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Lost genius from Dexter Gordon's initial years in Europe – a set that has him still stretching out in familiar Scandinavian modes, but with a slightly tighter sound too! The group's notable in that it features trumpeter Rolf Ericson – whose horn really adds a lot to the frontline, and has a surprisingly strong talent for matching Gordon's beautifully-blown longform solo modes! Rhythm is from the trio of Lars Sjosten on piano, Sture Nordin on bass, and Per Hulten on drums – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "Darn That Dream", "Straight No Chaser",and "I Remember You".

Way more than just a Dexter Gordon album – and instead, an important historic document of the bop scene on the west coast! The 3CD set features the complete recordings from an Elks Auditorium concert in 1947 – lots of long jam session tracks that not only feature history "battles" between Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray, but also key work from trumpeter Howard McGhee, tenorist Bill Moore, and alto player Sonny Criss! The lineup shows the hardest side of the LA scene at the time – and although Savoy did issue edits of the material on some key albums, this set of almost 3 hours of music is the first time the whole thing's appeared like this. Titles include "Bopera", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Body & Soul", "Back Breaker", "The Hunt", "Bopland", "Bop After Hours", "Perdido", "Merry Go Round Blues", and "Blow Blow Blow".

A rare Dexter Gordon session cut for the Dootoo label in LA in the mid 50's – home to mostly doowop and R&B records, but an imprint who managed to cut a few strong Central Ave bop sessions during the 50s. Nice work from a period when Dex's playing was not that well documented, and a good peek at his style in the years before he recorded extensively for Blue Note. The legendary LA bebopper Carl Perkins is on piano, and the tracks include "Silver Plated", "Rhythm Mad", "Bonna Rue", "Blowin' For Dootsie", and more!

A really unusual album for Dexter Gordon – one that has him working in a quintet with vibes by Bobby Hutcherson! Hutcherson's sound really transforms the session, giving it a shimmering middleground that disperses the dominance that Gordon's tenor usually has – and creating a warm, fluid feel that's really great. Barry Harris is in the group on piano – providing some wonderful accompaniment that's a great fit for Hutcherson's vibes – and the rest of the group is completed by the excellent rhythm section of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Billy Higgins on drums! The album includes a great version of "Manha de Carnaval", plus a Dex original, "Le Coiffeur" – and the tracks "Heartaches", "Who Can I Turn To", and "Everybody's Somebody's Fool". CD also features the bonus tracks "Flick Of A Trick" and "Very Saxily Yours".

Seminal stuff – and one of Dexter Gordon's excellent Blue Note sessions with pianist Sonny Clark! Sonny's in fine fine form for the record, and in our opinion, he seems to be the most relaxed and inventive when accompanying Dexter Gordon – even over other Blue Note horn players, and that's saying a heck of a lot! Gordon's very much in the pocket on the record too – and doesn't spend too much time soloing around and around, and really goes for the tighter groove laid out by Clark on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Cuts include "Cheese Cake", "Second Balcony Jump", and "Love For Sale".

With George Duke on keyboards, Ralph Garrett on bass, and Oliver Johnson on drums. Titles include "Momadua", "Jive Fernando", and "Blue Monk".

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

A great rare discovery from Dexter Gordon – a previously-unissued live set, recorded in Montreal in the late 70s – at a time when Dex was really hitting some new heights in his playing! Although the album coincides with a time when Gordon had returned to these shores, and was getting his act together on the New York scene, it's also got some of the looser, more open modes of his previous European live recordings – the stretched-out, constantly creative solos that always made all the long tracks from Dexter so great on those records. But almost even more uniquely, the album also preserves some of Gordon's spoken parts at the start of the tunes – that wry wit that always made him a compelling presence on the stage. The group also features George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums – and although the titles are familiar, they're all transformed in the hands of Dex – as you'll hear on "Lover Man", "You've Changed", "Old Folks", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "LTD".

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".

Beautiful quartet recording that unites Dexter with two other Americans in exile – Bud Powell and Kenny Clarke – plus the great French bassist Pierre Michelot. Includes a great take of "Scrapple from the Apple", plus excellent readings of "Stairway to the Stars" and "Night in Tunisia". Recorded in Paris for Blue Note, and one of Dex's best recordings! Plus, the CD reissue also includes 2 non LP bonus cuts – "Our Love Is Here To Stay" and "Like Someone In Love".

