With Russ Lossing on piano, Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ. CD

Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Michael Petrucciani on piano, Gil Goldstein and Pete Levin on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on acoustic and electric bass, and Lenny White on drums. CD

With Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Edu Lobo, Joao Bosco, Elaine Elias, Djavan, Ivan Lins, Dori Caymmi, and Gilbert Gil. Produced by Oscar Castro-Neves. CD

A mighty collaboration between Stanley Clarke & George Duke – working here in a pairing that refueled both of their careers for the 80s! In previous years, both Clarke and Duke had a penchant for really stretching out in complex, experimental modes – but here, they're playing in a relatively stripped-down and focused way – hitting some of the more soul-inspired sides of fusion at the time, although still without the slick or commercial feel of the rising GRP generation. Guitars figure heavily on a number of tracks, and vocals do too – sometimes in ways that are slightly too sweet and almost cloying. Tracks include "Wild Dog", "Louie Louie", "Sweet Baby", "I Just Want To Love You", "Winners", "Let's Get Started", and "Touch & Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Directed by Mina Cho. CD

With Lafayette Harris Jr on piano and Hammond B3 organ. CD

One of the last recordings made by Ed Blackwell before his early passing in 1992 – an Oakland live date recorded with an excellent lineup that includes Graham Haynes on cornet, Carlos Ward on alto and flute, Mark Helias on bass, and a bit of guest trumpet from Don Cherry! The style here is earthy and organic – never overly modern, and building in a way that echoes Blackwell's angular roots, but transforms that sound into more spiritually exploratory lines. Ward's work is especially great, and the absence of a piano means that the interplay between cornet and sax is the main driving force of most tunes. Titles include "Nebula", "Grandma's Shoes", "Pentahouse", "First Love", and the extended "Lito" suite in 3 parts. CD

One of the last recordings made by Ed Blackwell before his early passing in 1992 – an Oakland live date recorded with an excellent lineup that includes Graham Haynes on cornet, Carlos Ward on alto and flute, and Mark Helias on bass – working without any piano, at a level that maybe echoes some of Ed's earlier work with Ornette Coleman, but with a voice that's completely his own. The style here is earthy and organic – never overly modern, and building in a way that echoes Blackwell's angular roots, but transforms that sound into more spiritually exploratory lines. Ward's work is especially great, and the absence of a piano means that the interplay between cornet and sax is the main driving force of most tunes. Titles include "Nette", "Pettiford Bridge", "Thumbs Up", "Rosa Takes A Stand", and "Mallet Song". CD

The female all star Mosiac Project led by drummer, percussionist and vocalist Terri Lyne Carrington – with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Esperanza Spaulding, Nona Hendrix, Sheila E, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Patrice Rushen, Geri Allen and many more! This project is a celebration of the best female instrumentalists and voices in the jazz world and beyond – spanning genres and generations. Includes instrumental and vocal tracks, with some abstract improvisation and more soul jazzy vocal numbers. Includes "Transformation", "I Got Lost In His Arms" "Michelle", "Echo", "Simply Beautiful", "Soul Talk", "Insomniac", "Mosaic Triad", "Sisters on The Rise (A Transformation)" and more. CD

Bob Franceschini on tenor saxophone & flute, Mark Sherman on vibraphone, Mitchel Forman on piano & organ, Martin Gjakonovskion on bass, Adam Nussbaum on drums & Paolo Di Sabatino on piano. CD

Bireli Lagrene, Holzmano Lagrene, and Hono Winterstein on guitar, Diego Imbert on double bass, Richard Galliano on accordion, and Florin Niculescu on violin. CD

A searing live performance from Sam Rivers – never issued before, and recorded as one non-stop improvisation with a really amazing trio! Rivers plays tenor, soprano, flute, and piano – and the record is a great example of the constantly creative energy that he can bring to the fold – especially when working with Dave Holland on bass and Barry Altschul on drums – two players we've always loved, but who we're still blown away with in the company of the leader! The energy here matches classic 70s Rivers records on Impulse and Horo – and the single long improvisation, titled "Ricochet", runs for 52 minutes in length. CD

