Terrace Martin is an artist who just keeps on getting deeper and deeper over the years – an already-great jazz musician, but one who's widened his scope to touch on broader currents of soul and hip hop – all of which really open up with the jazz-based energy at the core! At some level, this record might be to Martin's career what the Black Radio project was to Robert Glasper – as Terrace opens the door to all-star guests who include Kim Burrell, Leon Bridges, Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, and even Glasper himself – while also finding space to serve up a few key tracks on his own, without any guests – tracks that may well be some of our favorite on the album. Titles include "Turning Poison Into Medicine", "Drones", "Leave Us Be", "Don't Let Go", "Listen", "Sick Of Cryin", "Leimert Park", "Tapped", and "Griots Of The Crenshaw District". LP, Vinyl record album

Early 70s Capitol collection – includes a 50s cooker from Gerry Mulligan – working here with a real birth of the cool-styled group that includes Chet Baker and Pete Candoli on trumpets, Bud Shank on alto, John Graas on French horn, Bob Enevoldsen on trombone, and Chico Hamilton on drums – a really wonderful group that has a swing that's might lighter than you might guess from its size! The set is nicely arranged throughout – an early example of Gerry's powers in this respect – with plenty of thought in each tune, yet never so much so that the proceedings get too academic. Titles include "Rocker", "Walking Shoes", "Simbah", "Ontet", "Westwood Walk", "A Ballad", "Taking A Chance On Love", and "Flash". Also includes late 40s EPs by Stan Hasselgard & His All Star Six, and the Red Norvo Septet! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone", "Mad Monk", "Billie's Bounce", "I Surrender Dear", "Red Cross","Dynamo A", "Summertime", "Stardust", "Old Man River", "Night And Day", "The Man I Love", "Georgia On My Mind", "Easy To Love", "Over The Rainbow", "Where Or When", "En Ce Temps-La", "Somebody Loves Me", "Riviera Blues (Blues A la Don)", "Laura", and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". CD

A well-titled super session from pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Elvin Jones – and one with a bit more sense of surprise than similar all-star trio outings from the 80s! There's a looseness here that's a good antidote to some of the more tightly-produced Japanese trio sessions – by the Great Jazz Trio, Super Jazz Trio, and other groupings of American players – and Flanagan's touch on the keys is especially nice here, almost a bit more "human" than on other records – with an odd sense of tone and phrasing that keeps our interest throughout. Titles include "Too Late Now", "Minor Perhaps", "Rachel's Rondo", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", and "Django". CD

One of the greatest 50s sessions from bop trumpet legend Red Rodney – a set that has longer tracks than some previous albums – and a very hip lineup with Ira Sullivan on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and either Elvin Jones or Philly Joe Jones on drums! Titles include "Ubas", "Box 2000", "Red Arrow", and "Star Eyes". CD

Includes three tunes from a 1945 session by the Capitol International Jazzmen, with Bill Coleman on trumpet, Buster Bailey on clarinet, Benny Carter on alto, Coleman Hawkins on tenor, Nat King Cole on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, John Kirby on bass, Max Roach on drums, and Kay Starr on vocals; four tunes by the Metronome All Stars from 1947 and 1951, with sidemen that include Dizzy Gilletpie, Buddy DeFranco, Flip Phillips, Nat King Cole, Buddy Rich, Miles Davis, Max Roach, and others; and a side's worth of material from Louis Bellson's Just Jazz All Stars from 1952, with Clark Terry, Juan Tizol, Wardell Gray, Billy Strayhorn, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A monstrous bit of jazzy fusion from the 70s – and the record that really put drummer Billy Cobham on the map – virtually creating his own sort of space between jazz, funk, and prog – thanks to the help of an all star lineup too! Cobham is tremendous on drums – and is joined on most of the record by guitarist Tommy Bolin and keyboardist Jan Hammer – both at the height of their early powers – and a few other tracks feature a slightly different lineup, with great work from saxophonist Joe Farrell and trumpeter Jimmy Owens! The drummer is definitely in the space of the territory he would explore with George Duke – but is also maybe looser and more open to new sounds too – really stepping out on cuts that include the slow mellow funk number "Red Baron", which has great breaks and nice electric piano – plus "Stratus", "Taurian Matador", "To The Women In My Life", and "Quadrant 4". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Latin outing from trumpeter Art Farmer – one that has him working with the mighty Cuban arranger Chico O'Farrill! The grooves here are hardly "Aztec", as Chico brings a hip postwar vibe to the session – a blend of American jazz and Latin rhythms that's totally great, and played by an all-star array of players conducted by Al Cohn! Side one of the record features the extended "Aztec Suite" – an ambitious number that begins with modern moments that are somewhere in a space between Stan Kenton and Ralph Burns' experiments of this nature, but which always has Farmer's trumpet as the center focus. Side two features tracks that are a bit more conventional Latin jazz – still played by the bigger group, but with an even stronger sense of swing! Titles include "Aztec Suite", "Heat Wave", "Drume Negrita", "Alone Together", "Woody N You", and "Delirio". LP, Vinyl record album

