An incredible record from the legendary Quartin label – and a set that, like most of the releases from that imprint, has a sound that's years ahead of its time! Piri's a guitarist, and works here with an instrumental combo who support his soaring, scatting vocals – in a mode that's maybe in the same blend of roots, jazz, and larger ideas as the most creative late 60s moments by Quarteto Novo, Marcos Valle, or Edu Lobo – a completely rich reworking of previous musical ideas into a fantastic new tapestry of sound – one that still has an honest, earthy appeal – even while the sound is soaring to the skies! Piri sings, with help from singer Tita – but mostly in a non-verbal way – alongside his own guitar, and flutes from Paulinho Jobim and Danilo Caymmi, piano from Geraldinho Carneiro, bass from Jorge Marinho, and drums from Wilson Das Neves. The whole album's wonderful – and titles include "Reza Brava", "Chao Vermelho", "Espiral", "Lagrimas", "Porta Do Sol", "Voces Querem Mte", and "O Som Do Roberto". LP, Vinyl record album

Really mindblowing work from legendary drummer Ivan "Mamao" Conti – a key part of Azymuth through that group's many years – and still going strong here as a solo artist on his own! The album's almost a 21st Century realization of the sound that Azymuth was going for back in the day – cascading percussion with plenty of influences from Brazilian music and jazz, often given some electric elements along the way – but always in a style that's warmly organic, and right on the groove! Conti gets help from younger Azymuth and Incognito generations – as Alex Malherios plays bass on the record and Daniel Maunick handles keyboards, more percussion, and production – all at a level that never stomps on Ivan's vision at all – and which instead makes the whole thing as rewarding as any Azymuth session we've heard over the past few decades. Most tracks are instrumental, save for some airy wordless vocals – but Thiago Martins sings lead on "Que Legal", and other titles include "Aroeira", "Bacurau", "Poison Fruit", "Jemburi", "Ecos Da Mata", "Encontro", and "Tempestades". CD features bonus mixes – "Ilha Da Luz (Tenderlonius rmx)", "Encontro (Glenn Astro rmx)", "Que Legal (Reginald Omas Mamode IV rmx)", "Encontro (Max Graef rmx)", and "Poison Fruit (Dokta Venom's digital dub rmx)". CD

The first work we've heard in many years from keyboardist Hugo Fattoruso – an artist who was born in Uruguay, but whose talents have been intertwined with Brazilian music for many years – including early recordings in a bossa mode, and 70s fusion with his legendary Opa combo! This set follows the style of those great 70s albums – with a fusion style that owes plenty to the jazz changes in Brazil, particularly the way that jamming instrumental solos could often be wrapped up strongly with the rhythms – and the great balance between acoustic and electric elements in the music! Hugo plays keyboards throughout, and even vocalizes at times – in a cool wordless style that again reminds us of some Brazilian 70s artists – and the setting here is wonderfully sharp throughout – very much a fusion mode that really pushes the boundaries, but never loses its groove. Titles include "Antes/Goldenwings", "La Del Cheche", "Llamada Insolita", "Candombe Alto", "El Romance Del Sordo", "Botijas", "Trenes De Tokyo", and "Candombe Beat Funk". CD

An incredible record from Marcos Valle – maybe our favorite-ever of his recent-revival years! The sound here is sublime – a warm blend of funky rhythms, bossa roots, and larger orchestrations – all very much in the spirit of those legendary albums that Valle recorded for EMI/Odeon right at the start of the 70s – soaring, sophisticated, and never without a groove! Valle did all the arrangements for the set, but gets some great help on strings and horns from Jesse Sedoc – whose touches are really a key part of the Odeon-styled sound here – and a number of the tracks feature female vocals duetting with Marcos' lead, in a mode that's just like his classic work with Anamaria! Titles include "Prefixo", "Vamos Sambar", "Novo Acorde", "1995", "Esphera", "Papo De Maluco", and "Baiao Maracatu". LP, Vinyl record album

An organ bossa classic from the legendary Eumir Deodato – one of his strongest albums from his early years in Brazil! There's a very jazzy feel to the set all the way through – thanks to a tightly arranged group that not only features the organ and percussion you might expect from such a date, but which also features some great horn work as well! Trombone, tenor, and baritone sax all get in some nice licks – and Deodato's organ cooks wonderfully throughout, often with a quick-stepping bossa jazz sound that really keeps things lively. Titles include "O Sol Nascera", "Samba Do Dom Natural", "Terra De Ninguem", "E Bom Parar", and "Ataque". CD

An organ bossa classic from the legendary Eumir Deodato – one of his strongest albums from his early years in Brazil! There's a very jazzy feel to the set all the way through – thanks to a tightly arranged group that not only features the organ and percussion you might expect from such a date, but which also features some great horn work as well! Trombone, tenor, and baritone sax all get in some nice licks – and Deodato's organ cooks wonderfully throughout, often with a quick-stepping bossa jazz sound that really keeps things lively. Titles include "O Sol Nascera", "Samba Do Dom Natural", "Terra De Ninguem", "E Bom Parar", and "Ataque". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Brazilian album from the legendary keyboardist Deodato – recorded right around the same time as his classic CTI albums Prelude and Deodato 2 – but much more obscure! This set's got a similar electric vibe, but is much more compact – with maybe more organ than Rhodes, on tunes that are short, groovy, and very much to the point – graced with the kind of arranging genius that Eumir showed during the bossa nova years, but with a lot more soul and funk elements in the mix! The whole thing's very unique – not like any other Deodato album – and it was partly recorded in New York, with help from Phil Bodner and Romeo Penque on saxes and flute, and trumpet from Marvin Stamm. Titles include "Arranha Ceu" – a remake of his "Skyscrapers" – plus "Puma Branco", "Extremo Norte", "Menina", "O Jogo", "Flap", "Atire A 1a Pedra", and "Carlota E Carolina". LP, Vinyl record album

