A real oddity from George Harrison – a record of abstract electronics, cut right around the same time as his bigger mainstream solo hits! The record is a highly experimental one – a session that has Harrison working with Bernie Krause, and exploring territory that's much more in the late 60s Limelight Records mode than it is that of Apple – which is quite possibly why the label is listed as "Zapple", not "Apple"! Each tune takes up a full side of the album – and builds slowly out of soundshapes and textures, very much in the manner of some of the best work from the academic electronic music centers in the US at the time. And while the album may be a bit loose and unfocused overall, it's actually got a really appealing quality that we love a lot – a sense of free and naive exploration that's pretty great. Titles include "Under The Mersey Wall" and "No Time Or Space". LP, Vinyl record album

Performed by Renee Fleming, Sylvia McNair, Jennifer Larmore, Frederica Non Stade, Nicolle Foland, Zheng Cao, Kristin Clayton, Carol Vaness, and Brian Asawa with Jake Heggie on piano and Emil Miland on cello. CD

A really great, but very unusual John Lee Hooker album – one that was recorded in London with backing from later blues rock heroes The Groundhogs – a group who do a really great job here of hanging back, and letting Hook really take the lead! All those raw, gritty charms of Hooker's music are firmly in place – tunes that build with spare but intense guitar, and which have that sort of open, spacious quality of production that makes the core essence of the man himself ring out with all its glory! Later versions of the record added in a few more elements, but this set is the core original recording – with titles that include "Mai Lee", "It's A Crazy Mixed Up World", "Seven Days & Seven Nights", "Bad Luck & Trouble", "Waterfront", and "It's Raining Here". LP, Vinyl record album

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The title track on this one's a slammer, and the whole album has Leela James really working at the top of her game – maybe using a touch of her maturity to really sharpen her songwriting edge, and serve up the kind of material that really lets us focus on her strengths! There's a confidence here that's great – as James makes no bones about her ability to inhabit a tune, and come across acting like she owns it – a quality that's emphasized by the also-maturing talents of Rex Rideout as co-producer of the set. Yo Yo makes a guest appearance on "I Was Your Woman" – and other cuts include "Thought U Knew", "Good On Me", "Right Back In It", "Satisfied", "Be Your Baby", "Whatcha Done Now", and "When It's Over". CD

A solid overview of RCA material from Evelyn Champagne King – from the disco era hits, catchy club soul, and synth soaked 80s grooves! Evelyn's sound is usually upbeat and catchy, but she's does her thing and more measured and and smoothed out soul numbers, and bass & synth grooves in the early 80s. Very nice stuff all around! Titles include "Shame", "I Don't Know If It's Right", "Music Box", "I'm In Love", "Don't Hide Our Love", "Betcha She Don't Love You", "Action", "Get Loose", "Teenager", "High Horse", "Your Personal Touch" and more. 16 tracks in all. CD

The second act of The Kinks' entry into the rock opera mode of the early 70s – and in some ways, a much more confident effort than the first! The second act of Preservation is much bleaker than the first in a number of ways – quite possibly the strongest because it seems that Ray Davies has really begun to inhabit the roles of the tunes – stretching out here in high drama on a double-length set that certainly matches Tommy for its sense of scope and ambition – even if it was less likely to generate a catchy single! Titles include "Oh Where Oh Where Is Love", "Flash's Confession", "Introduction To Solution", "Shepherds Of The Nation", "Scum Of The Earth", "Mirror Of Love", and "Salvation Road". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the oddest of the 70s concept albums by The Kinks – a set of tracks that takes Ray Davies and the band back to the school days of their youth – where they revisit frustrations, anger, and the disgrace in the title! The best moments here are the ones that unlock a bit of the straighter rocking that shows up more in late 70s Kinks work – like the excellent single "I'm In Disgrace", the anthemic "No More Looking Back", or the leadoff "Schooldays" – and a few of the weaker moments get a bit too silly, and almost showy at times – like Ray's writing for a forthcoming Broadway career. Titles include "The Hard Way", "Headmaster", "Education", "Jack The Idiot Dunce", and "Finale". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the highest-concept of all 70s Kinks album – a dark exploration of fame and the price of success, done as a mini-rock opera starring Norman & The Starmaker! As with some of these sets, the best tunes here are those that are the most subtle and less dramatic – and which revisit the more everyday themes of the group's Village Green years. Other tracks are a bit more showy and gimmicky, in a way that almost makes you feel silly for caring about the subject matter – even though Ray Davies's vision of the issues at hand is still as biting as ever. A few standout tracks move into straighter rocking territory, but without the kitsch of some of the other "oldies" styled numbers – and titles include "Holiday Romance", "Everybody's A Star", "Rush Hour Blues", "Nine To Five", "When Work Is Over", "Ducks On The Wall", "You Can't Stop The Music", and "Face In The Crowd". LP, Vinyl record album

