Led by Donn Trenner, with Bob Enevoldsen on tenor, Laurindo Almeida on guitar, John Setar on flute and alto, Herb Ellis on guitar, Jules Bertaux on bass, Bob Neel on drums, and Frank Rosolino and Jimmy Zito on Brazilian rhythm instruments. LP, Vinyl record album

Barbara "I Dream Of Jeannie" Eden gets herself out of the bottle and into the studio for a set of 60s pop tunes designed to bring out another side of her magic! Bill Justis handled the arrangements, in a style that has that RCA Nashville country pop sort of feel overall – electric bass plucking out the bottom, chorus vocals helping out the lead, and a sort of syncopated groove that gently steps along from back to front. We'll be honest, and say that Barbara's vocals aren't that much to write home about – but the album's a nice celebrity relic – and does feature a few sexy Jeannie shots on the front! Titles include "Single Girl", "Bend It", "Rebel", "I Get The Fever", and "Nobody But A Fool". CD

Southern hillbilly soul from Fern Jones – a minister, church singer and songwriter with a real feel for the secular shake of 50s Sun Records, honky tonk, and shout blues – a pure evangelical with a worldly groove! Fern worked the gospel circuit of tent and church shows for many, many years – but only recorded two albums, this one for Dot/Paramount. Fern sings in the torch country style of Patsy Cline, often with spare rockabilly-styled guitar and drums backbeat. This album is probably most noteworthy for the classic song "I Was There When It Happened" – co-written by Fern Jones and made famous by Johnny Cash. It's especially legendary because it was the only gospel number Sam Phillips allowed Cash to include on his first LP. But Fern's album is more than worthy of a late discovery – she's a true pioneer, fearlessly blending the Lord's work with the Devil's music – at a time when such poles were anathema for most artists, fans, and record labels alike! Original album tracks include "You Ain't Got Nuthin'", "I Do Believe", "Be Thankful You're You", "I Ain't Got Time", "Let Tomorrow Be" – plus the bonus tracks "When I Meet You", "By And By", "I Don't Care What The World May Do" and "This World Is Not My Home". CD

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Really lovely work from this Argentine jazz duo – vocals by Cande, piano and keyboards from Paulo – all served up in a great style that mixes the breeziness of classic bossa with some more contemporary instrumental and production elements! The record is nicely stripped-down overall – intimate, but in the warmest way possible – and at times that also means a nice current of sadness around the edges – ala bossa nova too – on a bilingual set of tunes that mixes jazz standards with originals. Titles include "Summertime", "Limite En Tu Amor", "Deja Atras", "Treaty", "Esperandote", "The Thrill Is Gone", "En Blanco Estas", "Tuyo", and "Barro Tal Vez". CD

Paul Desmond doesn't get any better than this – blowing his icy cool alto next to warm guitar lines from the mighty Jim Hall – a classic RCA Records pairing in jazz, heard to great effect on this classic album! There's a slight bossa groove to some of the rhythms, which is great for Desmond's sound – and the backing is also free of piano, so the guitar and alto hang together wonderfully by themselves – suspended in space, dipping and turning around each other beautifully! The pair get some very light rhythmic accompaniment from Connie Kay on drums, and either Percy Heath or Gene Wright on bass – on titles that include "That Old Feeling", "Easy Living", "Blues For Fun", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "When Joanna Loved Me". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "All Through The Night" and "Rude Old Man". CD

80s electronic sounds from Poland – a record that's maybe slightly warmer than some of the cold wave underground of the decade, but not by much – and which is almost all instrumental, giving the whole thing a relatively timeless appeal! As you might guess from the image of the old PC on the cover, the electronics have a basic, early sort of digital vibe – and production is nicely understated too, so that even if a tune might be catchy, it's got a bit more edge than anything commercial that was coming from the west at the time! There's lots of early Sheffield modes at play here – and titles include "Wypij To", "Smakujesz Inaczej", "Szukam Sladu", "Dotykanie", and "Zrob Wsystko Bym". CD

