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One of the hippest albums that John Lewis ever recorded – and a set that's noteworthy for the presence of two European modernists! Most of the record features Lewis in a wonderful group with trobmonist Albert Mangelsdorff – who gets plenty of space here to play in his stepping, stuttering style – one of the more angular approaches to trombone in the 60s, and a nice contrast to the piano of Lewis. The group shared by both features Karl Theodor Geier on bass and Silvije Glojarnic on drums – and titles include "Animal Dance", "Set Em Up", "Monday In Milan", and "Why Are You Blue". But possibly even better than these sides is the album's one track by the amazing Zagreb Jazz Quartet – a group that features Bosko Petrovic on vibes, in a style that's somewhat inspired by the MJQ, but a fair bit darker too! The group play the wonderful "Ornaments" – awash in blue tones and richly chromatic vibes.

Brilliant sounds from trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff – a rare live set that captures the modern jazz giant at the height of his powers! The set was recorded around the same time as Albert's famous Now Jazz Rammwong record – and it's got a very similar feel, with lots of elements from Eastern and Indian music styles – touches of the exotic intertwined with modal rhythms, soulful solos, and some occasional freer jazz moments! The blend of sounds is completely captivating, and the recording quality is excellent – sharp enough to make the whole thing feel like some lost Saba/MPS gem from these incredibly creative years in German jazz. In addition to Mangelsdorff's trombone, the set also features tenor and soprano sax from Heinz Sauer, alto from Gunter Kronberg, bass from Gunter Lenz, and drums from Ralf Hubner – on titles that include "Sakura Waltz", "Raknahs", "Now Jazz Ramwong", "Oakaka", "Theme From Pather Panchali", "Burungkaka", and "Far Out Far East".

Brilliant modern jazz from German trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff – recording here in 1964, but sounding years ahead of his time, with an amazing a blend of jazz and Asian styles! The album's one of Mangelsdorff's best ever – a set of rhythmic tunes that seem clearly informed by the work of Ornette and Joe Harriott, but also based along eastern themes picked up by the group on a tour of the Orient – and performed by a sharp-edged quintet that includes Heinz Sauer on tenor and soprano sax, Gunter Kronberg on alto, Gunter Lenz on bass, and Ralph Hubner on drums. There's some nice traces of MPS/Saba modal and Jazz Meets the World styles – and overall, the rhythmic pulse keeps things from getting as free and out as on Mangelsdorff's 70s sides – really soaring, but never too far out – and always with a cool exotic groove. The whole thing's great – instantly striking, and always a treasure – and titles include "Sakura Waltz", "Now Jazz Ramwong", "Raknash", "Theme From Vietnam", and "Burungkaka".

One of a pair of great late 70s European dates from Japanese percussion master Masahiko Togashi – and a set that features some especially striking trombone from the legendary Albert Mangelsdorff! Given Albert's previous experiments in free, open-ended groups – his talents here are perfectly suited for the spontaneous nature of the set – awash in inventive passages from Togashi on the drums and other percussion, yet also filled with a sense of soul at times too – one that Mangelsdorff really responds to beautifully, showing his ability to step outside and inside at a moment's notice. Other players include Takashi Kako on piano and JF Jenny Clark on bass – and titles include "Snow", "Ballad", "Crystal", "Orange", and "Acting".

A tremendous collection of work from Inge Brandenburg – a German jazz singer who never made it big on our side of the Atlantic, but who cut some excellent English language recordings in the 50s and 60s! The package features a great range of tunes from Inge – pulled together to accompany a recent documentary that's helped folks rediscover her music – with work from a variety of different labels, and an especially strong focus on tracks from the late 50s and early 60s! The style is tight jazz throughout – spurred on by players who include Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Joki Freund on tenor, and Herb Geller on alto sax – plus many others who make the small group recordings on the record really shine. Titles include "The Lonesome Road", "Body & Soul", "All Of Me", "Love For Sale", "Temptation", "Secret Love", "The Man I Love", "The Face Of Love", "Skylark", "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", and "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien".,

Rare work from female pianist Jutta Hipp – an artist who's probably known to most for her Blue Note sessions of the 50s, but who's heard here on some German recordings from younger years! Most of the material is live, but well-recorded – and even at this point, Hipp's touch on the piano is sublime – very fluid, yet focused and hard-swinging too – at a level that made her one of the best hardbop pianists on the European scene of the postwar years. Other players on these tracks include Hans Koller on tenor on four tracks, Joki Freund on tenor on two more – plus a bit of guitar from Atilla Zoller and some trombone from Albert Mangelsdorff. Titles include "Serpentinen", "You Go To My Head", "Sound Koller", "Daily Double", "Gone With The Wind", "Erroll's Bounce", "Blues After Hours", and "What Is This Thing Called Love".

Sweet soulful fusion from guitarist Volker Kriegel – a player who's definitely tighter here than in his more psychedelic days – but who still has a wonderful sense of sound, space, and timing! The record features some great tones from Volker – sliding along with this slight undercurrent of spaciness, in a lineup that features keyboards from Rainer Brunighaus, trombone from Albert Mangelsdorff, and acoustic guitar, drums, and some mighty nice percussion! Players shift a bit throughout the session, giving the record a nice depth of flavors and colors – really fleshed out in a nice way that goes way beyond the usual fusion outing of the time. Titles include "Bahia Next Year", "Tribut", "Let's Say Windmill", "Saturnalia", "Circus Gambet", "Hallo Albert", and "Sister Matic".

