Maybe the moodiest record we've ever heard from trumpeter Theo Croker – a set that blends together his earthy Afrofuturist experiments with other electric horn-based modes – maybe currents of 70s Miles or Jon Hassell, but served up in much more soul-based territory overall! Many cuts have vocals – from singers who include Jamila Woods, Jill Scott, and Teedra Moses – which are often muted, and folded into the electric mix – so that the lyrics are just one more shimmering texture of sound, amidst the blend of keyboards, organ, alto, and other instrumentation on the set. There's also plenty of guests along the way – including Gary Bartz and Kassa Overall – on titles that include "Jazz Is Dead", "Royal Conversation", "To Be We", "She's Bad", "Humanity", "Divinity", and "Cosmic Intercourse (part 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

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This stunning live set has been hailed by many as one of the finest moments of Miles' mid 60s career – music played with a frenetic energy that even blows away the famous studio sessions of the time! The group here is a landmark lineup – young modernists Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, and Tony Williams on drums – all reaching out to really increase their craft, and work through new ideas alongside Miles' trumpet. This first volume includes long versions of "Walkin", "Agitation", "So What", and "On Green Dolphin Street", and the material is from December 23, 1965. Pressed up on nice hard Japanese wax, with a weird computer image on the cover! LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say? This is the ultimate Miles Davis album – the one that includes so many songs that we've heard way too much in Starbucks, in retail stores, or at a friend's house who claims to be a "jazz expert", but is really a yuppie dilettante. Yet somehow, over all the years, and all those playings, the record manages to still sound fantastic – a truly inspirational piece of music that's long deserved all the attention it gets! The legendary group on the album includes John Coltrane on tenor, Cannonball Adderley on alto, Bill Evans on piano, and Paul Chambers on bass – working with Miles in a relatively modal style, with brilliant rhythm changes and a wonderful sense of space. The whole thing's sublime – and titles include "Blue In Green", "All Blues", "So What", and "Freddie Freeloader". CD

A wonderful live set from the Seven Steps-era Miles group – with rhythm by Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and tunes that are all in that transformative mode that really showed Miles hitting a new voice at the time! Tenorist George Coleman's playing with the group on the set – proving again that he's got a depth that few people ever seem to give him credit for – and that it wasn't just Wayne Shorter who made the 60s Davis quintet so great. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "All Of You", "Walkin", and "Joshua". CD

Miles Davis' first-ever performance in Japan – a really unique concert that featured the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by a young Sam Rivers on tenor! The presence of Rivers really gives the set an edge – and although Miles is holding Sam a bit more in check than on some of his "new thing" albums from the time, there's an overall quality here that's different than the other Davis quintet albums of the time. The set was one of a number of important Miles Davis live sessions from the period – including albums from Berlin, Antibes, and Chicago – and titles include "If I Were A Bell", "My Funny Valentine", "So What", "Walkin'" and "All Of You". CD

When Laswell first put out this Miles set, we didn't really know whether we'd be into it, though we're all for unearthing lost and unreleased Miles tapes. Then they went a step further and had these remixes cut. Surprisingly these versions breathed some new life into material that was still fresh to begin with. "In A Silent Way" by DJ Cam is a spacey downtempo takes, as you might expect, with nice tight beats, and the Krush mix is unavailable elsewhere. "Rated X" gets two drum & bass rubs by Jamie Myerson and Doc Scott, the "On the Corner (subterranean channel mix) by Bill Laswell keeps the vibe of the original, but with a slightly updated feel stretched out nicely over 16 minutes, and "Shhh (sea4 Miles rmx)" by King Britt & Philip Charles starts out nice and atmospheric, and then gets a nice throbbing club pulse dropped underneath. CD

