A really cool keyboard set from Serge Blenner – issued during the glory days of the German Sky Records label, but with a vibe that's a bit different than most of their other releases! Blenner works on an assortment of keyboard and electronic sources – but with a sound that's maybe more Sheffield than Hamburg, especially as there's some great use of darkness and distortion in the mix – less clean electronics than some of his Sky contemporaries, which creates a very cool, moody sound throughout! The album has eight instrumental tracks – each a numbered "Phrase" by Serge. CD

A really cool keyboard set from Serge Blenner – issued during the glory days of the German Sky Records label, but with a vibe that's a bit different than most of their other releases! Blenner works on an assortment of keyboard and electronic sources – but with a sound that's maybe more Sheffield than Hamburg, especially as there's some great use of darkness and distortion in the mix – less clean electronics than some of his Sky contemporaries, which creates a very cool, moody sound throughout! The album has eight instrumental tracks – each a numbered "Phrase" by Serge. LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of late 40s sessions – including solo and trio recordings with Red Callender and Doc West from 1947; with Oscar Moore (?), Nelson Boyd, and Teddy Stewart from 1948; and a few sessions, both solo and trio, from 1949 including dates with Leonard Gaskin and Charlie Smith, and John Simmons and Chuck Thompson. LP, Vinyl record album

Three rare Storyville albums from singer Teddi King – all packaged up here in a cool Japanese paper sleeve set! First up is Now In Vogue – one of a number of great small group sessions done by singer Teddi King for the Storyville label – nicely relaxed, with backing from a septet that features Billy Taylor on piano, Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Nick Travis on trumpet, and Gene Quill on alto! The Storyville approach really brings out the best in Teddi's vocals – as the easy-going nature of the record has King sounding a bit more grown-up and adult than before – singing lines in a slightly sultry style, yet still with some of the bird-like notes heard on other albums. Taylor's piano adds a nice grounding to the record – and titles include "Old Folks", "Why Do You Suppose", "I'm In The Market For You", "You Hit The Spot", "Something To Live For", and "Like A Ship Without A Sail". Miss Teddi King is great early work from vocalist Teddi King – a set that's got a lot more dark corners and moody moments than some of her later work! The group here is nice and small – a quartet that features Ruby Braff on trumpet, Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Milt Hinton on bass – all of whom accompany Teddi with a nicely sensitive sound – often augmenting her trilling vocals with some nicely blue tones of their own. The tracks are all familiar ones, but they're done in a mellow late nite feel that really gives them a new life of their own. Titles include "I Saw Stars", "New Orleans", "Love Is A Now & Then Thing", "It's The Talk of the Town", "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan", and "It's All In The Mind". Round Midnight features vocals as dark as they are lovely – a sublime early set from singer Teddi King, served up in a style that's nicely perched between two decades of jazz! There's a moody, intimate feel here that really takes us back to an earlier era – a bit in the way that Lee Wiley often does at the same period, with a sound that's almost timeless, yet never outdated. The only backings here are piano from Beryl Booker – and in a way, the record's almost a duet outing between Teddi and Beryl, with a wonderfully intimate feel overall. Tracks include "Round Midnight", "What's New", "I Concentrate On You", "Little Girl Blue", and "It Never Entered My Mind". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of THE seminal Basie albums of all time – and a masterful pairing between the Count and arranger Neal Hefti! Hefti has an amazing ear for the Basie groove, and he works here to re-fit the overall sound of the group with a tighter, more fluid approach – one that ensured that they'd be alive and booming well into the 60s. The Hefti touch is one that's slightly lighter than the Basie of before – one that assumes the bump at the bottom, but never overdoes it – and instead almost uses the sound of no sound at all to carry the rhythm – while the horns at the top of the group are vamping around in these majestic charts that break out into fantastically searing solos. Basie's on piano, natch – and other players include Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Henry Coker, Al Grey, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis. Titles are all brilliant Hefti originals – and include "After Supper", "Flight Of The Foo Birds", "Teddy The Toad", "Splanky", "Fantail", and "Lil Darlin". CD

Mad mad stuff from French pop legend Jacques Dutronc! The record's filled with groovy tunes that mix together jangly guitar, baroque production, and Jacques' wonderful swinging voice – and it's the kind of 60s album that turned him into an overnight French pop icon. This is Dutronc at the vintage best of Vogue years – and comes in a great gatefold cover! Titles include "La Publicite", "Le Plus Difficile", "Comment Elles Dorment", "Fais Pas Ca, Fais Pa Ca", "La Metaphore", and the excellent rockers "Hippie Hippie Hourrah" and "L'Augmentation". This edition includes 5 bonus tracks. "L'Idole" and "Les Petites Annonces" (both mono versions), "J'Ai Tout Lu, Tou Vu, Tout Byu" and more. CD

