A groundbreaking set of work from the team of Jef Gilson and Hal Singer – a uniquely cross-cultural session recorded in the Paris scene of the 70s, and easily some of the best work ever from both musicians! Singer's probably best remembered on these shores for his older R&B tenor work of the 50s – but sometime during the 60s, he moved over to Paris, where he cut some mighty great music – including the legendary Paris Soul Food album, which predates this one by a few years. Gilson was always a great artist on the French scene – a modern pianist whose work of the 60s was always fresh and new, and a player who moved into more of a world jazz sensibility as the 70s approached. Together, both players work some real magic here – deep soul from Singers tenor, sharper tones from Gilson's piano – and a range of weird and wonderful notes from other players who include Bernard Lubat on vibes, Jacky Samson on bass, Frank Raholison on drums, and both Del Rabenja and Gerard Rakotoarivony on percussion – really helping the record live up to its "Africa" title! Samson's bass is especially amazing – roundly-toned, and incredibly soulful – as much so as his legendary work with Marco DiMarco, but pitched slightly differently here – and titles include "The High Life", "Liberation", "Mother Africa", "Chant Inca", and "Garvey's Strut". Plus, as an added bonus the CD also features 2 incredible earlier tracks by Gilson – material recorded with Lloyd Miller back in the 60s – playing "micro organ" and balaphon, with a sound that's almost even more haunting than the main album. Other players include "Pierre Caron on tenor and Alain Tabar-Nouval on alto – and titles include "Le Grand Bidou" and "Fable Of Gutenberg". CD

A wonderful small combo session from tenorist Benny Golson – one of a few key albums like this from the early years! Although Golson is perhaps best known as a lively arranger in the modern idiom, he's also a kick-ass tenor player when he wants to be – and on this classic, he definitely wants to be! Unlike some of Golson's more tightly arranged records of the early years, this date is a deeply gutsy soul jazz session – support from a group that includes Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Art Blakey on drums, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – all sliding into long tracks that have plenty of room for solos! The whole thing's a bit like the more spontaneous side of the Jazz Messengers groove – and titles include "The Stroller", "Drumboogie", "My Blues House", and a beautiful version of "Yesterdays". CD

A really fantastic album from guitarist Grant Green – a set that's every bit as great as his other Blue Note funk albums from the time – but in a very different way! First off, the group has vibes – played by the more obscure Willie Bivens, sometimes with this hard chromatic sound that's really wonderful – especially when combined by the organ work on the set by Ronnie Foster and Neal Creque – both very cool players with an unusual conception – which sends the whole thing off in very hip territory! The mighty Idris Muhammad plays drums – ensuring a very tight bottom – and the group also features Claude Bartee on tenor, who has a strong, soulful vibe. The set includes a fantastic live version of "Down Here On the Ground" – famously sampled by Tribe Called Quest – and other highlights include heavy funk takes on "Let The Music Take Your Mind" and "Sookie Sookie", and the Creque original "Time To Remember". CD

A really fantastic album from guitarist Grant Green – a set that's every bit as great as his other Blue Note funk albums from the time – but in a very different way! First off, the group has vibes – played by the more obscure Willie Bivens, sometimes with this hard chromatic sound that's really wonderful – especially when combined by the organ work on the set by Ronnie Foster and Neal Creque – both very cool players with an unusual conception – which sends the whole thing off in very hip territory! The mighty Idris Muhammad plays drums – ensuring a very tight bottom – and the group also features Claude Bartee on tenor, who has a strong, soulful vibe. The set includes a fantastic live version of "Down Here On the Ground" – famously sampled by Tribe Called Quest – and other highlights include heavy funk takes on "Let The Music Take Your Mind" and "Sookie Sookie", and the Creque original "Time To Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little set from that time when Milt Jackson was fronting a group that also included Jimmy Heath on tenor – a wonderful pairing of talents that made for some of Milt's most soulful sides of the 60s! Heath's sharp-edged tone is a great contrast to Jackson's smoother touch on the vibes – and the pair are supported here by rhythm from Hank Jones on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – all great players who bring plenty of personal inflection to their work on this live date. Titles include a great version of Heath's "Gemini" – plus Jackson's "Bags Of Blue", "Gerri's Blues", and "Ignunut Oil" – plus takes on "Little Girl Blue" and "Time After Time". CD

Reedman Oliver Lake at his most creative – stepping out here on a sublime set of 70s improvisations – all put together with a really spiritual feel! There's a very open, collaborative feel to the music – and the set was recorded in St Louis, at a time when Lake was a key part of that city's scene – and who here also seems able to attract some other musicians from the AACM in Chicago as well! As a result, the album's a wonderful document of the new ideas bursting forth at the start of the 70s – that richly creative moment when local scenes were coming together in various cities to find new ways of jazz beyond Coltrane and Dolphy – giving a player like Lake some of the most imaginative outlets of his career. Oliver plays alto, soprano, flute, and other small instruments – and other players include Baikida Carroll and Floyd Leflore on trumpets, Joseph Bowie on trombone, John Hicks on piano, Clovis Bordeaux on electric piano, Don Officer on bass, Charles Bobo Shaw on drums, and Don Moye on congas too. Titles include "Africa", "Tse Lane", "Eriee", "Zip", and "Electric Freedom". CD

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

An unusual date from tenorist George Adams – recorded right around the same time as his legendary records with Don Pullen, but instead a more unusual partnership with the great trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson! The pairing is great – and both hornmen soar out and really get plenty of room to do their thing – in a mixture of hardbop energy and more spiritual currents, with help from John Scofield on guitar, Ron Burton on piano, Walter Schmocker on bass, and Allen Nelson on drums. The energy is maybe a bit more like some of Peterson's late 70s records than some of the Adams/Pullen material – and that quality makes the live date a nice standout in the catalog of both players. Titles include "Soul Brothers", "Do We Know Where We Are Going", "Melanie", "More Sightings", and "Don't Take Your Love From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Capitol country from the great Kay Adams – a female singer with a distinct love of trucking songs, and one who also hails from the Buck Owens side of the spectrum too! Kay only cut a handful of records over the years, and this set's a great addition to her catalog – as it features unissued cuts that were recorded live with backing from Buck's group The Buckaroos – all done at the Buck Owens Ranch Show, and with a sound that's very much like Owens' excellent work of the time – with some of the more truck-themed tunes you'd be likely to hear from labelmate Red Simpson. Titles include "Rocks In My Head", "Six Days A Waiting", "Roll Out The Red Carpet", "Little Pink Mack", "Bottle Baby", "I Let A Stranger Buy the Wine", "Down Down Down", "Loose Talk", and a duet with Dick Curless on "A Devil Like Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Capitol country from the great Kay Adams – a female singer with a distinct love of trucking songs, and one who also hails from the Buck Owens side of the spectrum too! Kay only cut a handful of records over the years, and this set's a great addition to her catalog – as it features unissued cuts that were recorded live with backing from Buck's group The Buckaroos – all done at the Buck Owens Ranch Show, and with a sound that's very much like Owens' excellent work of the time – with some of the more truck-themed tunes you'd be likely to hear from labelmate Red Simpson. Titles include "Rocks In My Head", "Six Days A Waiting", "Roll Out The Red Carpet", "Little Pink Mack", "Bottle Baby", "I Let A Stranger Buy the Wine", "Down Down Down", "Loose Talk", and a duet with Dick Curless on "A Devil Like Me". CD features three bonus tracks too! CD

