A very soulful set of big band material from Quincy Jones – recorded during that tight early 60s period when his arrangements just couldn't fail! The album's his only session for Impulse, and it's got a slightly deeper style than his work from the time for Mercury – a bit more sophisticated, with nice modern touches that take the tunes in surprising directions. Part of the greatness of the set lies in the players – as the album features work by Curtis Fuller, Thad Jones, Stu Martin, Freddie Hubbard, Patty Brown, Phil Woods, and Jerome Richardson – and titles include "Robot Portrait", "Hard Sock Dance", "The Twitch", and "For Lena & Lennie". CD

A very soulful set of big band material from Quincy Jones – recorded during that tight early 60s period when his arrangements just couldn't fail! The album's his only session for Impulse, and it's got a slightly deeper style than his work from the time for Mercury – a bit more sophisticated, with nice modern touches that take the tunes in surprising directions. Part of the greatness of the set lies in the players – as the album features work by Curtis Fuller, Thad Jones, Stu Martin, Freddie Hubbard, Patty Brown, Phil Woods, and Jerome Richardson – and titles include "Robot Portrait", "Hard Sock Dance", "The Twitch", and "For Lena & Lennie". LP, Vinyl record album

Quincy Jones may be best remembered for his funky soundtrack work of the 70s – but the man can also hit a deeper, more serious vein when he wants – as he does on this ambitious album-length project inspired by the landmark Roots mini-series! The music isn't a straight soundtrack from the program, but instead evokes the longer narrative over the passage of its different selections – working as its own "saga of an American family", as it moves from African roots, through years of oppression, to moments of pride and power – amidst larger orchestrations from Jones, with help from Letta Mbulu on some key vocals, and more help from Bill Summers, James Cleveland, and even Lou Gossett. Titles include "Many Rains", "Free At Last", "Jumpin De Broom", "Ole Fiddler", "Boyhood To Manhood", "Oluwa", and "Motherland". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The Dude at the height of his powers – serving up a smooth blend of soul and jazz that set the standard for an entire generation! As with some of his other 70s albums, Quincy's working here with a host of great talents that make the record sizzle – guests that include Hubert Laws, Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Luther Vandross, Gwen Guthrie, Eric Gale, and others – all of whom put their egos aside, and bring their best bits to the table working under Quincy's guidance! The album includes a great version of "Superwoman", plus the tracks "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Love Me By Name", and "Love, I Never Had it So Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky Q for the 70s – easily one of the coolest albums ever from Quincy Jones! The album's got a very heavy electric vibe – one that's kind of a laidback take on the styles that Jones was forging in some of his 70s soundtrack work – served up with massive work on the keyboards from Dave Grusin and Bob James, the latter of whom brings some of his own CTI vibe strongly into play! The basslines are great too – often dipping, stepping, and turning wonderfully – keeping things laidback and mellow, but always making for some sort of a groove, even on the slower tracks too. There's just a bit of vocals on the record – handled by Valerie Simpson on two tracks, and Quincy on another – but the main focus here is on the instrumentation, which is completely sublime. Titles include Quincy's great remake of "Summer In The City", an oft-sought sample track – plus versions of "Superstition", "Daydreaming", and "You've Got It Bad Girl" – and the great originals "Chump Change", "Love Theme From The Getaway", "Eyes Of Love", and "Sanford & Son Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

This cool album from the early 60's has Andy singing a set of French stuff, recorded in France, with orchestral backing by Quincy Jones! As usual, Quincy gives the set a nice hip touch, and that, combined with a cool set of French compositions, makes for a very groovy album of vocals. Titles include "Under Paris Skies", "Domino", "April In Paris", "Comme Ci, Comme Ca", and "Boom". LP, Vinyl record album

A hard to find soundtrack for this famous TV show – featuring Quincy Jones' great theme to the show, offered up here in a 50 second version, plus lots of little bits taken straight off the TV. Titles include "Lamont's Wedding", "That's Poor", "Fred's Birthday", "Social Security", "Ugly White Woman", and "We Were Robbed". Nice cover image, too! LP, Vinyl record album

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Features a long list of guest artists including Sarah Vaughan, Barry White, Al B Sure, EL DeBarge, James Moody, Toots Thielemans, Patti Austin, Michael Jackson, James Ingram, and George Benson. CD

Notable sidemen include Julius Watkins on French horn, Les Spann on guitar and flute, Phil Woods and Sahib Shihab on saxophones, Melba Liston on trombones, and Clark Terry on trumpet. CD

