Yoshiyuki Hatakeyama on bass and Takuji Kusumoto on drums. CD

Includes the albums Plays For Dancers In Love from 1957 and Plays For Dream Dancing from 1961. CD

A great trio setting for the tenor of Rodrigo Amado – always a treat, but especially nice here in the company of bassist Goncalo Almeida and drummer Onno Govaert – both players who have this open, elliptical way of building things up alongside Amado's lead! The tenorist has a richly soulful sound throughout, and the way the bass and drums are used is a nice evolution past both early American avant modes and later European free jazz styles – rich in sound, but never too bombastic – while freed from rhythm, but also very respectful of the tenor too. Titles include "Outer Fields", "Love Ghosts", "Encounter", and "New Tone". CD

Brilliant late work from spiritual saxophone genius Albert Ayler – one of his last truly great albums! The session has none of the jazz-meets-other music feel of some of the other Impulse albums – and is more in the straight expressive style of the ESP recordings. Tracks are more reined in here – with some short themes that are almost a distillation of the freedom Ayler had been expressing for a few years, summed up beautifully in tunes that have a plaintive cry, filled with as much soul and love as Ayler could muster into his horn! Players include Donald Ayler on trumpet, Cal Cobbs on harpsichord, Alan Silva on bass, and Milford Graves on drums – and titles include "Zion Hill", "Love Flower", "Love Cry", "Ghosts", "Omega", and "Dancing Flowers". CD also includes some extra bonus material! CD

Brilliant late work from spiritual saxophone genius Albert Ayler – one of his last truly great albums! The session has none of the jazz-meets-other music feel of some of the other Impulse albums – and is more in the straight expressive style of the ESP recordings. Tracks are more reined in here – with some short themes that are almost a distillation of the freedom Ayler had been expressing for a few years, summed up beautifully in tunes that have a plaintive cry, filled with as much soul and love as Ayler could muster into his horn! Players include Donald Ayler on trumpet, Cal Cobbs on harpsichord, Alan Silva on bass, and Milford Graves on drums – and titles include "Zion Hill", "Love Flower", "Love Cry", "Ghosts", "Omega", and "Dancing Flowers". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album that had one of the best versions of the Jazz Messengers taking a big step forward – thanks to some increased songwriting by the group's young tenor genius – Wayne Shorter! Shorter's tunes take up all of the second half of the record, and all of them have gone onto become classics – "Giantis", "Sleeping Dancer Sleep On", and "Noise In The Attic" – all tunes that hint at the modernism that was to come in Wayne's music, and which especially seem to push his tenor and the trumpet of Lee Morgan into the range of more mature colors and tones that would grace their music as the 60s moved on. Meanwhile, there's a rock-solid rhythm drive at the core – Art Blakey on drums, Jymie Merritt on bass, and the great Bobby Timmons on piano – still making a strong contribution to the group. Lee Morgan wrote the nine minute tune "Johnny's Blue" on side one – which also includes a beautiful version of "Like Someone In Love" – a masterpiece in soulful lyricism! CD features one bonus alternate track, too! CD

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Features Antonio Hart on alto, Steve Turre on trombone, Mark Taylor on French horn, Roland Hanna on piano, and Michael Carvin on drums – plus a guest drums from Max Roach! CD

A modern classic from Dee Dee Bridgewater – one of her hippest albums of the later years, thanks to a great choice of material, and some really wonderful execution! The album's a beautiful set of straight jazz vocal readings of some of Horace Silver's best compositions, and it also features guest appearances by Silver and Jimmy Smith – both players who still had plenty going on at the time of the sessions. The real strength, though, is Dee Dee – as she proves once and for all that she's one of the best female true jazz singers of this era, capable of rich emotion on ballad tracks, and swinging free vocalese on more uptempo numbers. Titles include "Nica's Dream", "Pretty Eyes", "St. Vitus Dance", "Soulville", "Lonely Woman", and "Tokyo Blues". One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of the past 10 years! (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

An early gem from trumpeter Tom Browne – a set that not only firmly established Browne as one of the best young players of his generation, but which also paved the way for a whole new direction for jazz funk in the 80s! The record is a perfect example of how great the mix of R&B rhythms and jazz fusion instrumentation could be – groovy enough to capture a whole new audience from the soul market, but still more than respectful of the solo talents of the leader – but all without any attempt at smooth jazz commercialism at all! There's some great hard funk moments on the set – and Browne approaches the music in a way that's nicely different than Donald Byrd or Freddie Hubbard, two older players who first helped forge this sound in the 70s – and whose path Tom's clearly taking, but with new directions of his own. There's almost more of a street-worthy vibe to the set – quite a surprise if you only know later records on the GRP label – and the arrangements are by Tom, Weldon Irvine, Lesette Wilson, and Dave Grusin. Titles include the funky classic "Funkin' For Jamaica", plus "Her Silent Smile", "Moon Rise", "Nocturne", "Forever More", and "Weak In The Knees". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". CD

