A fantastic soundtrack recorded in the immediate post-Tropicalia years – featuring some of the best early 70s work by Chico Buarque, Nara Leao, Maria Bethania, and others! The cover has a mad image with Buarque, Leao, and Bethania in top hats and shiny uniforms – and the music follows up with a similarly lively spirit – samba-esque, with other touches of rock and jazz production that give the work an expansive and trippy feel. Roberto Menescal handled the arrangements – and titles include "Cacada" by Chico Buarque, "Mais Uma Estrela" by Nara Leao, "Soneto" by Orquesta De Cordas, "Soneto" by Nara Leao, "Partido Alto" by MPB-4, "Formosa" by Nara Leao & Maria Bethania, "Baioque" by Maria Bethania, and "Cantores De Radio" by Chico, Naria, and Maria together! CD

A fantastic early solo project from guitarist Roy Buchanan – recorded for Polydor at the start of the 70s, but never issued at the time! We're not sure why the label slept on the set, as it's a searing little killer right from the start – done in a gritty mode that's far hipper than some of the other blues rock of the period – never that cliched, with some swampy elements, a few funky touches, and a strong hint of the farther-reaching modes that Buchanan would hit in later years. Roy sings, as does a young Charlie Daniels, who plays second guitar and also wrote many of the tracks – and the set also features some vocals from Joe DiGregorio, and keyboards from Bob Wilson. Titles include "Humbug Down On The River", "Billy Joe Young", "The Story Of Isaac", "Black Autumn", "Funky Junky", "There'll Always Be", "I Desire You", and "Pain". 2CD set also features a March 1971 session, and bonus tracks too – with titles that include "Roy's Bluz", "Shotgun", "Dual Soliloquy", "CC Rider (live)", "Down By The River (live)", "After Hours/The Messiah Will Come Again", and "Sweet Dreams". CD

Fantastic work from one of our favorite jazz arrangers ever! As proven by some of his impeccable work crafting larger backings for artists on the Verve and Clef labels, Ralph Burns had an approach that was quite different than most of his contemporaries. He worked in a mode that seemed pretty standard at the outset – with an approach to backdrops that worked in broad colors of sound and tone – but he also had a talent for putting in strange modern twists, little surprises, and other embellishments that never detracted from the soloist, and instead seemed to keep them on their toes, forcing them to really come up with some great stuff during their time at the recording. You'll hear plenty of that kind of action going on here – in one of Burns' rarest sets ever, recorded with a group that includes Billy Byers, Joe Newman, Dave Schildkraut, Herbie Mann, and Milt Hinton. Mann's particularly great, and plays a number of horns with ease – and titles include "Cool Cat On A Hot Tin Roof", "What Am I Here For", "I'll Be Around", "Jazz Club USA", and "South Gonzales Street Parade. CD

A really sweet little album from guitarist Kenny Burrell – one in which he takes older tunes ("a generation ago"), and updates them with a sweetly compressed Verve 60s groove ("today"!) The record features 2 small groups – one with Ron Carter on bass, Grady Tate on drums, and Phil Woods on some mighty nice alto sax – and another with Carter, Tate, and the great Richard Wyands on piano. The style is light, laidback, and recorded with a warm tone overall – in a mode that's almost a precursor to the CTI sound of the late 60s. Mike Maineri joins on vibes on one track – and titles include "Wholly Cats", "Rose Room", "As Long As I Live", and "A Smooth One" CD