A hip little collection of funky work from Quincy Jones – nearly all of it from his key 70s years on A&M Records! The vibe here is totally great – possibly the best-remembered sound of the Q, recorded at a time when he was also gracing the world with a fair bit of funky soundtracks too! The music is rooted in Jones' earlier big band modes, but opens itself up to 70s funk and soul strongly – all in the hippest way possible, with a range of different styles that really expand the sound. There's a fair bit of electric elements mingling with the acoustic ones – and the track selection includes a number of Quincy's most-sampled tunes over the years. Titles include "Brown Ballad", "I Never Told You", "Eyes Of Love", "Summer In The City", "Along Came Betty", "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Velas", "Stuff Like That", "Superwoman", "You've Got It Bad Girl", and "Walkin". CD

One of the greatest Quincy Jones albums of all time! The record's a spacey jazz masterpiece – and it combine's Quincy's soulful soundtrack vision with the excellent production talents of Creed Taylor, for a monster album of long drawn out cuts that mix soul jazz with more sophisticated arrangements! Bob James plays electric piano on a number of cuts, and in a way, the record's kind of a blueprint for some of James' later CTI albums. Titles include "Killer Joe", "Dead End", "Walking In Space", and "Love & Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

2 of Quincy Jones' groundbreaking 60s soundtracks on one CD! The material here isn't funky like his 70's work, and shows Quincy more in a dark brooding thriller vein. The Pawnbroker score has an orchestra filled with great jazz players like Freddie Hubbard, Anthony Ortega, Oliver Nelson, Elvin Jones, and others – and it also features a vocal performance by Sarah Vaughan on the bonus 45 rpm issue of the film's main theme. Other titles include "Harlem Drive", "Naked Truth", "Rack 'Em Up", and "Death Scene". Even better, though is The Deadly Affair – a sublime soundtrack from Quincy! The score has a great approach that mixes crime jazz tunes with breezier numbers – inflected with a nice bossa sound, and a cool "jazz over the top" style that makes the melodies linger nicely long after they're done! Astrud Gilberto sings the wonderful cut "Who Needs Forever" – and other tracks include "Blondie Tails", "Instrumental Main Theme 2", "Ridiculous Scene", "Bobb's At Gunpoint", and "Dieter's First Mistake".There's a total of 23 cuts in all, which makes for a nice full CD of groovy soundtrack material! CD

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One of Quincy Jones' best soundtracks of the 70s – a massively funky record that's full of the kind of hip electric grooves you always look for on some of his other albums, but don't always find in such strong supply! The lineup here is great – wicked guitar lines from Arthur Adams and David T Walker, keyboards from Clare Fischer, and heavy drums from the great Paul Humphrey – and the whole thing follows nicely in a "Hicky Burr" sort of mode – with some especially nice Fender Rhodes moments in the mix! There's a few more complicated cuts that really round out the sound wonderfully – and the whole thing has had a heck of a lot more staying power than the film! Heck, even the appearance of Little Richard on vocals at a few points sounds surprisingly great – and titles include the classic sample cut "Snow Creatures", which has an amazing intro and a very dark mood – next to other cuts that include "Passin The Buck", "Rubber Ducky", "Money Is", "Do It Do It", and "Money Runner". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard-driving live work from Quincy Jones – material recorded during one of the most productive, creative years of his large jazz ensemble! Material is from a very hip all-star group – and in addition to the sorts of tracks that Quincy was doing for ABC and Mercury during the period, there's also some longer, extended tunes that really showcase the growing complexity of Quincy's music – and that visionary quality that would make him one of the hippest bandleaders in the world by the end of the 60s! Players include Sahib Shihab on baritone, Phil Woods on alto, Budd Johnson and Eric Dixon on tenor, Freddie Hubbard and Benny Bailey on trumpets, Melba Liston and Curtis Fuller on trombones, Les Spann on guitar and flute, Patti Brown on piano, Stu Martin on drums, and Patato Valdes on congas – and long tracks include extended takes on "Stolen Moments"," Africana", and "Banja Luka" – plus other titles that include "Gwan Train", "Moanin", "Solitude", "Caravan", "Boy In The Tree", and "Summertime". CD