Doin Allright? Dexter's doing great on this one – working with that fully mature Blue Note sound of his – a rich approach to soloing that keeps the tracks cooking with excitement! The group on the set's an all-star lineup that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Al Harewood on drums – and the tunes are a great blend of soulful rhythms and bop improvisation – heard especially well on the album's landmark tune "Society Red"! All tracks are great, though – and other titles include "You've Changed", "For Regulars Only", and "I Was Doing All Right". LP, Vinyl record album

Doin Allright? Dexter's doing great on this one – working with that fully mature Blue Note sound of his – a rich approach to soloing that keeps the tracks cooking with excitement! The group on the set's an all-star lineup that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Al Harewood on drums – and the tunes are a great blend of soulful rhythms and bop improvisation – heard especially well on the album's landmark tune "Society Red"! All tracks are great, though – and other titles include "You've Changed", "For Regulars Only", and "I Was Doing All Right". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer concert all the way through – and a great showcase for the CTI sound! Although the genius of the CTI label might be often thought of in a studio format – especially since the Creed Taylor Influence on the label is what really turned the sound into something wonderful – this live set from 1971 shows that the label's players, with the right frame of mind, can easily get into the CTI groove in any setting – soaring out in a magical blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation, really stretching out on some killer long tracks! The group's a great all-star one – with organ and electric piano by Johnny Hammond, guitar by George Benson, flute by Hubert Laws, trumpet by Freddie Hubbard, tenor by Stanley Turrentine, and percussion by Airto – and all tracks are long, and very free-flowing. Titles include "Red Clay", "Sugar", "Blues West", "Leaving West", and "Fire & Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A great document of an early all-star jazz concert – recorded at Town Hall by a young Bob Shad – who's clearly working here in the same live territory as producer Norman Granz! There's a great sense of variety going on here – and the record's maybe worth it alone for an excellent performance by a trio with Gene Krupa on drums and Charlie Ventura on tenor – with only piano, and no other instrumentation – a great mode for both players! The album also features work from a quintet led by pianist Teddy Wilson with Flip Phillips on tenor – on the tune "Sweet & Lovely"; a trio with Billy Taylor on piano and Stuff Smith on violin, on "Perdido"; a fantastic duet between Don Byas' tenor and Slam Stewart's bass on "I Got Rhythm"; and a Red Norvo group with Shorty Rogers on trumpet and Flip Phillips on tenor, on the tunes "The Man I Love" and "One Note Jive". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collection of live work from Gerry's early 60s Concert Jazz Band – a really forward-thinking large group that was one of Mulligan's greatest accomplishments of the time! In some ways, the ensemble worked in a sound that was like that of Mulligan's small group recordings of the 50s – with the horns moving around in free space, interacting beautifully in a fresh, modern, unfettered style. Gerry himself plays a bit of piano on the session, but most of the strength of the set is from the horn interplay from the larger group – from players that include Gene Quill, Bob Brookmeyer, Nick Travis, Gene Allen, Conte Candoli, and star soloist Zoot Sims. Material was recorded on a European tour of the time – and titles include "Go Home", "Barbara's Theme", I Want To Live", "Red Door", and "Apple Core". LP, Vinyl record album