... CD

... CD

A record with a bit of a gag in the title, but a set that has the mighty Caravan at their classic best – simply soaring to the skies on some of the best-crafted prog lines of their generation! The lineup has shifted a bit from before – only core members Pye Hastings on guitar and Richard Coughan on drums – but the sound is still wonderful, as Dave Sinclair steps on with lots of cool work on keyboards – and the group get assorted guest help from Brit jazz giants who include Tony Coe on tenor, Pete King on flute and alto, Henry Lowther on trumpet, Frank Rocotti on congas, and Rubert Hine on Arp! Peter Geoffrey Richardson is also a core member of the group, and provides electric viola at many spots – an instrument which doesn't change the Caravan sound, so much as slide right in and expand it. Titles include "The Dog The Dog He's At It Again", "A Hauting We Shall Go", "Headloss", "Surprise Surprise", "Memory Lain Hugh", and "C'Thlu Thlu". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the greatest moment ever from Caravan – one of the greatest groups to emerge from the jazzy Canterbury scene in the late 60s! The album's a wonderful blend of jazz roots and more focused rock impulses – and has some subtle funky elements that's given it a wider sort of audience over the years – that special sound you'd find in a rare few Deram gems by artists like Mike Westbrook or Colosseum too. The drums are especially great – snapping out in a way that really holds things together, even when the instrumental solos really step out strongly – especially the organ, flute, and tenor – all of which retain a jazzy appeal. The vocals from Richard Sinclair are nice, too – never overdone, with almost a Robert Wyatt sort of reserve – and titles include "Golf Girl", "Love To Love You", "In The Land Of Grey & Pink", and the extended "Nine Feet Underground", which takes up all of side two. LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Bill Coleman was one of many American players that made their home in Paris during the postwar years – and like many of his contemporaries on the scene, he cut some of his finest work in the city's rich sympathetic scene. This album's probably Coleman's finest – and it has a moody laidback sound that reminds us of the best albums on the Prestige Swingville label from the early 60s. No surprise that Coleman's got some strong backing by some of the Prestige crowd – including US jazz talents like Budd Johnson on tenor, Patti Brown on piano, Les Spann on guitar, and Quentin Jackson on trombone. The style of the set is a mixture of swing and hardbop – but the open-endedness of some of the tracks goes way past any easy marks that you might put on the music, pushing it into the full range of styles promised by the title. Titles include "Bill, Budd, & Butter", "Afromotive In Blue", "From Boogie To Funk (parts 1 & 2)", and "Colemanology". CD

A brilliant blast from The Comet Is Coming – their second album on Impulse in less than a year – and it's as exciting as anything they've done so far! Their core vibe of mixing spiritual jazz with electronic experimentation is here in full force, but they take it new directions. While the trio carries the influences from 70s spacey fusion influences and modern London jazz on the other, it always feels fully unique and of their own invention. Part of what's so exciting is they can strip things down to minimalist vibe of melodic sax, spare drums and bubbling electronics to far-reaching jazz funk from one track to the next – this is trio with range! Poet Joshua Idehen delivers a righteous vocal on the opener "All That Matters Is The Moments" that sets the stage for the soaring ride that follows, including "The Softness Of The Present", "The Afterlife", "Lifeforce Part I", "Lifeforce Part II" and "The Seven Planetary Heavens". CD

A great record from The Crusaders – and an album that's really the start of the group's strong run of smooth funky jazz for the 70s – a very vibrant little set, even though the black and white cover makes the whole thing look a bit understated! The album's got the group dropping the "jazz" from their name, but it's still a great bit of LA funky soul jazz – with electric keyboards from Joe Sample that are very much in a late 60s mode, plus guitar from David T Walker and Arthur Adams, and bass from Chuck Rainey, in addition to fine work by regulars like Stix Hooper, Wayne Henderson, and Wilton Felder. Tracks have a tight and uncomplicated funky approach, with a slightly smooth edge – and titles include "Do Yourself A Favor", "Try A Little Harder", "Cold Duck Eddie", "Way Back Home", and the Afro-funky groover "Alekesam"! CD

A fantastic bit of modern soul – a rare Polydor single from the start of the 80s – but one that we'd put next to some of our favorite mellow soul groovers from the decade before! "Stay With Me" has a vibe that's almost Roy Ayers – midtempo, and funky stepping – a nice edge in the groove, but not too much – with female vocals that cascade beautifully over the lyrics! "You're So Unclear" is even cooler – a slower number, but with a deeper groove – and both tracks have fantastic handling by arranger Morris Bailey! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really great collection of work from one of the great unsung heroes of the French soundtrack scene of the 60s – the mighty Eric Demarsan, who also gets the chance to provide us with new music on the first half of the set! The first half is music from a documentary on Jean-Pierre Melville – the French director who created such great films as Le Cercle Rouge, Le Doulos, Le Samourai, and other noir gems of the new wave – often scored by Demarsan, who provides new jazzy music for the documentary – played here by a group that features Erik Truffaz on trumpet, Daniel Ciampolini on vibes, Alexis Morel on flute, and Bruno Fontaine on piano – on titles that include "Le Dernier Samourai", "Un Destin", "Arrivee Au Studio", "L'Adieu", and "Reparages". The second half of the set featuers classic Demarsan work for films by Melville – tracks from L'Aine Des Fercahaux, Deux Hommes Dans Manhattan, Bob Le Flambeur, Le Cercle Rouge, and other classics! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Clapton's greatest moments – and a set that also features guitars from Duane Allman and organ from Bobby Whitlock! Recorded in Miami at Criteria Studios – and titles include "Layla", "It's Too Late", "Little Wing", "Have You Ever Loved A Woman", "Tell The Truth", "Anyday", "Key To The Highway", and "Bell Bottom Blues". CD

