Glen Campbell cut plenty of fantastic songs for Capitol Records – but year after year, some of the best were written by the young Jimmy Webb – an important 60s songwriter who brought magic to a number of different singers, but maybe clicked most strongly with Glen! You'll know the key tracks here, as they represent some of Campbells biggest early hits – but his association with Webb goes way past those few tracks, through a legacy of great 70s recordings that are presented here – in a package that features every single Glen Campbell recording of a Jimmy Webb tune through the start of the 80s – including live material, and even a more obscure track done for Atlantic Records too. The sensitivity of Webb's material is really on full display here – and the whole thing is a great contrast to some of the thinner greatest hits packages of Campbell's material – presented with very detailed notes, lots of great vintage images, and a set list of 23 tracks that include "You Might As Well Smile", "Just This One Time", "I Keep It Hid", "The Moon's A Harsh Mistress", "Galveston", "Didn't We (live)", "In Cars", "Highwayman", "Early Morning Song", "Christian No", "It's A Sin When You Love Somebody", "Adoration", "Wichita Lineman", "Where's The Playground Susie", "I Was Too Busy Loving You", "Just Another Piece Of Paper", and "Ocean In His Eyes". CD

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One of two rare albums recorded by organist Jimmy Caravan in the 60s – a really great talent on the Hammond, and a player with a really clean, lean, and groovy sound! Jimmy's style here borrows a lot from the Capitol jazz scene of players like Howard Roberts or Henry Cain – an approach to organ jazz that's a bit more stripped down and less gritty than that of labels like Blue Note or Prestige – and one that uses the cleaner sound to bring even more rhythm into the mix, letting the organ leap around the tunes in a groovily playful way! Caravan's got a great sound throughout, and although the other players aren't listed, the album's got a nice small combo sound all the way through. Titles include "Off A Brass Monkey", "Equinox", "UFO", "Cyclops", and a groovy version of "Hey Jude". CD

Jimmy Castor's a cat who's tried many styles in music – and handled them all surprisingly well – from sweet soul to heavy funk, to Latin grooves, and even the funky club style of this late 70s album for TK Records! The set has Jimmy giving a nod to the disco generation – no surprise, given that TK was a disco powerhouse – but the overall approach is maybe tied more to his mid 70s records for Atlantic – with all the warm humor and funk of those albums! On some tracks, it almost feels like Castor's trying to be a one man answer to the P-Funk army – but other tracks are more personal overall. Titles include "Time", "The Mystery Of Me", "Sweetooth", "The Real McCoy", "Future Place", "Let It Out", and "Bertha Butt Encounters Vadar". CD

Wickedly fuzzy funk! Jimmy Castor recorded in a lot of different styles during the 70s – but the one he used on this album is still his best – and the album may well be his lasting testament of funky genius! The record's a non-stop guitar-heavy batch of classic funk tracks – and it features the storming break track "It's Just Begun", the funky goofy "Troglodyte", and plenty other nice moments like "Bad", "LTD", "I Promise To Remember", and "Psychee". Fuzzy guitar meets heavy drums meets some of the most insane lyrics ever on a mainstream funk album! Jimmy can always be great – but he really knocks it out of the park on this monstrous classic. LP, Vinyl record album

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Lots of heavy love here – a wonderful sense of rapport between the great tenorist Al Cohn and piano genius Jimmy Rowles! Both musicians were still recording heavily at the time of this album, but the record seems to capture them in a really special space that still stands strongly on its own – a mode that's much more relaxes than some of the Pablo Records sessions of the time, and which has Cohn in an especially striking mode – really hitting these openly-blown, often-angular lines that are dripping with soul – more heart and feeling than we might normally expect from him, matched equally by Jimmy Rowles' wonderful phrasing on piano – very much here at the top shelf level he delivered with Stan Getz on The Peacocks album. Titles include "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Bar Talk", "These Foolish Things", "Them There Eyes", and "Sweet & Lovely". Features the bonus track "For All We Know". CD

