The fourth album from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – solidifying what we learned pretty early on from the indomitable soul spirit that is Sharon and her impeccable combo the Dap-Kings – it's that this is not some retro soul revival novelty act, what they are is the greatest active embodiment of a true soul sound that will never go away! We've always loved that Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings recognize the studio and the stage as different worlds. On stage, Sharon is the possibly the most energetic, charismatic presence you'll ever see and the band brings heft and heat. In the studio, they stretch out and diversify wonderfully, bringing both raw, unpolished funky soul realness to some more stripped down numbers and a full on Stax or Hi level heaviness to the bigger ones. The songs are better and more memorable than ever on this record – with "The Game Gets Old" and "I Learned The Hard Way" (an astoundingly strong one/two punch for the opening minutes) plus "Better Things", "Give It Back", "Money". "The Reason", "Window Shopping", "I'll Still Be True", "Without A Heart", "If You Call" and "Mama Don't Like My Man". CD

Great work from one of the undisputed UK maestros of lovers rock during the 80s – producer Neville King, who serves up this totally sweet batch of overlooked gems from the time! The groove is nice and mellow – that fantastic blend of contemporary soul and reggae rhythms that really took hold in London and other UK spots from the late 70s onward – perfect for slow-stepping in the more laidback hours of a party, or chilling out back home on your own! Singers on all these tracks are great – nicely understated, but plenty soulful – and titles include "What About Me" by Blood Sisters, "Lady Lady" by One Blood, "At The Dance" by Leroy Simmonds, "It's Love That Makes A Woman" by Karen Dixon, "They Don't Stay Long" by Unique, "Open Up The Door" by Charisma, "The Day Will Come" by The Sadonians, "Love Sweet Love" by Love & Emotion, and "Not My Baby" by The Sensations. CD features bonus tracks – "Hold Me Tight" by Natural Touch, and "Loving Kind" by Simplicity. CD

Trini Lopez blew up in pretty big way in the early 60s, circa "If I Had A Hammer", but in the preceding years he cut a slew of great singles for King & DRA – early rock style rumblers and moodier numbers that are just as great – collected here nicely by Ace! Trini's vocals are charismatic as can be, whether it's the slyly menacing way he does on this set's title track, or on more yearning, romantic stylist, and always with cool guitar work. Many of those tunes were released with overdubs, but these rawer, superior versions are seeing reissue for the first time in a generation here. Includes "Sinner Not A Saint", "Rock On", "Where Can My Baby Be", "The Club For Broken Hearts", "Rosita", "Chain Of Love", "Sweet Thing", "My Runaway Heart", "You Broke The Only Heart That Ever Loved You", "It Hurts To Be In Love", "Since I Don't Have You", "Don't Go" and more. 29 tracks in all. CD

An incredible treasure of Brazilian music – an obscure but landmark set from the great Jose Mauro, and one of the few records ever issued on the legendary Quartin label! There's a soaring brilliance here that easily matches the best early 70s work from Milton Nascimento and Edu Lobo – with perhaps some of the more complicated styles that Marcos Valle was also bringing to his music at the time too – all wrapped up with just the right mix of full orchestrations, acoustic guitar, and lead vocals from Jose. Production is amazing – possibly one of the best studio efforts ever from Roberto Quartin – and although issued on a tiny label, the record stands head and shoulders with the giants of MPB in the early 70s. Titles include "Obnoxius", "Memoria", "Ponto De Chamada", "Talisma", "Apocalipse", "Ancoradouro", "As Aventuras Sentimentais De Espiroqueta Camargo", and "Tarde De Nupcias". LP, Vinyl record album

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Tiny Moore on and Jethro Burns on mandolin – with Eldon Shamblin on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – plus special guest David Grisman on 3 tracks! CD

One of our favorite albums from Lee Morgan – a soaringly soulful session that was recorded in the mid 60s, and finally issued by Blue Note at the end of the decade! The vibe here really follows from the lyrically inventive, post-Sidewinder mid 60s Morgan years – with a spirit that's similar to Lee's work on the albums Gigolo or Tom Cat, in a style that mixes in a fair bit more modal and Latin influences to the rhythms. The lineup is totally great too – a sextet that features Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins – the last of whom provides tremendous rhythms that are as fluidly inventive as Morgan's playing and the writing of Hank Mobley, who contributed most of the tunes to the set. Titles include "Hey Chico", "The Double Up", and "The Murphy Man" – and the record also includes a nice version of Duke Pearson's "Sweet Honey Bee". CD

One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up! CD

Titles include "Paw Paw", "Wanjiku", "Esthesis", "Prez", "Hawk", and "Melisma". CD

With Harold Arlen and Fred Astaire. 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A really great look at the later years of Louis Armstrong's life – that time when he'd moved from being an underground jazz musician to a surprising star of both radio and screen – using his undeniable charisma in ways that really cemented his legend! And sure, there's some folks out there who might deem these Armstrong's "pop" years as a bit of a critique – but the author really gets at the subtle power of Louis during these years, and the way this period of his life was actually something of an artistic triumph, rather than a sellout – maybe no surprise, given that some of the music from these years has been Armstrong's most enduring. Softcover edition is 369 pages, with some black and white images. Book

