A crucial piece of plastic that you'll treasure for years! This 45 adapter may be tiny, but it provides a key function when you're out spinning in clubs – as it easily allows you to slide 45s on and off a conventional turntable, thanks to its unique cone-shaped top! The adapter fits on the spindle of any regular turntable (even those old-fashioned ones with the drop-type in the middle) – and its size and design make it a lot easier to switch 45s back and forth than most other adapters on the market! Misc

A double-header of soundtracks from composer Jerry Goldsmith – both from his 60s years at 20th Century Fox! Von Ryan's Express is a lot more driving and dramatic than some of the composer's other scores – Goldsmith serving up a rich score to a wartime action thriller with Sinatra in the lead – but also bringing in some moodier elements of the type he used in some of his more cerebral scores of the 60s. The mix is nice – not straight military action, but nicely deep – and the CD features 43 tracks, including the film score, soundtrack album, and additional material too. The Blue Max is one of the most famous Jerry Goldsmith soundtracks ever – even if the film itself wasn't much of a hit! Goldsmith really rose to the top ranks of film composers with his work for Blue Max – able to orchestrate both full action and quiet moments with effortless ease – often through these compressed passages that really move beyond the usual Hollywood scoring standard of the time! Things are never too flowery, yet still remain quite full at times – and Goldsmith really demonstrates his great skill with creating special odd sounds out of more familiar instruments. CD features 31 tracks in all – including the full film score, and additional music too! CD

Groundbreaking early work from drummer Milford Graves and pianist Don Pullen – a set of long, free improvisations that were originally issued on Graves' Self-Reliance Productions label – combined here for the first time ever! The music is even more striking than sounds from the time on the ESP label – and also really predates some of the freer work of this type from the European scene – as Graves is a monster on the drum kit and a range of percussion, reaching out with this scope of sound and deft command of his hands that's simply breathtaking – matched by energy from Pullen that really surpasses some of his later work too – almost Cecil Taylor-like vibes at points, mixed with other elements that are in a more familiar mode for the pianist. The set features five long improvisations, each a numbered variant with the title "PG". Great gatefold package – with images of some of the hand-painted covers that Graves used for his releases! CD

A tribute to Billie Holiday – with Johnny Griffin's tenor fronting some larger backing on strings and brass – but hipper than most efforts of this type, thanks to some great arrangements by Melba Liston and Norman Simmons! The record's a good change from some of Johnny's more full-on bop sessions from the same time – and it's nice to hear that his tenor works equally well on mellow tracks and ballads, stretching out with a deep edge and a wonderful tone. Other players include Clark Terry on trumpet, Barry Galbraith on guitar, and Ron Carter on bass – and titles include "God Bless The Child", "Gloomy Sunday", "Travelin' Light", "Left Alone", and "Detour Ahead". CD

A classic early album from Larry Harlow's flute-playing brother – a set that grooves along with the trademark family groove, but which also has a fair bit of sensitive moments as well! There's a jazzier style here than on some of the classic Orchestra Harlow albums – one that comes not only from Andy's lively work on flute, but also from the overall phrasing and timing of tunes – done mostly in a mode that shifts towards the hipper Nuyorican side of the salsa spectrum. Titles include "Sorpresa La Flauta", which has a slow funky groove in kind of a west coast Latin type style – and other tracks feature vocals by Johnny Vasquez, with titles that include "Ay Que Bueno", "Superstar", "La Loteria", and "Amor Perdido". CD

A stunning live example of Ike's amazing baroque soul for Stax! Despite the schmaltz that you might expect from a live set recorded at Lake Tahoe, the album's a beautiful batch of long tracks with a very similar feel to Ike's other Stax work at the time – and it really gives you an excellent chance to hear how he could create these tiny little masterpieces even in a live setting, without any sort of studio trickery. Titles include "Do Your Thing", "Theme From The Men", "Look Of Love", "Theme From Shaft", "Ike's Rap V", "Windows Of The World", "Ain't No Sunshine", and "Type Thang". 2 LPs – in a cool die-cut cover! LP, Vinyl record album

A crowning moment from the Chicago scene of the late 70s – the second Mercury album from Heaven & Earth, and a stunner all the way through! The set's an undisputed groover right from the start – thanks to the massive arrangements from the great Floyd Morris – an artist who did some excellent work in the Chicago indie soul scene in the 60s, including some classic funky 45s – and whose work here definitely gives Heaven & Earth a sharper edge than most other acts of their type at the time! You can definitely hear Floyd's touch in the funky bottom of the two-part classic "I Feel A Groove Under My Feet", and in the riffing guitar of "Poetry In A Box" – and the group also show their warmer, mellower side nicely on cuts like "Let's Get It Together", "I'm In Love With Your Lady", "I Only Have Eyes For You", and "Whole Lot Of Love" – nice warm numbers with great harmonies and gentle stepping grooves! CD

Excellent work from this smooth Chicago vocal group! The album may well be the best the group ever recorded – and it features some stellar ballad work produced with a nice spacey tone, almost in a Rose Royce mellow mode – by Jerry Butler's Fountain Productions team and by Clarence Johnson, who brought the group up from the beginning! The real strength of the album, though, is the group's vocals – wonderfully harmonious, but with a rougher edge and a deeper soul than many other 70s groups of the same type. The album includes the massive semi-hit "Guess Who's Back In Town" – plus other good ballads like "How Do You Think You're Gonna Find Love", "Let's Work It Out", and "Distant Melody". The album also features some uptempo numbers – and other tracks include "Run & Tell That", "Dance A Thon", and "No Limit". CD

A classic speech by Jesse Jackson – one that became quite a hit for Stax's Respect subsidiary, and which was one of the better selling albums of its type in the early 70s. The album was recorded back in the days before Jesse had become a bit of a cliche, when he appeared to be emerging as the heir to Martin Luther King's crown, with possibly as much potential for social change and political motivation. The record contains Jesse's famous "I Am Somebody" speech – which included the title chant that would be taken up often in the 70s, even on funky records, as well as into the 80s and 90s, when it was frequently sampled by hip hoppers. LP, Vinyl record album

A spectacular soul album from Holland – but one that's got a much more American groove than some other overseas records of its type! The cuts all feel as if they could have been lifted from indie sides of the east coast scene of the early 70s – and Billy shines beautifully both on the mellow ballads and uptempo numbers – the former of which have a sweet soul/harmony vibe, the latter of which take things into fast funk territory of the pre-disco years! The whole thing's great – a beautiful balance between funky groovers and laidback soul – and titles include "Funky Monkey Monkey", "Thank You", "Save All My Lovin", "Feelin Good", "All My Brothers Are Clean", "Love Is Gonna Rain On You", "Look Out Baby Here I Come", and "Message From A Black Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic collaboration between Coldcut and a host of South African musicians – and a set that also features a number of key contributions from the legendary Tony Allen! The record uses the older cutup style that Coldcut first forged on the London scene of the 80s – but has lots of live musicianship from an array of jazz and percussion players, plus a variety of singers too – stretching out in this really visionary blend that includes contributions from Dele Sosimi, Tenderlonious, Tony Allen, The Watts Prophets, Nono Nkoane, Lani Sigers, Gally Ngoveni, Miles James, Antibalas, and others! The project comes off way better than most of this type – very collaborative, and with a sound that's very unified, very together, and very fresh – definitely a whole that's even greater than the sum of its parts. Titles include "Freedom Groove", "Broken Light", "Crystallise", "Papua Merdeka", "Swift Gathering", "International Love Affair", and "Future Toyi Toyi". CD