Jim Cooper on vibraphone, Ira Sullivan on trumpet and saxophones, Bob Dogan on piano, Dan DeLorenzo on bass, Charlie Braugham on drums, and Alejo Povenda on percussion. CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Hank Crawford on alto saxophone, Jimmy McGriff on organ with George Benson, Wayne Boyd, Cornell Dupree, Vance James, Mel Lewis, Jimmy Ponder, Billy Preston & Bernard Purdie. CD

Hank Crawford on alto sax, Jimmy McGriff on Hammond organ, Wayne Boyd on guitar & Bernard Purdie on drums. CD

With Anthony Davis on piano, James Newton on flute, Rick Rozie on bass, George Lewis on trombone, and Pheeroan AkLaff on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

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An amazing meeting of two very different players who might not normally record together – although maybe not as much of a surprise, given that the set was recorded in the St Louis home turf of both Miles Davis and Jimmy Forrest! At the time, Miles was already a star, but Jimmy was becoming a hell of a tenor player – one that seems to have more of a bop affinity here than on later records – blowing head to head with Davis, and really stretching out on long solos throughout. The rhythm section features Charles Fox on piano, Johnny Mixon on bass, and Oscar Oldham on drums – and titles on this first volume include "Ray's Idea", "Night In Tunisia", "Wee Dot", and "What's New". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Jimmy Dawkins on guitar – and on vocals on one track – alongside Big Voice Odom on main vocals, Otis Rush on guitar, Sonny Thompson on piano, and Jim Conley on tenor sax! CD

They don't call Jimmy Dawkins "fast fingers" for nothing – and the first few minutes of the record are definitely testament to his mighty power on the guitar! The instrument is electric, and recorded with this sense of powerful echo that easily has Dawkins blowing away some of the UK blues rockers who were starting to get into the game at the time – as do his vocals, which we'd put head to head with some of the giants who took this mode and ran with it through the arena rock scene of the 70s! Yet throughout, it's the guitar that's especially amazing – completely confident and masterful, even though this was Jimmy's first album – with nice lean support from Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano and organ, and Mighty Joe Young on second guitar. Titles include "Little Angel Child", "Night Rock", "Triple Trebles", "It Serves Me Right To Suffer", "Breaking Down", "I Don't Know What Love Is", and "I Wonder Why". CD features two bonus tracks – "Sad & Blues" and "Back Home Blues". CD

A fantastic array of really cool songs – all written and recorded by Tom Dawes of The Cyrkle – as part of a big career as a jingle writer after his group cut a famous theme song for 7 Up! The music here is great – work from a time when jingles for TV and radio ads were like mini songs in and of themselves – often as catchy as anything on the charts, if not more so – so that the tunes you'd hear for a few short seconds would stick in your head all day long! If you dig sunshine pop, there's plenty to love here – and remember that the great Roger Nichols also gave the world a wonderful tune that was originally designed as a jingle. Some of the tracks here never made it to the TV screen, others are classics – and the set includes songs written for Windex, GI Joe, Alka Seltzer, Calgon, Stridex, Murine, Hartford Insurance, Thom McCann, Life Savers, Timex, Ford, and many others. LP, Vinyl record album

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With Jim McNeely on piano. CD

Really cool later work from this excellent UK trumpeter – a set that features Jimmy Deuchar on flugelhorn alongside Gary Cox on tenor, Dave Lynane on bass, and Jack Parnell on drums – plus some great electric piano work from Johnny Patrick, which gives the set a sense of lyricism you might never expect from Jimmy! Gary Cox is pretty wonderful too – and the record has this beautiful brightness and deeper edge that's quite unexpected! LP, Vinyl record album

A book that's a piece of art in an of itself – as it's the only way these different strands of creative activity from artist Jim Dine could have come together! The approach is unusual – the book is something of a poem, but created from words that Dine wrote on various surfaces in various places over the years, which are then photographed, and assembled into a large book without any other text at all! At an initial level, the book feels like someone selecting images of scrawlings on walls, but together the images rise up as a creation of their own – both verbal and visual – in a really lovely clothbound book that comes in a heavy slipcover that's a perfect package for the contents. Book

