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A totally fantastic set from the turn of the 70s, and one of Freddie Hubbard's most soulful, spiritual albums ever – a seminal chapter in the evolution of soul jazz – and a record that was a keen inspiration for changes to come on labels like Strata East and Black Jazz! The group here features Kenny Barron on both electric and acoustic piano – really stretching out with a hip, open sort of sound – possibly his first of this type on record – and other players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Reggie Workman on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and Patato Valdes on added percussion – giving a more complicated groove to the best numbers. Tunes are all long and well-penned – three by Freddie himself ("Eclipse", "Spacetrack", "Gittin' Down"), one by Kenny Barron ("Black Angel"), and one by Walter Bishop (the original recording of his classic "Coral Keys"!)

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".

Pivotal work from Freddie Hubbard – a tight, edgey quintet side with a sound that approaches the Blue Note "new thing" sound, but which stays just this side of the fence to keep in line with Freddie's other soulful work of the 60s! The group features some great work by James Spaulding, who gets a lot of solo room on alto and flute – and Ronnie Matthews is on piano, effortlessly shifting between rhythmic and soulful lines, and passages that get a bit darker and deeper. The tunes are nearly all Freddie Hubbard originals, except for the classic "Mirrors", written by drummer Joe Chambers. Other tunes include "Breaking Point", "Far Away", "Blue Frenzy", and "D Minor Mint".

A bundle of soul from Freddie Hubbard – one that has him blowing beautifully over full arrangements from Bert DeCoteux – the 70s super-soul maestro who really brings a new sound to Hubbard's music! The style's a bit smoother than other Freddie albums of the time, but still really great – a wonderful plenty of his well-timed, well-punctuated work on trumpet with warm grooves supplied by Bert – filled with instrumentation that includes David T Walker on guitar, Ernie Watts on sax and flute, Azar Lawrence on tenor, David Garfield on keyboards, and even Dorothy Ashby on flute. Titles include "Portrait Of Jenny", "Rainy Day Song", "Bundle Of Joy", "From Now On", "From Behind", and "Rahsaan".

Sweet early CTI work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – the kind of groundbreaking electric jazz that really helped him find a new space in the 70s! The album follows strongly from Freddie's classic Red Clay set for CTI – and like that one, it features extended tracks that build beautifully as they roll on – taking Freddie's airy trumpet as the base, and layering in electric piano, flute, guitar, and percussion – plus some wonderfully subtle strings – used sparely, but in just the right way to underscore the wider vision of the record. Arrangements are by the mighty Don Sebesky – and other players include George Benson on guitar, Hubert Laws on flute, Phil Kraus on vibes, and Airto on percussion – plus Richard Wyands on the keys, making a rare CTI appearance here. Titles include a surprisingly great version of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" which has some great breaks in the middle – plus "First Light", "Moment To Moment", and "Yesterday's Dreams". New version features remastering from original tapes – and 2 bonus tracks – "Fantasy In D" and an live take of "First Light".

Jazz funk genius from Freddie Hubbard in the mid 70s! Gleam was a Japanese-only double album from the jazz giant in its original release – mighty funky at times, too – right up there with some of the best Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock Japanese sets from the 70s! It's a live set captured in March of '75 at Tokyo's Yubin Chokin Hall – long numbers played by a group that includes Freddie on trumpet, Carl Randall on tenor and flute, George Cables on electric piano, Henry Franklin on bass, Carl Burnett on drums, and Buck Clark on percussion! Each player has plenty of space to groove, and it's very well captured – you can hear the most expressive solos and the most subtle nuances. Some great solos by Freddie and the rest of the players – breathless tenor & flute by Randall, keys by Cables that are jazz funk perfection and interplay between Burnett's drums and Clark's congas & percussion that's somehow tense and comfortable at the same time. The shortest number in the set runs more than the 7 minutes and the longest is more than 20 minutes – and none is one second shorter than necessary, actually leaving us pining for more – making it all the more vital in the double album format. Released on 2CDs for the first time ever here! How this great album has been so hard to find over the years is a mystery. Titles include "Kuntu", "Spirits Of Trane", an amazing cover of Stevie Wonder's "Too High", "Midnight At The Oasis", "Ebony Moonbeams", and "Put It In The Pocket".

A classic European date from Freddie Hubbard – recorded right around the vintage of his Red Clay years, but with a sound that hearkens back more towards his Blue Note sessions of the mid 60s! There's a nicely angular feel to this set – that bold, modern quality that really set Hubbard apart from other players of his generation – and while some of the songs show Freddie's growing love of longer, more openly rhythmic tunes – there's also still a sharper focus on the bold talents of the soloists. Freddie's on trumpet throughout, and other players include Eddie Daniels on tenor – still really sounding great at this point, with a surprisingly hard edge – plus Roland Hanna on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Blues For Duane", "The Things We Did Last Summer", and "Without A Song" – and all tracks are long.

An overlooked gem from Freddie Hubbard – a late fusion outing, done for the Japanese market at a time when most of his American work was returning to more acoustic modes! Freddie's trumpet sparkles brilliantly in the lead – hitting the same sort of soulful, stretching vibe as his best CTI recordings from the mid 70s – served up with an equally great mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation in the arrangements! The lineup of musicians is pretty unique, too – with Art Pepper on alto, George Cables on acoustic and electric piano, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Roland Bautista on guitars – usually working in these gentle grooving rhythms that have a soulful stepping vibe – and which really let Freddie soar on his trumpet solos. Titles include "Eclipse", "Sunshine Lady", "I Love You", and "Bring It Back Home".

One of Freddie Hubbard's wildest records ever – a really unique experiment with electronics, and a set that sounds way different than his other albums for Atlantic, Blue Note, or CTI! The key factor here is experimentalist Ilhan Mimaroglu – who adds lots of electronics and processed sounds to the set – blended with Freddie's more soulful lines on trumpet – to create a style that's almost a jazz version of musique concrete! In fact, at times, you forget that Hubbard's playing at all, as the wash of noise overtakes the force of some of his solos – and titles include "Threnody For Sharon Tate", "The Crowd", and "What A Good Time For Kent State".

The title reads like a typo, but the album's a great set of smooth fusion from Freddie Hubbard – self-produced, and almost a summation of all the styles he'd mastered in the 70s! The session's never too over the top or too ambitious – just features Freddie working with a hip group in a laidback setting – blowing lean and mellow lines that almost take him back to his best CTI funk. The group features Billy Childs on keyboards, Hadley Caliman on tenor and flute, and some guest work by George Duke and Paulinho Da Costa – on titles that include "Skagly", "Rustic Celebration", "Happiness Is Now", and "Cascais".

A wonderful session of hip soul jazz tracks from Freddie Hubbard – mostly short tight and groovy, but played with a sophisticated style that points the way towards the soul jazz sound of the 70s. Soul Experiment is a fitting title – as Freddie works hard with hip players like Billy Butler, Carlos Garnett, and Kenny Barron to kick out some rhythms that are different than those heard on his earlier albums. Garnett, Hubbard, and Barron all contribute original titles to the album – including the tracks "Hang 'Em Up", "Soul Experiment", "Midnite Soul", "Lonely Soul" – and they do a great version of Walter Bishop's groover "Soul Turn Around".

