An amazingly beautiful set of tracks from Art Farmer – playing here with superb accompaniment from a young Harold Mabern on piano, in a laidback quartet format that really lets Art open up! Art's playing is fresh and creative throughout – never too over the top, and always blown with that subtle genius that he was bringing to his work in the 60s – a pure exercise in understatement, with a quality that seems to make the notes fall out of the air by themselves. Rhythm is by Tommy Williams on bass and Roy McCurdy on drums – and the choice of material includes Tom McIntosh's great composition "The Day After", plus Art's "Punsu" and "Kayin" – and versions of "Change Partners", "Blue Room", and "Nobody's Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Groovily tripped-out work from vibist Dave Pike – and one of the few American albums that matches the experimental sound of his work for MPS! The session's often quite free and open – in a way that not only uses odd instrumental combinations and arrangements, but which also features some offbeat production by Herbie Mann that further abstracts the sound! Elements of Pike's earlier work shine through in a few of the more straightforward groovers, but his new European-endowed sense of hipness wins in the end – thanks to a good deal of modal grooves, psychedelic elements, and even a bit of fuzzy Fender bass! Other players include Lee Konitz on alto sax, Don Friedman on piano, Chuck Israel on bass (electric and acoustic), and Eddie Daniels on tenor and clarinet – and titles include "Free Improvisation", "The Drifter", "Ballad", "The Doors Of Perception", and "Anticipation". LP, Vinyl record album

Majestic music from the mighty Popcorn Wylie – the Detroit soul legend best known for his work in the 60s, but an artist who really shines on this rare 70s set for ABC! The album was done during the same stretch as Lamont Dozier's ABC work – and like those records, this set features killer arrangements and production from McKinley Jackson – who updates an older Detroit groove strongly, while still keeping all the real soul elements of Popcorn's music intact! Dozier helped a bit on some of the tunes, and the whole thing's got a soaring, joyous feel that's really wonderful – uptempo without being uptight, positive without sounding hokey, and perfectly in a unique space that's all its own. Gene Page and Paul Riser throw in a bit of soul on some tracks too – sweetening things up with just the right touches of strings and horns – and Popcorn's vocals are great, especially on some of the more hauntingly-constructed tunes. Titles include the massive "ESP", which begins with an echoey breakbeat, then rolls into a great hook – plus "Trust In Me", "How Did I Lose You", "Georgia's After Hours", "Lost Time", "I Can Take The World On With You", "Both Ends Against The Middle", and "Singing About You And Me". CD

Amazing grooves from a legendary pair of labels – the ultra-funky Perception and Today Records, home of some killer sounds from the New York scene at the start of the 70s! The labels had a great ear for up-and-coming soul – especially with some of the younger groups rising up at the time – and they also used their magic to refresh the sounds of some older artists, particularly jazz musicians, who took on an ultra-funky approach at Perception – one that's made their work for the label some of the most in-demand over the years! Drums are heavy, bass is nice and fuzzy, and many of the cuts have a righteous sound that really takes off from the most progressive soul, funk, and jazz of the late 60s – pushing hard with an even heavier 70s vibe. Titles include "Brother" by Adam Wade & Johnny Pate, "Too Sad To Tell" by Debbie Taylor, "Chitlins & Chuchifritos" by Joe Thomas, "Naturally Good" by Bartel, "You & I" by Black Ivory, "I Can't Get No Higher" by The Eight Minutes, "You Owe It To Yourself" by JJ Barnes, "Get Some Of This" by Madhouse, "Honey Buns" by Bobby Rydell, "Gingele" by Astrud Gilberto, "One Life" by The Albert, "Surrender" by Black Ivory, "Wishful Thinking" by JJ Barnes, "You've Just Been Bitten" by Bartel, "Every Brother Ain't A Brother" by Joe Thomas, "Submission" by Tyrone Washington, "Boogie" by Bartel, "Alligator" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Rock Steady" by Julius Brockington, "Find The One Who Loves You" by The Eight Minutes, "A Possibility" by Wanda Robinson, and "Heritage Hum" by James Moody. CD

