An early album from Japanese genius Akiko Yano, and one that features some key contributions from American jazz and fusion players – in a lineup that brings some surprisingly funky touches to the record too! Akiko's vocals and unique song structures still have all the charms you'll know from other records, but there's also a groove at points that's totally great – a vibe that's picking up from that moment when Japanese singers and musicians were traveling over the Pacific to work with American players for a really cool blend! The album features keyboards from Roger Powell, Hammond from Will Boulware, drums from Steve Jordan, and guitar from David Spinozza – plus plenty of moog and other keyboards from Akiko and Hideki Matsutake. Titles include "Yo Ro Ko Bi", "Uo Sao", "Katarun Kararan", "Kodomo Tachi", "Okina Ishi", "Two On The Stage", and "Andante Cantabile". CD

An early album from Japanese genius Akiko Yano, and one that features some key contributions from American jazz and fusion players – in a lineup that brings some surprisingly funky touches to the record too! Akiko's vocals and unique song structures still have all the charms you'll know from other records, but there's also a groove at points that's totally great – a vibe that's picking up from that moment when Japanese singers and musicians were traveling over the Pacific to work with American players for a really cool blend! The album features keyboards from Roger Powell, Hammond from Will Boulware, drums from Steve Jordan, and guitar from David Spinozza – plus plenty of moog and other keyboards from Akiko and Hideki Matsutake. Titles include "Yo Ro Ko Bi", "Uo Sao", "Katarun Kararan", "Kodomo Tachi", "Okina Ishi", "Two On The Stage", and "Andante Cantabile". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of early work from producer Joe Gibbs – the kind of all-burning material that made Joe such a fresh new voice on the rocksteady scene in Kingston, and a studio whiz who helped set the tone for countless others to come! There's a quality to this work that's wonderful – groups that are tight, but never uptight – and singers that are very much part of the groove, almost urged on by the instrumentation by the well-chosen studio players that Gibbs chose for these early gems on his Amalgamated record label. Titles include "Long Shot" by The Pioneers, "I'm Moving On" by Keith Blake, "Miss Tourist" by Errol Dunkley, "Hold Them" by Roy Shirley, "Train To Soulville" by Cool Sticky, "Push It In" by The Versatiles, and "Come Brothers" by Hugh Malcolm. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, and the hopes and dreams of the lead characters – all of which made for some really well-rounded music, of the sort you'd find on some of the other great Fantasy Records soundtracks of the time, especially the classic Cornbread Earl & Me score. Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin put together the whole thing, and the album's a mix of hip instrumental tracks with some other vocal ones – a really nice range that draws from singers like Betty Everett, Rodger Collins, and JJ Malone – and jazz players like Sonny Stitt and John Hunt (plus organ from Merl Saunders on one cut.) Titles include "BJ's Step", "Black Girl", "Sister", "Earl (Still A Pearl)", "Mothers Day Song", "Power", "Get Me To The Bridge", "Chock-lite Puddin", and "Black Girl Cue". CD

Fantastic stuff, and proof that Rosemary Clooney was always one heck of a great singer – with strengths in jazz that you didn't always hear in her pop work! As you'd guess from the cover, Duke Ellington's leading the group on the album – and most of the tracks here are older Ellington standards, reworked with bold vocal lines from Clooney – in a way that's right up there with any of the usual singers with Ellington's band! Players include Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, and Harry Carney – and titles include "I'm Checkin Out", "Mood Indigo", "Blue Rose", "Grievin", "Hey Baby", and "Passion Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking 70s work from Lee Scratch Perry – served up here with both work from The Upsetters, and a long list of "friends" – different singers who take the lead on some of the productions, which are then presented back to back with dub versions of the tracks that overflow with great contributions from a top-shelf lineup of musicians! Players on the cuts include Willie Lindo and Ernest Ranglin on guitars, Winston Wright on organ, Vin Gordon on trombone, and Richard Dirty Harry Hall on tenor – but the real talent here is clearly that of Perry, who's able to move between soulful vocal leads and some deeper, darker Black Ark sounds on the rhythms. Titles include "Mr Money Man" by Danny Hensworth, "Brother Noah" by The Shadows, "Traveling" by Debra Keese, "Ethiopian Land" by Peter & Paul Lewis, "Land Of Love" by Sons Of Light, "Peace & Love" by Shaumark & Robinson, "Freedom Street" by Eric Donaldson, "My Little Sandra" by Leo Graham, "Long Long Time" by Winston Heywood, "White Belly Rat" by Lee Perry, "A Wah Dat" by Junior Dread, and "Feelings" by Sharon Isaacs – and the set features dub versions of every cut by The Upsetters too! LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure moment in June Christy's career, but a great one too – a rare later recording, done many years after her time at Capitol Records – in a laidback setting with a hip group of west coast players! June's voice definitely shows a bit of age, but she's still head and shoulders above most jazz singers of her generation – mixing subtle feeling and darkness together beautifully, in a way that makes for a wonderfully moody record! Lou Levy leads the group on piano, and other players include Bob Cooper on tenor and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet – although the horns don't seem to appear on all the tracks on the date. Titles include "The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye", "My Shining Hour", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Show Me", "Willow Weep For Me", "Everything Must Change", and "Autumn Serenade". CD

Milt Jackson sings, in addition to his familiar vibes on this set – an unusual date done during his Pablo Records run of the late 70s – and a surprisingly great little album overall! As you might guess, Jackson's not the greatest singer in jazz – but it's this quality that also makes the record really great – kind of an honest approach to the tunes that reminds us of the sort of singers we used to catch at south side jam sessions here in Chicago – vocalists whose love of a tune was so great, they were willing to get out and take whatever chances they may – showing a care for the lyrics that's almost greater than a more proficient singer. Electric piano backs up Jackson on most of the vocal numbers – creating a cool, soulful glow – and other players on the record include Cedar Walton on keyboards, Dennis Budimir and John Collins on guitar, Billy Higgins on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – who also produced the session. Titles include "Heartstrings", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Yes Sir That's My Baby", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face", "Someone I Love", and "Parking Lot Blues". CD

