Thelonious Monk

 

Artist:  Thelonious Monk

Birth Name:  Thelonious Sphere Monk

Born:  October 10, 1917.  Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA

Died:  February 17, 1982 (Aged 64).  Englewood, New Jersey, USA

Genre:  Jazz, Cool Jazz, Bebop, Hard Bop, Post  Bop, Jazz Instrument, Piano Jazz. Progressive Jazz, Modern Big Band

Occupation:  Musician, Composer

Instruments:  Piano

Thelonious Monk was an American Jazz Pianist and Composer.  He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the Standard Jazz repertoire, including "Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Ruby, My Dear" and more!.

Artist:  Thelonious Monk Quartet

Title:  Thelonious In Action (Special Edition) (2026)

Genre:  Jazz, Cool Jazz, Bebop, Hard Bop, Post  Bop, Jazz Instrument, Piano Jazz. Progressive Jazz, Modern Big Band

Label:  Ermitage

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side One:

 1.  Light Blue (5:18)

 2.  Coming On The Hudson (5:27)

 3.  Rhythm A-Ning (9:20)

 4.  Epistrophy (Theme) (1:06)

Side Two:

 1.  Blue Monk (8:34)

 2.  Evidence (8:53)

 3.  Epistrophy (Theme) (1:07)

Personnel:

Thelonious Monk:  Piano

Johnny Griffin:  Tenor Saxophone

Ahmed Abdul-Malik:  Bass

Roy Haynes:  Drums

Thelonious In Action is a live album by Thelonious Monk Quartet, originally released in 1958 by Riverside, remastered and reissued on January 16, 2026 by Ermitage, recorded live at the Five Spot Cafe, New York City, August 1958.  Special Edition Yellow Vinyl.

Highway Of Diamonds: Black America Sings Bob Dylan

 

Artist:  Various Artists

Origin:   USA

Genre:  Soul, Funk, Jazz, Gospel, Rock, Pop

Black America Sings Bob Dylan, All songs written by Bob Dylan from more of Black America's greatest musical talents of the past 60 years by some of the foremost African American Artists.

Artist:  Various Artists

Title:  Highway Of Diamonds: Black America Sings Bob Dylan (2026)

Genre:  Soul, Funk, Jazz, Gospel, Rock, Pop

Format:  LP

Tracks:

LP 1:

Side One:

 1.  A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall (by The Staple Singers) (6:04)

 2.  Everything Is Broken (by Bettye Lavette) (3:41)

 3.  Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (by Nina Simone) (4:49)

 4.  Gotta Serve Somebody (by Natalie Cole) (5:14)

Side Two:

 1.  It Ain't Me Babe (by Maxine Weldon) (3:22)

 2.  It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (by Billy Preston) (3:49)

 3.  The Mighty Quinn (by Solomon Burke) (2:58)

 4.  Shelter From The Storm (by Cassandra Wilson) (5:15)

 5.  Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (by Merry Clayton) (2:50)

LP 2:

Side Three:

 1.  The Times They Are A Changin' (by The Brothers & Sisters Of Los Angeles) (2:42)

 2.  Tomorrow Is A Long Time (by Harry Belafonte) (3:27)

 3.  Baby, I'm In the Mood For You (by Odetta) (2:47)

 4.  Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight (by Aaron Neville) (4:21)

 5.  If Not For You (by Sarah Vaughan) (2:48)

 6.  George Jackson (by JP Robinson) (3:29)

Side Four:

 1.  When He Returns (by Jimmy Scott) (4:25)

 2.  I Threw It All Away (by The Bo-Keys) (3:56)

 3.  Down Along The Cove (by Johnny Jenkins) (3:24)

 4.  Every Grain Of Sand (by Lizz Wright) (5:28)

 5.  Blowin' In The Wind (by The Caravans) (3:25)

Highway Of Diamonds: Black America Sings Bob Dylan is the tribute album by Various Artists, released on January 30, 2026 by ACE Records, featuring Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan, Billy Preston, Solomon Burke, Cassandra Wilson, Harry Belafonte, Aaron Neville, Jimmy Scott, Natalie Cole, The Staple Singers, and many more!.

