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

Includes their classic "Saturday In The Park" – plus "Dialogue (parts 1 & 2)", "State Of The Union", "A Hit By Varese", "All Is Well", "Goodbye", "Alma Mater", and "While The City Sleeps". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Something In This City Changes People", "Rediscovery", "In Terms Of Two", "Hollywood", "Feelin Stronger Every Day", "Jenny", and "Darlin Dear". LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

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A Windy City group who really live up to their name – working here with a set of all original material by their tenorist, John Fournier – who's got a great way with the sort of tune you might have heard from Horace Silver or Blue Mitchell back in the day! The group comes across with a vibe that makes the whole thing seem effortless – not one of these contemporary combos who are trying too hard for a vintage Blue Note vibe, but a set of younger musicians who let that spirit inform them, while they take off in their own direction – with Fournier on tenor, Marques Carroll on trumpet, Amr Fahmy on Fender Rhodes, Larry Brown Jr on guitar, Andrew Vogt on bass, and Keith Brooks on drums. The set features guest work from Nicolas Payton and Raul Midon, but we love them more than enough on their own – on titles that include "Detroit Will Rise Again", "Down & Out In Buffalo", "God Bless The Patient Teacher", "Nora Calls From The Moon", "Her Eyes Are Blue & Sometimes Grey", and "It Takes A Spark To Start A Fire". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

The third album by the Chicago Gangsters – recorded after they began working out of their native Ohio, and not the Chicago studio scene, hence the dropping of "Chicago" from their name! The record has the band moving into a smooth funky modern soul style – with some good harmony vocals, and lots of very nice production with a slinky sexy style. The record includes the band's great "Wop That Wandy", a nice track with a cool funk groove that mixes 2 guys shooting the breeze, with sweet soulful vocals by a female singer on the chorus. Other nice cuts include "Smoke", "Chuga Chuga", and "Sunshine Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Quite an interesting session from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – and exactly what it says in the title! The group pay tribute to the Chicago blues masters of their hometown – but somehow manage to do so in a way that gives the work a style that pushes the tunes with plenty of Art Ensemble touches! Material was recorded live in performance in Switzerland in 1993 – at a point when the group still featured Lester Bowie on trumpet – and for the performance, the core ensemble is expanded by Frank Lacy on trombone, James Carter on tenor sax, Amina Claudine Myers on organ and vocals, and Herb Walker (of Saturn Records fame) on guitar. But even more important is the return of Chicago Beau, who'd worked with the group during their heady Paris days – and whose work here represents the key "blues" component of some of the tunes. Titles include "Blues For Zazen", "Erika/Carefree", "Odwalla", "The Blues", "Tin Pan Alley", and "Got My Mojo Workin". CD

One of a few wonderful albums recorded by the Art Ensemble of Chicago with singer Fontella Bass – a vocalist who's best known to the world for her 60s soul hits, but who's coming out here as a tremendous force in modern jazz! Fontella's sound here is miles away from that of her work for Chess – deeply organic, and with chanted qualities that one would have never expected in earlier years. The track "How Strange/Ole Jed" builds with a sound that's similar to other Art Ensemble work in Paris – but has more than enough space for some lovely chants and vocalizations from Bass. "Horn Web" follows with a more driven, percussive approach – offering a tremendous showcase for Don Moye's work on drums at the start, then moving into more contemplative space to be explored by the entire group. CD

2 classics by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – back to back on one CD! At the time they were taking Paris by storm, the Art Ensemble recorded these brilliant albums – both of which are some of their strongest early work, far more well-formed than any of their individual expressions recorded earlier in Chicago! The CD features the group at their best – playing very tightly, but also with a sense of whimsy and imagination, and the kind of free-thinking exploration that informed a whole generation of jazz musicians, offering a different mode of expression than the spiritualism of the post-Coltrane years. Includes "A Brain For The Seine", a real classic by the band – plus "Jackson In Your House", "Get In Line", "Song for Charles", "Dexterity" and "Old Time Religion", and "Rock Out". CD

One of the headiest albums ever recorded by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – a brilliant mix of noise and silence that rivals some of the greatest genius of the 20th century avant composition! The album's lead track "Ohnedaruth" builds slowly with a variety of percussion – traveling in People In Sorrow territory that shows a remarkable sense of sound and space. All members of the group pick up some percussion to build the track as it goes along – then follow suit with a more reed-based approach on the other extended tune on the album, "Lebert Aaly" – the group's brilliant tribute to the late Albert Ayler! The sound is incredibly deep and textured – and draws a clear line between creative improvisation and technical composition that puts the group alongside Cage and Hindemuth! 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". LP, Vinyl record album

