Joe blows it strong and mellow – in this spare swinging group that includes Frank Wess on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Jones on bass, and Oliver Jackson on drums. Tracks are warm and unpressured, more in a Verve mode than a Prestige one – and titles include "Wednesday's Blues", "Jive At Five", "Taps Miller", and "Cuein The Blues". CD

One of the best Joe Pass albums from the 70s – largely because he's working with such a great group of Brazilian players! Besides percussionist Paulinho Da Costa, the musicians also include drummer Claudio Slon, as well as Oscar Castro Neves, Don Grusin, and Octavio Bailly. Tracks are light and breezy, with a good west coast Brazilian feel – and titles include "Tears", "Wave", "If You Went Away", "Luciana", and "I Live To Love". CD

Mostly Joe on vocals and guitar – with some additional bass from Ransom Knowling on a few tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

The seminal debut of the great John Fahey – posing here as Blind Joe Death – an acoustic guitarist whose bluesy undercurrents showcase Fahey's love of early recorded music! The style is pure Fahey throughout – those magical tones that cascade effortlessly off the heavily-plucked strings of his guitar – echoing older blues and folk modes, but never in a way that's stereotypical – and which is already woven through with the kind of sonorities that continued to make Fahey such an important artist over the years. Think of the set as a skewed version of American history – filtered through one mind and one set of hands – and you'll be well on the way to understanding the power of this music. The set features songs penned by Fahey, and redone versions of older numbers – and tracks include "West Coast Blues", "St. Louis Blues", "I'm A Poor Boy Far Away From Home", "John Hardy", "Transcendental Waterfall", "Desperate Man Blues", "Sun Gonna Shine In My Back Door", and "On Doing An Evil Deed Blues". Fahey originally recorded some of the material in 1959, then again in 1963 – and this double-length CD features all of the many tracks that appeared on various versions of the record – 21 titles and over 75 minutes of music! CD

Stunning work from one of England's greatest jazz artists ever! West Indian sax player Joe Harriott was one of the brightest spots on the UK's jazz scene of the late 50s and 1960s – and although a few of his more famous albums have been issued on CD, there's a wealth of great work by Joe that's never seen the light of day since the 60s. This long-overdue set features some excellent rare work by Joe – most recorded live, either with his own group, or that of Michael Garrick, who produced the set. The first four tracks feature Harriott Quintet tunes from 1961 – two straight numbers, versions of "Moanin" and "Round Midnight", plus two examples of Joe's "abstract" style of jazz, "Coda" and "Tempo". Next up are some wonderful angular solo recordings of standards like "Confirmation", "Love For Sale", and "Body & Soul" – all of which show Joe's deep roots in soulful jazz tradition, embellished slightly by some added piano by Coleridge Goode. Lastly, Joe blows incredibly with Garrick's groundbreaking groups of the 60s – wailing hard on the hardbop groover "Shiva", and his own modal jammer "Calypso Sketches". Wonderful work all around – and an essential bit of Harriott to fill your all-too-empty collection! CD

Subtle genius from Joe Henderson – a wonderfully laidback album that interweaves Latin rhythms, west coast soul jazz, and some slight electric touches – all in a mode that shows Henderson to be one of the deepest thinking players of his scene! All tracks are long and exploratory, without going too far out – and they're done here with a style that's gentler and more introspective than Henderson's first few electric records – but in a way that makes them even more complicated and deeply soulful. Players include Oscar Brashear, George Duke, Luis Gasca, Hadley Caliman, and Mark Levine – but Henderson's tenor is the main guiding force of the set – moodily exploring some wonderful space laid out on the tunes "All Things Considered", "Las Palmas", "Tres Palabras", and "Canyon Lady". CD

An album dedicated to the great Django Reinhardt – but one that also comes across with plenty of west coast touches too – just what you'd expect for the meeting of the young Joe Pass and the Pacific Jazz label! The format is somewhat Django-esque – with lead guitar work from Joe Pass, plus rhythm guitar support from John Pisano – creating some of the guitar interplay you'd have in a gypsy swing record – but the groove's also a bit more modern than some of Django's classics, and there's a lighter, breezier approach here that's very much in the mode of other Pass records from the 60s – at least the small group ones! The whole thing makes for a very unique set from Pass – with the quartet rounded out with Jim Hughart on bass and Colin Bailey on drums – on titles that include "Django", "For Django", "Fluer D'Ennui", "Django's Castle", and "Nuages". CD

A landmark record in the west coast jazz scene – not only for the music, but for its understanding of addiction on the scene! The album brings together a set of jazz players currently spending their time at Synanon – the Santa Monica-based program of drug rehabilitation that was working some incredible magic with longtime addicts in the early 60s. Synanon had been a temporary home to more than a few great players over the years, and this set brings together some of its lesser-known residents – one of whom was guitarist Joe Pass, who would rise from the session as a real success, and go onto record heavily after this record. The rest of the group includes Dave Allan on trumpet, Ronald Clark on bass, Arnold Ross on piano, Candy Latson on bongos, Bill Crawford on drums, and Greg Dykes on baritone sax. Tracks are pretty long, and more solo based than the usual Pacific Jazz sides – and titles include "CED", "Aaron's Song", "Projections", "Stay Loose", "Hang Tough", and "Last Call For Coffee". LP, Vinyl record album

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A western soundtrack, but an unusual one – filled with highly percussive numbers that echo the "Navajo Joe" theme – and which step out with a proud, dramatic feel that's also got some darker echoes! There's a really weird quality to some of the best numbers – which use voices in a way that's probably supposed to echo with Native American identity, but which has more of an Omen feel overall – and some of the more orchestral passages also have really great dark-tuned string parts, almost in an atonal Italian 70s mode. But this is no surprise when you realize that Leo Nichols is actually Ennio Morricone working under another name – and had penned this score during his formative 60s yers! Titles include "Peyote Saloon", "To Esperanza", "But Joe Say No", "Raw Hides & Dead Hides", "Healing The Wound", and "Goodbye To Brother Jeffery". LP, Vinyl record album

A quartet with a name that you might not have heard before, but which stands for the first initials of the four great members of the group – Oliver Lake on alto and soprano sax, Graham Haynes on cornet, Joe Fonda on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums, percussion, and mbira! There's a long-burning spirit to the record that really takes us back to some of Lake's greatest moments from decades past – and which really seems to elevate Haynes more than usual too – and Fonda is superb in the setting, often working with full, thoughtful lines on his bass that are especially illuminating. Altschul is incredibly sharp and focused – almost working in a mode that's more Ed Blackwell than some of his other work – and the whole thing is superb, an instant classic from a group we hope to hear more from. Titles include "Bamako", "Listen To Dr Cornel West", "3 Phrase 09", "Just A Simple Song", "Be Out S'Cool", and "Is It Alright". CD

