One of the best non-Blue Note sessions from Art Blakey in the 60s – a really searing set that features the sextet lineup of the Jazz Messengers – a group that's filled with legends who include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Reggie Workman on bass, and Cedar Walton on piano! The sextet format really pushes the energy of the group – and allows for even more wonderful horn interplay than before – while still allowing for lots of solo space for individual voices. Tracks are long and open, with a bouncing lyrical groove that's more soaring than some of the heavy-hitting earlier albums from Blakey, but no less pleasing – and possibly even a bit more soulful! Titles include "Sweet N Sour", "This Is For Albert", "Skylark", and "Thermo". LP, Vinyl record album

Art Blakey at the Keystone Korner – really rattling the rafters with a great lineup that includes Bobby Watson on alto sax, David Schnitter on tenor, and Valery Ponomarev on trumpet! Although the Shorter/Morgan lineup is always hailed as one of Blakey's best, we're also pretty partial to this great late 70s stretch of The Jazz Messengers – as it shows some wonderful early flowering of Watson's alto, and his songwriting abilities; Ponomarev's well-blown trumpet lines; and Schnitter's crisp, sharp lines on tenor – always carved out with a great depth of feeling. Add to the mix some great piano from James Williams, and bass from Dennis Irwin, and you've got a great lineup next to Blakey's drums – all working together in a rough-edged, hard soul space on tracks that include "Pamela", "Unlimited", "Dark Side Light Side", "Blues For Two", and "In This Korner". LP, Vinyl record album

Art Blakey, without any Jazz Messengers – but still coming through loud and clear, thanks to help from a unique group that features Sonny Stitt on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, and Art Davis on bass! The album's still got all the hardbop charm of Blakey's best Blue Note dates, but also feels a bit more spontaneous too – and the basslines of Davis are a wonderful change from the usual – beautiful sounds that drive the record quite strongly up from the bottom! Titles include the killer "Cafe", plus "Blues Back", "Just Knock On My Door", "Summertime", and "The Song Is You" – and the album features fantastic blowing from Stitt! LP, Vinyl record album

Killer stuff by Art Blakey – one of his few non-Blue Note sessions from the time, and a hard-wailing set that features the Jazz Messengers as a sextet! The format is one that flourished briefly in these early 60s years – and in this case, the already great lineup of Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano is joined by Curtis Fuller on trombone – a frontline that makes for some really amazing music, and which starts to bring in a lyrical energy to the group that's really amazing! The force of Fuller on the ensemble cannot be denied – and the group shift from straight hardbop with a soulful bent into an even more inspired mode – as you'll hear on the album's classic reading of Fuller's "Ala Mode" – nestled in alongside Jazz Messenger takes on standards like "Invitation", "I Hear A Rhapsody", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". LP, Vinyl record album

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, recording in the very familiar territory of the Birdland nightclub – in a format that was handled previously by the Blue Note label, but maybe never with a lineup this great! The performance features the sublime frontline trio of Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano – all players that are their youthful best, and completely on fire with creative imagination under Blakey's leadership – the start of a great run for all of them as solo stars too. The tracks are long, and even if the tunes are sometimes familiar, the performances are spectacular – that special Jazz Messengers energy that makes records like this so great. This second volume includes the tracks "Night Watch", "The Summit", "High Modes", and "The Things I Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Art Blakey's first true moments of genius! This transitional version of the Jazz Messengers included two parts – Lee Morgan and Bobby Timmons – of the holy Morgan/Shorter/Timmons trilogy, and it's also got the added bonus of Benny Golson on tenor, who was at the height of his power at this point. The record really shines in ways that few Blakey albums shone since his days with Horace Silver – in that it's a forum for fresh new writing, most importantly Golson's landmark compositions "Blues March" and "Along Came Betty", and Timmons' instant classic "Moanin". The whole album's wonderful, though, and Golson's edgey modernism adds a strong dimension to the group's usual soulful romping groove! (And in fact, as a tribute to the group's success, the album was initially named Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, but quickly retitled Moanin in this version, after the big hit single!) LP, Vinyl record album