With the Boston Modern Orchestra Project conducted by Gil Rose. CD

Marvin Stamm on trumpet, Ed Soph on drums, Bill Mays on piano, and Rufus Reid on bass – plus special guest Dave Liebman on saxophone! CD

Includes remixes by Modaji, Coldcut, J Flava, and Restless Soul. CD

Maybe the most haunting project to date from Ruth Goller – an important collaborator on the contemporary London scene, but one who's got a style that's much more than jazz – one that's definitely pushed to the limits here! The set features Goller on electric and acoustic bass, with overdubbed vocals that are often layered in very cool ways – and augmented track to track by guest work on drums, electronics, vibes, and sanza – instruments that are often used in ways that bring a slight touch of organic acoustic energy to the more layered proceedings. The textures of the vocals are very evocative – almost a blend of an older 4AD aesthetic with improvised music – and titles include "Next Time I Keep My Hands Down", "Below My Skin", "How To Be Free From It", "Don't Follow Me", "She Was My Own She Was Myself", and "All The Light I Have I Hand To You". CD

Maybe the most haunting project to date from Ruth Goller – an important collaborator on the contemporary London scene, but one who's got a style that's much more than jazz – one that's definitely pushed to the limits here! The set features Goller on electric and acoustic bass, with overdubbed vocals that are often layered in very cool ways – and augmented track to track by guest work on drums, electronics, vibes, and sanza – instruments that are often used in ways that bring a slight touch of organic acoustic energy to the more layered proceedings. The textures of the vocals are very evocative – almost a blend of an older 4AD aesthetic with improvised music – and titles include "Next Time I Keep My Hands Down", "Below My Skin", "How To Be Free From It", "Don't Follow Me", "She Was My Own She Was Myself", and "All The Light I Have I Hand To You". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most haunting project to date from Ruth Goller – an important collaborator on the contemporary London scene, but one who's got a style that's much more than jazz – one that's definitely pushed to the limits here! The set features Goller on electric and acoustic bass, with overdubbed vocals that are often layered in very cool ways – and augmented track to track by guest work on drums, electronics, vibes, and sanza – instruments that are often used in ways that bring a slight touch of organic acoustic energy to the more layered proceedings. The textures of the vocals are very evocative – almost a blend of an older 4AD aesthetic with improvised music – and titles include "Next Time I Keep My Hands Down", "Below My Skin", "How To Be Free From It", "Don't Follow Me", "She Was My Own She Was Myself", and "All The Light I Have I Hand To You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing project from Mats Gustafsson – and one that's a great reminder of his ability to create music in so many different and incredible ways! This time around, Mats acts as the conductor – at the head of NyMusik Trondheim and Avant Art Ensemble – both larger groups who mix together acoustic instrumentation with electronics, but all in these very spare, often subtle ways that hardly make you aware of their size at all. There are moments of full-on sonic activity, but much of the proceedings focus on smaller sounds and more focused expressions – served up with solo work from Anders Nyqvist on trumpets, Colin Stetson on amplified bass sax, Hedvig Mollestad on tuba, Jerome Noetinger on revox tape machines, and Dieb 13 on turntables – next to other work on cello, violin, prepared piano, accordion, and guitar. Titles include "Mirrors 1", "Echoes 1", "Shadows 2", "Outro", "Intro", and "Reflection". CD

