A reissue of the rare Duke Pearson album Hush – originally issued on the tiny Jazztime label, very briefly during the early 60s! The rare early session by Pearson is one of the few he cut away from Blue Note – and it's musical delight throughout – with twin trumpet work from Donald Byrd and Johnny Coles, piano by Duke, bass by Bob Cranshaw, and drums by the great Walter Perkins – all coming together in a crack style that rivals the best of Blue Note from the time! The two-trumpet frontline is really something to hear, and the interplay between Coles' warm sound and Byrd's hard one opens up the two different sides of Pearson's playing. Titles include "Hush", "Sudel", "Friday's Child", "Smoothie", and "Groovin' For Nat" – and CD features 3 bonus alternate takes. CD

A really fantastic record, and one with a very unusual pedigree – as it was originally produced by Rita Marley, who issued the whole thing on her own label – even though the set is way more 70s soul than reggae in style! The group are tremendous, and have this way of mixing fantastic vocal interplay with these jazzy changes in the instrumentation – clearly inspired by the best Earth Wind & Fire work of the mid 70s, but taken into leaner territory too – yet all without losing any of the warmth you'd get from a larger group too! The set is right up there with the best modern soul of the time – and is ripe for rediscovery, with titles that include "Missing You", "Don't Play With Sparks", "Let's Hold On", "They'll Never Let My Heart Stop", "All Out Of Breath", "Hands Off", "I Want You Here With Me", and "A Song For The Children". CD

A long-overdue look at the amazing Clark Sisters – a fantastic gospel group, and one with a vocal depth that we'd put right up there next to any of our favorite soul acts of the time! The Clarks are maybe best known for their landmark track "You Brought The Sunshine" – a completely righteous blend of gospel, soul, and disco that crossed over very big back in the day – but the group have an endless amount of great music to offer, a great deal of which is brought together in this wonderful set! The sisters always kept a strong ear towards the secular soul styles of their day – but they also always pushed things with the sort of amazing vocal interplay that used to only be the territory of male gospel groups in earlier decades – fantastic harmonies, soaring leads, and really great group formation. And if you're not a completely huge fan of gospel, don't worry – because the message here is often a more general one of positivity, which really lifts up the spirit of the tunes in a universal way. Titles include "You Brought The Sunshine (single edit)", "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright", "He Keeps Me Company", "Patience", "I'm Going To Have Just What I Want", "Power", "Overdose Of The Holy Ghost", "My Mind Is Made Up", "Nothing To Lose All To Gain", "No Other Name", "Keep On Looking Up", and "I Found What I'm Looking For". CD

A classic full length set from The Coasters – and as much of a full album that brings together their best for Atlantic, as it is a collection of earlier material from singles! There's a really unified approach here – thanks to the group's really dynamic, surprisingly soulful vocal interplay – and to the top-shelf production and presentation of the material throughout. And sure, they were hitmakers – but we love these guys, and find them to be one of the most radical vocal groups of all time! Under the impeccable guidance of Lieber & Stoller, the group recorded some of the fiercest vocal numbers of the 50s – mixing incredibly soulful vocals with an almost cartoonish ability to conjure up little pictures with words. A dozen great numbers in all – "Poison Ivy", "Along Came Jones", "Down In Mexico", "The Shadow Knows", "I'm A Hog For You", "Charlie Brown", "Yakety Yak", "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart", "That Is Rock & Roll", "Young Blood", "Sweet Georgia Brown", and "Searchin'". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest moments we've ever heard from early rocker Eddie Cochran – but one of the coolest too! The record has less of the raw rock material that you might know from Eddie's greater fame – and it mixes his core rockabilly modes with some fuller pop backings from Johnny Mann, who even brings in his chorus for backup vocals on a number of tracks – creating this unusual interplay with Cochran's vocals that you don't hear on some of his other records! Yet there's also still all the elements we love from Eddie's music, too – that undeniable sneer and undercurrent of sinister energy, which makes for a really great contrast with the production, almost ironic at times. Titles include "One Kiss", "Cradle Baby", "Undying Love", "Mean When I'm Mad", "Completely Sweet", "Sittin In The Balcony", and "Stockings & Shoes". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous horn interplay from the team of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims – and a record that may well be one of the best illustrations of their famous magic together in the 50s! The record's got a way of focusing energy, yet letting each player state themselves clearly and cleanly – almost a perfect small group variation of the larger jazz modes of a generation before – carried out here by Cohn and Sims with a great balance of tone and timing, modernism and swing! There's an excellent rhythm group on the date – Mose Allison on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulus on drums – who almost bring in a slightly soulful undercurrent, which works especially well on Sims' solo moments. Tracks include "Two Funky People", "Just You Just Me", "The Wailing Boat", "You're A Lucky Guy", "Brandy & Beer", and "Chasing The Blues". CD

A super-funky set – two vintage albums from Con Funk Shun – back to back on a single CD! The self-titled Con Funk Shun album is quite different than their later, better known hits! The group sure knew how to slap that bass, even back on this first album for Mercury – but then again, they – along with other big Mercury groups like The Ohio Players – were pioneering the bass-heavy sound that would influence countless bands over the next decade in soul. This first album's actually one of the group's best, with some nice rough edges that we like even more than the smoother sound of later albums. And oddly, some of our favorite cuts are the mellower ones – like the smooth jazzy instrumental "Foley Park", which has a nice moogy solo in the middle. Other good mellow cuts include "Another World", which almost has a "Summer Madness" quality to it, plus "Forever Just Ain't Long Enough" and "Never Be The Same". Secrets is a great early album from Con Funk Shun – a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze – done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and beyond – honest, intimate, and at times just more focused in the vocals department than both the funky soul groups of the time and the quiet storm singers of the approaching early 80s – and still doesn't spare the bass, horns and funky interplay! High points include the closing instrumental "Indian Summer Love" and funky centerpiece "Ffun" –plus "Doowhachawannadoo", "Who Has The Time", "Secrets", "Tear In My Eye" and "I'll Set You Out OK". CD also features a bonus track – "Ffun (12" version)" – a clubby killer! CD

A great early album from Con Funk Shun – a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze – done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and beyond – honest, intimate, and at times just more focused in the vocals department than both the funky soul groups of the time and the quiet storm singers of the approaching early 80s – and still doesn't spare the bass, horns and funky interplay! High points include the closing instrumental "Indian Summer Love" and funky centerpiece "Ffun" –plus "Doowhachawannadoo", "Who Has The Time", "Secrets", "Tear In My Eye" and "I'll Set You Out OK". CD

