For some reason, Collectables chose to mix these albums by 2 different artists on one CD – but at this price, who cares? Restoration Ruin is very nice early work by Keith Jarrett – and very different than his later albums for ECM! This set is pretty hippy-dippy – and has Keith playing a variety of instruments, from piano, to guitar, to soprano sax, organ, and percussion – as well as singing, which he does in kind of a hip, bluesy, jazz-based style. The songs have actual lyrics, not scatting bits, and the feel here is almost folk rock inflected with jazz – which makes for a very interesting mix, and some really great songs that would appeal to those who like the left end of the folk/rock/jazz continuum of the late 60s. Includes the funky "All Right", plus "Restoration Ruin", "Have A Real Time", "Wonders", "You're Fortunate", and "Where Are You Going". Equally great is Bap-Tizum, a nice live session recorded by the Art Ensemble at the legendary Ann Arbor Jazz & Blues Fest. The Art Ensemble's in excellent form, and lay down a stellar performance throughout. The set ranges from driving percussion jams to spare tenor soloing with bass accompaniment. Great stuff, and one of their landmark American recordings. Includes "Unanka", "Immm", and "Odwalla". CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A smoking little set from George Harmonica Smith – an album recorded in late 60s LA, but done with plenty of Chicago blues touches! The players here are all top-shelf – and include Muddy Waters on guitar and Otis Spann on piano – who definitely help keep a Windy City vibe going on the record – that spare, raw, but electrified approach to the music that was still wonderfully fresh at the time of the sessions. And Smith's vocals alone are totally great – very deeply soulful – but also alternate strongly with sharp lines on harmonica too. Titles include "Mellow Down Easy", "Key To The Highway", "You Better Watch Yourself", "Last Night", "West Helena Woman", "Tell Me Mama", "Juke", and "Everything Gonna Be Alright". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Love With A Feelin", with vocals by Lucille Spann – plus "Just A Feelin" and "Goin Down Slow". CD

The Art Esemble of Chicago pay tribute to a surprising range of influences – from Duke Ellington to Otis Redding to Fela Kuti and Jimi Hendrix – but all in a set that's still filled with plenty of their trademark creative improvisation, too! In a way, the record's a great illustration of the changes that had come to the AACM over the course of two decades – still bold enough to break down new territory in jazz, but also feeling confident enough to claim a key role in, and link to, a larger history of African-American expression – one that's handled quite deftly here by the group! Lee Bowie joins the group a bit on synth, a relatively small addition to the core sounds from Lester Bowie on trumpet, Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell on reeds, Malachi Favors on bass, and Don Moye on percussion. Titles include a firey reading of Fela's "Zombie", which is great, plus covers of "No Woman No Cry", "Purple Haze", "These Arms Of Mine", and "Creole Love Call" – and the group's own "Ancient To The Future" suite. CD

One of our favorite albums ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – a key French session that captures the group at the height of their powers! The centerpiece of the album is the extended track "Certain Blacks (Do What They Wanna)" – done in a beautiful mix of politics and free group improvisation that come across with amazing power and clarity – making the piece one of the best translations of the Chicago AACM spirit to the European scene. Other tracks on the session include the soulfully spiritual number "One For Jarman", which captures the group at a uniquely laidback level – and the bluesy "Bye Bye Baby", which features one of the few pairings of the group with Chicago Beau and harmonica player Julio Finn. LP, Vinyl record album

Lester Bowie on trumpet, flugelhorn, and bass drum, Roscoe Mitchell on sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bamboo saxophone piccolo], bamboo flute, bells, gong, whistle, woodblocks, and chimes, Malachi Favors on bass, percussion, bells, and whistle, Famoudou Don Moye on tambourine, maracas, shekere, trap drums, congas, Bongos, timbales, bass pan drums, bendir, and bell, Lester Bowie on trumpet, flugelhorn, and bass drum. CD

A the time they were taking Paris by storm, the Art Ensemble recorded this brilliant message to folks everywhere – one of their best early albums, and a landmark in Chicago avant garde jazz! The record features the group at their best – playing very tightly, but also with a sense of whimsy and imagination. Side two features the extended track "A Brain For The Seine", a real classic by the band – and side one features versions of "Dexterity" and "Old Time Religion", plus the Roscoe Mitchell composition "Rock Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare treasure from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – recorded as a supposed third album for Atlantic records in 1974, but unissued for years until the group released it on their own! The session is a live one, recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival – and features the unique addition of Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, making for the group's first session ever with the instrument! Muhal's work nicely colors in the spare spaces on the set – giving a soaring, lyrical quality to a few of the numbers – and really standing in stark contrast to the freer solo work of the other players. At times, Abrams is playing these longer lines that almost have a McCoy Tyner sort of energy – directing the set with a tremendous searching vibe – and at other times, he joins the group in their sparer exploration of sound and space – in a mode that's similar to some of their Parisian recordings. Titles include "Sun Precondition One", "Kabalaba", "Kaba Song", "Mal's Delight", and "Improvization A2". CD

