A strange and tasty little album that Roland Kirk made with organist Jack McDuff in the early 60s – one of his few outings in such a format, and a smoking little session that almost makes us wish he'd cut more of them! The format is relatively simple – with lots of interplay between McDuff's organ and Kirk's range of reeds (tenor, manzello, stritch, flute, and siren on this record!) And given that both players have a good sense of whimsy that still always manages to swing nicely, the pairing is a strong one – and makes for a record that's slightly different for both artists. Titles include "Makin Whoopie", "Funk Underneath", "Kirk's Work", "Three for Dizzy", and "Doin' the Sixty-Eight". CD

A nice little album of soul jazz organ tracks by McDuff, and proof that he was always still burning strong! Unlike other Hammond players, who got a bit sloppy in later years, McDuff always kept things interesting, and managed to come up with some creative arrangements and soulful solos that pushed his work way past the usual soul jazz bag. This set was recorded with Cecil and Ron Bridgewater, Houston Person, and Cecil Brooks III – and features a nice set of longish groovers like "Another Real Good'Un", "Rock Candy", "Off The Beaten Path", and "Summertime", which McDuff always does nicely. CD

A stunner from Shakey Jake – and a set that's got a surprising jazz element as well – given that the singer/harmonicist works here with Jack McDuff on Hammond and Bill Jennings on guitar! Jack and Bill were working together on other soul jazz sessions for Prestige Records during the same period – but they sound completely different here, as they recast their mighty powers to create spare grooves for Shakey Jake! Jake sings throughout – often with a raw, unbridled style that's a lot more powerful than you'd guess from his name – and he also alternates with some harmonica solos too, but still leaves room for Jack and Bill to solo a bit as well. The album's a unique gem that really brings together both sides of the Prestige sound of the period – and titles include "Worried Blues", "Tear Drops", "You Spoiled Your Baby", "Still Your Fool", "Good Times", "Huffin & Puffin", and "Call Me When You Need Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite soul summit for the time – with 3 top-shelf players in the lead, all getting plenty of room to do their thing! Both Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt are on tenor in the front, working with the respect and confidence they'd forged together on other co-led sessions from the time – and Jack McDuff's a great addition to the set, playing Hammond with his newly-lean tone, and really helping things move along nicely. Drummer Charlie Persip has a nicely booming style here – one that gets the group out of the box from the get-go, and McDuff's handling all the bass work on the organ, which always makes for a tight rhythmic romp! Most tunes are in that great raw Prestige mode from the old days, as you'd guess by titles like "Tubby", "Dumplin", and "Shuffle Twist" – alongside other numbers that include "Sleeping Susan" and "Out In The Cold Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet Atlantic soul groover from Brother Jack McDuff – and a set that has him tightening up his Hammond sound from his earlier years at Prestige Records! The tunes here are short and punched-up – almost instrumental soul numbers in their construction, but still filled with plenty of jazz – thanks to Jack's mad solos on organ, and some killer drums from Joe Dukes and Bernard Purdie! Other players include George Coleman on tenor, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and Buddy Lucas on baritone sax – and arrangements are by JJ Jackson and Jack himself. Titles include "Hotcha", "Down In the Valley", "Same Old Same Old", "No Tears", "What'd I Say", "Gonna Hang Me Up A Sign", and "Minha Saudade". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that was more famously issued under the title Nuther Fu'ther – and which features Stitt & McDuff in a very tasty set of ortan/tenor grooves, played with that style that Prestige was finally beginning to perfect in the early 60s, as it let these organ combos shake off their 50's R&B sound, and start to hit a straighter jazz groove. Art Taylor's on drums, Eddie Diehl's on guitar, and Ray Barretto lopes along behind on congas. Titles include "Thirty Three, Ninety Six", "Nuther Fu'Ther", "Ringin' In", and "Pam Ain't Blue". CD

