A really fantastic singer, and one that we're only discovering with this album – an obscure Japanese release that will hopefully put Tea at the front of the line for up and coming young jazz vocalists! The set mixes in plenty of soulful currents with the jazz, thanks in part to the superb arrangements by Hiroshi Tokieda – and Tea more than rises to the occasion, blending modes at a level that reminds us a lot of the vocals of Navasha Daya when we first heart her in Fertile Ground many years back – working with a really great range, but also never letting herself stray too far from the groove. The tunes are a really compelling mix of material, too – pulled both from older jazz and pop, and mixed with original material too – as Tea soars on tracks that include "Old Age Blues", "Everything", "Songbirds", "Wonderwall", "Wuthering Heights", "Tokyo Animal", and "Everything Is OK". CD

A really fantastic record from this Nashville session great – known for his work on countless albums, but very groovy on his own! There's a surprising current of funk on some numbers – really great drums from Kenneth Buttrey that kick things into a surprising groove – while Charlie blows harp over the top, and even sings a bit too! Titles include a great version of "Jump Back Baby" – plus "Love Light", "Harpoon Man", "Fingertips", "Up Tight", "Juke", "Shotgun", and "Ode To Billy Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

2 of Joe's best records of the 60s! At Newport is a nicely relaxed live set has Joe hitting a very soulful groove – one that's much more open than on some of his studio albums, which are often far too cluttered to swing. Backing is by an all-star group that includes Coleman Hawkins, Junior Mance, and Zoot Sims – and Joe is in fantastic small combo company, really letting loose on tracks that include "Gravy Waltz", "Come Back Baby", "April In Paris", "Some Of This N Some Of That", and "She's Warm, She's Willing, She's Wonderful". Jump For Joy is a studio session – with arrangement by Jimmy Jones and Oliver Nelson, two talents who again bring out the best in Joe – a groovy and soulful sound that's often not captured as easily on record. Titles on that one include "Sounds Of The Night", "My Last Affair", "Jump For Joy", "It's A Wonderful World", and "You Perfect Stranger". CD

A great illustration of the upbeat, positive vibe that Peggy Lee could serve up when she was at her best – a cool Capitol Records mode that really helped Lee set a whole new tone for singers in the 60s! The great Jack Marshall is at the helm on arrangements – putting things together with a vibe that's bright, but also pretty modern as well – thanks to work from a west coast jazz lineup that includes Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Harnell on piano, Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Barney Kessel on guitar! The set includes Lee's famous version of "Fever" – plus "It's A Wonderful World", "Things Are Swingin'", Alright, Okay, You Win", "Ridin' High", "Alone Together", "Life For Livin'", and"You Don't Know". A classic collaboration between Peggy Lee and Nelson Riddle – and a record that really set the tone for Lee's famous Capitol sides of the 60s! The groove here is very upbeat – as you might guess from the title – with a bouncing, almost syncopated approach that's definitely Riddle's, but which also hints at some of Lee's more soul-based backings of the 60s from Jack Marshall – those slinky-stepping groovers that would really put her back in front of American ears. Many tunes are older numbers, but they're updated nicely by Riddle's playful backings – and cuts include "Jump For Joy", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "Old Devil Moon", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "Just In Time", "Music Music Music", "Four Or Five Times", and "Ain't We Got Fun". CD

Includes "Fly Me To The Moon", "Key Largo", "Jump For Joy", "Moonlight On The Ganges", "My Favorite Things", "Stella By Starlight", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The soul underground of today – proof that there's still some amazingly deep music being made in the 21st Century, as long as you know where to look! The groups here are all contemporary, but they work strongly in the sounds of the 60s and 70s – the best funk and soul modes from that classic generation, put together faithfully, but with a fresh approach too – given the youthful energy that most of these artists bring to their recordings! There's just a few contemporary touches here and there, but overall most of the production and instrumentation is very much in the best vintage mode – on these cuts pulled from hard to find imports and rare 7" single releases of the past few years. But hardly just take our word for it – there's plenty to please your ears the moment you jump into the set – cuts that include "You What" by The Andy Tolman Cartel, "Poker Nights Theme" by The Delicious Allstars, "Shaft In Africa" by The Mighty Showstoppers, "Put Leg To Road" by Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra, "Mr G" by Jessica Lauren Four, "Cockroach Grind" by The Haggis Horns, "Kekfeny" by The Qualitons, "Cramp Your Style" by The Killer Meters, "Cascade" by Renegades Of Jazz, "Hey Girl" by Jo Stance, and "Something's Gotta Give" by Nick Van Gelder. CD