Nice 2LP set that brought the US some of the great recordings cut by the Art Ensemble while they were in Paris (some of which have also come out under the Black Lion imprint). All of the material was recorded in the Polydor Studios in Paris in 1969, and the tracks include "The Spiritual", "Tutankhamun", "Toro", "Tthintthedalen", and "Lori Song". The feel of the tracks is very laidback, spare, and similar to the material on People in Sorrow, which was recorded during the same period. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great criss-crossing of sounds and styles – one that brings together African roots, contemporary funk, and a great array of dancefloor modes served up by the various producers on the project! The record reminds us a lot of some of our favorite French work in this mode from the start of the century – particularly the Africanism series – and as with some of those records, legendary drummer Tony Allen is on hand, lending his strong arm on the kit to the grooves of the Chicago Afrobeat Project! Most tracks are nice and long – which makes the album like getting a whole stack of 12" singles – and titles include "Cut The Infection (Sol Power all stars rmx)", "I No Know (Jose Marquez Afro-House no go die rmx)", "Afro Party (Ron Trent dub)", "No Bad News (Maga Bo rmx)", "Sunday Song (Afroqbano rmx)", "White Rhino (Sound Culture rmx)", and "Afro Party (Kevin Ford rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

The first Chicago album – presented here in all its jazzy brilliance! Back in the day, we used to wince when we heard these guys – but over the years, thanks to much rediscovery of the band by groove hounds, we've really come to like their work a lot. This first album especially has some great moments – complicated jazzy bits that you might have forgotten about, and some surprisingly groovy material that sounds a lot better than you might remember! Includes the classics "Beginnings", "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is", "Questions 67 & 68", and "Listen" – plus the tracks "Someday", "I'm A Man", "Free Form Guitar", and "Liberation". CD

Jesse sings with the majestic Chicago Community Choir – on a classic set of tracks that includes "A Child Of God", "He Touched Me", "He's Sweet I Know", "It's Gonna Rain", "The Sun Will Never Go Down", and "I've Been Dipped In The Water". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest albums ever recorded – a legendary meeting between the Art Ensemble Of Chicago and inventive French singer Brigitte Fontaine! The set was recorded at the end of the 60s in Paris, and it perfectly sums up all of the incredible energy bubbling out of the post-68 years – an openness to new music, new ideas, and new forms of expression – presented here in an open, honest way that only the Saravah label could muster! Fontaine's vocals are wonderful – soft-sung and spoken, with a style that's like that of a more artful and poetic Jane Birkin – and the backings from the Art Ensemble are some of their most sensitive ever – very balanced and conscious of sound, in ways that make us wish they'd recorded a lot more like this. There's never a dull moment on the record, and the set is honestly one of the reasons we first got into this business in the first place – the kind of life-changing record that's a real honor for us to stock. Frequent Fontaine partner Areski joins in on a few tracks, and titles include "Comme A La Radio", "L'Ete L'Ete", "Le Brouillard", "Tanka II", "Leo", and "Les Petits Chevaux". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous tribute to the legendary Art Ensemble Of Chicago – a group who work here with only two of their surviving members, but with help from a constellation of jazz musicians inspired by their music! The group here is large, and includes AACM members and other younger talents – a fantastic lineup that mixes the core work of Famadou Don Moye on drums and percussion, and Roscoe Mitchell on reeds with work from Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Hugh Ragin and Fred Berry on trumpets, Tomeka Reid on cello, Jaribu Shahid and Junius Paul on basses, Enoch Williams and Titos Sompa on percussion, and Christina Wheeler on voice and a range of unusual electronic instruments! There's a very ambitious feel to the music – like some of Roscoe Mitchell's larger form creations, but with more of a spiritual jazz current that comes from the whole ensemble – and from vocal contributions from Moore Mother and Rodolfo Cordova Lebron. The double-length set features a studio album and a live album by the expanded group – and titles include "Bell Song", "We Are On The Edge", "Chi Congo 50", "Fanfare & Bell", "Odwalla/The Theme", "Tutankhamun", "Mama Koko", "Saturday Morning", and "Villa Tiamo". CD

A 10th Anniversary performance by the Chicago Tentet – a wonderful group that's become the fruitful union of saxophonist Peter Brotzmann with a younger generation of players who were working heavily on the Chicago scene at the time! Back when the group first started, it was something of an experiment – but over the following decade, the ensemble won great attention for their playing, and for good reason too – considering the solo contributions of players like Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson on reeds, Joe McPhee on trumpet and tenor, Johannes Bauer on trombone, Kent Kessler on bass, and Paal Nilssen Love on drums – all working under the visionary leadership of Peter Brotzmann! The tracks are all somewhat long and open-ended – almost more spacious than on other Chicago Tentet records, with a freely improvised feel. Titles include "Ten By Ten", "Little By Little", and "Step By Step". CD

