Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet and flugelhorn. CD

Jeremiah Cymeramn and Matt Bauder on clarinets and electronics, Peter Evans on trumpets, and Nate Wooley on trumpet and electronics. CD

Drew Gress on bass and electronics, Tim Berne on alto saxophone, Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Craig Taborn on piano, and Tom Rainey on drums. CD

Missouri has never sounded so beautiful before – and, in some ways, maybe neither have guitarist Pat Metheny and bassist Charlie Haden! The album's a real standout for both musicians during this time in their career – almost a back to basics with the kind of sound that they really put forth in the 70s, especially on ECM – with these subtle, simple, almost painterly progressions that are completely mesmerizing – even though they always understate their presence. Tunes are from a variety of sources – and include great reworkings of "Cinema Paradiso", "Two For The Road", "The Moon Song", "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress", and "Precious Jewel" – plus the originals "Waltz For Ruth", "Our Spanish Love Song", "First Song", "Message To A Friend", and "Tears Of Rain". CD

Charles Pillow on alto saxophone, clarinet, piccolo flute, and flute, Steve Wilson on alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, and flute, Scott Robinson on baritone saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet, George Flynn on bass trombone and contrabass, Donny McCaslin on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Rich Perry on tenor saxophone and flute, Keith O'Quinn, Marshall Gilkes, and Ryan Keberle on trombone, Ingrid Jensen, Jason Carder, Laurie Frink, and Tony Kadleck on trumpet and flugelhorn, Gary Versace on accordion, Frank Kimbrough on piano, Ben Monder on guitar, Gonzalo Grau and Jon Wikan on cajon, handclaps, and percussion, Jay Anderson on bass, Clarence Penn on drums, with vocals from Luciana Souza. CD

Thmoas Chapin on saxophones and flutes, Mario Pavone on bass, and Michael Sarin on percussion. CD

Features Henry Johnson on guitar, Michael Logan on keys, Chuck Webb on bass, and Art Porter on alto. CD

British alto player Ronan Perrett works here with great help from bassist Ferg Ireland – in a bold trio setting that's very much in the same spirit as Ferg's recordings in the same format! The group also has Ferg's drummer, James Maddren, and there's a nicely choppy sense of rhythm to the tunes – which are then given these more complex, swirling lines over the top from Perrett's alto – blowing with a nice shift in sonic quality from track to track, at a level that really brings some depth to the record! The whole thing's a nice chapter in the contemporary London scene – with the sort of lean energy we love in a group like Ill Considered – on titles that include "Who Owns The Sky", "All The Time Engaged In Fantasy", "Phantoms", "Snapperjacks", "The Rest Is Silence", and "Ten Futures". CD

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Smooth later work from Lonnie Smith – but still pretty darn great, with a feel that's in the late 70s Kudu/CTI mode! Arrangements are bigger than ever before – with large backings arranged by Lonnie, and some vocals that have a really wonderful, warm, Stevie Wonder-esque quality to them. The best tracks groove along at a nice midtempo pace, with strong work on keyboards by Lonnie, and a warm, dreamy, soulful quality that's quite different from his Blue Note work, but equally pleasing in another sort of way. Titles include "What's Done Is Done", "I Need Your Love", "Sweet Honey Wine", "My Latin Sky", and "Journey To Within". CD

Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz – music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary – and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip late 60s soul jazz group of Max Roach – and Bartz's playing at the time is a perfect model of mid-Coltrane searching with some of the tighter sides of soul jazz that were being forged at labels like Blue Note by players like Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan. The record's a masterpiece of youthful soulful energy – and the group includes Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, Albert Dailey on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums, all players who are perfectly matched to fit Bartz's stridently creative vision. His solos on alto are impeccable – some of the most meaningful we've ever heard on the instrument from the time – and the album's a great one all the way through! Titles include "Air & Fire", "Eastern Blues", "Libra", "Freedom Of The Day", and "Cabin In The Sky". Another Earth is amazing too – one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut – done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell, Freddy Waits, Charles Tolliver, Pharoah Sanders, and Reggie Workman – and the music sounds like it was lifted from one of the best albums on Strata East from the 70s. There's no funk, no vocals, no weird rhythms – just pure spiritual jazz, played to perfection, and filled with a creative vitality that most of the players had lost a few years later. Tracks include the album-side "Another Earth", plus "Dark Nebula", "UFO", and "Perihelion & Aphelion". Note: CD omits the track "Disjunction" from Libra – due to space restrictions. CD

