An excellent MPS big-band session, in a mode that's sort of a mix between the firey hardbop of the Clarke-Boland ensemble, and the more modernist work of George Gruntz. The band is directed by Gruntz – and is co-led by Gruntz, Franco Ambrosetti, Flavio Ambrosetti, and Daniel Humair. The players are a mix of top-notch Americans and Europeans – also in the Clarke-Boland mode – and include Dexter Gordon, Woody Shaw, Dusko Goykovich, Benny Bailey, Virgil Jones, Ake Persson, Herb Geller, and Sahib Shihab. Tracks are all long originals, with a hard driving style that's a mix of modal jazz and hardbop – with slight touches of funkiness, thanks to some Fender Rhodes work by Gruntz. Titles include "Our Suite Dig", "Witch Stich", "Gravenstein", "Saint Charity", and "The Age Of Prominence". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic live performance – one that not only lives up to the legacy of Don Cherry mixing together global elements in his music, but also echoing a brief point when pianist George Gruntz was interested in the rhythms of North Africa! The presentation is incredible – really stunning music that stands out from similar projects from both artists – maybe in part because the lineup is filled with all sorts of surprises – including these really incredible reed passages from Sahib Shihab, who also gets into the cross-cultural spirit of the music – blowing flutes and soprano sax with an amazing edge – echoed by work from Salah El Mehdi on ney and flute, Moktar Slama on bendir and soukra, Jelloud Osman on bendire and bagpipe, and Hattab Jouini on tabla and darbouka – four North African musicians who really bring a lot to the set. The rest of the lineup features Daniel Humair on drums and Henri Texier on bass – the latter of whom would experiment in this nature later on – and the whole thing is amazing! LP, Vinyl record album

A genius meeting of talents on late 60s MPS – as George Gruntz leads a group of drummers and percussionists that includes Charly Antolini, Daniel Humair, Pierre Favre, Mani Neumeier, and Alfred Sacher – alongside tenor and soprano from the great Nathan Davis, plus trumpet from Franco Ambrosetti and bass from Jimmy Woode! The set also features some musicians from Basel – as the set was part of the "jazz meets world" series on Saba. LP, Vinyl record album

Notable sidemen include John Scofield, Wallace Roney, Randy Brecker, Jerry Bergonzi, and Franco Ambrosetti. CD

With Adam Nussbaum on drums. CD

With Adam Nussbaum on drums. CD

One of the smartest moves Phil Woods ever made was to move to Paris in 1968 and pick up a European rhythm section that featured George Gruntz, Henri Texier, and Daniel Humair. At the time, the idea of a European rhythm section might have been considered suicide by some folks – but for Woods, it was a liberating move that allowed him to expand his sound tremendously. With the help of these three players – all loose modernists who still knew how to swing – Woods was able to craft some incredible tunes, long flowing numbers that featured his amazing tone stretching out in kind of a post-Coltrane sort of mode. This live set is one of the group's best recordings, and features extended versions of tracks that include "Capricci Cavaleschi", "I Remember Bird", "Ad Infinitum", and "Riot". CD

Features the Gil Evans Orchestra and the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band – in a live performance conducted by Quincy Jones. Features key contributions from Wallace Roney on trumpet and Kenny Garrett on alto sax. CD

A fantastic record – easily one of Phil Woods' greatest! The album was cut during a time when Woods was living and working in France – and it's got a French rhythm section backing him up, one that features George Gruntz on piano, Henri Texier on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums, all grooving in an incredibly soulful way that opens up Woods' solos tremendously, without introducing any of the hoke and squonk that marred them a few years later. This set's got Woods at a perfect point – still with all the sharp-edged tone of earlier days, but exploring just a bit more freedom of expression, opening up on the album's long tracks in an incredibly creative way that really leaves us breathless. A gem – and the kind of record that will make you realize what a genius that Woods can be when he wants! Titles include "And When We Are Young", "Alive & Well", "Stolen Moments", and "Freedom Jazz Dance". CD

With George Gruntz on piano. CD

Overlooked modern jazz genius from the Swiss scene of the 60s – a record that's overflowing with great talent, only a small bit of which ever got larger exposure at the time! The big heavyweight here is pianist George Gruntz – leader of the set, and already a hell of a pianist – not as outside as on later records, but a great force to really give the set some direction! Franco Ambrosetti plays trumpet – and most of the others are great, but artists you might only know if you've got the same penchant for rare European jazz that we do – a lineup that also includes Hans Kellen and Raymond Court on trumpets, Raymond Droz on trombone, Heinz Bigler and Peter Candiotto on alto, Bruno Spoerri on tenor and baritone, and Ueli Staub on some mighty nice vibes! Tracks are often long, and have a Verve Records/JATP sort of approach – which means plenty of room for soloists to shine – on titles that include "Perdido", "Dig The Scene/Sax Battle", "There'll Never Be Another You", "Boy Shooting", "Ballad Medley" and "El Sino/Trumpet Battle". CD