2 albums on 1 CD – and a package that not only features great work from leader Lennie Neihaus, but also some great tenor from Bill Perkins too! On the first album Lennie swings, but he keeps it cool too – as this rare Mercury set steps off of the same octet energy Niehaus brought to his better-known sides for Contemporary in the mid 50s! The players here are a bit lesser known than some of Niehaus' other all-star groups – with Ken Shroyer on trombone, Ed Leddy on trumpet, and Steve Perlow on baritone – alongside some nicely searing tenor from Bill Perkins, whose presence always makes a set like this sparkle! Lou Levy plays piano and Red Kelly is on bass – and titles include "Soon", "Little Girl Blues", "P & L", "Four Eleven West", "He Ain't Got Rhythm", "Kiss Me & Kill Me With Love", and "I See Your Face Before Me". The second half of the CD drops out Lennie Niehaus entirely, and features the album Bill Perkins Live On Stage – originally recorded for Pacific Jazz in 1956, and featuring Niehaus arrangements on 2 tracks. The group includes Perkins on tenor, Bud Shank on alto, Jack Nimitz on baritone, Stu Williamson on trumpet, Carl Fontana on trombone, Russ Freeman on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. The live setting takes nothing away from the perfection of the group's conception, as Perkins' leadership is impeccable, bringing together the horns in a beautiful wash of sound. Titles include "Let Me See", "Zing Zang", "For Dancers Only", "One Hundred Years From Today", "Song Of The Islands", and "As They Reveled". CD

A late 50s album that issues some killer combo material by Bird! One half of the album features work by a group that includes Red Rodney, John Lewis, Ray Brown, and Kenny Clarke – and the other features Parker with Miles Davis, Walter Bishop Jr, Max Roach, and Teddy Kotick. Tracks are short, and include some classics – and the album includes alternate takes of 4 numbers. Titles include "Si Si", "Swedish Schnapps", "Back Home Blues", "Lover Man", "Au Privave", "She Rote", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

We've always loved the way that Cedar Walton kept maturing in his style over the years – and this 80s album is a wonderful example of the way he really took off during his third decade in jazz! At one level, the tunes are very simple and basic – familiar trio settings, with David Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – but Walton manages to work this subtle magic on the tunes as the album moves on – some hip undercurrents of soul, warmly flowing lyricism, and fresh ideas that make even the better-known cuts stand out from other readings. Higgins' drums help a lot to this end – always shifting up underneath the piano – almost with their own sense of melody at times – and the round, warm tones of David Williams certainly help ground the album nicely too. Titles include the Walton numbers "Ground Work", "Fantasy In D", "Theme For Red", and Another Star" – plus versions of "Once I Loved" and "Girl Talk From Harlow". CD

We've always loved the way that Cedar Walton kept maturing in his style over the years – and this 80s album is a wonderful example of the way he really took off during his third decade in jazz! At one level, the tunes are very simple and basic – familiar trio settings, with David Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – but Walton manages to work this subtle magic on the tunes as the album moves on – some hip undercurrents of soul, warmly flowing lyricism, and fresh ideas that make even the better-known cuts stand out from other readings. Higgins' drums help a lot to this end – always shifting up underneath the piano – almost with their own sense of melody at times – and the round, warm tones of David Williams certainly help ground the album nicely too. Titles include the Walton numbers "Ground Work", "Fantasy In D", "Theme For Red", and Another Star" – plus versions of "Once I Loved" and "Girl Talk From Harlow". CD

Bobby Watson is definitely back home here – really re-rooted in the kind of greatness he was giving us on record many years back, at a level that's come back strongly in recent years – thanks to a top-shelf release like this! As you'll note on the cover, Bobby's got his key early musical partner in place – bassist Curtis Lundy, with whom he cut some of his finest in the 80s – and the alto giant's also got some other wonderful bandmates in the lineup – especially trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, whose upbeat tone and way of reaching up with his sound really matches the positivity in Watson's horn. Other players include the great Cyrus Chestnut on piano and Victor Jones on drums – and Carmen Lundy, makes a very welcome vocal return on the title "Our Love Remains". Other tracks include the Watson originals "Side Steps", "Bon Voyage", "Back Home In Kansas City", and "Blues For Alto" – and other tunes include "Red Bank Heist", "Mind Wine", "The Star In The East", and "Dear Lord". CD

Classic spiritual soul jazz from Pharoah – recorded with an all star lineup that includes Lonnie Liston Smith, Cecil McBee, Roy Haynes, and Michael White. The album's got a strong influence from the members on the set – particularly Lonnie Liston Smith, who seems to bring in a very nicely soulful approach to a few of the numbers, and Michael White, whose spiritual consciousness is still a bit rough-hewn and personal at this point. The record oddly shifts mood from track to track – going from the mellow soul of "Astral Traveling", into the loud free jazz of "Red Black & Green", to the modal grooving of "Thembi", and into the spiritual joy of "Love" and "Bailophone Dance" – all of which makes for a really wonderful album, one of Pharoah's strongest statements of the time! CD

