A huge overview of work from one of the hippest large group leaders in France at the end of the 50s – the mighty Christian Chevallier, who was almost to the Parisian scene what Quincy Jones was to the American one! Chevallier has a great way of building a larger group out of really strong individual voices – using key jazz musicians on almost all the tracks here – players who include Roger Guerin on trumpet, Benny Vasseur and Billy Byers on trombones, Bobby Jaspar and Jean Louis Cheautemps on tenors, Armand Migiani on alto and baritone, Michel Hausser and Fats Said on vibes, Pierre Michelot on bass, and even Kenny Clarke on drums on a few great tracks! The set begins with a famous soundtrack done in collaboration with Martial Solal for a film by Jean Pierre Melville – then moves into a great range of jazz material from assorted albums and EP releases from the late 50s and early 60s. The set feature a great EP with Kenny Clarke, a Madison record, a date with Bilbert Becaud, and assorted other releases – a total of 75 tracks in all! CD

Dreamy vocals from Matt Dennis – a set of Rodgers & Hart numbers, performed in a sweetly swaying style that has plenty of warm touches. Unlike some of Matt's smaller combo records, this set's got larger backings from the orchestra of Harry Geller – using some light strings and woodwinds to give the set a darker sort of finish that works nicely with Matt's fragile vocals. The approach is unique for a male singer at the time – fitting, given that Matt's such a uniquely talented vocalist! Titles include "Have You Met Miss Jones", "This Funny World", "Give Her A Kiss", "Mimi", "Nobody's Heart", and "I Married An Angel". LP, Vinyl record album

A later album by Johnny Griffin, recorded after his return to the US during the late 70s. This album's a pretty interesting little set – one that features Griffin working in an easygoing combo with slight electric touches – a group that features George Freeman on guitar, alongside Cedar Walton's acoustic piano, plus bass by Sam Jones, drums by Albert Heath, and percussion and congas from Kenneth Nash. The mixture of guitar and congas gives the album a very different feel than some of Griffin's other work – almost a lighter soul jazz touch that recalls some of the best Muse Records sides from the time. Tracks are long, and rhythms get nice and free at times – and titles include a 17 minute take on "Night In Tunisia" that really gets a bit wild, plus "Since I Fell For You", "Bush Dance", "Knucklebean", and "The JAMFs Are Coming". LP, Vinyl record album

This album seems to have been recorded between 1979 and 1980 in Boston, New York and at Sigma Sound in Philadelphia. Bass player and vocalist Busta Jones gives us a batch of songs that incorporate a lot of the early 80s pop sound – some robot/space sounds, some danceable numbers and one definite disco-y tune. Side two seems to have more to offer – some solid good pop songs. Jones wrote most of the songs and he does a good version of Stevie Wonder's "Just A Little Misunderstanding". Other tracks include "Superstar", "Impulse Reaction", "I Put A Rush On You", "Everybody's Dancing All Over The World", and "You Keep Making Me Hot". LP, Vinyl record album

With Ravi Coltrane and Javon Jackson on saxophone, Kent Jordan on flute, Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Willie Pickens on piano, and Brad Jones on bass. CD

Clifford Jordan on tenor saxophone, Cedar Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Titles include "Midnight Waltz", "One For Amos", "Blue Monk", "Highest Mountain", and "John Coltrane". CD

A great one by Clifford Jordan! The LP was originally recorded for "Dolphy Productions" in Paris, and with a feel and a spirit very similar to his classic Strata East albums from the same time, like Glass Bead Games and In The World. The group is similar to those recordings too, and features Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins. Tracks are nice and long, and there's a great take on the Strata fave "John Coltrane", plus other nice ones that include "Midnight Waltz","One For Amos", and "Highest Mountain". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool pairing of talents – the piano of Duke Jordan and the fluegelhorn of Art Farmer – in a quartet with David Friesen on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums! CD

Baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne never got much of a chance to record as a leader – but every time he did, he came up with gold – as on this smoking 70s session with pianist Duke Jordan! At the time of the set, both musicians are working past the period of their initial fame – but still very much at the height of their powers – with Payne blowing baritone with the fluidity and sharpness of most tenorists – and Jordan bringing in lots of those wonderfully-crafted notes full of feeling, as he was using on some of his European sessions of the time. The balance of feeling between the two is really wonderful – definitely in the spirit of their photo on the cover – and remaining members of the group are great, too – with the mighty Sam Jones on bass and Al Foster on drums. Titles include "Jazz Vendor", "Cerupa", "No Problem", "Egg Head", and "I Should Care". CD

Featuring Mike Jones on "I'm N Luv", plus Trick Daddy and Youngbloodz on "I'm Sprung 2", with Beenie Man on the dancehall remix. 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the last great records by Johnny Guitar Watson – and an album that's got some wonderfully subdued moments, which is a real relief after some of the too-funky bits on some of his other sets from the late 70s! Johnny returns to the tight soul of the mid 70s Fantasy LPs – still keeping the guitar up in the mix, but also really focusing on his wonderfully compressed style of vocals – a slightly tripped out mode that dances along beautifully with the guitar – ta-ta-ing us to some great mellow grooves, and really letting Watson's personality shine! Titles include "Love Jones", "Asante Sana", "Lone Ranger", and "Children of the Universe". CD

A treasure trove of rare soul from Detroit – rare material from the hands of producer/guitarist Dave Hamilton, a good deal of which was never issued back in the 60s! As you may know from Dave's own recently reissued work, the Hamilton sound is nice and hard – a version of Detroit soul that's got a bit more beat on the bottom than the better known Motown groove – and which was a perfect setting for some of the excellent lesser-known singers that Dave chose to record. Few of the artists here ever broke big on their own, but that doesn't stop the work from being totally great – and the 25 track set is overflowing with great work that shows a whole new side of the almost-infinite Detroit scene of the late 60s. Some material was issued on 45s for the TCB, Topper, and Palmer labels – but much more of the work here is previously unissued in any form – and totally great all the way through! Titles include "Challenge My Love" by Tobi Lark, "The Two Of Us" by Danny Cobus, "Who Are You Trying To Fool" and "One Way Street" by Little Ann, "You Got Me Turned Around" and "That's Enough" by OC Tolbert, "I'll Give You My Love" by Sue Ann Jones, "We're In Love" by The Additions, "Ain't That Groovy" by The Dave Hamilton Band, "All I Want Is You" by JT Rhythm, "Tears Running & Falling From My Eyes" by James Lately, and "My Sweet Baby" by The Mark-Keys. CD