Fantastic live material from a very unique group – the instantly-legendary meeting of reedman Peter Brotzmann with the leading lights of the Chicago avant jazz scene in the 90s – brought together into a tremendous tentet that's maybe even better than the sum of its parts! The group features Brotzmann on tenor and clarinet, Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lomberg-Holm on cello and violin, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums, Kent Kessler on bass – and "honorary Chicagoan" Mats Gustafsson on tenor and flutophone, plus Toshinori Kondo on trumpet and electronics, and William Parker on bass. Phew, that's one heck of a lineup – the kind that rivals some of the European or British improvising ensembles of decades past – but one that has its own very specific flavor, and a sound that's brimming over with youth – so much so that the non-Chicago guests really seem to gain inspiration from the core. This Okka disc set captures the band live at the 16th Victoriaville Festival in 1999. CD

A set that's a bit of a companion to the Brotzmann Chicago Tentet album Broken English – as it was recorded with the same lineup, on the same days – but a record that's also got a very different vibe of its own, thanks to the never-ending imagination of all the members of the group! As on the afore-mentioned record, the group here is expanded by two key guests – bassist William Parker and trumpeter Roy Campbell – east coast heavyweights brought in to an already great lineup that features reeds from Peter Brotzmann, Mars Williams, Mats Gustafsson, and Ken Vandermark – plus Joe McPhee on trumpet and valve trombone, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Kent Kessler on bass, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello and violin, and both Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums. Yet even with the two guests musicians, the Tentet manages to really feel the space around each individual musician in the lineup – working with amazing sensitivity, instead of overdone bombastic energy – creating sounds of chance and change on titles that include "Lightbox", "Short Visit To Nowhere", "Ellington", and "Hold That Thought". CD

Chicago on their third LP – still humming strong! The group are following the double-length format of their first two here – cutting out some sub-suites of tracks that mix together jazzy riffing, harder guitars, and some of those sweet vocal arrangements that always sounded better on these early records than on later, weaker ones. Tracks include "Sing A Mean Tune Kid", "What Else Can I Say", "Mother", "Free Country", "Motorboat To Mars", "Flight 602", "I Don't Want Your Money", "Fallin Out", "Dreamin Home", "When All The Laughter Dies In Sorrow", and "The Approaching Storm". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic step in the continuing evolution of the "Chicago Underground" project of trumpeter Rob Mazurek and drummer Chad Taylor – soaring out here in a set that's full of spiritual energy and a level of imagination that even surpasses their classic recordings from years ago! Mazurek blows piccolo trumpet, but also adds in some electronics – and Taylor is mindblowing on drums, playing with a style that's open, but always gently swinging – and matched with some synth bass from Josh Johnson, who also plays organ and piano on the set. The mighty guitarist Jeff Parker is the last member of the group – and like Mazurek, he's really come a long way in the past decade, and the quartet work together here at a level that has us falling in love with the Chicago Underground all over again. Moody at times, but never too loose – and titles include "Orgasm", "Good Days", "Batida", "All The Bells", "Unique Spiral", "Lome", "Westview", and "Strange Wing". CD

Fantastic material from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – tracks recorded during their same crucial Paris trip of 1969 that also gave the world the better-known BYG/Actual albums – but delivered in a style that's slightly different overall! There's maybe more of the cerebral side of the group at play here – that great love of small shifts, textures, and instrumental interplay – similar, maybe, to their People Of Sorrow album at times – but with a lot more force, especially in the freer moments. In addition to bass, Malachi Favors plays electric bass, sitar, and banjo – all worth the price of admission alone – and Lester Bowie plays trumpet, flugelhorn, and other instruments, while Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman handle a variety of reeds and percussion. Titles include "Tutankhamun", "The Ninth Room" and "Tthinitthedalen". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic step in the continuing evolution of the "Chicago Underground" project of trumpeter Rob Mazurek and drummer Chad Taylor – soaring out here in a set that's full of spiritual energy and a level of imagination that even surpasses their classic recordings from years ago! Mazurek blows piccolo trumpet, but also adds in some electronics – and Taylor is mindblowing on drums, playing with a style that's open, but always gently swinging – and matched with some synth bass from Josh Johnson, who also plays organ and piano on the set. The mighty guitarist Jeff Parker is the last member of the group – and like Mazurek, he's really come a long way in the past decade, and the quartet work together here at a level that has us falling in love with the Chicago Underground all over again. Moody at times, but never too loose – and titles include "Orgasm", "Good Days", "Batida", "All The Bells", "Unique Spiral", "Lome", "Westview", and "Strange Wing". LP, Vinyl record album

Features the long "Havana Blue Suite", plus "Manteca", "Seraphim", "Chega de Saudade", and "Orlando's Walk". CD

Killer live work from Jug – recorded during the early 60s in Chicago, with just an organ-based trio, and very much in the feeling of the best small-group lounge jazz shows of the day! The material is issued here in a 1967 version, its first release – but the grooves were recorded at the DJ Lounge in Chicago – at a time when Gene Ammons was turning out some very raw, rough-edged material! Organist Eddie Buster does a pretty darn good job of wailing away, and Ammons is in very different, very freewheeling form than on many of his other studio sessions from the time. Gerald Donovan is on drums – and titles include "Fast Track", "Foot Tappin", "Scrapple From The Apple", and "Jug's Blue Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A Chicago-styled performance from tenorist Fred Anderson – but done at a Polish Jazz Festival, with a trio that features Harrison Bankhead on bass and Dushun Mosley on drums! CD

