This is a pretty jazzy record compared to the usual Mancini soundtrack-type stuff. It's mostly mellow the whole way through and has some very nice moments due to the quality of the playing. His orchestra includes such folks as Pete Condoli on trumpet, Dick Nash on trombone, Johnny Williams on piano, Victor Feldman on vibes & marimba and Larry Bunker on vibes. There is only one Mancini original – "The Beat" – and the others are jazz standards such as "Misty", "After Hours", "Mood Indigo", "Tippin In", "Sing, Sing, Sing", and "Big Noise From Winnetka". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet grooves from the great Bob Marley – a set cut at a time when Marley was really riding his international fame – and able to create the kind of music that reached out way more than conventional reggae! The Kingston roots of the sound are still very firmly in place – but there's also a more globally-expansive vision here too – partly the tight production on the music, partly the warm feelings that ebb and flow throughout the entire set – a vibe that's very different than American soul, and which has turned out to be surprisingly encompassing over the years. Titles include "Is This Love", "Running Away", "Kaya", "Satisfy My Soul", "Easy Skanking", "Sun Is Shining", "She's Gone", "Misty Morning", "Crisis", and "Time Will Tell". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite all-star session from the Japanese scene – one that features the superb talents of Hidehiko Matsumoto on tenor and flute, and Kunihiko Sugano on piano – working alongside equally nice work from Isao Suzuki on bass and George Otsuka on drums! You might know Suzuki and Sugano from their 70s material on the Three Blind Mice label – but the approach here is maybe a bit more straightforward, yet equally sublime – really magical sounds from all players involved, at a level that really makes the whole thing one of the best albums that Matsumoto recorded at this end of the 70s. Titles include "Misty", "But Not For Me", "Four Wings", "Laura", and "Speak Low". CD

A surprisingly great later album from Gwen McCrae – one that has her returning to hit territory of years back, and re-recording older Miami soul hits from the 70s! The sound is far better than we could have hoped for – very much in the older spirit of the TK label, thanks to production by George Perry and Henry Stone that keeps things simple, and which doesn't clutter up the tunes with too many modern flourishes. The musicians are all great too – and include Perry, Little Beaver, Latimore, and Timmy Thomas – the last two of whom also sing on the record! Gwen's not only singing her own hits here either, but tracks by other TK artists like Betty Wright, Paulette Reaves, and Bobby Caldwell – performed very nicely here in versions that are almost as great as the originals. Titles include "Jazz Freak", "What You Won't Do For Love", "Rock Your Baby", "Why Can't We Live Together", "90% Of Me Is You", "Clean Up Woman", "Honey Honey", "You Gotta Love Me", "Rockin Chair", "Misty Blue", and "Party Down". CD

A treasure trove of lost work from Wes Montgomery – very early recordings done in his native Indianapolis, and packaged with a great book of vintage photos as well! The set offers a key look at Wes' music before he moved onto greater fame out west – a great slice of sounds that are closest to his small combo work for Riverside, but which have an even homier feel overall thanks to the presence of some live performances mixed in with the studio sessions! Recording quality is great throughout, and tapes have been very lovingly restored – making the package way more than just a relic, and more a whole new listening experience from the early years of Wes – a magnificent way to hear that legendary tone, already full-formed at the start. Players include some real stalwarts from the Indy scene – including Mel Rhyne on both piano and organ, Earl Van Riper on piano, and on one track, brothers Buddy Montgomery on bass and Monk on piano. Titles include "Diablo's Dance", "Take The A Train", "Nica's Dream", "Round Midnight", "After Hours Blues", and "Misty". 22 page book comes with loads of photos and great essays! CD

A very groovy little record! Quire is a harmony group led by Christine Legrand – sister of Michel Legrand, and ex-member of similar groups The Swingle Singers and Les Double Six. The music on the set is very much like that of the latter – in that it's harmony vocal versions of famous jazz tunes, done in an instrument-less style that recalls the work of the Swingles. The sound is quite odd, but wonderful – handled with the dreamy delightful style we've always come to love in Christine's work. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Blue Rondo A La Turk", "Django", "Misty", "Body & Soul", and "Waltz For Debby". LP, Vinyl record album

Arrangements by Don Costa – on titles that include "Night & Day", "Misty", "Stardust", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Prisoner Of Love", and "That's All". CD

An incredible live set by Dr. Lonnie Smith – recorded during his 75th birthday celebration at NYC's Jazz Standard! It's mostly in a trio setting with Jonathan Kreisberg on guitar and Johnathan Blake on drums, working through raucous and intimate moments with equal skill. We saw Lonnie play not too long before this impeccable set was recorded, so believe us when we tell you, the next best thing to seeing him do his inimitable thing in person – even as late in the game as his 75th year – is right here! He wastes no time pulling us in with a great take on Wayne Shorter's "Juju", which feels SO good with Lonnie's electric keys, along with some great space for Kreisberg to shine, and the set has some wonderful mellower moments, too. Includes a killer cover of Paul Simon's "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover", Smith's own "Alhambra" and "All In My Mind", plus "Devika", "On A Misty Night"and "Up Jumped Spring". CD

