A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". CD

A tremendous first outing as a leader for Japanese saxophonist Kosuke Mine – one of our favorite players of the 70s, already sounding wonderful here right at the start! The album's got a freewheeling vibe – not entirely avant, and maybe more in the modal territory unlocked by Miles Davis a few years before – although with a very different vibe, given the Mine's in the lead on alto! Yet the group also features some very Miles-like use of electric piano – handled here by Masabumi Kikuchi, a key young contemporary of Mine, and one who'd gotten a bit more of a head start in the world of recording – really adding a lot to the record here, next to the very forward-thinking rhythm duo of American players Larry Ridley on bass and Lenny McBrowne on drums! All tracks are nice and long, and most are originals – the kind of open, long-spun cuts that really herald all the great changes taking place on the Japanese jazz scene at the time. Titles include "Little Abbi", "McPhee", "Love Taken", "Morning Tide", and "Bar L'Len". CD

A tremendous first outing as a leader for Japanese saxophonist Kosuke Mine – one of our favorite players of the 70s, already sounding wonderful here right at the start! The album's got a freewheeling vibe – not entirely avant, and maybe more in the modal territory unlocked by Miles Davis a few years before – although with a very different vibe, given the Mine's in the lead on alto! Yet the group also features some very Miles-like use of electric piano – handled here by Masabumi Kikuchi, a key young contemporary of Mine, and one who'd gotten a bit more of a head start in the world of recording – really adding a lot to the record here, next to the very forward-thinking rhythm duo of American players Larry Ridley on bass and Lenny McBrowne on drums! All tracks are nice and long, and most are originals – the kind of open, long-spun cuts that really herald all the great changes taking place on the Japanese jazz scene at the time. Titles include "Little Abbi", "McPhee", "Love Taken", "Morning Tide", and "Bar L'Len". LP, Vinyl record album

Solid is right – as the album's one of the best-ever from Japanese saxophonist Kosuke Mine – a really far-reaching quartet session with a wonderfully vibrant feel! One of the real strengths of the session is its keyboard work by Mikio Masuda – warm and soulful, a perfect platform for the more exploratory passages that Mine lays down on soprano and tenor sax – with that sharp, soulful, almost spiritual quality that makes him one of our favorite Japanese musicians from the 70s! The group also features Hideaki Mochizuki on bass and Arihide Kurata on drums – on three long tracks that include "Expectation", "You Make Me So Sad", and a version of McCoy Tyner's "Search For Peace". CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

Amazing music from one of our favorite periods of Thelonious Monk – a time of new discoveries, new strengths, and some great work with tenor sax! CD

Great work from Moody's "second phase" – the post-Overbrook time in which he picks up the flute, drops a bit of the bop style, and starts working in a much more complicated style that showed that he had a hell of a lot of room to grow as an artist! This album's Moody's second for Argo – recorded in 1959, with help from the brilliant arranger Tom McIntosh. Players include Johnny Coles, Musa Kaleem, Gene Kee, and McIntosh – and the album features the first reading of Moody's famous "Darben The Redd Foxx", plus "Cookie", "RBQ", "Daahoud", and McIntosh's perennial favorite, "With Malice Toward None". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Lee Morgan albums, and one of his least known – a set recorded in the crucial last five years of his life, and a sparkling mix of hard bop, soul jazz, and slight bits of modernism – that magical mix that Lee was hitting as he reached farther and farther with his music – an amazing legacy in jazz that has us loving every Morgan session from 1965 onward! Lee's playing in very comfortable territory, with a group that includes Bennie Maupin on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but that doesn't mean that the proceedings are relaxed at all, because the interplay between the players is flawless, and they use their familiarity as a great springboard to soar off into rich new territory. Lee wrote all the tunes on the record – like "Caramba", "Suicide City", and "Soulita". An excellent record throughout, and one that we'd never part with! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Lee Morgan albums, and one of his least known – a set recorded in the crucial last five years of his life, and a sparkling mix of hard bop, soul jazz, and slight bits of modernism – that magical mix that Lee was hitting as he reached farther and farther with his music – an amazing legacy in jazz that has us loving every Morgan session from 1965 onward! Lee's playing in very comfortable territory, with a group that includes Bennie Maupin on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but that doesn't mean that the proceedings are relaxed at all, because the interplay between the players is flawless, and they use their familiarity as a great springboard to soar off into rich new territory. Lee wrote all the tunes on the record – like "Caramba", "Suicide City", and "Soulita". An excellent record throughout, and one that we'd never part with! CD

One of our favorite albums from Lee Morgan – a soaringly soulful session that was recorded in the mid 60s, and finally issued by Blue Note at the end of the decade! The vibe here really follows from the lyrically inventive, post-Sidewinder mid 60s Morgan years – with a spirit that's similar to Lee's work on the albums Gigolo or Tom Cat, in a style that mixes in a fair bit more modal and Latin influences to the rhythms. The lineup is totally great too – a sextet that features Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins – the last of whom provides tremendous rhythms that are as fluidly inventive as Morgan's playing and the writing of Hank Mobley, who contributed most of the tunes to the set. Titles include "Hey Chico", "The Double Up", and "The Murphy Man" – and the record also includes a nice version of Duke Pearson's "Sweet Honey Bee". CD

One of our favorite albums ever from the legendary trumpeter Lee Morgan – a set that Blue Note recorded in the mid 60s, but didn't show the world until almost two decades later! The album's got Lee as his lyrical best – working almost with a sense of exoticism, especially on the wonderful leadoff track – which is this loping take on Cal Massey's lesser-known composition "Pilgrim's Funny Farm" – blocked out into bold solos from Lee, plus Hank Mobley on tenor and Cedar Walton on piano! You can really hear Walton's influence on the record – that mix of flow and lyricism that he was hitting at the time – and drummer Billy Higgins also brings a lot to the record, too – creating these shifting rhythms that really move past the standard hardbop modes of a few years before. In addition to "Pilgrim's Funny Farm", the album also includes the tracks "The Rajah" and "Is That So" – and the whole thing's wonderful all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

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! CD

Never-issued live work from one of our favorite groups ever headed by baritone modernist Gerry Mulligan – his wonderful quartet with Art Farmer on trumpet! The mix of Farmer and Mulligan is fantastic here – on long tunes that stretch out even more than their studio performances of the period – and, like those, given great piano-less accompaniment from the great team of Bill Crow on bass and Dave Bailey on drums! Farmer is wonderful throughout – young and a bit more raspy than later years, maybe in part because he's on trumpet instead of flugelhorn – and his pairing really brings out a more relaxed, almost soulful side of Gerry at times. On two tracks, Mulligan switches his horn for a piano – equally great on versions of "Spring Is Sprung" and "I Can't Get Started" – next to other long tracks that include "Blueport", "What Is There To Say", "Just In Time", and "News From Blueport". CD

