A collection of work that Eric Dolphy cut for the Candid label in the early 1960s – most of it under the name of other leaders, pulled from a variety of records, and remastered here to make a strong collection of tracks that documents this semi-lost chapter of Dolphy's career. Given the strength of the short-lived Candid label – a hotbed of modern jazz in the early 60s, filled with Newport Rebels like Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Booker Little, and Dolphy – the sides are all on a par, or better than, Dolphy's work for other labels at the time. Titles include "Reincarnation Of A Love Bird (take 1)", "Stormy Weather (take 1)", "Quiet Please (take 1)", "Moods In Free Time (take 5)", "Hazy Hues (take 5)", and "African Lady (take 4)". CD

Features James Moody on tenor sax. Tracks include "Desert Storm", "Nuestro Bolero", Thelonious Monk's "I Mean You", "Out Of Nowhere", "Giant Steps", and "Linda's Moody". CD

A wonderful jazzy vocals set from Nancy Harrow – her first, and one of the rare few albums she cut as a headliner early on – a should be classic from 1960! Wild Women Don't Have The Blues, production wise, as a pretty deep stylistic range, from the very jazzy numbers like the opening "Take Me Back Baby", and the New Orleans jazz & blues touched title track and the closer "Blues For Yesterday", to more material that's more energetic, or more slowly grooving. Here voice is lovely, and she has a masterful control of it, and handles the material with grace and what sounds like plenty of experience, despite this being a debut album. Players include members of the Buck Clayton band, and titles include "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "All Too Soon", "I've Got The World On A String" and more. CD

Supremely soulful modern jazz from the great Booker Little – one of his best albums ever as a leader, and a real standout moment amidst so many of the re-titled sessions that came out after his early death! The album's got a tremendous feel from the very first note – a furthering of the modernism that Little forged with Max Roach and Eric Dolphy – but stated more strongly in his own voice as a leader and composer – a bold jazz vision that makes us miss his talents even more strongly than before! The group here is the stuff of legends – with Dolphy on alto, bass clarinet, and flute – plus Don Friedman on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, Ron Carter or Art Davis on bass, and Max Roach on drums, tympani, and vibes! Titles are all original compositions by Little – and include "We Speak", "Strength & Sanity", "Quiet, Please", "Hazy Hues", and "Moods In Free Time". CD

The title's an apt one, because after frustrations experienced working for Columbia and other labels, Mingus is finally allowed the freedom here to present his own ideas in all their unfettered glory – working with a bracingly tight quartet that features Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet and Ted Curson on trumpet! A number of the tracks here are familiar in their titles from other records, but the versions here stretch out far longer – moving past 10 minutes on 2 of the album's 4 tracks, and approaching that limit on others. But even more noticeable is the spareness of the sound – as the smaller group versions allow for a tremendous amount of solo space, really letting the focus fall on the two horn players, with the bass of Mingus and drums of Dannie Richmond shading in the space behind and beyond. Titles include "Folk Forms No. 1", "All the Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother", and the original uncensored version of "Faubus Fables". CD

Brassy LA sunshine big band from Marty Paich – with plenty of subtle, grooving twists & turns, too – with lots of lighter touches and late 50s Hollywood style! Marty is better remembered for his studio arrangement and production genius than as a band leader, but shows a really steady hand here handling a big group of jazz players including Pete Candoli, Herbie Harper, Herb Geller, Mel Lewis and others. Titles are mostly Paich compositions, with the exception of the centerpiece "What's New". Other numbers include "From Now On", "Walkin On Home", "Black Rose", "Tommy's Toon", "Easy Listnin", "Nice And Easy"and "Martytini Time" CD

Live recording with Claudio Roditi on trumpet and flugelhorn, Paquito D'Rivera on alto saxophone and clarinet, Kenny Barron on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. CD

A great example of the way that older trad players found new life in the 60s modern scene – as the set was part of the same Candid Records series that captured genius from Cecil Taylor and Charles Mingus! Bob Brookmeyer brings some modern trombone elements to the set, alongside Pee Wee Russell on clarinet and Coleman Hawkins on tenor – with piano from Nat Pierce, trumpet from Emmett Berry, bass from Milt Hinton, and drums from Jo Jones! CD

Features Ron Blake on tenor, Stefon Harris on vibes, and Russell Malone on guitar! CD