Amazing early work from David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young – a live performance recorded just a month after their famous appearance on the stage at Woodstock – and one that captures the group as they're working through new ideas that would emerge more fully on their classic album Deja Vu! There's definitely a "liveness" to this set, and we mean that in the best way possible – very spontaneous, honest interplay between the members of the quartet, as they work through both their trio material and some of Young's tunes too – presenting the whole thing in two different modes, so that the first half is all acoustic, and the second brings some electricity to the mix. Essential listening for anyone who even remotely digs the group – and titles include "On The Way Home", "Our House", "Sea Of Madness", "Long Time Gone", "Wooden Ships", "Find The Cost Of Freedom", "Down By The River", "Helplessly Hoping", "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", "Blackbird", "Lady Of The Island", and "I've Loved Her So Long". CD

Amazing early work from David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young – a live performance recorded just a month after their famous appearance on the stage at Woodstock – and one that captures the group as they're working through new ideas that would emerge more fully on their classic album Deja Vu! There's definitely a "liveness" to this set, and we mean that in the best way possible – very spontaneous, honest interplay between the members of the quartet, as they work through both their trio material and some of Young's tunes too – presenting the whole thing in two different modes, so that the first half is all acoustic, and the second brings some electricity to the mix. Essential listening for anyone who even remotely digs the group – and titles include "On The Way Home", "Our House", "Sea Of Madness", "Long Time Gone", "Wooden Ships", "Find The Cost Of Freedom", "Down By The River", "Helplessly Hoping", "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", "Blackbird", "Lady Of The Island", and "I've Loved Her So Long". LP, Vinyl record album

The Oatts and Perry here are Dick Oatts on alto sax and Rich Perry on tenor – two players who make the album bristle wonderfully! Pianist Harold Danko's always got a great way with a dark-edged groove – but the presence of Dick and Rich really open up the sound a lot – creating some wonderful horn interplay with roots back to the west coast scene of the 50s, but with lots of edgey elements from later decades too – which makes for this weird timeless approach to the music, but one that's always nicely off balance! The group's completed by Michael Formanek on bass and Jeff Hirshfield on drums – and titles include "Chest Frenzy", "Gregory Is Here", "Sid's Ahead", "Suspended Sentence", and "Soon". CD

One of our favorite-ever Miles Davis albums – and a groundbreaking soundtrack that forever changed the way that jazz music was used in film! According to legend, the sounds here were recorded by Miles on a hot Paris night – late in the studio, after a live performance – in a very intimate setting that had he and the combo creating these little poetic passages along with the action in the film! In addition to sublime and moody muted trumpet from Miles – the small group also features tremendous tenor work from the great Barney Wilen – a French modernist who's at the height of his powers – and beautiful bass from Pierre Michelot, whose rich tones really frame the whole proceedings. The rest of the group features bop pianist Rene Urtreger and American drummer Kenny Clarke – but the real charm comes from the interplay between Wilen, Davis, and Michelo. Titles include "Florence Sur Les Champs-Elysees", "L'Assassinat De Carla", "Diner Au Motel", "Evasion De Julien", "Nuit Sur Les Champs-Elysees", "Le Petit Bal", "Au Bar Du Petit Bac" and "Sur L'Autoroute". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge moment in jazz – not just for trumpeter Miles Davis, but also for saxophonist John Coltrane – who was virtually introduced to the world at large with this record! As you might guess from the title, the record's the first to feature Coltrane playing along with Davis – a sublime combination that resulted in some key sides that forever helped shape the sound of jazz. Rhythm is by the famous trio of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones – and apart from the top-shelf solo work, the interplay between the horns is also fantastic. Titles include "Just Squeeze Me", "There Is No Greater Love", "How Am I To Know", "S'Posin", "The Theme", and "Stablemates". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge moment in jazz – not just for trumpeter Miles Davis, but also for saxophonist John Coltrane – who was virtually introduced to the world at large with this record! As you might guess from the title, the record's the first to feature Coltrane playing along with Davis – a sublime combination that resulted in some key sides that forever helped shape the sound of jazz. Rhythm is by the famous trio of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones – and apart from the top-shelf solo work, the interplay between the horns is also fantastic. Titles include "Just Squeeze Me", "There Is No Greater Love", "How Am I To Know", "S'Posin", "The Theme", and "Stablemates". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful tribute to Fred Anderson and the creative sanctuary he provided in Chicago at his Velvet Lounge – done wonderfully by saxophonist Ernest Dawkins and his New Horizons Ensemble! The group brilliantly trades in soulful, melodious interplay and sharp left turns into abstractions and a freer improved interplay – truly wonderful stuff and a fitting tribute to spirit of both tradition and creative freedom that could be heard at the Velvet. The Ensemble features a pair of trumpets – courtesy Marquis Hill and Shaun Johnson – plus Steve Berry on trombone, Jeff Parker on guitar, Junius Paul on bass and Isaiah Spencer on drums. Titles include "Hymn For A Hip King", "Sketches", "Mal-Lester", "Shades Of The Prairie Project", "Baghdad Boogie", "Mesopotamia" and more. CD

One of the greatest albums we've heard from Ernest Dawkins in years – and one of the straightest, too! The set's got a hardbop fury we've not always heard from Dawkins – a tight, soulful energy that's spun out beautifully by the local group in the set – a lineup that includes Ernest on alto and tenor, Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Willerm Delisfort on piano, Junius Paul on bass, and Isaiah Spender on drums. Other tracks add in bits of percussion, and Hammond on one tune – and while the music still has all the sharp edges you'd know from Dawkins' time in the AACM, the overall execution feels more like a killer Blue Note or Prestige date from the 60s – particularly in the interplay between trumpet and sax. Titles include "Afro Straight", "United", "Central Park West", "Footprints", "Old Man Blues", and "Juju". CD

A real standard-setting record from the dBs – a group formed in North Carolina, and more famously worked in New York – but who also really hold on here to a mix of modes that echoes some of the big shifts in sound that were coming out of the southern indie scene at the start of the 80s! There's a mix of guitar interplay and rhythms that's wonderful – sometimes as quirky as The Feelies, but with more of the warmth and tunefulness that would soon become the calling card of REM and the Athens scene. And while the dBs maybe never got the fame of some of their bigger contemporaries, their work here is as great, maybe better – and holds up fantastically over the years. Titles include "Living A Lie", "Ask For Jill", "Neverland", "Nothing Is Wrong", "Ups & Downs", "Storm Warning", "We Were Happy There", and "From A Window To A Screen". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standard-setting record from the dBs – a group formed in North Carolina, and more famously worked in New York – but who also really hold on here to a mix of modes that echoes some of the big shifts in sound that were coming out of the southern indie scene at the start of the 80s! There's a mix of guitar interplay and rhythms that's wonderful – sometimes as quirky as The Feelies, but with more of the warmth and tunefulness that would soon become the calling card of REM and the Athens scene. And while the dBs maybe never got the fame of some of their bigger contemporaries, their work here is as great, maybe better – and holds up fantastically over the years. Titles include "Living A Lie", "Ask For Jill", "Neverland", "Nothing Is Wrong", "Ups & Downs", "Storm Warning", "We Were Happy There", and "From A Window To A Screen". CD features the bonus track "PH Factor". CD

