Jazz — All Formats  

The cover's a bit cheesy, but the record's a great one – stunningly spiritual jazz from saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, and a set that really lives up to his soulful fame from the 70s! The record has a similar vibe to some of Ackamoor's recordings with The Pyramids – very well-crafted work that's filled with a rich spirit and lots of freely creative energy – often moved by rhythms that are warm and flowing, and recorded with a sound that's much more 70s than you'd guess from the date of the recording. Idris plays alto sax, and other group members include Art Hirahara on electric piano, Baba Duru on percussion, Destiny Muhammad on harp, and Fred Harris on drums. Some tracks have vocals – sung beautifully, in a really Strata East sort of way – and titles include "Our Voices", "Beckoning", "Libation Song", "Island Dance", "Move Towards The Light", and "Centurian".

Wickedly hip work from Cannonball Adderley – and one of his real standout sessions for Capitol Records in the 60s! The set lives up to its "Africa" promise right from the very first note – and features a set of loud, proud tunes that really bring out the righteous sounds of this generation of new liberation – tunes that sparkle with lead alto and soprano sax from Cannon, but which really draw even more energy from the whole collective of musicians on the record – a hip lineup led by HB Barnum, who also did all the arrangements for the set! The result is a record that's unlike any of Adderley's other albums – from some of the evocative snakey lines on the top, to the hip mix of 60s Cali soul and African percussion on the bottom. And oh yeah, David Axelrod produced the whole thing too! Titles include "Gumba Gumba", "Up & At It", "Hamba Nami", "Ndolima", and "Lehadima".

A great 4-part suite that rivals any of Manny Albam's other sessions from the time – including Jazz Greats Of Our Time, or Jazz New York. The tracks here are all quite long, and done in a bluesy mode that gives the album a bit more soul than usual for Albam – making great use of solos by Art Farmer, Nick Travis, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Phil Woods, and Gene Quill to flesh out the feeling of the set.

Very nice album by Jug that often gets overlooked because it's comprised of 2 different sessions, and can't get the "historical" writeup of being a single significant moment in the studio. Some tracks – including "Lascivious" and "Soft Winds" – are with a tight quartet that features the very soulful piano of Patti Brown. The others are with a larger group that has a whole horn section backing Jug up. The sound's a bit unusual for his records of the time, but it also gives him a great platform to work from, and he wails out of the group on his solos. Other titles include "Lullaby Of The Leaves" and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be".

Very nice album by Jug that often gets overlooked because it's comprised of 2 different sessions, and can't get the "historical" writeup of being a single significant moment in the studio. Some tracks – including "Lascivious" and "Soft Winds" – are with a tight quartet that features the very soulful piano of Patti Brown. The others are with a larger group that has a whole horn section backing Jug up. The sound's a bit unusual for his records of the time, but it also gives him a great platform to work from, and he wails out of the group on his solos. Other titles include "Lullaby Of The Leaves" and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be".

One of the most creative albums ever from UK composer Neil Ardley – and that's saying a lot, given the complexity of his other work! The set's got a wonderful blend of jazz arrangements and some freer passages – scored by Ardley with some of his most sensitive, most beautiful music ever – almost as if the whole thing's an extended soundtrack for a passage in time – or at least a sonic journey that's filled with some wonderful twists and turns! There's definitely some jazz/rock elements in the music, but the main focus is jazz – and Ardley has that same strong sense of large charts and forward-moving rhythms that you'd find in the best early work of Mike Westbrook, particularly his albums for Deram. Players are a very familiar, and very top-shelf batch of British musicians – including Barbara Thompson, Dick Heckstall-Smith, and Don Rendell on reeds; Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther on trumpets; Derek Wadsworth on trombone, Frank Rocotti on vibes, and Stan Tracey on both piano and celeste. Ardley plays prepared piano, and Ivor Cutler makes a great guest appearance on one track – reciting "The Dong With A Luminous Nose" – and Norma Winstone sings on "Will You Walk A Little Faster". The title track – "A Symphony Of Amaranths" – is dedicated to Duke Ellington and Gil Evans – with a feel that more than lives up to both! LP features a bonus "outro" track too.

Louis Armstrong recreates the sound of the 20s in these later recordings for Decca!

A cool collection of work from one of our favorite artists ever – literally one of the guys whose music was so great, it inspired us to start Dusty Groove! The package brings together a really hip assortment of Roy Ayers' best work for Polydor in the 70s – really incredible tracks that merge together jazz, soul, and funk at a level that nobody else can touch – not just the sum of the parts, but a sublime fusion that's completely Ayers-like, and which has gone onto inspire countless other folks over the years – even though nobody else can ever do it this well! The track selection is great – way hipper than the usual best-of on Roy – and titles include "And Don't You Say No", "Moving Grooving", "Come Out & Play", "Magic Lady", "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "Vibrations", "Tear To A Smile", "When Is Real Real", "Together", "He's A Superstar", and "He Gives Us All His Love".

A well-titled album from the legendary Derek Bailey – definitely a set that lives up to his tremendous reputation over the years! Bailey plays solo guitar here – working through a set of short improvised pieces, and coming up with sounds that are simply incredible – especially for an era when highly experimental records like this weren't often issued. Bailey's work on the strings of the guitar is far different than just about anyone before – and most players since – more sounds than notes, and often very abstract – but with a quality that all somehow makes sense – which is a great contrast to so many of the folks who tried to imitate this music in later years. The album's one of the best illustrations both of Bailey's mighty talents, and of the influence he had in following years – and it features 14 tracks, titled simply "M1", "M2", etc – all of them great!

A wonderful set by the enigmatic Charles Bell – a 60s modernist, but one with a great sense of soul! The album definitely lives up to its title, and has a fresh approach to the medium – a style that has some of the Modern Jazz Quartet influence in its structure, yet which also shares some more complex rhythmic ideas from the Ornette Coleman camp – mixed with a straighter hardbop vibe as well! The blend is quite compelling – and in addition to Bell's work on piano, the set also features Bill Smith on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Allan Blairman on drums. Titles include "Satan Said", "Django", "Portrait Of Aunt Mary", "Theme", and "Bass Line".

A super huge hit for George – the record that took him from being a funky jazz guitarist into an R&B superstar! The album features George playing and singing over arrangements by Claus Ogerman – some of Ogerman's best of the 70s, ones that mix together his trademark pillow of sound with a slightly funky bounce. The result is incredible – and the album is filled with loads of great songs – including George's excellent version of Bobby Womack's "Breezin", the hit version of "This Masquerade", and the cuts "So This Is Love", "Six To Four", and "Affirmation".

One of the greatest albums so far from mighty Chicago reedman David Boykin – and easily a set that lives up to the rich legacy of avant jazz in the Windy City! There's a depth to the record that comes through right from the very first note – a sense of history and feeling that shows just how much Boykin's developed as a player over the past decade or so – a tenorist with a done that's right up there with Archie Shepp or David Murray at their creative best – really stretching out on some wonderful solos that never fail to dim in imagination or new ideas. The group's a trio – with Alex Wing on bass and James Woodley on drums – which gives the recording an almost ESP Records sort of vibe – and Boykin's the shining star throughout, really knocking us over with his solos on the well-recorded set! Titles include "Blast Off For Love", "Walk Turn Bat Shimmy", "Try Harder", "Blue Lotus", "Star Book", and "Late Night With The David Boykin Trio Theme".

One of the greatest albums so far from mighty Chicago reedman David Boykin – and easily a set that lives up to the rich legacy of avant jazz in the Windy City! There's a depth to the record that comes through right from the very first note – a sense of history and feeling that shows just how much Boykin's developed as a player over the past decade or so – a tenorist with a done that's right up there with Archie Shepp or David Murray at their creative best – really stretching out on some wonderful solos that never fail to dim in imagination or new ideas. The group's a trio – with Alex Wing on bass and James Woodley on drums – which gives the recording an almost ESP Records sort of vibe – and Boykin's the shining star throughout, really knocking us over with his solos on the well-recorded set! Titles include "Blast Off For Love", "Walk Turn Bat Shimmy", "Try Harder", "Blue Lotus", "Star Book", and "Late Night With The David Boykin Trio Theme".

A real smoker of a session – Rusty Bryant's first comeback album of the jazz funk years, done in a mode that virtually set the tone for other Prestige sessions of the time! Rusty's working here on alto sax, in a mode that's clearly inspired by the Lou Donaldson sessions of the time on Blue Note – but done with a freer, looser, more rolling sort of vibe. Organist Sonny Phillips really makes the set great with some fluid work on the Hammond that matches Bryant's groove – and guitarist Grant Green's also in the group, setting up some great single note lines that punctuate the tunes nicely. A key factor is also bassist Bob Bushnell, who plays Fender bass on the record (an element missing from the Donaldson sound), and gives the record a key bit of motion at the bottom! Tracks include the groovy "Zoo Boogaloo", plus "Streak O' Lean", "Night Flight", "The Cat", and "Ready Rusty".

