With Charlie Hunter on 8 string guitar and Leon Parker on drums and percussion. CD

Features Leon Parker on congas, bells, caxixi, snare drum, and piano – plus Steve Wilson on alto, soprano sax, and flute, and additional percussion from Natalie Cushman. CD

Features Jacky Terrasson on piano, Mark Turner on tenor sax, David Sanchez on soprano sax, Lisa Parker on flute, and others. CD

With Steve Wilson on saxophone and flute. CD

Hunter's getting a lot more sophisticated in his style, and is moving past the heavy funky sound of early days – to a mix of soulful styles that opens him up a lot more. This sextet session features drummer Leon Parker, who always works well with Hunter – plus tenorist Peter Apfelbaum, and percussionists Stephen Chopek and Robert Perkins. Titles include "Two For Bleu", "Al Green", "Rendezvous Avec La Verite", "Flau Flau", and "Cloud Splitter". Also features a nice solo version of Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free". CD

The overdue debut as a leader for reedman Josh Johnson – once part of our scene here in Chicago, but also a musician with a wide range of experience that includes work with Leon Bridges, Jeff Parker, and Marquis Hill! Yet despite those ties, Josh breaks out here as a musician with a vibe that's completely his own – doubling up on other instruments at times, and working with contributions from Gergory Uhlmann on guitar, Anna Butterss on bass, and Aaron Steele on drums – in a fluid mix of live instrumentation, effects, and other touches – not as edited as some of the work on International Anthem, but also not a conventional jazz record either. We're hoping to hear plenty more from Johnson to come – but right now we're really digging the cuts that include "Western Ave", "Eclipsing", "Bowed", "Nerf Day", "856", "Return Recoil", and "False Choice". Japanese pressing features the bonus track "Western Ave (extended play)". CD

Featuring Mike Stern, John Scofield, Mick Goodrick, Leni Stern, Gene Bertoncini, Winard Haper & Leon Parker. CD

One of the greatest soul albums of the past 20 years – an instant classic the day it was released! When this killer came out in the UK in 1991, it was one of the best soul records we'd heard in years. Carleen Anderson, the then-unknown daughter of Bobby Byrd & Vicki Anderson, sung some of the deepest vocals we'd heard in years – and she was backed by funky soundscapes filled with references and homages to greats like Roy Ayers, Leroy Hutson, Leon Ware, 24-Carat Black, and many others – all now well-remembered artists from the rare groove years of the 70s, but at the time just barely-remembered echoes from the past who were being kept alive in the British soul scene. The record was (and is) impeccable – a wondrous treat for fans of the kind of rare groove material we stock at Dusty Groove – and it features stellar performances by the likes of Carleen Anderson, Master Ace, Johnny Lytle, Maceo Parker, and others! This US version features a few remixes from the original UK album – and titles include "All I Have (Young Ideas mix)", "Funky Yeh Funki (Mek It)", "Talkin What I Feel", "Move On", "Apparently Nothin (Soul River)", "Get Yourself Together (parts 1 & 2)", "Freedom Suite", "Step Right On (original mix)", and "As We Come (To Be)". CD

With Leon Parker on drums. CD

Late work from avant tenor legend Dewey Redman – and surprisingly great, with all the best energy of his sides from older years! The album features Dewey playing in a trio with Cameron Brown on bass and Leon Parker on drums – plus guest appearances on about half the tracks by a young Joshua Redman, who really helps flesh out the sound of the set – at a point when he was just starting to let the world know about his talents. Redman senior is still the main attraction, though – blowing strongly on alto, tenor, and even a bit of musette – but also letting Joshua take all the horn parts on one track. Titles include surprisingly great readings of two standard ballads – "Everything Happens To Me" and "Imagination" – plus the tracks "Le Clit", "For Mo", and "O'Besso". CD

Forget the "hustle" and "bump" in the title – as the set's not a disco cash-in set by the Godfather – and instead is an overlooked funky gem from the 70s! The set still follows strongly in the best modes of the early 70s – with that sharp JB-styled groove underneath – and in a way, the record's bit like Breaking Bread was to that group's great run – maybe a bit more focused, and slightly more upbeat – but still with a righteous approach to funk overall! David Matthews conducts, and players include Fred Wesley on trombone, Maceo Parker on alto, St Clair Pickney on tenor, and both Charles Sherrell and Leon Pendarvis on clavinet – and a few tracks are remakes of older numbers, nestled next to some newer gems. The set features the standout funky cuts "Your Love", which has a great break at the beginning, and "Superbad Superslick" – and other titles include "Hustle", "Turn On The Heat & Build Some Fire", "Calm & Cool", and a remake of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag". LP, Vinyl record album

Majestically soulful work from tenorist David Sanchez – recorded with a depth and maturity that's incredible, and which is instantly timeless, despite the year of the recording. Sanchez plays both tenor and soprano with a confidence that's only matched by a few players – right up there in the Coltrane and Rollins class – working in a well-matched group that includes Danilo Perez on piano, playing in some bright tones that really make the record sparkle. Other players include Tom Harrell on trumpet, Leon Parker on drums, Andy Gonzalez on bass, and Milton Cardona on percussion – who gives the album some great Latin touches at times. Titles include "CJ", "Ebony", "You Got It Diz", "Santander", "The Departure", and "Nina's Mood". CD

Jacky Terrasson on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass, and Leon Parker on drums. CD

Features Terrasson on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass, and Leon Parker on drums. CD

Jacky Terrasson on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass, Leon Parker on drums. CD

Beautiful sounds from two dark-tinged improvisers – coming here together in a performance that's supposedly a tribute to John Coltrane, but which comes across in a spirit that's very much their own! Shipp is able to serve out these effortless clusters of notes with that new sense of imagination that's really marked his growth in the past decade – notes that are always full of brooding energy, but never in a way that's sleepy or sloppy. Parker responds with some of his sharpest, fastest lines in years – blowing both tenor and soprano sax, but never in ways that are Coltrane-like – which is no surprise, as Evan's helped evolve jazz tremendously in the decades since Trane's passing. The CD features one extended improvisation "Leonine Aspects 1", which runs for 51 minutes – and the shorter "Leonine Aspects 2". CD

Abrams is joined by Anthony Braxton, Leonard Jones, Steve McCall, and Henry Threadgill. The songs are all attributed to Abrams, though they seem to be strongly influenced by the presence of Braxton with song titles like "OQA" and "RITOB". Other song titles include "Charlie In The Parker", "Balladi", and "Arhyth Songy". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes cuts from two 40s sessions – from 1944 with Dizzy Gillespie, Vic Coulsen, Ed Vanderveer, Leonard Lowry, Leo Parker, Don Byas, Budd Johnson, Clyde Hart, Oscar Pettiford, and Max Roach; and from 1949 with Hubert Fol, Nat Peck, Jean-Paul Mengeon, Pierr Michelot, and Kenny Clarke. LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie certainly was the "hit man" on this one – a tight album of hard stepping soul tracks, mostly cut in Eddie's famous "boogie" mode of the mid 70s! The cuts mix wonderful soul vocals with some tight jazzy instrumentation – laid down by players like Wah Wah Ragin, Harvey Mason, Ray Parker, and Leonard Caston, who produced the album with Frank Wilson. The record's got swirling strings around harder instrumentation – in a mode that's perfect for Eddie's sweet vocal style – and the sound is right up there with classic work by Marvin Gaye or Barry White. Includes the nice long cut "Body Talk", plus "Happy", "If Anyone Can", "Fortune Teller", "I've Got To Be", and "Skippin' Work Today". LP, Vinyl record album