All Categories — All Formats  

A killer early album by Art Blakey and his first incarnation of The Messengers – recorded before Horace Silver left the group, and a rare non-Blue Note outing done for Columbia Records! The ensemble here features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, and Doug Watkins on bass – alongside Silver's piano and Blakey's thundering work on drums – and the album is virtually a blueprint for the sound of hardbop in years to come – focused and intense, but still with plenty of room for individual solo expression! Tracks include a classic reading of "Nica's Dream", plus Horace Silver's great "Ecaroh", and Mobley's own "Infra-Rae" and "Hank's Symphony".

Mindblowing music from The Byrds – and one of the greatest evolutions in pop music from the 60s! The Byrds were always at the forefront of their generation – starting out as a folksy act mixing in early psychedelia, then reaching for deeper roots with a love of country, yet also really keeping their own unique identity – and finding a way for most group members to grow their own interests and help shape the sound of the band! This balance is unique, as is the mighty range of records that encompassed it – their legendary sounds for Columbia Records, which are presented here in a beautiful box of 13 CDs, featuring 11 full albums, all with their original artwork in LP-styled sleeves! Titles include Mr Tambourine Man, Turn Turn Turn, Fifth Dimension, Younger Than Yesterday, Notorious Byrd Brothers, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, Dr Byrds & Mr Hyde, Ballad Of Easy Rider, Untitled Unissued, Byrdmaniax, and Farther Along.

Heavy soul with a good dose of rock – the trademark sound of The Chambers Brothers, heard here during the height of their Columbia Records years! Although previously more of a folksy sort of combo, the group really took off during their time with Columbia – hitting whole new strides in their sound with a rich blend of contemporary influences, all supported by a deeply soulful sound that was rooted in tradition. The approach is heard most famously on their classic "Time Has Come Today" – but the whole set's great, and other cuts include the massively funky "Funky" – plus the tracks "Love Peace & Happiness", "Let's Do It", "In The Midnight Hour", "I Can't Turn You Loose", and "All Strung Out Over You".

Miles Smiles, but his grin is a wry one – given the angular energy of the set! The album's a landmark effort from the mid 60s quintet that includes Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all of whom work without fail to capture Davis' newly emerging approach to jazz – a style that's touched with some of the light lyricism of the late 50s, but which has much sharper edges overall – and really approaches some of the best "new thing" modes that were going down at labels like Blue Note or Impulse! Many tunes have a subtly spare quality, but nonetheless work with a tremendous amount of power – and titles include a classic version of "Freedom Jazz Dance", a haunting take on Shorter's "Footprints", and the titles "Orbits", "Circle", "Dolores", and "Gingerbread Boy".

Also includes "Flight Of The Bumble Bee", excerpts form "Tristan & Isolde", "Qigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs)", and "Carmen Fantasy".

A magnificent decade of music from Duke Ellington – the bulk of his fifties recordings for Columbia Records – all albums that really show the Duke stretching forth and greatly developing his style! The scope of performances here is breathtaking – as Ellington works with key sidemen of the postwar years, and moves into much longer-form recordings that before – tracks that help him deeply express his new ideas, and also make way for a few guest performers too. Each album comes in a tiny LP-styled sleeve, replicating the original record – and the box features the albums Masterpieces By Ellington, Ellington Uptown, A Drum Is A Woman, Such Sweet Thunder, Ellington Indigos, The Cosmic Scene, and At The Bal Masque – plus the Black Brown & Beige suite with Mahalia Jackson, and the Blue Rose album with vocals by Rosemary Clooney!

Incredible music from Charles Mingus – a set that's pulled from a few different periods, yet features some of his greatest recordings ever! The package begins with a stunning 2CD version of Tijuana Moods – a true Mingus masterpiece, filled with amazing rhythms and mindblowing solos – presented here with loads of bonus tracks and alternates, too! Then, you hit Mingus' key Columbia years at the end of the 50s – the landmark albums Mingus Ah Uhm and Mingus Dynasty – supported here by an extra CD's worth of important alternate takes – which show the strong development of the music! Next is Mingus in the early 70s – some of his best recordings from this later stretch – the sublime Let My Children Hear Music, easily some of his most creative longform work at the time – and the brilliant 2CD Charles Mingus & Friends In Concert – which reminds us just how strongly Charles can spur on a soloist. The set's completed by the posthumous release of material titled Epitaph – another 2CD set – and the package features detailed notes, recollections from Sue Mingus, and rare photos too!