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". CD

A heck of a great little record – one that shouldn't work so well, but it does! For the set, Sonny Stitt's blowing in front of a larger brass section – and while the prospect of a Sonny Stitt big band record might not sound that great at first, this one really kicks, largely because of Sonny's great solo work! Stitt's in perfect form by this point – blowing freely above a core brass group that features Blue Mitchell, Jimmy Cleveland, and Willie Ruff – arranged tightly by Tadd Dameron and Jimmy Mundy, yet still given enough room to swing with a heck of a lot of soul! Also quite nice is the organ work on the set by the obscure female player Perri Lee – a great little groover with a lean sound that cuts through the arrangements and really makes them sparkle! Titles include "Souls Valley", "On A Misty Night", "Stittsie", "Poinciana", "Sea Sea Rider", and "The Four Ninety". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful live date from the legendary Toots Thielemans – and one that's got some especially nice electric piano interplay with his famous guitar and harmonica! There's a bit more of an edge to this record than some of Toots' more polished outings for bigger labels – and we really appreciate that quality of the record, as it gets back to that fresh, unique tone that Thielemans first brought to jazz in the 50s and 60s – which on other records of this vintage wasn't always recorded with this much soul. Players include Rob Franken on keyboards and Joop Scholten on guitar – and titles include "Waltz For Sonny", "That Misty Red Animal", "Blue Lady", "Bluesette", "C To G Jam Blues", "Dirty Old Man", and "Nice To Be Around". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice showcase for Steve Turre's varied influences, and an album that actually features three separate quartets! Each group is anchored by a different piano player – Ray Charles, Stephen Scott, and Chucho Valdes – and they help bring out a different side of Turre's work on tracks that include "Ray's Collard Greens", "Misty", "Something For John", "Elington Medley", "Descarga Ahora", and "Suenos de La Habana". CD

Ben Webster on tenor saxophone, Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. Tracks include "Perdido", "Over The Rainbow", "Indiana", "Misty", "Set Call", and "Yesterdays". CD

A really great package – one that brings together three different albums on the Black Lion label, all of which were recorded during the same live sessions at the Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen! Ben Webster's tone is wonderful here – that mature, mellow sound that he brought to some of his standout live dates – and which is captured here in the kind of relaxed, soloist-focused setting that always makes 60s recordings from the Cafe Montmartre so great! The group is a familiar one for the house – Kenny Drew on piano, Nils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – but it's clear that Ben's the main star, and steps out on the kind of tenor solos really set him apart from the rest – on a record that's also one of his best from the decade! 2CD set features 21 tracks in all – and titles include "I Can't Get Started", "Londonderry Air", "My Romance", "Misty", "That's All", "Yesterdays", "Perdido", "Teach Me Tonight", "Friskin The Frog", "Stormy Weather", and "Blues For Herluf". CD

Pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto gave us some sublime records in the 70s on the Three Blind Mice label from Japan – and he really continues the spirit of those records here, on a set of tracks that demonstrate that, if anything, his sense of space and timing have gotten even more amazing as the years have gone on! With Yamamoto, it's never a matter of the material he chooses, which is usually common – but the way he puts the tune over while working with a trio – and the way that trio is recorded, which was always a key aspect of Tsuyoshi's records in the 70s. His classic Blues For Tee album was dedicated to his older producer back in the day – as this set is dedicated to Yoshihiko Kannari, who did a great job of capturing the magic from a trio that also features Hiroshi Kagawa on bass and Toshio Osumi on drums. Titles include "You Go To My Head", "Darn That Dream", "Blues In The Closet", "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You", "Love Theme From Sunflower", "Gentle Blues", and "Blues For K". CD features both volumes of the vinyl releases – plus bonus tracks "Misty" and "Midnight Sugar". CD

Pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto gave us some sublime records in the 70s on the Three Blind Mice label from Japan – and he really continues the spirit of those records here, on a set of tracks that demonstrate that, if anything, his sense of space and timing have gotten even more amazing as the years have gone on! With Yamamoto, it's never a matter of the material he chooses, which is usually common – but the way he puts the tune over while working with a trio – and the way that trio is recorded, which was always a key aspect of Tsuyoshi's records in the 70s. His classic Blues For Tee album was dedicated to his older producer back in the day – as this set is dedicated to Yoshihiko Kannari, who did a great job of capturing the magic from a trio that also features Hiroshi Kagawa on bass and Toshio Osumi on drums. Titles on this first volume include "You Go To My Head", "Misty", "Blues For K", "But Not For Me", and "I'm Glad There Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic little collection – a look at the way that sounds from the Caribbean changed over nicely when brought to the UK scene – where immigrants from former British territory really helped to transform the sound of London in the 70s! The music here is served up in a range of different styles – certainly reggae, but with plenty of funk and soul too, mixed with other elements from the islands – all brought into new play together when taken up in the UK! Right from the start, the English artists were starting to put their own spin on things – so the cuts within offer up all these great new directions – maybe even more surprises than you're used to finding on some of the other collections from the Soul Jazz label! The presentation of material is superb, and there's some very detailed notes as well – with cuts that include "No Time For Hello" by Harry Beckett, "Ooh Boy" by Sandra Reid, "Don't Call Us Immigrants" by Tabby Cat Kelly, "RK1" by The Terrorist, "Black Pride" by Brown Sugar, "Don't Let It Go To Your Head" by Black Harmony, "Positive Vibrations" by Pebbles, "Love Money" by Funk Masters, "Ragga Trip" by Ragga Twins, "Be Thankful For What You've Got" by Winston Curtis, "Fug" by Cymande, "Sticks Man" by Black Slate, "Rising To The Top" by Dee Sharp, "Misty Winter" by Digital Mystikz, "Compelled" by Cosmic Irden, and "Still In Love" by Janet Kay & Alton Ellis, and "Java Bass" by Shut Up & Dance. CD

If this is what they call an Encyclopedia, the folks at Britannica can sign us up! The set's a smoking selection of older soul jazz numbers from the glory days of Prestige Records – that key late 50s/1960s time when the label was helping forge a whole new sound in jazz – mixing in elements of R&B, hardbop, and gospel – and letting fly with a whole range of great tenor and organ players! The tracks here are all classics, all presented in nice long full versions that show what music like this can really do when let loose in the studio – and titles include "Seed Shack" by Gene Ammons, "Nother Futher" by Sonny Stitt & Jack McDuff, "Misty" by Groove Holmes, "Soul Meeting" by King Curtis, "The Honeydripper" by Jack McDuff, "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" by Arnett Cobb, "In The Kitchen" by Eddie Lockjaw Davis, "More Today Than Yesterday" by Charles Earland, "Please Mr Jackson" by Willis Jackson, and "Dirty Apple" by Johnny Hammond Smith. CD

Few songwriters have had such a lasting impact on modern music as Leonard Cohen – an incredible songsmith when he first emerged in the late 60s, and one who continued to create songs at the top of his game for many years after! And although Cohen's own recordings are the stuff of legend – essential to any collection of hip, thoughtful music – many others have picked up his tunes and really done great things with them – a fair bit of whom are included in this set! The package has an unusual scope – in that it includes selections by some of the artists recording right when Leonard was getting his start on record – then jumps forward to the 21st Century, to showcase a number of more contemporary recordings that show just how timeless Cohen's lyrics can be. As always with Ace, the presentation is wonderful – with detailed notes on all the selections – and titles include "So Long Marianne" by Noel Harrison, "Joan Of Arc" by Anna Calvi, "Show Me The Place" by The Webb Sisters, "Anthem" by Father John Misty, "The Stranger Song" by Emmylou Harris, "Blue Alert" by Madeleine Peyroux, "Closing Time" by Fairport Convention, "A Thousand Kisses Deep" by Ann Wilson, "Nightingale" by Anjani, "Is This What You Wanted" by Last Shadow Puppets, "Story Of Isaac" by Judy Collins, "Here It Is" by Jonathan Richman, and "You Know Who I Am" by Mama Cass. CD

An incredibly beautiful collaboration between Yusef Lateef and the brothers Stephane and Lionel Belmondo – done in a warmly composed mode that lets Lateef's enigmatic reed work stretch out over Belmondo-crafted soundscapes filled with the dark colors and misty light evoked by the album's cover! The format is a surprisingly great one – with Yusef out front on tenor, oboe, and a variety of flutes – supported by trumpet from Stephane and saxes from Lionel, both of whom have adopted a very Lateef-like feel to their own work for the session. Tracks are longish, and the 2CD set is easily one of the best efforts we've heard from Yusef in many years! Titles include "Orgatique", "Shafaa", "Si Tout Ceci N'Est Qu'un Pauvre Reve", "Apres Le Jeu", "Influence", and "Suite Overtime". CD

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

Maxine Brown on Wand Records is really something amazing – not just because she began her recording career at the label, but also because she never again hit the heights of these recordings! Brown was a really important singer with these sides – still partly in the class and poise of some of the jazz-tinged vocalists that came before her – but also able to open up with a deeper soul vibe that paved the way for Aretha Franklin and so many other singers to come in the second half of the 60s! The production and presentation of these tracks is wonderful, too – great songwriting, and top-shelf studio charts that only lift, and never drown the brilliance of Maxine's unique voice. Titles include "One In A Million", "It's Torture", "Let Me Give You My Lovin", "Yesterday's Kisses", "Oh No, Not My Baby", "Gotta Find A Way", "Baby Cakes", "Why Did I Choose You", "Misty Morning Eyes", "Since I Found You", "Losing My Touch", "If I Had Known", "It's Gonna Be Alright", and the completely fantastic "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody". CD