A set that's maybe a bit more inside than usual for the mostly-improvised Not Two label – but one that's also got a nice sort of an edge, too – a different take on familiar territory, all graced with the great work of Michael Marcus on soprano sax, tenor, octavin, and tarogato! Marcus has a great ear for unusual phrasing – maybe a bit like George Braith, but on a single horn – and he works here alongside some wonderfully warm work from supporting players who include John Austria on Fender Rhodes, Denton Darien on piano, Tyler Mitchell on bass, and Warren Smith on drums and percussion – spinning out on a set of original tunes by Marcus, many of which have a really great modal sort of vibe! Michael is a wonderfully unique player – definitely a distinct soul of his own – and the set's got a wonderful feel throughout, on titles that include "The World Street", "Dawn At Qumran", "Stone Jump", "Flowering Optics", "Involution", and "The T Man". CD

About as great an introduction to the music of Louie Prima as we've ever seen – a set that not only contains key classics for Capitol, but also some surprising bits from later years too! The package starts with Prima's classics of the postwar years – sides cut with Keely Smith and Sam Butera, including famous live tunes and medleys – then it also moves into the 60s too, and even features some tracks not on CD before. 26 cuts in all – with "Civilization", "I Wanna Be Like You", "Angelina/Zooma Zooma", "Jump Jive An Wail", "Oh Marie", "Hey Boy Hey Girl", "Up A Lazy River", "Hello Dolly", "Bunoa Sera", "Cabaret", "Just One Of Those Things", "I've Got The World On A String", "Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody", "Felicia No Capecia", "5 Months 2 Weeks 2 Days", and "When You're Smiling/The Sheik Of Araby". CD

A posthumous album from the great Bob Marley – but one that's every bit as important as all the classics that were released during his too-short lifetime! The record really continues that righteous power of the later Bob Marley years on Island – that global scope in both the music's power, and Bob's vision for change in the world – sometimes issued at a more personal level, but always with a spirit that's strong enough to inspire the generations who've grabbed onto this album as a favorite. Titles include "Chant Down Babylon", "Buffalo Soldier", "Mix Up Mix Up", "Blackman Redemption", "Jump Nyabinghi", "Stiff Necked Fools", "I Know", and "Trench Town". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest recent records from Plunky – and a set that's got a much harder edge than some of the rest! The groove here is somewhat funkier than some of Plunky's smoother jazz sets in the post-Oneness Of Juju years – and the rhythms are quite forceful at times, clearly inspired a bit by hip hop or contemporary urban sounds – but still carried off in a mode that's somewhat warmer and more soulful. There's some vocals on the set, there's also a focus on Plunky's saxophone solos – mostly soprano, and with a well-crafted sound throughout – one that almost takes us back to Grover Washington Jr at his best! Titles include "Getting It Right", "In This World", "Drop", "The Meaning Of Life", "Hollar Back", "The Near Future", "Hop Skip & A Jump", and "Nevertheless". CD

A killer collection of rare blues material – and one that's pretty darn funky at times too! The set dives deep into the very underground world of the blues 45 – not the previous scene of rare 78rpm recordings that have been documented heavily for decades – but the later generation, in which more obscure artists recorded jukebox 45s for a variety of different small labels – music that often got far less circulation than the LPs at the time! These cuts were all hand-picked by a Japanese blues collector who really knows his stuff – and a good deal of this material also shows a crossover to the funky 45 scene too – no surprise, since some of these labels also issued work in that mode. We'd heard almost none of these tracks before the compilation – and together, the 20 cuts will really open your mind – and your ears – to the deeper underground of post-50s blues. Titles include "Someday Baby" by Freddy Young, "A Fool No More" by Eddie Hope & The Manish Boys, "Trap Meat" by George Smith, "It Ain't My Fault (part 1)" by Smokey Johnson, "Follow The Leader (part 1)" by Wiley Terry, "I'm Checkin Up" by Tender Slim, "Chicago Jump" by Jimmy Lee, "Shake Your Boogie" by Model T Slim, "Encourage Me Baby" by Ace Holder, and "Weekend Blues" by Monte Easter & His Band. CD