An amazing recording finally sees the light of day – a beautiful set of duets between Fred Anderson on tenor and Steve McCall on percussion – both very important players of the second wave of AACM musicians in the 70s, even though both artists never fully got their due! The material was recorded in 1980, not too long before we lost McCall – and the interplay is wonderful, and really represents a shift in the energy of the AACM scene – maybe some influence from the loft jazz world of mid 70s New York, which in turn drew inspiration from late 60s Chicago – but also delivered with a sense of soul that marks Anderson as part of a key lineage of Chicago tenorists that includes Clifford Jordan, Johnny Griffin, and John Gilmore! McCall is great too – a sensitive soul, but a strong force throughout – as the duo improvise on two long tracks, "Within" and "Wandering". CD

One of the greatest releases ever from the Okka Disk label – a legendary set that stands as a great testament to the global improvising scene that exploded in Chicago during the 90s! Back in the early years of FMP, nobody would have thought to use the name "Peter Brotzmann" and "Chicago" in the same context – but by the time of these recordings, the legendary reedman had been spending quite a bit of time in the Windy City – working strongly alongside that decade's fresh generation of improvisers, at a level that also helped Brotzmann discover new energy in his music too! The lineup here is great – both octet and tentet groups that operate in an improvising orchestra tradition – with players that include Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Mars Williams on tenor and alto, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Mats Gustafsson on baritone and fluteophone, Joe McPhee on pocket cornet and valve trombone, Fred Lonberg Holm on cello, Kent Kessler on bass, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums and percussion, and Brotzmann himself on tenor, clarinet, and tarogato. The set features three different live recordings, and one long studio set recorded over two days – a fantastic collection of music. Titles include "Burning Spirit (For Kazuka Shiraishi)", "Other Brothers", "Old Bottles No Wine, "Aziz", "Foolish Infinity", "Immediate Music", "Makapoor", "Foolish Infinity", "Other Brothers" and "Divide By Zero". CD

Features Carla Campopiano on flute, Gustavo Cortinas on percussion, Gabriel Datcu & Zac Selissen on guitar, Kitt Lyles on bass, and Alba Guerra on vocals. CD

A tremendous achievement from music writer Aaron Cohen – a book that finally gets at the deeper, richer story of Chicago soul – the spirit of empowerment and pride that have always made us so honored to be part of the Windy City legacy! Cohen picks up where other soul writers have left off on Chicago – really looking at the shifts into the 70s, which included greater ties to the means of production, and an increased role in the social agenda as well – all part of an evolution in songwriting styles, production techniques, and the growing power of the full length album over the 7" single! Cohen looks at many key figures of the time – Earth Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan & Rufus, Curtis Mayfield, Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble – and the very well-researched book is a delight to read throughout – easily the deepest work that Cohen's ever given us. 234 pages, softcover, with some black and white images – and a selected discography too. Book

One of the most unique books we've ever gotten from John Corbett – an author who's given us some fantastic music writing over the years! This book is completely different – not written, but "salvaged" – as the contents are a lost manuscript from the early 30s – one that offers up a rundown of 140 different figures in the Chicago mob – some famous, some obscure – all written in this sharp style that's very to the point! The anonymous author offers no judgement in most cases, but provides a surprising amount of detail on each figure – from territory covered, to methods, to some of their important crimes – and their fates, if they ended up dead or in jail. The original manuscript is reproduced here exactly as it was found in a Chicago junk shop by Corbett – yellowed, brittle pages, each given a large page reproduction, with original typeface and typos – which makes it feel like you're handling the whole thing yourself. Corbett provides an introduction to the material – and then at the end, the book has some very cool features – a collection of all the locations referenced in the pages, 400 in all, most of which are presented on a pull-out map of Chicago that comes with the book! 232 pages, softcover, in full color. Book

... Book

Larry Coryell on guitar with Larry Gray on bass & Paul Wertico on drums. CD

Rare Okeh and Victor sessions – tracks include "Snake Hip Dance", "Diamonds In The Rough", "Big Time Woman", "Iron Daddy Blues", "Old Broke Up Shoes", "Tall Tillie's Too Tight" and "Futuristic Blues". CD

One of the first recordings to ever feature Lefty Dizz in the lead – done at a time when the singer/guitarist was a young star on the Chicago scene, but getting some key exposure here, thanks to an overseas recordings! Lefty's as great as you might guess from his name – a strong personality, but never in a way that's as hokey or overstated as he might be in the hands of a big label production – just balanced with the right sort of Chicago roots energy, in a group that also features piano and a bit of vocals from Big Moose Walker, and some additional guitar from Willie James Lyons. Titles include "Blue Shadow", "RM Blues", "Take Out Some Insurance", "Things That I Used To Do", "All Right OK You Win", "One Eyed Woman", and "Lake Shore Drive Boogie". CD features bonus tracks – "Shake For Me", "Funny Acting Woman", and "Blue Shadow (take 1)". CD

