Lou Donaldson on alto saxophone, Peter Bernstein on guitar, Lonnie Smith on organ, Fukushi Tainaka on drums, Ray Mantilla on congas and bongos. CD

... CD

Pivotal work from the great Waylon Jennings – all of his RCA Records material from the years right before he exploded intou outlaw fame in the 70s – a huge amount of tracks that really showcase Jennings as a journeyman country artist, with a hell of a range and an incredible voice! Comes with a huge hardcover book of notes and images, too. CD

With Lew Tabackin. CD

A great 60s moment not just for reedman Charles Lloyd, but also for pianist Keith Jarrett – who was a key part of Charles' group for a few years at the time – and who really opens up on this classic set! Tracks are long and very open – reaching in a spiritual sort of way with definite Coltrane overtones, yet also showing that more complexly rhythmic mode that made Lloyd a standout in previous groups before he was a leader – a quality that's really augmented by the presence of Jack DeJohnette on drums! Lloyd plays both tenor and flute – and Jarrett switches to soprano sax on one number! Titles include"Journey Within", "Love No 3", "Memphis Green" and "Lonesome Child". LP, Vinyl record album

The cello genius of Yo Yo Ma with the violin of Mark O'Connor, and the bass of Edgar Meyer! CD

Features Dave Matthews on piano, Chip Jackson bass, and Danny Gottleib on drums. CD

With special guests Vic Dickinson, Gus Johnson, and Buddy Tate. CD

That's the legendary Marshall Allen on the cover with bassist Tyler Mitchell – the latter of whom leads a very cool combo through a set of material that includes classic tunes by Sun Ra, plus tracks from other sources as well! The octet has the mixture of cohesion and individuality that Ra brought to the Arkestra back in the day – yet the presentation here is hardly slavish to their roots, even with Allen in the group – as there's plenty of personal spirit in Mitchell's arrangements, carried forth by a lineup that includes Chris Hemmingway on tenor, Nicoletta Manzini on alto, Giveton Gelin on trumpet, and Farid Barron on piano – all working here with Mitchell and Allen on a live performance recorded at Smalls. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "New Dawn", "Love In Outer Space", "Velvet", "Cosmic Hop", "Free Ballad", "Eddie Harris", "Discipline", and "Bouncing At Smalls". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Features David Sanchez on saxophones, Larry Grenadier on bass and Ignacio Berroa on drums. CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

One of the few albums ever issued under the name of John Simon – an artist who's best known for his creative work in the studio for much bigger names at the time! The set's got all the wonderfully offbeat elements you'd hope for – including songs that are often quite strange, embellished by work from David Sanborn on alto, Dave Holland on bass, and Randy Brecker on trumpet. Titles include "The Real Woodstock Rag", "Poems To Eat", "Big City Traffic Jam", "Open Up Summertime", "Livin In A Land O Sunshine", and "Slim Pickins In The Kitchen Don't Make It At All". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue moment of exposure for pianist Horace Tapscott – one of the greatest creative forces in west coast jazz in the 60s, 70s, and 80s – but an artist whose genius was often kept away from the limelight! That hardly seemed to matter to Tapscott, though – as his legacy is tremendous, finally given full exposure by this autobiography, which then paved the way for new presentations of his music in years to come – a surprisingly large legacy of reissues that we wish Horace could have seen in his too-short life! Yet despite that, it's clear that the man himself took a lot of price in his music – as you'll read in this live story, which documents Tapscott's move to LA as a young child, his creation of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, and all his many other projects – which were often tied to cultural and political developments in south LA. The book is 272 pages, softcover, and as beautifully written as Tapscott's music! Book

... LP, Vinyl record album

Soundtrack to the PBS series. CD

DJ Deep does it again – and takes us on a magical journey across decades and cities – bringing back some lost house music gems from Chicago, Detroit, and New York – most of which are from the late 80s and early 90s independent years of the scene! There's a nicely simple sound to most of the tracks here – a style that takes house music back to the core elements of its roots without getting trapped in cliche or overplayed tracks – just simple beats, keys, and maybe a dash of vocals – plus usually a core element that develops as the track rolls on, changing slightly through the minimalist progression of the tune. 2CD set features a both mixed and unmixed disc – with titles that include "The Numbers" by Rodney Baker, "Bring U Up" by Romanthony, "Drum Drum" by Jovonn, "Let Your Body Talk" by Ace & The Sandman, "I'll Never Let You Go" by William S, "I'm So Deep" by Vincent Floyd, "Pump That Body (deep house mix)" by Mr Lee, "Motivation Song" by G Strings, "Whispers" by Ron Allen, "Rain Forest" by Lowkey, and "Feel The Fire/Urban Culture" by Naomi Danielle. CD

A completely obscure batch of tunes – so much so that only two of the cuts here have been reissued – and a set that's every bit as wonderful as previous entries in this long-running series! Overall, there's probably a bit more soul than jazz – but every track within is on the hipper side of the spectrum – the sort of work that easily blends genres, and which comes from 70s acts working far from the mainstream, in a wonderful groove that's very much their own! Most numbers have a midtempo groove – perfect for the jazzier elements in the soul cuts – and as with previous editions in the series, there's a righteous current that gives most of these tracks a very positive, uplifting vibe. Titles include "It's A Long Road" by Babe, "Bend A Little" by Mirage, "Slip Back Into The Magic" by Leaves Of Autumn, "I Got The Hots For You"b y Ronnie Miller, "Hey Flicka" by Mikael Neumann, "Future Shock" by Synot, "Oh Senor" by Jan Lewis Group, "Mister Jones" by Charles Vickers, and "The Ring" by Dianne Elliott. CD

