Jazz — All Formats  

A gem of a record from Nat Adderley – filled with short soulful groovers, and done with an upbeat vibe that rivals some of Cannonball's best of the 60s! Joe Zawinul handled the arrangements, so there's definitely a strong influence here from the Cannon group – and although the players... read more

A stone killer from Cannonball Adderley's funky brother – one of the best soul jazz sets ever cut by Nat Adderley, and one done with a smoking 60s Atlantic Records groove! Nat's blowing trumpet throughout – and working in 2 different groups – one a larger ensemble with a tight... read more

A blend of jazz funk and rawer informed grooves from Harold Alexander – and actually a step into more polished vibes thanks to some Arif Mardin arrangements and a new home at Atlantic Records! Although some of the earlier records cut by reed player Harold Alexander may have been more... read more

Groovy 20 track "best of" CD compiling tracks from his Atlantic recordings of the late 60's and early 70's, with loads of his usual cool hipster jazz vocals and New Orleans piano playing. Cuts include "Seventh Son", "Swingin' Machine", "Your Mind Is On... read more

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The word from Mose is mighty darn hip – served up here in a sweet Atlantic Records session that seems to really hone into all the mod influences his music would have in the 60s! The rootsy quality of Allison's earlier records is still firmly in place – but the group also has a tighter... read more

Good live session recorded in the states in 1972, and released the next year by Atlantic. The Art Ensemble's in excellent form, and lay down a stellar performance throughout. The set ranges from driving percussion jams to spare tenor soloing with bass accompaniment. Great stuff, and one of their... read more

Beautiful record by the Art Ensemble, and one of the few truly great records that they made after returning from Paris. Recorded in Chicago in 1973, the record features a guest appearance by Muhal Richard Abrams, who brings his excellent piano playing to the session, and adds another level to the... read more

A brilliant set of straight jazz material from Roy Ayers – a set recorded for Atlantic at a time when he was working for the label in Herbie Mann's group – but done in a much more righteous groove that really points the way towards Roy's growth in the 70s! The lineup changes a bit... read more

A really great little album from Roy Ayers – titled after a famous 60s pop hit, but with a much hipper feel than you'd expect! The group on the album features modernist soul jazz musicians like Herbie Hancock, Gary Bartz, Charles Tolliver, and Hubert Laws – all of whom work nicely with... read more

A far-reaching early gem from Roy Ayers – a set that's much more jazz-based than his later work, and a record that has him touching base with the Blue Note and Strata East sides of the jazz spectrum! The lineup here is incredibly hip – a mix of players that includes a young Charles... read more

A far-reaching early gem from Roy Ayers – a set that's much more jazz-based than his later work, and a record that has him touching base with the Blue Note and Strata East sides of the jazz spectrum! The lineup here is incredibly hip – a mix of players that includes a young Charles... read more

A lost album of raw twangy guitar from Mickey Baker – best known as the noisier half of the Mickey & Sylvia team – and even more let loose here on his own! The record is pretty rocking all around – with lots of loud, complex guitar soloing from Mickey – in a manner that... read more

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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... read more

Oscar Brown moves into a funky 70s mode – working here with some great soul-based arrangements by Chicago soul legend Richard Evans! There's lots of funky clavinet grooving on the record by Tennyson Stephens and Marvin Yancy – and other players include Chess/Cadet session groovers,... read more

Kind of a meeting of two different generations of Dave Brubeck – as the group here features Paul Desmond's alto sax, a key force in Dave's early recordings – and the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan, a player who'd worked often with Brubeck in the late 60s and early 70s! The blend of... read more

A rare meeting of 2 modern talents from the 50s – joined together in one unique performance from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1971! The baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan's a nice contrast to the usual Brubeck alto of Paul Desmond – long-departed from Dave's combo by this time, but... read more

A rare meeting of 2 modern talents from the 50s – joined together in one unique performance from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1971! The baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan's a nice contrast to the usual Brubeck alto of Paul Desmond – long-departed from Dave's combo by this time, but... read more