Classic spiritual soul jazz from Pharoah – recorded with an all star lineup that includes Lonnie Liston Smith, Cecil McBee, Roy Haynes, and Michael White. The album's got a strong influence from the members on the set – particularly Lonnie Liston Smith, who seems to bring in a very nicely soulful approach to a few of the numbers, and Michael White, whose spiritual consciousness is still a bit rough-hewn and personal at this point. The record oddly shifts mood from track to track – going from the mellow soul of "Astral Traveling", into the loud free jazz of "Red Black & Green", to the modal grooving of "Thembi", and into the spiritual joy of "Love" and "Bailophone Dance" – all of which makes for a really wonderful album, one of Pharoah's strongest statements of the time! LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most important work ever recorded by Randy Weston – 5 early albums that really pushed the boundaries of modern jazz! First up on the set is Little Niles – a fantastic set that features some of Weston's best early compositions – angular and Monk-ish numbers, but with a profound influence from African rhythms. Next up is Live At The Five Spot – a really compelling live set that features Randy working out Little Niles-ish numbers with a live group that includes Kenny Dorham and Coleman Hawkins. After that is Piano A La Mode – a sublimely simple album of mellow piano tracks – followed by a series of previously unissued tracks done with a quartet that includes Roy Haynes, Cecil Payne, and Ron Carter. Following that are some of Randy's most Afro-centric albums – very unique for the time, and equally powerful today – the records Uhuru Afrika and Highlife – both of which feature larger groups working through some distinctly African ideas in jazz. Nearly every record features arrangements by Melba Liston – and if you've ever wondered where to start with Randy, this is it – because the set encapsulates nearly all of the biggest contributions he ever made to jazz! 40 titles in all – with tunes that include "Little Niles", "Nice Ice", "Earth Birth", "Gingerbread", "Saucer Eyes", "204", "CB Blues", "Where", "Fe Double U Blues", "African Lady", "Bantu", "Kucheza Blues", "Blues To Africa", and "Congolese Children". CD

A landmark concert from the mid 80s – one held to honor the resurrection of the Blue Note label, featuring a wealth of some of the best players for the label – from the 80s back to the 50s bebop years. This is the third of 4 LPs, issued both separately and in a box set format. This volume features an all-star line-up with Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Johnny Griffin, Curtis Fuller, Walter Davis Jr., Jimmy Smith, Stanley Turrentine, Lou Donaldson, Kenny Burrell, Reggie Workman, Grady Tate, and Grover Washington Jr. Tracks include "Moanin'", "A Child Is Born", "The Jumpin' Blues", "Summertime", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "Medley: Blues Walk/Getting' Sentimental Over You". CD

A great collection of bop sides from 40s LA – tracks that ostensibly feature Cole on piano, jamming with Lester Young on tenor and Red Callender on bass! Oddly, no other players are listed in the notes – even though there's clearly a drummer and trumpeter on the session – so it's a bit hard to date the material, or figure out the actual source of the work. But we can say that Young's tone alone is more than worth the price of admission – beautifully firm and strong – blown in a way that rivals his best early performances for Verve, but perhaps even with a bit more grit and soul. Titles include "SM Blues", "Jammin With Lester", "Can't Get Started", "Body & Soul", and "Indiana". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent double-length album that brings together a full session of material by John Coltrane – titles that were initially scattered over a number of different albums, but finally brought back together for this package! The album features Coltrane blowing in a quintet with trumpeter Wilbur Harden – making the set a nice counterpart to the Harden/Coltrane work at Savoy – but done here in a style that's more fully spacious, in keeping with Trane's Prestige work as a leader. Rhythm is by the trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and tracks were originally issued on the albums Stardust, Standard Coltrane, and Bahia. 8 titles in all – including "I'll Get By", "Don't Take Your Love From Me", "Stardust", "Invitation", "Love Thy Neighbor", and "My Ideal". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge step forward for the mighty, expansive Exploding Star Orchestra – having recruited free jazz trumpet titan Bill Dixon as a band member and featured composer, if not the de facto leader – on this incredible second album for Thrill Jockey! The previous Exploding Star Orchestra set balanced a fiery, unpredictable intensity with a 70s style pulp soundtrack groove – while this one has more delicate and sublime moments at the outer edges, while ratcheting up the intensity all the more when the spirit hits! The group is made up of mainstays from the genre defiant Chicago scene – with group harbinger Rob Mazurek on coronet, Nicole Mitchell on flute, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jeff Parker guitar, Jim Baker on piano, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes and tubular bells, Matthew Lux on bass, Jon Herndon on drums, Damon Lock with a spoken text read, and others. Heavy, spacious and truly beautiful! Titles include 3 long pieces that add up to over an hour all together, with the Dixon compositions "Entrances/One" and "Entrances/Two", and the killer centerpiece "Constellations For Innerdelight (For Bill Dixon)" composed by Rob Mazurek. CD

