One of the earliest records by the legendary Novi Singers – and a rare MPS set that exposed the group to a larger European audience! Novi hail from Poland, but have a name that's an condensation of the English phrase "new original vocal instruments" – a great summation of the way the quartet use their voices to recreate the feel of instruments in modern jazz – a mode first explored by the Lambert Hendricks & Ross group in the US, but taken to a much farther extreme on this set! The group are supported here by a border-crossing small combo of musicians that includes Zbigniew Namyslowski on alto sax, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Adam Makowicz on piano, and Billy Brooks on drums – and the sound is cool, laidback, and very groovy – extremely tight, almost even more so than some of the group's Polish albums! Titles include "The Second Side", "Secret Life", "Kulfon", and "Apartment Under The Roof". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Lambert Hendricks & Ross, Charles Kynard & Buddy Collette, Roy Haynes, Gerald Wilson, Les McCann, Gil Evans, Laurindo Almeida & Bud Shank, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums as a leader cut by pianist Gildo Mahones – an incredible talent from the 50s onward, and a soulful genius on the keys that we'd rank right up there with Bobby Timmons or Horace Parlan! Mahones is best known for his work alongside vocalists – particularly with Lambert Hendricks & Ross – but out here in trio formation, he really grooves things up – taking off with warm imagination, and blowing away other better-known masters of jazz piano. The recording's a relatively recent one, but the sound is very classic – and other players in the group include Johnny Kirkland on drums and Bob Maize on bass. Titles include "Estate", "If Dreams Come True", "Summertime", "Strollin", "Sounds Of Time", and "Danielle". CD

One of our favorite of Verve's "genius of" collections of Charlie Parker's work – largely because it includes some wonderful and oft-overlooked vocal tunes! 4 of the tracks on the set feature Bird blowing with a vocal chorus arranged by Dave Lambert – in a style that shouldn't work, but does – thanks to Lambert's keen bop sensibilities (heard here before his Lambert Hendricks & Ross years), and to players in the group that include Hal McKusick, Max Roach, and Charles Mingus. Other tracks have Parker either playing in a quartet with Buddy Rich, Ray Brown, and Hank Jones – or in a different group with Kenny Dorham and Tommy Turk. Titles include "Cardboard", "Visa", "Segment", "Passport", "Diverse", "I'm In the Mood For Love", "If I Love Again", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic bit of vocal jazz, sung by the legendary Swingle Singers in a style that shaped easy listening and soundtrack music for years to come! The French group had roots in vocalese jazz traditions – from groups like Lambert Hendricks & Ross or Les Double Six – but for this groundbreaking album, they moved into a semi-classical vein, and did these great jazzy takes on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. The whole thing sounds hokey, but it's plenty groovy – and it was a huuuuge influence on easy and soundtrack work for decades to come, including the wonderful work of I Cantori Moderni and some of the groovier French composers. Titles include "Sinfonia", "Prelude No 9", "Bouree", "Aria", "Choral No 1", and "Fugue In D Major". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Brubeck's probably best known for the instrumental work by his classic quartet on Columbia Records, but during his years at the label, he also recorded some great work with singers too! Most of the tracks on the set are from the years 1960 and 1961 – a time of intense recording for the Brubeck group on Columbia, and a time when Dave's combo was paired with other artists on a variety of different sessions. The most famous of these tracks are probably the ones that feature Carmen McRae, and others are from The Real Ambassadors album – which included Louis Armstrong and Lambert Hendricks & Ross – and a great overlooked date with Jimmy Rushing, who was wrapping up Columbia work at the time. The core combo here features Paul Desmond on alto sax, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums – and titles include "Take Five", "Travelin Blues", "In The Lurch", "Weep No More", and "My One Bad Habit" with Carmen McRae; "My Melancholy Baby", "Ain't Misbehavin", "There'll Be Some Changes Made", and "Blues In The Dark" with Jimmy Rushing; "Since Love Had Its Way" and "Summer Song" with Louis Armstrong; "The Real Ambassador" and "Cultural Exchange with Armstrong and Lambert Hendricks & Ross; "That Old Black Magic" with Tony Bennett; and the incredible "Autumn In Our Town" with Ranny Sinclair – issued here for the first time ever, and a marvelously dark tune that carries echoes of later work by Karin Krog and Monica Zetterlund! CD

Previously unreleased cuts – and a great set that features rare jazz vocal gems from the Columbia vaults – including a solo cut by Jon Hendricks, 2 Lambert Hendricks & Ross numbers, 2 tracks by Carmen McRae with Louis Armstrong, 3 jazzy numbers by Tony Bennett, a Mose Allison cut, and a rare 1954 recording by The Gordons! LP, Vinyl record album

The Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross tradition lives on – in a smoking live set that features Indian singer Yolanda Bavan joining the group in place of recently-departed Ross! Bavan's ability to groove and improvise is every bit as great as that of Annie Ross – and she fits in nicely next to the warm lyrics of John Hendricks, and the sweetly crackling bop vocals of Dave Lambert. Plus, the live setting seems to open the whole group up even more – as they're working with a great combo that features Coleman Hawkins and Clark Terry sitting in with the Gildo Mahones trio that includes George Tucker on bass and Jimmie Smith on drums. The tunes are all very soulful and swinging – and the album easily sits with the best Columbia work by the older version of the group! Titles include "Watermelon Man", "Sack o Woe", "Deedle-Lee Deedle-Lum", and "Walkin", taken in a nice long stretch1 LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums that singer Annie Ross cut on her own away from the Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross group while she was still living in the US – and a great little set recorded with a group led by Gerry Mulligan! The sound is west coast cool all the way through – with players who include Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dave Bailey, and Henry Grimes – and although Annie's in the lead on most of the set, but Gerry slides in some lean solos which open up the tracks nicely! Ross is a bit less in a vocalese mode than with LHR, in ways that really demonstrate her skills with ballads and gentler cuts – and given the support from Mulligan and crew, the album's got a very solid jazz foundation overall. Titles include "All Of You", "Give Me The Simple Life", "This Is Always", "It Don't Mean A Thing", and "I Feel Pretty". CD features bonus tracks – "This Is Always (alt version)", "The Lady's In Love With You", "You Turned The Tables On Me", and "I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face (alt)". CD