A very hip set from Bill Evans' second trio – the legendary lineup that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Both players bring Evans' sound to an even greater level of spaciousness – allowing for lyrical interplay that's completely amazing, and even furthers the promise of genius made by Bill on his first few albums – a bold step forward that really makes this album one of Evans' standout sets of the early 60s! Titles include an early reading of Evans' wonderful tune "Re: Person I Knew", plus "Very Early", "In Love In Vain", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "If You Could See Me Now", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best studio albums ever from the legendary Von Freeman – and a date that really captures some of the careful essence of his live performances in Chicago! Unlike the previous Atlantic album, which tried to fit Von into a more expected bag, this easygoing Nessa session really lets him open up and take off – blowing tunes that are straight ahead, but always with that offbeat style that turns the songs inside out – making them rich exploratory fields for inventive and creative solos! The group fits Von's longtime credo of never upstaging the leader – which gives his tenor lots of room to blow – and players include John Young on piano , David Shipp on bass, and the great Wilbur Campbell on drums. Titles include a great version of Mancini's "Mr Lucky", plus "Swinging The Blues", "Polka Dots And Moonbeams", and "Have No Fear Soul Is Here". This great Nessa CD version has a killer bonus track, too – the Freeman-composed "Boomerang". CD

A very well done compilation truly including some of the very Best Of Serge Gainsbourg – programmed chronologically starting with the late 50s – not only some of the best of Serge, but some of the most provocative, innovative and creatively fearless popular music ever! From the more elegant, jazzier early number and on through the great duets, more sultry and stripped down numbers and bits of all the great strains of his inimitable style. Features the previously unissued "Comme Un Boomerang", plus "Leau A La Bouche", "Baudelaire", "Elaeudanla Teiteia", "Comic Strip", "Requiem Pur Un C", "L'Anamour", "Elisa", "La Decadanse" with Jane Birkin, "Bonnie And Clyde" with Bridgette Bardot, "Aux Armes Et Caetera" and more. 27 tracks on the 2LP version, LP1 from 1960-1968 and LP2 from 1968 to 1979. LP, Vinyl record album

At the time of this album, Johnny Hartman definitely was the voice that is – a singer with a new level of maturity for the 60s, and a voice that's far more masculine than the geeky look of the photo on the cover! Hartman's sound here is smooth and warm, but never in a too-commercial way – a great antidote to some of the bigger singers of his generation, and cast perfectly here in some lightly jazzy arrangements by Bob Hammer. A few tracks feature backing by a quartet led by Hank Jones – and the rest feature a slightly larger group with 2 guitars and some nice Latin percussion. Titles include "Funny World", "Waltz For Debbie", "It Never Entered My Mind", "Let Me Love You", "My Ship", "The Day The World Stopped Turning", "Slow Hot Wind", and "The More I See You". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure release that featuers some rare material by British jazz greats! The tracks were all recorded live in 1966 at the Students Union Hall at Bristol University – and although the recording quality isn't up to some of Hayes' other live sets from the time, the energy of the playing certainly is! Hayes plays with the quartet of trumpeter Les Condon – on tracks that include "Freedom Monday" and "When My Baby Gets Mad – Everybody Split". Coe is leading his quintet with John Picard on trombone, Colin Purbook on piano, Peter Ind on bass, and Jackie Dougan on drums – on versions of "The Jeep Is Jumpin" and "Blues We Played Last Night", both of which feature Coe on tenor. Last up is guitarist Frank Evans, playing with Ind and Dougan, on "Blues For Sunday" and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". CD

Bassist Joelle Leandre always seems to bring out something special in a session – and that's definitely the case here, as her warm spirit of creative creation seems to really shape the contributions of Agusti Fernandez on piano and Evan Parker on tenor sax! Make no mistake, Parker also brings out a lot in players too – and his ability to adapt, especially in mature years, continues to blow us away – especially on a record like this, as his tenor wraps around the bass in all sorts of wonderful ways, sprinkled with notes from Fernandez, and dotted by the drums and objects used by Zlatko Kaucic – who we may be hearing here for the first time. The set features one long performance – recorded at the Cerkno festival in 2018, dedicated to Kaucic's 40 years as a musician! CD

An album with a bit of a gimmick – songs about the moon – but one that quickly transcends that mode, thanks to the vocal strengths of Allegra Levy! Levy's definitely a singer who's working in a jazz-based style, but she's also got this very pointed, personal approach to phrasing that almost feels as if she's talking to us personally – almost a style that could be set up with more contemporary instrumentation in the backings, but which feels even warmer here in the company of Carmen Staaf on piano, Alex Goodman on guitar, an Tim Norton on bass. The lack of drums gives the trio a slightly softer (but not sleepy) vibe – one that seems to really push Allegra to the forefront, as she takes on an unusual mix of songs that includes some familiar standards, plus tunes by Nick Drake, Neil Young, and Cat Stevens. The album features a great take on "Pink Moon" – plus "Harvest Moon", "Moon Ray", "Moon River", "No Moon At All", "Polkadots & Moonbeams", "Moonshadow", and "Moonlight In Vermont". CD