A never-issued album by the great Hermeto Pascoal – recorded in the space between his 70s classics Slaves Mass and A Musica Livre – and every bit as amazing as those classics! The music here is fluid, open, and a fantastic mix of jazz and all of Hermeto's new ideas about musical structure – performed at a level that's highly organic, and with that completely individual vision that Pasocal brought to his sound from the start! This isn't typical Brazilian fusion of the time, but nor is it anything like the tighter sounds that Airto and Flora Purim were recording up in the US – instead, a musical mode that's completely in its own space, and which needs only one listen to convince you of the master's genius. The group here is overflowing with young talent – Lelo Nazario on keyboards, Nivaldo Ornelas and Mauro Senise on saxes and flute, Toninho Horta on guitar, Zeca Assumpcao on bass, and Ze Eduardo Nazario on drums – all important musical visionaries on their own, working together here to hit an even new level of creativity. Aleuda Chaves sings wordlessly on a bit of the record – and the whole thing has that blend of soaring sound and lyricism that marks Pascoal at his best. Titles include "Danca Do Paje", "Natal", "Casinha Pequinina", and "Mavumvavumpefoco". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal live set by a young Albert Ayler – an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that harly leaves room for complaints about the shortness of the album! The single track "Bells" was performed at Town Hall by Ayler with a group that includes Donald Ayler on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Sunny Murray on percussion – all coming together in a raw, real sense of freedom – beautifully explored here without ever getting too overindulgent. The tune may well be one of the greatest illustrations of the ESP format at its best – as Ayler and company never stray too far, but carve out some incredibly imaginative space through their starkly-blown horn solos! CD

A smooth, easy, far-reaching set of many of the best Burt Bacharach/Hal David tunes –a largely instrumental set of sweeping arrangements led by Bacharach! The cuts have been compiled mostly from Burt's solo LPs for A&M, from 1965's Hitmaker on the early end, and 1979's Woman and the late end, all sparklingly remastered. This collection is especially groovy because of the large, jazzy arrangements Bacharach was working with in the 70s – giving many of the tunes a much grander feel than the bristling pop hits that they were conceived as. All in all this is a jam packed set of Bacharach at his grandest – with large, string-heavy arrangements, breezy choral accompaniment, and all of those deeply-sinking hooks we love him for! 23 tracks, with a thick booklet of notes and photos: "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", "Make It Easy on Yourself", "A House Is Not A Home", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "Any Day Now", "Alfie", "Reach Out For Me", "The Look Of Love", and tons more. There's even a few of Burt's rare turn on lead vocals – including the Carpenter's "Close To You" and Something Big", and a closing live medley of "Don't Make me Over/Anyone Who Had A Heart/What's New Pussycat/Wives And Lovers/and 24 Hours From Tulsa". Nice! CD

The 80s Paisley Underground lives again – as this set brings together four of the best groups from that vintage scene – each covering songs by the other acts in the collection! The approach is a bit unique, and maybe doesn't stretch their talents too far – but it does provide a great revival of this well-remembered moment in American music! Titles include "Jet Fighter" and "That's What You Always Say" by The Bangles, "Getting Out Of Hand" and "What She's Done To Your Mind" by The Three O'Clock, "You Are My Friend" and "Hero Takes A Fall" by The Dream Syndicate, and "When You Smile" and "Real World" by Rain Parade. CD

Early work as a leader from Ray Barretto – a set that was originally issued on the Riverside subsidary of Fortissimo – which featured pressings on which the record plays from the inside out! That's right, you put the needle near the center, and the record pulls it towards the edge. This pressing, however, is the "regular" version – and plays from the outside in – and over and above that, this is a just a great record of early 60's Pachanga stuff, played by Ray Barretto with a tight little group. Recorded around the same time as Ray's other Riverside stuff, and with a similar Latin Jazz feel, the recording includes the tracks "Oye Heck", "Los Cueros", "Pachanga Oriental", and "Cumbamba". LP, Vinyl record album

A drum-heavy set from Polish percussionist Czeslaw Bartkowski – mostly solo on most tracks, but with occasional accompaniment on trumpet, electric piano, and soprano sax on a few of the fuller numbers – plus some great funky big band arrangements at the end! The sound is often spare and moody, but also melodic – similar to some of Max Roach's solo percussion efforts – in that Bartkowski isn't too concerned with going too far out, or getting too free – just working drums and percussion within new modes in jazz! The last few tracks on the album flesh out the sound with fuller orchestrations from Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski – in a way that's almost funky at times – and other players on the record include Tomasz Szukalski, Tomasz Stanko, and Adam Makowicz. Titles include "Drums Dream", "FAO", "Druga Swobodna Etiuda", "Rozmowa Ze Sliwka Bez Pestek", "Good Times Bad Times", and "Lullaby For Tiny Chinamen". CD

The Basie band is plenty big here – but never too much so to lose their confident swing of earlier years! The Count is still firmly at the helm at the time of this recording – leading and playing keys with that spacious, stepping quality that makes a Basie number of the later years groove so nicely. But there's also some wonderfully complex patterns on the horns – new shadings and colorings that come through on the album's batch of all original tracks by Sam Nestico, whose presence in the group in the 70s really helped shape its sound. Sam's work here is every bit as valuable as Neal Hefti's in the 50s – and tunes like "Front Burner", "Freckle Face", "Orange Sherbert", "Soft As Velvet", and "Midnight Freight" push the group far past the cliches they might have fallen into during these later years! CD