A wicked little solo set from one of Atlantic Records' hippest talents in the 70s! Arif Mardin's best known for his work supporting some of Atlantic's best soul starts – Aretha Franklin most famously, and a host of others – but here, he steps out as a maestro on his own – working in a great space that's somewhere between blacksploitation funk and electric jazz – all with a groove that's totally great! Mardin's wonderful sense of space and timing come even more to the forefront here than on his records with singers – and he does an amazing job of bringing the players together with the tightness of a soul session, but the freedom of expression of a jazz date. Musicians include Joe Farrell on soprano sax, Seldon Powell on tenor, Richard Tee and Pat Rebillot on electric piano, Gary Burton on vibes, and Hubert Laws on flute. Urszula Dudziak makes a few appearances on voice – dropping in some wordless elements to the tunes – and drums are heavy throughout, played by either Steve Gadd, Bernard Purdie, or Grady Tate. Titles include "Dark Alleys", "Love On A Rainy Afternoon", "A Sunday Afternoon Feeling", "Strollin", "Journey", "Flight", and "Forms". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever comprehensive collection of Johnny Mercer's work for Capitol Records in the 40s – the label he helped found at the time, and home to some of his greatest recordings ever! Mercer's best known as a swing-era songwriter, but he's also a hell of a singer too – a playful male vocalist who was a strong precursor to 50s singers like Jackie Paris, Matt Dennis, and Mark Murphy – like those artists, one who's both sensitive and swinging at the same time. The package features a whopping 79 tracks in all – most of which only ever appeared on 78rpm singles – and Mercers' usually got some great jazz backings behind him, from players who include Billy Butterfield, Cootie Williams, Jack Teagarden, and Nat King Cole. One of the best archival Mosaic sets in recent years – filled with great tracks that include "Box Bar Blues", "Cecilia", "Moon Faced Starry Eyed", "That's The Way He Does It", "Would Ya", "I've Been Hit", "Hooray For Love", "I Never Knew", "I May Be Wrong", "Sweet Lorraine", "Baby I'm True To You", "Ugly Chile", "San Fernando Valley", "GI Jive", "Evelina", and lots lots more! CD

A haunting set from Cassandra Wilson – freely creative, and a good example of the way that she was one of the few singers pushing the boundaries of jazz vocal expression in the 80s! The set's never too over the top, but it does feature lots of artful touches on the instrumentation – and in the way that Wilson chooses and sings her material. There's a slight bit of a New York downtown edge to the record, although the performance is relatively straightforward overall – and players include Steve Coleman on alto, Graham Haynes on trumpet, Rod Williams on piano, and Jean-Paul Bourelly on guitar. Arrangements are by Wilson, Olu Dara, Bourelly, and Henry Threadgill – and titles include "Days Aweigh", "Subatomic Blues", "If You Only Know How", "Black & Yellow", and "Some Other Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, and the hopes and dreams of the lead characters – all of which made for some really well-rounded music, of the sort you'd find on some of the other great Fantasy Records soundtracks of the time, especially the classic Cornbread Earl & Me score. Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin put together the whole thing, and the album's a mix of hip instrumental tracks with some other vocal ones – a really nice range that draws from singers like Betty Everett, Rodger Collins, and JJ Malone – and jazz players like Sonny Stitt and John Hunt (plus organ from Merl Saunders on one cut.) Titles include "BJ's Step", "Black Girl", "Sister", "Earl (Still A Pearl)", "Mothers Day Song", "Power", "Get Me To The Bridge", "Chock-lite Puddin", and "Black Girl Cue". CD

One of the few albums ever cut as a leader by pianist Ronnell Bright – a player best known for his accompaniment behind famous vocalists, like Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson – but who's also a jell of a jazz musician when he gets to shine on his own! This rare date was cut in Paris – at a time when Bright was visiting the city with Vaughan – and it's a stripped-down trio date with a nicely relaxed feel – one that has Bright really opening up on the keys, in ways you don't always hear on his material with singers. Other players in the trio include Richard Davis on bass and Art Morgan on drums – and titles include "Johnnie Pate's Blues", "Sail Em", "Doxology", "Chasing Sarah", and "R&R Groove". CD

A great example of the cool, classy swing that Benny Carter hit in the 1960s – a groove that was more regularly brought to backings for standout singers of the time, but which also works beautifully here in an instrumental mode! Carter's alto sax is at the top of the charts, but the album's almost more of an ensemble effort overall – with great reed work from Bud Shank on alto, Teddy Edwards and Bill Perkins on tenor, Bill Hood on baritone sax, Don Abney on piano, Barney Kessell and Mundell Lowe on guitar – all coming together as kind of a mini-large ensemble – never that big in the number of players, but grooving with a great sense of poise, class, and soul. There's a number of originals written by Carter, including "Doozy", "Prohibido", "Come On Back", "Rock Bottom", "We Were In Love", and "Titmouse" CD

An excellent lost batch of pop arrangements from 60s Brazil! Erlon Chavez was one of the country's more unusual musical talents – and although he did straighter work for big singers like Elis Regina, his own albums are filled with nicely off-kilter jazz and bossa tunes, and plenty of nice grooves that make his rare vinyl worth digging for! This gem from the mid 60s features Chavez leading a crack group of Brazilian jazz players – including trombonist Raulzinho and alto player Hector Costita – through a groovy set of tunes that includes "Balanca Zona Sul", "Batucada", "Sabadabada", "Bafafa", "Primavera", and "Opiniao". Very nice, and with a cool cover! LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime spiritual jazz from the 70s scene in Detroit – and a record that really represents an evolution of the previous sounds that you might have heard on the Motorcity's Tribe Records! The sound here is straightforward and soulful – a bit of electricity at the bottom and some fluidly gliding horn work on the top – plus some key vocals from a group that includes Kim Weston in the lead, supported by other female singers – in a righteous mode that really makes the best tunes sparkle! Other players include Phil Ranelin on trombone, Nasi Hafiz on vibes, Miller Brisker on tenor and piano, and Sylvia Truner on harp – all working together in a largeish group with the best spiritual energy of groups on Strata East! The whole thing's great – a beautiful lost treasure, and the kind of record that's rarely carried off so perfectly – and titles include "Song For M", "A Little Love For You", "Mark I", "Ja-Mil", "Nobody Had To Tell Me", "Arjuna", and "Now You're Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last great records ever cut by Jon Hendricks – one of our favorite singers of all time! The album's a bit of a "tour de force" – with Hendricks singing alongside a host of famous jazz musicians and vocalists, working in an all star setting that's sometimes too good for its own good, but at other times works magically! The best moments are those when Jon actually takes the lead himself, singing in that warm, raspy, honest style that's always made him the kind of a singer that brings meaning to lyrics that always leave us cold from other vocalists. The album's got a wonderful re-reading of the Italian classic "Estate", redone here with English lyrics as "In Summer" – and one of Hendricks finest moments on record! Other tracks include "Listen To Monk", "Sugar", "Freddie Freeloader", "High As A Mountain", "Trinkle Tinkle", and "The Finer Things In Life" – and players include Tommy Flanagan, George Benson, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Turrentine, and Al Jarreau. CD

