A sweet second set from Touch Of Class – a group who broke big in the indie underground of the 70s with their debut – and who still continue here in a great blend of upbeat rhythms and richer soul styles! Some numbers are clearly aimed at the dancefloor – as on their debut – but these guys can also slide into a mellower number with a laidback harmony vibe – a blend that's rooted in some of the younger east coast group modes of the early 70s, but which is taken here to some slightly more mature territory by the trio. Gerald and Pete Jackson of the group handled the arrangements – in a way that's nice and fresh – and a good change from some of the more "packaged" approaches on other albums of this nature. Titles include "Let Yourself Go", "You Took The Sunshine", "I Need Action", "I Found My Rainbow", and "You've Got My Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little soul group who recorded with John "Monster" Davis in the mid 70s – really soaring with a groove that rivals some of their bigger contemporaries on the east coast group scene! Touch Of Class sing in a style that's sometimes fragile, but often more suited to the soaring grooves that Davis gives them on the album – a mode that's partly disco, partly pop, and which should have been as huge as any of their Philly or New York contemporaries. There's a "slightly different" feel to the record that we really like – and tracks include "I Just Can't Say Goodbye", "I'm In Heaven", "You Got Nowhere To Come", "One Half As Much", and "I Love You Pretty Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little soul group who recorded with John "Monster" Davis in the mid 70s – really soaring with a groove that rivals some of their bigger contemporaries on the east coast group scene! Touch Of Class sing in a style that's sometimes fragile, but often more suited to the soaring grooves that Davis gives them on the album – a mode that's partly disco, partly pop, and which should have been as huge as any of their Philly or New York contemporaries. There's a "slightly different" feel to the record that we really like – and tracks include "Love Means Everything", "Anything", "One Half As Much", "Love Me Tonight", "I'm In Heaven", and "You Got To Know Better". And just for the record, this appears to be the same record as I'm In Heaven, issued on the Midland label in 1976 – but it's presented here on another label with a date of 1981. LP, Vinyl record album

Maxine Brown on Wand Records is really something amazing – not just because she began her recording career at the label, but also because she never again hit the heights of these recordings! Brown was a really important singer with these sides – still partly in the class and poise of some of the jazz-tinged vocalists that came before her – but also able to open up with a deeper soul vibe that paved the way for Aretha Franklin and so many other singers to come in the second half of the 60s! The production and presentation of these tracks is wonderful, too – great songwriting, and top-shelf studio charts that only lift, and never drown the brilliance of Maxine's unique voice. Titles include "One In A Million", "It's Torture", "Let Me Give You My Lovin", "Yesterday's Kisses", "Oh No, Not My Baby", "Gotta Find A Way", "Baby Cakes", "Why Did I Choose You", "Misty Morning Eyes", "Since I Found You", "Losing My Touch", "If I Had Known", "It's Gonna Be Alright", and the completely fantastic "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody". CD

One of the more righteous albums from the early years of Diana Ross' solo career – a set that really has her moving past the familiar Motown groove of previous years, into a vibe that really shows the label's new California influence! The tracks here often feature expansive arrangements that mix soul and larger orchestrations – arranged by Gene Page, James Carmichael, Gil Askey, and Michael Randall – all of whom preserve the class that Diana's always had in her music, while still also opening things up to some of the more thoughtful elements of 70s soul. The album includes a nice medley of Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus a version of "Imagine", and the tracks "Leave A Little Room", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "All Of My Life", and "Touch Me In The Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful look at the later years of Chicago soul – a collection that brings together work from Chi-Sound Records, the imprint formed by producer Carl Davis after years of working with Windy City artists on labels like Okeh and Brunswick! Both Davis and the Chicago scene were reaching a new level of sophistication by the time Chi-Sound got its start – and the label took a keen cue from the Philly scene, and had its artists move into a broader range of work than just chart-bound singles – much more adult-oriented material that reflected the maturity of the artists, and the growth of an older middle class market for contemporary soul. As you'll hear on this set, Davis had a great way with a smooth tune – taking many older artists and allowing them to either re-record classic hits, or move towards material they wouldn't have been allowed to touch in earlier years. And as before, Davis also had a good ear for up-and-comers too – and exposed a few key acts on Chi-Sound during the short time the imprint was around. Titles on Volume 2 include "Maybe I'm Mistaken" and "Come To My Party" by The Impressions, "Hot On A Thing" and "Oh Girl" by The Chi-Lites, "Does She Have A Friend" and "Tomorrow I May Not Feel The Same" by Gene Chandler, "Passionate Breezes" and "I Touched A Dream" by The Dells, "It's All Over" and "And If I Had" by Walter Jackson, "Especially For You" by Manchild, and "I Still Love You" by Windy City. CD

