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Manny Albam plays the music of Steve Allen – with a group that includes solos from Gene Quill on alto, Al Cohn on tenor, Bob Brookmeyer on trombone and either Nick Travis or Ernie Royal on trumpets! LP, Vinyl record album

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A great little set from Ernie Andrews – sounding quite different than on most of his other work! Although Ernie's best known as a jazz vocalist, he steps out here in a mode that's got a heck of a lot of 60s soul – working with arrangements by Shorty Rogers in a style that's got plenty of the same feel as Lou Rawls' best work at Capitol from the same time. The tunes are all nice and jaunty, grooving along with a hip and well-punctuated approach to the material that brings in plenty of light funk – and titles include "Crackerbox Livin", "More Than Ever Before", "Charms Of The Arms Of Love", "Knock On Wood", "Walk Tall", "Go To Hell", and "You Can Make It Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A late 60s swinger from The Mills Brothers – with the aging vocal group get some great assistance from the Count Basie Orchestra! By the time of this sessions, The Mills Brothers had been recording for at least 4 decades – and although their early hits had gained the group a great deal of fame, their career as a whole was fading considerably in the 60s. Enter Basie, whose group was still very much at the top of its form in the decade – thanks to a great ear for transforming older tunes into fresher takes, and newer tunes into more swinging jazz-based vehicles. Working here with arranger Dick Hyman, the Basie group gives the Mills Brothers a soaring, bouncing kind of support – one that takes their vocals, tightens them up, and really sends the tunes home with a nice sort of zing! Old and new numbers come off great in the setting – and titles include "Release Me", "I Want To Be Happy", "Down Down Down", "I Dig Rock & Roll Music", "Let Me Dream", "April In Paris", "I May Be Wrong But I Think You're Wonderful", and "Tiny Bubbles". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the best American psyche albums we've heard from the late 60s – a near-perfect record that's head and shoulders above the rough experimentation of most other groups from the period! Colours spell their name with a definite British twist, and there's clearly a Beatles influence going on here – a sound that's almost pre-Sgt Peppers, but which has wonderfully complicated time changes, vocal parts, and production techniques that must have cost a pretty penny to such a little-known group! Horns and strings are arranged by Dave Roberts, and handled with a sensitivity that almost matches The Zombies' best at times – and the tunes themselves are a fresh variety of odd themes, including one number about robbing a liquor store. Titles include "Brother Lou's Love Colony", "Bad Day At Black Rock Baby", "Love Heals", "Rather Be Me", "I'm Leaving", "Cataleptic", "Don't You Realize", and "Lovin". CD

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Wonderful music throughout – and an album that's as beautifully written as it is played! The work represents one of the few long-form concept compositions from Nelson Riddle – an extended "Cross Country Suite" of trcks that take the listener on a tour of the US – performed here with full orchestrations that are very much in Nelson's best mode of the time, topped with some especially great solos from Buddy DeFranco! Buddy's sound here is tremendous – way more than straight clarinet jazz, and instead a really evocative approach to his instrument that brings forth an amazing array of sounds, tones, and feelings. The music is as seductive as the best late 50s jazz soundtracks – very expressive, but never over the top – and with a mature approach to its themes and sounds that really makes us wish they still made records like this! Titles include "Down East", "Gulf Coast", "The Rockies", "The Great Lakes", "Tall Timber", "Smoky Mountain Country", "El Camino Real", "Metropolis", and "Longhorn". 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

