Great live material from Kassa Overall – work that's maybe even grittier and more soulful than his studio sets – as he's captured here in the casual setting of the Third Man store in Nashville! There's a lot of raw percussion at the core, which sounds great, and really drives things along – topped with bold trumpet blasts from Theo Croker that really bring a lot of bold, righteous energy to the proceedings – to which Kassa only responds even more strongly with his vocals! The whole thing is a great mix of righteous soul, jazz, and funk – with titles that include "Find Me", "I Know You See Me", "La Casa Azul", "Who's On The Playlist", and "Bellyflop". LP, Vinyl record album

Stefano Bollani on piano and Enrico Rava on trumpet. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

"Step By Step" features Murs, and "Show Business Part 3" features Zion I. 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the last albums that Albert Ayler ever recorded before his strange and mysterious early death – and one of his most memorable records as well! The record shows Ayler at the crossroads, filled with emotion and meaning, struggling to convey his message to a lager audience. At times, he takes a strange soul/jazz format to do so, and has tracks featuring backing by "the Soul Singers" – at others, he plays solo, with some of the most plaintive tones he ever laid down on wax! The record features an incredibly haunting "Message From Albert", plus the tracks "New Generation", "Sun Watcher", "New Ghosts", and "Free At Last". Completely fascinating, and a record that really makes you wonder what would have happened had he not left the planet so early! LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

France Gall won the Eurovision song contest with the title track of this one – and for good reason too, given that the tune is totally groovy! The rest of the work here really follows suit – romping, jerking, and grooving in that wonderful mix of mod rhythms that made France's 60s material so great – some of the best of the French pop scene at the time, with a sound that's really a cut above on all the numbers here! Backings are by the mighty Alain Gouraguer, who brings in a hip mix of jazz inflections, rocking rhythms, and some of the more sparkling soundtrack elements bubbling in the French 60s scene – all a perfect accompaniment for Gall's catchy girl pop vocals. Titles include "Poupee De Cire Poupee De Son", written by Serge Gainsbourg – plus "Le Coeur Qui Jazze", "Le Premier Chagrin D'Amour", "On T'Avait Prevenue", "Dis A Ton Capitaine", "Nounours", "Laisse Tomber Les Filles", and "Bonne Nuit". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the Detroit scene of the early 80s – played by a group who came after the generation of Tribe and Strata Records, but who went on to have some really slow-burning influence in their own sort of way! The music definitely has echoes of the loft and spiritual jazz scenes of the 70s – but the quintet also really open things up with some of the more flexible rhythms that were coming out of New York during the same period, and working with a slight touch of more ambitious structures – of the sort you might have heard on overseas labels recording American jazz musicians during the 80s. Reeds are at the core of the set – playec by the trio of Faruq Z Bey on tenor and alto, Anthony Holland on alto and soprano, and David McMurray on tenor, alto, soprano, and flute – given very creative energy by Tani Tabbal on drums, and Jaribu Shahid on both acoustic and electric bass. Titles include "Xy-Moch", "Zycron", "Zenelog Aintro", "Androgeny", "Kins", and "Xy Moch". LP, Vinyl record album

The first widely-circulated album issued by the stunning saxophonist Muriel Grossman – an artist we've been stocking on imports for the past decade or so, and who quickly became one of or favorites in jazz! If you've not heard Muriel before, this album's a perfect introduction to her music – and if you've been following her already, you'll definitely be pleased – as Grossman really opens up that mix of modal and spiritual styles she does so well – working with an expanded lineup of instrumentation that adds in her own work on flute, percussion, bass, kalimba, harmonium, and tambura next to the core tenor and soprano sax – in a combo that also features great Hammond B3 from Abel Boquera, guitar from Radomir Milojkovic, and drums from Uros Stamenkovic. At times, the organ is used almost in a Larry Young sort of way – but other moments have the instrument in moodier waves of sound, especially when things get slightly exotic – and the double-length set opens up with beautiful tunes throughout, on long selections that include "Mother Of All", "Absolute Truth", "Calm", "Care", "All Heart", "Devotion", and "Knowledge & Wisdom". CD