A soundtrack that's a sexy and playful as you might guess from the cover – done by Giacomo Dell'Orso for a late 70s Italian comedy, and handled with a number of short tracks that add up to a fair bit of music by the time the record is done! Some tunes follow the whimsical main theme on a loping keyboard line, while others serve up gentler orchestrations that almost go back to an earlier era of Italian scoring – especially when a wordless female vocal slinks into the mix and gives things a more serious vibe. There's lots of interplay between the two different modes, and the set features a total of 31 tracks in all – the first-ever release of the full scope of music for the film! CD

Drummer Whit Dickey works here in two different quartets – both with strong work from Rob Brown on alto sax, but also with very different sounds – given the lineup of each group! The first quartet is on the Peace Planet half of the record – an amazing combo with Matthew Shipp on piano and William Parker on bass – both really reignited in recent years, and sounding tremendous with their longstanding sense of interplay – almost a unit in itself, but cut through with sharper lines from Brown's alto, and given an unusual sense of pulse by Dickey's drums! A different group plays on the Box Of Light half of the record, with a very different vibe – as the lineup features Steve Swell on trombone and Michael Bisio on bass – both musicians whose approach really changes things up. Swell's horn really competes with Brown's upfront, and Bisio's bass is maybe a bit more elliptical than Parker – very open and up and down the scale, in a way that seems to push Dickey's drums as well. Peace Planet titles include "Ancient Monument", "Suite For DSW", "Blossom Time", and "Seventh Sun" – and Box Of Light titles include "Eye Opener", "Ethereality", "Rotation Steps", and "Jungle Suite". CD

Fabulous work from the young Dion Dimucci and his Belmonts backing group – a pair that can go head to head with the best of the doo wop generation, thanks to the work on this set! Most of the songs are familiar, but the group take them on with a very vibrant flair – a real sense of vocal interplay and soaring harmonies – every bit as great on the lesser-known selections on the collection next to the bigger hits! There's a dozen tracks in all – and titles include "Wonderful Girl", "That's My Desire", "Where Or When", "Teenager In Love", "No One Knows", "Don't Pity Me", "When You Wish Upon A Star", "In The Still Of The Night", "I Can't Go On", and "I Wonder Why". CD

A pair of albums from the legendary Johnny Dyani – packaged here in one great little set! Rejoice features searing live work from Johnny Dyani – a set that has the bassist opening up strongly in a trio with Mongezi Feza on trumpet and Okey Temiz on drums and percussion! Feza sounds even better here than usual – blowing these long, inventive solo lines that match the work of Ted Curson for 70s fire – really spurred on by Okey's creative changes, into a soulful space that may well be some of Mongezi's most spiritually expressive of the 70s! Dyani's bass is strong, and ever-present – never needing to dominate, but always felt as this rich pulse – and powerful melodic element at just the right moments. Titles include "Mad High", "Makaya Makaya", "Pukwana" and "Imbomgolo". CD also features an unreleased track from the same performance – the 20 minute "Mad High Revisited". Together is a record that really gets back to Johnny Dyani's roots in South African jazz! Although Dyani and his expatriates in the Blue Notes helped give London a new sound of avant jazz expression in the 70s, the music here returns to the warmer melodic style of their early 60s days – with loping rhythms that draw on regional tradition, and soulful interplay between the alto of Dudu Pukwana, tenor of Peter Shimmy Radise, and keyboards from Dyani – who shifts his instrument for this special recording! The group also features use of guitar, congas, whistles, and a South American harp – used in rhythmic ways that pulsate warmly – on titles that include "Kalahari", "Tula Tula", "High Priest", "Johnny's Kwela", and "Together". CD

A sharp early 60s session from the Duke Ellington group – one that seems to draw strongly on the best late 50s work for Columbia Records, but which also seems to add in an extra crackle too! The tunes are relatively short, but the group pack plenty of punch in the small space – especially on the more rhythmic numbers, which almost seem to borrow a bit from Basie's bag – yet with more of the sophistication you'd expect on the Ellington horns. The work of Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums is especially strong on this session – but there's loads of great interplay from reedmen who include Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Russel Procope, Harry Carney, and Paul Gonsalves – plus trumpet from Bill Berry, Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes, and Harold Baker. Titles include "Taffy Twist", "Flirtbird", "Smada", "What Am I Here For", "Boo Dah", "Black & Tan Fantasy", and "I'm Gonna Go Fishin". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from Bill Evans – and maybe THE record you need in your collection if you're trying to understand his contribution to jazz! The album's one of Evan's first sides from the Village Vanguard – and features the legendary trio that included Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums – both players who could shake free from conventional rhythmic roles in a piano trio, yet who also support Evans' lyrically modal playing here beautifully! The tracks are a bit longer than Bill's studio sides from the time, allowing for even more magical interplay on the keys – and titles include "My Foolish Heart", "Waltz For Debby", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", "Some Other Time", and "Milestones". CD features 4 bonus tracks. CD

One of our favorite moments in the strong run of records from Family – a set that's still strongly defined by the vocals and songwriting of Roger Chapman, but which also has a lot more going on as well! John Wetton's joined the group for this album, and adds in bass and a bit of vocals – and seems to really jump start their sound in a great way – and the production is great, too – really opening up with some of those new styles that were helping change the UK scene as progressive acts found a way to pack more into a smaller space – resulting in shorter tunes that still bristled with plenty of excitement! The vocal interplay is especially great – and titles include "Between Blue & Me", "Spanish Tide", "Burning Bridges", "Take Your Partners", "Crinkly Grin", "Larf & Sing", "Save Some For Thee", and "Satdy Barfly". This edition features the bonus cuts "In My Own Time" and "Seasons" added to the main album – and CD2 and CD3 feature rare material recorded for the BBC – 21 more live tracks, with lots of great readings of other tunes as well as album material! CD

