... CD

Still part of the classic early run of the group – one of the most production for an act like this in the 70s – and an album that still has them putting out a double-length set of goodness! Titles include "Byblos", "Song Of The Evergreens", "Searchin So Long", "Call On Me", "Skinny Boy", "Woman Don't Want To Love Me", "Hanky Panky", "Life Saver", "Happy Man", "Aire", and "Devil's Sweat". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Led by Mike Walbridge on tuba, with Uncle Chet on vocals, Kim Cusack on clarinet, Johnny Cooper on piano, Mike Hugo on washboard, Eddie Lynch on banjo, and Fat Daddy Dawes on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

Orbert Davis' orchestral composition, performed by Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, inspired by photographs from The Lost Panoramas: When Chicago Changed Its River and the Land Beyond, which documents the historic reversal of the Illinois River at the turn of the 20th Century. CD

... 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". CD

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

Led and arranged by trumpeter Ray Linn; with Mary Ann McCall on vocals; Gary Foster on clarinet, alto and baritone sax, and flute; Eddie Miller on tenor sax and clarinet; Bob Havens on trombone; Dave Frishberg on piano; Jim Hughart on string bass; and Dick Berk on drums and percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

... 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. LP, Vinyl record album

... 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". LP, Vinyl record album

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

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 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

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". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great session from 1959 – one that features John Coltrane playing with the Adderley group, recorded in Chicago when they were stopping through the city with Miles Davis' combo at the time! In fact, since the rhythm section includes Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb – and since Coltrane's sitting in with Cannon – the album's essentially a Kind Of Blue-era Miles album, recorded without Miles on trumpet, and grooving in a slightly more soul-based Adderley mode. Given the presence of Coltrane, there's a bit less of the gutbuckety soul jazz that Cannon was cutting in his own Quintet – but that's more than ok with us, as the Coltrane solos more than make up for that difference! The set's got 2 great originals by Coltrane – "The Sleeper" and "Grand Central" – plus the cuts "Wabash" and "Limehouse Blues". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 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

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

A beautiful book on the imagist art movement in Chicago – a late 60s burst of creativity that was one of the greatest visual moments in the city at the time – filled with striking, colorful, and cartoony images such as the one on the cover! The book was done in collaboration with the Corbett Vs Dempsey gallery and the Indianapolis Museum Of Art – and mixes history, essay, and a huge amount of full color artwork – pieces by Ray Yoshida, Art Green, Robert Lostutter, Barbara Rossi, Philip Hanson, Roger Brown, Karl Wirsum, Ed Pasche, and others – most from the original key moment of the movement, but also featuring some stunning works from later years too. The book is over 200 pages, hardcover, and full color throughout – full of all sorts of strands of history and information that really illuminate this creative moment that's been sometimes lost to folks on the coasts! Book

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

Composed and arranged by trumpeter Orbert Davis and performed by the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic featuring Nicole Mitchell, Ari Brown, and special guest Willie Pickens. CD

Back in the 90s, the DKV trio were one of the strongest forces in the Chicago improvising scene – a great group that featured Ken Vandermark on reeds, Kent Kessler on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums – working together with a really boundless sense of energy! This set has the group making a great appearance at the Wels Music Festival in 1998 – stepping out in a way that's a bit different than some of their previous recordings. At the festival, the trio played their incredibly haunting version of Don Cherry's "Complete Communion", drawn out into an extended suite, with the addition of the group's "Memory Sketch", in homage to Cherry. That set is paired here with some material captured on the group's home turf in Chicago – featuring 3 long improvised tracks recorded at Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge. The Chicago material comprises a second disc in this 2CD set, and it includes the titles "Blues For Tomorrow", "Open Door", and "Burning Sky". CD

Includes work with Jimmy Blythe's Owls, the Beale Street Washboard Band, and Jimmy Bertrand's Washboard Wizards featuring Louis Armstrong, and his own group the Black Bottom Stompers. 16 cuts in all. 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

With John Campbell II on piano, Todd Coolman on bass, and Gerry Gibbs on drums.3t LP, Vinyl record album

Johnny Griffin on tenor sax, Roy Hargrove on trumpet and flugelhorn, Kenny Barron or Peter Martin on piano, Christian McBride and Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Victor Lewis or Gregory Hutchinson on drums. CD