A great look at the fresh energy that Miles Davis was bringing to his music in the 80s – and a set that's nicely different than some of the other albums issued in the "bootleg" series – in that two thirds of the collection features unissued studio material from the dates in the title! Those tracks are great – numbers that were recorded in the same sessions that gave the world the records Decoy, Star People, and You're Under Arrest – with work from players who include John Scofield and Mike Stern on guitars, Robert Irving III on keyboards, Bill Evans on tenor and soprano saxes, and the great Al Foster on drums. Miles even plays a bit of keyboards himself, but is also really focusing strong energy on his trumpet lines – more tightness than some of his 70s material, but not in a way that's slick or commercial either – still plenty of bite throughout. Studio titles include "Celestial Blues", "Minor Ninths", "Santana", "Freaky Deaky", "Hopscotch", "Never Loved Like This", and some alternates of Miles' versions of "Human Nature" and "Time After Time". The third component of the set is the Montreal 7/7/83 performance – early 80s live work from Miles Davis – done at a level that's a nice change from some of his studio work of the time! If you've ever heard Miles in a live setting like this from the decade, you know that such recordings are a great reminder of the way he can really deliver an extended solo with plenty of spirit and imagination – stretching out here on long tracks with a group that also features lots of great work from John Scofield on guitar, and up and coming saxophonist Bill Evans – who plays soprano, tenor, and flute! Miles also plays a bit of keyboards, and the rest of the group features Darryl Jones on bass, Al Foster on drums, and Mino Cinelu on percussion – on titles that include "Star On Cicely", "Hopscotch", "What It Is", "It Gets Better", "Speak", "Code 3", "Jean Pierre", "Star People", and "Creepin In". CD

A great look at the fresh energy that Miles Davis was bringing to his music in the 80s – and a set that's nicely different than some of the other albums issued in the "bootleg" series – in that two thirds of the collection features unissued studio material from the dates in the title! Those tracks are great – numbers that were recorded in the same sessions that gave the world the records Decoy, Star People, and You're Under Arrest – with work from players who include John Scofield and Mike Stern on guitars, Robert Irving III on keyboards, Bill Evans on tenor and soprano saxes, and the great Al Foster on drums. Miles even plays a bit of keyboards himself, but is also really focusing strong energy on his trumpet lines – more tightness than some of his 70s material, but not in a way that's slick or commercial either – still plenty of bite throughout. Studio titles include "Celestial Blues, Part 2", "Minor Ninths, Part 2", "Santana", "Freaky Deaky (Vinyl Edit)", "Hopscotch (Fast)", "Never Loved Like This (Studio Session Demo", and some alternates of Miles' versions of "Human Nature" and "Time After Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly misleading record – but a great one nonetheless! From the title and cover, you might imagine that Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis were sharing the stage together at the Newport Jazz Festival – but instead, the album actually features separate performances by each artist – actually even recorded 5 years apart! The Miles Davis recording is from 1958 – a great year that has John Coltrane working with the group, alongside Wynton Kelly on piano, Cannonball Adderley on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – performing lively versions of "Ah Leu Cha", "Straight No Chaser", "Fran Dance" and "Two Bass Hit". The Monk material is even more unique – recorded in 1963, with Monk's usual quartet of Charlie Rouse on tenor, Butch Warren on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums – joined by the legendary Pee Wee Russell on clarinet – recently revived in jazz at the time, and displaying surprisingly modernist tendencies! Both Monk tracks are long – and include versions of "Nutty" and "Blue Monk". CD

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One of Erroll Garner's best-selling albums ever – a famous live date recorded in the mid 50s – and a record that's as important to his catalog as the classic Misty! Garner's playing before an apparently large audience, but the recording quality is still nice and clear – a strong focus on his amazing work on the keys of the piano – filled with rhythmic invention at every turn, in a way that can only be described as Garner-esque, and which still leaves us breathless after all these years. Despite the oft-heard power of the record, it's still a great one – worthy of discovery even if it wasn't a hit. Rhythm is by Eddie Calhoun on bass and Denzil Best on drums – on tracks that include "Teach Me Tonight", "I'll Remember April", "Autumn Leaves", "Red Top", "April In Paris", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Erroll's Theme", and "Where Or When". CD

