With Harry James, Nick Buono, Gino Bozzacco, Wiliam Hicks, and Robert Berrenson on trumpets; Tom Padveen and Chuck Anderson on trombones; Houghton Peterson on bass trombone; Quin Davis, Pat Longo, Mel Kunkle, Bob Lawson, and Norman Smith on saxophones; Tommy Todd on piano, Dave Stone on bass, and Les DeMerle on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first-ever recordings of the Chicago AACM scene – and an early set that has Joseph Jarman recording as a leader before founding the groundbreaking Art Ensemble Of Chicago. The group features some seminal Chicago players who are only now getting the credit they deserve in the history of avant garde jazz – trumpeter Billy Brimfield and tenorist Fred Anderson – plus work by the obscure Christopher Gaddy on piano and marimba, as well as the great percussionists Thurman Barker and Steve McCall. Titles include "Little Fox Run", "Adam's Rib", and "Song For" – and the CD also includes a bonus alternate of "Little Fox Run". CD

The album that really broke Jethro Tull out of the prog rock underground and into the mainstream – and a set that showed that the group weren't just a combo with creative use of flute, but a band that could really rock off their ass when they wanted to! Previous records were all pretty great, but there's definitely something special in the air with this one – an extra-amped version of the group that even seems to have Ian Anderson's flute blowing out all stops, and his vocals sounding even more menacing than before! Martin Barre's maybe the real master, though – searing on guitar, and punctuating all of Anderson's efforts with his own mad energy – on titles that include the classic "Aqualung", plus "Wondering Aloud", "Cheap Day Return", "Cross Eyed Mary", "My God", "Slipstream", "Locomotive Breath", "Wind Up", and "Mother Goose". CD

The album that really broke Jethro Tull out of the prog rock underground and into the mainstream – and a set that showed that the group weren't just a combo with creative use of flute, but a band that could really rock off their ass when they wanted to! Previous records were all pretty great, but there's definitely something special in the air with this one – an extra-amped version of the group that even seems to have Ian Anderson's flute blowing out all stops, and his vocals sounding even more menacing than before! Martin Barre's maybe the real master, though – searing on guitar, and punctuating all of Anderson's efforts with his own mad energy – on titles that include the classic "Aqualung", plus "Wondering Aloud", "Cheap Day Return", "Cross Eyed Mary", "My God", "Slipstream", "Locomotive Breath", "Wind Up", and "Mother Goose". LP, Vinyl record album

An early gem from Jethro Tull – and a set that has the group really reaching forth with some of their more complicated, jazz-based musical impulses – while still holding onto some of the rawer power of the early days too! The album's lesser-known than some of the group's earlier hits – which may well make it even fresher all these many years later – a really stunning set of sounds that showcases the newly lyrical sensibility of Ian Anderson – both vocally and on flute – as well as the searing guitar of Martin Barre, which was really becoming a core element of the group at this point. Titles include "For Michael Collins Jefferey & Me", "Inside", "Play In Time", "Sossity You're A Woman", "With You There To Help Me", and "Nothing To Say". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite tunes ever from Jethro Tull – a cool jazzy number that's almost more Herbie Mann or Harold McNair than the usual Tull groove! The bluesy bottom really drops out of the group's sound – and instead a hip bassline sets the tune up nicely for some sweet solo flute, and these catchy lyrics that are some of the most hook-heavy that Ian Anderson's ever sung! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Beautiful early work from Jethro Tull – a formative set that really has the group deepening both their themes and their music! There's still a bit of blues rock at the core – but also some richer, more lyrical modes too – and Ian Anderson does a perfect job of bridging both worlds with his sublime work on flute – an instrument that must have seemed like an odd lead for a rock group at the time, but which is no surprise in the same generation that artists like Herbie Mann and Roland Kirk were making their own hip records – not to mention the great Harold McNair, who was a UK contemporary of Andreson. The whole thing's great – a record that's ripe for rediscovery, and which really gives back year after year – and titles include "A New Day Yesterday", "Back To The Family", "Fat Man", "Reasons For Waiting", "Nothing Is Easy", and the classic instrumental "Bouree". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more. CD

Tremendously beautiful work from one of our favorite-ever artists – performing here in a genre unto itself! We've always loved Seu Jorge's own work – the funky samba tunes and mellower guitar work that have made him one of the most exciting talents from Brazil in recent years – but his performance in Wes Anderson's film The Life Aquatic opened up a whole new side of his talents, an ability to perform in a solo acoustic setting that's even more stripped down than the barest work on his album Cru! In the film, Jorge performs a series of David Bowie tunes translated into Portugese – sung as if they're folksy ballads penned by the singer himself, and done with loads of jazzy inflections that really transform the songs from their original recordings. And while David Bowie doesn't seem too hot on the idea himself (at least according to his "damning with faint praise" quote in the notes), we're really stunned at how beautiful this work is – not a gimmick at all, but really personal, honest interpretations of the tunes that make them Jorge's own through his unique performance. The CD brings together 14 tracks from sessions recorded for the film – many of which were never presented in their entirety on screen, and which were not included at all on the official soundtrack for the movie – which only had 4 Seu Jorge songs in all. Really great stuff throughout – with titles that include "Life On Mars?", "Queen Bitch", "Five Years", "Suffragette City", "When I Live My Dream", "Quicksand", "Oh You Pretty Things", "Changes", and the original "Team Zissou". CD

