One of Art Blakey's first true moments of genius! This transitional version of the Jazz Messengers included two parts – Lee Morgan and Bobby Timmons – of the holy Morgan/Shorter/Timmons trilogy, and it's also got the added bonus of Benny Golson on tenor, who was at the height of his power at this point. The record really shines in ways that few Blakey albums shone since his days with Horace Silver – in that it's a forum for fresh new writing, most importantly Golson's landmark compositions "Blues March" and "Along Came Betty", and Timmons' instant classic "Moanin". The whole album's wonderful, though, and Golson's edgey modernism adds a strong dimension to the group's usual soulful romping groove! (And in fact, as a tribute to the group's success, the album was initially named Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, but quickly retitled Moanin in this version, after the big hit single!) CD also features a bonus version of "Moanin". CD

Early early work by Paul Bley – years before he picked up the synthesizer, and years before he became the moody modernist he was in the 70s! The album's a relatively straight batch of tracks, but does have a touch of modernism – an early example of the sharp sounds that Bley would fully forge in alter years. The lineup is nice, too – with either Percy Heath or Peter Ind on bass, both players who clearly feel Bley's intentions – and Al Levitt on drums. Tracks are mostly standards, but they're done by Bley in a way that's fresh and sprightly – and titles include "My Heart", "Topsy", "I Want To Be Happy", "Autumn Breeze", and "My Old Flame". CD

There's a really hypnotic blend of sounds going on here – the always-strong alto work of Arthur Blythe, whose solos are a key part of the strength of the set – matched with a super-strong lineup that includes Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, Kelvin Bell on guitar, Gust William Tsilis on vibes, Arto Tuncboyaci on percussion, and Famoudou Don Moye on drums! There's a slight crackle of electricity at times, but never in a way that dampens the soul, especially that of a leader – and while earlier efforts of this sort might have gotten mired in too much criss-crossing of modes, this set comes off perfectly – a fresh entry in Blythe's wonderfully storied career. Titles include "Miss Eugie", "Hipmotism", "My Son Ra", "Bush Baby", "Dear Dessa", "Cousin Sidney", "Shadows", and "Dance Benita Dance". CD

An incredible album of jazz tracks by one of Brazil's greatest reed players of the 70s – the mighty Victor Assis Brasil – a free-thinking spirit who really took Brazilian jazz in bold new directions at the time! The record shows Victor absorbing a lot of post-Coltrane influences, and blending them with a tight approach to rhythm – laid down here by Dom Salvador on piano (and organ), Edison Lobo on bass, and Edson Machando on drums. The group is completed by Helio Delmiro on guitar, and Claudio Roditi plays trumpet on one track – but the real highlight is the amazing reed work by Brasil, which is filled with soul and warmth, plus a deep sense of exploration. The whole session was put together by Roberto Quartin in 1970 – and it's still extremely fresh today. Titles include "Children", "Gingerbread Boy", "Senegal", and "Marilia", which is a bonus track that wasn't on the original LP. (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic double-length set – two full albums of music, essential for any fan of Brazilian jazz – or even jazz in general! First up is Esperanto – an incredible album from one of Brazil's greatest reed players of the 70s – the mighty Victor Assis Brasil – a free-thinking spirit who really took Brazilian jazz in bold new directions at the time! The record shows Victor absorbing a lot of post-Coltrane influences, and blending them with a tight approach to rhythm – laid down here by Dom Salvador on piano (and organ), Edison Lobo on bass, and Edson Machando on drums. The group is completed by Helio Delmiro on guitar, and Claudio Roditi plays trumpet on one track – but the real highlight is the amazing reed work by Brasil, which is filled with soul and warmth, plus a deep sense of exploration. The whole session was put together by Roberto Quartin in 1970 – and it's still extremely fresh today. Titles include "Children", "Gingerbread Boy", "Senegal", and "Marilia". Next is Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim – a fantastic album from this legendary Brazilian saxophonist – and one that's way different than the usual instrumental reading of the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim! The setting is less of a bossa-inspired one than a post-Coltrane mode – as Victor Assis Brasil blows alto sax, and a bit of soprano – on long, stretched out versions of Jobim compositions – often given a bit of modal energy, thanks to the group's strong piano and organ performances by Dom Salvador. The rest of the players are all great, too – Helio Delmiro on guitar, Edson Lobo on bass, and Edison Machado on drums – all players who grew up in the bossa jazz years of the 60s, but who here are set free to explore new territory by producer Roberto Quartin. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Bonita", "Wave", "So Tinha De Ser Come Voce", and "Dindi". CD also features two bonus tracks – alternate takes of "Ao Amigo Quartin" and "Marilla". (Brazil, Jazz) CD

A great modern moment from trombone genius Bob Brookmeyer – and hardly the traditional album you might expect from the title – as Bob blows both valve trombone and plays piano, in a really cool combo with Jim Hall on guitar, and the great Jimmy Giuffre on baritone, tenor, and clarinet! The mix of the two horns and guitar is completely sublime – with all the sense of tone and spacing that Bob and Jimmy were bringing to their other late 50s work – and the tracks are longer extrapolations on familiar themes, but taken into fresh territory with the help of Dave Bailey on drums, and either Joe Benjamin or Ralph Pena on bass. Titles include "Truckin", "Some Sweet Day", "Jada", and "Louisiana". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave and the quartet pay tribute to the songwriting genius of Cole Porter – working with familiar older tunes, but nicely unlocking them with a strong sense of Brubeck modernism! Things start out slow, but get extremely playful as the set goes on – with fresh timings and phrasings that move the chestnuts past their usual territory – and allow some great space for crisp alto solos by Paul Desmond, always a treat in any Brubeck set! Dave himself sounds slightly heavier in his left hand on the keys – hitting things with a harder tone than one might expect for a Cole Porter session, and again making for an unusual twist for the material. Titles include "Night & Day", "Anything Goes", "Love For Sale", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "All Through The Night", and "You're The Top". CD