One of our favorite Dexter Gordon Blue Notes – a beautiful quartet recording that unites Dex with two other Americans in exile – Bud Powell and Kenny Clarke! The group's completed by French bassist Pierre Michelot, and includes a great take of "Scrapple from the Apple", plus excellent readings of "Stairway to the Stars" and "Night in Tunisia". The format is simple, but the sound is magic – classic Dexter Gordon in a tight Blue Note mode!

One of our favorite Dexter Gordon Blue Notes – a beautiful quartet recording that unites Dex with two other Americans in exile – Bud Powell and Kenny Clarke! The group's completed by French bassist Pierre Michelot, and includes a great take of "Scrapple from the Apple", plus excellent readings of "Stairway to the Stars" and "Night in Tunisia". The format is simple, but the sound is magic – classic Dexter Gordon in a tight Blue Note mode!

Dexter Gordon certainly was a tower of power by this point – as his lengthy 60s stay in Europe helped him to work work work, and season his playing considerably – to a point at which he emerged as a masterful soloist far beyond the limits of his early bop recordings! This session features Dexter back with an American group – one that features Barry Harris on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums – plus a very welcome James Moody on tenor on one track, "Monmartre", blowing in that raspier tone of the late 60s we love so much! Other titles include "Stanley The Steamer", "The Rainbow People", "Those Were The Days", "Fried Bananas", "Boston Bernie", and "Sticky Wicket", "Lady Bird", and "Meditation"all nice and long!

An unusual session for Dexter Gordon – with Philip Catherine on guitar – and no piano in the group!

A tremendous European meeting of tenorist Dexter Gordon and trombonist Slide Hampton – brought together in this impeccable sextet session for MPS – a real standout in the label's straight jazz catalog over the years! By the time of the set, Gordon had been working heavily in Europe, especially Copenhagen – a locale where he was given ample freedom to stretch out and really explore his tone and phrasing. Hampton had also kicked around the continent a fair bit too, but in a tighter format, doing arrangements for others and working in bigger groups – and it's actually his careful touch that really helps shape the sound of the set – by bringing Gordon's groove into a focus more strongly than before, and reminding us that Dex was a great group player when he wanted to be! The frontline features Gordon's tenor, Hampton's trombone, and the trumpet of Dizzy Reece – often stating the heads in a fluidly soulful way, then breaking out nicely with individual voices – very much in the best Blue Note mode. Rhythm is by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Art Taylor on drums, and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and titles include 3 excellent originals by Hampton – "A New Thing", "My Blues", and "A Day In Vienna" – plus a wicked almost-Lee Morgan-esque take on "What's New", and versions of "Shadow Of Your Smile" and "You Don't Know What Love Is".

The first entry into Savoy's amazing Hollywood Jazz Session series – and a live recording that spans both sides of the record with just one track! Wardelly Gray and Dexter Gordon go head to head in a lineup that also includes Howard McGhee on trumpet, Trummy Young on trombone, Barney Kessel on guitar, and Hampton Hawes on piano – all joining together to show that the west coast had a very hard bop sound going on back in the late 40s – a hard-burning way of trading solos, heard beautifully in an extended performance of "Byas A Drink"!

An unusual later album from Dexter Gordon – and one of his few sessions ever with Hammond organ! Shirley Scott handles the keys of the B-3 – and the group also features Grover Washington Jr on soprano sax, Kirk Lightsey on piano, and Eddie Gladden on drums. Titles include "Besame Mucho", "Skylark", "Sticky Wicket", and "For Soul Sister" – plus an interview with Dex!

Rare Blue Note work from Dexter Gordon – an album that was recorded during Gordon's legendary run for the label in the 60s, but not issued until a brief vinyl pressing nearly 15 years later! The record's got Gordon vamping in tight hardbop formation – a sound that's strongly 60s Blue Note all the way through, and which shows the great control that the label helped bring to Dex's music – giving him new focus and energy to take off on much freer flights later in the 60s. Other players on the date include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass – and Hubbard's trumpet is an especially welcome element here on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "Hanky Panky", "Jodi", "Lady Iris B", "Clubhouse", and "Devilette".

