Not The Cars' first album, but the one that definitely catapulted them from Boston underground to mainstream fame – quite a surprise, given the style that most of the bigger acts were laying down at the time! And of course, we say that from the more mainstream bent of our American market – where punk had yet to penetrate the radio and other outlets – which made the new wave sounds of The Cars a surprisingly strong tilt in a more contemporary direction for both major labels and broadcast radio. All these many years later, the group's elevated to classic rock status, but that's only because of the strength of the songs – a classic lineup that includes "Let's Go", "Candy O", "Night Spots", "You Can't Hold On Too Long", "Got A Lot On My Head", "It's All I Can Do", and "Since I Held You". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic debut record from The Cars where the radio hits just keep coming at you – including "Just What I Needed", "Good Times Roll", "My Best Friend's Girl", "You're All I've Got Tonight", "Bye Bye Love", "Moving In Stereo" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

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A well-remembered classic from The Cars – one of those records that had the group finding a perfect way to tap into new wave energy from the underground, yet somehow manage to score some major hits at a time when American radio was still pretty shy of so many new sounds! This set still has the group pretty close to their Boston roots – commercial, but never too polished – and in addition to the title hit "Shake It Up", other tracks include "Think It Over", "Since You're Gone", "I'm Not The One", "Victim Of Love", "This Could Be Love", and "A Dream Away". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Shake It Up", "Just What I Needed", "Since You're Gone", "You Might Think", "Good Times Roll", "Drive", "Tonight She Comes", "Let's Go", "Heartbeat City", "My Best Friend's Girl", and "Touch & Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Six (!) singles came from this album, "You Might Think", "Magic", "Drive", "Hello Again", "Why Can't I Have You", & "Heartbeat City". Produced by Robert John 'Mutt' Lange. LP, Vinyl record album

The third album from The Cars, and a set that nicely focuses more on some of the sharper, new wave elements in the group's sound – maybe more of a confident return to the quirky modes that got them going in the first place, once they were solidly at the forefront of the American mainstream! The keyboards and basslines often take more of a lead on the tunes, with the guitar lines nicely compressed in the rhythms – and titles include the hit "Touch & Go" – plus "Down Boys", "Misfit Kids", "Up & Down", "You Wear Those Eyes", "Running To You", "Gimme Some Slack", "Don't Tell Me No", "Getting Through", and "Panorama". LP, Vinyl record album

Not The Cars' first album, but the one that definitely catapulted them from Boston underground to mainstream fame – quite a surprise, given the style that most of the bigger acts were laying down at the time! And of course, we say that from the more mainstream bent of our American market – where punk had yet to penetrate the radio and other outlets – which made the new wave sounds of The Cars a surprisingly strong tilt in a more contemporary direction for both major labels and broadcast radio. All these many years later, the group's elevated to classic rock status, but that's only because of the strength of the songs – a classic lineup that includes "Let's Go", "Candy O", "Night Spots", "You Can't Hold On Too Long", "Got A Lot On My Head", "It's All I Can Do", and "Since I Held You". CD

Not The Cars' first album, but the one that definitely catapulted them from Boston underground to mainstream fame – quite a surprise, given the style that most of the bigger acts were laying down at the time! And of course, we say that from the more mainstream bent of our American market – where punk had yet to penetrate the radio and other outlets – which made the new wave sounds of The Cars a surprisingly strong tilt in a more contemporary direction for both major labels and broadcast radio. All these many years later, the group's elevated to classic rock status, but that's only because of the strength of the songs – a classic lineup that includes "Let's Go", "Candy O", "Night Spots", "You Can't Hold On Too Long", "Got A Lot On My Head", "It's All I Can Do", and "Since I Held You". LP, Vinyl record album

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A searing set of surf tunes from the 60s – one that throws in plenty of surprises along the way, and which takes some nice steps to move far past the obvious hits and classics! Instead, the whole thing is a great deep dive into the genre – very much in the best Bear Family Records mode – with some cuts that we've never heard before, mixed with others that we'd never have expected to sound so good in this company – all packed into an overstuffed collection that even comes with detailed notes on all the music! The set's got 33 tracks in all – and titles include "Bullwinkle (part 2)" by The Centurions, "Midnight Run" by the Super Stocks, "Tragic Wind" by The Chantays, "Like Weird" by Tommy Falcone & The Centurions, "King's Surf" by Dave Myers & The Surftones, "Rumble Bee" by The New Dimensions, "Surfin Blues (part 2)" by Al Casey, "Go Go Dancer" by The Ventures, "Thunderbeat" by The Thundermen, "Redondo Beach" by The Super Stocks, and "Surf Beat" by Aki Aleong & The Nobles. CD

