From what we remember about the story of this film, the original score was supposedly written by Bernard Herrman, then discarded – although we're not sure if that story's actually true. Whatever the case, John Addison does a surprisingly nice job with this one – and his music for the film is one of the better things about this oft-forgettable cold war thriller. The main theme has a nice dark little melody – one that shows up in the better numbers on the album – and although the overall approach is dramatic, it's handled with a rare flourish that makes it stand alone fine away from the film. Titles include "Premonitions Of Trouble", "Michael & Sarah", "Escape On The Bus", "Pi Bus Theme Variations", "Sarah Alone", and "Love Theme From Torn Curtain", sung by the Johnny Mann Singers. CD

An expanded, remastered version of the album Prophecy – early work by Albert Ayler, recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after his untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". Newly remastered version of the full concert – with 10 tracks in all! CD

A great return to form for drummer Donald Bailey – a player who's probably best known for his work in the classic Jimmy Smith Trio of the late 50s/early 60s – but who sounds especially amazing here in a recent, righteous recording! Bailey's working with some very tight talent – the mighty Odeon Pope on tenor sax, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, George Burton on piano, and Tyrone Brown on bass – all players with a lot of depth in their music, and a brooding intensity that makes the record burn a lot more fiercely than anything Bailey ever recorded back in the day. The horns are especially nice – and although Tolliver's only on two of the album's nine tracks, Pope more than holds his own on the others – blowing that heady tenor sound that always grabs attention right from the get-go. Titles include "Blues It", "Gone Now", "For All We Know", "USQ/Trilogy", "Blue Gardenia", "Plant Life", and "Variations". CD

Features Mick Abrams on lead vocals and guitar – and titles that include "Variations On Nainos", "San Francisco Sketches", "Toys", "Send Your Son To Die", "The Squirreling Must Go On", and "Meanie Monday". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully righteous work from Burnt Sugar Arkestra – a group who've been giving us great records for years, but who are maybe even more important to the scene than ever before! The core of the record is the long title track – a very jazzy tune that builds up over loops set down by composer Greg Tate, with a flowing, snakey vibe that allows for plenty of long trumpet, tenor, flute, and alto solos over the guitars and Fender Rhodes that work the rhythms – maybe almost in electric Miles territory, but more laidback. That tune is then reworked on a number of variations that are very different – mostly instrumental, as the main track – but finishing up with a bit of vocals near the end of the record – a great contribution from singer Lisala Beatty! Titles include "Angels Over Oakanda", "Repatriation Of The Midnight Moores", "Oakanda Overdrive", and "Lisala Oer Inna Oakanda". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really takes on the "phasing" in the title seriously – as it uses all sorts of cool effects to create a special magic with simple sounds – all while managing to serve up some great funky nuggets too! The record's a masterpiece in both sound library instrumentation and inventive studio percussion – as the great Michel Gonet serves up themes that might have been used originally on 70s TV, but which maybe come across in styles that are a lot more trippy and groovy too – more like funk cuts that you'd hear on Doctor Who than anything that might crop up on the daily news! Titles on this first volume include a few variations on most themes – including "Light In The Rains", "Mondial Scoop", "Soul Cathedral", "Mephisto Jet", "Mecanic Bird Song", and "Moon To Light". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweetness and darkness – perfectly blended together in this classic mid 70s soundtrack by Ennio Morricone! The main theme of the film – "Bambole" – is one of those Mondo Morricone type numbers that floats along on a gossamy sheen – vocals gliding softly over light woodwinds, stepping rhythms, and a bit of electric harpsichord – all used gently, but beautifully to create a wonderfully groovy little tune. But other numbers on the album are much more tense – strings drawn tighter, and sometimes into more atonal passages – and offset by descending woodwind passages that further underscore the melancholy of the film! Additional instrumentation includes some abstracted and slightly fuzzy guitar – and the whole album beautifully blends the sweet and dark tracks together with a great sense of pacing. Titles include "Bambole", in a number of variations – plus variations on "Spasmo" and "Stress Infinito". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Star Wars Suite", "Variations On A Korean Folksong", "Moment Voor Morricone", "Clarinet Candy", "Flat Baroque", "Baja", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

On The Line has a style that's a bit keyboard-heavy – in a way that seems to borrow from some of the 80s soundtrack work of the time, and which is clearly a nod to the success of the Lyle Mays/Pat Metheny sound that was breaking big on ECM. The move is a nice one for Lee on the best cuts – those that underplay the cheesier aspects of the style – and other players on the album are a batch of likely suspects that include Harvey Mason, Dave Grusin, Ernie Watts, and Steve Forman. Titles include "The Rit Variations", "Dolphin Dreams", "California Roll", "On The Line", "Tush", and "Heavenly Bodies". LP, Vinyl record album

Mighty raw work on thumb piano from Ekuka Morris Sirikiti – mostly pulled from radio broadcasts in northern Uganda, and served up here with a very timeless vibe! Most tracks feature vocals and percussion alongside Ekuka's lead instrument – which itself has some of the chromatic warmth as on other recordings of kalimba and other variations – but also a much rougher edge, too – certainly more percussive than melodic at most moments, but in a really hypnotic way. Titles include "Omaro Cil Pacu", "Peko Me Kin Calo", "In Balonyo For Ayinet", "Jo Ame Aparo Loc", "Acoc Acoc Twol Iye Akayi", "Pwan En Obalo Gum Waa", and "Wilo Koti Me Kwalo Orango". LP, Vinyl record album

The big second album from Sky – a record that's twice as long as the first, and which gives the group even more room for instrumental explorations! As before, the guitar sounds here are both acoustic and electric – played by both John Williams, the virtuoso musician with classical roots, and Kevin Peek, who's got more rock experience – and the group also features really strong keyboards from Francis Monkman, plus bass from the great Herbie Flowers, and thundering drums from Tristan Fry! The sound is a balance of fullness and space – much more so than other fusion records of this nature – and while Williams' solos sometimes have older elements in their phrasing, the overall sound is pretty progressive – in the best 70s mainstream way. Titles include "Fifo", "Sahara", "Dance Of The Little Fairies", "Ballet Volta", "Gavotte & Variations", "El Cielo", and "Tristan's Magic Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