One of a handful of late 50s albums that Chet Baker recorded for Riverside – all of which are some of his last great 50s work in the studio, before a shift in the 60s to a wider-ranging approach to his music! The style here is definitely in the "classic" Baker mode set down for Pacific Jazz – but a bit more fleshed out by the other players in the set – who seem to push a bit more personality into the tunes, and not just let Chet's trumpet dominate. The sound is soft and gentle – as you'd expect from the title – and other players include Bill Evans, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers, Connie Kay and Philly Joe Jones – all bringing a bit of a New York undercurrent to the west coast Baker solo style. Titles include "How High the Moon", "It Never Entered My Mind", "If You Could See Me Now", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Time On My Hands", and "You And The Night And Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A true orgy in rhythm from Art Blakey – a set that not only features his drums next to the kit of Art Taylor, but which also adds in a bevy of other percussionists – including Sabu Martinez, Patato Valdez, and Jose Valentine! Joe Jones and Specs Wright also bring in additional jazz drums – making for more drummers than you might even find in a high school band – all working together with amazing qualities in sound, sometimes even melodic amidst all of the rhythms. Lighter lyrical touches are provided by Herbie Mann's flute, and Ray Bryant throws in some great lines on piano – underscoring the grooves in a nice way. Titles on this second volume include "Amuck", "Elephant Walk", and "Abdallah's Delight". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from one of the hippest bassists of his generation! Paul Chambers cut this obscure little album in LA, featuring a "jazz delegation from the east" that included Philly Joe Jones on drums and John Coltrane on tenor – plus pianist Kenny Drew, who had already been working on the west coast – all in a style that's much more relaxed and stretched-out than most other jazz recorded in LA at the time! The album is one of the earliest small group sessions with Coltrane, and it's a very spare batch of tracks that lead off with Chambers' amazing work on bass – but which also feature some incredible early work from Trane – very raw and loud in the mix, with a lot more bluesiness than you'd expect – and we mean that in a good way! Titles include "Dexterity", "Visitation", "John Paul Jones", and "Eastbound". CD

Tracks include "I Never Liked Ya" feat Scarface, Raekwon, & Fat Joe, "Streetsweeper" feat the Lox, "50 Shot Ya" feat 50 Cent, "Too Much For Me" feat Nas, Baby, Foxy Brown, & Amerie, "Purple Haze" feat Diplomats feat Cam'ron, "Freestyle" feat Eminem, "Westside Driveby" feat E-A-Ski, MC Ren, & Kam, "Angels Voice" feat Flipmode Squad, and many more with many more guests. LP, Vinyl record album

An assortment of work from the team of Urbie Green and Jimmy Raney – two players who rarely worked together in such small group settings! First up is the full ABC album Blues & Other Shades Of Green – one of the most obscure small group sessions by trombonist Green – a heck of a great player who was too often lost amidst larger ensembles! The album's got Urbie playing both slide and valve trombone, in a quintet that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Dave McKenna on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – and the tracks have a tightly arranged approach, but also still allow plenty of room for the individual instrumentalists to express themselves. Titles include "Reminiscent Blues", "One For Dee", "Am I Blue", "Dirty Dan", "Warm Valley", "Paradise", and "It's Too Late Now". Added to that album are 3 more tracks from the Vinnie Burke All Stars album for ABC – truly an all-star session, as the record boasts a lineup that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Al Cohn on tenor, Urbie Green on trombone, Eddie Costa on piano, and Joe Morello on drums! The sound is in keeping with Burke's album for Bethlehem, but fleshed out a bit more with the extra horn players – kind of a loosely swinging take on the chamber jazz sound of the mid 50s, with room for plenty of gentle solos from the key players in the set. The sound excellent – recorded with that crispness and focus that made the best mid 50s ABC jazz sides so great – and the 3 titles include "Lulu's Back In Town", "Blue Jeans", and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". Last up are 4 more titles from a rare 10" LP – Urbie Green & His Band, featuring Freddie Green on guitar (instead of Raney), Ruby Braff on trumpet, Med Flory on alto, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, and Sir Charles Thompson on piano. The sound is somewhat more traditional, but never too much so – and tracks include "Med's Tune", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Old Time Modern", and "I Got It Bad". CD

A stunning book – even more amazing than we were expecting, and we were really expecting a lot! This is a heavy, hardcover, full color volume that takes a deep dig into the world of British jazz during some crucial modern years – presented with oversized images throughout, in the manner of some hefty art book from Taschen or one of those other fancy publishers! Author Richard Morton Jack presents listings for hundreds of crucial albums – each with both front and back cover artwork reproduced in full, in a size that's about a square 9" for most of the records, on pages that are much larger, with text at the bottom on each record, and even inner label reproductions! If you love Brit jazz from this period as much as we do, you'll find plenty to love – as the book contains listings for crucial records by giants like Joe Harriott, Stan Tracey, Graham Collier, Mike Westbrook, John Stevens, Don Rendell, and dozens of others – not just familiar albums, but really rare ones we've never seen before – work on the Lansdowne series on Columbia, and other labels that include RCA, EMI, Argo, and CBS – plus smaller indies too. The book is as beautiful as having an original pressing of one of these gems in your hands – and given that most of the originals go for hundreds of dollars, if/when you can find them, the book is a hell of a deal. Hardcover, 372 pages, and in full color throughout. Book

An overlooked gem from jazz singer Etta Jones – an effort cut around the same time as her better-known records for Prestige, but one that's maybe done with an even hipper sound overall! Etta's nicely laidback, and hits that soulful, singing mood that makes her so great right from the start – a bit offbeat, but in the best way possible – as Jones brings older bluesy inflections into play with more contemporary ideas – all set to wonderful instrumentation from a cool group that features Junior Mance on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Joe Newman on trumpet, Frank Wess on tenor, and Mike Manieri on vibes. The song choices are great – and the balance between steppers and mellow cuts is perfect – on titles that include "Swinging Shepherd Blues", "All Right OK You Win", "Moon Man", "Did I Remember", "Lonely Crowd", and "I Was Telling Him About You". LP, Vinyl record album

Mel Lewis leads a big band including Kenny Werner on piano, Dennis Irwin on bass, Earl Gardner, Joe Mosello, Glen Drewes, Jim Powell, and Bill Pusey on trumpets, John Mosca, Ed Neumeister, Douglas Purviance, and Earl McIntyre on trombones, Stephanie Fauber on french horn, Dick Oats, Ted Nash, Joe Lovano, Ralph Lalama, and Gary Smulyan on saxophones, clarinet, and flute. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic 80s work from Pharoah Sanders – with a vibe that's a perfect extension of his classic work for the Impulse label! The album has Pharoah working with an amazing group – Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, John Hicks and Joe Bonner on piano, Art Davis on bass, and either Elvin Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. The sound is remarkably fresh – soaring and spiritual, but also more focused than in earlier years, with a great amount of soulful warmth. And although extra elements are added – like vocals, vibes, and added percussion – Pharoah's solos still dominate the whole album beautifully. Titles include "Rejoice", "Origin", "Moments Notice", "Central Park West", "Farah", "Ntjilo Ntjilo/Bird Song", and "Nigerian Juju Hilife". LP, Vinyl record album

