ALBERT AYLER shocked the world when he arrived on the scene with a freewheeling highly emotional style that broke all the rules of jazz. He shocked it again when he released this album, on which he sang as well as played, with his otherworldly saxophone surrounded by electric instruments, backup vocalist, a horn section & a pulsating R&B groove. Long out of print, NEW GRASS demands to be heard again through 21 st century ears.

Ethereal flute meditations followed by hard-driving tenor saxophone workouts. An Erik Satie composition alongside a Fats Waller tune. Pieces with inscrutable titles like "Psychicemotus" & Medula Sonata". Something unusual is going on here - but when the multi-instrumentalist YUSEF LATEEF is involved, the unusual is business as usual. This 1965 quartet session is vintage Lateef, as infectious & captivating as it is mysterious & uncategorizable.

Freda Payne is best known for her recording of "Band Of Gold", a monster hit in 1970. But long before she stormed the pop charts, she had made her mark as a jazz singer of uncommon sensitivity & skill. On this album, her first, she receives state-of-the-art support: a big band expertly arranged by Manny Albam & a quintet featuring jazz greats, Phil Woods, Hank Jones & Jim Hall

SPELLBINDER was only GABOR SZABO'S second album as a leader but by the time he recorded it he was recognized as one of the most distinctive guitarists in jazz, with a hypnotic style that seamlessly incorporated gypsy, Latin, rock & other influences. Featuring Chico Hamilton on drums, Ron Carter on ass & a repertoire ranging from SZABO'S "Gypsy Queen", later covered by Santana, to the Sonny & Cher hit "Bang Bang".