Sonny Boy Williamson

 

Artist:  Sonny Boy Williamson 
Birth Name:  Alex Or Aleck Ford
Born:  December 5, 1912.  Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, USA
Died:  May 24, 1965 (Aged 53).  Helena, Arkansas, USA
Genre:  Blues, Harmonica Blues, Chicago Blues
Occupation:  Musician, Songwriter, Arranger, Band Leader
Instruments:  Singing, Blues Harmonica

Sonny Boy Williamson was an American Blues Harmonica Player, Singer and Songwriter.  He was an early and influential Blues Harp Stylist who recorded successfully in the 1950s and 1960s.  He first recorded with Elmore James and he toured Europe and recorded with English Rock Musicians, including The Yardbirds, The Animals, and Jimmy Page.  The song "Help Me" became a Blues Standard and many Blues and Rock Artists have recorded his songs.

Title:  The Real Folk Blues (2026)

Genre:  Blues, Harmonica Blues, Chicago Blues

Label:  Chess Records

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side 1:

 1.  One Way Out (2:44)

 2.  Too Young To Die (2:52)

 3.  Trust My Baby (2:41)

 4.  Checkin Up On My Baby (1:52)

 5.  Sad To Be Alone (2:52)

 6.  Got To Move (2:24)

Side 2:

 1.  Bring It On Home (2:34)

 2.  Down Child ( 2:30)

 3.  Peach Tree (2:31)

 4.  Dissatisfied (2:41)

 5.  That's All U Want (2:13)

 6.  Too Old To Think (2:46)

Personnel:

Sonny Boy Williamson:  Harmonica, Vocals

Buddy Guy:  Guitar on Track 1/1

Robert Lockwood Jr.:  Guitar on Tracks:  1/2-5, 2/2, 4-6

Eddie King:  Guitar on Track 2/3

Matt Murphy:  Guitar on Track 2/1

Luther Tucker:  Guitar on Tracks:  1/2-5, 2/3-6

Otis Spann:  Piano on Tracks:  1/2-5, 2/3-6

Lafayette Leake:  Piano, Organ on Tracks:  1/1, 3, 6, 2/1, 2

Willie Dixon:  Bass on Tracks:  1/2-5, 2/2-6

Jack Mayers:  Bass on Track 1/1

Milton Rector:  Bass on Tracks:  1/6, 2/1

Fred Below:  Drums on Tracks:  1/1, 3-5, 2/2-6

Odie Payne:  Drums on Track 1/2

Al Duncan:  Drums on Tracks:  1/6, 2/1

The Real Folk Blues is an album by Sonny Boy Williamson, originally released January 1966 by Chess Records, remastered and reissued on February 20, 2026 by Chess Records.  Pressed on 180 Gram Vinyl.

Jimmy Smith

 

Artist:  Jimmy Smith 

Birth Name:  James Oscar Smith
Born:  December 8, 1925.  Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA
Died:  February 8, 2005 (Aged 79).  Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
Genre:  Jazz, Hard Bop, Jazz Funk, Soul Jazz, Mainstream Jazz, Fusion Jazz
Occupation:  Musician
Instrum

Birth Name:  James Oscar Smith
Born:  December 8, 1925.  Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA
Died:  February 8, 2005 (Aged 79).  Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
Genre:  Jazz, Hard Bop, Jazz Funk, Soul Jazz, Mainstream Jazz, Fusion Jazz
Occupation:  Musician
Instruments:  Hammond B-3, Electric Organ

Jimmy Smith was an American Jazz Musician.  He wasn't the first organ player in Jazz but no one had a greater influence with the instrument that he did.  He recorded more than 30 albums for Blue Note Records between 1956 and 1963, collaborating with the likes of Kenny Burrell, Stanley Turrentine and Jackie McLean.  In 1963, he signed a new record deal with Verve.  In 2005, he was awarded the NEA Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest honor that America bestows upon Jazz Musicians.

Artist:  The Incredible Jimmy Smith

Title:  Organ Grinder Swing (Verve Acoustic Sounds Series) (2026)

Genre:  Jazz, Hard Bop, Jazz Funk, Soul Jazz, Mainstream Jazz, Fusion Jazz

Label:  Verve

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side One:

 1.  Organ Grinder Swing (2:16)

 2.  Oh, No, Babe (9:02)

 3.  Blues For J (5:19)

Side Two:

 1.  Greensleeves (8:54)

 2.  I'll Close My Eyes (3:19)

 3.  Satin Doll (7:01)

Personnel:

Jimmy Smith:  Organ

Kenny Burrell:  Guitar

Grady Tale:  Drums

Organ Grinder Swing  is an album by  The Incredible Jimmy Smith, originally released in 1965 by Verve, remastered and reissued on January 23, 2026 by Verve, featuring Kenny Burrell, Grady Tale.   Pressed on 180 Gram Vinyl.