BJ The Chicago Kid's second full length for Motown! BJ has a way of recalling classic Chicago soul in the earnest, emotional realness of his lyricism and relatively mellow style, which is a nicely grounding anchor given the modern overall aesthetic. It's a contemporary sound with a timeless soul at the center. BJ's years as a guest vocalist himself makes him such a great host for guest singers, MCs and producers on his own records, too – and this one features Anderson.Paak, Rick Ross, Afrojack and others with production by Danja, Cool & Dre, Karriem Riggins and more. Includes "Feel The Vibe" feat Anderson.Paak, "Champagne", "Get Away" feat JID, Buddy & Kent Jamz, "Tome Today", "Can't Wait", "Playa's ball" feat Rick Ross, "Too Good", "Close", "Rather Be With You", "Worryin' Bout Me" feat Offset, "Reach" feat Afrojack and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Peter Brotzmann's on clarinet this time around, and working here in an extended studio piece with his Chicago Tentet combo – one of his greatest groups of later years, featuring both Mats Gustafsson and Ken Vandermark on reeds, as well as Joe McPhee on both trumpet and alto sax! The work builds slowly, almost tentatively – the fills in strongly as the piece goes on – with a sound that's almost like the Jazz Composers Orchestra style at the end of the 60s, but not as dynamic overall. The reeds are almost strongest in shaping the tune – although other contributions include trombone from Hannes Bauer, tuba from Per Ake Holmlander, and cello from Fred Lonberg-Holm. CD 2 features the second half of the work – returned to a tentative beginning, then stepping out more strongly as things move on. CD

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... 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

... 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 mid-90s collaboration between the Art Ensemble Of Chicago and multi-instrumentalist Hartmut Geerken – done as a tribute to Sun Ra and the philosopher Mynona! The work is an extended performance that runs for over 2 hours – featuring "multimedia" tapes that include the voice of Ra, Artaud, and Ezra Pound – as well as a swarm of bees – but the main focus is on the improvisations of the Art Ensemble (with members here that include Don Moye, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors, and Roscoe Mitchell), plus Geerken's unusual range of world instruments and percussion! CD

Trumpeter Darren Johnston makes the Chicago scene – and cuts some wonderful music with the great younger generation of avant players! In addition to Johnston's trumpet, the quintet features trombone from Jeb Bishop, vibes from Jason Adasiewicz, bass from Nate McBride, and drums from Frank Rosaly – working together with the commitment to tighter structures that you'll find in the scene these days – a way of holding onto compositional forms, while still allowing room for improvisation – and given some of the especially bold lines from Bishop and Johnston, it's clear that the format definitely works. Titles include "Glass Ceiling Paper Floor", "The Big Lift", "Cut", "Rubber Bullets", "The Rock Quarry", and "Two Ways Of Running". CD

Peter Brotzmann's on clarinet this time around, and working here in an extended studio piece with his Chicago Tentet combo – one of his greatest groups of later years, featuring both Mats Gustafsson and Ken Vandermark on reeds, as well as Joe McPhee on both trumpet and alto sax! The work builds slowly, almost tentatively – the fills in strongly as the piece goes on – with a sound that's almost like the Jazz Composers Orchestra style at the end of the 60s, but not as dynamic overall. The reeds are almost strongest in shaping the tune – although other contributions include trombone from Hannes Bauer, tuba from Per Ake Holmlander, and cello from Fred Lonberg-Holm. CD 1 features the first part of the work – which is quite long, and stands strongly as an album on its own! 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

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

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". CD

... CD

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

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

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 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 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

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". CD

Great work from this Chicago group – material recorded in France, but which wails with the best sound of the small blues clubs on the south side at the time! The core group features Louis Myers on guitar and harmonica, Dave Myers on bass, and Fred Below on drums – joined by Eddie Taylor, Mickey Baker, and Jimmy Rogers on guitar at points – plus a bit of piano from the great Willie Mabon! The whole thing's excellent – very true to form, and more Delmark than some of the slicker blues recordings that were starting to show up at the time – on titles that include "Ace's Shuffle", "Tell Me Mama", "Take A Little Walk With Me", "Whole Lot Of Lovin", "Blues For Marcelle", and "Money Marbles & Chalk". CD features lots of bonus tracks – 6 more tracks added to the original album! CD

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

A 2CD set of beautiful vintage material, not discovered until the 70s! Players include Edmund Hall on clarinet, Trummy Young on trombone, and Billy Kyle on piano – and Velma Middleton sings on three tracks too! CD

(Note: This item is not for sale online until noon on Saturday, June 12. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning Saturday, June 12. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after noon on June 12 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Two Headed Man", "One More Shot", "Trading Post", "In The Dark", and "Eyeballin". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Features Carla Campopiano on flute, Gustavo Cortinas on percussion, Gabriel Datcu and 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