A great album from Astrud Gilberto – one that has her pushing past the simple bossa of early years, running through a range of 60s styles that all sound great – really opening up, finding new confidence in her vocals, and bridging a few different musical worlds in the process! Arrangements are by Deodato and Don Sebesky – and handled with this growing sophistication that holds on to bossa elements, but elevates the style with some of the cooler late 60s touches we love on Verve Records – all at a level that's completely sublime, and which does really wonderful things for Astrud's vocals. There's still plenty of Brazilian tunes in the mix – like "Oba, Oba", "Canoeiro", "Bossa Na Praia", "Nao Bate O Corocao", and Marcos Valle's great "The Face I Love" – and the album also features great versions of "Misty Roses", "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice", and "Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album from Astrud Gilberto – one that has her pushing past the simple bossa of early years, running through a range of 60s styles that all sound great – really opening up, finding new confidence in her vocals, and bridging a few different musical worlds in the process! Arrangements are by Deodato and Don Sebesky – and handled with this growing sophistication that holds on to bossa elements, but elevates the style with some of the cooler late 60s touches we love on Verve Records – all at a level that's completely sublime, and which does really wonderful things for Astrud's vocals. There's still plenty of Brazilian tunes in the mix – like "Oba, Oba", "Canoeiro", "Bossa Na Praia", "Nao Bate O Corocao", and Marcos Valle's great "The Face I Love" – and the album also features great versions of "Misty Roses", "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice", and "Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic 70s album from the legendary German label MPS – but one that gives some great early exposure to a pair of talents from the LA scene! Joanne Grauer plays keyboards with a sweet breezy vibe – a bit like some of the hippest Bay Area indie jazz sides of the time, and made even better by the vocals of Lorraine Feather on a few tracks – a singer who really matches the mood, and makes the albums sparkle with a great sense of gentle groove and charm! Most cuts are originals by Grauer – including the great funky instrumental "Frog Child" – which has a killer bassline and great keyboards – plus "Gork", "Misty Dreaming", "Can't Sleep", "Longing", and "The Voice". Plus, the set features a wonderful take on the Flip Nunez song "See You Later" – a sublime anthem from the west coast scene at the time! CD

Hard rock perfected! It's around Led Zeppelin IV that you can easily say that the group moved up from being incredibly great to flat-out legendary – really in a class by themselves, although maybe they'd already reached that point with the sublime sounds of the previous three records! There's a darkness here – and a sense of magick too – an eerie new energy that still has all the balls-out rock power of before, but which has the group moving into this heady territory that's really all their own. Every song is a classic – and tracks include "Black Dog", "Stairway To Heaven", "Rock And Roll", "Misty Mountain Hop", "When The Levee Breaks", "Going To California", "Four Sticks", and "Battle Of Evermore". LP, Vinyl record album

A truly unbelievable album from Billy Stewart – maybe his standout moment of the 60s, and a record that set him apart from every other singer of his time! Stewart's famous vocals break out instantly on the huge hit "Summertime" – a leadoff number that really sets the record on fire – and sets the scene for an amazing batch of tunes that follow a similar format – familiar tracks that are completely recast in a new mode by Billy – pyrotechnic soul vocals that are as filled with feeling as they are shaped by technique! Backings are great, too – full and a bit jazzy at points – and with just the right sort of energy to keep things bouncing along all the way through. Titles include "Summertime", "A Foggy Day", "Canadian Sunset", "Time After Time", "Misty", "Moon River", "My Funny Valentine", and "That Old Black Magic". LP, Vinyl record album

Super-heady work from the global psychedelic underground – exactly the kind of work we've come to love from the Now Again reissue projects over the years! The label has its roots in the hip hop and funk world of parent company Stones Throw – and has used that legacy to open up an understanding of unique moments in rock music where funk, soul, and other elements can creep into the mix too – heard here in a blend of really wonderful cuts that are all the sort that normally change hands for high-dollar prices in impossible-to-find originals, but which finally get full exposure on a collection like this! Titles include "Tickets For Doomsday" by Chucky Thurmon, "All Bundled In Love" by Water Color, "In Your Time" by Christopher, "Time" by JB Green & Band, "Leavin" by Misty, "Hari Yang Mulya" by Golden Wing, "Sad Man's Story" by Icecross, "Paradise Lost" by Upheaval,a nd "I Don't Mind (part 1)" by Stephen David Heitkotter. CD

A legendary meeting of free jazz talents – and one of those records that completely changed the game during the 70s! Both guitarist Derek Bailey and drummer Han Bennink work here at a level that seems completely divorced from American roots in jazz – about as strongly in the post-68 freedoms of the European scene as possible – with both musicians opening up an incredible range of sonic elements on their instruments! And while the sometimes-bold drum work of Bennink might be seen as a challenge to the more intricate guitar sounds of Bailey, both players really find a way to work together perfectly – which also makes the record a key illustration of that spontaneous understanding that can arise between the best of the free jazz scene. Titles include "Call That A Balance", "Misty", "The Girl With The Concrete Tongue", and "Who Is That". 2LP version features unreleased bonus tracks on the full second album! LP, Vinyl record album