An overstuffed package of work from Annie Ross – one that features a few key albums, plus some rare bonus tracks too! First up is A Handful Of Songs – which has Ross recording as a solo act back in England after leaving her famous group with Dave Lambert and John Hendricks! The style here is a bit like some of the solo work that Ross cut in the US at the end of the 50s – particularly her sides for Pacific Jazz – not as vocalese and solo-oriented as the sort of recordings that first got her noticed, but still a lot more dynamic than most straighter jazz singers of the time! Arrangements are pretty groovy overall – nicely jazzy, and penned by Johnnie Spence – also produced by John Barry, who really helps keep the right sort of "punch" in the set. Titles include "Fly Me To The Moon", "Nature Boy", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "Like Someone In Love", "A Handful Of Songs", and "All Of You". Next is A Gasser – one of Annie Ross' rare albums as a solo act away from her trio with Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert – and a great little session cut with small combo jazz backing, which gives the song a nice swinging edge! Zoot Sims is the main soloist on the tunes, Russ Freeman lays down piano tracks to set the mood – and other players include Jim Hall, Monte Budwig, Mel Lewis, and Bill Perkins – all of whom contribute wonderfully to the album, and give it a nicely grooving west coast finish. Titles include "I Was Doing Alright", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Lucky Day", "Lucky So & So", and "Nobody's Baby". 2CD set also features material from the London cast recording of Cranks – which features Ross with Anthony Newley – plus some songs with Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross – and the tune "Let's Fly" by Johnny Mercer & The Pied Pipers, which was written by Ross. CD

One of the few albums that singer Annie Ross cut on her own away from the Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross group while she was still living in the US – and a great little set recorded with a group led by Gerry Mulligan! The sound is west coast cool all the way through – with players who include Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dave Bailey, and Henry Grimes – and although Annie's in the lead on most of the set, but Gerry slides in some lean solos which open up the tracks nicely! Ross is a bit less in a vocalese mode than with LHR, in ways that really demonstrate her skills with ballads and gentler cuts – and given the support from Mulligan and crew, the album's got a very solid jazz foundation overall. Titles include "All Of You", "Give Me The Simple Life", "This Is Always", "It Don't Mean A Thing", and "I Feel Pretty". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare 60s meeting of groovy talents from both sides of the Atlantic – and a record that matches the trumpet of Dizzy Gillespie with the hiply swinging vocals of The Double Six Of Paris! The group were a wonderfully groovy precursor to the Swingle Singers – and sung in a scatting approach to jazz vocals that was very much in the tradition of Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross – but also drew inspiration from the earlier work of Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure, and others. Their sound is great – much more 60s groovy than some other vocal groups – and pairing them with Dizzy gives this record an added punch that some of their other sessions are missing! Backing is small combo throughout – with either Bud Powell or Kenny Barron on piano, Kenny Clarke on drums, and James Moody on tenor – and with the presence of Diz, most of the material here is of bop orientation – taken at a fast and lively clip! Lalo Schifrin arranged the whole session too – and titles include "One Bass Hit", "Blue N Boogie", "Emanon", "Groovin High", "Ow", "The Champ", "Tin Tin Deo", "Hot House", and "Con Alma". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare 60s meeting of groovy talents from both sides of the Atlantic – and a record that matches the trumpet of Dizzy Gillespie with the hiply swinging vocals of The Double Six Of Paris! The group were a wonderfully groovy precursor to the Swingle Singers – and sung in a scatting approach to jazz vocals that was very much in the tradition of Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross – but also drew inspiration from the earlier work of Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure, and others. Their sound is great – much more 60s groovy than some other vocal groups – and pairing them with Dizzy gives this record an added punch that some of their other sessions are missing! Backing is small combo throughout – with either Bud Powell or Kenny Barron on piano, Kenny Clarke on drums, and James Moody on tenor – and with the presence of Diz, most of the material here is of bop orientation – taken at a fast and lively clip! Lalo Schifrin arranged the whole session too – and titles include "One Bass Hit", "Blue N Boogie", "Emanon", "Groovin High", "Ow", "The Champ", "Tin Tin Deo", "Hot House", and "Con Alma". CD

One of the few albums to ever feature the pre-Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross talents of Dave Lambert on vocals – caught here in duets with Buddy Stewart, in a sweet vocalese mode! Backing is by a hip lineup that includes Charlie Ventura on tenor, Red Rodney on trumpet, Tony Aless on piano, Serge Chaloff on baritone sax, and Billy Bauer on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

Great early stuff by this swingin' French vocal group! These guys swung as hard as American groups, like Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross – but they stuck to hipper, jazzier material, and had a driving sound that never let up! The group is led by singer Mimi Perrin, who also handed the arrangements – and it features French jazz greats Ward Swingle and Eddy Louiss. Includes some great jazzy versions of "Naima", "Boplicity", "Westwood Walk", and "Early Autumn". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet soul jazz from the LA underground of the 60s – a great live set featuring the talents of bassist Ike Isaacs, best known to most for his work behind Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross during their glory years! The set's really really great – open ended tracks with a soulfully grooving sound, recorded in a very laidback setting that lets Ike and group go to town. Apart from Isaacs' bass, the real highlight is piano work by Jack Wilson – lean and fluid, with a harder-hitting sound than some of his own work of the time. Jimmy Smith (not the organist) completes the group on drums – and titles include "Impressions", "Soulin", "Red I", and "Walk On By". CD

Another soulful set of jazz standards that pairs the great Lorez with a group led by Gildo Mahones. Gildo's always been one of the best piano players we've heard accompaning a vocalist, and his work with Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross is the stuff of legends. This group has the added benefit of good tenor work by Herman Riley, and the band swings well with Lorez as she soulfully makes her way through tracks like "Mandy Is Two", "Skylark", "Harlem Butterfly", and "P.S. I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

The story of a legendary New York nite spot – served up in a really wonderful way! The Pyramid was a gritty bar in the East Village in the 80s – a small spot, but one that served as a real crossroads for music, performance, and gender identity – a place that was experienced by few, but shared as a legend by many – with an influence that's recounted here by those who experienced the Pyramid during its glory days! The book is a mix of oral histories, but structured well by the authors – who were all involved in the club itself at the time – interspersed with all sorts of great visual documents, including photographs of key performances – one of which even includes a young Steve Buscemi! The club mixed theater, music, performance art, and other modes – and the book really gets at the unique spirit that fanned the flames during its important mid-80s run. The book also includes a very cool set of materials from vintage press releases, and lots more surprises too – and the softcover edition has a great sense of presentation, on many different-colored pages. Book

There's plenty of rare feelings going on here – of the best sort of funky 70s type, with a groove that's totally great all the way through! Rick Mason and group bring plenty of jazz instrumentation to the record – some especially nice Fender Rhodes, trumpet, and guitar – but the vibe is more funky soul overall, even though the instruments often take the lead – in a tight, sharp mode that's maybe inspired by the best early material from Kool & The Gang, yet there's a grittier indie vibe too – one that comes across especially well in the unusual way the group can change up the rhythms and spirit of a song within a single tune! Rick Mason himself handles the lead vocals and bass, and also arranged the set – and titles include "Dope", "Metamorphosis Funk", "Song To God", "Funk Ain't Being Funky", "Rare Feelings", and "I Dream Of Love". CD

Derrick Gardner, Bijon Watson, Andrew Littleford, Jeff Johnson, and Curtis Taylor on trumpet, Mark Gross on alto and soprano saxophone, Greg Gatien on alto saxophone, Ken Gold on baritone saxophone, Rob Dixon and Tristan Martinuson on tenor saxophone, Vincent Gardner, Joel Green and Anthony Bryson on trombone, Bill Green on bass trombone, Kasey Kurtz on guitar, Zen Zadravec on piano, Luke Sellick on bass, and Curtis Nowosad on drums. CD

