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Today's club culture all started with Northern Soul and its roots in the Mod all-nighter scene of London clubs. All the ingredients were there: DJs privy to the latest imports and advance promos, dancers fuelled by illegal uppers, venues which had scarcely opened when the pubs were all but deserted. The records, drugs and clubs have all changed, true, but the lifestyle is identical. Featuring classics from the Northern Soul Scene including Tom Jones, Ronnie Jones, Brotherhood of Man, Sonny Childe, Billie Davis, Tony Newman, Bats and more. Presented for the first time on orange colour vinyl and CD, this is essential for any funk and soul lovers.

Released in 1960, Giant Steps was a watershed album for John Coltrane, solidifying the saxophone legend's reputation as one of the most influential and innovative musicians in jazz history, as well as delivering jazz to an increasingly mainstream audience, while garnering significant critical acclaim.

Although this was John Coltrane's debut for Atlantic, he was concurrently performing and recording with Miles Davis. Within the space of less than three weeks, Coltrane would complete his work with Davis and company on another genre-defining disc, Kind of Blue, before commencing his efforts on this one.

Coltrane (tenor sax) is flanked here by essentially two different trios. Recording commenced in early May of 1959 with a pair of sessions that featured Tommy Flanagan (piano) and Art Taylor (drums), as well as Paul Chambers — who was the only bandmember other than Coltrane to have performed on every date. When recording resumed in December of that year, Wynton Kelly (piano) and Jimmy Cobb (drums) were instated — replicating the alternate non-Bill Evans lineup featured on "Freddie the Freeloader" on Kind of Blue, sans Miles Davis of course. At the heart of these recordings, however, is the laser-beam focus of Coltrane's tenor solos.

All seven pieces issued on the original Giant Steps are Coltrane compositions. He was, in essence, beginning to rewrite the jazz canon with material that would be centered on solos — enabling the solo to become infinitely more compelling. This would culminate in a frenetic performance style using melodic phrasing that noted jazz journalist Ira Gitler accurately dubbed "sheets of sound."

The Giant Steps chord progression consists of a distinctive set of chords that create key centers a major third apart. Jazz musicians ever since have used it as a practice piece, its difficult chord changes presenting a "kind of ultimate harmonic challenge", and serving as a gateway into modern jazz improvisation. Several pieces on this album went on to become jazz standards, most prominently "Naima" and "Giant Steps."

The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected this album as part of its suggested "Core Collection" calling it "Trane's first genuinely iconic record." In 2003, the album was ranked No. 102 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, 103 in a 2012 revised list, and 232 in a 2020 revised list.

Undeniable music perfection deserves definitive sound and top-notch packaging. This reissue was mastered directly from the original master tape by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing.

Overall, Giant Steps is not only a critical triumph but also a defining moment in John Coltrane's career. Its innovative compositions, masterful performances, and profound influence on jazz make it an essential entry in Coltrane's discography and a timeless masterpiece in the history of the genre.

- Betty's classic third album, originally released by Island Records in 1975 - New vinly pressing on Metallic Gold colored wax - Featuring Betty's band Funk House - Booklet includes liner notes by John Ballon interviewing Betty plus full lyrics - Newly remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio // In the 1970s, Betty Davis defied genre and gender by pushing her voice to extremes and embracing the erotic. She articulated a kind of pre-punk, funk-blues fusion that had yet to be normalized in mainstream music - a style that few musicians have come close to replicating. As one of the first Black women to write, arrange, and produce her own albums, Betty was a visionary who disregarded industry boundaries and constraints. Raw, unapologetic, and in full control, Betty paved the way for generations of future artists who said 'funk you' to the music industry and social norms. In 1975, Betty Davis's star was on the rise. With the backing of Island Records and a new band, Funk House, Betty's third album, Nasty Gal, leans into the hyper-sexualized persona with which her critics were so obsessed. She raps, purrs, shrieks, and moans on top of Funk House's manic funk-rock and lays claim to the "bad girl" anthems that now saturate the music industry. Mastered from the original tapes, Nasty Gal showcases Betty's groundbreaking work as a performer, writer, and producer.

Seven Davis Jr. returns with a new album fresh after releasing the virtual reality infused clubby "Iss Good" EP on Classic Music Company. This album contains a fusion of R&B Hip Hop / Trip Hop / Deep & Soulful House songs. Inspired by the 90s sound and energy with appearances from John Cale, Luke Solomon, Ivan Dorn, Life On Planets, Jon Dixon and more.

- Betty's classic third album, originally released by Island Records in 1975 - New vinly pressing on Metallic Gold colored wax - Featuring Betty's band Funk House - Booklet includes liner notes by John Ballon interviewing Betty plus full lyrics - Newly remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio // In the 1970s, Betty Davis defied genre and gender by pushing her voice to extremes and embracing the erotic. She articulated a kind of pre-punk, funk-blues fusion that had yet to be normalized in mainstream music - a style that few musicians have come close to replicating. As one of the first Black women to write, arrange, and produce her own albums, Betty was a visionary who disregarded industry boundaries and constraints. Raw, unapologetic, and in full control, Betty paved the way for generations of future artists who said 'funk you' to the music industry and social norms. In 1975, Betty Davis's star was on the rise. With the backing of Island Records and a new band, Funk House, Betty's third album, Nasty Gal, leans into the hyper-sexualized persona with which her critics were so obsessed. She raps, purrs, shrieks, and moans on top of Funk House's manic funk-rock and lays claim to the "bad girl" anthems that now saturate the music industry. Mastered from the original tapes, Nasty Gal showcases Betty's groundbreaking work as a performer, writer, and producer.

German Funk, Rare Groove and 1970s Disco music (e.g. the highly regarded Munich scene around Italian producer Giorgio Moroder) have been widely recognized and featured on numerous reissues and compilations. However, the Boogie-ish post-disco side of German music history until now has remained undiscovered. One of the reasons might be that a broader national scene in Germany (unlike the UK for example) never existed. Even though tracks by US bands such as Dazz or Midnight Star were popular in discotheks in Germany around that time, bigger labels showed little interest in promoting German groups playing this new style of Disco Funk, now primarily known as "Boogie", that brought in electronical instruments and often lacked the iconic "four-on-the-floor" beat. Additionally, the number of bands that continued to play funky and soulful music in the 1980s diminished as other styles like Synth Pop, Punk, New Wave and NDW (New German Wave) ascended in popularity. Still, though German Boogie may have never existed as a national movement, great things were happening rather locally and each group featured on our compilation brings with them a particularly unique style and story.

Now, finally, "Boogie on the Mainline" sheds some light on 11 little-known German Disco gems that were released on small or even private labels. The album contains tunes by Imagination, Squish, Upstairs, Bernie L., The Poptown Syndicate, Peter Patzer, Ca$h, Trust, Publicity as well as classic tracks by Ströer and John Davis. It was compiled by John Raincoatman aka DJ Scientist

This is the story of the one the great disco labels, a legendary label who were at the forefront of a genre during it fruition and creative peak. Sam Weiss started SAM Records in Long Island City, New York in 1976. Sam, and his brother Hy, were born in Romania before moving to the Bronx in New York City when they were young. Sam and his brother were no strangers to the music business having been in the industry since the mid-50s running labels Old Town and Parody Records. • During the mid-1970s Disco took New York by storm and emerged into a revolutionary musical force that re-shaped the face of the City. It was however a genre major labels largely ignored initially. It was the smaller, independent labels that led the way in disco’s early years. Founded in 1974, Salsoul was the first. Sam’s new label SAM Records arrived a year later, followed by West End and Prelude in 1976: four labels from which umpteen disco classics emerged. • This compilation compiles all of the classic material that SAM release during the years 1975 and 1983. Offering up a treasure trove of disco essential this compilation features tracks from Gary’s Gang, John Davis & The Monster Orchestra, Komiko, Rhyze, Convertion, Vicky “D”, Greg Henderson alongside deeper cuts by Lucy Hawkins, K.I.D and more. • The audio used here has been sourced from the SAM archives and in many cases the mixes are appearing in their truest 12-inch form. The set is complete with extensive liner notes by The Guardian’s chief music critic and disco authority Alexis Petridis. • SAM Records has forever left its footprint on the Disco and music history, and this compilation is an essential addition to anyone’s collection.

All true improvisation involves an element of chance: the coming together of a nexus of influences impulses and actions that result in spontaneous creation. Often in the world of jazz these creative sparks blaze briefly in performance, and then disappear as the sonic vibrations fade from the air, but sometimes chance intervenes again, and moments thought to be gone forever can resurface in unexpected ways. As master drummer Jeff Williams sorted through his archive of cassette tapes from his extensive international career, he had no idea that hidden within it would be a recording of a 1991 evening when he joined storied NYC legend David Liebman for a set of spontaneous performances. Reunited together fifteen years after the breakup of their seminal band Lookout Farm in 1976, the two players reaffirmed their deep musical bond with a set of free-flowing exploratory dialogues in front of a receptive audience. Believed lost for many years, these performances can now be experienced again, with all their fearless freshness and pure committed musicianship undimmed by the passage of time.

Jeff Williams has established a formidable reputation as a drummer, composer, educator and bandleader on both sides of the Atlantic. His relationship with Liebman was forged in the exciting, expansive atmosphere of the New York scene in the early 70s: the meeting of Williams, the laid back Midwesterner, and Liebman, the mercurial, quintessential New Yorker, was an inspired coming together of opposites that always made the creative sparks fly. Williams remembers the journey that led to the Bar Room 432 on that 1991 evening:

“Just as I was leaving my home town of Oberlin, Ohio to move to New York City in 1971, I was given David Liebman’s phone number by someone who told me that Dave had started an organisation for jazz musicians there. I knew of Dave, from Ten Wheel Drive and John McLaughin’s My Goals Beyond, but I couldn’t have imagined what a significant role he would play in my musical life. Shortly afterwards, Dave would leave Elvin Jones and Miles Davis to start his own band, with Richie Beirach, Frank Tusa, and myself, (later adding Badal Roy), naming it Lookout Farm. We released two albums on ECM and one on A&M to wide critical acclaim, and toured across Europe, Japan, India and the US.”

“Following the dissolution of Lookout Farm, Dave and I embarked on a short duo tour opening for Gary Burton. That would be the last time the two of us would play until the occasion of this recording, fifteen years later.”

“Fast forward to 1991 when I discovered an attractive bar located on the far West Side of 14th Street in Manhattan. Bar Room 432 would become a six night a week jazz club for a few years, providing me, and many others, with the opportunity to perform our music. Catching wind of this, Dave suggested we do a duo performance there.”

“Luckily, I recorded it.There was no preparation, no set music to be played - we simply improvised, picking up where we’d left off. David’s mastery of the soprano saxophone is in full bloom here, as well as his incredibly resourceful musical mind.”

The performances are revelatory, moving in pure improvisation from clear, songlike melody to furious density, from ambience to pulsing groove, from light into darkness and back again. Cleaned up and remastered by Alex Bonney, the sound of the tape captures the warm, wood-lined ambience of the room, allowing the full power and dynamics of William’s drums and the warmth and fullness of Liebmans’ soprano sax to sing out, engaging the contemporary listener just as it engaged the hip Manhattan crowd thirty three years ago.

Impulse’ was a band of Milwaukee, Wisconsin musicians whose members included Michael Reese (Rhodes Piano and background vocals), Cedrick Rupert (Lead and Rhythm guitar), Jeffrey Williamson (Drums and background vocals) and Robin Gregory (Bass and background vocals). They would become a group in their own right with the eventual addition of another local artist John Gee, who joined them as their lead singer. The Impulse musicians formed the backing/touring band for another Milwaukee outfit, a vocal quartet, The Quadraphonics who recorded the solitary 45 single “Betcha If You Check It Out/Prove My Love To You” for the Carl Davis/E. Rodney Jones owned ‘Innovation II’ Record label during 1974. This release would later be nationally distributed by the major Warner Brothers label. With import copies of “Innovation II” single finding their way into the UK the record became popular with the devotees of Blackpool Mecca’s Highland Room.

During 1976 the members of Impulse migrated to Oakland California, they had hoped that, The ‘Quadraphonics’ would join them but instead The Quadraphonics chose to remain in Milwaukee and eventually broke up. It was fellow Brewtown producer/recording artist Harvey Scales who was responsible for inviting ‘Impulse’ to the west coast. Under the auspice of Scales, Impulse recorded their self-titled debut album project at Wally Heider’s Studio in San Francisco. The album was initially offered to Casablanca Records but no firm interest was to materialise, a subsequent approach to Jerry “The Ice Man” Butlers newly formed Chicago label, Fountain Records again failed to secure a release of the album, sadly leaving the project unreleased in the can. In the ensuing years, the former group members have continued with their respective careers, the late John Gee embarked on a solo career, recording the 1980 release “Not Enough Love Makin’/ you Are That Man (Why Don’t You Be That Man)” for Leroy Smith’s Oakland C.A, Pashlo label followed by his 1985 modern favourite “So Good To Me/Just Get On” recorded under the artist name of Jon Pierre Gee on his own newly formed Kandi Inc, Record label. Later Kandi projects included the 1995 Jon Pierre Gee & Touch album and the 2005 Ah’VantSoul cd album project, which featured Jon’s business and real-life partner, Kathryn Hannemann (a.k.a the performing artist Kat Webb).Throughout all the aforementioned projects Jon continued to use and enjoy performing with his former fellow ‘Impulse’ musicians of which the two surviving members Robin Gregory and Michael Reese can still be found jamming to this day in the renowned Milwaukee Restaurant/Coffee House by the name of ‘Coffee Makes You Black’. Sadly, drummer Jeffrey Williamson passed away during 2015 with Coley Jackson coming in to pick up the sticks! Lead and Rhythm guitarist Cedrick Rupert left the group in the 1970’s moving to Lake Charles, LA, sadly, he too passed away in 2020.

The Impulse album project having lain dormant since the 1970’s was resurrected during 2018 when Jon Pierre Gee in conjunction with Stephen Chin of Nice Choice Records (USA) and Soul Junction Records (UK) breathed new life into the project. Beginning with the release of the first of two ‘Impulse’ 45 singles on Jon’s Kandi imprint. Firstly “What’s that Sound/You Changed Me” followed in 2020 by a second 45 “I Really Love You/Get The Funk Off my Back” with all four soul and funk tracks receiving worldwide acclaim. Initial plans for the release of the whole album project had been set in place but we’re unfortunately brought to an unexpected halt with the passing of Jon Pierre in November 2020.