An explosive session from an expanded edition of the Jazz Messengers – recorded at a key point when Art Blakey moved the group up to six members instead of five! Although bigger than the group on most Jazz Messenger Blue Notes, the sextet have an energy that's almost tighter – a sense of poise, focus, and vision that's not just driven by Blakey's drum kit alone – but by the kind of unique magic that only happens during rare groupings in classic jazz. A key part of the energy here comes from pianist Cedar Walton – who's replacing the Bobby Timmons soul jazz mode with a sound that's a bit more expansive and visionary. But equally important is the three horn lineup of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Wayne Shorter on tenor – a two-brass frontline that's used far differently than other groups – bold one minute, but personal and sensitive the next. There's a mixture of warmth and driving energy here that's simply incredible – a prime example of Blakey taking things to the next level, when it would have been easy enough for him to sit on his laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again! Includes classic readings of Cedar Walton's "Mosaic", Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis", and Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" – as well as Shorter's excellent "Children Of The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A true orgy in rhythm from Art Blakey – a set that not only features his drums next to the kit of Art Taylor, but which also adds in a bevy of other percussionists – including Sabu Martinez, Patato Valdez, and Jose Valentine! Joe Jones and Specs Wright also bring in additional jazz drums – making for more drummers than you might even find in a high school band – all working together with amazing qualities in sound, sometimes even melodic amidst all of the rhythms. Lighter lyrical touches are provided by Herbie Mann's flute, and Ray Bryant throws in some great lines on piano – underscoring the grooves in a nice way. Titles on this first volume include "Buhaina Chant", "Split Skins", and "Toffi". LP, Vinyl record album

A true orgy in rhythm from Art Blakey – a set that not only features his drums next to the kit of Art Taylor, but which also adds in a bevy of other percussionists – including Sabu Martinez, Patato Valdez, and Jose Valentine! Joe Jones and Specs Wright also bring in additional jazz drums – making for more drummers than you might even find in a high school band – all working together with amazing qualities in sound, sometimes even melodic amidst all of the rhythms. Lighter lyrical touches are provided by Herbie Mann's flute, and Ray Bryant throws in some great lines on piano – underscoring the grooves in a nice way. Titles on this second volume include "Amuck", "Elephant Walk", and "Abdallah's Delight". LP, Vinyl record album

Angular Monk meets hard-driving Art Blakey – in a session that's quite unique, and which has gone onto become one of the best-remembered Atlantic jazz sessions of the late 50s! The album features Blakey in that key non-Blue Note year of 1957 – a time when he was working with a variety of players, at a variety of labels, and taking some real chances with his music before settling into his more established hit Jazz Messengers sound. The group here is Art's own – with Johnny Griffin on tenor, Bill Hardman on trumpet, and Spanky DeBrest on bass – augmented by the piano of Thelonious Monk – a match that might seem unlikely at first, but not so much so after you consider the great work that Monk and Griffin did together at Riverside during the late 50s. There's a nice match between Johnny's sharp-edged tenor and Monk's imaginative playing – and if anything, the record has Blakey, Hardman, and DeBrest moving dynamically to keep up with the flurry of modern ideas coming from Griffin and Monk! Tracks are almost all originals by Thelonious too – a fact that definitely helps keep up the "Monk-ish" sound of the record – titles that include "Evidence", "Blue Monk", "I Mean You", and "Rhythm A Ning" – alongside Griffin's "Purple Shades". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from the classic late 50s years of the Jazz Messengers – and an album that Blue Note didn't choose to release until the end of the 70s! The record's a historic one – as it mark's Wayne Shorter's first session with the group, and the first time that they recorded his great composition "Lester Left Town" – a wonderful tune that sounds a bit different here than on the later Jazz Messengers recording of the composition. Shorter's talent is already burning brightly at this point – as is that of trumpeter Lee Morgan – and other group members include Walter Davis Jr on piano, Jymie Merritt on bass, and Blakey on drums. Titles include "Lester Left Town", "Haina", "The Midget", "Celine", and "Africaine", which has a guest appearance by Dizzy Reece on congas! LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure Jazz Messengers session – but a great one! The album is ostensibly a set of jazz versions of tunes from the musical Golden Boy, and the group this time is a larger one than usual – a total of 10 players, led by Blakey – and playing beautifully over arrangements from Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller, and Cedar Walton! The style's not any sort of clunky "jazz meets Broadway" mode, though – as the care taken by the artists involved help elevate the tunes, and the performance, to a whole new soulful level – hardly what you'd expect! The group features trumpet work from Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard, tenor from Wayne Shorter, alto from James Spaulding, trombone from Curtis Fuller, baritone from Charles Davis, piano from Cedar Walton, and bass from Reggie Workman – all very hip cats, working here with the same sort of large group textures you might hear on Freddie Hubbard's Body & Soul album from the same time, mixed with some more traditionally Blakey-led moments. Titles include "Yes I Can", "Theme From Golden Boy", "Lorna's Here", "This is The Life", and "There's A Party". LP, Vinyl record album