There's plenty of rare feelings going on here – of the best sort of funky 70s type, with a groove that's totally great all the way through! Rick Mason and group bring plenty of jazz instrumentation to the record – some especially nice Fender Rhodes, trumpet, and guitar – but the vibe is more funky soul overall, even though the instruments often take the lead – in a tight, sharp mode that's maybe inspired by the best early material from Kool & The Gang, yet there's a grittier indie vibe too – one that comes across especially well in the unusual way the group can change up the rhythms and spirit of a song within a single tune! Rick Mason himself handles the lead vocals and bass, and also arranged the set – and titles include "Dope", "Metamorphosis Funk", "Song To God", "Funk Ain't Being Funky", "Rare Feelings", and "I Dream Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Rick James hits a smoother sort of style here – one that's almost a compressed take on the mainstream version of funk first crafted on his earlier records, fused into a more radio-friendly approach for the Prince generation! The sound's actually not that bad – and the record has an appeal (albeit a dated one) as a relic of crossover soul from a time that's fading more and more from the collective memory. Rick's still writing, arranging, and producing the whole set – and titles include "Glow", "Melody Make Me Dance", "Can't Stop", "Spend The Night With Me", "Somebody", "Moon Child", "Sha La La La La", and "Rock & Roll Control". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the all-time great Rick James albums – a return to funkier sounds for Rick that worked both artistically and commercially – and actually got over far better than his more blatant attempts at crossover material on other records! The mix here is perfect – a true summation of all that made Motown great at the time, and the special sort of energy that made Rick one of the freshest mainstream talents at the end of the 70s! The record put a lot of money in Barry Gordy's pockets, and for good reason too – given that the set includes the classic hit "Super Freak" – plus "Give It To Me Baby", "Ghetto Life", "Make Love To Me", "Below The Funk (Pass The J)", and "Fire & Desire" – all done in that compressed pop-funky style that James kind of took from Bootsy Collins and manage to successfully soup up for the masses! CD also features the bonus tracks "Give It To Me Baby (12" mix)" and "Super Freak (12" mix)". CD

A sweet Cali set from The Meters – one that loses a bit of their rougher roots, yet still holds onto plenty of funk at the same time! By the mid 70s, the New Orleans soul sound had broken out of the underground, was residing happily in mainstream LA. Allen Toussaint already produced a bucketful of albums for Warner Brothers, and The Meters themselves are working in a crossover territory that has them touring with the Rolling Stones and hitting a whole new range of college-type audiences. The group's smoothed things out considerably, but still manages to funk nicely at the best moments – in a warmer way than during the Josie Records years, but still with a groove that's much deeper than most of their contemporaries. Titles are a much a "trick bag" as the title – with a cover of Earl King's "Trick Bag" that features guest vocals by Earl, a remake of "(Doodle Loop) The World is a Little Bit Under the Weather", one of their best from the Josie days, a cover of "Honky Tonk Woman", which we can only assume was played on tour with The Stones – plus the original cuts "Chug A Lug", "Mister Moon", and "Find Yourself". Includes the bonus tracks "Love The One You're With", "What More Can I Do?", "Down By The River", "Come Together" & "Big Chief". CD

Some of the hippest sounds we've ever heard from Guadeloupe – served up by Erick Cosaque – a singer, percussionist, and key figure in the gwo-ka genre – yet an artist who works in a special space that's all his own! The tunes here definitely have the heavy percussion of gwo-ka, but they also bring in plenty of elements of funk and soul – the latter from Erick's amazing vocal style, which has this really deep flow that's wrapped around a set of French and Creole lyrics, but which has amazing power even if you can't understand the language! There's lots of great elements on keyboards and electric bass, which further helps underscore the funkier part of the music – and the whole thing is the kind of wonderful blend we've always loved from the criss-crossing of cultures in Guadeloupe, but also in a mode that's head and shoulders above most of the rest. Titles include "Joue Zizipan", "Donatien", "Embawgo", "De Chate Cole", "De Ti Mo Pawol Cweol", "L'Heureux Noir", "Jean La Line La Clere", and "Desere Nou De May". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the all-time great Rick James albums – a return to funkier sounds for Rick that worked both artistically and commercially – and actually got over far better than his more blatant attempts at crossover material on other records! The mix here is perfect – a true summation of all that made Motown great at the time, and the special sort of energy that made Rick one of the freshest mainstream talents at the end of the 70s! The record put a lot of money in Barry Gordy's pockets, and for good reason too – given that the set includes the classic hit "Super Freak" – plus "Give It To Me Baby", "Ghetto Life", "Make Love To Me", "Below The Funk (Pass The J)", and "Fire & Desire" – all done in that compressed pop-funky style that James kind of took from Bootsy Collins and manage to successfully soup up for the masses! LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure one from Annie Ross – recording here as a solo act back in England after leaving her famous group with Dave Lambert and John Hendricks! The style here is a bit like some of the solo work that Ross cut in the US at the end of the 50s – particularly her sides for Pacific Jazz – not as vocalese and solo-oriented as the sort of recordings that first got her noticed, but still a lot more dynamic than most straighter jazz singers of the time! Arrangements are pretty groovy overall – nicely jazzy, and penned by Johnnie Spence – also produced by John Barry, who really helps keep the right sort of "punch" in the set. Titles include "Fly Me To The Moon", "Nature Boy", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "Like Someone In Love", "A Handful Of Songs", and "All Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

Who better to spend Halloween with than Lux and Ivy of The Cramps – a pair who almost act like it's the last day of October all year long! Lux and Ivy are well-known as collectors of strange and offbeat 45s from the late 50s and early 60s – and that period also coincides with a great run of horror rock, monster novelties, and other spook-oriented singles – the sorts that are almost like the audio equivalent of catching a schlocky film on the late late show, or sitting at the drive-in watching some low-budget monster movie! The package features a whopping 50 tracks in all – tunes that are maybe more funny and groovy than downright scary – but that's OK with us, because the whole thing's great. Titles include "He's A Vampire" by Archie King, "She's My Witch" by Kip Tyler, "Cannibal Stew" by Jerry & Mel, "Graveyard" by Leroy Bowman & The Arrows, "Beware" by Bill Buchanan, "Voodoo Kiss" by Don Sargent & The Buddies, "Rock N Bones" by Elro Dietzel & The Rhythm Bandits, "The Cave (part 1)" by Gary Spider Webb, "Strollin Spooks" by Ken Nordine, "The Rockin Ghost" by Archie Bleyer, "The Mummy's Bracelet" by Lee Ross, "Swamp Girl" by Kay Martin, "The Spook" by The Tomkos, "Mr Ghost Goes To Town" by The Five Jones Boys, and "The Fang" by Nervous Norvus. CD

