A wonderful album from this legendary Brazilian singer – and probably one of his best-ever! Farney began his career as a warm romantic vocalist in earlier pop years, but on this great set, he's emerging as a talented jazz singer, on a level with Leny Andrade or Elis Regina. The instrumentation's only a piano trio, and Farney's work on the keys fits perfectly with his moody vocals on tracks like "Este Seu Olhar", "Marina", "Ponto Final", "Uma Loira", and "Perdido De Amor". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". One CD bonus cut, "A Dream", is previously unissued. CD

A sweet little record from this Japanese trio – all instrumental, and put together in a style that blends elements of electro pop, electric fusion, and maybe a bit of sound library funk! The tunes are all pretty vivid – maybe evoking the scene in the title – but they also have elements that tie them more strongly to the emerging electronic groove coming from the Japanese scene at the end of the 70s – almost as if you were stripping away vocals, and coming up with spare tracks that are heavy on keyboards and other eletric touches. Titles are all in Japanese – but translate as "Aegean Fantasy", "Rose Between The Waves", "Image", "Daybreak", "Aphrodite's Mourning", and "Mykonos' Bride". LP, Vinyl record album

Millie Jackson's feelin bitchy – and letting a whole new side of her talents show! After the sweet southern soul sound of her early recordings, the Jackson style takes a sharp shift here – letting a bitchier side show up more strongly, and really setting the tone for the next great chapter of her music! Some of the set still features the older style production work by Brad Shapiro – but that's also pushed out by a smoother more modern soul feel on most of the record – one that has Millie emerging with a lot more pride, presence, and power than ever – all-woman, and all in control! Titles include the 10 minute Latimore cut "All The Way Lover", which has a great monologue that would even make Latimore blush – plus the tracks "A Little Taste Of Outside Love", "Feelin Like A Woman", "Angel In Your Arms", and the great "If You're Not Back In Love By Monday". LP, Vinyl record album

A monumental bit of 80s soul – the first solo album from Kashif, issued hot on the heels of a few years spent penning and producing work for a range of bigger artists! Given his experience with the pros, Kashif's emerging here as a very fully-formed talent in soul – a singer with a way of keeping things real, even when the tunes are catchy – and a producer with a great ear for the changing styles of soul at the time. The grooves are often nicely spare and stripped down, yet never without a good sense of feeling – and titles include "I Just Gotta have You (Lover Turn Me On)", "Stone Love", "Say Somethin' Love", "All", "Help Yourself To My love", "The Mood", "Don't Stop My Love", and "Rumors" LP, Vinyl record album

A great set by Stan Kenton – one that applies the dark tones of his style to a range of popular numbers that end up completely transformed! The album features some wonderful charts from arranger Lennie Niehaus – emerging here as one of the more complicated talents of the west coast scene of the time – and stepping off the strength of his 50s small group sessions, into a realm that really points the way towards his later soundtrack work. The sound is lush and filled with colors from the dark end of the spectrum – mostly carried by a mellophonium-heavy horn section, but also featuring some redemptive moments on breakout solos. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Moonlight Becomes You", "How Do I Look In Blue", "Time After Time", "My One And Only Love", and "You Stepped Out Of A Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album by Marisa Monte, and the start of a fantastic run of records – really strong work that had Monte emerging as maybe one of the strongest new acts in Brazil at the time! The set is live, which is unusual for a debut – and that also makes for energy that's a bit more raw and spontaneous than you might guess from some of Monte's later, more sophisticated production – especially when the singer hits some sharper edges that almost feel punkish at points. The small group features Roberto Alves on piano – and the set list includes a version of Os Mutantes' "Ando Meio Desligado", plus "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Speak Low", "Comida", "Negro Gato", and a nice remake of "Chocolate", an old Brazilian soul song by Tim Maia. LP, Vinyl record album

