An amazing album by the great lost altoist Jimmy Woods! Woods is a key part of the LA postwar jazz scene – with an alto style that's a link between Ornette's modernist tone and the more inside playing of other LA boppers. In a way, he's sort of a soul jazz Anthony Ortega – with the same sort of high track record on albums, keen talent for writing, and a unique vision that's barely gotten any exposure over the years. Here, he's working with a crack group that features Carmell Jones on trumpet, Harold Land on tenor, and a young Andrew Hill (billed as Andrew Hille!) on piano. All tunes are originals by Woods, this record displays his unique, introspective sensiblity in both his performance, and compostion. Titles include "Conflict", "Coming Home", "Apart Together", and "Aim". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two reed geniuses, working together in sublime formation – an extended, open live performance setting – which makes for incredible interplay throughout! There's a beautiful balance between unity and conflict going on here – Evan Parker and Joe McPhee both blowing soprano and tenor, with McPhee on a small bit of pocket cornet as well – crafting lines that sometimes snake out alongside each other, flowering in the open space of improvisation – sometimes chafe next to each other, but in ways that create a magical tension of sonic possibilities – growing to a sound that's way more than the sum of its parts. The set features seven live improvisations – all recorded in the space of the Chicago Cultural Center in 2003. CD

The brilliant 3rd album from Mike Westbrook – a sharp-edged, two volume set with a scathing anti-war theme! The work is Westbrook's first total-concept album, and it's still one of his best – written with an edge that's free from some of the more whimsical touches that showed up in Mike's later years, and played by a core group of British avant soloists with searing intensity! You've never heard large group scoring like this – bold, ambitious, and quite different than most of what's come before. And although the whole thing sounds as if it's going to fall apart at any moment, it always snaps back into a sharp focus just in the nick of time – with brilliant results that bring the same sense of surprise that you might get from, say, a classic album from Charles Mingus or Archie Shepp! Players include Kenny Wheeler and Henry Lowther on trumpets, Mike Gibbs and Paul Rutherford on trombones, John Surman on baritone and soprano sax, Mike Osborne on alto and clarinet, Alan Skidmore on tenor and flute, Brian Smith on tenor, and Harry Miller and Barre Phillips on bass. Titles on this second volume include "Transition", "Rosie", "Tension", "Ballad", "Conflict", and "Requiem". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of soul history!!!! This was one of the first-ever singles issued by the early Satellite label that later became Stax. The record was their first big hit – and the fame of the single brought them into conflict with another label called Satellite, who told them they had to change their name. 7-inch, Vinyl record

The brilliant third album from Mike Westbrook – a sharp-edged, two volume set with a scathing anti-war theme! The work is Westbrook's first total-concept album, and it's still one of his best – written with an edge that's free from some of the more whimsical touches that showed up in Mike's later years, and played by a core group of British avant soloists with searing intensity! You've never heard large group scoring like this – bold, ambitious, and quite different than most of what's come before. And although the whole thing sounds as if it's going to fall apart at any moment, it always snaps back into a sharp focus just in the nick of time – with brilliant results that bring the same sense of surprise that you might get from, say, a classic album from Charles Mingus or Archie Shepp! Players include Kenny Wheeler and Henry Lowther on trumpets, Mike Gibbs and Paul Rutherford on trombones, John Surman on baritone and soprano sax, Mike Osborne on alto and clarinet, Alan Skidmore on tenor and flute, Brian Smith on tenor, and Harry Miller and Barre Phillips on bass. This set features both volumes of the recording – with titles that include "Landscape", "Hooray", "Other World", "Marching Song", "Transition", "Rosie", "Tension", "Ballad", "Conflict", and "Requiem". Great 3CD set features a full bonus disc of rare material – including the 7" single of "Original Peter" and "Magic Garden" – 1970 recordings of "But It Must Get Better & It Will Get Better" and "When Young" by The Mike Westbrook Quartet, and a 1966 recording of "Marching Song" by the Mike Westbrook Sextet – the last three of which have never been released! CD

A well-done collection of images from the second world war – editorial cartoons that address the conflict in a variety of different ways – from the looming threat of war in the late 30s, through the actual years of combat that took up most of the first part of the 40s – into some materials that deal with the aftermath of the war as well! The book is in black and white throughout, and presents each cartoon with brief notes and sometimes a bit of translation – as the cartoons are from a variety of sources, US and UK, but other European territories as well – served up with a great array of very striking images that match the wit and politics of their themes. Softcover edition is black and white, 192 pages, with far more images than that number. Book

A huge set from the glory days of the southern hip hop scene – a trio of voices from the Three 6 Mafia of Memphis, coming together here in a set that's got a nicely raw, ragged sound throughout! This is definitely one of those sets where there's no reason at all to seek out a clean version – as the lyrics of DJ Paul, Juicy J, and Lord Infamous can't really be served up in any other way at all – supported here by guest work from a huge list of allies, including Too Short, Twista, Big Tymers, and Crucial Conflict – a list of names that definitely give you a feel for the vibe of the set. Titles include "Smoked Out", "Who The Crunkest", "Wet Party", "Elbow A Nigga", "Get Buck Get Wild", "Hell Naw", "Hypnotize Cash Money", "Slob On My Nob", and "All Dirty Hoes". LP, Vinyl record album

