A wonderful coffee that lives up to its name – roasted especially by the folks at Chicago's Dark Matter for our coffee drinking needs here at Dusty Groove! The base component to this blend is a coffee from Mexico and grown and milled at a cooperative called El Eden – very unique for a Mexican coffee, with a flavor profile that includes blueberry, banana, and baker's chocolate to give the blend a bit of depth. This base is then highlighted with a coffee from Guatemala grown by Finca San Jeronimo Miramar – which adds both body, and some lighter notes of toffee and praline – to give the whole thing a wonderful sun-drenched finish! Misc

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

An early hummer from one of the hardest male/female soul acts next to Ike & Tina Turner, but listed here under Inez's name. Inez & Charlie scored super big with their hit "Mockingbird" – the tune that kicks off this LP for a subsidiary of the Sue label – but they also had a style that could get them through a wide variety of material, grooving long past their hits, with great vocals up front, and plenty of hot guitar licks to keep the grooves rough! A dozen great numbers hee, including the title track and "Sitting Here", "Jaybirds", "The Ball Game", "Tom & Jim", "I See You My Love", "The Angels Got Together", "Broken Hearted Fool", "The Angels Got Together", "Searching For My CC", "Love Me Today" and "Talk With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A new kind of love, and a new kind of groove from Ghost Funk Orchestra – one that's deeper than ever before, even though the group is really just the efforts of producer/instrumentalist Seth Applebaum! Yet this time around, he's also got some great female vocals at a few points – bringing a soulful focus to the energy that spins out at other points in a more instrumental mode – funky but moody at the same time, with a richness in sonic territory that takes the whole thing way past the early funky 45s that first bore the Ghost Funk name. Titles include "A Song For Pearl", "Bluebell", "Rooted", "Quiet Places", "Scatter", "Why", Your Man's No Good", and "A New Kind Of Love (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

Groovy 60s work from the great Lesley Gore – produced by Quincy Jones, with titles that include "I Don't Care", "What's A Girl Supposed To Do", "A Girl In Love", "Before & After", "Just Another Fool", "Baby That's Me", and "No Matter What You Do". LP, Vinyl record album

Collaboration has always been at the heart of the work of the Great Jazz Trio – and no matter what the lineup, the group is always an equally weighted, three-pointed star – one that here hits a beautiful balance between the piano of Hank Jones, drums of Elvin Jones, and bass of Richard Davis! The album's one of a few recent efforts that show the group really returning to the form of their initial late 70s genius – simple, elegant, and never overdone – but always at a level that shows that these guys don't take the "great" in their name lightly! Titles include "Blue Bossa", "Summertime", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Autumn Leaves", "Memories Of You", and "Moose The Mooche". CD

A great spray-on cleaner to use for your records – a lot better than soaking them in the kitchen sink, and much easier to use than a record-cleaning machine! The cleaner sprays on easily – letting you soak a dirty record, then wipe off the grime with a lint-free cloth – and it leaves no residue at all, so you won't have to worry about deadening the sound in the grooves. As groovy as the name implies – and one to reach for when you hear a crackle coming from the turntable! Record Care

Barry Harris recorded live in Tokyo – working at the intimate Dug nightclub, with backing from Japanese players Kunimitsuj Inaba on bass and Fumio Watanabe on drums! The style here is in the warmer side of the Harris spectrum – sometimes introspective, sometimes a bit more grooving – but always played with a strong degree of sensitivity on the keys of the piano, and recorded in a way that has Barry right out front in the mix. There's a great sense of maturity and grace going on here – and if anything, Harris has become an even more interesting pianist as the years have gone on – dropping some of his too-powerful styles from earlier years, in favor of well-placed notes and a greatly expanded sense of space that really comes through on this set. Titles include "Luminescence", "Somebody Loves Me", "No Name Blues", "Oblivion", "It Could Happen To You", "East Of The Sun", and "Nascimento". CD

Loads of rare work from the great Clarence Frogman Henry – a New Orleans singer with a really unusual voice – as you might guess from his name! The set includes Henry's big hit "Ain't Got No Home" but then spins out to include a wealth of under-exposed singles from later years – titles issued on the Dial and Parrot labels, as well as nine never-issued tracks which appear here for the first time ever! As the title indicates, the style stretches past the core New Orleans groove of Clarence's roots – although that rolling rhythm is almost always in place, as it seems to really encourage Henry's vocal approach to hit its heights. Titles include "Long Lost & Worried", "Looking Back", "Cajun Honey", "You Made Me Love You", "Think It Over", "Mathilda", "You can Have Her", "Hummin A Heartache", "This Time", "That's When I Guessed", and "The Glory Of Love". CD

A heavy-duty combo from the Chicago scene – and one who've got some mighty deep roots in the city, which they use to serve up a unique blend of funk, soul, rock, and roots – all topped with lead vocals from soul music journalist James Porter! James has a really striking approach, and really infuses the songs with a lot of power and energy – driven by harmonica, drums, bass, and plenty of electric piano and organ used in lean and powerful ways! Titles include "Chatham Ain't Chatham", "Riverbound", "Blunt", "No Way No How", "Backwards In Time", and "Did You Forget My Name". CD

Moogy keyboards, disco grooves, and sweet female vocals make this a classic session from the Rinder & Lewis team – and the album's a lot better than you might think from the silly name of the group or the throwaway disco cover on the front! The keyboards really drive the album, hitting some great funky clavinet moments or sweet moogy parts that always seem to have a nice touch of jazz – spicing up the tracks in a style that you wouldn't normally get on an album of this vintage and style. Titles include "Do You Have Any?", "Slow Down",a nd the mellow jazzy space number "No Sweat". LP, Vinyl record album

Yoko shows her Fluxus roots on this album of trippy experimental stuff. Side one is a live piece called "Cambridge 1969", which is performed by John and Yoko, with the help of avant jazzmen John Tchicai and John Stevens. Lots of noisy guitar on that one. Side 2 features a number of spare tracks recorded on a cassette at Queen Charlotte Hospital, in 1968. Cuts include "No Bed For Beatle John" (as pictured on the cover), "Baby's Heartbeat", and "Two Minutes Silence". LP, Vinyl record album

Chet Baker blows trumpet here with one of the tightest rhythm sections of his later albums – a killer trio led by pianist Kirk Lightsey, who also gets in some great solos here too! The session's led by Kirk, and has a nicely different vibe than some of those issued under Baker's own name – less of the airy tones that Chet was exploring in less traditional lineups – and more focus on soulful swing, with help from David Eubanks on bass and Eddie Gladden on drums – who often groove in a way that opens up the lyrical tones on Lightsey's piano. Chet sings on "Ray's Ideas" and "Everything Happens To Me", and blows trumpet throughout – and other titles include "Girl With The Purple Eyes", "Speak No Evil", and "Inner Urge" – the last of which is the Joe Henderson's classic, and gets a nicely burning take. LP, Vinyl record album

Bala Miller's got a great pan-African group here – one that's more from the western side of the scene, despite the pyramids mentioned in their name – with players hailing from Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon – all coming together in a mighty righteous style! The music is fairly cerebral – thoughtful tunes that have a layered blend of horns, guitar, keyboards, and sweetly-stepping rhythms – plus occasional organ, kora, goga, and kwarya – all given a stronger focus from the vocals in the lead, which shift between male and female singers, and some backup as well. Titles include "Ikon Allah", "Yo Gboko", "Opportunity Knocks", "Stretch Your Nose", and "All Work No Play". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest albums of Chicago jazz from the 50s – and one of the greatest, too! Although Walter Perkins' MJT+3 went onto cut a number of records on Vee Jay with a different lineup, this early session features an all-Chicago lineup that differs from the later one, which was augmented by later visitors from Memphis, like Frank Strozier and Harold Mabern. In their place are prime Chicago talents, like altoist Nicky Hill, trumpeter Paul Serrano, and the great AACM composer/pianist Richard Muhal Abrams (playing here without the Muhal in his name!) The album's a complete delight, and is filled with loads of original compositions by Abrams that mix hard bop lines with more exotic lyrical conceptions – a true meeting of all the sides of jazz bubbling under in Chicago during the 50s, and a delight to listen to over and over again through the years! Titles include "No Land's Man", "Little Brother", "Egypic", "End Of The Line", and "Temporarily Out Of Order". LP, Vinyl record album

