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Great great stuff – and for some folks, THE album by Kenny Burrell! This classic set features the guitarist in a quintet with Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Major Holly on bass, Bill English on drums, and the great Ray Barretto on conga – a really great lineup that sparkles with soulful imagination, and moves with a very rhythmic groove – thanks to Ray's extra percussion contribution on the bottom! Burrell's guitar somehow seems a bit harder and grittier than ever – and titles include the classic groover "Chittlins Con Carne", an early jazz dance classic – plus "Soul Lament", "Wavy Gravy", and "Mule".

A great title for this one – as the album's got a cool, laidback groove that's very much in a "night song" mode! Arrangements are by Don Sebesky – in that warm and fluid mode he was bringing to some of his best CTI sides at the time – and they push Kenny a bit more than usual, as he stretches out over the larger arrangements with some really great solo work that dips, turns, and rolls with incredibly warm hues of sound. Kenny plays solo on 2 tracks, and with a smaller quartet on a few more – and titles include "Night Song", "Love You Madly", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Brother Where Are You?", "Nighthawk", and "Teach Me Tonight".

Surprisingly wonderful work from Kenny! The album has Kenny's guitar set to arrangements by Gil Evans – who gives the session a modern edge that really sets it apart from other Burrell albums of the time. Kenny's freed to do his thing – wonderfully, we might add – and Gil paints these washes of sound, color, and tone with the help of hip players like Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci, Julius Watkins, Steve Lacy, Richie Kamuca, Elvin Jones, and Lee Konitz. Tracks include "Lotus Land", "Downstairs", "Moon & Sand", "Terrace Theme", "Greensleeves", and "Loie".

One of the first albums from guitarist Kenny Burrell as a leader – a date that has him working with players from his hometown scene in Detroit – in case you couldn't guess from the title! Kenny's style here is a bit different than on the Blue Note dates of the time – almost a bit more personal, and leaner – which is a surprise, given the usual heavier feel of a Savoy session. Other players include Pepper Adams on baritone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – and before you complain, we know that not all of these guys are from Detroit – but that's the way they titled the thing, so you'll have to write to the label! Adams is a bit down in the mix, so he never over-dominates Burrell's tone – but he still gets plenty of space to sparkle on his solos, working with those sharp edges that make his Savoy appearances so great. Titles include "Your Host", "Afternoon In Paris", "Apothegh", "Cottontail", and "Tom's Thumb".

Kenny Burrell at his best – lean, mean, playing in a stripped down session that he rarely matched in later years! The record's got an open-ended jam session feel – Kenny listed as the leader, but playing in a laidback setting with Cecil Payne on baritone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The album's long tracks move along at a soulful pace, letting in a lot of room for solo work – especially from Burrell and Payne, who never sounded better! Titles include "Drum Boogie", "Perception", "Strictly Confidential", and "Don't Cry Baby".

One of Kenny's nicely grooving sides for Chess – recorded live at the Village Vanguard in 1959, with a trio that features Richard Davis on bass and Roy Haynes on drums. Haynes' free touch on the kit really opens up the style of Kenny's playing – free, light, and lyrical, yet still quite soulful and filled with rhythm. Titles include "All Night Long", "Trio", "Will You Still Be Mine", "Soft Winds", and "Well You Needn't".

Features tenor and flute from Jerome Richardson – and electric and acoustic piano from Kirk Lightsey.

A wonderful album by these two jazz guitarists – and one that features them playing in a much harder mode than usual! The album's cut in the open-ended style of some of the Prestige jam session sets – with a very able group that includes Mal Waldron, Art Taylor, Doug Watkins, Donald Byrd, and Jackie McLean. Titles include "This Way", "Little Melonae", "Blue Duke", and "Pivot" – and Raney's tone is especially nice!

One of those classic 50s sessions in which a bunch of Count Basie players split off from the bigger group and do some great small combo work on their own! The album is leader-less in its billing – but only because all the players are so well tuned to each other, and have such a simpatico relationship that there's no need for egos to drive the record. Tracks are longish and more open than any Basie setting – and players include Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Kenny Burrell on solo guitar, Freddie Green on rhythm guitar, and Joe Newman on trumpet. Wess' solos are often out in the lead, but Burrell and Newman also get in some nice licks – and titles include "Pin Up", "Playboy", "Miss Blues", and "Blues For A Playmate".

A sweet trio set – with Rufus Reid on bass and Ben Riley on drums – on cuts that include "Listen To The Dawn", "Yours Is My Heart Alone", "Papajoe", and "It Amazes Me".

