... LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great easygoing records that Dr John recorded in his later years – music that's done without larger arrangements or funky fanfare, and which also seems to give the Doctor some New Orleans roots that he didn't ever have on record in his early days! The set's mostly just got Dr John on vocals and piano – and the stripped down setting not only lets you hear what a great style he's developed on the keys, but also how much the charms of his voice just keep getting better and better with age! Titles include "Monkey Puzzle", "Waiting For A Train", "Saddled The Cow", "The Brightest Smile In Town", "Average Kind Of Guy", "Marie La Veau", and "Suite Home New Orleans". CD features 19 tracks in all – including a previously unissued alternate of "Brightest Smile In Town". CD

One of those great easygoing records that Dr John recorded in his later years – music that's done without larger arrangements or funky fanfare, and which also seems to give the Doctor some New Orleans roots that he didn't ever have on record in his early days! The set's mostly just got Dr John on vocals and piano – and the stripped down setting not only lets you hear what a great style he's developed on the keys, but also how much the charms of his voice just keep getting better and better with age! Titles include "Monkey Puzzle", "Waiting For A Train", "Saddled The Cow", "The Brightest Smile In Town", "Average Kind Of Guy", "Marie La Veau", and "Suite Home New Orleans". 2LP set features a full bonus album of tracks that appear on vinyl for the first time ever – plus a never-issued alternate of the title track too! LP, Vinyl record album

Dr John at his rootsy best – working here on just piano and vocals, in a stripped-down mode that almost provide the Crescent City history that he never had in the first place! As most folks know, the doctor first started working as a studio talent on the LA scene in the 60s, then drew on his background in New Orleans to craft some wild funky records for Atlantic – but as the years went on, he also started to re-home himself as more of a classic-styled Nola artist – which is definitely the case here! The piano work alone is fantastic – presented here without any other instrumentation at all – and the vocals on two of the tracks really stand out with a hell of a lot of charm, although the piano on the others is plenty darn great too. Titles include "Frankie & Johnny", "Public Belt", "Conundrum", "Rebennack Appliance", "Hobo Blues", "Some Train Goin Some Way", and "The Pontchar Train". LP, Vinyl record album

Dr John at his rootsy best – working here on just piano and vocals, in a stripped-down mode that almost provide the Crescent City history that he never had in the first place! As most folks know, the doctor first started working as a studio talent on the LA scene in the 60s, then drew on his background in New Orleans to craft some wild funky records for Atlantic – but as the years went on, he also started to re-home himself as more of a classic-styled Nola artist – which is definitely the case here! The piano work alone is fantastic – presented here without any other instrumentation at all – and the vocals on two of the tracks really stand out with a hell of a lot of charm, although the piano on the others is plenty darn great too. Titles include "Frankie & Johnny", "Public Belt", "Conundrum", "Rebennack Appliance", "Hobo Blues", "Some Train Goin Some Way", and "The Pontchar Train". CD features bonus tracks – "Conundrum (alt take)" and "Boxcar Boogie (alt take)". CD

One of the hippest, most righteous albums ever cut by pianist Jessica Williams – a set where it feels like all of her ideas come together perfectly, and are carried forward by a wonderful lineup of players! The group is small, but there's a very large feel to the whole thing – such that there's moments when we have to remind ourselves that this is still a small combo, even if Williams' music make things feel larger and more ambitious – a lineup that includes the great Eddie Henderson on trumpet, plus Jim Grantham on tenor, Kim Stone on bass, Henry Robinette on guitar, and Dave Tucker on drums. Williams is superb throughout on piano – and titles include "To The Children Of The Future", "The Demise Of Armored Man", "Weapon Of Truth", "Up The Entropy Slope", and "Longing". Expanded version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Power Of Love", "Gratitude", "The Shroud", "All Strange", and "Orgone". CD

One of the hippest, most righteous albums ever cut by pianist Jessica Williams – a set where it feels like all of her ideas come together perfectly, and are carried forward by a wonderful lineup of players! The group is small, but there's a very large feel to the whole thing – such that there's moments when we have to remind ourselves that this is still a small combo, even if Williams' music make things feel larger and more ambitious – a lineup that includes the great Eddie Henderson on trumpet, plus Jim Grantham on tenor, Kim Stone on bass, Henry Robinette on guitar, and Dave Tucker on drums. Williams is superb throughout on piano – and titles include "To The Children Of The Future", "The Demise Of Armored Man", "Weapon Of Truth", "Up The Entropy Slope", and "Longing". Expanded version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Power Of Love", "Gratitude", "The Shroud", "All Strange", and "Orgone". LP, Vinyl record album