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Kenny Burrell played often at the Village Vanguard over the years – and this sweet set from later years has the guitarist really stretching out in the familiar setting – hitting some surprisingly deep, strong lines throughout – all with effortless ease! The record's a great reminder that Burrell kept on growing over the decades, and never seemed to lose his power as both a leader and a soloist – something we've been reminded of in his many records after this early 90s set – and the younger combo here really seems to bring out a fresh fire in Kenny, with work from James Williams on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums. Titles include the originals "Then Along Came You", "Good News Blues", and "Maya's Dance" – plus "Fungi Mama", "Lament", and "Black & Tan Fantasy". CD

A sweet funky 80s set from trumpeter Donald Byrd – a record done after his 70s run at Blue Note with producer Larry Mizell, but in a groove that's equally great in its own sort of way! Isaac Hayes is the producer on the set, and also plays a lot of Fender Rhodes, plus piano, vibes, and percussion – in a sharp combo that has a mighty nice groove, and more keyboards from Chip Crawford too! There's some vocals on the record at times – thanks to the 125th Street group – and the whole thing has that same blend of soul, jazz, and funk as Donald's 70s records – but in an updated 80s mode. Tracks include the great mellow "I Love Your Love", plus "I Feel Like Loving You Today", "Butterfly", "Love Has Come Around", "Falling", and "I'll Always Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest Don Cherry albums you'll ever hope to hear – and that's saying a lot, given the range of incredible albums the man has given us over the years! The music here was recorded for a French film based on the music, poetry, and "antics" of Cherry – done in the Saravah Records studios in 1969, around the same time as Cherry's albums for the BYG/Actuel label on the Paris scene – but with a much looser, more freewheeling vibe overall! The first side of the record features music done with Karl Berger – in a mix of piano, percussion, wood flutes, electronics, and pocket trumpet – shifting many times in terms of tone and spirit, with Cherry at his most organic. Side two features most of the same music, but with Anthony Braxton joining in – as well as poetry at some parts – in the complete edit that was used in the film. A fantastic document in so many ways – of the musicians, of post-68 Paris, and even of European avant cinema! LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of heavy love here – a wonderful sense of rapport between the great tenorist Al Cohn and piano genius Jimmy Rowles! Both musicians were still recording heavily at the time of this album, but the record seems to capture them in a really special space that still stands strongly on its own – a mode that's much more relaxes than some of the Pablo Records sessions of the time, and which has Cohn in an especially striking mode – really hitting these openly-blown, often-angular lines that are dripping with soul – more heart and feeling than we might normally expect from him, matched equally by Jimmy Rowles' wonderful phrasing on piano – very much here at the top shelf level he delivered with Stan Getz on The Peacocks album. Titles include "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Bar Talk", "These Foolish Things", "Them There Eyes", and "Sweet & Lovely". Features the bonus track "For All We Know". CD

A really great late 60s session from Ornette Coleman – one that shows is increasing expansion in sounds and styles, and which also offers a bridge between avant jazz generations too! That bridge comes in the presence of Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – a surprising Coltrane rhythm duo, working here with Ornette's mindblowing work on alto sax, and tenor from a young Dewey Redman – already a crucially intense player here next to Coleman, as both are set free in a group without any piano – that Ornette melding of rhythm and melody, but with a very different vibe than the Atlantic years! Coleman blows trumpet on one tune – and titles include "Love Call", "Airborne", "Check Out Time", and "Open To The Public". CD includes 3 bonus alternate takes, too! CD

A really great late 60s session from Ornette Coleman – one that shows is increasing expansion in sounds and styles, and which also offers a bridge between avant jazz generations too! That bridge comes in the presence of Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – a surprising Coltrane rhythm duo, working here with Ornette's mindblowing work on alto sax, and tenor from a young Dewey Redman – already a crucially intense player here next to Coleman, as both are set free in a group without any piano – that Ornette melding of rhythm and melody, but with a very different vibe than the Atlantic years! Coleman blows trumpet on one tune – and titles include "Love Call", "Airborne", "Check Out Time", and "Open To The Public". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from Adegoke Steve Colson – a warmly grooving set cut with vocalist Iqua Colson – possibly one of Steve's straightest records ever, but one of his most soulful, too! Iqua's got a fluid vocal approach that's mighty nice – and the Colson combo swings in a mix of modal moments and soul jazz roots – with work from TK Blue on soprano and alto sax, Andy McCloud on bass, and Reggie Nicholson on drums. Most titles are originals, with a really fresh feel – the kind of hopeful, optimistic spirit of jazz vocals, if you still no where to look – and titles include "Hope For Love", "At The Church Steps", "Picante", "Regina's Lament", "South Of The Border Serenade", and "After Revelation's Ease". CD