A landmark album – Donald Byrd's first session with producer Larry Mizell, the man who went onto forever change the face of jazz funk! After rumbling around for a few years attempting electric styles that really didn't fit his mode, Donald wisely hooked up with Larry, and hit a groove here that would carry him for many many years. The album's a masterpiece of soul – heavy production with great keyboards, creating a nice set of grooves that let Byrd solo over the top, sounding better than he had in years! Great all the way through, and with tracks that include "Flight Time", "Sky High", "Black Byrd", "Slop Jar Blues", "Mr Thomas", and the prophetically-titled "Where Are We Going?" CD

Not just a "revisited" session in the usual mode – but instead, maybe an important second chapter in this really wonderful project – as the material here is all from the original sessions for the album, and works together beautifully here as a full length set! As before, the lineup is fantastic – led by pianist Greg Spero, and overflowing with hip talents who include Jeff Parker on guitar, Makaya McCraven on drums, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and Joel Ross on vibes – players who work alongside the bass of Darryl Jones on all numbers, who really helps set the tone for the record. Most players are on every single number, save for Ross – and rather than ape the groove of the others' work as leaders, there's a very fresh, inventive Chicago vibe going on here – on titles that include "In The Sky", "Hope Or Less", "Beauty", "Like Him", "Russian", and "Twinkles". CD

A trio of funky electric albums from Stanley Clarke's mid 80s R&B years – 1984's Time Exposure, ''85's Find Out and '86's Hideaway – in a 2CD set! Time Exposure has a lot of 80s electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout. Titles include "Play The Bass '10", "Heaven Sent You", "Speedball", "Future Shock" and the great title track. Find Out follows somewhat similar territory, an 80s synth funky set with a few surprising twists – including an electro/funk/old school rap cover of "Born In The USA"! Other tracks include "Find Out", "The Sky's The Limit", "Stereotypica" and "Psychedelic". Hideaway makes a move towards more delicate synth soul for Clarke – who assembles an impressive guest list that includes Stanley Jordan, Herbie Hancock and Stewart Copeland. Titles include a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed", plus "My Love, Her Inspiration", "Where Do We Go", "Old Friends" and "When It's Cold Outside". CD

Electric piano genius from this legendary French group of the 70s – served up here in a set of tracks that were only issued as 7" singles, plus a few other rare gems too! Cortex are maybe best known for their landmark Rhodes album Troupeau Bleu – a classic that stands up next to famous 70s work by Placebo and Marc Moulin – but these singles are equally great, and show the group really moving their sound into a range of different modes! Some tracks have a slight touch of soulful vocals, others are instrumental with a groove that rivals the best of CTI – and throughout it all, there's a strong focus on the kind of keyboard work that has always really made us love these guys. Titles include "Stevie", "Californie", "Les Oiseux Morts", "Mary & Jeff (Fender Rhodes version 77)", "Moanin", "The Sky Is Grey I'm So Blue", and "Les Oiseux Morts (alt take 76)". CD

One of the last records that Booker Ervin ever recorded, and one of the best! There's a depth of tone and conception here that goes far beyond even Ervin's already-great albums for Prestige – a mix of modernism and soulful expression that really points the way towards jazz expression in the 70s – although sadly, Booker was to leave the planet before getting a chance to stretch out in that era. All 6 tracks on the album are originals – and they sparkle with the imagination found on some of the most top-shelf Blue Notes of the time – work by Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, or Wayne Shorter – played by a group that includes the amazing Richard Williams on trumpet (almost worth the price of the record alone), Bobby Few on piano, Lenny McBrowne on drums, and the little-known Cevera Jefferies on bass. Loads of dark edges, searing solos, and plenty of free flights into the sky – on titles that include "The In Between", "Tyra", "The Muse", "Mour", "Sweet Pea", and "Largo". CD

