One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". This is the Verve master edition with 20-bit remastering, bonus track, new liner notes, photographs, cover art & more. CD

A very different record than the first collaboration between Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – but that's also one of the things that makes it great! The album's more of a split LP than a shared one – as side one features a live performance from the great mid 60s Stan Getz quartet that featured Gary Burton on vibes – a wonderfully cool combo that was very under-documented on record, and which makes a key appearance here. The combination of Burton's vibes and Stan's tenor is pure genius – a sound that's got all the subtle hues and cool colors of the Getz bossa recordings, but which is quite different overall. Stan's tone is amazing on these tunes – and titles include "Here's That Rainy Day", "Tonight I Shall Sleep With A Smile On My Face", "Grandfather's Waltz", and "Stan's Blues". Side two features Joao Gilberto without Stan – playing in a very groovy trio that's more straight bossa than most of his other US recordings – cool small combo grooving that's totally great! The lineup features Gilberto on guitar and vocals, Keeter Betts on bass, and Helcio Milito on drums – all working in a sweetly grooving mode on titles that include "Samba De Minha Terra", "Meditation", "Bim Bom", "Rosa Moreno", and "O Pato". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different record than the first collaboration between Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – but that's also one of the things that makes it great! The album's more of a split LP than a shared one – as side one features a live performance from the great mid 60s Stan Getz quartet that featured Gary Burton on vibes – a wonderfully cool combo that was very under-documented on record, and which makes a key appearance here. The combination of Burton's vibes and Stan's tenor is pure genius – a sound that's got all the subtle hues and cool colors of the Getz bossa recordings, but which is quite different overall. Stan's tone is amazing on these tunes – and titles include "Here's That Rainy Day", "Tonight I Shall Sleep With A Smile On My Face", "Grandfather's Waltz", and "Stan's Blues". Side two features Joao Gilberto without Stan – playing in a very groovy trio that's more straight bossa than most of his other US recordings – cool small combo grooving that's totally great! The lineup features Gilberto on guitar and vocals, Keeter Betts on bass, and Helcio Milito on drums – all working in a sweetly grooving mode on titles that include "Samba De Minha Terra", "Meditation", "Bim Bom", "Rosa Moreno", and "O Pato". CD also features 5 bonus tracks with vocals from Astrud Gilberto – "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Only Trust Your Heart", "Corcovado", "Garota De Ipanema", and "Eu E Voce" – all from the Getz Au Go Go album. CD

Genius material from the team of tenorist Stan Getz and Brazilian bossa legend Joao Gilberto – reunited here in a brief mid 70s period, after their famous Verve recordings of the early 60s – and in a way that shows all the changes both artists had gone through over the years! Stan and Joao would go onto produce the sublime Best Of Two Worlds studio record during this same stretch – but this never-issued live date is arguably even deeper and darker than that record – as Stan blows with the stronger current of melancholy he seemed to unlock in period of his Sweet Rain record and onward – and Joao himself does all the singing here, without help from any female vocalist – with that bluer, more personal vibe he hit on his incredible record from 1973. The maturity and emotion of both musicians comes through right away – and support is from the trio of Joanne Brackeen on piano, Clint Houston on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all wonderful musicians who also know just the right moment to step back and let the two giants dominate when needed. Titles include "Eu Vim Da Bahia", "E Preciso Perdoar", "Doralice", "Morena Boca De Ouro", "Joao Marcelo", "Aguas De Marco", "Samba De Minha Terra", and "Retrato Em Branco E Preto". CD

Genius material from the team of tenorist Stan Getz and Brazilian bossa legend Joao Gilberto – reunited here in a brief mid 70s period, after their famous Verve recordings of the early 60s – and in a way that shows all the changes both artists had gone through over the years! Stan and Joao would go onto produce the sublime Best Of Two Worlds studio record during this same stretch – but this never-issued live date is arguably even deeper and darker than that record – as Stan blows with the stronger current of melancholy he seemed to unlock in period of his Sweet Rain record and onward – and Joao himself does all the singing here, without help from any female vocalist – with that bluer, more personal vibe he hit on his incredible record from 1973. The maturity and emotion of both musicians comes through right away – and support is from the trio of Joanne Brackeen on piano, Clint Houston on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all wonderful musicians who also know just the right moment to step back and let the two giants dominate when needed. Titles include "Eu Vim Da Bahia", "E Preciso Perdoar", "Doralice", and "Retrato Em Branco E Preto". LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of a dream combination in one little album – especially if you dig breezy bossa from the 60s! Back in 1966, Verve Records got the great idea of teaming up its (then) biggest Brazilian imports – vocalist Astrud Gilberto and organist Walter Wanderley – both of whom were selling plenty at the time! Astrud's lovely vocals are matched beautifully with the lean, rhythmic bossa grooves of Wanderley's trio – and the result is a record that's near-perfect in execution. Most of the tracks are quite short, as is the record itself – but it's a perfectly concentrated dose of the Verve bossa sound at its best, with tracks that include "Portuguese Washerwoman", "Tu Meu Delirio", "A Certain Smile", "Call Me", "Here's That Rainy Day", "A Certain Sadness", "It's A Lovely Day Today", and a vocal version of Wanderley's big hit "Summer Samba", redone here as "So Nice"! LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of a dream combination in one little album – especially if you dig breezy bossa from the 60s! Back in 1966, Verve Records got the great idea of teaming up its (then) biggest Brazilian imports – vocalist Astrud Gilberto and organist Walter Wanderley – both of whom were selling plenty at the time! Astrud's lovely vocals are matched beautifully with the lean, rhythmic bossa grooves of Wanderley's trio – and the result is a record that's near-perfect in execution. Most of the tracks are quite short, as is the record itself – but it's a perfectly concentrated dose of the Verve bossa sound at its best, with tracks that include "Portuguese Washerwoman", "Tu Meu Delirio", "A Certain Smile", "Call Me", "Here's That Rainy Day", "A Certain Sadness", "It's A Lovely Day Today", and a vocal version of Wanderley's big hit "Summer Samba", redone here as "So Nice"! Plus, this groovy reissue also includes two previously unissued cuts – "Who Needs Forever" and "The Sadness of After"! CD