A funky collaboration of new and old players – as trumpeter Roy Hargrove explores a range of classic styles with a host of excellent guest stars! The RH Factor project includes work by Bernard Wright, Cornell Dupree, Karl Denson, and other funk luminaries – and it also features great vocal performances from the likes of Common, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, and D'Angelo. The groove soars from Miles-inspired electric to the heavy funk of George Clinton – and makes plenty of side-trips in between – exploring a range of soulful jazz, both new and old, and coming off a lot better than we might have thought! Titles include "Pastor T", "I'll Stay", "Common Free Style", "Juicy", "The Stroke", "Poetry", "Liquid Streets", "The Joint", and "Forget Regret". (Neo Soul, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A soundtrack project from tenorist Javon Jackson, and one that may well be our favorite album from him in years – as it really lets Javon explore all these different sounds, shapes, and styles – while still working with a small combo that makes for a very unified vibe on the entire record! The set mixes a few non-soundtrack titles with the shorter numbers from the film, really expanding the palette – and overall, things have this soulful, swinging quality that almost reminds us of the spirit of some of the soundtrack material by Bill Lee from many years back – equally evocative, lyrical, and well-performed – by a quintet that features Gregg Glassman on trumpet, Jeremy Mansaia on piano, David Williams on bass, and either Charles Gold or McClenty Hunter on drums. Titles include "The Game", "Brother G", "Never Let Me Go", "In The Studio", "CB", "D Town", "In The Clouds", "On The Move", and "Amy's Theme". CD

A wonderfully ambitious project from these two legendary improvising musicians – a larger project for stage that was created by both pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach and drummer Sven Ake Johansson – the latter of whom here is very much into his later life role as a composer! The set features a mix of voice, vocals, and music – some spoken parts by Johansson, sung passages by the great Shelly Hirsch – and work from a very hip group that includes Wolfgang Fuchs and Dietmar Diesner on saxes, Paul Lovens on drums, Tristan Honsinger on cello, Anne Le Baron on harp, and Schlippenbach on piano. There's a mixture of free jazz, structure, and voice that almost feels as if Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill had the chance to record an album for FMP – and this beautiful set presents the first-ever release of the important 1994 performance of the material. LP, Vinyl record album

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. Previously, the singers had only sung vocal solos for one instrument – but with a trio of players, they were suddenly able to take over the solos of all the frontline instruments in a group, such as the piano, trumpet, and tenor solos in their incredible version of "Home Cookin". That track alone is a perfect summation of the group's genius – as it offers a true vocal interplay, with words in place of notes and changes, and opens the already great soul jazz classic into a whole new level of meaning and wonder. It also helps that that track, like most of the ones on this CD, features excellent rhythm backing by Gildo Mahones, Ike Isaacs, and Walt Bolden, plus the occasional alto solo by Pony Poindexter. Their Columbia work's always been their best – and this CD brings together all 3 LPs (Hottest Group In Jazz, Sing Ellington, and the amazing High Flying), plus 7 previously unissued tracks! There's a whopping 39 cuts in all – and the set's one of the best jazz vocal CDs you could ever buy! (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Some of the most soulful sounds we've ever heard from tenorist James Brandon Lewis a reworking of themes from the music of Mahalia Jackson into jazz – all at a level that keeps all the spirit of the originals, while unlocking the songs as vehicles for freer improvisation! Given the mix of freedom and spirit here, there's almost a vibe that takes us back to the brilliance of Albert Ayler at the start – served up through the intertwining magic of Lewis' tenor, the cornet of Kirk Knuffke, cello of Chris Hoffman, bass of William Parker, and drums of Chad Taylor – all tremendous players, but resonating even more strongly in the presence of this project! James has been getting plenty of attention in recent years, but this could be the album that catapults him into the canon of contemporary jazz – thanks to amazing takes of "Elijah Rock", "Were You There", "Go Down Moses", "Precious Lord", "Deep River", "Wade In The Water", "Swing Low", and "Sparrow". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just "abstractions" – as the set's a very focused batch of some of the larger ideas that John Lewis had about jazz – explored beautifully here away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! The album has Lewis working with frequent partner – and fellow third stream conceptualist – Gunther Schuller – and also features great guest work from Ornette Coleman on alto, Joe Wilder on trumpet, Jim Hall on guitar, and Scott LaFaro on bass – all very different talents at the forefront of jazz at the time, helping bring a wider range of voices than you might normally get on a John Lewis project. Titles include "Abstraction", "Variants On A Theme of Thelonious Monk", and "Piece For Guitar & Strings". LP, Vinyl record album

Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek are no musical strangers to each other – their paths have crossed often on the Chicago and global scenes over many years of creative activity. Yet this project is also the first they've co-led, and it's an incredible document of how much both artists have grown in recent years – especially when they let their talents flow together on a project like this! At some level, the core of the work is the voice that both artists have discovered – Locks, his own more focused message and ability to find other voices to sample in with his own – Mazurek, a way of using his own voice more directly, in addition to his well-known work on trumpets and electronics. Both Rob and Damon are in the forefront here, criss-crossing electric and acoustic elements with voices live and sampled – mixed with guest voices from others, in a swirlingly creative project that not only lives up to the current legacy of International Anthem and the Chicago scene, but also advances it a few notches too. Titles include "Breeze Of Time", "New Future", "Yes", "The Sun Returns", "Future City", "Las Ninas Estan Escuchando", "Support The Youth", "10 Mins Past The Hour", and "Polaris Radio". CD

Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek are no musical strangers to each other – their paths have crossed often on the Chicago and global scenes over many years of creative activity. Yet this project is also the first they've co-led, and it's an incredible document of how much both artists have grown in recent years – especially when they let their talents flow together on a project like this! At some level, the core of the work is the voice that both artists have discovered – Locks, his own more focused message and ability to find other voices to sample in with his own – Mazurek, a way of using his own voice more directly, in addition to his well-known work on trumpets and electronics. Both Rob and Damon are in the forefront here, criss-crossing electric and acoustic elements with voices live and sampled – mixed with guest voices from others, in a swirlingly creative project that not only lives up to the current legacy of International Anthem and the Chicago scene, but also advances it a few notches too. Titles include "Breeze Of Time", "New Future", "Yes", "The Sun Returns", "Future City", "Las Ninas Estan Escuchando", "Support The Youth", "10 Mins Past The Hour", and "Polaris Radio". LP, Vinyl record album

A really revolutionary album – both at the time it was released, and all these many years later! In a surprising nod to the younger generation, Blue Note opened the door to Madlib – already making a name with his array of great projects at the start of the century – an early part of his legacy of bringing in lots of jazz energy to hip hop production! The album wasn't the first effort of this nature, but certainly set a new standard – one that so many others have tried to match over the years, but never got this right. The set's got a fair bit of live jazz work – in the mode of Madlib's Yesterdays New Quintet project – mixed with all sorts of cool production elements too. We love the vibes of Ahmad Miller especially in the lineup – and titles include reworks of "Montara", "Song For My Father", "Footprints", "Stepping Into Tomorrow", "Peace/Dolphin Dance", "Stormy", "Distant Land", and "Slim's Return" – plus the original "Funky Blue Note". (Hip Hop, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A really revolutionary album – both at the time it was released, and all these many years later! In a surprising nod to the younger generation, Blue Note opened the door to Madlib – already making a name with his array of great projects at the start of the century – an early part of his legacy of bringing in lots of jazz energy to hip hop production! The album wasn't the first effort of this nature, but certainly set a new standard – one that so many others have tried to match over the years, but never got this right. The set's got a fair bit of live jazz work – in the mode of Madlib's Yesterdays New Quintet project – mixed with all sorts of cool production elements too. We love the vibes of Ahmad Miller especially in the lineup – and titles include reworks of "Montara", "Song For My Father", "Footprints", "Stepping Into Tomorrow", "Peace/Dolphin Dance", "Stormy", "Distant Land", and "Slim's Return" – plus the original "Funky Blue Note". (Hip Hop, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked funk from Japanese keyboardist Norio Maeda – also a hell of an arranger, too – as you'll hear on this superb set from the start of the 70s! The record's one of those key albums that took a 60s groovy Japanese sound much further into the future – giving the whole thing a sharper edge, with heavier drums – and using trippy guitar, weird flute lines, and keyboards to give the whole thing a vibe that's almost more blacksploitation or kung fu soundtrack than most of what Maeda had done before! Tracks are all pretty lively, and work together as a sweet set of grooves – almost with a funky Lalo Schifrin sort of vibe – and all the notes and titles are in Japanese, or else we'd have even more information to convey. LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Mann returns to the stage at the Newport Jazz Festival – but opens up in ways that are even hipper than some of his other material from that scene! The tracks here are quite long – driven by some great rhythms from Carlos Patao Valdez, and featuring round, rolling basslines from the mighty Reggie Workman. And in addition to Herbie's own smoking work on flute, the set also features great young trumpet from Jimmy Owens – whose bold style here really gives the record a nice sort of depth. The set features four tracks from Newport, plus one more studio number with Attila Zoller on guitar – and titles include "Project S", "Scratch", "She's A Carioca", and "All Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Terrace Martin is an artist who just keeps on getting deeper and deeper over the years – an already-great jazz musician, but one who's widened his scope to touch on broader currents of soul and hip hop – all of which really open up with the jazz-based energy at the core! At some level, this record might be to Martin's career what the Black Radio project was to Robert Glasper – as Terrace opens the door to all-star guests who include Kim Burrell, Leon Bridges, Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, and even Glasper himself – while also finding space to serve up a few key tracks on his own, without any guests – tracks that may well be some of our favorite on the album. Titles include "Turning Poison Into Medicine", "Drones", "Leave Us Be", "Don't Let Go", "Listen", "Sick Of Cryin", "Leimert Park", "Tapped", and "Griots Of The Crenshaw District". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". CD

A really fantastic large project by Christian McBride – maybe one of his most ambitious records ever, and one that really lives up to its intention! The movement here is the Civil Rights movement – recalled through the words of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks, and Dr Martin Luther King Jr – then set to jazz instrumentation by a wonderful lineup that includes Warren Wolf on vibes, Steve Wilson on alto and flute, Ron Blake on tenor and soprano sax, Michael Dease and Steve Davis on trombones, Lew Soloff on trumpet, and Geoffrey Keezer on piano. Four different figures each take on the voices, with an approach that's as great as the music – actors Wendell Pierce, Vondie Curtis Hall, and Dion Graham – plus poet Sonia Sanchez – often shifting the words of the key figures throughout a single musical work, with results that are surprisingly powerful. Titles include "Brother Malcolm", "Sister Rosa", "Rumble In The Jungle", "Ali Speaks", "Soldiers", and "A View From The Mountaintop". A fantastic record – and one that reminds us of the great power in this nation, at a time when its light is sometimes eclipsed. CD

The electric years of Miles Davis have left a huge legacy in music – one that's referenced again and again, and continually revisited by generations of musicians, both young and old! Here, that legacy gets some especially nice treatment – by a group of artists who include some key collaborators with Miles in years back, plus other musicians too – in a project that even features two unreleased solo performance by Davis himself! Vince Wilburn Jr is the leader of the project, and players are almost far too many to mention here – so we'll just list a few – including Wallace Roney, Bernard Wright, Vernon Reid, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Donald Harrison, Marcus Miller, Jeremy Pelt, John Scofield, and Lenny White – all working in deeply layered territory that definitely pushes the older electric mode forward. Titles include "Over My Shoulder", "Hail To The Real Chief (long version)", "Mellow Kisses", "That You Dare Not To Forget", and "Bitches Are Back". LP, Vinyl record album

