The legendary King Records is known as an important label for R&B and hillbilly music – but the label also has a surprisingly strong legacy in the early years of rock as well – maybe in part because it did such a good job of keeping its ear to the ground with those other important styles! King never got the chart-topping hits of a label like Sun Records, but it did manage to draw together an equally impressive array of talents – some still underground names after all these years, others now elevated in the secret history of rock and roll through their work for the label! The set brings together 30 tracks from King and related Federal and DeLuxe labels, all with the detailed notes and well-chosen cuts that continue to make this series so important, even after many years and dozens of releases – a legacy that's really supported here by cuts that include "Say So" and "If I Had A Woman" by Mac Curtis, "Stop The World" by The Bon Aires, "You're Gonna Like My Baby" by Bill Beach, "Haulin Freight" by Bob Newman, "Jungle Rock" by Hank Mizell, "Top Ten Rock" by Fuller Todd, "Put The Chain On The Door" by Boyd Bennett & His Rockets, "No Good Robin Hood" by Delbert Barker, "One Hand Loose" by Charlie Feathers, "Your Kind Of Lovin" by Donnie White, "Bip A Little Bop A Lot" by Joe Penny, "I'm Mad With You" by Moon Mullican, "Midnight Blues" by The Town Three, and "Good Good Good" by Ken McDonald. CD

The legendary King Records is known as an important label for R&B and hillbilly music – but the label also has a surprisingly strong legacy in the early years of rock as well – maybe in part because it did such a good job of keeping its ear to the ground with those other important styles! King never got the chart-topping hits of a label like Sun Records, but it did manage to draw together an equally impressive array of talents – some still underground names after all these years, others now elevated in the secret history of rock and roll through their work for the label! The set brings together 30 tracks from King and related Federal and DeLuxe labels, all with the detailed notes and well-chosen cuts that continue to make this series so important, even after many years and dozens of releases – a legacy that's really supported here by cuts that include "Say So" and "If I Had A Woman" by Mac Curtis, "Stop The World" by The Bon Aires, "You're Gonna Like My Baby" by Bill Beach, "Haulin Freight" by Bob Newman, "Jungle Rock" by Hank Mizell, "Top Ten Rock" by Fuller Todd, "Put The Chain On The Door" by Boyd Bennett & His Rockets, "No Good Robin Hood" by Delbert Barker, "One Hand Loose" by Charlie Feathers, "Your Kind Of Lovin" by Donnie White, "Bip A Little Bop A Lot" by Joe Penny, "I'm Mad With You" by Moon Mullican, "Midnight Blues" by The Town Three, and "Good Good Good" by Ken McDonald. CD

Jimmy pays tribute to an earlier generation of R&B – in a hard-wailing set of soul jazz, done with backings from the legendary Oliver Nelson! A few tracks feature vocals by Jimmy, in a rough bluesy style, and others have some harmonica by Buddy Lucas – in a raspy, hard-wailing mode that still fits in nicely with the jazzier style of the album. Jimmy's organ is right up front on most numbers – recorded with that full, dynamic sound that makes so many of his Verve albums a treasure – and the best numbers have a more contemporary 60s groove alongside the older bluesy roots. Grady Tate plays drums – surprisingly funky at times – and other players include Melba Liston and Tom McIntosh on trombones, Billy Butler on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on Fender bass, and Joe Newman on trumpet. Titles include "Hi Heel Sneakers", "TNT", "Boom Boom", "Ain't That Just Like A Woman", and "One Mint Julep". CD

Jimmy pays tribute to an earlier generation of R&B – in a hard-wailing set of soul jazz, done with backings from the legendary Oliver Nelson! A few tracks feature vocals by Jimmy, in a rough bluesy style, and others have some harmonica by Buddy Lucas – in a raspy, hard-wailing mode that still fits in nicely with the jazzier style of the album. Jimmy's organ is right up front on most numbers – recorded with that full, dynamic sound that makes so many of his Verve albums a treasure – and the best numbers have a more contemporary 60s groove alongside the older bluesy roots. Grady Tate plays drums – surprisingly funky at times – and other players include Melba Liston and Tom McIntosh on trombones, Billy Butler on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on Fender bass, and Joe Newman on trumpet. Titles include "Hi Heel Sneakers", "TNT", "Boom Boom", "Ain't That Just Like A Woman", and "One Mint Julep". LP, Vinyl record album