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Sublime sounds from the great Herbie Hancock – presented here in one of his amazing Japanese-only albums from the 70s! The record is a showcase for Hancock in two different modes – as Herbie plays solo acoustic piano on side one, and delivers these really haunting renditions of "Maiden Voyage" and "Dolphin Dance" – both of them long, and with relaxed exploratory solos. Side two features Herbie on a variety of electric keyboards (moog, arp, etc) – playing with the kind of imagination and funkiness that characterized his best recordings of this period. On this side, Hancock lays down a sweet electric version of "Cantaloupe Island", and a nice spiritual groover called "Nobu" – both of them great, and nearer to the electric vibe of Thrust or Flood. CD

A rare Japanese-only session from Herbie Hancock – very electric, and nicely funky in all the right parts! The set was recorded at the end of the 70s with amazing fidelity – and features a unique lineup that includes Webster Lewis on additional keyboards and Alphonse Mouzon on drums – alongside more familiar partners Bennie Maupin on reeds, Paul Jackson on bass, and Bill Summers on percussion! Given these last three, there's almost a slight Headhunters feel to the set – but the overall groove is a bit more mellow, with some wonderfully spacey touches that are super-soulful – and miles above anything that Herbie was recording in the US at the time. Titles include the sublime mellow groover "Butterfly", plus "Shiftless Shuffle", and the side-long jazzy jammer "I Thought It Was You"! CD

Music from Psycho, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Marnie, North By Northwest, Vertigo, Torn Curtain, Fahrenheit 451, and Taxi Driver. CD

A brilliant follow-up to the 2007 quartet session cut by Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino and pianist Masabumi Kikuchi – one that has both players here coming together in spare duo formation, in a style that's even more stripped down than their Counter Current album! As with that one, this album's a great reminder of the more serious, experimental roots of both players – especially considering their years recording smoother fusion in previous decades – and Hino is particularly wonderful, blowing with a measured sense of space and distance that really shows a new ear for his instrument. Titles include "Can't Describe", "Alone Alone & Alone", "Edges (version 1)", "Is It", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", and "My Kinda Yesterday". CD

A later date from saxophonist Jiro Inagaki and his Soul Media combo – and a set that has them reworking their older groove in really great way! The style here is more fusion than the big band funk of the group's earlier years – but the overall sound is still equally funky, and nice and tight – in that best groove that you might hear from American groups like The Crusaders – or some of the best artists on Kudu Records in the late 70s! There's a tight horn section in the lead – but Jiro still solos on tenor and flute – and the arrangements are wonderfully soulful, with female vocals on some cuts, sending things home with some sweet English language lyrics. Titles include "Culmination", "Rain", "Take My Hand", "Memory Lane", "Dried Flowers", "Somethin Good Is Comin", and "I Will Give You Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy funk from a hip Japanese combo – one that features lots of drums and percussion from leader Akira Ishikawa, plus plenty of guitar, keyboards, and hard-riffing horns! Akira's taking most of his cues here from American funk of the early 70s – work by Incredible Bongo Band, BT Express, and others – but he often serves up the music with a fair bit of conga work at the front of the arrangements, in a way that takes familiar tunes and gives them a much rootsier, earthier kind of groove! The approach is unique, but totally great – and the album's a funk album unlike anything else we can think of – quite unusual even for the experimental Japanese scene of the time. Titles include "Bongo Rock", "Pick Up The Pieces", "Do It Til You're Satisfied", "I've Got To Use My Imagination", "Let's Start", "Love Is The Answer", and "Boogie On Reggae Woman". CD