The film may not have been a classic, but the soundtrack is a cinematic gem from Quincy Jones – a record that's full of great soul and jazz touches – with vocal work from Nate Turner, The Mirettes, Ernestine Anderson, The Pree Sisters, and Venetta Fields! The set's maybe best remembered for the funky instrumental cut "Main Squeeze" – alongside other instrumentals that include "Slum Creeper" and "Up Against the Wall" – plus vocal cuts "Try Try Try", "He'll Wash You Whiter Than Snow", "He Says He Loves Me", "Rap Run It On Down", and "Sweet Soul Sisters". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album that's a perfect document of the strong impact that Quincy Jones had in the transatlantic jazz scene of the late 50s and early 60s. The set was recorded in 1960, and features two players that Quincy would leave behind in Europe to have a huge influence on the scene. Trumpeter Benny Bailey is the greatest of these – and his impact on jazz in Germany and Sweden during the 60s and 70s cannot be discounted. The other is drummer Joe Harris, who does excellent work here in a group that includes Arne Domnerus on sax, Ake Persson on trombone, and Gunnar Svensson on piano – all Swedes that Quincy picked up after touring the country heavily during the late 50s. The set grooves with the best of Jones' work on Mercury from the time – and although Quincy's not listed in the credits, it's probably only because of contractual reasons. Titles are all Jones originals – including "Meet Benny Bailey", "Plenty, Plenty Soul", "Fallen Feathers", and "The Midnight Sun Never Sets". CD

Two gems by Sonny Stitt! The first set features Sonny blowing clean and soulfully, over larger arrangements by Johnny Richards – in a format that's quite different than any of his other records! The Richards touch is wonderful here – mellow and warm, with some Kentonite styles, but cleaner and leaner, in a way that works perfectly with Stitt's horn. Titles include "Hooke's Tours", "Loose Walk", "Pink Satin", "Opus 202", "Sweet & Lovely", and "Sancho Pozo". The second album features Sonny plus the early genius of Quincy Jones – a really great combination that makes for a standout session on Roost! As you might guess with Quincy handling the arrangements, the group here is bigger than usual for Stitt – especially given that the bulk of his Roost sessions were small group ones – but that aspect makes for a really strong record here, one that has Sonny's alto soaring out over the top of some hiply swinging Jones' charts, already infused with the kind of soul that would burst forth more famously in the 60s. Titles include a few nice originals, like "Quince" and "Sonny's Bunny", but even on the standards – like "Stardust", "Lover", and "Love Walked In" – Stitt's in top form, and solos with creativity and imagination that show him at the top of his talents! CD

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Sonny Stitt plus the early genius of Quincy Jones – a really great combination that makes for a standout session on Roost! As you might guess with Quincy handling the arrangements, the group here is bigger than usual for Stitt – especially given that the bulk of his Roost sessions were small group ones – but that aspect makes for a really strong record here, one that has Sonny's alto soaring out over the top of some hiply swinging Jones' charts, already infused with the kind of soul that would burst forth more famously in the 60s. Titles include a few nice originals, like "Quince" and "Sonny's Bunny", but even on the standards – like "Stardust", "Lover", and "Love Walked In" – Stitt's in top form, and solos with creativity and imagination that show him at the top of his talents! LP, Vinyl record album

This 1979 solo album by Michael is a killer batch of soul grooves – one of his best moments ever, and a crowning cap to a stellar 70s run – both as a younger solo act, and with the whole Jackson family! Quincy Jones produced, and the album's got a funky undercurrent that's really stunning – clubby, yet plenty darn soulful, with a wickedly sly groove that others would try to copy for years, but never fully match. Titles include seminal groovers like "Rock With You", "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", "Working Day And Night", "Girlfriend", "Off The Wall", "Burn This Disco Out" and more. Amazing amazing amazing work from the to-be-coronated King Of Pop! LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably the last true moment of genius in Michael Jackson's career – a record that sold a bazillion copies around the world – and for plenty good reason! Michael's still working here with Quincy Jones – in territory that steps nicely from the Off The Wall groove, into territory that's somewhat more poppy, but still quite soulful overall. And yes, the success of the album meant that cuts like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", and "Beat It" got plenty of play – thanks to both heavy radio and video rotation – but a few decades later, there's still a tremendous amount of depth here – on great cuts like "Human Nature", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", and "PYT" – which all hold up nicely! LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably the last true moment of genius in Michael Jackson's career – a record that sold a bazillion copies around the world – and for plenty good reason! Michael's still working here with Quincy Jones – in territory that steps nicely from the Off The Wall groove, into territory that's somewhat more poppy, but still quite soulful overall. And yes, the success of the album meant that cuts like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", and "Beat It" got plenty of play – thanks to both heavy radio and video rotation – but a few decades later, there's still a tremendous amount of depth here – on great cuts like "Human Nature", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", and "PYT" – which all hold up nicely! LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably the last true moment of genius in Michael Jackson's career – a record that sold a bazillion copies around the world – and for plenty good reason! Michael's still working here with Quincy Jones – in territory that steps nicely from the Off The Wall groove, into territory that's somewhat more poppy, but still quite soulful overall. And yes, the success of the album meant that cuts like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", and "Beat It" got plenty of play – thanks to both heavy radio and video rotation – but a few decades later, there's still a tremendous amount of depth here – on great cuts like "Human Nature", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", and "PYT" – which all hold up nicely! CD