An amazing second CTI set from Freddie Hubbard – one that takes off nicely from Red Clay territory, and starts to hit an even funkier mode! The tracks here are all relatively long, with a huge amount of solo space for Freddie on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, George Benson on guitar, and Herbie Hancock on piano. The title track "Straight Life" has a style that's quite searing and righteous at points – almost some of Freddie's boldest playing on record from the time. It's followed by an excellent take on Weldon Irvine's "Mr Clean" – one that's rompingly funky while still as righteous as the work on side long title track – played with some great electric piano from Herbie and sweet guitar lines from Benson. The set closes with a mellow take on "Here's That Rainy Day", played in a way that reminds us of Hubbard's more lyrical style – but still with plenty of CTI 70s overtones.

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

Mid 80s effort from 2 of the greatest modern trumpeters to have put a horn to their lips. Woody & Freddie run through a set of tunes, all written by trumpeters, like Clifford Brown, Fats Navarro & Kenny Dorham, as well as their own, with a group of the then-young players on Blue Note, like Carl Allen & Kenny Garrett. The playing is crisp & tight, if not as over the top burning as the sides these players cut during their younger years, and includes "Lotus Blossum", "Hub-Tones" and 'Boperation".

Mid 80s effort from 2 of the greatest modern trumpeters to have put a horn to their lips. Woody & Freddie run through a set of tunes, all written by trumpeters, like Clifford Brown, Fats Navarro & Kenny Dorham, as well as their own, with a group of the then-young players on Blue Note, like Carl Allen & Kenny Garrett. The playing is crisp & tight, if not as over the top burning as the sides these players cut during their younger years, and includes "Lotus Blossum", "Hub-Tones" and 'Boperation".

2 lost sides of soul jazz – both of them rare gems on vinyl, and back-to-back here in one nicely priced CD package! Doin The Thang is an excellent bit of lost soul jazz piano work – featuring the highly underrated Ronnie Mathews, with a quartet that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Charles Davis on baritone. The sound is very groovy, and very funky, with a feel that's more like some of the classic Blue Notes from the time than it is like the other Prestige recordings. Mathews' piano playing is perfect, and he grooves with a soulful firey edge, and lays down solos that blow away Hubbard and Davis. Tracks include "The Thang", "Ichi Ban", and "The Orient". Pleasure Bent is one of the few albums ever cut by the incredible tenor player Roland Alexander – an artist who appeared briefly on the scene during the early 60s, and the few recording's he's left us with are the consummate picture of hip soulful playing. This 1961 session features Alexander leading a group that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Ronnie Matthews on piano, Gene Taylor on bass, and Clarence Stroman on drums – and it's a laidback batch of lyrical tunes, nearly all penned by Alexander. Titles include "I'll Be Around", "Dorman Road", "Lil's Blues", and "Orders To Take Out".

A pretty darn sweet album from some of CTI's biggest players! Herbie, Stanley Turrentine, Eric Gale, Freddie Hubbard, and Ron Carter all join together in a super-nice live set – with an album-side version of Herbie's synth funky classic "Hornets", done in a hard-wailing style! Side two contains Freddie's "Gibraltar", more of a straight jazz track – but still done here with some excellent electric piano, and a tight soulful groove! Very very nice!

Killer work from Freddie Hubbard – some key transitional sides for Atlantic Records, and easily some of his most soulful work ever! Freddie started out as a bopper on Blue Note, but then made a great shift at Atlantic – exploring space and sound in a really wonderful way, and opening up towards some of the killer modes you'd know from his classics on CTI. There's just a bit of electricity in the mix here, as most cuts are acoustic – but they already stretch out in some hip, spiritual styles that are really great. Titles include "For BP", "Lonely Soul", "High Blues Pressure", "Midnite Soul", "Black Soldier", Interlude I", "Echoes Of Blue", "Threnody For Sharon Tate Comment", "Spacetrack", "Leap Frog", "Up Jumped Spring", "Latina", and "On The Quee Tee".

Sweet early CTI work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – the kind of groundbreaking electric jazz that really helped him find a new space in the 70s! The album follows strongly from Freddie's classic Red Clay set for CTI – and like that one, it features extended tracks that build beautifully as they roll on – taking Freddie's airy trumpet as the base, and layering in electric piano, flute, guitar, and percussion – plus some wonderfully subtle strings – used sparely, but in just the right way to underscore the wider vision of the record. Arrangements are by the mighty Don Sebesky – and other players include George Benson on guitar, Hubert Laws on flute, Phil Kraus on vibes, and Airto on percussion – plus Richard Wyands on the keys, making a rare CTI appearance here. Titles include a surprisingly great version of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" which has some great breaks in the middle – plus "First Light", "Moment To Moment", and "Yesterday's Dreams".

An excellent set of hardbop tracks – originally recorded under the leadership of trombonist Willie Wilson – but also issued under the names of Duke Pearson and Freddie Hubbard over the years! The set was cut in 1961 for the Jazztime label – and really crackles with electricity, and has a straight hardbop sound and a smoking New York groove – every bit as great as the best Blue Note work of the time, but with a raw edge that drives it even further. The group is top-notch, too – and features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Duke Pearson on piano, Thomas Howard on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums – plus the obscure Willie Wilson on trombone, a great player who was a friend of Pearson, and whose only recorded work is on this album. Tracks have a lively well-crafted sound, and titles include "Lex", "Blues For Alvina", "Apothegm", and "Minor Mishap". CD features 5 bonus alternate takes too! Note that this material was also issued by Prestige – under the title Dedication, with Pearson's name as the leader.

Sweet electric Freddie Hubbard – a wonderfully laidback session that's filled with space and soul – hardly what you'd expect from the title! The album follows nicely in the style that Hubbard hit at CTI – an openly flowing groove that has Freddie's trumpet on top of long electric piano lines from George cables, with occasional fuller backings to flesh out the sound! Arrangements are by Dale Oehler, who's conducting a larger group behind a core quintet that also features excellent reeds from Junior Cook – possibly one of his strongest (and only) appearances on an electric date like this. Cables is the champ, though – and really makes the set cook by changing the vibe strongly with his keys – setting a tone for Freddie throughout. Titles include "Camel Rise", "Crisis", "Too High", "Black Maybe", and "Baraka Sasa".

Sweet electric Freddie Hubbard – a wonderfully laidback session that's filled with space and soul – hardly what you'd expect from the title! The album follows nicely in the style that Hubbard hit at CTI – an openly flowing groove that has Freddie's trumpet on top of long electric piano lines from George Cables, with occasional fuller backings to flesh out the sound! Arrangements are by Dale Oehler, who's conducting a larger group behind a core quintet that also features excellent reeds from Junior Cook – possibly one of his strongest (and only) appearances on an electric date like this. Cables is the champ, though – and really makes the set cook by changing the vibe strongly with his keys – setting a tone for Freddie throughout. Titles include "Camel Rise", "Crisis", "Too High", "Black Maybe", and "Baraka Sasa".

A classic European date from Freddie Hubbard – recorded right around the vintage of his Red Clay years, but with a sound that hearkens back more towards his Blue Note sessions of the mid 60s! There's a nicely angular feel to this set – that bold, modern quality that really set Hubbard apart from other players of his generation – and while some of the songs show Freddie's growing love of longer, more openly rhythmic tunes – there's also still a sharper focus on the bold talents of the soloists. Freddie's on trumpet throughout, and other players include Eddie Daniels on tenor – still really sounding great at this point, with a surprisingly hard edge – plus Roland Hanna on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Blues For Duane", "The Things We Did Last Summer", and "Without A Song" – and all tracks are long.

