A warm and soulful set of tracks by John Hicks – a wonderful album that moves past his more familiar trio modes, and shows how great he can sound with some horn players in the mix! The lineup here is wonderful – with a core combo that features Curtis Lundy's bass and Cecil Brooks'... read more
A bold return to Blue Note for pianist Andrew Hill – his first record for the label in over 15 years, and a record that echoes with the modern tones of Hill's legendary Blue Note run in the 60s! The sound here is a bit more starkly modern and obtuse – done with more of a sense of space... read more
Another lost gem in this excellent Jazz In Paris series! This one features pianist Earl Hines working with a French rhythm combo of Guy Pederson on bass and Gus Wallez on drums. The material is relatively straightforward, but Hines is in great form – and the set includes 2 unissued bonus... read more
Amazing stuff – a really incredible dip into the life, mind, and music of Billie Holiday – with some rare studio banter that's almost as compelling as her famous recordings for Verve! Amazing package, too – a real standard-setter for CDs when it came out!... read more
With Chris Potter, Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson, and Billy Kilson. 8 tracks in all: "Looking Up", "Make Believe", "A Seeking Spirit", "High Wire", "Jugglers Paradise", "Candlelight Vigil", "Wonders Never Cease" and "Down... read more
An amazing album – and a really unique slice of the underground of jazz in the 60s! The session was put together in 1963 by Walt Dickerson, and was conceived as an attempt to draw attention to the incredible amount of great jazz players who were then currently serving time in prison for... read more
Progressively fuzzy work from Hugh Hopper – an album that echoes the sounds of his work in Soft Machine, but which also steps forward with some trippier elements as well! There's a definite mix of jazz and rock in the set – along the lines of some of the work coming out from Virgin... read more
A cool collection of rare recordings from trumpeter Allen Houser – mostly recorded around the DC scene of the 70s, all with hip small group players and a pretty soulful feel overall! Houser's trumpet is set up in quartet, quintet, and sextet formations – often with a groove that draws... read more
Hu Vibrational —
Beautiful ... CD
Soul Jazz (UK),
2004. Used ....
$6.99
Hu Vibrational brings a pounding instrumental mix of percussion, electronic beats, and African-inspired jazz! The loose group feature multi-instrumentalist Adam Rudolph (who has played with Pharoah Sanders, Herbie Hancock and Don Cherry to name a few) on all types of acoustic drums, shakers,... read more
A real standout in the early career of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a very unique session that has him working with some larger arrangements in the background – blowing these magical solos over the top, while still hitting a great edge with the rest of the musicians as well! There's a... read more
Charlie Hunter —
Natty Dread ... CD
Blue Note,
1997. Used ....
$3.99Just Sold Out!
The Charlie Hunter quartet offers their take on Bob Marley's groundbreaking album Natty Dread – taking the original Jamaican grooves of the set, and performing them in a laidback jazz funk style! The lineup includes Charlie on 8-string guitar, plus alto sax, tenor sax, and drums – on... read more
Bobby Hutcherson —
Stick-Up! ... CD
Blue Note,
1966. Used ....
$8.99
The sticks are up, and Bobby Hutcherson is at the top of his game – hitting a whole new groove here in this sublime session of modal numbers for Blue Note – a slightly warmer set than his more modern albums of the "new thing" years, and a great indication of the directions he'd... read more
A soaring set of solo piano from Weber Iago – music that bubbles and flows with a beautifully spontaneous quality – almost in the mode of a lost ECM session from the 70, but with all the warmth we've come to love from the Adventure Music label! The set may well be the best so far in... read more
Abdullah Ibrahim —
Mantra Mode ... CD
Enja,
1991. Used ....
$9.99Just Sold Out!
Abdullah Ibrahim's got a great South African group on this gem from the early 90s – a record that really sparkles nicely, thanks to tenor from Basil Manneberg Coetzee, trumpet from Johnny Mekoa, and alto and flute from Robbie Johnson! If you read these pages, you'll know we love Ibrahim's... read more
Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya —
African River ... CD
Enja (Germany),
1989. Used ....
$7.99
Whatever you may think of Milt Jackson's later work, this stuff from the early 50s, recorded in his pre-MJQ years, shows the vibist as a lively talent, playing head to head with boppers that he'd never dare face in later years. Players include Lou Donaldson, John Lewis, Thelonious Monk, and Shadow... read more
A beautiful combination we'd like to hear more of – one that comes from the meeting of Milt Jackson's vibes and the guitar of Wes Montgomery – both recorded here in easygoing brilliance! The session's a nice break from the usual sound of both players at the time – and although... read more
Bo Jacobsen —
Spirit ... CD
Embla Music & Experience,
2010. Used ....
$1.99
Eddie Jefferson —
Vocal Ease ... CD
Muse/Savoy,
Mid 70s. Used ....
