Deeply funky work from one of the hippest Hammond organ combos around – just a trio, but one that's able to pack the punch of so many much larger groups! Delvon Lamarr took all the right lessons from Hammond heroes of the past – not that he's copying anyone's style, because he isn't – but he really knows the right way to make the instrument move between rhythm and melody, solo and groove – as he works here in ultra-tight formation with funky drummer Grant Schroff and guitarist Jimmy James! James gets in a few great licks of his own – and like Delvon, really knows how to move between staying on the rhythm, and getting loose – which makes for a wonderful album, through, filled with stone cold originals that include "Hole In One", "Call Your Mom", "Girly Face", "From The Streets", "I Don't Know", "Fo Sho", and "Aces". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of a set – one that goes way way past familiar psych classics of the late 60s – and explosively shows the huge wave of new sounds and ideas that were going down on the UK scene in 1967! The package brings together 80 tracks from a huge number of labels – Pye, Polydor, MGM, Regal Zonophone, Track, CBS, and so many others – plus material licensed from the artists themselves – all in a mindblowing array of rare singles that capture that perfect moment when things started to get tripped-out, but never too self-indulgent – when artists were able to pack a universe of freak and fuzz into the space of a three minute single! Think of key early 45s by Pink Floyd or The Move, and you'll get the vibe here – on titles that include "Busker Bill" by The Truth, "Cept Me" by Focal Point, "Toyland" by Alan Bown, "Subway" by The Tickle, "Time To Start Loving You" by The Mickey Finn, "The Squire Blew His Horn" by The Uglys, "Your Servant Stephen" by The Peep Show, "Toy Soldier" by The Riot Squad with David Bowie, "Eiderdown Clown" by The Scots Of St James, "Cos It's Over" by The Summer Set, "Evil Woman" by Guy Darnell, "Look At The Sun" by Louise, "Flames" by Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, "Smokeytime Springtime" by The Doves, "Keep It Out Of Sight" by Paul & Barry Ryan, "Listen To The Sky" by The Sands, "Laughing Man" by The Marmalade, "Ginger" by TJ Assembly, and "Pink Purple Yellow & Red" by The Sorrows. CD

A really well-done overview of key psychedelic tracks on the UK scene at the end of the 60s – work that crosses a few different modes, to include beat groups getting trippy, prog acts at a time when they were still a bit more compact, and pop singers really letting their hair down and their freak flag fly! Given the huge amount of great work the Grapefruit label has done to give us CD collections of work from this time, the album's almost a distillation of all those years of research and record presenting – a 30 track collection that includes cuts by The Attack, Dantalian's Chariot, Fruit Machine, The Mirage, Rupert's People, Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, John's Children, 23rd Turnoff, The Misunderstood, Picadilly Line, Apple, Episode 6, Blossom Toes, Paper Blitz Tissue, The Shame, Plastic Penny, and many others. LP, Vinyl record album

Spacey Far Out Brazilian grooves from the stellar label's roster – some of the wilder, more tripped out and psychedelic sounds on the label – from leftfield dancefloor grooves, to psych rock inspired grooves, to some of the more experimental numbers by Brazilian music legends! The 2CD set features numbers by Azymuth, Joyce, Binario, Jose Mauro and others – including a number of remixes that have never been released on CD before now! Includes "Apocalipse" by Jose Mauro, "Reza Brava" by Piri, "Tudo Bonito" by Joyce, "Black Magic" by Kirk Digeorgio Presents Offworld, "Caca A Raposa" by Azymuth, "Diretriz" by Binario, "Ao Amigo Quartin by Victor Assis Brazil, "Las Vegas" by Rabotnik, "Intergalactic You, Intergalactic Me" by Troubleman and many more. CD

Pepper Adams is easily one of the hippest players you'll ever hear on the baritone sax – an artist who changed in great ways over the decades, and always seemed to deliver something special when he got a chance to record as a leader! That's definitely the case here – as Adams stretches out on these really long tracks – blowing his horn with the kind of longform imagination that you might hear on a tenor performance of this nature by Dexter Gordon or Johnny Griffin – on a rare Canadian live date with backing from the trio of pianist Tommy Banks! Banks is a great player – with a nice raw edge that really brings a lot out of Adams – and titles are all very long, with versions of "Patrice", "Oleo", "Civilization & Its Discontents", and "Three & One". CD features bonus tracks "Stella By Starlight" and "Time On My Hands". CD

Classic! Following the fairly radical change in style from the sample-crafted Paul's Boutique to the rawer hip hop and live band vibe of Check Your Head, Ill Communication feels more like a step forward than a reinvention – and it's a great one! The manic trio vocals are at peak precision without losing the playfulness, especially on tracks that lean on gritty NY hip hop beats. The live band-rooted tracks – ranging from jazz and funk to fuzzy punk – is more diverse and all the better thanks to heartier contributions from Money Mark on keyboards. Classic singles and deep cut favorites all the way – including "Sure Shot", "Sabotage", "Futterman's Rule", "Shambala", "The Scoop", "Do It", "Heart Attack Man", "Bodhisattva Wow", the killer Jimmy Smith tribute "Root Down", "Get It Together" featuring a very sharp Q-Tip guest spot, and lots more. This deluxe 30th Anniversary box set edition includes a bonus LP of remixes and rarities – and comes on triple 180 gram vinyl! LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of mid-to-late 60s Italian spy soundtracks – Italo Greco and Gianni Boncompagni's work for Riuscira' Il Nostro Eroe A Ritrovare Il Piu' Grande Diamante Del Mondo, Boncompagni's score for Colo Di Sole, and Bruno Canfora's work for Spia Spione – on one great CD from Beat Records! We'll admit to knowing very little about the films, but we must say, this material is very nicely curated, which shouldn't come as surprise given Beat's always warmly presented film score sets. It covers the genre terrain beautiful, from big scale, action-y orchestras, to stripped down, loungey cocktail jazz and beyond. The material from each of the three soundtracks is comprised of sequences on the title themes. 31 tracks in all! CD

The first-ever live performance from the Chicago Underground team of Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor – working here as a trio, with bassist Jason Ajemian as a wonderful addition to the group! Ajemian's basslines really dominate the initial part of the set – creating a pulse that draws in the drums of Taylor and cornet of Mazurek – who then both open up on a variety of other instruments, including moog, electric celeste, gong, bamboo flute, vibes, marimba, and other percussion – all used in an almost AACM-like way. Ajemian contributes some electronics to the set, as does Mazurek – but the best sounds here are all acoustic ones – played with an abstracted sensibility that's quite textural, and which furthers the trademark expressions that have made Mazurek and Taylor one of the most compelling jazz teams to come from the Chicago scene in the past few decades. Titles include "Initiation", "Resistance", "Power", "Transformation", "Crisis", and "Transcendence". CD

A soundtrack that's a sexy and playful as you might guess from the cover – done by Giacomo Dell'Orso for a late 70s Italian comedy, and handled with a number of short tracks that add up to a fair bit of music by the time the record is done! Some tunes follow the whimsical main theme on a loping keyboard line, while others serve up gentler orchestrations that almost go back to an earlier era of Italian scoring – especially when a wordless female vocal slinks into the mix and gives things a more serious vibe. There's lots of interplay between the two different modes, and the set features a total of 31 tracks in all – the first-ever release of the full scope of music for the film! CD

One of The Dells' best albums from this period – and a real Cadet studios masterpiece, thanks to some incredibly groovy arrangements by Charles Stepney! The sound's a bit like some of the Rotary Connection albums put together under Stepney's supervision – but given that the group is the Dells, the vocals are much much better, with a much stronger soul component – and fused with some incredible musical arrangements! The whole thing's wonderful – and graced by an incredible gatefold cover that has pictures of miniaturized Dells members being served with eggs and bacon as part of a "musical menu"! Tracks include "Believe Me", "Always Together", "Hallways of My Mind", and the trippy "Agatha Van Thurgood". LP, Vinyl record album

