A seminal moment on the west coast scene of the 60s – a record that has the great Gerald Wilson pulling together some of the best elements that were going on at the time, and also pointing the way towards changes to come in the future! The set's not the first effort by Wilson on record, but it's maybe one of his most classic – and begins with superb selection of members for the ensemble – a lineup that includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Teddy Edwards and Harold Land on tenors, Joe Pass on guitar, and the great Jack Wilson on piano! But key to the set are the rhythms – with the wonderful bassist Jimmy Bond setting up a groove that seems to pull out the best from drummer Mel Lewis – as the pair help ground the larger group with a rock-solid groove that keeps things soulful throughout! Nearly every track's an original, and the album includes Wilson's killer track "Viva Tirado" – a tight jazzy stepper that was covered by many artists over the years, most famously El Chicano – with a Latin-tinged groove that really opens up a new sound in Los Angeles jazz! There's lots of other great cuts too – including "Moment of Truth", "Latino", "Josefina", and "Patterns". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal moment on the west coast scene of the 60s – a record that has the great Gerald Wilson pulling together some of the best elements that were going on at the time, and also pointing the way towards changes to come in the future! The set's not the first effort by Wilson on record, but it's maybe one of his most classic – and begins with superb selection of members for the ensemble – a lineup that includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Teddy Edwards and Harold Land on tenors, Joe Pass on guitar, and the great Jack Wilson on piano! But key to the set are the rhythms – with the wonderful bassist Jimmy Bond setting up a groove that seems to pull out the best from drummer Mel Lewis – as the pair help ground the larger group with a rock-solid groove that keeps things soulful throughout! Nearly every track's an original, and the album includes Wilson's killer track "Viva Tirado" – a tight jazzy stepper that was covered by many artists over the years, most famously El Chicano – with a Latin-tinged groove that really opens up a new sound in Los Angeles jazz! There's lots of other great cuts too – including "Moment of Truth", "Latino", "Josefina", and "Patterns". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal moment on the west coast scene of the 60s – a record that has the great Gerald Wilson pulling together some of the best elements that were going on at the time, and also pointing the way towards changes to come in the future! The set's not the first effort by Wilson on record, but it's maybe one of his most classic – and begins with superb selection of members for the ensemble – a lineup that includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Teddy Edwards and Harold Land on tenors, Joe Pass on guitar, and the great Jack Wilson on piano! But key to the set are the rhythms – with the wonderful bassist Jimmy Bond setting up a groove that seems to pull out the best from drummer Mel Lewis – as the pair help ground the larger group with a rock-solid groove that keeps things soulful throughout! Nearly every track's an original, and the album includes Wilson's killer track "Viva Tirado" – a tight jazzy stepper that was covered by many artists over the years, most famously El Chicano – with a Latin-tinged groove that really opens up a new sound in Los Angeles jazz! There's lots of other great cuts too – including "Moment of Truth", "Latino", "Josefina", and "Patterns". CD

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". CD

A huge amount of 12" singles, stuffed into one mighty nice 4CD set – maybe not the greatest of all time, but still pretty darn wonderful overall! The set does an especially great job of looking at a late 70s moment when some of the hipper soul artists were able to get the extra space of a 12" single to really open up their sound – grooves that move past the shorter space of a 7", and really do plenty in the process – often in ways that are much more interesting than some of the overplayed disco of the time. There's 43 long grooves on the set – all 12" singles – and titles include "Space Age" by Jimmy Castor, "You Are A Star" by Aquarian Dream, "Flashlight" by Parliament, "Good Times" by Chic, "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure, "I Should've Loved Ya" by Narada Michael Walden, "Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside, "You're My Occupation (ext)" by Chaz Jankel, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "And The Beat Goes On" by the Whispers, "You Got The Floor" by Arthur Adams, "Do It Any Way You Wanna (Tom Moulton mix)" by People's Choice, "Do What You Wanna Do" by T-Connection, "Twilight (inst)" by Maze, "You + Me + Love" by Undisputed Truth, "More Bounce To The Ounce (parts 1 & 2)" by Zapp, "Now That We Found Love (disco mix)" by Third World, "Hi Tension" by Hi Tension, "Dancing In Outer Space" by Atmosfear, "Money's Too Tight To Mention" by Valentine Brothers, "Searching" by Change, and "Running Away" by Roy Ayers. CD

