Solo piano from Dollar Brand – and more proof that he's one of the few players who can handle such a format with the same sort of fullness you might normally expect from a trio! Brand's work has a wonderfully rhythmic quality here, and a righteous element too – one that fits the "new nations" spirit of the title – the rising sense of power and identity in independent Africa, paid tribute to beautifully in a host of original compositions! There's less of the light, loping sounds that you might find on other Brand albums of the 70s – and at points, the music gets quite complex, emotionally – which makes the record a great one to turn to if you want to get past some of Brand's more familiar modes. Titles include "Thaba Nchu", "The Trial", "Liberation Dance", "Biral", "Anthem For New Nations", and "The Wedding Suite". CD

One of the coolest projects ever from electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani – sounds done for the groundbreaking Xenon pinball machine – released in 1980, and filled with unusual sounds and tones created by Ciani! One of these was her very cool "voice box" – which gave the pinball machine a female identity – heard here, mixed with all sorts of Synclavier and other sounds from the always-great Ciani! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Things really heat up in this second volume of Robert Darden's look at the rise of gospel in America – as he traces the music's journey from the pulpit to the public, from praise to protest – and really illuminates the power that gospel and its inspiration brought to black identity from the 60s onward! This volume is even bigger than the first, and really overflows with research and information – a hugely documented project that features pages of notes at the end, and black and white images throughout the larger first section – as Darden does a fantastic job of mixing music, politics, and cultural progression. Hardcover edition is 334 pages. Book

A swirling array of tones, colors, and sounds – written and arranged by JJ Johnson, conducted by Gunther Schuller, and with Dizzy at the helm, blowing some of his most complicated solos ever. The approach is firmly in the Verve jazz orchestra tradition – and recalls the earlier brilliance of such projects in the hands of Ralph Burns, done here with a great depth of expression, and none of the coldness that you might expect from Schuller's participation. Clearly, there's a Miles/Gil Evans influence here, but the crew retains their identity strongly – and Dizzy's hot tone on the trumpet provides a broder spectrum than Miles ever could. Titles include "Fantasia", "Ballade", "Jubelo", and "The Sword Of Orion". LP, Vinyl record album

Gladys Knight's last album for Motown subsidiary SOUL – a collection of work from a variety of different sessions, put together to compete with her shift to Buddah Records in the mid 70s! The set features a range of numbers, often in a mode that's a bit more uptempo and righteous than some of the mellower Gladys Knight work that was dominating her hits at the time – almost as if they'd been holding back on this stuff, to let her develop more of a southern soul ballad identity. Arrangements are by Paul Riser, David Van DePitte, and Robert White – and often show a bit of the growing 70s dancefloor sensibility creeping into Motown during the time. Gladys' vocals are still plenty real soul – soaring out over the tracks – and titles include "In The Middle Of The Road", "Come Together", "All I Need Is A Miracle", "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", and "Can You Give Me Love With A Guarantee". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic classic – the kind of record that will remind you that Mott The Hoople were way more than a glam band with a big radio hit – as there's a depth, complexity, and completely satisfying quality to the record that holds on all the way through! Sure, the group's got fantastic guitar – courtesy of Mick Ralphs, who was setting a tone that so many others would copy in years to come – but there's way more going on here, and the group are really getting a sense of their power and identity – even if they were never hitting the full chart status they deserved. The whole thing's great – lots of perfect moments from Ian Hunter – and titles include "Hymn For The Dudes", "Whizz Kid", "All The Way From Memphis", "I Wish I Was Your Mother", "Ballad Of Mott The Hoople", and "Honaloochie Boogie". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from global funk phenoms Nomo – deftly blending Afro steeped funk with an astral reach – with more of a spiritual jazz influence and off kilter avant touches! Invisible Cities arrives just about a year since their breakthrough Ghost Rock opened so many doors, and although productivity and consistency have never been a problem with Elliot Bergman & co, we're still pretty awestruck – especially given that Ghost Rock set the bar pretty high! Blazing horns, dynamic rhythms and rapturous percussion galore, with the electric kalimba still defining the group's identity nicely, with lots of sweaty funk, more spacious spiritual jazz atmosphere, and a couple of choice covers – Moondog's "Bumba" gets a bit of Caribbean funk treatment with steel drums, plus a reverent take on Tom Ze's "Ma"! Other tracks include "Invisible Cities", "Waiting", "Crescent", "Patterns", "Elijah" and "Nocturne". CD