The complete Columbia recordings by vocalist Bessie Smith – an insane amount of material recorded in the decade between 1923 and 1933 – all music that went on to have a huge impact on the growth of jazz and blues for decades to come! This comprehensive package brings together all the material that Smith originally recorded for 78rpm releases – remastered for CD, and packaged in tiny LP-styled sleeves within the larger box – a huge amount of material that also features backings from Louis Armstrong on trumpet, James P Johnson and Fletcher Henderson on piano, Jack Teagarden on trombone, and Benny Goodman on clarinet. In addition to the masters released at the time, the package also features two CDs' worth of rare tracks and alternate takes – plus a movie soundtrack and interviews too!

An amazing run of music – and key sounds from a time when the Chicago avant garde was finally getting its due in the mainstream! The set features all Novus and Columbia recordings from both the Air trio of Henry Threagill, Fred Hopkins, and Steve McCall – a seminal group from the AACM in the Windy City – and the later recordings made by Threadgill as a leader – featuring even more expansive ideas, and an impressive ear for larger compositions in jazz! The set spans nearly 20 years, and features material from 11 different albums, including some unreleased music too – titles that include the Air albums Open Air Suit, Montreux Suisse Air, and Air Lore – and Threadgill sessions X 75 Vol 1, You Know The Number, Easily Slip Into Another World, Rag Bush & All, Carry The Day, Makin A Move, and Where's Your Cup – plus the previously unissued Vol 2 for X 75. The Air sessions are very earthy and spontaneous – that wonderful creative interplay that marked the AACM legacy at the time. And the Threadgill records start the same way, but show lots of new ideas coming into play – with contributions from Joseph Jarman on reeds, Amina Claudine Myers on voice, Frank Lacy on trombone, Ted Daniel on trumpet, Deirdre Murray on cello, Fred Hopkins on bass, Pheeroan AkLaff on drums, Myra Melford on piano, and a host of other important musicians, all coming together under the leadership of Threadgill. Notes are great, and the 8 CD set features 52 tracks in all – most of them quite long in length!

Aerosmith's second album – and a prime slab of badass mid 70s rock – coming close to, maybe even equalling Toys In The Attic as ultimate Aerosmith badassery! It's got a tighter, puncier sound their debut – courtesy producer Jack Douglas – who would continue to produce Aerosmith in their pre-blowout 70s best. It opens on with one of their staples, "Same Old Song And Dance" and other tracks include their kickass cover of "Train Kept A Rollin'", plus "Lord Of The Thighs", "Spaced", "Woman Of The World" and "Pandora's Box".

Aerosmith at their most classic! At their peak, Aerosmith brought a hard rock edge to the more groove oriented boogie and blues rock influences. Toys In the Attic is most certainly one of their peaks, if not THE peak. Includes the all time greats "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion", plus "Big Ten Inch Record", "Uncle Salty", "Round And Round", "You See Me Crying", "Adam's Apple" and "No More No More".

A wonderful album from the team of Toshiko Akioshi and Charlie Mariano – a set that was only ever issued in Japan, and which we like a fair bit more than their better-known US album for Candid! The group here is the same as that one – with Charlie Mariano on alto sax, Toshiko Akioshi on piano, Eugene Chirico on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – but the sound is a lot more focused, and often a bit more swinging – with some especially great emphasis on Mariano's magnificent tone – nicely rough-edged at this point in his career, but still strongly inside – with none of the overindulgence of later years. Charlie cuts through the tunes brilliantly – and Toshiko's got a great mix of bop and modern tones in her piano work. And even though the first half of the set list is tunes from West Side Story, the quartet make them cook like you've never heard before – really taking off with a new sort of energy that's totally great! Titles include "Tonight", "America", "Cool", "Plaisir D'Amour", "Malaguena", and "Oleo".

The cover of this one makes it look like a no-name leaderless session, but this one actually features some great work by some very hip players! Half the album features vibist Teddy Charles leading a group of modernists that includes Hal McKusick, Frank Socolow, Bill Russon, Bob Brookmeyer, Mal Waldron, and Donald Byrd – on tracks that have a bluesy base, but a bit of an edge to them. The other half features Manny Albam leading a combo with Al Cohn, Teo Macero, Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Phil Woods, and Eddie Costa. The session was done to showcase the talents of 4 of the best modern arrangers of the late 50s – Manny Albam, Bill Russon, Teo Macero, and Teddy Charles – all of whom contribute some great charts to a set of tracks that includes "Swinging Goatsherd Blues", "East Hampton Blues", "Blues In The Night", "Night Crawlers", and "Blues For Amy".

