Groovy Sammy! This is the Sammy Davis Jr we remember – the hip-swinging cat from the 70s, and not the staid serious vocalist that's usually the focus of other reissue packages of his work. This set resurrects the Sam from the early and mid 70s – the nehru-jacketed, medallion wearing, peace sign waving pseudo hippie that always made a great guest on a variety show or comedy roast. The 20 tracks on this set are mostly pulled from Sammy's years at MGM records – post-Reprise days in which he was singing a variety of popular songs, TV themes, and assorted groovy numbers that put him higher in the charts than his old rat pack cronies. The set's filled with great tracks we've been waiting years for on CD – and titles include "Barretta's Theme", "Shaft", "Get It On", "Love Is All Around", "We'll Make It This Time (Theme From Kojak)", "Tomorrow", "Sweet Gingerbread Man", "The Candy Man", "This Is My Life", "You Can Count On Me (Theme From Hawaii Five-O)", "The People Tree", and the very groovy "I'm Over 25, But You Can Trust Me". CD

We love this CD to death! Lee Hazlewood is the consummate hipster – most famous as the producer of Duane Eddy, Nancy Sinatra, and other 60s pop luminaries, but known more importantly to the cognoscenti as an underground LA "outlaw", an incredible singer/songwriter in his own right – who worked in a mode that combined tongue-in-cheek country with easy pop, always hip, always adult, with themes, turns of the phrase, and expressions that you'd be hard pressed to find in other records of the time! This genius compilation brings together Lee's work for MGM in the 60s – sunglassed, mustachioed, and very cool stuff that's never been legally reissued before. 20 tracks in all – with gems that include "The Girls In Paris", "For One Moment", "Shades", "After Six", "My Autumn's Done Come", "In Our Time", "Sand", "Dark In My Heart", "Them Girls", "I Am A Part", "I Move Around", and Lee's own version of "These Boots Are Made For Walking", which comes complete with postmodern narration of the session in which he cut the Nancy Sinatra hit! CD

Blues, but with an undercurrent of New Orleans jazz – no surprise, given the Louisiana roots of Eurreal "Little Brother" Montgomery! The album's a classic set recorded in Chicago in the early 60s – featuring both Montgomery in a spare solo setting, and with help from a small backup group that includes Ted Butterman on cornet, Bob Gordon on clarinet, and Mike McKendrick on banjo. Little Brother plays piano on all numbers, and sings on most – and titles include "44 Vicksburg", "Prescriptions Of The Blues", "Sweet Daddy", "Home Again Blues", "Up The Country Blues", "Saturday Night Function", "Michigan Water Blues", and "Oh Daddy". CD features the bonus track "Cooter Crawl". CD

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Includes a bonus CD of Gospel Blues Legends. CD

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Includes a bonus CD of Country Blues Pioneers. CD

A massive live set, and one that features three classic groups from the west coast Latin scene – all working together in the same venue! Although the date is late, the groups all still have plenty of their classic sound intact – and the album features Malo serving up material for about half the album – versions of "Suavecito", "Pana", "Everybody Let's Dance", "Lady I Love", "Nena", "Cafe", "Ritmo Tropical", and "Techno Rumba". El Chicano follow with a version of their classic "Viva Tirado" – followed by Tierra on the cuts "Celebrate With Tierra", "Let's Just Kiss & Say Goodbye", "Together", "Memories/Latin Disco", and a "Tierra Medley" of older classics! LP, Vinyl record album

Markthalle Hamburg, Germany January 24th 1981. CD

Later work from trombonist Albert Wynn – sides cut after a 33 year absence from the recording studio – as part of the excellent Chicago Living Legends series on Riverside! The work has a tight trad jazz feel – but with a bit more space than you might find for solo expression in some of Wynn's earlier, shorter sides – and players include Bill Martin on trumpet (and a bit of vocals), Darnell Howard on clarinet, and either Blind John Davis or Bus Moten on piano. Titles include "Bourbon Street", "How Long Blues", "Ice Cream", "Nobody's Sweetheart", and "In The Evening". CD also features 2 bonus tracks "How Long Blues (alt)" and "I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody Non O This Jelly Roll". CD