One of the all-time great Rick James albums – a return to funkier sounds for Rick that worked both artistically and commercially – and actually got over far better than his more blatant attempts at crossover material on other records! The mix here is perfect – a true summation of all that made Motown great at the time, and the special sort of energy that made Rick one of the freshest mainstream talents at the end of the 70s! The record put a lot of money in Barry Gordy's pockets, and for good reason too – given that the set includes the classic hit "Super Freak" – plus "Give It To Me Baby", "Ghetto Life", "Make Love To Me", "Below The Funk (Pass The J)", and "Fire & Desire" – all done in that compressed pop-funky style that James kind of took from Bootsy Collins and manage to successfully soup up for the masses! CD also features the bonus tracks "Give It To Me Baby (12" mix)" and "Super Freak (12" mix)". CD

One of Sonny Criss' classic albums for Imperial – a brilliant batch of LA bop from the 50s, with an impeccable sound throughout! Criss had a tone like nobody else on the alto – and here, he's at the height of his early powers – neither blowing too hard, nor going for boppish tricks – and instead settling into an amazing groove with a sense of power, confidence, and extreme "rightness" as to his choice of notes! The album's right on the money throughout – exactly the kind of set that lives up to our lifetime devotion to Sonny's music – and the whole thing's great, with tracks that include "West Coast Blues", "Criss Cross", "Ham's Blues", and "Blue Friday". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue look at the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden – an tiny little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time – politician, club owner, and local businessman – but he also put together his own band and record label, and worked in a very hip mix of R&B and 60s soul jazz modes! Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact with a variety of great musicians, both national and local – and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here for his LG family of labels – issued on a handful of singles and two rare LPs. Although rough-edged at times, these tracks have a really great sound – kind of a grittier take on the Prestige Records groove of the 60s – helped out by musicians who include Oliver Nelson and Hamiet Bluiett – and singers who include Albert King and Charles Drain. The package is a bit loose on discographical details, but definitely includes all the best moments from these mighty years on the East St Louis scene – and the full story in the notes more than helps to fill in the gaps in Gooden's compelling tale. The titles by Leo's Five – Gooden's group – are all hip jazz instrumentals, often with a strong mix of Hammond, guitar, and tenor – and these titles include "Hold It", "Sunrise Serenade", "Something You Got", "Tippin", "Johnnie Come Marching Home (Country Style)", "Minor Over Matter", "Mop Water", "Fredrick's Dream", and "Cookin With Chezie Mae". Other cuts include "COD" and "Worsome Baby" by Albert King, "So Glad" and "Stop & Think About It Baby" by Charles Drain, "Winkee Do" and "Ugly Ugly" by Leo Gooden, and "Let's Do The Cat" by Jamie Ross. CD

Trumpeter Jim Rotondi's in a classic pose on the cover – an image that shows just how much he brings to his music at a visual level, even though his sound seems so effortless and clear from an audio perspective! The set's filled with the kind of well-executed work on trumpet and flugelhorn that always makes Rotondi's records so great – especially in the past decade or so – music that's full of feeling, but which never seems forced or overstated – qualities that also come through in the rest of the group too, a lineup that features Rick Margitza on tenor, Danny Grissett on piano, Joshua Ginsburg on bass, and Vladimir Kostandinovic on drums. Rotondi's been recording for the Criss Cross label for years – but the record also really shows a great evolution and development from those early sides too – especially on original material that includes "Pete's 32", "Voice", "Leemo", "Father John", "Happy Feet", and "Jim's Blues". CD

Funky funky California – and a great set of rare grooves from the 70s! The folks at Luv N Haight records are up to their old tricks – digging through the crates for the kind of hard-to-find funky tracks that first gave birth to the fame of the Ubiquity label. The set traces a sound that barely shows up in the history books – the harder funky sound of California in the 70s, a scene that was mostly underground, and which stood in stark contrast to the smoother sounds coming out on major labels at the time. A few of the artists on the set might be familiar through other Luv N Haight reissues, and there's others here that we've never heard at all – grooving in hard and heavy styles that spread across the Sunshine State from East LA to Funky Frisco to Oaktown – a total of 14 tracks that include "Freaky To You" by Sweet Stuff, "Losing You" by Cordial, "Love & Affection" by Ike White, "Freedom Time" by Linda Tillery, "Patience" by Rokk, "Party Time" by Roy Porter, "Carnaval" by Oquesta Esencia, "Wobble Cha" by Cool Benny, "Feelin Alright" by West Coast Revival, "Where Do We Go From Here" by Cool Sounds, "Hang On In There" by Mike James Kirkland, "Daydreamer" by Adele Sebastian, and "A Real Thing" by Sons & Daughters Of Life. CD

The new sound of the European scene at the end of the 70s – music that carries plenty of inspiration from post-punk modes, but which also carries forth some key elements of prog as well – all at a level that's quite a surprise if you only know more iconic material of the time! The artists here aren't all British or European, but the sound within definitely showcases the way that later electronic experiments of the 70s were thinning down in the work of underground UK and German labels – and also showing the way that the instrumental excesses of the earlier part of the decade were being packed down into more economical packages, but all without losing any sense of freshness or experimentation! The set takes its title from a song on the last Bowie Berlin album – a great reference for the music – and titles include "Tight As A Drum" by Thomas Leer, "Silent Command" by Cabaret Voltaire, "Theme For Great Cities" by Simple Minds, "White Car In Germany" by The Associates, "Nite Flights" by The Walker Brothers, "3,000,000 Synths" by Chaz Jankel, "Nightcrawler" by Patrick Cowley, "Riot In Lagos" by Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Silicon Chip" by Basil Kirchin, "Ode To Perfume" by Holger Czukay, "Do Weit So Gut" by Harald Grosskopft, "The Farther Away I Am" by Daryl Hall (with Robert Fripp), and "Patriarcat" by Areski & Brigitte Fontaine. LP, Vinyl record album

Continuous disco mix compilation, with tracks by Wild Cherry, Andrea True Connection, Tavares, Eddie Kendricks, Norman Connors, Addrisi Brothers, Rose Royce, Melba Moore, Supremes, Timmy Thomas, Salsoul Orchestra, Brick, KC & The Sunshine Band, Wilton Place Street Band, T-Connection, Miracles, Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch, Sylvers, George McCrae, Bebu Silvetti, Diana Ross, Kebekelektrik, and The Originals. LP, Vinyl record album