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiraling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest jazz albums of all time – a real breakthrough moment for the legendary John Coltrane, and the blueprint for generations of jazz records to come! Trane was already breaking down plenty of boundaries before Love Supreme – but he knocked it out of the park for the album – which is a full-length suite of spiritual expression, one that gives even greater focus and message to Coltrane's long-spiralling style of soloing on the tenor sax! The group here is the classic quartet – McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – taking Trane up to the heavens on waves of modal energy, but also holding his spirit closer to the planet than on some of later, more outside performances. There's a slight bit of vocalization on the record – that chanted energy that imbues the set with so much love – and movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". Plus, this new version of the set features a huge amount of bonus material – a long live version of the whole suite, recorded in 1965 in Antibes, alternate takes of tracks on the original session – and the fantastic sextet reading of "Acknowledgement", with playing by Archie Shepp! Movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm". CD

A fantastic addition to the John Coltrane catalog, and a set that's wonderful for so many different reasons it's hard to fit them all in one short passage! As the title implies, the album features a rare live performance of "Love Supreme" – done in 1965, when the work was new both to the world, and the classic Coltrane quartet with McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Yet the version here is also very different than the album reading – looser, with more "interlude" passages – at a level that already has the group drinking in the spirit of the tune, and finding a way to rise with a new spiritual majesty! Another key part of the recording is the presence of Pharoah Sanders on tenor – making a very early appearance with the group – amidst a septet lineup that also features a very young Carlos Ward on alto, and Donald Rafael Garrett on bass – players who expand the lineup in ways that show some of Coltrane's growing experiments past the quartet structure. The whole thing was recorded at the Penthouse Club in Seattle – a place that's given us some other fantastic "lost" recordings from the 60s in recent years – and the record is essential listening, even if you own the studio Love Supreme record, or any other Coltrane records at all. LP, Vinyl record album

Laurence Cook on drums and Jim Hobbs on alto saxophone. CD

Maybe the moodiest record we've ever heard from trumpeter Theo Croker – a set that blends together his earthy Afrofuturist experiments with other electric horn-based modes – maybe currents of 70s Miles or Jon Hassell, but served up in much more soul-based territory overall! Many cuts have vocals – from singers who include Jamila Woods, Jill Scott, and Teedra Moses – which are often muted, and folded into the electric mix – so that the lyrics are just one more shimmering texture of sound, amidst the blend of keyboards, organ, alto, and other instrumentation on the set. There's also plenty of guests along the way – including Gary Bartz and Kassa Overall – on titles that include "Jazz Is Dead", "Royal Conversation", "To Be We", "She's Bad", "Humanity", "Divinity", and "Cosmic Intercourse (part 2)". CD

Eddie Daniels on clarinet, Fred Hersch and Roger Kellaway on paino, John Patitucci on bass, and Al Foster on drums. CD

Tight trio work by Kenny Drew – featuring his great group with Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums! CD

Never-issued music from a really legendary group – titled in a way that's similar to their famous 60s record for Atlantic Records – but a batch of live material recorded in Sweden with an equally sublime sort of feel! Art Farmer works here on flugelhorn alongside guitarist Jim Hall – a brief but important pairing in 60s modern jazz – especially when combined with the talents of Steve Swallow on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – four artists who make for a really revolutionary quartet, as they explore the space of sound, and the space between the notes, in ways that still sound as revolutionary now as they did when recorded back in 1964! Titles include "Theme For Jobim", "Sometime Ago", "Waltz Hot", "Birk's Works", "I Love You", and "Bilbao Song". CD

A pretty sweet 70s set from Art Farmer – ostensibly a tribute to Duke Ellington, but really more of a gently soulful session in the mode of Art's best work of the decade! The group is the Cedar Walton trio with Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all matching Art's lyrical work beautifully, in a soulfully swinging way that transforms familiar Ellington numbers into new vehicles for creative expression. Farmer's at the height of his powers, and tracks include "Love You Madly", "Lush Life", "In A Sentimental Mood", and "The Star Crossed Lovers". CD

A really unique little album that features jazz versions of themes from Swedish folk music – all served up by a sublime quartet that features Art Farmer on flugelhorn and Jim Hall on guitar! The exploration of folk roots in jazz is not a new one – and a number of the postwar Swedish modernists were especially strong in their love of folk music for inspiration. But the genre's never been handled this well before, and Farmer's warmly lyrical sensibilities really transform the tunes – opening up a timeless sense of expression in their melodies, yet still keeping things strongly in a modern jazz vein with his timing and phrasing. The other members of the piano-less quartet certainly help in this respect – Steve Swallow on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – and Jim Hall's guitar is always a treat in a stripped-down session like this. The sound of the record is both warm and eerie at the same time – and titles include "Va Da Du?", "De Salde Sina Hemman", "Kristallen Den Fina", and "Visa Vid Midsommartid". CD

With Thomas White on drums. CD

(Now Sound, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Midnight Sun", "You're Blase", "Night Wind", "Hurry Home", "What's New", "Close Your Eyes", "More Than You Know", "There's A Lull In My Life", and "How Long Has This Been Going On". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great Pablo Records efforts to revisit the jazz sound of the 50s – but in fresh new ways allowed by the freer recording modes of the 70s! The album features Ella Fitgerald and Joe Pass, plus nobody else – just voice and guitar coming together in quiet, introspective ways that are completely sublime, and a very nice change from some of Ella's fuller band recordings of the few years before this album. And far from being sleepy, the intimacy of the record almost seems to set a new kind of fire – one that comes from the gentle persona of Ella, which is a far cry from the glass-breaking singer that she'd come to be known as in the mainstream! Titles include "Take Love Easy", "Once I Loved", "Lush Life", "You're Blase", "A Foggy Day", "I Want To Talk About You", and "You Go To My Head". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

(Funky 45's, Jazz) 7-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic record from vibist David Friedman – spare, hip, modern, and very moody! Friedman's playing vibes and marimba alongside David Samuels, who plays the same – and this twin-vibes approach sounds fantastic – especially as the record has no drums, just additional bass, plus flute by Hubert Laws – a very loose, open style that comes across with a completely unique sound! The approach is super-dope for any fan of laidback 70s vibes – and the tracks are never too free or way out, just gliding with this airy quality that's really wonderful – one of the best demonstrations of Friedman's great talents on record. Titles include "Truce", "Nyack", "Brite Piece", "Island", and "Saraband". CD

The title's a wonderful one – given the warmth and great spirit of this legendary trio – a near-perfect assemblage of the talents of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums! Both Carter and Williams help Hank to hit the hipper side of his talents for the 70s – and together, they work as one – with a well-rounded, well-crafted style that's a great testament to the group's strong appeal at the time. Titles include "Freedom Jazz Dance", "A Child Is Born", "Mr PC", "All Blues", and "Doom". CD

A bit of a change for The Great Jazz Trio, but a great one too – given that Buster Williams is on bass here, instead of the usual Ron Carter – working with drummer Tony Williams and pianist Hank Jones to really make things sparkle! Buster's bass is always a treat, and this album's no exception – a set that's filled with some surprisingly soulful moments on the bottom, which really seems to push the group nicely on the longer tracks in the set. Jones sounds a bit different here than before – in a good way – and titles include versions of "Love For Sale", "Secret Love", "Autumn Leaves", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". CD

An astounding live set from Johnny Griffin – recorded at the famous Club Montmartre in Copenhagen, where Griff had practically taken up residence in the late 60s! The record crackles with the kind of free energy of the best Montmartre sessions – long tracks and compelling solos, stretched-out versions of tunes you may recognize, but which are transformed nicely by Griff's great solo work – and by a rhythm section that features Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Heath on drums! Titles include "The Man I Love", "Blues For Harvey", "Sophisticated Lady", "Hush A Bye", and "Wee". LP, Vinyl record album

Steve Grossman joins the Cedar Walton Trio – on a sweet little set that makes for one of Grossman's deepest records of the 80s! Although Steve can really blow with a lot of power when he wants to, he hits a much more lyrical mode here – one that's clearly in line with the warm tones of Walton's piano, opened up nicely in the album's collection of familiar tunes that provide plenty of gentle ballad space for Grossman to blossom. Walton plays piano with David Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – and titles include "Naima", "Easy To Love", "My Old Flame", "Easy Living", "415 Central Park West", and "What's New". LP, Vinyl record album

A genius meeting of talents on late 60s MPS – as George Gruntz leads a group of drummers and percussionists that includes Charly Antolini, Daniel Humair, Pierre Favre, Mani Neumeier, and Alfred Sacher – alongside tenor and soprano from the great Nathan Davis, plus trumpet from Franco Ambrosetti and bass from Jimmy Woode! The set also features some musicians from Basel – as the set was part of the "jazz meets world" series on Saba. LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty great stuff from Russell Gunn – a jazz musician who's always bringing something soulful to the table! This time around, there's some great keyboards in the mix – played by Orrin Evans, and used in ways that are sometimes funky, sometimes spacey – and always a great mix with Gunn's laidback trumpet lines. Production is a bit polished on some of the set, but there's enough dark corners to keep the record away from straight smooth jazz – and the album also features guest work from Kirk Whalum on tenor on most tracks. Titles include "All You Need Is Love", "Love Requiem", "Ghandi's Love", "Bitch You Don't Love Me", "I'm In Love With A Stripper", "He Loves Me", and "Because I Love You". CD