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Great large group genius from tenor giant Stanley Turrentine – one of a number of 60s Blue Note albums that have Stan exploring a format that he'd use even more strongly in the 70s! Here, the results are superb – thanks in strong part to the great Duke Pearson, whose growing talents as an arranger are perfect for the sound of Turrentine's horn – warmly soulful and lyrical, but still with a nice sense of bite – one that's furthered by work from James Spaulding on alto, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone, Grant Green on guitar, and McCoy Tyner on piano. The whole thing comes of wonderfully – with some open tunes that never feel too tightly constricted, which results in some great solo moments – on the tunes "Baptismal", "Feeling Good", "Shake", "Walk On By", and "And Satisfy". CD

The debut of U-Roy, and an album that paves the way for countless wonderful sounds to come! The album's an early one in the toasting approach – and has U-Roy calling out the tunes in this echoey style that's wonderful – somehow more urgent than reggae records of just a few years before, and almost dismantling the tunes as he works alongside them! Rhythms are cooked up by Duke Reid – and the album's the stuff that put both him, and the role of the DJ in reggae firmly on the map! Titles include "Your Ace From Space", "On The Beach", "Version Galore", "True Confession", "Tide Is High", "Things You Love", "The Same Song", "Happy Go Lucky Girl", "Rock Away", "Wear You To The Ball", "Don't Stay Away", and "Hot Pop". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Adam Wade – a slightly overlooked singer of the 60s, and one who steps out here in a great mix of soul styles and fuller vocal modes! Wade often has the kind of mature sophistication that could rival Johnny Mathis – and a number of cuts here are certainly cut from a similar mode – but as with other work on the Coed Records label, there's a larger ear for the wider range of listeners in the period – which means that Wade also steps out as a smooth swinger, maybe kind of a precursor to the Marvin Gaye generation. Arrangements are handled by Fred Weismantel and Joe Lipman – and titles include "First Love", "Just In Time", "A Moment Of Madness", "Ruby", "Around The World", "I'm Wise", "Fascination", and "So In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great mid 70s albums from Tom Waits in his earlier boozy, growling balladeer mode – with lots of slower, piano-led bluesy and jazzy ballads – on top of the jivey, gravelly charisma of his voice and songwriting that already had him approaching legendary status even though he was still in 20s! The mix of that gruff voice and the fairly pretty instrumentation is prime Waits from this period, making 40s, 50s and 60s-inspired songcraft as fresh as ever in the late 70s and remains so to this day. Includes "Cinny's Waltz", "Muriel", "I Never Talk To Strangers", "A Sight For Sore Eyes", "Barber Shop", Foreign Affair" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The great early double album from Tom Waits! This is peak Asylum era Waits, getting into that charismatic, drunken bluesy poet mode – essentially working live in the studio with a small audience , giving it a genuine sounding latenight cabaret vibe, and embracing his wit and style as brilliantly as he'd done to this point. Brilliant vintage Waits and a loose, yet nicely rhythmic backing combo. Titles include "Better Off Without A Wife", "Emotional Weather Report", "On A Foggy Night", "Eggs & Sausage", "Spare Parts", "Big Joe & Phantom 309", and "Putnam County". LP, Vinyl record album

A new sense of focus in the Weather Report sound – that building, soaring groove that would become the group's trademark in the mid 70s – offered up here in one of it's first and finest examples! The approach is one to describe accurately on paper – but which is instantly recognizable as the Weather Report sound of the time – a flowing, stretching, organic vibe that builds equally from the talents of all players, and turns it into a wonderfully righteous groove! Senior members Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, and Miroslav Vitous are still at the core – alongside Dom Um Romaeo, Alphonso Johnson, and Ismael Wilburn. Tracks include "Mysterious Traveller", "Jungle Book", "Nubian Sundance", and "Cucumber Slumber". CD

A wonderful live set from Joe Williams – recorded at Birdland, as you'd guess from the title – and done with a raw depth that surpasses much of his studio work from the time! Joe's really moving past cliche here – using his voice with a power that hadn't been heard since his sides for Savoy – and really commanding the audience with a charisma that shines through with incredible clarity. Harry Edison's leading a small group that also includes Jimmy Forrest on tenor and Ike Issacs on bass – and titles include "Teach Me Tonight", "Come Back Baby", "September In The Rain", "Roll Em Pete", and "Have You Met Miss Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

A tribute to Ismael Rivera from saxophonist Miguel Zenon. Tracks include "Las Tumbas", "Colobo", "Quitate de La Via, Perico", "Traigo Salsa", and "El Nazareno". CD

A whole new world of grooves we've never heard before – music from a short stretch on the Italian scene when local artists were really taken with the new developments in Afro Funk, and started to serve up some fresh styles of their own! The music here is maybe a blend of West African sounds and sound library modes – often leaner than the large group ensembles of Fela and some of his contemporaries, which also makes the tracks perfect for the clubs as well – but with a vibe that's sharper and tighter than some of the Afro/disco crossover cuts of the time! The selection of tracks is wonderful, and the whole thing is very revelatory – with titles that include "Why O" by Beryl Cunningham, "Kumbayero" by Weyman Corporation, "L'Unica Chance" by Walter Rizzati, "Amore" by Chrisma, "Tabu Tuba (part 1)" by I Robots, "Africa Sound" by Jean Paul & Angelique, "Contrabbando Di Fagioli" by Ramasandiran Somusundaram, "MAAGO" by Prognosi Riservata, "The Voodoo Lady" by Lara Saint Paul, and "Soul Makossa" by African Revival. LP, Vinyl record album