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The long-awaited second set from Kindred The Family Soul – a duo who really grabbed us with their excellent Surrender To Love, and who really follow up on its promise with this excellent set! Kindred have a totally righteous sound that's long steeped in traditions of soul and gospel – yet which comes off here with that lean and clean Hidden Beach groove first made famous by Jill Scott – a great bridge between indie and mainstream soul, and proof that good music in our generation can still come from a wide-reaching source! As before, the blend of vocals and rhythms here is completely sublime – handled with a warmth that's amazing, and better fitted than even before with a strong sense of a good hook and a captivating tune. Titles include "Do You Remember", "Thru Love", "Turn It Up", "As Of Yet", "Message To Marvin", "Let It All Go", "Sneak A Freak", "My Time", and "Bed Time Story". CD

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. This album wasn't their first – but it was the first to really break them with the masses, and it's a vocal jazz classic if there ever was one. Backings are by the Ike Isaacs Trio, plus Harry Edison on trumpet – and titles include "Moanin", "Twisted", "Cloudburst", "Everybody's Boppin", and "Sermonette". CD

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The cello genius of Yo Yo Ma with the violin of Mark O'Connor, and the bass of Edgar Meyer! CD

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Johnny Mathis' self-titled debut from 1956 – an all-jazz album that's quite different than most of his other work! Mathis here is working in a decidedly modern style – none of the smooth, mellow pop of his hits – and instead awash in sharp edges, rich colors, and modern sounds served up by the charts of arrangers Gil Evans, Teo Macero, and John Lewis! Johnny's vocals have that familiar warm and smooth quality, but also a subtle sense of tension and drama too – one that really makes the tunes, even the familiar ones, come alive as miniature little portraits in sound – painted with a brush that's confident, but youthful enough to be fresh! Players include Phil Woods, Art Farmer, JJ Johnson, Tony Scott, Hal McKusick, and John Lewis – and titles include "Street Of Dreams", "Caravan", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Star Eyes", "Autumn In Rome", "Babalu", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "Angel Eyes". CD

Maxwell's third album, and he just keeps getting better. His songwriting skills have become more finely honed, and the arrangements and general feel still maintain his warm, retro modern vibe. We never tire of his soulful vocals, and music that references classics like the Isleys, Marvin Gaye, Leon Ware or Leroy Hutson without ever having to resort to aping them or sampling their hooks. 12 tracks, including "Getting To Know Ya", "Lifetime", "Changed", "For Lovers Only", "Temporary Nite", "Silently", "Symptom Unkown" and "Now/At The Party". CD

46 tracks from his recordings for Okeh Records – including a number of unreleased tracks! CD

Great work from Monk's last decade on record – including some unreleased material too! CD

A rare session from Astrud Gilberto – recorded in the early 80s as a collaboration with Japanese trombonist Shigeharu Mukai! The set's got a dreamy bossa feel throughout – with arrangements that are a bit modern, but still quite jazzy – and very much in the mode that brings out the best in Astrud's lovely vocals. Only 3 of the album's 8 tracks feature Astrud on vocals – but those are all pretty great – and on the other instrumental numbers, Shigeharu steps out with the band on some great tracks that have a tasy Brazilian jazz approach – one that alternates between electric Brazilian fusion numbers, and others that have an earthier percussive bottom. Titles include the vocal numbers "Champagne & Caviar", "Nos Dois", and "Hold Me" – and the instrumentals "Berimbau", "Miracle Of The Fishes", "Terrafirme", and "Keep On Riding". CD

Simple and elegant work from Japanese singer/guitarist Yoshiro Nakamura – a record as lovely as some of our favorites from Jobim, and handled with a very similar air! There's a wonderful understatement to the set – just vocals, guitar, and light percussion dancing around with a breezy feel, augmented by some occasional strings in the background. The whole thing's wonderful – on a par with some of the sparest work by Joao Gilberto – and titles include "Samba De Verao", "Outra Vez", "Estate", "O Barquinho", "Pra Machuchar Neu Coracao", "Sampa", and "Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours". CD