Mighty nice live work from trumpet legend Freddie Hubbard – a concert recorded right in the middle of his 70s electric years on CTI, and done with these long tracks that have Freddie stretching out even more than on his studio albums for the label! The excellent group features George Cables on Fender Rhodes – really soaring out on the tracks, and inflecting the whole thing with a tremendous amount of soul – definitely matched by Hubbard's trumpet, which always has this really special way of reaching all these new heights during a live performance like this. Junior Cook is in the quintet blowing tenor – also sounding hipper than usual – and the rest of the lineup features Kent Brinkley on bass, and Ralph Perland on drums and percussion. Titles include an 18 minute take on "Sky Dive", a 25 minute version of "Spirits Of Trane", a 17 minute reading of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", and an 11 minute version of "Here's that Rainy Day". CD

Three beautiful ECM albums from pianist Steve Kuhn – each quite different and wonderful in their own way! First up is Motility, a spacious set done with Steve Slagle on alto, soprano sax, and flute – soaring out alongside Kuhn's warmly flowing acoustic piano lines with a great sense of soul – all the lyrical depth and power that we love so much in Steve Kuhn's music during these key years. Other group members include Harvie Swartz on bass and Michael Smith on drums – and at times, the group almost has the well-honed tightness of a fusion group, but plays with an acoustic soul that's even more beautiful. Titles include "The Rain Forest", "Oceans In The Sky", "Catherine", "The Child Is Gone", and "A Danse For One". Next up is Playground, one of Steve Kuhn's amazing collaborations with vocalist Sheila Jordan! Although Kuhn's a pianist at heart, he always seems to have an ear for singers – especially at this time in his career, when both his playing and his compositions gave such new inspiration to a 70s decade of vocal experimentalists. Jordan's definitely at the forefront of that generation, and works here beautifully with Kuhn's piano – in a group that also includes Harvie Swartz on bass and Bob Moses on drums. Most tunes are relatively spare, and build up with a great sort of sensitivity – and titles include "Deep Tango", "The Zoo", "Life's Backward Glance", and "Gentle Thoughts". Last up is Ecstasy, a solo set from Kuhn – recorded in the mid 70s, with an even more careful, thoughtful tone than some of his other albums of the decade! Steve's piano is captured in a warmly intimate setting – somewhat echoey at points, and spinning out with these captivating lines and tones that hold us more hypnotically than other albums of this nature. Titles include "Thoughts Of A Gentleman – The Saga Of Harrison Crabfeathers", "Ulla", "Silver", and "Life's Backward Glance". CD

2CDs worth of previously unissued material! Both records – Cymbals and Crystal Spears – were originally due to be released on Impulse during the same stretch that the label was repackaging older Saturn albums, but were never issued because of all the messed up relations that quickly terminated what should have been a much longer deal. (Some of this is nicely outlined in the good set of notes that go with the set.) Cymbals features 3 tracks that did appear on a Saturn album called Deep Purple, plus 2 titles that were never issued before – and the set features Ra on organ Rocksichord, vibes, and organ – playing very out and raucously with a group that includes Danny Davis, John Gilmore, and Akh Tal Ebah. Crystal Spears is a lot more introspective, and takes us back to earlier years of the Arkestra. Ra's on organ, marimba, mini moog, and vibes – and the rest of the group's playing a variety of horns and percussion. Tracks include "Crystal Spears", "Sunrise In The Western Sky", "The Embassy Of The Living God", "Thoughts Under A Dark Blue Light", and "The Mystery Of Two". CD

Notable sidemen include Stanley Cowell, Stephen Scott, Clifton Anderson, Jerome Harris, Mark Soskin, Mtume, and Jack DeJohnette. Tracks include "Autumn Nocturne", "Mava Mava", "Harlem Boys", "Cabin In The Sky", "Lucky Day", "Someone To Watch Over Me", and "Skylark". CD