An absolute treasure trove of rare soul singles from Pied Piper Productions – a mid 60s Detroit soul operation that features Funk Brothers Jack Ashford, Joe Hunter, and Mike Terry – laying down sounds that rival the best Motown groovers of the period! The work is amazing throughout – soul cuts heavily focused on the groove and amazing lead vocals – recorded in ways that are similar to the best of Detroit at the time, but with some rawer aspects too – which makes for a massive package of Northern Soul gems! The package features both solo singers and great groups too – artists who include Lorraine Chandler, The Hesitations, September Jones, The Cavaliers, Willie Kendrick, Nancy Wilcox, and – heard here on rare singles and LP tracks that were originally released on labels like Karate, Kapp, Ruby and Giant – plus a number of recently unearthed titles that are seeing release for the first time ever! The set features 24 tracks in all, and the usual superb Kent notes and packaging – with titles that include "I Can't Hold On" by Lorraine Chandler, "Stuttering Sam" by September Jones, "Gambler's Blues" by Nancy Wilcox, "This Heart Is Lonely" by Rose Batiste, "Just Can't Leave You" by Tony Hesher, "Could It Be" by Micki Farrow, "I Fell In Love (Can't Help It)" by Freddy Butler, "He'll Be Leaving You" by The Pied Piper Players, "If Only You Knew" by Mike & Ray, "Time Changes Things" by Willie Kendrick, and "Lonely Too Long" by The Sandpipers. CD

Not just Rock N Roll, but a classic collection of doo wop, R&B, and more – served up in a massive CD package that brings together all versions of this classic album on Crown Records! The original Rock N Roll Dance Party was a key collection in the late 50s – one that helped push the best R&B artists on the Modern/Kent label to a wider audience, thanks to a more mainstream cover. But as the 60s moved in, the title was re-vamped with new titles – and appeared in different versions that are finally getting sorted out and presented here. The CD features 26 tracks from all the albums – and even if you're not concerned with the discographical information, the whole thing still stands as a hard-rocking collection of grooves – as fresh today as it was nearly 50 years ago! Titles include "Cherry Pie" by Marvin & Johnny, "Don't Be Angry" by The Cadets, "Sunday Meetin Rock" by Johnny Allen, "All Night Long" by Joe Houston, "Dance With Me Henry" by Etta Jones, "Vido's Boogie" by Vido Musso, "Bye Bye Fare Thee Well" by Peppermint Harris, "Ay La Bah" by Dolly Cooper, "Cool Diggin" by Maxwell Davis, "I Want My Baby" by Jimmy Beasley, "Convicted" by Oscar McLollie, and "Have Mercy Miss Percy" by Long Tall Marvin. CD

Sweet early 80s tracks from the legendary Bunny Striker Lee – work that shows him stepping effortlessly into the dancehall modes of the time – still a master of rhythm, and of finding the right sort of talents to add to his sound! The package features a nice mix of bigger names and up-and-coming talents – and also includes a number of unissued tracks from Bunny's archives, which fit perfectly alongside the singles in the set – music that's mostly in a late roots-into-dancehall mode, instead of some of the bigger, more commercial work that would circulate under the dancehall name a few years later. As always with Pressure Sounds, the presentation, sound quality, and notes are great – and titles include "Gun Fever" by Frankie Jones, "People Cruel (12" mix)" by Cornell Campbell & Errol Scorcher, "Lay Down Flat" by Devon Edwards, "Revolution Fighters" by Simple Simon, "Too Popular" by Trevor Castell, "Babylon No Badda Haul & Pull Me" by Devon Edwards, "A Place Called Zion" by The Paragons, "The Right Time (12" mix)" by Neville Brown & John Wayne, "Bandulo (12" mix)" by Cornell Campbell & Scientist, "Know Yourself Mankind" by The Paragons, "Lazer Beam (12" mix)" by Don Carlos & Papa Tullo, and "I Man Come Again" by Johnny Clarke. LP, Vinyl record album

2 lesser-known gems from a young Maynard Ferguson – back to back on a single CD! First up is Plays Jazz For Dancing – a record that hones the usual Ferguson groove a bit more for the dancefloor, yet still keeps in plenty of room for the sorts of solo space that Maynard first forged earlier in the 50s! The lineup here features some great work from Willie Maiden on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Jimmy Ford on alto sax – as well as performances from Maynard himself on trumpet, valve trombone, and even a bit of euphonium. Titles include "Hey There", "Where's Teddy", "Soft Winds", "Tis Autumn", "Secret Love", "I'll Be Seeing You", and "If I Should Lose You". Let's Face The Music & Dance follows in very similar form – a well-crafted batch of big band numbers from Maynard Ferguson, with more than enough swing and sway for the dancefloor, but also that stronger sense of personality and power you'd expect from Maynard. As usual for the time, the lineup of players is totally great – a surprising batch of hipsters that includes Jaki Byard on piano, Slide Hampton on trombone, Joe Farrell on tenor and clarinet, and Willie Maiden on tenor and flute – plys some great drum work from Rufus Jones, who really keeps a nice punch in the rhythms. Titles include "Let's Do It", "Spring Is Here", "Teach Me Tonight", "Let's Face The Music & Dance", and "Mangos". CD

Excellent work from Clifford Jordan – far better than the usual Steeplechase session of the time! The vibe here is similar to Jordan's work at the time on the Strata East label – played in a very similar group, with Cedar Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – way more than just a standard rhythm section, and with Jordan in tow, a compelling quartet with a really unique sound! There's a great depth to the work here – hardly the American soloist taking up space that you might get on other European live dates from the period – and the tracks are long, with an angular soul jazz finish. Both Jordan and Walton get plenty of room for expression – and titles on this third volume include "Seven Minds", "Shoulders", "St Thomas", and "Bleecker Street Theme". CD

One of the last great records by Johnny Guitar Watson – and an album that's got some wonderfully subdued moments, which is a real relief after some of the too-funky bits on some of his other sets from the late 70s! Johnny returns to the tight soul of the mid 70s Fantasy LPs – still keeping the guitar up in the mix, but also really focusing on his wonderfully compressed style of vocals – a slightly tripped out mode that dances along beautifully with the guitar – ta-ta-ing us to some great mellow grooves, and really letting Watson's personality shine! Titles include "Love Jones", "Asante Sana", "Lone Ranger", and "Children of the Universe". LP, Vinyl record album

A whole host of rare cuts from the original Kent Records label in LA – the 60s follow-up to the famous Crown/Modern/RPM imprint of the postwar years – a set of labels that gave the world plenty of amazing R&B tracks in the 50s! Here, Kent is going more for a 60s groove overall, but with qualities that still echo the nice edge of their older material – all in a package that pays tribute to a famous collection of Kent songs done by Ace Records forty years before – the start of a long love affair that's had Ace issuing plenty of tracks that never saw the light of day back in the 50s and 60s! That's definitely the case here – as rare cuts stand next to others making their vinyl debut – and NOTE that this CD version features a different track list than the vinyl – only 3 of the 24 tracks within are included on the LP version. Titles include "You'd Be Good For Me" by Jeanette Jones, "Gonna Put It On Your Mind" by Arthur Adams, "Jealous Woman" by T Bone Walker, "You Changed Me" by Teddy Reynolds, "Wanting You" by Jimmy Bee, "Satisfied Feeling" by Mary Love, "Tramp" by Foxfire with Johnny Adams, "Freedom & Justice" by The Pace Setters, "Remove My Doubts" by Stacy Johnson, "Here Comes the Judge" by Larry & Tommy, "Push Me" by Lowell Fulson, "On My Way Back Home" by Flash Terry, "No More Tears" by The Sweethearts, "Help Me" by Beatrice Lee, and "Mr Bad Luck" by King Solomon. CD