A wonderfully moody session from the late 50s – one that features the eerie vocals of Leda Annest over the orchestrations of Phil Moore! Leda's got a haunting voice that's somewhere in the range of Yma Sumac, but a bit less dramatic – more kind of a wordless instrument, used amidst the orchestrations in broad washes of color and tone. Moore scored the entire piece for Leda's voice – an extended 3 part suite that runs through series of dark, jazz, and playful moods – all featuring some incredible vocals by Leda!

A lost heavy rock classic from the Dunwich Production team – recorded in Michigan, but with extra orchestral backing in Chicago – for an approach that gives the record a slightly pop quality that tempers the harder rock sound nicely. The songs are actually pretty catchy, in a post-Summer Of Love pop mode – and titles include "Magic Bed", "What's In My Mind's Eye", "Heart Attack", "Strange", "Thoughts & Feelings", and "Ode To Missy Mxyzosptlk".

Music from the film of the same name – with some extracts from the film, too!

A very soulful batch of fusion tracks from drummer Horacee Arnold – here leading a group that includes reed talents Billy Harper and Joe Farrell, percussionist Ralph McDonald, guitarist Ralph Towner, and Dave Friedman on vibes and percussion. Tracks are long and spiralling, with a spiritual approach that goes quite out at times, but which also returns to a modal groove at others. Thanks to great playing by Harper and Farrell, the album's got a lot more soul than some others of the type at the time. Tracks include "The Actor", "Professor Moriarty", "Orchards of Engedi", "Tribe", and "Banyan Dance".

A very soulful batch of fusion tracks from drummer Horacee Arnold – here leading a group that includes reed talents Billy Harper and Joe Farrell, percussionist Ralph McDonald, guitarist Ralph Towner, and Dave Friedman on vibes and percussion. Tracks are long and spiralling, with a spiritual approach that goes quite out at times, but which also returns to a modal groove at others. Thanks to great playing by Harper and Farrell, the album's got a lot more soul than some others of the type at the time. Tracks include "The Actor", "Professor Moriarty", "Orchards of Engedi", "Tribe", and "Banyan Dance".

One of the most hard-hitting albums ever cut by pianist Georges Arvanitas – an early effort that's all soul jazz all the way through! Although Arvanitas is best known as a committed modernist, especially in later years, this sweet early 60s session is a stone cooker in the best mode of Blue Note dates of the time – tight, swinging, and perfectly poised with just the right space for some excellent solos from Francois Jeanneau on tenor, Bernard Vitet on trumpet, and Arvanitas himself on piano – all grooving in a style that would make the Jazz Messengers proud, but also one that's got some key touches of postwar Parisian jazz too. Bass is by Michel Gaudry and drums are by Daniel Humair – and titles include "Oblivion", "This Here", "Poco Loco", "Bouncin With Bud", "Bohemia After Dark", and "Mister X".

Rare post-Warner Brothers work from The Association – an album that's gentler and more mature than their earlier hits, done in a great blend of soft rock and post-Sunshine styles! The sound here is quite different even than the last Warner albums – which brought in a bit heavier guitars – and the group are going for a style that's beautifully mellow, and produced with this compressed groove that makes wonderful use of their classic harmonies. And while you might expect such a record to be too smooth, or too slickly AOR, the overall sound is still quite personal, and almost fragile – carried off carefully through instrumental arrangements by Benny Golson that never dominate the vocals, and only shade in the tunes with the right touches for the right moments. Titles include "Come The Fall", "Midnight Wind", "Silent Song Thru The Land", "Darling Be Home Soon", "Rainbows Bent", "Kicking The Gong Around", "Indian Wells Woman", and the sublime "Snow Queen".

Roy Ayers in a seductive mid 80s mode – his first for Columbia – and a record with some incredibly nice moments that blow away most of his contemporaries! The synth soul and drum machine era might seem like an odd fit for Roy's jazzy vibes, but it actually works really well here! You could argue that few players with a such profound jazz funk pedigree could pull off an 80s modern sound so succussfully – and we'd argue that Roy Ayers is indeed one of the few! If synths and programmed drums aren't your thing, this record is actually more heavily-weighted with laidback jazzy soul, with plenty of vibes and the usual warm sexy vocals from Roy. Includes the funky classic "Poo Poo La La", which has a great little monologue in it – plus "I Can't Help It", "Compadre", "Sexy, Sexy, Sexy", and "Love Is In The Feel". This 2012 FTG CD includes 3 bonus tracks: "In The Dark (7" Version)", "Poo Poo La La (Edit)" and "Love Is In The Feel (7" Version)".

Roy Ayers in a tight mid 80s funk mode – commanding a modern vibe really well, especially with his vibes so prominent in the sound! Although the sound's a step or two more modern than the Polydor years, Roy still sounds great – and he grooves nicely on this batch of tracks that mix his older jazz funk style with an 80s groove sound that has slight touches of electro. This mix of modes is really unique for the time, with Roy embracing the new school without completely letting go of his trailblazing personal approach. Jean Carn sings lead vocals on the cut "Can I See You", and the album also includes the nice stepper "Programmed For Love", plus "Virgo", "Night Flyte", and "For You", a smooth mellow cut that's got great vocals by Roy! This 2012 FTG edition features the rare single versions as bonus tracks – 6 in all, including "Programmed For Love (12" Extended Version)", "Hot (12" Version)", "Hot (Dub Mix)", "Slip N' Slide (7" Version) and more.

Lost funk rock from Ballinjack – the rare self-titled set for Columbia that's arguably best remembered for being so massively sampled – but the group that deserves a more widely-credited legacy! The sound is a bit like Mandrill on the best cuts, with the band going hard on the funky drums with some great brassy movements, flute and guitars. Lots of deftly jazzy movements, too – standout flute and guitar moments throughout. Tracks include the famously sampled "Found a Child" and "Never Let 'Em Say" (believe us, you've heard these samples plenty, and it's cool to hear them in their original context. . .great stuff and little wonder they were so strongly utilized by hip hop production heavies), plus "Super Highway", Festival", "Telephone", "Ballin' The Jack", "Street People", "Carnival", and "Hold On".

Titles include "Walk Like An Egyptian", "Manic Monday", "Not Like You", and "If She Knew What She Wants".

One of the original Dramatics, singer Ron Banks strikes out here on his own – a slept on gem from the early 80s! The set's in a similar modern soul mode to LJ Reynolds, who also worked with him in the group, and was having a bit of a solo career of his own at the time. It's got sort of a D-Train feel to it – with classic male soul vocals over instrumentation that includes some slight electro touches, especially on keyboards and drum programs. Banks keeps the whole thing nice and soulful, thanks to some great vocal work, which you'll hear on the smooth mellow track "Let Love Flow", which has a beautiful down-tempo groove, and a nice two-step beat – plus the other mellow tracks like "Make It Easy On Yourself" and "You and Me". Uptempo club cuts include "Truly Bad", "Zap", and "She's So Good to Me".

A sweet debut from soul singer Regina Belle – a nice dose of class and sophistication in the world of mid 80s R&B! Regina's got a well-developed style right from the start – the kind of poise that you might hear from someone like Phyllis Hyman, especially on the mellower cuts – with nice undercurrents of jazz that really help send the whole thing home – and really keep the album away from cloying commercial styles too! The set features some mighty nice instrumental elements alongside the vocals – including keyboards from Dexter Wansel and alto from Don Myrick – and titles include "Show Me The Way", "Intimate Relations", "Gotta Give It Up", "So Many Tears", "Please Be Mine", and "You Got The Love". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "Without You", "Show Me The Way (ext)", "You Got The Love (rmx)", "How Could You Do It To Me (rmx)", "So Many Tears (cool mix)", and "Show Me The Way (inst)".

Warm backings from Marty Manning – and a set that really has Tony Bennett coming into his own for the 60s! Titles include the classics "I Wanna Be Around" and 'The Good Life" – plus "Once Upon A Summertime", "If You Were Mine", "Someone To Love", and "Quiet Nights".

An overlooked gem! The set's got Tony singing to some great mellow backings from the Ralph Sharon trio – nice and jazzy, with versions of "Rules Of The Road", "Green Dolphin Street", "When Lights Are Low", and "Speak Low".

A famous pairing of talents from the early 60s – Columbia Records giants Dave Brubeck and Tony Bennett, both recorded at a time when that label was at the forefront of jazz in the US – joined up for a special performance at the end of the set! The special performance was done at the Kennedy-era White House – and features an initial instrumental set from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – with completely amazing alto from Paul Desmond, especially on the album's long reading of "Nomad" – one of our favorite overlooked tunes by the the group at the time – plus versions of "Take Five", "Castillian Blues", and "Thank You". Tony Bennett then takes the stage with backings by the Ralph Sharon trio – on titles that include "Make Someone Happy", "One For My Baby", "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", and "Just In Time". But the real highlight of the set is when Bennett sings with backings from the Dave Brubeck Trio – in a mode that's both different from Tony's work with Bill Evans or Basie, and from Brubeck's work with singers like Jimmy Rushing or Carmen McRae! Titles from the Brubeck/Bennett lineup include "That Old Black Magic", "There Will Never Be Another You", "Lullaby Of Broadway", and "Chicago".

Cheap Thrills, maybe – but they cut deeply and last forever! This is one of the greatest albums by Big Brother & The Holding Company – and it's also one of the most important in cementing the legacy of singer Janis Joplin. The raw manic energy of the group at their live best is somehow bottled and presented on record as perfectly as it ever could be – and even better are the delicate moments that show such an incredible depth! Titles include "Turtle Blues", "Oh Sweet Mary", "Ball & Chain", "Summertime", "Piece Of My Heart", and "I Need A Man To Love".

Cheap Thrills, maybe – but they cut deeply and last forever! This is one of the greatest albums by Big Brother & The Holding Company – and it's also one of the most important in cementing the legacy of singer Janis Joplin. The raw manic energy of the group at their live best is somehow bottled and presented on record as perfectly as it ever could be – and even better are the delicate moments that show such an incredible depth! Titles include "Turtle Blues", "Oh Sweet Mary", "Ball & Chain", "Summertime", "Piece Of My Heart", and "I Need A Man To Love".

Now a classic, and pretty tough to get a hold of on vinyl. Beats by Buckwild, Showbiz and Lord Finesse, rhymes by Harlem's finest. Big L didn't leave behind much recorded work, but if this LP has to stand as his legacy, it's a mighty fine statement. Alongside some of the latter day QB hip hop, probably the pinnacle of streetlife lyrics from the east coast. 12 tracks in all: "Put It On", "MVP", "No Endz, No Skinz", "8 Iz Enuff", "All Black", "Danger Zone", "Street Struck", "Da Graveyard", "Lifestylez Ov Da Poor And Dangerous", "I Don't Understand It, "Fed Up Wit The Bullsh#t", and "Let 'Em Have It L".

Promo 12" single of this track from Lifestylez Ov Da Poor And Dangerous, Lord Finesse produced.

A stone classic from Blood Sweat & Tears – and a record that went onto have a tremendous impact in jazz, rock, funk, and soul! The group's format is plenty darn famous – adding a lot of horns to hip riffing grooves – but despite countless plays on oldies stations over the years, this initial album still has a power that's undeniable – a way of putting the whole thing together that really uses the best elements of the late 60s studio – handled with sweet production from James William Guerico that rivals his best work for Chicago! Even the lead vocals by David Clayton Thomas hold up nicely – and the set includes the classics "Variations On A Theme By Eric Satie", "And When I Die", "Smiling Phases", "More & More", "Spinning Wheel", and "You've Made Me So Very Happy". CD features bonus live tracks – "More & More" and "Smiling Phases".

A wild debut from Blood Sweat & Tears – one of those records that forever changed the face of popular music! The set's noteworthy not just for early vocals from Al Kooper – who was a key part of the group at their start – but also for key production work from a young John Simon – who helped arrange a bit, threw in a few musical touches, and really gave the group some focus on record – of the sort that would continue over the course of man albums. The set's got some added strings at points, and there's even some backup vocals from the duo of Valerie Simpson and Melba Moore. Titles include "Overture", "I Can't Quit Her", "Just One Smile", "Without Her", "My Days Are Numbered", "Morning Glory", and "So Much Love/Underture". CD features bonus tracks – "Refugee From Yuhupitz", plus demo versions of "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" and "The Modern Adventures Of Plato Diogenes & Freud".

