Quite an obscure date from trumpeter Cat Anderson – done for the tiny Wynne label in 1959, and in a great small group approximation of the Duke Ellington spirit! Anderson's trumpet is set nicely in a very hip little group – with players who include Ray Nance on violin, Quentin Jackson on trombone, Budd Johnson on tenor sax, Rudy Powell on alto, Leroy Lovett on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. The tracks are mostly Ellington standards, but are often done with a looser sort of feel than familiar takes – more small combo and open, in a way that really makes us appreciate Cat's skills for putting the set together. Titles include "Like Dig", "Chelsea Bridge", "The Mexican Bandit", "Lovelinnessence", "Between Some Place Goin No Place", and "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet mellow soul meets the burgeoning east coast club soul sound – and the results are incredible! Leroy Burgess arranged the rhythms and Patrick Adams arranged the strings and horns – both masterfully – but it's this warm, emotionally resonant and supremely soulful Black Ivory vocal arrangements that shoot this one so high into the stratosphere. Feel It was the first album in a few years from the group, marking a bit of transition in styles from the earlier, more ballad-heavy approach, but it carries that genuinely emotional vibe really, really well. An album we've always dug, but love even more after revisiting it – we think you'll love it, too! Includes the vocal and instrumental versions of "Daily News", plus the cuts "Warm Inside", "Feel It", "Will We Ever Come Together", "You're What's Been Missing From My Life", "Love, Won't You Stay" and "All In A Day's Love". CD

A brilliant mix of soul and jazz from the legendary Norman Connors – a key album in breaking Norman out back in the 70s – and a record that's still pretty darn perfect all these many years later! You can hear Connors' deep roots throughout the set – but they're often used towards a more sophisticated soul agenda, too – blending in elements of jazz vocals and modern R&B, at a level that so many other artists would copy in years to come – but which Norman virtually helped invent with this landmark album! There's some mellow moments on the record that are every bit as wonderful as the funky ones – some laidback tracks that feature sublime vocals from Jean Carn, pre-Philly – and which also really introduce the soul side of Michael Henderson – an artist who most folks had previously known as a bass player. Connors mixes the funky and the smooth at a level that rivals the best Roy Ayers material of the same time – and titles include the massive hit "Valentine Love" – plus "Saturday Night Special", "Kwasi", "Dindi", "Akia", "Skin Diver", and a sweet version of "Maiden Voyage"! CD features bonus 7" mixes of "Saturday Night Special" and "Valentine Love". CD

Mindblowing music from the trio of Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Jo Armstead – most of it composed and recorded in New York during the mid 60s – before Armstead left for the Chicago scene, and Ashford & Simpson went to work for Motown in Detroit! The three writers have a really beautiful way of putting over a tune – fresh lyrics that are perfect for the budding soul generation of the 60s – and which often get some production work from the members of the trio too, especially on some of the tracks here that were issued by Wand Records. The package does a perfect job of unearthing these early years – pulling together compositions by the three (and occasionally just by Ashford & Simpson) – and illuminating this period with notes that are as thorough as the selection of tracks on the set. Titles include "Dance Children Dance" by Mary Love, "The Shoe Won't Fit" by Betty Everett, "Look Away" by The Shirelles, "Are You Trying To Get Rid Of Me Baby" by The Crystals, "I Don't Need No Doctor" by Sandy Nelson, "Please Little Angel" by Doris Troy, "The Real Thing" by The Chiffons, "Smokie Joe's" by The Jewels, "Say It Again" by Marie Knight, "Looky Looky" by Candy & The Kisses, "Mr Creator" by The Apollas, "You're Absolutely Right" by Tina Britt, "I'm Satisfied" by Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown, "Cry Like A Baby" by Aretha Franklin, "Same Old Feeling" by Jo Ann & Troy, "Only Your Love Can Save Me" by Betty LaVette, and "Love Ain't What It Used To Be" by The Diplomats. CD

An incredible record – and the kind of rare LA bop session that got totally lost because it was never packaged properly! This obscure set was issued by the Crown label under a number of names – both the Conte Candoli All Stars and Vince Guaraldi – and the group includes Conte Candoli, Buddy Collette, Vince Guaraldi, Leroy Vinnegar, and Stan Levey – all playing with a fantastically tight and incredibly soulful bop groove, of the sort you always hear them credited for, but which you can never find on any of their snoozy more famous records. Vince Guaraldi plays some incredibly soulful piano, in a manner that's very different than his Fantasy recordings – and he's playing here with a killer group of LA players who deliver some of their finest recorded work! Trust us, the session's a gem – and it's one of those you can put on and surprise your friends, and yourself! Tracks include "Muggin The Minor", "Mambo Diane", "Macedonia", and "Little David". CD