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". CD

The towering Marshall amps on the cover will give you a good idea of what's going on here – as this heavy 70s combo really turn things up to 11 with their searing power trio style! The group recall earlier efforts from that moment when three-member rock groups really set fire to the new generation of hard rock – drawing plenty of inspiration from lean blues of vintage years, but amping things up with all the fuzz of the psychedelic years, while also proving that guitar, bass, and drums were more than enough to resonate with a hell of a lot of power! Yet the album's also got a different vibe than work from bigger early 70s acts – cut almost in obscurity, with no attempts at commerciality, which really keeps things hard and heavy – on tracks that include "My Mind", "Remember", "Down The Road I Go", "No Rest For The Wicked", "The Light", and "It's All Above Us". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that really lives up to the promise of the title – as there's many shades of house music here, presented in a great array of overlooked cuts from back in the day! Most of this work is from the second generation of house music – that moment when New York and other scenes were taking the initial experiments of Chicago and working the grooves in all sorts of great directions – sometimes lean and spacey, sometimes with a deeper current of soul! Titles include the great "Can't Change Me (Ron Trent rmx)" by Ndambi, plus "Emotional" by Truth, "Be There (Kerri's club mix)" by Kerri Chandler, "Untitled" by Slowhouse 2, "Inner Dance" by Passion Dance Orchestra, "Blax Thanx" by Abacus, "Higher (club mix)" by Transient with Sherman Benton, and "Ekeyz" by Pure Science. LP, Vinyl record album

This is a disco-y soundtrack to a low-budget vampire movie from the late 70s. The tracks include "Love Is Just A Heartbeat Away" by Gloria Gaynor, "Nighttime Fantasy" by Vicki Sue Robinson, "Whatcha Gonna Do" and "Bitten By The Love Bug" by Heaven & Hell Orchestra, "Love At First Sight" and "I'm Hopelessly In Love With You" by Moment Of Truth, and "Why Do Lovers Come Together" by Jay Siegel. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sarah Vaughan's first albums of Latin-tinged tracks – showing the roots of her interest in Brazilian music that would develop even more fully into the 70s. The record features a large group arranged and conducted by Frank Foster – with a host of jazz soloists, plus Latin percussion by the likes of Willie Bobo, Jose Mangual, and Willie Rodriguez. Titles include lively versions of "Jive Samba", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Mr Lucky", "Quiet Nights", and "Moment Of Truth". Tasty stuff – and very groovy! LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Donna Summer, Silver Convention, Andrea True Connection, Gloria Gaynor, Vicki Sue Robinson, Salsoul Orchestra, Moment Of Truth, Crown Heights Affair, Yambu, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Earth, Wind & Fire's first album – recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set by The Originals – one of Motown's best second-generation soul groups, with a sound that rivaled the best of the indie sweet soul groups of the late 60s and early 70s – those fragile harmonies and personal qualities, yet presented here with the sharper finish you'd expect from Motown! The album's a real delight throughout – with a crackling, honest approach to group soul that was a refreshing change from some of Motown's tighter, more famous groups of the 60s – a great nod to all the soul music changes that were taking place at the time. This set was probably the group's biggest album, and it includes the hit slowjam title cut "Baby I'm For Real", plus "Green Grow the Lilacs", "Moment Of Truth", "One Life We Live", and "Love Is A Wonder". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sarah Vaughan's first albums of Latin-tinged tracks – showing the roots of her interest in Brazilian music that would develop even more fully into the 70s. The record features a large group arranged and conducted by Frank Foster – with a host of jazz soloists, plus Latin percussion by the likes of Willie Bobo, Jose Mangual, and Willie Rodriguez. Titles include lively versions of "Jive Samba", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Mr Lucky", "Quiet Nights", and "Moment Of Truth". Tasty stuff – and very groovy! CD

