An unusual slice of work by trumpeter Charlie Shavers – proof of his vitality and the range of his powers during the 50s! The first 4 tracks feature Shavers in a sextet with Hank D'Amico, Bennie Morton, Ken Kersey, Aaron Bell and Panama Francis, and some narration by Al Jazzbo Collins! Collins provides some hipster speak that sets that stage for a variety of older tunes featuring Shavers on solo. The set list includes "Dark Eyes", "Dawn On The Desert", "Story Of The Jazz Trumpet", and "Moten Swing" – all done in pretty cool, swinging versions. Side 2 of the LP features Shavers leading another sextet in front of the John Kirby Orchestra with vocalist Maxine Sullivan alongside too, and all of which include Buster Bailey on clarinet, Russell Procope on alto, and Billy Kyle on piano – on tunes that include "Windy", "Rose Room", "If I Had A Ribbon Row", "Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm", and "Molly Malone". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that was years ahead of its time – in part because Karen Dalton's a singer with a style that's wonderfully hard to peg! The set was issued on Capitol Records at a time when the label was doing great work with Fred Neil – but Dalton's got this blues-inflected style of singing and a kind of inflection that also maybe echoes Billie Holiday a bit – yet all at a level that's very laidback and easygoing, so that Karen never sounds like some of her contemporaries who were trying a bit to hard to reach for the more soulful side of the spectrum! Instrumentation is mostly acoustic, gut there's some great use of electric bass and a bit of electric guitar – which makes Dalton's 12 string and banjo performances come across more like some of the hipper acoustic sessions on Vanguard at the time. Tunes include a few originals two Fred Neil covers, and a well-chosen Tim Hardin track too – in a set list that includes "In The Evening It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best", "Little Bit Of Rain", "Blues On The Ceiling", "Sweet Substitute", "Ribbon Bow", "I Love You More Thank Words Can Say", and "Down On The Street". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unique little album from Lisa Ono – one that has her taking on a number of themes from American country music, but in a way that mixes plenty of bossa styles into the sound! The "country" here should really be in quotes – as many of the tunes are less strict country numbers than just country-flavored ones from the history of American pop – but they're united nicely here in an approach that really makes tremendous use of Ono's gentle vocals and sprightly guitar, set to slightly jazzy arrangements penned by Ono, Dori Caymmi, and Yoshihiro Arita. The end result is far nicer than you might expect – and titles include "Jambalaya", "Stay All Night", "Gentle On My Mind", "Crazy", "I've Just Seen A Face", "Take Me Home", "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "Old Fashioned Love/You Are My Sunshine". Japanese version also features 2 bonus tracks – "Morning Sun" and "Fascination (album mix)". CD

Way more than just the "essence" of Nancy – an excellent 4CD set, with a huge amount of rare material! Here's the breakdown: Disc 1 features "Spanning The Decades" – a selection of rare singles and chart hits, most on CD in the US for the first time; Disc 2 is "From The Vaults", with 14 previously unreleased live recordings, and another 9 previously unissued studio tracks; Disc 3 is "Nancy's Choice", featuring 22 tracks that are Nancy's own personal favorites, 4 of which have never been issued in the US; Disc 4 is "Hidden Gems", 18 choice cuts from Nancy's albums, all issued on CD for the first time in the US! Wonderful throughout – with a total of 81 rare tracks on 4CDs, all packaged in a nice booklet style. Titles include "Hurry Change", "Are We Losin Touch", "But Only Sometimes", "Save Your Love For Me", "The Seventh Son", "Small World", "Just Go", "Go Away & Find Yourself", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Below Above", "Listen Little Girl", "Wave", "I'm Gonna Let Ya", "The Island", "Casablanca", "Dindi", "Godsend", "Suzanne", "I Remember", "Theme From Hotel", and "Free Again". CD

A classic testament to the genius of Stevie Wonder – a collection that brings together some of his most important work of the 70s, plus a few new tracks too – all graced with a back cover note that proudly states "written, arranged, and produced by Stevie Wonder"! That note is key to the strength of the set – as it documents Wonder's rise from child soul phenomenon to adult American composer – a voice that was one of the strongest of the 70s in finding a new sense of pride and power for the generation. The whole thing's great – as you'd expect – and even after all these years, the set stands as one of the best ways to jump into Stevie's work of the 70s. Titles include "Living For The City", "Superstition", "Front Line", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Superwoman", "I Wish", "Sir Duke", "Higher Ground", "Boogie On Reggae Woman", "Do I Do", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Master Blaster (Jammin)", and "Isn't She Lovely". LP, Vinyl record album