... CD

Nicole Hollander's best known for her work in the field of comics – but she's also a native of our fair city of Chicago – and does a really wonderful job here of detailing her childhood on the west side of the city! Hollander mixes illustration and narrative in a great way – almost with a format that looks like a children's book, but with content that would bore most kids – but is fascinating for us, as we get a glimpse into years in our city that we didn't live through – as Hollander talks about the cops, gangsters, Catholics, and other characters in her youth. 124 pages, softcover, with color illustrations throughout. Book

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

A live trio date with bassist John Heard and drummer Yoron Israel. CD

A really amazing look at the secret art and language of gang culture in Chicago – the most detailed book we've ever seen to examine the words on the street during the 60s, 70s, and 80s! Chicago had a very special sort of language to communicate gang activity and culture during the heyday of the city's big gangs – graffiti that was filled with codes and symbols, and which really predated major street art in New York – plus a network of patches, business cards, and other objects that conveyed a special sort of numerology and message – sometimes harmless words about parties and events, sometimes essential details about the criminal underworld. This book is fascinating on so many different levels – not just a prurient true crime story, but instead a very detailed examination of gang culture in terms of linguistics, visual media, and representation. Yet all that detail doesn't make things too dry, either – as the book is overflowing with photos and images – examples of street graffiti, countless business cards, patches, portraits, and more – even some maps at the back. The whole thing is a massive 375 pages, full color throughout, and very beautifully done! Book

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One of Hubert Laws' funkiest records for CTI – recorded with a full group funky style that's plenty darn great, and a lot harder-hitting than some of Hubert's more laidback sessions for the label! Arrangements are by Bob James and Laws – working here with a large batch of players who come together beautifully, almost in the style of a funky 70s cop show soundtrack! James plays keyboards, and other players include George Benson, Phil Upchurch, Stanley Clarke, Randy Brecker, Don Grolnick, and Ron Carter – on titles that include James' own "Chicago Theme", a great cover of "Midnight At The Oasis" with wonderful drums from Steve Gadd, who also kicks it nice and large on Laws' own "I Had A Dream". Other tracks include "Going Home", "I Had A Dream", and "Inflation Chaser". LP, Vinyl record album

Curtis Mayfield, and a heck of a lot of greatness from the Chicago scene of the early 70s – music that comes from a rare TV special that also features guest appearances from Leroy Hutson, Jerry Butler, and Gene Chandler! Don't confuse this one with the 2LP Curtis Live set issued around the same time – as this record's got a tighter, fuller sound overall – a great illustration of Mayfield's growing fame as a solo act – although a set that's also generous enough to also feature appearances from both the new version of The Impressions, plus the original trio lineup too! Titles include "Superfly", "Love Oh Love", "Preacher Man", "For Once In My Life", and "I'm So Proud". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal early set on the Okka Disk label – the important Chicago avant imprint who began documenting an important stretch of the career of Joe McPhee – much as the Hat Hut label had begun 20 years before! The set features performances recorded during McPhee's first appearance in Chicago during the mid 90s – the start of a beautiful relationship that would continue for decades to come – and McPhee blows both reeds and trumpet, in a trio with Ken Vandermark on saxes and Kent Kessler on bass – all working together in a very open studio format that has the players shifting between trio work, to solo and duo performances too. The recording is crucial – as McPhee's sensitivity brings out a whole new side of both Chicago players – on titles that include "Heart Of The Matter", "A Meeting In Chicago", "Breakneck Ridge", "Lalibela", "Empty Bottle Blues", "Fourteen Years Later", and "I Leave You Love". CD

Tracks include "Doctor Jazz", "Sidewalk Blues", "Dead Man Blues", "Black Bottom Stomp", "Billy Goat Stomp", "Mr. Jelly Lord", "Cannon Ball Blues", and "The Chant" – 23 tracks in all, including quite a few alternate takes. 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

Strong work from the Peterson Trio's London House gig in Chicago in 1961 – material that offers some slightly longer than usual takes on the group's sound, especially on a few numbers that really let Oscar open up on the keys! The group here is the legendary combo with Ed Thigpen on drums and Ray Brown on bass – but on the album's long versions of "Sometimes I'm Happy", "In The Wee Small Hours" and "Chicago", it's Oscar's inventive work on the keys that really dominates the nearly 10 minute run of each track. Other shorter tunes include "Billy Boy", "Whisper Not", and "The Night We Called It A Day". Includes five bonus tracks. CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Produced and mixed by Steve Silk Hurley. 12-inch, Vinyl record

