Rare work by Garland – recorded away from Chicago, in Philly, at Sigma Sound, with production and songwriting by Bunny Sigler and Phil Hurtt, and arrangements by Norman Harris and Ronnie Baker. The combination of Green's bluesy vocals with a smooth Philly soul approach works very nicely – especially on "Love Is What We Came Here For", a stretched out, very mellow track that we like a lot! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes". CD

Obscure mid period material from Garland! "Just Loving You" is a really wonderful number – midtempo, in kind of a Spinners Philly groove, which is a perfect match for Garland's slightly breaking vocals, crackling with that warm honesty that really makes the track sparkle! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Pretty unusual work for the time – an album of solo piano tracks, played by Red, in an unfettered format that was rare enough for pianists, but even more so for those in the soul jazz end of the spectrum like Red. The tunes are almost all standards – done by Red in an impeccable manner, and swinging almost as easily if he had drum and bass backing. Titles include "Nancy", "When I Fall In Love", "I've Got It Bad", "You Are Too Beautiful", and "When Your Lover Has Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

Gentle genius from Red Garland – working here in classic trio formation with Sam Jones and Art Taylor – on a mellow set of late nite numbers and subtle ballads, all carried off in the best tradition of the Moodsville label! Eddie Lockjaw Davis joins the group on 3 tracks on the set – blowing in a style that's spare, open-mouthed, and amazingly soulful – more so almost than even his best ballad blowing on his organ-based records for Prestige during the same time. Davis really sparkles tremendously on the tunes "Softly Baby", "When Your Lover Has Gone", and "We'll Be Together Again" – and other tracks include "Stella By Starlight", "Blue Room", and "Wonder Why". LP, Vinyl record album

Bright, breezy, and plenty darn soulful – a nice little post-Prestige album that almost has Red Garland returning to the piano with the tightest focus of his earlier years! The trio here features Sam Jones on bass and Charlie Persip on drums – both of whom punctuate the groove with the same sense as Red's classic trio – and who seem to inspire him to some even more punched-up lines on the set. The style's a bit like that with which Oscar Peterson was winning the crowds at the time – but Red's still got plenty of that old Garland emotion in the mix as well. Titles include a nice longish take on "Lil Darlin", plus the tracks "On Green Dolphin Street", "Blues In The Closet", "So Sorry Please", and "What's New". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure little album – but one that's had surprising life in recent years, thanks to a great batch of funky tracks on the set! Little Royal is one of those soul singers who doesn't mind borrowing bits from bigger stars as long as they work well in his act – stepping out like Garland Green on the album's title version of "Jealous Kind Of Fellow" (oddly credited to Royal as the writer!), or like Joe Tex on some of the mellower southern soul numbers – but sounding even better as a rougher James Brown-styled singer on the album's funkier tracks! Huey P Meux produced the record down in Houston, but he's clearly trying to give the record some of the grittier styles of Brown's later work on King – possibly in the hopes that Royal might replace him as King's leading star when James departed for Polydor. Titles in clude the classics "Razor Blade" and "Panama Red", both great instrumental numbers that crackle like some of JB's late King work – plus "I'll Come Crawling", "Soul Train", "Losing Battle", "Jealous", and "My Love Needs Company". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer batch of rare soul tracks – mostly from the 60s, and all numbers that were originally pressed up on very limited 45s for the members of London's soul-based 100 Club! Rarity aside, the tracks are all pretty darn great – very well-chosen bits of dancefloor soul, with a groove that stretches out nicely past the typical Northern vibe – proof that the 100 Club were always trying to explore fresh territory with their efforts! Many of these cuts are from unreleased master tapes from American 60s indies – pulled specially from the vaults of Ace/Kent, and issued as 45s for the club's annual birthday celebration – presented here in a package that has plenty of great grooves to offer for any fan of rare soul music. Titles include "Come Through Me" by Garland Green, "Hey Stoney Face" by Mary Love, "The Magic Touch" by Melba Moore, "Love Has Passed Me By" by Phil Terrell, "I'll Never Stop Loving You" by Carla Thomas, "This Man Wants You" by Wally Cox, "Good News" by The Hytones, "Get To Steppin" by Jackie Day, "What's One More Lie" by Milton Bennett, "Doin The Gittin Up" by The Devonnes, "Faith & Understanding" by The Magicians, and "Ain't You Glad" by Mill Evans. CD