With selections by Donna Summer, Silver Convention, Andrea True Connection, Gloria Gaynor, Vicki Sue Robinson, Salsoul Orchestra, Moment Of Truth, Crown Heights Affair, Yambu, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy set of jazz vocals – recorded in the mid 60s by Lisa Marne, who was once a TV variety show personality – but never issued at the time! The "combo" on the title really gives a great indication of the feel of the record – small group backing with a very jazzy vibe, in a lineup that includes a nice tenor that slinks alongside Lisa's vocals – as she moves through a very groovy set of tunes that have a hiply swinging vibe – very much in the territory of mid 60s work by Peggy Lee or Marion Montgomery! Titles include her great reading of the vocal version of the "Bewitched" theme song – plus "Like Young", "Wives & Lovers", "Hey Pussycat", "Night Train", "Moment Of Truth", and "Boy From Ipanema". CD

One of the grooviest albums of the 60s – a sublime blend of jazz, bossa, and easy – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The album's probably the most perfect realization of the unique groove that Gary McFarland was going for back in the day – a mix of vibes, whistling, and wordless vocals, supported by some gently funky rhythms that use a fair bit of electric bass to underscore the groove! The lineup here is wonderful – with Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Gabor Szabo on guitar, Grady Tate on drums, and Sadao Watanabe making a rare 60s US appearance on flute and tenor sax. Gary blends these instrumental elements perfectly for the record – and comes up with a completely unique sound that can only be described as "McFarlandy"! Amazing cuts include "Fried Bananas", "Bloop Bleep", and "Over Easy" – but the whole album's incredible, and other tracks include "The Sting Of The Bee", "Wine & Bread", "Here I Am", "The Hills Of Verdugo", and "The Moment Of Truth". LP, Vinyl record album

Two early 70s albums by Lucky Thompson – back to back in a single set! First up is Goodbye Yesterday – an album that has Lucky Thompson working in a mode that's quite different than his early years – working in a cool group that includes Cedar Walton on electric piano and celeste, Larry Ridley on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! While most cuts are relatively straight, they've got an open soulful approach that's quite different from most of Lucky's other work – much more in the vein of recordings by Walton from the time, with an arch soul jazz righteousness to them, and a bit of an electric vibe when Cedar hits the keyboards. Titles include "Fillet Of Soul", "Back To The World", "Home Come'n", "Tea Time", and "Soul Lullaby". I Offer You is an excellent album of mellow soulful tracks by Lucky Thompson – with a sweet 70s groove that's quite different from most of his other recordings! The album's got a cool mellow feel – with Lucky veering much more towards a CTI-ish electric mode than the style he used on most of his other earlier albums, which were in a soul jazz or hardbop style. Thompson plays both tenor and soprano sax – sometimes with hints of a post-Coltrane influence, in lines that are nice and snakey! The group's great too – with Cedar Walton on acoustic and electric piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – all very soulful players that help bring a righteous sort of energy to the album! Titles include "Munsoon", "Sun Out", "Aliyah", and a good cover of "Moment Of Truth". LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of classics from the glory days of this legendary label – clubby gems from SalSoul Orchestra, First Choice, Surface, Loleatta Holloway, Skyy, Moment of Truth, True Example, and Carol Williams – some in unreleased mixes! LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of beats and breaks – and the groove is a lot less mellow than you'd guess from the title! Tracks are pulled from some of the coolest indie labels of the 70s – Brunswick, HDH, and Salsoul – and the focus is on tracks that have lots of heavy drums and sharp changes – of the sort that were sampled heavily back in the day, but which also make for a nice batch of upbeat soul numbers too! Yet the collection is way more than just a sample-based collection of soul – as most of these numbers are pretty unusual, and not the kind of soul tracks that show up often on other compilations – and they link together surprisingly well, given the different sources from Chicago, Detroit, and New York. Titles include "Girl I Need You" by The Artistics, "I'm Bugging Your Phone" by The Smith Connection, "Seeing You Through The Eyes Of A Blindman" by Satisfaction Unlimited, "Lovin You Is Killin Me" by Moment Of Truth, "Where Will It End (Walter Gibbons mix)" by Love Committee, "I Got It" by New York Port Authority, "Love Factory" by Eloise Laws, "Breakaway" by First Choice, "Taster Of The Honey" by The Jones Girls, and "You Don't Have To Go (edit)" by The Chi-Lites. CD