Not a set of world music-inflected jazz – although there is a bit of that – and instead, a wonderful collection of spiritual numbers from around the world – most recorded in the 70s, at a time when barriers were really breaking down in jazz music! All tracks here are nice and long, and most are groovers – but not in the typical funky jazz way – as the album is mostly earthy and organic, and mostly acoustic too – with musicians that work together wonderfully in ensemble format, and often find ways to incorporate non-traditional instruments into a jazz-based perspective! Titles include "Souffle (part 2)" by Armand Lemal, "Ismaa" by The Jazz Committee For Latin American Affairs, "Timbuktu" by Theo Loevendie Consort, "Fonetik A Velo" by Kafe, "Martinica" by Michel Sardaby, "Illustration" by Billy Bang's Survival Ensemble, "Pumu 1" by Masabumi Kikuchi, and "Itwenty Five" by Joe Malinga & The Southern African Force. CD

Maybe one of the warmest recordings we've ever heard from pianist Vijay Iyer – but that's maybe no surprise, as the session is graced with these sublime vocals from singer Arooj Aftab – and delivered in a style that's much more than standard jazz! Iyer plays Fender Rhodes and piano, and adds in a bit of electronics – while Shahzad Ismaily uses moog and a vintage Fender bass – all flowing effortlessly, while Aftab brings in these vocal moments that feel both ancient and yet have a sense of new global horizons too – recorded with just a touch of echo that might evoke vintage 4AD. Titles include "Sharabi", "Eyes Of The Endless", "Shadow Forces", "To Remain/To Return", and "Haseen Thi". CD

The classic debut of Air – one of the fresher avant pop albums of the late 90s to say the least, and one of the best since then, too! Perhaps the greatest achievement here is how they deftly layer such broad influences of the preceding few decades – from soaring string film schools, to nascent electronic pop, to fusiony jazz keyboards and much in between and beyond – into a wholly original vibe all Air's own that's as breezy today as it was at the end of the 90s. Includes "La Femme D'Argent", the standout classic "Sexy Boy", "All I Need", "Kelly Watch The Stars", "Talisman". "Remember", "You Make It Easy", "Ce Matin La", "New Star In The Sky" and "Le Voyage De Penelope". LP, Vinyl record album

The first great, label-spanning compilation of great 50s & 60s tracks by a variety of artists with some little in common in some cases, but share at least one unbreakable bond – they recorded these tracks with the incredible James Burton on guitar! It's got fiery, pivotal rockabilly Dale Hawkins and Bob Luman, pop takeover numbers by Ricky Nelson, rustic charisma from Lee Hazlewood, benchmark honky tonk from Merle Haggard, harmony country rock from Buffalo Springfield and much more – including numbers credited to James Burton himself and with Ralph Mooney. Includes "Susie-Q" by Dale Hawkins, "Red Hot" by Bob Luman, "Cannonball Rag" by James Burton, "Blood From A Stone" by Ricky Nelson, "A Child's Claim To Fame" by Buffalo Springfield, "Swamp Surfer" by Jimmy Dobro, "Someday, Someday" by The Shindogs, "Just For A While" by Carol Williams, "Tryin' To Be Someone" by David & Lee and more. CD

A really sweet soundtrack to an earlier Spaghetti Western flick – 1965's Una Barra Per Lo Sceriffo, composed by Francesco De Masi! As with most of these 60s western gems, this one opens with a very cool theme – "A Lone And Angry Man", sung in English and with kind of a fun, almost loungey charisma to the vocals, which is a nice balance to the galloping, wild west instrumentation! The tracks that follow range from sweeping string sections to spare acoustic guitars, often with clip-clopping percussion and horns on the grander numbers – that sublime spaghetti mode that was always very different than the drama of American westerns, and which makes a set like this so great. CD features 15 tracks in all – a few of which feature chorus vocals by I Cantori Modern. CD