With Steve Gilmore on bass, Bill Goodwin on drums, and Mike Melillo on piano. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

With Chops, Planet Asia, and Rasco, with cuts by DJ Revolution. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Main Flow and Planet Asia roll with a nice late 90s Rawkus kinda vibe on "Loving The Game", an ode to hip hop artistry. 7L & Esoteric take jump on for "Street Pay", and DJ Hi Tek cuts it up in "Dice Roll". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Mos Def brings a veering diversity to New Danger – his first album in five years – a record that hits on tried-and-true Rawkus flavored beats and rhyme schemes, slow-rolling, smoked out soul & blues, and Quickness-era Bad Brains-esque arena rock! Of course our favorite cuts are the straight up hip hop tracks, produced by Minnesota with a percolating, synth-layered sound that works really well – giving the backdrop kind of a pulpy, cinematic sweep. Other tracks feature Mos and his soul/rock/blues outfit Black Jack Johnson. Mos clearly refuses to be roped in by anyone's expectations at this point – a quality that reminds us of Common's Electric Circus – in spirit, if not in the actual sound. Tracks include "Boogie Man Song", "Ghetto Rock", "Zimzallabim", "The Rape Over", "Blue Black Jack" featuring some straight electric blues guitar work by the one-and-only Shuggie Otis, "Bedstuy Parade & Funeral March", "Sex, Love & Money", "Sunshine", "Grown Man Business", "Modern Marvel", "Life Is Real", "War" (produced by Beatnut Psycho Les) and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Jay-Z's first, classic, LP. Even back then he had the Hot 97 commercial hits like "Ain't No N***" with Foxy Brown. But there was also a good supply of straight hip hop cuts like "Dead Presidents", "D'Evils" and "Can I Live". Also includes the amazing "Brooklyn's Finest" with Notorious B.I.G., "Can't Knock The Hustle", and a bonus track: "Can I Live part II" LP, Vinyl record album

A couple cuts from the Misery Loves Company LP. 12-inch, Vinyl record

13 cuts, production by E Swift & Rockwilder, guest spots by Raekwon, Kurrupt, Xzibit, Outkast & others. Includes "Ricochet", "True Homies", "Pimpin' Ain't Easy" & "Blackula". LP, Vinyl record album

Four killer albums from Cameo – all brought together in a single set! First up is Knights Of The Sound Table – massively funky work from Cameo – a set that's right in the middle of their classic early run – and still quite strong on the bass-heavy grooves the group helped inspire in countless legions of imitators! The tightness of the set is incredible – moving at a pace that's simply mindblowing, especially in a pre-sampling, pre-programming world – proof that spontaneous work by a group like this could still blow away any commercial crap! There's a few mellower moments too – always a side of the group that we love – and titles include "Use It Or Lose It", "Freaky Dancin", "I Like It", "Knights By Nights", "I'll Always Stay", "The Sound Table", and "Don't Be So Cool". Next is Alligator Woman – old school Cameo still strongly in a funk-based mode, before some of the stiffer grooves of their later years! Bass is the ruler of the set – and most tracks here vamp around in a very heavy P-Funk style of groove – lots of guitar dancing around the rhythms, and plenty of spoken/sung vocals from the whole ensemble – not to mention a heavy dose of keyboards that helps keep things clean and lean! A partyful album if there ever was one – with tracks that include "Soul Army", "Enjoy Your Life", "Flirt", "Secrets Of Time", "I Owe It All To You", and "For You". Next is Style – a key set in the trimming down of Cameo – one of those records when the group wisely made the move to change up their sound a bit from the fuller ensemble style of the 70s to the leaner groove that so many other groups were starting to use in the 80s! Yet in the process, the group lose nothing at all – and maybe in face come up with an even better focus on the vocals and songwriting skills of Larry Blackmon – supported with other vocals from Tomi Jenkins, and fantastic keyboard work throughout from the great Charlie Singleton – whose sound is also a key part of the change of the groove! Titles include "Slow Movin", "Style", "Can't Help Falling In Love", "Aphrodisiac", "This Life Is Not For Me", "You're A Winner", and "Let's Not Talk Slot". Last up is She's Strange – an indisputable classic from Cameo – one that has them changing up their sound from earlier albums! The heavier funk of some of their late 70s sides is long gone, and in its place is a more stripped-down style that relies more on electric percussion and keyboards to update their sound. The best cuts on the set have that mellow crossover feel that Kool & The Gang were using at the time – smoother, slinkier soul that played well with larger audiences, yet still had a nice degree of soul. Titles include "She's Strange", "Love You Anyway", "Groove With You", "Hangin Downtown", and "Le Ve Toi". CD