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Dreamy vocal work from Bonnie Guitar – a singer with a bit of a country tinge, but a jazzy feel as well! The album's got a laidback and mellow feel that fits perfectly with the title – moonlight, with just a hint of shadow – a blue undercurrent that comes from Bonnie's nice deep-toned approach on vocals. The backings are by Jack Fascinato, but are a bit more sensitive than some of Jack's work with Tennessee Ernie Ford – not as playful, but still with a great sense of sound overall – one that's a bit echoey, and which makes a great setting for Bonnie's voice. Titles include "Moonlight On The Colorado", "Moonlight & Roses", "The Moon Is Low", "Roll Along Kentucky Moon", "Get Out & Get Under The Moon", and "Moonlight & Shadows". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Manos Hadjidakis' soundtrack work of the 60s is mostly in the Greek-sounding mode, this one features him hitting a bit of a western soundtrack feel – to back a drama starring Terence Stamp, Ricardo Montalban, and Karl Malden. About half the tracks are instrumentals with an orchestral feel, and the others are similar, but have slight "westerny" touches – although not as much so as work for Italian films of the same time. Laurindo Almeida plays a bit of acoustic guitar on the album – and titles include "Blue's Solitude", "The Mexicans Are Coming", "Death Of Blue", "Nocturne", "Scherzo", and "Morning After Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A work of true genius – and one of Hefti's most amazing soundtracks ever! Barefoot In The Park was written shortly before The Odd Couple – also for a Neal Simon film – and it's got a similar style of grooving to that more famous soundtrack, with two melodies working their way in together rhythmically, dancing around almost in counterpoint, but instead opening up the tunes in a really wild way. The main theme is tremendous – played in a number of versions, including one with some super-cool electric harpsichord – and even one number with vocals is pretty darn incredible. We love this one – and although short, it's a treasure throughout! Titles include "Barefoot In The Park", "Blues For Paul", "New Home Up A Stairs", "Nut On The Roof", and "Six Flights Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The genius of Neal Hefti comes through for us again! Have you ever stopped to listen to the Odd Couple theme? Really listen to it – break it apart with your ears, and let the strange and complex nature of the groove sink into your brain? It's mad stuff, we tell you – one of the most genius moments ever in 60s scoring! This soundtrack features a few versions of Hefti's amazing tune – including one stunning vocal version, with very strange lyrics about Oscar and Felix that almost seem to "out" them as a real couple! The record mixes music from the film with snippets of dialogue – and titles include "Clean Poker", "The Odd Couple", "End Title", "Curse Of The Cat People", "Dirty Poker", "Metropole", and "Down With The Lights". LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling set from Bugsy Maugh – a singer who started out in the band of Paul Butterfield, but who emerges here as a vocalist with a really great range, and a mix of jazz, soul, and rootsy elements – almost a Blood Sweat & Tears sort of vibe, but more personal overall! James Burton plays guitar, and the set features other great work from John Guerin on drums, Plas Johnson on alto, and Jim Horn on tenor and flute. LP, Vinyl record album

Nice one! This is Ken Nordine's follow-up to his highly successful Word Jazz album, and it's another crazy batch of jazz-meets-beat poetry-meets-goofy stuff. Ken Nordine's wit is razor sharp as usual, and the tracks include "The Bullfighter", "Junk Man", "Looking At Numbers", and "Outer Space". Like taking drugs without the hassle! LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendously beautiful album from vocalist Nancy Priddy – the kind of record that got buried in the record bins of the 60s, but which is finally getting the attention it deserves! Nancy had a career that started out in folk (she was once a member of The Bitter End Singers), but she's working here in a slightly psychedelic style that mixes the intimate with the baroque – in a way that reminds us a lot of some of our favorite work on A&M at the time, and which is masterminded here by producer Phil Ramone. Nancy's sweet vocals dance lightly around a mix of strings, woodwinds, and sometimes funky drums that give the album a much stronger kick than you might expect – a groovy little sound that's almost Sunshine Pop, but a bit deeper and more personal overall. Manny Albam provided some great arrangements to the record that sparkle and groove along with some of his better-known jazz work of the period – and in a way, the record has echoes of some of the hipper work done on the Project 3 label of the era, almost reminding us of some of our favorite tunes by Free Design. Nancy wrote all her own material on the set – another thing that makes the record sound especially fresh – and titles include "My Friend Frank", "On The Other Side Of The River", "And Who Will You Be Then", "Epitaph", "Ebony Glass", "You've Come This Way Before", and "Mystic Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

Rapper Big Pooh drops another tight underground set – sharp, rugged and raw, with production by past, present, and future collaborators Khrysis & 9th Wonder, plus Jake One, Ill Mind, Dae One, Young RJ, Phonix, Mickey Free and others. Guests include Torae, Ab Soul, Jozeemo, Chaundon, Joe Scudda and Muhsinah. Titles include "The Comeback", "It's A Go" feat Torae, "Nothing Less" feat Ab Soul, Jay Rock & K Dot, "Move" with Darien Brockington, "The Life" feat Muhsinah, "Rearview Mirror" and more. CD