A tight EP set from Aesop – a stronger, more focused listen than Bazooka Tooth – plus a great booklet! The book is a comprehensive collection of Aesop's lyrics from throughout his young career – more than 80 pages, with illustrations, art and photos – a really cool little package! Tracks include "Fast Cars", "Number Nine", "Zodiaccupuncture", "Holy Smokes", "Rickety Rackety" featuring Camutao & El-P, and "Food, Clothes, Medicine". CD

Lux and Ivy have given us plenty of great music in plenty of great styles – but the duo are probably closest to the raw spirit of the early rockabilly years – a sound that was instrumental in their music as The Cramps! Here, the duo dig through some of their favorite rare singles from way way back – the kind of obscure cuts that even go past some of the better-done European compilations in recent decades – and which remind us that Lux and Ivy were out in the field digging for rare records back in the early 70s – when some of these impossible-to-find numbers might still have been around. As with other titles in this series, the scope of subject matter is great, and the tunes are plenty wild – 52 tracks that include "Date On The Corner" by Don Feger, "Bip Bop Boom" by Mickey Hawks, "Sweet Rockin Mama" by The Hi Tombs, "Don't Bug Me Baby" by Milton Allen, "Did We Have A Party" by Billy Brown, "Chicken Rock" by Fat Daddy Holmes, "Blast Off" by Alden Holloway, "Lonely" by Bobby McDowell, "Here Kitty Kitty" by Jimmy Murphy, "I'm A Madman" by Willie Ward & The Warblers, and "Woodpecker Rock" by Nat County & The Braves. CD

"Little Deuce Coupe" makes a second appearance on a Beach Boys album – this time around as a leadoff track to show the group's versatility on the hot rod market! Despite the change from surf themes, though, the music here is magically the same – sublime Wilson family harmonies, produced with a clean, clear simplicity that really makes the voices sparkle. And even when singing about cars, the Boys manage to break our hearts with their ballads and more gentle numbers – as you'll hear on a set of tunes that includes "Ballad Of Ole Betsy", "409", "Shut Down", "Our Car Club", "Be True To Your School", "No Go Showboat", "A Young Man Is Gone", and "Car Crazy Cutie". And by the way, the album cover also carries a very prominent production and arranging credit for Brian Wilson! CD

A wonderful gem from the glory days of Capitol Records west coast rock and roll – and one of those cool little records in which the label moved past the concept of a lead artist, in order to showcase a great range of songs in a particular style! As you'd guess from the title and cover, the theme here is cars – particularly the hot rod craze of the early 60s – and the label brings together some great singles and lesser-known gems to support the style – plus two numbers by the Beach Boys too! The Wilson lads sparkle on "Shut Down" and "409" – and other great tracks include "Brontosaurus Stomp" by The Piltdown Men, "Chicken" by The Cheers, "Wide Track" by The Super Stocks, "Car Trouble" by The Eligibles, "Hot Rod Race" by Jimmy Dolan, and the great Robert Mitchum song "Ballad Of Thunder Road". LP, Vinyl record album

Glen Campbell cut plenty of fantastic songs for Capitol Records – but year after year, some of the best were written by the young Jimmy Webb – an important 60s songwriter who brought magic to a number of different singers, but maybe clicked most strongly with Glen! You'll know the key tracks here, as they represent some of Campbells biggest early hits – but his association with Webb goes way past those few tracks, through a legacy of great 70s recordings that are presented here – in a package that features every single Glen Campbell recording of a Jimmy Webb tune through the start of the 80s – including live material, and even a more obscure track done for Atlantic Records too. The sensitivity of Webb's material is really on full display here – and the whole thing is a great contrast to some of the thinner greatest hits packages of Campbell's material – presented with very detailed notes, lots of great vintage images, and a set list of 23 tracks that include "You Might As Well Smile", "Just This One Time", "I Keep It Hid", "The Moon's A Harsh Mistress", "Galveston", "Didn't We (live)", "In Cars", "Highwayman", "Early Morning Song", "Christian No", "It's A Sin When You Love Somebody", "Adoration", "Wichita Lineman", "Where's The Playground Susie", "I Was Too Busy Loving You", "Just Another Piece Of Paper", and "Ocean In His Eyes". CD