Like Dave Brubeck's legendary Time Out set? Try this one – a great record that takes off from the concept of the first, but which goes in some very fresh new directions – using the same great group with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums! Dave's still working out some nutty time signatures here – but apart from the science, the thing that really makes the record cook is Desmond's alto – icy, edgey, floating, and always a treat – almost even more amazing in the space of some of these offbeat numbers. Titles include "Maori Blues", "Far More Drums", "Bluetee", "Far More Blue", and "It's A Raggy Waltz". CD features 2 bonus tracks "Slow & Easy" and "It's A Raggy Waltz (live at Carnegie Hall)". CD

A killer record from bassist Paul Brusger – a set that features plenty of great work from Eric Alexander on tenor and alto – the latter an instrument that he's really begun to embrace in recent years! The rest of the group is wonderful too – Steve Davis on trombone, Rick Germanson on piano, and Willie Jones III on drums – a combo with a hard-swinging energy, and lots of individual identity in the way each member expresses themselves within the group – no egos getting in the way of the groove, even though the musicians themselves are an all-star group! Yet credit should really be given to Brusger for not only pulling the whole thing together, but also composing most of the material for the set – really great tunes that bristle with fresh life and vision, on selections that include "A Slice Of Gryce", "Just A Tadd More Please", "Do Dreams Really Matter", "The Sugar Glider", and "Blues For Another Time". CD

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

Brilliant later live work from jazz guitar great Kenny Burrell – recorded over 2 nights at Catalina's in Hollywood – and backed by some of Burrell's own favorite west coast players! Kenny covers a lot of stylistic territory here, including fresh takes on standards, energetic versions of a few Burrell originals, and some surprising twists and turns. Players include Justo Almario on tenor sax and flute, Tom Ranier on piano, Tony Dumas on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums, plus a few soulful vocal numbers featuring Barbara Morrison. The creative energy is on as high a level as the masterful playing. The audience is clearly eating it up! Titles include "Salty Papa", a very nice acoustic take on "Serenata", "Brush Magic", "Listen To The Daw", "Teach Me Tonight", "The Road To Love", "Crazy He Calls Me", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Confessin' The Blues", "Single Petal Of A Rose" and more. CD

Mighty nice work from singer Ann Burton – one of those jazz vocalists who was almost a secret star in the 70s – continuing a legacy of earlier fame, but through a series of overseas recordings and small label dates that really let her grow creatively and open up fresh territory as an artist! The set features accompaniment from a shifting lineup of Japanese jazz players – and includes some especially nice tenor and flute from Akira Miyazwa, plus piano from Masahiko Satoh and Toshihiko Ogawa, guitar from Sadanori Nakamure, and bass from Kunimitsu Inaba – an especially great player whose round, warm tone really shapes the record. Titles include "Yesterday & Yesterdays", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "May I Come In", "Love Is A Necessary Evil", "By Myself Alone", and "That Old Feeling". CD features two bonus tracks – "Oh What A Shame" and "Nice To be Back Again". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

A wailer! This rare 1955 album is one of Donald Byrd's first records as a leader – recorded for the tiny Transition label in Boston, but with a hardbop groove that's right up there with his early work for Savoy and Blue Note. The record is practically a Jazz Messengers session – as it features Art Blakey on drums, Horace Silver on piano, Hank Mobley on tenor, and Doug Watkins on bass – and it's also got the unique aspect of a two-trumpet frontline, as the young Joe Gordon joins Donald on the instrument for the session. Tracks are long and open-ended – with incredibly well-crafted playing that really keeps the set fresh, despite the young age of Donald at the time. Titles include "El Sino", "Doug's Blues", "Hank's Tune", and "Hank's Other Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure 50s releases from Blue Note Records – part of a pair of 10" albums recorded on the west coast – which was quite a change from the label's usual east coast home! The album's originally came with no full artist information, and were released as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather – in which the listener was supposed to guess the players! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include the cream of the LA scene of the time – Conte Candoli on trumpet, Jimmy Giuffre and Charlie Mariano on reeds, Howard Roberts on guitar, and Marty Paich on piano – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's more like the classic 50s sessions on the Mode or Bethlehem labels instead of Blue Note. Titles on volume 2 includes "Here's Pete", "Blindfold Test No 3", "Arcadia", and "Burbank Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled album from the great Benny Carter – already a giant in jazz, thanks to countless years blowing the alto sax as a leader and sideman in other groups – really opening up a fresh chapter of his career in a great run of smaller combo work in the second half of the 50s! This set's a great demonstration of the way that Carter was able to bring an older jazz experience into more modern modes in the postwar years – an edge on his horn that's still one of the most distinct voices on the alto, yet very different than Charlie Parker or other modernists who came after him – exquisitely matched here in a combo that includes Ben Webster on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Barney Kessel on guitar. Rosolino and Webster drop out on two tracks, piano is by Andre Previn or Jimmy Rowles, and the group's completed by Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Shelly Manne on drums. Titles include "Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me", "Blue Lou", "A Walkin Thing", and "Old Fashioned Love". CD

A fresh new chapter of the long legacy of drummer Joe Chambers – a key instrumental force in the hipper reaches of the Blue Note label in the late 60s, but an artist who seems to finally be catching up with his own work as a leader after all these years! Joe is every bit as wonderful here as on his famous recordings, and his more recent dates for Blue Note – a wonderfully inventive percussionist, and an inherently rhythmic player who's got this ability to spin sounds out in all these different directions, yet always make things feel wonderfully unified too. His group on the set has excellent vibes from Michael Davidson, almost recalling Joe's work with Bobby Hutcherson – and other players include Caoilainn Power on alto, Andres Vial on piano, Eli Miller Maboungou on ngoma drums, and Ira Coleman on bass. Titles include "Dance Kobina", "Intermezzo", "Gazelle Suite", "City Of Saints", "Moon Dance", "Power To The People", and "Caravanserai". CD

A fresh new chapter of the long legacy of drummer Joe Chambers – a key instrumental force in the hipper reaches of the Blue Note label in the late 60s, but an artist who seems to finally be catching up with his own work as a leader after all these years! Joe is every bit as wonderful here as on his famous recordings, and his more recent dates for Blue Note – a wonderfully inventive percussionist, and an inherently rhythmic player who's got this ability to spin sounds out in all these different directions, yet always make things feel wonderfully unified too. His group on the set has excellent vibes from Michael Davidson, almost recalling Joe's work with Bobby Hutcherson – and other players include Caoilainn Power on alto, Andres Vial on piano, Eli Miller Maboungou on ngoma drums, and Ira Coleman on bass. Titles include "Dance Kobina", "Intermezzo", "Gazelle Suite", "City Of Saints", "Moon Dance", "Power To The People", and "Caravanserai". CD

