One of the great American folk and country figures of the past half century, and one who doesn't get the mainstream reverence he deserves – Tom Paley, a founding member of The New Lost City Ramblers – and he's rambling quite beautifully on these 2011 recordings with his Old Time Moonshine Revue! There's an experienced, elegiac quality here on Tom's voice and on the songs, but it's lively and timeless! He's in his mid 80s and in truly classic form here! Includes "Roll On, Roll On", "Little Birdie", "Beelzebubbles", "Johnson City Blues", "The Fiddling Soldier", "A Horse Named Bill", "Whiskey Seller", "Little Rabbit", "Green Grow The Lilacs", "Poor Bill" CD

A classic batch of Bay Area Brazilian grooves – recorded in the sweet breezy electric style of the Fantasy studios, and featuring the vocals of the lovely Flora Purim in the lead! The session's got a great mix of Brazilian and American fusion players – including Airto (of course!), Ron Carter, George Duke, Egberto Gismonti, Alphonso Johnson, Robertinho Silva, Hermeto Pascoal, and Ndugu Leon Chancler. Pascoal's reed work is a very nice treat, especially over the warm keyboards of George Duke. Purim's voice is as wonderful as ever, and the album's got lots of nice numbers, like "Ina's Song", "Andei (I Walked)", "Time's Lie", and "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of very righteous albums that American reedman Hal Singer made overseas – very different material than the more R&B-based tenor material that started out his career! Here, Hal's got this easygoing approach to soul jazz – stretching out on these really long tracks that also feature superb work from the great Alain Jean Marie on piano – a player we totally love, and who rarely makes an appearance in a session like this! The set is equally Alain's and Hal's – as both balance long, creative solo energy beautifully – with spacious accompaniment from August Nemeth on bass and Oliver Johnson on drums. The album was originally only released in South Africa, and is even more obscure than some of Singer's French releases – and titles include "Deacon Johnson", "Soweto To Harlem", "Blues After Six", and "The Gospel". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer lost session on Prestige – one that takes the two players in the lead into some sweetly soul jazz territory! Hal Singer plays tenor, and really gets room to wail here in one of his strongest American jazz-based sessions of the 60s – and Charlie Shaver's also pretty great too, with a bit less of the sweet, tight sound of other records – and a bit more open groove! Thanks should probably go to the rhythm section – which features some especially nice piano from Ray Bryant, plus bass from Wendell Marshall and drums from Osie Johnson. Tracks are all longish, and titles include "Wendy", "Midnight", "Fancy Pants", "Blue Stompin", and "The Blast Off". CD

A set that showcases a surprising contribution that Andy Warhol made to American music in the postwar years – graphic work done years before his time as a Pop Art icon, or his relationship with the Velvet Underground – from years when Warhol was a more conventional illustrator, and created images for a range of different record covers! Since the images here were more part of a gig, Andy didn't have creative input on the music – yet the covers were often used on the sorts of recordings that showcased important cultural streams of the 50s – on a series of records by Thelonious Monk, Moondog, JJ Johnson, Count Basie, Johnny Griffin, and Kenny Burrell – plus some modern classical recordings too! The set's got a full booklet of notes that illustrate Andy's New York connection to the growing world of the long playing record – with one CD of jazz, two CDs of classical-related material, and one more CD that portrays Andy's New York – with more material from Cecil Taylor, Lenny Bruce, Charles Mingus, Luciano Berio, John Cage, and others. CD