One of the few solo albums ever cut by trombonist Paul Rutherford – an important talent on the British jazz scene of the 70s, and every bit as creative a player on his instrument as Albert Mangelsdorff or George Lewis! Like those players, Rutherford has a freely inventive quality that unlocks unexplored sounds in the trombone – but not in a way that's gimmicky or showy, which would be easy on the instrument – and instead possessed with a gentle soul and really coherent vision – heard wonderfully here in a spare solo setting, which gives Paul a lot more exposure than some of the larger group recordings in which he was a key participant in the earlier part of the decade. Titles are all live solo performances, and include "Noita Neila", "Esuni Setag", "Lonescariso", "Osirac Snol", and "Er Player Blues Now". CD features the bonus track "The Funny Side Of Discreet".

The cream of modern jazz in Germany during the postwar years – the kind of amazing music that never made it over to our side of the Atlantic, but which was really marking some great jazz development on the European scene of the time! As Germany picked itself up from the ashes of the war, it also experienced an amazing cultural rebirth – in film, literature, and especially music – music like this, which bursts forth with a freshness and urgency that still sounds as creatively compelling here in the 21st Century as it did back at the end of the 50s! The vibe is very much a precursor to better-known sounds from the Saba/MPS scene, and many of these artists later recorded for that label too – but here, the work is nicely early, and pretty darn great – a selection of titles that includes "Domicile" by Joki Freund & Albert Mangelsdorff, "Minority" by Michael Naura, "Lover Man" by Inge Brandenberg, "Night Bounce" by Attila Zoller, "Ease It" by Albert Mangelsdorff, "Madam B" by Die Deutschen All Stars, "Mike's Blues" by Michael Naura, and "Meeting At The Barberina" by Horst Jankowski & Rolf Kuhn.

German jazz gems from the 60s – an amazing collection of rare work from the Rhineland scene – non of which we've ever heard before! The package is even sharper than the first volume in the series – and features some of the best German jazzmen of the time, working in styles that draw heavily from hardbop and modal jazz, but which are already beginning to take off strongly in the unique modes that would flourish strongly in the MPS/Saba years to come! Things are soulful, but swinging – modern, but pretty darn groovy too – a wonderful balance that makes these years a perfect time in German jazz – a moment when the scene was really finding its own groove, yet not getting too full of themselves either. Titles include "Many's Waltz" by Manfred Welsandt Trio, "Beat Bop" by Ingfried Hoffmann Big Band, "Nica's Dream" by Albert Mangelsdorff, "St Tropez Waltz" by Modern Jazz Crew Stuttgart, "Minor Conversation" by Hans Koller Septett, "Summertime" by Fritz Harschuh, "That Double Thing" by Harald Eckstein Sextett, and "Din A Bop" by Albert Mangelsdorff Jazztett.

Rare work from female pianist Jutta Hipp – an artist who's probably known to most for her Blue Note sessions of the 50s, but who's heard here on some German recordings from younger years! Most of the material is live, but well-recorded – and even at this point, Hipp's touch on the piano is sublime – very fluid, yet focused and hard-swinging too – at a level that made her one of the best hardbop pianists on the European scene of the postwar years. Other players on these tracks include Hans Koller on tenor on four tracks, Joki Freund on tenor on two more – plus a bit of guitar from Atilla Zoller and some trombone from Albert Mangelsdorff. Titles include "Serpentinen", "You Go To My Head", "Sound Koller", "Daily Double", "Gone With The Wind", "Erroll's Bounce", "Blues After Hours", and "What Is This Thing Called Love".

An incredible document of the growth of the European jazz scene in the postwar years – a set recorded in Berlin, but featuring a host of the best players from all over the continent! The mix of musicians here is wonderful – similar to some of the great boder-crossing experiments from Saba/MPS a few years later – but still wonderfully fresh in this setting – as modern jazz giants from the other side of the Atlantic come together with amazing clarity of sound – and a host of fresh ideas that really set them apart from their contemporaries in the US! The set features a driving take on "Haitian Fight Song" with Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, Arne Domnerus on alto, Hans Koller on tenor, and both Martial Solal and Tete Montoliu on piano. Other numbers include a version of "Am I Blue" with vocals by Monica Zetterlund, "Blue Monk" by a Montoliu trio, "Hittin The Blues" with vibes by Fats Said and guitar from Franco Cerri, "Gone With The Wind" with Arne Domernus on alto and Ronnie Ross on baritone, "3 + 3" with Domerus and ross – plus Koller on tenor and Cerri on guitar, and "Avertissez-Moi" by a larger group with Martial Solal on piano, Koller on tenor, Domerus on alto, Goykovich on trumpet, and Sadi on vibes!

A brilliant recording from this seminal group – recorded by Conny Plank in his famous studio – and featuring Manfred Schoof and Kenny Wheeler on trumpets, Peter Brotzmann and Evan Parker on tenor, Gunter Christmann and Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, and Alexander Von Schlippenbach on accordion!

German jazz gems from the 60s – an amazing collection of rare work from the Rhineland scene – non of which we've ever heard before! The package is even sharper than the first volume in the series – and features some of the best German jazzmen of the time, working in styles that draw heavily from hardbop and modal jazz, but which are already beginning to take off strongly in the unique modes that would flourish strongly in the MPS/Saba years to come! Things are soulful, but swinging – modern, but pretty darn groovy too – a wonderful balance that makes these years a perfect time in German jazz – a moment when the scene was really finding its own groove, yet not getting too full of themselves either. Titles include "Many's Waltz" by Manfred Welsandt Trio, "Beat Bop" by Ingfried Hoffmann Big Band, "Nica's Dream" by Albert Mangelsdorff, "St Tropez Waltz" by Modern Jazz Crew Stuttgart, "Minor Conversation" by Hans Koller Septett, "Summertime" by Fritz Harschuh, "That Double Thing" by Harald Eckstein Sextett, and "Din A Bop" by Albert Mangelsdorff Jazztett.