One of Stanley Turrentine's few organ-based sessions for Blue Note – recorded in the company of his wife Shirley Scott, a real cooker on the Hammond who holds it down masterfully here – and great band that's filled out by Kenny Burrell on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass and Otis Finch on drums. The album's sound has the triple strengths of strong interplay between Stanley's tenor sax and Shirley's organ grooves, rhythms as tightly honed or loosed-limbed as duty calls, and Burrell's guitars rolling gracefully from unfussy backing to refined solos. Tracks include "Trouble No 2", "Goin Home", "Ladyfingers", "Something Happens To Me" and "The Hustler". CD

Jr Walker's second live set for Motown – and a hard-wailing set with a raw edge you wouldn't expect from the label! The recording quality is nice and raunchy – and the group's playing at double or triple-time on the set, grooving with amazing edges, twists, and turns. Many cuts feature vocals – plus hard-wailing sax from Jr – and titles include "Hip City (parts 1 & 2)", "Home Cookin", "Something You Got", "What Does It Take", and "Sweet Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

YOD serves up that nicely laidback, almost conversational style that makes his music so great – working here with beats from Wino Willy, Lee Scott, Nicholas Craven, Jonwayne, and J-Es – each of whom really get that slow-stepping mix of bass and jazz just right! Titles include "The Simpsons", "50K Or Brunch", "The Hand Of YOD", "The Unknown Comic", "The Man On The Moon", "The Tonight Show", and "Triple Lindy". Also features a bonus "Metal Face Medley". LP, Vinyl record album

The Houseplant series really takes off with this killer triple-LP set – a massive batch of funk and soul, both old and new – presented here in a really great assortment of modes! There's some great deep tracks from the 70s here, alongside some well-chosen contemporary cuts from the international funk underground – plus a few other assorted surprises along the way – keeping the label's strong reputation for serving up a record that's way different than the standard funk compilation! Titles include "Short Stopping" by Veda Brown, "What's Good For You" by Harvey Scales, "Little Saddy" by Andre Ethier, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "Slide" by Adesse Versions, "Gettin Funky Round Here" by Black Nasty, "Love Theme From Spartacus" by Yusef Lateef, "Town Called Nowhere" by Skip Mahoney & The Casuals, "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Blah Blah Blah" by Saun & Starr, "Gotta Let Me Know" by Breakestra, "Jamaica Ska" by Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, "Legend In My Own Mind" by The Stepkids, "Lament 1" by Dustin Laurenzi, "Trouble" by Frederick Knight, "The Echo" by Epsilons, "A Little Bit More Won't Hurt" by Bettye Crutcher, "The Who Who Song" by Jackie Wilson, and "Don't Stop" by The Bar Kays. LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Walk This Way" and "Together Forever" by Run DMC, "It's My Beat" by Sweet Tee and Jazzy Joyce, "Coast To Coast" by Word Of Mouth, "Eric B Is President" by Eric B and Rakim, "Delancey Street" by Dana Dane, "I Can't Wait" by Spyder D, "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince, "Triple M Bass" by Worse 'Em, "Inspector Gadget" by Kartoon Krew, "Get Off My Tip" by Masterdon Committee, and "Drag Rap" by Show Boys. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most hard-hitting Count Basie albums from the Roulette Records years – and that's saying a lot, given the power of Basie at the time! The set was recorded in Sweden, with a kind of triple-time energy that really has the whole thing burning right from the start – as the group's driven onward by some bold work on drums from Louis Bellson – who's working here with a lineup that includes Frank Wess and Frank Foster on tenor, Marshall Royal on alto, and Thad Jones on trumpet. There's a slight rawness to the recording – still as clear as other Roulette sessions, but with a bit more "liveness" too – a sense of place that really helps the performances sparkle. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Little Pony", "Plymouth Rock", "Backwater Blues", "Who Me", and "April In Paris". CD

A masterful later album by the Beastie Boys – who always preferred to put out a great record every five or six years, than a sub par album every 2 or 3! All these years after Paul's Boutique, when the world of difficult, expensive sample clearance could've kill the layers of pop pastiche sound bites that made P's B such a brilliant statement, the soul and funk samples are still piled on in abundance on this one (albeit with a more electro studio built backdrop), as are the block rockin' party rhymes – even if the tone is serious and strident in spots. There are no attempts at live funky jazz or punk rock this time – this may be the Beasties' most classifiable hip hop album in decades. Add it to that ever growing list of good-to-great albums by aging artists who were coaxed back into the game in part by their feelings about post 9/11 politics. Tracks include the great throwback single "Ch-Check It Out", "Right Right Now Now", "3 The Hard Way", "It Takes Time To Build", "Rhyme The Rhyme Well", "Hey F**k You", "Triple Trouble", "Oh Word?", "That's It That's All", "All Lifestyles", "Shazam!", "An Open Letter To NYC" and more. CD

Includes "Blend", "Manha de Carnival", "Carmina Burana Fantasy", "Gospel Tune", "Little Maggie", "Memphis, Tennessee", "Triple Ballade" and "Carnival Jump". CD

