Despite the fact that he's one of the most influential jazz singers of all time (and certainly one with the biggest hit, as the original recording of "I'm In the Mood For Love" probably sold more copies than most other vocalese recordings combined), King Pleasure only ever cut three full albums – and this third one is the hardest to find! The album was recorded for United Artists during the time when Alan Douglas was cutting sides for the label, and it's very much in the same mode as his earlier recordings for Prestige and HiFi, apart from some occasional spare string backing that's added to the small group jazz playing. Pleasure's vocals are wonderful – incomparable, and right at the peak of vocalese sublimity – and the album's filled with great numbers like "That Old Black Magic (Diaper Pin)", "This Is Always", "Jazz Jump", "Don't Get Scared", "Swan Blues", and "Mean To Me", all completely transformed by Pleasure! LP, Vinyl record album

Rarely are such "meeting of the minds" sessions worth any fuss at all – but in this case, the masterful talents of the players turn what should be a snoozy "common denominator" session into a modernist classic that still crackles with excitement after all these years! The real success factor here is Ellington, who was hitting a point in his career when he was really beginning to experiment again – as you'll hear in the beautifully angular piano lines that he lays next to Mingus' bass and Roach's lively drums. The set's nearly all originals, and titles include "Money Jungle", "Le Fleurs Africaines", and "Wig Wise". Very nice! LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing modern work from the young Chick Corea – a set that captures the pianist in much more avant territory than his famous 70s sets – at a time when he was just coming off some years working in a variety of modes on the New York scene! The group here is as revolutionary as Chick's own work on piano – a trio with Miroslav Vitous on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – generations coming together to really unlock the possibilities of a piano trio, with the same sort of freshness that you'd hear in the earliest work by Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett from the same time. By that, we mean that there's still elements here that tie the approach to older modes – but with a quality that's also instantly Chick's own – especially on the very compelling original material on the set. Titles include "Now He Sings – Now He Sobs", "Steps – What Was", "Matrix", and "The Law Of Falling & Catching Up". Lots of bonus tracks – including "Fragments", "Windows", "Samba Yantra", "I Don't Know", "Gemini", and "Bossa". CD

A weird batch of groovy tracks from Diz – more of a pop soul jazz instrumental set than a straight jazz one, recorded in 1969 with arrangements by Jimmy Mundy, who conducts a group with Paul Griffin, Billy Butler, and Jerome Richardson. As usual, Dizzy rises to any occasion – and brings out some great work for the album, grooving in a number of different modes as the moods of the tracks change with the backing colors of the band. Titles include a medley of "Aquarius" and "Let The Sun Shine In", plus "Exotica", "Besame Mucho", "Magic Tree", "This Girl's In Love With You", and "Galveston". Not all great – but with some really nice moments! LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure set from Hammond genius Jimmy McGriff, but a great one too – nicely different than his earlier work for Sue Records, and done at a level that really shows his growth at the end of the 60s! The record's one of those unusual Sonny Lester productions that seem to open up McGriff's approach to the keys – moving past more standard jazz organ sounds of a few years back, and finding all these inventive, original ways to open up a groove! Jimmy's still giving 110% on the Hammond – grooving with an unnamed group in a mode that recalls the fiercely swinging sound of Groove Holmes at his best in the mid 60s – and like Holmes, McGriff has a real talent for taking familiar numbers, and making them swing with a very soulful edge! Titles include the great original "Once Again", plus great takes on "The Way You Look Tonight", "Laura", and "Moon River". CD

Great late work from Joe – one of the few fine albums he cut with backing by the orchestra of Thad Jones – somewhere between his most swinging work with Basie, and the groovier sound of later years. The tunes are short, jazzy, and feature Joe hitting some wonderful strides – showing he had a lot more imagination than most of the younger jazz singers who were just coming on the scene. Titles include "Did I Really Live", "Hurry On Down", "One For My Baby", "Young Man On The Way Up", "When I Take My Sugar To Tea", and "Everybody Wants To Be Loved". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Black Swan", "Azure", "In Triplicate", "Fifi", "Black Butterfly", "El Gato", "BP", and "4:30 Blues" – plus a short speech by Duke! CD

Ruth Brown joins the big band of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis – in a set that's a real standout in the career of all three artists! Thad and Mel already have a pretty great groove going at this point – a large ensemble approach to jazz, yet one that's swingingly soulful – very much on a par with some of Gerald Wilson's hip work of the same time at time. And adding in Ruth Brown's vocals is a great choice – as she not only needs a great showcase like this for her amazing voice, but also because she really helps unlock a soulful sort of energy that the group always had in their instrumental music. The approach is a bit like some of Etta Jones' best 60s recordings – a nice shift for Brown – and titles include "Black Coffee", "Fine Brown Frame", "You Won't Let Go", "Trouble In Mind", and "Be Anything (But Be Mine)". CD