Cecil Taylor's first LP for the Candid label – and a landmark album that really lets him open up for the first time in years at a recording session! The album was cut at Nola's Penthouse in 1960, and the core group is Cecil's trio with Buell Neidlinger on bass and Dennis Charles on drums – but Archie Shepp joins the group on tenor on two tracks, "Air" and "Lazy Afternoon". The remaining three have a sound that's not always heard on other Taylor albums from the 60s – a bit bluesy, with playing that might be called a bit "straight", but which also shows Cecil's command of the jazz idiom in a mode that allows keen comparison with other players of his generation. Titles include "EB", "This Nearly Was Mine", and "Port Of Call". CD

Cecil Taylor's first LP for the Candid label – and a landmark album that really lets him open up for the first time in years at a recording session! The album was cut at Nola's Penthouse in 1960, and the core group is Cecil's trio with Buell Neidlinger on bass and Dennis Charles on drums – but Archie Shepp joins the group on tenor on two tracks, "Air" and "Lazy Afternoon". The remaining three have a sound that's not always heard on other Taylor albums from the 60s – a bit bluesy, with playing that might be called a bit "straight", but which also shows Cecil's command of the jazz idiom in a mode that allows keen comparison with other players of his generation. Titles include "EB", "This Nearly Was Mine", and "Port Of Call". CD

Sumi Tonooka on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

Gary Bartz plays live at Birdland – and the results are quite different than both other famous albums at the club, and most of Gary's other work of the time! There's a tightly swinging feel to most of the set – a style that's more hardbop than we remember from Gary's roots, but which still has all the open, exploratory tones we've always loved in Bartz's horn. The group features Claudio Roditi on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a rhythm section who really bring a lot to the set, and provide just the sort of leaping, loping energy to drive the horn players strongly. 4 of the album's 5 tracks are over 10 minutes long – and titles include "Cousins", "It's Easy To Remember", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "West 42nd Street", and "Speak Low". CD

One of the only albums ever cut as a leader by soul jazz guitarist Ray Crawford – a contemporary of Grant Green and Wes Montgomery, but a player who's hardly ever gotten his due! This rare date was originally recorded for the short-lived Candid label back in 1961, but was only issued two decades later as part of the Candid revival – a fact that makes the album even more noteworthy! The set's got a really solid groove that reminds us a fair bit of Grant Green's best early 60s work for Blue Note – as Ray's playing in a tight, single-line format on most numbers – working with a very hip group that includes Johnny Coles on trumpet, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, Junior Mance on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums. Tracks are all nice and long – very open, with plenty of solo space – and are all originals by Crawford as well. Titles include "Smooth Groove", "I Knew Prez", "Impossible", "Miss April", and "The Compendium Suite". Shoulda been a 60s classic – but at least we've finally gotten it released! CD

An excellent little album that's also one of Clark Terry's hippest! The set was recorded as part of the monumental Candid catalog in the early 60s – and it's got an edgey quality that we don't normally hear in Terry's work. At some level, he's working in a mode picked up from his time with Ellington – painting in wide shades of tone and color – but at another level, he's also using some more modern small group modes, of the sort that Candid was perfect at recording! Other players on the session include Jimmy Knepper, Yusef Lateef, Julius Watkins, and Seldon Powell – all fluidly coming together with Terry's horn to create some tremendously evocative work! Titles include "Chat Qui Peche", "No Problem", "La Rive Gauche", "Blue Waltz", and "Brother Terry". CD

Features Barron on piano, Ray Drummond on bass and Ben Riley on drums. Tracks include "Sweet Lorraine", "Fungii Mama", "You Go To My Head", and "Seascape". CD

Drummer Joe Chambers never records much as a leader – but every time he does, the album really turns out to be something special! That's definitely the case with this early 90s session for Candid Records – a date that recalls the brooding intensity that Joe brought to some of his late 60s dates for Blue Note as a sideman, carried out here on a set of tunes and concepts that are all Chambers' own – and given great life by a lineup that features Bob Berg on tenor, Philip Harper on trumpet, George Cables on piano, and Santi Debriano on bass! Berg is at his moodiest here – a great reminder of that side of his talents – and titles include "For Miles", "El Gaucho", "Phantom Of The City", "In & Out", and "Fun". CD