The Ritual Trio gets some mighty hip company here – the legendary Pharoah Sanders, who really fleshes out the group's sound with his tremendous work on tenor sax! Core members Ari Brown and Malachi Favors work as a well-tooled unit under the leadership of Kahil El Zabar – no surprise, given that all three had been working together for a decade and a half by the time of this recording. And with Sanders on tenor for the date, Brown plays a bit more piano than his usual reeds – letting Pharoah spin out soulful, spiritual lines that break somewhat from the more rhythmic approach that's usually used by the group. Favors' basswork is a real pleasure, as always – an earthy grounding that helps keep Kahil El Zabar in focus – and titles on the record include two takes of "Ka-Real", plus "Africanos/Latinos", "Miles Mode", "Autumn Leaves", "Africa N'Da Blues", and "Pharoah's Song". CD

A huge amount of material from this legendary Philly female trio – three full albums, plus a stunning amount of bonus tracks too! First up is Delusions – one of the best records ever cut by this soulful Philly female trio! The album's one of the first on Salsoul's Gold Mind subsidiary – and it features sparkling club production by the Harris/Baker/Young team – a landmark force not only in Philly disco, but 70s female soul as well – as their backings for groups of this nature are always sensitive to the complexities of the vocals! The record's mostly uptempo – with plenty of soaring tracks that still retain the more soulful sound of the group's early work – and the songwriting's generally tight, a few notches above earlier albums on Warner – showing that their return to the indie fold was a very good move. Titles include the classic "Let No Man Put Asunder" – plus "Doctor Love", "Indian Giver", "Do Me Again", and a great version of Stevie Wonder's "Love Having You Around". On Hold Your Horses, Rochelle and the girls are in full force – with production by Norman Harris and Tom Moulton! The opening trio of cuts have the continuously flowing vibe of an extended suite – and it's a really exhilarating 16 minutes of dancefloor soul – with gorgeous lead and harmony vocals, funky bass grooves and unexpected changes among the club soul standard-bearing grooves. The drum heavy sections of "Let Me Down Easy" and the title track stand out strongly amongst those, but there's lots of nice little twists throughout! Other titles include "Love Thang", and "Double Cross". Breakaway is a fantastic late album from the wonderful First Choice – a trio who started out strongly in soul music first, which was maybe one of the reasons why they always seemed to stand head and shoulders above some of the other female groups in the disco generations! And one of the best moves that First Choice ever made was hooking up with the legendary Norman Harris – the excellent Philly producer who always managed to bring a lot of soul to the dancefloor, and who works wonders here with his Harris Machine production team – really opening up the cuts with plenty of Philly club soul! Cuts include "Can't Take It With You", "Breakaway", "Pressure Point", and "I Can Show You". All 3 albums feature bonus tracks – and then CD4 features more bonus remixes and reworks – which adds in 22 additional tracks to the collection! CD

Seminal sounds from the LA scene of the late 40s – one of the most important records to showcase the tenor talents of the legendary Wardell Gray – a key player on the harder side of the west coast for its formative bop years – and one whose career was cut short all too soon! The material here really shows that strong LA tradition of fervent jam session work – recorded here with Gray alongside additional tenor from Vido Musso – plus guitar from Barney Kessel and Irving Ashby, trumpet from Ernie Royal and Howard McGhee, trombone from Vic Dickenson, piano from Arnold Ross and Erroll Garner, and bass from Red Callender and Harry Babison. Tracks are nice and long – with plenty of room for Gray to show of his solo talents – and titles include "Tenderly", "Blue Lou", "Just You Just Me", and "One O'Clock Jump". LP, Vinyl record album

It's almost hard to believe that the Gush Trio was 30 years old when they recorded this performance – a detail that certainly makes us feel a bit ancient for following their music that long – but hearing the sounds on the set, you can really believe that the players have known each other long enough to work at a level that's almost intuitive! Sten Sandell plays piano, Raymond Strid handles drums, and Mats Gustafsson shifts between an array of reed instruments – including the very cool reslide sax, plus soprano, tenor, baritone, and flute! Over the course of the long performance, the trio invite favorite contemporaries to join them in the joy of creation – so that CD1 features additional work from Sofia Jernberg on voice and Anders Nyquvist on trumpet, CD2 features Philipp Wachsmann on violin and Christine Abedlnour on alto – and CD3 features Jorgen Aldofsson on alto, Peter Soderberg on lute and guitar, and Sven-Ake Johansson on voice. Three CDs' worth of material – recorded on three consecutive nights of celebration! CD

An electronic prog classic – served up by the Harmonia trio of Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius from Cluster, plus Michael Rother of Neu! The tracks here have a definite Cluster-like sound – instrumentals that use organ, keyboards, guitar, and electronic percussion to build up some wonderfully analogue-styled grooves – often quite slow at first, but filling up nicely as added elements come into the mix! The record's easily one of our favorites from the time, and has a much darker sound than later Moebius/Roedelius work. Titles include "Watussi", "Ohrwurm", "Ahoi", "Dino", "Sonneschein", "Sehr Kosmisch", "Veterano" and "Hausmusik". CD

There was never anyone like Lee Hazlewood – and this album is a true testament to his genius! He's the kind of guy you think you've got figured out when you first look at him – but the more you listen to his music, the more you want to raise him above all of the other hip singer/songwriters he seems to be like (Gram Parsons, Leonard Cohen, etc). At heart, Lee was a Cowboy – much more so than any of those fake LA "desperadoes" of the Sunset rock years – and this album, recorded as part of the enigmatic film A Cowboy In Sweden, is true testament to Lee's incredible ability to be both totally serious about his image, yet still maintain a sense of wit and distance that makes him incredibly hard to pin down, genre-wise. He's the country singer Scott Walker always wanted to be, and he's got a pop genius that Leonard Cohen painfully tried to reach in his later years. Brilliant! Filled with beautiful titles like "Forget Marie", "Pray Them Bars Away", "Easy & Me", "No Train To Stockholm", and "The Night Before" – one that you won't forget for a long time! This rare deluxe version features a bonus album of unreleased tracks – outtakes, demos, and instrumentals! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest moments in the career of guitarist Harvey Mandel – an album based around his famous cover of "Cristo Redentor", a tune written by Duke Pearson for one of Donald Byrd's "with voices" albums, which was then turned into a spacey guitar classic by Mandel's trippy work. The tune's here in full force – backed up by an album of like minded tunes – 60s trippy guitar mixed with jazz influences, in a messed up Bay Area style that was every bit the product of its time as more famous rock albums coming out of the San Francisco scene. Titles include "Cristo Redentor", "Before Six", "The Lark", "Snake", "Long Wait", "Bradley's Barn", and "You Can't Tell Me". CD includes 8 bonus tracks from various sessions leading through the early seventies. CD

One of the greatest jazz soundtracks of all time! Johnny Mandel composed the memorable score for this late 50's film starring Susan Hayward, and the music is played by Mandel's orchestra of west coast players like Jack Sheldon, Bill Holman, Joe Maini, Shelly Manne, and others. The whole thing's a jazz soundtrack lover's delight – and tracks include "Poker Game", "Stakeout", "Trio Convicted", "Death Scene", "The Last Mile", and "Gas Chamber Unveiling". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit of a gimmick, but the format's a great one – as the album brings together important work by three female jazz pianists of the postwar years! Perhaps the most interesting material here is from pianist Adelaide Robbins – a player we're not sure we know at all, and who works here with Wendell Marshall on bass and Teddy Sommer on drums – on titles that include "The Gentleman Is A Dope", "Great Day", "Everything But You", and "Looking For A Boy". The set features four tracks by Marian McPartland, very much in the spirit of her other other material for Savoy – as she works here with Vinnie Burke on bass and the great Joe Morello on drums – on titles that include "Liza", "Laura", "September Song", and "Embraceable You". Barbara Carroll is nicely different here than on her better-known RCA material of the period – and works with bassist Joe Schulman and drummer Herb Wasserman – on titles that include "Barbara's Carroll", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "The Puppet That Dance Bebop", and "You Stepped Out Of A Dream". CD