The rarest of all of Art Blakey's percussion group projects – and quite possibly the best, too! The session features Blakey at the head of a strong mix of jazz and percussion players – with Art Taylor and Philly Joe Jones on the regular drum kit, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Ray Bryant on piano, and a host of assorted percussion work by the likes of Ray Barretto, Sabu Martinez, Victor Gonzalez, Julio Martinez, and others. The resultant sound is incredible – very full, rich, and earthy – and done in a way that interweaves African and Latin percussion styles with straighter American jazz! A few cuts have chanting by Blakey and Sabu – and titles on this first volume include "The Feast", "Mirage", "Lamento Africano", and "Aghano". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the most famous records ever from master drummer Art Blakey – in part because of the cover, which has come to stand for the Blue Note aesthetic of the 60s! But despite that famous image, the music is more than worthy of attention – as the group features that unusual sextet lineup of the Jazz Messengers that made some amazing sounds in the mid 60s – Blakey on drums, Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass! Morgan and Shorter are really growing and pushing themselves in different ways than their work with Blakey at the start of the 60s – and the addition of Fuller, and especially Walton, really gives the group this rounded warmth that shows a new level of maturity – a quality that comes through both in the playing, and the writing – as songs are all originals by Walton, Fuller, Morgan, and Shorter. Titles include "The Egyptian", "Sortie", "Calling Miss Khadija", and "Mr Jin". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully hard-storming set – and a record that not only firmly put the Jazz Messengers on the map, but also set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The group here is the early version of the Messengers – almost co-led by drummer Art Blakey with pianist Horace Silver – and featuring Clifford Brown on trumpet, just a few months before his early death – plus Lou Donaldson on alto and Curley Russell on bass. The presence of alto instead of tenor makes the sound slightly different than later incarnations of the group – and the overall approach is one that virtually defines the shift from straight bop to hardbop in the 50s – a mode that both Blakey and Silver were key in creating. Tracks include "Split Kick", "Quicksilver", "Mayreh", and "A Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully hard-storming set – and a record that not only firmly put the Jazz Messengers on the map, but also set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The group here is the early version of the Messengers – almost co-led by drummer Art Blakey with pianist Horace Silver – and featuring Clifford Brown on trumpet, just a few months before his early death – plus Lou Donaldson on alto and Curley Russell on bass. The presence of alto instead of tenor makes the sound slightly different than later incarnations of the group – and the overall approach is one that virtually defines the shift from straight bop to hardbop in the 50s – a mode that both Blakey and Silver were key in creating. Tracks include "Wee Dot", "Quicksilver" (alternate), "Now's The Time", and "Confirmation". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible early experimental album from Art Blakey – one of the first to feature him in expanded percussion format! Side one of the album features the extended "Drum Suite" – a set of 3 tracks ("The Sacrifice", "Cubano Chant", and "Oscalypso") that has Blakey and Jo Jones on drums, joined by Sabu Martinez on bongos and Charles Wright on tympani and gong. Ray Bryant snakes some soulful piano through the set and Oscar Pettiford is on bass and cello – and the overall feeling of the side is similar to some of Blakey's work in the format for Blue Note – like the albums Afro-Drum Orgy or Holiday for Percussion. Side two has straight hard bop, played by Blakey's 1957 combo that included Jackie McLean and Bill Hardman – and the group grooves hard on a classic reading of "Nica's Tempo", plus the cuts "D's Dilemma" and "Just For Marty". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer early album by Art Blakey and his first incarnation of The Messengers – recorded before Horace Silver left the group, and a rare non-Blue Note outing done for Columbia Records! The ensemble here features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, and Doug Watkins on bass – alongside Silver's piano and Blakey's thundering work on drums – and the album is virtually a blueprint for the sound of hardbop in years to come – focused and intense, but still with plenty of room for individual solo expression! Tracks include a classic reading of "Nica's Dream", plus Horace Silver's great "Ecaroh", and Mobley's own "Infra-Rae" and "Hank's Symphony". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic live set from 1968 – recorded after Blakey's classic Blue Note years, with a unique lineup that includes a young Billy Harper on tenor, Ronnie Matthews on piano, and Julian Priester on trombone! Harper alone is worth the price of the LP – as his firey solos are great, really stretching out here with a bold vision that would explore more prominently a few years later – and which is heard here at an extremely early date. Tracks are all long and very live – the Jazz Messengers vibe, but with some of the freedoms of the Coltrane era, especially on Harper's solos. The set features 4 nice long tracks – like Slide Hampton's "New World" and "Slide No 2", and a great reading of "Angel Eyes", done by Harper in real Coltrane Ballad mode! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Art Blakey's best non-Blue Note albums of the 60s – a hard-wailing live set that fully exploits the best talents of the six-piece version of the Jazz Messengers! The group here is that tremendous sextet that featured Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Cedar Walton on piano – all working with Blakey to rework the earlier mode from his quintet years – in a way that actually allowed for a bit more lyricism and introspection! Titles include Cedar Walton's original "Ugetsu", Curtis Fuller's "Time Off", and Wayne Shorter's great "One By One", "Ping Pong", and "On the Ginza". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark work by one of the greatest jazz outfits of the early 60s! Art Farmer and Benny Golson were both known as well-composed players during the 50s – strongly soulful, but often with a fine sense of arrangement that usually tended towards the lyrical side of things. With this group, though, they turned that approach towards a heavier sounding style of jazz – tightly stepping soul jazz, in the manner that was being explored at the time by Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, and others – presented by Farmer and Golson with a bit more groove and a wonderful kick at the bottom! This album's the first the group cut together – and apart from trumpet by Farmer and tenor by Golson, it also features Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Addison Farmer (brother of Art) on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums. Includes the massive original recording of "Killer Joe", which went onto become one of the most recorded jazz standards ever, plus the tracks "Blues March", "Mox Nix", "Park Avenue Petite", and "I Remember Clifford". Perfect tone, perfect groove, and a perfect sound all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

