Peter Leitch on guitar, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. CD

A record of angular lines and subtle sounds from pianist Jim McNeely – an overlooked talent from this generation, and a player with a great sensitivity for unusual colors and tones! The record's a fair bit different than other Muse dates – played almost with the freedom of some of the more inventive European piano sessions of the late 70s – never outside, but always pushing the boundaries in very exploratory ways. The lineup varies a bit on the set – as a few tracks feature John Scofield on guitar, but the rest are trio numbers with either Jon Burr or Mike Richmond on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. Titles include "The Plot Thickens", "Inner Ear", "Burgundy & The Virgin Snow", and "The Light At The End Of The Cave". CD also features the bonus track "The Plot Thickens (alt take)". CD

One of the most spiritual albums recorded by Pharoah Sanders for Impulse – an open-ended and free-thinking exploration of ideas, one that's very much in the late Coltrane mode! As you'd guess from the title, the set's a live one, which maybe helps open up the sound even more – making the set almost a bridge between the freer reaches of the 60s New York avant scene and some of the loft jazz expressions to come. The group's a largeish one – filled with spiritual jazz luminaries, in a lineup that includes Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Harold Vick on tenor, Carlos Garnett on flute, Joe Bonner on piano and harmonium, and both Cecil McBee and Stanley Clarke on basses, and Norman Connors, Billy Hart, and Lawrence Killian on drums and percussion. The album features three long tunes, all great – and titles include "Healing Song", "Memories of John W Coltrane" and "Lumkili". CD

Maybe the most righteous album ever from reedman Harold Vick – a crowning achievement of all his soulful years in jazz, cut as one of the key 70s releases on Strata East! Vick is fantastic here – light years ahead of his work as the funky tenorist on 60s albums by John Patton and Jack McDuff in the 60s, even as great as that material was – and emerging here as an incredibly sensitive soul jazz player, capable of turning out some incredibly sophisticated and emotional compositions – which are then graced by these really spiritual solos! Harold wrote and produced the whole album – really controlling his musical vision – and other players include Virgil Jones on trumpet, George Davis on flute, Joe Bonner on Fender Rhodes and piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – a lineup that sounds even greater on the record than it does on paper. Titles include "Don't Look Back", "Melody For Bu", "Stop & Cop", and "Senor Zamora". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Williamson Brothers And Curry, Memphis Jug Band, Mississippi John Hurt, The Carter Family, Lydia Mendoza, Carolina Tar Heels, Hattie Hart & The Memphis Jug Band, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Charley Patton, Joseph Falcon, Frank Hutchison, Jimmie Rodgers, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Erroll Garner on piano joined by Irving Ashby and Mike Bryan on guitar, with John Levy, John Simmons, Leonard Gaskin, Slam Stewart, and Red Callender on bass, and George De Hart, Alvin Stoller, Charlie Smith, and Doc West on drums. CD

Features John Faddis and Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Antonio Hart on soprano and alto sax, Jimmy Heath on tenor, David Sanchez, on saxophones and flute, Steve Turre on trombone, and others! CD

Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn, Bob Berg, David Liebman, and Joe Lovano on saxophones, Cheryl Pyle on flute, John Abercrombie on guitar and synthesizer, Dado Moroni, Danilo Perez, James Williams, and Niels Lan Doky on piano, Charlie Haden, Ray Drummond, and Reggie Johnson on bass, and Adam Nussbaum, Billy Hart, Paul Motian, and Bill Goodwin on drums. CD

Bassist Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen has been the background force on countless jazz records over the years – and when he gets the chance to step into the spotlight as a leader, he always seems to bring a lot to the proceedings! Here, Pedersen exposes the qualities of his bass in all sorts of wonderful ways – sometimes spare and very melodic, sometimes with more force driving the group – a great lineup that includes David Liebman on tenor, soprano, and flute – plus John Scofield on guitar and Billy Hart on drums. Scofield and Pedersen have a way of resonating together wonderfully – and titles include "Future Child", "Evening Sound", "Clouds", and "Dancing On The Tables". CD

John Ellis on saxophones, John Hart on guitar, Sean Smith on bass, and Russell Meissner on drums. CD

