Joe Bennett and his South Carolina group are best known for one classic rocker – the great "Black Slacks" – but back in the day, the group had a much longer legacy of recordings – all of which are presented here in a really well-done set! The groove is great – upbeat, romping, and with plenty of rockabilly elements – but also given a sharper tune at times too, especially as the music moves into the 60s and the package features related material by Joe & The Jaguars, Billy & Eddie, and Karina Con Los Jaguars – the last of whom even deliver some lyrics in Spanish! The package is great – the usual Bear Family huge amount of notes and details on this near-lost group – and the set features 38 tracks in all, with titles that include "Black Slacks", "What The Heck", "Softly", "De Nada", "La Hora", "Well Dressed Man", "Run Rabbit Run", "Do The Stop", "Late Again", "Penny Loafers & Bobby Sox, "Let's Go Rock & Roll", "Maybe Baby", and "Rocket". CD

A nice little 2CD set – one that features the full 1962 Carnegie Hall concert by Tony, with a second CD that gives the album enough space to add in a huge amount of previously unreleased tracks! The performance has Tony singing with both the trio of Ralph Sharon, and a larger orchestra – making for a good blend of the styles he'd been working on his early albums for Columbia, presented here in a way that has the unreleased tracks put in the same order as they were originally recorded – making for a full concert with hardly any breaks. The set boasts 44 tracks in all – with titles that include "Firefly", "The Rules Of The Road", "Without A Song", "It Amazes Me", "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big", "Lazy Afternoon", "My Ship", "Speak Low", "Fascinating Rhythm", "Just In Time", and "That Old Black Magic". CD

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The complete Creation Records work of Biff Bang Pow – a group who were one of our favorite moments of 80s jangle pop from the UK – a group headed up by Creation founder Alan McGee, and an ensemble who probably kept the Creation spirit more strongly than any other group! McGee took the group's name from a 60s tune by the group The Creation – and the style of the music follows very strongly in the spirit of that influence – lean, guitar-driven, slightly psychedelic pop tunes – crafted with a simple and slightly dark approach. But there's also some of the darker production styles that emerged in the post-punk generation – which ensures that although catchy, the group's work is never too poppy – especially in comparison to some of their contemporaries who fled to bigger fame at major labels. The scope of Biff Bang Pow's material is tremendous – served up here on full albums that include Pass The Paintbrush Honey, The Girl Who Runs The Beat Hotel, Oblivion, Love Is Forever, Me, and The Laughing Apple – plus dozens and dozens of rare tracks – singles-only material, demos, alternates, live material, and more – some of it unreleased! The huge box features a massive 129 tracks in all. CD

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A treasure trove of tight, organ-driven grooves from Booker T & The MGs – a quartet who really helped transform the sound of soul music in the 60s – even if they never sang on any of their records! The combo instrumental record had existed before Booker and the group, but working at Stax Records during the glory days of the Memphis soul scene, The MGs were able to come up with a whole new approach – tight, focused, and very sharp – not entirely funky, but not far off either – usually just with a scratchy guitar line to tighten up the rhythm, and Booker's fantastic lines on the organ to set up the tune! The group recorded a number of classic albums for Stax, but they maybe shone most on their singles – especially the b-sides, which were where they really had fun. (And trivia – "Green Onions", their biggest hit, was originally a b-side!) The set features the first run of their Stax singles – 29 tracks in all, with lots of unusual instrumentals next to the hits – titles that include "My Sweet Potato", "Booker Loo", "Aw Mercy", "Home Grown", "Big Train", "Chinese Checkers", "MG Party", "Soul Dressing", "Tic Tac Toe", "Mo Onions", "Behave Yourself", "Slim Jenkins Place", "Winter Wonderland", "Hip Hug Her", "Red Beans & Rice", "Can't Be Still", "Terrible Thing", "Outrage", "Boot Leg", "Fannie Mae", "Summertime", "Winter Snow", and of course, "Green Onions". CD

A sublime second chapter of work from Booker T & The MGs – pulled from a time when Stax Records was stepping out of the influence of Atlantic, and really opening the door to a wide variety of new soul sounds! That approach is definitely in place here – as the tracks really evolve past the early hits of the group – with more unusual rhythmic patterns, laid down by the great Al Jackson on drums and Donald Duck Dunn on bass – while Steve Cropper provides all the riffing genius on his guitar, and Booker T pushes things over the top with completely sublime work on organ! All players are really changing up their groove, especially as the singles here progress from the 60s into the 70s – and the package features a-sides and b-sides, and even a few post-Booker T cuts by the MGs. Titles include "Kinda Easy Like", "Melting Pot", "Sunday Sermon", "Something", "Fuquawi", "Sugarcane", "Blackside", "Neckbone", "Soul Clap 69", "Slum Baby", "Meditation", "Johnny I Love You", "Time Is Tight", "Jamaica This Morning", "Over Easy", "Heads Or Tails", "Mrs Robinson", and "Soul Limbo. CD

A sublime second chapter of work from Booker T & The MGs – pulled from a time when Stax Records was stepping out of the influence of Atlantic, and really opening the door to a wide variety of new soul sounds! That approach is definitely in place here – as the tracks really evolve past the early hits of the group – with more unusual rhythmic patterns, laid down by the great Al Jackson on drums and Donald Duck Dunn on bass – while Steve Cropper provides all the riffing genius on his guitar, and Booker T pushes things over the top with completely sublime work on organ! All players are really changing up their groove, especially as the singles here progress from the 60s into the 70s – and the package features a-sides and b-sides, and even a few post-Booker T cuts by the MGs. Titles include "Kinda Easy Like", "Melting Pot", "Sunday Sermon", "Something", "Fuquawi", "Sugarcane", "Blackside", "Neckbone", "Soul Clap 69", "Slum Baby", "Meditation", "Johnny I Love You", "Time Is Tight", "Jamaica This Morning", "Over Easy", "Heads Or Tails", "Mrs Robinson", and "Soul Limbo. LP, Vinyl record album