A sweet psychedelic set, but one with very mysterious origins – originally recorded as a sound library session, by a group that was really the better-known Nuova Idea! The album's definitely got a vibe that fits its sound library roots – all instrumental, with a bit less bravado than most psyche albums of this type – almost more of a focus on the rhythms, which stretch out strongly amidst the Hammond and guitar solos on the set. The whole thing's still pretty rockish, but also has a deeper sensitivity to the overall sound too – a quality that's partly due to production efforts of Giampiero Reverberi. Titles include "Easy", "Psycheground", "Traffic", "Ray", and "Tube". CD

Some of the greatest British jazz of the 60s – two early albums by the groundbreaking Ian Carr/Don Rendell quintet! Shades Of Blue is the debut of a legendary British jazz group – one who not only gave that nation's scene a fresh voice in music, but who also really set the tone for many other acts to come! After a stretch when the London scene was doing a great job of matching American efforts in bop and swing, players like Don Rendell and Ian Carr found a way to really carve out some bold space of their own – here, by matching their own strong sense of writing and arranging, always filled with beautiful tone and color, with some of the more modern phrasing and styles that were just creeping up around town. The set's not nearly as experimental as the work of Joe Harriott, but has all the hallmarks of that generation's openness to new ways of expression – often given a surprisingly soulful swing, and captured perfectly as one of the early entries in the famous Lansdowne Series recordings. The rest of the group is equally great – and in addition to Rendell on tenor and soprano sax, and Carr on trumpet and flugelhorn – the combo includes Colin Purbrook on piano, Dave Green on bass, and Trevor Tompkin on drums. Titles include "Garrison 64", "Blue Mosque", "Just Blue", "Latin Blue", "Sailin", and "Big City Strut". Dusk Fire has a great group getting even better – as the legendary pairing of tenorist Don Rendell and trumpeter Ian Carr is joined by pianist Michael Garrick – who was really helping to shape the sound of British jazz at the time! The album's only the second from the Rendell/Carr Quintet, but it's already moving strongly forward – with this sense of composition and focus that's really amazing – served up in original tunes by all three creative forces in the lead – often with this great balance between soulful swing and modern ideas that makes the whole thing a dream all the way through! Don plays tenor, soprano sax, flute, and clarinet; Carr plays trumpet and flugelhorn; Garrick is on piano, Dave Green is on bass, and Trevor Tomkin is on drums – on titles that include "Prayer", "Dusk Fire", "Hot Rod", "Spooks", "Jubal", and "Tan Samfu". CD

One of the grooviest girl groups of the 60s – a fab trio who hailed from Brooklyn, and who worked in the best sweet styles of both soul and rock groups of the time! Reparata & The Delrons have a sound that's a real cut above the usual – a way of handling a tune that's free of some of the cliches of other groups from the period, but which also does a good job of bringing out their best elements too. It's hard to sum up just why the group's so great – but it's possibly because they were working at the end of the girl group era, and have a bit more of a depth to their work – a style that's also influenced a bit by harmony folk and Sunshine Pop, but which is stil unabashedly focused on shorter tunes with groovy hooks. The CD brings together 30 tracks by the group – including a few solo numbers by Reparata – including work from their album for World Artists, and singles recorded for Kapp, Mala, and RCA. Titles include "Boys & Girls", "Captain Of Your Ship", "The Kind Of Trouble That I Love", "Tommy", "I Have A Boyfriend", "I Can Tell", "I Found My Place", "Shoes", "He's My Guy", "Look In My Diary", "Panic", and "It's Waiting There For You". CD

A beautiful album of baroque soul vocals from Verdelle Smith – a singer who was destined to score big in the mid 60s, but somehow only managed to cut this one early album! Verdelle's got an unusual style that's halfway between Dionne Warwick and Nancy Wilson – sharing the sophistication of both, but also coming across with a fragile quality at times – one that's almost a maturation of the girl group ethos, turned onto a more adult world of pop. The approach is a bit similar to the changes going on in the Walker Brothers near the end of the trio's time together – and it's no surprise that Scott Walker did a tremendous version of the tune "Alone In My Room" himself. But we love Verdelle's original take on the track – a sad and dreamy little tune that makes wonderful use of organ and creates one of the saddest moments in 60s pop that we can think of! Other tracks include "Walk Tall", "Sexy", "A Piece Of The Sky", "Catch A Falling Star", and "You Only See Her". LP, Vinyl record album

A really stunning little record – way more than we expected – and our expectations were already pretty darn high! The album's contemporary – and features legendary Delfonics lead singer William Hart working with younger studio whiz Adrian Younge – who gives the whole thing the feel of some lost Delfonics tapes from the early 70s! Younge really unlocks the darkness that was always present in the group's music, but didn't always show up this well – that great sound they were hitting after the initial three LPs, when the themes got even stranger, and the trio moved way past simple love songs and pop hits. Hart's vocals are tremendous – instantly recognizable, and often supported by harmonies that keep them in just the right sort of old school focus – a sound that leaves us breathless throughout, and which makes for a really incredible album. Titles include "True Love", "To Be Your One", "Stand Up", "Party's Over", "Lover's Melody", "Life Never Ends", "Just Love", "So In Love With You", "Silently", and "Enemies". CD

A really stunning little record – way more than we expected – and our expectations were already pretty darn high! The album's contemporary – and features legendary Delfonics lead singer William Hart working with younger studio whiz Adrian Younge – who gives the whole thing the feel of some lost Delfonics tapes from the early 70s! Younge really unlocks the darkness that was always present in the group's music, but didn't always show up this well – that great sound they were hitting after the initial three LPs, when the themes got even stranger, and the trio moved way past simple love songs and pop hits. Hart's vocals are tremendous – instantly recognizable, and often supported by harmonies that keep them in just the right sort of old school focus – a sound that leaves us breathless throughout, and which makes for a really incredible album. Titles include "True Love", "To Be Your One", "Stand Up", "Party's Over", "Lover's Melody", "Life Never Ends", "Just Love", "So In Love With You", "Silently", and "Enemies". LP, Vinyl record album

A really stunning little record – way more than we expected – and our expectations were already pretty darn high! The album's contemporary – and features legendary Delfonics lead singer William Hart working with younger studio whiz Adrian Younge – who gives the whole thing the feel of some lost Delfonics tapes from the early 70s! Younge really unlocks the darkness that was always present in the group's music, but didn't always show up this well – that great sound they were hitting after the initial three LPs, when the themes got even stranger, and the trio moved way past simple love songs and pop hits. Hart's vocals are tremendous – instantly recognizable, and often supported by harmonies that keep them in just the right sort of old school focus – a sound that leaves us breathless throughout, and which makes for a really incredible album. Titles include "True Love", "To Be Your One", "Stand Up", "Party's Over", "Lover's Melody", "Life Never Ends", "Just Love", "So In Love With You", "Silently", and "Enemies". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great look at a key year in British punk – a time when the music really broke open, and artists from a wide range of scenes began to make music in a punk rock vein! The set has way more variety than you might expect – not just the big names and new acts that were helping define the music, but also surprising entries from hard rock, pub rock, and other styles – all really embracing the short, sharp shocks of punk – and showing just how influential the new sound was to the larger British music scene. Punk never grabbed the mainstream the same way over here – and the 3CD set is a fantastic representation of the big bang the music made in the UK in 1977 – presented with the kind of detailed notes and other information that always makes these collections from Cherry Red so great. The package features a massive 87 tracks in all – with work by The Heartbreakers, Eater, Chartreuse, The Rings, Models, Buzzocks, Vibrators, Deaf School, The Damned, Gorillas, The Jam, Britzkrieg Bop, Cock Sparrer, Motorhead, Only Ones, Johnny Moped, Rezillos, Slaughter & The Dogs, Wreckless Eric, Boomtown Rats, Sham 69, Radiators From Space, Doctors Of Madness, Generation X, Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias, Zeros, Tom Robinson Band, X-Ray Spex, Tyla Gang, Jerks, Spider, Alternative TV, John Cooler Clarke, Graham Parker, The Doll, Ultravox, Chelsea, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Raped, Norman & The Hoolians, Drug Squad, and many others. CD

