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A brilliant reinvention of the Bobby Bradford/John Carter partnership – a key force on the LA avant scene of the late 60s and early 70s – still filled with fire in this later recording! Bradford's cornet has lost none of its force – and the real shift here is Carter, who works only on clarinet – yet uses the instrument with incredible energy, with bold, stretching lines that move far past some of the more fragile aspects of the instrument – and which seem to get pushed even farther here by Bradford than on some of Carter's own albums as a leader during the 80s. The rest of the group features Don Preston on piano and keyboards, Richard Davis on bass, and the mighty Andrew Cyrille on drums – whose playing here really propels the whole set strongly – on titles that include "Comin On", "Sunday Afternoon Jazz Society Blues", "Room 408", and "Encounter".

Features material with Carter's Chocolate Dandies group – with Ben Webster on tenor, Buck Clayton on trumpet, and Al Grey on trombone!

Sublime alto work from Benny Carter – a masterpiece of tone and timing that shows him at the height of his powers! Carter's sound alone is enough to sell the record, and it's wonderfully recorded by Norman Granz – but the rest of the group is a good fit too, and features Oscar Peterson on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Buddy Rich on drums – all of whom lay back nicely to let Benny take the lead.

A surprisingly great album – even if it's short on information! There's no real dates on this one, so we have to assume that it's of the vintage of the album's release date – somewhere in the early 60s – making the album pretty late for Benny, but also pretty great as well! The sessions have a pretty unique feel – with Benny's alto in front of gentle small group backings that have a bit of a sweet feel – and some occasional vocal chorus bits that slide in and out very gracefully. Carter's tone is tremendous, and the sound of the record is really incredible – hard to describe, but much more than you'd expect from the title, label, and the date! Titles include "Waltz Gay", "Bagatelle", "Blues For Benny", "Black Knight", and "Cuando Caliente El Sol".

Mellow magic from Betty – one of her first "comeback" albums for Verve, and an excellent set of tunes that still keeps the same feel as her 80s work on her own label. The group on most tunes is a trio – with Benny Green on piano, Michael Bowie on bass, and Winard Harper on drums – but some tracks feature additional tenor from Don Braden, blowing soulfully next to Betty's incredible voice. Tunes skip around with imagination and a sense of soul in places where you'd never expect it – and titles include "Look What I Got", "The Man I Love", "That Sunday That Summer", "All I Got", and "Just Like The Movies".

An interesting early album from Betty Carter – less jazz than some of her later work, but with a bit more of an edge than some of her ABC recordings. The album's got sort of an arranged sophisticated jazz style – in the mode of 60s work by Esther Phillips or Dinah Washington – and Betty handles some wonderful material with a dark edge, like "Two Cigarettes In The Dark", "Nothing More To Look Forward To", "Round Midnight", "I Wonder", "Who What Why Where When", and "The Good Life", all done in a sorrow-drenched style that's incredibly compelling, and a very different side to Betty's career. An album you'll be hard-pressed to find on vinyl – and nicely repacked for CD with 2 bonus cuts: "One Note Samba" and "Shine On Harvest Moon".

Titles include "All Messed Up", "Jenning's Alley", "I Thought It Was Over"," Don't Bother Me", and "Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained".

The album that very firmly put Clarence Carter on the mainstream soul map – thanks to his brilliant version of the title tune! By the time of this set, Carter was already one hell of a soul singer – and really brought amazing sounds to play with classic production from Rick Hall and the Fame Studios gang. But when he pointed those talents towards the country soul story "Patches", he really found his groove – mixing southern roots from both sides of the fence into one really unique groove – and following it up with a host of other well-chosen tunes that really helped establish Carter's unique place in music. George Jackson co-wrote a number of the best tunes – a few with Clarence – and titles include "Patches", "I'm Just A Prisoner", "Till I Can't Take It Anymore", "Changes", "Say Man", "Willie & Laura Mae Jones", "CC Blues", and "Getting the Bills (But No Merchandise)".

A seminal debut from the great Clarence Carter – proof that there was still a lot of genius to be heard in southern soul at the time! The 60s were just about over when Clarence appeared on the recording scene – and it seemed that most of the big names in soul had already grabbed most of the thrones in the kingdom. Clarence was a real comer, though – and his sweet style of southern soul was immediately popular, filling a void promptly after the death of Otis Redding, and setting a bit more fire than some of the other Atlantic male singers, who were waning a bit at the time. Of course, it certainly helps that that lil' ol' genius Rick Hall was behind Clarence's move – arranging and producing this album with some of the strongest, least cliched Muscle Shoals backings of the time. Titles include "Slip Away", "Funk Fever", "Thread The Needle", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Looking For A Fox", and "Slippin' Around".

Previously unreleased material from the duo of Bobby Bradford and John Carter – two players who created ferocious energy together in their famous LA quartet of the late 60s and early 70s, but who here get at a completely different sound of their talents! In a way, the record really represents the growth that Carter had as a musician by this time – his wonderfully lyrical, evocative work on clarinet – which carries some echoes of Jimmy Giuffre's freeness on the instrument, but a more deeply personal quality as well – quite earthy and organic at times, with these really beautiful tones! Bradford's cornet really seems to follow suit strongly – beautifully blown, but at a level that's more intimate than we've heard from Bobby before – really wonderful phrasing that's free, but still always quite tuneful too. The set features a few tracks with solo clarinet, and one solo cornet – and titles on this second volume include "Woman", "Woodman's Hall Blues", "Sweet Sunset", "Swiss Account", "Les Masses Jigaboo", and "And She Speaks".

An amazing debut from the John Carter/Bobby Bradford New Art Jazz Ensemble – one of the most powerful voices in jazz on the west coast at the end of the 60s! In a way, the quartet's sound is a culmination of the underground changes that had been bubbling under during most of the 60s on the LA scene – new ways of conceiving jazz after Ornette and Dolphy had first set the scene on fire at the start of the decade, but styles that weren't receiving nearly the exposure as some of the better-known avant work on the Chicago, New York, or European scenes. The style here definitely owes something of a legacy to Ornette in the way it reconceives rhythm and melody – and a bit to Dolphy in its freewheeling, free-thinking work on clarinet, flute, and alto by John Carter. Bobby Bradford's bracing trumpet lines really give the album a tremendous punch – and the rest of the group features Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman (brother of George and Von!) on drums. Titles include "Seeking", "The Village Dancers", "Sticks & Stones", "In The Vineyard", "Karen On Monday", and "Song For The Unsung".

