Maybe the greatest album ever from Van Morrison – and a set that broke into a whole new side of his talents! Van's producing himself on the record – not really in the conventional role as a producer, but in a way that has him really writing most of the album as he goes along in the studio – using core ideas for tunes, and fleshing them out in a relatively spontaneous way with the musicians involved – at a level that also shows some of the most jazzy elements of Morrison's music to date! That approach is heard to key effect in the sublime title cut "Moondance" – but it also echoes over the course of the whole album's stellar set list – tracks that include "Caravan", "Into The Mystic", "Come Running", "Glad Tidings", and "And It Stoned Me". CD

Wonderful work from Pockets – a group who started out more in a jazzy mode, but who here have emerged as a fully-formed, soaringly soulful group that's a perfect fit for the Kalmiba Productions style of the late 70s! As you probably know, Kalimba's the production arm of the Earth Wind & Fire empire – and Pockets fit here right in tight with their groove – a nice little sidebar, definitely with their own spirit – but filled with that sense of perfection that wraps together funk, soul, and jazz with equal emphasis on all three styles! There's some great harmony vocals in the mix too – crafted with the care of contemporaneous groups like Side Effect or Creative Source – and titles include "Your Heart's In Trouble", "Bye Bye", "Catch Me", "So Delicious", "How Do You Think It Feels?", "Charisma", and "Baby Are You Coming Home With Me". CD

A fantastic second album from Rasputin Stash – a group who started out on Atlantic Records as a big ensemble with a pretty freaky, fuzzy sound – but one who emerge here with a sweet mix of funk and soul that's perfect for their placement on this mid-70s offshoot of Curtom Records! The quartet have a reach that they never had before – able to unite their voices and soar with harmonic brilliance that rivals the best of their labelmates – the Impressions or Natural Four – always with the kind of badass currents that both of those groups picked up in the 70s! Yet they can also get a lot funkier, too – picking up some of the best currents from the Curtis Mayfield side of the spectrum, but fusing them into a leaner small group mode – heard to wonderfully effect on the classic "Devil Made Me Do It", and the killer JB's-ish track "Hit It and Pass It". The whole album's wonderful, though – and titles include "I Can Feel Your Jones", "Ooh Baby", and "The Devil Made Me Do It". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing discovery in music – rare work from an artist who's already pretty darn rare to American ears – even though he recorded some of these spacey gems in Virginia during the mid 70s! Sensation's Fix is the brainchild of musician/electronician Franco Falsini – an Italian artist with strong influence from, and experience with, the early German prog scene – but one who also stretches out here in ways that are a lot more personal and poetic! The music is heavy on keyboards and electronics – often in a minimally-produced way, save for studio effects that really help flesh out the sound without commercializing it – and Franco has a thoughtful approach that's never too jamming, even though mostly instrumental – almost that space as prog was turning towards soundtrack ends – especially in German and France. Yet the feel is also quite different than that, too – as you'll hear on this double-length set of rare mixes, alternate takes and unreased tracks from the records that yielded the short output of Sensation's Fix in the mid 70s. Titles include "Barnhause Effect", "Overflowing Ashtrays", "Cold Nose Part 3 Movement 3", "Left Side Of Green", "Chelsea Hotel Room 625", "Crossing Berlin", "Darkside 2", "Fragments Of Light", "Warped Notions Of A Practical Joke", and "Leave My Chemistry". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Rick James, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Side Effect, Vaughan Mason & Crew, BVSMP, Sugarhill Gang, Egyptian Lover, Bar-Kays, Booker T & The MG's, and more – 24 tracks in all. CD

A trio of spacey classics from Tim Blake – all brought together in a single set! First up Crystal Machine – fantastic sounds from Tim Blake, an artist who previously worked with Gong, and sometimes worked with Hawkwind – but who really came into his own on this legendary album of electronics! Tim works here on a self-constructed "crystal machine" – a bank of electronics that was often played in performance to front some trippy film installations (as shown on the cover) – which perfectly suited the stretched-out spacey style of his music! The vibe is maybe a bit like early Tangerine Dream, but with some of the warmer modes of the French electronic scene of the time – and titles include "Midnight", "Last Ride Of The Boogie Child", "Synthese Intemporel", and "Crystal Presence". On the cover of Blake's New Jerusalem, Tim looks like he's sitting at the helm of a spaceship on the cover – and in a way, that's what his music was at the time – a way of taking off to the skies on waves of electronics, in the kinds of sounds that Blake first created in his Crystal Machine project, but which have an even sharper focus here! The album's got more vocals than Tim's previous effort, and in a way that's what really sets it apart from the rest – as Blake's got this warmly positive approach that would be at home in progressive folk, but which here comes across with a very unique style – given the mostly electronic setting of the album! All the banks of knobs, slides, and keys pictured on the cover are used to strongly skillful effect – on titles that include "Generator", "Passage Sur La Cite", "New Jerusalem", "Song For A New Age", and "Lighthouse". Magick is a really great later set from electronic genius Tim Blake – an album recorded 15 years after his early classics, and done in his windmill home in France – but all played live, in a way that makes the electronics and keyboards here maybe more amazing! Blake has certainly picked up some of the elements from the 80s generation who were influenced by his earlier work – but also keeps the more open sense of song structure from his classics at points – with a sound that still knows when to revel in the best analog moments, next to the digital ones. Titles include "Tonight", "Strange Secret Of Ohm Gliding", "A Dream", "More Magick", and "Waiting For Nati". Also features the bonus b-side "The Woodland Voice". CD