Music from the Del Vikings, The Van Dykes, Glorious Wilson and the Belles, and more. 30 tracks total! CD

Fantastic sounds from the New Zealand scene of the late 60s – music recorded quite far from the streets of London, but which crackles with all the best mod and freakbeat elements of that city's underground at the time! The music here is a stunning revelation – sounds recorded almost in obscurity, given the nation's isolation – but completely on fire in terms of the instrumentation, vocal delivery, and overall conception – and, honestly, maybe even more crackling overall than Australian work of the period, which maybe sometimes tried to hard to copy sounds up north! Instead, these guys are completely original, completely on fire, and working with a quality level that matches the best Brit work of the period – while having its very own spirit. 3CD set features a massive 80 tracks in all – a huge introduction to the period, along with an equally massive book of notes – filled with images of the rare records, and lots of information on the music. Titles include "All Night Worker" by The Newsounds, "Got Love" by Tom Thumb, "I'm Your Witch Doctor" by Chants R&B, "Living It Down" by The Deep Set, "Anything You Like" by Spectres, "Turn To Stone" by Concrete Lamb, "Rescue Me" by The Librettos, "Jump Back" by the La De Da's, "Never Ever" by The Action, "Security" by The Pleazers, "Don't Wanna Be Lonely Anymore" by The Bluestars, "Lost Woman" by The Clevedonaires, "Little Miss Rhythm & Blues" by Judge Wayne, "Baby Doll" by Grim LTD, and lots lots more! CD

A glittering constellation of groundbreaking jazz from the contemporary UK scene – a world of jazz that's changed dramatically over the past decade or so, with huge new advances in sound and styles in a range of different directions! The changes going on are a bit like some of those that have taken place in our city too – musicians who embrace jazz ideals at the core, but who are also open to so many musical modes that have developed in recent decades – so that the core performance is often blended with production elements, editing, and other touches – all in a way that has the music strongly reborn for a whole new generation! If you're worried about tricks or gimmicks that might get in the way of the music, don't be – because the depth of soul and sense of spirit on these tracks is wonderful – as you might know if you've been digging releases from some of these artists in our racks of late. And as usual, Soul Jazz have done a superb job – both with song selection and overall presentation – making the whole thing a complete delight! Titles include "Candace Of Meroe" by Theon Cross, "Pokus One" by Pokus, "Walrus" by Emma-Jean Thackray, "90 Degrees" by Yazmin Lacey, "Communication Control" by Hector Plimmer, "Long Way Home (live at the Crypt)" by Ill Considered, "Ancient World" by Nat Birchall, "Moonlight Woman" by Ruby Rushton, "Thunder Perfect" by Cromagnon Band, "Tanner's Tango" by Joe Armon Jones & Maxwell Owin, "Odyssey" by Levitation Orchestra, "Mosaic" by The Expansions, "When The World Was One" by Matthew Halsall, "Dimmsdale" by Ebi Soda, "Red Planet" by Chip Wickham, "Kito's Theme" by Ishmael Ensemble, "Yellow Ochre (part 1)" by Vels Trio, and "Mirrors" by Seed Ensemble. LP, Vinyl record album

The German studio geniuses go to town on some of the best work of the late 90s – remixing a host of tracks that range from the junglist musings of Birtish artists like Roni Size and Alex Reece, to the jazzier riffings of the Compost crew. Remixed titles include "Heroes" by Roni Zie, "Rollin On Chrome" by Afrodelics, "Eastwest" by Mama Oliver, "Donaueschinge" by Rainer Truby Trio, "Going Under" by Rocker's Hi Fi, "Where Shall I Turn" by Sin, "Jazz Master" by Alex Reece, "Speechless" by Count Bassic, and "Bug Powder Dust" by Bomb The Bass. Heck, these guys even make us like Depeche Mode on their remix of "Useless"! CD

Ten tracks from Paquito D'Rivera, Giovanni Hidalgo, Seis Del Solar, Irakere, Paquito D'Rivera & The United Nation Orchestra, Mario Bauza & The Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Paquito D'Rivera Featuring Arturo Sandoval, CD

Mid 60s magic from a record label that only lasted a few short years – yet one that's gone on to have as much prominence for real soul collectors as the music of Atlantic and Motown! Loma Records was a small offshoot of Warner Brothers on the west coast – yet one that worked far from the hit territory of its parent company, and instead captured all these wonderful groups and singers who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – a few of whom would go on to record later for bigger labels, but most of whom lost the chance for fame once Loma closed its doors! The quality of the music here is incredible – really top-shelf productions, at a level that rivals some of the best Detroit studios of the time, mixed with some of the cool class of Chicago soul as well – served up in a style that works equally well for vocal groups and solo singers. And while Loma recorded some deep soul cuts during this period, this set focuses on the more upbeat numbers – as you'd guess from the "Northern" in the title – served up in a collection that not only features rare singles, but also a few unissued tracks too! CD set features 25 tracks in all – and include "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "You Can't Outsmart A Woman" by Kell Osborne, "I'm Getting Weaker" by The Soul Shakers, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Bright Lights" by Delilah Kennebreuw, "Runnin Around" by Tony Amaro & The Chariots, "Baby Don't Look Down" by Billy Storm, "The Big Jerk (part 1)" by Clyde & Teh Blue Jays, "Better Think Of What You're Losing" by Tommy Starr, "The Man With The Golden Touch" by Charles Thomas, "Got A Thing Goin" by The Invincibles, "It's Your Love That I Need" by The Marvellos, "Just A Little Longer" by The Enchanters, "I'll Find A Way" by Bobby Reed, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Lester, "See The Silver Moon" by The Apollas, "Lies" by Bobby Freeman, and "If You Should See Her" by Ben Aiken. CD

A great entry in this excellent series – and one that's got a slightly different flavor than the rest – as it seems to step back a bit more in time, and brings in some cuts that have more of a jazz and R&B-based sound! The vibe is every bit as gritty as previous volumes – but the shift in sound means that there's a nicely wide range of tracks – still plenty of funk, but also some great rare cuts from the pre-funk generation too – all brought together with the strong sense for obscure grooves that always makes Movements so great! Titles include "Common Sense" by Lu Elliott, "Hipper Snapper" by 4 Dimensions, "Funky Broadway by The Villagers, "No Big Thing" by Lloyd Fatman, "Teacher Teach Me" by Billy J, "Honesty" by The Rippers, "Sax On The Rocks" by Gus Brendel, "Break It Loose (part 1)" by Onyx, "Shake & Bake" by The Shake & Bake Band, "Outside Looking In" by Lou Jackson, "Summertime" by Downtown Trio, and "Seven Days To Tahiti" by The Hornets. CD

