John Hicks pays tribute to Art Blakey – but in ways that are quite different than the usual Jazz Messengers groove! Given that Hicks got some of his first famous placement under the guidance of Blakey, it would be easy to just rehash modes from those older years – but instead, John takes off with all the warmth and depth he's amassed since his years with Art in the 60s – stretching out on some sweet trio takes of tunes from the Blakey songbook! Given that the drummer in the group is Victor Lewis, there's a decidedly un-Blakey-like feel in the rhythms – one that's much more tuned to the sensitivity that Hicks brings to the keys of the piano, supported nicely by bass from Marcus MacLaurene. Titles include "Moanin", "Blues March", "No Problem", "Whisper Not", "Nica's Dream", and "Night In Tunisia". CD

Sweet strings and the piano of Eddie Higgins – a great combination that almost makes us forgive the clunky sexuality of the album's cover image! Other players sweeten the sound nicely, too – and include Joe Locke on vibes and Joe Cohn on guitar – sliding in nicely alongside the piano of Higgins, amidst larger arrangements from Dick Lieb. Titles include "Have You Met Miss Jones", "What Is There To Say", "If I Should Lose You", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "When April Comes", and "Be Careful It's My Heart". CD

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There's no end to our love affair with this great group – one of the most rock-solid lineups of the past decade or so, thanks to tight work from some players who clearly love working with each other! The mighty Eric Alexander is in the frontline on tenor sax – as are Jim Rotondi on trumpet and Steve Davis on trombone – and the rhythm section's equally cooking with David Hazeltine on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and the mighty Joe Farnsworth on drums! The set's got the kind of groove you might think was only cut back in the day – a soulful take on hardbop that's right up there at a Blue Note level of precision and expression. Titles include "Shinjuku Waltz", "How Are You", "Corcovado", "Stolen Moments", and "The Eyes Have It". CD

No problem at all, given that this combo's one of the cookingest contemporary lineups we can think of! All players here are great – hence the title of the group – and the mighty Eric Alexander's always a treat on tenor, blowing beautifully alongside Jim Rotondi on trumpet, Steve Davis on trombone, David Hazeltine on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums! The three-horn frontline does some really great things at times – but the setting also leaves plenty of space for very personal solo expression too – and Hazeltine's a surprising groover who really seems to spur everyone on with his rhythms. The set begins with the very aptly titled "Our Father Who Art Blakely" – then moves onto cuts that include "No Problem", "Whisper Not", "One For All", "Time Off", "Ugetsu", and "Moanin". CD

A 21st Century date from Jimmy Scott – recorded live in Tokyo with small combo backing that almost gives him more of a groove than in some of his other late-life sessions! The band's billed as The Jazz Expressions – and features TK Blue on alto and flute, Jon Regen on piano, Hillard Greene on bass, and Dwayne Broadnax on drums – players who are clearly confident enough of their own talents to not be cowed in the presence of Scott – a fact that sometimes obscures the gentler sides of Jimmy's aging vocals, but which can also be appreciated in terms of the way they don't just lay back and go for a sleepy sort of set. Titles include "I'll Close My Eyes", "Why Was I Born", "I Cried For You", "Time After Time", "Pennies From Heaven", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

With John Abercrombie on guitar and Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums. Tracks include "Voodoo Chile", "Gypsy Eyes", "Up From The Skies", and "Purple Haze–Star Spangled Banner". CD

Tremendous work from Cecil Taylor – a Japanese album that captures the pianist at the peak of his power – when he was breaking through into this amazing new territory in improvised music, with energy and dexterity that's completely unlike anyone else! Taylor in the 60s was great, but Taylor in the 70s – especially here – is mindblowing – as he attacks the piano with this reach and sense of imagination that would have blown away any of the big cockrock guitar heroes of the decade – all with a style that might sound like chaos at first listen, but which has this incredible understanding of notes, sounds, and colors – all effortlessly cascading from Cecil's fingers throughout! The album was recorded live in Lino Hall, Tokyo, at 2 in the morning – and titles include "Lono", "Choral Of Voice (Elesion)", "First Layer", and "Asapk In Ame". CD