Really wonderful work from Sun Ra – a host of recordings cut at the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Fest in the early 70s – always a very welcoming audience for the Arkestra at the time! We're not sure what was in the water, but it always seems like the group really hit their stride at the festival – opening up with a force and intensity that really goes past some of their other recordings! It's almost as if the enthusiastic mix of ages and cultures present really ignited the best energies in the Arkestra – having them hit the kind of righteous crescendo of their best Space Is The Place identity – and even some of the more avant, outside moments have a focus that the group hardly seems to reach this well! The material is from the John Sinclair archives – originally issued on the CDs Life Is Splendid, Outer Space Employment Agency, and It Is Forbidden – but somehow sounding even more amazing in a tight package like this – with loads of amazing keyboards from Ra, soulful vocals from June Tyson, Cheryl Banks, and Judith Holton, and wonderful supporting reeds from the Arkestra. Titles include "Space Is The Place", "Enlightenment", "What Planet Is This", "Immeasurable", "Love In Outer Space", "Watusi", "Images", and some great untitled improvisations. CD

A killer record from bassist Paul Brusger – a set that features plenty of great work from Eric Alexander on tenor and alto – the latter an instrument that he's really begun to embrace in recent years! The rest of the group is wonderful too – Steve Davis on trombone, Rick Germanson on piano, and Willie Jones III on drums – a combo with a hard-swinging energy, and lots of individual identity in the way each member expresses themselves within the group – no egos getting in the way of the groove, even though the musicians themselves are an all-star group! Yet credit should really be given to Brusger for not only pulling the whole thing together, but also composing most of the material for the set – really great tunes that bristle with fresh life and vision, on selections that include "A Slice Of Gryce", "Just A Tadd More Please", "Do Dreams Really Matter", "The Sugar Glider", and "Blues For Another Time". CD

Mindblowing music from The Byrds – and one of the greatest evolutions in pop music from the 60s! The Byrds were always at the forefront of their generation – starting out as a folksy act mixing in early psychedelia, then reaching for deeper roots with a love of country, yet also really keeping their own unique identity – and finding a way for most group members to grow their own interests and help shape the sound of the band! This balance is unique, as is the mighty range of records that encompassed it – their legendary sounds for Columbia Records, which are presented here in a beautiful box of 13 CDs, featuring 11 full albums, all with their original artwork in LP-styled sleeves! Titles include Mr Tambourine Man, Turn Turn Turn, Fifth Dimension, Younger Than Yesterday, Notorious Byrd Brothers, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, Dr Byrds & Mr Hyde, Ballad Of Easy Rider, Untitled Unissued, Byrdmaniax, and Farther Along. CD

Seminal 70s work from one of the most righteous jazz musicians ever! On this set, Alice Coltrane moves past the rawer spiritual sound of her Impulse albums – working with a more focused vision and an approach to jazz that takes her way past the identity of just being "Mrs Coltrane", into territory that's a more perfect expression of her spiritual vision. The approach calls for more ambitious orchestrations, yet never in a way that overwhelms the jazz basis of the music – and Alice herself is on Fender Rhodes, organ, and harp – working with players who include Fred Jackson and Hubert Laws on reeds, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, George Bohannon on trombone, Charlie Haden on bass, Ben Riley on drums, and Armando Peraza on congas. Titles include "Spiritual Eternal", "Om Supreme", "Morning Workshop", "Wisdom Eye", and "Los Caballos". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic second album from Dee-Lite – a set hat has the group maybe not needing to declare their identity as strongly as on the debut – which leaves Towa Tei and the trio to just slide right into the groove with effortless ease! There's few folks who can mix deeper house roots with catchier club like this – and even after the decades, the album holds up wonderfully – playful, but never too silly – and with some funky elements that were years ahead of their time, and which maybe sound better in the hands of Towa than any of the cliched copycats. Includes the titles "Pussycat Meow", one of our personal favorites – plus "Runaway", "Fuddy Duddy Judge", "The Dreams Are Fine", "Electric Shock", "Two Clouds Above Nine", and "Heart Be Still". LP, Vinyl record album