Arguably the last true moment of genius in Michael Jackson's career – a record that sold a bazillion copies around the world – and for plenty good reason! Michael's still working here with Quincy Jones – in territory that steps nicely from the Off The Wall groove, into territory that's somewhat more poppy, but still quite soulful overall. And yes, the success of the album meant that cuts like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", and "Beat It" got plenty of play – thanks to both heavy radio and video rotation – but a few decades later, there's still a tremendous amount of depth here – on great cuts like "Human Nature", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", and "PYT" – which all hold up nicely! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful setting for the vibes of Milt Jackson – a record that has his sublime chromatic sound stepping out in front of fuller orchestrations from Quincy Jones – never overdone, but with just the right sort of soulful focus to send Milt over the top! The album's an early example of the great solo path that Jackson would pursue more strongly in the 60s – work away from the MJQ that showed that he may well have been the most multi-faceted member of that group. Barry Galbraith plays guitar on many tracks – and his light hues are a perfect complement to the vibes – on titles that include "The Cylinder", "Makin Whoopee", "Alone Together", "Tenderly", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Nuages", "Deep In A Dream", "I'm A Fool To Want You", "The Midnight Will Never Set", and "Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Michael Jackson's last albums with his famous brothers – a record that was cut in between the two Quincy Jones albums (Off The Wall and Thriller) that would catapult him to megastardom! This set is still an all-Jacksons affair – produced and written by the whole group, and put together with some of those uptempo groovers that both Michael and Jermaine would showcase heavily in their own solo work. The sound's a nice extension of the late 70s Jacksons vibe, peppered with some of Michael's new strengths – and titles include "Can You Feel It", "Lovely One", "Your Ways", "Everybody", "This Place Hotel", "Give It Up", and "Wondering Who". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Michael Jackson's last albums with his famous brothers – a record that was cut in between the two Quincy Jones albums (Off The Wall and Thriller) that would catapult him to megastardom! This set is still an all-Jacksons affair – produced and written by the whole group, and put together with some of those uptempo groovers that both Michael and Jermaine would showcase heavily in their own solo work. The sound's a nice extension of the late 70s Jacksons vibe, peppered with some of Michael's new strengths – and titles include "Can You Feel It", "Lovely One", "Your Ways", "Everybody", "This Place Hotel", "Give It Up", and "Wondering Who". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "This Place Hotel (single version)", "Walk Right Now (John Luongo disco mix)", and "Walk Right Now (John Luongo inst mix)". CD

Early early work by Bob James – recorded years before his classic 70s sides on electric piano, and in a brightly modern mode that recalls the spirit of Steve Kuhn and Paul Bley at the time! The set's a trio session – produced by Quincy Jones, who'd heard the young James and rushed him into the studio. Bob's playing in a group that includes Ron Brooks on bass, and the great Bob Pozar on drums – who went onto do some of his own excellent avant work in later years. The tracks are relatively straight, but have some nice jagged edges at times – and light experimentation that makes the set way more than just a standard piano trio session! Titles include "My Love", "Moment's Notice", "Quest", "Trilogy", "Nardis", and "Birk's Works". LP, Vinyl record album

BB King at his late 60s best – working here in the company of producers Johnny Pate and Quincy Jones, and serving up a great blend of blues and soul in the process! The set's less a "best of", than a collection of ABC work that doesn't seem to be on the other full albums of the time – mostly produced by Johnny Pate, with those great Chicago soul touches that helped his work with King really cross new boundaries – and finally give BB the kind of full, forceful approach that Bobby Blue Bland had been getting for years. The Quincy Jones cuts are two from the soundtrack to For Love Of Ivy – both pretty groovy, with a socking soul punch – and titles on the full album include "Tired Of Your Jive", "Don't Answer The Door", "The BB Jones", "Paying The Cost To Be The Boss", "All Over Again", "I Don't Want You Cutting Off Your Hair", "Sweet Sixteen", "Meet My Happiness", and "You Put It On Me". CD