A killer set from Joe Farrell – one of the 70s greatest reed players, and an always-exciting talent who was one of the first artists to really use the extended CTI format to break into a whole new level! The set's a drawn-out quintet side, with Chick Corea on electric piano, Buster Williams on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, and Airto on percussion. Farrell was playing with Jones at the time, and the album's got some of their strong choppy reed/percussion interplay – but with a sharpness and focus that you don't always hear on Elvin's records! Tracks are all long – and titles include "Outback", "Sound Down", "November 68th" and "Bleeding Orchid". CD

Great work from one of the most under-rated tenor players of the 60s! Jimmy Forrest was an excellent player who made only a handful of recordings at the time – but he blows with a deep confidence that should have made him one of the biggest new stars on the scene. This set's one of Jimmy's best, and features his laidback tenor in a quartet with Joe Zawinul on piano, shortly before Zawinul hooked up with Cannonball Adderley. The tracks are short, but the interplay between Forrest and Zawinul is tasty – a bit like the album made by Joe and Coleman Hawkins – and the rest of the group features Tommy Potter on bass and Clarence Johnston on drums. Titles include "Bolo Blues", "Crash Program", "By The River Saint Marie", and "I Cried For You". CD

Dizzy Gillespie meets the Phil Woods Quintet – a group that already has a great trumpeter in the form of Tom Harrell – which makes the album here a double-horn delight! Dizzy's on trumpet throughout, and Harrell plays both trumpet and flugelhorn – and the pair work well with Woods' alto in the front line, sharing back and forth, and creating a lively interplay between the different voices of their instruments. Dizzy is impeccable – as he always is at this point in his career – and rhythms are nice and tight, thanks to piano from Hal Galper, bass from Steve Gilmore, and drums from Bill Goodwin. Titles include a great reading of Galper's Loose Change" – plus "Terrestris", "Love For Sale", "Oon Ga Wa", and "Whasidishean". CD

A great little jam session from Verve – done in a style that's looser and freer than some of the JATP albums, and with a smaller group overall! Players include Stan Getz, Paul Gonsalves, and Coleman Hawkins on tenor, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, and Wynton Kelly on piano – plus bass by Wendell and drums from JC Heard. There's a rougher, more spontaneous quality here than even on some of the other Norman Granz jam session records – a feel that's almost more "real" overall, as if you were catching the players all working together in a club. Each side features 2 long tracks – one upbeat and one mellow – and the tenor interplay alone is worth the price of the record! Titles include long takes on "Dizzy Atmosphere" and "The Way You Look Tonight" – plus 2 additional ballad medleys! CD

A trio of albums from one of the most unique groups on the west coast scene! First up is Where's The Money – a classic live album from Dan Hicks and this mighty cool west coast combo – a set that's all stripped-down, and provides a great showcase for their amazing vocal and acoustic instrumental interplay! Dan's got two two female singers along for the performance – Maryann Price and Naomi Ruth Eisenberg – both of whom do way more than provide backup, as they work with plenty of percussion, and harmonize along with Dan's lead on most tracks – in that cool blend of acoustic roots and jazzy inflections that made the group so unique. The lineup also includes violin, mandolin, and bass – plus guitar from Dan – on titles that include "News From Up The Street", "Shorty Falls In Love", "The Buzzard Was Their Friend", "Is This My Happy Home", "Dig A Little Deeper", "Reelin Down", and "Caught In The Rain". Striking It Rich features the great Dan Hicks at the height of his powers – working in a sublime acoustic mode that weaves together strands of gypsy swing, American roots, harmony vocals, and plenty more too – all in a mode that's lean and timeless, and which was one of the hipper new sounds on the west coast scene of his generation! Dan works with great support from vocalists Maryann Price and Naomi Ruth Eisenberg – alongside instrumentation that includes guitar, bass, violin, mandolin, and plenty of percussion – all wrapped up with a sublime sound that has all the elements resonating together wonderfully! Titles include a great remake of his earlier gem "I Scare Myself" – plus "You Got To Believe", "O'Reilly At The Bar", "Moody Richard", "The Laughing Song", "Canned Music", "Skippy's Farewell", "Fujiyama", "Woe The Luck", and "I'm An Old Cowhand". Last Train To Hicksville is completely charming work from the great Dan Hicks – one of the few cats who could make us like music like this so much! Dan sings and plays rhythm guitar – and the group also features vocals from Maryann Price and Naomi Eisenberg – that lovely pair whose harmonies with Hicks really helped the group find their sound! As before, instrumentation is all acoustic, but used in these jazzy ways that are very unique – not folk, not string band, nor swing – but something very unique, and a real breath of fresh air in the 70s scene! Titles include "Long Come A Viper", "It's Not My Time To Go", "My Old Timey Baby", "Lonely Madman", "Cowboy's Dream No 19", and "Payday Blues". CD

A landmark set from The Hues Corporation – and a record that's really poised at the crossroads of 70s soul! The group are probably best known for the super-huge hit "Rock The Boat" – a tune that bubbled under in discos for months, then became one of the first mainstream examples of the new groove on radio – but the trio actually have a much deeper vibe overall, with a richness that comes through strongly on this full length set – at a quality that links them to other hip LA groups of the period, like Friends Of Distinction. Like Friends, the Hues Corporation mix male and female vocals in equal doses – creating this harmonic interplay and vocal texture that's completely sublime – set up nicely by their own arrangements on vocals, then pushed even further by backings from Gene Page, Tom Sellers, and Perry Botkin Jr. Titles include the hits "Freedom For The Stallion" and "Rock The Boat" – plus "The Family", "Go To The Poet", "Salvation Lady", "Live A Lie", and "Miracle Maker (Sweet Soul Shaker)". LP, Vinyl record album

Intrioduction, recorded live at the North Sea Festival – on a set that features sparkling interplay between Harry Happel on piano, Koos Wiltenburg on bass, and Fred Krens on drums – a lineup that has a great balance between the strength of Happel's piano lines, and some of the more inventive roles the other musicians can play! The date was recorded by Timeless in 1982, but not issued until the mid 90s CD generation – which means there's plenty of space to present the full performance – almost 75 minutes of music, on some nicely long tracks that include "Soft Winds", "Night Child", "Jordu", "Love For Sale", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Cowboy Samba", "Summertime", and "Place St Henri". CD