One of the few albums to really get at the genius of the Lionel Hampton group at the height of their powers – their crowd-pleasing antics that were always a big draw for live audiences! This set catches Hamp and a great group at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium – playing on long tracks with plenty of cool flourishes and really strong standout moments – pyrotechnic throughout, even in the mellower moments! Hampton is on piano, vibes, and drums – and other players include Willie Smith on alto, Charlie Shaves on trumpet, and Barney Kessel on guitar.. Tunes include "Star Dust" and "The Man I Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Great later work from Wendell Harrison – a set that has the Tribe Records giant of the 70s taking the sound of the Detroit underground into a whole new vibe! The record takes the spiritual post-Coltrane jazz of Harrison's earlier days, and infuses it with some warmer, electric modes – a way of pushing spiritual jazz currents into other territory, a bit like Gary Bartz did with some of his work in the late 70s! Tracks are shorter and slightly less political than before – but the overall vibe is equally soulful in an 80s indie jazz style – and proof that Harrison was still keeping strong after the early days of the Tribe movement. There's some nice dark edges to the record that really keep things interesting – maybe imagine Larry Mizell producing some of the more off-beat albums on Strata East – and there's a bit of vocals on the set, which also features work from Phil Ranelin on trombone. Tracks include "Where Am I", "Sea Minor Blues", "Take Time Out", and "Dreams Of A Love Supreme". CD

Great later work from Wendell Harrison – a set that has the Tribe Records giant of the 70s taking the sound of the Detroit underground into a whole new vibe! The record takes the spiritual post-Coltrane jazz of Harrison's earlier days, and infuses it with some warmer, electric modes – a way of pushing spiritual jazz currents into other territory, a bit like Gary Bartz did with some of his work in the late 70s! Tracks are shorter and slightly less political than before – but the overall vibe is equally soulful in an 80s indie jazz style – and proof that Harrison was still keeping strong after the early days of the Tribe movement. There's some nice dark edges to the record that really keep things interesting – maybe imagine Larry Mizell producing some of the more off-beat albums on Strata East – and there's a bit of vocals on the set, which also features work from Phil Ranelin on trombone. Tracks include "Where Am I", "Sea Minor Blues", "Take Time Out", and "Dreams Of A Love Supreme". Includes a bonus 7" single with the tracks "Rocket Love" and "No Turnin" – plus the bonus track "Patrina's Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

An odd little album on Savoy – one that collects material from 4 different pianists, packaged with a sexy title, and a cover that has a lusty redhead really "loving" the piano! The best material on here, in our opinion, is the Herbie Nichols work – rare non-Blue Note/Bethlehem work that has him supposedly working with a quartet (although we only hear three instruments on the session!), on tunes that include "Nichols & Dimes", "Who's Blues", and "S'Wonderful". Other tunes include "Jumpin Jacques" and "Thou Swell" by Hampton Hawes; "Blues Too Much" and "Thou Swell" (again!) by John Mehegan; and "Together" and "Apart" by Paul Smith. CD

The last album that Jimmy Heath ever gave the world – and a record that makes us miss him even more – as the whole thing takes Heath back to that spectacular mix of solo expressionist, thoughtful composer, and sensitive arranger territory of his best early years! And if you want proof of Jimmy's warm, open spirit – the set begins with a one minute bowed bass solo before Heath's horn even comes into play – then works sublime magic on a number of original numbers, and a few well-chosen classics – all put together by Jimmy as a "ballads" album, but in a way that's hugely different from some of the more facile songbook sessions of over-recorded standards. Instead, the Heath arrangements throughout are wonderfully fresh, and have a soulful quality that really blows us away – more than even on some of his other late records, which is what makes this final session so bittersweet. The core group features Kenny Barron on piano, Monte Croft on vibes, Russell Malone on guitar, and Lewis Nash on drums – and the set features vocals from Gregory Porter on one track, and Cecile McLorin Salvant on another – and Wynton Marsalis blows a trumpet solo on a third track. Titles include "Ballad From Upper Neighbors Suiter", "Left Alone", "Inside Your Heart", "La Mesha", "Con Alma", "Fasion Or Passion", and "Don't Explain". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent 70s set by Jackie & Roy – very different than their work of the 50s and 60s, with an approach that's much more far-reaching and complicated – a style that opens up their vocal talents majestically! Gone are the simpler ditties of earlier years, and in their place are warmly gliding numbers that open up to really unique vocal interplay – sometimes with Jackie in the lead, but other times trading back and forth with all the kind of complicated inflections you'd expect from early 70s CTI! Don Sebesky handled the arrangements with a great mix of spacey and breezy sounds – some slight electric touches at the bottom, but never in a way that makes the record too slick or smooth. Titles include a great version of "Bachinas Brasileiras #5", plus "Heading", "Summer Song", and "Lazy Afternoon". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