A fantastic showcase for the early genius of John Hartford – one of the most unique singers to record for RCA in the late 60s! Hartford has roots in folk, an appeal that reaches the hipper side of the Nashville scene, but also is very much his own man – kind of a wittier version of some of the social commentators of a few years before, with as much of a post-modern critique of his own music as of society in the 60s. In some ways, this self-aware approach makes Hartford almost a country version of Harry Nilsson – although less tragic, too – and this album features the core sound of the previous records augmented by these beautiful larger arrangements by Al Capps – which only further the hip vibe of tunes that include "Mr Jackson's Got Nothing To Do", "The Collector", "I've Heard That Tearstained Monologue You Do There By The Door Before You Go", "Orphan Of World War Two", "I Didn't Know The World Would Last This Long", and "The Wart". LP, Vinyl record album

Great musings on love and other weirdness – done in the amazingly offbeat style of the young John Hartford! Titles include "Windows", "This Eve Of Parting", "The Six O'Clock Train & A Girl With Green Eyes", "Landscape Grown Cold", "Prayer", "Empty Afternoon Of Summer Longing", and "Natural To Be Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure set from Johnny Hartman – cut in the years before his more famous Impulse recordings, and with a mellower, lusher sound that casts his incredible vocals in a warm romantic setting! The orchestrations are by the little-known Rudy Traylor, and have a full feel that's similar to other Roost and Roulette vocal sessions of the time – a bit jazz, but also with these darker, moodier corners that are perfect for late-nite listening – and which put those rich Hartman vocals in really sublime territory. Johnny serves up a sad-tinged batch of tunes that includes "Little Girl Blue", "But Beautiful", "Long Ago & Far Away", "I Should Care", "To Each His Own", and "How Long Has This Been Going On". CD

Some of the hippest American work of the 70s by vocalist Johnny Hartman – smooth, sophisticated, and with a groove that's almost somewhat different than his more famous records of the decade before! Hartman's captured here in a live setting that's intimate, but never too sleepy or standard – warmly relaxed with backing from a trio that includes Reggie Moore on piano and Bill English on bass – and recorded with some great between-songs patter from Johnny, showing a charm that goes even beyond his studio sides. Titles include "On Green Dolphin Street", "Didn't We", "Watch What Happens", "Help Me Make It Through The Night", "Bidin My Time", "If", "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", "I've Got To Be Me", "Blues", and "Lush Life". CD also features 8 bonus tracks – recorded live in Tokyo in 1977 with Roland Hanna on piano and George Mraz on bass – on titles that include "Send In The Clowns", "My Foolish Heart", "On A Clear Day", "Summertime", and "The Way We Were". CD

Originally recorded and released only in Japan, and finally out now in the US – this is one of Johnny Hartman's greatest recordings, and perhaps his strongest jazz session ever! The backing is fantastic, and Johnny's deep voice opens up to new depths on this batch of standards all interpreted by Coltrane. The 'Trane reference is not incidental, either, because Johnny really hits a new level on this material, and breaks out of his usual sleepy style of singing, into a more free, more modal groove. Titles include "Summertime", "Nature Boy", "Violets For Your Furs", and "On Green Dolphin Street". CD

Includes 38 tracks on 2 CDs. CD

A beautiful album of dark-hued vocals – sung by Johnny Hartman with a quality that's as smokey as the image of him with a cigarette on the cover! The album set a whole new standard for male vocal jazz in the 60s – and is a distillation and refinement of earlier ideas in music by Billy Eckstine, taken down to more personal and fluid levels by Hartman – and recorded here with great small group baking that includes Illinois Jacquet on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The vibe is very mellow, but never sloppy or sleepy – and titles include "Charade", "In The Wee Small Hours", "Stairway To the Stars", "Kiss & Run", "Our Time", "Don't You Know I Care", "If I'm Lucky", and "Don't Call It Love". CD

