Super-heavy live work from the Baker Gurvitz Army – stepping out here with even more power than on some of their studio material of the time! The drums of Ginger Baker are worth the price of admission alone, but all aspects of the performance here are top shelf – the vocals of Steve Parsons have a great range, and soar nicely in harmonies with other members from time to time – often given an extra glide from the keyboard work of Peter Lemer. The set features seven tracks from a live performance at Reading in 1975 – long takes of "Freedom", "Memory Lane", "Wotever It Is", and "The Gambler" – plus four more bonus tracks, recorded the same year at the Victoria Theater in London! CD

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings – and soul music too! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – the sort of show that really set his fans on fire – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone", "Think", "Night Train", and the massive medley featuring "Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen". LP, Vinyl record album

A great later document of the power of James Brown in a live setting – an early 80s concert that really cooks strongly all the way through – bubbling over with the sort of non-stop energy that James was bringing to his live albums from the Apollo Theater onward! The group isn't listed on the package, but have all the tightness of the James Brown Band of the late 60s and the JBs of the 70s – and the Godfather is clearly directing them all with his signals from the front of the stage, while he simultaneously knocks it out of the park with his vocals! There's plenty of funky classics throughout – and titles include "I Can't Stand Myself", "Payback", "Jam", "Get On The Good Foot", "Get Up Offa That Thing", "Hot Pants", "Super Bad", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "It's Too Funky In Here", "Gonna Have A Funky Good Time", and "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose". CD

A pare of rare European sessions from saxophonist Marion Brown – back to back on a single set! First up is Gesprachsfetzen – a really wonderful collaboration between alto saxophonist Marion Brown and vibist/reedman Gunter Hampel – a set that's maybe one of the sharpest to come out of their work together! The music has maybe even sharper edges than some of Brown's previous records – a dose of some of the European modernism in which Hampel was steeping himself, but also with some more organic, spiritual qualities on the solos – not just Brown's, but the work of trumpeter Ambrose Jackson – who's pretty great here too. AACM legend Steve McCall is also in the group on drums and percussion, along with bassist Buschi Niebergall – and the set was recorded live, with titles that include "Gesprachsfetzen", "Exhibit A", "Babudah", "Tomorrow Is The Beginning Of The End Of Yesterday", and "Aba". In Sommerhausen is one of the key records that alto saxophonist Marion Brown made while working on the German scene at the end of the 60s – an incredibly fruitful period that seemed to unlock all this new energy in Brown's music in a mode that was similar to what happened when Don Cherry started making time on the European scene! Brown's key partner here is Gunter Hampel – who plays vibes, bass clarinet, and percussion – the latter of which is handled by the other members of the group too – a lineup that includes Ambrose Jackson on trumpet, Daniel Laloux on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – playing here before his better-known work with the AACM. Jeanne Lee brings some lovely vocalizations to the set – and titles include "Dance No 1", "Exhibit B", "Il Ne Chant Pas", "The Sound Of A Song", and "Malipieros Midnight Theater". CD

The story of a legendary New York nite spot – served up in a really wonderful way! The Pyramid was a gritty bar in the East Village in the 80s – a small spot, but one that served as a real crossroads for music, performance, and gender identity – a place that was experienced by few, but shared as a legend by many – with an influence that's recounted here by those who experienced the Pyramid during its glory days! The book is a mix of oral histories, but structured well by the authors – who were all involved in the club itself at the time – interspersed with all sorts of great visual documents, including photographs of key performances – one of which even includes a young Steve Buscemi! The club mixed theater, music, performance art, and other modes – and the book really gets at the unique spirit that fanned the flames during its important mid-80s run. The book also includes a very cool set of materials from vintage press releases, and lots more surprises too – and the softcover edition has a great sense of presentation, on many different-colored pages. Book

This landmark live recording by the great Chicago soul singer Gene Chandler is one of the first-ever true live sets by a soul star, and a record that rival's James Brown's Live At the Apollo for true energy and excitement. Recorded live at Chicago's Regal Theater for the long-gone Constellation Records, this set's an amazing batch of tracks performed with more emotion and soul than Gene ever had in the studio, and the crowd's a wild batch of kids who are totally over the top with enthusiasm. The classic version of "Rainbow '65" on here is enough proof of that, what with it's stretched out harmonies, mind-blowing falsetto, and crazy crowd screaming – but there's lots more on here that will prove that Gene was one of the best-ever Chicago singers, including "Song Called Soul", "Just Be True", and "What Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Recorded November 4th 1983 at Albany Empire Theater, London. LP, Vinyl record album

A double album from Roberta & Peabo – with some nicely recorded tracks from a gig at The Holiday Star Theater in Merrillville, IN (not too far south of Chicago) in the dawn of the 80s – and some tight studio material, too! It's got a some terrific live versions of some of the biggest hits from both singers – plus their great duets. Titles include "Don't Make Me Wait Too Long", a nice version of "Back Together Again" – which was originally done by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, "Killing Me Softly", "God Don't Like Ugly", "Feel The Fire", and "Only Heaven Can Wait/You Are My Heaven". 14 tracks on 2LPs. LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked group from the Chicago scene of the early century – a group made up of very familiar names from the world of free improvisation in the city, but coming together here with a slightly different vibe! The real difference is the use of electric elements at times – both electronics from Fred Lonberg-Holm and Nate McBride, plus acoustic bass from McBride, who switches between that instrument and acoustic! The electronics are sometimes used in an abstract way to fill in space, and not dominate the sound – which then lets the tenor and clarinet work of Ken Vandermark snake out in some really cool ways, while Tim Daisy is also sometimes a bit more rhythmic than usual on drums. Titles include "Multi Chrome", "MES", "Straw", "Theater Piece", and "Lens". CD