An excellent 70s set by Jackie & Roy – very different than their work of the 50s and 60s, with an approach that's much more far-reaching and complicated – a style that opens up their vocal talents majestically! Gone are the simpler ditties of earlier years, and in their place are warmly gliding numbers that open up to really unique vocal interplay – sometimes with Jackie in the lead, but other times trading back and forth with all the kind of complicated inflections you'd expect from early 70s CTI! Don Sebesky handled the arrangements with a great mix of spacey and breezy sounds – some slight electric touches at the bottom, but never in a way that makes the record too slick or smooth. Titles include a great version of "Bachinas Brasileiras #5", plus "Heading", "Summer Song", and "Lazy Afternoon". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Two great 60s albums from vibist Milt Jackson – both a bit unusual in format! On Big Bags, Jackson takes on a set of 10 standards (mostly) with some help from Tadd Dameron and Ernie Wilkins on larger group arrangements! Milt's the primary soloist, buoyed by an orchestra built around a rhythm section of Hank Jones, Ron Carter and either Connie Cay or Philly Joe on drums, plus loads of great horn players like Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Melba Liston, James Moody and Jimmy Heath among others. Includes renditions of "Old Devil Moon", "'Round Midnight", "The Dream Is You", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Echoes", "If You Could See Me Now", "Star Eyes", "Namesake", "If I Should Lose You", and "Later Than You Think". The second album of this set is also a surprisingly nice pairing – the vibes of Milt Jackson and some larger horn backings that fall heavy on the trumpet and trombone side of the spectrum! The sound's not nearly as heavy or hokey as you'd expect – thanks to arrangements by Melba Liston – and the horns do a nice job of setting a scene that lets Milt's vibes sneak in and out with effortless ease – coloring things with a great one, and a very rhythmic feel. The album's worth it for one track alone – the really great "Bossa Bags", which grooves with a sound that's everything you'd expect from the title! Other tracks include "Extraordinary Blues", "Save Your Love For Me", "For Someone I Love", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Just Waiting". LP, Vinyl record album

With Charlie Parker and Willie Smith on alto; Charlie Ventura and Lester Young on tenor; Al Killian, Dizzy Gillespie, and Howard McGhee on trumpet; Arnold Ross and Mel Powell on piano, Billy Hadnott on bass, and Lee Young on drum. (Funky 45's, Jazz) 7-inch, Vinyl record

Curtis Fowlkes on trombone, Brad Jones on bass, Roy Nathanson on sax, EJ Rodriguez on percussion, Bill Ware on vibes & Jim Nolet on violin. CD

With Rob Bargad on Hammond organ and vocals. CD

A wonderful later album from these two Coltrane bandmembers – reunited here in the early 80s, working in a mode that's very much in keeping with their rich spiritual jazz legacy! The group on the album's a quintet – with Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Richard Davis on bass, and Jean-Paul Bourelly on electric guitar. Sanders' majestic tenor solos really make the album sparkle – as he's blowing in a mode that feels a lot like Coltrane, circa 1963, touched with some of his own raspy soul, which makes for a different edge. Titles include "Little Rock's Blues", 'Hip Jones", "For Tomorrow", "Korina", and "Origin". CD

Features Houston Person and Cedar Walton. (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

One of our favorite Japanese pianists of the 70s, working here with two younger players who really help preserve the mix of lyricism and groove that made his earlier records so great! Fumio Karashima plays both acoustic piano and keyboards here – the latter in the range of a Fender Rhodes, if not exactly that instrument – alongside the snapping drums of Nobuyuki Komatsu, and quick-stepping bass of Satuski Kusui, both of whom come into especially strong focus on the more upbeat numbers. The gentler cuts allow Fumio to really hit those poetic, introspective modes we love on the piano – and titles include "Who Cares", "Sun Rise", "Late Autumn", "Mr JH", and "Head Start". CD

The first Riverside album by Bev Kelly – an obscure ice-blond singer from the late 50s, with a sound that's much more in keeping with some of the vocalists on the Bethlehem label, than the few singers who cut sides for Riverside. Bev's got the great fortune to be working here with Jimmy Jones, who's done some great work for Sarah Vaughn over the years – and the small group backing on the album includes strong players like Kenny Burrell, Jerome Richardson, Milt Hinton, Roy Haynes, and Jones himself. Titles include "My Ship", "Lonelyville", "Lost April", "Love Look Away", "Thursday's Child", "Love Locked Out", and "Gloomy Sunday". A nice sad one – in case you couldn't guess by the titles! (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard music from guitarist Calvin Keys – recorded in a number of different settings over the past decade or two, and issued here together to make for one of his most satisfying records in years! While we've liked the Wide Hive material Keys has recorded during his comeback, we're even more stunned by these tracks – as they've got an even more solid jazz basis overall – as Calvin plays in modes that run from group performances with varied artists who include pianist Elmer Gibson, tenorist Dawan Muhammad, and flute player Art Maxwell – to one solo number that shows an especially beautiful side of Key's music! The whole thing's put together wonderfully – not a scattered batch of tracks, but a record with a surprisingly unified feel – in the manner of the other excellent work we love on this label – and titles include "Emily", "The Last One To Be Loved", "Seems To Be", "Dolphin Dance"," Blues For Ahmed", and "Satchmo's Song". CD