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Four incredible albums from the young Georgie Fame – plus a bonus CD of rare material, bonus tracks on all CDs, and 18 previously unreleased tracks – all in a box set with a 48 page book, 5 postcards, and a poster too! First up is Rhythm & Blues At The Flamingo – blistering early work from a young Georgie Fame – a set that definitely lives up to the Rhythm & Blues in the title! The set was recorded live at London's hip Flamingo club – and Georgie and The Blue Flames are very much in command of the crowd – burning with the intensity of a American small organ combo, especially the early 60s variety that often played equal parts soul jazz and R&B! Georgie's on the Hammond, and also sings with a rough-edged style that's plenty soulful, and incredibly appealing – a mode that oozes charisma, but never sounds fake or forced. Titles include "Do The Dog", "Eso Beso", "Work Song", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Shop Around", "Humpty Dumpty", and "You Can't Sit Down". Fame At Last is a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and R&B – all filtered through a mod sort of London freshness, as early proof that the city could always take some great things from our own musical roots, and feed it back to us with a whole new flavor! Georgie's no copycat here, though – and the sound is instantly Fame-like – a style that's really not the sort that any Americans were doing at the time, and certainly never this well. Hard-burning Hammond colors most of the tunes here – played with a tightly vamping quality – but it's Georgie's charmingly crackling vocals that really win us over! Titles include "Gimme That Wine", "Pink Champagne", "Monkeying Around", "Green Onions", "Let The Sunshine In", "Get On The Right Track Baby", "I'm In The Mood For Love", and "I Love The Life I Live". Sweet Things is a definite sweet thing from Georgie Fame – a record that has him filling in his sound even more than before, with tremendously soulful results! The backings here are bigger than before – a bit tooled in an American soul mode, but still with that beautifully raspy Georgie Fame touch – lots of jazzy inflections on the vocals, and a way of handling a tune, even a familiar one, and really working it on his own level. Hammond still fills in most of the tunes, but other instrumentation includes some nice African percussion from Speedy Acquaye, saxes from Pete Coe, and some nice bold drums from John Mitchell. These come out to the forefront on the classic funky tune "Music Talk" – and still sound great on other numbers that include "The World Is Round", "Last Night", "Dr Kitch", "My Girl", "Ride Your Pony", and "Sweet Thing". Sound Venture is one of the jazziest early albums from Georgie Fame – a set that has him singing with the big band of Harry South, at a level that's a lot more complicated than some of his other work with The Blue Flames! The style here still has that mod 60s London feel, but it also has some deeper inflections as well – modes borrowed a bit from Jon Hendricks or Mose Allison, yet served up with even greater complexity – at a level that really points towards the tremendous growth Fame would unleash over the next few years. Members of the group include Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, Dick Morrisey, Kenny Wheeler, and many other key Brit jazz figures of the time – and titles include "Three Blind Mice", "Dawn Yawn", "Feed Me", "Lovey Dovey", "Lil Darlin", "Lil Pony", "I Am Missing You", and "Many Happy Returns". CD5 is Bend A Little – a package with 20 unusual titles – demos, rare tracks, and outtakes – including unreleased tracks, IBC recordings, and even two German tracks too! Plus, each individual CD comes with bonus tracks – 40 bonus tracks, in addition to the 20 more titles on the Bend A Little set – a huge amount of material! CD

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We love our Buddy Guy here in Chicago – and this set cut for Vanguard, one of his first full solo albums with his own band will always be a favorite! Buddy's late 60s sound was as charismatic as he'd always be, but there's an understated approach to his lead that's really wonderful, and hits us much deeper than the showy, guitar solo heavy stuff that the blues club tourists want to hear! He's got the great Otis Spann playing piano, Wayne Bennett on rhythm, Jack Myers on bass, Lonny Taylor and Fred Below on drums, and Donald Hankins, Aaron Corthen and Bobby Fields on saxes. Titles include "A Man And His Blues", "I Can't Quit The Blues", "One Room Country Shack", "Just Playing My Axe", "Worry, Worry", "Jam On A Monday Morning" and more. CD

We love our Buddy Guy here in Chicago – and this set cut for Vanguard, one of his first full solo albums with his own band will always be a favorite! Buddy's late 60s sound was as charismatic as he'd always be, but there's an understated approach to his lead that's really wonderful, and hits us much deeper than the showy, guitar solo heavy stuff that the blues club tourists want to hear! He's got the great Otis Spann playing piano, Wayne Bennett on rhythm, Jack Myers on bass, Lonny Taylor and Fred Below on drums, and Donald Hankins, Aaron Corthen and Bobby Fields on saxes. Titles include "A Man And His Blues", "I Can't Quit The Blues", "One Room Country Shack", "Just Playing My Axe", "Worry, Worry", "Jam On A Monday Morning" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the Marvels group of Charles Lloyd – a combo that not only features his own great sounds on tenor and flute, but also the very strong presence of Bill Frisell on guitar! Although Lloyd recorded famously with guitar players back in his early years, the sound here is very different – filtered through the sonic explorations of his albums for ECM, and inflected with that sense of color that only seems to get stronger and stronger in the work of Frisell over the years. That quality is also augmented by use of the steel guitar in the quintet, handled by Greg Leisz – alongside the bass of Reuben Rogers and drums of Eric Harland. Titles include remakes of two 60s gems – Ornette Coleman's "Rambling" and Gabor Szabo's "Lady Gabor" – plus the originals "Tone Poem", "Dismal Swamp", and "Prayer". CD

A really mesmerizing performance from a completely fantastic version of Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra – a smaller unit, and one that seems to bring even more focus to Rob's incredible musical vision of the past decade or so! Mazurek has grown tremendously as a player in the 21st Century, and matured into a role as a generous leader who really seems to bring out the best in the musicians he works with – in this case an all-star lineup that features Tomeka Reid on cello and electronics, Angelica Sanchez on Wurlitzer electric piano, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass, Chad Taylor on drums, and Damon Locks on voice, electronics, and text. Locks and Mazurek have an especially strong rapport – especially as Rob vocalizes a bit too – and the performance takes all the spiritual expressions of previous Exploding Star records, refines them down with a new focus, then sends them soaring to the skies! The album features two long tracks – "Equations Of Love In Prismatic Waves Of Color" and "Driftless". CD

