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An overlooked gem from trumpeter Charles Tolliver -- not as well known as his Strata East sessions with Music Inc, but equally great! The sound here is a bit different than some of Tolliver's other albums of the 70s -- as the group features the guitar of Nathan Page in place of the usual piano --... read more

Large group live work from Charles Tolliver -- a concert performance that has all the depth of his recent comeback album on Mosaic! The approach here is similar to some of the ensemble work that Tolliver cut back in the 70s, but a bit more complicated too -- lots of shifting horn passages that top... read more

A lovely little meeting between bossa guitarist Toquinho and Japanese saxophonist Sadao Watanabe -- a set that has Sadao returning to some of the Brazilian styles he first recorded back in the 60s! There's a nicely warm feel to the set, but the sound is still pretty intimate overall -- not nearly... read more

Two late 70s groovers from Cuban trombonist Juan Pablo Torres -- both of them a wild mix of Latin, funk, soul, and jazz -- a style that's quite unique, and which has made Torres' albums some of the most sought-after Havana grooves of the time! First up is Con Todos Los Hierros -- a record that's... read more

An excellent set from the contemporary Italian scene -- one that's steeped in older jazz and modal influences from the 60s and 70s! The album's a great Paolo Scotti production, with the same all-classic feel as his other work on DejaVu -- kind of a return to the greatness of the Italian jazz... read more

Moody one minute, bracing the next -- a compelling little set from Transit -- a group that features some great trumpet from Nate Wooley, plus alto sax from Seth Misterka, bass from Reuben Radding, and percussion from Jeff Arnal! Some tracks start out in very spare territory -- almost the low end... read more

A record with a sound as poetic as its title -- played by a trio that features Martin Kuchen on alto and baritone saxes, Per Zanussi on bass, and Raymond Strid on percussion. Kuchen's clearly the driving force of the group, yet the songs seem to begin more with energy from the bass and percussion -... read more

Trinity's a quartet -- not exactly what you'd expect from their name -- and a great group at that, with some especially nice work on bass from Ingebrigt Haker Flaten! The other instruments include saxes, clarinets, keyboards, and drums -- all often starting out in the lower end of the sound... read more

A great trio, and a really great live performance -- one that's right up there with work you'd expect from the players involved a few decades before -- showing all of them to still be very much at the height of their creative powers! Oliver Lake's alto sax is especially great here -- blowing with... read more

Sweet 70s fusion from John Tropea -- a tightly-crafted album, but one that's never too slick, and which still has plenty of soul! Tropea's that rare breed who actually sounds better with a bit more polish -- and he seems to draw magically from the high quality of studio support he gets on the... read more

Magic Moments indeed -- a beautiful pre-soundtrack jazz session from Italian pianist Armando Trovajoli, done with a style that's really incredible! The backings have lush strings, bits of harpsichord, and some slight vocals from Miranda Martino -- all blended together beautifully, then used as a... read more

Softly, but never sleepy -- a rare small combo jazz session from Italian soundtrack composer Armando Trovajoli -- one that has Trovajoli on piano in a group that includes vibes, guitar, and flute! The sound is light and lively throughout -- a bit like some of the French jazz of the postwar years,... read more

A contemporary jazz set from Italy -- but one that's filled with all the classic elements that have been grooving that scene since the 60s! At some level, the album's a tribute to the genius of the Clarke Boland Bands -- both big and small -- as drummer Lorenzo Tucci reprises some of the group's... read more

Later than the usual Brit jazz rock generation -- but some pretty great stuff from Turning Point, an overlooked combo who feature bassist Jeff Clyne! Creatures Of The Night is an album that starts slow, then really builds nicely -- lots of spacey basslines from Clyne to set things up, brewed with... read more

A solidly soulful session from Stanley Turrentine -- one of his few Blue Note dates in the company of organist Shirley Scott, and possibly the hardest-hitting of the bunch! The album's got a great added element in the front line -- the trumpet of Blue Mitchell, which really rounds out the sound... read more

A bit hit for Stan -- and a pretty darn nice record of extended groovers, with a harder sound than you might expect! The record's only got 3 cuts -- one of them Stanley's famous version of "Sugar", the other two pretty nice ones ("Sunshine Alley" and "Impressions"),... read more

A real smoker from Stanley Turrentine -- with a sweet guest player! The album features a rare Blue Note guest appearance from Les McCann -- who plays piano in a group that also includes Herbie Lewis on bass and Otis Finch on drums -- all of them easily grooving behind Stan's round, warm, raspy... read more