A very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". CD

A return to folksier forms for Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine – working here in territory that's very different than some of the baroque light arrangements used on previous records. Rapp's emerging as a more confident singer/songwriter – recording in an almost Dylan-like setting, but with more of the irony of Leonard Cohen, and as always, working in a timeless idiom that's still beginning to be understood more than 30 years after its inception. Beautiful work throughout – as earthy as it is majestic – and with titles that include "My Father", "The Man", "Once Upon A Time", "City Of Gold", "Nancy", and "Wedding". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from John Prine – his Atlantic debut, done at a time when he was emerging from the second generation of the Chicago folk scene – with a style that set the tone for countless singer/songwriters in years to come! The record has immediate appeal to ears tuned towards hip country, folk, and the more personal side of rock at the time – as Prine sings his material with a wry wit that's simultaneously heartbreaking, with support from the great Reggie Young on guitar and Bobby Emmons on organ – plus work on two tracks from scenemate and soon-to-be-star Steve Goodman on guitar. Titles include the seminal "Hello In There" – a tune that's hard to believe was written by a 24 year old – plus "Six O'Clock News", "Sam Stone", "Donald & Lydia", "Illegal Smile", "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore", and "Far From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classic early 80s soul albums from ex-Dramatics singer LJ Reynolds! The self-titled '81 set is killer material in a modern Detroit mode all the way through – with top-shelf production by Reynolds, Don Davis, and Ronnie McNeir/ Ronnie, who'd been lost to the industry for a few years, also re-emerges as a writer on the songs "Southern Pearl", "Lonely Superstar", and "Ain't No Woman Like My Baby". The real standout, though, is the amazing cut "Key To The World", a killer steppers track that has a hook that won't quit, and this wonderful brassy finish that gives the track a really triumphant sound that works perfectly with the righteous lyric. LJ Reynolds' sounds great on '82's Travelin', too – stepping even more strongly away from his work with The Dramatics, and emerging as one of the best male soul acts of the early 80s! The production on this one is split between Reynolds and Don Davis, in a mode that's contemporary, but which allows LJ plenty of space for old school vocal expression – that far-reaching style of singing that always made him stand out strongly from the pack! There's a sublime mellow version of Aretha Franklin's "Call Me" on the set – and other tracks include "Words", "Trust In Me", "Say You Will", "You & Me", "Let Me Satisfy You", and "Fast Action"... CD

Excellent 70s work by Smokey and crew – sort of their way of showing the emerging east coast vocal stars how much talent they still had! The record has a sweet, slightly modern sound – with an approach that hints at Smokey's later Quiet Storm sound, but maybe a bit more laidback overall – set up with really great arrangements from both David Van De Pitte and HB Barnum. Titles include a killer reading of Stevie Wonder's "We Had A Love So Strong", plus "Got To Be There", "You Ain't Livin 'Till You're Lovin", "Flying High Together", "It Will Be Alright", and a cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow". LP, Vinyl record album

A crucially important record in Sonny Rollins' career – one that had him breaking out of the straight bop sound, and emerging as a major power on the tenor sax – one with limitless creative power! The set features Rollins working with only drum and bass accompaniment – played by Max Roach and Oscar Pettiford, respectively – and the lack of piano or other horns gives Rollins a free space in which to work his magic, doing so incredibly on the album's "Freedom Suite", an extended piece that runs for nearly 20 minutes, and which pushes all conceptions of the tenor's ability to solo freely on record. The other side of the record features shorter tracks – "Shadow Waltz", "Someday I'll Find You", and "Will You Still Be Mine?" – blown with no less creativity. LP, Vinyl record album

A crucially important record in Sonny Rollins' career – one that had him breaking out of the straight bop sound, and emerging as a major power on the tenor sax – one with limitless creative power! The set features Rollins working with only drum and bass accompaniment – played by Max Roach and Oscar Pettiford, respectively – and the lack of piano or other horns gives Rollins a free space in which to work his magic, doing so incredibly on the album's "Freedom Suite", an extended piece that runs for nearly 20 minutes, and which pushes all conceptions of the tenor's ability to solo freely on record. The other side of the record features shorter tracks – "Shadow Waltz", "Someday I'll Find You", and "Will You Still Be Mine?" – blown with no less creativity. Includes a bonus alternate take of "Till There Was You". CD

Amazing early work from Sonny Rollins – the first of his tremendous Blue Note albums – and a record that really shows him taking off at the time! The record captures Rollins at a key turning point – emerging from his firey bop years, moving into a much more complicated, introspective tenor style that was a perfect showcase for his developing genius for improvisation – not as far out as in a few years to come, but already awash in imagination and creativity. The group here includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Max Roach on drums – but as with all Rollins Blue Note sessions, his tenor is the dominant force. Titles include "Bluesnote", "Plain Jane", "Sonnysphere", and "Decision". CD

One of the first albums ever cut as a leader by trombonist Frank Rosolino – a hip set issued under the Stan Kenton Presents banner for Capitol in the mid 50s – but done in a smaller combo mode than you'd hear with Stan! The setting provides a great showcase for the emerging solo talents of Rosolino on trombone – a player with a soulful swing that get way past his goofy image on the cover – and which is set up here in the company of some great collaborators who include Charlie Mariano on alto sax – playing so strongly, the album might well include him as a co-leader – plus piano from either Claude Williamson or Pete Jolly, trumpet from Sam Noto, bass from Max Bennett or Curtis Counce, and drums from Mel Lewis or Stan Levey. There's not only a lot of Kenton influence in the players, but a lot of Bethlehem Records styles as well – a reference that definitely shapes the sound of this set, and makes it a strong one for any fan of 50s work on that label – or Mode Records as well. Titles are a mix of standards and originals – and include "Ragamuffin", "Linda", "Carioca", "Besame Mucho", "Yo Yo", and "Freckles". LP, Vinyl record album