One of Ron Carter's best from the 70s – a hip and subtle effort recorded for CTI, with a small group that includes Joe Henderson on tenor, Roland Hanna on piano, and Billy Cobham on drums! Henderson's tenor work dominates the album, and the long tracks really let him snake around mightily – blowing with that dark edge that we totally love, and taking the record in much different directions than some of Carter's other albums. Richard Tee also plays electric piano on the title "117 Special" – and other tunes include "A Feeling", "All Blues", "Rufus", and "Will You Still Be Mine".

One of Ron Carter's best from the 70s – a hip and subtle effort recorded for CTI, with a small group that includes Joe Henderson on tenor, Roland Hanna on piano, and Billy Cobham on drums! Henderson's tenor work dominates the album, and the long tracks really let him snake around mightily – blowing with that dark edge that we totally love, and taking the record in much different directions than some of Carter's other albums. Richard Tee also plays electric piano on the title "117 Special" – and other tunes include "A Feeling", "All Blues", "Rufus", and "Will You Still Be Mine". This CTI 40th Anniversary edition was remastered using the original analog tapes.

Ron Carter plays here with pianist Kenny Barron, drummer Harvey Mason, and guitarist Hugh McCracken, in a setting that is augmented by an off-kilter string section, and which has that sort of bright sound that characterized some of Carter's recordings from the time. Many of the tracks have a relaxed funky groove, and Carter's bass is very up front in the recording, with lots of tight plunked hard solo notes. Tracks include "12+12", "Woolaphant", and "One Bass Rag".

A beautiful album by Ron Carter – and quite rare, too! The record features a group that's got a nice 70s modal soul jazz sound – with players that include Herbie Hancock on acoustic and electric piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Sam Brown on guitar, and both Billy Cobham and Grady Tate on drums – all working in sweet small group mode alongside Carter's excellent work on acoustic and Fender bass. The sound is sometimes spacey, sometimes groovy – and marks a key chapter in Carter's career, one that has him stepping out of the background into a great role as a leader – setting the stage for many more albums to come in the 70s! Titles include the very funky "Uptown Conversation", plus the tracks "Half A Row", "Doom", and "Einbahnstrasse". Very soulful, with a stone mellow moody groove!

Great work from Ron Carter's Golden Striker trio – a group with a really unique sound that comes from the careful balance of Carter's bass, Mulgrew Miller's piano, and Russell Malone's guitar! All three players have just the right amount of individuality and maturity to work together perfectly on the set – creating interplay that really makes you feel as if the trio belongs to no core musician – and instead is one of those rare moments then the three pointed star really shines equally brightly from all corners! Miller's piano is wonderfully restrained at points, yet still full of feeling – and titles include "Candle Light", "Saudade", "Samba De Orpheu", "The Golden Striker", and "My Funny Valentine". Also features a bonus DVD – with one extra song, "Laverne Walk" – and a DVD audio sampler of other releases.

A mixture of folksy and jazzy vocals from singer Susan Carter – part of the Laurel Canyon scene of the late 60s! Although Susan was one of the "Ladies Of The Canyon", she's got a sound here that's much more wider-ranging than that of Joni Mitchell – a unique mixture of jazz and rock influences that come across with a different sound on nearly every track on the set. The arranger for the album is Dick Halligan, who we've never heard of before – but who should get a lot of credit for the way that he mixes together odd phrasings and timings to match the shifting styles of Susan's vocals. Titles include "I'm So Tired", "I Need A Good Man Bad", "Medley For Billie Holiday", "Bluebird", and "Jam Session".

Spectacular work from one of the most groundbreaking groups of its time – the legendary John Carter/Bobby Bradford Quartet – simply the hippest thing going in the LA scene of the late 60s! The group includes Carter on alto and tenor, Bradford on trumpet, Tom Williamson on bass, and Bruzz Freeman (brother of Von and George!) on drums! Tracks are long and free, yet also fragile and intimate – with an almost painterly sense of beauty and emotion that stands in stark contrast to much of the avant work of the time coming out of the east coast. Titles include "Domino", "Abstractions For Three Lovers", "Woman", and "The Second Set".

A key later album from alto saxophonist Benny Carter – one that has him at the helm of a largeish group, but playing with a nicely focused sort of groove! In addition to Benny's alto, the record also features tenor sax from Charlie Rouse and Coleman Hawkins, plus one more alto from Phil Woods – supported by rhythm from John Collins on guitar, Dick Katz on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. The tunes are traditional, but have some sharper-edged modern ideas on some of the solos – and there's a nicely echoey feel to the production, which further adds to the quality of the record. The album's a bit like a Swingville session for Prestige, but has a bit more going on – and titles include "Doozy", "Blue Star", "Midnight Sun Will Never Set", and "Crazy Rhythm".

With Ben Webster on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Barney Kessel on guitar. Titles include "Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me", "Blue Lou", "A Walkin Thing", and "Old Fashioned Love".

Includes Carter performing with his own orchestra as well as Mezz Mezzrow & His Orchestra and the Chocolate Dandies.

A key later album from alto saxophonist Benny Carter – one that has him at the helm of a largeish group, but playing with a nicely focused sort of groove! In addition to Benny's alto, the record also features tenor sax from Charlie Rouse and Coleman Hawkins, plus one more alto from Phil Woods – supported by rhythm from John Collins on guitar, Dick Katz on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. The tunes are traditional, but have some sharper-edged modern ideas on some of the solos – and there's a nicely echoey feel to the production, which further adds to the quality of the record. The album's a bit like a Swingville session for Prestige, but has a bit more going on – and titles include "Doozy", "Blue Star", "Midnight Sun Will Never Set", and "Crazy Rhythm".

Benny plays alto and does the backings, Oscar adds in the piano – and the album's a lush, warm session with a really dreamy feel! The core group features Peterson at the keys, with bass from Ray Brown, guitar from Barney Kessel, and drums from Buddy Rich – all supporting Carter's sweet tones on the alto, and a rich backdrop of strings with a lonely and sentimental feel. Carter's alto is right up front in the mix, and Oscar's pretty much in the background, shading in the empty spaces with light colors and tones. Titles include "Key Largo", "Alone Together", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Gone With The Wind", "Some Other Spring", and "These Things You Left Me".