A great run of music from Richard Dimples Fields – brought together in a single set! First up is the Dimples album – a surprise hit for Richard Dimples Fields – and one of those albums that seems to turn up in just about every collection of records from the 80s! Although Fields first got his start turning out self-produced soul albums, and you'd expect him to sound a lot slicker here, recording for MCA's Boardwalk imprint, the record's still got a nice down-home feel that almost makes it feel like an indie soul record, despite the fact that Richard is going for a smooth modern sound on most cuts. Our standout favorite is the classic "She's Got Papers On Me", Richard's entry into the Barbara Mason/Shirley Brown song cycle ("you got my man", "he's your man, but he's my lover", etc) – one that takes the view of the man, but which has a sassy female monologue coming in at the end, telling him off! Other tracks include "I Like Your Lovin", "Let Me Take You In My Arms Tonight", "Let The Lady Dance", "In The Still Of the Night", "I've Got To Learn To Say No", and "Don't Ever Take Your Love". Next is Mr Look So Good – an early 80s classic from Richard Dimples Fields – one of the most unique talents in soul music of his generation – with an appeal that's both down home, and smoothly sophisticated at the time! In a way, Fields' music represents many changes his audience was going through at the time – classing things up a bit, and heading into the mainstream – yet still very much concerned about the same issues and challenges of years past. The approach is almost southern soul by way of southern California – rough edges polished out, but still earthy enough to hang out with the crowd from back home. Almost all titles are originals, and Richard handled most of the production too – on tracks that include "If It Ain't One Thing It's Another", "After I Put My Lovin On You", "Baby Work Out", "Mr Look So Good", "Taking Applications", and "A Freak On The Side". The Give Everybody Some album follows – sweet mainstream grooving from Richard Dimples Fields – the 70s indie artist who really struck big with these early 80s albums for Boardwalk! The style here is a mix of mellow soul and more upbeat numbers – very much the kind of blend that Fields' served up best back on his own label in the 70s, but which is re-presented here with a more professional, more contemporary soul vibe. There's a sweetness to Richard's vocals that's quite different than most of his contemporaries – an earnestness that makes even the most poppy numbers sound pretty great – and which almost sound better here than they did in the old days. Titles include "Don't Ever Stop Chasing Your Dreams", "Butter", "People Treat You Funky", "You Shouldn't Have Made It So Good", "You Send Me", and a nice version of "Moody's Mood For Love". Things warm up nicely on the album Mmm – another gem from Richard Dimples Fields! Fields has a high-toned voice that's almost falsetto soul – quite distinct among his contemporaries, and used in a style that was part sweet soul, part southern soul – in a way that really helped him cross a lot of audiences at the time. This set's self-produced, and filled with original numbers that have an innocent charm that was often missing in mainstream soul at the time. Titles include "Jazzy Lady", "Your Wife Is Cheatin On Us", "Dear Mr God", "Don 't Turn Your Back On My Love", "I Need You So", "Woman (Let Me Into Your Life)", "Dog Or A Hog?", and "We've Gotta Stop Meeting Like This". Last up is Dark Gable – a record that has Richard Dimples Fields embracing 80s production even more than on previous sets – but still keeping all those vocal charms that made him such a giant from his indie years onwards! The grooves are tight, and upbeat cuts have plenty of basslines and keyboards to keep things moving – heard to great effect on the hit cut "Shake Em Down" – heard here next to others that include "Don't Give It Up Too Soon", "She's A Bad Lil Lady", "One Special One", and "Neckgrabber". CD

Freaky keyboards and fuzzy saxophone – played by the team of Dieter Seelow and Peter Mayer, working here in a rare bit of funk from the early 70s German scene! The record's got a sound that's very much in the madder side of the MPS spectrum at the time – jazz influenced by a bit of fuzzier rock elements – heard to good effect on Seelow's amplified, processed saxophone lines – and on some of the heavier organ moments from Mayer. The sound is wide-open, but never too free or jamming – clearly inspired by the hipper American soul jazz of the late 60s – the side of the scene that started with electric Eddie Harris, and moved into weirder Melvin Jackson moments – both players who are a good comparison here, as the groove definitely shows a love of the electrified music that Harris and Jackson made together. Remaining instrumentation includes electric bass and drums – so the overall sound is quite spare – and titles include the massive three-part "Mr Dynamite", plus "Masquerade","Danny's Walk", "The Swinger From Rio", and "With A Little Help From My Friends". CD

Key club cuts from the second generation of the industrial scene – that 80s moment when the music moved from the noisy, experimental territory of the Throbbing Gristle underground to a more mainstream world where the previous sonic breakthroughs were mixed with beats and lyrics to create some surprisingly danceable tracks! Here in Chicago, we had Wax Trax to thank us for introducing us to lots of this music – but on the other side of the Atlantic, some of these groups were getting plenty of play both on radio and in nite spots – using darker beats and basslines to surprisingly great effect. The package is maybe worth it alone for "Yon Yonson" by the Dave Howard Singers – a cut we thought nobody in the world remembered – and the 3CD package features 44 titles in all, with work from Attrition, Meat Beat Manifesto, A:Grumh, Lead Into Gold, Nocturnal Emissions, Test Dept, SPK, Front 242, Renegade Soundwave, Severed Heads, Age Of Chance, Laibach, Neon Judgement, The Weathermen, Section 25, Die Krupps, MAD, Legendary Pink Dots, Son Of Sam, Esplendor Geometrico, Hunting Lodge, Borghesia, Alein Sex Fiend, and others! 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

One of the most unique Sun Ra performances ever recorded – a live date recorded in Atlanta on New Years Eve, 1984 – and one that has the keyboard giant playing a massive pipe organ that was so big, it had its own name! As you might imagine from his work on piano and other more unusual keyboards, Ra really has an amazing time here – using all the many stops, pedals, keys, and effects of the instrument to create these really weird and wonderful sounds – music that's definitely improvised jazz, but also evokes both the cosmos and a legacy of cinematic accompaniment too – but much more at a level that might have been heard alongside some early silent horror or science fiction narratives! There's other sounds in the mix at times too – although from the notes it's a bit unclear if other members of the Arkestra are present, or if Ra himself is making strange elements with effects from the organ. CD version features the full 42 minute performance of "Beyond Hiroshima". CD

