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A treasure trove of rare work from reedman Gigi Gryce – one of the most important talents of the 50s, presented here in a range of unissued sides from the best years of his career! The CD's overflowing with amazing material – some live dates, and some unissued studio material as well – all done in that perfect second period style of Gryce's career – the point when he moved past the tighter modernism of early years, and really opened up with this amazingly soulful sound! His alto work is impeccable – unlike anyone else we can think of on the instrument – very focused and crisp, yet wonderfully warm and human as well – with support on most numbers from excellent sidemen Richard Williams on trumpet and Richard Wyands on piano – two players who always seemed to drive Gigi onto new heights! Material includes 4 tracks from a 1961 Birdland broadcast – also with Eddie Costa on on vibes – then 2 more from a 1961 recording session also with Costa. Then there's 6 more cuts from an unissued 1960 session – and all three of these feature Williams and Wyands. The set's rounded out by material from a 1957 Signal Records party – featuring a group with Cecil Payne on baritone sax and Duke Jordan on piano. All cuts have been lovingly remastered, with the usual great sound we love from Uptown – and the set features 70 minutes of music, 18 tracks that include "Blues In Bloom", "Down Home", "A Premonition Of You", "Dancing The Gigi", "I'll Walk Alone", "Sonor", "All The Things You Are", "Man Of Moods", and "Movin".

One of Donald Byrd's earliest sessions as a leader – a hard and heavy all-star set that features a quintet with Frank Foster on tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Kenny Clarke on drums, and Dave Chambers on bass. The tracks all are long and have that almost blowing session Savoy approach – free and easy, and a very different style that Byrd's more composed work with Gigi Gryce from the same time. It's great to hear Donald open up in such a setting – really getting an edge on titles that include "Star Eyes", "Long Green", "Winterset", and "Gotcha Goin & Comin".

A fantastic hard bop reissue! This CD combines two rare early sessions by Art Blakey – one recorded under his name, the other under the leadership of trumpeter Joe Gordon, a fantastic player who died an early death, and never got to record as much as he should have. Both albums were only ever issued on rare 10" LPs during the mid 50s, and they're combined here with great sound, great notes, and two bonus tracks. The set's over 70 minutes in length, and every cut crackles with a sinister intensity that's just fantastic – made all the more special by a host of original compositions by both Gordon and Gigi Gryce, who arranged one of the session. One session features Gordon on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto, and Walter Bishop on piano; the other features Gordon, Charlie Rouse, and Junior Mance – and Blakey is on drums throughout. Titles include "Evening Lights", "Rifftide", "Lady Bob", "Eleanor", "Minority", "Hello", "Mayreh", and "Futurity".

One of Lee Morgan's most sparkling sessions from the early years – a record that already shows a sense of depth and imagination that would take Lee way beyond simple hardbop solo work! There's a sensitivity here that owes something of a debt to Clifford Brown, yet which is much more modernist overall – touched, no doubt, by a set list that features tunes by Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson, and played in a spirit that's similar to the blend of soul jazz and modernism that both of those players were carving out at the time. Morgan's bandmates for the record include George Coleman on tenor and alto, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all in tight formation, but with a sense of relaxed and easy flow that's rare, even in a Blue Note of this vintage! Titles include "You're Mine You", "Just By Myself", "Kin Folks", "City Lights", and "Tempo De Waltz".

One of the hardest to find of the early Lee Morgan albums on Blue Note – and a very lyrical batch of hardbop tracks, played with a slightly exotic flair! Morgan's group on the date features melodic modernists Benny Golson on tenor and Gigi Gryce on alto sax – both of whom push Morgan past his youthful bop approach into more sensitive areas – especially Golson, who wrote and arranged the tunes on the date with a sublime mix of hardbop and deeper musical ideals! Rhythm is from the trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – and titles include a great reading of Golson's "I Remember Clifford", plus four other originals by Benny – "Hasaan's Dream", "Domingo", "Mesabi Chant", and "Tip Toeing".

Two large group sessions featuring the piano of Billy Taylor – both of which show him sounding just as great as in his trio sides of the 50s! The first half of the CD features the album Know Your Jazz – an interesting little session from ABC, recorded as sort of an educational record about jazz, directed by Creed Taylor – but also a session that comes off well in the jam session mode of some of the Savoy sets of the same time! Players are a varied lot – and apart from Taylor on piano, also include Donald Byrd, Oscar Pettiford, Gigi Gryce, Mundell Lowe, Tony Scott, and Kenny Clarke – all working together in a set of tunes that showcases a different mode of jazz with each track, and which features a different soloist stepping out to take the lead with each new number. Titles include "In A Mellow Tone", "If I Love Again", "There Will Never Be Another You", "Laura", "But Not For Me", "How About You", and "Stella By Starlight". Next up is My Fair Lady Loves Jazz – a great take on the score to the hit show My Fair Lady – heard here in one of the best jazz interpretations from the time! Billy Taylor really gets a great setting for the music here – one that moves past the more familiar small group takes on the tunes, and features soaring large group backings arranged by a young Quincy Jones! Jones really knows how to keep things groovy, and free from cliche – allowing plenty of space for Taylor to step out in fluid solos in the frontline, but also featuring lots of great horn work from players that include Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Don Elliott on Mellophone, Ernie Royal on trumpet, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, and Anthony Ortega on both alto and tenor! Titles include "Show Me", "Get Me To The Church On Time", "The Rain In Spain", "With A Little Bit Of Luck", and "On The Street Where You Live".