Dennis Brown's endearing trio of albums for A&M – Four Play, Love Has Found Its Way and The Prophet Rides Again – nicely anthologized on this great 2CD set! By the time the 80s came around, Dennis was, deservedly, a huge star in both Jamaica and the UK, but hadn't reached that level of fame in the US. It couldn't have made more sense for a major label in the States to sweep in and try to change that situation – and if the fame didn't quite come on our side of the pond, it wasn't for a lack of great music. The Professionals lay down the instrumentation and each of the 3 A&M records feature excellent production by Joe Gibbs, along with Willie Lindo, Dennis Brown and Errol Thompson. Titles include "On The Rocks", "I Need Your Love", "Come On Baby", "The Existence Of Jah", "The Cheater", "Your Man", "Love Has Found Its Way", "Get High On Your Love", "Blood, Sweat And Tears", "Any Day Now", "Why Baby Why", "Get Up", "Out Of The Funk", "Jammin' My Way To Fame", "Too Hot", "The Prophet Rides Again", "Historical Places (Ethiopia)", "This Love Of Mine", "Storms Are Raging". CD

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

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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

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A set that's quite different than the usual late 60s Capitol sounds from Glen Campbell – a special Christmas album, cut during Glen's early years as a solo act! There's definitely a bit of a country tinge, but some moments are more crossover pop as well – mixed nicely here in arrangements from Al De Lory, who mostly keeps the proceedings mellow and somewhat melancholy – with less of those soaring tones that you might know from Campbell's chart hits. The approach for the tunes, which include some very nice obscure numbers – including "Christmas Day", "Pretty Paper", "Old Toy Trains", "It Must Be Getting Close To Christmas", and "Christmas Is For Children". 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

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

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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

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One of our favorite-ever Miles Davis albums – and a groundbreaking soundtrack that forever changed the way that jazz music was used in film! According to legend, the sounds here were recorded by Miles on a hot Paris night – late in the studio, after a live performance – in a very intimate setting that had he and the combo creating these little poetic passages along with the action in the film! In addition to sublime and moody muted trumpet from Miles – the small group also features tremendous tenor work from the great Barney Wilen – a French modernist who's at the height of his powers – and beautiful bass from Pierre Michelot, whose rich tones really frame the whole proceedings. The rest of the group features bop pianist Rene Urtreger and American drummer Kenny Clarke – but the real charm comes from the interplay between Wilen, Davis, and Michelo. Titles include "Florence Sur Les Champs-Elysees", "L'Assassinat De Carla", "Diner Au Motel", "Evasion De Julien", "Nuit Sur Les Champs-Elysees", "Le Petit Bal", "Au Bar Du Petit Bac" and "Sur L'Autoroute". This amazing 3LP version features one never-issued track – "L'Interrogatoire De Julien" – plus 16 more tracks from the sessions for the recordings, and a booklet of notes! LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning collection of work from Kiki Dee – a British singer that most folks only discovered in the US in the mid 70s, thanks to a duet with Elton John – but one who gave her homeland some fantastic music in the 60s! The set's the first to fully dip into this part of Kiki's career, and bring all the best bits together – early singles and an album for the Fontana label, plus European material too – then her full album for Motown from the end of the 60s, plus nine more bonus tracks recorded for Motown too! The whole thing's a massive book-styled package – with loads of notes and photos – and the music shows just what a groovy singer Kiki was back in the day – the kind of powerhouse female vocalist that England always seemed to do better than us at the time. The set features 60 tracks in all – the albums I'm Kiki Dee and Great Expectations, plus rare tracks and singles – a set list that includes "Runnin Out Of Fools", "There He Goes", "The Day Will Come Between Sunday & Monday", "My Whole World Ended", "I'll Have You You'll Have Me", "Oh Be My Love", "Mr Loneliness", "You're My World", "While They Watch", "On A Magic Carpet Ride", "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", "Hungry Heart", "Now The Flowers Cry", "I'm Going Out", "Don't Destroy Me", "Why Don't I Run Away From You", "Sunshine", "Patterns", "With A Kiss", "That's Right Walk On By", and "Senza Te". CD

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

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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

A really cool limited single – with two contemporary vocal jazz gems! Kurt Elling takes on the groovy tune "Stepping Out" by Joe Jackson – really unlocking the jazzy core of the song, almost as anthem for the New York that Elling now calls home – and Mark Murphy handles the classic "Stolen Moments" – a cut he's done a few times, but which is presented here from his great Verve album with Til Bronner at the production helm! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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