One of the few great records that modern bassist Paul Chambers made as a leader – a rare treasure given to the world before he left this planet all too soon! Chambers is maybe best remembered for some of his late 50s work with Miles Davis and John Coltrane – and the session also marks a key early appearance on Blue Note for Coltrane on tenor – acting as a sideman here, instead of a leader – but also bringing a really deep vibe to an all-star lineup that also includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Horace Silver on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The writing is great, and the group has a nice dark edge that gives the session a slightly different sound than other Blue Note albums from the time. Chambers leads off with the bass on most tracks, kind of putting the work at an off-center pace that really gives it a fresh feel – and which makes it different from the straighter bop sound of his albums as a leader on Vee Jay. Tracks include "We Six", "Dear Ann", "Tale Of The Fingers", and "Omicron". CD

One of the few great records that modern bassist Paul Chambers made as a leader – a rare treasure given to the world before he left this planet all too soon! Chambers is maybe best remembered for some of his late 50s work with Miles Davis and John Coltrane – and the session also marks a key early appearance on Blue Note for Coltrane on tenor – acting as a sideman here, instead of a leader – but also bringing a really deep vibe to an all-star lineup that also includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Horace Silver on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The writing is great, and the group has a nice dark edge that gives the session a slightly different sound than other Blue Note albums from the time. Chambers leads off with the bass on most tracks, kind of putting the work at an off-center pace that really gives it a fresh feel – and which makes it different from the straighter bop sound of his albums as a leader on Vee Jay. Tracks include "We Six", "Dear Ann", "Tale Of The Fingers", and "Omicron". CD

Arguably the best of Cherry's albums for Blue Note – and a real masterpiece of soulful avant playing! The group features Cherry on cornet, Gato Barbieri on tenor (and he's incredible, by the way!), Henry Grimes on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums. Grimes and Blackwell are more than just timekeepers – and deliver a lot of the melody of the session, yet still never lose their sense of swing. Barbieri's fragile raw tone proves to be a good one to work with Cherry, even if there are a few touches of Ornette in his playing. The album's divided up into 2 long suites – "Complete Communion" and "Elephantasy" – both of which are excellent. A real treat – with no sloppiness, lots of fresh ideas, and a good sense of both freedom and control! Reissued here with 24-bit remastering! CD

An album that was recorded right in the middle of the fantastic run of Blue Note albums by pianist Sonny Clark – but a set that wasn't issued until many years later, even though it's one of the best of the bunch! The vibe here is prime late 50s Blue Note – not just thanks to Sonny's great work on piano, and the fresh tunes that he brought to the set – but also because the rest of the group is a really all-star lineup too – Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums! The set's got Clark at his most lyrical – playing with a lot of hardbop fire, but also some touches of Horace Silver soulfulness, a perfect match for session-mates Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley. Mobley's in particularly fine form at this point, and the whole set's a real winner! Titles include "Junka", "Blues Blue", "Minor Meeting", and "Royal Flush". The record is paired here with another lost session, one from 1957 that features Clifford Jordan on tenor and Kenny Burrell on guitar. There's a total of 9 brilliantly remastered tracks on the CD – and the set's one of the best bunch of tracks we've ever heard from the great lost piano talent of Sonny Clark. CD

An incredible treasure from a lost vocal jazz genius – the little-known Bobby Cole, every bit as great a singer as he was a songwriter, very unusual for the time! Bobby was probably best remembered as the house pianist at Jillys, but at the time of this 1964 recording, he was poised to emerge as a serious vocalist with a rich talent for penning interesting and witty little tunes. The album's got Bobby singing in a style that's halfway between Matt Dennis and Mark Murphy – with the sophisticated talents of both in place, and perhaps a bit of the wit of Bob Dorough or Roy Kral. The original album features Bobby on piano and vocals, with only bass and drums behind him – and the CD features a bonus 6 tracks recorded in more recent years, with larger backings. The core album is completely brilliant – the kind of off-kilter vocal record we die for – and every track's a fresh original by Bobby! Titles include "You Can't Build A Life On A Look", "Heat", "You Could Hear A Pin Drop", "Change Of Scene", "A Perfect Day", "Elegy For Eve", and "Status Quo". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

A really great collection – one that offers up the earliest work by Nat King Cole – before he even recorded for Decca or Capitol! The music here was all recorded in Hollywood, when Nat was fresh on the scene – and a number of titles were never issued at all! The group features Oscar Moore on guitar and Wesley Prince on bass – and some tracks have extra vocals from Maxine Johnson. (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A great example of the Muse Records charm of altoist Richie Cole – bop-fired creativity at its peak, mixed with some added contemporary elements to keep things fresh! In this case, Richie's horn takes on some key bop classics, but also opens up a bit with vocalsits too – Eddie Jefferson on versions of "Hi Fly", "Relaxin At Camarillo", and "Waiting For Waits" – the latter of which also features Tom Waits as well! The Manhattan Transfer make some subtle guest appearances too – but in ways that are much more restrained than their own albums, really leaving most room for Richie's horn. Bruce Forman plays guitar and Dick Hindman piano – and titles include "Hi Fly", "Relaxin At Camarillo", "Hooray For Hollywood", "I Love Lucy", "Malibu Breeze", "Waiting For Waits", and "Tokyo Rose Sings The Hollywood Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly the strongest album ever recorded by mellow-voiced jazz vocalist Earl Coleman – a singer with a deeper style that's very much in the classic Billy Eckstine mode, but which swings a bit more freely in a small combo! The set's got a nicely open style – with longer tracks than usual for a jazz vocal date, and lots of room for jazz soloists that include Art Farmer on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto, and Hank Jones on piano. The backing is in a great small group mode, and in a way, the album's almost unique for the time – and really predates a lot of later male vocal sides of this nature – offering Coleman more of a fresh start than just a standard "return" – and really paving the way for Johnny Hartman sides in the 60s. Titles include "Say It Isn't So", "Reminiscing", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "No Love No Nothin", and a great version of "Social Call". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Tomorrow may be the question, but the record screams "today!" – and even this many years after its recording, this early set by Ornette Coleman has an energy and presence that cannot be denied! The sound here is kind of a rougher take on the mode that would gel more strongly on Ornette's Atlantic albums – but even so, it's still incredibly fresh, and well worth seeking out – especially as an example of the sharper edges that were bursting forth from the once-cool west coast scene! Coleman's on alto sax and Don Cherry is on trumpet – but they're not joined by their more familiar associates, and are instead working with a more conventional rhythm team that includes either Percy Heath or Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – all clearly trying to make a bit of sense of Ornette's approach here, but in a way that also creates a great sense of tension on the record! Tracks are shortish, with great solos by Ornette and Cherry – and titles include "Tomorrow Is The Question", "Endless", "Rejoicing", "Lorraine", "Turnaround", "Tears Inside", and "Giggin". 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

