A tribute to the late Oscar Peterson – but one that may well smoke more than any recording by the man himself – thanks to rock-solid work on drums from the great Alvin Queen! Queen's spent most of his life away from these shores, but he continues to blow us away with the inventiveness of his approach – a style that's subtle, but which always has that little "something extra" that can make one jazz album stand out from the next – as is definitely the case here! Peterson's position in the trio is handed by Danish pianist Zier Romme Larsen – a gifted player with a nice balance between lyricism and groove – and the bass in the trio is from Ida Hvid, a contemporary of Larsen. Titles include Peterson originals – "Sushi", "Cake Walk", "Wheatland", "Jesus Christ Lies Here Tonight", "The Last Supper", and "When Summer Comes". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of their biggest LPs, this one hardly needs any introduction from us, with the massive hit "Another One Bites The Dust", that appeals to beat diggers and mullet-headed rockers alike! Also includes "Dragon Attack", "Play The Game", "Need Your Loving Tonight", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Rock It (prime jive)", "Don't Try Suicide" and "Sail Away Sweet Sister". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from Queen – a set conceived when the group were already at the top of their game, and willing to not only lean into their strengths, but also take a few chances by slimming things down, and really bringing the focus onto the guitar work, vocals, and heavy rhythms that continue to make the quartet the stuff of legend! Those qualities come through right away on the album's first two tracks – the instant classics "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" – followed by plenty more greatness on titles that include the ultimate take on "Sheer Heart Attack", and the cuts "My Melancholy Blues", "It's Late", "Who Needs You", Fight From The Inside", "Spread Your Wings", "All Dead All Dead", and "Get Down Make Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from Queen – a set conceived when the group were already at the top of their game, and willing to not only lean into their strengths, but also take a few chances by slimming things down, and really bringing the focus onto the guitar work, vocals, and heavy rhythms that continue to make the quartet the stuff of legend! Those qualities come through right away on the album's first two tracks – the instant classics "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" – followed by plenty more greatness on titles that include the ultimate take on "Sheer Heart Attack", and the cuts "My Melancholy Blues", "It's Late", "Who Needs You", Fight From The Inside", "Spread Your Wings", "All Dead All Dead", and "Get Down Make Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a legendary run of records from Queen – a set that's maybe not as archetypically the group's work as mid 70s albums to come – but which is still a hell of a way to put themselves out for the rest of the world to hear! The intensity of their musical performance is already very much in place – heard here on the leadoff stormer "Keep Yourself Alive", which is a great way to begin the record – followed by other tracks penned by Brian May and Freddie Mercury that have a surprisingly diverse array of themes. Titles include "Liar", "My Fairy King", "Great King Rat", "Doing All Right", "Night Comes Down", "Jesus", "Modern Times Rock & Roll", "Son & Daughter", and the early instrumental reading of "Seven Seas Of Rhye". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing soul singer with a sweet jazzy touch – and the debut release from Queen AaMinah, a talent who knocked us for a loop from the very first note! The album's a wonderfully fresh self-produced effort – filled with original tunes written and arranged by Queen, sung in a style that owes something to the advances that have been made in underground soul over the past few years – but which also has these wonderfully jazzy bits that really open up the work a lot, and give it an edge that's especially appealing to our ears – tuned on years of hip hop samples in the post-Tribe era! The whole thing's great – and a wonderful first effort that will have us coming back for more and more over the years. Titles include "Willow", "Luv Trip", "Keepin It Real", "It's Love", "Stylo", "Princess In Exile", and "You Had Your Chance". CD

An amazing soul singer with a sweet jazzy touch – and the debut release from Queen AaMinah, a talent who knocked us for a loop from the very first note! The album's a wonderfully fresh self-produced effort – filled with original tunes written and arranged by Queen, sung in a style that owes something to the advances that have been made in underground soul over the past few years – but which also has these wonderfully jazzy bits that really open up the work a lot, and give it an edge that's especially appealing to our ears – tuned on years of hip hop samples in the post-Tribe era! The whole thing's great – and a wonderful first effort that will have us coming back for more and more over the years. Titles include "Willow", "Luv Trip", "Keepin It Real", "It's Love", "Stylo", "Princess In Exile", and "You Had Your Chance". Expanded edition features bonus and "hidden" tracks "The Dance", "Broken", and "Thank Us". CD