Heavy sounds from Iron Butterfly – a record that's not nearly as well known as their classic In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – but which has a very similar vibe all the way through! The songs are a bit shorter, but these guys really manage to do a lot with a little – using lots of brooding bass right up from the bottom, to create a blueprint for hard rock imitators in years to come – none of whom were able to match these guys' simple, direct approach – and their optimistic sense of power in their music. Many numbers often have this vocal interplay that really works wonderful with the fuzzy guitar lines – and titles include "Possession", "Unconscious Power", "So Lo", "Look For The Sun", "Stamped Ideas", "Fields Of The Sun", and a nice fuzzy funk version of "Get Out Of My Life Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Two rare Storyville albums from the tremendous vocal team of Jackie & Roy – back to back in a single set! First up is the self titled Jackie & Roy – one of the first albums ever from the team of Jackie Caine and Roy Kral – and one of the best, too! The album's got a relaxed, open-ended approach to jazz vocals that already carries all the hallmarks of the Jackie & Roy style – wordless scatting on some tunes, playful lyrical interplay on others, and a focus on Jackie's ballad talents on some of the gentler numbers – all wrapped up in small combo backing that's sensitive, creative, and modern – yet never in a way that overwhelms the vocals. It's hard to match the poise, class, and cleverness of this one – and the album easily set a new standard for vocal jazz in the 50s! Titles include a few great early tunes by Tommy Wolf – the songwriter who would become so important for the pair – and backing is by Roy on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. Titles include "Let's Take A Walk Around The Block", "You Smell So Good", "Listen Little Girl", "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most", "Bill's Bit", "Dahuud", "I Wish I Were In Love Again", and "Lover". Sing Baby Sing is sublime work from the duo of Jackie & Roy – a guy/gal vocal team, but one with a sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of! Both Jackie Cain and Roy Kral sing – and Roy also plays a mean piano, and writes a fair bit of the tunes too – really lively numbers that show off the bop-styled techniques they developed while working with Charlie Ventura – but with hipper, groovier lyrics – of the sort that are a key precursor to folks like Bob Dorough or Dave Frishberg! Instrumentation on the set is great, too – a small combo with guitar from either Joe Rumero or Barry Galbraith – served up in a really great mix of tunes that includes "Season In The Sun", "Slowly", "Cheerful Little Earful", "Why Not Admit It", "You Are The One", and "Hook Line And Snare". CD

An excellent 70s set by Jackie & Roy – very different than their work of the 50s and 60s, with an approach that's much more far-reaching and complicated – a style that opens up their vocal talents majestically! Gone are the simpler ditties of earlier years, and in their place are warmly gliding numbers that open up to really unique vocal interplay – sometimes with Jackie in the lead, but other times trading back and forth with all the kind of complicated inflections you'd expect from early 70s CTI! Don Sebesky handled the arrangements with a great mix of spacey and breezy sounds – some slight electric touches at the bottom, but never in a way that makes the record too slick or smooth. Titles include a great version of "Bachinas Brasileiras #5", plus "Heading", "Summer Song", and "Lazy Afternoon". CD

A fantastic update of earlier soul duo modes – served up here by two of the most badass soul singers of the 70s! The album's got the smooth flow of Isaac Hayes' late 70s work – a bit of clubby rhythms at times, some soaring orchestrations at others – all in a mode that opens up into tunes that allow plenty of vocal interplay between Millie and Ike – who beautifully balance their deep soul roots and growing shift into modern soul modes. Brad Shapiro and Millie produced – giving the album some of the flavors of Jackson's late 70s work on Spring – but the Isaac Hayes presence really makes the record his own, too – as if we could imagine anything less! Titles include "Sweet Music, Soft Lights, & You", "Do You Wanna Make Love", "If I Had My Way", "Love Changes", and "You Needed Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Jade Warrior have a sound that's unlike anyone else of their generation – a mix of percussion, flute, bass, and guitar – all with the kind of electric/acoustic interplay such a lineup with imply! The cover image of this second album maybe looks a bit dramatic, but the group actually have a sound that's nicely understated at times – they can certainly jam with the best of their Vertigo label prog contemporaries, but they can also get a bit more personal too – and it's the balance of those modes that make a record like this such a unique treasure from the time! Titles include "A Winter's Tale", "Snake", "Morning Hymn", "May Queen", "Lady Of The Lake", "Borne On The Solar Wind", and "Dark River". LP, Vinyl record album

After the success of Jarrett's Standards Trio recording, he revisits the format with Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette – the first ever live recordings of this incredible trio in action! Like the studio recordings, this set features roomy, lyrical readings of standards, in a way, reminiscent of classic Bill Evans approaches to similar material – with a relaxed, moody spin on the proceedings. The tried-and-true material is given fresh life by the players, who roll from a looser dynamic with each player having their moments, to some tighter interplay in the heart of the tunes – and the appreciative French audience helping with the mood! 6 numbers: "Stella By Starlight", "The Wrong Blues", "Falling In Love With Love", "To Young To Go Steady", "The Way You Look tonight" and "The Old Country". CD

A really unique project from the Serbian underground of the 80s – a record that mixes together global elements, electronics, and some other live instrumentation – all in a way that's as tuneful as it is experimental, and which has a nice sort of post-punk sense of freedom throughout! The music reminds us a lot of some of our favorite work from farther up on the European scene – particularly records on the Crammed label, as this set shares a similar sense of wider sensibilities coming into play with new technologies of the time, yet handled in a way that's very personal and poetic. The duo bring a bit of vocals to the record, but most of the music comes from the interplay between acoustic and electronic elements – on titles that include "Gitanes", "Gajeiro", "Rhinoceros II, "Sometimes At Nine", "In The Sky", and "Rumba Balcana". LP, Vinyl record album

Rock-solid trio work from the Hank Jones group of the 50s – a combo that includes Hank on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! The group was the rhythm section on countless dates for Savoy Records at the time, but here they're featured strongly on their own – as a very dynamic outfit that features great interplay between Jones' warm, lyrical approach to the piano – and Kenny Clarke's amazing command of his drum kit! The tunes are often nicely subtle – and Jones is never as over the top as some of his 50s contemporaries, but really manages to show a tremendous ear for a well-crafted line – one that's rompingly rhythmic, but often in somewhat gentle ways. Titles include "Odd Number", "Cyrano", "There's A Small Hotel", "Little Girl Blue", and "We're All Together". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great live performance from this legendary bluegrass group – one who hailed from Southern California, despite their Kentucky name – and a combo whose work arguably set the scene for so much country rock to emerge at the end of the 60s! But even without that legacy, there's plenty here to enjoy from a standard bluegrass perspective – and the interplay between the mandolin of Roland White and guitar of Clarence Whit is worth the price of admission alone! A few guests drop in during the performance – Doc Watson is on a few tracks, and Bill Keith on three more – and titles include "Bill Cheatham", "Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me", "Shuckin The Corn", "Beaumont Rag", "Old Hickory", "Chicken Reel", "In The Pines", "Farewell Blues", "Soldier's Joy", "Shady Grove", "Flat Fork", "Brakeman's Blues", "Over In Glory Land", and "A Beautiful Life". CD