The first widely-circulated album issued by the stunning saxophonist Muriel Grossman – an artist we've been stocking on imports for the past decade or so, and who quickly became one of or favorites in jazz! If you've not heard Muriel before, this album's a perfect introduction to her music – and if you've been following her already, you'll definitely be pleased – as Grossman really opens up that mix of modal and spiritual styles she does so well – working with an expanded lineup of instrumentation that adds in her own work on flute, percussion, bass, kalimba, harmonium, and tambura next to the core tenor and soprano sax – in a combo that also features great Hammond B3 from Abel Boquera, guitar from Radomir Milojkovic, and drums from Uros Stamenkovic. At times, the organ is used almost in a Larry Young sort of way – but other moments have the instrument in moodier waves of sound, especially when things get slightly exotic – and the double-length set opens up with beautiful tunes throughout, on long selections that include "Mother Of All", "Absolute Truth", "Calm", "Care", "All Heart", "Devotion", and "Knowledge & Wisdom". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Raucous late material from Wanda Jackson – one of the greatest voices of late 50s rock & roll, male or female – sounding freshly invigorated well into her 70s! The album is produced by Jack White and staffed by his Third Man Records players, with no one involved here sounding all too keen on simply reigniting 50s rockabilly. There's a lot of punchy brass in the arrangements, with swaggery electric guitars and interesting song choices – with covers of contemporary Dylan and Amy Winehouse numbers, plus other covers that range from dusty and thoughtful, to playful, to flat out ferocious. Wanda's voice has held up way better than many of her 50s peers (again, male or female) and this is a worthy entry in her legendary career. Includes "Shakin' All Over", "Thunder On The Mountain", "You Know I'm No Good", "Nervous Breakdown", "Blue Yodel #6", "Dust On The Bible" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The mighty Prince is on the cover this time around – heralding a series of well-penned articles inside, including pieces by Ann Powers and Greil Marcus! There's plenty more too – as the issue is overflowing with other cool topics – including a look at the Helter Stupid fiasco in the career of Negativland, Brooklyn hip hopper Paula Perry, LA harpist Mary Lattimore, women at Factory Records, UK comic Stewart Lee, Boston's High Risk Group from the 80s, a comic on the tune "Lee Remick" by the Go-Betweens, and the artwork of Marcel Duchamp, remixed! As always, the presentation is great – full color throughout, and a lot more contents than ads. Magazine

No baby pop here, as France Gall is all-woman throughout – one of the best of the French female pop singers of the mid 60s, working here with an upbeat, groovy sound throughout! Backings are by the great Alain Gouraguer, who gives the record a tightly jerking kind of feel – a sound that's the Paris contribution to the same sort of mod grooves that were coming out of the London scene at the time. The album's filled with classics by Gall, all sung in a sweet voice that's a great contrast to the music – wonderful stuff throughout, with titles that include "Baby Pop", "Cet Air La", "L'Amerique", "Mon Bateau De Nuit", and "Deux Oiseaux". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare funky treasure – lost live material from Grant Green's hippest years at Blue Note – recorded in the early 70s funky years, but unissued for decades! The set's an incredibly smoking one – with loads of long tracks that really stretch out in a hard-hitting, bottom-heavy funky mode – no surprise, considering that Idris Muhammad's on drums, as part of a lineup that also includes Ronnie Foster on organ, Houston Person on tenor, and the more obscure Clarence Thomas on soprano sax and tenor! The groove here is a bit more Prestige jazz funk than Blue Note – the kind of rough-edged and spontaneous vibe that Rusty Bryant, Leon Spencer, and others cooked up during the early 70s on some of their best classics for that label – but Green's a perfect person to catch the spirit of that wildfire, and jams long and nicely here on 8 tracks that include "Farid", "Jan Jan", "One More Chance", "Patches", "I Am Somebody", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Bottom Of The Barrel", and "Walk On By". LP, Vinyl record album

Maggot Brain opens the gates wide this time around – continuing their deep dive into leftfield culture, with that ever-expanding approach that seems to widen issue after issue! This time around, there's a never-published interview with Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine – plus a great look at the Red Hot & Ra project by Meshell N'Degeocello, gems from the contemporary cassette culture, the underground rock photography of Joe Dilworth, the collaboration between Nathan Salsburg and Will Oldham, composer Dougie Bowne, WFMU polka DJ Stashu, the band Harvey Milk, and the the music legends series of cartoonist Justin Green – with lots of pages of his classic work presented in full! There's lots more inside too – and the issue is overflowing with great images. Magazine

That's a lovely photo of Dolly Parton on the cover – and the issue's got a very personal tale of the way that Dolly's music influenced the life of one writer! And as usual, the issue's got the nicely diverse array of cultural forces – the artwork of Fred Tomaselli (with plenty of cool images of his reworkings of New York Times front pages), the compositions of Tyondai Braxton, a long interview with Octavia Butler, the acoustic Powers/Rolin duet, global instrument maestro Peter Larson, an unpublished interview with The Clean, a look at the visual art of Clean drummer Hamish Robert Kilgour, on tour with Crazy Doberman, Portland's Neo Boys, a farewell to Tom Verlaine, and lots lots more – all in full color throughout. Magazine

Maybe the most visual issue of Maggot Brain to date – as the issue features a look at the music photography of Michael Lavine, rare images of Pavement from Gail Butensky, and the wonderful artwork of Mingering Mike! Heck, there's even a review of Irreversible Entanglements that's filled with great photos of the group – but don't worry, as there's plenty of text too – including a discussion of prog rock with the great Matt Berry, a look at Philly guitarists Rosali Middleman and Emily Robb, and the diary of legendary hobo Bill Aspinwall! Plenty more too – including a great tape section, the Visuaels collective, Lea Bertucci, the band Cindy, and 75 Dollar Bill. Magazine

An incredible lost album from Motown's David Ruffin – material recorded for his third solo album, but unreleased at the time – and presented here with a whole bunch of rare bonus material too! The quality of the work is incredible – done in a soaring style that's a perfect summation of the genius of Motown at the end of the 60s. Ruffin really steps away from his work with the Temptations here, and moves masterfully into the role of a solo star – working with such strength that we're puzzled as to why Motown never issued the set – but even more delighted to finally have it back out in such a great package! The original album was supposed to feature 12 tracks, but the set adds in an additional 11 numbers that were recorded during the same time, including a few rare mono mixes. The whole thing's great – and includes the incredible track "Each Day Is A Lifetime", plus "Out In The Country", "I Want You Back", "Let Somebody Love Me", "It's Gonna Take A Whole Lot Of Doin", "Heaven Help Us All", "Mountain Of Memories", "You Make Me Do Things I Don't Want To Do", and "Don't Stop Lovin Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Donald Byrd in a sweet electric mode – as you'd guess from the title! The set was recorded right before Byrd's legendary run with Larry Mizell in the early 70s – and the electric approach is a bit different here – a style that blends Byrd's wonderful trumpet lines with the larger ensemble mode Blue Note sometimes used in the late 60s, but with a spacey, stretched-out feel that's mighty nice! The album's somewhat similar to Byrd's Kofi set – but possibly a bit more open overall – and players here include Duke Pearson on electric piano, Jerry Dodgion on alto and sopranos ax, Frank Foster on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Hermeto Pascoal on flute, Wally Richardson on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Airto on percussion. Pearson produced, and probably arranged too – given a slight Brazilian undercurrent to the grooves – and titles include "Estavanico", "Essence", "The Dude", and "Xibaba". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal moment in leftfield music – maybe the crowning achievement of Captain Beefheart, and a landmark collaboration with Frank Zappa as well! Zappa produced, and gave the group plenty of room to stretch out on this double-length set done for his Bizarre Records imprint – which allowed the Captain the kind of freedom that Frank was getting at the time – which meant there was no need for a hit, no need to tone things down, and plenty of patience for all the record's amazing instrumental twists and turns, and Beefheart's madcap sense of humor as well! The Cap sings, and plays saxes and bass clarinet – and the record's got some really incredible guitar work from Zoot Horn Rollo and Antennae Jimmy Semens – really setting the stage for countless other guitarists in years to come. Tracks include "Dachau Blues", "Hair Pie", "Moonlight On Vermont", "Sweet Sweet Bulbs", "China Pig", "My Human Gets Me Blues", and "Dali's Car". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Third World – and the one that really helped break them out to the widespread success that they'd enjoy for years with their crisp, tight brand of modern reggae – In a style that mixes roots oriented vibes with top notch production values that warm things up with a bit of influence from soul music! The title track is one that really stands as a blueprint for the group's approach – soulful harmonies, but in a way that's different than the styles used by earlier reggae acts – warmer and maybe more able to slide into the ears of American fans of R&B – which was one of the great achievements of Third World! Titles include the classic "1865 (96 Degrees In The Shade)" – plus "Feel A Little Better", "Third World Man", "Tribal War", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Jah Glory". LP, Vinyl record album

Unbelievable! This is one of the rarest Sun Ra records we've ever seen – and it's also one of the most compelling. There are no tracks listed on the label (although the Sun Ra discography lists them as "Sometimes The Universe Speaks", "Pleiades", "Third Heaven", "When There Is No Sun", "Halloween In Harlem", and "Shadow World") – and the sound is very very unusual. The first two tracks feature lots of spare reed work, mixing flutes, oboe, and clarinet with some occasional percussion. Then, the record shifts into an all-vocal number – almost like one of Ra's older doo wop tunes, but with a very strange sing-song lyric about the cosmos. Side two moves into larger group sounds, more in keeping with the mid 70s style of the Arkestra, and featuring some very firey solos mixed with a bit of synth. Great stuff, and the Arkestra at its most mystical! LP, Vinyl record album

The group's third album, delivered after a long delay – with titles that include "Amanda", "A New World", "To Be A Man", "Still In Love", "The Launch", "Cool The Engines", "My Destination", and "We're Ready". LP, Vinyl record album