One of the most unique Sun Ra performances ever recorded – a live date recorded in Atlanta on New Years Eve, 1984 – and one that has the keyboard giant playing a massive pipe organ that was so big, it had its own name! As you might imagine from his work on piano and other more unusual keyboards, Ra really has an amazing time here – using all the many stops, pedals, keys, and effects of the instrument to create these really weird and wonderful sounds – music that's definitely improvised jazz, but also evokes both the cosmos and a legacy of cinematic accompaniment too – but much more at a level that might have been heard alongside some early silent horror or science fiction narratives! There's other sounds in the mix at times too – although from the notes it's a bit unclear if other members of the Arkestra are present, or if Ra himself is making strange elements with effects from the organ. LP features a 19 minute performance of "Beyond Hiroshima" – and the 18 minute "Excelsior" on the flipside. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more obscure Blue Mitchell albums of the 70s – and one of the most far-reaching too! The set's still got an electric current, like his other work on the Mainstream label at the time – but there's also less funk at the core, and more of a spiritual jazz vibe – a quality that definitely burns with the "vital" of the title, and which draws strongly from the album's great use of Joe Henderson on tenor and flute – whose presence here really helps underscore the righteousness of the sound! Ernie Watts also blows a bit on the record – and the rest of the group includes Walter Bishop Jr on acoustic and electric piano, Stan Gilbert on bass, and Doug Sides on drums. Susaye Greene adds in some totally amazing vocal effects at a few points – which really furthers the unique quality of the record – and titles include the great "Unseen Sounds", which has some amazingly unusual flute work from Henderson, plus "Booty Shakin", "Vital Blue", "I Love You", and "Herman's Helmet". CD

A darkly-grooving killer from pianist Horace Parlan – and one of our favorite Blue Note albums ever! Although Parlan's always a great player on other sides for the label, this album has him stepping out with an extra edge that's really amazing – working with brothers Tommy and Stanley Turrentine to craft some tunes that roll with the propulsive energy of the best Blue Note hardbop sides, but which also have some edgier moments, and almost point the way towards some of the new thing experiments that would transform the work of Jackie McLean! All players are still quite straight, but they've got a way of putting together tones and textures that's really wonderful – heard to famous effect on the album's early version of Booker Ervin's track "Skoochie" – but soaring all the way through on titles that include "On The Spur Of The Moment", "Ray C", "Al's Tune", and "Pyramid". CD

John Scofield's a musician who's changed up his sound wonderfully over the decades – and yet, throughout it all, he's never stopped to give us an album of solo guitar – something he does here in a wonderfully fresh way – mixing up a surprising array of songs alongside his own work on guitar, which is sometimes augmented by loops! Scofield mixes in his own compositions with a few traditional tunes, numbers by Hank Williams and Buddy Holly, and a few standards as well – all to deliver a surprisingly personal record, and one that never lets the looping effects get in the way of the sensitive sounds on the guitar. Titles include "Elder Dance", "Since You Asked", "Not Fade Away", "My Old Flame", "You Win Again", "Trance De Jour", "Junco Partner", and "Coral". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best post-Paris live dates by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – recorded right on their southside home turf in Chicago, as something of a homecoming after their years abroad! The performance is really one continuous piece, divided up into chapters – and it starts off with an intensity that's bolder than much of the group's previous recordings – an almost-free sort of sound that's quite raw, and which must have been a great way to announce their presence back on the Chicago scene. As the piece moves on, it slows a bit in pace, and opens up more in mood – but always has an edge that's quite distinct – almost free of some of the wit that marked the Ensemble's work from a few years before. The core lineup features Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman on saxes, Malachi Favors on bass, and Don Moye on drums and percussion – but as always, all players get their hands on plenty of other instruments during the performance – an array of horns, gongs, bells, whistles, bike horns, and more – all used to great effect! Sections of the work are titled "Duffvipels", "Checkmate", "Dautalty", and "Mata Kimasu". CD

Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd – sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s – and feature Bobby working in that incredibly tight, incredibly fast-grooving mode he first forged with James – heard to best effect on some key live recordings, and served up here in some equally great studio sides that feature help from Fred Wesley and Brown. A few other cuts keep the funky fire burning with some surprisingly nice Miami touches – with Clarence Reid on production, but Bobby more than strongly in the mix on some great vocals. There also appears to be a few tracks from later years – featuring Byrd with singers Vicki Anderson and Martha High, plus a group that also includes Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley – and 2 more that are later live numbers. The set features 11 tracks in all, and is a great counterpart to Bobby's one and only album for the King label – with tracks that include "Never Get Enough", "Hang It Up", "Back From The Dead", "The Way To Get Down", "Feel Good Friday", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Let Me Know", and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind". CD

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Danny Elfman really hits new heights on his score for this twisted Tim Burton holiday classic – bringing back some of his strong ear for lyrics, forged during his Oingo Boingo years – and making for a record that's filled with catchy tunes that have really helped keep the film alive over the years! There's some nice instrumentals thrown into the mix too, of the sort that had been helping Elfman rise as a soundtrack star from the late 80s onward – and tracks include "This Is Halloween", "Town Meeting Song", "What Is This", "Sally's Song", "Poor Jack", "Kidnap The Sandy Claws", "Jack's Lament", and "Nabbed". LP, Vinyl record album

A wild little record – with the feel of some of the messed-up hippy-dippy sides on ESP! The record features excerpts from talks by Abbie, linked together with music by "The Joint Chiefs Of Staff", and combined with sound effects and noise to give the whole thing sort of a party feel. All this, and it's packaged in a cool underground cartoony cover! LP, Vinyl record album

