Funky soul jazz from 1969, featuring guitarist Melvin Sparks, and including covers of Knock On Wood and Twenty-Five Miles.

Terrific, grooving Black History from the Roy Ayers camp.
‘Remember to remember, to never forget. How long… how long… how long will it take?’

With Barry Guy and Tony Oxley in 1971. Gatefold sleeve.

With Freddie Hubbard trumpet, Herbie Hancock piano, Ron Carter bass, Joe Chambers drums. 1965. Miles Smiles kind of thing.

Fresh from his stint for Miles, the saxophonist with Tony Williams, Ron Carter and Jaki Byard in 1964 — meshing the great jazz tradition and the avant-garde in his own path-breaking way.
‘Classic Vinyl Series’.

‘Classic Vinyl’ series.

‘Verve By Request.’

‘One of the most provocative ongoing bodies of work by any American musician’ (Pitchfork). ‘Astonishing work of history, memory and sensed experience. Confirms Roberts’ place as one of the most important living artists in any field’ (The Quietus).
With Hannah Marcus (guitars, fiddle, accordion), percussionist Ryan Sawyer, bassist Nicolas Caloia, and Sam Shalabi on guitar and oud — plus trombonist Steve Swell and vibraphonist Ryan White guesting. ‘Memphis unspools as a continuous work of 21st century liberation music, oscillating between meditative incantatory explorations, raucous melodic themes, and unbridled free-improv suites, quoting archly and ecstatically from various folk traditions along the way.’

‘Classic Vinyl’ series.

Rollins’ LPs for Impulse! are neglected. Here is the first of three he recorded in 1965-66, taking fierce flight from five standards. It’s all wonderful, but check the scorching calypso, Hold ‘Em Joe — with Rollins’ characteristic carnivalesque, askance danceability, his ‘impudent swing’, writ large — and the deconstruction of Three Little Words to close, as if to say, Okay, enough of that, now watch this space.
Great sound, too, this Acoustic Sounds issue.