... Book

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

... 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

... LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington on piano, Russell Procope on alto saxophone and clarinet, Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone and clarinet, Jimmy Woode on bass, Jimmy Hamilton on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Sam Woodyard on drums, Paul Gonsalves on tenor saxophone, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, and Quentin Jackson on trombone, Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, and Harold Baker on trumpet, and Ray Nance on trumpet and violin. CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Undiscovered funky genius from Herbie Hancock – a live show recorded in Chicago in 1977 – with a unique performance by a quartet that features Bennie Maupin on reeds, James Levin on drums, and Jaco Pastorius on bass! The groove is very much in the best Headhunters mode, but with a more stripped-down sound overall, given the lineup – and Herbie plays a bank of keyboards, plus acoustic piano too – as the group make their way through Hancock classics "Chameleon", "Hang Up Your Hang Ups", and "Maiden Voyage" – plus Maupin's "It Remains To Be Seen". 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

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

A record that's got maybe one of the worst covers ever for legendary altoist Lee Konitz – and that's saying a lot, given that he recorded hundreds of albums – but a set that's also well worth dipping into, as it's got some wonderful surprises along the way! First off, there's electric piano on the date – handled by either Mike Longo or Dick Katz – and the instrument makes for a nice change from the usual Konitz date, especially as it's often mixed with light strings or horns that never get in the way at all – but which kind of fill up the edges, and really draw focus on Lee's sharper sounds in the middle! The whole thing's far more soulful than most other albums from Konitz – in a way that's really compelling – and titles include "Me & My Baby", "Ten Percent", "Loopin The Loop", "Class", and "Razzle Dazzle". 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

Features Walter Trout and Coco Montoya. 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

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

Pure beauty! In October of 1998, Misha Mengelberg made an historic visit to Chicago – a rare trip programmed to coincide with a showcase of Dutch jazz that featured him and the Ab Bars trio, playing at Fred Anderson's legendary Velvet Lounge. The trip was notable in that it also became the occasion for Mengelberg to record some fantastic material – part in the studio (with Kent Kessler, Hamid Drake, Fred Anderson, Fred Lonberg-Holm, and others), part during the live session which transpired on the second day of his trip. This excellent double CD set from Hat Art brings together the recordings, and is a great glimpse into the interplay between the ever-growing Chicago avant scene and the larger legacy of European free jazz! The studio work is pretty darn great, but the real treat is the live set – as Misha plays solo on a few lovely tracks – like "Chicago Solo" and "Round Midnight" – and in a beautiful duet with Ab Bars on tenor, on a haunting reading of "Body & Soul". The set really captures the range of Misha's rich talents – and the inclusion of some jazz standards like "Off Minor" and "Eronel" gives the CD a well-rounded feel. CD

One of the more obscure Ennio Morricone soundtracks of the late 60s – done in close collaboration with musical partner Bruno Nicolai, for a gangster film that stars John Cassavettes in the lead! A number of tracks have an older crime jazz sort of vibe – similar to the Italian modes from earlier in the decades – mixed with more driving, action-based tunes that really sow some of Nicolai's touches – orchestrations that are sometimes a bit denser than Morricone might use, but which continue to have a wonderful sense of thematic repetition that links the whole thing together nicely! The set has all the instrumental tracks working together wonderfully – almost like an audio suite that represents the rare visual experience – and titles include "Karate", "Nightmare", "I Like My Life", "Wild West Show", "Police & Hands Up", "Desperate", "The Club", and "Bandits In Rome". CD

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

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

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". LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

Chicago rock & soul tour. Lengthy interview with the Treniers, the first rock n roll group (think Louis Jordan meets Jerry Lewis meets David Lee Roth). Milt Trenier...lounge revival? Amazing Baby Huey cover painting. The final Tiny Tim interview. Plus: Alice Cooper, eight great Jews, more. Magazine

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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

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

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Don't let the title fool you, as the set was recorded in the Barclay studios in Paris – but the record is definitely Chicago all the way through – as Hubert Sumlin plays guitar and sings – in a combo with Willie Mabon on piano and Lonnie Brooks on second guitar! By this point in his career, Sumlin's had years of experience in the Chicago clubs – and he definitely evokes that scene here with his confident, yet relaxed performance on all the tunes – never forcing things at all, and resisting any urge to pander for an overseas audience. Titles include "I Wonder Why", "Groove", "Easy Hubert Easy", "Broke & Hungry", "Give The Name Jacquot", and "My Guitar & Me". CD features three bonus tracks too! CD

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