"Terry Brooks And Strange-Raw Power-1976 US (Psycho Records 1984 UK)":
This heavy Florida-based seventies psychedelic rock outfit is worthy of investigation. All of the material is written, arranged, directed and produced by Terry Brooks.
On Raw Power, "Fields And Fields Of People" and "Love Me" are quite strong vocal numbers. "Are You My Friend?" and "To The Far Side Of Time" are space rock and the title track, a powerful psychedelic haze. The whole of Side Two is taken up by the 19 minute long "Life Jam".
(This album is the Reissue from UK label Psycho Records -Psycho 21,1984) more info here
Members:
Terry Brooks-Guitar, Vocals
Bob Griffin-Bass
Don Haste-Drums
Donald L. Hall -Strings Effects

-by dj fanis: here

"Bethlehem Asylum-Commit Yourself -1970 US":
Bethlehem Asylum originated from the Clearwater/Tampa area in Florida although they toured extensively all around the South and had a good live reputation and were often double-billed with The Allman Brothers.
This band released two albums, "Commit Yourself " in 1970 and a self titled in 1971 on Ampex label. Both albums are worth a listen with the first being the better of the two. It contains lots of jazzy instrumentation and the better tracks are "Sea Rider"," Sailboat Ride" which features some nice sax and flute," Earth" which also has some good flute pieces and jazzy piano and the final cut "It's About" starts with some rather discordant guitar work.
Members:
Charles Dechant (vocals, saxophone, flute)
Christian Gandhi (keyboards, saxophone, trombone, alto flute)
Danny Finley (vocals, lead guitar)
Jimm Neiman (vocals, bass)
Buddy Helm (drums, percussion)
-by dj fanis: here

"Bobby Hutcherson - Now! -1969 US":
Bobby Hutcherson (born January 27, 1941, Los Angeles) is a jazz vibraphone and marimba player. Attracted foremost to more experimental free jazz and post-bop, Hutcherson made early recordings in this style for the Blue Note label with Jackie McLean, Eric Dolphy, Andrew Hill, Grachan Moncur III, Joe Chambers, and Freddie Hubbard, both as a leader and a sideman.
"Now!" is an album by jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, released in 1969 on the Blue Note label. The album is the first of Hutcherson's to feature vocals, contributed by Gene McDaniels and a chorus.
Members:
Bobby Hutcherson- vibes
Harold Land- tenor sax
Kenny Barron- piano
Wally Richardson- guitar
Herbie Lewis- bass
Joe Chambers- drums
Candido- congas
Gene McDaniels-vocals
-by dj fanis: here

"Airto Moreira-Seeds On The Ground-The Natural Sounds Of Airto-1971 Brazil":
Airto Moreira (born August 5, 1941) is a Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist. Airto is married to jazz singer Flora Purim. He currently resides in Los Angeles.
Airto Moreira was born in Itaiópolis, Brazil, into a family of folk healers, and raised in Curitiba and São Paulo. Showing an extraordinary talent for music at a young age, he became a professional musician at age 13, and his first landmark recording was Quarteto Novo with Hermeto Pascoal in 1967. Shortly after, he followed his wife Flora Purim to the United States.
This is one of Airto's best albums, featuring Hermeto, Flora, Sivuca and Ron Carter. This is an acoustic recording, more like Brazilian folk music than the fusion styles of other Airto albums.
-by dj fanis: here

"Dillard Crume And The Soul Rockers- Singing The Hits Of Today-1969 US":
Dillard Crume was born in the state of Missouri. At the age of 8, he and his family migrated to the city of Chicago, Illinois. Dillards oldest brother, A.C. Crume, taught all of the younger brothers to sing. There were eight boys and two girls in Dillards family, of which six of the boys formed a gospel group called The Crume Brothers, when Dillard was only 9 years of age.
Other professional groups began to gain an interest in the singing and musical abilities of the brothers, and at the age of 19, Dillard was approached by the famous Five Blind Boys of Jackson, Mississippi to become their guitarist and background singer. He accepted their offer and traveled extensively within the United States.
After singing and playing with the Blind Boys, Dillard became a member of the Highway QCs of Chicago, Il. After his stint with the Highway QCs, Dillard left the gospel field for awhile and played R&B, Rock and Roll, Blues, Calypso, etc. with his own band The Soul Rockers.
This is a rare and great soul-funk LP on the low budget label Alshire Records. Superb versions of the Dyke and The Blazers and James Brown monsters. Really good LP from start to finish, with the cover version of "Mother Popcorn" being the highlight.
-by dj fanis: here