Includes music from the Fort Worth Doughboys, Modern Mountaineers, Cliff Bruner's Texas Wanderers, Curly Williams & his Georgia Peach Pickers, Spade Cooley, Noel Boggs, the Light Crust Doughboys, and more – 18 tracks total. CD

Plenty of Hammond Heroes here – served up in assortment of 13 organ-based jazz tunes recorded for Prestige Records from the late 50s to the late 60s! There's a great range of work here – from the first hard-burning organ work that simmered into jazz music from R&B, to the leaner, cleaner style of the 60s onward – when the instrument really started to hit some groovy notes! Some of the tracks here were recorded with saxophonists as the leader, but all feature Hammond players in strong focus – and titles include "Take Five" by Trudy Pitts, "One Track Mind" by Freddie Roach, "Misty" by Richard Groove Holmes, "Donald Duck" by Don Patterson, "Pool Shark" by Willis Jackson, "Twistin The Jug" by Gene Ammons, "Please Mr Jackson" by Willis Jackson, "Sticks & Stones" by Johnny Hammond Smith, "Takin Care Of Business" by Shirley Scott, "Crib Theme" by Red Holloway, and "Rock Candy" by Jack Mc Duff. CD

Features Gene Ammons, Rusty Bryant, Houston Person, Wilton Felder, David 'Fathead' Newman, Sonny Stitt, and Joe Henderson on saxophone – blowing over music by Charles Kynard, Sonny Phillips, Patrice Rushen, Boogaloo Joe Jones, and Funk Inc! CD

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A 2-in-1 killer that features some of the funkiest work ever from Rusty Bryant! First up is the legendary Fire Eater album – one of the best jazz funk albums ever on Prestige! Rusty Bryant blows his top off on this one – taking his tenor stylings out of the more staid R&B mode of earlier years, working with some younger heavy funk jazz players to craft a brilliant album of long searing tunes that's forever been one of the must-haves of the early 70s jazz funk scene! Idris Muhammad's on drums, Wilbert Longmire's on guitar, and the organ work is split between Leon Spencer and Bill Mason, both monstrously great talents, with a propensity for open-stopped hard-wailing playing! Titles include "Fire Eater", "The Hooker", "Mister S", and "Free At Last". Wild Fire is very much in the style of his Fire Eater classic, as you might guess from the title! The tracks here are all long, open, and rock-solid – held firmly in place by some incredible drums from Idris Muhammad – and featuring a group that includes Jimmy Ponder on guitar, plus the little-heard Bill Mason on organ – a player who recorded briefly for the Eastbound label, and who also handled the Hammond chores on Rufus Harley's funky album! Rusty's tenor is great, as always – really opening up with this younger generation – and titles include "If You Really Love Me", "Wildfire", "Alobamo Kid", and a version of "Riders on the Storm", of all things! CD

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Seminal early work from Willis Jackson – two classics back to back on a single CD! Blue Gator is a massive early Prestige set from tenorist Willis – and just the kind of record that set him firmly in the soul jazz camp for the 60s! By the time of the set, Jackson had already won plenty of fame for his R&B-tinged work – but here, he stretches out a bit more, and really gets creative on his solos – working with a very hip group that includes Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar – both players making a similar shift in their music at the time. The tracks are lively, recorded with a bold, loud tone, and have lots of those great open-mouthed tones from Jackson – quite possibly a good reason for his "Gator" nickname! Tracks include "Blue Gator", "East Breeze", "The Gator Jumps", and "Try A Little Tenderness". Cookin Sherry is solid-sending soul jazz from the great Willis Jackson! The album features Gator blowing in a group that includes Jack McDuff and Wild Bill Jennings on all cuts – plus bass by either Milt Hinton or Wendell Marshall, drums by Bill Elliott or Al Johnson, and some tasty added conga by Buck Clarke on a few cuts! The album's got a tight, yet laidback feel to – perfect kickback jam session material, in that classic Prestige soul jazz mode. Titles include "Contrasts", "Cookin Sherry", "Mellow Blues", and "Sportin". CD