A stunner of a set from the 70s African scene – and a record that may well be a lot rawer and harder than most that you have in your collection! Ferry Djimmy was originally a boxer, and spent time outside of his native Benin – but on a return to the country in the early 70s, he cut this cooker of a record – one that's completely unbridled and stripped-down – with a lot leaner vibe than most other African funk of the time! Many cuts just have basslines, percussion, and guitar – tight and sinister, and driving forward with non-stop action while Ferry sings the lyrics in a very earthy style. The whole thing's incredible – and titles include "Be Free", "When I Come In The Road", "Young Revolution", "Carry Me Blak", "Ichango", "Love Love", "Chiriki Man", and "Start To Pray". LP, Vinyl record album

Great small group work – and the Johnny Dodds group features trumpet from Charlie Shavers, while the Jimmy Noone combo features both Shavers on trumpet and Pete Brown on alto! LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of work from a singer who's finally getting his due – Louisiana legend Jimmy Donley, an artist whose career was as short-lived as his time on the planet – but who worked during the early 60s in a wonderful blend of soul, R&B, and rough-edged rock! The package is amazing – and a much-needed look at this artist who burned incredibly brightly for a few short years, before taking his own life in the mid 60s. Jimmy's a hell of a singer, and a damn great songwriter too – and according to the notes, most of the tunes on the set originated with him, but were sold quickly to others to earn cash – a fact that hardly keeps the music from being a great representation of Donley's genius. There's definitely some echoes of New Orleans soul in the recordings, but given that many of the sessions were handled by Huey P Meux, there's also a west Louisiana vibe, too – with almost some grittier east Texas elements as well. The sound is quite unique – and uniquely breathtaking in this scope – a 2CD set that features 20 songs issued on singles for the Tear Drop label – plus another 36 tracks as demos, duets, and other rare material! Titles include "A Woman's Gotta Have Her Way", "Think It Over", "Strange Strange Feeling", "Love Bug", "Baby Ain't That Love", "Just A Game", "Santa Don't Pass Me By", "Baby Heaven Sent Me You", "Loving Cajun Style", "Forever Lillie May", "I Still Care", "It's Time To Say Goodbye", and "I'll Keep On Movin". CD

With Helen O'Connell, Bob Eberly, and Vic Schoen. 78 RPM, Vinyl record

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Features Eric Mingus on double bass and Jim Dvorak on trumpet. CD

Features Kahil El'Zabar on drums, vocals, and thumb piano – with Ari Brown on tenor and soprano sax, and Malachi Favors on bass! CD

Includes performances by Stan Getz, Jimmy Giuffre, Art Pepper, Ray Brown, Alvin Stoller and many more! CD

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Gil plays Jimi? Sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off pretty darn great – and it helps you forgive him for trying to convince the kids that he's not as old as his grey hair might make you think! As always with Evans, the key to the album is a beautiful balance between the strength of the players and vision of the arrangements – a hip mix of musicians who include Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, and both Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie on guitars! Arrangements are great too – handled by Tom Malone, Warren Smith, and Howard Johnson – all of whom make the album way more than just an instrumental reading of Jimi Hendrix tunes – and instead a great platform for improvisation that uses tunes that include "Up From The Skies", "Foxy Lady", "Gypsy Eyes", "Voodoo Chile", "Angel", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Castles Made of Sand". Plus, the CD features 4 bonus alternate tracks – not on the original album! CD

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Excellent work from this hard-blowing St Louis tenorist – a figure who started in more R&B-styled material, but also helped open the door for soul jazz modes in the 60s! The work here predates Jimmy's well-remembered records for Prestige – as the package features early material cut for United Records during the early 50s – tracks that have that amazing tenor sound of Forrest alongside work from Chauncey Locke on trumpet, Bart Dabney on trombone, and either Bunky Parker or Charles Fox on piano. A number of tracks have nice use of congas, making for a mambo jazz mode at times – and titles include Jimmy's classic version of "Night Train" – plus "Calling Dr Jazz", "Mister Goodbeat", "Bolo Blues", "Hey Mrs Jones", and "Coach 13". CD features a number of unissued bonus tracks too! LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from this hard-blowing St Louis tenorist – a figure who started in more R&B-styled material, but also helped open the door for soul jazz modes in the 60s! The work here predates Jimmy's well-remembered records for Prestige – as the package features early material cut for United Records during the early 50s – tracks that have that amazing tenor sound of Forrest alongside work from Chauncey Locke on trumpet, Bart Dabney on trombone, and either Bunky Parker or Charles Fox on piano. A number of tracks have nice use of congas, making for a mambo jazz mode at times – and titles include Jimmy's classic version of "Night Train" – plus "Calling Dr Jazz", "Mister Goodbeat", "Bolo Blues", "Hey Mrs Jones", and "Coach 13". CD features a number of unissued bonus tracks too! CD

9 tracks by drummer Panama Francis with additional tracks by Danny Turner, Eddie Woodland, and Count "Red" Hastings. CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A record that has some blues influences at the core, but which also really moves past that energy right away – by folding in some of the hipper, headier styles that Frijid Pink had picked up while working on the Detroit scene at the end of the 70s! The vocals are raw in a great way, and the guitar work follows suit nicely – on titles that include "Sloony", "I'll Never Be Lonely", "Black Lace", "Sing A Song For Freedom", "I Haven't Got The Time", "Pain In My Heart", and "We're Gonna Be There". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of albums from Frijid Pink, plus bonus tracks too – all served up in a single set! First up is the self-titled debut – a heady set from the Detroit scene, yet one that also instantly has the group stepping away from their contemporaries! There's plenty of the freak and fuzz that you'd guess from bigger acts who emerged on the US scene from the Motor City in the years before – but the vocals from Tom Beaudry maybe have this more focused, soaring style that also prefaces some huge shifts in American hard rock at the time – soulful, but not with a soul influence, if that makes sense at all – and perfect next to the incredible guitar work from Gary Ray Thompson. Titles include "Drivin Blues", "I'm On My Way", "God Gave Me You", "I Want To Be Your Lover", "Boozin Blues", "House Of The Rising Sun", "Tell Me Why", and "Cryin Shame". Next up is Defrosted – a record that has some blues influences at the core, but which also really moves past that energy right away – by folding in some of the hipper, headier styles that Frijid Pink had picked up while working on the Detroit scene at the end of the 70s! The vocals are raw in a great way, and the guitar work follows suit nicely – on titles that include "Sloony", "I'll Never Be Lonely", "Black Lace", "Sing A Song For Freedom", "I Haven't Got The Time", "Pain In My Heart", and "We're Gonna Be There". CD features very detailed notes – and bonus tracks that include single mixes of "Heartbreak Hotel", "I Love Her", "Lost Son", "We're Gonna Be There", "Shorty Kline", and "Music For The People" CD

Solo piano album – titles include "Horizon", "Wave Crest", "Light On The Sea Surface", "Voyage", "Cut The Painter", and "Torrent". CD

Tomas Fujiwara on drums and Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet. CD

Hisao Fukushima on guitar and Yasuji Ishii on bass. CD

Searing, soulful energy from this overlooked Japanese combo of the 70s – a crack quartet led by drummer Ryojiro Furusawa, working here with some great guest work on trombone from Shigeharu Mukai! The tunes are often very simple, but with a groove that's totally great – a bit of a modal vibe at times, and some spiritual jazz undercurrents at others – really making the record feel like some lost Strata East album, thanks to electric piano lines from Toshiyuki Daitoku and some tenor and soprano sax from Tomoki Takahashi. Most tunes are long, and very openly grooving – and titles include "Yellow Cherry", "You Wanna Rain", "For Heavens Sake", "Snake Walk", and "Acoustic Chicken". CD

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Overlooked 70s work from Jimmy Giuffre – a hip trio session that has all the free elements of his earlier recordings, but possibly an even greater focus on tone! Jimmy plays a range of reeds here – tenor, clarinet, and flute – and he works with bass and drum accompaniment, but often in a really gentle way that allows his own solo energy to dictate the tunes – coming out in space that's boldly soulful on the tenor, yet more fragile and intimate on the flute – kind of a cross between more expressive avant work and some of the more spiritual tones of the time. The tenor tunes are especially great – kind of opening a new chapter for Giuffre's career – and the group features Kiyoshi Tokunaga on bass and Randy Kaye on percussion. Titles include "The Bird", "Mosquito Dance", "The Chanting", "The Butterfly", "Dervish", "Phoenix", and "Night Dance". CD

Overlooked 70s work from Jimmy Giuffre – a hip trio session that has all the free elements of his earlier recordings, but possibly an even greater focus on tone! Jimmy plays a range of reeds here – tenor, clarinet, and flute – and he works with bass and drum accompaniment, but often in a really gentle way that allows his own solo energy to dictate the tunes – coming out in space that's boldly soulful on the tenor, yet more fragile and intimate on the flute – kind of a cross between more expressive avant work and some of the more spiritual tones of the time. The tenor tunes are especially great – kind of opening a new chapter for Giuffre's career – and the group features Kiyoshi Tokunaga on bass and Randy Kaye on percussion. Titles include "The Bird", "Mosquito Dance", "The Chanting", "The Butterfly", "Dervish", "Phoenix", and "Night Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Jimmy Giuffre's excellent early recordings for Capitol, and a nice blend of west coast styles with more modernist experimentation. Here, Giuffre begins his experiments in jazz without a "non-pulsating beat", that is, jazz without snapping cymbal, walking bass, or pounding piano to provide a steady pulse. The group includes Ralph Pena on bass, Artie Anton on drums, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet, and the four musicians play together in beautifully fragile little lines, which arc up and back, and come together with a sense of grace and surprise. Tracks include "The Leprechaun", "Scintilla Three" & "This Is My Beloved". 7-inch, Vinyl record

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A wonderful fusion of traditional roots and contemporary funk – handled perfectly by this legendary Gambian band! The groove is unique – with earthy percussion and haunting vocals mixed with more 70s-styled funk instrumentation – but often in a way that's as interested in sonic experimentation as it is in search of a groove – an approach that really sets these guys apart from most of their contemporaries, and which has made the Guelewar Band's records get some great attention in recent years. The group call their approach "Afro-Manding Sound" – and titles include "Warteef Jigeen", "NTC The Gambia", "Mamadu Bitike", "President Diawara", and "Jilanna". CD

Beautiful work from the man who revolutionized Greek music in the 60s! LP, Vinyl record album

A standout 60s soundtrack from the great Manos Hadjidakis – penned for a heist thriller from director Jules Dassin! The music follows slightly off the Dassin/Hadjidakis pairing on Never On A Sunday – using lots of familiar Greek elements, but moving these into more complicated film score modes as well – particularly on some of the cool mood-setting numbers you'd find in a heist film of this vintage – a surprisingly great setting for some of the more exotic moments in the music. There's plenty of bazuki in the mix, and some nice percussion too – and titles include "Meet Hans", "Istanbul", "Meet Arthur Simpson", "Main Title", "On The Road", and "The Road To Riches". LP, Vinyl record album

A really special album in the career of the great Merle Haggard – a moment when he really started looking back to give credit to those who inspired him – and when he was also really able to express himself in a longer format too! Part of the credit might go to Capitol Records, who trusted Merle so much they not only let him record a concept album, but a 2LP set as well – plenty of space for Haggard to deliver some great spoken passages about the great Jimmie Rodgers, his life, and music – then move into some of Jimmie's classics, but updated nicely with a vibe that's very much Merle's own! Given the way that Hag was stretching out his vocal skills tremendously at the end of the 60s, there's a sense of inflection that's perfect for the bluesy currents of the songs – on titles that include "Blue Yodel No 4", "Waitin For A Train", "Mother The Queen Of My Heart", "My Old Pal", "No Hard Times", "Travelin Blues", "Down The Old Road To Home", "Jimmie's Texas Blues", "Train Whistle Blues", and "Mule Skinner Blues" – plus the classic train song "Hobo Bill's Last Ride". CD

A brilliant mid 70s set headlined by pianist Al Haig & guitarist Jimmy Raney – essentially a reunion of bandmates from the early 50s Stan Getz Quintet – beautifully done and in a timelessly appealing mode! What's great about this is that doesn't feel in the least a hokey revisit the old days kinda thing, as if we should have expected something so crass from such wonderful players. They play some evergreen jazz standards some numbers that made waves in the 60s and later, the group includes Jamil Nasser on bass, Frank Gand on drums, plus guitar by Doug Raney on "You Came To Me From Out Of Nowhere". Other numbers including the Eddie Harris penned title track, Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance", "Round Midnight", "Invitation", and "Enigma". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 20 tracks on 2 CDs and features work with Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Airto Moreira, George Mraz, Joe Lovano, Christian McBride, and others. CD

A wonderful album from guitarist Jim Hall – different than some of his other work, and with a slightly harder edge! The unique session has him playing in an MPS 60s mode – more straight-on than some of his more airy moments – with a sound and tone that still recalls his work with Paul Desmond or Art Farmer, but a more direct approach, and an occasional groove as well! The trio's as unique as the record – the great Jimmy Woode on bass and drums from Daniel Humair – and titles include "Blue Joe", "Romaine", "Young One For Debra", "Body & Soul", and a great version of "Up Up & Away", which soars to the sky in a way you'd never expect from Jim! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early trio set from Jim Hall – especially noteworthy because Jim rarely worked in the format as a leader! The album's got Hall working with Carl Perkins on piano and Red Mitchell on bass – in a mode that slightly recalls some of Barney Kessel's mid 50s recordings over at Contemporary Records, but which also has that airier style that was Hall's first great calling card on his instrument. Some of the best cuts really have the notes hanging in air with incredible grace and a very subtle sense of swing – and titles include "This Is Always", "Look For The Silver Lining", "Stella By Starlight", "Deep In A Dream", "Seven Come Eleven", and "Thanks For The Memory". CD

Sharp sounds from guitarist Jim Hall – a record that's filled with all the cool, complicated lines the musician could muster on his instrument – yet a record that also manages to swing a bit too! The sound here is a great evolution from the sound of Hall's music in the 50s – even more modern at most moments, with unique phrasing that shows just how much Jim continued to grow over the decades – delivered at a level that's very fresh, and without a debt to any other guitarist on the planet! Part of the album's unique feel comes from the large amount of original Hall compositions – interpreted by Jim with a trio that also features Don Thompson on piano and bass and Terry Clarke on drums – on titles that include "Kyoto Bells", "Echo", "Without Words", "Light", "Something For Now", and "Two Special People". LP, Vinyl record album

A work of understated brilliance from guitarist Jim Hall – and one of our favorite records by him! The setting is simple – Hall plays live with a trio, on a set of familiar standards – but the results are remarkable, as both Hall and the rhythm section manage to bring a hell of a lot of swing and imagination into such a tiny space! Hall's always had a rhythmic approach to his work, but here, playing with drummer Terry Clarke and bassist Don Thompson, he really opens into a great groove – stretching things past his usual standard, and bringing a lot more soul into the set than you might expect. The tunes are ones you'll recognize – "Angel Eyes", "Round Midnight", and "The Way You Look Tonight" – but the real charm is what Hall and the trio do with them! CD

A work of understated brilliance from guitarist Jim Hall – and one of our favorite records by him! The setting is simple – Hall plays live with a trio, on a set of familiar standards – but the results are remarkable, as both Hall and the rhythm section manage to bring a hell of a lot of swing and imagination into such a tiny space! Hall's always had a rhythmic approach to his work, but here, playing with drummer Terry Clarke and bassist Don Thompson, he really opens into a great groove – stretching things past his usual standard, and bringing a lot more soul into the set than you might expect. The tunes are ones you'll recognize – "Angel Eyes", "Round Midnight", and "The Way You Look Tonight" – but the real charm is what Hall and the trio do with them! CD

Jim Hall on guitar, Steve LaSpina on bass, and Akira Tana on drums. CD

Jim Hall on guitars, Derek DiCenzo on steel drum, Terry Clark on drums, Scott Colley on bass, Ryan Kisor on trumpet, Joe Lovano on soprano saxophone, Jim Pugh on trombone, Claudio Roditi on flugelhorn and Gil Goldstein conducting. CD