The first Riverside album by Bev Kelly – an obscure ice-blond singer from the late 50s, with a sound that's much more in keeping with some of the vocalists on the Bethlehem label, than the few singers who cut sides for Riverside. Bev's got the great fortune to be working here with Jimmy Jones, who's done some great work for Sarah Vaughn over the years – and the small group backing on the album includes strong players like Kenny Burrell, Jerome Richardson, Milt Hinton, Roy Haynes, and Jones himself. Titles include "My Ship", "Lonelyville", "Lost April", "Love Look Away", "Thursday's Child", "Love Locked Out", and "Gloomy Sunday". A nice sad one – in case you couldn't guess by the titles! CD

A fantastic record – one of the best jazz vocal records of the 80s, and a real bright spot in an often dim decade for jazz! The set is Carmen Lundy's debut – and it's a masterful self-produced effort that immediately put her in the ranks of the ultra-hip, ultra-soulful jazz crowd – singers like Betty Carter and Dee Dee Bridgewater, both of whom took a lot longer to sound this good than Carmen! The record is set in a perfect setting – Carmen working closely with musicians headed up by brother Curtis on bass, and including soulful players like Bobby Watson, Rene McLean, Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, and Harry Whitaker. The whole thing's great – the kind of righteous vocal set that few singer ever seem to make this well – and titles include some great originals like "Good Morning Kiss", "Time is Love", and "Perfect Stranger" – plus excellent versions of "Dindi", "Love For Sale", and "The Lamp Is Low". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

A really beautiful record, and one that's every bit as righteous as you might guess from its cover and title – maybe even more so, as there's a hugely collaborative energy to the whole record, a sense of group spirit that's not even hinted at on the front! Nududuzo Makhathini is listed as the "composer and conceptualizer" on most tracks – and that's a great way of putting it, as there's definitely a core concept to most of the record – which is then taken up by an array of other musicians and singers, and lifted up with energy that maybe makes the whole thing one of the most spiritual releases on Blue Note since the days of Eddie Gale! Makhathini plays piano, and other musicians include Logan Richardson on alto, LInda Sikhakane on tenor, Ndabo Zulu on trumpet, and Ayanda Sikade on drums – used in a shifting lineup with other players, and joined by voices on some tracks – so that the record has this amazing blend of spiritual and South African jazz modes, with some traces of contemporary soul. A wonderfully uplifting record – with titles that include "Beneath The Earth", "Saziwa Nguwe", "On The Other Side", "Shine", "Indawu", "Umlotha", "Unyazi", and "Saziwa Nguwe". CD

A very rare slice of work from Charles Mingus – sides recorded for his Debut label that featured vocalists in the lead! Backing is by Mingus-led combos on all tracks – but the presence of singers makes for a great change in the music – not a sleepy, torch jazz vocal style – but much more in the inventive style of singing that would crop on on a handful of Mingus dates from later years – heard here in much more experimental modes. Jackie Paris' work is an especially great revelation – as it's a real contrast to some of his straighter later stuff – but The Gordons are great too, the vocal group from which Honi Gordon sprang to do her solo album for Prestige. Bob Benton sings on a few numbers too – and other players include Lee Konitz on alto, Paige Brook on flute, Hank Jones on piano, and Max Roach on drums – and titles include "Portrait", "I've Lost My Love", "Precognition", "Make Believe", "Paris In Blue", "Montage", "You & Me", "Cupid", "Can You Blame Me", and "Bebopper". CD

Two ultra-hip albums from Billy Paul – back to back in a single set! First up is 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul – a record that features Billy Paul at the height of his powers – able to capture the ears of the crossover audience, yet still stay very strongly on message – all with this righteous power that maybe makes Billy one of the hippest mainstream soul stars of the 70s! Gamble & Huff are at the helm, and arrangements at Sigma Sound are by Lenny Pakula, Norman Harris, and Bobby Martin – but throughout the whole thing, it's Billy's delivery that really sends the record over the top – the new sense of maturity he brings to the huge hit "Me & Mrs Jones", the funky vibe of "Am I Black Enough For You", and the wealth of great work on tracks that include "I'm Gonna Make It This Time", "I'm Just A Prisoner", "Brown Baby", and "Let's Stay Together". A masterpiece of sophisticated soul that not only had Billy crossing over big, but which opened whole new doors in the market for black male singers! War Of The Gods is a stone treasure from one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s – and a set you'll regularly find in the coolest of record collections from back in the day! Billy Paul was always one of the hippest talents on Philly International – mixing together soul and jazz influences with a deeper sense of spirituality, and long experience as a sophisticated vocalist. This album's one of his most sublime efforts – kind of a quasi-spiritual record with a similar high-concept approach to some of Marvin Gaye's work from the same time – really righteous, in ways that the Philly label didn't always hit – and which really goes past even most of Billy's already hip previous efforts. Gamble and Huff produced and wrote most of the record – including the two long tracks that make up side one, "I See The Light" and "War Of The Gods", the latter of which starts out slow and moody, then breaks out into a club groove. Other titles include the more standard soul tune "The Whole Town's Talking", plus "Thanks For Saving My Life" and "Peace Holy Peace". CD

One of Flora Purim's 70s classics – an album recorded with that soaring breezy vocal style that she virtually invented – heard here before it got too old, and too copied by other singers! The set's a live one, filled with lots of energy – and recorded before a very enthusiastic crowd at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Fest. Players include David Amaro on guitar, Pat Rebillot and Wagner Tiso on electric piano and organ, Ron Carter on bass, Roberta Silva on drums, Airto on a range of percussion – and guest vocals and a bit of guitar from Milton Nascimento on one track! Airto, Nascimento, and Tiso arranged the set – and tracks include "O Cantador", "Bridge", "500 Miles High", "Cravo E Canela", "Baia", "Uri", and "Jive Talk". CD

One of Flora Purim's 70s classics – an album recorded with that soaring breezy vocal style that she virtually invented – heard here before it got too old, and too copied by other singers! The set's a live one, filled with lots of energy – and recorded before a very enthusiastic crowd at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Fest. Players include David Amaro on guitar, Pat Rebillot and Wagner Tiso on electric piano and organ, Ron Carter on bass, Roberta Silva on drums, Airto on a range of percussion – and guest vocals and a bit of guitar from Milton Nascimento on one track! Airto, Nascimento, and Tiso arranged the set – and tracks include "O Cantador", "Bridge", "500 Miles High", "Cravo E Canela", "Baia", "Uri", and "Jive Talk". LP, Vinyl record album

