A dynamic sextet outing from tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander – easily one of the best straight jazz albums recorded by the Delmark label in the 90s, put together with a rock-solid sound all the way through! Alexander's tenor would be enough to make the record great, but the album also features piano from perfect partner Harold Mabern – once Eric's teacher, but a player who's set on fire anew by his presence on dates like these. Other members of the group include trumpeter Jim Rotondi – nicely focused in the frontline here, and matching Alexander and trombonist Steve Davis on the heads with a classic sort of Blue Note energy. Bass is by John Webber and drums are by George Fludas – and titles include a great modal reading of "Naima", plus "Mode For Mabes", "Sugar Ray", "Erik The Red", "Love Thy Neighbor", "Stay Straight", and "For Heaven's Sake". CD

A great Blue Note 2-fer from the 70s – one that features the first issue of the album Here To Stay, plus the classic Hub Cap! On the first session on the set, the sound is sharp-edged and soulful – a reflection of the groove that Freddie was hitting in the Jazz Messengers of the early 60s, played by a group that features three members of that ensemble – Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton, and Reggie Workman – along with Philly Joe Jones on drums! Tracks are hard, straight, and soulful – not bogged down in some of Hubbard's misdirected modernism – and titles include "Philly Mignon", "Father & Son", "Nostrand & Fulton", and "Assunta". Hub Cap is one of Freddie Hubbard's all-time best from the early days – and features a very hard wailing lineup that mixes tight hardbop rhythms with some more adventurous soloing that almost has a modern jazz kind of tinge. Cedar Walton's on piano, Julian Preister's on trombone, and Jimmy Heath is on tenor – working with Freddie to craft some mindblowing work on titles that include the amazing "Plexus", plus "Hub Cap", "Cry Me Not", and "Earmon JR." LP, Vinyl record album

Long lean groovers from Brian Auger and the Oblivion Express group – recorded with a slightly freer feel than some of the group's earlier albums, and an approach that has them stretching out nicely! Brian still sings a bit on some tracks, but there seems to be more of a focus than before on the keyboards – that nicely compressed Auger use of Hammond and electric piano that actually went onto influence a fair bit of American players at the time, in the way that Auger himself had been influenced before by their own earlier work. Rhythms are great throughout – making all tracks funky, in a laidback sort of way – and titles include a remake of "Bumpin' On Sunset", one of the band's best tracks, plus "Change", "Beginning Again", "You'll Stay In My Heart", and "Straight Ahead". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique album from pianist Jon Batiste – a set that's straight jazz at some points, a bit Crescent City at others, but always with a feel that's very individual – and one of the freshest new styles we've heard in years! Jon's instrumental tracks are wonderful – full of rich feeling and color that comes not just from his own work on piano and other keyboards, but also from the quintet's instrumentation – which occasionally features tuba used in this unusual bassy-bottom mode – alongside great alto from Eddie Barbash. Some numbers are vocal tracks – with lyrics that are personal, and surprisingly powerful – usually relatively simple, but integrated with the instrumentation at a level that's very different than the usual jazz vocal mode. Titles include "It's Alright", "Lonely Cry In Manhattan", "D Sharp Movement 1", "The Spirit Is With Us", "Express Yourself", "Let God Lead", "San Spirito", and "Naima's Love Song". CD

Excellent funky Christmas – essential for any soulful holiday celebration! Not everyone knows it, but James Brown cut a fair number of Christmas albums during the 60s – thre albums, and a bunch of singles to be exact! They're all super-rare, but this great collection brings together some of the best material from those years – and nearly all the tracks are originals, with a quality level that's just as great as James' non-Christmas recordings! No kidding, The Godfather put his heart and soul into these recordings – and the stuff on here's great if you dig his King albums and singles from the late 60s, you'll find plenty to love here too. Titles include "Let's Unite The Whole World At Christmas", "Santa Claus Is Definitely Here To Stay", "Hey America", "Soulful Christmas", "Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year (parts 1 & 2)", "Go Power At Christmas Time", and the perennial favorite "Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto". 17 cuts in all – and a really great collection. CD

Sure, the cover's a bit dated – but the politics have stayed surprisingly strong over the years – as has the music as well! Keep in mind that The Clash were waging war in the Mideast years before Desert Storm – in this searing mix of London punk, rocksteady roots, and slight new wave elements – delivered here with a surprising sense of self that really gave the whole thing a sense of wit – and more than enough legs to keep on going without collapsing under the passage of time! Titles include the hit "Should I Stay Or Should I Go", the classic "Rock The Casbah", and the tracks "Ghetto Defendant", "Car Jamming", "Know Your Rights", "Straight To Hell", and "Inoculated City". CD

