Jazz — All Formats  

8 Bold Souls have been one of the most consistent (and compelling!) jazz units working in Chicago over the past 20 years – and thanks to the notable leadership of reed player Ed Wilkerson, the group has continued to grow and flourish, bridging a gap between an older AACM south side tradition, and the younger underground players on the north side. No surprise, then, that this album came out on the indie/post-rock stronghold Thrill Jockey – but don't let that put you off if you're a real jazz fan, because Wilkerson's vision is clearer and purer than ever, and the set bristles with excitement through a batch of sparkling original compositions written in a vaguely Mingus-y style. Titles include "Pachinko", "Gang Of Four", "Brown Town", and "Odyssey".

Early early work by Bob James – recorded years before his classic 70s sides on electric piano, and in a brightly modern mode that recalls the spirit of Steve Kuhn and Paul Bley at the time! The set's a trio session – produced by Quincy Jones, who'd heard the young James and rushed him into the studio. Bob's playing in a group that includes Ron Brooks on bass, and the great Bob Pozar on drums – who went onto do some of his own excellent avant work in later years. The tracks are relatively straight, but have some nice jagged edges at times – and light experimentation that makes the set way more than just a standard piano trio session! Titles include "My Love", "Moment's Notice", "Quest", "Trilogy", "Nardis", and "Birk's Works".

A tremendous step forward for the young Muhal Richard Abrams – a set that still shows his early roots in the AACM, but which also blossoms with some of his more serious compositional efforts to come! There's a sensitivity here that really stands out – even among Abrams' contemporaries – a striving for a wider range of expression – some as bold as before, some much more deeply personal and intimate. The tracks feature a shifting array of players – working alongside Abrams piano, and building up the sound in a number of different ways. Players include Wallace McMillan on flute and sax, Edwin Daugherty on sax, Richard Brown on sax, Emanuel Cranshaw on vibes, Rufus Reid on bass, and Steve McCall and Wilbur Campbell on drums. Ella Jackson provides vocals on "How Are You?" – and other titles include "Ballad For New Souls", "Things To Come From Those Now Gone", "In Retrospect", "Ballad For Old Souls", "1 & 4 Plus 2 & 7", and "March Of The Transients".

A tremendous step forward for the young Muhal Richard Abrams – a set that still shows his early roots in the AACM, but which also blossoms with some of his more serious compositional efforts to come! There's a sensitivity here that really stands out – even among Abrams' contemporaries – a striving for a wider range of expression – some as bold as before, some much more deeply personal and intimate. The tracks feature a shifting array of players – working alongside Abrams piano, and building up the sound in a number of different ways. Players include Wallace McMillan on flute and sax, Edwin Daugherty on sax, Richard Brown on sax, Emanuel Cranshaw on vibes, Rufus Reid on bass, and Steve McCall and Wilbur Campbell on drums. Ella Jackson provides vocals on "How Are You?" – and other titles include "Ballad For New Souls", "Things To Come From Those Now Gone", "In Retrospect", "Ballad For Old Souls", "1 & 4 Plus 2 & 7", and "March Of The Transients".

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 larger group – especially given the bold, righteous sound of the music! The rhythm trio is wonderful – Fred Harris on piano, Mark Anthony Williams on bass, and Al Marshall on drums – and Idris plays alto sax throughout, with a sharp edge and fluid tone that shows lots of growth since the 70s. Daria Nile and Rhodessa Jones sing on a few tracks – bringing a nice sort of Strata East vibe to the record – and titles include "Idrissa's Dream", "Topanga", "You", "A Child's Lament", "Spiritual Rebirth", and "A Prayer For Changing Times".

A pair of hard-wailing tenor albums on Verve – both of them great! Boss Tenors In Orbit is a studio album, but one that really has Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recreating some of the bold energy of their live shows – coming across with a vibe that's much more Prestige Records than Verve, thanks to the presence of the Don Patterson trio on the set! Backing is by Don on Hammond, Paul Weeden on guitar, and Billy James on drums – a nicely loose combo that really lets the tenorists stretch out and show their stuff. The cuts are mostly standard material – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long Ago And Far Away" – but the twin-tenor sound is great, and Patterson's free organ lines riff away nicely! On Boss Tenors, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love".

An incredible package – and one that features three of the most important records ever cut by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago! All three albums were recorded at the Saravah Studios in the summer of 1969 – during a time when the Art Ensemble of Chicago were making big waves on the Parisian scene (including their work in the film Les Stances A Sophie) – and finding a way to refine their new Chicago sound in the world away from the Windy City! These were the albums that really put the Art Ensemble on the map – letting them find new freedoms, and reach new heights in expression – in a mode that even surpassed previous recordings by individual members back home. The lineup is very heavy on reeds – with a variety played by Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman – and features bold trumpet from Lester Bowie, warm basslines from Malachi Favors, and a range of percussion and other instruments by all members of the group! The set comes in a nice book-like cover, with a booklet inside – and titles include "Reese & The Smooth Ones (parts 1 & 2)", "Rock Out", "Brain For The Seine", "Dexterity", "Jackson In Your House", "The Waltz", and "Song For Charles".

An incredibly well-crafted set from bassist Omer Avital – a player who's really got a bold vision for his group here, and manages to lead a host of strong players through a set of very personal material! There's some great righteous energy going on here – making the set easily one of the most soulful in the Smalls Live series – and at times, almost like some lost New York set from the mid 70s – poised equally between spiritual and soul jazz modes! At times, Avital's bass is right up front in the mix, really leading off the tunes with a great sense of boldness – and at others, the trumpet of Avishai Cohen and tenor of Joel Frahm come together with this soaring elegance that really sets the whole thing on fire. Tracks are all originals by Avital, and titles include "Blues For Tardy", "Magic Carpet", "Theme For A Brighter Future", "Anthem To Life", "One", and "Just Some Small Time Sh*t".

David Axelrod takes on Handel's Messiah – and the result is an amazingly complex set of music – very similar to his earlier albums on Capitol Records, and his Warner work with the Electric Prunes! If you love the Axe, you'll find plenty to love here – spare, dark orchestrations, often with a subtle hint of funk in the rhythms, some jazzy flourishes, and this bold sense of studio majesty that marks Axelrod as one of the most inventive producers of his time! The sound's one that gave birth to a whole generation of hip hoppers and beatheads – and the proceedings are conducted by Cannonball Adderley, with a feel that's similar to other Adderley/Axelrod high-concept sets – like Soul Of The Bible or Soul Zodiac. Titles include "Overture", "Worthy Is the Lamb", "Behold Recitative", "Comfort Ye My People", and "And The Angel Said Unto Them".

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 searing intensity throughout. The group features Ayler on tenor, brother Don on trumpet, Charles Tyler on alto, Sunny Murray on drums, and both Henry Grimes and Gary Peacock on basses – using a unique two-bass approach that only further emphasizes the unique qualities of the record. Call Cobbs plays a bit of harpsichord too – and tracks include "Sprits Rejoice", "Holy Family", "Angels", and "Prophet".

A lost album of raw twangy guitar from Mickey Baker – best known as the noisier half of the Mickey & Sylvia team – and even more let loose here on his own! The record is pretty rocking all around – with lots of loud, complex guitar soloing from Mickey – in a manner that would later emerge more in surf recordings, but which is here set in nice jazz-based studio arrangements – of the sort that really lets Baker step out as a bold solo talent on his own, instead of lurking in the background of the countless other sides he cut with other artists. Mickey really wails, and the album's a great lost treasure in the Atlantic catalog – with grooves that include "Midnight Midnight", "Gloomy Sunday", "Baia", "Whistle Stop", "Milk Train", "Baker's Dozen", and "Chloe".

Bold work from Charlie Barnet – packaged in a cover with great graphics too!

The earliest work we've ever heard from tenorist Nat Birchall – a player who's really blown our minds with his recent albums from the UK! This set's from the late 90s, and already has Birchall really finding his voice – a freewheeling approach to tenor that's unlike most of his contemporaries, and definitely steeped in strong influences from the spiritual jazz generation! Yet while recent records have Nat in a more meditative mode, the sound here is almost more explosive – with echoes of 60s avant in the mix, amidst some bold rhythmic impulses from the group – almost with a quality that reminds us of some of those brilliant moments when an American soloist would combine with a European combo in the heady 60s scene. In addition to Birchall's tenor, the group also features John Hulme on trumpet and flugelhorn, Richard Wetherall on piano, Dave Tompkins on bass, and Danny Ward on drums – and titles include "Redemption", "Helix Nebula", "Unity Blues", "Passion Dance", and "Ism Schism".

Nicely-structured performances between pianist Ran Blake and guitarist David Knife Fabris – done with plenty of free-thinking elements, including those bold-ringing tones that we've always loved in Blake's recordings – yet still based around some relatively tight song structures overall! Most numbers are relatively short, but benefit from that fact – as they let Fabris bring in a flurry of chromatic sounds from his instrument, and Blake hit those almost bell-like notes on the piano – often doing a lot with just a little. And the setting sometimes has one player handling all the work on a track, then shifting to the other on the next one – and coming together on duets on others. Titles include "Watch What Happens", "Desafinato", "My Cherie Amour", "Sontagism", "Driftwood", "In Pursuit", "Cry Wolf", and "Shlof Manyn Kind".