One of the more righteous albums from the early years of Diana Ross' solo career – a set that really has her moving past the familiar Motown groove of previous years, into a vibe that really shows the label's new California influence! The tracks here often feature expansive arrangements that mix soul and larger orchestrations – arranged by Gene Page, James Carmichael, Gil Askey, and Michael Randall – all of whom preserve the class that Diana's always had in her music, while still also opening things up to some of the more thoughtful elements of 70s soul. The album includes a nice medley of Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus a version of "Imagine", and the tracks "Leave A Little Room", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "All Of My Life", and "Touch Me In The Morning". CD

The genius of Roy Ayers knows no end – and as this set of unreleased work from the 70s proves, Roy was always working at top form back in the day – even above and beyond his classic albums from the time! The grooves here are tremendous – funky, soulful, jazzy, and every bit as wonderful as the work that Roy did for his classic albums on Polydor – and in a way, the whole set's even tighter and heavier than any of Roy's full LPs, because it's a distillation of his sound from the time, hand-picked from the vaults with an ear towards the kind of timeless grooves that have been a huge influence on many worlds of music for years! You've never heard any of these tunes before, but we can promise you'll love them every bit as much as Roy's tracks on albums like Coffy, Vibrations, Mystic Voyage, and other classics – and the quality of the set only further pushes our jaw-dropping respect for the man! Titles include "Holiday", "Kwajilori", "I Am Your Mind (part 2)", "Touch Of Class", "Third Time", "Come To Me", "Wide Open", "Funk In The Hole", "Liquid Love", "Tarzan", "Sunshine (demo)", and "I Like The Way You Do It To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring soul from Stephanie Mills – one of the lady's all-time hits, and for good reason too! The album really gives Stephanie's great voice a lot of focus – an upbeat, uptempo groove that sets her firmly on the dancefloor, but always with a touch of class – and a lot more depth than some of the easy come/easy go disco divas of her day! Thanks here is clearly due to the team of Reggie Lucas and Mtume – who strike strongly with the album as one of their key early productions – the sort of work that really helped push mainstream soul a bit further at the end of the 70s, and set some new tones for a lot of growth in the next decade. The keyboards on the record are almost as nice as the vocals – played by Hubert Eaves and Harry Whitaker with a nice degree of sensitivity – hardly the stronger keyboard voice of the early 80s soul scene, and often with a dose of jazziness that's really appreciated. Titles include "What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'", "Deeper Inside Your Love", "Feel The Fire", "Put Your Body In It", "Starlight", and "Don't Stop Dancin". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost southern soul album from the 70s – recorded down at Muscle Shoals by singer Sandra Wright, and originally intended for release on Stax Records – but never issued at the time! Sandra's a great singer – deep soul, but with a touch of class, too – and the approach here shows that maturing Muscle Shoals sound, recorded at the Broadway Studio by David Johnson – at a level that's a bit in the Ann Sexton side of the spectrum – a sparkling, sophisticated feel that almost reminds us of the best female soul coming from Detroit or Chicago at the time, but with a slightly deeper range. Stax issued a few singles, but never issued the full album – which makes this one even more of a treasure for collectors of that time! Titles include "Wounded Woman", "The Sha-La Bandit", "Midnight Affair", "I Come Running Back", "I'm Not Strong Enough To Love You Again", "Please Don't Say Goodbye", and "A Man Can't Be A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic explosion of funk, soul, and club – put together at a level that may well even top the first Supafunkanova collection! As before, the cuts here are all super-rare and obscure – but all kick heavy ass when it comes to tight rhythms and catchy clubby grooves – never straight disco or mainstream boogie – but borrowing plenty from the mainstream to turn out cuts with a really raw, underground vibe! There's a slight touch of hip hop in the mix – more that old school skating mode – and the whole thing definitely shows Joey's decades in cutting great cuts for the dancefloor – and his big love of the best groups from the hinterlands. 