Smooth, soulful work from the great Earl Klugh – a set that's got plenty of electric elements in the rhythms, mixed with lots of acoustic interplay from Earl over the top! Klugh's touch on the strings has only gotten better over the years, and he dances magically amidst some light rhythms and keyboard lines – warming things up a lot more than on similar fusion albums by some of his contemporaries, with that classic Klugh touch that's made him a lasting favorite over the decades! Titles include "Baby Cakes", "Incognito", "One Night", "April Love", "Close To Your Heart"," Just Pretend", and "Rainbow Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Izumi Kobayashi works here in a playful mode that really lives up to the title – more tuneful and catchy than her later ambient and experimental work – and at a level that fits in nicely with the city pop generation, but also has all sorts of quirky elements as well! The record almost feels like one of those unique hybrids the Ze Records label was issuing at the time – mixing electro pop with global currents that filter through the mix with almost a freewheeling sense of stylistic interplay – art pop, but without ever sounding arch at all! The set includes a very creative remake of "Mas Que Nada" – and other cuts include "Wind Song", "Gold Red Dancer", "Le Voyou", "Nereid", and "Crescent Pierce". LP, Vinyl record album

The title definitely gets it right – as this is the real sound of Lee Konitz – the kind of extra-special approach to alto sax that made Lee one of the true modern giants of the 50s, with an approach that nobody had ever heard before! The album captures Konitz at the height of his powers – working in an amazing group with the great Billy Bauer on guitar, whose clean tones are as perfectly formed as Lee's raspier notes on alto – both of them a perfect model of human expression, but without overstating themselves – and held together by the beautiful bass of Peter Ind, who also recorded the record. Dick Scott provides some subtle drums, and trumpeter Don Ferrara steps in on a few cuts – but the real core of the album is the interplay between Bauer and Konitz – which is completely sublime. Konitz's incredible tone come through perfectly, with a purity that's often missing from other, later albums – and titles include "Pennies In Minor", "Midway", "Straightaway", "You Go To My Head", "My Melancholy" and "Foolin Myself". CD

The icy voice of Norwegian singer Karin Krog is a perfect match for Dexter's deep soulful saxophone, and the two of them perform wonderfully together in this rare set of tracks recorded in 1970 with Kenny Drew on piano and Niel Henning Orsted-Peterson on bass. Krog has always been tremendously respectful of the players that she records with, and unlike other jazz vocal recordings, where the soloists take back seat to the singer, her recordings have them coming out front, and really sharing the spotlight – both in solo space, and in the interplay between the singer and musicians. Tracks include "Blue Eyes", "How Insensitive", "Some Other Spring", "Blue Monk", and her "Tribute To Jimmy Scott". CD

The icy voice of Norwegian singer Karin Krog is a perfect match for Dexter's deep soulful saxophone, and the two of them perform wonderfully together in this rare set of tracks recorded in 1970 with Kenny Drew on piano and Niel Henning Orsted-Peterson on bass. Krog has always been tremendously respectful of the players that she records with, and unlike other jazz vocal recordings, where the soloists take back seat to the singer, her recordings have them coming out front, and really sharing the spotlight – both in solo space, and in the interplay between the singer and musicians. Tracks include "Blue Eyes", "How Insensitive", "Some Other Spring", "Blue Monk", and her "Tribute To Jimmy Scott". LP, Vinyl record album

Steve Lacy works here with one of his best partners of the 70s – altoist Steve Potts – whose tone and phrasing always turns out to be a perfect match for Lacy's ideas! And the duet also get some great accompaniment from vocalist Irene Aebi – who's almost has more presence here when she makes an appearance, but at a level that's arguably stronger and more powerful than some of her other contributions to Lacy records – this unusual manner of vocalizing that almost puts her in the Saravah Records tradition of Brigitte Fontaine, in terms of creativity and moving beyond the boundaries of language. Irene's words are more musical elements than anything else – giving shape to the start of each selection, then dropping out to make the interplay between Lacy's soprano and Potts' alto seem even warmer and more organic. The album features one long track – "Tips" – divided up into fourteen lettered sections. CD

A fantastically beautiful record that stands as the first meeting between Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land – an album that's possibly even better than the more famous Blue Note work by the pair! This is one of those "once in a lifetime" jazz sessions – filled with magical interplay that's made the record a favorite with collectors for years, and done with a sound that's as lyrically graceful as it is soulful and righteous! Hutcherson's vibes are at their warmest 60s mode, but still have some of the angularity of his more modern sides for Blue Note – but Land is the real discovery here – as he steps out with a fluidity that surpasses any of his earlier hardbop albums, a flowing exploratory style expressed on both flute and tenor – with a mode that's years ahead of its time, and sounds a lot more like work on labels like Strata East or Muse from the 70s. Tracks are nearly all originals by Land, and are the kind of thoughtful jazz compositions that show up on a rare few records from the 60s – all of them are great, and sparkle with creativity and a subdued sense of righteousness. The other players on the date include Joe Sample on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Donald Bailey on drums – and titles include "One For Nini", "Angel Dance", "The Peace Maker", "40 Love", "Stylin", and "The Aquarian". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically beautiful record that stands as the first meeting between Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land – an album that's possibly even better than the more famous Blue Note work by the pair! This is one of those "once in a lifetime" jazz sessions – filled with magical interplay that's made the record a favorite with collectors for years, and done with a sound that's as lyrically graceful as it is soulful and righteous! Hutcherson's vibes are at their warmest 60s mode, but still have some of the angularity of his more modern sides for Blue Note – but Land is the real discovery here – as he steps out with a fluidity that surpasses any of his earlier hardbop albums, a flowing exploratory style expressed on both flute and tenor – with a mode that's years ahead of its time, and sounds a lot more like work on labels like Strata East or Muse from the 70s. Tracks are nearly all originals by Land, and are the kind of thoughtful jazz compositions that show up on a rare few records from the 60s – all of them are great, and sparkle with creativity and a subdued sense of righteousness. The other players on the date include Joe Sample on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Donald Bailey on drums – and titles include "One For Nini", "Angel Dance", "The Peace Maker", "40 Love", "Stylin", and "The Aquarian". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare album of funky soul from the Bay Area scene at the start of the 70s – and a set that's every bit as righteous as you might expect from the cover! The group's the creation of singer/keyboardist/arranger Leon Pattillo – hence the name – and you might know Leon from his later famous work in the 70s – including a stint with Santana, and loads of great work with other soul artists. But here, he's a young genius working in the freest, funkiest style of the San Francisco generation – with a vibe that's maybe a more spiritual take on territory explored by Sly & The Family Stone – with an earthier, more indie vibe overall. The group has great interplay – tight instrumentation, but never slick, and with some nice long-haired currents – and vocals are by Leon and a female singer – on titles that include "Confusion", "If I Had The Power", "Sightless", "Back Roads", "This Is The Beginning", and "Mirage". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning project from the great Allen Lowe – an expansive array of sounds that's way different than you might expect from the title – as it's not a portrayal of the America during the years in which Louis Armstrong walked this planet – but a pastiche of past aesthetics, present performance, and future-thinking combination of elements! Lowe's always been way more than just a jazz musician – and the set shows the way he often operates with more of a larger artistic vision – not exactly as a composer, but maybe with the energy of a visual artist – part creation, part collage – with a sense of aesthetic interplay that really comes through in the project! Lowe blows tenor and plays piano, at the head of a very large lineup of players who include Lewis Porter, Matthew Shipp, Loren Schoenberg, and Ursula Oppens on piano – plus Ray Anderson on trombone, Frank Lacy on trumpet, Nicole Glover on tenor, Aaron Johnson on alto and clarinet, Marc Ribot on guitar, Kreston Osgood and Rob Landis on drums, and Will Goble on bass. Huntley McSwain vocalizes just a bit, but most of the proceedings are instrumental – and this first half of the project features 35 selections in all. CD