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If you don't know the music of Brief Encounter, prepare for a revelation – as the group were relatively obscure, even back in their prime – but managed to cut some of the hippest soul records that were ever issued on the Carolina scene! Brief Encounter aren't southern soul or combo funk – although they can handle the best elements of both modes – and instead, they've got this wonderfully wide-ranging sound that allows them to embrace so many rich styles at once – equally great on a ballad as on a groover, and as vocally sensitive as they are musically intense. The group only issued one full album back in the day – reissued successfully over the years – but this package brings together all their rare singles, including one from the early Sounds Of Soul incarnation of the group. Titles include "Where Will I Go", "Get A Good Feeling", "In A Very Special Way", "Human", "Total Satisfaction", "I'm So In Love With You", "We're Going To Make It", "I Want You So Much", "I'm Crazy About You", and "What About Love". This fantastic Japanese version features 16 tracks in all – titles from their singles for Seventy Seven, Capitol, Sound Plus, and Sonic – with additional titles that include "I'm So Satisfied", "Just A Little Notion", "Shake & Move", ""Get Right Down", "Don't Let Them Tell You", and the related cut "Always" by The Howard Sisters & Co. CD

A huge amount of greatness – including Clifford Brown's famous recordings with Max Roach, his All Stars jam session, and recordings with Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, and Helen Merrill – plus a "with strings" session, and unreleased tracks! CD

Seminal work from one of the greatest trumpeters of the postwar years – captured here right before his famous association with drummer Max Roach in the final years of his life! The set brings together everything that Clifford Brown recorded for both the Blue Note and Pacific Jazz labels – including sides done with Lou Donaldson as a co-leader, in the groups of drummer Art Blakey and trombonist JJ Johnson, and as as leader on his own. Includes some alternate takes as well! CD

The complete Okeh label recordings of Billy Butler – Jerry Butler's lesser-known brother, but an even more grooving artist on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s! Billy's work at Okeh is easily some of the best of the all-great imprint – tracks that step, slide, and groove along in a flurry of tight-edged Chi-soul rhythms – nearly all of which are produced by the legendary Carl Davis, with arrangements from Johnny Pate and Riley Hampton! Billy's in the lead on vocals, but nearly all numbers have a strong harmony soul component too – support from The Four Enchanters or Chanters – in a mode that echoes The Impressions' style of the time somewhat, but which also carries more of the Butler-family emotive quality, thanks to the stronger lead. This is the first time all this material has ever been brought together so well – and the package features great notes and a number of previously unissued titles as well – including some rare versions and instrumentals that are sure to get some play from Northern Soul listeners. Titles include "Found True Love", "Lady Love", "Gotta Get Away", "Can't Live Without Her", "Right Track", "Boston Monkey", "Does It Matter", "Fighting A Losing Battle", "To Be Or Not To Be", "Singing The Blues", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry". CD

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A rare bit of David Byrne from the best years of the Talking Heads – tunes commissioned by Twyla Tharp for an offbeat piece of dance entitled The Catherine Wheel. A few of the tracks are vocals, and feature some of Byrne's most compelling lyrics from the time – and others are instrumentals, filled with guitar and prophet, and coming up with lots of dark rhythmic sounds that lie somewhere in the territory of experimental work at the time by Brian Eno, Jon Hassell, Adrian Belew, and other mainstream avant rockers. Titles include "His Wife Refused", "Two Soldiers", "Red House", "My Big Hands", "Big Business", and "What A Day That Was". (Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 23. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 22. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 23 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) LP, Vinyl record album

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Killer deep soul from James Carr – a landmark set that features 28 tracks pulled from his famous years at the Goldwax label! Carr's Goldwax recordings nearly died when they came out – hardly reaching the audience of contemporaries like Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett – but as years have progressed, these sides have become the treasures of soul collectors, and have thankfully hit the status of "classic" that they were due for! This set is one of the first times these tunes have been legitimately made available in a good package – and it's about time too, because the whole thing's excellent! Carr's voice is incredible, and the arrangements are great – with none of the hoke that you'd sometimes get in weaker acts of the time. Titles include "I'm A Fool For You", "A Losing Game", "Lovable Girl", "Love Attack", "She's Better Than You", "That's What I Want To Know", "You Don't Want Me", and "Lover's Competition". CD

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The long-overdue release of the complete RCA recordings of Kenny Carter – a hell of a singer who should have been huge, but who only saw a few tracks issues as singles back in the day! This set corrects that fact, and brings together 22 titles that Kenny recorded for RCA – magnificent music that often rivals the best of the time from Walter Jackson or Jerry Butler – from the rich arrangements provided behind the vocals, to the fantastic reach that Carter brings to the lyrics – mature, expressive, and with a balance between pride, power, and honest emotion that's really stunning. Had Carter gotten to continue in this vein, he would have been instrumental in shaping the role of the male singer in soul music during the 60s – but at least he finally gets his due here, in a stunning set list that includes "I Still Love Her", "You'd Better Get Hip Girl", "Don't Go", "Showdown", "My Love", "Living In The Land Of Heartache", "Round In Circles", "Like A Big Bad Rain", "I Can't Stop Laughing", "Lights Out", "How Can You Say Goodbye", "I'll Know", and "I Believe In You". CD