A nice little album from Johnny Hartman – recorded back in the mid 50s for Bethlehem, in the years before he recorded his more famous dates for the Impulse label! The set has Johnny singing nice and mellow – with backing by a group led by pianist Ralph Sharon, one of Tony Bennett's longtime accompanists, with added trumpet by Howard McGhee – which creates some nicely moody interplay in the relatively spare setting of the session. Hartman's vocals are a dream, as always – and tracks include "What Is There To Say", "Moonlight In Vermont", "I'll Remember April", "Down In The Depths", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", and "We'll Be Together Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A mellow set of ballads, taken mostly from Trane's first few years at Impulse – in various formations that have him working with his classic quartet, plus guests like Johnny Hartman, Eric Dolphy, or Duke Ellington. Titles include "Soul Eyes", "What's New", "Dear Lord", "Lush Life", "Wise One", "My Little Brown Book", "The Spiritual", and "After The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful tribute to the historic pairing of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman – delivered here by one of our favorite jazz singers working today! The album's way more than just a simple rehash of a classic – as Kurt Elling expands upon the Coltrane/Hartman vibe tremendously, taking the music into even loftier territory with his own wonderful vocals, and creative presentation of the music that includes a few medley moments, and some great spoken bits to link the whole thing together! Musical arrangements are by Laurence Hobgood, who's been with Elling for years – and Hobgood really stretches out with his own energy here, to break the set past any easy cliches, and make it a really Elling-centrist effort that stands as one of Kurt's best records in years. The whole thing was recorded live, and titles include "Say It", "They Say It's Wonderful", "It's Easy To Remember", "Dedicated To You", "All Or Nothing At All", "You Are Too Beautiful", and a medley of "What's New/Lush Life/Autumn Serenade". CD

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". 2LP version features 7 more alternate takes – some very different! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". CD

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". 2CD version features 7 more alternate takes – some very different! CD

Possibly the strongest album ever recorded by mellow-voiced jazz vocalist Earl Coleman – a singer with a deeper style that's very much in the classic Billy Eckstine mode, but which swings a bit more freely in a small combo! The set's got a nicely open style – with longer tracks than usual for a jazz vocal date, and lots of room for jazz soloists that include Art Farmer on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto, and Hank Jones on piano. The backing is in a great small group mode, and in a way, the album's almost unique for the time – and really predates a lot of later male vocal sides of this nature – offering Coleman more of a fresh start than just a standard "return" – and really paving the way for Johnny Hartman sides in the 60s. Titles include "Say It Isn't So", "Reminiscing", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "No Love No Nothin", and a great version of "Social Call". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest jazz vocal albums you'll ever find! Frank Minion sings this suite of tracks billed as an "Introduction To Black Opium Street", and he puts the music together with little recitations in between the tracks, so that the whole thing sounds like one of the great Langston Hughes jazz albums from the same period. Minion's singing voice is in the same rich-toned tradition as singers like Johnny Hartman, but his speaking voice is raw and very soulful – and he gets more than able backing by a great set of players that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Roland Alexander on tenor and flute, Dannie Richmond on drums, and Paul Chambers on bass. The whole album sounds more like a rare session on Candid than it does the usual stuff on Bethlehem – and it's a surprisingly hip album that still holds up well over the years! Titles include "Oddsville USA", "Bongo Blues", "Autobiography Of A Musician", "Watermelon", "Flamenco Sketches", "Laughing Boy", and "Later". CD

A fabulous look at a new wave of music that hit the American scene at the end of the 60s – sophisticated songs with a deep sense of narrative that went way beyond the usual – first sprung by the world of country music, but with an influence that went on to touch all other styles too! This set goes right to the core – and brings together cuts from the hippest songwriters of the period, delivered in versions that may well be the best to ever make it on records – including a few tunes that will really come as a surprise if you think you know the artists from their hits! As you'd guess from the title, the world here is very similar to that in "Ode To Billie Joe" – a world that's also given great illumination by the detailed notes within. Titles include "Endless Miles Of Highway" by Jerry Reed, "If Only She Had Stayed" by Chris Gantry, "July 12, 1939" by Charlie Rich, "What Am I Doing In LA" by Nat Stuckey, "The House Song" by Lee Hazlewood, "Mr Jackson's Got Nothing To Do" by John Hartford, "Widow Wimberley" by Tony Joe White, "Mr Walker It's All Over" by Billie Jo Spears, "Drivin Nails In The Walls" by Waylon Jennings, "Four Shades Of Love" by Henson Cargill, "The Back Side Of Dallas" by Jeanne C Riley, "Way Before The Time Of Towns" by Hoyt Axton, "Down From Dover" by Dolly Parton, "Fabulous Body & Smile" by Sir Robert Charles Griggs, and "Why Can't I Come Home" by Ed Bruce. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Sammy Davis Jr. And Laurindo Almeida, John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman, Chet Baker, Jack Jones, Bill Henderson, Bob Manning, Billy Eckstine, Bing Crosby, Jackie Paris, and more. CD

