One of the earliest records by the legendary Novi Singers – and a rare MPS set that exposed the group to a larger European audience! Novi hail from Poland, but have a name that's an condensation of the English phrase "new original vocal instruments" – a great summation of the way the quartet use their voices to recreate the feel of instruments in modern jazz – a mode first explored by the Lambert Hendricks & Ross group in the US, but taken to a much farther extreme on this set! The group are supported here by a border-crossing small combo of musicians that includes Zbigniew Namyslowski on alto sax, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Adam Makowicz on piano, and Billy Brooks on drums – and the sound is cool, laidback, and very groovy – extremely tight, almost even more so than some of the group's Polish albums! Titles include "The Second Side", "Secret Life", "Kulfon", and "Apartment Under The Roof". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Mellow magic from Oscar Peterson – recorded for MPS during the mid 60s, but "secret sessions" that didn't get issued until later! The album features Oscar working some incredible wonders on the piano – working with either Sam Jones or Ray Brown on bass and Bob Durham or Louis Hayes on drums. The tunes are simple and elegant, but Peterson's work on the keys takes them to a whole new place – taking off even farther than his American sides at the time with the freedom allowed him by MPS. The set includes a 17 minute reading of "I'm In The Mood For Love", plus shorter takes on "Girl Talk", "Moon River", and "On A Clear Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Oscar's great connection here is with the rhythm team of Louis Hayes on drums and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – both of whom bring in a nice degree of subtlety to the set, and make it one of Peterson's most gently-grooving albums for MPS! There's a warm, round quality to most of the tunes on the album – a mode that partakes strongly of the lyrical side of the Peterson spectrum, yet which still makes things roll along with a submerged sense of his gutbuckety soul. Titles include "Smile", "On The Trail", "Wheatland", "Younger That Springtime", "Where Do We Go From Here", and "Just Squeeze Me". CD

Two older greats from the MPS label scene of the 70s – coming together here in a later set that shows a wonderful maturation of their talents! Both Jean-Luc Ponty and Wolfgang Dauner had an early talent to stun the ears with great use of electronics – but both musicians are all-acoustic here, and really sounding wonderful in a set of extended duets recorded at the Bern Jazz Festival! Dauner's got a stunning ear for the full range of tones and colors in the piano – almost as if he inherited a new sonic spectrum from his early electronic experiments, then turned them back to straighter jazz – in modes that also have Ponty following suit with these long-flowing lines that remind us how great he can be in just the right mode. Each player gets one solo track, but the record is mostly duet material – and titles include "Suite For Claudia", "Once Upon A Dream", "Pamukkale", "Sketch Up & Downer", "Hong Kong Fu", and "Two Thousand One Years Ago". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Rosolino and Candoli were shining brightest during the late 50s west coast scene, this 1975 MPS session shows that they still could play quite strongly when encouraged! The encouragement here comes from a live crowd at Munich's Domicile, where the set was recorded – and from some tight backing by bassist Isla Eckinger, pianist Rob Pronk, and drummer Todd Canedy. Both Rosolino and Candoli are freer, and possibly sloppier, in their tone – but that's what makes the album so refreshing, as it's got a lot more of a gutbuckety approach than you'd ever hear from the players in the old days. Titles include "Doxy", "Yesterdays", "Darn That Dream", and "Like Someone In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – and one of the most groundbreaking blends of jazz and global music ever recorded! Reedman Tony Scott plays here with a little-known group of Indonesian jazz players – brought together in a special project for MPS/Saba records, in a blend of modal jazz elements and other tunes that really find a way to echo the gamelan styles that you might expect from Indonesian music – emphasized by the group's phrasing on piano, guitar, and siter, as well as Scott's interweaving lines on clarinet! The sound is fantastic, completely other worldly, and must be heard to be believed – served up with other players who include Marjono on tenor and vocal, Bubi Chen on piano and sitar, Jack Lesmana on guitar, Yopi Chen on bass, and Benny Mustafa on drums. Tracks include "Ilir Ilir", "Gambang Suling", "Djanger Bali", and an amazing rendition of "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavenly work by one of the greatest vocal jazz combos ever! The Singers Unlimited cut many mighty albums for MPS with arrangements by some of the label's best bandleaders – but this one features them all alone, with only their voices to hold them up, which they do wonderfully, thanks to some crack arrangements by Gene Puerling of the group! The approach is natural – given that their vocal interplay was always the group's strongest calling card – and thanks to sublime MPS production, acapella vocals have never sounded so amazing. Titles include "The Fool On The Hill", "Emily", "Since You Asked", "Lullaby", and "London By Night". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

The earliest album ever to be issued under the Globe Unity label – a very early project headed up by the mighty pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach – and a record that's noteworthy for the first album to feature the work of Peter Brotzmann and Peter Kowald! Right from the start, the vibe is completely in line with the highest ideals of the improvising orchestra – Schlippenbach directing the group and playing piano – in a large lineup that also features Brotzmann on alto, Manfred Schoof on cornet, Gerd Dudek on tenor, Willem Breuker on baritone, Gunter Hampel on bass clarinet, Karl Berger on vibes, and Peter Kowald and Buschi Niebergall on basses, one in each channel! And alongside these free jazz heavyweights, the album also sports the amazing rhythm duo of future prog rock giants Jaki Liebezeit and Mani Neumeier – both working here at a level that matches the free improvisations of the others – on two side-long tracks, titled "Globe Unity" and "Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the wildest albums ever recorded by French tenorist Barney Wilen – a mix of avant jazz and sound effects, set to wax in tribute to Lorenzo Bandini – a famous Italian racer who died tragically during the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix! Wilen was an automobile enthusiast in the late 60s, and happened to be recording the race on a Nagra for himself – but, after witnessing the death of Bandini, Wilen decided to incorporate his tape of the race into an extended performance dedicated to the late driver. The sound is quite unusual – much farther out than any of Barney's other albums – and the tapes of the race are joined with free-flowing tenor, and piano – plus bits of organ and prepared piano as well – all played by by Francois Tusques along with Wilen, with support from Beb Guerin on bass and Eddy Gaumont on drums. The real star, though, is Bandini's Ferrari, which races in and out of the jazz playing, coming to a mournful end with the termination of the piece. The album's a totally unique recording – and stands as one of the most unusual moments in the history of Wilen's career, and the legendary MPS label! Titles include "Start", "Tribune Princiere", "Hair Pin", and "Canyon Sound & Destiny". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent MPS big-band session, in a mode that's sort of a mix between the firey hardbop of the Clarke-Boland ensemble, and the more modernist work of George Gruntz. The band is directed by Gruntz – and is co-led by Gruntz, Franco Ambrosetti, Flavio Ambrosetti, and Daniel Humair. The players are a mix of top-notch Americans and Europeans – also in the Clarke-Boland mode – and include Dexter Gordon, Woody Shaw, Dusko Goykovich, Benny Bailey, Virgil Jones, Ake Persson, Herb Geller, and Sahib Shihab. Tracks are all long originals, with a hard driving style that's a mix of modal jazz and hardbop – with slight touches of funkiness, thanks to some Fender Rhodes work by Gruntz. Titles include "Our Suite Dig", "Witch Stich", "Gravenstein", "Saint Charity", and "The Age Of Prominence". LP, Vinyl record album