One of the rarest albums ever from the legendary Mort Garson – an all-electronic film score, one that was originally only available on record in the lobby of a Seattle theater that was showing the film! The tracks are shorter than on some of Garson's more commercial projects of the time, and there's a lot more of them too – all with a vibe that resonates nicely with some of Mort's more private recordings, including some of his advertising work – showing that even though the project was a small one, Garson was still bringing his all to the music. Titles include "Sail Sail", "Kevin's Theme", "No Smoking", "Bamboo City", "Walk To Grange Hall", "Jeep Ride", "Dead Tree", "Walk To The Other Side Of The Island"- and "Virgil's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic from the west coast scene of the 50s – and not to be confused with other similar-titled Chico Hamilton albums at the time! This one sports an abstract painting on the cover, and was recorded in 1956 at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles – not live, but using the space as a very open-sounding studio – with really amazing results! The lineup features Hamilton on drums, Paul Horn on alto and tenor sax and clarinet, John Pisano on guitar, Fred Katz on cello and Carson Smith on bass – kind of a second-generation of Hamilton's group, with Horn taking over wonderfully from Buddy Collette, and playing with even more sensitivity than before. The work's very much in Hamilton's best sprightly chamber jazz mode – with some great originals that include "Chanel #5", "Beanstalk", "Mr. Jo Jones", and "Reflections" – plus Hamilton-ized versions of "Satin Doll", "Caravan", "Soft Winds", "Siete-Cuatro", "I Know", and "Lillian". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark meeting of two talents! This rare session has the poet Langston Hughes reading his own jazz-based work, set to arrangements by Charles Mingus, with additional work by Horace Parlan. Hughes' voice is incredible – a bit frail, with a wispy integrity that really opens up his own writings. Hughes was always a big jazz listener, and his work in this respect is a perfect consummation of ideas that he'd always said were present in his work. Titles include "Could Be", "Testament", "Commercial Theater", "Consider Me", "Jump Monk", and "Weird Nightmare". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty nice little soundtrack from a period when Columbia was sneaking out some great material in the genre! The album features tracks by Kaplan that run through a variety of moods – some are orchestral and dramatic, but there's also some good groovy numbers too – a few nice, almost bossa-inflected tunes of the type that we love to dig through 60s soundtracks for. Titles include "Cold Love", "The Beatch", "The Amphitheater", "Young Lovers", and "Bull Fight". LP, Vinyl record album

The definitive reissue of one of the most influential musical moments of the 60s – Hair! Hair not only forever changed the concept of musical theater on Broadway, but it also gave the world an incredible array of groovy tunes with odd rhythms – and made a place for composer Galt MacDermot to continue his musical experiments for years to come – eventually influencing a generation of beatheads and hip hoppers as a result! This package brings together the official Broadway recording of the score, along with the earlier (and quite different) Off-Broadway recording – and also features a few previously unissued tracks, as well as an interview with Galt MacDermot himself! The lavish 2CD package is really great – and it marks the first time much of this music is on CD! CD

The first Bob Marley album on Island Records – and the start of a really legendary run that would not only transform reggae in the 70s, but the rest of popular music as well! Chris Blackwell's partially at the helm on production, but the album was mostly recorded in classic Kingston studios – Randy's, Dynamic, and Harry J's – and retains the same vibe as some of Marley's earlier work, but with more of the forward-thinking vision he brought to his time at Island. Bunny Livingston lays down some excellent percussion on the set – and rhythm is from the team of Aston and Carlton Barrett on bass and drums. Titles include the classic "Stir It Up" – plus "Slave Driver", "Kinky Reggae", "High Tide Or Low Tide", and "Concrete Jungle". Very cool 3CD edition – comes in a hardback book-styled cover, with new notes and rare photos. CD2 features a rare live set recorded in London at the Paris Theater in 1973. CD3 features more unreleased tracks – eight from the sessions, including Jamaican alternative and extended versions of "Slave Driver", "Stop That Train", "No More Trouble", "Stir It Up", "400 Years", and "High Tide Or Low Tide" – plus three more unreleased live tracks from 1973! CD

The first Bob Marley album on Island Records – and the start of a really legendary run that would not only transform reggae in the 70s, but the rest of popular music as well! Chris Blackwell's partially at the helm on production, but the album was mostly recorded in classic Kingston studios – Randy's, Dynamic, and Harry J's – and retains the same vibe as some of Marley's earlier work, but with more of the forward-thinking vision he brought to his time at Island. Bunny Livingston lays down some excellent percussion on the set – and rhythm is from the team of Aston and Carlton Barrett on bass and drums. Titles include the classic "Stir It Up" – plus "Slave Driver", "Kinky Reggae", "High Tide Or Low Tide", and "Concrete Jungle". Very cool 3LP/12" edition – comes in a box, with new notes and rare photos! LP2 features a rare live set recorded in London at the Paris Theater in 1973. LP3 features more unreleased tracks – eight from the sessions, including Jamaican alternative and extended versions of "Slave Driver", "Stop That Train", "No More Trouble", "Stir It Up", "400 Years", and "High Tide Or Low Tide" – and the bonus 12" single features three more unreleased live tracks from 1973! LP, Vinyl record album

One side of music from The Peach Thief – the other of music from The Liars, International Detective, The Cheaters, The Spider's Web, and Man From Interpol. LP, Vinyl record album