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

Jerry Steinhilber on drums and cymbals, Larry Kohut on bass, Jim Trompeter on piano, and George Garzone on tenor and soprano saxophone. CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 40 tracks on 2 CDs. 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

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Wilco's incredible Kicking Television live album – from a rock band that defies convention and cliche – so who else to make one of the best, most interesting and adventurous live albums of the decade! The group was arguably at its live peak in the mid aughts, when Kicking Television was recorded in a residency at their hometown Chicago's Vic Theatre in May of '05. CD

Mars Williams presents a great installment in this surprisingly long-running series – a really unusual mix of Christmas songs with the avant jazz inspiration of Albert Ayler – served up here in two different performances – one recorded in Chicago, the other in New York! As with the previous volumes, there's a stunning mix of sounds going on – some of the sentiment you might get in a Holiday tune, which seems to open up the more human corners of Ayler music – which includes snippets of "Spirits", "The Truth Is Marching In", "Omega", and "Change Has Come" – folded together with Christmas themes on these beautiful long improvisations! The Chicago group features Williams on saxes and toy instruments – plus Josh Berman on cornet, Jim Baker on piano and viola, Kent Kessler on bass, Brian Sandstrom on bass and guitar, and Steve Hunt on drums – and the New York group features Steve Swell on trombone, Hilliard Greene on bass, Chris Corsano on drums, Nels Cline on guitar, and Fred Lonberg Holm on cello. Vinyl version features two side-long tracks – two versions of "Noel Omega Change Has Come For The Three Kings Who Lit The Tiny Candles" – one by each group! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes music by King Oliver's Jazz Band, Walter Barnes & His Royal Creolians, Jack Teagarden, Earl Hines, Erskine Tate, Doc Cooke & His Dreamland Orchestra, and others – 25 tracks in total. CD

Incredible third coast salsa from the late 70s – amazing stuff from the orquestras of Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label – made by singers and players in Chicago's Puerto Rican community of the period that stands up just as well today! Chicago salsa, unlike more nationally popular styles, was rooted in the city's rich Puerto Rican community. They cover material adapted from traditionals and more, done with less pan-Caribbean derived sounds than the Cuban-rooted salseros of NYC and Miami. As fondly remembered as the players of the Chicago salsa scene are by the older Puerto Rican community, records by Orquestas La Justicia, La Solucion, Juventad Tipica '78, Tipica Leal '79 and others are terribly hard to find. Not only has Numero managed to compile a terrific batch of songs, the sound quality is impeccable, too! Titles include "Plena Matrimonial" by Ebirac All-Stars featuring La Calandria & Ramito, "Stone Flower", "Alegre Jibarito", "Guaguanco Coroco" and more by La Justicia, "Afro Theme" and "Ano Nuevo Y Reyes" by Juventud Tipica '78, "A Bailar Son Montuno", "El Gordo Y El Flaco" and "Mini Minoso" by La Solucion, "Mozambique" by La Solucion featuring Mongo Santamaria, "Donde Estabas" by Tipica Leal '79 and more, plus the bonus "Ebirac Radio Spot". The booklet is lavish, too – full of notes and photos that that make it all the more revelatory – providing a historical perspective that can't be overpraised! CD

... CD

Music from the Hoyle Brothers, Los Guitarristas, Nelson & Paola Sosa, Sisal, Paulina Garcia, Ktie Moritz, Elaine Moore, and more. CD

Foxy R&B, and a fair bit of soul as well – wonderful work from the previously-untapped Paso and Foxy record labels – headed up by legendary Chicago DJ Richard Stamz! Stamz was a key early force in African-American broadcasting in the Windy City – an important DJ not just in blues and soul, but also a TV figure as well – one who really helped get a heck of a lot of great music started in the early days of soul! This package features some real killers by artists who do a great job of skirting the rough line between blues and soul in Chicago in the 60s – some of whom would record more famously on other labels, like One-Der-Ful, but who really sound great here. The package was put together by the folks who've researched and recounted Stamz colorful life in print – and has a great array of rare music, plus stories of the DJ as well. Titles include "Say You Love Me" by Harold Burrage, "The Buzzard" by Freddie Robinson, "What's The Matter With You Sam" by The Ideals, "Just One More Time" by Loretta Branch, "You Gonna Cry" by Flora D, "I'm Trying" by Lee Shot Williams, "Gittin Along" by Willie Williams with the Howlin Wolf Band, "Goin Home" by Mary Johnson, "Please Love Me" by Harold Burrage, "Romeo Joe (part 1)" by Robert & The Rockin Ravens, and "Garlen's Mambo" by Ze Majestics. CD