Possibly the strongest album ever recorded by mellow-voiced jazz vocalist Earl Coleman – a singer with a deeper style that's very much in the classic Billy Eckstine mode, but which swings a bit more freely in a small combo! The set's got a nicely open style – with longer tracks than usual for a jazz vocal date, and lots of room for jazz soloists that include Art Farmer on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto, and Hank Jones on piano. The backing is in a great small group mode, and in a way, the album's almost unique for the time – and really predates a lot of later male vocal sides of this nature – offering Coleman more of a fresh start than just a standard "return" – and really paving the way for Johnny Hartman sides in the 60s. Titles include "Say It Isn't So", "Reminiscing", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "No Love No Nothin", and a great version of "Social Call". CD features 4 bonus tracks that include "My Last Affair", "This Is Always", "I Haven't Changed A Thing", and "A Ghost Of A Chance". CD

Really wonderful work from the young Michael Hurley – one of his first records to get somewhat wide exposure, thanks to the help of Jesse Colin Young, who signed Hurley up to his Raccoon label at Warner Brothers! The vibe here is right up there with some of the best offbeat acoustic work cut during that stretch at the label – not the same in sound, but not far in spirit from unique records by Steve Young, John Hartford, and others – not to mention the cooler currents from Jesse's scene too! Hurley's vocal style changes nicely to fit the mood of each tune, really bringing the most out of the sorts of lyrics that were his special stock in trade – while the guitar playing is nicely unified, and although spare, really does a great job of holding the album together. Titles include "Blue Driver", "Water Train", "The Sun Is Slowly Sinking", "I'm Worried I'm Worried", "In Florida", "Lilly Pads Upon The Pond", and "Trinidad". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem by singer Jackie Paris – an underrecorded LA singer from the 50s and 60s, with a sound and style that's somewhere between early Mark Murphy and later Bobby Troup! Paris has less of the vocalese approach of some of his contemporaries – and is also lacking the heavy vocal style of singers like Johnny Hartman or Billy Eckstine – which means that he's got a bright, to the point approach that's rare for singers of his generation. Arrangements on the set are by Bobby Scott – who does a good job of shifting between jazzy and moody to fit the range of the material – and titles include "Jenny", "My Very Good Friend In The Looking Glass", "Nobody Loses All The Time", "Duke's Place", "Thad's Blues", and "Cinderella". LP, Vinyl record album

With Oscar Peterson on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, Billy Hart on drums, Chris Woods on alto and flute, and Johnny Hartman on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

A fabulous look at a new wave of music that hit the American scene at the end of the 60s – sophisticated songs with a deep sense of narrative that went way beyond the usual – first sprung by the world of country music, but with an influence that went on to touch all other styles too! This set goes right to the core – and brings together cuts from the hippest songwriters of the period, delivered in versions that may well be the best to ever make it on records – including a few tunes that will really come as a surprise if you think you know the artists from their hits! As you'd guess from the title, the world here is very similar to that in "Ode To Billie Joe" – a world that's also given great illumination by the detailed notes within. Titles include "Endless Miles Of Highway" by Jerry Reed, "If Only She Had Stayed" by Chris Gantry, "July 12, 1939" by Charlie Rich, "What Am I Doing In LA" by Nat Stuckey, "The House Song" by Lee Hazlewood, "Mr Jackson's Got Nothing To Do" by John Hartford, "Widow Wimberley" by Tony Joe White, "Mr Walker It's All Over" by Billie Jo Spears, "Drivin Nails In The Walls" by Waylon Jennings, "Four Shades Of Love" by Henson Cargill, "The Back Side Of Dallas" by Jeanne C Riley, "Way Before The Time Of Towns" by Hoyt Axton, "Down From Dover" by Dolly Parton, "Fabulous Body & Smile" by Sir Robert Charles Griggs, and "Why Can't I Come Home" by Ed Bruce. CD

With Eddie Heywood on piano, Eddie Lang on guitar, and John Truehart on banjo. LP, Vinyl record album

The first release of a groundbreaking performance – David Tudor's 1956 recording of "Music Of Changes" – one of John Cage's first experiments of writing based around the I Ching! The work is based heavily on chance – following charts of possibilities put together by Cage, and extrapolated dramatically by Tudor – who was, at the time, one of the few pianists who really understood Cage's impulses – and could bring them to fruition with a performance like this! CD