A creative left turn for Waits – written for an ambitious theatrical project, which to a certain degree takes him into surprising new territory and is all the more exciting for it – but still comes through as great late Island-era Tom Waits album in its own light! The Black Rider stage work was written in collaboration with Waits, director Robert Wilson and William Burroughs, and while the songs have the overtures and shaggy orchestral flourishes inherent to and geared to theater, the songs are still so distinctively Waits-ian in all its woozy glory. Includes "November", "Just The Right Bullets", "Black Box Theme", "Russian Dance", "I'll Shoot The Moon", "Crossroads", "Ain't No Sin", "Lucky Day", " The Briar And The Rose" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible! This is quite possibly the best of this legendary series of Jamaican soul, funk, and reggae tracks – and it's a masterpiece! The track selection is amazing, and the set has a bit more crackle than earlier volumes – with loads of great 70s production, including nice dubby bits, and some excellent instrumentation. Titles include "Mission Impossible" by Randy's Allstars, "Make It Reggae" by Shark Wilson & The Basement Heaters, "Rebel Soldiering" by Johnny Clarke, "Jungle Lion" by Lee Perry, "Take It Easy" by Hopeton Lewis, "Jackie's Theme" by Jackie Mittoo & Randy's Allstars, "Uptown Top Rankin" by Althea & Donna, "Cincinatti Kid" by Prince Buster, and "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy. 15 cuts in all – and all great! LP, Vinyl record album

A totally cool little set, and one that takes us back to the kind of commercials they used to play at the drive-in theaters between two different movies in a long double-feature! The tracks here are all short, playful little tunes with plenty of 60s elements – sometimes jazzy, sometimes groovy – extolling the virtues of popcorn, pizza, Pepsi, and anything else you might want to whet your whistle or tame your stomach during the course of a long cinematic experience! As you'd guess from Something Wild, a lot of great research went into this project – and there's some surprising artists in the lineup, doing work you never would have imagined. The whole thing feels like a package of mini audio cartoons – very cool throughout! CD

A totally cool little set, and one that takes us back to the kind of commercials they used to play at the drive-in theaters between two different movies in a long double-feature! The tracks here are all short, playful little tunes with plenty of 60s elements – sometimes jazzy, sometimes groovy – extolling the virtues of popcorn, pizza, Pepsi, and anything else you might want to whet your whistle or tame your stomach during the course of a long cinematic experience! As you'd guess from Something Wild, a lot of great research went into this project – and there's some surprising artists in the lineup, doing work you never would have imagined. The whole thing feels like a package of mini audio cartoons – very cool throughout! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings – and soul music too! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – the sort of show that really set his fans on fire – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone", "Think", "Night Train", and the massive medley featuring "Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen". This newly remastered edition features five bonus tracks/single mixes of original LP tracks! CD

That's not a spaceship on the cover, it's a movie theater – one of a number of open-air cinemas presented here in a beautiful book of photos that documents a world we never would have known otherwise! The book documents a variety of theaters in different styles – but focuses heavily on the more open cinema spaces created in the 60s to deal with the climate in Angola – spaces that are very different than the more closed movie theaters we know up north, and which are presented here in large, lavish, full color photographs! The book is more of an art book than a documentary edition – but it does include some smaller text on the locations and spaces – almost enough to get you on a special cinematic field trip to Angola. Hardcover edition is 235 pages, with full color images throughout. Book

Always the master storyteller, Kip Hanrahan turns his unique musical vision to source material from 1001 Arabian Nights – interweaving stories from the text with jazz-based expression, augmented by spoken and vocal passages. Carmen Lundy sings quite a bit on the record – which is a real treat to our ears, as its great to hear her in such a left-field project – and other artists on the set include Don Pullen, Milton Cardona, Mike Cain, Jack Bruce, JT Lewis, and Henry Threadgill. Tracks include "Diente De Oro", "Aziz & Azizah", "Dunya's Nocturnal Realization", "The Hasheater's Tale", "The Angel Charles & The Caravans Of Jinns & Dreams", and "The Jewish Doctor's Tale". CD

The only studio album ever recorded by this important acoustic group – a west coast bluegrass combo whose contributions to the scene were a key influence on the birth of country rock in Los Angeles! The group here are definitely hardcore – a lineup that features work from Clarence White on guitar, Roland White on mandolin, and Erick White on bass – and vocals from all three – served up at a level that's even leaner and grittier than 60s recordings by bigger names in the field, like Jimmy Martin or Bill Monroe – yet also maybe free of any "too folk" approaches as well, given that these guys really dive into the music without any sort of pose or artifice at all. Titles include a great version of Merle Haggard's "Fugitive" – plus "One Tear", "Take Off Your Cheaters", "Earl's Breakdown", "I Might Take You Back Again", and "Soldier's Joy". This reissue adds some great unissued bonus material – including "Head Over Heels In Love With You", "I'll Go Steppin Too", "Flint Hill Special", "Shuckin The Corn", and "Shady Grave". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most influential musical moments of the 60s – Hair! Hair not only forever changed the concept of musical theater on Broadway, but it also gave the world an incredible array of groovy tunes with odd rhythms – and made a place for composer Galt MacDermot to continue his musical experiments for years to come – eventually influencing a generation of beatheads and hip hoppers as a result! This package features the official Broadway recording of the score – with singers who include Ronnie Dyson, Diane Keaton, and Melba Moore! Titles include "Aquarius", "Where Do I Go", "My Conviction", "Frank Mills", "Be In", "Abie Baby", "Colored Spade", and "Air". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album that mixes funky music and comedy routines by Pigmeat! The set features 2 great funky 45 tracks – the hilarious "My Wife I Ain't Seen Her", plus a remake of "Open The Door Richard", done with some heavy Gene Barge backings. The album also features longer routines without music – "How To Make Love" and "The Bachelor Apartment" – recorded live at the Regal Theater. LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from start to finish – and easily one of the most compelling experimental sets from the 70s! Call it a "auralgraphic entertainment", or "an incredible mental experience" – both claims listed on the title – and you wouldn't even be getting half of the picture of this amazing set – because the music rolls out here in a really dreamy blend of folksy elements, found sounds, and electronics – on two long tracks that each run for a side apiece – but which have far more song-structure than you might expect! There's no jamming, but no sloppiness either – and instead, Bill Holt finds a way to bring together disparate sounds and ideas in this really dynamic way – but also with a subtlety that few other later works like this ever thought to try. The record has been legendary for decades – and for good reason, too – and if you're not in an altered state, it will definitely get you there – and if you are, you'd better hold onto your hat! LP, Vinyl record album