A great example of the Kenton powerhouse in action – am extended live recording that really set a new standard for jazz sets of its type! The album features a side apiece dedicated to each of the three acts – one by Kenton's orchestra, one by Christy on vocals, and one by the Four Freshmen – the latter two supported by Kenton's group on their own sides, then joining together for a final fourth side that features all artists together. The approach is a great one – very vibrant, and certainly crowd-pleasing – and titles include "Artistry In Rhythm", "My Old Flame", "I Want To Be Happy", "Midnight Sun", "Day In Day Out", "Angel Eyes", and "Love For Sale". CD

The only album we've ever seen from Khemistry – but a heck of a sweet little set, and one that's always been dear to our hearts! The trio features two gals and one guy, all working with a great sing-song approach on the vocals – and a snapping 80s groove on the rhythms! There's a warmth here that you don't always find in sets of this type – a simple, straightforward feel that keeps the whole album humming along nicely – even through some of the mellower numbers. Production is never too commercial, and the instrumentation's never too electric – and the album's got a simple charm that's kept it a favorite on rare soul lists for decades. Titles include "Can You Feel My Love", "There's No Me Without You", "I Can't Lose With The Stuff I Use", "Sucker For The Boogie", "I Got A Feeling", and "Walking Papers". CD

A rare "with strings" session for altoist Lee Konitz – recorded back in his great years with Verve, set to wonderful arrangements from a young Bill Russo! The style here is a bit darker and more spare than some of the other albums of this type from the time – and Russo brings plenty of somber tones to the record – not in a bad way, but in a style that lets Lee's horn be the most strongly redeeming feature of the session – often stepping forth in relatively unfettered mode, with many of the strings at the lower end of the sound spectrum. Titles include the extended "An Image Of Man", plus "What's New", "Blues For Our Children", "The Daffodil's Sake", and "Music For Alto Saxophone & Strings". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime sound library work from mid 70s Australia – one of the greatest records ever from soundtrack genius Sven Libaek, done in collaboration with a host of the greatest Aussie jazz players of the time! The groove here is laidback, but funky – almost dreamy at times, in the manner of a sweet Italian soundtrack – but also with a flowing groove that seems to draw both from bossa nova and west coast jazz of previous years, yet turn these influences into a whole new sound entirely. Most of the tunes are small combo, and feature reeds from Don Burrows and Erroll Buddle, guitar from George Golla, and vibes from the amazing John Sangster – all wrapped up by Sven with an approach that's almost effortless at times – never too forced, nor too slick – and a fair bit different than music of this type coming from other hemispheres in the 70s! Titles include "Solar Flares", "Stella Maris", "Lift Off", "Destination Omega 3", "Space Walk", "Meteoric Rain", "Quasars", "No Flowers On Venus", and "In Nebular Orbit". CD

This is a pretty jazzy record compared to the usual Mancini soundtrack-type stuff. It's mostly mellow the whole way through and has some very nice moments due to the quality of the playing. His orchestra includes such folks as Pete Condoli on trumpet, Dick Nash on trombone, Johnny Williams on piano, Victor Feldman on vibes & marimba and Larry Bunker on vibes. There is only one Mancini original – "The Beat" – and the others are jazz standards such as "Misty", "After Hours", "Mood Indigo", "Tippin In", "Sing, Sing, Sing", and "Big Noise From Winnetka". LP, Vinyl record album

A subtle but compelling session from pianist Jim McNeely – working here on both acoustic piano and DX7, alongside bass from Marc Johnson and drums from Adam Nussbaum. The record's got a great way of blending the electric and acoustic keys through the course of the set – in a mode that was hardly ever carried off this well back in the 80s, save for a few other Owl Records sessions of the same type. McNeely's got a spacious, flowing approach to the keys that really makes the best tracks work nicely – a style that doesn't get to overly preoccupied in the features of the DX7, but lets it flow with pianistic qualities inherited slightly from the Bill Evans generation – no doubt augmented by Johnson's bass on the record. Titles include the original numbers "The Answer Without A Question", "Brooklyn Bob", "The Episode", "Ernie Banks", and a version of "The End Of A Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful, wonderful, wonderful "new thing" jazz session from Blue Note – and proof that the avant garde in the 60s didn't necessarily have to resort to blowing their heads off to make fantastic music! Trombonist Grachan Moncur III organized the session – but like other key Blue Note dates of this type, including work from Tony Williams and Jackie McLean, the album's a very evenly-weighted date that features equal contributions from all members involved! The lineup's a dream – and features Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – and the set's very much in the vein of Williams' Life Time album for Blue Note – with lots of dark, moody, and extremely complex compositions – and beautifully restrained modern solos. Moncur wrote all the tracks, and titles include "The Twins", "Nomadic", "Gnostic", and "Thandiwa". CD

Classic choro mixed with contemporary jazz – a beautiful set that offers up a range of lovely lines on flute from Maiara Moraes, who seems to play a few different variations of the instrument on the set! The rest of the group features piano, bass, and drums – plus some added flute and saxes from Josue Dos Santos – and the approach is very strongly jazz, but maybe with just some slight colors and tones borrowed from the older style of Brazilian choro – served up at a level that's got a lot more power, color, and soul than any other effort of this type we can think of! Titles include "Novena", "Bailonga", "Maracatu", "Con Brasil Adentro/Fuga X", and "Caminho De Volta". CD

A sweet set of digital dub from the Nigerian scene – a record that blends drum machine beats with richer, bassier currents – all in a vibe that's like some of the best underground work coming out of Kingston a few years before! Singer/leader Essco Wilson, aka Sharon Dread, features vocally on half the album's tracks – sometimes as a singer, sometimes acting more as a deejay – and the core rhythms are inflected with slight electro touches, but always in a way that's relatively stripped-down, and which keeps things interesting – very different than mainstream music of this type at the end of the 80s. Titles include "Gamble Woman", "If I'm To Rule The World", "Save The Little Children", and "Let's Chase Them". LP, Vinyl record album

Definitely the sort of album to make you feel better – given the tight, soulful sounds of Ndugu Chancler and this Chocolate Jam Company! The album's got roots in jazz – Ndugu's a drummer with work on countless other albums – but also steps out with plenty of soul, too – thanks to vocals from Ndugu, Leo Miller, Josie James, and Maxi Anderson – who often sing together in this warm style that fits perfectly with the grooves in the set! Instrumentation is definitely a cut above the usual session of this type – no surprise, given the jazz and fusion heavyweights in the lineup – and the tunes are catchy and grooving, yet never clunky or commercial at all. The blend is sublime – the sort that's made the record a standout for years – and titles include "Send You My Love", "Space Connection", "Make You Feel Better", "Jungle Journey", "Love Anew", and "Come Into My Life Again". CD features three bonus tracks – "Shadow Dancing (7" version)", "Take Some Time (7" version)", and "Love Anew (7" version)". CD

