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A long-overdue reissue – both of Cedar Walton's fusion albums for Columbia – back to back on a single CD! Animation is one of Cedar Walton's mid 70s funky jazz efforts – acoustic keys often traded for electric piano, grooving with a funky bigger band, almost in a Ramsey Lewis mode – a really great shift that makes the record a nice change from the usual Walton groove! Cedar's a lot busier on the keys than Ramsey was at the time, though – not as kicked-back Fender Rhodes as he is keeping up a tight and soulful fusion groove. The approach is quite different from Walton's other albums of earlier years, but actually works quite well – and the album's a tasty set of smoother soul and funk-infused numbers, with a hint of Brazilian touches as well! Tracks include "Another Star", "Charmed Circle", "Jacob's Ladder", "Precious Mountain", "If It Could Happen", and "Ala Eduardo". Soundscapes is brilliant work from Cedar Walton – a wonderful bit of soulful fusion from the crucially overlooked late 70s years of Columbia Jazz. The album's got a blend of soul and jazz that's similar to work at the time by Bobby Hutcherson or Freddie Hubbard – occasional vocals, larger lusher production, and a style that was really well suited to bringing together the best of fusion and soul, without resorting to tricks or gimmicks. The album's filled with really wonderful cuts that are completely unlike most of Walton's other work – and which show him to be an amazing talent in the soul end of the spectrum, not just in the soul jazz one that we're used to. Tunes are wonderful, arrangements are brilliant – and the album manages to be smooth without losing any depth. Titles include the great groover "Latin America", plus "Warm To The Touch", "NPS", "Sixth Avenue", and "Naturally".

The second trip into the studio for Cedar Walton's mighty Eastern Rebellion ensemble – and every bit as great as the first! This time around, the lineup's a bit different – with Bob Berg in on tenor, and Curtis Fuller expanding the group on trombone – but the groove is still the same – wonderfully in the pocket soul jazz, swinging with a gentle and fluid glide that's really tremendous. The work ranks up there with the best of Walton's recordings ever – and the tunes are all originals with a rich imagination for tone, soul, and color – and plenty of space for strong solo work. Titles include "The Maestro", "Sunday Suite", "Ojos De Rojo", and "Fantasy In D".

A great little session of soul jazz – and very much in a classic mode, but with touches of the Strata East sound of the 70s. Although Blue Note and Prestige had seemed to abandon straighter soul jazz by the early 70s, Muse was cranking out some nice sides with older players of the 60s scene. This set features Cedar Walton's crack trio with Sam Jones and Louis Hayes, joined by tenorist Clifford Jordan, who was blossoming into a whole new player during the decade. Titles include "Naima", "Blue Monk", "Stella By Starlight", and a long reading of "I'll Remember April".

One of Cedar's funk records for RCA, and an LP on which he plays keyboards and synthesizers in a way that's very different from his warm lyrical style on the piano. The record's a bit more disco-oriented than his earlier one, but it's still got some nice funky moments, including a great cover of "Low Rider", and the tracks "Beyond Mobius" and "Lonely Cathedral".

The US debut of Italian tenorist Piero Odorici – a player who gets off to a tremendous start, thanks to help from the Cedar Walton trio! Walton's warm, rich tones grace the record right from the very first note – giving it a soulfulness that's a perfect foil for Odorici's well-blown tenor lines! But Piero also brings a lot to Walton, too – as his presence here makes for one of the most focused Cedar Walton albums in years – a set that's got all the dynamic energy of his best recent trio dates, yet which also benefits strongly from the added tenor voice too. Titles include "Casadias", "Tin Tin Deo", "Native Son", "Willie's Groove", and "If I Should Lose You".

An incredible album from Donald Byrd – hard, funky, and with more of an edge than most of his other Blue Note work! The sound on the album's incredibly sinister – really concerned with downward chord turns in moody rhythms – played with a real sense of soul by a frontline that features Byrd, Hank Mobley, and Sonny Red. Cedar Walton drives most of the tunes with hypnotic lines on piano – and the rest of the rhythm's cooked up by Walter Booker on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Includes the massively hard funky title cut, "Blackjack", plus "Beale Street", "Loki", and some other nice groovers. Red and Mobley are amazing, and Byrd's solos are some of his cleanest and leanest of the 60s!

Fantastic stuff from Art Farmer, and a real return to more soulful playing, after noodling around a lot with other odd projects during the mid 60s. The group's stone cold and solid – with Cedar Walton on piano, Jimmy Heath on tenor, Walter Booker on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums – and Farmer's playing is a lot more hard-hitting than on other albums from the time, but still retains his majestic sense of lyrical beauty and poise. Plus this expanded 80s issue of the set adds a second LP to the original, for twice as much material, with 12 tracks in all, including "One For Juan", "Nino's Scene", "Short Cake", "The Time & The Place","Te Shadow Of Your Smile", "Make Someone Happy", "On The Trail", "Blue Bossa", "Is That So", 'Dailey Bread", "Satin Doll" and "Misty".