This CD takes the full content of their second album, and adds in some rare extra material, like tracks from a live set at The Players Theater in 1967 and songs from "Thrown Off Atlantic". 15 tracks, with "Group Grope", "Skin Flowers", "Virgin Forest", "Nameless Voices Crying For Kindness", "Carpe Diem", and "Mutant Stomp". Great notes, and loads of rare stuff by them! CD

Forget Tina Turner – we'll take Ike's backup singers, who sound great all the way through this collection! The Ikettes may never have had the fame of Tina, but back in the early and mid 60s, they were actually scoring a few more hits – and these recordings for the Modern label represent the group at their height – stepping firmly into righteous soul territory, shaking off any girl group cliches, and avoiding any of the stereotypes that could sometimes mar Ike Turner's projects. There's a really special sound here – one that's got bits of Motown, bits of R&B, and bits of Northern Soul – all wrapped together perfectly and delivered with sock-solid vocals from singers Robbie Montgomery, Jessie Smith, and Venetta Fields. The CD features all the material from the girls' full album for Modern – Soul The Hits – plus loads of other singles and even some unissued tracks! Titles include "Fine Fine Fine", "Camel Walk", "Sally Go Round The Roses", "Cheater", "You're Trying To Make Me Lose My Mind", "I'm So Thankful", "Don't Feel Sorry For Me", "Can't Sit Down Cos I Feel So Good", "Lonely For You", "Sha La La", "It's Been So Long", and "Nobody Loves Me". CD

Recorded on February 14, 1989 at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia. CD

Maybe the most spiritual of the three albums recorded as part of the great Trios project from reedman Charles Lloyd – a set that was recorded at the legendary Lobero theater in Santa Barbara, but without an audience in place – which makes for a beautiful mix of wide space and intimate interplay! Lloyd is wonderful on reeds, especially flute – and the group also features Gerald Clayton on piano and Anthony Wilson on guitar – stretching out with Charles on these long tracks that allow for both exploratory solos, and this very easygoing interplay between the musicians. Tracks include "Jaramillo Blues", "Isa Wind", "Hagar & The Inuits", and "The Lonely One". CD

Classic 60s soul jazz piano material from Les – recorded live at an "after hours" concert at the Esquire Theater in LA, with a relaxed open-ended groove that's a bit different than that on some of his studio albums from the time. The group is his classic trio with Paul Humphrey on drums – and the record includes some nice mellow soul tunes, like "Spanish Onions", "El Soulo", "Git Them Grits", and "Lavande". LP, Vinyl record album

A unique concert album from Dionne Warwick – proof that her talents weren't always restricted to Burt Bacharach arrangements in the studio! The setting is the classy Olympia Theater in Paris, and the style is a bit more open than on Dionne's studio albums – with less material by Bacharach & David than before, and a wider range of tunes that not only includes a few songs sung in French, but also a duet with Parisian popper Sacha Distel! The audience is oddly mic'ed up very high in the mix at times – crashing into the start of most tunes with the ferocity of radio static or a swarm of bees – but Warwick quickly takes over with her own vocals once the songs get going. Titles include "I Love Paris", "C'Est Si Bon", "Walk On By", "You'll Never Get To Heaven", "O Yeah Yeah Yeah", "The Good Life", "La Vie En Rose", and "What'd I Say". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard and heavy female soul from the mighty Chess Records – and a selection of tracks that features plenty of funk in the mix too! The sisters on this set are not of the sobbing kind – as the package goes for a proud-stepping approach to soul that puts the ladies in charge right from the very first note – backing their deeply soulful vocals with a righteous set of backings, and really upping the power of tunes with some sock-solid production all the way through! Most of the tunes are from the late 60s, when Chess was bringing a good deal of funk into the mix – and plenty are from rare singles that haven't been reissued for years! 20 tracks in all, and part of this great Mojo Chess series – with titles that include "Dirty Man" by Laura Lee, "Git Out" by Mitty Collier, "Liberation Conversation" by Marlena Shaw, "Take Me For A Little While" by Jackie Ross, "Don't Mess With The Messer" by Koko Taylor, "In Orbit" by Joy Lovejoy, "Cheater Man" by Irma Thomas, "Sally Go Round The Roses" by The Jaynettes, "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, "My Babe" by Mitty Collier, "I Surrender" by Fontella Bass, and "I Don't Wanna Fuss" by Sugar Pie Desanto. CD

A beautiful package of work from this legendary pianist – 18CDs that comprise a series of very special recordings for RCA and Columbia, each presented with the original artwork, in small LP-styled sleeves! Richter's a legend who's left behind a huge legacy on other labels from the 20th century – but his recordings for Columbia and RCA are nicely focused around seminal live performances – including Carnegie Hall recitals in 1960, a 1977 Aldeburgh and 1988 Schleswig-Holstein Festival performances – and a never-issued 1960 performance from Newark at the Mosque Theater! The set also features a very famous reading of Brahm's Concedrto No 2 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and some additional RCA studio recordings with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Charles Much, plus some sonatas as well. The package also comes with a thick booklet of notes – and offers up a great snapshot of this powerful pianist in his prime! CD