A completely obscure batch of tunes – so much so that only two of the cuts here have been reissued – and a set that's every bit as wonderful as previous entries in this long-running series! Overall, there's probably a bit more soul than jazz – but every track within is on the hipper side of the spectrum – the sort of work that easily blends genres, and which comes from 70s acts working far from the mainstream, in a wonderful groove that's very much their own! Most numbers have a midtempo groove – perfect for the jazzier elements in the soul cuts – and as with previous editions in the series, there's a righteous current that gives most of these tracks a very positive, uplifting vibe. Titles include "It's A Long Road" by Babe, "Bend A Little" by Mirage, "Slip Back Into The Magic" by Leaves Of Autumn, "I Got The Hots For You"b y Ronnie Miller, "Hey Flicka" by Mikael Neumann, "Future Shock" by Synot, "Oh Senor" by Jan Lewis Group, "Mister Jones" by Charles Vickers, and "The Ring" by Dianne Elliott. LP, Vinyl record album

A really heady set of tracks from the American scene – music that effortlessly bridges the 60s sounds of garage, blues rock, and psych – and prefaces some of the metal and more guitar-heavy modes to emerge later on in the 70s! The work here definitely shares more with the sounds of the 60s, but also really captures the music at a moment when things were really transforming – groups were getting past a slavish presentation of their influences, finding bold new modes of expression, and really letting their freak flag fly with fuzzy brilliance throughout – all at levels that were also different than some of the longer-spun modes of the European progressive world. As with other Grapefruit packages, the distillation of a sound and scene here is wonderful – and supported with very detailed notes too – in a package that includes 62 tracks in all - with work from Bang, Sudden Death, Dust, Arthur Lee, Boomerang, Cactus, Grand Funk, The Flow, Head Over Heels, Sir Lord Baltimore, ZZ Top, Brigade, Fuse, Conception, Morgen, Coven, Alice Cooper, Nazz, Stack, Spirit, Kim Fowley, SRC, Mass Confusion Rock Band, Society's Children, Omnibus, Wildwood, Human Beinz, The Sound Barrier, Fever Tree, and many others! CD

One of the most creative albums we've heard from Dee Dee Bridgewater in years – a set of tracks recorded with a host of Malian artists – in a unique cross-cultural mode that's unlike anything else Dee Dee has ever recorded! The core style here is still very firmly rooted in Bridgewater's jazz roots – but that sound is augmented strongly by the additional singers and musicians – in a mix of jazz and Mali musics that comes off surprisingly well. There's hardly any of the overdone cliches that you might expect from such a record – and Dee Dee herself seems creatively re-ignited in the setting – singing with a sense of freedom and exploration we haven't heard in a long long time, and which is a great reminder of why we've always stood by her over the years. Guest artists include Toumani Diabate, Kasse Mady Dibate, Zoumana Tereta, Baba Sissoko, and Oumou Sangare – and the jazz side of the music is handled quite strongly by pianist Edsel Gomez and bassist Ira Coleman. Titles include "Afro Blue", "Bad Spirits", "Dee Dee", "Mama Don't Ever Go Away", "Footprints", "No More", "Four Women", "The Griots", and "Oh My Love". Also features 3 Parisian tracks too – "Compared To What", "Red Earth", and "Meanwhile". CD

One of the coolest collections of work we've ever heard from the great Mort Garson – a selection of tracks that were done during the same years as his famous album releases in the world of moog and analog synth, but done for much more obscure sources that include television, film, and other avenues of expression! The title's a reference to a cut here that was used during a 1969 broadcast of the moon landing – but there's so much more here too, and as always with Garson, there's a blend of electronic experimentation and tunefulness that make the whole thing pretty darn groovy – and not just a trip on the farther reaches of experimental electronics. Titles include "Moon Journey", "Zoos Of The World", "Music For Advertising #8", "Love Is A Garden", "The D-Bee's Cat Boogie", "Black Eye", "Western Dragon (part 3)", "Captain DJ Disco UFO", and "The Big Game Hunters See The Cheetah". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Ahhhh . . . The Salsoul Orchestra at its finest, with Vince Montana at the helm, crafting some superb arrangements that have all of the positivity of the best funky club groove that made the group great – without any of the disco schlock of their contemporaries! The group's format is still head and shoulders above most of its imitators here – a perfect balance of larger orchestrations and tighter rhythms for the club – handled with all the best Philly elements that Montana brings to play. Titles include the superb soul track "Run Away", which features excellent lead vocals by Loleatta Holloway – one of her best tracks ever – and other instrumental titles include the funky "Getaway", plus "Magic Bird Of Fire", "It's A New Day", and "Alpha Centuri". LP, Vinyl record album