Fly the flag of our fair city – and Dusty Groove as well! This fab design is a great take on the Windy City muni flag – with 45 inserts instead of stars – all brandished in brilliant blue and burning red – amidst a super-white backdrop! Sports the new Dusty Groove logo on the back – also in red as well – and the whole thing's served up in 100% durable cotton! Measurements – Length: 32", Chest: 50", Waist 50". Clothing

Fly the flag of our fair city – and Dusty Groove as well! This fab design is a great take on the Windy City muni flag – with 45 inserts instead of stars – all brandished in brilliant blue and burning red – amidst a super-white backdrop! Sports the new Dusty Groove logo on the back – also in red as well – and the whole thing's served up in 100% durable cotton! Measurements – Length: 31", Chest: 46", Waist 46". Clothing

Fly the flag of our fair city – and Dusty Groove as well! This fab design is a great take on the Windy City muni flag – with 45 inserts instead of stars – all brandished in brilliant blue and burning red – amidst a super-white backdrop! Sports the new Dusty Groove logo on the back – also in red as well – and the whole thing's served up in 100% durable cotton! Measurements – Length: 30", Chest: 42", Waist 42". Clothing

Fly the flag of our fair city – and Dusty Groove as well! This fab design is a great take on the Windy City muni flag – with 45 inserts instead of stars – all brandished in brilliant blue and burning red – amidst a super-white backdrop! Sports the new Dusty Groove logo on the back – also in red as well – and the whole thing's served up in 100% durable cotton! Measurements – Length: 28", Chest: 40", Waist 40". Clothing

Fly the flag of our fair city – and Dusty Groove as well! This fab design is a great take on the Windy City muni flag – with 45 inserts instead of stars – all brandished in brilliant blue and burning red – amidst a super-white backdrop! Sports the new Dusty Groove logo on the back – also in red as well – and the whole thing's served up in 100% durable cotton! Clothing

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes". CD

A hell of a great live set from pianist Hampton Hawes – thanks especially to the other members of the trio! Hawes is at his free, open, 70s best on the piano – but bassist Cecil McBee really takes the record to the next level – spinning out these amazing lines that are as rhythmic as they are melodic – often crafted with that rounded tone that was his important calling card during this stretch! Drummer Roy Haynes is a bundle of energy – bursting out in surprising ways, occasionally in counterpoint to the piano and bass – and the whole thing cooks nicely on a set of extended tracks. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "Blue Bird", "St Thomas", and "Spanish Mood". CD

A hell of a great live set from pianist Hampton Hawes – thanks especially to the other members of the trio! Hawes is at his free, open, 70s best on the piano – but bassist Cecil McBee really takes the record to the next level – spinning out these amazing lines that are as rhythmic as they are melodic – often crafted with that rounded tone that was his important calling card during this stretch! Drummer Roy Haynes is a bundle of energy – bursting out in surprising ways, occasionally in counterpoint to the piano and bass – and the whole thing cooks nicely on a set of extended tracks. Titles on this second volume include "Carson Blues", "Spanish Mood", "Walking Around The Town", "Blue Bird/Blue Hamp", and "My Funny Valentine". CD

Overlooked 70s work from pianist Eddie Higgins – a longtime Chicago jazz legend, but actually recording here at a studio up in Lake Geneva! Still, the set's got all the subtle magic that Eddie was bringing to Windy City clubs back in the day – piano lines that were a lot more complex than his earlier work on bigger labels, almost effortless at most time as they tipple off his fingers with gentle care – mellow, but able to evoke generations of jazz in a single tune, while also covering a fair bit of the keyboard too. Tracks include "Greensleeves", "Valsa De Porto Das Caixas", "Air For G String", "Duke Ellington Medley", "Lela", and "How Long Has This Been Going On". CD

Franz Jackson on clarinet, Lawrence Dixon on banjo, Bill Curry on drums, Rozelle Claxton on piano, John Thomas on trombone, Bob Shoffner on trumpet & Bill Oldham on tuba. CD

The secret history of Chicago house music – a side of the scene that's even more obscure than its many rare records or long-departed clubs! The book is a fantastic follow up to the first volume – and like that one, features rare flyers, posters, and ads for some of the underground Chicago house music events and venues – some of them legitimate entertainment venues, but others more obscure hole-in-the-wall places – including some churches that were surprising hosts to house music events back in the day! The book has no text, but features full color reproductions of dozens of flyers and posters – most of them very detailed and vibrant, with loads of information on obscure artists, DJs, and other forces helping to make house music happen – often emblazoned with addresses that will come as a real surprise if you only know the Chicago of the 21st Century! A beautiful book – and one that makes us proud to call Chicago our home. Book