Outstanding Dizzy Gillespie material – from one of his most overlooked periods! The time is the mid 60s, and after a few years of working with Lalo Schifrin in his group, Dizzy's changed his Latin bag from hard-edged Cubop to mellower more complicated Bossa and modal jazz. The result is some of the most sophisticated playing in Dizzy's career – hitched to a groove that's still filled with soul and fire, and which rolls on in a compelling way that always hooks us hard! The group features Kenny Barron on piano, and reed work by James Moody, one of the other great secrets of the mid 60s! Tracks are all long – and titles include "One Note Samba", "Con Alma", "Umh, Umh", and "Chega De Saudade". CD

A trio of albums from one of our favorite trumpeters on the European scene! First up is Portrait – a set that stands as a tribute to trumpeter Dusko Goykovich's 70 years on this planet – and a record that features him in a variety of settings too! Other players include Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, Tony Lakatos on tenor, Steve Gut on trumpet, Isla Eckinger and Ray Drummond on basses, Abraham Burton on alto, and Kenny Barron and Tommy Flanagan on pianos – on titles that include "Recado Bossa Nova", "Balkan Blue", "Adriatica", "One For Klook", and "Inga". Next is Swinging Macedonia – a legendary German session from the 60s – and a record that really showcases the unusual criss-crossing of modes that was going on in the European scene at the time! There's a very strong MPS vibe here – as trumpeter Dusko Goykovich leads a swinging sextet that includes Nathan Davis on flute, soprano, and tenor – blowing some tremendously soulful reed lines – plus incredible rhythms from Mal Waldron on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Cees See on drums. The record's an attempt to bring traditional Macedonian rhythms into a jazz perspective – but with players like these, it swings in a way any Macedonian album never could – damn soulful, and with a great exotic vibe. Davis is especially great, and plays in a soaring modal vein that's similar to his work on his classic MPS sides, and on the records he cut in America in the early 70s. The album's a beautiful session that often get's overlooked because it blends it with the Enja catalog – but it's really more of a record that belongs in an MPS reissue series, and is a great lost groover that's waiting to be rediscovered by the Dusty Groove crowd. Titles include "Macedonia", "Old Fisherman's Daughter", "Jumbo Uganda", "Bem Basha", "Saga Se karame", and "The Nights Of Skopje". Brandenberg Concert features one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene of the past few decades – heard here in a completely sublime setting! Dusko Goykovich has played in many styles and many ways, but hasn't ever done a date with full strings before – a long-overdue placement for his wonderful tone on trumpet – shimmering out front of a larger ensemble, in the manner of classic "with strings" dates by Dizzy Gillespie or Art Farmer! Altoist Peter King arranged the album – and titles are all originals by Dusko, some of which you might know from earlier records – reworked here beautifully for the new setting. King also solos on a handful of tracks too – a rich voice that provides a nice balance with Dusko's trumpet. Strings are never overdone, and the album's always got a nice swing from a core rhythm trio that features Renato Chicco on piano. Titles include "Good Old Days", "Handful O Soul", "Danca Comigo", "St Germain Des Pres", "Adriatica", "In My Dreams", and "I Miss You So". CD

Beautiful Brazilian-tinged jazz from the legendary Dusko Goykovich – one of the best new albums we've heard from the European trumpeter in a long time, and one of the few that really lives up to the cross-cultural genius of his key albums from many years back! As you'd guess from the title, there's a fair bit of influences here from Brazilian jazz – acoustic guitar, flute, and percussion – all dancing along in a lively blend of bossa, samba, and more – served up with a warm glow and soulful finish that's a perfect foil for Dusko's bold and well-stated solos! The mix of modes here is perfect – and almost recalls the genius of Goykovich's legendary Slavic Mood album from the 70s – with a depth and sense of feeling that really brings out an added layer in his music. Celine Rudolph sings a bit on a few tracks on the record – and titles include "Samba Tzigane", "Melodia Sentimental", "Menina Moca", "A Descoberta De Lentidao", "Trio Loco", "Samba Triste", and "Every Day & Every Night I Dream Of You". CD