Maxine Brown on Wand Records is really something amazing – not just because she began her recording career at the label, but also because she never again hit the heights of these recordings! Brown was a really important singer with these sides – still partly in the class and poise of some of the jazz-tinged vocalists that came before her – but also able to open up with a deeper soul vibe that paved the way for Aretha Franklin and so many other singers to come in the second half of the 60s! The production and presentation of these tracks is wonderful, too – great songwriting, and top-shelf studio charts that only lift, and never drown the brilliance of Maxine's unique voice. Titles include "One In A Million", "It's Torture", "Let Me Give You My Lovin", "Yesterday's Kisses", "Oh No, Not My Baby", "Gotta Find A Way", "Baby Cakes", "Why Did I Choose You", "Misty Morning Eyes", "Since I Found You", "Losing My Touch", "If I Had Known", "It's Gonna Be Alright", and the completely fantastic "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody". CD

A warm, wonderful set of Gene Clark recordings from the early 70s – material that probably should have been issued as a proper album in the States back in the day, as sounds pretty much as solid to us as some of his great work in preceding years – but was issued only in Europe at the time! Roadmaster was pulled together from 1972 sessions that were essentially abandoned, but it's truly top notch Cali country rock featuring Byrds and Burrito Brothers in the sessions. Titles include "She's The Kind Of Girl", "Full Circle Song", "Roadmaster", "In A Misty Morning", "She Don't Care About Time", "Shooting Star", "Rough And Rocky", "One In A Hundred", "I Remember The Railroad" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime early set from John Coltrane – and one of Tadd Dameron's greatest moments on record ever! The session's a laidback quartet one – with John Simmons on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums, completing the group with Dameron on piano and Trane on tenor – all coming together in a style that's loose, but still quite sharp overall – especially given Coltrane's tremendous tone, which really helps take the record to the next level from the very first moment it comes into the mix! Dameron's piano is strong, but subtle – and his compositions are what really make the record great – tunes that include "Soultrane", "Mating Call", "Romas", "Super Jet", and "On A Misty Night". CD

Great small combo work from Eddie Lockjaw Davis – very much in the mode of his early Cookbook albums for Prestige, but with the added bonus of Count Basie on piano and Joe Newman on trumpet! Davis' raw tenor sound gets plenty of time in the spotlight, but Newman gets in a few strong solos too – and although Shirley Scott is backing up the group with the strongest sound on Hammond, Basie also tickles the ivories a bit in the background – and ensures that there's a bit of a Basie swing to the whole record! Titles include "Farouk", "Lock Up", "Telegraph", "Marie", "Swingin Till The Girls Come Home", "Street Of Dreams", and "A Misty One". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a popular live album from Ella – recorded in Berlin at the height of the cold war years – featuring a famous recording of "Mack The Knife" that almost blew away Bobby Darin's hit with the cut! The album's nicely free of some of the stodginess of some of Ella's Songbook albums from the same time – with light and jazzy backing by a group that includes Jim Hall, Paul Smith, Wilfred Middlebrooks, and Gus Johnson. Titles include "Mack The Knife", "How High The Moon", "Too Darn Hot", "Gone With The Wind", "Misty", and "Summertime". Features bonus tracks not on the original album! CD

Tracks include "La Fiesta", "Captain Marvel", "Misty", "Aguas De Marco (Waters Of March)", "Falsa Bahiana", "Ligia", and "Skylark". CD

Straight and strong work from Dex – recorded in the extended blowing mode of some of his late 60s work from Europe, but recorded back in the US, in Baltimore, with a quartet that includes Bobby Timmons on piano, Victor Gaskin on bass, and Percy Brice on drums. The set's one of the last to feature Timmons work on piano, and while it's not as hard and funky as some of his own albums from the time, his presence in the group next to Gordon does give the set a particular edge that's different from the European sides. The album features 3 long tracks – "Misty", "Love For Sale", and "Rhythm-a-ning" – and all selections are released here for the first time! CD

Seminal work from one of the hippest British groups of the 50s – the legendary Jazz Couriers, fronted by the twin-sax team of Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes! Both players are great here – blowing with a tone, confidence, and sense of creativity that matches most of their American contemporaries on the scene – and the CD presents the group in both live and studio settings, the latter of which appear to be from some of the group's recordings for the Tempo label. There's not as much notes on the tracks as we'd like – but we're guessing that some of the instrumentation includes piano by Terry Shannon, trumpet by Jimmy Deuchar, and drums by Phil Seamen. Hayes plays a bit of vibes, in addition to tenor sax – and the 14 titles include "Through The Night Roared The Overland Express", "A Foggy Day", "Royal Ascot", "On A Misty Night", "Oh My", "The Serpent", "Time Was", and "Speak Low". CD