A great little album from Kenny Burrell – one that has Ray Barretto's congas on most cuts, giving the album a similar Latiny feel to Kenny's classic Midnight Blue album on Blue Note! The Latin undercurrent hits both New York and bossa-styled modes – a great setting for Burrell's thin, snakey lines on guitar – and also a surprisingly great showcase for the tenor of Coleman Hawkins, which really opens up nicely in this setting – in ways that are a bit like his own bossa date for Impulse, or the sound of Ike Quebec's Soul Samba album! Rhythm is by Tommy Flanagan on piano, Major Holley on bass, and Eddie Locke on drums – and titles include "Tres Talbras", "Montono Blues", "Guilty", "No More", and "It's Getting Dark".

One of Ammons' classic blowing sessions for Prestige, with an all-star lineup that includes Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Mal Waldron, and Kenny Burrell. The group plays together on 4 long tracks, and in a tight hardbop vein, with long soulful solos from every player. Titles include "Pint Size", "King Size", and "Funky".

One of the first albums from guitarist Kenny Burrell as a leader – a date that has him working with players from his hometown scene in Detroit – in case you couldn't guess from the title! Kenny's style here is a bit different than on the Blue Note dates of the time – almost a bit more personal, and leaner – which is a surprise, given the usual heavier feel of a Savoy session. Other players include Pepper Adams on baritone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – and before you complain, we know that not all of these guys are from Detroit – but that's the way they titled the thing, so you'll have to write to the label! Adams is a bit down in the mix, so he never over-dominates Burrell's tone – but he still gets plenty of space to sparkle on his solos, working with those sharp edges that make his Savoy appearances so great. Titles include "Your Host", "Afternoon In Paris", "Apothegh", "Cottontail", and "Tom's Thumb".

A very unusual concert from Billie Holiday – one that features narration by Gilbert Millstein, telling the story of Billie's life! The format is quite unusual – almost a live documentary, with the subject of the documentary there in person herself! Millstein narrates from the start, and Billie emerges with songs throughout – using Millstein's narration to bracket portions of her career, then delivering the tunes associated with that portion. Backing is by an all-hip group that includes Coleman Hawkins, Kenny Burrell, Chico Hamilton, Roy Eldridge, and Buck Clayton – and titles include "I Cried For You", "My Man", "Don't Explain", "Lady Sings The Blues", "Body & Soul", "I Love My Man", and "Yesterdays".

Excellent late 50s work by Milt Jackson for Atlantic! Bags & Flutes is very much in the style of Milt's classic Savoy sides from the preceding couple of years – mixing together his jazzy vibes with light lilting solos on flute, either by Bobby Jaspar or Frank Wess, Milt's old compatriot from the Savoy sessions. Piano is by Tommy Flanagan or Hank Jones, and Kenny Burrell plays guitar on the whole album. Tracks include "Ghana", "Connie's Blues", "Sandy", "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" and "Bag's New Groove".

A wonderful little record – a real standout in both the careers of Milt Jackson and Coleman Hawkins! The album captures Hawk during his great later years – that time when his sound was even more soulful and inventive than ever – with lots of odd modern undercurrents that really work nicely with the album's slight Latin inflections – a bit like those you might hear on some of Hawkins' Impulse Records material from the same generation. Milt Jackson's vibes are great too – chromatic and edgey, and set up with rhythm support from Kenny Burrell on guitar, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Jones on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Titles include "Indian Blues", "Don't Take Your Love From Me", "Sandra's Blues", "Stuffy", and "Close Your Eyes".

A really hard-hitting groover from the great 60s trio of Les McCann – a set that adds in some extra guitar from Joe Pass, who definitely sounds his most soulful on the set! Joe grooves perfectly with Les' piano – and has almost a Kenny Burrell-like depth in tone throughout – one that we're not as likely to hear on other Pass sessions of this vintage, possibly because of the excellent rhythms from Paul Chambers on bass and Paul Humphrey on drums! Tunes are definitely the soul hits promised in the title – mostly numbers that were brimming up big in the soul jazz generation of the time, but given a particular Les McCann twist. Titles include "Sister Sadie", "Bag's Groove", "Back At The Chicken Shack", "Work Song", "Sonnymoon For Two", "Groove Yard", and "Sack O Woe".

A partner album of sorts to Jimmy Smith's classic Midnight Special album – recorded during the same sessions as that one, and also featuring Stanley Turrentine on tenor and Kenny Burrell on guitar! The sound here is almost even more open and stretched out – with only 4 long tracks on the album, 2 on each side – all offering up plenty of room for Jimmy to hit the Hammond with that keenly imaginative approach to a solo he was showing at this time – a style that proved that the instrument could do a lot more than just make weird noises or pump up the rhythm. Turrentine's tenor more than matches Jimmy's solos for imagination – and titles include "When I Grow Too Old To Dream", "Messy Bessie", "Minor Chant", and "Back At The Chicken Shack".