A lesser-known later album from JJ Johnson – but a surprisingly great one too, recorded with a sense of fire and inspiration that's no doubt driven by the mighty Al Grey! At the time of this set, Johnson was hardly recording much jazz at all – but Grey was still burning strong, and managed to hold onto the soulful modes of his 60s years. Johnson produced the record, and most likely handled the charts – and the record shows his strong work in the studio through the late 60s into the 70s, with a tightness that's different than some of the other Pablo albums of the era. Other players include Ray Brown on bass, Kenny Barron on acoustic and electric piano, Mickey Roker on drums, and Dave Carey on percussion – and titles include "Soft Winds", "Let Me See", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Boy Meets Horn", "Doncha Hear Me Callin To Ya", and "Things Are Getting Better All The Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Four early 80s classics from Johnny Mathis – presented here in a single 2CD package! Different Kinda Different is a tremendous start to the 80s for Johnny Mathis – and a set that really continues that strong shift into soul-based territory he begun in the 70s! Gene Page handles a lot of the arrangements here, and gives the whole thing that strong blend of strings and soul that he worked on other 70s classics for different artists – a perfect approach for that magnificent Mathis voice, especially when the tunes have a bit of a groove! Two of the best numbers here – "Different Kind Of Different" and "I'll Do It All For You" – are duets with Paulette McWilliams, who'd recorded on her own, but who really seems to hit her stride with Johnny, and in a way that's different than any of his other soul partners in duets. Other titles include "Never Givin Up On You", "With You I'm Born Again", "I Will Survive", "The Lights Of Rio", and "Love Without Words". Friends In Love is mature 80s work from Johnny Mathis – a set that features two duets with Dionne Warwick, plus some other nice material that shows that Johnny wasn't going to be left behind in the shadows of his older work! At some level, the approach of the 80s, and the rise of a new sort of adult contemporary scene, really helped Mathis find a new audience – especially when teaming with Dionne, who was also having a rebirth at the time! Titles include the classic duet title cut "Friends In Love", and another duet on "Got You Where I Want You" – plus other titles that include "What Do You Do With The Love", "When The Lovin Goes Out Of The Lovin", "I Remember You & Me", and "Somethin's Goin On". Special Part Of Me is a sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. Live is a later live album from Johnny Mathis, and one that brings together classics, newer cuts, and a few titles he'd never sang before – all served up with a sound that shows the continuing strengths of the legendary singer! There's a variety of arrangers used on the set – including Gene Page and Michel Colombier – and titles include "Orange Colored Sky", "When A Child Is Born", "Begin The Beguine", "I Believe In Love", "Fly Away", "99 Miles From LA", and "A Certain Smile". CD

A sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. LP, Vinyl record album

John Mayall's on a new crusade here – hitting lines that are almost more truly blusey than his previous albums – thanks to a new lineup in the Blues Breakers combo! Alongside Mayall's lead on vocals, organ, harmonica, and bottleneck guitar – the group also features Mick Taylor on guitar, John McVie on bass, Keep Hartley on drums, Chris Mercer on tenor, and Rip Kant on baritone sax – the latter two of whom help keep the set from being a straight Chicago electric blues copy. Titles include "I Can't Quit You Baby", "Streamline", "Snowy Wood", "Man Of Stone", "Stand Back Baby", and "My Time After A While". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of mixes from dancefloor maestro John Luongo – a set that's heavy on cuts from the 80s in many styles, and which has some other surprises in the mix as well! Luongo was one of those talents who did a great job of bringing underground dancefloor modes to a more mainstream audience – and he finds grooves in cuts that might not normally have gotten such strong club treatment on their own, or in the hands of another remix talent! This 2LP set features some of the best work that Luongo did back in the day – titles that include "The Best (ext mighty mix)" by Tina Turner, "Suspicious Minds (suspicious mix)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "The Chinese Way (New York rmx)" by Level 42, "Out In The Night (12" version)" by Serge Ponsar, "Give It Up (12" version)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Missing You (ext version)" by John Waite, "Eyes Without A Face (full length version)" by Billy Idol, "Look Of Love (part 3 – dance version)" by ABC, "Fade To Grey (US 12" version)" by Visage, "Blind Vision (ext version)" by Blancmange, "Shy Boy (US ext version)" by Bananarama, "Tarzan Boy (ext dance version)" by Baltimora, "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)" by Dan Hartman with Loleatta Holloway, "You Stepped Into My Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Melba Moore, and "Music Is My Way Of Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Patti Labelle. 2LP set features 16 tracks – and includes rare photos and an essay on Luongo's music! LP, Vinyl record album