Sure, Monchito's name makes you think that he might be Machito – but the groove here is quite different, a snapping hard take on the cha cha that made Fiesta one of the greatest labels at the genre! Percussion is nice and hard, horns are plenty tight, and there's lots of interesting instrumental twists that keep things interesting. Titles include "Pao Pao", "La Ultima Noche", "Tapate", "Pancho", "No Tequila", "Santa Marta", and "Una A La Vez". LP, Vinyl record album

New Edition show they're no Johnnies-come-lately on the harmony soul scene – and pay tribute to a host of older groups from the 50s and 70s – singing a mix of hits and soul classics in a laidback late nite mode that brings a real focus on their vocals. Given their age, there's a sound here that's still a bit kiddie at times – but that works well on the tunes that have a more youthful approach in the originals. Backings still have a relatively 80s sound to them, and production was handled by Freddie Perren. Titles include "Duke Of Earl", "Hey There Lonely Girl", "A Thousand Miles Away", "What's Your Name", "Tears On My Pillow", "Blue Moon", and "Bring Back The Memories", an original tune written for the set. LP, Vinyl record album

They got that title right, because with decades of performances on the strip, Wayne certainly earned the name of "Mr Las Vegas"! However, Newton oddly never recorded a live album in Vegas during his years working for Capitol – so this collection is oddly one of the few non-live packages in Capitol's Vegas Centennial Collection – and instead features studio work from Wayne's early albums for the label. But that's ok with us, because we love the jazzy pep of these sides – a pop-heavy, playful approach to tunes that follows nicely off Bobby Darin's style at the time – no surprise, as Wayne got a lot of help at the start from Bobby. The package does feature 2 live tracks, but recorded in Hollywood – "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You" and "Mack The Knife" – alongside studio tunes "Danke Schoen", "As Long As I'm Singing", "Strangers In The Night", "Wives & Lovers", "More", "Call Me Irresponsible", "LOVE", "I've Got The World On A String", and "Charade". CD

A set that came out at the end of the 90s, but which features unreleased material from earlier years – which you might have guessed, given the "vault" in the title! The set has tracks that go all the way back to the mid 80s, but is mostly focused on the final years when Prince was working with Warner Brothers – including some when he'd dropped his name – and overall, although there's no huge hits here, the material from Prince's cutting room floor is still head and shoulders above most from the rest – tight, funky, and full of catchy hooks! Titles include "My Little Pill", "Extraordinary", "Rest Of My Life", "It's About That Walk", "She Spoke 2 Me", "5 Women", and "When The Lights Go Down". LP, Vinyl record album

These guys already had our attention the moment we looked at the back cover – and noted that they were playing songs by Phil Cohran, Sun Ra, and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre – then they really won us over once we heard the very first few notes of the set! The group's only a quartet on most tracks, but they've got a sense of majesty to really live up to the music – definitely making magic with the roots they refer to in their name – in a lineup that features Alberto Popolla on clarinet and bass clarinet, Errico De Fabritiis on alto and baritone sax, Gianfranco Tedeschi on bass, and Fabrizio Spera on drums and percussion. There's some nice surprises along the way – harmonica, zither, and "objects" used in the performances – and there's a way of reworking avant traditions that remind us of some of the most innovative sides of the Italian scene at the end of the 80s – on titles that include "When There Is No Sun", "Karen On Monday", "Frankiphone Blues", "Devil Got My Woman", "Humility In The Light Of The Creator", and "A Girl Named Rainbow". CD

One of the few full albums issued under the name of alto saxophonist Willie Smith – easily one of our favorite players on the alto of his generation! Willie's got a warmly raspy tone that rarely gets presented this well – in an easygoing, laidback setting with plenty of space – surrounded by musical "friends" who include Arnold Ross on piano, Les Paul on guitar, Murray McEachern on trombone, and Nick Fatool on drums. The tunes are all from mid 40s recordings, but nicely brought together in this LP package for the 50s – and they're a great example of the unique space that Smith carved out for himself back in the day. Titles include "Airiness A La Nat", "My Old Flame", "September In The Rain", "You Ought To Be In Pictures", and "Willow Weep For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that definitely lives up to its promised title – as the whole thing brims over with excellent work from players you might know from other albums on the Posi-Tone label! The group name doesn't get at the heart of the sound, though – as there's a sharp, soulful focus to the music throughout – kind of a classic hardbop approach, but with maybe a more contemporary sense of freshness, especially on the solo voices – which is no surprise, given that the sextet features Nick Finzer on trombone, Alexa Tarantino on alto, Sam Dillon on tenor, Art Hirahara on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums! The album's also brimming over with original material – tunes composed by group members or their labelmates – with tracks that include "Coppertone", "Slick", "New Directions", "Why Aren't You Excited", "Breeze", "Vast", and "Overcooked". CD

A record that may have the year 1993 permanently locked into its title – but a set that's got more than enough strength to survive strongly over the decades – the first great statement from Cali giants Souls Of Mischief, and a record that would set the tone for the Hiero Imperium scene for years to come! The set's filled with jazz inspired, headnodding boom bap production at its finest – topped with some of the finest ensemble rapping of the time, all at a level that breaks new lyrical boundaries with cuts that include "That's When Ya Lost", "Let Em Know", "Live & Let Live", "Make Your Mind Up", "A Name I Call Myself", "Disseshowedo", "What A Way To Go Out", "Never No More", "93 Til Infinity", "Limitations", "Anything Can Happen", "Make Your Mind Up", "Batting Practice", and "Tell Me Who Profits". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the first-ever album to be issued under the name of the great Charles Stepney – even though the artist/musician/producer/songwriter had a huge role in the careers of Chicago contemporaries like Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, and Earth Wind & Fire! This set brings together recordings that Stepney made on his own, often in his home studio – many of which are songs that never saw the light of day on some of his bigger-name projects, next to others that feature melodies you might recognize, but done in these sweet jazzy instrumentals that are totally great! Most of the set features Charles on a variety of keyboards Rhodes, piano, and even some cool moogy bits – plus some vibes from time to time – often set to spare early electric drum machine rhythms – in a style that makes you feel like you've stumbled upon Timmy Thomas doing an all instrumental jam session in the early 70s. Given that Stepney first got his start as a jazz musician – playing piano and vibes on some great early 60s sessions – the keyboard work is superb, and the record stands as a completely different testament to his genius – with titles that include "Funky Sci Fi", "Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Daddy's Diddies", "Rubie Charles", "Notes From Dad", "Black Bold", "Gimme Some Sugar", "No Credit For This", "Imagination", "Look B4U Leap", "Mini Mugg", "Denim Groove", and "That's The Way Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

No suffering here – as these guys have an upbeat, joyous sound that really grabs us right away – a warm vibe that's very much their own, and which is a nice change from some of the more posturing retro soul on the market! In fact, although these guys work in an old school mode of live instrumentation and strong female lead vocals, there's none of the stock 60s or 70s modes at play – as The Suffers come across with this contemporary style that's made even better by the spontaneity in their musicianship, and the clear amount of great feeling they all get working together – all in support of the totally great lead vocals of Kam Franklin! In a world where so many others might by trying to just copy a big name singer of the 60s, Kam's very much her own person – with phrasing, lyricism, and a personality that come through right away – and which might be equally at home with beats and keyboards, but really take off in the jazzier currents of the rest of the group. Titles include "Dutch", "Midtown", "Giver", "Stay", "Peanuts", and "Slow It Down". CD

