Pure brilliance from the lovely Joyce – an album that sparkles wonderfully throughout – in just the way we love from her older classics! The passage of years hasn't dimmed her beauty at all – and both Joyce's vocals and acoustic guitar work are sublime – lively, but in a really subtle way – with plenty of jazz inflections, and a mix of bossa roots that goes way beyond just about any other artist who tries to work in territory like this! Even after decades of recording, Joyce has this really unique, really sublime approach to her music that makes her records unlike anyone else's – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Puro Ouro", "Estado De Graca", "Aquelas Cancoes Em Mim", "Claude Et Maurice", "Quero Ouvir Joao", and "Tudo". CD

Khruangbin get a great new sound here – thanks to the vocals and acoustic guitar of Leon Bridges, who bring a whole new dimension to their music! The title and cover of the record are very well-put – as there's this open space to the record that's a bit different than previous outings by Khruangbin – still that aesthetic that lingers somewhere south, down near the border – but maybe more relaxed and letting itself flow down the road to some territory that's all its own – the marvelous vocals of Leon Bridges at the wheel, with the rest of the group well-tuned to make the journey with a warm dose of mellow soul. Titles include "Midnight", "C-Side", "Conversation", and "Texas Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a collaboration – core sounds by Madlib, which are then re-arranged by Kieran Hebden – at a level that seems to open up new dimensions in both artists! The sound is definitely Madlib's, but there's also a sense of majesty that seems to flow through the whole thing – almost as if David Axelrod was helping the beatmaker to find a new vision in the studio. And while some of Hebden's work can be a bit cold or too obtuse, there's none of that here at all – as the Madlib elements really keep things rooted to the ground, and in strongly funky territory too – all instrumental, but with voices drifting in and out of the mix as needed. Titles include "Theme De Crabtree", "Road Of The Lonely Ones", "Riddim Chant", "Hopprock", "Loose Goose", "One For Quartabe/Right Now", "Latino Negro", and "The New Normal". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual little turn for the Ohio Players – a record that's almost completely written and totally produced by Richard Dimples Fields – running here at the height of his early 80s fame! The record's still funky enough overall – but in the style of some of Fields' indie work from the 70s – slightly sharp edged, but also moving into some of the more compressed hook territory that mainstream funk acts were hitting in the early 80s. The best Fields cuts are actually the more laidback ones, which have some southern soul influences – but the real standout here is actually a remake of Charles Wright's "Do Your Thing", which comes off with all the rough vocals and funky rhythms of the original! Other tracks include "I'd Better Take A Coffee Break", "Devoted", "My Baby Gets The Best Of My Love", "Just Me", "Sweet Lil Lady", and "Star Of The Party". CD

The genius of Eddie Palmieri never seems to dim at all as the years go on – and, if anything, the genius only seems to flower even more – finding new ways of expression that maybe even blow away some of Eddie's classic work from the 60s and 70s! This set is amazing – a fantastically modern refiguring of Latin roots – with elements that stretch back to Palmieri's earliest charanga years and his Latin jazz rebirth, but used in ways that are very different – and very striking throughout! The lineup remains relatively small on most numbers – with very heavy focus on piano, percussion, and bass – but Eddie also makes great use of key guests who include Alfredo De La Fe on violin, Donald Harrison on alto, Ronnie Cuber on baritone, and Joe Locke on vibes. Titles include "Locked On", "Cuervas Y Tumbao", "Wise Bata Blues", "La Cancha", "Augustine Parish", "Life", "Samba Do Sueno", and "Jibarita Y Su Son". CD

A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is at his soulful best here – working on hard-swinging charts that almost seem to liberate Jimmy and Wes to do even more with their solos – really stretching out, with an especially great sound from Smith on the organ – maybe at a level that makes the record one of his best of all time for Verve! Titles include "James & Wes", "Night Train", "13 (Death March)", and "Down By The Riverside". CD

A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is at his soulful best here – working on hard-swinging charts that almost seem to liberate Jimmy and Wes to do even more with their solos – really stretching out, with an especially great sound from Smith on the organ – maybe at a level that makes the record one of his best of all time for Verve! Titles include "James & Wes", "Night Train", "13 (Death March)", and "Down By The Riverside". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully mature work from Miami soul legend Betty Wright – one of her overlooked albums recorded for Columbia Records, after big 70s fame at the TK label – and a set that has Betty mixing all her deep soul roots with a tighter, more sophisticated groove! Most of the album was handled by Andre Fischer, of Rufus fame – although Stevie Wonder and Richard Dimples Fields also put together one cut each – and there's a sweet jazzy soul to some of the best numbers that really makes Betty sound great – a mode that's nicely tripping along, with a groove that allows her to really be free and stretch out with her vocals. There's maybe a few moments that echo the late TK years – but go places that those records never would – and titles include "Give A Smile", "I Come to You", "Make Me Love the Rain", "What Are You Going To Do With It", and "Body Slang". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky nuggets from one of the greatest reggae labels of all time – a really wonderful collection that gets at some of the more hard-hitting material from Kingston powerhouse Studio One Records! Given the way that Studio One helped bridge the worlds of soul during the years of Jamaican ska and rocksteady, the funk is no surprise – and the package features both remakes of American funky numbers and plenty of homegrown cuts, all served up by some of the giants from the scene at the time. Titles include "Sidewalk Doctor" by Pablove Black, "007" by Soul Brothers, "Love Jah" by Sound Dimension, "Do Your Thing" by Leroy Sibbles, "Idleberg" by Cedric Im Brooks, "African Descendants" by Alton Ellis, "Reggae Feet" by Lloyd Williams, "Hang Em High" by Jackie Mittoo, "Beat Down Babylon" by Prince Frances, "Funky Broadway" by Delroy Wilson, "It's A Shame" by Alton Ellis, "Melting Pot" by Underground Vegetables, "Music Answer" by The Sharks, and a surprising remake of "Shaft" by the unlikely Cedric Im Brooks. CD

Khruangbin get a great new sound here – thanks to the vocals and acoustic guitar of Leon Bridges, who bring a whole new dimension to their music! The title and cover of the record are very well-put – as there's this open space to the record that's a bit different than previous outings by Khruangbin – still that aesthetic that lingers somewhere south, down near the border – but maybe more relaxed and letting itself flow down the road to some territory that's all its own – the marvelous vocals of Leon Bridges at the wheel, with the rest of the group well-tuned to make the journey with a warm dose of mellow soul. Titles include "Midnight", "C-Side", "Conversation", and "Texas Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet soul from the husband and wife duo of Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr – their second album since leaving The Fifth Dimension – and it sounds as warm and appealing as ever! Marilyn & Billy hit it pretty big right out of the gate on the preceding I Hope We Get To Love In Time – and if The Two Of Us didn't make as deep of an impact on the charts, it's ultimately just as strong of a record. Arranged and produced by Frank Wilson, it's one of those great mid-to-late 70s pop soul albums that delivers big hooks and broadly appealing sounds without compromising the soul at the heart of it! Titles include "The Two Of Us", "In My Lifetime", "Look What You've Done To My Heart", "My Very Special Darling", and "My Reason To Be Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is at his soulful best here – working on hard-swinging charts that almost seem to liberate Jimmy and Wes to do even more with their solos – really stretching out, with an especially great sound from Smith on the organ – maybe at a level that makes the record one of his best of all time for Verve! Titles include "James & Wes", "Night Train", "13 (Death March)", and "Down By The Riverside". CD