Although most Nonesuch Explorer sessions were ethnographic ones, recorded in the field by the label's engineers – this one's a studio session, recorded in New York by a group that's reputedly from Ghana, but which seems to be kind of a "fake" one from our perspective. Why? Well, because Charles Earland's playing tenor, for one – and although his native Philly was kind of far away from New York, we never heard it referred to as "Ghana"! Other players here are US-based jazz ones, too – like drummers Sonny Morgan and Robert Crowder, vibist Garvine Masseaux, and bassist George Brooks. The set's still got a strong High Life sound to it – but it also has jazz flourishes, too, in the way that was used some of the Art Blakey Afro-Drum experiments from the same time. Titles include "Ebony", "Bus Conductor", "Saturday Night", and "Sugar Soup". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing trumpet in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style on alto sax – also different than the sound of his brother Nat, who was Adderley's more frequent partner on records. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", "Autumn Leaves", "Love For Sale", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

A great meeting of tenor talents – a collection of some fantastic early material recorded by Jug for Prestige. This collection of great sides, originally issued as 78s, features Ammons and Stitt locking horns on "Blues Up And Down", "You Can Depend On Me", "Easy Glide", "Walkin", "Touch Of The Blues", "Who Threw The Sleeping Pills In Rip Van Winkle's Coffee?" and "Chabootie", with sidemen that include Duke Jordan, Bill Massey, Tommy Potter, Gene Wright, Jo Jones, Art Blakey and Wesley Landers. Classic blowing material! LP, Vinyl record album

A great Tony Bennett LP – very different than others from the time (or any time!) in that the format pairs the master vocalist with the "who's who" of drummers and percussionists of the late 50s – including Art Blakey, Jo Jones, Candido, and Sabu. The sound is as majestic and crashing as you'd imagine, and cuts include "Let's Begin", "Love For Sale", "Crazy Rhythm", and "Let's Face the Music and Dance". A great LP, and one of his best. If you've ever doubted Tony's committment to jazz, check this one out, and be pleasantly surprised! LP, Vinyl record album

With JJ Johnson on trombone, Sonny Rollins on tenor sax, Kenny Drew on piano, and Art Blakey on drums. Titles include "Half Nelson", "Mike's Blues", "Move", and "Squirrel". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange 2LP set – put together in 1971, with a cover and a gatefold format that makes it look like current electric Miles on Columbia, but a track list that features Miles early 50s recordings for Blue Note! The tracks were all recorded by Rudy Van Gelder – and the sessions feature JJ Johnson, Gil Coggins, Art Blakey, Kenny Clarke, Jackie McLean, and Oscar Pettiford. Titles include "Weirdo", "Woody N You", "Lazy Susan", "CTA", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Chance It", "Donna", "Yesterdays", and "The Leap". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning piece of jazz history from the young Miles Davis – and a record that's got maybe one of his coolest covers ever! The 10" release was Miles third for Blue Note – and fetaures a smoking quartet with Horace Silver on piano and Art Blakey on drums – giving Miles almost a Jazz Messengers sort of punch, which creates this beautiful groove underneath his well-phrased solos! And while some of this work was later issued in other Blue Note album formats, there's a punch and sharpness to this 10" format that can't be denied – on titles that include "Lazy Susan", "Take-Off", "The Leap", and "Weirdo". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare radio broadcasts recorded at Royal Roost and Birdland– with players who include Gerry Mulligan on baritone, Lee Konitz on alto, Brew Moore on tenor, JJ Johnson on trombone, and Walter Bishop on piano. Both Max Roach and Art Blakey handle drums – and Charlie Parker steps in on one track too! LP, Vinyl record album

We can't say for sure that Buddy's actually the king of the clarinet, but this record is mighty nice work – and a crackling little set that catches DeFranco at a time when he was one of the strongest players on his instrument, and one of the few to equally absorb bop and swing influences. As with other DeFranco standouts from the time, the rhythm section is what really makes the record – and here he's working with Kenny Drew on piano throughout, plus either Art Blakey or Art Taylor on drums, Teddy Kotick or Curley Russell on bass, and a bit of guitar from Jimmy Raney. Titles include "Cairo", "Lover Come Back To Me", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Street Of Dreams", "Gone With The Wind", and "Sophisticated Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

Blue Note 2-fer that brings together some of Gil Evans' great modernist jazz pieces for the World Pacific label. The material was all recorded in New York in 1958 and 1959, and the groups include crack jazz players like Steve Lacy, Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderley, Johnn Coles, Elvin Jones, and Evans himself. The tracks are mostly standards, but they're given super-sharp arrangements by Evans, in the style that he was using for some of his work with Miles Davis. They also feature prominent soloists, also as with the Miles work, and titles include "Chant Of The Weed", "Lester Leaps In", "Round Midnight", "Manteca", and "Sruttin With Some Barbeque". 2 LPs, with a good essay on Evans' work. LP, Vinyl record album

With John Coltrane, Milt Jackson, Kenny Burrell, JJ Johnson, Art Blakey, Joe Carroll, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A stellar early Johnny Griffin recording for Blue Note, and one that features the young tenor genius from Chicago working alongside the equally fantastic John Coltrane and Hank Mobley – plus some additional trumpet from Lee Morgan, and rock-solid rhythm from Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey! As the "blowing session" title might imply, this set features long tracks that let the players get in plenty of soloing (and, we might add, in a very competitive way!) The record is similar to the Prestige sessions of the same vintage and style, but recorded with a little bit more of the care and rehearsal that Blue Note provided. Cuts include "Ball Bearing", "All The Things You Are", and "Smoke Stack. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark session that features two of the greatest tenor talents to emerge from the rich Chicago scene of the 50s! Jordan was well-known to jazz fans, or would be within a few years – but Gilmore's rarely heard in this sort of setting, as most of his recording career was spent in the company of Sun Ra's Arkestra. The record features the duo in a twin-tenor frontline, with backing by Horace Silver, Curly Russell, and Art Blakey. Ostensibly a blowing session, but much tighter than you'd expect – and with a hard heavy Blue Note groove. Titles include "Evil Eye", "Status Quo", "Bo-Till", and "Blue Lights". LP, Vinyl record album

Pianist Duke Jordan takes on the groovy score to the French film Les Liasions Dangereuses – material best known via Art Blakey's original recording with tenorist Barney Wilen – but equally great here in Jordan's lesser-known version! The group here is excellent – with some of Jordan's hardest-hitting piano of the time in the lead – plus creative work on drums from Art Taylor, who brings in a very different spirit than Blakey – and soulful tenor from the great Charlie Rouse – alongside trumpet from Sonny Cohn, and bass from Eddie Khan. Titles include three different variations on the famous theme "No Problem" – plus two takes on the moody "The Feeling Of Love", and the cuts "Jazz Vendor" and "Subway Inn". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Ella Fitzgerald on vocal performances of "April In Paris", "Party Blues", and "Every Day I Have The Blues" – with Count Basie backing. Also features a jam session version of "Billie's Bounce" – with Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, Tal Farlow, Zoot Sims, and others – and a solo piano take on "Lady Fair" by George Wallington. LP, Vinyl record album

Great early material from Mobley, and a record that's practically a Jazz Messengers album! This rare 10" session features Mobley playing with Horace Silver, Doug Watkins, and Art Blakey – and the tracks are hard hard hard bop grooves with a knock-down-dead straight-on approach. Titles include "Hank's Prank", "Walkin The Fence", "Just Coolin", and "Avila & Tequila", and the whole thing's packaged in a 10" LP format! LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that brings together Fats Navarro's recordings for Savoy – late 40s sides that were always poorly packaged and annotated on record, which are compiled here wonderfully, with great notes, and a few unissued tracks! Players include Leo Parker, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Ernie Henry, Tadd Dameron, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, and Charlie Rouse – and the set's got a huge amount of titles, including "Boppin A Riff", "Fat Boy", "Everything's Cool", "Webb City", "Fracture", "Calling Dr Jazz", "Red Pepper", "Spinal", "Fat Girl", "Ice Freezes Red", "A Bebop Carol", and "The Tadd Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare live material from Charlie Parker – recorded in the very familiar territory of the Birdland nightclub, but not issued until an LP release from the 70s! The material originally was broadcast on radio, but through the series of the Rose transcription disc archive – which meant better recording and preservation than most other radio material of the bop years – helping to make this album a real treasure among Bird fans in the years after his death. The lineup is a very tight bop-based one – with Fats Navarro on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, and Art Blakey on bass. Chubby Newsome adds vocals to "Embraceable You" – and the rest of the set includes "Wahoo", "Round Midnight", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "Dizzy Atmosphere", "A Night In Tunisia", "Move", "The Street Beat", "Out Of Nowhere", "Little Willie Leaps", "Ornithology", "I'll Remember April", and "Cool Blues/52nd St Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

The title says "57", but the music's from a few years before – yet that's OK with us, because Bud Powell always has a sound that's instantly timeless no matter what the year! The album brings together sides from Verve dates in 1954 and 1955 – one featuring Art Blakey on drums and Lloyd Troutman on bass, the other featuring Max Roach and Percy Heath. Given the presence of the strong drummers, there's a drive here that's a bit harder than on some of the other Verve dates – a highly rhythmic component that often brings a real focus to some of the more upbeat numbers, but which lays back nicely on the mellower ones to let Powell hit some especially dark notes. Titles include "Deep Night", "That Old Black Magic", "Round Midnight", "Thou Swell", and "Tenderly". LP, Vinyl record album