Tenorist James Brandon Lewis is easily one of the most important voices on his instrument in recent years – and also one of the most versatile too, as is shown in this project with the guitar-driven group The Messthetics! Two of the group's members hail from legendary punk band Fugazi, but clearly come across here with a different vibe overall – still using guitar, bass, and drums in ways that echo rock roots – but with a more rhythmic approach, and one that acts as a surprisingly strong setting for Lewis' solos! This isn't some cheap "punk jazz", but instead a wonderfully well-crafted hybrid of modes – one that really notches things up for both Lewis and the group. Titles include "Railroad Tracks Home", "The Time Is The Place", "That Thang", "Emergence", "L'Orso", and "Boatly". CD

An incredible book from Nicole Mitchell – an artist that most know for her work as a jazz musician on flute, and a range of other musical projects – yet one who's developed into a cultural force far beyond music, as you'll see in this really groundbreaking literary project! The book works at so many different levels – part memoir, part scrapbook, part manifesto – as Mitchell mixes personal reflections with political statements, poetry, musical scores, photographs, and a variety of other writings – overflowing with the sorts of ideas that are only hinted at in some of her recent recordings, and which really come into much sharper focus here on the printed page! The hardcover volume is a unique blend of words and images – the latter of which are printed in blue and white, following the aesthetic of the cover – and given the mix of art and ideas, culture and knowledge, the whole thing rivals, if not beats, some of the printed work of Sun Ra from years back. 255 pages, hardcover, with blue and white images throughout. (Books, Jazz) Book

The headier side of the great Roscoe Mitchell – a project that has some of the reedman's compositions transcribed for larger orchestra performance – but at a level that seems to be a natural evolution of the notion of "black classical music" that Mitchell first helped pioneer with the AACM! Make no mistake with that term – this isn't classical music at all – instead, the larger group works here to realize this beautiful balance between improvisation and composition, almost working as a whole to embody the ideas that Mitchell has brought to his music in much smaller settings, carved out of a large group of woodwinds, a touch of brass, and a bit of strings. Gregory Oh conducts the group, and titles include "They Rode For Them", "Splatter", "Nonaah", "Shards & Lemons", and "Ride The Wind". CD

An ambitious project from David Murray – one that features an expanded string ensemble working with his core quartet – performing a set of original material that includes the long "Pushkin Suite" and some shorter numbers that revel in Murray's own soulful spirit. While the "Pushkin Suite" is supposedly the main focus of this effort, we're more partial to the shorter tracks – as they dance, glide, and soar with the freely exploratory spiritualism we love so much in Murray's earlier years – and get past the headier mode of the longer suite. Titles include "Waltz Again", "Dark Secrets", "Steps", and "Sparkle" – and players include Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Jaribu Shahid on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums. CD

A rich tapestry of Afro-Caribbean rhythms – and one of the most compelling albums we've heard in years from David Murray! The set features an expanded group of percussionists, vocalists, and other instrumentalists – fronted by lead solo stars David Murray and Pharoah Sanders – all jamming freely in styles that bring together bits of African, Haitian, and Cuban rhythms – forging them into a bold new sound for the project! Tracks are all quite longish, and given the previous skills that both Murray and Sanders have exhibited in such settings, they're more than up for the challenge of working with such a heady group of players! Titles include "Go To Jazz", "Gwotet", "Djolla Feeling", "La Jwa", "O Leonso", and "Ovwa". CD

A one-off project recorded back in 2009 with Ornette Coleman on alto sax! CD

A lost treasure – finally brought back to light! The album features previously unissued material by the team of Art Pepper and Warne Marsh – tracks recorded back in 1956 for Contemporary records, but only issued many years later as part of the Complete Contemporary project for Pepper's work. Why these dates never made it to wax is a real mystery to us – because the pairing of Pepper's alto and Marsh's tenor is perhaps even greater than the more famous team of Marsh & Konitz – and the sound here is completely wonderful – fluid, modern, and exceptionally poised – yet never without soul! CD includes a few master and original takes of some numbers – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "Tickle Toe", "Warnin", "Stompin At The Savoy", "What's New", "Avalon", and "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me". CD