Johnny's third record for American Recordings – and one of the best of his late career – again backed by members Tom Petty and members of his Heartbreakers and other smart players, with a mix of hard scrabble country and folk cuts, and Cash's authoritative, soulful covers of great songs by Will Oldham, Nick Cave, Neil Diamond and others. It's brilliant stuff, and a mix of darkness and more tender material, coming at a time when Johnny's health was going, but his spiritual integrity was a strong as ever. It's dark, but never bleak – which is hard trick pull off! Johnny was the man to do it. Includes "I Won't Back Down", "Solitary Man", "That Lucky Old Sun", "Field Of Diamonds", what we'd consider the definitive version of Johnny's own "Country Trash", "I'm Leaving Now" with the great Merle Haggard, "Wayfaring Stranger", "(Would You Lay With Me) In A Field Of Stone", "One", his amazing version Oldham's "I See A Darkness", "The Mercy Seat" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from pianist Tete Montoliu – three full albums served up in a single package! First up is Man From Barcelona – a set cut late in Tete's career, but one that has this beautiful way of building up a tune – maybe even more lyrical and sincere than some of Montoliu's earlier music! The trio features nicely understated work from George Mraz on bass and Lewis Nash on drums – both players who often step aside and let Tete pace the tune, find his groove, and bring in all sorts of really lovely colors even before things start swinging – served up on tunes that include "Tune Up", "Stella By Starlight", "Autumn Leaves", "Django", and "Concierto De Aranjuez". On Secret Love, pianist Tete Montoliu gets some Cedar Walton backing – in a trio with Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – both musicians who really make the record stand out from the pack! Tete himself is at the peak of his powers – able to play with this commanding sense of majesty from the very first note – but with a style that also has plenty of room for more lyrical flourishes, too – although often with these soulful strides that we don't seem to hear that well in other trio sessions of this vintage! We're not going to credit Jones and Higgins with bringing this on – but heck, they sound wonderful here, and really make the whole thing crackle with warm imagination throughout. Titles include "Four", "Stella By Starlight", "Secret Love", and "Confirmation". The title's correct on the third album – as that's yellow dolphin street, not "Green Dolphin Street" – a very special place where Tete Montoliu unfurls a beautiful selection of solo piano numbers! Tete's really at the height of his powers here – and spins out wonderfully without any bass or drums, yet with all the complex, fluid feel that you might expect from a trio. The range of tonal colors is wonderful – and always delivered with a rhythmic impulse, even when Montoliu is flying free – on titles that include "Yellow Dolphin Street", "Napoleon", "Where Are You", "Waltz For Nicolien", and "I Hate You". CD

One of the most unusual albums in the career of trumpet legend Chet Baker – done at a time when he was definitely going through some changes in his life, which also led to some changes in his music too! This set's not unlike a similar date that Stan Getz did for Verve around the same time – larger backings, and tunes that include some contemporary hits that are redone as jazz vehicles – arranged by Jerry Styner, and featuring instrumentation from some key members of The Wrecking Crew! Chet sings a bit – and the richness of the arrangements really push his vocals on those numbers – and honestly, his trumpet has maybe more punch than usual too – almost as if he'd been listening to some of the Hugh Masekela records on Uni, and said "hey, I've got to get my horn out there too!" There's a great mix of melancholy and joy on the record – the former especially in the set's beautiful version of "Come Saturday Morning" – next to other tunes that include "And When I Die", "Evil Ways", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", "Something", "Spinning Wheel", and "Vehicle". LP, Vinyl record album

The Band's surprising step back to their roadhouse roots – paying homage to early rock and rhythm & blues the grew up on, and honed their chops on when in their years as The Hawks! Moondog Matinee features a few great covers that split the difference between the raucous energy of their inspirations, from Chuck Berry to Clarence Frogman Henry to Fats Domino to Junior Parker – and the well-oiled, multi-voice Band groove at near-peak form. Titles include "I Ain't Got No Home", "Holy Cow", "Share Your Thoughts", "Mystery Train", "Third Man Theme", "Promised Land", "The Great Pretender", "I'm Ready", "Saved" and "A Change Is Gonna Come". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more heavily brooding albums ever cut by Leonard Cohen – and also one of the best – the iconic Songs Of Love And Hate from 1971! Cohen's aptly titled third LP, with the nice spare approach to production that most of his early work had, even more stripped down, with voice and acoustic guitar the focus, and some tasteful, more lush texture when the mood strikes – and oh so incredible wordplay and phrasing from the iconic maverick poet/songwriter. Classic bummers including "Avalanche", "Last Year's Man", "Dress Rehearsal Rag", "Diamonds In The Mine", "Love Calls You By Your Name", "Famous Blue Raincoat", "Sing Another Song, Boys" and "Joan Of Arc". Also features a bonus early version of "Dress Rehearsal Rag". CD

A wonderful session of 60s Hammond jazz – a record that was somewhat overlooked at the time, but which has really gotten the attention it deserves over the years! The album's one of a rare few cut by organist Gloria Coleman – an obscure east coast player who was also the wife of tenorist George Coleman, and who follows wonderfully in a strong tradition of female organists that includes Trudy Pitts and Shirley Scott. Even hipper is the fact that Gloria's quartet has a female drummer – the fiery Pola Roberts, who's got a light touch on the kit that makes the cuts dance nicely. And even still hipper is the fact that that group is completed by Grant Green on guitar and Leo Wright on alto – both of whom groove in a totally tight soul jazz mode that resembles their best work from the early 60s. The session's a wonderful burner, of the sort that you'd proudly display in a collection of 60s soul jazz – and it's filled with excellent original cuts like "Que Baby", "Hey Sonny Red", "Melba's Minor", and "Funky Bob". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most striking Eric Dolphy work we've ever heard – a set of live performances from the years 1962 and 1963 that feature Dolphy in a free-thinking mode that surpasses even the modernism of his classic studio sides! The recordings feature Dolphy amidst a variety of players – including a number of unlikely suspects like Barry Galbraith, Eddie Costa, and Jim Hall – and although some of the tracks have a moody and introspective third stream quality (3 of the numbers are written by Gunther Schuller), others are quite open, and almost have an ESP-like intensity. One longer title is a jam session take on Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" – recorded with a lineup that includes Phil Woods, Nick Travis, Benny Golson, Don Ellis, and Lalo Schifrin! Other titles include "Iron Man", "Half Note Triplets", "Densities", and "Night Music". CD

A wickedly funky album from Joao Donato – quite different than his earlier bossa sessions, and recorded in LA with a sweet jazzy bounce! The album's overflowing with great keyboard work – and Joao plays both piano and organ, in a group that includes percussion from Emil Richards, who also produced the set with this mad skittish edge that's awash in crazy and off-kilter rhythms! Deodato helped a bit with the arrangements, too – and the album's got an electric feel that's somewhat similar to Deodato's own work on CTI, but a lot more messed up – and with that sense of odd instrumental placement that we love so much in Donato's classic Quem E Quem album! Tracks are all pretty darn great – and titles include "Mosquito", "Bambu", "Cade Jodel", "Lunar Tune", and "The Frog", nicely done here in a funky version! LP, Vinyl record album

A funky collaboration of new and old players – as trumpeter Roy Hargrove explores a range of classic styles with a host of excellent guest stars! The RH Factor project includes work by Bernard Wright, Cornell Dupree, Karl Denson, and other funk luminaries – and it also features great vocal performances from the likes of Common, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, and D'Angelo. The groove soars from Miles-inspired electric to the heavy funk of George Clinton – and makes plenty of side-trips in between – exploring a range of soulful jazz, both new and old, and coming off a lot better than we might have thought! Titles include "Pastor T", "I'll Stay", "Common Free Style", "Juicy", "The Stroke", "Poetry", "Liquid Streets", "The Joint", and "Forget Regret". LP, Vinyl record album

Three solo albums from Jesse Johnson – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Jesse Johnson's Revue – a killer solo debut from guitarist Jesse Johnson, who was easily one of the most driving forces in The Time after leader Morris Day – and an artist who can definitely stand strongly here on his own! With great basslines at the core, Jesse's definitely cutting a groove that's in the Prince side of the spectrum – yet he's also got a more understated vocal style, and a way of tying things to more mainstream R&B at points too – all of which really help him make his own mark with the album! Titles include "She Won't Let Me Go", "Be Your Man", "Can You Help Me", "She's A Doll", "Special Love", "Let's Have Some Fun", "I Want My Girl", and "Just Too Much". Next up is Shockadelica – an 80s funk classic from Jesse Johnson – one that features a title that was Jesse's own creation, even though Prince stole the term and recorded a song with the name for himself! Yet that hardly keeps the album from being a winner – as Johnson's very much at the top of his game here – maybe emerging as the third major star from the Minneapolis scene after Morris Day and Prince – working in a very guitar-heavy mode that reflects his command of the instrument, which maybe sets Jesse apart from the others in the way that Bootsy Collins set himself apart from the P-Funk empire with his solo work in the previous decade. Sly Stone makes a great guest appearance on the cut "Crazay" – and other cuts include "Change Your Mind", "She", "Black In America", "Burn You Up", "Do Yourself A Favor", and "A Better Way". Every Shade Of Love is the last solo album that Jesse Johnson cut on his own before returning to The Time – and a record that shows that he would have been a heck of a solo artist in the 90s had he kept on going in this direction! There's plenty of Twin Cities-inspired funk in the mix – fast-riffing basslines to match Jesse's guitar and pump on the vocals – on titles that include "Love Struck", "I'm The One", "Color Shock", "I'm Just Wanting You", and "Stop Look Listen". 2CD set features bonus tracks – including a duet with Stephanie Spruill on "Heart Too Hot To Hold" from The Breakfast Club soundtrack – and "Drive Yo Cadillac", "Love Struck (dance mix)", "Crazay (ext version)", and "She (rmx)". CD

One of a handful of records cut by St Louis Hammond player Sam Lazar for Chess Records at the start of the 60s – and a set that's also noteworthy for an early appearance on record of the young guitar genius Grant Green! The style here is very different than Grant's work to come on Blue Note, and also different than some of the organ/guitar sessions you'd hear later on Prestige Records too – as the tracks are short, without the kind of extended solos that Jimmy Smith might serve up – almost R&B mixed with jazz at times! The combo features the great Willie Dixon on bass and Chauncey Williams on drums – and the guitar is nice and loud – really racing to keep up with Lazar's fast work on the Hammond. Titles include "Mad Lad", "Space Flight", "Caramu", "Funky Blues", and "Big Willie". LP, Vinyl record album

Foundation is right, in more than one sense of the word! The Brentford Avenue stalwarts are showcased here on a nice double album compilation of classic and groundbreaking early ska and rocksteady tracks that would become the template for so much Jamaican music to follow. The team of Coxsone Dodd with Don Drummond, Lloyd Brevett, Tommy McCook, Jackie Mittoo, Roland Alphonso, Jerry Hinds, Dizzy Moore and Johnny Moore was unstoppable– and it's hard to imagine where the reggae sound would be without this seminal music! 32 tracks in all, including "Dick Tracy", "Alley Pang", "Christine Keeler", "Fidel Castro", "Beardsman Ska", "Third Man Ska", "Simmer Down", "Exodus", "King Solomon", 'Eastern Standard Time", "I Should Have Known Better", "Hot Cargo", "Black Sunday", "Ska La Parisienne", "Don D Lion", "Third Man Ska", "Nimrod", "Cleopatra", "Addis Ababa", "Silver Dollar", "Killer Diller", "Naked City" and "Ringo's Theme". CD

Four albums from this wonderful group – all brought together in a single set! First up is the self-titled Spanky & Our Gang – the first, and perhaps the most conventional album by the group, but still pretty darn insane! Spanky & Our Gang are a strange mix of 60s styles – with bits of We Five, bits of Harpers Bizarre, bits of The Association – but a totally strange and totally fun approach to pop that's very much their own. Cuts on the album are a mix of originals and covers – and highlights include the incredible "5 Definitions Of Love" by Bob Dorough, "Distance" by Joe Renzetti, "Commercial" by the band, and the track "It Ain't Necessarily Bird Avenue". Great groovy stuff – and with arrangements by Renzetti, Dorough, and Stuart Scharf. Like To Get To Know You is a tiny little pop masterpiece was produced and arranged by Stuart Scharf and the great Bob Dorough, and is filled with one of the grooviest approaches to pop we've heard in ages. The album includes the sublime hit "Like To Get To Know You", set in a very different LP setting – plus great versions of "Suzanne" and "Everybody's Talkin", and the cuts "Stardust", "The Swingin Gate", and "My Bill". Anything You Choose is the third movement in the fantastic pop symphony that is Spanky & Our Gang! The record's perhaps their oddest to date – and mixes groovy vocal stylings with some fairly advanced production approaches that work perfectly with the incredible songs written by Stuart Scharf and Bob Dorough. The voices swirl about in a mad rush – interweaving lines of melody and poetry, punctuated by strange sounds, spacey airy instrumentation, and wonderful little rhythms. Titles include "Anything You Choose", "1-3-5-8", "Without Rhyme Or Reason", "Give A Damn", and "Nowhere To Go". Live is an unusual album from this groovy group – especially given that most of their famous work was in the studio – and done with really inventive arrangements and production! Yet those qualities still come through here, even in a live setting – as the record's got this stripped-down approach that shows just how much of the group's own inventive vocal interplay and harmonies were part of their fantastically groovy style! Titles include "Wasn't It You", "Dirty Old Man", "The Klan", "Nagasaki", "Amelia Earhart's Last Flight", and "That's What You Get For Lovin Me". CD

One of the grooviest albums recorded by trombonist Kai Winding in the 60s – a set that follows the larger ensemble mode he moved to after parting ways with trombonist JJ Johnson, yet one that also has some surprisingly groovy elements in the mix! The album was recorded in Nashville, and features the "modern country" promised in the title – as Kai takes on tunes from the Nashville songbook, with help from Bill McElhiney and Grady Martin on the larger charts – the latter of who also plays guitar on record, alongside Nashville legend Harold Bradley! There's some great use of organ at times, which really emphasizes a more soulful vibe in the music – and the Anita Kerr singers come in on a few tracks, with those wonderful harmonies that sound even better in a non-country setting than they do on their standard work for RCA. Titles include "Wolverton Mountain", "Busted", "I Really Don't Want To Know", "Detroit City", "I Walk The Line", "Dang Me", and "Slippin Around". LP, Vinyl record album

The third in Fat Possum's Not The Same Old Blues Crap series – and a pretty substantial creative left turn in some ways, though still focused on raw, hardscrabble blues! Fat Possum figureheads RL Burnside and T-Model Ford are in the mix, as you'd hope, along with Charles Caldwell, Little Freddie King and other blues heavies, but it's also got some reverent cuts by (then) upstarts The Black Keys, the Iggy & The Stooges and even Lyrics Born – showing the range of influence the one time unknown blues figures Fat Possum championed at the time had on various cats. Includes "Hadn't I Been Good To You" by Charles Caldwell, "Set You Free" by the pre-superstar Black Keys, "I Found Out" by Nathaniel Mayer, Juinior Kimbrough's "You Better Run" as covered by Iggy & The Stooges, "Crack Head Joe" by Little Freddie King, "Goin' Down South" by RL Burnside feat Lyrics Born, "Cocaine Bill" by Kenny Brown, "Pushin' My Luck" by Robert Belfour, "Goodbye Slim Harpo" by Robert Pete Williams and "Bad Man" by T-Model Ford. CD

Funky sounds from the Harlem scene – an incredibly rich collection of work from the Rojac and Tayster labels – a set so massive, it's like finding a box of rare funky 45s and deep soul singles in the back of some old record store! The package offers up way more work than we might have expected from our knowledge of a few key funk classics from the labels – a treasure trove of under-discovered gems from the grittiest years of the New York scene – most of them cut in the pre-disco years, with raw edges that almost feel more like southern soul and funk than other work from the Big Apple! This overstuffed set also comes with a sweet booklet of notes – really telling the tale of the labels and related enterprises – plus 44 tracks that include "Where Were You" by Kim Tolliver, "Meet Me Halfway" by Lillie Bryant, "Old Love Never Dies" by Big Maybelle, "Something Special About My Baby" by Clarence Reid, "I Love My Baby" by International GTOs, "No Better For Ya" by Jo Armstead, Love Love Love" by Chuck Flamingo, "Christmas In Vietnam" by Private Charles Bowens & The Gentlemen From Tigerland, "Everybody's Going Wild" by Curtis Lee & The KCPs, "Lovin Lies" by Third Guitar, "This & That" by Jo Armstead, "Don't Lose Your Groove" by Lavell Hardy, "Nwanne Nwanne Nwanne" by Aleke Kanonu & Tolbert The Miracle Man, "Lucky Man" by Damn Sam The Miracle Man, "Baby Don't Cry" by Third Guitar, and "Whip Ya" by Chuck A Luck & The Lovemen Ltd. CD

Seminal vocal group work from the Chicago scene of the 50s – and a wonderful collection of some of the lesser-known acts working in the Windy City at the time! All the cuts here were recorded for the United and States labels – and at the time, got a lot less circulation than work on labels like Chess, Vee Jay, and even Parrot – even though the material here easily rivals some of the best doo wop sides for those imprints. The Dandeliers head off the set, and are featured on a third of the tracks – and they're an amazing group who easily rival The Moonglows or Flamingos at their early best – with a similar sort of heavenly harmony approach. Other groups here are great too – some nicely rough around the edges – and titles include "My Love", "She's Mine", "Shu Wop", "Loving Partner", "Chop Chop Boom", and "Little Man" by The Dandeliers; "In Your Dreams" and "Go Where My Baby Lives" by The Strollers; "Lonesome Baby", "Ridin & Rockin", and "Big City Bound" by The Hornets; "Sugar Lips" and "Gloria" by The Five Chances; "Mellow Daddy" by The Drakes; and "Girl Of Mine" and "I Knew I Had A Chance" by The Palms. CD features a good number of unreleased tracks, too! CD

Includes tracks by Two Tons O' Fun, Womack & Womack, Jocelyn Brown, Ecstasy, Passion & Pain, Roy Ayers Ubiquity, Third World, Cymande, the Originals, and Sylvester – plus Tom Moulton's 11 minute plus mix of the MFSB classic "Love Is The Message"! CD

Cymande hit some well-deserved heights on this massive third album – working with a complicated groove that's even more compelling than their earlier albums – in a righteous blend of heavy bass and tripped-out guitars that's unlike anything else we've ever heard! The music's a unique blend of roots from Guyana coming into play with the changes of the 70s London scene – and the group have a way of reaching out past borders, past familiar styles, and making a whole new world of their own! Things are funky, but pretty darn dubby too – and the whole thing's got a sly sound that others have tried to copy over the years – but never done this well at all. Titles include the monster funk cut "Brothers On the Slide", a jaunty sample-laden groover – plus "Pon De Dungle", "Changes", "Sheshamani", and "Leavert". LP, Vinyl record album

The meeting of two key modern jazz talents in the late 50s third stream of jazz – heard on material pulled from three different Atlantic albums recorded at the Music Inn during 1956! The core of the set features the clarinet of Jimmy Giuffre blowing alongside the Modern Jazz Quartet – in a spacious style that's very much in the spirit of Jimmy's own loosely-crafted groups of the time, and which makes surprisingly gentle use of piano, drums, and vibes next to his own gentle phrasing on clarinet. 2 of the 5 tracks with the MJQ add in Giuffre trio members Jim Hall and Ralph Pena – and titles for all include "A Fugue For Music Inn", "Serenade", "Fun",j "Da Capo", and "Fine". Added to these are 4 more titles that have Giuffre in the shifting company of other all-star players on tunes that take on a more traditional nature overall – longer jamming tracks that feature Rex Stewart, Pee Wee Russell, Teddy Charles, and Herbie Mann on titles that include "Blues In E Flat", "In A Mellotone", "The Quiet Time", and "Body & Soul". The last 3 tracks on the set return us to the Modern Jazz Quartet – working here on their own – on tracks that include "2 Degrees East 3 Degrees West", "Variation No 1 On God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", and "Oh Bess Where's My Bess". CD