Gary Burton hits a sweet electric funky sound here – a great groove that really makes the album stand out from most of his other work! The support Burton gets is a big reason for the greatness of the date – as he's working in a group that includes Eric Gale on guitar, Richard Tee on... read more

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Quite a surprising pairing of talents – and a set that shows that at in the right settings, Stephane Grappelli's still got plenty of modern moments! The core group is really that of vibist Gary Burton – with Steve Swallow on electric bass and Bill Goodwin on drums – both players... read more

A lost west coast gem from the 50s – a unique quintet session for Atlantic Records, cut by a group co-led by trumpeter Conte Candoli and pianist Lou Levy! There's a bit more fire here than in some of the other sides from the time by the players – especially Levy – and in a way,... read more

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A soulful smoker from the west coast scene – and some of the only work as a leader we've ever seen from pianist Joe Castro – a player with just the right sense of rhythm and soul to live up to the title! In addition to this rare appearance by Joe, the set's also noteworthy for some... read more

Fairly decent jazz session, and one in which Ray plays alto sax and electric piano, along with his usual acoustic piano. Milt Jackson is on vibes, of course, and the rest of the group includes Kenny Burrell, Percy Heath, and Art Taylor. Titles include "Soul Meeting", "X Ray... read more

Sublime modern jazz from Teddy – right up there with the best mid 50s work of other groundbreakers like Charles Mingus or George Russell, to whom Charles acknowledges more than a bit of inspiration! Charles plays vibes like no one else – especially at this point in his career, when he's... read more

A richly complex album from vibist Teddy Charles – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and certainly one with the boldest sound! The groups here are filled with hip players – all working under Charles' direction in a set of tracks that shimmers with dark sounds and moody colors... read more

One of the first great moments from this legendary 60s ensemble – a brilliant pairing of American and European players – heard here in one of their pre-MPS sessions! Group founder Gigi Campi is well-placed at the helm – as both producer and supervisor – giving the ensemble... read more

Great work by this legendary hard swinging band – an early 60s American album issued on Atlantic Records, in the years before the Clark Boland Band's legendary run on MPS! Despite the early date, the album's got all the core elements of the band's sound in place – soaring rhythms,... read more

Great early genius from the Clarke Boland Big Band – proof that Kenny and Francy were onto something great, right from the start! The album really has the group hitting the heights of their MPS years – stretching out way past earlier big band modes, into the hip mix of rhythms and... read more

Great early genius from the Clarke Boland Big Band – proof that Kenny and Francy were onto something great, right from the start! The album really has the group hitting the heights of their MPS years – stretching out way past earlier big band modes, into the hip mix of rhythms and... read more

Tight electric fusion from Billy, with some funky drumming, and some tracks that are a bit more subdued. John Scofield is on guitar, Richard Davis plays bass, and Billy drums, plays moog, and handled most of the arrangements. With "Life & Times", "Siesta", "Earthlings&... read more

Five killer albums from Billy Cobham – all records that really define his strength on the drums in the 70s! The music here is a groundbreaking mix of jazz, rock, and a bit of funk – a style of which Billy was one of the greatest proponents at the time – not just on albums like... read more

Full throttle fusion from Billy Cobham, the kind of stuff we once winced at because of the really over the top moments of heavy, heavy jamming, but that we find ourselves more sympathetic to these days, probably for the more sublime moments that poke through the onslaught here and there, including... read more

It's hard to even begin to hint at Ornette's greatness on Atlantic – but this set does a pretty darn nice job! Tracks are all from the years 1959 to 1961, and perfectly rhythmic, in that modal mode of the classic years. Titles include "Una Muy Bonita", "Lonely Woman",... read more

Essential stuff! This is one of Ornette Coleman's greatest albums – and it was recorded during a period when he just couldn't miss! The group features Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – working here with a lively dancing sound on the kit,... read more

The title gets it right – as the album's easily the closest thing to free jazz that Ornette Coleman ever recorded – an album-length improvisation played by a "double quartet" that's overflowing with classic players! The style here is a fair bit like John Coltrane's Ascension... read more

The title gets it right – as the album's easily the closest thing to free jazz that Ornette Coleman ever recorded – an album-length improvisation played by a "double quartet" that's overflowing with classic players! The style here is a fair bit like John Coltrane's Ascension... read more