A great set from James Moody, nice and edgey, with his genius firmly in place – and done at a time when he was moving past straight bop, and into some more sophisticated modes! Quincy Jones handled the arrangements, and the group swings in a variety of modes. Moody's on alto and tenor – no flute yet at this point – and highlights include "Workshop", a great number with vocals by Eddie Jefferson, one of his best vocalese tracks from the early years, and never issued on any of his own LPs. Other tracks include "Blues In The Closet", "Keepin Up With Jonesy", "I'm Gone", "Mambo With Moody", and "Nobody Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

Really wicked stuff – and the greatest album from Sam Paglia to date! Sam's really honed his classic 60s organ sound to a "T" for this one – grooving in a manner that sounds a heck of a lot like famous soundtrack work by Quincy Jones or Lalo Schifrin (no surprise, he covers tracks by both in the set of mostly original tunes!) The grooves are nice and lean, with plenty of organ in the lead – and styles run from 60s mod to 70s funky, with lots of nice twists! Titles include "Bullitt", "Suspense", "Room 26", "Black Loop", "Organsm", "Introduction", "Return Of Lo Blanco", "BBQ", and "Sanford & Son". CD

Tighter than usual for Buddy Rich at Verve – but still a great little set, thanks to some soulfully swinging arrangements from Ernie Wilkins – who was really at the top of his game at this point in his career! The lineup is filled with great players – including Phil Woods, Harry Edison, Al Cohn, and Benny Golson – and in a way, the record almost grooves with some of the same energy that Quincy Jones was bringing to his big band records of the time – save for a bit more emphasis on the drums! Titles include "Yardbird Suite", "Richcraft", "From The Sticks", "Song Of The Islands", and "Sweets Tooth". LP, Vinyl record album

Co-produced with Quincy Jones and featuring guest vocals from Ibeyi. CD

A definite masterjam from Chaka Khan and Rufus – one of the group's last key efforts together – produced to perfection by the mighty Quincy Jones! Chaka's vocals are sublime right from the start – taking on the soaring majesty she'd use on her initial solo recordings – and the group's tighter than ever – really hitting the right mix of jazzy funk and soul to make the whole thing come together perfectly. Greatness like this only gets better with years – and this sweet little album is more than proof of that fact! Tracks include a version of "Body Heat", plus "Heaven Bound", "Live In Me", "Any Love", "Do You Love What You Feel", and "What Am I Missing". CD

An excellent 70s funky thriller soundtrack! This one's been a lost gem for sample freaks for years – and no wonder, since it's filled with funky riffing, tight rhythm tracks, and fierce horn blasts. The score was written by David Shire to accompany a thriller about some guys who hijack a subway in New York – and it feels like similar work from the time by Quincy Jones or Roy Budd! The tracks really vary in length – from short moody atmospheric numbers, to longer flat-out jazzy ones – and the soundtrack's just about impossible to find in any other form. Titles include "Goodbye Hippie", "Mini Manhunt", "The Taking", "More Taking", "Money Montage", "I Am Police Officer", and "Blue Green Talk". CD

An excellent 70s funky thriller soundtrack! This one's been a lost gem for sample freaks for years – and no wonder, since it's filled with funky riffing, tight rhythm tracks, and fierce horn blasts. The score was written by David Shire to accompany a thriller about some guys who hijack a subway in New York – and it feels like similar work from the time by Quincy Jones or Roy Budd. The tracks really vary in length – from short moody atmospheric numbers, to longer flat-out jazzy ones – and the soundtrack's just about impossible to find in any other form. Titles include "Goodbye Hippie", "Mini Manhunt", "The Taking", "More Taking", "Money Montage", "I Am Police Officer", and "Blue Green Talk". CD

One of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! Frank's backed here by the orchestra of Count Basie, with some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. The move seems to be an unintentional way of covering for Frank's slightly failing pipes – but it also picks up on a seminal beat change in 60s pop, the same sort of gentle snapping groove that you'd find in the best work by Bacharach, a shift that really infuses Frank's vocals with a whole new sound, one that shows that he's ready to keep on growing and growing after being stuck in a Nelson Riddle rut. All tracks are superb – hip 60s pop and showtunes, like "I Believe In You", "Fly Me To the Moon", "More", "The Good Life", "Wives & Lovers", and "I Wanna Be Around". CD