Beautiful blowing from the great Barney Wilen – an album that's as relaxed as you might guess from the image on the cover, but which has a rock-solid sound all the way through! At this point in his career, Barney's definitely back on top of his game – playing both tenor and soprano sax with a style that's relatively inside, but which always has a bit of an edge in the tone – echoing his years in music, both good and bad, and coming across with a depth that's undeniable. One of the real strengths of the record is also the rhythm section – Kenny Barron on piano, Ira Coleman on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums – all of whom swing things strongly on the upbeat tracks, and provide Barney with some wonderfully sensitive accompaniment on the ballads. Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Mack The Knife", "No Problem", "Blues Walk", "I Will Say Goodbye", and "Don't Fence Me In". CD

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on piano with Tsutomu Okada on bass and Yoshitaka Uematsu on drums. CD

There's a bit of reverie here, but it's usually the swinging kind instead of the sleepy variety – thanks to a well-formed groove from Richie Beirach on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! The tunes certainly include a few ballads, but Richie usually takes them with a freely fresh sound that gets past any obvious standard-heavy cliches – inspired, no doubt, by the inventive changes of Mraz and Hart, who seem to spur him on strongly, especially on the more upbeat tracks. Titles include "Manhattan Reverie", "Transition", "Veils", "Etude", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "Footprints". CD

Bassist Bill Crow is perhaps best known for his work in the Gerry Mulligan group of the 50s, but he also had a great revival moment in the 90s – thanks to a well-penned autobiography, and a few great sessions as a leader like this! The album's got the same title as Bill's life story, and it's billed as something of a musical accompaniment to that book – but really just works best as an illustration of the fact that Crow had grown tremendously as a musician in his years after working with Mulligan – a well-rounded talent on the bass, and a leader with a good vision for steering together younger talents. The group's a quartet – with Bill on bass, Carmen Leggio on tenor, Joe Cohn on guitar, and David Jones on drums – working in a mix of modes that recall Crow's modernist roots in the 50s, but which have some warmer, more mature tones that reflect his (then) current presence on the upper echelon of the New York scene. Titles include "From Birdland To Broadway", "News From Blueport", "Tricotism", "Autumn Leaves", "Night Lights", and "My Funny Valentine". CD features 2 bonus tracks not on the original album – "Okay Bug" and "Share A Key". CD

A wonderful later album from these two Coltrane bandmembers – reunited here in the early 80s, working in a mode that's very much in keeping with their rich spiritual jazz legacy! The group on the album's a quintet – with Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Richard Davis on bass, and Jean-Paul Bourelly on electric guitar. Sanders' majestic tenor solos really make the album sparkle – as he's blowing in a mode that feels a lot like Coltrane, circa 1963, touched with some of his own raspy soul, which makes for a different edge. Titles include "Little Rock's Blues", 'Hip Jones", "For Tomorrow", "Korina", and "Origin". CD

A great small combo set from trumpeter Thad Jones – done with reeds from Frank Foster and Frank Wess, piano from Tommy Flanagan, and drums from Elvin Jones! Features versions of "Cat Meets Chick", "Mad Thad", "Whisper Not", and "Quiet Sip". CD

Great work from Charles Moffett and his talented family – an album with a progressive soul jazz sound that reminds us of the best moments on the Strata East label during the 70s! Features Charnett Moffett on bass, Charles on alto and tenor, Mondre on trumpet, and Codaryl and Charles Sr on drums – plus Julian Coryell on guitar, and Lafayette Thomas on piano. Tracks include "Birdsong", "Jambalaya Suite", "Mr. PC", and "Africano". CD

With Ken Peplowski on tenor saxophone and clarinet. CD

Blue blowing from Archie Shepp – a great set of ballads from later years, recorded at a time when Shepp had stepped back inside considerably from his styles of the past – but still brought a great depth of soul to his recordings! The tunes here are mostly familiar numbers, but Archie blows them with a tone and timing that's amazing – an approach that's almost comparable to the late years of Coleman Hawkins, at least for its understated brilliance. Other group members are great too – and include John Hicks on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – the last of whom is wonderfully restrained on the date. Titles include "More Than You Know", "Little Girl Blue", "Blue & Sentimental", "If I Should Lose You", and "Alone Together". CD