An incredible album from Donald Byrd – hard, funky, and with more of an edge than most of his other Blue Note work! The sound on the album's incredibly sinister – really concerned with downward chord turns in moody rhythms – played with a real sense of soul by a frontline that features Byrd, Hank Mobley, and Sonny Red. Cedar Walton drives most of the tunes with hypnotic lines on piano – and the rest of the rhythm's cooked up by Walter Booker on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Includes the massively hard funky title cut, "Blackjack", plus "Beale Street", "Loki", and some other nice groovers. Red and Mobley are amazing, and Byrd's solos are some of his cleanest and leanest of the 60s!

A classic album that mixes trumpet and voices in a swirling soulful sound that worked very well for Byrd's career! Byrd's sparkling trumpet fronts a tight septet that includes Hank Mobley, Herbie Hancock, and Kenny Burrell – and which is backed by arrangements by Coleridge Perkinson and Duke Pearson. The sound is beautiful and spiritual, with a sound that mixes Blue Note hardbop with a style that would later show up on labels like Strata East, or in the experiments of Max Roach and Billy Harper. The tracks are long and moody, and the vocal group never gets in the way, but instead backs Byrd in a way that lets him hit new heights, and which gives him a stronger sense of voice. Includes the classic "Christo Redentor", plus "Chant", "The Black Disciple", and "Elijah".

An amazing debut from the John Carter/Bobby Bradford New Art Jazz Ensemble – one of the most powerful voices in jazz on the west coast at the end of the 60s! In a way, the quartet's sound is a culmination of the underground changes that had been bubbling under during most of the 60s on the LA scene – new ways of conceiving jazz after Ornette and Dolphy had first set the scene on fire at the start of the decade, but styles that weren't receiving nearly the exposure as some of the better-known avant work on the Chicago, New York, or European scenes. The style here definitely owes something of a legacy to Ornette in the way it reconceives rhythm and melody – and a bit to Dolphy in its freewheeling, free-thinking work on clarinet, flute, and alto by John Carter. Bobby Bradford's bracing trumpet lines really give the album a tremendous punch – and the rest of the group features Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman (brother of George and Von!) on drums. Titles include "Seeking", "The Village Dancers", "Sticks & Stones", "In The Vineyard", "Karen On Monday", and "Song For The Unsung".

A bit more high concept than before for Stanley Clarke – almost a suite of sorts, but one that still has some great standout tunes in the mix! Although Clarke used to bring his higher concepts to bear in the space of a single song, this one's more of a full exploration of the character in the title – served up at the best moments with more soul than on previous albums from Stanley, some nicely tuneful tracks that almost get a bit funky at points. There's a bit of vocals on the record – courtesy of Dee Dee Bridgewater and others – and guests include Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and Airto. Titles include "More Hot Fun", "Slow Dance", "He Lives On", "Dayride", "Got To Find My Own Place", "Closing Statement", and "A Serious Occasion".

Great lost work from the legendary Phil Cohran and his Artistic Heritage Ensemble – a composition that was recorded during the group's late 60s years on the Chicago scene – but which has never been released until now! The album stands beautifully alongside the group's self-titled classic and their tribute to Malcolm X – and like those amazing records, this one has a feel that's all its own – an exploration of Moorish elements in Spanish culture – which comes off as a Latin-inflected sound with African roots! The lineup here is similar to other Cohran classics – Donald Myrick on baritone sax, Charles James Williams on alto, Eugene Easton on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, Aaron Dodd on tuba, Pete Cosey on guitar, Henry Gibson on congas, and Louis Satterfield on bass – a mix of musicians that includes members with Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire listed in their resumes! Cohran's vision in the suite is wonderful – and the music has all the depth and righteous energy of his self-titled record, but a bit more Latin fire too – a beautiful blend that really makes us appreciate his genius even more than before, and which finally gives us another record of his to love after all these years.

An amazing bit of music – and an incredible document of generations of creative jazz energy as well! The legendary Phil Cohran teams up here with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a collective made up of Cohran's sons, who follow strongly in the rich legacy of his own Artistic Heritage group – yet in a very different way! Hypnotic Brass have caught the ear of many during their bright rise to fame – with a fluid, horn-heavy groove that's really amazing – echoes of Sun Ra and other Chicago creative legends – yet played almost entirely on brass instruments, which gives them an even bolder vibe. Here, working with their progenitor brings the group even more depth than before – an excellent sound that really spins things out wonderfully – percussion layered underneath the horns, solos taking jazzy flight, and an overall righteous vibe that holds things together beautifully. The album's way more than the sum of its parts – and those parts are already rich indeed – and titles include "Stateville", "Cuernavaca", "Ancestral", "Spin", "Zincali", "Apsara", and "Frankincense & Myrrh".

An amazing bit of music – and an incredible document of generations of creative jazz energy as well! The legendary Phil Cohran teams up here with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a collective made up of Cohran's sons, who follow strongly in the rich legacy of his own Artistic Heritage group – yet in a very different way! Hypnotic Brass have caught the ear of many during their bright rise to fame – with a fluid, horn-heavy groove that's really amazing – echoes of Sun Ra and other Chicago creative legends – yet played almost entirely on brass instruments, which gives them an even bolder vibe. Here, working with their progenitor brings the group even more depth than before – an excellent sound that really spins things out wonderfully – percussion layered underneath the horns, solos taking jazzy flight, and an overall righteous vibe that holds things together beautifully. The album's way more than the sum of its parts – and those parts are already rich indeed – and titles include "Stateville", "Cuernavaca", "Ancestral", "Spin", "Zincali", "Apsara", and "Frankincense & Myrrh".

A wonderful idea for a record – very unique, and with a style that makes for one of the freshest jazz vocal sets we've heard in years! The tunes here are all numbers penned by saxophonist Pepper Adams – a great change from overdone standards – and they've got some inventive lyrics penned by Barry Wallenstein, sung with a very vivid, jazzy flourish by Alexis Cole! The approach is wonderful – hardly what you'd expect from the usual jazz vocal set – and the instrumentation is also great too – a small combo, with twin tenors from Eric Alexander and Pat LaBarbera, both bringing in the kind of solo space and soulful inflections that Adams would have greatly appreciated. Titles include "Urban Dreams", "Julian", "Civilization & Its Discontents", "Lovers Of Their Time", and "Now In Our Lives".

An album that certainly lives up to the promise of its title – as it's filled with amazing instrumentation, groundbreaking compositions, and a sound in jazz that few ears could imagine at the time! The groove here is extremely modal – all instruments rolling along on the same rhythmic pulse, with drums, bass, trumpet, and alto sax incredibly intertwined! Ornette's really got an edge on his instrument – cutting even more deeply here than the clipped, punctuated cornet work of Don Cherry – and the rhythm team of Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins are simply amazing – not just keeping up with the energy of Ornette, but also really helping facilitate it as well! Titles include the haunting "Lonely Woman", plus "Peace", "Chronology", and "Focus on Sanity".

Some incredible early work from John Coltrane – 3 sessions recorded under the leadership of Paul Chambers, and even done before Coltrane's more famous work with Miles Davis! First up is material from the Imperial album Chamber's Music – led by Chambers, and one of the earliest small group sessions with Coltrane – a very spare batch of bass-heavy tracks with an incredibly relaxed groove. Chambers is at the full peak of his youthful talents, and solos quite a bit next to spare piano fills by Drew. Trane's tone is loud and raw, with more bluesiness than you'd expect – and we mean that in a good way! Titles include "Dexterity", "Trane's Blues", and "Eastbound". Added to these are 3 more tracks from a really wonderful Massachusetts session in 1956 – recorded for Transition Records – and featuring Coltrane and Chambers with Pepper Adams, Roland Alexander, and Donald Byrd – playing, long, bluesy, almost-improvised tunes that include "Trane's Strain", "High Step", and "Nixon Dixon & Yates Blues". Last up are more tracks from the album Whims Of Chambers – again recorded under Chambers' leadership, this time for Blue Note in 1956 – with a group that includes Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell, and Horace Silver. The writing is great, and the group has a nice dark edge that gives the session a slightly different sound than other Blue Note albums from the time. Chambers leads off with the bass on most tracks, kind of putting the work at an off-center pace that really gives it a fresh feel – and which makes it different from the straighter bop sound of his albums as a leader on Vee Jay. Tracks include "We Six", "Dear Ann", "Tale Of The Fingers", and "Omicron". CD features 11 tracks in all – quite possibly not all of the tracks from the albums, but the important Coltrane ones.