One of the best posthumous releases by the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – and a set that really captures the group at a perfect moment – when they were really beginning to stretch out a lot, yet still in a style that was mostly inside! The material was recorded in Berlin and Stockholm – and features wonderfully fresh versions of tunes you'll know from classic Impulse and Atlantic albums by Coltrane – really reworked in this live setting, and opened up in that magical style of the group! In addition to some wonderful soprano and tenor sax from Coltrane, the group also features McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "Lonnie's Lament", "Afro Blue", "Cousin Mary", "Spiritual", and "My Favorite Things". CD

A lost treasure from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – material recorded as the soundtrack for the Canadian film Le Chat Danse Le Sac – which features new recordings of material that Coltrane had done in previous years, but really updated by the fresh version of this group! Although the music was used in the film, which was an art house hit at best, it's never been issued on record before – and in fact, its existence was something of a mystery until not that long ago – quite a surprise, given that the sessions were done at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, and have a quality level that really matches the Impulse Records best by these musicians! The tunes are almost like this amazing bridge between the mid 60s Impulse years and the Coltrane sound at the start of the decade on Atlantic – as the grooves are modal, and most music is more inside than the group was hitting by 1965 – yet still burning with that searching spirit that made them so great. The lineup, of course, features John Coltrane on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the whole thing is an instant key addition to the catalog of this tremendous quartet. Titles include two takes on "Naima", three takes on "Village Blues", and the tracks "Like Sonny", "Traneing In", and "Blue World". LP, Vinyl record album

Fred P offers up two very fresh takes on these cuts from the team of Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella – both nice and long, and with a sense of flow that's really wonderful! "African Spirits" comes across with a tribal house sort of vibe – lots of live instrumentation on percussion and trombone, but also a percolating groove that stretches into more house-based energy as the tune moves on! "Tribes" follows a similar groove – also stretching way past 10 minutes as Fred builds the whole tune nicely out of acoustic elements layered into the rhythms! (New Grooves, Jazz) 12-inch, Vinyl record

An overlooked late 60s treasure on Blue Note – 2 rare albums by Kenny Cox & The Contemporary Jazz Quintet – one of the few new groups to work on the label at the time, and an up-and-coming modern combo from Detroit! The first album's quite unique for a number of reasons – not just because the group was a little-known new signing to the label, but also because the work is quite far-reaching at times – some of the most free-thinking jazz recorded for Blue Note during the time, with a sense of boldness that almost stretches back to Jackie McLean's first few records of the new thing years, or a sense of lyrical invention that's a bit like Wayne Shorter when he made a shift towards the outside. Some numbers are awash in fast colors and changes, while others are a bit more in the pocket, with echoes of soul jazz – but the whole thing's incredibly fresh and free, a wonderful little record that only gets better and better over the years! The group features pianist Kenny Cox as the leader, plus Charles Moore on trumpet, Leon Henderson on tenor, Ron Brooks on bass, and Danny Spencer on drums. Titles include "Mystique", "You", "Trance Dance", "Eclipse", and "Number Four". The CD also features the group's second Blue Note album, Multidirection – a session of work that builds strongly on the colors and changes explored by Miles Davis earlier in the 60s, but which takes things off into a whole new direction! (A Multidirection?) The horns on the record have incredible interplay – trumpet by Charles Moore and tenor from Leon Henderson, playing together with a sense of dexterity that may even beat the team of Davis and Wayne Shorter – angular one moment, softly lyrical the next, and always in pursuit of fresh tones and righteous sounds. Kenny Cox's piano is great too – an exercise in understatement at times – getting as much done with one note as other players would with five – as he slowly guides the group along, and grounds their freer expressions with a good sense of humanity. Titles include "What Other One", "Gravity Point", "Spellbound", "Snuck In", and "Sojourn". CD

Tremendous work from this lesser-known combo from Detroit – a session of work that builds strongly on the colors and changes explored by Miles Davis earlier in the 60s, but which takes things off into a whole new direction! (A Multidirection?) The horns on the record have incredible interplay – trumpet by Charles Moore and tenor from Leon Henderson, playing together with a sense of dexterity that may even beat the team of Davis and Wayne Shorter – angular one moment, softly lyrical the next, and always in pursuit of fresh tones and righteous sounds. Kenny Cox's piano is great too – an exercise in understatement at times – getting as much done with one note as other players would with five – as he slowly guides the group along, and grounds their freer expressions with a good sense of humanity. Rhythm is by Ron Brooks on bass and Danny Spencer on drums – and titles include "What Other One", "Gravity Point", "Spellbound", "Snuck In", and "Sojourn". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from this lesser-known combo from Detroit – a session of work that builds strongly on the colors and changes explored by Miles Davis earlier in the 60s, but which takes things off into a whole new direction! (A Multidirection?) The horns on the record have incredible interplay – trumpet by Charles Moore and tenor from Leon Henderson, playing together with a sense of dexterity that may even beat the team of Davis and Wayne Shorter – angular one moment, softly lyrical the next, and always in pursuit of fresh tones and righteous sounds. Kenny Cox's piano is great too – an exercise in understatement at times – getting as much done with one note as other players would with five – as he slowly guides the group along, and grounds their freer expressions with a good sense of humanity. Rhythm is by Ron Brooks on bass and Danny Spencer on drums – and titles include "What Other One", "Gravity Point", "Spellbound", "Snuck In", and "Sojourn". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Sonny Criss albums ever – one of our favorites from his late 60s run at Prestige – and that's really saying a lot! The set's a warmly lyrical session that really has Criss opening up, changing up his groove to display the deep growth he'd experienced as a musician in the 60s. The rhythm section is wonderful – pianist Eddie Green, over the rock-solid team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Alan Dawson on drums – who really help Sonny Criss transform the tunes on the record. Even 60s pop tunes like "Misty Roses" and "Eleanor Rigby" come off sounding fresh and wonderful – as do older jazz nuggets "The Masquerade Is Over" and "Rockin In Rhythm" – both tunes that are recorded so often you might expect hoke, but which sparkle anew in the hands of Sonny's soulful vision! CD