The brilliant 3rd album from Mike Westbrook – a sharp-edged, two volume set with a scathing anti-war theme! The work is Westbrook's first total-concept album, and it's still one of his best – written with an edge that's free from some of the more whimsical touches that showed up in Mike's later years, and played by a core group of British avant soloists with searing intensity! You've never heard large group scoring like this – bold, ambitious, and quite different than most of what's come before. And although the whole thing sounds as if it's going to fall apart at any moment, it always snaps back into a sharp focus just in the nick of time – with brilliant results that bring the same sense of surprise that you might get from, say, a classic album from Charles Mingus or Archie Shepp! Players include Kenny Wheeler and Henry Lowther on trumpets, Mike Gibbs and Paul Rutherford on trombones, John Surman on baritone and soprano sax, Mike Osborne on alto and clarinet, Alan Skidmore on tenor and flute, Brian Smith on tenor, and Harry Miller and Barre Phillips on bass. This set features both volumes of the recording – with titles that include "Landscape", "Hooray", "Other World", "Marching Song", "Transition", "Rosie", "Tension", "Ballad", "Conflict", and "Requiem". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Foxy Brown, Rick James & Richie Rich, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Playa, Redman, Mic Geronimo, Master P, Too Short, Jayo Felony, EPMD, Crucial Conflict, 2Pac and more. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Billy's got no "inner conflicts" here – as the album's a full-on set of heavy jamming, one that features some nice electronics alongside Billy's drums! The album's actually one of our favorite Cobham sessions of the 70s – a record that we'd rank right up there with Spectrum for sheer intensity, and for its ability to appeal to our funk-tuned ears. The variety of rhythms on the record is really really great – earthy and tribal one minute, and electric and spacey the next – all coming off well without trying too hard, and with a feel that's much more jazzy and soulful than some of Billy's more rock-focused work. Players include George Duke as Dawilli Gonga on keyboards, John Scofield on guitar, Julian Priester on trombone, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, and Pete & Sheila Escovedo on percussion. Titles include "Inner Conflicts", "Arroyo", "El Barrio", "Nickels & Dimes", and "The Muffin Talks Back". CD

Kind of an obscure session by Ammons – most likely recorded in that jumble of contracts and conflicting label arrangements in the early 60s – a time when Jug actually did some of his best work! There's no players listed on the notes – which is sometimes typical for these early 60s sides (although not usually the ones on Prestige), and overall, the spirit is in keeping with the "preachin" title – as Jug blows his way over small combo organ backing, in a very churchy kind of soul jazz mode. Titles include "The Prayer", "The Light", "What A Friend", "Sweet Hour", and "Yield Not". CD

A record with a simple, elegant title – and a similar cover image too – but if you know Sonny Stitt, you know there's often plenty beneath the surface, and this classic Chess Records has plenty to offer, once you start listening! The album's right up there with Sonny's work for Roost – in terms of straight, strong, confident blowing – remarkably subtle, but also remarkably well-conceived, and proof that by the end of the 50s, Stitt had really matured greatly as a player – bringing so much to bear in very short space, and really coming up with imaginative solos in the process! The group's a quartet with Barry Harris on piano (although conflicting information also claims that it's Ramsey Lewis) – but Stitt's the main focus on this set, and for good reason – on titles that include "Jack Spratt", "Propapagoon", "This Is Always", "Everyone Does", and "Mr Sun". CD

A record with a simple, elegant title – and a similar cover image too – but if you know Sonny Stitt, you know there's often plenty beneath the surface, and this classic Chess Records has plenty to offer, once you start listening! The album's right up there with Sonny's work for Roost – in terms of straight, strong, confident blowing – remarkably subtle, but also remarkably well-conceived, and proof that by the end of the 50s, Stitt had really matured greatly as a player – bringing so much to bear in very short space, and really coming up with imaginative solos in the process! The group's a quartet with Barry Harris on piano (although conflicting information also claims that it's Ramsey Lewis) – but Stitt's the main focus on this set, and for good reason – on titles that include "Jack Spratt", "Propapagoon", "This Is Always", "Everyone Does", and "Mr Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of an obscure session by Ammons – most likely recorded in that jumble of contracts and conflicting label arrangements in the early 60s – a time when Jug actually did some of his best work! There's no players listed on the notes – which is sometimes typical for these early 60s sides (although not usually the ones on Prestige), and overall, the spirit is in keeping with the "preachin" title – as Jug blows his way over small combo organ backing, in a very churchy kind of soul jazz mode. Titles include "The Prayer", "The Light", "What A Friend", "Sweet Hour", and "Yield Not". LP, Vinyl record album