A trio set – with Crothers on piano, Joe Solomon on bass, and Roger Mancuso on drums. Most tracks are originals by Connie, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Funky treasures back to back – two Watsonian albums from the late 70s on one CD! Master Funk is a great Johnny Guitar Watson side project – a set not billed directly to his name on the front, but which has all the great hallmarks of the best Watson albums from the 70s! Johnny produced, wrote songs, played, and sung on the record – but there's also an equal focus on his backing group too – which means maybe a bit lead guitar upfront, and more vocals from the whole ensemble – who work together to give the whole thing a mighty great party sound! In fact, some of the best numbers almost have a roller boogie vibe that's not unlike early hip hop – although other numbers get much bassier, and funkier overall. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Virginia's Pretty Funky", "De John's Delight", "Lady Voo Doo", "Master Funk", and "The Funk If I Know". Extra Disco Perception is hardly the disco promised in the title – and more of a club funk album overall – served up with plenty of input from the great Johnny Guitar Watson! The album's a great break from Johnny's usual groove – as he's able to retire his personality a bit, and slide in with the groove of the rest of the band – even though Watson's still at the helm – handling the writing, arrangements, and production of the record! The band handles most of the vocals, though – in a cool catchy style that works great with their tight instrumentation – and the whole thing's mighty groovy throughout. Tracks include "Pretty Brown Doll", "Rock", "Pretty Miss T", and "New York New York". CD

One of three amazing albums the Fatback Band cut for the Perception label in the early 70s – and a set that's definitely the most soulful of the bunch! The difference here is that the group opens up some space for lead vocals from the great Johnny King – a singer with a really unique sound, and one whose special touch brings plenty to the already-great funky instrumentation of the group – deepening their sound in all the right ways! The set features both vocal and instrumental versions of Weldon Irvine's great cut "Feeling Mellow" – done even better than the original – and other cuts include "Makin' Love", "Sketches of Life", "Meet Me Over My House", and "Three Dimensional World". CD

A key classic from the earliest years of the Fatback Band – one of the group's funkiest albums, and part of their original trilogy for the Perception label! The groove here is mighty raw throughout – but a bit more complicated than some of their funky 45 releases – a mixture of funky vamps and some more soul-styled tunes – showing the group evolving a bit from the start, yet still losing none of their funky edge – sounding surprisingly nice on a few of the album's mellower instrumentals. Titles include the massive "Goin' To See My Baby", with a classic break on the intro – plus "Street Dance", "Free Form", "Give Me One More Chance", "Green Green Grass Of Home", "Baby I'm A Want You", and "Take a Ride (On The Soul Train)". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible stuff from the jazz underground of Newark! This is one of the rarest albums ever recorded by jazz organist Larry Young – cut for the tiny Perception label during the early 70s, and featuring some of the cream of the New Jersey jazz underground. The album's got playing that bridges a number of Young's different styles – from his straighter soul jazz work at Blue Note, to his harder jamming with Santana and John McLaughlin, to his more fusion oriented albums for Arista. James Blood Ulmer's on guitar, but there's also a large ensemble of excellent players, and lots of other percussion and cool instrumentation that really gives the album an "out there" sound! Titles include "Sunshine Fly Away", "Saudia", "Hello Your Quietness", and "Khalid Of Space". CD

Incredible stuff from the jazz underground of Newark! This is one of the rarest albums ever recorded by jazz organist Larry Young – cut for the tiny Perception label during the early 70s, and featuring some of the cream of the New Jersey jazz underground. The album's got playing that bridges a number of Young's different styles – from his straighter soul jazz work at Blue Note, to his harder jamming with Santana and John McLaughlin, to his more fusion oriented albums for Arista. James Blood Ulmer's on guitar, but there's also a large ensemble of excellent players, and lots of other percussion and cool instrumentation that really gives the album an "out there" sound! Titles include "Sunshine Fly Away", "Saudia", "Hello Your Quietness", and "Khalid Of Space". CD