Really classic jazz grooves from the vaults of Prestige Records – the kind of cuts that first broke big on the London scene of the 80s, at a time when diggers were setting fire to the rare groove scene too! The cuts here are proof that some of the best work doesn't need to come from completely obscure groups or super-tiny labels – as the music here is exactly the kind of work that made huge waves in the US jazz scene when first released, then went underground for many years – until later collectors and diggers brought it back to the limelight! The great thing is how many of these cuts are all acoustic – no need for electricity to make things funky – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Hiyo Silver" by Bennie Green, "Grease Monkey" by Kenny Burrell with Jack McDuff, "Mau Mau" by Art Farmer, "Mambo Inn" by Billy Taylor with Candido, "Manteca" by Red Garland, "Blue Stompin" by Hal Singer, "Spider Man" by Freddie McCoy, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Flatjacks" by Willie Rodriguez, "Blue Gator" by Willis Jackson, and "Pedro Stroller" by Johnny Lytle. CD

This is a collection of some of Coltrane's work in the late 50s and some of these tracks were previously issued on Lush Life, The Last Trane and Settin The Pace. Some of the musicians who played in these sessions are Earl May, Art Taylor, Donald Byrd, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Louis Hayes. The titles include "Slowtrane", "Lover", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "By The Numbers", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Little Melonae", and "Rise N' Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record by Miles Davis – oft overlooked next to some of the better-titled Prestige sessions of the 50s, but a great one nonetheless! The session features Miles working with trio backing from Red Garland on piano, Oscar Pettford on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – often in a mellow mode that fits the "musings" in the title, but which also provides a wonderful showcase for Davis to further intensify his vision on a set of longer tracks. Most tunes are familiar, but they're really transformed here – and titles include "I Did", 'Will You Still Be Mine?", "Green Haze", "I See You Face Before Me", "A Night In Tunisia" and "A Gal In Calico". LP, Vinyl record album

4 long tracks with plenty of room to roam around – a perfect setting for a young John Coltrane to demonstrate his distinctly different approach to the tenor sax! The album's one of Trane's key classics for Prestige – a quartet side that features backing by the trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – very open, and uniquely creative – especially in some of the more surprising moments! Titles include a great version of Jackie McLean's "Little Melonae", plus "Rise N Shine", "If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You", and "I See Your Face Before Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Saxophonist Tim Garland pays tribute to a very unique moment in the career of Stan Getz – his early 60s collaboration with composer Eddie Sauter, on the orchestral project Focus from 1969! Garland really invokes the modern jazz vibe of the set here – using strings along with the core combo, but weaving his own tenor solos through the mix in a wonderful way – warming things up, and bringing out the humanity in the music – which is mostly of Garland's own composition, save one track from the Sauter project. Garland also plays soprano on one track, and a bit of piano – and the rest of the group features Asaf Sirkis on drums and Yuri Goloubev on bass, plus guest guitar and piano on one track. As with the original Sauter/Getz recording, the vibe is very different in spirit than just a "with strings" jazz session – and titles include "Past Light", "Dream State", "Thorn In The Evergreen", "Maternal", "Jezeppi", and "I'm Late I'm Late". CD

Saxophonist Tim Garland pays tribute to a very unique moment in the career of Stan Getz – his early 60s collaboration with composer Eddie Sauter, on the orchestral project Focus from 1969! Garland really invokes the modern jazz vibe of the set here – using strings along with the core combo, but weaving his own tenor solos through the mix in a wonderful way – warming things up, and bringing out the humanity in the music – which is mostly of Garland's own composition, save one track from the Sauter project. Garland also plays soprano on one track, and a bit of piano – and the rest of the group features Asaf Sirkis on drums and Yuri Goloubev on bass, plus guest guitar and piano on one track. As with the original Sauter/Getz recording, the vibe is very different in spirit than just a "with strings" jazz session – and titles include "Past Light", "Dream State", "Thorn In The Evergreen", "Maternal", "Jezeppi", and "I'm Late I'm Late". LP, Vinyl record album