That's a pretty dramatic image on the cover, and Brit maestro Alan Tew follows it up with just the right sort of tunes you might expect – many of which are thematic tracks titled "The Detectives", and which would be right at home in some kind of cool 70s cop/crime TV show! As with the best cop show themes of the time, the album mixes funky rhythms with sweet keyboards and all sorts of jazzy instrumentation – keeping things very much in the territory of American work for famous television shows of the time, but also adding in some of the best Brit sound library funk styles too. There's some great moogy bits on the record, mixed in with the funk – and the set features a whopping 28 tracks in all – lots of "The Detectives" variations, plus "Snout", "The Build Up", "Bust Up", "Burn", "Headlights", and "The Big One". LP, Vinyl record album

The music of Weather Report, served up by that group's legendary bassist Miroslav Vitous – but at a level that's quite different than the original! There's definitely lots of Weather Report-like elements at play here – not just Miroslav's bass and keyboards, but also the kind of wide-edged approach to fusion that the group had – that way of making your stereo feel as if it was somehow encompassing an extra 90 degrees of the spatial spectrum in the way the instruments come together! Yet the music here is also a lot more freewheeling, too – almost improvisations based on Weather Report themes – stepping "out" much more than that group ever did – save maybe on some of their more brooding live moments – which makes the whole thing way more than just a rehash of older songs. The group's a sextet – with Gary Campbell and Roberto Bonisolo on soprano and tenor saxes, Aydin Esen on keyboards, and both Gerald Cleaver and Nasheet Waits on drums – on titles that include "Birdland Variations", "Pinocchio", "Acrobat Issues", "Morning Lake", "Scarlet Woman Variations", and "Seventh Arrow". CD

This is the kind of killer bop piano stuff that made Wallington a legend early on – collecting classic trios originally recorded for release as 10" LP in the early days of Prestige! The material features Wallington in three different groups, featuring Max Roach on drums, and either Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford or Curley Russell on bass. 15 titles in all including "Love Beat", "Escalating", "Laura", "Summer Rain", "Red, White & Blue", "Arriverderci", "Tenderly", "Squeezer's Breezer", "Among Friends", "Variations", "My Nephew & I", "Cuckoo Around The Clock" and "When Your Old Wedding Ring Was New". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that should be an insane dark mess, given the look of the cover – but which turns out to be a surprisingly well put-together effort all the way through! Zappa does a great job of hiding behind his hair here – never acting with the pomp that a pop genius like him could easily have enacted – and instead passing off the record as if it's just another freakout – despite the fact that the arrangements are some of his tightest, most focused, and downright groovy so far! There's plenty of key musical help to make the whole thing come out right – including bass from Shuggie Otis, the inimitable voice Captain Beefheart, on the cassic "Willie The Pimp", violin from Jean-Luc Ponty, drums from Paul Humphrey, and bass from Max Bennett – all players who really live up to the musical complexity of Zappa's compositions – often with a pre-fusion vibe that's almost unexpected. Other titles include "Son Of Mr Green Grass", "The Gumbo Variations", "It Must Be A Camel", "Peaches In Regalia", and "Little Umbrellas". CD

One of those records that should be an insane dark mess, given the look of the cover – but which turns out to be a surprisingly well put-together effort all the way through! Zappa does a great job of hiding behind his hair here – never acting with the pomp that a pop genius like him could easily have enacted – and instead passing off the record as if it's just another freakout – despite the fact that the arrangements are some of his tightest, most focused, and downright groovy so far! There's plenty of key musical help to make the whole thing come out right – including bass from Shuggie Otis, the inimitable voice Captain Beefheart, on the cassic "Willie The Pimp", violin from Jean-Luc Ponty, drums from Paul Humphrey, and bass from Max Bennett – all players who really live up to the musical complexity of Zappa's compositions – often with a pre-fusion vibe that's almost unexpected. Other titles include "Son Of Mr Green Grass", "The Gumbo Variations", "It Must Be A Camel", "Peaches In Regalia", and "Little Umbrellas". LP, Vinyl record album

Sitar madness galore – and another fantastic entry in the Sitar Beat series – low on packaging, but heavy on exotic grooves! This volume may be one of the coolest in the run so far – as it's got 5 tracks that really go past the obvious – and offer up some great unusual variations on the grooviest sound of Bollywood in the old days! There's a bit of electronics on some of these tunes, making for an especially great sound – and titles include "Disco Cammata (edit)" by Kalyanji Anandji, "Pyar Karnewale (edit)" by RD Burman, "YOGA (edit)" by Kalyanji Anandji, "The Burning Train Theme (edit)" by RD Burman, and "Disco 82" by an unknown artist! LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length set that brings together 2 key early live sets by Albert Ayler – both recorded on the New York scene of the mid 60s! Bells was an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that hardly leaves room for complaints about the shortness of the album! The single track "Bells" was performed at Town Hall by Ayler with a group that includes Donald Ayler on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Sunny Murray on percussion – all coming together in a raw, real sense of freedom – beautifully explored here without ever getting too overindulgent. The tune may well be one of the greatest illustrations of the ESP format at its best – as Ayler and company never stray too far, but carve out some incredibly imaginative space through their starkly-blown horn solos! Prophecy is longer – a full album that was recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after Ayler's untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". CD