The cover's a striking one – and it definitely supports the music inside, given that most of these Bo Carter tunes are vintage blues tunes with a decidedly erotic bent! The metaphors are obvious, but they're put together beautifully – without any of the heavy-handed schlock that later copycats would never get quite right – and set to spare acoustic lines that complement Carter's vocals wonderfully. And in a case where a title is definitely more than enough to get you started – let us say simply that the tracks include "Pig Meat Is What I Crave", "What Kind Of Scent Is This", "Mashin That Thing", "Pin In Your Cushion", "Ram Rod Daddy", "Ants In My Pants", "Pussy Cat Blues", and "My Pencil Won't Write No More".

Clarence Carter's first few years of Fame Studios singles – simply put, some of very best southern soul of this or any other period – both sides of each single Clarence cut with Rick Hall at Fame from 1966-1973! Recorded at the vaunted Muscle Shoals studio during the peak years of the facility and Clarence's career – what more can we say? The production and arrangements by Hall personify the sound and style of the southern soul era – and Clarence's capability to truly emote, as well as demonstrate a sly wit and unique personality – ultimately transcending all trends at the time! Absolutely essential material and it sounds as great as ever – with mastering direct from the Fame masters tapes too. Includes "Tell Daddy", "I Stayed Away Too Long", "Thread The Needle", "Too Weak To Fight", "Let Me Comfort You", "Back Door Santa", "Doin' Our Thing", "Take It Off Him And Put It On Me", "The Few Troubles I've Had", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "Funky Fever", "Snatching It Back", "Devil Woman" and more.

Spectacular work from one of the most groundbreaking groups of its time – the legendary John Carter/Bobby Bradford Quartet – simply the hippest thing going in the LA scene of the late 60s! The group includes Carter on alto and tenor, Bradford on trumpet, Tom Williamson on bass, and Bruzz Freeman (brother of Von and George!) on drums! Tracks are long and free, yet also fragile and intimate – with an almost painterly sense of beauty and emotion that stands in stark contrast to much of the avant work of the time coming out of the east coast. Titles include "Domino", "Abstractions For Three Lovers", "Woman", and "The Second Set".

Fab early work from unsung British studio genius John Carter – 2 albums from his Ministry Of Sound group in the 60s! Carter's best known for his later, more baroque productions – but here he's working in a great blend of jangle pop and trippier influences – almost the British equivalent of some of the hipper LA groups of the time, but with bits of Hollies and Kinks-era pop in the mix as well! Tracks are relatively short and straightforward – based around catchy choruses, but often hitting on deeper themes, especially on the later work represented on the set. The 2CD package features the full tracks from the albums Men From The Ministry (1966) and Midsummer Nights Dreaming (1968), plus 11 more bonus singles from the group's Sunny Records sessions of the time. Titles include "I'm Coming Home", "Something Very Good", "Goodbye To Rosalie", "White Collar Worker", "In The Sky", "Sequin Sally", "Rain Raiin Rain", "Roberto Billow", "Love Equals Love", "Memory", "Turn Around", "Time & Motion Man", "Sunday In The Park", and "Magic People".

Ron Carter gets sweet and funky on this 70s classic for Kudu Records – a set that's a fair bit different than some of Carter's acoustic trio sides of the decade, or some of his more high-concept work in recent years! The approach here is free and flowing – larger arrangements penned by Carter and David Matthews – all in that sweet Kudu blend of soul and jazz, acoustic and electric elements. Ron himself plays acoustic bass and piccolo bass – alongside some great keyboards from Don Grolnick and Richard Tee. A few cuts have backing singers, but others are more instrumental – and titles include a great cover of "Barretta Theme (Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow)", plus "Anything Goes", "Big Fro", "Quarto Azul", and "De Samba".

One of the massive Ron Carter albums from the mid 70s – and a set of 4 open-ended modal tracks that hit a similar Latin/but not Latin approach as the tracks on Coltrane's great Ole album. The group's a small one – featuring Carter on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, Jay Berliner on guitar, Ralph MacDonald on percussion, Roland Hanna on piano, and Hubert Laws on flute. Laws' playing is some of the best on the record – and his solos carry most of the songs nicely, a lot more nicely, in fact, than those on his own albums at the time. Leon Pendarvis makes a guest appearance playing electric piano on the cut "Arkansas", which is a bit funky – and other tunes include "El Noche Sol", "Sabado Sombrero", and "El Noche Sol".

A beautiful album by Ron Carter – and quite rare, too! The record features a group that's got a nice 70s modal soul jazz sound – with players that include Herbie Hancock on acoustic and electric piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Sam Brown on guitar, and both Billy Cobham and Grady Tate on drums – all working in sweet small group mode alongside Carter's excellent work on acoustic and Fender bass. The sound is sometimes spacey, sometimes groovy – and marks a key chapter in Carter's career, one that has him stepping out of the background into a great role as a leader – setting the stage for many more albums to come in the 70s! Titles include the very funky "Uptown Conversation", plus the tracks "Half A Row", "Doom", and "Einbahnstrasse". Very soulful, with a stone mellow moody groove!

Moody, moody stuff from Ron – who's really opening up his scope on this album, one cut during his strong emergence as an arranger/composer with a bent for pushing the bass way past its traditional jazz role. The record features Carter on a variety of basses, and features different groupings of players that include Billy Cobham, Ben Riley, Kenny Barron, Don Grolnick, and Dom Um Romao. Titles include "Epsistrophy", "Yellow & Green", "Tenaj", and "Receipt, Please".

Mindblowing punk and free jazz collision from Dissipated Face – with alto sax behemoth Daniel Carter blowing fiercely out front – a fast, brutal, yet defiantly musical quartet of songs recorded live in 1986 at the legendary Bowery club! This great 7-inch, 33 1/3 RPM EP has four killer tracks – with fast, bashed out guitars, furious rhythms and angry, aggro vocals – really cool underground stuff just on that level, but Carter's brilliant sax truly blows it into on amazing level. Titles include "Rock Is Dead, S**thead", "Nazi With A New Name", "Streets Of New York" and "My Life Is Like An Alligator".

Also featuring Wallace Roney & Tony Williams.