A large group in a small club – the legendary Clarke Boland Big Band, playing at the home turf of one of their key members – tenorist Ronnie Scott! The set features a very legendary performance by the ensemble – a crack lineup that's easily one of the best ever sported by the CBBB – perfectly mixing American rhythms, and a trans-Atlantic lineup of soloists – all tied together with just the sort of rich arrangements that make the group so great! Things groove right from the get-go – thanks to a rhythm lineup that features Kenny Clarke on drums, and Francy Boland on piano – plus bassist Ron Matthewson, sitting in for the usual Jimmy Woode. The horn players really send things off, though – tight trumpets from Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, and Dusko Goykovich; bold trombones from Ake Persson and Nat Peck; and some searing reed lines from Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Derek Humble on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Tony Coe on both tenor and clarinet. This CD features both the first and second sets at Scotts by the group – albums titled Volcano and Rue Chaptal – with titles that include "Volcano", "Griff's Groove", "Now Hear My Meanin", "Box 703 Washington DC", "Thence We Issued Out Again to See the Stars", "Rue Chaptal", "I Don't Want Nothin From Nobody & I Ain't Giving Nothin Away", "Sax No End", "Minor Blues", and "The Girl & The Turk". CD

A classic session for MPS, one of the few labels smart enough to ever make bassist Richard Davis a leader on a session! The set is arguably his best record as a leader, and it features a great group, playing in a number of different configurations – a killer lineup with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jerry Dodgion on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Roland Hanna on piano, and Louis Hayes on drums – a superb set of musicians with a real breadth of experience and styles, working under the leadership of Davis to make for a wonderfully complex record! There's a mix of formations here, from septet down to duos – and titles include "Milktrain", "What Is It", "Toe Tail Moon", and "A Child Is Born". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer keyboards from the legendary George Duke – and one of his most righteous albums for the MPS label! The album's a spectacular set that showcases both sides of Duke's genius at the time – his spacey, soulful approach to a laidback tune – and his more jamming styles on the harder cuts! Instrumentation is somewhat spare – just keyboards and piano from George, who also sings a bit – plus Ndugu Chancler on drums and John Heard on bass – both playing with a freely creative energy that's definitely motivated by Duke. There's a beautiful mix of electricity and acoustic warmth on the set – never too forced, and clearly an inspiration for countless players in years to come – maybe even more so than Herbie Hancock's work of the time. Drums are great too – and snap tightly for plenty of nice breaks on the set – which are in turn augmented by mellower keys from Duke, who also sings with a sweetly electric soul style. Titles include "Capricorn", "The Opening", "Psychosomatic Dung", "North Beach", "Faces In Reflection", "Maria Tres Filhos", and "Da Somba". LP, Vinyl record album

Freddie Hubbard's definitely rolling on this great little set – rolling right back into acoustic jazz territory after a run of smoother soul sessions for bigger labels at the end of the 70s! The album's a live one, and it's a perfect example of the development of Hubbard's solo skills at the point – amazingly well-crafted, especially in a spontaneous setting like this, where Freddie can really stretch out over a long tune with really soulfully imaginative expressions. The group features the great David Schnitter on tenor and soprano sax – a great colleague for the date – plus Billy Childs on acoustic and electric piano, Larry Klein on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums. Titles include "Breaking Point", "Brigitte", "Cascais", "One Of Another Kind", and "Byrdlike". LP, Vinyl record album

The heavy soulful trumpeter hits the Belin Jazz Festival in this classic MPS recording from 1976. He's backed by a sextet that includes George Adams on tenor, Diedre Murray on cello, and Michael Cochrane on piano – and the set is a lot straighter than usual, but still with the good spiritual sound that comes through on his more "out" recordings. Tracks include Coltrane's "Bessies Blues", plus "The 23rd Psalm", "My Favorite Things", and "Willow Weep For Me". CD

A really beautiful early album from the legendary Jean-Luc Ponty – a set that's maybe more straight jazz than some of his later work, and which also represents a pivotal shift in the use of the violin in jazz! Ponty's phrasing here is very different than previous players who handled the instrument in such a setting – almost more informed by a saxophone than earlier instrumentalists – often with notes that are not nearly as sweet as others, and heard to perfection in the company of this quartet! The whole group is great – Wolfgang Dauner on acoustic piano, also straighter than in later years – plus Niels Henning Orsted Pederson on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums. Titles include "Sunday Walk", "Cat Coach", "Suite For Claudia", and "Carole's Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Baden Powell's grooviest albums ever – a brilliant blend of his bossa roots with the freer 70s grooves of MPS! The album follows the mode of some of his other European recordings, but is still a bit different – in that the overall sound is a bit freer than before, with tracks that really open up beautifully – including one or two that hit a nicely heavy groove! The lovely Janine De Walyene sings these wonderful wordless vocals on some of the album's best tracks – scatting heavily on the famous jazz dance number "Blues A Volante" – and drifting moodily behind the guitar on other numbers. Other instrumentation includes bass, drums, and a bit of Brazilian percussion – and titles include the classic "Blues A Volante", plus "Violao Vagabundo", "Canto", "Ate Eu", and "Conversacao Comigo Mesmo". (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