A surprisingly wonderful 70s meeting between Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker – recorded live, with sweet electric touches from CTI – in a style that shouldn't work so well, but which really comes off great! The approach is simple – Mulligan and Baker solo in a manner that's a bit like their 50s work, but which also unfolds more than usual with backing from a group that includes Bob James on electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, John Scofield on guitar, and Harvey Mason on drums. Tracks are long, with lots of space – hanging in a beautiful balance between electric and acoustic sounds. Titles include "Line For Lyons", "Song For An Unfinished Woman", "Song For Strayhorn" and Baker's favorite standard "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring piano lines, burning trumpet solos, and soulful tenor sax – all wrapped together beautifully in this obscure Japanese session from the 80s – a date that has all the free-thinking power and unbounded energy of some of our favorite American soul jazz sessions from a decade before! The group's led by bassist Shintaro Nakamura, but features wonderful contributions from trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, tenorist Robert Kenmotsu, and pianist Jeff Jenkins – all of whom get plenty of space to state their case on the album's long and stretched-out tracks. The bass of Nakamura and piano of Jenkins sets up a good modal groove on most numbers – and titles include "Future On You", "Don't Forget Me", "Sweet & Sour Sound", "Evolution", and "A Blind Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best "new thing" mode of the 60s! The New York Art Quartet were a short lived collaboration between trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Lewis Worrell, and percussionist Milford Graves – but their legacy in this one album is almost greater than that of other combos who recorded more frequently at the time. The sound is similar to the best "spacious" groups of the new thing years – such as the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon work, or some of the looser sides by the New York Contemporary Five – a group that featured Shepp and Tchicai. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) makes a key guest appearance on the title "Black Dada Nihilismus" – reciting his writings alongside the group's somber instrumental musings – and other titles include "Short", "Rosmosis", and "No 6". CD

One of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best "new thing" mode of the 60s! The New York Art Quartet were a short lived collaboration between trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Lewis Worrell, and percussionist Milford Graves – but their legacy in this one album is almost greater than that of other combos who recorded more frequently at the time. The sound is similar to the best "spacious" groups of the new thing years – such as the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon work, or some of the looser sides by the New York Contemporary Five – a group that featured Shepp and Tchicai. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) makes a key guest appearance on the title "Black Dada Nihilismus" – reciting his writings alongside the group's somber instrumental musings – and other titles include "Short", "Rosmosis", and "No 6". CD

A pair of amazing records from a legendary group – one who didn't record much, but who really shaped the sound of the avant garde in the 60s! First up is the self-titled New York Art Quartet, one of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best "new thing" mode of the 60s! The New York Art Quartet were a short lived collaboration between trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Lewis Worrell, and percussionist Milford Graves – but their legacy in this one album is almost greater than that of other combos who recorded more frequently at the time. The sound is similar to the best "spacious" groups of the new thing years – such as the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon work, or some of the looser sides by the New York Contemporary Five – a group that featured Shepp and Tchicai. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) makes a key guest appearance on the title "Black Dada Nihilismus" – reciting his writings alongside the group's somber instrumental musings – and other titles include "Short", "Rosmosis", and "No 6". The album Mohawk is next – rare and brilliant work from this amazing group – a lineup that features Roswell Rudd on trombone, John Tchicai on alto, Reggie Workman on bass, and Milford Graves on drums and percussion – a combo who are best known for their one LP on ESP, but also sounding equally great on this rare European-only album! The record has a wonderfully creative approach – still in the energetic mode of the New York scene of the 60s, but also with the more introspective style that would come into play more in the 70s loft scene. Players handle a variety of instruments – almost in an AACM mode – and titles include "Mohawk", "Banging On The White House Door", "Rufus 3rd", and "No 6". CD

One of the only albums of jazz we've seen from the Korean scene of the 70s – and a really special little record that aims to echo some of the most spiritual modes from the US scene of the time! The record's the brainchild of arranger Lee Pan Guen – who doesn't play on the record, but leaves the music to a hip lineup that features trumpet, tenor or soprano sax, piano, bass, and drums plus percussion – often used in a way that's either modal or slightly lyrical, depending on the tunes. A few tracks are remakes of American numbers, but done at a level that's very personal and fluid – echoing the spiritual currents of the original tunes on the set – and titles include "Han O Baek Nyun", "My Favorite Things", "Gasiri", "Bin Ba Da", "Arirang", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

Excellent small group material from modern alto genius Art Pepper – a set that might well be our favorite of all the classic albums he cut for Contemporary Records! The album's got quite a strange title – Smack Up, a very strange choice, given Pepper's well-known experience as a junkie – and the set features some edgey work that really pushes Art away from the sweeter sounds of a few years before – material that maybe reflects some of the troubles he'd been going through, which shows up in the music in some really great ways. The group is a lean quintet – with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and there's some slightly off-kilter tracks on the set that really make it sparkle, including Duane Tatro's "Maybe Next Year", Ornette's "Tears Inside", and Harold Land's "Smack Up" – the irony of which, we're sure, was not lost on Art Pepper! Also includes Pepper's own "Las Cuevas De Mario". LP, Vinyl record album

A heady blend of jazz and larger elements – served up by Austin Peralta in a style that's a bit ahead of its time! The music here recalls recent sounds from the London scene, or some of the post-jazz experiments of International Anthem – but Peralta also takes things back to earlier spiritual expressions too – recalling Max Roach with strings, the work of Chris Bowden, and some other favorite spots along the way. The set features some especially great reed work – by Zane Musa on alto and Ben Wendel on tenor and soprano – and there's some nice reworking of core sounds by Strangeloop, and even a guest appearance by the Cinematic Orchestra too! Titles include "The Underwater Mountain Odyssey", "Capricornus", "Lotus Flower", "Ode To Loev", and "Algiers". 2LP version includes four bonus tracks from a BBC session! LP, Vinyl record album