An obscure zombie film, but one with a great trio of talents in the music! Most noteworthy here are the legendary Goblin – still very much at the top of their game, and working in that mode that has them taking leaner prog energy down to the sparer sound of the John Carpenter generation – with lots of great keyboards and guitar lines in the process! There's also some wonderful work from Gianni Dell'Orso, who turns in a number of more percussive tracks on the record – these spare, almost tribal numbers that really fit the spirit of the "cannibal" expectations you might have in the title! Gianni also handles a few more electric tracks. Titles include a few variations on "Virus" – plus "Diamanti Rossi", "L'Alba Dei Morti Viventi", "Connexion", "Zombi", "Quiet Drops", and "Whity". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing journey in sound – a dip into the archives of French composer Pierre Henry – the postwar master of electronics and musique concrete, and an artist who was still very active in the final years of his life! The material here was all either recorded or reworked in Henry's own studio during the last few years of his time on the planet – with some tracks that revisit important early compositions, but with a different sonic perspective – mixed with a few new pieces that really continue that wellspring of recording that Henry was doing from the mid 90s onward! There's a wonderful array of sonic elements throughout – plenty of electronics, compelling tape and analog sounds, and lots more that we're hard pressed to figure out – in the best tradition of Pierre's music. Titles include "Variance (remix de Variations)", "Rock Electronique/La Reine Verte", "Prologue/Messe Pour Le Temps Present", "Danse/Mouvement Rythme Etude", "Final/Utopia Hip Hop", "Tokyo 2002", "Machine Danse", and "Tunne De La Mort/Le Fil De La Vie". LP features bonus tracks "Metamorphose/Fragments Rituels", "Enchevetrements De Spirales/Tam Tam Du Merveilleux", and "Etincell Qui Relie Deux Nuits". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy early soundtrack by Ennio Morricone – done with a fantastic sound that's made even more wonderful by vocal work from I Cantori Moderni – a hip vocalese group that's kind of the Italian version of The Swingle Singers! The group has sung more famously on soundtracks by Armando Trovajoli – but they sound pretty darn great on this one, leaping along wonderfully over some spy-like themes that often resonate with some 60s mod touches! Morricone's music is often jazzy, and pretty groovy at times too – giving the set a 60s swing that's completely sublime. The structure of this reissue differs greatly from the one on Dagored – as it features 23 shorter tracks – including some previously unreleased numbers – all variations on the "Slalom" and "Sestriere" themes, with sub-headings that include "Una Sera In Albergo", "Marcette Grottesche", "In Pericolo", "Titoli Versione Film", "Un Omicidio Misterioso", "Sperduto A El Cairo I", and "Incontro Magic III". CD

Sublime sounds from Piero Piccioni – one of the Italian soundtrack genius' best moments of the mid 70s! The album's got a nicely laidback, slinky sort of feel – one that's almost a 70s update of the vibe Piero first laid down in Tenth Victim – with snakey keyboard bits and sax lines – some sweet bossa moments, and other sexy touches. There's a few funky moments too, but these are in the minority – leaving most of the record to have this wonderfully mellow glow, but still with all the odd little twists we've come to love in Piccioni's music! Titles include "Number One Superman", "Let's Face Love", "Going My Round", "Guitars Improvviso", "El Agitato", and "Combinazione Special". Plus, this set features a bonus CD with 32 more bonus tracks – loads of variations, alternates, and outtakes – a real treasure trove of great music! CD

A rare spaghetti western score from Piero Umiliani – an Italian composer we usually know best for bossa or more jazz-oriented scores, but who sounds right at home in this genre too! The album's got a sound that really shows the full range of Umiliani's talents – a few western-styled numbers with guitar in the lead, but also a number of different styles too – quieter moments that are cool variations on the main theme – played with either organ, saxophone, or harpsichord – recorded with some cool changes and a great sense of play throughout. The CD features 12 tracks from the film's score – plus the vocal number "Roy Colt", which is sung by the group Free Love, and originally only issued on a 45! CD

A magical pairing of musicians – both of whom had come together in different formats, and who here showcase a great late meeting of their genius! The vibe is maybe similar to the Super Quartet that Lacy and Waldron were leading in the early 90s, but with a slightly different lineup – Mal on piano, Steve on soprano sax, Reggie Workman on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – a very deft, fluid quartet who are able to shift easily between the different modes of the set! The performance begins with a bit of a nod to Thelonious Monk – always a key influence on Lacy's sound, even at the start – but Waldron's also bringing plenty of his ideas in too, and things really open up once the music gets going – with especially strong flavors that come from the territory that both musicians developed overseas in the decades before this performance. Tracks are all very long – and titles include "Variation Of III", "Longing", "Monk's Dream", "What It Is", "Epistrophy", and the long medley "Snake Out/Variations On A Theme By Cecil Taylor". CD

A magical pairing of musicians – both of whom had come together in different formats, and who here showcase a great late meeting of their genius! The vibe is maybe similar to the Super Quartet that Lacy and Waldron were leading in the early 90s, but with a slightly different lineup – Mal on piano, Steve on soprano sax, Reggie Workman on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – a very deft, fluid quartet who are able to shift easily between the different modes of the set! The performance begins with a bit of a nod to Thelonious Monk – always a key influence on Lacy's sound, even at the start – but Waldron's also bringing plenty of his ideas in too, and things really open up once the music gets going – with especially strong flavors that come from the territory that both musicians developed overseas in the decades before this performance. Tracks are all very long – and titles include "Variation Of III", "Longing", "Monk's Dream", "What It Is", "Epistrophy", and the long medley "Snake Out/Variations On A Theme By Cecil Taylor". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that should be an insane dark mess, given the look of the cover – but which turns out to be a surprisingly well put-together effort all the way through! Zappa does a great job of hiding behind his hair here – never acting with the pomp that a pop genius like him could easily have enacted – and instead passing off the record as if it's just another freakout – despite the fact that the arrangements are some of his tightest, most focused, and downright groovy so far! There's plenty of key musical help to make the whole thing come out right – including bass from Shuggie Otis, the inimitable voice Captain Beefheart, on the cassic "Willie The Pimp", violin from Jean-Luc Ponty, drums from Paul Humphrey, and bass from Max Bennett – all players who really live up to the musical complexity of Zappa's compositions – often with a pre-fusion vibe that's almost unexpected. Other titles include "Son Of Mr Green Grass", "The Gumbo Variations", "It Must Be A Camel", "Peaches In Regalia", and "Little Umbrellas". CD

Quite possibly the greatest album to date from Atomic – a set that steps out with a bold, rich sound right from the start – giving the whole thing the feel of some lost classic slice of avant jazz, but with a freshness that definitely marks the set with plenty of Atomic energy too! The horns are amazing – fierce interplay between the trumpet of Magnus Broo and reeds of Fredrik Ljungvist – locking together at times with these raging lines that have almost an ESP sort of feel – then breaking out with soul-drenching solos on their own – especially when Ljungvist handles the tenor. Paal Nilssen-Love's drums are on fire throughout – Havard Wilk barrels away on piano – and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten rolls things along strongly on bass. Titles include "Morphemes", "HCE", "Milano", "Kreuzberg Variations", "Panama", and "Unity Toccata". CD