One of the rarest early albums from Verve – unusual material from two artists not normally associated with the label! Side one features some killer work from LA alto genius Sonny Criss – titles that include "The First One", "Calidad", "Tornado", and "Blues For The Boppers". Side two features trombonist Tommy Turk sounding really wonderful – maybe some of his best on record – on the cuts "Bye Bye Blues", "Encore", "The Beat", and "Two By Four". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark early work from the legendary Weldon Irvine – recorded way back when he was first coming to fame with Nina Simone, but done as an obscure indie effort for his tiny Nodlew label! The set's a wicked batch of keyboard-heavy funk – at a level that's similar to some of the best titles on Black Jazz or Strata East at the time, but also filled with an even richer array of colors and musical ideas. Weldon's work on electric piano is worth the price of admission alone – often spare, spacious, and perfectly placed – especially on the funky classics "Homey", "Mr Clean", and "Sister Sanctified" – a tune later cut by Stanley Turrentine, but heard here in Weldon's original version! Other cuts include "Gloria", "Juggah Buggah", "Blues Wel-Don", and "Liberated Brother". CD

One of our all-time favorite albums from Brother Jack McDuff – not just for the cover (which is plenty appealing to us as BBQ fans!), but also for the tight, sharply focused grooves on the set – some of Jack's first really firey work on record! The combo here is great – with a young George Benson hard-wailing on guitar, cutting lines so fast and furious it's hard to believe – especially if you only know his later work. The legendary Joe Dukes is on drums – dancing all over the place under Brother Jack's great groovy solos – and Red Holloway completes the group on tenor sax! The title track's got a rare vocal refrain – with Jack shouting out "Hot Barbeque" over the organ – and other cuts include "Briar Patch", "Hippy Dip", "601 1/2 North Poplar", and "The Three Day Thang". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums that singer Annie Ross cut on her own away from the Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross group while she was still living in the US – and a great little set recorded with a group led by Gerry Mulligan! The sound is west coast cool all the way through – with players who include Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dave Bailey, and Henry Grimes – and although Annie's in the lead on most of the set, but Gerry slides in some lean solos which open up the tracks nicely! Ross is a bit less in a vocalese mode than with LHR, in ways that really demonstrate her skills with ballads and gentler cuts – and given the support from Mulligan and crew, the album's got a very solid jazz foundation overall. Titles include "All Of You", "Give Me The Simple Life", "This Is Always", "It Don't Mean A Thing", and "I Feel Pretty". LP, Vinyl record album

Dreamy dreamy pop psych from Strawberry Alarm Clock – a great late 60s group who skirted the worlds of Sunshine Pop and more jamming garage rock! This album's got a lot more to offer than you might guess from just the title hit – as the instrumentation sometimes gets nicely tripped out – with cool use of organ, harpsichord, and guitar – plus plenty of special effects in production – and even some of the song styles and lengths are unusual too, making the album way more than just a batch of cute little tunes. Titles include the classic "Incense & Peppermints", the 8 minute jammer "The World's On Fire", the instrumental "Pass Time With SAC", and the cuts "Paxton's Back Street Carnival", "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow", "Strawberries Mean Love", and "Unwind the Clock". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure dark magic from Grover Washington – a record that was a megahit back in the 70s, but which still sounds amazing many decades later! There's a sound here that's completely sublime – and the album is to Grover's career what the first 2 CTI sets by Bob James were to his – a stretched-out, masterpiece of sublime jazzy energy – served up with a really spacious sound overall! Grover's sharp-edged sax is at the lead of the set – but the album's also awash in electric piano work from Bob James – and backings that are as lean, clean, and soulful as the best on CTI from the time. Titles include the killer "Black Frost" – a track that we never tire of – plus the hit "Mister Magic", and the cuts "Earth Tones" and "Passion Flower". CD