Maybe one of our favorite Doors records of all time – if only for the long Fender Rhodes solo by Ray Manzarek on the album's final track, "Riders On The Storm"! Yet the whole album is pretty darn great, too – the last to feature Jim Morrison, who would leave the planet shortly after the album was released! There's a looser, more mature feel to the whole record – still lots of the territory the group had explored on previous albums, but also maybe more relaxed in the studio – knowing when to go for a hook when needed, but also letting some of the tunes really find themselves too. Titles include the hits "Riders On The Storm", "LA Woman", and "Love Her Madly" – plus "The Changeling", "Been Down So Long", "Cars Hiss By My Window", "The WASP", "L'America", and "Hyacinth House". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of our favorite Doors records of all time – if only for the long Fender Rhodes solo by Ray Manzarek on the album's final track, "Riders On The Storm"! Yet the whole album is pretty darn great, too – the last to feature Jim Morrison, who would leave the planet shortly after the album was released! There's a looser, more mature feel to the whole record – still lots of the territory the group had explored on previous albums, but also maybe more relaxed in the studio – knowing when to go for a hook when needed, but also letting some of the tunes really find themselves too. Titles include the hits "Riders On The Storm", "LA Woman", and "Love Her Madly" – plus "The Changeling", "Been Down So Long", "Cars Hiss By My Window", "The WASP", "L'America", and "Hyacinth House". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the heaviest soundtracks scored by Goblin during the 70s – with lots of funky club influences, and a funky disco sound on a number of tracks that feature vocals by the great European club diva Asha Puthli. Puthli sings on the tracks "The Whip" and "The Sound Of Money", and there's one more track, "Welcome To The Boogie", that's got unidentified vocals – but which follows in a similar disco sort of mode! The rest of the material is mostly uptempo cop show type stuff from the era – with plenty of keyboards, wah wah guitars, and heavy rhythms – that funky mix of rock and soundtrack styles that Goblin did so well back in the day. Titles include "Trumpet's Flight", "Sicilian Samba", "Stunt Cars", and "Disco China". CD features bonus material – "Squadra Antigangsters (movie take 1)", "Squadra Antigangsters (movie take 2)", and "Trumpet's Flight (alt version)". CD

Two great Storyville sessions – back to back in a single set! First up is Tonite's Music Today – an early Storyville Records gem from these two budding modernists – featuring a quartet with Zoot Sims on tenor, Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, and Hank Jones on piano and a bit of celeste – a really fantastic group that cuts right to the core of the new ideas that Sims and Brookmeyer were exploring on their horns! Bob's got that sharp sound that really set his valve trombone work apart from the rest – maybe a bit more bite in his tone, too – which could be encouraged by Zoot's tenor, which is at its raspy best in this setting! The Storyville sessions by some artists often get eclipsed by more widely circulated discs on bigger labels – but this is essential early Zoot sims, and Brookmeyer's work is a nice bonus – on titles that include "Mr Moon", "The Chant", "Zoot's Tune", "How Long Has This Been Going On", "Bobby's Tune", and "Blues". Next is Whooeeee – a wonderful small combo set from this unusual team – put together in ways that are somewhere between the Bob Brookmeyer/Stan Getz pairings of the early 50s, and some of Zoot Sims' work for the Dawn label! Zoot's horn is maybe a bit sharper, and bolder than on his Dawn sides, though – that quality that really made him a favorite with hip listeners of the 50s, and which maybe even beats some of the Stan Getz work of the period – matched by Brookmeyer's impeccable work on valve trombone, which is more straightforward and swinging here than usual! The group also features Hank Jones on piano, Bill Crow on bass, and Jo Jones on drums – and titles include "The King", "Whoo-eeee", "Morning Fun", "Box Cars", and "Snake Eyes". CD