Looks like a "greatest hits" set, but it's actually an excellent collection of rare early work from the 60s – featuring a young Elis singing to light bossa and jazz arrangements, in a style that's quite different from her later work. Unfortunately, the package gives no real information about the dates of the sessions – but the set is a key addition to any collection of work by this important Brazilian singer, and the quality of the tracks is excellent throughout! Titles include "Dengosa", "Retorno", "A Noite", "Mundo De Paz", "Tango Italiano", "Adeus Amor", "Flertei", "Alo Saudade", and "Domingo Em Copacabana". 21 tracks in all. CD

Features "Rhapsody in Blue", "I Got Rhythm", and James P Johnson's "Yamekraw" – all performed with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. CD

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With Andy Gonzalez on bass, Giovanni Hidalgo on congas, Ignacio Berroa on drums, Dave Valentin & Peter Brainin on flute, Tito Puente on percussion, Hilton Ruiz on piano, David Sanchez & Jose De Leon on tenor saxes, Steve Berrios on timbales, Papo Vazquez on trombone & Charlie Sepulveda on trumpet. CD

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Emilio Santiago wasn't part of the original bossa generation, but he does a pretty great job with this set of classic tunes from the 60s! The album features some laidback jazzy arrangements by the likes of Marcos Valle, Cristovao Bastos, Leandro Braga, and Jota Moraes – and the album's got a sophisticated mature feel that's touched with more than a bit of sadness – a great format for Emilio's later years, and a nice change from his more soul-based work of the 70s. Titles include "Canto De Osshana", "Voce E Eu", "Corcovado", "Bateu Pra Tras", "Chuva", "Aula De Matematica", and "A Volta". CD

The cover's got an image of Frank Sinatra from later years, but the music here is all from the singer's early days as a solo act on Columbia Records – material that has the great one really reinventing the role of the male voice in American music, especially on well-crafted ballads and love songs like these! Sinatra's already amazingly mature for the time – a master of pointed understatement who blows away just about all of his 40s competition – on Columbia classics that include "I Dream Of You", "I Have But One Heart", "The Girl That I Marry", "Lost In The Stars", "If I Forget You", "Mam'Selle", "Put Your Dreams Away", and "It Never Entered My Mind". CD

A killer album by this legendary jazz supergroup – a Japanese-only set that we'd rank right up there with some of Herbie Hancock's Japanese albums from the same time! The group features Herbie on piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all working here in an acoustic mode, but one that's definitely informed by some of the shapes, tones, and styles of the players' electric explorations of the 70s. The album's only got 4 tracks, and they're all nice and long – beautiful little tunes that are filled with soul and feeling – all composed by different members of the group. Titles include "Skagly", "Finger Painting", "Mutants On The Beach", and "Circe". LP, Vinyl record album

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A wonderful collection of Japanese soul from the end of the 90s onward – one that tracks a big explosion in new music on that scene – a time when the influence of American soul was finally urging Japanese artists to come up with new sounds of their own! Of course, the city pop of the 80s and club sounds of the early 90s had already bubbled forth – but the work here is more influenced by neo soul and R&B, often with Japanese lyrics instead of English – and some production elements that really keep things interesting. We handled some of the bigger Japanese artists back in the day, but much of the work here is new to our ears – making the double-length set a great discovery of overlooked gems! Titles include "Bomber" by Mori Hirotaka, "My Book" by Yoko Kuzuya, "Sad To Say (Buzzer Beats rmx)" by Jasmine, "Yorokobi Ni Saku Hana" by Aco, "Angel Eyes" by Sakura, "Koi Ha Rhythm (Believe My Way)" by Miho Fukuhara, "Realize" by Bird with Dev Large & Suiken, "Race Of Love" by Pushim, "I Wanna Know" by Sowelu, Secrets" by Yuna Ito, and Rakuen" by Ken Hirai. CD

Includes performances by Herbie Hancock, Nancy Wilson, Grover Washington Jr., Jim Hall, Peabo Bryson, and Terence Blanchard. CD