A monster of a jazz rock set from drummer Keef Hartley – a player who initially came to fame for his funky grooves in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers! Hartley's sound here is a great mix of rootsy rock and some of the jazzier touches that were creeping into the London scene at the time – with plenty of tightly snapping rhythms at the bottom of the tunes, enough to create a nice funky rock undercurrent on most numbers. The set's made even better by some great keyboard work from Mick Weaver – and the best cuts have some really jamming elements that let Weaver open up on organ and electric piano. Titles include "Roundabout", "Overdog", "Imitations From Home", "We Are All The Same", "Enroute", and "Plain Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

You just have to love that one breath of fresh air on the pop charts at any given point – and John Legend is profoundly worthy of it! John has a feel for classic soul – strings and horns filter in with his own piano playing and emotive vocals – but the production approach is firmly contemporary. The beats are born of hip hop, and some big names from the game drop in, but this feels like John's album all the way. Very, very promising stuff – there's no one else quite like John Legend on the charts, so let's keep him there! Tracks include "Let's Get Lifted", "Used To Love U", "She Don't Have To Know", "Number One" with Kanye West, "I Can Change" with Snoop, "So High", "Refuge (When It's Cold Outside)" and more. CD

A massive crossover from Johnny Nash – a record that gave the 70s the chart-topping title hit, and which helped Johnny mix his Caribbean roots with contemporary soul! The set's a huge change from the sometimes-faltering styles Nash had tried in the 60s – often a bit more mainstream than he was able to do well, which is why the deeply personal approach of this album's such a striking contrast. Nash arranged and produced himself, and really hits a vibe here that stands out even from his other 70s recordings – beautifully balanced, on titles that include "Comma Comma", "Guava Jelly", "Stir It Up", "I Can See Clearly Now", "We're All Alike", "How Good It Is", "Cream Puff", and "You Poured Sugar On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The best work ever from the great Johnny Adams – a Crescent City soul singer with a hell of a lot of power, brought into wonderfully strong focus here on these early recordings for the Ric & Ron label! Johnny recorded later in Nashville and Jackson, but he's never sounded better than on these early sides – which have a depth of feeling and timeless power that we'd rank right up there with some of the most important names during the early years of soul. The material is nicely free of overdone New Orleans styles – and instead has this care and class that really reaches out from the roots of the material, to showcase Johnny as a singer with a great deal of care and class, but one who's still able to let loose in the best deep soul modes too. Adams hardly ever got the chart coverage he should have deserved – but this 24 track set will more than support his strong legacy – with detailed notes, and a stunning array of tracks that include "Closer To You", "Teach Me To Forget", "Who You Are", "Showdown", "A Losing Battle", "Life Is Just A Struggle", "Cold Cold Heart", "Coming Around The Mountain", and "Nowhere To Go". CD

A great later date from trumpeter Johnny Coles – best known for his important work with Charles Mingus, and his 60s album on Blue Note – still sounding great here in the company of Horace Parlan on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! CD

Very unusual work by Coltrane – sessions that feature his classic quartet playing in front of larger orchestra backings conducted by Eric Dolphy! The tracks feature Trane leading a group young modernists through a set of larger arranged charts, woven tightly together in a soulful spiritual groove that's similar to some of Max Roach's projects like this from the same time. Players include Booker Little, Eric Dolphy, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Reggie Workman, and Julius Watkins – and this 2CD set features all of the material that was issued on the first album, plus other tracks that came out during the 70s. There's a total of 8 cuts in all – and titles include "Song Of The Underground Railroad", "Blues Minor", "Africa", "The Damned Don't Cry", and "Greensleeves". CD

A killer album from one of the most legendary versions of John Mayall's Blues Breakers – a quartet that features drummer Aynsley Dunbar, bassist John McVie, and lead guitarist Peter Green – who's also singing a fair bit on the album as well! The style here is tighter and more focused than before – showing a bit more of a rockish bent, especially on the guitars – but still strongly drenched in American R&B traditions, served up in a way that never waters down the sound for a mainstream audience. While other UK artists were taking American roots and softening them up for the charts, Mayall only seemed to deepen his commitment to more authentic representation of the styles – really only taking a bit more liberties with the strength and length of guitar parts. As before, there's a bit of reed work here that's especially nice – served up by UK jazzers Ray Warleigh, John Almond, and Alan Skidmore – and titles include "A Hard Road", "It's Over", "The Stumble", "Dust My Blues", "There's Always Work", "The Same Way", "The Supernatural", and "Living Alone". CD

