An amazing record, from an amazing player - the mighty Rufus Harley, heard here on tenor, flute, and soprano sax - as well as bagpipes, his "trademark" instrument! Don't be put off by the bagpipes, though, because Harley plays in a righteous soul jazz groove, and uses the instrument more like a Coltrane-ish reed soloing vehicle, with sheets of hard blown sound, than he does as a corny Scottish sounding one. His playing is great, and he's recorded here with a great group of obscure Detroit musicians who play with a style that hints at the later stuff to come on the Tribe label - Oliver Collins on piano, James Glenn on bass, and Billy Abner on drums.

Originally released in 1965 and beautifully expanded for this 1997 Columbia Legacy reissue, That's All stands as one of the definitive triumphs of Mel Tormé’s illustrious recording career. Subtitled "A Lush, Romantic Album," the project frames Tormé’s iconic "Velvet Fog" vocals within gorgeous, sophisticated orchestral arrangements crafted by Robert Mersey, alongside stellar contributions from conductors Mort Garson, Richard Hazard, and Patrick Williams. Tormé delivers breathtaking interpretations of standard ballads like the title track, "I've Got You Under My Skin," and "The Nearness of You," while exploring subtle bossa nova textures on the charming "Ho-Ba-La-La." This special remastered edition is significantly enriched by twelve bonus tracks from the same fertile mid-1960s period, culminating in his definitive, warm rendering of his own co-written masterpiece, "The Christmas Song." It remains an essential testament to Tormé’s peerless pitch, elegant phrasing, and timeless mainstream jazz artistry.

This is a major set, "new" music from John Coltrane that was recorded February 15, 1967 (five months before his death) but not released for the first time until 1995. One of several "lost" sessions that were stored by Alice Coltrane for decades, only one selection ("Offering" which was on Expression) among the eight numbers and three alternates was ever out before. The music, although well worth releasing, offers no real hints as to what Coltrane might have been playing had he lived into the 1970s. The performances by the quartet (the saxophonist joined by pianist Alice Coltrane, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Rashied Ali) are briefer (from two and a half to five-plus minutes) than Coltrane's recordings of the previous year, but that might have been due to the fact that this music was played in the studio (as opposed to the marathon live blowouts with Pharoah Sanders) or to Coltrane's worsening health…

Not released until 1977, the music on First Meditations was the last recording made by the classic John Coltrane Quartet; other slightly later records found the group incorporating additional musicians. Four of the five movements on this release (which are augmented by a lengthier second version of "Joy") would become part of the better-known Meditations album (along with another movement) two-and-a-half months later when tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and drummer Rashied Ali temporarily made the group a sextet. Coltrane (sticking here exclusively to tenor) plays passionately, alternating ferocious explorations with more lyrical sections.

Unlike the original classic Blues and the Abstract Truth set from three years earlier, Oliver Nelson does not play on this album. He did contribute three of the eight originals and all of the arrangements but his decision not to play is disappointing. However there are some strong moments from such all-stars as trumpeter Thad Jones, altoist Phil Woods, baritonist Pepper Adams, pianist Roger Kellaway and guest tenor Ben Webster (who is on two songs). The emphasis is on blues-based pieces and there are some strong moments even if the date falls short of its predecessor.

Sugan, from Fantasy's Original Jazz Classics series, is essentially a bebop jam session. The quintet (altoist Phil Woods, trumpeter Ray Copeland, pianist Red Garland, bassist Teddy Kotick, and drummer Nick Stabulas) performs three Charlie Parker compositions and three originals by Woods, but the melodies are quickly discarded in favor of heated solos. Woods and the greatly underrated Copeland work together very well, and Garland is a major asset both as a soloist and as an accompanist to the horns. This little-known date is quite enjoyable.

The Kinks came into their own as album artists - and Ray Davies fully matured as a songwriter - with The Kink Kontroversy, which bridged their raw early British Invasion sound with more sophisticated lyrics and thoughtful production. There are still powerful ravers like the hit "Til the End of the Day" (utilizing yet another "You Really Got Me"-type riff) and the abrasive, Dave Davies-sung cover of "Milk Cow Blues," but tracks like the calypso pastiche "I'm on an Island," where Ray sings of isolation with a forlorn yet merry bite, were far more indicative of their future direction. Other great songs on this underrated album include the uneasy nostalgia of "Where Have All the Good Times Gone?," the plaintive, almost fatalistic ballads "Ring the Bells" and "The World Keeps Going Round," and the Dave Davies-sung declaration of independence "I Am Free."