A great entry in this excellent series – and one that's got a slightly different flavor than the rest – as it seems to step back a bit more in time, and brings in some cuts that have more of a jazz and R&B-based sound! The vibe is every bit as gritty as previous volumes – but the shift in sound means that there's a nicely wide range of tracks – still plenty of funk, but also some great rare cuts from the pre-funk generation too – all brought together with the strong sense for obscure grooves that always makes Movements so great! Titles include "Common Sense" by Lu Elliott, "Hipper Snapper" by 4 Dimensions, "Funky Broadway by The Villagers, "No Big Thing" by Lloyd Fatman, "Teacher Teach Me" by Billy J, "Honesty" by The Rippers, "Sax On The Rocks" by Gus Brendel, "Break It Loose (part 1)" by Onyx, "Shake & Bake" by The Shake & Bake Band, "Outside Looking In" by Lou Jackson, "Summertime" by Downtown Trio, and "Seven Days To Tahiti" by The Hornets. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from the Ink Spots, Cats and the Fiddle, Dusty Brooks, Delta Rhythm Boys, Jubalaires, Four Aces, Ravens, Five Bars, Orioles, Robins, Shadows, and more – 30 tracks in all. CD

Amazing work by The Delfonics – their first 2 albums, back to back on a single CD! La La Means I Love You is a landmark album in harmony soul – one of those records that pushed the genre to a whole new level! The Delfonics emerge fully formed here as one of the most compelling groups of their time – a tremendous trio with a really unique approach to soul music – one that's heartfelt and heartbreaking, but never too sweet to be cloying or poppy – definitely just the right groove to keep things hip while also cracking the charts! The album's their first full collaboration with legendary producer Thom Bell – and it's got a sound that's summed up perfectly in the quintessential cut "La La Means I Love You" – and which is followed through beautifully on a batch of tracks that includes "Losing You", "Can You Remember", "You're Gone", "I'm Sorry", and "Break Your Promise". Sound Of Sexy Soul is an equally groundbreaking album of vocal group soul – right from the first note! The record kicks off with the sublime "Ready Or Not, Here I Come" – which starts with fierce stepping strings that are actually funky, then soars into some of the best harmonies the group ever put to record, superbly arranged by the great Thom Bell, who also wrote the track. As the album progresses, the sound expands further to encompass many elements that would become the blueprint for vocal groups over the next few years – like twangy electric sitar, cascading orchestrations, and pinched lead vocals that take a lot more chances than most group singers had been taking for years! There's still a bit of a 60s soul sound to some of the cuts, but the album's a watershed – not only for Thom Bell and the group, but for harmony soul as well! Titles include "Ready Or Not Here I Come", "My New Love", "Loving Him", "With These Hands", "Somebody Loves You", and "Everytime I See My Baby". CD also features the bonus track "You Got Yours & I'll Get Mine". CD

Rare work from a group you won't know at all, but who are totally great – a hip Argentine trio who really stretch out here in an incredible mix of organ, saxes, and Fender Rhodes! The group are joined by the great Fernando Gelbard on Rhodes for three of the album's five tracks – and they also feature Hammond and piano from Horacio Larumbe, an excellent player who gets this chunky tone out of the organ that reminds us of Eddy Louiss at times – with a similar sense of great, wide colors! The group also features Oscar Tissera on flute and tenor – the latter sometimes played with "octavoice" – plus Eduardo Casalla on drums. This material appears here for the first time ever – a very cool live performance for radio, with titles that include "H2O", "Mate Con Sacarina", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Prohibido Fijar Carteles". CD

An amazing album from Sun Ra – a set that's got some of the same soulful focus as Space Is The Place, and a really surprising sense of groove on many moments! The record's actually a bit funky – if you can believe it – and was recorded with electric keyboards, bass, and guitar (played by the mysterious Disco Kid) – at the studios of Bob Blank, at a time when he was really able to capture the many strands of music that would come together in a performance, then find just the right way to put them over on record! The album was originally dismissed by many Sun Ra fans for being a funk sell-out album – but over the years, it's become a prized album for its cosmic sense of soul and great focus of the group's more far-reaching ideas – and at some level, it's probably the sound that most people imagine the Arkestra to have when they're first starting out, rather than the more avant material that dominates most of their catalog. The whole thing is wonderful – and titles include "That's How I Feel", "Where Pathways Meet", "Twin Stars of Thence", and "There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)". LP, Vinyl record album

A really stunning little record – way more than we expected – and our expectations were already pretty darn high! The album's contemporary – and features legendary Delfonics lead singer William Hart working with younger studio whiz Adrian Younge – who gives the whole thing the feel of some lost Delfonics tapes from the early 70s! Younge really unlocks the darkness that was always present in the group's music, but didn't always show up this well – that great sound they were hitting after the initial three LPs, when the themes got even stranger, and the trio moved way past simple love songs and pop hits. Hart's vocals are tremendous – instantly recognizable, and often supported by harmonies that keep them in just the right sort of old school focus – a sound that leaves us breathless throughout, and which makes for a really incredible album. Titles include "True Love", "To Be Your One", "Stand Up", "Party's Over", "Lover's Melody", "Life Never Ends", "Just Love", "So In Love With You", "Silently", and "Enemies". CD

Fantastic grooves from the 70s – tracks that are part of a great second wave of Brazilian music to hit our shores, then take off in a whole new direction! The US was no stranger to Brazilian sounds in the 60s – given the popularity of bossa nova and a few other styles – but as the 70s approached, a new generation of artists started to hit the American scene – often with richer, more sophisticated ideas that built on older bossa and samba modes, then combined them with new approaches to jazz, funk, and soul! This killer set presents a perfect portrait of that time – mixing familiar names with newcomers, or Brazilian recording artists with American studio talents – all in a batch of cuts that still stand as some of our favorite Brazilian grooves of all time – even if they didn't come from Rio or Sao Paulo. Titles include "Bahia Soul" by Luiz Bonfa, "Catavento" by Milton Nascimento, "Ain't No Sunshine" by Sivuca, "Braun Blek Blu" by Dom Um Romao, "Skyscrapers" by Deodato, "Sandalia Delia" by Duke Pearson with Flora Purim, "Samba De Flora" by Airto, "Consolacao" by Tamba 4, "Moon Dreams" by Flor Purim, "Andei" by Airto, "Almas Irmas" by Joao Donato, "Kathy" by Moacir Santos, "Tombo In 7/4" by Airto, "Rio Vermelho" by Milton Nascimento, and "Escravos De Jo" by Dom Um Romao. CD

Fantastic grooves from the 70s – tracks that are part of a great second wave of Brazilian music to hit our shores, then take off in a whole new direction! The US was no stranger to Brazilian sounds in the 60s – given the popularity of bossa nova and a few other styles – but as the 70s approached, a new generation of artists started to hit the American scene – often with richer, more sophisticated ideas that built on older bossa and samba modes, then combined them with new approaches to jazz, funk, and soul! This killer set presents a perfect portrait of that time – mixing familiar names with newcomers, or Brazilian recording artists with American studio talents – all in a batch of cuts that still stand as some of our favorite Brazilian grooves of all time – even if they didn't come from Rio or Sao Paulo. Titles include "Bahia Soul" by Luiz Bonfa, "Catavento" by Milton Nascimento, "Ain't No Sunshine" by Sivuca, "Braun Blek Blu" by Dom Um Romao, "Skyscrapers" by Deodato, "Sandalia Delia" by Duke Pearson with Flora Purim, "Samba De Flora" by Airto, "Consolacao" by Tamba 4, "Moon Dreams" by Flor Purim, "Andei" by Airto, "Almas Irmas" by Joao Donato, "Kathy" by Moacir Santos, "Tombo In 7/4" by Airto, "Rio Vermelho" by Milton Nascimento, and "Escravos De Jo" by Dom Um Romao. LP, Vinyl record album