The soundtracks to 2 of Jean Luc-Godard's greatest films – back to back on one CD! The score to Pierrot Le Feu features 9 tracks in all – 3 of which are vocal numbers by Anna Karina, who starred in the film, and who delivers the vocals with a decadently deadpan style that fits perfectly with the songs. The score to Week-End offered here is a new recording – done by the Orchestre Sinfonietta Moldava, under the direction of Leonardo Gasparini. There's a total of 16 tracks in all, with images from the films and notes in English and French! Titles include "Jamais Je Ne T'Ai Dit Que Je T'Aimerai Toujours", "Ferdinand", "Pierrot", "Twist Pour Jean-Luc", "Lamento", "L'Internationale", and "Elle Et Lui". CD

New work from Sidsel Endresen – one of the compelling Norewegian artists currently part of the Jazzland underground future of electronic jazz! Sidsel's one of the few singers to emerge from the scene – and he's got a spare breathy voice that's halfway between Bjork and Jay Jay Johansson – singing in English, but slightly off-kilter because of his accent, and the way the vocals are layered amidst moody electronics and soundscapey backdrops. Music on the album is created with help from Bugge Wesseltoft, Nils Petter Molvaer, and Roger Ludvigsen – and titles include "Angel", "Undertow", "You Cover Time", "Travelling Still", and "Blessed Instant". CD

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin MacInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include versions of Charles Mingus' "Boogie Stop Shuffle" and "Better Git It In Your Soul", plus his own "Va Va Vaoom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gaillard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. 2LP UK version – with much more instrumental music than the American version! LP, Vinyl record album

A selection of tracks from the famous Verve duets between Ella and Louis! CD

Japanese psych band. CD

... CD

A great bit of fusion from the start of the 70s – kind of a bridge between the late 60s "groovy" Japanese jazz, and some of the freer-thinking work to come! The group features excellent tenor from Takeru Muraoka, who plays with kind of a sharp edge that almost echoes more of the alto and soprano work of the generation – mixed with keyboards from Hiromasa Suzuki – who's plenty great on electric piano! Hiroshi Suzuki plays trombone, and the set's got some nice funky drums from Akira Ishikawa – who's always a treat. Overall, the set often has some of the same funky characteristics as some of the best late 60s electric jazz sets on Liberty Records in the US – on titles that include "Capricorn", "Something", "On A Sunny Day", "Some Other Night", and "Peaceful Planet". LP, Vinyl record album

Motown legends finally get their due – in this first-ever collection of work by The Funk Brothers! The group were the backing band for most of the classic Motown recordings of the 60s – and labored for years with hardly any credit, until recently, when their achievements have been brought to light by the film Standing In The Shadows Of Motown, and a much-deserved Grammy award! And despite its cheap packaging, the collection's got plenty to offer any solid fan of Motown – 12 tracks that are pulled from sources that include tracks issued under the name of organist Earl Van Dyke, British singles, and even a previously unreleased mix! The tunes include a few originals, plus instrumental takes on Motown classics – with titles that include "Soul Stomp", "6 By 6", "Too Many Fish In The Sea", "All For You", "Come See About Me", "How Sweet It Is", "The Way You Do The Things You Do", "What's Going On", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", and "Runaway Child Running Wild". CD