Sonny Criss plays Cole Porter – and the results are way greater than the sum of the parts – even though those parts are already pretty darn great! Criss' alto sax has a superb tone at this time – razor-sharp, and nicely crisp – yet still filled with warmth that sets it apart from some of his more modern contemporaries – a beautiful balance that really illuminates these tunes, and has you thinking of them as fresh Criss compositions, not older Porter standards. The instrumentation is quite fresh, too – thanks to the addition of Larry Bunker on vibes, which is a really nice surprise – and piano by Sonny Clark and Jimmy Bunn. The great Lawrence Marable plays drums – and titles include "I Love You", "Easy To Love", "Night & Day", and "Love For Sale". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that brings together 2 rare albums from the 50s! Sonny Criss At The Crossroads is an obscure 1959 session recorded by Criss in Chicago, and it's one of the only jazz records ever on the Peacock label, which put out mostly gospel and blues. Criss is joined by Joe Scott on piano, and the Chicago rhythm section of Bob Cranshaw and Walter Perkins, both fresh from the MJT+3. Great tone, warm solos, and a nice vibe throughout. Tracks include "You Don't Know", "Butts Delight", "Softly", and "Sylvia". Kenny Dorham & The Jazz Prophets is a fantastic lost hard bop album, featuring Kenny Dorham leading a tight quintet that stars J.R. Monterose on Tenor. Monterose and Dorham are great, and really open up on the 5 tracks on the album – all of which are long enough to give the players plenty of room to blow. Probably one of the best jazz records ever recorded for ABC, and with the titles "The Prophet", "DX", "Tahitian Suite", and "Blues Elegante". LP, Vinyl record album

Theon Cross plays a tuba, but don't hold that against him – as he's already given us some mighty great music in The Sons Of Kemet – and really steps out here as a leader in a core trio that features the great Moses Boyd on drums and Nubya Garcia on tenor! A few tracks features Wayne Francis stepping in instead of Garcia – but apart from one track that adds trombone, and two that add guitar – the core approach of the record is drums, tenor, and tuba – with Cross handling his instrument with the richness of an acoustic bass at times, and bursting out as a soloist at others! The tenor really gets a lot of play in the mix – and we totally love Nubya from her other work – and the album's a fantastic explosion of fresh power from the London scene. Titles include "Activate", "Candace Of Meroe", "Letting Go", "Radiation", "CIYA", "LDN's Burning", "Panda Village", and "The Offering". CD

Theon Cross plays a tuba, but don't hold that against him – as he's already given us some mighty great music in The Sons Of Kemet – and really steps out here as a leader in a core trio that features the great Moses Boyd on drums and Nubya Garcia on tenor! A few tracks features Wayne Francis stepping in instead of Garcia – but apart from one track that adds trombone, and two that add guitar – the core approach of the record is drums, tenor, and tuba – with Cross handling his instrument with the richness of an acoustic bass at times, and bursting out as a soloist at others! The tenor really gets a lot of play in the mix – and we totally love Nubya from her other work – and the album's a fantastic explosion of fresh power from the London scene. Titles include "Activate", "Candace Of Meroe", "Letting Go", "Radiation", "CIYA", "LDN's Burning", "Panda Village", and "The Offering". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically bold breath of life from the contemporary Polish jazz scene – a record that begins with a sublime tribute to the great Billy Harper, then takes off into even more mindblowing territory as things move on! The group's led by trumpeter Piotr Damasiewicz, who created the record as a tribute to some of the best Polish modern jazz giants of decades past – but with a voice that's completely fresh, and very much his own – served up by a killer ensemble that features soaring horns, bold solo moments, and two different bassists holding down the core! The tunes instantly explode with color and life – hitting a rich spirit that marks Piotr as a musician we're going to keep our eye on in coming years – with other musicians who include Maciej Obara on alto, Adam Pindur on soprano, Pawel Niewiadomski on trombone, Gerard Lebik on tenor, and Dominik Wania on piano. Titles include "Billy", "Psalm For William Parker", "Polska I", and "Kleofas". CD

With a record like this, it's clear that bassist Jamale Davis is a player to watch – as he's got a way of really bringing something new to the table, and presenting us with a very fresh conception of jazz! Way back through a legacy that includes albums by Ron Carter, Richard Davis, and Oscar Pettiford, it's often the case that groups led by a bassist can really deliver something different – not just a way of pushing a player who's sometimes in the background to the front, but maybe changing up approaches to rhythm and melody in all these really inventive ways – something that Jamale definitely does here – working with a lineup who shape their sounds beautifully – Dario Terzuolo on tenor, John Mosca on trombone, Mferghu on piano, and Ben Zweig on drums and pandeiro. The mix of tenor and trombone is beautiful next to the bass – and the album has a good blend of unusual tunes and a few well-chosen remakes – in a set list that includes "Rabbit Island", "Indra", "Taxi Bird", "Star Eyes", "Run With The Hunted", "Congo Blues", and "Hello I Must Be Going". CD

