The last album ever recorded by the legendary Jimmy Scott – the jazz singer who first recorded in the 50s, then spent decades in obscurity – only to be revived to great fame in the last 20 years of his life! This album's a wonderful tribute to Jimmy – as it features the singer's unique voice in the company of an all-star lineup – both singers and instrumentalists who help make the album one of his most special in later years! Backings often feature some light strings, underscoring the darker tones in the music – and players include Joey DeFrancesco on Hammond and trumpet, Kenny Barron on piano, Til Bronner on trumpet, and James Moody and Bob Mintzer on tenor. Guest singers include Oscar Castro Neves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Renee Olstead, and even Joe Pesci – on titles that include "Love Letters", "If I Ever Lost You", "Motherless Child", "The Nearness Of You", "Poor Butterfly", "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", and "Everybody Is Somebody's Fool". CD

A big package of work – all the albums recorded by The Weather Girls, plus solo material and bonus tracks too! First up is Success – maybe the greatest moment ever from The Weather Girls – a long-running duo who started out as backing singers for Sylvester in the 70s, then recorded as Two Tons O Fun, and finally got the chance to cut this classic for a major label in the early 80s! Both Martha Wash and Izora Armstead are great singers – and work here with previous disco maestro Paul Jabara, who has a great way of shifting the groove to 80s club, while still allowing all the playful elements of the decade before! In a way, this was definitely one of those records that showed the world that in the right corners, disco wasn't dead – heard to best effect on the classic "It's Raining Men" – alongside other cuts that include "Success", "Hungry For Love", "Dear Santa", "Hope", and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair". Next is Big Girls Don't Cry – soaring vocals from The Weather Girls, set to bouncy grooves that are equal parts soul and pop! Martha Wash and Izora Armstead have mighty vocal chops throughout – that bold duo approach they first crafted as Two Tons O Fun, and pushed even more strongly as The Weather Girls – set here to keyboard-heavy backings from Leon Pendarvis, who knows just where to put the best hooks in the grooves! Titles include "Well A Wiggy", "Lock Me Up", "No One Can Love You More Than Me", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "You Can Do It", "Laughter In The Rain", and "March". Next is the self-titled Weather Girls album – the last album in the original run of The Weather Girls – and a set that's full of well-produced tracks from Reggie Lucas and Full Force, balanced out nicely as a way of pushing the duo's sound strongly past the disco years from which they emerged! Sylvester makes a guest appearance on the cut "Love's On The Way" – and other titles include "Why Can't We Show Our Love", "Burn Me", "Love You Like A Train", "Opposite Directions", "Something For Nothing", and "Land Of The Believer". Last up is a super-huge solo set from Martha Wash – made a number of years after her fame in The Weather Girls, and at a time when she had really emerged as an important voice in dance music after a big cut with C&C! By this point, Wash had plenty of recording experience under her belt – and she knocks it out of the park with vocals that are disco-trained, but much richer in soul content overall – certainly more so than some of her other contemporaries on the early 90s club scene. The album features help from a huge amount of studio talent, but it's clear that Wash is the shining star in the lead – really blowing away so much of the work from the "sound system with singer" generation of club – on cuts that include "Leave A Light On", "Give it To You", "Runaround", "Things We Do For Love", "So Whatcha Gonna Do", "Someone Who Believes In You", "Just Us", "Hold On", "When It's My Heart", and "Carry On". 4CD set features bonus tracks on every CD – 22 more bonus mixes and more! CD