John Scofield on guitar – with Joe Lovano on saxophone, Dennis Irwin on bass, Bill Stewart on drums. Tracks are all orginals by Scofield and include "Little Walk", "Big Sky", "Imaginary Theme", and "What They Did". CD

Tracks include "Oceanus", "Blue Sun", "New Moon", "Beneath An Evening Sky", "Prince & The Sage", and "Nimbus". Features work by Jan Garbarek, Eberhard Weber, Kenny Wheeler, and Eddie Gomez. CD

Sweet funky fusion from the Japanese scene at the end of the 70s – work that's all from the mighty Electric Bird label, an imprint who were as important to Japan as CTI/Kudu were in the US! As with that famous pairing of labels, Electric Bird helped artists find a new groove with a sweet electric mode – still very jazz-based, but with just the right influences from soul and funk as well – which helped some players hit a very cool vibe – including a few of American artists too, as Electric Bird were always one for cross-pollination between the scenes! There's an especially strong emphasis on keyboard lines – and titles include "Summer Time" by Yasuaki Shimizu, "Night Life" by Ronnie Foster, "Living In A City" by Toshiyuki Honda, "In The Sky" by Shunzo Ohno, "Let's Get Together" by Mikio Masuda, "Night Breeze" by Bobby Lyle, and "Space Traveler" by Katsutoshi Morizono. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

A tremendous recording from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – done during the same Paris stretch as their Great Black Music classics on the BYG/Actuel label – and a set that easily matches, if not tops, those classics! You can really hear the group finding their own space here – taking some of the free jazz explorations of the Chicago scene in the late 60s, and forging them with an even earthier use of both percussion, and the more offbeat sonic possibilities of their own instruments – often with a sense of surprise that you don't always get from some of their later albums. Titles include the side-long "The Spiritual" – plus "Toro", "Lori Song", and "That The Evening Sky Fell Through the Glass Wall and We Stood Alone Somewhere?" (And they wondered why they never got their songs on the radio!) CD

Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz – music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary – and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip late 60s soul jazz group of Max Roach – and Bartz's playing at the time is a perfect model of mid-Coltrane searching with some of the tighter sides of soul jazz that were being forged at labels like Blue Note by players like Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan. The record's a masterpiece of youthful soulful energy – and the group includes Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, Albert Dailey on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums, all players who are perfectly matched to fit Bartz's stridently creative vision. His solos on alto are impeccable – some of the most meaningful we've ever heard on the instrument from the time – and the album's a great one all the way through! Titles include "Air & Fire", "Eastern Blues", "Libra", "Freedom Of The Day", and "Cabin In The Sky". Another Earth is amazing too – one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut – done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell, Freddy Waits, Charles Tolliver, Pharoah Sanders, and Reggie Workman – and the music sounds like it was lifted from one of the best albums on Strata East from the 70s. There's no funk, no vocals, no weird rhythms – just pure spiritual jazz, played to perfection, and filled with a creative vitality that most of the players had lost a few years later. Tracks include the album-side "Another Earth", plus "Dark Nebula", "UFO", and "Perihelion & Aphelion". Note: CD omits the track "Disjunction" from Libra – due to space restrictions. CD

A record that seemed to open the music of Peter Brotzmann up for a whole new generation of listeners – in part because it features the European legend on an American label that got him some of the widest circulation he'd enjoyed here in years – and also in part because drummer Hamid Drake provides a very different foil for his music! The sound is almost an imaginary 70s meeting between the FMP and loft jazz scenes – with Hamid offering up these beautifully rich tones on standard drums, frame drum, and tablas – while Brotzmann blows tenor, alto, tarogato, and e flat clarinet – often with a sound that's searing, but more soulful than usual too – especially on some of the more spacious, open moments on the record. Titles include "It's An Angel On The Door", "Trees Have Roots In The Earth", "The Uninvited Entertainer", and "Dark Wings Carry Off The Sky". CD