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings – and soul music too! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – the sort of show that really set his fans on fire – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone", "Think", "Night Train", and the massive medley featuring "Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen". CD

James Brown's great second album recorded live at the Apollo Theater in Harlem – a set we like even better than the first famous volume – because it's much more stretched-out, harder-hitting, and full of fire! You'd be hard pressed to find a better example of Brown's showmanship on record – as James urges the band through these triple-time takes on some of his classics, and turns in some amazing work in the process! The set includes a killer long version of "There Was A Time" – almost the blueprint of the James Brown funk sound to come – and other titles include "Bring It Up", "Let Yourself Go", and a wonderful duet version of "Think" – plus "Prisoner Of Love", "Out Of Sight", "Try Me", "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World", "Lost Someone","Thanks", "Cold Sweat", "I Feel Alright", and "Please, Please, Please". Features 30 minutes of extra material, with remixed tracks, set in the original running order, and lots of great notes! CD

A pare of rare European sessions from saxophonist Marion Brown – back to back on a single set! First up is Gesprachsfetzen – a really wonderful collaboration between alto saxophonist Marion Brown and vibist/reedman Gunter Hampel – a set that's maybe one of the sharpest to come out of their work together! The music has maybe even sharper edges than some of Brown's previous records – a dose of some of the European modernism in which Hampel was steeping himself, but also with some more organic, spiritual qualities on the solos – not just Brown's, but the work of trumpeter Ambrose Jackson – who's pretty great here too. AACM legend Steve McCall is also in the group on drums and percussion, along with bassist Buschi Niebergall – and the set was recorded live, with titles that include "Gesprachsfetzen", "Exhibit A", "Babudah", "Tomorrow Is The Beginning Of The End Of Yesterday", and "Aba". In Sommerhausen is one of the key records that alto saxophonist Marion Brown made while working on the German scene at the end of the 60s – an incredibly fruitful period that seemed to unlock all this new energy in Brown's music in a mode that was similar to what happened when Don Cherry started making time on the European scene! Brown's key partner here is Gunter Hampel – who plays vibes, bass clarinet, and percussion – the latter of which is handled by the other members of the group too – a lineup that includes Ambrose Jackson on trumpet, Daniel Laloux on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – playing here before his better-known work with the AACM. Jeanne Lee brings some lovely vocalizations to the set – and titles include "Dance No 1", "Exhibit B", "Il Ne Chant Pas", "The Sound Of A Song", and "Malipieros Midnight Theater". CD

An incredible performance from the great Don Cherry – one that's maybe the most perfect summation we've ever heard of his ability to embrace a globe's worth of influences and make them his own! The set was recorded live at a French jazz festival in 1972, and it has a very compelling group known as the New Researches Ensemble – a lineup that includes Nana Vasconcelos on percussion and berimbau, Christer Bothen on ngoni and piano, Dodou Gouirand on soprano and alto, and Moki Cherry on tanpura – all working in a larger stage setting designed by Moki, with puppet theater as well! The most striking thing might well be the vocals – much more prominent here than on other Cherry recordings, and very soulful as well – blended with jazz expressions and global instrumentation, with a vibe that's almost like some of the best work on the Saravah label during the period. The whole thing's fantastic – a great lost chapter of a musician whose well never seems to run dry – with titles that include "Resa", "Butterfly Friend", "Elixir", "Amazwe", "Witchi Tai To", "Ganesh", "North Brazilian Ceremonial Hymn", and "Dha Dhin Na Dha Tin Na". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic presentation of all that's wonderful with the mighty Daptone label – one of the hippest, funkiest record companies of the past few decades – the company that gave the world Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, and other great artists – all of whom are heard here in an extended length live set! The package documents three nights of music at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem – home to famous live shows by James Brown – whose tight way of presenting a variety of singers is replicated here – as Daptone cycle through some of their hippest acts in the lead, offering up a few songs by each – while the mighty Dap Kings provide all the backing! There's a huge amount of songs by both Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley – plus more by Budos Band, Antibalas, Menahan Street Band, Como Mamas, Sugarman 3, Saun & Starr, and Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens – then everybody comes together to perform a version of "Family Affair" at the end! Binky Griptite acts as the MC for the evening – and the whole thing has a rock-solid sound that's every bit the best that Daptone can offer. LP, Vinyl record album

A strong live set from the great Paco DeLucia – one that has his sublime acoustic guitar sounds really ringing out in the large space of a theater – which creates a slightly different vibe than some of his more close-up studio records of the 70s! DeLucia is extremely commanding in this space – and seems to reach out with even more majesty than ever – incredibly deft work on the strings of the guitar, full of fire and feeling – on a set of original numbers that reference tradition, then completely dismantle it as well. Ramon De Algeciras joins on a bit of second guitar, and titles include "Solea", "Fandangos", "Rumba", "Guajiras", "Alegrias", and "Tarantas". LP, Vinyl record album

A wealth of great work from Chico Hamilton in the 50s! First up is the self-titled Chico Hamilton Quintet album – Pacific Jazz 1225 – not to be confused with other similar-titled Chico Hamilton albums at the time! This one sports an abstract painting on the cover, and was recorded in 1956 at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles – not live, but using the space as a very open-sounding studio – with really amazing results! The lineup features Hamilton on drums, Paul Horn on alto and tenor sax and clarinet, John Pisano on guitar, Fred Katz on cello and Carson Smith on bass – kind of a second-generation of Hamilton's group, with Horn taking over wonderfully from Buddy Collette, and playing with even more sensitivity than before. The work's very much in Hamilton's best sprightly chamber jazz mode – with some great originals that include "Chanel #5", "Beanstalk", "Mr. Jo Jones", and "Reflections" – plus Hamilton-ized versions of "Satin Doll", "Caravan", "Soft Winds", "Siete-Cuatro", "I Know", and "Lillian". Next up are 3 more tracks recorded in LA for the Stars Of Jazz TV show – "Blue Sands", "The Ghost", and "The Morning After". These are followed by 5 more by the Hamilton Quintet from The Sweet Smell Of Success film – "Cheek To Chico", "Susan", "Sidney's Theme", "Jonalah", and "Goodbye Baby". Last up are 2 of the rarest cuts – "Show Me" and "I'm A Funny Dame" – both pulled from a compilation called Jazz Swings Broadway. CD