A late 90s classic from that moment when Dan The Automator was stepping out from his role as an underground hip hop hero on the west coast – and into superstardom in a range of different guises! Here, Dan's working as Nathaniel Merriweather, alongside the Chest Rockwell of Prince Paul – the latter of whom ensures that there's some extra-dope production on the set to really send things home! The list of guest stars is huge – Del, Grand Puba, Sadat X, DJ Shadow, Money Mark, Biz Markie, and many others – almost a whole generation of hip hop on one record – and titles include "Metaphysical", "Waterworld", "Truth", "Projects", "Sunshine", "Runway Song", and "Rock N Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This)". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy set of jazz vocals – recorded in the mid 60s by Lisa Marne, who was once a TV variety show personality – but never issued at the time! The "combo" on the title really gives a great indication of the feel of the record – small group backing with a very jazzy vibe, in a lineup that includes a nice tenor that slinks alongside Lisa's vocals – as she moves through a very groovy set of tunes that have a hiply swinging vibe – very much in the territory of mid 60s work by Peggy Lee or Marion Montgomery! Titles include her great reading of the vocal version of the "Bewitched" theme song – plus "Like Young", "Wives & Lovers", "Hey Pussycat", "Night Train", "Moment Of Truth", and "Boy From Ipanema". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of fantastic albums from vibes master and genius arranger Gary McFarland – back to back on a single CD! First up is The In Sound – one of the grooviest albums of the 60s – a sublime blend of jazz, bossa, and easy – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The album's probably the most perfect realization of the unique groove that Gary McFarland was going for back in the day – a mix of vibes, whistling, and wordless vocals, supported by some gently funky rhythms that use a fair bit of electric bass to underscore the groove! The lineup here is wonderful – with Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Gabor Szabo on guitar, Grady Tate on drums, and Sadao Watanabe making a rare 60s US appearance on flute and tenor sax. Gary blends these instrumental elements perfectly for the record – and comes up with a completely unique sound that can only be described as "McFarlandy"! Amazing cuts include "Fried Bananas", "Bloop Bleep", and "Over Easy" – but the whole album's incredible, and other tracks include "The Sting Of The Bee", "Wine & Bread", "Here I Am", "The Hills Of Verdugo", and "The Moment Of Truth". Soft Samba is a dream of a record from Gary McFarland – lightly jazzy instrumentals with a warm bossa nova undercurrent! The style is incredible – a sweet blend of vibes, guitar, and even some light whistling – often also featuring wordless jazz vocals – scatting along with the groove in a melodic and lovely kind of way! The whole thing's incredibly charming, and even familiar tunes come across sounding quite different in McFarlands hands. Titles include "From Russia With Love", "More", "Emily", "La Vie En Rose", "The Love Goddess", and even a groovy take on "I Want To Hold Your Hand". For you true swingers, the cover includes directions for mixing a "Soft Samba Cocktail" (courtesy Spanish Sherry Institute)! CD

Haunting trio material from the great Roland Hanna, featuring a group that includes Dave Holland on bass and Daniel Humair on drums. The rhythm section has a nice kick, and there's a few moments in which Humair gets a nice rolling drum sound, similar to the warmly grooving style used in the MPS albums by Monty Alexander. Tracks include "So You'll Know My Name", "Allemande Dance", "Arsenic & New Lace", and "A Statement For The Truth". LP, Vinyl record album