The title here is very apt – as this fantastic quartet seem to set a different kind of fire on every one of the CDs in the set – six different performances, recorded over the space of two months – in Paris, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Poland! The group should be well-known to lovers of improvised music from earlier Okka Disk recordings in the 90s – and the passage of two decades has only made them sharper and more intense – especially when the tenor and pocket trumpet of Joe McPhee joins the lineup of Ken Vandermark on reeds, Kent Kessler on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums. The set of recordings is dedicated to James Baldwin – which you might have guessed from the title – and the whole thing is a fitting tribute to the transformation of ideas about freedom and identity over the passage of time. CD

A bold statement from the Free Music Ensemble – not a large group, but instead a searing power trio that features Ken Vandermark on reeds, Nate McBride on bass, and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums! The group work in a full-on mode that recalls the early power of the FMP scene, or some of the most striking work on ESP from the 60s – but given Vandermark's influence, they've also got a more open sensibility – clear in the shift from passage to passage of the album's numbered tracks, dedicated to influential heroes that include Peter Brotzmann, Paul Lytton, Joe Morris, and Joe McPhee – all contemporary heroes that are given great due here, but in a way that still has the trio retaining a very strong identity of their own. CD

One of the earthiest recordings made by Bill Laswell during his run of classic productions on Axiom Records – a set that's very faithful to the unique sound of the Gnawa musicians of Morocco, and which features no performance at all from Laswell! Sometimes, Bill would like to insert himself in the proceedings, or inflect the music with his own identity – but he stays nicely aside here, and allows the large ensemble to really do their thing – making incredible music through interplay between vocals and percussion, touched with a few local instruments as well – including oud, sintir, and darbouka! Often, the percussion is augmented by handclaps, which really brings a sense of urgency to the record as the songs build up – and titles include "Tramin", "Chabako", "Toura Toura Tour Kelilah", "Hamouda", "Said Fafy Drum Solo", "Jillala", and "Mimoun Mamrba". LP, Vinyl record album

The last 2 albums that the Impressions ever cut for ABC during the 60s, both of them pretty darn nice! The Fabulous Impressions has a vibe that's way more than you'd expect from the group's supper club style on the cover – as the record features a great set of original Curtis Mayfield compositions, sung by the group in great form, with arrangements by the total genius Johnny Pate! The record is filled with haunting soul tracks like "Isle Of Sirens", "Aware Of Love", "It's All Over", "Love's A Comin", "You Ought To Be In Heaven", and "She Don't Love Me" – all written by Curtis, and all proof that he's always been one of the best soul songwriters! A nice little gem that often gets lost in the band's catalog – but one to seek out, even if you're a bit nervous about a record with "fabulous" in the title! We're A Winner is a whole new level of pride and power for The Impressions – as you might guess from the bold statement of the title track! It may seem hard to believe from the perspective of the 21st Century, but back in the mid 60s, a message like "We're A Winner" was quite a strong one – a new anthem of righteous identity that was one of the first truly political statements from a young Curtis Mayfield, and a great precursor of the genius to come in the 70s! But even at this early state, there's still plenty of genius going on – not just in Mayfield's sublime songwriting, but also in the harmonies of the group, and the beautiful treatment they get in the studio from arranger Johnny Pate. The album's one of their key classics from the ABC years – and titles include "We're A Winner", "Moonlight Shadows", "Nothing Can Stop Me", "I'm Gettin Ready", "Let Me Tell The World", and "Little Brown Boy". CD

Jewish entertainer/musician Mickey Katz has been getting a lot of attention recently – whether it be from modern projects to revive his music, like Don Byron's from a few years ago, or from press in places like The Village Voice, dealing with the resurgence in Jewish cultural identity. Different from the recent Klezmer projects, though, these recordings are graced with the borscht-belt sense of humor and whimsy that was Katz's stock in trade – and have a lightness and sprightliness that makes them sparkle even today. CD

A beautiful Japanese publication, one that looks at the long legacy of bars and coffee shops that focus on presenting quality jazz vinyl with high end sound systems – really amazing spots that are presented here in a special edition with full text in English! As with other issues of the magazine, this one looks at some key spots in Tokyo and beyond – focusing on the history and identity of each, and really getting at the way the owners use their passion for jazz to create a unique space to listen, relax, chat, and enjoy the evening. We're huge fans of these record bars – and after flipping through this issue, you may well be calling your travel agent to go over and make the visit yourself! Book