This mid 60s set for Cadet finds Jamal and his trio, featuring Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums playing it cool despite the title – which is actually the Irving Berlin penned lead track. Other tracks include a rendition of Sonny Rollins' "St. Thomas", the latin-tinged "Misty", "April In Paris", "Allison", "Maybe September", and "The Girl Next Door". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest 60s recordings from the Wynton Kelly Trio – thanks to some wonderful guest work from guitarist Wes Montgomery! Montgomery's working here in a gusty, rootsy style that recalls his best soul jazz sides from the earlier years – and which have a feel that's quite different than his later, more largely-arranged work for Verve. The Kelly Trio is in perfect form – with Wynton's heavy left hand leading the group on the piano, and superb rhythm backing from the team of Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. Tracks are longish, with some nice solos – and include the 13 minute original "No Blues", plus "If You Could See Me Now", "Unit 7", "Four On Six" and "What's New". CD features 6 bonus tracks too – including "Willow Weep For Me", "Portrait Of Jenny", "Misty", "Impressions", and "Oh You Crazy Moon". The bonus tracks make for an album that's almost twice as long as the original! CD

Sweet grooves from the great Bob Marley – a set cut at a time when Marley was really riding his international fame – and able to create the kind of music that reached out way more than conventional reggae! The Kingston roots of the sound are still very firmly in place – but there's also a more globally-expansive vision here too – partly the tight production on the music, partly the warm feelings that ebb and flow throughout the entire set – a vibe that's very different than American soul, and which has turned out to be surprisingly encompassing over the years. Titles include "Is This Love", "Running Away", "Kaya", "Satisfy My Soul", "Easy Skanking", "Sun Is Shining", "She's Gone", "Misty Morning", "Crisis", and "Time Will Tell" – plus this reissue adds "Smile Jamaica" as a bonus track. CD

Titles include "Goin Out Of My Head", "Misty", "Shadow Of Your Smile", "Born To Be Blue", "How Insensitive", "Tequila", "California Dreaming", "Golden Earrings", "Portrait Of Jenny", and "What The World Needs Now Is Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Horace is always one of our favorites, but the real stars of this album are the Franks – Frank Foster and Frank Strozier, working in a twin-horn frontline style that's simply magic! The set's got the same gentle groove as Strozier's excellent Steeplechase sides from the time – a 70s soul jazz sort of approach that's rich in tones and colors, and which has the tracks building nicely on one another in an almost blocky formation. Strozier's alto is incredibly soulful, and breaks out some nice moments from Foster that really stretch his sound – and titles include "Frank-ly Speaking", "Hit It", "Mirror Lake", "Chocolate Cadillac", "UAI", and "Misty Thursday". CD also features the bonus track "Veronica's Walk". CD

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums that pair RCA country star Bobby Bare with some of the label's female singers – all brought together with bonus tracks too! Tunes For Two is one of the magical pairings of Bobby Bare and Skeeter Davis – both rising stars in the RCA country lineup of the 60s – each with their own sort of special sound! Skeeter's got a heartbreaking mode that's kind of post-Patsy Cline – perfect for the slower, blue-tinged tracks on the set – and a nice contrast with the more natural approach of Bobby – who's always got his emotions handy, but also often with a wry eye that lets him put things in perspective. The pair duet directly on most numbers – instead of singing back and forth – and titles include "In The Misty Moonlight", "Dear John Letter", "Too Used To Being With You", "True Love", "Let It Be Me", and "We Must Have Been Out Of Our Minds". Game Of Triangles is a compelling take on the country duo mode of the 60s – an album that features some tracks that have all three singers working together – beautiful "love triangle" numbers – then more tracks that feature each singer on their own! The triangle numbers are especially compelling – and include "One Among The Three Of Us", "Bye Bye Love", "Three Mixed Up Hearts", "Which One Is To Blame", and "The Game Of Triangles" – a really fresh version of country heartbreak modes. Other cuts are nice, too – and include Bobby Bare singing "Homesick" and "Guess I'll Move On Down The Line", Liz Anderson singing "The Wife Of The Party" and "Fairytale", and Norma Jean singing "Pursuing Happiness" and "Don't Let That Doorknob Hit You". Last up is Your Husband My Wife – a set that has the duo of Bare and Davis really maturing nicely – hitting modes that are a lot more country than some of Skeeter's early pop material, with beautiful back/forth vocals that open up the well-penned tunes of heartbreak and the struggles of love to survive. Titles include "Before The Sunrise", "Let's Make Love Not War", "There Never Was A Time", "A Truer Love You'll Never Find", and the great "Your Husband My Wife". CD features three more bonus tracks – "Vegas" by Bare with Jeannie Bare, "No Memories Hangin Round" by Bare with Rosanne Cash, and "It's A Dirty Job" by Bare with Lacy J Dalton. CD