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". CD

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Matt Murphy is a hell of a guitarist – one with roots in Memphis, and many years of work on the Chicago electric scene – where he recorded as a key session man during the 50s, on a range of classic tracks you'll hear on this set! In truth, Murphy maybe never got his full due a as a frontline name until later work in the Blues Brothers – but here, as a much younger musician, he's still completely on fire – adding his skills to tracks by some of the biggest names of the time! Titles include "Slim's Blues", "Lend Me Your Love", "Sassy Mae", "Lonesome", "I'll Just Keep On Singing The Blues", "Four Years Of Torment", and "Little Piece Of Mind" by Memphis Slim; "Lonesome Room Blues" and "Messin With The Man" by Muddy Waters; "You're My Angel" and "Bad Women Bad Whiskey" by Junior Parker; "Drifting From Town To Town" and "Good Lovin" by Bobby Blue Bland; "Do Yourself A Favor" and "You Never Miss Your Water" by Billy The Kid Emerson – and more with Chuck Berry, Otis Rush, and Earl Forrest! CD

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A record that's a bit of a dream come true for us at Dusty Groove – a set that features two of our favorite contemporary musicians, recording at a unique venue in our fair city – with a vibe that makes the record one of the best we've ever heard from the pair! Carlos Nino was one of the first of the new generation of spiritual jazz musicians – playing in such modes when it seemed like most others had forgotten them – and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson was a frequent partner in those days, and has risen to have a great legacy of his own, both as a performer and arranger for larger projects! The setting here is spare, but has all the majesty of the best work from either musician – as Miguel plays a five string violin, expanded with lots of live effects – and Nino plays a variety of percussion, while also triggering larger soundscapes too – all with a very organic vibe, as the whole thing was recorded live at Chicago's Co-Prosperity Sphere. The album features one long suite, divided into eight sections – the last of which is the beautiful "Chicago Waves". CD

Evan Parker sounds wonderful here – on a 90s session recorded in Chicago, but a record that may well stand with our favorites from his earliest years on vinyl! Parker was sometimes sounding more academic and dry at this point in his career, but he really wakes up our ears here too – maybe in part because the album's his first-ever solo effort on tenor, in contrast to a number of other records over the years in a Lacy-like fashion, recorded with solo soprano sax! A few tunes are dedicated to heroes and inspirations – Lee Konitz, Anthony Braxton, George Lewis, and Chris McGregor – and the album features 14 solo tenor tracks in all. CD

Two legendary tenorists, coming together here in a record that's one of the most striking from both players at the time – a real return to the spare space of some of Joe McPhee's earliest albums, and some of the sharper edges that Evan Parker wasn't always giving us in the 90s! The setting is as basic as the title, but the sound is amazing – two giants, freely improvising in open space – making some amazing textures and tones together, but really shifting in mood from track to track – at a level that's completely spellbinding all the way through – a record that bristles with the kind of energy you'd expect from an older FMP session. An instant avant classic – with a total of 11 tracks in all! CD

CD adds three tracks by Johnny Big Moose Walker. CD

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Earlier recordings by Jimmy Reed, most likely done at the end of the 60s – but issued here for the first time in this 1973 package by Bluesway. Jimmy's working here in a mode that's almost rootsier than his more famous work for Vee Jay – singing with a really rough edge, and playing harmonica on most of the album's tracks. Al Smith handled production and wrote a number of tunes on the set, and Eddie Taylor is in the group on second guitar. Titles include "I Don't Know (parts 1 & 2)", "Got To Be A Reason", "Take Out Some Insurance", "World's Got A Problem", "If You Want It Done Right", "Turn Me On", and "Got Me Worried". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful book on the Chicago jazz scene, and the things that make it really special – not the Windy City world of years back – when Ramsey Lewis and other big names were dominating things – but Chicago in more recent years, when the city has been a non-stop hotbed of continuous creative activity! Musician Mike Reed is the guiding force here – himself a key part of the growth of the past decade or two – and the presentation is very unique, with a short essay on a key musician, accompanied by a photo, then also a piece of music by the artist – transcribed on full sheet music, scoring a key contribution – in a way that makes the large volume both a history book and a book of sheet music as well. Entries are by key critical forces on the Chicago scene – John Corbett, Peter Margasak, John Litweiler, Neil Tesser, and others – and the presentation is as beautiful as the sounds it seeks to document. Entries include sections on Nicole Mitchell, Jason Adasiewicz, Ken Vandermark, Jeff Parker, Von Freeman, Mantana Roberts, Willie Pickens, and many others – and the book is oversize, 154 pages, softcover, and in two-tone color throughout. Book

Some of the coolest music we've ever heard from Tomeka Reid – a soundtrack for a film based on the Chicago school of imagist painting in the 60s – nicely scored with music from the windy city itself! Reid composed the different selections on the soundtrack – most of which are different themes for Hairy Who artists, such as Ed Paschke, Ray Yoshida, Jim Nutt, and others – and the music features Reid's cello and the percussion of Adam Vida, plus some slight vocalizations at a few haunting moments! The music is surprisingly tuneful at most points – and quite beautiful as well – and titles include "Jizz & Jazz", "Hairy Shoes", "Tin Eared Tenor", "Dappled Pleasure Dress", "O Number I", "The Design & The Dilemma", and "Snooper Trooper". CD