A rare little bossa jazz album from the early 60s Brazilian scene – one that's also a soundtrack too, which gives it a different feel than most other records of its type! The music is a mix of jazz and occasional larger orchestrations – in the best tradition of the late 50s French new wave scores, or some of the jazzier work from the early 60s Italian scene – music that you might hear from the pen of a young Piero Piccioni or Georges Delerue, but given a bossa nova twist too! Many tunes have some samba instrumentation at the core, but more jazz-based instrumentation on the top – and titles include "Assanhadinha", "Asfalto Selvagem", "Suicido", "Engracadinha", "Leticia", "Meu Rio Maravilhoso", and "Um Olhar Assim". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the glory days of the adult film – hundreds of posters that were used to publicize erotic cinema – often themselves a masterpiece in erotic aesthetics! Given that most of the posters were outside the theater, open to the public, there's a fair bit of hide and seek, teasing-type material here – at a level that's maybe even more creative than the images on the screen, especially when set to the typography and color filters of the late 60s/early 70s print world! The book features all posters in full color, and also intersperses some bits from magazines and other publications too – all at a level that's really playful, reveling in the style of the genre, while also poking a slight bit of fun. Graham Marsh was the art director, and you may know his name from a number of excellent album cover books – and overall, most images are softcore at best, with a small amount of nudity – although there are some heavier images from time to time. 352 pages, hardcover, and in full color. Book

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". LP, Vinyl record album

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players". CD

A trio of classic albums from Brazilian singer Orlandivo – all presented with original artwork too! First up is A Chave Do Successo – the first album ever by samba singer Orlandivo, a great talent who had a knack for blending samba, bossa, jazz, and a bit of soul – surfacing here with a sound that's quite different than most other singers of his generation! The record features organ by the great Ed Lincoln, grooving around in a tightly percussive bossa-inflected style – and the record is every bit as fresh and sparkling as the cover makes you think! Titles include "Onde Anda O Meu Amor", "Vem Pro Samba", "Chavinha", "Samba Toff", "Dias De Verao", "Sambadinho", "Saudade Doi Demais", "Amor Vai E Vem", and "Frajola E Piu Piu". Next is the self-titled Orlann Divo – warm bossa grooves – and the second album by Orlandivo, billed here on the cover as Orlann Divo! The album's a great batch of instrumentals – jazzy, with a mix of percussion, bass, and organ that's quite different from the usual bossa album of its type – much more expansive, and much more chance-taking. The use of organ is incredible – really weird at times, pushing the sonic qualities of the instrument in ways that you'd never hear on a Walter Wanderley album from the same time – and the nature of the tunes is great too, and really pushes past the usual batch of bossa covers and standards to come up with some great off-kilter styles. Features work by Ed Lincoln, Rubens Bassini, and Waltel Branco – and titles include "Samba No Japao", "Zezinho", "Amor Quadradinho", "Afim De Voce", "Vira Lata", "Somos Tres", "Saudade Em Seu Lugar", "Faz De Conta", and "Brincando De Samba". Last up is Samba Em Paralelo – a cool batch of jazzy tunes that's got a really fresh sound! The album's got the feel of a bossa session, but the instrumentation is a bit off-kilter – in a really cool way, especially on the way that vibes are used next to the vocals. Most tracks have a lively samba groove – and titles include "Paralelo", "Entrou No Samba", "Deixa O Vento Levar", "Na Roda Do Samba", "E Samba", and "Voce E Paz". This is a huge treat to see reissued so beautifully – and the sound is as crisp and alive as can be on CD. A stunner! CD

Japan's grooviest combo – hitting hard in a special European set! Given the amount of mod rhythms coming from Spain these days, it's no surprise that Osaka Monaurail finds a very enthusiastic audience to work with – a crowd that's clearly going wild for the group's mix of 60s soul and 70s funk instrumental modes! The set's definitely pitched a bit more towards the 60s modes they've been exploring in recent years, but the live setting still makes for some harder-edged funk too – the kind of gritty edges we first loved in their music, mixed with a new sense of sophistication in their larger charts. Titles include some great originals – "Groovy Groovy Groovy", "Quicksand", "Down & Out", "Jam 1976", and "New New Type Thing" – plus versions of "Walk On By", "Get Ready", "Message To Love", "Ain't It Funky Now", and "Eyesight". Also features a DVD with more material from the European live tour – over 50 minutes of cuts that include "Down & Out", "If You're Doin It Keep On Doin It", "New New Type Thing", "Groovy Groovy Groovy", and "Double Up Now". CD

Alternate takes from the legendary sessions! The genius of Bird and strings is hard to describe – an edgey approach that really goes far past most other "jazz with strings" projects, not a ballad-driven one, but a tensely strained one that brings out some of Parker's best soloing, almost in a moody soundtrack-type way. The set features the original strings sessions – with arrangements by Joe Lipman on most, and Jimmy Carroll on a few – and includes alternate takes of "Just Friends", "April In Paris", "Summertime", "Out Of Nowhere", "East Of The Sun", "I'll Remember April", "Stella By Starlight", "Temptation", and "They Can't Take That Away From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The essential early 90s classic by The Pharcyde, the group's high water mark, and one of the greatest hip hop albums of the era! Along with Del and the Souls Of Mischief, the Pharcyde were one of the few West Coast units to achieve any kind of widespread popularity using the uniquely loopy, funhouse kinda of vibe of De La Soul, Black Sheep and Tribe Called Quest in their lighter moments. Features the classics "Passing Me By", "Soul Flower", "Ya Mama", "I'm That Type Of Ni@*a", "Officer", "4 Better Or 4 Worse", "Return Of The B-Boys", and lots more. LP, Vinyl record album