A double-length collection of work from the Chico Hamilton and his famous cellist Fred Katz – two albums from the 50s, back to back on a single CD! First up is Zen, issued under Katz's name for Pacific Jazz – recorded at the time when he was the cello player in Chico Hamilton's groundbreaking late 50s group! The tunes are distinctly more modern than even his work with Chico – and are played by Hamilton-esque players that include Paul Horn or Harry Klee on flute and saxes, Carson Smith on bass, John Pisano on guitar, and Chico himself on drums and tympani. There's some added strings and woodwinds on a number of tracks, and the tunes move between 50s chamber jazz and 50s chamber modern – with titles that include "Montuna", "Katz Up", "Loma", "Pluck It", "Lord Randall", and "Suite For Horn". Next up is the Chico Hamilton Quintet album for Pacific Jazz, a classic from the west coast scene of the 50s – recorded in 1956 at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles – with a lineup that features Hamilton on drums, Paul Horn on alto and tenor sax and clarinet, John Pisano on guitar, Fred Katz on cello and Carson Smith on bass. The work's very much in Hamilton's best sprightly chamber jazz mode – with some great originals that include "Chanel #5", "Mr. Jo Jones", and "Reflections" – plus Hamilton-ized versions of "Satin Doll", "Caravan", "Siete-Cuatro", "I Know", and "Lillian". CD

A landmark meeting of two talents! This rare session has the poet Langston Hughes reading his own jazz-based work, set to arrangements by Charles Mingus, with additional work by Horace Parlan. Hughes' voice is incredible – a bit frail, with a wispy integrity that really opens up his own writings. Hughes was always a big jazz listener, and his work in this respect is a perfect consummation of ideas that he'd always said were present in his work. Titles include "Could Be", "Testament", "Commercial Theater", "Consider Me", "Jump Monk", and "Weird Nightmare". CD

The first-ever live album from Joni Mitchell – and a record that sounds a fair bit different than a concert set might have during the Reprise years – as Joni's got plenty of help from Tom Scott & The LA Express, who bring a tight yet intimate vibe to the proceedings! Joni's definitely a superstar at this point – as you might guess from the size of the amphitheater on the cover – but she's also got an even stronger ability to come across with a personal, pointed style – one that's very different than the overblown hype of so many other 70s live albums. The set includes a few tracks not yet on albums, and a nice mix of material – including the live version of "Big Yellow Taxi" that ended up as a hit single – and the cuts"You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "Blue", "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "Both Sides Now", "Real Good For Free", "Jericho", "Circle Game", "Cactus Tree", "The Last Time I Saw Richard", "People's Parties", and "Woodstock". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the glory days of the adult film – hundreds of posters that were used to publicize erotic cinema – often themselves a masterpiece in erotic aesthetics! Given that most of the posters were outside the theater, open to the public, there's a fair bit of hide and seek, teasing-type material here – at a level that's maybe even more creative than the images on the screen, especially when set to the typography and color filters of the late 60s/early 70s print world! The book features all posters in full color, and also intersperses some bits from magazines and other publications too – all at a level that's really playful, reveling in the style of the genre, while also poking a slight bit of fun. Graham Marsh was the art director, and you may know his name from a number of excellent album cover books – and overall, most images are softcore at best, with a small amount of nudity – although there are some heavier images from time to time. 352 pages, hardcover, and in full color. Book

A trailblazing set of dark, angry mid 60s honky tonk – years before the outlaw movement of the 70s! Paycheck is unfortunately best remembered for his big pay OFF – the ubiquitous, cheater bait single "Take This Job And Shove It", but the guy was a tremendous singer. The Little Darlin' Years compiles the work he did for the label started by himself and producer Aubrey Mayhew, and you won't find another artist that channels genuine, unrepentant attitude more endearingly, and without sinking into novelty. But if novelty is what you're looking for, consider that Paycheck is the only outlaw country figure who actually shot somebody! 24 amazing tunes that sound great on CD, including "Don't Start Counting On Me", "The Girl They Talk About", "A-11", "The Real Mr. Heartache", "I'm Barely Hangin' On To Me", "The Lovin' Machine", "It Won't Be Long (And I'll Be Hating You)", "Don't Monkey With Another Monkey's Monkey", "If I'm Gonna Sink (I Might As Well Go To The Bottom)", "He's In A Hurry (To Get Home To My Wife)" – greatest titles ever? CD

A creative left turn for Waits – written for an ambitious theatrical project, which to a certain degree takes him into surprising new territory and is all the more exciting for it – but still comes through as great late Island-era Tom Waits album in its own light! The Black Rider stage work was written in collaboration with Waits, director Robert Wilson and William Burroughs, and while the songs have the overtures and shaggy orchestral flourishes inherent to and geared to theater, the songs are still so distinctively Waits-ian in all its woozy glory. Includes "November", "Just The Right Bullets", "Black Box Theme", "Russian Dance", "I'll Shoot The Moon", "Crossroads", "Ain't No Sin", "Lucky Day", " The Briar And The Rose" and more. CD