The lofty trumpet of Enrico Rava is a perfect match for Dino Saluzzi's wonderfully airy performances on bandoneon – and this record is one of the lost gems of late 80s ECM. The sound definitely has that "bordering on wallpaper" feel fo a lot of the ECM work from the time, but Saluzzi's bandoneon has a breathy emotive quality that works against the usual formula, and Rava's solos help the entire project along tremendously. Titles include "Le But De Souffle", "Minguito", "Luna Volver", and "Tiempos De Ausencias". CD

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 Chicago group with a really great approach to improvisation – long tracks that seem to build out of a slow pulses of energy between the players – finding their "groove" at the start, letting things flow, then really adding a lot of their own voices to the mix! The main trio features Charlie Kirchen on bass, which is really the core of the sound – plus Ryan Packard on drums and a bit of electronics, and Paul Giallorenzo on electronics, keyboards, and pump organ – the last of which sounds as cool as you might imagine – and which really unlocks the sonic possibilities of the project! The great Ben Lamar Gay appears on side b, the long track "The End" – and his work on cornet really adds a lot of spirit and soul to the cut – a nice break from the others in a really great way. But side a is great too – and features the long improvisation "The Beginning". LP, Vinyl record album

The second set from Resavoir – a project headed by Chicago producer/musician Will Miller, an artist who's had a lot of experience in the higher reaches of the hip hop scene – but who here gives himself over to much more personal, introspective modes! Yet the album's not a solo effort either, as Miller works with a host of other musicians in a groove that's fluid, often soulful, and yet very laidback – maybe an answer to some of the more meditative projects on the International Anthem label, as the work moves at the pace of some of those, but with more of an electric soul at the core. Titles include "Midday", "Sunset", "Future", "Blutopia", "Facets", "Heavenly", and "Inside Minds". CD

The second set from Resavoir – a project headed by Chicago producer/musician Will Miller, an artist who's had a lot of experience in the higher reaches of the hip hop scene – but who here gives himself over to much more personal, introspective modes! Yet the album's not a solo effort either, as Miller works with a host of other musicians in a groove that's fluid, often soulful, and yet very laidback – maybe an answer to some of the more meditative projects on the International Anthem label, as the work moves at the pace of some of those, but with more of an electric soul at the core. Titles include "Midday", "Sunset", "Future", "Blutopia", "Facets", "Heavenly", and "Inside Minds". LP, Vinyl record album

The second set from Resavoir – a project headed by Chicago producer/musician Will Miller, an artist who's had a lot of experience in the higher reaches of the hip hop scene – but who here gives himself over to much more personal, introspective modes! Yet the album's not a solo effort either, as Miller works with a host of other musicians in a groove that's fluid, often soulful, and yet very laidback – maybe an answer to some of the more meditative projects on the International Anthem label, as the work moves at the pace of some of those, but with more of an electric soul at the core. Titles include "Midday", "Sunset", "Future", "Blutopia", "Facets", "Heavenly", and "Inside Minds". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime quartet, coming together here for a really unique session – one that's got a very modal vibe mixed with some freer moments served up by a piano-less group with a very special sound! Bassist Josh Werner got the whole project together, and the set's got a rock-solid foundation in his beautiful basslines – spun out alongside the drums of Ches Smith, while James Brandon Lewis solos on tenor and Patrick Holmes on clarinet – both players using these long, soulful lines that perfectly fit the modal movement of the energy! Lewis is especially powerful – the album may be one of his most spiritual recordings ever – and titles include "If Not That", "Gotham Rundown", "Ill Scenario 2", "Embody", "Resilient Vessels", "Exit Realms", and "Green Paper Tea". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunningly expansive project from Argentine jazz genius Jorge Lopez Ruiz – one that takes off in even more ambitious territory than his Bronca Buenos Aires album from a few years before! Ruiz plays all sorts of great Fender Rhodes throughout, leading a larger group that mixes tenor, alto, guitar, piano, bass, and drums with a group of singers who are often soaring in this wordless mode that's completely heavenly – next to spoken passages by writer Jose Tcherkaski, who comes into the mix from time to time, delivering these striking words in Spanish, which combine with the instrumentation in this very majestic way! The album's a full suite of tracks – similar to other larger projects from Ruiz – and sections include "Pido Perdon Por Los Muertos", "Creo Que Ayer Me Asesinaron", "Quienes Tendran La Vida Por Delante", and "Coraje Buenos Aires". CD