In our opinion, Jack McDuff never made a bad album – and this excellent later session is proof of that statement! The album's got a horrible cover – we'll state that from the start – but it's still a great batch of soul jazz organ tracks, played tightly by McDuff, with a group that includes Cecil and Ron Bridgewater, plus Houston Person on tenor, and Grady Tate on drums. The album features a great remake of McDuff's legendary "Theme From The Electric Surfboard" – done here with a bouncing groove that makes the tune perfect for a jazzy stepper's set – plus the cuts "Cap'n Jack", "One Hundred Ways", and "Walkin The Dog". CD

A festival of funky Hammond organ work – all laid down in loving tribute to the genius of Brother Jack McDuff! The set is the best so far in the "Boogaloo To" series – and it's one that brings together work by a variety of acts from the deep funk and mod instrumental underground – all artists who really seem to get the vibe that McDuff was going for back in the 60s, and who manage to serve up the tunes with just the right raw, stripped-down power they require! Most of the tracks on the set are McDuff originals, and others are played in tight McDuff arrangements. Titles include "Butter For Yo Popcorn" by New Mastersounds, "Hunk O Funk" by McLemore Ave, "Grease Monkey" by Diplomats Of Solid Sound, "Can't Get Satisfied" by The Greyhounds, "Real Gone Guy" by Joe Krown Organ Trio, "Briar Patch" by Link Quartet, "Down Home Style" by The Yards, "Yo Sho Walk Funky" by The Sol Reys, and "The Natural Thing" by The Night Callers. CD

One of those Prestige compilations issued late in the label's history but before they were acquired by Fantasy. This set collects Sonny Stitt's organ combo collaborations with Jack McDuff, with a half a dozen popping soul jazz sides pulled from the Soul Shack and Nuther Fu'ther LPs: 'Soul Shack", "Ringin' In", "Thirty Three Ninety Six", "'Nother Fu'ther", "Hairy" and "Pam Ain't Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

With Jack McDuff on Hammond and Jerry Weldon on tenor! CD

Some of the weirdest, wildest organ work we've ever heard – and that's coming from folks with a record collection stuffed with Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith, and even Sun Ra! Ely Arcoverde is a bit in the territory of Brazilian 60s organ contemporary Walter Wanderley – especially in the way that he mixes his melodies with samba rhythms – but he's also got a very different approach on the keyboard, and often uses the instrument to "sing" – in ways that are very much like the "canta" promised in the title! At some points, we'd swear that Ely was almost using an early variation of a vocoder – not that the sound is 80s, but that he gets this really cool "voice" out of the instrument – as it moves between percussion, occasional chorus vocals, and some nicely jazzy instrumentation. Titles include "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Cidade Maravilhosa", "Madame Fulana De Tal", "Samba Da Minha Terra", "Canta Maria", "Tem Bobo Pra Tudo", and "Agua Com Areia". CD

The Beat Bronco Organ Trio are more than great enough at the core, but they also offer up some great surprises over the course of this fantastic full length album – including slight use of clavinet and mini-moog by Gabri Casanova, who mostly handles the Hammond in the lead – and guest work at a few spots from Chip Wickham on flute and electric piano! There's a few other players who drop in along the way – but the core groove here is from the trio, who not only replicate a 60s soul jazz vibe, but also move things through a deep funk legacy – maybe more in the mode of the Sugarman Three than a Don Patterson or Jack McDuff combo on Prestige – as there are rhythms and elements that pick up bits of 70s funk. Drums are by Antonio Pax Alvarez and guitar is by Lucas De Mulder – and titles include "Hard Play", "Crispy Time", "Easy Baby", "Hey Hey", "Squirtly", "Under Pressure", "Road Trip", and "Electro Pi". LP, Vinyl record album

Joey's on the Hammond B3 – with guests who include Houston Person, Grover Washington, Kirk Whalum, and Illinois Jacquet on tenor – plus Jack McDuff on additional Hammond! CD

Raw early stuff by Willis Jackson – and an album that has hard wailin' soul jazz solos by Brother Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar! Those two, plus Gator, make up the core of the combo that features additional backing by bass and drums, but you won't need to worry about the additional players, because the triple threat of tenor/organ/guitar will hold all your attention. Tracks are long, and as usual, the best ones are the originals, including "Blue Strollin", "A Smooth One", and "Keep On A Blowin". LP, Vinyl record album

An organ trio, and one with plenty of soul – romping drums, riffing guitar, and some mighty sweet work on the Hammond by Delvon Lamarr! This is the first we've ever heard of the group, but they're rock solid and right on the money – working with a lean, hard style that's completely classic, but also a bit contemporary too – maybe swinging in the best sort of space between the Jack McDuff Quartet of the 60s and the Sugarman Three group of Desco Records fame! David McGraw handles the drums with a clear love of funk, and Jimmy James is wonderfully wicked on guitar – never trying to dominate too much, as there's no need – given how much he brings to the overall groove. Delvon's a hell of an organist too – the kind that knows that a little can often go much farther than a lot when handling the electric keys – which he does to set up some sweet solos on cuts that include "Ain't It Funky", "Al Greenery", "Can I Change My Mind", "Walk On By", "Between The Mustard & The Mayo", "Raymond Brings The Greens", and "Little Booker T". CD

The album's got a really classic-styled cover, and a classic-styled sound to match – a great Hammond/tenor vibe that's wonderfully old-school all the way through! The album was recorded live in a small Chicago club, and has the feel of a vintage Prestige records live date – with heavy organ lines from Ben Paterson, who handles the basslines as well – with a Jack McDuff sort of flair – plus tenor from Jeff Morrison and superb trumpet from Odies Williams III! The group's completed by Todd Howell on drums – and titles include classics like "Silver's Serenade", "Dat Dere", "Peace", "Hittin The Jug", and "Senor Blues". Note: The package is a bit hand-made by the artist, but the recording is great and the music is really top-shelf! CD

Fantastic work from the legendary Idris Muhammad – the funky drummer who first rose to fame making breakbeats with Lou Donaldson in the 60s, then recorded some hip soul-based records in the 70s – here really getting back to basics with a set of soulful, spiritual small combo jazz! The record is a beautifully stripped-down session – with Muhammad playing un-funky drums, Ray Drummond on bass, and either Pharoah Sanders or George Coleman on tenor sax. The best tracks are long and lively – with Muhammad dancing out across the drum kit, filled with joy and life, exhibiting that rare straight jazz quality that he only brought to a few recordings, most notably his contemporary sides with Pharoah Sanders. Titles include a great remake of Jack McDuff's "Soulful Drums", plus "Kabsha", "Little Feet", "St M", and "GCCG Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from Don Shinn – a little-remembered British organist from the 60s, and one who cut this gem of a record for the legendary Lansdowne series of Columbia Records – home to rare gems by Joe Harriott, Stan Tracey, and other important UK jazz contemporaries! The album features four long tracks – each with Shinn's lines on organ spun out in a way that's freewheeling, but never too free – almost Jack McDuff/Moonrappin territory, but with other elements in the mix – handled by three more players that include the great Stan Tracey on piano, celeste, vibes, and marimba – plus Trevor Tomkins on drums and Barry Morgan on percussion. The mix of percussion and organ is tremendous – and Shinn's got this way of playing these wide waves of sound that are completely captivating – on the tunes "Bossa-Wards", "Space-Wards", "H VIII-Wards", and "Departure IV". LP, Vinyl record album

Two Sonny Stitt dates with organ – both from different ends of the 60s! First up is Soul Shack – a mellow burner, and a real classic from the early 60s soul jazz years of Prestige Records! The album brings together the saxes of Sonny Stitt (both alto and tenor) and the Hammond of Jack McDuff – who's really coming into his own at this point, and has a lean, mean tone that's a perfect match for Stitt's horn. There's a bluesy undercurrent to the record, but without any of the cliches that might have crept in a few years before – leaving Stitt in the modern company you might expect, in ways that are similar to his dates with Don Patterson. Rhythm is from Leonard Gaskin on bass and Herbie Lovelle on drums – and titles include "Shadows", "Soul Shack", "Sunday", "Love Nes", "For You", and "Hairy". Night Letter is a great set of Varitone sax numbers from Sonny Stitt – recorded for Prestige with a bit more bite than some of his albums of the type for Roulette! The album's got a tight tenor/organ vibe throughout – thanks to work on Hammond from Gene Ludwig, working under the "nom de date" of Booker Patterson – bumped along strongly with some tight guitar from the great Pat Martino! Drums are by Randy Gelispie – and Stitt's electric horn melds in with the organ and guitar wonderfully – with a sound that's a lot deeper than other uses of the instrument at the time. Titles include "Loose Walk", "Night Letter", "Stringing The Jug", and "Blue String". CD