A true revolution in Cuban music – not the familiar cha cha and pachanga modes of the pre-Castro years, but instead the huge wave of fresh styles and combinations that sprung up in the years to come! The tracks here aren't the kind of Cuban sounds that are locked in time by the all-star representations of the scene that circle widely – and instead, this music represents the younger, more experimental side of the scene – continually creating new styles and hybrids during the 70s and 80s, even at a time when most of the records weren't making it out to the world at large! Make no mistake, there's certainly elements of older Afro Latin rhythms, and Latin jazz instrumentation – but those are blended with new approaches to rhythm, instrumentation, and the overall role of the musicians and singers – on tracks that will really open up your ears. Gilles Peterson helped put the package together for Soul Jazz – and the whole thing's got the same hybrid hallmarks as his more recent recording forays in Havana – with cuts that include "Cancion Con Todos" by Grupo De Experimentacion Sonora Del Icaic, "Hast Las Cuantas" by Grupo Monumental, "Luna Wanestain" by Emiliano Salvador, "Te Quiero Porque Te Quiero" by Pablo Milanes, "Un Lamento Heco Cancion" by Los Reyes 73, "Dacapo" by Raul Gomez, "La Patica" by Paquito D'Rivera, "Rompe Cocorioco" by Juan Pablo Torres, "Mi Ritmo Caliente" by Juan Formell & Los Van Van, "Chequere Son" by Grupo Irakere, "El Son Del Campeon" by Conjunto Rubavana, and "Con Cadencia Y Con Dulzura" by Las D'Aida. CD

American grooves go Kingston – as the set features a wonderful assortment of funk and soul classics, all delivered here in reggae-styled versions! The approach is similar to the material featured in the older Reggae Disco collection from Soul Jazz – but the mix of modes here is much more expansive – so that you'll get some cuts that are very heavy in a New York clubby groove, while others are much more Jamaican in approach – and have an American soul tune bending down towards more reggae-oriented territory. As always with Soul Jazz, the choice of cuts is wonderful – and includes "Move On Up" by Devon Russell, "Caught You In A Lie" by Derrick Harriott, "Young Hearts Run Free" by Hortense Ellis, "Wanna Be Startin Somethin" by Ed Watson & Brass Circle, "For The Love Of You" by Bill Campbell, "Flight To Jamaica" by Crashers, "Fool's Paradise" by Valerie Harrison, "Reasons" by Seventh Extension, "Don't Let Love Get You Down" by Pete Campbell & The Sunshine Girls, "In The Rain" by Webby Jay, and "Just A Groove" by Glen Adams Affair. CD

Genius! Pure mad genius – and one of the best volumes in this always-great series! After 10 volumes, the folks at Easy Tempo have become incredibly well skilled at picking groovy soundtrack tunes – and this beautiful 20 track package is as much a delight for the ears as it is for the musically-driven mind. The range of grooves is incredible – with elements that include swinging Hammond organ, breezy wordless vocals, spare sax and reeds, cool vibes, and just about anything else the Italian soundtrack composers of the 60s and 70s could get their hands on! Titles include "Swing E Sesso" by Carlo Rustichelli, "On Ce Voit Ce Soir" by Philippe Sarde, "Allora Il Treno" by Bruno Nicolai, "Tough Guys" by Carlo Pes, "Face To Face" by Stelvio Cipriani, "L'Isola Misteriosa" by Piero Piccioni, "Mary's Theme" by Stelvio Cipriani, "Qualcosa Piu Grande Di Noi" by Armando Trovajoli, and "La Pupa Del Gangster" by Piero Umiliani. CD

The German studio geniuses go to town on some of the best work of the late 90s – remixing a host of tracks that range from the junglist musings of Birtish artists like Roni Size and Alex Reece, to the jazzier riffings of the Compost crew. Remixed titles include "Heroes" by Roni Zie, "Rollin On Chrome" by Afrodelics, "Eastwest" by Mama Oliver, "Donaueschinge" by Rainer Truby Trio, "Going Under" by Rocker's Hi Fi, "Where Shall I Turn" by Sin, "Jazz Master" by Alex Reece, "Speechless" by Count Bassic, and "Bug Powder Dust" by Bomb The Bass. Heck, these guys even make us like Depeche Mode on their remix of "Useless"! LP, Vinyl record album

Highly recommended. Usually, finding the best in underground hip hip means taking a chance on lots of 12's you've never heard of, at $6 a piece. Here, Rawkus does the digging for you with 2 CDs (27 tracks) of the best underground MC's and producers plus a few more established artists. The collection is as dope as you'd expect with MC and producers including Mos Def, Q-Tip, Da Cipher, Prime, OC, Ras Kas, Common, Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, Kool Keith, Natural Elements, Talib Kweli, Bahamadia, Rah Digga, A.L., Lord Have Mercy, Krist, Jurassic 5, KRS, Problem, Indelible MC's, Word 'A Mouth, Mike Zoot, Shawn J. Period, Hazadus, Kwest, IG Off, DJ Hi-Tk, DJ Scratch, Curt Gowdy, DJ Nu-Mark, Cut Chemist and more. CD

A treasure trove of Nuggets from the LA Scene – fantastic material from a far reaching line up of gritty garage rockers, sunshine pop tunesmiths, psychedelic groovers, trippy psyche folk and much more – masterfully collected on 4 discs by the box set geniuses at Rhino! With such a diverse catalog to mine, the CDs are divided surprisingly well, and like other Nuggets comps, it's a great way to intro a ton of obscurities, while still including bigger hits that deserve to be remembered. Packaged in a beautiful 48 page book with essays, artist commentaries, tons of great photos, and even a 60s LA club guide! Disc one On The Strip includes: "Riot On The Sunset Strip" by The Standells, "Gentle As It May Seem" by Iron Butterfly, "Take A Giant Step" by The Guilloteens, "Tripmaker" by The Seeds, "Girl In Your Eye" by Sprit, "Eventually" by Peanut Butter Conspiracy and many more. Disc two The Studio Scene includes: "Action, Action, Action" by Keith Allison, "The Rebel Kind" by Dino, Desi & Billy, "Yellow Balloon" by Yellow Balloon, "Montage Mirror" Roger Nichols Trio, "Don't Say No" by The Oracle, "Baby, Please Don't Go" by Ballroom and lots more. Disc three Beyond The City includes: "Jump, Jive & Harmonies" by Thee Midnighters, "She Done Moved" by The Spats, "Underground Lady" by Kim Fowley, "Our Time Is Running Out" by The Yellow Payges and many more. Disc four New Directions has 3 previously unreleased tracks: "Sit Down I Think I Love You" by Stephen Stills & Richie Furay, "Words" (demo) by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, and "Once Upon A Time" by Tim Buckley; plus "November Night" by Peter Fonda, "Marshmallow Skies" by Rick Nelson. "You Set The Scene" by Love and many more. 101 songs on 4CDs! CD

Unreleased live work from pianist Monty Alexander – recording here with a bit of extra percussion in his trio, which always seems to give his music a nice little kick! The date was captured at Bubba's, in Fort Lauderdale – a club that not only seemed to be a rare spot in Florida that gave musicians a chance to open up like some of the better clubs on the west coast – but one that also did a superb job of documenting some of its best performances over the years! That's definitely the case here – as Monty maybe sounds better than on most of his studio dates of the period – stretching out on nice long tracks, with help from Paul Berner on bass, Duffy Jackson on drums, and Robert Thomas Jr on percussion – the last of whom really keeps things interesting from a rhythmic perspective – in ways that definitely show up on Alexander's keyboard too. Titles include "Love You Madly", "Sweet Lady", "Eleuthra", "Reggae Later", "Arthur's Theme", "SKH", "Swamp Fire", "Fungii Mama", "Montevideo", and "Consider". CD