A fantastic shift in the sound of the Supersax ensemble – one that has the group's jazzy instrumentation mixed with a vocal chorus – in a way that's a bit similar to some of the best Singers Unlimited albums for MPS in the 70s! The title, cover, and group's name might make you think the whole thing's a bit cheesy – but it's not, and the presentation is wonderful – thanks to strong work on saxes from west coast legends like Med Flory, Lanny Morgan, Jay Miglori, and Jack Nimitz – plus work from other group members who include Conte Candoli on trumpet, Lou Levy on piano, and Monty Budwig on bass – all strong LA jazz musicians with a legacy that goes back to the 50s! The vocal group's a quartet, with the lovely Sue Raney in the lead – a singer that we loved on her 50s and 60s recordings for Capitol, and who here re-emerges with a new sophisticated vibe that's wonderful. Titles include "He Ain't Got Rhythm", "Skylark", "Speak Low", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Bloomdido", and the Med Flory composed "Out The Window" and "Bossa No No". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from the early days of The Supremes – and way more than you'd guess from the "hits" in the title! The record's not really a roundup of the hit singles already out on 45 – and is actually just an apt title for what the album was destined to be – a stone hit that really put these Motown legends on the map! Production is by the Holland/Dozier/Holland team – with a marvelous wall of sound-style groove that really pushes the vocals forward tremendously – that brilliant all-in Motown mode of the best early years, where the Detroit studio was working overtime to make things sound amazing. Titles include the massive hit "Stop! In The Name Of Love" – but the whole thing's a solid effort with no filler, and other cuts include "I'm In Love Again", "He Holds His Own", "Whisper You Love Me Boy", "The Only Time I'm Happy", "Nothing But Heartaches", "Honey Boy", and "Back In My Arms Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A boogaloo album, but one that's a lot trippier than most – and definitely worthy of the psychedelic reference in the group's name! As with so much of the best work from the Venezuelan scene of the late 60s, the music here draws on references from up north, but really abstracts the sound – almost as if the boogaloo had to go through a bit of a filter on the way down to Tono, where it picked up some cool production techniques, offbeat keyboards, and lots of other elements – often set to rhythms that aren't straight Spanish Harlem grooves, and instead also borrow bits from Colombia and Peru! Most of the record is instrumental – and titles include "Mr Boogaloo", "No Te Bote", "Chin Chin", "El Basuero", "Borinquen Bell", "El Guaycol", and "Las Hojas Secas". LP, Vinyl record album

The incredible first album from Traffic – a record that was already way ahead of the pack, and would set the tone for so many other sounds and modes from others in years to come! At some level, the group were just coming off the big beat group years in the UK – that time of strong inspiration from American soul, jazz, and R&B – but they're already pushing all these elements in very different ways – certainly psychedelic, as you'd guess from the image on the cover – but also still holding onto a lot of the soul and jazz that first inspired them! To our ears, the reed work of Chris Woods is as important to the record as the Hammond from Steve Winwood, guitar from Dave Mason, and drums from Jim Capaldi – plus the vocals from all three – and in addition to the classic title cut "Mr Fantasy", other tunes include "Dealer", "House For Everyone", "Berkshire Poppies", "No Face No Name No Number", and "Coloured Rain". CD

An incredible first chapter of the solo career of Bunny Wailer – material recorded during the same time as the rise of the larger Wailers trio, but which has a special sort of vibe overall – a quality that maybe even predates some of the righteous sounds that Bob Marley would give the world a few years later! The tracks here were all issued as 45s as part of Bunny's Solomonic Productions imprint – a company that took its name from the Song Of Solomon in the Old Testament, which was a key spiritual direction for Bunny – in ways that made his influence so huge during the roots reggae years. And in fact, these cuts are prime roots material, but maybe even go things one better – as there's no sense of wider commercial appeal to the tracks, with a laidback sense of instrumentation and production – all handled by Bunny himself. Titles include "Tread Along", "Bide Up", "Searching For Love", "Armagideon", "Arabs Oil Weapon", "Pass It On", "Life Line", "Rasta Man", "Battering Down Sentence", and "Dream Land". LP, Vinyl record album

Alyson Williams is anything but raw here – as this Def Jam Titles debut really marks the singer as one of the warmer, smoother talents of her generation – an artist who almost emerges as a superstar right from the start, at least with the sense of power and bearing she brings to her music! The set's got a few key duets – including two tracks with Chuck Stanley, and one more with Oran Juice Jones – but Alyson hardly needs to tie herself to the previous generation of Def Jam soul, as she's already ahead of the pack – and working with a voice that would sound every bit as great with 60s or 70s styled-arrangements as it does with the late 80s R&B sparkle of this set! Titles include "Just Call My Name", "I'm So Glad", "My Love Is So Raw", "Still My No 1", "Sleep Talk", "I Need Your Lovin", and "Masquerade". CD features bonus tracks "Sleep Talk (extended)" and "My Love Is So Raw (extended)". CD

A nice sampler of Chicago hip hop surrounding the All Natural Family Tree! It's tough to find a fault with this collection. This is not only a fine set of tracks from a strong stable of Chi underground hip hop acts, but it's also really an excellent listen from beginning to end – featuring some of the choicest cuts from the collective! (But that's no excuse to skip the full length efforts of the artists – they're all worth your dime!) 15 tracks on the CD: "Hate" by Capital D, "Warm Up" by Rita J, "Raw" by Primeridan, "You Know My Name" by All Natural, "Virgo" by Family Tree, "Things Change" by Stoney Rock feat Black Spade, "You Make Me" by Mr Greenweedz feat Cosmos Boekell, "Dreams & Aspirations" by Rita J feat Stoney Rock, Adad & KP, "Do Me Right" by Eulorhythmics (Adad & Kenny Keys), and "The Knock" by Pacifics and more! CD includes enhanced footage – live video of Iomos Marad "Live & Direct". CD

A huge 2CD set – one that features important European work that saxophonist Albert Ayler recorded with trumpeter Don Cherry! CD1 brings together six tracks from Albert Ayler's Hilversum Radio sessions from 1964 – plus an additional three tracks recorded in Denmark a few months earlier! The first six titles are a famous performance by a famous group set loose on a European tour in 1964 – Ayler on tenor, Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murry on drums – recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out – especially when playing overseas – but recorded with the clarity of some of his studio albums for ESP – that sharp-edged sound that really highlights the groundbreaking style of his playing! The rest of the group here is equally great, and Murray is completely freed up from rhythm at points, to fly beautifully with the rest – on titles that include "Angels", "CAC", "Infant Happiness", "Ghosts", and "No Name". The same group performs on the final three tracks – recorded in Copenhagen for Danish Radio, with an equally great level of clarity – on "Saints", "Spirits", and "Vibrations". The interplay between Ayler and Cherry is especially great – echoing the latter's material with Ornette Coleman, but with a different sort of edge! CD2 features amazing live material from 1964 – work that was recorded at the Club Montmartre in Copenhagen, right around the same time that Albert Ayler recorded his album for Debut Records – and a set that has his quartet in even more firey formation overall! The tracks are long, and Ayler is completely unbridled – at a level that really shows not only how much of a leader he was to the American avant underground, but what an inspiration he was to the European free scene too – who could only help but take a big cue from his work here on tenor! The group also features equally wonderful work from Don Cherry on cornet – sounding quite different than when with Ornette Coleman – plus bass from Gary Peacock, whose dark tones really set the mood – and drums from Sunny Murray, who is also at an explosive point in his career. The material is remastered wonderfully, with permission from Albert Ayler's estate – and titles include "Mothers", "Saints", "Vibrations", Spirits", "Children", and a shorter "Spirits". CD

A punky funky no wave classic from James White – working here under the name of The Contortions, in a manner that's very similar to his Off White album! The tunes dip, turn, and kind of groove with a mad sort of art school energy – shifting easily between fast and frenetic playing, and some more "out" jazz styled riffing – that crazy saxophone work that always made James White sound so amazing! Most tracks have raw vocals, and titles include "Bedroom Athlete", "Twice Removed", "Roving Eye", "Anesthetic", "Contort Yourself", and "I Don't Want To Be Happy". The CD version includes 3 bonus tracks – live versions of "Throw Me Away", "Twice Removed" and "Jailhouse Rock". CD