Three groundbreaking albums from this ethereal ECM ensemble – a very hip trio that features Don Cherry, Nana Vasconcelos, and Collin Wolcott – all coming together in a beautiful blend of jazz, world music, and a touch of ECM atmospherics! The instrumentation is quite compelling with Cherry on trumpet, flutes, organ, and doussn'gouni; Vasconcelos on berimbau, cuica, talking drum, and percussion; and Wolcott on sitar, tabla, dulcimer, and percussion – all instruments that are used sparely, often away from their original cultural context, in ways that unlock new sounds and new meanings in the hands of the trio! The record is quite open and airy at points – really resonating in that sweet ECM style of production, which almost seems to build a new sense of majesty out of the simplest acoustic elements. 3CD set features each individual album, plus new notes – and titles include "Like That Of Sky", "Codona", "Mumakata", "Drip Dry", "Walking On Eggs", "Goshakabuchi", "Clicky Clacky", "Trayra Boia", "Lullaby", "Travel By Night", and "Inner Organs". CD

One of the most formative periods of Miles Davis' career, with lots of new ideas taking shape – including Fender Rhodes from Herbie Hancock, guitar from George Benson and Joe Beck, and plenty of great tenor from Wayne Shorter, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Tony Williams! Includes material that appeared on the albums Miles Smiles, ESP, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, Water Babies, Miles In The Sky, and Filles De Kilimanjaro – as well as unreleased tracks, alternates, and material that showed up on Directions and Circle In The Round. CD

A rare set from vibist Walt Dickerson – one of the most compelling jazz musicians to ever lay hold of a set of vibes! The album was originally issued as a Japanese-only session by the Why Not label in the mid 70s, and it features Dickerson playing on 5 tunes that have a slightly different feel than a lot of his other work from the time. First up is "Sky", which features some electric bass work by Jamaaladeen Tacuma, which makes for a more full-on sound than you usually get with Dickerson. Next up is "Awareness", an extremely haunting solo track that features this incredible tone on the vibes. The last three tunes feature a trio with Wilbur Ware on bass and Edgar Leon Bateman on drums – and Ware's bass work brings out a swing in Dickerson's vibes that we rarely ever hear. Titles include "Key Of Wisdom", "Yesterdays", and "I Love You". Essential work for any fan of this enigmatic vibist – and great to have back out again! CD

Back in the 90s, the DKV trio were one of the strongest forces in the Chicago improvising scene – a great group that featured Ken Vandermark on reeds, Kent Kessler on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums – working together with a really boundless sense of energy! This set has the group making a great appearance at the Wels Music Festival in 1998 – stepping out in a way that's a bit different than some of their previous recordings. At the festival, the trio played their incredibly haunting version of Don Cherry's "Complete Communion", drawn out into an extended suite, with the addition of the group's "Memory Sketch", in homage to Cherry. That set is paired here with some material captured on the group's home turf in Chicago – featuring 3 long improvised tracks recorded at Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge. The Chicago material comprises a second disc in this 2CD set, and it includes the titles "Blues For Tomorrow", "Open Door", and "Burning Sky". CD

A beautifully earthy performance – and a set that not only has the three members of the trio on their trademark instruments, but also picking up a wide range of other elements too! Joe Morris is perhaps the most striking here – as in addition to guitar, he also uses banjo, fiddle, bass, banjouke, pocket trumpet, and even a bit of whistles – a sonic sense of variety that's matched by Parker's use of shakuhachi, sintir, n'goni, and thumb piano – all instruments that he plays with the same deeply spiritual currents of his work on bass! Hamid Drake sticks mostly to percussion – a range of drums, cymbals, and gongs – but overall, his performance feels as open and organic as the others – far beyond both standard and free jazz, into a mode that almost works in some ethnographic currents as well. The whole record's as poetic as the title – and tracks include "Profound Branches", "The Sky Was Purple Blue", "Energy Of Patience", "The Rhythm Of Butterflies", "Endless Galaxies", and "Grass Beneath The Cracked Shells". CD

