A stone groover from the great Ray Bryant – one of his brilliant albums for Cadet from the 60s! Ray's soul jazz trio (with Freddie Waits on drums) is augmented by the 2-horn trumpet section he used on some of his other Cadet recordings from the time – trumpet from Snookie Young and flugelhorn from Clark Terry, both of whom really help the album open up from the usual standard soul jazz trio side! The sound is really unique, and the "bottom" of the brass gives his piano a nice deep sound that you wouldn't necessarily expect from the arrangement – almost a bit of a bounce at the bottom, always helping the groove. The record includes a number of nice originals, like "Little Soul Sister", "All Things Are Possible", "Erewhon", and "Monkey Business" – plus versions of "Gotta Travel On" and "Bag's Groove". CD

A reissue of 13 tracks recorded by Byas in Paris – originally issued as 78rpm singles on the Blue Star label, and collected here with great notes and remastering! Byas is playing with either Jack Dieval or Art Simmons on piano, with some additional guitar work by Jean Jacques Tiche – and tracks include "Riffin & Jivin", "These Foolish Things", "Humoresque", "That Old Feeling", "Don't Blame Me", "Cottage For Sale", "Blues For Panassie", "La Bas", and "En Ce Temps La". CD

Tenorist Don Byas is one of those players who always seemed to get more recognition in Europe than the US – or if that's not entirely the case, he at least got more chances to record properly than he ever did over here! This excellent 18 track CD features tunes from 3 early 50s sessions that Byas recorded in Paris – all of them in a small group setting that really let him open up on tenor in a mellow soulful way. Most tracks are relatively short, but the quality of Byas' solos is wonderful – and the CD represents some of the finest work you could ever hope to find by him from the postwar years. Titles include "Summertime", "The Man I Love", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Riviera Blues", "Somebody Loves Me", and a sublime version of "Laura". CD

Essential material by this funky soul legend – even if you've got his one and only album! This is an excellent compilation of the very hard to find work of this James Brown partner and singer, with a track list of 22 cuts that includes lots of cool rare funky 45 tracks, and a number of previously unreleased tracks! Bobby is excellent throughout, and the set's filled with loads of rare James Brown-produced grooves that includes "I'm Just A Nobody", "Keep On Doin What You're Doin", "We're In Love", "No One Like My Baby", I'm Not To Blame", "I Know You Got Soul", "Funky Soul (parts 1 & 2)", "Baby Baby Baby", "I Need Help", "Never Get Enough", "Hang Ups We Don't Need", "Sayin It And Doin' It Are Two Different Things" – and lots lots more, including a rare PSA urging the listener to "Fight Drug Abuse". CD

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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

A stunner of a set from Caravan – and a record that we'd stand right next to some of the bigger albums of the early 70s prog generation in the UK! The instrumentation is fantastic –schooled in an earlier mod era, but turned towards more ambitious ends – yet still with a sense of groove that comes through in the basslines and drums, and which keeps things from ever sounding too indulgent – all while the band seeks to top Yes or King Crimson at their own game! The keyboards are especially great – fantastic work from David Sinclair – but the whole group is wonderful – with Richard Coughlan on drums, Richard Sinclair on bass, Jimmy Hastings on sax and flute, and Pye Hastings on some amazing guitar. Titles include "As I Feel I Die", "If I Could Do It All Over Again I'd Do It All Over You", "Hello Hello", "Limits", "Asforteri", and "With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It/Martinian/Only Cox/Reprise". 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 bit of a shift in lineup for Caravan – but a set that has the group stepping out in all their fantastic proggy glory! This time around, Steve Miller provides some incredible work on electric piano, organ, and electric harpsichord – and the set also features some guest soprano sax work from Lol Coxhill, who'd later record wonderfully with Miller on Virgin Records – and whose presence here further underscores the qualities that make Caravan one of the jazziest groups of their prog generation! The classic core is wonderful too – Pye Hastings on guitars, Richard Sinclair on bass, and Richard Coughlan on drums – and the interplay between the latter two is fantastic, and really keeps the album driving onward. Titles include "Waterloo Lilly", "Songs & Signs", "Nothing At All", "Aristocracy", "The World Is Yours", and "The Love In Your Eye/To Catch Me A Brother/Subsultus/Debouchement/Tilbury Kecks". LP, Vinyl record album

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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