All the great early albums from Creation Rebel – plus their excellent comeback too! The set begins with Dub From Creation – not just the debut album from Creation Rebel, but also a set that marks the first studio work from the young Adrian Sherwood – part of the long On-U Sound legacy to come, and a wealth of other wonderful music! There's a spareness here that's great – maybe a bit less dark than later Sherwood projects, but no less stark – with melodica and keyboards weaving nicely amidst the dubby rhythms! Titles include "Basic Principals", "Dub Fusion", "Liberation", "Rising Star", "Vision Of Creation", and "Creation In A Iration". Next is Close Encounters Of The Third World – an early part of the On-U Sound legacy, even if the set wasn't issued on the label – a key effort by Creation Rebel that features recording work done both in London and Kingston, layered together in a beautifully dubby way! The sound here is definitely underground – full of message-oriented lyrics from Crucial Tony, who sings in a style that definitely earns him his name – with great melodica and organ flowing through the mix next to Lizard's bass – topped with added horn work from The Arabs in all the right spots! The production is superb – flat on the drums, wide on the sides, which makes for a really wonderful groove – on titles that include "Know Yourself", "Conspiring", "Creation Fever", "Natty Conscience Free", and "Joyful Noise". Rebel Vibrations features early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". Starship Africa is a brilliant Creation Rebel effort for On-U Sound from the dawn of the 80s – landing in the futuristic dub spacecraft that is their Starship Africa – percussion heavy and spaced out ingenuity from Adrian Sherwood & co! Tripped, echoey atmospherics that's cast as a soundtrack to movie that doesn't exist, the music is forward thinking, boundary busting dubby grooves exists out of time and sounds great to this day. Includes "Starship Africa" (Sections 1-5) and "Space Movement" (Sections 1-4). On Psychotic Jonkanoo, Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". From 2023, Hostile Environment is the first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less moody – just something that seems to let the work of the group come through with energy that's wonderfully warm and organic, while still resonating with plenty of touches that will make longtime label fans proud! Vocals are shared between Charlie Eskimo Fox and Mr Magoo, and the set also features guest appearances from Prince Far I and Daddy Freddy – on titles that include "That's More Like It" "Jubilee Clock", "Swiftly", "Stonebridge Warrior", "Crown Hill Road", "The People's Sound", and "Whatever It Takes". CD

A trio of albums from this famous Brazilian trombonist – all of them great! First up is Sweet Lucy – a wonderful album from Raul De Souza, cut during the height of his fame on the California scene! Like Raul's other work for Capitol, this record really sparkles from tight help from George Duke – who handles production, and some of the arrangements – and really helps De Souza find a tight jazzy groove! The instrumentation is a bit leaner than some of Raul's other records of this nature, which is a nice thing – as you get to hear plenty of keyboards from Patrice Rushen, Fender Rhodes from Dawilli Gonga, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, and percussion from Airto. There's a bit of chorus vocals at times, but the main focus is on Raul's trombone solos – and cuts include of Joao Donato's "Banana Tree", plus "Sweet Lucy", "New Love", "Wild & Shy", "Bottom Heat", "Wires", and "At Will". Don't Ask My Neighbors is a tremendous moment for trombonist Raul De Souza – working here in a style that's light years past his roots in bossa nova! The set's got a heavy California vibe – a late 70s blend of jazz and soul handled by producer George Duke, who also arranges many tracks on the record – but still leaves plenty of room for Raul to step out strongly in the lead! Things are never too overdone, and handled with that sunny style that players like Duke did so well – lots of warm jazzy elements in the backings, coming from Fender Rhodes by Bobby Lyle, percussion from Airto, and drums from the great Harvey Mason – who really brings an edge to some of the groovers. Titles include a killer cover of the Skip Scarborough tune "Don't Ask My Neighbors" – plus "La La Song", "Overture", "At The Concert", "I Believe You", and "Jump Street". Til Tomorrow Comes is filled with soaring sounds from Raul De Souza – a Brazilian musician who first recorded under the name of Raulzinho during the bossa nova years – but one who's at the height of his powers here working on the Cali scene at the end of the 70s! Raul manages to blend his lead instrument with fuller arrangements from Arthur Wright – who brings in plenty of the best elements from contemporary R&B, adds in some backing vocals, yet never diminishes Raul's presence on the record at all! Instead, De Souza seems to draw all sorts of energy from the folks around him on the sessions for the record – really stepping out with the best sort of jazz funk grooves that Capitol Records were laying down at the time – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Up & At It", "Self Sealing", "Pleasurize", "Fe No Me Nol", and "Til Tomorrow comes". CD features bonus tracks – single versions of "Til Tomorrow Comes", "Sweet Lucy", and "Daisy Mae". CD

A laidback quartet date – with Teddy Edwards on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Jesper Lundgard on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. Titles include the Edwards originals "No Name No 1" and "April Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm wonderfulness from the great Al Green – a record that may have a pale-looking cover, but a set that's one of Green's most deeply soulful albums ever! There's a grace and a glow to the set right from the very first note – that really unique presentation and performance that makes these early 70s Green albums such enduring treasures – and so unlike anything else that's ever come since, no matter how many folks were influenced by Al's sound! The production is perfect – with Al helping Willie Mitchell at the helm, as they balance together the richness of the instrumentation with core elements in the rhythms – on titles that include Al's stone classic "Love & Happiness", plus "I'm Still In Love With You", "I'm Glad You're Mine", "What A Wonderful Thing Love Is", "Look What You Done For Me", and his great remake of Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" – a country/soul classic if there ever was one! LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from the mid 80s Chicago rock scene – the self-titled, self-released first record from Green – with ultra catchy power pop melodies and an excitability that's as infectious as anything that came out of the Chi and other midwestern cities at the time! Green has both a sweetness and rawness that's in line with indie groups that made bigger waves nationally – and might be altogether better. Please don't take us for shameless home team flag wavers here, Green was the real thing, we can't think of a reason beyond bad luck that this record isn't mentioned in the same breath as other great records by groups such as The Replacements. And unlike some of our favorite albums from Chicago underground rock bands of the time, the lean, clear, but no frills production sounds just right to our ears. A total gem ripe for discovery! Titles include "Gotta Getta Record Out", "She's Not A Little Girl Anymore", "Technology", "Baby Why?", "If You Love Me", "For You", "Hurt You", "She, Probably", "Big In Japan" and more. This CD version includes 7 bonus tracks originally from the The Name Of The Band Is Green EP, which was never on CD before now, with EP versions of some album tunes plus "Something About You", "Autograph" and "Away From The Pulsebeat". CD

Fantastic work from Khruangbin – a group with a name that's hard to pronounce, but who just keep getting better and better with each new release – to the point where on this record, they're definitely in a genre by themselves! Khruangbin blend together lean funky instrumentation with some slightly more progressive elements – never too jamming to get in the way of the groove, but with a complexity that shows us that these guys are really amazing musicians – steeped in the best influences from the past, but never copycats at all – and always with a very original sound! The core trio is expanded just slightly here on a few tracks – with the spare addition of elements like vibes, percussion, or pedal steel – each used sparingly, but to create some great sonic colors in the mix. Titles include "First Class", "Pelota", "Dearest Alfred", "If There Is No Question", "One To Remember", "So We Won't Forget", "Shida", and "Father Bird Mother Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from Hugh Masekela – and the album that pushed him over the top! The record features his version of "Grazin In The Grass", a runaway instrumental hit when it was issued – and a sly little groover that was based upon some earlier South African pop melodies that Hugh copped from his roots. The group's a tight little quintet with Al Abreu on tenor and soprano sax, William Henderson on piano, Chuck Carter on drums, and Henry Franklin on bass. The whole thing's great – and tracks include "Stop", "Bajabula Bonke", "There Are Seeds To Sow", "Vuca", "Almost Seedless", and "No Face, No Name, and No Number". LP, Vinyl record album

