Rare live Art Pepper work – recorded at the Lighthouse in 1953, and one of the few chances you'll get to hear him stretch out on long tracks from the time! Features 11 minute versions of "Bluebird" and "Pennies From Heaven" – plus "Deep Purple" and "S'Wonderful". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A landmark record from Patrice Rushen – one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark record from Patrice Rushen – one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". Includes 5 bonus remixes! CD

With Buddy Williams on drums, Hiram Bullock on guitar, Marcus Miller on bass, and Don Grolnick on keys. LP, Vinyl record album

Think you've heard all the Jimmy Smith classics on Blue Note? Think again, because this rare session from 1961 is seeing the light of day for the first time ever! The date's a later trio set for the label – with Jimmy in very familiar company, alongside Quentin Warren on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums. There's a nicely understated groove to most numbers – not the all-out Hammond dynamics of Smith's first few years at Blue Note, but some of the subtler, more sophisticated line he was starting to craft in the 60s. The guitar and organ lay out especially nicely next to each other – almost creating counterpoint on the head arrangements – a sparely spacious sound that's really great! CD features a whopping 10 tracks from a session cut on June 22, 1961 – including "Straight Life", "Stuffy", "Star Dust", "Sweet Sue Just You", "Minor Fare", "Swanee", "Jimmy's Blues", and "Here's To My Lady". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A brilliant meeting of the minds! Tenorist Ken Vandermark pays tribute to the great Joe Harriott – the British modernist sax player, who's finally been getting some attention these days. Harriott was not only a fantastic player, but he also was an incredible writer – and the compositions left behind on albums like Free Form and Abstract stand as some of the highest (and first) modernist moments in British jazz. Vandermark more than does justice to the entire body of work here, and the album features his quartet with Jeb Bishop, Kent Kessler, and Tim Mulvenna – all performing Harriott compositions like "Tonal", "Shadows", "Abstract", "Straight Lines", and "Pictures". CD

A key record in the career of saxophone genius Harold Vick – one of our favorite players ever! Vick is a tremendous talent – the kind of guy we want to build memorials to, reissue albums by, and rewrite jazz history books so that every one knows how wonderful his work truly is. This album marks a real shift for Vick – away from the tenor/organ work of his early years, into a more complicated, more deeply soulful approach to the saxophone – in a style that hints and his expansive soul jazz recordings of the 70s. Vick's playing on tenor, soprano, and flute – really opening up his sound on all instruments, and working in an unusual group that features vibes by Warren Chiasson, guitar by Everett Barksdale, and rhythm by Hugh Walker and Walter Booker. The sound is incredibly rich, even on the more familiar numbers – and has an ambitious sound that seems to take on 20 years of saxophone work, yet somehow manage to come across with a style that's simple, uncluttered, and down to earth. Tracks include "Straight Up", "Lonely Girl", "Winter Blossom", and "We'll Be Together Again". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set of grooves from around the globe – all the sorts of tracks that Guts plays in his legendary DJ sets overseas – music that's got a much more far-reaching vibe than some of the tracks he issues under his own name! Overall, the set's very much in the best spirit of the Heavenly Sweetness label – especially in the way that company brings together music from so many different times and scenes around the planet – music that's taken even further here in the rich array of tunes that Guts serves up! A number of tracks are contemporary, but there's definitely some classic global flavors going on too – and titles include "Saude" by Pupulies & Rebecca, "Aye" by Ngalah Oreyo", "Canette (Bosq rmx)" by Pat Kalla & Le Super Mojo, "Utammada" by Ismail & Sixu Toure, "Nzambi/Muadiakime" by Alcione, "Aye" by Ngalah Oreyo, "Pe Di Bissilon (Dam Swindle rmx)" by Bande Gamboa, "Mi Moin Mi Ou" by Jobby Valente, "Cumbia De Sal Y Azucar" by Chucho Pinto Y Sus Kassino, "Limye" by Violaaa, and "Yamona (Dam Swindle rmx)" by Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of Cannonball Adderley's late funky sessions for Fantasy – and a record that still features some mighty heavy production from David Axelrod! The album's got that core groove that Axe and Cannon first crafted together at Capitol in the 60s – but the sound here has some definite 70s touches too – a bit more emphasis on electric piano, played here by Hal Galper – and rhythms that are even funkier than before! Other players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Walter Booker on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums, and King Errison on percussion – and titles include the excellent "Snakin' the Grass", which is just ripe for samplin', plus some other good grooves like "Second Son", "Saudade", "Five Of A Kind", and "Inside Straight". LP, Vinyl record album