A great collection of work from Ray Columbus – a New Zealand rocker of mid 60s vintage, but one who works here with mod sounds to rival much bigger names in London at the time! The collection begins with a core set of work by Ray Columbus & The Invaders – a super-sharp combo who have this sense of energy and fire that's a bit like Paul Revere & The Raiders, but more tuned towards beat group sounds – boundless energy that makes the rest of the combo a perfect fit for Ray's spirited lead vocals. The set then moves into solo material that Columbus recorded on his own, and with groups The Challenge, The Art Collection, and Fire – all with stylistic shifts that follow some of the British forays into trippier sounds after the initial beat boom – or some more compelling, more sophisticated material that Columbus really carries off well as a solo act. Titles include "She's A Mod", "I'm Finding Out", "She's Back Again", "Till We Kissed", "We Want A Beat", "In Memory Of Today", "Happy In A Sad Kind Of Way", "Los Angeles", "I'm Good For You", "Polka Dot Resistance", "Kick Me", and "East Pinkerton Street". CD

A beautiful example of Johnny Griffin working in a style that would come to dominate some of his best later recordings – open-ended live blowing with a piano trio, in a mode that features Griffin as the dominant force of the tunes! The tracks on the set are all quite long – most well over 10 minutes in length – and Griff's got an incredible "Chicago" tone on his horn, working through even the most familiar numbers with a soulful imagination that's hardly been captured this well on record – at least from this period. The group's a piano trio led by Stan Tracey – and titles include "Straight No Chaser", "Little Man You've Had A Busy Day", "All The Things You Are", "Wee Dot", and "Exactly Like You" – as well as a bonus interview with Griffin! CD

A nice range of work from Larry Hall – a singer who's best known as a one-hit wonder, with a small hit at that – but who steps out here with a groovy batch of material that only ever saw release as a string of indie label 45s at the end of the 50s and start of the 60s! Larry's got a great way of dipping and warbling his voice – never too much, but this unique inflection that can make simple lyrics catchier than they might otherwise sound – captured here with backings that mix rock and roll with gentler pop production, a mode that's maybe like some of the Cadence or Dot Records material of the period. Titles include Larry's hit "Sandy" – plus "Kool Luv", "The Stranger", "Rebel Heart", "Lips Of Wine", "Ladder Of Love", "I Didn't Ask To Be Born", "I'll Stay Single", "For Every Boy", "A Girl Like You", "Lovin Tree", and "I Sit Alone". CD

A wonderful pairing of this German pianist and American tenor star Zoot Sims – and an album that may well be the greatest that Jutta Hipp ever cut! Hipp was one of the rising stars of the German postwar jazz scene in the 50s – and although she issued other American albums in the decade for Blue Note and Decca, this side's probably the best-remembered of the bunch – thanks to the presence of Zoot, and support from a great rhythm section that includes Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – both of whom match the modern tones of Jutta's piano, but also give a solidly soulful Blue Note feel to the set. The group's completed by trumpeter Jerry Lloyd, who helps bring a nice sparkle to the frontline – and titles include "Just Blues", "Wee Dot", "Almost Like Being In Love", and "Down Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Belgian in origin, tenorist Bobby Jaspar was a key part of the French jazz scene of the postwar years – and his playing on records like these also made him one of the standout jazz talents in Europe in the 50s! This package brings together three rare albums from Japar, plus an even more obscure 7" EP – all in a really wonderful box! First up is Jazz At St Germain – cut for Barclay Records in 1955, and featuring a quintet with Rene Utreger on piano and Sacha Distel on guitar. Distel is especially wonderful, and even though he later went on to become a teen heartthrob pop singer in France, he's an excellent guitarist with an edgey string-heavy tone that really makes the recording stand out from some of Jaspar's other sides. That, and the fact that Jaspar's playing tenor on all tracks but one (he often plays mostly flute on some albums), makes the record one of his best from the time – and titles include "Minor Drops", "Bag's Groove", "Memory Of Dick", "Night In Tunisia", and "I'll Remember April". The Columbia album is rare American work from reedman Bobby Jaspar – a player best known for his contributions to French jazz in the postwar years, but working here with a set of American players! The album was recorded in New York for French branch of Columbia Records – done in November of 1956, and pitting Jaspar with some very well-matched musicians! The date features Jaspar on tenor, flute, and clarinet – with a tightly swinging trio that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Knobby Totah on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a slightly modern combo whose work sounds especially great when Jaspar hits some hauntingly lyrical notes on flute. Titles include "Clarinescapade", "Tutti Flutti", "What's New", "Spring Is Here", "Wee Dot", and "I Won't Dance". The set also features the rare self-titled Bobby Jaspar album on Barclay – a rare late 50s album that features some of his best work of the decade on flute! The session's got Bobby playing with great backings on vibes by Fats Sadi and Michel Hausser – plus stellar drum work by Kenny Clarke, who's working the kit in really magical ways, augmented by some additional percussion by Umberto Canto. And sure, Jaspar's made some sleepy records in this format, but this set's not one of them – and bounces nicely with good energy and a really unique sound. Titles include "Le JAMF", "Speak Low", "Doxology", "Jeux De Quartes", "Chasing The Bird", and "Misterioso". Last up is a beautiful 7" EP also recorded for Columbia – featuring Eddie Costa on piano and Barry Galbraith on guitar – on "Barry's Tune" and "Minor Drop". LP, Vinyl record album