The new sound of the European scene at the end of the 70s – music that carries plenty of inspiration from post-punk modes, but which also carries forth some key elements of prog as well – all at a level that's quite a surprise if you only know more iconic material of the time! The artists here aren't all British or European, but the sound within definitely showcases the way that later electronic experiments of the 70s were thinning down in the work of underground UK and German labels – and also showing the way that the instrumental excesses of the earlier part of the decade were being packed down into more economical packages, but all without losing any sense of freshness or experimentation! The set takes its title from a song on the last Bowie Berlin album – a great reference for the music – and titles include "Tight As A Drum" by Thomas Leer, "Silent Command" by Cabaret Voltaire, "Theme For Great Cities" by Simple Minds, "White Car In Germany" by The Associates, "Nite Flights" by The Walker Brothers, "3,000,000 Synths" by Chaz Jankel, "Nightcrawler" by Patrick Cowley, "Riot In Lagos" by Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Silicon Chip" by Basil Kirchin, "Ode To Perfume" by Holger Czukay, "Do Weit So Gut" by Harald Grosskopft, "The Farther Away I Am" by Daryl Hall (with Robert Fripp), and "Patriarcat" by Areski & Brigitte Fontaine. CD

An incredible fusion of all the greatness that was going on in the Bay Area scene of the 70s – put together by Coke Escovedo – the brother of Pete and Sheila E, former leader of Azteca, and onetime member of Santana! Yet this set sounds like none of that previous work at all – and instead is great grooving soul, infused both with the sophistication of fusion and some of the Latin elements of Escovedo's roots – all produced to perfection by Patrick Gleeson – who most folks know for his own spacey keyboard work with Bennie Maupin and others! The mix of elements going on is really complex, but comes across with effortless ease – one of those rare fusions that could happen at a bigger label when all the right talents were brought together. The record kind of "out-Fantasys" the best of Fantasy Records in the Bay Area at the time – and makes great use of singers Linda and Calvin Tillery, plus the great Harvey Mason on drums. Titles include wonderful covers of Lamont Dozier's "Why Can't We Be Lovers" and Leon Ware's "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" – plus the tracks "What Are You Under", "No One To Depend On", "Easy Come Easy Go", and "Make It Sweet". CD

An incredible fusion of all the greatness that was going on in the Bay Area scene of the 70s – put together by Coke Escovedo – the brother of Pete and Sheila E, former leader of Azteca, and onetime member of Santana! Yet this set sounds like none of that previous work at all – and instead is great grooving soul, infused both with the sophistication of fusion and some of the Latin elements of Escovedo's roots – all produced to perfection by Patrick Gleeson – who most folks know for his own spacey keyboard work with Bennie Maupin and others! The mix of elements going on is really complex, but comes across with effortless ease – one of those rare fusions that could happen at a bigger label when all the right talents were brought together. The record kind of "out-Fantasys" the best of Fantasy Records in the Bay Area at the time – and makes great use of singers Linda and Calvin Tillery, plus the great Harvey Mason on drums. Titles include wonderful covers of Lamont Dozier's "Why Can't We Be Lovers" and Leon Ware's "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" – plus the tracks "What Are You Under", "No One To Depend On", "Easy Come Easy Go", and "Make It Sweet". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent soundtrack to this early 70s thriller that starred George C Scott! Jerry Goldsmith has come up with some strong action themes that are very much in a Lalo Schifrin mode – mixing guitar, electric harpsichord, and strings with a harder-edged groove so that there's a lot of space in the overall blend of elements – allowing each one to step out nicely, identified on its own! Even the mellower tracks are great – with an airy feel that recalls some of Michel Legrand's best action scores at the end of the 60s – with colors that flow out and really give the record a sense of soul! Steve Lawrence sings "The Last Run" in a mode that recalls Matt Munro's performances on other thriller soundtracks – and other titles include "Claudie's Stockings", "The Trap", "Border Crossing", "Rickard Escapes", and "Double Cross". LP, Vinyl record album

The great first album from The Mary Jane Girls – easily their best, and an 80s pop soul delight all the way through! Rick James is firmly at the helm of the quartet for this release – and although the sound has elements of James' own crossover funk of the time, there's also an approach that's sweeter and more female – balanced in a surprisingly nice way, and not nearly as cloying as other efforts of its type! Backings are lean and stripped down – often in a nice clubby 80s groove mode – and titles include "All Night Long", "Candy Man", "Boys", "Jealousy", "On The Inside", "Musical Love", "Prove It", and "You Are My Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

Ten tracks from Scotty Mishoe, D Housholder, Craig Erickson, Todd Duane, Joy Basu, Stephen Ross, Ron Thal, Bernd Steidl, Rich Kern, Derek Taylor, and Scotty Mishoe. CD

A holy grail of jazz – Roy Ayers' first album as a leader, and a near-lost session that's simply sublime! The record was cut at the same time that Roy was working in LA with pianist Jack Wilson – and it's got an approach that's a bit similar to some of the Wilson/Ayers sessions for Atlantic, Blue Note, and Vault – but with a marked difference here in the presence of Curtis Amy, who plays some incredible tenor and soprano sax on the session – arcing out over the modal lines set up by the vibes and piano, and shading in the record with a much deeper sense of soul! Amy plays on about half the album's tracks – all of which are standout modal tunes that preface the MPS/Saba sound by a number of years, and which we'd easily rank as some of the greatest jazz recorded anywhere in the 60s. And even the tracks without Amy are great too – and have Roy echoing out with a wonderfully round tone on the vibes – no tricks, no gimmicks, no attempt to cross over to commercial jazz – just a brilliant tone and fresh vision on his instrument for the time. Wilson's great too (but when is he not?) – and rhythm is by either Bill Plummer or Victor Gaskin on bass, and either Tony Bazley or Kenny Dennis on drums. Titles include "Sound & Sense", "Ricardo's Dilemma", "Out Of Sight", "Young & Foolish", "Reggie Of Chester", and "Days Of Wine & Roses". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Now's The Time" and "Perhaps/Cool Blues" – both pulled from the Bird Call record with Vi Redd as a leader, noteworthy as Roy's first time in the studio! CD

The album that catapulted Dire Straits into the bigger mainstream – thanks in part to some heavy play on MTV, and the group's inventive use of the video format! Titles include "Brothers In Arms", "Walk Of Life", "The Man's Too Strong", "One World", "So Far Away", "Your Latest Trick", "Why Worry", "Ride Across The River", and "Money For Nothing". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that catapulted Dire Straits into the bigger mainstream – thanks in part to some heavy play on MTV, and the group's inventive use of the video format! Titles include "Brothers In Arms", "Walk Of Life", "The Man's Too Strong", "One World", "So Far Away", "Your Latest Trick", "Why Worry", "Ride Across The River", and "Money For Nothing". CD