Heavy, soul-baring lyricism delivered with spiritual resonance and wise authority by Gil Scott-Heron – his first album shot in far too many years, and a direct hit – essential listening for longtime listeners and neophytes alike and a well worthy entry in a legendary career! Scott-Heron is documenting his world as profoundly and poetically as ever here, and the production is built with spare, haunting beats and atmospheric bits of strings, guitar, keys, loose atmospherics and hazy electronics – loosely framing his voice and giving it all the room in needs to carry the mood. Gil sings and speaks with equal authority throughout, and you can hear the years in his voice like never before, giving him the worn edges of the old soul he always evoked. This is a record we're proud to put among his treasured recordings of the 70s and early 80s. Titles include "On Coming From A Broken Home" (Parts 1 & 2), "Your Soul And Mine", "I'll Take Care Of You", "Where Did The Night Go", "Running", "The Crutch" and more, including several interludes that are pretty amazing – captures of conversation that show Gil nearly as charismatic and poetic in "off" moments as he is recording a song. Also includes 2 covers, "Me And The Devil" (the Robert Johnson song) and the title track, Smog/Bill Callahan's "I'm New Here", given a whole new life. Expanded anniversary version also features some great material recorded at the same time – the titles "Handsome Johnny", "My Cloud", "Piano Player", "King Henry IV", "Jazz", and 2010 live studio takes of "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "Is That Jazz", and "Winter In America". CD

Early 70s Cali country rock at its finest! This is the first album by Detroit-born, Texas-raised JD Souther – who has a deft hand for sadness-tinged songcraft, a charismatic and genuine southern drawl to his voice, and just enough grit to give his tunes the right kind of emotional undercurrent. There's a realness here that really sinks in. We sort of wish he would've shot to stardom is prominently as other Asylum singer-songwriters and his friends in The Eagles – he definitely deserves it – but there's something warm and cozy (and maybe a little selfish) about having him more to ourselves and other knowing fans. Includes "The Fast One", "Run Like A Thief", "Kite Woman", "Jesus In 3/4 Time", "It's The Same", "White Wing", "Out To Sea", "Lullaby" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album where Bruce Springsteen really settles in as The Boss – gritty, chest-pumping anthems all the way here on this one! Born In The USA is so exuberant and full of life, even when Bruce is angry –as he is on the title track – his charisma is so strong that you'd be forgiven for thinking he's cheerleading, when he's really criticizing. Strong stuff, even if you might want to skip over couple of overplayed numbers – with "Cover Me", "Darlington County", "I'm On Fire", "I'm Going Down", "My Hometown", "Glory Days", "Born In The USA", "No Surrender", "Bobby Jean", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Working On The Highway". CD

Two live sets recorded in California, October, 1995. CD

Lucinda Williams second album for Folkways – and the first to feature her own material – introducing one of the best Americana singer songwriters of the past few decades! Happy Woman Blues has an apt title, and although there's plenty of heartache in her radiating from her vocal chords and in her words, it's done with passionate, unflinching confidence and charisma the brings a smile to our faces as wide as the one she's wearing in the cover photo. More of a honky tonk record than a blues record, and a great one! Essential! Titles include "Lafayette", "Lost It", "Maria", "Happy Woman Blues", "Rolling Along", "Howlin At Midnight", "Hard Road", "Louisiana Man" and more. CD

The second volume of legendary Fania in the Leyendeas De La Fania series – featuring hard driving salsa and soulful Latin sounds from the fertile 70s years at the label – with numbers by Ismael Rivera, Willie Colon, Celia Cruz & Tito Puente, Charlie Palmieri, Bobby Valentine, La Lupe, Joe Bataan, Pete Rodriguez and more!. t's great mix of Fania hits andl and some perhaps lesser known numbers that are just as incredible. "Me Tienes" by Ismael Rivera", "Chonqui" by Willie Colon, "El Hablador" by Sonora Poncena, "Coco" by Charlie Palmieri", "Para Puerto Rico Voy" by Joe Bataan, "Sin Tu Carino" by Fania All Stars, "Tinicue" by Celia Cruz & Tito Puente and more. CD

Music from Cheikh Lo, Assane Ndiaye & Le Raam Daan, Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck, Orchestra Baobab, Tata Dinding Jobarteh, Ifang Bondi, Youssou N'Dour, Baaba Maal, Dembo Konte & Kausu Kuyateh, Malang Mane, Ismael Lo, Mass Lowe, and Mansour Seck. CD

The classic debut of Air – one of the fresher avant pop albums of the late 90s to say the least, and one of the best since then, too! Perhaps the greatest achievement here is how they deftly layer such broad influences of the preceding few decades – from soaring string film schools, to nascent electronic pop, to fusiony jazz keyboards and much in between and beyond – into a wholly original vibe all Air's own that's as breezy today as it was at the end of the 90s. Includes "La Femme D'Argent", the standout classic "Sexy Boy", "All I Need", "Kelly Watch The Stars", "Talisman". "Remember", "You Make It Easy", "Ce Matin La", "New Star In The Sky" and "Le Voyage De Penelope". CD