Foxy R&B, and a fair bit of soul as well – wonderful work from the previously-untapped Paso and Foxy record labels – headed up by legendary Chicago DJ Richard Stamz! Stamz was a key early force in African-American broadcasting in the Windy City – an important DJ not just in blues and soul, but also a TV figure as well – one who really helped get a heck of a lot of great music started in the early days of soul! This package features some real killers by artists who do a great job of skirting the rough line between blues and soul in Chicago in the 60s – some of whom would record more famously on other labels, like One-Der-Ful, but who really sound great here. The package was put together by the folks who've researched and recounted Stamz colorful life in print – and has a great array of rare music, plus stories of the DJ as well. Titles include "Say You Love Me" by Harold Burrage, "The Buzzard" by Freddie Robinson, "What's The Matter With You Sam" by The Ideals, "Just One More Time" by Loretta Branch, "You Gonna Cry" by Flora D, "I'm Trying" by Lee Shot Williams, "Gittin Along" by Willie Williams with the Howlin Wolf Band, "Goin Home" by Mary Johnson, "Please Love Me" by Harold Burrage, "Romeo Joe (part 1)" by Robert & The Rockin Ravens, and "Garlen's Mambo" by Ze Majestics. CD

A pretty fantastic selection of rare disco tracks from the American underground – all of them infused with a spiritual message, but served up with grooves that go head to head with some of the best underground club of the time! The mix of positive energy and upbeat grooves is wonderful – and if you've ever heard the Clark Sisters club classic "You Brought The Sunshine", then you'll definitely know the spirit of these tunes! If you're worried about the message being one that you're not into, don't – because there's sort of a universal spirit going on here – one that gets past conventions of the church, and which really goes for a general uplifting message that's totally great – almost a precursor to some of the positive house in more recent decades. And speaking of house, there's less of that here than you'd expect – as most of the instrumentation and production are strongly in the best New York underground modes from the disco years – with less of any 80s or electro soul elements. Titles include "I Believe" by Calvin B Rhone, "Imitations" by Johnson Family Gospel Singers, "Change" by Wisdom, "On That Other Shore" by Harrison Jones & The Voices Of Harmony, "I've Been Converted" by The Converters, "Ain't No Way To Do Wrong" by New Creation, "Take It To The Streets" by Prophecy, "Let The Lord Come In Your Life" by Wisdom, "Keep The Fire" by Paradise, and "Jesus Is On The Mainline" by Mr Jesse R McGuire. CD

A classic compilation gets upgraded in a mighty nice way – as a huge tribute to the many years of soul and funk we've gotten from the Ace/Kent label in London! Back at the start of the 80s, the company was one of the first to properly repress rare American soul, and do it the right way – not only with top-shelf sound quality, but also a strong sense of history that has had us learning as much about 60s and 70s soul from their compilations as we've found ourselves loving the music! The original On The Soul Side album was one of the first Kent titles from the early years – but here, it's expanded to a whopping 26 titles, with great sound and detailed notes – all to present over two dozen tracks that really show the farther reaches of 60s soul beyond Motown and the big chart hits. Titles include "Boy Watcher" by Ginger Thompson, "Baby I Love You" by Jimmy Holiday, "Dr Love" by Bobby Sheen, "Love & Desire" by Patrice Holloway, "A Lot Of Love" by Homer Banks, "It's What's Underneath That Counts" by June Jackson, "Point Of No Return" by Gene McDaniels, "Fortune Teller" by Benny Spellman, "It Was Easier To Hurt Her" by Garnet Mimms, "The Record" by HB Barnum, "Love Is A Hurtin Thing" by Lou Rawls, "Nothing Left To Do But Cry" by Merry Clayton, "The Man Who Don't Believe In Love" by Marv Johnson, "What You Gonna Do" by Bobby Womack, "Nobody Treats You The Way I Do" by The Magnificent Men, "Gonna Fix You Good" by Little Anthony & The Imperials, "It Will Stand" by The Showmen, "What's A Matter Baby" by Timi Yuro, "Ready Willing & Able" by Jimmy Holiday & Clydie King, and "Trick Bag" by Earl King. CD