A two album set – an early 80s studio session and a live date recorded in Tokyo – with Alexander on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, and Ray Brown on bass. Tracks include "Captain Bill", "Blues For Junior", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Sister Sadie", and "For All We Know". CD

A key part of the too-short legacy of this wonderful duo – part of the top shelf of hip hop up-and-comers in the early 90s – and one of the few who were able to balance a new level of toughness with the smart rhymes and subtle wit that came into the game at the start of the decade! Dray and Skoob keep up the loco syllabic tempo and tongue-tripping rhymes on this one – all set to great production and beats from Solid Scheme – yet things are nicely never too over the top, too – which gives the record a subtle power that's only made it sound better and better as the years move on. Titles include "Baknaffek", "Wontu", "Check It Out", "Undaground Rappa", "Gimme Dat Micraphone", "It'z Lik Dat", "Host Wit Da Most", "Rappaz", and "Freakit". CD

With Bill Borris on guitar. CD

No filters here, as Hank Mobley's sound is clean, lean, and right on the money – hitting that newly-sophisticated groove of the Caddy For Daddy years in this sweet unissued set! The date was recorded in the 60s, but unissued by Blue Note for many years – another one of those head-scratching mysteries from the label, yet also a real treat to 80s jazz fans who finally got their hands on the sides – a whole new discovery of Hank Mobley's genius, further appreciated at a time when we weren't hearing more from him. The players are top-shelf all the way through – and include Freddie Hubbard or Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock or Barry Harris on piano, Paul Chambers or Butch Warren on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Soft Impressions", "Up A Step", "Old World, New Imports", "East Of The Village", "Yes Indeed", and "The Good Life" CD

No filters here, as Hank Mobley's sound is clean, lean, and right on the money – hitting that newly-sophisticated groove of the Caddy For Daddy years in this sweet unissued set! The date was recorded in the 60s, but unissued by Blue Note for many years – another one of those head-scratching mysteries from the label, yet also a real treat to 80s jazz fans who finally got their hands on the sides – a whole new discovery of Hank Mobley's genius, further appreciated at a time when we weren't hearing more from him. The players are top-shelf all the way through – and include Freddie Hubbard or Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock or Barry Harris on piano, Paul Chambers or Butch Warren on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. CD version really expands from the original LP – with 9 titles that include "Chain Reaction", "Third Time Around", "Hank's Waltz", "Yes Indeed", "Straight No Filter", "Syrup & Biscuits", and "The Feelin's Good". CD

Ann Peebles sings straight from the heart on this classic early set for Hi Records – a record that's to female vocals what Al Green's work of the time meant to male soul! As with Green's Hi Records of the time, Willie Mitchell is firmly in charge of production and backings – working with that warmly glowing Memphis soul style that carved whole new territory in soul music for the 70s – a maturing and mellowing of earlier southern modes, in a way that helps Peebles hit some fresh and uncliched sounds with her vocals. At a time when so many other singers were trying to copy Aretha, Ann's approach is mighty fresh – as you'll hear on tracks that include "I Take What I Want", "Slipped Tripped & Fell In Love", "What You Laid On Me", "Trouble Heartaches & Sadness", "99 Pounds", "I've Been There Before", and "Somebody's On Your Case". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