Freddie Hubbard at the peak of his 70s powers – and one of his finest albums of the decade! The record follows strongly in the tone that Freddie set at CTI on his mighty Red Clay set – long, drawn out tracks – done with lots of electricity in the rhythms, and a very cosmic approach to the solos! The groove is funky, yet easy – featuring playing that's very open and very soulful, by a group that includes Freddie, Ron Carter, George Benson, and Hubert Laws. Titles include "Keep Your Soul Together", "Spirits Of Trane", "Destiny's Children", and "Brigitte".

A landmark set for Blue Note – one that features Freddie Hubbard working in raw, firey, freewheeling territory – given space that few other players at the label were getting at the time! The two volume set features tracks recorded live at Club La Marchal in Brooklyn – and have Hubbard working with a completely hip group that features Lee Morgan, James Spaulding, Harold Mabern, Larry Ridley, Pete La Roca, and Big Black on conga. The sound is incredible – a full on burner that easily earns the "cookers" status of the title – and which sounds quite different from most other live jazz albums of the time! Each side of the album features one long track – and this 2CD set features both volumes, with 4 extended titles that include – "Pensativa", "Walkin", "Jodo", and "Breaking Point".

Seminal work from Freddie Hubbard – an early hardbop session that features some great work by Tina Brooks on tenor, piano by McCoy Tyner, and rhythm from the team of Sam Jones on bass Clifford Jarvis on drums! And although Freddie's great at this early point in his career – playing with a brash, urgent tone that's totally compelling – we're even bigger fans of the Tina Brooks work on this record! Brooks' tone is amazing – right up there with the style he used on his own rare few Blue Note sides, full of fresh fire and a really edgey approach to the tenor – and together with Hubbard, he helps craft a tight little set that's one of Hubbard's best-ever straight sides from the 60s. Titles include "But Beautiful", "One Mint Julep", "Hub's Nub", "Open Sesame", and "Gypsy Blue".

Warm and wonderful work from Freddie Hubbard – a killer of a record recorded for CTI, and one of his most soulful efforts for the label! The album's got a bit more of a human heart than some of the more cosmic sessions Freddie cut at the time – a bit more contemplative and introspective, but no less open-minded and electrically charged. The assortment of players is all top-shelf – with Billy Cobham, Airto, Lennie White, George Cables, Hubert Laws, and George Benson all backing Freddie up on the set – and titles include a great take on "People Make the World Go Round", plus "Naturally", and "Son of Sky Dive", which grooves just like its papa!

Amazing work from Freddie Hubbard – one of his best albums ever! The title cut's a classic, but all cuts on the album are great – and really set a whole new standard for soul jazz in the 70s! Unlike the freer runs of Miles Davis, Freddie takes things into territory here that's open, yet tightly controlled – a really soulful, spiritual vibe that's quite different than any of his later commercial work – or his hardbop of the decade before! The lineup includes Joe Henderson on tenor and Herbie Hancock on piano – and even back in the 80's, when everyone was going purist again, and was pretending they didn't like 70's electric jazz at all, they still claimed that this was a great jazz record, and one of the only good ones for CTI. We know better now, of course, and know that there were loads of great CTI sessions – but that doesn't stop this from being one of the best! Titles include "Red Clay", "Delphia", "Suite Sioux", and "The Intrepid Fox".

An excellent collection of Hubbard's work for the Impulse label, mostly from Hubbard's two excellent albums: Body & Soul and The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard. Body & Soul features large group arrangements by Wayne Shorter that are completely sublime, and some of the most compelling large group work that either player was ever involved in. Artistry of Freddie Hubbard features the trumpeter in a small group setting with John Gilmor on tenor – playing some very edgey numbers that blow away his Blue Note work! Titles include "The 7th Day", "Skylark", "Bob's Place", "Cascades", "Carnival", "Clarence's Place", "Stolen Moments", and "Thermo".

One of Freddie Hubbard's wildest records ever – a really unique experiment with electronics, and a set that sounds way different than his other albums for Atlantic, Blue Note, or CTI! The key factor here is experimentalist Ilhan Mimaroglu – who adds lots of electronics and processed sounds to the set – blended with Freddie's more soulful lines on trumpet – to create a style that's almost a jazz version of musique concrete! In fact, at times, you forget that Hubbard's playing at all, as the wash of noise overtakes the force of some of his solos – and titles include "Threnody For Sharon Tate", "The Crowd", and "What A Good Time For Kent State".

A wonderful session of hip soul jazz tracks from Freddie Hubbard – mostly short tight and groovy, but played with a sophisticated style that points the way towards the soul jazz sound of the 70s. Soul Experiment is a fitting title – as Freddie works hard with hip players like Billy Butler, Carlos Garnett, and Kenny Barron to kick out some rhythms that are different than those heard on his earlier albums. Garnett, Hubbard, and Barron all contribute original titles to the album – including the tracks "Hang 'Em Up", "Soul Experiment", "Midnite Soul", "Lonely Soul" – and they do a great version of Walter Bishop's groover "Soul Turn Around".

A sweet late 70s set from Freddie Hubbard – a slight move away from some of his highly-electric sides of the CTI years, yet one that still has some of the most soulful qualities of that work! Freddie's trumpet has a nicely spacious quality throughout – one that's flowing, and almost glowing at time – cascading along with qualities you might be more likely to hear from Art Farmer on some of the gentler numbers, yet really bursting out with that old Hubbard dynamism on the rest. Other players include Joe Henderson on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, Kenny Barron on piano and keyboards, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and George Benson also guests on guitar on one number too. A good number of the titles are originals, and tracks include "Super Blue", "To Her Ladyship", "Take It To The Ozone", "The Gospel Truth", and "Theme For Kareem".

Although the genius of the CTI label might be often thought of in a studio format – especially since the Creed Taylor Influence on the label is what really turned the sound into something wonderful – this live set from 1971 shows that the label's players, with the right frame of mind, can easily get into the CTI groove in any setting – soaring out in a magical blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation, really stretching out on some killer long tracks! The group's a great all-star one – with organ and electric piano by Johnny Hammond, guitar by George Benson, flute by Hubert Laws, trumpet by Freddie Hubbard, tenor by Stanley Turrentine, and percussion by Airto – and all tracks are long, and very free-flowing. Titles include "Red Clay", "Sugar", "Blues West", "Leaving West", and "Fire & Rain".

A beautiful album that we'd rank as one of Freddie Hubbard's greatest recordings ever – a truly sublime set that's quite different than his Blue Note work of the 60s, and which really shows him emerging as a major talent on the trumpet! The set features a core sextet of key players – the legendary John Gilmore on tenor sax, making a rare appearance here away from the Sun Ra Arkestra – plus Curtis Fuller on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – the last three of whom provide a soulful, almost spiritual rhythm to the record – elevating Freddie's horn to tremendous heights, possibly for the first time in his career. All tracks are nice and long – and titles include the Hubbard originals "Bob's Place", "Happy Times", and "The 7th Day", all of which roll along on a groove that's not what you'd expect – plus versions of "Summertime" and "Caravan".