... CD

A new generation of the Gainsbourg family line comes into the musical fold – with results that are surprisingly nice! Lulu's an offspring of Serge, of a generation past Charlotte Gainsbourg – but he's still equally well-suited to pay tribute to his pop – as you'll hear in this reworking of famous tunes from the songbook of the great one! Lulu Gainsbourg enlists a host of famous guests on the outing – including Rufus Wainwright, Marianne Faithfull, Shane McGowan, Iggy Pop, Ayo, and others – and highlights include Scarlett Johansson joining Lulu on a remake of "Bonnie & Clyde", and Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis singing together on "Ballade De Melody Nelson"! Other tracks include "Initials BB" with Iggy Pop, "Sous Le Soleil Exactement" with Shane McGowan, "Manon" with Marianne Faithful, "La Javanaise" with Richard Bona, and "Couleur Cafe" with Aya. Instrumental tunes include "Intoxicated Man" and "Black Trombone". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare work from the legendary Serge Gainsbourg – studio outtakes, alternate versions, and lots of other material that stands as a great addition to the catalog of one of the coolest, grooviest French language singers ever! This vinyl volume 1 brings together rare tracks by Serge himself – some from 45 or LP projects, but presented here in different modes that stand as a wonderful complement to some of the versions you might know – almost like a "part 2" or extended take in some cases. Titles include "Black Trombone (avec intro)", "L'Homme A Tete De Chou (instrumental)", "Sea Sex & Sun (extrait des prises voix", "Chez Les Yeye (prise complete)", "L'Eau A La Bouche (avec intro)", "Requiem Pour Un Con (instrumental)", "69 Annee Erotique (instrumental)", and two very long tracks – "Melody (prise complete)" and "Lola Roastaquoouere (instrumental)". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare work from the legendary Serge Gainsbourg – studio outtakes, alternate versions, and lots of other material that stands as a great addition to the catalog of one of the coolest, grooviest French language singers ever! This vinyl volume 2 brings together rare tracks by Serge and a few associates – some from 45 or LP projects, but presented here in different modes that stand as a wonderful complement to some of the versions you might know – almost like a "part 2" or extended take in some cases. Titles include "Panpan Cucul (unreleased inst)", "First Class Ticket (alternate)", "Comme Un Boomerang", "Goodbye Emmanuelle (unreleased inst)", "Ecce Homo (alternate lyrics)", "Torrey Canyon (alt mix)", "En Melody (solo violin electric)", "Machins Choses (inst version)", "Milena (inst)", and the cuts "Mambo Miam Miam (inst)" by Los Goragueros, "Les Papillons Noirs" by Michelle Arnaud, and "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus (acetate original)" by Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg. LP, Vinyl record album

Unbelievably fantastic! This 17CD box set collects together 16 studio albums from 1958 to 1985, many with bonus tracks, and also includes a CD that features rare work that isn't available separately. The whole thing's an incredible tribute to the rich genius of this funky mad Frenchman – and the set is limited and numbered, so it's bound to disappear quickly. Includes the full albums of L'Histoire De Melody Nelson, Confidential, Du Chant A La Une, No 2, Jane et Serge, Intials BB, L'Homme A Tete De Chou, and a number of others – and there's some great bonus tracks added to some of the CDs! Beautifully packaged, with original artwork and everything. CD