A great overview of one of Motown's hippest soul groups! The Undisputed Truth were the brainchild of Norman Whitfield – and the group were the perfect platform for the "right on" soul that Whitfield was starting to craft in Detroit at the end of the 60s. Whitfield mixed the group's male/female vocal style with a wealth of work on heavy bass, echoey drums, and fuzzy guitars – often having them sing songs with hipper, more contemporary themes, in the same mode as the political conscious soul he'd been working on with The Temptations. This 19 track set is a wonderful collection of the best Motown moments by The Undisputed Truth – with a strong selection of tracks that includes "Smiling Faces Sometimes", "Girl You're Alright", "Law Of The Land", "Help Yourself", "Higher Than High", "Let's Go Back To Day One", "You Got The Love I Need", "You Make Your Own Heaven & Hell", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", "What's Going On", "I'm A Fool For You", "Spaced Out", and "UFO's". CD

One of the greatest soundtracks ever from Luiz Bacalov – a set that's filled with sex and slink, but which also has a great sense of groove as well – blending bossa jazz, mod moments, and all the best styles of the late 60s Italian scene! The music is mostly acoustic, but has a really great way of using sustained notes on flute – which creates this dreamy vibe that's almost electric, especially when offset by acoustic basslines, percussion, and piano – all used at a level that's right up there with the best from Morricone or Trovajoli at the time! There's also wonderful drifting vocals in the mix – courtesy of Nora Orlandi – and titles include "Round Nassau", "Swingin Easy In Tanganika", "Rio Zona Sul", "L'Amica", and "Taxi Cab 67". Features two bonus tracks – "L'Amica (ripresa)" and "The Bitter Truth (inst)". LP, Vinyl record album

The first widely-circulated album issued by the stunning saxophonist Muriel Grossman – an artist we've been stocking on imports for the past decade or so, and who quickly became one of or favorites in jazz! If you've not heard Muriel before, this album's a perfect introduction to her music – and if you've been following her already, you'll definitely be pleased – as Grossman really opens up that mix of modal and spiritual styles she does so well – working with an expanded lineup of instrumentation that adds in her own work on flute, percussion, bass, kalimba, harmonium, and tambura next to the core tenor and soprano sax – in a combo that also features great Hammond B3 from Abel Boquera, guitar from Radomir Milojkovic, and drums from Uros Stamenkovic. At times, the organ is used almost in a Larry Young sort of way – but other moments have the instrument in moodier waves of sound, especially when things get slightly exotic – and the double-length set opens up with beautiful tunes throughout, on long selections that include "Mother Of All", "Absolute Truth", "Calm", "Care", "All Heart", "Devotion", and "Knowledge & Wisdom". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest, most righteous albums ever cut by pianist Jessica Williams – a set where it feels like all of her ideas come together perfectly, and are carried forward by a wonderful lineup of players! The group is small, but there's a very large feel to the whole thing – such that there's moments when we have to remind ourselves that this is still a small combo, even if Williams' music make things feel larger and more ambitious – a lineup that includes the great Eddie Henderson on trumpet, plus Jim Grantham on tenor, Kim Stone on bass, Henry Robinette on guitar, and Dave Tucker on drums. Williams is superb throughout on piano – and titles include "To The Children Of The Future", "The Demise Of Armored Man", "Weapon Of Truth", "Up The Entropy Slope", and "Longing". Expanded version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Power Of Love", "Gratitude", "The Shroud", "All Strange", and "Orgone". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Clapton's greatest moments – and a set that also features guitars from Duane Allman and organ from Bobby Whitlock! Recorded in Miami at Criteria Studios – and titles include "Layla", "It's Too Late", "Little Wing", "Have You Ever Loved A Woman", "Tell The Truth", "Anyday", "Key To The Highway", and "Bell Bottom Blues". CD1 includes the original album remastered, CD2 features long jams from the sessions, and CD3 features more jams and alternates! CD

