A masterpiece of modern soul that shows The O'Jays working in a style that would become their dominant mode for the next decade – not as upbeat and club-oriented as in the mid 70s years, with a sweet, sophisticated modern soul approach that really let the group grow stylistically. Mellow cuts like "Brandy" and "Cry Together" have a warm, supple, and sexy sound that never would have shown up on earlier records – and they're offset by some more upbeat numbers, like the seminal groover "Use Ta Be My Girl" – a tune that virtually became the theme for the second half of the group's career at Philly International! Other tracks include "This Time Baby", "Take Me To The Stars", and "Strokety Stroke". CD

A great little package – three overlooked gems from Rhinoceros – all packaged together in a single box set! First up is their self-titled debut – the great first album from Rhinoceros – a group that's every bit as heavy as their name, and who really deserved much bigger fame than they received at the time! The sound is a great late 60s fusion of psych, blues rock, and other modes – given a nice Elektra Records spin and sense of freedom that really allows the group to be something strong on their own – sometimes adding in more sensitive vocals or harmonies that really show a lot of depth – balanced by strongly jamming guitar and lots of heavy drums! Titles include "When You Say You're Sorry", "I Need Love", "Belbuekus", "I Will Serenade You", "Along Comes Tomorrow", "Apricot Brandy", and "That Time Of Year". Next up is Satin Chickens – only the second album from Rhinoceros, and the group are already stretching out their wings – as you might guess from the offbeat cover of "Satin Doll" that beings the proceedings! As before, Rhinoceros are a wonderfully fine-tuned ensemble – working here with the sharpness of the best of the Bay Area or Detroit groups of the generation – which helps them move through familiar styles into very different territory that's all their own – yet supported by the kind of well-crafted guitar work, heavy rhythms, and thoughtful vocals that really earn them a place in the pantheon of Elektra Records during the golden years. Titles include "Monkee Man", "Don't Come Crying", "Back Door", "Funk Butt", "In A Little Room", "Chicken", and "Top Of The Ladder". CD

Early Hank Jones session for Savoy, that, despite the "trio" tag in the title, is actually a session that augments the core group of Jones, Wendell Marshall, and Kenny Clarke, with added players that include Joe Wilder, Matty Dice, and Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Mann on flute, and Jerome Richardson on flute & tenor. Horns come in in varying combinations from track to track – and titles include "Bluebird", "Little Girl Blue", "Alpha", "Wine & Brandy", and "Hank's Pranks". LP, Vinyl record album

The great first album from Rhinoceros – a group that's every bit as heavy as their name, and who really deserved much bigger fame than they received at the time! The sound is a great late 60s fusion of psych, blues rock, and other modes – given a nice Elektra Records spin and sense of freedom that really allows the group to be something strong on their own – sometimes adding in more sensitive vocals or harmonies that really show a lot of depth – balanced by strongly jamming guitar and lots of heavy drums! Titles include "When You Say You're Sorry", "I Need Love", "Belbuekus", "I Will Serenade You", "Along Comes Tomorrow", "Apricot Brandy", and "That Time Of Year". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little session from drummer Al Foster – a musician who's name doesn't always show up on records as a leader, but which always gets our attention when it does! And this time around, Foster definitely lives up to that attention – as he delivers a set that's crackling with tight, unusual rhythms – very much the sort that made him a player to watch right from the start, and which makes his role as a leader so compelling – especially when matched here by top-shelf work from Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Dayna Stephens on tenor, Adam Birnbaum on piano, and Doug Weiss on bass! Pelt and Stephens really bring out some unusual moments here – given great rhythmic inspiration by Al, who also contributed a number of wonderful tunes to the set too – sometimes short, sometimes long – really with a sense of variety that really matches his energy on the drums. Tracks include "Douglas", "Brandyn", "Our Son", "Song For Monique", "Jazzon", "Bonnie Rose", "Jean-Pierre", "Samba De Michelle", and "Simone's Dance". CD

An all-star group – featuring John SCOfield, Joe LOvano, Dave HOlland, and Al FOster, hence the unusual name of the ensemble – all grooving in an angular mode that recalls the current Blue Note sound at its freshest. Lovano's edgey tenor and soprano work really make the session hold together nicely, as he's got a tone here that almost reminds us of George Braith back in the days when he was recording for Blue Note himself – especially on some of his organ-based sessions. Scofield's guitar is in that cleaner, leaner sound he's using these days – which is a good match for Foster's spare work on rhythm. Titles include "Oh", "Right About Now", "Brandyn", "Faces", "Oh I See", "In Your Arms", and "Shorter Form". CD

Warm and wonderful tunes from the mighty TK Records – the famous Miami label best known for its disco hits of the 70s, but a company that recorded a whole heck of a lot more great music at the time! Most of these tracks are turned down a few notches from disco or club – still relatively upbeat, but maybe more in a modern soul mode overall – with lots of warm touches that work perfectly with the vocals and instrumentals, and which seem perfectly tuned to set things up with just the right sort of catchy hook! The vibe here is almost more in the mode of some of the Japanese Free Soul collections than others with a Light Mellow tag – and titles include "Tell Me That You Love Me" by Steve Gibb, "All I Know Is That I Have You" by Milton Wright, "I Got Love" by Cheese, "Soul Searchin Lady" by Spats, "I've Got To See You Tonight" by Timmy Thomas, "Rhythm Of Love" by Brandye, "Jolie" by Latimore, "Brick Grits" by Betty Wright, "Elayne" by Freddy Henry, and "Shades Of September" by Obatala. CD