A great batch of wonderful music – a well condensed 3 CD box set that features some of Sinatra's best recorded during his Capitol tenure! As is well known, Sinatra's Capitol years were his finest – a time when he moved past a simple pop singer into a complicated vocalist with a sense of expression so deep that it lent itself perfectly to the emerging form of the long-playing record. Many of the albums this material is drawn from are early "concept" sets by Sinatra, and feature moods and themes that move far beyond simple vocal work – into richly expressive territory that's hardly ever been matched again! Arrangers include Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Gordon Jenkins, and Alex Stordhal and there's a total of 75 numbers in all included here! CD

One of the key classics from the Jimmy Smith years at Blue Note Records – a really groundbreaking time for the Hammond organ in jazz, as Jimmy helped take it from backrooms in bars to center stage of jazz with a record like this! The album's about as iconic as you can get for Jimmy at the label – from the fantastic cover image, to the well-crafted tunes – many of which are shorter than some of Smith's earlier jam session-styled work, and help forge a bridge between soul jazz and the emerging soul instrumental sound of the early 60s. The album features some excellent work from the obscure Percy France on tenor on most of the tracks – a player we only know from a handful of dates – next to other quartet members who include Kenny Burrell on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums. Titles include "Sugar Hill", "I Got A Woman", "Motoring Along", "Gracie", and "Messin Around". LP, Vinyl record album

Only the first full album on Soul Tune, and the label's got themselves a set of All-Stars – a Swedish combo who seem driven by the talents of Niclas Wretelid – who plays drums, bass, keyboards, and even horns – emerging here as a one-man all-star all by himself! Yet there's also some good contributions by other members, too – especially singers Anna Thiam and Desmond Foster, who balance out the instrumental funk with some great vocal moments – especially Thiam, who's got a warmth and depth that's a nice change from some of the too-easy retro soul vocals we usually hear on records like this. Titles include "Day To Day", "Mother Nature", "World", "Don't Stop", "Spread The Message", "Natural Feeling", and "Latin Mama". LP, Vinyl record album

Doris Troy was one of the great female soul singers of the 60s – known for a famous single for Atlantic Records, and other great work too – reemerging here in a whole host of tracks from the late 70s, which have Doris singing with a style that's more mature than before! Most of the material here was recorded for the mostly-disco Midland label – a company who often had great grooves but weaker singers – a mistake that's nicely corrected here, as Troy's all-soul vocals really help the tunes soar over the top, pushing the uptempo grooves with a deeper current that's mighty nice! Titles include "Lyin Eyes (short version)", "You Got Me Baby (1979 disco version)", "Can't Hold On", "Another Look", "Give God Glory", "It's All In The Game (1979 disco version)", "Whatcha Gonna Do About It (1980 version)", "Smilin/Let Me Make Love To You", and "Another Look (12" version)". CD

Pivotal work from Waldron – stepping out of the blowing session mode, emerging as one of the 60s most striking moderinists. Like a lot of Waldron's records from the time, this set shows an amazing desire for new forms and modern ideas, and the mix of players – Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Ron Carter, Joe Benjamin, and Charlie Persip – pulls the material in a number of different ways. Carter plays bowed cello, as he did on Dolphy's Out There session, and he gives the set a dark moody feel. Ervin's in his best modernist mode, and he ably trades lines with Dolphy and keeps the whole thing moving nicely. Waldron's writing and arranging is superb, and the tracks feature a lot of weird time structures and unusual modal patterns. Includes the tracks "Status Seeking", "Warm Canto", "Warp and Woof", and "Fire Waltz". CD

Joshua Abrams just keeps on getting better and better as the years go on – to the point where he's a leader who's emerging with one of the proudest, most righteous visions in jazz! Abrams has played for years in the company of others – and his contributions have always impressed us – but once he started to step into the spotlight as a leader, his voice has just continued to grow – where an album like this has Joshua bringing together a really surprising array of talents from the Chicago scene, and creating a spiritual masterpiece that may well rival older classics on Impulse Records! Many of the tracks have a modal approach, which Joshua drives along beautifully with his bass – and Abrams also plays guimbri and a small harp too – in a group that features Ari Brown on tenor, Emmett Kelly on guitar, Frank Rosaly on drums and percussion, Mikel Avery on drums, Lisa Alvarado on harmonium and percussion, and Ben Boye on the wonderfully cool chromatic electric autoharp! Titles include "Sideways Fall", "St Cloud", "Maroon Dune", "Ophiuchs", and "2128 1/2". LP, Vinyl record album

Miles Smiles, but his grin is a wry one – given the angular energy of the set! The album's a landmark effort from the mid 60s quintet that includes Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all of whom work without fail to capture Davis' newly emerging approach to jazz – a style that's touched with some of the light lyricism of the late 50s, but which has much sharper edges overall – and really approaches some of the best "new thing" modes that were going down at labels like Blue Note or Impulse! Many tunes have a subtly spare quality, but nonetheless work with a tremendous amount of power – and titles include a classic version of "Freedom Jazz Dance", a haunting take on Shorter's "Footprints", and the titles "Orbits", "Circle", "Dolores", and "Gingerbread Boy". CD