An even more amazing record than the previous outing from Petter Eldh and his Koma Saxo ensemble – a set that adds in a bit of vocals from Sofia Jernberg, and really has the group pushing their sound to a whole new level! The music is jazz at the start, but is quickly concerned with all these other sonic possibilities – as Eldh adds in samples and piano next to his own bass, in a lineup that mixes cello, violin, and a range of saxes with some nicely jagged drums – the last of which create rhythms that are unsettling, while the music itself is still tuneful – especially at moments when Kit Downes brings in some piano solos to the work. Titles include "Ostron Accordion", "Kippan Granit", "Koma Rail", "Narhet", "Clos Eko", "Lo Ve Ko Ma", "Croydon Koma", and "Flamman". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked album that's one of Stan Getz's best from the 70s! The record features Stan reunited with Chick Corea, whose warm lyricism was the lynchpin in Getz's landmark Sweet Rain – the stunning session from 1968 that is perhaps our favorite-ever Getz album. Corea plays electric piano here, but with none of the indulgence that he was lapsing into at the time. His blocky chords stake out a stark new territory, into which Getz solos beautifully, into a range yet untapped at that time in his career. Tony Williams augments the group on drums, giving the whole thing a sense of freedom, but also a nice tight swing. Tracks include "La Fiesta", "Five Hundred Miles High", "Times Lie", and "Day Waves". Great stuff – and expanded here with the new track "Crystal Silence", plus bonus alternates of "Five Hundred Miles High" and "Captain Marvel". CD

Early genius from the legendary pianist Hasaan – an artist most people know for his famous Atlantic album with Max Roach, but who steps out here in a set of earlier material that's completely amazing! The set begins with six trio tracks – performed in a group with Henry Grimes on bass and Kalil Madi on drums – a combo who carve out space that's completely their own, taking some of the 50s modern piano ideas of Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, but letting them loose with even more imagination – yet also avoiding any too-free modes as well. The balance is incredible – on all original titles that include "Viceroy", "Pay Not Play Not", "Off My Back Jack", "Almost Like Me", and "Dinka Street". Next are three long tracks that feature the vocals of Muriel Gilliam (aka Muriel Winston from her Strata East days), singing alongside Hasaan's piano on these really amazing takes on standards – stretched out, and given lots of sharp edges – on takes of "Embraceable You", "Stella By Starlight", and "Body & Soul". Last up are two very long solo tracks – stunningly imaginative versions of "After You've Gone" and "End Of A Love Affair". CD

Early genius from the legendary pianist Hasaan – an artist most people know for his famous Atlantic album with Max Roach, but who steps out here in a set of earlier material that's completely amazing! The set begins with six trio tracks – performed in a group with Henry Grimes on bass and Kalil Madi on drums – a combo who carve out space that's completely their own, taking some of the 50s modern piano ideas of Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, but letting them loose with even more imagination – yet also avoiding any too-free modes as well. The balance is incredible – on all original titles that include "Viceroy", "Pay Not Play Not", "Off My Back Jack", "Almost Like Me", and "Dinka Street". Next are three long tracks that feature the vocals of Muriel Gilliam (aka Muriel Winston from her Strata East days), singing alongside Hasaan's piano on these really amazing takes on standards – stretched out, and given lots of sharp edges – on takes of "Embraceable You", "Stella By Starlight", and "Body & Soul". Last up are two very long solo tracks – stunningly imaginative versions of "After You've Gone" and "End Of A Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout in the early career of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a very unique session that has him working with some larger arrangements in the background – blowing these magical solos over the top, while still hitting a great edge with the rest of the musicians as well! There's a sound here that's unlike anything else we can think of – including other big band trumpet dates of the time – partly because the set features a fair bit of arrangements by Wayne Shorter – a very rare side of his talents, but one that's equally as soulful as his sublime small group albums of the time. The record has an undeniable depth right from the start – magical, mystical, and very soulful – with a group that includes Eric Dolphy and Wayne Shorter on saxes, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Tracks include "Chocolate Shake", "Thermo", "Clarence's Place", and "Aries". CD