A beautiful set from Freddie Hubbard – part of his move back to straighter, more long-form jazz at the start of the 80s! The set's still got some keyboards in the mix, but it's also got a soaring, searching, soulful groove that reminds us a lot of Hubbard's best late 60s moments for Atlantic or CTI – and a lot less of some of the more R&B work he was cutting towards the end of the 70s. Tracks are nice and long – and in addition to bold trumpet lines from Freddie, the set also features killer tenor from Harold Land, keyboards from Billy Childs, bass from Larry Klein, drums from Steve Houghton, and percussion from Buck Clark. Titles include "Gibraltar", "True Colors", "Born To Be Blue", "Joy Spring", and "Up Jumped Spring".

A bundle of soul from Freddie Hubbard – one that has him blowing beautifully over full arrangements from Bert DeCoteux – the 70s super-soul maestro who really brings a new sound to Hubbard's music! The style's a bit smoother than other Freddie albums of the time, but still really great – a wonderful plenty of his well-timed, well-punctuated work on trumpet with warm grooves supplied by Bert – filled with instrumentation that includes David T Walker on guitar, Ernie Watts on sax and flute, Azar Lawrence on tenor, David Garfield on keyboards, and even Dorothy Ashby on flute. Titles include "Portrait Of Jenny", "Rainy Day Song", "Bundle Of Joy", "From Now On", "From Behind", and "Rahsaan".

Moody genius from Freddie Hubbard – one that features a unique group with McCoy Tyner on piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bernard McKinney on euphonium – a tuba-like instrument that gives the album a nicely shadowy sound! McKinney's probably better known for his 70s work with the Tribe scene in Detroit – but here, he's a young player with an innovative sound – one that makes the album one of Freddie's most striking of the period – a soulfully modern set that's set apart from his straighter hardbop work! The album features some great original tunes by Hubbard and Shorter – and titles include "Crisis", "Birdlike", "Arietis", and "Weaver Of Dreams". CD features bonus alternates of "Marie Antoinette" and "Arietis".

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".

One of the best recordings from Freddie Hubbard's "back to basics" stretch in the early 80s – a time when Freddie returned to a strongly acoustic jazz mode after a mostly electric 70s! The record still has Freddie stretching out on the longer tracks he got used to during the CTI years – but he's working here in tight quartet formation with Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and the always-great Al Foster on drums – carving out long lines on extended, but well-conceived numbers that echo with a tremendous amount of force. Freddie's lost none of his edge by this point, and the record shows a new sense of energy and focus that are extremely impressive – and also pretty darn soulful! Titles include "Santa Anna Winds", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "The Outpost Blues", "Dual Force", and "Loss".

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".

Maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from trumpeter Till Bronner – a beautiful tribute to the 70s sound of Freddie Hubbard – recorded with instrumentation that's heavy on Fender Rhodes, and these soaring solos that are simply the greatest we've ever heard Bronner play! There's a perfection to the record that may well even go past Freddie's classics for CTI – a sense of solid, soulful sounds throughout – with not a moment of filler, and a great mix of originals from Bronner that really capture the Hubbard vibe – mixed with a few others that further the essence. The whole thing's wonderful – a killer contemporary set, but with a richly vintage feel too – no vocals, no remixes, or any of the other things that you might find on other Bronner albums. Titles include "Will Of Nature", "FFH", "Return To The Fold", "Gibraltar", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Condor", "Pegasus", "Red Street", "Wacky Wes", and "The Gate".

Maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from trumpeter Till Bronner – a beautiful tribute to the 70s sound of Freddie Hubbard – recorded with instrumentation that's heavy on Fender Rhodes, and these soaring solos that are simply the greatest we've ever heard Bronner play! There's a perfection to the record that may well even go past Freddie's classics for CTI – a sense of solid, soulful sounds throughout – with not a moment of filler, and a great mix of originals from Bronner that really capture the Hubbard vibe – mixed with a few others that further the essence. The whole thing's wonderful – a killer contemporary set, but with a richly vintage feel too – no vocals, no remixes, or any of the other things that you might find on other Bronner albums. Titles include "Will Of Nature", "FFH", "Return To The Fold", "Gibraltar", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Condor", "Pegasus", "Red Street", "Wacky Wes", and "The Gate". Limited deluxe edition features a bonus CD – with the tracks "Till's Blues", "Body & Soul", and "Little Sunflower".

Maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from trumpeter Till Bronner – a beautiful tribute to the 70s sound of Freddie Hubbard – recorded with instrumentation that's heavy on Fender Rhodes, and these soaring solos that are simply the greatest we've ever heard Bronner play! There's a perfection to the record that may well even go past Freddie's classics for CTI – a sense of solid, soulful sounds throughout – with not a moment of filler, and a great mix of originals from Bronner that really capture the Hubbard vibe – mixed with a few others that further the essence. The whole thing's wonderful – a killer contemporary set, but with a richly vintage feel too – no vocals, no remixes, or any of the other things that you might find on other Bronner albums. Titles include "Will Of Nature", "FFH", "Return To The Fold", "Gibraltar", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Condor", "Pegasus", "Red Street", "Wacky Wes", and "The Gate".

One of the greatest albums ever for Blue Note – and the only album recorded by tenor player Tina Brooks that was issued during his lifetime! The album's nearly perfect – and features Brooks' edgey tenor set in an all star group that includes Duke Jordan on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Brooks had blown on other Blue Note sessions before, but here, working as a leader, his sound is tremendous – vaguely to the left of center of some of his other tenor counterparts on the label, but with an equally impeccable approach to soul and rhythm. Titles include "Miss Hazel", "Good Old Soul", "Up Tight's Creek", and "Theme For Doris".

An overlooked gem from the revival years of Impulse Records – a set recorded in the mid 80s, but one that easily matches the soul and spirituality of the label's best work from the late 60s and early 70s! Pianist Henry Butler steps out here with a strong musical vision – one colored by his own bold McCoy Tyner-esque lines on the piano – and embellished by great solo work from Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Azar Lawrence on tenor. Rhythm is by Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – who definitely match Butler's pulsating, modal-influenced groove here – and additional instrumentation includes bits of flute and oboe, plus a string quartet on 2 numbers – coming off with Alice Coltrane-like brilliance! Great proof that righteous jazz was still being made in the 80s – with titles that include "Fivin Around", "LA Samba", "Improvisation On An Afghan Theme", "Giant Steps", and "Butler's Blues".

A bit more high concept than before for Stanley Clarke – almost a suite of sorts, but one that still has some great standout tunes in the mix! Although Clarke used to bring his higher concepts to bear in the space of a single song, this one's more of a full exploration of the character in the title – served up at the best moments with more soul than on previous albums from Stanley, some nicely tuneful tracks that almost get a bit funky at points. There's a bit of vocals on the record – courtesy of Dee Dee Bridgewater and others – and guests include Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and Airto. Titles include "More Hot Fun", "Slow Dance", "He Lives On", "Dayride", "Got To Find My Own Place", "Closing Statement", and "A Serious Occasion".

The title gets it right – as the album's easily the closest thing to free jazz that Ornette Coleman ever recorded – an album-length improvisation played by a "double quartet" that's overflowing with classic players! The style here is a fair bit like John Coltrane's Ascension album for Impulse – and like that one, the session features Ornette and his contemporaries really stretching out – blowing like never heard before on record, and working in a highly unstructured setting! Other players include Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Scott LaFaro on bass – alongside regular group members Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass, and both Ed Blackwell and Billy Higgins on drums. One long track – just titled "Free Jazz"!