A killer set of searing soulful spiritual material from Oliver Nelson – and one of his best albums of the 70s! There's hardly anything "Swiss" in the music – save for the fact that it was recorded at the Montreux Jazz Fest – as the large ensemble recording has Nelson at the helm of a very hip group of musicians – really stretching out into territory that's more Strata East than any of his other work, especially on the title track! In addition to the tenor from Gato Barberi and alto from Eddie Vinson – both featured on the title – the set also features Charles Tolliver and Harry Beckett on trumpets, Bosko Petrovic on vibes, Na Na on barimbau, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Stanley Cowell on piano. Side one features the soaring "Swiss Suite" – an extended number done for the set – and side two has a bit more Nelson touches coming into play with the progressive lineup – on titles that include "Stolen Moments", "Black Brown & Beautiful", and "Blues & The Abstract Truth". CD

One of the hippest, most righteous albums ever cut by pianist Jessica Williams – a set where it feels like all of her ideas come together perfectly, and are carried forward by a wonderful lineup of players! The group is small, but there's a very large feel to the whole thing – such that there's moments when we have to remind ourselves that this is still a small combo, even if Williams' music make things feel larger and more ambitious – a lineup that includes the great Eddie Henderson on trumpet, plus Jim Grantham on tenor, Kim Stone on bass, Henry Robinette on guitar, and Dave Tucker on drums. Williams is superb throughout on piano – and titles include "To The Children Of The Future", "The Demise Of Armored Man", "Weapon Of Truth", "Up The Entropy Slope", and "Longing". Expanded version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Power Of Love", "Gratitude", "The Shroud", "All Strange", and "Orgone". CD

The deepest jazz funk material Madlib has ever laid down – possibly the best album yet from Yesterday's New Quintet – featuring turns at freewheeling avant funk, electro jazz groove, furious sound library styles, a few chill moments, and a boundless sound overall! Yesterday's Universe features 15 unique tracks – purportedly played by 10 acts (The Last Electro, The Jahari Massamba Unit, The Eddie Prince Fusion Band, Young Jazz Rebels, etc), but in truth it's all from the feverishly talented mind of Madlib – with special guests including drummer Karriem Riggins and Azymuth precussionist Mamao! It's heavily steeped in fusion funk, but we're equally impressed by the cooler, slightly straighter moments – which display just how wide of a grasp Madlib has on the deepest, darkest corners of the spectrum. The wide range of influences flows naturally – amazing work from one of the most talented wizards in the game! Titles include a heady adaptation of "Bitches Brew", "Umoja (Unity)", "Slave Riot", "One For The Monica Lingas Band", "Street Talkin'", "Marcus, Martin & Malcolm", "Two For Strata East", "Cold Nights And Rainy Days", "Mtume's Song", "Vibes From The Tribes Suite (For Phil)", "Upa Neguinho" and more. CD

One of the first big moments of Albert Ayler's work in the jazz mainstream – and a record that doesn't dim his greatness at all from the earlier sides recorded for ESP! The album's got a sharply angular sound that more than lives up to its vibrant cover image – a well-honed approach to improvisation, showcased by Ayler in a set of recordings done upon his return from work on the European scene. The material was recorded on two different dates – featuring two different groups: one with Alan Silva, Beaver Harris, and Joel Friedman; the other with Donald Ayler, Henry Grimes, and Michel Sampson. Titles are long, with the searing emotional sound that Ayler was peaking at during this time – and titles include "For John Coltrane", "Change Has Come", and "Truth is Marching On". CD