A bright, positive set from pianist Harold Mabern – one that's overflowing with soul and spirit – and a perfect example of his strengths during the 90s stretch when his career really took off again! The trio's got a well-balanced approach to rhythm – bold basslines from Christian McBride, whose youthful tones seem to warm up Mabern's music more than ever – and tight drums from Jack DeJohnette, who knows nicely that less is more – and never tries to overwhelm the interplay between Harold and Christian! Titles include "Big Time Cooper", "Moment's Notice", "Look On The Bright Side", "Our Waltz", and "Too Late Fall Back Baby" – a number you might remember from Mabern's Strata East years, sounding mighty nice here, too! CD

A sweet soulful set from Herbie Mann – one that has the jazz flautist taking on the 60s sound of Memphis! This album was such a big hit for Herbie that it's easy to forget the sheer raw power of the group – a mighty quartet that included Roy Ayers on vibes, and both Sonny Sharrock and Larry Coryell on guitars – jamming with a hard but ragged edge, and getting some tighter backing here by a hip Memphis soul rhythm section! The groove is great, with a heavier, funkier approach than Herbie was using on previous albums – and the tunes are all nice and long, with plenty of room for really great instrumental interplay! Titles include "Hold On, I'm Comin", "Chain Of Fools", and "Memphis Underground". CD

Twin-flute magic from the quintet of Herbie Mann and Sam Most – both of whom play the long, thin instrument here – in intertwining lines of sound that are totally great! There's a style here that's often a bit more frenetic than usual for Herbie – one that's possibly picked up from Most, as might be heard on some of his later sides from the 60s. Whatever the case, even when things are gentle, there's some nice little interplay – a lot of action from both flute players, supported by guitar from Joe Puma, bass from Jimmy Gannon, and drums from Lee Kleinman. Arrangements are by Russ Garcia, and titles include "It's Only Sunshine", "Fascinating Rhythm", "Empathy", "Seven Come Eleven", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Flying Home". CD

A really beautiful quartet album, and one that's a bit of a distillation of the energy that Rob Mazurek's had with his Exploding Star Orchestra in recent years! The players here are all ones who work with Rob in that group – Tomeka Reid on cello, Chad Taylor on drums, and Angelica Sanchez on piano – working here on the acoustic version of her instrument instead of the Fender Rhodes she's brought to the Orchestra – an approach that makes for a nicely different vibe overall! There's a very intimate, honest approach to the sounds here – more personal interplay between the musicians as improvisers, with earthly qualities that are different than the cosmic explorations of the larger group – yet no less spiritual – and both Reid and Taylor are a delight to hear in the setting as well. Rob blows trumpet, piccolo trumpet, and also adds in a bit of electronics – on titles that include "Three Colors On A Four-Sided Box Ellsworth Kelly", "Four Page Color System For Frank Bowling", "Four Page Color System For Louise Nevelson", "Three Colors On A Four-Sided Box For Nuno Ramos", and "Four Page Color System For Richard Tuttle". CD

One of the most brilliant moments of genius from Paul McCartney & Wings – and a set that has Paul working with the group in perfect album formation – able to craft enough songs that became hit singles, yet also fit the whole thing together in a superb sonic reality that made the whole thing even more wonderful as a full length record! The shift of moods, tones, and sounds are as varied as the choice of celebrities appearing with the group on the cover – and the interplay between Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine has really hit its stride – on titles that include one of our all-time Wings favorites, "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five" – plus "Band On The Run", "Bluebird", "Jet", "Mrs Vanderbilt", "Let Me Roll It", "Mamunia", "No Words", and "Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me)". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful later Delmark album from Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre – one that has all the vivid creative energy of his classic sessions for the label from the 60s! The setting continues McIntyre's work with The Light – a duo of tuba and drums, which makes for some mighty unusual sounds – an odd variant on the bass and drums you might normally hear in an avant trio like this – with lots of complex interplay at the core, and these soaring, searing solos from Kalaparush on tenor sax! His tone is wonderful – as deeply heartfelt all these many years later as it was right back at the start – a rare sound we'd rank right up there with Pharoah Sanders' voice on tenor. Titles include "Noon", "Let Us All Relax", "Here Comes The Light", "Mobo", "Against All Odds", "Evening", and "I Don't Have An Answer Unless It's God". CD

Maybe the coolest record we've ever heard from Moonchild – a set that's an all-acoustic outing, and one that offers up fresh takes on some of their older tunes – in ways that are maybe even more soulful and stunning than before! The instrumentation often includes some great work on reeds, especially flute – and the vocals of Amber Navran have this way of folding together with the grooves, which are also more seductive, through the live interplay of bass, drums, and percussion. The only electric element at times is a bit of Fender Rhodes – which we can hardly argue with – and the performances are all live, on titles that include "Back To Me", "The List", "Cure", "Run Away", "Money", and "The Truth". CD

