George Braith is not as widely known as Roland Kirk, but he too made indisputably musical sounds playing two horns simultaneously. He in fact played one of Kirk’s signature instruments, the stritch (a type of straight alto), often in tandem with the soprano. This Blue Note reissue combines the three albums Braith made for the label between 1963 and 1965: Two Souls In One, Soul Stream, and Extension. Braith, guitarist Grant Green, and organist Billy Gardner appear on all three albums, but the drummers change every time. They are Donald Bailey, Hugh Walker, and Clarence Johnson, respectively.

Bron: allaboutjazz.com

James (Jim) Flora concocted dozens of diabolic and hallucinatory album cover illustrations, many for Columbia and RCA Victor jazz artists, in the 1940s and ‘50s. His designs pulsed with angular hepcats bearing funnel-tapered noses and shark-fin chins, who fingered cockeyed pianos and honked lollipop-hued horns. Yet Flora’s wondrous, childlike exuberance was subverted by a sinister tinge of the grotesque. He wreaked havoc with the laws of physics, conjuring up flying musicians, levitating instruments, and wobbly dimensional perspectives. He also took liberties with human anatomy, evoking bonded bodies, mutant appendages, ghoulish skin tints, and misshapen heads. He was not averse to pigmenting Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa like bedspread patterns.

Bron: inhi-fi.com/flora

Arriving on A&M Records’ doorstep in 1966, Sergio Mendes and his group were signed to a record deal by Herb Alpert, whose enthusiastic response enabled their immediate success. Blending Brazilian, jazz and American popular styles, Brasil ‘66 became known for their unique, innovative sound.  While Mendes was the lively pianist, arranger, producer and musical director, it was Chicago-bred vocalist Lani Hall who gave the group the finesse that ensured their success on the pop music charts. Lani is equally at home singing in English, Spanish and Portugese, although you’d never know it from the way she tackles all of her songs with the ease of a native.

Bron: brasil66.com

Bron: vinylorphanage.com

Bron: vinylorphanage.com