David Bowie's grabbing the cover of Heroes for this surprisingly great album – using the old cover art, then marking it over – in ways that definitely give a hint at the sound underneath! The style's darker and edgier than we've heard Bowie in years – kind of in "Joe The Lion" territory at times – given the fuzzy use of guitar, and raspy touches on the vocals and other instrumentation – almost as if the whole thing's got the same sort of back to basics approach that David found during his years in Berlin. Yet overall, there's more sweet moments too – some surprisingly warm tunes that, while not like contemporary pop hits, may well help remind the world that the Bowie star can still shine brightly in the right setting. Titles include "Dirty Boys", "The Next Day", "If You Can See Me", "Boss Of Me", "Dancing Out In Space", "Love Is Lost", and "Valentines Day". Deluxe CD version features three bonus tracks – "So She", "Plan", and "I'll Take You There".

David Bowie's grabbing the cover of Heroes for this surprisingly great album – using the old cover art, then marking it over – in ways that definitely give a hint at the sound underneath! The style's darker and edgier than we've heard Bowie in years – kind of in "Joe The Lion" territory at times – given the fuzzy use of guitar, and raspy touches on the vocals and other instrumentation – almost as if the whole thing's got the same sort of back to basics approach that David found during his years in Berlin. Yet overall, there's more sweet moments too – some surprisingly warm tunes that, while not like contemporary pop hits, may well help remind the world that the Bowie star can still shine brightly in the right setting. Titles include "Dirty Boys", "The Next Day", "If You Can See Me", "Boss Of Me", "Dancing Out In Space", "Love Is Lost", and "Valentines Day".

Very raw, very rootsy stuff from Big Bill Broonzy, issued by Columbia (strangely enough) as part of their Adventures In Sound series. The packaging and the notes have the usual smug Columbia "serving up the best in roots culture for white liberals" tone – but the set's actually a pretty decent batch of material that includes nice numbers like "Texas Tornado", "Key To The Highway", "When I've Been Drinkin", and "Goobye Baby Blues".

Sweet 80s disco from Peter Brown – proof that man still wants to get funky, even after most of his contemporaries had long left the dancefloor! The style here is as compellingly crossover as before – lots of lively rhythms that percolate with pop-inflected hooks – soul at the core, definitely, but with enough winning elements to keep Brown moving through the wider audiences that brought his initial fame. A few sweet moments almost seem to echo some of the best Euro club styles of the time – and titles include "Rock With Me", "Double Or Nothing", "Love Is Just The Game", "Classical Dancing", "Hot Flash", "They Only Come Out At Night", "Zie Zie Won't Dance", and "Electric Shoes". CD features lots of bonus mixes – including "Love Is Just The Game (inst)", "Love Is Just The Game (12" mix)", "They Only Come Out At Night (12" mix)", "They Only Come Out At Night (inst)", "Zie Zie Won't Dance (12" rmx)", and "Zie Zie Won't Dance (inst)".

A sweet live set from Dave Brubeck's early years on Columbia Records – recorded in New York, but with all the calculated cool and modern tones Brubeck first forged in the San Francisco scene of the 50s! Paul Desmond's on board on alto sax – really getting a lot of space to stretch out on the album's extended performances, with a haunting, floating tone that really sends us. Remaining members include Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums – and tracks include "Lover", "Love Walked In", "The Duke", "Little Girl Blue", and "Fare Thee Well Annabelle".

The Dave Brubeck Quartet goes to college – a pretty good place for the combo, considering how many fans they had on campus in the 50s! The sound here is never too academic for the setting, though – just the same sort of Brubeck groove first forged in the small clubs in San Francisco – played beautifully by an incarnation of the quartet that includes Paul Desmond on alto sax, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. The long, bluesy "Balcony Rock" is a real gem, with some standout work by Desmond that reminds us that he could be a great improvisor in an extended format – and other tracks include "Out Of Nowhere, "Le Souk", "The Song Is You", "Don't Worry Bout Me", and "Take The A Train".

Like Dave Brubeck's legendary Time Out set? Try this one – a great record that takes off from the concept of the first, but which goes in some very fresh new directions – using the same great group with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums! Dave's still working out some nutty time signatures here – but apart from the science, the thing that really makes the record cook is Desmond's alto – icy, edgey, floating, and always a treat – almost even more amazing in the space of some of these offbeat numbers. Titles include "Maori Blues", "Far More Drums", "Bluetee", "Far More Blue", and "It's A Raggy Waltz".

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks".