One of the grooviest collections of work by Serge Gainsbourg we've ever seen – a 23 track set that features most of his coolest numbers! In case you don't know Serge, he's one of the most incredible singers ever – a sexy Frenchman with a good talent for a groove, with a sound that was light-years ahead of most of his contemporaries, and which is continually being re-discovered today. This package goes way past other simple "best of" collections of Serge's work – to compile those tunes that are especially appealing to an era in which his classics have been sampled, re-recorded, and used as inspiration for countless young bands. As such, the tracks, although old, sound incredibly fresh – with a stunning array of gems from the 60s and 70s that include "Chez Les Ye Ye", "Bonnie & Clyde", "Ford Mustang", "Initials BB", "Requiem Pour Un C", "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus", "L'Anamour", "69 Annee Erotique", "La Decadanse", "Ballad De Melody Nelson", "Sous Le Soleil Exactement", "Marilou Sous La Neige", "Sea Sex & Sun", "Aux Armes Et Cetera", "Dieu Fumeur De Havanes", "Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M'En Vais", "L'Homme A Tete De Chou", and "Qui Est In Qui Est Out". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest French female singers of the 60s – presented here in a classic collection of work! If you've gotta dig one gal vocalist of the Parisian scene of the time, Gall is definitely your girl – as her brash, bold style of singing really sums up the hippest, grooviest French styles of the time! Many tracks here were penned by some of the best French arrangers and composers of the period – including a fair bit by Serge Gainsbourg, who really helped Gall find her groove, and moved her from being just another girl singer to one of the more powerful 60s voices in French pop! There's even a few funky numbers in the mix, and the rest mostly have a modly snapping 60s groove – of the sort that's being heavily revived these days – and titles include "Pense A Moi", "Laisse Tomber Les Filles", "Attends Ou Va T'En", "Nous Ne Sommes Pas Des Anges", "Poupee De Cire Poupee De Son", "N'Ecoute Pas Les Idoles", "Baby Pop", "Les Sucettes", "Cet Air-La", "Bebe Requin", and "24/36". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful recent live recording from bossa legend Joao Gilberto – the kind that shows that he's still very much in fine fine form! The set was recorded in Tokyo, and features Joao on voice and guitar – with no other instrumentation at all – replicating the feel of some of his sparest classic work, with a style and approach that seems even better with age. There's a waning sadness to the whole set that's really compelling – the weight of years that somehow makes classic tunes sound even more meaningful than before! 15 tracks in all – with titles that include "Aos Pes Da Cruz", "Bolinha De Papel", "Louco", "Pra Que Discutir Com Madame", "Doralice", "Este Seu Olhar", and "Preconceito". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

An amazing collection of music – the legendary Fontana Records run of albums by tenor giant Tubby Hayes – a key player on the UK bop scene of the 50s, but one who took off in all these great new directions with these classic albums for the Fontana label in the following decade! The package features twelve full albums done by Tubby as a leader – all newly remastered by Gearbox, and packaged here with bonus material that was not on previous reissues – a number of alternate takes across the entire Fontana catalog! Each album comes in an LP-styled jacket with original cover art, save two, which are combined – and albums include Tubbs, Tubbs In New York, Palladium Jazz Date, Equation In Rhythm, Down In The Village, Late Spot At Scotts, Tubbs Tours, Return Visit, 100% Proof, Mexican Green, The Orchestra, and the 2CD version of the newly-discovered Grits, Beans, and Greens. There's a big booklet of notes, too, with rare photos and other images – and the whole package is wonderful throughout! CD

A long-lost album from one of our favorite jazz talents of all time – British tenor legend Tubby Hayes, a player we'd easily place on a short list with giants like Dexter Gordon or Sonny Rollins! Like both of those players, Hayes has an incredible talent for longform solos that never lose their fire, direction, or imagination – a quality that emerges here maybe even more strongly than on some of the records that preceded it – as Hayes works with just a quartet, on long tracks that are really dominated by both his great sound, and the strong contributions of pianist Mike Pyne – an equal star on the set! At a time when British jazz was going for a lot of new recording modes, crossover styles, and other gimmicks, the whole thing is a back to basics record for Tubby – but also one that shows just how much he's grown as a soloist in just a few short years – really on fire, as the tenor is driven strongly by the efforts of Ron Mathewson on bass and Spike Wells on drums, completing a great quartet who really get the energy of their leader. Titles include a great version of the Duke Pearson tune "You Know I Care", a lovely take on "Where Am I Going", and the Hayes originals "For Members Only", "Rumpus", and "Grits Beans & Greens". Fantastic stuff – long overdue, and instantly a key addition to the Tubby Hayes Fontana catalog of the 60s! CD

A long-lost album from one of our favorite jazz talents of all time – British tenor legend Tubby Hayes, a player we'd easily place on a short list with giants like Dexter Gordon or Sonny Rollins! Like both of those players, Hayes has an incredible talent for longform solos that never lose their fire, direction, or imagination – a quality that emerges here maybe even more strongly than on some of the records that preceded it – as Hayes works with just a quartet, on long tracks that are really dominated by both his great sound, and the strong contributions of pianist Mike Pyne – an equal star on the set! At a time when British jazz was going for a lot of new recording modes, crossover styles, and other gimmicks, the whole thing is a back to basics record for Tubby – but also one that shows just how much he's grown as a soloist in just a few short years – really on fire, as the tenor is driven strongly by the efforts of Ron Mathewson on bass and Spike Wells on drums, completing a great quartet who really get the energy of their leader. Titles include a great version of the Duke Pearson tune "You Know I Care", a lovely take on "Where Am I Going", and the Hayes originals "For Members Only", "Rumpus", and "Grits Beans & Greens". Fantastic stuff – long overdue, and instantly a key addition to the Tubby Hayes Fontana catalog of the 60s! This great 2CD version features the full versions of all the sessions, with a number of takes on some of the tunes – including an unusual version of "Where Am I Going" with the guitar of Louis Stewart instead of the piano of Mike Pyne. Also has a hardcover package, and a nice booklet of notes! CD