A posthumous album from the great Bob Marley – but one that's every bit as important as all the classics that were released during his too-short lifetime! The record really continues that righteous power of the later Bob Marley years on Island – that global scope in both the music's power, and Bob's vision for change in the world – sometimes issued at a more personal level, but always with a spirit that's strong enough to inspire the generations who've grabbed onto this album as a favorite. Titles include "Chant Down Babylon", "Buffalo Soldier", "Mix Up Mix Up", "Blackman Redemption", "Jump Nyabinghi", "Stiff Necked Fools", "I Know", and "Trench Town". Also includes a bonus 12" mix of "Buffalo Soldier". CD

A record with a cover and title that might make you want to stock it in the world music section – but a set that's got a sweet sound library vibe all the way through – a rare gem issued on the tiny Jump label from the Italian scene in the early 70s! Work here is by some key jazz players – keyboardist Oscar Rocchi and reedman Gino Barigozzi – both of whom delivered some excellent albums under their own name, and who work here in a style that mixed jazz with just the right percussion touches at the bottom – a slightly rootsy use of the acoustic elements in the rhythms, matched nicely by the warmth of the keyboards, flute, and cool wordless vocals that appear from time to time. Titles include "Message From The Jungle", "Amazon River", "Baobab Blues", "African Popcorn", "Flute Safari", "Indian Cobra", and "The Girl From Morococha". LP, Vinyl record album

Here Comes Santa Claus – and a heck of a lot of other folks too – all served up here in a mighty nice collection of Holiday goodies from the postwar years – classic singles and LP cuts, all served up in a mix of jazz, vocal, and R&B modes! The set's a great entry in the series of Christmas-themed compilations from the Bear Family – and like the rest, it's got a mighty big track list, filled with hand-picked numbers by the folks who really know this stretch of music better than most! Titles include "Willy Claus" by Molly Bee, "Winter Wonderland" by Lennon Sisters, "It's A Marshmallow World" by Johnny Desmond, "Christmas Auld Lang Syne" by Bobby Darin, "Jingle Bells" by Frank Sinatra, "I Like A Sleighride" by Peggy Lee, "Ski Jump" by Frederic Curzon, and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "China Boy", "Hello, Lola", "The World Is Waitin' For The Sunrise", "Hunkadola", "After You've Gone", "Get Happy", "Nobody's Sweetheart", "Dinah", "Sing, Sing, Sing (Parts 1 & 2)", "I Know That You Know", "Wire Brush Stomp", "Apurksody", "Tuxedo Junction", "Drum Boogie", "Green Eyes", "Ball Of Fire", "That's What You Think", " That Drummer's Band", "Leave Us Leap", "How High The Moon","Disc Jockey Jump", and "Callin' Dr. Gillespie". CD

Just before he got too hot for Jive and jumped to Death Row, this is the album where Pac moves above the Thug Life image he worked so hard to craft and delivered the lyrical goods with both his street stories and more introspective rhymes – helping set up his legacy as one of the most soul searching of street rappers – a reputation that stands to this day! Includes uber classic singles like "Dear Mama" and "So Many Tears", plus "Temptations", "If I Die 2 Nite", "Me Against The World", "Heavy In The Game", "Old School", "F*ck The World", "Death Around The Corner" and "Outlaw". Classic! LP, Vinyl record album