One of the most sublime Hubert Laws albums for CTI – a set that features his incredibly soulful flute work floating over these beautiful large arrangements by Don Sebesky – all ticked by some sweet electric piano from Bob James! The sound is perfect – that balance of soul and sophistication that really made CTI a groundbreaking label at this point – and which made it a perfect place for a hip artist like Hubert to really hit his stride! And in fact, Laws may not have ever hit this height again – as even though later albums are all still pretty great, and plenty soulful, this set's got an extra something special that we never tire of hearing! Titles include "No More", "Morning Star", "Let Her Go", and "What Do You Think Of This World Now?" LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". CD

A really mesmerizing performance from a completely fantastic version of Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra – a smaller unit, and one that seems to bring even more focus to Rob's incredible musical vision of the past decade or so! Mazurek has grown tremendously as a player in the 21st Century, and matured into a role as a generous leader who really seems to bring out the best in the musicians he works with – in this case an all-star lineup that features Tomeka Reid on cello and electronics, Angelica Sanchez on Wurlitzer electric piano, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass, Chad Taylor on drums, and Damon Locks on voice, electronics, and text. Locks and Mazurek have an especially strong rapport – especially as Rob vocalizes a bit too – and the performance takes all the spiritual expressions of previous Exploding Star records, refines them down with a new focus, then sends them soaring to the skies! The album features two long tracks – "Equations Of Love In Prismatic Waves Of Color" and "Driftless". CD

A trio of albums from the great David Murray! Ming is beautifully arranged work from David Murray – an important early large group recording, one that really helped point the way to some of his later genius! The session features Murray leading an all-star octet that includes Henry Threadgill on alto, Olu Dara on trumpet, Butch Morris on cornet, George Lewis on trombone, Anthony Davis on piano, Wilbur Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on percussion. Tracks are a very hip set of original compositions that display an incredible range of soulful feeling and expression – and which open a door to a whole new chapter of Murray's career. Titles include "Ming", "Dewey's Circle", "Jasvan", "The Fast Life", and "The Hill". Sacred Ground is a beautifully spiritual set that really reminds us of the promise we first heard in his music decades ago! Murray's working here with a lean, soulful ensemble that includes Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – all in a groove that has plenty of sharp edges, but which is also nicely inside – very focused, and with a sense of depth that's really wonderful! All tracks are originals by Murray – penned with the sensitivity of an older soul jazz recording – and two numbers feature lyrics by Ishmael Reed, sung by Cassandra Wilson on guest vocals. Titles include "Sacred Ground", "Transitions", "Family Reunion", "The Prophet Of Doom", "Believe In Love", and "Banished". Lucky Four is a gentler set than some of David Murray's other US dates from the time – but in a really great way that nicely gets at the more sensitive side of his work on tenor and bass clarinet! There's a bit of a hardbop groove to the album, but also a bit more freedom too – a style that never goes that far out, but which reminds us through subtle cues that most of these players have a longer legacy in more avant-oriented work. The group features Dave Burrell on piano, Wilbur Morris on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums – and Burrell especially echoes a range of influences here – almost pulling from older eras of jazz in the way that Jaki Byard used to – an approach that's often echoed by Murray in his horn. Titles include "Valley Talk", "Chazz", "As I Woke", "Abel's Blissed Out Blues", "Sharing", and "As I Woke". CD

A landmark album – not only for Freddie Redd, but for Jackie McLean, who's the real star of the session! In the early 60s, both Freddie and Jackie played together in a hip New York play called The Connection – working as a part of a live jazz band who were hanging out in an apartment, waiting for their "connection" to bring them some heroin. The music on this set was forged during the course of the play – played live, improvised, but tightly honed into some fantastic tunes over the course of the run – so that by the time Blue Note went to record this set, the whole thing had a razor-sharp intensity that blew away even the best other Blue Note work of the time! Redd wrote all the tracks, and he plays with a dark and fiery edge that we've never heard in his work on other records – superbly matched by McLean's alto, which blows these amazingly precise and soulful notes throughout. Titles include "Who Killed Cock Robin", "Wigglin", "Music Forever", and "O.D." CD