You know, over the years, you get exposed to so many cliches about Ray Charles that it's easy to forget how great he is – but you won't after hearing this set! This totally essential box pushes way past any other collection to pull together the raw early R&B sides by Ray – much harder stuff than any of his later country soul work, and way more rockin than even his instrumental sides that show up more as "jazz" efforts. No, this stuff kicks ass – and is right up there with the best 50s R&B work by artists like Tiny Bradshaw, Wynonie Harris, or Ray Brown. Plus, a huge amount of the cuts on here never really appeared on full LPs, so it's not like you'll be able to track them down that easily on other reissues. There's a wealth of excellent material here that will open up a whole new side of Ray for you – and which will fill in loads of holes if you've already got some of his work. There's a total of 53 tracks in all, plus a great set of notes and a very handsome box – and titles include "What Kind Of Man Are You", "Get On The Right Track", "Leave My Woman Alone", "Roll With My Baby", "Jumpin In The Morning", "It Should Have Been Me", "Feelin Sad", "Mess Around", "I Wonder Who", "Blackjack", "Greenbacks", "A Fool For You", "Hard Times", "A Bit Of Soul", "I Want To Know", "It's Alright", "Ain't That Love", and "That's Enough". All cuts are vocal – and this is some of the most satisfying Ray Charles you could ever buy! CD

A long-overdue look at one of the greatest vocal groups of the 50s – an quartet with a sound to rival that of The Drifters or The Dominoes at their best! That comparison is no accident, as The Checkers featured members from both groups – although the overall strength of the vocal work on this set is more in line with the hard-wailing Clyde McPhatter Drifters years on Atlantic than it is some of the better-known Dominoes work for King. There's a vocal range and confidence here that's really amazing – a dipping, turning, soaring quality that shows up on nearly all the tunes – and which makes us wonder why the group wasn't at the top of the charts during the years. All tunes are very nicely presented here – with great mastering and full notes on all the Checkers' years at King – and the CD features a total of 26 tracks that includes "You Never Had It So Good", "Don't Stop Dan", "Night's Curtains", "I Wanna Know", "Let Me Come Back", "I Wasn't Thinking I Was Drinking", "Friend In Need", "Mama's Daughter", "I Promise You", and "Love Wasn't There". CD

Throw away all of your other 60s psychedelic albums – because with this massive 2CD set, you'll hardly need them! The Chocolate Watchband were one of the key groups of the California scene of the 60s – a hard-rocking outfit that emerged in the garagey psyche years, and worked in the same south bay scene as Count Five and Syndicate Of Sound. Yet unlike either of those bands, Chocolate Watchband never scored as big on the charts – and also had a harder, rougher, edgier sound that showed what a young group could really do when given the space. There's a Stones-like sense of power here – especially on the rougher, blusier numbers – but also a Love-like sense of tightness and desire to hone the power of the guitar into a key force for the youth of the 60s. And although the group's discography has been slightly mysterious for years, this 2CD set more than corrects any problems – by offering up the full scope of the group's work – including singles on the Uptown and Hanna Barbera labels, material from their Tower LPs, later unissued cuts – and full notes on everything, including those studio sessions that didn't always feature all the members of the group. 43 tracks in all – with amazing notes, photos, and details on the music! CD

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The great self-titled Alice Clark LP on Mainstream plus earlier singles for Warner Brothers and unreleased tracks – the complete studio recordings from '68-72 – in one great set! There weren't many vocal albums on the Mainstream label during the early 70s, and this rare soul side is a real overlooked gem! Alice Clark has a rich soulful voice, with a style that sounds a bit like Esther Marrow, mixed with some of the lead vocalists in Voices Of East Harlem – a really right-on sort of sound that's totally great, and way hipper than most 70s chart soul! Arrangements are by Ernie Wilkins, who brings in a touch of jazz – but again, with a much hipper feel than most of his other backings – and most of the tracks are quite obscure, well-written tunes – of the sort of material you might expect to hear sung by Gil Scott-Heron or Donny Hathaway. Includes "Don't You Care", "Charms Of The Arms Of Love", "Maybe This Time", "Looking At Life", "Hey Girl", "Don't Wonder Why", "It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone", "Hard Hard Promises" and the rest from the classic and always sought self-titled album from 1972 – plus great earlier Warner Brothers singles "You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurts Me)" and "Heaven's Will (Must Be Obeyed)" from 1969, and the previously unreleased "Before Her Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Great 70s harmonies from Classic Example – soaring here over a tune that has so much warmth and charm, it's hard to believe it's about a breakup! The track has these horns that cascade along with the vocals – and this lilting vibe that's completely compelling right away! "I Found Me A Girl" is slower and bluer – perfect sweet soul material, at a level that lets the group hit a more heartbreaking mode! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great album, and one in which Nat King Cole returns to his roots as a jazz singer! The session differs greatly from Nat's other schmaltzy ones from the time, and it features a very "after midnight" sound – with Nat playing and singing backed only by a small combo that includes jazz greats like Harry Edison, Willie Smith, Jual Tizol, and Jack Costanzo. Plus, if that's not enough, this fab CD adds a whopping batch of extra tracks to the original LP – for a total of 17 beauties that sound perfect on a warm summer night, long after the sun has gone down. Titles include "Caravan", "Candy", "What Is There To Say", "You're Looking At Me", and "Blame It On My Youth". Great stuff! CD

A tremendous package of work from Ornette Coleman – five albums issued under his own name, and one collaboration with Jackie McLean too! First up are At The Golden Circle Vols 1 & 2 – important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Snowflakes & Sunshine", "Morning Song", "Faces & Places", "Dee Dee", "Dawn", "The Riddle", and "Antiques". Next is Empty Foxhole – one of our favorite Ornette Coleman albums of the post-Atlantic 60s years – a set that still hangs onto some of the bold rhythmic conception of his previous records, but also points the way towards his freer jazz modes to come! The group's a trio – with really tremendous work from Charlie Haden on bass, able to match Coleman's energy with effortless ease, and really getting a lot of room to leave his mark on the music – plus the very young (10!) Denardo Coleman, who plays drums here with this stark, simple style that's not only completely unique, but which also leaves a lot of open room left for Haden and Ornette to really stretch out. Ornette plays his usual alto, plus trumpet and violin – and titles include "Good Old Days", "The Empty Foxhole", "Zig Zag", and "Freeway Express". Next is New York Is Now – a pretty bold statement from saxophonist Ornette Coleman, but one that definitely shows his shift in role – from a major force on the LA underground of the early 60s, to an artist who was helping pave the way for a huge wave of growth on the New York downtown scene in years to come! Ornette's at his most late 60s unbridled here – freer than before, and working with a lineup that includes Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – still no piano at all – plus great work from Dewey Redman on tenor, who really burst into new prominence with this album. Ornette plays a bit of violin alongside alto sax – and tracks include "Toy Dance", "Round Trip", "Broad Way Blues", and "We Now Interrupt For A Commercial". Then comes Love Call – a really great late 60s session from Ornette Coleman – one that shows is increasing expansion in sounds and styles, and which also offers a bridge between avant jazz generations too! That bridge comes in the presence of Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – a surprising Coltrane rhythm duo, working here with Ornette's mindblowing work on alto sax, and tenor from a young Dewey Redman – already a crucially intense player here next to Coleman, as both are set free in a group without any piano – that Ornette melding of rhythm and melody, but with a very different vibe than the Atlantic years! Coleman blows trumpet on one tune – and titles include "Love Call", "Airborne", "Check Out Time", and "Open To The Public". The set also includes the album New & Old Gospel – one of Jackie McLean's last "new thing" albums for Blue Note – and a very unique record that features Ornette Coleman on trumpet! The sound here is stark and hard – slight hints of the soulfulness that the "gospel" in the title might imply, mixed with the angular exploratory sound that McLean had been forging at Blue Note during the mid 60s – a wonderful balance that really gives the record a lot of bite! The album's easily one of the most "out" that McLean ever recorded, and the group also includes Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all pushing themselves in the company of the avant jazz giants. Tracks include the extended "Lifeline" suite, which takes up all of side one – plus "Old Gospel" and "Strange As It Seems". LP, Vinyl record album

John Coltrane's classic – and only – recording as a leader for Blue Note! The album's no throwaway date, though – as it stands strongly with both Coltrane's other label work of the time, and with the best of the late 50s Blue Note scene – a time when the label was really cooking at full strength! The groove here is a bit harder, heavier, and hardbop-inflected than some of Trane's late 50s sides with Red Garland – thanks to a lineup that features Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. There's a crisp modern edge to the record that really holds up beautifully – even after years of play – and titles include "Blue Train, "Locomotion", "Moment's Notice", and "Lazy Bird". 2CD version features a full bonus album of material that includes "Lazy Bird (alt take 1)", "Lazy Bird (alt take 2)", "Blue Train (false start)", "Blue Train (alt take 7)", "Moment's Notice (alt take 4)", "Blue Train (alt take 8)", and "Moment's Notice (incomplete alt take 5a)". CD

John Coltrane's classic – and only – recording as a leader for Blue Note! The album's no throwaway date, though – as it stands strongly with both Coltrane's other label work of the time, and with the best of the late 50s Blue Note scene – a time when the label was really cooking at full strength! The groove here is a bit harder, heavier, and hardbop-inflected than some of Trane's late 50s sides with Red Garland – thanks to a lineup that features Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. There's a crisp modern edge to the record that really holds up beautifully – even after years of play – and titles include "Blue Train, "Locomotion", "Moment's Notice", and "Lazy Bird". This beautiful 2LP version features heavy cover and vinyl – and a full bonus album of material that includes "Lazy Bird (alt take 1)", "Lazy Bird (alt take 2)", "Blue Train (false start)", "Blue Train (alt take 7)", "Moment's Notice (alt take 4)", "Blue Train (alt take 8)", and "Moment's Notice (incomplete alt take 5a)". LP, Vinyl record album

The classic quartet of John Coltrane, certainly the classic quartet of the 60s jazz scene and perhaps the classic jazz quartet of all time, compiled in one box set with all of their studio recordings! John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones set so many benchmarks for jazz with their envelope pushing style, recording and performances that it's impossible to overstate their importance in the modern musical oeuvre. This set features all of the LPs Coltrane, Ballads, Impressions, Live At Birdland, Crescent, A Love Supreme, The John Coltrane Quartet Plays, Kulu Se Mama, Transition, Sunship, Infinity and First Meditations, plus a number of tracks issued on compilations. 66 tracks in all, spread out over 8 CDs, in a beautiful bookbound package with a metal slipcase and extensive liner notes. The titles are too numerous to list here, but the set includes "Big Nick", "Soul Eyes", "Miles' Mode", "Tunji", "After The rain", "Lonnie's Lament", "The Drum Thing", "Wise One", "Crescent", "A Love Supreme", "Nature Boy", "Brasilia", "Song Of Praise", "Dear Lord", "The Last Blues", "Living Space", "Dusk Dawn", "Dearly Beloved", "Attaining", "Ascent", "Amen", "Love", "Compassion", "Joy", "Consequences", and "Serenity". CD