Sure, the cover's a bit dated – but the politics have stayed surprisingly strong over the years – as has the music as well! Keep in mind that The Clash were waging war in the Mideast years before Desert Storm – in this searing mix of London punk, rocksteady roots, and slight new wave elements – delivered here with a surprising sense of self that really gave the whole thing a sense of wit – and more than enough legs to keep on going without collapsing under the passage of time! Titles include the hit "Should I Stay Or Should I Go", the classic "Rock The Casbah", and the tracks "Ghetto Defendant", "Car Jamming", "Know Your Rights", "Straight To Hell", and "Inoculated City". CD

Great later blowing from John Klemmer – clear, clean, and extremely well-focused – with nary a dull moment throughout! The album's a mostly acoustic one – save for some keyboards from Milcho Leviev – and the sound is tremendous, very much in keeping with the farther-reaching modes that Klemmer was exploring at the start of the 70s – imaginative, always-creative solos that really take off in the freedoms of the post-Coltrane years, yet which always stay focused and soulful throughout. Other players include Oscar Castro Neves on guitar, Ray Armando on percussion, and Roy McCurdy on drums – and tracks include "Tropical Snowflakes", "Love Affair", "Paradise", "Arabesque", "Touch", and "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

A real stormer from Melba Moore – brilliantly-arranged dancefloor soul with beautiful lead vocals by Melba – on one of her best records of the 70s! Melba is straight-up amazing here, bringing genuine soul to feverish dancefloor gems and otherwise soaring numbers. This Is It was produced and arranged by Van McCoy, who was at the peak of his disco-era popularity at the time. We'd call this work here on Melba's record a creative peak for Van – even though if it didn't break Melba out in a big way commercially at the time. It includes the McCoy-penned should-be classic "This Is It", plus "Free", "Stay A While", a sweet cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Make Me Believe In You", "Lean On Me" (one of the greater showpieces for Melba's incredible voice), "Blood Red Roses", "Brand New" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's right on target, right from the start – and one that has the young Cannonball Adderley really coming into his groove! The set's a lot more soul jazz-oriented than some of Cannon's records from a few years before – played by a rock-solid group that includes brother Nat Adderley on cornet, Junior Mance on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – hitting a groove that's got plenty of nascent elements of that Cannonball sound that would virtually take over jazz in the 60s! Yet there's also a nicely different vibe going on here too – a bit less structure, and a looser approach to the mode – spun out with some modern moments too, on titles that include "Straight No Chaser", "Jubilation", "Our Delight", "Fuller Bop Man", and "Stay On It". CD

The third album from The Faces and a straight up masterpiece of charismatic, sweaty, swaggery early 70s rock and roll! We were pretty late in acknowledging the badassery of Rod Stewart during this period, both solo and with The Faces, and boy does this record ever sound amazing to us now! The love these Brits have for soul, rhythm and blues is real, too – which makes it work on a deeper level. Titles Includes "Miss Judy's Farm", "You're So Rude", "Last Orders Please", "Love Lives Here", "Debris", a great cover of "Memphis", Too Bad" the breakthrough superhit "Stay With Me" and That's All You Need". CD

Angie's out to prove that she's one of the best young soul singers around – kicking off the record with a straight acapella track, then rolling into some of the most classically soulful tracks she's ever recorded! The set's a stunner from the word go – grabbing us like a classic mellow soul album from the mid 70s, featuring production and instrumentation that seem to give Angie a deeper sound than we ever remember. The songwriting is simple, sensual, and damn effective – and even the presence of famous guests like Snoop, Floetry, and Anthony Hamilton come across as organic and necessary elements to the tunes – and not just gimmicky one-offs. Angie, we love ya more than ever! Titles include "I Wanna Thank Ya", "My Man", "U-Haul", "Stay For A While", "Lover's Ghetto", "You're Gonna Get It", and "Come Home". CD

A set that's right on target, right from the start – and one that has the young Cannonball Adderley really coming into his groove! The set's a lot more soul jazz-oriented than some of Cannon's records from a few years before – played by a rock-solid group that includes brother Nat Adderley on cornet, Junior Mance on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – hitting a groove that's got plenty of nascent elements of that Cannonball sound that would virtually take over jazz in the 60s! Yet there's also a nicely different vibe going on here too – a bit less structure, and a looser approach to the mode – spun out with some modern moments too, on titles that include "Straight No Chaser", "Jubilation", "Our Delight", "Fuller Bop Man", and "Stay On It". CD