One of Baden Powell's first great bossa sessions in Europe – recorded in a light and lively MPS mode that's a bit different than some of his work at the time in Brazil! Rhythm is by the team of Eberhard Weber on bass and Charly Antolini on drums – both players with non-bossa roots, but who push Powell's groove into some slightly new directions – almost hailing the Brazilian influence that would show up even more strongly in European jazz in years to come! Sidney Smith also adds a bit of flute into some of the tracks on the album – underscoring the moodier moments with a subtle tone next to Powell's more pronounced guitar – and the whole thing's got a sense of poise, grace, and beauty that's simply tremendous! Titles include "Euridice", "Consolacao", "Feitinha Pro Poeta", "Dindi", "Reza", "Samba Triste", and "All The Things You Are". (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Great sounds from Billy Taylor – a player who was definitely big in the mainstream at the time of this late 60s date, but who really finds a way to return strongly to his roots! Taylor's playing here with that nicely punctuated style that made him one of the biggest groovers in the early 50s – and the group has this really great MPS/Saba sort of vibe – never too over the top, but always with an undercurrent of soul – as you might expect with rhythm work from Ben Tucker on bass and Grady Tate on drums! Taylor turns in a few lyrical moments, which are alternated with more left-hand swinging numbers – and titles include "La Petite Mambo", "Theodora", "Paraphrase", "Bye Y'All", and "Don't Go Down South". LP, Vinyl record album

A great straight jazz set from this hip European pianist – different than his classical-themed MPS/Saba recordings, and done with killer accompaniment from Peter Witte on bass and Charly Antolini on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff – and one of George Duke's trippiest jazz albums ever! The package is the US issue of Duke's last album for MPS – recorded in 1976, under the title Dream – issued here under the clunkier moniker of The 1976 Solo Keyboard Album! Duke plays all the instruments himself (as you might guess!) – keyboards that include Fender Rhodes, Arp, clavinet, and mini moog, plus drums and some other percussion – in a blistering array of grooves that show off his skills in a way that you don't always get on Duke's more soul-based albums. The overall approach is almost similar to his first record for the label – spare, flowing lines that drift between jazz funk, mellow solos, and a few more cosmic moments! Titles include "Pathways", "The Dream That Ended", "Mr. McFreeze", "Tzina", and "Spock Does The Bump At The Space Disco". LP, Vinyl record album

One of George Duke's best albums for the MPS label – and a set that has a sound that's a little bit more soul than before! The album uses a fair bit of vocals alongside Duke's funky keyboards – but in a way that's not nearly as smooth as some of his albums for Epic, and which still retains all the best spacey and cosmic bits of his roots! The record's got a strong west coast soul feel – with elements of some of the jazzy funk of the Fantasy Records/Bay Area scene, and elements of the electric funk that was starting to come out of LA at the time – and there's a huge host of guest stars on the record, including Johnny Guitar Watson (who sings on one track), Emil Richards (who plays marimba), and Flora Purim (who does her usual thing!) Titles include "Chariot", "Someday", "That's What She Said", "Sister Serene", "Prepare Yourself", "Rokkinrowl", and "Look Into Her Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Solid soul from the amazing George Duke – a record with a fair bit more focus than some of his previous efforts for MPS, but still done with a free and righteous vibe overall! The album's one of the last before Duke moved into smoother soul territory for his US albums of the late 70s – and it's still got plenty of the best hallmarks of the MPS years – especially on the keyboards, which are always warm and mellow, used with a great sense of space and inherent rhythm. There's a bit more vocals than before, but they're fused in nicely with the instrumentation – and players in Duke's group include Airto on percussion, Emil Richards on marimba, and Ndugu Chancler on some very heavy drums! Vocals are by Duke, Napoleon Murphy Brock, and Bonnie Bowdon Amaro – and titles include "Back To Where We Never Left", "I C'n Hear That", and "Liberated Fantasies", all of which are nice jazz funk numbers – plus "Don't Be Shy", "Seeing You", "Tzina", and "After The Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A great overseas album by Art Farmer – done with a driving Latin-tinged feel and a mellifluous groove that really shows the best side of Art's playing! The set was recorded while Art was living in Vienna, and the group features Jimmy Heath on soulful tenor, soprano sax, and flute, plus some great piano work by Fritz Pauer. Jimmy Woode's in the rhythm section, giving the set the light dancing feel he brought to his best work for MPS – and the album's got a lot of drive, especially on cuts like Heath's "The Gap Sealer" or "Cascavelo", another great original from the session. Other tracks include "The Day After", "Con Fab", and "Cocodrilo". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange record – one that claims to be recorded in 1979, but which sounds exactly like Fischer's 1972 session called T'Da-a-a-a-a. In fact, the players are the same, the songs are the same, and the sound is the same – but the cover lists different timings and a different recording date, so if we're to believe it, are we to think that Fischer took the same group, same songs, and just redid the entire album in 1979? Seems unlikely, but does it really matter? The 1972 record is an excellent album – one of Fischer's elusive electric sides, and one that features him playing a Yamaha EX-42 organ, which has a very cool sound! The group's a quartet, with the great Gary Foster on alto and soprano sax – and the tracks are a mix of older jazz standards ("Soon", "Round Midnight", "Lennie's Pennies") and originals ("Blues In F" by Fischer and "Crystal Sunrise" by Tom Scott), all done in long versions with some intimate and exploratory solos. LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly wonderful 70s session from pianist Red Garland – thanks to the presence of saxophonist Jimmy Heath on the set! Although Red's most commonly heard in a trio setting, the presence of Heath here really makes the session stand out – as Jimmy's playing with all the best sense of warmth and soulfulness he brought to his own wonderful work of the early 70s – helping Red's rare session for MPS sparkle nicely with his added touches! Heath plays both tenor and soprano sax on the record, and other players include Peck Morrison on bass and Lenny McBrowne on drums. Titles include a great version of Jimmy's "The Quota" – plus "Love For Sale", "On A Clear Day", "The Squirrel", "For Carl", and "Days Of Wine & Roses". CD