Gizelle Smith changes things up here nicely – moving past her roots as a deep funk singer with the Mighty Mocambos, and maybe growing into a more fully-formed role as a classic 70s-styled soul artist! The backings are funky, rich, and full – shifting in mood and complexity, at a level that has Gizelle stepping forth strongly like some hip 70s funk singer – maybe in the territory of Gwen McCrae or Nona Hendryx, given the style of the tunes – which often have currents of more sophisticated modes, and move things well past backings by a straight funky combo! Titles include "King Of The Mountain", "Agony Road", "Superstar", "Better Remember", "Riot Cars", "Miss World", and "Three Tiny Seeds". CD

The starkest, sparest ever by Bruce Springsteen – sans accompaniment for the most part, having famously opted to release the haunting guitar, voice and harmonica demos as the actual album – and it's devastatingly strong to this day! The hallmark facet is that it's a largely solo acoustic record, the the great thing about that is how distinctively Springsteen sounding it is – with the all the earnestness of his more anthemic material, and more – just done with a sometimes somber, always intimate approach. One of those records that deserves all of the loft praise! Includes "Nebraska", "Atlantic City", "Mansion On The Hill", "Johnny 99", "State Trooper", "Used Cars", "Open All Night", "My Father's House" and "Reason To Believe". LP, Vinyl record album

The originally self-released EP, later picked up by Merge, which set the stage from the band's breakthrough with the Funeral LP! Includes "Old Flame", "No Cars Go", "The Woodlands National Anthem", " My Heart Is An Apple" and "Vampire/Forest Fire". CD

Snotty New York proto-punk with more than just an undercurrent of comedy running through the beefy tunes, and a heavy dose of good ol' swagger! The Dictators are truly, completely punk – even if Go Girl Crazy pre-dates the genre classification by a year or so – and even if their groove is closer to a crotch thrusting, garage version or parody (?) of Bad Company than it is the more revolutionary CBGBs bands. These are punks in the truest sense – sarcastic and ironic. Handsome Dick Manitoba and the boys run through 9 numbers on the classic original album – "The Next Big Thing", "I Got You Babe", "Back To Africa", "Master Race Rock", "Teengenerate", "California Sun", "Two Tub Man", "Weekend", "(I Live For) Cars & Girls" and more. CD

A classic! Where would electronic pop be without Gary Numan's "Cars"? Alongside Kraftwerk's classic 80s albums and Yellow Magic Orchestra's first LP, this album by Gary Numan ranks as one of the most essential synth driven LPs on a creative level – and it rightly brought the sound to the masses at the time, too – thanks to a brilliant pop sensibility, awash with robotic tones that will forever vindicate 80s new wave. Includes "Airlane", "Metal", "Complex", "Films", "ME", "Tracks", "Observer", "Conversation", "Cars" and "Engineers". LP, Vinyl record album

The starkest, sparest ever by Bruce Springsteen – sans accompaniment for the most part, having famously opted to release the haunting guitar, voice and harmonica demos as the actual album – and it's devastatingly strong to this day! The hallmark facet is that it's a largely solo acoustic record, the the great thing about that is how distinctively Springsteen sounding it is – with the all the earnestness of his more anthemic material, and more – just done with a sometimes somber, always intimate approach. One of those records that deserves all of the lofty praise! Includes "Nebraska", "Atlantic City", "Mansion On The Hill", "Johnny 99", "State Trooper", "Used Cars", "Open All Night", "My Father's House" and "Reason To Believe".. CD

A boldly strutting debut from Crow – a group who are maybe a bit forgotten in terms of the pop music history books, but who were really up-and-comers on the American hard rock scene at the end of the 60s! The lead off cut on the album is their great "Evil Woman" – a bassy, fuzzy track that's got some very catchy lead vocals – of the sort that would have sounded great coming out of an AM radio through that tiny speaker that graced the dashboards of most cars in 1970. And the rest of the record is equally nice – with cuts that include "Gonna Leave A Mark", "Busy Day", "Rollin", "White Eyes", "Thoughts", "Da Da Song", and "Sleepy Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of our favorite Doors records of all time – if only for the long Fender Rhodes solo by Ray Manzarek on the album's final track, "Riders On The Storm"! Yet the whole album is pretty darn great, too – the last to feature Jim Morrison, who would leave the planet shortly after the album was released! There's a looser, more mature feel to the whole record – still lots of the territory the group had explored on previous albums, but also maybe more relaxed in the studio – knowing when to go for a hook when needed, but also letting some of the tunes really find themselves too. Titles include the hits "Riders On The Storm", "LA Woman", and "Love Her Madly" – plus "The Changeling", "Been Down So Long", "Cars Hiss By My Window", "The WASP", "L'America", and "Hyacinth House". CD