Neo-classic Detroit hip hop standard bearer Guilty Simpson, delivering an all killer, no filler handful of tracks on this tight EP with hard hitting beats Reckonize Real. The Queens beatmaker gathers some some rock solid no nonsense productions here – and together they craft pretty much faultless presentation featuring Georgia Anne Muldrow, Chuuwee, M-Dot, Mayhem (of EMS) and Deff Cutz. Includes "Got Your Back" with Georgia Anne Muldrow, "Can't Runaway" feat M-Dot & Mayhem, "The Whole World's My Ashtray", "High Standard" with Deff Cuts, "The Build (Intro)", "The Come Down (Outro)" and "Now Love" feat Chuuwee – plus instrumentals. LP, Vinyl record album

Hard-swingin tracks from Ernie Wilkins – one of the most soulful arrangers of his time, working here in a wonderful all-star session from the 50s! The album's definitely got the "top brass" promised in the title – a lineup that features Donald Byrd, Ray Copeland, Idrees Sulieman, and Joe Wilder on trumpets – all working at a level that allows plenty of space for well-blown solos, but tied up in tighter ensemble formation overall – all with that Wilkins sense of swing that really set Ernie apart at the time. Rhythm is from a trip that includes Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kelly Clarke on drums – and titles include "58 Market Street", "Trick Or Treat", "Speedway", "Dot's What", "Top Brass", "Imagination", and "Willow Weep For Me". CD features 2 bonus tracks: "Blues In 6/4" and "Trumpets All Out". CD

Before stretching out on Blue Note later on in the 60s, Larry Young started the decade with some great sets like this – straighter soul jazz that showed he had a very firm grasp on traditional modes for the Hammond – more than enough to allow his experimentation in later years! The set's a nicely basic batch of tracks – one that's very open and spacious, with plenty of room for Young to open up on the keys – given that the backing here is mostly from Thornel Schwartz on guitar and Jimmie Smith on drums. The great Joe Holiday joins the group on tenor for two tracks – bringing in a style that nicely bridges modes – and although the groove is somewhat relaxed, you can certainly hear Young's genius already starting to form! Titles include "Excercise For Chihuahaus", "Wee Dot", "Testifying", and "Some Thorny Blues". CD