A tremendous European meeting of tenorist Dexter Gordon and trombonist Slide Hampton – brought together in this impeccable sextet session for MPS – a real standout in the label's straight jazz catalog over the years! By the time of the set, Gordon had been working heavily in Europe, especially Copenhagen – a locale where he was given ample freedom to stretch out and really explore his tone and phrasing. Hampton had also kicked around the continent a fair bit too, but in a tighter format, doing arrangements for others and working in bigger groups – and it's actually his careful touch that really helps shape the sound of the set – by bringing Gordon's groove into a focus more strongly than before, and reminding us that Dex was a great group player when he wanted to be! The frontline features Gordon's tenor, Hampton's trombone, and the trumpet of Dizzy Reece – often stating the heads in a fluidly soulful way, then breaking out nicely with individual voices – very much in the best Blue Note mode. Rhythm is by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Art Taylor on drums, and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and titles include 3 excellent originals by Hampton – "A New Thing", "My Blues", and "A Day In Vienna" – plus a wicked almost-Lee Morgan-esque take on "What's New", and versions of "Shadow Of Your Smile" and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A rare German session by Hampton Hawes – recorded in trio format with backing by two of Europe's best rhythm players, bassist Eberhard Weber and drummer Klaus Weiss – and in a groove that's really wonderful! There's a great tone to the record that's evident from the very first note – a warmth, and almost bell-like quality that we don't always remember from other Hawes albums, and which makes this one really special. Backing is by Eberhard Weber on bass and Klaus Weiss on drums – and both players are heard here in rapt reverence to Hampton's work on the keys, but still with enough of a force to color in the record with their presence, especially in the case of Weber's bass. Titles include some tasty originals – like "Hamp's Blues", "Rhythm", "Sonora", and "Black Forest Blues" – plus versions of "Autumn Leaves" and "I'm All Smiles" LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet breezy work from pianist Horst Jankowski – best known for his easy hits of the 60s, but a heck of a great jazz player as well! This rare MPS session has Horst grooving it up nicely in small combo format – working with guitar, bass, and drums to craft some tunes that are a perfect example of the freely swinging rhythms of MPS at its best, a real departure from American albums of the same style! The whole album's got a bright sunny finish that we really love, and it includes the great groover "Speech Craft", written by the group's guitarist Hans Wenzel – plus the tracks "Black Flower", "Zeroccasion", "Out N Ground", and "Lady Eva" – all pretty darn nice! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Rolf Kuhn sessions we can think of – and a classic MPS album that mixes spiritual avant garde jazz with unusual rhythmic progressions and world percussion. Rolf's group here features Phil Woods guesting on alto, a great companion for Rolf's fluid clarinet lines, which sound here more like soprano sax, blown in a spiritual post-Dolphy kind of way. Nana Vasconcelos is on percussion and berimbau, and Joachim Kuhn plays piano. Tracks include "The Day After", "Turning Out", "Everything In the Garden", and "CA 1-9-5-2". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold brilliant statement from pianist Steve Kuhn – his next great record after the seminal Three Waves, and a record that pushes the envelope even further! From the title, you might think that Kuhn's playing some familiar 60s standards for MPS – but he's really working strongly in his own agenda here, stepping forward in strong new voice he was bringing to piano at the time, and even going a bit more outside than ever before. The trio includes Palle Danielsson on bass and Jon Christensen on drums – and although familiar, some of the titles have a sense of freedom that really transforms them. Titles include Burt Bacharach's great "Windows On The World", Michel Legrand's "Watch What Happens", Gary McFarland's "Once We Loved", Carla Bley's "Ad Infinitum", and Kuhn's own "Silver". Prestige US reissue of this MPS recording. LP, Vinyl record album

The title's an apt one, as trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff's out here in his loneliness – blowing solo, and beautifully, in a set of highly imaginative numbers! Solo trombone may not sound like the most earth-shattering thing in the world – but in the hands of Mangelsdorff, it can definitely move mountains – creating complicated patterns of shape and sound with a very familiar instrument – used here in ways you'd never expect, even from some of Albert's other group recordings. There's a strong sense of tone here – one that's perhaps only matched by George Lewis for sheer inventiveness and creativity – and Mangelsdorff never misses an opportunity to surprise, and the whole set is refreshing throughout. Titles include "Do Your Own Thing", "Fur Peter", "Marc Suetterlyn's Boogie", "Creole Love Call", "Questions To Come", and "Bonn". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Mellow magic from Oscar Peterson – recorded for MPS during the mid 60s, but "secret sessions" that didn't get issued until later! The album features Oscar working some incredible wonders on the piano – working with either Sam Jones or Ray Brown on bass and Bob Durham or Louis Hayes on drums. The tunes are simple and elegant, but Peterson's work on the keys takes them to a whole new place – taking off even farther than his American sides at the time with the freedom allowed him by MPS. The set includes a 17 minute reading of "I'm In The Mood For Love", plus shorter takes on "Girl Talk", "Moon River", and "On A Clear Day". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums cut by the fab Singers Unlimited – and the set that has them backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio! The Singers always mixed well with guest jazz talents – and the style of this albums gives their sweet harmonies a nice jazz-based groove and not too much cheese on the top – one of the leanest instrumental settings from their MPS era, and a nicely gliding groove that supports their voices wonderfully! The record includes great versions of "The Gentle Rain", "Once Upon A Summertime", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and Thad Jones' great "A Child Is Born" – as well as a pretty crazy rendition of "Sesame Street"! LP, Vinyl record album

Nice one! Although Evidence and other labels have been reissuing lots of work from Ra's classic years, there's been a real dearth of material from the crucial early 70's period – when the band was hitting lots of strange grooves, and going way way out, farther than ever before. This essential 2 CD set reissues the rare MPS album It's After The End Of The World, and adds a lot of unreleased material that wasn't on the original album, but which was also recorded on the same date at the Donaueschigen Musik Festival in 1970. Plus, the package also contains a full set of live recordings from Berlin, recorded only a month after the MPS release, and never before released to the public! The whole set's chock full of rare Ra material, and it's packaged with a great set of notes to help you make it through the whole thing! CD

Some of Archie Shepp's most freewheeling material of the 60s – a long, extended, single-song album recorded at the Donaueschingen festival a few years before his classic work for BYG/Actuel – and very much in the same bold spirit as his recordings for that label! The single tune – "One For The Trane" – is opened up, stretched out, and run freely by Shepp on tenor, Roswell Rudd and Grachan Moncur on trombones, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums – a very unique lineup that benefits not just from the presence of two trombones, which gives the record a very deep, rich sound – but also from the creative rhythms of Garrison and Harris, a really great team for a session like this! Shepp is wonderful – still with this inherent sense of soul that also ties the performance to some of his brightest moments for Impulse Records – this structure, even when blowing free, that creates an amazing sense of swing somewhere back in the music. LP, Vinyl record album