Attica Blues, and beyond – a great late 70s performance that has Archie Shepp turning the clock back towards that famous album – but also making some very new grooves with a richly expanded lineup! The double-length set was recorded in Paris, in front of a very lively crowd – and it's honestly one of Shepp's most dynamic records from the time – definitely inspired by all the freedom he'd had in the French scene for the previous decade – yet also brought together with a great sense of focus too. The lineup is excellent – with vocals from Joe Lee Wilson and Irene Datcher – trumpets from Malachi Thompson, Charles McGhee, and Roy Burrowes; trombones from Charles Greenlee, Dick Griffin, and Steve Turre; reeds from Marion Brown, James Ware, and Marvin Blackman; plus piano from Art Matthews, some added strings, great percussion, and piano, tenor, and soprano sax from Shepp himself! Ray Copeland directs the group – giving it the hip focus of his few key recordings like this – and titles include "Star Love", "Moon Bees", "Attica Blues" (in two parts), "Steam", "Quiet Dawn", "Hi Fly", "U-Jaama", "Ballad For A Child", "Simone", "Crucificado", :A Change Has Come Over Me", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", and "Skippin'". CD

A really incredible spiritual jazz treasure from the New Orleans scene – one that features a student group led by legendary Nola musician Alvin Batiste, but delivered in a style that's much more like some of the hipper jazz collectives in cities like Detroit, Chicago, or Philly at the time! The tracks are long and flowing – filled with rhythm progressions that run deep, often with some modal energy – and almost all tracks have these really great vocals from Eddie Perkins, a soulful singer with a style that's in the territory of Andy Bey or Joe Lee Wilson – which, as you can imagine, makes for a really great addition to the music! Other players include Batiste on clarinet, James McElroy on soprano, Ernest Nation on trumpet, Alphonso Rodriguez on guitar, Richard Hunter on percussion, and a young Charlie Singleton on bass – and this rare set was only originally given away as a souvenir for the group's trip to West Africa in 1973. Titles include "Clean Air", "Holdin Meetin", "Nanigo", "Samba Dee", "Ah Je Gu Da Ba", and "Music Came". This reissue also features two rare bonus instrumentals – "Samba Dee" and "Music Came". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit of a joke – because the record features a batch sidemen from the Count Basie band – Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Freddy Green, Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster, and others – all working with Sarah, but the Count's name is missing, due to contractual obligations! Despite that lack, though, the grooves are very much in the best Basie mode – full of soul and searing horn lines – at a level that makes the album one of Sarah's liveliest from the time! Players include Thad Jones and Joe Newman on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Frank Foster and Frank Wess on tenor, and Freddie Green on guitar – and Ronnell Bright handles the piano, instead of Basie. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Doodlin", "Just One Of Those Things", "No Count Blues", and "Missing You". CD

The title's a bit of a joke – because the record features a batch sidemen from the Count Basie band – Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Freddy Green, Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster, and others – all working with Sarah, but the Count's name is missing, due to contractual obligations! Despite that lack, though, the grooves are very much in the best Basie mode – full of soul and searing horn lines – at a level that makes the album one of Sarah's liveliest from the time! Players include Thad Jones and Joe Newman on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Frank Foster and Frank Wess on tenor, and Freddie Green on guitar – and Ronnell Bright handles the piano, instead of Basie. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Doodlin", "Just One Of Those Things", "No Count Blues", and "Missing You". LP, Vinyl record album

Allen Toussaint productions, arrangements and all around greatness from the classic period – material that's been harder to come by in later years, but stands up nicely with the best of it – with numbers by Willie & Allen, Aaron Neville, The Rubaiyats, Willie Harper, Lee Dorsey, Diamond Joe and Allen Toussaint himself! 16 tracks in all: "I Don't Need No One" by Willie & Allen, "If YoU Love Her" by Benny Spellman, "Fairchild" by Willie West, "Gotta Travel On" by Allen Toussaint, "Wait A Minute Baby" by Diamond Joe, "Hercules" by Aaron Neville, "Get Out Of My Life, Woman" by Lee Dorsey and more. CD

Spiritual sounds from the source – a host of incredible tracks from a time when jazz was really opening up into new dimensions – as players stepped forward in a wave of strong post-Coltrane energy to really push the music into the skies! The music here can be seen as a blueprint for generations to come – styles that are now getting new fame in the hands of Kamasi Washington and some of his contemporaries, but which flowered first in recordings like these – pulled from the early 70s vaults of Prestige, Milestone, and Muse Records – and brought together here in a really wonderful collection! Tracks are all nice and long, and the set showcases an older generation of jazz musicians really flowering at the time – balanced perfectly between a sense of freedom and a spiritual soul – on titles that include "Celestial Blues" by Gary Bartz NTU Troop, "Let Us Go To Higher Heights" by Carlos Garnett, "The Almoravid" by Joe Chambers, "Brown Eyes" by Charles Earland, "Warriors Of Peace" by Azar Lawrence, "Aftermath" by Oliver Nelson, "Josie Black" by Hampton Hawes, "Let It Take Your Mind" by Bayete Umbra Zindiko, "Fire" by Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane, and "The Free Slave" by Roy Brooks. LP, Vinyl record album

A glorious batch of unearthed soul and funk from the early 70s central Ohio scene – the storming singles of Prix label – culled from ultra rare 45s plus previous unreleased gems! Prix was the imprint started to release work captured at Columbus's Harmonic Sounds studios commercially – pummeling funk, uptempo harmony soul, some heavy organ groovers and beyond – work by the Royal Esquires, Eddie Ray, Joe King, Marion Black and others. Most of the tracks were cut in the first few years of the 70s – at a time when when central Ohio was producing soul and funk as mighty as the bigger midwestern cities of Detroit, Memphis and Chicago – standing just as tall even if it didn't get over as well in the marketplace! 19 tracks in all – 11 of which were issued as Prix 45s in the early 70s, plus 8 more tracks that were never officially released – culled from finished masters, demos and other studio material that was only recently discovered! Titles include "Wait A Minute", "You Got Me" and more by Eddie Ray, "Mystic" and "Mister Kidneys" by OFS Unlimited, "Speak On Up" and "Your My Everything" by Joe King, "Ain't Gonna Run" by Royal Esquires, "Listen Black Brother" by Marion Black, "Melon Jelly" by Soul Ensemble, "I'm Gonna Gitcha" by Chip Willis & Double Exposure and more, plus 4 "extended play" bonus tracks by Eddie Ray, Harmonic Sounds Band and Penny & The Quarters. CD