Amazing solo work from ex-Zombie Colin Blunstone – his first album after parting ways with his former group – and one of our favorite albums of all time! Blunstone's vocals were already amazing in The Zombies – especially near the end – but this set takes things even further, by blending his sublime lyrics with spare arrangements that often just feature simple string passages and warm piano parts – subtle accompaniment that leaves Colin strongly in the lead! The songs are wonderful – penned to recall the changes and issues of the year after the parting of the group – with plenty of help from old buddies Rod Argent and Chris White too. There's never been another record like this again, and there never will be – one of the true treasures of the greatest generation of music! Titles include "Let Me Come Closer To You", "I Can't Live Without You", "Smokey Day", and "Say You Don't Mind" – plus a fantastic cover of "Misty Roses", and the more rocking "She Loves The Way They Love Her". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing solo work from ex-Zombie Colin Blunstone – his first album after parting ways with his former group – and one of our favorite albums of all time! Blunstone's vocals were already amazing in The Zombies – especially near the end – but this set takes things even further, by blending his sublime lyrics with spare arrangements that often just feature simple string passages and warm piano parts – subtle accompaniment that leaves Colin strongly in the lead! The songs are wonderful – penned to recall the changes and issues of the year after the parting of the group – with plenty of help from old buddies Rod Argent and Chris White too. There's never been another record like this again, and there never will be – one of the true treasures of the greatest generation of music! Titles include "Let Me Come Closer To You", "I Can't Live Without You", "Smokey Day", and "Say You Don't Mind" – plus a fantastic cover of "Misty Roses", and the more rocking "She Loves The Way They Love Her". This amazing 50th anniversary edition adds in 14 more tracks to a wonderful package – rare material that mostly features Blustone solo – with titles that include "Sing Your Own Song", "Let Me Come Closer To You", "You Really Were A Surprise", "I Won't Let You Down", "Too Much Too Soon", "I'd Like To Get To Know You", and "Are You Ready". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that showcases the never-ending growth and imagination of reedman Arthur Blythe during this fruitful period of his career – and his ability to effortlessly blend together different elements in his music – especially sides of the New York loft jazz scene, and the Chicago-based AACM! The tunes are beautiful – mostly originals, and showing a richer spirituality than even a year before – while still working in that compellingly rhythmic mode that Arthur was hitting during these years – in a lineup that features Blythe on alto, Abdul Wadud on cello, Kelvyn Bell on guitar, Steve McCall and Bobby Battle on drums, John Hicks on piano, Amina Claudine Myers on organ, and Fred Hopkins on bass. The mix of electric and acoustic elements is fantastic – very fresh, even all these many years later – and titles include "Misty", "Spirits In The Field", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Reverence", and "Contemplation". LP, Vinyl record album

The great guitarist Bobby Broom pays tribute to piano giants of the past – something you might guess from the album's title, and an aspect of the record that's really enforced by the work of pianist Justin Dillard in the group! Unlike some of Broom's trio set, this one's a nicely four-pointed record – still full of those warm chromes that we love so much from Bobby's handling of the guitar, but also given a nice sort of balance with Dillard's acoustic work on the piano – in a quartet that also features Dennis Carrol on bass and Kobie Watkins on drums. Titles include "Second Thoughts", "Hallucinations", "Scoochie", "Blues On The Corner", "Driftin", "Quicksilver", and "Misty". CD

It's not really fair to say that Coltrane's playing for lovers on this one, because the album's not a concept project designed to aid bachelors in the success of their romantic endeavors, so much as it is a collection of warm mellow ballads recorded by Trane during the late 50s for Prestige. The album features a number of different groupings of players that include Red Garland, Tadd Dameron, Art Taylor, Jimmy Cobb, and Paul Chambers – and the work is typical of the early recordings he made at the time when he was working with Miles Davis. Titles include "I Love You", "Violets For Your Furs", "On A Misty Night", and "Like Someone In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Russian Lullaby", "Dakar", "Lover Come Back To Me", "Bahia", "On A Misty Night", and "Theme For Ernie". CD

2 classic Atlantic sides from Chris! Chris Connor In Person is a nice little live set – recorded at the Village Vanguard with a group that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, Eddie De Haas on bass, Bill Rubenstein on piano, and Lex Humphries on drums. The setting of the album is similar to some of Chris' work at Bethlehem – save for the fact that there's a bit more "room" in the recording than on the very close-miked Bethlehem sets. Titles include "Round Midnight", "All About Ronnie", "Fine & Dandy", "Misty", "Senor Blues", and "Angel Eyes". Sings George Gershwin is pretty much what it says – versions of Gershwin tunes, done in a more arranged style than the live set – but still pretty nice. Titles include "Love Walked In", "I Loves You Porgy", "Love Is Here To Stay", "A Foggy Day", and "Summertime". CD

One of Tadd Dameron's last true jazz sides – featuring the bop maestro composing, arranging, and conducting for a large group that includes Bill Evans, Johnny Griffin, Joe Wilder, Clark Terry, and Philly Joe Jones. There's a bit of Ellington in the album – with somber washes of mood and color, in a manner that was always one of Dameron's strongest suits – and the quality of the players, especially Evans, really adds a lot to the album. Titles include "On A Misty Night", "Just Plain Talkin", "You're A Joy", "Swift As The Wind", and "Dial B For Beauty". CD