Jimmy Witherspoon takes the stage at the Olympia Theater in Paris – recording here with a hip small combo who really help him find his unique blend of blues and jazz! The album's got a feel that's quite similar to any of Witherspoon's best American dates of the time – a swinging jazz take on older KC vocal modes, handled by Jimmy in a voice that's easily one of the most recognizable of his generation. Players include Buck Clayton and Emmett Berry on trumpets, Dicky Wells on trombone, Buddy Tate on tenor, and Sir Charles Thompson on piano – and titles include "I Make A Lot Of Money", "Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You", "I'll Always Be In Love With You", "Blowin The Blues", and "Everything You Do Is Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from Junky Yagami – definitely one of the more soulful singers of the 80s city pop generation, thanks in part to production work from frequent musical partner JJ Stanley! Stanley gives the record lots of electro soul modes in the backings – working with great arrangements from Ken Yajima, Masaaki Ohmura, and Shiro Sagisu, which are all filled with basslines, beats, and mighty nice keyboard parts! This is definitely a groove-heavy record, and Junko's vocals really keep pace with the rhythms – on titles that include "Believing", "Reaching Out", "Miss DJ", "1984", "Cheater", "Imagination", and "Communication". LP, Vinyl record album

28 tracks by Jimmy McCracklin, The Cheaters, Snookum Russell, Johnny Otis, Professor Longhair, The Sly Fox, Wynonie Harris, and more... CD

A killer Motown live album – one that has the Detroit label storming the stage of the Apollo Theater, with some of its biggest 60s acts in tow! There's a really open, spontaneous feel to the record – more so than other Motown live sets of the 60s – a quality that really grabs you and makes you feel like you're in the audience, catching these artists at the height of their young powers – and the production has the kind of frenetic live album feel as James Brown's famous set at The Apollo. Titles include "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow" by Marvin Gaye, "Whole Lotta Woman" by The Contours, "Strange I Know" by The Marvelettes, "Don't You Know" by Stevie Wonder, "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by The Miracles, "Two Lovers" by Mary Wells, and "Let Me Go The Right Way" by The Supremes. LP, Vinyl record album

A totally cool collection of songs, sound effects, and vintage movie trailers – all pulled from the glory days of the American horror film! The package is a tribute to the old time monster shows that used to travel the theater circuit – a mix of horror movies and live action activity – revived by by the folks at Something Weird in live performances, a great counterpart to all the great films they've given us on DVD over the years! This set brings together the kind of deep knowledge that only fans of these lost b-movie gems could discover – a massive 32 track package that features the songs "The Morgus Creep" by The Daringers, "Cemetary Stomp" by The Essex, "Count Dracula" by The Rockin Continentals, "Haunted House" by Oscar & The Majestics, "The Giggler" by The Pot & The Wildcats, "The Guillotine" by The Executioners, "Transylvania" by The Mysterians, and "Night Beat" by The Night Beats – plus a huge host of film trailers, radio spots, and more! Also features a bonus DVD of the live Something Weird Spook Show. LP, Vinyl record album

A great tribute to one of the most famous clubs on the UK scene of the mid 80s – a spot that was crucial to the shift from post-punk modes to new goth spirits – and which was a vital outlet for new strands of darker music that were stepping forth at the time! Later goth cliches might make you pause – but the sounds here are from a time when the music had a very special spot in the UK – kind of a sidestep from some of the more nihilistic modes of the punk generation, maybe finding a way to move forward while still foregrounding some of the darker moods that were undeniable at this spot in British history. Yet even without all that larger framing, the set list here is more than enough to tell the tale – as the set features work from Play Dead, Wasted Youth, Soft Cell, The Cult, Christian Death, Theater Of Hate, Specimen, The Birthday Party, Virgin Prunes, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Cure, The Cramps, Killing Joke, Alien Sex Fiend, Sexbeat, Sisters Of Mercy, Xmal Deutschland, and Gene Loves Jezebel. 5CD set is MASSIVE – served up in a 12" LP-sized box, with an 80 page hardcover book that features all sorts of writings on the club, and over 100 photos from back in the day – all in support of a 90 track set list that includes lots more work from The Runaways, Velvet Underground, Marc & The Mambas, Let's Wreck Mother, Human League, The Glove, Flowerpot Men, Japan, The The, New Order, March Violets, Malaria, Joy Division, The Associates, PiL, Throbbing Gristle, and dozens of others. CD

The second chapter of one of the most obscure set recordings by this amazing duo – singers Brigitte Fontaine and Areski, who you might know best from their work on the legendary Saravah Records at the start of the 70s! The work here isn't musical theater, but was instead recorded for French radio in 1973 – and is maybe even more experimental than some of the duo's other albums of the time – still this amazing blend of poetic lyrics, matched-up voices, and light acoustic instrumentation – but sometimes less song-based than at other points – with Fontaine really bringing a lot of subtle drama into her performance! The whole thing is beautiful – a much-needed addition to the small catalog of this legendary duo. Titles on this volume include "Les Murailles", "Apres La Guerre", "L'Ete L'Ete", "Il Pleut Sur La Gare", "Ragalia", "Les Borias", "Le Six Septembre", and "Les Petits Chevaux". LP, Vinyl record album

This CD takes the full content of their second album, and adds in some rare extra material, like tracks from a live set at The Players Theater in 1967 and songs from "Thrown Off Atlantic". 15 tracks, with "Group Grope", "Skin Flowers", "Virgin Forest", "Nameless Voices Crying For Kindness", "Carpe Diem", and "Mutant Stomp". Great notes, and loads of rare stuff by them! CD