A nice collection pulled together in the 80s by Fantasy from Stitt's organ-based sessions, that has a cool rolling groove throughout that you don't always find in some of his more bop-oriented sides. Sidemen include Jack McDuff, Don Patterson, Grant Green, Billy James and others, with 9 numbers in all: "Soul Shack", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "Night Crawler", "Goin' Down Slow", "Night Letter", "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", 'Wlak On By" and "Lover Man". CD

A set with an 80s cover, but one that features vintage soul jazz throughout – the kind of late 50s/early 60s material that really played big on UK club floors in the early years of Acid Jazz, thanks to work by DJs like Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge! These are all classic cuts from the US – from labels like Prestige and Chess – served up with plenty of Hammond, riffing guitar, and strong tenor lines – plus occasional vocals too. Forget the look of the package, and imagine some fantastic jazz photographs instead – alongside cuts that include "Camp Meetin" by Sam Lazar, "Moanin" by Art Blakey, "Screamin" by Jack McDuff, "Cerveza" by Boots Brown, "Somethin Strange" by Baby Face Willette, "Meetin Here" by Curtis Amy & Paul Bryant, "Blue Vibes" by Johnny Lytle, "Wade In The Water" by Johnny Griffin, "Vera" by Richard Evans, "Sack O Woe" by Ray Bryant, and "Night In Tunisia" by Buck Clarke. CD

Crisply-tailored, yet soulful and groovy mod jazz from the 60s – a slew of great numbers by Byrdie Green, Johnny Lytle, Mark Murphy, Reuben Wilson, The Nightbeats, The Cals, Billy Larkin, Johnny Hammond Smith, Byrdie Smith and more! Lots of great stuff here, from names synonymous to moddish jazz and others that nicely fit that mold for a bit – cats like Buddy Guy, for instance. A sweet, sweet set from the passionate compilers at Kent UK! Includes "The Real Thing" by Troy Dodds, "Finders Keepers" by Floyd White, "Rod Run" by The Reuben Wilson Quartet, "Talkin' About Love" by Tobi Lark, "Screamin'" by Jack McDuff, "Double Love" by The Cals, "Tricky Too" by Gus Jenkins, "Fever" by Buddy Guy, "Work Song" by Clint Stacy, "My Beat" by George Stone, " It's Like Love" by Mark Murphy, "The Village Caller" by The Johnny Lytle Trio and more. CD

Yipes! This one made everyone a bucket of money – especially Quincy Jones, whose new Qwest imprint the record was one of the first to grace. George has come a long way from his roots with Jack McDuff here – but in a way that kind of has us impressed, as he's grooving away slickly on guitar, laying down some smooth vocals that we never would have imagined from his mid 60s recordings. Includes the massive hit "Give Me The Night", a cover of "Moody's Mood", and the tracks "Star Of A Story (X)", "Midnight Love Affair", "What's On Your Mind", and "Dinorah, Dinorah". The sound of a million supermarkets and elevators during the 80s! CD

First great volume in this series that focuses on the brilliant organ players in the Blue Note catalog, with a mix of grooves that ranges from hard funky playing to more complicated Coltrane-esque lines. Tracks include "Plaza De Toros" by Larry Young, "Brown Sugar" by Freddie Roach, "Silver Metre" by John Patton, "Ain't It Funky Now" by Grant Green, "Butter (Fo Yo Popcorn)" by Jack McDuff, "Boop Bop Bing Bash" by George Braith, and "Face To Face" by Babyface Willette. 12 tracks in all! CD