"Various Artists - Secret Agent File -1984 US":
Spy movies and TV shows in the '60s and '70s had the greatest theme songs. An all-right compilation, highlighted by lots of '60s TV themes, including the title music from The Prisoner.
Tracks 1,8 & 11 by Neil Norman, track 3 by the Olympic Orch. and all others by Billy Strange.
Arragned by: Billy Strange,Les Baxter,Hall Daniels and Neil Norman.
-by dj fanis: here

"Soft Machine-Fourth-1970 UK":
"Fourth" is a 1970 studio album by the Canterbury band Soft Machine. This was the group's first all-instrumental album, although their previous album "Third" had almost completed the band's move in this direction toward instrumental jazz, and a complete abandonment of their original self-presentation as a psychedelic pop group, or progressive rock group.
It was also the last of their albums to include drummer and founding member Robert Wyatt. Like the previous Soft Machine album, this one uses session musicians who were not regarded as full group members, but toured with the band for live performances.
Recorded: Autumn,1970 at Olympic Studios, London.
Members:
Hugh Hopper – bass guitar
Mike Ratledge – organ, piano
Robert Wyatt – drums
Elton Dean – alto saxophone, saxello
with
Roy Babbington – double bass (1,3,4,6)
Mark Charig – cornet (2,3,4)
Nick Evans – trombone (1,2,4)
Jimmy Hastings – alto flute (6), bass clarinet (1,6)
Alan Skidmore – tenor saxophone (1,6)
-by dj fanis: here

"Nancy Sinatra-Sugar-1966 US":
This album (originally released on Reprise -6239), is one of four Sinatra released in 1966, a time when pop stars apparently had a more serious work ethic, was something of a departure for the chanteuse. Unlike her previous efforts, which were a mix of songs by producer Lee Hazlewood and covers of pop hits of the day, this one featured only three Hazlewood compositions, including the LSD anthem "Sugartown," along with lots of old-timey pre-rock standards. These include a couple "All By Myself" and "What'll I Do," by Irving Berlin.
-by dj fanis: here

"Latin All Stars- Jazz Heat-Bongo Beat-1960 US":
This is an exciting cohesion of authentic Latin music and American jazz... an unusual and profitable partnership into new and modern sounds. The rhythm section:Larry Bunker is the drummer, Tony Reyes the bassist, on bongos,Carlos Mejia and the conga drummer,Darias.
The "front line" boasts three of the brightest stars in the jazz orbit. Inventive,decisive Eddie Cano plays piano. Tommy Tedesco, guitarist, performs in his usual competent, driving manner. And then, wailing on flute, sometimes piccolo, there's the brilliant, idea-rich Buddy Collette.(from back cover) Recorded in Los Angeles, 1960.
-by dj fanis: here

"Shirley Brown-Woman To Woman-1974 US":
Shirley Brown (born January 6, 1947, West Memphis, Arkansas) is an American soul singer, best known for her million-selling single "Woman To Woman" which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975.
Brown was born in West Memphis, but was raised in Madison, Illinois, where she starting singing in church when she was nine years old. Early experience singing gospel gave her a powerful but expressive voice likened to Aretha Franklin.
Albert King discovered her at age 14, singing in the Harlem Club in Brooklyn, Illinois. Young Shirley went on the road with King for nine years.
By 1974, Albert King recommended Brown to Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, where he had been one of the label's stars for some time. Her 1974 hit, "Woman To Woman" spent two weeks at #1 in the Billboard R&B chart and climbed to #22 in the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies by December 1974, and was awarded a gold disc.
-by dj fanis: here