A record that's every bit as groovy as you might guess from the title – served up by one of the most unique combos to record for Colombia's Discos Fuentes in the 70s! Afrosound certainly have plenty of rhythms and sounds that resonate with their contemporaries at the top of the South American scene – but they also use rootsier percussion, and served up a rawer sound too – definitely bringing back some West African modes, after that scene had an earlier influence from the world of Afro-Cuban music! There's some especially cool keyboards that get all weird and distorted – like electric guitar on some Peruvian records – balanced with plenty of live, loud percussion – on titles that include "Banana De Queso", "Baila Felipe", "Negua", "Ponchito De Colores", "Carruseles", "Zaire Pop", "Rapsodia Del Chinito", "Me Voy De La Vida", "Salsa Con Tabaco", and "La Negra Saramuya". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not entirely sure what happened to saxophonist JD Allen in recent years – but he's become an even bolder, more experimental player in his music – really augmenting an already-great legacy of albums with fresh new projects like this! The album continues that darker, more powerful approach that Allen has brought to recent records – and also takes it into new territory too, as he works in a lean trio with Gwilym Jones on drums and Alex Bonney on electronics and effects – the latter of which are used in these ways that are really subtle, but really great – shaping things almost in the background while Allen delivers searing tenor parts over the top! The set was recorded in London, and maybe catches some fire from the current experiments on that scene – on titles that include "The Revelator", "Know Dogs Allowed", "The Night Of Swords", "See It Say It Sorted", "Boom Bap", and "This". CD

Bad Bossa Nova is right – as Gene Ammons really hits a great groove here – one that's not exactly bossa, but which has lots of Latin and tropical touches! The session makes great use of 2 guitars at the same time – using that of Kenny Burrell for soulful rhythm, but also adding in Bucky Pizzarelli for some nice acoustic embellishments – in a mode that's similar to the soul jazz-com-bossa style used on records like Ike Quebec's Soul Samba or Charlie Rouse's Bossa Nova Bacchanal. The overall rhythms are a bit more complicated, and a bit more soul jazz based than those sets – with Hank Jones on piano, Oliver Jackson on percussion, and Al Hayes adding in some sweet extra bongo! Titles include the classic "Ca'Purange" – plus "Anna", "Yellow Bird", "Cae Cae", and "Moito Mato Grosso". Also issued under the title Jungle Soul! (Ca' Purange). CD

Bad Bossa Nova is right – as Gene Ammons really hits a great groove here – one that's not exactly bossa, but which has lots of Latin and tropical touches! The session makes great use of 2 guitars at the same time – using that of Kenny Burrell for soulful rhythm, but also adding in Bucky Pizzarelli for some nice acoustic embellishments – in a mode that's similar to the soul jazz-com-bossa style used on records like Ike Quebec's Soul Samba or Charlie Rouse's Bossa Nova Bacchanal. The overall rhythms are a bit more complicated, and a bit more soul jazz based than those sets – with Hank Jones on piano, Oliver Jackson on percussion, and Al Hayes adding in some sweet extra bongo! Titles include the classic "Ca'Purange" – plus "Anna", "Yellow Bird", "Cae Cae", and "Moito Mato Grosso". Also issued under the title Jungle Soul! (Ca' Purange). LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer – and plays with a creative tightness that you'll be hard pressed to find on other record. Some tracks are almost straight jazz – but there's all these wonderful little breakdowns and burst of creative energy that keep the AACM spirit alive and true. The centerpiece of the album is the massive "Theme De Yoyo", a righteous powerful groover that features vocals by Fontella Bass (wife of Lester Bowie of the group), and which has become an all-time jazz dance classic! Other tracks have a sparer soundtracky feel, and a few more are in the experimental vein of the Art Ensemble's other Paris work at the time. Wonderful overall though – and an incredibly righteous album filled with power and imagination! Titles include "Theme De Celine", "Proverbes", "Theme Libra", and "Variations Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi". Very hard to find original French pressing – with different cover image! LP, Vinyl record album

Joyously romping grooves from Auteur Jazz – a combo who take the modal style of the 60s European scene, and infuse it with a few contemporary touches of their own! The group are a bit more open-ended than some of the other club jazz combos on the Ricky Tick label – willing to stretch out in some occasional exploratory modes or mellower moments, then step back with a hard-hitting groove to round things in place – often getting a surprisingly rich sound from their relatively small lineup, which is mostly based around reeds and piano from Antti Hynninen, but also features occasional other saxes, strings, keyboards, and percussion. Sara Sayaed sings on the tracks "Kill You Alive" and "Tomorrow Knows" – and other instrumental tracks include "Two Jaguars In Warsaw", "Marbles", "Who Struck John", "Gris Gris", "Uruguayo", and "Najgo". Japanese CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Aphorisms" and "Gui-Do". CD

A far-reaching early gem from Roy Ayers – a set that's much more jazz-based than his later work, and a record that has him touching base with the Blue Note and Strata East sides of the jazz spectrum! The lineup here is incredibly hip – a mix of players that includes a young Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Harold Land and Joe Henderson on tenor, Jack Wilson on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass – not to mention Roy himself on some mighty great vibes! There's a surprising spiritual undercurrent to the music – pointing the way towards jazz to come in the 70s – and titles include "Glow Flower", "Ayerloom", "Virgo Vibes", and "In The Limelight" – plus an early take on Charles Tolliver's "The Ringer". LP, Vinyl record album

A really raw recording of the guitar genius of Derek Bailey – still as revolutionary here in late life as it was back in the 70s – and paired with some stunning improvisational work on bass from Simon H Fell! Fell's got the same way of turning his instrument inside out as Bailey, but also sometimes goes for these more human, textural approaches – almost as if he's hugging the bass, and urging it to life with his arms and fingers – while Bailey's approach is more pointed. The set was performed live, and has a great sense of room in the recording, with the elements echoing out nicely – on the titles "Pre-Tea 1", "Pre-Tea 2", "Post-Tea 1", and "Post-Tea 2". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums cut by the great soul singer JR Bailey – done with production from Buddy Scott, who also wrote most of the lyrics – in conjunction with Phil Medley, who also did the arrangements! The set begins with an uptempo clubby remake of "Taste of Honey", and also features a nicely grooving take on "Stella By Starlight". Other tracks include "Million To One", "Live Love & Play", "Love & Conversation", and "The Coming Of Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of solo albums from Phillip Bailey – presented here with bonus material too! First up is Continuation – an 80s soul classic from Philip Bailey – stepping out here from Earth Wind & Fire in a set that has him sparkling strongly as a solo act! The vocals still have that trademark Bailey sound – a wonderful range that's never overdone, and which seems to shine especially well on the mellow and midtempo tunes in the set! Production is by George Duke, who does a lot to preserve the jazzier warmth of Bailey's previous settings – and although there's a bit more crossover potential here, the sound is still never too commercial or aimed at the charts. Titles include "It's Our Time", "Trapped", "I Know", "I'm Waitin For Your Love", "Desire", "The Good Guy's Supposed To Get The Girls", and "Your Boyfriend's Back". Next is Chinese Wall – a big breakthrough for Philip Bailey – and a record that was kind of a second-level explosion for the Earth Wind & Fire sound in the 80s! There's a definite crossover feel to the record – a style that takes Bailey's soulful vocals, and mixes them with lots of catchy hooks – in ways that push the Kalimba aesthetic even more into mainstream modes. Yet the album's still got some solid soul grounding, too – thanks to arrangements by Tom Tom and Arif Mardin – which is a nice contrast to the production by Phil Collins, who also guests on the hit "Easy Lover". Other cuts include "Time Is A Woman", "Go", "Walking On The Chinese Wall", "Photogenic Memory", "I Go Crazy", and "Children Of The Ghetto". Last is Inside Out – a set that has Philip Bailey working with Nile Rodgers, who gives him a lean, clean sound that works perfectly with his vocals! The sound is a nice change from the direction Bailey was heading in previously – a return to the focused soul of the later Earth Wind & Fire years, with his amazing lead opening up in ways that few other singers can match. Tunes are pretty well-penned too – catchy, but never cloyingly commercial – and titles include "State Of The Heart", "Welcome To The Club", "Special Effect", "Because Of You", "Take This With You", "The Day Will Come", "Back It Up", and "Echo My Heart". 3CD set features nice bonus material – "I Know (ext dance mix)", "Love Is Alive", "Easy Lover (with Phil Collins)", "Walking On The Chinese Wall (single)", "State Of The Heart (dub mix)", "Twins (with Little Richard)", "Twins (club mix)", and "Easy Lover (ext dance mix)". CD