One of Eric Clapton's greatest moments – and a set that also features guitars from Duane Allman and organ from Bobby Whitlock! Recorded in Miami at Criteria Studios – and titles include "Layla", "It's Too Late", "Little Wing", "Have You Ever Loved A Woman", "Tell The Truth", "Anyday", "Key To The Highway", and "Bell Bottom Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most perfectly crafted moments of Lou Donaldson's hardbop genius at Blue Note – and a beautiful example of the way that Lou could handle the alto sax with a sharpness that earned him a place in the post-Parker lineage – but also a sense of soul that was miles away from Bird! The setting here is a quintet – with Bill Hardman on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, Al Harewood on drums, and either Sam Jones or Laymon Jackson on bass – a great group who set up a warmly rolling groove that's perfect for Donaldson – tight, but never uptight, and with just the right sort of vibe to move along with Lou's sense of energy. Donaldson's horn is beautifully precise throughout, and the whole thing's recorded with impeccable Rudy Van Gelder clarity. Titles include "The Truth", "Good Grease", "Blues For JP", and "Politely". CD

One of the most perfectly crafted moments of Lou Donaldson's hardbop genius at Blue Note – and a beautiful example of the way that Lou could handle the alto sax with a sharpness that earned him a place in the post-Parker lineage – but also a sense of soul that was miles away from Bird! The setting here is a quintet – with Bill Hardman on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, Al Harewood on drums, and either Sam Jones or Laymon Jackson on bass – a great group who set up a warmly rolling groove that's perfect for Donaldson – tight, but never uptight, and with just the right sort of vibe to move along with Lou's sense of energy. Donaldson's horn is beautifully precise throughout, and the whole thing's recorded with impeccable Rudy Van Gelder clarity. Titles include "The Truth", "Good Grease", "Blues For JP", and "Politely". CD

The first widely-circulated album issued by the stunning saxophonist Muriel Grossman – an artist we've been stocking on imports for the past decade or so, and who quickly became one of or favorites in jazz! If you've not heard Muriel before, this album's a perfect introduction to her music – and if you've been following her already, you'll definitely be pleased – as Grossman really opens up that mix of modal and spiritual styles she does so well – working with an expanded lineup of instrumentation that adds in her own work on flute, percussion, bass, kalimba, harmonium, and tambura next to the core tenor and soprano sax – in a combo that also features great Hammond B3 from Abel Boquera, guitar from Radomir Milojkovic, and drums from Uros Stamenkovic. At times, the organ is used almost in a Larry Young sort of way – but other moments have the instrument in moodier waves of sound, especially when things get slightly exotic – and the double-length set opens up with beautiful tunes throughout, on long selections that include "Mother Of All", "Absolute Truth", "Calm", "Care", "All Heart", "Devotion", and "Knowledge & Wisdom". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from trumpeter Charles Tolliver – not as well known as his Strata East sessions with Music Inc, but equally great! The sound here is a bit different than some of Tolliver's other albums of the 70s – as the group features the guitar of Nathan Page in place of the usual piano – working with an incredible rhythm duo of Steve Novosel on bass and Alvin Queen on drums, both players who gel together beautifully here, making the album a rhythmic delight throughout! Page's guitar often has these weird little edgey moments, which seems to bring out the same in Tolliver – adding in a new complexity to his well-known style of far-reaching lines on trumpet. The album's got 4 long tracks, nicely hung together with a sound that's searching, but never too loose to swing – and titles include "Earl's World", "Impact", "Truth", and "Compassion". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from trumpeter Charles Tolliver – not as well known as his Strata East sessions with Music Inc, but equally great! The sound here is a bit different than some of Tolliver's other albums of the 70s – as the group features the guitar of Nathan Page in place of the usual piano – working with an incredible rhythm duo of Steve Novosel on bass and Alvin Queen on drums, both players who gel together beautifully here, making the album a rhythmic delight throughout! Page's guitar often has these weird little edgey moments, which seems to bring out the same in Tolliver – adding in a new complexity to his well-known style of far-reaching lines on trumpet. The album's got 4 long tracks, nicely hung together with a sound that's searching, but never too loose to swing – and titles include "Earl's World", "Impact", "Truth", and "Compassion". CD