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". CD

A later set from the great Jimmy Webb – the crucial late 60s songwriter who created so many hits for other people before finally stepping out on his own! Jimmy's got a sound here that's a bit like his late 70s albums on Atlantic – well-produced, with maybe an undercurrent of soul – which also comes through in the way that Jimmy delivers his lyrics! Webb's still a great songsmith – and maybe brings a more heartfelt approach to his music here than in earlier years – a slight AOR polish, but never too much. Titles include "One Of The Few", "Angel Heart", "Scissors Cut", "Nasty Love", "In Cars", and "Work For A Dollar". CD

The debut album by Weezer! The now-dubbed Blue Album was released at the height of the post-Nirvana rock era, with whom the much more enthusiastic Weezer even shared a label – and that very enthusiasm made them heroes to some and pariahs to others at the time. Now, of course, it's a classic – a prime example of nerdy guys with electric guitars living the dream. Produced by elder nerd turned rock god Ric Ocasek of The Cars. Includes "My Name Is Jonas", "No One Else", "Buddy Holly", "Undone - The Sweater Song", "Surf Wax America", "Say It Ain't So", "Holiday", "In The Garage" and "Only In Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Sound effects include traffic, transportation, cars, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

2 discs of jazz and blues in Seattle. Disc one is live recordings from Ham Carson trio and disc two performances by Mickey Martin. CD

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A set of genre-breaking work from Kip Hanrahan – a later set, but one that continues in the same fantastic spirit as his groundbreaking albums of the 80s! Kip's always a genre unto himself – a jazz artist, but one in love with Latin rhythms, keen songwriting, inventive arrangements, and musicians and singers from a wide array of scenes – which he brings together effortlessly here in a really great lineup! Most tracks are vocal numbers – and feature contributions from Brandon Ross, Xiomara Laugart, Lindsay Marcus, Fernando Saunders, and Hanrahan himself – and musicians include percussion from both Milton Cardona and Pedrito Martinez, tenor and baritone from Mario Rivera, bass from Steve Swallow, alto from Yosvanni Terry Cabrera, and piano from DD Jackson and John Beasley. The tunes are as inventive as their titles – which include "The Girl Won't Resolve", "Real Time & Beautiful Scars", "Busses From Heaven", "Rumba Of Cities", "Salt In The Mozambique Evening", and "Lejijita On The Way To Brooklyn". CD

With a name like Musclecars, you can bet there's a pretty powerful sound here – and that's definitely the case, as this New York duo take years of experience in the clubs, to craft an album of masterful grooves and key soulful selections! There's an undercurrent of righteous politics to the set, but the instrumentation lifts up in a very joyous, positive spirit – underscored with all these jazzy elements around the edges – almost referencing and older London groove, but with more of a New York pulse! The duo are Craig Handfield and Brandon Weems, but they get some good help along the way – on titles that include "Every Party Must Come To An End", "Ha Ya", "Circles II", "There's Space For Us All", "The Afro American Conundrum", "Tonight", and "Running Out Of Time". LP, Vinyl record album

An EP to accompany the only full length album from Scars! The year is 1981, and the vibe maybe shows some of the changes in the post-punk years – less short and sharp, and more moody and slow-building – with really strong use of the sorts of basslines the Manchester scene was employing heavily at the same time. There's a few punky/funky moments when the drums pick up – and the whole thing is an under-discovered gem from this very fertile time on the British scene! Titles include "Leave Me In Autumn", "Author Author", "She's Alive", and "All About You". 12-inch, Vinyl record

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Titles include "Lady Be Good,""Green Dolphin," "Tee's Gumbo," "Have You Seen Miss Jones," and "5 Spot After Dark" CD

