A couple of stone cold classics, some serious cocktail party ammunition and a full set of Penguins too!

We start this new week with Nina Simone in Concert, one of the most revered live albums of the 1960’s and still a stone cold stunner sixty years on. The album is actually comprised of three different recordings in the Spring of ‘64 at the iconic Carnegie Hall in New York City, but the focus of the energy would suggest that she was just absolutely on fire every time she took to the stage. Her playing is full of flourishes and wild flare and her voice is just incredible, converting the churning social politics of these songs. A hugely important statement and document of the time and a wonderful rendering of one of an iconic and unflinching performer.

+ Pressed as part of Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series, featuring transfers from analogue tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Next, you wanna talk about classics?! Part of the greatest run of albums recorded by anyone ever (in our humble, award-winning opinion), Neil Young’s On the Beach celebrates it’s fiftieth anniversary with a limited 140g clear vinyl pressing. Amazing band, amazing performances, amazing songs, it’s just one of those classic albums where even the air in the room (well, barn?) sounds perfect.

Tragically limited, do not miss out.

Latin Kick is an absolutely gorgeous album of Afro-Cuban grooves from vibraphonist Cal Tjader. He was actually a multi-instrumentalist - and from St. Louis, Missouri rather than down south - but Latin Kick has such a legit air to it as he floats up and down the keys, especially when it hits a pace too. If you are having a cocktail party this season, this is the jam. Oh, and in a week of amazing sleeves, this is a solid 10.

Root Down is a live album from Jimmy Smith, the irrefutable king of the Hammond B-3 organ, and man does he show us those fingers! The band are so locked in, you can really feel how much the audience are part of the dynamic with some well earned yelps.

So how we gonna kick it?

+ Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
We have a very soulful Grant Green on his 1971 Visions LP, with adaptations of The Jackson 5, Chicago, The Carpenters, Quincy Jones and even old Mozart! Still don’t think anyone can run up and down the fretboard with such vibe.

Drives is a 1970 ripping from organ magician Dr. Lonnie Smith. Five absolute groovers with a great band behind him. This time of year isn’t entirely about cocktail parties, but if you were going to drink and sway, this sure is another essential accompaniment.

+ Both Dr Smith and Grant Green are released as part of the Blue Note Classic Vinyl series. Both are stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

For anyone in need of a little seasonal-anthesis, Beggars Banquet have pressed an expanded deluxe pressing of Zoon from The Nefilim. Hard, industrial and about as dark as Thursday 2nd January is gonna feel. Formed after the fragmentation of Fields Of The Nephilim, it was their only album and it hits damn hard.

+ Pressed on double Red colour vinyl.

So lastly for today, we have a full Penguin Cafe Orchestra reissue, with the studio albums; Music From The Penguin Cafe, Penguin Café Orchestra, Broadcasting From Home and Signs of Life, plus live album When In Rome and The Penguin Café mini album. All are pressed on colour vinyl and it has been a little mid-Winter joy to have such bright and joyous music rolling around the shop stereo as we picked and packed things. Genuine spiritual uplifters!

We have some really superb compilations in the racks this week too, so we’ll put together a little feature about them and also some of the year's most-scorching and serve that to you all directly.