A lost smoker from the legendary tenorist Hank Mobley – recorded relatively late in his career, at a time when his music on Blue Note was really taking some great new directions! The approach here is maybe a bit more straightforward than those records, but still completely amazing – as Mobley's soloing with all these unusual twists and turns, and phrasing that you never would have heard a few years before – all while working with a variety of Dutch backing combos on these live performances from the Netherlands in 1968! One group features Pim Jacobs on piano, Wim Overgaauw on guitar, Ruud Jacobs on bass, and future avant legend Han Bennink on drums – and another features the great Rob Agerbeek on piano, with Hans Van Rossem on bass and Cees See on drums. There's also two studio performances with the larger Hobby Orkest ensemble – quite an unusual setting for Hank, and a great one too – and titles include "Summertime", "Twenty Four & More", "Three Way Split", "Vierd Blues", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "Sonny's Tune", "Autumn Leaves", and "Blues By Five". CD

A classic set of British soul by PP Arnold – LA native, and a onetime member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue who ended up staying behind in the UK after a mid 60s tour! The album's got a very interesting approach that's quite a bit more sophisticated than the sound of the Ike Turner group – with production by Andrew Loog Oldham, and rich arrangements by Tony Meehan that float in bits of Brit easy, and full-styled 60s pop orchestrations, alongside more righteous straighter soul backings – all for a mix that's great, and which makes this mod treasure a very different album than American soul of the period! Titles include "Letter To Bill", "Dreamin", "Eleanor Rigby", "As Tears Go By", "To Love Somebody", and a great version of "God Only Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

A really stunning set from Il Balletto Di Bronzo – a group who clearly have the instrumental chops to take off in a proggish way, but really keep things interesting here by staying in a grittier, more straightforward groove! The power of the drums and guitars is wonderful – almost funk rock at times, but with a slight bit more drama – which may well come from the dynamic lyrics sung in Italian! There's a focus and a punch to the record that really makes it stand out from the rest of the Italian scene at the time – a no-nonsense quality that seems more influenced by the American underground than some of the Anglo influences that were guiding most of the other groups. Were the set in English, and recorded on the Sunset Strip in 1968, it would have become a worldwide classic – yet the obscurity is what makes the album even more charming – a rich discovery all these many years later. Titles include "Neve Calda", "Girotondo", "Incantesimo", "Missione Sirio 2222", "Un Posto", and "Eh Eh Ah Ah". CD

A trio of Columbia Records sets from Jean-Luc Ponty – served up here in a single package! First up is Gift Of Time – a set that really shows him embracing keyboards much more than at the start of his career – even though he also still turns in plenty of great jazzy sounds on violin! Ponty often seems to be mixing both – using the keyboards to augment inflections in the violin – at a level that makes you feel like he's not using the older stringed instrument at all during some sections, even though it's there in the mix. The set's got a vibe that very much fits with its cover – somewhat lean, with guitar from Pat Thomi, bass from Baron Browne, and percussion and drums from Rayford Griffin. Titles include "Faith In You", "New Resolutions", "No More Doubts", "Metamorphosis", and "Introspective Perceptions". Storytelling is a set that has Jean-Luc Ponty really staying on top of his fusion game – part of that ever-evolving run of records that took the European musician from early straight jazz violin records in the 60s, to the height of American jazz crowds in the 70s and 80s! Here, Ponty continues his exploration of various keyboard modes, while also folding in warm work on electric violin – a blend that's surprisingly seductive, and augmented along the way with guest work from Grover Washington on soprano sax, and Patrice Rushen on additional keyboards. The core group also has guitar from Jamie Glaser, and piano and more keyboards from Wally Minko – on titles that include "Tender Memories", "In The Fast Lane", "After The Storm", "The Amazon Forest", "A Journey's End", and "Pastoral Harmony". Tchokola is a very different record than usual for Jean-Luc Ponty – as you maybe can tell from the global-styled image on the cover! This time around, Ponty's bringing in some key elements from African music – plenty of live, acoustic percussion, which makes for a really great blend with the warmer keyboard and electric violin styles he's normally known for! The percussion was recorded at an analog level, which helps it retain its warmth – a great mix of balafon, tama, sabar, bongos, and other instruments – plus some nice use of kora too. There's also some vocals on the record – sung by Angelique Kidjo and Myriam Betty – and titles include "Yeke Yeke", "Rhum N Zouc", "Cono", "Bottle Bop", "Tchokola", "Sakka Sakka", and "Mouna Bowa". CD

A classic set of British soul by PP Arnold – LA native, and a onetime member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue who ended up staying behind in the UK after a mid 60s tour! The album's got a very interesting approach that's quite a bit more sophisticated than the sound of the Ike Turner group – with production by Andrew Loog Oldham, and rich arrangements by Tony Meehan that float in bits of Brit easy, and full-styled 60s pop orchestrations, alongside more righteous straighter soul backings – all for a mix that's great, and which makes this mod treasure a very different album than American soul of the period! Titles include "Letter To Bill", "Dreamin", "Eleanor Rigby", "As Tears Go By", "To Love Somebody", and a great version of "God Only Knows". CD