A great no-nonsense session from Chet – blowing here with Russ Freeman on piano, blocking out backgrounds that work perfectly with the fragile tone of Chet's horn. The rest of the group features Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums – and titles include "Bea's Flat", "Moon Love", "Happy Little Sunbeam", "No Ties", and "Band Aid". CD

The last in a series of rare 50s live material from Chet Baker – featuring a near-lost performance from the Tiffany Club in LA, recorded in 1954 with a group that includes Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums. The tracks are presented in crystal-clear long versions – really sparkling with a sound that's tremendous for a live set at the time – and which is even more amazing, considering that most of the tracks hadn't been issued before. A few numbers were issued in edited form on an Italian label, and later briefly on one of the out of print Mosaic box sets – but the CD features the full performance – 12 tracks in all, all in unedited takes. Titles include "Lullaby Of the Leaves", "Russ Job", "The Wind", "Frenesi", "Carson City Stage", and "A Dandy Line". CD

Rare live material from Chet Baker – recorded at 1954 performances at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and the Tiffany Club in LA. The material was never officially issued at the time, although it did make an appearance in a now out of print box set on Mosaic – and it features Chet grooving easily in quartet formation, with Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "Line For Lyons", "Carson City Stage", "All The Things You Are", "Lady Bird", and "Out Of Nowhere". CD

Excellent lost jazz work from Chet Baker! The CD combines 5 tracks from a never-before-heard live set recorded in 1953 at the Curran Theatre in LA, plus 9 more cuts from 1954 session that was issued on the long out-of-print LP Jazz At Ann Arbor. Both sessions feature Chet playing with pianist Russ Freeman, an amazingly understated player whose graceful darkness perfectly matches young Chet's sound on the trumpet. The pair are backed by Carson Smith on bass and either Larry Bunker or Bob Neel on drums – and the extended set's a wonderfully no-nonsense batch of jazz tunes that really sparkles in comparison with some of Baker's later live work. Titles include "All The Things You Are", "Maid In Mexico", "Lover Man", "My Funny Valentine", "Stella By Starlight", and "Russ Job". CD

The first-ever official release of this rare live material, a set that collects two different dates – a quartet performance with Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums, and quintet date that adds Russ Freeman on piano and swaps in Shelly Manne behind the drum set. CD

The first-ever official release of this rare live material, a set that collects two different dates – a quartet performance with Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums, and quintet date that adds Russ Freeman on piano and swaps in Shelly Manne behind the drum set. CD

An early standout set from Ornette Coleman – and a record that features him blowing on tenor, instead of his usual alto – as you might guess from the title! In a way, Ornette's playing on tenor is almost freer than his alto work – a bit more open-ended and exploratory, stretching out strongly – yet still also hitting that great rhythmic groove that made his Atlantic albums so great – thanks to rhythm from Jimmy Garrison on bass and Ed Blackwell on drums. Don Cherry's in the group on pocket trumpet, and the tunes are as provocative as their titles – which include "Ecars", "Enfant", "Mapa", and "Cross Breeding". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest albums on the Pacific Jazz label from the 50s – featuring a side apiece of trio material by pianists Russ Freeman and Richard (aka Dick) Twardzik. Both players were known as accompanists of Chet Baker during his sublime mid 50s run at Pacific Jazz – and although Freeman is well-remembered today as the strong player he always was, Twardzik has quickly fallen into obscurity, due to a young death in the mid 50s – and this album features some of the few tracks he recorded as a leader on his own. Freeman plays with Joe Mondragon on bass and Shelly Manne on drums, and Twardzik plays with Carson Smith and Peter Littman – and titles include "Yellow Tango", "Round Midnight", "Abuquerque Social Swim", "Backfield In Motion", "Bock's Tops", and "Yesterday's Gardenias". LP, Vinyl record album

An early document of a surprisingly great pairing – the tenor of Stan Getz and the trumpet of Chet Baker – working together here in a live date from 1953, served up in tight quartet formation! The group features Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums – and the overall feel's a bit like Chet's Pacific Jazz sides of the time, but a bit more soulful. Titles include "Move", "Half Nelson", "Strike Up The Band", "Yesterdays", "Whispering", and "Soft Shoe". 12 tracks in all! CD