Undetered Soul Junction have finally been able to bring this amazing ‘Impulse’ project to life as a limited vinyl press I’m sure once heard, the old adage of “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” will certainly ring true, enjoy.

In the 1950s Chicago was the blues capital of the world. But by 1966 musical tastes had changed. R & B had morphed into hard soul and newer soft soul musical stylings had coalesced from earlier doo wop motifs, with bigger and more sophisticated productions. This was the era of the small independent owners / producers, all vying for airplay and sales in a hugely competitive marketplace. This landmark LP showcases many of the best of this output – the sounds that hit music listeners and buyers straight from the street. The mix here is a perfect blend of the tough hard soul style and the softer soul sounds. Just right for the feet and the heart. Enjoy!

Re-release All the greatest Jazz Legends in a 3LP boxset. From Nina Simone to Louis Armstrong, from Miles Davis to Billie Holidai, they are all there!

Discover our new Men Collection : a fine selection of the greatest male artists in Soul & in Jazz on two nice vinyls !

Coltrane, Shorter, Hubbard, Davis & Perkins from a Latin perspective! The Mantecas represent one of the finest concentrations of experience and talent in Latin and Jazz music ever to be based in the UK. A pure uplifting Latin Jazz music celebration. NOT-TO-BE-MISSED!! Recorded at different locations in London during 2022/23. Mixed at Abbey Road Studios in March 2023. The Mantecas (formerly known as "Manteca") is an eight piece, London-based, Latin Jazz, Soul and Boogaloo band well known for creating a party mood at festivals and gigs everywhere they go, from Glastonbury, Ealing Festival and Tropical Pressure Festival to The 606 Club and The Jazz Café in London. They have a particular ability for bridging the culture gap with any audience getting all crowds up hitting the dance floor in a jive. The Mantecas will blow your mind with a mesmerising mix of salsa, Cumbia, Funk, Latin jazz and Boogaloo. For this new release album, the band is exploring the legacy of some of the Jazz giants through a Latin lens, reworking timeless pieces by Coltrane, Shorter, Davis, Hubbard and Perkins, giving them the infusion of Latin rhythms while remaining true to the Jazz language. The band is made up of some of the best musicians in the Latin, Jazz and Pop scenes in London: TRYPL HORNS: Paul Booth (Incognito/Brand New Heavies), Trevor Mires (Jamiroquai/Incognito), Ryan Quigley (Gregory Porter/Beverly Knight) Dave Oliver: Keys (Lisa Stansfield/Snowboy) Satin Singh: Percussion (Jazz Jamaica/Roberto Pla/Pucho and the Latin Brothers) Javier Fioramonti: Bass and arrangements, MD (Alex Wilson/Jack Costanzo/Joe Bataan/Salsa Celtica) Flavio Correa: Vocals (Omar Puente/New Regency Orchestra) Will Fry: Percussion (Tom Misch, Tony Allen) Rob Luft: Guitar (Dave O'Higgins, Byron Wallen) "Expect loads of hard-hitting salsa, exploding drums and outrageously funky boogaloo". Time Out * "Ripping new Latin Jazz band from the finest musicians of London". Fact Magazine * "One of the best Latin Jazz-funk bands working the scene today". The Jazz Café, London Ltd Ed.

Die Wiederveröffentlichung eines Klassikers: Deer Ticks Debüt-Meisterwerk War Elephant jetzt erhältlich auf "heavy metal grey" Zweifach-Vinyl mit einer Ätzung auf Seite D und dem Original-Cover-Artwork. Ein bedruckter Einleger liegt bei.

John McCauley III hat das Album im zarten Alter von 21 Jahren geschrieben, arrangiert, eingespielt und aufgenommen. Es ist voll von Liedern, die weiser und nuancierter sind, als man für einen jungen Mann in seinem Alter vermuten könnte. Die Texte sind nachdenklich und warmherzig, ganz im Stil von Johns Singer/Songwriter-Helden wie Townes van Zandt, Neil Young und Richie Valens. Das Album endet mit einer Coverversion des 1962 mit dem GRAMMY? ausgezeichneten Songs des Jahres "What Kind of Fool Am I" von Sammy Davis, Jr.

Ein Debütalbum das sich der Genrekategorisierung entzieht und schon jetzt als Klassiker gilt. Ein Barroom-Rock-Album voller Hooks, das mit der eingängigen Düsternis der 90er Jahre in Seattle ebenso verbunden ist wie mit dem Honky Tonk der späten 80er Jahre in Minneapolis und den 70er Jahren in Austin.

BLUE NOTE TONE POET EDITION: Produziert von Joe Harley, komplett analog von Kevin Gray von den Originalbändern gemastert, RTI-Pressung (180g), stabiles Tip-on-Cover, wattierte Innenhülle. Grant Green - I Want To Hold Your Hand (Gatefold-Sleeve) Die Hits der Beatles und Bossa Novas waren Mitte der 1960er Jahre auch unter Jazzmusikern der letzte Schrei.

Der Gitarrist Grant Green zollte dem 1965 auf seinem Album “I Want To Hold Your Hand” Tribut, interpretierte mit seinem All-Star-Quartett aber zugleich ein paar Jazzstandards. “Auch wenn ein großer Teil des Materials eindeutige Pop-Obertöne aufweist, so klingt das Quartett dennoch auf sehr subtile Weise modern, sowohl bei den rhythmischen Interaktionen als auch bei der Auswahl der Harmonien durch die Solisten.” (AllMusic, 4½ Sterne) McCoy Tyner - Extensions (Single-Sleeve) Für die vier modalen Eigenkompositionen, die der Pianist McCoy Tyner auf “Extensions” vorstellte, hatte er sich - wie das Coverbild gleich signalisiert - von der Musik des afrikanischen Kontinents inspirieren lassen.

Aufgenommen wurde das einschneidende Album 1970 mit einem All-Star-Sextett, das sich durchweg aus Musikern zusammensetzte, die in den Bands von John Coltrane und Miles Davis herausragende Rollen gespielt hatten.

BLUE NOTE TONE POET EDITION: Produziert von Joe Harley, komplett analog von Kevin Gray von den Originalbändern gemastert, RTI-Pressung (180g), stabiles Tip-on-Cover, wattierte Innenhülle. Grant Green - I Want To Hold Your Hand (Gatefold-Sleeve) Die Hits der Beatles und Bossa Novas waren Mitte der 1960er Jahre auch unter Jazzmusikern der letzte Schrei.

Der Gitarrist Grant Green zollte dem 1965 auf seinem Album “I Want To Hold Your Hand” Tribut, interpretierte mit seinem All-Star-Quartett aber zugleich ein paar Jazzstandards. “Auch wenn ein großer Teil des Materials eindeutige Pop-Obertöne aufweist, so klingt das Quartett dennoch auf sehr subtile Weise modern, sowohl bei den rhythmischen Interaktionen als auch bei der Auswahl der Harmonien durch die Solisten.” (AllMusic, 4½ Sterne) McCoy Tyner - Extensions (Single-Sleeve) Für die vier modalen Eigenkompositionen, die der Pianist McCoy Tyner auf “Extensions” vorstellte, hatte er sich - wie das Coverbild gleich signalisiert - von der Musik des afrikanischen Kontinents inspirieren lassen.

Aufgenommen wurde das einschneidende Album 1970 mit einem All-Star-Sextett, das sich durchweg aus Musikern zusammensetzte, die in den Bands von John Coltrane und Miles Davis herausragende Rollen gespielt hatten.

First time on vinyl!
Newly remastered. LP housed in a gatefold jacket.
Featuring Herbie Hancock, Martha Reeves, Alphonse Mouzon, Chuck Rainey, Patryce “Choc’let” Banks, Carlos Morales, and members of The Pointer Sisters.

In the 1970s, Betty Davis defied genre and gender by pushing her voice to extremes and embracing the erotic. She articulated a kind of pre-punk, funk-blues fusion that had yet to be normalized in mainstream music – a style that few musicians have come close to replicating. As one of the first Black women to write, arrange, and produce her own albums, Betty was a visionary who disregarded industry boundaries and constraints. Raw, unapologetic and in full control, Betty paved the way for generations of future artists who said “funk you” to the music industry and social norms.

In 1979, when Davis entered an L.A. studio to record her fifth and final album, she was reeling from a series of setbacks. Three years earlier, after recording her fourth album, Is It Love Or Desire, Davis was dropped from her label and the LP was subsequently shelved. In 1978, her beloved band Funk House went their separate ways. Looking for a fresh start, Davis relocated to Hollywood to focus on songwriting. Before long, British manager Simon Lait (Toni Basil), offered to fund her next project.

With renewed vigor, Davis reunited with former Funk House guitarist Carlos Morales and brought together industry veterans like fusion drummer Alphonse Mouzon and session bassist Chuck Rainey. Old friends Anita and Bonnie Pointer (The Pointer Sisters) and Patryce “Choc’let” Banks joined Davis on vocals, as did Motown legend Martha Reeves. The resulting album, Crashin’ From Passion, was her most musically diverse, blending elements of reggae and calypso (“I’ve Danced Before”), jazz (“Hangin’ Out in Hollywood,” “Tell Me a Few Things”), dark synth-pop (“She’s a Woman”), and even disco (“All I Do Is Think of You”). Equally exploratory are Davis’ vocals, as she trades in her signature sass and snarls for more nuanced stylings.

Among the album’s few funk tracks is “Quintessence of Hip,” in which Davis hails musicians like Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder, and John Coltrane, while deftly integrating elements of their work. The song also offers a moment of stark vulnerability, as she sings, “Isn’t rich? Isn’t it queer? Losing my timing so late in my career.” It would prove to be a prophetic line in the months to follow.

The mixing process was mired by artistic differences and then cut short, amid the death of Davis’ beloved father. Bereft and exasperated, Davis returned home for the funeral, setting into motion her retirement from the music industry. Crashin’ From Passion, meanwhile, would be shelved for 15 years and licensed for a CD-only release, without Davis’ consent, in the ‘90s. This 2023 edition of the album, made with Davis’ full approval and cooperation, marks its first official release and first time ever on vinyl. The package was designed by GRAMMY®-winning artist, Masaki Koike, while the album cover features an incredible shot of Betty captured in London in the mid-1970s by renowned photographer Kate Simon.

Crashin’ From Passion was remastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters and pressed on vinyl at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI). The accompanying booklet includes a treasure trove of rare photos from the era, plus lyrics, and new liner notes by writer, ethnomusicologist, and Betty’s close friend, Danielle Maggio, who integrates interviews that she conducted with Davis, marking her last ever interviews.

Legendary bass player, songwriter and vocalist of The Moody Blues and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, John Lodge, is releasing his version of the iconic album ‘Days of Future Passed’, entitled ‘Days of Future Passed – My Sojourn’, to accompany his tour of the same name. The album was recorded over the last year, and has grown from John’s current live show as he, and his 10,000 Light Years Band, lovingly recreate this classic album. The album also features a special recording by the late Graeme Edge and performances by Jon Davison of YES. It is being released as part of John’s celebration of the album ‘that changed his life’, and with the hope that it will continue to introduce fans to the original iconic recording. The album’s orchestration is by John’s long-term collaborator, and great friend, Alan Hewitt. Now as a vinyl LP record.

• Following on from the highly successful first two editions
of Dance Masters featuring the classics mixes from
maestros Shep Pettibone and Arthur Baker the spotlight
turns to another remix legend, John Luongo.
• Boston born, John is one of the truly legendary DJ's and
remixers of the Disco era. John got his break at Epic by
overdubbing percussion from salt shakers and spoons
onto a promo and then passing them back the tape. This
resulted in him being flown to New York, and put in a
studio (of his choice) to mix and produce Melba Moore`s
“You Stepped Into My Life”. From this point everything he
touched was a hit. He went onto remix Disco classics by
Jackie Moore – “This Time Baby”, Dan Hartman “Vertigo
/ Relight My Fire” and Patti Labelle “Music Is My Way Of
Life”.

• John, however was not afraid of remixing artists that
didn’t fit into the disco genre and this attitude is borne out
by the tracklisting of this compilation on which Gladys
Knight and The Pips rub shoulders with ZZ Top and Billy
Idol, and Baltimora appears alongside Bill Nelson and ILevel.
• “…if you played this whole thing, just put it on and
didn’t tell anyone it was me, they’d say ‘boy, what a great
group of songs this is!’” - John Luongo
• The collection is housed in a beautiful lift-off-lid box, with
a 16 page booklet featuring foreword by Arthur Baker, an
in-depth essay written by Alexis Petridis (Rock and Pop
reviewer for The Guardian) and complete with rare photos
from John’s personal collection plus a limited signed insert.

• All tracks remastered by Nick Robbins at Sound
Mastering.
• A 43-track 4CD edition is also available, along with a 2LP
vinyl edition featuring 16 highlights.

Deer Tick’s debut album, ‘War Elephant’, is back (even though it never went anywhere). It is the same stellar album released in 2007 and then reissued by Partisan in 2008. This version of the album finds us returning to the original 2007 illustrated cover. This cover will become the new standard version of the album across all formats. The music and track listing remains the same.

John McCauley III wrote, arranged, played, and recorded the album at the tender age of 21. The album is full of songs wiser and more nuanced than John should have been able to produce according to natural law. The words are deliberate and heartfelt and follow the lead of singer / songwriter heroes of John’s like Townes van Zandt, Neil Young and Richie Valens.

The album concludes with a cover of the 1962 GRAMMY-winning Song Of The Year, ‘What Kind of Fool Am I’, made famous by Sammy Davis, Jr.

It can safely be said that this debut album is a genre defying classic; it’s a hook filled bar room rock album that is as connected to 90’s Seattle catchy gloom as it is to left-of-the-dial late 80’s Minneapolis and 70’s Austin honky tonk.

140g Heavy Metal Grey (gun metal grey) coloured double LP with an etching on side D, housed in a single sleeve jacket with printed insert.

Original release press included reviews from Pitchfork and The Line of Best Fit plus support from Billboard, Brooklyn Vegan, All Music and American Songwriter.

Named for the Grateful Dead song that concludes this inspired double
album, Uncle John's Band features masterful guitarist John Scofield at
his most freewheeling
Wide ranging repertoire finds his trio with Vicente Archer and Bill Stewart tackling
material from Dylan's "Mr Tambourine Man" to Neil Young's "Old Man", from
Leonard Bernstein's "Somewhere" to the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool classic
"Budo". And jazz standards including "Stairway to the Stars" and "Ray's Idea" rub
shoulders with seven Scofield originals that are variously swing, funk and folkinflected. The red thread through the programme is the trio's tremendous
improvisational verve.
"I feel like we can go anywhere," says John Scofield of the group's multidirectional versatility.
Uncle John's Band was recorded at Clubhouse Studio in Rhinebeck, New York, in
August 2022.

The seminal recordings that make up Lush Life were taped during a transitional period in John Coltrane's musical career. He had first joined the Miles Davis Quintet in 1955 and would form his own celebrated quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones in 1960. In the intervening years, he overcame his narcotics addiction and began to expand on his own musical ideas while experimenting with both the Thelonious Monk Quartet and the Miles Davis Sextet (featuring Bill Evans and Cannonball Adderley).

Lush Life was constructed with material from three different sessions, all of which produced additional material issued in other albums. While Side A is in trio format with no piano, Side B features a quintet showcasing Donald Byrd and Red Garland.

180-GRAM COLORED BLUE VINYL - THE COMPLETE ALBUM

Das 35-jährige Jubiläum der Popsensation Milli Vanilli wird mit einer besonderen Veröffentlichung gefeiert, die eine Hommage an die zeitlosen Hits der Kultgruppe darstellt: "The Best of Milli Vanilli (35th Anniversary)". Diese Zusammenstellung verspricht den Fans eine Reise durch Songs, die eine Ära prägten, darunter Chartstürmer wie "Girl You Know It's True", "Blame It On the Rain", "I'm Gonna Miss You" und "Baby Don't Forget My Number". Diese Songs begeistern noch heute ein weltweites Publikum und zeigen den anhaltenden Einfluss von Milli Vanilli auf die Musiklandschaft. Milli Vanilli war eine der populärsten Musikgruppen in den späten 80er und frühen 90er Jahren, von ihrem ersten Album "All Or Nothing" wurden weltweit über 8 Millionen Exemplare verkauft. Mit ihrem Debüt-Hit "Girl, You Know It's True" wurde ein einzigartiger Hype ausgelöst, der die beiden ehemaligen Clubtänzer Rob Pilatus und Fab Morvan zu Pop-Superstars machte. Sie wurden bejubelt, verehrt und gefeiert. 1990 wurde die Gruppe mit einem Grammy als "Best New Artist" ausgezeichnet, der ihr später wieder aberkannt wurde, nachdem bekannt geworden war, dass Rob Pilatus und Fab Morvan - das Gesicht des Projekts - nie wirklich gesungen hatten. Die Songs wurden von Frank Farian produziert - der auch hinter anderen Gruppen wie Boney M., La Bouche und No Mercy steckt - und verwendete die Stimmen der Sänger Brad Howell, John Davis, Jodie Rocco, Linda Rocco und Charles Shaw. Der Skandal machte weltweit Schlagzeilen und das Duo ging getrennte Wege

Das 35-jährige Jubiläum der Popsensation Milli Vanilli wird mit einer besonderen Veröffentlichung gefeiert, die eine Hommage an die zeitlosen Hits der Kultgruppe darstellt: "The Best of Milli Vanilli (35th Anniversary)". Diese Zusammenstellung verspricht den Fans eine Reise durch Songs, die eine Ära prägten, darunter Chartstürmer wie "Girl You Know It's True", "Blame It On the Rain", "I'm Gonna Miss You" und "Baby Don't Forget My Number". Diese Songs begeistern noch heute ein weltweites Publikum und zeigen den anhaltenden Einfluss von Milli Vanilli auf die Musiklandschaft. Milli Vanilli war eine der populärsten Musikgruppen in den späten 80er und frühen 90er Jahren, von ihrem ersten Album "All Or Nothing" wurden weltweit über 8 Millionen Exemplare verkauft. Mit ihrem Debüt-Hit "Girl, You Know It's True" wurde ein einzigartiger Hype ausgelöst, der die beiden ehemaligen Clubtänzer Rob Pilatus und Fab Morvan zu Pop-Superstars machte. Sie wurden bejubelt, verehrt und gefeiert. 1990 wurde die Gruppe mit einem Grammy als "Best New Artist" ausgezeichnet, der ihr später wieder aberkannt wurde, nachdem bekannt geworden war, dass Rob Pilatus und Fab Morvan - das Gesicht des Projekts - nie wirklich gesungen hatten. Die Songs wurden von Frank Farian produziert - der auch hinter anderen Gruppen wie Boney M., La Bouche und No Mercy steckt - und verwendete die Stimmen der Sänger Brad Howell, John Davis, Jodie Rocco, Linda Rocco und Charles Shaw. Der Skandal machte weltweit Schlagzeilen und das Duo ging getrennte Wege

Das 35-jährige Jubiläum der Popsensation Milli Vanilli wird mit einer besonderen Veröffentlichung gefeiert, die eine Hommage an die zeitlosen Hits der Kultgruppe darstellt: "The Best of Milli Vanilli (35th Anniversary)". Diese Zusammenstellung verspricht den Fans eine Reise durch Songs, die eine Ära prägten, darunter Chartstürmer wie "Girl You Know It's True", "Blame It On the Rain", "I'm Gonna Miss You" und "Baby Don't Forget My Number". Diese Songs begeistern noch heute ein weltweites Publikum und zeigen den anhaltenden Einfluss von Milli Vanilli auf die Musiklandschaft. Milli Vanilli war eine der populärsten Musikgruppen in den späten 80er und frühen 90er Jahren, von ihrem ersten Album "All Or Nothing" wurden weltweit über 8 Millionen Exemplare verkauft. Mit ihrem Debüt-Hit "Girl, You Know It's True" wurde ein einzigartiger Hype ausgelöst, der die beiden ehemaligen Clubtänzer Rob Pilatus und Fab Morvan zu Pop-Superstars machte. Sie wurden bejubelt, verehrt und gefeiert. 1990 wurde die Gruppe mit einem Grammy als "Best New Artist" ausgezeichnet, der ihr später wieder aberkannt wurde, nachdem bekannt geworden war, dass Rob Pilatus und Fab Morvan - das Gesicht des Projekts - nie wirklich gesungen hatten. Die Songs wurden von Frank Farian produziert - der auch hinter anderen Gruppen wie Boney M., La Bouche und No Mercy steckt - und verwendete die Stimmen der Sänger Brad Howell, John Davis, Jodie Rocco, Linda Rocco und Charles Shaw. Der Skandal machte weltweit Schlagzeilen und das Duo ging getrennte Wege

George Coleman (born March 8, 1935) is an American jazz saxophonist best known for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s. Coleman was born in Memphis, Tennessee and learned to play the alto saxophone in his teens. After his work with Ray Charles, George started working with B.B. King in 1953 and switched to playing the tenor saxophone.

George Coleman was a member of legendary outfits such as Max Roach’s quintet, The Slide Hampton Octet, Miles Davis’ Quintet and The Chet Baker Quintet. The list of his collaborations is impressive to say the least, Mr. Coleman recorded and performed with greats such as Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, Ahmad Jamal, Idris Muhammad, Pharoah Sanders, Ornette Coleman, Melvin Sparks, ArtBlakey…and many others.

Coleman was named an NEA Jazz Master, was added to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2015, and received a brass note on the Beale Street Brass Notes Walk of Fame. George Coleman’s performances were included on classic recordings released by prominent labels from the likes of Blue Note, Atlantic, Prestige, Strata-East, Muse, Verve and Impulse!

On the album we are proudly presenting you today: Amsterdam After Dark (Recorded in 1978 at the famous NY Sound Ideas Studio and released on Timeless Records in 1979) the listener is treated to six majestic tracks of the highest caliber and features a remarkable outing of advanced musicianship by jazz-giants in their prime, delivering an inspirational gem of an album.

The all-star line-up includes Sam Jones (Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Ben Webster) on bass, Billy Higgins (Donald Byrd, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane) on drums and Hilton Ruiz (Roy Brooks, Rashaan Roland Kirk, Sonny Rollins) on piano. Most players featured here were also part of the legendary ‘Eastern Rebellion’ collective responsible for releasing multiple ground-breaking albums over several decades.

Amsterdam After Dark shows off George Coleman’s mastery of the sax, his brilliant vintage techniques and deep soulful tones. Coleman plays from the heart and is on top of his game. Expect both original compositions as well as standards, beautiful ballads with elegant (yet fierce) solos alternating between the instruments, growling blues-oriented themes…this is a contemporary sounding Hard Bop & Post-bop crossover album and a must have for any self-respecting jazz fan or collector!

Modernists loved the latest R&B, blues and soul sounds coming from US cities such as Chicago, Memphis and Detroit and when British groups started playing their own interpretations in clubs and dancehalls they gained their own mod followings, their music remaining popular on the mod scene today.

Side 1 of this bespoke collection spotlights the British R&B scene and features a founding father of British blues Alexis Korner with the rare ‘Taboo Man’ alongside ace mod tracks from The Bo Street Runners, The Others, Mickey Finn and The Blue Men (featuring a youthful Jimmy Page on harmonica) and more.

Side 2 starts with British R&B groups developing their own sound by turning up their guitars, employing distortion, feedback and fuzz pedals to take the music in a new direction. Highlights include the Joe Meek produced ‘Crawdaddy Simone’ by The Syndicats (described as proto punk because of its ferocity), The In Crowd’s snarling ‘Things She Says’ and The Artwoods’ fuzz drenched mod favourite ‘I Take What I Want’ featuring future Deep Purple organist Jon Lord on organ.

Denny Laine (later of Wings) sings with The Moody Blues calming things down with some soulful beat.

Side 3 focuses on UK soul music - Rod ‘the mod’ Stewart backed by The Brian Auger Trinity takes on Sam Cooke’s ‘Shake’, the godfather of ska Laurel Aitken proves he’s also a natural soul man with his floor filling version of The Mar-Keys’ ‘Last Night’ and the amazing Barry St. John sings the funky ‘Gotta Brand New Man’. Popular club acts Lucas & The Mike Cotton Sound and Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede would regularly bring the house down at mod clubs and also feature.

Side 4 includes mod club dancefloor smashes from The Spencer Davis Group and Rupert’s People (AKA mod group Fleur De Lys) while mod heroes The Action go psychedelic with ‘Look At The View’. A moonlighting Jeff Beck of The Yardbirds plays on John’s Children’s ‘But She’s Mine’ and there are brilliant singles revered by freakbeat and psych collectors such as Double Feature’s ‘Baby Get Your Head Screwed On’ and The Drag Set’s ‘Day And Night’.

Rarities from The Trendbender Band and The Union (featuring Elmer Gantry) appear on vinyl for the first time.

After 14 years and nearly 150 CD releases, Cherry Red's psychedelic imprint Grapefruit finally produces its first-ever vinyl issue.

A 90-minute, 30-track anthology, ‘When The Alarm Clock Rings’ is an all-encompassing overview of the late 60s British psychedelic scene.

The set features major underground names (Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Blossom Toes, Dantalian's Chariot, John's Children), cult 45s (The Voice, Paper Blitz Tissue, The Syn), future legends (Alex Harvey, Genesis, Greg Lake's early venture The Shame) and pop groups who occasionally turned dayglo (The Merseys, Plastic Penny, Picadilly Line).

Limited to 1000 copies and containing Grapefruit's trademark combination of photos and annotation on stylish 12” x 12” inserts, ‘When The Alarm Clock Rings’ is an essential purchase for vinyl aficionados and a tantalising taster of further plastic platters!

Stepmother ist ein australisches Power-Trio und spielt zu gleichen Teilen Motor-City-Proto-Punk und Feedback-durchdrungenen Fuzz auf Psychedelia-Basis mit Einflüssen von Blue Cheer oder The Pink Fairies. 'Planet Brutalicon' ist voller dunkler Melodien, beschreibt textlich ein nukleares Armageddon, Folter und übernatürliche Wesen. Die LP wurde von Robert Muinos bei Rat Shack (Saskwatch) aufgenommen und von John Davis (The Damned) bei Metropolis Mastering gemastert. Sie erscheint auf dem Tee Pee-Label und auf sumpfig-grünem Vinyl!

American jazz bassist, composer, and producer Jaco Pastorius was a member of Weather Report during the Seventies and also recorded albums as a solo artist. As of 2017, he is the only electric bassist inducted into the Downbeat Jazz Hall of Fame and has been lauded as one of the best electric bassists of all time.

He recorded five albums in total with acclaimed drummer Brian Melvin, including the 1989 Jazz Street. This body of work is one of Pastorius' last studio dates and features session musicians Rick Smith, Jon Davis, Paul Mousavi, Bill Keaney and Keith Jones. Together they recorded cover versions of jazz classics; Joe Henderson “Out Of The Night”, John Coltrane “Miles Mode”, and three Jon Davis tracks, “Wedding Waltz”, “No Slack” and “Drums Of Yadzarah”.

Hey!Tonal is the first album by HEY!TONAL, a project helmed by the guitarists, multi-instrumentalists and sound designers Mitch Cheney (Rumah Sakit, Sweep the Leg Johnny) and Alan Mills (Chiisai-oto). Each member constructed the album instrument-by-instrument between 2006 and 2008 over a vast geographical area from NYC, Chicago, Florida, San Diego and Nantes in France. Main collaborators included Kevin Shea (Storm & Stress), Theo Katsaounis (Joan of Arc, Dead Rider), and Dave Davison (Maps & Atlases). Kenseth Thibideau (Rumah Sakit, Sleeping People) and Julien Fernandez (Chevreuil) joined the group for a song as well. In 2009 the album was released by Africantape on CD format; now, Hey!Tonal has been remastered by Carl Saff and pressed tovinyl for the firsttime.

"Tale Spinnin'" - Joe Zawinul (keyb, perc, voc); Wayne Shorter (ts, ss); Alphonso Johnson (b); Alyrio Lima (perc); Leon "Ndugu" Chandler (dr)
»We played music that people listened to every day just as they watch the news every evening, music which changed constantly - just like the weather«, reminisced Joe Zawinul when talking about coming up with a name for the group. This would probably frighten off listeners in today's mass market. But back in those days CBS was satisfied with the group's sound being somewhat similar to the Miles Davis Combo and offered them a recording contract without carrying out the usual sound check. The magic potion "Bitches Brew", which Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had conjured up with Miles Davis, was promising of exhilarating new things to come.
The heart-stopping mix of motivic fixed points and exciting improvisations, »the sketchy melodies, all that a synthesizer and other similar electronic devices could offer, combined with a Milky Way of rhythms« (Der Spiegel) was the pathway down which the group went - without ever becoming pure routine. The fifth album, "Tale Spinnin'", is captivating for its wealth of distinctive, often warm, synthesized sounds, which are further enhanced by Wayne Shorter's bright, twangy soprano saxophone, lending it a jazzy aura. To be sure, this gripping jazz fusion never progresses steadily all the time, but takes up snatchy, though seemingly familiar, melodic ingredients and combines them to produce a new mixture. "Badia", however, is completely different: a quietly flowing and totally rhythmic ethnic work, which today would be classified as World Music.

Classic Jazz Album from 1978.
Featuring an all-star line-up.
First ever vinyl reissue since 1986.
Released for the first time in the UK & North America.
180g BLACK vinyl limited to 500 copies (w/obi strip).

Curtis Fuller (December 15, 1932 – May 8, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist best known for being a member of several legendary jazz outfits, his impressive catalog of solo albums and a contributor to many classic jazz recordings.

Fuller was born in Detroit and lost both his parents at a very young age. He spent several years in an orphanage run by Jesuits where he developed a passion for jazz after one of the nuns there took him to see his first live performance. Curtis attended public school in his hometown (together with Donald Byrd and Milt Jackson) where he took up the trombone at the age of sixteen.

Curtis Fuller was a well-respected member of iconic outfits such as Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Art Farmer’s Tentet, The Benny Golson Quintet and Eastern Rebellion. The list of his collaborations is impressive to say the least, Mr. Fuller recorded and performed with greats such as Quincy Jones, John Coltrane, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Roland Kirk Rashaan, Miles Davis…and many others.

Fuller was granted an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music in 1999 and eight years later he was honored as a NEA Jazz Master. Curtis Fuller’s performances were included on classic recordings released by prominent labels from the likes of Blue Note, Savoy, Prestige, Strata-East, Muse, Verve and Impulse!

On the album we are presenting you today: Four On The Outside (Recorded in 1978 at the famous New York CI Recording Studio and released on Timeless Records the same year) the listener is treated to six majestic tracks of the highest caliber and features a remarkable outing of advanced musicianship by jazz-giants in their prime, delivering an inspirational gem of an album.

The all-star line-up includes Pepper Adams (Oliver Nelson, Lalo Schifrin, Herbie Hancock) on saxophone, Dennis Irwin (The Jazz Messengers, Chet Baker) on bass and James Williams (Calvin Keys, Thelonious Monk) on piano.

Four On The Outside shows off Fuller’s mastery of the Trombone and this delightful set features him in a front line with Pepper Adams delivering a unique trombone-baritone saxophone combination (few others have followed this intriguing coupling). Curtis Fuller plays from the heart and is on top of his game. Expect sharp and elegant original compositions, machine gun-like spurts, angular boppish lines and top rhythm section work that never gets in the way of the horns spreading their wings. All of the above makes this record a must have for any self-respecting jazz fan or collector!

Some are looking for gold or oil and others are passionately looking for forgotten treasures of music! Those who can be described as "sound gold diggers" criss cross record shops or confidential places to unearth musical nuggets previously kept in the dark. This practice began with sampling in the 80s and has now become a way of safeguarding the world"s musical heritage. With "Diggin" Collection" we invite you to discover Soul, Funk or Disco gems from the 70s and the 80s available in four volumes for your pleasure. Following the success of previous volumes of the Diggin" collection, discover groovy gems with Groove Diggin" : Barbara Mason, Cortex, Maxayn...

Japan has produced some exceptionally talented jazz drummers and among them is Tatsuya Nakamura, who joins the BBE Music J Jazz Masterclass Series with his album ‘Locus’ from 1984, a session covering several bases, from heavy percussive samba to meditative avant-ambient. This is the album’s first ever reissue, although a track from ‘Locus’, ‘¼ Samba’, was included on J Jazz vol. 3. Nakamura began his drumming career as a teenager, inspired after seeing the documentary film “Jazz on A Summer’s Day” and listening to his idols Art Blakey and Miles Davis. By his early twenties, Nakamura was working with such luminaries as free jazz guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi, pianist Masaru Imada and band leader & composer Mitsuaki Kanno. In the mid-70s, like several other Japanese jazz players, Nakamura decided to make the move to New York where he studied drumming with Roy Haynes, and performed with members of the AACM and players from the loft and free jazz scenes including Richard Davis, George Adams, John Hicks, and Pharaoh Sanders. Returning to Japan, Nakamura continued playing as leader of his Japanese band The Jazz Fellows and in 1979, he went into the studio as leader for the classic “Where Is The Quarter” session featuring Masaru Imada, Hideto Kanai and Kenji Mori. This session includes the original percussion heavy version of ‘¼ Samba’ and was followed by a period back in NYC during which he recorded the funky/free session ‘Rip Off’ in 1980. 1984 saw Nakamura working as leader of a heavy-duty fusion septet and in February of that year he led them in a performance at Audio Technica Hall. The album ‘Locus’ on Sea Horse Records is the label’s one and only release. On ‘Locus’, Nakamura is joined by a stellar line-up. On trumpet is Shinobu Fujimoto and he’s joined by seasoned bass player Hideto Kanai (1931 -2011) who began playing in the mid-1950s, appearing on King Recs All-Star Jazz Series before going on to be a regular fixture on the legendary Three Blind Mice (TBM) label, backing many of its leading artists. He even released his own album on TBM, ‘Ode to Birds’ in 1975. On guitar is Kazumasa Akiyama. Born in Tokyo in 1955, he taught himself guitar at 10 years old and was influenced initially by The Beatles and Ray Charles, and later Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Chicago Blues, and jazz. When he was a student, he got a chance to appear on Sadao Watanabe's radio program ‘My Dear Life’, which led him to join the Isao Suzuki Group and Mikio Masuda Group. Akiyama released his first leader album ‘Dig My Style’ in 1978 and is still an active musician. On keys is the incredible Jun Fukamachi (1946-2010). Born in Harajuku, Tokyo, Fukamachi started playing the piano at the age of three, showing an extraordinary talent, recognised as a child prodigy. He became a professional musician while still in school and released his first album ‘Portrait of a Young Man’ on Polydor in 1971.

Watch The Sun is the next studio album from the acclaimed musician, PJ Morton. Following a prolific and remarkable creative run that saw 5 consecutive years of GRAMMY Nominations and 6 LPs since 2017, Watch The Sun aims to take a step back from it all. Looking to escape from outside noises and influences, PJ Morton chose to record in the secluded and storied Studio In The Country, where Stevie Wonder worked on 1979’s Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants, and artists like Allen Toussaint, Betty Davis and Dr. John have all recorded. Featuring the previously released “Please Don’t Walk Away,” & “My Peace,” the album is set to be his biggest and most anticipated release to date, delivering one of the most expansive sonic palettes he has ever developed as producer. Watch The Sun includes appearances from JoJo, Mr. Talkbox, Chronixx, Stevie Wonder, Nas, Wale, Jill Scott, Alex Isley, El Debarge, Zacardi Cortez, Gene Moore, Samoht, Tim Rogers & Darrel 'MusiqCity' Walls.

1995 steuerten The Folk Implosion, die Band um Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr) und John Davis den Löwenteilanteil zum Soundtrack des Harmony Korine Kultfilms "Kids" bei. Die zusammen mit Engineer/Produzent Wally Gagel entstandenen Songs lieferten einen unschätzbaren klanglichen Kontrapunkt zu dem radikalen Film, den sie begleiteten. Fast 30 Jahre später erscheint nun "Music for KIDS", ein Kompendium, das die zahlreichen Aktivitäten der Band zusammenfasst. Im Mittelpunkt stehen die Originalsongs sowie B-Seiten, unveröffentlichte Stücke und Remixe aus dieser Zeit. Die Tracks wurden neu gemastert und einige, wie der erfolgreichste Song des Duos "Natural One", sind zum ersten Mal auf Streaming-Diensten verfügbar. Die Neuauflage enthält außerdem zwei Remixe von den Dust Brothers und UNKLE sowie eine Instrumentalversion von "Nothing Gonna Stop".

100% Analogue 33RPM 180g 1LP
Remastered from the Original Analogue Stereo Masters for the First Time!

Hear this album as it was meant to be heard! Absolutely Stunning!
The greatest assembly of musical talent ever on one album! Features Performances by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Ben Webster & 27 More Jazz Greats!



In 1958, a young, successful French composer-arranger with a major infatuation on American jazz, worked his way to New York and convinced the very best players of the time to record an album of largely jazz standards. Michel Legrand would go on to win numerous prizes and accolades (3 Oscars, 5 Grammies, 2 Palmes D'or, etc.), but little of what followed matched the sheer brilliance of Legrand Jazz.

Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Ben Webster, Phil Woods and practically every other session man in town signed up for sessions with Legrand to record his idiosyncratic arrangements of standards ("Django", "Don’t Get Around Much Anymore", "Night in Tunisia", etc.). Instead of regurgitating then current bop styles, he reinvented the very nature of orchestral jazz band repertoire to make a unique and forward-looking statement on the genre.

The sound of Impex's all-analogue LP preserves the wide soundstage of late 50’s Columbia recordings while creating intimate spaces between players on the stage for maximum definition. This rare, highly-praised recording has never sounded as good as it does now. Go big with Legrand Jazz.

Legrand Jazz was greeted by an enthusiastic review in the magazine Down Beat. Dom Cerulli awarded it five stars out of a possible five.

The meticulously recreated outer jacket is packaged in a gatefold with an original photo montage inside honoring Michel Legrand's masterpiece of reinvention and sublime fan-boy enthusiasm.

"The music is luscious and this just may be one of the best-sounding records you'll ever hear." - Ken Kessler, Hi Fi News, Rated 95/100 Sound Quality!

Joel Paterson has been a mainstay of the Chicago roots music scene for
over twenty years, playing with many bands and showcasing his unique
blend jazz, blues, rockabilly, country and western swing
'Wheelhouse Rag' is a 14- track collection of original rags and country blues on
solo, finger picking acoustic guitar.
The all- acoustic, 1920's- tinged 'Wheelhouse Rag' may at first seem like a
departure in genre for the guitarist - he is predominantly known for his
instrumental multitracked recordings reminiscent of Les Paul and Chet Atkins -
Joel learned to play guitar by ear from the records of acoustic legends such as
Blind Blake, Robert Johnson, Reverend Gary Davis, and Big Bill Broonzy. He later
expanded his repertoire to include techniques of the thumb-picking giants Merle
Travis and Chet Atkins. These influences can be heard throughout the album,
mixed in with many more twists and turns from the mind of the artist, to bring
you, 'Wheelhouse Rag:' the original fingerstyle guitar instrumentals of Joel
Paterson.
Original fingerstyle guitar rag and country blues instrumentals by in-demand
Chicago roots guitarist Joel Paterson, who has played with Cactus Blossoms, JD
McPherson, Kelley Hogan, and more, bringing his unique blend of jazz, blues,
rockabilly, and country & western style to the mix.
RIYL: Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Reverend Gary Davis, Cactus Blossoms, Pokey
LaFarge, Merle Travis
"Guitarist Paterson's free-ranging music defies easy categorization. He addresses
classic country, blues and Tin Pan Alley tunes as timeless works that reward
repeated listening." - Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune"Of all the "vintage" artists
injecting new life into bygone styles with originality and a sense of humor, Joel
Paterson just might top the list." - Dan Forte, Vintage Guitar Magazine

Chris Richards guitar, keyboards & vocals
Harris Klahr guitar & vocals
John Davis drums & vocals

Miles Davis created just one studio album with his original sextet: Milestones. And he made every moment count. Pairing with Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones, Davis not only laid the groundwork for the modalism that immediately followed but tailored a genuine modern-jazz masterwork laden with performances among the most explosive of his distinguished career. Sandwiched between the more famous 'Round About Midnight and the epochal Kind of Blue, Milestones remains a seminal work of art.

Sourced from the original master tapes and pressed on dead-quiet SuperVinyl, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition 180g LP grants each musician their own space amid broad soundstages. Afforded the benefits of a nearly non-existent noise floor and supreme groove definition, this vinyl reissue doubles as a time machine back to the February-March 1958 recording sessions.

Colors, shapes, and dimensions appear in the manner that resembles what you'd glean from behind a studio control room's window. Davis' burnished trumpet is rendered in three-dimensional perspective and seemingly coaxes the band to play with unburdened zest. Coltrane's trademark saxophone teems with lifelike tonality and images with specificity; his solos work in tandem with and against the driving rhythms. Garland's swaggering piano lines? Visualize the keys as he hits full stride, the chords and fills slithering around skeletal frameworks.

Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and selected as a "Core Collection" record by the Penguin Guide to Jazz, Milestones is as famous for its title track – widely considered ground zero for modalism and bolstered by Jones' hallmark "Philly Lick" rim shot – as the players that produced it. The launching pad for many of Davis' improvisational flights, the album teases the explorations Coltrane would soon chase. Davis' own solo work broaches territories that far exceed what he had done in his bop-rooted past. Every song is a highlight.

Take the bravado "Dr. Jackle," featuring a hot-foot pace and bebop strains, or "Sid's Ahead," which continues the album's blues theme while juggling edgy harmonics and inside-out structures. On "Billy Boy," distinguished with an arco bass solo from Chambers, Garland gets a turn in the spotlight and channels the openness practised by one of his heroes, Ahmad Jamal. Even more instructive is the band's reading of Dizzy Gillespie's "Two Bass Hit." Three years removed from the version Davis and company recorded for the trumpeter's Columbia debut, this interpretation demonstrates the extent to which the group had jelled in a relatively short amount of time.



Then there's "Straight, No Chaser," the definitive rendition of Thelonious Monk's signature piece. Coltrane's marbled playing pulls at the tune's borders, Adderley takes liberty with solos, and Davis dances around his mates, at one point quoting "When the Saints Go Marching In" while demonstrating his knowledge of tradition and casting an eye towards the future.

About that future. Garland already had one foot out the door during the Milestones sessions to the extent Davis spells him on "Sid's Ahead." Jones would stick around for a bit longer but soon plot his exit. History proves Davis navigated the changes with visionary aplomb. Yet the chemistry, excitement, and beauty the sextet achieves on Milestones cannot be overstated. This reissue helps put the album in proper perspective – and presents the music the fidelity it deserves.

Julian Cannonball Adderley's only Blue Note album, Somethin' Else, would likely forever be famous in music lore if just for the presence of Miles Davis. The iconic composer/trumpeter steps into the role of sideman on the 1958 set, one of just a handful of times he'd make such a move after the calendar passed the mid-1950s. Yet evaluating Somethin' Else strictly on Davis' involvement misses the big picture. Plain and simple, Adderley's jubilant work remains a jazz landmark due to the chemistry of its Hall of Fame personnel, enthusiasm of its participants, and sophistication of its arrangements – not to mention the reference-grade production and inclusion of the definitive renditions of two all-time jazz standards.

Limited to 6,000 numbered copies, pressed on dead-quiet MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, and mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's ultra-hi-fi UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP collector's edition pays tribute to the record's merit and includes the bonus track "Allison's Uncle." Offering reference-calibre sonics, this spectacular collector's version provides a clear, transparent, ultra-dynamic, and up-close view of a cornerstone effort that witnesses Adderley and Davis sharing horn duty alone for the only time in their fabled careers – an arrangement that occurred as a result of Adderley having joined Davis' majestic sextet a year prior.

The premium packaging and beautiful presentation of the UD1S Somethin' Else pressing befit its extremely select status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendour of the recording. No expense has been spared. Aurally and visually, this UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artefact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art – and everything involved with the album, from the iconic photos to the gorgeous finishes.

The vibrant potency reveals itself openly on an analogue set that provides full-range reproduction of an ensemble that also includes pianist Hank Jones, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey. Each and every snare hit, downbeat, and cymbal splash registered by the latter take on realistic proportions, blooming and decaying as they would right in front of you on a stage. Jones' foundational bass lines register with uncommon depth and palpability, the litheness of the strings and fullness of the instrument epitomizing the definition of rhythm. Stellar, too, are the surefooted 88s. Sublime in scale, tonality, and attack, with the delineation such you can practically separate the white and black keys in your mind. As for that liquid interplay between Adderley and Davis? Breathtakingly lifelike in timbre, naturalism, purity, and presence. This collector's version takes you there – there being Rudy Van Gelder's legendary New Jersey studio in March 1958 to witness it all unfold, again and again.

For reasons that extend far beyond the outstanding playing and flawless repertoire, Somethin' Else is without question a record you'll always want to watch and hear come together. As veteran critic Bob Blumenthal observed writing about the album four decades after its release, "The instant rapport achieved by the quintet is thus the product of much shared and common history, though the tensile strength that they create throughout created a totally unique feeling that can be attributed to the sensitive musicianship of all concerned, including the supposedly hard bopping leader and drummer." Such inimitable feeling, or emotion, courses throughout every passage, and no where more obviously than on "Autumn Leaves" and "Love for Sale."

Without question, the discreet interpretations of the Johnny Mercer and Cole Porter songs, respectively, found on Somethin' Else have long been considered part of jazz's alluring mystique. Adderley and Davis bring contrasting approaches to the table yet sound of a singular mind on "Autumn Leaves," with the latter's muted trumpet and the headliner's lush alto saxophone dovetailing into a performance that endures as a blueprint for expression, counterpoint, sophistication, fluidity, and linearity. Blues, melody, and romance pour from their horns. Their bandmates, picking up on the intimate vibe and calm mood here – as well as on the spry, head-over-heels spirit of "Love for Sale" – join in on the conversation with sharp economy and float-on-air roundedness.

Not to undersell the other three numbers, all deserving five-star status. Twelve measures in length, the title track offers a slow burn in swing. Written by Adderley's brother, Nat, the 12-bar "One for Daddy-O" transmits funk flavors. The closing "Dancing in the Dark" pops with lushness and temptation, its stream of bold colours and understated textures calling for a moonlight twirl, or at least fantasies suggestive of a memorable night. Somethin' else, indeed.

Vibes player Johnny Lytle was one of the heroes of the early acid jazz club circuit, with his cuts 'Selim' and 'The Man' being anthems of the scene.

The Ohio-born player’s first album as a leader was on the Jazzland label in 1962 with “Nice And Easy”. His second, three years later, on Riverside, "The Village Caller", made him a star in the jazz world. When Riverside encountered difficulties, co-owner Orrin Keepnews collaborated with Lytle on two albums which came out on the Detroit label, Tuba.

The first of these, "The Loop", featured his regular trio partners, organist Milt Harris and drummer “Peppy” Hinnant. This line-up was augmented on some tracks by former Miles Davis pianist Wynton Kelly and bassist George Duvivier. A 7” version of the title track actually spent five weeks in the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1966. As for the album, as well as the acid jazz cut 'The Man', it features a stunning version of Duke Pearson's 'Cristo Redentor' and the dancefloor-friendly 'Possum Grease' and 'Hot Sauce'. The band also stretch out on extended track ‘The Shyster’.

“The Loop” is a classic album and Ace’s pressing is the first time it has been legally reissued on vinyl.

With the tenor saxophone of John Coltrane joining Cannonball Adderley's alto on two tracks, this exciting 1959 session boasts the same band featured on Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, sans Miles and Bill Evans, as they run through a lively set of blues and ballads.

Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.

Demonstrates the deep blues feeling and technical mastery Archie Shepp has on the tenor saxophone. Comprised of four standards - "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," "Body and Soul," "Pannonica," and "'Round Midnight" - this set is one of Shepp's most enjoyable ever.

The reasons are myriad, but it is in large part due to
the fluid, loping bass of Richard Davis. Recorded in a club in front of a live audience, Shepp digs deep into his own history of influential tenor players and comes out not wanting, but on par with them, from Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis to Sonny Rollins to John Coltrane.

His playing here is big, meaty, and warm, full of subtle emotions as well as bleating cries. Davis' sense of time and melody is nearly incredible on the title track and on "'Round Midnight." The interplay Shepp shares with him is tasty, coming from fragmentary elements in Monk's changes; Shepp and Davis move around the lyric and cut to the heart of the tune's colour and ambiguity...a major addition to the saxophonist's catalog." - Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

First ever commercial releases of New Orleans’ legend Alvin Batiste’s Spiritual Jazz albums created with the college band he instructed and led in Baton Rouge - Goes To Africa With Love and Live at The 1971 American College Jazz Festival Originally given away as souvenirs at Southern University, these albums contains deep Batiste originals and, on Live, are paired with excellent John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard covers. They are some of the most sought after albums of Americas 70s jazz underground. Each album contains extensive booklet detailing Batiste’s life and his time spent honing and recording this remarkable band of young students. That one of the great Spiritual Jazz albums of the era could be found in duplicate New Orleans thrift store in the 1980s goes a long way in illustrating the lack of acclaim this special and overlooked album maintained, even in a city where the Batiste name is musical royalty. The Southern University albums Alvin Batiste offered the world were novelies, not worthy of serious consideration, a moment captured, but not necessarily worthy of being collected or preserved by anyone not immediately involved in its creation. That changes now. With the release of the two Southern University albums, Now-Again continues a conversation begun with the late Kashmere Stage Band director Conrad O. Johnson and the issue of his high school students’ music as Texas Thunder Soul, and the continued belief that beautiful music created by youth - even under the most adverse circumstances - can always inspire us.

Für Sorcery hat sich DeJohnette mit einer Riege virtuoser Bandkollegen zusammengetan, darunter Veteranen der Bitches Brew-Sessions von Miles Davis (Bassist Dave Holland) und der Headhunters-Band von Herbie Hancock (Bennie Maupin).

Diskursiv, meditativ, trippig, aber geerdet in geschmackvollen Grooves (der Deep-Digger-Drum-Break ”Epilog”) und durchzogen von Hendrix-auf-Jazz-Steroiden-Gitarren von den 6-Saiten-Helden John Abercrombie und Mick Goodrick sowie der seiner Zeit vorausgehenden elektronischen Verarbeitung von DeJohnette.
Die erste umfassende Neuauflage seit der Veröffentlichung des Albums im Jahr 1974 ab dem 14.07.2023 als Ltd. 1LP verfügbar.

Die Kopplung „Flower Power – Best Of Love, Peace and Happiness” erinnert an die Zeit von Woodstock, Hippiebewegung und nicht zuletzt an ziemlich gute Musik.
Das Lebensgefühl der damaligen Zeit spiegelt sich in diesen Songs wieder: Freiheit, Liebe, Verbundenheit.
Auf 2LPs bzw. 1CD befinden 24 Songs aus den 60er und frühen 70er-Jahren. Von Künstlern, wie Joe Cocker, Cat Stevens, The Mamas & The Papas, Joan Baez, The Beach Boys, Melanie, The Who und
vielen anderen.
Die 2LP kommt im Gatefold-Cover und in farbigem Vinyl.

Miles Away Records are proud to introduce our latest single to land on the label: the cosmic soul gem "Super Star" by Ruth Waters and the State of Mind Show Band.

A Texas native, Ruth "Silky" Waters was best known for her two disco-infused album's "Never Gonna Be The Same" and "Out In The Open"- produced by the late, great John Davis (John Davis Orchestra). It was however some of Ruth's early material that caught our interest when we started the label as far back as 2018. "Super Star", released on the tiny independent KMBA Recordings label in the late 1970s, draws from the wells of modern soul and gospel with a touch of cosmic synthy goodness. An proper ear turner, it was like nothing we'd heard before. Flip it and "Super Star Pt.2" goes deeper into the cosmic essence of the track with extended guitar and synth solos making this a crackin' little 45.

The track has been lovingly remastered by Phil Kinrade at the legendary AIR Studios and the lacquer was cut deep by Jukka at Timmion Records. It's now presented in our custom teal green labels and house bag.

Collins and Collins were the American brother and sister duo (Bill & Tonee) who released the self-titled album in 1980, which was their first and final release. The soul/two-step classic "Top Of The Stairs" was written by the Songwriters Hall Of Fame duo Nicolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson. The single was released as a promo and commercial 7" single and became a massive hit in the UK soul scene. The album also contains other great soul, disco and boogie tracks by the duo, such as the cover of Harold Melvin's "You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good", "Please Don't Break My Heart" and "Do You Wanna Dance". The 8 track-set was produced by American disco producer John Davis.

For the first time, this sought-after album is being reissued on vinyl.

The next chapter of the Natural Information Society is here. Since Time Is Gravity, credited to Natural Information Society Community Ensemble with Ari Brown, presents a newly expanded manifestation of acclaimed composer & multi-instrumentalist Joshua Abrams nearly 15 year, 7 albums &-counting flagship ensemble. Joining the core NIS of Abrams (guimbri & bass), Lisa Alvarado (harmonium) Mikel Patrick Avery (drums) & Jason Stein (bass clarinet) are Hamid Drake (percussion), Josh Berman & Ben Lamar Gay (cornets), Nick Mazzarella & Mai Sugimoto (alto saxophones & flute), Kara Bershad (harp) & Chicago living legend of the tenor saxophone Ari Brown. Recorded live to tape at Electrical Audio & The Graham Foundation, cover painting Vibratory Cartography: Nepantla, by Lisa Alvarado. 2xLP on Eremite USA, 2xLP & CD on Aguirre/Eremite Europe. Out 14-04.

Since first developing Natural Information Society in 2010, Joshua Abrams has been gradually expanding the group’s conceptual underpinnings, its musical references & the sheer number of the group’s members. Its music is, in a sense, an expansive form of minimalism, based in repeated & overlaid rhythmic patterns, ostinatos & modality. Its roots, its scale & its meaning become clearer in time. If time is gravity, it also allows us to carry more. Having begun as fundamentally a rhythm section with Abrams’ guimbri at its core, the version here can stretch to a tentet, including six horns.

Abrams has been expanding his minimalism gradually, but he has long understood a key to minimalism’s potential: the breadth of its roots in the late 1950s & early 1960s, ranging from the dissatisfaction of young European-stream composers with the limitations of serialism to the simultaneous dissatisfaction of jazz musicians with the dense harmonic vocabulary of bop & hard bop. The former began exploring rhythmic complexity & narrow tonal palates in place of harmonic abstraction (Steve Reich’s Drumming, Philip Glass’ Music with Changing Parts; perhaps above all Terry Riley’s In C & his late ‘60s all-night organ & loop concerts); the later reduced dense chord changes to scales (signally with Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, but rapidly expanding with John Coltrane’s vast project). In the 1950s the LP record opened the world with documentation of Asian & African musics, key influences on both minimalists & jazz musicians. If John Coltrane’s soprano saxophone suggested the keening shehnai of Bismillah Khan, the instrument was rapidly taken up by two key minimalists, LaMonte Young & Riley, similarly appreciative of its flexible intonation, the same thing that kept it out of big bands.

If the guimbri, the North African hide-covered lute that Abrams plays with NIS, involves a rich tradition of hypnotic healing music associated with the Gnawa people, Abrams’ music also touches on other musics as well — other depths, memories & healings, different drones, rhythms & modes. As the group expands on Since Time Is Gravity, he has made certain jazz traditions in the same stream more explicit as well. If there is a mystical & elastic quality involved in the experience of time, both in direction & duration, you will catch it here. The parts for the choir of winds expand on the roles of Abrams’ guimbri, Mikel Patrick Avery & Hamid Drake’s percussion & Lisa Alvarado’s harmonium: at times, the winds are almost looping in the tentet version, each hitting a repeating note in turn, at once drone & distinct inflection on temporal sequence. The brilliance of the work resides in Abrams’ compositions, the NIS’ intuitive execution & in Ari Brown’s singular embodiment of the great tenor saxophone tradition, including the oracular genius of Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, & Yusef Lateef. The three pieces by the expanded NIS featuring Brown —the opening “Moontide Chorus” & “Is” & the ultimate “Gravity”— have an immediate impact, & togther might be considered a kind of concerto for tenor saxophone. Here Brown presses almost indistinguishably from composed melody to improvised speech, getting so close to language that he might have a text. Everything here is a sign. Note the tap of the Rhythm Ace that links “Moontide Chorus” to “Is”, the attentive heart always present, even when signed by a machine. There’s a link here to the methodologies & meanings of dub music & the linear & vertical collage of beats, textures & tongues: treated with reverence, a sample of a beat-box can be as soulful, as hypnotic, as a mbira or a tamboura. If those pieces with Brown are heard as a suspended concerto, the three embrace & enfold the other works, like the sepals of a flower. That placement will also touch on the mysteries of our perception of time.

Particularly in “Is”, but elsewhere as well, a phenomenon of transcendence arises in which time appears to be tripartite, at once moving backwards & forwards & standing still. This is an act of technical brilliance certainly, but also an illumination of music’s ability to represent temporal consciousness through polymetrics. This particular listener has only heard it before in a few places, including the horn shouts & bowed basses of Coltrane’s Africa, in moments of Charles Mingus’ The Black Saint & the Sinner Lady, in certain pieces where tapes were literally running backwards, & earlier still in Dizzy Gillespie’s Cubana Be, Cubana Bop, in which the composer George Russell & conguero Chano Pozo found a music that spoke at once in the voices of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring & the vestigial rites, rhythms & songs of the Yoruba language & Santeria religion of inland Cuba.

In Joshua Abrams’ compositions & the realization of them by the NIS, in the time of one’s close listening & memory thereof, distinctions between the “natural” & the “social”, the “quotidian” & the “transcendent” are erased, suspended or perhaps irrelevant. Consider two of the ensemble pieces, one named for nature, the other social science. In “Murmuration” the repeated wind figures of flute & alto saxophone combine with the interlocking patterns of harp, guimbri & frame drum (tar) to create a perfect moving stillness, not an imitation but a witness to the miracle of the starlings’ astonishing collective art, a surfeit of beauty that might be the ultimate defense tactic.

“Stigmergy” takes its name & concept from the Occupy movement’s Heather Marsh, who proposes a social system based on a cooperative rather than competitive models, one in which ideas are freely contributed & developed as ideas rather than an individual’s property. In its form, Abrams’ “Stigmergy” is the closes thing to traditional jazz, a series of accompanied solos by each of the wind players. However, the composed accompaniment is a radically collectivist notion: a repeated rhythmic figure, call it ostinato or riff, in which the different winds each play only a note or two of the figure, a concept both more collectivist & individualistic in its conception than any typical unison figure. It suggests another of the underlying recognitions that propel the Natural Information Society, the group as social organism, the teleology of hypnotic anarchy, all parts in place, functioning systematically, evolving & expressing itself, its nature & society, as a transformative organism.

George Lewis has described music as “a space for reflection on the human condition”. This suggests that, rather than a “distraction”, at least some music might serve as a distraction from distraction. It’s a focus, a clarity, a awareness, an external invitation to interiority, as if music itself is a model for form & contemplation, an organism contemplating for us or as us. If that is a possibility, & I am sure I have heard such musics, than this music is among them. How many of our rhythms, melodies & harmonies (cultural, historical, biological, psychic) might such music carry, translate & transform in the particulate ecstasy of our own murmuration? (Stuart Broomer, April 2022)

Opaque Pink Coloured LP Vinyl - M.E.B. (formerly Miles Electric Band) led by Vince Wilburn, Jr collects a progressive All-Star ensemble featuring Miles Davis alumni and the players Miles inspired. This brand new, never-released studio recording captures a multi-generational who’s who of acclaimed artists performing new Miles-inspired compositions. Two tracks of the five on the album include unreleased trumpet performances by Miles and the album, produced by Miles' alumni Lenny White and Wilburn, features music legends including Ron Carter, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Donald Harrison, Darryl Jones, Vernon Reid and John Scofield. This album is dedicated to the memory of Wallace Roney and Bernard Wright and contains some of their final recordings. The cover is an original painting from artist and Miles’ associate Mikel Elam. Pressed on hot pink vinyl, this is the exclusive vinyl release.

Unlike the majority of previous Davis albums, E.S.P. consisted entirely of new compositions written by members of the group. Despite the profusion of new material, only one tune ("Agitation") is known to have appeared in the group's live performances. "Little One" might be best known for being revisited on Hancock's landmark album, Maiden Voyage, recorded a few weeks later. This version is somewhat more embryonic; Carter's bass is halting, and Davis and Shorter state the theme with winding, interlocking contrapuntal lines that evoke Davis and Coltrane's version of "Round Midnight". Hancock's solo on Carter's composition, "Eighty-One", also presages his work on that LP - particularly its title track.

The title track is reminiscent of Jackie McLean's "Little Melonae", which Davis had recorded with John Coltrane in 1956. "Iris", by contrast, is another Coltrane-like ballad, not too dissimilar to "Infant Eyes" on Shorter's Speak No Evil album. Shortly thereafter, Shorter's compositions would begin to dominate the Quintet's recordings, though here he contributes only two of the seven songs.

This was the first time Wayne Shorter recorded with Miles, and the band - in this configuration - had been together for less than a year. As you will hear, the connection between the musicians is uncanny, as if they had been playing together for decades. Especially notice Wayne Shorter's brilliant interplay with Miles on the closing track "Mood," the haunting ballad written by bassist Ron Carter. At over forty-eight minutes, E.S.P. is one of the longest jazz albums of its period.

How does one properly introduce an epochal record? Perhaps by unequivocally stating that it is the best-selling jazz album in history. Or by affirming that, every year, it sells tens of thousands of copies more than five decades after its original release. There's also the matter of its status as the most-referenced, and arguably, most important, jazz recording of all-time. And the Dream Team line-up of Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. Yes, Kind of Blue is utterly inimitable.

In its three-decade-plus history, Mobile Fidelity has never been prouder to have the honour of handling efforts as important as Davis' key recordings. It's why the our engineers took every available measure to transport listeners to the March and April 1959 sessions that parlayed modal jazz into mainstream language. The blueprint for melodic improvisation and vamping, Kind of Blue simplifies tonal organization and chordal progression into an eminently beautiful, introspective tapestry stitched with swinging poetry, mellifluous soloing, compositional lyricism, transcendental harmonies, and group interplay of the highest calibre.

While no one has ever completely identified the magic behind the record's allure – the otherworldly nature is part of its inherent charm – much of the success lies with the band members. Davis intentionally hand-picked these musicians to comprise this particular cast, with everyone from former foil Evans to blues maestro Kelly to percussive genius Cobb interacting and reacting with peerless skill.

An audiophile favourite from the day it was issued, Kind of Blue takes on nirvanic sonic proportions via Mobile Fidelity's reissue. The expressive warmth, imaging clarity, frequency extension, and window-on-the-world breadth afforded by this new edition places music lovers right in the studio with the sextet. Close your eyes and, no matter how many times you may have heard it before, your experience will parallel that of the players that recorded these gems. Everyone shares in the excitement of not knowing what will happen and, as the music begins to lie out in front of you, you'll feel as if you've been whisked away to a jazz holy land. Quintessential.

Nucleus's Elastic Rock is undisputedly a milestone in Jazz-Rock. A beautiful and vital debut album, it was first released on Vertigo in 1970. Original copies are now very tricky to score and, like all the Nucleus records, it’s aged ridiculously well. This Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.

Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.

Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels. And the music has kept relevant. To steal a line from a review of our re-issue of Roots, when it comes to anything Nucleus “it’s basically already hip-hop”.

The very title Elastic Rock could be regarded as the group's MO, describing a melting point between their rock and jazz impulses. Indeed, housed in a memorable gatefold jacket designed by Roger Dean, the die cut molten teardrop shape on the front sleeve opens to reveal a fiery volcanic crater. On the back, Dean's drawing has Carr with saxophonist Brian Smith, guitarist Chris Spedding, drummer John Marshall, bassist Jeff Clyne and sax, oboe and pianist Karl Jenkins in a circle, the central core of a movement and the basis for its activity.

Recorded over four days in January 1970, Elastic Rock didn't sound like any other British jazz album. Exploding out the gate, "1916" opens with Marshall's frantic pounding before melancholic horns enter. The smooth title track, "Elastic Rock" is just a gorgeous electric blues track. Light drums, gentle melodic horns, piano and a solid bassline serve as the perfect bed for Spedding's graceful bluesy guitar melodies. The serene "Striation", a Clyne and Spedding collaboration, is led by bowed bass and is the epitome of calm before the late night laid back vibe of "Taranaki" breezes along sweetly and smoothly with great trumpet and tenor.

The truly emotional "Twisted Track" is elegant with horns, while guitar is gently played with drums and bass. Initially deeply soothing, it gradually builds with various solos and duets. "Crude Blues (Part 1)" features an excellent oboe part by Jenkins with laconic guitar helping out. "Part 2" is livelier, with a heavy backbeat and great wind parts. "1916 (Battle Of Boogaloo)" features a steady bassline and great call and response parts from the horn section.

The highly-charged centrepiece of the record, the mesmeric epic "Torrid Zone" features an hypnotic bassline and hi-hat with some of the ensemble's best soloing. Brilliantly encapsulating the jazz fusion aesthetic so desired by the group, the rhythm section is rock-influenced but magically retains a laid-back jazz vibe. Just perfection. Spacey jazz in the style of In a Silent Way, the semi-ambient "Stonescape" features smooth, muted brass, warm, smokey keys and a barely-there rhythm section. Heavenly.

The bubbling, fragile restraint of "Earth Mother" partially utilises the "Torrid Zone" bassline but takes the energy in a different direction with Marshall's frenetic drumming and Spedding's unpredictable riffing. Next comes the very idiosyncratic drum solo track by Marshall in the appropriately-titled "Speaking for Myself, Personally, in My Own Opinion, I Think." The album closes with the raucous "Persephones Jive", a track that ends the album frantically, riotously, just as it began.

This Be With edition of Elastic Rock has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Cicely Balston's cut at AIR Studios to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The stunning die-cut gatefold sleeve has been restored in all its molten glory.

Their masterpiece? With breaks for dayyyyyys and an almost ambient, heavy jazz atmosphere throughout, *this* is the apex of British jazz-rock fusion. We'll Talk About It Later was first released on Vertigo in 1971 and original copies are now very tricky to score. Like all the Nucleus records, it’s aged ridiculously well and this Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.

Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.

Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels. And the music has kept relevant. To steal a line from a review of our re-issue of Roots, when it comes to anything Nucleus “it’s basically already hip-hop”.

We'll Talk About It Later is arguably Nucleus's best album. Not only that, it's in the top 5 of all fusion albums. By the time Nucleus entered Trident Studios in September 1970 to record Elastic Rock's successor, they had already won a best group award at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Once again presented in a Roger Dean designed die-cut gatefold sleeve it continued to demonstrate the chemistry and interplay that worked so brilliantly on Elastic Rock; Carr's sumptuous trumpet and flügelhorn lines, Karl Jenkins's funk-filled electric keyboards, Chris Spedding's wah-wah guitar, Brian Smith's sax and the rhythmic foundation of drummer John Marshall and bassist Jeff Clyne.

The group work and insane musicianship Nucleus were famed for is in evidence from the off. The intensely funky "Song for the Bearded Lady" is absolute FIRE, blasting out the speakers to leave listeners floored. Counterpoint riffing segues into a spacious groove and a Carr trumpet solo demonstrating the influence of electric Miles from the period. The stop-start funk of "Sun Child" would appeal to Soft Machine devotees whilst the genuinely touching "Lullaby for a Lonely Child" is a lovely downtempo ballad. Featuring an understated, reflective horn line from Carr and Smith and atmospheric, shimmering bouzouki from Spedding, there's an exotic flavour which contributes to the bliss. The ominous, sleazy title track retains a swaggering menace and is not the only track to lend a sort of heavy stoner rock atmosphere. The guitars and bass are deep and low throughout, conjuring heavy psych moments to go with the actual jazz and even funk. To say this album was in conversation with Bitches Brew would not be overstating the sheer brain-frying brilliance.

The Weather Report-adjacent "Oasis" opens Side B, a colossal track featuring nearly 10 minutes of steadily building melodic horns, keys and choppy guitar riffs. So ace, it could easily go on for another 10. Mesmeric. Spedding adds unique vocals to the undeniable groove of "Ballad of Joe Pimp" whilst saxophonist Smith's duet with drummer Marshall at the conclusion of "Easter 1916" - inspired by the Yeats poem about the Irish nationalist uprising in Dublin - adopts the wildness of the most incendiary free jazz.

This Be With edition of We'll Talk About It Later has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Cicely Balston's cut at AIR Studios to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The stunning die-cut sleeve has been restored with the original gatefold window pane depicting the Irish uprising in 1916. Incredible, timeless, guaranteed spine-chills.

What a record! The outstanding Solar Plexus, the much-loved third album from Ian Carr and Nucleus, was first released on Vertigo in 1971. Inevitably, original copies are now very tricky to score and, like all the Nucleus records, it’s aged ridiculously well. This Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.

Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.

Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels. And the music has kept relevant. To steal a line from a review of our re-issue of Roots, when it comes to anything Nucleus “it’s basically already hip-hop”.

We'll let Ian describe this one: "I wrote Solar Plexus' last year with the help of an Arts Council grant. It is based on two short themes which are stated at the beginning (Elements I & I1). The first theme is angular and has a slow, crab-like movement: the second theme is direct, simple and diatonic. CHANGING TIME and SPIRIT LEVEL explore the first theme and BEDROCK DEADLOCK and TORSO explore the second one. SNAKEHIPS DREAM tries to fuse both themes. (The title is a reference to the famous dancer 'Snakehips' Johnson)."