A huge collection of work from the second chapter in the career of long-running New Orleans soul singer Johnny Adams – work after his initial rise to fame on the SSS International label, from a time when he was working with producer Senator Jones, in a groove that nicely updated an older deep soul style! In later years, Adams would emerge as a more traditional artist, but here he's doing a great job of working with larger charts alongside his well-crafted vocals – in a style that's not unlike that used by Johnnie Taylor and Tyrone Davis in the late 70s too – a more sophisticated take on southern soul, and one that seems to push some of Adams' vocals even more than before! Most of the work was recorded at the Seasaint studios in the late 70s – and titles include "Nothing Takes The Place Of You", "After All The Good Is Gone", "Feel The Beat", "Chasing Rainbows", "It's Been So Long", "Think About You", "Your Love Is All I Need", "Baby Baby I Love You", "She's Only A Baby Herself", "Stay With Me & Stay In Love", "I Don't Want To Cry", and "Memories". 2CD set features 30 tracks in all – including the live cuts "Lost Mind", "Road Block", and "I Cover The Waterfront". CD

Bill Cosby introduces this hip little live set from the John Mayall group – which is fitting, as there's definitely a bit of an LA groove on the set! Mayall's still in very bluesy territory, but he also gets some great soul jazz support too – from players who include Charles Owens on flute and soprano sax, Ernie Watts on tenor, and even the great Fred Jackson on baritone! Keef Hartley adds in some mighty heavy drums, but the group's further expanded by even more American players too – including Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Freddie Robinson on guitar – both players who definitely leave their mark on the set. There's some great electric piano too – and titles include the classic "Keep Our Country Green" – plus "Christmas 71", "Things Go Wrong", "Do It", "Moving On", "Red Sky", "Reasons", "High Pressure Living", and "Worried Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album from one of the most legendary versions of John Mayall's Blues Breakers – a quartet that features drummer Aynsley Dunbar, bassist John McVie, and lead guitarist Peter Green – who's also singing a fair bit on the album as well! The style here is tighter and more focused than before – showing a bit more of a rockish bent, especially on the guitars – but still strongly drenched in American R&B traditions, served up in a way that never waters down the sound for a mainstream audience. While other UK artists were taking American roots and softening them up for the charts, Mayall only seemed to deepen his commitment to more authentic representation of the styles – really only taking a bit more liberties with the strength and length of guitar parts. As before, there's a bit of reed work here that's especially nice – served up by UK jazzers Ray Warleigh, John Almond, and Alan Skidmore – and titles include "A Hard Road", "It's Over", "The Stumble", "Dust My Blues", "There's Always Work", "The Same Way", "The Supernatural", and "Living Alone". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of mixes from dancefloor maestro John Luongo – a set that's heavy on cuts from the 80s in many styles, and which has some other surprises in the mix as well! Luongo was one of those talents who did a great job of bringing underground dancefloor modes to a more mainstream audience – and he finds grooves in cuts that might not normally have gotten such strong club treatment on their own, or in the hands of another remix talent! This 2LP set features some of the best work that Luongo did back in the day – titles that include "The Best (ext mighty mix)" by Tina Turner, "Suspicious Minds (suspicious mix)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "The Chinese Way (New York rmx)" by Level 42, "Out In The Night (12" version)" by Serge Ponsar, "Give It Up (12" version)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Missing You (ext version)" by John Waite, "Eyes Without A Face (full length version)" by Billy Idol, "Look Of Love (part 3 – dance version)" by ABC, "Fade To Grey (US 12" version)" by Visage, "Blind Vision (ext version)" by Blancmange, "Shy Boy (US ext version)" by Bananarama, "Tarzan Boy (ext dance version)" by Baltimora, "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)" by Dan Hartman with Loleatta Holloway, "You Stepped Into My Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Melba Moore, and "Music Is My Way Of Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Patti Labelle – plus more from Soft Cell, Bill Nelson, Sharon Ridley, Fantasy, Material, Cabaret Voltaire, Cher, ZZ Top, Gonzalez, Marlena Shaw, Jackie Moore, and others. 4CD set features 43 tracks in all – and includes a 32 page booklet, with rare photos, track annotations, and an essay on Luongo's music! CD

A wonderful record from a time when John Barry was really perfecting his craft – taking all that amazing sense of sound he learned over the course of many James Bond soundtracks, and turning it towards territory he never could have touched years before! The vibe here is completely different than Bond, but equally mesmerizing – as Barry uses strings and woodwinds with the care of an Italian maestro, then flavors things with just a slight touch of historical elements – yet never in a way that dims the 70s sophistication of the recording. There's a sonic balance here that's mindblowing, and very different than just songs thrown out for a historical film. Titles include "Journey To England", "Black Night", "Escape With Bothwell", "Vivre Et Mourir", "But Not Through My Realm", "Mary At Chartley", and "March To The Castle". CD brings in a stunning 39 bonus tracks – material from the film, cues, and more – all with superb sound! CD