One of the most hard-hitting Count Basie albums from the Roulette Records years – and that's saying a lot, given the power of Basie at the time! The set was recorded in Sweden, with a kind of triple-time energy that really has the whole thing burning right from the start – as the group's driven onward by some bold work on drums from Louis Bellson – who's working here with a lineup that includes Frank Wess and Frank Foster on tenor, Marshall Royal on alto, and Thad Jones on trumpet. There's a slight rawness to the recording – still as clear as other Roulette sessions, but with a bit more "liveness" too – a sense of place that really helps the performances sparkle. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Little Pony", "Plymouth Rock", "Backwater Blues", "Who Me", and "April In Paris". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazzy group, but one that's not straight jazz either – as they work with a strongly rhythmic vibe that's somewhere between classic fusion and some of the contemporary sounds we love on Schema Records – maybe no surprise as this combo also hails from the Italian scene as well! There's a great mix of keyboards in the music – Korg Sigma, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CP70, and Farfisa Synthorchestra – the latter of which sounds especially great, and gives the music some great spacey touches around the edges. Rhythms are all live, and have some great currents from classic boogie and late 70s club – but the vocals on most tracks bring in a special sort of vibe, in part because the singers shift, and the lyrics are in Italian. Titles include "Malavita", "Fuga Finale", "Citta Futura", "Napoli Visionaria", and "Oro Di Miele". LP, Vinyl record album

Yes, it was a mega-hit – and yes, it was one of those records that everyone who lived through the 70s seemed to own at one time – but after all these decades, you can't deny the power of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack – especially for the way that it mixed club soul classics with new original material! Obviously, the Bee Gees cover placement make them big stars of the record – but the set's also got some great early disco gems – like "Open Sesame" by Kool & The Gang, "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps, "KJEE" by MFSB, "Calypso Breakdown" by Ralph MacDonald, "Fifth Of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy, "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman, "Boogie Shoes" by KC & The Sunshine Band, and "More Than A Woman" by Tavares. The Bee Gees reinvent themselves from the early days – and sing "Stayin Alive", "How Deep Is Your Love", "More Than A Woman", "Jive Talkin", "You Should Be Dancin", and "Night Fever" – and the set also features a few instrumentals by David Shire – "Manhattan Skyline", "Night On Disco Mountain" and "Salsation". CD

Yes, it was a mega-hit – and yes, it was one of those records that everyone who lived through the 70s seemed to own at one time – but after all these decades, you can't deny the power of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack – especially for the way that it mixed club soul classics with new original material! Obviously, the Bee Gees cover placement make them big stars of the record – but the set's also got some great early disco gems – like "Open Sesame" by Kool & The Gang, "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps, "KJEE" by MFSB, "Calypso Breakdown" by Ralph MacDonald, "Fifth Of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy, "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman, "Boogie Shoes" by KC & The Sunshine Band, and "More Than A Woman" by Tavares. The Bee Gees reinvent themselves from the early days – and sing "Stayin Alive", "How Deep Is Your Love", "More Than A Woman", "Jive Talkin", "You Should Be Dancin", and "Night Fever" – and the set also features a few instrumentals by David Shire – "Manhattan Skyline", "Night On Disco Mountain" and "Salsation". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic early album from Jorge Ben – and one that's also a bit obscure, given that it was one of the few that he didn't cut for Philips Records during the first decade of his career! The album's one of Jorge's most upbeat, most lively – with the kind of ebullient mix of samba and soul influences that he brought to his first big hits – but recorded here in a way that's maybe even more frenetic, especially when piano lines spin out quickly next to his incredible vocals – with a style that's almost soul jazz at times! The whole thing's wonderful – a record that matches, if not tops any of his other 60s albums – and titles include the killer "A Jovem Samba" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Nascimento De Um Principe Africando", "Menina Gata Augusta", "Si Wanda", "Rosa Mas Que Nada", "Amor De Carnaval", and "Todo Colorida". LP, Vinyl record album

Bruno Berle's titled this album in a way that's similar to his debut – but it's way more than just a "part 2", as the Brazilian singer has really grown a lot since that release! There's a rock-solid sound to the record that takes us back to some of our favorite MPB work of the past – not just the 70s, but also that late 90s/early 00s period when it seemed like all these new ideas were coming together in Brazilian music, with a way of pushing the best bits of the past forward into a restyled vision for the future! The instrumentation here mixes lots of acoustic touches on percussion and guitar with just the right use of electronics – delivered on a number of cuts by Batata Boy, who co-produced and arranged the album with Bruno. There's a few other singers along the way, too – and titles include a beautiful remake of Arthur Russell's "Love Comes Back", plus "Sonho", "Margem Do Ceu", "E So Voce Chegar", "Dizer Adeus", "New Hit", and "Te Amar Eterno". CD

Bruno Berle's titled this album in a way that's similar to his debut – but it's way more than just a "part 2", as the Brazilian singer has really grown a lot since that release! There's a rock-solid sound to the record that takes us back to some of our favorite MPB work of the past – not just the 70s, but also that late 90s/early 00s period when it seemed like all these new ideas were coming together in Brazilian music, with a way of pushing the best bits of the past forward into a restyled vision for the future! The instrumentation here mixes lots of acoustic touches on percussion and guitar with just the right use of electronics – delivered on a number of cuts by Batata Boy, who co-produced and arranged the album with Bruno. There's a few other singers along the way, too – and titles include a beautiful remake of Arthur Russell's "Love Comes Back", plus "Sonho", "Margem Do Ceu", "E So Voce Chegar", "Dizer Adeus", "New Hit", and "Te Amar Eterno". LP, Vinyl record album