A key later album from alto saxophonist Benny Carter – one that has him at the helm of a largeish group, but playing with a nicely focused sort of groove! In addition to Benny's alto, the record also features tenor sax from Charlie Rouse and Coleman Hawkins, plus one more alto from Phil Woods – supported by rhythm from John Collins on guitar, Dick Katz on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. The tunes are traditional, but have some sharper-edged modern ideas on some of the solos – and there's a nicely echoey feel to the production, which further adds to the quality of the record. The album's a bit like a Swingville session for Prestige, but has a bit more going on – and titles include "Doozy", "Blue Star", "Midnight Sun Will Never Set", and "Crazy Rhythm".

Seminal southern soul from the legendary Clarence Carter – one of his early killers for Atlantic Records, all of which really stand out from most of his work to come in later years! There's a raw, raspy brilliance here that's undeniable – the blind singer stepping out with incredible confidence on a host of tunes that really run the gamut – numbers of love and loss, mixed with a few more contemporary pop tracks – but all given a unique Muscle Shoals twist that really transforms them. Carter wins our heart from the start with his version of "I'd Rather Go Blind" – then keeps on soaring through cuts that include "Think About It", "Steal Away", "Look What I Got", "That Old Time Feeling", "Let Me Comfort You", "Weekend Love", "Light My Fire", and "Too Weak To Fight".

Excellent early work from Clarence Carter – recording here with production and arrangements by Rick Hall – in that sweet Muscle Shoals style that never sounded better than it did with Clarence! Carter had a way of working with Hall that was really beyond some of the cliches that crept into the scene at the time – a blend of bluesier roots and leaner soul that was totally great – and which was always touched by Clarence's keen sense of wit and personality! The record's got a slightly funky sound in parts – especially on the great cut "Snatching It Back" – and the rest of the titles are all killer southern soul material, with classics that include "Making Love (At The Dark End Of The Street)", "Soul Deep", "Doin' Our Thing", "I Smell a Rat", and "I Can't Do Without You".

A mixture of folksy and jazzy vocals from singer Susan Carter – part of the Laurel Canyon scene of the late 60s! Although Susan was one of the "Ladies Of The Canyon", she's got a sound here that's much more wider-ranging than that of Joni Mitchell – a unique mixture of jazz and rock influences that come across with a different sound on nearly every track on the set. The arranger for the album is Dick Halligan, who we've never heard of before – but who should get a lot of credit for the way that he mixes together odd phrasings and timings to match the shifting styles of Susan's vocals. Titles include "I'm So Tired", "I Need A Good Man Bad", "Medley For Billie Holiday", "Bluebird", and "Jam Session".

Sweet Hammond grooves and deep soul vocals from Wayne Carter – an artist rooted in jazz, but who plays here in a solid funky 45 vibe! The album features a half dozen rare tracks recorded by Carter in western Illinois – gritty little numbers that never even made it to the Chicago scene of the time, and which are beautifully brought to light in this limited edition set! Some tunes have a fierce, full, funky backing – a real surprise, given the little studio setting of the sessions – and Carter's got this raspy voice that steps out strongly with his own bold lines on the organ. Titles include "Wahoo Wahoo Wahoo", "Peter In Or Out", "That's Cancer", "Trock Rock", "Let's Run Away From The World", and "Mad Mouth Woman".

An amazing collection of music – some of the hippest jazz to ever come out of the west coast scene, and a legendary pairing of trumpeter Bobby Bradford and saxophonist John Carter! Both players have really gone onto leave their mark in later years – but honestly, they almost reached the peak of their powers with these incredible early recordings – beautifully bracing modern jazz, of a sort that somewhat follows an Ornette Coleman lineage, but which also opens up into the new spirituality that was hitting the LA scene in the post-Coltrane years – almost a bridge between the Coleman/Dolphy generation, and the later Nimbus scene that would rise in the west! The music here is stark, simple, and quite organic – yet has an energy that's all its own – an amazing progression of rhythms and horn sounds, wrapped together beautifully through a killer set of original compositions. Carter plays alto, tenor, clarinet, and flute; Bradford is on trumpet, and rhythm players include Nate Morgan and Bill Henderson on piano, Henry Franklin and Louis Spears on bass, and Bruz Freeman and Leon Ndugu Chancler on drums. The set brings together material originally issued on the Seeking and Secrets albums for the Revelation label – but then also features lots more previously unreleased tracks – making the set more than 50% new material! Most titles are of the 1969/Early 70s vintage of the Revelation albums – but the set also features some beautiful 1979 duets between Carter and Bradford, with no other instrumentation at all. 22 tracks in all – and an instant treasure!

Spare solo work from Kent Carter – working here both on bass and cello, and often using the instruments with other elements in collage as well – including a bit of radio, as well as flute, piano strings, and violin! Each number has a slightly different vibe, and the presentation of the music is wonderful – recorded in collaboration with Daniel Deshays, with that mix of free but feeling jazz styles you'd get on some of the later Nato recordings. The album's a wonderful testament to Carter's strength in the 70s – maybe the only set to let his imagination run wild like this – and titles include "Play Time", "Stretch", "Dance Two Rhapsody", "Other Fingers", "Chateau De Maignelay", "Michala Dance", and "Bass Time For Max". Includes three bonus tracks not on the original album – "Thumps", "Steps", and "Tarragona".

A definite spiritual session from percussionist Masahiko Togashi – one that features key contributions from Steve Lacy on soprano sax and Kent Carter on bass – both players who come together in a trio with Togashi, to make the set one of his greatest albums ever! Togashi's nicely restrained at points – in ways that really seem to open up Lacy's reedwork, and especially Carter's bass – almost encouraging both to be more open and exploratory than on their European records together – really different shapes and sounds that make the album sparkle with imagination. Titles include "The Window", "It's Freedom Life", "The Crust", "Steps", and "Poem In The Shadow".

Late stuff by Cannonball, with a dope spacey electric sound, no doubt due to some very nice keyboards on the session by George Duke. The album's a bit mellower than some of the others on Fantasy, but it makes up for that with a warm snaking mellow funk groove. Brother Nat gives a helping hand on both cornet and production duties, and the group also features Airto, Alphonso Johnson, Jack DeJohnette, and Alvin batiste with guest spots by Flora Purim and Ron Carter. Tracks include "New Orleans Strut", "Salty Dogs", "Lovers", and "Children of Time".