15 cuts including "Black Hand Slide", "Rough. . .", "Bring the Flavor", "Just Another Day" and "UNITY". CD

Queen Samantha offer up a nice mix of modes here – taking on the Box Tops' classic oldie "The Letter", before launching into some originals of their own – all in the best longform disco mode of the TK Records family of labels at their height! The group's singers aren't listed on the back cover, which only notes the musicians on the set – a combo of French players who work with arrangements from Harry Chalkitis – with riffing guitars over driving percussion, all in that tight Euro disco style of the time! The rhythms dominate, but the vocals provide some nice glue to the set – on titles that include "The Letter", "1864", "Don't Stop I Feel Good", and "Singing Hallelujah". CD features the bonus track "The Letter (French album version)". CD

The super-tight second set from French disco act Queen Samantha – a few female singers working with some excellent rhythm players – all on the kind of long-spun grooves that represent the late 70s Euro club scene at its best! All tracks really take time to build – and there's lots of conga work down in there next to the drums and basslines – peppered with plenty of riffing guitar, and served up in a way so that the vocals are more the icing on the cake than the core energy of the album! Titles include "Take A Chance", "Sweet San Francisco", "So Far Away", "What's In Your Mind", "Thank You For Your Love", and "The Look Of Love". CD features the bonus tracks "Sweet San Francisco (French album version)" and "Take A Chance (French album version)". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a legendary run of records from Queen – a set that's maybe not as archetypically the group's work as mid 70s albums to come – but which is still a hell of a way to put themselves out for the rest of the world to hear! The intensity of their musical performance is already very much in place – heard here on the leadoff stormer "Keep Yourself Alive", which is a great way to begin the record – followed by other tracks penned by Brian May and Freddie Mercury that have a surprisingly diverse array of themes. Titles include "Liar", "My Fairy King", "Great King Rat", "Doing All Right", "Night Comes Down", "Jesus", "Modern Times Rock & Roll", "Son & Daughter", and the early instrumental reading of "Seven Seas Of Rhye". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Queen, and a record that definitely has some ties to the prog and hard rock generation from which they emerged – but also a set that clearly has the group really coming into their own! There's a few thematic moments on here that are maybe more fantasy-based than fans of the group's later hits might expect – but they're also delivered with the sort of searing intensity that Brian May can bring to the group, and really driven far past familiar modes by Freddie Mercury's amazing vocals. Titles include the hit vocal version of "Seven Seas Of Rhye" – plus "Ogre Battle", "The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke", "White Queen", "Father To Son", "Some Day One Day", "The Loser In The End", "Funny How Love Is", "The March Of The Black Queen", and "Never More". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from drummer Alvin Queen – spiritual, soulful, and leaping around with joy and magic! The set features a totally hip group – with James Spaulding on alto and flute, Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Billy Saxton on tenor, and John Hicks on piano – and it's got a post-70s sense of soul jazz that's at once laidback and confident, yet still searching and meaningful. Titles include "From Way Back", "One For Booker", "Song Of Courage", and "Naima's Love Song". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hardest-grooving 80s albums from trumpeter Dusko Goykovich – thanks to some great leadership here from drummer Alvin Queen! The record has a fierce groove from the get-go – and like most of the sides issued on Queen's Nilva label, there's a fire and energy here that almost takes us back to hardbop sides from many years before. The rest of the group features excellent tenor sax from Sal Nistico, plus piano from Cees Slinger and bass from Fred Pronk – on tracks that include "Downtown Talk", "Growing Up", "On The Case", and "Professor Sam". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic follow up to Queen's Night At The Opera album – and like that one, a complete sonic masterpiece from start to finish – the kind of record that has the group hitting on all burners, and forging a non-stop blistering assault of sounds that would forever cement their legacy in 70s music! There's not one element here that seems to be amiss, or dominating in the lead – the vocals might shine one minute, guitars the next, drums following – but it's the overall blend and shift of sounds throughout that really keep things exciting. As such, it's almost impossible to single out a key cut or song – because the whole thing works together so well – with selections that include "Tie Your Mother Down", "Long Away", "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy", "White Man", "Somebody To Love", "White Man", "Teo Torriatte", "Drowse", and "You Take My Breath Away". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not ashamed to admit we're big fans of Queen around here, and why shouldn't we be? One of their biggest LPs, this one hardly needs any introduction from us, with the massive hit "Another One Bites The Dust", that appeals to beat diggers and mullet-headed rockers alike! Also includes "Dragon Attack", "Play The Game", "Need Your Loving Tonight", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Rock It (prime jive)", "Don't Try Suicide" and "Sail Away Sweet Sister". CD

