With Abraham Laboriel on bass, Rick Marotta on drums, Terry Trotter on DX7, and Michael Fisher on percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

With Greg Mathieson on keys, Abraham Laboriel on bass, Jeff Porcaro on Drums, and Paulinho Da Costa on percussion. Titles include "Room 335", "Point It Up", "Rio Samba", "I Apologize", and "Don't Give It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "The Prince", "Naked Truth", "Surrender", and "Double Cross". CD

Larry Carlton looks a little cheesy on the cover of this one, but the album's a classic set of mainstream fusion from the start of the 80s – exactly the kind of record that made Carlton one of the standouts of the time! Larry actually sings a bit on the set, but the main focus is on his guitar work – often as sharp-edged as the lightning lines on the cover image – but with a warmer, soulful undercurrent too – one that bubbles along nicely, thanks to keyboards from Greg Mathieson and Don Freeman, and cool percussion from the great Paulinho Da Costa. The best tunes here have that warmly melodic feel you'd find in some of Pat Metheny's work, although with a bit more soul overall – and titles include "Springville", "Strikes Twice", "Ain't Nothin For A Heartache", "For Love Alone", "Mulberry Street", and "In My Blood". CD

With Mark Russo on saxophone. CD

A real gem from guitarist Larry Carlton – a set that's very jazzy, but which also shows the strong focus he'd developed on his rock session work in the 70s – including some famous recordings with Steely Dan! There's a sharpness to Carlton's guitar that cuts through some of the sleepier modes of fusion players of the time – a style that's right out front, able to solo with a great sense of voice, but also no cheesier sounds as well – very appealing to fans of 70s guitar fusion, and Carlton's great blend of soulful undercurrents as well. Titles include "Sleepwalk", "Last Night", "Blues Bird", "Upper Kern", "10:00pm", and "You Gotta Get It While You Can". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The Crusaders are really going strong at this point – in near-hit status, almost acting as the Steely Dan of LA jazz. The sound is certainly slicker than before, but in a way that's actually pretty darn nice – as Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Stix Hooper, and Larry Carlton come together with effortless ease – dipping, turning, twisting, and still hitting a nice groove on the best tunes. Tracks include "Nite Crawler", "Feel It", "River Rat", "Free As The Wind", and "Sweet N Sour". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of a change for Allen Toussaint – the kind of an album that makes good use of all the connections he was making during the early 70s, when he was becoming the darling of the Warner Brothers scene in LA. Overall, Allen's getting pretty smooth by this point – so smooth that even some rootsy production by Jerry Wexler still makes it hard to remember that he got his start in the raw New Orleans soul scene – but at its heart, the album's still got a good talent for the kind of rolling groove that Toussaint brought to his own work, and that of so many other artists, in earlier years. This album features lots of LA studio backing, with players like Richard Tee, Victor Feldman, Paulinho Da Costa, Larry Carlton, and others of that ilk. Titles include "Motion", "Night People", "Just A Kiss Away", "Declaration Of Love", and "Viva La Money". LP, Vinyl record album

The sublime first album from Randy Crawford – a set that's got a very strong jazzy vibe throughout – and which really shows the great place from which Randy started! There's a careful and classy mix of jazz, soul, and modern R&B throughout – never overdone, but often filled out with just the right sort of larger charts to match that incredible range of Crawford – that singing style that few other artists could match! Arrangements are by William Eaton and Larry Carlton – both with lots of jazzy undercurrents – and titles include a killer live version of "Everything Must Change", plus the tracks "I Had To See You One More Time", "I've Never Been To Me", "I Let You Walk Away", "Something So Right", and "Don't Let Me Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Crusaders album – and one that's a perfect bridge between their earlier soul jazz styles, and their tighter funkier electric one. The record was recorded live at the Roxy, and the group is augmented by Larry Carlton on guitar, who gives the tracks a nice razor edge at his best moments. All songs are pretty long – and the band is in extremely good form, jamming away with lots of funky vamping, and breaking out with some very soulful solos. Titles include "Scratch", "Hard Times", "So Far Away", and "Way Back Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Fourplay is Bob James, Nathan East, Chuck Loeb, and Harvey Mason – with guest work by Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton, and Kirk Whalum. CD

A seminal classic from Michael Franks – one of those records that's almost a whole genre unto itself, and which set a whole new tone for the male voice in American music! The style here is light and jazzy – almost an evolution of modes first begun by Kenny Rankin, and served up here with a similarly compressed production style that really brings out the jazz in the instrumentation. Players include Michael Brecker, Joe Sample, Larry Carlton, and David Sanborn – all sounding great with a bit of added strings from Nick DeCaro. But the real star of the set is clearly Franks – whose light vocals and creative lyrics sound wonderful next to the electric piano on the set. Titles include "Eggplant", "Monkey See Monkey Do", "Jive", "Mr Blue", "Popsicle Toes", "St Elmos Fire", "I Don't Know Why I'm So Happy I'm Sad", and "Sometimes I Just Forget To Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