"Jeremy Steig - Firefly -1977 US":
"Firefly" is Jeremy Steig's only album he did for CTI Records. Produced by Creed Taylor himself, Jeremy Steig's jazz-funk throwdown, is one of the great forgotten masterpieces of the genre.
Steig is a monster flutist who may lack some of Herbie Mann's subtlety, but more than makes up for it with his chops.Taylor surrounded Steig with a band that was testosterone-fueled yet knew how to get the sexy grooves.
Arranged and conducted by pianist Dave Matthews, the band included guitarists Eric Gale, Hiram Bullock, and John Scofield, Richard Tee on keys, drummers Steve Gadd and Allen Schwarzberg, conguera Ray Mantilla, percussionist Sue Evans and vocalist Googie Coppola.
-by dj fanis: here

"Grant Green-Carryin' On-1969 US":
Grant Green (St. Louis, Missouri, June 6, 1935 – New York, January 31, 1979) was a jazz guitarist and composer. Recording prolifically and almost exclusively for Blue Note Records (as both leader and sideman) Green performed well in hard bop, soul jazz, bebop and Latin-tinged settings throughout his career.
Having firmly established himself as the '60s jazz guitarist second only to the great Wes Montgomery , Grant Green was willing and able to move into something new and give himself up to the emerging funk wave that would seep across the '70s.
Hypnotically rhythmic and quintessentially grooving, the five tracks on this album are all exceptionally tasty bursts of authentic funk. "Carryin' On" contains two solid covers, The Meters' "Ease Back" and James Brown's "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door I'll Get It Myself)".
Neal Creaque's "Cease the Bombing," (later covered by Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers ) floats like a smooth sailing trip across the ether with Green majestically at the helm.
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on October 3, 1969.
Members:
Claude Bartee- Tenor Sax
Willie Bivens- Vibes
Grant Green- Guitar
Clarence Palmer- Electric Piano
Earl Creaque- Electric Piano (On "Cease The Bombing" only)
Jimmy Lewis- Fender Bass
Idris Muhammad- Drums
-by dj fanis: here

"Woody Herman-Light My Fire-1969 US":
Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987), known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders. His bands often played music that was experimental for their time.
He was known for hiring the best young musicians and using their arrangements. By 1968, the Herman library came to be heavily influenced by rock and roll. He was also known to feature brass and woodwind instruments not traditionally associated with jazz, such as the bassoon, oboe or French horn.
"Light My Fire" is a masterpiece, one of two crazy albums in which Woody Herman's late band meets the arrangements of Richard Evans. Woody's big band flourishes meeting up with Evans' compressed soulful grooves. The record is simply incredible, worth it alone for the version of Edu Lobo's "Ponteio", but there's lots of other nice stuff like "I Say A Little Prayer", "Hush", "Keep On Keepin On", and "Light My Fire"."
-by dj fanis: here

"Pete Fountain - I've Got You Under My Skin-1966 US":
In this album, Pete Fountain returns to the kind of free-swinging small group which made one of his most successful records ever - "Pete Fountain's New Orleans". The accompanists who provide him with such a lively springboard are the formidable, highly professional and eminently sympathetic trio of Stan Wrightsman (piano), Morty Corb (bass) and Jack Sperling (drums). Pete's regular vibist, Godfrey Hirsch, lends a helping hand - and mallets - from time to time. The program includes a number of recent successes, and in some instances they are set to an appropriately contemporary beat.
Most of the recordings were made during Pete's second very successful engagement in Las Vegas, where he played at The Tropicana and used Jack Sperling as an added attraction for solos and specialities. The Vegas days seldom being so fully occupied as the nights, it occurred to producer Bud Dant that this was an ideal opportunity to record Pete under conditions which were simultaneously relaxed and stimulating.
Except for the Nashville recordings, which were planned and arranged by Bud Dant, all of these performances were made from "head" or oral arrangements, to which each of the men contributed what he did best. It is in this kind of context and with this kind of freedom that Pete Fountain's imagination flourishes. The result is music that will get under your skin. (from back cover) Titles include: "Louie Louie","Hanky Panky","Strangers In The Night","Call Me" and "Yesterday".
-by dj fanis: here