2LP set features the titles "Drive Me Insane" by Airplay, "Betcha Got A Dude On The Side" by Star Quality & Class, "Cool Out" by Magnum Force, "Spunk In The Funk" by Blue Denim Band, "Walk" by Sam Culley Band, "Sound Reason (Joey Negro edit)" by Splash, "Making Love Will Keep You Fit" by Brenda Harris, "Let's Get High" by Nice & Tight Band, "Easton Assassin" by Sunburst Band, and "Super Stimulus" by Stimulus. LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy little classic from Atlantic Starr – and a great example of the group's wonderfully catchy way of hitting a groove! The music's never pop, but has some captivating hooks all the way through – sweet little bits mixed in with the funky soul approach of the ensemble – made even better by the great way the vocals get traded back and forth! There's a careful approach to the whole set – a way of putting things together with a good degree of class – and definitely avoiding most of the cliches that would make a similar project sound a lot more clunky. Great stuff throughout – and titles include "Who Could Love You Better", "Second To None", "Touch A Four Leaf Clover", "Tryin", and "Island Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album from Rena Scott – and a mighty club burner that's headed up by the production team of James Mtume and Reggie Lucas! The set's got that warm Mtume glow throughout – upbeat and uptempo, yet filled with soul – and done in a mode that brings some sweet jazzy class into a world that was too often littered with fake disco at the time! Rena's vocals are superb – mostly in a classy sort of Jean Carn mode – and titles include "Touch The Love In Your Heart", "Super Lover", "We Can Make It Better", "Disco Breakdown", "If I Had A Chance", and "Come On Inside". LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 60s magic from a record label that only lasted a few short years – yet one that's gone on to have as much prominence for real soul collectors as the music of Atlantic and Motown! Loma Records was a small offshoot of Warner Brothers on the west coast – yet one that worked far from the hit territory of its parent company, and instead captured all these wonderful groups and singers who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – a few of whom would go on to record later for bigger labels, but most of whom lost the chance for fame once Loma closed its doors! The quality of the music here is incredible – really top-shelf productions, at a level that rivals some of the best Detroit studios of the time, mixed with some of the cool class of Chicago soul as well – served up in a style that works equally well for vocal groups and solo singers. And while Loma recorded some deep soul cuts during this period, this set focuses on the more upbeat numbers – as you'd guess from the "Northern" in the title – served up in a collection that not only features rare singles, but also a few unissued tracks too! CD set features 25 tracks in all – and include "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "You Can't Outsmart A Woman" by Kell Osborne, "I'm Getting Weaker" by The Soul Shakers, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Bright Lights" by Delilah Kennebreuw, "Runnin Around" by Tony Amaro & The Chariots, "Baby Don't Look Down" by Billy Storm, "The Big Jerk (part 1)" by Clyde & Teh Blue Jays, "Better Think Of What You're Losing" by Tommy Starr, "The Man With The Golden Touch" by Charles Thomas, "Got A Thing Goin" by The Invincibles, "It's Your Love That I Need" by The Marvellos, "Just A Little Longer" by The Enchanters, "I'll Find A Way" by Bobby Reed, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Lester, "See The Silver Moon" by The Apollas, "Lies" by Bobby Freeman, and "If You Should See Her" by Ben Aiken. CD