Heavy, soul-baring lyricism delivered with spiritual resonance and wise authority by Gil Scott-Heron – his first album shot in far too many years, and a direct hit – essential listening for longtime listeners and neophytes alike and a well worthy entry in a legendary career! Scott-Heron is documenting his world as profoundly and poetically as ever here, and the production is built with spare, haunting beats and atmospheric bits of strings, guitar, keys, loose atmospherics and hazy electronics – loosely framing his voice and giving it all the room in needs to carry the mood. Gil sings and speaks with equal authority throughout, and you can hear the years in his voice like never before, giving him the worn edges of the old soul he always evoked. This is a record we're proud to put among his treasured recordings of the 70s and early 80s. Titles include "On Coming From A Broken Home" (Parts 1 & 2), "Your Soul And Mine", "I'll Take Care Of You", "Where Did The Night Go", "Running", "The Crutch" and more, including several interludes that are pretty amazing – captures of conversation that show Gil nearly as charismatic and poetic in "off" moments as he is recording a song. Also includes 2 covers, "Me And The Devil" (the Robert Johnson song) and the title track, Smog/Bill Callahan's "I'm New Here", given a whole new life. Expanded anniversary version also features some great material recorded at the same time – the titles "Handsome Johnny", "My Cloud", "Piano Player", "King Henry IV", "Jazz", and 2010 live studio takes of "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "Is That Jazz", and "Winter In America". CD

A fantastic introduction to the world of power pop – that tight, fast, catchy style of music that came about at the same time as punk – and which flourished for a few short years as a more tuneful take on the sound of the underground! Some of the artists here hit big in the years before, others were later smothered in the world of 80s chart hits and music videos – but for a brief, wonderful time, the record racks exploded with great singles and album tracks like these – tunes that almost were a back-to-basics approach after the era of AOR and classic rock, but without some of the sneering attitudes of punk. Most of the artists here are American, and there's a few gems here from the early 70s – key tracks that point the way towards the golden era – all captured beautifully by Ace/Big Beat with their usual detailed notes and history on the music. Titles include "Let Go" by Dirty Looks, "Come On Let's Go" by The Paley Brothers with The Ramones, "Baby It's You" by The Boys, "Nothing Comes Close" by Bill Lloyd, "Better Than Anyone Else" by The Toms, "Nuclear Boy" by 20/20, "Rock & Roll Is Dead" by The Rubinos, "One World" by Utopia, "Andy Please" by Van Duren & The Jody Stephens, "The Trains" by Nashville Ramblers, "Shake Some Action (first version)" by The Flamin Groovies, "What I Like About You" by The Romantics, "I Need That Record" by The Tweeds, "Looking For The Magic" by Dwight Twilley Band, "Kerri" by Robert Johnson, "Radio Heart" by The Secrets, and "Teen Line" by The Shivvers. CD

A pivotal session for Gil Evans – one that brought his genius to the American public strongly and successfully, without the help of Miles Davis! Sure, Gil had recorded albums as a leader before this one – but the sparkling quality of this set is right up there with the charts he handled for Miles, and the quality of the players in the group make the performance every bit as great. Gil's band includes trumpeter Johnny Coles, plus Ron Carter on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, Budd Johnson on tenor, and Ray Crawford on guitar – all players who open up the sound with a magnificent array of colors that sparkle from the sublime Evans arranging touch. Titles include "Stratusphunk", "Sunken Treasure", "La Nevada", and a great reading of Kurt Weil's "Bilbao Song". CD

Mindblowing work by The Impressions – a double-length set that's totally great! First up is the soundtrack for the Fred Williamson/Jim Brown/Jim Kelly action flick Three The Hard Way – not only a great soundtrack, but one of the best 70s albums by The Impressions! The set was written, arranged, and produced by the Curtom super-team of Rich Tufo and Lowrell Simon – and it's got a super-dope feel that reminds us of the work by Natural Four from the same time, with sweet harmonies over funky backings, in a hip 70s groove that's totally great! All cuts are vocal, but they have plenty of funky moments – and in a way, the whole album's as great as the lead track, which is normally the best one in a blacksploitation soundtrack like this. In other words, if you dig hit soundtrack theme songs like "Across 110th Street" or "Theme from Cleopatra Jones", you'll dig this entire album! Tracks include the great "Having A Ball", plus "Make A Resolution", "Something's Mighty Mighty Wrong", and "Three The Hard Way (Chase & Theme)". First Impressions is hardly the first album by The Impressions, despite the title – but a wonderful batch of modern soul tunes that proves that the group could groove long after Curtis Mayfield was gone! As with other Curtom gems from the 70s, the album has the group working with some really top-shelf help in the studio – production from Ed Townsend, who does a really great job of making the harmonies sparkle with a rich quality that really stands out – a mode that returns the group to the mellow brilliance of their 60s recordings, but still keeps some of the maturity they picked up along the way. Townsend also wrote most of the tracks on the set, with a confident male soul style that's not unlike the best love-heavy territory that Marvin Gaye was exploring at the time – a perfect fit for the newly-refined vocals of the mid 70s quartet lineup that included original members Sam Gooden and Fred Cash, plus Ralph Johnson and Reggie Toran. Titles include the sublime "Groove", which has a nice two-step feel, and "Sooner Or Later", which is a nice mellow cut with an undercurrent of funk – and other tracks include "Old Before My Time", "Same Thing It Took", "I'm So Glad", and "How High Is High". CD