Paris was always a great city for Lionel Hampton – but it seemed like in the mid 50s, it was also a place where he cut some of his best work, too! The French New Sound pair of albums are both classics in Hamp's book – records that take off from the looser, longer-form style that he'd been hitting with his Verve recordings of the early 50s – yet which also retain some of the tighter, fuller elements of his famous large ensembles. Players on the records are great – a lineup that includes travelling American jazz greats like Benny Bailey and Nat Adderley on trumpets, and a young David Amram on French Horn – plus crack Parisian players who include Sacha Distel on guitar, Rene Urtreger on piano, and Guy Pederson on bass. The tracks are simple jamming numbers – long and open-ended, in the mode of some of Hamp's very popular live work at the time, and the vibes are right out front – hard-edged, with that soulful sound that Hamp pioneered on the instrument – and the other players are given very ample room to solo. Tracks on this second volume include "All The Things You Are", "Night & Day", and "Red Ribbon". CD

An early 90s contemporary hip hop-steeped street soul gem from Intro! Intro deftly introduce themselves with a style that was as timely as could be circa '93, and holds up with classic swagger today. While 90s hip hop soul styled beats and production finesse has a timeless shelf life in the best hands, some of the pop soul crossover efforts of the day didn't stay quite as fresh as Intro, whose affinity for their era with inspiration from groups like the Gap Band and the Isleys keeps it as fresh as ever. Includes the classic "Love Thang", "Let Me Be The One", "Anything For You", "Why Don't You Love Me", "It's All About You", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Don't Leave Me", "Come Inside", "One Of A Kind Love", and "So Many Reasons" – plus the New Life bonus tracks "My Love's The Way", "Feels Like The First Time" and "New Life". Production by Eddie "DJ Eddie F" Ferrell, Richard Nash and Kevin Woodley. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic testament to the genius of Stevie Wonder – a collection that brings together some of his most important work of the 70s, plus a few new tracks too – all graced with a back cover note that proudly states "written, arranged, and produced by Stevie Wonder"! That note is key to the strength of the set – as it documents Wonder's rise from child soul phenomenon to adult American composer – a voice that was one of the strongest of the 70s in finding a new sense of pride and power for the generation. The whole thing's great – as you'd expect – and even after all these years, the set stands as one of the best ways to jump into Stevie's work of the 70s. Titles include "Living For The City", "Superstition", "Front Line", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Superwoman", "I Wish", "Sir Duke", "Higher Ground", "Boogie On Reggae Woman", "Do I Do", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Master Blaster (Jammin)", and "Isn't She Lovely". CD

A record issued in the 70s, but one that documents the legacy of 60s folk in which Peter Isaacson was a part – working as a singer and guitarist in the Village scene at the time, where he honed his skills on songs by Bob Dylan, Tim Hardin, and other contemporaries! The album was recorded back home in Kansas, after Isaacson had given up on New York – and that kind of gives it a "60s hangover" sort of vibe – as Peter makes his way through a host of familiar tunes, but with surprisingly dark currents that come across in ways that are very different than the originals – even though the readings just feature acoustic guitar and vocals. The set's a lost gem from the very underground years of American indie labels – and titles include "Long Way Back Home", "Affair On 8th Avenue", "I Shall Be Released", "Ribbon Of Darkness", "I Threw It All Away", "Lalena", and "Both Sides Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by drummer and percussionist Mino Cinelu, who also plays on the record. Tracks include "Sam's Song", "Little Red Ribbon", "Toot-Toot's Tune", "Money", "Le Roi Basil", and "Ravel Bolero". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Jackson 5, move over – because the folks at Numero Records have uncovered a whole host of rare kid soul acts from the 70s – most of them a fair bit funkier than their Motown contemporaries! The tracks here all clearly follow the lead started by Michael and his brothers at the end of the 60s – but the music is way more than just a simple copycat of Jackson modes – as each of these artists have a really individual approach, and a heck of a lot of personality in their music – despite their youthful years. In true Numero fashion, most of the cuts here are from tiny little labels – issued only as singles back in the day, but produced with a great deal of enthusiasm for the music – and a confident, competent sound that's quite striking, given the age of the performers. The package comes with complete notes on the music – opening up a whole world of lesser-known kid soul acts – and titles include the amazing "Trust Your Child" by Patrizia & Jimmy, plus "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "One Is Enough For One" by Jack & the Mods, "Now That School Is Through" by Cindy & The Playmates, "Jersey Slide (part 1)" by 3 Stars, "You Are My Dream" by 3 Simmons, "Can't Let You Break My Heart" by Quantrells, "If You're Looking For Love" by Triads, "Yellow Ribbons" by Atons, "Sweet Pea" by Altyrone Deno Brown, "Time After Time" by Step By Step, "Time" by Otis The 3rd, and "Little Girl" by Michael Washington. CD