... CD

... CD

A landmark album that is perhaps the single most influential beat source in hip hop! The record was the brainchild of bongo player Michael Viner – who also happened to be running the Pride subsidiary of MGM at the time. Viner's got a meeeeeean touch on the bongo, hitting it hard and funky like the best 70s conga players – and his approach to the instrument is kind of like a funky update of popular instrumental styles laid down on guitar by The Ventures or on moog by Hot Butter. This album features the classics "Apache" and "Bongo Rock" – both with monster funky breakdowns that showed up on a heck of a lot of hip hop records over the years – plus loads of other goodies like "Last Bongo In Belgium" and "Bongolia". Excellent stuff – and darn hard to find! (We can still remember how stunned we were when we found our first copy in a Canadian record store back in 1987 – and even then we had to pay plenty!) Japanese reissue version includes 4 bonus tracks – "Sing Sing Sing", "Kiburi (part 1)", "Satisfaction", and "Last Bongo In Belgium (breakers mix)". CD

Akira Ishikawa always gives us very groovy music – either with his Count Buffalos, or without – and this album is a key part of his 70s legacy of mixing up so many different styles at once! The album's definitely got all the elements promised in the title, but all inflected with a jazzy approach that's more 60s Verve Records than you'd expect from the early 70s date – kind of an extension of the way that American musicians were picking up on late exotic and early psych in the decade before, and using it as a way to really open up their instrumental expressions! The set does feature a few covers of older Latin standards, but done in ways that bring in groovier electric jazz elements – a bit of guitar or Hammond, and some hiply-inflected reed lines that really make the whole thing sound great. Titles include "Quien Sera", "Babalu", "Nightingale", "Angelitos Negros", "Taboo", "Watermelon Man", and "O Barquinho". CD

... CD

Not much of a cover, but a great cooker from the legendary drummer – with work by Nat Adderley on cornet, Dexter Gordon on tenor, Ira Sullivan on soprano and tenor sax, George Cables on piano, and Ron Carter on bass! CD

Very unusual work from a surprisingly hip high school choir in Chicago – working at the legendary Kenwood High School, which was once home to Minnie Riperton and Chaka Khan! The group sings material from two original rock operas – one with songwriting contributions from soul singer Bettye Plummer – and Cavalleria Rusticana is all acapella, and just OK – but the rock opera Stop features some great instrumentation by a very cool combo, nice and funky at times! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite soundtracks ever – a jazzy swinging ode to love found and love lost – all penned by the legendary Michel Legrand! The work was composed in collaboration with director Jacques Demy for his 1966 film of the same name – and, like the previous Demy/Legrand collaboration, Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, the movie's a story in song – one that has much of the dialogue presented as sung lyrics to the tunes. The mode takes off from a Hollywood musical style, and pushes the genre into territory that's much hipper, very French, and with a soaring approach that's filled with plenty of mod 60s jazz grooves. Legrand's genius has never sparkled so brightly – and his ability to interweave different themes, stories, and grooves is simply amazing! This double-length set presents the expanded original score – with many songs that were not on the original single version of the soundtrack, plus key bits of dialogue to help transition the tunes. Titles include "Chanson Des Jumelles", "Chanson De Delphine", "Nous Voyageons De Ville En Ville", "Chanson D'Andy", "La Femme Coupee En Morceaux", and "Marins Amis Amants Ou Maris". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the greatest jazz work ever recorded by Michel Legrand! Although Legrand's always been known for his sweet soundtrack work and his famous easy listening sides – he's also a heck of a jazz pianist, and here in this rare 1959 session, he works in a trio format that puts him right up there with the best of the French piano-technics of his generation, like Maurice Vander or Rene Utreger. The arrangements are wonderfully off-beat – and Legrand dances around the piano with a versatility that we didn't know he had. The group features Guy Pedersen on bass and Gus Wallez on drums – and titles include "Paris In The Spring", "Sous Les Ponts De Paris", "Paris Canaille", "Moulin Rouge", and "La Vie En Rose". CD