Heavy tenor from Willis Jackson – two early 60s killers for Prestige, back to back on a single CD! First up is Keep On A Blowin – an album that has hard wailin' soul jazz solos by Brother Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar! Those two, plus Gator, make up the core of the combo that features additional backing by bass and drums, but you won't need to worry about the additional players, because the triple threat of tenor/organ/guitar will hold all your attention. Tracks are long, and as usual, the best ones are the originals, including "Blue Strollin", "A Smooth One", and "Keep On A Blowin". Thunderbird is a massive groover – and a set that rumbles as much as you might guess from the title! The album's got Willis Jackson blowing in a very open, loud tenor tone – working with an unusual group that features Freddie Roach on organ, and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar – the former a hip, smooth keyboardist, the latter a rougher, bluesier player – making for a really nice mix of modes! There's a deep soul jazz bottom throughout – and titles include "Thunderbird", "Oh Lady Be Good", "Back & Forth", and "California Sun". CD

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A solo piano album – with tracks dedicated to Bill Evans, Bud Powell, Earl Hines, Art Tatum, Keith Jarrett, and Chick Corea. CD

Johnny Varro on piano, Ken Peplowski on clarinet, Frank Tate on bass, and Joe Ascione on drums. CD

Includes the tracks "Sexpot", "Rise And Shine", "Proud Mary", "Blow The House Down", "In And Out", and "Urgent". CD

Later work from trombonist Albert Wynn – sides cut after a 33 year absence from the recording studio – as part of the excellent Chicago Living Legends series on Riverside! The work has a tight trad jazz feel – but with a bit more space than you might find for solo expression in some of Wynn's earlier, shorter sides – and players include Bill Martin on trumpet (and a bit of vocals), Darnell Howard on clarinet, and either Blind John Davis or Bus Moten on piano. Titles include "Bourbon Street", "How Long Blues", "Ice Cream", "Nobody's Sweetheart", and "In The Evening". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks from Ricky Nelson, The Clovers, Eddie Cochran, Bobby Vee, The Ventures, Shirley & Lee, Del Shannon, The Exciters, The Rivingtons, The Isley Brothers, Cher, and Marv Johnson. CD

Brilliant work from Benin – an ear-opening compilation that's filled with wonderful grooves we've never heard before! The rhythms are unusual, instrumentation hypnotic, and vocals really offbeat – making the whole thing sound very different than more familiar African work we've stocked – especially some of the better-known grooves from the Nigerian scene! There's an occasional hint of the exotic tones of Ethiopian music, but the rhythms are more focused overall – making the tunes all pretty groove-heavy, even when dropping in odd elements – an approach that makes the music here very easy to get into – even without any sort of history or geography lesson. But the booklet also provides plenty of that – a great story of the scene, and some wonderfully personal notes from compiler Samy Ben Radjeb – who's very open about his slow process of discovering this music. The whole package is beautiful, and the set's every bit as crucial as Radjeb's earlier African Scream Contest collection. Titles include "La Musica En Verite" and "Dadje Von O Von Non" by Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes, "Feeling You Got" and "E Nan Mian Nuku" by El Rego Et Ses Commandos, "Ya Mi Ton Gbo" and "Honton Soukpo Gnon" by Antoine Dougbe, "Dou Dagbe We" by Honore Avolonto Et L'Orchestre Black Santiago, "Djobime" by El Rego Et Ses Commandos, and "Na Mi Do Gbe Hue Nu" by Honore Avolonto. CD

Includes the tracks "You And I", "Mary Jane", "Love Gun", "Call Me Up", "Stormy Love", "Dream Maker", and "She Blew My Mind (69 Times)" CD

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Mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". CD reissue also features 3 bonus alternate takes of some of these, for a total of 8 tracks in all. CD

Mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". CD reissue also features 3 bonus alternate takes of some of these, for a total of 8 tracks in all. CD

Two classic 60s albums from pianist Andrew Hill – back to back in a single set! First up is Point Of Departure – mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". Compulsion is one of the most dynamic albums that Andrew Hill ever cut for Blue Note – a record of long tracks, played by a largeish group who seem perfectly suited to Hill's most creative musical ideas! There's an approach here that almost predates some of the more righteous soul jazz ensemble sides of the 70s – as Hill's piano leads a octet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, John Gilmore on tenor and bass clarinet, Cecil McBee and Richard Davis on basses, Joe Chambers on drums, and Nedi Quamar and Renaud Simmons on percussion. The percussionists roll out with quite a bit of presence in the set – not so much as on some of the Art Blakey percussion sides for Blue Note, but more with a pronounced sense of "bottom" that you might not always hear from Hill – an earthy, sometimes organic way of riffing that then allows freer solo work from the horns and piano on the top! Titles include "Compulsion", "Legacy", "Premonition", and "Limbo". CD

If you love records as much as we do, you know that often the producers are as important to the sound of the music as the artists themselves – a fact that's spun out again and again in this look at some key record producers of the 20th Century! The book shows that, in the right hands, the studio is as important to the outcome of the records as the singer and the songs – and the author features detailed chapters on recording legends who include Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, David Axelrod, Norman Whitfield, Willie Mitchell, Brian Eno, Lee Scratch Perry, and Martin Hannett – all names that are on the back of some of the most treasured records in our collections! This softcover edition is 307 pages, with some black and white images, and assorted lists of key recordings by each producer. Book

Sublime genius from funky flute player Bobbi Humphrey – a record we'd rank right up there with her classic Blacks & Blues set – and like that one, another fantastic collaboration with producer Larry Mizell! The groove here is tremendous throughout – a heady mix of Bobbi's flute, Larry's keyboards, and some additional work from Jerry Peters, Skip Scarborough, and other 70s funky jazz legends – all coming together in a large lineup that works together with an amazingly tight and stripped-down groove – a sound that seems to flow effortlessly from the breeze, but which was the long result of careful work in the studio by Larry Mizell and his brother Fonce, who also helped on arrangements. Humphrey is in excellent form – blowing with a tone that's hard, crisp, and very soulful – and the spacey keyboards and gentle grooves lift her flute way out into the cosmos, yet never push things too far! Every cut's a winner – and titles include "You Make Me Feel So Good", "Please Set Me At Ease", "Uno Esta", "The Trip", "Fancy Dancer", and "Mestizo Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Not just a wonderful letter, but a love letter to Los Angeles – served up here in a style that maybe makes for one of the most evocative creations we've ever heard from J Rocc! There's a richness here that comes through on the very first track – almost an imagined LA from the past, at a time when the city had a few more problems – but given more than a few contemporary touches along the way, especially when some of the guests step into the mix – work from Koreatown Oddity, Med, Frank Nitt, Budgie, LMNO, and Key Kool – as well as older legends Steve Arrington and Egyptian Lover – whose appearance here really cements some of the 80s elements in J Rocc's conception. Titles include "LA Anthem", "Love & Dope", "Dancing With The Best", "All I Wanna Do (rmx)", "The Changing World", and "Flawless". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible tribute to the legendary Strata Records in Detroit – performed by Jazzanova with a host of other guests – and at a level that's maybe the greatest thing the group has ever given us on record! The vibe here is a lot more Strata and spiritual than the style you'd expect from Jazzanova – as they take on tunes by label legends like Lyman Woodard, Kenny Cox, Sam Sanders, Maulawi, and other talents from the same Motor City underground of the 70s that gave the world Tribe Records. Instrumentation is a blend of Fender Rhodes and lots of live jazz work on flute, tenor, trombone, and trumpet – sometimes topped with vocals from Sean Haefeli, who really helps open up the soulful side of the tunes! Wonderful throughout, better than we might have even guessed – with titles that include "Joy Road", "Face At My Window", "Ortotundes", "Loser", "Scorpio's Child", "Creative Musicians", "Lost My Love", "Inside Ourselves", and "Saturday Night Special". CD