Bruno Berle's titled this album in a way that's similar to his debut – but it's way more than just a "part 2", as the Brazilian singer has really grown a lot since that release! There's a rock-solid sound to the record that takes us back to some of our favorite MPB work of the past – not just the 70s, but also that late 90s/early 00s period when it seemed like all these new ideas were coming together in Brazilian music, with a way of pushing the best bits of the past forward into a restyled vision for the future! The instrumentation here mixes lots of acoustic touches on percussion and guitar with just the right use of electronics – delivered on a number of cuts by Batata Boy, who co-produced and arranged the album with Bruno. There's a few other singers along the way, too – and titles include a beautiful remake of Arthur Russell's "Love Comes Back", plus "Sonho", "Margem Do Ceu", "E So Voce Chegar", "Dizer Adeus", "New Hit", and "Te Amar Eterno". LP, Vinyl record album

A crucial live set from Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – recorded in Paris during that formative year of 1958, when Art was starting to put together the lineup that would make the Messengers a legend! Both the young Lee Morgan and Bobby Timmons are in the group, on trumpet and piano respectively – and Benny Golson handles tenor, and brings a sharp modern sense of arrangement to the music that would forever open up Art's sound! Jymie Merritt's on bass next to Blakey's drums – and the tracks are long, and have that live performance bite that makes Messengers concert recordings from this time so great. Titles include "Moanin", "Justice", "Whisper Not", "Blues March", and "I Remember Clifford". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully hard-storming set – and a record that not only firmly put the Jazz Messengers on the map, but also set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The group here is the early version of the Messengers – almost co-led by drummer Art Blakey with pianist Horace Silver – and featuring Clifford Brown on trumpet, just a few months before his early death – plus Lou Donaldson on alto and Curley Russell on bass. The presence of alto instead of tenor makes the sound slightly different than later incarnations of the group – and the overall approach is one that virtually defines the shift from straight bop to hardbop in the 50s – a mode that both Blakey and Silver were key in creating. Tracks include "Split Kick", "Quicksilver", "Mayreh", and "A Night In Tunisia". CD features 2 bonus tracks, and great remastering! CD

Pianist Paul Bley played famously with Ornette Coleman in his earliest years – and here, he gives a nod to that special time in his career, while also working in a style that's very much his own! All tracks are famous originals penned by Ornette, but delivered in very different trio readings by Bley, along with help from Jay Anderson on bass and Jeff Hirshfield on drums – in readings that are neither the harmelodic territory of Coleman during his classic years, nor some of the airy modernism you might know from Bley either. There's a surprising amount of lyrical beauty in the performances, as Paul opens up great new currents in these tunes – titles that include "Crossroads", "Turnaround", "Compassion", "When Will The Blues Leave", and "Lorraine". LP, Vinyl record album

A set recorded many years back by Chicago spiritualist David Boykin – but one that's finally getting its debut on record, as part of the ever-evolving rich tapestry of sounds that Boykin's been giving us since the 90s! The set here captures David at a key moment – when he was maybe turning towards even more spiritual currents from more outside performances – working with an excellent lineup that features Nicole Mitchell on flute, Josh Abrams on bass, James Baker on piano, Mike Reed on drums, Renee Baker on violin, Chinatsu Nakano on alto, and Shirazette Tinnin on congas. Both Abrams and Reed are also at key points of their development, and together with Boykin and Mitchell, they beautifully point the way forward for a new generation of Chicago expression. The piece is one long live performance, over 45 minutes in length – with segments that include "Midnight", "Sunrise", "Herukhuti", and "Enocturnal Sun". CD

A pivotal album from the early 90s – one that not only furthered the rebirth of live funk instrumentation at a time when ditigal elements dominated the scene – but also really opened up that mode to a whole new generation of hip hop as well! At a time when the music was all about the samples and beats, Brand New Heavies took it back to the generation before – and provided live instrumentation for a host of fantastic talents – a legendary lineup that includes performances from Main Source, The Pharcyde, Black Sheep, Kool G Rap, Gang Starr, and Masta Ace – all young and at the top of their game, with a quality level that alone would make the album great – then really sends it over the top when paired with the instrumentation! The whole thing's amazing – still maybe yet to be topped in such a style – and titles include "Who Makes The Loot", "It's Getting Hectic", "Wake Me When I'm Dead", "Soul Flower", and "Bonafide Funk". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer cut, and one that brings back the vocals of Paul Randolph in a really wonderful way – set to this jazzy groove that features keyboards from Mark De Clive-Lowe, who also produced the track! There's plenty of other live instrumentation in the track too – guitar, percussion, and drums – and the whole thing's almost a blend between Incognito-like London soul, and some of the crisper currents of the underground! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A masterful statement from the Peter Brotzmann Tentet – a large group, but one that's capable of a rich array of sounds and sentiments – maybe given best exposure here in this key recording from the prime years of the ensemble! Ten players can be a huge number, especially when improvising so much – but these guys all have ears that are beautifully tuned to each other, and which really seems to not only bring out the best in each member, but also push the whole group together with a style that none of them could have hit on their own. Reeds are handled by the heavyweight quartet of Brotzmann, Ken Vandermark, Mats Gustafsson, and Mars Williams – and other group members include Joe McPhee on trumpet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, Kent Kessler on bass, and both Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums. Titles include "Bird Notes", "Six Gun Territory", and "Signs" – the last of which is live. CD

A fantastic live set that offers up the first-ever recorded meeting of these three giants of improvised music – a trio who return to each others' company after many years, and here for the first time with a recording device in action! Given the legacy here, there's almost as much of a loft jazz influence as there is one from the world of European free jazz – and at many points, the reeds of Peter Brotzmann seem to take a lot more directl from the drums and percussion of Milford Graves and bass of William Parker – especially at moments when both players seem tied to each other at both an emotional and performative level! Parker also plays a bit of doussn'gouni, and Graves vocalizes a bit – and the set features a searing live set recorded at the gallery space of CBGBs in 2002. LP, Vinyl record album

A different James Brown album – but a nice one! James doesn't sing soul, so much as jazz – in front of large backings by Louis Bellson, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that are in his best 60s soul mode – and which give the album a very very groovy feel overall! The record's not funky, but James' vocals are plenty darn soulful – and the album is proof that he could be a huge talent in just about any mode that he chose – shining with a brilliance that was irrepressible! James covers a few of his older tracks on the album, and sings a few other pop standards – and titles include nice versions of "It's Magic", "The Man In The Glass", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "That's My Desire", and "I Need Your Key (To Turn Me On)". LP, Vinyl record album

A different James Brown album – but a nice one! James doesn't sing soul, so much as jazz – in front of large backings by Louis Bellson, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that are in his best 60s soul mode – and which give the album a very very groovy feel overall! The record's not funky, but James' vocals are plenty darn soulful – and the album is proof that he could be a huge talent in just about any mode that he chose – shining with a brilliance that was irrepressible! James covers a few of his older tracks on the album, and sings a few other pop standards – and titles include nice versions of "It's Magic", "The Man In The Glass", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "That's My Desire", and "I Need Your Key (To Turn Me On)". CD features the previously unissued bonus track "There Was A Time" – plus the full, unedited versions of 4 other tracks – appearing here for the first time ever! CD

A pare of rare European sessions from saxophonist Marion Brown – back to back on a single set! First up is Gesprachsfetzen – a really wonderful collaboration between alto saxophonist Marion Brown and vibist/reedman Gunter Hampel – a set that's maybe one of the sharpest to come out of their work together! The music has maybe even sharper edges than some of Brown's previous records – a dose of some of the European modernism in which Hampel was steeping himself, but also with some more organic, spiritual qualities on the solos – not just Brown's, but the work of trumpeter Ambrose Jackson – who's pretty great here too. AACM legend Steve McCall is also in the group on drums and percussion, along with bassist Buschi Niebergall – and the set was recorded live, with titles that include "Gesprachsfetzen", "Exhibit A", "Babudah", "Tomorrow Is The Beginning Of The End Of Yesterday", and "Aba". In Sommerhausen is one of the key records that alto saxophonist Marion Brown made while working on the German scene at the end of the 60s – an incredibly fruitful period that seemed to unlock all this new energy in Brown's music in a mode that was similar to what happened when Don Cherry started making time on the European scene! Brown's key partner here is Gunter Hampel – who plays vibes, bass clarinet, and percussion – the latter of which is handled by the other members of the group too – a lineup that includes Ambrose Jackson on trumpet, Daniel Laloux on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – playing here before his better-known work with the AACM. Jeanne Lee brings some lovely vocalizations to the set – and titles include "Dance No 1", "Exhibit B", "Il Ne Chant Pas", "The Sound Of A Song", and "Malipieros Midnight Theater". CD

A really hip record from the team of bassist Ray Brown and vibist Milt Jackson – a swinging large group record that has them fronting arrangements from Oliver Nelson and Jimmy Heath! Nelson and Heath are both mighty hip cats at this point in their career – and bring a soulful swing to the record that really takes off – a groove that's lively, but tuned with lots of cool colors and tones too – shifting effortlessly while things move forward – but always with the right soulful appeal for older fans of both leaders. Milt's especially great in this setting – even more on fire than some of his other collaborations with Brown – and titles include "Dew & Mud", "Lined With A Groove", "Lazy Theme", "In A Crowd", and "Now Hear My Meaning". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". CD

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual project from Butcher Brown – a set that was originally written as a hip hop project for MC Tennishu, and which only gets plenty of instrumentation from the Butcher Brown combo, in their best funky jazz mode – but also has an added large ensemble really bumping up the sound! There's still plenty of hip hop on the record, but instrumentation is all live jazz and in a mode that so many others tried to do years back, but maybe never got this right. Titles include "Lawd Why", "Breevin", "Cusian", "Unbelievable", "777", and "Git Along" LP, Vinyl record album

Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd – sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s – and feature Bobby working in that incredibly tight, incredibly fast-grooving mode he first forged with James – heard to best effect on some key live recordings, and served up here in some equally great studio sides that feature help from Fred Wesley and Brown. A few other cuts keep the funky fire burning with some surprisingly nice Miami touches – with Clarence Reid on production, but Bobby more than strongly in the mix on some great vocals. There also appears to be a few tracks from later years – featuring Byrd with singers Vicki Anderson and Martha High, plus a group that also includes Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley – and 2 more that are later live numbers. The set features 11 tracks in all, and is a great counterpart to Bobby's one and only album for the King label – with tracks that include "Never Get Enough", "Hang It Up", "Back From The Dead", "The Way To Get Down", "Feel Good Friday", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Let Me Know", and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind". CD

Early in his career, Donald Byrd spent some time in Paris – where he not only got a chance to work in a whole new setting with some really great players, but he also got to record some fantastic sides that still stand as some of his best hardbop work! This rare album was originally issued on the French Brunswick label – and it features a quintet that includes Bobby Jaspar on tenor, Walter Davis Jr on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The set was recorded live – and the tracks are all quite long – really giving the group ample room to stretch out on hard-blowing solos with a lot of soul. Titles include "Ray's Idea", "Flute Blues", "Paul's Pal", "Dear Old Stockholm", and "The Blues Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD

Plenty of spirit, and plenty of soul – a 70s classic from organist Doug Carn, and a record that took his instrument, and jazz in general, to a whole new level for the decade! Carn's got this burning, righteous quality on his keys – a vibe that certainly owes something to Larry Young, but also takes off even further – working in a spiritual ensemble that also features his wife Jean Carn on vocals – sounding way more like a righteous jazz singer than on her later soul sides for Philly International! Other players are great, too – and include Charles Tolliver on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, George Harper on tenor and soprano sax, Buster Williams on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks include "New Moon", "Trance Dance", "My Spirit", "Blue In Green", and "Arise & Shine". CD

The frenzied piano of Carmen Cavallaro gets a nice does of Latin rhythms on this set – and the set's a great example of the way that cocktail piano and Latin were strongly linked in the New York scene of the 50s! Carmen's style here is certainly different than that of Joe Loco, Noro Morales, or others who skirted the same territory – but the difference is also not that great, and it was Cavallaro's earlier sense of drama and color that often helped inspire piano work in players who followed. The rhythms are especially great here too – not straight Latin all the time, but a nice mix of inventive and exotic touches from bass and percussion that really liven things up, and make the tunes come across with modes that are quite different than their familiar readings. Titles include "Dolores My Own", "Frenesi", "Andalucia", "Maria La-O", "Perfida", "Adios", and "Poinciana". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Bethlehem Records date from vibes man Teddy Charles – stepping out here in a set that's one of his most openly swinging of the time! The record still has some of the modern currents of Teddy's other work, but also makes great use of Zoot Sims on tenor – really pushing him out front for some bold solos on most numbers – in a great group that also includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Sam Most on flute, and Dave McKenna on piano. There's a bit of audience noise at times, but we can't tell for sure if this is an actual live album – given the clarity of the performances throughout. Titles include "Nigerian Walk", "Rifftide", "Yesterdays", "That Old Black Magic", and "Yale Blue". CD

A set that's got a leaner, looser vibe than some of the Zamrock classics of the 70s – a record that sometimes has a very raw, almost garagey approach to the instrumentation – but with guitar that also echoes high life and other West African styles too! Singer Teddy Chisi gets support from The Fireballs – a nicely cooking combo who clearly have lots of raw energy created in the clubs – a group who are out to just kick things up with a very spontaneous vibe behind Teddy's lead, almost with energy that makes you feel like you're sorting through a pile of rare 45s instead of a more polished album. Titles include "Drive That Funky Thing", "Rich Woman", "Shy Shy Man", "Maria", "Am Alive", "All I Got", "Chipadzuwa", and "Happy Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from the great Gene Clark – a key part of that scattered legacy that really helped cement his individual genius after leaving The Byrds! Much of the record is a spare and intimate affair – with Gene's warm vocals accompanied by his own gently picked acoustic guitar, along with producer Jesse Ed Davis (who does a masterful job in the booth on this one) also on guitar. The tunes are also sweetened by waltzy basslines, and Byrds-y keyboard riffs by Ben Sidran, but Gene's wonderful vocals and his amazingly strong songwriting are obviously the biggest draws – not standard country or roots rock, and instead delivered with a sense of sophistication that's almost a genre unto itself. Titles include the amazing "For A Spanish Guitar" – plus "The Virgin", "With Tomorrow", "White Light", "Where My Love Lies Asleep", "1975", and a great reading of The Band & Bob Dylan's "Tears Of Rage". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". Plus, this new version of the set features a huge amount of bonus material – a long live version of the whole suite, recorded in 1965 in Antibes, alternate takes of tracks on the original session – and the fantastic sextet reading of "Acknowledgement", with playing by Archie Shepp! Movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". CD

A great 2-fer – featuring both of Noel Coward's Columbia albums in one 70s set. First up is Noel Coward In New York – a very cool album from Coward – a talent you're probably more familiar with as a playwright, but who also happens to be quite the entertainer! This album is one of two great sets that Coward recorded live in the US in the mid 50s, and they really show him opening up a lot from earlier recordings – singing with an ease and swinging style that adds a whole new level to his classic compositions. It helps that Peter Matz is handling the backing and arrangements – jazzing up Noel's tunes with a nice 50s style – and the live setting of the recordings make them come off well, especially as the audiences are very enthusiastic! Titles include "Wait A Bit Joe", "Why Must The Show Go On", "I Like America", "Luisa", "I Went To A Marvelous Party", and "20th Century Blues". Next is Noel Coward at Las Vegas, one of our favorite vocal albums of the 50s – an incredibly witty live set from Noel Coward, recorded in Las Vegas, with a very different style than some of his other records! The Noel Coward you'll hear here is still steeped in the mannered wit of his earlier plays, but he's also let himself go considerably – working in front of a live audience with an eager ear for well crafted lyrics and innuendo. The songs are mostly numbers from Coward's earlier shows, but they're sung in a hip swinging loungey style that really gives them legs – moving them past their staid roots into strong 50s vocal territory. Includes 2 great remakes of Cole Porter numbers – "Let's Do It" and "Begin The Beguine", both with Coward's own lyrics – plus "Uncle Harry", "A Bar On The Piccola Marina", "World Weary", and "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite vocal albums of the 50s – an incredibly witty live set from Noel Coward, recorded in Las Vegas, with a very different style than some of his other records! The Noel Coward you'll hear here is still steeped in the mannered wit of his earlier plays, but he's also let himself go considerably – working in front of a live audience with an eager ear for well crafted lyrics and innuendo. The songs are mostly numbers from Coward's earlier shows, but they're sung in a hip swinging loungey style that really gives them legs – moving them past their staid roots into strong 50s vocal territory. Includes 2 great remakes of Cole Porter numbers – "Let's Do It" and "Begin The Beguine", both with Coward's own lyrics – plus "Uncle Harry", "A Bar On The Piccola Marina", "World Weary", and "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool album from Noel Coward – a talent you're probably more familiar with as a playwright, but who also happens to be quite the entertainer! This album is one of two great sets that Coward recorded live in the US in the mid 50s, and they really show him opening up a lot from earlier recordings – singing with an ease and swinging style that adds a whole new level to his classic compositions. It helps that Peter Matz is handling the backing and arrangements – jazzing up Noel's tunes with a nice 50s style – and the live setting of the recordings make them come off well, especially as the audiences are very enthusiastic! Titles include "Wait A Bit Joe", "Why Must The Show Go On", "I Like America", "Luisa", "I Went To A Marvelous Party", and "20th Century Blues". CD

A very cool album from Noel Coward – a talent you're probably more familiar with as a playwright, but who also happens to be quite the entertainer! This album is one of two great sets that Coward recorded live in the US in the mid 50s, and they really show him opening up a lot from earlier recordings – singing with an ease and swinging style that adds a whole new level to his classic compositions. It helps that Peter Matz is handling the backing and arrangements – jazzing up Noel's tunes with a nice 50s style – and the live setting of the recordings make them come off well, especially as the audiences are very enthusiastic! Titles include "Wait A Bit Joe", "Why Must The Show Go On", "I Like America", "Luisa", "I Went To A Marvelous Party", and "20th Century Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of albums from this near-forgotten group – both originally issued by Elektra, and presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is the self-titled Crabby Appleton – a set that's got a surprising sort of late psych vibe at times – almost as if the group were hanging on to some of the modes that first got them started, while also stretching out with some of the new sophistication that the 70s had to offer! That psych touch is maybe no surprise, though, given that the group's singer Michael Fennelly was in The Millennium – and works here with some heavier rockers who were in Stonehenge – all in a surprising mix of modes that really keeps things interesting throughout! Titles include the big single "Go Back", plus "Peace By Peace", "To All My Friends", "Some Madness", "Hunger For Love", "Last Night In Your Sleep Fred", "Some Madness", and "The Other Side". Next is Rotten To The Core, the second and last album from Crabby Appleton, and a record that's got the group picking up some harder edges than before – shedding some of the lighter psych elements for harder modes on the downturning grooves, almost as if the group had some blues inspirations they didn't showcase the first time around! The shift is one that has us almost thinking that the group could have hit the heights of 70s AM rock, had they held the course – with lots of surprising nuggets throughout, in a set list that includes "Makes No Difference", "Lucy", "It's So Hard", "Tomorrow's A New Day", "You Make Me Hot", "Gonna Save You", and "Love Can Change Everything". 2CD set features bonus material – "Go Back (alt mono single)", "Try (alt mono single)", "My Little Lucy (alt mono single)", "Some Madness (mono single)", "Can't Live My Life (alt mono single)", "Grab On", "Tomorrow's A New Day (alt mono single)", and "It's So Hard (alt mono single)". CD

A really well-done collection of work by Randy Crawford – one that not only gets at that unique place she holds in soul music, but also one that shows just how much she kept growing as the years went on! Randy's voice was maybe first exposed to folks for her famous work on The Crusaders' "Street Life" – but even before that, she was emerging as one of the elite in a new generation of sophisticated soul singers – equally well-skilled in jazzy expressions and soulful styles, and able to bring a new level of maturity to the music from the late 70s onwards! This great package traces Randy's growth as a solo artist over the course of many albums for Warner Brothers – and also includes some duets, live material, and compilation cuts – really getting at the importance she held in the field at the time. There's a whopping 57 tracks on 3CDs, complete with a big booklet of notes – and titles include "Don't Wanna Be Normal", "Blue Flame", "I Stand Accused", "Same Old Story", "Tender Falls The Rain", "Gonna Give Lovin A Try", "Ain't No Foolin", "Everything Must Change (live)", "Street Life (edit)", "When Your Life Was Low", "One Day I'll Fly Away", "Time For Love", "Your Precious Love (live with Al Jarreau)", "Windsong", "We Had A Love So Strong", "Imagine (live with Yellowjackets)", "All It Takes Is Love", "Single Woman Married Man", "Last Night At Danceland", "Just A Touch", "He Reminds Me", "Knockin On Heaven's Door", "Almaz", "I Let You Walk Away", "Bottom Line", "Cigarette In The Rain", and lots more! CD

A really wonderful group – and one who might also be called the Chicago Creative Construction Company – as the combo has a fair bit of contributions from members of the AACM! There's an openly inventive spirit here that's quite similar to early Art Ensemble Of Chicago records, with similar instrumental variety between the members of the group – a fantastic lineup that includes Anthony Braxton on saxes, flute, and clarinets; Leroy Jenkins on violin, viola, recorder, harmonica, and xylophone; Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet, seal horn, flugelhorn, and French Horn; Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, cello, and clarinet; Richard Davis on bass; and Steve McCall on drums and percussion. Ornette Coleman produced the performance, which was recorded live at the Peace Church in New York – and this second volume features one long track, titled "No More White Gloves". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Crow, and one of those records that should have stood shoulder to shoulder with some of the bigger albums of the time – as these guys have the same blend of blues-inspired hard rock as some of their key contemporaries, while also come cross with an individual flavor that's all their own! Lead singer Dave Wagner has a nicely odd way of delivering a lyric – almost frenetic in feel, and matched with plenty of searing lines from guitarist Dick Weigand. The organ's pretty nice at times too – and titles include a remake of "Slow Down" – plus "The Last Prayer", "Cottage Cheese", "Gone Gone Gone", "Heading North", "Death Down To Your Soul", "I Stand To Blame", "Colors", and "Smokey Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

Current Rage were one of the more obscure groups to come out of the Athens, GA scene in the early 80s – but they've also got all the instantly creative energy that made that short-lived world of music every bit as exciting as some of the best New York sounds at the time! There's a nicely choppy approach to the rhythms going on here, and plenty of strong guitar play too – deft music that's somewhere in the territory of Pylon, and like that group, maybe a warmer US answer to British post-punk sounds of the same time. Titles include "Right Side Of The Brain", "Bitte Schoen", "Sweet Torture", "My Dog Sam", "Looking Through Gels", and "Scream In The Dark". Expanded version features bonus tracks that include "Adventures In America", "Punch A Clock", "The Theme", "Constant Hiss", and live tracks "My Dog Sam", "AF", "Tequila", and "The Book Pressed Flowers". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just another book of album cover art – as this impressive volume presents countless images from the evolution of blues music in the 20th Century, alongside detailed writings that also try to explore visual trends, tropes of representation, and the larger role of the music in an American popular aesthetic! Chapters look at a range of different imagery – from early sheet music, to pre-war 78rpm labels, to blues photographs, record covers, and even film posters – but all laid out in a way that's extremely lively, given the great choice of images, and the book's glossy pages and hardcover presentation! 224 pages, with a look that's like the nicest coffee table books – but content that runs a lot deeper. Book

An underground classic from Karen Dalton – a record that's almost out of time, given its early 70s release – as Karen sings with spare backings that are almost in a Folkway Records mode at points, but with all these headier currents that are also indicative of the Bay Area generation too! Dalton's voice is completely unique too – unlike anything you'll ever hear – phrasing that almost hearkens back both to vintage jazz and Appalachian folk, but a style that's more long hair – as are some of the backings too. The set was recorded upstate in Bearsville – and really has all the hallmarks of the freedoms of that scene at the time – summed up beautifully on material that includes "Something On Your Mind", "In A Station", "Take Me", "Same Old Man", Are You Leaving For The Country", "Katie Cruel", and "How Sweet It Is". Features a huge amount of bonus material – three alternate takes from the album sessions, and six more live tracks from 1971! LP, Vinyl record album

Don't pass this one up! Although lots of other albums by Eddie Lockjaw Davis are laidback quartet and quintet sessions, done in a soul jazz organ/tenor mode – this session features Eddie working with stunning bigger band backings, in a searingly soulful sound that's simply incredible! The leadoff track, "Trane Whistle", has Lockjaw really working new waves of sound into his tenor sax – screaming the horn in a way that you thought you'd never hear, and playing with tones that are a lot darker than usual! The set moves on from there in a nice batch of material that includes "Whole Nelson" and "Stolen Moments", two fantastic originals by Oliver Nelson, who also arranged the album – and takes a great deal of responsibility for the strength of the set. The record shows a whole new side of Davis' talents – one that was barely if ever recorded like this again – and which is made even better by the presence of freshly modern players that include Eric Dolphy, Richard Williams, Melba Liston, and Roy Haynes. Great stuff! CD

A beautiful overview of some of the most legendary material in the catalog of both Miles Davis and John Coltrane – quintet collaborations for Prestige Records from the late 50s, presented here with all master and alternate takes, plus a full bonus CD of unreleased material! The original tracks were issued on a groundbreaking run of albums that include the classics Cookin, Relaxin, Steamin, and Workin With The Miles Davis Quintet – all with Davis on trumpet, Coltrane on tenor, and rhythm from the trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. But in addition to the 32 tracks of studio material from the group – presented on the first 3 CDs in the set – the package also features 8 more live numbers, recorded for the Tonight Show in 1955, and live at the Blue Note in Philly in 1956 and at Cafe Bohemia in 1958! Original studio tunes include "Stablemates", "The Theme", "How Am I To Know", "Four", "Salt Peanuts", "Woody'n You", "Ahmad's Blues", "Well You Needn't", "Half Nelson", "Oleo", "Tune Up", and "Blues By Five". Unreleased live tunes include "Tune Up", "Walkin", "Max Is Making Wax", "Four", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "Two Bass Hit". Added bonuses include 5 solo transcriptions, a 40 page booklet, and original cover art by Miles! CD

Thelonious Monk may have written the title tune, but Miles Davis makes it all his own here – blowing with a subtle moody magic that makes the album one of his true treasures from the early Columbia Records years! John Coltrane's along on tenor sax – helping Davis expand the sound the pair first forged on Prestige – and also present is the rhythm trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – impeccably recorded here with a wonderful sense of space, and almost a bridge between older Miles modes, and the genius to come. Titles include Miles seminal take on "Round Midnight", plus "Tadd's Delight", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "A Leu Cha". The first disc also features 4 bonus tracks too – "Sweet Sue", "Little Melonae", "Budo", and "Two Bass Hit". The second disc are live recordings from '55 and '56. CD

One of the folksiest albums we've ever heard from Jackie DeShannon – a record that's heavy on acoustic guitar and folk-styled numbers, but which also features some top-shelf LA arrangements from the great Jack Nitzsche! Jackie takes on a number of folk hits of the day, but delivers them with a surprisingly strong approach – still a bit pop, but with an expressive quality in her vocals that may well beat most of the other pop folkies of the time. Titles include "Walkin Down The Line", "Don't Think Twice It's Alright", "Baby Let Me Follow", and "Jailer Bring Me Water" – but the set also includes "Needles & Pins", which is one of Jackie's most soulful tunes ever! LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet soccer comedy from the 80s Italian scene – one that's scored with a fair bit of electric elements, but also a fair bit of percussion as well! The story's set in Brazil, and the music is this cool combination of more familiar 80s keyboard modes with samba-influenced percussion – often lively, colorful grooves that are matched by the keyboards doing these sonic waves that almost feel more like they could have come from a brass or woodwind instrument! The mood is playful and upbeat throughout – and this first-time vinyl issue of the material features 20 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

An organ bossa classic from the legendary Eumir Deodato – one of his strongest albums from his early years in Brazil! There's a very jazzy feel to the set all the way through – thanks to a tightly arranged group that not only features the organ and percussion you might expect from such a date, but which also features some great horn work as well! Trombone, tenor, and baritone sax all get in some nice licks – and Deodato's organ cooks wonderfully throughout, often with a quick-stepping bossa jazz sound that really keeps things lively. Titles include "O Sol Nascera", "Samba Do Dom Natural", "Terra De Ninguem", "E Bom Parar", and "Ataque". CD

A set that definitely takes the title seriously – as it brings together lots and lots of upbeat groovers from Dion – a few early cuts with The Belmonts, and a lot more from his excellent solo years of the 60s! That stretch of Dion's career is often given focus as a time when DiMucci moved into more serious singer-songwriter modes – but at the same time, he was also still able to deliver the kind of catchy groovers that he first pioneered with The Belmonts – as you'll hear on this overstuffed collection that also features copious notes on this point in his career. CD features 29 tracks in all – with titles that include "The Majestic", "Unloved Unwanted Me", "I Got The Blues", "Lonely Teenager", "Little Diane", "Sweet Sweet Baby", "Shout", "Lovers Who Wander", "North End Of The Corner", "Flim Flam", "The Wanderer", and "Come Go With Me". CD

One of the best books we've ever read on any sort of creative scene and cultural moment – a superbly-penned account of the rise of underground comix in the 60s, and the growth and changes of the movement in the decades that followed! Author Brian Doherty makes the scene come alive in ways that are even more powerful than most music books that try to do the same – tracing the disparate roots of key figures like Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Trina Robbins, and others – as they end up converging in San Francisco in the late 60s, finding a way to express themselves through new styles and new means of production and distribution – then spread out as the 70s move in, and underground comix provide the building blocks for the graphic novel generation to come. The book is insanely well-researched, but also written with a lively style that really gets at both the creative talents and individual personalities of each of the folks involved – all at a level that makes for a hell of a read that goes way past the usual book on comics, music, or any other sort of cultural creative scene! Hardcover edition is 439 pages. Book

Lean later work from Philippe Doray and his anti-social associates – material that draws heavily on some of the cold wave electronics of the early part of the 80s, and which also has some of the playful presence of the German new wave too! The music is definitely out of time – very different than anything recorded in the French mainstream of the mid-80s – and delivered with a style that clearly knows the darker reaches of the sonic spectrum, but which never lingers there too long. Doray handles a variety of keyboards and synth, and since both straight and with a vocoder – alongside contributions from others on guitars, keyboards, saxes, and flute. Titles include "Flash Back", "Le Petit Geant", "Aurora Day (edit)", "Choc D'Amour", "Le Composant Compositeur", and "Secoue Le Flipeur". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic meeting of two generations of soulful music – Sheila E, the daughter of Cali Latin soul genius Coke Escovedo, meets up with the snappingly funky world of Prince – and results in one of the strongest records of Sheila's career! The singer/percussionist had already been around for about a decade on record – turning out some great Latin work with her brother Pete in the Bay Area – but this set has Sheila going of the top with a great Paisley Park groove, really working with lots of influences from Prince, but still also getting plenty of Latin elements of her own into the mix – on long tracks that are filled with wonderful rhythms and plenty of great percussion too! Titles include the sublime title cut "The Glamorous Life" – plus "The Belle Of St Mark", "Oliver's House", "Strawberry Shortcake", "Noon Rendezvous", and "Next Time Wipe The Lipstick Off Your Collar". 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really well-titled set – as it offers up some more intimate takes on the Duke Ellington sound of the cusp of the 70s – with some especially nice trio and solo numbers that are well worth the price of the whole collection! The album starts with the amazing "Moon Maiden" – a track that has Ellington playing celeste, and reciting this weird little cosmic poem – almost in a Sun Ra-type aesthetic, and key proof that Duke was still stretching out a lot in his later years! There's also some excellent trio tracks that really get at that highly modern mode that Ellington hit at his Live At The Whitney session – mixed with a few more larger group numbers that, while not exactly intimate, still have a nicely laid back feel. In addition to "Moon Maiden", other tracks include "Tenz", "Eulb", "Layin On Mellow", "Edward The First", "Symphonette", and "Some Summer Fun". LP, Vinyl record album

A rocksteady classic from The Ethiopians – but a set that also has plenty more going on as well! The duo work here as a Jamaican counterpart to American soul groups – one of the first and best to hit the Kingston scene – but they also open themselves up to lots of other ideas in the process, and sometimes lay back vocally to just let the album open up and groove! Harmonies are The Ethiopians' strongest calling card – but they're often first directed by the rhythms, then slide in to warm things up and give a larger presence to the slow-stepping, midtempo grooves – all delivered with a classic Kingston head-nodding approach. The album's a key genre-building moment in Jamaican music – and titles include the classic "Train To Skaville", plus "Engine 54", "My Love", "You Got The Dough", "Woman's World", "Long Time Now", and "Unchanged Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great record, and maybe one of the few hip hop soundtracks to get at the real feel of the music on the streets – maybe no surprise, as the film for which it was created did the same thing! This isn't a fluffed-up Hollywood take on hip hop, with mainstream soul thrown into the mix – as the record was put together by Fab 5 Freddy and Chris Stein – the latter of whom really invests in his hip hop cred away from Blondie, and also provides some cool guitar bits and effects in the music too! There's some great freestyle bits and turntable tracks that really get at the underground side of the music that was alive and well at the time – and titles include "Wild Style Theme Rap 1" by Grandmaster Caz & Chris Stein, "Basketball Throwdown" by Cold Crush Bros & The Fantastic Four, "Stoop Rap" by Double Trouble & Rodney Cee, "Rammellzee & Shock Dell at the Amphitheatre" with Grandmixer DST, "Wild Style Subway Rap 2" by Grand Master Caz & Chris Stein, and "Cold Crush Brothers At The Dixie". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just another box set by a well-established act – as this collection moves way past their hits, and pulls together a huge amount of unreleased material that really testifies to the long-running genius of one of the most unique British groups to emerge in the late 60s! The set does feature key album highlights, but also includes 55 previously-unissued tracks, and lots of rare material too – as well as a fair bit of live recordings that really show the role that improvisation played in the group's performance – that odd current of jazz that could sometimes show up and color the way that the group presented its influences from more ancient forms of music. The group also shifted members with ease, and really moved their sound around over the years – in a way that many fans would say was only a continued refinement of their aims. The huge set documents this change, and also includes the unreleased Manor album – and comes in a special box with 48-page book, and a total of 121 tracks on 7 CDs, nearly half of which (55 tracks) are previously unreleased. CD

The Faithful Brothers are an Israeli duo, but one who come to their debut after years of collecting Northern Soul 45s – decades of listening, learning, and absorbing – all of which really shows through in this well-done debut! The pair work with a very full lineup of musicians – horns, Hammond, and even a bit of vibes – used like you might hear on some late 60s Detroit indie soul single, with soaring sounds over the romping grooves – all of which really do a great job of elevating the vocals! Yet since the Faithful Brothers themselves just handle instruments, they're also not slavish to the singer – and the album's equally strong on the instrumental tip as it is on the vocal one. Titles include "So Low", "Downtown Uptown", "Night Man", "The Town I Live In", "Joy", "They Don't Know", "Let's Break The Curfew", and "Tell Me One More Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning batch of tracks from a very unusual LA group of the early 70s – a funk combo at the core, but one that was also equally comfortable with bits of psych and redneck rock as well! The music here was all recorded within a short span of years, and mostly issued on the small Alpha label as a handful of funky 45s – but the style is surprisingly spacious, and shows a strong sense of musicianship from the members of the group – so much so that they seem equally comfortable and right on top of their game, no matter what direction they choose to take! And don't think that this multi-style description means that these guys are too all over the map, because there's a really unified sense of soul that holds the whole thing together – so that when they get a bit rootsy, the result is country soul – or when they get a bit trippy, they hit some Funkadelic-styled sounds. The collection includes great notes on the setting that produced these tracks – penned by Egon, who put the set together with help from Malcolm Catto, DJ Shadow, and others. Titles include "Don't Let Him Take Away Your Mind", "Strange Things", "Heaven & Earth", "Take Time", "We Got Love", "Waterloo At Watergate", "Why Don't You Trust In Me", "Cruising Central Ave", "The Dead Don't Die Alive", and "You're My Precious Someone". LP, Vinyl record album