Pop soul from the Alessi brothers – bright, upbeat and glossy groovers that sound sweeter that we would have imagined all these years – with tight songcraft, hooks you can't shake if you try, and played by some all star musicians - Larry Carlton, Tom Scott, Ernie Watts, Lenny Castro and more! Christopher Cross is also on the album, and he blew up pretty big for a little while around this time, and Long Time Friends are just as unshakable as his huge hit! Titles include "Jagged Edge", "I'm Gonna Tell Her Tonight", "How Long, How Much", "Still In Love", "Forever", "Long Time Friends" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A great Crusaders album – and one that's a perfect bridge between their earlier soul jazz styles, and their tighter funkier electric one. The album was recorded live at the Roxy, and the group is augmented by Larry Carlton on guitar, who gives the tracks a nice razor edge at his best moments. All songs are pretty long – and the band is in extremely good form, jamming away with lots of funky vamping, and breaking out with some very soulful solos. Titles include "Scratch", "Hard Times", "So Far Away", and "Way Back Home". CD

Lesser-known 70s work from Hues Corporation – but still pretty darn sweet! As with other efforts for RCA, the overall sound is somewhat polished, but never too commercial – kind of a more mainstream take on harmony soul modes from a few years before – especially the mixed male/female approach at the end of the 60s. There's a bit of disco in the backings, but usually not too much – and most of the production is in that tight AM radio-friendly RCA mode that worked perfectly back in the day. Arrangements are by Michael Omartin, HB Barnum, and Larry Carlton – and titles include "He's My Home", "Gold Rush", "You Showed Me What Love Is", "Long Road", "One Good Night Together", "Soul Sailin", and "Sing To Your Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Mangione plays Arp Soloist, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CS80, and piano, accompanied by Larry Carlton on guitar, Robert Pops Popwell and Abraham Laboriel on bass, Peter Donald and Ralph Humphrey on drums, Jeff Porcaro on drums and percussion, Greg Mathieson on piano, Chuck Findley on trumpets, Bill Reichenbach Jr on trombone, and Vincent DeRosa on french horn. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 70s funk from Hugo Montenegro – an artist who really developed a great ear for electric styles by this point in his career! The album's very heavy on Arp – and includes variations on the instrument in many formats – all set to funky jazz arrangements that follow from Hugo's previous Stevie Wonder album – and like that one, offer up his own take on 70s soul! The Arp-y keyboards show up on nearly every track – adding in so many wonderful electronic elements – alongside warmer winds from Don Menza and Ernie Watts, and smooth grooves from a rhythm combo that includes Larry Carlton on guitar and Hal Blaine on drums. Titles include a great cover of Stevie Wonder's "Creepin", plus cuts by "other brothers", like "Feel Like Makin' Love", "What's Goin' On", and "Nothing From Nothing" – as well as the great original "Noah's Arp"! LP, Vinyl record album

Allen Toussaint's complete recordings for Warner – a trio of classic albums from one of the greatest forces in Crescent City soul, plus rare live tracks – in a perfect 2CD set! Includes the complete Life Love & Faith, Southern Nights and Motion albums – from a creatively fruitful 70s period when Toussaint was mixing a bit of funk into the heavy soul mix, and even some mellow LA soul touches – coming up with a blend of styles without ever betraying his New Orleans roots! New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, Zig Modeliste, Art Neville and George Porter Jr factor in to the Life Love & Faith and Southern Nights sessions, along with LA sessions all stars like Richard Tee, Victor Feldman, Paulinho Da Costa, Larry Carlton and producer Jerry Wexler on the Motion sessions – this this excellent Rhino CD anthology also include 10 previously unreleased live records! Titles include Soul Sister", "Victims Of The Darkness", "Am I Expecting Too Much", "Out Of The City", "Goin Down", "Electricity", "Fingers & Toes", Southern Nights", "Basic Lady", "Last Train", "Worldwide", "You Will Not Lose", "When The Party's Over", Motion", "Night People", "Just A Kiss Away", "Declaration Of Love", "Viva La Money" and more from the studio recordings, plus "Touch Of Love", "Brickyard Blues", "What Is Success", "Shoo-Ra", "Last Train" and more live tracks! CD

With selections by Phil Collins, Stevie Nicks, Peter Gabriel, Big Country, Mike Rutherford, Kid Creole and The Coconuts, Larry Carlton, and Michel Colombier. LP, Vinyl record album