Just before he got too hot for Jive and jumped to Death Row, this is the album where Pac moves above the Thug Life image he worked so hard to craft and delivered the lyrical goods with both his street stories and more introspective rhymes – helping set up his legacy as one of the most soul searching of street rappers – a reputation that stands to this day! Includes uber classic singles like "Dear Mama" and "So Many Tears", plus "Temptations", "If I Die 2 Nite", "Me Against The World", "Heavy In The Game", "Old School", "F*ck The World", "Death Around The Corner" and "Outlaw". Classic! LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy funk from the deeper EMI catalog – packaged with a Blue Note label, but featuring gems from a wealth of related labels too! The assortment of styles here is really wonderful – and runs from gritty deep funk, to warmer soul jazz, to some sweet 70s groovers with a really slinky feel – all laid out in a way that really makes sense, and hardly lets you feel like you're jumping around from genre to genre! Titles include "Momma" by Ronnie Foster, "Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow (Baretta's Theme)" by Earl Klugh, "Bring Down The Birds" by Herbie Hancock, "Shack Up (parts 1 & 2)" by Banbara, "Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter" by Ike & Tina Turner, "Daisy Mae" by Raul De Souza, "You Are The World" by Donald Byrd, "Movin" by Brass Construction, "Punch Bowl" by Alan Parker, "Ain't It Funky Now" by Jimmy McGriff, "Color Blind" by Maze, "Communication" by Bobby Womack, "Funky Sneakers" by Willie Bobo, "Funky In Here" by Willard Burton, and "Street Lady" by Donald Byrd. 18 cuts in all! CD

Way more than just another collection of work by The Drifters – as this 3CD set goes way past all the other greatest hits compilations on the market, and brings together all sorts of wonderful overlooked tracks from their later years on Atlantic Records! At this point, former singer Clyde McPhatter and Ben E King have left the flock – leaving most of the lead work to Johnny Moore, and a bit to Rudy Lewis – in a lineup that maybe has the group even more unified as a whole, with a tremendous sense of harmony vocals that just keeps getting better and better as the 60s move on – and as the group try out all sorts of new rhythms and songs in the process. We really love The Drifters, and can't get enough of their special sound – and this set features plenty of unusual cuts to really keep our interest – a set of 76 tracks that includes "Up In The Streets Of Harlem", "We Gotta Sing", "Aretha", "Baby What I Mean", "Up Jumped The Devil", "I Dig Your Act", "You & me Together Forever", "Black Silk", "Desafinado", "Follow Me", "Come On Over To My Place", "Answer The Phone", "I Remember Christmas", "Spanish Lace", "I Don't Want To Go On Without You", "He's Just A Playboy", "Saturday Night At The Movies", "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love", "The Outside World", "My Islands In The Sun", "You Can't Love Them All", "Country To The City", "Still Burning In My Heart", and lots more! CD

Includes the songs "The Look of Love", "Billie's Bounce", "Cherokee", "I'm Late, I'm Late", "Walk on By", "I Want to Be Happy", "Windows", "Once Upon a Time", "Tour's End", "Impromptu", "Mickey's Theme", "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)", "Alfie", "A Summer Afternoon", "Jumpin' at the Woodside", "What the World Needs Now Is Love", "Bronx Blues", "Sweet Rain", "Bebop", "Litha", "Pan", and "Blues for Herky". CD

Features Steve Coleman and Greg Osby on alto, Robin Eubanks on trombone, and Graham Haynes on trumpet. CD

Features Steve Coleman and Greg Osby on alto, Robin Eubanks on trombone, and Graham Haynes on trumpet. CD

The near-complete work of one of the all-time great but overlooked groups of the UK scene of the late 60s – a group who jumped between a few different labels, mostly issued a handful of singles, yet managed to create a huge amount of magic at the time! You'll not find The Mirage in the history books, but they definitely gave the UK scene a few great singles, enough to get them onto the BBC – where a few of these tracks were recorded – and somehow managed to keep on working on great music, despite record label politics that would have buried most other acts of the generation. There's a tuneful approach to psych that begins some of the material, with maybe the odd freakbeat moment too – a quality that comes out even more strongly as the group morphs through a few later identities, including Yellow Pages, Portebello Explosion, and the really great Jawbone – the last of whom finally got a chance to record a full length album! The 3CD package divides up nicely – CD1 features singles and BBC tracks by The Mirage, plus a few by Portebello Explosion and Yellow Pages; CD2 features some stunning unheard outtakes that are maybe even more amazing than some Mirage singles; and CD3 features the full Jawbone album from 1970, a set that echoes some of the earlier moments, but with even sharper instrumentation and a nicely compressed sense of production. 3CD set features 60 tracks in all, and very detailed notes on the group and their music! CD