A Count Basie trio set – the second meeting of the Kansas City Three, a combo that features Ray Brown on bass an Louis Bellson on drums! Basie's really great here – out front, and moving with modes that are quite different than his fuller group sessions – surprisingly sensitive at points, even though still imbued with all of his trademark swing! Bellson's touch on the kit really helps – punctuating things, while never going too far at all – a nice punch, right when needed – and Ray Brown proves once again that he's just the right fit for just about any combo. Titles include "Racehorse", "Blues For Eric", "Draw", "Sandman", "If I Could Be With You For One Hour Tonight", and "I Surrender Dear". CD

Willie Colon declares Ruben Blades as the champ on the cover of this early solo set – and for good reason too, as the album's one of Blades' best! There's a clear, clean simplicity to the record that's totally wonderful – a purity of vision before some of Ruben's later crossover efforts – and a standout sense of voice that's a bit different than the work he'd recorded with Willie Colon as a leader. Of course, given the image on the front, Willie's never too far off – arranging some tracks, producing the record, and playing trombone as well – yet somehow, there's a slight divergence here from the usual Colon groove – and an initial expression of Ruben Blades' grander Latin vision. In addition to Colon, arrangements are also by Louie Ramirez and Louie Cruz – and the band's as tight as can be, and features Yomo Toro on cuatro, Sonny Bravo on piano, and Jose Mangual and Milton Cardona on percussion. Titles include "La Maleta", "Fue Varon", "Pueblo", "Me Recordaras", and "Lluvia De Tu Cielo". CD

Arthur Blythe may be in the tradition here, but he's never of the tradition – as the set represents the modern musician taking on a host of older jazz currents, while carving things out with his own special sort of soul! Half the tunes are familiar favorites, the other half originals – and Blythe moves far past his avant roots, to showcase his deep understanding of so many different shades of jazz – blowing alto beautifully throughout, in a very hip quartet that features Stanley Cowell on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on drums! Titles include great takes on "Naima", "Jitterbug Waltz", "Caravan", and "In A Sentimental Mood" – plus the originals "Break Tune" and "Hip Dipper". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendously tight grooves from Hamilton Bohannon – tunes that have this amazing way of wrapping together the bass, drums, and guitar – all in this fast-chugging style that's plenty funky all the way through! Bohannon was one of the most minimal of his 70s funk contemporaries – and has this way of really focusing in on one key rhythm, then rolling it out with incredible tightness – slowly changing things with some slight phase shifts in tone or timing, but always returning to the core of the tune. The approach is maybe even more striking here than on his previous records – and far grittier than on his later 70s work, too – and at some level, the vocals are almost thrown in as an afterthought, once Bo and the combo get things grooving! Titles include "Come Winter", "South Africa 76", "Feel Good At Midnight", "Gittin Off", and "I'm In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of Brazilian grooves – put together by the folks at Yellow Productions, and very much in the tradition of some of their other projects, like the Reminiscence Quartet. This one's a more abstract effort, though – and it fits in nicely with early work by Takemura/Spiritual Vibes, the remixes on Glucklich III, and some of the recent work on the Far Out label. Billed as a "Tokyo meets Europe" project, the record spans the 90s Japanese production of bossa-inflected grooves, touched by the modern European talent for cool production techniques. The set's got 2 CDs in all, with titles that include "Gilberto", "Searchin", "Interlude", "Ms Loneliness", "Candomble", and "Black Shrine" – plus some CD Rom bonus information and digitized paintings! CD

David Bowie at his most sinister for the 70s – a landmark set that combines the harder rocking sound of the Ziggy Stardust years with the more sophisticated theatrics of Aladdin Sane – in a style that features some of the darkest, most political work of Bowie's career! There's a depth to the record that goes way beyond the silly, sensational cover image – and there's also a sonic complexity that's wonderful too – a songs slide into each other with a deftness that never fails to amaze us! The album grew out of a failed project based around George Orwell's famous book 1984 – but the rights to that story were denied by the family – so Bowie went in his own directly, and honestly came up with work that was far better than if he'd done any sort of slavish reading of the novel (Rick Wakeman famously failed in that territory – and the Eurhythmics fared just slightly better.) The whole thing's great, and titles include "Diamond Dogs", "1984", "Sweet Thing", "Candidate", "Rebel Rebel", and "Big Brother". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual record for the Malaco label – and one that represents a time when the Mississippi deep soul powerhouse was coming to terms with some of the dancefloor changes of the time! Frederick Knight produced – and side one has him giving James Bradley a few surprising club cuts that almost feel more like Miami groovers of the time – balanced out nicely with some slower-steppers on side two, which really seem perfect for Bradley's mix of soul and sophistication! These cuts are wonderful – really overlooked gems that often sound little like Malaco work, and maybe more like some of the modern soul moments on labels like Capitol or Arista at the time. Titles include "Wrapped Up In Your Love", "I'm In Too Deep", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Knowing You're My Everything", "Never Too Far Away", and "Let's Do It Together". CD

Heavy fuzz with a good deal of funk as well – a very unique set from the Italian sound library scene – and one that comes across with the feel of some lost psych record from the underground! The album was produced by Piero Piccioni – and features soundtrack/sound library maestros Alessandro Alessandroni and Oronzo De Filippi, working as the pseudonymous Braen and Gisteri – in a batch of heavy drums and basslines, topped with lots of fuzzed up guitar – but all with a tightness that's a lot more forward-moving than the usual set of this nature! Things never get to overdone, but still go plenty far out – and titles include "Flying", "Imphormal", "Murder", "Gap", "New Experiences", "Fall Out", "Description", and "Obstinacy". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know Tony Branker from his more recent work – issued under the name of Anthony Branker, and often quite far-reaching in scope – and here, even at a young age, the trumpeter's already got a heck of an amazing vision – working here in a beautiful set of all-original music, carried out with a very soulful sound! The lineup has fantastic electric piano from Gary Monheit – who never overwhelms, but kind of carves out these blocks to shape the rhythms – while a young Stanley Jordan plays guitar, and the set sparkles with horn work from Branker and saxophonist Glenn Cashman! The tracks are loose and fluid – and the strong, soulful mix of trumpet and electric piano reminds us of Freddie Hubbard on early CTI – but with a more personal, indie spirit overall. Titles include "Light Me Higher", "Black On Black", "Do Dat", "Circles", "You Can't Play In The Rain", and "A Dream Deferred". LP, Vinyl record album

An unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful lineage of avant talent in the 60s, stated boldly here, given Brown's amazing talent on the record! The album's filled with hard, soulful playing that goes out, but never too far – like Shepp in his best sixties moments – and Brown's working with a great lineup of players that includes Grachan Moncur on trombone, Beaver Harris on drums, and Stanley Cowell on piano! The tunes include three Marion Brown originals on side one, plus three tracks by Shepp on side two. "Spooks" alone will leave you loving this album for years to come – and other tracks include "West India", "Delicado", "New Blue", and "Fortunato". A brilliant blend of 60s "new thing" playing and 70s underground jazz! LP, Vinyl record album

Far-thinking genius from Tim Buckley – and one of his most experimental albums ever! Lorca really takes off from the sound of earlier albums – pushing the jazz side of the spectrum even more, and stretching out on longer tracks that have his vocals riffing a lot more than usual. Backing is relatively spare – with some nice use of pipe organ and electric piano – and Tim himself is playing 12-string guitar on the sessions. Tunes are all long, and feature some really haunting, echoey vocals. Titles include "Lorca", "I Had A Talk With My Woman", "Anonymous Proposition", and "Driftin". A bizarre but brilliant effort! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most ambitious projects ever from vibist Gary Burton – an extended piece written by Carla Bley – and billed as "A Dark Opera Without Words"! The work has a feel that's much more fluid than opera, though – and is a great instrumental outing that not only features Gary's vibes at their youthful best, with support from his quartet – but which also includes extra work from Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Gato Barbieri on tenor, and Carla Bley herself on piano. The music is never too far out, but with angular tones and strange time changes that mark the record as being quite different from Gary's other sides for RCA. It also makes the record one of his best, too – as the set has that wonderfully fresh sound that you get from early work by Bley – never too silly, and with a serious approach to composition that also never loses sight of its roots in jazz. Titles include "The New Funeral March", "Silent Spring", "Mother Of The Dead Man", "Death Rolls", and "The New National Anthem". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest, grooviest 60s albums from trumpeter Donald Byrd – one that has him really reaching out for a hip new sound, but in ways that are different than most of his other material at the time! Key on the date is the placement of electric piano from Duke Pearson – played in this open, flowing style that has all the best hallmarks of Pearson's own work on the instrument for his sessions – yet balanced nicely with the bolder punch of Byrd's trumpet as well. Donald's quite far from any Miles Davis cliches on this one – no too-dark electric modes at all – and instead, the album's got this sense of lyrical soulfulness that we've maybe never heard this strongly again on any of Byrd's other albums. Other players include Frank Foster on tenor, Jerry Dodgion and Lew Tabackin on flute, Julian Priester on trombone, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, and either Idris Muhammad or Joe Chambers on drums. All tracks are nice and long, and very fresh – and include "Weasil", "I Love the Girl", "Fancy Free", and "The Uptowner". CD

The second of two early LPs that the Byrd and Gryce team cut for Columbia – and the more obscure of the two by far! This one features the group's groundbreaking format – a mixture of hardbop and modern jazz, always swinging, but angularly carved, with striking tones and colors that recall the best mid 50s Mingus. The difference, though, is that 4 tracks also feature some vocals by Jackie Paris, a hip singer who's at his best here – vocalizing with way better material than he often got on his own albums, singing on the tracks "Now Don't You Know", "Elgy", "Early Byrd", and "Early Morning Blues". The rest of the group features Wynton Kelly, Art Taylor, and Wendell Marshall – but more than anything else, it's Gryce's unbelievable tone on alto that really makes the record cook. Why couldn't he have played like this forever? We love it to death! Other tracks include "Satellite", "Social Call", and "Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly the greatest album ever from Angel Canales – a 70s salsa classic through and through, and one with great links between the New York scene and Canales' Puerto Rican roots! The tunes are wonderfully heartfelt throughout – sung with a youthful sense of soul that's far different than some of the more emotive modes of previous generations of Latin singers – in a way that really scored big with the younger generation at the time, and which makes Canales one of the key forces helping to change the sound of the music in the 70s. Instrumentation is nice and tight – acoustic small combo work with two trombones, trumpet, baritone sax, flute, piano, bass, and percussion – under musical direction by Juan Torres. Titles include "Lejos De Ti", "Perico Macona", "La Hiedra", "Sol De Mi Vida", "Sabor Los Rumberos Nuevos", and "El Cantante Y La Orquesta". CD

A pretty wonderful record by underrated UK reggae group Capital Letters – and a rare one, too – recorded after their classic Headline News, and largely overlooked for all these years, despite carrying the rootsy torch very strongly for the group! The soulful vocals and roosty rhythms hold up tremendously well, and if there was a relatively large number of bands working in a similar mode in the late 70s and early 80s that made it difficult for them to stand out at this relatively late point, they sure sound fresh all these years later! Includes "Muss Muss", "Murdering Style", "No Jobs", Why", Vinyard", "How Far", "Baggwolf", "Old, Old Owl", "Africa Bound", "Fi Wi Parents". This great 2015 CD version from Greensleeves has 7 bonus tracks – including a trio of John Peel BBC Radio Session recordings, and 4 tracks from Headline News sessions, including "Oh Politician", "How Far Can A Man Run", "Smoking My Ganja", "Fire" and more. CD