A mellow soulful classic by John Coltrane – and one of his best-remembered early albums for Prestige! The session has all the gentle glow that you might guess from the title – a laidback, open-ended approach that has Coltrane blowing long solos over rhythms from the trio of Red Garland piano, Paul Chambers bass, and either Jimmy Cobb and Art Taylor on drums – with just a bit of guest trumpet from either Freddie Hubbard or Wilbur Harden on three of the album's four tracks. The tunes are plenty long, and even with the added soloists, Coltrane still gets in plenty of space – on titles that include "Stardust", "Time After Time", "Love Thy Neighbor", and "Then I'll Be Tired Of You".

An excellent album of smooth soul tracks – one that reaches back to some of Norman's earlier records for inspiration, and which takes the sound up a few notches to expand the groove. Norman gets help on the arranging tip from Al Johnson, McKinley Jackson, and Paul Riser – which is why the album has such a great 70s smooth soul feel – and there's loads of guest appearances, like vocals by Johnson, Jean Carn, and The Jones Girls, and instrumental solos from Freddie Hubbard and Gary Bartz. Adaritha sings lead vocals on a number of cuts, and Glenn Johnson takes the lead on "Melancholy Fire". Includes a great version of "Black Cow", plus "Take It To The Limit", "Justify", "You've Been On My Mind", and an excellent remake of "I Don't Need Nobody Else", with Al Johnson on vocals!

A pair of groovers by Norman Connors from the start of the 80s – Take It To The Limit and Mr C – together in a single set! Take It To The Limit is excellent album of smooth soul – one that reaches back to some of Norman's earlier records for inspiration, and which takes the sound up a few notches to expand the groove. Norman gets help on the arranging tip from Al Johnson, McKinley Jackson, and Paul Riser – which is why the album has such a great 70s smooth soul feel – and there's loads of guest appearances, like vocals by Johnson, Jean Carn, and instrumental solos from Freddie Hubbard and Gary Bartz. Adaritha sings lead vocals on a number of cuts, and Glenn Johnson takes the lead on "Melancholy Fire". Includes a great version of "Black Cow", plus "Take It To The Limit", "Justify", "You've Been On My Mind", and an excellent remake of "I Don't Need Nobody Else", with Al Johnson on vocals! Mr C is a real sleeper from Norman Connors, but a great record – one that shows him still moving strong in the 80s, always continuing to develop his smooth jazzy soul style! Backing is by the Starship Orchestra, with Marion Meadows on most sax solos – and vocals are by Beau Williams, Jean Carn, and Glenn Jones. There's a number of great uptempo tunes – with a tight hard jazz funk backing, and kind of a sweet early 80s club style in the vocals. Titles include "Love's In Your Corner", "She's Gone", "Stay With Me", "Keep Doin It", "Anyway You Want", and "Sing A Love Song".

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender".

One of Art Farmer's funkiest records – a great batch of slow electric numbers with a stretched out feel, and an almost Freddie Hubbard-like approach to the groove! Players include Eric Gale, Steve Gadd, Dave Grusin, and Jeremy Steig – and although the date of this one is late, the sound is in that prime 1972/1973 CTI mode! The album's only got 4 tracks – all long – and titles include "Crawl Space", "Siddhartha", "Petite Belle", and "Chanson".

Wonderful lost work from the great Benny Golson – and some of the hippest jazz you can find in a large format group! Golson's at his modernist best here, and he's leading a tentet that includes Eric Dolphy on alto, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Grachan Moncur on trombone, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Bill Evans on piano – with a sound that's tightly arranged, but still punctuated by warm emotional passages by the star soloists. The tracks are familiar – "Out Of Nowhere", "Quicksilver", "Stella By Starlight", "Autumn Leaves" – but wait until you hear how Golson put them together!

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 lyrical masterpiece from the mid-60's! Freddie Hubbard and Herbie trade lines on extended compositions, as Herbie shows the world that he's more than just a soul jazz player by coming up with some of the most spiritual work of his career. Of course, that doesn't displace the treasure that is the original version of "Cantaloupe Island", the one that's been sampled famously by US3, but the album also includes lots of other nice moody tracks like "Oliloqui Valley" and "The Egg".

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

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".

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

Beautifully understated work from trumpeter Roy Hargrove – an open, laidback session that's easily one of the best he's done in years! Gone are the urban sounds of his RH Factor records, and the more cerebral modes of some of his other jazz sets – and instead, this time around Roy's hitting a warm, fluid groove with plenty of classic overtones and a wonderfully soulful feel! The album's one that would settle in nicely along some of Freddie Hubbard's best later work, and it features a strong quintet with Justin Robinson on alto and flute, Gerald Clayton on piano, Danton Boller on bass, and Montez Coleman on drums. Roy plays flugelhorn as well as trumpet, and titles include "I'm Not So Sure", "Strasbourg/St Denis", "Starmaker", "Joy Is Sorrow Unmasked", "Mr Clean", "Rouge", "Style", "Divine", and "To Wisdom The Prize".

A hip 70s session from Roy Haynes – recorded in Paris, and a fair bit different than some of his few American dates of the time! The group's a very cool one – with alto and flute from Ricardo Strobert, plus guitar, electric bass, and Roy's drums – a groove that's partly electric, but not really in a fusion way – more a semi-spiritual jazz vibe, with almost a Strata East or Black Jazz undercurrent at times! Haynes wrote most of the tunes for the record, and they're some very sharp-edged numbers – never as arch-modern as some of his work in later years, and instead handled with a wicked sense of rhythm – almost a deeper 70s extension of the wonderful groove that Roy brought to his few dates as a leader in the 60s. The whole thing's a key lost chapter in Haynes career – and titles include versions of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower" and Wayne Shorter's "Foot Prints" – plus the originals "I'm So High", "Bull Fight", "Riverbop Blues", and "True or False".

An incredible collection of work from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – some of his most righteous recordings ever, spread out over the span of 5 albums recorded for Blue Note in the mid 70s – one of which was only ever issued in Japan! The work here has Bobby taking off nicely from his years with Harold Land – and although the set includes two albums with Land, the excellent Cirrus from 1974, and the Japanese-only Inner Glow, the remaining albums feature a range of different players – including Manny Boyd on soprano and tenor sax, George Cables on piano, Larry Nash on electric Piano, Hadley Caliman on reeds, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet. As with the better-known recordings with Land, the style here is flowing and open – an approach that starts in modal rhythms, and which moves into some of the more soaring, spacious modes shared by Bobby's contemporaries on the indie soul jazz scene – especially artists on labels like Black Jazz and Strata East. The albums here are all amazing – never too slick, and beautifully balanced, with a sense of focus that still makes Hutcherson one of the greatest vibists working at this point in his career. 3CD set features the albums Cirrus, Inner Glow, Waiting, The View From The Inside, and Knucklebean – featuring a whopping 30 tracks in all!

Beautiful late Blue Note work from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – laidback, warm, electric, and with a mixture of CTI funk and some of the more lyrical soul jazz work of his years with Harold Land! Part of the credit for the set should go to George Cables – who plays both acoustic and electric keys on the record, and who gives the album a sweetly dancing feel that really warms things up wonderfully – a great mix of vibes and keyboards that's wonderful throughout! But all other players are wonderful too –including drummer Eddie Marshall, bassist James Leary, and horn players Freddie Hubbard, Hadley Caliman, and Manny Boyd. Titles include a great remake of "Little B's Poem", the mellow groover "Why Not", and the cuts "Til Then", "Knucklebean", and "So Far So Good".