One of Jimmy's funkiest albums ever – a sweeeeet batch of short, hard, and funky cuts – and a record that ranks right up there with the mighty Soul Sugar for sheer funkiness! Jimmy takes an upbeat and easygoing approach to the late 60s funk sound, with a nice, rubbery bass and the organ sound just killer – but would expect less from McGriff on that front? Truly funky and totally irresistible stuff, with sinister, measured moments that get bigger and heavier pretty quickly - kind of prefiguring 70s blacksploitation soundtrack vibes in spots! The album's great all the way through – tight arrangements by Horace Ott, who also plays electric piano on the set, making for a clean, cool 2-keys kind of groove. Titles include "Spear for Moondog" (parts 1 & 2), "Tight Times", "Funky Junk", "Bird Wave", and "Back on the Track". LP, Vinyl record album

Mad mad funk, and the fantastic second LP by the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – the group that proved to everyone that LA could be just as funky as any other city in the 60s! The record draws strongly from the group's indie roots in the funky 45 scene – and the album's filled with short tracks that bump along in jagged rhythms, offbeat arrangements, and some slight touches of sweeter soul. Charles Wright is leading the group on vocals, and taking a stronger presence on these soul-based cuts – but as before, it's the strength of the overall group that really makes the album great – especially the bass work of Melvin Dunlap and the funky drums of James Gadson! Titles include some killer original tracks by the band – like "Do Your Thing", "Giggin' Down 103rd", "Phuncky Bill", "65 Bars & A Taste Of Soul", and "A Dance, A Kiss, & A Song" – plus great covers of "Something You Got", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", and "Knock On Wood". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of solo albums from Phillip Bailey – presented here with bonus material too! First up is Continuation – an 80s soul classic from Philip Bailey – stepping out here from Earth Wind & Fire in a set that has him sparkling strongly as a solo act! The vocals still have that trademark Bailey sound – a wonderful range that's never overdone, and which seems to shine especially well on the mellow and midtempo tunes in the set! Production is by George Duke, who does a lot to preserve the jazzier warmth of Bailey's previous settings – and although there's a bit more crossover potential here, the sound is still never too commercial or aimed at the charts. Titles include "It's Our Time", "Trapped", "I Know", "I'm Waitin For Your Love", "Desire", "The Good Guy's Supposed To Get The Girls", and "Your Boyfriend's Back". Next is Chinese Wall – a big breakthrough for Philip Bailey – and a record that was kind of a second-level explosion for the Earth Wind & Fire sound in the 80s! There's a definite crossover feel to the record – a style that takes Bailey's soulful vocals, and mixes them with lots of catchy hooks – in ways that push the Kalimba aesthetic even more into mainstream modes. Yet the album's still got some solid soul grounding, too – thanks to arrangements by Tom Tom and Arif Mardin – which is a nice contrast to the production by Phil Collins, who also guests on the hit "Easy Lover". Other cuts include "Time Is A Woman", "Go", "Walking On The Chinese Wall", "Photogenic Memory", "I Go Crazy", and "Children Of The Ghetto". Last is Inside Out – a set that has Philip Bailey working with Nile Rodgers, who gives him a lean, clean sound that works perfectly with his vocals! The sound is a nice change from the direction Bailey was heading in previously – a return to the focused soul of the later Earth Wind & Fire years, with his amazing lead opening up in ways that few other singers can match. Tunes are pretty well-penned too – catchy, but never cloyingly commercial – and titles include "State Of The Heart", "Welcome To The Club", "Special Effect", "Because Of You", "Take This With You", "The Day Will Come", "Back It Up", and "Echo My Heart". 3CD set features nice bonus material – "I Know (ext dance mix)", "Love Is Alive", "Easy Lover (with Phil Collins)", "Walking On The Chinese Wall (single)", "State Of The Heart (dub mix)", "Twins (with Little Richard)", "Twins (club mix)", and "Easy Lover (ext dance mix)". CD