A trio of albums from this great modern piano giant! Progressive is excellent work from pianist Don Friedman – a set that's definitely progressive, but which also has a heck of a lot of warmth too – that fantastic balance of new ideas and lyricism that made Friedman one of the freshest pianists to emerge in the 60s, and which continued strongly through the course of later records like this! The trio features Frank Luther on bass and Billy Hart on drums – both players who can move openly with Friedman, yet keep things swinging too – a balance that's maybe not instantly heard on record – in ways that are better than we could ever hope to put in words. Titles include "Billie's Bounce", "Stella By Starlight", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Moment's Notice", "I Remember You", and "All The Things You Are". Invitation is a set that's filled with standards, but really opened up in that amazing way we've come to expect from the great pianist Don Friedman! The record's maybe a bit down to earth in its overall setting than some of Don's other dates from the 70s, but right from the start, Friedman finds a way to leave his mark on the tunes – working with excellent bass from George Mraz, and drums from Ronnie Bedford – the latter of whom is a great drummer who brings a surprising crackle to the record at times! Titles include great versions of "Invitation" and "Little Boat" – plus "You Go To My Head", "It Could Happen To You", "Gone With The Wind", and "I Can't Get Started". On The Composer, Don Friedman's acting as a composer as well, and is set up in a nicely different setting! The album features a core group with Martin Wind on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums, augmented by a string quartet who bring a wonderful sense of flavor to the music – opening up all the fantastic colors and tones in Don's tunes – almost amplifying his wonderful work on the piano, and never getting in the way of the jazz aspect of the record at all! The feel is very different than a "with strings" session – almost as if there's an extra paintbrush in Friedman's toolbox – and on a few tracks, the group is also joined by the baritone sax of Gary Smulyan, who further deepens the colors of the record. Titles include "Summer's End", "Friday Morning", "Waltz For Marilyn", "Red Sky Waltz", "Delayed Gratification", and "Memory Of Scotty". CD

Fantastic Fender Rhodes from Yusuke Hirado – plus a fair bit of other keyboards too – all delivered in a set that mixes 70s space jazz funk with some great contemporary elements, and in a way that's nicely different than Hirado's work in the group Quasimode! The set's got some old school rhythms, but plenty more moments that soar and take off with very contemporary cosmic energy – very strongly in a jazz perspective overall, but with a strong knowledge of all the other musical changes that have taken place on the hipper scenes around the globe over the past 20 years – woven into classic keyboard sounds that take on a whole new shape in the setting! Titles include "The Kicker", "Early Bird", "Sonar", "Blue Sky", "Circle", "Galaxy Highway", and "Heady Dayz". CD

A stunning reinvention of the music of Charles Mingus – still very much with all the fire and spirit of the great one's original intent – but taken to new territory here in the hands of Frank Lacy! Lacy is every bit the same sort of visionary leader as Mingus – and although he plays a hell of a trombone, he acts here mostly as a singer and director of a sublime large ensemble that features Jack Walrath and Lew Soloff on trumpets, Wayne Escoffery and Craig Handy on tenors, Conrad Herwig and Earl McIntyre on trombones, Ronnie Cuber on baritone, and David Kikoski and Helen Sung on piano. Frank's voice is warmly raspy, and deeply personal – just right for the straining tension that often comes from the best Mingus music – that yearning for expression that continues to make his sound so powerful. Lyrics here are penned by Mingus himself – plus Langston Hughes, Joni Mitchell, and Elvis Costello – and titles include "Weird Nightmare", "Consider Me", "Eclipse", "Chair In The Sky", "Noonlight", "Dry Cleaner From Des Moines", and "Sweet Sucker Dance". CD

Great work by one of the best European organists ever! Eddy Louiss is a massively under-acknowledged talent – a whiz on the Hammond with the soul of Jimmy Smith and John Patton, and the freewheeling vision of Larry Young – and this record is a perfect chance to hear him at his best. The setting is spare – just drums by Kenny Clarke and guitar by Rene Thomas – and Eddy's grooving in an open exploratory style that never forgets to swing, and which reaches towards the sky on some really nice modal lines! Titles include "No Smoking", "Don't Want Nothin", "Nardis", "Blue Tempo", and "You've Changed". CD