Bop modes, updated strongly for the 70s – and played by a hip group of older players who really know how to cook! Supersax is led by Med Flory on alto, who also did the arrangements – and works here with great reed help from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, Joe Lopes on alto, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – plus soaring sounds from Conte Candoli and Blue Mitchell on trumpets, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Lou Levy on piano – all of whom really help the reed players find their groove! Charts are large, as is the ensemble, but there's a nice sense of individual personalities too – even when all the saxophonists are taking a solo together at once. Titles include "Shaw Nuff", "Drifting On A Reed", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Now's The Time", and "The Song Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

The earliest album ever to be issued under the Globe Unity label – a very early project headed up by the mighty pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach – and a record that's noteworthy for the first album to feature the work of Peter Brotzmann and Peter Kowald! Right from the start, the vibe is completely in line with the highest ideals of the improvising orchestra – Schlippenbach directing the group and playing piano – in a large lineup that also features Brotzmann on alto, Manfred Schoof on cornet, Gerd Dudek on tenor, Willem Breuker on baritone, Gunter Hampel on bass clarinet, Karl Berger on vibes, and Peter Kowald and Buschi Niebergall on basses, one in each channel! And alongside these free jazz heavyweights, the album also sports the amazing rhythm duo of future prog rock giants Jaki Liebezeit and Mani Neumeier – both working here at a level that matches the free improvisations of the others – on two side-long tracks, titled "Globe Unity" and "Sun". CD

A rare meeting of these two American giants of the tenor sax – brought together at the end of the 60s in Europe, both recording late in their careers, but with a laidback and open approach that's really wonderful! The format here is quite loose – a bit like some of the late hours, swing-based sides on Prestige at the end of the 50s – with longish tracks that let both players state their solos in clean, well-recorded phrasings – with gentle support from a trio that includes Tete Montoliu on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. There's a few faltering moments at times, but they also add a nice degree of humanity to the record – kind of a dimming genius that might not have been allowed on an American session by either player, but which speaks volumes here for the time and distance both players had travelled! Titles include "Caravan", "Sundae", "Blues For Dottie Mae", and "Perdido". CD

Late work by Webster and Byas – playing here with backing by a European rhythm section that includes Tete Montoliu on piano and Peter Trunk on bass, plus American Albert Heath on drums. The tracks are mostly long and open – with the main focus on letting the two tenor giants solo as much as possible. Tracks include "Caravan", "Sundae", "Blues For Dottie Mae", and "Perdido". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal bit of 60s modern from MPS – a tremendous session that features equally strong contributions from the three players named in the title – Attila Zoller on guitar, Lee Konitz on alto sax, and Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone! All players are at the height of their modern powers here – never too over-indulgent, but working with lots of sharp angles that seem to take off from the Konitz generation, and revel in the new European freedoms unlocked by Zoller and Mangelsdorff. Players come together in different combinations throughout the record – and some moments have a spareness that reminds us of Jimmy Giuffre trio albums – but others feature bolder rhythms from Barre Phillips on bass and Stu Martin on drums. Titles include "Zores Mores", "At Twilight", "Ach Tavia", "Feeling In & Filling In In Villingen", "Struwwelpeter", and "Alat's Mood". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure 70s albums by Monty Alexander for MPS – and a sweet set of piano grooves recorded live in 1974! The album features Monty's group with the great Ernest Ranglin on guitar – working in a mixture of straighter jazz and a few funky numbers that hang nicely on warm bass work by Eberhard Weber, and tight drums by Kenny Clare. Includes a nice reading of Monty's Caribbean tinged number "Alypso", and an even better remake of Herbie Hancock's classic "Chameleon". Other tracks include "Green Dolphin Street", and "Unlimited Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary session of avant garde jazz – recorded by MPS at the Baden Baden Free Jazz Meeting in 1969! The centerpiece of the record is the performance by the Baden-Baden Free Jazz Orchestra – which is led by Lester Bowie, and features Albert Mangelsdorff, Eje Thelin, Kenny Wheeler, Roscoe Mitchell, Alan Skidmore, Steve McCall, Tony Oxley, Willem Breuker, and other American and European avant players. The group performs a 2 part version of the title track – and their set is a beautiful mix of out styles, and a rare occasion to hear AACM players interacting with other European free jazz musicians. The other tracks on the record feature smaller groups culled from the larger one – and they include Terje Rypdal's group with Karin Krog doing "Ved Soerevatn", Karin performing "For My Two JBs" on a multitrack recorder, and Willem Breuker and John Surman dueting on "May Hunting Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Although organist Milt Bucker's recordings for MPS were often part of the label's more trad output, this one sounds pretty darn nice, and has a swinging groove that's a lot better than some of Buckner's other albums, even those cut in the us. Part of this is because of a very swinging rhythm section – Jimmy Woode and Kenny Clare (not Clarke) – both of whom add a lot of punch to the stripped-down tracks, and who free Buckner from his usual heavy rhythmic chores, and let him groove around the keyboard a lot more. Titles include "Glady's Dance", "Willi's Blues", "Blues For Anita", and a nice cover of "Sunny". Side one is all piano, and side two is all piano. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Don Cherry's most hypnotic albums ever – a full album-length performance that features one of his first experiments with mixing jazz and global elements! The set was captured at the 1968 Berlin Jazz Festival – and mixes Cherry's amazing work on cornet, flute, and a myriad of world instruments with key contributions from European improvisers who include Eje Thelin on trombone, Bernt Rosengren on tenor and oboe, Karl Berger on vibes, Joachim Kuhn on piano and prepared piano, and Albert Mangelsdorf on trombone! There's even a bit of gamelon elements in some of the music, and Sonny Sharrock plays guitar too – and although free at times, the music comes together with an amazing sense of cohesion by the end – a vision that would inspire others to move into new territory in the decade to come. CD

