They weren't kidding with the title of this one! That's ok for us, though, as Eps sounds great in this laidback mode. The only backing on the record is bongos by Alvin Stoller, and vibes by Frank Flynn – both of which only sneak in and out of the guitar lines a bit, augmenting Van Eps' playing where needed, but never really taking over too much. The spareness gives the guitar solos a nicely rhythmic quality – one that makes for a haunting session that's got a lot more to offer than you'd think! Titles include "Tango El Bongo", "Lost Canyon", "I Never Knew", "Yesterdays", and "Let's Do It". LP, Vinyl record album

Howard Alden and George Van Eps on guitar. CD

Very moody stuff – especially for the time it was recorded! The album came out in the late 60s, a time when most guitarists were plugging in, fuzzing out, and really getting crazy – but George Van Eps was still keeping his cool, playing gently swinging lines on his unique 7 string guitar, working here in the Capitol studios completely on his own! Tracks include "Kisses", "Satin Doll", "Stop Look & Listen", "Glad To Be Unhappy", and "A Libra Rhapsody". LP, Vinyl record album

Very mellow work from guitarist George Van Eps and his unique 7 string guitar – spare recordings with mostly guitar solos, plus some occasional extra vibes and percussion by Frank Flynn. The tracks include a number of 60s pop numbers, but they're done here in versions that are quite different than the original hits – just spare guitar grooving and little else to hold them up! Titles include "All My Loving", "Love Me Do", "If I Fell", "I'll Walk Alone", "Lollipops & Roses", "It's Been A Long Long Time", and "Spanish Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Features work by George Van Eps on guitar, Eddie Miller on tenor, Matty Matlock on clarinet, and Clyde Hurley on trumpet. LP, Vinyl record album

A motherlode of early jazz recordings by Peggy Lee – 3CDs worth of material recorded for Capitol, in small groups, as the title says, with players that include Buddy Cole, Dave Barbour, George Van Eps, and Hal Schaefer. Peggy sounds quite different here than on later pop sides – fresh from work with Benny Goodman, and with a sparkling voice that sounds very fresh! Titles include "Swingin On A Star", "Fine & Dandy", "I Only Have Eyes for You", "Mean To Me", "Blue Skies", "Glory Of Love", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", and "As Long As I'm Dreamin". CD

A jazz set – based around Jack Webb's character in the movie of the same name – and one that features a group of players that include George Van Eps on guitar, Matty Matlock on clarinet, Eddie Miller on tenor, and Nick Fatool on drums. The tunes are all named after a different shade of either blue or red – and have a dreamy, late nite take on trad jazz that's surprisingly nice. Titles include "Lobster", "Fire Engine", "Peacock", "Turquoise", "Periwinkle", "Midnight", and "Flame". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet funky classic from guitar genius George Benson – and a record that features some surprising soul arrangements from Pee Wee Ellis – also known for his classic work with the James Brown Band of the late 60s! Pee Wee's got a tighter groove here than on some of George's earlier CTI albums – but still keeps things open enough, so that Benson gets plenty of room to solo – a bit like the vibe of some of his late 60s albums for Verve and A&M. George is the main soloist – but the group is super-hip, with Harold Mabern on electric piano, Frank Foster on tenor, and a little bit of extra guitar from Earl Klugh. George is pulling no punches on this one – really hitting hard on his solos with a freer approach than he used on most of his other records from the time. Titles include "Dance", "Plum", "Body Talk", and "Top Of The World" – and most tracks are looong! LP, Vinyl record album

Lean, righteous blowing from the legendary Frank Foster – one of a handful of extremely hip sessions he cut in the 60s under his own name! The album's the only record Foster ever did for Blue Note – and we dare say it's even better than his previous 60s work on Prestige and Impulse – with a quality that's even darker, even deeper, even more advanced from his earlier years with Basie. There's a rolling, joyous groove to many numbers – that late 60s take on soul jazz that made for so many great tracks on albums by Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan near the end of the decade. Foster keeps things tight, but he's also got an expansive vision too – an edge in the horns that points the way towards some of the chances he'd take in the 70s, but which is still wrapped around a leanly leaping soul jazz groove! Foster wrote 5 of the 6 tracks on the album, and he's working here with a sextet that includes Garnett Brown on trombone, Marvin Stamm on trumpet, and Richard Wyands on piano, who brings in some offbeat notes and colors throughout. Rhythm is by the excellent team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – and titles include "Seventh Avenue Bill", "Stammpede", "Little Miss No Nose", "Manhattan Fever", and "Loneliness". Added to the core album is a full bonus album – recorded by Foster nearly a year after the first, and even more far-reaching! There's a quality to the date that mixes together Frank's previous soulful vamping with some more introspective, more lyrical moments – almost modern at times, but not entirely so – and played by a septet that includes Ed Pazant on alto and flute, Burt Collins on trumpet, George Cables on piano, and Jimmy Cleveland on trombone. Foster himself plays a bit of alto clarinet alongside his usual tenor – and titles include "Fly By Night", "Slug's Bag", "What's New From The Monster Mill", and "Hip Shakin". CD