The essential early 90s classic by The Pharcyde, the group's high water mark, and one of the greatest hip hop albums of the era – dressed up the the nines here in a beautiful 25th Anniversary set! Along with Del and the Souls Of Mischief, the Pharcyde were one of the few West Coast units to achieve any kind of widespread popularity using the uniquely loopy, funhouse kinda of vibe of De La Soul, Black Sheep and Tribe Called Quest in their lighter moments. Features the classics "Passing Me By", "Soul Flower", "Ya Mama", "I'm That Type Of Ni@*a", "Officer", "4 Better Or 4 Worse", "Return Of The B-Boys", and lots more! 25th Anniversary edition comes in a really beautiful foldout package with alternate cover art with the remastered original album on double vinyl plus 3 X 12"s with the "Ya Mama", "Passin' Me By" and "Otha Fish" singles each in their own replicas of the original picture sleeves, plus new liner notes. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – one that has the beat-heavy Quantic transform into the Quantic Soul Orchestra, for a stunning deep funk performance! The record sounds like nothing Quantic have done in the past – and shares a sound with work from the Soul Fire/Daptone underground, with a tight blend of hard drums, fast-riffing guitar, and all-solid 70s funky grooves. The one element that we would say the record shares with Quantic is a real talent for picking up neat instrumental twists – like the odd flute fill, string wash, or off-kilter drum sound – all of which make for a record that really opens up the genre of deep funk, and makes for one of the freshest releases we've heard of its type in a while! Includes a great deep funk cover of 4 Hero's "Hold It Down", plus the tracks "Terrapin", "Something That's Real", "South Coastin", "Stampede", "Raw Ingredients", "Babarabatiri", and "Take Your Time Change Your Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal moment in the career of Mongo Santamaria – and probably the first record to show that he was destined for greatness! As you might guess from the title, the set features Mongo's key recording of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" – served up here in a sharp-edged Latin jazz version that pushed the tune into a whole new audience, and which was one of the first big groovers of its type in the pre-Latin Soul years! The group here is totally great – with players that include funky flautist Mauricio Smith, baritone genius Pat Patrick, and the always-great Bobby Capers – all key players who illustrate Santamaria's genius for picking horn players. Titles include "Watermelon Man", "Yeh Yeh", "Funny Money", "Go Git It", "Sauvito", "Cut That Cane", and "Bayou Roots". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal third stream recording – the height of late 50s modern jazz in all of its seriousness! The album features works written by Schuller, John Lewis, Jimmy Giuffre, and JJ Johnson – all of them larger, serious jazz-meets-classical type numbers – performed by the Brass Ensemble Of The Jazz & Classical Music Society, led by Schuller, but featuring Miles Davis, Joe Wilder, and JJ Johnson as the soloists. It's the solo work that makes the "jazz" component hold out nicely – and titles include "Poem For Brass", "Three Little Feelings", and "Pharoah". LP, Vinyl record album

Tripped out! Tony Scott plays clarinet with backing on sitar by Colin Walcott – making for a very spare, very spooky album that's a bit more mind-chilling than we'd normally use for meditation! The record has a nicely stripped-down approach that's different than most of the other Verve-groovy sides from the time – more serious, and with a mixture of jazz and Indian music that's a bit less pandering than other affairs of this type from the time. Titles include "Prahna", "Shiva", "Shanti", "Triveni", and "Kundalina". CD

A great second set from this group led by tenorist Walter Smith III and guitarist Matthew Stevens – music that rings out with a really beautiful, resonant sound right from the very first note – a unique blending of the two instruments, in ways that often have lots of edges and angles on the guitar, warmed up nicely by the tenor! Other group members include Micah Thomas on piano, Linda May Han Oh on bass, and Nate Smith on drums – and the tunes bubble and pulsate with really fresh, unique rhythms that match the energy of the tenor and guitar, as the group make their way through some well-penned tunes by both Smith and Stevens. Titles include "Little Lamplight", "Opera", "Type Rider", "Van Der Linde", "Clem", "Cowboy", "Lotto", and "Provinces". CD

A great second set from this group led by tenorist Walter Smith III and guitarist Matthew Stevens – music that rings out with a really beautiful, resonant sound right from the very first note – a unique blending of the two instruments, in ways that often have lots of edges and angles on the guitar, warmed up nicely by the tenor! Other group members include Micah Thomas on piano, Linda May Han Oh on bass, and Nate Smith on drums – and the tunes bubble and pulsate with really fresh, unique rhythms that match the energy of the tenor and guitar, as the group make their way through some well-penned tunes by both Smith and Stevens. Titles include "Little Lamplight", "Opera", "Type Rider", "Van Der Linde", "Clem", "Cowboy", "Lotto", and "Provinces". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully blue-tinged work from tejano legend Martin Solis – an artist who never recorded much during his life, but performed constantly for the Mexican community in and around Detroit! Solis both sings and handles the large bajo sexteto – a deep-toned instrument that really invokes a lot of blueness with its tone – which is often echoed by the saxophone work on many of these tracks, more richly sonic than straightly jazzy – nicely balanced with accordion, an instrument which is used in ways that are often a bit more restrained than usual for this type of work. There's a wonderfully melancholy vibe to most of these tracks – and Third Man issued the project from a series of tapes found by Martin's son, finally brought together here to form the first full length Solis album. Titles include "Viva Seguin", "Atonilco", "Sin Ti", "Flor Del Rio", "Dos Palomas", "Amor Brutal", "Las Gaviotas", and "Este Noche Tu Vendras". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums ever issued by Stax Records – from the title of the record, to the cover, to the grooves laid down by the group! The album was originally issued on Truth – the gospel subsidiary of Stax – and while it does have a bit of a spiritual component, the group's also plenty darn funky too – and the record has a feel that's far more secular than most other gospel records of the time! In fact, the whole thing may well stand as one of the best mainstream examples of the funky gospel genre of the 70s – one of the few records of this type issued on a slightly bigger label, even though the set still is something of a rarity! There's plenty of fuzzy guitar and electric piano in the mix – and the religion in the song lyrics is fairly buried in most cuts, and the overall approach is more one of general spiritualism and humanity, than it is preachy and churchy. Tracks include "The Ghetto", "Son Of The Deacon", "Give It Up", "God Bless The Children", and "He's All We Need". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit tighter and more conventional soul than earlier work by Starpoint, but still pretty darn great too – and great proof that the group were more on top of their bag than other funky combos of the type! Renee Diggs is strongly out front on vocals throughout – lending her sweet sound to the flurry of electro keys and beats that make up most of the instrumentation here. The instrumentation's almost got some echoes of the Minneapolis funky soul scene at the times, but echoes the group's older sound at other points – and although a few tracks are quite hook heavy, they're never too poppish or cloying. Titles include "Behind Your Back", "Don't Be So Serious", "Put Your Love On Me", "It's So Delicious", "Let Go", and "I Got The Love". CD

A strange late effort from Kay Starr – but a nice one! At this point in her career, Kay was way past her early 50s hits – but she still had a voice that was instantly recognizable, and which always lent itself nicely to slower and dreamier pop-type tunes. She gets plenty of those on this set – arranged and conducted by Marty Paich, who was working magic with a number of other singers at the time – and tracks include "When The Lights Go On Again", "Sunny", "Some Sweet Tomorrow", "I Don't Remember You", and "You're Finally Getting To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Two Sonny Stitt dates with organ – both from different ends of the 60s! First up is Soul Shack – a mellow burner, and a real classic from the early 60s soul jazz years of Prestige Records! The album brings together the saxes of Sonny Stitt (both alto and tenor) and the Hammond of Jack McDuff – who's really coming into his own at this point, and has a lean, mean tone that's a perfect match for Stitt's horn. There's a bluesy undercurrent to the record, but without any of the cliches that might have crept in a few years before – leaving Stitt in the modern company you might expect, in ways that are similar to his dates with Don Patterson. Rhythm is from Leonard Gaskin on bass and Herbie Lovelle on drums – and titles include "Shadows", "Soul Shack", "Sunday", "Love Nes", "For You", and "Hairy". Night Letter is a great set of Varitone sax numbers from Sonny Stitt – recorded for Prestige with a bit more bite than some of his albums of the type for Roulette! The album's got a tight tenor/organ vibe throughout – thanks to work on Hammond from Gene Ludwig, working under the "nom de date" of Booker Patterson – bumped along strongly with some tight guitar from the great Pat Martino! Drums are by Randy Gelispie – and Stitt's electric horn melds in with the organ and guitar wonderfully – with a sound that's a lot deeper than other uses of the instrument at the time. Titles include "Loose Walk", "Night Letter", "Stringing The Jug", and "Blue String". CD

