Features Billy Taylor on piano, Earl May on bass, and Charlie Smith on drums. CD

A flurry of fantastic recordings from the legendary Billy Taylor – material the pianist recorded for Prestige Records in the early 50s – at a time when he was really helping to transform the sound of the piano in jazz! These sides have Taylor showing that a small combo piano date can be just as exciting as a larger set with horns – and in a way, these recordings really helped move the instrument past some of the bluesier modes of 30s small group recordings, or some of the more cocktail-styled sounds of 40s instrumentalists. The trio formation is key to this – a great balance between the excellent bass of Earl May and drums of Charlie Smith – both of whom give things a lot of rhythmic intensity. Tracks on this second volume include "That's All", "Nice Work", "Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "Cool & Caressing", "Tenderly", "Bird Watcher", and "B.T.'s D.T.'s". LP, Vinyl record album

Billy Taylor on piano, Victor Gaskin on bass, and Bobby Thomas on drums. CD

An early 60s session by Cecil Taylor for Candid, and a record that's one of our favorites by him from the early years! Despite the seemingly odd use of the term "R&B" in the title, the record's actually got a sound that's a bit more soulful than usual for Cecil, with surprising use of blue chords and deep rhythms that make for tunes with a different feel at points – yet a groove that's still as modern as you might expect from Taylor! Neidlinger was actually the leader on this session, which we think wasn't issued except for the Jazzman and Barnaby series that dug through the Candid vaults some years after this it was recorded – so they took advantage of Taylor's greater notoriety when they cooked up the packaging. Other sidemen include Archie Shepp, Billy Higgins, Dennis Charles, Clark Terry, Steve Lacy and Roswell Rudd. 4 numbers in all, "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Cell Walk For Celeste", "OP", and "Cindy's Main Mood". CD

A solo piano tribute to Billy Taylor. Tracks include "Finally Free", "Blues For BT", "Taylor's Triumph", "Spontaneos Composition & Improvisation No. 1" and "Soul Doctor". CD

An incredible tribute to the genius of Memphis Soul legend Issac Hayes – one that's overflowing with unreleased material, and presented in a totally cool package! The set's shaped like a 7" single box – and is book-like, with very detailed notes by Stax historian Robert Gordon, alongside page after page of vintage photos and other cool images, too. And inside some of the pages are 4 super-cool CDs – each of which has a different theme that further exposes Ike's genius! CD1 is titled "Soul Songwriter Soul Producer" – and features two dozen tracks that Hayes handled for Stax/Volt – material by The Astors, Danny White, David Porter, Floyd Newman, Johnnie Taylor, Charlie Rich, Judy Clay, The Charmels, Soul Children, Billy Eckstine, The Emotions, Ruby Johnson, and others. CD2 is titled "Volt & Enterprise Singles" – and features all the 7" tracks released by Isaac Hayes during his time on those labels – including two tracks done as a duet with David Porter, two more as Sir Isaac & The Do-Dads, and even a rare Radio Spot too! Things really get interesting on CD3, titled "Cover Man" – which features those cool, long extrapolations of other folks' songs that Hayes pioneered on his albums – but included here with unreleased material too. There's a great never-heard take on "Windows Of The World" – plus unreleased PUSH Black Expo material from 1970 – live takes on "Ten Commandments Of Love", "Just Want To Make Love To You/Rock Me Baby", "I Stand Accused", and "Stormy Monday". CD4 is maybe the coolest of the bunch – titled "Jam Master", with those long grooves that Ike did in the studio while putting together records. Almost all the tracks on CD4 are previously unissued – including "You've Made Me So Very Happy", "Black Militant's Place", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Do Your Thing (extended jam)", "Groove A Thon (extended jam)", and "Hung Up On My Baby (extended jam)". And if all that isn't enough, the set even comes with a cool 7" replica of Ike's first single for the Youngstown label – "Laura We're On Our First Go-Round". CD

