A really amazing little record – way more than usual for this sort of live recording – given that it features some very unique performances together by artists we've never heard on the same stage otherwise! The premise is simple, but wonderfully effective – in that the album brings together some of the leading lights of the Columbia/CBS jazz stable at the time – a massive lineup of talent from a few key generations in jazz, sounding surprisingly great hear together! All tracks are nice and long – and titles include a brilliant version of "Infant Eyes" by a quartet with Stan Getz on tenor and Bob James on piano; "Fried Bananas" with Dexter Gordon on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, Woody Shaw on trumpet, and George Duke on piano; "Bahama Mama" with Bob James on keyboards, Bobbi Humphrey on flute, Eric Gale and Steve Kahn on guitars, and Billy Cobham on drums – and the long jam session tracks "Montreux Summit", "Blues March", and "Andromeda" – which feature work from most of the players above, all working in one large group – plus added flute from Hubert Laws and Thijs Van Leer, percussion from Ralph Maconald, and bass from Alphonso Johnson. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful follow-up to the first Montreux Summit album – and like that classic, a groundbreaking assemblage of some of the best jazz musicians of the 70s! The format here is slightly different – with more of a focus on smaller groupings of musicians, but still with a really fresh ear for unusual combinations – especially with players you're not always likely to hear together – all stretching out on some sweet longer tracks. Tunes include a version of "Moontrane" with Woody Shaw on trumpet, Dexter Gordon on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, and George Duke on Fender Rhodes; "Two Part Invention" with Bob James on piano and Hubert Laws on flute; "Kanon For Flutes", with work by Bob Militello and Thijs Van Leer on flutes, alongside Bob James on Fender Rhodes, Eric Gale on guitar, and Peter Erskine on drums; "Red Top" with Dexter Gordon and Stan Getz on tenor, and Maynard Ferguson and Woody Shaw on trumpet; "Rites Of Darkness" with George Duke on Fender Rhodes, Bob James on keyboards, and Steve Kahn on guitar; "Be Cool" with James on Fender Rhodes, Duke on keyboards, Bobbi Humphrey and Hubert Laws on flute, and Eric Gale and Steve Kahn on guitar; and a sweet take on James' "Night Crawler" – with Stan Getz on tenor, Bobbi Humphrey and Hubert Laws on flute, Eric Gale and Steve Kahn on guitars, and Bob James himself on Fender Rhodes! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of our 50s favorites by Miles Davis – and a record that offers the same twin-sax sound as his classic Kind Of Blue – with both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley working alongside Miles in the group! Rhythm here is by the Prestige-era trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – but it's the two saxophonists who really help Davis shape the feel of the record, pushing things past the initial Coltrane/Davis groove with a really wonderful sense of space and sound! Titles include the classic "Milestones", plus "Two Bass Hit", "Dr Jeckyll", and "Sid's Ahead". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed and insanely overstuffed look at the Tremeloes – one of those groups from the 60s who are known for an odd single or two – but who have a tremendous recorded legacy that finally gets its due in this mighty box set! The Tremeloes were perfect at turning out the right sort of pop psych tunes that made the British charts sparkle in the late 60s – numbers that were catchy, but inventive too – never too indulgent, but really well-crafted with just the right attention to guitar work next to the vocals. Their singles did well, but the group recorded a huge amount of material for CBS during their time as a group – all of which is included here, a total of 165 tracks, plus a big booklet of notes. In addition to singles and b-sides, the set features the albums Here Come The Tremeloes and Alan Dave Rick & Chip – both in mono and stereo – the albums World Explosion, Suddenly You Love, Live In Cabaret, and Master – plus a rare unissued soundtrack for the film May Morning! There's lots of bonus material, unreleased tracks, and rare European singles too – which makes for a wonderfully groovy collection overall. CD

Some of the hippest jazz recorded for a major label in the 70s – sublime spiritual jazz sides from the great Woody Shaw! Features the full albums Rosewood, Woody III, For Sure, and United. CD

A really great setting for trumpeter Buck Clayton – wonderful longform jam session material recorded in the 50s – very different than the shorter sides of earlier years! Features material that appeared on albums All The Cats Join In, Jumpin At The Woodside, Buck Clayton Jams Benny Goodman, How Hi The Fi, Huckle-Buck & Robbins' Nest, and Moten Swing/Sentimental Journey – plus unissued tracks! CD