Electric funk from Freddie Hubbard – a great 70s session that has him bringing in a bit more soul to the mix than usual! Things are a bit tighter here than on the CTI sides, but still pretty open and fluid – almost in a Donald Byrd mode with Larry Mizell, given the fuller backings on the set, and Hubbard's lean, clean tone on the top! Hubbard did the arrangements with George Cables – who plays some wonderful keyboards on the set, and keeps things solid throughout – creating the kind of open lines that always seems to get the best out of Freddie. Other players include Ray Parker on guitar, Carl Randall on tenor and flute, Henry Franklin on bass, and Spider Webb on bass – and a few cuts have some chorus vocals, which again take on a great Mizell-like quality in the mix. Titles include "Kuntu", "Put It In The Pocket", "Liquid Love", "Yesterday's Thoughts", "Lost Dreams", and a version of "Midnight At The Oasis". CD

A great debut from The Malemen – a short-lived group in the recording studio, but one who spent many years on the southern scene as a well-travelled showband! The group have a more modern vibe here than they might on the stage – a sweet 80s groove approach that features plenty of tight basslines bumping up the rhythms, with keyboards following quickly in step – all while the group often do a great job of harmonizing together alongside the groove! There's a nicely varied sound to the record – one that goes way past the usual slapbass funk of the time – and titles include the nice mellow cuts "Baby Doll" and "The Love We'll Share" – plus "Shakedown", "Party Time", "Hard On It", and "Take You Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime jazzy soul from Pieces Of A Dream – the group's first 2 albums, back to back on one amazing CD! Pieces Of A Dream first snuck onto the scene with a sound that was refreshingly subtle at the time – almost a back-to-basics approach to electric jazz, and one that got past some of the excesses and more dancefloor-oriented styles that hit a lot of fusion at the end of the 70s. The approach here is often quite light – still soulful and rhythmic, but mostly with a gentle focus on the group's keyboards by James Lloyd, which really set the scene wonderfully for the flowing mellow soul style of the record. The jazz component of the work is still relatively strong, too – even on the tunes that feature vocals by singer Barbara Walker – a great fit for the group's sound on the cuts "Warm Weather" and "Lovers". Other titles include "Body Magic", "Touch Me In the Spring", "Steady Glide", and the classic "Pieces Of A Dream". We Are One is a nicely laidback album of soul and jazz tracks, produced by Grover Washington Jr with that clean and perfect sound he was getting on his own albums at the time – but also with a few more electro touches than on the group's previous set. Includes the classic slammer "Mt Airy Groove" – a great old school hip hop sample track, with a snapping b-boy beat that still sounds pretty darn catchy! Other tracks include "Pop Rock", "We Are One", "Don't Be Sad", and "For Ramsey". 17 tracks in all – and one heck of a great little CD! CD

Wonderfully warm work from the late 70s years of Lonnie Liston Smith – material from his key stretch a Columbia Records, a time when he'd really learned to tighten up his groove a bit from earlier years, yet still keep all the deeper soul intact! The production here is slightly polished, but never too much so – done by Lonnie with help from Bert DeCoteaux, who's still clearly aiming the record at the soul side of the spectrum – using Lonnie's cosmic blend of keyboards, rhythms, and vocals just the right way – and hitting some sounds that are a bit more righteous than other Columbia Records fusion acts of the time. Some cuts feature lead vocals by James Robinson – and other instrumentation includes saxes from Dave Hubbard and guitar by Ronnie Miller. The album kicks off with the soul jazz number "A Song For The Children", and other tracks include "Aquarian Cycle", "Street Festival", "Gift Of Love", and "Fruit Music". LP, Vinyl record album

Kaidi Tatham takes on some of the best cuts from the Reel People label and makes them even better – adding all sorts of the jazzy keyboard work you might guess from the cover image, and definitely moving them into the territory of clubby fusion too! Almost all the cuts have a soulful singer in the lead – still kept to the forefront, as Tatham strips out some of the older elements, cleans up the cuts, and adds in lots of his own keyboards and rhythms – plus fresh bass and percussion too – all to really transform the tunes! Titles include Kaidi Tatham reworks of cuts that include "Pedigree" by Daz I Kue with Hadiya George, "All Of My Life" by Sebb Junior with Paula, "On The Road" by The Realm x Atjazz x Kelli Sae, "Fly" by Tony Momrelle, "I Want To Thank You" by Reel People with Mica Paris, "Don't Give Up" by Aaries, "Losin My Head" by Monkey Brothers with Shaun Escoffery, and "Save A Lil Love" by Reel People with Eric Roberson. LP, Vinyl record album