Three rare Storyville albums from singer Teddi King – all packaged up here in a cool Japanese paper sleeve set! First up is Now In Vogue – one of a number of great small group sessions done by singer Teddi King for the Storyville label – nicely relaxed, with backing from a septet that features Billy Taylor on piano, Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Nick Travis on trumpet, and Gene Quill on alto! The Storyville approach really brings out the best in Teddi's vocals – as the easy-going nature of the record has King sounding a bit more grown-up and adult than before – singing lines in a slightly sultry style, yet still with some of the bird-like notes heard on other albums. Taylor's piano adds a nice grounding to the record – and titles include "Old Folks", "Why Do You Suppose", "I'm In The Market For You", "You Hit The Spot", "Something To Live For", and "Like A Ship Without A Sail". Miss Teddi King is great early work from vocalist Teddi King – a set that's got a lot more dark corners and moody moments than some of her later work! The group here is nice and small – a quartet that features Ruby Braff on trumpet, Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Milt Hinton on bass – all of whom accompany Teddi with a nicely sensitive sound – often augmenting her trilling vocals with some nicely blue tones of their own. The tracks are all familiar ones, but they're done in a mellow late nite feel that really gives them a new life of their own. Titles include "I Saw Stars", "New Orleans", "Love Is A Now & Then Thing", "It's The Talk of the Town", "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan", and "It's All In The Mind". Round Midnight features vocals as dark as they are lovely – a sublime early set from singer Teddi King, served up in a style that's nicely perched between two decades of jazz! There's a moody, intimate feel here that really takes us back to an earlier era – a bit in the way that Lee Wiley often does at the same period, with a sound that's almost timeless, yet never outdated. The only backings here are piano from Beryl Booker – and in a way, the record's almost a duet outing between Teddi and Beryl, with a wonderfully intimate feel overall. Tracks include "Round Midnight", "What's New", "I Concentrate On You", "Little Girl Blue", and "It Never Entered My Mind". CD

With Marty Krystall on tenor, Warren Gale on trumpet, Buell Neidlinger on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – with guests Cecil Taylor on piano and Dennis Charles on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Really classic jazz grooves from the vaults of Prestige Records – the kind of cuts that first broke big on the London scene of the 80s, at a time when diggers were setting fire to the rare groove scene too! The cuts here are proof that some of the best work doesn't need to come from completely obscure groups or super-tiny labels – as the music here is exactly the kind of work that made huge waves in the US jazz scene when first released, then went underground for many years – until later collectors and diggers brought it back to the limelight! The great thing is how many of these cuts are all acoustic – no need for electricity to make things funky – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Hiyo Silver" by Bennie Green, "Grease Monkey" by Kenny Burrell with Jack McDuff, "Mau Mau" by Art Farmer, "Mambo Inn" by Billy Taylor with Candido, "Manteca" by Red Garland, "Blue Stompin" by Hal Singer, "Spider Man" by Freddie McCoy, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Flatjacks" by Willie Rodriguez, "Blue Gator" by Willis Jackson, and "Pedro Stroller" by Johnny Lytle. CD

