A definitely burning session from tenorist Don Menza – recorded with a hip big band that includes Bobby Shew, Don Rader, Jo Romano, Ray Reed, Frank Strazzeri, and other west coast luminaries from the time! The style shows the roots of all players in bigger groups, but has a nicely crafted sound of its own – a real respect for solo moments, and a quality that allows plenty of space into the arrangements – in that great post-Kenton mode that showed up on the west coast as the 60s moved on. Arrangements are bold, but not bombastic – and surprisingly soulful throughout – with titles include "New Spanish Boots", "Relaxin", "Tonawada Fats", "Dizzyland", and "Burnin". LP, Vinyl record album

Maynard Ferguson cut an undue number of excellent records in his early years – and this smoking set is definitely part of that group! At the time, Maynard was one of the few cats trying to find a way to move the larger band forward in jazz – finding ways to groove like Basie, but also add in some higher ideals, too – all with a surprisingly soulful current that definitely earns the title, and hints at his funky work to come in the 70s! Here, things are more shaded in blue tones and given a nice rhythmic kick – and as always with Maynard, the choice of band members is great – as the lineup features Charlie Mariano on alto, Don Rader on trumpet, Phil Bodner on reeds, Richard Davis on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums – working with strong creative energy on titles that include "What'd I Say", "Baltimore Oriole", "I Believe To My Soul", "I've Got A Woman", and "Alright OK You Win". CD

Very hiply swinging work from Maynard Ferguson – not as Latin-based as you might think from the title, but great nonetheless! The record features an excellent group that includes Don Rader on trumpet, Lanny Morgan on alto, Rufus Jones on drums, and Don Menza on tenor – all tightly wrapped around Maynard's baton, grooving with a style that's at once impeccably unified, but also very able to make room for the well-blown solo. Titles include "Morgan's Organ", "Si Si MF", "What'll I Do", "Early Hours", "Morgan Point", and "Straight Out". A real groover! LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliantly bold work from pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi – an artist who's really coming into her own for the 70s – stepping out in a big band format that would win her a wide new audience on both sides of the Pacific! The album's one of the first to feature the ensemble co-led with husband Lew Tabackin – a group that features strong work from American players who include Dick Spencer and Gary Foster on alto saxes, Tabackin and Tom Peterson on tenor, Bill Perkins on baritone, Bobby Shew and Don Rader on trumpets, and Charles Loper and Jim Sawyer on trombones. The horns are only part of the picture, though – as the inventive writing and arranging from Akiyoshi is what really makes the album great – a strong sense of painting with sound, while still keeping things swinging – really unlocking all the best elements that had been opened up for larger ensembles in the previous few years. The set features all original tracks that include "Kogun", "American Ballad", "Henpecked Old Man", "Elegy", and "Memory". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s classic from the team of Toshiko Akioshi and Lew Tabackin – a duo who did for the jazz ensemble mode in their generation what Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland did in the 60s! The material here is wonderfully inventive – the kind of compositions that Toshiko wouldn't have even written in her smaller combo years – fleshed out here by a fantastic group that includes Lew Tabackin and Gary Foster on reeds, and Bobby Shew and Don Rader on trumpets – all in a setting where the voices of the individual members really get a lot of space to shine! Titles include "Since Perry", "Opus No Zero", "Long Yellow Road", "First Night", "Children In The Temple Ground", and "Yet Another Tear". LP, Vinyl record album

Wome of Woody Herman's cooler, groovier work of the 60s – with work from young talents that include Don Rader on both trumpet and arrangements, plus Dusko Goykovich on additional trumpet, Nat Pierce on piano, and Sal Nistico on tenor! LP, Vinyl record album

Classy soul and killer grooves – a great helping of rare New York sides from the late 60s – all of which show a great evolution of the Uptown style from a few years before! Things are polished, but never too smooth or commercial at all – and instead, the music's got this quality of coming right from the heart of the music scene of the time – the cream of the crop, right from the top – and that includes singers, songwriters, and session help too! Vocals are mighty deep throughout – and the tracks all have a strong indie pedigree, as they're pulled from the labels Wand, Scepter, and Musicor – all imprints we always check out when digging for rare singles. As usual, Kent's gone way beyond expectations – not just with the track selection, but with full notes too – for a total of 24 tracks that include "Runaway Slave" by Joe Perkins, "That Girl" by Porgy & The Monarchs, "Kiss & Make Up" by The Inspirations, "I Don't Want Nobody To Lead Me On" by The Masqueraders, "Horsin Around" by Benny Gordon & The Soul Brothers, "Lonely Weatherman" by The Premiers, "A Man A Woman" by Chris Bartley, "I Just Gotta Have You" by Nella Dodds, "Knick Knack Patty Wack" by Lou Lawton, "No Jealous Lover" by Lois Lane, and "I'm Gonna Have A Party" by Ed Bruce. CD