The last-ever live performance of the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet with Paul Desmond – recorded in 1967, but issued here for the first time ever! The group was the stuff of legend in the 50s and 60s – Dave's incredible approach to piano and time signatures, supported by amazing rhythm progressions from bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello – topped by some completely sublime work on alto sax by the mighty Paul Desmond! Throughout the 60s, the group really expanded their sound wonderfully – through a set of richly exploratory albums for Columbia Records, taking their core approach into a wide range of new styles and formats that really made for some beautiful music. Here, they deliver a stellar swan song – working in a live performance that brings back a few classics, and also shows some of the new territory they'd taken too – all recorded beautifully, at a level that makes the record a perfect pairing with their studio albums for Columbia – almost as if the label had been holding back a gem after all these years. Titles include "For Drummers Only", "La Paloma Azul", "Three To Get Ready", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "I'm In A Dancing Mood", "Set My People Free", "Take Five", and "You Go To My Head".

Ray Bryant's turning his heavy-hands version of the piano to a set of film themes here – grooving familiar numbers with a nice little soul jazz groove – but still also keeping a bit of a soundtrack feel! Richard Wess scored some larger arrangements for the record – providing a sweeping backdrop that's a nice foil for Ray's piano – and titles include "Exodus", "Laura", "Affair To Remember", "True Love", "Three Coins In A Fountain", "The High & The Mighty" and "On Green Dolphin Street".

One of Joe Bushkin's more jazz-oriented sessions – thanks to trumpet from Buck Clayton!

An amazing little record from Joe Byrd – an artist with roots in serious music, but who's serving things up here with a wild hippie aesthetic that makes the whole thing come across more like a "happening" than the usual sort of studio album – but in ways that also echo an earlier generation of Americanist composition too. The process of the record mimics some of Byrd's famous work in New York – and has a very collaborative feel overall, with elements of electronics, acoustics, and vocals coming together beautifully! There's some great tabla, harpsichord, moog, and organ on the record – plus more serious woodwinds and brass – and vocals from Victoria Bond, Susan De Lange, Christie Thompson, and Ernie Anderson – plus Joe himself. Titles include "Kalyani", "Moonsong Pelog", "You Can't Ever Come Down", "Gospel Music", "Nightmare Train", "Leisure World", and "The Elephant At The Door".

An avant pop/offbeat classic from John Cale and Terry Riley! We'll be fast to admit that Cale's solo stuff don't always float our boat – but this collaboration with minimalist composer Terry Riley is nothing short of an amazing. It's an album of mostly long modal instrumental tracks (with one vocal one) that grooves along in a spacey funky way. Riley plays piano, organ, and soprano sax – and Cale joins in on bass, guitar, viola, and harpsichord. The two of them groove together in these totally cool tracks that build and build, with minimal lines repeating over and over in endlessly fascinating groove – in a way that touches on a weirdly funky mode! The cut "Ides Of March" has the potential to be dancefloor groover in the jazz dance scene, and there's lots of other great tracks like "Church of Anthrax", "The Protege", and "The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles".

Johnny's first LP for Columbia! His terse, spare Sun style is still in evidence here with a slightly more crisp and polished sound, but no less powerful thanks to that famous wobbly baritone. Johnny would soon start stretching out good and wide thanks to the full creative freedom Columbia provided, but you get nothing but the taught, rock solid early style here. Tracks include "One More Ride", "The Troubadour", "Pickin' Time", "Suppertime", "That's Enough", and "I Still Miss Someone".

A really amazing little record – way more than usual for this sort of live recording – given that it features some very unique performances together by artists we've never heard on the same stage otherwise! The premise is simple, but wonderfully effective – in that the album brings together some of the leading lights of the Columbia/CBS jazz stable at the time – a massive lineup of talent from a few key generations in jazz, sounding surprisingly great hear together! All tracks are nice and long – and titles include a brilliant version of "Infant Eyes" by a quartet with Stan Getz on tenor and Bob James on piano; "Fried Bananas" with Dexter Gordon on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, Woody Shaw on trumpet, and George Duke on piano; "Bahama Mama" with Bob James on keyboards, Bobbi Humphrey on flute, Eric Gale and Steve Kahn on guitars, and Billy Cobham on drums – and the long jam session tracks "Montreux Summit", "Blues March", and "Andromeda" – which feature work from most of the players above, all working in one large group – plus added flute from Hubert Laws and Thijs Van Leer, percussion from Ralph Maconald, and bass from Alphonso Johnson.