The only thing "straight" about Steve Lacy's horn is its shape – as the soprano sax here is used in some extremely inventive and modern ways, especially for the date of the session! We don't think we're going out on a limb to say Lacy is one of the foremost melodic improvisors of his time, and easily one of the most talented soprano players too – and his early date as a leader shows both his forward looking involvement with the avant garde (he'd played with Cecil Taylor just before this date and does a couple of his compositions here) and a career-long fascination with Thelonious Monk. Although the group here is piano-less – with Charles Davis on baritone sax, John Ore on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – there's a definite Monk-like edge to many of the numbers, carried off especially by the sharp turns in Lacy's horn! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Air", "Donna Lee", "Louise", "Played Twice", and "Inrospection". CD

Featuring Nicholas Payton, Marlon Jordan, and Jamil Sharif on trumpet, Delfeayo Marsalis on trombone, Louis Ford on clarinet, Donald Harrison Jr on alto sax, Victor Goines on tenor sax, Peter Martin on piano, Elton Heron on bass, Adonis Rose on drums, and John O'Neal on vocals. CD

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". CD

A great example of the way that older trad players found new life in the 60s modern scene – as the set was part of the same Candid Records series that captured genius from Cecil Taylor and Charles Mingus! Bob Brookmeyer brings some modern trombone elements to the set, alongside Pee Wee Russell on clarinet and Coleman Hawkins on tenor – with piano from Nat Pierce, trumpet from Emmett Berry, bass from Milt Hinton, and drums from Jo Jones! CD

Very nice set of Mingus' legendary Candid recordings – produced in 1960, after Mingus angrily departed Columbia records, and was finally given the freedom to work in the way that he wanted. The recordings are some of Mingus best – and they feature a righteous anger and sheer jazz power that's unmatched by few other recordings. Tracks include "Mysterious Blues", "Reincarnation of A Lovebird", "Bugs", "R&R", "Vassarlean", and more! CD

A searing live set by Charles Mingus – a double-length performance recorded in Antibes during his classic years for Atlantic Records, but not issued by the label until many years later! The album's a great extrapolation of the sound that Mingus had forged on sessions for Columbia, Atlantic, and Candid – the latter label especially, as the tunes here are all quite long, and really put a lot of emphasis on the solo voices of the players in the group. Given that those players include Ted Curson on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Eric Dolphy on alto sax, the sound here is proud and loud throughout – with plenty of fire from all three horns! Bud Powell makes a guest appearance on the set – and titles include "Prayer For Passive Resistance", "What Love", "I'll Remember April", "Folk Forms 1", and "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting". CD

A searing live set by Charles Mingus – a double-length performance recorded in Antibes during his classic years for Atlantic Records, but not issued by the label until many years later! The album's a great extrapolation of the sound that Mingus had forged on sessions for Columbia, Atlantic, and Candid – the latter label especially, as the tunes here are all quite long, and really put a lot of emphasis on the solo voices of the players in the group. Given that those players include Ted Curson on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Eric Dolphy on alto sax, the sound here is proud and loud throughout – with plenty of fire from all three horns! Bud Powell makes a guest appearance on the set – and titles include "Prayer For Passive Resistance", "What Love", "I'll Remember April", "Folk Forms 1", and "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting". CD

A classical-oriented soundtrack from Arthur B Rubinstein – penned for an early 80s film that stars Richard Dreyfus and John Cassavetes! The music draws heavily on the baroque tradition – with lots of strings and woodwinds that come across with very colorful flourishes – but there's also some modern elements as well, a bit more space and tension that best underscore the bittersweet story of the film. Many tracks are relatively short – remixed here by Film Score from the original tapes, and put together with a beautiful booklet of notes and images from the movie. Titles include "Art Thief", "Find A Judge", "Intensive Care", "The Diagnosis", "The Parting", "Montage", "Candid Camera", and "Nice Breasts". CD

