One of the greatest groups going in recent years – a strong revival of key soulful jazz talents from previous years, all working under the leadership of trumpeter David Weiss – who's really helped them come together and find a whole new sort of energy! The lineup features tremendous tenor from Billy Harper – sounding at his classic best with The Cookers – especially when the rhythms spin out majestically from George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – often with these dark undercurrents that make the music wonderfully powerful! And in addition to Weiss on trumpet, the frontline also includes Eddie Henderson's trumpet as well, plus the alto of Donald Harrison – and the horns have a great way of folding together and interweaving, before breaking out in these very personal solos. Titles include tracks by almost all members of the group – and tunes include "Slippin & Slidin", "Renada", "Sir Galahad", "Time & Time Again", "Dance Of The Invisible Nymph", "Dance Eternal Spirits Dance", and "Three Fall". CD

A nice later set from the mighty burner, after he returned to the more bluesy organ based format from the more R&B and fusion inflected sets he'd released throughout the late 70s and early 80s. Though the rough edges are a bit more smoothed out on some of the numbers than we'd care for, the group's composed of really solid players including Grover Washington, David Newman and Bobby Broom, and the majority of the set cooks nicely, on numbers like the title track, "Cosmic Phriends", "Don't Be So Mean Arlene" and "The Way You Make Me Feel". CD

One of the best of the Wildflower series of freeform loft jazz sessions – and a record that features a side of work apiece by both Sunny Murray and Roscoe Mitchell. Murray leads his Untouchable Factor group, with David Murray, Byard Lancaster, Khan Jamal, and Fred Hopkins – and the group plays Murray's extended piece "Something's Cookin". The other side of the record features Roscoe leading a trio with Jerome Cooper and Don Moye, on the decidedly more moody "Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

A great one from this all-star group – an incredibly righteous combo that's given Billy Harper one of his best chances to play in years! As with the previous album by The Cookers, the Harper influence really runs strong – not just in the use of some of his great tracks in the performance, but also in the way the tunes build and work together – that bold, powerful energy that Billy first unleashed on the world in the 70s – driven to new heights here by a lineup that also includes Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Craig Handy on alto sax, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! But key thanks should also go to trumpeter David Weiss – also in the group, and producer for the record – a great talent for getting these guys to work together so well. Titles include tunes by McBee, Cables, and Hart as well – with tracks that include "Ebony Moonbeams", "Believe For It Is True", "Free For All", "Quest", "But He Knows", "Tight Squeeze", and "Naaj". CD

Important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Faces & Places", "Dee Dee", and "Dawn" – and the CD features the previously unissued "Doughnuts", plus alternate takes of "Faces & Places" and "European Echoes". CD

Important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Snowflakes & Sunshine", "Morning Song", "The Riddle", and "Antiques" – and the CD features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

An early 80s cooker from Stephanie Mills – not exactly "without mercy", as you might guess from the title – but instead a great slow burner that really does a great job of opening up her voice! Mills moves here in a perfect space between the late disco years and commercial 80s pop – a groove that's warm and mature, and just right for pushing Mills past some of the styles of earlier years – but also without falling into any sort of "adult contemporary" cliches! Stephanie's sound is wonderful – that crisp, distinct style that is already great on a bold number, but somehow takes on even more personality on understated tracks like these – probably thanks in part to the careful instrumental balance served up by David Wolfert's arrangements. Titles include "My Body", "Pilot Error", "Do You Love Him", "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore", "Never Get Enough Of You", and "Eternal Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Faces & Places", "Dee Dee", and "Dawn" – plus two alternate takes and the cut "Doughnuts". CD

Important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Snowflakes & Sunshine", "Morning Song", "The Riddle", and "Antiques". CD

Important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Faces & Places", "Dee Dee", and "Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

Important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Faces & Places", "Dee Dee", and "Dawn". CD

A fantastic collection of work from the UK scene at the start of the 70s – a treasure trove of pop cuts from the time, most of which never made it across the Atlantic to our neck of the woods – and which represent a whole different world of music than you'd know from the classic rock and prog albums that usually represent the period! Instead, these are cuts that were cooked up in the studio in search of a hit – some by names that worked strongly in the 60s, others by new groups – some of whom only existed as a name on a label – but all in search of fresh sounds, groovy lyrics, and a way of putting over a tune that spoke volumes about the studio changes and advances taking place around the UK scene at the time! A number of cuts here have production that might be vaguely in glam territory, while others change up the way that vocals and guitars work together, and others evolve past Brit pop modes of the 60s – embracing psych or hard rock elements, but in a subtle way. As with other Cherry Red/Grapefruit collections of this nature, the whole thing is a stunning journey through music that we'd never have heard otherwise, and never in this much detail – presented with a big booklet of notes on all the crazy cats within – to support 85 tracks by artists who include Paintbox, Simon Turner, Mr Bloe, The Weathermen, Fumble, Posse, Gingerbread, Majority One, Jonathan King, Marmalade, Clifford T Ward, Stud Leather, Paul Gabriel, Autumn, St Cecelia, Rick Price, The Piglets, Kincade, Sweet, The Sad, Gumm, The Angelette, Grumble, Jungle Jim, Shag, Bubblerock, Harmony Grass, Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs, Stardust, Bill Fay, Pete Dello, Buggy, David Essex, Peter Kellern, Fickle Pickle, Touchwood, and many others! CD