Vinson plays alto and sings on titles that include "Juice Head Baby", "Cherry Red Blues", "When My Baby Left Me", "Just A Dream", "Cleanhead Blues", "When A Woman Loves Her Juice", and "Old Maid Boogie". 22 tracks total. CD

A crackling date from Jackie McLean – a set that's got a more expansive feel than some of his earlier Blue Note work – filled with fire, far from the 50s – and really pointing the way towards his new directions to come! There's a hint of modernism in the mix, mostly on the tone from McLean's alto sax – but most numbers are forward-thinking, and played with a sense of perfection that's pure Blue Note all the way through – served up in original material penned by different members of the group – a killer lineup that includes a young Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, with Kenny Drew on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums. The whole set is wonderful – and titles include "Cool Green", "Torchin", "Bluesnik", "Drew's Blues", and "Blues Function". CD reissue includes 2 non-LP bonus cuts! CD

An incredible album that has Cleanhead moving way past his usual bag! Sure, he's normally known as an R&B vocalist and alto player, but here, in one of those great Riverside "Cannonball Adderley Presents" sessions, Vinson gets into a whole new bag on some cuts. He's playing with Cannonball's group of Nat, Joe Zawinul, Sam Jones, and Louis Hayes – and there's one track in particular that's amazing – "Arriving Soon", an instrumental that has Vinson soaring on alto, wailing with an almost Coltrane-esque level of freedom. It's a killer modal track, and is worth the price of the album alone. There's another instrumental called "Vinsonology", plus vocal numbers like "Hold It", "This Time", and "Kidney Stew" – all with a nice groovy Adderley quintet kind of groove. CD also includes 4 bonus tracks! CD

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. CD

This great series just seems to be getting better and better with each new release – maybe digging deeper than back with the first volume – as the label's knowledge and understanding of rare mod and freakbeat grooves really expands past the classics! This volume features some especially rare cuts from acetates that were never issued – cleaned up and included next to rare singles – all in an array of great 60s tracks that all have a great sense of groove next to the guitars and organ! Beat Bespoke always focuses on the more upbeat, groovy side of mod music – a tradition that definitely continues on cuts that include "Sold Out Show" by Sounds Of Tyme, "Search Your Mind" by Mark Five, "The God Of Love" by Confederate Music Corps, "One Million People" by Kandy Kolored Konspiracy, "Red Purple & Blue" by The Bag, "Chien De Rue" by Edwin, "Don't Cry To Me" by The Unknown, "Judge Carter" by The Yellow Payges, "Going Out Of My Mind" by Giant Red Jellybean, and "Which Way" by The Sorrows. 20 tracks on the CD. CD

This great series just seems to be getting better and better with each new release – maybe digging deeper than back with the first volume – as the label's knowledge and understanding of rare mod and freakbeat grooves really expands past the classics! This volume features some especially rare cuts from acetates that were never issued – cleaned up and included next to rare singles – all in an array of great 60s tracks that all have a great sense of groove next to the guitars and organ! Beat Bespoke always focuses on the more upbeat, groovy side of mod music – a tradition that definitely continues on cuts that include "Sold Out Show" by Sounds Of Tyme, "Search Your Mind" by Mark Five, "The God Of Love" by Confederate Music Corps, "One Million People" by Kandy Kolored Konspiracy, "Red Purple & Blue" by The Bag, "Chien De Rue" by Edwin, "Don't Cry To Me" by The Unknown, "Judge Carter" by The Yellow Payges, "Going Out Of My Mind" by Giant Red Jellybean, and "Which Way" by The Sorrows. 16 tracks on the LP. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Blakey's best non-Blue Note sides from the time – and a killer album that sports a late 50's lineup of the Jazz Messengers that included Jackie McLean, Johnny Griffin, and Bill Hardman. The three of them sparkle and shine with the sort of brilliance that Blakey's leadership brings to the group, and they wail their way through a 13 minute long reading of "Night In Tunisia", with excellent solos all around, and the other long cuts "Theory Of Art", "Couldn't It Be You?", "Evans", and "Off The Wall". CD reissue also sports 3 additional bonus cuts – alternate takes of "Off The Wall", "Night In Tunisia", and "Theory Of Art" – plus new artwork and notes! CD