A Japanese only vinyl issue of some rather hard to get trio sides from the great Blue Note pianist Sonny Clark! Half of this set are alternate takes of tunes that made it onto his Blue Note trio LP like "Two Bass Hit", "Tadd's Delight", and "I Din't Know What Time It Was" while the rest is made up of shorter numbers cut to be issued as 45s with Jymie Merritt and Wes Landers, about a year later. These tracks snap with same sharp hard bop groove of the earlier trio, but abbreviated solos, and include "Aint No Use", "I'm Just A Lucky So & So", "Black Velvet", "Gee Baby Ain't I Good ToYou", "The Breeze & I", and "I Can't Give You Anything". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work as a leader from bassist Joshua Abrams – recorded at a time when he was still using a shorter version of his name, but was already a key part of the scene in Chicago! The record does a nice job of bridging two scenes, and two periods of Abrams' career – as the music within maybe carries more strong traces of European avant jazz, and less of the unbridled spiritual currents we've come to know from Joshua recently – qualities that also really come through in the group's performances by guitarist Jeff Parker! The quartet also features two horn players with wonderfully evocative approach to their sounds, shifting nicely from track to track – Axel Dorner on trumpet and slide trumpet, and Guillermo Gregorio on alto and clarinet. Titles include "Mental Politician", "Cipher", "No Theory", "Calamities Break", "Background Beneath", "Neb Nimaj Nero", and "For Sk". CD

One of the most amazing players to ever pick up the vibes – an artist with the sort of boundless creativity that Walt Dickerson and Bobby Hutcherson brought to the instrument in the 60s! Jason Adasiewicz has an amazing ear for both sound and music – and manages to balance the two perfectly – reaching for completely fresh sounds from the vibes, yet also with a sense of structure that's never too free – really maintaining a musical, melodic approach that keeps us rapt and attentive all the way through! Jason's music has always been great, but these recent Delmark sets are even a cut above – proof that both the label and the new Chicago scene are powerful forces in 21st Century jazz. The trio features excellent work by like-minded musicians Natt McBride on bass and Mike Reed on drums – and titles include "The Volunteer", "Pillow", "Run Fly", "Solo One", "Diesel", and "Waiting In The Attic". CD

A never-issued live performance from a really incredible trio – and a set that has reedman Perry Robinson coming across with some of the bold energy he brought to his important avant recordings on the New York scene of the 60s! The pairing of Barry Altschul's drums and David Izenson's bass is wonderful – as they work with that freewheeling sense of rhythm learned from their earliest experiences with important avant players a decade before, and Izenson's especially great here, as he moves between plucked and bowed passages that remind us just how great he can be in the right setting! Robinson is a delight throughout, and his use of clarinet continues to be a next step past the work of Jimmy Giuffre in terms of free, avant expression on the instrument – much sharper here than on some of his more common European recordings from the period. The set features four long improvisations – and is a revelation throughout! CD

A pair of late 60s Columbia classics from Tony Bennett – back to back on a single CD! First up is Tony Makes It Happen – a very jazzy album, with a group that features Joe Wilder and Joe Newman on trumpets, Urbie Green on trombone, Joe Soldo on flute, and orchestrations from Marion Evans – all of whom really bring out those unique qualities that set Bennett apart from so many other singers in his generation! Where a Vic Damone might have used his inherent richness to push things over the top, the maturing Tony is a master of restraint – still able to run the full gamut of his amazing range, but set up with these beautiful arrangements that bring some adult understanding to the tunes, in a beautifully subtle vibe. Titles include "What Makes It Happen", "I Don't Know Why", "Can't Get Out Of This Mood", "She's Funny That Way", "A Beautiful Friendship", and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore". Next is Yesterday I Heard The Rain – fantastically mature work from Tony Bennett – a record that follows in that great direction the singer was taking in the 60s – delivering sophisticated vocals that didn't care much for the charts, but which really stand the test of time as the years go by! As on some of Tony's best from the period, arrangements are by Torrie Zito – whose careful orchestrations always let Bennett's vocals soar out in the lead, while also hitting some occasional flourishes that bring just the slight touch of drama to the music – but never in the over the top styles of some of his contemporary! Space is the key here – lots of space between the words and the notes – which makes even simpler songs sound pretty darn amazing. Titles include "Sweet Georgie Fame", "Fool Of Fools", "Only The Young", "I Only Have Eyes For You", "Yesterday I Heard The Rain", and a surprisingly great version of "Hushabye Mountain". CD

A set of sweet, lean grooves from the South African scene of the 70s – not disco at all, and instead a set of spare jazzy grooves with a very unique vibe! The group's a trio – with leader Pops Mohamed Ismail on organ, Sipho Gumede on bass, and the great reedman Basil Coetzee on both tenor and flute – all working together in a style that's wonderfully groovy! There's no drums at all, just electric rhythms from the organ – giving the proceedings a bit of a Timmy Thomas vibe, especially in the way that Pops handles the keys – warmed up nicely when Coetzee comes into the mix. Titles include "I'm Organized", "Dark Clouds", "Spiritual Feel", "Pops Blue", and a nice take on "Ain't No Sunshine". LP, Vinyl record album

Carla Bley at the height of her powers – working in the late 70s to really reinvent the large ensemble after years of experience in the underground – with a style that easily slides between inside and out, searching and swinging – all delivered by just the right sort of lineup! The group here features Michael Mantler on trumpet, Elton Dean on alto, Gary Windo on tenor, John Clark on French Horn, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Hugh Hopper on bass, Andrew Cyrille on drums, and Carla herself on organ and tenor – all musicians graced with a sense of whimsy, yet never one that overwhelms their music at all – especially during this stretch of Carla's creative career. Tracks are long, and nice and complicated – but never get lost in themselves – and titles include "Rose & Sad Song", "Wrong Key Donkey", "Drinking Music", and "Star Spangled Banner Minor & Other Patriotic Songs". CD

Three albums from reedman Arthur Blythe – served up in one nicely-priced set! Retroflection is a great showcase for the alto talents of Arthur Blythe – a set that's maybe a bit more stripped-down than some of his bigger label albums of the 80s, but in a way that really lets you focus on his strength of tone and phrasing! The group's a quartet, working in an open live setting – John Hicks on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Bobby Battle on drums – and while all players certainly know how to go inside, they keep things swinging and relatively straight at the core – while Blythe waxes beautifully on the alto, with these sharp edges that mix nicely with more lyrical moments. Titles include "Jana's Delight", "JB Blues", "Lenox Avenue Breakdown", "Faceless Woman", and "Peacemaker". Calling Card is a great little record from Arthur Blythe – mostly straight ahead, but pretty darn freewheeling too – thanks to a selection of long tracks that really let him open up on alto sax! The setting is a quartet – nicely put-together with John Hicks on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Bobby Battle on drums – a rhythm trio who do equally well on the album's spiritual tracks and its more soulful groovers. The performance was recorded live, but with a nice degree of intimacy, especially on Blythe's horn – and titles include "Hip Dripper", "Naima's Love Song", "As Of Yet", "Blue Blues", "Break Tune", and "Elaborations". On Hipmotism, there's a really hypnotic blend of sounds – the always-strong alto work of Arthur Blythe, whose solos are a key part of the strength of the set – matched with a super-strong lineup that includes Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, Kelvin Bell on guitar, Gust William Tsilis on vibes, Arto Tuncboyaci on percussion, and Famoudou Don Moye on drums! There's a slight crackle of electricity at times, but never in a way that dampens the soul, especially that of a leader – and while earlier efforts of this sort might have gotten mired in too much criss-crossing of modes, this set comes off perfectly – a fresh entry in Blythe's wonderfully storied career. Titles include "Miss Eugie", "Hipmotism", "My Son Ra", "Bush Baby", "Dear Dessa", "Cousin Sidney", "Shadows", and "Dance Benita Dance". CD