A really soulful set from Third World – the record that really broke the group out and pushed them over the top – and a set that, in the US, really helped reggae mingle a bit with the mainstream world of R&B! Part of that mix was helped from the superb single "Now That We found Love" – the group's fantastic remake of an O'Jays tune from a few years before – but the set's also got plenty of straighter reggae cuts too, mixing roots messages with soulful inclinations in a really great way! Titles include "African Woman", "Cold Sweat", "Cool Meditation", "Fred Not Thyself", "Journey To Addis", and of course, "Now That We Found Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest albums ever from the great Joe Turner – not the vocalist, but the Harlem-bred piano player who has an amazing touch on the keys – working here in a very hip MPS trio with Hans Rettenbacher on bass and Stu Martin on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes an additional 37 minutes of music including previously unreleased tracks and many more with previously unreleased material. CD

One of the hippest albums Gato Barbieri ever cut – and a key link between his late 60s avant work with Don Cherry, and his Latin-tinged albums of the 70s! The album features Barbieri working with a New York group of avant players – including Beaver Harris on drums, Roswell Rudd on trombone, and Charlie Haden on bass – but the sound is a bit more focused and forward-moving than you might expect, thanks to a strong sense of rhythm on the date. Lonnie Liston Smith plays piano and Richard Landrum handles conga and percussion to give the set a slightly Latin flavor – and the overall sound is not that dissimilar from some of Pharoah Sanders' albums at the same time on Impulse. Barbieri's tone is fantastic – and the spiralling piano work by Smith really gives the album a lofty spiritual tone – on titles that include "Zelao", "Cancion Del Llamero", "Haleo & The Wild Rose", and "Antonio Das Mortes". CD

A stunning little session – and every bit as wonderful as you'd expect from a lineup that includes Dollar Brand, Don Cherry, and Carlos Ward! The three players work together here in open, spiritual styles – with really long-flowing lines from Brand on piano, in a more modal style that's different from some of his other records – balanced out with bold trumpet lines from Cherry, and soaring alto sax from Ward – a player who doesn't always get the chance to step out this much! All three players vocalize a bit, but more in some sort of rootsy way that echoes the music – and the album's a really unique outing from all three players – and a set we'd rank with their best from the time. Titles include "Don's Song", "Cherry", "Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro", "Swazi", and "Jabulani Easter Joy". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool book about a legendary figure most folks don't know with this depth – the 60s pop singer Norma Tanega, best known for one minor hit – yet also an artist and intellectual, with a career and life that are much more vibrant than you might expect! The book mixes page after page of artwork with recollections about Norma from friends and contemporaries – all to paint this amazing picture of an underground figure with a surprising importance in so many lives – one that's really portrayed here with a loving tone, but also a nice sense of distance that illuminates Tanega in ways that make the book way more than just a fluff piece. If you only know Norma on record, this book will really blow your mind – and the softcover edition is full color throughout, with 143 pages in all. Book

John Abercrombie on electric and acoustic guitars, Marc Johnson on double bass, Joey Baron on drums, and Mark Feldman on violin. CD

A decade since their previous effort, and 14 years since their previous masterpiece, Portishead returns with Third – and, oh, what a mindblowing third act. The first thing you'll realize about Third is that it's not Dummy Part 3 – a welcome and surprising trait – but it does take their earlier way with a spooky, brooding and ominous framework to new dimensions. Secondly, there's no obvious single – it's to be taken as a whole. Beth Gibbons's vocals are as soul wrenching as ever, and an overall stark, melancholic beauty connects Portishead '08 to the old stuff, but they go deeper. Some bits are quite minimalist, wringing emotion from a low strum, a distant chime, or a haunting bit of dissonance – other parts are more richly layered and even a bit jarring. Pulp cinematic aura, feedback textured psychedelia, haunting European pop, and traces of field recorded folk flavor the sound – they've dabbled in all of these elements before – but never with this particular feel. The sound of epiphany. How many acts in the pop realm create a whole new style with a classic album, and then pull off something nearly as great almost 15 years later, without ripping themselves off? Add Portishead to that small list. We'll call '08 early, this is the best pop album of the year. Titles include "Silence", "Hunter", "Nylon Smile", "The Rip", "We Carry On", "Deep Water", "Machine Gun", "Small", "Magic Doors", "Threads". CD

Shakespeare never sounded so compelling before – given a very cool soundtrack by the Third Ear Band, who were moved to work on this project in collaboration with director Roman Polanski! The music is fantastic away from the film – very different than some of the group's earlier records, and a lot more eerie too – as some of their usual string and reed elements almost take on an electronic vibe in the process! Most tracks are very spacious and open, with the violin and oboe crafting some especially sharp, angular sounds – almost as if the group were let loose in some sort of analogue electronic studio. Titles include "The Beach", "The Banquet", "Dagger & Death", "Bear Baiting", "Groom's Dance", "Prophesies", and "Wicca Way". CD