A fantastic sextet session recorded in 1961, shortly before Booker Little's death – and filled with all the promise and power he ever packed into his playing! There's a sharp, angular groove to many of the numbers here – that mix of modern and hardbop that was cresting best in the early 60s Blue Note generation – and which echoes some of the work that Little had done with Max Roach in the years before this date. The lineup's filled with great players to help Book realize his strongest musical vision – Julian Priester on trombone, George Coleman on tenor, Don Friedman on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – and although the set's issued on the sometimes-staid Bethlehem label, it's got all the sharper edges of an early 60s date on a label like Impulse or Candid! Titles include "Matilde", "Booker's Blues", "Forward Flight", and "Victory and Sorrow". This CD reissue contains 2 alternate takes, too – for a total of 9 cuts in all! CD

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". CD features the bonus track "Freedom" – not on the original LP! CD

A fantastic sextet session recorded in 1961, shortly before Booker Little's death – and filled with all the promise and power he ever packed into his playing! There's a sharp, angular groove to many of the numbers here – that mix of modern and hardbop that was cresting best in the early 60s Blue Note generation – and which echoes some of the work that Little had done with Max Roach in the years before this date. The lineup's filled with great players to help Book realize his strongest musical vision – Julian Priester on trombone, George Coleman on tenor, Don Friedman on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – and although the set's issued on the sometimes-staid Bethlehem label, it's got all the sharper edges of an early 60s date on a label like Impulse or Candid! Titles include "Matilde", "Booker's Blues", "Forward Flight", and "Victory and Sorrow". This CD reissue contains 2 alternate takes, too – for a total of 9 cuts in all! CD

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". CD

A seminal set from Max Roach – the start of his more righteous stretch in jazz, as you might guess from the title of the album! At some level, the record's got a bit of the feel of the post-Clifford Brown Mercury years from Roach – but at another, it's stretching out towards the directions Max would explore fully on the Candid, Impulse, and Fantasy labels in the 60s – an approach to hardbop that often really pushes its limits – not content to simply set up solos for the players, and instead moving with a much more forceful energy overall! Group members include Booker Little on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor, Ray Draper on tuba, and Art Davis on bass – and the lack of a piano makes for a very exciting sound! The album's got 2 great originals by Bill Lee – "Jodie's Cha Cha" and "Deeds Not Words" – plus Draper's classic "Filide", and the groundbreaking "Conversation" – a very cool solo by Roach on the drums! CD also features the bonus track "There Will Never Be Another You" – with Oscar Pettiford on bass instead of Davis. CD

A beautiful blend of jazz, voices, and soul – a landmark record in Max Roach's vocal experimental tradition, and a fitting companion piece to Billy Harper's classic Capra Black album – an equally soulful blend of styles! Like Capra Black, this set features Harper's sharp and soulful tenor up against a choir of voices – blowing on hard-hitting soul jazz arrangements handled by Max Roach, of the style he used on some of his classic early 60s sides for Impulse and Candid. The tracks are long, Harper's in top form, and the group also includes Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet and George Cables on piano – ultra hip cats, always! Cuts include "Motherless Child", "Let Thy People Go", and "Troubled Waters. CD

A beautiful blend of jazz, voices, and soul – a landmark record in Max Roach's vocal experimental tradition, and a fitting companion piece to Billy Harper's classic Capra Black album – an equally soulful blend of styles! Like Capra Black, this set features Harper's sharp and soulful tenor up against a choir of voices – blowing on hard-hitting soul jazz arrangements handled by Max Roach, of the style he used on some of his classic early 60s sides for Impulse and Candid. The tracks are long, Harper's in top form, and the group also includes Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet and George Cables on piano – ultra hip cats, always! Cuts include "Motherless Child", "Let Thy People Go", and "Troubled Waters. CD

A fantastic sextet session recorded in 1961, shortly before Booker Little's death – and filled with all the promise and power he ever packed into his playing! There's a sharp, angular groove to many of the numbers here – that mix of modern and hardbop that was cresting best in the early 60s Blue Note generation – and which echoes some of the work that Little had done with Max Roach in the years before this date. The lineup's filled with great players to help Book realize his strongest musical vision – Julian Priester on trombone, George Coleman on tenor, Don Friedman on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – and although the set's issued on the sometimes-staid Bethlehem label, it's got all the sharper edges of an early 60s date on a label like Impulse or Candid! Titles include "Matilde", "Booker's Blues", "Forward Flight", and "Victory and Sorrow". This CD reissue contains 2 alternate takes, too – for a total of 9 cuts in all! CD

