Here's a group that never lets us down – and one who just seem to get better and better as they move into the farther reaches of their unique approach to jazz! The reeds of Idris Rahman soar out over the top of the sound, and have this edge that almost makes us feel as if they've been electrified for the record – although, as usual for the group, the artful packaging makes it a bit hard to delve into detail – but that's also part of the great aesthetics of the Ill Considered sound! The bass of Leon Brichard is fantastic – this pulse that really holds the whole thing together – while Emre Ramazanoglu goes nuts on the drums, and Satin Singh adds in plenty of percussion – all with this sound that's freewheeling, but always rhythmic at the core. Titles include "Losing Track Of Objectives", "Liquid Science", "Take Your Love Back Home", "Sunday Morning", and "Covertly". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic meeting of the minds – a set that brings together two Japanese jazz legends, and two members of the wonderful Ill Considered combo – working together on the London territory of the latter! The set begins with duets between pianist Masahiko Sato and Takeo Moriyama – both players you'll know from a range of famous Japanese jazz recordings from the 70s and 80s – then the pair are joined by bassist Leon Brichard and saxophonist Idris Rahman – both of whom really lift up the sound and unlock these really spiritual currents in the music! The Japanese duo are in territory that's maybe a bit more free improv at the start, but as the set moves on, there's these deep currents of feeling and a really special sort of soul that makes for a stunning musical collaboration. Titles include "Watarse", "Ringo Oiwake", "Evening Snow", "East Plants", "Chiasma", and "Other Worlds". CD

A really fantastic meeting of the minds – a set that brings together two Japanese jazz legends, and two members of the wonderful Ill Considered combo – working together on the London territory of the latter! The set begins with duets between pianist Masahiko Sato and Takeo Moriyama – both players you'll know from a range of famous Japanese jazz recordings from the 70s and 80s – then the pair are joined by bassist Leon Brichard and saxophonist Idris Rahman – both of whom really lift up the sound and unlock these really spiritual currents in the music! The Japanese duo are in territory that's maybe a bit more free improv at the start, but as the set moves on, there's these deep currents of feeling and a really special sort of soul that makes for a stunning musical collaboration. Titles include "Watarse", "Ringo Oiwake", "Evening Snow", "East Plants", "Chiasma", and "Other Worlds". LP, Vinyl record album

British alto player Ronan Perrett works here with great help from bassist Ferg Ireland – in a bold trio setting that's very much in the same spirit as Ferg's recordings in the same format! The group also has Ferg's drummer, James Maddren, and there's a nicely choppy sense of rhythm to the tunes – which are then given these more complex, swirling lines over the top from Perrett's alto – blowing with a nice shift in sonic quality from track to track, at a level that really brings some depth to the record! The whole thing's a nice chapter in the contemporary London scene – with the sort of lean energy we love in a group like Ill Considered – on titles that include "Who Owns The Sky", "All The Time Engaged In Fantasy", "Phantoms", "Snapperjacks", "The Rest Is Silence", and "Ten Futures". CD

A fantastic session by this groundbreaking modernist – essentially a piano trio album, but recorded with two bass players – Richard Davis and Eddie Kahn – one of whom plays rhythm, the other who solos along with Hill – which makes for a really amazing sound – especially when you realize that the great Roy Haynes is on drums! The result is one of Hill's darkest piano outings, brought even deeper by the bass accompaniment, and the lack of any other horns to support the set – the kind of standout session that somehow made every one of his Blue Note albums so distinct from each other – even though they are so fantastic when considered as a whole – a key moment in jazz during the 60s. The album includes Hill's brilliant "Ode to Von", dedicated to Von Freeman, one of his early teachers – plus the tracks "Verne", "Not So", "Wailing Wall", and "The Day After". CD

A fantastic session by this groundbreaking modernist – essentially a piano trio album, but recorded with two bass players – Richard Davis and Eddie Kahn – one of whom plays rhythm, the other who solos along with Hill – which makes for a really amazing sound – especially when you realize that the great Roy Haynes is on drums! The result is one of Hill's darkest piano outings, brought even deeper by the bass accompaniment, and the lack of any other horns to support the set – the kind of standout session that somehow made every one of his Blue Note albums so distinct from each other – even though they are so fantastic when considered as a whole – a key moment in jazz during the 60s. The album includes Hill's brilliant "Ode to Von", dedicated to Von Freeman, one of his early teachers – plus the tracks "Verne", "Not So", "Wailing Wall", and "The Day After". CD