Weirdly tripped-out funk from Baby Elephant – a compelling collaboration from Prince Paul, Newkirk, and P-Funk keyboardist Bernie Worrell! The sound here is quite odd – kind of a dismantling of older P-Funk modes, stripped down into a handful of key elements, then re-assembled in a range of different ways to suit the spirit of each tune. There's a good sense of humor to most of the tracks, but also an underlying sense of darkness as well – especially on some of the skits that link together the tracks, done by Prince Paul to give the album a slightly narrative feel. There's a huge amount of guest stars in the mix – including David Byrne, George Clinton, Reggie Watts, Yellowman, Nona Hendryx, and Shock 9 – and titles include "How Does The Brainwave", "Plainfield", "The Search", "Baby Elephants In Thanos", "Even Stranger", "Crack Addicts In Love", "Turn My Teeth Up", and "Fred Berry". CD

Titles include "Cinelandia", "Mais Que Um Sorriso", "Talismas", "Nao Da Pra Guardar", and "Droba A Lingua". CD

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song". LP, Vinyl record album

We can remember when this movie spooked the heck out of us – and now it remains as a charming period piece from the days when New York was overrun by gangsters dressed up in baseball uniforms or overalls – representing a version of the Big Apple during the bankrupt 70s that's turned out to have more longstanding charm than the gang in Clockwork Orange! The music's very well-suited in a period style – a sweet mix of Latin, funk, rock, and soundtrack spookiness – with titles that include "Echoes In My Mind" by Mandrill, "Baseball Furies Chase" by Barry De Vorzon, "In Havana" by Kenny Vance & Ismael Miranda, "Nowhere To Run" by Arnold McCuller, and of course the classic "In The City" by Joe Walsh. CD

A fantastic album from this groundbreaking Latin combo from Chicago – one who've got an inclusive spirit that grabs together so many different elements of music and unifies them as one! The style isn't quite salsa, isn't Latin rock or jazz – but instead has so many strands of sounds coming together at once – not colliding, but really merging and making something beautiful and new in the process – always with a sound that's proud, righteous, and very aware of its power to change! In a time of borders and boundaries, the approach is especially welcome – and it's our guess that we'll be hearing plenty from Dos Santos in years to come. The album features some guest work from the Antibalas horns, arranged by Nick Mazzarella – plus cornet from Ben LaMar Gay – on titles that include "Cordva", "Purisma", "Manos Ajenas", "How Far Are We From Here", "You Are My Revolution", "Caminante", "Logos", "Return Y Regreso", and "Acabame". CD

Bob Dylan and his incomparable band take on old school pop standards for the second album in a row – and it's a real charmer! Fallen Angels has a lot in common with the preceding Strangers In The Night, as they're again taking on songs recorded by, and in some cases popularized by Sinatra, but this one goes a bit deeper into the classic American songbook – and it's all the better for it. Dylan's reputation as a songwriter is borderline biblical, while his reputation as a conventionally gifted singer is, well...something else – so there's a sly allurement here that's not lost on the headliner. He's paying earnest tribute to the songs themselves – which in the course of pop history have been overshadowed by the voices singing them – and on that front, it's masterful! Still, Dylan's raspy croon is pretty darn charismatic itself on this material, making it another late career gem. Longtime Dylan players Charlie Sexton, Stu Kimball, Tony Garnier, George Recile and Donnie Herron make the instrumental magic happen, along with newer Dylan player (though longtime session guitar ace) Dean Parks – but extra credit to Herron, whose steel guitar sound makes it extra special. Includes "Young At Heart", "Maybe You'll Be There", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "All The Way", "Skylark", "Nevertheless", "All Or Nothing At All", "It Had To Be You", "Melancholy Mood", "That Old Black Magic" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". CD

The third album from The Faces and a straight up masterpiece of charismatic, sweaty, swaggery early 70s rock and roll! We were pretty late in acknowledging the badassery of Rod Stewart during this period, both solo and with The Faces, and boy does this record ever sound amazing to us now! The love these Brits have for soul, rhythm and blues is real, too – which makes it work on a deeper level. Titles Includes "Miss Judy's Farm", "You're So Rude", "Last Orders Please", "Love Lives Here", "Debris", a great cover of "Memphis", Too Bad" the breakthrough superhit "Stay With Me" and That's All You Need". CD