Miles Smiles, but his grin is a wry one – given the angular energy of the set! The album's a landmark effort from the mid 60s quintet that includes Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all of whom work without fail to capture Davis' newly emerging approach to jazz – a style that's touched with some of the light lyricism of the late 50s, but which has much sharper edges overall – and really approaches some of the best "new thing" modes that were going down at labels like Blue Note or Impulse! Many tunes have a subtly spare quality, but nonetheless work with a tremendous amount of power – and titles include a classic version of "Freedom Jazz Dance", a haunting take on Shorter's "Footprints", and the titles "Orbits", "Circle", "Dolores", and "Gingerbread Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

Dark genius from the always-amazing Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that's a bit more subtle than some of the group's other efforts, but no less powerful – and virtually a blueprint for countless changes to come in jazz during the next few decades! The interplay of Davis' trumpet, Wayne Shorter's tenor, and Herbie Hancock's piano is worth the price of admission alone – a force that seems to flow of its own direction, pulled three ways equally, but always emerging as a sound greater than its parts. And adding in the subtle pulse of Ron Carter on bass and nearly melodic drums of Tony Williams, the sound is even more incredible – a well-crafted and evocative sound that's far more than jazz! Titles include versions of Herbie's "Riot" and "Madness", Shorter's "Nefertiti" and "Pinocchio", and Williams' "Hand Jive". LP, Vinyl record album

Dark genius from the always-amazing Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that's a bit more subtle than some of the group's other efforts, but no less powerful – and virtually a blueprint for countless changes to come in jazz during the next few decades! The interplay of Davis' trumpet, Wayne Shorter's tenor, and Herbie Hancock's piano is worth the price of admission alone – a force that seems to flow of its own direction, pulled three ways equally, but always emerging as a sound greater than its parts. And adding in the subtle pulse of Ron Carter on bass and nearly melodic drums of Tony Williams, the sound is even more incredible – a well-crafted and evocative sound that's far more than jazz! Titles include versions of Herbie's "Riot" and "Madness", Shorter's "Nefertiti" and "Pinocchio", and Williams' "Hand Jive". Plus, the CD reissue features 4 bonus alternate takes from the original session! CD

Angel Bat Dawid is a completely mesmerizing artist on record, but she's even more mindblowing in a live setting – where she seems to channel the energy of the skies and the planet into her music – brimming over with righteous energy that guides the rest of the group with a hell of a lot of power! Angel plays clarinet, keyboards, and sings throughout – effortlessly shifting between those elements in a group that includes tenor, keyboards, electronics, bass, and lots of drums and percussion – bursting out with an effortless blend of larger conception and improvisation – at a level that may well have Dawid emerging as one of the few folks from Chicago that could ever hope to match the legacy of Sun Ra! That's not saying that Angel is anything like Ra at all – but in a similar way, she immediately comes across as a true visionary, a deeply spiritual talent, and an artist who's following a path that's completely her own. Features material recorded live in Chicago and Berlin – and titles include "Capetown", "Black Family", "What Shall I Tell My Children Who Are Black", "The Wicked Shall Not Prevail", "Melo Deez From Heab'N", "VIKTORious Return", and "Enlightenment". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early work from Gil Evans – emerging here in this early session as an already far-thinking modernist. The tracks are shorter and less ambitious than some of Evans' work on Impulse, but the group is excellent – and even in a shorter format, the conception of the work still contains plenty of rich new ideas. Players include Louis Mucci, John Carisi, Steve Lacy, Willie Ruff, Paul Chambers, Nick Stabulis, and "Zeke Tolin" on alto, who is certainly a more famous player under a fake name. Titles include "Ella Speed", "Big Stuff", "Jambangle", "Nobody's Heart", and "Remember". CD

Great stuff from Sonny Fortune – emerging here as a strong leader with a spiritual soulful style that was steeped in traditions from labels like Strata East and Muse, but which also worked quite well in the slightly-expanded setting of A&M's Horizon projects. The group here is a well-selected one – with John Hicks and Kenny Barron on piano, Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Wayne Dockery and Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. Fortune really knows when to sit back and let the group groove – but he also burns away strongly on his own solos. Titles include "Triple Threat", "Nommo", "Sunshower", and "Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by Groove Holmes – the one organist who showed the scene that the west coast could boast a Hammond player as strong as the giants emerging from the east during the early 60s. The set features tracks recorded during the 1960s for the Pacific Jazz label, with Groove in groups that feature players like Teddy Edwards, Gene Ammons, Ben Webster, Joe Pass, and Les McCann. There's a total of 11 tracks in all – and titles include "Groovin Time", "Sweatin", "The Wailer", "This Here", "High Blues Pressure", "Comin Through The Apple", "Morris The Minor", and "That Healin Feeling". CD

A beautiful album that we'd rank as one of Freddie Hubbard's greatest recordings ever – a truly sublime set that's quite different than his Blue Note work of the 60s, and which really shows him emerging as a major talent on the trumpet! The set features a core sextet of key players – the legendary John Gilmore on tenor sax, making a rare appearance here away from the Sun Ra Arkestra – plus Curtis Fuller on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – the last three of whom provide a soulful, almost spiritual rhythm to the record – elevating Freddie's horn to tremendous heights, possibly for the first time in his career. All tracks are nice and long – and titles include the Hubbard originals "Bob's Place", "Happy Times", and "The 7th Day", all of which roll along on a groove that's not what you'd expect – plus versions of "Summertime" and "Caravan". CD

Al's first major label record – cut when he was an emerging soul jazz vocalist, but before he'd gone totally over the top in super-slick hit mode. The album's got a good 70s LA jazzy backing, with guests like Dave Grusin, Arthur Adams, and Larry Bunker keeping the music moving at a nice pace. Includes the title cut "We Got By", plus "Sweet Potatoe Pie", "Spirit", "Susan's Song", and "Alladin's Lamp". LP, Vinyl record album

An unreleased 70s session from keyboardist Andy LaVerne – and a set that features a mighty hip assemblage of musicians! Stan Getz is on two of the album's tracks – soaring out in a way that's maybe more in his Captain Marvel mode, than some of his straighter work that was emerging at the time – a quality that possibly comes from the group's great work from guitarist John Abercrombie, who's got a really explosive variation of his usual chromatic style – served up here on both acoustic and electric guitars, and electric mandolin too. Bass is from Eddie Gomez and drums are from Billy Hart – save for two tracks that also include additional bass from Jon Burr and additional drums from Victor Jones – and LaVerne himself plays acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, and minimoog – on titles that include "Come To Me", "Cappaqua", "Hymn For Her", "Get Back To Me", "Metropolis", "Dreamboat", and "Empty Shells". CD

An early moment of genius from post-Beatles Paul McCartney – a solo set that's wonderfully diverse throughout – filled with the kinds of cool little twists and turns we loved in his late Beatles records, and in his 70s killers with Wings! There's a newly-emerging sweetness going on here – that great sound that started to emerge with the McCartney album – where Paul was a proud, put-together family guy – easily one of the most confident of his fab foursome, and able to bring an incredible amount of charm to just about any style he wanted to try! Some of the best cuts here are the mellower, more personal moments – still delivered with an amazing rock-solid sense of musicianship and production, too – and even the rockers, which might sound clunky in the hands of anyone else, manage to come off with a great deal of charm as well. Titles include the wonderfully playful "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" – plus "Too Many People", "Heart Of The Country", "Dear Boy", "Ram On", "The Back Seat Of My Car", and "Smile Away". Deluxe edition comes in a beautiful clothbound box and includes the original album in mono and stereo, the Thrillington instrumental album, bonus tracks, a DVD documentary, 112-page book, and lots of other goodies! CD

The first album by Marisa Monte, and the start of a fantastic run of records – really strong work that had Monte emerging as maybe one of the strongest new acts in Brazil at the time! The set is live, which is unusual for a debut – and that also makes for energy that's a bit more raw and spontaneous than you might guess from some of Monte's later, more sophisticated production – especially when the singer hits some sharper edges that almost feel punkish at points. The small group features Roberto Alves on piano – and the set list includes a version of Os Mutantes' "Ando Meio Desligado", plus "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Speak Low", "Comida", "Negro Gato", and a nice remake of "Chocolate", an old Brazilian soul song by Tim Maia. LP, Vinyl record album

A very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". CD

Arguably the most perfect record ever from New Order – a stunning second full length set that has the group emerging from the turgid depths of the early post-Ian Curtis years, and before the schmaltzy pop of the John Hughes generation! The electronics are wonderful – definitely a few generations ahead of their time, especially in the way they realize all the north England experimentation of the time, but bring it into more tuneful territory – yet never without losing its edge. The group produced the record themselves, and managed to hold onto lots of the best lessons learned from Martin Hannett – and there's a tightness and economy to the songwriting that holds up beautifully over the years. Titles include "Ultraviolence", "The Village", "We All Stand", "Your Silent Face", and the lovely "Leave Me Alone". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – not only for Esther Phillips, who's emerging here as a gifted young lady, very different from her R&B years, but also for the genre of country soul, which was emerging to be one of the most important strands in the new music during the 60s. Esther's not fooling around here – as she's working with Nashville arranger Cliff Parman, and getting backup from the Anita Kerr singers for that true Music City sound. Sounds hokey, sounds like it shouldn't work – but the setting is perfect for Esther's raspy rich tone, and in a way, it forces her to break out even more vocally than she does on other 60s recordings. Titles include "Release me", "I'd Fight The World", "Am I That Easy To Forget", "I Really Don't Want To Know", "Just Out Of Reach", and "Be Honest With Me". A wonderful album – one that sits perfectly next to work by Solomon Burke, Ray Charles, and Brook Benton. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from John Prine – his Atlantic debut, done at a time when he was emerging from the second generation of the Chicago folk scene – with a style that set the tone for countless singer/songwriters in years to come! The record has immediate appeal to ears tuned towards hip country, folk, and the more personal side of rock at the time – as Prine sings his material with a wry wit that's simultaneously heartbreaking, with support from the great Reggie Young on guitar and Bobby Emmons on organ – plus work on two tracks from scenemate and soon-to-be-star Steve Goodman on guitar. Titles include the seminal "Hello In There" – a tune that's hard to believe was written by a 24 year old – plus "Six O'Clock News", "Sam Stone", "Donald & Lydia", "Illegal Smile", "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore", and "Far From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold move forward for Re:Jazz – a record that's even more cohesive than their first few, and which shows them emerging much more strongly as a group! As before, the approach here has the combo offering soulful jazz versions of tunes from the more popular side of the spectrum – but unlike before, there's a warmly flowing sense of energy that unites the whole record – an approach that's often topped by the vocals of Inga Luhning, an expressive singer who really gives the record a good focus – even though the record also features a bit of guest singing by Alice Russell and Ernesto. There's a sense of power and entitlement to the music here that goes way beyond the earlier releases – almost as if the band have stopped being tentative about their efforts, and move confidently forward with a sense that their music is really making a difference. Titles include "People Hold On", "Gabrielle", "Finally", "Rock It", "Too Many Holes", "Promised Land", "Back Home", "Not About Me", "Plastic Dreams", "Return To Damara", and "Stewed". CD

