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A seminal world jazz crossover from bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik -- one of the first albums ever of its kind, and as fresh today as it was back in the late 50s! At the time of the set, Ahmed was working as Thelonious Monk's bassist -- but here, he also plays a fair bit of oud -- that lute-like... read more

Revolutionary work from one of the most important talents you never heard of -- 2 jazz/world classics from the amazing Ahmed Abdul-Malik! The CD begins with The Music Of Ahmed Abdul Malik from 1961 -- a record that has the bassist working in a very sophisticated cross-cultural mode -- pulling... read more

One of the most beautiful albums ever recorded by this legendary AACM pianist! The album was a rare Japanese-only session from 1975, but recorded in Chicago -- and it features Muhal playing solo -- in beautifully warm spiritual tones that are very different from his playing on many other albums... read more

A large group session from pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, but one that often has enough of a quietly individual feel to warrant its "view from within" title! The players are very well balanced here -- often given a bit of direction, but usually playing free -- although still with a... read more

Short bursts and more textured bits of dissonant jazz from Tom Abbs & Frequency Response -- balancing jarring, blunt force dynamics with more haunting, measured moments! Abbs plays bass, cello, tuba and handled the compositions with Brian Settles on sax & flute, Jean Cook on violin and... read more

Wonderful work from Idris Ackamoor -- a great indie set that we'd rank right up there with some of his best recordings of the 70s! The group here is only a quartet, but there's a richness to the sound that's really amazing -- a soaringly soulful style that often feels like Idris is working with a... read more

Way more than just a tribute to Cuba -- and instead, a set of work that's just about as spiritual and soulful as any of Idris Ackamoor's other recordings! The great Chico Freeman's on board this time around -- blowing tenor and soprano sax with Ackamoor's ensemble for the record -- a group that... read more

A treasure trove of spiritual jazz from saxophonist Idris Ackamoor -- featuring his famous 70s recordings with The Pyramids, solo material, and even some previously unissued titles! The bulk of the collection comes from The Pyramids' albums Birth Speed Merging, Lalibela, and King Of Kings -- all... read more

That's harp, as in harmonica -- played beautifully here by Angelo Adamo, in a jazz-based mode that few other players can match! There's a vibe here that takes us back to older albums by Toots Thielemans -- and possibly a few more recent releases by Mauricio Einhorn from Brazil -- a lean harmonic... read more

A trashy cover, but a great little record -- one that's filled with wonderfully sensitive sounds from the team of George Adams and Don Pullen -- working here in some really relaxed, soulful territory! The album's got a laidback feel that's a nice change from some of the more cerebral modes of both... read more

Tremendous work from saxophonist Pepper Adams -- quite possibly one of his most hard-blowing sets on record! The album's a live date, recorded at the legendary Five Spot -- and the group here is a swinging one with plenty of soul jazz touches -- a combo that includes a young Bobby Timmons on piano... read more

A real lost treasure from Pacific Jazz -- a rare late 50s west coast session from Pepper Adams, featuring the amazing baritonist in a group with Lee Katzman on trumpet, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums! The sound is incredible -- on a par with that rare few of... read more

A really great setting for Pepper Adams -- a rare European live date that has his baritone sax matched with the mighty talents of the George Arvanitas trio! Arvanitas' piano is always great, but we especially love the rhythm work here by bassist Jacky Samson and drummer Charles Saudrais -- two... read more

An exceptional set from baritonist Pepper Adams -- one of those great moments that artists hit only at a few spots in their career, especially during later years like this! The album's a live date that cooks with any of Pepper's classics from years back -- but it's also got a soulful complexity... read more

The second album from Chicago vibist Jason Adasiewicz and his Rolldown group -- giving us some of the best vibes-led jazz in years! The group features players from the Chicago scene that are truly at the forefront of an exciting wave of modern jazz in the city, and anywhere else on the planet --... read more

A hip little live set from Cannonball -- recorded at the end of the funky 60s, in Paris, with Joe Zawinul on keyboards, and in the same long electric tradition as his famous Country Preacher album! The tracks include some of the gems from the Capitol years -- stretched out and served up with a... read more