A full-on set from the mighty Fania All-Stars – a session that matches some of the larger arrangements of their Columbia Records albums, but which also returns the group to more of a salsa-focused groove! Tracks are somewhat short – none of the jam sessions of the group's earliest years – but the sound is top-shelf all the way through, and a lot more classic than you'd guess from the cheesy cocaine image on the cover! Group members include Papo Luca on piano, Nicky Marrero on timbales, Roberto Roena on bongos, Yomo Toro on cuatro, and Lewis Khan on trombone – and singers include Hector Lavoe, Adalberto Santiago, Willie Colon, Ismael Rivera, and Celia Cruz. Titles include "Semilla De Amor", "Bilongo", "La Montana", "Rosa En El Fango", "Mi So Den Boso", and "Nina". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little live album from The Fania All Stars – one that's recorded a few years after their classic sets at the Cheetah, Red Garter, and Yankee Stadium – but which still burns with the same sort of energy! The groove here has a bit more of a straighter salsa approach – as you'd guess from the date – but the record still features the cream of the crop of the New York scene, coming together with a masterful sense of power and togetherness! Vocalsits include Justo Belancourt, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, and Ismael Rivera – and titles include "Felicitaciones", "Ahora Si", "Publico Corriente", "Toro Mata", "El Nazareno", "Cucala", and "Yo Soy La Candela". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better Fania All Stars albums from the time – recorded live in Havana, with a lineup that includes Roberto Roena, Larry Harlow, Reuben Blades, Johnny Pacheco, Ismael Quintana, and Papo Lucca. Includes the extended "Descarga A Cuba", plus "Castellanos Jam", "Mename La Cuna", "Llevale", and "Tres Lindas Cubanas". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful soundtrack to one of the most important films to Latin music in the 70s! This double-length set features a huge array of work from the movie – not only important musical bits, both live and in the studio, but also snippets from TV, concert introductions, and lots lots more that show the range and cultural impact of the early 70s New York scene – stretching way past a simple understanding that you might have from other records! Players include Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Pacheco, and Bobby Valentin – and tracks include "Drum Story", "The Sugar Cane", "Hollywood", "Barrio", "Mi Gente", "Congo Bongo", "Slave Ship", "African Village", and "Soul Makossa". Also features guest appearances by Geraldo Rivera, Dezi Arnaz, Ismael Quintana, Carmen Miranda, and Al Jolson! LP, Vinyl record album

A fresh new groove from The Fania All Stars – one that definitely has them picking up some of the Spanish elements mentioned in the title – the fusing them into the tight mix of Latin, club, and jazz they were doing at Columbia Records in the late 70s! These new elements are often light – a bit of acoustic guitar here, maracas there, or some slightly different rhythms – and they're warmed up nicely by the mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation used by the group – who are definitely at the height of their disco powers here! Core players include Papo Lucca on keyboards, Nicky Marrero on timbales, Johnny Pacheco and Roberto Roena on percussion, and Bobby Valentin on bass – and other players include Hubert Laws on flute, Eric Gale on guitar, Luie Ramirez on vibes, and Luiz Perico Ortiz on trumpet. Vocals are by Ismael Miranda, Pacheco, and Ruben Blades – and titles include "Spanish Fever", "Que Pasa", "Space Machine", "Donde", "Your Sereneness", and "Sin Tu Carino". LP, Vinyl record album

The cover image here really demonstrates the charisma of Fela at his height – dozens of topless women, kneeling around the maestro and spelling out the number 70 – but to us, the music is what really shows the man's power – a bold, progressive statement of the new energy bubbling up on the African scene – served up here on two amazing side-long tracks! Tony Allen is at the head of the Africa 70 – and his rhythms are already incredibly complex, but always right on the money – mixed with heavy tenor from Igo Chico, great electric piano lines, and a fiercely collaborative sense of energy that makes every move of the entire group come together as one. Titles include "Lady" and "Sakara Oloje" – both completely sublime! LP, Vinyl record album

With guests David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

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Life after Peter Gabriel – with Phil Collins doing a surprisingly great job on vocals – free from all the tripe of later years! The group are still very much in the mode of their early prog years, but balance things out with a few catchier tunes – a mode that's a bit like the Selling England By The Pound album, sans Gabriel. Collins is learning how to express himself soulfully, but not in a commercial way – and the few off moments are more than balanced with some wonderfully tight instrumental work – on tracks that include "Dance On A Volcano", "Robbery Assault & Battery", "Ripples", "Trick Of The Tail", and "Mad Man Moon". CD

A legendary album of instrumental music inspired by the Lord Of The Rings – maybe not the all-out Frodo Fest you might expect, but a set that's been pretty important to fans of JRR Tokien over the years – especially in the years before DVDs and other mass-market versions of his masterpiece! Bo Hansson works here heavy on keyboards, but also uses some nicely spacey guitars – all spun out over tunes that could each work as mini-soundtracks for separate sections of the three volume book – with titles that include "Fog On The Barrow Downs", "Leaving The Shire", "Lothlorien", "Shadowfax", "The Black Riders & Flight To The Ford", and "Dreams In The House Of Healing". LP, Vinyl record album

Al Jarreau is grooving in a pure modern pop soul mode on this mid 80s set – and it works really, really well – a not-so-surprising creative win even if it's not the jazzy Jarreau record longtime fans may have preferred at the time – one of our favorite mid-decade Nile Rodgers productions! Al's vocals are really excellent, bringing in all the cooing charisma he's capable of and Niles brings the clean, chart ready production – even though this one didn't hit as big as it should have. Titles include "Tell Me What I Gotta Do", "L Is For Lover", "Golden Girl", "Pleasure", "Real Tight", "Give A Little More Lovin" and more. CD