One of Don Cherry's most hypnotic albums ever – a full album-length performance that features one of his first experiments with mixing jazz and global elements! The set was captured at the 1968 Berlin Jazz Festival – and mixes Cherry's amazing work on cornet, flute, and a myriad of world instruments with key contributions from European improvisers who include Eje Thelin on trombone, Bernt Rosengren on tenor and oboe, Karl Berger on vibes, Joachim Kuhn on piano and prepared piano, and Albert Mangelsdorf on trombone! There's even a bit of gamelon elements in some of the music, and Sonny Sharrock plays guitar too – and although free at times, the music comes together with an amazing sense of cohesion by the end – a vision that would inspire others to move into new territory in the decade to come. LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking twin-tenor session for MPS – one that reunites the mighty talents of Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The album was done as an offshoot of both players' work for the Clarke Boland Big Band at the time – and the set was not only produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi, but also features a core rhythm trio from that ensemble – Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have a sound that really shows the evolution of both players since their famous recordings of the early 60s – tones that are even more modern and edgey at points, served up with a fire that hasn't died at all – and set loose on rhythms that move past the usual grooves you might have expected from their American sessions together. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Jim Dawg", "Gigi", "When We Were One", and "Again N Again". CD

A smoking twin-tenor session for MPS – one that reunites the mighty talents of Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The album was done as an offshoot of both players' work for the Clarke Boland Big Band at the time – and the set was not only produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi, but also features a core rhythm trio from that ensemble – Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have a sound that really shows the evolution of both players since their famous recordings of the early 60s – tones that are even more modern and edgey at points, served up with a fire that hasn't died at all – and set loose on rhythms that move past the usual grooves you might have expected from their American sessions together. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Jim Dawg", "Gigi", "When We Were One", and "Again N Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer hardbop session from the early years of MPS/Saba Records – and one of the boldest statements on record from the mighty American reedman Nathan Davis – then residing in Europe, and really making some great waves on the scene! As with so many of the best Saba gems, the record has a way of taking Blue Note/Prestige Records inspiration, and pushing it with a fresher sensibility picked up overseas – elements of spiritual and modal jazz in the mix, served up by Davis on tenor, flute and soprano – in a wonderful combo that also features Carmell Jones on trumpet – with Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – that ultra-hip rhythm section who opened up so many Gigi Campi productions! The album's a prize in the collection of any serious jazz collector – and titles include "The Hip Walk", "Train Of Thought", "B's Blues", and the nice groover "That Kaycee Thing". CD

A classic session for MPS, one of the few labels smart enough to ever make bassist Richard Davis a leader on a session! The set is arguably his best record as a leader, and it features a great group, playing in a number of different configurations – a killer lineup with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jerry Dodgion on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Roland Hanna on piano, and Louis Hayes on drums – a superb set of musicians with a real breadth of experience and styles, working under the leadership of Davis to make for a wonderfully complex record! There's a mix of formations here, from septet down to duos – and titles include "Milktrain", "What Is It", "Toe Tail Moon", and "A Child Is Born". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet keyboards and lots of funky grooves – one of the best of George Duke's seminal albums for MPS – and a record that captures him at a key middle point in his growth! The sound here is tighter than the trippier records of before, but also never too smooth or commercial – still with plenty of cosmic influences in the funk, and a wealth of great keyboard work that rivals some of Herbie Hancock's best from the same stretch. George sings a bit himself – in a warmly compressed mode that's simply wonderful, and which further expands the grooves – and although much of the album's instrumentation comes from the keyboards, the record also features guest appearances from Airto on percussion and Ndugu on drums – as well as a bit of guest vocals from Flora Purim. Titles include "The Once Over", "Tzina", "Statement", "Love", "Feel", "Funny Funk", "Rashid", and "Cora Joberge". LP, Vinyl record album

Solid soul from the amazing George Duke – a record with a fair bit more focus than some of his previous efforts for MPS, but still done with a free and righteous vibe overall! The album's one of the last before Duke moved into smoother soul territory for his US albums of the late 70s – and it's still got plenty of the best hallmarks of the MPS years – especially on the keyboards, which are always warm and mellow, used with a great sense of space and inherent rhythm. There's a bit more vocals than before, but they're fused in nicely with the instrumentation – and players in Duke's group include Airto on percussion, Emil Richards on marimba, and Ndugu Chancler on some very heavy drums! Vocals are by Duke, Napoleon Murphy Brock, and Bonnie Bowdon Amaro – and titles include "Back To Where We Never Left", "I C'n Hear That", and "Liberated Fantasies", all of which are nice jazz funk numbers – plus "Don't Be Shy", "Seeing You", "Tzina", and "After The Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early 70s session from pianist Red Garland – one of his first in many years after a strong 50s run for Prestige! The record shows Red losing none of his warmth and grace on the keys – and he's set up in a great trio with Sam Jones on bass and Roy Brooks on drums – both players well-tuned to match Garland's subtleties on the keys, and step forward with his strong and inherent sense of soul. A few tracks are nicely contemplative, and great examples of the Garland tone at its best – but others hit a more flowing style that shares some of the MPS groove of the time. Titles include two Garland originals "Auf Wiedersehen" and "Old Stinky Butt" – plus "Hobo Joe", "A Night In Tunisia", "Stella By Starlight", and "Dahoud". LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking early set from Jan Hammer – and completely different than any of his rockish fusion sides from later years! The sound here is straight soul jazz all the way through – hard-hitting trio material with Jan on both acoustic piano and Hammond organ – working in a trio with electric bass from George Mraz and drums from the great Cees See – a cooking rhythm section who are right in step with Hammer's heavy touch on the keys! The setting's a live one, and the trio seem to take a good sort of energy from the crowd – working with a bold, rhythmic groove on almost every number – especially the tunes with organ in the lead. Titles include "Make Love", "Goats Song", "Responsibility", "Waltz For Ivona", "Maliny Maliny", and "Braching". CD

A tripped-out batch of funk rock tracks – one of the biggest crossover successes of the MPS lable! Don Harris sings and plays violin – and he gets some very heavy backing by a trio that includes Harvey Mandel on guitar, wailing away with those slow choppy riffs that made him the west coast equivalent of Dennis Coffey's east of the Mississippi fuzzed-out guitar groove. Features the slow funk classic "The Pig's Eye", plus "No Inspiration", "The Buzzard's Cousin", and "Eleanor Rigby". LP, Vinyl record album