Butcher Brown move past their roots as a core funk combo here – opening the door to contributions from a whole host of guests, and moving even more strongly into the world of soul music than on their album with Triple Trey! There's an expansive sound here that seems to have the hardworking outfit finally getting their chance at more mainstream fame – not in a commercial way, but at a level that just opens up with the energies they've always had, given focus through contributions from Braxton Cook, Keyon Harrold, Jay Prince, Vanisha Gold, Julia Shuren, Nappy Nina, Pink Siifu, and others – on titles that include "This Side Of Sunshine", "Happy Hourrr", "Around For Awhile", "Pink Fur", "Run It Up", "Espionage", "I can Say To You", "Move (Ride)", "Turismo"- "Eye Never Knew", "Half Of It", "No Way Around It", and "DYKWYD". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest things that George Harrison did after the breakup of The Beatles – not his first solo album, but yet his first non-experimental venture – and a triple-length set that's filled with magic throughout! This isn't one of those "shoulda been a single record" sets – as Harrison has this amazing ability to craft new tunes with new styles in a way that really sets the record apart from his later work with The Beatles – maybe a summation of all those wonderful little moments that George was starting to add to their records, but fully blossomed here into a field's worth of fantastic musical flowers. Titles include "My Sweet Lord", "Wah Wah", "I'd Have You Anytime", "What Is Life", "Run Of The Mill", "Isn't It A Pity", "Plus Me In", "Thanks For The Pepperoni", "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp", "Beware Of Darkness", "Out Of The Blue", and "Hear Me Lord". Super Deluxe Edition includes new 2020 stereo mixes, two CDs of demos, and outtakes and jams, plus high-res stereo and surround mixes on Blu-ray audio! CD

Little Feat's third, and maybe best their album – the adventurous country rock, soul, boogie blender Feats Don't Fail Me Know! Oh, this group wasn't going to fail anytime soon – not creatively, anyway. Nope! They really come into their own here – mixing up distinct styles into a groove all their own. Includes "Rock And Roll Doctor", "Oh Atlanta", "Skin It Back", "Down The Road", "Spanish Moon", "Feats Don't Fail Me Know", "The Fan" and that killer closing medley, "Cold Cold Cold/Triple Face Boogie". CD

Little Feat's third, and maybe best their album – the adventurous country rock, soul, boogie blender Feats Don't Fail Me Know! Oh, this group wasn't going to fail anytime soon – not creatively, anyway. Nope! They really come into their own here – mixing up distinct styles into a groove all their own. Includes "Rock And Roll Doctor", "Oh Atlanta", "Skin It Back", "Down The Road", "Spanish Moon", "Feats Don't Fail Me Know", "The Fan" and that killer closing medley, "Cold Cold Cold/Triple Face Boogie". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Little Feat – and it's a great one! Loose roadhouse bluesy and country rock-styled songs – infused with their own weirdness! This is one of those great examples of a band that not only loved, but could play down home American music of many kinds – and add their own personal craft and idiosyncratic charms to whatever they touched. Includes "Easy To Slip", "Cold Cold Cold", "Triple Face Boogie", "Sailin' Shoes", "Cat Fever", "Texas Rose Cafe" and more. CD

A triple-action classic from alto genius Jackie McLean – and one of those key records from the years when he stunned the world by moving from hardbop into the more experimental modes of the "new thing" generation! The approach here is very formative – not just for some of Jackie's spiritual expressions in the 70s, but also for the way that more creative jazz moved forward in years to come – as McLean is working alongside key players who include Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! Higgins' lyrical playing is a perfect complement to the more avant tones of the others – giving the album a free dancing soul, but also never letting things get too out of hand to lose the jazz basis of McLean's best work. The album includes an early recording of Tolliver's classic tune "Plight", plus the tracks "Wrong Handle", "Action", and "Hootnan". CD

One of the most incredible pop tracks of the 60s! Billy Stewart's reading of "Summertime" sounds nothing like you've ever heard! The cut has these rolling popping vocals, and a triple-time groove that turns the cut into a dark stormer filled with raw energy. The flipside is very nice, too – and has a great loping mid-tempo feel to it, with nice piano parts underneath Stewart's heartfelt lyrics. 7-inch, Vinyl record

The biggest hit of their prolific career, and the historic meeting of Memphis kingpins 8-Ball & MJG and the Triple Six. A feel good song for almost any occasion. 12-inch, Vinyl record

That's "heart bop", not "hardbop" – a title that really gets at the warm feeling and sense of soul on this overlooked date! The album's an early 80s gem from Enja – cut at a time when the label was really finding its own, and doing an especially great job of giving musicians just the right sort of outlet to move forward – in this case not just trumpeter Franco Ambrosetti, but also altoist Phil Woods and pianist Hal Galper – all of whom are great! There's an angular formation to most of the tunes at the start, but they flow with a warm, lyrical energy right from the start as well – supported by the drums of Billy Hart and bass of Mike Richmond – on titles that include "A Flat Miner", "Fairy Boat To Go", "Heart Bop", and "Triple Play". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from Ray Bryant – the kind of a record that few other players could ever hope to cut, and a fantastic demonstration of Ray's extremely soulful approach to the trio format! Bryant's working here with Bill Lee on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – in a triple-burning setting that has all players contributing equally to the groove – and often working strongly to create a great sense of counterpoint in the rhythms. Roker's drums are magically playful throughout – snapping and skipping along the top of the snare in a way that only furthers the rhythmic agenda of Bryant's piano. And Lee's bass has a laidback and mellow delight – one that rings out alongside the keys of the piano, and fleshes them out with some additional depth and color. The title track is a brilliant reading of "Con Alma", and the set also features Bryant's famous tune "Cubano Chant" – as well as the titles "Autumn Leaves", "Milestones", "Ill Wind", and "C Jam Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The longest album ever from The Clash – a stunning triple LP set that really shows the group bristling with new ideas and energy throughout! There's a hell of a lot going on here – some cuts that are every bit as strong as the previous records, others that offer a few mis-steps but in a wonderfully playful way – and a few more that really hit this sort of unique mix of genres and politics that could only be summed up as Clash-like at its best! Bits of hip hop, reggae, new wave, funk, and more mix together beautifully – and the album's got a hell of a lot of charm and character, even if you're skipping past a few of the cuts you don't like as much as the others. 36 tracks in all – and titles include "The Magnificent Seven", "Hitsville UK", "Junco Partner", "The Leader", "Police On My Back", "Midnight Log", "The Call Up", "Washington Bullets", "Broadway", "Rebel Waltz", "Look Here", "The Crooked Beat", "Somebody Got Murdered", "Lose This Skin", "Charlie Don't Surf", "Kingston Advice", "Corner Soul", "Let's Go Crazy", "The Sound Of Sinners", "Living In Fame", "Silicone On Sapphire", and "Career Opportunities". CD

No blues here, despite the title – but a record that bristles with energy right from the start – spurred on by the creative rhythms that have always made Jack DeJohnette one of the most inventive drummers of his time! The group features a triple-threat lineup with Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Chico Freeman on tenor and soprano sax, and John Purcell on alto, baritone, flute, and clarinet – especially nice at points when the reedmen shift and turn with sharp edges learned from the earlier avant years, yet given a nice focus here under DeJohnette's leadership. Jack penned all original tunes for the set, and there's a depth to his writing that really marks a move forward – possibly some of his richest musical statements on record ever! Titles include "Ebony", "Inflation Blues", "Slowdown", and "The Islands". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic first chapter from this legendary funk group – material recorded during their early years on the Phoenix scene, at a time when Dyke & The Blazers must have been the hottest act going down in Arizona! The group here begin with their Funky Broadway roots – taking on that track in their classic version, turning out some great original material of their own, and also jamming nice and long on some tracks here that really show that the group had a lot more energy than just the usual funky 45 combo – maybe more of the intensity of the James Brown Band! Dyke is great in the lead, but the overall sound is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Broadway (parts 1 & 2)", "Triple Funk", "Extra Funk", "Uhh (full length)", "City Dump", "She Knows It", "Tramp (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky Broadway Time (parts 1 & 2)", and previously unissued tracks "Why Am I Treated So Funky Bad (orig mix)", "Extra Funk (alt)", "So Sharp (alt)", "Call My Name", and "Broadway Combination (alt)". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest things that George Harrison did after the breakup of The Beatles – not his first solo album, but yet his first non-experimental venture – and a triple-length set that's filled with magic throughout! This isn't one of those "shoulda been a single record" sets – as Harrison has this amazing ability to craft new tunes with new styles in a way that really sets the record apart from his later work with The Beatles – maybe a summation of all those wonderful little moments that George was starting to add to their records, but fully blossomed here into a field's worth of fantastic musical flowers. Titles include "My Sweet Lord", "Wah Wah", "I'd Have You Anytime", "What Is Life", "Run Of The Mill", "Isn't It A Pity", "Plus Me In", "Thanks For The Pepperoni", "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp", "Beware Of Darkness", "Out Of The Blue", and "Hear Me Lord". CD

A nice little collection of some classic hard bop from Jimmy Heath, with a few of the sides of some the stuff he recorded with larger ensembles thrown in for good measure, pulled together in the 80s, once the OJC family of labels came under the Fantasy umbrella. Heath's Riverside recordings of the late 50s and early 60s is some of our favorite material on the label, recording with a soulful, hip edge and fiery hard bop energy. This collection pulls numbers from The Thumper, Really Big!, The Quota, Triple Threat, Swamp Seed and On The Trail, and feature a host of top notch players, including Nat Adderley, Curtis Fuller, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Pat Patrick, Cannonball Adderley, Julius Watkins, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, and brothers Percy and Albert Heath. Tracks include "Nice People", "Who Needs It?", "The Picture Of Heath", "Down Shift", "Lowland Lullaby", "Dew & Mud", "Wall To Wall" and "All The Things You Are". CD includes two bonus tracks "Goodbye" & "Swamp Seed". CD

2 sides of work by this oft-overlooked late Chicago soul group! The real gem here is "Share My Love With You" – a sublime harmony soul ballad, and the kind of track that rivals the best of the New Jersey vocal group scene of the early 70s! A wonderful track that should have been huge – arranged and produced by the triple threat team of Otis Leavill, Willie Henderson, and Carl Davis! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Great live work by Albert Mangelsdorff – recorded during the height of his creative years at MPS, at a time when he was easily one of the most creative trombonists in the world! Mangelsdorff has risen to new heights by the time of this record – pushing the instrument to a level that only a few might hope to match – maybe just Roswell Rudd or Grachan Moncur – although we'd argue that Albert has an even wider range of expression, especially over the course of different records. This set shows his fiercest, most unbridled side – a great live date recorded in Tokyo, with a group that includes Heinz Sauer on tenor, Gunter Lenz on bass, and Ralf Hubner on drums. The interplay between Sauer and Mangelsdorff is excellent, never too free, and with that bit of swing that Mangelsdorff always put into his work, no matter how modern the idiom. Tracks include "Sing & Swing", "Open Space", "Triple Trip", and "Mahusale" – and they all run for a fairly long time. CD

A triple-action classic from alto genius Jackie McLean – and one of those key records from the years when he stunned the world by moving from hardbop into the more experimental modes of the "new thing" generation! The approach here is very formative – not just for some of Jackie's spiritual expressions in the 70s, but also for the way that more creative jazz moved forward in years to come – as McLean is working alongside key players who include Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! Higgins' lyrical playing is a perfect complement to the more avant tones of the others – giving the album a free dancing soul, but also never letting things get too out of hand to lose the jazz basis of McLean's best work. The album includes an early recording of Tolliver's classic tune "Plight", plus the tracks "Wrong Handle", "Action", and "Hootnan". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Lee's totally great hard bop sessions for Vee Jay, recorded around the time of his best early work for Blue Note, and with a good hard group that includes Clifford Jordan on tenor, Eddie Higgins on piano, and Art Blakey on drums. The material's a tight set of tracks that includes originals by Jordan, Higgins, Morgan, and Wayne Shorter – with titles like "Fire", "Lost & Found", "The Hearing", "Triple Threat", and "Expoobidient" – all burners that really sum up the majestic power of the young Lee Morgan at his best! CD

An incredible album from Lee Morgan – one of his last records ever, and a set that shows a whole new promise in his music – one that was sadly unfulfilled as a result of his tragic early death. The songs hare are all quite long – stretched out live numbers, but never in a way that's overindulgent (especially in comparison to some of Lee's Blue Note contemporaries) – and put together with a level of creativity and imagination that's simply stunning! Lee's in a beautifully searching mode here – stretching out on his solos, and hitting spaces we never would have imagined in his work even a few short years before. The rest of the group's great too – and include Bennie Maupin on flute, tenor, and bass clarinet, Harold Mabern on piano, Jymie Merritt on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums. Titles include "The Beehive", "Neophilia", "Nommo", and "Absolutions". Plus, this 3CD set features triple the amount of material on the original set – which was already an extended one – 8 more bonus cuts that include "Aon", "Yunjanna", "416 East 10th Street", "I Remember Britt", and "Peyote". CD

Freddie Roach always makes a good move on his Blue Note sessions – going for a lean and tight style on the organ that never fails to please! On this set, he's working with a mixed group of hardbop and soul jazz players that includes two Blue Note heavyweights – Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Hank Mobley on tenor – key proof that the label really thought a lot of Roach's playing at the time, and a great way to hear Mobley open up with a Hammond – which he doesn't always do! The rest of the group also features Eddie Wright on guitar and Clarence Johnson on drums – all moving with Freddie on some tight tracks that have a triple punch of organ, tenor, and trumpet! Titles include "Wine Wine Wine", "I.Q. Blues", "On Our Way Up", and "Pastel". LP, Vinyl record album

John Scofield's the leader here – but at times, we almost think the record's the vision of pianist Hal Galper as much as it is the guitarist – as both their efforts leap from the grooves with a really wonderful sense of energy! Maybe part of the album's strength is the rhythm duo – as the great Stafford James is on bass, a player we always love, next to drummer Adam Nussbaum – who can also really take off, and keep things driving in ways that have Scofield moving with all these fast flourishes of sound – quickly spinning out those chromatic lines that made him such a distinct player in the 70s! Galper has a great sense of boldness – and titles include "Alter Fields", "Rough House", "Slow Elvin", "Triple Play", "Air Pakistan", and "Ailleron". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant set from the Chicago scene – a trio that features cornet from Rob Mazurek, drums from John Herndon, and some mighty vibes from Jason Adasiewicz – easily one of the most important players on his instrument in the past decade! There's a mixture of freeness and togetherness here that really reminds us of the 60s new thing generation – like Bobby Hutcherson coming together with Tony Williams – yet infused with the genre-crossing energy that all three players embrace – that rich legacy that both Mazurek and Herndon bring to the session, and help show the way for a new chapter in the music of Adasiewicz. Proof that Delmark is suddenly as hip again as it was in the late 60s – with cuts that include "Orange Blossom", "Double Demon", "Vodou Cinque", "Skull Cave", and "Triple Hex". CD

Late great work from the mighty Gerald Wilson – done with a slightly different groove than his 60s sides! The group features Harold Land Jr on electric piano – plus Bobby Bryant on trumpet, Oscar Brashear on trumpet and flugelhorn, Garnett Brown and Thurman Green on trombones, Harold Land and Ernie Watts on tenor and flute, and Mike Wofford on Mason Hamlin BB piano! Tracks are long, and titles include "Lomelin", "Ay Ee En", "Blues For Zubin", "You Know", and "Triple Chase". LP, Vinyl record album

The funkiest side of Stax Records – a treasure trove of funky nuggets, all hand-picked by RZA! As the title implies, these are some of the grooves that became the building blocks of the Wu-Tang sound – but even without that pedigree, these tracks are more than great enough on their own – a wonderful mix of album cuts and rare singles – some you'll recognize from famous hip hop samples, some you'll discover here for the first time ever! The triple-length package is overflowing with greatness – and titles include "I Could Never Be Happy" and "I Like It" by The Emotions, "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by The Mad Lads and another "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by William Bell, "Children Don't Get Weary" by Judy Clay, "All It Takes Is You & Me" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Poverty's Paradise" by 24 Carat Black, "I'll Play The Blues For You" by Albert King, "Why Marry" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Steal Away" by Johnnie Taylor, "Hang On Sloopy" by David Porter, "Ike's Mood 1" by Isaac Hayes, "In The Rain" by The Dramatics, "Don't Take My Kindness For Weakness" by The Soul Children, "Packed & Took My Mind" by Little Milton, "Sing A Simple Song" by Booker T & The MGs, "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter, "LA Jazz Song" by Booker T & The MGs, "Walk On By" by Isaac Hayes, and "Keep The Faith" by Mel & Tim. CD

A seminal album from the end of the 60s – the triple-length soundtrack to the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969 – pulled from all the many hours of material recorded for the film of the event! The set list reads not just like a "who's who" of hipness at the time – but also expands to show just how wide the range of sounds was in the underground – strands that move past the obvious rock material that you might expect, and which have the record standing as a great memory to the time – with maybe more diversity than some of the more monolithic memories! Features work by Canned Heat, Arlo Guthrie, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Richie Havens, Santana, Ten Years After, The Who, Country Joe & The Fish, Sly & The Family Stone, Joan Baez, Butterfield Blues Band, Joe Cocker, Jefferson Airplane, John B Sebastian – and yes, Sha Na Na. LP, Vinyl record album

Post-Mingus work from reedman George Adams and pianist Don Pullen – three albums in a single set! Decisions is one of those key records that has George Adams and Don Pullen reinventing expectations of jazz for the 80s – both musicians with plenty of ear for the outside, but also coming back home with a well-rounded, deeply-rooted approach that's crucial in taking the American jazz legacy another step forward! Like some of their similar contemporaries, who could also be avant at times, and straight at others – Adams and Pullen have no concern with setting themselves in one camp or another – and not only flesh out the spirit of the record with both of those aspects of their playing, but also have some surprisingly bluesy undercurrents at times. The group features George Adams on tenor, Don Pullen on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – and titles include "Decisions", "Triple Over Time", "I Could Really For You", "Message Urgent", and "Trees & Grass & Things". Life Line is a strong outing from this key post-Mingus collaboration – and a record that really shows both Don Pullen and George Adams really coming into their own! Pullen's piano can have plenty of edges, as can Adams' tenor – but there's also some warmer, lyrical moments that really round things out – kind of a balance between righteous energy and deeper quietude that the musicians might have learned during their time with Charles Mingus – taken to a logical small group extension here. Adams also plays a bit of flute, which is especially nice – and the group also includes Cameron Brown on bass and Dannie Richmond on drums. Titles include "The Great Escape Or Run John Henry Run", "Seriously Speaking", "Soft Seas", and "Protection". Live At Montmartre is solidly soaring work from tenorist George Adams – recording live here with pianist Don Pullen, one of his best musical partners during the 80s! The album's got a bit more of a bite than some of the pair's studio sessions – a bit straighter overall, but recorded with a nice degree of energy, and some long tracks that really let both players open up nicely – in a combo that also features John Scofield on guitar, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums. The inclusion of Scofield's guitar changes up the group's sound in a nice way – adding in some more chromatic elements that really stand out – and titles include "IJ", "Flame Games", "Song Everlasting", and "Forever Lovers". CD

Carlos Barberia cooks things up nicely here – thanks to arrangements from Manolo Albo, a triple-sax section, and vocals from Tito Contreras and Willy El Baby! Titles include "Mofoibale Al Tambo", "Para Balboa Me Voy", "Milagro De Borinquen", and "Yo Tengo Un Gozo En El Alma". LP, Vinyl record album

Pounding! This is the long-awaited re-release of a lost session that Blakey recorded in 1958, with a triple-drum rhythm group that included himself, Philly Joe Jones, and Roy Haynes – plus some additional conga work by Ray Barretto. Unlike other Blakey "drum orgy" sessions, though, this one's got a much straighter jazz feel – with plenty of solo space for trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Bobby Timmons. The drums work together in fantastic interplay – with Haynes' lyricism, Blakey's crackle, and Jones' raw power all providing perfect complement to each other while Morgan solos freely out front as the only horn (a role that he rarely ever got to take!) The set also includes 2 amazing other tracks that feature only bass and drum (not drum n bass!) interplay between Blakey and the late Paul Chambers – making for a total of 8 incredible tracks in all, with titles that include "Lee's Tune", "Blakey's Blues", "Lover", and "Drums In the Rain". Great stuff, and with notes by Kenny Washington, too! CD