The recording debut of tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander – done at a time when he'd just finished some key woodshedding years on the south side of Chicago, and was poised to become one of the most important jazz voices of his generation! Even at this early point, Alexander's clearly one of the greats – a tenorist with confidence and creativity, and no cliches whatsoever in his sound – an instantly classic player who's well matched here with the incredible Harold Mabern on piano, in a generation-spanning partnership that would form the basis for a number of tremendous albums to come. Other players on the date include Jim Rotondi on trumpet, John Webber on bass, and George Fludas on drums – and titles are a well-balanced set of choices that include "Straight Up", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Blues Waltz", "An Oscar For Treadwell", and "End Of A Love Affair". CD

Badfinger's early 70s win streak continues on Straight Up – a straight up classic set of tuneful 70s rock with big emotions and catchy songs – one that keeps just enough grit underneath those killer melodies! Titles include "Take It All", "Bably Blue", "Name Of The Game", "Perfection", "It's Over", "Sometimes" and more. This might be the group's most consistent batch of songs to date, and it's essential early 70s rock for sure. LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from Chet Baker – served up here in a 3CD package! The first 2CDs feature the Sesjun Radio Shows albums – rare radio material from Chet Baker – all recorded in the Netherlands, with wonderful sound – and brought together here in a two volume series that offers up some excellent unreleased material from his later years! The tunes and performances are maybe a bit different than some of the looser live dates that Baker recorded for other labels – although many of the performances are quite long, and showcase that advance solo approach that makes Chet's later work so different than the shorter tracks on his early albums. Titles include "Chet's Theme", "Lady Bird", "Just Friends", "Blue N Boogie", "Ray's Idea", "This Is Always", and "I'm Old Fashioned". Straight From The Heart is material from the last concert Chet Baker ever recorded – a surprisingly tight session that has the trumpeter blowing solos in front of the NDR Big Band. The setting is relatively relaxed – not a blasting big band session, but one that colors in the space between Baker's notes with gentle shades of sound – really respecting his role as a soloist, and providing just the right amount of gentle accompaniment to flesh out the sound of the set. Chet sings on 2 numbers – "My Funny Valentine" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" – and other tracks include "Sippin At Bells", "Conception", "Look For The Silver Lining", and "Tenderly". Herb Geller also solos on 2 numbers too! CD

With Marshall Royal and Bobby Plater on alto, Eric Dixon and Eddie Davis on tenor, Charles Fowlkes on baritone, Gene Goe, George Cohn, Oscar Brashear, and Al Aarons on trumpet, Grover Mitchell, Richard Boone, Bill Hughes, and Steve Galloway on trombone, Freddie Green on guitar, Harold Jones on drums, and Norman Keenan on bass. CD

With Marshall Royal and Bobby Plater on alto, Eric Dixon and Eddie Davis on tenor, Charles Fowlkes on baritone, Gene Goe, George Cohn, Oscar Brashear, and Al Aarons on trumpet, Grover Mitchell, Richard Boone, Bill Hughes, and Steve Galloway on trombone, Freddie Green on guitar, Harold Jones on drums, and Norman Keenan on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

A side is double grooved with the vocal & Instrumental cuts. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Very early work from Japanese saxophonist Sachi Hayasaka – a set that's a bit late in the catalog of the Three Blind Mice label, but one that's also a very special session for the label! Sachi blows alto and soprano sax, and the group here is a very free, open trio – just bass from Toshiki Nagata, and trumpet work from the great Wadada Leo Smith – a partner who really matches the youthful imagination that Hayasaka brings to her horn. The work is all improvised, but with a loose sense of structure at times – and there's a spiritual current to the music that almost makes it feel like Sachi could have been a member of the AACM back in the 70s. Most titles are in Japanese – and the set features 10 numbers in all, of varying length. CD

A great counterpart to the album Four – and like that one, which comes from the same session, this one features material recorded live in 1968, but only issued here for the first time! CD