Wonderful work from the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Jones, Richard Davis, and Elvin Jones – a lineup that's changed a bit from the classic 70s incarnation of the group, but which still has Hank working very much at the the height of his lyrical powers! This excellently-recorded set is a perfect example of the strength of the Japanese-based Eighty Eights label – a return to the simple elegance of some of the best Japanese-recorded sessions of the 70s, ones that take American players, and present them in uncluttered, straight ahead brilliance. Titles include "Blue Bossa", "Six & Four", "Summertime", "Yesterdays", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

Collaboration has always been at the heart of the work of the Great Jazz Trio – and no matter what the lineup, the group is always an equally weighted, three-pointed star – one that here hits a beautiful balance between the piano of Hank Jones, drums of Elvin Jones, and bass of Richard Davis! The album's one of a few recent efforts that show the group really returning to the form of their initial late 70s genius – simple, elegant, and never overdone – but always at a level that shows that these guys don't take the "great" in their name lightly! Titles include "Blue Bossa", "Summertime", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Autumn Leaves", "Memories Of You", and "Moose The Mooche". CD

A really fantastic record from Blue Note guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that's got a sound that goes way past his goofy look on the cover! The title's a bit right – in that there's something of a Latin vibe going on, with more percussion than usual in a small group – but the sound is also not straight New York Latin, with looser currents that are borrowed a bit from bossa nova, but also given a fluid soul jazz spin! There's maybe a slight touch of some of Cal Tjader's records from the period, but with more of the edge that we love on his guitar – served up in a combo that features the mighty Willie Bobo on drums, Johnny Acea on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, Patato Valdez on congas, and Garvin Masseux on chekere. Together, the group makes for a very hip set of tracks that includes "Tico Tico", "Mama Inez", "Besame Mucho", and "Mambo Inn". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that has Dave Grusin elevating a bit more into the jazz/soul mainstream – as the set has the keyboardist working with a few more crossover modes than before, but all in a way that seems to demonstrate his many years in various kinds of music! The album was a key entry in the new sound of fusion during the mid 80s – maybe a bit sharper than later smooth jazz, but with efforts from some leading lights of that generation to come – including David Sanborn and Marcus Miller. Phoebe Snow sings a bit on the record – which might provide her with one of her more exciting settings in years – and titles include "Power Wave", "Thankful N Thoughtful", "Night Lines", "Tick Tock", "Bossa Baroque", and "Secret Place". LP, Vinyl record album

Tadyuki Harada may not look like the consummate playboy on the cover of this set – but the jazz inside is groovy enough to grace the hippest bachelor pads in the 60s! The main focus here is on Tad's baritone sax – blown soulfully and straight, almost like a tenor – and backed with some cool Verve-like arrangements with a mod 60s feel! There's a bit of strings at points, but the instrumentation's pretty lean overall – often bossa-inspired in the rhythms, and featuring piano from the great Norio Maeda. Titles include versions of "The Playboy Theme", "Sunny", "Cinnamon & Clove", "Theme From The Monkees", "The Look Of Love", and "Constant Rain". CD

A mighty nice late life concert from tenor genius Eddie Harris – and one that has a number of moments that remind us just how special Eddie could be in the right setting! The group here is a bit unusual in that it has a guitar in the lineup instead of a piano – Darryl Thompson on the instrument, maybe echoing the way that Harris would use guitarist Joe Diorio on some of his earlier recordings – on long tracks that are full of interesting rhythms and unusual changes, supported by Ray Peterson on bass and Norman Fearrington on drums. Eddie also plays a bit of piano too, and the set is way more than just an aging jazzman working through standards – as you'll hear on titles that include "Ambidextrous", "Blue Bossa", "La Carnival", "Ice Cream", "Vexatious Progressions", "Get On Down", and "Eddie Who". CD

A real gem from Woody Shaw's greatest period – a very hip sextet session, recorded with Hayes, Cook, Shaw, and a rhythm section that includes Ronnie Matthews on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Guilhermo Franco on percussion. Tracks are long, and stretch out in that searching, modal style that Shaw was using a lot at the time – and although the Hayes/Cook team are listed as the leaders on the set, the record clearly owes a lot to Shaw's influence and style. A wonderful record that we just don't turn up often enough! Titles include "Ichi Ban", "Book's Bossa", "Pannonica", "Brothers & Sisters", and a great take on "Moontrane". CD

A real gem from Woody Shaw's greatest period – a very hip sextet session, recorded with Hayes, Cook, Shaw, and a rhythm section that includes Ronnie Matthews on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Guilhermo Franco on percussion. Tracks are long, and stretch out in that searching, modal style that Shaw was using a lot at the time – and although the Hayes/Cook team are listed as the leaders on the set, the record clearly owes a lot to Shaw's influence and style. Titles include "Ichi Ban", "Book's Bossa", "Brothers & Sisters", and a great take on "Moontrane". LP, Vinyl record album