Rare Blue Note work from Dexter Gordon – an album that was recorded during Gordon's legendary run for the label in the 60s, but not issued until a brief vinyl pressing nearly 15 years later! The record's got Gordon vamping in tight hardbop formation – a sound that's strongly 60s Blue Note all the way through, and which shows the great control that the label helped bring to Dex's music – giving him new focus and energy to take off on much freer flights later in the 60s. Other players on the date include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass – and Hubbard's trumpet is an especially welcome element here on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "Hanky Panky", "Jodi", "Lady Iris B", "Clubhouse", and "Devilette".

One of the first great European statements from tenorist Dexter Gordon – a 1967 live recording that really lets Dexter stretch out, and show an even deeper side of his talents than on his 60s albums for Blue Note! The rhythm section here is rock solid – Kenny Drew on piano, Neils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – a unit that still retains the sharpness of the Blue Note dates, but also has the energy to "go long" as Gordon pushes a few of the numbers on the set well past the ten minute mark. Gordon's solos are wonderfully imaginative and expressive – and titles include "Devilette", "For All We Know", "Doxy", and "Sonnymoon For Two". Material previously issued on LP under the title Montmartre Collection Vol 1.

Don't take the cover the wrong way – because this isn't one of those "phoned in" sessions that seem to turn up way too much in contemporary jazz! The album's a real classic from Dexter's first big "comeback" period – and represents the strength of his Blue Note years at their best! Gordon's rich, full tone isn't diminished a bit here – and his inventive blowing is given free reign on a set of quartet numbers recorded with Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. The album's got a few strong originals from Gordon – "Soul Sister", "Ernie's Tune", and "I Want More – plus the very sweet Kenny Drew tracks "Modal Mood" and "Clear The Dex"! Includes the previously unreleased track "Landslide"!

Dex's famous return to New York in the mid 70s – recorded at the Village Vanguard in 1977, and featuring some of his best group-heavy playing of the decade! The quintet is fantastic – and includes Woody Shaw, Ronnie Matthews, Stafford James, and Louis Hayes. Features versions of Shaw's "Little Red's Fantasy" and "In Case You Haven't Heard", Matthews' "Let's Get Down", Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy", and Gordon's own "Fenja" and "Backstairs".

Dex's famous return to New York in the mid 70s – recorded at the Village Vanguard in 1977, and featuring some of his best group-heavy playing of the decade! The quintet is fantastic – and includes Woody Shaw, Ronnie Matthews, Stafford James, and Louis Hayes. Features versions of Shaw's "Little Red's Fantasy" and "In Case You Haven't Heard", Matthews' "Let's Get Down", Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy", and Gordon's own "Fenja" and "Backstairs".

"Power" is right, as this is one of Dex's few great group sessions from the late 60's. Unlike a lot of other records from the time – in which he solos long and meanderingly with a piano trio backing him up, on standards he's played a million times – this one has him playing with a tight group that includes James Moody, Barry Harris, Buster Williams, and Albert Heath, on a set of nice original material with titles like "Fried Bananas", "Boston Bernie", and "Sticky Wicket". There's also 2 jazz standards – "Lady Bird" and "Meditation" – but they're both taken in a nice tight way, and in keeping with the rest of the album.

An overlooked US date from 1970 – a set that Dexter Gordon recorded during a quick stop home from his time abroad – really cooking away in the Prestige studios with a great little rhythm section, in ways that are quite different than his better-known European work of the time! The title cut's a groover that definitely matches the promise of its name – a slinky soul jazz number driven along nicely by a rhythm trio that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Larry Ridley on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. The group keep things interesting on other cuts too – even when Gordon's dominating with the kind of inventive solo lines he was forging in Europe – and most tracks are longish, with plenty of room for action. Titles include "The Panther", "Valse Robin", "Mrs Miniver", and "The Blues Walk".

The near complete studio recordings done by Dexter Gordon as a leader for Savoy in the mid 40s – key 78rpm recordings that helped redefine the sound of the tenor in jazz! The material here is all strongly boppish – and presented with alternate takes on a number of the sessions, making for a whopping 23 tracks that cover most of Dexter's master takes and a good number of unissued alternates! First up are 4 tracks with a 1945 quartet that includes Sadik Hakim on piano – followed by 8 more from a 1946 session with Bud Powell on piano, Max Roach on drums, and Leonard Hawkins on trumpet. These are followed by 3 great tracks from Gordon's 1947 session with Leo Parker on baritone and Tadd Dameron on piano – which roll into the last 8 tracks, all from a 1947 session that includes Fats Navarro on trumpet and Dameron again on piano. Titles include "So Easy", "Dexter's Riff", "Dexter's Deck", "Blow Mr Dexter", "Dexter's Minor Mad", "Dexter Digs In", "Dexter Rides Again", "Long Tall Dexter", and "Index".