An Arkestra performance, but one that's headed up by Mark De Clive-Lowe – who wrote all the material, and produced the record too – as a great extension of some of the more spiritual directions he's been taking in his own music in recent years! The group have a sound that definitely lives up to the spiritual jazz reference you might expect from their name – building nicely on waves of piano and keyboards from Mark, with excellent work from other ensemble members on tenor, flute, alto, trumpet, and guitar – all soaring to the skies in a great 21st Century take on 70s spiritual jazz modes! There's a number of drummers on the record, and there's no rhythm programs listed – save for "fx" and "live electronics" in the credits – but it feels as if there might be a slight current of beats amidst the live instrumentation from time to time. Not that any of that gets in the way of the sound – which is tightly focused and soaring to the skies, on tracks that include "Fallen Angel", "Tempestuous Temperaments", "Cosmic Collisions", "Lullabies Of The Lost", "Elegy Of Entrapment", and "The Art Of Altercation". CD

Not the usual album you might expect from a group with a trio in the name – as there's no piano in the mix, and instead the album features some sparkling trumpet from the great Allan Botschinsky – heard here at the height of his youthful, modern powers! The combo's led by drummer Bjarne Rostvold, whose touch on the kit is superb – snapping and swinging at most moments, but often in really subtle ways – with a level of dexterity that we get to hear more strongly here than on some of Bjarne's sessions as a sideman. Also great is bassist Nils Henning Orsted Pedersen – no stranger to most, but already really captivating here at a young age – and as melodic as he is rhythmic, which really fills out the sound. Titles include "Greensleeves", "Tricotism", "S'Posin", "Ease It", "Squeeze Me", and "Perhaps". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of fantastic albums from Christian Scott – all packaged together! First up is Ruler Rebel – a fantastic step forward for trumpeter Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah – an artist who takes on a new name with this recording, and a vibrant new sound as well! Scott still plays trumpet, but he also works with some electronics and effects, too – in a group that mixes acoustic elements from piano, flute, and percussion with electric work on Fender Rhodes and guitar – all in a sound that's swirlingly soulful, and as enigmatic as you might expect! The music reaches back to some deeper roots, but reworks the sound completely with lots of contemporary elements – and Scott's trumpet takes on a new sort of majesty in the setting – maybe hitting the promise we first saw in his music years back, but with even more focus here. Titles include "Encryption", "The Coronation Of X A Tunde Adjuah", "The Reckoning", "Ruler Rebel", and "New Orleanian Love Song". Next is Diaspora – a set that has Christian Scott really opening with a new sense of pride and power after adopting the Atunde Adjuah name – and blowing here not just on trumpet, but also "reverse flugelhorn", sirenette, and siren – and also using some sonic architecture to open up and expand his sound! Rhythms are a compelling mix of drum programs and acoustic percussion – peppered with work on alto, Fender Rhodes, bass, guitar, and drums – in this groove that's much more sharp-edged and sonically compelling than most other projects of this nature. Titles include "Lawless", "Our Lady Of New New Orleans", "IDK", "Desire & The Burning Girl", "Completely", "No Love", and "The Walk". Last is Emancipation Proclamation – part of Scott's brilliant trilogy that has him reworking his sound even more than before – using his horn in both acoustic and electric settings, and mixing with bits of funk and deeper musical currents – all at a level that's vaguely in the territory of Don Cherry in the 70s, but served up with a vibe that's very much Christian's own! Rather than be buried in the mix of percussion, Fender Rhodes, and other horns here – Scott seems to be set free, and really opens up with both the space of his solos, and the style of his phrasing – which is even more personal than before. The other players are great, too – a shifting lineup who retain the same bristling energy throughout – on titles that include "Ashes Of Our Forever", "The Emancipation Procrastination", "AvengHer", "Cages", "New Heroes", "Videotape", "The Cypher", "Michele With One L", and "Unrigging November". CD

One of the great fake live albums of the 60s – a set that promises to be a concert performance from the title and cover, but which actually just features The Seeds playing live together in the studio! Yet that little trick is hardly a problem – because the album's the last-ever from this seminal group, and captures them in a format that really lets them take off! Their studio sessions were always great, but this one's got a special edge from letting all the instruments work together in the same space at once, with no edits or dubs. The core combo sounds wonderful – searing guitar, trippy keyboard lines, and all the sneering vocals the young Sky Saxon can muster – served up over tracks that include "Mr. Farmer", "No Escape", "Satisfy You", "Night Time Girl", "Up In Her Room", "Gypsy Plays His Drums", "Mumble And Bumble", "Forest Outside Your Door", "900 Million People Daily All Making Love", and "Pushin' Too Hard". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great little funky record – even if it's a bit of a mystery in the record racks at times! This group were one of a number to use the name Smoke during the 70s – but at some point they were forced to change their name to Black Smoke, and you'll see the record listed both ways, but with the same cover. The band's a mixed ensemble of funk players – and they've got a sound that begins with a bass-heavy Average White Band groove, but moves into some more sophisticated playing with plenty of jazz funk touches. No surprise that the album's produced by Wayne Henderson, who handled some of the best jazz funk of the 70s – and in a way, the group probably sounds more like Pleasure (who Henderson also produced) than anyone else. The album features the extremely catchy soul tune "What Goes Around Comes Around", which has sweet ensemble vocals riffing along in a jazzy groove – plus the tracks "Screamin", "There It Is", "Freedom Of The Mind", and "Turn This Thing Around". CD

During the early 60s, Blue Note wisely cut a number of sessions that took advantage of their soulful in-house rhythm trio The Three Sounds. The group recorded more than a few successful albums under their own name – but they also did a few great records that feature them backing up a more famous soloist. Such is the case with this one, in which Gene Harris and crew back up Stanley Turrentine for a beautifully mellow set of late nite tracks, played with an easy rolling groove missing from some of Turrentine's other, more full-on sessions at the time. At the time, Blue Note recorded enough material for 2 albums – but only one was ever issued in the US (although a second has recently come out from Japan.) Now, all the tracks are combined on a very nice 2CD set that includes all the original material – with tracks that include "Alone Together", "There Is No Greater Love", "Blue Hour", "I Want A Little Girl", and "Blue Riff". CD

One of the most righteous albums to ever bear the name of King Britt – a selection of spiritual jazz tracks from the 70s, all of which show a definite inspiration for Britt's recent work in the 21st Century! There's no remixes or remakes here – and the collection features all original gems from a few decades back – stretched out and cosmic grooves from some of the leading lights of the soul jazz underground in the post-Coltrane years! Most numbers are obscure tracks licensed from smaller indie labels – brought together beautifully with a sense of depth and darkness that goes way beyond the usual King Britt groove. Titles include "Space Spy" by Grachan Moncur III, "Beyond Yourself" by Brother Ahh, "Scorpio Libra" by Eddie Henderson, "Kawaida" by Herbie Hancock, "Ekim" by Michal Urbaniak, "Yebo" by Mtume, "Conviction" by Dane Belany, "Naima" by Doug & Jean Carn, "The Time Now For Change" by Phil Ranelin, "Moving Pictures 4 The Ear" by Don Cherry, and "Encounter" by Flora Purim. CD