Rare lost work from funky drummer Les DeMerle – a set of tracks that were recorded for Atlantic Records in 1967, two years before DeMerle's classic Spectrum album – yet which finally appear here for the first time ever! Les is rock-solid, right from the start – definitely one of those younger players really helping to shift the sound of the larger jazz group at the end of the 60s – with fresh arrangements that bring in plenty of currents from soul, and a tight approach to the groove that makes the best of the excellent lineup! The set features work from some younger names who would break big later – including Randy Brecker on trumpet, Terry Plumeri on bass, and Lanny Morgan on alto and flute – as well as a touch of vocals from future rocker Genya Ravan. Titles include "Sticks", "Raunchy Rita", "Feelin Good", "Come Back To Me", "On A Clear Day", "That's Life", and "Signifyin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great entries in Duke Ellington's "exotic" albums of the 60s – records that aren't exactly exotica by any stretch of the imagination, but which have musical themes that were inspired by the international travels of the Ellington band at the time! In this case, the locale is the Virgin Islands – where Ellington performed in 1965, and returned home to record this set as a memory of tunes played by the band in St Croix and St Thomas. The core of the set is the initial Virgin Islands suite – made up of four new tunes that include "Island Virgin", "Virgin Jungle", "Fiddler On The Diddle", and "Jungle Kitty" – all nicely rhythmic numbers that explore some fresh themes with especially nice horn solos from the members of the group. Other tracks are older numbers performed on the tour, given a bit of a new twist here – on titles that include "Fade Up", "Mysterious Chick", "The Opener", and "Big Fat Alice's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder". CD also features 3 previously unissued tracks, and a bunch of alternate takes and outtakes – for a total of 22 cuts in all! CD

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder". CD also features 3 previously unissued tracks, and a bunch of alternate takes and outtakes – for a total of 22 cuts in all! CD

A pretty tasty little album from trumpeter Don Ellis – his first funky outing for Columbia Records, and a groundbreaking batch of funky big band material! The set's quite different from some of Don's earlier recordings – in that it's a bit less academic, and has a focus more on a strong and freewheeling groove. Plus, the use of electric instrumentation in the rhythm section creates the feel of a classic 70s soundtrack – quite different in style for the time, and sounding really fresh here – a mode that Ellis would inspire in so many other musicians to come! The group features Fender Rhodes from Mike Lang, sitar from Ray Neapolitan, congas from Chino Valdes, timbales and vibes from Mark Stevens, and a range of flutes and reeds – and titles include "Open Beauty", "Indian Lady", "Turkish Bath", "New Horizons", and "Alone". CD features single versions of "Turkish Bath" and "Indian Lady". CD

Bracingly modern work from trumpeter Don Ellis – recorded quite early in his career, long before he broke out with his funkier big band of the late 60s and early 70s! The Ellis heard here is a clear-headed, fresh-thinking player – one who's keenly aware of the changes going on in jazz at the time – and who's working here to carve out his own unique little space. Unusual timings, phrasing, and spacings are common on the set – and Ellis' own well-tuned trumpet sound is at the lead, supported by very inventive rhythm work from Paul Bley on piano, Gary Peacock on bass, and either Gene Stone or Nick Martinis on drums. Titles include the original numbers "Form", "Irony", "Slow Space", and "Ostinato" – plus a great version of Carla Bley's "Donkey". CD

One of Bill Evans' landmark sessions with the young bassist Scott LaFaro – a player who made key contributions on every record he touched, then left this earth far too soon in his career! The live session's a perfect demonstration of the way that the Evans trio format not only re-worked the use of the piano in jazz, but also the bass and drums as well – as LaFaro's deeply evocative playing is paired with the equally fresh drum work of Paul Motian – heard here at his youthful early best, before some of his contributions to jazz had become cliche in the hands of other players. Pulled from the afternoon and evening sessions caught live at the Village Vanguard on June 25, 1961 – and titles include longish takes on "Solar", "Jade Visions", and "Gloria's Step". CD

An expanded version of Bill Evans' first album as a leader – and a well-titled set that went onto transform the sound of the piano in jazz! The core session isn't as lyrically free as some of Evans' later classics, but already has an undeniably fresh approach to the keys – one that's modern, yet never academic – fluid, but never flowery – pure genius of economy and understatement, while also at the same time opening bold new worlds in sound. The trio features drummer Paul Motian and bassist Teddy Kotick, and titles include the classics "Five" and "Waltz For Debby", the latter of which is performed solo by Evans – plus tracks that include "Displacement", "I Love You", "My Romance", "No Cover, No Minimum", and "Our Delight". Added to the original album is a full record of (then) previously unissued tunes – mostly solo piano numbers recorded in 1958 and 1962 – on titles that include "Easy To Love", "Some Other Time", "Danny Boy", and "In Your Own Sweet Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the legendary Art Farmer – sounds from a time when the trumpeter was really coming into his own, and finding a way to carve out a special space for himself in modern jazz! The sounds here are fresh, but never overstated – blown with that compact mode that makes Farmer's phrasing so distinct, and set up here with a perfect quartet that features Jim Hall on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums. All players are masters of understatement – and the band is sort of a perfect extension of some of Jimmy Guiffre's earlier work on Atlantic with Hall – as they've perfected a simple style that leaves the instrumental solos floating in air, interacting with each other in subtle complex ways that never cease to amaze. Tracks are longer than on some of the studio albums by the group – and titles include "Swing Spring", "I Want To Be Happy", and "What's New". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazingly beautiful set of tracks from Art Farmer – playing here with superb accompaniment from a young Harold Mabern on piano, in a laidback quartet format that really lets Art open up! Art's playing is fresh and creative throughout – never too over the top, and always blown with that subtle genius that he was bringing to his work in the 60s – a pure exercise in understatement, with a quality that seems to make the notes fall out of the air by themselves. Rhythm is by Tommy Williams on bass and Roy McCurdy on drums – and the choice of material includes Tom McIntosh's great composition "The Day After", plus Art's "Punsu" and "Kayin" – and versions of "Change Partners", "Blue Room", and "Nobody's Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