A stunningly expansive project from Argentine jazz genius Jorge Lopez Ruiz – one that takes off in even more ambitious territory than his Bronca Buenos Aires album from a few years before! Ruiz plays all sorts of great Fender Rhodes throughout, leading a larger group that mixes tenor, alto, guitar, piano, bass, and drums with a group of singers who are often soaring in this wordless mode that's completely heavenly – next to spoken passages by writer Jose Tcherkaski, who comes into the mix from time to time, delivering these striking words in Spanish, which combine with the instrumentation in this very majestic way! The album's a full suite of tracks – similar to other larger projects from Ruiz – and sections include "Pido Perdon Por Los Muertos", "Creo Que Ayer Me Asesinaron", "Quienes Tendran La Vida Por Delante", and "Coraje Buenos Aires". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly strong project from guitarist John Scofield – one that we'll admit we were a bit skeptical about, but which really delivers strongly overall! The set features Scofield and group taking on some tunes from a variety of sources – including the Grateful Dead, who are namechecked in the title – and the lineup features the bass of Vicente Archer and drums of Bill Stewart next to Scofield on electric guitar – all recorded at a level that's a bit warmer than you might expect from ECM, which really makes the music come alive – spacious, yet up-close and personal too, with hollow-body guitar work that resonates almost in an acoustic way at times, even as Scofield shows a few of his funkier currents on a few tunes. Titles include "How Deep", "TV Band", "Old Man", "Nothing Is Forever", "Budo", "The Girlfriend Chord", "Stairway To The Stars", "Mask", "Ray's Idea", and "Uncle John's Band". CD

An incredible album – and one of the most groundbreaking blends of jazz and global music ever recorded! Reedman Tony Scott plays here with a little-known group of Indonesian jazz players – brought together in a special project for MPS/Saba records, in a blend of modal jazz elements and other tunes that really find a way to echo the gamelan styles that you might expect from Indonesian music – emphasized by the group's phrasing on piano, guitar, and siter, as well as Scott's interweaving lines on clarinet! The sound is fantastic, completely other worldly, and must be heard to be believed – served up with other players who include Marjono on tenor and vocal, Bubi Chen on piano and sitar, Jack Lesmana on guitar, Yopi Chen on bass, and Benny Mustafa on drums. Tracks include "Ilir Ilir", "Gambang Suling", "Djanger Bali", and an amazing rendition of "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most ambitious albums on CTI – a very large project in which Don Sebesky seems to work with just about everyone else who recorded for the label! The Giant Box title is apt – as the record originally came packaged in a cardboard box – room enough to hold the 2 records that comprised it, all the long tunes on the set, and the huge array of cast who helped out on the project. Players include Sebesky on organ, piano, and electric piano – plus Baws, Joe Farrell, Paul Desmond, and many others. There's some sweet vocal backgrounds on the set – by Jackie & Roy, Lani Groves, and Tasha Thomas – and titles include "Vocalise", "Semi Tough", "Firebird/Birds Of Fire", "Free As A Bird", and "Song To A Seagul". Great stuff – with bits of funk, jazz, and ambitious arrangements – all filtered into the cool CTI sound! LP, Vinyl record album

A great later project from Horace Silver – as hip as any of his late 70s work, and with vocals by both Andy Bey and The Waters! LP, Vinyl record album