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A great setting for the vibes of Joe Locke – set amidst the larger sounds of the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra – whose soft flourishes prove to be a perfect backdrop for Joe's rich colors and tones! The format is wonderful – an approach that's hardly done this well with other vibist, save for maybe a rare few Bobby Hutcherson dates in the 70s – and Locke's working with a core quartet amidst the larger orchestra, which ensures that there's some forward motion in the rhythms, even amidst the lofty strings. Titles include "Available In Blue", "Sword Of Whispers", "Where Is Love", "Moon River", and "The Moon For Her".

One of the best albums that Terry Callier ever recorded – and a masterpiece of the baroque soul crossover style that was going down at the Chess/Cadet label at the time! Terry's own folksy singing and playing would be more than enough to make this record great – but it's given an amazing edge by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney, who create these floating pillows of sound and washes of jazzy colors that fit Terry's moods perfectly, and really expand the emotional intensity of the songs. At the time of this release, the Chess empire was falling apart – but the forces that be put a great last push into the record, and Terry's backed by superb work from Chicago studio giants like Phil Upchurch, Don Myrick, Art Hoyle, Bobby Christian, Cleveland Eaton, Louis Satterfield, and Evans and Stepney themselves! Every track is a wonder, and titles include "Alley-Wind Song" , "Can't Catch the Trane", "Bowlin' Green", and "Until Tomorrow".

One of the greatest long-form albums from the Clarke Boland Big Band – a sophisticated suite that not only shows off the writing ability of Francy Boland, but also demonstrates the group's ability to swing like a mofo, even when things are serious! The album's a jazz suite written by Boland, and dedicated to the great prisons of England – where Johnny Griffin was once kept "At Her Majesty's Pleasure", due to non-payment of some income tax. The experience of Griffin led Boland to explore the idea of the British penal system with a number of powerful emotional themes, and the result of this writing is one of the CBBB's best albums of the late 60s – filled with rich colors and tones that go far beyond the earlier modes of the group, but without some of the too-complicated elements that sometimes show up in later suites. A good part of the album's success comes from the strength of the soloists – players who include Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Tony Coe on clarinet, Sahib Shihab on flute and soprano, Kenny Wheeler and Benny Bailey on trumpets, and Ake Persson and Nat Peck on trombones. Titles include "Pentonville", "Wormwood Scrubs", "Doing Time", "Broadmoor", and "Going Straight".

An amazing record – quite possibly the best ever by Chicago soul legend Leroy Hutson! The whole thing's a smooth soul masterpiece beyond compare – a stunning blend of great songwriting, sexy vocals, and buttery production that rank it up there with the best work of 70s giants like Marvin Gaye, Leon Ware, or Roy Ayers. Leroy's got a voice that's both warm and mellow, yet incredibly honest at the same time – and the songs on the record show a range of colors and emotions that perfectly fit his unique style. Features mellow "Cool Out", the funky "Lucky Fellow", the sweet "All Because Of You", and the sublime cuts "It's Different" and "Can't Stay Away". The whole thing's great – and is one of the crowning achievements of the Chicago soul scene!

An amazing record – quite possibly the best ever by Chicago soul legend Leroy Hutson! The whole thing's a smooth soul masterpiece beyond compare – a stunning blend of great songwriting, sexy vocals, and buttery production that rank it up there with the best work of 70s giants like Marvin Gaye, Leon Ware, or Roy Ayers. Leroy's got a voice that's both warm and mellow, yet incredibly honest at the same time – and the songs on the record show a range of colors and emotions that perfectly fit his unique style. Features mellow "Cool Out", the funky "Lucky Fellow", the sweet "All Because Of You", and the sublime cuts "It's Different" and "Can't Stay Away". The whole thing's great – and is one of the crowning achievements of the Chicago soul scene!

A brilliant collaboration between Clifford Jordan and Sonny Red! At the time of this recording, Jordan 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 works especially well for Red, who opens up here more than he does on some of his other sides from the time. 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".

One of the best of the early 60s comeback albums by the legendary bop trumpeter Howard McGhee – and a record that really has the player finding a whole new groove in his music! At this point, Maggie's got a fantastic tone that was missing from his earlier records, filled with pain and raw emotion – but also measured with a maturity that gives his solos an incredible sense of economy that delivers a whole hell of a lot with just a few simple notes – a balance that comes through beautifully here, maybe even more so than on any other record by Howard from the time! He's playing here in a great group that includes Roland Alexander on tenor, Bennie Green on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Pepper Adams on baritone – and tracks include "Dusty Blue", "Groovin High", "Cottage For Sale", "Flyin Colors", and "With Malice Towards None".