Includes "Fat Bottomed Girls", "You're My Best Friend", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Somebody To Love", "Play The Game", "Flash", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Two wonderfully wild cuts from the glory days of P&P Records – both produced by Peter Brown! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really spacey number from the P&P studios – filled with moog alongside the vocals, and set to a snapping boogie-styled groove! Wayne Ford's vocals are fine, but the real attraction here is the production – which has the vocals buried in favor of the cooler instrumental sounds of the tune! "The Best Thing In Life" is very different – a great ballad with a fragile early indie soul quality – sounding almost like something that would have come out of New Jersey in the early 70s! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes "Dancing Queen", "Summer Night City", "Take A Chance On Me", "Knowing Me Knowing You", and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Jam-packed with hit material by this always-popular 70s group – featuring 19 classic tracks that include "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me Knowing You", "Take A Chance On Me", "Mamma Mia", "Super Trouper", "I Have A Dream", "Fernando", "SOS", "Voulez Vous", and "Waterloo". Includes DVD of "ABBA Gold". CD

Greg Allman's excellent solo debut – all the more impressive given that it came out just weeks apart from the Allman Brothers' classic Brothers & Sisters – here's a southern rock legend stepping out and showing different sides of his immense talent around the same time his band was also near a creative peak! Greg's uniquely expressive voice is in the spotlight here, on tunes that touch on laid back southern rock, but gospel blues & soul tinged, too, sans guitar heroics for the most part. Includes the eternally great "Midnight Rider", "Queen Of Hearts", "Please Call Home", "Don't Mess Up A Good Thing", a really cool country rock take on "These Days", "Multi-Colored Lady", "All My Friends" and certainly only of the fresher takes "Will The Circle Be Unbroken". LP, Vinyl record album

Over the years, Babyface has been both a soul act on his own, and a key producer of the work of others – a role he definitely continues here as he opens up the door to welcome in a whole host of younger soul artists! The senior star is very nicely able to let each of the singers stand out on their own – not trying to force them into his own mold, but instead give them each the right individual push to let them shine on their own – in a mighty fresh lineup of cuts that includes "The Recipe" by Muni Long, "Game Over" by Queen Naija, "Liquor" by Ari Lennox, "Seamless" by Kehlani, "Keeps On Fallin" by Ella Mai, "Whatever" by Tink, "Say Less" by Tiana Major 9, "Simple" by Coco Jones, "G Wagon" by Seyvn Streeter & Tkay Maidza, "Don't Even Think About It" by Baby Tate, and Girls Night Out" by Doechii. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one from Badu – one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual narrative in the strongest of these cuts. It's not that she's forgone lyrics, but it's all about the ambience, not radio sing-a-longs. She also dives head first into her organic soul and hip hop hybrid sound a little more sparingly, but still better than most who that followed her lead post-Baduizm. She channels Donald Byrd on the great "Think Twice", which is pretty indicative of the vibe as a whole. The groove is sorta mellow, but in a very tripped-out way, with deep organ washes and synth tones, scratchy soul guitar, and crisp organic beats. There's an appearance by Dead Prez on "Steady On The Grind", and a really sweet old school flavored remake of the great "Love Of My Life" track from the Brown Sugar soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Bahamadia, but for the most part Erykah is sweating soul on her own spiritual plane here. It's gonna take a little while to sink in, but this may be her best album (despite whatever naysaying BS you may read in mainstream reviews.) Tracks include "Bump It", the great single "Danger", "Woo", "Back In The Day" and "I Want You". LP, Vinyl record album