A variety of groups, some with Dex on tenor. Other players include Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Cedar Walton and Herbie Hancock on piano, and Billy Higgins and Tony Williams on drums. Titles include "Berangere's Nightmare 2", "Tivoli", "Society Red", "Round Midnight", "It's Only A Paper Moon", and "Call Sheet Blues".

A real standout in the early career of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a very unique session that has him working with some larger arrangements in the background – blowing these magical solos over the top, while still hitting a great edge with the rest of the musicians as well! There's a sound here that's unlike anything else we can think of – including other big band trumpet dates of the time – partly because the set features a fair bit of arrangements by Wayne Shorter – a very rare side of his talents, but one that's equally as soulful as his sublime small group albums of the time. The record has an undeniable depth right from the start – magical, mystical, and very soulful – with a group that includes Eric Dolphy and Wayne Shorter on saxes, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Tracks include "Chocolate Shake", "Thermo", "Clarence's Place", and "Aries".

Excellent work by Jordan – recorded right at the same time as his classic sides for the Strata East label, and with a similar feel! The group on the set is the same as heard on the Glass Bead Games album – Cedar Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and it's hard to imagine a tighter 70s soul jazz ensemble, especially one with such a capacity for sounding both exploratory and open, while also managing to keep things always at a nicely swinging pace. The album's filled with original tracks by the members of the group – including "Seven Minds", "Impressions Of Scandinavia", "The House On Maple Street", and "Miss Morgan".

A really beautiful batch of tracks from Charles McPherson – with a late 60s approach to soul jazz that reminds us of some of the work by Sonny Criss on Prestige, or of some of Cedar Walton's sessions from the same time. McPherson's moved way past his earlier bop roots here – stretching things with a hip group that includes Buster Williams, Roy Brooks, and Barry Harris – crafting tunes that point the way at soul jazz in the 70s, with a more complicated and sophisticated approach to rhythm, but still a firm commitment to swing! Titles include "Explorations", "Mish Mash Bash", "Opalescence", and "My Cherie Amour".

One of Hank Mobley's last recordings for Blue Note, and a record that really shows him stretching it out – hitting territory hardly imagined on his earlier hardbop sides! The album's still somewhat inside, but the overall feel is much more spacious than before – a sound that has some nice open moments, and which shows Hank not content to simply blow tenor in a deep, gutbuckety mode – even though that was still pretty darn great! The lineup is a sextet – with Woody Shaw on trumpet, Eddie Diehl on guitar, Cedar Walton on piano, Mickey Bass on bass, and Leroy Williams on drums – a different-than-usual combo for Mobley, and one that furthers the unusual feel of the record. Side one features the extended "Suite" – proof that Mobley's writing had grown as much as labelmate Lee Morgan by the end of the 60s. Other tracks continue that fact – and include "Justine", "You Gotta Hit It", and "Talk About Getting It" – plus "Gayle's Groove", which was written by Bass. The set was originally recorded in 1970, but was not issued on vinyl until 1980!

Beautiful late work from Lee Morgan! The last five years of Lee's life saw him really stretching out to do some fantastic writing, playing, and leading – and this record stands today as one of the best examples of that period – a pure act of genius, with a sound that really takes off from Lee's earlier Blue Note albums. The styles are a unique blend of soulful hardbop and the more stretched-out spiritualism that would later emerge in the early 70s soul jazz scene – and players include the lesser-known Frank Mitchell on tenor, plus Jackie McLean on alto, Cedar Walton on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – the last of whom provides an amazingly lyrical approach to rhythm, the sort that was key to some of Lee Morgan's best work of the time! Titles include "Afreaka", "Short Count", "The Cry Of My People", "Anti Climax", and "Psychedelic".

A rare non-Blue Note outing from Lee Morgan – and a record that's sometimes mistaken as a large group effort because of the "twelve" in the title, but which is a tight small group set that's equally cooking as some of Lee's better known records! As with the best mid 60s Blue Note work from lee, the players here are both soulful and modern – able to shift easily into some of Lee's most complicated ideas of jazz expression, yet always doing so in ways that are never stiff or academic – but filled with life and spirit in every note! Clifford Jordan's tenor is a fantastic accompaniment to Morgan's trumpet in the frontline – and Barry Harris' piano has the warmth and flowing quality of a young Cedar Walton on most tracks. Bass is by Bob Cranshaw and drums are by Louis Hayes – and titles include "Lee-sure Time", "Second's Best", "Little Spain", and "Waltz For Fran".