An obscure 70s recording from 50s bop legend Freddie Redd – one that shows him in a whole new light, still working with some of that jagged edge of years past, but also moving into darker territory that's a lot more introspective, emotionally open, and musically complicated. The mood on this set is quite personal, with the kind of sombre colors and tones we often expect from Mal Waldron – and the set of original tracks shows that Redd never stopped progressing as a writer. Titles include "This Heart Is Mine", "You", "My God Is Love", and "Bleeker Street Blues".

A pair of Patty Duke albums from the late 60s – one of them previously unreleased! First up is Patty Duke Sings Songs From Valley Of The Dolls – a record that definitely draws on the drama of her Neely O'Hara role in the film of the same name – with tunes that have a bit more of an emotive punch than Duke used in previous years. These emotions are sometimes a bit overblown, but that's part of the appeal – as with her work in the film – and arrangements are by Arnold Goland and Hutch Davie – on titles that include "Come Live With Me", "Give A Little More", "Valley Of The Dolls", "I'll Plant My Own Tree", and "Learn To Live With Your Heartache". The second half of the album features the previously unreleased Patty Duke Sings Folk Songs/Time To Move On – an unusual record that has Duke taking on some of the crossover folk sounds of the 60s – but still in a way that's very much in her usual poppy bag. Ernie Sheldon produced, and also wrote a good number of tracks too – originals mixed in with more familiar and traditional titles that come off surprisingly well – thanks partly to the gentler folksy format, which never strains Patty's vocals too much. Titles include "The Housewife's Lament", "Colors", "The Cruel War", "The Best Is Yet To Come", "Time To Move On", and "And We Were Strangers". Also features the unreleased single "I Want Your Love".

A newly majestic setting for James Moody in the 60s – thanks to the mighty arranging talents of Gil Fuller! The album's similar to one that Fuller did with Dizzy Gillespie at the same time – a blend of large ensemble backings and soulful work by the solo star – which in this case is James Moody on alto, tenor, and flute! Moody's work here is kind of an extension of his 60s recordings with Tom McIntosh – an amazing array of colors, tones, and emotions that would never have been heard in his music a decade or two before – played with sophistication that's simply stunning, and a sense of swing and soul that makes the whole thing move nicely. The ensemble has a great rhythm section that features Mike Wofford on piano, Chuck Berghofer on bass, and Chuck Flores on drums – plus percussion from Francisco Aquabella – and titles include "Latin Lady", "Tin Tin Deo", "Our Man Flint", "A Patch Of Blue", "Night Flight", and "17 Mile Drive".

A gem of a record from trumpeter Jeremy Pelt – and like some of his other brilliant albums, a set that really has him sparkling alongside some sweet Fender Rhodes! Pelt's trumpet has always been great – but here, in the company of keyboardist David Bryant, it really seems to find some rich new colors – almost as if the keys open up a layer of Pelt that's been hiding for years – set free to really soar and flow here. Bryant also plays some Hammond and clavinet as well, and other Fender Rhodes and keyboard work is by Frank LoCrasto – and the group also features Roxy Cross on soprano and tenor, Burniss Earl Travis on bass, Dana Hawkins on drums, and Jeffrey Haynes on percussion. Both Ra Re Valverde and Angela Roberts each sing on a track – and titles include "Reimagine The World", "Boom Bishop", "Butterfly Dreams", "Pieces Of A Dream", "Meditations On A Conversation We Had", and "Mystique".

One of the greatest long-form albums from the Clarke Boland Big Band – a sophisticated suite that not only shows off the writing ability of Francy Boland, but also demonstrates the group's ability to swing like a mofo, even when things are serious! The album's a jazz suite written by Boland, and dedicated to the great prisons of England – where Johnny Griffin was once kept "At Her Majesty's Pleasure", due to non-payment of some income tax. The experience of Griffin led Boland to explore the idea of the British penal system with a number of powerful emotional themes, and the result of this writing is one of the CBBB's best albums of the late 60s – filled with rich colors and tones that go far beyond the earlier modes of the group, but without some of the too-complicated elements that sometimes show up in later suites. A good part of the album's success comes from the strength of the soloists – players who include Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Tony Coe on clarinet, Sahib Shihab on flute and soprano, Kenny Wheeler and Benny Bailey on trumpets, and Ake Persson and Nat Peck on trombones. Titles include "Pentonville", "Wormwood Scrubs", "Doing Time", "Broadmoor", and "Going Straight".

"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".