Vic Juris on guitar, David Liebman on saxophone, Jay Anderson on bass, and Tim Horner on drums. CD

A really cool album from the Japanese scene of the 80s – one that's much more experimental and creative than some of the city pop material of the time – with a shifting style of music that really keeps things interesting! Ryuichi Sakamoto helped with the first track on the set, which also rounds out the end of side one – and there's definitely elements of the YMO-era electro pop on the record, but mixed with more instrumental material that partly echoes the ambient sounds of the era – but also with more experimental material that's sometimes playful, sometimes a bit dark – almost echoing some of the hipper New York downtown experiments of the Laurie Anderson generation. Koharu Kisaragi handles most of the work herself - through a variety of keyboards, samples, and electronics next to her vocals – but there's also some live percussion, piano, bells, and recorder on the record too. Titles include "Neo Plant" in two versions – plus "Paraffin", "Bon Voyage", and "Traumerei". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully unique take on the music of Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman – served up here by a trio that features Kirk Knuffke on cornet, Jay Anderson on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums! The tunes are all classic Cherry or Coleman compositions – but the performance here is very different, with a robust quality that comes not just from the deeper range of the cornet, but also from the bold work on drum and bass – which still keeps things in that rompingly rhythmic mode of the group that Cherry and Coleman had together, but maybe both a bit more open in terms of the groove – and more focused on the one lead solo instrument. Knuffke's really opened up the sound of others in the past – but this record might well be his greatest achievement so far – as you'll hear on titles that include "Roland Alphonso", "The Sphinx", "Jayne", "Song In D", "Mind & Time", "Cherryco", "Golden Heart", "Paris Ambulance Song", and "Angel Voice". LP, Vinyl record album

With Harold Danko on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. CD

Lee Konitz on alto saxophone, Rich Perry on tenor saxophone, Harold Danko on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. CD

An amazing tribute to the music of Peter Kowald – the bassist whose work did a lot to transform the sound of avant jazz on both sides of the Atlantic during the past few decades! The package features a CD and 2DVDs – the latter of which each feature films shot during Kowald's 2000 tour of the US – both mixing live performance with interview material and footage from the trips. Off The Road is the first DVD – and features material from a few locations – and Chicago Improvisations is the second, and features work from the Windy City, with appearances by Ken Vandermark and Fred Anderson. The music on the CD is a great testament to Kowald's mighty powers on the bass – and features him playing in a variety of settings – working with players who include William Parker on bass, Kidd Jordan on tenor, George Lewis on trombone, Eddie Gale on trumpet, and Hamid Drake on drums. A really wonderful package – and well worth the price! CD

A holy grail of funky music – the one and only album ever cut by Marie Queenie Lyons, a heck of a hard soul singer who's best known for her rare funky 45s! The album is stunning – every bit as great as any of Marie's singles, and with an incredibly unified sound that should have made the album an instant soul classic as soon as it was released. Think Marva Whitney, Vicki Anderson, Lyn Collins, and other sock-soul divas – and you've only got part of the picture, as Marie really pushes things over the top, and enjoys some great raw production that really sends the whole thing home! Plus, some of the tracks on the set were written by a young Don Pullen, who supposedly also played on the record – in a rare funky appearance in his pre-avant jazz days. Includes a funky remake of "Fever", plus the cuts "I Don't Want Nobody To Have It But You", "Your Key Don't Fit Anymore", "You Used Me", "Daddy's House", "See & Don't See", "Your Thing Ain't No Good Without My Thing", "I Want My Freedom", and "Try Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The wonderful Raincoats are on the cover this time around, and the issue looks at the way their once-overlooked music has gone on to get the attention it deserved, and keep on having an influence over generations to come! There's lots more too – a very interesting piece that has Terry Riley and Hamid Drake commenting on Don and Moki Cherry, a set of unpublished AC/DC photos from 1977, the duo of guitarists Marisa Anderson and William Tyler, unseen collage art from Jim Jarmusch, an interview with singer/songwriter Tim Rutili, the rebirth of singer Merry Clayton, a cool collection musical artifacts at the Henry Ford Museum, 13 pages from issue #2 of Gary Panter's Jimbo comic, and lots more cool stuff too – the sort of articles that have continued to make Maggot Brain one of the most interesting magazines in recent years! Magazine

Sweet jazzy keys from Mike Mandel – grooving here in a fuller jazz funk mode that's a bit like the best work of the 70s on Kudu Records! The approach is quite nice – with Mike handling all the electrics, and getting solo support from and array of jazzy players who include David Sanborn on alto, Gary Anderson on tenor, Darryl Thompson on guitar, and Wilbur Bascomb and John Lee on bass! The sound's a nice blend of funky and slick – and the album sports a great instrumental cover of Steely Dan's "Peg", as well as the original tunes "As Fine As You Are", "Pyramids", "Elephant & Castle", "Another Kind Of Spring", and "Jupiter Finger". LP, Vinyl record album