4 discs worth of material recorded by Coltrane in a variety of settings at the Village Vanguard in November 1961! Eric Dolphy is included on most takes, and the bass chair is filled by either Jimmy Garrison or Reggie Workman, and on some takes both (!), McCoy Tyner is on piano, Elvin Jones is on drums and a few songs feature Ahmed Abdul Malik or Garvin Bushnell. Titles include multiple readings of "India", "Chasin' The Trane", "Spiritual", "Miles' Mode" and more! CD

Fantastic material from an important early tour of Europe by the John Coltrane Quartet – tracks recorded in Graz, Austria – and a perfect example of the group as they were really beginning to stretch out and explore! At some level, the vibe here is like the famous first run of Village Vanguard sessions by Coltrane – but the sound shows just how much the players had opened up since the previous year – really tremendous work from the leader on both soprano sax and tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums! CD

An amazing set of work by John Coltrane – some of his best recordings ever, tracks that form a pivotal point between his later 50s work with Miles Davis and his mid 60s spiritual searching years. The set's unbelievably exhaustive – and includes every track that was ever issued by Coltrane on an Atlantic album, plus some great alternate takes, plus a 72 page hardbound book of photos and writings, plus a whole CD of rare material that was never issued before! (The folks at Atlantic say that they would have loved to make an even bigger set – but after a fire in their warehouse in the 70s, this one CD of tapes is all that ever remained!) The whole package is incredibly well put together – in a small discrete box with some great fold-out CD cases, and a wonderful mechanism for storage that's as great as the music in the set. Titles include "Syeeda's Song Flute", "Ole", "My Favorite Things", "Cousin Mary", "Giant Steps", "Mr Day", "Blues To Elvin", "Satellite", "Liberia", "Dahomey Dance", and sooooo much more! CD

A really beautiful bossa jazz album from the Polish scene – one that's got a vibe that's very different than you might expect from the recording date – as the instrumentation is nice and lean, and has a wonderfully warm feel throughout! The core duo of Kryzsztof Wolinski on guitar and Andrzej Lukasik on bass provide most of the energy – great string interplay that takes off nicely from earlier bossa jazz modes, and complicates things a bit, while still managing to swing – and they're joined by drummer Marek Stach, who uses the kit and added percussion in a great way – and saxophonist Henryk Miskiewcz, who blows both alto and soprano sax, and really helps send the album over the top. Titles include "Purple Bossa", "Moonchild", "Swinging Blues", "Spain", "Serpent's Tooth", and "Krotka Samba". CD features three tracks from an unreleased radio performance – "Demi Hotel", "Zabie Oko", and "Zygzak". CD

Two rare albums and lots of bonus tracks from Complex – an obscure British group from the start of the 70s, and one who have a raw, psychedelic sound that feels a lot more like music from the decade before! The set begins with the self-released Complex album – a record that the band put together themselves, and issued as a way to get attention from bigger labels – and while that never really happened at the time, the quality of the material has really helped them go on to become the stuff of legend! The sound is quite raw – guitars, organ, bass, and drums – often with production that's in kind of a mid 60s garage style, which makes even the sweeter, more thoughtful moments come across with an edge – as you'll hear on tunes that include "Witch's Spell", "Message From The Year 2000", "Live For The Minute", "Storm On The Way", "Mademoiselle Jackie", and "Norwegian Butterfly". Next is the group's second album, The Way We Feel – issued in a very small pressing, as more of a boutique project than anything else – but with a raw quality and trippy sound that really rivals the group's debut! The organ is a bit more up front in the mix here, and balanced with some electric piano too – both of which underscore a deepening songwriting talent in the group, who deliver material that would have gone on to become classic, had it gotten the handling of a proper record label! As before, there's an edge and grit to the record that feels more late 60s than early 70s – and titles include "We Don't Exist", "Lemon Pie Fair", "Moving Moore", "Jeanette", "Every Time I Hear That Song", and "If You Are My Love". Both albums are presented here with very rare bonus tracks – and CD3 features even more obscure material – unissued tracks, a 10" acetate, and even their 1975 single for Pye Records. Great notes – and a long-overdue complete look at the group! CD

A beautiful setting for vocalist Randy Crawford – wrapped up here in warmly jazzy backings from pianist Joe Sample! Joe and Randy first worked together many years back on the classic "Street Life" when Joe was in The Crusaders – but the Sample heard here is much more laidback and acoustic – a great talent on the piano, with a rolling sort of sound to his keys that really helps Randy find her flow on the tunes – in a natural, even-handed way that makes the record one of her best in recent years! The rest of the core quartet features Christian McBride on bass and Steve Gadd on drums – and apart from a bit of guest guitar here and there, most of the instrumentation is acoustic. Titles include "All Night Long", "Mr Ugly", "But Beautiful", "End Of The Line", "Feeling Good", "Lovetown", "See Line Woman", "Tell Me More And More And Then Some", and "Everybody's Talking". CD

Fantastic work from one of the most overlooked alto talents of all-time! This beautiful CD features tracks from Sonny's 3 rare albums on Imperial – Jazz USA, Go Man, and Plays Cole Porter. The records were all recorded in 1956 – and they feature some of the strongest bop playing to ever come out of LA, total proof that that city wasn't always noodling around with cool jazz during the 50s! Sonny plays alto so well you want to cry – and every note is perfectly placed, with just the right mix of technical skill and warm soulful humanity. Most of this material has only ever been reissued in Japan – and the CD includes wealth of excellent cuts like "If I Had You", "I Love You", "Wailin With Joe", "West Coast Blues", "Criss Cross", "Ham's Blues", and "Blue Friday" – but the whole thing's great! CD