Perhaps not considered as classic as some of his earlier sides, this album recorded for Perception in the early 70s proves that Johnny was capable of stretching his bag, and not just a play-it-safe interpreter of syrupy ballads. Like a lot of the jazz recordings on Perception at the time (by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Shirley Horn), this set's got an edge you wouldn't expect – with some very hip arrangements overall that really sound great – performed by a quartet that includes George Coleman on tenor and Herman Foster on piano. The set features interpretations of material that range from brilliant, to daring but off-track – and titles include "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "Help Me Make It Through The Night", "Didn't We", "Summer Wind", and "Betcha By Golly Wow". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2 CD set that brings together both of James Moody's LPs for Perception – The Teachers and Heritage Hum! The Teachers is one of the best albums that Moody ever recorded – and it's a great batch of crackling jazz funk, jazzy riffing, and nicely arranged little bits that sound like they might be lifted from a cool early 70's soundtrack. The album's got some nice jazzy breaks, and Moody's flute is hard and funky, sounding a lot like 70s funksters like Jeremy Steig or the flautist in the group SOUL. Titles on The Teachers include "Hello Goodbye", "The Teachers", "Street Talk Suite", "Behind Every Good Man", and "The New Spirit". Heritage Hum is a little bit more subdued – but has a great slinking groove to it, and features nice playing by Michael Longo, who was also in Dizzy's funky 70s group at the time. Eddie Jefferson sings vocals on a hilarious version of "Pennies From Heaven", and other titles include "Heritage Hum", "Road Runner", "Soul Searching", and "Travel On". CD

Wanda Robinson was one of the first hip, black, female poets to set righteous words to funky music – and this album is one of her two classic sides for the Perception label from the early 70s. The format is spoken word over funky instrumentals – and backing is by Patrick Adams, James Moody, and others, mixing jazz, soul, and funk conceptions to fit the mood of each of Wanda's tracks on the set. The titles should give you a good flavor of the material – as the set includes "The First Time I Saw Loneliness", "The Great American Passtime", "Parting Is Such", "Tragedy No 456", "A Black Oriented Love Poem", "Instant Replay", "The Trouble With Dreams", and "Grooving". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of wisdom and knowledge from the great Wanda Robinson – and a darn funky one as well! The album's got Wanda Robinson speaking over grooves laid down by The United Chair – that cool combo led by Julius Brockington on keyboards, who also arranged the whole set as well! The vibe is very similar to Camille Yarborough or Sarah Webster Fabio – very righteous and soulful, with cuts that include "Carnal Was the Word", "The Un Hero", "Paranoia", and "Because They Envy Us". LP, Vinyl record album

Two killer early funky cuts from Fatback Band! "Dance Girl" is an incredible skittish groover – recorded with snapping drums, strumming guitar, and this shouted vocal that hangs the whole thing together. (And oddly, this version seems to have a second voice dubbed in, making some comments underneath the whole thing!) "Keep On Brother" has a massive drum break at the start – and the young Johnny King sings with this raw, raspy style that really fits the groove! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A nice little live set from the early 70s – recorded at the Overseas Press Club in New York, and featuring the unlikely meeting of Mary Lou Williams on piano with Dizzy Gillespie and Buddy Hackett on trumpets. The trio are supported by rhythm from the team of George Duvivier on bass and Grady Tate on drums – in a style that's loose, open, and which has some surprisingly strong solo moments – especially from Hackett and Gillespie, who oddly complement each other nicely on the set. Tracks include "Birk's Works", "Love For Sale", "Caravan", and "My Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible stuff from the jazz underground of Newark! This is one of the rarest albums ever recorded by jazz organist Larry Young – cut for the tiny Perception label during the early 70s, and featuring some of the cream of the New Jersey jazz underground. The album's got playing that bridges a number of Young's different styles – from his straighter soul jazz work at Blue Note, to his harder jamming with Santana and John McLaughlin, to his more fusion oriented albums for Arista. James Blood Ulmer's on guitar, but there's also a large ensemble of excellent players, and lots of other percussion and cool instrumentation that really gives the album an "out there" sound! Titles include "Sunshine Fly Away", "Saudia", "Hello Your Quietness", and "Khalid Of Space". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work by Astrud Gilberto – very different than her Verve sides of the 60s! The album was produced by Astrud, arranged by Deodato – and has that wonderful warm full jazz feel of her classic album on CTI, but also a bit more like some of the funky work of Jorge Ben at the time – choppy at the bottom, with a sound that's a bit samba, and a bit funky at times. Mike Longo and Deodato play keyboards on the session, giving it an electric groove that works perfectly with Astrud's soaring vocals – and the whole album really holds together wonderfully! There's a nice bit of funk on the cut "Take it Easy My Brother Charlie" – and other tracks include "Zigy Zigy Za", "Baiao", "Gingele", "Bridges", and "Where Have You Been?" DVD side features include linear notes, artist photos plus the whole album in 5.1 surround sound!. CD