A huge tribute to the long legend of country music on Capitol Records – with an especially strong focus on Bakersfield work! The set features 60 tracks in all – with work from Johnny Gimble, Merle Haggard, Louvin Brothers, Skeets McDonald, Tommy Collins, Jimmie Davis, Leon Payne, Tex Williams, Hank Thompson, Faron Young, Wanda Jackson, Joe Maphis, Dick Curless, Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant, Ferlin Husky, and others – but oddly no Buck Owens! LP, Vinyl record album

Sammy Davis Jr is looking pretty darn hip on the cover – and all the artists inside are sounding pretty darn hip as well – coming together during the glory days of soul jazz, at a time when blues, vocals, and R&B were also criss-crossing into other styles too! There's an upbeat, soul-drenched, ultra-cool vibe to the whole thing – not too-familiar retro jazz numbers, but instead a wealth of rare cuts that often come from the sort of 7" singles that change hands for big money in the funky 45 underground, next to obscure album cuts too – mixed with the kind of unreleased material that the Ace/Kent label has always done such a good job of digging up! The package explodes with groovy musical delights – and titles include "What Is love" by Bobby Jenkins, "Out House" by Eddie Bridges & His Lowriders, "Empire City" by Gene Walker & The Combo, "Pushin The Button Of Soul" by Hank Jacobs, "Fat Man" by Montego Joe, "The Bold" by Russell Evans & The Nite Hawks, "Hey Mrs Jones" by Jimmy Witherspoon, "Poppa Nickel" by The Tempo Rhythms, "Sherry's Party" by Ray Johnson, "Hot Tamale Man" by Harold Betters, "Shank & Grits" by Ray Shanklin, "Pluckin" by Jimmy Mayes & The Soul Breed, "East 24th Ave" by Billy Graham & The Escalators, and "Do The Thing" by Gate Wesley. CD

A full plate of funky freakout grooves from the Turkish scene – compiled one and all from 7-inch records made from the end of the 60s to the dawn of the 80s! It's a mix of psych folk, funk, more traditional buzzing strings and hypnotic melodies – pretty wonderful all the way! Turkey's been a fertile wonderland of psych era sounds for deep diggers the past few years, but the quality level varies. This is one of the great ones, both for the music and for thick booklet of notes with info on each track. A far reaching set stylistically, with western jazz influences played with Turkish instruments, dreamy folkish melodies, rawer garage style grooves, heavy rhythms and spacier gems! Titles include "Dokuz Sekiz" by Okay Temiz, "Cokertme" by Kardaslar, "Sevdigim" by Erkin Koray, "Hal Hal" by Baris Manco, "Iciyorum" by Ajda Pekkan, "Osman Whlivan" by Arif Sag, "Gunese Don Cicegim" by Ersen and more. CD

Arthur Adams has his roots in blues, but he comes across here with a wonderfully warm Cali soul sort of vibe – that mix of earthy currents and tighter touches that was showing up in some of the best Fantasy Records work of the period! On the album It's Private Tonight, Arthur sings and plays guitar, and he's set up nicely in some larger backings that include help from jazz/funk greats like Joe Sample on keyboards, George Bohannon on trombone, Phil Upchurch on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, and Ernie Watts on alto – all great players who make the record way more than just another blues session! Tracks include "I'm Going Home", "I Gotta Help My People", "Happiness", and "Get On The Ground". Home Brew is great – an overlooked album of funky guitar! Arthur Adams was one of the many excellent west coast session players of the early 70s – and if you check the notes on some of your favorite California soul albums, you'll find that you've probably heard his guitar an awful lot over the years! As with some of the other Fantasy albums of the mid 70s, this one gives a more obscure player a chance to step out in the light – as Adams does wonderfully with smooth jazz funk production by Wayne Henderson, which brings out some great tonal colors in Adams' guitar playing. There's a bit of a New Orleans sound in the record, but the real feel is Fantasy Records jazz funk – as you'll hear on the cuts "Chicago Sidewalk", "Bumpin' Around", and "That's the Way It's Gonna Be". Plus, 2CD set features 17 more bonus tracks – including "Last Night", "Got Your Back", "She's A Superwoman", "Is That You", "Let Your Hair Down", and "She Drives Me Out Of My Mind". CD

One of THE seminal Basie albums of all time – and a masterful pairing between the Count and arranger Neal Hefti! Hefti has an amazing ear for the Basie groove, and he works here to re-fit the overall sound of the group with a tighter, more fluid approach – one that ensured that they'd be alive and booming well into the 60s. The Hefti touch is one that's slightly lighter than the Basie of before – one that assumes the bump at the bottom, but never overdoes it – and instead almost uses the sound of no sound at all to carry the rhythm – while the horns at the top of the group are vamping around in these majestic charts that break out into fantastically searing solos. Basie's on piano, natch – and other players include Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Henry Coker, Al Grey, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis. Titles are all brilliant Hefti originals – and include "After Supper", "Flight Of The Foo Birds", "Teddy The Toad", "Splanky", "Fantail", and "Lil Darlin". CD features 5 bonus tracks too – including "The Late Late Show", "Sleepwalker's Serenade", and "Silks & Satins". CD

Teddy Edwards at the height of his powers – packing a tight, soulful punch that made him one of the most popular players on the west coast in the early 60s – and a great link between earlier R&B tenorists and the leaner sound of 60s jazz! Edwards has a nice gutbuckety tone at times – the qualities you might hear from Hank Crawford or David Newman in the way they blended their sounds – but the overall feel is leaner and cleaner, too – not many cliches, and a kind of straightforward sound that really shows the new inroads that the LA soul jazz scene was making at the time. The set features a shifting lineup – piano from Amos Trice, Joe Castro, and Ronnie Ball – bass from Leroy Vinnegar and Ben Tucker – and drums from Al Levitt and Billy Higgins – on titles that include a whopping batch of originals like "Teddy's Tune", "Tempo De Blues", "Vintage '57", "Sunset Eyes", and "Takin Off". Plus, this CD's got some great notes, excellent packaging, and even includes 3 unreleased bonus cuts! CD