$1.99
Nice set that brings together the best moments from Eddie Jefferson's Muse years! Eddie's one of our favorite jazz vocalists of all time – and even though he got his start in the bebop years, these 70's recordings are still fantastic stuff. In fact, they may even show him in his best light... read more
Second volume of the two LP set that compiled JJ's bop trombone sides for Blue Note. Great stuff, and arguably among some of his best work. The arrangements are tight, and JJ's in the company of great rhythm players like Kenny Clarke, Horace Silver, and Paul Chambers, who make the sessions really... read more
JJ Johnson —
JJ Inc ... CD
Columbia,
1960. Used ....
$8.99Just Sold Out!
JJ Johnson's greatest album – without a doubt! This gem of a session was recorded in 1960 in New York, with an incredibly hip sextet that includes Cedar Walton, Clifford Jordan, and Freddie Hubbard. The tracks are all long, hip, and very much in a Blue Note soul jazz mode – very... read more
The title's a bit hokey, and the cover is too – but the record's a really great batch of tenor, organ, and guitar lines – served up with guitarist Randy Johnston at the helm, and featuring great contributions from Eric Alexander and Joey DeFrancesco! Drummer Mickey Roker completes the... read more
Arguably the best album that Philly Joe Jones ever cut as a leader – and a straight ahead set of soulful hardbop tunes played in the company of an excellent group! The set fits with with some of the super-hip soul jazz sides coming out on Riverside and Jazzland during the late 50s –... read more
Quite possibly the greatest album ever cut by pianist Duke Jordan – a seminal force in bop, both for his writing and playing – but an artist who rarely ever got the chance to work as a leader! This session's a prime bit of lost Blue Note – with an unusual and edgey lineup that... read more
Theo Jorgensmann —
Fellowship ... CD
Hat Hut (Switzerland),
1998. Used ....
$9.99
Rahsaan Roland Kirk & The Vibration Society —
Rahsaan, Rahsaan ... CD
Atlantic/Collectables,
1970. Used ....
$8.99
One of the hippest albums that Rahsaan Roland Kirk ever recorded – a perfect realization of his "black classical music" ethos, and a pan-generational jazz album that's all held together by one unique musical vision! Side one features the extended suite "The Seeker", which... read more
One of the sharper-edged sessions on the GRP label at the start of the 90s – a self-titled set from keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, who's mostly working here in a stripped-down acoustic mode! The lineup changes a bit from track to track – and in addition to Kenny on keys, the set also... read more
Tremendous work from this young group – a set that embraces a range of modern jazz traditions, then pushes them forward strongly to the next generation! The lineup here features some of the sharpest talents of the current Windy City underground – James Falzone on clarinet, Jason... read more
Easily one of the biggest selling jazz albums of the 60s – a crowning achievement for Ramsey Lewis and his popular trio with Eldee Young on bass and Redd Holt on drums! The set was recorded live at the Bohemian Caverns in DC, and the trio are perfect in the setting – going at the... read more
Charles Lloyd & Jason Moran —
Hagar's Song ... CD
ECM (Germany),
2013. Used ....
$11.99
Beautiful duets between this richly creative pair – a stripped-down set that really showcases the warmth and intimacy of Charles Lloyd's reed styles in recent years – and one that also has Jason Moran warming up a bit more than usual too! Lloyd plays tenor and alto, both with a very... read more
Joe Lovano, Ed Blackwell & Anthony Cox —
Sounds Of Joy ... CD
Enja (Germany),
1991. Used ....
$12.99
Bold, angular work from an ultra-hip trio – one with reedman Joe Lovano, bassist Anthony Cox, and drummer Ed Blackwell – all working in open, highly rhythmic space that recalls some of Blackwell's best experiments from years past! Lovano's got more than enough edge to make the record... read more
Jasmine Lovell Smith's Towering Poppies —
Fortune Songs ... CD
Paint Box,
2011. Used Gatefold ....
$9.99
A great record from a great guitarist – one of Mundell Lowe's best small group sessions of the 50s, and a record with a wonderful sound overall! One of the key factors in the record's success is the presence of pianist Dick Hyman – who plays organ as well as piano here (plus celeste on... read more