There's nothing Straight Ahead about this record – as the album's one of the first bold statements of modernism from Abbey Lincoln – and the kind of set that builds nicely from the vocal experiments she was doing with Max Roach at the time! The group here is almost one of those largeish Roach ensembles from the Impulse years – an assortment of players that includes Max on drums, Mal Waldron on piano, Eric Dolphy on reeds, Julian Priester on trombone, and Booker Little on trumpet – plus the surprising additions of Walter Benton and Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax! Gone are the sleepy standards of earlier sessions, and in their place is Lincoln's emerging sense of anger, power, and righteous indignation – served up on the original compositions "Retribution", "Straight Ahead", and "In The Red" – plus versions of "Blue Monk", "African Lady", and "Left Alone". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great collection – five full albums from keyboard giant Patrice Rushen, plus bonus tracks too! First up is Patrice – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and clavinet, handled with a smooth and soulful quality that's wonderful all the way through – a blend of soul and jazz that few other players could do this well – no matter how many others tried to copy her style over the years! Rhythms are as hard and heavy as on the Prestige years, and the keyboards have a great sort of focus too – just the right mix of jazz to offset the vocals – which themselves are a wonderful discovery. The whole album's a gem – and tracks include the great funky classic "Hang It Up", plus "Changes (In Your Life)", "When I Found You", "Play", "Didn't You Know?", and "Music Of The Earth". Pizzazz is one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". Posh is an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in a sublime blend of 70s jazz funk and Minnie Riperton-esque soul! The whole album's a winner – real magic that never gets old, and the kind of LP that makes you understand why you'll find Patrice's records in just about any soul collection from the time! Tracks include "I Need Your Love", "Time Will Tell", "The Dream", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Don't Blame Me". Straight From The Heart is one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". The album Now is a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with a degree of soul that sets it apart from work by most of her contemporaries – and the music has this warm flow that really sets Rushen apart from the rest – a sublime mix of soul, funk, and fusion that holds together perfectly throughout! Titles include "Gotta Find It", "Gone With The Night", "My Love's Not Going Anywhere", "High In Me", "To Each His Own", "Heartache Heartbreak", and "Feels So Real". 5CD set features bonus tracks from original 12" singles – and other remixes too! CD

One of the big stars of Blue Note Records in the 60s, still sounding great here on the revived version of the label in the 80s! Stan's look on the cover may be a bit Cosby Show, but his sound on the tenor is mighty classic throughout – backed by Hammond from Jimmy Smith on most cuts, and Fender Rhodes from Les McCann on a few others – and always set up in a lean small combo mode that really gets away from some of the too-smooth Turrentine albums from just a few years before. Tracks are longish, and a great reminder that Stan's still a hell of a great voice on his instrument – and other players on the set include both Jimmy Ponder and George Benson on guitar, and Ron Carter on bass. Titles include "Plum", "A Child Is Born", "Ah Rio", "The Longer You Wait", and "Straight Ahead". LP, Vinyl record album

Greg Abate on alto and tenor sax, Claudio Roditi on trumpet, Hilton Ruiz on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums. CD

One of Cannonball Adderley's late funky sessions for Fantasy – and a record that still features some mighty heavy production from David Axelrod! The album's got that core groove that Axe and Cannon first crafted together at Capitol in the 60s – but the sound here has some definite 70s touches too – a bit more emphasis on electric piano, played here by Hal Galper – and rhythms that are even funkier than before! Other players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Walter Booker on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums, and King Errison on percussion – and titles include the excellent "Snakin' the Grass", which is just ripe for samplin', plus some other good grooves like "Second Son", "Saudade", "Five Of A Kind", and "Inside Straight". CD

