Sidney Bechet on sopranino saxophone, Andre Reweliotty on clarinet, Jean-Louis Durand and Vic Dickenson on trombone, Buck Clayton, Guy Longnon, and Roland Hug on trumpet, George Wein and Yannick Singery on piano, Arvell Shaw and Georges "Zozo" d'Halluin on bass, Kansas Fields, Marcel Blanche, and Poumi Arnaud on drums. CD

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The keys are coral, and the sound is sublime – one of the greatest albums ever from pianist Walter Bishop Jr, and proof that he can really stretch out, given the right setting! The piano here is all acoustic, but there's an almost-electric vibe to the date – long, open tracks that sway and swell with some great spiritual energy – made even more wonderful by work from reedman Harold Vick, who plays tenor, flute, and soprano sax on the record – and makes it one of his best recordings ever! The reedwork alone is worth the price of admission – but the rhythms are also great too – a mix of soulful, modal, and some slight funky bits – handled by Reggie Johnson on bass, and either Idris Muhammad or Alan Benger on drums. Woody Shaw plays trumpet on some cuts, too – and titles include "Coral Keys", "Soul Turn Around", "Freedom Suite", "Track Down", "Waltz For Zweetie", and "Three Loves". CD

The rarest of all of Art Blakey's percussion group projects – and quite possibly the best, too! The session features Blakey at the head of a strong mix of jazz and percussion players – with Art Taylor and Philly Joe Jones on the regular drum kit, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Ray Bryant on piano, and a host of assorted percussion work by the likes of Ray Barretto, Sabu Martinez, Victor Gonzalez, Julio Martinez, and others. The resultant sound is incredible – very full, rich, and earthy – and done in a way that interweaves African and Latin percussion styles with straighter American jazz! A few cuts have chanting by Blakey and Sabu – and titles include "The Feast", "Mirage", "Lamento Africano", "O'Tinde", "Swingin Kilts", "Dinga", "Reflection", and "Aghano". CD

Carla Bley on piano, Wolfgang Puschnig on alto saxophone, Andy Sheppard on tenor saxophone, Steve Swallow on bass, Victor Lewis on drums, Larry Goldings on organ, Gary Valente on trombone, and Lew Soloff on trumpet. CD

Players include Andy Sheppard, Steve Swallow, Lew Soloff, Gary Valente, Victor Lewis, and Wolfgang Puschnig. CD

Great guitar work from this legendary Caribbean player – working here with his Royal Victoria Hotel ensemble! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the stunning late 60 psych rock classics on Mainstream Records – and, like the rest, a set that's a real standout at the time – and one of the few musical statements by a group who never got picked up and pushed more heavily by another label! Yet that quality is what makes the whole thing wonderful – a freaky, fuzzy east coast set with a very down to earth vibe – music that would have been garage a few years before, but which has picked up some very heady influences along the way – especially in the strong use of fuzz and distortion on the guitar! Drummer Chuck Monica has a nicely urgent vibe at times, echoed by the bass of Victor Muglia – and lead singer Brian Cooke delivers some great work on organ too! Nick Manzi is the man with the fuzz on guitar – and titles include "All Kinds Of Highs", "Riddles & Fairytales", "She Always Gives Me Pleasure", "Images", "Deaf Dumb & Blind", and "Paradox City". CD

A raw, live set from Chicago saxophonist David Boykin – but a great little record that really reminds us of a classic 60s session on ESP! Boykin's reeds are wonderful throughout – filled with the depth of soul we might expect from Kalaparusha or Albert Ayler – and set up here in an open-ended trio with Josh Abrams on bass and Andre Beasley on drums. The tracks are all quite longish and free – but never sloppy or overindulgent – held together with a tremendous focus and presence in Boykin's horn! Titles include "Victory Honor & Glory", "Conundrum", "Big & Fine", "The King", and "Meditation For Momma Long". CD