A fantastic session by this groundbreaking modernist – essentially a piano trio album, but recorded with two bass players – Richard Davis and Eddie Kahn – one of whom plays rhythm, the other who solos along with Hill – which makes for a really amazing sound – especially when you realize that the great Roy Haynes is on drums! The result is one of Hill's darkest piano outings, brought even deeper by the bass accompaniment, and the lack of any other horns to support the set – the kind of standout session that somehow made every one of his Blue Note albums so distinct from each other – even though they are so fantastic when considered as a whole – a key moment in jazz during the 60s. The album includes Hill's brilliant "Ode to Von", dedicated to Von Freeman, one of his early teachers – plus the tracks "Verne", "Not So", "Wailing Wall", and "The Day After". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic session by this groundbreaking modernist – essentially a piano trio album, but recorded with two bass players – Richard Davis and Eddie Kahn – one of whom plays rhythm, the other who solos along with Hill – which makes for a really amazing sound – especially when you realize that the great Roy Haynes is on drums! The result is one of Hill's darkest piano outings, brought even deeper by the bass accompaniment, and the lack of any other horns to support the set – the kind of standout session that somehow made every one of his Blue Note albums so distinct from each other – even though they are so fantastic when considered as a whole – a key moment in jazz during the 60s. The album includes Hill's brilliant "Ode to Von", dedicated to Von Freeman, one of his early teachers – plus the tracks "Verne", "Not So", "Wailing Wall", and "The Day After". CD features 4 bonus alternate takes too! CD

Instrumentals version of one of the most influential albums of recent hip hop history! Fantastic wasn't considered a masterpiece upon its long-delayed original release, but, we all now know there is no denying the genius of Jay Dee's production. Lots of straight soul, deep funk, and mellowed out jazzy touches that became a staple in underground soul and hip hop, influencing everyone from ?uestlove and the Roots to D'Angelo, Jill Scott, Macy Gray, and tons of other artists. Tracks include "Conant Gardens", "I Don't Know", "Jealously", "Fall In Love", "Get Dis Money", "Once Upon A Time", "Go Ladies" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic session by this groundbreaking modernist – essentially a piano trio album, but recorded with two bass players – Richard Davis and Eddie Kahn – one of whom plays rhythm, the other who solos along with Hill – which makes for a really amazing sound – especially when you realize that the great Roy Haynes is on drums! The result is one of Hill's darkest piano outings, brought even deeper by the bass accompaniment, and the lack of any other horns to support the set – the kind of standout session that somehow made every one of his Blue Note albums so distinct from each other – even though they are so fantastic when considered as a whole – a key moment in jazz during the 60s. The album includes Hill's brilliant "Ode to Von", dedicated to Von Freeman, one of his early teachers – plus the tracks "Verne", "Not So", "Wailing Wall", and "The Day After". CD

Well, we don't know if Mr B could ever be considered "modern", but this is a pretty groovy batch of 60s pop tunes – like "Mister Kicks", "People", "Wanted", "Wives & Lovers", and "A Beautiful Friendship" – all done to arrangements by Billy Byers, Benny Carter, and Bobby Tucker, with that great mid 60s Mercury pop feel to them. There's some nice jazz elements in the mix, and Billy's always a treat for us! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most novel, and dare we say coolest alternative soundtrack compilations of the late 80s! Stay Awake features a wildly diverse roster of artists covering, reinterpreting and paying tribute to songs from older Disney films – including Tom Waits, Sun Ra & His Arkestra, Natalie Merchant & Michael Stipe, Aaron Neville, Bill Frisell, NRBQ, Betty Carter, Garth Hudson of The Band, The Replacements & many more – and goes a lot farther than just inviting disparate musical figures to do versions of classic songs. The material is arranged into suites and medleys that have a strangely effective flow regardless of how jaw-droppingly diverse the voices and players might be from one movement to the next. This one should be considered a late feather in the cap for creativity at A&M Records! Includes "Pink Elephants On Parade" by Sun Ra, When You Wish Upon A Star" by Ringo Starr & Herb Alpert (co-produced by Van Dyke Parks), "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" by Harry Nilsson, "Hey Ho (The Dwarfs Marching Song)" by Tom Waits, "I Wan'Na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" by Los Lobos, "Stay Awake" by Suzanne Vega, "Cruella De Ville" by The Replacements and lots more. CD