One of the greatest Art Farmer recordings of the 70s – an especially sharp-edged performance, thanks to the presence of Clifford Jordan in the group! The album was recorded live at Boomer's nightclub in New York – and all tracks have a long-flowing, open ended quality – a bit like some of the work that Jordan was recording under his own name at the time, but touches with more of Farmer's warmth. The lineup includes a Jordan's familiar musical trio of Cedar Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all of whom sparkle nicely in this setting – and titles include "Will You Still Be Mine", "I Remember Clifford", "Barbados", and "Round Midnight". CD

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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 3CD set is overflowing with gems – and CD1 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)", "69 Annee Erotique (instrumental)", and two very long tracks – "Melody (prise complete)" and "Lola Roastaquoouere (instrumental)". CD2 features various interpretations of Serge's songs – many of which were produced by Serge himself, and a few of which even feature vocals by Gainsbourg! The music spans the space of his early Latin and jazzy work, through his slinky sexy 60s and 70s years, to his final burst of great music in the early 80s. Titles include "J'Ai Deja Donne" by Jacques Dutronc, "Les P'Tits Papiers" by Regine, "Les Papillons Noirs" by Michele Arnaud, "Mambo Miam Miam" by Los Goragueros, "Le Sixieme Sens" by Juliette Greco, "L'Oiseau De Paradis" by Zizi Jeanmarie, "Les Petits Boudins" by Dominique Walter, "Le Mal Interieur" by Isabelle Adjani, "Plus Dous Avec Moi" by Charlotte Gainsbourg, and "Le Drapeau Noir" by Mirelle Darc. CD3 features great music that Serge Gainsbourg did for a variety of cinematic projects – music that's every bit as groovy as his own vocal tunes, and which often appear here in instrumental takes that let you focus even more strongly on his great sense of a funky bit and a groove! Titles include "Milena (instrumental)", "L'Eau A La Bouche (avec intro)", "Requiem Pour Un Con (instrumental)", "First Class Ticket (prise alternative)", "Les Chemins De Katmandou (generique)", "Le Village A L'Aube", "Discophoteque (rough mix)", and "Le Physique Et La Figure (version complete)", plus Anna Karina singing "Roller Girl". CD

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

A great one from the Gap Band – funky gems and sinister groovers – the best of both worlds for the group! Tunes like "Burn Rubber On Me (When You Want To Hurt Me)" and "Humpin" packed 80s dance floors for good reason, and put the band in steady rotation, while numbers like "Yearning For Your Love" showed the band could drop the tempo, stretch out a bit, and deliver the mighty mellow. This one's certainly at the top of the heap of 80s groovers, as far as we're concerned – a record that really took the Gap Band over the top! Other tracks include "Nothin' Comes To The Sleepers", "Are You Living", "The Way", "Gash Gash Gash" and more. CD

The second part of a great Japanese-only session recorded in 1980 – one that features a later edition of the Great Jazz Trio – with Eddie Gomez on bass and Al Foster on drums, next to piano by usual group member Hank Jones! The set's got a hipper feel than usual for the group – partly because Jones plays Fender Rhodes on part of the record, and partly because Gomez's work on bass gives the proceedings a warm and soulful sound – that deep-flowing groove we first came to love in Eddie's work with Bill Evans and Jeremy Steig. Foster's drums are great too – and have a sense of sharpness that changes the Great Jazz Trio sound nicely. Titles include "Peedlun", "Light Listened", "Duplex", "Just Before Dawn", and "Sublime". CD

The Great Jazz Trio really stretch out here – taking each of the album's four songs at a mighty relaxed pace – which allows even more room than ever for the creative expression of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums! The cover's got a slick look that might be more at home on a fusion record – but the set's all acoustic, and has this warm, personal vibe that's really tremendous – that special sound that the three legendary musicians brought to their great run of albums in this format! Titles include "Satin Doll", "My Funny Valentine", "Night In Tunisia", and "Round Midnight". CD

Features Tord Gustavsen on piano, Harald Johnsen on bass, and Jarle Vespestad on drums! CD

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Late work by vibist Lionel Hampton – but pretty darn nice! The set was recorded in Paris, where Hamp seemed to do some of his best work, and it features his vibes fronting an octet with alto and tenor sax, piano, trombone, guitar, and even an occasional bit of organ. Tracks are longish – especially the best ones, which are the soul jazz groovers "Blue Lou" and "Psychedelic Sally", which is done here in a great slightly funky version that sounds different than most of what we'd expect from Hamp! Other tracks include "Hamp's Thing", "Vibraphone Blues", and "Seven Come Eleven". CD