Music from Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Jimmy Reed, Elmore James, Eddie Taylor, Howlin' Wolf, Junior Wells, Otis Spann, J.B. Lenoir, Little Walter, Otis Rush, Earl Hooker, Sunnyland Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Lockwood Jr, Billy Boy Arnold, Luther Allison, and Hound Dog Taylor & The House Rockers. 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

A killer look at one of the most compelling labels on the Chicago house scene of the 80s – a tiny imprint, but one that cut some mighty important music – especially sounds that would have great resonance in the global acid explosion at the end of the decade! The work here has edges that are often a bit sharper than those of more familiar house at Trax Records – and a rhythmic intensity that's very focused, very stripped-down, and very much distilled to the core essence of Chicago house – that harder punch that's informed by a lot of European work at the start of the 80s, but turned towards the decimated disco scene in the US – to rise up a whole new generation with a great burst of energy! The package is maybe the best we've seen so far from Still Music – and features these very detailed notes that tell the fascinating story of the label's rise and short history – really getting at the midwestern melting pot that made house music so great. Titles include "Kill Yourself Dancing" by Razz, "Lover Man" by Ben Mays, "It Could Be Acid" by White Knight, "Face The Music (dub mix)" by Boom Boom & Master Plan, "Persia" by Modern Mechanical Music, "Electric Baile (commercial mix)" by Master Plan, "I Want You (transcontinental mix)" by Hex Complexx, and "Rock The Nation (Kenny Jason rmx)" by Matt Warren. 2CD set features a whopping 21 tracks in all! CD

A cool collection from the earliest years of the Chicago house music scene – a time when the city's grooves were maybe as beholden to the styles from overseas as they were the new vibe going on in the Windy City! Lots of these tracks have heavier beats than basslines, and almost reflect some of the ways that New York street soul was using drum machines in the years after hip hop got going – but there's also an approach that shows that strong Chicago love of import dance records from the UK, Italy, and beyond – with modes that were borrowed strongly, then reshaped to make the more familiar grooves that influenced generations to come. As with other Still Music projects, the package is as much a history lesson as a music compilation – a great look into a tiny little label, with detailed notes, and tracks that include "Jump Trax Mix Down" by Duane Thamm Jr, "Single Girl (voc)" by Knight Action with Sedenia, "R-Trax (special mix)" by Knight Action, "Crazy Or Not (inst)" by Mike Tomaselli, "Nobody (club mix)" by Joey O & Out Of Control, "I Like That In You (dub)" by Belinda Hoover, "Crazy Or Not (virgin)" by Mike Tomaselli, "R-Trax/D-Rail (single dance mix)" by Knight Action featuring Sedenia, and "Jump Trax Mix Up" by Duane Thamm Jr. CD

Rally songs for all your favorite Chicago sports teams. CD

Dancefloor soul, disco, boogie and otherwise club ready jams from the early 70s to mid 80s from Chicago and beyond – an excellent batch of rare grooves put together by Mr. Peabody's – a great follow up to excellent Real Sound Of Chicago compilation on BBE! As justly revered as the Chicago scene is for the pioneering club music of the 80s is, the soul and disco of the 70s years and some of boogie and other sounds that ran parallel with the house scene in the 80s too often get overlooked. We love us a soulful history lesson, but what's most important is how great the music is throughout this set – which moves a bit beyond Chicago, too! The CD version features 23 tracks on 2CDs – one disc devoted to Chicago and the other to the Beyond: with "Cancion Ritual" by Hot Pepper, "What You Got Left For Love" by Kenny Wells, "Do What You Can Do" by Spaceark, "Loves Gonna Find You" by Judy Clayton, "Lover" by Lily Fields, "Build (Pts 1 & 2)" by Kurtis Scott, "Space Disco Boogie" by Total Eclipse and "She's Hot" by Sun Sect feat Pam, "Mugged By Love (Instrumental)" by Nate Williams, "I've Got To Break Away (Instrumental)" by Vanatti, "Chega" by Clive Stevens and more. CD