A blasting barrage of sound from Paul Bley – a fierce session that's right up there with the most dynamic ESP work of the 60s – and quite different from some of Bley's more introspective music! The group here is a quintet – with bold work from Marshall Allen on alto sax and Dewey Johnson on trumpet – both working in the frontline with almost Ayler-like energy. Remaining players include the great Eddie Gomez on bass and Milford Graves on drums – romping together through a set of compelling Carla Bley compositions, including "And Now The Queen", "Walking Woman", "Ictus", "Barrage", and "Batterie".

Bold bass saxophone sounds from the overlooked Helmut Brand – a German player of the postwar years, and one with a sense of tone and texture to rival that of Gerry Mulligan at his west coast best! The work here is all previously unreleased, but shows Brand as one of the key reed innovators of the German scene at the time – right up there with the experiments of Hans Koller, especially in the way that Helmut can work fresh tones in with a strong sense of soul and swing! Many of these cuts feature trumpeter Conny Jackel joining in the frontline – folding his horn in with Brand's to create a cool wash of color – and a few other numbers feature Helmut alone as the lead soloist in a quartet, one with Roland Kovac on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Bami", "Nordlicht", "Yesterdays", "Salute To Lars Gullin", "Love For Sale", "Berlin Calling", and "Sum".

Amazing sounds from drummer Roy Brooks – very spiritual work that's quite a change from his straighter soul jazz of the 60s! The album's right up there with Roy's better-known (though still rare) live performance at Town Hall – or his classic Free Slave session – and like those records, this one explodes with a raw power that's really amazing – heavy drums from Brooks, driving a collective of righteous musicians that really stretch out in the free space of the recording! The lineup shifts a bit from track to track, but there's a cohesive spirit to the record that comes from Brooks' bold spirit – a joyous, soulful, post-Coltrane sort of energy – let loose in the lead, to guide the talents of players who include John Stubblefield on tenor, Sonny Fortune on alto, Olu Dara and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpets, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, Joe Bonner on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Eddie Jefferson makes an appearance on two tracks – singing much hipper than on any of his better-known recordings of the period – and titles include "The Last Prophet", "M'Jumbe", "Eboness", "The Smart Set", and "Eboness (Kwanza)".

Joe McPhee plays here with a Hammond organ trio – a setting that partially gets him back to the soulful sound of his roots, but which still keeps things in the freer mode of later years too! Joe starts out the performance with some wonderful solo work on pocket trumpet – played with these offbeat notes and inventive phrasing that might only be matched by Don Cherry's work on the instrument. The drums from Steve Noble come into the mix slowly, while the Hammond from Alexander Hawkins rolls in on these bold waves of sound – almost more forceful than any organ player of the headiest 70s years – spurred on by some rolling bass from John Edwards. Hammond dominates for the rest of side one – but then Joe switches to tenor, and gets some intimate, soulful space – before the organ comes rolling into the mix again!

An overlooked gem from the revival years of Impulse Records – a set recorded in the mid 80s, but one that easily matches the soul and spirituality of the label's best work from the late 60s and early 70s! Pianist Henry Butler steps out here with a strong musical vision – one colored by his own bold McCoy Tyner-esque lines on the piano – and embellished by great solo work from Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Azar Lawrence on tenor. Rhythm is by Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – who definitely match Butler's pulsating, modal-influenced groove here – and additional instrumentation includes bits of flute and oboe, plus a string quartet on 2 numbers – coming off with Alice Coltrane-like brilliance! Great proof that righteous jazz was still being made in the 80s – with titles that include "Fivin Around", "LA Samba", "Improvisation On An Afghan Theme", "Giant Steps", and "Butler's Blues".

Incredible work from Don Cherry – a previously unreleased live date from the 60s, but every bit as great as any of his better-known records from the decade! The sound here is really amazing – a hip blend of Cherry's trumpet with tenor from Gato Barbieri and vibes from Karl Berger – working here in a piano-less setting that has all three players snaking together beautifully as the tunes unfold – freed up a bit to explore some really bold new territory, yet always held together with the same sense of inherent rhythm you'd find on Cherry's Blue Note albums from the late 60s. Rhythm is by Bo Stief on bass and Aldo Romano on drums – both players who really help the tunes take on some great structures – especially during the group's extended take on "Orfeu Negro", a number taken in very similar ways to Archie Shepp's Fire Music version of "Girl From Ipanema"! Other numbers are great too – and include "Remembrance", "Spring Is Here", "Suite For Albert Ayler", and "Complete Communion", done in a 22 minute take.

A large group in a small club – the legendary Clarke Boland Big Band, playing at the home turf of one of their key members – tenorist Ronnie Scott! The set features a very legendary performance by the ensemble – a crack lineup that's easily one of the best ever sported by the CBBB – perfectly mixing American rhythms, and a trans-Atlantic lineup of soloists – all tied together with just the sort of rich arrangements that make the group so great! Things groove right from the get-go – thanks to a rhythm lineup that features Kenny Clarke on drums, and Francy Boland on piano – plus bassist Ron Matthewson, sitting in for the usual Jimmy Woode. The horn players really send things off, though – tight trumpets from Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, and Dusko Goykovich; bold trombones from Ake Persson and Nat Peck; and some searing reed lines from Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Derek Humble on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Tony Coe on both tenor and clarinet. This CD features both the first and second sets at Scotts by the group – albums titled Volcano and Rue Chaptal – with titles that include "Volcano", "Griff's Groove", "Now Hear My Meanin", "Box 703 Washington DC", "Thence We Issued Out Again to See the Stars", "Rue Chaptal", "I Don't Want Nothin From Nobody & I Ain't Giving Nothin Away", "Sax No End", "Minor Blues", and "The Girl & The Turk".

A rare and beautiful treasure from Chicago's Phil Cohran and his legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble – material recorded at the end of the 60s, but only issued here for the first time ever! The sound on the record is amazing – much deeper, and more forceful than anything else we've ever heard from Cohran – almost in Sun Ra Arkestra territory at times, given the group's out-there playing, and bold collective action! The lineup is similar to other Cohran recordings from the time – Phil on cornet, Henry Gibson on congas, Pete Cosey on guitar, Louis Satterfield on bass, Charles Williams on alto, Don Myrick on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, and Aaron Dodd on tuba – a group that's a wonderful bridge between the two important Chicago generations headed by Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire. Armageddon is an extended piece, divided up into five different musical acts – conceived by Cohran in the late 50s, and recorded here in 1968 – with some great help from The Spencer Jackson Family on the leadoff track "Motherless Child". Other titles include "Creation Of The Beast", "The Warning", "The Window", and "Armageddon" – a clear reference to the power of the atom bomb!

One of our favorite albums ever from John Coltrane – but a record that's sometimes eclipsed by the genius of A Love Supreme! The feel here is very similar to that one – long tracks that introduce a new mode of searching, spiritual jazz for the 60s – one that's performed by a core quintet with Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones – but which also features added players on the side-long title track! "Kulu Se Mama" is a tremendously bold statement in music – one that features a bit of spiritual vocals from Juno Lewis, plus added bass clarinet from Donald Garrett, tenor from Pharoah Sanders, and drums from Frank Butler. The two other tracks – "Vigil" and "Welcome" – are performed by a quartet, but are still equally great!

John Coltrane returns to the Village Vanguard – but his sound here is a lot more far-reaching than a few years before! The album's a great counterpart to the first Vanguard session – as it takes all of the bold, soaring energy of that date, and balances it with the newly introspective sound of the later Coltrane years – plus some of the freedoms learned from the Love Supreme era. The group here showcases the new territory explored by Coltrane – with Trane himself on tenor, soprano, and a bit of bass clarinet (echoing earlier Dolphy), plus Pharoah Sanders on additional tenor, Alice Coltrane on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Rasheid Ali on drums. The album only features 2 long tracks – an incredibly soulful version of "Naima", and a very firey version of "My Favorite Things", but one that begins with a haunting bass solo by Garrison!

A magnificent record from John Coltrane – one of his earliest expressions of unbridled spirituality, and a session that we've treasured for years! As you might guess from the title, there's a slight Latin focus to the record – but not one that has congas and bongos creating choppy rhythms – most just a bold, driving, modal sort of inspiration – of the sort that allows the tracks to open up and flow with some of the genius that Coltrane would show more fully later on Impulse! But honestly, we'd rate this one right up there with the best modal sides on Impulse – as the record's got a sense of flow and energy that's simply breathtaking – with lots of long tracks that let Coltrane open up on tenor and soprano sax, and which also feature work from Eric Dolphy (under the "nom du date" George Lane) on alto, plus Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Art Davis and Reggie Workman on twin basses! The title track "Ole" runs for a whopping 18 minutes, and takes up all of side one – and side two features the great numbers "Dahomey Dance" and "Aisha".

A bold early statement from a young John Coltrane – and an album that really has him expanding his talents as a tenor soloist! Coltrane's working here in open-ended quartet format – with backing from the Red Garland trio that includes Paul Chambers and Art Taylor – on a set of longer tunes that really let the young Trane stretch out on his solos, unobstructed by any other horns in the lineup. There's a nice mix of hardbop ideals, gentle ballads, and personal soul to the set – and titles include Coltrane's classic reading of Tadd Dameron's "Good Bait", plus "I Want To Talk About You", "Russian Lullaby", and "Theme For Ernie".