A great return to form for vocalist Earl Coleman – a singer who'd recorded earlier in the bop years, but who makes a rare 60s appearance here on a soulful set for Atlantic Records! Coleman's got a rich voice that's somewhere between Johnny Hartman and Billy Eckstine – with a great range that really goes deep when it wants, yet still has a fluid sensibility that's definitely jazz more than anything else. Billy Taylor's on the record on piano, and leads the combo on most numbers – but the set also features some nice arrangements from Frank Foster and Tom McIntosh, both of whom really keep things interesting. Titles include "Charade", "When Did You Leave Heaven", "I Wish I Knew", "Day In the Life Of a Fool", and "I Won't Tell A Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from one of the greatest soul labels ever – the mighty mighty Brunswick Records, home to some of the greatest work coming out of Chicago in the 60s and early 70s! The set really does a great job of moving past the hits – bringing together an assortment of hard to find tracks that mostly originally appeared on 45, and which were done by some of the more obscure artists who recorded for the label. Brunswick titles have appeared on so many compilations that you might pass this one by – but don't, because it's filled with great bits that go way past the obvious! Titles include "Suddenly" by Tony Drake, "Sweetest Thing" by Channel 3, "Bet You Never Thought" by Gene Chandler, "The Chase Is On" by The Artistics, "I'll Bet You" by Billy Butler, "Oh Linda" by Leroy Taylor, "Don't Take It Out On This World" by Adams Apples, "Have More Time" by Marvin Smith, "I'm In Danger" by The Visitors, and "Keep Your Chin Up" by Jackie Ross. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic collection of music – 66 tracks that show the huge influence of Cuban rhythms in American music during the mid-century years – presented here in a wider range of styles than you might expect! This isn't just Latin music, made by Cuban cats hitting the New York scene – and instead, these are tracks that show the very deep penetration of sounds from Havana – at a level that has the rhythms emerging in soul, hardbop, R&B, and even more standard blues material! The CD divides the music up into three different CDs, each with a different theme – one that looks at rumba in jazz music, another the influence of the mambo, and the third the range of slower Cuban rhythms well into the 60s. Titles include "Dem Tambourines" by Don Wilkerson, "Cuba Doll" by Lloyd Glenn, "Summertime" by Red Saunders, "Soony Roony" by Slim Gaillard, "De Laff's On You" by Louis Jordan, "Conga Brava" by Duke Ellington, "I Come From America" by Chris Powell, "Jock A Mo" by Sugar Boy Crawford, "Woke Up This Morning" by BB King, "Fool Burro" by Mabel Scott, "Cu-Blue" by Billy Taylor, "Arabian Love Call" by Art Neville, "Out Of Nowhere" by Cal Tjader, "I've Waited So Long" by Eddie Cochran, "She Wants To Mambo" by The Chanters, "Mambo Hop" by Oscar Saldana, and "Mambocito Mio" by Illinois Jacquet. CD

Jazzy grooves from the global underground – all brought together in a sweet set of tracks for the Free Soul series! Despite the "urban jazz" in the title, the sound here isn't the smooth jazz you might expect – and instead these tracks are mostly small label numbers that are hipper than usual, often with a blend of instrumentation and vocals that really shows the more forward-thinking side of the contemporary underground! Titles include "Already There" by Taylor McFerrin with Robert Glasper, "Hyperballad" by Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra, "Thinkin Bout You" by Becca Stevens Band, "Singularis" by Eric Harland Voyager, "The Look Out" by Richard Spaven, "Lorton" by Zhenya Strigalev, "Nothing Like This" by Erimaj featuring Chris Turner, "Willow" by Elizabeth Shepherd, "7th Avenue North" by Marc Cary, "Sketch For Miguel" by Mark De Clive-Lowe, and "Upstairs By A Chinese Lamp" by Billy Childs with Esperanza Spaulding. CD

One of the most righteous albums of jazz ever recorded – a brilliant blend of soulful and avant garde styles, backed up by a chorus of voices that have a really soulful sound! The album's the second recorded for Blue Note by the Ghetto Music ensemble of trumpeter Eddie Gale – a lesser-known talent who recorded previously with Cecil Taylor, but who made a turn away from modernism at the end of the 60s, in order to express himself at a level that he felt was more clearly grounded in the people. The result of that effort is sheer brilliance – an album that sounds like nothing else you can imagine. Part of the style shares the energy of similar vocal/jazz projects by Max Roach and Billy Harper, but Gale's conception of the music is much more dynamic, and very carefully rooted in song structures – with a sound that's as powerful today as it was when it was recorded! Titles include "Ghetto Love Night", "Song Of Will", "Ghetto Summertime", "Black Rhythm Happening", and "Look At Teyonda". LP, Vinyl record album

