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Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at... read more

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,... read more

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,... read more

Although Grant Green started the 60s recording for Blue Note in a soulful churchy kind of groove, he ended the decade recording some great funky albums, most of them with a tight hard groove, of the sort of Idris Muhammad-ish rhythm track that was dominating the soul jazz scene at the time. This... read more

One of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a... read more

A cooking group effort from the Chris Greene Quartet – a great Chicago combo we've watched grow tremendously with each previous release – stepping out here in their first-ever live recording! Greene's got a soulfully sophisticated approach to his saxes that really belies his Windy City... read more

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Solo Burton Greene – beautifully recorded – in ways that have his already-wonderful lines on piano echoing out in the performance space, and almost folding back on themselves in waves of sound! Given Greene's striking touch on the keyboard – sharp, yet always melodic, which we... read more

A beautifully tuneful record from Narada Burton Greene – maybe more so than any of his other albums – at least that we can remember! The set's a solo outing, and it's definitely got some of the modern elements that have always made Greene's music so wonderful – but it's also got... read more

Massively mellow funk – played by a cool Chicago trio that's heavy on the electric keys! The group's led by the team of keyboardist Gregory Bibb and guitarist James Norris – with the former working through a set of tasty keys that include Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and farfisa! Rhythms... read more

An overlooked swinger by these two 60s jazz giants – issued on a label run by the pair, and also featuring Don Patterson on organ!... read more

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An early killer from Johnny Griffin – a stripped-down quartet session for Blue Note, done in a format that really gave him plenty of room to open up! The rhythm section is a powerful trio led by Sonny Clark on piano, and featuring bassist Paul Chambers alongside the obscure drummer Kenny... read more

Lost European jazz recordings from the vaults of producer Gigi Campi – and a stellar batch of non-US material with Johnny Griffin at the lead – working in the company of Clarke/Boland compatriots who include Benny Bailey, Sahib Shihab, Jimmy Woode, Idrees Sulieman, and Milt Jackson! ... read more

If you've ever needed a definition of hardbop, this is it! The set's a crack quartet session for Blue Note, recorded in the mid 50s by a young Johnny Griffin – fresh in from Chicago, and playing with tons of fire and loads of imagination! Wynton Kelly's on piano and Max Roach is on drums... read more

One of Johnny Griffin's hard blowing LPs as a leader for Jazzland – recorded with a crack lineup that includes Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Albert Heath on drums! This is the kind of work that the term "hard... read more

A rare European gem from Johnny Griffin – recorded in quartet formation with backing from the rhythm trio of the Clarke Boland Big Band! Johnny was working with the trio in the bigger group at the time, but he gets plenty of space to state his case here – stretching out on hard-bitten,... read more

Tremendous work from Johnny Griffin – one of those players whose talents never dimmed at all – and who's blowing here with all the same sharp intensity he first brought to his initial work in the 50s! The date's a tight acoustic session – with Johnny's bold tenor firmly in the... read more

Another one of the great Griffin/Davis collaborations from the early 60's, and a tight bit of work with the added appearance of Junior Mance on piano. The two of them manage to ride a groove that straddles the hardbop and soul jazz camps, and they groove along nicely, with well delivered solos... read more

One of the only albums as a leader from bassist Henry Grimes – a hell of a great player who'd made his name working with Sonny Rollins, but who steps out here into much freer territory! The group features Grimes at the helm on bass, but also features killer contributions from Perry Robinson... read more

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One of the most dynamic George Gruntz albums we've heard in years – a sweet tribute to the Village Vanguard recordings of John Coltrane! The album's a modern one, and done with a large ensemble – but it's a really well-spirited tribute to Trane's famous live material from the Vanguard... read more

A pair of 60s gems – together on a single CD! First up is the original Jazz Goes Baroque from George Gruntz – one of the best blends of jazz and classical music we can think of! Sure, the tunes are from Corelli, Handel, Pachelbel, and other baroque composers – but they're taken... read more

Features work by Sheila Jordan on vocals, Marcus Belgrave and Tom Harrell on trumpets, Ernst Ludwig Petrowsky on alto and soprano sax, Dino Saluzzi on bandoneon, George Gruntz on keyboards, Julian Priester on trombone, and Charlie Mariano on alto, soprano, and flute.... read more

An amazing soundtrack from 60s Europe – one that features incredible work from saxophonist Barney Wilen, right up there with his best Parisian recordings of the time! The score was written by George Gruntz for a little-known Swiss film – but it stars an all-great cast of players that... read more