Although not as classic as his "classic" recordings, this album recorded for Perception in the early 70s proves that Johnny was capable of stretching his bag, and not just a play-it-safe interpreter of syrupy ballads. Like a lot of the jazz recordings on Perception at the time (by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Shirley Horn), this set's got an edge you wouldn't expect, and features interpretations of material that range from brilliant, to daring but off-track. Titles include "Sunday Sun", "Feelin' Groovy", "Meditation", and "Easy Come, Easy Go". Backing is by a small combo that includes Ken Ascher on keyboards and Jimmy Heath on flute and tenor. LP, Vinyl record album

A key classic from the earliest years of the Fatback Band – one of the group's funkiest albums, and part of their original trilogy for the Perception label! The groove here is mighty raw throughout – but a bit more complicated than some of their funky 45 releases – a mixture of funky vamps and some more soul-styled tunes – showing the group evolving a bit from the start, yet still losing none of their funky edge – sounding surprisingly nice on a few of the album's mellower instrumentals. Titles include the massive "Goin' To See My Baby", with a classic break on the intro – plus "Street Dance", "Free Form", "Give Me One More Chance", "Green Green Grass Of Home", "Baby I'm A Want You", and "Take a Ride (On The Soul Train)". Features the bonus track "Dance Girl". CD

Funky Fatback from the mid and late 70s – not as scratchy and hard as the group's earlier recordings on the Perception label, as most of these are pulled from their later work for the Event and Spring labels, but still pretty darn nice! The set kicks off with two funky 45 classics – "Mr Bass Man" and "Wicky Wacky" – then rolls into a set that takes the group from the funky shack to the dancefloor, as Fatback expand their sound a bit more for the late 70s club scene. Titles include "Feeling", "Party Time", "The Man With The Band", "I Feel Real Good", "The Joint", "Feed Me Your Love", "Freak The Funk The Funk (Rock)", "Put Your Love In My Tender Care", and "Changed Man". CD

Quite possibly the last really hard-hitting funk album from The Fatback Band – and although their first record on the Event label, a set that cooks every bit as hard as their first few for Perception! The style here is funky 45 soul at its best – lots of hard crackling drums, funky rumpling bass, and enough choppy guitar to level a whole forest in one swoop! Lyrics are part of most numbers, but they're often in the bad-rapping or call and response mode of the People Music album – except for a few sweeter numbers which also sound pretty nice too! "Keep On Stepping" is a great little funky number – as are "Wicky Wacky", "Mr. Bass Man", and "New York Style". We also love the sweet soul track "Love", which has some great vocals, a great hook, and which sounds like a tune from their Feel My Soul LP! Other tracks include "Can't Stop The Flame", "Feeling", and "Breaking Up With Someone You Love Is Hard To Do". CD

Very much the sort of record that's made James Brandon Lewis such a key force on the tenor in recent years – an album that acts as a bridge between so many different modern modes, in part because of the strength of the group! Lewis is one of that rare breed who can improvise on the outside, yet still retain a soulful swing – almost a quality that hearkens back to 60s avant jazz giants – and we can say that same about the rest of the group here, a lineup that features Aruan Ortiz on piano, Brad Jones on bass, and Chad Taylor on drums – the last of whom is especially marvelous in this endeavor! It almost seems as if Lewis gets better and better with each new record – and that's certainly the case here – n titles that include "Black Apollo", "Triptych", "Elan Vital", "Empirical Perception", "Transfiguration", and "Swerve". CD

A sweet set of electric funk from James Moody – and a great little record to match the grooves he was laying down at the Perception label in the early 70s – with a very unique sound! Moody's working here alongside some sweet work on electric piano by either Jodie Christian or Tennyson Stephens – and with some sly and soulful arrangements by Chicago soul maestro Richard Evans, who also plays bass on the record and gives it a style that's almost an extension of the later Cadet kind of groove. The album features an excellent funky instrumental version of " First Thing I Do In the Morning", originally a funky vocal 45 by Chicago singer Joyce Williams – and other cuts include "Trilby", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely", "World Is A Ghetto", "Good Sense Humor Man", and "Country City Country". CD