The kind of Roxy Music album that nobody would have expected back when Brian Eno was in the group – but a set that really helped expose the group to a whole new generation, and find a way to develop that special style that Bryan Ferry had brought to the group in the previous decade! There's a leaner vibe going on here – with the core trio of Ferry, Andy Mackay, and Phil Manzanera finding a way to be a bit more subtle than before, both instrumentally and lyrically – while still having Bryan do that oddly sinister thing with his vocals, almost in a way that undercuts all the new young stars that were emerging in the younger generation. The recording quality is superb – especially on the vocals and Manzanera's work – and titles include "More Than This", "Take A Chance With Me", "India", "The Space Between", and "To Turn You On". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's almost a back to basics effort for the Talking Heads – produced with maybe a bit more crossover appeal than some of their early records, yet one that also shakes off some of the larger funk, soul, and global instrumentation that was part of their sound in the early 80s! David Byrne is at his charming best here – delivering tunes that have that new sense of wonder at the world that really marked the second chapter of the group's career – almost as if he were emerging from the late 70s punk world to become some sort of much-needed Mr Rogers for the following decade! The whole thing is wonderfully tight and well-crafted – different than "Psycho Killer", but great in its own sort of maturing way – on titles that include "And She Was", "Road To Nowhere", "The Lady Don't Mind", plus "Television Man", "Perfect World", and "Creatures Of Love". CD

A record that's almost a back to basics effort for the Talking Heads – produced with maybe a bit more crossover appeal than some of their early records, yet one that also shakes off some of the larger funk, soul, and global instrumentation that was part of their sound in the early 80s! David Byrne is at his charming best here – delivering tunes that have that new sense of wonder at the world that really marked the second chapter of the group's career – almost as if he were emerging from the late 70s punk world to become some sort of much-needed Mr Rogers for the following decade! The whole thing is wonderfully tight and well-crafted – different than "Psycho Killer", but great in its own sort of maturing way – on titles that include "And She Was", "Road To Nowhere", "The Lady Don't Mind", plus "Television Man", "Perfect World", and "Creatures Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Leslie West is a mountain of a man – and although his greatest fame may have been in the group Mountain, this initial solo set has all the power of that famous group – and maybe a leaner, meaner sound overall! West is clearly working in the power trio style that was emerging from the British rock scene of the time – using his raw vocals and heavy guitar next to the drums of ND Smart, and the bass and keyboards of the great Felix Pappalardi – who produced and put the whole thing together in the studio! Titles include the funky rock classic "Long Red", which has great organ and drums – plus "Southbound Train", "Blood Of The Sun", "Blind Man", "Baby I'm Down", "This Whee's On Fire", "Storyteller Man", and "Because You Are My Friend". LP, Vinyl record album

Havana Candy, indeed – as singer Patti Austin's in her sweetest mode of the 70s – stepping off of years of background vocals for others, and really emerging as a great soul star on her own! Patti got the chance to cut some soul singles back in her early days – but work like this really unlocks her jazzier side, too – that spirit she developed in her work with Quincy Jones, taken to even more expressive heights on her own. Arrangements are by Larry Rosen and Dave Grusin – moody, mellow in a style that's perfect for Patti's voice – and players on the set include Grusin on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, Richard Tee on keyboards, and Ralph MacDonald on percussion – all-star CTI players who really keep things rights! Titles include "I Need Somebody", "We're In Love", "Lost In The Stars", "Havana Candy", and "I Just Want To Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly-crafted work from Jimmy Cliff – a mid 70s set that has the singer emerging way past the Kingston scene, to a role where he feels much more like a global soul superstar overall! Make no mistake, there's definitely plenty of reggae on the album – but the record also marks that moment when the music was really reaching out to much bigger audiences, thanks to talents as great as Jimmy – able to take the best well-crafted grooves of Jamaica, mix them with a bit of Cali sunshine, and come up with cuts that sparkle here – like "I'm Gonna Live I'm Gonna Love", "Who Feels It, Knows It", "Remake The World", "Hypocrites", "Wahjahka Man", "The News", "Look At The Mountains", "You're The Only One", and the seminal "No Woman No Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