An incredible tribute to the legendary Strata Records in Detroit – performed by Jazzanova with a host of other guests – and at a level that's maybe the greatest thing the group has ever given us on record! The vibe here is a lot more Strata and spiritual than the style you'd expect from Jazzanova – as they take on tunes by label legends like Lyman Woodard, Kenny Cox, Sam Sanders, Maulawi, and other talents from the same Motor City underground of the 70s that gave the world Tribe Records. Instrumentation is a blend of Fender Rhodes and lots of live jazz work on flute, tenor, trombone, and trumpet – sometimes topped with vocals from Sean Haefeli, who really helps open up the soulful side of the tunes! Wonderful throughout, better than we might have even guessed – with titles that include "Joy Road", "Face At My Window", "Ortotundes", "Loser", "Scorpio's Child", "Creative Musicians", "Lost My Love", "Inside Ourselves", and "Saturday Night Special". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package of work from the mighty Kool & The Gang – 6 full albums from the 80s, served up here in a 3CD set! First up is Ladies Night – a shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". The next album is Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight". As One is solid 80s grooving from Kool & The Gang – a group who inspired so many others in the early 80s soul generation, but who could still do it better than most of the rest! The style here is tight and smooth, but never too slick – and Deodato's giving the group some really great production for the album – helping them to focus their energy and soar soulfully, but without resorting to any stiff gimmicks or cliches! There's a great groove running through most of the numbers here – a confident quality that's never too commercial, and which bubbles along nicely throughout. Titles include "Street Kids", "Big Fun", "As One", "Hi De Hi Hi De Ho", "Let's Go Dancin", and "Pretty Baby". In The Heart is a sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". Last up is Emergency – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". CD

A heady set from these two longtime funk legends – Eric Krasno on guitar and Stanton Moore on drums – working in a tight trio that also features Eric Finland on Hammond, Wurlitzer, and Mellotron – all in a sharply soulful groove that definitely lives up to the legacy of both players! Krasno has a nicely sharp edge at times, which really rings out wonderfully in the lean setting – and although the trio get a few guest visits from Cory Henry, Branford Marsalis, and Robert Randolph, we like them best on their own. Titles include "Stay High", "Lost Cause", "Fever", "Nobody's Baby", "Carried Away", "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free", and "A Natural Woman". CD

A heady set from these two longtime funk legends – Eric Krasno on guitar and Stanton Moore on drums – working in a tight trio that also features Eric Finland on Hammond, Wurlitzer, and Mellotron – all in a sharply soulful groove that definitely lives up to the legacy of both players! Krasno has a nicely sharp edge at times, which really rings out wonderfully in the lean setting – and although the trio get a few guest visits from Cory Henry, Branford Marsalis, and Robert Randolph, we like them best on their own. Titles include "Stay High", "Lost Cause", "Fever", "Nobody's Baby", "Carried Away", "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free", and "A Natural Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums ever by this legendary jazz vocal group! LHR do the incredible – and create a set of vocal renditions of standards by the Basie band, putting jazzy lyrics in to replace the instrumental solos, but keeping the same vibe as the original tracks. The sound and approach is amazing – and it's no wonder this record made them instant legends. Titles include "Down For The Count", "Fiesta In Blue", "Blues Backstage", and "It's Sand, Man!" Includes 3 bonus tracks! CD

Supremely soulful modern jazz from the great Booker Little – one of his best albums ever as a leader, and a real standout moment amidst so many of the re-titled sessions that came out after his early death! The album's got a tremendous feel from the very first note – a furthering of the modernism that Little forged with Max Roach and Eric Dolphy – but stated more strongly in his own voice as a leader and composer – a bold jazz vision that makes us miss his talents even more strongly than before! The group here is the stuff of legends – with Dolphy on alto, bass clarinet, and flute – plus Don Friedman on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, Ron Carter or Art Davis on bass, and Max Roach on drums, tympani, and vibes! Titles are all original compositions by Little – and include "We Speak", "Strength & Sanity", "Quiet, Please", "Hazy Hues", and "Moods In Free Time". CD