A amazing look at the British indie scene during one of its greatest stretches – the mid 80s period when it seemed like new labels and new bands were springing up every week! The 2CD set takes its name from the influential C86 collection put together by NME at the time to showcase some of the best work – but this version expands the lineup to a whopping 72 tracks in all, and really stretches the scope to include some real lost gems. There's plenty of great work here from a time before the scene got mis-led by dance rhythms and too many stimulants – a cornucopia of long-lost labels and groups – most of them jangle pop wonders with great talents for penning simple, catchy little tunes! Titles include "World's No Place" by The Jasmine Minks, "Everything's Going Right" by The Avons, "Don't Slip Up" by Meat Whiplash, "Billy Liar" by North Of Cornwalls, "Outback Jazz" by Blue Aeroplanes, "Run To The Temple" by Bogshed, "Therese" by The Bodines, "Happy Head" by Mighty Lemon Drops, "Velocity Girl" by Primal Scream, "This Boy Can Wait" by The Wedding Present, "New Way" by Big Blame, "Console Me" by We've Got A Fuzzbox, "Inside" by 14 Iced Bears, "Darkess & Colour" by The Railway Children, and "Hedonist Hat" by Pigbros. Lots lots more! CD

One of the greatest Cannonball Adderley albums from the Riverside years – a completely smoking live date recorded in San Francisco, often with long tracks that really let the group open up and do their thing! The lineup here is that classic one that first grabbed attention – the group with brother Nat on cornet, Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums – and a young Bobby Timmons on piano, really cooking things up with tremendous drive, energy, and a sense of the groove! Titles include a great workout on Timmons' classic "This Here", plus originals "You Got It" and Spontaneous Combustion", and a great version of "Hi Fly". Soul jazz at its best, by one of the groups who gave the genre its name in the first place! CD features 3 bonus tracks, 2 previously unreleased – "This Here (alt)", "You Got It (alt)", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

Amazing stuff – and proof that there's way more to America than just their classic singles! The sound of the trio is the sweet sound of 70s pop at its best – wonderful harmonies, with a heartfelt quality that's never cloying at all – produced to perfection, yet never too slick, either! The balance is completely perfect on this early album by the trio – a set that gave the world such gems as "Sandman", "Children", "I Need You", "Rainy Day", "Never Found The Time", and "Three Roses". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully packaged reissue of this rare set from 1964 – an early example of the genius of Albert Ayler, recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out – especially when playing overseas – but recorded with the clarity of some of his studio albums for ESP – that sharp-edged sound that really highlights the groundbreaking style of his playing! The rest of the group here is equally great – and the quartet features Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – the latter of whom is almost completely freed up from rhythm at some points. Titles include "Angels", "CAC", "Infant Happiness", and "No Name". Also includes a bonus fold-out poster with a painting of Ayler! CD

A later-looking package, but one that features a rare set from 1964 – an early example of the genius of Albert Ayler, recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out – especially when playing overseas – but recorded with the clarity of some of his studio albums for ESP – that sharp-edged sound that really highlights the groundbreaking style of his playing! The rest of the group here is equally great – and the quartet features Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – the latter of whom is almost completely freed up from rhythm at some points. Titles include "Angels", "CAC", "Infant Happiness", and "No Name". CD

A huge 2CD set – one that features important European work that saxophonist Albert Ayler recorded with trumpeter Don Cherry! CD1 brings together six tracks from Albert Ayler's Hilversum Radio sessions from 1964 – plus an additional three tracks recorded in Denmark a few months earlier! The first six titles are a famous performance by a famous group set loose on a European tour in 1964 – Ayler on tenor, Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murry on drums – recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out – especially when playing overseas – but recorded with the clarity of some of his studio albums for ESP – that sharp-edged sound that really highlights the groundbreaking style of his playing! The rest of the group here is equally great, and Murray is completely freed up from rhythm at points, to fly beautifully with the rest – on titles that include "Angels", "CAC", "Infant Happiness", "Ghosts", and "No Name". The same group performs on the final three tracks – recorded in Copenhagen for Danish Radio, with an equally great level of clarity – on "Saints", "Spirits", and "Vibrations". The interplay between Ayler and Cherry is especially great – echoing the latter's material with Ornette Coleman, but with a different sort of edge! CD2 features amazing live material from 1964 – work that was recorded at the Club Montmartre in Copenhagen, right around the same time that Albert Ayler recorded his album for Debut Records – and a set that has his quartet in even more firey formation overall! The tracks are long, and Ayler is completely unbridled – at a level that really shows not only how much of a leader he was to the American avant underground, but what an inspiration he was to the European free scene too – who could only help but take a big cue from his work here on tenor! The group also features equally wonderful work from Don Cherry on cornet – sounding quite different than when with Ornette Coleman – plus bass from Gary Peacock, whose dark tones really set the mood – and drums from Sunny Murray, who is also at an explosive point in his career. The material is remastered wonderfully, with permission from Albert Ayler's estate – and titles include "Mothers", "Saints", "Vibrations", Spirits", "Children", and a shorter "Spirits". CD

One of the greatest releases ever from the Okka Disk label – a legendary set that stands as a great testament to the global improvising scene that exploded in Chicago during the 90s! Back in the early years of FMP, nobody would have thought to use the name "Peter Brotzmann" and "Chicago" in the same context – but by the time of these recordings, the legendary reedman had been spending quite a bit of time in the Windy City – working strongly alongside that decade's fresh generation of improvisers, at a level that also helped Brotzmann discover new energy in his music too! The lineup here is great – both octet and tentet groups that operate in an improvising orchestra tradition – with players that include Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Mars Williams on tenor and alto, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Mats Gustafsson on baritone and fluteophone, Joe McPhee on pocket cornet and valve trombone, Fred Lonberg Holm on cello, Kent Kessler on bass, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums and percussion, and Brotzmann himself on tenor, clarinet, and tarogato. The set features three different live recordings, and one long studio set recorded over two days – a fantastic collection of music. Titles include "Burning Spirit (For Kazuka Shiraishi)", "Other Brothers", "Old Bottles No Wine, "Aziz", "Foolish Infinity", "Immediate Music", "Makapoor", "Foolish Infinity", "Other Brothers" and "Divide By Zero". CD

The fluid trumpet of Clifford Brown – presented in a sparkling batch of master takes recorded for Emarcy Records in the 1950s! Brownie only made the scene a few short years, before his untimely early death – but while at Emarcy, he cut some truly revelatory music, the sort of trumpet-based jazz that went onto influence decades of later players, and which still sounds amazingly fresh and vibrant today! And although Universal issued a previous larger set of Brown's music, this 4CD set is nicely compact, and just focuses on the instrumental master takes – no vocal numbers, false starts, or alternates – pure classic Clifford all the way through. Titles are pulled from famous sessions with Max Roach, plus the classic Brownie With Strings album – although the main material here is pulled from seven albums that bore the Roach/Brown name, including tracks released after Clifford's death. 49 tracks in all, beautifully packaged with a 64 page book, in a limited edition tin cover! CD

Way more than just a greatest hits collection – as the record is one of the few albums from Solomon's years that you can ever find on vinyl, and it's a stellar collection of hard and deep soul tracks that no collection should be without! Every cut on here is a classic – or should be for you, if you haven't heard them all yet! Titles include "Words", "Cry To Me", "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", "Got To Get You Off My Mind", "The Price", "Down In The Valley", "If You Need Me", "Just Out Of Reach", and "Home In Your Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Take a trip through hell with the CA Quintet – an obscure late 60s combo from the Twin Cities – and one who've got more than enough psychedelic power to live up to the Cali promise of their name! The album's got a pretty amazing cover – nude models dancing in a satanic landscape – and the sounds within are even more incredible – way more eerie and offbeat than other records of this nature, with a true undercurrent of evil that really comes through in both the darkness of the instrumentation, and the creepy way the vocals are put across. Titles include "Trip Thru Hell" – in two parts – plus "Sleepy Hollow Lane", "Smooth As Silk", "Cold Spider", and "Colorado Mourning". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "Fortune Teller's Lie", "Bury Me In A Marijuana Field", "I Want You To Love Me Girl", "Bring All Your Love", "Dr Of Philosophy", and "Ain't No Doubt About It". CD