Possibly the best document you could ever hope to find of the inventive guitar skills of Derek Bailey – a CD that brings together his seminal In Whose Tradition album with rare bonus tracks and unreleased numbers too! The core of the record features Bailey playing solo – both acoustic and electric – using the guitar less like an instrument than as a tool for exploring sound – both those coming from his own hands, and those which echo forth in the space around him! Two more tracks feature Anthony Braxton on flute and sopranino sax, and two others have Bailey in a trio with Kent Carter on bass and John Stevens on drums – and the long CD features tracks that include "Tunnel Hearing", "Rehearsal Extract (area 7)", "Six Fairly Early Pieces", "In Whose Tradition", "Postscript", "A Bit Of The Crust", and "The Last Post (morning)".

A wonderful set by the enigmatic Charles Bell – a 60s modernist, but one with a great sense of soul! The album definitely lives up to its title, and has a fresh approach to the medium – a style that has some of the Modern Jazz Quartet influence in its structure, yet which also shares some more complex rhythmic ideas from the Ornette Coleman camp – mixed with a straighter hardbop vibe as well! The blend is quite compelling – and in addition to Bell's work on piano, the set also features Bill Smith on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Allan Blairman on drums. Titles include "Satan Said", "Django", "Portrait Of Aunt Mary", "Theme", and "Bass Line".

An amazing album that has Art Blakey completely reinventing himself for the 70s! Blakey shifts from straight hardbop to kind of a modal soul jazz groove, touched with some of the electric playing of the younger jazz generation, but not enough to qualify as fusion or funk. Instead, he's working with some great younger players – like Carter Jefferson, Woody Shaw, and Michael Howell – hitting a groove that reminds us of some of the best underground soul jazz on labels like Muse or Strata East. Includes the amazing long groovers "Mission Eternal" and "Chant For Bu", a famous Tribe Called Quest sample – plus new electric piano versions of "Moanin" and "Along Came Betty", both of which feature vocals by Jon Hendricks.

A really sweet little album from guitarist Kenny Burrell – one in which he takes older tunes ("a generation ago"), and updates them with a sweetly compressed Verve 60s groove ("today"!) The record features 2 small groups – one with Ron Carter, Grady Tate, and Phil Woods; the other with Carter, Tate, and Richard Wyands – and the style is light, laidback, and recorded with a warm tone overall – in a mode that's almost a precursor to the CTI sound of the late 60s. Mike Maineri joins on vibes on one track – and titles include "Wholly Cats", "Rose Room", "As Long As I Live", and "A Smooth One".

Donald Byrd in a sweet electric mode – as you'd guess from the title! The set was recorded right before Byrd's legendary run with Larry Mizell in the early 70s – and the electric approach is a bit different here – a style that blends Byrd's wonderful trumpet lines with the larger ensemble mode Blue Note sometimes used in the late 60s, but with a spacey, stretched-out feel that's mighty nice! The album's somewhat similar to Byrd's Kofi set – but possibly a bit more open overall – and players here include Duke Pearson on electric piano, Jerry Dodgion on alto and sopranos ax, Frank Foster on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Hermeto Pascoal on flute, Wally Richardson on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Airto on percussion. Pearson produced, and probably arranged too – given a slight Brazilian undercurrent to the grooves – and titles include "Estavanico", "Essence", "The Dude", and "Xibaba".

A landmark album of 70s soul – and perhaps the most enduring full LP by this enigmatic harmony group! The vocals of General Crook alone are more than enough to win us over – some of the most distinct lead soul singing we've ever heard, pitched perfectly with the backings of the rest of the group. But the overall package is even better – righteous arrangements that really show the new Holland-Dozier-Holland energy for the 70s – more of a punch than most of Motown a few years before, and open to some headier elements that only serve to do even more with the vocals! Titles include the group's huge hit "Give Me Just A Little More Time", a totally compelling number with a scattershot beat, and some wonderful lead vocals from the always-great General Johnson – plus, their cover of Clarence Carter's "Patches" – which was a big single for them – and the tracks "Bravo Hooray", "Since The Days Of Pigtails & Fairytales", "Come Together", "You've Got Me Dangling on a String" and "Tricked & Trapped".

A killer album by the Chairmen of the Board! The record's their second – and although the "In Session" title, photos on the front, and liner notes all make it appear to be a live album, it's actually a studio session, with the same great Holland-Dozier-Holland production as the first! The album includes an amazing track called "All We Need Is Understanding", a jaunty groover with this funky organ at the beginning, and some killer vocals by General Johnson. It's one of the group's best tracks ever – and the record has plenty of other nice ones – like "Pay To The Piper", "Hanging On To A Memory", "When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me", and "Chairmen Of The Board". Plus, the record includes their great version of "Patches", which they wrote for Clarence Carter – already on their first album, but featured here again for some strange reason! Who cares, though – because we love the track! CD also features the bonus cut "Try My Love On For Size".

Swirling spiritual work from Alice Coltrane – an incredible trio album that features her heavily on harp, plus a bit of piano – in a trio with Ron Carter on bass and Rashied Ali on drums! The sound is wonderful – lush, yet contemplative – in a personal style that really shows Alice beginning to express herself in new modes after the death of The Great One. The us of harp is especially incredible – handled here with a sense of majesty that really leaves us breathless, and which goes far beyond other use of that instrument in jazz. And even Alice's piano is surprisingly nice – with these mellow, earthy undertones that bubble at the bottom and ground the whole effort on earthly territory. Titles include "Turiya", "HIS", "Jaya Jaya Rama", and "Via Sivanadagar".

With a photo like that on the cover, we've gotta say that we did Pat Dahl too! The set's a relatively obscure little vocal album, cut by a singer we've never heard of otherwise – with a sexy 60s image that either meant that she had a successful live career in small clubs, or was somebody's secret girlfriend! But despite that fact, the music is actually pretty great too – just the right sort of slinky approach to jazz that you might expect – and served up here with a surprisingly top-shelf batch of arrangements – supposedly penned only for the session by Pete Rugolo, Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers, and Benny Carter! Backings are lively, and jazzy, and titles include "Ten Cents A Dance", "Show Me", "Lonely Woman", "Someone To Watch Over Me", and "I'm In Love With the Honorable Mr So & So".

Late work from Miles Davis – his last-ever appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival – but a set that still has him sounding great! The performance is a special tribute to Quincy Jones, so instead of playing material from the Doo Bop generation, Miles is going more for a late 50s mode – blowing over backings put together by Quincy Jones and Claude Nobs, intended to recreate the sound of the Gil Evans/Miles collaborations. Titles include "The Duke", "Miles Ahead", "Blues For Pablo", "Summertime", "The Pan Piper", "Maids Of Cadiz", and "Gone Gone Gone". DVD features inerviews with Betty Carter, Helen Merrill, Charlie Haden, Monty Alexander, Stanley Clarke, and others.