A great set of trad jazz grooves from the Boston scene of the 50s – recorded with an easygoing groove that's totally great, and put together by George Wein in the same spirit as some of his better-known live events of the time! Players include Ruby Braff on trumpet, Vic Dickenson and Dick Lefave on trombones, Al Drootin on clarinet, Sam Margolis on tenor, Buzzy Drootin on drums, and Wein himself on piano – and the tunes are open-ended swing-based numbers, with titles that include "High Society", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Swinging The Blues", "At The Jazz Band Ball", and "After You've Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album of jazz tracks by one of Brazil's greatest reed players of the 70s – the mighty Victor Assis Brasil – a free-thinking spirit who really took Brazilian jazz in bold new directions at the time! The record shows Victor absorbing a lot of post-Coltrane influences, and blending them with a tight approach to rhythm – laid down here by Dom Salvador on piano (and organ), Edison Lobo on bass, and Edson Machando on drums. The group is completed by Helio Delmiro on guitar, and Claudio Roditi plays trumpet on one track – but the real highlight is the amazing reed work by Brasil, which is filled with soul and warmth, plus a deep sense of exploration. The whole session was put together by Roberto Quartin in 1970 – and it's still extremely fresh today. Titles include "Children", "Gingerbread Boy", "Senegal", and "Marilia", which is a bonus track that wasn't on the original LP. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic double-length set – two full albums of music, essential for any fan of Brazilian jazz – or even jazz in general! First up is Esperanto – an incredible album from one of Brazil's greatest reed players of the 70s – the mighty Victor Assis Brasil – a free-thinking spirit who really took Brazilian jazz in bold new directions at the time! The record shows Victor absorbing a lot of post-Coltrane influences, and blending them with a tight approach to rhythm – laid down here by Dom Salvador on piano (and organ), Edison Lobo on bass, and Edson Machando on drums. The group is completed by Helio Delmiro on guitar, and Claudio Roditi plays trumpet on one track – but the real highlight is the amazing reed work by Brasil, which is filled with soul and warmth, plus a deep sense of exploration. The whole session was put together by Roberto Quartin in 1970 – and it's still extremely fresh today. Titles include "Children", "Gingerbread Boy", "Senegal", and "Marilia". Next is Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim – a fantastic album from this legendary Brazilian saxophonist – and one that's way different than the usual instrumental reading of the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim! The setting is less of a bossa-inspired one than a post-Coltrane mode – as Victor Assis Brasil blows alto sax, and a bit of soprano – on long, stretched out versions of Jobim compositions – often given a bit of modal energy, thanks to the group's strong piano and organ performances by Dom Salvador. The rest of the players are all great, too – Helio Delmiro on guitar, Edson Lobo on bass, and Edison Machado on drums – all players who grew up in the bossa jazz years of the 60s, but who here are set free to explore new territory by producer Roberto Quartin. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Bonita", "Wave", "So Tinha De Ser Come Voce", and "Dindi". CD also features two bonus tracks – alternate takes of "Ao Amigo Quartin" and "Marilla". CD

Anthony Braxton on alto, soprano saxophone, and sopranino saxophone, Carl Testa on contrabass and bass clarinet, Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, bugle and trombone, Jay Rozen on tuba, Mary Halvorson on guitar, Jessica Pavone on viola and violin, and Aaron Siegel on vibraphone and percussion. CD

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Solo titles include "Lonely Woman", "Never Too Late But Always Too Early", "Frames Of Motion", "Shunkeln To Dark Blues", and trio tracks are "Turning Glory", and "Music Marries Room To Room" – both with Massimo Pupillo and Paal Nilssen Love. CD

Fantastic live material from a very unique group – the instantly-legendary meeting of reedman Peter Brotzmann with the leading lights of the Chicago avant jazz scene in the 90s – brought together into a tremendous tentet that's maybe even better than the sum of its parts! The group features Brotzmann on tenor and clarinet, Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lomberg-Holm on cello and violin, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums, Kent Kessler on bass – and "honorary Chicagoan" Mats Gustafsson on tenor and flutophone, plus Toshinori Kondo on trumpet and electronics, and William Parker on bass. Phew, that's one heck of a lineup – the kind that rivals some of the European or British improvising ensembles of decades past – but one that has its own very specific flavor, and a sound that's brimming over with youth – so much so that the non-Chicago guests really seem to gain inspiration from the core. This Okka disc set captures the band live at the 16th Victoriaville Festival in 1999. CD