An incredible document of late 60s America – composed and conducted by Gary McFarland, in a style that's much more ambitious than any of his other work! The album's fully titled "America The Beautiful: An Account Of Its Disappearance" – and features "movements" with very telling subtitles that include "On This Site Shall Be Erected", "80 Miles An Hour Through Beer Can Country", "Suburbia: Two Poodles And A Plastic Jesus", and our personal favorite, "Due To A Lack Of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Cancelled". Gary's really wearing his politics on his sleeve here – picturing a late 60s America that's without hope, without revolution, and clearly in danger of falling prey to its own plasticization. The whole thing's a wonderful antidote to the "revolution is coming" side of the 60s that is more popularly pushed – and Gary was one of the few musicians at the time with an eye that was clear enough to see that in the 60s, you could sing "The Times Are A-Changing" – but in reality, the corporations were a-growing! Musically, the album features a larger group of jazz players working in a full, rich style that has lots of soundtrack touches. There's a real Axelrod-like feel to the set – with string passages one minute, funky rhythms the next – and some breakout jazz soloing that really colors the tunes nicely! Players include Jerome Richardson, Eric Gale, Bernard Purdie, and Chuck Rainey – and Gary's mostly doing the conducting on the set. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible document of late 60s America – composed and conducted by Gary McFarland, in a style that's much more ambitious than any of his other work! The album's fully titled "America The Beautiful: An Account Of Its Disappearance" – and features "movements" with very telling subtitles that include "On This Site Shall Be Erected", "80 Miles An Hour Through Beer Can Country", "Suburbia: Two Poodles And A Plastic Jesus", and our personal favorite, "Due To A Lack Of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Cancelled". Gary's really wearing his politics on his sleeve here – picturing a late 60s America that's without hope, without revolution, and clearly in danger of falling prey to its own plasticization. The whole thing's a wonderful antidote to the "revolution is coming" side of the 60s that is more popularly pushed – and Gary was one of the few musicians at the time with an eye that was clear enough to see that in the 60s, you could sing "The Times Are A-Changing" – but in reality, the corporations were a-growing! Musically, the album features a larger group of jazz players working in a full, rich style that has lots of soundtrack touches. There's a real Axelrod-like feel to the set – with string passages one minute, funky rhythms the next – and some breakout jazz soloing that really colors the tunes nicely! Players include Jerome Richardson, Eric Gale, Bernard Purdie, and Chuck Rainey – and Gary's mostly doing the conducting on the set. CD

They're not kidding with the title of this one – because although the record was only Wes Montgomery's second album as a leader, he was already making plenty of waves with the sound of his guitar! The session lines Wes up with the very tight rhythm team of Tommy Flanagan on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – all of whom lay back and mostly let Wes take center stage – sparkling on a number of original tunes that include "West Coast Blues", "Mister Walker", and "D Natural Blues". Other tracks include a great fast take on Sonny Rollins' "Airegin", plus "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". CD

Great early work from Sun Ra & The Arkestra – two never-issued tracks, and a classic Saturn Records groove! "Rocket Number Nine" may well be one of the group's strongest early anthems – a propulsive number that's bold enough to soar to the skies – driven by old school snapping snare, but given a very moody vibe by the group's chanting, and some very offbeat horn solos! "Ankhnation" is a never-issued track – one that has a great mix of comping chords from Ra on piano and right rhythm lines – with lots of nice solos over the top from John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, and Hobart Dotson – almost a Yusef Lateef track overall. Last up is the previously-unissued "Project Black Mass" – a tune that has all these cool percussion bits and piano notes in a flurry – almost a more outside take on the style of Moondog! LP, Vinyl record album

RTJ come on with the force of a hurricane on the very first track – and don't let up throughout the course of this completely sharp 4th LP – a record that may owe plenty to the spirit of 2020, even if just as an antidote to what ails us! EL P and Killer Mike sound more urgent than ever before – clearly brimming over with energy and a sense of message – so much so that the album's guests almost dim in comparison – although we do appreciate the work from Mavis Staples, 2 Chainz, Greg Nice, DJ Premier, and Pharrell Williams! The record is full of sharp samples and production modes that punch with the force of a fist – and titles include "Out Of Sight", "Holy Calamafuck", "Goonies Vs ET", "Walking In The Snow", "Ju$t", "Yankee & The Brave", "Never Look Back", "Ooh La La", "A Few Words For The Firing Squad", and "Pulling The Pin". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work by Pharoah Sanders – and an overlooked set that's filled with some pretty nice material! The group features electric piano by Donald Smith and acoustic piano by William Henderson – and the groove is a mixture of spiritual soul jazz with a few more standard numbers that differ from Pharoah's albums on Impulse. At the best moments, Pharoah is blowing with all his classic magic – crafting the sort of long and raspy lines that always grab us immediately, as the rhythm section comps out modally behind him, setting up a soulfully swinging groove. Highlights include a version of Coltrane's "Equinox", done in a building modal way that stays very faithful to the original, and a long version of "Out Of This World", one that runs for 14 minutes, building into a straight jazz groove that layers sound upon sound upon sound. Leon Thomas sings a bit on the record – and titles include "Next Time You See Me", "If It Wasn't For A Woman", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