A double-length set that brings together 2 key early live sets by Albert Ayler – both recorded on the New York scene of the mid 60s! Bells was an unusual one-sided record that featured only 20 minutes of music, performed with an intensity that hardly leaves room for complaints about the shortness of the album! The single track "Bells" was performed at Town Hall by Ayler with a group that includes Donald Ayler on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Sunny Murray on percussion – all coming together in a raw, real sense of freedom – beautifully explored here without ever getting too overindulgent. The tune may well be one of the greatest illustrations of the ESP format at its best – as Ayler and company never stray too far, but carve out some incredibly imaginative space through their starkly-blown horn solos! Prophecy is longer – a full album that was recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after Ayler's untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". And then, if that's not enough, the 2CD package also features more material from the Prophecy sessions – 6 more tracks originally issued on the Albert Smiles With Sunny album – with titles that include "Saints", "Children", "Ghosts", "Spirits", and "Wizard" – all in different versions. CD

A collection of different trumpet sides recorded by Bob Shad for the Time label – material recorded over the space of a decade, but all pretty darn great! Titles include "Clifford's Fantasy" and "The Boss Man" by Clifford Brown, "A Waltz" by Kenny Dorham, "Variations On The Scene" and "Gandolfo's Bounce" by Booker Little, and "Gunga Din" by Tommy Turrentine. LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully righteous work from Burnt Sugar Arkestra – a group who've been giving us great records for years, but who are maybe even more important to the scene than ever before! The core of the record is the long title track – a very jazzy tune that builds up over loops set down by composer Greg Tate, with a flowing, snakey vibe that allows for plenty of long trumpet, tenor, flute, and alto solos over the guitars and Fender Rhodes that work the rhythms – maybe almost in electric Miles territory, but more laidback. That tune is then reworked on a number of variations that are very different – mostly instrumental, as the main track – but finishing up with a bit of vocals near the end of the record – a great contribution from singer Lisala Beatty! Titles include "Angels Over Oakanda", "Repatriation Of The Midnight Moores", "Oakanda Overdrive", and "Lisala Oer Inna Oakanda". CD

A mixture of serious and sensuous themes written for this later film starring Lana Turner. Some of the music is adapted from the "Swedish Rhapsody" by Charles Wildman, and a few other tracks are variations on themes by Liszt. Titles include "Depths Of Despair", "Future Plans", "Christmas Holly", "The End Of A Dream", "Madame X On Trial", and "Headlines & Holly". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most compelling tributes to Duke Ellington we've ever heard – a performance of his music that really deviates from the sound of the original, yet which also keeps all the complicated spirit of Duke intact! Trumpeter Franz Koglmann is really at the helm of the core groups on the set – leading the Monoblue Quartet on some tracks, an ensemble that features Tony Coe on clarinet and tenor, Burkhard Stangl on guitar, and Klaus Koch on bass – and the Pipe Trio on others, with Rudolf Ruschel on trombone and Raoul Herget on tuba. Lee Konitz joins in on alto with both ensembles, save for one track – and the whole record is a brilliant piano-less and drum-less outing that has the horns coming together in ways that are almost inspired by Jimmy Giuffre, but which take on some richer chromatic tones in their exploration of Ellington themes. The whole record really opens up the Ellington concept tremendously – and titles include "Love Is In My Heart", "Lament For Javanette", "Ko Ko", "Zweet Zurzday", "Pyramid", and "The Mooche" – plus a few variations on "Thoughts About Duke", an original by Koglmann. CD

Ed Palermo and company perform songs by Frank Zappa! Titles incldue "Sleep Dirt", "Dwarf Nebula Processional March", "Moggio", "RDNZL", and "Gumbo Variations". CD

An obscure one from Max Roach! The set was recorded live in 1968 in Norway – and it features Max working with Steve Lacy on soprano, Red Mitchell on bass, Steve Kuhn on piano, and Abbey Lincoln on vocals. Abbey sings on a few tracks – and the group jams on others – but a certain percentage of the record features Max playing solo, in that great way he used on the Drums Unlimited album for Atlantic. The whole album's quite varied – but it also shows the range of Roach's creative explorations at this sometime "lost" time in his career. Titles include "Prayer Protest From Freedom Now", "For Big Sid", "Drums Unlimited", "Profit", "Patty Pat and Midnight Variations", and "Prelude". LP, Vinyl record album

This is the kind of killer bop piano stuff that made Wallington a legend early on – collecting classic trios originally recorded for release as 10" LP in the early days of Prestige! The material features Wallington in three different groups, featuring Max Roach on drums, and either Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford or Curley Russell on bass. 15 titles in all including "Love Beat", "Escalating", "Laura", "Summer Rain", "Red, White & Blue", "Arriverderci", "Tenderly", "Squeezer's Breezer", "Among Friends", "Variations", "My Nephew & I", "Cuckoo Around The Clock" and "When Your Old Wedding Ring Was New". CD

One of those records that should be an insane dark mess, given the look of the cover – but which turns out to be a surprisingly well put-together effort all the way through! Zappa does a great job of hiding behind his hair here – never acting with the pomp that a pop genius like him could easily have enacted – and instead passing off the record as if it's just another freakout – despite the fact that the arrangements are some of his tightest, most focused, and downright groovy so far! There's plenty of key musical help to make the whole thing come out right – including bass from Shuggie Otis, the inimitable voice Captain Beefheart, on the cassic "Willie The Pimp", violin from Jean-Luc Ponty, drums from Paul Humphrey, and bass from Max Bennett – all players who really live up to the musical complexity of Zappa's compositions – often with a pre-fusion vibe that's almost unexpected. Other titles include "Son Of Mr Green Grass", "The Gumbo Variations", "It Must Be A Camel", "Peaches In Regalia", and "Little Umbrellas". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the boldest of Arthur Blythe's albums for Columbia Records – as the set bristles with newly creative energy right from the start, and provides a great showcase for some of the criss-crossings of styles and rhythms that were taking place on the New York scene at the time! The lineup alone announces something special – a cool combination of James Blood Ulmer on guitar, John Hicks on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, Abdul Wadud on cello, Bob Stewart on tuba, and Steve McCall on drums – working together in some slight variations at times, often with these angular edges that are perfectly sharpened by Arthur's amazing work on alto sax. The music's never too free, but quite outside for a major label at the time – balanced out so that it's never overindulgent at all. Titles include "Bush Baby", "Miss Nancy", "My Son Ra", and "Carespin With Mamie". LP, Vinyl record album