One of the hippest funky jazz combos of the 70s – stepping out here in their amazing debut for Cobblestone records! Catalyst had a groove that was unlike most of their contemporaries – a sound that was often jazzier than some of the tighter funk artists on labels like Kudu or Prestige, with some deeply spiritual leanings in the solos – but also a style that was still pretty tight and focused, not as far out as some of the headier groups on the Strata East label. There's loads of great choppy rhythms and tight-edged grooves on the record – thanks to Fender Rhodes from Eddie Green, reeds from Odeon Pop, bass from Al Johnson, and drums and percussion from Sherman Ferguson. Skip Drinkwater produced the session at Sigma Sound, and it's definitely got some of his hallmark appreciation of rhythm in the mix – on titles that include "Ain't It The Truth", "New Found Truths", "East", "Catalyst Is Coming", "Jabali", and "Salaam". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unique artists we've heard in years – and one who will no doubt be setting the world on fire for years to come! Benjamin Clementine's a singer, but also a poet – inspired by jazz and classical music, yet working here in neither – and instead, finding a path that's completely his own – borne out with incredible creative energy right from the very first note, and continuing through amazing territory with each new song on the set! There's some deft work on piano and electric harpsichord on the record – but there's lots more waves of dark textures and other tones – all to showcase Clementine's vocals, which are unlike any other singer we can think of. Benjamin's hardly just another voice with downtempo rhythms or modern production – as his lyrics are far richer, and his sound here already speaks volumes of his experiences on both the Paris and London scenes – although we're betting he's going to take the whole world by storm soon. Like nothing else you've ever heard – and we mean that in the best way possible – with songs that include "One Awkward Fish", "Farewell Sonata", "Better Sorry Than Asafe", "God Save The Jungle", "Phantom Of Aleppoville", "Paris Cor Blimey", "Jupiter", and "Ode From Joyce". CD

One of the few standout 70s sessions by Ornette Coleman – a wonderfully rhythmic record that shows Ornette's expanding musical vision at the time! Most of the record is dominated by the guitar-heavy "Theme From A Symphony" – a very harmelodic number that takes up all of side one and most of side two – and which features the twin guitars of Bern Nix and Charlie Ellerbee dancing alongside drums of Ronald Shannon Jackson while Ornette blows an elliptically grooving lead line on alto sax. Side two then closes with the far different "Midnight Sunrise" – an earthy improvisation that features Ornette's alto alongside the Master Musicians Of Joujouka, who use an array of percussion and reed instruments to create a dark tapestry of sound! CD

A mid 70s classic from Willie Colon – continuing the progression of "gangster" image by supposedly having him break out of prison! (Previously, Willie had been brought to justice on the Juicio album – but now on the loose, is described in a wanted poster on the cover – "Willie Colon & Hector LaVoe have been known to kill people with little provocation with their exciting rhythm without a moment's notice"!) That claim might be a bit far-fetched, but considering the strength of Willie's work at the time, it's certainly well-founded – as he and Hector cook things up nicely on this set by bringing in some even-earthier grooves to their blend of 70s salsa modes! The group's got Colon's tight twin-trombone approach firmly in the lead, and other instrumentation is merely piano, bass, and lots of percussion – all very stripped down, and with lots of room for LaVoe's wonderfully evocative vocals. Titles include "Pa' Columbia", "Ghana'E", "No Cambiare", "Barrunto", and "Sigue Feliz". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by Alice Coltrane – somewhat under the shadow of her late husband, as you'd guess from the use of his name on the front cover – but really stepping out here with a voice of her own! The Monastic Trio of the set features Alice on harp and piano – alongside bass from Jimmy Garrison and drums by either Ben Riley or Rashied Ali – both really fluid players who open up nicely in this way that's never to far out, at least in the way that John Coltrane was using rhythms at the time – but which allow Alice to really take the lead as a bold musical visionary of her own! Perhaps most exciting, Pharoah Sanders sits in on one of the album's longest tracks – blowing tenor with a force that's enough to bring back The Great One – but the real charm of the set is Alice's piano work, bubbling out here with a sensitivity that we never would have expected from the harder-edge sessions cut with Coltrane – that new level of spirituality she instantly brought to her own solo sessions. Titles include "Ohnedaruth", "Lovely Sky Boat", and "Atomic Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

A pure statement of being and essence – and one of John Coltrane's spiritual masterpieces from the 60s! The 1965 recording was one of Trane's most adventurous so far – as it featured just one album-length track, building up out of relatively free expressions from Coltrane in the studio – initially in the spirit of Love Supreme, but much sharper-edged and unbridled overall – as if the meditative spirit of the previous recording had unlocked a sense of freedom that refused to be tied down to simple structures! The group is great – and features Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Donald Garrett on bass clarinet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – plus a bit of flute and percussion from Joe Brazil. The playing is much freer than on other albums of the time, but also has some introspective spiritual moments – clearly inspired by the Love Supreme recording, but taken a shade outside as well! LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring work from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – a session that was incredibly far-reaching for the time, and which originally was unissued until after the time of Coltrane's death! The record's got the group really pushing forward strongly – hitting a Love Supreme mode, but also showing even some of the sharper edges that John would explore with the group after this one – a beautiful swan song to the lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Things soar with a hell of a lot of spirituality, yet never get too overindulgent to lose their groove – and titles include "Amen", "Dearly Beloved", "Ascent", "Attaining", and "Sun Ship". CD