A great big barrel of beer drinkin' honky tonk classics from Hank Thompson – one of the flagship honky tonk albums of the 60s! This is Texas swing-modeled, no BS honky tonk – no silly string arrangements or Jordanaires backing vocals in the mix. It's the antidote for all that countrypolitan stuff that was the main claptrap of the time! The great Merle Travis is on guitar for most of the record, too. Essential! Tracks include "Six Pack To Go", "Honky Tonk Town", "Hangover Heart", "Drunkard's Blues", "Bubbles In My Beer", "The Wild Side Of Life", "Warm Red Wine" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful albums ever from the great Mel Torme – and a set that's a bit different than his other work for the Bethlehem label too! The set features Mel singing to lush backings from arranger Al Pellegrini – who brings in a mode that definitely lives up to the blue tones promised in the title – with enough melancholy moments in the mix to rival the sound of Frank Sinatra's classic Wee Small Hours album. The voice of the Velvet Fog is perfect in such a setting – and Torme's all serious, all classic, all the way through – no gimmicks or tricks or goofy moments at all. Titles include "How Long Has This Been Going On", "It's A Blue World", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good", "All This & Heaven Too", "Wonderful One", and "Stay As Sweet As You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

We really loved Nick Walters the last time around, and on this set the trumpeter seems to be even more visionary than before – really going for this expansive approach to his music, and serving things up with a vibe that maybe makes him one of the most spiritual leaders on the contemporary London scene! The tracks here are all originals, and work together perfectly as a whole album – with Nick setting things up strongly with his own trumpet at the start, then folding in these beautiful contributions from Ed Cawthorne on flute and soprano sax, Jeff Guntren on tenor, Rebecca Nash on piano, Nim Sadot on bass, Max Hallett on drums, and Joseph Deenmamoode on percussion. Some tunes have a modal rhythm, but others get a bit more complex, although still with a similar organic pulse – and titles include "So Long Chef", "Gordian Knot (parts 1 & 2)", "Dansoman Last Stop", and "Ahimsa". CD

A pair of live performances – both of them great, and both done in the very open, creative style of the Three Blind Mice label at the time! Side one features core work by the trio of pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, but with key guest work from Isao Suzuki on cello and Sunao Wada on guitar – both players who really open up the groove a lot! Suzuki solos in this great way on a long version of "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and also makes an appearance on "Midnight Sugar" – which also has a long, soulful solo from Wada on guitar. Side two features a long take on "Now's The Time" – done in a freewheeling jam session mode – with Yoshio Otomo and Kenji Mori on alto sax, Takao Uematsu and Mabumi Yamaguchi on tenors, and Toshiyuki Daitoku on Fender Rhodes – all in a group led by drummer George Otsuka. CD

A truly incredible collection – even more wonderful than we might have guessed from the title and cover – and both of those are already pretty darn appealing! This package might well be the most comprehensive we've ever seen on the early days of punk in England – a package that goes way past the big names, way past the classic cuts, and really digs deep into the huge explosion of indie labels that fueled the scene – creating a legacy of rare singles and amazing sounds that the British scene hadn't seen in years! If you dig the Sex Pistols or Clash, there's dozens of other tunes here to love – some by artists you'll know from later fame, represented here on very early tracks – and lots more from acts who maybe only gave the world a handful of brilliant singles. The presentation is as stunning as the music – 111 tracks on 4CDs, inside a heavy 64 page book-style jacket – with page after page of notes on each song and band, and lots of images as well. Consider this whole thing an overdue primer on all the punk you missed – even if you lived back in the day – and lose yourself in the huge array of tracks by groups who include The Radiators From Space, Puncture, Some Chicken, The Panik, The Only Ones, Suspects, Tueway Army, The Boys, Acme Sewage Co, Raped, Bazoomis, Menace GLC, Sids, Rudi, Art Attack, Angelic Upstarts, Mean Street, Poison Girls, Chelsea, Demon Preacher, Leyton Brothers, The Dole, Riff Raff, The Tights, Social Security, Nicky & The Dots, No Way, The Wall, Hollywood Brats, Disco Zombies, Spizzoil, Horrorcomic, The Cravats, and lots lots more! CD