Supremely soulful modern jazz from the great Booker Little – one of his best albums ever as a leader, and a real standout moment amidst so many of the re-titled sessions that came out after his early death! The album's got a tremendous feel from the very first note – a furthering of the modernism that Little forged with Max Roach and Eric Dolphy – but stated more strongly in his own voice as a leader and composer – a bold jazz vision that makes us miss his talents even more strongly than before! The group here is the stuff of legends – with Dolphy on alto, bass clarinet, and flute – plus Don Friedman on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, Ron Carter or Art Davis on bass, and Max Roach on drums, tympani, and vibes! Titles are all original compositions by Little – and include "We Speak", "Strength & Sanity", "Quiet, Please", "Hazy Hues", and "Moods In Free Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Supremely soulful modern jazz from the great Booker Little – one of his best albums ever as a leader, and a real standout moment amidst so many of the re-titled sessions that came out after his early death! The album's got a tremendous feel from the very first note – a furthering of the modernism that Little forged with Max Roach and Eric Dolphy – but stated more strongly in his own voice as a leader and composer – a bold jazz vision that makes us miss his talents even more strongly than before! The group here is the stuff of legends – with Dolphy on alto, bass clarinet, and flute – plus Don Friedman on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, Ron Carter or Art Davis on bass, and Max Roach on drums, tympani, and vibes! Titles are all original compositions by Little – and include "We Speak", "Strength & Sanity", "Quiet, Please", "Hazy Hues", and "Moods In Free Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Chicago soul legends! The Lovelites were one of the city's best girl soul groups back in the day – but their best stuff has never been properly reissued until now! The group had a great sound that mixed raw vocals with a sweet harmony – in a manner that would later have a profound influence on many other groups in the city. The girls struck big with their first early hit "How Can I Tell My Mom And Dad?, an incredibly haunting tale of teen pregnancy and indecision. That cut is included on here, along with other excellent singles – like "My Conscience", "Bumpy Road Ahead", "I'm The One That You Need", "Get It Off My Conscience", "Love So Strong", "My Baby Loves Me", and more! The whole set was put together by producer Clarence Johnson, who handled the group back in the day. And Clarence also recorded a young Denice "Niecy" Williams (known then as Denice Chandler) – who was briefly a member of the Lovelites, and also recorded a few singles on her own. A few of those nice ones are included here – like the landmark "Love Is Tears" – making for a great set of Chicago vocals, with a total of 20 cuts in all. Nice price, too – and we got them straight from the source! CD

Maggot Brain has a three-part feature on master archivist and freewheeling creative soul Harry Smith in this issue – with a fresh look at the continuing impact of his Anthology Of American Folk Music, an interview with his biographer John Szwed, and lots more – and they even found a previously unseen photo of the man himself for the cover, taken by Allen Ginsberg, one of the many Beat legends he inspired! It's a jam-packed issue too all around, with pieces on the recently departed Sixto Rodriguez and Pee Wee Herman, Lou Reed, Cat Power, Boygenius, a cool round-up review of cassettes, Orbital and more – with great photos & illustrations throughout! Magazine