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki". CD

Hard soul galore – a killer batch of upbeat vintage soul tunes – all pulled together from the wide range of many projects the Numero Group has handled over the years! This is the label's way of answering back to some of those overseas collections of American soul from the 60s – showing that Numero is every bit as well-tuned to the needs of Northern Soul clubbers and collectors as imprints like Ace/Kent, Outta Sight, and some of the other British labels! The package features a whopping 20 tracks in all – sock-soul groovers that you might have missed between the overstuffed track listings of other Numero compilations – sounding really great here together in the company of each other. Titles include "Wait A Minute" by Eddie Ray, "You Are My Sunshine" by Jerry Townes, "I'm Ready For Love" by Otis Brown, "Little Girl Blue" by The Webs, "Demanding Man" by The Sensations, "You're Not Loving A Beginner" by Jessie Fisher, "Do You Know What Love Is" by Syl Johnson, "Your Love Makes Me Lonely" by The Chandlers, "Stubborn Heart" by Earnest Mosley, "Look Around" by Two Plus Two, "Just Fun" by Brown Bombers & Soul Partners, and "Do The Pearl Girl (part 2)" by Matta Baby. CD

Killer contemporary club from the Lumberjacks In Hell label – a European imprint, but one that owes plenty to the raw sound of the early years of American house! There's a very underground vibe going on here, and most cuts are stark, spare, and straight to the point – the best kind of club tracks that make just a little bit go a long way – thanks to thoughtful placement of key instrumental elements, and the occasional vocal flourish! 2CD version features one mixed CD, one unmixed – and titles include "Everyday" by Joanna, "Be Good To Me" by Frawl, "Over" by Krewcial, "Get To Know Me" by Seven Davis Jr, "Check The Flow" by Funk Butcher with Trim, "Goddess" by Ant La Rock, "Rabbit's Foot" by Beam Me Up, "Even The Stones" by Giovanni Damico, "Lord I'm Trying" by Tom Noble, "Jazz A Nova" by Boogie Nite, and "Neyt Life" by Reece Johnson. CD

An unusual Japanese-only collection of work by bassist Ron Carter – pulled from American sides for Fantasy, and done by Suntory Whiskey! The set features the new tracks "Double Bass" and "36414" with Jay Berliner on guitar and Kenny Barron on piano – and other titles include "Ah Rio" with Chet Baker on trumpet, "NY Slick" with JJ Johnson on trombone and Hubert Laws on flute, "12+12" with Kenny Barron on piano, and "Epistrophy" with Barron and a mixture of woodwinds. LP, Vinyl record album