Rough-edged blues from the west side of Chicago – a stone classic from the mighty Magic Sam – a player who was taken from us all too soon! On the west side, they mix plenty of soul in with their blues – and you can definitely hear that on this stone smoker – a record that has roots in the same scene as Syl Johnson, whose modes definitely creep into the groove at times! Sam's combo here is mighty nice – with Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano, and Mighty Joe Young on guitar – and titles include "Stop You're Hurting Me", "Easy Baby", "What Have I Done Wrong", "It's All Your Fault", "You Belong To Me", "You Don't Love Me Baby", and "San Jose". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic 80s work from Pharoah Sanders – with a vibe that's a perfect extension of his classic work for the Impulse label! The album has Pharoah working with an amazing group – Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, John Hicks and Joe Bonner on piano, Art Davis on bass, and either Elvin Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. The sound is remarkably fresh – soaring and spiritual, but also more focused than in earlier years, with a great amount of soulful warmth. And although extra elements are added – like vocals, vibes, and added percussion – Pharoah's solos still dominate the whole album beautifully. Titles include "Rejoice", "Origin", "Moments Notice", "Central Park West", "Farah", "Ntjilo Ntjilo/Bird Song", and "Nigerian Juju Hilife". CD

Classic King R&B material from Vinson, featuring some great backing by a surprising amount of jazz players! The album includes playing by Frank Foster, Joe Newman, Charlie Rouse, Ed Thigpen, Freddie Green, Paul Quinichette, and Nat Pierce – and the sound owes a lot to Joe Turner's work with Basie. Titles include "Cherry Red", "That's The Way To Treat Your Woman", "Kidney Stew", "Hold It Right There", and "Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Columbia Records studio sessions from pianist Denny Zeitlin – and a package that features a fair bit of unreleased material too – not just alternate takes, but loads of fresh new tunes recorded at the time – appearing here for the first time ever! Zeitlin's a hell of a pianist, especially during these years – a really fresh 60s talent who works with a sound that's both warmly lyrical and somewhat modern – stylistically rooted in Bill Evans' inspiration, but clearly his own man by the time of these recordings! Denny's never fully gotten his due, and reissues over the years have been spare – so this package is not only a much-needed look as his mighty talents, but also a key discovery of 12 previously unreleased numbers. Players include Charlie Haden, Cecil McBee, and Joe Halpin on bass – and Freddie Waits, Oliver Johnson, and Jerry Granelli on drums. Titles include "Blue Phoenix", "Spring Is Here", "Western Thing", "Slipstream", "Later", "Labyrinth", "The Journey Home", "Carole's Garden", "Skippying", "Carnival", "Dormammu", "Living Alone", "Night & Day", "Maiden Voyage", "Nica's Tempo", "Cathexis", and "Repeat". CD

Fremeaux's nice Roots of Rock 'n' Roll series – includes 36 tracks from artists including Tiny Bradshaw, Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan, Goree Carter, Annie Laurie, Red Foley with Cecil Gant, Hank Snow, Lester Williams, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Billy Jack Wills, Roy Hogsed, Joe Hill Louis, Wesley Holly, Johnnie Lee Wills, Calvin Boze, Wynonie Harris, and more. CD

A full set of Louis Jordan's excellent work for Mercury Records in the mid 50s – material that often reworks his older songs, but with a lean, mean vibe that's got a lot more early rock and R&B touches! The instrumentation is razor-sharp – often with searing sax solos from the man himself, and a groove that has all the other players hitting hard on the rhythms – romping in a way that definitely lives up to the rock and roll of the title, but with a quality that reminds us that Jordan was one of the originators, and not just some older talent trying to cash in on the new scene! CD features 21 tracks in all – and titles include "Run Joe", "Salt Pork West Virginia", "Beware Brother Beware", "Knock Me A Kiss", "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", "The Jamp", "Ella Mae", "Saturday Night Fish Fry", and "Morning Light". CD

Fender Rhodes and tight arrangements from the great David Matthews – a solo set that works in the same sort of vibe as his bigger backings for 70s artists on the CTI/Kudu label! The group's largeish, but still has a nice open vibe – as Matthews works a lot of care into his charts to give some of the stars plenty of room to shine – especially guitarist Earl Klugh, who works on the record in a group that also include Burt Collins and Joe Sheppley on trumpets, and George Young, David Tofani, and Ronnie Cuber on saxes and flute! Titles include "Funky Turkey", "Spanish Heat", "Gosman's Gazebo", and "Westlake Drive". CD

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". CD

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". CD

The title's a bit of a joke – because the record features a batch sidemen from the Count Basie band – Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Freddy Green, Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster, and others – all working with Sarah, but the Count's name is missing, due to contractual obligations! Despite that lack, though, the grooves are very much in the best Basie mode – full of soul and searing horn lines – at a level that makes the album one of Sarah's liveliest from the time! Players include Thad Jones and Joe Newman on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Frank Foster and Frank Wess on tenor, and Freddie Green on guitar – and Ronnell Bright handles the piano, instead of Basie. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Doodlin", "Just One Of Those Things", "No Count Blues", and "Missing You". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of work from one of the biggest bands on the scene in Sao Tome & Principe years ago – combo who rocked the small island nation with a great blend of West African modes and more tropical sounds! The guitar work is often very lively, and percolating strongly with the rhythms – which themselves maybe have a bit more punch than usual, almost hitting funky drummer moments at times – while the larger ensemble top the sound with these gently cascading horn parts that have the same unified feel as the vocals! Given that the group never got much circulation at the time, and that some of the cuts here were only issued on cassette, the well-done collection is a great addition to our ever-growing knowledge of sounds from this part of the globe – served up on titles that include "Saozinha", "Vence Vitoria", "Carambola", "Ple Can", "Zun Zon Pedelelu", "San Tome Plodozu", "Pedlelo", and "12 De Julho". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of late 50s albums that Chet Baker recorded for Riverside – all of which are some of his last great 50s work in the studio, before a shift in the 60s to a wider-ranging approach to his music! The style here is definitely in the "classic" Baker mode set down for Pacific Jazz – but a bit more fleshed out by the other players in the set – who seem to push a bit more personality into the tunes, and not just let Chet's trumpet dominate. The sound is soft and gentle – as you'd expect from the title – and other players include Bill Evans, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers, Connie Kay and Philly Joe Jones – all bringing a bit of a New York undercurrent to the west coast Baker solo style. Titles include "How High the Moon", "It Never Entered My Mind", "If You Could See Me Now", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Time On My Hands", and "You And The Night And Music". CD features 1 bonus track – "Early Morning Mood". CD