An archetypal record from the west coast scene of the 50s – a sublime batch of lightly grooving numbers from Chico Hamilton's famous early Quintet! The power here really comes from a triad of three players – reedman Buddy Collette, mentioned in the title and playing flute, alto, tenor, and clarinet; guitarist Jim Hall, whose spacious use of his instrument set new standards with this record; and cellist Fred Katz, often an unsung hero whose gentle sound shapes really helped bring a sense of tone and color to the group. Also featured is bassist Carson Smith, giving the same great sensitive accompaniment here he did in Gerry Mulligan's early quartet – and Chico himself is on drums, of course, but often playing with unusual timings and touches that really make for a lot more than conventional rhythm! Titles include "Blue Sands", "The Sage", "A Nice Day", "Buddy Boo", and "Spectacular" – as well as "Free Form", which is totally improvised – although in a way that's very different from any 60's track that would have the same sort of name! LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums from Junie Morrison, plus bonus tracks too – all to document the genius of the guy who really helped the Ohio Players find their groove! First up is When We Do – the solo debut of Junie – a crazy little album recorded for Westbound in the time after he split company with The Ohio Players – and a set that's definitely got the weirdly wonderful mix of music that group was known for in their pre-Mercury years! Junie effortlessly moves between a number of styles, all with a great degree of wit – still keeping things funky in all the best ways, but also really experimenting with larger sounds and unusual arrangements – which come into play here in a really wonderful way! The album's an overlooked funk treasure from the 70s – far too sophisticated for its own time – and titles include "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Johnny Carson Samba", "Anna", "Loving Arms", "Married Him", and "The Place". Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include "Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". Suzie Super Groupie is a funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrison every came to a concept album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records, there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender", "Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". Set also features rare Junie cuts – including "Junie's Ultimate Departure", "Walt's Second Trip", "Tight Rope (single)", "Loving Arms (mono)", "If You Love Him (single)", "Super J (single)", and "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce (mono)". CD

A much needed look at one of the most enigmatic figures in 70s funk – an offbeat character who was always up to something different and unique! Walter "Junie" Morrison had the great honor of being a member of both of Westbound's biggest collectives (although not necessarily at the same time) – the hard funky Ohio Players, and the cosmic brotherhood of Funkadelic/Parliament! During the mid-70s, though, Junie embarked upon a solo career, and cut a few wild LPs for the label which mixed funk, soul, and even some strange rock-oriented leanings. The resulting recordings were some of the more messed-up that Westbound ever issued, with moments that are delightfully funky, and others that are downright silly. This sweet 20 track compilation brings together most of the best moments of Junie's Westbound Years, and includes cuts like "Johnny Carson Samba", "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Cookies Will Get You", "Super J", "Super Groupie", and the great "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", featuring the Funky Granny from "Funky Worm"! CD

A great package, and one that brings together two important early western scores from the mighty Ennio Morricone! Una Pistola Per Ringo is a mid 60s classic – a key entry into the spaghetti western era, and one that's already ripe for international exposure – as you might expect from the use of English lyrics on the leadoff "Angel Face" song on the theme! After that, though, and a bit of barroom piano, things get into that weird and wonderful world that Ennio Morricone would also explore with Sergio Leone – all sorts of strange sounds, brooding elements, and this unusual sonic landscape that would forever change the way we listen to the west! Titles include "Rag Sospeso", "Messico Eroico", "Lo Scotro", "L'Attesa", "La Strage", and "Bamba Bambina". Il Ritorno Di Ringo follows very strongly in the spirit of the great first soundtrack in the Ringo film – this time with Bruno Nicolai handling the orchestrations of the Morricone score – but with a quality that still highlights all the best brooding sense of sound in the compositions. Titles include "Il Funerale", "Lo Sceriffo Carson", "Dai Fuentes", "La Bamba Di Barnaba", "Il Matrimonio E La Vendetta", and the English theme "Il Ritorno Di Ringo". 2CD package features lots of material – 49 tracks in all! Includes the stereo versions of the LPs of both, plus lots more mono tracks from the actual film recording – as well as the story and dialogue of the second film. CD