Includes 20 tracks by the Byrds, Donovan, the Hollies, Chad & Jeremy, Bobby Vinton, Spirit, Electric Flag, the Cyrkle, Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Cryan' Shames, Buzz Clifford, the Chambers Brothers, New Christy Minstrels, and more. CD

Music from King Floyd, Barbara Acklin, Tyrone Davis, Marvin Gaye, Brook Benton, the Detroit Emeralds, Bloodstone, the Dells, William Bell, the Dramatics, Denise LaSalle, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Call it what you want – Nu Soul, Neo Soul, or just plain ol' contemporary soul – the sound of R&B has changed a lot in the past decade or two, as you'll hear in this wonderful batch of tracks! The collection is heavy on work from the Sony and RCA catalogs – and includes a fair bit of the best acts to break big from the underground, then find a huge audience in the mainstream – and there's some especially great tracks from the 90s, back when this movement first got going, but before anyone thought to give it a label. 3CD set features 32 tracks in all – and titles include "Heavenly Daughter (soul inside mix)" by Kwesi, "Is It Possible" by Raheem DeVaughn, "Stick Up Kid" by Lyfe Jennings, "I Won't" by Alica Keys, "Hopeless" by Dionne Farris, "Just What It Takes (human rhythm rmx)" by Kenny Lattimore, "She Don't Have To Know" by John Legend, "Still Believe In Love" by Jacksoul, "I Am Your Woman (summertime rmx radio)" by Syleena Johnson, "Get Up" by Amel Larrieux, "So Good" by Davina feat Raekwon, "If I Had You" by Frankie, "You Will Rise" by Sweetback, "Oh Girl" by Raphael Saadiq, "Finer Things" by Jon B feat Nas, "Charlene" by Anthony Hamilton, "Matrimony Maybe You" by Maxwell, "Inside My Love" by Trina Broussard, "Don't You Forget It" by Glenn Lewis, "Nature Of A Man" by Heather Headley, "I Can't Help It" by Davina, "Need You" by 7 Sons Of Soul, and "Guess Who Loves You More" by Raheem DeVaughn. CD

Includes music by the Manhattans, Commodores, Emotions, Floaters, Brick, Johnnie Taylor, O'Jays, Tyrone Davis, Wild Cherry, and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. CD

With Grover Washington Jr on soprano sax, Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Cyro Baptista on percussion, Christian McBride on bass, and others. CD

Features Blanchard on trumpet, Sam Newsome on tenor, Bruce Barth on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Troy Davis on drums. Tracks include "Lil' Fawdy", "Central Focus", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Detour Ahead", and the medley "Glass J/Mo' Better Blues/Lonely Woman". CD

A surprising organ/tenor gem from the 90s – and a really standout set in the career of Don Braden! The set's on a major label, but it's got a soulfully produced groove that makes it feel like some of the best soul jazz on the Muse imprint – really open and flowing, with a sound that shows that the New Jersey sound was alive and well into the 90s! Braden's on tenor, working alongside some guest tenor by David Newman – and the rest of the group features organ by either Jack McDuff or Larry Goldings – plus trumpet by Tom Harrell, guitar by Russell Malone, and some super-solid drum work by either Cecil Brooks or Winard Harper. Titles include "Walkin The Dog", "Brighter Days", "Cousin Esau", "Twister", "Belief", "Organic", and "Saving All My Love For You". CD

Some of the greatest Miles Davis material ever recorded – and not really ever officially issued as an album until this collection! The recordings are from the magical year of 1958, a time when Miles was working in the Kind Of Blue mode – on the album of the same name, one of his all-time standout classics. The work on this set is in a very similar spirit – recorded by a sextet that includes the rhythm section of Jimmy Cobb, Paul Chambers, and a young Bill Evans, who brings a magically modal feel to the album that really gives it an edge. Added to that are the saxophones of John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, blowing together in two ends of the soul spectrum, really stretching the color palette from Miles' usual work. Miles himself seems very inspired by the company, and works with plenty of space to allow the saxophonists to stretch out in wonderful solos – and Evans himself is simply amazing, working wonderfully in the setting, making us wish he'd recorded more group dates like this one! The first 3 tracks on the set were briefly issued on the flipside of the Jazz Track album (an obscure Columbia LP that also included 10 songs from the soundtrack to Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud), and a few others on later live LPs – but this is the first time the material from that group has appeared together as a full album. Includes stellar versions of "Stella By Starlight", "Green Dolphin Street", "Fran Dance", "Little Melonae", and "Love For Sale". CD