A later groover from Jimmy McGriff – but done in a style that's nicely old school overall! The sound here is almost a Prestige Records mid 70s mode – somewhat tighter than the early 70s jazz funk years of the label, but still quite far from the slicker modes you might expect from a 90s date – thanks to classic production work from Bob Porter, the kind of a guy who always knew that it was best to let players like these just lay back and do their thing! McGriff plays Hammond B-3, alongside David Newman on tenor, Red Holloway on tenor and alto, Mel Brown on guitar, and Bernard Purdie on drums – on titles that include "Don't Blame Me", "Fleetwood Stroll", "Red Not N New", "McGriffin", "Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away", and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be". CD

Although he was the consummate high-class hipster at the start of his career, for some reason Jimmy Smith seemed to hit a forced sort of rootsy style about halfway through his years at Verve. The style worked well for him, even if it sometimes languished in bluesy tones that seemed a bit forced – and on this album, his basic trio of Grady Tate and Kenny Burrell are augmented by arrangements by Oliver Nelson. Nelson keeps things from getting too hokey, and Jimmy's organ lines are free and sharp on the best cuts. Titles include "Mustard Greens", "Hobson's Hop", "Got My Mojo Workin", and "High Heel Sneakers". Jimmy pays tribute to an earlier generation of R&B – in a hard-wailing set of soul jazz, done with backings from the legendary Oliver Nelson! A few tracks feature vocals by Jimmy, in a rough bluesy style, and others have some harmonica by Buddy Lucas – in a raspy, hard-wailing mode that still fits in nicely with the jazzier style of the album. Jimmy's organ is right up front on most numbers – recorded with that full, dynamic sound that makes so many of his Verve albums a treasure – and the best numbers have a more contemporary 60s groove alongside the older bluesy roots. Grady Tate plays drums – surprisingly funky at times – and other players include Melba Liston and Tom McIntosh on trombones, Billy Butler on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on Fender bass, and Joe Newman on trumpet. Titles include "Hi Heel Sneakers", "TNT", "Boom Boom", "Ain't That Just Like A Woman", and "One Mint Julep". CD

An insanely wonderful first album from Randy Newman – and a perfect example of the way his unique style was a key confluence of all the best elements simmering underneath both late 60s LA and late 60s Warner Brothers! There's an instantly nostalgic quality to the record, but one that's nicely undercut by Newman's familiar sense of wit – a bit more subtle here, and presented with amazing backings from Van Dyke Parks – who almost brings in a lightly symphonic touch at times. The work's almost in the vein of hipper jazz sides by Bob Dorough or Dave Frishberg at the time – and although some of the tunes are familiar from later versions, they still sound best here in Randy's originals. Titles include "Love Story", "So Long Dad", "I Think He's Hiding", "Laughing Boy", "Cowboy", "The Beehive State", "Davy The Fat Boy", and "Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad". CD

An insanely wonderful first album from Randy Newman – and a perfect example of the way his unique style was a key confluence of all the best elements simmering underneath both late 60s LA and late 60s Warner Brothers! There's an instantly nostalgic quality to the record, but one that's nicely undercut by Newman's familiar sense of wit – a bit more subtle here, and presented with amazing backings from Van Dyke Parks – who almost brings in a lightly symphonic touch at times. The work's almost in the vein of hipper jazz sides by Bob Dorough or Dave Frishberg at the time – and although some of the tunes are familiar from later versions, they still sound best here in Randy's originals. Titles include "Love Story", "So Long Dad", "I Think He's Hiding", "Laughing Boy", "Cowboy", "The Beehive State", "Davy The Fat Boy", and "Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad". LP, Vinyl record album