A stunning session by Ornette Coleman, and one that always seems to get overlooked in discussions of his albums for Atlantic! His quartet here features the amazing Scott LaFaro on bass, and a young Ed Blackwell on drums – both of whom give the tracks an amazing pulse that brings new energy... read more

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... read more

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... read more

A landmark in modern jazz – from the stark stares of the band on the cover, to the starkly haunting music in the grooves! Ornette, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell make severe statements about the future of modern music in tracks like "Humpty Dumpty", "Beauty Is a... read more

A key album for any fan of classic Ornette Coleman – a 1971 Atlantic release that pulled together tracks from the late 50's and early 60's that didn't make it onto Ornette's earlier records for the label! Why these tracks weren't released at the time is a mystery to all, because the material... read more

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The title may be a simple one, but the record really marks a key point in John Coltrane's development – an embrace of the newer freedoms allowed to him at Atlantic Records, but in a way that's a bit more subtle than some of his other work for the label! At one level, the record moves at the... read more

The title may be a simple one, but the record really marks a key point in John Coltrane's development – an embrace of the newer freedoms allowed to him at Atlantic Records, but in a way that's a bit more subtle than some of his other work for the label! At one level, the record moves at the... read more

A great complement to the classic Atlantic albums by Coltrane – material recorded during the same stretch, but never issued at the time! The 1970 set features some undiscovered gems recorded with groups that include Milt Jackson, Hank Jones, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, and McCoy Tyner... read more

Coltrane plays the blues, but in a way like nobody else – stepping off of the deeply soulful sound of his late Prestige years, and moving into even more open and exploratory space for Atlantic! The setting is bare bones and simple – and many of these numbers begin with the sort of... read more

Coltrane plays the blues, but in a way like nobody else – stepping off of the deeply soulful sound of his late Prestige years, and moving into even more open and exploratory space for Atlantic! The setting is bare bones and simple – and many of these numbers begin with the sort of... read more

Coltrane plays the blues, but in a way like nobody else – stepping off of the deeply soulful sound of his late Prestige years, and moving into even more open and exploratory space for Atlantic! The setting is bare bones and simple – and many of these numbers begin with the sort of... read more

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when... read more

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when... read more

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My... read more

A magnificent record from John Coltrane – one of his earliest expressions of unbridled spirituality, and a session that we've treasured for years! As you might guess from the title, there's a slight Latin focus to the record – but not one that has congas and bongos creating choppy... read more

A magnificent little record from John Coltrane – one of his earliest expressions of unbridled spirituality, and a session that we've treasured for years! As you might guess from the title, there's a slight Latin focus to the record – but not one that has congas and bongos creating... read more

The first album in a legendary run of vocal jazz classics on Atlantic Records – and a set that really helped Chris Connor move to a new level of expression in her music! The sound here is much richer than Connor's previous recordings for Bethlehem – and the small combo jazz backings... read more

After Hours is the time when Crawford really hits his stride – playing lean and mellow in that easy soulful way that always seemed to work better than any of his other approaches to jazz. This album's got him blowing alto and even playing a bit of piano, in middle-sized groups that include... read more

Warm and laidback soul jazz from the great Hank Crawford – cut in a relaxed mode that makes the set feel like some of the late nite smokers on the Prestige label at the time! Hank's alto work is perfectly placed on the set, and he's working with fellow Ray Charles bandmember David Fathead... read more

Mr. Blues is right! Hank's soulful alto is set in some nice little group settings, playing short tracks that are a mix of originals ("Mr. Blues", "Smoky City", and "The Turfer") and soul or pop tunes. Hank also plays a bit of piano on the record, and other players... read more

One of the most highly-regarded albums of Hank Crawford's 60s run on Atlantic Records – a set when everything seems to come together just right – and provide an even better showcase than usual for Hank's soulful lines on alto sax! The set also features tenor from David Newman –... read more

Stunning early work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a record that's got as much soul and rock-solid power as you'd guess from the image on the cover! Ted's working here in the company of his frequent partner from the early days – tenorist Bill Barron – and together, they come up with... read more