Really cool cuts from the second generation of Bollywood funk – that 80s moment when things were still ever bit as groovy as during the heyday of 70s soundtracks, but served up with some slightly different instrumentation in the mix! There's maybe a bit more keyboards here at times – but not the cold kind that were dominating European films, especially horror – as they're mixed with plenty of percussion, basslines, and other elements – then topped with vocals by some of the greats who made the music so wonderful back in the previous decade! As you'll guess from the title, all the cuts here are from the vaults of CBS – beautifully remastered, and with great notes and design – in a set of tracks that include "Prem Ashram" by Asha Bhosle, "Aage Bhi Dushman" by Suresh Wadkar & Sadhana Sargam, "Baahon Me Leke Mujhe" by Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle, "Mere Jaisi Mehbooba" by Sharon Prabhakar & Bappi Lahiri, "Hero" by Amit Kumar, "Meri Akhon Mein Zara Jhanto To" by Asha Bhosle, and "Becho Becho" by Amit Kumar & Mahendra Kapoor – plus some cool instrumental tracks too! LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal tenor sounds from two giants of the instrument – served up here from a set of early 40s material that originally appeared on 78rpm discs! Coleman Hawkins dominates the set – sounding wonderful in small group material that shows just how much his style had evolved from the decade before – blowing deeply and beautifully on titles that include "The Man I Love", "Sweet Lorraine", "Crazy Rhythm", "Vododte", "Hawkins Barrel House", and "Stumpy". Lester Young blows on the rest of the album – showcasing that warm yet bold tenor style he'd perfected with Count Basie – on titles that include "Hello Babe", "Linger Awhile", "I Got Rhythm", and "I'm Fer It Too". CD

From the Asas De America No 2 compilation. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Includes the songs "Lonesome Blues", "Big Butter and Egg Man", "Sunset Cafe Stomp", "Willie The Weeper", "Potato Head Blues", and "Alligator Crawl" – 16 tracks total. CD

Armstrong leads a big band for the first time, including Charlie Alexander, Tubby Hall, Preston Jackson, Mike McKendrick, Al Washingon, Goerge James, and Lester Boone. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Claude Bolling on piano, Andre Villeger, Claude Tissendier, Jean Aldegon, Marcel Canillard, and Pierre Shirrer on saxophone and flute, Benny Vasseur, Charles Verstraete, Emile Vilain, and Francois Guin on trombone, Fernand Verstraete, Jean-Claude Verstraete, Jean-Pierre Ramirez, Maurice Thomas, and Michael Delakian on trumpet, Jean-Paul Charlap on guitar, Jean-Francois Rouge on bass, and Jean-Luc Dayan on drums. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully gentle album from vocalist Ann Burton – recorded with sublime accompaniment from the trio of pianist Louis Van Dyke, a fragile and spare talent on the keys – and a perfect match for Burton on the mood of the album! Ann's vocals really come across with the mature grace that's always made us love her so much – and overall, the session's got a strength that goes far beyond most of her indie albums from later years. Most tunes are extremely spare – with bass stepping out first behind Ann's vocals, as Louis' piano lines sneak in with just a few quiet lines that slowly grow as the tune progresses – all in a style that's neither a cliche of older torch, nor the too-adult mode of more pop jazz vocal albums of the time. Piet Noordjik plays alto sax on a few of the tunes on the set – and titles include "You've Changed", "The Good Life", "Go Away Little Boy", "It's Easy To Remember", "But Not For Me", "He Was Too Good To Me", and "Sunny". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Features help from some American arrangers – including Leon Pendarvis, Frank Owens, Jimmy Wisner, and Al Capps! CD

... CD

Sublime pop disco from Tina Charles – a record that mixes older vocal touches with the swirling sounds of the legendary Biddu – in a groove that's got a heck of a lot to offer! Tina never was one of the most underground singers of her generation – but it's her confidence in that fact that makes this music so great – an unabashed love of the poppier sounds of the dancefloor, in a way that beautifully mixes together 70s AM sensibilities with the growing sounds of the disco movement. Biddu's a great choice for the project – and while the music isn't as exotic as some of his own albums, it's still got some great instrumental flair! Titles include "Love Me Like A Lover", "I Love To Love", "Hold Me", "Hey Boy", "Why", and "Disco Fever". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A beautiful little record from the glory days of the acid folk scene in the UK – a set served up by Clive Palmer, who you might know from work in Incredible String Band and Wizz Jones – sounding even more enigmatic here at the helm of a trio who were produced by the legendary Ralph McTell! The style is light years from the more traditional sounds of some of Ralph's music – very moody and dark, with instrumentation that comes from guitar, recorder, and a variety of other instruments – including the unusual dulcitar, which was invented by trio member John Bidwell! Lead vocals are from Clive and Mick Bennett – alternating on different tracks, and harmonizing with a very eerie vibe, one that's further expanded by the unusual production modes too. A few tracks add in other elements, but just lightly – really keeping the solitary, spooky vibe of the record intact. Titles include "Evening Air", "Serpent's Kiss", "Wade In The Water", "Soft Touches Of Love", "Music Of The Ages", Spirit Of Love", and "Sweet Slavery". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record