Four great albums from reedman Arthur Blythe – all together in one collection! First up is Lenox Avenue Breakdown – a stunning Columbia Records debut from Blythe! At the time of the date, Blythe had already spent years working in the jazz undergrounds on both coasts – developing a searing sound on alto sax that's perfect for the focused structure of this album – almost a tone poem of sorts, offering up a portrait of the Harlem scene that was a key part of Arthur's life at the time. The sounds are sharp, but also have a sense of energy that really holds them together – guiding the players through long readings of well-penned tunes by Blythe that are filled with loads of energy and life! Players include James Newton on flute, James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Bob Stewart on tuba, Cecil McBee on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Guillermo Franco on percussion – and titles include "Odessa", "Slidin Through", "Down San Diego Way", and "Lenox Avenue Breakdown". In The Tradition is a gem – as the set represents the modern musician taking on a host of older jazz currents, while carving things out with his own special sort of soul! Half the tunes are familiar favorites, the other half originals – and Blythe moves far past his avant roots, to showcase his deep understanding of so many different shades of jazz – blowing alto beautifully throughout, in a very hip quartet that features Stanley Cowell on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on drums! Titles include great takes on "Naima", "Jitterbug Waltz", "Caravan", and "In A Sentimental Mood" – plus the originals "Break Tune" and "Hip Dipper". Illusions is maybe the boldest of Arthur Blythe's albums for Columbia Records – as the set bristles with newly creative energy right from the start, and provides a great showcase for some of the criss-crossings of styles and rhythms that were taking place on the New York scene at the time! The lineup alone announces something special – a cool combination of James Blood Ulmer on guitar, John Hicks on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, Abdul Wadud on cello, Bob Stewart on tuba, and Steve McCall on drums – working together in some slight variations at times, often with these angular edges that are perfectly sharpened by Arthur's amazing work on alto sax. The music's never too free, but quite outside for a major label at the time – balanced out so that it's never overindulgent at all. Titles include "Bush Baby", "Miss Nancy", "My Son Ra", and "Carespin With Mamie". Blythe Spirit is a set that showcases the never-ending growth and imagination of reedman Arthur Blythe during this fruitful period of his career – and his ability to effortlessly blend together different elements in his music – especially sides of the New York loft jazz scene, and the Chicago-based AACM! The tunes are beautiful – mostly originals, and showing a richer spirituality than even a year before – while still working in that compellingly rhythmic mode that Arthur was hitting during these years – in a lineup that features Blythe on alto, Abdul Wadud on cello, Kelvyn Bell on guitar, Steve McCall and Bobby Battle on drums, John Hicks on piano, Amina Claudine Myers on organ, and Fred Hopkins on bass. The mix of electric and acoustic elements is fantastic – very fresh, even all these many years later – and titles include "Misty", "Spirits In The Field", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Reverence", and "Contemplation". CD

One of the best-remembered Anthony Braxton albums from the 80s – and for good reason too, as there's a strength to the record that's evident from the very first note! The quartet here features longtime collaborator George Lewis on trombone, bassist John Lindberg, and percussionist Gerry Hemingway – the last of whom really rattles some creative energy into the record. Lewis and Braxton provide excellent foils for one another – balancing abstract left brain streams with phrasing that alludes to an approach that hasn't forgotten the jazz tradition. Side one is a lengthy take on "Composition No 105A" with an accompanying graphic title too, and side two features three graphic variations on "Composition No 69". LP, Vinyl record album

Stelvio Cipriani at his funkiest – taking all the lessons learned from his slinky, erotic sounds of the early 70s – and turning them into a mix of sweet sounds with a great late 70s vibe! Some tracks are upbeat and almost have a clubby feel, others have a great slow-stepping approach to funk – and there's a few others that are moodier, mellower instrumentals – of the sort that Stelvio first rose to fame with – but often with as much acoustic elements and percussion as his usual sweet keyboard work! Titles include the previous single – "Chicago USA" and "Percussion Gun" – both very funky tracks with a similar theme – mixed with lots of other unreleased numbers, including "Spanish Nights In Black Satin", "Lyonesse", "Changing Face", "Chicago USA 2", The Predator", "Crazy Town", and a number of other tunes with variations on the title "Scorticateli Vivi". CD

An amazing chapter in the career of British saxophonist Lol Coxhill – two completely wonderful albums recorded for the Ogun label in the mid 70s! The feel here is similar to Coxhill's seminal albums for Virgin a few years before – jazz that's free, but never too "out" – working in a lovely way to explore sound and tone with a sense of joy and whimsy – often making a brief nod to more traditional modes, but very much in its own spirit. There's a sense of wonder here that we'd almost compare to the best Rahsaan Roland Kirk work for Atlantic – and Coxhill plays soprano sax throughout, joined by players that include Michael Garrick on electric piano, Ken Shaw on guitar, John Mitchell on percussion, Veryan Weston on piano, and Colin Wood on cello. The CD features the full tracks from 2 albums – Joy Of Paranoia and Diverse – and titles include "Joy Of Paranoia Waltz", "The Wakefield Capers", "The Cluck Variations", "Loverman", "Perdido", "Diver", and "Divers". CD

There was actually more than one group working under the name of The Holidays during the golden years of soul music in Detroit – but given the strength of the tracks on this set, this trio may well have been one of the best! You might know another Holidays from Northern Soul 60s fame – but this group is much more of a 70s harmony outfit overall – working here in a range of rare singles and unreleased tracks that are totally outta sight – almost like some of the better east coast harmony soul of the period, although without some of the polish of the disco years. The work here was issued under a few variations of their name – including The Fabulous Holidays and New Holidays – and titles include "Maybe So Maybe No", "The Love We Share", "I'm So Glad That I Met You", "Too Many Times", "Love Lost", "Ego Tripping", "Procrastinate", "If I Only Knew", "Lazy Day", and "You Make Me Weak". CD