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... read more

A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet –... read more

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De... read more

Sweet electric piano grooving from Vince Guaraldi – previously unreleased material from the early 70s, but easily one of his greatest later albums! Vince works here both on Fender Rhodes and clavinet, plus a bit of Hammond organ and acoustic piano as well – and the tunes have a... read more

Very groovy stuff! This is the music that was used in the 60s Peanuts cartoons – made famous during the same stretch through its use in goofy Dolly Madison commercials! The album's way better than any of the Peanuts stuff that was on Fantasy, as Vince plays electric harpsichord on a number... read more

Great early work from the amazing Vince Guaraldi – an album issued in the 60s on the wave of his rising fame, but which was most likely recorded a few years earlier! The group here is Vince's key early trio with Eddie Duran on guitar – grooving with Vince in drumless splendor that... read more

A second pressing of the Mode album Frank Rosolino – one of the best albums on that rare label, and one of the best sides by trombonist Rosolino! The group here features Vince Guaraldi on piano, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Monty Budwig on bass, and Stan Levy on drums – and the sound's a... 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 genius album from Swedish baritone giant Lars Gullin – and a set that's from a period that was much less documented on our side of the Atlantic! Gullin was one of the undisputed masters of the instrument, and his American recordings on Mercury and Prestige stand as proof to his talent... read more

A beautiful solo record from pianist Ulrich Gumpert – quite different than some of the more offbeat or avant sounds he recorded with other players – and instead, a great illustration of his more personal, poetic style on piano! Parts of the record resonate strongly with Gumpert's... read more

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A wonderful larger-concept piece from reedman Mats Gustafsson – and an important recording that really stands to only complement some of his freer, looser work of the time! The set's got a vibe that's similar to some of the best mixed composition/improvisation works of the 90s – put... 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

Guttorm Guttormsen certainly isn't a household name around these parts – but with music this great, that certainly might change! The set brings together material from two rare 70s sessions by this Norwegian reedman – both of which feature him on soprano sax and flute, alternating... read more

Bobby in pretty familiar territory – playing mostly trad numbers, in a New Orleans jazz mode, but with some slight Verve 60s touches. Arrangements are by Bob Wilber, and titles include "Lazy Mood", "New Orleans", "High Society", "Tin Roof Blues", "... read more

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With Ernie Watts on tenor, Alan Broadbent on piano, and Lawrence Marable on drums – plus a string orchestra conducted by Broadbent on most tracks!... read more

Charlie Haden and Hank Jones reunite as a duo – working through a set of songs with spiritual sources, in ways that really seem to unlock the warmest elements of both players! Jones is no stranger to this sort of mode, especially in later years – and his gentle, spacious touch on the... read more

Recorded live at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and a special set featuring the acoustic talents of trumpeter Tim Hagan and soprano saxist Bob Belden, mixed with electronics by Scott Kinsey, and turtablism by DJ Kingsize. Most of the material is fairly out – with off-kilter solos draped over... read more

One of the 70s gems on the mighty German Ego label – an incredible small company who seemed to put out nothing but excellent music! The set's led by pianist Joe Haider, and features a quintet with Andy Scherrer on tenor and soprano sax, Ack Van Rooyen on flugelhorn, Gunter Lenz on bass, and... read more

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Maybe the best work so far from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – and a wonderful continuation of the spiritual vibe he's been giving us for the past few years! Halsall's a real up-and-comer – a trumpeter with a spiritual sensibility that rivals the best players on 70s Impulse or Strata East... read more

A gem of an album from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – his third on the Gondawa label, and like all the others, a set that we'd easily rank right up there with the best 70s spiritual jazz on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz! The set's got a fluid sound that's extremely compelling –... read more

A strong little set of post bop tracks from saxophonist Lenny Hambro – one of two rare albums he cut for Columbia during the 50s, and a tight session with Wade Legge on piano, Dick Garcia on guitar, and Clyde Lombardi and Mel Zelnick on rhythm. The tracks are short, and Hambro's sax work is... read more

A lost bit of funky vibes and Fender Rhodes – one of those few records that's as sublime as it is rare – like work by Billy Wooten or Lyman Woodard! The Bobby Hamilton Quintet were an obscure combo from upstate New York – but they've lived on in our hearts (and ears!) with this... read more