McCoy Tyner Plays Ellington is a spectacularly expressive, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized post-bop and modal jazz studio masterpiece led by the legendary American acoustic grand piano vanguard monarch McCoy Tyner, digitally preserved and reissued on compact disc in 1997 under the prestigious Impulse! Records banner. Spanning nearly 48 minutes of breathtakingly intense, conceptually deep harmonic interactions across 10 definitive selections, this high-fidelity document serves as an absolute peak monument in mid-1960s acoustic jazz archaeology. Originally recorded on December 2, 7, and 8, 1964, at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary Englewood Cliffs studio, this historic project executes a fierce, forward-thinking sonic blueprint that daringly reinterprets the timeless swing architectures of Duke Ellington through the roaring, block-chord modal structures and volcanic rhythm dynamics that defined the golden era of post-bop.

Universal’s 2011 Deluxe Edition of the Kinks’ second album, Kinda Kinks, finds the 12-track album supported by a 23-track collection of non-LP cuts, including both sides of the “Everybody’s Gonna Be Happy,” “Set Me Free,” “See My Friends,” and “Never Met a Girl Like You Before” singles; the Kwyet Kinks EP, which includes “A Well Respected Man”; no less than six demos, many of which are unreleased Ray Davies originals (“I Go to Sleep” saw the light of day on a previous CD reissue); alternate takes of “See My Friends” and “Come on Now”; and BBC sessions including the songs “This Strange Effect” and “Hide and Seek,” which never popped up on a Kinks LP. Like the group’s debut, Kinda Kinks is slightly uneven - Davies is showing strides as a songwriter and the band is tightening, but there are some slow patches - but adding all the bonus material to the album has the effect of strengthening the overall experience…

Compulsion is a spectacularly intense, brilliant, and historically monumental avant-garde masterpiece by the legendary American jazz pianist and composer Andrew Hill, recorded and released in 1965 on the iconic Blue Note label. Spanning nearly 41 minutes across four staggering long-form movements, this high-fidelity document captures the visionary bandleader pushing the boundaries of post-bop into complex, multi-layered modal architectures and deep spiritual abstraction. Hill’s unmatched, rhythmically fractured piano playing is matched here by an absolutely legendary powerhouse ensemble of modern creative music giants. The horn line features a ferocious pairing of Freddie Hubbard’s searing trumpet fire and John Gilmore’s monumental, incendiary tenor saxophone work, beautifully grounded by Cecil McBee’s deep acoustic bass lines. Adding astronomical depth to the session is a dual-percussion engine featuring master drummer Joe Chambers alongside African percussionist Ndugu Leon Chancler, who infuse Hill's angular themes with complex polyrhythmic structures and intense kinetic energy. The tracklist features some of Hill's most ambitious writing, highlighted by the sprawling, 14-minute title track Compulsion, the jagged modal pathways of Premonition, and the rhythmically complex closer Limbo. Exceptionally preserved in pristine lossless audio with full original artwork scans, this definitive vintage archive stands as a mandatory cornerstone and an absolute holy grail for global purists of Blue Note history, advanced post-bop composition, and mid-1960s acoustic avant-garde jazz evolution.

Ferry Cross The Mersey is the historic, definitive original soundtrack album by the iconic British Invasion trailblazers Gerry and the Pacemakers, capturing the creative apex of the Liverpool beat scene. Originally released in 1965 to accompany the group's smash-hit musical film of the same name, this stellar 1994 reissue by the prestigious German collector label Repertoire Records delivers a pristine, expanded look at their timeless catalog. Anchored by the elegant acoustic strums and beautifully wistful melody of its legendary title track, the first half showcases front-man Gerry Marsden's finest songwriting efforts alongside sharp, driving, melodic guitar work and crisp Merseybeat arrangements. For collectors, this reissue is a massive treasure chest, adding fourteen incredible rare bonus tracks that range from energetic, rhythm-and-blues-soaked covers like Ray Charles' What'd I Say to brilliant independent singles and studio gems. Richly capturing the energetic, hopeful, and melodic British sound of the swinging sixties, this comprehensive high-fidelity release is an indispensable addition to any serious classic rock or pop library.