A fantastic session that's also one of Houston Person's rarest! The set is a bit more complicated than some of his earlier work – moving away from the hard and funky organ lineup, into a more lyrically swinging quintet mode, with Cedar Walton on piano, Alan Dawson on vibes, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Frankie Jones on drums. The presence of Walton really opens up the set, as his majestic soul jazz approach during this time gives the whole album a stridently sophisticated groove – hammered down by Dawson's highly rhythmic approach to playing the vibes (he was mostly a drummer, remember?) Houston's in fine form sax-wise, blowing relaxed and meaningful solos in the mode that he used on the Blue Odyssey album – or kind of in a mode like Sonny Criss on his late 60s Prestige sides. Titles include "More", "Girl Talk", "Close Quarters", and "Chocomotive".

Naturally great work from soul jazz legend Houston Person – who's still going strong – and delivers one of the best of his High Note records to date! Person has always had an easygoing approach, which is probably something of a recipe for graceful aging – but whatever his secret may be, Naturally is a remarkably strong record – and he makes it sound easy! It's a timeless quartet jazz set – featuring fellow legend Cedar Walton on piano, Ray "Bulldog" Drummond on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. Includes a nice take on Milt Jackson's classic "Bag's Groove", plus "That's All", "Namely You", "My Foolish Heart"", "Red Sails In The Sunset", "Don' Cha Go 'Way Mad", "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream" and "Sunday".

A great great session from reedman James Spaulding – and way more than you'd guess from the title! Sure, the tunes are all Ellington numbers – but they're swung by James and a very hip group, in ways that are more open and soulful than most readings of the tunes – given a slight 70s spiritual undercurrent, as you might expect from the cover! Spaulding plays tenor flute, bass flute, piccolo, soprano, and tenor – the last two of which especially beautifully – and the group also features Cedar Walton on piano, Steve Nelson on vibes, Sam Jones on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Mtume on percussion! With a lineup like that, it's hard to miss – and the use of vibes is especially nice, and really helps shade in the tunes with some unique colors. Titles include "Lucky So & So", "I Love You Madly", "In A Sentimental Mood", "Come Sunday", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Caravan".

Two mellow jams from Mr T – back to back on a single CD! On Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Stanley Turrentine blows it sweet, mellow, and soulfully – in a wonderful post-CTI session from the 70s! The set features some swirling larger arrangements from Gene Page – done with a bit of the CTI sound lurking in the mix, but also a more complicated groove that almost takes on soundtrack-like proportions at times – a warmly-flowing groove that's lush without being soppy, and which really sets Turrentine up nicely for some sophisticated, mature solos on tenor. Stan's got some great company on the record – including Patrice Rushen on keyboards, David T Walker on guitar, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet – and although the set's laidback, it's a lot more soulful than you might think – almost like a hip mellow soul set from the time, but with tenor instead of vocals. Includes covers of the Earth Wind & Fire tunes "Reasons" and "That's The Way Of The World", plus the tracks "Touching You", "T's Dream", and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain". Use The Stairs is a near-forgotten date from 1980 – recorded at a time when Stanley Turrentine was still steeped in the fuller arrangements picked up during his CTI years – blowing beautifully as a soloist in the larger setting! The sound here is plenty darn hip – thanks to arrangements from Wade Marcus, who keeps the proceedings more in the soul side of the spectrum than the smooth jazz one. And as always, Turrentine almost sounds better here than in a small group – blowing with a "voice" that's tremendous, and which speaks volumes in a very small space. Other players include Cedar Walton on piano, Gene Bertoncini on guitars, Phil Bodner on reeds, and Grady Tate on drums – and titles include "Tomorrow", "The Lamp Is Low", "Till The Very End", "Jordu", "On A Misty Night", and "Pay The Price".

Gritty gritty gritty! This live set of soul jazz tracks was recorded in Chicago's Cook County Jail on Friday the 13th, 1972 – and we can hardly think of a darker place to record a soul jazz album! Side one features the aptly-named "Freedom Suite", an extended groover played by Jimmy McGriff, and a 2-guitar group that includes George Freeman and Odonel Levy – and side two has Lucky Thompson playing in a soulful group with Cedar Walton on electric piano, on the tracks "Green Dolphin Street" and "Everything Happens To Me". A pretty incredible event to be recorded – trust us, we drive by the prison a fair bit on the way to work!

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

A fantastic album from Sonny Criss! The record is one of his excellent late 60s "comeback" sides for Prestige – and it features incredibly solid, confident, and hard alto solos, blown with a tremendous amount of imagination. Bob Cranshaw and Alan Dawson provide excellent rhythm accompaniment, and Cedar Walton's a genius on piano, providing just the right touches to give the album a sense of mature whimsy that makes the selection of tracks work perfectly in a jazz setting. There's a lot of room here, and him and Sonny intertwine constantly in a beautiful lyrical way that never gets too sentimental. Titles include "Ode To Billie Joe", "Somewhere My Love", "The Beat Goes On", and "Georgia Rose".