Modern global grooves, from points all over. 12 tracks in all: "IRM" by Indian Ropeman, "Fatigue Chic (Dub Pistols mix)" and "Softcore Surge (Da Lata mix)" by Sly & Robbie, "Marseillas Du Nord" by Cheb Mami, "El Estuche" by Aterciopelades, "Deep Roots tree" by Imhotep, "Madhuvanthi" by Jolly Mukherjee, "Logozo" by Sidestepper, "Clandestino" by Manu Chao, "Mi Cuba" by P18, "Jumpi" by Sergent Garcia and "Souka Nayo (Thievery Corporation mix)" by Baaba Maal. CD

A great look at the mighty talents of Leroy Kirkland – not much of a lead star on his own, but a fantastic force in the worlds of soul, blues, and R&B in the postwar years! Leroy's one of these guys who really starts to show up when you pay attention to credits on older singles – a great songwriter, a hell of an arranger, and a sometime producer too – a talent who really finds a way to take older bluesy styles and modernize them for the growing urban postwar audience – often mixing raw vocals with jazzy instrumentation, at a level that brings forward some of the jump blues modes of the late 40s too. The set's overflowing with gems from a variety of different labels – 27 tracks in all – including "Sloppin" by Pearl Woods & The Gems, "When You Dance" by Billy Storm, "All In My Mind" by Maxine Brown, "Who's That Knocking" by The Genies, "Night Ride" by King's Henchmen, "Stay A Little Longer" by The Equadors, "Sentimental Daddy-O" by Brook Benton, "The Bear Hug" by Mr Bear & His Bearcats, "Stop Talkin & Start Walkin" by Annie Laurie, "I'll Be Sittin I'll Be Rockin" by Larry Darnell, "Give A Little Time" by Milt Trenier, "You Can't Stay Here" by Melvin Smith, "Flip & Skip" by Claude Cloud & His Thunderclaps, and "Mumbles Blues" by Big Connie – plus "Paramount Rock" by Leroy Kirkland himself. CD

Great work from bop legend George Wallington – one of the last records in an initial run of 50s strengths from the pianist – and a set that features some great original compositions of his own! The set's a bit unusual for Atlantic Records at the time – almost more of a Prestige or Blue Note-styled date – as Wallington's loose, open, and really hits his groove – working alongside Teddy Kotick on bass and Nick Stabulis on drums, both players whose understated approach lets Wallington sparkle even more in the spotlight. The complexity of his performance is wonderful – even while swinging – and titles include "World Weary", "Billie's Tune", "Godchild", "Serendipity", and "Up Jumped The Devil". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard work from the legendary Arthur Russell – a treasure trove of material from the vaults, finally issued all these many years after his untimely early passing! The work is a bit like some of the material on World Of Echo – spare tunes that often mix cello with keyboards and rhythm programs – often without any vocals, but sometimes with a bit of echoey lyrics from Russell that have this really wonderful feel. In fact, we might well be tempted to call the set a "part 2" to World Of Echo – given that it shares some musical themes – and the quality of the record again makes us wonder why it's taken so long for Arthur to finally get his due. Titles include "Holding Your Present From You", "This Is How We Walk On The Moon", "Corn", "Lucky Cloud", "They & Their Friends", and "See My Brother He's Jumping Out". CD

A great collection of work from one of the hippest bandleaders to emerge in the swing generation – and one of the few to be able to tie his approach to the growing worlds of modern jazz and jump jive too! The set features material from Woody Herman's first three "herds" – the first, his initial recording group with Columbia; the second, his groundbreaking group with the "four brothers" group of horn players who included Stan Getz and Jimmy Giuffre; and the third his mid 50s revival group that had Ralph Burns turning in some great modern arrangements to rework that four brothers sound. The set features very lively notes from Woody himself – and titles include "Non Alcoholic", "Caldonia", "Good Earth", "Four Brothers", "Early Autumn", "Third Herd", "Mulligan Tawny", "Blame Boehm", and "Sidewalks Of Cuba". LP, Vinyl record album