A fantastic update of a classic portable turntable – one that's been a standard on the Japanese market for many years, but which is remade here with even better features! The unit has a red plastic body, with a surprisingly durable level of construction – and it's got a nice built-in speaker that plays nice and loud! Like the others of it's type, this one's got a cover that snaps in place, space for 6 AA batteries, an AC adapter for US current (for when you don't want to use up the batteries), 2 speeds (33 and 45rpm), a headphone jack, and even a pitch control, so you can change the speed of the records! We think these portables are best for taking around when you're out diggin' for vinyl – rather than a replacement for your stereo at home – as the unit is easy to take out and spin wherever you want, even outside or at a party! Plus – and this is even cooler – the turntable comes with a clamp so that you can actually play records upside down. You can even hang the record player on the wall – and play records that way! And unlike the previous version, the headphone jack is in stereo – which is mighty nice too. Also, this unit comes with an improved Audio Technica stylus – and an improved speaker for greater sound. Turntable

Beautiful solo recordings from saxophone genius Ken Vandermark – music that we don't normally hear in such a setting from Ken, given what a strong collaborator he is – and a set that's just a further reminder of the endless depths of his talents! The material was recorded at Vandermark's apartment during the pandemic, but hardly feels like one of those beat-down sessions from that time – as while solo, it's clear that the reedman was driven by a new sense of creativity – as you'll hear these selections of varying length, on a variety of horns, dedicated to some of Vandermark's key inspirations – a long list of heavyweights that includes William S Burroughs and Willem De Kooning. Titles include "Portable Nowhere", "Shared Testament", "Looking Back At Looking Forward", "End The Giraffe Lottery", "Feet On Main", and "Imagine The Paper". CD

A deep look at the electronic music underground in the 60s, 70s, and 80s – not the academic theoreticians who were slaving away in university laboratories, but the more independent, freewheeling talents who were using the initial analogue moment to open up their own boundaries in time and space! The work ranges from unusual 60s instrumentals, through 70s hippie electronics, to some 80s recordings that might have been termed new age by the uninitiated – but which instead, all these years later, stand as some lost moments of cosmic expression! There's few folks we trust to lead us down a musical path as much as the guys at Soul Jazz – and this time, they've definitely taken us in the right direction – with cuts that include "Midnight" by Tim Blake, "Gang (For Rock Industry)" by JB Banfi, "To The Other Side Of The Sky" by Michael Garrison, "By Water" by Stratis, "Improvisation On A Concerto Generator" by Laurie Spiegel, "Starborn Suite (part 1)" by Steven Halpern, "Ceres Motion" by Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company, "As Above So Below" by Carl Matthews, "In The Beginning" by Michael Stearns, "Ever New" by Beverly Glenn-Copeland, "Variations VII Sur Le Theme Des Bene Gesserit" by Richard Pinhas, and "Ancient Stars" by Kevin Braheny. CD

A deep look at the electronic music underground in the 60s, 70s, and 80s – not the academic theoreticians who were slaving away in university laboratories, but the more independent, freewheeling talents who were using the initial analogue moment to open up their own boundaries in time and space! The work ranges from unusual 60s instrumentals, through 70s hippie electronics, to some 80s recordings that might have been termed new age by the uninitiated – but which instead, all these years later, stand as some lost moments of cosmic expression! There's few folks we trust to lead us down a musical path as much as the guys at Soul Jazz – and this time, they've definitely taken us in the right direction – with cuts that include "Midnight" by Tim Blake, "Gang (For Rock Industry)" by JB Banfi, "To The Other Side Of The Sky" by Michael Garrison, "By Water" by Stratis, "Improvisation On A Concerto Generator" by Laurie Spiegel, "Starborn Suite (part 1)" by Steven Halpern, "Ceres Motion" by Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company, "As Above So Below" by Carl Matthews, "In The Beginning" by Michael Stearns, "Ever New" by Beverly Glenn-Copeland, "Variations VII Sur Le Theme Des Bene Gesserit" by Richard Pinhas, and "Ancient Stars" by Kevin Braheny. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare glimpse of the Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane – recorded in Monk's home turf of The Five Spot by Coltrane's wife at the time! The recording was done on a portable tape recorder, but the overall quality is surprisingly strong – not in stereo, but with more than enough depth to capture the interplay between Monk and Coltrane in the more relaxed, open setting of the club. 3 of the tracks on the set are quite long – "Trinkle Trinkle", "In Walked Bud", and "I Mean You" – and they're complemented by 2 shorter tunes – "Epistrophy" and "Crepuscule With Nellie". Group features Roy Haynes on drums and Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass. CD

A massive suitcase full of classic soul from one of the world's most legendary artists – the complete Atlantic Recordings of the great Ray Charles, from 1952-1959 – including a wealth of rare material, a bonus DVD, and an 80 page booklet/historical account! The first 6 discs feature an amazing assemblage of tracks by Ray Charles proper, plus a number of tunes Ray recording backing Milt Jackson and David Newman. Tracks include "The Sun's Gonna Shine Again", "Ray's Blues", "Drown In My Own Tears", "It's All Right", "Lonely Avenue", "Hornful Soul", "That's Enough", "I Want A Little Girl", "How Long Blues" (Milt Jackson & Ray Charles), "Cosmic Ray" (Milt Jackson & Ray Charles), "Bag's Guitar Blues" (Milt Jackson & Ray Charles), "The Spirit Feel" (Live, 1958), "Talkin' 'Bout You" (Live, 1958), "Sherry" (Live, 1958), "Tine Tin Deo" (David Newman), "Sweet Eyes" (David Newman), "Mean To Me" (David Newman), "I'm Movin' On", "I Believe To My Soul" and tons more! Disc 7 features a disc-long rehearsal session with Ahmet Ertegun from 1953, with the tracks "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand", "Nobody Cares", "Worried Life Blues", "Mess Around" and more, including studio banter & dialogue! Disc 8 is a DVD featuring Ray On Voice Of America, 1960 ( Live At The Newport Jazz Festival) featuring the tracks "Lil Darlin'", "Blues Waltz", "Drown In My Tears", "I Believe To My Soul" and more, plus a bonus interview with Ahmet Ertegun before Ray passed away in 2005. A big testament to The Genius!!! CD

Raw North Mississippi blues from Fred McDowell – some of best of the 60s – or any other era! Recorded on portable equipment in 1964 and 1965 sessions in Como and Holy Springs, MS and Berkeley, CA – and capturing the buzz of his guitar and grain in his voice so beautifully! A couple tracks feature a second guitar, and just one has additional voices, allowing McDowell to hook you on his own – and he doesn't let go. Fantastic stuff. Includes "I Ain't Gonna Be Bad No More", "Where Were You", "Do My Baby Ever Think Of Me", "Bull Dog Blues", "Red Cross Store Blues", "You Got To Move", "I Wish I Was In Heaven Sittin Down", "Frisco Lines", "I Looked At The Sun" and more. 12 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

Experimental mastery from Terry Riley – a live recording captured in Paris in 1978 – at a point when he was working in a realm of his own invention, leading up to his benchmark Shri Camel LP! Riley is working here with his Yamaha portable combo organ that he had modified – feeding stereo signals into the digital delay. We'll spare you any more technical jargon, as what's important is the aural atmosphere, and it's a heavy one! There's always a pillow of droning organ tones at the outer edges, chiming bits on the fringes, and Middle East inspired accents at the core, the most linear connection to the coming Shri Camel album. The mood builds from start to finish – and the sound is amazing for a live recording! 10 untitled pieces and it runs pretty close to an hour. CD