Quite possibly the last really hard-hitting funk album from The Fatback Band – and although their first record on the Event label, a set that cooks every bit as hard as their first few for Perception! The style here is funky 45 soul at its best – lots of hard crackling drums, funky rumpling bass, and enough choppy guitar to level a whole forest in one swoop! Lyrics are part of most numbers, but they're often in the bad-rapping or call and response mode of the People Music album – except for a few sweeter numbers which also sound pretty nice too! "Keep On Stepping" is a great little funky number – as are "Wicky Wacky", "Mr. Bass Man", and "New York Style". We also love the sweet soul track "Love", which has some great vocals, a great hook, and which sounds like a tune from their Feel My Soul LP! Other tracks include "Can't Stop The Flame", "Feeling", and "Breaking Up With Someone You Love Is Hard To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

The stuff of legend – and not just work by the Jazztet combo, but also solo albums from Art Farmer and Benny Golson too! Set includes Jazztet albums Meet The Jazztet, Big City Sounds, Jazztet & John Lewis, Jazztet At Birdhouse, Another Git Together, and Here & Now; Benny Golson albums Turning Point, Free, and Take A Number From 1 to 10; plus Art Farmer albums Art, Listen To Art Farmer, and Perception. CD

A glittering collection of groovy soulful gems – 31 tracks by the legendary Fatback – featuring work from the group's first few years as a funk band through their 70s transformation into one of the tightest club acts around! The package features work from the group's earliest years on Perception Records, a few from their brief stint on Event, and lots more from the Spring label – and the set goes for all the group's tastiest cuts, and includes a massive amount of dancefloor grooves – making for an instant party the moment you get it out of the box! Funky all around – with tracks that include "Spanish Hustle", "I Found Loving", "Backstrokin", "I Like Girls", "King Tim III (Personality Jock)", "Double Dutch", "Keep On Steppin", "The Girl Is Fine (So Fine)", "Take It Any Way You Want It", "Wicki Wacky", "Soul March", "Is This The Future", "Feed Me Your Love", "Nija Walk", "Dance Girl", and "Let's Do It Again". CD

Quite possibly the last really hard-hitting funk album from The Fatback Band – and although their first record on the Event label, a set that cooks every bit as hard as their first few for Perception! The style here is funky 45 soul at its best – lots of hard crackling drums, funky rumpling bass, and enough choppy guitar to level a whole forest in one swoop! Lyrics are part of most numbers, but they're often in the bad-rapping or call and response mode of the People Music album – except for a few sweeter numbers which also sound pretty nice too! "Keep On Stepping" is a great little funky number – as are "Wicky Wacky", "Mr. Bass Man", and "New York Style". We also love the sweet soul track "Love", which has some great vocals, a great hook, and which sounds like a tune from their Feel My Soul LP! Other tracks include "Can't Stop The Flame", "Feeling", and "Breaking Up With Someone You Love Is Hard To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully mellow set of funky grooves, played by Diz with a west coast group that includes Roger Glenn on flute, Mickey Roker on drums, and Michael Howell on guitars – very similar to Dizzy's excellent Portrait Of Jenny album on Perception. The "Bahia" reference is quite pointed, as these cuts have a nice Braziliany groove, in a way that other west coast jazz groups were exploring at the time. The original release was a double album, and this 8 track set features some excellent long groovers like "Samba", "In The Land Of The Living Dead", "Olinga", "Pele", and "The Truth". Extremely haunting, and similar to Diz's "Portrait Of Jenny" LP. LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked bit of 70s funky fusion from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded with his old piano player from the 60s, Lalo Schifrin! Lalo arranged, conducted, and plays plenty of keyboards – giving the album a wicked groove that's a bit different than some of Dizzy's other 70s work – a bit fuller and more tightly arranged, but with all that heavy Schifrin funk firmly in place! The album's almost a blend of Dizzy's work for the Perception label and some of Lalo's soundtrack grooves – and titles include the dancefloor stormer "Unicorn", plus "Wrong Number", "Free Ride", and "Fire Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