Moody material from Bobby Hutcherson – and one of the first records to feature his vibes in the company of tenorist Harold Land – a player who would help Hutcherson make some mighty fine music over the years! The set's got a super-hip group – with Stanley Cowell on piano, giving the record a warm, spiritual undercurrent – one that works perfectly with the lyrical soul of Land's horn. Other players include Reggie Johnson on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include "Spiral", "Ruth", "Poor People's March", and "Visions". The album also includes one more track – "Jasper" – which was recorded in a 1965 session without Land and Cowell – but with Sam Rivers on tenor and bass clarinet, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Andrew Hill on piano! Recorded in the 60s, but only initially issued on vinyl in 1979!

Moody material from Bobby Hutcherson – and one of the first records to feature his vibes in the company of tenorist Harold Land – a player who would help Hutcherson make some mighty fine music over the years! The set's got a super-hip group – with Stanley Cowell on piano, giving the record a warm, spiritual undercurrent – one that works perfectly with the lyrical soul of Land's horn. Other players include Reggie Johnson on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include "Spiral", "Ruth", "Poor People's March", and "Visions". The album also includes one more track – "Jasper" – which was recorded in a 1965 session without Land and Cowell – but with Sam Rivers on tenor and bass clarinet, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Andrew Hill on piano! Recorded in the 60s, but only initially issued on vinyl in 1979!

Incredible work from one of the hippest groups in the contemporary underground – Detroit's In The Tradition, a combo with a righteous sound that takes us back to the 70s days of Strata East and Tribe Records! This double-length set is a bold step forward for the group – as some tracks feature their own music, done in a spiritual blend of sounds that's really wonderful – tunes that spin out with long modal rhythms, soaring solos, and a very soulful energy that never lets up – with lots of echoes of the best Chicago and Detroit modes from years back. The other tracks features more work by other jazz greats – Wayne Shorter, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, and others – reinterpreted by the group in wicked blend of hardbop and soul jazz modes – simply brilliant, and like getting two excellent albums together in a single package – with a really unified sound! Titles include "She Sings To The Wind", "Winter Meeting", "Noloyiso", "Trouble Of The World", "One Love", "Black Orpheus", "Chantized", "Crisis", and "Dreams".

A real step forward for Quincy Jones – a record that really shows the jazzman moving into sophisticated new territory – a sound that's just right for the CTI generation! The album's got a vibe that's a bit similar to Quincy's Walking In Space album, but it's a lot deeper too – touched with some of the African elements you might guess from the title – arranged in ways that are often quite spacious, so that the tunes really take some time to find just the right groove! Backings are large, but show the leaner elements that Jones was bringing to his soundtrack work – and instrumentation includes vibes from Milt Jackson, marimba from Don Elliott, flute from Hubert Laws, soprano sax from Jerome Richardson, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, trombone from Al Grey, and guitar from Eric Gale. Keyboards figure strongly – played by Herbie Hancock and Bob James – and special features include a bit of guitar and whistling from Toots Thielemans, plus some soulful vocals from Valerie Simpson. "Gula Matari" is an incredible 12 minute tribal groove – and other titles include a killer take on Nat Adderley's "Hummin", plus "Walkin" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

Classic Quincy Jones from the 60s – a pair of records that really show why his jazz skills were unlike anyone else! Quincy Jones Plays Hip Hits is a very groovy record that was done with a feel that's somewhere in between his Big Band Bossa album and his best 60s soundtrack work! The format is simple – Quincy picks a sweet batch of jazz semi-hits from the early 60s, plays them with a nice mix of soul jazz arrangements, and works with a great ensemble filled with wonderful players – including Roland Kirk, Budd Johnson, Seldon Powell, James Moody, and Jerome Richardson on reeds; Lalo Schifrin and Patti Brown on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Melba Liston on trombone – plus lots of great percussion at the bottom, helping bring some Latin energy to the grooves at points. Tunes are familiar, but all given a great Quincy Jones twist – and titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Jive Samba", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Bossa Nova USA", and "Watermelon Man". Golden Boy is a sweet bridge between Quincy's big band recordings and his groovier soundtrack work of the mid 60s – as the record combines straight jazzy grooving with some of the cooler elements of Quincy's soundtrack scores, like stepping strings, wordless voices, and a breathy mellow groove that floats across the disc in a wonderful way! Aiding Quincy in the album are a host of top-line jazz players – including Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Jerome Richardson, and Phil Woods on saxes – plus Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, and Jim Hall on guitar! Although titled after the show Golden Boy, only a few cuts here are from that musical – and the rest include Quincy Jones originals and some cool covers, given the Q twist. Titles include "Seaweed", "The Witching Hour", "Hard Day's Night", "The Sidewinder", and "Theme From Golden Boy", done in 2 versions, both great!

A split 70s LP – with two earlier classics! First up is How I Feel About Jazz – an important early album from Quincy Jones! Q's working here in some of his hippest settings of the 50s – scoring longish versions of jazz tunes for groups that include players like Lucky Thompson on tenor, Herbie Mann on flute, Art Farmer on trumpet, Phil Woods and Gene Quill on alto sax, Hank Jones on piano, and even Charles Mingus on bass! As with most Jones albums of the time, Quincy has a way of making a bigger group sound nice and lean – hitting some especially nice edges along with the rhythms, and really showing the way towards a new soulful sound for a bigger band. Titles include a sublime 10 minute version of "Walkin" that kicks off the album with a great soulful groove – plus original tunes "Evening In Paris", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Boo's Blues", as well as a version of Cannonball Adderley's "Sermonette". Next is Quintessence – a very soulful set of big band material from Quincy Jones – recorded during that tight early 60s period when his arrangements just couldn't fail! The album's his only session for Impulse, and it's got a slightly deeper style than his work from the time for Mercury – a bit more sophisticated, with nice modern touches that take the tunes in surprising directions. Part of the greatness of the set lies in the players – as the album features work by Curtis Fuller, Thad Jones, Stu Martin, Freddie Hubbard, Patty Brown, Phil Woods, and Jerome Richardson – and titles include "Robot Portrait", "Hard Sock Dance", "The Twitch", and "For Lena & Lennie".

2 of Quincy Jones' groundbreaking 60s soundtracks on one CD! The material here isn't funky like his 70's work, and shows Quincy more in a dark brooding thriller vein. The Pawnbroker score has an orchestra filled with great jazz players like Freddie Hubbard, Anthony Ortega, Oliver Nelson, Elvin Jones, and others – and it also features a vocal performance by Sarah Vaughan on the bonus 45 rpm issue of the film's main theme. Other titles include "Harlem Drive", "Naked Truth", "Rack 'Em Up", and "Death Scene". Even better, though is The Deadly Affair – a sublime soundtrack from Quincy! The score has a great approach that mixes crime jazz tunes with breezier numbers – inflected with a nice bossa sound, and a cool "jazz over the top" style that makes the melodies linger nicely long after they're done! Astrud Gilberto sings the wonderful cut "Who Needs Forever" – and other tracks include "Blondie Tails", "Instrumental Main Theme 2", "Ridiculous Scene", "Bobb's At Gunpoint", and "Dieter's First Mistake".There's a total of 23 cuts in all, which makes for a nice full CD of groovy soundtrack material!

