Sublime future jazz from Alex Attias – one of the key forces in the cosmic London scene of the 21st Century, stepping out here in a long-awaited full-length set that served up the full complement of his talents! As you'd expect from Alex, there's plenty of snapping beats and spacey keys on the set – an extrapolation of 70s funky jazz, into the spacier and headier realm that's been explored by Attias and the best of his contemporaries on recent singles. But over and above the high quality usual, there's also a farther-reaching set of rhythms and modes of expression going on here – as Alex uses the freedom of the full-length to work in modes that are sometimes subtler, sometimes more experimental – occasionally just grooving instrumentally, but also getting plenty of help from guest stars that include Vanessa Freeman, Jessica Lauren, Bembe Segue, Colonel Red, and Mark De Clive-Lowe. Tracks include "Help Me", "Closer To Me", "Future Jazz", "In The Jungle", "Back Home", "Everchanging Times", "Darker Side Of Light", "Angels", "Confusion", and "Transformation". CD

Rewind the tape and full steam ahead – as Ubiquity's latest collection of funky soul covers really pushes the boundaries of this already-hip series! As with other volumes, the format here has current groups covering sounds of the 60s and 70s – mostly funk and soul, but also with some surprising rock contributions this time around – tunes that may have roots in more guitar-based originals, but which sparkle anew here in more electric or soul-based remakes! The list of performers here may be the hippest so far in the series – which accounts for most of the success of the tunes – and titles include "Dreams" by Black Shakespeare, "Be Still My Beating Heart" by Randy Watson Experience, "Crazy You" by Osunlade, "Spoiled" by Daz-I-Kue with Bembe Segue & Colonel Red, "Caroline No" by Owusu & Hannibal, "Walk On By" by El Michels Affair, "Handle It" by Rebirth, "Dirty Love" by J Davey, "No Quarter" by Nuspirit Helsinki, and "L'Abeille" by Henrik Schwarz. LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 80s soul from Detroit's Colonel Abrams – One of the first artists to take the then burgeoning house sound into the mainstream – paired up with nicely grooving modern soul vibe! Includes the his "Trapped" and "I'm Not Gonna Let", with those bright and bumping synth melodies and relentless house influenced beats underneath vocals and songwriting that helped get it over with the chart ready contemporary soul scene – plus the solid ballad "Never Change", "Over & Over", "Speculation", "The Truth", "Table For Two" and more. This CD version includes 4 bonus tracks: 12" mixes of "Trapped", "I'm Not Gonna Let You", "The Truth" and "Over And Over" – plus the non album track "Music Is The Answer". CD

Nice lively set of soul jazz tracks, recorded with much more of an open-ended groove than some of Les' other 60s sessions. The whole thing was caught live in DC in the mid 60s, a fact that's nicely emphasized by a groovy image of Les on the cover, with the Capitol tower coming out of his head, and by the photo of Les and LBJ shaking hands on the back! Nice tracks include "The Shout", "Colonel Rykken's Southern Fried Chicken", and "Goin Out Of My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy little soundtrack – one scored for a 70s film known as The Doctor & His Sexy Student! The music's got a light and playful kind of feel – partly 70s Euro erotica, but also with some slinkier touches that have a really nice 60s approach at times, and which feature nice little keyboard lines that dance around nicely! The main theme of the film is a bit jaunty, almost cheesy, but the other tracks on the set glide around with a really great feel – and make the soundtrack an excellent discovery from 70s Italy. Titles include "Country Piano", "Claudia In Motoretta", "Indagando", "Strip Tease", "Bi Di Bi Da", "Il Colonello", and "Bossanova Della Sposa". 19 tracks in all, including a few previously unissued numbers, and 4 tracks with vocals by I Cantori Moderni di Alessandro Alessandroni! CD

Brilliant work from the "Vice Pres" – tenorist Paul Quinichette, stepping out here in one the best of of his all-too-few sessions as a leader! Paul's tone is amazing throughout – very much on a par with that of Ben Webster or Coleman Hawkins, and proof that his admission to the jazz "executive branch" in the 50s was well deserved. The tunes are shortish, but very swinging – and Quinichette's tenor work dominates in a group that also includes Nat Pierce, Henry Coker, Thad Jones, Freddie Green, and Joe Newman. There's a Basie-esque swing overall – but the final result is miles from Basie, and has a very different vibe overall. Titles include "Big Deal", "Happy Feeling", "Pardon The Blues Please", "Start Here", and "The Kid From Denver". CD features all the material from the album Kid From Denver – plus 4 more bonus tracks from other sessions Quinichette recorded with the Gene Roland sextet and septet – "Suitcase", "Minor Scene", "Colonel Hodge", and "The Creeper". CD

Early British psych from Tomorrow – groovy, trippy stuff with some inventive guitar playing and production, some great harmonies and catchy melodies that put them on par with some of the better remembered acts in the early years of British psychedelia! The group features Keith West, Steve Howe (years before Yes), John "Twink" Alder (who would go on to The Pretty Things and The Pink Fairies). Produced by Mark Wirtz, who also handles the keyboards on the album. Tracks include "My White Bicycle", "Colonel Brown", "Real Life Permanent Dream", Revolution", "Three Jolly Dwarfs", "Hallucinations" and more. CD