Not as funky as Moody's work for Perception, but definitely in a similar mode. The record's got James playing alto, tenor, and soprano – in a group that includes Kenny Barron on electric piano, Roland Prince on guitar, and some guest trumpet by Randy Brecker. The tracks shift from warm and mellow to warm and funky – but still kind of mellowly funky – and titles include a nice cover of "This Masquerade", plus "Sun Journey", "Sun In Pisces", "Clabber Biscuits", and "Last Train From Overbrook". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky electric work from James Moody – and pretty darn nice too! The set was produced by Ed Bland, the force behind the funky James Moody (and Dizzy Gillespie) sessions for the Perception and GWP labels in years back – and at many levels, the feel here is similar to those great sets, but perhaps a bit more mellow overall. Moody's playing alto, tenor, and soprano saxes – in a small combo with Kenny Barron on keyboards, Roland Prince on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Emanuel Rahim on percussion. Titles include "Funky Jazz Walk", "A Funky Aura", "Keep It Greasy", "Pot Licka", and "A Statement". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing funk from one of the greatest combos on the New York scene of the early 70s – Pazant Brothers Eddie & Al, heard here on a host of their greatest recordings! The package goes way past any other Pazant reissues we've seen – and features not only work from the group's famous Vanguard album, but way way more work from a host of early singles for the RCA, GWP, and Vigor labels! The 22 track package is overstuffed with horn-heavy funky grooves that mark the Pazants as one of the hottest things going at the time – snapping on the beat with a tightness learned from their old boss Pucho, but also a willingness to explore brassier grooves in a style that seems to be influenced from the New Orleans and Texas scenes of the late 60s. Producer/arranger Edward Bland had a good hand in much of this work – giving the tracks a gritty, nitty, Perception/Today kind of groove – and a few of the very best numbers on the record even bring in some wicked scratchy guitar into the mix! Includes early and later (Vanguard) versions of "Skunk Juice", "New Orleans", "Toe Jam", "Work Song", and "A Gritty Nitty" – plus "Chick A Boom", "Greasy Greens", "Fever", "Juicy Lucy", "Chicken Scratch", "Fly Vines", and "Back To Beaufort". CD

The second volume of Talking Loud's collection of it's best singles and LP tracks from the early days of the label. The CD's filled with a huge number of classic tracks that rocked the acid jazz world in the early 90's – including "Apparently Nothin'" and "All I Have In Me" by the Young Disciples, "There's Nothing Like This" by Omar, "Prince Of Peace" by Galliano, "Take Me Now" by Tammy Payne, "Qui Seme Le Vent Recoite Le Tempo" by MC Solaar, "Back To The Real World" by K-Creative, and more by Perception, Marxman, Incognito, Bryan Powell, and others. CD

Kenny Burrell at his best – lean, mean, playing in a stripped down session that he rarely matched in later years! The record's got an open-ended jam session feel – Kenny listed as the leader, but playing in a laidback setting with Cecil Payne on baritone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The album's long tracks move along at a soulful pace, letting in a lot of room for solo work – especially from Burrell and Payne, who never sounded better! Titles include "Drum Boogie", "Perception", "Strictly Confidential", and "Don't Cry Baby". CD