A wonderfully hard-storming set – and a record that not only firmly put the Jazz Messengers on the map, but also set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The group here is the early version of the Messengers – almost co-led by drummer Art Blakey with pianist Horace Silver – and featuring Clifford Brown on trumpet, just a few months before his early death – plus Lou Donaldson on alto and Curley Russell on bass. The presence of alto instead of tenor makes the sound slightly different than later incarnations of the group – and the overall approach is one that virtually defines the shift from straight bop to hardbop in the 50s – a mode that both Blakey and Silver were key in creating. Tracks include "Wee Dot", "Quicksilver" (alternate), "Now's The Time", and "Confirmation". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully hard-storming set – and a record that not only firmly put the Jazz Messengers on the map, but also set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The group here is the early version of the Messengers – almost co-led by drummer Art Blakey with pianist Horace Silver – and featuring Clifford Brown on trumpet, just a few months before his early death – plus Lou Donaldson on alto and Curley Russell on bass. The presence of alto instead of tenor makes the sound slightly different than later incarnations of the group – and the overall approach is one that virtually defines the shift from straight bop to hardbop in the 50s – a mode that both Blakey and Silver were key in creating. Tracks include "Wee-Dot", "Quicksilver", "Confirmation", and "Now's The Time". Includes two bonus tracks. CD

One of the rare mid 50s treasures from the team of tenorist Jack Montrose and baritonist Bob Gordon – a great pairing from the LA scene of the mid century! Although both players were steeped in the sounds of their scene at the time, they also have a way of moving past cliche and common expectations – offering up music that's filled with surprise and delight, and which is always arranged with a great balance between tightness of execution and open personality of the players. Montrose arranged the album, and wrote a good number of the tunes – and other players include Paul Moer on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, and Bob Gordon on baritone – on titles that include "April's Fool", "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town", "A Little Duet", "The News & The Weather", "Dot's Groovy", "Cecilia", and "Paradox". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge array of music from the great Hank Thompson – most of it greatly overlooked! Hank rose to huge fame on Capitol Records in the 60s – but these sides represent the continuing evolution of his sound as the years went on – recordings for Warner, Dot, ABC, and MCA – in a journey that sometimes shows Thompson nodding towards more contemporary country, but eventually settling on a compact take on the western swing mode – which comes off very well in the 70s! If you only know the early Hank, there's plenty here to love – and the box is beautifully done, with a heavy hardcover book of notes and images. CD

A wonderfully hard-storming set – and a record that not only firmly put the Jazz Messengers on the map, but also set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The group here is the early version of the Messengers – almost co-led by drummer Art Blakey with pianist Horace Silver – and featuring Clifford Brown on trumpet, just a few months before his early death – plus Lou Donaldson on alto and Curley Russell on bass. The presence of alto instead of tenor makes the sound slightly different than later incarnations of the group – and the overall approach is one that virtually defines the shift from straight bop to hardbop in the 50s – a mode that both Blakey and Silver were key in creating. Tracks include "Wee-Dot", "Quicksilver", "Confirmation", and "Now's The Time". CD

Great work from this obscure pianist – one who hailed from the southwest, and is maybe better-known for his album on Dot Records. Titles include "Mr Lucky", "Summertime", "Caravan", ":Riviera", and "Round Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

Brigitte Bardot's best known on these shores as an actress, but during the 60s she cut some really fantastic work on the scene in Paris – including a fair bit of groovers that were done with help from the legendary Serge Gainsbourg! Bardot provided a fantastic new voice in the world of pop music – a singer who was unabashedly open about her desires, and very different than the more melancholy stars of a few years before – a quality that's further emphasized by the wonderfully groovy instrumentation used on most of these tracks! Production and arrangements are superb – and put this music in the best territory of the grooviest 60s French pop by artists like Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, Jacques Dutronc, and a rare few others. This is the first-ever English-annotated collection of work from the period – and features a whopping 25 tracks from her recordings for Philips and Disc AZ – titles that include "Harley Davidson", "Contact", "Neu Au Soleil", "Je Danse Donc Je Suis", "La Madrague", "Les Hommes Endormis", "Je Voudrais Perdre La Memoire", "Mr Sun", "Le Diable Est Anglais", "Tu Es Venu Mon Amour", "John Et Michel", "Gang Gang", and duets with Serge Gainsbourg on "Bonnie & Clyde" and "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus". CD