A trio of classics from this groundbreaking group! First up is Living With The Animals – fantastic early work from Mother Earth – one of those special late 60s groups who emerged out of the rock, folk, and blues scenes – but who somehow managed to make a very special sound of their own! Part of the group's strength is the lovely Tracey Nelson – a singer who could have been a soul artist if she wanted – but who works here with a looser approach to generic conventions as she moves through a number of different modes – sometimes stepping aside for the group's lead singer, R Powell St John Jr, who also plays a bit of harmonica. Instrumentation is given some stronger currents from a combo that features Mike Bloomfield on guitar, Barry Goldberg on organ, and Luis Gasca on trumpet – and titles include "Marvel Group", "Mother Earth", "It Won't Be Long", "Down So Low", "The Kingdom Of Heaven", and "My Love Will Never Die". Make A Joyful Noise is an album that has slightly fuller backings than their debut, but in a way that only seems to bring out more of the soulful currents of their sound! The mix of rural inspiration and tighter presentation is a great illustration of the changing North Cali style of the period – and no surprise, a young Boz Scaggs is in the group, providing rhythm guitar next to the vocals of Tracy Nelson and R Powell St John. A few country legends provide extra support on fiddle, dobro, and steel – balanced nicely by a strong horn section too – on titles that include "Stop The Train", "Soul Of The Man", "Blues For The Road", "Come On & See", "I The Fly", "Wait Wait Wait", "I Wanna Be Your Mama Again", and "Then I'll Be Moving On". Last up is Satisfied – countrified rock from Tracy Nelson and Mother Earth – done in a warm and sincere style that goes way beyond any of the cliches of the genre! There's something about the way the group put together the tunes that really makes us like this one – an honesty that's not bogged down in any hippy dippy expectations, and which never tries to be anything other that what it is. And yes, that's not much of a good description of the set – but it's also our way of identifying the uniqueness that set Mother Earth apart from a lot of their contemporaries. Titles include "Satisfied", "Groovy Way", "Andy's Song", "Ruler Of My Heart", "This Feeling", and "You Won't Be Passing Here No More". CD

Seasons and styles change, but Nas stays true to his strong suits and status as one of the longest running living legends in the game! He stays in his neo-classic comfort zone on King's Disease – leading the way throughout with remarkably wordy, charismatically delivered rhymes, never fading into the background even with an impressive guest list. Hit-Boy drives the production on this one, recalling the golden age without retreading it, well-suited to Nas's style. Titles include "Blue Benz", "Car #85" with Charlie Wilson, "27 Summers", "10 Points", "The Cure", "Til The War Is Won" with Lil Dark, "Replace Me" with Big Sean & Don Toliver, "All Bad" with Anderson.Paak, "Ultra Black" with Hit-Boy, and "Spicy" with Fivio Foreign & A$ap Ferg. LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary vocals of Aaron Neville – heard here in one of his most old-school sessions in years! The songs are all vintage R&B – material that even pre-dates Neville's famous years in New Orleans soul, and which goes back to a late 50s/early 60s genre that seems to fit Aaron's sound wonderfully! Things are never schmaltzy at all, and the recording quality is great – mostly just small group backing, with lead guitar from Keith Richards – and backup vocals from older doo wop legends like Bobby Jay and Eurgene Pitt! Titles include "Work With Me Annie", "Gypsy Woman", "Ruby Baby", "My True Story", "Be My Baby", "Money Honey", and "Under The Boardwalk". CD

The cover looks a bit like a sunshine pop album, but the sound here is a lot more intense – great garagey grooves served up from The Rationals – the group's only full length record, even though they were a key part of the Michigan scene in the 60s! The Rationals rubbed shoulders with the Stooges, MC5, and other legends – but they've also got a more tuneful approach to their music – maybe as if they're drinking in a bit of British harmonies, while still serving up tracks that have a nice edge too – and a definite influence from some of the soul of Detroit at the time as well. One of those overlooked classics of the 60s – with titles that include "Barefootin'", "Temptation Bout To Get Me", "Guitar Army", "Deep Red", "Sunset", "Glowin'", "Handbags & Gladrags", and "Ha Ha". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful duets between these two legends – and Ibrahim's piano brings out some newly sensitive sides of Max's playing! CD