A fantastically beautiful album that strongly proves the old jazz adage "It's not the song, but the singer"! The "singer" in this case is alto player Sonny Criss – and the songs are a middle of the road batch of compositions, like "Sunny", "Willow Weep For Me", "Up Up & Away", and "Scrapple From the Apple". Forget the songs, in this case, because it's the "singer" who adds all the genius, as Criss' solos are fantastically warm, lyrical, and imaginative – far more so than you could imagine by just reading the titles on the album. We love all of the late 60s albums by Criss on Prestige, but this one's one of our favorites, and is a beautiful example of the late altoists sheer creative power in action. Other players include Cedar Walton, Tal Farlow, and Bob Cranshaw.

Milt's third album for CTI – a great batch of electric jazzy grooves that shows how much he was willing to redefine his sound over the years! Milt's laidback style of vibes playing was perfect for the CTI mode – and matching up here with sax work by Jimmy Heath, bass by Ron Carter, piano from Cedar Walton, and drums by Mickey Roker, he's in a perfect setting to let loose in a way he rarely did on his earlier albums. The whole set's great – and titles include "Lost April", "Rerev", "The Metal Melter", "The Steel Bender", and "I'm Not So Sure".

JJ Johnson's greatest album – without a doubt! This gem of a session was recorded in 1960 in New York, with an incredibly hip sextet that includes Cedar Walton, Clifford Jordan, and Freddie Hubbard. The tracks are all long, hip, and very much in a Blue Note soul jazz mode – very unusual not only for Johnson, but for Columbia records as well. The album feels like it should have been issued on Epic, with those killer Dave Bailey sides from 1961 – which might be why it has frequently gotten lost in Johnson's career, hidden amidst some of the sleepier material that seems to see the light of day more often than this one. The album's a stone winner all the way through – and features Johnson playing some of his gutsiest solos ever. Tracks include "Minor Mist", "In Walked Horace", "Fatback", "Aquarius", and "Shutterbug".

Killer material from the 1964 edition of the Jazz Messengers – an incredibly hard-hitting sextet that features Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Wayne Shorter, Reggie Workman, and Cedar Walton. The mix of players is amazing, and Walton's warm lyricism is a haunting combination with the sharp-edged solos of Shorter and Hubbard. All tracks are long, and titles include "Free For All" and "Hammer Head" – both written by Shorter – plus "The Core", by Hubbard, and a beautiful version of Clare Fischer's "Pensativa".

An incredible album from Donald Byrd – hard, funky, and with more of an edge than most of his other Blue Note work! The sound on the album's incredibly sinister – really concerned with downward chord turns in moody rhythms – played with a real sense of soul by a frontline that features Byrd, Hank Mobley, and Sonny Red. Cedar Walton drives most of the tunes with hypnotic lines on piano – and the rest of the rhythm's cooked up by Walter Booker on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Includes the massively hard funky title cut, "Blackjack", plus "Beale Street", "Loki", and some other nice groovers. Red and Mobley are amazing, and Byrd's solos are some of his cleanest and leanest of the 60s!

One of Ornette Coleman's best recordings from the 70s – and like his other album for Columbia, quite a change from the freewheeling sounds he was blowing over at Blue Note! The style here is a bit more high concept, but in a good way – with all the edges that Coleman had developed from the late 50s onward, brought into tighter focus for the Columbia setting – given a bit more complexity, although still with plenty of room for freedom – and played both with a smaller combo, and a slightly larger group. The mix of players is as striking as the sounds on the record – and includes Coleman on alto, trumpet, and violin – plus Dewey Redman on tenor, Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, Jim Hall on guitar, Cedar Walton on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins and Ed Blackwell on drums. Asha Pulthi sings a bit on the larger ensemble tracks – making a rare appearance here before her 70s soul career in Germany – and titles include "What Reason Could I Give", "Street Woman", "The Jungle Is A Skycraper", and "All My Life".

One of Art Farmer's hippest albums of the 70s – thanks to some incredible work from the rhythm section! The tracks here are all quite skittish and grooving – not really funky, but flowing with a wonderful sort of energy – and bouncing along on the bottom with more drive than you might expect from Farmer! Art's working here with a group that features Jimmy Heath in the lead on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – but the real stars of the set are almost the core trio of Cedar Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – who are augmented by Mtume and Warren Smith on percussion, both of whom give the record it's amazing sound. Even familiar numbers sound nicely fresh, and Heath himself is at one of his hippest points here – really opening up with lines that we would have never expected a decade before. Titles include include "Cascavelo", "Blue Bossa", "Some Other Time", and "Homecoming".