Violinist Pupi Legarreta was one of the key players of the earlier charanga scene – and here, he gets a great update on his older sound in a sweet 70s session put together by Johnny Pacheco! The style of the grooves hasn't changed much from the early 60s, but the music also shows the growing sophistication that had come into Latin rhythms over the years – and the whole thing brims over with this great sense of pride, and a strong merging of tradition and new identity. Pacheco sings and plays guiro – and the group also features great work on flute from Gonzalo Fernandez – on titles that include "Pacheo Y Masucci", "Bommaye", "Guapacha Bururu", "Barco Perdido", "Yo Soy El Guguanco", and "Cuca La Loca". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully sensitive work from pianist Mulgrew Miller – an album that's hardly "work" at all, and which seems to have the magical music flowing from his hands with ease! There's a really organic feel to the set – that never-forced approach to piano that made Miller a real standout when he first emerged in the 80s – a new chapter of jazz piano expression, rich with soul from past legacies, but also stating its own identity with a quiet sort of power. One track is a solo number, but the rest feature support from Charnett Moffett on bass and Terri Lyne Carrington on drums – and titles include "Work", "The Sage", "Blues Again", "Sublimity", and "Powell's Prances". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of key albums from Mott The Hoople – presented here in a high-audio package! First up is Hoople – Mott The Hoople in all of their 70s glory – Ian Hunter with superb songwriting skills, and vocals delivered in a way that have a lot more bite than his later solo work – all wrapped up in this fuzzy, compressed, glam-styled production that's totally great! Sure, David Bowie had the Spiders From Mars – but Mott The Hoople were the real deal, and were totally committed to this mode to the hilt – as you'll hear on titles that include "Pearl N Roy", "Born Late 58", "Marionette", "Through The Looking Glass", "Roll Away The Stone", "Crash Street Kidds", and "Trudi's Song". Next is All The Young Dudes – maybe the most classic of all the Mott The Hoople albums of the early 70s – thanks in part to the classic title track, which was given to the group by David Bowie – who also supported the group with some fantastic production on this record too! Yet that hit is only one of many gems within – all delivered in a style that shows that Ian Hunter and the group were maybe in the territory of Mick Ronson and Bowie before they find their way with Ziggy – delivered here perfectly on tunes that have all the best elements of glam, but maybe more hard rock permanence and lyrical sensitivity too! In addition to "All The Young Dudes", the set also features a great remake of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" – and the cuts "Soft Ground", "Sea Diver", "Sucker", "Jerkin Crocus", and "Momma's Little Jewel". Last up is Mott – a fantastic classic – the kind of record that will remind you that Mott The Hoople were way more than a glam band with a big radio hit – as there's a depth, complexity, and completely satisfying quality to the record that holds on all the way through! Sure, the group's got fantastic guitar – courtesy of Mick Ralphs, who was setting a tone that so many others would copy in years to come – but there's way more going on here, and the group are really getting a sense of their power and identity – even if they were never hitting the full chart status they deserved. The whole thing's great – lots of perfect moments from Ian Hunter – and titles include "Hymn For The Dudes", "Whizz Kid", "All The Way From Memphis", "I Wish I Was Your Mother", "Ballad Of Mott The Hoople", and "Honaloochie Boogie". CD

A real moment of righteous power from Lee Scratch Perry – as you might expect from the image on the cover – clearly indicating a strong sense of pride and identity that also tracks with the 70s shift in Jamaican music too! Lee's the producer here, but also extends full creative control throughout – which makes the album's mix of vocal and instrumental tracks feel much more like some of the unified albums from the Black Ark era, than previous Trojan packages which usually just culled together previous singles. The album's got lots of instrumentals billed to The Upsetters – including "Move Me", "Surplus"," Go Slow", "Not Guilty", "Long Sentence", and "Bad Luck" – and other titles include "Do Your Thing" by Dave Barker, "Well Dread (version 3)" by Addis Ababa Children, "Isn't It Wrong" by The Hurricanes, and "Place Called Africa (version 3)" by Winston Prince. CD