Some of the best work ever from pianist Billy Taylor – and some of the earliest too! Taylor's 50s trio with Earl May and Percy Brice is augmented here by conga work by the great Candido – and this addition brings a lot of fire to the group, giving Taylor's normally safe style a harder percussive edge – one that really makes the whole set groove nicely! Proof of this can be found in the album's classic reading of "Mambo Inn", one of those Latin piano tunes that's been a jazz dance classic for years – and other tracks are great too, and include "Love For Sale", "A Live One", "Bit Of Bedlam", "Declivity", and "Different Bells". CD

A beautiful bit of Latin funk – and one of the rarest albums ever from the mighty Candido! The album's one of the first that has Candido stepping out of the straighter Latin jazz mode of earlier years – working with a funky lineup of players arranged by the mad genius Joe Cain, and going for a mixed electric/acoustic sound that reminds us of Mongo Santamaria's best work – only a heck of a lot funkier! In addition to killer conga licks from Candi, the album features some really heavy guitar and organ lines, plus some good choppy sax work – wailing away with a really solid soulful sound. Imagine Booker T & The MGs working in Spanish Harlem – and you've got part of the picture of this one! Titles include "I'm On My Way", "Tic Tac Toe", "Serenade To A Savage", and the great "Ghana Spice (parts 1 & 2)". CD

Featuring Tommy Flannigan, Paul Chambers, Kenny Clarke, Candido Camero, Art Blakey, Tina Brooks, Stanley Turrentine, Ray Barretto, Jimmy Smith, Herbie Hancock, and others. CD

A great burner from Diz – and one that features a large group, long tracks, and some stellar early work from Lalo Schifrin! Schifrin was in Diz's group at the time, playing piano and contributing fantastic Latin-tinged arrangements that gave the band a whole new life. Other players on this session include Candido, Leo Wright, Julius Watkins, and Willie Rodriguez – and the tracks include "Africana", "Blues", and "Panamerica". CD

Features Lalo Schifrin on piano, Leo Wright on alto and flute, and two tracks with Candido. CD

A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! CD

A tight little groover from Wynton Kelly – one of a few mid 60s gems done for Verve in a style that's harder-hitting and more focused than some of Kelly's other work! The record's got an approach that's a bit pop, but plenty darn soulful too – a style that focuses the already-great Kelly approach to the keys, and brings it into territory explored by Ramsey Lewis and Ray Bryant – kicking up the rhythms with lots of playful touches, including extra guitar by Kenny Burrell and conga from Candido, and even an added steel band on one number! The record's got a few mellower ballads that recall the lyrical Kelly mode of the past – but most is upbeat and very grooving – with titles that include "South Seas", "Not A Tear", "It's All Right", "Kelly Roll", "Moving Up", and "Escapade". CD

Unreleased live material – recorded in New Jersey in 1950 with an unknown group; in New York in 1953 with Charles Mingus on bass, Bud Powell on piano, and Candido on congas; and at the Hi Hat in Boston in 1954 with Herb Pomeroy on trumpet. CD

Incredible work by Randy Weston – light years ahead of his trio material from just a few years before! The album is one of his most progressive from the early years, and features an extended suite dedicated to the newly-won freedoms of the African Nations – with occasional lyrics by Langston Hughes, and arrangements by the great Melba Liston! The material's political, radical, and modernist – but it never fails to groove, and uses its politics to achieve an added emotional punch, as in the best work from the same time by Max Roach and Charles Mingus – and some of their larger progressive projects. The group is much larger than you'd expect from Randy – with Benny Bailey and Richard Williams on trumpets, Slide Hampton on trombone, Sahib Shihab on reeds, and Candido and Olatunji on percussion – which really dominates the record. The whole thing is amazing – one of the purest realizations of the African influence in Weston's music – and movements of the suite are entitled "Uhuru Kwanza", "African Lady", "Bantu", and "Kucheza Blues" CD

The title's a great one for this post-Coltrane cooker from Elvin Jones – as the set really has Elvin exploring some really fresh currents in jazz, with a range of complicated rhythms that really pull the whole session along strongly! Rhythm is really set free on the record – as Elvin works to unlock some tremendous new possibilities in jazz, but all at a level that's quite different than his previous work with his famous leader – a rich tapestry of new spiritual expression that's carried off wonderfully by Joe Farrell on flute, tenor, and English horn – plus George Coleman on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, and a bit more flute from Fred Tompkins. There's no piano on the album at all – and Wilbur Little plays some tremendous bass, with some occasional conga work from Candido as well. Titles are all originals by group members – or Mrs Jones – and titles include "Whew", "Agenda", "Agappe Love", "Mr Jones", and "Yes". CD