Lovely work from pianist Claude Williamson – a player we like so much more in his later years than we did when he first started out in the 50s! Williamson's really got a depth to his keyboard work here – a way of playing a wide range of sounds and colors, yet without ever showing off too much – kind of a simple, unassuming lyricism that's as moving as it is understated – set up with some gentle rhythm accompaniment from Andy Simpkins on bass and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Feelin Fine", "Easy Living", "Alone Together", "Work Song", and "Song For My Father". CD

Delicate dissonance, bruised beauty, and hazy noise pop – all in one of the best rock albums ever made – the amazing first album from the Velvet Underground and Nico! The album's the stuff of legend – and for good reason, too – a surprising slab of vinyl that barely set the world on its ear when first issued back in the mid 60s – yet a record that's gone onto have an influence felt for decades to come – arguably one of the most important rock records of all time. There's a really sinister edge to the record, even when things are sweet – and the range of subject matter and handling here is brilliant – from the dream pop slice of heaven "Sunday Morning", the melodic bitterness of "Femme Fatale", the massive White Light-esque freakout "European Son", and the sublime "Heroin" – quite possibly the inspiration for generations of drug use to come. The whole thing's a classic – with wonderful vocals from both Nico and Lou Reed – and titles include "Venus In Furs", "Run Run Run", "Black Angel's Death Song", "I'll Be Your Mirror", and "All Tomorrow's Parties". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard songs from the Motown empire of the 60s – all new discoveries from the label's mighty deep vaults – all of them totally great tracks that make for a superb new look at the Detroit powerhouse of soul! Many of these cuts are in a Northern Soul mode – the kind of upbeat groovers that made Motown a huge favorite on the British scene right from the start, and which make the UK Kent label a perfect spot to showcase work this great – with detailed notes on all the tracks, excellent sound quality, and an impeccable ear for choosing just the right sort of tracks to pop a groove like the bigger singles from the label. Some of the cuts here are early recordings by artists who'd later break big, others are more obscure Motown acts – and the package features 24 titles that include "Goose Wobbling Time" by Popcorn Wylie, "I'll Be Satisfied" by Frank Wilson, "Where Are You" by Ivy Jo, "One Track Mind" by Marv Johnson, "Heart To Heart" by Earl Van Dyke, "Head Over Heels In Love With You Baby" by Edwin Starr, "I'm Here Now That You Need Me" by The Fantastic Four, "Imagination Is Running Wild" by The Spinners, "The In Crowd" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Wish I Didn't Love You So" by The Monitors, "The Touch Of Venus" by Marvin Gaye, "I'd Rather Forget" by The Temptations, and "Kissing In The Shadows" by Johnny Bristol. CD

They may look goofy on the cover, but the young B-52s are incredible here – working with this spare sense of power that almost makes us think that we didn't need most of what happened in rock and roll during the 70s – given the way these guys can distill a mood or moment down to just a few deft instrumental turns and offbeat lyrics! The record's not punk, but it's also not new wave either – at least in the conventional way – and there's a darkness here that goes way past any simple cliches you may have associated with the band – a haunting feel that transcends most of what they were ever capable of in later years. We might even say this one tops their debut – and titles include "Party Out Of Bounds", "Dirty Back Road", "Runnin Around", "Give Me Back My Man", "Private Idaho", "Devil In My Car", "Quiche Lorraine", "Strobe Light" and "53 Miles West Of Venus". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest recordings ever made by John Coltrane in his later years – a record that has him stepping off into really new territory that would have really been something, had he stayed on the planet long enough to make more recordings like this! The vibe is very experimental – almost predating loft jazz work to come in the 70s – as Coltrane works here just alongside the drums of Rashied Ali – a fantastic match for his mighty talents, as the pair work together with a whole new extrapolation of the spiritual territory that had been unlocked on more famous records of the time. The material didn't come out until years after Coltrane's death – at a time when others were already recording this way – but the set maybe blows away some of the best material of this nature from the 70s. Titles include "Mars", "Venus", "Jupiter", and "Saturn". CD

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". CD

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". This 70s repackaging bills itself as the complete sessions, but adds only one more track, the standard "Darn That Dream", and has a different cover image than the original LP. LP, Vinyl record album