Rock-solid live material from the classic Cannonball Adderley Sextet -- a combo who could usually groove even better on a concert date then they could in the studio! The album's one of a number of key live sides from Cannon in the 60s -- and although it pre-dates his work on Capitol, it's done in... read more

One of Cannonball Adderley's late funky sessions for Fantasy -- and a record that still features some mighty heavy production from David Axelrod! The album's got that core groove that Axe and Cannon first crafted together at Capitol in the 60s -- but the sound here has some definite 70s touches... read more

A swingin' Japanese concert by one of Cannonball's best groups from the 60's. Joe Zawinul's on piano, brother Nat's on cornet, Sam Jones is on bass, and Louis Hayes is on drums. But the real treat here is Yusef Lateef, who does some excellent reed work on tenor, flute, and oboe -- and who's... read more

A massive look at the mighty pairing of Cannonball Adderley and David Axelrod -- a partnership that's way more than just jazz musician and producer! Axelrod's talents in the studio are many, but his greatest heights were possibly reached in collaboration with Cannonball -- a relationship that... read more

A strong showcase for young Nat Adderley's talents on cornet -- and an album that's got a different feel that his work with his more famous brother's combo at the same time! The style here is simple -- Nat blowing with 2 different quartets -- one with Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and... read more

When it comes to soul jazz, you can't get any more classic than this! The title was one of the biggest jazz hits of the 60s -- covered by countless other artists, but presented here in all its original brilliance in a group led by its composer, a young Nat Adderley! At the time of the record, Nat... read more

Smoking grooves from an incredible group -- the amazing Afro Blues Quintet, a combo with a sound like no other! These guys were never one for stardom, but during the mid and late 60s, they burned up the west coast scene with an incredible blend of vibes, piano, and reeds -- often kicked up nicely... read more

Warmly swinging work from Dutch pianist Rob Agerbeek -- one of those players who's never been huge on these shores, but who always manages to make waves in all the right places! The date's got a core groove that really holds up to some of Rob's recordings from years back -- almost a European take... read more

A tremendous album from Air -- recorded in their native Chicago, but one of the landmark 70s sessions on Japan's Why Not label! The trio is in wonderful formation here -- very focused, with a sharpness that you don't always get in some of their other recordings -- a perfect balance between the... read more

One of Airto's greatest records ever -- a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches -- all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! ... read more

The Gods of Jazz give plenty of help to Airto here -- in a fair turn too, given that Airto graced some of their best records in the 70s! The percussionist works here as the leader, amidst other players who include Herbie Hancock on piano and keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, Chick Corea on... read more

Toshiko Akioshi makes a trip back to the Japanese jazz scene in the early 60s -- for this great little session that has her meeting up with "old pals" from previous years -- including Sadao Watanabe on alto sax, Akira Miyazawa on tenor, and Hideo Shiraki on drums! The reunion is a really... read more

Seminal work from one of the hippest big bands of the 70s -- the legendary ensemble led by pianist Toshiko Akioshi and reedman Lew Tabackin! The group marks a huge shift for Akiyoshi -- a move away from the more bop-inflected small combo work of earlier years, into a rich new role as a composer... read more

A very different album than usual from Jan Akkerman -- but in a really nice way! The album's not nearly as guitar-heavy and rock-leaning as some of Jan's other sets from the 70s -- and has a bubbling sort of soul-based finish, one that's arranged by Akkerman with some help from Mike Gibbs -- and... read more

Hard-swinging big band material -- with a heavy emphasis on drums! The album is a suite of six tracks -- all written by either Manny Albam or Ernie Wilkins, both of whom arrange the groups on the set -- really letting them open up nicely on the album's longish tracks. Manny and Ernie were two of... read more

A cool collection of very unusual grooves from Argentine composer/guitarist Rodolfo Alchourron -- part of a generation of groundbreaking musicians in his homeland that also included Lalo Schifrin and Gato Barbieri -- yet unlike those artists, a talent that never achieved greater global fame! The... read more

A long-overdue session of ballads from modern tenor giant Eric Alexander -- a player we've always loved for his soaring, leaping lines on soul jazz sets -- but who also has just the right tone to carry off an album of mellow tunes and ballads! Alexander's tone reminds us a lot of the Sonny Rollins... read more