A heavy classic from a moment when the Japanese scene really started to take off and find its own directions in rock music – which is definitely the case from this hip combo who sing in Japanese, but have all these amazing instrumental elements that provide the record with a universal appeal! Psych and nascent prog mix together on a batch of tunes that are short, but filled with complexity – as the band shifts between organ, electric piano, vibes, and plenty of heavy bass and percussion – all to provide a really mindblowing pastiche of sounds on cuts that include "Electrocution", "The Long Trip", "Death", "Tech Myself Mind", "A Pick & A Shovel", and "An Ebb Tide & The Flood Tide". LP, Vinyl record album

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

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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

A real step forward for Quincy Jones – a record that really shows the jazzman moving into sophisticated new territory – a sound that's just right for the CTI generation! The album's got a vibe that's a bit similar to Quincy's Walking In Space album, but it's a lot deeper too – touched with some of the African elements you might guess from the title – arranged in ways that are often quite spacious, so that the tunes really take some time to find just the right groove! Backings are large, but show the leaner elements that Jones was bringing to his soundtrack work – and instrumentation includes vibes from Milt Jackson, marimba from Don Elliott, flute from Hubert Laws, soprano sax from Jerome Richardson, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, trombone from Al Grey, and guitar from Eric Gale. Keyboards figure strongly – played by Herbie Hancock and Bob James – and special features include a bit of guitar and whistling from Toots Thielemans, plus some soulful vocals from Valerie Simpson. "Gula Matari" is an incredible 12 minute tribal groove – and other titles include a killer take on Nat Adderley's "Hummin", plus "Walkin" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". CD

A real killer from Seu Jorge – one of his best records in years, and maybe even better than the first volume in this series! The set's got a strongly funky vibe right from the start – a groove that's almost got the totally perfect feel of Incognito or Brand New Heavies – but which is even better, given the amazingly rich, deep style of singing that Jorge brings to the record! Jorge has a voice that grabs us even when the instrumentation is spare, or he's singing a ballad – but he's also really at his best on upbeat, soulful material like this – almost a throwback to the years of 70s samba soul, but with a slightly more contemporary vibe too. Wonderful all the way through – the kind of record that should be making Seu Jorge a huge international star – with titles that include "Papo Reto", "Ela E Bipolar", "Na Verdade Nao Ta", "Faixa De Contorno", and "Babydoll". CD

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A rare Decca album lead by the smoky vocals of Beverly Kenney – a really unique late 50s/early 60s jazz girl who once worked for the Dorsey brothers, the Count Basie Orchestra and others, and only ever cut a handful of albums under her own name! Sings for Playboys is an intimate, sultry batch of tunes that have a really unique feel thanks to the super spare accompaniment of just Ellis Larkins on piano and Joe Benjamin on bass. That approach does a great job of transforming your senses to the smoky, boozy after hours cabaret that must have been in mind when the recordings were conceived. The album only ever appeared briefly in the late 50s before now (possibly because of the unauthorized and quite obvious reference to Playboy Magazine in the title and in the cover photo) but it's sure great to see it reappear – they didn't make a lot records like this in the big band dominated recordings of the era! 12 tracks including "Do It Again", "A Woman's Intuition", "Mama, Do I Gotta?", "A Lover Like You", "A Summer Romance", "It's Magic", and more. 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

A beautiful group, and one with a very unique sound – a style that draws from the early 50s experiments in Brazilian jazz by Bud Shank and Laurindo Almeida – but which also moves the approach into even more sophisticated 70s territory! The quartet features Almeida on acoustic guitar and Bud Shank on some wonderful reeds – plus bass from Ray Brown and drums from Shelly Manne, but players who are open to all the new ideas of Bud and Laurindo, but who can also throw in a stronger groove when needed. The album's a wonderful experiment in really pushing the envelope of jazz expression further – but never in any sort of outside ways – and titles include a reading of Ravel's "Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte", plus "C'Est What", "Corcovado", "Autumn Leaves", "Samba De Orfeu", and "Reveil". CD

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

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

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

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Boozy magic from Dino – and a really great batch of tunes that will take you from Christmas all the way through January! Most of the work is from the classic album Winter Romance – a set that has Dean eschewing the standard sound of the holiday, and going for more of a "winter romance" approach – singing about snowtime love and wintry opportunity – mixed with other more Christmas styled numbers done as singles. Titles include "The Christmas Blues", "Winter Wonderland", "It Won't Cool Off", "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", "A Winter Romance", "Baby It's Cold Outside", "Let It Snow", and "White Christmas". CD

... 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

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes 34 tracks. CD

... CD