An early moment of genius from the young Clare Fischer – one of his first sets for a larger ensemble, and the start of years of great work to come! Previous Pacific Jazz sessions featured Fischer in a piano trio – but this album lets Clare loose on a host of his own inventive arrangements – a set of charts and compositions that easily move between the modern and the groovy – sometimes using offbeat tones and sounds that rival the best that Ellington or Gil Evans had to offer – other times coming across with this fluidity that's a perfect summation of the way that Fischer pulled together all of the California cool of the 50s, and managed to come up with something completely fresh for the 60s! The modern edges will come as a real surprise to those who only know Fischer's more easygoing work – and in addition to Clare's own work on piano and organ, the record also features Jerry Coker on tenor, Gary Foster on tenor and clarinet, Jack Nimitz on bass clarinet and baritone, Sam Most and John Lowe on flutes, and Don Shelton on alto – all working with reed interplay that's completely sublime. Titles include "Bittersweet", "Igor", "Canto Africano", "Extension", "Passacaglia", and "Ornithardy". CD

An amazing debut from pianist Clare Fischer – an artist who went onto have a subtle, but immediate influence upon both the American and Brazilian jazz scenes of the time! Fischer's got a lyrical approach to rhythm that's simply amazing – modern, but never cold and academic – and instead always freely dancing around, in a way that gives equal melodic roles to the bass and drums in his trio. There's a clear bossa nova inspiration here, but keep in mind that Fischer's sensibility was also a big influence on the bossa players of the time. The whole session sparkles with a fresh genius that still beats the work of most players still recording today – and Fischer's piano is accompanied by equally free-thinking work on bass by Gary Peacock and drums by Gene Stone. Most titles are originals, and tunes include "Toddler", "Stranger", "Nigerian Walk", "Afterfact", "Free Too Long", "Piece For Scotty", and "Blues For Home". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing debut from pianist Clare Fischer – an artist who went onto have a subtle, but immediate influence upon both the American and Brazilian jazz scenes of the time! Fischer's got a lyrical approach to rhythm that's simply amazing – modern, but never cold and academic – and instead always freely dancing around, in a way that gives equal melodic roles to the bass and drums in his trio. There's a clear bossa nova inspiration here, but keep in mind that Fischer's sensibility was also a big influence on the bossa players of the time. The whole session sparkles with a fresh genius that still beats the work of most players still recording today – and Fischer's piano is accompanied by equally free-thinking work on bass by Gary Peacock and drums by Gene Stone. Most titles are originals, and tunes include "Toddler", "Stranger", "Nigerian Walk", "Afterfact", "Free Too Long", "Piece For Scotty", and "Blues For Home". CD

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

A well-titled album from Japanese pianist Ryo Fukui – one that's got a warm sense of flow that takes it well past conventional piano trio work! The group here features Fukui on piano, Satoshi Denpo on bass, and Yoshinori Fukui on drums – all working together beautifully as a unit – with a vibe set fire by Ryo's work on the keys, and a sense of imagination that makes even familiar tunes sound completely fresh. The whole thing's in the best Japanese piano tradition of the 70s – that wonderful new territory explored by key pianists like Fukui – with a sound that's open and free, but never avant either. Titles include "Mellow Dream", "Baron Potato Blues", "Horizon", "What's New", and "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album of funky fusion from this all-star CTI group that included Stanley Turrentine, Stanley Clarke, Ndugu, Tom Brown, Eric Gale, Ronnie Foster, and George Benson! The ensemble come together for a great set of laidback fusion tracks that groove with a nice soulful undercurrent – surprisingly fresh, and not nearly as slick as you'd expect from the date of the session – showing that the original open-ended CTI vibe could still be strongly alive on the right records! Tracks have a great mix of acoustic and electric touches – and although Stanley Clarke was the musical director of the album, the whole thing's clearly a group effort. Titles include "Silk", "Hot Fire", "Sunwalk", and "In Celebration Of The Human Spirit". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Stan Getz albums ever – even though it wasn't issued until the 90s! The set's a rare unreleased session from 1964 – recorded by Getz with a fresh, free-thinking approach – but abandoned by Verve because they were making so much money with Stan's bossa nova sides of the time! Stan's working here in his great mid 60s quartet with vibist Gary Burton – heard briefly on record on the Getz Au Go Go album, which Verve made mostly a bossa session – but stepping out here with the kind of truly fresh sound that made its first, long-overdue recorded appearance on this set. The whole album has a fluid, lyrical style that's similar to that used by Stan for the wonderful Sweet Rain album – a sense of rhythm and timing that was modern, yet never forgot the melody – clearly inspired by Stan's earlier bossa experiments, but way way past their basics. The blend of vibes and sweetly-blown tenor is amazing – and titles include "6 Nix Quix Flix", "Waltz For A Lovely Wife", "Out Of Focus", "Sweet Sorrow", and "Nobody Else But Me". CD

A lovely later recording from Stan Getz – very spare and spacious, and recorded with a casual approach that's quite striking, and really fresh! The album features Stan playing alongside pianist Albert Dailey – with no other rhythm accompaniment, just piano and tenor sax. The tunes are mostly familiar numbers, played in a relaxed, improvised mode that makes the whole thing feel like you're getting a lucky glimpse of Stan and Albert playing together in an after hours session or rehearsal. There's a bit of roughness in the recording, but given the depth of soul and color from both players, that quality also emerges as an honest humanity that only serves to make the recording more compelling! Titles include "Tune Up", "A Child Is Born", "Confirmation", "Round Midnight", and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most". CD

A very cool live set from the great tenorist Stan Getz, and one that really echoes some of the best styles of his Getz Au Go Go album – as it not only features guest vocals on a number of tracks from the lovely Astrud Gilberto, but also includes work from vibist Gary Burton throughout the entire performance! The combination of Burton and Getz is tremendous – one that wasn't captured nearly enough by Verve in the 60s, which makes these live recordings so essential – as Gary's modern chromatic elements really seem to unlock a fresh spirit in Stan's horn – all the fluidity of the bossa years, but with these unusual inflections that are completely mindblowing! The rest of the core group is equally hip – Chuck Israels on bass and the great Roy Haynes on drums – and Astrud Gilberto sings on seven of the album's nineteen selections. Titles include instrumental cuts "The Singing Song", "Blues Walk", "O Grande Amor", "Edelweiss", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Jive Hoot", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "On Green Dolphin Street" – and the vocal numbers "Voce E Eu", "Corcovado", "Telephone Song", "Girl From Ipanema", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Samba De Uma Nota So". CD