Melodic, barbed postpunk from suburban Chicago's Epicycle – rare material from '79 to '81! Chicago's punk scene was a disparate community back in the day, with very few bands breaking out and finding a broad fanbase. That in mind, it shouldn't be so stunning that Epicycle is underappreciated, but this stuff is different. It's catchy as hell – tuneful in the same way as power pop heroes like The Shoes and early Cheap Trick – but with a rawness and incisive wordplay that's more in the punk wheelhouse. Epicycle's one of those bands we'd heard of over the years, but rarely (if ever) came across one of their rare records. Thanks to Hozac's fantastic archival series, we're finally catching up! Includes "You're Not Gonna Get It", "Hardcore Punk", "Radical Attitude", "Residential Area", "Pull Your Socks Up", "Life Is A Breeze", "Standing On The Corner", "Teenage Suicide" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible fusion of all the greatness that was going on in the Bay Area scene of the 70s – put together by Coke Escovedo – the brother of Pete and Sheila E, former leader of Azteca, and onetime member of Santana! Yet this set sounds like none of that previous work at all – and instead is great grooving soul, infused both with the sophistication of fusion and some of the Latin elements of Escovedo's roots – all produced to perfection by Patrick Gleeson – who most folks know for his own spacey keyboard work with Bennie Maupin and others! The mix of elements going on is really complex, but comes across with effortless ease – one of those rare fusions that could happen at a bigger label when all the right talents were brought together. The record kind of "out-Fantasys" the best of Fantasy Records in the Bay Area at the time – and makes great use of singers Linda and Calvin Tillery, plus the great Harvey Mason on drums. Titles include wonderful covers of Lamont Dozier's "Why Can't We Be Lovers" and Leon Ware's "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" – plus the tracks "What Are You Under", "No One To Depend On", "Easy Come Easy Go", and "Make It Sweet". CD

Brilliant brilliant work by Sleep Walker – a soaring, soulful album of spiritual jazz – one that we'd rank right up there with our favorites from the era of John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders on Impulse Records! The vibe here is incredible – jazz played live on tenor, soprano sax, piano, bass, and drums – spinning out in modal lines that groove tremendously, but not with any tricks or gimmicks that get in the way of genuine jazz expression. Sleep Walker are easily one of the deepest and most talented combos of the current club jazz scene – and their music never resorts to fake samples or heavy-handed rhythms to move the tunes along – just glows in the genius of its own bright light, spreading forth in waves of soul and sound that are tremendous from the first note of the album to the last! The record features guest work by Pharoah Sanders and Bembe Segue – and titles include "Ai No Tabi", "The Southern Cross", "Voyage", "Reminiscence", "Lost In Blue", "Kaze", "Afloat", and "Into The Sun". CD

A groovy Les Baxter album from the pre-exotica years – a set that showcases all the lively, jaunty styles that Les brought to his initial instrumental run on Capitol Records! The mix of sounds is as colorful as the title might imply – some Latin modes, wordless vocal passages, and plenty of instrumental tricks – even a bit of whistling at times, which comes across in this mighty cool way – as Baxter and crew turn out their own version of famous European instrumentals, zinged up in this groovy late 50s California mode! Titles include "Love Begins", "La Panse", "Love Theme From Farewell To Arms", "The Lonely Whistler", "Heartstring Melody", and "Ricordante Marcellino". LP, Vinyl record album

Ravi Coltrane's first album for Blue Note – put together here with production help from Joe Lovano, who also plays a bit of guest tenor too! The album's got a really dark edge – and really works strongly in those edgier sides of the spectrum – those modes that Coltrane's developed best in the past decade or so – which are almost more saxophonic elements of a maturing Wayne Shorter than they are those of his famous father! Ravi's got a good sense of space between his notes – never bridging the gaps with flurries of sound, and instead making these bold statements that swing together nicely, with help from a lineup that includes Geri Allen and Luis Pedromo on piano, James Genus and Drew Gress on bass, and EJ Strickland and Eric Harland on drums. In addition to tenor from Lovano on two tracks, the set also features some guest trumpet from Ralph Alessi – on titles that include "The Change My Girl", "Spirit Fiction", "Klepto", "Roads Cross", "Cross Roads", "Yellow Cat", and "Check Out Time". CD

Aretha Franklin belts it out nicely on this one – stepping out with even more of a hard soul style than before, in a record that's a great close to her early years on Columbia Records! Arrangements are by Belford Hendricks and Clyde Otis – the latter of whom is clearly responsible for the deepening sound of Franklin's music here – although Hendricks' work also sounds pretty great too, with a leaner feel than before. Franklin's vocals really sparkle nicely on the set – sometimes supported with backing singers, sometimes all out on their own – always in that iconic style that inspired whole generation of female soul singers. Titles include "A Little Bit Of Soul", "Only The One You Love", "Deeper", "Remember Me", "Land Of Dreams", "Lee Cross", "I May Never Get To Heaven", and "Take It Like You Give It". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package of work from the mighty Kool & The Gang – 6 full albums from the 80s, served up here in a 3CD set! First up is Ladies Night – a shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". The next album is Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight". As One is solid 80s grooving from Kool & The Gang – a group who inspired so many others in the early 80s soul generation, but who could still do it better than most of the rest! The style here is tight and smooth, but never too slick – and Deodato's giving the group some really great production for the album – helping them to focus their energy and soar soulfully, but without resorting to any stiff gimmicks or cliches! There's a great groove running through most of the numbers here – a confident quality that's never too commercial, and which bubbles along nicely throughout. Titles include "Street Kids", "Big Fun", "As One", "Hi De Hi Hi De Ho", "Let's Go Dancin", and "Pretty Baby". In The Heart is a sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". Last up is Emergency – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". CD

Herbie Hancock further expands his cosmic vision in this groundbreaking album of free-flowing fusiony tracks – a record that really steps up his range of keyboards, mixing in both acoustic and electric pianos, mellotron, and even a bit of spacey moog from the legendary Patrick Gleeson! The whole thing is wonderful – very open and flowing, and even more organic than Hancock's later work on Columbia – especially given the length of the tracks on the set. In addition to Gleeson, other players include Benny Maupin on reeds, Julian Priester on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include the 3 long tracks "Quasar", "Sleeping Giant", and "Water Torture" – all good ones! CD

A record that revolutionized the concept of jazz vocals in the 50s – thanks to famous performances by Annie Ross and King Pleasure! The tracks on the LP include Ross' early interpretations of Wardell Gray's classics "Twisted" and "Farmer's Market", and the King Pleasure set includes classics like "Red Top", "This Is Always", "Sometimes I'm Happy", and his great duet with Jon Hendricks, "Don't Get Scared". A landmark LP of jazz vocal sides, and one that no fan of vocalese should be without. LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – one of Annie Ross' rare albums as a solo act away from her trio with Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert – and a great little session cut with small combo jazz backing, which gives the song a nice swinging edge! Zoot Sims is the main soloist on the tunes, Russ Freeman lays down piano tracks to set the mood – and other players include Jim Hall, Monte Budwig, Mel Lewis, and Bill Perkins – all of whom contribute wonderfully to the album, and give it a nicely grooving west coast finish. Titles include "I Was Doing Alright", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Lucky Day", "Lucky So & So", and "Nobody's Baby". CD features bonus cuts too! CD

