Two albums of funky soul from Les McCann! By this point in his career, Les has moved past straight jazz, and is spending a lot of time on vocals – sung in a nice raspy style that makes up for what it lacks in technique with a nice dose of soul! He's also still playing piano, mixed with some extra electric keys – like Fender Rhodes and ARP, which gives the albums a cool 70s sound. Another Beginning has some cuts that have good funky riffs – like the jaunty "Some Day We'll Meet Again", and "The Morning Song", which has an intro that's especially nice. Other tracks include "The Song Of Love", "Maybe You'll Come Back", and "My Soul Lies Deep". Hustle To Survive features mostly vocal numbers arranged by soul maestro Bert DeCoteaux, set of short soul tracks with production by Bert DeCoteaux – and Les also plays electric piano on a number of cuts, including "Us" and "Butterflies". Other tracks include "Well, Cuss My Daddy", "Why Is Now", and "Let Your Learning Be Your Eyes". 17 tracks in all – with a motherlode of great guest players! 2CD set at a nice nice price! CD

This might well be the best album that Les McCann ever cut during the 70s! It's got some killer electric piano riffs, of the sort that are being sampled heavily today by the kids, and which are getting his music to a whole new generation. The tracks have a tight spacey funk sound, and they don't have any of the vocals that (we feel) can often get in the way of some of Les' later works! Loads of great tracks, including "The Harlem Buck Dance Strut" and "Dunbar High School Marching Band", both of which are nice and sexy and funky, and with a cool dope sound to them! Other tracks include "Before I Rest", "Soaring (At Sunset)", and "Sometimes I Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

An early vocal set from Les McCann – quite unusual, and pretty darn soulful as well! The album's done in a mode that foreshadows Les' move to soul during the 70s, and features him singing to some hip arrangements by Gerald Wilson – in a soulful, jazzy style that was common for LA of the mid 60s – somewhere in a space between Lou Rawls and Arthur Prysock – with all the hip, adult aspects you'd expect from those references! Tunes include a fair bit of standards, but swung in really fresh ways by Wilson – and McCann's got this restrained style of singing that's really great – almost as if he's hiding a broken heart beneath his groove. Tracks include "It's Way Past Suppertime", "Next Spring", "Bye Bye Black Bird", "Deed I Do", "I Cried for You", and "Wonder Why". LP, Vinyl record album

Play the hits Les does – but in a very groovy way! He's got a nice little combo on the record that includes Plas Johnson and Seldon Powell on saxes, plus some Latin percussion by Johnny Pacheco and Ron Rich. The great Leroy Vinnegar rounds out the group on bass, providing the rich strong groove that he adds to Les' best recordings of the 60s. Includes an excellent 2-part version of "Sunny", an early version of "Compared To What", and the tracks "Summer Samba", "Sad Little Girl", "Les Skate", and "Pretty Flamingo". A great set of pop soul jazz from LA! CD

The extremely successful union of two of Atlantic's biggest funky jazz stars, caught live in Switzerland, with the amazing Benny Bailey sitting in on trumpet. The tracks are long and funky, and are virtually a blueprint for pop soul jazz playing of the time – mixing slinky rhythms with some breakout solos that show that all players are still deeply committed to a strong jazz sound. Titles include "Cold Duck Time", "The Generation Gap", "Kathleen's Theme", and their great version of "Compared To What", with the famous vocal by Les that made the track a soul jazz vocal hit! CD also features the bonus track "Kaftan". CD

A massive batch of funky soul jazz – the Second Movement (to the first album Swiss Movement) of the collaboration of Eddie Harris and Les McCann! The vibe here is even freer, and hipper, than on the first set – with a host of long tracks that have Les really working the Fender Rhodes into some great grooves, as Eddie blows along some mean, mad Varitone with equal charm! Players include Bernard Purdie, Buck Clarke, and Cornell Dupree – and titles include "Saima", "Carry On Brother", "Universal Prisoner", and the brilliant sample cut "Shorty Rides Again"! LP, Vinyl record album

A great Latin groove from the mighty Les McCann – a smoking set that adds in extra percussion from Willie Correa – who gives the record a sound that's quite a change from the usual McCann groove! The percussion is wonderful throughout – and given that the great Paul Humphrey is already playing drums in the trio, the whole thing's got a rhythmic zest that never lets up – way different than just the usual "with conga" style you'd hear on a Prestige Records piano trio record – and instead a groove that's definitely dedicated to the boldest Latin piano modes of the time! The track list includes a lot of originals, such as "McCanna", "Zulu", "Bastuto Baby", "Shaam-Pu II", and "Narobi Nights" – plus versions of "Que Rico" and "It Had Better Be Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