Dinah's in a perfect setting here – one that gets more jazz out of her style than other records at the time! The "after hours" setting has Dinah singing with a relaxed jazz combo – one that features Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Paul Quinichette on tenor, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Junior Mance on piano – as well as some other nice touches, like congas from Candido, and a bit of organ work from Jackie Davis! The tunes still have the slightly bluesy feel of Dinah's other work, but are more jazz-based in their phrasing and presentation – and titles include "A Foggy Day", "Bye Bye Blues", "Am I Blue", "Blue Skies", and "Love For Sale". CD features one bonus track – an unedited "Blue Skies", which runs over three minutes longer than the originally released version! CD

A sweet double-length set – one that features two classic Prestige albums from Gene Ammons! Boss Is Back is a great comeback for tenor legend Gene Ammons – not just in a musical sense, but also because Jug had spent most of the past few years in prison – as part of the usual trumped-up drug charges that were filed against musicians at the time! At the time of this album, Ammons had not recorded since a very successful flurry of sides recorded in 1961, done for a number of labels, and issued slowly during his time off the recording market – a precursor to this fantastic return to form, which has Gene hitting more of a jazz funk mode, in the best Prestige style at the end of the 60s! Case in point is the presence of Bernard Purdie on drums on a number of cuts – in a lineup that also features some organ from Sonny Phillips, piano from Junior Mance, and electric bass from Bob Bushnell – plus congas from Candido for a nice extra kick! Titles include the funky cuts "Tastin' the Jug" and "Jungle Boss" – plus "Madame Queen" and "Feeling Good". Brother Jug is a great bit of jazz funk from tenor genius Gene Ammons – really reinventing himself here after some time off the scene in the 60s! The set has Gene picking up a great groove with help from Billy Butler on guitar and Sonny Phillips on organ – and the great Bernard Pretty Purdie is also on drums, and kicks it nice and lean on the great groover "Jungle Strut"! The album also features a nice version of "Son of A Preacher Man", plus "Ger-ru", which features Junior Mance on piano. CD

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! CD

The entirety of Kenny's first 3 sessions for Blue Note together on one 2 disc set. Arguably some of Kenny Burrell's best work! Unlike some of Kenny's other sessions, which hide his guitar in arrangements that are a bit too complicated – this one's a nicely stripped-down album that sets his hollow electric in a group with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Kenny Clarke on drums, and Candido on conga. The tracks are nicely laidback, and Kenny hits some nice deep grooves on cuts like "Fugue N Blues", "Takeela", and "Delilah". Plus, the album also includes a totally cool percussion-only track – "Rhythmorama", which is a duet between Kenny Clarke and Candido! This CD adds the entire session to include the album issued as Kenny Burrell Volume 2 which featured Frank Foster's tenor on numbers like "Moten Swin", "Cheeta" and Phinupi. K.B. Blues, an early 10" side that included the title track (with an alternate take also included here), "Nica's Dream" and "Out For Blood" with tenor man Hank Mobley, is also included. CD

A great burner from Diz – and one that features a large group, long tracks, and some stellar early work from Lalo Schifrin! Schifrin was in Diz's group at the time, playing piano and contributing fantastic Latin-tinged arrangements that gave the band a whole new life. Other players on this session include Candido, Leo Wright, Julius Watkins, and Willie Rodriguez – and the tracks include "Africana", "Blues", and "Panamerica". An incredible live set from Dizzy Gillespie – one that has him working in stunning big band mode, but with all the depth and agility of a small combo! The set features variations on a number of classic Gillespie themes – including "Kush", "Manteca", "Ool Ya Koo", and "Tunisian Fantasy (Night In Tunisia)" – recast with that ever-growing Latin influence that Dizzy was picking up in the 60s, supported strongly by the presence of a young Lalo Schifrin, who plays piano on the set. Horn players include Dizzy, Clark Terry, and Nick Travis on trumpets; Gunter Schuller and Jim Buffington on French Horns; Leo Wright on sax and flute; and Don Butterfield on tuba – supported by rhythm from Schifrin on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Charles Lumpkin on drums. Tunes are awash in soulful solos and deeply colored hues – and titles include "Manteca", "This Is The Way", "Kush", "Ool Ya Koo", and "Tunisian Fantasy". CD

More of what you buy Blue Note for – funky jazz tunes with a kick! This set pulls together 13 cuts from the label's classic late 60s/early 70s years – a time that was once lost to the sands of time, thanks to snobbery against use of electric instrumentation on the label, but which is now being rediscovered again, thanks to hip hoppers, the acid jazz crowd, and groovers worldwide! This great package features plenty of rare numbers that best sum up the funky side of Blue Note – including "Who Dun It" by Blue Mitchell, "Down Home Funk" by Groove Holmes, "Tic Tac Toe" by Candido, "Cissy Strut" by John Patton, "Ease Back" by Grant Green, "Bambu" by Reuben Wilson, "Family Affair" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Don't Knock My Love" by Ronnie Foster, "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothin" by Grant Green, "Cantaloupe Woman" by Grant Green, "If There's A Hell Below" by Lou Donaldson, and "Hunk O Funk" by Jack McDuff. CD

A great collection of grooves – as some of Blue Note's best soul jazz artists of the 60s and 70s take on a host of funky tunes and soul music classics. The vibe is great throughout – and most cuts are instrumentals, based around tunes that you might know, but redone here with that great Blue Note funkosity that made the label so wonderful! Titles include "Think" by Lonnie Smith, "As" by Gene Harris, "Pillow Talk" by Lou Donaldson, "Ain't That Peculiar" by Big John Patton, "If You Really Love Me" by Grant Green, "Feel Like Makin Love" by Marlena Shaw, "Me & Mrs Jones" by Ronnie Foster, "Soul Limbo" by Candido, "I'll Be There" by Hank Mobley, "Mr Big Stuff" by Reuben Wilson, "People Make The World Go Round" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Can't Hide Love" by Carmen McRae, and "Just My Imagination" by Donald Byrd. CD

Really classic jazz grooves from the vaults of Prestige Records – the kind of cuts that first broke big on the London scene of the 80s, at a time when diggers were setting fire to the rare groove scene too! The cuts here are proof that some of the best work doesn't need to come from completely obscure groups or super-tiny labels – as the music here is exactly the kind of work that made huge waves in the US jazz scene when first released, then went underground for many years – until later collectors and diggers brought it back to the limelight! The great thing is how many of these cuts are all acoustic – no need for electricity to make things funky – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Hiyo Silver" by Bennie Green, "Grease Monkey" by Kenny Burrell with Jack McDuff, "Mau Mau" by Art Farmer, "Mambo Inn" by Billy Taylor with Candido, "Manteca" by Red Garland, "Blue Stompin" by Hal Singer, "Spider Man" by Freddie McCoy, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Flatjacks" by Willie Rodriguez, "Blue Gator" by Willis Jackson, and "Pedro Stroller" by Johnny Lytle. CD

The Soul Party here is a soul jazz one – pulled from Blue Note albums of the late 60s and early 70s, most of them surprisingly funky! The set's got some very tight little numbers that are heavy on the Hammond and electric guitar – that great sound that started to show up on the Blue Note label as the 60s drew to a close. Titles include "Never Can Say Goodbye" by Grant Green, "Soul Limbo" by Candido, "Hold On I'm Coming" by Reuben Wilson, "Shake" by Stanley Turrentine, "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky" by Lou Donaldson, "Think" by Lonnie Smith, and "Ain't That Peculiar" by John Patton. CD

An early 80s look at Latin jazz from David Amram – with a who's who of Latin jazz players and stellar jazz musicians of other realms – including Paquito D'Riveria, Candido, Machito & Machito Jr, Brazilian percussion guru Duduca Fonseca, David Fathead Newman, Jimmy Knepper, Pepper Adams and others others! What could have come out as clinical or academic comes through with passion and affection, partly because Amram could get such incredible players on the record, but mostly because the multi-instrumentalist ring leader is genuinely celebrating the music rather than simply replicating it. Includes "En Memoria De Chano Pozo, "New York Charanga", "Brazilian Memories", "Celebration", "Song Of The Rainforest" and more. CD