Herbie Hancock further expands his cosmic vision in this groundbreaking album of free-flowing fusiony tracks – a record that really steps up his range of keyboards, mixing in both acoustic and electric pianos, mellotron, and even a bit of spacey moog from the legendary Patrick Gleeson! The whole thing is wonderful – very open and flowing, and even more organic than Hancock's later work on Columbia – especially given the length of the tracks on the set. In addition to Gleeson, other players include Benny Maupin on reeds, Julian Priester on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include the 3 long tracks "Quasar", "Sleeping Giant", and "Water Torture" – all good ones! LP, Vinyl record album

A record that revolutionized the concept of jazz vocals in the 50s – thanks to famous performances by Annie Ross and King Pleasure! The tracks on the LP include Ross' early interpretations of Wardell Gray's classics "Twisted" and "Farmer's Market", and the King Pleasure set includes classics like "Red Top", "This Is Always", "Sometimes I'm Happy", and his great duet with Jon Hendricks, "Don't Get Scared". A landmark LP of jazz vocal sides, and one that no fan of vocalese should be without. CD reissue includes 4 extra bonus tracks! CD

Great stuff – one of Annie Ross' rare albums as a solo act away from her trio with Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert – and a great little session cut with small combo jazz backing, which gives the song a nice swinging edge! Zoot Sims is the main soloist on the tunes, Russ Freeman lays down piano tracks to set the mood – and other players include Jim Hall, Monte Budwig, Mel Lewis, and Bill Perkins – all of whom contribute wonderfully to the album, and give it a nicely grooving west coast finish. Titles include "I Was Doing Alright", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Lucky Day", "Lucky So & So", and "Nobody's Baby". CD

A fantastic second album from this ultra-hip French combo – a group who effortlessly mix up jazz, funk, and global elements in the best cross-cultural tradition of the Parisian scene! Cotonete have been around for many years, even though they haven't given us many records – and it's clear from this set that their sound has gelled and evolved even more than before – no gimmicks or easy tricks on the record, and instead this really cohesive blend of keyboards from Florian Pellissier with trumpet, saxes, guitar, trombone, bass, and plenty of percussion! Guests include Omar, Leron Thomas, and Sabrina Malheiros – each of whom sing on a single track – and titles include "Satori", "La Derniere Guitare", "Bebete Vaobora", "Venezuela", "Cinq Pour L'Aventure", and "What Did You Run For". CD

A fantastic second album from this ultra-hip French combo – a group who effortlessly mix up jazz, funk, and global elements in the best cross-cultural tradition of the Parisian scene! Cotonete have been around for many years, even though they haven't given us many records – and it's clear from this set that their sound has gelled and evolved even more than before – no gimmicks or easy tricks on the record, and instead this really cohesive blend of keyboards from Florian Pellissier with trumpet, saxes, guitar, trombone, bass, and plenty of percussion! Guests include Omar, Leron Thomas, and Sabrina Malheiros – each of whom sing on a single track – and titles include "Satori", "La Derniere Guitare", "Bebete Vaobora", "Venezuela", "Cinq Pour L'Aventure", and "What Did You Run For". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare set from the Chicago scene of the early 70s – put together by a group who are the "American family" promised in the title, but who have a lot more to offer than just the kiddie soul of the time! The members of the group have a nice range of ages and styles – which maybe makes the music come across with the depth of groups like Voices of East Harlem or The Stairsteps – more mature, sometimes righteous currents that are a real surprise – and captured here with instrumentation that's a nicely lean take on east coast styles of the time – that grittier approach that always made records on the Perception label so great! Titles include two nice cuts by Patrick Adams – "Loneliest Girl In Town" and "Find the One Who Loves You", plus others by the producer James L Porter – "Oh Yes I Do" and "Time For a Change" – and the titles "Next Time I'll Be Good", "I Can't Get No Higher", "I Can't Wait", and "Take My Love Don't Set Me Free". CD features four bonus tracks – "Here's Some Dances", "Will You Still Be Mine", "Let's Sign A Peace Treaty", and "Looking For A Brand New Game". CD

Guitarist Julian Lage is working here with a slightly expanded group, yet still comes across with a sound that's as warm and intimate as some of his previous material! The core trio with Jorge Roeder on bass and Dave Kings on drums is expanded with the addition of Levon Henry on saxes, Patrick Warren on keyboards, and Kris Davis on piano – elements that are often used in loose, spare ways – so that Lage's work on the strings is always center stage, and maybe captured with a moody vibe that's partly ECM, but with some of the Americanist leanings of projects from Bill Frisell in the phrasing. Titles include "Myself Around You", "Northern Shuffle", "Omission", "South Mountain", "Speak To Me", "Two & One", "Vanishing Points", "As It Were", "76", and "Nothing Happens Here". CD

Guitarist Julian Lage is working here with a slightly expanded group, yet still comes across with a sound that's as warm and intimate as some of his previous material! The core trio with Jorge Roeder on bass and Dave Kings on drums is expanded with the addition of Levon Henry on saxes, Patrick Warren on keyboards, and Kris Davis on piano – elements that are often used in loose, spare ways – so that Lage's work on the strings is always center stage, and maybe captured with a moody vibe that's partly ECM, but with some of the Americanist leanings of projects from Bill Frisell in the phrasing. Titles include "Myself Around You", "Northern Shuffle", "Omission", "South Mountain", "Speak To Me", "Two & One", "Vanishing Points", "As It Were", "76", and "Nothing Happens Here". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Julian Lage is working here with a slightly expanded group, yet still comes across with a sound that's as warm and intimate as some of his previous material! The core trio with Jorge Roeder on bass and Dave Kings on drums is expanded with the addition of Levon Henry on saxes, Patrick Warren on keyboards, and Kris Davis on piano – elements that are often used in loose, spare ways – so that Lage's work on the strings is always center stage, and maybe captured with a moody vibe that's partly ECM, but with some of the Americanist leanings of projects from Bill Frisell in the phrasing. Titles include "Myself Around You", "Northern Shuffle", "Omission", "South Mountain", "Speak To Me", "Two & One", "Vanishing Points", "As It Were", "76", and "Nothing Happens Here". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge crossover album from Carrie Lucas – maybe not the most soulful singer of the disco scene of the 70s, but one who really does a great job of putting over the music here! At times, Carrie's got this breathy style that's quite compelling – a more personal quality that's different than someone trying to fake a bit of soul – all handled perfectly by Dick Griffey – the Solar Records genius who produced the album! Also, the record's also got some good arrangements by Jerry Peters, who always knows how to give a soul track a different sort of edge – one of the overlooked geniuses of his generation. The best cuts have a strong "free soul" pop groove – and tracks include "Me For You", "I Gotta Keep Dancin", "Tender", "Jammin Tenderly", "I'll Close Loves Door", and "What's The Question". CD features bonus tracks – "Keep Smilin (orig 12" Rick Gianatos rmx)" plus original single versions of "I Gotta Keep Dancin" and "I Gotta Get Away From Your Love". CD