A stone classic – not just from Sam Cooke, but in the genre of "best of" records too! The set's overflowing with classic singles from the legendary soul singers – almost the perfect record to start with if you've ever wanted to sample Sam's genius – that amazing voice, intimate sense of presentation, and undeniably mature, masculine sound that forever changed the face of soul music! Every track's a winner – and titles include "Only Sixteen", "You Send Me", "Cupid", "Chain Gang", "Having A Party", "Twistin The Night Away", "Wonderful World", "Summertime", "Everybody Loves To Cha Cha", "For Sentimental Reasons", "Sad Mood", and "Bring It On Home To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of love from Melba Moore – one of those singers who never seemed to falter at all – graced with a fantastic voice that seems to really soar, no matter what the setting! And although Moore got her start with rootsier soul in the 70s, she's a perfect fit for the more contemporary sounds of the 80s – still every bit as soulful as before, and getting a nice update with the beats and basslines in the backings – heard to great effect on her hit duet with Freddie Jackson on "A Little Bit More", and the classic "Falling" – next to other cuts that include "Love The One I'm With (A Lot Of Love) "There I Go Falling In Love Again", "You Trip Me Out", "Stay", "Don't Go Away", and "I'm Not Gonna Let You Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Soyoung Park's not just a great singer, she's a pretty great songwriter too – one who delivers mostly original material on this set, and makes the whole thing a really nice change from the usual jazz vocal album! Park's got a crisp, light style at times – almost somewhere in Blossom Dearie territory, but with very different subject matter in her tunes – and an ability to soar out and flow on other passages, which is more in the mode of some of the soulful jazz female singers of the 90s – a blend that's very unique, and keeps things interesting throughout! Backing is by Yoonseung Cho on piano, Changmin Jun on bass, and Jongkuk Kim on drums – and titles include "Three Note Samba", "Baker's Mood", "Behind The Clouds", "Her Voice", "Now Or Never", "On The Ocean", and "How I Know". CD

Four late 60s gems from Perry Como – all records that really have him pushing beyond his pop style of the 50s! First up is Lightly Latin – one of the most sublime albums we've ever heard from Perry Como – a set that definitely takes its Latin lightly, and instead really goes for the best sort of mellow side of the Como sound! There's definitely a few bossa touches in the mix – a bit of acoustic guitar or light percussion – but they're added in very sparely, and couched with a beautifully subtle wall of sound from arranger Nick Perito, who works here with a lot more understatement than on some other records. Como's vocals are very far from pop – and the album brings out his maturing style wonderfully with a spacious, soft-toned style of production. Titles include "Dindi", "Once I Loved", "Stay With Me", "How Insensitive", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Baia", and "Manha De Carnaval". Next is Perry Como In Italy – one of the most haunting albums we've ever heard from Perry Como – a session recorded in Italy during the mid 60s – featuring arrangements by Nick Perito, and backing vocals by the Alessandro Alessandroni Singers! The tunes include a fair bit of older Italian numbers – some sung in the language of their origin, some in English translations that we've come to know on this side of the Atlantic – and Como takes them all with a sad-tinged style that makes the album one of his moodiest ever – a record that oozes melancholy with every song, and which has a late nite, heartbreaking appeal that goes beyond even the understanding of language. The set's a great one to convey the popularity of Italian work on the American market in the 60s – and Como carries off the session even better than some of the more likely singers on the scene during the period. Titles include "Souvenir D'Italie", "Forget Domani", "Anema E Core", "One Day Is Like Another", "Arrivederci Roma", "Oh Marie", and "E Lei". Look To Your Heart is the kind of record that moves so far beyond familiar pop vocalizations, it's almost like Perry's in a universe all by himself! The words seem to just be sneaking out of the singer's voice – these mutterings that are almost to himself, which makes his readings of the tunes feel even more personal than you might expect – even amidst larger backings from Nick Perito – like Como is off to the side of the room, ruminating on love lost and life lived! That quality comes through tremendously on the eerie "Father Of Girls" – a tune that's worth the price of admission alone – and other titles include "Try To Remember", "Look To Your Heart", "In These Crazy Times", "Sunrise Sunset", and "When You're In Love". Seattle is a record that has Perry Como taking on a bit of a country tinge at times – working with Chet Atkins production that almost seems as if the singer is trying to match the Dean Martin spirit of the late 60s, right down to phrasing that feels a bit like ol Dino himself! A few other cuts have more familiar Como modes, with backings by Nick Perito – and titles include the lively title cut "Seattle", plus "Happiness Comes Happiness Goes", "Together Forever", "Sunshine Wine", "Deep In Your Heart", "Hearts Will Be Hearts", "Turnaround", and "Beady Eyed Buzzard". CD