A very famous moment from Dizzy Gillespie – tracks from his famous concert at Salle Pleyel, in Paris, from 1953! Gillespie's in fine form throughout – working in a great mix of bop and modern elements, with a few occasional playful touches to please the crowd – but never in a way that cuts into the integrity of his music at all! Players include Bill Graham on alto and tenor, Wade Legge on piano, Lou Hackney on bass, and Al Jones on drums – and Joe Carroll sings guest vocals on a number of tracks. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "The Champ", "The Bluest Blues", "Birk's Works", "Mon Homme", "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Be", "School Days", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", and "Good Bait". CD

Sweet and lovely pop from Francoise Hardy – one of the best early albums she recorded in France, and a sparkling batch of all-original tracks that show that Hardy was as much of a songwriter as she was a singer – something that most of her contemporaries couldn't claim! Francoise has some groovy pop backing on all cuts – but the real strength of the material is from her vocals and guitar work, both of which come off as fragile and confident at the same time – that balance that always made Hardy way more than just the hit singer of the week, and which makes an album like this stand out strongly. The set's got loads of nice tracks – and titles include "Ce Petit Coeur", "L'Amite", "Je T'aime", "Ce N'Est Pas Un Reve", "Les Temps Des Souvenirs", "Dis-Lui Non", and "Tout Ce Qu'on Dit". CD

A very groovy record from the legendary Francoise Hardy – a set that's not only got the lovely lady out front on vocals and acoustic guitar, but one that also features totally great arrangements from Brit maestro Johnny Harris – who gives most of the record a slightly different vibe than some of Hardy's previous sets! Harris has a great ear for the spacious – opening up the sound at the sides, in ways that only seem to enforce Francoise's majesty in the center – with these subtle, but powerful touches that are also carried on by Charles Blackwell on a few cuts too. The whole thing's wonderful – jingle-jangle pop grooves, sweet guitar lines, and really great French vocals over the top – on titles that include "Si C'est Ca", "Je Changerais D'Avis", "Comme", "Tu Es Un Peu A Moi", "Qu'Ils Sont Heureux", and "Il Est Des Choses". CD

Really lovely sounds from the young Francoise Hardy – easily one of the coolest, most confident female singers in France at the time! Hardy is neither the emotive style of postwar passionate singers, nor the too-cool style of the left bank – and instead, she's got this way of mixing her own acoustic guitar with lightly lyrical arrangements that never overshadow her role in the lead – far less of the "yeh yeh" style that other singers were using, and which Hardy is too-often considered with. There's a beautifully gentle feel to the record – even though the set features some larger arrangements from Marcel Hendrix – and titles include "J'Aurais Voulu", "Nous Tous", "On Dit De Lui", "Comme Tant D'Autres", "Saurai Je", "Va Pas Prendre Un Tambour", and "Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour". CD

A real step forward for the amazing Francoise Hardy – a singer who was already great at the start, but who reaches out a bit more globally here – as she works with Brit arranger Charles Blackwell, in a mode that's got a bit of groovy 60s London in the mix! The tracks include many originals by Hardy, and a few by Blackwell as well – and the music has less of the acoustic guitar you'd hear on some of Francoise's other albums, and some fuller, bouncier backings that mix French chanson with some groovier 60s pop elements – all in a blend that's completely sublime for the lovely vocals of the lady. Titles include "Je Veux Qu'll Revienne", "Tu N'As Qu'Un Mot A Dire", "Et Meme", "Pars", "Pourtant Tu M'Aimes", "La Nuit Est Sur A Ville", "Pas Gentille", and "Mon Amie La Rose". CD

A seminal debut from the young Francoise Hardy, and a record that set the tone for a whole generation of French music to come! The album's a remarkable achievement – especially considering that Francoise was 18 at the time – filled with original tunes that have a really fresh presentation – not just in the lyrics, but in the overall presentation – which was a huge change from the overly emotive modes of the generation before. Hardy plays a fair bit of acoustic guitar along with her vocals – furthering the groovy feel of the set – and backings are by the orchestra of Roger Samyn, who adds in some slight rockish touches. Titles include "On Se Plait", "Oh Oh Cheri", "Ca A Rate", "Tous Les Garcons Et Les Filles", "La Fille Avec Toi", and "J'Suis D'Accord". CD

Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Red Mitchell on bass & Frank Isola on drums. CD

Features Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Red Mitchell on bass, Frank Isola on drums, and Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax. CD

The one and only album that Sun Ra ever cut for the Savoy label – a beautifully understated session that mixes more conventional jazz with some particularly Ra-like touches! The group on the set is extremely tight – especially the horn work of John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, and Pat Patrick – who glide together along with some of the best mainstream modernists of the 50s, but break out with earthier tones and phrases that clearly mark their playing as different from the norm. Ra plays relatively straight piano for the album, but there's more than enough Arkestra touches from other players on bells and assorted percussion – emphasizing the rhythmic qualities of the tunes, and really living up to the promise of titles that include "Bassism", "China Gates", "Of Sounds And Something Else", "Tapestry From An Asteroid", "Jet Flight", "Space Jazz Reverie", and "Where Is Tomorrow?". CD

Double-length brilliance from the mighty Sahib Shihab – a set that collects a number of killer 60s sessions with members of the Clarke Boland Big Band – all of them great! The small combo work here is amazing – hard-hitting modal jazz that matches, if not tops the best MPS/Saba sounds of the time – all produced to perfection with a really sharp edge, and a cutting approach to jazz that's gone onto inspired countless others in the current scene – including artists on Schema and Ricky-Tick Records, as well as most Japanese club jazz combos! But long before any of those cats started copping his groove, Sahib Shihab had it all totally together – a great ear for his own amazing solos on baritone and flute, and a way of hooking up with players like Francy Boland on piano, Fats Sadi on vibes, Benny Bailey on trumpet, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. All players here were Shihab's partners in the Clarke Boland Big Band, and they use these small combo sessions to explore some great new ideas – stripped-down groovers that are heavy on rhythm, and really allow full expression from all the players involved. Titles include "Companionship", "Om Mani Padme Hum", "Bohemia After Dark", "Serenata", "Yah Yah Blues", "Balafon", "Talk Some Yak-ee Dak", "The Turk's Bolero", "CT + CB", "Jay Jay", "Stoned Ghosts", "Just Give Me Time", and "Dijdar". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "It's All Over", "When The Eagle Flies", "County Jail", "Two Steps Forward", "My Life Is Ruined", and "I Got My Mojo Working (Part 1)" – 17 tracks in all. CD

With 20 tracks including "Gypsy Woman", "Train Fare Home", "Whiskey Blues", "Canary Bird", "Walking Blues", "Kind-Hearted Woman", and "Too Young To Know". CD

With 20 tracks including "Still A Fool", "Standing Around Crying", "Mannish Boy", "Crawlin' Kingsnake", "Just To Be With You", and "Southbound Train". CD

An early packaging of material recorded at the legendary Jazz At Massey Hall concert in 1953 – featuring the non-Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie sides, recorded by a trio that featured Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max Roach on drums. The album was one of the first on the important Debut label – originally issued as a 10", but expanded later to a full 12" release, with additional material. This is the 12" release, with titles that include "Embraceable You", "Jubilee", "Bassically Speaking", "Polkadots & Moonbeams", "Cherokee", and "Sure Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful example of the openness of the Paris scene in the 50s – and a record that's co-led by Belgian Bobby Jaspar and British Don Rendell – both of whom play tenors on the set! The rest of the group includes Sacha Distel on guitar, David Amram on cornet, Maurice Vander on piano, Guy Pedersen on bass, and Mac Kak (a nom-du-date?) on drums. Tracks are lean and swinging, with very strong solos – and it's great to hear Jaspar blowing on tenor in such a wonderful setting, as the album seems to give him more of an edge than some of his more composed albums. Title sinclude "King Fish", "Pot Luck", "Olympia", and "Dave's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Double-length brilliance from the mighty Sahib Shihab – a set that collects a number of killer 60s sessions with members of the Clarke Boland Big Band – all of them great! The small combo work here is amazing – hard-hitting modal jazz that matches, if not tops the best MPS/Saba sounds of the time – all produced to perfection with a really sharp edge, and a cutting approach to jazz that's gone onto inspired countless others in the current scene – including artists on Schema and Ricky-Tick Records, as well as most Japanese club jazz combos! But long before any of those cats started copping his groove, Sahib Shihab had it all totally together – a great ear for his own amazing solos on baritone and flute, and a way of hooking up with players like Francy Boland on piano, Fats Sadi on vibes, Benny Bailey on trumpet, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. All players here were Shihab's partners in the Clarke Boland Big Band, and they use these small combo sessions to explore some great new ideas – stripped-down groovers that are heavy on rhythm, and really allow full expression from all the players involved. Titles include "Companionship", "Om Mani Padme Hum", "Bohemia After Dark", "Serenata", "Yah Yah Blues", "Balafon", "Talk Some Yak-ee Dak", "The Turk's Bolero", "CT + CB", "Jay Jay", "Stoned Ghosts", "Just Give Me Time", and "Dijdar". LP, Vinyl record album

Remi Gassman and Oskar Sala each present pieces of modern electronic music in this hard to find LP for Westminster, very much in the style that was in vogue in New York in the 50s and early 60s. Gassman performs his "Electronic Music For the Ballet Electronics", which has a spare spooky sound, and Sala gives us "Five Improvisations On Magnetic Tape" – which are a bunch of short electronic tracks with a fragile, yet noisy feel to them. As the back of the record says "If anyone cares, this record has a dynamic range of 51 dB. Its lowest frequency is 15.4 cycles per second, its highest fundamental 3951 cps, the highest harmonis or overtone 15806 cps. It can blow out speakers, traumatize cats and arouse the landlord." LP, Vinyl record album

A great little companion to the excellent film about the famous Wax Trax record store and record label – a set that brings together rare and unreleased material from some of the artists who made the company legendary back in the day! The album's the first in many years to bear the Wax Trax name – and it's like a great leap way backwards, past the darker later days of the label – to a time when the Chicago imprint was a wellspring of creative activity in the darker side of the spectrum – and a key link between our city and underground scenes around the globe. Titles include "Animal Nation" by Revolting Cocks, "Envoye" by Young Gods, "Me & My Ding Dong" by Pankow, "A Daisy Chain 4 Satan (acid & flowers mix)" and "Acid Xians" by My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, "Leben Tod" by Laibach, "I Want More" by Fini Tribe, "Vogue (apart version)" by KMFDM, "Shipwreck" by Chris Connelly, and "Tonight We Murder (orig version)", "Cause We're In Love Again", and "Everyday Is Halloween (live)" by Ministry. CD

A great little companion to the excellent film about the famous Wax Trax record store and record label – a set that brings together rare and unreleased material from some of the artists who made the company legendary back in the day! The album's the first in many years to bear the Wax Trax name – and it's like a great leap way backwards, past the darker later days of the label – to a time when the Chicago imprint was a wellspring of creative activity in the darker side of the spectrum – and a key link between our city and underground scenes around the globe. Titles include "Animal Nation" by Revolting Cocks, "Envoye" by Young Gods, "Me & My Ding Dong" by Pankow, "A Daisy Chain 4 Satan (acid & flowers mix)" and "Acid Xians" by My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, "Leben Tod" by Laibach, "I Want More" by Fini Tribe, "Vogue (apart version)" by KMFDM, "Shipwreck" by Chris Connelly, and "Tonight We Murder (orig version)", "Cause We're In Love Again", and "Everyday Is Halloween (live)" by Ministry. Deluxe edition comes with deluxe gatefold packaging and a bonus 7-inch with exclusive, previously unreleased mystery tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little companion to the excellent film about the famous Wax Trax record store and record label – a set that brings together rare and unreleased material from some of the artists who made the company legendary back in the day! The album's the first in many years to bear the Wax Trax name – and it's like a great leap way backwards, past the darker later days of the label – to a time when the Chicago imprint was a wellspring of creative activity in the darker side of the spectrum – and a key link between our city and underground scenes around the globe. Titles include "Animal Nation" by Revolting Cocks, "Envoye" by Young Gods, "Me & My Ding Dong" by Pankow, "A Daisy Chain 4 Satan (acid & flowers mix)" and "Acid Xians" by My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, "Leben Tod" by Laibach, "I Want More" by Fini Tribe, "Vogue (apart version)" by KMFDM, "Shipwreck" by Chris Connelly, and "Tonight We Murder (orig version)", "Cause We're In Love Again", and "Everyday Is Halloween (live)" by Ministry. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Boyz II Men, BLACKstreet featuring Jay-Z, Milestone, Total, Puff Daddy featuring Lil' Kim, Dru Hill, Tenderoni, XSCAPE, OutKast with Cee-Lo, Monica & Usher, Tony Toni Tone, En Vogue & Earth, Wind & Fire. CD

... CD

Guitar legend George Benson pays tribute to the music of New Orleans – and also hearkens back to his earliest years in R&B, before he rose to jazz fame in the 60s! George sings as much as he plays guitar here – working in a tight combo that's heavy on soul styles – and most tunes are remakes of Nola classics, mixed with some other Chuck Berry songs, done in a more contemporary mode. The set's a fair bit grittier than most of Benson's recent recordings, and also has a tight horn section too – on titles that include "You Can't Catch Me", "Ain't That A Shame", "Blue Monday", "How You've Changed", "Walking To New Orleans", "I Hear You Knocking", and "Havana Moon". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album