A strange title, but a great record – plenty jazzy for our ears, and filled with that great mix of vibes and Hammond that we love in the music of Johnny Lytle during the 60s! The combo is nice and small – with Billy Nunn on the organ, Paul West on bass, Josell Carter on drums, and Lawrence Killian providing a nice kick on congas! A few cuts have vocals by Marcel Lytle, but most of the album's cuts are instrumental – with some great originals by Johnny, like "Gwink", "Agapee/Polemos", "Just A Little Bit Of Holiness", "Close Enough For Jazz", and "Baby You Make Me Feel So Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure greatness from Jeremy Steig – an album of funky flute tracks that really opened up whole new possibilities for the instrument! Steig was probably working in equal parts jazz and rock at the time of the date – but definitely moves into a funky jazz mode for the session – one that often uses some cool studio tricks to really bring the most out of the flute sound – creating some echo and other odd twists that make things trippy, way more than you'd hear on other records of this nature! Plus, Steig's unique style of blowing – one that takes the Roland Kirk breathiness to the "nth degree" – really helps work well with the groove, which also features electric piano from Warren Bernhardt! A record whose vibes are still being felt strongly today – with cuts that include "Insanity", "Flute Diddley", "Lenny's Tomb", "Don't Make Promises", "Mac D", and "Teresa's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful little session from Manny Albam – one that continues the strong tradition of larger group jazz arranging he began in the 60s, but which takes it to an even deeper level! Manny composed the entire set as kind of a "city suite" in jazz – one that paints the picture of many different shades of city life through jazzy solos and a range of deeper tones and colors from the larger ensemble. Players include Frank Wess, Phil Woods, JJ Johnson, Jerome Richardson, and Mike Manieri – all extremely well-suited to an outing like this – and titles include "The Game Of The Year", "Born On Arrival", "The View From The Inside", "El Barrio Latino", "Ground Floor Rear", and "Riverview". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic record from Hammond hero Jimmy McGriff – and one that has him opening up his groove a fair bit more than on his early Sue Records sides! Jimmy's sense of rhythm and timing here is great – really changing up and keeping things interesting – still with enough of his strong R&B action on the keys of the organ, but in a very different way that makes the whole album a real standout in his catalog – with a sinister bubbling under funky feel that's just great. Includes the monster cut "Charlotte", which has sort of a rolling, bassy intro that would make a great sample – plus the cuts "Up There, Down Here", "Thing To Come By", and "Down Home On The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky flute work from the great Jeremy Steig! The album's one of his best-ever – and it features the growling "Howling For Judy", a non-stop modal flute number that's been sampled to great fame by the Beastie Boys, and which you'll recognize immediately from the breathy rumbling tone of the intro. Most of the record's got a similar feel, and Steig's working with bassist Eddie Gomez – a fantastic player and friend who provides some incredible basslines that work perfectly with Steig's flute. Titles include "Hot Head", "Permutations", "Alias", and "Nardis". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool early Randy Brecker album – recorded years before he was working in tighter, R&B-inflected styles – and was instead an up-and-coming player with a surprisingly sharp edge! The set's produced by Duke Pearson, and has a groovy sound that's similar to Blue Note dates of the late 60s – jazz at the core, but a willingness to bring in some other pre-fusion elements – most notably the electric piano of Hal Galper, which sounds great next to drums from Bernard Purdie and bass from Eddie Gomez! Brother Michael plays tenor, and Galper wrote a lot of the tracks – with that good groovy electric funk sound that he did so well at this time. Titles include "The Vamp", "The Weasel Goes Out To Lunch", "Pipe Dream", "The Marble Sea", and "Bangalore". LP, Vinyl record album

Stone lost Latin funk! This is Candido's rarest – and it's a killer batch of conga-heavy grooves, recorded in the late 60s for Solid State, and featuring a very groovy set of mod Latin arrangements by Joe Cain. The band features organ, guitar, bass, horns, and some upfront conga solos from Candido. Tracks are longer than usual for this sort of album – and there's a lot of strange elements floating through the tracks, in a very nice way! Titles include "Thousand Finger Man", which has some especially firey conga breakdowns, plus "Jump Back", "Soul Limbo", "Tony's Theme (from Lady In Cement)", and "Come On Choo Choo Train". CD

A gem of a record from Chico Hamilton – maybe our favorite album ever from the legendary drummer! The set's a fantastic bit of nuttiness, with Chico leading a tight group with Steven Potts on alto and Russell Andrews on tenor, both playing hard over a subdued background of four trombones that creates a strangely compressed sound next to the saxes. Jackie Arnold sings wordless vocals on a number of the cuts – scatting away like someone you might hear on an MPS record at the same time. Tracks are wild – very groovy and swinging, with an approach that's different than most of Chico's other work, but which takes off from the skittish rhythms of the mid 60s Impulse years. Titles include "MSP", "Third Wing On The Left Side Of An Eagle", "Daht Doo Dah", and "Blow Jim Blow". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever issued as a leader by Monk Higgins – a genius musician/arranger who first got his start on the Chicago scene of the 60s, then moved out to the west coast at the end of the decade – where he also helped inject some funky new sounds into the Blue Note label! This set's got a vibe that echoes some of that work – particularly Monk's albums with trumpeter Blue Mitchell – but there's also maybe a loftier vibe that reflects Higgins' ties to the Chess/Cadet label, where he cut some fantastic funk singles, both under his name and with other artists too. The approach here takes a core funky jazz group and adds in just the right touches of strings – with a sound that reminds us a lot of some of the Richard Evans' genius work for Cadet, but with maybe a bit of a Cali vibe too. Monk blows tenor and plays Hammond – in a group that also features the mighty Jim Horn on flute, Alan Estes on vibes, and both Freddy Robinson and Arthur Adams on guitar. Most tunes are original, and the feel of the record is every bit as groovy as its cover – with titles that include "Sitting Duck", "Collision In Black", "Just Around The Corner", "Watermelon Man", "Straight Ahead", "Poker Chips", "Doing it To Deff", "The Look Of Slim", and "A Good Thing". CD