"Ocho-The Best Of Ocho-1996 Universal Sound":
Ocho's blend of latin music with jazz and funk gives them a near unique position in the musical history of New York City. Constantly weaving a path between these three styles, their music portrays a picture of New York City as a meeting point of different cultures.
Commercially, this musical stance proved too radical for its time and none of Ocho's four LP releases between 1972 and 1976 were big hits. A knock-on effect of this is that Ocho seem to have slipped through the gap between the respective histories of Latin and Jazz music. This retrospective will hopefully go some way towards rectifying this mistake. (from back cover)
-by dj fanis: here

"Ocho-Tornado-1976 US":
This is Ocho's fourth album, after their first 3 for United Artists and like those classics, it's a hard-jamming set with a real NuYorican feel. There's some very firey work on both tenor and alto sax, cutting soulful solos over the grooves, in a style that gives the album a lot more of a soulful feel than other Latin albums of the time. Includes the extended 4 part suite "Majnabuca", plus the titles "Mamey Colorao", "Tornado" and "Sneakin Up Behind You".
-by dj fanis: here

"Kevin Ayers-John Cale-Eno-Nico- June 1, 1974 UK":
"June 1, 1974" is a live album of songs performed at the Rainbow Theatre in London.The album is officially attributed to Kevin Ayers, John Cale, Brian Eno and Nico, although other well-known musicians, including Mike Oldfield and Robert Wyatt, also contributed to the concert. Nine tracks, including " Baby's On Fire" and covers of "Heartbreak Hotel" and "The End".
-by dj fanis: here

"Paul Horn-Jazz Suite On The Mass Texts-1965 US":
One of Paul Horn's groovier albums from the 60s and a record that features some nice arrangements by Lalo Schifrin. As the title might make you guess, the album's kind of a "jazz mass" and replicates the "Kyrie", "Gloria" and "Offortory" progression of a regular Catholic mass. Some nice playing by Horn and groovy elements in Schifrin's arrangements, particularly the percussion playing of Emil Richards and Milt Holland.
-by dj fanis: here

"T-Connection-Magic -1977 US":
T-Connection was a funk and disco group from Nassau, the Bahamas."Magic" was the first album by T-Connection recorded in 1977 at Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida.They performed much better on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where they had five Top 10 hits, including "Do What You Wanna Do" from their first album, which hit #1.
-by dj fanis: here

"Paul Desmond-Bridge Over Troubled Water-1970 US":
Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was the hottest album in the land in 1970, & Paul Simon's tunes from that & their earlier albums unexpectedly find a congenial advocate in Paul Desmond.
Desmond's alto sax backed by Herbie Hancock's Rhodes electric piano & a set of ravishing orchestrations by Don Sebesky. Hancock's solos often reflect where he was personally at in 1970, with ideas transferred from his progressive electric Sextet.
-by dj fanis: here

"Paul Horn-Inside-1968 US":
Paul Horn (born March 17, 1930) is an American jazz flautist, and pioneer of the New age musical genre. He was born in New York City, and began playing the piano at the age of 4 and the saxophone when he was 12. He studied the flute in 1952 at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio and then earned a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music.
He is widely known for his innovations on both metal and traditional wood flutes, and has recorded some truly exotic albums. Perhaps most famous of these are his "Inside" recordings, which feature airy, echoing sounds created in places of spiritual importance.
The series began with "Inside" (also known as "Inside The Taj Mahal"). Horn sneaking a tape recorder into the Taj Mahal during a trip to India in 1968, where he was with The Beatles at Rishikesh, and continued later with recordings "Inside The Great Pyramid " in 1976 and "Inside The Taj Mahal, Volume 2" in 1989.
"Inside" recorded on location in the Taj Mahal, India, April 25, 1968. (by request)
-by dj fanis: here