Ravi Coltrane's first album for Blue Note – put together here with production help from Joe Lovano, who also plays a bit of guest tenor too! The album's got a really dark edge – and really works strongly in those edgier sides of the spectrum – those modes that Coltrane's developed best in the past decade or so – which are almost more saxophonic elements of a maturing Wayne Shorter than they are those of his famous father! Ravi's got a good sense of space between his notes – never bridging the gaps with flurries of sound, and instead making these bold statements that swing together nicely, with help from a lineup that includes Geri Allen and Luis Pedromo on piano, James Genus and Drew Gress on bass, and EJ Strickland and Eric Harland on drums. In addition to tenor from Lovano on two tracks, the set also features some guest trumpet from Ralph Alessi – on titles that include "The Change My Girl", "Spirit Fiction", "Klepto", "Roads Cross", "Cross Roads", "Yellow Cat", and "Check Out Time".

A great one from this all-star group – an incredibly righteous combo that's given Billy Harper one of his best chances to play in years! As with the previous album by The Cookers, the Harper influence really runs strong – not just in the use of some of his great tracks in the performance, but also in the way the tunes build and work together – that bold, powerful energy that Billy first unleashed on the world in the 70s – driven to new heights here by a lineup that also includes Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Craig Handy on alto sax, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! But key thanks should also go to trumpeter David Weiss – also in the group, and producer for the record – a great talent for getting these guys to work together so well. Titles include tunes by McBee, Cables, and Hart as well – with tracks that include "Ebony Moonbeams", "Believe For It Is True", "Free For All", "Quest", "But He Knows", "Tight Squeeze", and "Naaj".

The drums are definitely exciting here – really tight rhythms that drive most of these cuts into a funky frenzy – even if the groove is more based on American soul of the late 60s than the African rock promised in the title! Most of the tunes are covers, but remade here as really hip instrumentals – often with bold work from the Count on his drum kit – which then sets fire to the larger group's blend of tight horns and electric rhythmic instrumentation – all coming across with that perfect cusp of the 70s Japanese jazz sound we love so much! Most tracks are shortish, and very groovy – and titles include "The Cat", "Touch Me", "Amen", "Soul Limbo", "Hold Tight", "Otis Sleep On", "Sidewinder", "Going Up The Country", and "Windy".

Tremendous work from trumpeter Ted Curson – and one of the few records that shows up often in his oeuvre, but which is every bit as great as his rare and expensive albums! Side one features killer material from Curson's group with tenorist Bill Barron – three cuts recorded in Paris in 1964, all of them razor-sharp, and overflowing with modern ideas – tracks that include "Searchin For The Blues", "Desolation", and "Light Blue". Side two features Curson in another European mode – working as the bold soloist in front of a larger Yugoslavian big band – with searing readings of his classics "Straight Ice", "Flip Top", and "Quicksand".

Another bold new direction for the legendary Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that has some of the angular styles of earlier albums, but also a bit more of the flowing grace to come in the electric years! A key illustration of this is the leadoff track "Prince Of Darkness" – which has a fluid sensibility that still never fails to floor us, even all these many decades later! The rest of the tracks are equally great – even when subtle – and by this point, the group of Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams were well earning their acclaim as one of the most groundbreaking groups in jazz. Titles include "Prince Of Darkness", "Masqualero", "The Sorcerer", "Pee Wee", and "Vonetta" – plus the odd inclusion of a vocal version of "Nothing Like You" – recorded 5 years before with singer Bob Dorough and arranger Gil Evans! The tune's an odd cap to this otherwise cohesive set – but we love it plenty too, and it somehow oddly fits!

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender".

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender".

It's hard to believe the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is 35 years old – especially when Kahil El'Zabar looks so young on the cover, and when the group's sound is fresher than ever! The album's got a really beautiful, timeless sort of feel – spiritual jazz that few groups can play this well – balanced between El'Zabar's percussion and kalimba, the trumpet of Corey Wilkes, and the saxes of Ernest Dawkins – all key players in the Chicago scene, carrying on a rich tradition of AACM expression and other spiritual sounds. The album's wonderfully free from gimmicks – some of the most back to basics work we've heard from Kahil in years, and a great reminder of why we first fell in love with his music a few decades back – and the balance of the two horn players over percussion really creates a strong sense of power in the record – a bold vision that comes through beautifully! Titles include "Barundi", "Kari", "Oof", "All Blues", and "Ornette".

Exactly the kind of bold, powerful album that pianist Orrin Evans does so well – stretching out strongly, yet never going too far to swing – driving his trio here with a great deal of force, and definitely reminding us that the pianist is in the lead! Evans' touch on the keys is amazing – ringing out with clarity of vision right from the start – and although he gets very able support from Ben Wolfe on bass and Donald Edwards on drums, it's almost as of Orrin's ringing out all on his own, and drawing the rhythms along in the process! Titles include "When", "Big Small", "Clean House", "Flip The Script", and "Question".

Bold work from pianist Orrin Evans – a player we grow to love more and more with each new record! Evans has always been great, but in recent years he's really perfected a special style of his own – a way of pushing forth and fluttering fleet notes out with effortless ease – definitely part of a whole new school of pianistic expression, with a freshness we might liken to the work of Robert Glasper and a few other contemporaries! Evans is at his darkest here – working in a core trio with bass from Eric Revis and drums from Donald Edwards – but also adding in a bit of extra bit at points too, which seems to pull down from the depths, and push Orrin's keys in a similar direction. The whole thing's plenty darn hypnotic – and titles include "Dorm Life", "African Song", "Black Elk Speaks", "Blues Connotation", "Hats Off To Rebay", and "Ribisconsia".

An extended piece from this contemporary Ukranian group – one that builds beautifully over time – with lots of shifting shapes within the sounds – and some especially great interplay on reeds! The group's a quintet – with Petras Vysniauskas on soprano sax, Yuri Yaremchuk on soprano, alto, and bass clarinet, Roberta Piket on piano, Mark Tokar on bass, and Klaus Kugel on drums – all players we don't really know at all – but who come together at a really top-shelf European improvising mode. Piket is an especially nice surprise – able to be sensitive one minute, and quite bold the next – and the set features one extended five-part performance – titled "Poltva".

A wonderful little tribute to the late, great John Coltrane – served up as a piano trio session led by Tommy Flanagan, but done with a sense of power and imagination that rivals the strength of Trane's classics! All tracks here are originals by Coltrane, performed by Flanagan with a forceful approach to the piano that shows a bit more McCoy Tyner than usual – and which is propelled strongly on most numbers by bold rhythm work from the team of George Mraz on bass and Al Foster on drums. Foster's work on the kit is especially nice – quite bold, and really soaring forward with a sense of righteous energy – inspiring Flanagan to heights we've never heard before on a session like this. Titles include "Naima", "Giant Steps", "Syeeda's Song Flute", "Central Park West", "Mr PC", and "Cousin Mary".

The title's a bit misleading, as there's nothing warlike about this sweet little set – just lots of warm piano, Fender Rhodes, and minimoog from Jussi Fredriksson – served up in a really easygoing groove! The set begins with a relatively spacious feel – almost ECM at points – then builds to tighter jazz energy as the record moves on – with particularly strong contributions from Jukka Eskola on trumpet and flugelhorn – whose bold statements seem to really set fire to some of the tunes. The group's a sextet – also with tenor from Joonatan Rautio, guitar from Marzi Nyman, bass from Jori Huhtala, and drums from Jukkis Uotila – on titles that include "Battle", "Return", "No Doubts", "Hesitation", "Peace", "Freedom", and "Journey".

Wonderful work from this hip Japanese ensemble – a largeish group who draw on big band modes from earlier generations, yet find a youthful way to create rich new colors, tones, and timings! The set's got a really beautiful reed-heavy approach – one that has all the poetry you might expect from the title – with echoes of Kenton or Gil Evans sorts of arrangements, yet often turned towards the sharper tones of the post-Coltrane generation – and mixed with offbeat rhythms that further push the edges of the tunes. There's also a good number of trumpet and trombone parts, plus lots of great percussion – and titles include "Ladiga", "Divine Gift", "Trivial Chief", "Never Say Die", and "Bold & Able". 2CD set features 7 more bonus tracks too!

A really raw set from reedman Charles Gayle – a 90s recording, but done with the ferocity of some of the hardest-hitting 60s sides from ESP Records! Gayle is completely unbridled – stretching out on very long tracks with tremendous free runs on tenor and bass clarinet – driven by bold energy from Michael Bisio on bass and Michael Wimberly on drums – both players who can come on strong, yet really seem to be there to let Gayle lead the way! Charles has a sharp edge and hard tone that's definitely a legacy of Albert Ayler – obviously heard on the album's "Homage To Albert Ayler" – as well as on other tracks that include "Alpha", "I Remember Dolphy", "In The Name Of The Father", and "Book Of Revelation".