A wonderful follow-up to the first Montreux Summit album – and like that classic, a groundbreaking assemblage of some of the best jazz musicians of the 70s! The format here is slightly different – with more of a focus on smaller groupings of musicians, but still with a really fresh ear for unusual combinations – especially with players you're not always likely to hear together – all stretching out on some sweet longer tracks. Tunes include a version of "Moontrane" with Woody Shaw on trumpet, Dexter Gordon on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, and George Duke on Fender Rhodes; "Two Part Invention" with Bob James on piano and Hubert Laws on flute; "Kanon For Flutes", with work by Bob Militello and Thijs Van Leer on flutes, alongside Bob James on Fender Rhodes, Eric Gale on guitar, and Peter Erskine on drums; "Red Top" with Dexter Gordon and Stan Getz on tenor, and Maynard Ferguson and Woody Shaw on trumpet; "Rites Of Darkness" with George Duke on Fender Rhodes, Bob James on keyboards, and Steve Kahn on guitar; "Be Cool" with James on Fender Rhodes, Duke on keyboards, Bobbi Humphrey and Hubert Laws on flute, and Eric Gale and Steve Kahn on guitar; and a sweet take on James' "Night Crawler" – with Stan Getz on tenor, Bobbi Humphrey and Hubert Laws on flute, Eric Gale and Steve Kahn on guitars, and Bob James himself on Fender Rhodes!

A wonderful treasure from the early 80s soul scene – the first album from Champaign, and an instant winner right from the start! The group may not have been one of the bigger names of their time, but they really won a lot of favor with soul listeners over the years – and this album's one that turns up often in collections of top-shelf soul from the period – no surprise, given the classy, careful production – and the mix of jazzy riffing, tight rhythms, and well-crafted vocals – almost enough to put Champaign at the level of Earth Wind & Fire! The sound is just right – very soulful, with less of the too-commercial modes of some of their contemporaries – and titles include "Party People", "Whiplash", "I'm On Fire", "How Bout Us", "Can You Find The Time", "Dancin Together Again", "If One More Morning", and "Lighten Up". CD features bonus 7" versions of "How Bout Us" and "I'm On Fire".

A pair of great ones from this overlooked soul group from Illinois! Modern Heart is wonderful work from Champaign – a really self-contained group, and one who really rise above the rest of the early 80s soul scene! The album's got a tightness that's hard to beat – yet a sound that's never too slick or commercial either – kind of that best balance you'd find more in late 70s mainstream soul work, save for the fact that any upbeat numbers here have more of an 80s groove style than a disco one. The mellow tracks balance things out nicely, and show a deeper songwriting sound from the group than we might have expected – further testament to the strength of the album, along with the group's own arrangements and production. Titles include "Cool Running", "Party Line", "Try Again", "Let Your Body Rock", "Get It Again", "Love Games", and "Walkin". Woman In Flames is sweet, tight, and right on the money – a stellar bit of soul from Champaign – one of those great 80s groups who never seemed to get their due, but managed to make some really wonderful music right from the start! The album's got a slightly heavier production tip than before – arrangements from James Newton Howard that link Champaign a bit more to the sound of their mid 80s contemporaries – especially some of the other groups on Columbia. Yet there's also a healthy core to the album that comes from the group's own contributions – their continued strong sense of songwriting and performance, which makes their overall sound a lot less reliant on outside help than other groups of the period. Titles include "This Time", "Off & On Love", "Be Mine Tonight", "Mardi Gras", "Capture The Moon", "Woman In Flames", and "Intimate Strangers".

Amazing work from guitarist Charlie Christian – an artist who only recorded for a few short years before an untimely early death – but a player whose work went onto have a huge impact on both the guitar and jazz music in general for years to come! Charlie's playing has a sharp edge that's undeniable – an approach to the guitar that's definitely jazz, yet also finds a place for bluesy inflections too – in styles that no doubt influenced later players like Grant Green or Tal Farlow – and which may have also been an inspiration to electrified bluesmen in the 50s, too. This package brings together a huge amount of Christian's crucial sides for the Columbia label – material that features his raw electric instrument in the company of the Benny Goodman sextet, where Charlie could really shine – and a bit in Benny's larger group too. The package also features raw material that has Christian playing with Count Basie & Lester Young, and the Metronome All Stars – plus detailed notes too. 98 tracks in all – and a much better design than the previous box – with each CD in a smaller sleeve inside the box.