Arguably the last great album to come from the classic Pat Metheny collaboration with Lyle Mays – a record that's tightened up considerably from some of the group's earlier efforts, but which gives as its reward some wonderfully compelling tunes! Pat's still very much influenced here by a Brazilian fusion style – but he takes that approach, dismantles it, pulls out the best elements – and extrapolates them into a sound that's uniquely his own. Wordless vocals slide out on a few numbers, while guitar and keys sing alongside earthier percussion – in a style that's extremely evocative, and shows that even riding the top of his own success, Metheny was still more than willing to bring in new modes. Titles include "If I Could", "Forward March", "Yolanda, You Learn", "End Of The Game", and "Mas Alla". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Viejo Carrusel", "La Ultima Copa", "Anuque Me Maten", "Isaciable", "Copas Y Amigos", and "Rebeldia". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of our favorite albums from Lee Morgan – a soaringly soulful session that was recorded in the mid 60s, and finally issued by Blue Note at the end of the decade! The vibe here really follows from the lyrically inventive, post-Sidewinder mid 60s Morgan years – with a spirit that's similar to Lee's work on the albums Gigolo or Tom Cat, in a style that mixes in a fair bit more modal and Latin influences to the rhythms. The lineup is totally great too – a sextet that features Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins – the last of whom provides tremendous rhythms that are as fluidly inventive as Morgan's playing and the writing of Hank Mobley, who contributed most of the tunes to the set. Titles include "Hey Chico", "The Double Up", and "The Murphy Man" – and the record also includes a nice version of Duke Pearson's "Sweet Honey Bee". CD

One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up! CD

European waltzes side by side with music by Ottoman Turkish composers including Hamamizade Ismail Dede Effendi, Abdi Effendi, and Demetrius Cantemir. CD

Brilliant early work from Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – a group who grew up in the same Cali sunshine that birthed The Byrds, but who definitely took a very unique path in the way they blended together folk, rock, and country! These guys show their wit on their sleeves a bit more than in later years – almost a Mike Nesmith sense of their style, seen from the outside – with an approach that's kind of a running commentary on what they're trying to do, even at the same time they're doing it so well. Songs are plenty playful, with almost a late 60s Warner Brothers revision of nostalgia at times – and titles include "Buy For Me The Rain", "Song to Jutta", "Candy Man", "Dismal Swamp", "Crazy Words Crazy Tune", and "You're Gonna Get It In The End". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's brimming with original compositions from Dave Pietro – fresh tunes that are as strong as his own work as a leader on alto, and which share a similar balance of sound! Dave's got an ear for his horn that opens up some of the lighter, leaner sounds of the alto – yet he also blows with a nice edge too, in a quality that's underscored by some of the album's work on trumpet from Scott Wendholt, whose tone resonates with Pietro's in a really great way. The rhythm trio are rock-solid – with Steeplechase stalwarts Gary Versace on piano and Jay Anderson on bass, joined by the great Billy Drummond on drums. Titles include the Pietro originals "Essence", "Auriga", "The Talisman", "Alexandra", "Until The Day", and "Eternal Optimism" – and a nice take on "The Windmills Of Your Mind". CD

Not the Eleventh House group with guitarist Larry Coryell, and instead this very cool spoken word record from Milwaukee – one that features light instrumentation on organ, flute, guitars, percussion, and even electric sitar – kind of a cross between some of the beat-era Fantasy Records poetry albums, and the trippier 70s work of Ken Nordine! LP, Vinyl record album

A great meeting of talents in the studio – as Ismael Rivera sings lead vocals for Kako's smoking combo, complete with congas by Patato Valdez! The sound here is a great – rootsy and highly percussive on the bottom, yet smooth on the top thanks to Ismael's vocals – sung here in a style that's slightly soulful, and reaching out with a good degree of personal inflection. The whole thing's a nice precursor to more popular salsa modes of the 70s – and titles include "La Cumbita", "Moti-Agua", "Cantar Maravilloso", "Mi Negrita Me Espera", and "El Truquito". LP, Vinyl record album

Sinatra-Basie is the inaugural effort from the 2 leaders and the stellar orchestra – and it's a great one. Sinatra is as charismatic and loose out front as he's ever been on record, and the Basie & his players swing brilliantly with arrangements by Neal Hefti. Titles include "Pennies From Heaven", "Please Be Kind", "My Kind Of Girl", "Learnin' The Blues", "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and more. CD

The album where Bruce Springsteen really settles in as The Boss – gritty, chest-pumping anthems all the way here on this one! Born In The USA is so exuberant and full of life, even when Bruce is angry –as he is on the title track – his charisma is so strong that you'd be forgiven for thinking he's cheerleading, when he's really criticizing. Strong stuff, even if you might want to skip over couple of overplayed numbers – with "Cover Me", "Darlington County", "I'm On Fire", "I'm Going Down", "My Hometown", "Glory Days", "Born In The USA", "No Surrender", "Bobby Jean", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Working On The Highway". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great late album from French composer, arranger, lyricist, singer and all around creative musical force Jean Claude Vannier – with Vannier singing moody, vintage orch pop numbers in a mode that does both JCV and his old collaborator Serge Gainsbourg proudly! The set has a very lively feel to it, which is quite natural, given that the album came about following the group's rehearsals for the Histoire De Melody Nelson performance at London's Barbican in 2006. It features a brilliant group of players who worked with Vannier and Serge Gainsbourg on that uber-iconic album as well as other boundary-busting projects and soundtracks – including Cannabis, La Horse, Slogan and Vannier's own legendary leftfield classic L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches. Vannier's voice is charismatic as can be, and the vintage pulp orchestrations are as fresh as ever. Includes "Londres-Paris-Sofia", "Les Yeux Valise", "Au Desespoir Des Singes", "Les Coquelicots", "La Vie En Live", "Une Partie De Scrabble", "Roses Rouge Sang" and "Un Petit Quelque Chose". LP, Vinyl record album