A surprisingly compelling album from Michelle Phillips – recorded years after the breakup of The Mamas & The Papas – with a smooth late 70s LA sound that works perfectly for her more mature sexy approach! Jack Nitzsche handled the production and arrangements on most of it, and the album's got more of an edge than you might think from first look or listen – slightly self-reflexive, and less a comeback attempt than an expression of identity finally put on record. Wonderful! Titles include "Aching Kind", "Trashy Rumors", "Let The Music Begin", "Victim Of Romance", "Where's Mine", "Just One Look", "Paid The Price", "Lady Of Fantasy" (the lone track here produced & arranged by John Phillips) and more LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely electrified set from trumpeter Wallace Roney – working here in a style that has plenty of moody backdrops on Fender Rhodes, plus some really snapping percussion from drummer Eric Allen! There's a sound here that's clearly inspired by 70s Miles, but which also moves through a range of more recent expression, and which often reminds us of work from French trumpeter Erik Truffaz on his first few Blue Note albums. Some of the tracks are more acoustic and straightforward, in the manner of Roney's earlier albums – and players include Adam Holzman on Fender Rhodes, Geri Allen on acoustic keys, Antoine Roney on tenor and soprano saxes, and Matt Garrison on bass. Guest performers include Don Byron on bass clarinet, Clifton Anderson on trombone, and DJ Logic on turntables – and titles include "Cyberspace", "Shadow Dance", "Prototype", "Then & Now", "Secret Identity", and "Three Views Of The Blues". CD

A record of really powerful sounds from trumpeter Choi Sun Bae and tenorist Mototeru Takagi – both players who wrap around each other wonderfully at times, while still keeping their own strong sense of identity – given help at all the right moments from percussionist Kim Dae Hwan, a player who definitely knows that less is more in a setting like this! The raspy tone of Takagi is worth the price of admission alone – a soulful quality that's not too far from that of Akira Sakata at his best moments – and especially showcased in the open setting of these long, improvised tracks – titles that include "Ethyopia", "Step By Step", "Natural Sound", "Remember", and "Life Cycle". CD

One of the most ambitious projects we've ever seen from Numero – and that's saying a lot, given some of their other releases! This package is equal parts cultural document and musical treasure trove – a heavy book full of photos from a time when Upper Volta was stepping past its colonial history, and finding a new cultural identity as an independent nation – presented alongside a rich array of the sounds that were shaping the scene at the time! The cover image has a feel that's maybe older than its 70s vintage – and some of the music does, too – relatively rootsy at points, with heavy percussion, riffing guitar, and jazzy inflections on some of the horns – and a bit less polished and produced than work coming from scenes like Nigeria or South Africa at the same time. The whole thing's similar to Numero's Light On The Southside set – but maybe even better, as the music here is even more unique – and the images are ones that bring forth a culture we never would have experienced otherwise. Titles include "Air Volta" and "Mama Soukous" by Volta Jazz, "He Ya Wannan" by Ouedraogo Youssef, "Si Tu Maime" and "Ram Passomaye" by Coulibaly Tidiani & Dafr Star, "Milaoba" by Les Imbattables Leopards, and "Gentlemen Doromina" by Echo Del Africa. 3LPs, 26 tracks, and a hardcover 144 page book! LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really has Busta Rhymes coming into his own – taking all those charms that had been bubbling in the underground through years of guest appearances, and finding a way to really shine in the light of the mainstream! The album's not Busta's first solo effort, but has a sense of identity and confidence that really steps forward – with all those brash, in-your-face sort of rhymes you'd expect from the man himself – set to production by DJ Scratch, The Ummah, and Rockwilder – all at a level that's held up very well over the years! The set features guest work from Flipmode Squad, Rampage, Mase, Anthony Hamilton, and Erykah Badu – Tracks include the singles "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See", "Dangerous", and "Turn It Up" – plus the cuts "The Whole World Lookin' At Me", "One", "We Could Take It Outside", "The Body Rock", "Things We Be Doin' For Money", "When Disaster Strikes", "Get Off My Block", and "There's Not A Problem My Squad Can't Fix". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal 70s work from one of the most righteous jazz musicians ever! On this set, Alice Coltrane moves past the rawer spiritual sound of her Impulse albums – working with a more focused vision and an approach to jazz that takes her way past the identity of just being "Mrs Coltrane", into territory that's a more perfect expression of her spiritual vision. The approach calls for more ambitious orchestrations, yet never in a way that overwhelms the jazz basis of the music – and Alice herself is on Fender Rhodes, organ, and harp – working with players who include Fred Jackson and Hubert Laws on reeds, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, George Bohannon on trombone, Charlie Haden on bass, Ben Riley on drums, and Armando Peraza on congas. Titles include "Spiritual Eternal", "Om Supreme", "Morning Workshop", "Wisdom Eye", and "Los Caballos". CD