Chico Hamilton in the 70s just can't miss – he's really changed loads from his mellow 50s work in LA, and has a tendency to go for a hard grooving sound – but also one that's slightly left of center than the work of most other 70s jazz drummers – and we mean that in a good way! ... read more

One of Chico's earliest albums for Pacific Jazz – a set of tightly arranged tracks with a cool chamber feel to them – featuring a lineup that includes Buddy Collette on reeds, Fred Katz on cello, Jim Hall on guitar, and Carson Smith on bass. Collette, Katz, and Hall are at the height... read more

Unusual material from Chico Hamilton – recorded around the same time as his groundbreaking work for Pacific Jazz – but for the smaller Crown/Modern label in LA! The format's a bit unusual, and changes a bit throughout the record – showing Chico's already-strong ear for creative... read more

Different is right – as this obscure early 60s side shows Chico Hamilton really opening up, moving past the modern chamber style of the late 50s, into the freer modal rhythms that characterized his incredible work of the 60s! The group's the beginning of that sound too – with Charles... read more

Amazing, simply amazing – and light years ahead of the staid sounds that Chico Hamilton was cutting in the 50s! Hamilton's one of those players who has an amazing range to his music – almost all of it really incredible, as Chico always shifts things up over time – continually... read more

An obscure release by Chico Hamilton – but with some really great moments that more than rival his famous sides for Pacific Jazz in the 50s! The set was issued on the obscure Crown label, and is a bit short on notes – but side one features work by Chico's early trio – a cool... read more

A wonderful bit of cinematic jazz from the 50s – played by the Chico Hamilton group as part of the soundtrack! The combo was a key part of the LA scene at the time, but are oddly featured as a regular club act in the movie's New York setting – but we'll gladly forgive that geographic... read more

Very interesting work from Chico Hamilton – one of his most compelling albums of the 50s! The three "faces" of Chico are as follows: his vocals, his solo percussion, and his quintet. Forget the vocals, because they're just OK (and Chico hardly embarked on a singing career after... read more

Killer work from Chico Hamilton – and a key batch of sides recorded between his 50s quintet sessions for Pacific Jazz and his later modal magic at Impulse! The work here was originally done for the Navy Swings series of radio shows – and features a Chico with the group that included... read more

A jazz soundtrack double-header – one that features both the small combo and larger band version of the soundtrack to The Sweet Smell Of Success! The first half of the CD features the Chico Hamilton Quintet's album of music – a wonderful bit of cinematic jazz from the 50s. The combo... read more

An early set from tenorist Scott Hamilton – recorded with a great quartet that features either Hank Jones or Tommy Flanagan on piano, plus George Mraz on bass and Connie Kay on drums. David Stone Martin cover, too!... read more

An incredible session from the legendary Tribe Records scene – an equal effort from leader Doug Hammond and keyboardist David Durrah, who contributes some groundbreaking Fender Rhodes and moog work to the set! Hammond handles drums plus a bit of vocals and synthesizer on the session –... read more

Post-Mizell, and less jazz fusiony than Johnny's mid 70s work, but not a bad funk album! The title cut's a nice groover that has a sort of sing-song Eddie Harris funk feel, and which features Johnny Hammond complaining about "The System", and how it's out to get him. Other cuts include... read more

An amazing bit of jazz funk from Johnny Hammond – and one of his greatest LPs! This is the first album that Johnny recorded with Larry Mizell, cut right before the pair of them went onto do the landmark Gears album. While this one never became as famous as Gears, it's got some fantastic... read more

Although Lionel Hampton's always best remembered for his storming swing days in the early 40s, we love him on records like this one – an easy open-ended straight jazz session from the 50s, with lots of room for soloing in a much more jazz-oriented vein than you'll hear on Hamp's early records.... read more

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Paris was always a great city for Lionel Hampton – but it seemed like in the mid 50s, it was also a place where he cut some of his best work, too! The French New Sound pair of albums are both classics in Hamp's book – records that take off from the looser, longer-form style that he'd... read more

Excellent Parisian work by Lionel Hampton – recorded during a very fruitful year in France, featuring material that was originally issued on a full LP, and a 10" ep. Most of the tracks feature a group that includes Eddie Chamblee on tenor, Ed Mullens on trumpet, Billy Mackel on guitar,... read more

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The classic jazz vibes of Lionel Hampton meets the soulful arrangements of the Chicago Brunswick studios – and the result is a great batch of funky instrumentals that have a similar sound to some of the classic Cadet albums from the same time. Willie Henderson and Tom Tom Washington did the... read more

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One of Slide Hampton's greatest records of all time – a totally hip batch of tracks recorded with a large group that reminds us of some of Max Roach's ensembles of the early 60s! No surprise, Roach is a key part of the album – pounding away with frenzy on Hampton's 5-part "Drum... 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

Another bit of electro grooving from Herbie's Future Shock LP – with lots of space age keyboards, and tweaked up electro beats! Bill Laswell produced and plays bass, too. Herbie's classic version of "Chameleon" is presented here in a 14 minute remix – but one that really... read more

A killer 70s soundtrack from Herbie Hancock! The record takes the funky style that Herbie was cutting with the Headhunters, and blends it with some more sophisticated scoring that's top in the 70s action and blacksploitation modes – perfect for the dark theme of the movie's story. There's... read more

A lyrical masterpiece from the mid-60's! Freddie Hubbard and Herbie trade lines on extended compositions, as Herbie shows the world that he's more than just a soul jazz player by coming up with some of the most spiritual work of his career. Of course, that doesn't displace the treasure that is... read more

One of those albums that always gets lost between the Sextant/Headhunters days – and the later Rockit hip hop records. Herbie's clearly trying to find a voice here – working in a mode that's actually smooth soul on most cuts, mixing keyboards and vocals in a style that's similar to... read more

A really unique little record from Herbie Hancock – one that's almost completely improvised over Latin percussion! The setup is quite spare – and quite different than Herbie's other Blue Note work – and the group features improvised backgrounds by bassist Paul Chambers and 2... read more

A really unique little record from Herbie Hancock – one that's almost completely improvised over Latin percussion! The setup is quite spare – and quite different than Herbie's other Blue Note work – and the group features improvised backgrounds by bassist Paul Chambers and 2... read more

A brilliant album – and real turning point for Herbie Hancock! After first coming onto the scene as the soul jazz hero between Blue Note funky classics like "Watermelon Man" or "Blind Man, Blind Man" – Herbie emerges here as a concerned modernist with a strand of... read more

Later stuff, but a pretty unique album from Herbie! The sound's a bit smoother than some of the groundbreaking electric albums, but the playing's top-shelf, and the record features a number of jazz funk numbers with soulful vocals – including work by Gavin Christopher and The Waters. Think... read more

An excellent session that was one of Herbie Hancock's first free-flowing fusion records of the 70s! Herbie's playing Fender Rhodes with a sound that's at once cosmically beautiful, soulfully fragile, and spacily grooving – and he gets some excellent accompaniment from an all-hip group of... read more

Classic Herbie from the early years, and a great mix of soul jazz and modernism! The record include a nice groovy "hit", Herbie's "Blind Man, Blind Man" – an obvious follow-up to "Watermelon Man", but still a standout track with a lot of imagination, and a... read more

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... read more

The follow up to Herbie's groundbreaking hit album Future Shock. There's some rehashing of themes here, with the remake of "Rockit" called "Hardrock" here – basically the same number with some heavy guitar added and a few different solos – plus similar numbers that... read more

Herbie Hancock is certainly Takin Off at this point in his career – stepping into the limelight with an excellent batch of soul jazz tunes, including the first recording of his classic "Watermelon Man", the one track that probably put all his kids through school! Although that one... read more

Killer electric work from Herbie Hancock – right on par with his groundbreaking Headhunters set, but a bit spacier too! The album features a Headhunters-solid lineup – with Bennie Maupin on saxes, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – all... read more

A great little album from Herbie – it that says "previously released" on the back cover, but was actually released with Tootie Heath as leader under the name Kuumba, entitled Kawaida. It's a hip batch of afro-centric jazz, with a Strata East sort of feel: lots of percussion and... read more

Though there are a number of different LPs using the VSOP title in a few different ways, this was the first, a double album recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival, featuring Herbie leading groups that represented a number of different points in his career. The first lineup later recorded under... read more

A landmark concert from the mid 80s – one held to honor the resurrection of the Blue Note label, featuring a wealth of some of the best players for the label – from the 80s back to the 50s bebop years. This first volume in the 4 LP series features centered around Herbie Hancock and... read more

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One of the few beautiful early albums cut by John Handy for Roulette – and an obscure session that has him playing alto with a quartet that includes a young Walter Bishop Jr. on piano. Handy here is fresh from his work with Mingus – and his alto is filled with fire and emotion, yet... read more