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".

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".

A 60s classic from the great Eddie Harris – and proof that his move to Atlantic Records was a very good thing! There's a punch here that Harris didn't have in his earlier sides for Vee Jay – a bite that shows an even stronger focus than before – a willingness to mix soulful undercurrents with some of the more exotic styles in his music – all in a blend that's completely captivating all the way through! The set features some wicked work from Cedar Walton on piano, adding in some lyrical lines that are mighty nice – and other players include the mighty Melvin Jackson on bass, the great Ray Codrington on trumpet, and Sonny Phillips on organ – adding in some sweet electricity to the set. Harris goes a bit electric at times – bringing in some great sounds on the Varitone – and titles include an early take of "Listen Here", with Eddie on electric piano – plus "Goin' Home", "Blues In The Basement", and "Mean Greens".

Wonderful work from a player who never ceases to please us! Even at this early point in his career, Jimmy Heath had a soulful hipness that you'd be hard pressed to find in another musician – working with a vision of soul jazz that most other players wouldn't hip to until the 70s. Jimmy wrote most of the tracks on the set, and arranged the album with a style that's as strikingly modern as it is in the pocket and grooving – played superbly by a combo that include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Julius Watkins on French Horn, Cedar Walton on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Albert Heath on drums. Tracks include "Funny Time", "Down Shift", "The Quota", and "Bells & Horns".

Classic work from vibist Milt Jackson – opening up his bag a lot for the 70s, in a way that makes for some wonderfully casual grooves! The album's not as moodily funky as some of Jackson's other CTI records, but it is a nice batch of laidback tunes played with a distinctly soulful edge – handled by a group that features Cedar Walton on piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Ron Carter bass, Steve Gadd drums – and some guest trumpet from Freddie Hubbard on the track "SKJ". Other titles include "Opus De Funk", "Detour Ahead", and "Old Devil Moon".

The Jazzwise cover feature takes a look into the "Lost Quintet" period of Miles Davis – which is the group recently spotlighted on the astounding Live In Europe 1969 (Bootleg Series Vol 2) box set – and featuring Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea, Dave Holland and Wayne Shorter! Other features include piano jazz great Cedar Walton looking back it his 60+ year career, jazz-folk-fusion combo Quercus, singer and pianist Liane Carroll, Kurt Elling on the Lambert, Hendricks & Ross album that changed his life in Turning Point (good choice, Kurt!) and more.

Tight collection of tracks culled from Blue's Riverside LPs from the late 50's and early 60's. His hard edged trumpet is out front in all of the tracks, and the personnel includes Johnny Griffin, Wynton Kelly, Philly Joe Jones, Wilbur Ware, Cedar Walton, and Benny Golson. Nice notes on Mitchell's early days, and titles include "Minor Vamp", "Studio B", "Strollin", "Sir John", and a classic recording of "Blues March".

One of those rare treasures that was recorded by Blue Note in the 60s, but not issued at the time – a great late Hank Mobley set from 1967 that only saw the light of day in 1980! The album's got Hank really opening things up – using some of those more inventive rhythms and articulate phrasing that really graced his late years at Blue Note – a bold step forward, given his already-great run of material for the label! The core group is a quintet – with Lee Morgan on trumpet and Cedar Walton on piano – both of whom add to the lyrical edge of the playing – and most tracks feature additional work from James Spaulding on alto and flute, and the wonderful Sonny Greenwich on guitar – a player whose unique phrasing really helps shape the record's sound! Rhythms are from Walter Booker on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – again both great choices for the sometimes-modal qualities of the record – and titles include "Don't Cry Just Sigh", "Steppin Stone", "Third Season", "Boss Bossa", and "An Apertif". CD features one bonus track – an alternate of "Don't Cry Just Sigh".

One of our favorite Lee Morgan albums – and one of his least known! Recorded in the crucial last 5 years of his life, this album is a sparkling mix of hard bop, soul jazz, and slight bits of modernism – that magical mix that Lee was hitting as he reached farther and farther with his music – an amazing legacy in jazz that has us loving every Morgan session from 1965 onward! Lee's playing in very comfortable territory, with a group that includes Bennie Maupin on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but that doesn't mean that the proceedings are relaxed at all, because the interplay between the players is flawless, and they use their familiarity as a great springboard to soar off into rich new territory. Lee wrote all the tunes on the record – like "Caramba", "Suicide City", and "Soulita". An excellent record throughout, and one that we'd never part with!