The long-overdue debut as a leader from Adam Blackstone – an artist who's served as musical director for a fair bit of bigger acts, and finally gets a chance to join them in the spotlight with this release! Blackstone's a bassist, but also has a multi-instrumental capability, and is a hell of a producer too – and for the set, he draws on his larger background in both soul and jazz music, opening the door to friends from the Philly scene and a fair bit of other big names too! There's an equal balance between jazzy instrumentation and soulful vocals on the record – thanks to work from guests who include Leslie Odom Jr, Robert Glasper, Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan, Will Pass, Jazzy Jeff, John Scofield, Queen Latifah, and Terrace Martin – a nicely varied lot who keep things interesting on titles that include "Lost", "Back On The Strip", "Amongst The Stars", "New Day", "Legacy", "The Storm Will Pass", "My Winger", and "Biggest Greatest Thing". CD

A massive tribute to the long career of Dennis Bovell – the British artist who first rose up in the late 70s group Matumbi, then went on to share his production talents with a host of other artists in the decades that followed! This double-length set brings together a career-spanning set of tracks that all were handled by Bovell – a first half that features his own recordings under a number of groups, and a second half that features Bovell production and studio work with a range of other artists too – including some rare and unissued material, in a package put together by Dennis himself! Titles include the Bovell cuts "Choose Me" with African Stone, "Za Lon" with 4th Street Orchestra, "Blood Ah Go Run" by Matumbi, and cuts "Brain Damage", "Chief Inspector", "Dub Master", "Silly Dub", "Caught You In A Lie", and "Oh Mama Oh Papa" – all issued under Bovell's name. The second half features titles that include "African Queen" by Errol Campbell, "Africa Is Our Land" by Joshua Moses, "Take Five" by Young Lions, "Hooked On You" by Delroy Wilson, "Differentah" by Errol Dunkley with Julio Finn, "Silly Games" by Janet Kay, "Get Up Stand Up" by I Roy, and "Can't Go Through With Life (dancehall version)" by Marie Pierre. LP, Vinyl record album

There's no denying that Hunky Dory is one of the most significant albums ever in the catalog of David Bowie – a real turning point that pushed both his songwriting and performance to a whole new level! And while the core album is completely wonderful, and one of our favorite Bowie albums ever – this package brings forth new material from the same period – showing some alternate versions of songs pulled both from the sessions, and an early promo album – all at a level that definitely lives up to the promise of the title! Tracks include "Changes (alt mix)", "Oh You Pretty Things (Bowpromo mix)", "Eight Line Poem (Bowpromo mix)", "Life On Mars (original ending)", "Kooks (Bowpromo mix)", "Quicksand (early version)", "Fill Your Heart (alt mix)", "Bombers (alt mix)", "Andy Warhol (original mix with alt intro)", "Song For Bob Dylan (alt mix)", "Queen Bitch (Bowpromo mix)", and "Bewlay Brothers (alt mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly David Bowie's first complete moment of genius – an incredibly-formed album that's filled with tunes beyond definition and description! There's still some traces of the earlier madman in the mix, but the overall sound is much more rock-heavy – although not without the fuzzed-up and full-on guitars of Space Oddity or Man Who Sold the World – and often augmented with a bit of strings and softer touches that really bring out the humanity in the songs. The balance here is amazing – as is the fact that a few short years before, Bowie was singing "The Laughing Gnome", but is here one of the most sensitive songwriters of his generation. Tunes are quirky and personal, and titles include "Changes", "Oh You Pretty Things", "Andy Warhol", "Life On Mars", "Kooks", and "Queen Bitch". LP, Vinyl record album