A landmark first album from drummer Norman Connors – a spiritual jazz masterpiece that builds wonderfully on the post-Coltrane tradition! Norman is years away from his smoother soul recordings at this point, and coming out of a righteous jazz background that included work with Marion Brown and Archie Shepp. For this initial set, Norman's in incredible company – working with players that include Herbie Hancock on both electric and acoustic keys, plus Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Gary Bartz and Carlos Garnett on saxes, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Billy Hart and Airto on percussion – plus a chorus of vocalists on the album's mighty title cut! Tracks are all long, spiritual, and freely exploratory – but never in a style that goes too far outside, or that forgets the joy and love that can spring forth in a forward-thinking session like this one! Titles include "Dance Of Magic", "Give The Drummer Some", "Morning Change", and "Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark first album from drummer Norman Connors – a spiritual jazz masterpiece that builds wonderfully on the post-Coltrane tradition! Norman is years away from his smoother soul recordings at this point, and coming out of a righteous jazz background that included work with Marion Brown and Archie Shepp. For this initial set, Norman's in incredible company – working with players that include Herbie Hancock on both electric and acoustic keys, plus Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Gary Bartz and Carlos Garnett on saxes, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Billy Hart and Airto on percussion – plus a chorus of vocalists on the album's mighty title cut! Tracks are all long, spiritual, and freely exploratory – but never in a style that goes too far outside, or that forgets the joy and love that can spring forth in a forward-thinking session like this one! Titles include "Dance Of Magic", "Give The Drummer Some", "Morning Change", and "Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Three early albums from Crown Heights Affair – all brought together in a single set! First up is Dreaming A Dream – a dream of a record from Crown Heights Affair – the group's classic first set, and maybe as fine a batch of early club work you could ever hope to find! Like so many of the east coast acts at the start of the disco generation, these guys are a well-trained funk ensemble, playing at a faster clip for the new dancefloor sound – which means that at the core, they've still got some fantastic instrumentation – and a groove that rivals their bigger contemporaries, like Kool & The Gang, Fatback, or BT Express! The drums are fantastic, the basslines nice and subtle, the horns used with some real grace – and there's also some really cool moog solos on the best numbers – which really makes the album a treat. Titles include both disco and vocal versions of their hit "Dreaming A Dream" – plus the tracks "I Am Me", "You Smiled", "Foxy", "I Am Me", "Feeling Tall", "Every Beat Of My Heart", "Na Na Hey Hey", and "Picture Show". Do It Your Way is a record that ended up in more than a few 70s record collections because of its sexy cover image – but a set that's even better when you get down into the grooves – thanks to massively funky work from Crown Heights Affair! The group are wonderful here – upbeat and quick-stepping, but still filled with razor-sharp funk energy – at a level that's similar to Brass Construction or BT Express – with no fluff at all, and none of the kind of too-extended sloppy musicianship you were getting from the studio disco groups. The whole thing's got a rock-solid vibe that was first forged in the funky 45 generation, then kicked up for the 12" years – including the group's harmony vocals, which still have a great indie vibe. Titles include "Sexy Ways", "Dancin", "Far Out", "Music Is The World", "Love Me", and "Searching For Love". Also includes the nice funky funky "French Way", which has some great moogy parts! Dream World is a tasty little disco album that's a lot better than you might think! In some ways, this might be Crown Heights Affair's most perfectly realized album – as it's got lots of long tracks that mix the group's always-tight instrumental style with a spacey soul sensibility that's quite captivating. None of the cuts are standout slammers, but the album's pretty nice as a whole, and the songwriting gives the group plenty of good lyrics to work with. Titles include "Galaxy Of Love", "Dream World", "Things Are Going To Get Better", "I'm Gonna Love You Forever", and "Say A Prayer For Two". CD

Cut Chemist brings his deep digging style out of the world of legendary mix sets and behind-the-scenes hip hop wizardry – finally out front with (can you believe this?) his first ever solo album! Sadly, you have to worry when a great hip hop DJ/producer gets a major label solo album in this sad day and age of expensive sample clearance, as they often feel a little bit neutered by the system. Never fear in this case. Chem builds his signature eclectic craft around samples – some fairly obvious and some quite surprising – with occasional live instrumentation and a few appearances by topshelf underground MCs. The sounds are far too diverse to nail in a sentence or two, but they run from a catchy hip hop thump, to some Brazil-sampling groovers, to funky avant garde bits. Too many newer beatmakers opt for an obtuse, laptop-derived, barely musical approach. All the more reason to cherish Cut Chemist! Tracks include "Motivational Speaker", "(My 1st) Big Break", "The Lift", "The Garden", "Spat", "What's The Attitude" feat Hymnal, "Metrorail Thru Space", "Storm" feat Edan & Mr Lif, "2266 Cambridge" feat Thes One, "Spoon", "A Peak In Time" and "The Audience Is Speaking Theme Song". CD

Dark genius from the always-amazing Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that's a bit more subtle than some of the group's other efforts, but no less powerful – and virtually a blueprint for countless changes to come in jazz during the next few decades! The interplay of Davis' trumpet, Wayne Shorter's tenor, and Herbie Hancock's piano is worth the price of admission alone – a force that seems to flow of its own direction, pulled three ways equally, but always emerging as a sound greater than its parts. And adding in the subtle pulse of Ron Carter on bass and nearly melodic drums of Tony Williams, the sound is even more incredible – a well-crafted and evocative sound that's far more than jazz! Titles include versions of Herbie's "Riot" and "Madness", Shorter's "Nefertiti" and "Pinocchio", and Williams' "Hand Jive". Plus, the CD reissue features 4 bonus alternate takes from the original session! CD