The title's a bit hokey – an obvious play on the Star Wars film that was running in theaters at the time of the record – but the sound is classic Willis Jackson at his finest, recorded in a style that's right up there with his best 60s work for Prestige! The group here is a quintet – with Willis on tenor, Charles Earland on organ, Pat Martino on guitar, Idris Muhammad on drums, and Buddy Caldwell on congas – and as on Earland's best soul jazz sides for Muse from the time, there's a real back-to-basics approach here, one that really gets away from Modes that Willis used on other labels in the 70s. Titles include "The Goose Is Loose", "Bar Wars", "Blue & Sentimental", "Later", and "It's All Right With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The only studio album ever recorded by this important acoustic group – a west coast bluegrass combo whose contributions to the scene were a key influence on the birth of country rock in Los Angeles! The group here are definitely hardcore – a lineup that features work from Clarence White on guitar, Roland White on mandolin, and Erick White on bass – and vocals from all three – served up at a level that's even leaner and grittier than 60s recordings by bigger names in the field, like Jimmy Martin or Bill Monroe – yet also maybe free of any "too folk" approaches as well, given that these guys really dive into the music without any sort of pose or artifice at all. Titles include a great version of Merle Haggard's "Fugitive" – plus "One Tear", "Take Off Your Cheaters", "Earl's Breakdown", "I Might Take You Back Again", and "Soldier's Joy". This reissue adds some great unissued bonus material – including "Head Over Heels In Love With You", "I'll Go Steppin Too", "Flint Hill Special", "Shuckin The Corn", and "Shady Grave". CD

A key second chapter in the long and wonderful career of Joni Mitchell – a set that brings together the four albums she recorded for the Asylum label in the mid 70s – a post-Blue period that really had Joni opening up and exploring a lot in her music – including a jazzier side of the spectrum that never showed up as strongly before! First up is For The Roses – a sometimes-overlooked album in the career of Joni Mitchell – but a set that's every bit as great as the two huge hits that bracket it! Joni's really finding a great way forward, sounding more mature, and bringing some jazzier currents into her music – thanks in part to help from reedman Tom Scott and bassist Wilton Felder of The Crusaders – and a style of songwriting that's sometimes more fluid than before, and often a lot more biting too! Titles include "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "For The Roses", "Barbangrill", "Cold Blue Steel & Sweet Fire", "Let The Wind Carry Me", "Lesson In Survival", and "Judgement Of The Moon & Stars". Court & Spark is a key record in the second chapter of Joni Mitchell on record – a set that has both her vocals and her overall music style flowing with all these amazing touches you might not have heard a few years before – jazzier currents in her music that really set the album apart from earlier work in Joni's career! Mitchell responds to the music with soaring vocals that are completely wonderful, and nicely changed up in character from tune to tune – given backing by a host of great jazz and studio players who include Tom Scott on reeds and Joe Sample on keyboards! Titles include her classic version of "Twisted" – a redone version of the old Annie Ross track – plus the classic hit "Help Me", and "Just Like This Train", "Car On A Hill", "Court & Spark", "Down To You", "Free Man In Paris", and "People's Parties". Miles Of Aisles is the first-ever live album from Joni Mitchell – and a record that sounds a fair bit different than a concert set might have during the Reprise years – as Joni's got plenty of help from Tom Scott & The LA Express, who bring a tight yet intimate vibe to the proceedings! Joni's definitely a superstar at this point – as you might guess from the size of the amphitheater on the cover – but she's also got an even stronger ability to come across with a personal, pointed style – one that's very different than the overblown hype of so many other 70s live albums. The set includes a few tracks not yet on albums, and a nice mix of material – including the live version of "Big Yellow Taxi" that ended up as a hit single – and the cuts"You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "Blue", "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "Both Sides Now", "Real Good For Free", "Jericho", "Circle Game", "Cactus Tree", "The Last Time I Saw Richard", "People's Parties", and "Woodstock". Hissing Of Summer Lawns is a further step forward in the career of Joni Mitchell – a record that not only continues the jazzier currents she explored in the 70s, but also brings in a whole bunch of different modes as well – so much so, it's almost as if Joni's daring anyone to still call her a folk singer with the album! The themes are wonderfully sophisticated, as is the songwriting – the king of material that would keep Mitchell strong for decades, while so many of her contemporaries faltered – as you'll hear on the tracks "In France They Kiss On Main Street", "Sweet Bird", "Shadows & Light", "The Boho Dance", "Don't Interrupt The Sorrow", "The Jungle Line", and "Edith & The Kingpin". CD

A live recording that reworks Mondo Grosso's Next Wave album – and adds in a lot of extra bits! The set's got the feel of a spacious amphitheater concert, but is filled with new mixes of Mondo Grosso's soulful club work – interspersed with a few additional tunes, all mixed together live in this unusual setting! Titles include "Motormouth", "Tornado", "Next Wave (live breaks)", "Anger (Norman Cook club)", "Star Suite (Shelter voc)", and "Everything Needs Love" – as well as "Porcelain" by Moby, "Down & Dirty (main voc)" by Richard F, and "Thrill Me Such A Thrill (Junior Jack club)" by Junior Jack. CD

A live recording that reworks Mondo Grosso's Next Wave album – and adds in a lot of extra bits! The set's got the feel of a spacious amphitheater concert, but is filled with new mixes of Mondo Grosso's soulful club work – interspersed with a few additional tunes, all mixed together live in this unusual setting! This part 2 features the tracks "Blaze It Up", "Shake Ya Body", "Discarga", "Shinin (Mondo Grosso rmx)", and "Blazilian Rhyme (Fearless mix)" – as well as a bonus disc with the tracks "Fire & Ice (Switch voc mix)", "Motormouth (2020 Soundsystem remx)", "Dancefloor Combat", and more live material! CD