Johnny Hodges sits in with trombonist Lawrence Brown and his all-star group that includes Harold Ashby on tenor, Ray Nance on coronet, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Cat Anderson on trumpet. As you'd expect, this set's got a strong swing vibe and a good Basie groove to it. Tracks are short, with good ensemble playing, and titles include "Ruint", "Sassy Cue", "Stompy Jones", and "Good Queen Bess". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from disco superstar Peter Brown – and a batch of tracks that's a bit less clubby than before! Brown's emerging here more as a fully-fledged pop singer in his own right – showing at least a bit of confidence by putting himself on the front cover this time around, even though his back is to the camera! The tunes are catchy, and co-produced with Cory Wade – who'd helped so strongly with Brown's Fantasy Love Affair classic for TK Records – and there's plenty of that sweetly compressed production in this set too. Titles include the crossover classic "Love In Our Hearts" – which almost has a Queen-like chanting groove – plus "Penguin", "West Of The North Star", "Leadmeon", "Got To Get The Show On The Road", "It's Alright", and "Crank It Up". CD

A mighty nice early album from Jimmy Cliff – a set that's maybe not as well-known as his massive hits of the 70s, but which definitely sets the tone for all the greatness to come! Jimmy's voice already has this raw, righteous power that's incredible – trained in the soul of the rocksteady generation, but given all these nice lean production touches that were handled by Cliff himself – clearly already really getting his ears around the best aspects of the forces available at Dynamic Studios! There's some key ringers in the set – including Winston Wright on organ and Tommy McCook on tenor – and The Heptones provide some mighty nice backing vocals too. The whole thing has a much rawer sound than you might guess for a record on a major label – and titles include "Black Queen", "Be True", "Oh Jamaica", "Commercialization", "The Price Of Peace", "Poor Slave", and "Rip Off". CD

Really fantastic material from tenor genius George Coleman – the kind of set that really lets the leader open up and let his light shine – at a level that doesn't always happen on some of his other dates as a leader! When George Coleman is on, he's really on – and that's definitely the case here, as he soars out alongside superb backing from Harold Mabern on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Alvin Queen on drums. As with other Theresa Records releases from the time, the vibe here is a lot more 70s than you'd guess from the date of recording – and titles include "Laig Gobblin Blues", "IO", "They Say It's Wonderful", "Father", "Soul Eyes", and "Up Jumped Spring". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning early moment in the long career of reedman Idris Ackamoor – music that predates his famous 70s work with The Pyramids, but which came from the same Ohio scene – an early collective of spiritual jazz players who are captured here in an amazing live performance! Unlike work by The Pyramids, The Collective were never issued on record at the time – yet they've got a tremendously powerful blend of spiritual currents and avant ideas – always skating the line between inside and out, structure and freedom – with work from Ackamoor on alto, Margaux Simmons on flute, Steve Rumboat on French Horn, Lester Knibbs on piano, Greg LaMont Wright on soprano, and Steve Maniscoso on percussion. Titles include "Beginning Roots", "The Shepherd's Tune", "Idrissa's Dream", "Black Queen", and "Veil Of Solitude". CD

One of Larry Coryell's greatest albums ever! Barefoot Boy is a much more expansive session than some of Coryell's others, fueled in part by the spiritual intensity of the Impulse Records generation. It's got a momentum that's pretty darn exciting throughout – but the compositions are nice and long, which gives the players plenty of space to explore. Personnel includes Steve Marcus on tenor and soprano sax, Mike Mandel on piano, Roy Haynes on drums, and Larry Killian on congas – working with Coryell on long trippy tracks that remind us a bit of 60s work by Chico Hamilton, Charles Lloyd, and Gabor Szabo. Titles include "Call To The Higher Consciousness", "The Great Escape", and "Gypsy Queen". CD

Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alvin Queen on drums. CD