A triple-header from Freddie Hubbard – three late 70s albums together in a single set! Bundle Of Joy is a bundle of soul from Freddie Hubbard – one that has him blowing beautifully over full arrangements from Bert DeCoteux – the 70s super-soul maestro who really brings a new sound to Hubbard's music! The style's a bit smoother than other Freddie albums of the time, but still really great – a wonderful plenty of his well-timed, well-punctuated work on trumpet with warm grooves supplied by Bert – filled with instrumentation that includes David T Walker on guitar, Ernie Watts on sax and flute, Azar Lawrence on tenor, David Garfield on keyboards, and even Dorothy Ashby on flute. Titles include "Portrait Of Jenny", "Rainy Day Song", "Bundle Of Joy", "From Now On", "From Behind", and "Rahsaan". Super Blue is a sweet late 70s set from Freddie Hubbard – a slight move away from some of his highly-electric sides of the CTI years, yet one that still has some of the most soulful qualities of that work! Freddie's trumpet has a nicely spacious quality throughout – one that's flowing, and almost glowing at time – cascading along with qualities you might be more likely to hear from Art Farmer on some of the gentler numbers, yet really bursting out with that old Hubbard dynamism on the rest. Other players include Joe Henderson on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, Kenny Barron on piano and keyboards, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and George Benson also guests on guitar on one number too. A good number of the titles are originals, and tracks include "Super Blue", "To Her Ladyship", "Take It To The Ozone", "The Gospel Truth", and "Theme For Kareem". Love Connection has Freddie Hubbard working with arranger Claus Ogerman on some expansive tracks that go beyond his earlier work in the decade – sometimes blowing mellow notes over larger orchestrations, other times working in a surprisingly lean groove that has some really soulful touches! The approach shifts from track to track, but all titles are long, and the overall effect is really great. Al Jarreau guests on a sweet vocal version of "Little Sunflower", and other players on the set include Joe Farrell and Tom Scott on reeds, and Chick Corea, who plays most of the keys on the set. Titles include "Lazy Afternoon", "This Dream", "Brigitte", and "The Love Connection". CD

A strong 70s recording by a group that was mostly known as the Cedar Walton trio – the group of Sam Jones on bass, Walton on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums – recorded only for the Japanese market, and a heck of a record! The set's got one standout feature that sets it apart from some of the other sides by the Walton group at the time – the use of a string quartet on a few of the tracks, which creates some great interplay between the core trio and the augmented strings. This is hear to especially great effect on Walton's classic "Holy Land", as well as on the tracks "Le Maestro" and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". The set also features 3 great tunes by Jones – "Blues For Amos", "Seven Minds", "Miss Morgan". CD

From way back when Luke might a been a force (outside the porn industry) and before he split with the 2 Live Crew. Recorded soon after his legal battles in Broward County, Florida, a lot of the tracks (and interludes) have a free speech message, but you also get "I Ain't Bullsh-tin' Part 2" where he takes on a bunch of contemporary MC's. (The cover has Luke standing in front of US flag with the text of the First Amendment...) Also includes the title track, "Do The Bart", "Strip Club", "So Funky", "Arrest In Effect", and others. CD

One of the more obscure Blue Mitchell albums of the 70s – and one of the most far-reaching too! The set's still got an electric current, like his other work on the Mainstream label at the time – but there's also less funk at the core, and more of a spiritual jazz vibe – a quality that definitely burns with the "vital" of the title, and which draws strongly from the album's great use of Joe Henderson on tenor and flute – whose presence here really helps underscore the righteousness of the sound! Ernie Watts also blows a bit on the record – and the rest of the group includes Walter Bishop Jr on acoustic and electric piano, Stan Gilbert on bass, and Doug Sides on drums. Susaye Greene adds in some totally amazing vocal effects at a few points – which really furthers the unique quality of the record – and titles include the great "Unseen Sounds", which has some amazingly unusual flute work from Henderson, plus "Booty Shakin", "Vital Blue", "I Love You", and "Herman's Helmet". CD

Wayna's as much a poet as she is a singer – and has these wonderfully visual lyrics that are a great contrast to some of the sweeter sounds of the Neo Soul generation! There's a simple, effective power to the set that doesn't really grab you at first listen – mostly because Wayna's vocals are so sweet, you may overlook the power in her lyrics. But that aspect is nicely corrected on repeated listenings, which have the record opening up more and more, in a journey of personal discovery that's also supported by guest work from K'Ayln, Wilton Felton, and Cy Young. Titles include "Slums Of Paradise", "Rose Colored Glasses", "So Long Heartache", "Mama's Sacrifice", "Doubting Destiny", and "Past Future Eternal". CD

A very cool Halloween classic – and one that also comes from that great early 60s moment when Famous Monsters Of Filmland was a big hit on the newsstand too! The set features one side each of spoken bits from the monsters on the cover – side one is Frankenstein, side two is Dracula – each voiced by Gabriel Dell, in a style that's nicely different from each side – with all sorts of cool effects from Hal Johnson – in a way that makes the record almost like a mini horror film on wax! Forrest Ackerman endorsed the whole project – so it's got the classic chorror stamp of approval. CD

A very cool Halloween classic – and one that also comes from that great early 60s moment when Famous Monsters Of Filmland was a big hit on the newsstand too! The set features one side each of spoken bits from the monsters on the cover – side one is Frankenstein, side two is Dracula – each voiced by Gabriel Dell, in a style that's nicely different from each side – with all sorts of cool effects from Hal Johnson – in a way that makes the record almost like a mini horror film on wax! Forrest Ackerman endorsed the whole project – so it's got the classic chorror stamp of approval. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". CD features one bonus track – "Feio" – nearly 12 more minutes of electric goodness! CD

Magical trio recordings from the classic trio that featured Bill Evans on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – a massive 3CD set of music, and one that brings together the complete June 1961 Village Vanguard recordings! The revolutionary bass work of LaFaro, and free-thinking rhythms of Motian really helped open up Evans' work on piano at the time – and their influence is heard to best effect on this spontaneous live set, spread out over the course of 22 tunes, recorded throughout the afternoon and evening on June 25, 1961. The package features one newly-discovered take, plus a number of alternates, spoken bits from Bill, and even a few final bars of music. Titles include "Solar", "Milestones", "All Of You", "Gloria's Step", "My Man's Gone Now", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", and "Waltz For Debby". CD