One of Hank Crawford's first big records of the 70s – a really great set that helps him shake off some of his stock modes of the 60s and find a very different groove! A big part of the album is arranger Don Sebesky, who gives Hank a backdrop that's sophisticated and smooth, yet still pretty soulful in all the right places – a style that's almost a bit like mainstream soundtrack work of the time, but a bit more jazz focused overall. Hank's solos are right out front on most tracks – blown with that nicely pinched tone that made him a standout back in the day – and other players include Richard Tee on both organ and piano, as well as Idris Muhammad and Bernard Purdie on drums. Titles include "Uncle Funky", "Imagine", "The Sun Died", "Brian's Song", and "Ham", which was arranged by Pee Wee Ellis.

Rare solo material from pianist Leo Cuypers – a really wonderful set that gives us a chance to hear his talents in a completely unfettered setting! We know Cuypers best from some of his efforts in groups, and it's a great change to hear him here on his own – working through some amazing original compositions that are filled with life and feeling! At some points, he's got all the wit, energy, and sharp edges of contemporary Misha Mengelberg – but at other times, there's this lyrical cohesion to his music that almost reminds us of the most tuneful moments of Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett – an obvious great range of sounds to come from one player in such a small space – which makes the album possibly the greatest illustration of Cuyper's genius we've ever heard. Titles include "Lovely Rita", "Monk's Raus", "Het Cowboylied Van Ome Piet", "One Million Dollar Song", "Tristano Song", and "Lovely Rita". CD also features 3 long bonus tracks too!

Miles Davis' first-ever performance in Japan – a really unique concert that featured the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by a young Sam Rivers on tenor! The presence of Rivers really gives the set an edge – and although Miles is holding Sam a bit more in check than on some of his "new thing" albums from the time, there's an overall quality here that's different than the other Davis quintet albums of the time. The set was one of a number of important Miles Davis live sessions from the period – including albums from Berlin, Antibes, and Chicago – and titles include "If I Were A Bell", "My Funny Valentine", "So What", "Walkin'" and "All Of You".

Two spiritual jazz gems – back to back, and both from the excellent Deep Jazz combo! "Spirits Up Above" is that great Roland Kirk classic – taken here at a tightly swinging pace, and with a female lead vocal duo that really gives it a great flavor – putting the lyrics upfront even more than before, almost like the Bey Sisters – yet still leaving some room for a nice solo in the middle! "No Doubt" is an original by the group – resplendent with acoustic basslines right from the start, which set the tune off in a modal waltz mode that's mighty nice!

A quadruple-header of a set – four great albums together in one cool box! First up is the first album from the great Special Edition group of drummer Jack DeJohnette – a wickedly sharp record that's as equally tight on the reeds as it is on the drums! The album features brilliant work on tenor and bass clarinet from David Murray, and equally nice alto from Arthur Blythe – both criss-crossing and soaring out effortlessly in each others' company – amidst complex rhythmic impulses from DeJohnette on drums, and both bass and cello from Peter Warren. Jack also plays a bit of piano and melodica as well – and titles include "One For Eric", "Zoot Suite", "Central Park West", "India", and "Journey To The Twin Planet". On Tin Can Alley, the great Chico Freeman really shines with drummer Jack DeJohnette – lending his tenor, flute, and bass clarinet to the album – and helping make it a really reed-heavy affair! John Purcell's also in the frontline with Chico – playing alto, baritone, and flute – and in addition to Peter Warren's bass and cello, the album Jack DeJohnette also plays drums, congas, piano, and organ too! The range of instrumentation almost echoes some Chicago AACM roots at times – but with that tighter focus that musicians like Jack were bringing to their work at ECM – and titles include "Riff Raff", "The Gri Gri Man", "I Know", and "Pastel Rhapsody". Inflation Blues is a record that bristles with energy right from the start – spurred on by the creative rhythms that have always made Jack DeJohnette one of the most inventive drummers of his time! The group features a triple-threat lineup with Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Chico Freeman on tenor and soprano sax, and John Purcell on alto, baritone, flute, and clarinet – especially nice at points when the reedmen shift and turn with sharp edges learned from the earlier avant years, yet given a nice focus here under DeJohnette's leadership. Jack penned all original tunes for the set, and there's a depth to his writing that really marks a move forward – possibly some of his richest musical statements on record ever! Titles include "Ebony", "Inflation Blues", "Slowdown", and "The Islands". Album Album is a record that really dives deep with a rich mix of creative rhythms and inventive horn lines! The album still has Jack staying true to his more avant roots – working with tenor from David Murray, alto and soprano sax from John Purcell, baritone and tuba from Howard Johnson, and bass from Rufus Reid – a lineup that's a bit bigger than on other Special Edition albums, and which is used to fill in even more colors and deeper elements than before. Some of the tunes are wonderfully vivid in approach – and titles include "Festival", "Third World Anthem", "Zoot Suite", "Ahmad The Terrible", and "New Orleans Strut".

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".

Excellent funky work from Lou – and a groundbreaking record that was the first to feature him playing on Blue Note with drummer Idris Muhammad – who is listed on the session under his birth name, Leo Morris! Muhammad gives the album that crackling funky bottom sound that instantly defined Lou's later years at Blue Note – a hard and heavy approach to soul jazz that's had incredible repercussions in the world of hip hop, as well as soul and funk. The rest of the group features soul jazz burners Lonnie Smith on organ, Melvin Lastie on trumpet, and George Benson on guitar – and the album includes the highly successful "Alligator Boogaloo", plus hard groovers "The Thang", "Aw Shucks!", and "One Cylinder".

Excellent funky work from Lou – and a groundbreaking record that was the first to feature him playing on Blue Note with drummer Idris Muhammad – who is listed on the session under his birth name, Leo Morris! Muhammad gives the album that crackling funky bottom sound that instantly defined Lou's later years at Blue Note – a hard and heavy approach to soul jazz that's had incredible repercussions in the world of hip hop, as well as soul and funk. The rest of the group features soul jazz burners Lonnie Smith on organ, Melvin Lastie on trumpet, and George Benson on guitar – and the album includes the highly successful "Alligator Boogaloo", plus hard groovers "The Thang", "Aw Shucks!", and "One Cylinder".

A killer from Lou Donaldson's early hardbop years at Blue Note – recorded right during his classic run of albums for the label, but not issued until many years later! There's a sweet bounce to most tracks here – the kind of vibe that Lou had most famously on his Blues Walk album – thanks to the presence of Ray Barretto on congas, in the company of Horace Parlan on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Al Harewood on drums! Parlan's piano gives the whole thing a great soulful bottom – and titles include "Midnight Sun", "Dog Walk", "The Squirrel", "Si Si Safronia", and "Candy". CD features a bonus alternate of "Candy".

A real smoker from Lou Donaldson's years at Cadet – and an organ-driven session with Big John Patton on the Hammond! The record's got a slightly lighter groove than the Patton/Donaldson albums for Blue Note – but that's the great thing about the record, as it's kind of a nice bridge between the lyricism of Donaldson's non-organ records, and the harder sound of his Hammond sessions. Ray Crawford plays guitar in the group, and most tracks feature conga from the little-known Cleopas Mopedido Morris – quite possibly a more famous player, working here under a "nom-de-date". Other players include the great Bill Dixon on drums, who gives the record a nicely fluid feel – and Bill Hardman on trumpet, making a really unique appearance here. Titles include "Possum Head", "Midnight Soul", "man With A Horn", and "Persimmon Tree".

Plenty of sass, and plenty of soul – a great mix of modes from the mighty Lou Donaldson! The set has Lou expanding his sound a bit from the harder funk of Blue Note dates from a few years before – working with arranger George Butler, who gives the record a cool electric vibe – almost like some hip early 70s soundtrack! Great proof of that is Donaldson's classic take on the "Sanford & Son Theme" – done here in a way that stretches out a lot more than the original – and other nice funky tracks include "Inner Space" and "Sassy Soul Strut".

A really unique album for Lou Donaldson – especially for his early 70s run on Blue Note! The session lives up to its title by offering up a batch of soulful ballads from Lou – tunes that really focus on his sweet lines on alto, yet set amidst some larger backing arranged by Wade Marcus – which also feature some wonderful Fender Rhodes from Derek Smith in the mix! The groove is relatively gentle, and has a nicely laidback sort of feel – the kind of lush yet soulful sounds that Marcus could do so well almost a CTI/Kudu vibe, but a bit more easygoing overall. Titles include a version of Lou's "Blues Walk", plus "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "The Long Goodbye", "Stella By Starlight", "You've Changed", and "Autumn In New York".