Two great albums from bassist Bill Crow – back to back in a single package! CD

Mid-60s work from his excellent albums on RCA! CD

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Two playful tracks from the soundtrack to the French film Ursule Et Grelu! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Sweet keyboard lines from Wladyslaw Komendarek – a Polish musician with a sound that's a lot leaner than his name – wrapped up here in a tight set of sound library instrumentals with a mighty nice 80s electro soul style! The tracks are tuneful, and have a bit of a groove – but are also farther from pop keyboards, too – as they've got some darker corners and more offbeat instrumental flourishes amidst the more forward-moving beats and basslines at the bottom. There's almost an 80s horror scoring sound to the music overall – and the record certainly owes something to the influence of John Carpenter's soundtracks – on titles that include "Halo Komputer", "Sen Shoguna", "Dotyk Chmur", "Wiosenny Snieg", and "Cyklamenowe Wyspy". CD features 5 more bonus tracks – one previously unreleased! CD

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Stereolab at a creative peak! Dots & Loops continues their long running 90s win streak – here balancing their ever present love for bubbling analog synth and breezy vintage electronics with a more strongly assured knack for delivering brilliant beginning-to-end excellent albums. The band is as great as ever, featuring tracks recorded right here in Chicago with John McEntire, and with some guest work by Sean O'Hagan of the High Llamas, plus Jan St Werner and Andi Toma of Mouse On Mars. It's got a beautiful subdued quality to it, but it's also so expertly layered that you'll always here something new, as long as you keep coming back to it. Titles include "Brakhage", "Rainbo Conversation", "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse", "Diagonals", and "Prisoners Of Mars". 2019 remastered version comes with a bonus LP featuring demos and alternate versions. LP, Vinyl record album

Stereolab at a creative peak! Dots & Loops continues their long running 90s win streak – here balancing their ever present love for bubbling analog synth and breezy vintage electronics with a more strongly assured knack for delivering brilliant beginning-to-end excellent albums. The band is as great as ever, featuring tracks recorded right here in Chicago with John McEntire, and with some guest work by Sean O'Hagan of the High Llamas, plus Jan St Werner and Andi Toma of Mouse On Mars. It's got a beautiful subdued quality to it, but it's also so expertly layered that you'll always here something new, as long as you keep coming back to it. Titles include "Brakhage", "Rainbo Conversation", "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse", "Diagonals", and "Prisoners Of Mars". 2019 remastered version comes with a bonus CD featuring demos and alternate versions. CD

A very cool album – a promo-only set for a 1968 TV special that featured Brigitte Bardot on American TV! Brigitte sings a number of songs solo, does two duets with Sacha Distel, and two more with Serge Gainsbourg – the last of which are very noteworthy in that Serge sings an English language version of "Comic Strip"! LP, Vinyl record album

We've got to admit that we've never seen this film – which stars Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau, and which was directed by Louis Malle – but the lovely look of the ladies on the cover was enough to make us pick up the record! The themes are a mixture of French and Mexican styled ones – and Bardot & Moreau sing together on the tunes "Paris Paris Paris", "Maria Maria", and "Les Petites Femmes". Other tracks include "Cirque", "Theme Victoire Colline", "Dame Blanche", and "Musique De Cachot Jeanne Flores". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collaboration between Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot – one of Serge's first duet albums ever – and a gem all the way through! In the year before he cut "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" with Jane Birkin, Serge recorded this great album with Brigitte Bardot in which he worked out many of the same ideas. The album is probably best known for the track "Bonnie & Clyde" – which has been sampled to great fame over the years – but there's loads of other great tracks on here, with a mix of styles that joins Serge's jazzy years with his softcore 70s work – very cool, very groovy, and years ahead of its time. Some tracks are duets, and some are sung individually by Serge or Brigitte, but they're all great, and titles include "Intoxicated Man", "L'eau A La Bouche", "Un Jour Comme Un Autre", "Comic Strip", and more! Arrangements by Alain Gourager, Michel Colombier, and Claude Bolling – and the cover's got a great shot of Serge & BB as Bonnie & Clyde! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collaboration between Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot – one of Serge's first duet albums ever – and a gem all the way through! In the year before he cut "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" with Jane Birkin, Serge recorded this great album with Brigitte Bardot in which he worked out many of the same ideas. The album is probably best known for the track "Bonnie & Clyde" – which has been sampled to great fame over the years – but there's loads of other great tracks on here, with a mix of styles that joins Serge's jazzy years with his softcore 70s work – very cool, very groovy, and years ahead of its time. Some tracks are duets, and some are sung individually by Serge or Brigitte, but they're all great, and titles include "Intoxicated Man", "L'eau A La Bouche", "Un Jour Comme Un Autre", "Comic Strip", and more! Arrangements by Alain Gourager, Michel Colombier, and Claude Bolling – and the cover's got a great shot of Serge & BB as Bonnie & Clyde! LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked early work from Azymuth – one of the albums that the group recorded when they were really starting to take off on the global scene – burning strong with a soulful fusion vibe, lots of Brazilian rhythm currents, and always hitting all the right notes in their music! The sound here is still relatively spare, and sublimely reliant on the keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who plays Fender Rhodes, organ, and percussion on the set. Ivan Conti handles the main percussion, though – a great mix of tight work on the drum kit and rootsier, Airto-like elements that are totally great – and the whole thing's driven along nicely by bass and guitar from Alex Malheiros – a perfectly fused lineup that really hits their own groove on the set. Guests include Aleuda on percussion and vocals, Gordinho on surdo, and Doto on repinique – and titles include "Papasong", "Outubro", "Maracana", "Un Amigo", "Carta Pro Airto", and "Dear Limmertz". LP, Vinyl record album

2 great raw R&B numbers from Hank Ballard. "Which Way Should I Turn" is a blues drenched ballad, with a raspy King groove churning underneath, and "Funky Soul Train" is a raw blast of R&B shout that doesn't quite deliver the hardcore funk you'd expect from the title, but is satisfying nevertheless. 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the greatest albums of material by William S Burroughs – and one of the few to really show his groundbreaking tape techniques! The album compiles a wealth of archival recordings – including obscure performances and experiments from the 60s, as well as Burroughs' own readings on his techniques and theories. The strongest value of the set is that it really gets past the "dottering old man rambling about the world" style of so many other Burroughs records – and gets at his truly revolutionary ideas about sound and language. An essential addition to any collection of sound art – with tracks that include "The Origin & Theory Of Tape Cut Ups", "Recalling All Active Agents", "Working With The Popular Forces", "Silver Smoke Of Dreams", "Junky Relations", "Interview With Mr Martin", "Joujouka", and "Sound Piece". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soul music TV shows ever (and one that originated in Chicago, too!) – presented here in deep detail with loads of interesting stories and anecdotes too! The book's almost a more personal history of the show than a technical one – but that's OK with us, because it really gets at the tales behind those iconic images on the screen – and the all-pro presentation of Don Cornelius too. And, in addition to the main body of the book, the publication also includes this massive show-by-show list of appearances – for 37 seasons of Soul Train, including the later rerun years – with details on the performers and dates for each show, in a section that's over 50 pages in length! The book also includes some nice color images in the middle, and is 243 pages, softcover. Book

Beautiful live recordings from Bill Evans – recorded with his late 60s trio that included the incredible Eddie Gomez on bass, plus Marty Morell on drums – a lineup that was really taking off with Bill at the time, and learning how to make some wonderful music together! The setting is the Jazzhus Monmartre in Copenhagen, in November of 1969 – and the tracks have a nice compact feel, not as drawn out as other recordings from the venue at the time – still showing Evans to be a master of economy, even when opening up and exploring new ideas. Bill's also got a bit more punch on the piano than a few years later, which mixes the soulful and lyrical sides of his talents nicely – on titles that include "How My Heart Sings", "Autumn Leaves", "Five", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Sleepin Bee", and "Stella By Starlight". CD

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

A very cool little collection – one that not just offers up a huge amount of important early work by the legendary Serge Gainsbourg – but a set that also includes a fair bit of his contemporaries singing his songs! When Serge first sprang onto the scene in the late 50s, he brought a new sort of edge to Parisian pop – a sense of danger and power that was different than some of the bluer-tinged modes of some of his predecessors – and the special quality of Gainsbourg's songs also led to many others recording his music – some up-and-coming artists like himself, others older artists who were taken up by Serge's new sort of energy. The 4CD set features a whopping 80 tracks in all – 48 by Gainsbourg, plus more by Juliette Greco, Brigitte Bardot, Michele Arnaud, Jean Claude Pascal, Hugues Aufray, Gloria Lasso, Alain Goraguer, and others. CD