Three overseas sessions from American tenor great Eddie Lockjaw Davis! Jaws Strikes Again is a slightly different setting than some of the other 70s albums from Eddie Lockjaw Davis – in that the set was recorded for the Black & Blue label, who always liked to get a nice gritty punch out of the players they recorded! Given Eddie's legendary tone, the approach works perfectly here – on tracks that are short and focused – and which feature some mighty nice work on Hammond from Wild Bill Davis, plus guitar from the great Billy Butler, and drums from Oliver Jackson! Titles include "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", "The Man I Love", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "Candy", "After You're Gone", and "Light & Lovely". Nice Jazz 1978 is a great example of Eddie in collaboration – as Eddie Lockjaw Davis is a hell of a player on his own – but he's maybe even more amazing when he works alongside other horn soloists – who always seem to inspire Davis to bring out the boldest, mouthiest side of his horn! That tenor is alive and well, and wonderfully set up here – in five different live performances from the Nice Jazz Festival in 1978 – two with Illinois Jacquet on tenor, six with Harry Edison on trumpet, and one more with Paul Bascomb on tenor and Eddie Vinson on alto. Tracks are nice and long – that back/forth jam session style that Eddie does so well – and titles include "Rompin With JC", "Brazil", "Lover Come Back To Me", "Just Friends", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "Misty". Jaw's Blues is a nice one from the start of the 80s! Tenorist Eddie Lockjaw Davis always had a hell of a tone – and although his best-remembered dates are maybe from the 50s and 60s, the saxophonist still kept on making great records for many years to come! This album's definitely one of those – a European live recording, done in Munich, with Eddie stretching out with the sort of raspy tone that always made his early duets with Johnny Griffin such a delight – getting the sort of sensitive accompaniment here that Griff had on some of his later European dates too. The wonderful Horace Parlan is on piano, with Reggie Johnson on bass, and Alvin Queen on drums – and although it's clear that the Davis tenor solos are the main attraction, the album's a very sold group effort too. Titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Jaw's Blues", "I'll Remember April", "Young Man With A Horn", and "But Beautiful". CD

A pivotal session for Gil Evans – one that brought his genius to the American public strongly and successfully, without the help of Miles Davis! Sure, Gil had recorded albums as a leader before this one – but the sparkling quality of this set is right up there with the charts he handled for Miles, and the quality of the players in the group make the performance every bit as great. Gil's band includes trumpeter Johnny Coles, plus Ron Carter on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, Budd Johnson on tenor, and Ray Crawford on guitar – all players who open up the sound with a magnificent array of colors that sparkle from the sublime Evans arranging touch. Titles include "Stratusphunk", "Sunken Treasure", "La Nevada", and a great reading of Kurt Weil's "Bilbao Song". CD