A really tripped-out, messed-up session from Don Sugarcane Harris – recorded live in Berlin, but with a freaky experimental style that's much farther out than most of his studio work! The group here is totally hip – a combo of mad hippies that includes Robert Wyatt on drums, Wolfgang Dauner on keyboards and electronics, and both Terje Rypdal and Volker Kriegel on guitars – playing with twin electric frenzy that adds a lot of great sound to the album! Sugarcane plays electric violin and sings just a tiny bit – and despite the "blues" in the title of the record, the album's more of a freaked-out fusion record than anything else – in the best MPS electric tradition of the time, thanks to the presence of Dauner and Kriegel. Titles include "Sugar Cane's Got The Blues", "Where's My Sunshine", "Liz Pineapple Wonderful", and "Song For My Father". LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost session from tenorist Joe Henderson – recorded in 1980 for MPS Records, in a mellower, more easy-going style than some of his electric sides of the 70s! Joe's blowing in a really fluid style – almost like Stan Getz at times, but with a darker, edgier approach – and he's working here with a Getz-like group that includes Chick Corea on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The set features some great originals by Corea and Carter, and in a way, we're tempted to make a comparison to Getz's Sweet Rain album – which shares a similar mellifluous modern quality to this one. Titles include "Joe's Bolero", "Candlelight", "Mirror Mirror", and "Keystone". CD

A classic European date from Freddie Hubbard – recorded right around the vintage of his Red Clay years, but with a sound that hearkens back more towards his Blue Note sessions of the mid 60s! There's a nicely angular feel to this set – that bold, modern quality that really set Hubbard apart from other players of his generation – and while some of the songs show Freddie's growing love of longer, more openly rhythmic tunes – there's also still a sharper focus on the bold talents of the soloists. Freddie's on trumpet throughout, and other players include Eddie Daniels on tenor – still really sounding great at this point, with a surprisingly hard edge – plus Roland Hanna on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Blues For Duane", "The Things We Did Last Summer", and "Without A Song" – and all tracks are long. LP, Vinyl record album

Elvin Jones towers above his bandmates on the cover of this 70s classic – and really leads them onward to some great sounds within! The record has a bit more focus and soul than some of Jones' other albums of the period – still quite powerful and dynamic, but with a good adherence to melody, and plenty of room for the group members to open up and make some beautiful sounds – including Pat LaBarbera and Michael Stuart on soprano and tenor sax, and Roland Prince on guitar! The twin reed players are wonderful – and work together in ways that are different than some of Elvin's records at the start of the 70s – and titles include "Kalima", "Section 8", "Giraffe", and "Familiar Ground". CD

A double-length set – and one that's got plenty of space for wide-ranging power from guitarist Volker Kriegel! The set builds beautifully off the energy that Volker had in the Dave Pike Set – with a similar blend of funk and psychedelic influences, all filtered down beautifully in wicked MPS vibe – lots of space between the notes, and a balance that never gets too jamming or rocking – which is plenty pleasing to our ears! Volker's got an amazing tone on some of these tunes – and other hip players include John Taylor on electric piano, Cees See on flute and percussion, soprano and tenor sax from Alan Skidmore, tenor from Heinz Sauer, trombone from Albert Mangelsdorff, and bass from Eberhard Weber. Tunes really run a nice range of styles – some getting trippy, some a bit exotic, and plenty nice and funky, too! Titles include "Slums On Wheels", "The E Again", "Zanzibar", "Missing Link", and "Lastic Plemon". CD

One of the best Rolf Kuhn sessions we can think of – and a classic MPS album that mixes spiritual avant garde jazz with unusual rhythmic progressions and world percussion. Rolf's group here features Phil Woods guesting on alto, a great companion for Rolf's fluid clarinet lines, which sound here more like soprano sax, blown in a spiritual post-Dolphy kind of way. Nana Vasconcelos is on percussion and berimbau, and Joachim Kuhn plays piano. Tracks include "The Day After", "Turning Out", "Everything In the Garden", and "CA 1-9-5-2". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold brilliant statement from pianist Steve Kuhn – his next great record after the seminal Three Waves, and a record that pushes the envelope even further! From the title, you might think that Kuhn's playing some familiar 60s standards for MPS – but he's really working strongly in his own agenda here, stepping forward in strong new voice he was bringing to piano at the time, and even going a bit more outside than ever before. The trio includes Palle Danielsson on bass and Jon Christensen on drums – and although familiar, some of the titles have a sense of freedom that really transforms them. Titles include Burt Bacharach's great "Windows On The World", Michel Legrand's "Watch What Happens", Gary McFarland's "Once We Loved", Carla Bley's "Ad Infinitum", and Kuhn's own "Silver". CD

A great pianist and a great rhythm section – two factors that make this one of the best albums ever from Spanish pianist Tete Montoliu! The session's got a tightness that some of Tete's other records are missing – a style that still allows him to display his free command of the keys, but which also holds him into a structured groove that produces even more intensity. Tete's working here with Peter Trunk on bass and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – both excellent players who bring plenty of their own spirit to the session, and work well in a three-pronged approach to the tunes that has plenty of melody coming from the drums and bass – and a fair bit of rhythm coming from Montoliu's heavy left hand as well! Titles include some great originals – like Trunk's "Tranquillogy" and "Visca L'Ampurda" – as well as Montoliu's "Blues For Nuria", and versions of "Stablemates" and "I Surrender Dear". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the title put you off, as Ray Nance isn't losing steam on the record – arnd instead really reworks the sound that he first created in the Ellington group – by working here in a lean European combo with a great MPS approach! Nance plays trumpet and violin, and even sings a bit – and the rhythm is from Kenny Drew on piano, Ron Mathewson on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – a combo who make for some very interesting moments. Titles include a long Nance original titled "Wild Child" – plus "Russian Lullaby", "He Huffed N Puffed", "Some Of These Days", and "Struttin With Some Barbecue". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more avant albums on MPS at the time – with work from Manfred Schoof on trumpet and flugelhorn, Peter Trunk on bass, and Cees See on drums, percussion, tabla, flute, and harp! LP, Vinyl record album

The fourth in the MPS reissue series of long unreleased late 60s recordings from the home of producer/engineer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer finds Oscar Peterson in a glorious solo piano mode! All of the recordings in the series were from very relaxed, loose sessions that were some of Peterson's favorite of the time – and they're done in a mode that has Oscar playing loosely and soulfully throughout. Titles include "Someone To Watch Over Me", "Perdido", "Body And Soul", "Bye, Bye Blackbird", "Lulu's Back In Town", Little Girl Blue", "Who Can I Turn To", "Take The 'A' Train" and more. CD

