Rarely are such "meeting of the minds" sessions worth any fuss at all – but in this case, the masterful talents of the players turn what should be a snoozy "common denominator" session into a modernist classic that still crackles with excitement after all these years! The real success factor here is Ellington, who was hitting a point in his career when he was really beginning to experiment again – as you'll hear in the beautifully angular piano lines that he lays next to Mingus' bass and Roach's lively drums. The set's nearly all originals, and titles include "Money Jungle", "Le Fleurs Africaines", and "Wig Wise". Very nice! CD features bonus tracks! CD

A pair of Isleys classics, making their debut on SACD! Heat Is On features a great mix of heavy funk and sweeter ballads from the Isley Brothers – and a record that's filled with two-part tracks that really let them stretch out and groove! The tunes have a bit more bass and keyboards than before – an approach that's even more electric than Isley funk of a few years back, and which steps out in some tightly vamping rhythms that still crackle with plenty of warmth and soul – especially on the mellower numbers, which dominate side two of the record, and really make this one worth having! Mellow tracks include "For The Love Of You (parts 1 & 2)", "Sensuality (parts 1 & 2)", and "Make Me Say It Again (parts 1 & 2)" – and funkier numbers include "Fight The Power (parts 1 & 2)", "The Heat Is On (parts 1 & 2)", and "Hope You Feel Better Love (parts 1 & 2)". Harvest For The World is fantastic Isleys from the mid-70s! The record has the group dropping their heavy funk style (which was sounding a bit tired by this point), and picking up a strident soul groove that buoyed their tracks with a spiritual sound that reminds us of some of the best moments from the Brother Brother Brother album! This one includes the incredible song "Harvest For The World", one of the most anthemic soul songs of the 70s – and a monster groover that mixes message-driven vocals with some tight guitar work. Other tracks include "You Still Feel the Need", "Let Me Down Easy", and "People of Today" – and the whole album's one of the group's best from the 70s! CD