Featuring Paul Desmond, Bill Smith, Carl Parkins, Red Kelly, Red Mitchell, Monty Budwig, Percy Heath, Shelly Manne and Connie Kay. CD

One of the hippest albums we've ever heard from guitarist Jim Hall – a set of free-thinking, open-ended tracks that show him really expanding his horizons at the end of the 60s! The album's drenched in Jim's warm, chromatic tones – whether gently played on a few mellow numbers, or falling over themselves like cascading water on the more upbeat tunes. The record's got some great drums and percussion from Airto, plus piano by Benny Aronov, who also plays electric on a few tracks as well. Titles include a great version of "Vera Cruz", plus "Minotaur", "Simple Samba", "Careful", "Wehre Would I Be", and "Goodbye My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy Halperin on tenor saxophone and Dominic Duval on bass. CD

Titles include "This Is All", "Little Demon", "Just Don't Care", "You Made Me Love You", "Yellow Cat", "Frenzy", "Feast Of The Mau Mau", and "I Put A Spell On You" – 17 tracks total. CD

The last album that Jimmy Heath ever gave the world – and a record that makes us miss him even more – as the whole thing takes Heath back to that spectacular mix of solo expressionist, thoughtful composer, and sensitive arranger territory of his best early years! And if you want proof of Jimmy's warm, open spirit – the set begins with a one minute bowed bass solo before Heath's horn even comes into play – then works sublime magic on a number of original numbers, and a few well-chosen classics – all put together by Jimmy as a "ballads" album, but in a way that's hugely different from some of the more facile songbook sessions of over-recorded standards. Instead, the Heath arrangements throughout are wonderfully fresh, and have a soulful quality that really blows us away – more than even on some of his other late records, which is what makes this final session so bittersweet. The core group features Kenny Barron on piano, Monte Croft on vibes, Russell Malone on guitar, and Lewis Nash on drums – and the set features vocals from Gregory Porter on one track, and Cecile McLorin Salvant on another – and Wynton Marsalis blows a trumpet solo on a third track. Titles include "Ballad From Upper Neighbors Suiter", "Left Alone", "Inside Your Heart", "La Mesha", "Con Alma", "Fasion Or Passion", and "Don't Explain". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit obtuse, but the music is warm and soulful throughout – a really tremendous session that carries on the strong legacy of solo work that Jimmy Heath was doing in the 70s! The feel here is a lot like some of Heath's dates for the Muse or Xanadu labels – and Jimmy's working here with a great rhythm section that includes Larry Willis on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Akira Tana on drums – players who provide a very soulful grounding for the set. Heath blows alto, tenor, and soprano sax – and remaining players include Tom Williams on trumpet and Tony Purrone on guitar. The groove is in a classic Prestige/Riverside mode – not hard hardbop, but soulful, with touches of post-Coltrane blowing, and the mix of lyricism and soul jazz that Heath's always brought to his best work. Titles include "Trane Connections", "Forever Sonny", "You Can See", "I Waited For You", and "Song For Ben Webster". LP, Vinyl record album

Very hip work from a young Jimmy Heath – a relative newcomer to the scene at this point, but breaking out with a firm conception and tone, exercised strongly here in a set of large group arrangements worked out in collaboration with Tom McIntosh. McIntosh's work in this format is well known from albums by Dizzy and James Moody – and as with those records, this one has an edgey quality that really keeps the music fresh, and which provides a good foil for solos by Heath, McIntosh, Pat Patrick, and Cannonball Adderley. Titles include "Big P", "Mona's Mood", "Nails", and "The Picture Of Heath". CD

Very hip work from a young Jimmy Heath – a relative newcomer to the scene at this point, but breaking out with a firm conception and tone, exercised strongly here in a set of large group arrangements worked out in collaboration with Tom McIntosh. McIntosh's work in this format is well known from albums by Dizzy and James Moody – and as with those records, this one has an edgey quality that really keeps the music fresh, and which provides a good foil for solos by Heath, McIntosh, Pat Patrick, and Cannonball Adderley. Titles include "Big P", "Mona's Mood", "Nails", and "The Picture Of Heath". CD features the bonus track "Nails", in an alternate take! CD