One of the groovier albums the Modern Jazz Quartet ever recorded – as you might expect, given the cover and title! In addition to the group's usual cool sound from Milt Jackson's vibes, the set also features John Lewis playing a bit of harpsichord in addition to his usual piano – and the group's also augmented on a few tracks with some great horns from Snookie Young and Joe Newman on trumpets, Garnett Brown on trombone, Jim Buffington on French horn, and Don Butterfield on tuba – a change that really gives the record a nicely different flavor from other MJQ albums. John Lewis composed all of the tracks – and titles include "Walkin Stomp", "Dancing", "Plastic Dreams", "Variations On A Christmas Theme", "Travlin", "Piazza Novona", and "England's Carol". 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

Dark genius from Ennio Morricone – a soundtrack that begins with a cool water dripping sound on the title theme – then moves into a set of tunes that are equally spacious and moody! The music unfolds slowly, in this really beautiful way – sometimes with light piano lines stepping along, sometimes with wordless vocals from the great Edda Dell'Orso, sometimes with a bit of woodwind – but all in that isolated, slow-building mode that Morricone could do so well at the time! There's a sense of larger majesty from simple elements that almost hints at the wider Morricone sound to come – but overall the whole thing's still got that spare, compressed sound that we love so much from his early 70s work. Titles include "Il Segreto", "Dal Mare", "Nebulosa Seconda", and other variations on these themes. New CD edition features 5 bonus tracks! CD

On The Line has a style that's a bit keyboard-heavy – in a way that seems to borrow from some of the 80s soundtrack work of the time, and which is clearly a nod to the success of the Lyle Mays/Pat Metheny sound that was breaking big on ECM. The move is a nice one for Lee on the best cuts – those that underplay the cheesier aspects of the style – and other players on the album are a batch of likely suspects that include Harvey Mason, Dave Grusin, Ernie Watts, and Steve Forman. Titles include "The Rit Variations", "Dolphin Dreams", "California Roll", "On The Line", "Tush", and "Heavenly Bodies". CD

On The Line has a style that's a bit keyboard-heavy – in a way that seems to borrow from some of the 80s soundtrack work of the time, and which is clearly a nod to the success of the Lyle Mays/Pat Metheny sound that was breaking big on ECM. The move is a nice one for Lee on the best cuts – those that underplay the cheesier aspects of the style – and other players on the album are a batch of likely suspects that include Harvey Mason, Dave Grusin, Ernie Watts, and Steve Forman. Titles include "The Rit Variations", "Dolphin Dreams", "California Roll", "On The Line", "Tush", and "Heavenly Bodies". CD

One of Max Roach's most experimental albums from the 50s – a set of serious compositional works performed in conjunction with the Boston Percussion Ensemble. The feel is very much in the mode of 20th century classical work, such as the recordings in the 60s by the Percussions Of Strasbourg – with a wide variety of percussion instruments used on the set, and Roach's drums at the center. Titles include "The Music Inn Suite", "Evolution", and "Variations On A Familiar Theme" – all written by Harold Farberman, who directs the group. LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that should be an insane dark mess, given the look of the cover – but which turns out to be a surprisingly well put-together effort all the way through! Zappa does a great job of hiding behind his hair here – never acting with the pomp that a pop genius like him could easily have enacted – and instead passing off the record as if it's just another freakout – despite the fact that the arrangements are some of his tightest, most focused, and downright groovy so far! There's plenty of key musical help to make the whole thing come out right – including bass from Shuggie Otis, the inimitable voice Captain Beefheart, on the cassic "Willie The Pimp", violin from Jean-Luc Ponty, drums from Paul Humphrey, and bass from Max Bennett – all players who really live up to the musical complexity of Zappa's compositions – often with a pre-fusion vibe that's almost unexpected. Other titles include "Son Of Mr Green Grass", "The Gumbo Variations", "It Must Be A Camel", "Peaches In Regalia", and "Little Umbrellas". CD

One of the deepest-digging entries in this wonderful series – a set that explores the wealth of spiritual jazz issued on small indie labels in the 70s – material that's sometimes referred to as "private", although that's really just a factor of how little circulation these records saw back in the day! As is well-known, the 60s influence of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy set countless fires on players in the generation that followed – including some older musicians who really changed up their groove in the post-Coltrane energy, and recorded material that was full of searing solos, modal rhythms, and a new sort of spiritual vibe! The set features plenty of nuggets from that time – including some very rare 45s – and even includes one or two earlier tracks, which makes for a great span of sounds within. As always with Jazzman, the detailed notes are as great as the track selection – and titles include "By The Grace Of God" by Erni Clark, "Ethiopia" by Carmelo Garcia, "Desiree Song" by Bobby Jackson, "Pharoah's Thing" by Compass, "Symbiosis" by Almanac, "A'Keem" by Cullen Knight, "Themes & Variations" by Black Is, "Middle Eastern Fantasy" by Radam Schwartz & Leslie Ford, "Spanish Boots (parts 1 & 2)" by Don Menza, and "Delilah" by Andrew McPherson. CD

One of the deepest-digging entries in this wonderful series – a set that explores the wealth of spiritual jazz issued on small indie labels in the 70s – material that's sometimes referred to as "private", although that's really just a factor of how little circulation these records saw back in the day! As is well-known, the 60s influence of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy set countless fires on players in the generation that followed – including some older musicians who really changed up their groove in the post-Coltrane energy, and recorded material that was full of searing solos, modal rhythms, and a new sort of spiritual vibe! The set features plenty of nuggets from that time – including some very rare 45s – and even includes one or two earlier tracks, which makes for a great span of sounds within. As always with Jazzman, the detailed notes are as great as the track selection – and titles include "By The Grace Of God" by Erni Clark, "Ethiopia" by Carmelo Garcia, "Desiree Song" by Bobby Jackson, "Pharoah's Thing" by Compass, "Symbiosis" by Almanac, "A'Keem" by Cullen Knight, "Themes & Variations" by Black Is, "Middle Eastern Fantasy" by Radam Schwartz & Leslie Ford, "Spanish Boots (parts 1 & 2)" by Don Menza, and "Delilah" by Andrew McPherson. LP, Vinyl record album