A beautiful pairing of Michel Legrand and Stephane Grappelli – two of France's most sensitive jazz musicians ever, sounding really wonderful here in the company of each other! The set features Grappelli's violin and Legrand's lead piano – amidst some larger orchestrations put together by Michel, who also produced the set – all with that great balance of swing and sentiment that always makes his music so wonderful. Grappelli's gliding lines add a nice degree of lightness – especially when contrasted with the fuller string section – and titles include "Mon Homme", "Revoir Paris", "Theme From Summer Of 42", "Les Feuilles Mortes", "Parlez-Moi D'Amour", "Nuages", and "Milou En Mai". CD

The album's no funeral for Lil Wayne – and instead it's a bit of a rebirth, the kind of set that not only shows the world that Weezy's alive and well – but he's also not going anywhere anytime soon! The pace really picks up on a number of these tracks – maybe showing more youth and vitality than we might have expected – and Lil Wayne more than holds his own in a large group of guests, with contributions from Big Sean, Lil Baby, Jay Rock, Takeoff, 2Chainz, OT Genasis, XXXTentacion, and Adam Levine. Titles include "Funeral", "Dreams", "Wayne's World", "Not Me", "Bing James", "Trust Nobody", "Stop Playin With Me", "Wild Dogs", "Know You Know", "I Don't Sleep", "Bastard", "Get Outta My Head", and "Sights & Silencers". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic selection of work from one of the hippest girl groups of the 70s – the mighty Love Unlimited trio, three singers who all worked under the genius of Barry White in his prime! Unlike other girl trios of the time, who often used an older soul mode refitted with disco grooves – sometimes acting more like a chorus than a lead act – Love Unlimited always brought their full vocal strengths to play, and do a fantastic job here working in modes that rival some of the best male harmony groups of the early 70s – especially the sweet soul groups from New Jersey, New York, and Philly. And yes, Barry does kick up the groove a bit at times, but even then things are usually more in a midtempo mode, not a disco one – which makes for tremendous sounds throughout. This is the first-ever proper collection of the girls' singles from the early 70s – and titles include "Oh Love Well We Finally Made It", "Fragile Handle With Care", "Are You Sure", "I Should Have Known", "Is It Really True Boy Is It Me", "Walkin In The Rain With The One I Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "It May Be Winter Outside", "I Love You So Never Gonna Let You Go", "I Belong To You", "So Nice To Hear", "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today", and "Share A Little Love In Your Heart". CD

A fantastic selection of work from one of the hippest girl groups of the 70s – the mighty Love Unlimited trio, three singers who all worked under the genius of Barry White in his prime! Unlike other girl trios of the time, who often used an older soul mode refitted with disco grooves – sometimes acting more like a chorus than a lead act – Love Unlimited always brought their full vocal strengths to play, and do a fantastic job here working in modes that rival some of the best male harmony groups of the early 70s – especially the sweet soul groups from New Jersey, New York, and Philly. And yes, Barry does kick up the groove a bit at times, but even then things are usually more in a midtempo mode, not a disco one – which makes for tremendous sounds throughout. This is the first-ever proper collection of the girls' singles from the early 70s – and titles include "Oh Love Well We Finally Made It", "Fragile Handle With Care", "Are You Sure", "I Should Have Known", "Is It Really True Boy Is It Me", "Walkin In The Rain With The One I Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "It May Be Winter Outside", "I Love You So Never Gonna Let You Go", "I Belong To You", "So Nice To Hear", "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today", and "Share A Little Love In Your Hear LP, Vinyl record album

Deluxe edition includes the original album, six bonus tracks, and a second live disc. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

