Kendrick Lamarr waited quite a long time to give the world a follow-up to his classic DAMN – and for good reason too, as the rapper's been on a long personal journey that's documented strongly on the record! The Kendrick heard here is much more introspective than before – and that's saying a lot, given his previous approach – and tunes here deal with issues of personal struggle, healing, and redemption – but all with the kind of sharp edges and sense of fragility that keeps the record from ever feeling to smug or full of itself. Opinions started flying about the record right from the start, and there's plenty here to build your own understanding too – on titles that include "Father Time", "Die Hard", "United In Grief", "We Cry Together", "Count Me Out", "Purple Hearts", "Rich Spirit", "Crown", "Savior", and "Silent Hill". LP, Vinyl record album

Kendrick Lamarr waited quite a long time to give the world a follow-up to his classic DAMN – and for good reason too, as the rapper's been on a long personal journey that's documented strongly on the record! The Kendrick heard here is much more introspective than before – and that's saying a lot, given his previous approach – and tunes here deal with issues of personal struggle, healing, and redemption – but all with the kind of sharp edges and sense of fragility that keeps the record from ever feeling to smug or full of itself. Opinions started flying about the record right from the start, and there's plenty here to build your own understanding too – on titles that include "Father Time", "Die Hard", "United In Grief", "We Cry Together", "Count Me Out", "Purple Hearts", "Rich Spirit", "Crown", "Savior", and "Silent Hill". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A smoking twin-tenor session for MPS – one that reunites the mighty talents of Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The album was done as an offshoot of both players' work for the Clarke Boland Big Band at the time – and the set was not only produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi, but also features a core rhythm trio from that ensemble – Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have a sound that really shows the evolution of both players since their famous recordings of the early 60s – tones that are even more modern and edgey at points, served up with a fire that hasn't died at all – and set loose on rhythms that move past the usual grooves you might have expected from their American sessions together. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Jim Dawg", "Gigi", "When We Were One", and "Again N Again". CD

A smoking twin-tenor session for MPS – one that reunites the mighty talents of Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The album was done as an offshoot of both players' work for the Clarke Boland Big Band at the time – and the set was not only produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi, but also features a core rhythm trio from that ensemble – Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have a sound that really shows the evolution of both players since their famous recordings of the early 60s – tones that are even more modern and edgey at points, served up with a fire that hasn't died at all – and set loose on rhythms that move past the usual grooves you might have expected from their American sessions together. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Jim Dawg", "Gigi", "When We Were One", and "Again N Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice collection of Gene Ammons' work that doesn't always get as well remembered as his sides for Prestige or Chess – late 40s bop recordings for Savoy, done in a wonderfully full-voiced tone! The set features Gene's classic "Red Top", plus the great two part "Big Slam", and the titles "Chips", "Goodtime Blues", "Fuzzy", "Jim Dawgs", and "Street Of Dreams". The album doesn't list personnel at all for the tracks, or dates – but the music speaks volumes on its own! CD

A nice collection of Gene Ammons' work that doesn't always get as well remembered as his sides for Prestige or Chess – a 1947 bop session for Savoy with Howard McGhee on trumpet, Leo Parker on baritone, Junior Mance on piano, Gene Wright on bass, and Chuck Williams on drums; and early 50s sesssions with Johnny Coles on trumpet, Lino Murray on trombone, Mack Easton on tenor and baritone, John Houston on piano, Ben Stuberville on bass, and George Brown on drums; done in a wonderfully full-voiced tone! The set features Gene's classic "Red Top", plus the great two part "Big Slam", and the titles "Chips", "Goodtime Blues", "Fuzzy", "Jim Dawgs", and "Street Of Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing too sweet or lovely here – given that Eddie Lockjaw Davis plays with a tremendous growl on some of the best tracks on the set! Davis is a hell of a tenorist who found his biggest recording fame in the US during the 50s and 60s – but also cut some wonderful work overseas in the following decade – timeless tracks like these that show that the Lockjaw fire was alive and well, and maybe getting even a bit more room for expression in the freedom of the European scene! The album's simple, but wonderfully powerful – longish, open tracks with lots of room for Eddie to solo in a soulful way – with additional trumpet from Harry Sweets Edison, who's also at the top of his game – and great rhythms from Gerald Wiggins on piano, Major Holley on bass, and Oliver Jackson on drums. Titles include "Jim Dawg", "Meditation", "Land Of Dreams", and "The Good Life". LP, Vinyl record album