Live material from Bob Marley & The Wailers – recorded in an obscure nightclub in our hometown of Chicago during the 70s, and quite a nice change from some of the bigger label releases of the time! The band has a loose, very spontaneous vibe – and there's a nice flow to the longer length of the tracks – served up with instrumentation from Earl Lindon on keyboards and organ, Al Anderson on guitar, Aston Family Man Barrett on bass, and Carlton Barrett on drums – with backing vocals from the I-Threes behind Bob's lead vocals! Titles include "Rebel Music", "Talkin Blues", "Concrete Jungle", "Natty Dread", "I Shot The Sherriff", "Slave Driver", and "Midnight Ravers". LP, Vinyl record album

A breakthrough album from Bob Marley – a set that was recorded equally in Kingston and London, and which has a globe-spanning vibe to match! Marley's star had already been rising by the time of this set – but this album helped cement both his lasting power, and the worldwide influence of the music that Jamaica was bringing forth – served up by a sharp lineup that includes Aston "Family Man" Barrett on bass, Carlton Barrett on drums and percussion, Touter on piano and organ, and Al Anderson on lead guitar – as well as soulful backing from the I-Threes. A good chunk of the record was recorded at Harry J's – not as tightly as some of the later Island Records material – and titles include the classics "Lively Up Yourself", "No Woman No Cry", "Rebel Music", "Natty Dread" and "Talkin' Blues". CD

Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Printup, Riley Mullins, Roger Ingram, Russell Gunn, Ryan Kisor, and Seneca Black on trumpet, Wess Anderson on clarinet, alto and soprano saxophone, James Carter on clarinet, bass clarinet, and baritone saxophone, Victor Goines on clarinet, tenor and soprano saxophone and bass clarinet, Walter Blanding on soprano saxophone, Robert Stewart on tenor saxophone, Ron Westray and Wayne Goodman on trombone, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone and tuba, Michael Ward on violin, Eric Reed on piano, Reginald Veal on bass, and Herlin Riley on drums and tambourine with vocals from Cassandra Wilson, Jon Hendricks, and Miles Griffith. CD

One of the sexiest covers ever to grace a Wynton Marsalis album, but thankfully a record that's still got plenty of real jazz roots – and not the smoother sound you might expect from the image on the front! The group here is Wynton's expanded septet – a combo with Marcus Roberts on piano, Wes Anderson on alto, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, and Todd Williams on tenor, soprano, and clarinet – all in far-reaching modes of jazz expression that often have an imagistic, soundtrack quality – one that echoes years and places past. Wynton plays piano, and also speaks to introduce "Monologue For Sugar Cane & Sweetie Pie" – and other titles include "And The Band Played On", "Brother Veal", "Sometimes It Goes Like That", and "The Jubilee Suite". CD

A nice little take on the "city symphony" mode that was big in American music a few decades back – served up by the Wynton Marsalis Septet of the early 90s, with decidedly modern touches! The double-length album's a three-tiered affair – with part one standing out as Wynton's extended "Cityscape" – a tribute to New York, done in styles that range from mellow and contemplative, to more hustling and bustling, in true speed of the city. Next up is another suite of tracks titled "Transatlantic Echoes" – work that's still jazz-based, but with a nod to African roots in some of the percussion and phrasing. Last up is "Some Present Moments Of The Future" – the final suite of the album, and one that almost echoes some of the rootsier modes explored by Wynton in his southern trilogy of a few years before. Players include Wynton on trumpet, Todd Williams on tenor and soprano sax, Wes Anderson on alto, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Reginald Veal on bass, Herlin Riley on drums, and Eric Reed on piano – and the album also features some guest tenor from Herb Harris and a bit of piano by Marthaniel Roberts. CD

The last chapter in Wynton Marsalis' Soul Gestures trilogy of the early 90s – and like the others, it's a set with its own sort of sound and feeling – another illustration of the many talents of Marsalis at the time! Despite the "levee" reference in the title, the work's hardly the down-home effort you might expect – and instead, the tracks are long, freewheeling numbers played with a bit more soul than some of Wynton's earlier work, yet still a relatively modern sensibility overall. Nobody lets their hair down too much here, but the album's also nicely free of the sort of cliches you might expect from the project – none of the fake Crescent City modes that might hurt the date. Players include Marcus Roberts on piano, Wes Anderson on alto, Todd Williams on tenor and soprano, Reginald Veal on bas, and Herlin Riley on drums. Titles include "Jig's Jig", "Levee Low Moan", "In The House Of Williams", and "Superb Starling". CD

A bit more of a high concept album than some of Wynton Marsalis' previous efforts – a set with a few more added horns on side one, and an extended suite on side two! The work definitely shows Wynton's increasing concern with jazz history – his desire to embrace, and sometimes represent, decades of past musical expression in his work – a real Lincoln Center sort of impulse, but one that still comes off relatively well here, and without as much hoke as you'd expect. Side one has Wynton working with regular pianist Marcus Roberts, plus Todd Williams on tenor and soprano sax and Wes Anderson on alto – and side two features a completely different group, much more in an older-styled jazz vein – with Michael White on clarinet, Danny Barker on banjo, Teddy Riley on trumpet, and Freddie Lonzo on trombone. Titles include "The Majesty Of The Blues", "Hickory Dickory Dock", and the expanded "New Orleans Function" suite. CD