A rare funky gem from the Chicago scene in the pre-house years – but a set that also might be a crucial bridge between the city's 70s soul and the underground clubs that would soon give the world a new groove! The group have plenty of funk elements in the mix – kind of a tightened-up version of P-Funk at times, with lots of bass in the mix – and all these cool moogy keyboard touches – topped by vocals from the group – who often have a call to action sort of vibe, really urging on the groove! The record's definitely too hardcore to have gotten much national radio play – sharper and more wicked than the major label funk of the time – and the use of female vocals in the mix also have a very different vibe than in disco, too – a quality that's hard to describe, but which really stands out. The set features some arrangements by Floyd Morris and Tom Tom 84 – two mighty legends in the Chicago soul scene – and titles include "Doin' It To Def", which has sort of a "We Will Rock You" intro, plus "Hot Spot", "Grab Your Sexy Baby", and "Funk Power". LP, Vinyl record album

The lyrical genius at his best – an early record from pianist Horace Silver, but one that already has him really defining that special sort of sound that made him really stand out from his contemporaries! The difference here is hard to put in words – but there's a careful ear for an unusual phrasing in a tune that Silver delivers throughout – not just on his own compositions and piano solos, but also in the way that he puts the whole group together – with stellar work from Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – all players who were about to become leaders and legends on their own, working here under fantastic guidance from Horace. Hayes is particularly great, and his warm drumming brings Silver's playing into a new range that still keeps a lot of his bop roots, but which also allows more room for the kind of flourishes that makes his recordings from this time so great. Titles include the classic "Senor Blues" – plus "Cool Eyes", "Shirl", "Camouflage", "For Heaven's Sake", "Virgo", and "Enchantment". LP, Vinyl record album

The lyrical genius at his best – an early record from pianist Horace Silver, but one that already has him really defining that special sort of sound that made him really stand out from his contemporaries! The difference here is hard to put in words – but there's a careful ear for an unusual phrasing in a tune that Silver delivers throughout – not just on his own compositions and piano solos, but also in the way that he puts the whole group together – with stellar work from Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – all players who were about to become leaders and legends on their own, working here under fantastic guidance from Horace. Hayes is particularly great, and his warm drumming brings Silver's playing into a new range that still keeps a lot of his bop roots, but which also allows more room for the kind of flourishes that makes his recordings from this time so great. Titles include the classic "Senor Blues" – plus "Cool Eyes", "Shirl", "Camouflage", "For Heaven's Sake", "Virgo", and "Enchantment". Includes 3 bonus tracks. CD

Excellent work from New Orleans soul legend Allen Toussaint – and a set that may well be his funkiest album ever! The set features 12 tracks from the early 70s – a time when Toussaint was mixing a bit of funk into the heavy soul mix that he'd had from his early days in the Crescent City scene – coming up with a blend that's even darker, and more powerful than all his famous production and projects of the 60s! And while some of Allen's later work tended towards cliche, this record captures him right at that perfect point when all of this was totally fresh – delivered with a razor-sharp edge, and with great instrumental help from New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, Zig Modeliste, and George Porter Jr – all of whom make the album groove harder than most of the other soul albums on Warner at the time. Titles include "Soul Sister", "Victims Of The Darkness", "Am I Expecting Too Much", "Out Of The City", "Goin Down", "Electricity", "Fingers & Toes", and "On Your Way Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A spiritually resonant soul jazz gem from truly great vocalist Dwight Trible – whose handful of albums to his own name and his work with the Build An Ark collective and Life Force Trio have all been timeless, passionate and inventive – and this effort on the Katalyst label is as deep and rewarding as any of it! Cosmic reminds us of everything we loved about Dwight's Living Water album a few years back, and this one may be even stronger. His yearning, soaring, soul shaking voice is stunning as always, and both the originals and the unique takes on the more spiritual material of legends such as Duke Ellington, Nina Simone and others is really great. He's backed by stellar group of musicians that includes drummer Dexter Story, bassist Trevor Ware, percussionist Munyungo Jackson, John Beasley on piano and organ, George Harper on tenor sax and others. Includes "Speak To Us Of Love", "I've Known Rivers", Ellington's "In The Beginning GOD", "Love Is Forever", "Little Afrika", "Algeriangeles", Simone's "Hyku For Peace/Come Ye", "It's All About Love" and glorious, soul jazz take on the Five Stairsteps soul classic "Ooh Child". CD