A great meeting of tenor talents – a collection of some fantastic early material recorded by Jug for Prestige. This collection of great sides, originally issued as 78s, features Ammons and Stitt locking horns on "Blues Up And Down", "You Can Depend On Me", "Easy Glide", "Walkin", "Touch Of The Blues", "Who Threw The Sleeping Pills In Rip Van Winkle's Coffee?" and "Chabootie", with sidemen that include Duke Jordan, Bill Massey, Tommy Potter, Gene Wright, Jo Jones, Art Blakey and Wesley Landers. Classic blowing material! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever for Blue Note – and the only album recorded by tenor player Tina Brooks that was issued during his lifetime! The album's nearly perfect – and features Brooks' edgey tenor set in an all star group that includes Duke Jordan on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Brooks had blown on other Blue Note sessions before, but here, working as a leader, his sound is tremendous – vaguely to the left of center of some of his other tenor counterparts on the label, but with an equally impeccable approach to soul and rhythm. Titles include "Miss Hazel", "Good Old Soul", "Up Tight's Creek", and "Theme For Doris". CD

One of the greatest albums ever for Blue Note – and the only album recorded by tenor player Tina Brooks that was issued during his lifetime! The album's nearly perfect – and features Brooks' edgey tenor set in an all star group that includes Duke Jordan on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Brooks had blown on other Blue Note sessions before, but here, working as a leader, his sound is tremendous – vaguely to the left of center of some of his other tenor counterparts on the label, but with an equally impeccable approach to soul and rhythm. Titles include "Miss Hazel", "Good Old Soul", "Up Tight's Creek", and "Theme For Doris". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever for Blue Note – and the only album recorded by tenor player Tina Brooks that was issued during his lifetime! The album's nearly perfect – and features Brooks' edgey tenor set in an all star group that includes Duke Jordan on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Brooks had blown on other Blue Note sessions before, but here, working as a leader, his sound is tremendous – vaguely to the left of center of some of his other tenor counterparts on the label, but with an equally impeccable approach to soul and rhythm. Titles include "Miss Hazel", "Good Old Soul", "Up Tight's Creek", and "Theme For Doris". CD features bonus tracks – alternates of "True Blue" and "Good Old Soul". CD

A classic set of clubby soul from the All-Platinum New Jersey soul empire of the 70s – the third album from a group who started in funk territory a few years before, but who've definitely sharpened up their groove for the dancefloors here! Brother To Brother are a great example of a group from pre-disco years who evolved very strongly to the best modes of the time – still very underground, and with instrumentation that's schooled from many years gigging together. Billy Jones arranged and produced – that's him on the front, next to Chuck Carrado – both of whom play guitar – in a mix of keyboards, saxes, bass, and drums – often with some nice jazzy currents. Titles include "Dancin Singin", "We Love To Party", "Brother To Brother", "Vibrations", and "I'm Gonna Take Your Love". CD

Sure, they were hitmakers – but we love these guys, and find them to be one of the most radical vocal groups of all time! Under the impeccable guidance of Lieber & Stoller, the group recorded some of the fiercest vocal numbers of the 50s – mixing incredibly soulful vocals with an almost cartoonish ability to conjure up little pictures with words. This 50-track, 2CD set is an amazing tribute to the group's genius – and it includes a wonderful range of material that begins with their early days as The Robins, and which runs up to later sides cut as funky 45s for the Date label in the late 60s. Features the great funk numbers "Soul Pad", "DW Washburn", and "Down Home Girl" – plus totall excellent doo wop tunes like "Shoppin For Clothes", "Hitchin A Ride", "Girls Girls Girls", "The Slime", "Hongry", "Hey Sexy", "The Shadow Knows", "Sorry But I'm Gonna Have To Pass", "One Kiss", "What Is The Secret Of Your Success?", "Idol With The Golden Head", "Besame Mucho", "Stewball", "What About Us", and "Along Came Jones". Also includes the big hits – but the set goes way past that stuff too! CD

A classic full length set from The Coasters – and as much of a full album that brings together their best for Atlantic, as it is a collection of earlier material from singles! There's a really unified approach here – thanks to the group's really dynamic, surprisingly soulful vocal interplay – and to the top-shelf production and presentation of the material throughout. And sure, they were hitmakers – but we love these guys, and find them to be one of the most radical vocal groups of all time! Under the impeccable guidance of Lieber & Stoller, the group recorded some of the fiercest vocal numbers of the 50s – mixing incredibly soulful vocals with an almost cartoonish ability to conjure up little pictures with words. A dozen great numbers in all – "Poison Ivy", "Along Came Jones", "Down In Mexico", "The Shadow Knows", "I'm A Hog For You", "Charlie Brown", "Yakety Yak", "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart", "That Is Rock & Roll", "Young Blood", "Sweet Georgia Brown", and "Searchin'". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Art Farmer recordings of the 70s – an especially sharp-edged performance, thanks to the presence of Clifford Jordan in the group! The album was recorded live at Boomer's nightclub in New York – and all tracks have a long-flowing, open ended quality – a bit like some of the work that Jordan was recording under his own name at the time, but touches with more of Farmer's warmth. The lineup includes a Jordan's familiar musical trio of Cedar Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all of whom sparkle nicely in this setting – and titles include "Will You Still Be Mine", "I Remember Clifford", "Barbados", and "Round Midnight". CD

One of the greatest Art Farmer recordings of the 70s – an especially sharp-edged performance, thanks to the presence of Clifford Jordan in the group! The album was recorded live at Boomer's nightclub in New York – and all tracks have a long-flowing, open ended quality – a bit like some of the work that Jordan was recording under his own name at the time, but touches with more of Farmer's warmth. The lineup includes a Jordan's familiar musical trio of Cedar Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all of whom sparkle nicely in this setting – and titles include "Fantasy In D", "Manha De Carnaval", "Blues For Amos", and "What's New". CD

Great small combo work by Roberta Flack, recorded early in her career, when she was still one of the hippest things around – and it's among her best records! Roberta's really come into her own as vocalist at this point and solidifying here personal style – with that clear tone and perfectly controlled style and phrasing – balancing a jazzy sensibility with the emotions of her gospel roots. A few tracks have some large arrangements by Arif Mardin, William Eaton, or Deodato – but most tracks feature a core group of studio jazz players that includes players like Joe Farrell, Richard Tee, Chuck Rainey, Hubert Laws, and Bernard Purdie. Includes a version of Eugene McDaniels' "Sunday & Sister Jones", plus "Go Up Moses", "To Love Somebody", "Let Them Talk", and "Sweet Bitter Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A great solo set from tenorist Binker Golding – an artist we usually hear on the Gearbox label as part of the Binker & Moses combo, but who maybe sounds even bolder and stronger here in the lead on his own! The set's a quartet date, with a relatively straight group – but the sound is wonderful – overflowing with new ideas, and this sense of voice from the leader that gets fantastic support from Joe Armon-Jones on piano, Daniel Casimir on bass, and Sam Jones on drums! Nobody's pushing too hard, or trying any tricks – yet there's a freshness and individual spirit to the record right from the very first note – unusual rhythms from the trio, and more confidence in Golding's sound than we've ever heard before. Titles include "Skinned Alive Tasting Blood", "Fluorescent Black", "You That Place That Time", "And I Like Your Feathers", and "Exquisite She Green". LP, Vinyl record album

A great solo set from tenorist Binker Golding – an artist we usually hear on the Gearbox label as part of the Binker & Moses combo, but who maybe sounds even bolder and stronger here in the lead on his own! The set's a quartet date, with a relatively straight group – but the sound is wonderful – overflowing with new ideas, and this sense of voice from the leader that gets fantastic support from Joe Armon-Jones on piano, Daniel Casimir on bass, and Sam Jones on drums! Nobody's pushing too hard, or trying any tricks – yet there's a freshness and individual spirit to the record right from the very first note – unusual rhythms from the trio, and more confidence in Golding's sound than we've ever heard before. Titles include "Skinned Alive Tasting Blood", "Fluorescent Black", "You That Place That Time", "And I Like Your Feathers", and "Exquisite She Green". CD

An excellent 2LP set that features material pulled from a number of Griffin's early albums for the Jazzland/Riverside label – including The Little Giant, The Kerry Dancers, Way Out, and The Johnny Griffin Sextet. The material is played by a number of groups – with musicians that include Donald Byrd, Pepper Adams, Kenny Drew, Wibur Ware, Blue Mitchell, Julian Priester, Barry Harris, and Sam Jones – but it's united by Griffin's souful approach to bop, and by a youthful energy that made him one of the most striking tenor soloists of his generation, despite a young age. Titles include "Catharsis", "Hot Sausage", "The Message", "Playmates", "63rd Street Theme", "The Kerry Dancers", and "Little John". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the best albums ever cut by this oft-overlooked bop trumpeter – and a clean, clear, no-nonsense session played with some great modern touches! The session really steps off from McGhee's earlier work nicely – and is noteworthy not only for Howard's great trumpet work, but also for the presence of baritonist Sahib Shihab in the group, making a great small group appearance here and really dominating the session with his strong sound. Other players include Duke Jordan on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles include a good number of originals by McGhee. Tracks include "Tweedles", "Tahitian Lullaby", "Rifftide", "Oo Wee But I Do", "Transpicious", and "Don't Blame Me". CD

Easily one of the best albums ever cut by this oft-overlooked bop trumpeter – and a clean, clear, no-nonsense session played in the company of a crack group that includes Sahib Shihab, Duke Jordan, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones. Maggie's in the lead on firey solos, and tracks are short, but economical enough to get plenty across! Titles include "Tweedles", "Tahitian Lullaby", "Rifftide", "Oo Wee But I Do", "Transpicious", and "Don't Blame Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of tracks by one of the best piano players that Blue Note ever recorded – and a great trio outing that sparkles with soulful intensity! Even in this more traditional format, Horace Parlan's still one of the most inventive players of his generation – working with a sense of bottom groove that makes even familiar tunes move nicely, and hitting an approach to his solo work that trades flowery touches for earthier tones that often dance around each other with a focused sound that's really unique! Dark and blue tones echo out wonderfully throughout the set, and Horace's piano is backed by the extremely thoughtful bass work of Sam Jones and drums of Al Harewood – on tunes that include "Up In Cynthia's Room", "C Jam Blues", "Bag's Groove", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "Lady Bird". CD

A landmark bit of avant prog psych from the American underground of the late 60s – the astral mindblower that is God Bless The Red Krayola & All Who Sail It! This second album is the group's early masterpiece – a brilliant, jarring psychedelic work of genius! It's got the strangeness of the Parable LP, but Mayo & the boys have a way with strange melody that escaped the earlier album. It's often buried under the astral wierdness and abrasive tendancies, but it nevertheless casts a spooky glow throughout! Tracks inclcude "Ravi Shankar: Parachutist", "Leejol", "Night Song", "Green Of My Pants", "The Jewels Of The Madonna", "Tina's Gone To Have A Baby", "Say Hello To Jamie Jones", and "Coconut Hotel". LP, Vinyl record album

Great straight work from the legendary Sonny Stitt – recording here in a mode that's different than his funky sides of the time – and a lot more back to basics! The group's a quintet – as Sonny blows both tenor and alto, with help from Joe Newman on trumpet, Duke Jordan on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums – and excellent combo who really keep things interesting – on titles that include "The Champ", "Sweet & Lovely", "The Midgets", "The Eternal Triangle", "All The Things You Are", and "Walkin'". CD

A brilliant slice of rare work by Cedar Walton – tracks from three different live sessions of the early 70s, all of them recorded at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, and all of them previously unreleased! The bulk of the work features Walton with the core group of players he was working with at the time – Sam Jones on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Clifford Jordan on tenor – all grooving in the mode of the Eastern Rebellion albums or some of Jordan's own sessions – a post-Coltrane take on soul jazz, mixing the spiritual with the modal with hardbop! Etta Jones sings guest vocals on two bluesier numbers, and Bill Hardman blows a bit of trumpet on some tracks – and titles include "Naima", "Pinocchio", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Plexus", and "I'm Not So Sure". CD

With Danny Stiles on trumpet and flugelhorn, Al Cohn on tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Steve Gadd on drums, and Milt Hinton on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably the best solo record that Joe Zawinul ever cut – and one of the few to really show him working in the soulful style that he had with Cannonball Adderley's famous 60s combo! The record features Joe on piano – stepping out on cuts that still have all the soul jazz currents that he brought to his work with Cannon – those rolling lines and heavy left-hand grooves that made a Zawinul groove instantly infectious! The lineups shift a bit here, but include heavyweight players throughout – including Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Clifford Jordan or Joe Henderson on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums! The presence of those giants puts the whole thing in Blue Note or Prestige Records 60s territory – and titles include "Money In The Pocket", "If", "Midnight Mood", "Some More Of Dat", "Sharon's Waltz", and "Del Sasser". LP, Vinyl record album