For some reason, Les McCann always seemed to cook a lot more in a live setting – where his sometimes restrained studio playing could open up in a funkier mode with rhythm backing that was perhaps a bit looser. This album is a perfect example of that trend – and it features Les' classic 60s group on 5 long groovers that include "But Not For Me", "The Shout", "Night In Tunisia", and "C Jam Blues". And we're not sure, but we kind of feel like this might be a repackaging of an earlier session on Pacific Jazz. LP, Vinyl record album

The extremely successful union of two of Atlantic's biggest funky jazz stars, caught live in Switzerland, with the amazing Benny Bailey sitting in on trumpet. The tracks are long and funky, and are virtually a blueprint for pop soul jazz playing of the time – mixing slinky rhythms with some breakout solos that show that all players are still deeply committed to a strong jazz sound. Titles include "Cold Duck Time", "The Generation Gap", "Kathleen's Theme", and their great version of "Compared To What", with the famous vocal by Les that made the track a soul jazz vocal hit! LP, Vinyl record album

Les McCann sings and plays piano in a live set from the late 60's. Les' singing always leaves a bit to be desired, especially when he doesn't have a lot to back him up, but his piano playing is always pretty decent. Tracks include "The Girl From Ipanema", "Beau J Poo Boo", "Gus Gus", and a nice version of Marv Jenkins' "Big City". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better trio sides that Les cut during the 60s – in that it's got a pretty freewheeling approach to the music, and more than a bit of a sense of humor. You'd probably guess that from the track titles, though – especially "She Broke My Heart (And I Broke Her Jaw)", "That Was The Freak That Was", and "How's Your Mother". Victor Gaskin is on bass, Paul Humphrey is on drums, and other tracks include "My Friends", "I'll Be On Home", and "Young & Foolish". LP, Vinyl record album

Wayne Davis' moody soul record for the Black Fire label. A strange mix of styles with a spiritual edge and a trans-genre feel to it. Not totally jazzy like the Oneness of Juju records for the label, but not really a soul record either. Sort of in the vein of Roberta Flack or Les McCann's soul jazz stuff from the early 70s, with touch of DC. righteousness to it. Tracks include "Strive On and Be Strong", "The Garden", "Look at the People!", and Al Johnson's "Dawn of a New Day". CD

Wayne Davis' moody soul record for the Black Fire label. A strange mix of styles with a spiritual edge and a trans-genre feel to it. Not totally jazzy like the Oneness of Juju records for the label, but not really a soul record either. Sort of in the vein of Roberta Flack or Les McCann's soul jazz stuff from the early 70s, with touch of DC. righteousness to it. Tracks include "Strive On and Be Strong", "The Garden", "Look at the People!", and Al Johnson's "Dawn of a New Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Klaus Doldinger & Peter Trunk, the Quartett, Paul Nero Sounds, the Quartett + Attila Zoller, the Quartett + Volker Kriegel, NDR-Jazz-Workshop-Band with Klaus Doldinger, Johnny Griffin, Sahib Shihab, Benny Bailey & Donald Byrd, Paul Newro's Blue Sounds, Doldinger's Motherhood, Etta James, Klaus Doldinger, David Newman, Herbie Man, Richard Tee & Steve Jordan & Passport + Les McCann, Johnny Griffin, Philip Catherine & Pete York. CD

Early soul jazz piano work from Takehiro Honda – recorded in a style that's quite different than most of his later albums! The sound here is full and rich – with Honda's work on the keys augmented by fuller backings arranged by Teddy Adams – all recorded in the US (we think), with a quality that's a fair bit like some of the best soul jazz coming out of LA at the end of the 60s! Honda plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the groove has a hiply vamping style that's always verging on funky, but which is a bit more laidback overall. The record echoes with plenty of the best influences from Les McCann, The Crusaders, Gerald Wilson, and other west coast soul jazz figures – and titles include "Greasy Spoon", "Sham Time", "Ain't Tell You A Good Way But", "Ain't It Funky Now", "What's Going On", and "Check Out Your Mind" CD

Early soul jazz piano work from Takehiro Honda – recorded in a style that's quite different than most of his later albums! The sound here is full and rich – with Honda's work on the keys augmented by fuller backings arranged by Teddy Adams – all recorded in the US (we think), with a quality that's a fair bit like some of the best soul jazz coming out of LA at the end of the 60s! Honda plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the groove has a hiply vamping style that's always verging on funky, but which is a bit more laidback overall. The record echoes with plenty of the best influences from Les McCann, The Crusaders, Gerald Wilson, and other west coast soul jazz figures – and titles include "Greasy Spoon", "Sham Time", "Ain't Tell You A Good Way But", "Ain't It Funky Now", "What's Going On", and "Check Out Your Mind" CD