Five later albums from trumpeter Kenny Wheeler – each presented in a tiny record-style sleeve, and packaged together in a sweet box set! First up is Flutter By Butterfly – warmly expressive work from trumpeter Kenny Wheeler – a set that's got the same depth of tone as his work for other labels, but which has a bit of a different feel as well. The record has maybe a bit more bite – not necessarily on Wheeler's trumpet or flugelhorn, the latter of which still retains its wonderfully airy sound – but instead on the overall conception, which makes careful but creative use of other group members – especially John Taylor on piano and Dave Holland on bass, as well as Billy Elgart on drums, and Stan Sulzmann on soprano, tenor, and flute. All tunes are originals by Wheeler, and really lovely ones at that – and titles include "Gigolo", "The Little Fella", "Miold Man", "We Salute The Night", and "Everybody's Song But My Own". Welcome has Kenny Wheeler working in a group with Claudio Fasoli on reeds – in a piano-less group that also includes Jean-Francois Jenny Clark on bass and Daniel Humair on drums – on titles that include "If Only", "Invisible Sound", "Epic", and "Oblivion". All The More is a dark quartet side that features the great John Taylor on piano – alongside Furio DiCastri on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums! Taylor really brings out some moody moments alongside Kenny Wheeler's trumpet – and titles include "Phrase One", "Summer Night", "All The More", and "Kind Of Bill". Tales features a quartet with Paolino Della Porta, Stefano Battaglia, and Bill Elgart – on tracks that include "Night Breath", "Lullaby For Ugo", "A Place To Sing", and "Mbira". Last up is Guest – a record that features a larger group – the European Music Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Fasoli – with solos from Kenny Wheeler and Aldo Romano. Titles include "The Sweet Yakity Waltz", "Lyrical Touch", "Horizons", "Alex & Tom", and "WW". CD

A great look at the Elvis Presley universe – not sounds by the King himself, but music that first inspired his creations – and other songs that have contemporary artists inspired by the records that Presley was releasing during the early years of his career! The collection is fantastic – a great sideline to the famous sounds of Elvis and Sun Records – and there's a really great range of material included throughout, all supported by very detailed notes that really show the thought and care that went into the selection of tracks. The whole thing is as vibrant and colorful as the image on the cover – and titles include "All Shook Up" by David Hill, "Just Because" by The Shelton Brothers, "Baby Let's Play House" by Vince Taylor, "King Creole" by Dick Penrose, "Hard Headed Woman" by Paul Rich, "Baby I Don't Care" by Rodney Scott, "I Beg Of You" by Jimmy Lane, "Hot Dog" by Young Jessie, "I Need Your Love Tonight" by Col Joye & The Joy Boys, "Love Me" by Billy Williams Quartet, "Paralyzed" by Mickie Most & His Playboys, and "Mystery Train" by Vernon Taylor. CD

A beautiful batch of southern soul tracks – and one of the first times anyone's really made a strong set out of the under-reissued gems from the Jewel/Paula catalog! Most of the interest in the label's reissues has leaned towards the bluesier side of its output – and while this set definitely has a touch of the blues, it's also got a lot more soul numbers than we've ever seen on other Jewel compilations – a really rich array of material that shows just how powerful the Shreveport-based label was in keeping the southern soul flames alive. Plus, the package is very well divided – with one CD of 60s tracks, one of 70s classic soul, and one of smoother modern numbers from the later years of the label – work that never gets reissued that much, and which is a great counterpart to the older songs!. Titles include "A Man In Love" by George Patterson, "What Was I Suppose To Do" by Clarence Carter, "I'm Trapped" by Carl Sims, "Go On & Help Yourself" by Albert Washington, "Losers Win Sometimes" by Billy Keene, "Baby Be Mine" by Eddy Giles, "Ain't That The Way" by Clay Hammond, "Do What You Think Is Best" by Buddy Ace, "Checkin Out" by Lee Shot Williams, "I Want You Back Again" by Johnnie Taylor, "There Goes The Girl" by Banny Price, "Right Now Is The Time" by Willie Morganfield, "Lay It On Me Right Now" by Na Allen, "Heap Of People" by Dee Allen, "Over & Over" by The Conway Brothers, "I Stayed Away Too Long" by Wallace Brothers, and "Funky Broadway" by Bobby Powell. CD

Ernie Royal plays with his sextet including Billy Taylor on piano, George Barnes and Sidney Gross on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Lucky Thompson's quintet includes Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Billy Taylor on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Hal Willis, David Gates, Al Henderson, Teddy Redell, Bobby Brant, Buddy Thompson, the Kingsmen, Dean Beard, Mad Man Taylor, Pat And The Satellites, Hal Willis, Glenn Reeves, and more. CD