A classic Vegas moment for Sinatra – with accompaniment by Count Basie, and arrangements from Quincy Jones, to boot! The set features some great spoken bits – really one of the first chances the American mainstream got to taste the Vegas vibe – and titles include "It Was A Very Good Year", "Fly Me To The Moon", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Come Fly With Me", "Street Of Dreams", "One For My Baby", and "My Kind Of Town" – plus the previously unreleased track "Luck Be A Lady". CD

A really wonderful collection of work from the legendary Toots Thielemans – a set that spans decades, and labels, to bring together a host of Toot's best performances ever! Despite the "today" in the title, most of the work here is from "yesterday" – pulled from the postwar jazz years, on up through Toots' 60s American appearances, his 70s session magic, and his 80s return to jazz – a really rich legacy in music that has him working here with Quincy Jones, George Shearing, Dick Hyman, Elis Regina, Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, Gary McFarland, Sivuca, Mulgrew Miller, Shirley Horn, and a host of European jazz talents as well! Thielemans' playing is perfect throughout – whether on harmonica, guitar, or some of his famous jazz whistling too – and titles include "Spartacus Love Theme", "Midnight Sun", "Circle Of Smiles", "Chump Change", "Love Theme From The Getaway", "Barquinho", "Mr Nashville", "Caravan", "Cool & Easy", "Nalen Boogie", "Dynamite", and "Big Bossa". 38 tracks on 2CDs! CD

A treasure trove of barely-heard music from two of the most unique players on the European scene of the 70s – Fender Rhodes giant Rob Franken, and harmonica jazz maestro Toots Thielemans – two players who sound better here in the company of each other than they do on their own! Thielemans had been making music for many years before these sessions – but as the 70s hit, the electric piano really opened up new colors and tones in his instrument – heard most famously on his performances with Quincy Jones, and some of his soundtrack material – but actually even more amazing here alongside Franken – as the combination of chromatic harmonica and Fender Rhodes is completely sublime! The tracks were recorded as part of a series of sound library sessions that Rob organized – titled Functional Music – and the huge set features material from a number of different sessions done under that aegis. CD1 features 20 tracks under the heading of Nature Boy from 1981 and 1982 – with Franken on Rhodes, Toots on harmonica, Theo De Jong on bass, and Bruno Castellucci on drums. CD2 is titled Absorbed Love – and features six tracks from 1978 with Toots and Franken – and James Leary on bass, Eddie Marshall on drums, and tenor and flute on a few cuts from the great Ferdinand Povel – followed by fifteen more titles from 1974 with a different Thielemans/Franken lineup that features Joop Scholten on guitar, Wim Essed on bass, and Peter Ypma on drums. CD3 is titled Together, from 1973 – and mostly features Thielemans on guitar and harmonica, Franken on Fender Rhodes, Rob Langereis on bass, and Eric Ineke on drums. 59 tracks in all – and a detailed book of notes! CD

A really rich album by Sarah Vaughan – recorded in Paris in 1958, with orchestrations by Quincy Jones – and large group backing that includes some great tenor work by Zoot Sims! The session's one of Vaughan's most cohesive albums of the period, and although it's got "violins" in the title, it's not too drippy or sleepy, thanks to Quincy – who keeps the whole thing moving along nicely, with just the right amount of swing and soul to work perfectly with Vaughan's vocals! Titles include "Live For Love", "Please Be Kind", "I'll Close My Eyes", "That's All", "Day By Day", "The Thrill Is Gone", and "Love Me". CD

A really rich album by Sarah Vaughan – recorded in Paris in 1958, with orchestrations by Quincy Jones – and large group backing that includes some great tenor work by Zoot Sims! The session's one of Vaughan's most cohesive albums of the period, and although it's got "violins" in the title, it's not too drippy or sleepy, thanks to Quincy – who keeps the whole thing moving along nicely, with just the right amount of swing and soul to work perfectly with Vaughan's vocals! Titles include "Live For Love", "Please Be Kind", "I'll Close My Eyes", "That's All", "Day By Day", "The Thrill Is Gone", and "Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughan gets some great backings here from Quincy Jones – who brings a nice sort of punch to the record, and makes it one of her grooviest from the early 60s! The style's still somewhat traditional – not as much in moddish Jones modes from a few years later – but there's already that strong sense of syncopation that really sets Quincy's charts apart, the same sort of rhythms he brought to his Reprise arrangements for Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, although not as Basie-bombastic overall. Vaughan's vocals are still beautifully smooth in the setting, and titles include "I Could Write A Book", "Maria", "Baubles Bangles & Beads", "So Long", "You're Mine You", "Fly Me To The Moon", "Moonglow", and "Invitation". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "One Mint Julep" and "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean". CD