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". CD

A lesser-known 70s album by The Ohio Players – tunes recorded for the soundtrack of the late blacksploitation film Mr Mean, but also very much in the tight funk format of the group's Mercury work! Tracks are nice and long overall – almost in a stretched-out take on the soundtrack mode, so that there's more "chase" numbers than usual. The real highlight is the sweet sticky tune "Good Luck Charm" – sweetly tripping across a 9 minute ballad mode that's got plenty of spacious mellow grooving underneath. Other tracks include the short percussive "The Controller's Mind", plus "The Big Score", "Mr Mean", "Magic Trick", and the flute-funk "Speak Easy". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work by a group who really know how to make their mark – coming across with a sound that's very much their own, with a quality that hits you from the very first note! As with previous records, a big part of the sound here depends on the vibes of Behn Gillece – already a really great player on his own records, and a core part of the color and tone of this quintet – a tight lineup that also features Patrick Cornelius on alto, Ryan Keberle on trombone, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums! There's a way in which the vibes are used that's very different than on other records of this nature – maybe the initial paintbrush on the palette, with a stroke that resonates throughout the canvas and touches all other players – bringing them together wonderfully on tunes that include "Slope Of The Blues", "Dinner Is Served", "We Will Know", "Sisters Of Mine", "We Dare", "After KW", and "Waiting For Takeoff". CD

A funky bit of blues from Otis Rush – the guitarist's debut album, and a surprisingly great batch of tracks recorded at Fame Studios! Production is by Mike Bloomfield and Nick Gravenites, who are clearly going for more of a crossover sound than Rick Hall might have given the set – but that approach is a strong one, as it really brings a hard focus on Rush's guitar, and sets his slyly sliding vocals a bit more back in the mix. Sweet electric Chicago blues before it got over-Alligatorized – with tracks that include "Feel So Bad", "Baby I Love You So", "Me", "Working Man", "You're Killing My Love", and "Can't Wait No Longer". CD

Tremendous early work from the great Candi Staton – coming across here as much more of a deep soul singer than on her later club and disco tracks – thanks to rock-solid production from Muscle Shoals legend Rick Hall – probably the best producer ever to work with Candi's voice! The style's a bit smoother than on some of Candi's first few recordings – but still very much in a deep soul mode, with a sophisticated approach to southern soul that's really outta site – and which has Staton really evolving past earlier southern soul styles, bridging worlds in the same way that Millie Jackson was beginning to do with some of her excellent 70s material too! Tracks include "Do It In The Name Of Love", "The Best Thing You Ever Had", "The Thanks I Get For Loving You", "I'll Drop Everything & Come Running", and "Wanted Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous early work from the great Candi Staton – coming across here as much more of a deep soul singer than on her later club and disco tracks – thanks to rock-solid production from Muscle Shoals legend Rick Hall – probably the best producer ever to work with Candi's voice! The style's a bit smoother than on some of Candi's first few recordings – but still very much in a deep soul mode, with a sophisticated approach to southern soul that's really outta site – and which has Staton really evolving past earlier southern soul styles, bridging worlds in the same way that Millie Jackson was beginning to do with some of her excellent 70s material too! Tracks include "Do It In The Name Of Love", "The Best Thing You Ever Had", "The Thanks I Get For Loving You", "I'll Drop Everything & Come Running", and "Wanted Lover". CD

The great Sylvia Robinson hit the charts in the 70s with a huge crossover hit – but somehow, this album from the time has always been one of her trickiest to find – a complete gem through and through, done with a slinky, sexy style that's completely outta sight! Robinson's maybe best known as the force behind Sugarhill Records – but a few years before, she was already a maestro in the studio at the helm of the Vibration/All-Platinum label – cooking up sublime New Jersey soul tracks with other groups, and using all those talents on her own vocals as well! There's a mellow, midtempo groove to the set – just like Sylvia's big hit – and the approach is perfect for her sensual vocals – on titles that include "I Can't Help It", "Pussycat", "Soul Je T'Aime", "Sho Nuff Boogie", "Private Performance", "The Notion", and "Coward's Way Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary project from Tortoise – kind of the "part 1.5" to their tremendous debut – as it features material from that record, remixed by members of the group and other key figures on the Chicago scene – all as a real testament to the many criss-crossing styles and modes that were taking place during these key post-rock years! The original material was performed by the version of the group that featured Bundy K Brown, John Herndon, John McIntire, Doug McCombs, and Dan Bitney – and remixes are by McEntire and Brown from the group – plus Steve Albini, Brad Wood, Casey Rice, Jim O'Rourke, Rick Brown, and even Mike Watt! Titles include "Alcohall", "Your New Rod", "Cobwebbed", "Tin Cans (Puerto Rican mix)", "Initial Gesture Protraction", "The Match Incident", and "Not Quite East Of The Ryan". LP, Vinyl record album

The soulful sound of Trojan Records, mixed superbly here by Japanese DJ Holiday – who comes across with a killer blend of cuts from the rocksteady and early reggae years! A number of tracks here are Jamaican remakes of American soul tunes, and they're mixed with originals that really echo the spirit of mellow grooves that were especially strong in the early part of the 70s – served up here on a set of 20 tracks that are all pulled from the farther reaches of the Trojan catalog, including a fair bit of under-discovered nuggets! Titles include "Let's Get It On" by Lloyd Charmers, "Lean On Me" by BB Seaton, "Tears On My Pillow" by Derrick Morgan, "It's You I Love" by Merlene Webster, "Somebody's Baby" by Pat Kelly, "Pain In My Heart" by Derrick & Naomi, "Target" by The Gaytones, "Love Letters" by Phyllis Dillon & Alton Ellis, "Sitting In The Park" by Slim Smith, "Keep It Like It Is" by Louisa Marks, "Emergency Call" by Judy Mowatt, and "Our Day Will Come" by The Heptones. CD

A really great package, and one that shows all the cool criss-crossings of styles that we happening up in the hills of LA at the end of the 60s! The artists here are all part of the famous Laurel Canyon scene – a place where late folk, new psych, country rock, and other modes criss-crossed in loose social networks, music studios, and clubs – creating an array of sounds here that really might catch you by surprise! You'll know most of the artists within, but the presentation of them together makes for a very cool compilation – especially as the 3CD set begins with lesser-known early work, then tracks shifts in sounds and styles – moving into later years when the artists and sounds had shifted down into the Hollywood scene. At another level, the whole thing also just makes for a great evolution of Cali rock and pop over a few short years – presented with detailed notes on the artists, songs, and scene – with a set list of 72 tracks that includes work by The Turtles, Rick Nelson, Love, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Gentle Soul, Clear Light, Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Stephen Stills, JD Souther, Judee Sill, Crazy Horse, Nilsson, Ned Doheny, Leon Russell, Howdy Moon, Jo Mama, The Leaves, Byrds, MFQ, Steve Noonan, Barry McGuire, Holy Mackerel, Ruthann Friedman, Smokey Roberds, Susan Carter, Loggins & Messina, Gram Parsons, and many others! CD