The super-tight second set from French disco act Queen Samantha – a few female singers working with some excellent rhythm players – all on the kind of long-spun grooves that represent the late 70s Euro club scene at its best! All tracks really take time to build – and there's lots of conga work down in there next to the drums and basslines – peppered with plenty of riffing guitar, and served up in a way so that the vocals are more the icing on the cake than the core energy of the album! Titles include "Take A Chance", "Sweet San Francisco", "So Far Away", "What's In Your Mind", "Thank You For Your Love", and "The Look Of Love". CD features the bonus tracks "Sweet San Francisco (French album version)" and "Take A Chance (French album version)". 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

An incredible album from Mel Torme – easily his best set ever, and a record that helped raise the bar for all other singers back in the 50s! A key part of the success of the set is the presence of Marty Paich as an arranger – as Marty swings the whole thing with a fluid groove that's really amazing, and which is a style that hadn't ever been done on record this well before. The group is filled with hip west coast players like Pete Candoli, Jack Montrose, Bob Cooper, and Bud Shank – all of whom really soar together, and elevate Mel's vocals from the older velvet fog mode, into a leaner, hipper style that's really tremendous! Titles include "The Blues", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "Lulu's Back In Town", "The Carioca", "Sing For Your Supper", and "Lullaby Of Birdland". CD

An absolute treasure trove of rare soul singles from Pied Piper Productions – a mid 60s Detroit soul operation that features Funk Brothers Jack Ashford, Joe Hunter, and Mike Terry – laying down sounds that rival the best Motown groovers of the period! The work is amazing throughout – soul cuts heavily focused on the groove and amazing lead vocals – recorded in ways that are similar to the best of Detroit at the time, but with some rawer aspects too – which makes for a massive package of Northern Soul gems! The package features both solo singers and great groups too – artists who include Lorraine Chandler, The Hesitations, September Jones, The Cavaliers, Willie Kendrick, Nancy Wilcox, and – heard here on rare singles and LP tracks that were originally released on labels like Karate, Kapp, Ruby and Giant – plus a number of recently unearthed titles that are seeing release for the first time ever! The set features 24 tracks in all, and the usual superb Kent notes and packaging – with titles that include "I Can't Hold On" by Lorraine Chandler, "Stuttering Sam" by September Jones, "Gambler's Blues" by Nancy Wilcox, "This Heart Is Lonely" by Rose Batiste, "Just Can't Leave You" by Tony Hesher, "Could It Be" by Micki Farrow, "I Fell In Love (Can't Help It)" by Freddy Butler, "He'll Be Leaving You" by The Pied Piper Players, "If Only You Knew" by Mike & Ray, "Time Changes Things" by Willie Kendrick, and "Lonely Too Long" by The Sandpipers. CD

The best-ever collection of work we've seen by Johnny Ace – a key figure in the Memphis scene of the 50s, and one of the first great casualties of rock and roll! Johnny was one of the first singers to record for the legendary Duke label, and worked in a mode that helped transform the smoother style of the west coast postwar R&B singers into a rougher, rawer mode that would pave the way for Memphis soul in years to come. And although Johnny died a tragic early death (and partially because of it), the impact of his work was tremendous, even in the few short years for which he recorded for Duke – leading to countless posthumous collections, mostly illegitimate, which often presented Johnny's work in less-than-superior conditions. This set more than corrects that problem – by presenting the 20 tracks that Ace recorded for the Duke label, along with full notes on players and sessions, as well as a nice essay on Johnny's music and all-too-short career! Titles include "How Can You Be So Mean", "My Song", "The Clock", "Burley Cutie", "Cross My Heart", "Anymore", "No Money", "Don't You Know", "Saving My Love For You", "Please Forgive Me", "So Lonely", and "Pledging My Love". CD

A sweet little session of 50s vocal jazz – equally great not just for the singing by Joy Byran, but also for the arrangements by pianist Marty Paich! Paich's captured here at a great early point scoring for singers – and he gives Joy the same fluid jazzy approach that he used on the best Bethlehem albums by Mel Torme – a great thing for the singer, as it really makes the album sparkle a bit more than it might on its own. Joy's a pretty decent singer overall – with a range that's surprisingly deep, and a delivery that's best on the lighter, more sprightly tunes on the session – which are the sort that Paich does his best work with. Players include Bob Enevoldsen, Herb Geller, and Jack Sheldon – and titles include "You're My Everything", "My Shining Hour", "Round Midnight", "My Heart Stood Still", "I Could Write A Book", and "What Is There To Say". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure moment in June Christy's career, but a great one too – a rare later recording, done many years after her time at Capitol Records – in a laidback setting with a hip group of west coast players! June's voice definitely shows a bit of age, but she's still head and shoulders above most jazz singers of her generation – mixing subtle feeling and darkness together beautifully, in a way that makes for a wonderfully moody record! Lou Levy leads the group on piano, and other players include Bob Cooper on tenor and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet – although the horns don't seem to appear on all the tracks on the date. Titles include "The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye", "My Shining Hour", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Show Me", "Willow Weep For Me", "Everything Must Change", and "Autumn Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. Previously, the singers had only sung vocal solos for one instrument – but with a trio of players, they were suddenly able to take over the solos of all the frontline instruments in a group, such as the piano, trumpet, and tenor solos in their incredible version of "Home Cookin". That track alone is a perfect summation of the group's genius – as it offers a true vocal interplay, with words in place of notes and changes, and opens the already great soul jazz classic into a whole new level of meaning and wonder. It also helps that that track, like most of the ones on this CD, features excellent rhythm backing by Gildo Mahones, Ike Isaacs, and Walt Bolden, plus the occasional alto solo by Pony Poindexter. Their Columbia work's always been their best – and this CD brings together all 3 LPs (Hottest Group In Jazz, Sing Ellington, and the amazing High Flying), plus 7 previously unissued tracks! There's a whopping 39 cuts in all – and the set's one of the best jazz vocal CDs you could ever buy! CD

Queen Samantha offer up a nice mix of modes here – taking on the Box Tops' classic oldie "The Letter", before launching into some originals of their own – all in the best longform disco mode of the TK Records family of labels at their height! The group's singers aren't listed on the back cover, which only notes the musicians on the set – a combo of French players who work with arrangements from Harry Chalkitis – with riffing guitars over driving percussion, all in that tight Euro disco style of the time! The rhythms dominate, but the vocals provide some nice glue to the set – on titles that include "The Letter", "1864", "Don't Stop I Feel Good", and "Singing Hallelujah". CD features the bonus track "The Letter (French album version)". CD