A rarity from the bop era – hard-blowing tracks that run for a duration that's way longer than the standard three minutes of most 78rpm singles. Here, Gordon and Gray blow head to head in some of their famous "battle" sessions – working with players like Sonny Criss, Howard McGhee, Hampton Hawes, and Barney Kessel in a format that was very popular on the LA bop scene. Each side of the 2LP set features one long track – and titles include "Disorder At The Border", "Cherokee", "Byas A Drink", and "The Hunt". Great 70s package – with notes on all the material the material.

One of the first great European statements from tenorist Dexter Gordon – a 1967 live recording that really lets Dexter stretch out, and show an even deeper side of his talents than on his 60s albums for Blue Note! The rhythm section here is rock solid – Kenny Drew on piano, Neils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – a unit that still retains the sharpness of the Blue Note dates, but also has the energy to "go long" as Gordon pushes a few of the numbers on the set well past the ten minute mark. Gordon's solos are wonderfully imaginative and expressive – and titles include "Devilette", "For All We Know", "Doxy", and "Sonnymoon For Two". Material previously issued on LP under the title Montmartre Collection Vol 1.

A great meeting of two generations of jazz – and one that really blows the top off some of Dexter Gordon's other European sessions of the time! The setting here is definitely one that's more a Gordon-based date – long tracks with rhythm backing from a trio with Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. But unlike some of the other long-blown Gordon-heavy albums for the stretch, the presence of Jackie McLean really brings in a new sort of fire – the kind of soaring, soulful energy he brought to his own records in these immediate post-Blue Note years – almost a Coltrane influence, and a sense of spiritualism that really comes through on some of his solo moments – even in this relatively straight setting. Titles include "Half Nelson", "I Can't Get Started", "Another Hair-Do", and "Dexter Digs In".

Dexter Gordon at his late 60s best – really opening up in the friendly confines of the Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen – home to some of his greatest recordings of the time! The tunes are all quite long – the shortest almost 11 minutes, the longest almost 18 – and Gordon stretches out and soars wonderfully – showing that, if anything, his sense of imagination and creativity really blossomed during the time he spent on the European scene of the 60s. The rhythm group is nice and tight – Kenny Drew on piano, Bo Stief on bass, and the great Art Taylor on drums, giving the tunes and extra punch. Titles include "It's You Or No One", "Satin Doll", "Darn That Dream", and "Billie's Bounce".

Doin Allright? Dexter's doing great on this one – working with that fully mature Blue Note sound of his – a rich approach to soloing that keeps the tracks cooking with excitement! The group on the set's an all-star lineup that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Al Harewood on drums – and the tunes are a great blend of soulful rhythms and bop improvisation – heard especially well on the album's landmark tune "Society Red"! All tracks are great, though – and other titles include "You've Changed", "For Regulars Only", and "I Was Doing All Right".

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!

An amazing record from the legendary Booker Ervin – and a set that really does a great job of bridging his modernist tendencies and soul jazz roots! The title track – "The Trance" – is an amazing 20 minute number that takes up all of side one of the record – and features Ervin soloing in an incredibly imaginative way – not as boppish as on his set with Dexter Gordon, but more in the powerful-voiced style that he developed with Mingus. The rest of the group features Jaki Byard on piano (always a treat!), Reggie Workman on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums – and side two features a very moody take on "Speak Low", and a nice bluesy vehicle for Booker, entitled "Groovin At The Jamboree".

Volume 2 of a 2 LP set that brings together nearly all of Wardell Gray's classic LA bop recordings for Prestige – most of which were issued originally only on 45s and 78s. The players include the cream of the LA scene of the time – including Dexter Gordon, Sonny Criss, and Hampton Hawes – and tracks include long takes of "Move" and "Scrapple From The Apple", his famous "chase" with Gordon – plus "April Skies", "Jackie", "Farmer's Market", and "Bright Boy".