There are not many hurdles left for Jay Z to clear on Blueprint 3 – but staying vital and hungry despite all his triumphs is the strain that connects the best tracks here – and the best tracks here are pretty tight. The sound ranges from No ID soul grit to Timbaland star trips – with more beats by Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, The Inkredibles and The Neptunes. Titles include "What We Talking About" by Jay Z & Luke Steele, "Thank You", the mega buzzed "DOA (Death Of Auto-Tune)", "Run This Town" feat Rihanna & Kanye West, "Empire State Of Mind" with Alicia Keys, "Real As It Gets" with Young Jeezy, "Venus Vs Mars", "Hate" feat Kanye West, "So Ambitious" feat Pharrell, "Young Forever" feat Mr Hudson and more. CD

A quartet of albums from Johnny Mathis – served up here in a special 2CD set! Up Up & Away is Mathis' first set back at Columbia after a brief hiatus – a record that shows a newly mature style that's wonderfully suited for Johnny's amazing voice! Mathis tones are every bit as perfect as before – but he's also got a maturing approach to the lyrics that's really nice – maybe a bit more pause, or thoughtfulness, which only increases the sense of feeling in the tunes. Of course, the great charts by Glenn Osser also help too – lush, but never sleepy, and showing their own sort of maturation too. Titles include "Misty Roses", "Drifting", "When I Look In Your Eyes", "I Thought Of You Last Night", "Far Above Cayuga's Waters", and "Where Are The Words". Love Is Blue is a late 60s set that furthers the maturing Mathis modes of his return to Columbia Records – a set that's filled with great adult pop numbers from the time, recast by Johnny Mathis in his trademark vocal mode! There's a fair bit of Bacharach in the mix – which makes for a meeting of two pop vocal generations in one sweet album – and the rest of the tunes are pretty hip too, with work by Henry Mancini, Jimmy Webb, and others. Strings figure into most of the arrangements – but never in a sleepy way – and titles include "Walk On By", "Venus", "Love Is Blue", "Never My Love", "Moon River", "I Say A Little Prayer", "The Look Of Love", and "Don't Go Breakin My Heart". Those Were The Days is a title tune sung famously by Mathis as a single – but even better are the rest of the tracks on the set – a cool batch of 60s numbers that really show Johnny stretching out comfortably with some new material, but never in ways that mess with his amazing vocal approach at all! Backings often have a gentle dip underneath the strings – letting Mathis pick up some slight groovy rhythms at points, on titles that include "Light My Fire", "59th Street Bridge Song", "This Guy's In Love With You", "You Make Me Think About You", "The World I Used To Know", and "Turn Around Look At Me". Last up is Sings The Music Of Bert Kaempfert – a special record devoted to the songs of German maestro Bert, best known as an instrumental star on record, but also a key songwriter for many classics of the 60s. Johnny's vocals are a great fit for the gentle flow and slow-stepping rhythms of the Kaempfert tunes – and titles include "Strangers In The Night", "Danke Schon", "Wonderland By Night", "Spanish Eyes", "Lady", "LOVE", and "Remember When". CD

The massive full length flowering of Television – a record issued on a major label, but which represents all the underground genius that the group had been bringing to the New York scene for a few years in the mid 70s! The guitar might be worth the price of admission alone – a standard-setting approach that influenced a generation – and, when matched with the vocals of Tom Verlaine, really knocks the whole thing out of the park! There's a blend of raw edge and understated poetry that instantly demonstrates why the American underground of the time was so different than the world of British punk – and although the set came out in 1977, it still has a massive power all these many years later. Every track's a gem – and titles include "See No Evil", "Venus", "Friction", "Marquee Moon", "Elevation", "Guiding Light", "Prove It", and "Torn Curtain". Includes 5 bonus tracks! CD

Delicate dissonance, bruised beauty, and hazy noise pop – all in one of the best rock albums ever made – the amazing first album from the Velvet Underground and Nico! The album's the stuff of legend – and for good reason, too – a surprising slab of vinyl that barely set the world on its ear when first issued back in the mid 60s – yet a record that's gone onto have an influence felt for decades to come – arguably one of the most important rock records of all time. There's a really sinister edge to the record, even when things are sweet – and the range of subject matter and handling here is brilliant – from the dream pop slice of heaven "Sunday Morning", the melodic bitterness of "Femme Fatale", the massive White Light-esque freakout "European Son", and the sublime "Heroin" – quite possibly the inspiration for generations of drug use to come. The whole thing's a classic – with wonderful vocals from both Nico and Lou Reed – and titles include "Venus In Furs", "Run Run Run", "Black Angel's Death Song", "I'll Be Your Mirror", and "All Tomorrow's Parties". CD