Beautiful work from songwriter Chips Moman – a key force on the Memphis scene at the end of the 60s, and a writer whose pen managed to touch a huge range of genres and styles over the years! Chips is maybe best known for the famous songs he gave to Aretha Franklin and others in his early years – but Moman has that special southern style of easily crossing genres, which meant that his heartfelt lyrics were also taken up by folks in country and rock as well – as you'll hear on this great collection that brings together all sorts of unusual interpretations of Chips' tunes! If there ever was an artist to warrant the treatment that Ace gives in its "songwriter" series, it was Moman – and there's plenty of notes on the songs and the recordings to help flesh out your understanding of his genius. Titles include "Promises" by Carla Thomas, "For You" by Gizzelle, "Do Right Woman Do Right Man" by Cher, "Fool In Love" by the Veltones, "I'll Never Give Her Up" by The Canes, "Don't Let It Be This Time" by The Gentrys, "You're Gonna See A Lot More Of My Leaving" by Barbara Lynn, "Okeechobee Purple" by Gary Stewart, "Dark End Of The Street" by The Flying Burrito Brothers, "Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" by BJ Thomas, "Luckenbach Texas" by Waylon Jennings, "So Much Like My Dad" by George Strait, "Here Come The Flowers" by Dottie West, and "Easy Street" by Johnny Cash. CD

Music from Lakasha, Paris Combo, Serge Gainsbourg, Diana Krall, Yuri Buenaventura, Nery, Eartha Kitt, Chet, Brigitte Bardot, Isabelle Aubret, Nina Simone, Blossom Dearie, Nico, and more. CD

A really unusual idea for a compilation – but the sort that we've really come to appreciate from the folks at Numero Group! The package traces a shift in American independent jazz during the 80s – following the sorts of players who might have played spiritual jazz or rock-oriented fusion in the 70s, as they pick up new instruments, try out new studio techniques, and work in other modes that are surprisingly soulful overall! You might think of the set as the bridge between 70s jazz and smooth jazz – and there's a a few players here you'll recognize from the previous decade – yet the songs are nearly as slick or commercial as mainstream smooth jazz, and maybe stand as a nice indie antidote to the sounds coming from the GRP label during the decade. Titles include "Tropical Chill" by Plunky, "Maria's First" by Calvin Keys, "Waiting For You" by Frank Potenza, "Born With A Desire" by Tony Palkovic, "Sidetrack" by James Dallas, "6295 SW Fisher" by George Shaw, "Sunbeam" by Larry Bright, and "Orphans" by Michael Hayes. LP, Vinyl record album

Searing rockabilly work from the Texas scene of the late 50s – all work that came from the powerhouse TNT label out of San Antonio, and the related Marathon Records too! These cuts aren't country twangers, and are instead definitely the kind of raw early rockers that this series does such a good job of tracking down – really wonderful numbers that we never would have heard otherwise, and which explode with the same sort of energy that must have made them fantastic to hear from some backroom jukebox in a small corner tavern! As with the other volumes, there's very detailed notes within, and label scans too – the kind of package that makes this series such a great antidote to some of the more random rockabilly compilations out there. Titles include "China Doll" by Ray Stone, "Here I Come" by Jimmy Dee & The Offbeats, "Catapiller" by Ray Campi, "Set Me Free" by Bill Morrison, "I Love Her" by The Blue Notes, "One More Time" by The Traits, "Pink Bow Tie" by Jerry Dove & His String Dusters, "Duck Tail Cat" by Dan Virva & The Flying D Ramblers, "Trapped" by Cecil Moore & The Notes, "Living Myself To Death" by Chuck Goddard, "I Want You To Love Me Tonight" by Ray Liberto, and "Truck Drivers Special" by Lonnie Lille. CD

The team of Coltrane and Mobley seems like a strange pairing from the perspective of the history books – but at the time, the pair were two of the brightest new stars on the tenor, each with a sound and style that would make them huge, so it was no surprise that they were brought together for a blowing session like this on Prestige. The set's got a nice open ended feel – with 4 long tracks that give the players plenty of solo room, and a group that includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Elmo Hope on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Titles include "On It", "Weeja", "Avalon", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