Amazing work from Fitz Gore – an overlooked tenor player who made some pretty heady records on the European scene of the late 70s! Fitz originally hails from Jamaica, but worked heavily on the French, German, and Scandinavian scenes of the 70s – blowing some mighty mean tenor that has equal doses of Sonny Rollins and Albert Ayler – the amazingly fresh tone of the latter, and the soulful style of improvisation that marked the best bold work of the former – all handled with some offbeat tuning as well. Yet Fitz is very much his own man too – as you'll hear in this hip selection of recordings pulled from some of his rare albums – beautiful work that features piano, electric piano, bass, drums, and congas – all brewed up together in a blend of spiritual and soul jazz styles, often with some slight African influences too – especially considering the use of congas. We'd easily rank these records right up there with anything coming from the American underground of the time – and the package is a brilliant introduction to Gore's music – with titles that include "Gisela", "Musication 1", "Delilah", "Requiem For Julian Cannonball Adderley", and "Song For My Father". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Pelatiah" and "Porcelain".

A fantastic mid 60s album from Grant Green – but one that never got its due originally, because it was unreleased at the time – and didn't come out until a Japanese version in the late 70s! Despite that oddly long gap, Matador is truly one Grant's best ever records – a really inventive session that goes way past his standard soul jazz roots – and which really shows the guitarist stretching out towards future styles of jazz! The session's a spare quartet date – with Green's guitar playing modal grooves over rhythm by by his incredible combo – with Bob Cranshaw on bass, Elvin Jones on drums and the incomparable McCoy Tyner on piano – blocking out bold changes that really drive the record strongly. Cuts are long, and there's a freewheeling quality to the material that's only ever matched by some of the Grant Green/Larry Young sessions from the same time – especially the Street Of Dreams Record. Titles include "Matador", "Bedouin", Green Jeans", and a killer version of "My Favorite Things", done in a very Coltrane-esque style.

A fantastic mid 60s album from Grant Green – but one that never got its due originally, because it was unreleased at the time – and didn't come out until a Japanese version in the late 70s! Despite that oddly long gap, Matador is truly one Grant's best ever records – a really inventive session that goes way past his standard soul jazz roots – and which really shows the guitarist stretching out towards future styles of jazz! The session's a spare quartet date – with Green's guitar playing modal grooves over rhythm by by his incredible combo – with Bob Cranshaw on bass, Elvin Jones on drums and the incomparable McCoy Tyner on piano – blocking out bold changes that really drive the record strongly. Cuts are long, and there's a freewheeling quality to the material that's only ever matched by some of the Grant Green/Larry Young sessions from the same time – especially the Street Of Dreams Record. Titles include "Matador", "Bedouin", Green Jeans", and a killer version of "My Favorite Things", done in a very Coltrane-esque style.

Jimmy Greene really knocks it out of the park with this cooking live set – showing us again that he's definitely a tenor talent to watch – one with a depth of soulfulness that stretches back to some of the more righteous players of the 60s, but with a contemporary vibe too – one that's very much at home in this Smalls Live setting! Tracks are all nice and long, and draw a lot of energy from the bold piano lines of Xavier Davis – who seems to be a great partner for Greene on the recording, really helping to shape and direct the flow of his tenor lines. There's almost a modal aspect to the record at times – although one led more by Davis' piano, instead of the bass of Ugonna Okegwo and drums of Gregory Hutchinson. Titles include "Sense Of Urgency", "Self Portrait 1", "Soul Music", "Home", and "Bloomfield".

Tremendous work from Johnny Griffin – one of those players whose talents never dimmed at all – and who's blowing here with all the same sharp intensity he first brought to his initial work in the 50s! The date's a tight acoustic session – with Johnny's bold tenor firmly in the lead, let loose on these amazing solo lines that never seem to dim in terms of soul and introspection – backed with just the right amount of rhythm and care by the trio of Ronnie Mathews on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Keith Copeland on drums. Griff's the clear star of the session, but Mathews is mighty nice too – and titles include "A Monk's Dream", "The Way It Is", "Fifty Six", "I Should Care", and "When We Were One".

Nothing serious maybe, but a great set of straight jazz work from Roy Hargrove – released alongside the trumpeter's Distractions album by his RH Factor group – almost as a reminder that Roy's equally great at acoustic jazz! The album really benefits from some strong piano work from Ronnie Matthews – whose bold work on the keys echo with some of the deep soulfulness of his classic performances from the 60s and 70s, and really ground the sound of the group throughout the set. And speaking of classic players, Slide Hampton joins the group on a handful of numbers – creating interplay with Hargrove's horn that's very nice, and often in the wash of colors that Slide brings to his own best work. Other players include Justin Robinson on alto, Dwayne Burno on bass, and Willie Jones III on drums – and titles include "Trust", "Camaraderie", "Day In Vienna", "Invitation", "Salima's Dance", and "The Gift".

A bold statement from this ambitious Chicago group – a righteous assemblage of musicians working in a tradition that's partly linked to the spiritual jazz of an earlier AACM era, but which is also keenly conscious of the underground soul of groups like Fertile Ground! At its core, there's a spiritual jazz vibe running through the set – but as the work moves on, a number of other styles come into play – expanding the vision of composer Shannon Harris, and really fleshing out the message-heavy nature of the set. We'd only heard 12" singles from Urbanicity in the past, so we were really impressed by the depth and scope of this set – and there's a few tracks on here that easily rank with the most righteous soul jazz we've heard since the 70s – especially the vocal numbers! Titles include "Keep On Reachin", "Coming Together", "Speak Softy & Walk Tall", "Afro Cosmo", "Cato Conspiracy", and "Mizimu: Ancestral Spirits".

One of Hampton Hawes' last sessions for Contemporary Records – a wonderful little date that's filled with the bright tones and bold confidence that marked Hamp's piano work in later years! The style here is simple, but effective – and Hawes has a way of ringing out the notes without overdoing his thing – a balance that was never present in his earlier work, and which made him a more and more compelling player as the years went on. Titles include "Morning", "Blue In Green", "Sunny", "Soul Sign Eight", and "Killing Me Softly".

A fantastic session of 60s "new thing" jazz – and one of our favorite early records by Joe Henderson! The album features some incredibly hard playing from Joe – with a very dark edge to his solos that's nicely offset by McCoy Tyner's lyrical piano, and the supple rhythms of Bob Cranshaw and Elvin Jones. It's hard to look at the lineup and not feel this group is approaching the tunes in a very post-Coltrane mode, but Henderson's voice on the tenor is completely singular, and puts that short-sighted theory to rest with his first bold note of the session. The album features 5 numbers in all – 3 originals showcasing Henderson's strong songwriting "Inner Urge", "Isotope" and "El Barrio" – plus the great Duke Pearson ballad "You Know I Care" and the standard "Night & Day".

An early showcase for the talents of Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino – a smoking set that showcases his talents in two different settings! The album begins with a quintet that features Hino with Takeru Muraoka on tenor and Hiromasa Suzuki on piano – working through a great open-ended take on "Shadow Of Your Smile", with a long edgey solo from Hino! Next, the set features two larger ensemble numbers – with the core players of the quintet, plus added horns and guitar – all used together in some of Terumasa's best early style of arranging – complex and modern, yet never too far out – and instead a bold vision of jazz, filled with rich tones and colors – on versions of Hino's composition "Night Dreamer", and the tune "Slobber".

A stone killer from funky flute player Bobbi Humphrey – one of her early albums for Blue Note Records, and a set that's a perfect summation of the best sides of her talents! The album's got a slightly different feel than Bobbi's work with Larry Mizell – yet still sports a similar approach that blends her amazingly spiritual flute lines with rich larger backings – in this case arranged by Horace Ott, Alphonse Mouzon, and Wade Marcus, in a sublime blend of electric jazz and soaring strings – all with a feel that's almost like some lost blacksploitation soundtrack! Given the lady's strength on her instrument, and her sharp sound on her solos, the record's got a focus and righteousness that takes it way past most contemporary efforts of this nature – a bold testament to the qualities that have made Bobbi one of our favorite players on flute for many many years. The set also features some wonderful Fender Rhodes – played both by Harry Whitaker and Paul Griffin – plus bass from Wilbur Bascomb, and heavy drums from Alphonse Mouzon. Titles include "Love Theme From Fuzz", "Nubian Lady", "Lonely Town Lonely Street", "Smiling Faces Sometimes", Is This All", "I Love Every Little Thing About You", "El Mundo De Maravilas", and a great version of Mouzon's "Virtue".

Incredible work from one of the hippest groups in the contemporary underground – Detroit's In The Tradition, a combo with a righteous sound that takes us back to the 70s days of Strata East and Tribe Records! This double-length set is a bold step forward for the group – as some tracks feature their own music, done in a spiritual blend of sounds that's really wonderful – tunes that spin out with long modal rhythms, soaring solos, and a very soulful energy that never lets up – with lots of echoes of the best Chicago and Detroit modes from years back. The other tracks features more work by other jazz greats – Wayne Shorter, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, and others – reinterpreted by the group in wicked blend of hardbop and soul jazz modes – simply brilliant, and like getting two excellent albums together in a single package – with a really unified sound! Titles include "She Sings To The Wind", "Winter Meeting", "Noloyiso", "Trouble Of The World", "One Love", "Black Orpheus", "Chantized", "Crisis", and "Dreams".