... CD

Includes "Feel Like Makin Love", "Shooting Star", and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Material from the last concert Chet Baker ever recorded – a surprisingly tight session that has the trumpeter blowing solos in front of the NDR Big Band. The setting is relatively relaxed – not a blasting big band session, but one that colors in the space between Baker's notes with gentle shades of sound – really respecting his role as a soloist, and providing just the right amount of gentle accompaniment to flesh out the sound of the set. Chet sings on 2 numbers – "My Funny Valentine" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" – and other tracks include "Sippin At Bells", "Conception", "Look For The Silver Lining", and "Tenderly". Herb Geller also solos on 2 numbers too! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album of breezy jazzy soul from the sweet voiced Sheree Brown! The record is one of two that Brown cut for Capitol, and it was produced by Richard Rudolph – husband and collaborator of the late Minnie Riperton – in the immediate years after Minnie's death, leading us to wonder if Rudolph was trying for another hit with a different female vocalist. This LP's got a bit of a Minnie Riperton-ish feel, but Sheree also brings a lot more to the session – including some nice guitar work, and a sophisticated soul style that's kind of in a Jean Carn mode. Features the wonderful jazzy stepper "It's A Pleasure", which has a compressed jazz funk groove, and bouncy vocals over the top. Other trakcs include "I Wanna Be By Your Side", "Happiness Flows", and "Everything You Do". Very nice stuff, and a lot harder to find than it should be! LP, Vinyl record album

A bluesy classic from Roy Buchanan – and a record that states his mighty guitar powers right from the very first note! In fact, although Roy sings on the record, it's the guitar that's probably the main attraction here – and the instrument often comes off first on most tunes, setting a rich current that's complemented by the vocals in ways that sometimes remind us of swamp rock modes from the late 60s – and at others which have the changes that were shifting in blues rock during the mid 70s. titles include "If Six Was Nine", "Running Out", "Man On The Floor", "Keep What You Got", "Caruso", "Okay", and "Guitar Cadenza". LP, Vinyl record album

The guitar trio of Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis, and Barney Kessel; accompanied by Joe Byrd on bass and Wayne Phillips on drums. Titles include "I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket", "Gravy Waltz", "Um Abraco No Bonfa", "Little Rock Getaway", "Kingston Cutie", "Favela", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great quartet date – no-nonsense, and a perfect setting for Davis to hit some very classic modes! Eddie plays tenor with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Keter Betts on bass, and Bobby Durham on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Straight ahead sounds from Barbara Dennerlein, but great sounds too – as the organist is really at the top of her game, and able to bring all these new modes and styles to the world of jazz organ! At the time of the record, the instrument was being a bit ignored by most in jazz – but Dennerlein came along and found a way to open up the Hammond to all sorts of new audiences with a sound here that's not only heavy on her own solo work, but also features all these great twists and turns from a quartet that features Ray Anderson on trombone, Mitch Watkins on guitar, and Ronnie Burrage on drums! This isn't just some retro rehash of a Prestige Records mode – and Anderson's horn alone ensures that things are compelling throughout, on titles that include "Open & Free", "Straight Ahead", "It Just So Happens", "What's Up", "All That Blues", "Rumpelstilzchens Bossa", and "Night In Tunisia". CD

Very early work from Japanese saxophonist Sachi Hayasaka – a set that's a bit late in the catalog of the Three Blind Mice label, but one that's also a very special session for the label! Sachi blows alto and soprano sax, and the group here is a very free, open trio – just bass from Toshiki Nagata, and trumpet work from the great Wadada Leo Smith – a partner who really matches the youthful imagination that Hayasaka brings to her horn. The work is all improvised, but with a loose sense of structure at times – and there's a spiritual current to the music that almost makes it feel like Sachi could have been a member of the AACM back in the 70s. Most titles are in Japanese – and the set features 10 numbers in all, of varying length. CD

Hogyu "Stiger" Hwang on bass – with David Kikoski on piano, Adam Rogers on guitar, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on bass. CD

Bob James on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. CD

Titles include "Hairy Hypochondriac", "My Door Is Open", "Getting Old", "Looking For My Lady", "Madness", and "Kick Back Man". LP, Vinyl record album