Magnificent stuff – an a treasure trove of lost harmony soul! This is the kind of compilation that really gets us going – 24 super-mellow soul tracks from the late 60s and early 70s, all of them done by male harmony groups with a stellar vocal approach. Some of the groups are ones you'll know, singing in a style that you may not recognize from their earlier years – and others are obscure ensembles, the kind we treasure even more on a set like this! Vocals are wonderful throughout – smooth, yet deeply soulful – and often with the kind of sad and honest quality that we look for in harmony soul. Titles include "What Did I Do Wrong" by The Mayberry Movement, "I've Been Trying" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "Friends Or Lovers" by Act One, "Hearts Were Made To Love" by The Pretenders, "Please Don't Leave" by Tuxedo, "Baby It's You" by The Masqueraders, "You Send Me" by Ponderosa Twins Plus One, "I Am So Glad I Took My Time" by the Floaters, "Let Your Heart Be The Judge" by Gods Gift To Women, "What Am I Guilty Of" by The New Cymbals, and "Maybe So Maybe No" by The New Holidays. CD

An amazing array of southern soul – a 3CD package that's overflowing with classics in the genre, but which also features a fair bit of rare numbers too! The presentation of the whole thing is completely top-shelf – with a 72 page booklet that's almost worth the price of admission alone, supported with 3CDs of music containing a total of 75 songs in all! The set's divided up thematically – discs titled You Don't Miss Your Water, The Rainbow Road, and The River, respectively – and even if you've already got a fair bit of southern soul in your collection, you'd be hard pressed to find so much great music anywhere else, especially presented this well. Titles include "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by William Bell, "Polly Wally" by Tony Borders, "Faithful & True" by ZZ Hill, "What I Don't Know Won't Hurt Me" by Paul Thompson, "I Can't Give You My Heart" by Jimmy Braswell, "Lead Me On" by Gwen McCrae, "Let's Face Facts" by The Masqueraders, "Something I Never Had" by Jarvis Jackson, "Mumble In My Ear" by Marcell Strong, "Tired Of Being Alone" by Al Green, "Jody Come Back & Get Your Shoes" by Bobby Newsom, "Starting All Over Again" by Mel & Tim, "I'll Play The Blues For You" by Geater Davis, "I'll Make It Up To You" by Clay Hammond, "The One You Can't Have" by Shirley Walton, "My Adorable One" by Joe Simon, "Losin Boy" by Eddie Giles, and "We Always Come Back Strong" by Sam Dees. CD

The only solo album ever from William Lyall – an artist with ties to 70s UK pop giants Pilot and The Bay City Rollers – although don't hold that latter reference against him, as the music here is much like his work in Pilot! As with that group, the songs here are wonderfully sharp and compressed – well-crafted UK pop with that cool sense of production that could make a tune like "Magic" crackle and spark at a level that's different than so many US hits of the time – a quality that's even better when you start to listen to William's great work on keyboards too. Phil Collins played drums on a number of tracks, Paul Buckmaster delivers some great orchestrations at points – and titles include "Playing In The Sand", "Us", "Reasons", "Maniac", "The Deeper You Get", "Sleep", "Don't Be Silly", and "Supertrader". LP, Vinyl record album

Magnificent stuff – an a treasure trove of lost harmony soul! This is the kind of compilation that really gets us going – 24 super-mellow soul tracks from the late 60s and early 70s, all of them done by male harmony groups with a stellar vocal approach. Some of the groups are ones you'll know, singing in a style that you may not recognize from their earlier years – and others are obscure ensembles, the kind we treasure even more on a set like this! Vocals are wonderful throughout – smooth, yet deeply soulful – and often with the kind of sad and honest quality that we look for in harmony soul. Titles include "What Did I Do Wrong" by The Mayberry Movement, "I've Been Trying" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "Friends Or Lovers" by Act One, "Hearts Were Made To Love" by The Pretenders, "Please Don't Leave" by Tuxedo, "Baby It's You" by The Masqueraders, "You Send Me" by Ponderosa Twins Plus One, "I Am So Glad I Took My Time" by the Floaters, "Let Your Heart Be The Judge" by Gods Gift To Women, "What Am I Guilty Of" by The New Cymbals, and "Maybe So Maybe No" by The New Holidays. CD

Fantastic mid 70s sounds from The Masqueraders! Everybody Wanna Live On may very well be the best album ever by this sweet southern vocal group – produced and arranged by Isaac Hayes, who'd always had a big hand in the group's sound. The record's got a style that reminds us of mid 70s Manhattans, but perhaps with more of an edge on some of the vocals, especially on the more uptempo tracks. Includes the great cut "Please Don't Try (To Take Me Away To The Sky)", with a nice electric piano groove and funky vocals, plus "(Call Me) The Traveling Man", "Sweet Sweetning", "Baby It's You", "Everybody Wanna Live On", and "Your Sweet Love Is A Blessing". CD

Socking soul from the 60s – a record with American roots and a very groovy British sound! The set was the second full length album from Madeline Bell – an American singer transplanted to the mod UK scene of the 60s, where she really flourished in a rich career of hit singles, endless session work, and later fame with the group Blue Mink. The tunes on this set are a wonderful bridge between Madeline's two worlds – and have a sound that's a lot like the uptown soul coming out of the US at the time – sweet and smooth arrangements, topped by deeper soul vocals that make for a wonderful juxtaposition. Arrangements are by British talents Arthur Greenslade, Ian Green, and Keith Mansfield – and titles include "Step Inside Love", "Hold It", "Help Yourself", "After All Is Said & Done", "For Your Pleasure", and "It's Up To You". LP, Vinyl record album