Terrace Martin is an artist who just keeps on getting deeper and deeper over the years – an already-great jazz musician, but one who's widened his scope to touch on broader currents of soul and hip hop – all of which really open up with the jazz-based energy at the core! At some level, this record might be to Martin's career what the Black Radio project was to Robert Glasper – as Terrace opens the door to all-star guests who include Kim Burrell, Leon Bridges, Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, and even Glasper himself – while also finding space to serve up a few key tracks on his own, without any guests – tracks that may well be some of our favorite on the album. Titles include "Turning Poison Into Medicine", "Drones", "Leave Us Be", "Don't Let Go", "Listen", "Sick Of Cryin", "Leimert Park", "Tapped", and "Griots Of The Crenshaw District". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great little session of chamber-type jazz – and the only record we've ever seen by drummer Freddy Merkle. The set is very much in the manner of some of the other tightly-arranged RCA sessions from the mid 50s – with a style that's kind of "New York modern", in a similar mode to the work of Hal McKusick. Pianist Bill Potts wrote and arranged the sessions, and most tracks are relatively short, but still have strong breakaway solos. Half the material's played by a 10-tet, and the rest are played by Merkle's core quintet, with Potts on piano and Earl Swope on trombone. Titles include "Proto Cool", "Shhhh!", "DC Current", "Lunch Box", "Pernod 806", and "Pottsville, USA". CD

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Omar's second album for BMG – and an instant classic set of soul tracks that sadly almost disappeared as soon as it was released! The album shows Omar growing even stronger than ever both as a singer and songwriter – moving from the indie feel of earlier work into a confident role as one of the few strong male soul talents of the end of the 20th century. Omar's voice is heavenly, as always – almost an electric-sounding pitch that works perfectly with the keyboards and instrumentation on the set – and his songs have a mature quality that is at once personal and professional. The album's filled with some great songs and wonderful surprises – like Omar's cover of The Stranglers' "Golden Brown", and tracks that include "Say Nothin" (2 versions), "This Is Not A Love Song", "Fallin", "Music For The Pipe", "Waiting Game", and "Spring Step". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by this popular Brazilian samba group – recorded in the 70s with some strong arrangements that give the record a modern and soulful finish. Titles include "Do Lado Direito Da Rua Direita", "Catimba Criolo", "As Tres Capitais", "Cravos E Rosas", "La Vem Salgueiro", and "Tereza". CD

Features Joe Lovano and David Sanchez on saxophone, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and others. CD

Features David Sanchez on saxophones, Larry Grenadier on bass and Ignacio Berroa on drums. CD

One Tito Puente's finest albums for RCA, with a tight hard bunch of cuts that have a Cuban big band sound, and a lot more drive to them than some of Tito's other work for the label. Ray Bryant wrote the great track "Cuban Fantasy", and Tito contributed most of the other tunes on the set – a really unique batch of material that includes "Yambeque", "Elegua Chango", "Que Sera", and "Cha Cha Cha De Los Pollos". The percussion is nice and hard, and the band grooves in tight ensemble playing throughout! CD

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All girl singers should be this lucky! Gale Robbins is a pretty nice vocalist, although nothing fancy – but on this set, she's lucky enough to have some great backings from Eddie Cano – whose orchestra picks up the pace with plenty of musical flourishes, and the occasional light Latin touches! The tunes are sung by Gale in a style that's a bit torchy and a bit boozy – as much from the chest as from the heart, if you know what we mean – and Cano's backings really make the set a late 50s standout from RCA. Titles include "Best Of All", "Golden Earrings", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "Here I Go". CD