Surprisingly sensitive work from French pianist Francois Tusques -- a player we often know from much more bombastic sessions, captured here in a beautiful solo date recorded at his home! Tusques is still extremely creative here -- lots of the modern elements that always make his music so striking -... read more

McCoy Tyner in many flavors -- a wonderful record that really shows the depth of his music over the years! Some tracks feature Tyner playing solo -- a setting that he always approaches with a bit more force than others -- while two more tracks offer a trio with Stanley Clarke on bass and Al Foster... read more

A strong live set from the end of the 70s -- one that shows the culmination of McCoy Tyner's work within larger concept settings, a format that he'd been exploring thoroughly since the passing of his old leader, John Coltrane. The ensemble here is quite strong -- with George Adams and Joe Ford on... read more

A bit of a change for McCoy Tyner -- but a set that's every bit as righteous as his other classics from the 70s! The lineup here is slightly different -- with John Blake's violin playing a strong role in the sound, and lots of percussion from Guilherme Franco giving the set an almost Latin vibe at... read more

Darkly-tinged piano work from McCoy Tyner -- recorded live, in extended takes, with long-spiralling lines that soar in his best post-Coltrane approach to the piano! The album's got a depth and passion that's missing from some of Tyner's other trio sessions of the time -- and features extremely... read more

Soaring brilliance from McCoy Tyner -- one of his first large group outings, and an effort undertaken with key help from William Fischer! There's a sense of soaring freedom here that's very much like Tyner's smaller group albums of the time -- but Fischer tunes it with a broader sense of color and... read more

A great album from McCoy Tyner -- a set that's steeped in the modal soulfulness of his years with John Coltrane, but also handled in a way that really has him breaking away from the pack a bit! Half the album's played with a trio that features Jimmy Garrison on bass -- but the strongest cuts... read more

An 80s album by McCoy Tyner, but easily one of his most soulful sessions ever -- thanks to help from Phyllis Hyman and a host of great guest stars! The sound's a bit more tightly arranged than some of Tyner's 70s sessions, but there's still plenty of fire here too -- a bit of a Latin inspiration... read more

A classic bit of Black Rock from James Blood Ulmer -- and a record that was issued by Rough Trade in the UK, giving it a surprising influence on the post-punk scene of the time! In a way, Ulmer's groove here has a lot of punky-funk in the mix -- thanks to some heavy electric bass from Amin Ali,... read more

One of the weirdest albums we've ever seen from James Blood Ulmer -- and one of the most compelling too! The "guitar with strings" title is quite fitting -- as Ulmer's work on electric guitar is augmented by a small string quartet -- the Quartette Indigo, which features John Blake on... read more

A landmark album of the New York downtown scene -- and one of the most groundbreaking guitar jazz albums of the 70s! James Blood Ulmer plays here with members of Ornette Coleman's group of the time -- including Ornette himself, Denardo Coleman, and Jaamaladeen Tacuma. The style is very similar to... read more

An amazing set of modern jazz -- penned by Italian film composer Piero Umiliani, but also played by a very hip group headed by a young Gato Barbieri! Although Gato's probably best known for his late 60s appearances on the American scene, and his 70s dates for Impulse and Flying Dutchman -- his... read more

An amazing bit of funky jazz -- recorded in the Indy scene of the early 80s, but with enough raw power to blow away most soul jazz sides of the 70s! The album's filled with massively funky bass -- played by key group member Larry Ridley, who brings amazing energy to the core "Uncle... read more

One of the sweetest fusion sets ever recorded from guitarist Phil Upchurch -- a set that's less trippy than his earlier albums, but one that more than makes up for that with a tightly soulful groove! Production is by John Tropea and George Benson -- and you can definitely hear their touches here --... read more

Straight ahead, laidback trio jazz from Uptrio -- with exceptional, easygoing melodies, and a genuinely Uplifting groove! It's a trio of keys, guitar and drums, and the interplay among them is intuitive and engrossing -- easily bringing you into their groove, making subtle changes as the tunes... read more

Bop-heavy work from Italian saxophonist Massimo Urbani -- blowing alto here with a lean, clean sound that's totally great -- and a dextrous spirit that's really well-tuned for the tracks on the set! The group's a quartet, and Urbani's sax is very firmly in the lead -- stretching out on some long... read more