Incredible funk from the Estonian scene of the 70s – grooves so rare, the Iron Curtain kept them locked away from most of the Western world! This excellent collection finally brings these gems to light – and showcases not only Jaan Kuman's tight talent for lead trumpet solos – on a par with some of the best Freddie Hubbard CTI work of the 70s – but also his wonderful ear for larger arrangements – jazz backdrops that mix acoustic and electric elements beautifully, often with a sense of soul and sentiment that's completely sublime! There's slight echoes of European soundtrack modes in the music – but the overall presentation is definitely jazz, and the tight work of the leader and other players make the tunes plenty damn funky throughout – like a lost MPS gem from the glory days. Titles include "Hey Boys Try Harder", "Contrasts", "Caprice", "Wheels", "Terminus", and "Globus".

One of the only early albums as a leader from pianist Ronnie Mathews – a player who recorded more often in later years, but who really sounds incredible in this rare session for Prestige! Although a lyrical player at heart, Mathews also has a very hard edge here – more of a soul jazz groove than you'd hear on his later records, and a great example of the sound he was picking up from some of his key 60s work as a sideman. The group is great overall – with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Charles Davis on baritone sax – both players who bring a Blue Note-like sense of imagination to their solos here. The rest of the group features Eddie Kahn on bass and Albert Heath on drums – and titles include the killers "The Thang", "Ichi Ban", and "The Orient" – plus "Let's Get Down", "1239A", and "Prelude To A Kiss".

A contemporary riff on benchmark 70s soul jazz and funky fusion from French producer Medline – who reimagines classics by Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and others! It's good, solid stuff – reinterpreting the material in a way that's very mindful of its influence on classic hip hop – with some tighter beats and other nods to classic 90s hip hop production – but it's done with an emphasis on live instrumentation that's pretty great! Medline plays most of the instruments himself, with lots of Afro percussion and jazzy flute – with guest vocals on a number of tunes by Roni Alkekengi. Includes "A New Day", "People Make The World Go Round", "Wind Parade","Expansion" and "Everybody Love The Sunshine" with Roni Alkekengi, "Eboness", "Red Clay" and more.

One of the all-time classics of early 60s mainstream jazz – and a beautiful record that showcases writing and arranging talents of Oliver Nelson! Nelson had been bumping around a variety of sessions before this one – as a leader, sideman, and arranger – but it was with this album that his true talents really unfolded – sparkling with a depth of imagination and expression that marked him as one of the greatest artists in 60s American jazz! The group on the set is an all-star sextet – featuring Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes, and Freddie Hubbard – a disparate group of players who manage to come together with Nelson and find a unique voice that's rarely been duplicated again! The album features 6 fantastic compositions by Nelson, including "Stolen Moments", "Hoe Down", and "Yearnin". A fantastic record – and one that you can't go wrong with!

A real cooker from Opus 5 – even more far-reaching than their previous collaboration together, with a soaring sort of energy that leaps out right from the start! The group's something of an all-star ensemble – with Seamus Blake on tenor and soprano sax, David Kikoski on piano and Fender Rhodes, and Alex Sipiagin on trumpet and flugelhorn – driven onward by the bass of Boris Kozlov and drums of Donald Edwards. Almost every tune here is an original – and even the few classics are handled with this free-thinking vibe that's wonderful, especially on the tunes that feature Kikosi on Fender Rhodes! Titles include "The Saboteur", "Videlles Dreams", "Sign Of Life", "Three Days Of Maybe", "Danny", "Ducktones", and a sweet version of Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay".

A killer hardbop session – and a long lost classic! This stunning set is one of the best, and hardest sessions ever cut for the Bethlehem label – and it's got a raw pounding groove that sounds a lot more like some of the classic soul-tinged hardbop coming out on Prestige during the late 50s, than some of the more west coast oriented sessions that were usually Bethlehem's groove. Drummer Charlie Persip leads a crack quintet that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ronnie Matthews on piano, and the amazing Roland Alexander on tenor. Alexander was a fantastic soul jazz player in the early 60s – and he was hardly ever recorded, and his work on this session is worth the price of the album alone. Everyone's great, though – and even a young Marcus Belgrave makes an appearance on trumpet on one track, as Freddie Hubbard sits out. Tracks are all long, and titles include "Sevens", "Right Down Front", "The Champ", and "Soul March".

An overlooked fusion set from guitarist David Pritchard – maybe not the biggest name in jazz in the late 70s, but working here with a really heavy-hitting lineup! Pritchard plays acoustic and electric guitar on the set, and he's joined by players who include Patrice Rushen on acoustic and electric piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Chester Thompson on drums – plus the lesser-known Charles Orena, who handles both tenor and soprano sax here. Some numbers have a full-out fusion feel, which others hit some tones that are more spacious and relaxed – almost heading into the airiness of Pat Metheney, yet always retaining a bit more force. Titles include "Bright Depths", "Hog Futures", "Black & White", "As Day & Night", and "Angel's Flight".

An excellent set of some fairly out material – performed by Shorter with a group that includes Freddie Hubbard, Grachan Moncur, James Spaulding, Herbie Hancock, and a rare appearance by his brother Alan on flugelhorn! At times, the record builds into a sound that's freer and more challenging than on some of Shorter's other albums from the time – but it does so in more of the "new thing" mode that you'd hear on records from the time by Jackie McLean or Moncur, with an overall sense of purpose that really keeps the message clear. Features all original compositions by the Shorter brothers – and cuts include "Chaos", "Face Of The Deep", "Mephistopheles", and "Genesis".

An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". Plus, the CD includes a bonus alternate take of the track "Dance Cadaverous".

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".

Allen's on the front cover in a white turtleneck that makes him look like a bit of a square, but the session's a nice jazzy fusion outing, in the best tradition of some of the excellent work from the time on the short-lived Headfirst label! Vizzutti plays trumpet in the lead, often in a brilliantly brassy style that's clearly inspired by some of Freddie Hubbard's electric work of the early 70s – but which also takes off in an even more jamming mode on a few of the album's more frenetic numbers, which get past the gentler soul of the rest of the set. Other players include Chick Corea, Grant Geisman, and Joe Farrell – and titles include "Zig Zag", "Skyrocket", "Down At Sunset Sound", "Sunflower Fields", and "In The Pocket".

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".

In the pocket, and plenty darn funky – a killer collection of 70s jazz funk that's heavy on electricity, yet still keeps things mighty sharp throughout! The groove is tight – tighter than the raw soul of the 60s jazz years – yet never uptight, as all these cuts are plenty fresh and freewheeling, and definitely preserve the most spontaneous vibe of the players. Some cuts have a bit of vocals, some have some larger backings, but all still have some great solos in the middle – with an especially strong emphasis on sweet keyboards! Titles include "Zauis" by Eddie Russ, "Barbara Ann" by Webster Lewis, "Coming To You Live" by Charles Earland, "Brazilica" by Ramsey Lewis, "Sinbad" by Weldon Irvine, "Put It In The Pocket" by Freddie Hubbard, "Palos" by Willie Bobo, "Chicago Theme" by Hubert Laws, "Hop Scotch" by Harvey Mason, and "In The Park" by Lonnie Liston Smith.