Massive issue with a great interview (with amazing photos) with Chicago 60s and 70s behind-the-scenes soul music queen Helen Saffold, another ridiculous Nardwuar interview with Snoop Dogg, the story of British Invasion pin-up boy Ian Whitcomb, Metal graphic designer Dennis Dread's visit to Frank Frazetta's art collection, the tragic tale of underground comix rebel Jim Osborne, Cleveland 70s punk legends Easter Monkeys, Plastic Crimewave salutes the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, an in-the-booth interview with White Sox organist Nancy Faust on the eve of her retirement, an insiders look into the Ramones, and tons of comix, reviews, and obituaries. Magazine

Chicago Soul/New York Underground issue. Songwriter/manager Bernice Williams recalls the early days of Gene Chandler/The Du-Kays, and the true story of "Duke of Earl"; Northern Soul legends the Conquistadors tell tales of 1960s West Side Chicago teenage R&B (plus the first soul Jesus concept album); Do "The Chimp" with Chicago 60s garage rocker/R&B singer Jerry Mundo; H. Dwight Thompson tells tales of 70s NYC punk with the Heat and Klaus Nomi's first band! Relive the early Hip Hop parties of the Disco Fever nightclub; Nardwuar meets Jay-Z and N*E*R*D*; plus great interviews with Chris Montez and Doug Randle, and amazing tributes (by those who knew them) to Lux Interior, Michael Jackson, Billy Lee Riley, Sid Lavarents, Sky Saxon and (sadly) more. And amazing comix about Lennon, Danzig, Hagar, record store clerks, hot dogs, riots, and much more by the best underground cartoonists on earth! 120 pages. Magazine

The Chicago R&B coverage includes an in depth exploration of Chicago's local after school TV show Soul Train show – which ran from 1970-1979 – and a conversation with Chicago's radical Sounds of Black. Plus 30 pages exploring all aspects of truck driving music including lengthy interviews with Jerry Reed and Joe Stampley. Also features Dave Dudley, Red Sovine, Del Reeves, Red Simpson, Stompin' Tom Connors, CW McCall, Starday Records, Sweet Charles Sherrel and more. Plus Flavor Flav interviewed by Nardwuar, Incredible Stage Wrestling, Joe E., and tons of comix and countless reviews. Magazine

The title's an apt one here, as Jimmy Rogers was one of the many bluesmen who started out in the south, but headed to Chicago for greater fame – which was a good thing for Chess Records, who managed to come some of these great sides in the 50s! Rogers both sings and plays guitar – the later of which has a sometimes snakey quality that almost echoes a slight bit of jazz – a mode that recalls some of the inventions T Bone Walker was putting down at the time, but a little bit rootsier overall. Players on these sessions include Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Otis Spann, and Willie Dixon – and tracks include "Money Marbles & Chalk", "Ludella", "You're The One", "Back Door Friend", "I Used To Have A Woman", "Sloppy Drunk", "Blues Leave Me Alone", and "Walking By Myself". CD

One of the most unique books to ever look at the music of Sun Ra – and one that's very near and dear to our hearts, given that the role of Chicago is seen as vital to the development of the music! The book digs very deep into Ra's early years – time that isn't covered in as much details as in other projects – and the book paints a picture of the city that's as vivid as the jazz legend himself – showing how postwar Chicago did a lot to shape the early sounds and ideas of Ra – which were then shaped the man himself. William Sites comes at the project from a different perspective than most music writers – which makes for a very fresh volume that may well open up whole new territory in the exploration of jazz and community. 313 pages, softcover, with black and white images. Book

A beautiful combination of words and image – as the poetry of Patricia Smith is combined with vintage 70s photographs by Michael Abramson – the same sort of material that was featured in the Light On The Southside book/album from the Numero Group! This presentation is quite different than that one, though – as Abramson's images from Chicago nightclubs are presented on stark full pages, often with Smith's words as a sidebar – as if she's writing lyrics to his music, in a collaboration that comes off beautifully. As with Light On The Southside, the photographs here were taken at Chicago clubs that include Pepper's Hideout, Perv's House, and The High Chapparal – but they seem nicely different here, and include a number of images that were not in that book. 190 pages, hardcover, and filled with striking images and black and white. Book

A much-needed look at the genius of The Art Ensemble Of Chicago – one of the coolest, most compelling groups to emerge in the great wave of avant jazz in the late 60s – and one who continued to give the world a lifetime legacy of groundbreaking music! There's been plenty written on the group over the years, but author Paul Steinbeck really takes things further – by bringing his own musicological training to play with the performances of the group – expanding our understanding of their sounds with rich interpretation of key moments – balanced out nicely by a fuller history of the group and its individual members – and their importance both on the American and global jazz scenes during the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The book is a very hefty read – 346 pages, with a fair bit of notes and references that show the huge amount of work that the author put into the project. 346 pages, softcover, with some black and white images. Book