The last album ever recorded by the legendary Jimmy Scott – the jazz singer who first recorded in the 50s, then spent decades in obscurity – only to be revived to great fame in the last 20 years of his life! This album's a wonderful tribute to Jimmy – as it features the singer's unique voice in the company of an all-star lineup – both singers and instrumentalists who help make the album one of his most special in later years! Backings often feature some light strings, underscoring the darker tones in the music – and players include Joey DeFrancesco on Hammond and trumpet, Kenny Barron on piano, Til Bronner on trumpet, and James Moody and Bob Mintzer on tenor. Guest singers include Oscar Castro Neves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Renee Olstead, and even Joe Pesci – on titles that include "Love Letters", "If I Ever Lost You", "Motherless Child", "The Nearness Of You", "Poor Butterfly", "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", and "Everybody Is Somebody's Fool". CD

Two Latin funk classics – back to back in a single set! First up is the self-titled Azteca album – a crowning moment for the west coast Latin scene in the 70s – a wonderful Bay Area set that brings together some of the best talents working on that scene at the time! The set's got a great blend of modes – Latin soul, touches of funk, and plenty of the jazzy inflections you'd expect from a lineup that includes Coke Escovedo on timbales, Paul Jackson on bass, Lenny White on drums, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, Tom Harrell on trumpet, and Victor Pantoja on congas! Vocals are by Pete Escovedo – who brings in a heady soulful sound to the set – and the vibe is a bit like work by Malo or El Chicano, but even more jazz-based overall! Titles include "Peace Everybody", "Empty Prophet", "Can't Take The Funk Out Of Me", "Azteca", "Ah! Ah!", and "Mamita Linda". Next is Pyramid Of The Moon – a really special record from a really special group – one of two sublime 70s gems from Azteca – a wicked blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and soul – all put together by a young Coke Escovedo! Coke's ostensibly the leader of the group, but there's also a richly collaborative feel going on – a style that brings together jazz players like Tom Harrell on trumpet, Mel Martin on saxes, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, and Flip Nunez on organ – and Latin players like Victor Pantoja on congas, Coke Escovedo on timbales, and Pete Escovedo on added percussion. In fact, the set's a key early example of the strength of the Escovedo family – and like their best later efforts, the set really stretches out and pushes the boundaries of conventional genres. There's also some great guest work from Lenny White on drums, Mike Nock on keyboards, and Neal Schon on guitars – and vocals are by a range of singers who really keep things fresh. Titles include "Red Onions", "Mazatlan", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Mexicana, Mexicana", and "Love Is A Stranger". CD

Unissued live material from a great stretch in the career of Count Basie – that time when he was turning in some excellent concert performances for Roulette Records, material that's got very similar charms to the music on this set! As with most of Roulette Basie, that revived sense of timing from Neal Hefti is very strongly in play – that magnificent sense of space between the notes that made this period of the Count's ensemble such a great one – with a rhythmic focus that's brilliant, and which opens up with even more excitement when a key soloist steps in! Players include Thad Jones and Snooky young on trumpets, Henry Coker and Benny Powell on trombones, Frank Foster and Eric Dixon on tenors, Freddie Green on guitar, Marshall Royal on alto, and Frank Wess on flute and alto – and there's a bit of vocals on a few tracks from later soul singers OC Smith and Irene Reid. Titles include "Segue In C", "Why Not", "Easy Money", "Backwater Blues", "Lil Darlin", "Easin It", "April In Paris", and "Cute". CD

A modern classic from Dee Dee Bridgewater – one of her hippest albums of the later years, thanks to a great choice of material, and some really wonderful execution! The album's a beautiful set of straight jazz vocal readings of some of Horace Silver's best compositions, and it also features guest appearances by Silver and Jimmy Smith – both players who still had plenty going on at the time of the sessions. The real strength, though, is Dee Dee – as she proves once and for all that she's one of the best female true jazz singers of this era, capable of rich emotion on ballad tracks, and swinging free vocalese on more uptempo numbers. Titles include "Nica's Dream", "Pretty Eyes", "St. Vitus Dance", "Soulville", "Lonely Woman", and "Tokyo Blues". One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of the past 10 years! CD

A great early album by Oscar – one that focuses on his own compositions, and a few other hip tunes written by other jazz players, with new vocals added by Oscar! These kind of tracks are the stuff that made him a legend instantly – strongly voiced vocal tunes, handled with a flair that few other singers could match, save for Jon Hendricks, who also shared Oscar's talent for crafting a jazz-based lyric. Arrangements are by Oscar's hometown talent Floyd Morris – and titles include "One Foot In the Gutter", "The Snake" (later covered by Al Wilson), "So Help Me (A Little 3/4 For God & Co)", "The Tree & Me", and marvelous lyrical versions of Miles Davis' "All Blues" and Duke Pearson's "Jeanine". Essential stuff for jazz juice fans! LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best work ever from Puerto Rican percussionist Rafael Cortijo Verdejo – sides recorded in New York for the Ansonia label, at a time when Cortijo's music was even more rootsy than it was a decade before! The material here marks a renewed sense of tradition in players of Cortijo's generation – almost a back-to-basics mode that was their answer to the hybrids of the late 60s – a style that often has Rafael focusing even more on the rhythms at the bottom of the tracks, and leaving behind some of the fuller orchestrations of the 50s. The mighty Kako joins in on percussion on a number of tracks too – and singers include Chivirico Davila and Johnny Vega – on titles that include "Chiviriquiton", "Tele Tele Ya", "La Madama", "Que Linda Te Ves", "Tu Y Tu Guarapo", "Quien Fuel El Primero", "Echando Un Pie", "Alegria Bomba Es", "Dorotea", "Dudando", and "El Negrito Bailador". Comes with great notes in Spanish and English, too! CD

By the mid 70s, the New York Latin scene was boomin' so large it could easily fill venues like Yankee Stadium – as you'll hear on this excellent live set from the Fania All-Stars, a monster record that easily ranks with the best live Latin sides of the time – like Eddie Palmieri at Sing Sing, the Tico-Alegre All Stars at Carnegie Hall, or Mongo Santamaria at Yankee Stadium! Tracks are nice and long – a real mix of soul and Latin, with slight funk and electric touches – and players include Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Bobby Valentin, Mongo Santamaria, Ricardo Ray, and Roberto Roena. Vocals are by a host of singers that include Santos Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Rivera, and Celia Cruz. Manu Dibango also joins the group for the track "Congo Bongo", a great long number in which he does a hot little solo! Other tracks include "Bemba Colora", "Hermandad Fania", and "Echate Pa'Lla". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from the modernist underground late 50s Paris! Andre Hodeir was one of the city's best-known jazz composers and arrangers at the time – a key part of the postwar scene, and its development into its own style away from strictly American sounds. Hodier's working here with a great batch of French players that include Martial Solal, Roger Guerin, Pierre Gossez, and Pierre Michelot – plus the then-French resident Kenny Clarke. The music swings much more than on other sessions of this type, and works extremely well throughout at blending tight jazzy lines with very "out there" concepts – especially in a way that we never really see in 50's recordings like this. Christine Legrand is on vocals, and although this was years before the Swingle Singers did their thing, and especially before they went onto do avant garde material by Berio, she's got these insane vocals here that are simply astounding. Tracks include "Jazz Et Jazz", "Trope A Saint-Trop", "Jazz Cantata", and "Osymetrios". Very good stuff, and unlike anything else we can think of! LP, Vinyl record album

A set with maybe the most striking cover image that Monday Michiru's given us in years – and a record that really delivers on that promise, too – filled with really captivating tunes that represent a new high level in Monday's already-high career! There's a depth and maturity to the record that we never would have guessed when we first fell in love with her music – and we thought she was already pretty darn deep way back then – as Monday delivers hers vocals alongside musical complexity that takes strong advantage of the many great guest jazz musicians in the lineup – players who include Misha Tsiganov and David Kikoski on Fender Rhodes, Gil Goldstein on piano, Lew Tabackin on flute, and Steve Wilson on soprano sax. But at the center of it all is Monday – far more a jazz singer in recent years than the soul artist of her start – but balancing the spirit of both worlds beautifully, and with command of her vocal instrument that's completely stunning! Where most singers seem to get a bit more casual about their craft over the years, Michiru's just continued to master her natural instrument with a fantastic range and wonderfully expressive quality. Titles include "Ombre Of Time", "Pivot", "Cycles", "The Sound", "Ringo Oiwake", "Hope Pretend To Sleep", "Rise Above", "Life", and "Gossamer's Touch" – plus "Untethered", which features some great guest work from Ursula Rucker! LP, Vinyl record album

Bala Miller's got a great pan-African group here – one that's more from the western side of the scene, despite the pyramids mentioned in their name – with players hailing from Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon – all coming together in a mighty righteous style! The music is fairly cerebral – thoughtful tunes that have a layered blend of horns, guitar, keyboards, and sweetly-stepping rhythms – plus occasional organ, kora, goga, and kwarya – all given a stronger focus from the vocals in the lead, which shift between male and female singers, and some backup as well. Titles include "Ikon Allah", "Yo Gboko", "Opportunity Knocks", "Stretch Your Nose", and "All Work No Play". LP, Vinyl record album

A 50s Fantasy album that brings together 2 earlier 10" jazz sessions – one by Mulligan and one by Desmond, both unusual outings for the players. Side one features Gerry Mulligan working with a strong early group – Chet Baker on trumpet, Chico Hamilton on drums, and Carson Smith on bass – on 4 tracks recorded in San Francisco, and 4 others recorded slightly later in LA. The tunes are short, piano-less, and have that fluid 50s Mulligan groove – and titles include "Turnstile", "Limelight", "Carioca", "Bark For Barksdale", and "Line For Lyons". Side two is a session that features 4 tracks with Paul in a quintet with Dick Collins on trumpet and Dave Van Kriedt on tenor sax – working without a piano, and in a fluid-grooving style that recalls a lot of the Gerry Mulligan style of the time. The other 4 tracks from the set are even more unique – and have Desmond blowing dreamily over a "with voices" chorus – done with the Bill Bates singers in a style that's warmer than similar work by Charlie Parker, and which really points the way towards some of the Desmond solo genius of the 60s. Titles include "Jeruvian", "Garden In The Rain", "Misty Window", "Winky", "Soon", and "Will I Know". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool setting for Japanese vocalist Mari Nakamoto – a unique trio outing that features guitar from Kazumi Watanabe and bass from Isao Suzuki – both really creative players who push the album way past the usual! The mix of guitar and bass is wonderful – gentle, but still quite swinging even in the mellow moments – but in ways that leave plenty of space for Nakamoto to get really expressive on her vocals, at a level that definitely marks her as one of the best female jazz singers in Japan during the 70s. Tunes are mostly standards, but done in really fresh ways – and titles include "Sunflower", "Just Friends", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "You Came A Long Way From St Louis", and "What A Difference A Day Makes". LP, Vinyl record album

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks on this first volume include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", and "The Realm Of Lightning". LP, Vinyl record album

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks on this second volume include "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". CD

A key showcase of some of the fantastic groups who were starting to shape the sound of jazz on the Japanese jazz scene at the start of the 60s –a set that's a nice contrast to the first volume in this series, which featured all of the different musicians jamming together! Here, leadership is the focus – as each number has the musicians showing of the way that they were moving Japanese instrumental music past some of the more mood-based styles that were still pretty dominant in the mainstream, and instead taking very strong lessons from the 50s American wave of players who revolutionized the sound of jazz with hardbop! Nearly every player here is at the start of their career, but about to unfurl music that would shape Japanese jazz for decades to come – and titles include "Late At Night" played by the combo of pianist Masao Yagi, "With A Feeling Of Love" played by tenorist Akira Miyazawa, "Four On Six" by guitarist Shungo Sawada, "For Singers Only" by pianist Norio Maeda, "What's Now" by pianist Keitaro Miho, and "Alone Together" by altoist Sadao Watanabe. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collection of work from one of the greatest soul labels ever – a tiny Alabama imprint that helped bring the Muscle Shoals sound to the masses – thanks to the work of producer Rick Hall, and his crack band of session players! The music here set a whole new standard for soul in the south – and really helped bridge older 50s modes and the new wave of more expressive, more sophisticated singers – served up here in a special vinyl-only package that mixes big Fame classics with some real gems that never got their due back in the day – and even come cuts that appear here on vinyl for the first time ever! Titles include "She Ain't Gonna Do Right" by Clarence Carter, "Fortune Teller" by The Del-Rays, "That Kind Of Lovin" by Otis Clay, "Back In Your Arms" by George Jackson, "Feed The Flame" by Billy Young, "Almost Persuaded" by June Conquest, "A Piece of My Heart" by Art Freeman, "I Worship The Ground You Walk On" by Jimmy Hughes, "Blind Can't See" by Richard Earl & The Corvettes, "Come On Home" by Hrman Moore, "I'm Gonna Forget About You" by Arthur Conley, "Long Ago" by Ben & Spence, "Take Me Just As I Am" by Dan Penn, and "Don't Make Me Hate Loving You" by Jeanie Greene. LP, Vinyl record album

A really top-shelf album from Justo Betancourt – a perfect illustration of the power of his vocals at their height! The set's got a really classic 70s salsa feel – a horn-heavy groove that almost effortlessly flows from a combo of strong players, topped by majestic vocals from Justo – stretching out soulfully with these wonderful inflections, timings, and turns that go far beyond the simple lyrics of the tunes. The record's almost a casebook study in the way that the Fania singers of the 70s could be completely expressive without resorting to any sort of over-emotive cliches – a new level of Latin masculinity in song, served up here with impeccable arrangements by Javier Vazquez. Titles include "Pa Bravo Yo", "Psicologia", "Oyeme Cantar", "Guaguanco Ta Moderno", "Adios Felicidad", "Catano", and "Una Audiencia Muerta". CD

A hokey cover and title, but a hip little record from Duke Ellington – kind of a story of percussion and jazz, all wrapped together with some great vocals and narration! The format is kind of far-reaching, but never too stuffy – and in a way, the album offers a great opportunity to hear some of the Ellington players stepping out in a slightly different vibe than the usual Columbia date from the decade. Duke does a bit of narration himself – and singers include Margaret Tynes, Joya Sherrill, and Ozzie Bailey – who beautifully illustrate the shifting passages of the longer suite. Solos are by Johnny Hodges on alto, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Paul Gonsalves on tenor – and titles include "Congo Square", "Madam Zajj", "Drum is A Woman", "You Better Know It", "Rhythm Pum Te Dum", and "Rhumbop". LP, Vinyl record album

Over 50 years in jazz, and Toots Thielemans is still one of the most distinctive players around – one of the few who could actually make us like the sound of harmonica in modern music, and an artist who's lent his style to countless great albums over the years! For this set, Toots explores the music of Harold Arlen – set to arrangements by Jurren Haanstra that follow strongly in the mode of some of Thieleman's albums with larger orchestrations from the 70s and 80s – warm and lush, but never too overwhelming. And noteworthy here are a number of vocalists who are sure to push Toots talents into the consciousness of younger audiences who may recognize his sound, but not know the man behind it – singers who include Jamie Cullum, Laura Fygi, Beth Hart, Till Bronner, Oleta Adams, Silje Nergaard, Madeleine Peyroux, and Lizz Wright. Tunes include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Ill Wind", "Last Night When We Were Young", "Stormy Weather", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues", and "That Old Black Magic". CD

Ronnie Laws at the top of his early game – working in a tight mix of jazz and soul put together with some great help from Wayne Henderson's At Home Productions – very much in the hit style that team was putting out at the time! The work's surprisingly open and hip compared to efforts like this from a decade later – still smooth in production, but with lots of room for instrumental solos, and a groove that's still more heavy on fusion influences than anything else! Laws plays tenor, flute, and soprano sax – and other players include Larry Dunn on keyboards and Melvin Robinson on guitar – and a few cuts feature chorus vocals, by hip singers who include Eloise and Debra Laws, Diane Reeves, and Phillip Bailey. Titles include "All For You", "These Days", "Flame", "Living Love", "Joy", "Live Your Life Away", and "Love Is Here". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful, baby! Symphony Sid was one of the pivotal Latin DJs in New York radio, and throughout his career, he helped many of the city's best players and singers get their start on the scene. In 1972, Sid did his last radio show ever – and the event was broadcast from the famous Cheetah night club, with the help of a host of famous Latin music guest stars like Willie Colon, Willie Rosario, Ray Baretto, Orchestra Harlow, and others! This 2LP captures all the excitement of that broadcast, and has Sid rapping his usual rap in between songs, just as he did on radio. The release is an amazing way to sneak a peek into the NY Latin scene as it really existed, and since it's a double LP set, you get a huge amount of great material, put together and introduced by one of the greatest figures in the business. Very nice, and a priceless treasure! LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous package of work from this overlooked soul and gospel legend – four classic albums, plus other rare material too – all packaged with detailed notes in the wonderful Numero Group style! First up is Like A Ship Without A Sail – a gospel album from Pastor TL Barrett, but one that's gone on to legendary status among funk and soul collectors over the years! Barrett works here with his Youth For Christ Choir – a south side ensemble that's filled with genuine spirit and passion, aimed towards lofty ideals – but set up with some deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that keep things razor sharp throughout! The album was supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with other Chess players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch on the sessions too – and the music is filled with raw drums, heavy bass, and lots of great organ lines! Next is Do Not Pass Me By Vol 1 – an album that's got a nice balance between intimate soul numbers and larger tracks that have the whole Mount Zion Baptist Church along for support! The set's definitely got the strongly soulful vibe of Barrett's Like A Ship album – a strong ear for the best secular elements of the time, which are used liberally in the instrumental backing – to really send home the message in the music! Most tunes really soft-pedal the religion, and instead go for an overall feel that really crosses over to regular soul music. Next is the great second volume of Do Not Pass Me By – like the first, the product of a wonderfully spiritual setting on Chicago's south side – music created in the church, but with all the same vibe as the hippest secular soul coming from the Windy City in the early 70s! The set does a great job of alternating strong lead singers with the rest of the group – a bit like Voices Of East Harlem, but with more of a larger ensemble feel – and there's some really wonderful moments on the record throughout – even a bit of funk amidst the more righteous soul-styled tunes. I Found The Answer is one of the biggest-circulating albums from this fantastic figure in Chicago gospel – a unique set done for the Gospel Truth subsidiary of Stax Records, but a set served up in the same blend of soul-based inspirations as some of TL Barrett's indie label releases back home in the Windy City! Plus, the package features a full album of Singles & Sermons – rare non-LP material by this seminal figure in both soul and spiritual music. CD

2 of Oscar Brown's classic Columbia albums – back to back on one CD! Tell It Like It Is is a great early album by Oscar – one that focuses on his own compositions, and a few other hip tunes written by other jazz players, with new vocals added by Oscar! These kind of tracks are the stuff that made him a legend instantly – strongly voiced vocal tunes, handled with a flair that few other singers could match, save for Jon Hendricks, who also shared Oscar's talent for crafting a jazz-based lyric. Arrangements are by Oscar's hometown talent Floyd Morris – and titles include "One Foot In the Gutter", "The Snake" (later covered by Al Wilson), "So Help Me (A Little 3/4 For God & Co)", "The Tree & Me", and marvelous lyrical versions of Miles Davis' "All Blues" and Duke Pearson's "Jeanine". Essential stuff for jazz juice fans! In A New Mood is a tight set featuring Oscar Brown Jr. performing jazz material written (mostly) by other composers, shifting the focus away from his earlier records, which have more of his own compositions. Ralph Burns and Al Cohn handled the arrangements – and Oscar sparkles with a straight jazz flair on tracks that include Mood Indigo", "Hey There", "Go Down Moses", "Where or When", and "Straighten Up and Fly Right". CD