Lionel Hampton on vibraphone, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, Cat Anderson on trumpet and flugelhorn, Eddie Bert on trombone, Ray Bryant on piano, Doc Cheatham on trumpet, Arnett Cobb on tenor saxophone, Panama Francis on drums, John Gordon on trumpet, Chubby Jackson on bass, Charles McPherson on alto saxophone, Billy Mackel on guitar, Jimmy Mackel on trumpet and flugelhorn, Paul Moen on tenor saxophone, Joe Newman on trumpet and flugelhorn, Benny Powell on trombone, Earle Warren on clarinet, flute and alto saxophone, Bob Wilber on clarinet, and Teddy Wilson on piano. LP, Vinyl record album

Bobby Zankel on alto sax, Marilyn Crispell on piano, and Newman Baker on drums. CD

Features Bobby Watson, David Newman, Jack Walrath, and Steve Turre on horns – plus Steve Kahn and Cornell Dupree on guitar. CD

Think you know everything there is to know about Stax Records? Think again – because this series serves up an incredible batch of material that was either unissued back in the day, or hardly ever got much circulation at the time! The project comes from the years after the initial Stax Singles box sets – and tracks here include numbers found during that process, but unissued – and others that were only discovered after digging through vaults of tape – and realizing just how much music the label recorded, but never even pressed onto wax! Yet that result is not surprising – given that the famous Memphis studio was always hopping around the clock – with groups like Booker T & The MGs, Mar-Keys, or Bar-Kays jamming in the studio, then making way for a range of singers and other guests as well – an all-star lineup who turn out some top material in this set. Titles on this first volume include "Hide Away" by Booker T & The MGs, "Don't Worry About Tomorrow" by Bobby Marchan, "Cupid" by Otis Redding, "Don't You Like To Me" by Albert King, "Hippy Dippy" by The Mar-Keys, "I've Got Dreams To Remember (alternate)" by Otis Redding, "Never Let Me Go (alternate)" by William Bell, "Cloudburst" by The Mad Lads, "Sweet Devil" by Mable John, "When My Love Comes Down" by Ruby Johnson, "Floyd's Beat" by Floyd Newman, "Run Around" by Carla Thomas, "Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay" by Booker T & The MGs, and "Just Enough To Hurt Me" by The Astors. CD

The colors are rich, but gentle too – like a palette of pastels, all sung by the lovely Claudine Longet! The album's got a slightly more mature feel than some of Longet's first for A&M – great Nick DeCaro arrangements that show some of the deeper elements creeping into pop at the end of the 60s – including some surprising use of acoustic guitar, which really helps transform the sound, and brings out an earthy, natural quality that makes Claudine sound sexier than ever! The sessions feature work by Randy Newman, Lyle Ritz, and Ron Elliott – and titles include "Pussywillows Cattails", "Catch The Wind", "Colours", "Bobbie (For Baby)", and "Hurry On Down". CD

A classic set of tracks from Peggy – featuring the sublime hit "Is That All There Is?", produced by Lieber & Stoller, and arranged and conducted by Randy Newman. Other arrangements are by the likes of Mike Melvoin, Mundell Lowe, George Tipton, and Bobby Bryant – all of whom conspire to give Peggy one of her hippest albums ever. Titles include "I'm A Woman", "Love Story", "Brother Love's Travelling Show", and "Don't Smoke In Bed". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice later set from the mighty burner, after he returned to the more bluesy organ based format from the more R&B and fusion inflected sets he'd released throughout the late 70s and early 80s. Though the rough edges are a bit more smoothed out on some of the numbers than we'd care for, the group's composed of really solid players including Grover Washington, David Newman and Bobby Broom, and the majority of the set cooks nicely, on numbers like the title track, "Cosmic Phriends", "Don't Be So Mean Arlene" and "The Way You Make Me Feel". CD