... 12-inch, Vinyl record

It might be a bit of a stretch to say that things were going mod in 1957 – as the London mod movement still had a few years to come – but modern jazz was certainly taking over the scene in the city, thanks to a huge rise of homegrown acts who were serving up their own response to American work on labels like Blue Note and Prestige! This set's full of some of the best to appear at the time – a great lineup of London players at their best – with cuts that include "Sputnik" by Dick Heckstall Smith, "Cheek To Cheek" by the Jazz Couriers, "Monkey Business" by Kenny Graham's Afro Cubists, "Cinders" by Vic Ash Plus Four, "Chelsea Bridge" by Derek Smith, "Four" by Tubby Hayes & Victor Feldman, "Headin North" by Johnny Keating, "Salt Air" by Dave Lee, "Act One Scene One" by Kenny Baker's Half Dozen, and "Pittsburgh Opener" by Ronnie Scott. As a bonus, the set also features a full CD of American artists who were also making Soho hop at the time – work by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Miles Davis, and others. CD

Quite an unusual Lou Donaldson album for Blue Note – much more open-ended than his other sets, with a really hard-jamming sort of sound! Unlike some of Donaldson's tighter dates of the time, which feature more bop-based, song-based shorter tunes – this one's more of a long-form blowing session, much more of the date you'd expect to hear from Prestige in the late 50s – and a bit like some of the work that Lou did on some of Jimmy Smith's all-star blowing dates from the same time. The group's a great one – a sextet with Donaldson on alto, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Sonny Clark on piano, Jamil Nasser on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – the last of whom is very much at home in the setting, and does a great job of directing the energy of the group. The album's only got four long tracks – and titles include "Sputnik", "Dewey Square", "Groovin High", and "Strollin In". CD

Includes tracks by Atlantic Starr, Eve, Cheryl Lynn, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Michael Henderson, Bill Meyers, Escapades, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual Lou Donaldson album for Blue Note – much more open-ended than his other sets, with a really hard-jamming sort of sound! Unlike some of Donaldson's tighter dates of the time, which feature more bop-based, song-based shorter tunes – this one's more of a long-form blowing session, much more of the date you'd expect to hear from Prestige in the late 50s – and a bit like some of the work that Lou did on some of Jimmy Smith's all-star blowing dates from the same time. The group's a great one – a sextet with Donaldson on alto, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Sonny Clark on piano, Jamil Nasser on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – the last of whom is very much at home in the setting, and does a great job of directing the energy of the group. The album's only got four long tracks – and titles include "Sputnik", "Dewey Square", "Groovin High", and "Strollin In". CD

Includes 19 tracks by Toni Basil, Jo Boxers, Heaven 17, The Nails, Culture Club, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, The Motels, Katrina and the Waves, and others. CD

The most straight up hip hop record from DJ Spinna in quite a while, and it's a tight one! The spacey soul beats Spinna works with get plenty of space to do their thing on Sonic Smash, but there's a tighter, funkier, grittier vibe, too – with some veteran MCs and upstarts on board – include Phonte of Little Brother, Elzhi of Slum Village and Jigmastas, plus Torae, John Robinson, Dynas and more! Titles include "Guaranteed" feat Phonte of Little Brother & Yahzarah, "More Colors" feat Elzhi from Slum Village, "Elemental" feat Sputnik Brown, "Lyrics Is Back" feat Torae, "Lights Out" feat John Robinson, "New York (Duck For Cover)" feat Jigmastas, "Call Me Senor" feat Senor Kaos, "Get On Down" feat Fresh Daily, Homeboy Sandman, & P Casso, "Making Your Way In The World" feat Breeze Brewin & J-Treds, "More" feat Dynas, CD

Quite an unusual Lou Donaldson album for Blue Note – much more open-ended than his other sets, with a really hard-jamming sort of sound! Unlike some of Donaldson's tighter dates of the time, which feature more bop-based, song-based shorter tunes – this one's more of a long-form blowing session, much more of the date you'd expect to hear from Prestige in the late 50s – and a bit like some of the work that Lou did on some of Jimmy Smith's all-star blowing dates from the same time. The group's a great one – a sextet with Donaldson on alto, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Sonny Clark on piano, Jamil Nasser on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – the last of whom is very much at home in the setting, and does a great job of directing the energy of the group. The album's only got four long tracks – and titles include "Sputnik", "Dewey Square", "Groovin High", and "Strollin In". CD

A real rarity from Jerry Goldsmith – groovy tunes penned for a late 60s film about an Oxford professor who's also a spy for the British Secret Service! Goldmith's music is a bit less serious than usual at points – still scored with the deep care and sensitivity we've come to love in Jerry's soundtracks, but peppered with a few of the more upbeat, mod-styled cuts you'd expect in a 60s spy comedy! Instrumentation varies from full orchestral to smaller combo – romping rhythms and a bit of guitar on some of the groovy numbers, mixed with softer strings on the more serious tunes. There's a great vocal number called "You Gotta Let Me Go" – and other tracks include "The Decoders", "Checkmate", "Sebastian", "First Day At Work", "Night Scene", "The Trip", and "Sputnik Code". LP, Vinyl record album