With 17 tracks including "Star Dust", "Willow Weep For Me", "Darn That Dream", "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)", "Don't Explain", and "Unforgettable". Includes work with Clark Terry, Wynton Kelly, Jack Wilson, Clifford Brown, and Quincy Jones. CD

A cool session from Cootie Williams – working here as a vocalist as much as a trumpeter, often in the company of female singer Wini Brown! The set has both singers working together on some hip duets, then stepping apart and working on their own for some tracks too – an approach that's a bit like the Louis Armstrong/Ella Fitzgerald recordings over at Verve, but handled here with a bit more swing overall! Arrangements are by Quincy Jones, who knows how to make the record move nicely – and who also keeps things away from any too-hokey territory – and titles include "Around Midnight", "Bewitched", "That Old Feeling", "Goin Around", "Lover", and "Gone Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful celebration of the long-running Ecoutez Le Cinema series – a book-styled package that brings together dozens of rare and classic soundtrack tunes, plus a big booklet of notes! The CDs feature titles from across the series – 2CDs' worth of music from dozens of films, handled by top-shelf composers who include Lalo Shifrin, Quincy Jones, Michel Magne, Antoine Duhamel, Georges Delerue, Alain Goraguer, Martial Solal, Michel Legrand, Eric Demarsan, Francois De Roubaix, Krzystof Komeda, Jimmy Smith, Jean Claude-Vannier, and many others – with the strong focus on French film score artists that we've always loved in the series. The book is 90 pages, in full color, with lots of images of films and composers –and essays that bring together two different talents – Martial Solal on Jean Luc Godard, Alain Goraguer on Serge Gainsbourg, Costa Gavras on Michel Magne, Lalo Schifrin on Rene Clement, and so on. All these essays are in French, but the other contents are very enjoyable from a language-less perspective! CD

Includes tracks by Percy Faith, Perry Como, Arthur Lyman, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Quincy Jones, Elvis Presley, and original music by David Holmes. CD

A killer batch of breaks from the same folks who gave us the Tribe Vibes and Pete's Treats sets! As with those, this compilation is based around tracks sampled by a famous hip hop act – Mobb Deep to be exact, running through tunes used for classics like "Shook Ones", "GOD Part III", "Street Life", "Temperature's Rising", and lots more! There's a total of 26 tracks on 2LPs – with a range of great 70s titles that includes "Tony's Theme (part 2)" by Giorgio Moroder, "I'm Gonna Love You" by The Rascals, "The Windmills Of Your Mind" by Jose Feliciano, "I Remember I Made You Cry" by The Headhunters, "Ironside" by Quincy Jones, "Love & Happiness" by Al Green, "That's All Right With Me" by Esther Phillips, "You Are My Starship" by Norman Connors, "I'm Tired Of Giving" by The Spinners, "Body Heat" by Quincy Jones, and "Thackeray Meets Faculty" by R Grainger. LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Coldplay, Artic Monkeys, U2, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo, Vania Borges with Quincy Jones, Sting, Aquila Rose & Idana Valdes, and more. CD

An incredibly cool collection – one that offers up all sorts of weird and wonderful soul music covers of mainstream mellow 70s hits – new versions of the famous tunes that pull them strongly over to the world of R&B, often with results that are better than the original versions! The set is both a great demonstration of how much soul there was lurking in the original AOR productions of the mid 70s, and how strongly those currents could be unlocked even more in the right hands – as you'll hear in these sublime takes on tunes by Hall & Oates, Toto, Seals & Crofts, The Doobie Brothers, and other 70s pop giants. Titles include "Dirty Work" by Pointer Sisters, "Minute By Minute" by Peabo Bryson, "Georgie Porgy" by Side Effect, "He's Gone" by Dee Dee Bridgewater, "Summer Breeze" by Main Ingredient, "Lazy Nina" by Greg Phillinganes, "In The Way" by Brothers Johnson, "This Is It" by Millie Jackson, "Takin It To The Streets" by Quincy Jones, "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me" by Tavares, "God Only Knows" by Betty Lavette, "Let Em In" by Billy Paul, and "A Love Of Your Own" by The Ebonys. CD