An ultra-rare gem for Ted Curson fans – material that's right up there with his best, and only issued overseas by Atlantic Records! The set features Robin Kenyatta on alto and soprano sax, and Kenny Barron on acoustic and electric piano – and titles include "Typical Ted",... read more

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With Sidney De Paris on cornet, Omer Simeon on clarinet, Don Kirkpatrick on piano, and Harold Jackson on bass.... read more

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Quite an unusual date for vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon – one that has him singing with the group of Wilbur De Paris, in a mode that's a lot more trad than any of Jimmy's other records from the time! Turns out, that amazing voice is perfect for the setting – and Witherspoon really sounds... read more

A great trad revival set from trombonist Vic Dickenson – working here with trumpeter Joe Thomas, in a style that really shows the respect that Atlantic Records had for older jazz modes – even during the height of their R&B and modern jazz years! The group's a great one – with... read more

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A great example of the way that Gil Evans really opened up his groove in the 70s – moving here way way past the cool jazz and third stream of earlier years – into a soulful style that's far groovier than might be expected! Part of the strength of the set is because of the players... read more

A sublime set of soul instrumentals – very funky work, and sort of a 70s follow-up to the Soulful Strings albums on Cadet Records from the 60s! Maestro Richard Evans is at the top of his game here – stepping out with that hip Chisoul mode he first forged at Chess, tuned here towards... read more

A magnificent set from the team of Art Farmer and Jim Hall – one of those rare pairings in jazz that somehow comes off sounding even way better than the sum of its parts – and that's saying a lot, given that the parts here are already pretty darn great! Farmer's flugelhorn and Hall's... read more

A sublime little set – one of Art Farmer's seminal quartet recordings from the mid 60s, and a blend of modern lyricism with an ease and economy that's hardly ever been matched again! There's a careful, measured style here that's really tremendous – one that's never too sleepy or lazy... read more

An unusual session from the great Clare Fischer – although probably his best-known record as well! Clare cut many other jazz sides in a smaller, more intimate setting – but this album features his full talents as a larger arranger – working with a hip ensemble, and turning in... read more

A beautiful set from Sonny Fortune – a bit smoother than some of his earlier work, but still with a deeply soulful finish that keeps the album fresh throughout! Nearly every track was written (or co-written) by Larry Willis, who plays piano and Fender Rhodes on the set, and really feels like... read more

A great one from Sonny Fortune – done with the fusiony sound he was working so well with at the time, and still filled with a tight conception and an incredible group of musicians who bring depth and deliver some really great solos! The title track is an incredible 10 minute cut that breaks... read more

We love Sonny Fortune – because he always plays so great! Sonny started as more of an acoustic soul jazz player – but by the time of this session, he's working with a lot of electric backing, in a fusiony mode that should dampen his enthusiasm, but which only seems to spur him onto new... read more

We love Sonny Fortune – because he always plays so great! Sonny started as more of an acoustic soul jazz player – but by the time of this session, he's working with a lot of electric backing, in a fusiony mode that should dampen his enthusiasm, but which only seems to spur him onto new... read more

A classic "discovery" of tenor saxophonist Von Freeman – one that was already relatively late in his career, but a key appearance on Atlantic under the auspices of Roland Kirk! The setting here is as loose and laidback as Von needs to really do his thing – backing by a trio... read more

US issue of a session that was also floating around on MPS. 4 long tracks of moody spacey jazz, most with vocals by Mark Murphy, who gets very deep and wandering, and blends in with the instruments in a rich, warm way. Includes the great track "Space A La Mode", a nice slow electric... read more

An amazing record by Jimmy Giuffre – one that he uses to replicate the "4 Brothers Sound" of the years when he played with Woody Herman as one of a group of four saxophonists blowing together – but done here by Jimmy himself on all 4 horns, using early overdubbing techniques... read more

Beautiful work from Jimmy Giuffre – and a key album in the development of his spare sound of the late 50s! The record features Jimmy on clarinet – as you'd guess by the title – but this is no hokey set of Benny Goodman or Buddy DeFranco-type tunes. Instead, Giuffre's using the... read more