Most folks know The Foundations for one big crossover hit that still gets a lot of oldies radio play – but the group have a heck of a lot more to offer than that, as you'll hear in this wonderful collection that not only features all their 7" single releases from the UK, but also includes later solo material from the group's lead singer, Clem Curtis! The group were initially a bunch of British lads inspired by the sound of Motown, and they hooked up with Curtis, a singer from Trinidad – who really gave them the sound they wanted in the lead, and helped further the important identity of the group as a mixed-race act. Their sound is wonderfully tight – kind of a small group take on the larger studio majesty of Detroit soul – but with some nice British touches too, and a great sense of songwriting that gave the group plenty of original material along the way – a good deal of which you'll hear on this set. The 2CD package features 39 single tracks by The Foundations – including "Back On My Feet Again", "Come On Back To Me", "I Can Take Or Leave Your Loving", "Am I Grooving You", "New Direction", "Jerking The Dog", "Baby Now That I've Found You", "In The Bad Bad Old Days", "Born To Live Born To Die", "Solomon Grundy", "Till Night Brought Day", "Waiting On The Shores Of Nowhere", and "Build Me Up Buttercup". Also includes mid 70s solo work by Clem Curtis – five more tracks that include "Point Of No Return", "Time Alone Will Tell", "Mountain Over The Hill", and "I've Never Found A Girl". CD

Two beautifully righteous albums from an obscure Bay Area group – presented here together in a single set! The first record is their debut album Truly Free – a set that has spiritual voices served up in a more secular style – still very message-oriented, and righteous enough to live up to their Sunni Muslim identity, but with a warmth that's also very soulful too – although presented without much instrumentation on some of the tracks, which only seems to enhance the warmth of their music. There's definitely currents here that resonate strongly with more progressive underground soul work of the period – and titles include "Deadly Deceiver", "Wake Up", "Rise Of A Mighty People", "Faith & Deeds", and "We Are Rising". Next is the unreleased album Time – a set from a few years later, and one that still has great vocals from the group, but backed with sounds that are a bit more borrowed from mainstream soul – still nicely far from commercial music, and imbued with a very righteous message – but carried forward with a bit more bassline and groove. Titles include "Choices", "I Don't Want To Die", "Remote Control", "At The Top", "Time", and "Possibilities". LP, Vinyl record album

Very jazzy work from vocalist Beverly Kenny – sung with small combo backings throughout, and a style that's always fresh and lean! Some of the titles here are from earlier years, as implied by the title – but the sound of the record is in the best late 50s vocal jazz mode, thanks especially to the lineup of players on the set. Some musicians are stated outright – including Jerome Richardson on reeds, Chuck Wayne on guitar, Johnny Rae on vibes, and Eddie Bert on trombone – while other players are listed simply as "a flautist" or "a trumpeter", most likely due to contractual reasons! But even with this obscured identity in the notes, the players are all plenty darn great – and really help shape the sound of the record throughout. Titles include "Undecided", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "More Than You Know", "The Dipsy Doodle", "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", "A Sunday Kind Of Love",a nd "Tampico". CD

A beautiful example of why the west coast scene was great when it was working at its finest – that perfect blend of group formation and individual identity that could make a record like this so great! Tenor player Jack Montrose cut a rare few albums in the 50s, but this one's a gem – done with help from frequent partner Bob Gordon on baritone sax, and with other players that include Conte Candoli on trumpet, Paul Moer on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – a well-matched group that definitely knows how to follow the course, and break off in individual directions when needed. The style is tightly arranged, but not too tightly that the band doesn't have room to swing – and the mix of Montrose's tenor and Gordon's baritone is sublime together! Titles include "Listen Hear", "Some Good Fun Blues", "Fools Rush In", "Speakeasy", "Pretty", "Credo", and "That Old Feeling". CD