A dynamic sextet outing from tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander -- easily one of the best straight jazz albums recorded by the Delmark label in the 90s, put together with a rock-solid sound all the way through! Alexander's tenor would be enough to make the record great, but the album also features... read more

Alexander's second outing for the Milestone label (hence the title), and a wonderful album of soulful tenor tracks that has him working in a quintet with Harold Mabern on piano and Jim Rotondi on trumpet. Mabern and Alexander have, by this time, forged quite a sympathetic relationship -- and, dare... read more

Pure brilliance from tenor giant Eric Alexander -- one of the few modern players we'd put on a par with our favorites from older years! Alexander's got a depth of tone and sense of poise that's simply wonderful on the set -- one that's never staid, but which continues to grow beautifully over the... read more

6 classic 70s albums from pianist Monty Alexander -- all recorded for the MPS label, at a time when he was at the height of his funky powers! Most of the work here is in a trio or quartet mode, but Monty has a way of hitting a groove that really makes the tracks come across with a much larger... read more

One of the greatest albums ever from Lorez Alexandria -- an ultra-hip singer who recorded for Impulse and King, but who sounds especially wonderful on this rare date for Chess Records! The album's got a groove that definitely lives up to its title -- a jazzy, bouncy sort of rhythm that's... read more

Great work from the rock-solid rhythm section of drummer Carl Allen and bassist Rodney Whitaker -- two players who set up a wonderful groove for the set, then open the door for a host of wonderful guests! Most instrumentation is acoustic -- save for a bit of guitar and Hammond at points -- and... read more

One of the few great Christmas jazz albums recorded in recent years -- one with a classic sound that takes us back to 60s holiday jazz from Blue Note and Prestige! Harry Allen's working here in a no-nonsense mode with organ, guitar, and drums backing him up -- a lean and clean sound that really... read more

Mose Allison's last album for Prestige Records -- before moving onto even bigger fame at Columbia and Atlantic during the 60s! Unlike Allison's later sets, this one is mostly instrumental -- but there are a few sweet vocal tracks that bring out the hip, rootsy lyrical modes that would make Mose a... read more

An all-instrumental set from Mose Allison -- one that drops out his familiar jazz vocals, and really brings a nice focus to his energy on the keys of the piano! Given that Mose really got his start as a sideman in other combos during the 50s, the selection's no surprise -- and if you've only heard... read more

A pivotal album for Mose Allison -- and one of the first records to ever feature his voice, even if only on one track! During the 50s, Allison was mostly known for his work as a bop-styled pianist -- on records by Stan Getz and others -- but at the end of the decade, he really returned to his... read more

A beautiful live set from these two legendary A&M Records talents -- united for years at a personal level, and working beautifully here at an artistic one as well! The setting is a small combo one -- a jazz quartet led by Herb's trumpet, and mostly featuring Lani's wonderful vocals in the lead... read more

Cosmic jazz recast as cosmic electro groves by DJ Altz -- remixing the underground classic Isophonic Boogie Woogie LP by Roland Young! The original LP, an unusual blend of organic sounds and slight electronics, provides an excellent foil for Altz to playfully mutate into more of an electronic... read more

Plenty of power here -- a hip trio that features saxophonist Rodrigo Amado on tenor and baritone, alongside bold rhythms from Kent Kessler on bass and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums! Both Kent and Paal are players we know and love from other albums, and they definitely hold up to their previous... read more

Twin tenors from Ari Ambrose and Stephen Riley -- working here with only bass and drums for support! There's a sense of interplay here that almost reminds us of the classic Johnny Griffin/Eddie Lockjaw Davis sessions from the 60s -- as both players clearly respect each other greatly, but also each... read more

Vintage piano work from some boogie woogie giants -- most of it cut before there was even a Delmark Records to issue the material! A good deal of these sides were cut in Chicago in 1939 -- a point when older styles of piano were coalescing into the tightly vamping, highly rhythmic mode that was... read more

Gene Ammons gets the Cannonball Adderley treatment -- as he blows funky solos over an album arranged and conducted by David Axelrod! Brasswind has a larger, fuller funky sound than some of his earlier work for Prestige -- and it works very well! The overall sound's a bit smoother, but Axelrod's... read more