"Herbie Mann- Turtle Bay-1973 US":
Sweet 70s funk from Herbie Mann, a tight small combo set done with plenty of electric touches and a soundtrack kind of groove, features Pat Rebillot on organ and electric piano, David Spinozza on guitar, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Reggie Ferguson on drums and Ralph MacDonald on percussion.
Titles include: "Turtle Bay", "Do It Again", "Happier Than The Morning Sun", "Family Affair", "Reverend Lee" and "Rainy Night In Georgia".
-by dj fanis: here

"Herbie Mann - Brazil, Bossa Nova & Blues-1962 US":
Bossa nova from Herbie Mann cut for United Artists, and a one-off session that's arguably better than most of his Atlantic work of the time. There's a groove here that's undeniable, a sense of swing that grabs us right from the get-go, and makes us totally love each new track before Mann's flute even comes into the mix.
These grooves come from some great interplay between Dave Pike on marimbas, Haygood Hardy on vibes, Billy Bean on guitar, and a host of hip percussionists who include Willie Bobo, Carmen Costa and Carlos Patato Valdez.
Titles include: "Me Faz Recorar", "Minha Saudade", "Copacabana", "Brazil","One Note Samba" and "B.N. Blues".
-by dj fanis: here

"801-801 Live-1976 UK":
801 were an English experimental rock band that were originally formed in 1976 for three live concerts by Phil Manzanera (guitars, Roxy Music),Brian Eno (keyboards, synthesizers, guitar, and vocals,ex-Roxy Music), Bill MacCormick (bass and vocals, ex-Quiet Sun, Matching Mole),Francis Monkman (Fender Rhodes piano and clavinet, ex-Curved Air),Simon Phillips (drums and rhythm generator) and Lloyd Watson (slide-guitar and vocals).
In 1976, while Roxy Music had temporarily disbanded, 801 (also referred to as THE 801) got together as a temporary project and began rehearsing at Island Studios, Hammersmith, about three weeks before their first gig. The name of the band was taken from the Eno song "The True Wheel", which appears on his 1974 solo album "Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)". The refrain of the song "We are the 801, we are the central shaft" reportedly came to him in a dream (although it has also been noted that "Eight Nought One" acrostically spells his name).
801 performed three critically highly acclaimed concerts: in Norfolk, at the Reading Festival and the final concert on 3 September at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall.
This last concert was recorded live and released as the album "801 Live". The music consisted of more or less mutated selections from albums by Manzanera, Eno, and Quiet Sun, plus a full-scale rearrangement of Lennon-McCartney's "Tomorrow Never Knows" and an off-the-wall excursion into The Kinks' 1964 hit "You Really Got Me".
Released at the height of the punk rock revolution in the UK, the LP was not a major commercial success, but it sold well throughout the world, particularly because it gained rave reviews from critics, both for the superb performances by the musicians and for its groundbreaking sound quality.
-by dj fanis: here

"Herbie Mann-Latin Mann -Afro To Bossa To Blues-1965 US":
Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003) , better known as Herbie Mann, was a American jazz flutist and important early practitioner of world music.
An excellent album of Latin material from Herbie Mann and proof that he's equally great in just about any setting. This rare album in Columbia Records from Herbie it's easily one of his greatest of the 60s, thanks to some really smoking arrangements from Oliver Nelson, plus an all-star cast of players that includes Carmell Jones, Dave Pike, Jimmy Heath, Patato Valdez, Willie Bobo, Charlie Palmieri, and a young Chick Corea on piano.
Tracks are short, tight, and very rhythmic grooving in a snapping approach to Latin that's filled with plenty of soul, but which also features plenty of jazzy touches as well.
Tracks include: "What'd I Say","Manteca", "Ave Maria Morena", "Watermelon Man", "Interlude", "Let's Boom Chitty Boom", "Senor Blues", "Jungle Fantasy" and "Jive Samba".
"Latin Mann" has also been reissued as "Big Boss Mann" in 1973 with different cover artwork.
-by dj fanis: here