One of our favorite Lee Morgan albums, and one of his least known – a set recorded in the crucial last five years of his life, and a sparkling mix of hard bop, soul jazz, and slight bits of modernism – that magical mix that Lee was hitting as he reached farther and farther with his music – an amazing legacy in jazz that has us loving every Morgan session from 1965 onward! Lee's playing in very comfortable territory, with a group that includes Bennie Maupin on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but that doesn't mean that the proceedings are relaxed at all, because the interplay between the players is flawless, and they use their familiarity as a great springboard to soar off into rich new territory. Lee wrote all the tunes on the record – like "Caramba", "Suicide City", and "Soulita". An excellent record throughout, and one that we'd never part with! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Lee Morgan albums, and one of his least known – a set recorded in the crucial last five years of his life, and a sparkling mix of hard bop, soul jazz, and slight bits of modernism – that magical mix that Lee was hitting as he reached farther and farther with his music – an amazing legacy in jazz that has us loving every Morgan session from 1965 onward! Lee's playing in very comfortable territory, with a group that includes Bennie Maupin on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but that doesn't mean that the proceedings are relaxed at all, because the interplay between the players is flawless, and they use their familiarity as a great springboard to soar off into rich new territory. Lee wrote all the tunes on the record – like "Caramba", "Suicide City", and "Soulita". An excellent record throughout, and one that we'd never part with! Also features one bonus track on this CD, "Baby's Smile", which was written by Cal Massey. CD

A lost classic from one of the greatest Brazilian sax players ever! This obscure session originally came out on the Equipe label, and was even briefly issued in the US on the Tangerine imprint – and the record stands as one of the greatest sides of jazz that Moura ever cut! Paulo handled all the arrangements himself, and the group's an all star one that features Pascoal Meirelles on drums, Wagner Tiso on piano, Luiz Carlos on bass, plus additional tenor sax, trumpet, and trombone next to Moura's alto sax. The set's a beautiful batch of warmly painted tunes – awash with color and life, showing both Moura's talent for lyrical interplay, and his tendency to blow in edgier styles. Titles include "Travessia", "No Brilho Da Faca", "General Da Banda", "Outubro", "Nem Precisou Mais Um Sol", and "Das Tardes Mais Sos". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful pairing of the baritone of Gerry Mulligan and the trumpet of Art Farmer – brought together wonderfully in this piano-less session that has both players effortlessly carving lines in the open space of the studio. Rhythm is by the team of Bill Crow on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – both of whom snap along a harder groove than you'll hear on most of Mulligan's mid 50s work – making for a set that's got as much going on at the bottom as it does at the top, in a way that allows Gerry and Art to concentrate on lyrical interplay while the rhythms open up. Titles include "Utter Chaos", "Blueport", "What Is There To Say", "Festive Minor", and "As Catch Can". LP, Vinyl record album

A second great set from a group that's even greater than the sum of its parts – a formation that seems to breathe new life into the talents of the four legendary musicians who make up its core! Not that these players were ever flagging at all – but there's really something special going on here in the interplay between the alto of Oliver Lake, cornet of Graham Haynes, bass of Joe Fonda, and drums of Barry Altschul – great musicians in their own right, but really coming together with a unified sound here that's amazing! The leadoff cut on the record is a dedication to Ornette Coleman – and while there's a lot more going on here than just a Coleman inspiration, the mixture of individuality and unity is also something that Ornette would have really been proud of – handled here with a sense of urgency that's especially striking in the work of Lake and Haynes. Titles include "The Other Side", "Da Bang", "Bass Bottom", "Apaixonado", "Justice", "Me Without Bela", and "Ode To O". CD

Grooves unlike anything else you've ever heard before – the rightly legendary musical legacy of William Onyeabor, one of the most enigmatic talents to come from the African scene of the 70s! The work here is all plenty darn funky, but it's also very different from familiar Afro Funk too – as the instrumentation is heavy on keyboards, handled by William with incredible dexterity – and spun out in these soaring lines that bristle with righteous touches that really support the message of his tunes! The vibe mixes in some electro elements with long-drawn rhythms – and the vocals often step aside for lots of keyboard and rhythm interplay, then come in to send things home at just the right moment. Onyeabor's been a pretty elusive cat over the years, and it's taken Luaka Bop quite some time to put this collection together – amazing work that may well make the album one of the most important to ever come from the label – and the first introduction to the non-African world of Onyeabor's incredible sounds. Titles include "Body & Soul", "Atomic Bomb", "Something You'll Never Forget", "Why Go To War", "Love Is Blind", "Fantastic Man", and "Let's Fall In Love". 3LP set features four bonus tracks not on the CD! LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing 70s work from British altoist Mike Osborne – working here with a razor sharp trio that includes Harry Miller on bass and Louis Moholo on drums. Osborne's tone is already tremendous at the start – but the added rhythmic pressure of Miller and Moholo really make the album cook – burning with more intensity than the usual Ogun session of the time, and really taking on a triple-sided sort of interplay that allows each player ample voice on the date. There's almost a late 50s Sonny Rollins Trio sort of legacy going on here – but one pushed to freer 70s dimensions at times – and the whole thing's a great testament to the hidden talents of the critically overlooked Osborne! The side-long "All Night Long" suite includes improvs on "All Night Long", "Rivers", "Round Midnight" and "Scotch Pearl", and side 2 is also taken up by "Recapulations", another suite featuring "Ken's Tune", "Country Bounce", "All Night Long" and "Trio Trio". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Scotch Pearl" and "Now & Then Here & Now". CD

Harmony soul heaven – a rare double-header from two hip New York groups! Both The Paragons and Jesters have a fantastic approach – heavy on group vocal interplay, in ways that really show the evolution of doo wop in the early soul years! There's a heartbreaking quality to many of the cuts here – really the ground work for tighter harmony soul of the late 60s and early 70s – and the recording quality definitely lives up to the "tuff" look on the cover image. The album alternates tracks between the two groups – and titles include "Florence", "Hey Little School Girl", "The Vows Of Love", and "Twilight" by The Paragons – and "I Laughed", "Please Let Me Love You", "Now That You're Gone", and "So Strange" by The Jesters. CD

Bassist William Parker in two different settings, but both served up here with a very unified feel! The material was all recorded on a single day, with a core trio that features Parker on bass, Hamid Drake on drums, and Rob Brown on alto – a group whose energy you can really feel building up right from the core, especially in the interplay between Parker and Drake, a pair who only seem to get better together over the years! The first half features trumpeter Jalalu Kalvert Nelson – whose soaring sense of pride really adds a new dimension to the music – this righteous quality that opens up new channels of beauty when he steps in. The second half features pianist Cooper-Moore, instead of the trumpeter – and his tones are maybe more introspective, and produce a similar shift in the music, especially in the way Parker shapes his notes. This change really deepens our understanding of the trio on both sides – and shows just how adaptive they are to each other. Titles include "Horace Silver Part 2", "Things Falling Apart", "Give Me Back My Drum", "Rodney's Resurrection", "Urban Disruption", and "Orange Winter Flower". CD