Magical trio recordings from the classic trio that featured Bill Evans on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – a massive 3CD set of music, and one that brings together the complete June 1961 Village Vanguard recordings! The revolutionary bass work of LaFaro, and free-thinking rhythms of Motian really helped open up Evans' work on piano at the time – and their influence is heard to best effect on this spontaneous live set, spread out over the course of 22 tunes, recorded throughout the afternoon and evening on June 25, 1961. The package features one newly-discovered take, plus a number of alternates, spoken bits from Bill, and even a few final bars of music. Titles include "Solar", "Milestones", "All Of You", "Gloria's Step", "My Man's Gone Now", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", and "Waltz For Debby". Special box is on 180 gram vinyl, with new liner notes, limited poster, and even recording sheets with original producer notes! LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the 80s years of Fela Kuti – and a set that has the Afro Funk genius working with strong studio help from Wally Badarou! The vibe's still as fierce and frenetic as Fela's classic material – each track takes up a full side of the record, with lots of hard rhythms, long instrumental solos, and righteous lyrics – but Badarou has a way of fleshing out the sound without making things sound clunky or commercial – using the some of the subtle elements of his own records, in ways that really bring out the darkness in the tunes! These effects are subtle, but powerful – and maybe work better with Fela than any other producer in the 80s. Titles include "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" and "Look & Laugh". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing album, and a record that was an instant classic from the moment it was released – and then has gone on to become even more legendary over the years! The set virtually invented the genre of space rock – but has also touched on the worlds of prog, Krautrock, and even hard rock and metal with everything that's going on inside – lots of tracks that definitely live up to the space promise of the title, but which also find a way to jam as well – mixing heady guitar lines with cool electronics and effects – and even a bit of alto and flute from the group's great Nik Turner! The whole thing's fantastic – essential listening throughout – and titles include "Adjust Me", "Children Of The Sun", "Master Of The Universe", "We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago", "You Know You're Only Dreaming", and the 15 minute classic "You Shouldn't Do That" – plus 3 bonus tracks! CD

An amazing little album from the legendary Gil Melle – a set that's billed as the first album of "electronic jazz", and which features Gil working with his Jazz Electronauts combo! Although Melle's perhaps best known for his baritone sax modern sides of the 50s for Blue Note and Prestige, his influence on this album is possibly a far greater one on modern music – because Gil creates a sublime blend of jazz roots and more sophisticated instrumentation – cast out in ways that are complicated, yet never too harsh or overly-academic! The electronic aspects of the record are sometimes sparing – mixed into the styles of the combo, often through Gil's use of soprano sax – almost as a magic wand to shape the sound of the rest of the music. Other instruments are electrified too – a bit of cello, an effects generator, and "electar" – mixed with more conventional piano, bass, and drums! The album features 4 long tracks – and titles include "Blue Quasar", "Elgin Marble", and "Man With The Flashlight". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge amount of work from The Merseybeats – a group who were Liverpool contemporaries of The Beatles, and named after the body of water alongside the city – but who were way more than a copycat combo overall! Like many other 60s British groups, The Merseybeats start out with a sound that draws heavily from American soul and blues influences – yet they quickly shift to a super-catchy, jingle-jangle sort of sound – harmonizing nicely on the leads, and finding ways to come up with really groovy songs that that use their hollow-body guitar lines to best effect – setting things apart with that special British sound that made the UK scene quickly so different than the US by this time. And although the group have had a few greatest hits packages over the years, this 2CD set is the first time they've fully gotten their due – as the package is overflowing with material – 34 tracks by the core group, and another 29 by the later Merseys and other related musical aggregations – including The Crackers, Kinsleys, Johnny Gustafson, and The Quotations. That's a whopping 63 tracks in all, served up with a big set of notes – almost acting like a microcosm of the Liverpool scene itself! CD