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

An expanded take on the album that gave the world the start of the electric Miles Davis generation – with a lineup that includes Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, and Chick Corea on keyboards – with John McLaughtlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, Tony Williams and Jack Dejohnette on drums, and Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax. Loads of long tracks, non-album material, and alternates. CD

One of our 50s favorites by Miles Davis – and a record that offers the same twin-sax sound as his classic Kind Of Blue – with both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley working alongside Miles in the group! Rhythm here is by the Prestige-era trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – but it's the two saxophonists who really help Davis shape the feel of the record, pushing things past the initial Coltrane/Davis groove with a really wonderful sense of space and sound! Titles include the classic "Milestones", plus "Two Bass Hit", "Dr Jeckyll", and "Sid's Ahead". CD

A key point in the development of the Miles Davis sound of the 60s – his first album to feature work from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by some equally nice work on other tracks from Victor Feldman and Frank Butler! The sound here is beautifully spare – a wonderful exploration of ideas that Miles had been putting forth on some other albums for Columbia, but crafted here with a vision that's apparent in the very first note – and which transforms both the tunes and the work of the players into a focused, near-perfect sound all the way through. Titles include "So Near So Far", "Seven Steps To Heaven", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Joshua", and "Basin Street Blues" – which even sounds great in this setting! CD

The tenor sax here makes the album a standout – as John Coltrane still works with Miles Davis on 2 tracks for the record, but Blue Note stalwart Hank Mobley joins in on the rest! The approach is similar to that of the classic Coltrane/Davis years – and in a way, the record's kind of a swan song to that period – one of the last studio session that Miles would cut in such an unabashedly sweet and lyrical way. And while Mobley's always better known for his harder-blown notes at Blue Note, he sounds totally great here next to Davis – really keeping up the gentle spirit and spaciousness of the record, and working with a gentleness that surpasses even his work on the legendary Soul Station album. Rhythm is by the trio of Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb – and titles include Miles' classic version of "Someday My Prince Will Come", plus "Old Folks", "Teo", "Drad-Dog", and "Pfrancing". CD

The tenor sax here makes the album a standout – as John Coltrane still works with Miles Davis on 2 tracks for the record, but Blue Note stalwart Hank Mobley joins in on the rest! The approach is similar to that of the classic Coltrane/Davis years – and in a way, the record's kind of a swan song to that period – one of the last studio session that Miles would cut in such an unabashedly sweet and lyrical way. And while Mobley's always better known for his harder-blown notes at Blue Note, he sounds totally great here next to Davis – really keeping up the gentle spirit and spaciousness of the record, and working with a gentleness that surpasses even his work on the legendary Soul Station album. Rhythm is by the trio of Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb – and titles include Miles' classic version of "Someday My Prince Will Come", plus "Old Folks", "Teo", "Drad-Dog", and "Pfrancing". Includes the bonus tracks "Blues No. 2" and "Someday My Prince Will Come (alt take)". CD

Titles include "Segredo", "Beiral", "Lei", "Asa", "Topazio", and "Muita Mais". CD

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A great side of Duke Ellington's genius – smaller group settings for his key players – originally issued on 78s on a variety of labels – some under Ellington's name, and also under the names of Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, Rex Stewart, and others! The set is wonderfully done – a huge amount of material, with very detailed notes on the sessions. CD