One of a number of unofficial live recordings of Miles, the kind that seem to crop up every once in a while, but that you never find on vinyl anymore. This set features the great 60s quintet with Miles joined by Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, and like the more famous live sides from the period like the Plugged Nickel set the group is playing with a fiery intensity here that shows why they are considered one of the greatest small jazz ensembles of the period. Beautiful modal excursions on "Stella By Starlight", "Walkin", "Autumn Leaves" and "So What". CD

Music from Knut Hamre & Steve Tibbetts, Lounge Lizards, Butch Thompson, Palm Fabric Orchestra, Adrian Legg, Kepa Junkera, Gillham Park Orchtet, Duke Levine, Guy Van Duser & Billy Novick, Lanterna, and more. CD

A beautiful collection of all the great and rare material Eddie Holland cut as solo singer in the late 50s and early 60s – including the incredible early Motown material, plus tracks he cut for Mercury, Kudo, Tamla and United Artists! Of course Eddie Holland is best remembered for uber-legendary work as producer, composer and arranger with the Holland-Dozier-Holland super soul unit – for damn good reason, but it's his early work as singer is way too strong to be considered a mere footnote to his greater legacy. Many of the cuts were written and produced by Berry Gordy, along with numbers written and produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, some recorded more famously by later acts, so what you truly have here is the foundation for great things to come – it's beautiful stuff that shines brightly in its own light. Eddie's a solid singer and the songs are terrific, formative stuff that's a pivotal bridge from earlier R&B to massive soul. 56 tracks on 2CDs: "Little Miss Ruby", "Will You Love Me", "Just A Few More Days", "It's Not Too Late", "Just Ain't Enough Love", "Brenda", "Baby Shake", "Magic Mirror", "If Cleopatra Took A Chance", "Action Speaks Louder than Words", "Bashful Kind", "Too Late To Cry", "Happy Go Lucky", "Pretty Little Angel Face", "Day Dreamer", "Rain And Thunder", "I Like Everything About You", "Happy Days" and many more. This set goes deeper than any compilation we've seen of Eddie's recordings, too, with a number of previously unissued Mercury recordings. CD

We've always considered Steely Dan one of the quintessential 70s "Album Oriented Rock" bands, in that all of there albums work so well as a whole, so the idea of a greatest hits collection doesn't exactly work for us. Still, taken out of context, these songs are still gems, and listening to them in sequence really lets you hear the groups progression from their intellectual rock roots to their later sophisticated jazz influenced style. 18 tracks in all: "Do It Again", "Reeling InThe Years", "My Old School", "Bodhisattva", "Show Biz Kids", "East St Louis Toodle Oo", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Pretzel Logic", "Any Major Dude", "Here At The Western World", "Black Friday", "Bad Sneakers", "Doctor Wu", "Haitian Divorce", "Kid Charlemagne", "The Fez", "Peg" and "Josie". LP, Vinyl record album

The first and best album by the Vibrators, a band that maybe can't really be considered as first wave punk in the purest sense – but who still made a helluva punky racket all the same! The professional studio sheen and lack of angry politics of the record sets Mania apart from some of the more influential albums that came in the months before and after – but the energy on the record is maybe right up there with the best by the Damned, and the group's approach helped set the wheels in motion for the far less hostile new wave scene that was on the way – which then, in turn, helped transform the larger world of rock in the process. Was there ever a better year for stripped down, punchy rock than 1977? Tracks include "Into The Future", "Yeah Yeah Yeah", "Sweet Sweet Heart", "Keep It Clean", "Baby Baby", "Petrol", "London Girls", "Wrecked On You", and more. CD