A fantastic live set that offers up the first-ever recorded meeting of these three giants of improvised music – a trio who return to each others' company after many years, and here for the first time with a recording device in action! Given the legacy here, there's almost as much of a loft jazz influence as there is one from the world of European free jazz – and at many points, the reeds of Peter Brotzmann seem to take a lot more directl from the drums and percussion of Milford Graves and bass of William Parker – especially at moments when both players seem tied to each other at both an emotional and performative level! Parker also plays a bit of doussn'gouni, and Graves vocalizes a bit – and the set features a searing live set recorded at the gallery space of CBGBs in 2002. LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual slice of work from the James Brown Family – material from three different periods – early 60s cuts for Dade Records, early 70s material for Brownstone, and late 70s tracks for TK Records! The collection features some especially rare Dade material – tracks from artists that were working with James Brown, recording off for Henry Stone in a raw early 60s mode with James helping out in the studio – killer cuts that include "I Need Love" by The Baby, "Someone Up & Told Me" by Sonny Till, and "Do The Mashed Potatoes (parts 1 & 2)" by Nat Kendrick & The Swans. The set then features some early 70s cuts that were contemporaneous with the big burst of activity at People Records, but issued on Brownstone – tracks that include "Never Get Enough" and "I Need Help" by Bobby Byrd, "In The Land Of Milk & Honey" by Vicki Anderson, "You've Got To Change Your Mind" by Bobby Byrd, and "Nature (parts 1 & 2)" by The JBs International. The set also has some TK Records cuts – "You & Me Together" by Vicki Anderson, and "Mashed Potatoes" and "Rapp Payback" by James Brown – then also includes more rare cuts, including "Wichita Lineman" by Dee Felice Trio, "I Loves You Porgy" by James Brown & The Famous Flames, and "Win Your Love For Me" by Johnny The Man. CD

An unusual slice of work from the James Brown Family – material from three different periods – early 60s cuts for Dade Records, early 70s material for Brownstone, and late 70s tracks for TK Records! The collection features some especially rare Dade material – tracks from artists that were working with James Brown, recording off for Henry Stone in a raw early 60s mode with James helping out in the studio – killer cuts that include "I Need Love" by The Baby, "Someone Up & Told Me" by Sonny Till, and "Do The Mashed Potatoes (parts 1 & 2)" by Nat Kendrick & The Swans. The set then features some early 70s cuts that were contemporaneous with the big burst of activity at People Records, but issued on Brownstone – tracks that include "Never Get Enough" and "I Need Help" by Bobby Byrd, "In The Land Of Milk & Honey" by Vicki Anderson, "You've Got To Change Your Mind" by Bobby Byrd, and "Nature (parts 1 & 2)" by The JBs International. The set also has some TK Records cuts – "You & Me Together" by Vicki Anderson, and "Mashed Potatoes" and "Rapp Payback" by James Brown – then also includes more rare cuts, including "Wichita Lineman" by Dee Felice Trio, "I Loves You Porgy" by James Brown & The Famous Flames, and "Win Your Love For Me" by Johnny The Man. CD

James Brown plays organ on this one – an early effort to showcase various other artists that he was producing at the time, and who traveled with him on the road – all those great singers that The Godfather would give time to on his stage – the sorts of artists who would later get more exposure on record once James launched the People Records label! Arrangementsd are by James Brown and Nat Jones – and titles include "Strung Out" and "Stop And Think It Over" by James Crawford, "This Is My Story" by the Jewels, "Satisfaction" and "The Dog" by Baby Lloyd, and "Nowhere To Run" and "Don't Mess With Bill" by Vicki Anderson. LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "Very Good Advice". CD

Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd – sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s – and feature Bobby working in that incredibly tight, incredibly fast-grooving mode he first forged with James – heard to best effect on some key live recordings, and served up here in some equally great studio sides that feature help from Fred Wesley and Brown. A few other cuts keep the funky fire burning with some surprisingly nice Miami touches – with Clarence Reid on production, but Bobby more than strongly in the mix on some great vocals. There also appears to be a few tracks from later years – featuring Byrd with singers Vicki Anderson and Martha High, plus a group that also includes Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley – and 2 more that are later live numbers. The set features 11 tracks in all, and is a great counterpart to Bobby's one and only album for the King label – with tracks that include "Never Get Enough", "Hang It Up", "Back From The Dead", "The Way To Get Down", "Feel Good Friday", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Let Me Know", and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind". CD

Bobby Byrd recorded some killer work with James Brown back at the end of the 60s, but hardly got the chance to record much once the 70s moved on – until this killer full length set that has Bobby's vocals backed by the genius of the Soul Society combo! There's a really old school vibe to the whole set – strongly inspired by the James Brown sound of the late 60s, but also filtered through the new changes that the UK scene was bringing in during the generation of Brand New Heavies – a plenty that's great for Bobby, and has a whole back to basics vibe that really sounds wonderful, and reminds us that old funky legends never die – they just don't get the attention they deserve! The set features guest vocals from Vicki Anderson and Carleen Anderson – two generations of female funk – and titles include "Back From The Dead", "Never Get Enough", "I'm On The Move", "Sayin It & Doin It Is Two Different Things", "The Way To Get Down", and "Sunshine". CD