The kind of record that makes us mighty proud to live in the Windy City – and a long-overdue look at the wealth of rare club, disco, and soul cuts bubbling in the Chicago underground at the end of the 70s! During the early part of the decade, the city was widely known for some super-huge soul acts – and in the 80s, house would raise Chicago to international fame – but in the space between, the city kept on putting out some really wonderful music – wicked little cuts issued on small indie labels, most of which never got any circulation outside the midwest! The Mr Peabody crate-digging team's collected together the best of the best from these overlooked years – and also threw in a few of their own edits too – furthering the dancefloor potential of some of the best rare nuggets. 2LP version features 8 cuts – including "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again" by Carmen Amez – plus seven Mr Peabody edits – versions of "Too Far Gone" by LaJohn & Sheela, "The Challenge" by Billy Hinton, "The Composer" by Fantasie, "Running To A Disco" by Lonnie Givens, "Bass Come Back" by The Moore Brothers, "Disco Ball" by Brighter Side Of Darkness, and "Your Love Is In The Pocket" by Premonition. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer compilation and a testament to the creative strength of the Chicago music scene! Situation 2, like it's predecessor, is a benefit effort for city's live performance venues that were dark for most of 2020 & first half of 2021 due to the pandemic and it's as diverse as the city itself, with jazz, rock, hip hop, soul and more they defies genres and straddles eras. Includes "Slippin' Into Darkness" by Jeff Parker, "Keep The Rhythm Goin" by Fess Grandiose, "Great American" by Umphrey's McGee featuring Bela Fleck "Sinistry (Live From Definite Versions)" by Mirrors, "Reduxion"by Imperial Boxmen, "The Maker" by The God*amn Gallows, "Really Do Care" by VV Lightbody, "Drowning" by Neptune's Core" and "The Parting Glass" by Erin McGougald. LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare gospel recordings from the Chicago scene of the 70s – all served up on a family of labels that were tied together in the same way as some of the indie soul and funk labels of the time! Producer Harold Freeman recorded most of this music, at a time between big opportunities for gospel acts on larger labels – and the work includes some much bigger names who'd later go onto great fame, and some key Chicago artists who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – represented here with recordings that appeared on the Righteous, Peace, and Michael record labels. The 2CD set is a fantastic look into this small local scene – presented with very detailed notes on Freeman and his recordings – in support of a batch of 46 tracks that includes work by the Gospel Sensationals, Inspirational Singers, Rev Maceo Woods, James E Lenox, Brother Ed Smith, Wings Of Heaven Choir, Sammie Cheatham, Voices Of Cosmopolitan, Reba Harris, Pearl McGhee, Windy City Four, and many others! CD

This ain't Chicago, but the sound here owes plenty to the Windy City as well – as the collection documents an amazing criss-crossing of cultural modes that occurred when early UK house musicians took the sound of the underground into the bigger British club scene! In a way, this music's a third chapter in a journey that began when the post-disco American underground were digging the styles of the British electronic generation – then began to craft their own music with early house productions from Chicago and Detroit. These rose in such popularity with UK listeners, that by the end of the 80s, the grooves reversed themselves, and flowed back over the Atlantic – inspiring musicians like these to take the best elements of American house music, particularly Chicago acid, and push it even further into something new! And while the generation yielded plenty of lame tracks and crossover pop, this set shows the real deal – those excellent initial singles that made digging UK singles almost as great as US ones, at least for a brief while. 2LP package features 10 titles that include "Take Me High (mansion mix)" by Colm III, "Show Me What You Got (acid mix part 1)" by SLF, "Jealousy & Lies" by Julian Jonah, "Where's The Love Gone (rmx)" by Julie Stapleton, "Safety Zone" by Exocet, "Pressure Dub" by Ability II, "1666 (pyro-maniac mix)" by MD Emm, "Free To Be" by Window Smashers, "Twin Tub" by Return Of The Living Acid, and "Crashing" by Baby Ford. LP, Vinyl record album

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

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With selections by The Wolveringes, Sioux City Six, The Rhythm Jugglers, and The Bucktown Five. LP, Vinyl record album