A bit more of a high concept album than some of Wynton Marsalis' previous efforts – a set with a few more added horns on side one, and an extended suite on side two! The work definitely shows Wynton's increasing concern with jazz history – his desire to embrace, and sometimes represent, decades of past musical expression in his work – a real Lincoln Center sort of impulse, but one that still comes off relatively well here, and without as much hoke as you'd expect. Side one has Wynton working with regular pianist Marcus Roberts, plus Todd Williams on tenor and soprano sax and Wes Anderson on alto – and side two features a completely different group, much more in an older-styled jazz vein – with Michael White on clarinet, Danny Barker on banjo, Teddy Riley on trumpet, and Freddie Lonzo on trombone. Titles include "The Majesty Of The Blues", "Hickory Dickory Dock", and the expanded "New Orleans Function" suite. LP, Vinyl record album

Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Wessell "Warmdaddy" Anderson on alto saxophone, Victor Goines on tenor and soprano saxophone and bass clarinet, Cyrus Chestnut, Eric Lewis, Farid Barron, and Marthaniel Roberts on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, Herlin Riley on drums, and Roland Guerrero on percussion. CD

Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Victor Goines and Walter Blanding on tenor sax, Wessell Anderson on alto sax, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Eric Reed on piano, Ben Wolfe and Reginald Veal on bass, and Herlin Riley on drums. CD

Features Wycliffe Gordon on trombone and tuba, Victor Goines on tenor and soprano sax, Wessell Anderson on alto, Eirc Lewis and Danilo Perez on piano, and others. CD

With Wes Anderson on alto sax, Todd Williams on tenor sax, Marcus Roberts on piano, Reginald Veal and Robert Hurst on bass, and Herlin Riley and Jeff Watts on drums. CD

Funking around something old and something new – as the title says – and a pretty tasty set that has Les on keyboards and vocals, working with a quartet that includes drums, bass, and some nice sax licks from Keith Anderson. The sound's a mixed bag – with some tunes that hit a perfect late 60s Eddie Harris/Les McCann vibe – and others that get a bit mellower and play around the keys, plus one or two vocal numbers that kind of dip down a bit. Overall, though, the feel is fresh enough to warrant our attention, and even the older tunes are remade in some nicer new versions. Titles include "Maleah", "It's You", "Little Blue Volkswagen", "Compared To What", "With These Hands", "Cold Duck Time", and "Zora". CD

Bill McHenry on tenor saxophone, Ben Monder on guitar, Reid Anderson on bass, and Paul Motian on drums. CD

Pure beauty! In October of 1998, Misha Mengelberg made an historic visit to Chicago – a rare trip programmed to coincide with a showcase of Dutch jazz that featured him and the Ab Bars trio, playing at Fred Anderson's legendary Velvet Lounge. The trip was notable in that it also became the occasion for Mengelberg to record some fantastic material – part in the studio (with Kent Kessler, Hamid Drake, Fred Anderson, Fred Lonberg-Holm, and others), part during the live session which transpired on the second day of his trip. This excellent double CD set from Hat Art brings together the recordings, and is a great glimpse into the interplay between the ever-growing Chicago avant scene and the larger legacy of European free jazz! The studio work is pretty darn great, but the real treat is the live set – as Misha plays solo on a few lovely tracks – like "Chicago Solo" and "Round Midnight" – and in a beautiful duet with Ab Bars on tenor, on a haunting reading of "Body & Soul". The set really captures the range of Misha's rich talents – and the inclusion of some jazz standards like "Off Minor" and "Eronel" gives the CD a well-rounded feel. CD

A really fantastic album from singer Helen Merrill – and quite an obscure one as well! The set was recorded after Helen's initial burst to fame on the Mercury label in the 50s – and has her taking on a more laidback, more open-minded approach here in a very hip setting that includes a fair bit of work from guitarist Charlie Byrd – fresh off his fame of recording with Stan Getz, and able to bring some of his unique phrasing to the record in a really great way! The material is nicely varied – different than what Merrill would have recorded in the previous decade – and definitely indicates the step into hipper territory that some of the rising vocalists of the 60s, such as Nina Simone or Oscar Brown Jr, were taking at the time. Other musicians include Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet, Hal McKusick on flute, and Jimmy Raney on second guitar – and titles include "The River", "Minha Rocca", "Forbidden Games", "John Anderson My Love", "Cannetella", "Itsuki No Komoriuta", "Quiet Nights", and "Careless Love". CD

Paul McCartney is on the cover, and they even got him to sit for great interview to discuss 50 Years of "Band On The Run" – plus a free CD featuring a slew of great bands inspired by that classic album! Other great features including Jon Anderson on the trailblazing prop pedigree of Yes, a farewell to Shane MacGowan, African women singer supergroup Les Amazones D'Afrique and lots more – along with the usual motherlode of reviews and regular items. The CD Jet Powered Pop includes tracks by Teenage Fanclub, Susanna Hoffs & Matthew Sweet, Lemon Twigs, Heatmiser, XTC, Shoes, The dBs, Those Pretty Wrongs, Nada Surf, Brendan Benson and others. Magazine