One of our favorite albums from Lee Morgan – a soaringly soulful session that was recorded in the mid 60s, and finally issued by Blue Note at the end of the decade! The vibe here really follows from the lyrically inventive, post-Sidewinder mid 60s Morgan years – with a spirit that's similar to Lee's work on the albums Gigolo or Tom Cat, in a style that mixes in a fair bit more modal and Latin influences to the rhythms. The lineup is totally great too – a sextet that features Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins – the last of whom provides tremendous rhythms that are as fluidly inventive as Morgan's playing and the writing of Hank Mobley, who contributed most of the tunes to the set. Titles include "Hey Chico", "The Double Up", and "The Murphy Man" – and the record also includes a nice version of Duke Pearson's "Sweet Honey Bee".

Fantastic Lee Morgan album that was recorded in 1966, but only ever came out on vinyl in 1984, when this great session was unearthed as part of a brief "lost classics" series by Blue Note. The record has an amazing modal groove that's quite different from some of Morgan's other funkier sessions, and it features incredibly mature playing by a group that includes Hank Mobley, Cedar Walton, and Billy Higgins. The centerpiece of the set is a long version of Cal Massey's great cut "Pilgrim's Funny Farm", and other nice ones include "The Rajah" and "Is That So". Great great stuff, and one that's quite hard to find on wax!

Lost genius from trumpeter Lee Morgan – a session recorded for Blue Note in 1967, but not issued until the late 70s – and even then, only for a very short time! The session has Morgan moving into that wonderful last stage of his career – working in tight formation towards a sound that still had that groovier hardbop styles of earlier recordings, but which also unfolds towards a more ambitious spiritual jazz mode. The writing on the session is superb – original tunes that crackle with energy in a surge of dark notes and shadowy moods, inspiring the soloists to express themselves at levels that rank with their best work of the time! The group features David Newman on tenor – sounding completely different, and far more righteous, than on his Atlantic sides of the 60s – plus Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A great sound overall – right up there with Tom Cat or The Gigolo for lyrical modernism – and with titles that include "Sneaky Pete", "The Mercenary", "Sonic Boom", and "Mumbo Jumbo".

Lost genius from trumpeter Lee Morgan – a session recorded for Blue Note in 1967, but not issued until the late 70s – and even then, only for a very short time! The session has Morgan moving into that wonderful last stage of his career – working in tight formation towards a sound that still had that groovier hardbop styles of earlier recordings, but which also unfolds towards a more ambitious spiritual jazz mode. The writing on the session is superb – original tunes that crackle with energy in a surge of dark notes and shadowy moods, inspiring the soloists to express themselves at levels that rank with their best work of the time! The group features David Newman on tenor – sounding completely different, and far more righteous, than on his Atlantic sides of the 60s – plus Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A great sound overall – right up there with Tom Cat or The Gigolo for lyrical modernism – and with titles that include "Sneaky Pete", "The Mercenary", "Sonic Boom", and "Mumbo Jumbo". Plus, the album is expanded here by 6 more tracks – all recorded in 1969, and only briefly issued on a 2LP late 70s album called The Procrastinator. These tunes have a slightly different, almost sadder feel – with a group that includes Julian Priester, George Coleman, and Harold Mabern – on more wonderful originals that include "Cla Til Da", "Uncle Rough", "Mr Johnson", and "The Stroker".

One of David Newman's grooviest albums of the 60s – a stripped-down set that features a quartet with Hammond and guitar – all in a vibe that's a bit more relaxed than some of Newman's other sessions for Atlantic! There's a gritty edge to the record – with organ by the obscure Kossie Gardner, and a young Ted (listed as "Tod") Dunbar on guitar – in a combo that also features Milt Turner on drums. This less "iconic" presentation seems to open up a new side of Newman's tenor (as well as flute) – a nd titles include a great version of Cedar Walton's "The Holy Land", plus the Newman originals "Little Sister", "Blue New", "Miss Minnie", and "House Of David".

The Sulieman Quartet with Cedar Walton, Sam Jones and Billy Higgins.

Killer material from the 1964 edition of the Jazz Messengers – an incredibly hard-hitting sextet that features Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Wayne Shorter, Reggie Workman, and Cedar Walton. The mix of players is amazing, and Walton's warm lyricism is a haunting combination with the sharp-edged solos of Shorter and Hubbard. All tracks are long, and titles include "Free For All" and "Hammer Head" – both written by Shorter – plus "The Core", by Hubbard, and a beautiful version of Clare Fischer's "Pensativa".

Massively soulful, massively stepping – and one of the greatest albums ever from the team of Art Farmer and Benny Golson! The record sparkles with an amazing edge – rhythm totally in place from the trio of Cedar Walton, Tommy Williams, and Albert Heath – and horns braced over the top with a clean-blown sound that's as impeccable as it is soulful! Farmer, Golson, and trombonist Tom McIntosh update the soulfully arranged style that Golson first forged in the 50s – taking it into earthier territory with more of a soul jazz flair, but still allowing for the space and modern edge that made Golson's work noticeable from the start. The album features some great originals, and key takes on jazz standards from the time – an all-great run of titles that includes "The Cool One", "Blues On Down", "Hi Fly", "Bean Bag", and "Con Alma".

