Jazz — CDs  

A nice one from one of Chicago's most underrated jazz men! Bobby Broom's been plying his trade here in the Windy City on guitar in small group combos for years, playing some of the finest post bop modern jazz we've heard, but he's made few recordings. This great disc captures him alongside Lonnie... read more

Another wonderful album from this groundbreaking Chicago combo! The group's now a permanent quartet, with the extremely great addition of Jeff Parker on guitar and electronics – and the album continues to push the boundaries of Rob Mazurek's unique sound. The liner notes on the back refer... read more

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One of the greatest albums we've heard from Ernest Dawkins in years – and one of the straightest, too! The set's got a hardbop fury we've not always heard from Dawkins – a tight, soulful energy that's spun out beautifully by the local group in the set – a lineup that includes... read more

Wonderful live work from the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble – just the kind of set needed to remind us that the group is still very much on track after all these years! The quartet makes some wonderful sounds under the leadership of percussionist Kahil El'Zabar – stretching out on long... read more

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Beautiful work from Rob Mazurek – a player we respect more and more with each new release! The title here is especially well chosen – as "Sound Is" definitely what the record is about – a set that follows in the same legacy of sonic exploration first begun on seminal... read more

One of the tightest, most soulful performances we've ever heard from Nicole Mitchell – a set that has her really hitting with an even more righteous sound than before! The session's a live one, recorded at Chicago's Velvet Lounge – and Nicole's in wonderful territory that's somewhere... read more

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A pretty wonderful set of tracks led by guitarist Jeff Parker, one of the most enormously talented, and one of the busiest guys in Chicago! Jeff spends time working with a number of avant garde jazz and rock combos like the Chicago Underground Quartet, Aesop Quartet, New Horizons Ensemble and... read more

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Wonderful work from a group that's filled with some of the freshest talents on the Chicago underground today – that great wave of players who are almost making for a second generation of avant expression, even in this modern era! Saxophonist Aram Shelton leads the group, and also plays... read more

Incredible work from one of the greatest groups of the New York avant scene of the 60s – the legendary New York Contemporary Five, a combo that features Archie Shepp on tenor, John Tchicai on alto, Don Cherry on cornet, Don Moore on bass, and JC Moses on drums! This 1963 recording,... read more

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With special guest Edith Wilson.... read more

One of the few American albums cut by saxophonist Chris Woods – a wonderfully talented player who cut some of his best work in Paris during the early 70s! The album captures some of the charm of Woods' best European records – with a lightly dancing groove on the best tracks, one that... read more