Jelly Roll Morton on piano with George Mitchell, Ward Pinkett, Ed Anderson, Edwin Swayzee,Red Rossiter, Barclay "horsecollar" Draper, Walter Briscoe & Sidney De Paris on trumpet, Kid Ory, Gerald Reeves, Geechy Fields, William Cato, Charlie Irvis & Claude Jones on trombone, Quinn Wilson, Bill Benford, Bass Moore & Harry Prather on tu, Omer Simeon, Barney Bigard, Darnell Howard, Johnny Dodds, Russell Procope, George Bacquet, Albert Nicholas on clarinet, Stump Evans, Paul Barnes, Joe Garland, Paul "polo" Barnes, Joe Thomas, Walter "foots" Thomas, Sidney Bechet & Happy Cauldwell on saxophone, Rod Rodriguez on ensemble piano, Johnny St. Cyr, Bud Scott, Lee Blair, Barney Alexander, Lawrence Lucie on banjo & guitar, John Lindsey & Wellman Braud on bass, Andrew Hilaire, Baby Dodds, Tommy Benford, Manzie Johnson, William Laws, Zutty Singleton on drums & Marty Bloom on effects. CD

A record that's as beautiful and ethereal as the image on its cover – a collaboration between singer Dorothy Moskowitz and composer Francesco Paolo Paladino – served up in a mode that almost mixes the darker corners of Nico's solo work with some of the spacier tones of the early new age underground, and maybe a touch of Laurie Anderson performativity as well! Moskowitz was originally part of the famous United States Of America group of the late 60s with Joseph Byrd – but she's clearly transformed a lot as an artist here, and works with lyrics by Luca Chino Ferrari, but often in ways that are less word-based than you might expect. Instrumentation includes keyboards, harp, and bells from Paladino, plus light strings, guitar, electronics, and guitar – all in a spacey blend that comes off especially well on the 23 minute "Under An Endless Sky", and still sounds great on shorter cuts that include "My Doomsday Serenade", "The Disappearance Of Fireflies", "Cut The Roots", and "Unknown To Ourselves". CD

Seasons and styles change, but Nas stays true to his strong suits and status as one of the longest running living legends in the game! He stays in his neo-classic comfort zone on King's Disease – leading the way throughout with remarkably wordy, charismatically delivered rhymes, never fading into the background even with an impressive guest list. Hit-Boy drives the production on this one, recalling the golden age without retreading it, well-suited to Nas's style. Titles include "Blue Benz", "Car #85" with Charlie Wilson, "27 Summers", "10 Points", "The Cure", "Til The War Is Won" with Lil Dark, "Replace Me" with Big Sean & Don Toliver, "All Bad" with Anderson.Paak, "Ultra Black" with Hit-Boy, and "Spicy" with Fivio Foreign & A$ap Ferg. LP, Vinyl record album

Tiger Okoshi on trumpet and flugelhorn, Kenny Barron on piano, Hank Roberts on cello, Jay Anderson on bass, and Mino Cinelu on percussion. CD

A fantastic record from the contemporary Chicago scene – one that both gives bassist Junius Paul his first showcase as a leader, and underscores the richly collaborative energy in which the musician works! The set was recorded at various points in the Windy City underground – with Paul at the help of a shifting lineup that includes Makaya McCraven on drums, Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Justin Dillard on piano and keyboards, Jim Baker on piano and Arp, Isaiah Spencer on drums, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and Tomeika Reid on cello – with most musicians also handling other instruments too, in a continuation of an AACM legacy – on a record that's then edited by Makaya McCraven, in the best International Anthem mode! The music is jazz, but of the most forward-thinking type – and titles include "Ma & Dad", "Fred Anderson & A Half", "Twelve Eighteen West", "Georgia", "Spocky Chainsey Has Re-Emerged", "The One Who Endures", "Baker's Dozen", "View From The Moon", "You Are Free To Choose", "Paris", "Collant Denier", and "Sprouts". CD

A fantastic record from the contemporary Chicago scene – one that both gives bassist Junius Paul his first showcase as a leader, and underscores the richly collaborative energy in which the musician works! The set was recorded at various points in the Windy City underground – with Paul at the help of a shifting lineup that includes Makaya McCraven on drums, Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Justin Dillard on piano and keyboards, Jim Baker on piano and Arp, Isaiah Spencer on drums, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and Tomeika Reid on cello – with most musicians also handling other instruments too, in a continuation of an AACM legacy – on a record that's then edited by Makaya McCraven, in the best International Anthem mode! The music is jazz, but of the most forward-thinking type – and titles include "Ma & Dad", "Fred Anderson & A Half", "Twelve Eighteen West", "Georgia", "Spocky Chainsey Has Re-Emerged", "The One Who Endures", "Baker's Dozen", "View From The Moon", "You Are Free To Choose", "Paris", "Collant Denier", and "Sprouts". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Harold Danko on piano, Jay Anderson on bass and Jeff Hirshfield on drums. CD

Rich Perry on tenor, Frank Kimbrough on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. CD