Seminal work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a set that's issued under his own name, but which continues a string of key early 60s performances with tenorist Bill Barron – who's work together here with Ted is fantastic! The group has no piano – just Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums – both players with a fluid, open sense of rhythm – one that allows for plenty of horn interplay, at a level that almost has Curson borrowing some of the lessons he learned from Mingus, then taking them into small group formation and really opening things up! Curson also blows a bit of pocket trumpet, and Barron handles some clarinet – on a set of all original material that includes a great version of Curson's "Quicksand", plus the tracks "Kassim", "East 6th Street", "Tears For Dolphy", "7/4 Funny Time", "Reava's Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

Drummer Andrew Cyrille is a musician who's always demonstrated his musical independence – from early work with Walt Dickerson, through a stretch of important avant albums as a leader – yet his sound also gets a strong new showcase here, in a very fresh setting for his first album on ECM! The music is maybe a bit more textured than some of Cyrille's earlier work – but no less unbridled, and instead just shaped a bit differently, thanks to the presence of Bill Frisell on guitar, who makes a surprising inclusion for a record issued under Andrew's name! In fact, Cyrille gives Frisell plenty of room to open up with his famous sense of tone – and the group also features Richard Teitelbaum on keyboards and Ben Street on bass. Titles include "Coltrane Time", "Sanctuary", "Kaddish", "Herky Jerky", "Manfred", and "Song For Andrew No 1". CD

Lost loft jazz work from trumpeter Ted Daniel – an important force on the east coast scene of the time, but one who was never as well-recorded as his contemporaries – which makes a set like this a real treasure! The group here is Ted's Energy Module ensemble – a group who really live up to their name, with searing work on tenor from Daniel Carter, plus lots of spiritual elements from Oliver Lake on alto, soprano sax, and flute – played in a very open-ended, freewheeling style – which also makes strong use of Richard Pierce on bass and Tasuya Nakamura on drums. All tracks are quite long – and very expressive – and the group takes on work by key contemporaries like Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, Dewey Redman, and Sunny Murray – as well as some of Daniel's own tunes. Ted plays flugelhorn too – and also gets amazing sounds out of a French hunting horn and Moroccan bugle – and titles include "The Probe", "Ghosts", "Jiblet", "Innerconnection", and "Entering/Congeniality/Pagan Spain". CD

Eire Apparent have some pretty famous names on the back cover of this debut set – including Jimi Hendrix, who acted as producer – and a young Robert Wyatt, who is credited with "help and encouragement"! Yet the group are more than great enough on their own, even without name-dropping references – and the record's got his nice blend of light psych touches, harder rock guitar solos, and more – all swirled together at a level that almost feels like some of the hipper Harvest or Parlophone albums of the period – maybe no surprise, as the group actually hail from the British Isles. Titles include "Yes I Need Someone", "The Clown", "Mr Guy Fawkes", "Someone Is Sure To Want You", "Let Me Stay", "Morning Glory", "Magic Carpet", and "Captive In The Sun". CD

A massive selection of songs from the same period as Ellington's album of the same name. With a whole bunch of his classic players, including Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Hodges, Ray Nance, Al Hibbler, Oscar Pettiford, and many more. Tracks include "Work Song", "Come Sundday", "The Blues", "Three Dancers", "I Ain't Got Nothin But The Blues", "I'm Beginning To See The Light", "I Didn't Know About You", "Mood To Be Woo'd", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Caravan", "Everything But You", "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", "Solitude", "Black Beauty", "Balcony Serenade", "Tell Ya What I'm Gonna Do", "Come To Baby, Do!", "I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So", "Suddenly It Jumped", "A Gathering In A Clearing", "You Don't Love Me No More", "Back Home Again In Indiana", "Just You, Just Me", "Beale Street blues", "Transblucency", "My Honey's Lovin Arms", "Memphis Blues", "St Louis Blues", "Midriff", and "I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You". CD

Nedly Elstak may not be a household name – and he's certainly not going to win any charm contests with his pose on the cover – but he's a hell of a great trumpeter from the Dutch scene of the 60s, and comes across beautifully here on a collection of rare live material from back in the day! The set's a real revelation to us – as we'd never heard Elstak before – and in addition to these sparkling trumpet lines that lie somewhere between Clifford Brown and Ted Curson – with the warmth of the former, and bite of the latter – Nedly also plays some piano too – an instrument that he really handles wonderfully – with a real range on the keyboard, and this thoughtful depth of sound that really blows us away. Tracks are all live, but really well recorded – and players include Theo Loevendie on alto, Dick Vennik on tenor, Rein de Graaff on piano, and Willem Breuker on bass clarinet – on titles that include great Elstak originals like "Some Astronomers Wonder", "Love You So", "The Machine", "No One Around", "Double Eclipse", and "Beautiful Mountain". CD

Lean, righteous blowing from the legendary Frank Foster – one of a handful of extremely hip sessions he cut in the 60s under his own name! The album's the only record Foster ever did for Blue Note – and we dare say it's even better than his previous 60s work on Prestige and Impulse – with a quality that's even darker, even deeper, even more advanced from his earlier years with Basie. There's a rolling, joyous groove to many numbers – that late 60s take on soul jazz that made for so many great tracks on albums by Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan near the end of the decade. Foster keeps things tight, but he's also got an expansive vision too – an edge in the horns that points the way towards some of the chances he'd take in the 70s, but which is still wrapped around a leanly leaping soul jazz groove! Foster wrote 5 of the 6 tracks on the album, and he's working here with a sextet that includes Garnett Brown on trombone, Marvin Stamm on trumpet, and Richard Wyands on piano, who brings in some offbeat notes and colors throughout. Rhythm is by the excellent team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – and titles include "Seventh Avenue Bill", "Stammpede", "Little Miss No Nose", "Manhattan Fever", and "Loneliness". Added to the core album is a full bonus album – recorded by Foster nearly a year after the first, and even more far-reaching! There's a quality to the date that mixes together Frank's previous soulful vamping with some more introspective, more lyrical moments – almost modern at times, but not entirely so – and played by a septet that includes Ed Pazant on alto and flute, Burt Collins on trumpet, George Cables on piano, and Jimmy Cleveland on trombone. Foster himself plays a bit of alto clarinet alongside his usual tenor – and titles include "Fly By Night", "Slug's Bag", "What's New From The Monster Mill", and "Hip Shakin". CD

A warmly collaborative effort from Dexter Gordon – one of his most satisfying albums from the late 70s Columbia revival, thanks to the presence of a hip array of guest artists! The album was recorded both live and in the studio – but the feeling is relatively spontaneous throughout – with a freewheeling, bop-heavy energy that really brings the most out of these famous "encounters"! 2 tracks feature Johnny Griffin on tenor, going head to head with Dex in really classic mode on "Blues Up & Down" and "Cake". 2 more tracks – "Diggin It" and "It's Only A Paper Moon" – feature trumpet from Woody Shaw, trombone from Curtis Fuller, and some especially great vocals from Eddie Jefferson – stretching out here with an energy and focus that almost beats most of the albums under his own name from the 70s! One more track – "Ruby My Dear" – is taken as a long solo vehicle by Gordon, no guest star present, with rhythm by the core trio of George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A great spray-on cleaner to use for your records – a lot better than soaking them in the kitchen sink, and much easier to use than a record-cleaning machine! The cleaner sprays on easily – letting you soak a dirty record, then wipe off the grime with a lint-free cloth – and it leaves no residue at all, so you won't have to worry about deadening the sound in the grooves. As groovy as the name implies – and one to reach for when you hear a crackle coming from the turntable! Record Care

A once lost gem! Hudson's voice as a producer remains one of the most unique and idiosyncratic of his era, and this first LP issued under his own name stands as a shining document of his genius. Cut very near the time of his classic dub side Pick A Dub, this album shares the haunting mood that runs through the best of Hudson's work, all the while delivering a resounding roots message. The rhythms are fierce, laid down by Leroy Sibbles, Fully Fullwood, Santa Davis, Count Ossie and Augustus Pablo, a dozen mighty tracks in all: "Hunting", "Flesh Of My Skin", "Blood Of My Blood", "Testing Of My Faith", "Fight Your Revolution", "Darkest Night", "Talk Some Sense (Gamma Ray)", "Treasures Of The World", "My Nocturne", "I Shall Be Released", "No Friend Of Mine" and "Stabiliser". CD