An odd little album from tenorist Clifford Jordan – but a great one too, given the unique format! As the title implies, Cliff pays tribute to Leadbelly – handling a host of Huddie Ledbetter originals, but in a style that's kind of 60s soul jazz, with a bit of blues as well – one of those unusual criss-crossings of styles that you'd get on some of the Atlantic jazz sessions of the 60s. Jordan's tenor is firmly in the lead on all numbers – and other players include Roy Burrowes on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, and Chuck Wayne on banjo instead of his usual guitar! Two tracks feature vocals by Sandra Douglass – and titles include "Dick's Holler", "Silver City Bound", "Black Girl", "De Gray Goose", "Yellow Gal", and "Black Betty".

A great one by Clifford Jordan! The LP was originally recorded for "Dolphy Productions" in Paris, and with a feel and a spirit very similar to his classic Strata East albums from the same time, like Glass Bead Games and In The World. The group is similar to those recordings too, and features Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins. Tracks are nice and long, and there's a great take on the Strata fave "John Coltrane", plus other nice ones that include "Midnight Waltz","One For Amos", and "Highest Mountain".

A pair of overlooked trio dates from the 70s – packaged together here as a great little set! First up is the Prime Time album from Hugh Lawson – a killer date as a leader for this Detroit pianist we first came to love through his recordings with Yusef Lateef – an artist who possibly never got his due as strongly as so many others to come up in the late 50s/early 60s scene – but who sparkles here with a maturity that really comes through in his music! There's a deep feel to the record that really comes through in the choice of tunes – work by Charles Mingus, Clifford Jordan, and Sonelius Smith – not to mention a few of Lawson's own great tunes – and Lawson often has a Cedar Walton-like ability to play lyrically, yet still with a soaring sort of force. The trio features great rhythm from the team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and titles include "Rip Off", "The Duke Ellington Sound Of Love", "The Highest Mountain", "Blue Bones", and "The Need To Smile" – plus some bonus alternate takes. Then Here & Now is a sparkling set from pianist Richard Wyands – and a great demonstration of that soulful flow he's really unfurled strongly in later years – captured here in an obscure trio outing from the late 70s! Wyands' is part of a small number of players who can be lyrical, yet forceful at the same time – a mode that we might link to the Cedar Walton school of piano – but which is voiced here with an individual approach that's definitely Richard's own – and swung with the perfect sort of groove by bassist Lisle Atkinson and drummer David Lee. Titles include the originals "Lenora" and "Yes It Is" – plus "Lament", "Never Let Me Go", and "Yesterdays" – plus some bonus alternate takes.

An excellent album from guitarist Pat Martino – caught here at a key point when he was breaking out of his earlier soul jazz roots, and going for a more complicated style that showed he was picking up a lot of spiritual influences from the Coltrane generation. The record's got a core group of players that includes Cedar Walton, Joe Farrell, Ben Tucker, and Walter Perkins – but it also features some extraordinary contributions from Dave Levin and Ray Appleton, who play some odd percussion on the title track "Strings". As a whole, the album's got some wonderful modal jazz moments – all acoustic, save for Martino's guitar, and nicely lyrical, without being too overindulgent. Titles include "Strings", "Minority", "Lean Years", and "Querido".

A smoking little bop set from Sonny Stitt – recorded live at the Keystone in 1981, as sort of a "summit meeting" of horns – one that features Richie Cole and John Handy in the frontline with Sonny! The rhythm section alone is enough to cook this one up nicely – with Cedar Walton on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the sextet is expanded by Bobby Hutcherson, whose vibes seem to bring an even deeper level of soul to the set. But the main focus here is on the horns – and it's a focus that's well-kept, especially on the longer tunes, which really sparkle in the range of tone and mood expressed. Highlights include an extended "Ballad Medley" and versions of "Wee", "Lover Man", and "Star Eyes". (And by the way, that's "bad", as in "good" – in case you couldn't guess from the title!)

Killer material from the 1964 edition of the Jazz Messengers – an incredibly hard-hitting sextet that features Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Wayne Shorter, Reggie Workman, and Cedar Walton. The mix of players is amazing, and Walton's warm lyricism is a haunting combination with the sharp-edged solos of Shorter and Hubbard. All tracks are long, and titles include "Free For All" and "Hammer Head" – both written by Shorter – plus "The Core", by Hubbard, and a beautiful version of Clare Fischer's "Pensativa".