One of THE seminal Basie albums of all time – and a masterful pairing between the Count and arranger Neal Hefti! Hefti has an amazing ear for the Basie groove, and he works here to re-fit the overall sound of the group with a tighter, more fluid approach – one that ensured that they'd be alive and booming well into the 60s. The Hefti touch is one that's slightly lighter than the Basie of before – one that assumes the bump at the bottom, but never overdoes it – and instead almost uses the sound of no sound at all to carry the rhythm – while the horns at the top of the group are vamping around in these majestic charts that break out into fantastically searing solos. Basie's on piano, natch – and other players include Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Henry Coker, Al Grey, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis. Titles are all brilliant Hefti originals – and include "After Supper", "Flight Of The Foo Birds", "Teddy The Toad", "Splanky", "Fantail", and "Lil Darlin". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from one of the hippest bassists of his generation! Paul Chambers cut this obscure little album in LA, featuring a "jazz delegation from the east" that included Philly Joe Jones on drums and John Coltrane on tenor – plus pianist Kenny Drew, who had already been working on the west coast – all in a style that's much more relaxed and stretched-out than most other jazz recorded in LA at the time! The album is one of the earliest small group sessions with Coltrane, and it's a very spare batch of tracks that lead off with Chambers' amazing work on bass – but which also feature some incredible early work from Trane – very raw and loud in the mix, with a lot more bluesiness than you'd expect – and we mean that in a good way! Titles include "Dexterity", "Visitation", "John Paul Jones", and "Eastbound". Plus, the CD also seems to include a few bonus titles from an additional 1956 session with Coltrane! 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". LP, Vinyl record album

Marchel Ivery on tenor saxophone, Joey DeFrancesco on organ, Lyles West on bass, and Andrew Griffith and GT Hogan on drums. CD

Accompanied by Ben Aronov on piano and DX7, Steve LaSpina on bass, Joe Cocuzzo on drums, Gene Bertoncini on guitar, and Frank Wess on tenor saxophone. LP, Vinyl record album

With Bill Frisell on guitar, Joe Lovano on tenor, Billy Drewes on alto and tenor, and Ed Schuller on bass. Titles include "Psalm", "White Magic", "Mandeville", "Etude", and "Second Hand". LP, Vinyl record album

An interesting LP, where Bethlehem pulled together two previous 10" sessions led by bassists for one LP! Pettiford's Basically Duike is a beautiful set – ostensibly a session of Ellington material, but one that features some great arrangements that really blow past the obvious! The group's an octet, with Pettiford leading trumpeters Clark Terry & Joe Wilder, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, and alto saxophonist Dave Schildkraut – with Earl Knight on piano, taking Ellington's place in the arrangements. Titles include 2 Pettiford originals – "Tamalpais" and "Swing Until The Girls Come Home" – plus a Terry number called "Chuckles", and the tracks "Mood Indigo" and "Jack The Bear". The second side is an obscure side from Red Mitchell, a tight little sextet session featuring a group of LA players that includes Zoot Sims, Bob Brookmeyer, Claude Williamson, Stan Levey and Conte Candoli. The set cooks nicely, a snapping west coast bop side that's hard to come by in any format. Titles include "Happy Minor", "Bluesology", "Kelly Green" and "Scrapple From The Apple". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic 80s work from Pharoah Sanders – with a vibe that's a perfect extension of his classic work for the Impulse label! The album has Pharoah working with an amazing group – Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, John Hicks and Joe Bonner on piano, Art Davis on bass, and either Elvin Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. The sound is remarkably fresh – soaring and spiritual, but also more focused than in earlier years, with a great amount of soulful warmth. And although extra elements are added – like vocals, vibes, and added percussion – Pharoah's solos still dominate the whole album beautifully. Titles include "Rejoice", "Origin", "Moments Notice", "Central Park West", "Farah", "Ntjilo Ntjilo/Bird Song", and "Nigerian Juju Hilife". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer Latin funk from the mid 70s – a totally rare little set, but a masterpiece all the way through! Sol is a combo headed up by keyboardist Joe Gallardo – and they've got a groove that blends together some wonderful elements – including jazz funk, straight Latin, and a bit of Chicano soul – all wrapped up in a warm, west coast sort of vibe that's totally great! In a way, the album almost feels like some lost treasure from Fantasy Records' best funky years – but it's also got a more unique feel overall, and a way of changing up the groove that keeps things fresh throughout. Lead vocals are by Ray Romero, who sings in English, and almost echoes Mark Murphy's style on Muse – and other instrumentation includes guitar, flute, saxes, trumpet, and lots of Latin percussion. Titles include the cut "Maranatha", a very nice groover – plus a version of Ray Barretto's "El Que Se Fue", Stevie Wonder's "Bird Of Beauty", and the original cuts "Sailing", "Patrice", "Someday", and "Squeeze". CD

Spiritual sounds from the source – a host of incredible tracks from a time when jazz was really opening up into new dimensions – as players stepped forward in a wave of strong post-Coltrane energy to really push the music into the skies! The music here can be seen as a blueprint for generations to come – styles that are now getting new fame in the hands of Kamasi Washington and some of his contemporaries, but which flowered first in recordings like these – pulled from the early 70s vaults of Prestige, Milestone, and Muse Records – and brought together here in a really wonderful collection! Tracks are all nice and long, and the set showcases an older generation of jazz musicians really flowering at the time – balanced perfectly between a sense of freedom and a spiritual soul – on titles that include "Celestial Blues" by Gary Bartz NTU Troop, "Let Us Go To Higher Heights" by Carlos Garnett, "The Almoravid" by Joe Chambers, "Brown Eyes" by Charles Earland, "Warriors Of Peace" by Azar Lawrence, "Aftermath" by Oliver Nelson, "Josie Black" by Hampton Hawes, "Let It Take Your Mind" by Bayete Umbra Zindiko, "Fire" by Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane, and "The Free Slave" by Roy Brooks. CD

Take a trip to the sea with this mighty sweet collection – a whole batch of boat and summer-related tracks from the glory days of the 7" single – served up in a variety of different genres, and with a mix of music that would work pretty darn well for a winter cruise as well! The package has all the great look and groovy vibe as the other excellent entries in the Destination series from Bear Family – detailed notes that match the colorful package, and a set list of 33 tracks we never would have thought to bring together like this – with titles that include "Cool Water" by Jack Scott, "Sippin Soda" by The Shells, "The Breeze" by Helen Scott, "Cool Shade" by Don Drummond, "Magic In A Summer Night" by Myron Lee & the Caddies, "Twistin On A Liner" by Joey Dee & The Starlighters, "Sea Cruise" by The Keil Isles, "It's A Lovely Day Today" by Dick Haymes & Eileen Watson, "Teenie Weenie Bikini" by Mitchell Torok, "There's Gonna Be A Party On The Beach" by Bobby gray, "Rippling Waters" by Speedy West, and "Breaker" by The Polaras. CD

A key moment from the late sixties – probably better known now through the film by D.A. Pennebaker – but just as great here in this deluxe box set! The set features music from John Phillips, the Association, Eric Burdon & the Animals, Canned Heat, Country Joe & the Fish, the Steve Miller Band, the Electric Flag, Lou Rawls, Ravi Shankar, Jefferson Airplane, Booker T & the MGs, the Who, Otis Redding, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Mamas & the Papas, and more – plus an awesome oversized booklet packed with great photos and notes! CD