A great little album from talented tenorist Jon Irabagon – served up with a cover that's sort of a parody of a hip hop record – but delivered with a bold musical sound that's right up there with Jon's work in Mostly Other People Do The Killing! The tenor's really out front in most numbers – carving out a fresh space that changes throughout the set – sometimes spare and improvised, yet other times boldly swinging with lots of angular changes – setting fire to the group's lineup of trumpet, keyboards, bass, and drums. One track features a larger ensemble, and a few others feature guest players too – all integrated wonderfully into Irabagon's bold musical vision. Titles include "Lola Pastillas", "Camp Douglas", "Mourning In America", "Charles Barkley", "Parker Posey", and a nicely offbeat version of "Take Five".

One of our favorite albums of all times – and a legendary testament to the greatness of the Chicago music scene in the late 60s! Melvin Jackson was the bassist in Eddie Harris' very successful group of the time – and his playing on Eddie's trippy and funky records for Atlantic is one of the factors that made them so great. Here, he's working with an acoustic bass, amplified with electronics like a Varitone sax – and this strange-sounding instrument is set up in a hip group that mixes Cadet funky studio players (Phil Upchurch, Morris Jennings, Jody Christian) with some of the brighter young players of the AACM (Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, and Leo Smith.) Jackson's bass is looped through all sorts of crazy effects, and the result is this amazing blend of avant garde playing and groovy rhythms that is beyond compare! The album includes great reworkings of two Eddie Harris funk tracks – "Bold and Black" and "Cold Duck Time" – plus monster originals like "Funky Doo", "Say What", "Dance Of The Dervish", and "Funky Skull (parts 1 & 2)".

One of our favorite albums of all times – and a legendary testament to the greatness of the Chicago music scene in the late 60s! Melvin Jackson was the bassist in Eddie Harris' very successful group of the time – and his playing on Eddie's trippy and funky records for Atlantic is one of the factors that made them so great. Here, he's working with an acoustic bass, amplified with electronics like a Varitone sax – and this strange-sounding instrument is set up in a hip group that mixes Cadet funky studio players (Phil Upchurch, Morris Jennings, Jody Christian) with some of the brighter young players of the AACM (Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, and Leo Smith.) Jackson's bass is looped through all sorts of crazy effects, and the result is this amazing blend of avant garde playing and groovy rhythms that is beyond compare! The album includes great reworkings of two Eddie Harris funk tracks – "Bold and Black" and "Cold Duck Time" – plus monster originals like "Funky Doo", "Say What", "Dance Of The Dervish", and "Funky Skull (parts 1 & 2)".

An overlooked early session from multi-instrumentalist Michael Gregory Jackson, recording here with a trio of great horn players in a wonderfully sensitive sound! The record's approach is a perfect illustration of the maturity on the New York avant scene in the late 70s – a real change from the more frenetic modes that ESP was recording a decade before, with some thoughtful, almost pensive points that really round out the record beautifully. Jackson plays mostly guitar, but also vocalizes a bit and plays marimba, percussion, wood flute and other instruments – and he's joined by Oliver Lake on flute and saxes, Wadada Leo Smith on trumpets, and David Murray on tenor sax. Some tracks get nice and bold, while others hold back wonderfully – and titles include "Oliver Lake", "Clarity", "A View Of This Life", "Prelueoionti" and "Iomi".

An overlooked early session from multi-instrumentalist Michael Gregory Jackson, recording here with a trio of great horn players in a wonderfully sensitive sound! The record's approach is a perfect illustration of the maturity on the New York avant scene in the late 70s – a real change from the more frenetic modes that ESP was recording a decade before, with some thoughtful, almost pensive points that really round out the record beautifully. Jackson plays mostly guitar, but also vocalizes a bit and plays marimba, percussion, wood flute and other instruments – and he's joined by Oliver Lake on flute and saxes, Wadada Leo Smith on trumpets, and David Murray on tenor sax. Some tracks get nice and bold, while others hold back wonderfully – and titles include "Oliver Lake", "Clarity", "A View Of This Life", "Prelueoionti" and "Iomi".

Seminal early work from Willis Jackson – two classics back to back on a single CD! Blue Gator is a massive early Prestige set from tenorist Willis – and just the kind of record that set him firmly in the soul jazz camp for the 60s! By the time of the set, Jackson had already won plenty of fame for his R&B-tinged work – but here, he stretches out a bit more, and really gets creative on his solos – working with a very hip group that includes Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar – both players making a similar shift in their music at the time. The tracks are lively, recorded with a bold, loud tone, and have lots of those great open-mouthed tones from Jackson – quite possibly a good reason for his "Gator" nickname! Tracks include "Blue Gator", "East Breeze", "The Gator Jumps", and "Try A Little Tenderness". Cookin Sherry is solid-sending soul jazz from the great Willis Jackson! The album features Gator blowing in a group that includes Jack McDuff and Wild Bill Jennings on all cuts – plus bass by either Milt Hinton or Wendell Marshall, drums by Bill Elliott or Al Johnson, and some tasty added conga by Buck Clarke on a few cuts! The album's got a tight, yet laidback feel to – perfect kickback jam session material, in that classic Prestige soul jazz mode. Titles include "Contrasts", "Cookin Sherry", "Mellow Blues", and "Sportin".

Soaring, righteous sounds from Elvin Jones – an early 80s session, but one that cooks as strongly as his most soulful albums from the 70s! In fact, there's almost a focus or tightness here that could sometimes be missing from other Jones albums – a really bold, sharp use of the group's excellent quintet lineup – Dave Liebman on soprano sax and flute, Terumasa Hino on cornet, George Mraz on bass, and Kenny Kirkland on piano – all players driven on by the kind of bold, never-ending sense of flow that Jones really picked up during his post-Coltrane years! Liebman and Hino are especially great – and titles include "Three Card Molly", "The Top Of The Middle", "Earth Jones", "Never Let Me Go" and "Day & Night".

A trio of classics from the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra! First up is the initial Presenting album – great music by one of the hippest large American ensembles of the late 60s – almost a US equivalent to the groovy sound of the Clark Boland Big Band over in Europe! Trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis had already made some great music together on their own – but once they came together in a record like this, they really found a great new direction for their energy – a bold musical force that's strong enough to also encompass the rich talents of players who include Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Joe Farrell on tenor, Jerome Richardson on soprano sax, Richard Williams on trumpet, Bob Brookmeyer and Tom McIntosh on trombones, Hank Jones on piano, and Richard Davis on bass! The sound is full, but never overwhelming – and like the Clark Boland group, this one has a great way of breaking open to allow key soloists to have some great space on their own – a modern approach, and one that still never has the band losing its groove. Titles include "ABC Blues", "Mean What You Say", "Three & One", and "Once Around". The next album was recorded live in the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis home turf at the Village Vanguard! The group at this point was a freshly-created outfit filled with some of the best large group jazz soloists of the time – players that included Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels, Pepper Adams, Richard Williams, and Bob Brookmeyer – not to mention Jones and Lewis themselves! The style here is very much in the mode that the Clarke Boland Band was crafting in Europe during the same period – a redefinition of the larger jazz group, in a way that allowed it to swing with the dynamic energy and soul of some of the smaller combos of the 60s. And while the Jones/Lewis group had many years over which to hone their craft, they've never sounded better than on these initial recordings – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Samba Con Getchu", "A That's Freedom", "Bachafillen", and "Little Pixie". On the last album in the set, Ruth Brown joins the big band of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis – in a set that's a real standout in the career of all three artists! Thad and Mel already have a pretty great groove going at this point – a large ensemble approach to jazz, yet one that's swingingly soulful – very much on a par with some of Gerald Wilson's hip work of the same time at time. And adding in Ruth Brown's vocals is a great choice – as she not only needs a great showcase like this for her amazing voice, but also because she really helps unlock a soulful sort of energy that the group always had in their instrumental music. The approach is a bit like some of Etta Jones' best 60s recordings – a nice shift for Brown – and titles include "Black Coffee", "Fine Brown Frame", "You Won't Let Go", "Trouble In Mind", and "Be Anything (But Be Mine)".

Three hip European jazz talents from the 70s – all working here in rare performances from the Jazz Live Trio! The first half of the set features wonderful vocals from Karin Krog – very open and free, at a level that's right up there with her hippest studio sides of the 70s – although maybe not as totally abstract as some of the mellower ones – and instead very far-reaching and experimental, in ways that make this recording one of her most striking of the time! The group's driven by great piano from Klaus Koenig – and titles include "Fontana Barberini", "Sing Me Softly Of The Blues", "Nightmare", and "Lament". Next is a different set of vocals from Miriam Klein – an overlooked German singer from the time, and one with a voice that has a lot of Billie Holiday elements overall. The small group setting is perfect for the mood of the material – and for Klein's presentation – and titles include "Little Waltz", "Come Rain Come Shine", "I Love My Man", and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen". And last, but not least, trumpeter Enrico Rava really takes off – blowing on a long "Improvised Sequence" with the trio – stretching out for 15 minutes, and hitting some of his best bold tones of the time!

Genius work from one of the greatest young tenorists in many years – Sweden's Jonas Kullhammar, heard here with his Andratx trio – a group based on tenor, bass, and drums – all with a fluidly creative sound that takes us back to Sonny Rollins at the Village Vanguard in the late 50s! Jonas has a bold, strong voice on his instrument – one that's bracingly inventive, but always inside, on the money, and swinging – a rare balance of freedom and jazz focus that never lets up through the course of the album. Other trio members include Kresten Osgood on drums and Ole Morten Vagen on bass – both players who provide far more than just rhythmic support – but who also know how to swing nicely as well! Titles include "Salut", "Kifi", "Black Benny", "Settled In The Saddle", "Kid Dynamite", "Ida Lupino", "Days & Nights Waiting", and "Ebony Queen".