... CD

Great grooves from Monday Michiru – a Soul Source collection that brings together a wealth of Monday's dancefloor work with a host of other artists! The tunes here are all upbeat and nicely grooving – very much that soulful Soul Source dancefloor vibe – and the package is a nice reminder that although Monday's been hitting some great mellow notes of late, she's also still one of the best club-oriented talents from the Japanese scene. A number of these tracks are from hard to find singles, and collaborators here include Da Lata, Jazztronik, Soul Source, Masters At Work, Joe Claussell, and Mondo Grosso. Titles include "Butterfly" by Mondo Grosso with Monday Michiru, "You Make Me (Studio Apartment rmx)" by Monday Michiru, "The Right Time (Jephte's King Street vokal)" by Monday Michiru, "The Real Thing" by Soul Source Productions with Monday Michiru, "Tiger Eyes (English version)" by Jazztronik with Monday Michiru, "New Beginnings" by Monday Michiru with Da Lata, "ADDP" by M-Flo with Monday Michiru, "Sunshine After The Rain (MAW 12" mix)" by Monday Michiru, and "Higher (Spiritual Life voc)" by Monday Michiru with Joe Claussell. CD

A landmark album of crossover funk – fuzzed out rock, soul, and jazzy licks all coming into play together – held totally tight by drummer Buddy Miles, the undisputed king of his scene! Buddy's drums are super-heavy – holding down his Freedom Express group with a heavy jazz-rock sound that would soon have a huge influence on other groups. Includes Buddy's original version of "Them Changes" – a tune that was instantly covered by everyone at the time – plus the cuts "Memphis Train", "Your Feeling Is Mine", "Dreams", and "Down By The River". One for the Fillmore crowd! CD

A lost live recording from the legendary Thelonious Monk Quartet of the 60s – done at a time when the group wasn't recording at all, as a small benefit at a high school in California! Yet despite that setting, the vibe here is as relaxed, open, and human as if the combo were playing at an overseas club – very personal presentation of the best ideals inherent in Monk's piano, Charlie Rouse's tenor, Larry Gales' bass, and the drums of Ben Riley! Monk had been having some health issues during the year, but they don't show up at all in his performance – save for maybe a sense of brooding darkness at times, although that was always a quality that might appear in his performance. The music is every bit as essential as the London recordings that would emerge a few years later – and titles include "Blue Monk", "Well You Needn't", "Ruby My Dear", "Don't Blame Me", "Epistrophy", and "I Love You Sweetheart Of All My Dreams". CD

A lost live recording from the legendary Thelonious Monk Quartet of the 60s – done at a time when the group wasn't recording at all, as a small benefit at a high school in California! Yet despite that setting, the vibe here is as relaxed, open, and human as if the combo were playing at an overseas club – very personal presentation of the best ideals inherent in Monk's piano, Charlie Rouse's tenor, Larry Gales' bass, and the drums of Ben Riley! Monk had been having some health issues during the year, but they don't show up at all in his performance – save for maybe a sense of brooding darkness at times, although that was always a quality that might appear in his performance. The music is every bit as essential as the London recordings that would emerge a few years later – and titles include "Blue Monk", "Well You Needn't", "Ruby My Dear", "Don't Blame Me", "Epistrophy", and "I Love You Sweetheart Of All My Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from British singer Matt Monro – early sessions for Capitol Records, done in the US – and maybe not entirely "lost", but very different here than in the way they were released! The backings here are small and jazzy – really showing Monro in an intimate mode that suits his vocals well – although producer Dave Cavanaugh at Capitol then later added bigger arrangements and strings, and sent this one off to market as the album Invitation To Broadway. Those original stripped-down session are presented here for the first time ever, along with a few unissued tracks, and later unreleased alternates too – and although many of the songs are from shows, they're a very well-chosen bunch, and move between tunes that have a slight bossa rhythm, and others that have a laidback jazz style with some nicely tinkling piano. Tracks include "Lover's Caravan", "Come Back To Me", "The Apple Tree", "If She Walked Into My Life", "I'll Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her", "Looking For Small Pleasures", "The Lady Smiles", "Walking Happy", and "The Impossible Dream". CD 2 is a great bonus – 27 more tracks from Matt's years at Capitol – titles that include "Don't Answer Me", "Honey On The Vine", "We're Gonna Change The World", "And You Smiled", "If I Never Sing Another Song", "Walk Away", "My Kind Of Girl", "Gonna Build A Mountain", "Softly As I Leave You", "From Russia With Love", "The Music Played", and "On Days Like These. 47 tracks in all! CD

... CD