "Computer Liebe", "Un Homme Et Une Femme", "Les Moulins De Mon Coeur", "Pavane Thoughts Of A Septugenarian", "Rosemary's Baby", and "Il Postino". CD

A really beautiful quartet album, and one that's a bit of a distillation of the energy that Rob Mazurek's had with his Exploding Star Orchestra in recent years! The players here are all ones who work with Rob in that group – Tomeka Reid on cello, Chad Taylor on drums, and Angelica Sanchez on piano – working here on the acoustic version of her instrument instead of the Fender Rhodes she's brought to the Orchestra – an approach that makes for a nicely different vibe overall! There's a very intimate, honest approach to the sounds here – more personal interplay between the musicians as improvisers, with earthly qualities that are different than the cosmic explorations of the larger group – yet no less spiritual – and both Reid and Taylor are a delight to hear in the setting as well. Rob blows trumpet, piccolo trumpet, and also adds in a bit of electronics – on titles that include "Three Colors On A Four-Sided Box Ellsworth Kelly", "Four Page Color System For Frank Bowling", "Four Page Color System For Louise Nevelson", "Three Colors On A Four-Sided Box For Nuno Ramos", and "Four Page Color System For Richard Tuttle". CD

One of the last sessions Oliver Nelson ever recorded – a genius batch of work recorded for the Japanese East Wind label, and maybe one of his greatest albums ever! The set's a wonderful link between the sophisticated large group sounds that Nelson did for Impulse Records in the 60s, and some of the more expansive styles he was trying out on the Flying Dutchman imprint in the 70s – a batch of work that both has that sense of majesty that Nelson could command at his best, but which still retains an earthy vibe overall. The group is great – with soulful work from Bobby Bryant on trumpet, Jerome Richardson on soprano sax and flute, Buddy Collette on tenor and flute, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – and the rhythm section has some great Fender Rhodes from Mike Wofford, given more push from the electric bass of Chuck Dominico, and some open-ended drum work from Shelly Manne. Titles include a wonderful remake of Nelson's "Stolen Moments", the groover "Mission Accomplished", and the tracks "St Thomas", "Three Seconds", and "Yearnin". LP, Vinyl record album

Masterful instrumentals from New Mastersounds – still nailing it after all these years – from furiously funky uptempo gems, to more measured moddish numbers, to some spacier jazz funk! The group has been at this for long enough that each player's parts are perfectly intuitive with the others, but most importantly, without prettying up the gritty, raw soul & funk at the core. Eddie Roberts guitar work has never sounded better, the others are just as fantastic – with organ & piano from Joe Tatton, bass by ete Shand a nd drums by Simon Allen. Guests bring some funky flute, Fender Rhodes and more. Titles include "San Frantico", "Soul Shine", "Chocolate Chip" featuring flute by Chip Wickhjam, , "Narcolepsy", "Flimsy", "Dusty Groove" (our favorite!!!) with Rhodes by JD73, "Cielo", "Make Me Proud", "Ooom" featuring sax by Skerik and more. 12 tracks in all. CD

A beautifully crafted quartet session from trumpeter Win Pongsakorn – an up-and-coming younger musician who we're sure to be hearing more from in years to come! Win's got an impeccable sound on his horns – which here also include flugelhorn, blown with the kind of cool, compressed energy that we might associate with Art Farmer at his best – but also with a bit more bite, which may well come from the strong group backing from David Hazeltine on piano and Fender Rhodes, Paolo Benedetti on bass, and Jason Brown on drums. We don't hear Hazeltine often on Fender Rhodes, and his work on the instrument is great here – on a set of tunes that includes a fair bit of originals by Pongsakorn, plus a few set to his arrangements too. Titles include "Caipirinha", "Time Has Changed", "Hummingbirds At Balata Garden", "Pensri", "Man In The Mirror", and "Imagination". CD

Definitely some mystical adventures here from Jean-Luc Ponty – one of the few artists on the violin who can make it come up with sounds like this – weird cool and spacey elements that sound great next to the album's use of organ, keyboard, and Fender Rhodes! The album features two long tracks – "Mystical Adventures" and "Final Truth" – both building nicely on straightforward themes which are then extrapolated by the fusiony solos – never too jamming or intense, but moving with a nice sense of progression, too. The album also features two shorter, catchier numbers – a compelling cover of Stevie Wonder's "As", plus "Rhythms Of Hope". CD

One of the most obscure albums ever recorded by Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava – and one of the greatest as well! The set is a rare meeting between Rava and some key players on the Argentine scene of the mid 70s – a great quartet that features Fernando Gelbard on Fender Rhodes, Adalberto Cevasco on bass, Nestor Astarita on drums, and Chango Faras Gomez on percussion – all working with Rava in a groove that's maybe warmer and more soulful than both his spacious and more experimental sides recorded in America and overseas! We always love Gelbard on Rhodes – and his work here really adds a lot to the record – never dominating, but always shaping the sound and forming the rhythm patterns – while Rava soars out with some open, well-placed solos. Titles include "Chico", "Ate Um Dia", "Barco Hasta El Cielo", and "Enrico Seis Octavo". CD

The tenor of Sonny Rollins, heard in a very unusual setting – a freewheeling live date from Finland, with wonderful Fender Rhodes work from Heikki Sarmanto! The tracks are all very long, and the use of Fender Rhodes next to Sonny's sharp tenor makes for a wonderful contrast – as Heikki rings out with some really great solos of his own! There's a spirit here that's a bit like the Sonny Rollins In Japan album, recorded around the same time – although the long Rhodes solos are an especially nice touch – set up with rhythms from Pekka Sarmanto on bass and Esko Rosnell on drums. The set includes a 24 minute take on "Night & Day" – plus 17 minute versions of "St Thomas" and "My One & Only Love – both great! CD

The tenor of Sonny Rollins, heard in a very unusual setting – a freewheeling live date from Finland, with wonderful Fender Rhodes work from Heikki Sarmanto! The tracks are all very long, and the use of Fender Rhodes next to Sonny's sharp tenor makes for a wonderful contrast – as Heikki rings out with some really great solos of his own! There's a spirit here that's a bit like the Sonny Rollins In Japan album, recorded around the same time – although the long Rhodes solos are an especially nice touch – set up with rhythms from Pekka Sarmanto on bass and Esko Rosnell on drums. The set includes a 24 minute take on "Night & Day" – plus 17 minute versions of "St Thomas" and "My One & Only Love – both great! LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing serious here – as the sound is soulful, jazzy, and in the hippest fusion spirit of the time – very long, open tracks by a small combo led by Heikki Sarmanto on Fender Rhodes, on tracks that are in the more exploratory side of the Miles Davis/Herbie Hancock spectrum! The work here represents the Finnish fusion underground at its early peak – really finding its own voice, and a strong sense of space that sets it apart from some of the more rockish fusion from more southern spots on the continent – and Sarmanto's keyboard work is wonderful throughout – as much concerned with the rhythms and leadership of the group, as with its own presence. Core quartet players include Lance Gunderson on guitar, Pekka Sarmanto on bass, and Craig Herndon on drums – and titles on this first volume include "Seagull", "Magic Suite", "Hop Scotch", "Free Lance", "Azure Skies", and "Mysterious Ruins". CD