A wonderful package – with four great soundtracks by frequent Morricone partner Bruno Nicolai – all for very offbeat films from the legendary director Jess Franco! First up is Eugenie De Sade 70 – a sublime soundtrack by Bruno Nicolai, penned for a legendary Jess Franco erotic thriller! Despite the darkness of the film, there's a light and playful feel to the music – with many cuts that drift along on wings of melody – recalling some of our favorite Mondo Morricone themes from the time, and really elevating the status of Nicolai in our book! Instrumentation is both by larger string groupings and smaller instrumental combos – and the score's overflowing with dreamy bossa-styled numbers that also have some of the trippier touches that you might know from Franco's Vampyros Lesbos film. Next is Una Vergine Tra I Morti Viventi – a rare Bruno Nicolai score penned for an early 70s film by Jess Franco – and easily one of the darkest soundtracks that Franco ever used! There's a few slinky erotic bits going on here, but much of the music is off-kilter and eerie – cast in modes that draw from the more atonal side of the Morricone spectrum, but which also feature some unusual use of electronic effects by Nicolai himself! There's one redeemingly sweet number here sung by Edda Dell'Orso – in a floating, bossa-rhythmed style that recalls her greatness with Morricone – but most other numbers are quite dark, increasingly so as the soundtrack goes on! Next up is the sexy score for 99 Donne – an obscure Jess Franco film about 99 female prisoners, locked behind bars and alone with their passions! Given the setting, Bruno Nicolai's soundtrack is actually incredibly free of kitsch – and instead blends together driving upbeat numbers with some mellower, moodier tunes – often presented with full orchestrations that bring in notes of sadness and sentiment. That's not saying that the whole thing's not groovy – as Bruno includes some nice jazzy touches on the album, which are unusual for his work – and the leadoff track also features some really great English language vocals from Audrey Stainton! The collection closes out with music from the film Les Cauchemars Naissent La Nuit – one of the darkest Bruno Nicolai soundtracks we've ever heard – penned for an equally dark film directed by Jess Franco! The style here is a bit more tense than the usual light melodies we'd expect from the Nicolai/Franco team – still somewhat spacious, but with very tentative notes at times – and often tuned weirdly so that the music is filled with odd sounds, although never as atonal as in some of the very dark Italian scores of the 70s. Offbeat piano lines figure strongly in some tracks – with an almost John Cage-like feel – and titles include "Amori", "Cocktail", "Tra Sogno E Vita", and "Verde Selvaggio". 2LP set features 37 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful package – with four great soundtracks by frequent Morricone partner Bruno Nicolai – all for very offbeat films from the legendary director Jess Franco! First up is Eugenie De Sade 70 – a sublime soundtrack by Bruno Nicolai, penned for a legendary Jess Franco erotic thriller! Despite the darkness of the film, there's a light and playful feel to the music – with many cuts that drift along on wings of melody – recalling some of our favorite Mondo Morricone themes from the time, and really elevating the status of Nicolai in our book! Instrumentation is both by larger string groupings and smaller instrumental combos – and the score's overflowing with dreamy bossa-styled numbers that also have some of the trippier touches that you might know from Franco's Vampyros Lesbos film. Next is Una Vergine Tra I Morti Viventi – a rare Bruno Nicolai score penned for an early 70s film by Jess Franco – and easily one of the darkest soundtracks that Franco ever used! There's a few slinky erotic bits going on here, but much of the music is off-kilter and eerie – cast in modes that draw from the more atonal side of the Morricone spectrum, but which also feature some unusual use of electronic effects by Nicolai himself! There's one redeemingly sweet number here sung by Edda Dell'Orso – in a floating, bossa-rhythmed style that recalls her greatness with Morricone – but most other numbers are quite dark, increasingly so as the soundtrack goes on! Next up is the sexy score for 99 Donne – an obscure Jess Franco film about 99 female prisoners, locked behind bars and alone with their passions! Given the setting, Bruno Nicolai's soundtrack is actually incredibly free of kitsch – and instead blends together driving upbeat numbers with some mellower, moodier tunes – often presented with full orchestrations that bring in notes of sadness and sentiment. That's not saying that the whole thing's not groovy – as Bruno includes some nice jazzy touches on the album, which are unusual for his work – and the leadoff track also features some really great English language vocals from Audrey Stainton! The collection closes out with music from the film Les Cauchemars Naissent La Nuit – one of the darkest Bruno Nicolai soundtracks we've ever heard – penned for an equally dark film directed by Jess Franco! The style here is a bit more tense than the usual light melodies we'd expect from the Nicolai/Franco team – still somewhat spacious, but with very tentative notes at times – and often tuned weirdly so that the music is filled with odd sounds, although never as atonal as in some of the very dark Italian scores of the 70s. Offbeat piano lines figure strongly in some tracks – with an almost John Cage-like feel – and titles include "Amori", "Cocktail", "Tra Sogno E Vita", "Climax", "Tempio", "Giostra", "Infrarosso", and "Verde Selvaggio". CD

Fantastic live work from the mighty Misha Panfilov – an artist you might know from a flurry of funky 45s and full length albums – and one who sounds maybe even more amazing here in a concert performance with his combo! The music is soulful, but often has more of a jazz current than some of Misha's other work – a really beautiful sense of timing and flow, served up with a group that features tenor, trumpet, flute, and piano – next to Misha's guitar, alongside drums and bass, plus percussion from a number of different members of the group! There's no processing, no studio effects – just open, honest expression by the group – led by Panfilov, a musician who just seems to mature more and more with the passing of each year. Titles include "Meteor", "Flaming", "Moonscape Waltz", "Cosmic Bliss", "In A Dream", and "Caleidoscopio". LP, Vinyl record album

Two amazing works from Belgian electronic genius Alain Pierre – both appearing in this form for the first time ever! Side one features 11 minutes of continuous music that Pierre created for the short film O Sidarta – music that mixes a range of electronics, keyboards, and acoustic percussion with studio effects and voice – all with a result that almost feels like some of the longer-form prog creations of the German scene of the time – although with qualities that are much more varied, less rock-based, and with occasional nods to the earlier generation of musique concrete! The flipside features the 17 minute "Notions De Physique Intererieure" – a work that uses a wide array of electric sources in a very short space – theremin, Arp sequencer, Telefunken echomixer, and more Arp, Kort, and Oberheim keyboards – all in this slow-building, wonderfully spacey sort of mode – almost hinting at some of the straighter fantasy soundtracks that Pierre would create in the mainstream – as the piece has the feel of a story in sound! LP, Vinyl record album

A mad bit of psychedelic soul from Prince – a record that sounds better and better over the years, and which stands out from most of his 80s work thanks to some really unique production and songwriting! After Purple Rain, Prince did anything but freeze up in the face of living up to such a massive crossover smash – and instead stepped sideways nicely with a fresh approach to his sound – on a record that puts the "Paisley" in Paisley Park! The album mixes core Prince funk with some nicely playful touches – hardly classic psych, but that refined version that was floating around in the mid 80s – maybe mis-named, but used to great effect here. The album's a gem through and through – and titles include"Raspberry Beret", "Paisley Park","Around The World In A Day", "America", "Temptation", "Pop Life", and "Condition Of The Heart". CD

A mad bit of psychedelic soul from Prince – a record that sounds better and better over the years, and which stands out from most of his 80s work thanks to some really unique production and songwriting! After Purple Rain, Prince did anything but freeze up in the face of living up to such a massive crossover smash – and instead stepped sideways nicely with a fresh approach to his sound – on a record that puts the "Paisley" in Paisley Park! The album mixes core Prince funk with some nicely playful touches – hardly classic psych, but that refined version that was floating around in the mid 80s – maybe mis-named, but used to great effect here. The album's a gem through and through – and titles include"Raspberry Beret", "Paisley Park","Around The World In A Day", "America", "Temptation", "Pop Life", and "Condition Of The Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Groovy, jazzy space soul soundscapes from Finland's Teddy Rok Seven – led by Teppo Makynen – who's worked with like minded scenesters Nu Spirit Helsinki and Five Corners Quintet – but steps out with an amazingly strong full length! The sound is a bit tough to pin down – it's all very trippy in a 70s soul jazz way, but still very cohesive, with pronounced influences like Herbie Hancock and George Duke in the mix – but it's filtered through a kind of late model Schema club jazz aesthetic, with some great nods to spacey hip hop and club connoisseurs! Nicola Conte fans, don't let this one slip underneath the radar – this a strong generator of that aesthetic – but with a unique, jazzy sound all it's own! Teppo presides over the sound on keys, programming and percussion, with wonderful accompaniment on vibes, keys, bass, trumpet, fluegelhorn, flutes bells and layered off-kilter echoey sounds and effects! Tracks include "The Beginning", "Feel" featuring Okou, "Askaa!", "King Abdissa", "Space & Echoes", "Damn Straight", "Steady", "Around The Clock" and more. CD