A beautiful 70s session from Italian jazz legends Dino Piana and Oscar Valdambrini -- the latter of whom is best known for his cooking 60s sets in the Basso-Valdambrini combo, but who sounds quite different here! Given that Piana plays trombone and Valdambrini plays trumpet, there's a nicely... read more

An incredible chapter in the career of legendary Cuban pianist Chuco Valdes -- rare small combo jazz sessions recorded in Havana in the 60s, issued with bonus tracks as well! The group here is a really wonderful one -- and features a young Paquito D'Rivera on alto sax and clarinet, as well as... read more

A huge range of live work from Irakere -- tracks recorded live in their native Cuba, but also in Montreux and Newport as well! The material here is all from 1978, and some of it is most likely work that appeared on the group's self-titled album for Columbia Records in the US -- but given that a 6... read more

Amazing music from reedman Ken Vandermark -- 10 CDs' worth of music, recorded over a week's visit to Poland and The Ukraine in 2007! The package is surprisingly rich -- not just sounds recorded for the sake of copious content, but a really diverse batch of music that has us more impressed than... read more

A really unusual date for Tom Varner -- a player we often hear in straighter company, but who works here in a very angular sort of mode! The group features no piano at all -- just Varner's flugelhorn and the alto sax of Ed Jackson, out front of bass by Fred Hopkins and drums from Billy Hart --... read more

Jazzy grooves galore -- and a wonderful re-visitation of the piano-driven grooves recorded by Italian jazzman Marco Di Marco! The set features mostly work from Marco's My London Friends album with Nathan Haines, reworked by DJ Venom -- but all in ways that still retain the depth and warmth of the... read more

A key record in the career of saxophone genius Harold Vick -- one of our favorite players ever! Vick is a tremendous talent -- the kind of guy we want to build memorials to, reissue albums by, and rewrite jazz history books so that every one knows how wonderful his work truly is. This album marks... read more

An incredible record -- filled with tunes that are far groovier than you might expect! The session features saxophonist Harold Vick in a split setting -- as half the tracks feature a larger group with Vick on tenor and soprano, playing with Herbie Hancock, Joe Farrell, Jimmy Owens, Tom McIntosh,... read more

A decade's worth of grooves from keyboardist Emil Viklicky -- one of the funkiest cats working behind the Iron Curtain during the 70s! Viklicky plays a variety of keyboards, and even a bit of vibes too -- working with fusion combos Energit and SHQ -- but also jamming strongly as a leader on his... read more

An incredible album that has Cleanhead moving way past his usual bag! Sure, he's normally known as an R&B vocalist and alto player, but here, in one of those great Riverside "Cannonball Adderley Presents" sessions, Vinson gets into a whole new bag on some cuts. He's playing with... read more

A beautiful bit of west coast Brazilian grooves -- crafted by Viva Brasil, the San Francisco combo who scored big in the early 80s with "Skindo Le Le". That track's not on this album, but its spirit is -- as the breezy fusion style of the recording sparkles with all the best elements of... read more

New work from this classic San Francisco combo! Viva Brazil are the epitome of west coast Latin -- fusing a solid jazz approach with a sunny take on the music that's filled with California sunshine and all the optimism of the Bay Area scene. The record features a mixture of electric and acoustic... read more

A killer album of breezy Brazilian jazz from San Francisco! The group was an obscure one, but they worked for many years as part of the underground Brazilian scene in SF -- home to some bigger known players who often recorded on Fantasy Records, and smaller combos like this one, who could still... read more

A spare trio set from keyboardist Matthias Vogt -- working here with the bassist and drummer that are part of his larger Re:Jazz combo! This setting shows a much more sensitive side of Vogt's talents -- tunes that aren't just directed at the dancefloor, but which mix up modal moments with more... read more

Really compelling work from Jan Erik Vold -- a Norwegian poet, but one who frequently works with jazz-based backings -- which gives his records a universal appeal, even if you don't understand the language! This set brings together a range of vintage recordings from Jan, plus rare recitations, and... read more

A beautiful set of world jazz atmospherics from Collin Walcott -- a set that features his work on sitar and tabla upfront, plus some other great ECM touches from John Abercrombie on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The album works a lot better than other sessions of this... read more

Pivotal work from Waldron -- stepping out of the blowing session mode, emerging as one of the 60s most striking moderinists. Like a lot of Waldron's records from the time, this set shows an amazing desire for new forms and modern ideas, and the mix of players -- Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Ron... read more