Volume 2 of a 2 LP set that brings together nearly all of Wardell Gray's classic LA bop recordings for Prestige – most of which were issued originally only on 45s and 78s. The players include the cream of the LA scene of the time – including Dexter Gordon, Sonny Criss, and Hampton Hawes – and tracks include classic long takes of "Move" and "Scrapple From The Apple", his famous "chase" with Gordon – plus "April Skies", "Jackie", "Farmer's Market", and "Bright Boy".

Herbie Hancock is certainly Takin Off at this point in his career – stepping into the limelight with an excellent batch of soul jazz tunes, including the first recording of his classic "Watermelon Man", the one track that probably put all his kids through school! Although that one went on to become a standard within a few short years in 60s jazz, it still sounds great here in the original – a very fresh take on the sound of soul jazz in the 60s – offered up here in a 7 minute version that has more sharp soloing than most other takes on the tune! The group here is great too – with Dexter Gordon on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the tracks are all also originals by a young Herbie – including "Watermelon Man", "The Maze", "Driftin", "Three Bags Full", "Alone & I", and "Empty Pockets".

Sublimely soulful funk from Kudu – a very tight combo with a great mixture of classic grooves and modern influences. Vocalist/bassist Sylvia Gordon has a wonderful voice – warm and mellow, with a heck of a lot of soul, put forward with the utmost of confidence. The group behind her is a spare combo, mixing keyboards and percussion in a mode of styles that touch on drum and bass rhythms, move back to classic funk, and take off again in a spiralling new groove. The feel's a bit like Julie Dexter on her excellent Piece of Mind ep – and you'll find this one to be every bit as fresh! Titles include "Sugar", "Surprise", "Temptation", "Relax", "Cinemajik, and "Tell Me A Bedtime Story".

Features work by Lyman Woodard, Ramsey Lewis, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, and Larry Nozero!

Volume 2 of a 2 LP set that brings together nearly all of Wardell Gray's classic LA bop recordings for Prestige – most of which were issued originally only on 45s and 78s. The players include the cream of the LA scene of the time – including Dexter Gordon, Sonny Criss, and Hampton Hawes – and tracks include classic long takes of "Move" and "Scrapple From The Apple", his famous "chase" with Gordon – plus "April Skies", "Jackie", "Farmer's Market", and "Bright Boy".

A nice little bit of bop from LA – a tightly-crafted mid 50s date for the Bethlehem label – featuring drummer Stan Levey at the head of a great group of horn players! The album features some standout work from Dexter Gordon on tenor – making a rare appearance here as a sideman – and the frontline of the sextet also features Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone – both well-matched players, especially at this point in their careers. The group's completed by Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Lou Levy on piano – and there's a bit more bite on some tracks than the usual Bethlehem set. Titles include "Diggin For Diz", "Ruby My Dear", "Tune Up", "Stanley The Steamer", and "This Time The Drum's On Me".

Amazing work from the early, legendary years of Billy Eckstine – that time when he was fronting one of the hippest backing groups a vocalist could hope to have! Eckstine's voice was already becoming the stuff of legend by the time of these recordings – but thanks to contributions from a host of famous boppers, his band was getting equal fame, too – a really legendary lineup that includes such greats as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie,Kenny Dorham, and Fats Navarro on trumpets; Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, and Gene Ammons on tenor; Leo Parker on baritone; Art Blakey on drums; and many other huge names too! The band was virtually a school for a whole generation of jazzmen to come – allowing them to play together, get to know each other, and spin off in important small groups – much in the way the Kenton group a few years later allowed so much development on the west coast. And amidst all this great music, Billy's vocals have never sounded better – much bolder and hard-swinging than in later years!

A CD of very long tracks from Booker Ervin – only 4 tunes in all, but each over 15 minutes long! First up is the album Setting The Pace – an album that's one of the most open-ended and jamming sets that Booker Ervin recorded for Prestige in the 60s! The album's a live date from Germany – featuring Dexter Gordon joining Ervin on the stage for some very long, extended solo work – the sort that Dex was starting to do heavily overseas at the time, and which is relatively new territory for Ervin – at least on record. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums – but the clear starts of the set are Booker and Dexter – blowing in a range of modern and soulful modes throughout their extended solos. Album features 2 side-long tracks – "Setting The Pace" and "Dexters Deck". Next up is The Trance – an amazing record from the legendary Booker Ervin – and a set that really does a great job of bridging his modernist tendencies and soul jazz roots! The title track – "The Trance" – is an amazing 20 minute number that takes up all of side one of the record – and features Ervin soloing in an incredibly imaginative way – not as boppish as on his set with Dexter Gordon, but more in the powerful-voiced style that he developed with Mingus. The rest of the group features Jaki Byard on piano (always a treat!), Reggie Workman on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums – and side two features a very moody take on "Speak Low". Note that the CD omits the track "Groovin At The Jamboree" from The Trance – due to space restrictions.

A flurry of early harmonica jazz recordings from the early 50s – mostly by a young Toots Thielemans, but also featuring a number of tracks from the lesser-known Les Thompson as well! The tracks by Toots are mostly European recordings, done at a time when he was first feeling out a space for his instrument in jazz – and years before he became THE player on his instrument, used in countless sessions, studio work, and soundtracks. All recordings were done in Europe, and include material by Toots' own group, plus performances under the leadership of Zoot Sims and Benny Goodman. Titles include "Nalen Boogie", "Red Devil's Boogie", "Harmonica Rag", "Toots Blues", "Happy Go Lazy", and "All The Things You Are". The last 8 tracks on the set all feature Les Thompson working during a live Gene Norman Presents date in Pasadena in February 1952 – most of which also includes performances by Conte Candoli, Dexter Gordon, and Wardell Gray – on titles that include "Undecided", "Lady Be Good", "I'm In The Mood For Love", "Stardust", and "Hot Harmonica".

The Brazilian side of Blue Note Records – a double-length collection that mostly features bossa-inspired numbers from the 60s, but also includes a few gems from more recent years too! Unlike Verve or Impulse, Blue Note rarely went straight into bossa nova – and instead, the label's artists often came at the music from a different direction – using bossa themes and inspiration, mixed with their own hard bop impulses – and often served up in a really unique groove in the end! This package is a great illustration of that special magic – tracks that go way past the usual, and which still sound amazingly fresh and visionary all these many years later. Titles include "Wave" by Stanley Turrentine, "Blue Bossa" by Joe Henderson, "Sandalia Dela" by Duke Pearson, "Book's Bossa" by Donald Byrd, "Rio" by Lee Morgan, "Recado Bossa Nova" by Hank Mobley, "Swingin The Samba" by Horace Silver, "Back Down To The Tropics" by Charlie Rouse, "Love For Sale" by Dexter Gordon, "Latona" by John Patton, "O Amor Em Paz" by Cannonball Adderley, "Manha De Carnaval" by Ron Carter, "Waters Of March" by Cassandra Wilson, and "Triste" by Dianne Reeves.

Two tenor greats pay tribute to a host of other tenor greats – but with results that are quite different than you might expect! The album's hardly the type that just revisits familiar cliches from tenor giants of years past – and instead, the team of Houston Person and Teddy Edwards really bring a lot of themselves to the record – working through modes previously expressed by John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, and others – but all in ways that are more than solid enough to stand on their own. Of course, they've got some great help here in the rhythm section – Richard Wyands on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – the latter two of whom we'd be happy to hear in anyone's company. Titles include "Equinox", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Body & Soul", "Talk Of The Town", "That's All", and "Out Of Nowhere".

Essential work from one of England's greatest jazz players! Tubby Hayes is one of our favorite-ever tenor players – and although it's hard to describe just why he's so great, let's just say that we could put him up on a stage next to Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, and guess that Tubby might well blow them away. He's got this incredibly deep tenor sound that never runs out of ideas – and even on the more economical numbers on this album, you'll be stunned to hear just how much he can do. The tracks were recorded in the UK, but are issued here as one of the few US LPs that was ever issued under Hayes' name. Players include Terry Shannon, Johnny Scott, Jimmy Deuchar, and other Brit talents – all in smallish groups that usually give Tubbs the lead. Titles include "RTH", "The Late One", "S'Posin", "Tubbsville", and "Wonderful Wonderful".

Jackie McLean opens it up at Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen – blowing in the long, open-ended style usually associated with live dates from the club! The format here is similar to the better-known Montmartre recordings by Dexter Gordon and Johnny Griffin – strong rhythms from a trio that features Kenny Drew on piano, Bo Stief on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – topped with dominant solos from Jackie, who's blowing here in a boppish style that's a bit different from some of his more spiritual sessions of the 70s. Titles include "Das Dat", "Smile", "Parker's Mood", and "Confirmation".