An amazing little record from Joe Byrd – an artist with roots in serious music, but who's serving things up here with a wild hippie aesthetic that makes the whole thing come across more like a "happening" than the usual sort of studio album – but in ways that also echo an earlier generation of Americanist composition too. The process of the record mimics some of Byrd's famous work in New York – and has a very collaborative feel overall, with elements of electronics, acoustics, and vocals coming together beautifully! There's some great tabla, harpsichord, moog, and organ on the record – plus more serious woodwinds and brass – and vocals from Victoria Bond, Susan De Lange, Christie Thompson, and Ernie Anderson – plus Joe himself. Titles include "Kalyani", "Moonsong Pelog", "You Can't Ever Come Down", "Gospel Music", "Nightmare Train", "Leisure World", and "The Elephant At The Door". CD

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A killer album by the Chairmen of the Board! The record's their second – and although the "In Session" title, photos on the front, and liner notes all make it appear to be a live album, it's actually a studio session, with the same great Holland-Dozier-Holland production as the first! The album includes an amazing track called "All We Need Is Understanding", a jaunty groover with this funky organ at the beginning, and some killer vocals by General Johnson. It's one of the group's best tracks ever – and the record has plenty of other nice ones – like "Pay To The Piper", "Hanging On To A Memory", "When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me", and "Chairmen Of The Board". Plus, the record includes their great version of "Patches", which they wrote for Clarence Carter – already on their first album, but featured here again for some strange reason! Who cares, though – because we love the track! LP, Vinyl record album

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Two rare albums from Uncle Victor Chukwu – a hell of a guitarist, and the driving force behind both of these Nigerian gems from the late 70s! Akalaka is a record that's maybe higlife in outward appearance, but which has a very different quality overall – in part because the guitar work from Victor Chukwu is so sharp and searing, there's often a bit more edge on some of the tunes than the lighter, brighter notes you'd usually associate with the genre! Plus, the vocals have this nicely echoey vibe – ringing out with a quality that's equally great, whether the lyrics are in English or Igbo – on long titles that include "Akalaka", "Born Throw Away", "Ogbu Mmadu", and "Nwanne Bu Nwanne". Next up is an album that Victor Chukwu did with the Black Irokos group – a set that's even more striking, and almost experimental at times – with all these odd elements played right down near the bottom of the guitar strings, which are then echoed out with effects that make them sound very cool next to the percussion! There's a bit of horns in the mix, but the guitar and offbeat vocals are the main appeal – on the long tracks "Onwu Uwa", "Anya Ukwu", and "Oge Chukwu Ka Nma". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than an "encore" of the legendary Clarke Boland album Golden Eight – and instead a whole different set of recordings, done way back in 1961, but unissued until now! The album's a killer through and through – every bit the same sort of gem you'd get with the early Clarke Boland albums of the pre-MPS years – extremely tight large ensemble jazz, driven with plenty of soul in the rhythm section, and swinging with some incredible solos that further deepen the sound! Right from the start, the pair were totally on the money – and work here with a lineup that's filled with key European soloists, including Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Derek Humble on alto sax, Karl Drewo on tenor, and Fats Sadi on percussion – not to mention the core crack rhythm trio of Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include the great Boland originals "A Ball For Othello", "La Campimania", "You Dig It", "Pape Satan Aleppe", and "Free Wheel" – plus a great version of "Invitation". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever by this hip jazz ensemble – and one of their most unique! The record has the band grooving hard through two incredible suites of Latin music – Gary McFarland's "Latin Kaleidoscope" and Francy Boland's "Cuban Fever" – each of which takes up a side of the record, both driving the band to new solo heights with a very hip edge! Players include the usual cream of the crop of European jazz residents – like Sahib Shihab, Dusko Goykovich, Jimmy Deuchar, Phil Woods, Tony Coe, and Benny Bailey – and the tracks include "Uno Graso De Areia", "A Rosa Negra", "Olhos Negros", "Cara Bruja", and "Fiebre Cuban". Wonderful all the way through – and always a treasure! One of the shining jewels in the crown of MPS – and a Gilles P classic all the way through! CD

A large group in a small club – the legendary Clarke Boland Big Band, playing at the home turf of one of their key members – tenorist Ronnie Scott! The set features a very legendary performance by the ensemble – a crack lineup that's easily one of the best ever sported by the CBBB – perfectly mixing American rhythms, and a trans-Atlantic lineup of soloists – all tied together with just the sort of rich arrangements that make the group so great! Things groove right from the get-go – thanks to a rhythm lineup that features Kenny Clarke on drums, and Francy Boland on piano – plus bassist Ron Matthewson, sitting in for the usual Jimmy Woode. The horn players really send things off, though – tight trumpets from Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, and Dusko Goykovich; bold trombones from Ake Persson and Nat Peck; and some searing reed lines from Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Derek Humble on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Tony Coe on both tenor and clarinet. This album features the full "first set" at Scotts by the group – with titles that include "Volcano", "Griff's Groove", "Now Hear My Meanin", "Box 703 Washington DC", and "Thence We Issued Out Again to See the Stars". LP, Vinyl record album

A large group in a small club – the legendary Clarke Boland Big Band, playing at the home turf of one of their key members – tenorist Ronnie Scott! The set features a very legendary performance by the ensemble – a crack lineup that's easily one of the best ever sported by the CBBB – perfectly mixing American rhythms, and a trans-Atlantic lineup of soloists – all tied together with just the sort of rich arrangements that make the group so great! Things groove right from the get-go – thanks to a rhythm lineup that features Kenny Clarke on drums, and Francy Boland on piano – plus bassist Ron Matthewson, sitting in for the usual Jimmy Woode. The horn players really send things off, though – tight trumpets from Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, and Dusko Goykovich; bold trombones from Ake Persson and Nat Peck; and some searing reed lines from Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Derek Humble on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Tony Coe on both tenor and clarinet. This album features the full "second set" at Scotts by the group – with titles that include "Rue Chaptal", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Sax No End", and "The Girl & The Turk". LP, Vinyl record album

The longest album ever from The Clash – a stunning triple LP set that really shows the group bristling with new ideas and energy throughout! There's a hell of a lot going on here – some cuts that are every bit as strong as the previous records, others that offer a few mis-steps but in a wonderfully playful way – and a few more that really hit this sort of unique mix of genres and politics that could only be summed up as Clash-like at its best! Bits of hip hop, reggae, new wave, funk, and more mix together beautifully – and the album's got a hell of a lot of charm and character, even if you're skipping past a few of the cuts you don't like as much as the others. 36 tracks in all – and titles include "The Magnificent Seven", "Hitsville UK", "Junco Partner", "The Leader", "Police On My Back", "Midnight Log", "The Call Up", "Washington Bullets", "Broadway", "Rebel Waltz", "Look Here", "The Crooked Beat", "Somebody Got Murdered", "Lose This Skin", "Charlie Don't Surf", "Kingston Advice", "Corner Soul", "Let's Go Crazy", "The Sound Of Sinners", "Living In Fame", "Silicone On Sapphire", and "Career Opportunities". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know Cochemea Gastelum from his work in The Dap-Kings over the years – but this time around, the saxophonist is very much his own man – blowing a version of his instruments that often seems electrified, ala classic Varitone from the late 60s – used in these really new and compelling ways! Cochemea has occasional tribal impulses that belie his look on the cover – but all in this very focused way that never sounds too indulgent, and which instead always steps back to the soulful territory we love from Daptone Records! And yet the record's also maybe something new for the label too – looser, never straight funk or soul – as Cochemea heads up this fantastic ensemble that's very heavy on percussion, which drives the sound with a raw, rootsy vibe – while Victor Axelrod plays keyboards, and the man himself blows on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. A real killer – with titles that include "Maso Ye'Eme", "All My Relations", "Sonora", "Los Muertos", "Mescalero", "Song Of Happiness", and "Mitote". CD

A great meeting of tenor sax talents old and young – as the up-and-coming John Coltrane plays alongside Paul "Vice Pres" Quinichette – in a classic Prestige session of well-blown saxophone work! The rhythm section on the album features Mal Waldron on piano, Julian Euell on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums – but the real focus here is on the tenor giants in the title – working together in warm spirit that's surprisingly well matched! Titles include "Sunday", "Cattin", "Anatomy", and "Vodka". CD

With Buck Clayton on trumpet, Vic Dickenson on trombone, Bud Freeman on tenor, Pee Wee Russell on clarinet, Dick Cary on piano and alto, Jack Lesberg on bass, Cliff Leeman on drums, and Jimmy Rushing on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

With Pim Jacobs & Hans Hammerschmid on piano, Rudolf Hansen & Ruud Jacobs on bass & Victor Plasil & Wessel Ilcken on drums. CD

Prime Elvis Costello work from his early run with The Attractions – a set that's overflowing with tunes that are catchy yet biting, and which get superb production from Nick Lowe! Titles include "Oliver's Army", "Green Shirt", "Party Girl", "Good Squad", "Moods For Moderns", "Two Little Hitlers", "Accidents Will Happen", "Senior Service", and "What's So Funny Bout Peace Love & Understanding". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic second album from this ultra-hip French combo – a group who effortlessly mix up jazz, funk, and global elements in the best cross-cultural tradition of the Parisian scene! Cotonete have been around for many years, even though they haven't given us many records – and it's clear from this set that their sound has gelled and evolved even more than before – no gimmicks or easy tricks on the record, and instead this really cohesive blend of keyboards from Florian Pellissier with trumpet, saxes, guitar, trombone, bass, and plenty of percussion! Guests include Omar, Leron Thomas, and Sabrina Malheiros – each of whom sing on a single track – and titles include "Satori", "La Derniere Guitare", "Bebete Vaobora", "Venezuela", "Cinq Pour L'Aventure", and "What Did You Run For". CD

A fantastic second album from this ultra-hip French combo – a group who effortlessly mix up jazz, funk, and global elements in the best cross-cultural tradition of the Parisian scene! Cotonete have been around for many years, even though they haven't given us many records – and it's clear from this set that their sound has gelled and evolved even more than before – no gimmicks or easy tricks on the record, and instead this really cohesive blend of keyboards from Florian Pellissier with trumpet, saxes, guitar, trombone, bass, and plenty of percussion! Guests include Omar, Leron Thomas, and Sabrina Malheiros – each of whom sing on a single track – and titles include "Satori", "La Derniere Guitare", "Bebete Vaobora", "Venezuela", "Cinq Pour L'Aventure", and "What Did You Run For". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Sonny Criss albums ever – one of our favorites from his late 60s run at Prestige – and that's really saying a lot! The set's a warmly lyrical session that really has Criss opening up, changing up his groove to display the deep growth he'd experienced as a musician in the 60s. The rhythm section is wonderful – pianist Eddie Green, over the rock-solid team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Alan Dawson on drums – who really help Sonny Criss transform the tunes on the record. Even 60s pop tunes like "Misty Roses" and "Eleanor Rigby" come off sounding fresh and wonderful – as do older jazz nuggets "The Masquerade Is Over" and "Rockin In Rhythm" – both tunes that are recorded so often you might expect hoke, but which sparkle anew in the hands of Sonny's soulful vision! CD

Swinging vocals from the great Vic Damone – an excellent singer of the show/lounge circuit, represented here by two excellent albums from his Capitol years! On The Street Where You Live features Vic working with Pete King arrangements, in a set of mostly-show tunes – redone by Damone's strong lead vocal, into newer-sounding numbers without the schmaltz of Broadway. The Liveliest is even better – a live set recorded at Basin Street, one that has Vic working before the crowd with all the charm and showmanship that made him one of the best of his game. 23 tracks in all, with titles that include "At Long Last Love", "When Your Lover Has Gone", "You & The Night & The Music", "On The Street Where You Live", "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", "Fascinating Rhythm", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "Till There Was You", and "Younger Than Springtime". CD

Vic Damone's really starting to get it together at this point – opening up with a bit more jazz inflection in arrangements from Robert Smale, and moving into some of the more mature modes of his best years. LP, Vinyl record album

Ted Daniel may be one of the most compelling sound-shapers we've ever heard on the trumpet – a very under-acknowledged musician whose playing of the 70s and 80s continues to really grab us over the years! This unissued live set is from 1981, and it features Ted on a variety of horns – blowing in a special way that both links to more conventional trumpet modes, yet also shows a knowledge of the more open phrasing that some of his generation were using – like Lester Bowie or Leo Smith. Yet unlike some of those artists, Ted's performance, although free, is never that far from the more familiar roots of trumpet expression – a fantastic balance that really comes through beautifully in the music. There's a few unusual approaches here – one track features a trumpet played into a grand piano, another a flugelhorn through a phase shifter – but even these never go too far out. Titles include "Sunny Side Up", "Closer & Closer", "Vicissitudes Of A Lover", "Al Fine", "Ciao Bene", and "Deac's Ceremonial Testimonial". CD

Stellar early 70s work from John Dankwork – in a 2CD set! Full Circle is simply one of the greatest albums we've ever heard from the Brit maestro – a big band album as in earlier years, but one done with lots of hip 70s touches! The feel here is halfway between that of sound library grooving and some of the larger group 70s sessions on MPS – often funky at times, but with freshly modern solo work that breaks out from the larger ensemble nicely to accentuate the mood of the tunes. Players include Alan Branscombe on vibes, John Taylor on piano, Joe Moretti on guitar, and Kenny Wheeler on trumpet – and tunes include Mike Vickers' "Eleven Plus", Mike Gibbs' "A Family Joy" and "Triple Portrait", Keith Jarrett's "Grow Your Own", and Dankworth's "Academy One" and "Earthman". Also features a nice bass-y take on "You Are Too Beautiful". Lifeline is another great one – also reminding us of some of the larger MPS projects of the same time. The tracks have a bit of an electric glow in the basswork and production, but the main focus is on acoustic big band grooving – with breakout solos, and some tighter ensemble passages. Includes the sweet suite "Lifeline", which has a few funky moments – plus"Tomorrow's World", "WRVR", and "Fighting The Flab". Players include Don Rendell, Tony Hymas, Ken Gibson, and Dankworth himself. CD

Griff and Lock are playing head to head here – right in their classic "tuff tenors" mode, although not recorded Live at Mintons! Rhythm is by Norman Simmons, Vic Sproles, and Ben Riley – and the album's actually a bit gutsier and more freewheeling than some of their earlier sets, the ones with a bit more Monk work. Titles include "What's Happening?", "63rd Street Theme", "Pull My Coat", and "Hey Jim!". CD features a bonus version of "Billie's Bounce" – one that runs for nearly 12 minutes! CD

A strange mix of material – but some great work overall! Most of the record features Miles Davis recording with a quintet that includes Thelonious Monk on piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – on longer versions of "The Man I Love" (in 2 takes), "Swing Spring", and "Bemsha Swing". These sides have a great bop/modern approach that's a nice extension of the styles that Jackson and Davis were playing on Blue Note in earlier years. Also added to the set is one number from 1956 – a version of "Round Midnight" recorded in early sessions with John Coltrane on tenor, and the Red Garland Trio on rhythm – different than the rest of the tracks, but still quite nice! CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

An album that became an instant legend in global music circles – the recorded debut of Victor Deme, a guitarist and singer who'd been working in his native Burkina Faso for over 30 years before getting the chance to step inside a studio! The turn "studio" might be a loose one here – as the album was recorded on a four track, in a distant space in the country – but has a vibrancy that beats most other bigger label releases of the time – thanks to a tremendous power in Deme's vocals, which have a raspy presence that grabs you far beyond just an understanding of language – and which are often matched by guitar work from Issouf Diabate, who inflects these subtle bluesy elements that spark new colors in the songs, but in a nicely understated way. A record with a very unique sound, and a lasting classic – with titles that include "Dankan", "Tama Ngogon", "Dala Mogoya", "Djon Maya", "Toungan", "Cherie", "Burkina Mousso", and "Djarabi". LP, Vinyl record album

Vic Dickenson on trombone, Edmond Hall on clarinet, Ruby Braff on trumpet, Steve Jordan on guitar, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, and others. CD

Neo-classic boombap from Dilated Peoples –a team rooted strongly in time-honored group rap, compelling beats and turntablism – setting out to live up to the classic craft rather than re-invent the wheel, and deliver the goods track for track here! Not quite as nostalgic as the more straight-up throwback rappers of the late 90s and early 00s, which proves Dilated Peoples all the wiser, as this one has hardly aged a day. Tracks include "Right On" featuring Tha Alkaholiks, "The Shape Of Things To Come" featuring Aceyalone, "No Retreat" featuring B Real, "Work The Angles", "The Last Line Of Defense", "Annihilation", "Ear Drums Pop", "Expanding Man", "Triple Optics", "The Main Event", "Service", "The Platform" and four more. CD

An overlooked later album from alto player Lou Donaldson – done both after his 60s Blue Note work, and his 70s material for bigger labels – and a great back to basics session all the way through! Lou is reunited with the great Herman Foster on piano – a player who made some of his early 60s pre-funk records really sound so great – and the duo take off with all the warmth and spontaneous imagination of those excellent early years – getting help in the quartet from Geoff Fuller on bass and Victor Jones on drums. Titles include "Confirmation", "Whiskey Drinkin Woman", "This Is Happiness", "Exactly Like You", "Don't Blame Me", "Melancholy Baby", and Donaldson's terrific centerpiece "Tracy". CD

An overlooked later album from alto player Lou Donaldson – done both after his 60s Blue Note work, and his 70s material for bigger labels – and a great back to basics session all the way through! Lou is reunited with the great Herman Foster on piano – a player who made some of his early 60s pre-funk records really sound so great – and the duo take off with all the warmth and spontaneous imagination of those excellent early years – getting help in the quartet from Geoff Fuller on bass and Victor Jones on drums. Titles include "Confirmation", "Whiskey Drinkin Woman", "This Is Happiness", "Exactly Like You", "Don't Blame Me", "Melancholy Baby", and Donaldson's terrific centerpiece "Tracy". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

With Helen O'Connell, Bob Eberly, and Vic Schoen. 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Maybe the richest album to date from South African pianist Bokani Dyer – a set that has vocals on most tracks, and which also carries a more direct and powerful message than any of his previous releases – very uplifting and righteous, at a level that marks Dyer as one of the key forces to help shape the new vibrant energies of his scene in recent years! Piano and keyboards are still at the core of the record, but the vocals share center stage – and the album features lots of great instrumental contributions from players who include Bokani's dad Steve Dyer and Linda Sikhakhane on saxes, Sthembiso Bhengu on trumpet, and Alder Du Toit and Shane Cooper on guitars. Titles include "Move On", "State Of The Nation", "Spirit People", "Picturesque", "Victims Of Circumstance", "Resonance Of Truth", "Be Where You Are", and "You Are Home". CD

A really standout horror soundtrack from the 80s – one that's maybe got a bit more richness than some of its contemporaries, and a sonic depth that really adds a lot to the action onscreen! The main theme is wonderfully brooding – a mix of light keyboards and darker, murkier orchestral sounds, with occasional Wicker Man-like vocal moments – continued throughout in variations of a similar mode that shifts nicely as the record moves on, and the action creeps forward with a hell of a lot of tension! Jonathan Elias wasn't one of the biggest names in scoring at the time, but this work is certainly some of the best – and titles include "The Cornfield", "Dream Music", "Barn Run", "Vicky's Dream", "Attack Of The Children", "Fighting Back", "Burning The Cornfield", and "The Invasion". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

... Cassette

Titles include "The Curse Of Baba Yaga", "The Old Castle", "Blues Variation", "Promenade", "The Sage", and "The Gnome". CD

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An incredible fantasy of California pop – recorded too late in the 60s to really strike big, but with a perfect approach to mid-decade Beach Boys at their best! Mark Eric's clearly borrowing plenty of pages from Brian Wilson's bag for this set (and maybe Brian Hyland too) – and the original tunes have the beautiful quality of Wilson's best writing in the pre-Pet Sounds years – dealing with deeper themes, but in a very careful and sometimes guarded way that makes the tunes that much more heartfelt. The arrangements are Wilson-inspired too – but have a more mature style than the lyrics – handled by Vic Briggs with a quality that's similar to the brilliant Surf Symphony album of the same year – almost a dreamy remembrance of the sweeter side of California earlier in the decade, but undercut with some of the bluer, more adult modes of the time. Backings feature swirling strings, ringing vibes, and some groovy guitar – and Mark's vocals are often recorded in a way that harmonizes them against the lead – a one-man vocal group, with echoes of The Four Freshmen at times. Titles include "California Home", "Move With The Dawn", "Laura's Changing", "Lynn's Baby", "Just Passing By", "Sad Is The Way That I Feel", and "Take Me With You". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of great Bill Evans albums for Verve – both a very good fit together! The cover of Empathy co-credits Bill Evans and Shelly Manne as the leader of the set – and that distinction's an important one – as the record has a slightly different feel than some of Bill's other 60s work for Verve! The sound is often a bit stronger, somewhat bolder – and although Manne's not a monster on the drums, he does have a way of directing the tunes that's a bit different than some of Evans' other piano-led albums. Bass is by Monty Budwig, who's nicely sensitive to the talents of both players – and there's almost an equally-weighted melodic feel to all three elements of the trio – which really rounds out the record nicely. Titles include "The Washington Twist", "Danny Boy", "Let's Go Back To The Waltz", "With A Song In My Heart", "Goodbye", and "I Believe In You". Simple Matter Of Conviction is a move into a more sophisticated vein than his earlier recordings! The album has him working with bassist Eddie Gomez, a hugely talented bassist that would be one of Bill's best partners during this period, and a player who added a nice dose of soul to the proceedings. The drummer is Shelly Manne, who's pretty nice, too – and really shows off some of his more sophisticated shadings here in the presence of Evans and Gomez – similar to his work on the great Empathy album. Tracks are shortish, but filled with imagination – and titles include "Unless It's You", "These Things Called Changes", "Stella By Starlight", and "A Simple Matter Of Conviction". CD

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