A tremendous demonstration of the boundless talents of Cecil Taylor on the piano – a 42 minute live improvisation that blows off the roof at a live performance in Italy! Taylor has a way of handling the piano like nobody else – a command and understanding of the instrument that allows him to work with unbounded frenzy, yet always make things come across with complete sense – moving between explosive moments and more careful sonic explorations – but always with this energy and ability that we're not sure anyone else can touch! And sure, we love loads of other improvising pianists – but a record like this is in a class by itself, as is Cecil Taylor. CD

A wealth of rare funky 45 and album cuts – served up here in a selection that really lives up to the "rare soul" promise of the title! Some of these cuts are rare groove classics from back in the day – the big years when UK DJs first started playing older 70s cuts – and some of them are numbers that have been discovered in more recent years, showing that the field for rare soul collectors is always wide open, if you know where to dig! Titles include "Smooth Sailing" by Three Shades Of Soul, "Look What You've Done For Me" by Al Jarreau, "Every Day's A New Day" by Teresa Graves, "Take My Best Shot" by Liberation, "Be Your Man" by The Harmonics, "If We Don't" by 94 East with Prince, "You Put A Hurtin On Me" by Mary Mundy, "I'm Walking Away" by Gene Townsel, "I'm Crazy About You" by Brief Encounter, and "I Love You Pretty Baby" by Touch Of Class. LP, Vinyl record album

From the sound of this set, Tracy Hamlin's a singer with no limits at all – both in the sound of her music, and the joyous energy she brings to this album! The set's not Tracy's first, but it's got this bold power that makes us feel like we're discovering the singer all over again – as Hamlin emerges with this pride and positive sensibility that sets the record on fire from the very first note – and really keeps things burning strong all the way through. There's a slight touch of classic soul in the mix – echoes of some of the best 70s female soul singers – but there's nothing retro about the record at all, because the whole thing's clearly cast in Hamlin's own voice – which is very strong indeed. Frank McComb guests on the track "My Good Day" – and other titles include "Cover Me", "No Limits", "Givin Me Sumthin", "Forever With You", "One Day In Your Life", and "Plans For Two". CD also features four bonus remixes, too! CD

Steve Lacy's one of those artists who are really helping to rewrite the sound of soul music for his generation – first by stripping down his sound with some surprisingly simple and effective techniques – and here, building things back up again, but at a level that's very different than music you'd hear from some of his predecessors! In a way, Lacy's found a way to touch on classic soul, but without sounding "classic" at all – getting a bit more confidence in his approach, while still keeping things very personal – a quality that hopefully will not be undone by greater fame or commercial attention! Titles include "Amber", "Sunshine", "Bad Habits", "Buttons", "Mercury", "Static", "Helmet", and "Cody Freestyle". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterclass in early rap from Sugar Hill Records – touchstone classics that thumped dancefloors from the early days to today, inspired the scene's kings and queens to follow, and helped pave the way for the sounds and styles to come! Bookended by the long versions of the good-natured party rocking namesake Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" and Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel equally iconic "White Lines (Don't Do It)", the rest of the tracks really find the sweet spot between always welcome familiarity and underappreciated gems – and it's great to have them all in a top notch package! Includes The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" (single version), "That's the Joint" by Funky 4 Plus One, " Break Dance-Electric Boogie" (single) by West Street Mob, "Funk You Up (Long Version)" by The Sequence and more, LP, Vinyl record album

From the female singer in the obscure group Chapter 8, Anita went onto become one of the biggest selling soul music acts during the 80s – and this album's her first effort as a solo act. The record's a smooth sophisticated batch of soul tunes, with lots of nice jazzy touches, and a classy sound that was quite refreshing in the face of some of the overly-synthesized soul work of the time. Patrick Moten produced and wrote most of the cuts – but it's Anita's deep vocals that make the record work so well. Titles include "You're The Best Thing Yet", "Feel The Need", "No More Tears", "Will You Be Mine", and "Do You Believe Me". CD

Sure, you've heard it a million times – but it's still a fantastic soundtrack! Henry Mancini's whimsical scoring is a perfect touch for this classic Peter Sellers film – and it's made even better by the LA group of musicians who play the music – including Plas Johnson on tenor, Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, and Larry Bunker on percussion – all very groovy players who really know how to make the whole thing sparkle with just the right touches of jazz! The classic "Pink Panther Theme" should be familiar enough to you, but there's loads of other nice numbers – like "Something For Sellers", "Piano & Strings", "The Village Inn", "The Tiber Tiwst", and "Cortina". Lots of jaunty jazz numbers – with clever breakaway solos in the Mancini mode! LP, Vinyl record album

From the female singer in the obscure group Chapter 8, Anita went onto become one of the biggest selling soul music acts during the 80s – and this album's her first effort as a solo act. The record's a smooth sophisticated batch of soul tunes, with lots of nice jazzy touches, and a classy sound that was quite refreshing in the face of some of the overly-synthesized soul work of the time. Patrick Moten produced and wrote most of the cuts – but it's Anita's deep vocals that make the record work so well. Titles include "You're The Best Thing Yet", "Feel The Need", "No More Tears", "Will You Be Mine", and "Do You Believe Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of a joint effort from Ethio jazz funk visionary Mulatu Astatke and psych funk genre-busting combo the Heliocentrics – a record we had the highest hopes for and still find wildly above and beyond our loftiest expectations! The collective touch on some classic Mulatu compositions, but the bulk of the material here is brand new, and purely collaborative – if you know the Helioecentrics or you know Mulatu, you can clearly hear what each bring to the table – and it works together brilliantly! There's often a gritty funk bottom end, the best drums and percussion, fat electric bass lines underneath Ethio jazz inspired sax, trumpet, trombone and flute – swirling psychedelic flourishes with theremin and other effects that never take away from the groove. Mulatu's on vibes, percussion, Wurlitzer, drums and keyboards – and his compositions and the Helios trade back and forth throughout the set. There's some additional Ethiopian instrumentation and atmospheric vocals in the mix on some tunes, and more of an astral, avant funk vibe on others, but there's always a brilliant confluence of styles. Bottom line, the album is everything we wanted it to be and more – this will undoubtedly be favorite for years to come! Titles include "Masenqo", "Cha Cha", "Addis Black Widow", "Mulatu", "Blue Nile", "Esketa Dance", "Chik Chikka", "Live From Tiger Lounge", "Chinese New Year", "Phantom Of The Panther", "Dewel"., "Fire In The Zoo", "An Epic Story" and "Anglo Ethio Suite". LP, Vinyl record album

We totally loved Reel People's Seven Ways To Wonder album – and this special remix set is equally great – a package of wonderful new versions that features work from a host of hip producers! The set has all the soulful spirit of the original album, but also takes off in some more spaciously soaring modes too – a mix of British cosmic touches and classic instrumental roots – both of which really show up in some of the mixes here! Vocals are by Omar, Tony Momrelle, and Tasita D'Mour – and titles include "Outta Love (4 Hero rmx)", "It Will Be (Kyoto Jazz Massive rmx)", "Love Is Where You Are (The Realm rmx)", "Alibi (Rasmus Faber rmx)", "Amazing (Jon Cutler's distant music mix)", "Upside (Bugz upside mix)", "Upside (Pete Kuszma rmx)", "Love Is Where You Are (Orto rmx)", and "Anything You Want (Domu rmx)". 12 tracks in all! CD

A beautiful session that was Lester Young's last-ever recording! The session was cut in Paris in 1959, and features the rhythm section of the famous Blue Note club, home to many American expatriates in France at the time – a great setting for Young to really sparkle in these later years of his life. Kenny Clarke plays drums, Jamil Nasser plays bass, Rene Utreger is on piano, and Jimmy Gourley plays guitar – a group who are tight, but easygoing and laidback enough to really let Lester open up on tenor. Young's tone is amazing – and has touches of his classic sound, but is also filled with a somber sense that's really great – a sense of melancholy that really deepens the album. Titles include "New DB Blues", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Three Little Words", and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". CD

A beautiful session that was Lester Young's last-ever recording! The session was cut in Paris in 1959, and features the rhythm section of the famous Blue Note club, home to many American expatriates in France at the time – a great setting for Young to really sparkle in these later years of his life. Kenny Clarke plays drums, Jamil Nasser plays bass, Rene Utreger is on piano, and Jimmy Gourley plays guitar – a group who are tight, but easygoing and laidback enough to really let Lester open up on tenor. Young's tone is amazing – and has touches of his classic sound, but is also filled with a somber sense that's really great – a sense of melancholy that really deepens the album. Titles include "New DB Blues", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Three Little Words", and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". LP, Vinyl record album

Recent genius from the true king of Latin Soul – the mighty Joe Bataan, sounding every bit as great now as he did back in the day! Bataan gets some very hip backing from Los Fulanos – a Barcelona-based combo who help recreate the tight sound of Joe's early grooves from the late 60s, with just a touch of the funk he picked up in the 70s too – a really great blend that helps Bataan breath fresh new life into a range of classics from years back. The set list includes some of our favorite Latin Soul gems from Joe, and both the rhythms and production styles are completely faithful to the originals – but also aren't just simple copycat versions either. After so many years in obscurity, it's great to see Bataan back in action so strongly – cooking it hard and heavy on cuts that include "Latin Soul Square Dance", "Gypsy Woman", "Mestizo", "The Bottle", "Johnny's No Good", "Special Girl", "Subway Joe", "Puerto Rico Me Llama", and "Rap O Clap O 2008". CD

A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. LP, Vinyl record album

The modern touch indeed! You can't get any more classic Benny Golson than this – a sublime late 50s album that features Benny with a sextet, working out amazing versions of the sorts of material that set him apart from every other jazz arranger of the time! The tracks here are complicated, yet have a rootsy soulfulness that makes them instantly compelling – and Benny's tone on tenor sax is sharp and angular, yet also has a raspiness that gives it a degree of honesty you wouldn't expect from a budding young modernist. The rest of the players – Max Roach, Paul Chambers, Wynton Kelly, JJ Johnson, and Kenny Dorham – are equally great, too – and amidst Benny's arrangements, they come together as if they'd been playing in this format for years! Titles include "Out Of The Past", "Venetian Breeze", "Reunion", "Hymn To The Orient", and "Blues On Down". CD

Great duets between pianist John Hicks and bassist Ray Drummond – a record done with a really lively feel, despite the spare setting of the date! Hicks always has a very fluid touch on the keys, and the inspiration of Drummond really seems to open him up here – pushing the session a bit more than the mellow, introspective one you might expect – very much in the space of some of Hicks' classic trio work from the time. Most tunes are standards, but they're opened up nicely by the pair, thanks to some warm interplay – and titles include "I'll Be Around", "Take The Coltrane", "For Heaven's Sake", "Without A Song", "A Rose Without A Thorn", "Parisian Thoroughfare", and "Springtime Fantasy". CD

A set of incredible records from Charles Mingus – all presented together in one mighty nice package! First up is Mingus Moves – a fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". CD also features bonus tracks – "Big Alice" and "The Call". Changes is key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", "Remember Rockefeller At Attica", "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. On 3 Or 4 Shades Of Blues, Charles Mingus is returning to the soulful gospel-influenced mode he swung big in the early 60s! The record's something of a later predecessor of the classics Blues & Roots for Atlantic and Mingus (x5) for Impulse – and the style is slightly less dramatic, but still quite steeped in soulful explorations that feature plenty of notes from the bluer side of the spectrum! Players include George Coleman and Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and titles include new takes on "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" and "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" – plus"Nobody Knows", "Noddin Ya Head Blues", and "Three Or Four Shades Of Blues". Next is Cumbia & Jazz Fusion – one of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". Me Myself An Eye is complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker on tenors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side two contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". Something Like A Bird is one of the last albums Charles Mingus ever gave us – before departing this planet way way too soon! The set shows the increasing sophistication of Mingus' music in these later years – a mode that almost echoes the path that Duke Ellington would take in his final decade – a move towards some larger-form material that still holds onto all the raw energy of the early days, but finds a way to not only bridge larger musical ideas – but musical generations as well! As part of this, the set's got a wonderful lineup – with Lee Konitz on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, George Coleman on tenor, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include the long title track, "Something Like A Bird", split up over 2 sides of the LP, plus "Farewell Farwell". CD

One of the hippest sets that Duke Pearson ever recorded – and an all-out Blue Note soul jazz set that's even better than Pearson's classic Sweet Honey Bee! Duke's style is deeper and more farther-reaching here – with echoes of styles used at the time by Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan – carried off with some of the more tightly-arranged modes used by Pearson on his backdrops for other players at the time. The group here includes James Spaulding on alto, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Garnett Brown on trombone, and rhythm by Gene Taylor on bass and Grady Tate on drums. Tracks have a strong overall focus on the groove – rolling around in that rollicking mid 60s Blue Note style that Pearson helped establish as the label's trademark at the time – but titles are also touched with some of Duke's lighter lyricism, especially on his own solos. Titles include "Make It Good", "Chili Peppers", "Rotary", "Los Malos Hombres", and "Scrap Iron". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest sets that Duke Pearson ever recorded – and an all-out Blue Note soul jazz set that's even better than Pearson's classic Sweet Honey Bee! Duke's style is deeper and more farther-reaching here – with echoes of styles used at the time by Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan – carried off with some of the more tightly-arranged modes used by Pearson on his backdrops for other players at the time. The group here includes James Spaulding on alto, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Garnett Brown on trombone, and rhythm by Gene Taylor on bass and Grady Tate on drums. Tracks have a strong overall focus on the groove – rolling around in that rollicking mid 60s Blue Note style that Pearson helped establish as the label's trademark at the time – but titles are also touched with some of Duke's lighter lyricism, especially on his own solos. Titles include "Make It Good", "Chili Peppers", "Rotary", "Los Malos Hombres", and "Scrap Iron". CD

A richly-recorded album, one that really brings out the best of the bass of Yoshio Chin Suzuki and the piano of Tsuyoshi Yamamoto! The sound quality is a bit like some of those classic Three Blind Mice dates from the 70s – familiar jazz territory, but a bit different too – and opened up with a tremendous ear for the color and tone of the individual players, especially Suzuki – who gets to open up a number of tracks with solo bass passages that are really beautiful! Titles include "Last Tango In Paris", "Blues For Edith", "The Loving Touch", "Summertime", "Misty", "Cleopatra's Dream", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

An early classic from pianist Billy Taylor featuring his classic 50s trio with bassist Earl May and drummer Percy Brice! The tracks are mostly short and simple, and done in Taylor's warmly rhythmical approach to the keys – a groove that was clearly informed by the hardbop of the time, but which laid back in a much more soulful formation. The set features dozen tracks in all, including "Blue Cloud", "It's A Grand Night For Swinging", "Purple Mood", "A Bientot", "Early Bird", "Day Dreaming", "Radioactivity", "Long Tom", and "Daddy O". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of late Ike & Tina albums in a single package! Workin' Together is a pivotal album – one that has them still retaining some of the earthiness of earlier years, yet also honing their groove for the crossover audience that was digging them big at the end of the 60s! The best results of this shift is the increasing funk component in their music – a move away from R&B into a tighter 60s groove, one that often featured very strong guitar parts in its best incarnation. The set includes the classic "Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter", plus "Ooh Poo Pah Doo", "Let It Be", "Goodbye So Long", "You Can Have It", "The Way You Love Me", "Get Back", and "Workin Together". Let Me Touch Your Mind is a fairly loose set of diverse material from the tumultuous duo, from the tender, lovely chorus backed and string accented grit of the title track to more stripped down, kinda country funk accented number. Includes "Annie Had A Baby", "Don't Believe Her", "Early One Morning", "Up On The Roof", "Heaven Help Us All" and more. CD