Jackson 5, move over – because the folks at Numero Records have uncovered a whole host of rare kid soul acts from the 70s – most of them a fair bit funkier than their Motown contemporaries! The tracks here all clearly follow the lead started by Michael and his brothers at the end of the 60s – but the music is way more than just a simple copycat of Jackson modes – as each of these artists have a really individual approach, and a heck of a lot of personality in their music – despite their youthful years. In true Numero fashion, most of the cuts here are from tiny little labels – issued only as singles back in the day, but produced with a great deal of enthusiasm for the music – and a confident, competent sound that's quite striking, given the age of the performers. The package comes with complete notes on the music – opening up a whole world of lesser-known kid soul acts – and titles include the amazing "Trust Your Child" by Patrizia & Jimmy, plus "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "One Is Enough For One" by Jack & the Mods, "Now That School Is Through" by Cindy & The Playmates, "Jersey Slide (part 1)" by 3 Stars, "You Are My Dream" by 3 Simmons, "Can't Let You Break My Heart" by Quantrells, "If You're Looking For Love" by Triads, "Yellow Ribbons" by Atons, "Sweet Pea" by Altyrone Deno Brown, "Time After Time" by Step By Step, "Time" by Otis The 3rd, and "Little Girl" by Michael Washington. LP also contains a bonus track – part 2 of "Trust Your Child" by Patrizia & Jimmy! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of cuts, and one that looks at one of the coolest musical hybrids of the postwar years – work that's very strongly R&B at the core, but which also bears a surprising influence from Latin music in the rhythms – all of which makes for a very unusual groove! There's been other collections of this nature, but this one not only stacks the deck with a huge number of tracks – 62 in all – but also includes material that you might not normally associate with this mode, but which fits into the track list surprisingly well! Titles include "The Crawl" by Guitar Junior, "Got Love If You Want It" by Slim Harpo, "Mary Ann" by Texas Ray, "Girl That Radiates Charm" by Arthur Alexander, "Where's My Money" by Willie Jones, "Hurricane" by Dave Cortez, "Shoo Doo" by Andre Williams, "Night Train To Memphis" by Bobby Hebb, "Only Sixteen" by Tal Miller, "Voodoo Woman" by Curtis Knight, "Yours Truly" by Ford Eaglin, "Tell Me Pretty Baby" by Screamin Joe Neal, "Pig Tails & Ribbons" by Leonard Carbo, and "Wicked Old Fever" by Charles Sheffield. CD

A great record – and one of tenorist Harold Land's most obscure sessions – part of a short-lived early 60s attempt to make jazz cash in on the folk boom – yet one that also often gave for some really cool results! Despite what might seem like a cheap gimmick, the set actually sounds great – grooving with a soulful swing, in that LA underground mode that always made for Land's best recordings. The group includes the great Carmell Jones on trumpet, plus Jimmy Bond bass, John Houston piano, and Mel Lee on drums. Titles include "Blue Tail Fly", "Tom Dooley", "Scarlet Ribbons", and "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine". LP, Vinyl record album

Country music Christmas in all its glory – served up here in a whole host of tracks that mix bigger names with lesser-knowns, familiar songs with some unusual numbers that really keep things interesting! The themes here have a lot more to do with just daddy and drinking – and the package features a massive 30 tracks in all – with titles that include "Twisting Santa Claus" by Del Reeves, "Christmas At The Opry" by George Owens, "We Must Be Having One" by Tammy Wynette, "Gonna Wrap My Heart In Ribbons" by Hank Thompson, "Christmas Doll" by Reno & Smiley, "One Of You" by Marty Robbins, "Truckin Trees For Christmas" by Red Simpson, "Nuttin Fer Christmas" by Homer & Jethro, "It Won't Seem Like Christmas" by Loretta Lynn, "Merry Christmas Anyway" by Louise Johnson, "Mr & Mrs Santa Claus" by George Jones & Tammy Wynette, "Lonely Christmas Call" by Tamm Wynette, "Jingle Bells" by Johnny Paycheck, and "Christmas Greeting" by Liz Anderson, CD

A beautiful bit of folk-psych from the late 60s UK scene – recorded for Polydor in 1969, but never issued at the time – now finally getting its first exposure to the world at large! The group have a really easygoing approach – blending fuzzy electric and softer acoustic guitars, slow-stepping rhythms, and some slightly more tripped-out instrumentation – all with vocals that take on a nicely lyrical approach – never too hippy-dippy, but with an evocative quality that has echoes of the ancient. Group members have ties to Band Of Joy and Velvett Fogg – and the set features uncredited work from Peter Frampton, and members of The Herd and East of Eden. Like other Lion reissues, the quality here is top-shelf – full notes, photos, and lots of information on the lost album – presented here with 12 tracks that include "Execution Of The Child", "Rain Day Julep", "Hello Goodbye Victoria Cane", "Hanna Wife Of Thomas Kite", "Harpsichord", "Roses & Ribbons", "Masochists Of Strangulation", and "The Story Of Acorn Rose". CD