Later live work from Dizzy Gillespie – working in London here with a very hip ensemble! We're not entirely sure of the date, but given the skinny ties on a few of the players, we're guessing it's from that 80s stretch when Dizzy was still going strong – working in a great mix of Latin and bop modes that's always kept fresh through his creative energies! Slide Hampton's on trombone – and also wrote most of the arrangements – and other players include Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Paquito D'Rivera on reeds, James Moody on sax and flute, Airto on percussion, and Danilo Perez on vocals – and Flora Purim also joins the group on vocals for a few numbers. Titles include "Kush", "Tanga", "Dizzy Shells", "Night In Tunisia", "Tin Tin Deo", "Seresta", and "Samba For Carmen". CD

A groundbreaking set of work from the team of Jef Gilson and Hal Singer – a uniquely cross-cultural session recorded in the Paris scene of the 70s, and easily some of the best work ever from both musicians! Singer's probably best remembered on these shores for his older R&B tenor work of the 50s – but sometime during the 60s, he moved over to Paris, where he cut some mighty great music – including the legendary Paris Soul Food album, which predates this one by a few years. Gilson was always a great artist on the French scene – a modern pianist whose work of the 60s was always fresh and new, and a player who moved into more of a world jazz sensibility as the 70s approached. Together, both players work some real magic here – deep soul from Singers tenor, sharper tones from Gilson's piano – and a range of weird and wonderful notes from other players who include Bernard Lubat on vibes, Jacky Samson on bass, Frank Raholison on drums, and both Del Rabenja and Gerard Rakotoarivony on percussion – really helping the record live up to its "Africa" title! Samson's bass is especially amazing – roundly-toned, and incredibly soulful – as much so as his legendary work with Marco DiMarco, but pitched slightly differently here – and titles include "The High Life", "Liberation", "Mother Africa", "Chant Inca", and "Garvey's Strut". Plus, as an added bonus the CD also features 2 incredible earlier tracks by Gilson – material recorded with Lloyd Miller back in the 60s – playing "micro organ" and balaphon, with a sound that's almost even more haunting than the main album. Other players include "Pierre Caron on tenor and Alain Tabar-Nouval on alto – and titles include "Le Grand Bidou" and "Fable Of Gutenberg". CD

Amazing sounds from Robert Glasper – easily one of our favorite fresh jazz talents of the past decade or so! There's really nobody like Glasper, and you'll hear that from the very first notes of this set – a flurry of marvelously blocky chords – wrapped together in these waves of sound that are completely seductive – complex at one point, but perfectly organic at another – almost to the piano what Coltrane was to the tenor – although Glasper's sound is nothing like Coltrane – if that won't confuse you enough! The rhythms leap along with Robert's piano in an equally joyous way – stretching out, finding new space, and taking the music into rich new territory – more than enough to make this record one of Blue Note's best so far of the 21st Century. Titles include "G & B", "Of Dreams To Come", "FTB", "One For Grew", "Tribute", and "Maiden Voyage/Everything Is In The Right Place". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely charming little set from trumpeter Dusko Goykovich – put together with just the sort of classic feel you'd expect from the title! The set was recorded in the same stretch as the Nathan Davis album on DIW, London By Night – and the lineup here is essentially the same as that one, minus Davis – a group with Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Al Levitt on drums! There's a great swing to the rhythm section, and Goykovich blows plenty of niceness over the top – those soulful, expressive lines that we love so much in his music over the years – often set here to original tunes that really help keep things fresh. Titles include "Inga", "Nella", "New Bop Theme", "Doboy", "Faros", "The Touch Of Your Lips", and "Recado Bossa Nova". CD

A great Tokyo meeting from this wonderful trio – and a great little record that even stands out from most of their others from the time! The set's got a surprising amount of original material by the members of the group – as each player contributes at least one title – and these compositions really help give the whole thing a very fresh, personal vibe – quite different than the more common use of standards on some of their other albums. And although Hank Jones is billed as the "owner" of the group on the title, the set is the same sort of wonderfully collaborative effort as usual – with some specially brilliant work on bass from Ron Carter, and well-chosen work on drums from Tony Williams. Titles include "Forever", "To Destiny", "Pink Lady", "GJT", and "Mellow Blues". CD

One of a number of late 70s milestones from the Great Jazz Trio – that sublime grouping of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums! Like the rest of their gems from the time, the album's got this simple, subtle brilliance – a way of approaching piano trio material that was quite fresh for the time – different than Jones might have sounded the decade before, and clearly influenced by the huge growth of the format in Japan – the market for which the album was originally produced. Carter really shines on the record – reminding us of his incredible ability to act as both a soloist and a rhythmatist – and Tony Williams is a great here as he is on the Herbie Hancock trio dates of the time. Titles include "Wave", "Milestones", "Mr Biko", and "Eighty One". CD

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set from one of the most-overlooked talents of the 50s – the great Gigi Gryce, a fantastic arranger and player whose talents get more forgotten as every year passes by! This set features Gryce working in a well-fitting quintet with the great Richard Williams on trumpet – and the group plays together in a style that mixes easy blowing soul jazz with some of the modernism that was always inherent in Gryce's writing and playing, and which Williams was certainly getting a name for in his work with Mingus. The record's got a lot more surprises than you'd expect – but most of all, it's got a deeply soulful bottom, free from any of the cliches of the era, and expressed in fresh modern tones that should have been allowed further development over the years. Titles include "Boxer's Blues", "Monday Through Sunday", and "Strange Feelin". CD

Sharp sounds from guitarist Jim Hall – a record that's filled with all the cool, complicated lines the musician could muster on his instrument – yet a record that also manages to swing a bit too! The sound here is a great evolution from the sound of Hall's music in the 50s – even more modern at most moments, with unique phrasing that shows just how much Jim continued to grow over the decades – delivered at a level that's very fresh, and without a debt to any other guitarist on the planet! Part of the album's unique feel comes from the large amount of original Hall compositions – interpreted by Jim with a trio that also features Don Thompson on piano and bass and Terry Clarke on drums – on titles that include "Kyoto Bells", "Echo", "Without Words", "Light", "Something For Now", and "Two Special People". LP, Vinyl record album