A real standout in the Stan Getz catalog of the 70s – a session of mostly spare duets with pianist Jimmy Rowles, done in a way that really breaks from the format of Stan's other work of the time! Rowles here has a raspy warmth that brings out new voicings in Getz's tenor – an earthiness that comes through especially well on the half of the album that features only Stan and Jimmy playing together alone, but which still shines on the few other tracks that feature the bass of Buster Williams and drums of Elvin Jones expanding the group. 2 short tracks feature only solo piano, and Rowles also sings on a number of the album's tracks, in that breathy mode of his that rarely got captured this well on record – and one other track features Jon Hendricks leading a vocal quartet through a rendition of "The Chess Players". Other titles include "It'll Never Be The Same", "Body & Soul", "What Am I Here For", "The Hour Of Parting", "The Peacocks", "Rose Marie", and "Serenade To Sweden". CD

Experience Hendrix – a phrase that's become a calling card for the proper presentation of the musical legacy of Jimi Hendrix, but which first appeared here on a classic collection of his most famous tracks! The set's about as strong as you might expect from a Hendrix "best of" – no missing moments, and no sleepers either – just pure fire on vocals and guitar, on titles that include "Hey Joe", "All Along The Watchtower", "Purple Haze", "Fire", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Stone Free", "Crosstown Traffic", "Manic Depression", "If 6 Was 9", "Foxy Lady", "Bold As Love", "Freedom", "Star Spangled Banner", "Night Bird Flying", "Angel", "Voodoo Child", and "Castles Made Of Sand". LP, Vinyl record album

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Seminal 70s work from Waylon Jennings – a set recorded at a time when the singer was really starting to break from the rest of the country music pack! The set features some great tunes penned by the young Kris Kristofferson – a hint at the sort of vibe going on here, as Jennings was starting to bring in some more interesting material to his performances – which here often including some nicely stripped-down instrumentation that hints at the outlaw sound to come! Titles include "The Taker", "You'll Look For Me", "Lovin' Her Was Easier", "Six White Horses", "Casey's Last Ride", "Sunday Mornin' Coming Down", "Tulsa", and "Grey Eyes You Know". CD

A treasure trove of work from the great Henry Mancini – a very cool package that not only includes some of his biggest soundtracks of the 60s, but also features a number of more obscure gems as well! The package features 9CDs, but 18 full albums in all – and titles include The Pink Panther, Return Of The Pink Panther, Breakfast At Tiffanys, Charade, Hatari, Oklahoma Crude, What Did You Do In The War Daddy, High Time, Experiment In Terror, Darling Lili, Gunn, Who Is Killing The Great Chefs Of Europe, Two For The Road, Arabesque, Great Race, Me Natalie, The Party, and Visions Of Eight. The whole thing's worth it alone for The Party – an incredibly groovy soundtrack that we totally love – but you also get the classic thriller jazz of Charade, the whimsy of the Pink Panther films, the charming romance of Two For The Road, the jaunty theme of Hatari, and lots lots more! CD

The fourth album by Mondo Grosso – and maybe their best to date! Unlike some of the earlier records, which noodled around a bit too much (although not that much), this is a totally solid record, with a very united set of tracks, and a heck of a lot more music than you get on some of their other albums! There's a lot of warm jazzy bits, put together with strings, soul, and complicated production. Tracks are written with Monday Michiru, Tania Maria, N'Dea Davenport, and other soulful singers – and the album's a stunning testament to how far Japanese soul has come in the past 10 years! And the groove's so far-reaching, that there's even a great track called "Cenario" that features vocals by Brazilian soul great Ed Motta! A real treat, and the kind of a record that will have you happy you paid import price to be the first on your block to have this soon-to-be famous album. Titles include "Show Me Your Love", "Star Suite", "Butterfly", "Life", and "Into The Wind". CD

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... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes the songs "Am I Blue", "A Cottage For Sale", "Worried Mind", "After You've Gone", "Come Back To Me", "Columbus Stockade Blues", "Ham 'N Crits", "'Deed I Do", "Trouble In Mind", and "It's Been A Long, Long Time". CD