A sublime early set from John Coltrane – and one of Tadd Dameron's greatest moments on record ever! The session's a laidback quartet one – with John Simmons on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums, completing the group with Dameron on piano and Trane on tenor – all coming together in a style that's loose, but still quite sharp overall – especially given Coltrane's tremendous tone, which really helps take the record to the next level from the very first moment it comes into the mix! Dameron's piano is strong, but subtle – and his compositions are what really make the record great – tunes that include "Soultrane", "Mating Call", "Romas", "Super Jet", and "On A Misty Night". CD

The fab first album from the 5th Dimension – and as groovy a batch of pop soul harmonies as you'll ever hope to find! Jimmy Webb is already at the helm on this one – arranging and conducting the group with his heavenly 60s pop approach – all produced to perfection by the amazing Bones Howe! The record soars to the top with the hit "Up Up & Away", and features many other great numbers –lesser-known, but really wonderful gems like "California My Way", "Another Day Another Heartache", "Pattern People", "Rosecrans Blvd", "Learn How To Fly", and the group's great cover of Tim Hardin's "Misty Roses"! CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Too Poor To Die", "Train Keep On Movin", and "I'll Be Lovin You Forever". CD

One of Erroll Garner's best-selling albums ever – a famous live date recorded in the mid 50s – and a record that's as important to his catalog as the classic Misty! Garner's playing before an apparently large audience, but the recording quality is still nice and clear – a strong focus on his amazing work on the keys of the piano – filled with rhythmic invention at every turn, in a way that can only be described as Garner-esque, and which still leaves us breathless after all these years. Despite the oft-heard power of the record, it's still a great one – worthy of discovery even if it wasn't a hit. Rhythm is by Eddie Calhoun on bass and Denzil Best on drums – on tracks that include "Teach Me Tonight", "I'll Remember April", "Autumn Leaves", "Red Top", "April In Paris", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Erroll's Theme", and "Where Or When". CD

With Eddie on tenor, reed trumpet, and the "Eddie Harris Attachment" – alongside Tete Montoliu on piano, Bo Stief on bass, and Norman Fearrington on drums. Titles include "Encirclement", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Misty Thursday", "Scandia Skies", and "Steps Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The "plus one" on the set is Stanley Turrentine – who really warms up the sound nicely along with Ray Brown on bass and Mickey Roker on drums. Titles include "Gene's Lament", "Misty", "Uptown Sop", and "Yours Is My Heart Alone". LP, Vinyl record album

Isaac Hayes' first album as a solo act – and a much more stripped down record than his later baroque symphonic sides! Ike's working here in trio mode – playing piano and singing, alongside bass from Donald Duck Dunn and drums from the great Al Jackson – who brings in a warmly rhythmic approach, especially at moments where we really wouldn't expect it! The tunes are all standards, but they're expanded by Ike in a unique style of singing and rapping – similar to that which would be used with more force on later albums, but done here in a really personal, intimate, and super-sexy way. Tunes include "When I Fall In Love", "Misty", "Precious, Precious", and "You Don't Know Me Like I Know" – and 2 tracks are done in nice extended medley modes! LP, Vinyl record album

Hard wailing hardbop from one of the greatest players of the postwar European scene – the mighty tenor talent Tubby Hayes, heard hear in the company of his frequent late 50s partner Ronnie Scott! The album's one of the best the pair ever cut together – twin tenors on most tracks, but also a bit of vibes from Hayes as well – used sparingly, but at just the right points to color in some deeper sounds on the set. The rhythm section is great – with Terry Shannon on piano, Phil Bates on bass, Bill Eyden on drums – and trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar joins the quintet on 2 of the album's 8 tracks, making for a somewhat fuller sound at points. Hayes' solos alone are worth the price of admission – as perfectly-crafted as Sonny Rollins at this point in his career – and titles include "Plebus", "On A Misty Night", "Reunion", "Through The Night Roard The Overland Express", "Oh My", "Royal Ascot", and "A Foggy Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of groove, and plenty of spice – a set that has the heavy Holmes taking off in his best 60s soul jazz formation! The tracks are extremely tight – a bit shorter than usual, but in a really good way – almost to show that Grove Holmes could pack plenty of niceness into a tune, with less room than other players needed! Rhythms are great – tightly snapping throughout, and definitely in a "Misty" vibe – and the session features great guitar work from both Gene Edwards and Boogaloo Joe Jones, plus drums from George Randall, and some especially nice congas from Richard Landrum – which gives many numbers a sweetly skipping groove. Loads of fantastic covers here, that really transform the tunes – and titles include "If I Had A Hammer", "Old Folks", "123", "Never On A Sunday", "Boo D Doo", "Work Song", and "Day In The Life Of A Fool". LP, Vinyl record album