Was there a sexier 70s celebrity than Joey Heatherton? It's hard to think so – and the cover of this one is more than enough proof that she was America's greatest answer to Brigitte Bardot! And while we certainly remember her from countless variety show appearances at the time, it's actually a bit hard to remember her as a singer (something that's due, no doubt, to the fact that we were so busy looking – not listening!) This great Hip-O set nicely corrects that fact – by bringing together Joey's full 10 track MGM album from 1972, plus some even more obscure singles recorded for Coral and Decca in the mid 60s! The Joey Heatherton Album was done in a sexy sort of 70s pop mode – slight country touches on a few tunes, but mostly glistening adult-styled backings from the team of Tony Scotti and Tommy Oliver. Tunes on that one include "God Only Knows", "It's Not Easy", "Right Or Wrong", "I'm Sorry", "Gone", "Say Hello", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". But almost even better are the rare early singles – 11 more numbers recorded in the mid 60s, and done in a trumpeting girl pop style that actually has plenty of traces of the Brit female sound of the time. Joey's really really great on these numbers – perky, poppy, and still ultra-sexy! Titles include "That's How It Goes", "Live & Learn", "Tomorrow Is Another Day", "My Blood Runs Cold", "Growing Up Is Learning To Say Goodbye", and "But He's Not Mine". CD

2 of the few sessions that pianist Elmo Hope cut as a leader in groups with horn players – back to back on one CD, with great notes! First up is Informal Jazz – a 1956 blowing session with Hope on the keys, and a great group that includes Donald Byrd, John Coltrane, and Hank Mobley – plus Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The 4 tracks from that session are all nice and long, with plenty of solo space – and titles include "Weeja", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "On It", and "Avalon". Next is material from the album Homecoming – a great little album that Hope made upon his return to the east coast in the early 60s, not too long before he passed away. Half the tunes are cut with a sextet that features Blue Mitchell, Frank Foster, and Jimmy Heath – and the other are cut with a trio that features Hope, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones, who provide the rhythm for the sextet tunes. The mix of settings is about half and half – and titles include "Moe Jr", "La Berthe", "Eyes So Beautiful", and "One Mo Blues". It's great to hear Hope back with horns, after cutting so many trio sides during this point in his life – and his unique style on the keys is still matched nicely with the larger group of players. CD

Includes performances from "Turandot", "Tosca", "La Boheme", "Der Rosenkavalier", "Carmen", "Il Trovatore", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Brazilian gem from guitarist Bola Sete – recorded before his more famous work for Fantasy Records, in a slightly different groove! Bola's playing a hollow-body electric here, and with a style that's more jazz than bossa – very well played, with a nice sense of tone and color – and backings that have a slightly blue sort of quality and modern overtones. There's still a bit of samba rhythms at times, and the record is a real standout from the early Odeon years – with titles that include "Eu Vou De Samba Rock", "Menino Desce Dai", "Un Recuerdo", "Noite Chuvosa", "Brigitte Bardot", and "Piel Canela". LP, Vinyl record album

2CDs, and a heck of a lot of great tunes selected and mixed by Dimitri From Paris! The album has Dimitri following up the first Playboy Mansion compilation with a sublime blend of older club classics and some newer underground numbers – all infused with the soulful house spirit of the crackling Parisian scene! Disc 1 is a "laidback selection" – featuring numbers from the 70s, 80s, and more recent years – titles that include "Seasons Of Love (Blaze club mix)" by Blaze, "Feel Up (Danny Tenaglia rmx)" by Grace Jones, "Lust" by Rinder & Lewis, "Can't Give You Up" by Deep Sensation, "Makeda (DJ Spinna & Ticklah mix)" by Les Nubians, "Get It Up For Love (Dim's re-edit)" by Tata Vega, "Ibo Lele (Ginen tet red mix)" by Jephte Guillaume, "Twilight" by Maze, and "So Good So Right (Dim's re-edit)" by Imagination. Disc 2 is more uptempo and modern – with titles that include "Don't Leave Me This Way (Dim's re-edit)" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Bienvenida" by AlexKid, "Changin (Blaze Shelter mix)" by Linda Clifford, "So Good To Know" by Best Friends Around, "All Good (Can 7 Supermarket mix)" by De La Soul with Chaka Khan, "Candidate For Love" by TS Monk, "Fran Mig Till Dig (Marcus Enochson rmx)" by Emma Nilsdotter, "The Body Theme" by Evidence, and "Jazz Room" by Paul Murphy & Marc Woolford Project. 25 tracks in all – and Hugh Hefner never had it so good! CD