The rarest of three albums that King Pleasure ever recorded – and pretty darn hard to find, too. The set was recorded after King's earlier sides for the Prestige and HiFi jazz labels, but it's in a very similar style, with some wonderful vocalese-ing done in Pleasure's landmark style. He's really one of the greatest jazz singers of the 20th century, and it's unfortunate that apart from the big hit fame of "Moody's Mood For Love" (recorded here once again), King never got strong recognition as a richly talented singer. A number of cuts on here are re-recordings of earlier work – like "Don't Get Scared" and "Sometimes I'm Happy" – and other tracks include "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "Old Black Magic". Plus, this CD reissue also expands the original album with a lot of bonus cuts, including some great unreleased numbers – a total of 18 tracks in all, and a treasure trove of work by King Pleasure! (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

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". 2CD edition features the full bonus album These Are Soulful Days – recorded by James Brandon Lewis with the Lutoslowski Quartet. CD

A great little album of mid 70s funk from Ramsey Lewis – very much in the mode of his Earth, Wind, & Fire related work – no surprise, since the album's dedicated to Charles Stepney, whose influence was such a key part of the sound of the group, and of some of Ramsey's other Kalimba-produced albums from a few years before! Ramsey plays Fender Rhodes, mini moog, and Arp – and he gets help on keyboards from Stevie Wonder and Derf Reklaw, who also plays saxes and percussion on the set. Features versions of Wonder's "Love Notes" and "Spring High", plus Reklaw's "Chili Today Hot Tamale", "Shining", and "Stash Dash". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums ever from jazz vibes legend Johnny Lytle – a soaring, spacious set that's almost to Lytle's career what Gears was to Johnny Hammond's! Of course, Lytle's groove here is different – no Mizell production, and a mellower feel overall – but the unbridled space of 70s Milestone is definitely a key influence here – and Johnny stretches out here like never before! The players are all pretty hip – and include Daahoud Hadi (aka Butch Cornell) on electric piano and organ, Marvin Cabell on flute and tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Betty Glamann on harp, and Jozell Carter on drums – all perfect mates here for Johnny's spiritual exploration of sound with his vibes – in ways that are almost more amazing than work from Bobby Hutcherson or Roy Ayers at the time! Titles include an amazing original called "Libra", plus "Tawhid", "Where Is The Love", "Family", and a version of "People Make the World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully dynamic work from drummer Myele Manzanza – an artist we've never heard work in this scope before, and we hope will soon do so again! The album's got Myele at the helm of a great large ensemble – a group who have a strong spiritual sense at the core, but often move in more vibrant rhythms driven by Manzana's work on the drums – not really funky, maybe more in an upbeat modal mode – which allows for great sounds from the rising crest of alto, trumpet, tenor, trombone, and flute in the lineup! Bass is by Ross McHenry, whose sound is a key core part of the record – and Ross also produced, as well – really capturing the right sort of vibe for the entire album. Myele's part of the Adelaide scene, in New Zealand – but we'd put this record right up there with some of the best work coming out of the London jazz world in recent years – with titles that include "Big Deal", "Madrid", "Itaru's Phone Booth", "Family Dynamics", "Ritual", and "A Love Requited". Includes the Japanese-only bonus track "Freedom Of Movement". CD

Two versions of a great track by Joe McPhee – both of which have the saxophonist laying out some surprisingly soulful sounds! If you only know Joe from his later avant years, you'll be stunned to hear McPhee here – as "Cosmic Love" has Joe spinning out this soulful saxophone lead over organ, which burns very slowly in the background – as McPhee starts out first straight, then surprisingly outside once things get going – but with a vibe that's somewhere between Kalaparusha on Delmark, and Arthur Doyle a few years later. The second version of the tune really turns up the echo on the organ, which makes things even more cosmic – as McPhee's solo follows a similar way-out path! (Funky 45's, Jazz) 7-inch, Vinyl record

Hammond legend Jimmy Smith plays here on a set led by Japanese guitarist Yoshiaki Miyanoue – with work from Hiroshi Hatsuyama on vibes and Q Ishikawa on tenor sax! LP, Vinyl record album

Spiritual work from the great Charles Moffett and his talented family – all of whom have matured nicely by the time of this recording! Gone is the sloppiness of some of the earlier Moffett Family albums, and in its place is a tight soulful groove – with a progressive soul jazz sound that reminds us of the best moments on the Strata East label during the 70s! Charnett Moffett's on bass, Charles plays alto and tenor, Mondre plays trumpet, Codaryl's on drums, Charisse sings on two tracks, and Charles Sr. plays some nice vibes along with his usual drums. Tracks include "Mandingo Warrior", "Magic Of Love", "Short Stuff", and "The Gift Is Love". CD

Sublime solo piano work from Tete Montoliu – a set that takes off from the superb directions he'd hit on his Spanish albums of the 60s – when Tete was emerging as one of the most lyrically fluid pianists on the European scene! That legacy is greatly enhanced here – as Montoliu works without any bass or drums at all, yet has this wonderfully rhythmic quality to his music – not in the ways that Garner or Tatum might have expressed in a similar setting, but this more flowing sense of color – really illustrating some of the advances that the European jazz scene was making at the time. Titles include "Rainy Day", "Two Catlan Songs", "Gentofte 4349", "Apartment 412", "Ballad For Line", and "Little Camila". CD

Pivotal work from James Moody! The record was cut at a time when Moody was completely reinventing himself – shifting from the hard bopper of earlier years, into a sophisticated, slightly exotic player with an interest in mixing many different styles into a unique soul jazz vision. As part of this, Moody took up the flute heavily – adapting it wonderfully to his rich style, and playing the instrument with a lot more soul than had been previously been applied to the instrument. A few of the tracks on the album feature Moody on tenor, but most of them have flute in the forefront – recorded in a great echoey way that really sounds cool and a little rough around the edges. Other players include Johnny Coles, Tate Houson, and Jimmy Boyd – and tracks include "Phil Up", "Foolin The Blues", "Plus Eight", "Mean To Me", and a version of "Billie's Bounce" with vocals by Eddie Jefferson. CD

A really moody session of vocal jazz from the 50s – a near-lost date from singer Terry Morel, who we only know from this one album on Bethlehem! The album's got a feel that's a bit like some of Chris Connor's work for the label at the time – backing by a trio led by pianist Ralph Sharon, augmented by flute from Herbie Mann, who shades in the tones with some darker hues that really give the record a unique feel. And Terry herself has a slightly different voice too – one that's a bit dusky and breathy, without the sweetness of other female 50s singers – almost bedroom-like in its sensuality. Titles include "How About You", "You're Not The Kind", "Too Late Now", "More Than You Know", "Who Cares", "A Hundred Years From Today", and "The Night We Called It A Day". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Given what a freewheeling, open-minded, and lyrical jazz singer Mark Murphy is, it's hard to imagine him really loving "the blues" – and fortunately, most of that love is extended in the title, because the album itself is less of the blues effort that you might think. True, the tracks are numbers that often have "blues" in the title – but the arrangements are by Al Cohn, and have a swinging approach that's in keeping with Murphy's other early 50s work. Titles include "Blues You're The Mother Of Sin", "Blues In My Heart", "Fiesta In Blue", "That's How I Love The Blues", "Blues In The Night", and a reading of "Senor Blues" that's worth the price of the record alone! (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Farnell Newton has been making music for a number of years – but he really seems to be taking off and finding his groove on recent albums for the Posi-Tone labels – records, like this one, that really have Newton demonstrating his strong ear for phrasing, and his ability to come up with just the right sort of a tune for both his solos and his sidemen! Here, the group features core work from a great quartet – Art Hirihara on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums and percussion – a lineup that features shifting contributions from Jaleel Shaw, Patrick Cornelius, and Braxton Cook on alto saxes – plus Brandon Wright on tenor and Michael Dease on trombone! Just about every tune has an additional horn joining Newton in the lead, and the sense of interplay is what really makes the record special – tight, but very personal solo work from all involved – on titles that include "Affectionately Roy", "Feel The Love", "A Child Not Born", "The Bluest Eyes", "Pale", and "Laws Of Motion". CD

One of the few albums ever recorded by pianist Herbie Nichols – an incredible player with a sound and sense of modern expression that rivaled the best 50s work of Thelonious Monk and Elmo Hope! This session is Herbie's only one for the Bethlehem label – but it stands nicely next to his better-known sides for Blue Note – with a stark, sharp modernist approach that grabs you from the very first note! Nichols has a sharp and edgey sound throughout – and an incredible sense of invention that never fails to delight us, no matter how many times we return to the record! Titles include "Every Cloud", "S'Crazy Pad", "45 Degree Angle", "Beyond Recall", "Portrait of Ucha", and the beautiful title track "Love Gloom Cash Love". CD

One of the few albums ever recorded by pianist Herbie Nichols – an incredible player with a sound and sense of modern expression that rivaled the best 50s work of Thelonious Monk and Elmo Hope! This session is Herbie's only one for the Bethlehem label – but it stands nicely next to his better-known sides for Blue Note – with a stark, sharp modernist approach that grabs you from the very first note! Nichols has a sharp and edgey sound throughout – and an incredible sense of invention that never fails to delight us, no matter how many times we return to the record! Titles include "Every Cloud", "S'Crazy Pad", "45 Degree Angle", "Beyond Recall", "Portrait of Ucha", and the beautiful title track "Love Gloom Cash Love". CD

(Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Beautiful late work from Art Pepper – one of his albums recorded for the well-done Artist House label, and a set that's maybe got a different vibe than some of his Galaxy recordings of the time! There's a rock-solid sense of soul to the record – one that comes from the work of two different rhythm trios – one that features George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm trio who keep things swinging, but never in a way that's too straight – pushing Art a bit around the edges, but letting him come right down the middle with some fantastic solos on alto – the other with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Tunes are a bit shorter than on some other albums of the period, but in a great way that really lets you focus in on Pepper's amazing sound –and titles include "Diane", "Stardust", "Blues For Blanche", and "Straight No Chaser". CD