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

It's no secret that the influence of Caetano Veloso on Gal Costa's career has been huge – and there's no better proof of that fact than this massive 2CD set of music! The package is an overview of Gal's performances of Caetano's compositions over the years – and starts with the pair's first early duets on the Domingo album, runs through a great number of key Tropicalia tunes, and then ends up with some of the more personal, intimate tunes written by Veloso and sung by Gal in her later, mellower mode. The well-done collection features a total of 36 tracks in all – with titles that include "Baby", "Coracao Vagabundo", "Clara", "Mamae Coragem", "Divino Maravilhoso", "Voce Nao Entende Nada", "Barato Modesto", "London London", "Nao Identificado", "Minha Voz Minha Vida", "Meu Bem Meu Mal", "Dom De Iludir", and "Forca Estranha". 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 features bonus tracks "Hatty May" and "Wayne's Pop". 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 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

Fantastic work from this very cool soundtrack – two upbeat, groovy tunes that are both centerpieces of the famous score by Francois De Roubaix! "Repetition" is already great – and "Piti Piti Pas" is even cooler, with lots of weird touches and rhythms! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The classic single! "X Gon' Give It To Ya" kicks of loudly but loose, a horns and a growly intro from DMX before falling into that steady beat and DMX balancing wild energy and on beat control. We paired with the equally huge "Party Up" (Up Here)" on the flip. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A stone cold live date from Charles Earland – recorded in Newark, at just the sort of club where he got his start! The tracks are quite long and openly grooving – even more so than Charles' killer studio sets from the time – and there's a bit of a harder edge here too, thanks partly to the live setting – and to the amazing young tenor work of Grover Washington Jr, who really sounds incredible here – much harder than in his later Kudu years! Other members of the group include trumpeter Gary Chandler – playing with a sound that's right up there with his landmark date on Eastbound Records – plus Maynard Parker on guitar, Jesse Kilpatrick on drums, and Buddy Caldwell on congas. As usual, Charles doesn't need a bassist to help him find a nice chunky bottom on the tunes – and he really sails out majestically throughout, with those famous long-running solo lines of his on the Hammond! Titles include "Killer Joe", "Milestones", and "Key Club Cookout". Features 2 bonus tracks too – "More Today Than Yesterday" and "Message From A Black Man". CD

The brilliant first album from Fairport Convention – working here in a sound that's much less fully-formed than in later years, but in a really great way! So many things are different here – the guitars are maybe harder and more electric, the vocals of a young Ian Matthews (as Ian MacDonald) are really wonderful, and even female singer Judy Dyble brings a very different quality to the group than the later work of Sandy Denny! These guys are less straight folk here, and more open to a lot of new ideas – great ideas, and ones that really keep things creative and interesting – and maybe looking forward more musically, than the later (and important) backward look the group would take. Titles include a brilliant remake of Emmitt Rhodes' "Time Will Show The Wiser" – plus "I Don't Know Where I Stand", "Chelsea Morning", "It's Alright Ma It's Only Witchcraft", "One Sure Thing", "M1 Breakdown", and "Jack O'Diamonds". CD features four bonus tracks – "Reno Nevada", "Morning Glory", "If I Had A Ribbon Bow", and "Suzanne". CD

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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". CD

Fantastic soul duets between Marvin & Tammi Terrell – a landmark pair in 60s soul music, and easily one of the best male/female duos in pop music ever! Marvin and Tammi have a way of singing together that makes you feel like they're speaking the tunes, not singing them – a personal, intimate quality that's almost as if we're sneaking in on them behind closed doors – and not hearing their voices cast out in front of full backing in the Motown studios. Even when the tunes are familiar, they're still bracingly emotive – Includes stone classics like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "If I Could Build My World Around You", plus "Hold Me Oh My Darling", "Somethin Stupid", "You Got What It Takes", and "If This World Were Mine". CD

Two albums that really show why we love Benny Golson so much! Turning Point is an incredible, and oft-overlooked album from the great Benny Golson – and one of the few early albums that really point the way to his huge run of work for decades to come! The style here is a bit looser, and more open than some of Golson's previous albums – less of a focus on arrangements, and more on the spontaneous interplay between his tenor and the crack rhythm section – which features Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – a dream lineup who really make the record sparkle. But the real star of the show is Golson – who's hitting this raspy, soulful tone he never had before – much freer of soul jazz formalities, and with a modern edge that's wonderful – as you'll hear on titles that include "Alone Together", "Turning Point", "Stella By Starlight", and "Dear Kathy". On Free, things aren't as tightly structured as on some of Benny's more arranged albums of the period – and he opens up wonderfully in a small group setting – playing in a beautifully confident tone, but with a slightly raspy edge – cutting, changing, and swinging perfectly in lines that are masterfully crafted, yet full of raw emotion. The group's a thoughtful quartet, and includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and tracks that inlcude "Sock Cha", "Shades Of Stein", "Just By Myself", and "Just In Time". CD

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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! LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

A fittingly massive collection of works by one of the most important electronic composers ever! The 12CD Polyphonies features material chosen and remastered by Henry himself specifically for this box set in the months before he passed away, so he's pretty well in charge of his legacy here. It's made up of compositions from as early as 1950 and as late as 2016, brilliantly showing how vital Henry was throughout the decades – with 9 of the 29 pieces previously unreleased – and includes "Chroniques Terriennes" (2016), "Etudes Transcendantes Pour Un Piano Imaginaire" (2015), "Grande Toccata" (2006), "Gymkhana" (1970), "Pleins Jeux" (2008), "Kyldex" (1973), "Une Tour De Babel" (1988)"La Reine Verte", Rock Electronique" (1963), "Histoire Naturelle" (1997), "Facies" (1960), "Le Livre Des Morts Egyptien" (1988), "Fragments Pour Artaud" (1970), "La Noire A Soixante" (1961), "Deuxieme Symphonie" (1972), "Spatiodynamisme" (1953), "Concerto Des Ambiguites" (1950) and more. CD

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Very jazzy work from vocalist Beverly Kenny – sung with small combo backings throughout, and a style that's always fresh and lean! Some of the titles here are from earlier years, as implied by the title – but the sound of the record is in the best late 50s vocal jazz mode, thanks especially to the lineup of players on the set. Some musicians are stated outright – including Jerome Richardson on reeds, Chuck Wayne on guitar, Johnny Rae on vibes, and Eddie Bert on trombone – while other players are listed simply as "a flautist" or "a trumpeter", most likely due to contractual reasons! But even with this obscured identity in the notes, the players are all plenty darn great – and really help shape the sound of the record throughout. Titles include "Undecided", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "More Than You Know", "The Dipsy Doodle", "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", "A Sunday Kind Of Love",a nd "Tampico". CD

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A beautiful pic sleeve 7" single – one that brings together two of the grooviest tracks from the Michel Legrand soundtrack to Les Demoisilles De Rochefort (aka Young Girls Of Rochefort) – upbeat, jazzy, and totally swinging – and very French too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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

Two fantastic tracks from Lexia – issued here on a limited Japanese 45! "Good Morning To You" is one of the hallmark tracks from the trio – this quick-romping number with jazzy piano and bass at the core – topped with a positive female lead vocal, which soars even more when the harmonies kick in! "Lovelight" is great too – a track that has this sublime production approach that's almost Charles Stepney – groove and strings, unusual changes in the arrangements, and with a soaring lead female vocal that's really wonderful! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Featuring Birdman. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

22 tracks in all, including "Tha Mobb", "Money On My Mind", "Fireman", "Best Rapper Alive", "Oh No", "Shooter", "Hustler Muzik", and "Wheezy Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

2CDs, 30 tracks – and a range of excellent work by Ivan Lins, one of Brazil's greatest singer/songwriters of the past 50 years! The tracks range from early Forma titles, to more popular albums on the Philips label – and titles include "Daquilo Que Eu Sei", "Iluminados", "Bandeira Do Divino", "Depende De Nos", "O Amor E O Meu Pais", "Palpite Infeliz", "Novo Tempo", "Vitoriosa", "Meu Pais", "Velas Icadas", "Comecar De Novo", "Anjo De Mim", "Me Diexa Em Paz", and "Madelena". CD

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Two catchy female French numbers – back to back on a single 45! "Dumbarada" has this leaping, loping style – topped with sing-song vocals that romp along with a bit of horns! "C'est L"Amour C'est La Vie" is even more unusual – sweet groovy pop at one level, but with this soaring chorus vocal too – then this odd dropped-in big in the middle! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A nice 14 track sampler of the best work by Brazilian soul singer Tim Maia from the early 1970s through the early 1980s. Unlike many other Brazilian singers Maia's style has a lot of US soul influences in it, especially as he moves more into his modern soul work of the early 80s. The sound is certainly different than the majority other Brazilian titles we stock from the same era, but it's also unique from US soul music, though you can certainly here how Maia's taken a lot of the influences from that music, and turned them into his own crazy style of Brazilian pop. Titles include the tracks "Gostava Tanto De Voce", "Voce", "A Festa Do Santo Reis", "Primavera", "Azul Da Cor Do Mar", "Reu Confesso", and "Eu Amo Voce". CD

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... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An album that may well be John Martyn's crowning moment of genius – a time when he soared forward from his spare sound of a few short years ago – and found a way to bring in all these jazzy currents to his music, but all without ever going for a style that was ever over-arranged or commercially produced! Martyn's voice is amazing – completely captivating, and full of all these wonderful twists and turns – as are his guitar lines too – never in any sort of overdone way, but with a subtle power that really gives the album the sort of glow that's evoked by the cover image. The set features guest work from Richard Thomposon, Roger Powell, and Beverley Martyn – and titles include "Go Easy", "Bless The Weather", "Sugar Lump", "Walk To The Water", "Just Now", "Head & Heart", "Let The Good Things Come", "Back Down The River", and "Singin In The Rain" – with a good amount of bonus tracks including alternate takes of "Go Easy", "Walk On Water", "Back Down The River", and a single version of "May You Never". 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

Killer funky organ – and 100% Dynamite! Jackie Mittoo is one of the all-time great organists – as essential to Jamaica as Booker T was to Memphis, or Jimmy McGriff was to New York. He's legendary these days as the player who completely transformed the Hammond sound with his unique Jamaican instrumental style during his early years with the Skatalites, and on his later solo recordings for Studio One. This set's probably the first time Mittoo's work has been properly packaged and remastered – and the folks at Soul Jazz have done an amazing job of selecting just the right tracks for such a project. The whole thing wails along with a stone rocksteady groove – with plenty of nice drum parts and funky rhythm bits underneath Jackie's soulful organ. If you dug the label's 100% Dynamite series, you'll really dig this one – and the whole thing's very much in the same vein. Tracks include "Drum Song", "Reggae Rock", "Hot Tamale", "Killer Diller", "Black Organ", "Stereo Freeze", "Wall Street", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Juice Box", and "Killer Diller". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest albums of Chicago jazz from the 50s – and one of the greatest, too! Although Walter Perkins' MJT+3 went onto cut a number of records on Vee Jay with a different lineup, this early session features an all-Chicago lineup that differs from the later one, which was augmented by later visitors from Memphis, like Frank Strozier and Harold Mabern. In their place are prime Chicago talents, like altoist Nicky Hill, trumpeter Paul Serrano, and the great AACM composer/pianist Richard Muhal Abrams (playing here without the Muhal in his name!) The album's a complete delight, and is filled with loads of original compositions by Abrams that mix hard bop lines with more exotic lyrical conceptions – a true meeting of all the sides of jazz bubbling under in Chicago during the 50s, and a delight to listen to over and over again through the years! Titles include "No Land's Man", "Little Brother", "Egypic", "End Of The Line", and "Temporarily Out Of Order". CD

One of the rarest albums of Chicago jazz from the 50s – and one of the greatest, too! Although Walter Perkins' MJT+3 went onto cut a number of records on Vee Jay with a different lineup, this early session features an all-Chicago lineup that differs from the later one, which was augmented by later visitors from Memphis, like Frank Strozier and Harold Mabern. In their place are prime Chicago talents, like altoist Nicky Hill, trumpeter Paul Serrano, and the great AACM composer/pianist Richard Muhal Abrams (playing here without the Muhal in his name!) The album's a complete delight, and is filled with loads of original compositions by Abrams that mix hard bop lines with more exotic lyrical conceptions – a true meeting of all the sides of jazz bubbling under in Chicago during the 50s, and a delight to listen to over and over again through the years! Titles include "No Land's Man", "Little Brother", "Egypic", "End Of The Line", and "Temporarily Out Of Order". CD