A key point in the development of the Miles Davis sound of the 60s – his first album to feature work from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by some equally nice work on other tracks from Victor Feldman and Frank Butler! The sound here is beautifully spare – a wonderful exploration of ideas that Miles had been putting forth on some other albums for Columbia, but crafted here with a vision that's apparent in the very first note – and which transforms both the tunes and the work of the players into a focused, near-perfect sound all the way through. Titles include "So Near So Far", "Seven Steps To Heaven", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Joshua", and "Basin Street Blues" – which even sounds great in this setting! CD

A key point in the development of the Miles Davis sound of the 60s – his first album to feature work from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by some equally nice work on other tracks from Victor Feldman and Frank Butler! The sound here is beautifully spare – a wonderful exploration of ideas that Miles had been putting forth on some other albums for Columbia, but crafted here with a vision that's apparent in the very first note – and which transforms both the tunes and the work of the players into a focused, near-perfect sound all the way through. Titles include "So Near So Far", "Seven Steps To Heaven", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Joshua", and "Basin Street Blues" – which even sounds great in this setting! CD also features bonus tracks "So Near So Far (alternate)" and "Summer Night". CD

A tremendous Italian police soundtrack from the team of Guido and Maurizio De Angelis – one that has a haunting approach served up in equal parts action and sentiment! The core melody here is one right out of Morricone's book of the time – a slow-building, sweet-stepping one that's a far bit different than US cop show work – and which sits nicely next to some more upbeat numbers that work in a bit of jazz alongside funkier basslines and a few darker numbers too. There's a slight electric feel to many numbers, but instrumentation is often heavy on flute too – and in a way, there's a fair bit of qualities here that remind us of Stelvio Cipriani's best from the same period. Limited LP pressing features a total of 18 tracks in all – all pretty darn groovy! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice collection of some of The Dells' best work from the earlier years – including some previously unissued numbers, and a few great singles – all put together with the top-shelf quality of the Solid Smoke label! The scope of work here is great – and even at this early point, The Dells were far and above one of the greatest harmony groups of their generation – a doo wop ensemble who grew to reach out strongly during the soul years – as you'll hear in the evolution traced through these tunes. Tracks include "Oh What A Nite", "Dreams Of Contentment", "Now I Pray", "Pain In My Heart", "Why Do You Have To Go", "Dry Your Eyes", "Rain", "Don't Tell Nobody", and "Stay In My Corner." A total of 15 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

The deepest work so far from Djinji Brown – a set that moves past some of the more hip hop-styled production of the past, and delves much more deeply into the organic style of the Yoruba label! The rhythms are often in an uptempo mode, but have enough acoustic elements to push them away from straight house – the kind of earthy basslines and Latin-styled percussion you might hear in Osunlade's music – done here in really spare, dark sort of ways. Most cuts are pretty stark, but never cold – and titles include "Sweat Shop", "Smile", "Marta's House", "Afro-Tek Theory", "Djinji Calling", and "The Private Dancer". CD

Searing live work from Eric Dolphy – part of a series of recordings that set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The record features Dolphy going even farther out than on his studio sides from the time – as the record features very long tracks performed by a crack group that includes Booker Little on trumpet, Mal Waldron on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums. Despite the length of the tracks, Dolphy isn't as far out as on later European live recordings – but the performance is a great example of his inventiveness within a mainstream structure, and the modernist tendencies of both Waldron and Little shine very brightly in the set. The concert was one of Little's last (and greatest) recordings – sometimes billed as a "memorial", even though he was still alive when it was done – and titles on this volume include "Fire Waltz", "Bee Vamp", and "The Prophet". CD

Searing live work from Eric Dolphy – part of a series of recordings that set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The record features Dolphy going even farther out than on his studio sides from the time – as the record features very long tracks performed by a crack group that includes Booker Little on trumpet, Mal Waldron on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums. Despite the length of the tracks, Dolphy isn't as far out as on later European live recordings – but the performance is a great example of his inventiveness within a mainstream structure, and the modernist tendencies of both Waldron and Little shine very brightly in the set. The concert was one of Little's last (and greatest) recordings – sometimes billed as a "memorial", even though he was still alive when it was done – and titles on this volume include "Fire Waltz", "Bee Vamp", and "The Prophet". CD

A seminal set from Eric Dolphy – one of his most perfectly realized moments at the head of a larger ensemble – and a record that definitely set the tone for countless spiritual jazz sessions of the 70s! Dolphy recorded this session for Alan Douglas in 1962, and it features a larger array of players than you'll find on most of his records for other labels – the cream of the "new thing" players that were around New York at the time, including Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Prince Lasha on flute, Sonny Simmons on alto, and even Clifford Jordan on soprano sax – making a rare appearance on record on that instrument! Together, the players create a set of soundscapes that lies somewhere between Dolphy's Out To Lunch album, and some of the more modernist work by Mingus – a stunning batch of tracks that go out, but never too far. Titles include "Ode to CP", "Burning Spear", "Iron Man", and "Mandrake". LP, Vinyl record album

The first taste of a great new wave of music from Vikter Duplaix – all tracks that really further the sound he initially dropped on us a few years back! The tunes here all have a slinky, languid sort of quality – one that's spacey, but still pretty focused – a mellow soul groove that crackles with electricity on the rhythms, but which bases most of its energy on Vikter's seductive delivery of the lyrics. Imagine the cosmic sound of 21st Century Soul taken to a more laidback level, and you've got a good idea of the sound – but there's also a farther-reaching sense of personality here that goes far beyond any simple cliches! EP features 5 tracks – "Stimulation", "I See The Sun", "Pure", "Nothing Like Your Touch", and "In The Real World (Duplaix rmx)". CD