A Chicago group with a really great approach to improvisation – long tracks that seem to build out of a slow pulses of energy between the players – finding their "groove" at the start, letting things flow, then really adding a lot of their own voices to the mix! The main trio features Charlie Kirchen on bass, which is really the core of the sound – plus Ryan Packard on drums and a bit of electronics, and Paul Giallorenzo on electronics, keyboards, and pump organ – the last of which sounds as cool as you might imagine – and which really unlocks the sonic possibilities of the project! The great Ben Lamar Gay appears on side b, the long track "The End" – and his work on cornet really adds a lot of spirit and soul to the cut – a nice break from the others in a really great way. But side a is great too – and features the long improvisation "The Beginning". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Blue Note recordings of trumpeter Dizzy Reece – an amazing West Indian player who made some big waves on the London scene of the late 50s, then came to the US to cut a few key sides! Reece had an approach to the trumpet that shared some of the boldness of his US contemporaries on the hardbop scene, but which also occasionally had a few more exotic touches as well – not just in Dizzy's phrasing, but also in the way he liked to set up a tune – mixing modern and soulful modes together nicely, in a way that made him a perfect match for the Blue Note era that boasted work by Horace Silver and Art Blakey! The 3CD set features Dizzy's three Blue Note albums Blues In Trinity, Star Bright, and Soundin Off – plus material that was unissued at the time, but later appeared on the now-deleted Comin On CD – a real lost treasure of a session that has Dizzy stepping out even more strongly than before. Players include Hank Mobley, Tubby Hayes, Donald Byrd, Art Taylor, Walter Bishop Jr, Stanley Turrentine, Musa Kaleem, and Art Blakey – and titles include "Blues In Trinity", "Color Blind", "Shepherd's Serenade", "Groovesville", "The Rebound", "A Variation On Monk", "Blue Streak", "Ye Olde Blues", "Comin On", "Sands", "Goose Dance", "Achmet", and "The Case Of The Frightened Lover". CD

One of the earliest sets issued under the name of the Lighthouse All-Stars – that hip assemblage of west coast players headed by bassist Howard Rumsey – hardly a household name on his own, but well-remembered for all the great work done at this famous club! The lineup is a who's who of key players on the west coast at the time – Shorty Rogers and Maynard Ferguson on trumpet, Jimmy Giuffre and Bob Cooper on tenor, Hampton Hawes on piano, Milt Bernhart on trombone, and Shelly Manne on drums – and some tracks are a bit longer than usual, offering up freer solo space than you're likely to get on other west coast dates – a key contribution of the All-Stars recording mode. Titles include "Creme De Menthe", "Four Others", "La Sonicalli", "Morgan Davis", "Bernie's Tune", "Viva Zapata", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge book of jazz reviews from the UK – all penned by journalist Chris Searle from the Morning Star – and presented here with a bonus 2CD set of rare material from the UK scene! The CD is really incredible – and is almost worth the price of the package alone – as it features never-issued work that echoes some of the ideas in the book – served up by some of the luminaries we've come to love from the Jazz In Britain label! There's a huge amount of material from various groups led by pianist Chris McGregor – titles that include "New Year Carnival", "Sun Song", "Night Poem", and "Sabendye Baye" – plus more cuts that include "Saalfelden Encore" by Trevor Watts, "Live At The Albert" by Mujician, "Number Three" and "Sixes & Sevens" by John Stevens, "Six Piece Group Improvisation" by Splinters, and "How About You" by Bruce Turner. The book covers more contemporary musicians in UK performances – almost 400 pages of reviews from the Morning Star, on artists who include Susan Alcorn, Denys Baptiste, Fred Frith, Anthony Braxton, Mary Halvorsen, Oliver Lake, Frank Lowe, Myra Melford, Archie Shepp, Henry Grimes, and dozens of others. (Books, Jazz) Book

One of Jimmy Smith's biggest albums of the 60s – and a classic Verve pairing of his lean Hammond organ solos with the fuller, hard-swinging arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is working here at the height of his powers – backing Smith with a large group, but in a way that only seems to free him up to solo even more – pushing the tunes with an undeniable power from the all-star band, as Jimmy takes off on flights of soulful fancy over the top! Side two features some more stripped-down solo work – in the manner of Jimmy's later Blue Note sides – and the set includes the hit single "Walk On The Wild Side", plus the tracks "Bashin", "Step Right Up", and "Beggar For The Blues". CD