A wonderfully dark soundtrack to this underrated Sidney Lumet thriller from the early 80s – a set of off-key strings and soundscapes, composed by Paul Chihara, and counducted by Georges Delerue. The feel of the record is like the best parts of the Taxi Driver soundtrack – traditional in scope, but with a feel that rips through the darkness of New York in the 70s. Titles include "I Did Some Things", "The Confession", "The Decision/The Ride", "The Set Up", and "Little Italy". LP, Vinyl record album

Jim McNeely on piano, Harald Rosenstein, Heiner Wiberny, Olivier Peters, Paul Peucker, and Rolf Romer on reeds, Bernt Laukamp, Dave Horler, Henning Berg, and Roy Deuvall on trombone, Andy Haderer, Klaus Osterloh, Rick Kiefer, Rob Bruynen, and Rudiger Baldauf on trumpet, John Scofield and Paul Shigihara on guitar, Rainer Bruninghaus on keyboards, Marc Johnson on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! Expanded edition contains a second bonus CD packed with alternate versions and rare 12" single remixes! CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

Four classic albums from Jackie DeShannon – all in a single set! First up is Me About You – sophisticated Jackie at her best – working with great arrangements from Jack Nitzsche and Nick DeCaro – both cats from the California scene we can really trust for "cut-above" pop work like this – music that goes way past the simple sounds of DeShannon's start – into cool adult territory that really makes the album great. Jackie's vocals are surprisingly soulful in the setting – even more so than before – and the tunes include lots of gems, including versions of Van Dyke Parks' "High Coin", John Sebastian's "Didn't Want To Have To Do It", and Tim Hardin's "Baby Close Its Eyes". Also includes "I Keep Wanting You", "Me About You", and "Nicole". Next is Laurel Canyon – heady work from Jackie DeShannon's later years in 60s pop – an album with themes and styles that go way beyond her earlier recordings – as you might guess from the hip Laurel Canyon reference in the title! Jackie's working here in a mode that's much more strongly in a singer-songwriter style than before – with arrangements and backings that are a lot more organic, and less pop-tuned than ever – almost in a Laura Nyro approach on some numbers. As usual, a good portion of the tracks were written by Jackie herself – including "Holly Would", "Come & Stay With Me", "LA", "Too Close", and "Laurel Canyon" – and the album also features a few well chosen tracks by other writers too, like "Bitter Honey" by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols, "I Got My Reason" by Barry White, and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson. Put A Little Love In Your Heart is quite possibly the last great hit from singer Jackie DeShannon – an album built around the righteous spirit of the title track – filled with really wonderful original tunes penned by Jackie and soul singer Jimmy Holiday! The album may well be the best to explore the space between pop and soul that often characterized Jackie's work – and the overall sound is somewhat similar to some of Dusty Springfield's best pop/soul work from the same stretch. 10 of the album's 12 tracks are originals by Holiday and DeShannon – all set to soaring orchestrations by James Langeford, which often have a pronounced influence from the sound of Atlantic Records in the late 60s! Titles include "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "You Are The Real Thing", "River Of Love", "Movin", "You Can Come To Me", "You Have A Way With Me", and "I Let Go Completely". To Be Free is an interesting little record – with kind of a crossover California soul feel overall – recorded with Rene Hall arrangements that echo a few rootsy modes at times, mixed in with fuller orchestrations that step a bit back towards Jackie's earlier years on Imperial – a surprisingly nice blend, with a fresh sound for the 70s. The album features a number of great tracks co-written with Jimmy Holiday – a fellow Imperial talent – and titles include "Mediterranean Sky", "Sooner Or Later", "What Was Your Day Like", "Livin On The Easy Side", "Brighton Hill", and "When Morning Comes Again". CD

One of Al Hirt's grooviest records – and a set that definitely lives up to the "soul" in the title! The album's always in demand for the excellent sample cut "Harlem Hendoo", but it certainly isn't a one tracker – thanks to composer Paul Griffin and arranger Teacho Wiltshire, as Hirt gets un-characteristically funky on tunes like "Honey Pot", "Mess Around", "Girl", and "Love Ya' Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

The full story of Miles Davis at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958 – an album that expands out the original half-album release of this material from the set that Miles shared with Thelonious Monk! The first half of the record features the three tracks that appeared on Miles & Monk At Newport – and the remaining material joins it here for the first time in one date – making for a well-rounded package that finally tells the whole tale of the group's performance on July 3, 1958! The lineup here is right in the Kind Of Blue mode – Cannonball Adderley on alto, John Coltrane on tenor, Bill Evans on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – but the overall sound is a bit looser and freer, much more turned towards the solo spotlight focus that often characterized Miles Davis' live work. Coltrane's solos alone are worth the price of admission – nicely sharp-edged, with a sound that he didn't always show on his own albums until the 60s – and titles include "Ah Leu Cha", "Straight No Chaser", "Fran Dance", "Two Bass Hit", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "The Theme". CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! LP, Vinyl record album