One of countless late 50s albums cut in the "Jazz meets Broadway" trend (Jimmy and group play tunes from Meredith Wilson's score to The Music Man) – many of which are better than you might think! This one features Giuffre working in slightly larger groups than usual for the time... read more

One of the most sublime Jimmy Giuffre albums of all time – and a perfect realization of his piano-less/bass-less trio style! The approach here is really revolutionary, especially for the time – as the group simply features Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Jim Hall on guitar, and Giuffre on... read more

Quite a rare set from this important Swedish player – one recorded in Sweden by Metronome, but issued here in the US on the short-lived East-West imprint of Atlantic. The tracks all feature Gullin on baritone sax – in a variety of settings that range through quartet, quintet, sextet,... read more

A very groovy set of pop-jazz guitar tunes – originally recorded by Metronome Records in Sweden, but issued here by Atlantic. The core of the recording is Gustafsson's guitar trio, but the record also features some larger backing by Georg Riedel that have a nice airy feel to them. While the... read more

The explosion in the title is definitely well-placed – as trombonist Slide Hampton makes his group groove with a tremendous amount of power here – all horns focused strongly on the rhythms, which themselves are wonderfully soulful! As with some of Hampton's best from the time, there's... read more

Sanctified, indeed – and just the kind of record to show why Slide Hampton was unlike any of his trombone-playing contemporaries! The set's got a tightness and punch that's really unique – not the compact quality of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but also not the hardbop of Curtis Fuller... read more

An amazing record, from an amazing player – the mighty Rufus Harley, heard here on tenor, flute, and soprano sax – as well as bagpipes, his "trademark" instrument! Don't be put off by the bagpipes, though, because Harley plays in a righteous soul jazz groove, and uses the... read more

An amazing record, from an amazing player – the mighty Rufus Harley, heard here on tenor, flute, and soprano sax – as well as bagpipes, his "trademark" instrument! Don't be put off by the bagpipes, though, because Harley plays in a righteous soul jazz groove, and uses the... read more

One of Harley's beautiful albums for Atlantic, and a record that shouldn't work at all – but it does! Harley plays bagpipes throughout the album, and he does so in a way that sounds nothing like any of the snoozy Scottish assumptions you may have about the instrument. Instead, Harley draws... read more

Fantastic work from one of the most unique talents in jazz! Rufus Harley plays bagpipes – yes, that's right, bagpipes – in a modal Coltrane-esque way that's simply got to be heard to be believed. He uses the drone capability of the instrument to explore reed patterns in the same way... read more

One of the wildest jazz albums ever recorded for Atlantic! Rufus plays amazingly soulful jazz lines on bagpipes (no kidding, he's really great, and as he points out, the instrument's of African origin originally, and not just Scottish), plus he also proves that he's a monster talent on other... read more

A super-long batch of messed-up funky jazz from Eddie Harris! The record's got Eddie working all aspects of the electric sax – in a similar style to some of his other work on the best Atlantic albums of the 70s (like Instant Death of Plug It In) – and the group features a shifting cast... read more

A nice little funk album from Eddie – one that shouldn't work, but does nicely, thanks to a unique approach to the groove! Eddie's still playing plenty of electric sax on the set – and is going for a sound here that's equal parts soul jazz, modal groove, and down and dirty funk! The... read more

We can never get enough of Eddie Harris – and a record like this is a great reason why! Despite all the many different settings Eddie worked in at Atlantic, he still always stayed true to his roots – and a record like this is a perfect example of that – no electric horn, no funk,... read more

One of Eddie's groovier Varitone albums, and a record that has a very electric sound to it! At times, Eddie's electric sax is so off-beat that you'd think he was playing a synthesizer instead of a sax, but in true Harris form, he always keeps it funky, and even the weird sounds have a great groove... read more

A 60s classic from the great Eddie Harris – and proof that his move to Atlantic Records was a very good thing! There's a punch here that Harris didn't have in his earlier sides for Vee Jay – a bite that shows an even stronger focus than before – a willingness to mix soulful... read more