A well-balanced quartet session of the sort that seems almost effortless, and in the best recent style of the Steeplechase label – a really strong leader with a voice that really inspires the others in the group, as they move through some of his own originals and a nice mix of more unusual titles too! Rich Perry really lets the lineup open up and find their own pace amidst the tune – especially pianist Gary Versace, who has nicely sharp edges and a sense of freedom from time to time – working next to the bass of Jay Anderson and drums of John Riley. Riley and Versace both contribute key tunes the the session, along with Perry – and titles include "Now", "No Lines", "Living", "Gotta Blues One", "Blind Faith", "Progression", and "Mud". CD

A well-balanced quartet session of the sort that seems almost effortless, and in the best recent style of the Steeplechase label – a really strong leader with a voice that really inspires the others in the group, as they move through some of his own originals and a nice mix of more unusual titles too! Rich Perry really lets the lineup open up and find their own pace amidst the tune – especially pianist Gary Versace, who has nicely sharp edges and a sense of freedom from time to time – working next to the bass of Jay Anderson and drums of John Riley. Riley and Versace both contribute key tunes the the session, along with Perry – and titles include "Now", "No Lines", "Living", "Gotta Blues One", "Blind Faith", "Progression", and "Mud". CD

A set that's brimming with original compositions from Dave Pietro – fresh tunes that are as strong as his own work as a leader on alto, and which share a similar balance of sound! Dave's got an ear for his horn that opens up some of the lighter, leaner sounds of the alto – yet he also blows with a nice edge too, in a quality that's underscored by some of the album's work on trumpet from Scott Wendholt, whose tone resonates with Pietro's in a really great way. The rhythm trio are rock-solid – with Steeplechase stalwarts Gary Versace on piano and Jay Anderson on bass, joined by the great Billy Drummond on drums. Titles include the Pietro originals "Essence", "Auriga", "The Talisman", "Alexandra", "Until The Day", and "Eternal Optimism" – and a nice take on "The Windmills Of Your Mind". CD

With Peter Washington, Sammy Figueroa, Eddie Gladden, Greg Bandy, Roger Humphries, Victor Jones, Winard Harper, Bill Saxton, John Patton, Lonnie Smith, Lawrence Killian, Benny Green, Mark Soskin, Geary Moore, Houston Person & James Anderson. CD

A real standout effort from ex-Animal Alan Price – not just because it was the soundtrack for a film in which he starred, but also because it features some of his hippest tracks to date! Price has a great post-60s feel here that's a bit like the territory Georgie Fame was hitting at the time – still with some elements of his rougher, R&B-inspired style of the previous decade – but served up with a newly sophisticated approach to rhythms and vocalizing that really stand out. The whole thing's pretty hard to characterize with a few simple labels, but there's a nice sense of depth and play going on – due partly, no doubt, to the freedom that Price was given with the music by director Lindsay Anderson. Titles include "O Lucky Man", "Pastoral", "Arrival", "Look Over Your Shoulder", "Justice", "My Home Town", "Changes", and "Sell Sell". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Ra on synthesizer, Chris Anderson on piano, John Gilmore on tenor, John Ore on bass, Buster Smith on drums, and Bruce Edwards on guitar. CD

Sun Ra on synthesizer, Chris Anderson on piano, John Gilmore on tenor saxophone, John Ore on bass, Earl C Smith on drums and Bruce Edwards on guitar. CD

Features Eric Reed on piano, Wessel Anderson on alto, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. Tracks include "Wade In The Water", "In A Lonely Place", "Boo-Boo Strikes Again", "He Cares", "Third Degree", and "Come Sunday". CD

A mighty hefty book – but that's maybe no surprise, as it contains the collected lyrics of the great Lou Reed – from his early years with The Velvet Underground, through his decades of standout solo material! Reed picked up some unique diction during his solo career, but the book is especially helpful in unpacking some of those early VU lyrics that were sometimes hard to understand amidst all the freak and fuzz – and over the hundreds of pages, it's amazing to see how Lou Reed changes and develops as an artist – building up bravado during some eras, then letting his heart open up in others. This new edition features everything penned by Reed up through his final albums - and also features introductions by Laurie Anderson and Martin Scorcese too. Hardcover edition is 651 pages in all. Book

Mike Richmond is plucking the cello on the front of the cover – and within, he uses the instrument in a wonderfully fluid, jazzy style – really living up to the legacy of earlier work on the cello in jazz by artists like Ron Carter, Sam Jones, or Eldee Young! The group is nice and lean, with Andy Laverne on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Anthony Pinciotti on drums – and the cello is recorded very high up in the mix, with a lot more texture on the strings than you might expect – and certainly a very different sound than the use of the instrument in classical music or string quartet settings! Titles include a fair bit of Bill Evans numbers – versions of "Bill's Hit Tune", "Orbit", "Turn Out The Star", "B Minor Waltz", and "Waltz For Debbie" – and a nice take on "You Must Believe In Spring". CD

A beautiful larger concept work from Max Richter – based on the writings of Virginia Woolf, which are read at three short points in the set – to introduce the kind of subtle sonic spectrums that we've really come to love in Richter's music! The album mixes together Max's own sounds on piano and modular synthesizer with the larger sounds of the German Film Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ziegler – plus shorter string quartet passages, and occasional solo cello, violin, and soprano voice – layered together in Richter's own studio, with that post-performance sensitivity that's made him one of the key forces transforming the sound of classical performance on record. Gillian Anderson reads some text on "The Waves", Sarah Sutcliffe makes an appearance on "Orlando", and the voice of Woolf herself is heard on "Mrs Dalloway" – but most of the album is instrumental. CD