One of the hardest-hitting electric sets ever cut by Ramsey Lewis – a live performance from the start of the 70s, done with a really gritty groove! Ramsey's on both Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano – the former of which is played with even more forces than on his Cadet studio recordings – heard here in small group formation, without any added studio backings – just the guitar of Phil Upchurch, the bass of Cleveland Eaton, and the drums of Morris Jennings. The tracks are a bit longer than usual for Ramsey on Cadet too – and often hit these down-n-dirty modes that are similar to turn of the 70s work by Les McCann or Junior Mance. Tracks include "Do Whatever Sets You Free", "Them Changes", "Unsilent Majority", "Something", and "See The End From the Beginning". CD

One of the hardest-hitting electric sets ever cut by Ramsey Lewis – a live performance from the start of the 70s, done with a really gritty groove! Ramsey's on both Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano – the former of which is played with even more forces than on his Cadet studio recordings – heard here in small group formation, without any added studio backings – just the guitar of Phil Upchurch, the bass of Cleveland Eaton, and the drums of Morris Jennings. The tracks are a bit longer than usual for Ramsey on Cadet too – and often hit these down-n-dirty modes that are similar to turn of the 70s work by Les McCann or Junior Mance. Tracks include "Do Whatever Sets You Free", "Them Changes", "Unsilent Majority", "Something", and "See The End From the Beginning". LP, Vinyl record album

A great follow-up to the Doldinger Jubilee album of a few years previous – easily one of the most successful Passport records for Atlantic, thanks to a host of great guest stars! The format is followed again for this recording too – by augmenting the core Passport quartet with players that include Philip Catherine on guitar, Johnny Griffin on tenor, and Les McCann on Fender Rhodes – plus a surprising bit of vocals and guitar from Buddy Guy! Les steps out on their rendition of his "Compared To What" – and other tracks are more fusion-centrist numbers in the Passport mode – with titles that include "Albatros Song", "Abracadabra", "Jadoo", and "Angel Wings". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the mellowest and most laidback records ever from pianist Don Shirley – and that's saying a lot, given the quietude of his other records! The lineup here is an unusual one – with Shirley on both piano and organ, accompanied by two cellos and one bass – all flowing in drumless splendor on longish tracks that partly pitch Don as a Les McCann-styled 70s sophisticate, but which also are much more strongly introspective, and almost have the seriousness of John Lewis. Titles include "Alfie", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Gershwin Medley", "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", and "The Warning". LP, Vinyl record album

Here it is, the mother of them all! The set's got 8CDs worth of killer soul, funk, and Rhythm & Blues – all culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! Although this sort of set usually tends to be a bit simplistic, this box actually features a beautiful mix of tracks, lots of which are hard to get in any format. It's a lot to go through, but it's worth the trip! We can't even begin to list the tracks here, there's 203(!) of them in all, but some of the artists include the Bar Kays, the Beginning of the End, Archie Bell & The Drells, Ruth Brown, Solomon Burke, the Capitols, Clarence Carter, the Chords, the Cookies, Don Covay, King Curtis, Tyrone Davis, the Drifters, Roberta Flack, King Floyd, Aretha Franklin, Major Harris, Donny Hathaway, the Ikettes, Willis Jackson, Nat Kendricks & The Swans, Barabra Lewis,the Mar-keys, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, Stick McGhee, Otis & Carla, the Persuaders, Percy Sledge, The Spinners, Willie Tee, Joe Tex, Chuck Willis, Betty Wright and loads more! CD

Where it's at with Stanley Turrentine – circa 1962 – a time when the tenorist was really hitting on all burners, and turning out some tremendous work for Blue Note! The album's got Stan working with a special guest – a rare Blue Note appearance from pianist Les McCann, who's also at the height of his early career here – and really brings great energy to a quartet that also includes Herbie Lewis on bass and Otis Finch on drums. Les' piano has a nice bit – and really makes for a great groove alongside Stan's round, warm, raspy tone – a righteous sort of energy that drives the record strongly, in ways that are different than some of Turrentine's other sessions of the time. The whole thing's a cooker – and titles include "Pia", "Smile, Stacey", "Dorene Don't Cry I", and "Light Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from the trio of pianist Joe Sera – a very soulful player who could give 60s Les McCann or Oscar Peterson a run for their money! Some tracks feature added vibes or guitar – and titles include "Playin", "Mac's Blues", "Watermelon Man", "Ehe He", "Fuzzy & Wild", "Can't Get Over The Bossa Nova", "So Danco Samba", and "Corcovado". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary concert from 1971 – one that features Wilson Pickett, Ike & Tina Turner, The Staple Singers, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, The Voices Of East Harlem and others joining forces for an epic concert held in Ghana, West Africa! Tracks include "Land Of 1000 Dances" and "Funky Broadway" by Wilson Pickett, "Soul To Soul" and "I Smell Trouble" by Ike & Tina, "Are You Sure" and "He's Alright" by the Staples, "Heyjorler" by Les McCann & Eddie Harris, "Soul To Soul" and "Runk Shaker Life" by Voices Of East Harlem, and "Freedom Song" and "Tryin Times" by Roberta Flack. LP, Vinyl record album