Some of the earliest work ever recorded by Lester Bowie as a leader – and a set that stands in importance right next to the early Delmark AACM sides by Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell! Plus, the album's almost an early Art Ensemble of Chicago effort, given the lineup – which features Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn; Roscoe Mitchell on alto, soprano, clarinet, and flute; Malachi Favors on bass; and Joseph Jarman on alto, sopranino, and clarinet!. This fantastic CD features all the material recorded at the initial sessions in 1967 – both trio and quartet material, with titles that include trio numbers "Warm Up", "Number 2", "Number 1", and quartet takes on "Number 2". CD

Beautiful work from the legendary Hoagy Carmichael – and one of the few albums to feature him singing his own work! Hoagy's name is one that you're more likely to see in the songwriting credits than in the artist slot for a record – but he's actually got a wonderful voice, one that's filled with honest, personal charms – and which has a sometimes broken-down quality that's perfect for the gentle words of his tunes. This wonderful set features Carmichael working with sublime small combo backing – players who include Harry Edison, Jimmy Rowles, and Art Pepper – working with arrangements penned by Johnny Mandel. Titles include "Rocking Chair", "Georgia On My Mind", "Skylark", "Two Sleepy People", and "Baltimore Oriole". CD

Beautiful work from the legendary Hoagy Carmichael – and one of the few albums to feature him singing his own work! Hoagy's name is one that you're more likely to see in the songwriting credits than in the artist slot for a record – but he's actually got a wonderful voice, one that's filled with honest, personal charms – and which has a sometimes broken-down quality that's perfect for the gentle words of his tunes. This wonderful set features Carmichael working with sublime small combo backing – players who include Harry Edison, Jimmy Rowles, and Art Pepper – working with arrangements penned by Johnny Mandel. Titles include "Rocking Chair", "Georgia On My Mind", "Skylark", "Two Sleepy People", and "Baltimore Oriole". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unique sessions on Delmark Records in the past few decades – and one that sounds far better on record than you might expect! The group's fronted by two electric violinists – Tom Wright and Zack Brock – but the set's not some wiggy 70s-styled fusion session, nor some album of older gypsy-styled jazz – as instead there's a rock-solid rhythm trio at the core, and the album has this really fantastic energy that's like two great horn players coming together! A big part of the success of the record likes in the work of Jordan Baskin on piano, Mike Arnopol on bass, and Tom Hipskind on drums – a trio who really keep things stepping along with a nice sense of swing, while Wright and Brock take off and do their thing – each working in a different channel of the recording. Most tunes are originals – and the set also features nice takes on "Nardis" and "Freedom Jazz Dance". CD

Essential early material by Gal Costa! The record is her first after the immediate Tropicalia years, and it's a stunning blend of styles that seems to draw heavily from changes going on in the American rock scene at the time. The core of the music is still steeped in Brazilian elements – but there's a lot of influences coming into play on the album, like bluesy rock phrasing, showy nostalgia-heavy arrangements, psychedelic production elements, and some of the baroque orchestrations that would show up on Gal's later albums in the 70s. Includes a wonderful version of Caetano's "London London" and "Dixa Sangrar", the moody bossa "Falsa Baiana", Gilberto Gil's "Lingua Do P" and "Mini Misterio", and the tracks "The Archaic Lonely Star Blues", "Love, Try, & Die", and "Hotel Das Estrelas". Great cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

With a record like this, it's clear that bassist Jamale Davis is a player to watch – as he's got a way of really bringing something new to the table, and presenting us with a very fresh conception of jazz! Way back through a legacy that includes albums by Ron Carter, Richard Davis, and Oscar Pettiford, it's often the case that groups led by a bassist can really deliver something different – not just a way of pushing a player who's sometimes in the background to the front, but maybe changing up approaches to rhythm and melody in all these really inventive ways – something that Jamale definitely does here – working with a lineup who shape their sounds beautifully – Dario Terzuolo on tenor, John Mosca on trombone, Mferghu on piano, and Ben Zweig on drums and pandeiro. The mix of tenor and trombone is beautiful next to the bass – and the album has a good blend of unusual tunes and a few well-chosen remakes – in a set list that includes "Rabbit Island", "Indra", "Taxi Bird", "Star Eyes", "Run With The Hunted", "Congo Blues", and "Hello I Must Be Going". CD

A hefty batch of car-themed instrumentals – served up here by three great groups who all worked during the glory days of the legendary Del-Fi Records label! Del-Fi was one of the real pioneers of west coast studio sound during the early rock and roll years – and the presentation of these tunes really bristles with all the inventiveness of that legacy – amazing sounds from electric guitars, and super-tight studio handling of all the tunes – so that the music really leaps from the speakers at the very first note! If you're a fan of Dick Dale and other 60s guitarists, you'll find plenty to love here – on a 32 track set that features "Road Rattler", "Nite Prowler", "Monkey See", "Satan's Chariot", "Dawn Patrol", "Smooth Stick", and other cuts by the Deuce Coupes; "Hollywood Rag", "Detroit Iron", "Alky Burner", "Top Eliminator", "Corn Pone", and "Street Machine" by The Darts; and "Deuces Wild", "Taco Wagon", "Skin Diver", "Loose Nuts", "Drag Beat", "Four Banger", "Rum Runner", and "Tequila Joe" by The Defenders. CD

A set that features DiMeola moving into some very dynamic territory – jamming out heavy on a mix of electric and acoustic guitars, with additional help from Paco DeLucia on acoustic at points. The instrumentation also features heavy electric piano from Jan Hammer, other keyboards from Barry Miles, bass from Anthony Jackson, and drums from Steve Gadd and Lenny White – all fusion powerhouse players who really take over the groove at times, but still leave enough room on the record for some gentler sounds from Paco and Al. Titles include "Elegant Gypsy Suite", "Flight Over Rio", "Midnight Tango", and "Race With Devil On Spanish Highway". CD

A set that features Al DiMeola moving into some very dynamic territory – jamming out heavy on a mix of electric and acoustic guitars, with additional help from Paco DeLucia on acoustic at points. The instrumentation also features heavy electric piano from Jan Hammer, other keyboards from Barry Miles, bass from Anthony Jackson, and drums from Steve Gadd and Lenny White – all fusion powerhouse players who really take over the groove at times, but still leave enough room on the record for some gentler sounds from Paco and Al. Titles include "Elegant Gypsy Suite", "Flight Over Rio", "Midnight Tango", and "Race With Devil On Spanish Highway". LP, Vinyl record album

Sharply angular sounds from this very hip trio – a record that really grabs you right at the start, then makes sure you're paying attention all the way through! The group's a particularly great setting for the piano of Matthew Shipp – who maybe reminds us here why we found him so great in the first place – and Whit Dickey's drums are sometimes a masterpiece of understatement, sometimes a bold force of power! Mat Maneri's viola might get lost in the mix, if things were balanced poorly – but there's some key contributions from his sliding sounds that really shape the performance. Titles include "Dark Matter", "Spaceship 9", "Space Strut", "Hyperspatial", "To A Lost Comerade", and "Turbulence". CD

The great Sacha Distel is maybe best known for his good looks and vocal performances on the French scene of the 60s and 70s – but at the start of his career, he was also a hell of a jazz guitarist – trained by the mighty Henri Salvador, and a wizard on the strings who had a legacy of really making great records with both French jazz musicians, and some key American artists too! This 3CD set brings together the full range of those great performances – in a set that features some key Distel classics, as well as material we've never seen on CD before! The set begins with early duets with British saxophonist Don Rendell, on Rencontre A Paris; next are two tracks with vibist Lionel Hampton; followed by a set of duo performances with reedman Bobby Jaspar; work in the trio of pianist Gerard Gustin; a tribute to Djano Reinhardt with Claud Bolling; and the famous Afternoon In Paris album with pianist John Lewis. The set also features Distel's albums Jazz D'Aujourd'hui and Danse Party, plus a session with guitarist Jean-Pierre Sasson, and even two tracks from the film Les 7 Peches. Features notes in English and French – and 57 tracks in all! CD