A totally hip, totally funky fusion combo from the German scene at the start of the 70s – one who've got all the right elements to match the best work on MPS Records at the time! In truth, the combo shares many players with the best from that scene – a rock-solid rhythm section that features the mighty Klaus Weiss on drums, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Fritz Pauer on both electric piano and organ – laced with sweet lines on a variety of flutes from Fredinand Povel, plus sharper guitar lines from the mighty Philip Catherine! Add in some extra percussion from Juan Romero, and the record gets extra-sweet throughout – with this moody groove that's definitely funky, but pretty trippy at times too – all without ever getting overindulgent, which is a rare thing for this type of record. Titles include "Spanish Sun", "Sunshine", "Sunbirds", "Kwaeli", and "Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant assemblage of players – working here under the Timeless All Stars tag, because they'd all recorded for the label – but held together much more deeply through a rich tradition of west coast soul jazz! The team of Harold Land and Bobby Hutcherson are wonderfully united for the session – working with Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all to carve out longer tracks that sparkle with the best open feeling of the sound that Land and Hutcherson first put down together at the end of the 60s. There's a sense of warmth and good spirit to the recording – but not of the type that dampens the energies of the players – as the best tracks on the record have a searing, searching feel that's pretty darn surprising for such an all-star session! Titles include "Clockwise", "Highway One", "Arabia", "Stella By Starlight", and "My Foolish Heart". CD

A great Latin groove from the Una Mas Trio – a duo whose music is often programmed, but with the rich tones, colors, and timings of the best Latin modes from years back! The package is a bit short on notes, but there definitely appears to be some live instrumentation in the mix – filtered in nicely with some well-chosen rhythms and samples – all used without any of the gimmicky modes that you might hear on clunkier Latin remix-type work. Instead, the group's got a pretty solid sound overall – and the styles shift nicely as the set moves on – not content to just hang in a New York Latin mode, and more than willing to travel to a variety of points south in pursuit of fresh new flavors. The set features some vocals – by Bajka, Malaika, and Eduardo Flores – but about half the titles are instrumental. Tunes include "Ritmo Del Futura", "Move My Feet", "Mas Y Mas", "Balkumbia", "Son Montuno", "Que Pasara", "Nova Do Brasil", "Latin Brother", "Clear As Water", and "Margarita". CD

Packaged in a cool oversized book type case. CD

A beautiful set of world jazz atmospherics from Collin Walcott – a set that features his work on sitar and tabla upfront, plus some other great ECM touches from John Abercrombie on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The album works a lot better than other sessions of this type, and has really stood the test of time well – partly because the spacious approach used, which never hits you too over the top, nor sounds like a gimmicky or forced style of music. Titles include "Prancing", "Night Glider", "Scimitar", "Vedana", "Easter Song", and "Cloud Dance". CD

One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from pianist Eri Yamamoto – in large part because of the presence of the Choral Cameleon vocal group! The mix of piano and voice is wonderful – haunting and powerful, in a way that reminds us of some of the best Vince Guaraldi experiments of this type – but with a sharper edge, as you might guess from the piano of Yamamoto – and support from David Ambrosio on bass and Ikuo Takeuchi on drums! Sometimes the voices rise high and proud – as in a Max Roach jazz-with-voices album – other times they drift dreamily, providing more of a subtle ascendant current to the lines of the piano. Either way is great to our ears – a really wonderful record – and tracks feature the long "Goshu Ondo Suite", plus "Echo Of Echo". CD

Music from Manecas Costa, Nitin Sawhney, Tomatito, Omara Portuondo, Susana Baca, Rosa Passos, Petrona, Trio Mocoto, Los De Abajo, Zuco 103 & more. CD

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Given that Red was one of the few tuba players in jazz, this album certainly was "The Lowest" – at least in terms of tone, as Red spends a lot of time rumbling around in bottom notes! The style's less clunky than you might think, though, as the setting is late 50s LA – with chamber-type arrangements that match Red's tuba with more breezy players like Buddy Collette, Bill Pitman, Gerald Wilson, Gerald Wiggins, and Billy Bean – who work with Red in a mode that's almost like some of the Chico Hamilton albums on Pacific Jazz, a mixture of jazz and whimsical instrumention with a tightly arranged and haunting feel. Tracks include "Of Thee I Sing", "The Lowest", "Pickin Pluckin Whistlin & Walkin", "Another Blues", "Volume Too", and "Five Four Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing package – a pair of rare avant jazz albums, presented here together! The first album is Peace In The World – maybe the only album issued under the name of Michael Cosmic – but a set that's part of a key legacy with his brother, reedman Phill Musra! The set has Cosmic in very heady territory – sounds that come from his young tenure in the AACM, his brief time with Cecil Taylor, and his budding reputation on the 70s Boston scene – where the set was recorded, and almost stands as a precursor to the rich legacy of improvisational jazz that would emerge on the New England scene for decades to come! Tracks are long and very free, but have spiritual currents too – and Cosmic is mostly on piano, with Musra on soprano sax and tenor, Leonard Brown on soprano and tenor, John Jamyll Jones on bass, Huseyin Ertunc on drums, and Eric Jackson on percussion. Titles include "We Love You Malcolm X", "Peace In The World", "Sapce On Space", and "Arabia". Next is the related album Creator Spaces, by Phill Musra – recorded at the time when he was part of the very underground Boston avant scene – a world that had a slightly different vibe than music coming from Chicago, Detroit, or New York! The album's got a spiritual avant bent – soulful at the core, with lots of references to outer space as well – and an approach that feels a lot like a classic Saturn Records session by Sun Ra, both in sound and spirit! Musra plays reeds, chimes, and percussion – and the group features some incredible sax work by Michael Cosmic, who also plays a bit of organ, again in a tripped-out, Ra-type way. Huseyin Ertunc plays percussion – very free and loose, in ways that are a great balance to the more angular lines of the reeds – and tracks include "The Creator Is So Far Out", "The Creator Spaces", "Egypt", and "Arabia". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing package – a pair of rare avant jazz albums, presented here together! The first album is Peace In The World – maybe the only album issued under the name of Michael Cosmic – but a set that's part of a key legacy with his brother, reedman Phill Musra! The set has Cosmic in very heady territory – sounds that come from his young tenure in the AACM, his brief time with Cecil Taylor, and his budding reputation on the 70s Boston scene – where the set was recorded, and almost stands as a precursor to the rich legacy of improvisational jazz that would emerge on the New England scene for decades to come! Tracks are long and very free, but have spiritual currents too – and Cosmic is mostly on piano, with Musra on soprano sax and tenor, Leonard Brown on soprano and tenor, John Jamyll Jones on bass, Huseyin Ertunc on drums, and Eric Jackson on percussion. Titles include "We Love You Malcolm X", "Peace In The World", "Sapce On Space", and "Arabia". Next is the related album Creator Spaces, by Phill Musra – recorded at the time when he was part of the very underground Boston avant scene – a world that had a slightly different vibe than music coming from Chicago, Detroit, or New York! The album's got a spiritual avant bent – soulful at the core, with lots of references to outer space as well – and an approach that feels a lot like a classic Saturn Records session by Sun Ra, both in sound and spirit! Musra plays reeds, chimes, and percussion – and the group features some incredible sax work by Michael Cosmic, who also plays a bit of organ, again in a tripped-out, Ra-type way. Huseyin Ertunc plays percussion – very free and loose, in ways that are a great balance to the more angular lines of the reeds – and tracks include "The Creator Is So Far Out", "The Creator Spaces", "Egypt", and "Arabia". Also features unreleased tracks "The Creator Is So Far Out (unreleased version)" and "Phyllis". Added to the set is a really special bonus third CD – an unreleased long live performance of "The Prayer" by Worlds Experience Orchestra – a group from the same scene at the time – with Shaddu Jones on piano, Stan Strickland on tenor and soprano, Frank Peterson on alto, John Jamyll Jones on bass, Robert Ruff on cello, Larry Lerner on drums, and John Klein on amplified violin. CD