Sweet! We weren't certain at first whether to call this a hip hop or a reggae CD, since it's 44 mighty tracks of burning reggae classics, mixed continuously front to back like a hip hop mixtape, by West Coast beatmaker extraordinaire Madlib – it's as if there's nothing he can't handle! Everything from Dee Jays to funky reggae covers of soul numbers like "Shaft" to sweet vocal numbers, mad Tubby dub rubs and Scratch Perry's skanking party R&B get tossed in the mix for a solid island jammy. Top notch shots like Dillinger's "Flat Foot Hustlin", Prince Far I's "Destruction Sound Battle", Prince Jammy's "Throne Of Blood", Don Drummond's "Man In The Street", Linval Thompson's "I Love Marijuana", The Aggrovator's "Stop The Dubbing", Horsemouth Wallace's "Herb Vendor", The Chosen Few's "Shaft", Dennis Alcapone's "Dj's Choice", Brent Dowe's "Reggae Makossa", Lee Perry & I Roy's "Space Flight" and The Upsetters "Popcorn", plus many, many more. CD

5CDs' worth of great music from the Nouvelle Vague – the French New Wave of Cinema that emerged at the end of the 50s – and which often featured a fair bit of jazz in the mix for its soundtracks! CD1 features the Paul Misraki score for Et Dieu Crea La Femme – And God Created Woman – an early Brigitte Bardot film directed by Roger Vadim, full of jazzy numbers by Misraki, presented here without the Bardot narration on other versions of the soundtrack. The CD features 23 tracks in all – with bonus material too! CD2 features great work from tenorist Barney Wilen – his full soundtrack to the film Un Temoin Dans La Ville, plus his own jazz album Jazz Sur Seine! CD3 features the Michel Legrand music for Eva – a perfect blend of Legrand's earlier straighter jazz work, with some of his later talent for groovy orchestrations. The overall feel is quite dark – with the kind of jazz-based soundscapes that were showing up in some other French soundtracks at the time, and sweet little noirish feel. CD4 features three scores by Georges Delerue – all for films directed by Francois Truffaut – Jules Et Jim, Tires Sur Le Pianiste, and Le Mepris – all sounding great together. CD5 features Martial Solal's score for A Bout De Souffle – a film best known as Breathless around the world, and an early movie by Jean Luc Godard that perhaps gave Martial Solal his biggest early global exposure! Solal's sharp, modern tones on the piano are very firmly in place here – but there's also lots of more dynamic jazz instrumentation too – of the sort that rivals other French new wave soundtracks by artists like Miles Davis, Barney Wilen, or Art Blakey. Yet Solal, like Godard, is perhaps a bit more sophisticated in his musical approach – and often breaks out into these little paintings in jazz, a bit like some of Elmer Bernstein on our favorite jazzy late 50s soundtracks. CD

A fantastic blend of weird break tracks – in a mode that reminds us of some of those dodgy comps like Dimensions In Sound or Dusty Fingers from a few years ago, but which is put together here in a great all-legit package by the folks at Manchester's Fat City! The track selection is amazing – with a blend of rock, soundtrack, easy, and other styles all united by one factor: all cuts have great funky moments, worth of sampling by any hip hopper, but also just plain great for listening! Titles include "Joyful Grass & Grape" by Dorothy Ashby, "Getting High" by Eddie Warner, "Dance Of The Vampires" by The Vampires of Dartmoor, "April Fool" by Isis, "Yesterday's Folks" by US 69, "English Sparrow" by Paul Parrish, "Karkadon" by The Devil's Anvil, "Freak" by Nino Ferrer, "Hippies" by Serge Gainsbourg, Brigitte Bardot, & Sasha Distel, and "Fall Out" by The Advancement. CD

Sun Ra's really moving forward with this classic set – refining the sound of his Chicago-based Arkestra, and reaching for new territory that moves him way past familiar jazz modes! The cover bills the group as playing "music from tomorrow's world" – and you can definitely hear that on some titles here, including one number that features Ra on some really haunting celeste, and another that features Marshall Allen making weird noises with his mouthpiece! The group is all greats from the old days – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute, Pat Patrick on baritone and flute, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Charles Davis on baritone, and Ronnie Boykins on bass – and titles include "Hours After", "Saturn", "Ancient Ethiopia", and "Blues At Midnight". CD

