A brilliant slice of early work from guitarist Duck Baker – an artist who's blossomed strongly in the jazz world in recent decades, but who here is maybe closer to the roots of earlier music – and works with this fantastic interweaving of blues, folk, swing, and early jazz modes! The style's very fitting for the overdue-issue of these early tapes on Tompkins Square – and might have even gotten Duck Baker a record on Takoma back in the 70s – and it's no surprise that the second half of the material was recorded by Stefan Grossman in the late 70s, as it shares some resonance with his own work of the time. The first 6 tracks are from demo recordings that Baker made in Richmond, the remaining are handled by Grossman – and apart from guest violin and bass on one track, all others are guitar instrumentals by Duck – and include "Homage To Leadbelly", "Doing the Raccoon", "Allah, Perhaps" "Wolverine Blues", "Les Blues De Richmond", "Fire Down There", "That Rhythm Man", "Little Boy", "The Humors of Whisky", "Sandy River Belle", and "Swedish Jig". CD

A brilliant slice of early work from guitarist Duck Baker – an artist who's blossomed strongly in the jazz world in recent decades, but who here is maybe closer to the roots of earlier music – and works with this fantastic interweaving of blues, folk, swing, and early jazz modes! The style's very fitting for the overdue-issue of these early tapes on Tompkins Square – and might have even gotten Duck Baker a record on Takoma back in the 70s – and it's no surprise that the second half of the material was recorded by Stefan Grossman in the late 70s, as it shares some resonance with his own work of the time. The first 6 tracks are from demo recordings that Baker made in Richmond, the remaining are handled by Grossman – and apart from guest violin and bass on one track, all others are guitar instrumentals by Duck – and include "Homage To Leadbelly", "Doing the Raccoon", "Allah, Perhaps" "Wolverine Blues", "Les Blues De Richmond", "Fire Down There", "That Rhythm Man", "Little Boy", "The Humors of Whisky", "Sandy River Belle", and "Swedish Jig". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio treasure from the incredible Sonny Clark – a rare non-Blue Note date from the late 50s, and a wonderful illustration of his powers on the piano! The setting is spare, but the sound is never sleepy – as Sonny's working here with Max Roach on drums and George Duvivier on bass – both of whom make for very lively compatriots in the trio – and help Sonny hit some fiercely flowing lines on piano! And apart from Sonny's great playing, the album's also a great showcase for his writing skills too, as nearly never tune's an original – with titles that include "Nica", "Sonia", "My Conception", "Minor Meeting", and "Blues Mambo". Also features a version of "Sonny's Crib" – mis-labeled here as "Sonny's Crip"! Special 2LP set features 6 more rare alternate takes on vinyl for the first time – plus a new essay by Ben Ratliff, and unseen photos too. LP, Vinyl record album