Sonny Rollins

 

Artist:  Sonny Rollins
Birth Name:  Walter Theodore Rollins
Born:  September 7, 1930.  New York City, New York, USA
Genre:  Jazz, Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Jazz Instrument, Mainstream Jazz, Saxophone Jazz
Occupation:  Musician, Composer
Instruments:  Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone

Sonny Rollins is an American Jazz Tenor Saxophonist.  He is one of the most important and influential Jazz Musicians.  He has recorded at least 60 Albums as leader and a number of his compositions, including "St. Thomas", "Oleo", "Doxy", "Pent-Up House", and "Airegin", have become Jazz Standards.

Title:  Brass/Trio (Verve Vault Series) (2026)

Genre:  Jazz, Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Jazz Instrument, Mainstream Jazz, Saxophone Jazz

Label:  Verve

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side One:

1.  Who Cares? (3:56)

 2.  Love Is A Simple Thing (3:01)

 3.  Grand Street (6:04)

 4.  Far Out East (4:31)

Side Two:

 1.  What's My Name (3:46)

 2.  If You Were The Only Girl In The World (5:06)

 3.  Manhattan (4:28)

 4.  Body & Soul (4:17)

Personnel:

Sonny Rollins:  Tenor Saxophone

Henry Grimes:  Bass 

Rene Thomas:  Guitar on Tracks:  1/1-4

Dick Katz:  Piano on Tracks:  1/1-4

Roy Haynes:  Drums on Tracks:   1/1-4

Charles Wright:  Drums on Tracks:  2/1-4

Don Butterfield:  Tuba on Tracks:  1/1-4

Billy Byers:  Trombone on Tracks:  1/1-4

Frank Rehak:  Trombone on Tracks:  1/1-4

Jimmy Cleveland:  Trombone on Tracks:  1/1-4

Clark Terry:  Trumpet on Tracks：1/1-4

Ernie Royal:  Trumpet on Tracks:  1/1-4

Reunald Jones:  Trumpet on Tracks:  1/1-4

Nat Adderley:  Cornet on Tracks:  1/1-4

Brass/Trio is an album by Sonny Rollins, originally released n 1962 By Verve Records, remastered and reissued on February 13, 2026 by Verve.  Pressed on 180 Gram Vinyl.

Deep Soul City

 

Artist:   Various Artists

Origin:  USA

Genre:  Soul, Deep Soul, Southern Soul

Soul City Records by Dave Godin (former co-founder of Soul City) had a passion for the raw, undiscovered, sincere, Deep Soul of America, with emotional, ballad-driven performances. He saw captured the record buyers imagination and propelled Deep Soul into the Spotlight and the Charts!.

Title:  Deep Soul City (Limited Edition) (2026)

Genre:  Soul, Deep Soul, Southern Soul

Label:  Soul City Records

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side One:  Soul Brothers:

 1.  How Could My Baby (by Willie Hobbs) (6:22)

 2.  It's You Baby (by Bill Brantley) (3:11)

 3.  confessin' A Feeling (by Tony Owens) (3:33)

 4.  I'm Useless (by Charles Smith) (3:45)

 5.  Please Give Me Another Chance (by Ted Ford) (2:45)

 6.  Rainbow Road (by Bill Brandon) (2:49)

Side Two:  Soul Sisters:

 1.  Take The Weight Off Me (by Jackie Ross) (4:11)

 2.  I'm is Wife (You're Just A Friend) (by Ann Sexton) (2:54)

 3.  To The Other Woman (I'm The Other Woman) (by Doris Duke) (2:55)

 4.  Maybe (by Vivalore Jordan) (3:01)

5.  I Want To Walk Through The Life With You (by Ella Washington) (2:53)

 6. Do Right, Baby (by Margie Hendrix) (3:02)

Deep Soul City is the compilation and collection album by Various Artists, to celebrating Soul City historic association with Deep Soul of 60th Anniversary, released on January 30, 2026 by Soul City Records.  Limited Edition 140 Gram ,12" Black Vinyl.