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". Plus, this CD also adds 2 long bonus cuts – "Lover" and "Royal Flush" – both of which weren't on the original album! CD

Teddy Edwards at the height of his powers – packing a tight, soulful punch that made him one of the most popular players on the west coast in the early 60s – and a great link between earlier R&B tenorists and the leaner sound of 60s jazz! Edwards has a nice gutbuckety tone at times – the qualities you might hear from Hank Crawford or David Newman in the way they blended their sounds – but the overall feel is leaner and cleaner, too – not many cliches, and a kind of straightforward sound that really shows the new inroads that the LA soul jazz scene was making at the time. The set features a shifting lineup – piano from Amos Trice, Joe Castro, and Ronnie Ball – bass from Leroy Vinnegar and Ben Tucker – and drums from Al Levitt and Billy Higgins – on titles that include a whopping batch of originals like "Teddy's Tune", "Tempo De Blues", "Vintage '57", "Sunset Eyes", and "Takin Off". Plus, this CD's got some great notes, excellent packaging, and even includes 3 unreleased bonus cuts! CD

A rare and unusual chapter in mid 60s Blue Note – the debut of tenorist Tyrone Washington, an up-and-coming talent from the hip New Jersey scene of the time! Washington's name may not have lasted long in the jazz annals, but at this important point in his career, he's working with a young Woody Shaw – also part of the Jersey scene – and together, the pair really make the album cook – stretching out with a soulful, spiritual sound that really points the way towards the indie scene of the 70s! Shaw's voice is a big part of the record, but Tyrone's still definitely in command – blowing his tenor with these quick flurries of notes that are somewhere in the Coltrane school, yet arguably moving already past him too – kind of a post-Coltrane vibe in the year before the great one passed away. Washington also wrote all of the album's 6 tracks – really fresh numbers that burn with intensity, and make the album as creatively inventive as some of the best Jackie McLean Blue Note sides from the time. In addition to Woody Shaw's trumpet, other players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Kenny Barron on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a very hip lineup who really make magic on cuts that include "Yearning For Love", "Ethos", "Soul Dance", "Positive Path", and "Song Of Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible early experimental album from Art Blakey – one of the first to feature him in expanded percussion format! Side one of the album features the extended "Drum Suite" – a set of 3 tracks ("The Sacrifice", "Cubano Chant", and "Oscalypso") that has Blakey and Jo Jones on drums, joined by Sabu Martinez on bongos and Charles Wright on tympani and gong. Ray Bryant snakes some soulful piano through the set and Oscar Pettiford is on bass and cello – and the overall feeling of the side is similar to some of Blakey's work in the format for Blue Note – like the albums Afro-Drum Orgy or Holiday for Percussion. Side two has straight hard bop, played by Blakey's 1957 combo that included Jackie McLean and Bill Hardman – and the group grooves hard on a classic reading of "Nica's Tempo", plus the cuts "D's Dilemma" and "Just For Marty". LP, Vinyl record album

The Black Jazz recordings of Doug Carn are always a revelation – some of the most powerful, progressive work on the American underground of the early 70s – music that got Carn into way more record collections than you might expect! The sound here is a perfect summation of Doug's early genius – his own work on organ and keyboards, never overdone and mixed perfectly with a righteous array of acoustic sounds from Rene McLean on alto and tenor and Olu Dara on trumpet – both players who soar to the skies on waves of energy begun by Carn! Wife Jean Carn sings on a number of tracks – with this heavenly style that's mighty righteous – every bit as soulful as her later work at Philly International, but in a very different way. The set includes Doug's great reading of "Naima" – plus other wonderful cuts that include "Power & Glory", "Feel Free", "Jihad", "Fatherhood", and "God is One". CD

An exquisite bit of modernist hardbop – recorded by Freddie Redd with the same sort of sound that he brought to the classic Connection recording, also done for Blue Note! As with that session, Redd is working here with alto from a young Jackie McLean's on alto sax – really at the top of his powers here, and beautifully skirting a line that runs between soulful hardbop and some of the more modern phrasing McLean would use during his "new thing" years! Tina Brooks is on tenor, and as on other classic Blue Notes – such as the Street Singer album – the Brooks/McLean combination makes for some stellar solo work throughout. Redd's piano is firey in a way that we can hardly describe, and tracks include "Thespian", "Melanie", and "Shadows". This CD reissue also includes a few bonus cuts! CD

A rare and unusual chapter in mid 60s Blue Note – the debut of tenorist Tyrone Washington, an up-and-coming talent from the hip New Jersey scene of the time! Washington's name may not have lasted long in the jazz annals, but at this important point in his career, he's working with a young Woody Shaw – also part of the Jersey scene – and together, the pair really make the album cook – stretching out with a soulful, spiritual sound that really points the way towards the indie scene of the 70s! Shaw's voice is a big part of the record, but Tyrone's still definitely in command – blowing his tenor with these quick flurries of notes that are somewhere in the Coltrane school, yet arguably moving already past him too – kind of a post-Coltrane vibe in the year before the great one passed away. Washington also wrote all of the album's 6 tracks – really fresh numbers that burn with intensity, and make the album as creatively inventive as some of the best Jackie McLean Blue Note sides from the time. In addition to Woody Shaw's trumpet, other players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Kenny Barron on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a very hip lineup who really make magic on cuts that include "Yearning For Love", "Ethos", "Soul Dance", "Positive Path", and "Song Of Peace". CD

Beautiful work from guitarist Jack Wilkins – maybe one of his cleanest, coolest records of all time – and a set that really demonstrates the rich chromatic power of the young musician! The album's a trio date – with Mike Moore on electric and acoustic bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums and percussion – a relatively light rhythm team that really lets Jack take the lead, especially on a few of the tracks where he hits a rhythmic pulse he never would match on later albums! The album features a brilliant version of Freddie Hubbard's classic "Red Clay" – which begins nice and spare, with a great break on the intro, and a hard groove all the way through! Other cuts include "Pinocchio", "Song For The Last Act", "Windows", and "Canzona". CD

One of the few funky albums ever cut as a leader by Larry Willis – a super-hip keyboard player who's best known for his work with Jackie McLean and Hugh Masekela, but who sounds even better as a leader! This album's a gem all the way through – with a free-thinking soulful sound that's head and shoulders above the rest of the work on Groove Merchant at the time. Players include Harold Vick, Roland Prince, and Eddie Gomez – and the overall groove is an incredible array of soulful rhythms, played by Larry on electric piano, in a mode that makes the record feel like a lost gem from Strata East or Black Jazz. Includes the cuts "Out On The Coast", "153rd Street Theme", "Inner Crisis", and "Bahamian Street Dance". CD

The Black Jazz recordings of Doug Carn are always a revelation – some of the most powerful, progressive work on the American underground of the early 70s – music that got Carn into way more record collections than you might expect! The sound here is a perfect summation of Doug's early genius – his own work on organ and keyboards, never overdone and mixed perfectly with a righteous array of acoustic sounds from Rene McLean on alto and tenor and Olu Dara on trumpet – both players who soar to the skies on waves of energy begun by Carn! Wife Jean Carn sings on a number of tracks – with this heavenly style that's mighty righteous – every bit as soulful as her later work at Philly International, but in a very different way. The set includes Doug's great reading of "Naima" – plus other wonderful cuts that include "Power & Glory", "Feel Free", "Jihad", "Fatherhood", and "God is One". LP, Vinyl record album

A darkly-grooving killer from pianist Horace Parlan – and one of our favorite Blue Note albums ever! Although Parlan's always a great player on other sides for the label, this album has him stepping out with an extra edge that's really amazing – working with brothers Tommy and Stanley Turrentine to craft some tunes that roll with the propulsive energy of the best Blue Note hardbop sides, but which also have some edgier moments, and almost point the way towards some of the new thing experiments that would transform the work of Jackie McLean! All players are still quite straight, but they've got a way of putting together tones and textures that's really wonderful – heard to famous effect on the album's early version of Booker Ervin's track "Skoochie" – but soaring all the way through on titles that include "On The Spur Of The Moment", "Ray C", "Al's Tune", and "Pyramid". CD reissue also has 2 bonus cuts! CD

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. LP, Vinyl record album