Miles Smiles, but his grin is a wry one – given the angular energy of the set! The album's a landmark effort from the mid 60s quintet that includes Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all of whom work without fail to capture Davis' newly emerging approach to jazz – a style that's touched with some of the light lyricism of the late 50s, but which has much sharper edges overall – and really approaches some of the best "new thing" modes that were going down at labels like Blue Note or Impulse! Many tunes have a subtly spare quality, but nonetheless work with a tremendous amount of power – and titles include a classic version of "Freedom Jazz Dance", a haunting take on Shorter's "Footprints", and the titles "Orbits", "Circle", "Dolores", and "Gingerbread Boy". CD

Nice early work from Kenny Dorham – emerging here with lyrical power and a good sense of the hip, and playing with a strong group that includes Jimmy Heath, Walter Bishop, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke. The material was originally issued as a 10" LP – but this 12" version features 2 extra tracks that are alternate takes from the session. Titles include "Osmosis", "An Oscar For Oscar", "Ruby My Dear", and "I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early work from Gil Evans – emerging here in this early session as an already far-thinking modernist. The tracks are shorter and less ambitious than some of Evans' work on Impulse, but the group is excellent – and even in a shorter format, the conception of the work still contains plenty of rich new ideas. Players include Louis Mucci, John Carisi, Steve Lacy, Willie Ruff, Paul Chambers, Nick Stabulis, and "Zeke Tolin" on alto, who is certainly a more famous player under a fake name. Titles include "Ella Speed", "Big Stuff", "Jambangle", "Nobody's Heart", and "Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". LP, Vinyl record album

Sparkling modern soul from the lovely Phyllis Hyman – and an album that has the singer picking up the wonderfully smooth groove that had become the Philly International sound of the mid 80s. This format works surprisingly well for Phyllis – quite possibly more so than it did even for longer-running artists on the label – as it gives her a great showcase for the more sophisticated and adult sort of themes that were really emerging in her music, the kind of classy soul that Hyman helped forge strongly at the time. Titles include the great numbers "Old Friend", "Ain't You Had Enough Love", "If You Want Me", "Living All Alone", and a nice version of "What You Won't Do For Love". CD

Sparkling modern soul from the lovely Phyllis Hyman – and an album that has the singer picking up the wonderfully smooth groove that had become the Philly International sound of the mid 80s. This format works surprisingly well for Phyllis – quite possibly more so than it did even for longer-running artists on the label – as it gives her a great showcase for the more sophisticated and adult sort of themes that were really emerging in her music, the kind of classy soul that Hyman helped forge strongly at the time. Titles include the great numbers "Old Friend", "Ain't You Had Enough Love", "If You Want Me", "Living All Alone", and a nice version of "What You Won't Do For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic soul jazz set from the 60s – one of the few ever cut by pianist Harold Johnson, and a record that brims over with youthful power and new ideas! The Harold Johnson Sextet were an incredible little LA soul jazz combo during the late 60s. Johnson was a very soulful pianist, and he had a heavy soul style that was similar to Ramsey Lewis' Cadet work – but which was also tinged with the lyricism of Horace Silver, and the emerging modal sound of Stanley Cowell. This first session by the group was originally issued on a small label, became a local hit, and was picked up by the Revue label for national distribution. It's got an incredible sound, and is very very catchy. The band features Johnson's piano in a very strong lead – plus flute, alto, and tenor. Billy Jackson plays a hard rolling conga behind the whole thing – and tracks include "House On Elm Street", "Watts '67", "Something Mellow", and "Yeah Uh Huh". LP, Vinyl record album

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. This album wasn't their first – but it was the first to really break them with the masses, and it's a vocal jazz classic if there ever was one. Backings are by the Ike Isaacs Trio, plus Harry Edison on trumpet – and titles include "Moanin", "Twisted", "Cloudburst", "Everybody's Boppin", and "Sermonette". CD

A really wonderful little record from Pat Metheny – quite possibly our favorite by the man, thanks to some really inventive sounds that still resonate strongly in the groove scene today! Pat's skirting nicely here between the sound-based quality of earlier records, and some of the more fluid and Brazilian-influenced song structures that were emerging in his work – using the percussion of Nana Vasconcelos to give the tracks a nice earthy undercurrent, but still also managing to slide around wonderfully in that fluid groove he was building with keyboardist Lyle Mayes. Includes the great cut "Are You Going With Me?", plus "The Bat", "James", "Barcarole", and "Eighteen". CD