A great large group project from reedman Oliver Lake – and a great reminder of his mighty strengths as a writer and arranger too! Right from the start, Lake's had a great ability to move between smaller, intimate settings and more ensemble-based music – and here, he's at the helm of a great batch of well-chosen reed players – all of whom move together as one to realize Lake's complicated charts for the record! The set explodes with bold hues and rich tones right from the start – a shifting palette that only gets stronger as the album moves through Oliver's original compositions – material played by Mike Lee and James Stewart on tenor, Darius Jones and Bruce Williams on alto, Jason Marshall on baritone, Stafford Hunter and Aaron Johnson on trombones, and Walton Ricks, EJ Allen, Nabate Isles, and Freddie Hendrix on trumpets. Titles include "Drum Thing", "Is It Real", "Philly Blues", "Maasai Moves", "Studder", and "Wheels Suite".

The legendary trumpeter Booker Little – paired here with drummer Max Roach, who was frequently Book's leader at the time! The set's got a sharp-edged and modern mix of hardbop and fresh ideas – very similar to the best Roach albums of the time – and with a similar sort of group – given that in addition to Little's trumpet, the set also features George Coleman on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Art Davis on bass! All arrangements were done by Little – making the album a real showcase of that bold vision in jazz that was taken from us all too soon – and titles include "Milestones", "Rounder's Mood", "Dungeon Waltz", and "Jewel's Tempo".

A classic set from reedman Charles Lloyd – a set that really pushes forward all the experiments he'd begun in the Chico Hamilton group – and shows a bold move forward for rhythms in 60s jazz! The tracks are long, and spiral out wonderfully – but in ways that are different than those used by other creators of the time – like Eric Dolphy or John Coltrane. Even though leading the group on tenor and flute, Lloyd's got a real sense of rhythm to his playing – echoes of the Hamilton group – but set loose with a stellar quartet of younger players – including Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all perfect choices for inventive music like this! The standout cut is the amazing "Sombrero Sam", a tight little groover that we never tire of – and one that has Jarrett sounding much more in the pocket than you'd ever imagine – and other tracks include "Dream Weaver", "Autumn Sequence", and "Bird Flight".

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 work – hitting this key point in his career with a tone that's fluidly progressive on tenor sax, as well as soprano and alto clarinet – and as you might guess from Blackwell's legacy, there's plenty of inventive drum work that really helps flesh out the sound of the trio. Titles include "Sounds Of Joy", "Ettenro", "This One's For Lacy", "Cedar Avenue Blues", and "Strength & Courage".

Herbie Mann's opening plenty of windows with this one – and plenty of doors too – really letting some new influences come to his music, thanks to the presence of Sonny Sharrock on guitar and Roy Ayers on vibes! The album's one of Herbie's wildest from the 60s – and the mix of vibes, flute, and guitar is very very nice – a great blend that really gives a strong showcase to both younger players. Ayers' vibes are especially wonderful – similar to his own soulful Atlantic albums of the period – and Sharrock's guitar isn't as crazy as in later years, but has this sharp edge that's really different than usual for most of his jazz contemporaries. The album features great covers of "There Is A Mountain" and "If I Were A Carpenter" – plus surprisingly bold tunes that include Wayne Shorter's "Footprints", Charles Tolliver's "Paper Man", and Ayers' own "Windows Opened".

One of the most striking records so far from the mighty Rob Mazurek – a set that makes us more than glad we've been following his musical journey for the past two decades! The set's got a nicely compressed feel – one that takes some of the looser energy that's been bubbling up in recent Mazurek records, and delivers it in a tight quartet format – with Rob's sparkling cornet in the lead, amidst great piano from Angelica Sanchez, bass from Matt Lux, and drums from John Herndon! Given the wide resumes of all players, there's a really shifting sense of sound here – one that's bold one minute, introspective the next – and never falls into too-familiar jazz phrasing modes. Yet Mazurek's also really matured as a player, too – working here with a sensitivity we never would have expected years ago – captured with great clarity in the recording. Titles include "Magic Saturn", "Twister Uranus", "Spanish Venus", "Folk Song Neptune", "Primitvie Jupiter" and "Spiral Mercury".

Amazing music from Chris McGregor and his legendary Brotherhood Of Breath ensemble – easily one of the most exciting forces in British jazz in the 70s, and one fo the few who was still sounding their best in the latter half of the decade! McGregor's got as much bite and burn here as with his famous earlier combo, The Blue Notes – and the lineup here boasts ex-members of that group – Dudu Pukwana on alto, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums – all joining together perfectly with McGregor's long-spun piano lines. The ensemble also features other key British players – Mike Osborne on alto, Evan Parker on tenor, Harry Beckett and Mark Charig on trumpets, and Radu Malfatti on trombone – creating this bold horn section that stretches to the skies on waves of soul! Two lengthy pieces "Sunrise On The Sun" and "Kwaholo" bookend the shorter piece "Sonia". CD features three more tracks not on the original album – "TBS", "Andromeda", and "You Ain't Gonna Know Me Cos You Think You Know Me".

Stunning stuff – and one of the greatest Charles Mingus albums of all time – a true treasure recorded in that magical year of 1957, when Mingus was finally finding his strongest voice in modern music! The album's near-perfect from start to finish – as bold a statement in jazz as anyone might be allowed to make in the late 50s, yet still always focused, driven, and wrapped up with a tremendous sense of energy. The tracks are all quite long – perfect vehicles for Mingus to reach his full level of expression – played by a group that includes Curtis Porter on tenor and alto sax, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Wade Legge on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums – making an early appearance in his alliance with Mingus that would last for many many years. Titles include classic versions of "Haitian Fight Song", "Blue Cee", and "Reincarnation Of A Lovebird" – plus "The Clown", which features a long improvised monologue by Jean Shephard!

An amazing record – quite possibly one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, and a session that has Charles Mingus stepping boldly forward in a whole new direction! The album shakes loose the sometimes too-academic modern tones of Mingus albums from the previous year or two – and unleashes the bold, raw emotion that would drive him firmly into the 60s – a new sense of freedom in music, filled with poetry, anger, joy, and life! The tracks are all quite long – and played by a sharp quintet with Mingus on bass, Jackie McLean on alto sax, JR Monterose on tenor, Mal Waldron on piano, and Willie Jones on drums. Titles include "Pithecantrhopus Erectus", "A Foggy Day", "Love Chant", and "Profile of Jackie". The whole thing bubbles over with an anger and intensity that you hardly find in other Mingus albums, and if you've ever heard a weak Mingus album, and wondered what all the fuss was about, you owe it to yourself to own this one! We promise that it will never ever let you down.

One of the first bold statements to come from Chicago's AACM underground of the 60s – a tremendous debut effort from the young Roscoe Mitchell! The album's got a "sense of the new" feel that's as gripping as anything recorded by ESP or Impulse around the same time – a rule-breaking, freely-creative approach to jazz that builds strongly off the changes already wrought by Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, and Archie Shepp! The format is somewhat like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago at times – with measured horn work from Mitchell on alto, clarinet, and recorder, Maurice McIntyre on tenor, Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Lester Lashley on trombone (as well as a bit of cello). Some tracks – like the brilliant "Sound" – offer a slow-building exploration of tones and textures – while others, like the blues-joke "Little Suite", or the harmelodic "Ornette", show a wry sense of humor that would become a Chicago avant hallmark as the years went on! CD also features bonus alternate takes of "Sound" and "Ornette".

An ultra-hip set from bassist Tyler Mitchell – a player who doesn't often record as a leader, but really makes his mark with this live performance from Smalls! Mitchell's group here is a great one – a really cohesive quintet with Josh Evans on trumpet, Abraham Burton on tenor, Spike Wilner on piano, and Eric McPherson on drums – all players who come together on the album's original compositions, and who have the inventiveness to keep things spontaneous and flowing on the very long tracks – all tunes that go well past a dozen or more minutes in length. Wilner's especially nice – bold, yet sensitive – and a great bridge between the leader and hornmen. Titles include "A Time Called Now", "La Tendresse", "Caton", "Taking It With Me", and "Taj's Theme".

A rare early slice of work from the legendary Hank Mobley – a live performance from 1953, and one that predates most of his better-known Blue Note material! The recording quality's aged a bit with time, but the genius of Mobley shines through right away – that bold, soulful approach to tenor sax that's unlike anyone else – and which went onto raise the standard for generations of players to come! Hank really gets to stretch out here, as most of the tracks are nice and long, and help show a side of Mobley's world that didn't always appear in the more polished setting of the studio. The group's great too – with Bennie Green on trombone, Walter Davis on piano, Jimmy Schenck on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – all jamming with Mobley on tracks that include "Blues Is Green", "Keen & Peachy", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Ow", "There's A Small Hotel", "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", and "All The Things You Are".

One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up!