With music from Jimmy McGriff, Reuben Wilson, Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, Larry Young, John Patton, Eddie Gale, Elvin Jones, and more – 13 tracks in all! CD

Two legendary Japanese DJs take on the Blue Note catalog – and come up with some amazing results in the process! Both DJ Krush and Muro serve up a non-stop mix in this collection – one each per disc – and the music is really transformed by their magical talents on the decks, at a level that takes us back to the sorts of cool projects that Japanese Blue Note was handling at the start of the century – when they were really inviting some younger talents to breathe new life into their catalog! Neither Muro nor Krush are spring chickens, but they definitely give a strong 21st Century vibe to this music – really expanding on a range of tracks that are mostly pulled from the late 60s/early 70s run of Blue Note. Krush mixes tunes that include "Feeling You Feeling Me Too" by Gene Harris, "Before You Leave" by Alphonse Mouzon, "I'm On My Way" by Candido, "Oblighetto" by Jack McDuff, "Move Your Hand" by Lonnie Smith, "Blue Juice" by Jimmy McGriff, "Mestizo Eyes" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Little Green Apples" by Monk Higgins, and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" by Lou Donaldson – and Muro mixes up tunes that include "Acid Pot Or Pills" by Horace Silver, "Classic Funke" by Jack McDuff, "New York Times" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Trying Hard To Look Inside" by Waters, "Cristo Redentor (part 2)" by Gene Harris, "Down Here On The Ground" by Grant Green, "Summer Song" by Ronnie Foster, "Alias" by Jeremy Steig, "Pot Belly" by Lou Donaldson, "Time After Time" by Willie Bobo, and "Mercy Mercy Me" by Reuben Wilson. CD

First great volume in this series that focuses on the brilliant organ players in the Blue Note catalog, with a mix of grooves that ranges from hard funky playing to more complicated Coltrane-esque lines. Tracks include "Plaza De Toros" by Larry Young, "Brown Sugar" by Freddie Roach, "Silver Metre" by John Patton, "Ain't It Funky Now" by Grant Green, "Butter (Fo Yo Popcorn)" by Jack McDuff, "Boop Bop Bing Bash" by George Braith, and "Face To Face" by Babyface Willette. 12 tracks in all! CD

The grooviest organ working the other side of the Atlantic in the 60s – as mighty a talent on the Hammond as Jimmy Smith or Jack McDuff back in the US at the time, and equally groovy too! Ingfried Hoffmann's work on the keys is probably best known from his searing soul jazz sides with Klaus Doldinger in the pre-Passport years – but this package focuses even more strongly on Hoffmann's sides as a leader – all of which are tightly snapping, quickly vamping, and filled with loads of lively organ and guitar! The core part of the set is Ingfried's lost album From Twen With Love – a 1966 spy-jazz styled album, with both original numbers, and a few James Bond covers – all played by a quintet that features guitars from Volker Kriegel and Pierre Cavalli, bass by Peter Trunk, and funky drums from Rafi Luderitz. Titles include "Yeah Dr No", "Thunderball", "007 Bond Street", "Sharp Sharks", "Phantom's Walk", "Let Live & Die", "Vabanque At Casino Royale", and "James Only Lives Twice". Added to that core album are 4 more bonus tracks – 3 recorded in 1963 with Rene Thomas on guitar and Klaus Weiss on drums, including "Midnight Bossa Nova", "TV Swing", and "Soul Twist" – plus the great "Playgirl", recorded with Peter Thomas in 1966. CD

A great little album – one that features Groove playing in front of larger arrangements from Chess Records soul maestro Richard Evans – in a style that has the swinging power of some of Evan's best soul and jazz work at the Chicago label, and which makes for a slightly different approach for Holmes! The Hammond is out front in the mix, really bouncing around the bigger backings in a style that's similar to some of Jack McDuff's experiments of the time – some of them also recorded with Evans! There's a few soul covers – like "Ain't That Peculiar" and "Function At The Junction" – plus other nice ones like "Super Soul", "Bluesette", and "I Will Wait For You". LP, Vinyl record album