A western soundtrack, but an unusual one – filled with highly percussive numbers that echo the "Navajo Joe" theme – and which step out with a proud, dramatic feel that's also got some darker echoes! There's a really weird quality to some of the best numbers – which use voices in a way that's probably supposed to echo with Native American identity, but which has more of an Omen feel overall – and some of the more orchestral passages also have really great dark-tuned string parts, almost in an atonal Italian 70s mode. But this is no surprise when you realize that Leo Nichols is actually Ennio Morricone working under another name – and had penned this score during his formative 60s yers! Titles include "Peyote Saloon", "To Esperanza", "But Joe Say No", "Raw Hides & Dead Hides", "Healing The Wound", and "Goodbye To Brother Jeffery". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that originally started out as the Duck Stab EP, but was expanded with the addition of Buster & Glen songs – hence the unusual title! The material here is spooky early Residents at their best – almost without comparison to any of their contemporaries, which is saying a lot in this period before so many others were even beginning to approach their weirdness! Instrumentation is often spare, stark, and electronic – almost a precursor to the use of analogue elements that would soon make the German new wave so great, but handled here in murkier modes often combined with distorted vocals and other processing – mostly quite tuneful, but from behind a dark curtain – similar to the way the group always hid their own identity. Titles include "Krafty Cheese", "The Booker Tease", "Constantinople", "Sinister Exaggerator", "Elvis & His Boss", "The Electrocutioner", "Hello Skinny", and "Lizard Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album from Hammond giant Lonnie Smith – a bold statement that really gives the organist his own identity after some killer work in the combos of Lou Donaldson and George Benson! Lonnie's one of the key flag-fliers of the new style of funky organ jazz – a mode different from the earlier styles of Jimmy Smith or Jimmy McGriff – leaner, cleaner, and often tied heavily to the drums – which, in this case, are handled by Marion Booker Jr, but in a way that recalls some of the Idris Muhammad greatness on other Blue Note albums of the time. The mighty Pucho (of Latin Soul Brothers fame) plays added timbales, and there's also two more conga players – ensuring a tight, yet complex sort of groove – and the frontline features Lee Morgan on trumpet, David Newman on tenor and flute, and Melvin Sparks on guitar. Tracks are long, with complicated rhythms – and soulful yet sophisticated solos to match – and titles include the seminal "Son Of Ice Bag", a great cover of "Think", and the tracks "Slouchin", "Call Of The Wild", and "Three Blind Mice". CD

A seminal album from Hammond giant Lonnie Smith – a bold statement that really gives the organist his own identity after some killer work in the combos of Lou Donaldson and George Benson! Lonnie's one of the key flag-fliers of the new style of funky organ jazz – a mode different from the earlier styles of Jimmy Smith or Jimmy McGriff – leaner, cleaner, and often tied heavily to the drums – which, in this case, are handled by Marion Booker Jr, but in a way that recalls some of the Idris Muhammad greatness on other Blue Note albums of the time. The mighty Pucho (of Latin Soul Brothers fame) plays added timbales, and there's also two more conga players – ensuring a tight, yet complex sort of groove – and the frontline features Lee Morgan on trumpet, David Newman on tenor and flute, and Melvin Sparks on guitar. Tracks are long, with complicated rhythms – and soulful yet sophisticated solos to match – and titles include the seminal "Son Of Ice Bag", a great cover of "Think", and the tracks "Slouchin", "Call Of The Wild", and "Three Blind Mice". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album from Hammond giant Lonnie Smith – a bold statement that really gives the organist his own identity after some killer work in the combos of Lou Donaldson and George Benson! Lonnie's one of the key flag-fliers of the new style of funky organ jazz – a mode different from the earlier styles of Jimmy Smith or Jimmy McGriff – leaner, cleaner, and often tied heavily to the drums – which, in this case, are handled by Marion Booker Jr, but in a way that recalls some of the Idris Muhammad greatness on other Blue Note albums of the time. The mighty Pucho (of Latin Soul Brothers fame) plays added timbales, and there's also two more conga players – ensuring a tight, yet complex sort of groove – and the frontline features Lee Morgan on trumpet, David Newman on tenor and flute, and Melvin Sparks on guitar. Tracks are long, with complicated rhythms – and soulful yet sophisticated solos to match – and titles include the seminal "Son Of Ice Bag", a great cover of "Think", and the tracks "Slouchin", "Call Of The Wild", and "Three Blind Mice". LP, Vinyl record album