An expanded, remastered version of the album Prophecy – early work by Albert Ayler, recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after his untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". Newly remastered version of the full concert – with 10 tracks in all! CD

Early work by Albert Ayler, recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after his untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". LP, Vinyl record album

Four great albums from reedman Arthur Blythe – all together in one collection! First up is Lenox Avenue Breakdown – a stunning Columbia Records debut from Blythe! At the time of the date, Blythe had already spent years working in the jazz undergrounds on both coasts – developing a searing sound on alto sax that's perfect for the focused structure of this album – almost a tone poem of sorts, offering up a portrait of the Harlem scene that was a key part of Arthur's life at the time. The sounds are sharp, but also have a sense of energy that really holds them together – guiding the players through long readings of well-penned tunes by Blythe that are filled with loads of energy and life! Players include James Newton on flute, James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Bob Stewart on tuba, Cecil McBee on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Guillermo Franco on percussion – and titles include "Odessa", "Slidin Through", "Down San Diego Way", and "Lenox Avenue Breakdown". In The Tradition is a gem – as the set represents the modern musician taking on a host of older jazz currents, while carving things out with his own special sort of soul! Half the tunes are familiar favorites, the other half originals – and Blythe moves far past his avant roots, to showcase his deep understanding of so many different shades of jazz – blowing alto beautifully throughout, in a very hip quartet that features Stanley Cowell on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on drums! Titles include great takes on "Naima", "Jitterbug Waltz", "Caravan", and "In A Sentimental Mood" – plus the originals "Break Tune" and "Hip Dipper". Illusions is maybe the boldest of Arthur Blythe's albums for Columbia Records – as the set bristles with newly creative energy right from the start, and provides a great showcase for some of the criss-crossings of styles and rhythms that were taking place on the New York scene at the time! The lineup alone announces something special – a cool combination of James Blood Ulmer on guitar, John Hicks on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, Abdul Wadud on cello, Bob Stewart on tuba, and Steve McCall on drums – working together in some slight variations at times, often with these angular edges that are perfectly sharpened by Arthur's amazing work on alto sax. The music's never too free, but quite outside for a major label at the time – balanced out so that it's never overindulgent at all. Titles include "Bush Baby", "Miss Nancy", "My Son Ra", and "Carespin With Mamie". Blythe Spirit is a set that showcases the never-ending growth and imagination of reedman Arthur Blythe during this fruitful period of his career – and his ability to effortlessly blend together different elements in his music – especially sides of the New York loft jazz scene, and the Chicago-based AACM! The tunes are beautiful – mostly originals, and showing a richer spirituality than even a year before – while still working in that compellingly rhythmic mode that Arthur was hitting during these years – in a lineup that features Blythe on alto, Abdul Wadud on cello, Kelvyn Bell on guitar, Steve McCall and Bobby Battle on drums, John Hicks on piano, Amina Claudine Myers on organ, and Fred Hopkins on bass. The mix of electric and acoustic elements is fantastic – very fresh, even all these many years later – and titles include "Misty", "Spirits In The Field", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Reverence", and "Contemplation". CD

Wonderfully righteous work from Burnt Sugar Arkestra – a group who've been giving us great records for years, but who are maybe even more important to the scene than ever before! The core of the record is the long title track – a very jazzy tune that builds up over loops set down by composer Greg Tate, with a flowing, snakey vibe that allows for plenty of long trumpet, tenor, flute, and alto solos over the guitars and Fender Rhodes that work the rhythms – maybe almost in electric Miles territory, but more laidback. That tune is then reworked on a number of variations that are very different – mostly instrumental, as the main track – but finishing up with a bit of vocals near the end of the record – a great contribution from singer Lisala Beatty! Titles include "Angels Over Oakanda", "Repatriation Of The Midnight Moores", "Oakanda Overdrive", and "Lisala Oer Inna Oakanda". CD

Michel Colombier created some mighty funky music in the French scene of the late 60s and early 70s – including some with Pierre Henry and Serge Gainsbourg – and this standalone soundtrack effort is definitely part of that really great legacy in music! There's a nice current of funk amidst the larger orchestrations on some of the best cuts – mixed with a few other sweeter sounds too – all handled with that really inventive approach that easily made Colombier one of the key cats pushing forward the sound of the scene at the time. The set's got a vocal tune sung by Drupi – and titles include "Violence Et Solitude", "La Baie", "Constance Et Laurent", "La Mort", and a number of variations on "Le Hasard Et La Violence". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual albums from the 70s minimalist scene – a set that features different tracks with cyclical passages of instruments layered over one another – but with a vibe that's sometimes a bit more chaotic than similar work by artists like Terry Riley or Steve Reich! That quality is intentional, clearly, and the proceedings veer into noisier territory at times – with instrumentation played by the composer on most tracks, with help from a few other percussionists at points – in a shifting lineup that includes lots of glockenspiel, plus bass, piano, violin piano, percussion, electronics, guitar, and other instruments too. Titles include a number of variations on "Error System" – plus "Water Systemised", "Venezuela 2", "Bolivia", "Ecuador", and "Guitar Systemised". CD

One of the most unusual albums from the 70s minimalist scene – a set that features different tracks with cyclical passages of instruments layered over one another – but with a vibe that's sometimes a bit more chaotic than similar work by artists like Terry Riley or Steve Reich! That quality is intentional, clearly, and the proceedings veer into noisier territory at times – with instrumentation played by the composer on most tracks, with help from a few other percussionists at points – in a shifting lineup that includes lots of glockenspiel, plus bass, piano, violin piano, percussion, electronics, guitar, and other instruments too. Titles include a number of variations on "Error System" – plus "Water Systemised", "Venezuela 2", "Bolivia", "Ecuador", and "Guitar Systemised". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty sweet mid 60s disaster movie – filmed in Cinerama, and featuring an all-star cast that includes a great later Sal Mineo role! The music is lush and slightly sentimental – almost in a Rogers & Hammerstein mode, with South Pacific-y touches on the album's few vocal numbers. Barbara Werle sings the tunes "A Nice Old Fashioned Girl" and "Just Before Sunrise" – but the best number is the wonderful "East Of Java" title theme, sung by a male harmony group who's unfortunately unnamed on the cover! Other instrumental tunes are lush and mainstream soundtrack-ish – and titles are mostly variations on the 3 above-named songs. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing early bop session from Germany! During the 50s, pianist Jutta Hipp cut a number of straighter sides for Blue Note that were recorded in the US – but this first album has her working with German contemporaries like Joki Freund on tenor sax and Emil Mangelsdorff on alto, carving out a dark little batch of tracks with a sharper edge than you'd expect! Although Hipp's the leader, it's the amazing horn interplay that really makes the record shine – as Mangelsdorff and Freund work in unison on many of the intros to the songs, cutting back and forth like a double-edged sword, then breaking out into wonderfully compact solos. About 3 tracks feature Hipp in a trio, but the remaining 5 feature this quintet – and it's just great! Titles include "Cleopatra", "Mon Petit", "What's New", and "Variations". CD

A really great little soundtrack – an unusual comedic moment for Ennio Morricone, and scored with this very groovy blend of light orchestrations, gentle rhythms, and even a bit of bossa! Keyboard lines ring out with this spare, resonant feel on some of our favorite numbers – recalling the best Morricone modes at the start of the 70s, but with a slightly different twist – and the overall approach is way more classy and careful than the usual Italian comedy of this vintage – no throwaway disco or too-cheesy cuts – just the kind of careful sense of sound we'd expect from the maestro. Vinyl version features 20 tracks in all – titles that include "Marcetta Poplare", "Un Povero Emigrante", "Dance On", "Autostrada", and a number of variations on the title. LP, Vinyl record album

A searing standout from Mountain – a studio album, but one that also really captures some of the freewheeling energy that made the group such a great live act at the time – especially given that the studio sessions here are mixed with a bit of improvisation from a live concert too! The double-headed team of Leslie West and Felix Pappalardi are very firmly in charge – the latter with loads of heavy bass, the former with that fuzzy guitar that mixes so well with the heavy drums of the group and titles include "Flowers Of Evil", "King's Chorale", "One Last Cold Kiss", "Crossroader", and "Pride & Passion" – plus a long improvisation that blends together "Dream Sequence Guitar Solo/Roll Over Beethoven/Dreams Of Milk & Honey/Variations/Swan Theme" – and a live take on their classic "Mississippi Queen". LP, Vinyl record album

The cover's creepy, but the soundtrack starts with a beautiful theme – a spare piano number that sets things up nicely, before the music moves into more of the 80s electric horror styles that you might expect! Yet throughout the set, there's these moments of gentle soulfulness that really come as a nice surprise – a trumpet line on one track, a moodier melody on another – with some of the more familiar keyboard-heavy numbers between these moments! The mix of these elements make for a score that's a lot richer than some of its contemporaries – with titles that include "Bella Blu", "Fratellanza", "Sculture Sulla Sabbia", "Dimensione Violenza", and "Caccia In Palude". CD features 16 more bonus tracks added to the original album – all sorts of really cool and unusual variations! CD

A mindblowing tribute to the work of Egyptian composer Mohamad Abdel Wahab – served up here on a record that was maybe one of the first chances a larger global audience got to hear his music! Simon Shaheen plays oud, viola, and violin amidst a set of larger arrangements that add in other stringed instruments, plenty of percussion, reeds, and some occasional vocals – and although the set was produced by Bill Laswell, it's got a very respectful vibe – an acoustic presentation that feels much more midcentury than any other release on the Axiom label, in a way that feels very true to the inspiration of the original compositions. Titles include "Hanil Widd", "Ibnil Balad", "Bortuqal", "Mudnaka", "Theme & Variations", and "Al Hinna". LP, Vinyl record album

Rehearsal material – done with Slam Stewart on bass and Tiny Grimes on guitar. Titles include "If I Had You", "Variations On A Theme By Flotow", and "Long Long Ago". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electro funk from the second half of the 80s – served up here by a group with a vibe that's much more like the indie styles of the start of the genre! The set's heavy on beats, basslines, and keyboards – and even includes some vocoder bits too – all with a lean groove that's pretty darn great throughout – very much in a boogie funk mode, but with some occasional variations that really keep things interesting! Even the slower cuts rely strongly on the beats, but never in a way that's heavy handed – and some warmer keyboard washes even hit at bigger label potential for the group – although we certainly like them more in this indie mode. Titles include "Shake Me", "She's Got It Going", "Can't Let Go", "Procrastinator", "This Time We'll Win", "Get It On", and "We're Gonna Have Fun Tonight". CD

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Features David Tudor on piano! CD

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An obscure group from the Oakland side of the Cali soul scene in the 70s – and one who get some superb backing here on the best cuts – thanks to work from the funk combo Perfect Circle, who bring some great jazz funk elements to the mix! The group features one female vocalist, Samaki – but the majority of the tracks have the three male singers working in a harmony style that's in kind of an east coast mode, but perhaps a bit looser. Uptempo funky cuts include "I Remember You" and "Sayin It & Doin It", which both sound like tracks from Perfect Circle's own album – plus the titles "Let's Take A Disco Ride" and "Put The Music On Funk". CD

The second album by this obscure California soul group – not as tightly funky as their first LP, but with a good focus on mellower numbers to make up for that. Four of the album's seven tracks are written by Lowrell Simon, in a smoothly grooving mode that reminds us of the later singles by Lost Generation – a mix of Chicago harmony and mellow modern that comes out a lot better than the album's funkier tunes. Titles include "Vibes Are Good", "I Can Show You", "Easy Come Easy Go", "Night Cap", and "Tell Me". CD

The funkiest record ever issued by this 70s group best known for clubbier work – a set that foregrounds the badass vocals of female singer Samaki, who kicks it nicely over a host of short tracks that mix political messages with a few personal themes! The whole thing's every bit as righteous as you might guess from the cover – with plenty of influences from bigger names on labels like Curtom or Westbound during the early 70s – but handled with a nice approach that's got some rough edges too! Titles include "Help The Poor", "Daddy Could Swear", "Ticket On The Ark", "Sayin It Doin It", and "I Got Stronger". CD