Searing 60s work from Dick Morrissey – a UK tenor player who only ever recorded a handful of dates as a leader! This smoking material features Dick at the top of his game – right up there at the same level as his classic early 60s sides, like Here & Now – blowing tight and soulfully, but also with this really dark edge in his horn – a perfect accompaniment for the piano of Michael Garrick, caught here at an early point in his career, but already with a voice on his instrument that's bold and righteous. The setting is simple – none of the higher concepts in some of Garrick's later work – but the power of the record is undeniable, even over the course of its short 20 minutes of music. Titles include "The Girl With The Brown Hair", "The Gypsy", "Blues", and "Autumn Leaves".

A really bold step forward for David Murray – a seminal live recording that features one of the hippest big bands you'll ever hope to find! Murray really uses the date as a chance to express the full range of his musical talents – and often shows modes that are more traditional than you might expect, yet which are always touched with an undercurrent of modernism! The musical palette here is quite different than either the outside or inside sessions recorded by Murray with a small group at the time – and he really reaches back through a rich history of jazz in the performance, and updates it wonderfully with help from players who include Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Olu Dara on cornet, Craig Harris on trombone, Vincent Chaney on French horn, Steve Coleman on alto and soprano sax, Rod Williams on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Butch Morris conducts – and titles on this second volume include "Dewey's Circle", "Roses", "David Tune", "Four Minute Marvin", and "Great Peace".

An undiscovered chapter in the career of Norwegian saxophonist Carl Magnus Neumann – the player best known for his funky contributions to the work of Webster Lewis and the Band No Name of the Club 7 scene – but who's presented here as a much richer jazz musician overall! The set features three rare slices of work by Neumann – two 70s studios sessions, and one early 80s live date – the former with small group instrumentation that includes guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter with a slightly bigger lineup that adds four cellos into the mix! Neumann composed most of the material himself, and it's all pretty darn expressive work – bold and meaningful, yet without being too outside or avant – more in the kind of extended, open way of approaching jazz that so many 70s pianists were attempting. Carl plays alto sax throughout, and titles include "Kludder", "Kalimera", "Blues", "Nr 1", "No Surt Og No Sott", "Wind", and "Ballade".

Bold-toned Latin jazz from Chico O'Farrill – one of a handful of excellent 90s sessions cut for Milestone Records – a label who really let Chico reclaim the glory of his older Verve albums from years back! The style here is a bit more modern – echoes of some of the Latin jazz changes that took place as the 70s moved into the 80s – but the setting is still relatively traditional, too – a large jazz group arranged and conducted by O'Farrill, with all the best Cuban influences he brought to his work in the US over the years. Players include Mario Rivera on saxes, Victor Paz and Michael Mossman on trumpets, Lenny Hambro on alto and flute, Jerry Gonzalez on percussion, and Andy Gonzalez on bass – and titles include "Igor's Dream", "Pura Emocion", "Pianits", "Campina", and "Chico & The Men".

The Mats Oberg Trio, even better than before – thanks to use of some sweet Fender Rhodes, in addition to the usual acoustic piano! Mats can play both soulfully straight, and sonically soaring – moving between inside and outside moments with his really well-matched group – Filip Auguston on bass and Sebastian Voegler on drums – both players who can be bold on rhythms when needed, yet really also lay back and let Oberg spin things out on the keys as well! The album's live – as you might guess from the title – which seems to give the music even more resonance than before – and titles include versions of Stevie Wonder's "They Won't Go When I Go" and Hermeto Pascoal's "Little Church" – plus the original titles "Only You", "Storpotaten", "Lullaby Of Nerdland", and "Windmills & Carrousels".

Bassist Linda Oh's really finding her voice here – a fresh, inventive approach to small combo work that bristles with energy right from the start! Oh's got a bold style of handling her instrument – especially the acoustic variant – in a way that means that even the gentler moments have a nice sort of punch – a quality that might, by some, be dubbed as a touch of funk in the bass – even though the use of the instrument here is far more jazz, and in a way that makes for so many rich colors from just a small amount of sound! The group is nicely compact – with Danya Stephens on tenor, and Fabian Almazan on piano and Fender Rhodes – and in addition to her own bass, Oh plays some bassoon – and gets some on the money drum help from Rudy Royston. Titles include "Little House", "Thicker Than Water", "Something's Coming/Les Cinq Doigts", "Ultimate Persona", "Mr M", and "No 1 Hit".

Page three in the early chapter of drummer George Otsuka – and a record that has him stretching out even more than before! Back in the 60s, Otsuka was easily one of the most expressive leaders in Japan – an artist who held all the tightness that the scene had embraced earlier in the decade – yet who could really stretch out in ways that pointed towards Japanese piano trio freedom to come in the 70s! This album's a perfect example of the richness of Otsuka's skills – bold and modern some moments, yet swinging the next – lyrical at points, yet never sleepy – and always driven with this sense of majesty that few of his contemporaries on the scene could match. The group features sublime work on piano from Hideo Ichikawa and bass from Masaoki Terakawa – on titles that include "Sea View", "Breeze Brook & Birds", "Last Summer", and "The Things We Did Last Summer".

The essence of Duke Ellington – but in the hands of William Parker, it's a very different thing than you might expect! The group here is larger than usual for Parker – a great ensemble used in ways that definitely echo some of Ellington's more inventive scoring, especially his mature use of tone and color – yet both the solos and ensemble moments go way way farther than anything the Duke might have imagined – all the bold, righteous brilliance that we've come to love in Parker's own recordings – focused back on one of his greatest inspirations. The lineup is quite impressive – as musicians include Roy Campbell on trumpet, Ras Moshe on tenor and soprano, Rob Brown and Darius Jones on alto, Sabir Mateen on clarinet and tenor, Steve Swell on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, Hamid Drake on drums, and Parker himself on bass – and titles include "Take The Coltrane", "Essence Of Sophisticated Lady/Sophisticated Lady", "Caravan", "Essence Of Ellington", "Take The A Train/Ebony Interlude", and "Portrait Of Louisiana".

Odean Pope's never sounded better – and this smoking trio set may well be one of the best illustrations of his power we've ever heard! There's a righteous focus to the record that grabs us right from the start – a bold, rich sound from his tenor that easily shows that Pope's well deserving of inclusion in a legacy that includes Archie Shepp, David Murray, and maybe even Pharoah Sanders – a voice on tenor that's incredibly clear and confident, yet filled with humanity too. Possibly, the setting of the record is what really lets Odean sparkle – an open trio with Lee Smith on bass and Billy Hart on drums – both players who have the same vibrancy as Pope, and who seem to work together with his spirit to really soar to the skies! A perfect tenor trio record – following in that Sonny Rollins/Village Vanguard legacy – with titles that include "Fresh Breeze", "The Garden Of Happiness", "Almost Like Part One", "12th Night", "You & Me", and "Good Question Two".

Quasimode are definitely cooking on this sweet little set – picking up a rich array of influences they've never had before – including bits of Latin rhythms, and some soul music as well! A few of the cuts feature vocals – but in ways that are more straight soul than the group's previous experiments with jazz singers – yet the backings are still tightly jazzy, and played mostly live, in a bold flurry of trumpet, tenor, trombone, piano, bass, and drums – plus some occasional Fender Rhodes as well! The Latin elements really help expand the sound, and flesh out the positive vibe of the record – a soaring, sunny vision that reminds us of the jazzy joy we first found in the music of Monday Michiru. Most of the album's still instrumental, and titles include "Febre Samba", "Summer Madness", "Another Sky", "Leaving Town", "Soul Cookin", "Let's Get Down Together", "El Paso Twist", and "Still In The Night". Also features a bonus DVD – with the video for "Summer Madness", and concert footage of the tracks "Relight My Fire", "No More Sadness", and "The Man From Nagpur" – plus bonus footage as well!

An excellent organ-heavy session from drummer Alvin Queen – one of the hippest cats working in the soul jazz underground, and a player who never fails to deliver great music over the years! This set's even more of a cooker than some of Queen's other recent albums – and features Mike LeDonne at the heavy Hamond organ, alongside a quintet lineup that includes Jesse Davis on alto sax and Terelle Stafford on trumpet. Queen's drumming is full and heavy – a majestically powerful force that sets all numbers into a bold little groove, and which pushes the organ/sax/trumpet frontline with an energy that's never hokey – and never just a recap of older organ jazz modes. There's a soaring feel here that's like the hippest organ-based records cut for Muse at the end of the 70s – but also with a bit of something else going on as well – and titles include "Shirley's Song", "Old Folks", "Nutville", "Mellow Soul", "There's Blues Everywhere", "Contemplation", "Queen's Beat", and "I Ain't Lookin At You".

Amazing work from Sun Ra – record that really features a great range of sounds and styles, and a heck of a lot of soul as well! Ra plays some especially nice rocksichord on the set – that freaky, fuzzy keyboard that comes off sounding like a guitar, even though it's played with keys – and there's some spiritual undercurrents to the set that are different than some of Ra's other albums with the instrument – some deeply feeling rhythms and soulful, spiritual expressions that really belie the Space Is The Place generation in which the album was cut. A few recitations imbue the record with a bold sense of poetry, which seems to be carried through strongly in the instrumentation too – especially on John Gilmore's tenor lines, which almost have a Shepp-like quality at points. Other players include Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto, Ahk Tal Ebah on trumpet, Clifford Jarvis on drums, and Sly on electric guitar – and titles include "Song No 1", "There Is Change In The Air", "Antique Blacks", "Would I For All That Were", "Ridiculous I & The Cosmos Me", and "This Song Is Dedicated To Nature's God".