The only 70s album ever issued by guitarist Rick Deitrick – a set that was produced in a very small print run of copies – which were then sold at shows and in a few special record stores, and also left by Deitrick on woodland trails – in the hopes that hikers might stumble upon his music! That aspect of unusual distribution really fits the mood of the set – as Deitrick's never trying to push the acoustic guitar into any unnatural territory – and instead works within a familiar palette to create some very personal music – maybe the sorts of modes that graced the very earliest work by William Ackerman, who might be a kindred spirit to the sort of organic explorations that Rick's working through here. The album was recorded at a time when solo acoustic guitar had moved quite far beyond both folk and jazz – used in a wonderfully personal way on songs that include "Gentle Wilderness", "At Morning", "Missy Christa", "Jon's Song", "Deep Within The Forest Of The Heart", and "Crawdad Hole". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful solo guitar work from Rick Deitrick – a very underground figure in the already-underground world of acoustic material in the late 70s! Deitrick's maybe one of the most understated of his contemporaries – less experimental than John Fahey or Robbie Basho, and often working with familiar chords and tunings, but in a way that still allows him to deliver very personally poetic music! There's a gentleness to the proceedings that match Rick's only other album – and he has this way of letting his notes on the strings of the acoustic guitar almost ring out like some sort of celestial tonal progression. Titles include "Wide River", "Twilight Caravan", "Away", "Sparrows", "Morningstar", "River Sun", and "River Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from the Entourage ensemble – a group who were years ahead of their time, but hardly got recognized in the 70s – because all of their work was issued on the Folkways label! In some ways, the group grew out of two different strands – both the acoustic underground of the Takoma scene, and some of the spiritual changes in jazz in the post-Coltrane Years. Their music is a really meditative blend of acoustic elements with a few electric touches – used in ways that start in jazz, then move way beyond! Instrumentation includes guitar, flute, keyboards, violin, and mbira – coming together with really unusual inflections that are partly borrowed from Eastern sources – like Noh theater, or Balinese music – but which unfurl with a more freewheeling, American underground vibe as well! No sounds are ever too sharp, and there's almost a hint of the instrumental experiments in the 80s underground – such as work by Penguin Cafe Orchestra or Soft Verdict – but with an earthier feel overall. This great collection features lots of unissued work by the group – with titles that include "Journey By Water", "Days (early version)", "Millbrook (original version)", "Tarbox Poltergeist (alt take)", "E Minor Piano", "Soft Fist", "Euphoric Bells (fragment)", "Military Music 1", and "Sleazy Sue". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from the Entourage ensemble – a group who were years ahead of their time, but hardly got recognized in the 70s – because all of their work was issued on the Folkways label! In some ways, the group grew out of two different strands – both the acoustic underground of the Takoma scene, and some of the spiritual changes in jazz in the post-Coltrane Years. Their music is a really meditative blend of acoustic elements with a few electric touches – used in ways that start in jazz, then move way beyond! Instrumentation includes guitar, flute, keyboards, violin, and mbira – coming together with really unusual inflections that are partly borrowed from Eastern sources – like Noh theater, or Balinese music – but which unfurl with a more freewheeling, American underground vibe as well! No sounds are ever too sharp, and there's almost a hint of the instrumental experiments in the 80s underground – such as work by Penguin Cafe Orchestra or Soft Verdict – but with an earthier feel overall. This great collection features lots of unissued work by the group – with titles that include "Journey By Water", "Days (early version)", "Millbrook (original version)", "Tarbox Poltergeist (alt take)", "E Minor Piano", "Soft Fist", "Euphoric Bells (fragment)", "Military Music 1", and "Sleazy Sue" – and the 3CD set includes loads of extra material, including a full disc of outttakes from the Neptune Collection & Cleopatra and collected wokds from '72-'76. 30 tracks on 3CDs! CD

A special pre-release 45 – featuring two tracks from the album You Never Were Much Of A Dancer – done up as a limited single for Record Store Day! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A beautiful mix of modes – the songwriting skills of Will Beeley – aka William C Beeley – and the warm southern setting of the Malaco studios at the end of the 70s! The set's got a vibe that's maybe like the best rootsy work to come out of Memphis or Muscle Shoals in the earlier part of the decade – well-penned tunes that aren't really straight rock, folk, or country – and which come together in a special sort of southern brew, without any sort of posturing or pretense. The album's wonderfully non-commercial – and has a timeless vibe that still makes it sound fresh after all these many years – as generations of artists discover the overlooked genius of Beeley. Titles include "Tell Me How Are You", "I Can't Pretend Much Longer", "Standin At The Station", "I Don't Know What I'm Into", "Rainy Sundays", "Passing Dream", and "As The Darkness Of The Heavens". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little set from the enigmatic William Beeley – a singer/songwriter who's very clearly influenced by the early work of Bob Dylan – but who has a sound that quickly takes off in his own direction! Beeley begins the set with a version of a Dylan tune, but then opens up into some very personal songs of his own – presented with just vocals and guitar, in an up-close, honest style that's somewhere in the territory of Tim Hardin or early Leonard Cohen – not that William's copping their approach, just that the songs are that good, we'd easily rank them in such heady company. And although the set was originally issued on a tiny Texas label, the sound is much more northeast overall – on titles that include "Summer Colored Skin", "Carol", "And Then I'll Be Gone", "Easter Sunday Song", "Weathered Lady", and the album's ten minute closer "Little Wheel Spin & Spin & Co'Dine". LP, Vinyl record album