2 lesser-known Gene Ammons albums for Prestige -- back to back on one CD! First up is Got My Own, a more laidback set than usual from Ammons' early 70s stretch on Prestige -- but a record that nicely gets back to that big-toned tenor sound he used often on ballads from earlier years! The combo... read more

Fred Anderson celebrates his birthday in the company of another avant tenor talent -- reedman Kidd Jordan, who joins Anderson on the album's extended title improvisation -- which is referred to as an update of the Dexter Gordon/Wardell Gray "Chase" battle of the late 40s! As you'd expect... read more

A fresh album from one of the stronger partnerships in avant garde jazz -- sax titan Fred Anderson and drummer/percussionist Hamid Drake -- joined by some of the finest Chicago based players for set of slowbuilding, generously spacious material that might be even better their previous album for... read more

Incredible work from Roman Andren -- a genre-defying set that's filled with warmth, soul, and imagination -- all recorded live in the studio with a really organic feel! The music's a cross between a few different jazz, Afro, and Latin modes -- played by a group that features Roman on Fender Rhodes... read more

Tremendous reed work from Lotte Anker -- a contemporary player with a great sense of sound! The album's a live trio recording, done a few years ago in Cologne -- and it begins with some extremely haunting work from Lotte that's nearly solo, and with rich sonic textures -- a slow unfolding of... read more

A fantastic record, and one of the rarest ever on Flying Dutchman! The set is an amazing collaboration between trumpeter Don Cherry and pioneering electronic musician Jon Appleton -- one of those rare meetings of the minds that goes far deeper than you'd expect! On the set, Cherry's trumpet,... read more

Brazilian fusion from Denmark -- a really wonderful set from this cool Scandinavian combo! The record feels a fair bit like some of the Brazilian jazz coming out of the west coast of the US during the 70s -- soaring, soulful, and put together with a breezy brilliance that almost takes off into... read more

Quite an interesting session from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- and exactly what it says in the title! The group pay tribute to the Chicago blues masters of their hometown -- but somehow manage to do so in a way that gives the work a style that pushes the tunes with plenty of Art Ensemble touches!... read more

2 classics by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- back to back on one CD! At the time they were taking Paris by storm, the Art Ensemble recorded these brilliant albums -- both of which are some of their strongest early work, far more well-formed than any of their individual expressions recorded earlier... read more

A rare treasure from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- recorded as a supposed third album for Atlantic records in 1974, but unissued for years until the group released it on their own! The session is a live one, recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival -- and features the unique addition of Muhal... read more

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago -- and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer -- and plays with a creative tightness that you'll... read more

Beautiful work from the Art Ensemble -- and one of their undisputed classics! The record features some of the most perfectly realized moments the band ever cut to wax, with a blend of whimsical multi-instrumental improvisation, and a strong sense of the spiritual tradition in jazz. The album... read more

A surprisingly great little album -- recorded on the occasion of the Ensemble's third decade in music, and a record that sounds a lot better than we remember! At the time of release, we kind of "pooh poohed" this one because of its divergence from some of the group's other styles -- some... read more

A seminal bit of funky Afrojazz from the DC scene of the 70s! The album features work by percussionist Okyerema Asante, and also includes sax work by Plunky Nakabinde -- best known as the leader of the group Oneness Of Juju. Plunky's influence can really be felt strongly on the set -- and the... read more

One of the grooviest records ever -- a sublime blend of African percussion, soulful orchestrations, and Dorothy Ashby's amazing electric harp! By the time of this landmark album, Dorothy had been knocking around the jazz world for a number of years, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard... read more

Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby -- a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam -- one of the forces guiding Dorothy's... read more

Funky fluteman Jeremy Steig joins the MPS combo Association PC -- and his presence on the session makes the album one of the group's best! Steig's flute really warms the session up a lot -- snaking out with that breathy, soulful sound he brought to his own American albums on Solid State and... read more

A much funkier record than you'd guess from its tripped-out cover -- a rare bit of funk from the Austrian scene of the 70s, put together with some especially heavy drums! The album's got the appeal of some of the best obscure American indie sets from the time -- and it's got a blend of jazzy... read more

Brian Auger's first album away from singer Julie Driscoll -- and a landmark batch of funky organ work that made big waves in both the rock and jazz worlds at the time! Auger's really stretching out here -- getting past the simple R&B of his roots, and going into a bubbling funky style that's... read more

A Brian Auger double-header -- two great albums back to back in a single set! First up is Definitely What -- Brian Auger's first album away from singer Julie Driscoll -- and a landmark batch of funky organ work that made big waves in both the rock and jazz worlds at the time! Auger's really... read more

Joyously romping grooves from Auteur Jazz -- a combo who take the modal style of the 60s European scene, and infuse it with a few contemporary touches of their own! The group are a bit more open-ended than some of the other club jazz combos on the Ricky Tick label -- willing to stretch out in some... read more

Sweet sweet work from Teodross Avery -- a musician who's way more than the smooth jazz player you might expect! Teodross steps out here as a mini-maestro in soul -- writing and producing the whole album with a well-rounded, soul-based approach that has Teo in the lead on saxes -- but also makes... read more

A masterpiece! This is one of David Axelrod's most perfectly realized albums -- and it's a brilliant batch of baroque arrangements, jazzy solos, and slightly subtle funky bits! The album contains the much-sampled song "Holy Thursday", but the whole thing has a very similar feel to that... read more

One of the greatest albums ever by studio genius David Axelrod! The album's one of Axelrod's first on his own -- cut for Capitol Records at a time when he was working with some of the label's biggest selling soul acts -- like Cannonball Adderley and Lou Rawls -- turning their already-successful... read more

It's great to see that David Axelrod's finally getting his due -- and this reissue of material from Fantasy is one of the first reissues of his work in the US! Most cuts here are much more jazz-based than Axelrod's higher-concept material under his own name for Capitol in the late 60s -- and the... read more

Classic work from Danish pianist Bent Axen -- a set that includes some late 50s trio material, plus a number of quintet and sextet tracks done with associates in the Jazz Quintet 60! The set begins with Bent in a trio that includes Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Finn Fredericksen on... read more

A holy grail of jazz -- Roy Ayers' first album as a leader, and a near-lost session that's simply sublime! The record was cut at the same time that Roy was working in LA with pianist Jack Wilson -- and it's got an approach that's a bit similar to some of the Wilson/Ayers sessions for Atlantic,... read more

An amazing package -- one that's almost as essential to Albert Ayler's catalog as his classic albums on ESP from the 60s! The 9CD set is filled with rare material from Ayler -- early recordings from Scandinavia, a smattering of American sides from the mid 60s, later work in France from the end of... read more

A seminal Albert Ayler session from the 60s -- recorded at the legendary Judson Hall with an incredible sound! There's a bold, righteous feel to this record that possibly even tops other Ayler classics for ESP -- and the spacious setting makes the notes echo, rebound, and come back together with... read more

A beautiful set from the Canadian scene of the 60s -- proof that there were plenty of fresh ideas in jazz up north, if you knew where to look! The group's led by Nick Ayoub on tenor -- blowing with a bold sort of imagination, undercut by this lyrical sensibility that really grabs us -- kind of a... read more

A beautifully remastered version of the first album by Azymuth -- presented here with a full bonus CD of new remix tracks! The core album is one of the sweetest electric records to come from 70s Brazil -- the fabulous first effort from the Azymuth trio, and work that's hardly been matched again! ... read more

Always-great work from Azymuth -- one of the few combos who never get stale, no matter how long they keep on grooving! The album's titled after the Herbie Hancock classic "Butterfly" -- and it's put together with a sublime quality that really stretches back to the best styles of the 70s... read more

Compelling work from the LA modern scene of the 50s -- two rare 10" LPs originally issued on the Nocturne label, both of which feature bassist Harry Babasin and trombonist Bob Enevoldsen! Like most of their contemporaries on the scene, both players worked on other instruments besides their... read more

Mid 70s revivalist swing by Parisian tenorist Gerard Badini -- recorded in a loose and free format that almost recalls the glory days of Verve's 50s recordings of the style. Badini's blowing here with a quartet that includes Raymond Fol on piano and celeste, Michel Gaudry on bass, and Sam Woodyard... read more

A Silent Dance, and a heck of a moody improv jazz duo set -- featuring Derek Bailey on electric guitar and Agusti Fernandez on piano -- a concert recording captured in Barcelona in 2005! This is actually billed as Bailey's last public performance, as he was dealing with the effects of motor... read more

Spare improvisations from this transatlantic trio of avant jazzers -- Derek Bailey on guitar, George Lewis on trombone, and John Zorn on alto, soprano sax, and clarinets! Despite the avant-rock stylings of other work on Celluloid at the time, this one's got a spare, free sound that's very much in... read more

A great return to form for drummer Donald Bailey -- a player who's probably best known for his work in the classic Jimmy Smith Trio of the late 50s/early 60s -- but who sounds especially amazing here in a recent, righteous recording! Bailey's working with some very tight talent -- the mighty Odeon... read more

A far reaching, resonant set of finger style jazz guitar solo pieces by Duck Baker! Here Duck casts a wide net and pulls in folk & roots traditional tunes, rags, country, blues and jazz -- and some surprising choices like an Salif Keita number and a Cindy Walker/Bob Wills honky tonk jazz gem --... read more

Refreshing finger style guitar jazz trio tunes from Duck Baker -- joined by Alex Ward on clarinet and Joe Williamson on bass -- with spry solos from Ward, as well as Baker, who's also a graceful leader! The record has some folk jazz touches, but the trio covers a lot of stylistic terrain that some... read more

Duo jazz from the Norwegian scene -- Klaus Ellerhusen Holm on alto sax and clarinet and Roger Arntzen on bass -- modern avant gardism with an ear for the classics! The duo format works very well on this self titled set, with both spacious, delicate arrangements and some feverish intensity on... read more

A smooth 80s set from Gato Barbieri -- but like all of his work, a set that's also filled with plenty of soul! There's a bit of a Latin undercurrent here -- one that mostly shows up in the titles of the tunes, and in the bits of percussion used occasionally alongside the keyboards and tenor that... read more

Amazing work from Gato Barbieri's legendary exploration of Latin American sounds for Impulse Records -- a set that's heavy on Cuban influences, thanks to arrangements from the mighty Chico O'Farrill! The sound is sublime -- a bit fuller than some of Gato's other albums in the run, but never with... read more

One of Gato's best! The record's neither too out, nor too poppy -- and it has Gato playing with that incredible raspy tone of his, working over modal grooves laid down by a hip group that includes Lonnie Liston Smith on acoustic and electric pianos, Ron Carter on bass, Lennie White on drums, and... read more

One of the first albums ever cut as a leader by reedman Gato Barbieri -- and a very sharp-edged session that's quite different than his better-known work in the 70s! Barbieri's tenor here has an incredible tone -- as deeply soulful as Pharoah Sanders or late John Coltrane, and blown with a great... read more

A nice return to form for Gato Barbieri -- still somewhat smooth, as in his later years -- but with some great Latin backings on a number of the tracks! Barbieri's tenor still has those sharp edges we love, and even when things get a bit more soul-based on some of the cuts here, the feel is still... read more

A far reaching late 70s set from Gato Barbieri -- a record that blends fusiony jazz funk, lush stings, and Latin rhythms and fluid solos on a varied batch of tunes! One of the more interesting things about the production is that those varied approaches often come into play within the same tunes --... read more

A beautiful later session from Bill Barron -- one that has him playing both tenor and soprano sax, in a group with brother Kenny on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The feel here is quite different than Barron's earlier groundbreaking work -- but equally wonderful in its own... read more

Sublime 70s work from Kenny Barron -- a record that really has him stretching out strongly from his roots in the 60s, and sounding almost even more inventive than on some of his later material as well! Kenny's playing a fair bit of keyboards on the set -- showing a wonderful sensitivity for... read more

An essential record from Gary Bartz -- one of two albums he cut with Andy Bey, and the killer group he was calling his NTU Troup! Andy's vocals are incredible -- light years ahead of anything he did with his sisters, and similar to those he laid down on his own solo album for Atlantic, and on Blue... read more

Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz -- music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary -- and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip... read more

A key early pairing of saxophonist Gary Bartz and producer Larry Mizell -- working here together before their more famous collaboration on Capitol Records, in a sound that's even more freewheeling and open-ended! Bartz still has a bit of an edge in his horn here -- the style laid down heavily on... read more