Amazing work from Sun Ra – record that really features a great range of sounds and styles, and a heck of a lot of soul as well! Ra plays some especially nice rocksichord on the set – that freaky, fuzzy keyboard that comes off sounding like a guitar, even though it's played with keys – and there's some spiritual undercurrents to the set that are different than some of Ra's other albums with the instrument – some deeply feeling rhythms and soulful, spiritual expressions that really belie the Space Is The Place generation in which the album was cut. A few recitations imbue the record with a bold sense of poetry, which seems to be carried through strongly in the instrumentation too – especially on John Gilmore's tenor lines, which almost have a Shepp-like quality at points. Other players include Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto, Ahk Tal Ebah on trumpet, Clifford Jarvis on drums, and Sly on electric guitar – and titles include "Song No 1", "There Is Change In The Air", "Antique Blacks", "Would I For All That Were", "Ridiculous I & The Cosmos Me", and "This Song Is Dedicated To Nature's God".

Sun Ra and Walt Disney – an incredible combination that makes for one of the best late Arkestra albums! The tunes here are all from older Disney films, but are redone with decidedly Ra-like touches that include heavy percussion, chanted vocals, and extremely creative instrumentation that further unlocks the mystery and imagination of the songs! June Tyson sings lead vocals on some of the tracks, but the main highlight here is the instrumentation of the group – extremely playful without ever being goofy – and surprisingly respectful of the original compositions, while still free to take them into bold new directions. Album presents an entire live performance – and titles include "Forest Of No Return", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Second Star To The Right", "Whistle While You Work", "High Ho High Ho", and "Frisco Fog".

Really great vocals from Nina Ramsby – sung in Swedish, but in a cool way that really works wonderfully with the music! The trio of pianist Ludvig Berghe has always been a favorite of ours – and here, working with a singer, they find a sharp new space – soaring, soulful, and even more focused than before – as the lyrics from Nina help give their music a whole new direction, and pus things forward with lots of bold lines from Berghe's piano! Ludvig has a way of being soulful and sentimental at the same time – but never in a lachrymose way – and given that we can't actually understand Ramsby's words, her voice almost acts more like a fourth instrument in the group – at least to our English-restricted ears. The sound is wonderful – rich and warm, and very moving – and titles include "Har I Ljuset", "Tanker Att Jag Sager Dig", "Du Biter Ihop", "Det Jag Vet", "Upp Till Den Hojd", and "Vi Samlas Kring Hopp".

Way more than a trio recording – as the piano's just one of the key elements in this sound – as bold and free as anything else we've ever heard from Howard Riley, but matched equally by sounds from Barry Guy on bass and Tony Oxley on drums! Both Guy and Oxley are using a bit of electric elements too – Guy some electric bass in addition to his acoustic one – and Oxley some improvised electronics, which add a further crackle to the set – and the free play between all three players is massive – almost a further setting fire to the ideas the Riley was already exploring in his own music. Titles include "Mandrel", "Sirens", "Quantum", and "Ingot". CD also features the bonus track "Runes".

One of Sonny's brilliant west coast sessions for Contemporary – records that shouldn't sparkle as much as they do, but which actually stand with his best work of the 50s! Sonny's blowing in front of a session of "leaders" that includes Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, and Victor Feldman, who plays vibes on one track. Sonny's the real leader here, though – as his bold, proud tenor tone really takes front seat, carving lines that never get tired, bringing a sparkle into tunes like "You", "How High The Moon", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Song Is You", and "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". Heck, even with songs like those, the album should be weak – but there's an undeniable magic that really makes it great! CD features 3 bonus tracks!

The always-great team of Jim Rotondi and Eric Alexander bring their special magic to the European scene – working here in a Hammond quartet that came from Jim's teaching work overseas – in a date that may well be one of the most cooking we've heard from both players in years! Rotondi's trumpet has this bold sound that's mighty nice – more deeply soulful here in the setting of Renato Chicco's Hammond lines – and trading beautifully back and forth with Alexander's tenor, in a soulful spirit that's wonderful all the way through! Tracks are quite long, and the album's kind of a wonderful blend of the tightness that Alexander and Rotondi have crafted in studio sessions in recent years, with the burning energy that Eric first had when working in the group of Charles Earland. The set sports some great original tunes – and titles include "Summit Meeting", "Higher Calling", "Blue Moon", "The Loop", and "Amsterdam After Dark".

Wicked jazzy bossa from 60s Brazil – a crackling early classic from pianist Dom Salvador! The group here is super-tight – a tremendous triangle of piano, bass, and drums – all grooving at equal pace, with a great deal of energy – and given a heck of a lot of soul from Dom's bold lines on the piano! There's a slight lyrical vibe at points, too – making for music that's mighty sweet, and very seductive – and the whole thing's right up there with some of the best bossa trio dates of the time. Trio features bass by Edson Lobo and drums by Victor Manga – and titles include "Arrastao", "Promessa", "Pro Batera", "Santarem", and "Tematrio".

Bold grooves from Rob Mazurek – a man of two continents, with a range of talents that's deep enough to match! This set's by Rob's Sao Paulo Underground trio – a group who work here with heady styles that mix free jazz improvisation with electronics and even a bit of proggish jamming – all in this blend of electric and acoustic modes that's mighty nice! Rob's cornet soars out over a really hip brew that includes lots of keyboards, ring modulator, Evolver, harmonium, and other electronics – plus great acoustic elements on percussion and cavaquinho – used in a rich blend that makes for some of Mazurek's most complicated music to date – yet also some of his most powerful too. Tracks are short enough to avoid too much noodling – and although experimental, the set's also got a strong sense of focus, too – and always moves forward in a great way. Titles include "Basilio's Crazy Wedding Song", "Six Handed Casino", "Evetch", "The Love I Feel For You Is More Real Than Ever", "Over The Rainbow", "Into The Rising Sun", and "Taking Back The Sea Is No Easy Task".

Bold grooves from Rob Mazurek – a man of two continents, with a range of talents that's deep enough to match! This set's by Rob's Sao Paulo Underground trio – a group who work here with heady styles that mix free jazz improvisation with electronics and even a bit of proggish jamming – all in this blend of electric and acoustic modes that's mighty nice! Rob's cornet soars out over a really hip brew that includes lots of keyboards, ring modulator, Evolver, harmonium, and other electronics – plus great acoustic elements on percussion and cavaquinho – used in a rich blend that makes for some of Mazurek's most complicated music to date – yet also some of his most powerful too. Tracks are short enough to avoid too much noodling – and although experimental, the set's also got a strong sense of focus, too – and always moves forward in a great way. Titles include "Basilio's Crazy Wedding Song", "Six Handed Casino", "Evetch", "The Love I Feel For You Is More Real Than Ever", "Over The Rainbow", "Into The Rising Sun", and "Taking Back The Sea Is No Easy Task".

A bold step forward for drummer Kendrick Scott – a set that bristles with way more sharp changes and soulful undercurrents than any of his previous work – and which almost feels nicely in the same vein as some of the best recent artists to step forth on Blue Note! The record is definitely jazz, but has a lot more going on, too – similar to recent records from Robert Glasper – and in addition to work on drums, Scott also sings a bit, and plays some keyboards – alongside main lines on Fender Rhodes from Taylor Eigisti, whose shimmering style really adds a lot to the set! The group also features tenor and bass clarinet from John Ellis, guitar from Mike Moreno, and bass from Joe Sanders – and Alan Hampton sings lead vocals on a few tracks too. Titles include "Cycling Through Reality", "Be Water", "Apollo", "Serenity", "Memory Of Enchantment", "We Shall By Any Means", and "Liberty Or Death".

Growing brilliance from the young Archie Shepp – a record that's not just about Archie's own amazing work on the tenor, but also his keen modern vision as a leader! The combo here is an ensemble that features some of the hippest modernists of the 60s – Roswell Rudd and Grachan Moncur on trombone, Perry Robinson on clarinet, Howard Johnson on tuba, Charlie Haden on bass, and Tommy Turrentine on trumpet – making a rare non-bop appearance here, and further enforcing our already-high estimation of his talents! The style's somewhat in the "new thing" mode of the period, but it's also a bit more tightly arranged too – almost hitting Mingus-like modes for the bigger ensemble – balancing the force of the group together with very free, bold solo impulses from the players. Side one features the extended "Portrait Of Robert Thompson (As A Young Man)" – and side two features "Mama Too Tight", "Theme For Ernie", and "Basheer".

Growing brilliance from the young Archie Shepp – a record that's not just about Archie's own amazing work on the tenor, but also his keen modern vision as a leader! The combo here is an ensemble that features some of the hippest modernists of the 60s – Roswell Rudd and Grachan Moncur on trombone, Perry Robinson on clarinet, Howard Johnson on tuba, Charlie Haden on bass, and Tommy Turrentine on trumpet – making a rare non-bop appearance here, and further enforcing our already-high estimation of his talents! The style's somewhat in the "new thing" mode of the period, but it's also a bit more tightly arranged too – almost hitting Mingus-like modes for the bigger ensemble – balancing the force of the group together with very free, bold solo impulses from the players. Side one features the extended "Portrait Of Robert Thompson (As A Young Man)" – and side two features "Mama Too Tight", "Theme For Ernie", and "Basheer".