With John Carlson on trumpet and flugelhorn, Francois Grillot on bass, and Jay Rosen on drums. CD

... CD

Classic 60s work from Thelonious Monk – featuring his incredible quartet with Charlie Rouse on tenor, certainly Monk's best-ever musical soulmate! The album features some newer versions of older tunes, and a few written just for the album – but the source of the material is not important, as the Monk/Rouse treatment always transforms whatever is handled, and recreates the work as an an angular sculpture of modernist beauty. Other players include Larry Gales on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and titles include "Locomotive", "Blue Sea", "We See", "Japanese Folk Song", and "Straight No Chaser". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful session cut by the obscure tenor player J.R. Monterose – a musician who never made it big by jazz standards, but who was always one of the most respected players amongst his jazz contemporaries. This rare session was originally cut for the short lived Jaro label, and on vinyl, it sells for well over $100 (if we ever see it!) The session's got Monterose's unique tenor in a setting with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – and as you might expect from that cast, the set's a great mix of hardbop and modernism. Titles include "Straight Ahead", "Short Bridge", "Green Street Scene", and "Chafic". LP, Vinyl record album

A tasty jazz session from David Fathead Newman – straight ahead, as the title implies, but still with some of the R&B touches that Newman crafted during his years with Ray Charles! The jazz side of the album's held down very nicely by a rhythm section that features Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Charlie Persip – and Newman himself plays flute, alto, and tenor – on a selection of longer tunes that really open up with some nice solo space! Titles include "Batista's Groove", an early composition by Marcus Belgrave – plus "Cousin Slim", "Night Of Nisan", and "Congo Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

Benchmark west coast gangster rap – and one of the hardest hitting albums of the era in any genre! We played this record to death when it came out – and it still holds up better than most of the material put out by former NWA's, and most of the West Coast sound-alikes that popped up later. For better and for worse, the start of an era – with undeniable strength and a production style that'll never get old! Features "Straight Outta Compton", "Express Yourself", "Dopeman (rmx)", "I Ain't The One", the title track, "Gangsta Gangsta" and the only song ever condemned by the FBI, "F*ck Tha Police" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With Sonny Clark on piano, Harry Babasin on bass and cello, and Bobby White on drums. CD

Art Pepper on alto, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – on titles that include "Surf Ride", "Make A List", "Nature Boy", "Straight Life", and "September Song". CD

A really great collection – five full albums from keyboard giant Patrice Rushen, plus bonus tracks too! First up is Patrice – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and clavinet, handled with a smooth and soulful quality that's wonderful all the way through – a blend of soul and jazz that few other players could do this well – no matter how many others tried to copy her style over the years! Rhythms are as hard and heavy as on the Prestige years, and the keyboards have a great sort of focus too – just the right mix of jazz to offset the vocals – which themselves are a wonderful discovery. The whole album's a gem – and tracks include the great funky classic "Hang It Up", plus "Changes (In Your Life)", "When I Found You", "Play", "Didn't You Know?", and "Music Of The Earth". Pizzazz is one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". Posh is an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in a sublime blend of 70s jazz funk and Minnie Riperton-esque soul! The whole album's a winner – real magic that never gets old, and the kind of LP that makes you understand why you'll find Patrice's records in just about any soul collection from the time! Tracks include "I Need Your Love", "Time Will Tell", "The Dream", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Don't Blame Me". Straight From The Heart is one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". The album Now is a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with a degree of soul that sets it apart from work by most of her contemporaries – and the music has this warm flow that really sets Rushen apart from the rest – a sublime mix of soul, funk, and fusion that holds together perfectly throughout! Titles include "Gotta Find It", "Gone With The Night", "My Love's Not Going Anywhere", "High In Me", "To Each His Own", "Heartache Heartbreak", and "Feels So Real". 5CD set features bonus tracks from original 12" singles – and other remixes too! CD