Soul Jazz have done it again! As with their classic NuYorica, Strata East, and Black Jazz comps, this one's a definitive sampling of rare funky stuff that you'll never find otherwise. The set brings together 14 classic Jamaican tracks from the 60's and 70's – and unlike a lot of the other weak-ass reggae comps out there, every cut on here is a winner (or if you prefer, 100% Dynamite!) Great cuts include "Armageddon Time" by Willie Williams, "Stereo Freeze" by Jackie Mittoo, "Granny Scratch Scratch" by Sound Dimension, "Popcorn" by The Upsetters, and lots more! There's also some great Jamaican covers of American funky soul classics – like The Marvels' version of "Rock Steady", and Phyllis Dillon's great remake of Marlena Shaw's "Woman of the Ghetto". Lots more goodies, and the usual Soul Jazz high standard – which is 100% Dynamite! LP, Vinyl record album

Ashford & Simpson may have gotten their start at Motown, but they really found their groove at Warner Brothers – as you'll hear on this massive collection of tracks from their landmark late 70s years at the label! Even many decades later, the strength of this music is undeniable – a careful blend of soulful roots and upbeat rhythms – yet all in ways that never fall into standard disco cliches of the period! The Ashford & Simpson groove is a really unique one – always deeply soulful, even when well polished, and carefully put together with some of the best studio elements the pair could get their hands on – then produced to perfection with a sparkling sound that's years ahead of its time. This 2CD set offers up a full disc of 70s originals that includes some rare 12" mixes from back in the day – and it also includes a second CD of contemporary remixes that really pay tribute to the classics – the sort of modern re-edits and mixes that always keep the original sounds, styles, and rhythms intact. CD 1 features 14 tracks that include "Over & Over (12" disco mix)", "Have You Ever Tried It", "One More Try (12" disco mix)", "Send It", "Top Of The Stairs", "Don't Cost You Nothing (12" disco mix)", "It Seems To Hang On (12" disco mix)", "Found A Cure (12" disco mix)", "Bourgie Bourgie", and "Love Don't Make It Right (12" disco mix)". CD 2 features 9 tracks that include "Stay Free (Dim's club mix)", "Found A Cure (Tom Moulton mix)", "It Seems To Hang On (Tommy Musto re-touch)", "Bourgie Bourgie (Joe Claussell's classic rmx)", "One More Try (Dimitri re-edit)", and "Love Don't Make It Right (Joey Negro mix)". CD

A later album from Little Feat – and one that adds some new dimensions to their ever-searching vibe! On Time Loves A Hero, Little Feat takes some surprising steps – even for them – into a bit of a fusiony rock vibe some of the time. Still, the soulful boogie rock and stripped down folky elements they always worked with are still in play. As always, they make these far-flung styles work together into a cohesive whole! Includes "Time Loves A Hero", "Hi Roller", "Old Folks Boogie", "Red Streamliner", "Rocket In My Pocket", "Missin' You", "Day At The Dog Races" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic record – one of the best jazz vocal records of the 80s, and a real bright spot in an often dim decade for jazz! The set is Carmen Lundy's debut – and it's a masterful self-produced effort that immediately put her in the ranks of the ultra-hip, ultra-soulful jazz crowd – singers like Betty Carter and Dee Dee Bridgewater, both of whom took a lot longer to sound this good than Carmen! The record is set in a perfect setting – Carmen working closely with musicians headed up by brother Curtis on bass, and including soulful players like Bobby Watson, Rene McLean, Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, and Harry Whitaker. The whole thing's great – the kind of righteous vocal set that few singer ever seem to make this well – and titles include some great originals like "Good Morning Kiss", "Time is Love", and "Perfect Stranger" – plus excellent versions of "Dindi", "Love For Sale", and "The Lamp Is Low". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

An unusual little turn for the Ohio Players – a record that's almost completely written and totally produced by Richard Dimples Fields – running here at the height of his early 80s fame! The record's still funky enough overall – but in the style of some of Fields' indie work from the 70s – slightly sharp edged, but also moving into some of the more compressed hook territory that mainstream funk acts were hitting in the early 80s. The best Fields cuts are actually the more laidback ones, which have some southern soul influences – but the real standout here is actually a remake of Charles Wright's "Do Your Thing", which comes off with all the rough vocals and funky rhythms of the original! Other tracks include "I'd Better Take A Coffee Break", "Devoted", "My Baby Gets The Best Of My Love", "Just Me", "Sweet Lil Lady", and "Star Of The Party". CD

A beautiful set of work that shows the more intimate side of composer Arvo Part – not his larger projects or vocal material – but instead a series of contemplative sonatas that feature piano, violin, or cello – or some combination of both! The performances here are handled by Alexi Lubimov, Vadim Gluzman, Jurgen Krus, Angela Yoffe, and Sebastian Klinger – and the recording quality is great – with a nice sense of room that makes some of the notes echo out in space and really increase the melancholy element in the music, especially on some of the piano passages. Titles include "Speigel Im Spiegel", "Fur Alina", "Fratres", and "Variationen Zur Gesundung Von Arinushka". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime work from trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson – a rare set that really shows him at the top of his game! There's a depth here you don't always find in other Hannibal records – a careful, complex sound that's also still deeply soulful as well – building up from the work of a tight quintet (tagged as an "orchestra" on the cover) – and set loose over a handful of long tracks that have a really righteous sound! Peterson's trumpet hits some of its sharpest notes ever here – really bold musical statements that show none of his fire dimming as the 70s were coming to a close – supported by wonderful piano work from the amazing Michael Cochrane, plus cello from Diedre Murray, bass from Errol Walters, and drums from Makaya Ntshoko. Titles include a searing version of Coltrane's "Dahomey Dance", a take on Monk's "Well You Needn't", and one of the hippest readings of "Misty" you'll ever hear – plus Peterson's own tune "Even Steven". CD

A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is at his soulful best here – working on hard-swinging charts that almost seem to liberate Jimmy and Wes to do even more with their solos – really stretching out, with an especially great sound from Smith on the organ – maybe at a level that makes the record one of his best of all time for Verve! Titles include "James & Wes", "Night Train", "13 (Death March)", and "Down By The Riverside". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is at his soulful best here – working on hard-swinging charts that almost seem to liberate Jimmy and Wes to do even more with their solos – really stretching out, with an especially great sound from Smith on the organ – maybe at a level that makes the record one of his best of all time for Verve! Titles include "James & Wes", "Night Train", "13 (Death March)", and "Down By The Riverside". CD

Funky nuggets from one of the greatest reggae labels of all time – a really wonderful collection that gets at some of the more hard-hitting material from Kingston powerhouse Studio One Records! Given the way that Studio One helped bridge the worlds of soul during the years of Jamaican ska and rocksteady, the funk is no surprise – and the package features both remakes of American funky numbers and plenty of homegrown cuts, all served up by some of the giants from the scene at the time. Titles include "Sidewalk Doctor" by Pablove Black, "007" by Soul Brothers, "Love Jah" by Sound Dimension, "Do Your Thing" by Leroy Sibbles, "Idleberg" by Cedric Im Brooks, "African Descendants" by Alton Ellis, "Reggae Feet" by Lloyd Williams, "Hang Em High" by Jackie Mittoo, "Beat Down Babylon" by Prince Frances, "Funky Broadway" by Delroy Wilson, "It's A Shame" by Alton Ellis, "Melting Pot" by Underground Vegetables, "Music Answer" by The Sharks, and a surprising remake of "Shaft" by the unlikely Cedric Im Brooks. LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual little turn for the Ohio Players – a record that's almost completely written and totally produced by Richard Dimples Fields – running here at the height of his early 80s fame! The record's still funky enough overall – but in the style of some of Fields' indie work from the 70s – slightly sharp edged, but also moving into some of the more compressed hook territory that mainstream funk acts were hitting in the early 80s. The best Fields cuts are actually the more laidback ones, which have some southern soul influences – but the real standout here is actually a remake of Charles Wright's "Do Your Thing", which comes off with all the rough vocals and funky rhythms of the original! Other tracks include "I'd Better Take A Coffee Break", "Devoted", "My Baby Gets The Best Of My Love", "Just Me", "Sweet Lil Lady", and "Star Of The Party". CD

One of the best ever sets of sprawling, spacey soul funk and jazz from the impossible to pen in Burnt Sugar Arkestra Chamber – never an easy group to describe in a nutshell, and that's a good thing – their best work in years and their first effort for the Livewired label! Making Love To The Dark Ages is a weirdly apt title, starting out with kind of dark, bluesy soul backdrop for Lisala's vocal in the beginning of the opening three part suite "Chains And Waters", slowly building into a tense, free jazz groove that's unafraid to pepper it up with some psyche rock guitar, heady/heavy bass, keys and synth, sax and drums. Guitarist and group leader Greg Tate conducts a sprawling chamber with slightly altered lineups depending on the piece, with players including vocal chanteuse Lisala, fellow vocalists Jeremiah, Karma Johnson, Justice Dilla X (who moonlights on piano, too) and others, alto & tenor sax by Matana Roberts and Petre Radu Scafaru, synth by Bruce Mack, cello by Will Martina, acoustic and electric bass by Jason DiMatteo and Jared Michael Nicherson, drums by Chris Eddleton and Trevor Holden & others, guitars by Rene Akan, Vernon Reid, trombone by David Smith, trumpet by Lewis 'Flip' Barnes, Jr, – lots more instrumentation and orchestration. The record rolls in and out of evocative soul, bits of electro and hip hop soundcraft, spaced out astral jazz, sharp solos and textured bursts of noise – never sacrificing a confluent sense of togetherness for all of the diverse sounds. Titles include the suites "Chains And Water" and the title track, plus "Thorazine/81", "Love To Tical" and "Dominata (The Gabri Ballad)". CD

A hell of a tribute to the songwriting genius of Dolly Parton – a side of her talents that's sometimes obscured by her incredible voice and overwhelming personality! Yet right from the start, long before she was a superstar, Dolly was as much a writer in country music as she was a singer of songs – and her early records are filled with gems that opened up a whole new space for the female voice not just in country music, but in other styles too – as testified by the mix of soul, rock, and other modes that appear on this set! Dolly kicks off the collection with one of her hits – but the package then spans decades to bring together a range of really wonderful readings of songs from the pen of Parton – all accompanied by detailed notes on every selection in the set. Titles include "I Will Always Love You" by Linda Ronstadt, "Two Doors Down" by Zella Lahr, "In The Good Old Days" by The Everly Brothers, "Here I Am" by Percy Sledge, "Nickels & Dimes" by Buck Owens, "I Loved So Fast & Hard" by Porter Wagoner, "There'll Always Be Music" by Tina Turner, "My Tennessee Mountain Home" by Maria Muldaur, "Little Sparrow" by Bettye Lavette, "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" by Bill Phillips, "Most Of All Why" by Holly Dunn, "I'm In No Condition" by Hank Williams Jr, "Touch Your Woman" by Margie Joseph, "Kentucky Gambler" by Merle Haggard, "Coat Of Many Colors" by Emmylou Harris, "Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind" by Rhiannon Giddens, and "Love Is Like A Butterfly" by Nana Mouskouri. CD

A real standout set from the end of Les Baxter's run at Capitol Records – originally scored for a film that was never released, but a great set of tracks that more than stands strongly on its own! The theme here is a Mexican/Latin American one – explored by Baxter with his trademark blend of larger orchestrations and lighter exotica touches – often swirling around in an extremely evocative mode that makes us wish the film had been issued to the public, and at a few key moments even hinting at the funkier modes that would follow on some of Les' later work for other labels. Titles include "Aqueducts", "Gardens Of The Moon", "Pyramid Of The Sun", "Temple Of Gold", and "Procession Of The Princes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of three amazing albums the Fatback Band cut for the Perception label in the early 70s – and a set that's definitely the most soulful of the bunch! The difference here is that the group opens up some space for lead vocals from the great Johnny King – a singer with a really unique sound, and one whose special touch brings plenty to the already-great funky instrumentation of the group – deepening their sound in all the right ways! The set features both vocal and instrumental versions of Weldon Irvine's great cut "Feeling Mellow" – done even better than the original – and other cuts include "Makin' Love", "Sketches of Life", "Meet Me Over My House", and "Three Dimensional World". CD

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". CD also features "Nancy" and an alternate of "Airegin". CD

The cover image here will give you a great idea of the vibe of the record – as Melochita was a comedian as well as a Latin musician, and brings a great sense of playful wit to the album! A number of cuts feature vocals that have this really odd, almost cartoony style that's totally great – yet there's also straighter vocal selections too, to balance things out – all while the group are delivering the kind of rock-solid grooves that make Peru's classic Mag Records material so great, and so ripe for rediscovery! The sound is almost like mid 60s New York combo Latin, but refracted as if it's come from a different dimension – on titles that include "Ahorita Va Llove", "Libre De Pecado", "Trisagio Del Soltero", "Pa Goza Candela", "No Es Un Gato", and "Los Goles De Pele". LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Jim Rotondi's in a classic pose on the cover – an image that shows just how much he brings to his music at a visual level, even though his sound seems so effortless and clear from an audio perspective! The set's filled with the kind of well-executed work on trumpet and flugelhorn that always makes Rotondi's records so great – especially in the past decade or so – music that's full of feeling, but which never seems forced or overstated – qualities that also come through in the rest of the group too, a lineup that features Rick Margitza on tenor, Danny Grissett on piano, Joshua Ginsburg on bass, and Vladimir Kostandinovic on drums. Rotondi's been recording for the Criss Cross label for years – but the record also really shows a great evolution and development from those early sides too – especially on original material that includes "Pete's 32", "Voice", "Leemo", "Father John", "Happy Feet", and "Jim's Blues". CD

A great mix of classic covers and original tracks – all served up with a mellow groove and plenty of influence from Jamaican music! Years back, Soul Sugar were more of a jazzy funk combo – but over the years, they've evolved into more of a reggae/rocksteady mode – one that's a perfect setting for the Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards handled by Guillaume Metenier – a player who solos strongly on the instrumental tracks, then steps back a bit more on the few vocal numbers that grace the set! One of those, a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield classic "The Makings Of You", is worth the price of admission alone – and other tracks include "Black Byrd", "Happy Riddim", "Just A Little Talk", "Fly Away", and "Tubby's Ghost". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime album by one of our favorite talents in 60s jazz – pianist Jack Wilson, making his second Blue Note appearance here amidst a group of other more likely label players that include Lee Morgan on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, and Billy Higgins on drums! Despite the presence of those superstars, though, the album's still very much Wilson's own – featuring 4 tracks penned and played in his modally soulful vision, plus a great version of one tune by Frank Strozier – a player we'd find to be a very good companion to Wilson's style! The group's also noteworthy in that it features some excellent work from trombonist Garnett Brown – a player with a deeply soulful approach that adds in new dimensions to the tunes, and offsets the lightly lyrical touch of Wilson on the keys. The whole set's great – and titles include "Do It", "On Children", "Easterly Winds", "Nirvana", and "Frank's Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime album by one of our favorite talents in 60s jazz – pianist Jack Wilson, making his second Blue Note appearance here amidst a group of other more likely label players that include Lee Morgan on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, and Billy Higgins on drums! Despite the presence of those superstars, though, the album's still very much Wilson's own – featuring 4 tracks penned and played in his modally soulful vision, plus a great version of one tune by Frank Strozier – a player we'd find to be a very good companion to Wilson's style! The group's also noteworthy in that it features some excellent work from trombonist Garnett Brown – a player with a deeply soulful approach that adds in new dimensions to the tunes, and offsets the lightly lyrical touch of Wilson on the keys. The whole set's great – and titles include "Do It", "On Children", "Easterly Winds", "Nirvana", and "Frank's Tune". CD

The legendary Spanky Wilson makes a great return to the studio – thanks to superbly funky help from the Quantic Soul Orchestra! Spanky's voice was first heard famously on a number of great soul sides from the end of the 60s, but the passage of decades hasn't dimmed her talents a bit – and the record comes off like some lost funky treasure from the old days! Of course, with Quantic at the helm we could expect nothing less – and the backings here are hard, heavy, and plenty soulful – but also filled with enough fresh twists and turns to keep the whole set from just being a retro-funk affair. Bits of strings, unusual horn passages, and a lean, clean production style all help keep things moving along at an interesting pace – and given the strength of the Quantic Soul sound, Spanky's vocals are almost like the icing on the cake! Titles include "I'm Thankful (parts 1 & 2)", "You Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover", "Don't Joke With A Hungry Man (parts 1 & 2)", "A Woman Like Me", "Blood From A Stone", "Message To Tomorrow", "Waiting For Your Touch", and "That's How It Was". CD

An incredible trip through the 70s Japanese jazz scene – a second volume of J Jazz that's even bigger and better than the first – with unknown gems from private presses, indie labels, and rarities from the Japanese branches of the major labels, too! Compilers Tony Higgins & Mike Peden (who are both also responsible for the nicely done notes) follow through on all of the things we loved about the first J Jazz compilation, but improve on it by going bigger and digging deeper. The majority of the tracks were recorded from 1969 through the late 70s – with a few recorded in later years – and all have a wonderful way of being open to the stylistic inventions of the time without getting hung up on trends. So while there's some fusiony funk and electric piano, there's plenty of acoustic instrumentation and timelessly inventive material. BBE has outdone themselves on this excellent collection – and the titles include "Dragon Dance" by Makoto Terashita & Harold Land, "Daguri" by Kohsuke Mine Quintet, "Distant Thunder" by Mabumi Yamguchi Quartet, "Animal Garden" by Miyasaka + 5, "Mother Of The Future" by Electro Keyboard Orchestra, "Serenade To A Dimly Lit Street" by Hiroshi Matsumoto/Hideo Ichikawa Quartet, "Teru-Teru Bozu" (Black Keys) by Teru Sakamoto Trio, "Little Giant" by Nobuo & Sharps & Flats, "Brown Trout" by Akira Miyazawa and more. 14 tracks on 3LPs. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible trip through the 70s Japanese jazz scene – a second volume of J Jazz that's even bigger and better than the first – with unknown gems from private presses, indie labels, and rarities from the Japanese branches of the major labels, too! Compilers Tony Higgins & Mike Peden (who are both also responsible for the nicely done notes) follow through on all of the things we loved about the first J Jazz compilation, but improve on it by going bigger and digging deeper. The majority of the tracks were recorded from 1969 through the late 70s – with a few recorded in later years – and all have a wonderful way of being open to the stylistic inventions of the time without getting hung up on trends. So while there's some fusiony funk and electric piano, there's plenty of acoustic instrumentation and timelessly inventive material. BBE has outdone themselves on this excellent collection – and titles include "Dragon Dance" by Makoto Terashita & Harold Land, "Daguri" by Kohsuke Mine Quintet, "Distant Thunder" by Mabumi Yamguchi Quartet, "Animal Garden" by Miyasaka + 5, "Mother Of The Future" by Electro Keyboard Orchestra, "Serenade To A Dimly Lit Street" by Hiroshi Matsumoto/Hideo Ichikawa Quartet, "Teru-Teru Bozu" (Black Keys) by Teru Sakamoto Trio, "Little Giant" by Nobuo & Sharps & Flats, "Brown Trout" by Akira Miyazawa and more – plus the CD bonus track "Original Bill" by Koichi Matsukaze Trio. 15 tracks on 2CDs. CD

Gary, Indiana is maybe best known as the hometown of the Jackson 5 – but the city also had plenty of other soul singers back in the day – as you'll discover on this really well-done collection of tracks! The set's titled after the Chicago Skyway, a huge industrial structure that links the south side of the Windy City with Gary – and that link is a key one, as many of the artists here have a resonance with Chicago soul too – working with qualities that are often a bit more sophisticated than usual, and not as directly aimed at the charts or the dancefloor – a really special breed of soul music that makes for a wonderfully rich collection! As usual with Numero, the package is as great as the track list – and titles include "Trouble" by General Lee & Lost Weekend, "Sweet Jo-Ann" by El Anthony, "Main Squeeze" by Nate Evans, "So I Can Make This Change" by The Krash Band, "Bridge Of Love" by Lost Weekend, "Give Your Love To Me" by Wilton Crump, "Don't Be Afraid" by Sky's The Limit, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "You Just Be You" by Into New Dimensions, "I Need Your Love" by Billy Foster, "Pleasure" by General Lee, "Night Music" by Billy Foster, "The Look On Your Face" by Nate Evans & Mean Green, and "We've Been In Love Too Long" by El Anthony. LP, Vinyl record album

Gary, Indiana is maybe best known as the hometown of the Jackson 5 – but the city also had plenty of other soul singers back in the day – as you'll discover on this really well-done collection of tracks! The set's titled after the Chicago Skyway, a huge industrial structure that links the south side of the Windy City with Gary – and that link is a key one, as many of the artists here have a resonance with Chicago soul too – working with qualities that are often a bit more sophisticated than usual, and not as directly aimed at the charts or the dancefloor – a really special breed of soul music that makes for a wonderfully rich collection! As usual with Numero, the package is as great as the track list – and titles include "Trouble" by General Lee & Lost Weekend, "Sweet Jo-Ann" by El Anthony, "Main Squeeze" by Nate Evans, "So I Can Make This Change" by The Krash Band, "Bridge Of Love" by Lost Weekend, "Give Your Love To Me" by Wilton Crump, "Don't Be Afraid" by Sky's The Limit, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "You Just Be You" by Into New Dimensions, "I Need Your Love" by Billy Foster, "Pleasure" by General Lee, "Night Music" by Billy Foster, "The Look On Your Face" by Nate Evans & Mean Green, and "We've Been In Love Too Long" by El Anthony. LP, Vinyl record album

The wisdom and knowledge of Sun Ra – read by saxophonist David Boykin, an artist who is definitely carrying on the spiritual legacy that Ra began on the Chicago scene! The album is all spoken word – no music at all, but instead these really well-done readings by Boykin – who clearly embraces all of the ideas in the writings of Ra, and delivers them with an understanding that really makes the words leap off the page! Selections include writings from the late 50s through the start of the 80s – with titles that include "Of Variable Universe", "The Empty Space", "Sound Silence", "The Sounds Of Planets", "The Space Age Cannot Be Avoided", "We Hold This Myth To Be Potential", "The Visitation", "Visions Out", "The Three Dimensions Of Air", and "On Solar Planes". CD

A completely random assortment of 12" records – both LPs and singles – some in good shape, some totally beat up! We make these boxes at random, and seal them tightly – and even we don't know what's in them. Keep in mind that this vinyl has been through the regular racks – and the Bargain Basement – and some of it might have defects, some may have damaged or missing covers, and the vinyl will mostly likely be a mix of 12" singles and full albums – and might, in some occasions, also include some 10" pressings from the early 50s. Think of the contents as "raw material" or "space fillers" – vinyl to be used for projects, decorations, or even things like art installations or set dressing. At less than a dime a record, the price is certainly right! Misc

JJ Johnson's always a cooker, but during the late 50s he cut some incredible records for the Columbia label – tight bop sessions that still stand as some of his best work! This album's one of them – a real smoker of a set that features Johnson's trombone as the only lead horn in a cool quartet that also includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Max Roach on drums – a crackling rhythm trio who make the record move a lot more than most other jazz sessions on Columbia at the time! Johnson's sense of tone and phrasing is wonderful – unadorned by any other horns, but a very powerful solo vehicle, especially in the company of the other players – and titles include "Harvey's House", "That Tired Old Routine Called Love", "Nickels & Dimes", "Be My Love", "Paul's Pal", and "Commutation". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool package – one that brings together two rare albums issued alongside the early rise to fame of Mad Magazine – plus rare bonus tracks too! First up is the stunning Musically Mad set, led by Bernie Green – one of the maddest bachelor pad albums to come out on RCA during the late 50s – and it features a nutty set of tunes released in conjunction with Mad Magazine, whose Norman Mingo contributed a fantastic cover painting of Alfred E Neuman! Instrumentation is very percussive-heavy – and there's plenty of odd sound effects, like warbling brass, air-squeezed hands, clanging anvils, crazy voices, and "clinkerated chimes" – all of which makes for a cartoony sound that definitely fits the promise Mad spirit! Titles include "Anvils, Of Course", "Concerto For Two Hands", "Laughing Raymond", "The Green Bee", and "Give Me That Good Old Progressive Jazz". Next is Mad Twists Rock & Roll – maybe the coolest of all the Mad Magazine records from the early days – a set done in collaboration with Big Top Records, as sort of a parody of the rock and roll that label was putting out at the time! Most songs are surprisingly strong rock numbers, but the lyrics are often jokes about the usual themes handled at the time – but given the level of presentation and strength of the overall record, the whole thing maybe just serves to remind us how important novelty records were to the birth of rock and roll! Titles include "She Got A Nose Job", "Let's Do The Pretzel", "Throwing The High School Basketball Game", "Someone Else's Dandruff", "When My Pimples Turned To Dimples", and "Blind Date". CD also features some rare bonus tracks from singles too – "It's A Gas", "She Lets Me Watch Her Mom & Pop Fight", "Potzrebie", "Meet The Staff Of Mad", and "What Me Worry". CD

The first full length from MF Doom – a record that set the standard for underground hip hop to come! On this modern classic, Doom caps off the 90s with more jazzy soul in the beats, and some semblance of straightforward rhyme mastery from both Doom & his guests – taken to the outer limits! What really pushes this one into legendary status are how well he works with creaky comic adventure samples – using them as the genesis of Doom's metal face supervillain persona. Looking back, the set is clearly the building blocks for deeper insanity to come – but the sense of structure may well make it his best album ever! Includes "Doomsday", "Rhymes Like Dimes" feat Cucumber Slice, "The Finest" feat Tommy Gun, "Go With The Flow", "Tick Tick", "Hey!", "The Mic", "Dead Bent", "?" feat Kurious and much more – including all of the classic skits (yeah, we said it, classic skits, creative sci fi sample genius that are creative as the proper tracks) – with 19 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

This is the kind of moog album we can get behind – a sweet 70s update of the moogy groovy that Hugo Montenegro first started crafting in the 60s! The album's got both moog and Arp – the latter of which brings in more of a 70s electric vibe – and there's also some very cool sound effects on the record too, which really ups the ante for the sort of groove that Montenegro was creating! Tunes are all pretty well chosen – making for a super-dope batch of numbers that really gets past the usual – and the set includes an excellent reading of "Me & My Arrow", from Nilson's The Point; 2 versions of Nino Rota tracks from The Godfather; a nice version of Faure's "Pavane", with lots of spirally keyboards; a medley of "Baby Elephant Walk" and "Moon River"; and even a few nice originals, like "Quadimodo" and "Stutterology". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime album by one of our favorite talents in 60s jazz – pianist Jack Wilson, making his second Blue Note appearance here amidst a group of other more likely label players that include Lee Morgan on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, and Billy Higgins on drums! Despite the presence of those superstars, though, the album's still very much Wilson's own – featuring 4 tracks penned and played in his modally soulful vision, plus a great version of one tune by Frank Strozier – a player we'd find to be a very good companion to Wilson's style! The group's also noteworthy in that it features some excellent work from trombonist Garnett Brown – a player with a deeply soulful approach that adds in new dimensions to the tunes, and offsets the lightly lyrical touch of Wilson on the keys. The whole set's great – and titles include "Do It", "On Children", "Easterly Winds", "Nirvana", and "Frank's Tune". CD

A great little back to basics effort from the Fania All Stars – one that shakes off some of the electric and clubby influences that were creeping in during their years at Columbia, and returns the group to a mostly salsa groove! The sound here is bold and bright throughout – traditional at one level, but colored with modern inflections and a deepening sense of sophistication that may well make it one of the group's most cohesive records ever! Members of the ensemble include Roberto Roena, Johnny Pacheco, Luie Ramirez, and Papo Lucca – and vocals are by Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago, Ruben Blades, Santos Colon, Hector Lavoe, and Cheo Feliciano. Titles include "Dinamita", "Dime", "Ublabadu", "Cuando Despiertes", "La Borinquena", and "Encantigo". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". LP, Vinyl record album

Milt Jackson sings, in addition to his familiar vibes on this set – an unusual date done during his Pablo Records run of the late 70s – and a surprisingly great little album overall! As you might guess, Jackson's not the greatest singer in jazz – but it's this quality that also makes the record really great – kind of an honest approach to the tunes that reminds us of the sort of singers we used to catch at south side jam sessions here in Chicago – vocalists whose love of a tune was so great, they were willing to get out and take whatever chances they may – showing a care for the lyrics that's almost greater than a more proficient singer. Electric piano backs up Jackson on most of the vocal numbers – creating a cool, soulful glow – and other players on the record include Cedar Walton on keyboards, Dennis Budimir and John Collins on guitar, Billy Higgins on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – who also produced the session. Titles include "Heartstrings", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Yes Sir That's My Baby", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face", "Someone I Love", and "Parking Lot Blues". CD

An excellent comeback session from funky percussionist Ralph MacDonald – and a reunion of sorts with arranger William Eaton, the force behind the sound of Ralph's classic 70s albums! The record's got a similar approach to MacDonald's Marlin sessions – mixing together jazz and soul with an emphasis on Ralph's percussion lines and conga work. A few tracks have vocals out front, but overall the strength of the set is in the instrumentation – and even though the production feel is a bit more modern than before, there's an appreciation for classic groove construction that makes the set hold together nicely. Titles include "Creola", "Samba 4 2", "Hot Little Dimplette", "San Juan Girl", "Rosa Butts", "Quickski", and "If You See Me Looking Blue". CD

A late live recording from the legendary Mark Murphy – and a great one, too – as the vocalist works here at the height of his powers, in a small club setting that really has the singer taking off! Murphy's been making records since the 50s, but he's never dimmed at all – and, if anything, his performances are astounding in the way he continues to explore his phrasing, timing, and careful approach to the words of the songs – always at a level that relatively few other singers can touch! We miss Mark tremendously, and this live set is a wonderful reminder of just why he was always so special – a set that has him working with a relaxed quartet led by guitarist Spiros Exaras, on titles that include "On The Red Clay", "Summertime", "On Green Dolphin Street", "All Blues", "Miles", "Milestones", and "Inutil Paisagem/Dindi". CD

Mindblowing music from the legendary Scott Walker – a set that's even darker and more powerful than Drift – but which also shows a new sort of sensitivity as well! Walker's musical journey has been amazing – from teen idol to crooning poet to country singer, new wave experimentalist, and the incredibly artistic and reclusive talent of recent decades. Yet Bish Bosch is something completely new entirely – a record that bursts out with noise one minute, then shifts to sparely expressive passages the next – all in ways that kind of recapture the poetic charm of the initial Walker solo records, while wrapping it up with all the fiercely artistic energy of the later ones. There's a very abstract vibe to the record at points – not rock, never pop, and not even anything close to the vocalizations you'd hear from anyone except the most experimental or avant artists – yet somehow still in that amazingly deep tone that Walker could craft when singing for a mainstream audience. These contradictions, and many others, are what really make the record sparkle – and tracks include "See You Don't Bump His Head", "Corps De Blah", "Phrasing", "The Day The Conducator Died", "Tar", "Dimple", and "Epizootics". CD

A stunning companion to the first Angola Soundtrack set from Analog Africa – and a record that's filled with tunes that are rhythmically feverish, soulfully sung, and tremendously addictive! The music here is from the period soon after the electric guitar began to make a huge impact on regional African music – and the sharp lines of the instrument are woven into the fabric at a level that's both rhythmic and melodic at the same time – often hypnotically produced with a bit more echo than some of the other instruments, and almost always used with a pulse the really drives the tunes! Yet the sounds are never overindulgent or offbeat for their own needs – and instead have this timeless quality that makes the whole collection immediately appealing, even to ears untrained on any other African sounds – coming across with a vibe that goes far beyond the boundaries of language or nation – just the kind of culture-crossing we've come to love from Analog Africa. Titles include "Avante Juventude" by Os Anjos,"Senhor Doutor" by Quim Manuel O Espirito Santo, "N'Hoca" by Tony Von, "Aagarrem" by Africa Ritmos, "Lemba" by Negoleiros Do Ritmo, "Bazooka" by Carlos Lamartine E Aguias Reias, "Olha O Pica" by Africa Ritmos, "Despedida" by Dimba Diangola, and "Fatimita" by Urbano De Castro – plus the bonus track "Fuguei Na Escola (Para Jogar A Bola)" by Teta Lando. CD

An incredible trip through the 70s Japanese jazz scene – a second volume of J Jazz that's even bigger and better than the first – with unknown gems from private presses, indie labels, and rarities from the Japanese branches of the major labels, too! Compilers Tony Higgins & Mike Peden (who are both also responsible for the nicely done notes) follow through on all of the things we loved about the first J Jazz compilation, but improve on it by going bigger and digging deeper. The majority of the tracks were recorded from 1969 through the late 70s – with a few recorded in later years – and all have a wonderful way of being open to the stylistic inventions of the time without getting hung up on trends. So while there's some fusiony funk and electric piano, there's plenty of acoustic instrumentation and timelessly inventive material. BBE has outdone themselves on this excellent collection – and titles include "Dragon Dance" by Makoto Terashita & Harold Land, "Daguri" by Kohsuke Mine Quintet, "Distant Thunder" by Mabumi Yamguchi Quartet, "Animal Garden" by Miyasaka + 5, "Mother Of The Future" by Electro Keyboard Orchestra, "Serenade To A Dimly Lit Street" by Hiroshi Matsumoto/Hideo Ichikawa Quartet, "Teru-Teru Bozu" (Black Keys) by Teru Sakamoto Trio, "Little Giant" by Nobuo & Sharps & Flats, "Brown Trout" by Akira Miyazawa and more – plus the CD bonus track "Original Bill" by Koichi Matsukaze Trio. 15 tracks on 2CDs. CD

Excellent work from this totally sweet west coast Latin combo – a wonderful group who mixed Latin percussion with piano and vibes – in a manner that's similar to some of Cal Tjader's best Verve work of the 60s! Some tracks also make nice use of flute or alto sax – creating a snakey feel that really adds a new dimension of light and color to the tunes. The whole set's a great blend of Latin rhythms, jazzy solo work, and some mod 60s touches – and titles include "Monkey Time", "Afro Rock", "Let My People Go", "Walk On By", "Moses", "Liberation", and "Together". CD

Freddy Cole serves up a tribute to his famous brother Nat – in a small combo set that also features some nice tenor work from Houston Person and Harry Allen too! Cole's a singer who's ultimately had a lot more of a career than Nat – and we're not entirely sure why he's so often lumped together in settings like this – but the record's a real testament to Freddy's talents in the way he doesn't slavishly repeat Nat's phrasing, and instead makes these classic Cole tunes very much his own. The more jazz-based presentation helps a lot with that – and in addition to the tenor solos, the record also features work from Joe Magnarelli on trumpet, Josh Brown on trombone, Randy Napoleon on guitar, and John DiMartino on piano. Titles include "Love Is The Thing", "Jet", "Exactly Like You", "That's My Girl", "The Best Man", and "Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much". CD

One of three amazing albums the Fatback Band cut for the Perception label in the early 70s – and a set that's definitely the most soulful of the bunch! The difference here is that the group opens up some space for lead vocals from the great Johnny King – a singer with a really unique sound, and one whose special touch brings plenty to the already-great funky instrumentation of the group – deepening their sound in all the right ways! The set features both vocal and instrumental versions of Weldon Irvine's great cut "Feeling Mellow" – done even better than the original – and other cuts include "Makin' Love", "Sketches of Life", "Meet Me Over My House", and "Three Dimensional World". 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

Solo material from pianist Al Haig – a set that shows him in really great form for the 70s! Al's playing mostly familiar numbers here – and his approach is warmly sensitive throughout – still as fluid on the keys as the Haig heard during famous 50s bop years, but with a richer sort of feeling too – a contemplative depth that really makes these tunes sparkle – taking them far past the simple evergreens that might have become in a more standard trio setting. Al really manages to pack a lot into just a short space – proof that his improvising talents haven't dimmed at all over the years – and titles include "Lament", "Joanne", "Summertime", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "Bess You Is My Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

The first full length from MF Doom – a record that set the standard for underground hip hop to come! On this modern classic, Doom caps off the 90s with more jazzy soul in the beats, and some semblance of straightforward rhyme mastery from both Doom & his guests – taken to the outer limits! What really pushes this one into legendary status are how well he works with creaky comic adventure samples – using them as the genesis of Doom's metal face supervillain persona. Looking back, the set is clearly the building blocks for deeper insanity to come – but the sense of structure may well make it his best album ever! Includes "Doomsday", "Rhymes Like Dimes" feat Cucumber Slice, "The Finest" feat Tommy Gun, "Go With The Flow", "Tick Tick", "Hey!", "The Mic", "Dead Bent", "?" feat Kurious and much more – including all of the classic skits (yeah, we said it, classic skits, creative sci fi sample genius that are creative as the proper tracks) – with 19 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

Round, warm sounds from bassist Charnett Moffett – working here on both acoustic and electric bass, always with that laidback sense of flow that always made his older work so great! Moffett seems to shape each tune in a different way – and he's joined in this pursuit by guitarist Stanley Jordan, who reminds us of his wonderful sense of tone throughout – and by pianist Cyrus Chestnut, who's on most of the tracks on the set – save for a few that feature Jordan on piano. Jeff Tain Watts handles most of the drums – and tenor legend Pharoah Sanders makes a surprising appearance on three of the album's best tracks. Titles include "Music From Our Soul", "Freedom", "We Are Here To Play", "Love In The Galaxies", "Freedom Swing", "Sound World Suite", and "Celestial Dimensions". CD

A pair of Purple Sage classics – back to back on in a single set! First up is the classic debut of New Riders Of The Purple Sage – one of the leading lights of the new acoustic scene in the Bay Area after the shaggier, more electric years of the Haight Street scene! Jerry Garcia plays pedal steel and banjo on the record, and at some level these guys definitely owe a bit to some of Jerry's more acoustic explorations – especially on records to come – but they've also got their own brand of hippie country that's mighty nice, and which has a much more easygoing, less-jamming vibe than some of the headier San Francisco groups of the period. The set also features more guest work from Mickey Hart and Commander Cody – and titles include "Portland Woman", "Garden Of Eden", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Glendale Train", "Dirty Business", "Louisiana Lady", and "All I Ever Wanted". Powerglide is a set that has the New Riders Of The Purple Sage expanding their sound a bit – moving past the acoustic trio at the core to add in more pedal steel and even a bit of dobro – all at a level that seems to further their commitment to country-influenced Bay Area acoustic grooves! As before, Jerry Garcia makes a few appearances on the set, but it's clear that the group don't even need his help to sound great – working with vocals that are more harmonic and confident than before, and with songs that also really show them growing as tunesmiths too. The set features the original cuts "Sweet Lovin One", "Rainbow", "California Day", "Contract", and "Runnin Back To You" – plus a great cover of "Dim Lights Thick Smoke & Loud Loud Music". CD

Amazing 70s work from British altoist Mike Osborne – working here with a razor sharp trio that includes Harry Miller on bass and Louis Moholo on drums. Osborne's tone is already tremendous at the start – but the added rhythmic pressure of Miller and Moholo really make the album cook – burning with more intensity than the usual Ogun session of the time, and really taking on a triple-sided sort of interplay that allows each player ample voice on the date. There's almost a late 50s Sonny Rollins Trio sort of legacy going on here – but one pushed to freer 70s dimensions at times – and the whole thing's a great testament to the hidden talents of the critically overlooked Osborne! The side-long "All Night Long" suite includes improvs on "All Night Long", "Rivers", "Round Midnight" and "Scotch Pearl", and side 2 is also taken up by "Recapulations", another suite featuring "Ken's Tune", "Country Bounce", "All Night Long" and "Trio Trio". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Scotch Pearl" and "Now & Then Here & Now". CD

A nicely laidback album from Pugs Atomz – not at a level that feels lazy or thrown together at all – but which befits the confidence that Pugs can bring to his music after so many years – all with a quality that makes the whole thing seem as effortless as it is well-grounded! Tusk 57 handled much of the production – alongside Waffle King and Hexsagon – and the easygoing flow of the set is great, still holding strong even through guest appearances from the likes of Killah Priest, Rockie Fresh, Awdazcate, and Hexsagon himself. Titles include "Cash Ap At The Toll Road", "Malcolm 64", "Test Drive", "Green Means Go", "Cadillac On Michigan Ave", and "Sunsets In The US". LP also features added bonus tracks – "Testdrive (DJ Vadim mix)", "Green Means Go (Ed Seven rmx)", and "This Life Time (Inkswel)". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth and funky fusion from Lee Ritenour – top-shelf all the way, and handled with a really soulful groove, thanks to production from the legendary Skip Drinkwater! Lee's all over the top of the guitar in true "Captain Fingers" style, and Skip makes sure he's got plenty going on underneath, too – with an all-star assemblage of players that includes Harvey Mason on drums, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Dennis Budimir on guitar, Alphonso Johnson on bass, and Ernie Watts on saxes. The keyboards groove as nicely as the guitars (thanks Patrice!), and titles include "Margarita", "Fly By Night", "Dolphin Dreams", "Captain Fingers", and "Sun Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic turning point for the great Horace Silver – a set that's still got the soul jazz groove of some of his earlier 60s hits – but which also has the pianist really making magic with some of the younger players on the scene – in a lineup that features the young Woody Shaw on trumpet, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Tyrone Washington on tenor sax! As with Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan at the time, there's an openness to some of Silver's writing and arranging here that's really great – as if he's absorbing some of the qualities of the new thing generation, but never going there himself – and instead just finding a way to color his music with really fresh energy and tones. Larry Ridley is on bass and Roger Humphries is on drums – completing a really fantastic lineup – and titles include the title cut "The Jody Grind" – is an enduring funky jazz classic – plus "Blue Silver", "Mary Lou", "Mexican Hip Dance", "Grease Piece", and "Dimples". LP, Vinyl record album