Music from Ruby Mccoy, Elijah Brown, Big Joe Williams, Avery Brady, Fred McDowell, Bert Logan, Arthur Weston, Russ Logan, Andrew Cauthen & more. CD

One of a handful of late 50s albums that Chet Baker recorded for Riverside – all of which are some of his last great 50s work in the studio, before a shift in the 60s to a wider-ranging approach to his music! The style here is definitely in the "classic" Baker mode set down for Pacific Jazz – but a bit more fleshed out by the other players in the set – who seem to push a bit more personality into the tunes, and not just let Chet's trumpet dominate. The sound is soft and gentle – as you'd expect from the title – and other players include Bill Evans, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers, Connie Kay and Philly Joe Jones – all bringing a bit of a New York undercurrent to the west coast Baker solo style. Titles include "How High the Moon", "It Never Entered My Mind", "If You Could See Me Now", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Time On My Hands", and "You And The Night And Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful tribute to the genius of trombonist/arranger Melba Liston – and a set that doesn't just copy her music, but really opens up a whole new spirit from its inspiration! Reedman Geof Bradfield composed all the tracks in the set, and puts things together with a spirit that's not unlike some of Melba's best arrangements for middle-sized groups – that way she had of making things tight, and rhythmically soulful – yet still allowing plenty of room for improvisation and individuality amidst the fuller picture of the tunes. Bradfield gets in plenty of great moments on tenor, soprano sax, and bass clarinet – and the rest of the group features Victor Garcia on trumpet and flugelhorn, Joel Adams on trombone, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ryan Cohan on piano, Clark Sommers on bass, and George Fludas on drums. Titles include "Central Avenue", "Dizzy Gillespie", "Detroit/Kingston", "Randy Weston", and "Homecoming" – and the set ends with vocals by Maggie Burrell on the tune "Let Me Not Lose My Dream". CD

A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, LA raised singer Dorris Henderson moved to London in 1965 and was soon singing London's folk clubs, where she met Rensbourn. A solid mix of traditionals and then contemporary folk songs – stripped down and honest takes on "Saly Free And Easy", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Going To Memphis", Something Lonesome", "Mist On The Mountain" and more. This edition includes bonus tracks from a rare 45 – "Hangman" and "Leaves That Are Green". Next is the self-titled John Renbourn from 1965 – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Bert & John is a hell of a collaboration between British legends Bert Jansch and John Renbourn – both working here together to completely redefine the sound of their music for the generation to come! This one album may well hold all the sense of subtle power and possibility that was about to flower in the Brit movement often known as "acid folk" – that reworking of older aesthetics with modern conceptions, and doing so mostly with their work on acoustic guitar – quite a feat, given the stripped-down instrumentation of the set! Bert sings a bit – in that incredible style of his – but the real attraction here is the guitar interplay, which is always fresh, never hokey, neither familiar American folk nor forced singer-songwriter backup material. Titles include a wonderful reworking of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – plus "Red's Favourite", "Orlando", "Soho", "Piano Tune", "East Wind", "After The Dance", and "The Time Has Come". Another Monday is maybe the most obscure album in the collection – a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". Watch The Stars is another great collaboration with Dorris Henderson – an American singer, but one who moved to London in the 60s – where she cut this rare gem with guitarist John Renbourn! The album's got a righteous vibe that's hipper than the usual folk set – with some traditional tunes and some contemporary material – recorded with that amazing phrasing that made Renbourn's guitar so distinct right from the start, with lots of those jazzy currents we love so much – and which really fit the creative vocal approach of Henderson! Dorris also plays some autoharp, and there's a bit of bass in the backings – although overall the main focus here is on Renbourn's guitar and Henderson's vocals. Titles include "Come Up Horsey", "God Bless The Child", "Watch The Stars", "30 Days In Jail", "Mosaic Patterns", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "There's Anger In This Land". Sir John A Lot Of is perhaps one of the best-known albums from British guitar legend John Renbourn – as it was issued widely in the US, and kept in print for a surprisingly long time over the years! The approach here is slightly different than Renbourn's previous records – a bit in the image presented by the cover, although with maybe not as slavish a sound – as John just uses the whole thing to go a bit more ancient than before, in ways that echo the time travel that the whole British folk scene was taking as the 70s approached. The tunes are done in ways that are really beautiful – still lots of the incredible guitar work that made Renbourn such a standout on the scene – plus flute from jazzman Ray Warleigh, who's very different here than usual – and spare use of finger cymbals, African drums, and glockenspiel by Terry Cox. Titles include "Morgana", "Transfusion", "The Trees They Do Grow High", "Sweet Potato", "Seven Up", and "White Fishes". 6CD box features all records in original artwork sleeves, with a booklet of notes – and bonus tracks that include "Message To Pretty", "The Waggoner's Lad", "Lucky Thirteen", "Blues Run The Game", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity (alt)", "Can't Keep From Crying", "Transfusion (alt)", and "The Leaves Are Green". CD

Two MPS gems from this unusual 70s ensemble – back to back on the same CD! Chasin The Bird features classic bop modes, updated strongly for the 70s – and played by a hip group of older players who really know how to cook! Supersax is led by Med Flory on alto, who also did the arrangements – and works here with great reed help from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, Joe Lopes on alto, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – plus soaring sounds from Conte Candoli and Blue Mitchell on trumpets, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Lou Levy on piano – all of whom really help the reed players find their groove! Charts are large, as is the ensemble, but there's a nice sense of individual personalities too – even when all the saxophonists are taking a solo together at once. Titles include "Shaw Nuff", "Drifting On A Reed", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Now's The Time", and "The Song Is You". Dynamite is a looser, more free-swinging album than usual for Supersax – one that still has the group working with some key contributions from west coast jazz luminaries, but in a vibe that's almost more small combo than larger ensemble! The tracks here include a fair bit of Bud Powell and Charlie Parker numbers, but the arrangements are mighty fresh – open, and swinging with some hipper 70s touches, thanks to rhythms from a trio that features Lou Levy on piano, Fred Atwood on bass, and John Dentz on drums – players that are never locked into a strict bop mode. As with other Supersax albums, there's a brace of reed players working together at the front – Lanny Morgan on alto, Jack Nimitz on baritone, and both Jay Migliori and Don Menza on tenors – coming together as one voice on the solos, and getting some key help from Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone. Titles include "The Fruit", "Bambu", "Blues For Alice", "Tempus Fugit", "Parker's Mood", and a surprising, but great take on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave". CD