One of Lee Morgan's beautiful early sets for Blue Note – and proof that he was emerging as a youthful lyricist even in his hardbop days! The group on the session is a sextet – with rock-solid Hank Mobley on tenor, Horace Silver on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Charlie Persip on drums – plus the highly obscure Kenny Rodgers on alto – making his only Blue Note appearance ever! As on Morgan's third album for Blue Note, most of the tracks are composed by Benny Golson – perfectly penned numbers that maintain a hardbop swing, but which let Morgan explore things with a bit more depth than on some of his sessions for Savoy! Titles include "Slightly Hep", "D's Fink", "Whisper Not", and "Latin Hangover". CD

This is the kind of battle we like to see! Three heavy tenors – Nelson, King, and Jimmy Forrest – come head to head in a relaxed set of tunes cut in that Prestige blowing session mode, but tweaked with a bit more tightness, in the style of some of the label's emerging soul jazz sides of the 60s. Nelson's gutsy tenor will shock you if you haven't heard him in this sort of less restrained setting – and Forrest's work from this time is always a treat. Titles include "Blues For MF", "Anacruses", "Perdido", and "In Passing". Includes the bonus track "Soul Street". CD

An excellent bit of spacey funk from Julian Priester – the Chicago hardbop trombonist who grooved mightily in the late 50s and early 60s with the likes of Sun Ra and Max Roach, but who here is reemerging as a 70s electric funk maestro, in the lineage of Herbie Hancock. Here, he's working with the Pepo Mtoto band – which includes west coast soul jazz luminaries like Henry Franklin, Hadley Caliman, Bayete, Ndugu Chancler, and Pat Gleeson, who adds some wonderful moog and Arp to the set. Tracks are long and spacey, with a building funky groove that's inspired countless acts over the past decade – not the least of which has been Chicago's own Isotope! Titles include "Love, Love", "Images", "Eternal Worlds", and "Epilogue". CD

Four classics from this legendary Motown group – including 2 albums on CD for the first time ever! First up is What Love Has Joined Together – excellent work by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – recorded with a super-heavy vibe that's very different than his sweeter 60s work! The record has an amazingly large conception of arrangements – mostly handled by Smokey, and done in a complicated baroque harmony style that points forward towards his later Quiet Storm sound – but which isn't as laidback and compressed. Most tracks are covers, but they're redone fantastically – with better vocals than you could imagine – and titles include "What Love Has Joined Together", "My Cherie Amour", "If This World Were Mine", "This Guy's In Love", and "And I Love Her". Pocket Full Of Miracles is a great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "The Reel Of Time", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". Also features a great medley of "Something" and "Something You Got". One Dozen Roses is an early 70s set from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – and a set that mixes great new material with a few older gems from the previous decade too! The new cuts are fantastic – and have Smokey and the group continuing that mellower, more laidback harmony style that really knocks it out of the park – almost as if The Miracles were trying to challenge some of the younger sweet soul acts who were coming onto the scene. Titles include the older cuts "Tears Of A Clown" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" – plus "I Don't Blame You At All", "That Girl", "I Love You Dear", "No Wonder Love's A Wonder", and "When Sundown Comes". Flying High Together is excellent 70s work by Smokey and crew – sort of their way of showing the emerging east coast vocal stars how much talent they still had! The record has a sweet, slightly modern sound – with an approach that hints at Smokey's later Quiet Storm sound, but maybe a bit more laidback overall – set up with really great arrangements from both David Van De Pitte and HB Barnum. Titles include a killer reading of Stevie Wonder's "We Had A Love So Strong", plus "Got To Be There", "You Ain't Livin 'Till You're Lovin", "Flying High Together", "It Will Be Alright", and a cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD features bonus tracks "You've Got Me Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" and "Paper People". CD

A crucially important record in Sonny Rollins' career – one that had him breaking out of the straight bop sound, and emerging as a major power on the tenor sax – one with limitless creative power! The set features Rollins working with only drum and bass accompaniment – played by Max Roach and Oscar Pettiford, respectively – and the lack of piano or other horns gives Rollins a free space in which to work his magic, doing so incredibly on the album's "Freedom Suite", an extended piece that runs for nearly 20 minutes, and which pushes all conceptions of the tenor's ability to solo freely on record. The other side of the record features shorter tracks – "Shadow Waltz", "Someday I'll Find You", and "Will You Still Be Mine?" – blown with no less creativity. CD

The kind of Roxy Music album that nobody would have expected back when Brian Eno was in the group – but a set that really helped expose the group to a whole new generation, and find a way to develop that special style that Bryan Ferry had brought to the group in the previous decade! There's a leaner vibe going on here – with the core trio of Ferry, Andy Mackay, and Phil Manzanera finding a way to be a bit more subtle than before, both instrumentally and lyrically – while still having Bryan do that oddly sinister thing with his vocals, almost in a way that undercuts all the new young stars that were emerging in the younger generation. The recording quality is superb – especially on the vocals and Manzanera's work – and titles include "More Than This", "Take A Chance With Me", "India", "The Space Between", and "To Turn You On". CD