James Brown's great second album recorded live at the Apollo Theater in Harlem – a set we like even better than the first famous volume – because it's much more stretched-out, harder-hitting, and full of fire! You'd be hard pressed to find a better example of Brown's showmanship on record – as James urges the band through these triple-time takes on some of his classics, and turns in some amazing work in the process! The set includes a killer long version of "There Was A Time" – almost the blueprint of the James Brown funk sound to come – and other titles include "Bring It Up", "Let Yourself Go", and a wonderful duet version of "Think" – plus "Prisoner Of Love", "Out Of Sight", "Try Me", "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World", "Lost Someone","Thanks", "Cold Sweat", "I Feel Alright", and "Please, Please, Please". Features 30 minutes of extra material, with remixed tracks, set in the original running order, and lots of great notes! CD

Pure genius from Ray Bryant – the kind of a record that few other players could ever hope to cut, and a fantastic demonstration of Ray's extremely soulful approach to the trio format! Bryant's working here with Bill Lee on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – in a triple-burning setting that has all players contributing equally to the groove – and often working strongly to create a great sense of counterpoint in the rhythms. Roker's drums are magically playful throughout – snapping and skipping along the top of the snare in a way that only furthers the rhythmic agenda of Bryant's piano. And Lee's bass has a laidback and mellow delight – one that rings out alongside the keys of the piano, and fleshes them out with some additional depth and color. The title track is a brilliant reading of "Con Alma", and the set also features Bryant's famous tune "Cubano Chant" – as well as the titles "Autumn Leaves", "Milestones", "Ill Wind", and "C Jam Blues". CD

They don't call Jimmy Dawkins "fast fingers" for nothing – and the first few minutes of the record are definitely testament to his mighty power on the guitar! The instrument is electric, and recorded with this sense of powerful echo that easily has Dawkins blowing away some of the UK blues rockers who were starting to get into the game at the time – as do his vocals, which we'd put head to head with some of the giants who took this mode and ran with it through the arena rock scene of the 70s! Yet throughout, it's the guitar that's especially amazing – completely confident and masterful, even though this was Jimmy's first album – with nice lean support from Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano and organ, and Mighty Joe Young on second guitar. Titles include "Little Angel Child", "Night Rock", "Triple Trebles", "It Serves Me Right To Suffer", "Breaking Down", "I Don't Know What Love Is", and "I Wonder Why". LP, Vinyl record album

They don't call Jimmy Dawkins "fast fingers" for nothing – and the first few minutes of the record are definitely testament to his mighty power on the guitar! The instrument is electric, and recorded with this sense of powerful echo that easily has Dawkins blowing away some of the UK blues rockers who were starting to get into the game at the time – as do his vocals, which we'd put head to head with some of the giants who took this mode and ran with it through the arena rock scene of the 70s! Yet throughout, it's the guitar that's especially amazing – completely confident and masterful, even though this was Jimmy's first album – with nice lean support from Eddie Shaw on tenor, Lafayette Leake on piano and organ, and Mighty Joe Young on second guitar. Titles include "Little Angel Child", "Night Rock", "Triple Trebles", "It Serves Me Right To Suffer", "Breaking Down", "I Don't Know What Love Is", and "I Wonder Why". CD features two bonus tracks – "Sad & Blues" and "Back Home Blues". CD

Maybe one of the greatest things that George Harrison did after the breakup of The Beatles – not his first solo album, but yet his first non-experimental venture – and a triple-length set that's filled with magic throughout! This isn't one of those "shoulda been a single record" sets – as Harrison has this amazing ability to craft new tunes with new styles in a way that really sets the record apart from his later work with The Beatles – maybe a summation of all those wonderful little moments that George was starting to add to their records, but fully blossomed here into a field's worth of fantastic musical flowers. Titles include "My Sweet Lord", "Wah Wah", "I'd Have You Anytime", "What Is Life", "Run Of The Mill", "Isn't It A Pity", "Plus Me In", "Thanks For The Pepperoni", "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp", "Beware Of Darkness", "Out Of The Blue", and "Hear Me Lord". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great record – and easily one of Harold Land's best! The session brings Land in from the west coast, and records him in New York with his regular rhythm combo that included the great Amos Trice on piano, Clarence Jones on bass, and Joe Peters on drums. But, added to that quartet is the wonderful Kenny Dorham on trumpet – blowing with a sweetly soulful sound that really opens up the groove – and which sounds wonderful next to Land's raspy edge on the tenor! The tracks are all quite long, and the overall approach is nice and hard, with some mighty fierce solos by Land and Dorham. Titles include "Okay Blues", "So In Love", "Slowly", and "Triple Trouble". CD

A great early Black Saint album from trombonist George Lewis – a key example of the way the AACM spirit thrived overseas, thanks to the efforts of labels like this! The work is quite serious and experimental – almost compositional in nature, and definitely heading towards the AACM promise of "Great Black Music". Two of the songs, "Monads" and "Shadowgraph" are performed by a group that features Roscoe Mitchell on saxes, Leroy Jenkins on violin, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, Douglas Ewart on bass clarinet and other reeds, and Abdul Wadud on cello – with Lewis himself on tenor trombone and other horns. "Triple Slow Mix" features Lewis on the sousaphone with split piano channels – Abrams on the left and Anthony Davis on the right – a very haunting sonic experience. "Cycle" has Lewis playing the Moog in addition to trombone and tuba, accompanied by Ewart on various woodwinds. LP, Vinyl record album