Perhaps the best of the early David T Walker albums for Revue -- and certainly the one that has the highest concept of all of his work for the label. The tracks move past his usual pop jazz style, and into a stretched-out mode that shows traces of Gabor Szabo, and perhaps a bit of Pat Martino --... read more

An unusual session, given the date -- as 1957 would hardly be the year that anyone would need to "present bop" -- but a great one nonetheless, and a record that we'd rank right up there with the best work of pianist George Wallington! The album's noteworthy not only because it's one of... read more

Jack Walrath is a surprisingly compelling trumpeter who always grabs us in different ways -- soulful one minute, experimental the next -- always with an approach that's quite unique! On this special little set, he begins by just blowing a mouthpiece -- using a tone that's really striking -- then... read more

Brilliant late work from the unstoppable Cedar Walton -- a sharp quartet record on High Note, also featuring the great Buster Williams on bass, plus younger players Vincent Herring on tenor and Willie Jones III on drums. It's great little set of numbers Walton has loved over the years, a few of his... read more

One of the last great albums that Hank Mobley ever cut! Although Mobley's 70s output was nothing compared to his 60s Blue Note work, this 1972 session for Cobblestone/Muse is a winner, and features the aging tenorist co-leading a crack quintet with Cedar Walton, and featuring Billy Higgins, Sam... read more

Beautifully-blown work from David S Ware -- a set of extended solo performances recorded in Netherlands in the mid 90s -- tunes that make a really nice change from some of his group material of the time, and which almost show a more soulful side of his playing! There's a feel here that's a bit... read more

One of Grover Washington's first albums as a leader -- cut hot on the heels of some great work as a sideman, including some key funky dates with Charles Earland on Prestige! The sound here is a bit looser than some of Groover's smoother sides to come -- a nice blend of his earthy jazz funk roots... read more

A great look at the earliest years on record of Grover Washington Jr -- material recorded before his later fame at Kudu Records, all with a much grittier sound overall! The work was recorded in the years 1970 and 1971 -- at a time when he was cutting sessions for albums at Prestige by Charles... read more

An incredible batch of electric funk from Grover Washington Jr -- easily one of his best albums ever! The record really picks up from the sweet CTI sound of the 70s -- taking Bob James arrangements with a lot of space and electric keyboards, and letting Groover blow some wonderfully soulful lines... read more

Pure dark magic from Grover Washington -- a record that was a megahit back in the 70s, but which still sounds amazing many decades later! There's a sound here that's completely sublime -- and the album is to Grover's career what the first 2 CTI sets by Bob James were to his -- a stretched-out,... read more

A smoothed out late 70s set from Grover Washington Jr -- a fairly slick affair of soul jazz -- really honing in on the melodic soulful side of his sound for this one that balances a more crossover ready sound with spacier touches! The record features one a pop jazz take on "Just The Way You... read more

One of the richest albums from the Kudu years of Grover Washington -- a double-length set that shows the full range of his soul and imagination! The album was done in collaboration with Bob James -- who arranged and conducted all tracks, and also plays keyboards on the date -- and the style is... read more

Sadao Watanabe hits a sweet fusiony groove -- riding the Orange Express to LA, and picking up some great Dave Grusin arrangements on the way! The album's got the sweetly soulful finish of others from the classic years of Japanese fusion -- a style that's as much influenced by mainstream soul as it... read more

Later than Sadao Watanabe's classic period, but a great album with some really wonderful moments! The set was recorded live in Tokyo in 1975, and it features Watanabe working with a group that includes Isao Suzuki on bass, Yshiaki Masuo on guitar, and Takehiro Honda on piano. The four tracks are... read more

One of our favorite Sadao Watanabe albums of the 70s -- a beautiful little record that's every bit as evocative as its title! Sadao's stretching out here a bit more than before, but never too far out -- just opening up his sound somewhat with a lyrical sensibility that's really wonderful -- a new... read more

A great live set from Sadao Watanabe -- one that shows the wealth of influences he'd been drawing on, from post-Coltrane spirituality, to African-oriented rhythms, to a slight bit of funk! The group's great -- with Watanabe on flute, alto, and soprano sax, Takehiro Honda on Fender Rhodes and piano... read more

A massive set from Sadao Watanabe -- recorded live in Tokyo in 1972, and crackling with the sort of raw energy that really marked his shift as a player in the 70s! The group is a sextet -- with electric piano, guitar, bass, and trombone alongside some very free-thinking work from Watanabe on alto,... read more

A cool late 90s set from reedman Bobby Watson -- easily one of our favorite talents of his generation, working here in a laidback mode that's mighty nice! The set has Bobby blowing on both alto and soprano sax -- the latter of which is always a treat -- in a core combo that features piano, bass,... read more

A great Swiss set from tenorist Eric Alexander -- one that has him blowing beautifully with the trio of pianist Stewy Von Wattenwyl, really stretching out in a fresh new setting! We love Alexander's other albums, but it's especially nice to hear him here in the company of some different players --... read more

Classic work from Chuck Wayne -- one of the most overlooked jazz guitarists of his day! The album's a very laidback trio set -- just guitar, bass, and drums -- and Chuck plays in these blocks of color and tone -- very much like Wes Montgomery, but a bit more fast paced and with some weird touches... read more

One of the livelier albums cut by guitarist Chuck Wayne -- a player who's sometimes heard in some very mellow settings! This set's got Chuck's guitar in a variety of small groups throughout the session -- with players that include Gene Quill on alto, Caesar Di Mauro on tenor, Don Joseph on trumpet... read more

A new chapter in the sound of Weather Report -- but one that's still equally classic! Founding members Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul are joined here by Jaco Pastorius on bass, Chester Thompson on drums, and Alejandro Acuna on percussion -- and Pastorius especially helps bring a lot of new colors... read more

One of the biggest hits ever for Weather Report -- thanks to Joe Zawinul's leadoff track "Birdland" -- one of those tunes that entered the canon immediately, and saw countless covers pop up over the years -- kind of a rare thing for a jazz tune at this point in time! The track's driving,... read more

A new sense of focus in the Weather Report sound -- that building, soaring groove that would become the group's trademark in the mid 70s -- offered up here in one of it's first and finest examples! The approach is one to describe accurately on paper -- but which is instantly recognizable as the... read more

The groundbreaking first album from Weather Report -- a massive session that took fusion to a whole new level for the 70s! Most of the players here had been associated with Miles Davis at some point in the year or two beforehand -- and Miles' electric work is definitely a starting point for this... read more

A great late recording from Ben Webster -- working here in Paris with some wonderful help from the trio of pianist George Arvanitas! George's rhythm duo is wonderful -- the bold bass of Jacky Samson and hip drums of Charles Saudrais -- both players who bring a really fresh feel to the record, and... read more

Beautifully free work recorded in Sweden during the summer of love -- and an obscure session that's actually the first-ever record to feature sax by a young Dave Liebman! Liebman was on a European sojurn at the time, and had the opportunity to live and jam with this hip collective of musicians... read more

The brilliant 3rd album from Mike Westbrook -- a sharp-edged, two volume set with a scathing anti-war theme! The work is Westbrook's first total-concept album, and it's still one of his best -- written with an edge that's free from some of the more whimsical touches that showed up in Mike's later... read more

A killer album of African-tinged jazz -- recorded privately by Randy Weston in the mid 60s, and not issued formally until 1972 by Atlantic Records! The session shows Weston at the height of his modernist experiments -- and at a time when his work was going largely undocumented, probably because of... read more

An unusual record for Randy Weston -- a freewheeling live set recorded at Montreux in 1974, with Billy Harper joining Weston's group on tenor and flute, playing long spiritual solos that work wonderfully next to Weston's spiralling piano lines! Harper's searching quality really opens up the set,... read more

An early full length album by Randy Weston -- one that mostly features tunes by other composers, all given a slightly modern twist at the piano! The style here isn't as arch-modern or African-inspired as some of Weston's other 50s work -- but it's still plenty darn great, and very much in the free-... read more

What's up is that these cats are plenty darn groovy -- a hip young Japanese combo with a real ear for classic-styled jazz! The album's got plenty of echoes of an older European jazz scene -- particularly the modal moments of the 60s heard in work by Italian players, and some of the best of the... read more

No blues at all -- despite the title -- and a great set of tracks that showcases the southside Chicago tenor roots of Clarence Wheeler! The album's a bit different than the first two Wheeler albums for Atlantic -- in that the group's slightly bigger, and more 70s electric overall -- opening up a... read more

A cool classic from vibist Mike Mainieri -- easily one of his hippest albums ever -- and an all-star blend of jazz and funky fusion! There's a brilliance here that's undeniable -- a focused, soaring sort of energy that reminds us a lot of the best British funky big band records of the same time --... read more

The Who Trio features Michel Wintsch on piano, Banz Oster on bass, and Gerry Hemmingway on drums -- a surprisingly sensitive ensemble who play together beautifully here -- almost with a gentle care for each other's space in the recording, so that their tones unfold slowly as the record moves on. ... read more

A great little record -- way more than just a simple jazz version of a soundtrack! True, the Wiggins trio is working here with material from Victor Young's score to Around The World In 80 Days -- but Gerald really opens all the tracks up on the piano, so much so that we can hardly recognize most... read more

A great example of the keyboard talent that made Gerald Wiggins one of the most striking players on the LA scene of the 50s! Wiggins had a really fresh approach to the piano at the time -- a style that was partly bluesy, but which also had the lighter flourishes of some of the more popular... read more

Quite an unusual little album for Gerald Wiggins -- a set that features him on the Hammond organ instead of the piano, recorded as a rare soul jazz outing by a young David Axelrod! The session's got a vamping intensity that's quite different from most of the other LA jazz on the Hi Fi label, and... read more

One of the wildest albums ever recorded by French tenorist Barney Wilen -- a mix of avant jazz and sound effects, set to wax in tribute to Lorenzo Bandini -- a famous Italian racer who died tragically during the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix! Wilen was an automobile enthusiast in the late 60s, and... read more

A warm and wonderful set from French tenor genius Barney Wilen -- perhaps one of his best of the past 20 years! The record features a stripped-down organ trio, which brings out some of the best tone we've heard from Wilen's horn in a long time. In a way, the record is vaguely similar to Stan Getz'... read more

Beautiful blowing from the great Barney Wilen -- an album that's as relaxed as you might guess from the image on the cover, but which has a rock-solid sound all the way through! At this point in his career, Barney's definitely back on top of his game -- playing both tenor and soprano sax with a... read more

Shoutin is right -- as the album's a wailer all the way through, one of the few jazz albums cut by Texas tenor giant Don Wilkerson -- best known to crowds at the time for his work with the Ray Charles group, but really stepping out here in a different way for Blue Note! The album has Don blowing... read more

Full-on funky backings for saxophonist Charles Williams -- a set that almost has him in the same territory as Stanley Turrentine during his late 70s years on Fantasy Records, or Hank Crawford over at Kudu! The style here is a bit more lush than some of the other Mainstream Records dates of the... read more

Mary Lou Williams works here in a rare British setting -- with help from Ken Napper on bass and Allan Ganley on drums, and some occasional added bongos played by Tony Scott! The music's relatively straight, but also pretty darn great -- that soulful swing that always made Williams a player to hear... read more

An excellent album by Mary Lou Williams -- a set recorded during the 70s period when she was mixing in a bit of funk with her jazz! The sound here is wonderful -- quite different than other work you might know from Williams, and much more in the sort of groove you'd expect from Junior Mance, Ray... read more

A gimmicky title and cover, but a rock-solid album -- served up by a Chicago quintet headed by trumpeter Odies Williams! Williams may not be a nationally-known name, but he gets great props in the notes from Jimmy Heath and Eddie Henderson -- well-deserved praise of his skills on the trumpet and... read more

A pretty great tribute to our President -- put together by trumpeter Richard Williams, but in a way that's different than lots of his other work! Although Williams is a great composer on other records, this set's built out of soulful classics that helped set the scene for the Civil Rights era --... read more

A nicely deep album from pianist Rod Williams -- a set that not only showcases his skills on the keys, but as a writer as well! The album's got a sound that's a bit more complex than other Muse Records outings of the time -- a sound that almost hearkens back to older soul jazz modes of the 70s,... read more

One of the greatest albums ever from west coast pianist Claude Williamson -- from the cool image on the cover, right down to the freely swinging grooves on the vinyl! Williamson's working here in trio formation with Red Mitchell on bass and Mel Lewis on drums -- mostly on familiar tunes, but done... read more

Stu's usually just an ok trumpet player in our book -- but these are some of his best sessions, thanks to the presence of a young Charlie Mariano, who really sparkles on both sessions! Charlie's alto sax seems to give Williamson's trumpet an edge that we usually don't hear on his sides from the... read more