Perhaps not considered as classic as some of his earlier sides, this album recorded for Perception in the early 70s proves that Johnny was capable of stretching his bag, and not just a play-it-safe interpreter of syrupy ballads. Like a lot of the jazz recordings on Perception at the time (by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Shirley Horn), this set's got an edge you wouldn't expect – with some very hip arrangements overall that really sound great – performed by a quartet that includes George Coleman on tenor and Herman Foster on piano. The set features interpretations of material that range from brilliant, to daring but off-track – and titles include "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "Help Me Make It Through The Night", "Didn't We", "Summer Wind", and "Betcha By Golly Wow". LP, Vinyl record album

EPMD's incredible full length debut – straight up classic hip hop that gave the genre a whole new twist. Bottom heavy funked up Long Island hip hop with what was considered slow flow rhymes at the time, and Erick and Parrish's take on funky samples that managed to bring together hard to get breaks and commercial cuts in an age when you could have both street appeal and indie cred. With the classic cuts "It's My Thing", "You Gots To Chill", "Strictly Business", "You're A Customer", "Get Off The Bandwagon" and "I'm Housin'", plus "So Let The Funk Flow", "The Steve Martin", "DJ K La Boss" and "Jane". 5 bonus tracks on the 25th Anniversary Edition: "I'm Housin' (UK Mix)", "You Gots To Chill (Dub Version)", "You're A Customer (Dub Version)" and more. CD

Pivotal early dub! Depending upon whose history of the Jamaican recording industry you subscribe to, this is can be considered by many to be the first dub LP – and whether that's proveable or not, it's certain among the first! History aside, it's a mighty set with some raw early dub style workouts at the hands of Errol Thompson at the renowned 16 North Parade recording studio run by Randy's, with some deft production by Clive Chin. Needing virtually no introduction, the Impact All Stars drop some incredible rhythms, many which will be immediately recognizable as having been versioned from massive numbers for Augustus Pablo, Junior Byles and the Soul Vendors. Titles include "Java Dub", "Cheating Dub", "ET Special", "Ordinary Version Dub", "Hide Away Dub" and "Black Man's Dub". CD

One of the smartest moves Phil Woods ever made was to move to Paris in 1968 and pick up a European rhythm section that featured George Gruntz, Henri Texier, and Daniel Humair. At the time, the idea of a European rhythm section might have been considered suicide by some folks – but for Woods, it was a liberating move that allowed him to expand his sound tremendously. With the help of these three players – all loose modernists who still knew how to swing – Woods was able to craft some incredible tunes, long flowing numbers that featured his amazing tone stretching out in kind of a post-Coltrane sort of mode. This live set is one of the group's best recordings, and features extended versions of tracks that include "Capricci Cavaleschi", "I Remember Bird", "Ad Infinitum", and "Riot". LP, Vinyl record album

We weren't certain whether this dope little compilation qualified as a soundtrack or not, but we are certain it might as well be considered THE soundtrack to the first half of the oughties, with the cream of the Stones Throw stable lacing this collabo with the Adult Swim network with pure niceness start to finish. As you would expect, all flavors of the blunted beat scene make an appearance on this sweet little collection, guaranteed to get you open whether you're looking for deep, dirty funk, heavy leftfield hip hop, neo-grassic soul or contemporary sampler wizardry. Plus there's an entire live hip hop show on the bonus DVD, headlined by MF Doom and Madlib. 19 numbers in all on the CD, including "Take It Back" by Madlib, "None In Mind" by Koushik, "Nothing Like This" by J Dilla, "All I Know" by MED, "Wassup World?" by Dudley Perkins, "Raw Heat" by Percee P & Quasimoto, "No $ No Toke" by Jaylib, "Movin'" by Roc-D, "Dream(s)" by Gary Wilson, "Third Rock" by Pure Essence, "What Now" by Aloe Blacc, "Turned Around (PBW rmx)" by Baron Zen and "Nino's Deed" by the Young Jazz Rebels. CD

An interesting look at MTV and its Canadian counterpart, MuchMusic – both of whom are considered back in the glory days, when they still focused on music! Author Kip Pegley traces similarities and differences in both programming and the way the networks interact with a larger cultural milieu – using a mix of history, analysis, and statistical data through examinations of larger cultural impact, including on issues of race and gender. The book is tighter than most academic books of this nature – and moves quickly through a great range of material, offering up more detail in the very large section of notes and appendix materials at the back. Softcover edition is 159 pages, with some black and white images. Book