A gorgeous collection of music – brought together in an equally gorgeous package! We'll rave about the latter in a minute – but first onto the music, which is the most important part! The sounds were all recorded by Paul Bowles in Morocco at the end of the 50s – at a time when Bowles and other key counter culture figure were drawn to the nation, and began richly extrapolating its various cultures in ways that went onto have a huge global impact. Bowles' fascination with the music of Morocco led to some of the first wider exposure of the unique vocal strains and hypnotic qualities of Moroccan sounds – and in a way, his efforts with this project were almost as important to the Saharan scene as the previous field recordings by Alan Lomax were to the south of the United States. Some of these recordings have been issued in the past, but this is the most complete set we've ever seen of Bowles' recordings – served up in a lavish fabric-covered box, along with a leather-bound book that feels like one of Paul's journals from the trip – complete with photos, notes on the music, and even writings on the overall project and its legacy. Very much in the best Dust-To-Digital presentation – and stunning throughout! CD

The full story of Miles Davis at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958 – an album that expands out the original half-album release of this material from the set that Miles shared with Thelonious Monk! The first half of the record features the three tracks that appeared on Miles & Monk At Newport – and the remaining material joins it here for the first time in one date – making for a well-rounded package that finally tells the whole tale of the group's performance on July 3, 1958! The lineup here is right in the Kind Of Blue mode – Cannonball Adderley on alto, John Coltrane on tenor, Bill Evans on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – but the overall sound is a bit looser and freer, much more turned towards the solo spotlight focus that often characterized Miles Davis' live work. Coltrane's solos alone are worth the price of admission – nicely sharp-edged, with a sound that he didn't always show on his own albums until the 60s – and titles include "Ah Leu Cha", "Straight No Chaser", "Fran Dance", "Two Bass Hit", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "The Theme". CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! CD

A gem of a record from the Japanese scene of the early 70s – and one that's very different than most of the other work at the time – maybe more influenced by some of the more thoughtful, creative developments in British music in the post-Beatles years – and delivered in this mix of acoustic instrumentation, larger orchestrations, and really beautiful, personal touches on the vocals! The mix of modes going on here is almost like solo Paul McCartney – and Yoki Hinohara's got an equally great way of mixing melodic elements with occasional earthier elements – all in a way that delivers a heck of a lot of feeling, even if you can't understand the Japanese lyrics of the tunes. LP, Vinyl record album

A wild little record from this little-known American singer – a set recorded in Germany at the end of the 60s, with a compelling mix of jazz, bossa, psychedelic, and funky touches! Don's got this weird sort of raspy vocal approach a times – a rumbling style of putting over a lyric that's a nice contrast to the sweeter blend of jazz and Latin instrumentation used in the backdrop! The set features some wonderful work from key talents on the German groove scene at the time – including guitar from Sigi Schwab, and arrangements from Ingfried Hoffmann – both of whom contributed a number of original tunes to the set! Titles include "Danza", "Titicaca", "Ananas", "Inca Uyu", "Blue Bossa", "Duerme Negrito", "Sugar Cane", and "Charangito". Also features 2 bonus cuts – "On The Road Again" and "In My Fantasy". CD

Groundbreaking work from one of the hippest jazz groups going in the mid 50s – the Donald Byrd/Gigi Gryce Jazz Lab, a wonderful group of players who could play with a tight soul jazz finish, yet also throw in some nice modern jazz touches! Gryce's arrangements and alto work are always a treat, and Byrd's youthful trumpet solos give the record a nice sense of character – spinning out over some great original compositions tha sparkle with soulful imagination. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and titles include "Onion Head", "Bat Land", "Blue Lights", and "Xtacy". CD

A standout set from trombonist Altin Sencalar – a player who seems to get better and better with each new record, not just for the soulful sound on his instrument, but also for his work as both a leader and writer of fresh new tunes! The record's got the tightness we love on the best Posi-tone label releases – and also features a slightly larger group too, with work from Diego Rivera on tenor, Markus Howell on alto and soprano, Anthony Hervey on trumpet, and Michael Dease on baritone – players who shift strongly between the solo work you'd know from their own albums as leaders, and a strong ensemble to color in Sencalar's tunes. Rhythms are great, too – and include work from Art Hirihara on piano, Paul Reyas Bueno on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – with occasional Latin currents from percussionist Pete Rodriguez. Titles include "Nuevo Dia", "The Sunday Affair", "Awareness", "Pocket Of Clave", "Blue Evening", "It's Easy", and "More Than One Answer". CD

A really cool collection, and one that will definitely blow your mind if you only know the Burt Bacharach/Dionne Warwick collaborations, or some of Burt's solo albums on his own! Bacharach started out young and early, and was effortlessly penning pop songs for singers in a variety of styles – working as part of that songwriting scene in New York that was always hustling, and able to get a surprising amount of songs into the hands of up-and-coming singers of the time! The scope of this set is stunning – as the first 3CDs feature 95 tracks penned by the young Bacharach himself – sung by a variety of artists who include The Exotics, Etta James, Gene McDaniels, Paul Evans, Marlene Dietrich, Tommy Sands, The Drifters, Frankie Avalon, The Four Coins, Marty Robbins, Sonny James, Jack Jones, Jo Stafford, Bob Manny, and many others. CD4 21 more tracks that showcase unusual but important influences on Burt's compositional style – including work by Henry Cowell, Alban Berg, Leonard Bernstein, Gill Evans, and Tadd Dameron. CD