Great late 60s work from Oscar Peterson – a player who's definitely Travelin On here, thanks to a great approach to production, and a trio that features Sam Jones on bass and Bob Durham on drums! These MPS sessions are essentially identifiable for the relaxed, soulful warmth that came so naturally from the atmosphere of the home of producer/engineer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer – who manned the booth as well as provided the venue. Tracks include "Travelin' On", "Emily", "Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (Corcovado)", "Sax No End" and "When Lights Are Low". LP, Vinyl record album

Herb Ellis is reunited with the Oscar Peterson trio – in a sweet set of mellow grooving tunes that stretches nicely beyond their earlier work for Verve! Rhythm is by the team of Sam Jones and Bobby Durham, and the tracks are mostly standards, played with a light and magical touch and that rare ease that Peterson and Ellis always seemed to have in the studio. There's a warmth here that's evident from the very first note – and Herb and Oscar fit together so well, we find ourselves wondering why they ever parted! Titles include "Blues For HG", "Seven Come Eleven", "Exactly Like You", "Naptown Blues", "Hamp's Blues", and "Day By Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from Oscar Peterson – one of his finest moments ever! The record is very different than most of Oscar's over-recorded trio format ones – and features Claus Ogerman crafting some impeccable backings of lofty strings and compressed horns, creating a pillow of air that takes Oscar's piano to the sky and beyond, floating into realms never dreamed of on other LPs! The set sparkles with a strident MPS easy groove – completely sublime, with a perfectness that we'd ascribe to a rare few albums, such as the similar-grooving Jobim album Wave, also helped out tremendously by Ogerman. Titles include "Dreamsville", "Sally's Tomato", "Sunny", "Wave", "Wandering", and "Ode To Billy Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary MPS session from vibist Dave Pike – a set that mixes his funkier styles with some freer modal jazz leanings – all in a way that really makes the album stand out from the rest! The group is the groundbreaking Dave Pike Set lineup – the combo that featured Dave's vibes alongside guitar from Volker Kriegel, bass from JA Rettenbacher, and drums from Peter Baumeister – a truly funky little groove who keep things tight and interesting throughout! And although recorded live, the album's got all the spacious feel and compelling sounds of any of Pike's studio albums for MPS – and is perhaps even more amazing, given that these sounds are all spontaneous emanations from the group. Titles include "Riff For Rent", "Mambo Jack The Scoffer", "Hey Duke", "The Secret Mystery Of Hensch", and "Nobody's Afraid Of Howard Monster". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky vibes, electric sitar, and a madly tripped-out album – one of the best of the MPS psychedelic jazz sessions from the end of the 60s! Back in the US, Dave Pike was always a pretty straight vibist – but he's working here with his European combo that included the legendary Volker Kriegel – who plays both electric guitar and sitar on the record, giving it a really groovy "Eastern" sort of vibe! Drummer Peter Baumeister kicks the bottom of the set mightily – rolling in a modal groove one minute, picking up a heavier funk approach the next – and always inspiring the rest of the group to stretch out in the grooviest way possible. Tracks are shortish, but filled with great sonic touches – and titles include the legendary "Mathar", a well known bit of sitar funk – plus the tracks "Mother People", "I'm On My Way", "Regards From Freddie Horowitz", and "Walkin' Down The Highway In A Red Raw Egg". CD

An incredible album – and one of the most groundbreaking blends of jazz and global music ever recorded! Reedman Tony Scott plays here with a little-known group of Indonesian jazz players – brought together in a special project for MPS/Saba records, in a blend of modal jazz elements and other tunes that really find a way to echo the gamelan styles that you might expect from Indonesian music – emphasized by the group's phrasing on piano, guitar, and siter, as well as Scott's interweaving lines on clarinet! The sound is fantastic, completely other worldly, and must be heard to be believed – served up with other players who include Marjono on tenor and vocal, Bubi Chen on piano and sitar, Jack Lesmana on guitar, Yopi Chen on bass, and Benny Mustafa on drums. Tracks include "Ilir Ilir", "Gambang Suling", "Djanger Bali", and an amazing rendition of "Summertime". CD

An incredible album – and one of the most groundbreaking blends of jazz and global music ever recorded! Reedman Tony Scott plays here with a little-known group of Indonesian jazz players – brought together in a special project for MPS/Saba records, in a blend of modal jazz elements and other tunes that really find a way to echo the gamelan styles that you might expect from Indonesian music – emphasized by the group's phrasing on piano, guitar, and siter, as well as Scott's interweaving lines on clarinet! The sound is fantastic, completely other worldly, and must be heard to be believed – served up with other players who include Marjono on tenor and vocal, Bubi Chen on piano and sitar, Jack Lesmana on guitar, Yopi Chen on bass, and Benny Mustafa on drums. Tracks include "Ilir Ilir", "Gambang Suling", "Djanger Bali", and an amazing rendition of "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark session of world jazz! This is one of the first entries in MPS' "Jazz Meets The World" series – and it features the quintet of Japanese drummer Hideo Shiraki (featuring a young Terumasa Hino on trumpet), working with additional traditional instrumentation by three female Koto players. The combination of postwar Japanese hardbop and folkloric melodies is astounding – and the format allows the jazz players to groove at their best, while still interacting nicely with the Kotos. The record is a gem through and through – with a visionary sound that shows that MPS was already one of the most groundbreaking labels in jazz, even at an early age. Titles include "Alone Alone and Alone", "Suvwa", "Yamanaka Bushi", and "Sakura, Sakura". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest albums ever cut by the Singers Unlimited – thanks to great instrumentation from the mighty Art Van Damme! Art plays accordion – in a way that works perfectly with the banks of sound and sweetness we love from the group – an instrument whose own breathy tones turns out to be a perfect accompaniment for their harmonies, especially in the way it sets a very melancholy mood! Other instrumentation is great too – relatively spare use of the guitar of Sigi Schwab, plus vibes from Heribert Thusek, bass from Eberhard Weber, and drums from Charly Antolini – and titles include a really sublime version of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave", plus "Violets For Your Furs", "Cherry", "Spring Is Here", "Ecstasy", "We Could Be Flying", and "Invitation". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD