"Old Sock" is Eric Clapton's first album since 2010. The work is a collection of Clapton's favorite songs from childhood to present day. It showcases his deep appreciation of music and celebrates those who inspired him including George Gershwin, Gary Moore and Taj Mahal. Clapton has always possessed an unmatched gift for interpreting classics. Old Sock features music luminaries including Steve Gadd, Willie Weeks, Chris Stainton and Paul McCartney. Standouts include "Still Got The Blues," "All Of Me" and "Our Love Is Here To Stay". Absolutely essential.

It's not hyperbole to say that this is Sanborn's best record since his Warner Brothers heyday of the '80s. The same can be said of the quality of the musicians gathered for the alto saxophonist's first album for Verve. The material may be the best he's ever assembled, with many cover tunes that are singularly identified with other artists, yet he redefines them. None of those words are meant to disparage those Grammy-winning gold albums of yore, it just his high standards have been magnified many fold on these 10 tracks.

Keyboardist Will Boulware and company strike again with another dose of to-die-for contemporary jazz. His first Eighty-Eight's label effort, "Over Crystal Green", won Swing Journal's Golden Disk award and helped to launch a label that has now received extensive acclaim from jazz and audiophile press. Boulware pulls out some heavy artillery on "Harmony", including a very special appearance by Phoebe Snow, who sings on three tracks. Will & Rainbow is rounded out by Peter Bernstein on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone, Philippe Saisse on synthesizers, Steve Gadd on drums, and Anthony Jackson on bass.

"La Cuna" is an album by GRAMMY Award-winning percussionist Ray Barretto, released by CTI label in 1981. Barretto perfectly straddles Afro-Cuban rhythms and grooving jazz fusion. Synths, sax and drums take charge in “Doloroso”, and the jubilant “La Cuna” boasts rumba rhythms that invigorate with experimental piano keys. With “Pastime Paradise”, a rendition of the groundbreaking Stevie Wonder hit, Barretto adds layers of buoyant, festive percussion to the soulful masterpiece; on the closing “Cocinando”, he maneuvers through conga acrobatics and fierce brass melodies with impressive finesse.

Consequence of Chaos is an album by Italian-American jazz fusion and Latin jazz guitarist Al Di Meola, released in 2006. The album features guest appearances by Chick Corea, Steve Gadd, John Patitucci and Barry Miles.

Elegant Gypsy was a follow-up album to Di Meola's debut release, Land of the Midnight Sun. The distinctive music on the album is a speedy fusion of jazz and rock, with lightning-fast guitar riffs intermixed with lyrical acoustical passages. The songs include explorations of Latin music themes, including acoustic genres like flamenco. The album won an annual award for Best Guitar Album in Guitar Player Magazine.

"Good King Bad" is a studio album by American guitarist George Benson featuring performances recorded in 1975 and released by CTI Records in 1976. The Allmusic review states "The R&B elements get stronger, the sound and mix are more attuned to the dancefloor, yet this brings out the best in George Benson's funky side. Thanks in part to the more rigid beat, Benson pares down his style to its rhythmic essentials, refusing to spray notes all over the place at random, and as a result, the record cooks and dances".

Firefly is an album by American flautist Jeremy Steig recorded in 1977 and released on the CTI label. The Allmusic review stated "Jeremy Steig's jazz-funk throwdown, Firefly, is one of the great forgotten masterpieces of the genre… Firefly was designed for the purpose of being a hit in the dance clubs, and it should have been, because it kicks ass on that level as well as on the jazz-funk beam… This is burning".

Joe Farrell gained his greatest fame with his popular string of CTI recordings. For this set, he performs three of his originals (none of which caught on), guitarist Joe Beck's "Penny Arcade", and a 13-minute version of Stevie Wonder's "Too High". Farrell is in excellent form, as are keyboardist Herbie Hancock, Beck, bassist Herb Bushler, drummer Steve Gadd and Don Alias on conga. As is true of his other CTI sets, this Joe Farrell effort expertly mixes together some slightly commercial elements and superior recording quality with strong solos.

1975 was a hell of a year for Creed Taylor's Kudu Records. Not only was the mighty, mighty "Feels So Good" album by Grover Washington, Jr. released, but so was saxophonist Hank Crawford's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing". It was one of two recordings issued by Crawford for the label in that calendar year. But perhaps the most deeply satisfying and out of character album from that year was the absolute soul-jazz masterpiece Upchurch/Tennyson by Chicago guitar god Phil Upchurch and pianist/vocalist Tennyson Stephens.

Although he has appeared on a countless number of studio sessions, this release was (with the exception of an obscure Japanese date in 1984) drummer Steve Gadd's debut as a leader. The Gadd Gang (comprised of the drummer, guitarist Cornell Dupree, bassist Eddie Gómez and Richard Tee on keyboards) was a likable unit that blended together jazz, R&B and some groovin' funk. With the addition of a horn section arranged by David Matthews, the group plays Bob Dylan's "Watching the River Flow," and Wilton Felder's "Way Back Home," a medley of "Honky Tonk" and "I Can't Stop Loving You," and some basic band originals that can appeal to a wide audience.

Concierto is an album by the Jim Hall sextet, featuring Paul Desmond, Chet Baker, Ron Carter, Steve Gadd and Roland Hanna. It was produced by Creed Taylor for his CTI Records label and recorded at Van Gelder Studio. Concierto is named after the featured 19-minute jazz version of the classical piece for guitar, Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo.

"The Rape of El Morro" is an album by American arranger/conductor and composer Don Sebesky featuring performances recorded in 1975 and released on the CTI label.