One of the big stars of Blue Note Records in the 60s, still sounding great here on the revived version of the label in the 80s! Stan's look on the cover may be a bit Cosby Show, but his sound on the tenor is mighty classic throughout – backed by Hammond from Jimmy Smith on most cuts, and Fender Rhodes from Les McCann on a few others – and always set up in a lean small combo mode that really gets away from some of the too-smooth Turrentine albums from just a few years before. Tracks are longish, and a great reminder that Stan's still a hell of a great voice on his instrument – and other players on the set include both Jimmy Ponder and George Benson on guitar, and Ron Carter on bass. Titles include "Plum", "A Child Is Born", "Ah Rio", "The Longer You Wait", and "Straight Ahead". CD

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A trio of classic albums from Lakeside – representing the second slice of their work for the Solar Records label! First up is Your Wish Is My Command – great stuff from the glory days of the LA bass-pedal funk era! The tracks manage to mix an 80s groove and soul without sounding cloying, and the band's vocals are always better than we remember them – with a strong harmony sound in the best moments that keeps things real. Tracks include "Your Wish Is My Command", "The Urban Man", "I'll Be Standing By", "Special", and "Magic Moments". Keep On Moving Straight Ahead is a really well-titled album from the mighty Lakeside – as the record makes you think that the group were going to keep on going for many years – working in their own unique version of earlier funk modes – almost a tightening up of the Funkadelic style of the late 70s! The basslines are very much in charge, but like the George Clinton groups, they also have a great way of really bringing everything together at once – sly vocals, riffing guitar, sweet keyboards, and everything else that comes to groove – all hitting right on the money on titles that include "It's You", "Be My Lady", "All For You", "Anything For You", and "We Want You (On The Floor)". For Untouchables, the gangster image on the cover might be a tipoff to the sound – as Lakeside help forge the roots of g-funk with their classic bass-heavy sound on the album! The record's great – every bit as funky as previous Lakeside work in all the right parts, but also showing a greater development of the group past their funk roots – able to mix mellower moments with groovers, at that sublime level that Fatback hit when the 80s began! There's plenty of greatness here for everyone – and titles include "Real Love", "Untouchable", "So Let's Love", "Turn The Music Up", and "Raid". Bonus tracks include "Keep On Moving Straight Ahead (12" version)", "Raid (7" version)", "We Want You On The Floor (7" version)", "Turn The Music Up (inst dub)", and "Turn The Music Up (7" version)". CD

A straight street, but a great street – as Harold Mabern returns to full force in this lovely set of trio tracks! The set's one of the best of any of Mabern's early 90s sessions for DIW Records – a very strong outing with Ron Carter on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums – served up with a no-nonsense approach to the music that has Harold spinning off lyrical lines at his soulful best. The recording quality brings out some nice round tones in Mabern's piano – and titles include "Seminole", "To Wane", "Mr Stitt", "Straight Street", "It's You Or No One", and "Crescent". CD

Unusual pressing of some of the rare 1965 live material cut by Wes – with the usual group that features Harold Mabern on piano, Art Harper on bass, and Jimmy Lovelace on drums – but also with Clark Terry on trumpet! Titles include "Wes Got Rhythm", "Straight No Chaser", "In A Mellotone", and "Just Friends". CD

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... LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure 80s soul album from the Austrian scene – one that features vocals from the great Linda Sharrock on a number of tracks, and an overall vibe that's a mix of early 80s club and some of the more mainstream crossover styles of the time! The tracks are nice and lean – much more so than American work of the time – and are heavy on keyboards, basslines, and processed guitars – working with rhythms that are influenced by R&B of a few years before, yet with occasional jagged moments at the edges. Titles include "A Little Bit Of Funk", "Different World", "Play The Game Of Life", "Magic Words", "Come On & Try", "Departure 03", and "Waitin". LP, Vinyl record album