No coolin out here, as the set's a great batch of soulful jazz numbers from the legendary Muse label – filled with overlooked gems from the imprint's key 70s run – including a fair bit of gems that will set you digging for other treasures from the label! The style here is less straight jazz funk than a mix of soulful and righteous styles – some straight, some a bit more exploratory – all pretty darn wonderful, and proof that Muse could often hit some of the hippest territory in jazz when it was on the money. The set features 8 tracks in all – including "Cheeka's Dance" by Groove Holmes, "Vibrations" by Buster Williams, "Dawn" by Kenny Barron, "Angel Man" by Jimmy Heath, "New Found Truths" by Catalyst, and "Bumpin On Sunset" by Jimmy Ponder. CD

Stacked boxset soundtrack to the PBS series of blues pioneers and masters. Music from Mamie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Furry Lewis, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Blake, Jimmie Rodgers, Son House, Memphis Minnie, Percy Mayfield, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, JB Lenoir, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Albert King, ZZ Hill, Bonnie Raitt, and much more. CD

Alan Lomax collection. CD

A really heady record from British drummer Brian Bennett – an artist known for both jazz and funky sound library work – here stretching out in a mode that really fits the image on the cover! The tunes are longer than some of Bennett's earlier sound library material – almost a mix of progressive energy with jazzier funk – a lot cooler than the disco reference in the title might imply! The set's got tremendous keyboards from Francis Monkman – who handles all the spacier elements, while the drums of Bennett works the rhythms with bass from Alan Jones – on long tracks with plenty of complexity, but also plenty of groove! Titles include "Voyage", "Solstice", "Chain Reaction", "Pendulum Force", "Air Quake", and "Ocean Glide". LP, Vinyl record album

Stanley Clarke may be on a journey to love – but that doesn't mean that the album's to sweet or romantic! Many tracks here still have the harder edge and sharper lines you'd expect from Clarke's key 70s fusion reputation – the kind of rock-influenced styles that crossed over big at the time to huge new audiences – and which made Stan way more than just another electric jazz musician. Some moments feature a large array of backup players, but others are quite spacious, and almost contemplative – filled with those new notes Clarke was getting out of his instrument at the time! Titles include "Silly Putty", "Journey To Love", "Hello Jeff", "Song To John", and "Concerto For Jazz/Rock Orchestra". CD

Arguably the most classic Alice Coltrane album on Impulse – and a strong group effort that features some great work from Pharoah Sanders! Coltrane leads two different small combos on the record – both with Sanders on saxes, plus either Cecil McBee or Charlie Haden on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums – plus assorted percussion from Tulsi and Majid Shabazz, and some really enigmatic work on oud by Vishnu Wood! Tracks are long and drawn out, and open with the beauty of a field of flowers meeting the dawn – as Alice plays with a sound that's gentle and poetic, but which also has some wonderfully dark undertones. Titles include "Stopover Bombay", "Isis & Osiris", "Shiva-Loka", and "Journey In Satchidananda". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the coolest collections of work we've ever heard from the great Mort Garson – a selection of tracks that were done during the same years as his famous album releases in the world of moog and analog synth, but done for much more obscure sources that include television, film, and other avenues of expression! The title's a reference to a cut here that was used during a 1969 broadcast of the moon landing – but there's so much more here too, and as always with Garson, there's a blend of electronic experimentation and tunefulness that make the whole thing pretty darn groovy – and not just a trip on the farther reaches of experimental electronics. Titles include "Moon Journey", "Zoos Of The World", "Music For Advertising #8", "Love Is A Garden", "The D-Bee's Cat Boogie", "Black Eye", "Western Dragon (part 3)", "Captain DJ Disco UFO", and "The Big Game Hunters See The Cheetah". CD

... CD

A wonderfully well-rounded set from Lil Louis – one of the few early Chicago house artists with enough imagination to break into a wider soul audience and still hold their ears over the course of a full LP! The record's a strongly-crafted batch of tunes that mixes mellow ballads with more house-heavy numbers – all with the sort of organic shifts that Louis virtually pioneered at the time – a move away from simple dancefloor beats into a broader symphony of soul mode that almost evokes earlier maestros of the 70s. The album holds up surprisingly well over the years – thanks to warm production that moves beyond early 90s mainstream soul cliches – and titles include "Club Lonely", "Saved My Life", "You're My Reason", "Dancing In My Sleep", and "New Dance Beat". CD

That's the legendary Marshall Allen on the cover with bassist Tyler Mitchell – the latter of whom leads a very cool combo through a set of material that includes classic tunes by Sun Ra, plus tracks from other sources as well! The octet has the mixture of cohesion and individuality that Ra brought to the Arkestra back in the day – yet the presentation here is hardly slavish to their roots, even with Allen in the group – as there's plenty of personal spirit in Mitchell's arrangements, carried forth by a lineup that includes Chris Hemmingway on tenor, Nicoletta Manzini on alto, Giveton Gelin on trumpet, and Farid Barron on piano – all working here with Mitchell and Allen on a live performance recorded at Smalls. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "New Dawn", "Love In Outer Space", "Velvet", "Cosmic Hop", "Free Ballad", "Eddie Harris", "Discipline", and "Bouncing At Smalls". CD