A super-funky set – two vintage albums from Con Funk Shun – back to back on a single CD! The self-titled Con Funk Shun album is quite different than their later, better known hits! The group sure knew how to slap that bass, even back on this first album for Mercury – but then again, they – along with other big Mercury groups like The Ohio Players – were pioneering the bass-heavy sound that would influence countless bands over the next decade in soul. This first album's actually one of the group's best, with some nice rough edges that we like even more than the smoother sound of later albums. And oddly, some of our favorite cuts are the mellower ones – like the smooth jazzy instrumental "Foley Park", which has a nice moogy solo in the middle. Other good mellow cuts include "Another World", which almost has a "Summer Madness" quality to it, plus "Forever Just Ain't Long Enough" and "Never Be The Same". Secrets is a great early album from Con Funk Shun – a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze – done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and beyond – honest, intimate, and at times just more focused in the vocals department than both the funky soul groups of the time and the quiet storm singers of the approaching early 80s – and still doesn't spare the bass, horns and funky interplay! High points include the closing instrumental "Indian Summer Love" and funky centerpiece "Ffun" –plus "Doowhachawannadoo", "Who Has The Time", "Secrets", "Tear In My Eye" and "I'll Set You Out OK". CD also features a bonus track – "Ffun (12" version)" – a clubby killer! CD

By the mid 70s, the New York Latin scene was boomin' so large it could easily fill venues like Yankee Stadium – as you'll hear on this excellent live set from the Fania All-Stars, a monster record that easily ranks with the best live Latin sides of the time – like Eddie Palmieri at Sing Sing, the Tico-Alegre All Stars at Carnegie Hall, or Mongo Santamaria at Yankee Stadium! Tracks are nice and long – a real mix of soul and Latin, with slight funk and electric touches – and players include Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Bobby Valentin, Mongo Santamaria, Ricardo Ray, and Roberto Roena. Vocals are by a host of singers that include Santos Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Rivera, and Celia Cruz – and titles on this first volume include "Pueblo Latino", "Mi Gente", and "Soy Guajiro". CD

Margie Joseph gets a hipper treatment than on earlier records – a mix of east coast styles that adds in some Philly and early modern mellow arrangements, both of which provide a great contrast to Margie's southern-tinged vocals! The approach here is great – a fulling up and fleshing out of Joseph's initial promise – with strong arrangements from Arif Mardin, focused around smaller combo backing by players who include Bernard Purdie on drums, Richard Tee on keyboards, and Norman Harris on guitars. The groove is nice and lean on the bottom, but Margie's vocals are augmented by a brace of backing singers – Judy Clay, Cissy Houston, and others – all of whom create a sense of interplay that's similar to Aretha Franklin with The Sweet Inspirations on earlier records. But Margie's also upfront in the mix on most numbers – singing personally, and somewhat intimately with an easygoing sense of soul. Titles include Margie's own "Ridin' High", Paul Kelly's "Come Lay Some Lovin On Me" and "Come With Me", Norman Harris' "(Strange) I Still Love You", and a great version of Stevie Wonder's "To Know You Is To Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic collaboration between Coldcut and a host of South African musicians – and a set that also features a number of key contributions from the legendary Tony Allen! The record uses the older cutup style that Coldcut first forged on the London scene of the 80s – but has lots of live musicianship from an array of jazz and percussion players, plus a variety of singers too – stretching out in this really visionary blend that includes contributions from Dele Sosimi, Tenderlonious, Tony Allen, The Watts Prophets, Nono Nkoane, Lani Sigers, Gally Ngoveni, Miles James, Antibalas, and others! The project comes off way better than most of this type – very collaborative, and with a sound that's very unified, very together, and very fresh – definitely a whole that's even greater than the sum of its parts. Titles include "Freedom Groove", "Broken Light", "Crystallise", "Papua Merdeka", "Swift Gathering", "International Love Affair", and "Future Toyi Toyi". CD

A very cool setting for Japanese vocalist Mari Nakamoto – a unique trio outing that features guitar from Kazumi Watanabe and bass from Isao Suzuki – both really creative players who push the album way past the usual! The mix of guitar and bass is wonderful – gentle, but still quite swinging even in the mellow moments – but in ways that leave plenty of space for Nakamoto to get really expressive on her vocals, at a level that definitely marks her as one of the best female jazz singers in Japan during the 70s. Tunes are mostly standards, but done in really fresh ways – and titles include "Sunflower", "Just Friends", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "You Came A Long Way From St Louis", and "What A Difference A Day Makes". CD

An amazing package – two full albums of work from Olatunji, plus bonus tracks, notes, and vintage photos! The original Drums Of Passion is a classic session of pounding percussion – quite possibly the most successful entry into this earthy genre that hit the recording scene at the end of the 50s! Babatuned Olatunji is joined here by a great assemblage of players – including Montego Joe and Baba Hawthorne Bey on percussion, who further flesh out the rumbling, rhythmic groove at the bottom. There's also a group of vocalists on the record, soaring over the top of the percussion with a nicely righteous feel – and the record's a key crossover moment that heralds later African expressions in the American mainstream. Titles include "Odun De Odun De", "Oya", "Jin Go Lo Ba", "Baba Jinde", and "Shango". Bonus cuts include "Eyo She She", "Menu Diyeh (remake)", "Jolly Mensah (new version)", and "Menu Di Ye Jewe". On More Drums Of Passion, Babatunde Olatunji goes even more drum-crazy than before – working here with no less than nine percussionists, plus a host of singers as well! The tunes have a very rootsy groove throughout – instrumentation that only comes from the rhythm instruments, some of which are pointed towards melody – and a setting that features none of the added strings or horns you might get from a jazz or exotica-styled session of this nature – just drums and voices, presented by Columbia Records in a really groundbreaking blend! Titles include "Wasalu", "Ayinde", "Frekoba", "Alose", and "Omo Pup". Bonus tracks include "African Waltz", "Hail The King", and "Saturday Night Limbo". 2CD set also comes with a huge booklet of notes and vintage photos! CD

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". CD

A jazz mass, but unlike any other variation on the theme that's ever been recorded – thanks to a very righteous performance from James Tatum – who makes the whole thing feel much more like an organic spiritual jazz set than anything you'd ever find in a church! James himself plays both Fender Rhodes and piano – at the helm of a progressive combo from the Detroit underground of the early 70s – a group that features soprano sax from Theodore Buckner, trumpet from Judge Gray, tenor and alto from Louis Barnett, and trombone from Norman O'Gara – all lesser-known players, but who work beautifully alongside James' lead! The Fender Rhodes work is wonderful – as great as you'll find on any other record of the time – and there's also two singers who add to the sound – but step out at all the right moments to let the solos open up. Titles include "Gloria", "Offertory", "Holy Holy Holy", "Amen", "Lamb Of God", and "Communion" – but the overall sound is way more than you'd expect from those titles! LP, Vinyl record album