5 killer albums from one of our favorite tenor players of all time! First up is No Room For Squares – a classic Hank Mobley session from the mid 60s, and one that really shows the growth in his style at the time! The work's still strongly in a hardbop style, but modal elements are definitely creeping into the mix – a bolder sense of rhythm that really transforms the music from before – and lets Mobley reach out in a whole different way with his solos! The album features material from two different sessions – each of which have Mobley's tenor coming into play with other inventive artists on Blue Note at the time. One date features Lee Morgan on trumpet, Andrew Hill on piano, John Ore on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and the other features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Jones again on drums. Titles include "Up A Step", "Me N You", "Three Way Split", "Carolyn", and the classic "No Room For Squares". Roll Call was recorded during the initial Mobley run at Blue Note, and a keen document of his amazing power on the tenor sax! The album's got a tightness that's almost impossible to believe – a summation of all the best bop trends of the 50s, rolled into a freewheeling and soulful expression, guided by Mobley's always-sharp ear for a groove. The group's great too – and Art Blakey is on drums, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and a young young Freddie Hubbard plays trumpet. All tracks are nice and long, with a firey hardbop sound, deeply held in place by Mobley's soulful tone on the tenor! Titles include "My Groove Your Move", "Baptist Beat", and "The Breakdown". Peckin Time is one of the first great pairings of Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan – a trumpet/tenor team that was always a treasure, no matter what the setting! This one's a pretty open-ended blowing date – one that gives both horn players plenty of room to stretch out, in a setting that's filled with sharp-edged, and imaginative lines! The rhythm section is rock solid too – with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and the great Charlie Persip on drums – kicking things nicely on the kit to get a groove going. Tracks are all quite long, and titles include "Git Go Blues", "Stretchin Out", and "High & Flighty". Another Workout is a rare second chapter to Mobley's famous Workout album – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until the mid 80s – and even then, only momentarily on vinyl! The session's a great one – a quartet outing with a structure that's similar to Hank's classic Soul Station record, but which is a bit more fluid and free-thinking overall! The long tracks give Mobley plenty of room to open up on his solos – really commanding the record with his deeply soulful tone and strong sense of timing. Other players include Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums (plus Grant Green on one track) – and titles include "Out Of Joe's Bag", "I Should Care", "Getting & Jettin", "Hank's Other Soul", and "Three Coins In A Fountain". Reach Out Is an excellent Hank Mobley session – with an unusual twist that takes it past his earlier work! The lineup's great all the way through – with Woody Shaw on trumpet, George Benson on guitar, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the addition of Benson's guitar gives the tracks a groovily swinging edge that really makes them dance nicely! The set's got 4 originals – "Good Pickins", "Up Over & Out", "Beverly", and "Lookin East" – and 2 soul covers – "Reach Out" and "Goin' Out Of My Head" – and Mobley never misses a beat. Mobley was so great during this period, and we always mourn the fact that he hardly recorded much afterward! CD

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny". CD

A later disco project from Giorgio Moroder – put together in the early 80s years, when he'd moved more into the world of soundtracks and other styles – and sort of a glorious celebration of the clubby grooves that first brought Giorgio worldwide fame in the 70s! The album features remakes of lots of club classics, all put together in a non-stop mix – with guest vocals on one track by Donna Summer, plus equally nice vocals from Joey Diggs, Melanie Taylor, and Christina Nicols – over rhythms that are still plenty disco, but which also have a bit more 80s instrumentation in the mix. Titles include "The Party Goes On", "I Feel Love", "Carry On", "That's The Way", "I Can See You Dancing", "In The Name Of Love", "It's A Crime", "My Secret Wish", "Don't Leave Me This Way", "Born To Be Alive", and "Shame On You". CD

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",a nd "Ballinderrie". CD

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A huge amount of recordings from one of our favorite singers ever – the incredible Claude Nougaro, a French vocalist of the postwar years, and a master of many styles that included jazz, samba, and bossa nova! Nougaro had a unique talent for penning French lyrics to American and Brazilian tunes – and during the 60s, he rose to fame through his inventive compositions, unique vocalizations, and keen ear for a jazzy groove. His work of the 70s progressed with an even deeper exploration of modern jazz and Brazilian idioms – and as the 80s approached, he stretched out into even more complicated styles of his own. Nougaro's growth over the years is tremendous – and his work comes across with a sound that is really unique, and which stands as some of the greatest mainstream French work of his era – on a par with that of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Fontaine! The set features 24 different albums by Nougaro – mostly studio, but with a few live records – mostly from the 60s, 70s, and 80s – but also including some real gems from his comeback years in the 21st century. Albums include Cecile Ma Fille, Bidonville, Paris Mai, Soeur Ame, Locomotive D'Or, Femmes Et Famines, Plume D'Ange, Tu Verras, Assez, Chansons Nettes, Ami Chemin, and Bleu Blanc Blues – and the package is a book-style volume, with a 48 page booklet, and 24 CDs with 317 songs in all! 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

A landmark album from late 60s Brazil! This is the first – and the wildest – album by this legendary group that was one of the founding forces of the Tropicalia movement – a brilliant musical statement that easily ranks with some of the most groundbreaking late 60s American work by The Velvet Underground, Captain Beefheart, or The Stooges! The music is a wonderful blend of 60s rock and early MPB – hard-driving with plenty of guitars, but also produced with beautifully baroque touches that echo through simultaneous albums by Caetano Veloso and Gal Costa – both of whose 1969 albums are strongly resonant with this one. In fact, Caetano contributed a number of tracks to the album, including "Panis et Circenses", "Bat Macumba", "Trem Fantastma", and his great "Baby", which is done fantastically here. Great stuff all 'round! CD