Genius, pure genius! It was hard for Earth, Wind & Fire to go wrong at this point – and the album's a stellar blend of jazz, funk, and soul, all done in that perfect style they'd hit by the mid 70s. And even though this one was a monster album, of the type that you see in everyone's record collection from the time, it's still got a freshness that we always forget about – and lots of nice twists and turns that show that the band hadn't lost their more sophisticated roots. Case in point is the wonderful "Brazilian Rhyme", a short little groover that you'll instantly recognize as a sample from the first Tribe Called Quest album. Other tracks include "Jupiter", "In The Marketplace", "Magic Mind", "Runnin", "Be Ever Wonderful", and "Serpentine Fire". Plus, the CD features bonus tracks "Would You Mind?", "Runnin (original Hollywood mix)", and "Brazilian Rhyme (live)". CD

The Cats here are all quite hip ones – and the album's one of the best Prestige Records blowing sessions from the late 50s – an all-star sextet effort that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, John Coltrane on tenor, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are long, and open – and although each player is really at their best on their solos, there's still a sense of group unity that makes the record stand out from other efforts of its type – enough so that it's often cited as a key early entry in the Coltrane catalog. Titles include "Eclypso", "Solacium", "Tommy's Tune", and "Minor Mishap". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from pianist Hal Galper – and proof that he was one of the most electric keyboardists of his generation, even when working acoustically – as on this record! The only real electric element here is the presence of guitarist John Scofield in the quartet – but Galper seems to match his spirit in the way he approaches the keys of his acoustic piano – using them spaciously and flowingly, almost as if he were working working in a CTI-type setting! The rest of the group features Wayne Dockery on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums – and titles include "Yellow Days", "Ivory Forest", "Continuity", "My Dog Spot", and "Rapunzel's Luncheonette". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking early work from drummer Milford Graves and pianist Don Pullen – a set of long, free improvisations that were originally issued on Graves' Self-Reliance Productions label – combined here for the first time ever! The music is even more striking than sounds from the time on the ESP label – and also really predates some of the freer work of this type from the European scene – as Graves is a monster on the drum kit and a range of percussion, reaching out with this scope of sound and deft command of his hands that's simply breathtaking – matched by energy from Pullen that really surpasses some of his later work too – almost Cecil Taylor-like vibes at points, mixed with other elements that are in a more familiar mode for the pianist. The set features five long improvisations, each a numbered variant with the title "PG". Great gatefold package – with images of some of the hand-painted covers that Graves used for his releases! CD

One more amazing chapter in the mighty development of drummer Chico Hamilton – a killer 70s session for Blue Note – and a record that goes way beyond his earlier experiments of the 50s, modal grooves of the 60s, and funk work for the Flying Dutchman label! The style here is fusion, but way fresher than the usual type – neither jamming rock-styled, nor mellow and smooth – and instead always tickled by Hamilton's sense of a unique rhythm, and his continued great ear for inventive use of reeds – in this case handled by Arthur Blythe on alto and Arnie Lawrence on soprano and tenor sax. The set's also got Steve Turre on bass and trombone, and both Barry Finnerty and Joe Beck on electric guitars – but the real genius is Chico himself, who handled arrangements and wrote most of the album's great tracks. Titles include the exotic number "Abdullah & Abraham" – plus "Andy's Walk", "Peregrinations", "It's About That Time", "Sweet Dreams", "On & Off", "Little Lisa", and "Space For Stacy". LP, Vinyl record album

A totally fantastic set from the turn of the 70s, and one of Freddie Hubbard's most soulful, spiritual albums ever – a seminal chapter in the evolution of soul jazz – and a record that was a keen inspiration for changes to come on labels like Strata East and Black Jazz! The group here features Kenny Barron on both electric and acoustic piano – really stretching out with a hip, open sort of sound – possibly his first of this type on record – and other players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Reggie Workman on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and Patato Valdes on added percussion – giving a more complicated groove to the best numbers. Tunes are all long and well-penned – three by Freddie himself ("Eclipse", "Spacetrack", "Gittin' Down"), one by Kenny Barron ("Black Angel"), and one by Walter Bishop (the original recording of his classic "Coral Keys"!) CD

Early funky work from Curtis! "Check Out" is one of Curtis' first really tripped-out cuts – with the kind of rolling feel that he'd later bring to his famous solo work on Curtom. The flip's a nice mellow ballad, of the type that the Impressions always made rule! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A stunner of a record – the first-ever album by The JBs, never issued back in the day – and lost for years until it recently resurfaced on a test pressing! The set features a leaner, more stripped-down version of the group – one that features Bootsy Collins on bass, and which doesn't rely as much on the horns as it does some very upfront playing by the rhythm section – who really set fire to the extended instrumental solos on the album's very long tracks! Group members include Robert McCullough on tenor, St Clair Pickney on flute and baritone, Bobby Byrd on piano, Catfish Collins on guitar, and James Brown himself on organ – and the mighty Clyde Stubblefield handles drums, as well as Frank Kash Waddy. All tracks are very long – quite different than the shorter single-type cuts on Pass The Peas – and the record features the first recording of "The Grunt", plus the long jams "I'll Ze", "These Are The JBs (parts 1 & 2)", and "When You Feel It Grunt If You Can". CD