Sublime stuff! Sure, it's easy to sit back and say that you don't really dig Ray Charles albums that mix together country music and soul, and that you prefer his hard raw raunchy Atlantic recordings from the earlier days. But let's be honest, Ray really made his biggest splash with this stuff – and although it became extremely popular over the years, it's also part of a huge country soul tradition that's a very accurate representation of the rich crossover culture going on in southern soul, a tradition that for some reason always gets underplayed by folks who want to carve up the world in easy racial lines. Truth is, Ray was not the only soul artist to embrace country, and we can think of a host of others – including Solomon Burke, Ivory Joe Hunter, Joe Simon, Clarence Carter, Brook Benton, and Bobby Womack who all participated in this rich tradition. This set's essential if you're interested in checking out this side of Ray's career – and the price is pretty nice, considering that you get 4CDs, a great book, and 92 songs in all! Work is pulled from Ray's classic ABC sides in the format, plus others from before and after that generation. Titles include "A Born Loser", "I'm Movin On", "Busted", "Crying Time", "Teardrops In My Heart", "Half As Much", "No Letter Today", "Oh Lonesome Me", "Ring Of Fire", "What Am I Living For", "Let Your Love Flow", "Down In The Valley", and "Take These Chains From My Heart". 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

A really amazing little record – one that's partly in the "jazz meets Indian" mode of Joe Harriott's experiments of the 60s – but a performance that also brings in a lot more from spiritual jazz, even though most of the instrumentation is more traditional! The set is live, and the tracks are all long – led by Sarathy Korwar on tablas and drums – a player with very pulsating approach, even when gentle – which sets the tone for the ensemble's mix of flute, acoustic guitar, keyboards, flute, sitar, santoor, tabla, alto, and mridangam – all spun out with lots of modal energy, working well together as a force in sound – but also taking some great solo moments too. Titles include great remakes of "The Creator Has A Master Plan" and "Journey In Satchidananda" – plus "Hajj", "Earthy", "Mishrank", "Malkauns", "Mind Ecology", and "A Street In Bombay". LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing little record – one that's partly in the "jazz meets Indian" mode of Joe Harriott's experiments of the 60s – but a performance that also brings in a lot more from spiritual jazz, even though most of the instrumentation is more traditional! The set is live, and the tracks are all long – led by Sarathy Korwar on tablas and drums – a player with very pulsating approach, even when gentle – which sets the tone for the ensemble's mix of flute, acoustic guitar, keyboards, flute, sitar, santoor, tabla, alto, and mridangam – all spun out with lots of modal energy, working well together as a force in sound – but also taking some great solo moments too. Titles include great remakes of "The Creator Has A Master Plan" and "Journey In Satchidananda" – plus "Hajj", "Earthy", "Mishrank", "Malkauns", "Mind Ecology", and "A Street In Bombay". CD

A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on drums, and Mack Thompson on bass – all to craft a set of rough and ready blues tunes that would have played well on both sides of the tracks at the time. Titles include "That's All I Need", "All Of Your Love", "I Don't Want No Woman", "Mama Mama Talk To Your Daughter", and "Lookin Good", a nice instrumental! CD

A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on drums, and Mack Thompson on bass – all to craft a set of rough and ready blues tunes that would have played well on both sides of the tracks at the time. Titles include "That's All I Need", "All Of Your Love", "I Don't Want No Woman", "Mama Mama Talk To Your Daughter", and "Lookin Good", a nice instrumental! CD features a bonus alternate of "I Don't Want No Woman". CD

A really bold, really freewheeling performance from the great McCoy Tyner – an 80s live album that may well stand as one of his most powerful of the decade! The group here is billed as an All-Star one – and it's a tight quintet that also features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, Avery Sharpe on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – a combo who sound even better on record than they do on paper! Henderson is wonderful – playing with that special edge he had at the time – and Hubbard, as always, opens up in a live setting in modes that really blow away his studio work. Tunes are all nice and long – and titles include "Just Feeling", "Caravan", "Ask Me Now", and "Inner Glimpse". CD

One of the best entries in the Commodore Series on Mainstream – a collection of obscure mid 50s recordings by flute and tenor player Frank Wess, done in small group settings with a variety of players that include some of his bandmates in the Basie group! There's a more tightly arranged feel here than on some of Frank's other 50s work – but the style suits Wess well, and seems to allow him to stretch out in more lyrical and easy-going modes on the album's best tracks. Other players include Oscar Pettiford, Henry Coker, Jimmy Jones, Joe Wilder, and Urbie Green – and titles include "Danny's Delight", "Mishawaka", "Frankosis", "I'll Be Around", and "Basie Ain't Here". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly one of the greatest funk compilations ever – and we're not just saying that because we're from the Midwest! The genius compilers at Jazzman spent years scouring the smaller cities of the American hinterlands – tracking down obscure musicians, long-lost labels, and nearly-gone master tapes – all to bring together 23 bits of rare funk that bristle with the same energy and excitement as the day they were first recorded! The package is incredible – not only filled with incredible tunes that somehow manage to push the boundaries and redefine our understanding of classic funk from the time, but also doing so in a package that's filled with liner notes that offer more information on the artists than probably their own mothers know! Plus, the set's also got some previously unissued numbers as well – making it a must-have for any funk fan, even if you've somehow managed to track down original copies of some of these choice bits! Titles include "Whip It" by The New Establishment In Soul, "Let's Do It Today (full version)" by The Us, "Pushin To The Top" by Markus Kelly & The Impassions, "Sissy Walk" by Billy Ball & The Upsetters, "Tell Her" by Fred Williams & The Jewels Band, "The Hatch" by The TMGs, "Boots Groove" by The Soul Tornados, "Po Boy's Dream" by Illinois Connection, "It's Not You For Me (live)" by Billy Joe Holloman, "Funky In Here" by Dayton Sidewinders, "Master Groove" by Henry Peters & The Imperials, and "A Day In The Life" by Chocolate Snow. CD

Unreleased live material from the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – recorded at a time when the group was really making waves with its famous albums on Columbia Records, and playing here with a much more open, extended style than on those more compact LPs! The lineup features Dave on piano, Paul Desmond on alto, Gene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums – and the set features long takes of "That Lonesome Road", "Gone With The Wind", "Two Part Contention", "Basin Street Blues", and "When The Saints Go Marching In" – all given that very personal, very modern Dave Brubeck spin! LP, Vinyl record album

Definite giants of the tenor sax – served up here on material from the 78rpm years of Commodore Records! Coleman Hawkins blows tenor both on sides with the Chocolate Dandies – who include Roy Eldridge on trumpet and Benny Carter on alto – and with a group that features Cootie Williams on trumpet. Frank Wess blows tenor and flute – in groups with Joe Wilder on trumpet, and either Henry Coker or Benny Powell on trombone! CD