... CD

With Beanie Sigel, Lil Kim, and Nas on "Journey Through The Life", and Busta Rhymes, Cee-Lo, G-Dep, Redman, Sauce Money, and Shyne on "Reverse". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Ahhhh . . . The Salsoul Orchestra at its finest, with Vince Montana at the helm, crafting some superb arrangements that have all of the positivity of the best funky club groove that made the group great – without any of the disco schlock of their contemporaries! The group's format is still head and shoulders above most of its imitators here – a perfect balance of larger orchestrations and tighter rhythms for the club – handled with all the best Philly elements that Montana brings to play. Titles include the superb soul track "Run Away", which features excellent lead vocals by Loleatta Holloway – one of her best tracks ever – and other instrumental titles include the funky "Getaway", plus "Magic Bird Of Fire", "It's A New Day", and "Alpha Centuri". CD

A stunning little record from Pharoah Sanders – a double-length set that has all the soul and spirit of his Impulse Records classics, but with a very different vibe! There's a sense of focus here that's tremendous – as if Sanders has found a way to take the energy of his side-long performances and hone them to a level that's maybe even more expressive in its economy – maybe a streamlining of spiritual jazz for the new decade, but not at a level that tries to sound commercial or mainstream at all. Sanders is joined here by a host of equally well-voiced players who really match his energy – Joe Bonner and John Hicks on piano, Eddie Henderson on flugelhorn, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and the set also features a bit of great work on koto from Yoko Ito Gates as well. Titles include the classic "You've Got To Have Freedom" – a fantastic soaring anthem of joy – plus "After The Rain", "Soledad", "Greetings To Idris", "Doktor Pitt", "Think About The One", "Bedria", and "Yemenja". CD

A stunning little record from Pharoah Sanders – a double-length set that has all the soul and spirit of his Impulse Records classics, but with a very different vibe! There's a sense of focus here that's tremendous – as if Sanders has found a way to take the energy of his side-long performances and hone them to a level that's maybe even more expressive in its economy – maybe a streamlining of spiritual jazz for the new decade, but not at a level that tries to sound commercial or mainstream at all. Sanders is joined here by a host of equally well-voiced players who really match his energy – Joe Bonner and John Hicks on piano, Eddie Henderson on flugelhorn, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and the set also features a bit of great work on koto from Yoko Ito Gates as well. Titles include the classic "You've Got To Have Freedom" – a fantastic soaring anthem of joy – plus "After The Rain", "Soledad", "Greetings To Idris", "Doktor Pitt", "Think About The One", "Bedria", and "Yemenja". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Very high concept work from Stevie Wonder! The record is, in fact, about the "secret life of plants" – partially used as a soundtrack for a film of the same name, but also acting as kind of a storybook in itself! Stevie's exploring a wide range of plant life and plant themes on the set – often in a way that has his keyboards taking center stage in little symphonies of soul that unfold like the petals of a flower in the morning sun – and which stand out as quite different from some of his vocal work, marking him as a talented electronic musician in his own right. Many tracks do have lyrics, too – often with themes of growing, seeding, and other garden metaphors that are easily translated to the human experience. Titles include "Secret Life Of Plants", "Outside My Window", "A Seed's A Star", "Race Babbling", "Black Orchid", "Send One Your Love", "Tree", "Come Back As A Flower", and "Ai No Sono". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool entry in the short-lived "documentary series" of Prestige Records – field recordings by Alan Lomax, featuring the unique vocal style of the Georgia Sea Islands! LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Skal Klubb, the Sounds Of Blackness, Manny Lopez, John Hartford, the Bob Lewis Family, Oliver Sain, the Boundless Love Quartet, Levon Helm & James Cotton, Big Jack Johnson, Kenny Bill Stinson, and more – 36 tracks total, plus a 48 page booklet with detailed notes. CD

Eivind Aarset on guitar and electronics, Audun Erlienon bass, Erland Dahlen on drums, percussion, logdrum, and vibraphone, and Wetle Holte on drums, percussion, and metallophone. CD

The first full length set from London duo Blue Lab Beats – a pair who are very well-placed on Blue Note Records, but more as ambassadors of some of the more soul-styled work the label has done in recent years! There's a very collaborative vibe going on here – as the core producers open the door to a range of guests, and change up the moods of the cuts from track to track – almost with the sort of energy of the initial Black Radio projects from Robert Glasper, but with more London elements in the mix – and an approach that moves far past jazz at many moments! The album features work from Killbeatz, Kiefer, Ghetto Boy, Emmavie, Poppy Daniels, Kofi Stone, Jerome Thomas, and others – including a from-the-grave appearance by Fela Kuti – and titles include "Motherland Journey", "A Vibe", "Gotta Go Fast", "Labels", "I'll Be Here For You", "Dat It", "Home", "Warp", "Sensual Loving", and "Blow You Away". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Arguably the most classic Alice Coltrane album on Impulse – and a strong group effort that features some great work from Pharoah Sanders! Coltrane leads two different small combos on the record – both with Sanders on saxes, plus either Cecil McBee or Charlie Haden on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums – plus assorted percussion from Tulsi and Majid Shabazz, and some really enigmatic work on oud by Vishnu Wood! Tracks are long and drawn out, and open with the beauty of a field of flowers meeting the dawn – as Alice plays with a sound that's gentle and poetic, but which also has some wonderfully dark undertones. Titles include "Stopover Bombay", "Isis & Osiris", "Shiva-Loka", and "Journey In Satchidananda". CD