A stunner of a record – the first-ever album by The JBs, never issued back in the day – and lost for years until it recently resurfaced on a test pressing! The set features a leaner, more stripped-down version of the group – one that features Bootsy Collins on bass, and which doesn't rely as much on the horns as it does some very upfront playing by the rhythm section – who really set fire to the extended instrumental solos on the album's very long tracks! Group members include Robert McCullough on tenor, St Clair Pickney on flute and baritone, Bobby Byrd on piano, Catfish Collins on guitar, and James Brown himself on organ – and the mighty Clyde Stubblefield handles drums, as well as Frank Kash Waddy. All tracks are very long – quite different than the shorter single-type cuts on Pass The Peas – and the record features the first recording of "The Grunt", plus the long jams "I'll Ze", "These Are The JBs (parts 1 & 2)", and "When You Feel It Grunt If You Can". LP, Vinyl record album

Slammin soundtrack to this bio-pic which starred Sal Mineo as Gene Krupa, and which features music by Krupa himself, plus Anita O'Day and Red Nichols. Pretty trad and swing all around – but there's a lot of great drum work by Krupa, particularly the type that often got featured in the live scenes of the film. In a way, the whole thing's a lot more storming than some of Krupa's other Verve work, which tends to be more retrained in the drum department. Titles include "Cherokee", "Spiritual Jazz", "I Love My Baby", "Royal Garden Blues", "Song Of India", and "Finale", which features a drum duet with Shelly Manne. LP, Vinyl record album

A sextet session from Byard Lancaster who plays soprano, alto, and tenor sax plus bass clarinet. Features Jim Dragoni on guitar and Keno Speller on congas. Tracks are mostly originals and include "Internal Security", "Philly Jazz II", "Write Type I", "Horn Of Philadelphia", and "My Favorite Things". CD

Sweetness and darkness – perfectly blended together in this classic mid 70s soundtrack by Ennio Morricone! The main theme of the film – "Bambole" – is one of those Mondo Morricone type numbers that floats along on a gossamy sheen – vocals gliding softly over light woodwinds, stepping rhythms, and a bit of electric harpsichord – all used gently, but beautifully to create a wonderfully groovy little tune. But other numbers on the album are much more tense – strings drawn tighter, and sometimes into more atonal passages – and offset by descending woodwind passages that further underscore the melancholy of the film! Additional instrumentation includes some abstracted and slightly fuzzy guitar – and the whole album beautifully blends the sweet and dark tracks together with a great sense of pacing. Titles include "Bambole", in a number of variations – plus variations on "Spasmo" and "Stress Infinito". CD

They left a blank in the title, so we'll never know what it is they witnessed – but that's alright with us, because Osaka Monoaurail's so goshdarn funky, we can always forgive them for their weird choice of titles! The group's a real standout in the international deep funk underground – as they play with an intensity to match the James Brown Band of the late 60s King years – really ripping along the rhythms with incredible tightness, and making their 9 piece lineup of horns, organ, percussion, and guitar burn with a really classic funky power! Vocalist Ryo Nakata has a weirdly raspy style that makes him one of the most striking singers in funk today – no copycat modes at all, and a rough and ready vocal approach that only adds even more weight to the groove of the group. CD features a blistering live performance that runs for nearly 80 minutes – 24 tracks in all, partying seamlessly next to one another in a mix of classics and original tunes. Titles include "Back & Alive 77", "The Coming Back", "Jam 1976", "Double Up Now", "New New Type Thing", "Whatever You Do", "Thankful", "What It Is What It Was", and "Theme From Shaft". CD

Massive work from one of the funkiest drummers of all time – the legendary Bernard Pretty Purdie, stepping out here in a batch of instrumentals that may well be his greatest album ever! Bernard's drums are right up front in the mix – leading off all tunes with a full, funky, echoey sort of approach that's unlike anything else we can think of – and certainly different from any other late 60s albums of this type! The production is totally great – and has a way of pulling out some of the weirdest aspects of the music – which itself features guitar from Billy Butler and Eric Gale, bass from Bob Bushnell, tenor and flute from Seldon Powell, and organ and piano from Richard Tee – who also handled all the arrangements on the set! The centerpiece is the hit single "Funky Donkey", but just about every track's a groover in its own way – and titles include "Soul Drums", "Bill's Groove", "Jimmy's Back", "Testifyin", "Modern Jive", "Blow Your Lid", "Bee N Tee", and "Soul Bossa Nova". This new edition includes 8 bonus tracks, with a couple rare 45 tracks and more that have never been released – all soulful & funky – well paired with the Soul Drums album! Bonus tracks are in stereo, and include "Alexander's Rag Time Band", "Genuine John", "Soul Clappin", "If You Never Cried", "Stop" and "Time Is Tight". Also comes with a nice booklet with new liner notes, and choice quotes from Purdie's peers and those he influenced, from Galt MacDermot to Large Professor. CD

Trumpter Ray is one of the competing heirs to the Sun Ra legacy – having worked with Ra in the later years of the Arkestra, and currently pushing the space visions and jazz freedoms embraced by Ra in his work. This session is a mix of Ra-type playing with some of Ray's New Orleans-fueled jazz – a bit funky at strange points, and also with certain rootsy touches. Titles include "Pathology", "Echoes Of Boat People", "Island In Space", "Beans & Rice", "Rhythm & More", "Discipline 27", and "Carefree". CD

A seminal third stream recording – the height of late 50s modern jazz in all of its seriousness! The album features works written by Schuller, John Lewis, Jimmy Giuffre, and JJ Johnson – all of them larger, serious jazz-meets-classical type numbers – performed by the Brass Ensemble Of The Jazz & Classical Music Society, led by Schuller, but featuring Miles Davis, Joe Wilder, and JJ Johnson as the soloists. It's the solo work that makes the "jazz" component hold out nicely – and titles include "Poem For Brass", "Three Little Feelings", and "Pharoah". CD

An early 80s set from Tom Scott, and proof that he could still make an electric jazz album sound more soulful than most of his mainstream contemporaries! There's a really great sense of balance here – production that's certainly polished, but instrumentation that's never sleepy at all – those always-sharp reeds we love from Tom, especially on alto and soprano sax – plus some great keyboard work from Victor Feldman, who has a similar sense of space and timing ot match Scott's groove! The set's got a feel that's a bit like some of the few really great albums from Dave Grusin – and some cuts have vocals, although mostly of the backup type. Titles include "Desire", "Sure Enough", "The Only One", "Stride", "Chunk O Funk", and "Meet Somebody". CD

A rare gem from Zoot Sims – very different than any of his other albums! The session features Zoot blowing over large backings arranged and conducted by Gary McFarland, a bit in the older Verve "with strings" mode, but also sparkling with a lot of the newer elements that McFarland was bringing to his work at the time. The approach is both light and lush at the same time – and Zoot's got a tone and approach that we've never heard on any other record, making the whole album an incredible treat that we'd rank up there with Stan Getz's experiments of the same type from the 60s. Titles include "I Wish I Knew", "Does The Sun Really Shine On The Moon", "Once We Loved", "Old Folks", "September Song", "Stella By Starlight", and "Once I Could Have Loved". CD