Beautiful stuff – and one of the best Donald Byrd albums of the 60s! The album is a killer all the way through – recorded with a group that Byrd maintained for 2 years, one that featured Sonny Red on alto sax, Cedar Walton on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all of whom come together magnificently in a razor-sharp formation, mixing hardbop and soul jazz with an edge that you'll hardly find on any of Byrd's other albums from the time. A lot of the credit is due to Sonny Red – who plays with a raspy tone that's odd for the alto, and which really draws out Byrd's solo skills. Walton's got a heavy left-handed approach that really hits some great grooves – and the team of Booker and Higgins leap lyrically, yet also throw just the right amount of funk into the rhythms. Includes the Blue Break classic "Jelly Roll", the amazing jazz dancer "Book's Bossa", and the sublime "Slow Drag", one of the strangest groovers you'll ever hear!

A warm set of soulful 60s numbers from Eddie Harris – almost a ballad album at times, but with a groovier feel overall! The album features a great group that has Harris on acoustic tenor or Varitone sax – warmed up by the piano of Cedar Walton, bass of Ron Carter, and drums of Bobby Thomas. Walton's presence here is especially strong – a nice pairing with Eddie, given the inherently lyrical lines in both players. Titles are familiar, but come off with a very personal vibe – and tunes include "My Funny Valentine", "If Ever I Would Leave You", "The Tender Storm", and "On A Clear Day". Great stuff – with a very solid vibe!

A great session that was recorded by Freddie Hubbard in the 60s, but not issued by Blue Note until the mid 70s – and only then as part of a short-lived double length set! This version is the first real issue of the material – with the original cover art intended for the session in the 60s – and as such, it's presented in a way that helps it stand strongly with Freddie's best early albums for Blue Note! The sound here is sharp-edged and soulful – a reflection of the groove that Freddie was hitting in the Jazz Messengers of the early 60s, played by a group that features three members of that ensemble – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass – along with Philly Joe Jones on drums! Tracks are hard, straight, and soulful – not bogged down in some of Hubbard's misdirected modernism – and titles include "Philly Mignon", "Father & Son", "Nostrand & Fulton", and "Assunta".

"Starting Time" is a great early 60s session by Jordan – who at the time of the recording, was one of a number of firey young tenor players from Chicago – all of them hard-blowing, with a nice soulful bottom that opened up a bop sound to more moods and emotions – but Jordan stood apart from most of them with an approach that was decidedly more complex and forward-thinking. As you'll hear on the album's tracks, he wasn't content enough to just blow off a riff – but had to twist things up a bit, working a tune for more shades and colors than it might yield with another player, pushing on the proceedings with an edge that's very strong. The great Wilbur Ware's on bass, and a young Cedar Walton's playing piano, and with warmth like that, Jordan and trumpeter Kenny Dorham sound great next to each other. Loads of original hard bop lines by Jordan, including "Extempore" and "Quittin' Time", plus "Mosaic" and "One Flight Down" by Cedar Walton. Even better is A Story Tale – a brilliant collaboration between Clifford Jordan and Sonny Red! Red's tone is excellent – a sharper one next to Jordan's more supple blowing – and the pair are a perfect team to lead off tunes like "Prints", "Hip Pockets", "A Story Tale", and "Defiance".

Lost genius from trumpeter Lee Morgan – a session recorded for Blue Note in 1967, but not issued until the late 70s – and even then, only for a very short time! The session has Morgan moving into that wonderful last stage of his career – working in tight formation towards a sound that still had that groovier hardbop styles of earlier recordings, but which also unfolds towards a more ambitious spiritual jazz mode. The writing on the session is superb – original tunes that crackle with energy in a surge of dark notes and shadowy moods, inspiring the soloists to express themselves at levels that rank with their best work of the time! The group features David Newman on tenor – sounding completely different, and far more righteous, than on his Atlantic sides of the 60s – plus Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A great sound overall – right up there with Tom Cat or The Gigolo for lyrical modernism – and with titles that include "Sneaky Pete", "The Mercenary", "Sonic Boom", and "Mumbo Jumbo".

One of the hippest Milt Jackson albums of the 60s – a set that definitely lives up to its Museum Of Modern Art setting! The performance is one of the most famous from that museum's well-remembered series of 60s jazz concerts – and it features Milt Jackson's quintet really stretching out nicely – hitting sharper tones and bolder notes than in some of their other sessions of the decade, and possibly picking up a freer feel overall in the live setting. Milt's vibes are wonderfully accompanied by the reeds of Jimmy Heath and piano of Cedar Walton – both players who mix soul and modern elements in the same sort of perfect blend that Jackson hits. And the rhythm section is tightly snapping and soulful – never too groove-oriented, but always conscious of a sense of a swing – thanks to bass from Ron Carter and drums from Candy Finch. Tunes include "The Quota", "Novamo", "Enigma", "Turquoise", "Chyrise", "Montelei", "Simplicity & Beauty", "Flying Saucer", and "Namesake".