Tony Joe White working at Muscle Shoals – a great southern combination, and one that makes for one of White's most unique albums! There's a bit grit in the rhythms, and a bit more of that well-rounded Muscle Shoals soul – as Tony works primarily on acoustic guitar, on tunes that get some slight sweetening from Arif Mardin a times, but in a way that never dims his soul at all. White's great vocals still drive the whole show along – with that strong current of soul that made him a surprisingly big crossover act at the time – and titles include "Sidewalk Hobo", "The Migrant", "As The Crow Flies", "300 Pounds Of Hongry", "Beouf River Road", and "If I Ever Saw A Good Thing". CD

Amazing work from the Senegalese scene of the 70s – easily one of the hippest musical hotspots on the African continent at the time, as you'll hear by the wonderful tracks on this set! Senegalese groups really embrace a wide range of sounds – not just traditional elements, or occasional influences from American blues and soul, but also a good dose of Latin and Cuban music too – all wrapped together in uniquely different ways by each of the different artists in this set. There's a bit more diversity to the music here than on other regional collections, and that's what makes this one so great – a truly wonderful entry in the well-named African Pearls series, supported with full notes in English and French. Titles include "Hombre Misteriosoy" by Etoile De Dakar, "Senegambia" by Star Band De Dakar, "Xarit" by Orchestra Baobab, "Guethe" by Star Band De Dakar, "Faran Tamba" by Star Number One, "Daida" by Xalam, "Rele Te Contan" by Guelawar, "Nijaay" by Orchestra Baobob, "Maaduleen" by Super Diamono De Dakar, "Boubou Ngary" by Etoile 2000, "Xal Dey Mag" by Ifang Bondi, "Xadim" by N'Guewel, and "Kery Goro" by Star Number One. CD

The title says "recital", but the album's no stiff, starched concert affair – as Tommy Flanagan is right at home on the piano, playing with a fluid grace that makes the record one of his best from the 70s! There's a simple, unadorned quality to the album – one that really lets Tommy sparkle with a quality that was always present in his work, but sometimes slightly dimmed in the studio – especially in large group records. And it's almost as if Pablo records has taken a cue from advances in Japanese piano trio recordings of the decade to bring a new sort of life to Flanagan's career – one that Tommy would later go onto explore heavily in later Japanese-only sides. Rhythm is by Keter Betts on bass and Bobby Durham on drums – and tracks include "The Intimacy Of The Blues", "Ummg", "Something To Live For", "All Day Long", "Mainstem", and "Daydream". CD

A really cool bit of blue-eyed soul from Chuck Senrick – recorded in the hinterlands of Michigan in the late 70s, but with a timeless vibe that's made the set ripe for rediscovery all these many years later! Chuck uses acoustic guitar, electric piano, and some spare drum machine lines – which puts part of the sonic quality of the record in the territory of Timmy Thomas or Shuggie Otis, save for the fact that Senrick's got these jazzy inflections in his vocals, but with particular phrasing – almost Kenny Rankin meets Cat Stevens, although such a tag might be too specific to highlight Chuck's particular charms! Whatever the case, the album's a gem – way better than its obscure status might make you think – with titles that include "Celebration Lover", "Kids", "The Duke Is Gone", "Drop A Dime", "Wedding Trilogy", "Downtown", "Gray Days", and "Dreamin". LP, Vinyl record album

The Sex Pistols only gave the world one full album before breaking up – the monumental God Save The Queen, a set that testifies to the raw energy that made it seem inevitable that their light would burn so brightly, it would soon burn out! Yet alongside that set, the group also cut some key singles, covers, and other tracks – the best of which are brought together here next to key cuts from their sole album, to make for an expanded 20 track set that really gets at the core of the group's genius! Even from the perspective of decades, the power of this work hasn't dimmed at all – and most of the messages and politics are, almost sadly, still as important as ever. Titles include "Substitute", "Stepping Stone", "Pretty Vacant", "God Save The Queen", "Bodies", "No Feelings", "I Wanna Be Me", "New York", "Problems", "Lonely Boy", "Silly Thing", "Something Else", "Anarchy In The UK", "Submission", "No Fun", "Holidays In The Sun", "C'Mon Everybody", "Satellite", "Did You No Wrong", and "My Way". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Billy Taylor albums of the 60s – thanks to some great big band backing by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's touch was golden at this point, and he could make just about any instrumentalist swing like a hammer – which is what he does with Taylor on this album, taking his normally flowery keyboard style, and holding it in place with some extremely tight orchestrations. Tracks are a mix of soul jazz groovers and jazzy pop tunes – and titles include "Soul Sister", "That's Where It Is", "Stolen Moments", "Freedom", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", and "I Wish I Knew". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime album by one of our favorite talents in 60s jazz – pianist Jack Wilson, making his second Blue Note appearance here amidst a group of other more likely label players that include Lee Morgan on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, and Billy Higgins on drums! Despite the presence of those superstars, though, the album's still very much Wilson's own – featuring 4 tracks penned and played in his modally soulful vision, plus a great version of one tune by Frank Strozier – a player we'd find to be a very good companion to Wilson's style! The group's also noteworthy in that it features some excellent work from trombonist Garnett Brown – a player with a deeply soulful approach that adds in new dimensions to the tunes, and offsets the lightly lyrical touch of Wilson on the keys. The whole set's great – and titles include "Do It", "On Children", "Easterly Winds", "Nirvana", and "Frank's Tune". CD

A great look at a really magical moment in Jamaican music – one in which the influence of the big UK audience was felt in styles back home – and also in which some shifting modes in American soul also helped create some new modes of expression! Lovers Rock is a mellower, gentler version of reggae than some of the roots rock or headier dub recordings of the 70s – going back to the soul that first inspired Jamaicans to make their own grooves back in the 60s – but with an updated style that has more mature, sophisticated modes coming into play – great vocals that go wonderfully with the slow-stepping and midtempo grooves of the tracks! Make no mistake, this is still reggae, but just with less politics and more interpersonal themes – well-collected here on titles that include "Caught You In A Lie" by Louisa Mark, "Can't Go Through With Life" by Marie Pierre, "I'm Still In Love With You" by Marcia Aitken, "Silly Games" by Janet Kay, "Dim The Light" by Winston Ready, "Someone Loves You Honey" by JC Lodge, "Money In My Pocket" by Dennis Brown, "Night Nurse" by Gregory Isaacs, "I'm So Sorry" by Carroll Thompson, "Ghetto Queen" by John Holt, "Key To The World" by Ruddy Thomas, "Love Has Found Its Way" by Dennis Brown, "Getting Crazy" by The In Crowd, and "When Push Comes To Shove" by Freddie McGregor. 3CD set features 60 tracks in all – a huge selection! CD