The crowning achievement of Spirit – and a record that you probably could have found in any college dorm room in the early 70s! The record's really a cut above for their generation – an expansive effort that hangs together with a bit of a concept, and which interweaves strands of rock, folk, and a bit of jazz – yet also a record that has a lot more polish than other efforts of its type, and which trades a bit of psychedelic indulgence for a tighter focus that really lets the best tunes sparkle wonderfully! Production is great – clear, but trippy at the same time – and Randy California's guitar work has never sounded better. Titles include "Nature's Way", "Animal Zoo", "Love Has Found A Way", "Mr Skin", "Soldier", "Street Worm", and "Space Child". LP, Vinyl record album

The crowning achievement of Spirit – and a record that you probably could have found in any college dorm room in the early 70s! The record's really a cut above for their generation – an expansive effort that hangs together with a bit of a concept, and which interweaves strands of rock, folk, and a bit of jazz – yet also a record that has a lot more polish than other efforts of its type, and which trades a bit of psychedelic indulgence for a tighter focus that really lets the best tunes sparkle wonderfully! Production is great – clear, but trippy at the same time – and Randy California's guitar work has never sounded better. Titles include "Nature's Way", "Animal Zoo", "Love Has Found A Way", "Mr Skin", "Soldier", "Street Worm", and "Space Child". CD features 4 bonus tracks – including "Animal Zoo (mono single)", "Morning Will Come (alt mono)", "Red Light Roll On", and "Rougher Road". CD

An amazing musical discovery – a group of mostly paraplegic musicians who live in and around the zoo in Kinshasa – mixing vocals, guitar, and acoustic rhythms with a very unique one-stringed electric lute! The sound is undeniably soulful – a rich blend of the older vocalists with the energy of the younger rhythm players – all working here in a style that hints at older African roots, but which comes up with a really fresh approach overall – as unique in its own way as some of the Congotronics projects on the Crammed label, although less rhythm-driven overall. Titles include "Moziki", "Polio", "Moto Moindo", "Tonkara", "Marguerite", "Mwana", and "Sala Mosala". CD features great bonus tracks too – 4 rehearsal-type tracks that show the group at work! CD

This series just keeps on getting better and better! This is the third volume in the set that began with Racubah, continued with Oulelele, and which comes up this time with a fantastic array of rare African funk tunes from the 70s – rarer than any other set we've seen on other compilations of this sort, and sure to keep things interesting for folks who've already bought all their Fela and Manu Dibango albums. Nearly every cut on here is from the 70s – and most are from rare French sources of the type that you'd probably never find, even if you spent your Saturdays digging around flea markets in Paris (and believe us, we've tried that!) The grooves are incredible, and tracks include "Je Suis Un Sauvage" by Alfred Panou & The Art Ensemble Of Chicago, issued originally only on a Saravah 7" single; "A Coltrane", by the French saxophonist Richard Raux; "Bilongo", from Antillian percussionist Henri Guedon; "Woza Cindi", by South African jazz group Julian Bahula's Jazz Afrika; "Zombi", a French 70s club version of the Fela tune, recorded by Ephraim Nzeka – and the tracks "La Danse Des Grands Singes Nus" by Les Dums, "Make It Funky" by Roots Foundation, "Welcome New Warmth" by Michel Sardaby, and "Meci Bon Dieu" by Georges Edouard Nouel. CD

A combination of old and new Latin grooves – compiled by the folks at Paris' super-chic Latina Cafe! Disc 1 features 70s salsa and Brazilian tracks – with a total of 15 titles that include "Solo Tu Y Yo" by Gerald, "Me Voy Pa'Cali" by Oscar D'Leon, "Mi Gente" by Hector Lavoe, "Skindo Le Le" by Viva Brasil, "Aquele Abraco" by Gilberto Gil, "Saludo Compay" by Compay Segundo, "Besame Mucho" by Freddy, "Carioca" by Chico Buarque, "La Vida Es Un Carnaval" by Celia Cruz, and "Vamanos Pa'l Carnaval" by Truco & Zaperoko. Disc 2 includes new Latin-tinged and remix type tracks – including "Rio Vida" by Da Lata, "Enchant Me (12" mix)" by Amalgamation Of Soundz, "Corcovado" by Mr Hermano, "Maracatu Atomico" by Zuco 103, "Samba" by Faze Action, "Bar Rumba" by Mo Horizons, "El Regalo De Amor" by Dubtribe, "Coca Conga" by Up, Bustle, & Out, "Atabaque" by Jazzanova. CD

A very soulful batch of fusion tracks from drummer Horacee Arnold – here leading a group that includes reed talents Billy Harper and Joe Farrell, percussionist Ralph McDonald, guitarist Ralph Towner, and Dave Friedman on vibes and percussion. Tracks are long and spiralling, with a spiritual approach that goes quite out at times, but which also returns to a modal groove at others. Thanks to great playing by Harper and Farrell, the album's got a lot more soul than some others of the type at the time. Tracks include "The Actor", "Professor Moriarty", "Orchards of Engedi", "Tribe", and "Banyan Dance". CD

A jazz funk masterpiece, and THE record by the legendary Don Blackman – the only one issued under his own name for many many years, and a famous little set that's been sampled endlessly over the years, and for good reason! The vibe here is one that's barely been matched again – a blend of 70s fusion, bassy funk, and even tighter riffing – all put together with a greater depth and sense of soul than most other records of its type. Blackman's a GRP contemporary of Bernard Wright, Tom Browne, and Weldon Irvine – and there's bits of all their sound in the work here, but somehow Don does it even better – hitting these grooves, notes, and lines that seem to fall from the heavens – and which still stand as some of the hippest music of his generation. A record to file proudly next to your copies of Ramp and James Mason – and like those gems, the kind of record that only happens once in an artists career! Titles include "You Ain't Hip", "Yabba Dabba Do", "Heart's Desire", "Deaf Hook Up Connection", "Never Miss A Thing", and "Holding You Loving You", and "Since You Been Away So Long". CD

The long-overdue release of an unissued Blue Note session from 1959 – one that features a version of the Jazz Messengers right before Wayne Shorter joined the group, with the mighty Hank Mobley on the quintet lineup on tenor! The Messengers in 1959 and 1960 were really at the top of their game – and here feature the fantastic newcomers, Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, both of whom were helping drummer Blakey to form a new, evolved version of the sound he'd been crafting with other lineups in previous years – aided here by the rock-solid Jymie Merritt on bass! As with some of the other unissued Blue Note dates of this type, the whole thing is fantastic – not an unformed, half-baked session – but the kind of material that could stand right next to Blakey classics of the time, like The Big Beat or Moanin. Titles include "Quick Trick", "M&M", "Just Coolin", "Jimerick", "Close Your Eyes", and "Hipsippy Blues". CD