Arguably the most classic Alice Coltrane album on Impulse – and a strong group effort that features some great work from Pharoah Sanders! Coltrane leads two different small combos on the record – both with Sanders on saxes, plus either Cecil McBee or Charlie Haden on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums – plus assorted percussion from Tulsi and Majid Shabazz, and some really enigmatic work on oud by Vishnu Wood! Tracks are long and drawn out, and open with the beauty of a field of flowers meeting the dawn – as Alice plays with a sound that's gentle and poetic, but which also has some wonderfully dark undertones. Titles include "Stopover Bombay", "Isis & Osiris", "Shiva-Loka", and "Journey In Satchidananda". CD

A pair of mellow soul and jazzy groove masterpieces by Norman Connors! You Are My Starship is a masterpiece of mellow soul and jazzy grooves from the groundbreaking Norman Connors – an album that sails to the stars on a sweet blend of mellow moments and more upbeat tracks too! The record features some crucial vocal talents from Michael Henderson and Phyllis Hyman – both relative newcomers here, and making a great transition from jazz to soul with Connors help – hitting this amazing territory that would inform countless other artists in years to come – but never be done again this well! The instrumentation is wonderful, too – schooled in the jazz roots of Connors' music – and featuring Gary Bartz on alto, and both Hubert Eaves and Onaje Allen Gumbs on keyboards. Titles include the seminal title cut "You Are My Starship" – one of the best late night slowjams ever – plus remakes of "The Creator Has a Master Plan" and "Betcha By Golly Wow" – and the cuts "So Much Love", "Just Imagine", and "We Both Need Each Other". Romanic Journey is a warmly romantic journey from the stellar Norman Connors – but a set that's also got a fair bit of spiritual jazz undercurrents too! Norman's at that perfect Starship point in his career – giving equal space to the vocals and instrumental passages on the record – at a level that perfectly sums up his unique, sophisticated blend of jazz and soul! The sublime Eleanor Mills sings on some key cuts – a singer we love from her earlier New Jersey soul sides – and Prince Phillip Mitchell handles the male leads, with a level of class that even goes beyond his own records. Reeds are handled by Gary Bartz and Pharoah Sanders – both players who bring in a nice sort of depth to the record – and Sanders really sparkles on a remake of his classic "Thembi", taken in a mellow stepping tone, as well as a reading of Gato Barbieri's "Last Tango In Paris". The whole album's wonderful – and other titles include "Once I've Been There", "Romantic Journey", "Destination Moon", "For You Everything", and "You Are Everything". CD

... CD

A sweet little record that's way better than you might ever guess from the title – almost more of a jazz funk effort overall, with excellent work on guitar, trumpet, saxes, and keyboards! There's vocals on the album, but maybe more in a backup sort of way – and although the cuts could work on a dancefloor, they've often got the mix of jazz and groove that you'd find in some of the funkier Kudu Records material of the time – which might have been an inspiration for these guys! The album was recorded on the Atlanta scene of the late 70s, with lead guitar from Gary Ruffin – and titles include "Get Up & Get Down", "Summer Love", "Randy's Nap", "Simple Song", and "Journey Through The Night". CD

A stone 70s classic from reedman Carlos Garnett – and a set that's every bit as righteous as you'd guess from the cover and the title! Garnett really soars to the heavens here – blowing a mixture of different instruments in a setting that takes off from his classic Black Love album, but which is almost even headier overall! Garnett vocalizes on some of the tracks – often working alongside singer Ayodele Jenkins, in a mode that sets things up with these righteous lyrics – then lets the instrumental passages really take over, and express the message in an even deeper way. The core group is nice and tight – with keyboards from Hubert Eaves, guitar from Reggie Lucas, bass from Anthony Jackson and drums from Howard King – plus extra percussion from Charles Pulliam and Neil Clarke – both of whom really fill in the music with lots of complicated rhythmic elements. Titles include the stunning groover "Chana" – plus "Journey To Enlightenment", "Love Flower", "Caribbean Sun", and "Let Us Go To Higher Heights". CD

One of the coolest collections of work we've ever heard from the great Mort Garson – a selection of tracks that were done during the same years as his famous album releases in the world of moog and analog synth, but done for much more obscure sources that include television, film, and other avenues of expression! The title's a reference to a cut here that was used during a 1969 broadcast of the moon landing – but there's so much more here too, and as always with Garson, there's a blend of electronic experimentation and tunefulness that make the whole thing pretty darn groovy – and not just a trip on the farther reaches of experimental electronics. Titles include "Moon Journey", "Zoos Of The World", "Music For Advertising #8", "Love Is A Garden", "The D-Bee's Cat Boogie", "Black Eye", "Western Dragon (part 3)", "Captain DJ Disco UFO", and "The Big Game Hunters See The Cheetah". LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Terumasa Hino at a level that's quite different than most of his early work in Japan – recording in New York, and using a very spiritual approach – one that's clearly influenced by some of the other players in the session! The album features one long track – a bit improvised, and almost free at times – but also given a strong sense of direction, too – that balance between completely unbridled expression and structure that can make some of the best spiritual jazz sessions so great! Hino's on trumpet, and also plays some flugelhorn – and other players include Steve Grossman on tenor and flute, Pete Yellin on alto and flute, Dave Liebman on alto and tenor, Olu Dara on trumpet, Bob Moses on drums, Dave Holland on bass, and Mike Garson on piano and Fender Rhodes. LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Terumasa Hino at a level that's quite different than most of his early work in Japan – recording in New York, and using a very spiritual approach – one that's clearly influenced by some of the other players in the session! The album features one long track – a bit improvised, and almost free at times – but also given a strong sense of direction, too – that balance between completely unbridled expression and structure that can make some of the best spiritual jazz sessions so great! Hino's on trumpet, and also plays some flugelhorn – and other players include Steve Grossman on tenor and flute, Pete Yellin on alto and flute, Dave Liebman on alto and tenor, Olu Dara on trumpet, Bob Moses on drums, Dave Holland on bass, and Mike Garson on piano and Fender Rhodes. CD

A pair of records from the great Charles Lloyd group of the 60s! First up is Journey Within – a great 60s moment not just for reedman Lloyd, but also for pianist Keith Jarrett – who was a key part of Charles' group for a few years at the time – and who really opens up on this classic set! Tracks are long and very open – reaching in a spiritual sort of way with definite Coltrane overtones, yet also showing that more complexly rhythmic mode that made Lloyd a standout in previous groups before he was a leader – a quality that's really augmented by the presence of Jack DeJohnette on drums! Lloyd plays both tenor and flute – and Jarrett switches to soprano sax on one number! Titles include"Journey Within", "Love No 3", "Memphis Green" and "Lonesome Child". In Europe features overseas excursions from the Charles Lloyd Quartet – a group who were already breaking down plenty of boundaries at home in the US! The lineup is a bit different than some of the other Lloyd sessions of the time, in that Cecil McBee is in the group on bass – adding in some wonderfully spiritual tones to a lineup that features Charles on tenor and flute, Keith Jarrett on piano, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – playing with those inventive rhythms that made his work a perfect fit for Lloyd's lines on the tenor! Titles include "Tagore", "Karma", "Little Anahid's Day", "Manhattan Carousel", "European Fantasy", and "Hej Da!". CD

An amazing slice of rare work from pianist Misha Mengelberg – caught her early in his career, but already an important modern jazz force on the European scene! The set's a live one – featuring a very sharp-edged combo with Misha on piano, Piet Noordjik on alto, Rob Lengereis on bass, and Han Bennink on drums – plus guest trumpet from Ted Curson on two long tracks! As you can imagine, we love the Curson material – and Ted always seems to sparkle in a fresh setting like this, drawing new energy from less familiar players – and stretching things out to the height of his free-thinking talents of the time. But Noordjik is wonderful, too – really hanging nicely in a balance between soulful and modern with his horn, and easily matched by Mengelberg's piano – really great to hear in a more structured setting than his later, freer records. Titles include "Driekusman Total Loss", "The Leopard", "Sugar N Spice", "Journey", and "Peer's Counting Song". CD

A lost spiritual jazz classic from pianist Nate Morgan – maybe the musician's best-remembered moment, and for good reason too! The set's got this soaring, spiritual vibe that's much more early 70s than you'd guess from the date of recording – a post-Coltrane spirit with lots of modal energy in the rhythms, carved out by Nate in these bold, dark lines on piano – and topped with some excellent work on alto sax from the great Dadisi Komolate! Both players were key figures in the under-documented LA scene of this period – and work together to make tremendous sounds on this album – on titles that include "He Left Us A Song", "Journey Into Nigritia", "Morning Prayer", "Mother", and "Study in CT". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Excellent work from the hip hop of British jazz in the 80s – and one of those records that we somehow didn't rate that much at the time, but which really sounds great to our ears going back to it now! Pine plays tenor, soprano, and bass clarinet – working in a soulful mode that stretches back to Coltrane and Dolphy, but which is somehow economized a bit in terms of phrasing – going for the simple soulfulness of the best moments of the past, and working within a realm of styles that are open, yet never sloppy or self-conscious. Cleveland Watkiss lays down some great vocals on two numbers – and other players include Julian Joseph on piano, and Orphey Robinson on vibes. Titles include "CGC", "Sunday Song", "Children Of The Ghetto", "As We Would Say", "Peace", and "Miss Interpret". CD