An unusual record for Astrud Gilberto – one that has her updating her older sound by working with Philly producer Vince Montana! The approach blends Montana's Philly club in with Astrud's gently bossa-schooled vocals – in a way that glides along nicely and offers the same sort of disco-fied version of styles that were showing up in other genres at the time. The strength, though, is that since Astrud had already cut a funkier album earlier in the 70s for Perception, she was a bit better prepared to handle the session than you might guess – and the overall arrangements still have some stylistic links back to her older work. Arrangements are by Vince Montana, Don Sebesky, and Al Gorgoni – and titles include "Black Magic", "Meu Piao", "All I've Got", "Love For Sale", and the creepy "Puppy Song"! LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the funkiest Dizzy Gillespie work from the 80s – an album recorded in Cuba with a mix of players from the US and Havana! The groove takes off nicely from some of Diz's best work on labels like Perception and Pablo in the 70s – a bit more updated at times, but still pretty wonderful – with all long tracks that have electric bass bubbling under the rhythms, and keyboards on the top – creating a slightly funky current, even when the tunes are somewhat straight. Players include Walter Davis on piano, Sayyd Abdul Al-Khabyyr on baritone and clarinet, Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Manuel Valera on alto, Hilario Duran on synthesizer, and Rafel Carrasco on flute. 4 lengthy tracks: "Blues Walk", "Miela & Hanay", "Con Alma" and "Manteca". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few rare albums cut by this great LA-based soul jazz pianist! Harold's first two featured his highly percussive sextet, but this one's got Harold solo as the leader, with backing by a group that includes Woody "Fats" Theus on conga, and Daniel Ramos on guitar. Johnson's piano is right out front, comping heavily in a very soulful style. Tracks include "Wide Open", "Soul Perception", "Right On", and "Valediction" LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set of electric funk from James Moody – and a great little record to match the grooves he was laying down at the Perception label in the early 70s – with a very unique sound! Moody's working here alongside some sweet work on electric piano by either Jodie Christian or Tennyson Stephens – and with some sly and soulful arrangements by Chicago soul maestro Richard Evans, who also plays bass on the record and gives it a style that's almost an extension of the later Cadet kind of groove. The album features an excellent funky instrumental version of " First Thing I Do In the Morning", originally a funky vocal 45 by Chicago singer Joyce Williams – and other cuts include "Trilby", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely", "World Is A Ghetto", "Good Sense Humor Man", and "Country City Country". CD

A lost bit of Stanley Turrentine funky work – recorded between his years at Blue Note and his time at CTI, and nearly lost to the pages of history! Despite the obscurity, though, the album's a great one – done with these short stomping sort of arrangements that remind us a lot of the work on Blue Mitchell's Bantu Village album, or the style used on some of the Dizzy Gillespie funk sides for Perception! (And honestly, we think there's a lot of Monk Higgins' influence on the set, even though he doesn't seem to be credited.) The group's ultra-hip – with Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, Victor Feldman on vibes, and King Errison on congas – and tracks are short, soulful, and very much to the point! The groove is really surprising – but tremendous – and is as essential to fans of funk as it is to those of Stanley's other work. 5 numbers in all: "Flipped", "I'm The One", "Toe Hold", "I Only Get This Feeling" and "Flipped Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A deep funk supergroup – one that features Snowboy on congas, alongside members of The Sound Stylistics, Speedometer, and James Taylor Quartet! The groove's as classic as you might expect from such a resume – a sound that starts in 60s soul jazz, and moves up to funky 70s moments – almost sitting perfectly in that great era when Prestige and Blue Note were changing up their groove at the start of the decade! Instrumentation features Grant Green-like guitar, Jack McDuff-ish Hammond, and nicely cooking tenor, alto, and flute – all used in different combinations throughout the set. Titles include "Fathead", "Running The Risk", "Right The Wrong", "Inside Outside", "Nicky's Knack", "Rolling & Tumbling", and "Hurricane Warning". CD