There's no need for The Impressions to push from behind – because with a record like this, they're very firmly in the driver's seat! The album's a treasure through and through – one of the greatest documents of 60s soul from the Chicago scene – filled with sublime original compositions by a young Curtis Mayfield, set to great arrangements from the legendary Johnny Pate! The sound here is immaculate – a groove that's slightly stepping, gently lilting – just enough to get things moving, but with plenty of care not to smother the fragile harmonies of the group. And as on other of the best ABC albums by The Impressions, there's not a hint of filler here – just one great track after another, with titles that include "Amen", "I Made A Mistake", "Don't Let It Hide", "Keep On Pushing", "Somebody Help Me", "Long Long Winter", and "I've Been Trying". LP, Vinyl record album

Steve Kuhn at his funky best! Over the years, you may have seen Steve's name turn up on collections of hip funky tunes from the early 70s – but probably have never been able to find the right record that offers that same sound. Well, search no further, because this is the record – and it's a real gem! The album was recorded live in New York – with an acoustic quartet that include George Mraz on bass, serving up some incredibly warm, round, and soulful lines that give nearly every track on the record a great groove. Titles include "Raindrops Raindrops", "Gloria", "The Child Is Gone", "The Real Guitarist", "Thoughts Of A Gentleman", and "Chicken Feathers". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that will really blow your mind if you only know Christine McVie from her famous work in Fleetwood Mac – as the set's a debut solo effort, at a time when McVie was recording under the name of Christine Perfect as a singer in the UK blues band Chicken Shack! As with early Fleetwood Mac, there's a definite blues influence going on here – maybe no surprise, as the set was done by Mike Vernon for his Blue Horizon label – yet even at the start, McVie's got an approach that's very different than some of the more slavish blues-inspired singers on the scene – much more soulful overall, and already with plenty of hints at the superstardom to come! Titles include "I'm On My Way", "Close To Me", "When You Say", "I'm Too Far Gone", "No Road Is The Right Road", "For You", and "I Want You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual album from the young Stephanie Mills – not only because it captures the singer at a wonderful early point in her career, when she was still open to a rich range of expression – but also because the whole thing was written and produced by the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David – who almost work with Mills as a 70s update of their classics with Dionne Warwick! Yet the sound here is also different – deeper in that nicely matured way that Burt had brought to his own great albums and special projects of the time – with these sensitive emotional moments that are a real surprise from Mills, especially as she could have just been phoning it in at this point. Backings are definitely Bacharach-like, but nicely subtle too – again like the direction Burt himself was going at the time – and titles include "No One Remembers My Name", "Loneliness Remembers (What Happiness Forgets)", "This Empty Place", "The Way I Fell About You", and "All The Way To Paradise". CD

"I need a fix – and a kiiiiiiiiiissssssss!" What can we say? Johnny Thunders, David Johansen and the boys reinvented the wheel with the of wildly hedonist glam skronk spun on this still incredible debut record. Both records they made for Mercury are incredible, but this is the bonafide masterpiece. It's a classic purely on a primal rock 'n' roll level, but it's also one of rock's greatest examples of style equaling substance! The Dolls brought glammer to the gutter and vice versa, and this is no doubt their greatest moment! Includes "Personality Crisis", "Looking For A Kiss", "Trash", "Frankenstein", "Pills", "Bad Girl", "Private World" and "Jet Boy". Produced by Todd Rundgren and engineered by Jack Douglas – the former a legend in his own right, the latter whose name appears on so many great records that range from other proto-punk and punk-era classics (Patti Smith Group, The Runaways) to the trashier side of the mainstream (prime early Cheap Trick, Aerosmith and Alice Cooper). LP, Vinyl record album

A set that came out at the end of the 90s, but which features unreleased material from earlier years – which you might have guessed, given the "vault" in the title! The set has tracks that go all the way back to the mid 80s, but is mostly focused on the final years when Prince was working with Warner Brothers – including some when he'd dropped his name – and overall, although there's no huge hits here, the material from Prince's cutting room floor is still head and shoulders above most from the rest – tight, funky, and full of catchy hooks! Titles include "My Little Pill", "Extraordinary", "Rest Of My Life", "It's About That Walk", "She Spoke 2 Me", "5 Women", and "When The Lights Go Down".". CD

A killer debut from Rasputin Stash – a funky group who work with all the long-haired inspiration you'd expect from their name! The groove is a mix of guitars and tight horns – undercut by the kind of heavy basslines that later made the group a good fit for Curtom Records, and lots of cool percussion touches that pepper the bottom of the rhythms nicely – with a pretty spontaneous feel! At times, there's almost a Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band vibe to the record, but mixed with some of the trippier influences of the Westbound crew – especially on the guitar – and like those artists, these guys have no trouble at all dipping into a touch of rock here and there to trip out their groove. Titles include "Mr Cool", "You Are My Flower", "Dookey Shoe", "I Want To Say You're Welcome", "Take Me On Back", and "Freaks Prayer". CD

A sweet set of remixes – material from the already-clubby album Body & Soul, taken to even further dancefloor territory by maestro Stefano Tirone! The core album already had a really upbeat vibe – with nicely varied vocals from Toco, Afra Kane, and Laura Fedele – and the remixes here balance things out in an equally great way – on titles that include extended remixes of "Pra Voce", "In The Name Of Love", and "Rosa Da Ribeira" – plus remixes of "Midnight Sun", "No Meio Do Samba", "Move On", and "Body & Soul" – and an Invisible Session remix of "Odoya". LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of a silly name, but a really great group – and one without any of the hoke you might expect! The sound is definitely what's promised, a meeting of samba rhythms and older American jazz – but there's a breezy sort of warmth to the record that's light years from standard boogie woogie – much more in the warmest territory that you'd find in Brazilian jazz from the 70s onwards! The tunes are mostly older Brazilian numbers, and they've got a slight hint of nostalgia – but one that's very small, and flavored more by the younger energy of the musicians and singers in the project. Vocalists include Monica Salmaso, Roberto Sa, Mario Adnet, Ze Renato, and Maucha Adnet – and arrangements are by Mario Adnet, and mostly feature small combo jazz instrumentation. Titles include "Adeus America", "O Trombone Do Tribuza", "Brasil Pandeiro", "Tintim Por Tintim", "Conversa De Samba", "Baiana No Harlem", "Boogie Woogie Do Rato", "Eu Quero Um Samba", "Morena Faceira", and "Nada De Rock Rock". CD

Christian Scott just seems to be finding his groove more and more with each new record – really opening with a new sense of pride and power after adopting the Atunde Adjuah name – and blowing here not just on trumpet, but also "reverse flugelhorn", sirenette, and siren – and also using some sonic architecture to open up and expand his sound! Rhythms are a compelling mix of drum programs and acoustic percussion – peppered with work on alto, Fender Rhodes, bass, guitar, and drums – in this groove that's much more sharp-edged and sonically compelling than most other projects of this nature. Titles include "Lawless", "Our Lady Of New New Orleans", "IDK", "Desire & The Burning Girl", "Completely", "No Love", and "The Walk". CD

One of the best, most influential indie singer-songwriter records of the 90s – and maybe the best ever by the late, great Elliot Smith! In the noisy indie rock early 90s, vulnerable, quietly-recorded, largely solo acoustic confessionals were not par for the course, but Elliot Smith was by no means an average indie rocker. It was pretty devastating stuff, even before Elliott's death, and especially so in retrospect – but there's so much heart and such a careful ear for intimate pop songwriting, it's never a depressing listen. A true classic. Includes "Speed Trials", "Alameda", "Ballad Of Big Nothing", "Between The Bars", "No Name No. 5", "Rose Parade", "Angeles", "Cupid's Trick", "2:45 AM", "Say Yes" and more. CD