Amazing live documents of Miles Davis and his incredible mid-to-late 60s quintet – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – complete concert recordings from Antwerp, Copenhagen and Paris on 3CDs seeing release for the first time ever, plus a DVD featuring the only known video footage of this group from the period! CD 1 features material from 10/28/68 in Antwerp, CD 2 on 11/2/67 in Copenhagen and 11/6/67 in Paris, with the latter concert continued on CD 3. This is landmark stuff here – a surprisingly rare opportunity to hear first rate live recordings of legendary material from the ESP, Miles Smiles, Sorcerer and Nefertiti albums – as well as brilliant revisits of vital earlier material. Includes live takes on "Agitation", "Foot Prints", "No Blues", "Gingerbread Boy", "On Green Dolphin Street", "The Theme", "Footprints", "Masqualero", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Walkin'" and more. The DVD starts with five numbers recorded on 11/7/67 in Karlzruhe, Germany: "Agitation", "Footprints", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". It concludes with material in Stockholm on 10/31/67: "Agitation", "Footprints", "'Round Midnight", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme".

Miles Davis' first-ever performance in Japan – a really unique concert that featured the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by a young Sam Rivers on tenor! The presence of Rivers really gives the set an edge – and although Miles is holding Sam a bit more in check than on some of his "new thing" albums from the time, there's an overall quality here that's different than the other Davis quintet albums of the time. The set was one of a number of important Miles Davis live sessions from the period – including albums from Berlin, Antibes, and Chicago – and titles include "If I Were A Bell", "My Funny Valentine", "So What", "Walkin'" and "All Of You".

With Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, recorded in Paris, France, November 6, 1967. 8 tracks: "'Rond About Midnight", "No Blues", "Mascalero", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", 'Riot", "Walkin'", "Green Dolphin Street" and "The Theme".

An album of sublime understatement from alto genius Paul Desmond! Desmond was one of the few players who resisted the lure of the 70s electric CTI sound – and stuck pretty much in his usual bag of easy-going grooves, blowing alto with effortless ease, working here with a quartet that includes Ed Bickert on guitar, Connie Kay on drums, and Ron Carter on bass. The tracks are short, but have that magical Desmond quality to them – no tricks, no electric work, just pure and simple coolly blown jazz. Titles include "Everything I Love", "Squeeze Me", "I'm Old Fashioned", "Nuages", and "Why Shouldn't I".

An album of sublime understatement from alto genius Paul Desmond! Desmond was one of the few players who resisted the lure of the 70s electric CTI sound – and stuck pretty much in his usual bag of easy-going grooves, blowing alto with effortless ease, working here with a quartet that includes Ed Bickert on guitar, Connie Kay on drums, and Ron Carter on bass. The tracks are short, but have that magical Desmond quality to them – no tricks, no electric work, just pure and simple coolly blown jazz. Titles include "Everything I Love", "Just Squeeze Me", "I'm Old Fashioned", "Nuages", and "Why Shouldn't I". This CTI Records 40th Anniversary edition was remastered from the original analog tapes – and extra tracks include "Them From MASH (Suicide Is Painless)", "Wave", and alternate takes of "Nuages", "Just Squeeze Me" and "Till The Clouds Roll By".

Eric Dolphy's first meeting in the studio with trumpeter Booker Little – a brilliant batch of modernism that's easily one of the hippest records Little ever worked on! The Dolphy heard here is Eric at his most inventive – sharp-edged and angular one minute, then spiritually lyrical the next – playing flute, bass clarinet, and alto sax equally well on the record – and somehow managing to get Little to share his inspiration perfectly on every number. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a rhythm team whose abilities are a big part of the success of the record – and titles include "Far Cry", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "Left Alone", "Ode To Charlie Parker", and "Miss Ann". CD features 1 bonus track.

Really righteous work from the Chicago scene – a very hip album that features some especially nice guest work on flute from Nicole Mitchell! The group is headed up by percussionist Hamid Drake, who really sounds great here – almost more relaxed and organic in his handling of drums and tablas than on other records – really settling into a sound that recalls the glory days of the earlier AACM scene. Other players are well-matched for this vibe – and include Ernest Dawkins on tenor and alto, Daniel Carter on saxes and clarinet, Sabir Mateen on saxes and bass clarinet, and Greg Ward on alto and clarinet – all players whose reeds work together beautifully, with tight formations at some points, and much freer solo sounds at others. Titles include "Bindu #2 For Baba Fred Anderson", "Remembering Rituals", "Born Upon A Lotus", "Bindu #1 For Ed Blackwell", and "Do Khyentse's Journey 139 Years & More".

A big, warm sunshine psychedelic pop set from John Carter and the Flower Pot Men – built around the richly groovy Brian Wilson styled gem "Let Go To San Francisco" – featuring a number of tunes credited to the Flower Pot Men proper and a slew of related material! Listen To The Flowers Grow features a bunch of sweet summer of love style pop gems – including demos and previously unreleased bits buy the Flower Pot Men and their circle of cast members, related projects and pseudonyms – including work credited to John Carter, the Ministry Of Sound, Haystack, Dawn Chorus and more. Titles include "What's The Matter With Juliet" (demo), "Rain, Rain, Rain" (Ministry Of Sound/John Carter vocal), "Let's Go To San Francisco Pt 1", "Let's Go To San Francisco Pt 2", "A Walk In The Sky", "Am I Losing You", "A Man Without A Woman", "You Can Never Be Wrong", "Letter To Josephine" (as Haystack), "A Night To Be Remembered" (as Dawn Chorus) and more!

Classic Jam Session work from Norman Granz – featuring a group with Stan Getz, Harry Edison, Wardell Gray, Benny Carter, Willie Smith, Buddy De Franco, Count Basie, and Freddie Green – on two long tracks, "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Blues For The Count". The session's got a number of interesting aspects – Basie plays organ, Getz is a bit harder than usual, and Willie Smith sounds great, as always, in one of his rare appearances from the time.

Two albums that really show why we love Benny Golson so much! Turning Point is an incredible, and oft-overlooked album from the great Benny Golson – and one of the few early albums that really point the way to his huge run of work for decades to come! The style here is a bit looser, and more open than some of Golson's previous albums – less of a focus on arrangements, and more on the spontaneous interplay between his tenor and the crack rhythm section – which features Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – a dream lineup who really make the record sparkle. But the real star of the show is Golson – who's hitting this raspy, soulful tone he never had before – much freer of soul jazz formalities, and with a modern edge that's wonderful – as you'll hear on titles that include "Alone Together", "Turning Point", "Stella By Starlight", and "Dear Kathy". On Free, things aren't as tightly structured as on some of Benny's more arranged albums of the period – and he opens up wonderfully in a small group setting – playing in a beautifully confident tone, but with a slightly raspy edge – cutting, changing, and swinging perfectly in lines that are masterfully crafted, yet full of raw emotion. The group's a thoughtful quartet, and includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and tracks that inlcude "Sock Cha", "Shades Of Stein", "Just By Myself", and "Just In Time".

Obscure material from Dexter Gordon – some rare gems from his early 60s years at Blue Note – unissued back and in the day, but brought together for this sweet package at the start of the 80s! The album's great in that it shows Gordon really trying on some new things at the label – playing in a few modes that are less iconic than his classics, yet still really exciting because of that fact! A few tracks feature an unusual quintet with Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, and Willie Bobo on drums – and three more have Sonny Clark on piano and the great Dave Burns on trumpet, with rhythm by Ron Carter on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. One last track is a quartet number with Kenny Drew on piano – and titles include "Six Bits Jones", "Landslide", "Love Locked Out", "You Said It", and "Second Balcony Jump".

Massively groovy work from Chico Hamilton – one of his standout swingers for Impulse Records in the 60s, and a set that really showcases all the changes in music he'd made for the decade! The set features some wonderful reed work from Jerome Richardson and Charlie Mariano, plus some especially great guitar from Gabor Szabo – a player who was rising to fame in Hamilton's group, but also stands out here with lots of the breezy grooves he'd bring to his own dates for Impulse. Tracks are short, but in a good way that really keeps them focused – and other players who complete the groove include Clark Terry on trumpet and Ron Carter on bass – both of whom nicely pick up Chico's sense of adventure and humor. Titles include "Monday Monday", "Daydream", "Stella By Starlight", "Evil Eye", "Manila", "That Boy With The Long Hair", and "Monday Monday".

Recorded after his classic work with Larry Mizell, and produced by Johnny himself, but still trying to be very much in the Mizell-sounding vein. The group includes Carol Kaye on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Ndugu on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – and while the album is as over-the-top fantastic as Johnny's Gears LP, it's still a nice batch of California funky fusion tracks. Titles include "Lonely Dreamer", "Lady Smooth", "California Lovers", and "Quiet Storm".

A brilliant album – and real turning point for Herbie Hancock! After first coming onto the scene as the soul jazz hero between Blue Note funky classics like "Watermelon Man" or "Blind Man, Blind Man" – Herbie emerges here as a concerned modernist with a strand of spirituality that runs deeper than previously expressed. The key track in this vision is his brilliant modal number "Maiden Voyage" – one of those tunes that sounded totally fresh immediately, and which was picked up by many others as a jazz anthem during the 60s. The rest of the album's equally great – and features George Coleman on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all making for a very hip lineup that really lets Herbie open up stylistically! Other titles include "Dolphin Dance", "Little One", and an original version of "Survival Of The Fittest".

A very sweet, and oft-overlooked session that has Herbie mixing a nice dose of lyricism into his usual soul jazz approach from the 60s! The sound's a bit farther-reaching than on some of Herbie's smaller group sessions – and the record features a sextet that includes Ron Carter, Mickey Roker, Jerry Dodgion, Thad Jones, and Peter Phillips – all soaring with the warmth and introspection that was showing up in some of the best Blue Notes from the time. The harder-hitting soul jazz riffs and hooks are nicely replaced by more thoughtful lines that get a bit deeper, soufully – and nearly all tracks on the set are originals by Hancock! The album's filled with great moments – and tracks include "The Sorcerer", "Riot", and "Goodbye To Childhood".

A landmark concert from the mid 80s – one held to honor the resurrection of the Blue Note label, featuring a wealth of some of the best players for the label – from the 80s back to the 50s bebop years. This first volume in the 4 LP series features centered around Herbie Hancock and Bobby Hutcherson, with appearances by Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, Tony Williams and James Newton. Side one features the group nicely stretching out on a quintet take of "Canteloupe Island" and a sextet reading of "Record A Me", and side two has a quintet take of "Little B's Poem", a trio take of "Bouquet" and a quartet take of "Hat & Beard".

We can never get enough of Eddie Harris – and a record like this is a great reason why! Despite all the many different settings Eddie worked in at Atlantic, he still always stayed true to his roots – and a record like this is a perfect example of that – no electric horn, no funk, but a rock-solid sense of tone and timing that's unbelievable – and which makes the album a soulful treasure throughout! Of course, the group really helps a lot too – keeping things as in the pocket as Eddie's playing – with great rhythms from Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. And as an added treat, the set features killer work on trumpet from Ray Codrington – a player who we only know from the JFK Quintet albums – but who's an equal killer here. Titles include the first version of Eddie's classic "Freedom Jazz Dance", plus "Born To Be Blue", "Love For Sale", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Cryin' Blues".

An amazing set throughout – not just for the musical growth of Coleman Hawkins, but also for the development of the tenor sax in jazz, too! These sides could very well be said to be THE seminal recordings for tenor – the records that helped transform the instrument from a bit of a trick noisemaker into one of the most dominant voices in jazz during the 20th century – the beginning of a rich legacy that went onto encompass Lester Young, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, and so many others! The package captures Coleman Hawkins right at the start of his career – with vital early 78rpm recordings that move from trad to swing to some of the modern combo sounds that Hawkins would blow in the postwar years. And the range of settings is amazing, too – not a loose collection or mish-mash of material, but a really thoughtful progression that has Hawkins working with Mamie Smith, Fletcher Henderson, Clarence Williams, The Chocolate Dandies, and McKinney's Cotton Pickers in the early years – then moving up to work as a leader on his own – as well as material with Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, Benny Carter, and Count Basie. Most of the later material is for small labels – like Baronet, Cont, Meritt, Neatwork, and others – and the early sides are for Okeh, Columbia, Vocalion, Brunswick, and other smaller imprints. Features 190 tracks in all, and very copious notes, too – an amazing package from Mosaic!

Three different slices of work from Julius Hemphill all served up over the course of five albums for the Black Saint/Soul Note label! The first two records in the package – Raw Materials & Residuals and Flat-Out Jump Suite – both have Hemphill coming off the New York loft jazz years – working on the first record in open improvisatory format with cellist Abdul Wadud and percussionist Don Moye – and on the second set with Olu Dara on trumpet, Wadud on cello, and Warren Smith on percussion. Both records have a very loose, open feel that's mighty nice – and darn soulful at times! Next are two early 90s albums – Fat Man & The Hard Blues and Five Chord Stud – both done with a sextet of reed players, with no other instrumentation at all – in a style that's a lot like the World Sax Quartet, but even more complicated. Reedmen include James Carter and Andrew White on tenor, Marty Ehrlich and Carl Grubbs on soprano and alto sax, Tim Berne on alto, and Fred Ho on baritone. Chile New York is the last album, and quite possibly the most intimate – beautiful duets that feature Warren Smith on percussion, plus Julius Hemphill on alto, tenor, flute, and even a bit of voice! The music is wonderfully evocative – and although released in the late 90s, was actually recorded in 1980 – with a loose, loft jazz sort of feel throughout.

A great lost session from tenorist Joe Henderson – recorded in 1980 for MPS Records, in a mellower, more easy-going style than some of his electric sides of the 70s! Joe's blowing in a really fluid style – almost like Stan Getz at times, but with a darker, edgier approach – and he's working here with a Getz-like group that includes Chick Corea on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The set features some great originals by Corea and Carter, and in a way, we're tempted to make a comparison to Getz's Sweet Rain album – which shares a similar mellifluous modern quality to this one. Titles include "Joe's Bolero", "Candlelight", "Mirror Mirror", and "Keystone".

One of Joe Henderson's greatest albums ever – a real treasure from his electric years at Milestone Records, and a set that showed he really had a lot more to offer for the scene of the 70s! The sound here is quite different than Joe's earlier work for Blue Note – a style that's sometimes soaring, sometimes mellow – but always moving forward with a tremendously fluid approach to the tenor sax. Joe's sense of phrasing and timing is impeccable – quite subtle at times, with these dark notes that hang beautifully in air on the ballads – and some sharper-edged qualities that really burst out strongly on the more upbeat tunes. The group's a great one too – and features Herbie Hancock on both acoustic and electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus additional trumpet by Mike Lawrence on 2 tracks. Titles include "Black Narcissus", "Isotope", "Afro-Centric", "Forsight & Afterthought", and "Power to The People".

About as classic as you can get for Billie Holiday on Verve – a wonderfully intimate small group session, recorded with top-shelf players and a smokey torchy mood! Billie's in her later years by the time of the set, but somehow singing with even more emotion and life – working with a group that includes Benny Carter, Jimmy Rowles, Harry Edison, Larry Bunker, and John Simmons – on tracks that include "It Had To Be You", "A Fine Romance", "Gone With The Wind", "Isn't It A Lovely Day", "Ghost Of A Chance", and "Come Rain Or Come Shine".

An obscure date from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and tenorist Benny Golson – but some really great work from both players! The format here is relaxed and very open – long tunes that allow both players to really stretch out on their solos with tremendous grace and imagination. And despite the low price and simple packaging of the set, the quality of both the music and recording is easily on a par with the best 80s work by Hubbard and Golson – and is a masterful meeting of both artists! The group's a quintet, with more additional great talent – including Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums – hitting the kit with a great sense of energy that really drives the session. Titles include a great acoustic reworking of Hubbard's classic "Povo", presented in a way that's still surprisingly funky – plus "Double Bass", "Sad To Say", "Far Away", "Gypsy Jingle Jangle", and "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing".

A sweet larger group session from vibist Milt Jackson – proof that he was really trying to stretch his wings, and get into new things during the 60s! The set's got Milt working with some great help from Tadd Dameron and Ernie Wilkins on larger group arrangements – nicely swinging charts that have a nice touch of modern, but lots of straightforward grooving too! Milt's the primary soloist, buoyed by an orchestra built around a rhythm section of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and either Connie Cay or Philly Joe on drums – plus loads of great horn players like Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Melba Liston, James Moody and Jimmy Heath among others. Titles include renditions of "Old Devil Moon", "'Round Midnight", "The Dream Is You", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Echoes", "If You Could See Me Now", "Star Eyes", "Namesake", "If I Should Lose You", and "Later Than You Think". CD features 2 bonus tracks!

Tremendous work from this young group – a set that embraces a range of modern jazz traditions, then pushes them forward strongly to the next generation! The lineup here features some of the sharpest talents of the current Windy City underground – James Falzone on clarinet, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Jason Roebke on bass, and Tim Daisy on drums – all players who feel each others' strengths instantly, and find ways of coming together that are even greater than the sum of the already-strong parts! Falzone's clarinet is especially amazing – a fresh new voice on the instrument that pushes past even John Carter or Jimmy Giuffre – showing us that the instrument can really carve strong modern lines, when in the right hands. Adasiewicz's vibes are always a treat – and ring out beautifully – and both Roebke and Daisy have the right sort of freewheeling rhythms to set even more fire to the other two players. Titles include "Ukranian Village", "Carol's Burgers", "Chicago Spaces", "Brooklyn Lines", "Jazz Searching Self", and "Alone At The Brain".

Tremendous work from this young group – a set that embraces a range of modern jazz traditions, then pushes them forward strongly to the next generation! The lineup here features some of the sharpest talents of the current Windy City underground – James Falzone on clarinet, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Jason Roebke on bass, and Tim Daisy on drums – all players who feel each others' strengths instantly, and find ways of coming together that are even greater than the sum of the already-strong parts! Falzone's clarinet is especially amazing – a fresh new voice on the instrument that pushes past even John Carter or Jimmy Giuffre – showing us that the instrument can really carve strong modern lines, when in the right hands. Adasiewicz's vibes are always a treat – and ring out beautifully – and both Roebke and Daisy have the right sort of freewheeling rhythms to set even more fire to the other two players. Titles include "Ukranian Village", "Carol's Burgers", "Chicago Spaces", "Brooklyn Lines", "Jazz Searching Self", and "Alone At The Brain".