Meshell Ndegeocello just seems to grow more and more with each new record – quite a feat, given how unique she was at the start! Yet this record clearly marks a new chapter in her wonderful legacy – effortlessly weaving together soul, funk, and plenty of jazzy inspiration – all with an approach that's complex, but with a very down to earth appeal – and served up with all sorts of great guests on the sessions – including Brandee Younger on harp, Joel Ross on vibes, Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, and Jeff Parker on guitar! Yet it's Meshell who's clearly the leader, the visionary, and the artist who's never content to stay in one lane – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Clear Water", "ASR", "Good Good", "Omnipuss", "An Invitation", "Call The Tune", "Georgia Ave", "Virgo", "Perceptions", "Towers", and "Tha King". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of Columbia Records sets from Jean-Luc Ponty – served up here in a single package! First up is Gift Of Time – a set that really shows him embracing keyboards much more than at the start of his career – even though he also still turns in plenty of great jazzy sounds on violin! Ponty often seems to be mixing both – using the keyboards to augment inflections in the violin – at a level that makes you feel like he's not using the older stringed instrument at all during some sections, even though it's there in the mix. The set's got a vibe that very much fits with its cover – somewhat lean, with guitar from Pat Thomi, bass from Baron Browne, and percussion and drums from Rayford Griffin. Titles include "Faith In You", "New Resolutions", "No More Doubts", "Metamorphosis", and "Introspective Perceptions". Storytelling is a set that has Jean-Luc Ponty really staying on top of his fusion game – part of that ever-evolving run of records that took the European musician from early straight jazz violin records in the 60s, to the height of American jazz crowds in the 70s and 80s! Here, Ponty continues his exploration of various keyboard modes, while also folding in warm work on electric violin – a blend that's surprisingly seductive, and augmented along the way with guest work from Grover Washington on soprano sax, and Patrice Rushen on additional keyboards. The core group also has guitar from Jamie Glaser, and piano and more keyboards from Wally Minko – on titles that include "Tender Memories", "In The Fast Lane", "After The Storm", "The Amazon Forest", "A Journey's End", and "Pastoral Harmony". Tchokola is a very different record than usual for Jean-Luc Ponty – as you maybe can tell from the global-styled image on the cover! This time around, Ponty's bringing in some key elements from African music – plenty of live, acoustic percussion, which makes for a really great blend with the warmer keyboard and electric violin styles he's normally known for! The percussion was recorded at an analog level, which helps it retain its warmth – a great mix of balafon, tama, sabar, bongos, and other instruments – plus some nice use of kora too. There's also some vocals on the record – sung by Angelique Kidjo and Myriam Betty – and titles include "Yeke Yeke", "Rhum N Zouc", "Cono", "Bottle Bop", "Tchokola", "Sakka Sakka", and "Mouna Bowa". CD

Trombonist Justin Thurgur has spend time on the more global side of the scene in London during recent years – and here, he brings that experience to bear on a jazz set with a very unusual vibe! It's not easy to pick the straight influences of the tunes – there's currents of Afro Funk and South African jazz – but the end result is something else entirely, very contemporary, and very much Justin's own groove! The trombone is combined with piano, Fender Rhodes, and Hammond from Kishon Khan – in a shifting array that's heavy on percussion, guitar, and plenty of added horns too – all with a very righteous vibe. Titles include "Then & Now", "Straight Down To My Soul", "Meditations", "Mr Perceptionalization Is King", "No Confusion", and "You've Got To". LP, Vinyl record album

2 classics from Brass Construction – back to back on a single CD! III is the third killer from Brass Construction – served up in that fantastic Randy Muller groove! The group's a bit one, but they've got a tightness that's really incredible – horns, bass, keys, and drums all focused together perfectly – hitting a pulsating rhythmic line that's perfect for the dancefloor, yet still funky enough to keep up with their roots. The vocals crackle nicely on the best cuts – sung together in an ensemble mode that's not really harmony, but has a fullness that supports the themes of the lyrics nicely. Titles include "Celebrate", "Get It Together", "Love", "Top Of The World", "Happy People", and "Wake Up". Next up is the group's fourth album, titled (you guessed it!) Brass Construction IV – and although they may not be naming their albums too creatively, that's A-OK with us, given the strength of the grooves on this set! Brass Construction and the amazing Randy Muller do it again – somehow managing to fuse a very large group into an incredibly tight sound – one that rivals that of smaller combos of the time, and which keeps things sharp and funky even over the course of some longer extended tracks. Muller's talents for scoring the horns are a big part of the success of the set – but the wicked guitar, bass, and keyboard bits totally help too! Titles include "One To One", "Help Yourself", "Perceptions", "Night Chaser", "Sweet As Sugar", "Get Up", and "Starting Tomorrow". CD

Late 80s fusion from Jean-Luc Ponty – and a set that really shows him embracing keyboards much more than at the start of his career – even though he also still turns in plenty of great jazzy sounds on violin! Ponty often seems to be mixing both – using the keyboards to augment inflections in the violin – at a level that makes you feel like he's not using the older stringed instrument at all during some sections, even though it's there in the mix. The set's got a vibe that very much fits with its cover – somewhat lean, with guitar from Pat Thomi, bass from Baron Browne, and percussion and drums from Rayford Griffin. Titles include "Faith In You", "New Resolutions", "No More Doubts", "Metamorphosis", and "Introspective Perceptions". CD