24 songs over two CDs. CD

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Hilton Ruiz on piano, Jimmy Rowser on bass, Reuben Rodriguez on electric bass, Steve Berrios on drums, timbales, guiro and claves, Daniel Ponce on congas and bongos and Don Cherry on trumpet. CD

Pretty darn amazing – and one of the campier vocal jazz albums on RCA from the late 50s! Lizabeth sings in a "guy crazy" mode that these days would really only be the province of drag acts – and it's compelling to hear a record like this, in which songs like "Men", "He is A Man", "Legalize My Name", and "It's So Nice To Have A Man Around The House" are taken at a relatively serious tone. Henri Rene handled the arrangements, and the record has a great version of "Can't Get Out Of This Mood" that begins with a cool monologue. Lizabeth is a real looker, too – and the photo on the front is practically worth the price of the record! CD

17 songs. CD

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There's nothing standard here – because with a lineup that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – the set is definitely a cut above! The title's a reference to the songs – which are all older jazz standards – but the trio really set fire to the music, despite its familiarity – coming together with a round, warm, well-recorded tone that brings new life out the music – and which gets careful creative handling by all three players. The mix of Workman and Chambers is especially nice – a bit more fresh than some of Flanagan's other rhythm partners – and titles include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Autumn Leaves", "It's All Right With Me", "Angel Eyes", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

Tracks include "Only Your Love", "It's Cool", "The Sha-La Bandit", "Ms. Grace", "Your Little Trustmaker", "Hypnotized", and "So Much In Love". CD

The smoking second set from The Undertones – a record that maybe has the group moving slightly away from the rougher punk territory of their debut, but still at a level that's full of raw guitar-driven power throughout! Feargal Sharkey's become a hell of a singer by this point – and really knows how to work that raspy charm to great effect – as clearly one of the most distinct punk vocalists of his generation! The guitar interplay by the O'Neills is great too – and titles include "See That Girl", "More Songs About Chocolate & Girls", "Hard Luck", "The Way Girls Talk", "My Perfect Cousin", "What's With Terry", "Girls That Don't Talk", "Nine Times Out Of Ten", "Wednesday Week", and "Tearproof". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from Muddy Waters – a set of tracks all recorded overseas, at the famous Montreux Jazz Festival – but during that strong 70s moment when Muddy had really focused his sound, and was reaching out to cross global boundaries and touch a whole new generation with his sound! The Montreux vibe is always one that's very faithful to the artist – audiences at that festival aren't the sort to be given watered-down, commercial pap – and that's definitely the vibe here, as the material resonates with any of Waters' best 70s live material for other labels, with a really great sound, even from the stage. The set features performances from Muddy Waters appearances in 1972, 1974, and 1977 – and titles include "Same Thing", "Howlin Wolf", "Still A Fool", "Trouble No More", "Rock Me Baby", "Long Distance Call", "Mannish Boy", "Nobody Knows Chicago Like I Do", "County Jail", "I'm Ready", "Electric Man", and "Can't Get No Grindin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the key records that really helped cement the strong reputation of Tatsuro Yamashita in the 70s – served up with the kind of standout material that easily made him one of the most soulful Japanese singers of his time! Yamashita arranged and produced the whole set, which has these warm jazzy backings that include some early keyboard work from Ryuichi Sakamoto – and Tatsuro has an ear for well-produced grooves that almost rival some of the best Cali soul of the period, save for the fact that his lyrics here are all in Japanese! Titles include "Bomber", "Monday Blue", "Love Celebration", "Follow Me Along", "2000 Feet Of Rain", "This Could Be The Night", and "Paper Doll". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of work from this soulful Japanese singer - all of his best for RCA and Ariola, collected here in one sweet set! There were few cats on the Japanese scene of the time who could match the approach of US soul singers as well as Yamashita – and you'll definitely hear proof of that on Tatsuro's work on cuts that include "Windy Lady", "Bomber", "Loveland Island", "Ride On Time (single version)", "Door Into Summer", "Let's Dance Baby", "Your Eyes", "Solid Slider", and "Funky Flushin". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great collection of work from De-Lite Records – one that goes way way past the bigger hits on the label from Kool & The Gang and the Kay-Gees! Instead, this one really digs deep – and comes up with rare 45s for a host of artists that we didn't even know recorded for De-Lite – obscure but great material that shows just how tied to the east coast scene the label was before it starting hitting the charts and the clubs! There's lots here you'll be hard-pressed to track down otherwise – and titles include "The Story Of Our Love" and "It Really Hurts Me Girl" by The Carstairs, "Super Soul Music" and "I Got To Get Close To You" by Yvonne Daniels, "Darling Baby" and "I Wish It Would Rain" by Beverly Hammonds, "I Need You" and "I'll Always Love You" by Felton Burks, "I Smell Trouble" by Johnny De'Vigne, "Love Making" and "When A Woman Loves A Man" by Jean Battle, and "I Saw You There" and "Keep Away" by The Appointments. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Paul Evans, Leroy Pullins, The Nutty Squirrels, Vicky Randle & Stewart Copeland, Billy Williams, Henhouse Five Plus Two, Stewart Copeland, Dave Hardin, Vicky Randle & Stewart Copeland, Stan Ridgeway & Stewart Copeland, Stewart Copeland & Judd Miller, Damecus Metoyer & Stewart Copeland, The Grid, and The Rock-A-Teens. CD

Great grooves galore – a sweet selection of tracks from the late 60s onwards, none of which were made available to the public at the time! The French Tele Music company was one of those secret sound library labels – recording top shelf tracks during the 70s, but then only passing them along to TV, radio, and film producers – for possible use in later projects! This meant that there was a rich array of wonderful sounds that never made it to records that the public could buy in stores – and the result is a collection like this, which is overflowing with killer grooves that you're not likely to have in your record collection at all. Styles range from funky jazz to clubby grooves, with plenty of soundtrack-styled funk numbers in the mix – and titles include "Gang Train" by Bernard Estardy, "West Coast Drive" by Pierre Alain Dahan & Mat Camison, "Mitsuko" by Jean Jacques Debout, "Percussionissimo" by Hervey Roy, "Suspense Time" by Michel Gonet, "Meteor One" by Sauveur Mallia, "Pop Percussions" by Janko Nilovic, "Rocket 2" by Bernard Lubat, and "Les Copans De La Basse" by Guy Pedersen. 26 tracks in all – selected by Lord Funk & DJ LC! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes material by The Memphis Jug Band, Jim Jackson, Cannon's Jug Stompers, and Frank Stokes. CD

The session was recorded in Rome in 1962, at a time when Chet's star had fallen quite a bit on the American scene, and it features him working with some of the hippest European players at the time – like Rene Thomas on guitar, Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, Amadeo Tomassi on piano, and Daniel Humair on drums. Titles include "Blues In The Closet", "Barbados", "Star Eyes", "Pent Up House", and "Ballata In Forma Di Blues". CD

One of the deepest albums that Count Basie ever recorded – thanks to some great arrangements and backings by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's working in the same groovy mode he used with Jimmy Smith's excellent Verve sessions – and although the record doesn't have the same sort of star soloist in the lead, the Basie band members do a great job of trading off solos over the enigmatic backings crafted by Nelson. A number of the tracks have a Latin flair – and work on electric bass grooves that push the set farther than the usual Basie outing of the time – with a flavor that's right up there with the hippest Nelson sessions for Flying Dutchman, and maybe even a bit like spiritual ensemble material too. Titles include versions of Albert Ayler's "Love Flower" and Pharoah Sanders' "Japan", plus originals by Nelson like "Afrique", "Kilimanjaro", and "African Sunrise". CD

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An amazing record – one that stands as one of Chico Buarque's greatest from the 70s! The set was recorded in Italy in 1970 – and features Chico singing lead vocals over backings handled by Ennio Morricone – all in a style that's a perfect blend of MPB with the best elements of the Italian scene of the time! The songs are all originals written by Chico – and have a light and dreamy samba/bossa feel, one that's inflected by the off-beat orchestral style of Morricone, and supported by vocals from I Cantori Moderni. The feel is halfway between Chico's work on RGE and some of the dreamier Morricone soundtracks of the time – and it's a wonderful thing to have a strong male lead vocal over backings from Morricone – a really rare thing for the time, with results that are tremendous. Titles include "Rotativa", "Samba E Amore", "Nicanor", "Tu Sei Una Di Noi", "In Te", "Ed Ora Dico Sul Serio", and "Quete E Quelle". CD

With Michael Cain on piano, Lonnie Plaxico on bass, and Jeff Tain Watts on drums – plus guest alto from Steve Coleman. CD

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Great work from the Kenny Drew trio of the 80s – a lineup that always manages to bring out some deep sounds in their music – in this case, just the right undercurrent of sadness and loss to fit the title well! Drew's piano is beautiful at this point in his career – as fluid as before, but even more filled with feeling and depth – matched perfectly by the sensitive bass work of Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen, and the drums of Ed Thigpen – who, like Drew, is still constantly evolving in his second home overseas. The tunes are all well-chosen to fit the theme of the title – and tracks include "The Last Romantic", "Django", "Willow Weep For Me", "Elegy", "Tune Down", and "Finale". CD

A great batch of small group recordings that feature Goodman in the company of Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa. Tracks include "Tiger Rag", "Body & Soul", "All My Life", "Too Good To Be True", "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen", "Man I Love" and "Blues In Your Flat". CD

A heck of a charmer from Haircut 100 – one of a handful of great UK albums from the early 80s that mixed post-punk energy with warmer touches from jazz and Latin – all in a blend that's completely wonderful overall! Haircut 100 were never trying to change the world – and they certainly never passed themselves off as a real jazz combo – but they've got a great way of adding in just the right touches on sax, congas, and even a bit of vibes – all to create a captivating setting alongside Britpop guitar lines and the great vocals of Nik Heyward. Nik's way more appealing here than on his later work – unabashedly groovy, on tunes that include the classic "Love Plus One", alongside "Snow Girl", "Lemon Firebrigade", "Favourite Shirts", "Milk Film", "Surprise Me Again", and "Fantastic Day". CD features 5 bonus cuts from singles – including "Boat Party", "Ski Club", and "October Is Orange Today". CD

A real turning point in the career of Japan – and a set that really shows David Sylvian coming into his own, both as a singer and a songwriter! The sound here is a complete change from the group at the start – these really wonderful tunes that mark Japan as one of the smarter, more sophisticated groups of the new romantic generation – and one that maybe is even better, as they never had the same sort of chart success, and only let the skills of David Sylvian deepen as they went on – instead of trying to sound more commercial, and grabbing for hits! John Punter produced, and does a good job of focusing on the more subtle elements in the mix – on titles that include "Quiet Life", "Fall In Love With Me", "Halloween", "Alien", "The Other Side Of Life", "Despair", and a nice remake of "All Tomorrow's Parties". CD

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One of the greatest albums ever recorded by Guy Lafitte – a wickedly soulful set that's overflowing with Latin and modern touches! Lafitte's in the lead on tenor, backed by a group that features the groundbreaking George Arvanitas trio at its core, plus trombone from Sonny Grey and guitar from the great Jimmy Gourley. Arvanitas' group features some incredibly strong rhythm work from the team of Jacky Samson on bass and Charles Saudrais on drums – a pair that were one of the greatest bass/drum units working during the 60s on either side of the Atlantic – and equally well-suited to gently soulful moments as they were to full-on rhythmic romps! The album bristles with excitement from the word go – and features some surprising soul jazz groovers that have Arvanitas playing a bit of organ – as well as some great late nite numbers that really have Lafitte opening up on his horn. Titles include "Jambo", "Cote A Cote", "Jamaica", "African Night", and "Jamboree". CD

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Includes 50 tracks on 3 CDs. CD

Tracks include "Mood Indigo", "I Got It Bad", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Solitude", and "Black and Tan Fantasy". CD

Very nice stripped-down set by Tony Scott – one of the most overlooked reed players of the 50s, and an artist who ventured into much more hippy-dippy oriented material during the 60s. The set supposedly features "both sides" of Scott's work – but it's really only a simple batch of clarinet tracks, performed in the company of 2 different quartets: one with Mundell Lowe, Teddy Kotick, and Shadow Wilson; the other with Dick Garcia, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson. The guitar/clarinet sound works very nicely throughout – and titles include "East Coast, West Side", "Counterpoint Pleasant", "Star Dust", and "Cry Me A River". CD

One of the wildest albums ever recorded by sitar genius Ravi Shankar – a set done for the Dark Horse label of George Harrison – who also plays guitar and autoharp on the record too! Yet Harrison is just one of many friends hinted at in the title – as Shankar brings in a host of other Indian musicians and singers – including vocalist Lakshmi Shankar, tabla player Alla Rakha, and violinist L Subramanian – next to work from more familiar LA musicians who include Billy Preston on organ, Emil Richards on percussion, Paul Beaver on moog, and Tom Scott on saxes and flute! The result is a majestic LA flowering of ideas that Shankar first showed the world many years before – all filtered through the imagination of George Harrison, who supported Ravi often over the years, and brought his creative genius to a much larger audience. Titles include the long "Dream Nightmare & Dawn" suite – plus "I Am Missing You"," Jaya Jagadish Hare", and "Kahan Gayelava Shyam Salone". CD

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

Contains 3 songs not found on the CD version! Cassette

There's plenty of popping here – great little grooves, recorded with the jazzy finish that makes the 70s material of Tatsuro Yamashita so great! The vibe here has all the warmth and sophisticated groove of Fantasy Records in the late 70s – maybe a bit of Wayne Henderson/At Home influence in the way that jazzy elements are used next to soulful vocals from Tatsuro – and presented in a way that's never too overdone, too polished, or commercial. Yet the set, which is a live one, also has all the careful precision of Yamashita's studio work – that quality that also marks the 70s live work of Earth Wind & Fire, who are every bit as great on stage as behind the glass. Titles include "Hey There Lonely Girl", "Space Crush", "Windy Lady", "Paper Doll", "Candy", "Marie", "Circus Town", and "Solid Slider". LP, Vinyl record album

The Japanese scene had plenty of great artists in the 70s, but few were as fantastic as Tatsuro Yamashita – a singer who effortlessly captures some of the more soulful currents of the American scene at the time, has a way of forging a really universal groove! The production, instrumentation, and arrangements are top-shelf – in the more soulful side of the AOR spectrum, but not nearly as too-polished as chart hits of the year 1980 – and certainly served up with all the right sort of warmth in the instrumentation, which continues to create all sorts of jazzy currents throughout! Tracks include "Silent Screamer", "Rainy Day", "Clouds", "Kissing Goodnight", "Door Into Summer", "Ride On Time", and "Daydream". LP, Vinyl record album

Harry Allen plays tenor with the Bill Charlap trio! CD

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Includes 75 tracks on 4 CDs, plus a nice 35 page booklet with a long essay by scholar Dan Morgenstern. CD

Louis Armstrong hits the Flying Dutchman label – and unlocks a whole new spiritual side of his talents – a mode that's quite different than some of his crossover pop of the 60s! The style here has a bit of righteous elements in the lyrics, and lots of spiritual jazz in the backings – with full arrangements from Oliver Nelson – who heads up a dream lineup that includes Billy Harper on tenor, and either Chico Hamilton or Pretty Purdie on drums! Even more amazing is a guest appearance from Leon Thomas – who sings on a version of "The Creator Has A Master Plan". Other tunes are just as hip – and include "The Black Cat Has 9 Lives", "His Father Wore Long Hair", "Give Peace A Chance", and "We Shall Overcome". Must be heard to be believed! CD

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One of Blakey's best non-Blue Note sides from the time – and a killer album that sports a late 50's lineup of the Jazz Messengers that included Jackie McLean, Johnny Griffin, and Bill Hardman. The three of them sparkle and shine with the sort of brilliance that Blakey's leadership brings to the group, and they wail their way through a 13 minute long reading of "Night In Tunisia", with excellent solos all around, and the other long cuts "Theory Of Art", "Couldn't It Be You?", "Evans", and "Off The Wall". CD reissue also sports 3 additional bonus cuts – alternate takes of "Off The Wall", "Night In Tunisia", and "Theory Of Art" – plus new artwork and notes! CD

A landmark set from a group who only ever gave the world two albums – but who've gone on to have a huge influence over the years! This initial offering from Breakwater is a masterful blend of jazzy fusion and mellower soul – a sound sifted together so perfectly, it really tops the rest of the combo's contemporaries – hitting a careful balance that never gets too cheesy or commercial, and which still manages to glow as strongly into the 21st century as it did when first released back in the day! The sound here is sublime – warm, but never sleepy – jazzy, but never cliched – and mixed in such a way that the vocals and instruments almost get center stage in the spotlight without trying to crowd one another out. Titles include the incredible "Work it Out" – worth the price of the record alone – plus "No Limit", "That's Not What We Came Here For", "Free Yourself", "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot", and "Feel Your Way". CD

No splashdown here – as Breakwater are every bit as soaringly soulful as they were on their debut set! The groove here is that perfect blend of jazz and soul that only a few groups in the 70s really got right – maybe Pleasure, or The Blackbyrds – and most certainly Breakwater, who were one of the reigning champions of the scene! Rhythms are often upbeat, but not in a disco or club-oriented way – and the instrumentation is tight, but never slick or smooth – always nicely funky with a nice little crackle, even on the mellow cuts – in a way that's opened up this album to new audiences for many years. This set's got a nice bit of moog that wasn't on the group's first – used almost in Mizell-like to further enhance the sound – and titles include the classics "Say You Love Me Girl", "Let Love In", "Time", and "The One In My Dreams". Great stuff, and with a really beautiful vibe! CD

Diahann Carroll gets some classy backings here – arrangements from Ralph Burns that really make these tunes come alive! Carroll's vocals are always great, but they seem to sparkle even more here than on other early albums – as Burns' backings feature unusual instrumentation and odd phrasing, which helps make the set way more than just another Harold Arlen songbook session. Sometimes the strings are dark and moody, and other nice bits include vibes and guitar – all helping to pull new energy out of tunes that include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "A Sleeping Bee", "My Shining Hour", and "What's Good About Goodbye". CD

Rare live work from Johnny Cash – recorded right at the height of his late 60s fame on Columbia Records, but with a style that nicely takes his sound back to its roots! June Carter joins Cash at a few points in the performance – but most of the set jus has Johnny working with the Tennessee Three, in that spare chugging groove the group first developed when Cash was starting to record at Sun Records – presented here in a nicely unfettered way, as a contrast to some of his studio work for Columbia during the same period. The set's got 28 tracks in all – a nice mix of classics and other numbers – with titles that include "Bad News", "Jackson", "Long Black Veil", "Lorena", "Old Apache Squaw", "Guess Things Happen That Way", "Going To Memphis", "Orange Blossom Special", "Forty Shades Of Green", "Don't Take Your Guns To Town", "Ring Of Fire", "Long Legged Guitar Pickin Man", "Foggy Mountain Top", and "Wildwood Flower". CD

A surprisingly nice reworking of the Gershwin score – and Ray and Cleo are a surprisingly nice match on vocals! CD

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With Steve Coleman on alto, Anthon Tidd on bass, Sean Rickman on drums, and Miguel 'Anga' Diaz on percussion – plus a long list of guest artists including Ravi Coltrane, Ralph Alessi, Vijay Iyer, Jason Moran, and Stefon Harris. CD

The long hinted at full duo effort from Danger Mouse & Black Thought – which despite the title arrives with no shortcuts taken by either party – they got to the highest level after decades of grinding and stellar play! Danger Mouse hasn't produced a straight-up, classic-schooled gritty hip hop album in quite a while and he couldn't have a finer foil than Black Thought – and guest spots include an archival verse from Danger Mouse's late partner MF Doom, appearances by Raekwon, Run The Jewels, Kid Sister and others. Titles includes "Cheat Codes", "Sometimes", "Darkest Part" with Raekwon & Kid Sister, "No Gold Teeth", "Belize" with the late great MF Doom, "Aquamarine" with Michael Kiwanuka, "Identical Death", "Strangers" with A$ap Rocky & Run The Jewels, "Violas And Lupitas" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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