Stellar grooves from Charles Earland – a great mix of jazz, soul, and funk – put together in a way that's quite different from his previous records on Prestige or Mercury Records! The sound here is tight 80s soul – put together by Tom Tom Washington, who gives the whole thing a sophisticated Chicago vibe – and one that matches Charles' sweet keyboard solos with wickedly sharp rhythms, and some occasional vocal bits too. Singers include Larry Blackmon, TC Campell, and Charles himself – but there's still a focus that seems to be more on the instrumentation overall – served up with some mighty nice organ lines from Earland. Titles include "The Only One", "Marcia's Waltz", "You Belong To Me", "Never Knew Love Like This Before", "Guilty", "Laser Lips", "Earland's Jam", and "Animal". CD features "Never Knew Love Like This Before (single)", "Guilty (single)", "Animal (12" version)", and "The Only One (12" version)".

A great little groover from keyboardist Charles Earland – and an album that definitely lives up to its title! There's plenty of street sounds going on here – lots of modern R&B modes that echo the changing styles of early 80s soul music, especially on the east coast! And as part of that, there's a good deal of vocals on the record, alongside Charles' keyboards – work by singers who include Larry Hancock, Bruce Gray, and Sheryl Kendrick – each of whom adds plenty to the record, working over jazzy grooves nicely scored by Earland. Titles include "Be My Lady", "Take Me Away", "Feels So Good To Me", "Burning Devotion", "Tell Me What It Is", and "Go All The Way". CD features a bonus track – "Be My Lady (7" mix)".

Features Eubanks on tormbone and keyboards – with additional trombone from Slide Hampton and Clifton Anderson – plus alto from Steve Coleman, flugelhorn from Michael Mossmann, guitar from Kevin Eubanks, and percussion from Jerry Gonzales.

A great little set from Alan Evans – better known as the drummer in Soulive, but equally smoking out here on his own! Alan doesn't always record on his own, but when he does, it's usually a great thing – and this cooking little album definitely lives up to the funky tightness we'd expect! In addition to drums, Evans also plays guitar and bass on the record – and other instrumentation includes more guitar and lots of Hammond too – but used in a style that's very different than Soulive – still funky, but a bit spacey and cosmic too – a bit in keeping with the image on the cover! Evans also sings a bit, with this great raspy style buried down amidst the groove – and titles include "Hotcakes Meltdown", "Thor", "Cosmic Hazel Dust", "Who Dare Knock", "They Call Me Velvet", "Have You Seen Him", and "Biscuits".

A great little set from Alan Evans – better known as the drummer in Soulive, but equally smoking out here on his own! Alan doesn't always record on his own, but when he does, it's usually a great thing – and this cooking little album definitely lives up to the funky tightness we'd expect! In addition to drums, Evans also plays guitar and bass on the record – and other instrumentation includes more guitar and lots of Hammond too – but used in a style that's very different than Soulive – still funky, but a bit spacey and cosmic too – a bit in keeping with the image on the cover! Evans also sings a bit, with this great raspy style buried down amidst the groove – and titles include "Hotcakes Meltdown", "Thor", "Cosmic Hazel Dust", "Who Dare Knock", "They Call Me Velvet", "Have You Seen Him", and "Biscuits".

One of the best records ever cut by funky sax man Joe Farrell! The album's got a stripped down, choppy groove – virtually the blueprint for later 70s funk of this type, and played perfectly by Farrell and a very hip quartet lineup! Players include Joe on soprano and tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – playing with a very angular sense of rhythm that really dives the record! The record's got a tight combo sound that's far more energetic than most CTI jazz from the time – and titles include the great cut "Great Gorge", which has a tight modal sample groove, plus "Times Lie", "Bass Folk Song", and "Moon Germs".

It's been many years since we've last heard from keyboardist Xaver Fischer – but it's been well worth the wait! Fischer's got a sweet way with a keyboard like that few others can match – and this set smokes like the best of the 70s – maybe even more so at times, given that the trio setting is a lot more stripped-down than most keyboards were using back in the day! All music is played live – with bass and drums alongside the keys – and that gives the whole thing a spontaneous, loose sort of energy that's quite different than other keyboard records of this nature. A few rhythms show a new love of 80s modes, but these are nicely placed amidst some earlier modes – and as before, there's a great mix of spacey and warm throughout. Titles include "Dumdidum", "Concerto For Square Wave", "The Day Before Tomorrow", "Surf N Turf", "Nemo's New Portable Organ", "Saws & Noises", and "The Last Blues".

A real early moment of genius from reedman Sonny Fortune – a classic set cut for the Strata East label, and one that's got a lot more depth and edge than some of Fortune's later records! Don't get us wrong, we always love Sonny to death – but there's really something special going on here – a quality that has Fortune breaking from some of the straighter scenes he was working in a few years before, and going for a righteous style he'd never create this well again – a rich approach to the music that's very much at home on Strata East! Tracks are long, and graced not only with wonderfully searching solos from Sonny on alto, soprano sax, and flute – but also features trumpet from Charles Sullivan, Fender Rhodes and piano from Stanley Cowell, bass from Wayne Dockery, drums from Chip Lyle, and percussion from the heady trio of Richard Landrum, Mario Munoz, and Angel Allende. The percussion is quite heavy at times, and gives the record a really rootsy feel at some of the best moments – and tracks include the massive 15 minute "Long Before Our Mothers Cried", plus "Tribute To A Holiday", "Wayneish", "Sound Of Silents", and "Five For Trane".

A real early moment of genius from reedman Sonny Fortune – a classic set cut for the Strata East label, and one that's got a lot more depth and edge than some of Fortune's later records! Don't get us wrong, we always love Sonny to death – but there's really something special going on here – a quality that has Fortune breaking from some of the straighter scenes he was working in a few years before, and going for a righteous style he'd never create this well again – a rich approach to the music that's very much at home on Strata East! Tracks are long, and graced not only with wonderfully searching solos from Sonny on alto, soprano sax, and flute – but also features trumpet from Charles Sullivan, Fender Rhodes and piano from Stanley Cowell, bass from Wayne Dockery, drums from Chip Lyle, and percussion from the heady trio of Richard Landrum, Mario Munoz, and Angel Allende. The percussion is quite heavy at times, and gives the record a really rootsy feel at some of the best moments – and tracks include the massive 15 minute "Long Before Our Mothers Cried", plus "Tribute To A Holiday", "Wayneish", "Sound Of Silents", and "Five For Trane".

Wicked late 70s work from Ronnie Foster – a rare Columbia outing that's arguably better than his earlier sides for Blue Note! There's more of a soul vibe than before in the music – but in a way that's really foregrounded, and without some of the back/forth wavering that Foster had in his groove during previous sets. Jerry Peters produced the record, and gives it a solid, confident style that's right up there with the best soul/fusion sides on Columbia at the time – and the lineup of players features great contributions from Roy Ayers on vibes, Ndugu Chancler on percussion, Harvey Mason on drums, and Alphonso Johnson on bass. Foster himself did all the arrangements – and both sings and plays a mix of keyboards that come off sounding pretty darn great. Titles include "Midnight Plane", "Happy Song", "Why Don't You Look Inside", "I Want To Bring My Love Home", "Nassau Bay", "Shooting Star", and "Easier Said Than Done".

Wicked late 70s work from Ronnie Foster – a rare Columbia outing that's arguably better than his earlier sides for Blue Note! There's more of a soul vibe than before in the music – but in a way that's really foregrounded, and without some of the back/forth wavering that Foster had in his groove during previous sets. Jerry Peters produced the record, and gives it a solid, confident style that's right up there with the best soul/fusion sides on Columbia at the time – and the lineup of players features great contributions from Roy Ayers on vibes, Ndugu Chancler on percussion, Harvey Mason on drums, and Alphonso Johnson on bass. Foster himself did all the arrangements – and both sings and plays a mix of keyboards that come off sounding pretty darn great. Titles include "Midnight Plane", "Happy Song", "Why Don't You Look Inside", "I Want To Bring My Love Home", "Nassau Bay", "Shooting Star", and "Easier Said Than Done". 3 bonus single mixes on this great CD: "Midnight Plane, Pt 1 (US 7" Single)", "Midnight Plane, Pt 2 (US 7" Single)" and "Midnight Plane 12"" Single).

A great example of why we always reach for our Rodney Franklin records time and time again over the years – as there's few other players who could serve up a blend of soul and jazz this well! The album's got a great balance of electric and acoustic, that instantly-warm style that Franklin virtually invented on these classic Columbia recordings – with plenty of care to avoid falling into fusion cliches that were either too jamming, or too clunkily commercial. Rodney plays a host of keys himself – including Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano – and the set features some nice lead vocals from Darryl Coley and Phyllis St James – but also gives plenty of space for instrumental focus, with some tracks that are longer than usual for Franklin. Titles include the gentle stepper "One From The Heart", plus "Fiesta", "Destiny", "Song For You", "Skydance", and "Children".

One of the best studio albums ever from the legendary Von Freeman – and a date that really captures some of the careful essence of his live performances in Chicago! Unlike the previous Atlantic album, which tried to fit Von into a more expected bag, this easygoing Nessa session really lets him open up and take off – blowing tunes that are straight ahead, but always with that offbeat style that turns the songs inside out – making them rich exploratory fields for inventive and creative solos! The group fits Von's longtime credo of never upstaging the leader – which gives his tenor lots of room to blow – and players include John Young on piano , David Shipp on bass, and the great Wilbur Campbell on drums. Titles include a great version of Mancini's "Mr Lucky", plus "Swinging The Blues", "Polka Dots And Moonbeams", and "Have No Fear Soul Is Here". This great Nessa CD version has a killer bonus track, too – the Freeman-composed "Boomerang".

John, aka Johnny Frigo, who's best known to our set for the rare dynamite jazz dance sides he recorded later on, and to the jazz world at large for his work as a bassist, leads a small group on this rare, early full length for Mercury as as a leader on his first instrument – the violin! It's a pretty sweet set, and really not at all the token late 50s swing set you'd expect from the title, and owes as much or more to the bop scene at the time. Frigo's lead violin gives the tunes kind of a cinematic sweep – and he's accompanied by Dick Marx on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Norm Jeffries on drums and others. Tracks include "What A Difference A Day Made", "Polka Dots And Moon Beams", "Blue Orchids", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Is Love Good To Me" and more.

An obscure little quartet session from Red Garland – recorded with Les Spann on both guitar and flute, caught at a time when he was just starting to make waves on the New York scene! The presence of Spann gives the record a decidedly different feel than most of Garland's work on Prestige – as the hollow-body guitar tones bring some much bluesier inflections to some of the tunes, offset by more chromatic runs that really illuminate others. Red's own piano is still wonderfully soulful, and presented here with a pointed sense of economy on some numbers – and rhythm is by Sam Jones on bass and Frank Gant on drums. Titles include "Marie's Delight", "This Can't Be Love", "Blues For News", "I Just Can't See For Looking", and "Solar".

The historic meeting of Stan Getz and Brazilian guitarist Joao Gilberto, with the surprisingly popular inclusion of Joao's then-wife Astrud. The record created a sound that was copied endlessly, and which catapulted Astrud to unbelievable fame worldwide – even though she was only included in the session at the last minute, because Joao couldn't sing in English! Includes the classic recording of "Girl From Ipanema", plus loads of other bossa classics like "Desafinado", "Cocovado", "O Grande Amor", and "Vivo Sonhando". Getz is impeccable, as he is on most of his bossa recordings, and Joao gives some of the best performances of his career.

A powerful set of free jazz that definitely lives up to its title – a hell-bent session of unbridled energy from this west coast quartet! Vinny Golia contributes some wonderful tenor, soprano sax, sopranino, and bass clarinet to the record – these deft, deep tones that really give the album a heck of a lot of soul – especially on some of the sparer moments, which have the spiritual feel of a 70s loft jazz session. Lisa Mezzacappa's basslines are often a key complement to Golia's reedwork – and the set also features some equally nice alto sax lines from Marco Eneidi, who definitely has the right feel for the record. Vijay Anderson completes the group on drums – and titles include "Lop-Sided Heels & Frayed Shoes", "Meteorites", "Inessential Melancholies", "Pendulum", "Deformities & Dischords", and "Everything Imaginable Can Be Dreamed".

Nice late 70s work from Gong – and a record that's much more jazz fusion based than some of the group's earlier work! Pierre Moerlen's still handling an awful lot of percussion – including vibra, timpani, glock, and marimba – but he's joined here by Mino Cinelou, who adds an additional tighter level of rhythm, plus guitarist Allan Holdsworth, whose ripping style on his axe almost gives a funky feel to a few of the tracks on the set. Titles include "Percolations", "Shadows Of", "Esnuria", and "Expresso".

Fantastic stuff! This was one of Grant Green's first ever sessions, and it's a winner all the way through! Dave Bailey and Ben Tucker back up the young Grant in a set of impeccably played guitar grooves that showcase the brilliant technique of this young genius – straight and to the point guitar jazz, with a soulful feel that gives the album a really warm finish. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than they're titled, too! Also includes two alternate takes.

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". Also features the bonus track "Wives & Lovers".

Although you may think of Dave Grusin as the man who's only capable of putting out snoozy fusion, this excellent session from 1964 is a very tight boppish one that features great players like Thad Jones, Frank Foster, and Bob Cranshaw. Dave shows a strong early talent for arranging, and he gives the solosists a lot of room – but his piano playing's also great in itself, and has a nice warm lyrical style that's hardly hinted at in his later work. A surprisingly strong album, and with lots of nice cuts, including "Inez", "Stella By Starlight", "Kaleidoscope", and "Gozwell".

A nice late Blue Note change from Herbie Hancock – a very different album than his previous sets for the label – in that it features a slightly larger group, and a sound that really points the way towards his directions in the 70s! There's a slightly ambitious feel to some of these cuts – not in a way that's over-arranged, but just a new sort of thinking for Herbie's kind of groove – a mode that's partially informed by the seriousness of 60s jazz soundtracks, but which also has the beginnings of some more righteous modes of expression too. Players are all great – and include Joe Henderson on tenor and flute, Johnny Coles on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, Hubert Laws on flute, Jerome Richardson on bass clarinet, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums. Herbie plays both acoustic and electric piano – using the latter here in one of his first recordings on the instrument – and titles include "Firewater", "I Have A Dream", "The Prisoner", and "He Who Lives In Fear".

Overlooked gems from this key reedman on the Brit modern scene of the 60s – two rare albums in a single package! First up is Movement – one of the most obscure albums recorded by Joe Harriott – leading light of the British avant scene in the 60s – and one of the best, too! The album features Harriott working with a quintet that includes Shake Keane on trumpet, Pat Smythe on piano, Bobby Orr on drums, and Coleridge Goode on bass – playing in territory that's somewhat in the neighborhood of his Abstract and Free Form albums, but also a bit more inside, with more of a focus on swinging, hard-hitting jazz. The rhythms are often quite tight and soulful, and although the album's touched with lots of angular moments – both in the solos and backings – the overall sound is wonderfully grooving and tremendously captivating! The album's got that perfect blend of modern, modal, and soul that make the best Brit jazz albums from the mid 60s so wonderful – and the set list includes original tunes such as "Movement", "Spaces", "Blues On Blues", "Revival", "Beams", and "Count Twelve". High Spirits is pretty unique – a set of takes on tunes that come from a musical show, but recast strongly as soulful sides for the Harriott combo! Pianist Pat Smythe re-arranged all tracks in the set – and really gives them a new sort of energy – opening them up for lots of solo work on his own piano, plus alto from Harriott, and some beautiful trumpet lines from the great Shake Keane – a player who always sounds great next to Joe. The rest of the group features Coleridge Goode on bass and Bobby Orr on drums – and titles include "Home Sweet Heaven", "Something Tells Me", "Go Into Your Trance", "I Know Your Heart", and "Was She Prettier Than I".

A classic session of music from the mighty Raymond Scott – performed here by a small combo led by Scott's old tenor player Dave Harris! All of the tunes here were written by Scott, and many are of the vintage that stretches back to his cool cartoon work – those jaunty, jagged little songs that have been revived heavily in the past decade or so, thanks to renewal of interest in Scott's music. This album's sort of its own "revival" – one that features excellent lat 50s studio sound, which really updates the tracks wonderfully, and offers them up in even sharper-edged versions than some of the originals. Harris plays a host of reeds, and although this album's the only one he ever did as a leader, it more than lives up to the memory of his old mentor – and to the wacky image on the cover! Titles include "Dinner Music For A Pack Of Hungry Cannibals", "Siberian Sleighride", "Reckless Night On Board An Ocean Liner", "Twilight In Turkey", "Minuet In Jazz", "Powerhouse", and "The Toy Trumpet".

Amazing sounds from the SF scene of the 70s – previously unreleased work that really opens up a whole new chapter of jazz on the west coast! The HE3 Project is the brainchild of keyboardist Herman Ebertizsch – who plays lots of Fender Rhodes and moog on this sweet little record – really driving some amazing lines for a wickedly soulful group that also features Coke Escovedo on timbales and Linda Tillery and Johnny Lovett on vocals! Supposedly, these sessions were the genesis of the groove that Escovedo later laid down on Mercury Records – but the sound here is a lot more open-ended and funky – a beautiful combination of jazz and soul elements, put together in ways that are quite different than any other Bay Area acts of the time. Titles include "Rapture Of The Deep", "Funk Punk", "Appreciation", "Life Is A Tortured Love Affair", "Make It Sweet", "We All Have Our Own Lives", "In A Soft & Subtle Way", and "Easy Come Easy Go".

Two Verve albums from Johnny Hodges – both relatively obscure, and both pretty darn great! The Eleventh Hour is an overlooked gem from Johnny Hodges – a 60s session that hearkens back to the "with strings" Verve mode of the 50s – but one that also updates the approach strongly, thanks to some well crafted arrangements by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's work in the jazz backings for soloist mode during the 60s was some of the best of the big band genre – and although his work here is much more in the mellow tone mode than his backings for players like Jimmy Smith and Lou Donaldson, Hodges is still getting top shelf treatment, some really wonderful washes of sound and color that show that his tone is still very much alive! A nice preface to the pair's classic set for Flying Dutchman – and with tracks that include "Something to Live For", "Don't Blame Me", "Warm Valley", "The Eleventh Hour", "Guitar Amour", and "You Blew Out The Flame In My Heart". Sandy's Gone is a set that has the sweet alto sax of Johnny Hodges working with great arrangements from Claus Ogerman – a mode that's a bit more groovy and 60s than some of Johnny's previous work – in a setting that offers up a nice change for his sound! Claus is in fine form here – swinging with the same style as his own instrumental records for RCA in the 60s – echoes of his German roots, especially in the use of bass at the bottom – which gives even some of the gentler tunes a nice kick we're not used to hearing in Johnny Hodges material. Johnny's got a sound that's soulful, yet sweet too – almost pop, but still very strongly rooted in jazz – on titles that include "Again", "Sandy's Gone", "Monkey Shack", "Scarlett O'Hara", "Candy's Theme", and "Follow Me".

An obscure date from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and tenorist Benny Golson – but some really great work from both players! The format here is relaxed and very open – long tunes that allow both players to really stretch out on their solos with tremendous grace and imagination. And despite the low price and simple packaging of the set, the quality of both the music and recording is easily on a par with the best 80s work by Hubbard and Golson – and is a masterful meeting of both artists! The group's a quintet, with more additional great talent – including Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums – hitting the kit with a great sense of energy that really drives the session. Titles include a great acoustic reworking of Hubbard's classic "Povo", presented in a way that's still surprisingly funky – plus "Double Bass", "Sad To Say", "Far Away", "Gypsy Jingle Jangle", and "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing".

Beautiful late Blue Note work from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – laidback, warm, electric, and with a mixture of CTI funk and some of the more lyrical soul jazz work of his years with Harold Land! Part of the credit for the set should go to George Cables – who plays both acoustic and electric keys on the record, and who gives the album a sweetly dancing feel that really warms things up wonderfully – a great mix of vibes and keyboards that's wonderful throughout! But all other players are wonderful too –including drummer Eddie Marshall, bassist James Leary, and horn players Freddie Hubbard, Hadley Caliman, and Manny Boyd. Titles include a great remake of "Little B's Poem", the mellow groover "Why Not", and the cuts "Til Then", "Knucklebean", and "So Far So Good".

Heavy funk from Japan's Soul Media combo – and one of the group's great 70s outings with the engimatic Sammy on vocals! Sammy's got this raw, raspy style that might owe a bit to Janis Joplin at times – but also nods strongly to the work of the American underground at others – more than able to stretch out with the fierce sounds of the group on the record, especially when they take on some trippy or more freaked-out styles! The drums are often nice and bold, and the electric instrumentation is very well integrated with a tight horn section that gives the tunes plenty of punch – and title sinclude "After Noon", "On The Grass", "Wandering Birds", "Parajika", and "Hyakunen Tattara".

A beautiful bit of hardbop that often gets overlooked because of the "leaderless" quality of the session. One batch of tracks on the record has Jackie McLean playing some beautiful rough interpretations of Bird on the standards "Old Folks" and "Embraceable You". The other batch was recorded live at Newport, and features Max Roach leading a sextet with JJ Johnson, Howard McGhee, Sonny Stitt, and Harold Mabern, on "Buzzy", "Now's The Time", and "Wee". The album's worth the price for the playing of Stitt and McLean alone – who both fall into the Parker-ish groove that they were once haunted with, but which here gives them a chance to show how individual they are. Nice stuff, and a record we almost passed by years ago. Don't make the same mistake.

Hard-grooving stuff from JJ – played with a lot more bite than usual, and recorded live with a group that features Nat Adderley, Tommy Flanagan, and Albert Heath. Tracks include "Now's The Time", "Misterioso", "Walkin", and "Tune Up" – jazz standards, mostly, but done very tightly by the group!

Weirdly groovy stuff from Jonah Jones – playing here in his usual pop-gospel-swing style, but with backing by a set of voices that gives that album a nice full sound. The vocal group isn't nearly as soporific as those used on other pop/jazz albums from the time, and they have a nice lilting groove that works well with Jonah's trumpet. Titles include "So Blue", "It's A Blue World", "Blue Champagne", and "Dust Bowl Blues".

A trio of Blue Note albums from guitarist Stanley Jordan! First up is Magic Touch – a crucial album for the jazz guitar in the 80s – the debut effort of Stanley Jordan, and a set that exploded with a very fresh sound! Jordan has a really unique way of handling his instrument – playing up and down the fret board with both hands – in ways that are often so lyrically compelling and musically complicated that Blue Note had to package the album with a "warning" that there were no overdubs or production tricks on the set – as you might find from other contemporary players on labels like ECM! Instead, Stanley's got a sound that's surprisingly warm and personal – and which, in a way, is recorded with a style that echoes the legend of his initial discovery by the label, while playing in the subway. Titles include "A Child Is Born", "Fundance", "Angel", "The Lady In My Life", "Round Midnight", and "Eleanor Rigby". On Standards Vol 1, guitarist Stanley Jordan takes on a set of standards – not just older tunes from the American songbook, but also some gorovy soul and pop numbers as well! Jordan plays solo throughout – in that open, lyrical style that we loved on his debut – and titles include "Sunny", "The Sound Of Silence", "Send One Your Love", "Moon River", "Guitar Man", and "My Favorite Things". Flying Home features Stanley Jordan in a new sort of soulful setting – one that takes his guitar from the previous solo setting of initial Blue Note albums, and gives it a fuller and smoother groove overall! The production and arrangements are by Preston Glass – a master of smooth jazz in these early years, and one of the few who could still keep things deeply soulful, even while adding in some more mainstream elements – in this case just the right touches to help get Jordan's guitar across to the same 80s audience that was digging cats like Earl Klugh or Bob James. Glass plays a fair bit of keyboards in the set – and titles include "Tropical Storm", "Can't Sit Down", "The Music's Gonna Change", "Flying Home", "The Time Is Now", and "Brooklyn At Midnight".

Not an orchestra, but the work of a single individual – yet served up with a sound that's more blistering than most large ensemble! Michel Coffi conceives the record as a "new challenge for the music of the future" – an "interactive collaboration" that heavily mixes and processes sounds from a wide array of sources – sometimes found, sometimes performed – all brought together in Coffi's larger sound design with a very explosive aesthetic! Many sounds are so compressed together they explode like beats, and most of the elements in the blend are just on the cusp of recognition – so that you keep thinking you hear something you know, but aren't entirely sure. Definitely a record that lives up to its promise – with titles that include "Blue Ocean", "Total Clash", "Electro Breakdown", "Peppermint Sax", "Natural Swing", "Black Tribal Imbroglio", and "Red Track".

One of Wynton Kelly's greatest albums, and an all-star hardbop session that includes Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. With Philly Joe on drums, and Morgan and Shorter, the LP almost has the feel of a classic Art Blakey session for Blue Note, but Kelly's piano gives it a feel that's a bit warmer, and more relaxed. The tracks are nearly all long, with very open room for soloing, and nice catchy hooks by the various writers – who include Kelly, Morgan, and Shorter. Titles include "Wrinkles", "Mama G", "What Know", and "Sidney".

Gene Krupa and Gerry Mulligan – hardly a pairing that we would have thought of – but one that works surprisingly well here, and which showcases Mulligan's increasing fascination for larger group settings! The album features Gene on drums with a set of players that include Kai Winding, Urbie Green, Phil Woods, Hank Jones, and Barry Galbraith – but the real star of the set is Gerry, who's not playing here, but conducting the larger group of jazz players through charts that are all his own, and which display the same love of fluid ensemble horn parts that he used in his own smaller combo work. There's a lot more brass in the mix than you'd usually get from Gerry – which gives the album a bit more of a Krupa kick – and Gene also gets some nice space to show himself on drums. Titles include "Yardbird Suite", "Margie", "Bird House", "The Way Of All Flesh", "Disk Jockey Jump", "Birds Of A Feather", and "Mulligan Stew".

Andrew Lamb is billed as "The Black Lamb" here – a nice nickname, given the earthy quality of the set! The group's got two percussionists at its core – Michael Wimberly and Guillermo E Brown – both players with different energies that help expand the roots of the record – while Tom Abbs builds up its trunk with his organic lines on bass, plus a bit of tuba and didjeridoo too. Lamb unfolds these evocative lines on saxes and flute – and even a bit of conch shell too, handled with a wonderfully exotic tone that's not gimmicky at all. Tracks are quite long, and build with a rich feel that makes the album one of the most soulful we've ever heard on the No Business label – and titles include "Initiation", "Song Of The Miracle Lives", "To Love In The Rain", and "Rhapsody In Black".

A key moment in the west coast harbop scene – and one of the greatest early records from saxophonist Harold Land! The group's a really striking one – with the unique Dupree Bolton on trumpet, a great player that we really only know from this set – plus Herbie Lewis on bass, Frank Butler on drums, and the great Elmo Hope on piano! Hope's piano really gives the set an edgey finish that seems to bring out even more dark tones in Land's horn than usual – and another aspect of the session that's worth noting is its early production by David Axelrod – who really seems to have an ear for making all the elements gell together perfectly. There's a really free-thinking sound here that makes the album stand out from other LA work of the time – and titles include "The Fox", "Sims-A-Plenty", "One Down", and "One Second, Please".

A stone classic from reedman Ronnie Laws – and an album that really helped set a whole new standard for funky fusion in the 70s! Laws works here with great Wayne Henderson production – which gives the album an even sharper sound than other Blue Note sets of this vintage – and that kind of tight blend of funk and jazz you'd find in the Crusaders, with a similar no-nonsense approach in the grooves! Henderson's got a great way of never being too smooth – and Laws responds with some wicked solos on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – soaring out over the course of the whole wonderful album. Titles include "Goodtime Ride", "Just Love", "Saturday Evening", "Friends & Strangers", "Nuthin Bout Nuthin", "New Day", and "Same Old Story".

Two stone classics from Ronnie Laws – back to back on a single CD! Friends & Strangers is a stone classic from reedman Ronnie Laws – and an album that really helped set a whole new standard for funky fusion in the 70s! Laws works here with great Wayne Henderson production – which gives the album an even sharper sound than other Blue Note sets of this vintage – and that kind of tight blend of funk and jazz you'd find in the Crusaders, with a similar no-nonsense approach in the grooves! Henderson's got a great way of never being too smooth – and Laws responds with some wicked solos on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – soaring out over the course of the whole wonderful album. Titles include "Goodtime Ride", "Just Love", "Saturday Evening", "Friends & Strangers", "Nuthin Bout Nuthin", "New Day", and "Same Old Story". Flame features Ronnie Laws at the top of his early game – working in a tight mix of jazz and soul put together with some great help from Wayne Henderson's At Home Productions – very much in the hit style that team was putting out at the time! The work's surprisingly open and hip compared to efforts like this from a decade later – still smooth in production, but with lots of room for instrumental solos, and a groove that's still more heavy on fusion influences than anything else! Laws plays tenor, flute, and soprano sax – and other players include Larry Dunn on keyboards and Melvin Robinson on guitar – and a few cuts feature chorus vocals, by hip singers who include Eloise and Debra Laws, Diane Reeves, and Phillip Bailey. Titles include "All For You", "These Days", "Flame", "Living Love", "Joy", "Live Your Life Away", and "Love Is Here".

A pair of classics from Ronnie Laws – back to back on a single CD! On Mr Nice Guy, Laws really makes a big move into the soul field – quite a big record for him back in the day, and a set that helped him reach an even wider audience at the time! Ronnie sings as much as playing sax on the set – and he also handles a fair bit of keyboards too – often laid down alongside the beats with a snapping 80s groove sort of feel – a sound that's just right for the jazzy flourishes you'd expect from Laws, but much more soul-styled than before! Laws' vocals have a lightness that really works well with the instrumentation – a catchy charm we wouldn't have expected a few years before. Tracks include "In The Groove", "Mr Nice Guy", "Big Stars", "Can't Save Tomorrow", "What Does It Take", "Off & On Again", and "Rolling". Classic Masters features the best of Ronnie Laws' 70s material, plus a few new tracks as well – an album that definitely lives up to its title! The music is awash in both jazz and soul modes – jazz, thanks to Ronnie's well-played solos, which soar out in an amazing blend of new ideas and on-the-money groove – and soul, with production that really helped Laws cross over to big audiences at the time – a blend that's like the best Blue Note jazz funk of the mid 70s! The new cuts include "City Girl" and "(You Are) Paradise" – and some of the classics include Wayne Henderson-produced gems, like "Friends and Strangers", "Saturday Evening", and the big big hit "Always There".

As the title implies, Lewis takes eight different styles of boogie-woogie, including his own, and gives the listener his interpretation of the styles via piano. Tracks include "Pinetop's Boogie", "Cow Cow Blues", "Yancey Special", "Mr. Freddie Blues", "Suitcase Blues", "Albert's Blues", "Jumpin With Pete", and "Honky Tonk Train Blues".

A great step forward for Gianmarco Liguori – an album that's got a much deeper, more texture-based sound than some of his previous work – almost an experimental ECM mode for the 21st Century! Gianmarco's sound really lives up to the "musical directions" promised on the cover – served up in a heady brew of his own guitars and electronics – with added piano and Fender Rhodes from Murray McNabb, and trumpet and percussion from Kim Paterson – all elements that are used softly, and layered heavily – so that the sounds are often abstracted far from their source – yet still retain all their musicality, and still have a bit of swing as well! Titles include "Indian Milk", "Primitive Nightmare", "Cosmic Protrusion", "Energy Wind", "Path To The Fortress", and "Duga 3".

A classic batch of modal grooves from Charles Lloyd – recorded during the height of his mind-expanding years, with his famous quartet that included Keith Jarrett on piano and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The tracks are long and magical, done with that spiritual spiraling sound that Lloyd was wowing the hippies with at the time – and considering that this set was recorded live at the Fillmore, there were an awful lot of hippies present to be wowed! But the set's also got a charm that lives long past its time – thanks to an expansive vision from Lloyd on flute and tenor, and from Jarrett on piano too. Titles include "Sunday Morning", "Love-in", "Tribal Dance", and "Temple Bells".

Three different pianists from Japan, working together in a sweet trio format – but recorded in a way that gives each artist their own time in the spotlight! The album's divided into three tracks by each player – with the main pianist right out front on the solo, as the other two bring in rhythm and lots of wonderful flourishes from the back – a style that's quite different than any other piano projects we've heard like this – with energy that only gets more vivid as the set rolls on! Each musician gets their crack at "Straight No Chaser" – and other titles include "Skip Steps" and "My One & Only Love" by Hiromasa Suziki, "Fool On The Hill" and "Muddy Muffin" by Masahiko Satoh, and "Eccentric Fugue" and "The Summer Knows" by Norio Maeda.

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 outside sets we've heard from Rob Mazurek in years – a combination of his own cornet and work on ring modulator – creating a blend of jazz and electronics that's really mindblowing! Mazurek's not alone in his creative expressions – as he's joined here by a group group of players that mixes musicians from Rob's Chicago and Brazilian scenes – including Nicole Mitchell on flute and piccolo, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Mauricio Takara on cavaquinho, Guilherme Granado on keyboards and electronics, Thomas Rohrer on rabeca and C melody sax, Carlos Issa on guitar, and John Herndon on drums – a really unique lineup that lives up to all their promise with the rich sounds on the set. Most tracks are quite long – and titles include "Galactic Ice Skeleton", "Skull Caves Of Alderon", and "Keeping The Light Up".

Stunning! This is one of Jackie McLean's best-ever albums, and it's a haunting mix of hard bop and some of the more modernist tendencies that would inform his "new thing" period. Butch Warren plays bass, and he drives the set with an intensity that reminds us of Mingus – and which fits perfectly with Jackie's writing, which is influenced here clearly by the time he spent with Mingus. The title cut is one of the best tracks you'll ever hear on Blue Note, and both Jackie's alto and Tommy Turrentine's trumpet play fantastic solos all the way through. Sonny Clark's on piano, compin' hard and loud, and the whole LP rolls along with a fantastic sense of urgency that you don't always hear on Blue Note. Bass is by Butch Warren, drums by Billy Higgins, and titles include "Enitnerrut", "Lost", "Five Will Get You Ten", "A Fickle Sonance", and "Sundu".

A rough little killer from Jackie McLean – less well-formed than some of his Blue Note sides, but in a way that really gives him a great soulful edge! There's an open-blowing quality to the record, one that's almost a blowing session, but a bit tighter overall – a hint of the energy that McLean would bring to later dates, but a bit less polished overall. The group's a quintet – with John Jenkins on alto, blowing next to Jackie, plus Wade Legge piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor drums – and titles include "Alto Madness", "Windy City", "Easy Living", and "Pondering".

A beautiful title, and a record that really lives up to it too – filled with evocative piano lines from Murray McNabb – a really great player with a strong sense of flow! The session's an overlooked one – finally out now – and it's got the feel of some lost classic from the Bill Evans school, although maybe with a bit more bite – given that Murray's got an inherent modal groove to his work on the piano, especially when rhythms kick in strongly – from Ron McClure on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums. Tunes are all McNabb originals – and are some really beautiful compositions that ring out with soul and feeling throughout – real gems that include "Instant Bossa", "Dark Windows", "Recurring Dream", "The Long Walk Home", "Memorial", and "Song For The Dream Weaver".

Early work by Barry Miles – a drummer who would go onto cut some very hip sides in the 70s, and who here was only 14 at the time of the session! The "young genius" approach need not be stated on the cover or the notes, as Miles' drumming is great no matter how old he is – and once you realize that he wrote all the tracks on the set, you'll be even more impressed at his writing skills! The group's a soulfully grooving one that plays a mixture of modern hardbop styles – and which features Duke Jordan on piano, Bob Miller on alto, John Grazel on trumpet, and George Clarke on tenor. The last three aren't well known – but they've all got an easy tone and a good swing, and Jordan's piano gives the whole set the same darkly grooving sound of his best work from the time. Titles include "Tuchentine", "Timetable", "Deez Weet", and "Terry".

The great Joe Henderson joins pianist Mulgrew Miller for this wonderful album – lending his sharp-edged tenor tone to really make the session stand out from Miller's more common trio dates! Henderson and Miller both have a great ear for the darker side of the spectrum – hitting notes that are never too far out, nor too modern – but which have a rich sense of color that's really wonderful – a bottom-searching sort of feel that gives the album a hell of a lot of feeling! The rest of the quartet features Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums – beautiful partners who are matched with years of experience, which they're only happy to bring to the date. Henderson sits out two numbers – "Ambrosia" and "Exact Change" – but sparkles strongly on the tracks "The Countdown", "Tetragon", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", "Crystal Palace", and "August Afternoon".

Fantastic – and one of Mingus' greatest albums ever! This one ranks right up with The Clown and Pithecantropus Erectus for sheer raw power and emotion – and Mingus' writing here is incredibly tight, giving soloists like Charlie Mariano, Jaki Byard, Richard Williams, and Jerome Richardson a real workout. The set's an extended suite of tracks with sort of a semi-ballet form. Don't let this fool you into thinking that the work's some sort of semi-classical snoozer, though – as Mingus uses the structure to hit some brilliant raw emotion, and the "dance" part of the piece gives the work a tight rhythmic form, pushing the soloists into raw urgent grooves, of a nature that never show up on Mingus' other work from the time. Titles include "Trio & Group Dancers", "Solo Dancer", "Group & Solo Dance", and "Duet Solo Dancers".

One of the groovier albums the Modern Jazz Quartet ever recorded – as you might expect, given the cover and title! In addition to the group's usual cool sound from Milt Jackson's vibes, the set also features John Lewis playing a bit of harpsichord in addition to his usual piano – and the group's also augmented on a few tracks with some great horns from Snookie Young and Joe Newman on trumpets, Garnett Brown on trombone, Jim Buffington on French horn, and Don Butterfield on tuba – a change that really gives the record a nicely different flavor from other MJQ albums. John Lewis composed all of the tracks – and titles include "Walkin Stomp", "Dancing", "Plastic Dreams", "Variations On A Christmas Theme", "Travlin", "Piazza Novona", and "England's Carol".

A very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". CD features one bonus track – an alternate take of "Just One Of Those Things".

Hardly just The Birdland Story – and instead, some incredible work from three key players of the hardbop years – often lost to time because of its appearance in this underwhelming package! The first half features incredible material from both John Coltrane and Lee Morgan – some of their best of the early 60s, and a record that always gets shamefully overlooked! The record features a side apiece of work by Morgan and Coltrane, each acting as the leader for a small group in perfect format. Coltrane is playing with an unusual quartet that includes McCoy Tyner, plus bassist Steven Davis and drummer Billy Higgins. Higgins' gives Coltrane a modal groove that's incredible, and Trane hits these riffs that are almost Nathan Davis-ish on tracks like "Exotica" and "One & Four". The Morgan material is a bit more straight ahead hardbop – but equally excellent – and he's got a tight tight group that features Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, Jimmy Rowser, and Art Taylor. Shorter is incredible, and tracks include "Minor Strain", "Bid For Sid", and "Suspended Sentence". Next is some wonderful work from Thad Jones – sprightly cuts that sparkle wonderfully throughout – in ways that show the later Jones talent for arranging a larger ensemble, but played by a smaller combo here! The group features a great Basie-styled lineup – Thad on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Billy Mitchell on tenor, and Frank Wess on tenor, flute, and alto sax – players who really know each others' strengths very well, and who dance around sweet compositions by Jones – including "Subtle Rebuttal", "Tip Toe",and "H & T Blues". Also features bonus tracks – "Friday The 13th", "Subtle Rebuttal (alt)", and "Tip Toe (alt)" from the Thad Jones session – plus "Exotica (alt)" from the Coltrane set.

Amazing work from the legendary Mulatu Astatke – one of Ethiopia's funkiest musicians of the 70s, making a rare appearance here on this lost American recording! The album has been a holy grail for years amongst beatheads – loved for its killer blend of weird rhythms, sweet funk, and super-dope vibes – and the grooves on the set are really unique – slow, snakey, and with a sinister, almost other-worldly feel. There's not nearly as much vibes on Mulatu's Ethiopian recordings – and their appearance here really gives the set a nice American sort of twist – almost Roy Ayers meets Sun Ra with a hot dose of African funk thrown in for good measure! Titles include "Chifara", "Munaye", "Kaselefkut-Hulu", "Mascaram Setaba", and "Mulatu".

Two reed giants get some great vocal help here – singer Ozay, who works here with some really great inflections on an unusual choice of tunes! The record's less a heavy workout from Murray or Freeman – and in fact, the players split the record – so that neither is together on one track. Yet they also both really help give the record some shape – adding some depth alongside Ozay's great vocals – which are sometimes wordless, in a really cool way. Other players include Kirk Lightsey and DD Jackson on piano, Calvin Jones on bass, Billy Bang on violin, and Pheeroan Aklaff on drums – a very hip lineup that lives up to its promise. And titles include "Ancient Dancer", "Antiquated Love", "Instanblue", "En Guzel Deniz", "Peaceful Heart/Gentle Spirit", and "Intuitively".

Nice mellow LA funk, played by Lee Oskar with help from a lot of his bandmates in the group War. The sound is similar to some of War's Chicano funk grooves – but with some very nicely punctuated rhythms that have the drums snapping out more than on War's albums from the time. Oskar's harmonica playing is processed in a very cool way that almost completely hides its origins, and which gives it a lot of cool sounds and tones that you wouldn't expect. Titles include "The Journey", "BLT", "The Promised Land", and the nice nice "Down The Nile".

Just a few of the songs here are from the 60s, and many of the rest are written by Gaetano Partipilo himself – and mixed with a few Brazilian numbers as well – all to round out a wonderfully rich sounding album that really lives up to the best Schema tradition! Instrumentation is mostly live jazz – played by Gaetano on alto sax, as well as Nicola Conte on guitar, Pietro Lusso on Fender Rhodes, Pasquale Bardaro on vibes, and Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet – but maybe best of all are the vocals, which shift a bit over the course of the record, and include raspy soul lines from MR Natural, and warmer female vocals from Alice Ricciardi, Heidi Vogel, and Rosalia De Souza. Half the tracks are instrumentals, and the mix of modes really makes the album great – never settled too far into one comfortable corner, and really taking the listener on a great journey overall! Titles include "Essa Mulher", "Se Voce Pensa", "Beyond The Days", "Jive Samba", "Right Now", "13 Death March", "Wall & Water", "Atras Da Porta", "The Sticks", "Moon Flower", and "Ocean Dance".