One of only a handful of recordings led by Headhunter reedsman Maupin, working here very much in the vein of his spacious work for the ECM label. The tracks here are spare, moody and thoughtful, with Maupin accompanied by Micahl Tokaj on piano, Michael Baranski on bass, Lukasz Zyta on drums and vocalist Hania Chowaniec-Rybka on 2 tracks. 13 numbers in all, with titles that include "Within Reach", "Escondido", "Inside The Shadows", "Ours Again", "The Jewel In The Lotus", "Black Ice", "Not Later Than Now", "Early Reflections", "Inner Sky", "Prophets Motifs" and "Spirits Of The Tatras". CD

A really beautiful collection of rare tracks from Sun Ra – put together by the mighty Gilles Peterson, who we've trusted for years to give us some of the most soulful, cosmic music on this planet! Gilles has a wonderful ear for a certain strand of sounds from Ra and the Arkestra – their more spacey, more spiritual moments – which are strung together in this wicked double-length collection – which also includes a few tracks never issued before! The inside is as beautiful as the cover, and the whole thing's got copious notes on the music – including some track-by-track details that never showed up on some of the original records. 2CD set features 34 tracks in all – with titles that include "When There Is No Sun", "Spontaneous Simplicity", "Love In Outer Space (voc)", "On Jupiter, "We Travel the Spaceways", "Sleeping Beauty", "Mystery Mr Ra", "Blackman", "The All Of Everything", "The World Of Africa", "They Plan To Leave", "Children Of The Sun", "Dreaming", "Black Sky & Blue Moon", "Enlightenment", and "India". CD

Jonathan Schwartz is the son of composer Arthur Schwartz – and on this sparkling late 70s set, he does a surprisingly great job running through tunes penned by his old man! The group's a big part of the strength of the record – as the combo features Harold Mabern both on acoustic and electric piano, Jack Wilkins on guitar, Buster Williams on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – a hip lineup who make the record a bit more than just a simple "songbook" rehash of familiar standards, nicely opening up in a Muse Records 70s mode. Marvin Stamm plays a bit of trumpet and flugelhorn on the record – and titles include "New Sun In The Sky", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Alone Together", "By Myself", "Where Do I Go From You", and "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Warm and wonderful work from Freddie Hubbard – a killer of an album recorded for CTI, and one of his most soulful efforts for the label! The album's got a bit more of a human heart than some of the more cosmic sessions Freddie cut at the time – a bit more contemplative and introspective, but no less open-minded and electrically charged. The assortment of players is all top-shelf – with Billy Cobham, Airto, Lennie White, George Cables, Hubert Laws, and George Benson all backing Freddie up on the set – and titles include a great take on "People Make the World Go Round", plus "Naturally", and "Son of Sky Dive", which grooves just like its papa! CD

Really beautiful sounds from bassist David Wertman – an unsung hero of the late 70s spiritual jazz scene around New England, and one who delivers this gem in close partnership with singer Lynne Meryl! Meryl's got this warm, fluid style that's a lot like the way that some of the better Bay Area groups were using jazz vocals a few years before – a mode inspired by overseas singers like Flora Purim or Urzula Dudziak, but used here alongside soulful instrumentation that draws a lot from the more inside currents of the loft jazz scene! Wertman's bass is at the core, and tremendous throughout – full of fire and force, and sometimes matched with a bit of percussion – a musical force that's handled here more fully by Tony Vacca, who employs a range of instruments – next to piano and prepared piano from Tom McClung, and these strong trombone solos from Tim Atherton – a player who really sends the whole thing over the top with his contributions! Most tracks have a great modal groove – and titles include "Forest Dance", "Camel", "Flute Song", "New Earth", "Sing My Love Song", and "Dance Of The Mideast Madness". This expanded edition brings in more rare cuts from other releases – eight bonus tracks that include "How Come", "Up In The Sky", "Sci Fi Fantasy", "Blessing Of Love", "Golden Light", and "You Are My Love". CD