The music of Sun Ra, taken into very different territory – every bit as cosmic as before, but maybe also a bit more down to earth in its presentation! Sun Ra classics are reworked here by a mix of different Brazilian musicians, with contributions from a few key American artists who really enrich the soulful qualities of the proceedings – with results that are tremendous, and which make the record one of the real standout projects in the long legacy of Red Hot recordings! The sounds here are all original, created for the project – and the Brazilian artists include some of our favorite underground talents of the past decade, mixed with a few who are more well-established, yet still very much on the left side of the spectrum! Titles include "Astroblack Orunmila" with Jazzmeia Horn & Orquestra Afrosinfonica, "Interstellar Low Ways" with Hamilton De Holanda Trio, "When There Is No Sun (Intergalactic version)" with Xenia Franca & Tigana Santana, "Eu Sou Um Instrumento" with Fabricio Boliveira & Jazzmeia Horn, "O Codigo" with Fabricio Boliveira & Edbrass Brasil, "Nature's God" with Meshell Ndegeocello & Munir Hossn, and "Nine Rocket For The Planet" with Meta Meta & Edgar. LP, Vinyl record album

A lovely little tribute to one of our favorite songwriters of all time – the lyrical genius Tommy Wolf, whose compositions were first championed back in the 50s and 60s by Bob Dorough, Jackie & Roy, and Blossom Dearie! Wolf's got a wonderful way with a twist of a phrase – playful, but never too silly – just freshly original in a world of overdone standards, and a reminder that creative American songwriting didn't stop with Cole Porter and Harold Arlen! Bobbi's voice has a warmly sweet quality that makes for a slightly different approach to the material than others before her – and backing on the record is by a piano trio led and arranged by Chick Cicchetti. Titles include "There Are Days When I Don't Think Of You At All", "Say Cheese", "I'm Alright Til You Touch Me", "It's Nice Weather For Ducks", "You Smell So Good", "I've Never Been Anything", and "A Face Like Yours". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A really compelling set from trombonist Roswell Rudd – one of our favorite players of the 60s avant garde, and an artist who's started to grow tremendously since coming out of his recent retirement! The set is a brilliant criss-crossing of styles – as Rudd's working here with Mali-based musicians led by kora player Toumani Diabate, in a set of post-colonial world jazz that recalls some of the best Paris-based experiments in the genre during the 70s. Rudd's tone is darkly evocative – juxtaposed nicely against the percussion and stringed instruments of the ensemble – and the album makes for a really striking new chapter in his long career! Titles include "Hank", "Johanna", "Malijam", "Sena Et Mariam", "Bamako", "Rosmani", and "Jakie-ing". CD

Some of the hippest sounds we've ever heard from pianist Gene Russell – an album that features heavy use of Fender Rhodes – and a soulful, solid, rhythmic core that comes from the basslines of Henry Franklin, guitar of Calvin Keys, and drums of Ndugu Chancler! The set's one of the greatest in the legendary Black Jazz catalog – and is a perfect illustration of the righteous ways the label's players helped to update soul jazz styles of the 60s – really reworking things here with a fresh 70s vibe, and a sense of conscious energy that flows effortlessly from Russell's work on the keys! Most numbers feature added percussion, which really furthers the spirit of the session – and titles include the massive "Get Down", plus "Blues Suite", "For Heaven's Sake", "Talk to My Lady", "My Favorite Things", and "Me & Mrs Jones". CD

Some of the hippest sounds we've ever heard from pianist Gene Russell – an album that features heavy use of Fender Rhodes – and a soulful, solid, rhythmic core that comes from the basslines of Henry Franklin, guitar of Calvin Keys, and drums of Ndugu Chancler! The set's one of the greatest in the legendary Black Jazz catalog – and is a perfect illustration of the righteous ways the label's players helped to update soul jazz styles of the 60s – really reworking things here with a fresh 70s vibe, and a sense of conscious energy that flows effortlessly from Russell's work on the keys! Most numbers feature added percussion, which really furthers the spirit of the session – and titles include the massive "Get Down", plus "Blues Suite", "For Heaven's Sake", "Talk to My Lady", "My Favorite Things", and "Me & Mrs Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite records ever on the legendary Nimbus label – a special home to spiritual jazz on the west coast at the end of the 70s – and crucial for giving us some really unique talents like this! Adele Sebastian may have only ever cut this one album as a leader, but she's a hell of a flute player with a very deep, spiritual vibe – these sublime lines that soar and stretch out over modal rhythms – played by a totally hip group that includes Rickey Kelley on vibes, Roberto Miranda on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums and a bit of gembreh – a string instrument that brings a nicely exotic vibe to the record. The group's rounded out by Bobby West on piano and Daoude Woods on percussion – and the songs have this open flow that's wonderful – never too far out, but always searching – as the group soar through a version of McCoy Tyner's "Man From Tanganyika", plus the tracks "Desert Fairy Princess", "Belize", "Prayer For The People", and "Day Dreamer". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Woody Shaw albums from his later years – and an album that's got the same joyous spirit and free soaring feel of his best 70s work on Muse – really soaring with a sense of life and freedom in a really great way! The core group on the album is the Tone Jansa Quartet – led by European reedman Jansa, and working in a space that's quite similar to that of Shaw's backing groups on previous sessions – strong modal currents in the rhythms, and with Tone's work on soprano, tenor, and flute turning out to be a great partner for Woody's trumpet! Jansa wrote all the tunes on the set, and gave them a soaring feel that we really love – just the right mix of introspection and exploration found on classic Shaw sessions like Little Red's Fantasy or Lovedance. Titles include "Midi", "Boland", "Call Mobility", "River", and "May". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – one of our favorite Blue Notes ever! Despite the fact that the album's a spare quartet session, the record is one of Wayne Shorter's richest – and features his gutsy young tenor soloing insanely with a rhythmically intense combo that includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a wonderfully free-thinking rhythm trio! Workman's bass is especially strong, and it underpins the cuts with a throbbing pulse that takes them past any simple hardbop conventions. Every cut's a winner – and this is one album we reach for time and time again over the years! Titles include "Adam's Apple", "El Gaucho", "Footprints", and "Teru". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – one of our favorite Blue Notes ever! Despite the fact that the album's a spare quartet session, the record is one of Wayne Shorter's richest – and features his gutsy young tenor soloing insanely with a rhythmically intense combo that includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a wonderfully free-thinking rhythm trio! Workman's bass is especially strong, and it underpins the cuts with a throbbing pulse that takes them past any simple hardbop conventions. Every cut's a winner – and this is one album we reach for time and time again over the years! Titles include "Adam's Apple", "El Gaucho", "Footprints", and "Teru". CD features the bonus track "The Collector". CD

Beautiful – simply beautiful – one of the greatest Wayne Shorter albums for Blue Note, and one of our favorite jazz albums ever! The record is a masterpiece of lyrical delight – soul jazz mixed with slight touches of experimentalism – but still warm, swinging, and personal enough to captivate even the most novice jazz listener. A players are at the top of their game – and in addition to Shorter's tenor, the group features Lee Morgan on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The tracks unfold in lyrical, modal beauty in a really wonderful way that was barely ever duplicated again – and titles include "Night Dreamer", "Oriental Folk Song", "Virgo", "Charcoal Blues", "Armageddon", and "Black Nile". The CD also includes an alternate take of the cut "Virgo". CD

Beautiful – simply beautiful – one of the greatest Wayne Shorter albums for Blue Note, and one of our favorite jazz albums ever! The record is a masterpiece of lyrical delight – soul jazz mixed with slight touches of experimentalism – but still warm, swinging, and personal enough to captivate even the most novice jazz listener. A players are at the top of their game – and in addition to Shorter's tenor, the group features Lee Morgan on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The tracks unfold in lyrical, modal beauty in a really wonderful way that was barely ever duplicated again – and titles include "Night Dreamer", "Oriental Folk Song", "Virgo", "Charcoal Blues", "Armageddon", and "Black Nile". CD features a bonus alternate take of "Virgo". CD

Midnight Special is a perennial favorite in the Jimmy Smith catalog for Blue Note – and a smoking little set that has Jimmy's Hammond grooving nicely alongside tenor from Stanley Turrentine and guitar from Kenny Burrell! Only Donald Bailey's drums remain from Jimmy's regular trio, but that shift is fine, given the strength of the other players here – especially Turrentine, whose sharp-edged tenor is always a welcome sound on any date at this point in his career! The tunes are a fair bit more focused than some of Jimmy's Blue Note work of a few years before, but that focus is what makes it a classic – and the tracks are still nice and long, with titles that include "A Subtle One", "Jumpin The Blues", "Midnight Special", "One O'Clock Jump", and "Why Was I Born". Back At The Chicken Shack is a partner album of sorts to Jimmy Smith's classic Midnight Special album – recorded during the same sessions as that one, and also featuring Stanley Turrentine on tenor and Kenny Burrell on guitar! The sound here is almost even more open and stretched out – with only 4 long tracks on the album, 2 on each side – all offering up plenty of room for Jimmy to hit the Hammond with that keenly imaginative approach to a solo he was showing at this time – a style that proved that the instrument could do a lot more than just make weird noises or pump up the rhythm. Turrentine's tenor more than matches Jimmy's solos for imagination – and titles include "When I Grow Too Old To Dream", "Messy Bessie", "Minor Chant", and "Back At The Chicken Shack". CD

A perennial favorite in the Jimmy Smith catalog for Blue Note – and a smoking little set that has Jimmy's Hammond grooving nicely alongside tenor from Stanley Turrentine and guitar from Kenny Burrell! Only Donald Bailey's drums remain from Jimmy's regular trio, but that shift is fine, given the strength of the other players here – especially Turrentine, whose sharp-edged tenor is always a welcome sound on any date at this point in his career! The tunes are a fair bit more focused than some of Jimmy's Blue Note work of a few years before, but that focus is what makes it a classic – and the tracks are still nice and long, with titles that include "A Subtle One", "Jumpin The Blues", "Midnight Special", "One O'Clock Jump", and "Why Was I Born". LP, Vinyl record album

A perennial favorite in the Jimmy Smith catalog for Blue Note – and a smoking little set that has Jimmy's Hammond grooving nicely alongside tenor from Stanley Turrentine and guitar from Kenny Burrell! Only Donald Bailey's drums remain from Jimmy's regular trio, but that shift is fine, given the strength of the other players here – especially Turrentine, whose sharp-edged tenor is always a welcome sound on any date at this point in his career! The tunes are a fair bit more focused than some of Jimmy's Blue Note work of a few years before, but that focus is what makes it a classic – and the tracks are still nice and long, with titles that include "A Subtle One", "Jumpin The Blues", "Midnight Special", "One O'Clock Jump", and "Why Was I Born". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few full albums issued under the name of alto saxophonist Willie Smith – easily one of our favorite players on the alto of his generation! Willie's got a warmly raspy tone that rarely gets presented this well – in an easygoing, laidback setting with plenty of space – surrounded by musical "friends" who include Arnold Ross on piano, Les Paul on guitar, Murray McEachern on trombone, and Nick Fatool on drums. The tunes are all from mid 40s recordings, but nicely brought together in this LP package for the 50s – and they're a great example of the unique space that Smith carved out for himself back in the day. Titles include "Airiness A La Nat", "My Old Flame", "September In The Rain", "You Ought To Be In Pictures", and "Willow Weep For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredibly soulful set of jazz from the Danish scene at the start of the 70s – and a record that's much more in keeping with the spiritual sounds of the American underground at the time! The set boasts some tremendous tenor work from Jesper Nehammar – a player we don't know at all, but who's clearly drawn a lot of energy from both John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, especially the modal structures to the way he builds a solo, then soars out on his own! Ole Matthiessen plays piano in the group, and also wrote most of the tunes – and he's got this McCoy Tyner-like ability to block out wonderful phrases that really set the rhythms on fire, driven on by some more subtle efforts from Henrik Hove on bass and Jon Finsen on drums. The whole thing's wonderful – a record you'd file somewhere between your favorite albums on Impulse and Strata East – and titles include "Message For Mike", "Peace", "Brother Yusef", "More Peace", "Voodoo Dance", and "Pharoah". LP, Vinyl record album

A totally wonderful record from the Australian scene of the early 70s – a set that's more fusion than rock, and which has a warmly jazzy vibe that matches some of our favorite European work of this nature – particularly some of the late 70s/early 80s German electric work that had a strong influence from Brazil! Bernie Morgan handles lead vocals, with a breezy style that's almost scatting at times – but which also steps aside to allow for plenty of Fender Rhodes and other keyboard work from Oleg Ditrich, who takes lots of long solos on the record – next to the guitars of Ian Hildebrand, and bass, drums, gongs, and percussion from other members. Titles include "Kolour Kode", "If I Knew", "Kyrptonite", "Make Me", "End Of Play", "Cumulus", and "Flowers". Features bonus tracks, other material from the group – titles that include "Charred Ducks", "Wooly's Song", "Silly Song", and "Floating". (Rock, Jazz) CD

A seminal early recording from one of our favorite reed players ever! In the late 1950s, the young Frank Strozier came up to Chicago from Memphis, along with his longtime friend, pianist Harold Mabern. The two of them both settled nicely in the city's MJT+3 combo, where they proceeded to record some incredible hardbop sessions for Vee Jay. During that same time, Strozier began to emerge as a strong soloist and a competent leader in his own right, and Vee Jay gave him a much-needed crack at this debut album. The session's a perfect showcase for Strozier's lyrical beauty, and given the quality of the work, it's a wonder he was never more famous. The group's a quintet, and Strozier's ably teamed with Booker Little, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. Titles include "WK Blues", "Waltz Of The Demons", "Runnin", and "Off Shore". LP, Vinyl record album

Really beautiful work from pianist Horace Tapscott – working here in a mode that crosses some of the freer inclinations of his solo sessions for the Nimbus label with some of the deeper spiritual currents of his large group recordings of the time! The group's just a trio – with Sonship on percussion and the mighty Roberto Miranda on bass – the last of whom does a really fantastic job of setting the tone, with this round, rich sound that really holds things together – even when Horace is getting a bit free on his solos! All tracks are nice and long, and thanks to Miranda, there's a nice sort of modal energy on the set – a balance between structure and freedom that's really wonderful, and which gets at the core of Tapscott's best achievements on record. The album features a great 21 minute reading of Tapscott's perennial favorite "The Dark Tree" – done with a great throbbing bassline – plus the tracks "Raisha's New Hip Dance" and "Sketches Of Drunken Mary". LP, Vinyl record album

Really beautiful work from pianist Horace Tapscott – working here in a mode that crosses some of the freer inclinations of his solo sessions for the Nimbus label with some of the deeper spiritual currents of his large group recordings of the time! The group's just a trio – with Sonship on percussion and the mighty Roberto Miranda on bass – the last of whom does a really fantastic job of setting the tone, with this round, rich sound that really holds things together – even when Horace is getting a bit free on his solos! All tracks are nice and long, and thanks to Miranda, there's a nice sort of modal energy on the set – a balance between structure and freedom that's really wonderful, and which gets at the core of Tapscott's best achievements on record. The album features a great 21 minute reading of Tapscott's perennial favorite "The Dark Tree" – done with a great throbbing bassline – plus the tracks "Raisha's New Hip Dance" and "Sketches Of Drunken Mary". CD also features the bonus track "Inception" – a full 29 minutes worth of extra music! CD

One of our favorite-ever albums from Mel Torme – a set that sparkles with the same smooth swing as his best late 50s dates for Bethlehem records! Like those sets, this one features Torme's voice really taking off over some tight jazzy charts – arranged by Johnny Williams, Shorty Rogers, and Dick Hazard – all in styles close to those used previously by Marty Paich. But almost even better is the New York theme of the record – surprising, given the anti-NYC vibe of Torme's classic "California Suite" – but perfect, too, as it really ties the whole thing together wonderfully – creating this beautiful picture of the Big Apple in the postwar years. Titles include the greatest version of "Sunday In New York" you'll ever hear – plus "Let Me Off Uptown", "Autumn In New York", "New York New York", "Manhattan", and "My Time Of Day". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the straighter sessions ever recorded by vocalist Bobby Troup – an intimate quartet side, with backing by Howard Roberts on guitar, Bob Enevoldsen on bass, and Don Heath on drums. Bobby sings and plays piano – in that warm, laidback LA style that's made him one of our favorite male vocalists of the time – and he's less tongue-in-cheek here than on some of his other recordings, bringing a simple but honest presentation to material that includes "Have You Met Miss Jones", "It Still Suits Me", "Little Girl Blue", "You Are Too Beautiful", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and "The Boy Next Door". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous debut from Tunico – a record that seems certain to begin an amazing legacy in Brazilian music – at a level that has this young musician easily rivaling some of our favorites from the past! The set's got this way of mixing earthy roots with very modern arrangements – all set to warmly jazzy instrumentation, at a level that recalls some of our favorite early 70s experiments by artists like Edu Lobo, Hermeto Pascoal, or Airto – especially the latter two right after they'd left the group Quarteto Novo! Tunico himself plays guitar, and both alto and soprano sax – and the tunes have this way of soaring and gliding wonderfully – rhythms that are very organic, but inflected with all sorts of other unusual phrasing on instruments by the leader and other members of the group – more guitar, plus keyboards, flute, bass, and plenty of percussion. The whole thing's extremely beautiful, with a quality that's hard to put into words – and titles include "Decolagem", "Sambola", "Solar Das Hortencias", "Saudade Do Sucupira", "Galope", and "O Que Vira". (Brazil, Jazz) CD

A tremendous debut from Tunico – a record that seems certain to begin an amazing legacy in Brazilian music – at a level that has this young musician easily rivaling some of our favorites from the past! The set's got this way of mixing earthy roots with very modern arrangements – all set to warmly jazzy instrumentation, at a level that recalls some of our favorite early 70s experiments by artists like Edu Lobo, Hermeto Pascoal, or Airto – especially the latter two right after they'd left the group Quarteto Novo! Tunico himself plays guitar, and both alto and soprano sax – and the tunes have this way of soaring and gliding wonderfully – rhythms that are very organic, but inflected with all sorts of other unusual phrasing on instruments by the leader and other members of the group – more guitar, plus keyboards, flute, bass, and plenty of percussion. The whole thing's extremely beautiful, with a quality that's hard to put into words – and titles include "Decolagem", "Sambola", "Solar Das Hortencias", "Saudade Do Sucupira", "Galope", and "O Que Vira". (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A haunting tribute to the late John Coltrane – not just a "friend" of McCoy Tyner, but a key musical partner back in the 60s! The album's a solo piano effort – extremely intimate, but still played with that long-flowing majesty we always love in McCoy – and two of the tunes are famous Coltrane compositions – "Naima" and "The Promise" – and another is a spiritual reading of "My Favorite Things", done in a completely different mode than Trane's version. Other titles are Tyner originals – "Folks" and "The Discovery". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest things about Ken Vandermark – and one of the reasons why we think he's one of our favorite players in the Chicago underground – is the way that he's completely open about his roots and influences, never failing to give credit where credit is due, and let folks know about the music that's inspired him over the years. And although Ken's recorded more than a few tracks by these influences on his own albums in years past, this set goes that one better – by acting as a 2CD set that's almost a "primer" in avant jazz of the late 20th century. There's a great batch of material on the set – works by Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Lester Bowie, Joe McPhee, Sun Ra, Don Cherry, Frank Wright, Archie Shepp, and others – all recorded live at Chicago's Empty Bottle, by a very well-honed Vandermark 5. Titles include "Saturn", "Goodbye Tom B", "Happy House", "69L", "Wherever Junebugs Go", "King Korn", "The Earth", and "Scootin About". CD

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, drums, and guitar – the last used to color in the tunes gently, often matching the tones and sentiment of Watson's horn in a really nice way. There's a few other surprising elements too – a bit of wordless vocals from Pamela Watson on one track, and trumpet from Terrell Stafford on three more numbers – and given that Curtis Lundy handles bass and Ralph Peterson's on drums, you can bet that the album's got some very solid rhythmic grounding, even when things are gentle. Titles include "Just For Today", "Always A Friend", "Nubian Breakdown", "Nanatsu No Ko", "Concentric Circles", "Back Home Again With You", and "Afternoon In Ottobrun". CD

A wonderful return to form for saxophonist Bobby Watson – one of the best albums we've heard from him in years, and a massive regrouping of his legendary Horizon ensemble! Watson first assembled the group back in the 80s – as a vehicle for the tightly-crafted soul jazz he was writing at the time – a fresh sound that brought a new level of joy to jazz expression, and which created some of our favorite jazz records of the period. On this new recording, Watson's fronting a quintet that features Victor Lewis on drums, Terell Stafford on trumpet and flugelhorn, Edward Simon on piano, and Essiet Essiet on bass – all playing a brilliant array of well-chosen tracks that sing and dance with all the joy that jazz has to offer. Titles include "Dark Days", "Xangongo", "Lemoncello", "The Love We Had Yesterday", "Horizon Reassembled", and "Gingerbread Boy". CD

A funky fusion classic from guitarist Wah Wah Watson – his only album as a leader, despite countless appearances as a sideman on 70s soul, jazz, and pop sessions! The album's got a really wonderful sort of west coast groove – one that takes bits of spacey fusion, bassy funk, and mellower soul – and wraps them up with a fresh and imaginative approach, not to mention plenty of wah wah work on guitar! Players on the set are a superstar array of the best talents in Watson's field – and include Bennie Maupin, Herbie Hancock, Dave Grusin, Joe Sample, and The Waters, who sing vocals on a few cuts. The set includes the killer instrumental "Bubbles", one of our favorite mellow grooves ever – plus the tracks "Goo Goo Wah Wah", "My Love For You Comes & Goes", "Good Friends", "Love Ain't Somethin", and "Sunset Boulevard". (Soul, Jazz) CD

One of our favorite Randy Weston albums from the early years – a set that moves past his simple trio and solo format, to offer some key experimentation with horns – in this case the creative work of Cecil Payne on baritone sax! Payne plays on most of the record – save for two mellower trio titles – and Weston's nicely balanced between his early modern trio impulses, and some of the even more creative elements he'd bring to his music just a few years later. In that respect, most tunes are standards, but given a fresh reading by the pair – as well as Ahmed Abdul Malik on bass and Wilbert Hogan on drums – but the record also includes some key early compositions too – including one of the first versions of "Little Niles" and the Payne/Weston tune "Lifetime", which is a real gem. Other titles include "These Foolish Things", "I Can't Get Started", "The Man I Love", and "Serenade In Blue". CD

A sublime album by one of our favorite talents in 60s jazz – pianist Jack Wilson, making his second Blue Note appearance here amidst a group of other more likely label players that include Lee Morgan on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, and Billy Higgins on drums! Despite the presence of those superstars, though, the album's still very much Wilson's own – featuring 4 tracks penned and played in his modally soulful vision, plus a great version of one tune by Frank Strozier – a player we'd find to be a very good companion to Wilson's style! The group's also noteworthy in that it features some excellent work from trombonist Garnett Brown – a player with a deeply soulful approach that adds in new dimensions to the tunes, and offsets the lightly lyrical touch of Wilson on the keys. The whole set's great – and titles include "Do It", "On Children", "Easterly Winds", "Nirvana", and "Frank's Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime album by one of our favorite talents in 60s jazz – pianist Jack Wilson, making his second Blue Note appearance here amidst a group of other more likely label players that include Lee Morgan on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, and Billy Higgins on drums! Despite the presence of those superstars, though, the album's still very much Wilson's own – featuring 4 tracks penned and played in his modally soulful vision, plus a great version of one tune by Frank Strozier – a player we'd find to be a very good companion to Wilson's style! The group's also noteworthy in that it features some excellent work from trombonist Garnett Brown – a player with a deeply soulful approach that adds in new dimensions to the tunes, and offsets the lightly lyrical touch of Wilson on the keys. The whole set's great – and titles include "Do It", "On Children", "Easterly Winds", "Nirvana", and "Frank's Tune". CD

A sublime album by one of our favorite talents in 60s jazz – pianist Jack Wilson, making his second Blue Note appearance here amidst a group of other more likely label players that include Lee Morgan on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, and Billy Higgins on drums! Despite the presence of those superstars, though, the album's still very much Wilson's own – featuring 4 tracks penned and played in his modally soulful vision, plus a great version of one tune by Frank Strozier – a player we'd find to be a very good companion to Wilson's style! The group's also noteworthy in that it features some excellent work from trombonist Garnett Brown – a player with a deeply soulful approach that adds in new dimensions to the tunes, and offsets the lightly lyrical touch of Wilson on the keys. The whole set's great – and titles include "Do It", "On Children", "Easterly Winds", "Nirvana", and "Frank's Tune". CD

Pianist Jack Wilson is one of our favorite underdiscovered talents of the 60's – and we treasure all of the albums we can find by him. His lyrical writing and playing are extremely refreshing, and he manages to spin out long free lines on the piano, while also still keeping a very soulful groove. This mid 60's recording for Atlantic features Wilson in a trio with Philly Joe Jones and Leroy Vinnegar, and the record is divided up into "2 sides" – one fast, and one slow. The fast side has Wilson playing a bit more boppishly than usual – on tracks like his own "Kinta" and "Good Time Joe", and Bud Powell's "Glass Enclosure". The slow side is more of our favorite, and features some very nice reditions of material like "The Good Life" and "Once Upon A Summertime". CD

A beautiful set of modal jazz tracks – recorded by the great LA pianist Jack Wilson with a young Roy Ayers! The set is amazing, and features haunting piano and vibes interplay between Ayers and Wilson – in a style that could best be summed up as LA modern modal, but which is also embellished by lots warm, lyrical twists by both of the soloists. The title cut is a totally groovy workout on Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin", and the rest of the set includes Coltrane's "Impressions", Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments", Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder", and a great 3-part reading of "The Sandpiper". One of our favorite albums from the 60's, and a beautiful document of one of the lesser-known streams of jazz that was coming out of the west coast during the time – and it's key proof that Ayers was an incredible jazz player in his years before moving to soul music! LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite album by this Brit jazz rock combo from the mid 70s! The groove on this one is the most straightforward of any of the band's albums – and there's a number of nice cuts that have a strong funk sound with plenty of Afro soul influences – a great straightforward sound that gets past some of the more jamming modes of other work. The band's almost got a style that recalls Mandrill or Cymande, but with a bit more fusion overall – on titles that include "Mr J", "Mah Jong", "Spanish Fly", "Amuso Fi", and "Cobra Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Make ours Swedish Style too! This set's one of the best early albums by Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund – one of our favorite singers ever, and one of those rare European lovelies who could sing in English with the best of American vocalists, but who could also pick up on the changes in European jazz at the time, and take her work past the usual standards of vocal jazz. This nicely swinging set features Monica's voice over backings by the Bill McGuffie Quartet, a tight little ensemble that includes a conga, which gives the tracks a nice rolling groove – always a plus, considering how much Monica loves to swing! Titles include "Left Alone", "Blue Prelude", "He's My Guy", "Detour Ahead", "You've Changed", and "The Second Time Around". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Make ours Swedish Style too! This set's one of the best early albums by Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund – one of our favorite singers ever, and one of those rare European lovelies who could sing in English with the best of American vocalists, but who could also pick up on the changes in European jazz at the time, and take her work past the usual standards of vocal jazz. This nicely swinging set features Monica's voice over backings by the Bill McGuffie Quartet, a tight little ensemble that includes a conga, which gives the tracks a nice rolling groove – always a plus, considering how much Monica loves to swing! Titles include "Left Alone", "Blue Prelude", "He's My Guy", "Detour Ahead", "You've Changed", and "The Second Time Around". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Milestone 2-fer combining two of our favorite late 60s soul jazz LPs, that practically defined the genre – Work Song and That's Right! "Work Song" was a whopping hit for Nat, plus Cannonball's killer "Sack O Woe", played here by a firey group that includes the great Bobby Timmons on piano, and Wes Montgomery on guitar, making a rare non-leader group appearance. On the second set Nat's trumpet is backed up by a "big sax section" – a trio of reed players that includes Yusef Lateef, Jimmy Heath, and Charlie Rouse, plus some additional baritone work by Tate Houston. The groove's pretty swinging – kind of in the mode of early work with Cannonball Adderley in that it's not as "in the pocket" soul jazz wise, but still quite strong overall. Heath and Jimmy Jones did the arrangements, and the rhythm section features Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones, and Jimmy Cobb. 17 tracks in all, including "Tadd", "The Old Country", "Chordnation", "ESP", "Scrambled Eggs", "Pretty Memory", and "Fallout". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite side of Gene Ammons' talents – summed up nicely in a 2LP set! Ammons wasn't the first tenor player to work with a Hammond organ, but once the format gained popularity, Gene made a wise move to take it up – and it became a pairing that forever defined the later years of his sound! The 2LP set brings together a nice blend of ballads, groovers, and funky tunes recorded for Prestige with organists Johnny Hammond Smith and Jack McDuff during the 60s – titles that include "Born To Be Blue", "Twistin The Jug", "In Sid's Thing", "Blue Room", "Water Jug", "Getting Around", "Angel Eyes", "Stormy Monday", "Velvet Soul", and "Down The Line". CD

A lost treasure from the glory days of the LA soul jazz bop scene of the early 60s! Alto player Earl Anderza has this crazy tone that's unlike anything we've ever heard – and he plays with a calculated approach to atonality that hints at later work by Ayler and others – but which comes across here a lot more straight ahead. Unlike Ayler, Anderza is backed by a tight soul jazz combo that includes stunning work by pianist Jack Wilson, one of our all-time favorite players – working here on both straight piano and electric harpsichord – which has a very crazy sound! Other players include George Morrow and Jimmy Bond on bass, plus Donald Dean on drums – and titles include "Blues Baroque", "Freeway", "Benign", and a great version of Wilson's modal classic "Outa Sight"! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic group that just seems to get better and better each time we hear them – one comprised of some of our favorite Swedish avant players of the past decade or two – coming together here in a way that's even greater than the sum of its parts! There's a bold energy to the group that seems to take off from the Charles Mingus ensembles of the late 50s and early 60s – that balance of unified message and individual voices – painterly sometimes, swinging at others – with work from Johan Berthling on bass, Magnus Broo on trumpet, Eirik Hegdal on baritone, Goran Kajfes on cornet, Martin Kuchen on alto and tenor, Mattias Stahl on vibes, Andreas Werliin on drums, Alexander Zethson on piano, and Mats Aleklint on trombone. There's a richness here that's undeniable, and which puts these guys in instant-classic territory – at least for avant jazz – on titles that include "Beyond Us", "Mali", "Against The Permanent Revolution", "Samar & The Egyptian Winter", and "U(n)happiez Marriages". CD

Hardbop albums don't get any better than this – and although drummer Dave Bailey only recorded for a brief stretch as a leader, this session's one that shows that he was a heck of a force to contend with! The record's got an intensity that easily rivals the best by Art Blakey over at Blue Note during the early 60s – but Dave's also got a slightly looser groove too – a bit more sense of humanity, and one that allows for really organic interplay between the players. There's a slight soul jazz undercurrent – especially in the piano lines of Billy Gardner – and other players in the quintet include Bill Hardman on trumpet, Frank Haynes on tenor, and Ben Tucker on bass. The group wails on an early version of Tucker's classic "Comin' Home Baby", plus other great originals like "Coffee Walk", "Lady Iris B", and "Two Feet In the Gutter". A old favorite on the south side of Chicago! LP, Vinyl record album

Hardbop albums don't get any better than this – and although drummer Dave Bailey only recorded for a brief stretch as a leader, this session's one that shows that he was a heck of a force to contend with! The record's got an intensity that easily rivals the best by Art Blakey over at Blue Note during the early 60s – but Dave's also got a slightly looser groove too – a bit more sense of humanity, and one that allows for really organic interplay between the players. There's a slight soul jazz undercurrent – especially in the piano lines of Billy Gardner – and other players in the quintet include Bill Hardman on trumpet, Frank Haynes on tenor, and Ben Tucker on bass. The group wails on an early version of Tucker's classic "Comin' Home Baby", plus other great originals like "Coffee Walk", "Lady Iris B", and "Two Feet In the Gutter". A old favorite on the south side of Chicago! CD

One of our favorite albums ever from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – but a set that was unreleased by Blue Note for quite a few years! The set's one of two gems the group recorded in 1961, but which were held back until the end of the 60s – and it features a stellar version of the group with Wayne Shorter on tenor, Lee Morgan on trumpet, and Bobby Timmons on piano – all wonderful players who were really coming into their own at the time, and starting to bring a richness to the Messengers sound that would leave its mark in jazz for many years to come! The group is razor-sharp on the rhythms, but also really able to take new chances with their phrasing and timing – on a host of wonderful tracks that include "Those Who Sit & Wait", "The Witch Doctor", and "A Little Busy" – all real classics from this special group. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful trio session from Carla Bley – with longtime partners Andy Sheppard on tenor and soprano saxes and Steve Swallow on bass – whose work together has only gotten more lyrical, poetic, and sublime over the years! The 3-part "Andando El Tiempo" builds beautifully in sound – from haunting and meditative, to knowingly sad (though no less beautiful), to brighter and hopeful in mood over its 3 longish pieces. "Saints Alive" is a slow-building gem itself, with the most brilliant interplay between Bley's piano and Swallow's bass of the entire session, and the closer "Naked Bridges/Diving Brides" evokes a variety of moods in its long run on the record. Inspiring work from a longtime favorite composer! CD

One of our favorite albums from Lester Bowie's big solo run of the 80s – and a set that has some of the more dynamic energy of his Brass Fantasy group, but maybe also a bit more depth as well! The album's part of a handful that the Art Ensemble Of Chicago did with the DIW label at the time – and the AEOC production maybe gives the record a slightly more serious sound – even though the group still take on material from James Brown, Sade, and EU! Yet there's also two Billie Holiday tributes that are surprisingly powerful, and a stunning version of Roland Kirk's "The Inflated Tear" – with a strong trombone solo from Steve Turre, who worked with Kirk in later years, and always championed his work. The lineup features Bowie, Stanton Davis, EJ Allen, and Gerald Brezel on trumpets; Turre and Frank Lacy on trombones; Vincent Chancey on French horn; and Bob Stewart on tuba – plus drums and percussion from Don Moye, Ken Cruchfield, and Vinnie Johnson. Titles include "Inflated Tear", "Smooth Operator", "Strange Fruit", "Don't Worry Be Happy", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", and "Da Butt". CD

Bassist Paul Brusger heads up this quartet, but the group's got strong contributions on all its four corners – tremendous baritone work from Gary Smulyan, who's becoming one of our favorite contemporary players on the instrument – plus soulful piano from Mike Ledonne, and just the right sort of swing from the great Louis Hayes! The players come together with a freshness that's noteworthy – really standing apart from even their other recent recordings – quite possibly due to the fact that every tune on the set (save one) is an original composition by Brusger, a writer with a really old school way of balancing lyricism and soul – a compositional strength that almost takes us back to Horace Silver or Duke Pearson. Titles include "In A Minor Funk", "When Will You Ever Learn", "All But One", "Bringin Home The Silver", "Waiting For The Next Trane", and "Andrea's Delight". CD

One of our favorite Kenny Burrell albums – and a record with a much deeper feel than lots of his other work! Kenny cut this album with John Coltrane in 1958 – and the session's a real standout in both of their careers at the time – Kenny's, for being a well-crafted, highly-focused effort – and Coltrane's, for being a unique outing with a guitar, but one that's done with the same deep-spirited sound of his best work for Prestige. The group's a quintet, with Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb in the rhythm section – and titles include "Big Paul", "Lyresto", "Why Was I Born?", "I Never Knew", and "Freight Trane". CD

One of our favorite Kenny Burrell albums – and a record with a much deeper feel than lots of his other work! Kenny cut this album with John Coltrane in 1958 – and the session's a real standout in both of their careers at the time – Kenny's, for being a well-crafted, highly-focused effort – and Coltrane's, for being a unique outing with a guitar, but one that's done with the same deep-spirited sound of his best work for Prestige. The group's a quintet, with Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb in the rhythm section – and titles include "Big Paul", "Lyresto", "Why Was I Born?", "I Never Knew", and "Freight Trane". CD

Easily our favorite album by Baikida Carroll – a wonderfully spiritual session cut in Paris, and done with this open-ended, spacious sound that seems to bring AACM improvisation into play with some of the global currents that were happening overseas at the time! As on an AACM date, most players handle a fair bit of instruments – Carroll on trumpet, flugelhorn, seal horn, and percussion; Oliver Lake on soprano, alto, tenor, flute, and percussion too; and the great Nana Vasconcelos on lots more percussion – including cuica, tablas, timbales, bells, and more as well! Manuel Villardel plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the tunes build through these great improvisations between the horns and percussion, often with long, cyclical styles that are completely hypnotic! Titles include the modal groover "Forest Scorpion" – plus "Orange Fish Tears", "Rue Roger", and "Porte D'Orleans". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite-ever album by Alice Coltrane – a masterpiece of spirit and soul, recorded in a wonderfully open-handed style – and with a vibe that's maybe a bit different than some of her other records, especially the ones with larger groups! The album's mostly a spare batch of tracks cut by Alice and her trio with Ron Carter on bass and Ben Riley on drums – a group who are already wonderful, and maybe a bit more introspective than Coltrane in other settings – and they're joined at a few points by guest tenor from both Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders – both at key parts of their career, and really adding a lot to the album! Pharoah and Joe blow with beautiful post-Coltrane spirituality on the tracks "Ptah The El Daoud" and "Mantra" – but equally great is the beautiful spare piano cut "Turiya & Ramakrishna" – an incredible tune that has Alice playing with a soulfulness you'd hardly expect! A real treasure all the way through – and the kind of album that ranks with the best in the Impulse catalog! LP, Vinyl record album

A perennial favorite in the John Coltrane catalog – a beautiful set of standards, handled in a warm laidback style – but which still has some of the depth of soul that John Coltrane brought to his more experimental work on Impulse Records! The album's a classic introduction to the music of Trane – and maybe is tied more closely to the spirit of some of his work on Atlantic Records, and makes a 'ally transforms them, thanks in part to the sublime work of Jimmy Garrison on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, and McCoy Tyner on piano. The album's completely solid all the way through – and although it won't change your life as much as A Love Supreme, it will show what a fantastically strong player Coltrane was, in any sort of setting! Titles include "I Wish I Knew", "What's New", "Nancy", "You Don't Know What Love Is", and "All Or Nothing At All". LP, Vinyl record album

Features "My Favorite Things", "Impressions", "Nature Boy", "After The Crescent" and "One Down, One Up". CD

One of numerous posthumous live sides, capturing a great early 60s performance by Trane in a quintet setting. Eric Dolphy joins the classic quartet of Tyner, Jones, Workman and Trane for a lenghty reading of "My Favorite things" and the contemplative numbers "Blue Train", "Naima" and "Impressions". LP, Vinyl record album

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! CD