Mindblowing sounds from Anteloper – a great side project from trumpeter Jaimie Branch, and one that lets her open up with lots of the more electronic sides of her spirit! The set's a collaboration with Jason Nazary – who adds in acoustic drums plus a host of electronics and effects – echoed by Branch, who blows her usual strong lead on trumpet upfront, but also works electronic magic too – so that the duo are creating in the best mix of live instrumentation, processing, and editing that have made the International Anthem label such a powerhouse in new waves of jazz in recent years. The work's not unlike some of the recent projects of trumpeter Rob Mazurek – who, not surprisingly, provides notes on the record – which includes the tracks "Bubble Under", "Isotope 420", "Soledad Sabateur", and "Radar Radio". LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking live set from the great Urszula Dudziak – recorded in the late 80s, but every bit as sharp as her famous vocal sides from the 70s! Duziak an amazing singer with a really unique sound – partly the expressive, experimental jazz modes of European contemporaries like Karin Krog or Monica Zetterlund – partly the breezy, scatting soul of Flora Purim – yet somehow very much her own voice as well, with some particularly sharp bits around the edges! The live setting of this album really lets her shine – with no studio effects, no commercial modes to smooth things out – and instead, the kind of spontaneous energy she first generated with Michal Urbaniak. The group's a quintet with tenor and vibes – really grooving great in all the right places – and titles include "Papaya", "Wake Up Call", "No Else Thank You", "Tico Tico", "Sorrow Is Nor Forever", "Samba Ula", and "Theme From Rosemary's Baby". CD

A great pairing of two key John Fahey albums from the 60s! Yellow Princess is an album as lovely as its title, and John Fahey's 8th record – mostly solo guitar, but with guest drums and bass on 2 cuts – "March For Martin Luther King" and "Dance of The Inhabitants Of The Invisible City Of Bladensburg". The sound is extremely magical – introspective, yet far-seeing – with that fragile sense of being in the world that's made Fahey's work endure far longer than that of most of his contemporaries. Other titles include "Irish Setter", "Commemorative Transfiguration & Communion At Magruder Park", and "Lion". Requia is excellent work by Fahey – all solo, and featuring some wonderful production on the guitar that brings out all the brilliance of his warm chromatic playing. Side one features "Requiem For John Hurt", "Requiem For Russell Blaine Cooper", and "When The Catfish Is In Bloom" – and side two features the four-part "Requiem for Molly", which has Fahey's guitar over some very cool effects! CD

One of the nicest records we've heard from Jeff Parker in years – a trio date with some wonderfully rich sounds, and a great showcase for some of the more lyrical sides of his music! Parker plays in these great chromatic modes throughout – using some slight effects with his hollow-body electric, in the company of bassist Chris Lopes and drummer Chad Taylor – the latter of whom really helps make the album great, thanks to a fluid, open sense of rhythm – yet one that still always knows how to swing! There's more of a groove here than you might usually expect from Jeff, and a sensitivity too – and the album almost feels like the beginning of a rich new chapter in his career. Titles include "Mainz", "Swept Out To Sea", "Freakadelic", "Istvan", "Occidental Tourist", and "The Morning Of The 5th". CD

Classic horror sounds from the BBC sound archive – material that goes way past the door squeeks and cat growls of other albums of this nature – at a level that really takes the "death" in its title seriously! It's hard to ignore selections with titles like "Arm Chopped Off", "Head Chopped Off", "Arm Broken", "Whipping", "Two Women Screaming", "Heavy Breathing", and "Nails Hammered Into Flesh" – and these tracks sit alongside "gentler" selections that include "The Electronic Swamp", "Approaching Thunder", "Grave Digging In Wet Ground", "Ghostly Piano Sounds", "Electronic Heartbeats", "Wolves Baying At The Moon", and "Squelching Footsteps". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most incredible African collections we've ever heard – almost more amazing than the African Scream Contest set from the same label! The package focuses on work by Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou – a group who really live up to their name, by bringing in a host of complicated rhythms to their music – including the "sato" groove, which is kind of a modern funky take on older voodoo modes! Production is often echoey – in ways that dub out the bass and drums nicely – and make the guitar parts sound nice and sinister – the vocals too, for that matter, even though we can't ever understand the lyrics. The music was originally recorded for a variety of different labels, but is brought together here beautifully – and the great vinyl version has loads of notes inside the gatefold and on the inner sleeves that not only tells the tale of the group, but also that of all the labels – then follows the whole thing up with a discography as well – a real labor of love that's as much of a visual treat as it is a sonic delight. Titles include "Se We Non Nan", "Ako Ba Ho", "Mi Ni Non Kpo", "Assibavi", "Mi Homlan Dadale", "Iya Me Dji Ki Bi Ni", "Mawa Mon Nou Mio", and "Koutoulie". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool – with outside and inside passages that go on a lot longer than just short snippets – some as long as 5 minutes, and more sonic poems to the city! Includes street traffic, a cocktail party, and even a luncheonette counter! LP, Vinyl record album

A great third album from Staten Island instrumental funk titans The Budos Band – who've brought eclectic inspiration all along and have always colored from a much broader palette of styles than most of their peers – going even further this time out and delivering their best yet! The Daptone House Of Soul blueprint is a big part of the recipe, as it should be. Classic funky soul grit holds it all together and each cut has an unshakable groove, but with that in full effect, the group is free to explore. The Budos horns are as impeccable and communicative as ever, with brass that ranges from classic stateside funk and Afro influences. The percussion (bongos, clave, cowbell and more) is just as broadly thought out and tightly delivered, snakey bass lines, flute and the sometimes secret weapon on Budos Band III, the electric organ – which brings a bit of a garage psych/funk rock vibe. Truly exceptional work from the one of the best bands of their generation! Includes "Rite Of The Ancients", "Black Venom", "River Serpentine", "Unbroken, Unshaven", "Nature's Wrath", "Golden Dune's", "Budo's Dirge", "Raja Haje", "Crimson Skies", "Mark Of The Unnamed" and "Reppirt Yad" (a funked up Lennon/McCartney cover...read it backwards, kids). CD

The final album in a legendary run of records from 70s musical guru Wilburn Burchette – and a set that has a lot more tension and noise than some of his previous records! As with the record that came right before this one, Burchette has really moved to electronics and keyboards from his usual guitar – and he's also really upped his sense of distortion, which creates the "storm" effects that you might guess from the title – a swirling mass of dark-edged sounds that are peppered with these occasionally melodic moments that somehow make the larger palette of sound even that more sinister! The set features two side-long tracks – "Ceremony Within" and "Deep Dimensions". LP, Vinyl record album

Really fantastic work from bassist Anna Butterss, and a set that's maybe more live and less assembled than her previous effort – with key contributions from some really great musicians who make the whole thing sound like a mighty strong group effort on most tracks! Butterrss handles electric bass, guitar, flute, and drum machine rhythms – which are then augmented by live percussion from Ben Lumsdaine, who also plays guitar – as does Gregory Uhlmann, who also adds in effects – which are also brought in by Josh Johnson, alongside his more familiar alto sax! That shifting mix of electronic and live sources really gets at the way the players come together – blending tones and colors, textures and feelings in a really beautiful way – augmented by the guitar of Jeff Parker on the track "Dance Steve" – next to other tunes that include "Shorn", "Pokemans", "Breadrich", "Saturno", "Counterpoint", "Seeing You", "Ella", and "Lubbock". CD

Really fantastic work from bassist Anna Butterss, and a set that's maybe more live and less assembled than her previous effort – with key contributions from some really great musicians who make the whole thing sound like a mighty strong group effort on most tracks! Butterrss handles electric bass, guitar, flute, and drum machine rhythms – which are then augmented by live percussion from Ben Lumsdaine, who also plays guitar – as does Gregory Uhlmann, who also adds in effects – which are also brought in by Josh Johnson, alongside his more familiar alto sax! That shifting mix of electronic and live sources really gets at the way the players come together – blending tones and colors, textures and feelings in a really beautiful way – augmented by the guitar of Jeff Parker on the track "Dance Steve" – next to other tunes that include "Shorn", "Pokemans", "Breadrich", "Saturno", "Counterpoint", "Seeing You", "Ella", and "Lubbock". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked early 80s gem from Thomas Dolby – a beautifully mellow album that comes across with less of the quirky pop touches of his earlier work! The Dolby heard here is almost in an Eno/Green World mode – mixing electronics with evocative lyrics – at a level that's a few notches up from soundscape mode, but which is also as concerned with the overall colors and shapes of the music as it is with the lyrics. But the lyrics themselves are the biggest surprise – often quite personal and intimate, with a Prefab Sprout-esque pop quality from time to time, but stronger soul qualities overall. And to our groove-tuned ears, Dolby's electronics here are really a cut above – echoing with some electro styles, but also in a more sophisticated mode that transforms Kraftwerk into more effective pop. Titles include "Dissidents", "The Flat Earth", "Screen Kiss", "White City", "Mulu The Rain Forest", "I Scare Myself", and "Hyperactive". LP, Vinyl record album

Still one of THE standout records of the post-punk years – the simple but effective dub statement of three London ladies with decidedly left wing politics! The record's in a format that would later be copped by dozens of groups – one that mixes together post-punk and heavy dub – the former of which is served up with some nice rough guitars and crackly vocals, and the latter which is done even better with some super-solid production by Dennis Bovell! Titles include "Shoplifting", "Spend Spend Spend", "Instant Hit", "Newtown", "Ping Pong Affair", and the seminal "Typical Girls". This 2CD deluxe edition is fully loaded – featuring the original album remastered, unreleased demos, b-sides, outtakes and BBC sessions, plus a 28 page booklet with new interviews. Bonus material includes Peel Sessions for "Vindictive", "So Tough", "New Town" and more, demos for "Instant Hit", "Spend Spend Spend", "Adventures Close To Home" and more, rough mixes of Shoplifting", "Typical Girls" and more. 40 tracks on 2CDs! CD

One of the most novel, and dare we say coolest alternative soundtrack compilations of the late 80s! Stay Awake features a wildly diverse roster of artists covering, reinterpreting and paying tribute to songs from older Disney films – including Tom Waits, Sun Ra & His Arkestra, Natalie Merchant & Michael Stipe, Aaron Neville, Bill Frisell, NRBQ, Betty Carter, Garth Hudson of The Band, The Replacements & many more – and goes a lot farther than just inviting disparate musical figures to do versions of classic songs. The material is arranged into suites and medleys that have a strangely effective flow regardless of how jaw-droppingly diverse the voices and players might be from one movement to the next. This one should be considered a late feather in the cap for creativity at A&M Records! Includes "Pink Elephants On Parade" by Sun Ra, When You Wish Upon A Star" by Ringo Starr & Herb Alpert (co-produced by Van Dyke Parks), "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" by Harry Nilsson, "Hey Ho (The Dwarfs Marching Song)" by Tom Waits, "I Wan'Na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" by Los Lobos, "Stay Awake" by Suzanne Vega, "Cruella De Ville" by The Replacements and lots more. CD