Excellent work from the hip hop of British jazz in the 80s – and one of those records that we somehow didn't rate that much at the time, but which really sounds great to our ears going back to it now! Pine plays tenor, soprano, and bass clarinet – working in a soulful mode that stretches back to Coltrane and Dolphy, but which is somehow economized a bit in terms of phrasing – going for the simple soulfulness of the best moments of the past, and working within a realm of styles that are open, yet never sloppy or self-conscious. Cleveland Watkiss lays down some great vocals on two numbers – and other players include Julian Joseph on piano, and Orphey Robinson on vibes. Titles include "CGC", "Sunday Song", "Children Of The Ghetto", "As We Would Say", "Peace", and "Miss Interpret". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning little record from Pharoah Sanders – a double-length set that has all the soul and spirit of his Impulse Records classics, but with a very different vibe! There's a sense of focus here that's tremendous – as if Sanders has found a way to take the energy of his side-long performances and hone them to a level that's maybe even more expressive in its economy – maybe a streamlining of spiritual jazz for the new decade, but not at a level that tries to sound commercial or mainstream at all. Sanders is joined here by a host of equally well-voiced players who really match his energy – Joe Bonner and John Hicks on piano, Eddie Henderson on flugelhorn, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and the set also features a bit of great work on koto from Yoko Ito Gates as well. Titles include the classic "You've Got To Have Freedom" – a fantastic soaring anthem of joy – plus "After The Rain", "Soledad", "Greetings To Idris", "Doktor Pitt", "Think About The One", "Bedria", and "Yemenja". CD

A couple of versions of this nice lounge-y track off Towa Tei's Future Listening LP. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Joe McPhee on alto and tenor saxophone, Dominic Duval on bass, and Jay Rosen on drums. CD

This album is a "Best Of" two albums, "The Turning Point" and "Journey". Tracks include "Passion Dance", "Let It Go", "High Priest", "Angel Eyes", "Peresina", "Blue On The Corner", and "Fly With The Wind". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

It's been a long long time since the last album from trumpeter Pharez Whitted – but damn, the cat's been cooking in the meantime! The set's a solid, right-on smoker from the very first note – the kind of well-crafted jazz set that shows that there's still plenty of greatness to find in the record racks, if you know where to look – a beautiful balance of modern inclinations and soulful expressions, of the sort you might have heard in earlier Whitted records, but perhaps never delivered this perfectly! Pharez has a great sound throughout – on both trumpet and flugelhorn – and other players include Eddie Bayard on tenor and soprano sax, Bobby Broom on guitar, Ron Perrillo on piano and keyboards, Dennis Carroll on bass, and Greg Artry on drums. Titles include "Soul Mates", "Sunset On The Gaza", "Plicky", "Brother Thomas", "The Truth Seeker", and "Transient Journey". CD

Fantastic sounds from cats who were really letting their freak flag fly at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s – but not the music of laidback hippies, as these guys are all pretty intense and energetic, and helping to forge the hard rock roots that would lay the base for so many musical styles to come! The intensity of this work is amazing – maybe even more so, given that so many of these artists were recording for major labels at a time long before major labels even knew what to do with music like this – leaving the success of these artists to be the product of word of mouth and underground press – starting out the legends that would have records by these groups changing hands for years to come! We'd still easily trade most of this work for so much later work that sprung up in its wake – as there's a freshness and directness here that really gets to the point right away, and plenty of guitar work that really seems to blow away so many others from the later guitar hero generation! As with other Grapefruit sets, the choice of cuts is fantastic – and supported by a huge booklet of notes that tell the rich tales behind the tunes – a whopping 53 titles in all, with work from Bram Stoker, Writing On The Wall, Thin Lizzy, May Blitz, Stray, Zior, Uriah Heep, Head Machine, Mott The Hoople, Nazareth, Tear Gas, Killing Floor, UFO, Mighty Hard, Quatermass, Trapeze, Episode Six, Grit, Sam Gopal, Steamhammer, Fuzzy Duck, Monument, Ashkan, Mick Farren, T2, Warhorse, Geordie, Bone, and many others! CD

J-Rocc takes on Jazzman Records – the mighty mixer from Stones Throw, handling a host of rare funk and soul gems from previous Jazzman reissues! The set's very heavily mixed – so that J-Rocc's really going to town with the rare singles included – cutting them up, spinning them out, and really bringing fresh new flavors to the tunes – something you'll appreciate, even if you've got some of the original versions! There's no set list for the collection, but there's plenty of niceness throughout – and the whole thing has a very Stones Throw sort of feel – but with a Jazzman level of classic cuts for grounding. CD

The drums do plenty of talking here – in a wonderful set that looks at the return of deeper rhythms and percussion to the global house music underground! Just at a point when some pretenders were trying to claim too-strong influences from Cuba, Africa, and other deeper cultures – artists like these came into the fray and reminded us that if you're going to make a musical statement, you better have the sound to back it up – which they did wonderfully, with the kind of creative reworkings of percussive modes that you'll hear on this set! Gabriele Poso did a really wonderful job of choosing the tracks here – a no-nonsense batch of work that will make you throw away every "fake" Afro-remix you've got in your collection. Titles include "Naja" by Guem, "Cafe De Ochun" by Gabriele Poso, "Injection Of Blackness" by Malika B & Dave Hucker, "Polyrhythm Jizm (Lay-Far edit)" by Free Association, "Long Distance Lover" by Babatunde Olatunji, "Tembandumba" by Toto La Momposina, "Drum It Up" by Dudu Tucci, "Coming Home" by Mustapha Tetty Addy, "Ven Francisco" by Silvestre Mendez, "Guiro Elegua" by Bobby Matos, and "Ninu Opon Ori Tiwa (Kiko Navarro re-edit)" by Sola Akingbola. LP, Vinyl record album

A really righteous little collection – and one that definitely blows away most of the competition! The style here is deeper and more sophisticated than just the usual batch of funky grooves – and instead, these artists work in a special space between spiritual jazz and more ambitious soul – a very special style that only bubbled up in a rare few scenes back in the day – and which stands nicely next to better-known classics by artists like James Mason or 24 Carat Black! Like those artists, these singers and musicians don't care about conventional boundaries – or hitting the charts as well – and they soar out beautifully on wings of creative energy that make the whole collection a wonderful musical journey. Titles include "Midnight & You" by Odyssey Group, "Scratch My Back" by Soul Scratchers, "Spanish Guitar" by Jimmy Briggs with Willie Moore's Quintet, "Fly Away" by Abraham Battat, "Dawn" by Richard Martian & Co, "Missed Another Day" by Gingerbread Express, "Would You Believe" by Gloria Rosebud Black, "The Provider" by Seeds Of Fulfillment, "Wild Wild World" by Larry Dismond, "Seaons Of Doubt" by Finnegan/Finlan, and "Summer Love" by Portis Brothers. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the best volume so far in this ultra-hip series – a collection that already focuses on lost righteous tunes from the 70s – but which really seems to hit a special space this time around! The music on the set often isn't exactly jazz, soul, or funk – yet it shares many of the best elements with those styles, and moves them space that seems to encompass some of the hipper singer/songwriter modes of the time – with almost a folk-funk vibe at times, and a warm cosmic glow at others! The track selection is superb – the notes claim that none of these titles have been reissued before – and the whole thing's the best discovery so far in this series that's gotten us digging even deeper than usual. Titles include "Be Real" by Feather, "Loving Side Of Me" by Lexington, "The Lonely Hunter" by Lewell Williams, "Chalito" by The Three Js, "O Sing To Me" by Cal Andrews Trio, "Listen Baby" by Abraham Battat, "Nature Boy" by Jennie Misty, "Happy Sunday" by Wanda Stafford, "The Guru" by Toby Cooper, and "West 15th Street Strut" by The Rosewood Trio. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic presentation of a series of field recordings done by Alan Lomax for Atlantic Records – an album of country blues, another of spirituals, and two more of folk and mountain music! This set replicates the contents of the original box, along with a large booklet of notes done by Lomax as well – beautifully done. CD

A really heady record from British drummer Brian Bennett – an artist known for both jazz and funky sound library work – here stretching out in a mode that really fits the image on the cover! The tunes are longer than some of Bennett's earlier sound library material – almost a mix of progressive energy with jazzier funk – a lot cooler than the disco reference in the title might imply! The set's got tremendous keyboards from Francis Monkman – who handles all the spacier elements, while the drums of Bennett works the rhythms with bass from Alan Jones – on long tracks with plenty of complexity, but also plenty of groove! Titles include "Voyage", "Solstice", "Chain Reaction", "Pendulum Force", "Air Quake", and "Ocean Glide". 2CD version features a full CD of bonus material – including 7" single mixes of "Pendulum Force" and "Ocean Glide" – and working mixes of every track on the album. CD

The first full length set from London duo Blue Lab Beats – a pair who are very well-placed on Blue Note Records, but more as ambassadors of some of the more soul-styled work the label has done in recent years! There's a very collaborative vibe going on here – as the core producers open the door to a range of guests, and change up the moods of the cuts from track to track – almost with the sort of energy of the initial Black Radio projects from Robert Glasper, but with more London elements in the mix – and an approach that moves far past jazz at many moments! The album features work from Killbeatz, Kiefer, Ghetto Boy, Emmavie, Poppy Daniels, Kofi Stone, Jerome Thomas, and others – including a from-the-grave appearance by Fela Kuti – and titles include "Motherland Journey", "A Vibe", "Gotta Go Fast", "Labels", "I'll Be Here For You", "Dat It", "Home", "Warp", "Sensual Loving", and "Blow You Away". LP, Vinyl record album

There's no denying that Hunky Dory is one of the most significant albums ever in the catalog of David Bowie – a real turning point that pushed both his songwriting and performance to a whole new level! Here, that album is presented in a stunning amount of context – 4CDs worth of material that sets up the record, plus blu-ray audio of more content too – all included with a 100 page book of liner notes, memorabilia, and rare photos too – plus a replica of the young Bowie's notebook for the project – all making for an insane tribute to the record! CD1 features songwriting demos that include many rare cuts – including "Shadow Man", "Looking For A Friend", "Tired Of My Life", "Right On Mother", "How Lucky You Are", and "King Of The City". CD2 features John Peel performances from June of 1971 – mono and stereo takes on "Almost Grown", "Kooks", "Supermen", "Looking For A Friend", "Song For Bob Dylan", and "It Ain't Easy". CD3 features more BBC material – a 1971 Bob Harris Sounds Of The 70s show, and then a 1971 Live Friars performance – with cuts that include "Amsterdam", "Eight Line Poem", "Looing For A Friend", "Oh You Pretty Things", "Buzz The Fuzz", and "Waiting For The Man". CD4 features alternate mixes and singles – Bowpromo mixes of album tracks, then early mixes and mono mixes, and alternate mixes discovered in 2021. Blu-ray disc features a full 2015 remaster of the core album – plus alternate mixes found in 2021, and the 1971 Sounds Of The 70s show too! CD

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