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Originally a 2LP set, but now a 4CD package – with 14 previously unissued tracks! Legendary early live work from Miles Davis – one of the first examples on record of the way that Davis could really stretch out in a concert setting! The music's a bit more straight ahead than later live dates, but still pretty open and exploratory – and in addition to Davis' sparkling work on trumpet, the album also features some killer tenor lines from Hank Mobley – working here as a key part of Miles' group, and blowing with a hell of a lot of soul. Rhythm is by the rock-solid trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "Neo", "So What", "Fran Dance", and "Well You Needn't". CD

Heavenly sounds from these two musical masters – all their classic albums, and lots of bonus material too! CD

Heavenly sounds from these two musical masters – 13 tracks sampler from the box set. CD

Great work from the second chapter of The Spencer Davis Group – the time immediately after Steve Winwood left to form Traffic, and the combo stepped forward into some even headier music of their own! This period of the SDG isn't nearly as well known as their early hits – and the box set is a really surprising revelation overall – music that has some of the R&B currents of the earlier group, but which is also infused with a headier, trippier style too – not just in the instrumentation, but in the way the records are put together – with cool elements that space things out slightly, but never get too indulgent! The mix is a bit like that on the earliest work of The Move – or that shift that Small Faces were taking after moving to the Immediate label – and as with previous work from the Spencer Davis Group, there's as much great Hammond on the tunes as there is guitar, thanks to the talents of new member Eddie Hardin. Some of the best cuts almost hit a freakbeat mode – with a very cool mix of mod and psych – and the 3CD set features the full albums Funky and With Their New Face On – plus material from the Round The Mulberry Bush soundtrack, lots more singles, some BBC sessions, and even some alternate and unreleased tracks too. 68 tracks in all – titles that include "Letters From Edith", "Time Seller", "Taking Out Time", "After Tea", "Sanity Inspector", "What A Way To Die", "Firefly", "Magpie", "Groove Extra", "The Girls Song", "Don't Want You No More", "Der Wassermann", and "Picture Of Heaven". CD

A massive amount of work recorded by Chicago's mighty Tyrone Davis – an artist who burst into the world with a brilliant string of records for the Brunswick label! Actually, Davis mostly recorded for Brunswick's Dakar imprint – but that's a technicality we can handle, given the quality of the music on this set – short, tight, totally wonderful Chicago soul numbers – a perfect blend of Davis' bluesy roots and some of the hipper, more sophisticated styles that were breaking at Brunswick! We haven't checked for sure, but we do believe that some of these cuts weren't issued as LP tracks – and the 2CD collection features 51 titles that include "Need Your Lovin Everyday", "Can I Change My Mind", "One Way Ticket", "Love Bones", "True Love Is Hard To Find", "Wrapped Up In Your Warm & Tender Love", "This Time", "Where Lovers Meet", "Was It Just A Feeling", "After All This Time", "Come & Get This Ring", "We Got A Love", "When I'm Not Around", and lots lots more! CD

Late work from Blossom – but really great too! The record features a lot of electric piano in the arrangements – played by Blossom, with accompaniment from Jay Berliner on guitar, Grady Tate on drums, and Jay Leonhart on bass. Tunes are all quite mellow, but have a really original charm – and include some really great left-of-center jazz cuts, of the sort that we always like a lot more than Blossom singing standards. Includes the great cut "Answering Machine", sung in duet with Bob Dorough – who also guests on "Bring All Your Love Along" – and other tracks include "I Told You So", "Bobby & Me", "Sweet Kentucky Ham", "I Know My Lines", "I Told You So", and "I Never Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of our favorite albums ever by Kenny Dorham – and a really different session than his usual studio work! The album captures Kenny in a relaxed live setting, with a bit more dirt on his horn than usual – blowing with a tone that's much more open and a bit less poised – in the company of a really great group that features JR Monterose on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Bobby Timmons on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Arthur Edgehill on drums. The CD features a total of 17 tracks in all – titles from the original LP, plus rare extra material, and some bonus alternate takes – all remastered by Rudy Van Gelder. Titles include Dorham's boppish "Mexico City", plus other enigmatic compositions like "Monaco" and "Hill's Edge", and tracks that include "Round Midnight", "Riffin", "My Heart Stood Still", and "NY Theme". CD

A fantastic legacy of music from the UK scene – even though it's a pretty darn secret one as well! The Electric Banana were a very unique studio group – a combo who featured Phil May and Dick Taylor of the Pretty Things, right at a time when that group were at the height of their fame – working as a faceless studio combo with other musicians for the DeWolfe Sound Library label – all to create these tight, short rock tracks that would later end up getting used in film soundtracks and TV programs all through the 70s! A surprising number of these tracks have vocals – a bit of a change from the usual sound library recordings of the period – and over the course of the five records in the box, there's a real sense of evolution – on that matches all the growth that the Pretty Things were going through too – although maybe not as trippy overall. The group also features John Povey on drums and Wally Waller on bass – and early work features arrangements from Reginald Tilsley, which drop away pretty quickly in favor of the core sound of the combo. 3CD set features five full albums, plus notes on all the music included – with titles that include "Do My Stuff", "Maze Song", "Alexander", "Street Girl", "Grey Skies", "Free Love", "Danger Signs", "Eagles Son", "The Loser", "Sweet Orphan Lady", "The Dark Theme", "Blow Your Midn", "Love Dance & Sing", and "A Thousand Ages From The Sun". CD

A huge collection of work from one of the most enigmatic groups of the 60s – all of their classic albums for Reprise, plus rare material too! First up is the self-titled Electric Prunes set, in stereo and mono - an early moment of genius from The Electric Prunes – and exactly the kind of record that shows why they were a cut above their contemporaries, and why Warner really backed them strongly right from the start! There's a depth here that rivals some of the group's Sunset Strip contemporaries – and although David Axelrod's not working with them on the record, there's still lots of dark corners and sharp edges – really thoughtful sounds that are spun out wonderfully on fuzzy guitars and organ, with some nicely subtle drums in the rear. Tracks include "I Has Too Much To Dream (Last Night)", "Try Me On For Size", "Get Me To the World On Time", "About A Quarter To Nine", and "Luvin". Next are mono and stereo presentations of Underground – a record that has the Electric Prunes are arranging themselves, and have production from Dave Hassinger. The tracks are shorter than on some of their Axelrod albums, but they're also showing a sophistication that makes the material really compelling – mixing together psyche and garage roots into a sophisticated document that points at the tremendous growth that was going on around them in the rock world. Tracks include "The Great Banana Hoax", "Wind Up Toys", "Dr. Do-Good", "Hideaway", and "Capt. Glory". Next are stereo and mono versions of Mass In F Minor – a beautifully baroque batch of tracks, written and arranged for the Electric Prunes by the great David Axelrod – a really groundbreaking mix of modes that had quite an impact back in the late 60s! The record shows Axelrod's perpetual fascination with the spiritual – mixed with that great modern style of funk that he was forging at Capitol during the late 60s. The record's not really preachy, nor is it proggy. It's more of a complex blueprint of rock, jazz, funk, and touches of soul – all hung together on the same sort of "mass" structure that Axelrod would later use with Cannonball and on his own. Titles include "Kyrie Eleison", "Gloria", "Benedictus", and "Sanctus". Release Of An Oath is the second album done by David Axelrod for The Electric Prunes – and arguably the best! The album's a bit unusual, in that none of the original Prunes were actually working on the session – and instead, Axlerod's almost fully at the helm – putting together the set in a way that's quite similar to his own solo albums over at Capitol! As with those, there's a bold, spacious sort of instrumentation here – richly orchestral, but also quite funky at times – punctuated by great drums from Earl Palmer, bass from Carol Kaye, keyboards from Don Randi, and guitar from Howard Roberts – who's really tripping out nicely here! The work uses the Jewish Kol Nidre mass as its conceptual locus – but really takes off with plenty of tripped-out Axelrod flourishes that make the whole thing a fair bit more psychedelic than anything you'd ever hear in temple. Titles include "Holy Are You", "The Adoration", "Our Father, Our King", "Kol Nidre", and "General Confessional". On Just Good Old Rock & Roll, The Electric Prunes get back to basics – as you might guess from the title – shaking off some of the larger, more ambitious modes of their albums with David Axelrod, yet still retaining a nicely trippy sound overall! The lineup of the group has shifted a bit – hence their billing as "the new improved" Electric Prunes – but although things are stripped-down and simple, there's still some amazing music on the record – a blend of guitar, flute, organ, and vocals that flows along wonderfully with some unusual sounds that we wouldn't expect! And while there's certainly a bit of "good old rock and roll" going on here on a few more straightforward songs, it's not like the album's Let It Be or anything like that – because the group are really more just getting back to the garagey psych of their roots, but doing it a bit better than before! Titles include "Sell", "14 Year Old Funk", "Love Grows", "Giant Sunhorse", "Silver Passion Mine", "Sing To Me", "Tracks", and "Finders Keepers Losers Weepers". CD then features two more CDs – CD5 is shadows, with 19 rare tracks, including singles and even a radio spot – and CD6 features their famous live set from 1967, recorded in Stockholm – plus four demo recordings by Jim & The Lords. CD

Music from Duke Ellington And His Kentucky Club Orchestra, The Washingtonians, Traymore Orchestra, Duke Ellington And His Cotton Club Orchestra, The Hotsy Totsy Gang, the Jungle Gang, Bill Robinson accompanied by Irving Mills and His Hotsy Totsy Gang, The Six Jolly Jesters, and Earl Jackson And His Musical Champions. CD

2 wonderful late 50s sessions from arranger Gil Evans – both of which we'd rank right up there with his best work with Miles Davis, or the albums under his own name for Impulse in the 60s! The first half of the CD is from the album New Bottle Old Wine – a record of swinging modern backdrops, used to showcase both the solo talents of a young Cannonball Adderley, and the dynamic energy of Evans himself! Cannon's sharp-edged early tone is a really great sound for the record – far more modern than you might expect from later funk and soul sides of the 60s – and perfectly poised next to Gil's larger back drops to reignite a host of older tunes with new energy! And while the titles are familiar, the readings certainly are not – as the Evans pen has really changed things up beautifully – as you'll hear on numbers that include "St Louis Blues", "King Porter Stomp", "Willow Tree", "Struttin' With Some Barbeque", "Lester Leaps In", "Round About Midnight", "Manteca", and "Bird Feathers". Great Jazz Standards is equally great, a fantastic lost set from Evans – and one that features Mingus trumpeter Johnny Coles as the lead soloist in front of Evans-led modern groups that include players like Elvin Jones, Ray Crawford, Steve Lacy, Budd Johnson, Rod Levitt, and Chuck Wayne. Despite the "standards" in the title, most of these numbers are modern tunes from the 50s – like "Joy Spring", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", "Django", "Straight No Chaser", and "Chant Of The Weed" – all given Evans' unique style of arrangement, tweaked up a few notches to give them a really edgey quality. Coles is clearly standing in for Miles here, but the format works well overall! CD features 15 tracks in all, including some newly-improved versions of a few tracks, correcting mistakes in the original records! CD