Excellent work from the team of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis – arguably one of their best albums from the late 60s, and a set that's got some really great funky big band numbers! There's a nice bouncing groove to the group that they normally don't have – possibly because Richard Davis is playing some Fender bass on the set, which brings in a nice focus on the bottom end – and the best numbers have a sock-soul feel that's in the best late 60s large group soul jazz mode! Titles include "Tow Away Zone", "Jive Samba", "The Groove Merchant", and "Central Park North". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums in a long line of successes from the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – recorded live in their home turf at the Village Vanguard! The group at this point was a freshly-created outfit filled with some of the best large group jazz soloists of the time – players that included Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels, Pepper Adams, Richard Williams, and Bob Brookmeyer – not to mention Jones and Lewis themselves! The style here is very much in the mode that the Clarke Boland Band was crafting in Europe during the same period – a redefinition of the larger jazz group, in a way that allowed it to swing with the dynamic energy and soul of some of the smaller combos of the 60s. And while the Jones/Lewis group had many years over which to hone their craft, they've never sounded better than on these initial recordings – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Samba Con Getchu", "A That's Freedom", "Bachafillen", and "Little Pixie". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest large American ensembles of the late 60s – almost a US equivalent to the groovy sound of the Clark Boland Big Band over in Europe! Trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis had already made some great music together on their own – but once they came together in a record like this, they really found a great new direction for their energy – a bold musical force that's strong enough to also encompass the rich talents of players who include Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Joe Farrell on tenor, Jerome Richardson on soprano sax, Richard Williams on trumpet, Bob Brookmeyer and Tom McIntosh on trombones, Hank Jones on piano, and Richard Davis on bass! The sound is full, but never overwhelming – and like the Clark Boland group, this one has a great way of breaking open to allow key soloists to have some great space on their own – a modern approach, and one that still never has the band losing its groove. Titles include "ABC Blues", "Mean What You Say", "Three & One", and "Once Around". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy funk from Jimmy McGriff – a monster set of grooves that ranks with his best of the late 60s! The tracks are short and sock-hard – Jimmy wailing on Hammond, over rhythms that have plenty of sharp edges, and lots of nice drum work – all recorded in a mode that's a heck of a lot rawer than some of his other records! The album brings together all the rough power of Jimmy's years at Sue Records with the funkier grooves of his 70s work – and features a killer combo that includes tenor from Fats Theus, alto from Danny Turner, trumpet from Blue Mitchell, guitar from Thornel Schwartz, and drums from both Mel Lewis and Grady Tate. Titles include "The Worm", "Blue Juice", "Lock It Up", "Think", "Heavyweight", and "Girl Talk". CD

A funky big band album, recorded by Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, with the great Joe Williams on vocals! The record is one of the most sought-after by the team – probably because it includes the hard breakbeat version of "Get Out of My Life Woman" that's been sampled often over the years. (Actually, hasn't every version of it been sampled by someone?) The other tracks are pretty funky, too, with nice soul groovers like "Night Time Is The Right Time", "Woman's Got Soul", and "How Sweet It Is". Players include Pepper Adams, Joe Farrell, Jerome Richardson, and Roland Hanna – and the Jones/Lewis group is at the height of its hipness here! LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of solo albums from Phillip Bailey – presented here with bonus material too! First up is Continuation – an 80s soul classic from Philip Bailey – stepping out here from Earth Wind & Fire in a set that has him sparkling strongly as a solo act! The vocals still have that trademark Bailey sound – a wonderful range that's never overdone, and which seems to shine especially well on the mellow and midtempo tunes in the set! Production is by George Duke, who does a lot to preserve the jazzier warmth of Bailey's previous settings – and although there's a bit more crossover potential here, the sound is still never too commercial or aimed at the charts. Titles include "It's Our Time", "Trapped", "I Know", "I'm Waitin For Your Love", "Desire", "The Good Guy's Supposed To Get The Girls", and "Your Boyfriend's Back". Next is Chinese Wall – a big breakthrough for Philip Bailey – and a record that was kind of a second-level explosion for the Earth Wind & Fire sound in the 80s! There's a definite crossover feel to the record – a style that takes Bailey's soulful vocals, and mixes them with lots of catchy hooks – in ways that push the Kalimba aesthetic even more into mainstream modes. Yet the album's still got some solid soul grounding, too – thanks to arrangements by Tom Tom and Arif Mardin – which is a nice contrast to the production by Phil Collins, who also guests on the hit "Easy Lover". Other cuts include "Time Is A Woman", "Go", "Walking On The Chinese Wall", "Photogenic Memory", "I Go Crazy", and "Children Of The Ghetto". Last is Inside Out – a set that has Philip Bailey working with Nile Rodgers, who gives him a lean, clean sound that works perfectly with his vocals! The sound is a nice change from the direction Bailey was heading in previously – a return to the focused soul of the later Earth Wind & Fire years, with his amazing lead opening up in ways that few other singers can match. Tunes are pretty well-penned too – catchy, but never cloyingly commercial – and titles include "State Of The Heart", "Welcome To The Club", "Special Effect", "Because Of You", "Take This With You", "The Day Will Come", "Back It Up", and "Echo My Heart". 3CD set features nice bonus material – "I Know (ext dance mix)", "Love Is Alive", "Easy Lover (with Phil Collins)", "Walking On The Chinese Wall (single)", "State Of The Heart (dub mix)", "Twins (with Little Richard)", "Twins (club mix)", and "Easy Lover (ext dance mix)". CD

A treasure trove of rare mid 60s garage rock from the state of Michigan – the complete anthology of local legends The Bossmen! MI was soon to become a breeding ground for some of the most revolutionary rock of the 60s – and while The Bossmen aren't best remembered rockers of the region all these decades later – they really helped lay the groundwork! There's a raw edge, but a melodic style here that's quintessential 60s rock, if you ask us. Guitarist Dick Wagner would go on to play with fellow Michigan rock trailblazer Alice Cooper and other legends, but this earlier work with The Bossmen is really solid, and sounds great all these years later. Comes with thick booklet of notes and photos, too! 18 tracks in all: "Take A Look", "It's A Shame", "Thanks To You'", "Help Me Baby", "Bad Girl", "Wait And See", "On The Road", "Rainy Day", "Sunshine", "Little Girl", "Easy Way Out", "I Cannot Stop You", "Listen My Girl" and more. CD

A treasure trove of rare mid 60s garage rock from the state of Michigan – the complete anthology of local legends The Bossmen! MI was soon to become a breeding ground for some of the most revolutionary rock of the 60s – and while The Bossmen aren't best remembered rockers of the region all these decades later – they really helped lay the groundwork! There's a raw edge, but a melodic style here that's quintessential 60s rock, if you ask us. Guitarist Dick Wagner would go on to play with fellow Michigan rock trailblazer Alice Cooper and other legends, but this earlier work with The Bossmen is really solid, and sounds great all these years later. Comes with thick booklet of notes and photos, too! 18 tracks in all: "Take A Look", "It's A Shame", "Thanks To You'", "Help Me Baby", "Bad Girl", "Wait And See", "On The Road", "Rainy Day", "Sunshine", "Little Girl", "Easy Way Out", "I Cannot Stop You", "Listen My Girl" and more. CD

Excellent organ groovers from the great Jimmy McGriff! The set pulls together some fantastic tracks from Jimmy's years at Veep, Sue, Solid State, and Capitol – including many great short funky cuts that haven't really shown up on other reissues before. The fidelity of the set is way way better than other reissues – and the CD is filled with hard wailing Hammond groovers that will blow your mind! Jimmy's touch on the keys was amazing back in these days – filled with loads of straight jazz fire, but also touched with a keen sense of humor that has him throwing in these amazing curve balls on the keys, riffing away in surprising twists and turns that always keep the cuts interesting! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Step One", "Blue Juice", "Black Pearl", "The Worm", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Fat Cakes", "Where It's At", "Cash Box", "Kiko", "The Last Minute", and "Discotheque". CD

Excellent funky jazz from Jeremy Steig – the funkiest flute player we can think of! The record takes up where Jeremy's LPs on Solid State left off – adding Steig's hard-blowing flute to some groundbreaking beat-heavy backings by Gene Perla and Eddie Gomez on bass, Don Alias on drums, and Jan Hammer on electric piano. The sound is super-dope – and the cuts feel like they fell off some lost blacksploitation soundtrack from the early 70s. All titles are great, and the record's a completely unified, fiercely funky set that should be in the collection of any fan of funky electric jazz. Titles include "Down Stretch", "Swamp Carol", "Home", "Cakes", and "Come With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblower from flute man Jeremy Steig – his only album ever for Blue Note – and quite possibly his best! There's a stripped-down feel here that beats even the rich soul of Steig's sets for Solid State – a brilliant pairing of Jeremy's choppy lines on flute with the soulful bass of Eddie Gomez – amazing interplay that really sets the record on edge right from the start – and gives things this raw funky feel that's even different than other Blue Note dates of the time! If you dig Steig's funky flute on other records, you'll totally love it here – and in addition to Eddie's great round, deep, soulful lines on bass – the set also features heavy drums from Don Alias, and some shadings on guitar from Sam Brown – a pair who are perfectly picked to round out the quartet. Tracks are all nice and long, and have a feel that's freewheeling, yet still funkily focused too – almost an electric vibe, although both Jeremy and Eddie's instruments aren't electrified at all – just their souls and spirits! A gem through and through – with great cuts that include "All Is One", "In The Beginning", "Waves", "Space", "Mint Tea", and "Wayfaring Stranger". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi, not as much of an electro groove filled affair as the first, but still a great batch of quirky techno-electro Asian pop with lots of great bubbling synth touches! 8 tracks in all including "Behind The Mask", "Day Tripper", "Technopolis", "Multiples", "Citizens Of Science" and "Solid State Survivor". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest soul collections from the legendary Kent Records UK – a package that was originally released way back in 1982, but which set the scene for decades of great reissues to come! Even at this early state, the Kent approach was something different – and the package shows a great ear for under-discovered 60s soul gems – most of which have a sock-solid Northern Soul approach! Most of the work here is from the US Kent/Modern label – obviously an inspiration for the UK imprint – and the tunes are a mix of Detroit-styled soul numbers and a few deeper soul tracks. 15 tunes in all – including "You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet" by Mary Love, "I'm So Thankful" by The Ikettes, "In The Sunshine" by The Marvellos, "Before It's Too Late" by Jackie Day, "Your Love Has Made Me A Man" by Willie Hutch, "Baby Without You" by Danny Monday, "Gimme Gimme" by ZZ Hill, "Dancing Fast Dancing Slow" by The Intentions, "Let Me Know" by Mary Love, "I've Been Taken For A Ride" by The Intentions, "I Can Feel Your Love" by Felice Taylor, and "Come Back Baby" by Tami Young. LP, Vinyl record album

Two late Rusty Bryant albums – back to back on one CD! For the Good Times was one of Rusty's last for Prestige – recorded with a lineup that includes Hank Jones on electric piano, and Joe Beck on guitar. The album's not as over the top funky as his earlier ones for the label – but it does include some nice electric moments that show a new side of Rusty's groove. Tracks include "Theme from Deep Throat", a nice soundtrack groover, plus "The Last One Out" and "Appalachian Green". Until It's Time For You To Go is a mellower Rusty Bryant set recorded for Prestige with larger arrangements by Horace Ott, who also worked on a lot of the Solid State and Groove Merchant recordings at the time. The group includes Ott on piano and electric piano, Ernie Hayes on organ, Bad Bascomb on bass, and Bernard Purdie on drums. The album, like the first, is not as over the top funky, but it does have a few nice mellow funk moments – like the groovers "The Hump Bump" and "Ga Gang Gang Goong". Other tracks include "Troubles", "Until It's Time For You To Go", and "The Red Eye Special". CD

A great collection of early work from this legendary large ensemble – all pulled from their seminal late 60s sides on Blue Note and Solid State – with Thad Jones on flugelhorn and Mel Davis on drums – plus work from Richard Williams and Marvin Stamm on trumpets, Jimmy Knepper and Benny Powell on trombones, Jerome Richardson and Jerry Dodgion on alto, Billy Harper and Joe Farrell on tenors, and Pepper Adams on baritone! LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent organ groovers from the great Jimmy McGriff! The set pulls together some fantastic tracks from Jimmy's years at Veep, Sue, Solid State, and Capitol – including many great short funky cuts that haven't really shown up on other reissues before. The fidelity of the set is way way better than other reissues – and the CD is filled with hard wailing Hammond groovers that will blow your mind! Jimmy's touch on the keys was amazing back in these days – filled with loads of straight jazz fire, but also touched with a keen sense of humor that has him throwing in these amazing curve balls on the keys, riffing away in surprising twists and turns that always keep the cuts interesting! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Step One", "Blue Juice", "Black Pearl", "The Worm", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Fat Cakes", "Where It's At", "Cash Box", "Kiko", "The Last Minute", and "Discotheque". CD

Excellent funky jazz from Jeremy Steig – the funkiest flute player we can think of! The album's a 2LP set that brings together Steig's Energy album for Capitol, plus more material that was also recorded by producer Sonny Lester. Energy takes up where Jeremy's LPs on Solid State left off – adding Steig's hard-blowing flute to some groundbreaking beat-heavy backings by Gene Perla and Eddie Gomez on bass, Don Alias on drums, and Jan Hammer on electric piano. The sound is super-dope – and the cuts feel like they fell off some lost blacksploitation soundtrack from the early 70s. All titles are great, and the record's a completely unified, fiercely funky set that should be in the collection of any fan of funky electric jazz. Titles include "Down Stretch", "Swamp Carol", "Home", "Cakes", and "Come With Me". The rest of the tracks on the set are equally great – played by the same group, and probably recorded at the same time – with a free-flowing energy that's easily some of the hippest flute work of the early 70s! Titles include "Rock #6", "Elelphant Hump", "Something Else", and "Up Tempo Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Something strange happened during the early years of punk – the moment also saw a big return to styles from the mod generation of the 60s – but from a range of different artists who not only took the music in new directions of their own, but also managed to keep on going for years as part of a growing global underground! The Jam might be one of the best known examples of this moment – but as you'll discover in this set, there were countless other groups who helped revive the best mod modes, but never fully got their due – acts mostly from the UK scene, but from other places as well – documented strongly in this book-styled package that takes things much farther than we ever would have guessed! The set is focused most strongly on work from the late 70s and early 80s, but features later tracks too – all served up in a set of 100 tracks, very detailed notes, and work by artists who include Merton Parkas, The Name, MI5, Secret Affair, The Moment, Untouchables, The Combine, Solid State, Dee Walker, The Chords, The Donkeys, The Jolt, Speedball, Strangeways, The Vandells, Directions, Prisoners, The Clique, Makin Time, Squire, and many others. CD

Includes tracks by Mathematics, D-Kay, the Insiders, Hold Tight, Basic Operations, Chino, Juju, Junior Cartel, Solid State, and more. CD

A much-needed anthology of solo material from VU drummer Moe Tucker – also the singer and one woman band on many of the best recordings here – a massive set that also includes recordings with Velvets cohorts Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison, out rock eccentrics Jad Fair and Daniel Johnston, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo, Jonathan Richman and others! The majority of the material comes from independent and self-released records that Moe made from the early 80s to mid 90s – a fascinating wealth of songs that explore the proto rock primitivism that was such an indispensable facet of her style of drumming, along with excellent art rock collaborations with fellow outcast geniuses, Moe's loving, but skewed take on classic girl group songs and more. We learned some things about Moe Tucker we didn't know before this set. Thanks to Sundazed for such a solid statement on the great legacy of her later years! Includes "Bo Diddley", a wooly version of "Heroin", "Hey Mersh!", "Andy", "Pale Blue Eyes", "Lazy", "Then He Kissed Me", "I'm Waiting For The Man", "Spam Again (Live)", "I've Seen Into Your Soul", "Poor Little Fool", "I Wanna", "Last Night I Said Goodbye To My Friend" (previously unissued), "After Hours", "I'm Not", "Blue All The Way To Canada", "Slippin' And Slidin'", "Around And Around" and more. 32 tracks on the 2CD version, which include the CD-only "Ellas", "Do It Right", "Fired Up" and "Danny Boy". CD

Pianist Caili O'Doherty has a great sort of shimmer to her tone – a sense of swing that's familiar, but nicely personal as well – a bit hard to describe in words, but a charm that grabs you instantly from the very first note! Her look on the cover, and the somewhat dated title reference might get in the way of the contents of the record – which are rock-solid, and a great statement from this young artist who's really found a way to leave her mark on the piano trio format – proof that with the right player, the trio still has a long way to go! Tamir Shmerling plays bass, Cory Cox handles drums, and Nicole Glover blows a bit of tenor and soprano sax on a few tracks – titles that include a great remake of the well-chosen Duke Pearson number "You Know I Care", plus the originals "Salt & Vinegar", "Runaway", "Mr O", "Al", "Quarantine Dream", and "Reach Within". CD

A beautiful debut from Pedro Ricardo – an artist with a name that sounds like a contemporary of the MPB scene in 70s Brazil – and one who works here with a rock-solid sound that might easily place him in that legacy! Pedro's music is definitely contemporary, and he's Portuguese, not Brazilian – but shares the same language, and the same sort of temporal spanning of some of our current favorites from the Brazilian underground – effortlessly blending elements of jazz and more rootsy expressions, sometimes with modern inflections, sometimes a lot more earthy overall! There's plenty of wonderfulness happening here – a truly individual statement from an artist we'll be keeping our ears on for years to come – on titles that include "Soprem Bons Ventos", "Entre O Vale E O Eco", "Tema 2", "Deheba", "Ode Ao Gato", "A Marcha Que O Monte Parou", and "Cantar Das Kandakinhas". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful lost 60s material from Stitt – recorded without any tricks or gimmicks, in a solidly-blown mode that rivals his best work for Roost and Argo! The first 4 tracks of the set were recorded in New York in 1962 – with an unnamed group that lets Sonny really take the lead on sax, blowing in an easy-going and open style that's every bit the best mode he used on his live work of the time. The next 4 tracks were recorded in Zurich in 1967 – by a group that featured Sonny with Walter Bishop, Tommy Potter, and Kenny Clarke – plus trumpeter Howard McGhee on a few numbers. These tunes are equally great in their understated brilliance, and have perhaps a slight bit more punch, thanks to the expanded lineup. A few numbers run quite long, with very open solo space, and titles include "The Gypsy", "Night Work", "Matter Horns", "Hello", and "Loverman". CD

An early moment of brilliance from Vincent Herring – and just the sort of set to make him one of the strongest young talents to emerge in jazz during the 90s! There's a rock-solid feel to the set – an approach that's steeped in classic hardbop modes, but which has traces of modernism too – never too overstated, but some sharper undercurrents that mark Herring's playing nicely as a bit deeper than the usual altoist. The rest of the group should get a good deal of credit, too – as players like Wallace Roney on trumpet and Mulgrew Miller on piano really share this sensibility with Herring. Titles include "I Sing A Song", "Never Forget", "Soul Leo", "Mr Wizard", "Voyage", and "Evidence". CD also features the bonus track "Hindsight". CD

A seminal solo set from Morrissey – one that brings together all the singles and EP tracks he issued in the last few years of the 80s – when he moved away from the solid album format of Viva Hate, and just let his ideas hit the market as they came to him! That approach was a bit like that of The Smiths – who sometimes meant more to the world in their progression of singles than albums – but it was also frustrating to fans in the digital age, especially Americans, who had less access to singles in that format – hence the need for this full length set, which turned out to be one of the strongest full statements by the singer after stepping out on his own. Titles include "Piccadilly Palare", "Interesting Drug", "November Spawned A Monster", "Ouija Board Ouija Board", "Everyday Is Like Sunday", "The Last Of The Famous International Playboys", and "Suedehead". CD

Two solid albums by the Carr-Rendall Quintet – one of greatest British jazz combos of the late 60s – nicely packaged in one set! Phase III is the third legendary album from the Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet – and a set that really has the combo stretching out in the new kind of freedoms offered by the Landsowne series at the time! The group had already made fantastic waves on their previous two albums – but here, the songs are longer, the ideas more expansive, and the overall sound is more intense – as the tenor, soprano sax, and flute of Rendell is balanced with both trumpet and flugelhorn from Carr – then driven even more strongly than before by the piano of Michael Garrick, who's really at his creative peak at this point! The rest of the group features very strong work from Dave Green on bass and Trevor Tomkin on drums – cementing a rock-solid unit – and titles include "Les Nieges D'Antan", "Black Marigolds", "Bath Sheba", and "Crazy Jane". The Live album a is masterpiece of British jazz from the end of the 60s – a set that doesn't need to answer at all to any of the jazz styles coming from America at the time – as it's sound and vision is so bold, so unique, it's a completely massive statement on its own! The set may well represent the pinnacle of this creative combo – as pianist Michael Garrick seems to be taking an even stronger role than before, and certainly gets some great space for expression on the longer live tracks within – shading things with that amazing sense of tone and timing that made his own albums of the 60s so important to British jazz, but maybe even more incredible here in the company of Carr's trumpet and flugelhorn, and Rendell's work on tenor, soprano sax, clarinet, and flute. As before, the bass of Dave Green and drums of Trevor Tompkins are a key element of the music – the amazing energy at the core – on titles that include "Pavanne", "Nimjam", "Voices", "You've Said It", "Vignette", and "On Track". CD

A brilliant 80s set from Pharoah Sanders – a record that has him a much more understated setting than some of his other albums from the time – but one that's maybe even more soulful and searching overall! The great one plays blistering tenor right from the start – in a quartet with John Hicks on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – all players who have this way of doing a lot with a little, especially in the rhythm department – where they seem to give Sanders some of his strongest sense of groove since the key albums for Theresa. Muhammad's got this tight sense of timekeeping, but with a looseness that we love – and Lundy's warm soulful bass does more than enough to give the set a sound bottom – and Hicks' free lyrical piano works nicely with Sanders' spiritual horn. Titles include a remake of "You've Got To Have Freedom", plus "Naima", "Origin", "Speak Low", "After The Morning", and "Africa". Also features the tracks "Duo" and "Heart To Heart" – not on the vinyl release! Great 2CD version – with a bonus CD that features two alternates of "Speak Low", and one more of "After The Morning". CD

One of the most distinct early dates from reedman Charles McPherson – a unique "with strings" session recorded as a tribute to Billie Holiday – and with a style that shows off sides of McPherson's playing that wouldn't show up on other records for years to come! The album's got a beautifully understated quality – hip, adult arrangements by Ernie Wilkins – neither in his Basie-esque style of the early years, nor in any sort of slavish relationship to the Billie Holiday recordings of the 40s and the 50s either – which makes for a mode that just lets Charles flow with this wonderfully soulful tone on his alto – almost in a way that points towards some of Stanley Turrentine's music to come in such a setting. The core group features piano by Barry Harris, guitar by Earl Dunbar, bass by Sam Jones, and drums by Leroy Williams – plus larger backing by a string section – and titles include "Don't Explain", "Miss Brown To You", "Lover Come Back to Me", "Lover Man", and "God Bless the Child" – but all shaped beautifully and personally by McPherson! CD

A brilliant 80s set from Pharoah Sanders – a record that has him a much more understated setting than some of his other albums from the time – but one that's maybe even more soulful and searching overall! The great one plays blistering tenor right from the start – in a quartet with John Hicks on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – all players who have this way of doing a lot with a little, especially in the rhythm department – where they seem to give Sanders some of his strongest sense of groove since the key albums for Theresa. Muhammad's got this tight sense of timekeeping, but with a looseness that we love – and Lundy's warm soulful bass does more than enough to give the set a sound bottom – and Hicks' free lyrical piano works nicely with Sanders' spiritual horn. Titles include a remake of "You've Got To Have Freedom", plus "Naima", "Origin", "Speak Low", "After The Morning", and "Africa". Also features the tracks "Duo" and "Heart To Heart" – not on the vinyl release! CD

Tenorist Bennie Wallace has a rock-solid group here – a quartet that features pianist Chick Corea hitting some of his more hard-edged acoustic modes – alongside the excellent bassist Eddie Gomez and Charles Mingus' drummer Dannie Richmond! The lineup is almost unusual, but works together wonderfully – with that strong sense of surprise that really can make a jazz album memorable – especially one like this, which might be initially understated in terms of appearance! Bennie's great in the setting – blowing with a sharper edge than on some other sets, and most tracks are nice and long too. Titles include "Mystic Bridge", "Foxtrot", "Llowed", "My One & Only Love", and "The Bob Crosby Blues". CD

A record with a cartoony cover, but a surprisingly rock-solid set – put together by a quartet that features ex-members of Taste, Family, and Blossom Toes – all of whom really seem to bring the strength of their experience to bear on the album! The set's nicely understated, and these guys aren't out to challenge the bigger names of the progressive era – just deliver these well-crafted songs that really make the best of the lead vocals of Jim Cregan – with instrumentation that's confident enough to be laidback – a quality that's also echoed in the production. Titles include "Five To Mid-Day", "Bad Handlin", "Ocean Boogie", "Life Without Music", "Samurai", and "Good Knows". CD

Two classic albums from the great Gene Clark – back to back in a single set! First up is White Light – a key part of that scattered legacy that really helped cement his individual genius after leaving The Byrds! Much of the record is a spare and intimate affair – with Gene's warm vocals accompanied by his own gently picked acoustic guitar, along with producer Jesse Ed Davis (who does a masterful job in the booth on this one) also on guitar. The tunes are also sweetened by waltzy basslines, and Byrds-y keyboard riffs by Ben Sidran, but Gene's wonderful vocals and his amazingly strong songwriting are obviously the biggest draws – not standard country or roots rock, and instead delivered with a sense of sophistication that's almost a genre unto itself. Titles include the amazing "For A Spanish Guitar" – plus "The Virgin", "With Tomorrow", "White Light", "Where My Love Lies Asleep", "1975", and a great reading of The Band & Bob Dylan's "Tears Of Rage". Roadmaster is a warm, wonderful set of Gene Clark recordings from the early 70s – material that probably should have been issued as a proper album in the States back in the day, as sounds pretty much as solid to us as some of his great work in preceding years – but was issued only in Europe at the time! Roadmaster was pulled together from 1972 sessions that were essentially abandoned, but it's truly top notch Cali country rock featuring Byrds and Burrito Brothers in the sessions. Titles include "She's The Kind Of Girl", "Full Circle Song", "Roadmaster", "In A Misty Morning", "She Don't Care About Time", "Shooting Star", "Rough And Rocky", "One In A Hundred", "I Remember The Railroad" and more. CD

A trio of early 80s efforts from Con Funk Shun in a 2CD set – with bonus tracks! Touch is a killer from the group – one of the few mainstream funk groups who actually managed to sound better and better with each new record – and on this set, they really seem to come into their own! Titles include "Too Tight", "Lady's Wild", "Give Your Love To Me", "Kidnapped", "Welcome Back To Love", "Touch", and "Play Widit". Includes 2 bonus tracks: "Lady's Wild (12" Version)" and "Body Lovers (12" Version)". 7 is not the group's 7th album, but a bold statement of the unity they feel as a 7 piece ensemble – perfectly lived up to in the record's well-crafted grooves! The album's one of Con Funk Shun's best overall – really solid, but never too slick, very tight in the bass department, but still soulful on the vocal tip, and never afraid to slip into a sweeter, more mellow tune. Titles include "Straight From The Heart", "Bad Lady", "Promise You Love", "I'll Get You Back", "A Song For You", and "California 1". To The Mix has snapping grooves and a sweet clubby sound. The bass is tight, the keyboards are electric, and the rhythms are great – never forced or stiff, and always flowing with a sense of soul that's head and shoulders above most of the group's contemporaries. Vocals are strong too – especially on the numbers that step things down a few notches – and titles include "Ms Got The Body", "Let's Ride & Slide", "Everlove", "Hide & Freak", "You Are The One", "Take It To The Max", "The Freak", and "Love's Train". Includes the bonus "Ms Got The Body (12" Version)" and an instrumental version. CD

Here's a rare one from Carmen – a beautifully understated session recorded for the tiny Focus label, done with spare and soulful backings from Norman Simmons, who leads the album's small combo on the backing. Tracks are nice and mellow – very different than some of the later work Carmen would do for Atlantic, and with a solid jazz-based approach that really lets her work through some wonderful vocal inflections. Titles include "How Did He Look", "Ghost Of Yesterday", "I'm Lost", "Come Sunday", "Second Chance", "If You Could Love Me", and "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life". CD

Here's a rare one from Carmen – a beautifully understated session recorded for the tiny Focus label, done with spare and soulful backings from Norman Simmons, who leads the album's small combo on the backing. Tracks are nice and mellow – very different than some of the later work Carmen would do for Atlantic, and with a solid jazz-based approach that really lets her work through some wonderful vocal inflections. Titles include "How Did He Look", "Ghost Of Yesterday", "I'm Lost", "Come Sunday", "Second Chance", "If You Could Love Me", and "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the group's 7th album, but a bold statement of the unity they feel as a 7 piece ensemble – perfectly lived up to in the record's well-crafted grooves! The album's one of Con Funk Shun's best overall – really solid, but never too slick, very tight in the bass department, but still soulful on the vocal tip, and never afraid to slip into a sweeter, more mellow tune. Titles include "Straight From The Heart", "Bad Lady", "Promise You Love", "I'll Get You Back", "A Song For You", and "California 1". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible stuff – and some of the best post-Pet Sounds material you can find by the Beach Boys! Sunflower is the kind of record that's easy to pass by when you're first getting into the group, but later on – after digging for gems on records like Wild Honey or Friends, you'll come back to it as a totally solid record, filled with loads of excellent little songs like "Slip On Through", "This Whole World", "Cool, Cool Water", "Tears In The Morning", and "Add Some Music To Your Day". Surf's Up is a bit more spotty – but it's also got some incredible work by the group – including "Disney Girls", "'Til I Die", and "Surf's Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking 70s material from El Gran Combo – exactly the kind of set that shows why they received so much well-deserved attention at the time! There's a simple, understated quality to the record – one that has the group working in a rock-solid blend of saxes and trumpets, plus a bit of trombone – over tight percussion and piano from Rafael Ithier, who also did all the arrangements for the record. The group's never trying to hard to push their own agenda, but have a captivating way of holding us to the groove – and this time around, Charlie Aponte joins Andy Montanez on vocals. Titles include "Dugu Dugu Con Saus", "El Gordito De Oro", "La Melena", "El Son De Santurce", "La Salsa De Hoy", and "La Melena". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublimely spiritual work from trombonist Charles Greenlee – a player who's best remembered for work as a sideman with Archie Shepp, but who really sparkles as a leader on this rare Japanese set! The vibe here is totally great – a righteous approach to soul jazz that rivals the best work of the Strata East scene in the US, but which is carried off with the poise and power of some of the best mid 70s Japanese-only dates of this type – clearly a great deal of respect and freedom given to Greenlee in the studio, but also some good help in putting together the record in as solid a way as possible. Jean Carn makes a great appearance singing on 3 tracks here – with a quality that's even more righteous than her work with Doug Carn on Black Jazz – and one more number features the great Joe Lee Wilson on vocals too. Players include Hubert Eaves and Art Matthews on piano, Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Archie Shepp on tenor and soprano, Buster Williams on bass, and either Charlie Persip or Beaver Harris on drums – and titles include "I Know About The Life", "He's Gone", "Steam", "Someday", "Crusificado", and "Miss Barbara". LP, Vinyl record album