A fantastic album of soulful jazz – and one that's got a lot more staying power than the macrame craze of the 70s! Don't confuse this Bobby with the Rodriguez who put out some mid 70s salsa albums on Vaya in New York – because this Bobby's a trumpet player from the LA scene, one who worked with Gerald Wilson, and is striking out here on his own in a sweet self-produced set! Instrumentation on the set is a bit ambitious – with large-ish sax and trumpet participation – but the overall groove is nice and compressed, and driven by some strong rhythms laid down by Ndugu Chancler and a host of added Latin percussionists. The highlight of the set is the side-long spiritually-soulful "Simply Macrame" – which runs for 16 minutes, and builds nicely in a "Little Sunflower" mode – using some vocals from singer Betty Macias to initiate the Latin-tinged groove, and set the tone for a host of sweet solo work to come. The album also features a nice take on Lee Morgan's "Caramba", plus the original tunes "Judy's In Love" and "Straight No Changes". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album by Slide Hampton – one of his best, and one of his rarest! Like a number of other important players of his generation, Slide got his start on the American scene, but moved to Europe during the 1960s – where he really began to open up. This excellent session was recorded in Paris in 1962, and it features Slide leading an octet through some of the most complicated arrangements of his early years. Players include some great underground American players, like trumpeter Richard Williams, bassist Butch Warren, tenorist George Coleman, and trombonist Benjamin Jacobs-El, whose frequent co-tromboning with Hampton always made for an excellent sound. As on Slide's Atlantic sides, the group swings like a mofo – staying tight on the choruses, but really breaking out from the pack with some amazing solo work. Titles include "Star Eyes", "Straight No Chaser", "Confirmation", "Exodus", and "A Moment's Notice". CD

A set that has Jean-Luc Ponty really staying on top of his fusion game – part of that ever-evolving run of records that took the European musician from early straight jazz violin records in the 60s, to the height of American jazz crowds in the 70s and 80s! Here, Ponty continues his exploration of various keyboard modes, while also folding in warm work on electric violin – a blend that's surprisingly seductive, and augmented along the way with guest work from Grover Washington on soprano sax, and Patrice Rushen on additional keyboards. The core group also has guitar from Jamie Glaser, and piano and more keyboards from Wally Minko – on titles that include "Tender Memories", "In The Fast Lane", "After The Storm", "The Amazon Forest", "A Journey's End", and "Pastoral Harmony". CD

A very groovy soundtrack from the great Stanley Myers! The setting of the film is mod London – and Stan's come up with some very cool tunes that mix together 60s easy, trippy instrumentation, and a bit of that go-go groove. Instrumentation includes a bit of sitar and tabla – mixed with electric guitar, organ, electric harpsichord, a bit of vocals, and orchestral flourishes – changing mood from track to track, but always staying on the straight and groovy! Titles include "Barney", "Angel's Theme", "Shazam", "Kinky Dolly", "Kings Full", and "A Present for Daddy". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the great Earl Klugh, and a set that's exactly what's promised in the title – a solo guitar outing that shows an entirely new side of Earl's many talents! Klugh's acoustic playing on other albums was always great – but here, it really comes to the forefront, with a sound that's rich enough to sum up so many different modes of guitar expression at once – from gypsy swing phrasing, to Spanish flourishes, to some straighter jazz swing – but always with that warmth that's made Earl way more than just another fusion artist on his instrument. Most tracks are standards, done in nicely personal versions – and titles include "Emily", "Once Upon A Summertime", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "So Many Stars", "Love Is Here To Stay", and "The Way You Look Tonight". CD

The bugged sci fi maestro MF Doom's mid 00s masterpiece – and a straight up tie with Madvilliany for the championship title of best Doom-related LP since his immortal debut! As you'd guess from the title, this album has a running theme with food, each title funnier than the last, but stays fresh throughout the 15 tracks thanks to tight production, masterfully spliced samples, and a verbal flow that's cooked and spiced to some kind of freakish perfection. The great "Hoe Cakes" single gets served early in set, and it sets the tone for a truly strong album. "Boss like King Koopa. . .". Includes "Beef Rap", "Potholderz" with Count Bass D, "One Beer" produced by Madlib, "Poo Poo Platter", "Fillet-O-Rapper", "Gumbo", "Fig Leaf Bi Carbonate", "Kon Queso" produced by PNS, "Vomitspit", "Kookies" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most haunting albums we've ever heard from Japanese pianist Masao Yagi – and one of his straightest, too! The set's a moody, late nite affair – but that hardly means it's sleepy at all, as Yagi brings a decided edge to the proceedings – setting things up with some slightly unusual arrangements, even amidst familiar tunes. Some numbers focus on his piano lines – which have a much more human feel than usual – while others make use of some key trumpet and tenor solos, both recorded with just the right depth to fit the mood of the record. Titles include "Cry Me A River", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Autumn In New York", "April In Paris", "Goodbye", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD