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

James Burton gave his guitar talents to many over the years – but here he stands strongly in the lead – on a cool set of instrumentals issued at the start of the 70s by A&M! The album's a bit unusual for the label at the time – as it was recorded in Nashville, with production by Felton Jarvis – who brings out both the twang and fuzz in Burton's solo style – but maybe also gives the record some of the soulful currents you'd find in Memphis rock productions of the period. Burton himself does a great job of avoiding both country and instrumental rock guitar cliches – which really keeps things interesting – and titles include "Mystery Train", "I Know", "Long Peach", "Rock & Raunch", "Delta Lady", "Polk Salad Annie", and "Fools Rush In". CD

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A big 70s album for Clapton – with titles that include "Cocaine", "The Core", "Wonderful Tonight", "Lay Down Sally", "Next Time You See Her", and "Mean Old Frisco". CD

It's hard to imagine these guys giving up their day job, as of all the country rock groups at the start of the 70s, they've probably got more instrumental talents than most! In fact, these guys come across more like some of the new wave of bluegrass groups that were appearing on indie labels than you'd expect from some of the bigger label work of the time – harmonizing wonderfully, and serving up instrumentation that's heavy on deft fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and guitar! There's a really fresh approach – a bit like that new way of presenting old roots that groups like Seldom Scene were touching on – and the group serve up their own material, and work by Elton John, Don McLean, and CSNY. Titles include "Huckleberry Hornpipe", "The Fallen Eagle", "My Oklahoma", "Teach Your Children", "Honky Cat", "Snowball", and "Deputy Dalton". CD

A pretty great set from a country rock group who clearly have a sense of humor – but one who also have some surprisingly great chops as well! In some way, these guys are a bit like labelmates Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – who also were maybe approaching acoustic roots music with a tongue in cheek vibe at the start – but also provided plenty to get past any sort of joke they were trying to hide behind! There's excellent instrumentation on the set – fiddle, mandolin, and banjo – and the vocals often harmonize at level that would make most bluegrass groups pretty darn proud. Plus, Jim Dickson put the whole thing together with perfect production – on titles that include "Forget Me Not", "Sound Of Goodbye", "Aggravation", "If You're Ever Gonna Love Me", "Anna", "Tried So Hard", "Keep On Pushin", and "Lost Indian". CD

A sweet collection of funk from this ultra-cool Japanese combo – all hand-picked, and served up in a special mix by DJ Muro! Crazy Ken Band have an odd name, but a warmly soulful take on funk that began in the pre-Daptone years, and which maybe shares more with the funk revival modes on the London scene at the start of the 90s – especially as the group have some of the warmer currents of Incognito or Brand New Heavies! But there's also a harder funk approach on some numbers – really sharp instrumentation that works equally well with blasting horns or warmer modern soul grooves – almost always topped with lead lyrics in Japanese. Most of their work was only issued overseas, so this collection's a great place to start with their music, especially with Muro in the lead! CD features 25 titles, most listed in Japanese – but with tracks that include "Brand New Honda", "El Diablo", "Midnight Cruiser", "Lady Mustang", and "Punch Punch Punch". CD

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A beautiful turn in style for Johnny Darrell – a singer who maybe hit kind of a pop/country mode in the 60s – but who here comes across with a nicely deep vibe! The cover image has kind of a lonely feel, and that spirit is definitely in he music too – as Darrell matures into a much better singer than we remember, and picks up elements of the rising country rock world too – a hip vibe that really works well for the songs on the album – which include work by Jackson Browne, Hoyt Axton, Lowell George, and DeWayne Blackwell. Titles include "These Days", "Brother River", "She's Headed For The Country", "Brother River", "Willing", "Mae Jean Goes To Hollywood", "Mama Come N Get Your Baby Boy", and "Meanwhile Back In Memphis". CD

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One of the few albums ever recorded by Matt Dennis – a cool-voiced vocalist who was equally known as a songwriter! Matt's style here is nicely laidback – supper-club jazz, but with a nice hip twist – the kind of singer who could be playing a room with a gently swinging ease, but also scanning the crowd for the easy mark, the offhand glance, or the kind of sign that would make him change the nature of his set. Two tracks on the set have him joined by sweet-voiced Virginia Maxey – and titles include "Angel Eyes", "Compared To You", "Let's Get Away From It All", and "When You Love A Fella". CD

Some of the most soulful jazz recorded in Europe during the 1960s – four full albums by legendary German saxophonist Klaus Doldinger, plus a bonus compilation that's filled with rare singles too! Doldinger's probably best remembered for the more dynamic fusion he cut with the Passport group in the 70s, but back in his early years he was full on soul jazz player, steeped in the tradition of Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson, Sonny Stitt, and others before him – all players that we'd easily rank Doldinger with during these years, given the ultra-high level of his work for Philips! But given his German orientation, Doldinger also picked up on some of the freer influences that were running around the European scene of the 60s – and the tracks here don't just sparkle with American soul jazz sounds, but also show a bit of Brazilian and more progressive jazz influences as well. And alongside Doldinger's tremendous tenor and soprano sax, the recordings here are equally noteworthy for the organ lines of Ingrfried Hoffmann – an ultra-cool player on the Hammond, with the mixture of rhythmic energy and playfulness you might find in the work of Jack McDuff for Prestige at the same time! Doldinger and Hoffmann cook tremendously throughout – so much so, you can easily forget their country of origin, and just put these sides on equally next to your favorites from Prestige or Cadet. The set features four rare albums, each in tiny LP-styled sleeves – plus the So Much Doldinger set, which features 17 titles in all, including some Latin-styled tunes, and others cut with Paul Nero's Blue Sounds combo. CD

A live set recorded in 1965 – and more straight ahead soul jazz than Lou's later funk work on Blue Note, even though Leo Morris/Idris Muhammad is on drums. The album is a nice transitional session, though, with a good lounge jazz feel, and some nice long cuts like "Fried Buzzard", "Summertime" – and "The Thang", which have a rawer feel than most of his Blue Note stuff. CD

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Dr Hook were always one of the weirder groups in mainstream rock during the 70s – a group who were maybe founded in roots rock modes, but who often had a funky current in their rhythms – and this very weird blend of catchy tunes and the offbeat lead vocals of Ray Sawyer! The sound's a bit hard to describe, but surprisingly compelling over the years – kind of like the hippies taking over the corporation – which is a bit like the image on the cover! Titles include "Let Me Be Your Lover", "Levitate", "Everybody Loves Me", "Cooky & Lila", "Everybody's Making It Big But Me", and "The Millionaire". CD

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One of the greatest runs of records ever for a single jazz artist – all the earliest recordings as a leader by legendary pianist Bill Evans – packaged here in a single set, in LP-styled covers, along with bonus material too! The full albums here are the stuff of legend – records that forever changed the face of jazz piano, and which are still go-to albums for countless listeners – and the box also includes all the other albums that came out later, but which featured unreleased Evans material recorded by the Riverside and Milestone labels at the same time. Albums include New Jazz Conceptions, Everybody Digs Bill Evans, Portrait In Jazz, Explorations, Sunday At The Village Vanguard, Waltz For Debby, How My Heart Sings, Moon Beams, Interplay, and At Shelly's Manne Hole – plus Loose Blues, with work from Zoot Sims and Jim Hall – plus the Tenderly album with Don Elliott, the great On Green Dolphin Street set, and the two volume Solo Sessions material. CD

An incredible package of work by the legendary Georgie Fame – the first to ever fully document his talents, and also present a lot of rare work from every different stage in his career! Yes, there's already been a box on the market that documents Fame's early work – but that material only makes up the first CD or two on this set, and is quickly followed by loads of unusual tracks from the 70s – a time when Georgie was moving past the R&B-inspired sounds of his early career, taking off in new soulful modes, then returning to straighter jazz in later years. All that great span of sounds is here – and is a wonderful journey in music, as Fame never lost his charm, or the groove that first got him going – and the package brings together early Polydor material with later sides for Columbia, Island, Pye, and other labels – and includes 18 tracks that have never appeared before from the late 60s and early 70s, plus lots of other rare singles and unusual cuts too. There's a full unreleased live show from 1974 that's wonderful, some sweet electric early 70s sides that are appearing for the first time, and lots more too – all in a special box with 6CDs, a 48 page hardcover book, and a whopping 110 tracks in all. Take it from us – we're MASSIVE fans of this totally unique singer – and even though we have just about everything else we can get from him, there's still plenty here to make the box totally essential for our collection! CD

One of the jazziest early albums from Georgie Fame – a set that has him singing with the big band of Harry South, at a level that's a lot more complicated than some of his other work with The Blue Flames! The style here still has that mod 60s London feel, but it also has some deeper inflections as well – modes borrowed a bit from Jon Hendricks or Mose Allison, yet served up with even greater complexity – at a level that really points towards the tremendous growth Fame would unleash over the next few years. Members of the group include Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, Dick Morrisey, Kenny Wheeler, and many other key Brit jazz figures of the time – and titles include "Three Blind Mice", "Dawn Yawn", "Feed Me", "Lovey Dovey", "Lil Darlin", "Lil Pony", "I Am Missing You", and "Many Happy Returns". CD also features 9 more bonus tracks – most of them more soul-oriented, with titles that include "El Bandido", "Getaway", "Outrage", "Walking The Dog", "Move It On Over", and "Don't Make Promises". CD

A record as revolutionary as the French year in which it was recorded – an amazing batch of late 60s grooves from Parisian pop madame France Gall! The set's upbeat and jaunty, with plenty of fuzz – almost a psyche pop sound, with lots of groovy guitars that make the album sparkle with plenty of razor-sharp notes! Gall's vocals are as wonderful as ever, and almost sound a bit more sinister in this setting – thanks to arrangements by Alain Gouraguer and the great David Whitaker. There's plenty of France Gall classics here – including versions of the Serge Gainsbourg tunes "Nefertiti" and "Teenie Weenie Boppie" – plus "Toi Que Je Veux", "Made In France", "Bebe Requin", and "Avant La Bagarre". CD features lots of bonus tracks – 10 more numbers that include "Don't Make War Captain Make Love", "La Vielle Fille", "24/36", "Dady Da Da", "Le Temps Du Tempo", "Y'A Du Soleil A Vendre", "Rue De L'Abricot", and "Souffler Les Bougies". CD

No baby pop here, as France Gall is all-woman throughout – one of the best of the French female pop singers of the mid 60s, working here with an upbeat, groovy sound throughout! Backings are by the great Alain Gouraguer, who gives the record a tightly jerking kind of feel – a sound that's the Paris contribution to the same sort of mod grooves that were coming out of the London scene at the time. The album's filled with classics by Gall, all sung in a sweet voice that's a great contrast to the music – wonderful stuff throughout, with titles that include "Baby Pop", "Cet Air La", "L'Amerique", "Mon Bateau De Nuit", and "Deux Oiseaux". CD features bonus tracks "Je Me Marie En Blanc" and "Ca Me Fait Rire". CD

Early work by one of the grooviest singers in the French pop scene of the 60s – the lovely France Gall, working here with some very swinging arrangements from Alain Gouraguer! The grooves are wonderful throughout – sometimes jazzy, sometimes more in a "yeh yeh" pop vein – but always upbeat, lively, and youthful! Gall's voice has a lightly dreamy quality that skips along nicely over the top of the rhythms – not really a little girl mode, given her sense of command on the lyrics – but as cutely flirtatious enough to match the sexy spirit of the record! Titles include "Jazz A Gogo", "Soyons Sages", "Pense A Moi", "La Cloche", "Ca Va Je T'Aime", "Ne Dis Pas Aux Copains", "Mes Premieres Vraies Vacances", and "N'Ecoute Pas Les Idoles". CD

A totally excellent album from France Gall! The record's one of her earliest full LPs – but France's groovy 60s pop style is already firmly in place, and the songs are all pretty darn great. Alain Gouraguer handled all the arrangements – and the tracks are filled with loads of swinging instrumentation, from electric harpsichord, to jangly guitars, to brassy big band finishes. Over the top, France's lovely voice rings out loud and true – and the CD's a delight from start to finish. Titles include "Tu N'As Pas Le Droit", "Il Niege", "J'ai Retrouve Mon Chen", "Bonsoir John John", "L'Echo", "Quand On Est Ensemble", and Serge Gainsbourg's "Les Sucettes". CD features bonus tracks "Boom Boom" and "Polichinelle". CD

France Gall won the Eurovision song contest with the title track of this one – and for good reason too, given that the tune is totally groovy! The rest of the work here really follows suit – romping, jerking, and grooving in that wonderful mix of mod rhythms that made France's 60s material so great – some of the best of the French pop scene at the time, with a sound that's really a cut above on all the numbers here! Backings are by the mighty Alain Gouraguer, who brings in a hip mix of jazz inflections, rocking rhythms, and some of the more sparkling soundtrack elements bubbling in the French 60s scene – all a perfect accompaniment for Gall's catchy girl pop vocals. Titles include "Poupee De Cire Poupee De Son", written by Serge Gainsbourg – plus "Le Coeur Qui Jazze", "Le Premier Chagrin D'Amour", "On T'Avait Prevenue", "Dis A Ton Capitaine", "Nounours", "Laisse Tomber Les Filles", and "Bonne Nuit". CD features bonus stereo mixes of "Poupee De Cire Poupee De Son" and "Prince Charmant". CD

Dizzy and strings – a surprisingly great combination! Although it was Charlie Parker who first made famous the modernist "jazz with strings" approach, Dizzy does wonderfully here in the format – working in similar fashion with edgey backing from the "Operatic String Orchestra" in sessions recorded in Paris in the early 50s! The material was originally only issued as a number of separate 78rpm singles, but is brought together here with full notes and a few bonus tracks – making for a wonderful album that documents this really under-represented part of Dizzy's career. The solos are warm, but edgey – blown over the top of backings that shimmer with rich colors, but have a slightly modern bent. Titles include "Fine & Dandy", "Stormy Weather", "The Very Thought Of You", "Jalousie", "Sweet & Lovely", "The Man I Love", and "Ghost Of A Chance". CD

Way more than the simple Charlie Parker tribute promised in the title! For starters, the set's got two of the best cuts by Gillespie's mid 60s group with James Moody – "Um-Hmmm" and "Groovin High" – both of which have Moody playing in an incredibly unbridled tone that's just great! Next up are Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge fronting a hip group with Billy Taylor on a long version of "Now's The Time". Taylor also makes an appearance on Dave Lambert's scatted vocal version of "Donna Lee", as well as on a large group medley of the tunes "Bird Watcher" and "Disorder At The Border". Finishing off the set is an amazing Lee Konitz solo version of "Blues For Bird", his own composition, played as a spare solo tune on alto! 9 tracks in all. CD

3 rare French jazz soundtracks on one CD! First up is the music from the film Les Loups Dans La Bergerie, written by Serge Gainsbourg, and performed by Serge's arranger Alain Goraguer – in a hip modern mode that recalls some of the best soundtrack work by Barney Wilen, Miles Davis, and Art Blakey from the same period. Next up are 5 tracks from Les Tripes Au Soleil, written and performed by Andre Hodier – with a feel that's similar to that of Gourager's work, but perhaps a bit more modern. Hodier's tunes feature solos by Roger Guerin on trumpet and Pierre Gossez on alto, plus some performances by Christine Legrand. Last up are tracks from the Freddie Redd's score for The Connection – played by the Daniel Humair Soultet, a very cool group that features Humair on drums, Eddy Louiss on piano, Sonny Grey on trumpet, Jean-Louis Chautemps on tenor, and Rene Urtreger doing the arrangements. The work on the set's a wonderful variation on the American recording of the work – done by Redd and Jackie McLean – with a very different kind of energy that opens up the compositions nicely. Titles include "Wigglin", "Overdose", "Danse", "Le Desert", "Rhythm & Blues No 1", "Les Loups Dans La Bergerie", and "Cha Cha Cha Du Loup". CD

A bit of a change for The Great Jazz Trio, but a great one too – given that Buster Williams is on bass here, instead of the usual Ron Carter – working with drummer Tony Williams and pianist Hank Jones to really make things sparkle! Buster's bass is always a treat, and this album's no exception – a set that's filled with some surprisingly soulful moments on the bottom, which really seems to push the group nicely on the longer tracks in the set. Jones sounds a bit different here than before – in a good way – and titles include versions of "Love For Sale", "Secret Love", "Autumn Leaves", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". CD

There's a very earthy, organic finish to the alto saxophone shown in the hands of Kang Tae Hwan on the cover – and that appearance is a great illustration of the sound on the record, too – one that builds very slowly, with almost a meditative quality – as the tones are created first almost at the brink of silence, then find quiet confidence as they grow, and mix with contributions from guests Ned Rothenberg on alto and bass clarinet, and Otomo Yoshihide on turntables! As the title promises, the album features different configurations of Hwan's talents alongside the guests – and tracks include "Solo 1", "Duo 1", "Trio", "Solo 2", and "Duo 2". 2LP set features more material than the CD – including two solo tracks from Rothenberg. LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling title – as the record was recorded at Nola Penthouse Studios in New York, one of the hippest places to lay down tracks at the time – but the cover shows an image of the Playboy building in Chicago, famous from the TV show Playboy's Penthouse, Hugh Hefner's first foray into television! The actual music is equally compelling too – as the record is one of Ahmad's first non-trio sessions, and features some great larger arrangements from Joe Kennedy – backing the trio of Jamal, Vernel Fournier, and Israel Crosby with some light strings that create a wonderfully dreamy feel! Ahmad's piano glides along wonderfully in such a setting – set free a bit more than usual, and really sounding great on tracks that include "Ivy", "Comme Ci, Comme Ca", "Tangerine", "Never Never Land", "Ahmad's Blues", and "Seleritus". CD

The music of Antonio Carlos Jobim opened up huge new territory for male singers in Brazil during the 60s – a way of being personal and emotive, but without any of the overdone modes of the generation before – nor some of the false bravado that was usually mixed in with the presentation of the lyrics! Instead, Jobim allowed a stripped-down, warmly poetic approach that opened up huge new territory for singers in the bossa generation and beyond – as you'll hear in this very cool collection of classic work that begins during the initial time of Jobim's first compositions, and runs through the 60s and 70s to show an array of artists who were really helping to transform his music. Titles include "Ligia" by Chico Buarque, "Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar" by Caetano Veloso, "So Danco Samba" by Joao Donato, "Tema De Amor De Gabriela" by Ney Matogrosso, "Samba De Uma Nota So" by Baden Powell & Jimmy Pratt, "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" by Pedro Mariano, "Olha Maria" by Emilio Santiago, "Agua De Beber" by Tamba Trio, "Dindi" by Lucio Alves, and "Ana Luiza" by MPB4. CD

A much-needed look at an overlooked side of the genius of Quincy Jones – not his jazz work, not his productions for famous soul artists, but instead his huge legacy of soundtrack material – a part of Q's career that really took off in the 60s! By the time he started working in films, Jones had already had a decade under his belt as one of the hippest arrangers, leaders, and composers in jazz – and the film business really respected those talents, and allowed Quincy to bring some really fresh styles into play – modes that really opened up the vibe of American cinema, and also paved the way for the funky styles of the 70s! As that decade approached, Jones left behind the cinema to take on some more higher-profile records of his own – but all the charms of those great albums can be found here at their roots – in this stunning collection of soundtrack material. This LP package features some of the best tracks from the CD box set – 11 numbers that include "Ironside", "Threadbare", "Deadly Affair", "Pawnbroker", "Roack Em Up", "They Call Me Mister Tibbs", "Slum Creeper", "Main Squeeze", "Rap Run It On Down", "The Anderson Tapes", and "Getta Bloomin Move On". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Jerry Knight – an artist who often lent his talents to others as an arranger or producer, but who could also really shine in the spotlight on his own! Knight spent time with Raydio, and that vibe definitely shows through here – on tunes that are the perfect summation of 80s funky soul at its best – never over-polished, nor trying too hard for any sort of chart placement – but completely catchy and very tuneful overall! Jerry's also got some superstar help on the record – including piano from James Ingram, who also sings backing vocals with Phil Perry – and production from Leon Haywood on half the set, rounding things out with his own great groove. Titles include "She's Got To Be A Dancer", "I'm Down For That", "Fire", "Beautiful", "Do It All For You", and "Brand New Fool". CD

A dream come true – a special 5CD box set, based around one of our favorite soundtracks ever – with a huge amount of added music! The core score is presented on CDs 1 and 2 – fantastic music from the film Les Demoiselles De Rochefort (aka Young Girls Of Rochefort) – 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". CD2 also features 11 more tracks – the Instrumental version of the score, directed by Legrand in 1966. CD3 features a beautiful English Language version – with the voices of Jackie Ward, Sue Allen, Earl Brown, and others – all singing English versions of the songs, done by Earl Brown and Julian More. CD4 features work tracks that are wonderful – many with just Legrand at the piano and singing lyrics, others with orchestral tracks – a total of 21 tracks in all. CD5 features remakes and other versions of songs from the film – done by Bud Shank, Chico & The Gypsies, Johnny Griffin, Phil Woods, Trotter Trio, Brigitte, Claude Parent, Bill Evans, Yuri Buenaventura, and others. The whole thing comes with a huge booklet of notes – with lots of information on the film and its music. CD

A dream come true – a special 5CD box set, based around one of our favorite soundtracks ever – with a huge amount of added music! The core score is presented on CDs 1 and 2 – fantastic music from the film Les Demoiselles De Rochefort (aka Young Girls Of Rochefort) – 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". CD2 also features 11 more tracks – the Instrumental version of the score, directed by Legrand in 1966. CD3 features a beautiful English Language version – with the voices of Jackie Ward, Sue Allen, Earl Brown, and others – all singing English versions of the songs, done by Earl Brown and Julian More. CD4 features work tracks that are wonderful – many with just Legrand at the piano and singing lyrics, others with orchestral tracks – a total of 21 tracks in all. CD5 features remakes and other versions of songs from the film – done by Bud Shank, Chico & The Gypsies, Johnny Griffin, Phil Woods, Trotter Trio, Brigitte, Claude Parent, Bill Evans, Yuri Buenaventura, and others. The whole thing comes with a huge booklet of notes – with lots of information on the film and its music. CD

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Warm harmony soul from Marz – sometimes sweet and mellow, sometimes upbeat and grooving – but always done in a tight style that's right on the money all the time! Marz echo a bit of the sound of LA soul in the early 80s – particularly some of the bassier modes of the Solar Records groups on their funkier cuts – but they've also got a nicely unique way of putting over a warm ballad without making things too sleepy or too commercial – almost a bit spacey and stepping, when they really get things right! Titles include "Hooked On That Lovin' Thing", "Stay With Me", "Seriously", "You Got Me Crying Again", "Move It Groove It", "Make It Right", "One More Minute", and "Everybody Get Up". CD

Bobby McFerrin's a singer who's known to most for one huge hit early on in his career – but he's also way more than that, and a very creative vocal artist who kept on growing long after the hits had passed! This 5CD collection is a great testament to the continuing strengths of McFerrin – as it features his initial album for Blue Note, which had him reinventing the sound of vocal jazz for a whole new generation – then follows him through bigger hit years, then into some strong later records that showcase both his technical talents as a vocalist, and his sensitivity as a singer. The package features five full albums, each in tiny LP-styled sleeves – and includes the records Spontaneous Inventions, Simple Pleasures, Medicine Music, Bang Zoom, and Beyond Words. CD

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Pivotal work from James Moody! The record was cut at a time when Moody was completely reinventing himself – shifting from the hard bopper of earlier years, into a sophisticated, slightly exotic player with an interest in mixing many different styles into a unique soul jazz vision. As part of this, Moody took up the flute heavily – adapting it wonderfully to his rich style, and playing the instrument with a lot more soul than had been previously been applied to the instrument. A few of the tracks on the album feature Moody on tenor, but most of them have flute in the forefront – recorded in a great echoey way that really sounds cool and a little rough around the edges. Other players include Johnny Coles, Tate Houson, and Jimmy Boyd – and tracks include "Phil Up", "Foolin The Blues", "Plus Eight", "Mean To Me", and a version of "Billie's Bounce" with vocals by Eddie Jefferson. CD

Mos Def's first and only LP for the Downtown label, and it's a real return to top shelf, distinctive hip hop for Mos – if the music retail world wasn't in such a strange, troubled period circa '09 this woulda made a much bigger impact and be considered a classic comeback! It's absolutely strong stuff, and to be honest, much better than we would have expected – even if we knew he had great hip hop left in him after some creatively wayward post-millennium years. The beats are compelling, unpredictable, and steeped in abstract global funk that would sound at home on Stones Throw – some of the beats are literally Stones Throw, given Madlib's Beat Konducta and Oh No's Oxperimental sounds to be found. If we weren't already loving it, Slick Rick drops an unforgettable guest appearance on the the moody "Auditorium", Georgia Anne Muldrow does her inimitable thing on "Roses", and Talib Kweli rhymes on "History". Mos rhymes skillfully throughout, and with an infectious immediacy, as if he dropped records this tight all the time. Sadly, he doesn't, so this one's all the more rewarding! Other tracks include "Twilite Speedball", "Revelations", "Pretty Danger", "Quiet Dog", "The Embassy", "Wahid", "Priority" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely English-language work from Nana Mouskouri – a set recorded with some really great arrangements from Bobby Scott, who seems to help Nana pack even more feeling than usual in her work! Scott's arrangements have some elements of jazz, but are usually more complicated overall – sensitively shading things in alongside Nana's well-crafted vocals – and really getting past some of her poppier modes of the 60s with an all-adult approach to the tunes. Strings figure into most of the backings, with almost a Scott Walker sense of depth – and titles include "Tiny Sparrow", "I Love My Man", "Johnny", "Half A Crown", "Just A Ribbon", "If You Love Me", "The Love We Never Knew", "Ballinderrie" – plus the bonus track "Un Homme Est Venu (A Taste Of Honey)". LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely English-language work from Nana Mouskouri – a set recorded with some really great arrangements from Bobby Scott, who seems to help Nana pack even more feeling than usual in her work! Scott's arrangements have some elements of jazz, but are usually more complicated overall – sensitively shading things in alongside Nana's well-crafted vocals – and really getting past some of her poppier modes of the 60s with an all-adult approach to the tunes. Strings figure into most of the backings, with almost a Scott Walker sense of depth – and titles include "Tiny Sparrow", "I Love My Man", "Johnny", "Half A Crown", "Just A Ribbon", "If You Love Me", "The Love We Never Knew", "Ballinderrie" – plus the bonus tracks "Un Homme Est Venu (A Taste Of Honey)", "My Lover", and "Dindi". CD

A really nice one from Gerry – an oft-overlooked mid 60s session, one that has him working with a sextet that includes Jim Hall, Art Farmer, and Bob Brookmeyer, in addition to usual Mulligan rhythm-mates Bill Crow and Dave Bailey. There's a nice soulful bottom to the set, and stronger interplay from the horns than you might get in a Mulligan album of a few years before – nothing fancy, but a strong set of original tunes that break from the mode of the 50s. Titles include "Tell Me When", "Festive Minor", "Wee Small Hours", "Prelude In E Minor", and "Night Lights". CD

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Right from the start, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were wonderful in the studio – but as this album will show, they were even more vibrant in a live setting – a format that would give them some of their best records over the years! This set has the group working at a level that's both technically sharp and whimsically goofy – completely respectful of their roots, but also with enough perspective on their career to never take themselves too seriously – a charm that would only deepen as the years moved on. The instrumentation is wonderful – at a level that almost puts these guys in heady country/roots rock territory of groups like Dillard & Clark or Flying Burrito Brothers – but with an approach that's definitely NGDB all the way through. Titles include "Fat Boys Can Make It In Santa Monica", "Candy Man", "Foggy Mountain Breakdown", "Crazy Words Crazy Tunes", "Buy For Me The Rain", and "Rock Me Baby". CD

Brilliant early work from Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – a group who grew up in the same Cali sunshine that birthed The Byrds, but who definitely took a very unique path in the way they blended together folk, rock, and country! These guys show their wit on their sleeves a bit more than in later years – almost a Mike Nesmith sense of their style, seen from the outside – with an approach that's kind of a running commentary on what they're trying to do, even at the same time they're doing it so well. Songs are plenty playful, with almost a late 60s Warner Brothers revision of nostalgia at times – and titles include "Buy For Me The Rain", "Song to Jutta", "Candy Man", "Dismal Swamp", "Crazy Words Crazy Tune", and "You're Gonna Get It In The End". CD

These guys just get better and better with each of their records – finding a depth and seriousness that they might have been lacking at the start – while still holding onto their sharper wit, and wide-ranging interpretation of sounds from previous years of the 20th century! The group's style mixes together roots of jazz, string band music, folk, and trippier rock – all with a blend that's maybe as pan-historical as Harpers Bizarre at their best, with a similar sense of aesthetic play that was years ahead of its time! The approach shouldn't work as well as it does – but it does – on titles that include versions of "These Days" and "Reason To Believe" – plus "End Of Your Line", "Sadie Green The Vamp Of New Orleans", "Mournin Blues", "A Number & A Name", and "Willie The Weeper". CD

Weirdly wonderful sounds from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – emerging here as a post-folk group who haven't really gone for sunshine pop, but who know how to use both their own harmonies and the strengths of the studio to their best advantage! There's definitely some catchy vocal bits that recall the work of some of their contemporaries – but these guys also had a strong commitment to roots sounds, right from the start – and contribute some surprisingly strong work on mandolin, harmonica, and other instruments that give them a deeper sound than polished California pop! They've also got a time-spanning quality that fits their name and look – 20s dandies into 60s hippies – and titles include "Happy Fat Annie", "Truly Right", "Search The Sky", and "Shadow Dream Song". CD

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A stone classic from the west coast scene – and a record that just seems to get better and better over the years! What sounded like a disappointing, and way too calculatedly provocative follow-up to Straight Outta Compton back in 1991 now sounds to us like the peak of Dr. Dre's career as a producer. The wall of sound here is massive – and dare we say it, almost up to par with the Bomb Squad's work with Public Enemy and the expatriate Ice Cube at the time. Plus, with the passing of the years, we can now find a lot more darkly humorous moments in all of the ultra-violent, damn near Clockwork Orange level mischief. Titles include "Real Niggaz Don't Die", "Niggaz 4 Life", "Appetite For Destruction", "Findum, F*ckum, & Flee", and many more. Remastered for the first time, and includes the full 100 Miles & Runnin' EP as bonus cuts. CD

Gentle solo piano from Japan – a set that recalls older easy instrumental albums of the 60s and 70s, even though it was recorded in more recent years! The sole instrumentation here is piano, recorded in a lushly echoey style that has the same softly captivating vibe of later albums by players like Floyd Cramer or Peter Duchin – but differently, too – given the lack of other instrumentation. As the title implies, most tunes are Japanese hits, but served up in mellow piano instrumentals – all with Japanese titles, in a package with a dozen tracks in all! CD

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Oliver Cheatham sounds wonderful here – in that best bouncy style that made him a big favorite on the dancefloors in the early 80s – a groove that's still pretty darn great all these years later! The set features key songwriting help from Al Hudson and Kevin McCord, both of whom help enforce the One Way style of grooving here – nicely punched-up club tracks filled with plenty of hooks, mixed with the odd mellower number to show that the album's a solid soul effort all the way through – and not just some dance tracks cooked up in the studio! Cheatham's vocals are great – better than we remember – and titles include "Everybody Wants To Be The Boss", "I Want Your Love I Need Your Love", "Boogie Stomp", "Don't Take Your Love Away", and "I Gave Myself To You". CD

Excellent work from Os Tres Brasileiros – better known in Brazil as Os Tres Morais! The group, like many, were a Brazilian ensemble who recorded in America under a different name – one that might be more "catchy" for the American audiences – but apart from that shift, their music is all authentic all the way – with a wonderful harmony vocal sound that follows in the tradition of Quarteto Em Cy or Tamba Trio! Even better, the album has an organist backing the group up – with sweet bubbling notes that sound a lot like the work of Walter Wanderley, and which give the album an even nicer groovy touch! The whole thing's incredible – a real treat all the way through, with great originals like "Sambamor", "Jequi-Bach", "Outono", and "Brincando De Samba" – plus sweet covers like "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Moon River", and "The Shadow Of Your Smile". CD

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A funk fan's dream come true – five classic albums from Parliament, all presented in tiny LP-styled covers! First up is Mothership Connection – still some of the tightest, sharpest funk you'll ever hear – all these many decades later. The instrumentation is razor-sharp – played by giants like Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell – and the lyrics still have all the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – tied together wonderfully to make a very unified album, and one that's full of classics too! Titles include "Mothership Connection (Star Child)", "Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples", "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo". Clones Of Dr Funkenstein has that tightened-up P-Funk sound that was working so perfectly at the time – still with all the fuzzy haired elements of earlier years, but presented with a bit more focus – and a powerhouse swing that really drives the tracks home with a funky groove on the bottom! There's a flowing sort of energy here that almost makes you think that the whole thing just emerged naturally from the brain of George Clinton – but all ensemble players have a strong hand in the action, and really get some great moments in on the set. Cuts include "Gamin' On Ya", "Do That Stuff", "Children Of Production", and "I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)". Funkentelechy is a masterful dose of slick mothership jamming – perfectly woven together with that tightly compressed style that really served Clinton's production work well. The tracks are long, but never too loopy – and thanks to help from the Bernie Worrell, Jerome Brailey, Gary Shider, and the Horny Horns, the album stays very tight instrumentally all the way through! Loads of Parliament classics, including "Bop Gun", "Funkentelechy", "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk", and the massive "Flash Light", which we've heard a million times, but which never ceases to amaze us! On Motorbooty Affair, The Mothership goes under water – as George Clinton and crew groove away nicely on this water-themed set of tracks designed to raise Atlantis from the deep! The overall sound is perhaps not as totally perfect as some of the earlier albums, but the P-Funk machine is still in full effect – cranking away nice and hard on tracks like "Liquid Sunshine", "Motor Booty Affair", "Deep", "Rumpofsteelskin", and "(Your'e A Fish And I'm A) Water Sign". Plus, the album more than makes up for a lack of standout tracks with a nicely-united theme – almost a "concept album" of the funky type! Gloryhallastoopid is a set that's very tight and funky, and which really picks up the groove first laid down on "Flashlight"! There's a tightly snapping approach here that rivals the best late 70s work by Funkadelic – the later P-Funk mode that's even more focused on rhythms than before, and which gets away from the sloppy stuff to really hit home with the groove! Tunes are steeped in horny horns, wah wah guitar, and lots of electric keyboards – and titles include "The Big Bang Theory", which is virtually a blueprint for the LA G-funk sound of the 80s – plus the tracks "The Freeze", "May We Bang You?", "Party People", and "(GloryHallaStoopid) Pin The Tail On The Funky". CD

Given that Pepper was on and off the LA scene a fair bit in the 50s – due to personal trouble and legal battles – this album's not so much "the return", as it is one of Pepper's many strong steps back into the studio, a place in which he demonstrated an uncanny ability to craft brilliant work, despite the turmoil going on around him. The set's as classic as you can get for Pepper – right down to the classic William Claxton photo on the cover (which has a chilling story that you'll find in Art's autobiography). Players include Jack Sheldon, Russ Freeman, Leroy Vinnegar, and Shelly Manne – and titles include "Pepper Returns", "Funny Blues", "Angel Wings", "Walkin Out Blues", "Five More", "Minority", and "Mambo De La Pinta". CD

David Bowie's on the cover, but the music here is from a much wider array of musical sources – in a surprising array of instrumental and vocal tracks that really live up to the madness of the famous film! The key contributor here is John Phillips – who not only gives us some excellent vocal tracks that are in the manner of his Wolfking album, but also handles a few instrumental numbers that are pretty compelling – and offset by more offbeat percussion tracks by Stomu Yamashta, who's the other key artist on the original material! There's also some familiar pop moments from Louis Armstrong and the Kingston Trio – but most of the music is original. Titles include "America", "Jazz", "Rhumba Boogie", "Space Capsule", "Desert Shack", "Window", "Alberto", "Liar Liar", "Jazz II", and "Bluegrass Breakdown" by John Phillips; "Poker Dice", "Wind Words", "Mandala", "One Way", "Memory Of Hiroshima", and "33 1/3" by Stomu Yamashta; "Venus" and "Mars" by The Bournemouth Symphony; "Love Is Coming Back" by Genevive Waite; and "Blueberry Hill" by Louis Armstrong. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful solo project from Konishi Yasuharu of Pizzicato Five – a set that's got a very different flavor than the danceable sounds of his famous group from the 90s – with a much more mature vibe that really lives up to the title! The album revels in the jazzier, more personal sounds that Yasuharu gave us in years past – the mode where he'd always hint towards greater depth, but never fully get there – which is what makes this album so satisfying, especially as the music creates these wonderful backdrops for a surprisingly strong range of guest vocalists – including Marlena Shaw, Marcos Valle, Nicole Willis, Roy Phillips, Eric Matthews, and even Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends! These well-chosen singers are all longtime Dusty Groove favorites – and their presence here really underscores the fuller genius of Konishi – on titles that include "Imagine", "One", "If We Lived On The Top Of A Mountain", "A Long Hard Climb", "If You Went Away", "A Day In The Life Of A Fool", "A Little Bit Of Soap", and "Suicide Is Painless". And we should add that the version of "Suicide Is Painless" is by Roger Nichols – and done as this sublime harmony pop number that's maybe worth the price of the album alone! CD

Killer work from Michel Polnareff – one of our favorite French pop singers ever – and one of the few who could mix in a trippy style with some of the more upbeat modes of a few years before! Backings here are from a very cool combo – Dynastie Crisis – who use heavy drums, organ, and fuzzy guitar with some wonderfully echoey production which only seems to give the sound an even more watery vibe than some of Polnareff's previous records! The sound feels live – although we can't tell for sure from the notes – and we've also been told that Jean-Claude Vannier had a hand in the larger arrangements. Titles include "La Mouche", "La Trompette", "Qui A Tue Grand Maman", "Ame Caline", "Dans La Maison Vide", "Gloria", and "Love Me Please Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album