Amazing sounds from Lee Hazlewood – some of his most offbeat, unbridled recordings ever – and that's saying a lot if you've already heard his classics for Mercury, MGM, and Reprise! The package here brings together rare work from Lee's own LHI label – packaged beautifully with a rich set of notes, session details, and some amazing photos that follow in the spirit of the nutty-looking cover image! Hazlewood's voice is sublime throughout – that deeper-than-deep quality that always leaves us breathless – perfect for the sly wit and and "aw shucks" sensibility of the tunes – and also for unlocking the growing adult sensuality that Lee was letting into his work at the time. A few female singers step forth in that great Hazlewood duet mode – Nina Lizell, Suzi Jane Hokom, and Ann Margret – who each sing on a few tracks – but Lee's in the lead on most numbers, and titles include the previously unreleased "I Just Learned To Run" – plus "The Bed", "Sleep In The Grass", "The Night Before", "If It's Monday Morning", "Won't You Tell Your Dreams", "Hey Cowboy", "No Train To Stockholm", "What's More I Don't Need Her", "Trouble Maker", and "Nobody Like You". LP, Vinyl record album

A great funky group with a hell of a lead singer – so much so, they decided to put her name on the title of this album! Precious Wilson's got a voice that might have been suited to deep soul, had she sung in the 60s – but here, she works with Eruption on a set of cuts that have kind of a funky club vibe – less disco, and more ensemble funk – with a lean, clean groove that almost points the way more towards soul styles of the 80s. Basslines and keyboards are at the core of most numbers, even though there's some added horns and larger arrangements – and there's a great sense of pacing to the album, as evidenced by Wilson's great covers of the Ann Peeble's classic "I Can't Stand The Rain", and a nice remake of The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There". Other tracks include "Do You Know What It Feels Like", "Be Yourself", "Wayward Love", "Party Party", and "Computer Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Latimore was one of those singers who never stopped being great – and even here, on a small release that never got him the fame of his 70s albums, he still sounds wonderful! His voice is sublime – easily one of the most distinct in southern soul, with an ability to be raspy and nasty one minute, and warm and smooth the next – set up here in backings that showcase the newer modes of soul that Malaco were forging at the time – which seems to work perfect for Latimore. Titles include a smooth stepping version of "Let's Straighten It Out", plus "We Don't Make Love Anymore", "Take Me Down", "I'll Do Anything For You", and "Hell Fire Lovin". LP, Vinyl record album

"Soul" is right – and "excellent" is also! Timi Yuro's early 60s work is fantastic – and is part diva bluesy soul, ala Etta James or Lorez Alexandria, and part country soul, ala Ray Charles or Brook Benton. Her voice is incredible, with a clear tone, yet heartbreaking edge – and this album features great arrangements by Belford Hendricks, backed by the Lois Winter Singers. Titles include "Once In A While", "Stardust", "There Goes My Heart", "If I Had You", and "Somewhere Along The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Jean Carn was one of the best-ever singers to hit the Philly International label – a sophisticated diva with a style that would strongly influence soul music for the next 10 years, and a downright compelling voice that crafted some of the best modern soul of her generation. Although Jean started out as a spiritually-oriented singer working with husband Doug Carn and Earth Wind & Fire, this debut album has her grooving in a style that resembles the classy Columbia sound of Marlena Shaw. Like Shaw, Carn takes the best of her jazz roots, and strips off the nonsense to adapt to a more modern style. Gamble & Huff take a great deal of care with the album – and are careful not to bury Jean's voice in overly club-oriented arrangements, as they occasionally did with other female singers. Includes the hit groover "Free Love", plus "Don't You Know Love When You See It", "You Are All I Need", "You Got A Problem", and "If You Wanna Go Back". LP, Vinyl record album

The wonderful voice of Marianne Faithfull in all its 60s glory – set up here with sublime arrangements from Mike Leander, in a style that's unlike just about anything else we can think of! Marianne's got a bit of a trill – as you might hear in female folk singers of the decade – but the overall presentation is something completely different altogether – kind of a dark recasting of the usual pop modes you might hear from Leander, with all these blue undertones and weird intonations that kind of point the way towards moodier female singers to come at the end of the 60s – but still with enough ties to the mainstream to make Faithfull's music even more powerful! The balance is hard to describe in words, but hits you right away from the very first note – and titles include "Counting", "Ne Me Quitte Pas", "In The Night Time", "Tomorrow's Calling", "With You In Mind", "I'm The Sky", "Lucky Girl", and "I Have A Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic vocal material by Michel Legrand, an artist who's better known to the world for his groovy writing and arranging for soundtracks and instrumental pop albums. Legrand's singing is quite nice, though – and he's got a sweetly raspy voice that has an honest quality that's extremely capitivating, and which doesn't have the over-emotional approach of other French singers from the time. The record also features instrumentation by Legrand's orchestra, which means that the tracks have a nice jazzy sound to them. Titles include "Quand Ca Balance", "L'Amour En Scie", "Qui Es-Tu?", "Mois Je Suis La", and "Regarde Le Mort". LP, Vinyl record album

Near-perfect work from Barbara Lewis – one of our favorite female talents of the 60s – and an artist whose blend of soul and sophistication went onto influence a huge generation of singers in years to come! The album's a key collaboration with Detroit producer Ollie McLaughlin – who keeps things in a different mode from the usual Motor City style – balancing out the rhythms a bit more, going for some great mellow and midtempo numbers that really help unlock the best qualities in Barbara's amazing voice! She's got a style that's high, yet never "little girl" – as might be said of some of her contemporaries – and this approach is heard to great effect on the album's two classics "Baby I'm Yours" and "Hello Stranger". But like all McLaughlin work of the time, the whole thing's wonderful – not a bit of filler at all – and other cuts include "Snap Your Fingers", "Someday We're Gonna Be Lovers Again", "My Heart Went Do Da Dat", "Come Home", and "Think A Little Sugar". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking southern soul material that instantly established Tex as one of the strongest artists of his generation! Joe's got a down-home, preaching of life style that's completely honest, and that pushes past a lot of the hoke of other singers of the time – and as you'll hear on his tunes on the set, when Joe has something to say, he says it, and in a voice that makes you believe he's talking only to you. Includes "You Got What It Takes", "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show", "Are We Ready", "Together We Stand", "There Is A Girl", "Fresh Out Of Tears", "Heep See Few Know", "For Your Love", "Hold What You've Got", and "You Better Get It". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique record from one of the most unique singers in the Japanese scene of the early 70s – an artist with a spare, subtle sense of drama that's really carried through here – as the record features more spoken than sung passages overall, but with a dreamy vibe that's very much in the spirit of Kazumi's previous album! There's almost a European vibe to the record – light soundtrack arrangements that are lower in the background than Yasui's voice – often with a feel that's like some sexy French film production, save for the fact that the lyrics are all in Japanese! Song titles and note are all in Japanese – but there's a very cool vibe to the record that transcends the boundaries of language. LP, Vinyl record album

Jimetta Rose is a fantastic singer on her own, but this set may well be her most heavenly, most righteous record to date – as it features Rose at the head of a larger ensemble of singers – blending gospel structures with soul and spiritual jazz – all with a sound that's completely sublime all the way through! Some of the tunes here are older cuts from the world of soul and jazz, redone in a mode that's nicely different than the originals – with voices moving back and forth, trading lines, and rising together – while light rhythms keep things moving forward, yet never get in the way of the singers on the record. The approach might look like gospel, and the messages here are righteous – but in a way that's also got strong secular soul appeal too. Titles include a great remake of "Spirits Up Above", plus the cuts "Let The Sunshine In", "How Good It Is", "Ain't Life Grand", "Operation Feed Yourself", and "Answer The Call". LP, Vinyl record album

Chico Buarque's fourth album – a mainstream Brazilian success at the time, but a record that's still as great as any of the more experimental sides from the time! Buarque has a sense of timing and charm here that are undeniable – an approach to the music that's aware of all the youthful inventions of the 60s, but which moves it to a much more sophisticated level, one that's especially touched by some of the European greats of the era. Backings range from simple samba to larger strings – and Chico's voice is incredible – with a slight rasp that would go on to influence a generation of popular Brazilian singers in years to come! Titles include "Rosa Dos Ventos", "Samba E Amor", "Pois E", "Cara A Cara", "Nao Fala De Maria", and "Gente Humilde". CD

An excellent live set from Dutch vocalist Rita Reys – one of the coolest voices on the continent during the postwar years, and equally well-skilled at singing in English as her American contemporaries! The backing on the set is by the Pim Jacobs trio, with a guest appearance by Kenny Clarke on drums – and the titles are a strong mix of jazz numbers and standards – all done with a lightly dancing quality that's really great. Reys was easily one of the best European singers to pick up on American jazz modes at the time – and this album's a perfect example of the strength of her talents! Titles include "Speak Low", "What's New", "I Remember Clifford", "Poor Butterfly", "Autumn Leaves", and "I Get A Kick Out Of You". CD

Lost southern soul gems from JP Robinson – a Miami singer who was one of the first to record for the TK Records empire at the start of the 70s – and works here in that beautiful blend of deep soul and funk that made the Miami scene such a crucial force after Memphis and Muscle Shoals! Willie Clark and Clarence Reid had a hand in many of these cuts – and you can definitely hear their way with a strong groove in the work – that quality that can even make a mellow cut feel funky, thanks to a strong bassline and a nice sense of space! Yet it's also clear that JP's the star of the show here – as Robinson's got a voice that's quite compelling – still in the deep soul mode you might expect, but with this slightly fragile quality that comes through especially when he's trying to hold a note or emotion – a really great aspect that almost makes you feel like JP's going to break down right in the course of a tune, even when he's getting a bit of support from female backup singers! CD features 16 tracks in all – titles originally issued on Alston and Blue Candle – with titles that include "Only Be True To Me", "Can't Find Happiness", "Hot Love", "Say It", "Please Accept My Call", "Keep Me Satisfied", "Don't Take My Sunshine", "If It Wasn't For Tomorrow", "You Got Your Thing On A String", "Love Is Not A Stranger", "Doggone", and "Our Day is Here". CD

With Freddie Greene on guitar, George Duvivier on bass, Eddie Shaughnessy on drums, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Al Grey and Billy Byers on trombone, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis on tenor sax. LP, Vinyl record album

A really moody session of vocal jazz from the 50s – a near-lost date from singer Terry Morel, who we only know from this one album on Bethlehem! The album's got a feel that's a bit like some of Chris Connor's work for the label at the time – backing by a trio led by pianist Ralph Sharon, augmented by flute from Herbie Mann, who shades in the tones with some darker hues that really give the record a unique feel. And Terry herself has a slightly different voice too – one that's a bit dusky and breathy, without the sweetness of other female 50s singers – almost bedroom-like in its sensuality. Titles include "How About You", "You're Not The Kind", "Too Late Now", "More Than You Know", "Who Cares", "A Hundred Years From Today", and "The Night We Called It A Day". CD

A fantastic shift in the sound of the Supersax ensemble – one that has the group's jazzy instrumentation mixed with a vocal chorus – in a way that's a bit similar to some of the best Singers Unlimited albums for MPS in the 70s! The title, cover, and group's name might make you think the whole thing's a bit cheesy – but it's not, and the presentation is wonderful – thanks to strong work on saxes from west coast legends like Med Flory, Lanny Morgan, Jay Miglori, and Jack Nimitz – plus work from other group members who include Conte Candoli on trumpet, Lou Levy on piano, and Monty Budwig on bass – all strong LA jazz musicians with a legacy that goes back to the 50s! The vocal group's a quartet, with the lovely Sue Raney in the lead – a singer that we loved on her 50s and 60s recordings for Capitol, and who here re-emerges with a new sophisticated vibe that's wonderful. Titles include "He Ain't Got Rhythm", "Skylark", "Speak Low", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Bloomdido", and the Med Flory composed "Out The Window" and "Bossa No No". LP, Vinyl record album

At the time of this album, Johnny Hartman definitely was the voice that is – a singer with a new level of maturity for the 60s, and a voice that's far more masculine than the geeky look of the photo on the cover! Hartman's sound here is smooth and warm, but never in a too-commercial way – a great antidote to some of the bigger singers of his generation, and cast perfectly here in some lightly jazzy arrangements by Bob Hammer. A few tracks feature backing by a quartet led by Hank Jones – and the rest feature a slightly larger group with 2 guitars and some nice Latin percussion. Titles include "Funny World", "Waltz For Debbie", "It Never Entered My Mind", "Let Me Love You", "My Ship", "The Day The World Stopped Turning", "Slow Hot Wind", and "The More I See You". CD

Thelma's one of those singers who must have been waiting years for disco to come around and help her find a reason to sing! Her career was slightly ill-timed in the beginning, coming along with a baroque soul beginning that was great, yet somewhat out of place in the early 70s. But enter a record like this – which takes Thelma's beautiful voice and fills it up with strings and disco rhythms – and you've got a well-done set that suddenly makes her whole sound make sense! Arrangements are surprisingly great, and relatively cliche-free on the best numbers – handled by Kim Richmond, James Carmichael, Greg Wright, and Michel Rubini. Titles include "I'm Here Again", "Triflin", "I've Got The Devil In Me", "Give Me Something To Believe In", "Memories", "Your Eyes", and "I Can't Go On Living Without Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums cut by the fab Singers Unlimited – and the set that has them backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio! The Singers always mixed well with guest jazz talents – and the style of this albums gives their sweet harmonies a nice jazz-based groove and not too much cheese on the top – one of the leanest instrumental settings from their MPS era, and a nicely gliding groove that supports their voices wonderfully! The record includes great versions of "The Gentle Rain", "Once Upon A Summertime", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and Thad Jones' great "A Child Is Born" – as well as a pretty crazy rendition of "Sesame Street"! LP, Vinyl record album

Incredibly memorable stuff – and one of the greatest moments in Atlantic soul history! The Soul Clan is an assemblage of Atlantic's biggest male singers at the time – Joe Tex, Ben E King, Don Covay, Arthur Conley, and Solomon Burke – and the team trade lines back and forth in this perhaps first-ever "supergroup" recording! The album features 2 tracks by the group: "Soul Meeting" is a party cut, with all the singers talking about how they have to go somewhere and break up their meeting. "That's How It Feels" is a mellower tune, sung together as a harmony track – with the voices coming together on the chorus passages, and breaking out beautifully on the other parts. Added to these 2 cuts are tracks by the individual members, 2 each to round out the album – making for 12 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning soul from Ken Boothe – one of the singers who really helped bring a sense of soul to Jamaican music with classic material like this! Ken's got a unique voice that's not the usual style of reggae vocalists – a really distinct sense of phrasing that's both easygoing and deep at the same time – yet never in a way that's like American deep soul either. The approach is one that helped Boothe ride strongly from the rocksteady years into the soulful side of 70s reggae, and beyond into the roots generation too – sometimes transforming American soul tunes, but often delivering some mighty righteous originals that were some of his best material. This big set covers all the bases – and the 2LP version features 28 tracks in all, with titles that include "Lady With The Starlight", "Silver Words", "Everything I Own", "Is It Because I'm Black", "Freedom Street", "Say You", "Who Gets Your Love", "Your Feeling & Mine", "I'm Not For Sale", "Rasta Never Fails", "Satta Massagana", "Love Don't Love Nobody", "Freedom Day", "Let Go", and "That's The Way Nature Planned It". LP, Vinyl record album

Two of the best numbers from the soundtrack to Let's Do It Again! Curtis Mayfield wrote both tracks – and although you're probably familiar with the funky favorite "Let's Do It Again", you'll also totally dig the spacey soul classic "After Sex"! The cut's got a spare moody feel, a mix of harp and spare guitar, building piano riffing, voices, and very light orchestrations. Incredibly haunting, and it brings back the glory days of the old Cadet Studios scene! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The second chapter of one of the most obscure set recordings by this amazing duo – singers Brigitte Fontaine and Areski, who you might know best from their work on the legendary Saravah Records at the start of the 70s! The work here isn't musical theater, but was instead recorded for French radio in 1973 – and is maybe even more experimental than some of the duo's other albums of the time – still this amazing blend of poetic lyrics, matched-up voices, and light acoustic instrumentation – but sometimes less song-based than at other points – with Fontaine really bringing a lot of subtle drama into her performance! The whole thing is beautiful – a much-needed addition to the small catalog of this legendary duo. Titles on this volume include "Les Murailles", "Apres La Guerre", "L'Ete L'Ete", "Il Pleut Sur La Gare", "Ragalia", "Les Borias", "Le Six Septembre", and "Les Petits Chevaux". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early album by Oscar – one that focuses on his own compositions, and a few other hip tunes written by other jazz players, with new vocals added by Oscar! These kind of tracks are the stuff that made him a legend instantly – strongly voiced vocal tunes, handled with a flair that few other singers could match, save for Jon Hendricks, who also shared Oscar's talent for crafting a jazz-based lyric. Arrangements are by Oscar's hometown talent Floyd Morris – and titles include "One Foot In the Gutter", "The Snake" (later covered by Al Wilson), "So Help Me (A Little 3/4 For God & Co)", "The Tree & Me", and marvelous lyrical versions of Miles Davis' "All Blues" and Duke Pearson's "Jeanine". Essential stuff for jazz juice fans! LP, Vinyl record album

The cut builds with a nice snapping groove for quite awhile before the female vocals come into the mix – then really soars with some great interplay between the two singers in a really great way – with a style that often has a slight touch of processing that makes for a spacey edge! "Everybody's Problem" has more great basslines, and maybe a more unified approach when the voices come together – and strong leads that serve up a nicely dated take on issues of the time! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A 50s Fantasy album that brings together 2 earlier 10" jazz sessions – one by Mulligan and one by Desmond, both unusual outings for the players. Side one features Gerry Mulligan working with a strong early group – Chet Baker on trumpet, Chico Hamilton on drums, and Carson Smith on bass – on 4 tracks recorded in San Francisco, and 4 others recorded slightly later in LA. The tunes are short, piano-less, and have that fluid 50s Mulligan groove – and titles include "Turnstile", "Limelight", "Carioca", "Bark For Barksdale", and "Line For Lyons". Side two is a session that features 4 tracks with Paul in a quintet with Dick Collins on trumpet and Dave Van Kriedt on tenor sax – working without a piano, and in a fluid-grooving style that recalls a lot of the Gerry Mulligan style of the time. The other 4 tracks from the set are even more unique – and have Desmond blowing dreamily over a "with voices" chorus – done with the Bill Bates singers in a style that's warmer than similar work by Charlie Parker, and which really points the way towards some of the Desmond solo genius of the 60s. Titles include "Jeruvian", "Garden In The Rain", "Misty Window", "Winky", "Soon", and "Will I Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Symphonic soul from The Supremes – a set that still has the trio working with the legendary Holland-Dozier-Holland team, but with a full set of orchestral backings that help them hit even more class and sophistication than before! The ballads have these really lush arrangements – never too pop, but swelling with strings that lift up the young voice of Diana Ross in a really regal way – with a style that helps transform familiar numbers from other singers, and really make them some proud musical statements of her own. These arrangements hang on through most of the record, but are often augmented by these cool vibes that bring in a slight jazzy undercurrent – and titles include the classic "I Hear A Symphony" – plus "Stranger In Paradise", "Unchained Melody", "Without A Song", "A Lover's Concerto", "My World Is Empty Without You", and "He's All I Got". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from one of our favorite soul singers of recent years – the amazing Lewis Taylor, one of the freshest voices in R&B of the past decade! The album's Lewis' second on his own label – and it's even better than the first, with a tightness and sweetness that are instantly infectious. Lewis has dropped some of the experimental moments of earlier albums, and gone for a song structure that's more straightforward and direct – but never commercial or slick – just honest, open and fresh! His vocals have a lightly floating feel that's a bit of a change – set up perfectly next to skipping drums, sweet keyboards, and nice touches on guitar that really pull out some of his jazzier tendencies, and almost create a Shuggie Otis feel at times! Another instant classic from Lewis, filled with great tunes that include "Out Of My Head Is The Way I Feel", "Carried Away", "Keep Right On", "When Will I Ever Learn 2", "Throw Me A Line", "Won't Fade Away", "Keep On Keeping On", and "Positively Beautiful 2". LP, Vinyl record album

Trio Mocoto first rose to fame as the funky band behind Jorge Ben on his early 70s classics – the combo that gave him such a soulful sound – and here on their own, they sound pretty darn great – with a style that follows the same evolution as Jorge's own sound at the time! The core elements are still a mix of funk, samba, and soul – but there's also a slightly warmer sound to the production – one that really ties the whole thing together, and maybe gives the group even more force than before! Riffing guitars snap alongside the lively percussion – and the trio trade voices in a mighty nice way – sometimes with a bit of backup from other singers too. Titles include "Nao Adianta", "Toda Tarde", "Rosa", "Onde Anda Voce", "O Meu Violao", and "Xuxu Melao". CD