Deep, deep disco selected by Johnny "D" DeMairo – one of the more pivotal underground club music figures of the past couple decades, via his role in setting up the Henry Street imprint – here putting together an incredible set of the rare disco greatness! This the the expansive, floor-shaking, genre-straddling stuff that inspired the house and clubby soul scenes to come – and it's one of the best compilations of harder-to-find disco that's we've gotten our hands in years. The setlist features a divers mix of famous and lesser-remembered names – with styles ranging from straight forward disco stormers to strains of earlyish electro and 80s grooves – benchmark singles and inventive productions that bridge the eras! Tracks by Cerrone, Kasso, Skyy, The System, The O'Jays and more! Disc One of the 2CD edition feature 19 tracks mixed masterfully: "Ride On The Rhythm" by Mahogany feat Bernice Watkins, "Time For Live" by The Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band, "It's Passion" by The System, "Spank" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "Call Me" by Skyy, "Dance For Every" by Gaucho, "We're On The Right Track" by Ultra High Frequency and more. CD Two features 13 unmixed disco jams: "This Time Baby" by The O'Jays, "How To Win Your Love" by Spencer Jones, "Dub Till We Drop" by La Fluer, "I've Got To Find A Way" by Zena Djonay, "Think Fast" by Pamela Joy and more. CD

You might not know Les Cousins, but back in the city it was a very important club on the London scene – a crossroads of blues, folk, and other styles – with an influence that was every bit important in England as the Greenwich Village clubs were in the US! This massive 3CD set does a great job of documenting the sounds that passed through its stage – not via live recordings, but over a well-chosen array of cuts that demonstrate just how hip British work of the time could be – folk-plus material, of the sort you'd hear on the best albums on Island Records or Transatlantic, all very much of the generation of Nick Drake and Fairport Convention! The 3CD set does a really great job of showing the wide range of acts from this moment – including many we haven't had on other reissues in recent years – in a great box that features 72 tracks, and very detailed notes on the material. Includes work from The Levee Brothers, Roy Harper, Dr Strangely Strange, Strawbs, Owen Hand, Dave Evans, Anne Briggs, Tom Yates, Duffy Power, Ron Geesin, Jackson C Frank, Martin Carthy, Dando Shaft, Shelagh McDonald, Al Jones, Sweeney's Men, Sam Mitchell, Tir Na Nog, Beverly, Michael Chapman, and many others. CD

An incredible collection – and one that fills in a crucially under-documented side of the New York dancefloor generation – the wealth of special mixes and edits that were made for that city's important DJs for their own use in clubs! The package sorts through a mountain of never-issued acetates, and goes way past conventional disco or rare club collections – to showcase the special mixing talents these DJs brought to their re-presentation of the material – which was usually done on tape, then pressed onto acetate discs for their own private use! Those rare treasures are brought forth here – in a beautiful package that's also overflowing with fantastic notes that finally give this lost history its due – all handled by Al Kent – who's a hell of a mixer himself, as well as an underground club historian. Vinyl part 1 features five different records, all with lots of space for the tunes to stretch out – and titles include "I Just Wanna Say I Love You (John Luongo rmx)" by Leon Collins, "What About Love (Tony Gioe rmx)" by Marboo, "Ten Percent (Walter Gibbons Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Double Exposure, "Inside America (Rick Gianatos disco queen acetate edit)" by Juggy Murray Jones, "Dancing Free (John Luongo rmx)" by Hot Ice, "Black Water Gold (Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by The Sunshine Band, "Magic Bird Of Fire (Francois Kevorkian Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Salsoul Orchestra, "It's Good For The Soul (Jay Negron Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Salsoul Orchestra, "My Love Is Free (Walter Gibbons disco madness rmx)" by Double Exposure, "Reaching Out For Happiness (Jonathan Fearing rmx)" by Fay Hauser, "Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Tom Savarese rmx)" by Love Symphony Orchestra, "The Beat Goes On & On (Jim Burgess rmx)" by Ripple, "I Wanna Be Near You (John Morales Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Ruby Andrews, "I've Been Looking For Somebody (Walter Gibbons rmx)" by TC James & The Fist O Funk Orchestra, "The Disco Scene (Rick Gianatos rmx)" by Lake Shore Drive, "Bumpsie's Whipping Cream (Tom Savarese rmx)" by TC James & The Fist O Funk Orchestra, and "Janice (Bobby DJ Guttadoro rmx)" by Skip Mahoney. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice selection of classic 60s soul numbers, focusing on women who like to exercise their pipes, and while we had remembered this set hewed close to the mainstream, there's a few nice little nuggets on here that they dug a little deeper for. 14 tracks in all: "The Nitty Gritty" by Shirley Ellis, "Tell Mama" by Etta James, "Hard To Handle" by Patti Drew, "Bold Soul Sister" by Ike & Tina Turner, "Lee Cross" and "You Send Me" by Aretha Franklin, "Heartbeat" by Gloria Jones, "Stay With Me" by Lorraine Ellison, "Wang Dang Doodle" by Koko Taylor, "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)" by Barbara George, "Rescue Me" by Fontella Bass, "Hypnotized" by Linda Jones, "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)" by the Sweet Inspirations, and "Ask Me" by Maxine Brown. LP, Vinyl record album

A warm later set from Carmen McRae – recorded with great small combo jazz backing that features tenor sax work from Clifford Jordan! The album's a real back-to-basics one for McRae – and gets away from crossover modes used in the 60s and 70s, taking Carmen back to the more jazz-based sound of her earliest records – but going even one further by bringing in Jordan, since Carmen mostly started out with straight trio backing. Other players include Eric Gunnison on piano and John Collins on guitar – and the tunes themselves are mostly standards, sung with impeccable phrasing. Titles include "Tulip Or Turnip", "Body & Soul", "I Hear Music", "This Is Always", "It Could Happen To You", "Old Devil Moon", and "Have You Met Miss Jones". CD

A nice overview of work by Bird and Diz – includes recordings from 1947 in New York City with sidemen that include John Lewis, Mles Davis, Duke Jordan, JJ Johnson, and Max Roach; plus a Gillespie session from 1953 in Paris with Bill Graham on saxophones, Wade Legge on piano, Lou Hackney on bass, Al Jones on drums, and Joe Carroll on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of tracks by one of the best piano players that Blue Note ever recorded – and a great trio outing that sparkles with soulful intensity! Even in this more traditional format, Horace Parlan's still one of the most inventive players of his generation – working with a sense of bottom groove that makes even familiar tunes move nicely, and hitting an approach to his solo work that trades flowery touches for earthier tones that often dance around each other with a focused sound that's really unique! Dark and blue tones echo out wonderfully throughout the set, and Horace's piano is backed by the extremely thoughtful bass work of Sam Jones and drums of Al Harewood – on tunes that include "Up In Cynthia's Room", "C Jam Blues", "Bag's Groove", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "Lady Bird". CD

A soaring batch of disco gems, club cuts, and undiscovered nuggets – all pulled together to make a set that's even better than the first entry in this Disco Wonderland series! DJ Andy Smith and associates bring together a great array of fresh tracks from back in the day – not massive disco hits, but also not the kind of rare gems that maybe never made the cut for a good reason – and instead, the tracks here work together perfectly, and even get a few special mixes along the way by Smith and the crew, which includes a few contemporary cuts that fit perfectly next to the vintage material. Titles include "Get Up & Dance (Bad Bikini re-edit)" by Disco Circus, "You're The Best" by The Emotions, "Heaven" by The Gibson Brothers, "Dreamin" by Greg Henderson, "You Don't Know (Crissy Kybosh rmx)" by Serious Intention, "For The Love Of Money" by Armada Orchestra, "You & I" by Ronnie Jones, "Sweet Dynamite" by Claudja Barry, "Dance Freak" by Chain Reaction, "Night Of My Life" by Full Intention & Nick Reach Up with Jazz Morley, "I'm In Love" by Cela, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "Lost Without You (Andy Smith re-edit)" by Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler, and "Ghetto Disco" by Ted Taylor. 2CD version features one CD of the songs mix, another unmixed! CD

A wonderful look at the Compass Point Studios in Nassau – a force that was as important to the sound of grooves in the early 80s as Stax and Fame were to soul in the 60s! Compass Point was the brainchild of Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, but it offered up way more than just a reggae-styled approach to the music – and although the house band at Compass featured both Sly and Robbie, the overall sound was a groundbreaking mix of funk, punk, and post-disco elements! Compass Point was a key recording site for a number of leftfield acts in its early years – and this package does a great job of showing the way the studio left an undeniable imprint on the sound of its time. The booklet features very detailed notes on the studio, its scene, and its key players – and the CD features 13 great 80s grooves that include "Genius Of Love" by Tom Tom Club, "Dance Sucker (Francois K rmx)" by Set The Tone, "Obsession (Nassau mix)" by Guy Cuevas, "Padlock (Larry Levan mix)" by Gwen Guthrie, "River Niger" by Sly Dunbar, "Don't Stop The Music" by Bits & Pieces, "Spasticus Autisticus (version)" by Ian Dury, "You Rented A Space" by Cristina, "Adventures In Success (dub copy)" by Will Powers, "Whisper" by Chaz Jankel, "Born Under Punches" by Talking Heads, and "My Jamaican Guy (12" version)" by Grace Jones. CD

Wild sounds from the early years of rock and roll – a heady brew of guitar-heavy instrumentals, soulful stompers, and more – all pulled from the hinterland of the rare 45 underground! The tunes here go way past familiar oldies – and even past the sorts of sounds that usually show up on surf compilations – because, as he does with funk records, Keb Darge has a great ear for the unusual – the sorts of odd platters that have always show up in his best record digging and DJ gigs – laid out perfectly here in a really overstuffed collection! Keb turns in nice notes on each track – and titles include "Honey Bun" by Larry Donn, "Ghost Train" by The Swanks, "I Don't Wanna Leave" by Deacon & The Rock & Rollers, "Gorilla" by The Shandells, "She's The One That Got It" by Allen Page, "Madness" by Rhythm Rockers, "Woodpecker Rock" by The Braves, "Let's Dance" by The Excels, "Bad Bad Boy" by Bobby Lollar, and "Lobo Jones" by Jackie Gotroe. CD

A stunning tribute to the great Alan Lomax – the legendary musicologist, historian, and recording engineer who captured so many wonderful American sounds in the 20th Century! Lomax's work has been crucial to both the Library Of Congress and Smithsonian/Folkways Records – yet there's also a fair bit that has never seen the light of day before – amazing recordings that make up a surprisingly large part of this box set – which compiles work in many different styles recorded by Alan in the field – blues, folk, gospel, and global modes, plus compelling regional genres – all presented here in a special 6LP set. The box features 55 never-issued tracks, and lots more great ones too – with music by Shirley Collins, Fiddlin Joe Martin, Compagna Sacco, Calvin Frazier, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jelly Roll Morton, Ernest Williams, Neal Morris, Skip James, Son House, Elmer Barton, Brendan Behan, George Sea Island Singers, Big Bill Broonzy, Elizabeth Austin, Jean Ritchie, Bascomb Lamar Lunsford, Bessie Jones, Duke Of Iron, Charles Barnett, and many others. The box features a nice booklet of notes, too – and some rare photos from the archive! LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous overview of some really important years in British music – a period that sometimes gets overlooked, due to the huge explosion of psych, prog, and other styles – but one that's equally creative in its own sort of way! First off, forget the term "folk rock" – because although that's what this music might be, it's also very different than the pop folk modes that were big on the US scene in the mid 60s – as this folk rock scene instead represented a host of British musicians really retrenching, and finding their own sort of styles – sometimes borrowing bits from the ancient past of England, other times bringing forth a contemporary way of putting over a tune – at a level that might have gotten commercial and overproduced if these guys were working on the American west coast, but which instead has a nicely unadorned quality here. At a time when most American labels (and listeners) were really leaving folk music behind, these artists were able to often work free from the needs of a big commercial hit – and make genius music that's gone on to transform many minds over the decades. The set moves way past the obvious – and features a whopping 60 tracks in all, with lots of notes in the package – and even includes a few never-issued tracks as well. Includes work by Harvey Andrews, Jade, Michael Chapman, Andy Roberts, Mr Fox, Pentangle, Shirley Collins, Prelude, Heron, Mike Cooper, Paul Brett's Sage, Lifeblood, Dando Shaft, Canticle, Jeremy Harmer, Bridget St John, Al Jones, Bill Fay, Fairport Convention, The Woods Band, Matthew's Southern Comfort, The Johnstons, Beau, Richmond, Chimera, Spirogyra, and many others! CD

One of the greatest albums ever for Blue Note – and the only album recorded by tenor player Tina Brooks that was issued during his lifetime! The album's nearly perfect – and features Brooks' edgey tenor set in an all star group that includes Duke Jordan on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Brooks had blown on other Blue Note sessions before, but here, working as a leader, his sound is tremendous – vaguely to the left of center of some of his other tenor counterparts on the label, but with an equally impeccable approach to soul and rhythm. Titles include "Miss Hazel", "Good Old Soul", "Up Tight's Creek", and "Theme For Doris". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – alternate takes of "Good Old Soul" and "True Blue"! CD

Some of Kenny's best recordings – especially from the early days! The albums contained on this 2CD set feature Kenny in the company of some of the best late 50's players at Blue Note. Junior Cook and Tina Brooks are on tenor, Duke Jordan or Bobby Timmons play piano, Louis Smith plays trumpet on some tracks, Sam Jones is on bass, and Art Blakey is on drums throughout. The cuts have a very open-ended blowing session feel, and Kenny comes through surprisingly well, really picking up steam on a way you don't always hear in more restrained recordings. The 2-in-1 combo is a nice idea, too – and it gives you all 9 long tracks from these two rare albums, including "Rock Salt", "Chuckin", "Scotch Blues", and "Phinupi". CD

Great stuff – most likely the most hardbop oriented of all Paul Chambers' sessions for Blue Note, and a great little album that has the famous bassist fronting a group that includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Clifford Jordan on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Elvin Jones on drums! Chambers' basslines ring out nice and clear, adding a warm frontline sound to the album that works well with Byrd's young and soulful sound – and creating a unique bass-led sound that's neither gimmicky nor sluggish, but as brash and burning as the best Blue Note sides of the time! Titles include "Four Strings", "Beauteous", "Minor Run Down", and "The Hand Of Love". CD

Two LP's on one CD. The first set is a later one for Vee Jay, and it brings together half of the Jazz Messengers with a batch of west coast players – in a groove that wonderfully mixes together different traditions and rhythms in jazz – and which steps out with a sound that's far more than the sum of its parts! Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller join a group headed by Buddy De Franco, and featuring Victor Feldman on piano and vibes, plus Victor Sproles on bass and Freddie Hill on trumpet. The sound of the group is quite unusual – and a lot lighter than you'd guess – giving Buddy plenty of room to solo in a breezy style that's grown tremendously since his 50s recordings – pushed along by some heavier soul from Art and the group. Titles include "Rain Dance", "Blues Bag", "Twelve Tone Blues", "Kush", and "Cousin Mary". The second album's one of the few ever cut as a leader by Louis Hayes – a very soulful talent who's probably best known for his work with Horace Silver and Cannonball Adderley during the late 50s. Hayes' has a wonderful approach to the record – borrowing bits of the exoticism of his work with Silver, and bits of the harder soul jazz from Cannonball's group – all of which is played to perfection by a tight quintet that includes Yusef Lateef, Sam Jones, Barry Harris, and Nat Adderley. Tracks are all originals by the group, and titles include "Hazing", "Rip De Boom", "Teef", and "Sassy Ann". CD

A wonderfully trippy record by The Monkees, and the soundtrack to their equally trippy film from the late 60s. The music's like nothing else they ever did, and the record's a post-Sgt. Pepper's collage of sounds from the movie, weird little spoken bits, and delightfully psychedelic songs. Incidental music's by Ken Thorne, but the bulk of the tracks are by Jones, Tork, Nesmith, and Dolenz. Titles include "Porpoise Song", "Circle Sky", "Can You Dig It", "Gravy", and "Dandruff?" LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Memphis Minnie, Mississippi John Hurt, Henry Thomas, Luke Jordan, Bobby Grant, Evans & McClain, Furry Lewis, Blind Blake, Clarence Ashley, Moses Mason, Blue Boys, Coley Jones, and Barbecue Bob. CD

A new year's always a new way to fall in love with contemporary soul music – thanks to the annual gems we always get in this great series from Expansion Records! For decades, the UK label has been one of the best outlets for new music from the neo soul underground – and in recent years, as so many releases are digital-only, their efforts with this collection series is even more important – as provides a massive overview of great contemporary soul cuts that may never make it to any sort of physical format at all! There's other cuts from album released mixed in with singles and more obscure cuts – and as always, the set list is superb – a batch of 35 tracks that include "Dot Dot Dot" by Marquel Jordan, "Something Like This (breakdown rmx)" by Tristan, "Don't Throw Our Love Away" by Ashley Scott, "Love Can Make You Feel So Happy" by Ipso Facto, "Slow Motion" by Kenya with Noel Gourdin, "This Is Worth It" by Blue Soul Ten, "While I'm Alone" by Alton McClain Scarborough, "Such A Good Feelin (Don-E chuffed mix)" by Rich Beggar, "Alone Again" by Ernie & The Family McKone, "Light Up My World" by Victor Haynes, "Soul Steppin (Soul Syndicate rmx)" by Shirley Jones, "Move Me No Mountain" by Lisa Dietrich, "I Believe" by Khari Cabral & Jiva, "Moods" by The R&R Soul Orchestra, "Here We Got Again" by Output/Input, "Now's The Time For Us" by Julian Joseph, and "If It Feels Good" by We Are One X-Perience. CD

K-tel style compilation with a note in the corner of the sleeve that says "As Seen On TV", with a bunch of short versions of hot soul tunes that were making the rounds every Saturday afternoon on Soul Train. Nothing hard to find here, but a nice piece of the past loaded with familiar but still great tracks, 20 of them in all,and a great cover with photos of Don Cornelius and a number of the artists from their appearances on the show. With Barbara Mason "Give Me Your Love", James Brown "Good Foot", Curtis Mayfield "Super Fly", Archie Bell& The Drells "Dance To your Music", The O'Jays "Back Stabbers", Cymande "The Message", Timmy Thomas "Why Can't We Live Together", Dennis Coffey "Scorpio", Al Green "Guilty", Brighter Side Of Darkness "Love Jones" and The Dells "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", plus a bunch more. . . LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool collection, and one that will definitely blow your mind if you only know the Burt Bacharach/Dionne Warwick collaborations, or some of Burt's solo albums on his own! Bacharach started out young and early, and was effortlessly penning pop songs for singers in a variety of styles – working as part of that songwriting scene in New York that was always hustling, and able to get a surprising amount of songs into the hands of up-and-coming singers of the time! The scope of this set is stunning – as the first 3CDs feature 95 tracks penned by the young Bacharach himself – sung by a variety of artists who include The Exotics, Etta James, Gene McDaniels, Paul Evans, Marlene Dietrich, Tommy Sands, The Drifters, Frankie Avalon, The Four Coins, Marty Robbins, Sonny James, Jack Jones, Jo Stafford, Bob Manny, and many others. CD4 21 more tracks that showcase unusual but important influences on Burt's compositional style – including work by Henry Cowell, Alban Berg, Leonard Bernstein, Gill Evans, and Tadd Dameron. CD

Kenny Burrell on guitar, Frank Foster, Hank Mobley, Junior Cook, and Tina Brooks on tenor saxophone, Louis Smith on trumpet, Bobby Timmons, Duke Jordan, Horace Silver, Roland Hanna, and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ben Tucker, Doug Watkins, Oscar Pettiford, and Sam Jones on bass, Art Blakey, Louis Hayes, and Shadow Wilson on drums. CD

Great work by one of the most unusual girl groups of the 60s! The Dixie Cups hailed from New Orleans – and as such, had a sound that was rougher and choppier than some of the other female trios from the north, especially the sweeter ones in LA. The group were discovered and produced by Joe Jones, a Crescent City soul star in his own right – and under Joe's guidance, they created a style that was steeped in the bubbling soul of the New Orleans scene, yet also had the kind of girl group sensibilities that would help them reach wider audiences across the US. This 18 track set is the best reissue we've ever seen of their material from the time – and features all of their recordings for the Red Bird label, produced by Lieber & Stoller, with arrangements by Joe Jones, Wardell Quezerque, and Mike Stoller. Titles include "Iko Iko", "People Say", "Little Bell", "Gee Baby Gee", "Another Boy Like Mine", "Chapel Of Love", "Girls Can Tell", "All Grown Up", and "Thank You Mama Thank You Papa". CD

A monster – and Charles Earland's second album for Prestige, the follow-up to his groundbreaking Black Talk album! This set's as great as that classic set – a tight batch of groovers that features Earland's Hammond work right out front, grooving away in a soaring, exploratory style that blew away most other jazz organ players at the time. Here, Earland's got an amazing talent for really stretching out, yet never losing the groove – infusing tunes with incredible soulfulness, and making them dance out nicely, even at the farthest reaches of his solos. The band's great, too – with Maynard Parker on guitar, Jimmy Heath on tenor and soprano, and Virgil Jones on trumpet – and all tracks are great, with titles that include "Sing A Simple Song", "Lazy Bird", "Letha", "Buck Green", and a great cover of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic full-length debut from Nubya Garcia – a tenor saxophonist who's been making big waves on the London scene in recent work – and who, like most of her contemporaries in that city, is determined to push jazz into new dimensions that will keep the artform growing and alive for decades to come! At the core is Nubya's quartet – an excellent group that features Joe Armon-Jones on piano and Wurlitzer, Daniel Casimir on bass, and Sam Jones on drums – all working with energy that's boundless, and always has us running to the notes to figure out of there's more people working than just those four! And in most cases, that's not what's going on – save for a few spots that feature guest trumpet from Ms Maurice, and the occasional vocal appearance – hardly distractions from the amazing spirit and energy of the quartet at the core. Really wonderful work from a player who is rising up to be a key part of the next generation of jazz – on titles that include "Together Is A Beautiful Place To Be", "Source", "The Message Continues", "Pace", "La Cumbia Me Esta Llmando", and "Boundless Beings". LP, Vinyl record album

Slinky Hammond organ grooves and feverish boogaloo soul from Kansas City combo Chris Hazlelton's Boogaloo 7 – their first full length studio set after a series of great singles and live album – totally living up to our high expectations! Hazelton is on the Hammond at the center of the sound, giving it a classic jazz funk foundation – but he's a generous bandleader, giving the group plenty of space to shine – with Pat Conway on conga & percussion, Brett Jackson, Nick Rowland & Zak Pischonotte on saxes, Matt Hopper on guitar, Danny Rojas on drums and others. Titles include a nice take on Melvin Sparks's "Bambu", the Hazleton originals "Fryin' Pan", "Turnin' Up The Burner", "The Basement Beat", "Tru-Galu" plus killer cover of Sharon Jones & The Dap-King's modern classic "100 Days, 100 Nights". CD

2 early albums by the great Shirley Horn – back to back on one CD! On Loads Of Love, Shirley sings some somber ballads over large orchestrations by Jimmy Jones – in a mode that's different from recent work, but which also shows that she's a great singer with a really sensitive style. The groove's not as open as on some of her small combo recordings, but that also brings out a side of Shirley that you don't always hear on record – a committed, honest, slightly sad style that's quite striking, considering that this was one of Shirley's first albums. Titles include "That's No Joke", "Love For Sale", "Ten Cents A Dance", "Who Am I?", "Only The Lonely", and "Wild Is Love". Horn With Horns is hip stuff from Shirley – very mature and swinging jazz, despite any hokiness you might expect from the "with horns" tag. Arrangements are by Quincy Jones, Thad Jones, and Billy Byers – and the set list features some good current numbers, and a bunch of standards, all redone nicely in a 60s sophistijazz style. Tracks include "Wee Small Hours", "That Old Black Magic", "The Great City", "On The Street Where You Live", and "Let Me Love You". CD

A split record from these two very hip talents – a set that features one side of work from saxophonist Nubya Garcia, the other from funky Khruangbin – both of them great! Nubya blows tenor with a group that includes Daniel Casimiar on bass, Jahari Stampley on keyboards, and Sam Jones on drums – a quartet who move through that sublime mix of jazz and other modes that we love on Garcia's own records, delivered here with a more straightforward approach in the live setting, on tunes that include "Source", "La Cumbia Me Esta Llamando", and "The Message Continues". The flipside features more work in the best style that Khrungabin's been giving us on record, but again with a nicely different energy, given the live setting – on titles that include "Pelota", "So We Won't Forget", "The Infamous Bill", and "Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from Charles McPherson – his first for Xanadu in the mid 70s – wherein his amazing quartet breathes fresh, bop-inspired urgency and a deft sense of soul into some older standards – maybe even as strongly as on his best work for Prestige in the 60s! It's truly timeless – holding true to the classic songcraft of the compositions, but leaving plenty of room to riff and improvise in ways that add both subtle shades and energetic flourishes. The group includes Duke Jordan on piano, Sam Jones on bass and Leroy Williams on drums – all on their game. Beautiful indeed! Songs include "It Could Happen to You," "Lover," "This Can't Be Love", "They Say its Wonderful", "Body And Soul","But Beautiful". CD includes a bonus track, and it's a great one – a tremendous 9 minute take on "All God's Children Got Rhythm". CD

Features Tal Farlow on guitar, Duke Jordan on piano, Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. CD

A landmark bit of avant prog psych from the American underground of the late 60s – the astral mindblower that is God Bless The Red Krayola & All Who Sail It! This second album is the group's early masterpiece – a brilliant, jarring psychedelic work of genius! It's got the strangeness of the Parable LP, but Mayo & the boys have a way with strange melody that escaped the earlier album. It's often buried under the astral wierdness and abrasive tendancies, but it nevertheless casts a spooky glow throughout! Tracks inclcude "Ravi Shankar: Parachutist", "Leejol", "Night Song", "Green Of My Pants", "The Jewels Of The Madonna", "Tina's Gone To Have A Baby", "Say Hello To Jamie Jones", and "Coconut Hotel". This 2011 edition was remastered by Sonic Boom – and includes a deluxe booklet with liner notes by Paul Drummond. CD

Brilliant grooves from the London scene – some of the greatest cuts to come out on the Afro Art label, a huge precursor to some of the groundbreaking British imprints in recent years! There's a really righteous vibe to most of these numbers – that first burst of post-jungle sounds from London, when beats were first getting broken, and lots of cosmic jazz elements were running through the mix! Titles include "Headspace Lullaby" and "Crusing Home" by Black Science Orchestra, "Space & Time (Phil Asher's Restless Soul mix)" and "E Side Story/Lude No 7" by Souldrummers, "Prophecy Reveal (night time is the right time mix)" by Ballistic Brothers, "In Dub" by Dance Freak, "Sambana" by United Eye Vs Souldrummers, "Phoenix Rising (a new beginning mix)" by Universal Jones, "Question (Phillysophical soul mix)" by The Man", "Keep On Keepin On (road to Washington mix)" and "Sunshine (sunset mix)" by Black Science Orchestra, and "Jazz Room" by Paul Murphy/Marc Woolford Project. CD