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic French Vogue recording that has Parisian pianist Henri Renaud playing with a group of American all-stars, like Milt Jackson, Jay Jay Johnson, Al Cohn, and Percy Heath. The set's a prime example of the firey crossover bop that was being laid down on the left bank when American jazz players would meet up with the best that Paris had to offer – and as you'll hear on tracks like "Out Of Nowhere", "The More I See You", "If I Had You", "Indiana", and there's very little lost in the translation! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark set from the Swedish scene of the early 60s – one that shows just how far that nation's jazzmen had grown during the postwar years! Trombonist Eje Thelin's always one of those talents worth checking out, but we especially like him in these early years – as he's overflowing with fresh new ideas, and really seems to set fire to all around him! At some level, some of the sounds here echo the styles of other American trombone innovators – like JJ Johnson and Curtis Fuller – both particularly good choices for reference here, as a few years earlier, Sweden might have produced a player who was much more in a Bob Brookmeyer or Herbie Harper camp. There's a nice edge to Thelin's playing – and he's definitely not afraid to get a bit dirty with his tone – and other players include Ulf Andersson on tenor, Joel Vandroogenbrock on piano, Roman Dylag on bass, and Run Carlsson on drums. Titles include the originals "Folk Song", "So Far", and "Fast" – plus "Lament" and "It Could Happen To You". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark set from the Swedish scene of the early 60s – one that shows just how far that nation's jazzmen had grown during the postwar years! Trombonist Eje Thelin's always one of those talents worth checking out, but we especially like him in these early years – as he's overflowing with fresh new ideas, and really seems to set fire to all around him! At some level, some of the sounds here echo the styles of other American trombone innovators – like JJ Johnson and Curtis Fuller – both particularly good choices for reference here, as a few years earlier, Sweden might have produced a player who was much more in a Bob Brookmeyer or Herbie Harper camp. There's a nice edge to Thelin's playing – and he's definitely not afraid to get a bit dirty with his tone – and other players include Ulf Andersson on tenor, Joel Vandroogenbrock on piano, Roman Dylag on bass, and Run Carlsson on drums. Titles include the originals "Folk Song", "So Far", and "Fast" – plus "Lament" and "It Could Happen To You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most soulful voices in Jamaican music – presented here in a wonderful collection that includes some of Ken Boothe's early rocksteady material, then runs through his bigger famous cuts of the 70s! Ken wasn't nearly as big a hit over here as artists like Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley, but his vocals here easily match theirs for sheer, raw, soulful power – and maybe show an even more direct inspiration from American music, especially on the earlier cuts – or his great covers of cuts by artists like Syl Johnson and Bill Withers. Boothe can also sing as sweetly with a groove as his bigger 70s reggae counterparts, but knows how to draw an edge when the song calls for it – and this 40 track set is overflowing with Trojan Records gems from the vocalist – with titles that include "Crying Over You", "Freedom Street", "Speak Softly Love", "Ain't No Sunshine", "African Lady", "You Send Me", "Black, Gold & Green", "Is It Because I'm Black", and "Everything I Own". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal session for Gil Evans – one that brought his genius to the American public strongly and successfully, without the help of Miles Davis! Sure, Gil had recorded albums as a leader before this one – but the sparkling quality of this set is right up there with the charts he handled for Miles, and the quality of the players in the group make the performance every bit as great. Gil's band includes trumpeter Johnny Coles, plus Ron Carter on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, Budd Johnson on tenor, and Ray Crawford on guitar – all players who open up the sound with a magnificent array of colors that sparkle from the sublime Evans arranging touch. Titles include "Stratusphunk", "Sunken Treasure", "La Nevada", and a great reading of Kurt Weil's "Bilbao Song". CD

A pivotal session for Gil Evans – one that brought his genius to the American public strongly and successfully, without the help of Miles Davis! Sure, Gil had recorded albums as a leader before this one – but the sparkling quality of this set is right up there with the charts he handled for Miles, and the quality of the players in the group make the performance every bit as great. Gil's band includes trumpeter Johnny Coles, plus Ron Carter on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, Budd Johnson on tenor, and Ray Crawford on guitar – all players who open up the sound with a magnificent array of colors that sparkle from the sublime Evans arranging touch. Titles include "Stratusphunk", "Sunken Treasure", "La Nevada", and a great reading of Kurt Weil's "Bilbao Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A really loving tribute to bassist Jimmy Woode – the American bassist who was a key player on the European scene of the 60s and 70s – remembered for his great work in the Clarke-Boland Big Band and a number of other great groups! The performance here has bassist Reggie Johnson sitting in on bass – plus Andy McGhee on tenor sax, Dado Moroni on piano, and Woode's old MPS compatriot Dusko Goykovich on trumpet – all coming together in a style that's easy-going, soulful, and touched with a hint of sadness at Jimmy's passing – just the kind of beautiful memorial we could ever hope to have some day! Titles include "Ballad For Miles", "My Kind Of World", "Midnight Blues", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "The Theme". CD

A rare rare landmark from Charles Mingus – music written for the 1965 Monterey festival, but (as the title indicates) not played at the festival! The recording was done later, at UCLA, with a group that includes Charles McPherson, Julius Watkins, Jimmy Owens, Hobart Dotson, and Howard Johnson – and it features a large group of horns, playing in some of Mingus' most sophisticated arrangements of the 60s! There's still a tremendous amount of fire in the work, as you'd guess from titles that include "Don't Let It Happen Here", "Don't Be Afraid The Clown's Afraid Too", "Once Upon A Time There Was A Holding Corporation Called Old America", and "They Trespass On The Land Of The Sacred Sioux". The album was originally only issued on Mingus' own label, available only by mail – and is presented here as a well-done 2CD set complete with some spoken introductions. CD