One of the first big moments of Albert Ayler's work in the jazz mainstream – and a record that doesn't dim his greatness at all from the earlier sides recorded for ESP! The album's got a sharply angular sound that more than lives up to its vibrant cover image – a well-honed approach to improvisation, showcased by Ayler in a set of recordings done upon his return from work on the European scene. The material was recorded on two different dates – featuring two different groups: one with Alan Silva, Beaver Harris, and Joel Friedman; the other with Donald Ayler, Henry Grimes, and Michel Sampson. Titles are long, with the searing emotional sound that Ayler was peaking at during this time – and titles include "For John Coltrane", "Change Has Come", and "Truth is Marching On". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous package of work from this overlooked soul and gospel legend – four classic albums, plus other rare material too – all packaged with detailed notes in the wonderful Numero Group style! First up is Like A Ship Without A Sail – a gospel album from Pastor TL Barrett, but one that's gone on to legendary status among funk and soul collectors over the years! Barrett works here with his Youth For Christ Choir – a south side ensemble that's filled with genuine spirit and passion, aimed towards lofty ideals – but set up with some deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that keep things razor sharp throughout! The album was supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with other Chess players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch on the sessions too – and the music is filled with raw drums, heavy bass, and lots of great organ lines! Next is Do Not Pass Me By Vol 1 – an album that's got a nice balance between intimate soul numbers and larger tracks that have the whole Mount Zion Baptist Church along for support! The set's definitely got the strongly soulful vibe of Barrett's Like A Ship album – a strong ear for the best secular elements of the time, which are used liberally in the instrumental backing – to really send home the message in the music! Most tunes really soft-pedal the religion, and instead go for an overall feel that really crosses over to regular soul music. Next is the great second volume of Do Not Pass Me By – like the first, the product of a wonderfully spiritual setting on Chicago's south side – music created in the church, but with all the same vibe as the hippest secular soul coming from the Windy City in the early 70s! The set does a great job of alternating strong lead singers with the rest of the group – a bit like Voices Of East Harlem, but with more of a larger ensemble feel – and there's some really wonderful moments on the record throughout – even a bit of funk amidst the more righteous soul-styled tunes. I Found The Answer is one of the biggest-circulating albums from this fantastic figure in Chicago gospel – a unique set done for the Gospel Truth subsidiary of Stax Records, but a set served up in the same blend of soul-based inspirations as some of TL Barrett's indie label releases back home in the Windy City! Plus, the package features a full album of Singles & Sermons – rare non-LP material by this seminal figure in both soul and spiritual music. CD

One of Jerry Butler's funkiest moments of the 70s – served up in a fantastic soundtrack co-penned and arranged by the great Jerry Peters! Peters is best known for his hip work with a variety of soul acts in the studio, but he really steps out here for the score to Melinda – a lesser-known blacksploitation film from the early 70s, but one that boasts a heck of a great soundtrack! Peters approach here is a bit more baroque than some of his contemporaries – and he uses stepping strings equally alongside funky rhythms – creating a groove that's complicated, yet still plenty darn funky – and a sound that's as soulful on the mellower tunes as it is on the standout uptempo ones. Jerry Butler sings vocals on "Speak Truth To The People", "Tank's Theme", "Love is", and "Melinda Reprise" – but the instrumental tracks are even better, and inlcude the clavinet groover "Part III", the sitar-styled "Melinda Latino", and the cuts "Music For Tank's Boat", "The Blues (Dope Pusher's Theme)", and "I Can't Let You Go". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Clapton's greatest moments – and a set that also features guitars from Duane Allman and organ from Bobby Whitlock! Recorded in Miami at Criteria Studios – and titles include "Layla", "It's Too Late", "Little Wing", "Have You Ever Loved A Woman", "Tell The Truth", "Anyday", "Key To The Highway", and "Bell Bottom Blues". CD