AB Skhy are one of those totally great late 60s groups who never fully got their due – overflowing with instrumental chops and bearing a really sharp sound – but never hitting the mark that they should have with this well-done debut! The group push blues influences into psych, and come up with a heady brew that's really wonderful – filled with the usual guitar, bass, and drums – but also given lots of wicked organ work from Howard Wales – who some folks know for a later recording with Jerry Garcia! Everyone is completely top-shelf here – and the group bring in some horns and guest harmonica from Jim Liban – really pushing their sound on titles that include "Camel Back", "24 Hours", "Upsets Me Baby", "Of All Sad Words", "Understand", and "Love Isn't". LP, Vinyl record album

A record full of rich tones and cascadingly lyrical lines – and a set that features the wonderful pairing of John Abercrombie's guitar and the piano of Richie Beirach! Beirach seems to ground Abercrombie even more than usual – still letting John have those atmospheric qualities in his notes, but with a sense of flow and focus that we really appreciate – energy that might also come from the work of George Mraz on bass, and Peter Donald on drums. Tunes are simple and elegant, but say a hell of a lot with a little – and the album's maybe as perfect a summation of the ECM approach to guitar at its best as some of the early Pat Metheny albums. Titles include "Arcade", "Nightlake", "Neptune", "Alchemy", and "Paramour". LP, Vinyl record album

A whole new kind of trio session for the 70s – one that has the airy, open lines of guitarist John Abercrombie stretching out nicely in the company of drummer Jack DeJohnette and bassist Dave Holland! The music is archetypal ECM work of the time – a complete contrast to a guitar trio session from a decade before, or even a few years before on any different sort of label. Abercrombie's got a bit of bite at a few moments, but mostly keeps things spare and spacious – and Holland and DeJohnette are more than happy to follow suit. Titles include "Backwoods Song", "May Dance", "Waiting", "Jamala", and "Sorcery 1". CD

A whole new kind of trio session for the 70s – one that has the airy, open lines of guitarist John Abercrombie stretching out nicely in the company of drummer Jack DeJohnette and bassist Dave Holland! The music is archetypal ECM work of the time – a complete contrast to a guitar trio session from a decade before, or even a few years before on any different sort of label. Abercrombie's got a bit of bite at a few moments, but mostly keeps things spare and spacious – and Holland and DeJohnette are more than happy to follow suit. Titles include "Backwoods Song", "May Dance", "Waiting", "Jamala", and "Sorcery 1". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure soul set from the London scene of the 90s – and a record that's done with a nicely lean, homegrown style all the way through! Accura uses plenty of keyboards, samples, and beats to craft most of these tunes – almost in a mode that's more 80s indie soul overall, yet which definitely has an ear for some of the advances in R&B that took place a few years before – including a touch of new jack in the rhythms at times, and some of the hipper British soul styles as well. Titles include "Ghetto Strings", "Groove Control", "Gettin Down (hip hop mix)", "Jazz Maiden (jazz mix)", "The Vibe", "Summer Jazz", and "The Good Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Really fantastic sounds from The Action – a set that maybe has them stepping a bit from mod to psych, but still with all the catchier elements of their earlier work! There's a very open-minded set of production going on here – a bit like the shift that Small Faces took with Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, but without the sillier sides of that record – and the simple lineup of guitar-based instrumentation somehow hits this richer sense of majesty – maybe a bit like The Hollies' shifting their sound at a similar point. Reg King is fantastic on vocals, really bringing a subtle edge to the music – and titles include "Icarus", "Love Is All", "Strange Roads", "Brain", "I'm A Stranger", "Look At The View", "Climbing Up The Wall", "Come Around", and "In My Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A firey session from the quartet of George Adams and Don Pullen – a set that has the group stretching out in some of their most spiritual modes, yet still finding plenty of time to swing as well! Adams is tremendous on tenor – a very fresh voice in the post-Coltrane world, with phrasing that is all his own – even more amplified when he switches to flute – and Pullen's got this ability to go outside, and show his knowledge of the darker corners of the keyboard – yet never let that side of his playing overwhelm things, possibly because the rhythmic accompaniment from Cameron Brown on bass and Dannie Richmond on drums is so strong. Tracks are all long, and very individual – with the group in high spirits on the titles "Earth Beams", "Magnetic Love Field", "Saturday Nite In The Cosmos", "More Flowers", and "Dionysus". CD

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Late 60s greatness from Pepper Adams – an overlooked session that's easily one of his most standout sides of the decade! There's an easygoing swing to the record that's simply wonderful – a well-blown sound that's never too overthought or academic – just pure proof of the sort of inroads that Pepper Adams made with the baritone sax back in the 50s, as he liberated the instrument from its work in the chorus to a fully-voiced solo instrument of its own! The other players certainly help contribute to the magic of the date – and in addition to a rhythm section that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums, the set also features Zoot Sims on tenor, blowing with a tone that's almost as deep as Adams! Titles include "Cindy's Tune", "I've Just Seen Her", "Serenity", "Inanout", "Punjab", "Elusive", and "Verdandi". LP, Vinyl record album