Some of Sam Rivers' best remembered work from the post-Blue Note years – hard-blowing trio material that features Sam on a range of reeds, plus piano, and occasional vocalisation, working with bassists that include Cecil McBee, Arild Anderson, and Richard Davis, and drummers that include Norman Connors, Warren Smith, and Barry Altschul. Although he works great in a larger setting, we think this is where he really shines, given rom to breathe and move. This release features material from the Streams LP, including one track that appears in a longer form from that one, plus tracks that were issued on other ABC albums at the time. Titles include "Hues Of Melanin (in 4 parts)", "Suite For Molde (in 2 parts)", "Indigo", "Mauve", and "Encore". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of Sam Rivers' best remembered work from the post-Blue Note years – hard-blowing trio material that features Sam on a range of reeds, plus piano, and occasional vocalisation, working with bassists that include Cecil McBee, Arild Anderson, and Lewis Worrell, and the drummer is Barry Altschul. Titles include "Hues Of Melanin (in 3 parts)" and "Suite For Molde (in 2 parts)". CD

Another great issue from Roctober – one that includes interviews with Neon Leon (great lost New York punk figure), Fred Anderson and Hamid Drake, James Brown, and numerous obscure but amazing Brazilian musicians. Melvin Van Peebles critical discography. Jake Austen and Chris Ware on vaudeville/minstrel legend Bert Williams. The history of Black All Girl Jazz orchestras in the 1930s and 1940s. Archival Pedro "Funkadelic" Bell articles and comics from his early 1970s college newspaper. Comics and articles about Aliyaah, Jimi Hendrix, Jackie Mittoo, Sun Ra, Funkadelic, and Black skinhead Reggae. And, believe it or not, more! Magazine

Red Rodney on trumpet and flugelhorn, Dick Oatts on tenor and alto sax, Garry Dial on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and John Riley on drums. CD

Features Red Rodney on flugelhorn, Chris Potter on saxophone, Garry Dial on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Jimmy Madison on drums. CD

Red Rodney on trumpet and flugelhorn, Dick Oatts on soprano, alto and tenor saxes, Gary Dial on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. CD

Features Sonny Rollins on tenor, Clifton Anderson on trombone, Mark Soskin on keys, Jerome Harris on bass, and Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums. Tracks include "Just Once", "Promise", "Duke Of Iron", "Allison", and "Dancing In The Dark". CD

Very open-ended work from Sonny Rollins – a set of live tracks recorded for use in the film Saxophone Colossus, with some nicely long tunes that really show Rollins' inventive solo approach in such a setting! The group here is a quintet – with the excellent Clifton Anderson on trombone, plus Mark Soskin on piano, Marvin Smitty Smith on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on electric bass – providing that unique bubbling pulse that Rollins used frequently in the 70s and 80s – something you might not have expected from years past, but which gave records like this a really signature sound, and showed that Sonny was still growing in the ways he experimented with styles. Titles include the 15 minute title track "G Man", plus "Kim" and "Don't Stop The Carnival". CD features a bonus 12 minute version of "Tenor Madness". CD

Very open-ended work from Sonny Rollins – a set of live tracks recorded for use in the film Saxophone Colossus, with some nicely long tunes that really show Rollins' inventive solo approach in such a setting! The group here is a quintet – with the excellent Clifton Anderson on trombone, plus Mark Soskin on piano, Marvin Smitty Smith on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on electric bass – providing that unique bubbling pulse that Rollins used frequently in the 70s and 80s – something you might not have expected from years past, but which gave records like this a really signature sound, and showed that Sonny was still growing in the ways he experimented with styles. Titles include the 15 minute title track "G Man", plus "Kim" and "Don't Stop The Carnival". LP, Vinyl record album

Sonny Rollins takes to global warming years before An Inconvenient Truth – blowing with a tone that's rich enough to power a whole city on its own! The album features Sonny in two different groups – one a quartet with Stephen Scott on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – the other a bit larger, still with Scott and Cranshaw, but also featuring Clifton Anderson on trombone, Perry Wilson on drums, and Victor See Yuen on percussion. Some tunes have that island-tinged style that Rollins started exploring from his RCA years onward – and titles include "Global Warming", "Island Lady", "Echo-Side Blue", "Change Partners", and "Mother Nature's Blues". CD

Sonny Rollins on tenor sax with Clifton Anderson on trombone, Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Mark Soskin on piano, Jerome Harris on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Steve Jordan, Jack DeJohnette, and Al Foster on drums. CD

Late Sonny Rollins on Milestone, and a record with some really wonderful horn interplay – thanks to a group that includes an added brass lineup on a few cuts! The core combo, a quintet, features wonderful trombone from Clifton Anderson – a player who really made some of Rollins' records from this stretch light up nicely – bringing in a deeper sound on an instrument that Sonny didn't always work with in the past. The titles, as you might expect from the album's name, are "old flames" – standards worked nicely by Sonny, Anderson, and a group that also features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Tracks include "Prelude To A Kiss", "Darn That Dream", "Where Or When", "My Old Flame", and "Times Slimes". CD

A tremendous tribute to the tenor talents of Sonny Rollins – live material from two different decades, all of it illustrating his continuing commitment to creative improvisation in a performance setting! Sonny's one of those guys you've always got to catch when he comes to town – a player who never fails to please, no matter his age, contemporary recording modes, or anything else – an always-creative saxophonist who continues to inspire audiences whenever he plays. The work on this set is pulled from shows starting in 1980, up to 2007 – with players who include Clifton Anderson on trombone, Mark Soskin on piano, Bobby Broom on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. Titles include "Blossom", "Easy Living", "Tenor Madness", "Best Wishes", "More Than You Know", and "Nice Lady". 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

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

Features Sonny Rollins on tenor – with Clifton Anderson on trombone, Bobby Broom on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Steve Jordan on drums. CD

With Clifton Anderson on trombone, Mark Soskin on keyboards, Russel Blake on electric bass, and Tommy Campbell on drums. CD

Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophone – with Clifton Anderson on trombone, Stephen Scott on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Jack DeJohnette and Perry Wilson on drums. CD

Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophone, Clifton Anderson on trombone, Stephen Scott on piano and kalimba, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Perry Wilson on drums, and Kimati Dinizulu on percusion. CD

A nicely electrified set from trumpeter Wallace Roney – working here in a style that has plenty of moody backdrops on Fender Rhodes, plus some really snapping percussion from drummer Eric Allen! There's a sound here that's clearly inspired by 70s Miles, but which also moves through a range of more recent expression, and which often reminds us of work from French trumpeter Erik Truffaz on his first few Blue Note albums. Some of the tracks are more acoustic and straightforward, in the manner of Roney's earlier albums – and players include Adam Holzman on Fender Rhodes, Geri Allen on acoustic keys, Antoine Roney on tenor and soprano saxes, and Matt Garrison on bass. Guest performers include Don Byron on bass clarinet, Clifton Anderson on trombone, and DJ Logic on turntables – and titles include "Cyberspace", "Shadow Dance", "Prototype", "Then & Now", "Secret Identity", and "Three Views Of The Blues". CD

A brilliant record – much more straightforward, and straight ahead, than much of Rudd's other work, which is why we like it so much! The album's an ingeniously subtle affair – with Rudd on trombone and French horn, working with a small group that features Sheila Jordan on vocals, Hod O'Brien on piano, Arild Anderson on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums. Jordan is at the height of her powers here – singing beautifully in a wordless mode on tracks like "Maiden Voyage" and "Suh Blah Blah Bu Sibi", or straight and icy on one of the best versions of "What Are You Doing the Rest Of Your Life" that we've ever heard! Hod O'Brien is brilliant too – and the album's one of the few widely-released sessions to really display his talents! CD

An incredible chapter in the Arthur Russell story – and one that's not nearly as well-known as his club singles and art rock work of the 80s! The 2CD package presents some long-lost longer form work by Russell – instrumental pieces composed and recorded in the 70s and early 80s, most of which have a decidedly minimalist feel! In addition to being a dancefloor artist in the post-disco years, Russell was also music director of The Kitchen, and had ties to the more experimental side of the New York scene – and worked in a world that included Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Rhys Chatham, and many others from time. There's echoes of all 3 on this collection, and a large number of tracks that recall the brighter, more optimistic years of modern music – the almost DIY style that hit composition and performance in the stretch after early minimalism, conveyed beautifully on these recordings done for smaller ensembles, often in a mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation. A number of the titles here have never been released at all, and even those that did see the light of day did so only briefly – and often not under optimal conditions. The 2CD package features full notes on the music, and titles that include "Instrumentals Vol 1", "Instrumentals Vol 2", "Reach One – With Two Fender Rhodes (1973)", "Tower Of Meaning", and "Sketch For The Face Of Helen". CD

Joe Sample on piano and synthesizer, Jay Anderson and Marcus Miller on bass, Lenny Castro and Steve Gadd on drums, and Dean Parks on guitar. CD

Randy Sandke on trumpet, Ken Peplowski on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Scott Robinson on alto, baritone, and contrabass saxophone, clarinet, waterphone, and theremin, Marty Ehrlich on alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, and alto flute, Ray Anderson and Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Howard Alden on guitar, Uri Caine on piano and vibraphone, Greg Cohen on bass, and Dennis Mackrel on drums and percussion. CD

With Dave Pietro on alto saxophone, clarinet, piccolo, flute, alto flute, and bass flute, Steve Wilson on alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, and alto flute, Rich Perry on tenor saxophone and flute, Donny McCaslin on tenor saxophone and clarinet. Scott Robinson on baritone saxophone, clarinet, and bass clarinet, Greg Gisbert, Augie Haas, Tony Kadleck, and Mike Rodriguez on trumpet and flugelhorn, Marshall Gilkes, Ryan Keberle, and Keith O'Quinn on trombone, George Flynn on bass trombone and contrabass trombone, Frank Kimbrough on piano, Gary Versace on accordion, Lage Lund on guitar, Jay Anderson on bass, Clarence Penn on drums, and Rogerio Boccato on percussion. CD