An incredibly cool collection – one that offers up all sorts of weird and wonderful soul music covers of mainstream mellow 70s hits – new versions of the famous tunes that pull them strongly over to the world of R&B, often with results that are better than the original versions! The set is both a great demonstration of how much soul there was lurking in the original AOR productions of the mid 70s, and how strongly those currents could be unlocked even more in the right hands – as you'll hear in these sublime takes on tunes by Hall & Oates, Toto, Seals & Crofts, The Doobie Brothers, and other 70s pop giants. Titles include "Dirty Work" by Pointer Sisters, "Minute By Minute" by Peabo Bryson, "Georgie Porgy" by Side Effect, "He's Gone" by Dee Dee Bridgewater, "Summer Breeze" by Main Ingredient, "Lazy Nina" by Greg Phillinganes, "In The Way" by Brothers Johnson, "This Is It" by Millie Jackson, "Takin It To The Streets" by Quincy Jones, "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me" by Tavares, "God Only Knows" by Betty Lavette, "Let Em In" by Billy Paul, and "A Love Of Your Own" by The Ebonys. LP, Vinyl record album

If you've been looking for a compilation that will be an excellent introduction to bossa nova – this is it! The folks at Motor Music have put together this monster set of 50 tracks on 2CDs, and it spans a total of 40 years of bossa nova (although nearly all of the material is from the classic years!) There's not a huge amount of rare stuff on here, but the tracks that are included were chosen with great care, and represent an excellent primer in the bossa nova style. Futhermore, there's great little notes on each track, with a good explanation of how the songs fit into the larger history of bossa nova. There's way too much here to mention completely, but the CD set includes material by Edu Lobo, Os Gatos, Joao Donato, Astrud Gilberto, Marcos Valle, Nara Leao, Os Namorados, Tamba Trio, Os Cariocas, Luiz Carlos Vinhas, Marcia, Luiz Bonfa, Pele, Quincy Jones, Meirelles, and lots of others! CD

A big one for Patti Austin – and a set that moved her from the jazz/soul sidelines right into the mainstream – but all without losing any of her charm from before! A big part of the record's success comes from the production work of Quincy Jones – a longtime associate who gave Patti some key exposure on earlier records of his own, and a great choice to handle the mix of sophisticated soul and jazzy moments on this set. The record features some key tunes penned by Rod Temperton – and James Ingram duets with Patti on the crossover classic "Baby Come To Me" – nestled nicely alongside other cuts that include "The Way I Feel", "Do You Love Me", "The Genie", "Stop Look Listen", "The Island", and "Symphony Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

We totally dig Basie's work from the mid 60s! He was working with Quincy Jones at the time – and Quince laid down some very soulful arrangements that used the best jazz elements of the Basie group to turn out some great pop instrumental tracks with a very groovy sound. This album's a perfect example of that format, as it features some great Basie sidemen, grooving nicely to Quincy's hip swinging arrangements of pop material like "Walk, Don't Run", "Fly Me To The Moon", "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big", and "One Mint Julep". CD

More hit magic from the Brothers Johnson – still working with Quincy Jones at this point, and virtually setting up the blueprint for jazzy soul in the 80s! Backings are by an all-star team, and Rod Temperton's helping out Quincy with arrangements – going for that snapping groove approach he worked to best effect with Heatwave. The sound is tight, but never too slick – and The Brothers keep a nice funky undercurrent on the bottom of most tracks. Titles include "Smilin On Ya", "You Make Me Wanna Wiggle", "Light Up The Night", "Stomp", "This Had To Be", and "Closer To The One You Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky classic from the Brothers Johnson – sweet funky soul, done with a polish few could match! The pair are still working with Quincy Jones at this point, and the record's filled with lots of tight jazzy grooves that certainly show Quincy's touch – and which set the record apart from a number of similar mainstream funk records flooding the market at the time. The standout cut on the album is their great reading of "Strawberry Letter 23" – originally done by Shuggie Otis in a stoner version, but nicely stripped down here by the Bros, and given a very nice pop psychedelic soul twist! Other tracks include "Right On Time", "Q", "Free Yourself, Be Yourself", and "Love Is". CD

A great little set that brings together some of Betty Carter's rare vocal recordings for the Epic label – including a handful that were unreleased until the issue of this album! There's a total of 11 tracks in the set – with 6 from the Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant album, which features piano by Bryant, arrangements by Quincy Jones, and some excellent vocals by Betty. The other stuff's even better, though – as it's arranged by Gigi Gryce, whose cool floating style is a perfect one for Betty's incredible voice. Titles include "Social Call", "Tell Him I Said Hello", "Frenesi", "Runaway", "Thou Swell", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "Tell Him I Said Hello". LP, Vinyl record album