Quite a different album than usual for John Coltrane, but a classic one too – and a set that has the great one exploring his ideas in a set of longer tracks recorded with an expanded jazz orchestra! The format's hardly the mainstream big band of the time – as Coltrane's filled the group with very hip players – including Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard, Julian Priester, and Eric Dolphy – in addition to usual compatriots who include McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones. The tunes have a soaring, modal sort of pulse – one that's filled with color and light from the addition of the other horn players, but which still has plenty of space for extended, exploratory solos. Coltrane plays both tenor and soprano sax – and titles include the legendary 16 minute track "Africa", a classic reading of "Greensleeves", redone here as a modal searching spiritual track, and "Blues Minor". With Vol 2 the tracks feature Trane leading a group young modernists through a set of larger arranged charts, woven tightly together in a soulful spiritual groove that's similar to some of Max Roach's projects like this from the same time. Players include Booker Little, Eric Dolphy, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Reggie Workman, and Julius Watkins – and the album includes an alternate version of "Africa", plus "Greensleeves" and "Song Of The Underground Railroad". CD

A really special live performance from Thelonious Monk – one that features his killer quartet of the 60s, but also opens the door to some surprise guest appearances too – all of which makes for a recording that's nicely different than much of the Monk live material of the period! The core group is already great enough – the tremendous Charlie Rouse on tenor, and superb rhythm work from Larry Gales on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and they're joined by other players at points, including Clark Terry and Ray Copeland on trumpets, Johnny Griffin on tenor, Phil Woods on alto, and Jimmy Cleveland on trombone – whose presence on the record echoes some of the larger charts that Monk cooked up during the late 50s for a few key albums. The tracks with the added players are especially long – and titles include "Hackensack", "We See", "Epistrophy", "Evidence/Epistrophy", "Don't Blame Me", "Blue Monk", and "Oska T/Epistrophy". CD

Joe Pass plays a host of Gershwin-penned material – working in a spare combo with a slightly different sound than usual! Pass' guitar still has that deep, round tone that you'll hear on his best Pablo sides – but the group also features rhythm guitar from John Pisano, who makes for a bit of contrast with Joe – almost a second voice that makes things more interesting than a usual trio date. Other players include Jim Hughart on bass and Shelly Manne on drums – and titles include "Soon", "Oh Lady Be Good", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Embraceable You", and "How Long Has This Been Going On". CD

A set that follows nicely on the first Reggae Strings effort on Trojan – and, like the first, a package that features older vocal tracks with the lyrics stripped away, all to provide a focus on the fuller orchestrations of Johnny Archey! The approach is cooler than you'd guess – lots of nice charts that bring a bit of 70s smooth to the sound of Trojan – almost like Barry White was recording down in Kingston – on titles that include "How Many Times", "Jump Hallelujah", "Strange World", "It's Too Late", "Tell It Like It Is", "Scientist", "Jamaica Jerkoff", and "Sweet Bitter Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest albums recorded by trombonist Kai Winding in the 60s – a set that follows the larger ensemble mode he moved to after parting ways with trombonist JJ Johnson, yet one that also has some surprisingly groovy elements in the mix! The album was recorded in Nashville, and features the "modern country" promised in the title – as Kai takes on tunes from the Nashville songbook, with help from Bill McElhiney and Grady Martin on the larger charts – the latter of who also plays guitar on record, alongside Nashville legend Harold Bradley! There's some great use of organ at times, which really emphasizes a more soulful vibe in the music – and the Anita Kerr singers come in on a few tracks, with those wonderful harmonies that sound even better in a non-country setting than they do on their standard work for RCA. Titles include "Wolverton Mountain", "Busted", "I Really Don't Want To Know", "Detroit City", "I Walk The Line", "Dang Me", and "Slippin Around". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Johnnie Strickland, Jimmy Bowen, Billy & Don Hart, Johnny Rivers, Roc LaRue, Joe Tate, The Shades, Mack Vickery, Vince Maloy, Jimmy Lloyd, Bob Davies, Rock-A-Teens, and more - 36 tracks in all. CD