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A set that was actually recorded in France, many years before the start of the Chicago Blues Festival – but with a great Windy City group that includes Eddie Taylor and Louis Myers on guitars, David Myers on bass, and Fred Bellow on drums – all of whom ensure that there's a great Chicago electric vibe all the way through! Both Roosevelt Sykes and Homesick James provide vocals – and Sykes is on piano, James on guitar – moving through material that might sound a bit more traditional in another setting, but which really comes off well here in the company of the Chicagoans. Titles include "Domestic Nurse Blues", "Put Up Or Shut Up", "That's All Right For You", "Shake Your Money Maker", "Homesick's Rock", and "I've Got To Move". CD features 8 more bonus tracks! CD

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Percussionist Yoshisaburo Toyozumi – aka Sabu – heads up a brilliant set of creative jazz based on compositions by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – in a record that's clearly titled with a nod to the musical achievements of the AACM! The album's three long tracks are all AEC compositions – and they're performed by the group with a style that's got the same sort of organic improvisation we love in the Art Ensemble – a mode that's free, yet never too much so – and always skewed with just the right sort of spiritual currents. Toyozumi plays a lot of different percussion – and the group also features Syoji Ukaji on baritone sax, Ryoh Hara on piano, and a bit of alto sax from Yoshiaki Fujikawa. Titles include 'Malachi's Tune", "Roscoe's Tune Odwalla", and "People In Sorrow". CD

No blues at all – despite the title – and a great set of tracks that showcases the southside Chicago tenor roots of Clarence Wheeler! The album's a bit different than the first two Wheeler albums for Atlantic – in that the group's slightly bigger, and more 70s electric overall – opening up a bit from the small combo club mode that Clarence brought into play, but still keeping things soulful and edgey throughout! At times, the backings even get a bit ambitious – almost hinting at a Cadet Records vibe – with arrangements by Wheeler, Reggie Boyd, Ken Chaney, and Sonny Burke. All players are Chicagoans, and include Louis Satterfield on bass, Sonny Burke on organ and electric piano, Henry Gibson on percussion, and Larry "The Lar With The Flair" Frazier on guitar. Titles include "Kuumba", "Miss Gee", "Oblighetto", "How Could I Let You Get Away", and "New Chicago Blues". CD

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Features tracks by Mama Yancey, Little Brother Montgomery, Henry Benson, and Mississippi Sheik – all recorded in Chicago in 1961! CD

Features Johnny Young on vocals and guitar, Otis Spann on piano, and James Cotton on harmonica! Titles include "Stealin", "My Train Fare Out Of Town", "I'm Having A Ball", "Wild Wild Woman", "Cross Cut Saw", and "Moaning & Groaning". LP, Vinyl record album

Features work by Eddie Boyd, Magic Sam, Jody Williams, Johnny Shines, Howlin Wolf, Bo Diddley, Baby Face Leroy, and others! CD

DJ Deep does it again – and takes us on a magical journey across decades and cities – bringing back some lost house music gems from Chicago, Detroit, and New York – most of which are from the late 80s and early 90s independent years of the scene! There's a nicely simple sound to most of the tracks here – a style that takes house music back to the core elements of its roots without getting trapped in cliche or overplayed tracks – just simple beats, keys, and maybe a dash of vocals – plus usually a core element that develops as the track rolls on, changing slightly through the minimalist progression of the tune. 2CD set features a both mixed and unmixed disc – with titles that include "The Numbers" by Rodney Baker, "Bring U Up" by Romanthony, "Drum Drum" by Jovonn, "Let Your Body Talk" by Ace & The Sandman, "I'll Never Let You Go" by William S, "I'm So Deep" by Vincent Floyd, "Pump That Body (deep house mix)" by Mr Lee, "Motivation Song" by G Strings, "Whispers" by Ron Allen, "Rain Forest" by Lowkey, and "Feel The Fire/Urban Culture" by Naomi Danielle. CD

Jamie 3:26 bills himself as "the next level of house" – and that definitely feels like the case here, as the Chicago DJ serves up very long edits and mixes of a host of great tracks – one club cut from the mid 70s, Chicago house classics from the late 80s, and a few underground tracks from more recent years! Jamie really brings a lot to the music here – emphasizing the greatness of the tunes in ways that we never would have expected, yet still keeping the genius of the originals intact – at a level that finally gives the rest of the world a chance to hear what he can bring to a well-crafted set on the dancefloor! Titles include "Venus & Mars (Jamie 3:26 edit)" by BSTC, "Comin On Strong (Jamie 3:26 basement edit)" by Calendar, "It's House (Jamie's basement edit)" by Chip E, "Jungle (Jamie's jungle sounds edit)" by Jungle Wonz, "Lesson (Doc Brucio's orig mix – Jamie 3:26 edit)" by Mighty Science, "Mind Games (underground mix – Jamie 3:26 edit)" by Quest, and "Stomps N Shouts (Jamie 3:26 edit)" by Braxton Holmes. CD