2 sides of work by this oft-overlooked late Chicago soul group! The real gem here is "Share My Love With You" – a sublime harmony soul ballad, and the kind of track that rivals the best of the New Jersey vocal group scene of the early 70s! A wonderful track that should have been huge – arranged and produced by the triple threat team of Otis Leavill, Willie Henderson, and Carl Davis! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Joanna Newsom as richly lyrical, lushly arranged and weirdly beautiful as ever! Divers is the 5 years in the making follow up to her triple album Have One On Me, and if you found that one too thick a forest to take root in, this one's much easier to dive into – with 11 songs in 51 minutes – but it might be even greater in lyrical scope! As always, her distinctive voice is a very compelling instrument, and no other could convey the wordy brilliance of her songs. Recorded by Steve Albini and Noah Georgeson with clarity and immediacy, all the better for the diverse arrangements that range from light orchestal, to wispy folk, to anthemic, if largely acoustic art pop. At this point, if you've heard Joanna Newsom, you either "get it" or not. Our admiration grows with each effort, and we're pretty excited that an artist with a sound this far out of the ordinary can be as popular as she is. Includes "Anecdotes", "Sapokanikan", "Leaving The City", "Goose Eggs", "Waltz of The 101st Lightborne", "The Things I Say", "Divers", "Same Old Man", "You Will Not Take Heart Alive", "A Pin-Light Bent" and "Time, As A Symptom". CD

Timeless, brilliant avant pop psyche from Joanna Newsom – a flat out stunner and a triple album that's the most rewarding sprawl of an album to come out of the indie realm in years – an epic win for Newsom and the Drag City label! Newsom was unafraid of song length on the previous records, so you had to figure that if any of her peers were gonna pull of a triple album, she'd be the one, but this a holy s**t epiphany of an album. Where the previous one had these lush arrangements, made in collaboration with Van Dyke Parks, this one has a roomy intimacy in the arrangements, but does not lack for grandeur (how could it with harp, viola, violin and horns as central instrumentation), but her voice is so otherworldly and stirring here, and the songs so mysterious and beautiful. Titles include "Easy", "Have One On Me", "No Provenance", "On A Good Day", "Baby Birch", "In California", "Soft As Chalk", "Autumn", "Kingfisher", "Does Not Suffice" and more. CD

Amazing 70s work from British altoist Mike Osborne – working here with a razor sharp trio that includes Harry Miller on bass and Louis Moholo on drums. Osborne's tone is already tremendous at the start – but the added rhythmic pressure of Miller and Moholo really make the album cook – burning with more intensity than the usual Ogun session of the time, and really taking on a triple-sided sort of interplay that allows each player ample voice on the date. There's almost a late 50s Sonny Rollins Trio sort of legacy going on here – but one pushed to freer 70s dimensions at times – and the whole thing's a great testament to the hidden talents of the critically overlooked Osborne! The side-long "All Night Long" suite includes improvs on "All Night Long", "Rivers", "Round Midnight" and "Scotch Pearl", and side 2 is also taken up by "Recapulations", another suite featuring "Ken's Tune", "Country Bounce", "All Night Long" and "Trio Trio". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Scotch Pearl" and "Now & Then Here & Now". CD

Amazing! This is one of the coolest sets we've seen in years – and everything about it is fantastic, from the package right down to the triple-length set of music! The set features rare unreleased recordings from Raymond Scott's legendary Manhattan Research electronic music studios – originally set up in 1946, and home to some of Scott's landmark early work on non-acoustic music during the 50s and 60s. Far from being the sort of turgid, dark knob-twiddling that computer music later became in the academy, Scott's early experiments are filled with a sense of whimsy and joy – exported directly from his early cartoon-based work, and applied in a fantastic way to his evolving musical inventions! The LP edition comes in three separate sleeves, plus a great 8 page booklet of notes, in a brilliant graphic style that complements the package even further! Don't forget the music, though – because it's totally fantastic – and kind of reminds us of bits of Jon Appleton's Syntonic Menagerie, Pierre Henry's early Musique Concrete, and later punk-era DIY electronics. That doesn't even come close to pinning it down, though – and with 3 LPs worth of material, the scope of the work is amazing! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer record by Shirley Scott and Stanley Turrentine – and quite possibly the best they ever did together! The lady organist and husband tenorist play hard, firm, and strong – and the backing by Earl May and Grasella Oliphant is right in the pocket, and bubbles with a nice strong soul jazz groove. The record features their famous version of "In The Still Of The Night", taken at triple-time, with some excellent solo work by both players. Other tracks include "Gravy Waltz", "Deep Down Soul", and "Soul Shoutin". CD also includes 6 more bonus tracks from The Soul Is Willing – a very similar session, with more great Turrentine tenor – on titles that include "Yes Indeed", "Secret Love", "I Feel Alright", and "Stolen Sweets". CD

Indie rock elders Sonic Youth's first high profile album on an indie label in about 20 years – the group's first for Matador, and a skillful mix of insistent, exciting melodic precision, barbed lyricism, random bursts of noise, and enough layered hypnotic guitar errata that you'll hear something new each time you come back to it! Through the years they continued to be pretty exciting, and for the most part managed to avoid repeating themselves, while still working in something of a comfort zone – once throwing a screwdriver in the old noise rock guitar neck with the addition of Jim O'Rourke to the group, and with O'Rourke's departure, former Pavement player Mark Ibold on bass. Kim Gordon is now freed up to be play guitar, making for a triple threat along with Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo – and it's a riveting sound. They don't reinvent the wheel on The Eternal – but they steer into adventurous waters – and as long as they're making records this good we're hoping they live up to title! Includes "Sacred Trickster", "Anti-Orgasm", "Leaky Lifeboat (For Gregory Corso)", "Antenna", "What We Know", "Calming The Snake", "Poison Arrow", "Malibu Gas Station", "Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn", "No Way", "Walkin Blue", "Massage The History". CD

One of the most incredible pop tracks of the 60s! Billy Stewart's reading of "Summertime" sounds nothing like you've ever heard! The cut has these rolling popping vocals, and a triple-time groove that turns the cut into a dark stormer filled with raw energy. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A late 80s masterpiece on Def Jam by MC Serch and Pete Nice – mixing bitingly satirical rhymes and densely-layered, sample-heavy production. While the Bomb Squad-produced "Steppin To The A.M." and the Prince Paul-produced "The Gas Face" featuring an early appearance by Zev Love X, later known as MF DOOM, are brilliant hits for sure, the album cuts are just as great! Includes "Brooklyn Queens", "Product Of The Environment", "Words Of Wisdom", "Sons Of 3rd Bass", "The Cactus", "Flippin' Off The Wall Like Lucy Ball", "MC Disagree", "Triple Stage Darkness", "Hoods" and more! CD

A killer Northern Soul single from the Volcanos – a group who definitely earn their explosive name with "Gotta Be A False Alarm"! The tune runs off tight right from the start – with this mighty Detroit-styled groove, and rock-solid vocals that have the lead singer trading lines beautifully with the harmonies from the group! "Movin & Groovin" does exactly what the title promises – and kicks into gear with this wonderful horn part over triple-time drums – all instrumental, and delivered at a level that hardly makes you miss the vocals! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Includes the songs "Love You Madly", "Getaway", "Sophisticated Lady", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "Lomelin", "Ay-ee-en", "See You Later", "You Know Triple Chase", and "Blues For Zubin". CD

A sprawling triple length set from Young Jeezy – his first for Def Jam, and a set that was delivered at that moment when it seemed like the southern scene could just spin out material like this with effortless ease! Jeezy's position amidst boxes of money on the cover will give you an idea of some of the vibes on the set – definitely the sort that showed that the rapper was one of the bolder youngsters from the Atlanta scene! The set has features from TI, Mannie Fresh, Young Buck, and Lil Will – and titles include "Go Crazy", "Standing Ovation", "Let's Get It/Sky's The Limit", "My Hood", "Bottom Of The Map", "Bang", "Soul Survivor" and "Tear It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A baker's dozen from Darkstar, Hurt 'Em Bad, Ronnie Hudson, Uncle Jamm's Army, King M.C. & D.J. Flash, Ice-T, Kid Frost, The Triple Threat Three, L.A. Dream Team, Bobby Jimmy & The Critters, The Egyptian Lover, Rodney-O & Joe Cooley, and D.J. Matrix. CD

A masterful later album by the Beastie Boys – who always preferred to put out a great record every five or six years, than a sub par album every 2 or 3! All these years after Paul's Boutique, when the world of difficult, expensive sample clearance could've kill the layers of pop pastiche sound bites that made P's B such a brilliant statement, the soul and funk samples are still piled on in abundance on this one (albeit with a more electro studio built backdrop), as are the block rockin' party rhymes – even if the tone is serious and strident in spots. There are no attempts at live funky jazz or punk rock this time – this may be the Beasties' most classifiable hip hop album in decades. Tracks include the great throwback single "Ch-Check It Out", "Right Right Now Now", "3 The Hard Way", "It Takes Time To Build", "Rhyme The Rhyme Well", "Hey F**k You", "Triple Trouble", "Oh Word?", "That's It That's All", "All Lifestyles", "Shazam!", "An Open Letter To NYC" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Neo-classic boombap from Dilated Peoples –a team rooted strongly in time-honored group rap, compelling beats and turntablism – setting out to live up to the classic craft rather than re-invent the wheel, and deliver the goods track for track here! Not quite as nostalgic as the more straight-up throwback rappers of the late 90s and early 00s, which proves Dilated Peoples all the wiser, as this one has hardly aged a day. Tracks include "Right On" featuring Tha Alkaholiks, "The Shape Of Things To Come" featuring Aceyalone, "No Retreat" featuring B Real, "Work The Angles", "The Last Line Of Defense", "Annihilation", "Ear Drums Pop", "Expanding Man", "Triple Optics", "The Main Event", "Service", "The Platform" and four more. LP, Vinyl record album