Delicate dissonance, bruised beauty, and hazy noise pop – all in one of the best rock albums ever made – the amazing first album from the Velvet Underground and Nico! The album's the stuff of legend – and for good reason, too – a surprising slab of vinyl that barely set the world on its ear when first issued back in the mid 60s – yet a record that's gone onto have an influence felt for decades to come – arguably one of the most important rock records of all time. There's a really sinister edge to the record, even when things are sweet – and the range of subject matter and handling here is brilliant – from the dream pop slice of heaven "Sunday Morning", the melodic bitterness of "Femme Fatale", the massive White Light-esque freakout "European Son", and the sublime "Heroin" – quite possibly the inspiration for generations of drug use to come. The whole thing's a classic – with wonderful vocals from both Nico and Lou Reed – and titles include "Venus In Furs", "Run Run Run", "Black Angel's Death Song", "I'll Be Your Mirror", and "All Tomorrow's Parties". LP, Vinyl record album

A European disco world that's ripe for rediscovery – one that's much more obscure than better-known club work from Germany, France, and Italy – but which may well be even groovier than the work from those three scenes! The package is a great complement to some of the funk and jazz sets on the Sdban label – and like those, it really digs deep – to uncover a vast array of music from the small nation – which was clearly a hotbed of groovy activity in the 70s, at a level that none of us realized at the time! The tunes here mix together funk and pop, soul and disco – all in ways that criss-cross strongly with more familiar modes of the period – but often have an offbeat quality, and sometimes a surprising sense of humor that comes through in the mostly English lyrics in the lead. 2CD set features 30 tracks – and titles include "Ethereo Disco" by R Roland, "King Kong" by Carl Watson, "Baby Won't You Turn Me On" by Charles Watson, "Sexy" by Lovedream, "La Gomme" by L2, "Cool & Get Up" by Quartz, "I'm Free" by Steve, "Groovin To The Music" by Flame, "Queen To The Pharoah" by Marianne, "Feel So Glad" by Dan Davis, "Ivro De Vie" by Kevin Moraine, "Be My Love Tonight" by CC Band, "Strange How You Move" by Venus, and "Bubblegum" by Bubble. CD

They may look goofy on the cover, but the young B-52s are incredible here – working with this spare sense of power that almost makes us think that we didn't need most of what happened in rock and roll during the 70s – given the way these guys can distill a mood or moment down to just a few deft instrumental turns and offbeat lyrics! The record's not punk, but it's also not new wave either – at least in the conventional way – and there's a darkness here that goes way past any simple cliches you may have associated with the band – a haunting feel that transcends most of what they were ever capable of in later years. We might even say this one tops their debut – and titles include "Party Out Of Bounds", "Dirty Back Road", "Runnin Around", "Give Me Back My Man", "Private Idaho", "Devil In My Car", "Quiche Lorraine", "Strobe Light" and "53 Miles West Of Venus". CD

Titles include "No Greater Love", "Angel Face", "Venus In Blue Jeans", "I'm Gonna Try", "Go Jimmy Go", "It's All Over Now", and "Another Sleepless Night". CD

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". CD

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin". Plus, this CD reissue features 3 bonus tracks – "Venus", "Do It Again", and "Latin Flute"! CD

A fantastic batch of keyboard tracks! Xaver Fischer plays like one of the funky fusion greats of the 70s – somewhere between Gene Harris, Ronnie Foster, and Johnny Hammond – working the electric piano and assorted keys to come up with a smooth spacey sound that reminds us of the classic days of Blue Note funk or Fantasy Records fusion! This album's a stripped-down affair that features only bass and drums behind Fischer's keys – plus a female vocal one track – which makes for a super-soulful sound that's really solid all the way through! Titles include "Bass of Space", "Venus", "Krakatu", "Babylon", "Gargamel", and "Palenque". CD

Brilliant basswork from Henry Franklin – one of the hippest cats handling his instrument on the west coast in the 70s – working here with a wicked ensemble of soulful, righteous players! Franlin's bass sets the tone of the record right from the very first note – but the album's a very collaborative effort, too – and features Oscar Brashear on trumpet, Charles Owens on tenor, Bill Henderson on soprano sax, Ndugu Chancler on drums, and Kirk Lightsey on both piano and flute! The legendary David Durrah plays piano on two tracks – his own "Waltz for "Boobuss" and "Venus Fly Trap" – and the Sisters Happiness sing vocals on the latter cut, too. Other titles include "Blue Lights", "Soft Spirit", and a version of Chick Corea's "What Was". CD

Rough-edged grooves from the team of Charlie Hunter and Bobby Previte – one of the most stripped-down sessions we've heard from either player in years! Hunter's guitar still has those full tones from his bigger records, but a sharper edge too – one that comes out strongly with some of the electronic touches on the record – supplied by DJ Logic – mixed with Previte's creative drum passages as they bombastically jump through a rich array of romping rhythms! Titles include "Back Quadrant", "Prime Meridian", "South Heading", "Tycho Brahe", "Transit Of Venus", and "Course Made Good". CD

The long-awaited house-oriented project from Chicago jazzman Kahil El'Zabar – a righteous fusion of Afro-centric jazz and dance, and a vision he's been expressing for years! El'Zabar first experimented with mixing jazz and house way back in the late 80s – and his efforts at the time, although unrecorded, sent ripples around the world, and even had a strong effect on the birth of Acid Jazz in the London scene (Kahil was actually referenced as a godfather in one of the first compilations of work on the Acid Jazz label!) Unfortunately, it almost seems like the idea's waited too long to happen – as the past decade or so has seen countless other expressions of this idea – so much so that El'Zabar's ideas seem a bit dated by now, and don't really match music of this nature coming out of Paris, London, and Tokyo over the past few years. Still, it is nice to finally see an album of this music from Kahil – and it's interesting to hear Chicago players like Ari Brown and Fareed Haque in this context. The record features work by Primeridian as well – and titles include "Return Of The Lost Tribe", "Papa's Bounce", "Where Do You Want To Go", "Ornette", "Venus", and "This Little Light Of Mine". CD

Tremendous work from Azar Lawrence – part of a great return to form the reedman has had in recent years – and, if anything, a run of music that's maybe even greater than his legendary sides from the 70s! Lawrence is razor-sharp throughout – spinning out bold, soulful lines on tenor and soprano sax – with a quintet that includes Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Benito Gonzalez on piano, Essiet Okon Essiet on bass, and Jeff Tain Watts on drums! Payton's got a fire that may well surpass his own recent albums – and Lawrence provides a set of original compositions that soar to the stars from the very first note – really wonderful tunes that include "Venus Rising", "Gandhi", "Lost Tribes Of Lemuria", "The Seeker", "One More Time", and "Rain Ballad". CD

With The 3rd on "Destiny" and Venus Malone on "Hustle". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Seminal work from the legendary Gil Melle – one of his early 10" sessions for Blue Note, prime 50s modern jazz from the original Melle cover right down to the music in the grooves! The session features 2 different groups, and has Melle's haunting tenor (not baritone) playing amidst other bop-era modernists like Eddie Bert, Tal Farlow, George Wallington, and Max Roach – coming together on tunes that are as magical as the titles might imply – "Mars", "Four Moons", "Sunset Concerto", "The Gears", "October", "Cyclotron", and "Venus". Monica Dell also sings some incredible wordless vocals on a few tunes! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Blue Note albums of all time – a record that's even better than the look of it's cover – which is already pretty darn classic! Hank Mobley had been making records for Blue Note for a number of years before this set – but Caddy For Daddy is one in which he really takes off – mixing earlier hardbop modes with a more complex approach to both rhythm and lyricism – matched with some wonderful work from Lee Morgan in the frontline, who was also really hitting new heights at the time – in a group that also includes Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The group plays this amazing mix of soul jazz and modal grooves that sets a whole new standard in the Blue Note catalog – and every cut is a winner, with titles that include "Venus Di Mildew", "The Morning After", "3rd Time Around", and "Ace Deuce Trey". Fantastic material all the way through, with tracks that will stay in your head for years – and one of the greatest jazz album covers ever! CD