A long-overdue collection of work – one that really gets at the unusual appearance of Latin rhythms on the African scene of the postwar years! Latin sounds from Africa are nothing new, but they're one of those things that's always taken for granted, too – kind of assumed in most discussions of the rhythms from the 60s onward, but never explained as fully as might be needed! Given the already-great grooves going down on the continent for generations, it's surprising that African musicians might pick up styles from Cuba and the Caribbean – yet due to the vagaries of global cultural circulation, that's exactly what happened – and the music has never been the same ever since. This really well-done package offers up a range of tracks from the 50s through the 70s – showing some of the earliest African extrapolations of Latin styles – clearly enforcing the "Afro" in Afro-Cuban rhythms – then moving onto some later grooves that offer up some funkier styles too. The work's a bridge between the ethnographic sets on Honest Jons, and some of the tighter grooves you might find on a Soul Jazz collection – a wonderful blend of music, packaged beautifully too. Titles include "A Moins Que Namikosa" by Orchestra OK Jazz, "Rampa Rampa" by Orchestre Yaya Mas, "Quiero Wapacha" by Charles Lembe, "Ven Y Ven Y Ven" by Orchestre OK Jazz, "Vamos A Bailar" by Rio Band, "Guantanamo" by Laba Sosseh, "On Verra Ca" by Orchestre Baobab, "Mi Guajeo" by Orchestre N'Guewel, "N'Niyo" by Amara Toure, "Il N'Est Jamais Trop Tard" by Pierre Tchana & Orchestre Poly Rhythmo, "Africa Boogaloo" by Le Grande Kalle with Don Gonzalo & Manu Dibango, and "Adigbedoto" by Gnonnas Pedro. LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool collection – one that brings together key songs from a variety of different films from France – some of them the originals from the movies, some of them other very cool interpretations! These aren't instrumentals, as almost all of them have vocals – and the package focuses very strongly on material from the late 60s and early 70s – one of our favorite periods ever for film soundtracks! Titles include "La Chanson D'Helene" by Romy Schnieder & Michel Piccoli, "Mic Et Mac" by Anna Karina, "Hard Times" by Mickey Baker & Eileen, "Et Si On Invitait James Dean" by Fred Pallem & Juliette Paquereau, "Barbarella" by Jackie Lee, "Where Did Our Summers Go" by Nicole Croisille, "Mon Enfance Est Un Rubis" by The Swingle Singers, "Ca N'Arrive Qu'Aux Autres" by Michel Polnareff, "Sur Le Boulevard Du Rhum" by Brigitte Bardot, and "Sex Shop" by Serge Gainsbourg. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from piano legend Bill Evans – recorded at the Keystone club in San Francisco just a week before his too-early death – and a batch of material that shows us that Bill still had plenty to offer the world! This isn't the work of a musician on his last legs – and instead, Evans is a master of imagination, phrasing, and timing – working with his superb late trio that features Marc Johnson on bass and Joe Labarbera on drums – and further opening up tunes we've already heard him open up before – leaving us breathless all over again, at that level that makes Bill Evans live material maybe even more important to understanding his genius than his studio material! Tracks include "Emily", "Two Lonely People", "Knit For Mary F", "Polka Dots & Monbeams", "You & The Night & The Music", and "Re Person I Knew". CD

A great live date from Bill Evans – one of his essential sides of the 70s, even if you've already got a bunch of other Evans live material! We know what you're thinking: "Do I have this one? Seems to be a lot of tunes here that I've got on other Evans recordings." But take it from us, this set's a real winner – beautifully recorded despite a larger venue performance in Tokyo – and captured with all the grace, poise, and gentle-flowing genius of Evans in his best better-known live dates – a real antidote to some of the other 70s live albums that might have been better left unissued. Everyone's at the top of their game here – Eddie Gomez on bass with those round warm tones, Marty Morrell on drums with his simple spare rhythms, and Evans himself with a sound that's bold then quiet then bold then soft – beautiful throughout, and really setting fire. Titles include "My Romance", "Yesterday I Heard The Rain", "Mornin Glory", "Up With The Lark", "When Autumn Comes", "TTTT", "Gloria's Step", and "Hullo Bolinas". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled super session from pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Elvin Jones – and one with a bit more sense of surprise than similar all-star trio outings from the 80s! There's a looseness here that's a good antidote to some of the more tightly-produced Japanese trio sessions – by the Great Jazz Trio, Super Jazz Trio, and other groupings of American players – and Flanagan's touch on the keys is especially nice here, almost a bit more "human" than on other records – with an odd sense of tone and phrasing that keeps our interest throughout. Titles include "Too Late Now", "Minor Perhaps", "Rachel's Rondo", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", and "Django". CD