A seminal set in the rebirth of straight jazz in the early 80s – a wonderful record with a much warmer, more traditional feel than you'd expect from some of the players involved! Bassist Stanley Clarke and pianist Chick Corea really return to their roots here – Stanley with some of the bold acoustic tones of his earliest soul jazz years, Chick with those modern-yet-soulful piano lines he first brought to magical recordings of the 60s – including the Sweet Rain session with Stan Getz. Freddie Hubbard's also in the group – blowing wonderfully with that reborn sound of his early 80s years, still some of the best work he ever did – and the group also features Joe Henderson on tenor, always a treat, and Lenny White on drums, really keeping things focused. The set's a gem through and through – and titles include "L's Bop", "Happy Times", "Remember", "Guernica", "October Ballade", and "Why Wait".

The title gets it right – as the album's easily the closest thing to free jazz that Ornette Coleman ever recorded – an album-length improvisation played by a "double quartet" that's overflowing with classic players! The style here is a fair bit like John Coltrane's Ascension album for Impulse – and like that one, the session features Ornette and his contemporaries really stretching out – blowing like never heard before on record, and working in a highly unstructured setting! Other players include Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Scott LaFaro on bass – alongside regular group members Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass, and both Ed Blackwell and Billy Higgins on drums. One long track – just titled "Free Jazz"!

A really unique album for Chaka Khan – one in which she teams up with a host of jazz artists to craft a classic-styled set of vocals! Given that Chaka was at the height of her 80s groove solo career at the time of this one, the move was a surprising one – but also a great chance for Chaka to show that she had a lot more to offer than just pop chops, as she sounds pretty darn great scatting on these classic jazz numbers. Players include Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Lenny White, and Chick Corea – and titles include "Them There Eyes", "All Of Me", "Take The A Train", "Hire Wire", "The Aerialist", and "I Hear Music".

Proof that sophisticated jazz vocals were still around in the 80s, even if they weren't being recorded as often as in the 70s! Reeves emerges here as one of the decade's best vocalists, and on this early Blue Note effort, she's working with great players like Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Freddie Hubbard, Paul Jackson, and Ndugu Chancler. Duke produced, and titles include "Chan's Song (Never Said)", "I'm OK", "Sky Islands", "Harvest Time", and "Better Days".

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender".

One of Slide Hampton's greatest records of all time – a totally hip batch of tracks recorded with a large group that reminds us of some of Max Roach's ensembles of the early 60s! No surprise, Roach is a key part of the album – pounding away with frenzy on Hampton's 5-part "Drum Suite", and working well here on other tracks with players that include Yusef Lateef and George Coleman on tenor, Freddie Hubbard and Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Khan on bass, and both Hampton and Benjamin Jacobs-El on trombones. There's a righteous, majestic energy to most of the tracks – not just the pivotal "Drum Suite" in five parts, but also the originals "Gallery Groove" and "Fump" – plus versions of "Lover", "Our Waltz", and "Stella By Starlight".

Though there are a number of different LPs using the VSOP title in a few different ways, this was the first, a double album recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival, featuring Herbie leading groups that represented a number of different points in his career. The first lineup later recorded under the name VSOP, and was a re-grouping of the classic Miles quintet, with Freddie Hubbard in Miles' place, in fine form here, the group playing nice expansive lines as they stretch out. They take on "Maiden Voyage" and "Nefertiti" and really stretch out on "Eye Of The Hurricane". Sides 3 and 4 are the real treat, with Herbie's early electric band that had recorded the spacey Warner's LPs playing "Toys" and "You'll Know When You Get There", and then the funk band that was contemporanious with the release of the LP, featuring Headhunters Paul Jackson & Bennie Maupin, and some heavy wah wah funk from Wah Wah Watson, on "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" & "Spider".

A whole new level of genius for Herb Alpert – a record that's light years away from his earlier work with the Tijuana Brass, and which has the trumpeter stepping strongly into the world of smooth jazzy fusion! The title track here went platinum the minute it was released – and became an end-of-the 70s instrumental anthem that seemed to drift out of speakers around the country. The rest of the album's pretty great too – built on the modes explored by Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, and other soulful fusion players of the 70s – but cast out with a bit more drama overall. Titles include the seminal jazz dance classic "Rotation" – plus "Rise", "Street Life", "Aranjuez (Mon Amour)", "1980", "Angelina", and "Love Is".

One of the grooviest records ever – a sublime blend of African percussion, soulful orchestrations, and Dorothy Ashby's amazing electric harp! By the time of this landmark album, Dorothy had been knocking around the jazz world for a number of years, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard Evans at Cadet Records that her sound really began to cook – breaking down genres and expectations in the trademark style of the best late 60s sides from the Chicago underground. The record's got a bit of funk, a bit of jazz, and a heck of a lot of soul – and the setting works perfectly for Dorothy's harp, giving it a lot more room to work around than some of her smaller jazz combo albums. The album includes two great originals – "Soul Vibrations" and "Afro-Harping" – both of which have a nice funky edge, and a groovy soulful bounce – and other tunes include "Lonely Girl", "Life Has Its Trials", "Look Of Love", "Come Live With Me", and a great version of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower".

One of the grooviest records ever – a sublime blend of African percussion, soulful orchestrations, and Dorothy Ashby's amazing electric harp! By the time of this landmark album, Dorothy had been knocking around the jazz world for a number of years, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard Evans at Cadet Records that her sound really began to cook – breaking down genres and expectations in the trademark style of the best late 60s sides from the Chicago underground. The record's got a bit of funk, a bit of jazz, and a heck of a lot of soul – and the setting works perfectly for Dorothy's harp, giving it a lot more room to work around than some of her smaller jazz combo albums. The album includes two great originals – "Soul Vibrations" and "Afro-Harping" – both of which have a nice funky edge, and a groovy soulful bounce – and other tunes include "Lonely Girl", "Life Has Its Trials", "Look Of Love", "Come Live With Me", and a great version of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower".

One of a nuber of repackagings and collections of Coltrane's work for Impulse. Loads of great players are involved on some of the better recordings of his later career, for Impulse, including McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones, Pharoah Sanders, Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy, Archie Shepp and more. 10 tracks in all: "Greensleeves", "India", "Miles' Mode", "Big Nick", "The Promise", "Chim Chim Cheree", "Manifestation", "Ogunde" and edited portions of "Ascension" and "The Father Son And Holy Ghost".

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 Slide Hampton's first albums – and a massively hard-wailing set that will make any doubters sit up and take notice! The set really packs a punch – as Slide leads a hip group that features Freddie Hubbard, Richard Williams, Bernard McKinney, and George Coleman through some tightly woven arrangements that manage to swing with the grace of small combo work, yet wail with the intensity of a big band. Great solos pop out all over the set – and there's a soul jazz groove that makes the album sound like a classic Prestige session. Titles include "Asseveration", "Hi Fly", "Sister Salvation", and "A Little Night Music".

A lyrical masterpiece from the mid-60's. Freddie Hubbard and Herbie trade lines on extended compositions, as Herbie shows the world that he's more than just a soul jazz player by coming up with some of the most spiritual work of his career. Of course, that doesn't displace the treasure that is the original version of "Cantaloupe Island", the one that's been sampled by US3, but the album also includes lots of other nice moody tracks like "Oliloqui Valley" and "The Egg". Also includes 2 CD bonus cuts!