The title's a bit of a shocker – in that that we don't normally think of Herb as a bluesy player – but it's pretty darn honest, given the great sound of this set! Herb's playing in a really mellow and laidback style for this session – working with Roy Eldridge, Stan Getz, Ray Brown, and Stan Levey on a set of bluesy tunes that feature his guitar in the lead, working through some magical solos that are far more expressive than on some of his work on other albums from the time. The record's a genuine surprise, and a real lost Verve treasure – as Ellis steps out with a great tone and some nice rootsy solos on tracks that include "Patti Cake", "Blues For Junior", "Blues For Janet", "Pap's Blues", and "Tin Roof Blues". CD

One of Bill Evans' landmark sessions with the young bassist Scott LaFaro – a player who made key contributions on every record he touched, then left this earth far too soon in his career! The live session's a perfect demonstration of the way that the Evans trio format not only re-worked the use of the piano in jazz, but also the bass and drums as well – as LaFaro's deeply evocative playing is paired with the equally fresh drum work of Paul Motian – heard here at his youthful early best, before some of his contributions to jazz had become cliche in the hands of other players. The session was caught live at the Village Vanguard on the night of June 25, 1961 – and titles include longish takes on "Solar", "Jade Visions", "Gloria's Step", and "Alice In Wonderland". CD

Sweet 70s soul from Faith Hope & Charity – a trio who had recorded previously, but who really burst out here at the start of the disco years with some strong studio help from the great Van McCoy! The style of the record isn't really disco, but isn't far off either – as McCoy mixes lively rhythms and soaring strings with the vocal interplay of the trio – who come off much more as a well-formed soul group than some of the other trios of the generation – who were often just doing chorus vocals for the grooves! Singer Brenda Hillard really soars at times – with a lead that sets fire to the tracks nicely – and titles include the classic "Find a Way", plus "Just One Look", "Disco Dan", "Rescue Me", "Little Bit Of Love", "Don't Go Looking For Love", and "To Each His Own". CD features bonus single mixes of "Find a Way", "Don't Go Looking For Love", and "To Each His Own". CD

One of the best records ever cut by funky sax man Joe Farrell! The album's got a stripped down, choppy groove – virtually the blueprint for later 70s funk of this type, and played perfectly by Farrell and a very hip quartet lineup! Players include Joe on soprano and tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – playing with a very angular sense of rhythm that really dives the record! The record's got a tight combo sound that's far more energetic than most CTI jazz from the time – and titles include the great cut "Great Gorge", which has a tight modal sample groove, plus "Times Lie", "Bass Folk Song", and "Moon Germs". CD

Sweet strings and sophisticated soul – a wonderful combination in the hands of Cheo Feliciano, who sounds equally great here on both mellow and upbeat material! The self-produced record shows a growing sense of grace and power in Cheo's music – and working here with musical directors Papo Lucca and Luis Garcia, he rises to that higher level of sophisticated salsa that a few key artists were striking at the end of the 70s in the New York scene. And far from slowing the sound of the record, the strings seem to help the vocals soar even more – undercut by some great vibes from Louie Ramirez on a number of tunes, ringing out with the same hardness under strings as on his own Salsero record. Titles include "Juan Albanil", "Cuento Numero Uno", "Sali Porque Sali", "Noche Sensacional", "Amada Mia", and "Sobre Una Tumba Humilde". CD

A massively tripped out batch of tunes – and one of THE psychedelic classics of the late 60s! Fifty Foot Hose had a sound that was half rock/half electronics – one that well suited their placement on the Limelight label, and which was a perfect bridge between the far side of rock and more artful music experiments at the time. The album uses an incredible range of electronic goodies – including oscillators, theremin, prepared guitar, prepared thumb piano, echolette, and even "squeaky box" – in a heady heady sound that's topped off by some male and female vocals as well! There's plenty of bits in here that have attracted sample heads over the years – including one great break – but the album stands perfectly well on its own, and is a masterpiece throughout! Titles include "And After", "Red The Sign Post", "For Paula", "Fantasy", "God Bless The Child", "Cauldron", "The Things That Concern You", and "If Not This Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge hit for Aretha Franklin – and a record that brought her famous vocals to a whole new generation of listeners! The sound is definitely different than before – a change from both the deep soul of Atlantic years, and the initial classy approach of her time at Arista – and working with lots of help from Narada Michael Walden, Aretha gets an 80s groove that turns out to be a perfect platform for her sound – one that lets her vocals really take off, while still getting plenty of great hooks as well – all in a mode that somehow sounds far less commercial than we remember at the time. Includes the massive hits "Freeway Of Love" and "Who's Zoomin Who" – plus "Ain't Nobody Every Loved You", "Push", "Integrity", "Sisters Are Doin It For Themselves", and "Sweet Bitter Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The first appearance of the Frippertronics delay line built by Fripp and Eno out of a couple of tape decks. Somehow even though this is nearly pure process music, it manages to sound far from dated, cliched or boring – ambient bliss meets only slightly noodly prog guitar in a hall of mirrors. 2 long tracks – "The Heaveanly Music Corporation" and "Swastika Girls" – both sidelong numbers coming in at around 20 minutes. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best material Slim Gaillard ever recorded! Although he's best known for his Verve work, and for his early 40s sessions in LA – these 1959 recordings for Dot have Slim hitting a groove that's far tighter than usual, with a better jazz influence, and a much freer approach to singing than his usual stock style. There's a wonderful version of "How High The Moon" that's got crazy guitar, and wild lyrics from Slim about life on the moon. Other nice cuts include "Sukiyaka Cha Cha", "Chicken Rhythm", "Slim's Cee", "Lady Be Good", and "Thunderbird". If you've ever wondered why people think Slim is so great, check this one out – and you'll flip! LP, Vinyl record album