Solar Plexus features the same lineup as Elastic Rock and We'll Talk About It Later, but they're augmented by six guests, three of which play brass. Carr himself had almost full control of the writing and it does feel very different to the previous albums. It's more of a jazz record loosely based on a rock foundation rather than jazz fusion jamming.

The haunting synth-and-bass soundscape "Elements I and II" opens the album in dramatic, experimental fashion. It gives way to the bright, funky feel-good jazz of "Changing Times". An elegant onslaught of horns, courtesy of guests Kenny Wheeler and Harry Beckett, ride a solid groove for the duration. How the brass refrains have eluded samplers is beyond us. The melancholic "Bedrock Deadlock" features the brooding majesty of Jenkins' oboe and Clyne's mournful, skittering double bass. Wah wah guitar, drums and funky percussion then take over before the horns ride us out over frenetic beats. The dark, angular "Spirit Level" is a real highlight, by turns harmonic and beautiful then dissonant and wayward. Wonky jazz with no apparent structure or melodic bones. Regardless, it represents a great showcase for each virtuoso performer.

The breezy soul of "Torso" feels like a breath of fresh air, skipping along in the uptempo style with guitar, horns, drums and bass. A track which truly sounds scintillating, featuring sax solos, fantastic propulsive interplay from all the group around the halfway stage before Marshall gets his chance to really shine in closing out with a polyrhythmic drum solo. Final track "Snakehips' Dream" stretches cooly out over 15 minutes to round out a spellbinding album. An epic, suave groove, it's a relaxing piece with warm electric keys, laconic guitar and languorous horns. Truly sophisticated soulful jazz. An absolute masterclass. We could easily listen to this all day long.

This Be With edition of Solar Plexus has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Cicely Balston's cut at AIR Studios to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The stunning gatefold sleeve has been restored to complete this sensational package.

Manchester's Avant-Jazzy-Funk outfit Swamp Children were enviably eclectic and Taste What's Rhythm is their mini masterpiece. Flitting gracefully through a feast of genres with consummate ease, the band were almost indefinable and, accordingly, nigh-on impossible to market. So whilst this cult EP, originally out in 1982 on Factory Benelux, remains in demand for those in the know, it has also glided under the radar of many otherwise clued-up heads for over 40 years. If you don't know, get to know...

The Taste Whats Rhythm EP was originally released in 1982 on Factory Benelux (an informal partnership between the legendary Manchester-based Factory Records and Belgium-based Les Disques du Crépuscule). With it's kaleidoscopic brightness, silky panache and superb execution, it remains one of the most startling documents of a remarkable time and place.

The EP opens with the oh-so-Balearic title track. "Taste Whats Rhythm" gently unfolds with a Spanish guitar, hazy, drifting vocals and sun-bleached Latin percussion. After this most sumptuous of intros, the tempo is raised, the rhythms grow in complexity as horns jostle amidst the restrained chaos quite wonderfully. And then it winds down again. Proper fluctuating rhythms and tempos throughout. I guess that was the point - taste the variety!

“You’ve Got Me Beat” is a *perfect* piece of post-punk pop-jazz. A mysterious, after dark jazz-dancer, the aching vocals serve as a touching, tender resignation to love. A guitar hook which seems to elegantly reference The Blackbyrds' "Rock Creek Park" and a flowing pulse from New York's No Wave scene. It still sounds so fresh all the years later.

Closing out this most perfect of EPs, the twisted synths and nimble rhythms of bass-heavy roller "Softly Saying Goodbye" combine to create a super-slinky gem; Brit-Funk of the highest order.

Swamp Children formed in Manchester in 1980, around core members Ann Quigley (vocals), Tony Quigley (bass, metalaphone, percussion), John Kirkham (electric & acoustic guitars, metalaphone, percussion), Ceri Evans (keyboards, bass, percussion, background vocals), Cliff Saffer (saxaphone, clarine) and Martin Moscrop (drums, percussion, trumpet). They initially practised at a rehearsal space shared with fellow post-punk funkers A Certain Ratio and Joy Division/New Order. Young and relatively inexperienced upon getting together, the ages of Swamp Children's members ranged from just 16 to 19. Talk about the brilliance of youth.

From the outset, Swamp Children shared DNA with A Certain Ratio. Martin Moscrop was a founder member of Ratio, while Ann provided artwork for them. Although the close association with ACR led some to assume that Swamp Children were simply a splinter group, the new band pursued a more overt latin and jazz tinged direction, at the same time adopting a post-punk attitude towards making music, influenced by the records they were listening to at the time: Miles Davis, Brazilian jazz fusion and heavy funk dancefloor sides.

The band made their live debut at Manchester's infamous Beach Club in May 1980. Thanks to a double-booking blunder another support band turned up and were turned away, having travelled all the way from Dublin for a string of British dates. The name of the unlucky band was U2...

With arrangements that emphasised Tony Quigley’s darkly-coloured basslines (and Ann Quigley’s impressionistic vocals as another instrument in the mix) Swamp Children possessed an easygoing grace and a bubbling energy which indicated that the band's true strength was as an ensemble. The band’s musical sophistication (a fusion of funk, jazz, and bossa nova) would prove to be a strong influence on later UK acts like Sade. Indeed, Swamp Children themselves later mutated into the more known and acclaimed latin jazz outfit Kalima.

Working directly with James Nice, custodian of Factory Benelux, means that the audio for this re-issue of the classic EP comes from the original tapes. Cut at 45 RPM and released in the house Be With disco sleeve, we’ve made sure this record is well up to the job of having a permanent place in every DJ’s bag. As far as we’re concerned, this is essential stuff.

Wiederveröffentlichung eines gefeierten und gesuchten Klassikers des Roots Reggae von 1978, produziert von Augustus Pablo und Hugh Mundell, re-mastered von Kevin Metcalfe! Die Musik wurde eingespielt von Basil "Benbow" Creary, Carlton "Santa" Davis, Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson, Jacob Miller & Leroy "Horse Mouth" Wallace (Drums), Robbie Shakespeare & Leroy Sibbles (Bass), Earl "Chinna" Smith, Geoffrey Chung & Clayton Downie (Guitar), Paul "Pablove Black" Dixon & Augustus Pablo (Organ, Piano, Melodica) und aufgenommen im Channel One Studio (Engineer: Ernest Hookim), Harry J Studio (Engineer: Sylvan Morris), Joe Gibbs Studio (Engineer: Errol "Errol T" Thompson), King Tubby's Studio (Engineer: Phillip "Prince Phillip" Smart), The Black Ark (Engineer: Lee "Scratch" Perry).

ULTRADISC ONE-STEP BOX SET OF BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S 1973 DEBUT PLAYS WITH AUDIOPHILE SOUND: LIMITED TO 7,500 NUMBERED COPIES.

1/4" / 15 IPS analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe

Teeming with identifiable characters, youthful romanticism, vivid narratives, and sophisticated arrangements, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. is a personal postcard from the heart, soul, and mind of a rock ’n’ roll lifer bent on discovering his world and what lays beyond it. The 1973 album establishes many of the signature themes and sounds Bruce Springsteen would embrace throughout his unparalleled career. No wonder a majority of the songs — “Blinded by the Light,” “Lost in the Flood,” “Spirit in the Night” included — remain staples of the New Jersey native’s fabled concerts.

Sourced from the original analog master tapes, pressed at RTI on MoFi SuperVinyl, and strictly limited to 7,500 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 33RPM LP set is the definitive-sounding version of Springsteen’s daring debut. Afforded the benefits of SuperVinyl’s nearly non-existent noise floor, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. plays with a clarity, directness, and emotionalism that practically whisks you into the New York office in which Springsteen — accompanied by then-manager Mike Appel — played a few originals for legendary Columbia Records executive John Hammond and earned a record deal.

That solo-centric aspect of Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. — credited only to Springsteen and featuring only a handful of accompanying musicians — helps make it unique in his catalogue. So do the acoustic-based frameworks, revealed on this pressing with newly exposed detail, nuance, and immediacy. The music emerges with an openness that gives flight to the Boss’ storytelling. His words flow with unbridled, stream-of-conscious pacing and vibrant imagery; they pay homage to and update a tradition established by Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and Jack Kerouac. Equally important, Springsteen’s still-underrated vocal performances can now be appreciated in full-range fidelity. Earnest, transparent, and sincere, his singing comes across with an urgency that distinguishes him from the era’s singer-songwriter mold and a raw energy that underlines his unflinching belief in rock ’n’ roll.

Recorded in just three weeks, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. also stands out by way of its insightful artwork. Designed by Grammy winner John Berg, the inviting cover is appointed with images of the local landmarks, beachfronts, and geography that provide the backdrops for some of the songs. Those graphics are complemented by the beautiful packaging of Mobile Fidelity’s UD1S edition. Tucked in a sleek slipcase, the LP is housed in a special foil-stamped jacket with faithful-to-the-original graphics. In every way, this reissue is made for listeners who prize sound quality and who want to engage themselves in everything involved with this invigorating album.

An aspirational declaration by a then-23-year-old musician who was already a seasoned veteran of the Jersey Shore bar-band scene, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. can in many ways be seen as a semi-fictional autobiography released more than four decades before Springsteen penned his official tome. Elaborate, descriptive, and absorbing, Springsteen’s lyrics spark with the enthusiasm and exuberance of a wide-eyed adventurer ready for possibility, excitement, and fun — but who is also mindful of loss, pain, and disappointment. Words often tumble and collide like dice spilling from a jar; shaken and fully intact, they pour forth with purpose and without self-conscious concern.

One of two songs composed after label president Clive Davis cited the need for a radio-friendly single, the opening “Blinded by the Light” provides an unforgettable introduction. It flares with a blend of confidence, fun, and poetry that helps define Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Crackling with wiry guitars, funky chords, Clarence Clemons’ cool-toned saxophone, and action-packed lyrics, the shuffle simultaneously expands and contracts — and establishes Springsteen as a master of rhyme, alliteration, and breathless expression. The thread continues on “Growin’ Up.” Steered by ascending piano lines, soulful grooves, and frisky rhythms, the coming-of-age confessional is at once rebellious and controlled, fearless and vulnerable, honest and boastful. It is a tale to which multiple generations still relate.

Such universality has always been a Springsteen trademark. It surfaces throughout Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., as does another Boss hallmark: the importance of friendship and tight bonds. These concepts relate to the fact many of the songs — see the feverish “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?,” strutting “It’s So Hard to Be a Saint in the City,” and tender “For You,” the latter complete with brilliant Hammond organ shading — are directly tied to the friends, acquaintances, places, and happenings he knew. “Lost in the Flood,” whose cinematic drama and epic scope hint at the directions Springsteen would pursue on his next LP, extends that familiarity while addressing the kind of socially conscious issues with which he’s forever been associated.

Balancing the label’s vision of him as a folk-based singer-songwriter and his own desire to play rock ‘n’ roll with a full band, Springsteen never again made a record like Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. One of the most captivating debuts in history, it heralds the start of a legacy whose import Springsteen seemingly foretells on “Blinded by the Light”: “He’s gonna make it tonight.” And how.

2023 Repress

Often called one of Chicago's talented hidden gems, singer/songwriter/DJ/producer Tai Davis means House in almost every sense. He's dropped vocals for established producers such as Paul Johnson, Stacy Kidd, and also Galactik Knights, Nate Caswell and Yakka. Preferring to use vintage analog gear, his classic house sound consistently packs dance floors worldwide!
Track Review: A1) ""Cosmic Groove"" This piece sends you on a trippy journey with a 'spacey' bassline accompanied with groovy drums, but the lush pads and lead synth puts this jam over the top- guaranteed to make the floor burn!
A2) ""Floating"" This is truly vintage-sounding acid with 2 overlapping powerful TB-303 patterns with NO distortion, haunting strings, and a beating drum track for extra thump!
B1) ""Falling Forever"" The mellow but depressing synth pads will definitely grab you, but the repetitive, hypnotizing bassline will keep you. Add a minimal, pounding 808 and it makes this track one to play over and over...and OVER. B2) ""Strobe Light"" A minimalist track with a basic but adequate house piano riff and a freaky synth lead. But the 'popping' claps over the pulsating 909 bass drum paired with an abnormal, repeating bassline makes this one sound like pure 90's house! A definite classic.

First ofcial release of previously-unissued Eric Dolphy studio recordings
in over 30 years, including 85-minutes never before released. The
goundbreaking alto saxophonist, bass clarinetst and autst brought us
iconic LPs such as 'Out to Lunch!' and 'Outward Bound'.
The LP package is beautfully designed and includes an exhaustve 96-page
booklet replete with rare and never-before-published photos by Chuck
Stewart, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Val Wilmer, Hans Harzheim, Lennart Steen, Roger
Marshutz and many others, plus reproductons of the original album covers for
Conversatons and Iron Man.
Includes fve essays that cover dierent aspects of Eric Dolphy and this music
by jazz author/scholar Robin D.G. Kelley, Douglas label manager Michael
Lemesre, Japanese Dolphy scholar Masakazu Sato, and co-producers Zev
Feldman and James Newton, plus words by John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner,
Ornete Coleman and Charles Mingus.
Captured afer leaving Prestge/New Jazz Records, and just before recording
the tmeless classic 'Out to Lunch!' album, 'Musical Prophet' is a 3LP set that
contains the under-appreciated masterpieces 'Conversatons' and 'Iron Man'
recorded in New York City on July 1 and 3, 1963. Originally produced by Alan
Douglas- most well-known for his associaton with Jimi Hendrix, but who also
produced classic jazz albums such as 'Money Jungle' with Duke Ellington,
Charles Mingus and Max Roach- the tapes had been stored in a suitcase with
Dolphy's personal belongings and given to Dolphy's close friends Hale and
Juanita Smith just before he embarked on his fateful European trip in 1964.
Deluxe Limited-Editon, 180-gram 3LP gatefold set released exclusively for
Record Store Day's Black Friday Event on November 23, 2018

Fat Albert Rotunda is the venture into jazz-funk by keyboardist Herbie Hancock. The record is centered around the music Hancock wrote the Fat Albert cartoon show. It's one of the records which appeared in the period between his landmark album Maiden Voyage of 1965 and his 1973 classic Head Hunters. Fat Albert Rotunda is a unique item in Herbie Hancock's long and diverse catalog, with funky tracks like 'Fat Mama' and modern jazz-oriented tunes like 'Tell Me A Bedtime Story'. The sextet which is backing Hancock consists of some of the most prominent musicians of that time, like Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Johnny Coles on trumpet and Buster Williams on the bass.

Herbie Hancock is one of the most prolific jazz pianists of the 20th century. A child prodigy, he played with the greats such as Donald Byrd and Miles Davis. As he was a bit of a geek, he enjoyed gadgets & buttons and he was one of the first to embrace and master the electric piano, but he always stayed true to the acoustic sound. In fact, he always bounced back and forth between his electronic and acoustic sound, touching upon almost every development in R&B, Funk and Jazz while retaining an original and distinctive voice.

Long before today's 'rebellious' pop idols, singers Frank Sinatra,
Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. plus Actor Peter Lawford and
Comedian Joey Bishop had entered showbiz legend as the
genuinely hellraisin' Rate Pack. The handle proved a gift to
journalists chronicling the life and high times of the all-male quintet
whose leading lights were, without a doubt, three of the greatest
entertainers of the 20th Century. Captured on this 3LP compilation
album are some excellent musical memories performed at their best

A lot can happen in ten years.

Rewind back to Gateshead in 2008 - the producer Smoove is round his friend and keyboard player - Mike Porter's house. Together they are working on tracks for his project and all of a sudden they hear a heavenly voice from the neighbour. Transfixed by the vocals that are caressing their ears they go and investigate to find a youthful John Turrell doing his thing at a practice with a local band he played with when he wasn't teaching carpentry at the local college. Together they woo him with their Geordie charms and the initial line up of 'Smoove & Turrell' is born. The group instantly gel and soon after have penned the killer track 'I Can't Give You Up'...

Flash forward to 2019 and the carpentry community looks on with jealousy as the group has gone from strength to strength. Signed to the independent label Jalapeno Records they are now five albums deep and they have achieved multiple radio-playlisted singles, won awards, toured with the likes of Chic, gained sync success across the world and continue to wow venues in all continents with their thrilling live shows on the regular.

All of this in an age where attention spans are shorter than ever and there is more access to music than ever. This is certainly an achievement worth celebrating. Doubly so in fact as not only is it their ten year anniversary collection but also it is the 300th official release on Jalapeno Records so it only seems right that the occasion gets commemorated properly - a double gatefold LP with brass coloured vinyl somehow seems appropriate...

Comprising of 18 tracks taken from all five of their studio albums as well as two new barnstorming tunes exclusive to this release - it's a veritable feast of northern funk gems from start to finish. Favourites from their deep catalogue including 'Slow Down', 'Beggarman', 'In Deep', 'Have Love' and 'You Could've Been A Lady' are all present and correct, lining up next to the two newbies which also hold their own.

"But what about the new tracks!" we hear you cry - well Smoove's solo rework of The Spencer Davis Group - I'm A Man is the stuff of legend with physical copies changing hands for huge sums (if you are lucky enough to be able to locate one in the first place!). The track has long been a staple of S&T live sets but they've never laid it down in a studio recording... That is until now. It's a monster of a tune and the perfect way to kick proceedings off on this record.

That's not all though, as the lads also serve up the aptly reflective 'Give it Back'. It's signature Smoove & Turrell stuff - full of soul with deep and heartfelt lyricism. Turrell's chorus refrain "We love the ones who give it back" is typically honest and true of a band that prides themselves on community. Proper canny that. Proper canny.

LTD. COL. VINYL

Definitive compilation spans solo recordings, rarities and duets with Lee Hazlewood Newly remastered from the original analog tapes by GRAMMYr-nominated engineer John Baldwin New interviews with the legendary singer, actress, and activist, Nancy Sinatra Extensive essay by Amanda Petrusich Q&A interview with Nancy & GRAMMYr-nominated reissue co-producer Hunter Lea Never-before-seen photos from Nancy Sinatra's personal archive Deluxe CD housed in 7"x7" hardcover book w/ 64-pg booklet Beautifully packaged Double LP featuring a 24-pg book 2xLP available on Standard Black Wax plus Summer Wine Sunburst Orange Release coincides with Nancy Sinatra's 80th birthday celebration Release to be supported by international press campaign in cooperation with Nancy Sinatra // Light In The Attic Records is proud to present Nancy Sinatra: Start Walkin' 1965-1976. The definitive new collection surveys Sinatra's most prolific period over 1965-1976, including her revered collaborations with Lee Hazlewood, over 23 tracks. Remastered from the original analog tapes by GRAMMYr-nominated engineer John Baldwin, the collection is complemented by liner notes penned by Amanda Petrusich (author and music critic at The New Yorker), featuring insightful new interviews with Sinatra, as well as a Q&A with archivist and GRAMMYr-nominated reissue co-producer Hunter Lea. The CD edition comes housed in a 7"x7" hardcover book (featuring 64-pages) and the two-disc vinyl set is presented in a gatefold jacket (featuring a 24-page booklet), with special color editions available exclusively at and independent record stores. Nancy's performance of the Lee Hazlewood-penned song "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" was a huge hit in 1966 and became her signature tune. The pair began a three year run of successful albums, duets and singles including "Sugar Town," "Some Velvet Morning," "Summer Wine," "Sand," "Jackson," and the title track to the 1967 James Bond film "You Only Live Twice." Start Walkin' explores Nancy's recordings with Lee, her inspired collaborations with songwriter Mac Davis ("Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham"), producer Lenny Waronker ("Hook and Ladder") and the "should've been hit" song with arranger/producer Billy Strange ("How Are Things In California.") Over the years, she has been cited as an influence by countless artists, including Sonic Youth, Morrissey, Calexico, U2, and Lana Del Rey. Her haunting song "Bang, Bang" gained a new legion of fans when it appeared in the opening credits of Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film, Kill Bill Volume 1.

In the late 1980s, the renowned American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger John Hicks formed one of the most influential ensembles consisting of musicians that had played music at the highest level all their lives and gained their status as both stand-alone artists and important sidemen. Each of them had participated in many of jazz’s great moments and all shared the ability, documented on many albums, to inspire their fellow musicians to even greater heights. The ‘John Hicks Trio’ had several line-up changes over the years that included greats such as Clifford Barbaro (Strata East, Blue Note, Sun Ra Arkestra, Charles Tolliver), Clint Houston (Prestige, Nina Simone, Roy Ayers, Azar Lawrence), Ray Drummond (Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey, Lalo Schifrin), Marcus McLaurine (Muse, Verve, Weldon Irvine, Kool & The Gang) and Victor Lewis (Steve Grossman, Stan Getz, Charles Mingus, Cedar Walton, Chet Baker).

On the album we are presenting you today (I’ll Give You Something To Remember Me By from 1988) the trio consists out of some of the biggest and best players in the jazz, funk and soul scenes:

On piano we have the Atlanta based trio’s bandleader JOHN HICKS (1941-2006). He served as a leader on more than 30 albums and played as a sideman on more than 300 other recordings. After being taught piano by his mother, Hicks went on to study at Lincoln University of Missouri, Berklee College of Music, and the Juilliard School. After playing with a number of different artists during the early ’60s (including Oliver Nelson and being part of Pharoah Sanders’s first band) he joined Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers in 1964. In the early ’70s he taught jazz history and improvisation at Southern Illinois University before resuming his career as a recording artist. Next to his many solo recordings for labels such as Strata East and Concord, Hicks would collaborate with all the big names in the scene, including Archie Shepp, Mingus and Alvin Queen. In 2014 & 2015, J Dilla paid homage to John Hicks by sampling two of his songs.

On drums we have the legendary IDRIS MUHAMMAD (1939-2014) who to this day is still considered as one of the most influential drummers covering a multitude of genre-transcending styles. Born in New Orleans, he showed early talent as a percussionist and began his professional career while still a teenager, playing on Fats Domino’s ‘Blueberry Hill’. He then toured with Sam Cooke and would later go on to work with Curtis Mayfield. Next to his landmark solo recordings for Prestige Records, Idris would collaborate with iconic musicians and acts from the likes of Manu Dibango, Ahmad Jamal, Melvin Sparks, Charles Earland, Walter Bishop, Ceasar Frazier, Roberta Flack, Gato Barbieri, Nathan Davis, Sonny Rollins, Lou Donaldson, Galt MacDermot, Lonnie Smith…and countless others. Idris Muhammad’s work was sampled by renowned performers such as Drake, Beastie Boys and Fatboy Slim.

On bass we have CURTIS LUNDY (born 1955) who originates from Florida. Lundy is a well-respected bass player (and a master of his instrument), choir director, arranger, composer and producer who was part of performances and recordings of renowned acts and artists such as Pharoah Sanders, Frank Morgan, Cole Porter, Chico Freeman, Khan Jamal… and many others!

On I’ll Give You Something To Remember Me By (recorded at the legendary Dutch Studio 44 in March 1987 and released on Limetree Records in 1988) the listener is treated to eight majestic tracks of the highest caliber (including an excellent Thelonious Monk cover-tune) and features a remarkable outing of advanced musicianship by three jazz-giants in their prime, delivering an inspirational gem of an album.

These recordings sound as successful, young and vibrant as ever! Expect supercharged ragtime Post Bop with striking notes, no-holds-barred musicianship, high swinging solos, screaming choruses and plenty of solid virtuosity to spare. The up tempo none stop Latin beat is complimented by the terrific drum solos of Idris Muhammad and the rhythmic bass strokes of Curtis Lundy. This electrifying set of tracks makes this release a bonafide hit and a must have for any self-respecting jazz fan or collector.

Ten years after our initial survey of Afro-Latin accented rhythm & blues from the mid-century, Jazzman proudly presents a fourth installment, packed with as many musical surprises as the first. With music plucked from an era spanning the late 1940s into the early 60s, Jukebox Mambo IV highlights yet again the unparalleled musical creativity of the post war era, and shows how the infusion of afro-latin rhythms was key to these revolutions.

Lovingly and painstakingly researched and curated, the album boasts 23 tracks, many previously uncompiled, touching on jazz, blues, doo wop, calypso, rock & roll, gospel and more. Featuring individual track notes for every song along with some never seen before photographs of the artists, Jukebox Mambo Vol IV maintains the same high production values of each previous volume, and indeed the wider Jazzman catalogue.

Recorded in 1973 at the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Paddington, London, Unfinished Picture is Rupert Hine's second LP. The songs where all composed by Hine with lyrics by David McIver and Simon Jeffries. On its sessions, Hine was surrounded by a host of outstanding musicians that included Simon Jeffes (Penguin Cafe Orchestra), Mike Giles (Giles, Giles & Fripp / King Crimson), Mick Waller (Cyril Davis, The Steampacket, Jeff Beck Group), Ray Cooper (Eric Clapton, Elton John) among others.



Rupert Hine's recording adventures started with the release of a 7" 45 by the folk duo Rupert & David "The Sounds Of Silence". In 1971 he was approached by Purple Records for the release of his debut solo LP Pick Up A Bone, which despite its lack of commercial success featured a strong collection of critically acclaimed compositions that made Purple Records want him to record a second album - Unfinished Picture, on which Hine showed a fantastic evolution to a more conceptual, cinematic approach. Echoes of Ray Davies, Kevin Ayers or hints of Nick Drake taken to a more 'happy' territoire mix with beautiful strings by The Martyn Ford Orange Ensemble and even some ARP synth explorations to build a fantastic collection of sounds that take the listener on a trip through the worlds of folk, psych and prog.



Hine's career would soon take off as a famed producer, he did work with Kevin Ayers, Milla Jovovich, Jonesy, Steve Tilston, Anthony Phillips, Camel, Saga, Rush, Tina Turner, Howard Jones, Bob Geldof, Suzane Vega, and many others.

Across 2LPs comes a unique collection of authentic 70s nostalgia.
Blissful and relaxing, compiled together onto vinyl is the warm sound of 32 of the decade’s finest works of easy listening pop.
Find classic lounge tracks from The Manhattan Transfer, Neil Diamond and Demis Roussos alongside Dionne Warwick, Commodores, Billy Joel and many more.

Making Circles of Our Own is the new upcoming sophomore record from Northern Ireland's New Pagans. From the very beginning the Belfast’s indie rock outfit intent was clear: to fuse their collective creative experiences and emit a confidence in both their sound and aesthetic. New Pagans in essence is a movement, challenging issues surrounding relationships, equality and history all wrapped in massive riffs and soaring dynamics shaped into their own brand of alternative, post punk and indie rock — all encompassing on the bands incoming second album ‘Making Circles of Our Own’. With the dawning of 2023 on the horizon, New Pagans have been building off the success of 2020’s debut album ‘The Seed, The Vessel, The Roots and All’ - which helped secure them as winners of ‘Best Live Act’ at the NI Music Prize in 2020 - and emerge invigorated anew. Latest single ‘Better People’ is a stunning blast of positivity that celebrates their ability to pull together, create communities and look after one another. Often outspoken and not shy of protesting the dark themes that infiltrate modern Irish life, singer & lyricist Lyndsey Mcdougall implores us to endeavour to be just as the title suggests. And with this new era comes their staggering second album ‘Making Circles Of Our Own’, which sees the five-piece abandon the chaos of 2020 for a moment in search of hope in the future. Recorded and self-produced at Badlands Studios in the Glens of Antrim in Ireland (the band's HQ) by band members Cahir O'Doherty and Allan McGreevy, New Pagans continue to expand their DIY position. This time around they also invited Sam Petts Davis (Radiohead, Warpaint, Frank Ocean) to mix the songs and the result is an energetic and infectious collection of anthems.

PRESSED ON CRYSTAL CLEAR VINYL HOUSED IN A GATEFOLD JACKET WITH JAPANESE STYLIZED INSERT AND DELUXE OBI STRIP

Remastered From The Original Analog Tapes

A partner album to the previous Miles release Decoy this album is also produced by Miles and loaded with the synths of Robert Irving. You’re Under Arrest has some surprising new looks at pop tunes by Micheal Jackson and Cyndi Lauper and also features the return of John McLaughlin on guitar, and a guest performance from Sting. This is the nal installment of the prolic and brilliant collaboration between Miles and Columbia Records. Also featured on this album are Al Foster, Kenny Garret, and Daryl Jones.