One of the best hard-wailing all-star sessions that Jimmy did so well for Blue Note! The album features an amazing array of top-line players – like Tina Brooks, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Lou Donaldson, Art Blakey, and Kenny Burrell – and they all play with Smith in differing combinations, all of which have an open-ended groove that sounds very nice, and very much like the kind of material that Smith would have laid down at some small club in the late 50s. Titles include "Blues After All", "Au Private", and "Lover Man".

One of THE greatest Verve albums of the 60s – an incredible set that's one of the few older records made as a leader by drummer Ed Thigpen! The sound here is incredibly hard to describe – a light mix of guitar from Kenny Burrell, piano from Herbie Hancock, and trumpet from Clark Terry – all dancing along in a spare, breezy, and highly rhythmical way – while Thigpen himself works the drum kit in this breezy, lyrical, and almost melody-driven way! The album's strongly modern in thinking, but also still nicely swinging, and with a warmth that grabs the listener right away. Titles include "Heritage", "Elbow & Mouth", "Struttin With Some Barbecue", "Cielito Lindo", and "Out Of The Storm".

Arguably THE classic Cal Tjader album of the 60s – a landmark album that crossed over equally into Latin, jazz, and mainstream audiences – and a stone cooker that's filled with smoking little grooves! The set's probably best known for its title track "Soul Sauce" – one of the biggest jazz hits of the 60s, and a catchy groover that was built around a riff from Dizzy Gillespie, but which also featured a groovier 60s sound, thanks to Cal's use of vibes. The whole album follows in similar format – and features great work by a core combo that includes Armando Pereza on congas, Lonnie Hewitt on piano, and Johnny Rae on drums. Titles include "Soul Sauce" – also known as "Guacha Guaro" – plus the tracks "Joao", "Leyete", "Maramoor", and a killer reading of "Afro Blue" that features guest appearances by Donald Byrd, Jimmy Heath, and Kenny Burrell.

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones.

Bad Bossa Nova is right – as Gene Ammons really hits a great groove here – one that's not exactly bossa, but which has lots of Latin and tropical touches! The session makes great use of 2 guitars at the same time – using that of Kenny Burrell for soulful rhythm, but also adding in Bucky Pizzarelli for some nice acoustic embellishments – in a mode that's similar to the soul jazz-com-bossa style used on records like Ike Quebec's Soul Samba or Charlie Rouse's Bossa Nova Bacchanal. The overall rhythms are a bit more complicated, and a bit more soul jazz based than those sets – with Hank Jones on piano, Oliver Jackson on percussion, and Al Hayes adding in some sweet extra bongo! Titles include the classic "Ca'Purange" – plus "Anna", "Yellow Bird", "Cae Cae", and "Moito Mato Grosso". Also issued under the title Bad Bossa Nova.

A classic album that mixes trumpet and voices in a swirling soulful sound that worked very well for Byrd's career! Byrd's sparkling trumpet fronts a tight septet that includes Hank Mobley, Herbie Hancock, and Kenny Burrell – and which is backed by arrangements by Coleridge Perkinson and Duke Pearson. The sound is beautiful and spiritual, with a sound that mixes Blue Note hardbop with a style that would later show up on labels like Strata East, or in the experiments of Max Roach and Billy Harper. The tracks are long and moody, and the vocal group never gets in the way, but instead backs Byrd in a way that lets him hit new heights, and which gives him a stronger sense of voice. Includes the classic "Christo Redentor", plus "Chant", "The Black Disciple", and "Elijah".

One of the nice sets of late 50s trad material recorded by Vanguard – and like the others, an album that's peppered with some bop elements, and a slightly freer approach than usual. Clayton's group features Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Earle Warren on alto – and the titles include "Blues Blase", "Buck Huckles", "Claytonia", "Cool Too", and "Squeeze Me".

A beautiful album of dark-hued vocals – sung by Johnny Hartman with a quality that's as smokey as the image of him with a cigarette on the cover! The album set a whole new standard for male vocal jazz in the 60s – and is a distillation and refinement of earlier ideas in music by Billy Eckstine, taken down to more personal and fluid levels by Hartman – and recorded here with great small group baking that includes Illinois Jacquet on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The vibe is very mellow, but never sloppy or sleepy – and titles include "Charade", "In The Wee Small Hours", "Stairway To the Stars", "Kiss & Run", "Our Time", "Don't You Know I Care", "If I'm Lucky", and "Don't Call It Love".

A repackaged version of the album Shuckin – titled this way in the mid 60s to cash in on the bossa craze! The early 60's session takes Willis' mean tenor sound, and adds a nice bossa groove to it – in a style that's similar to Ike Quebec's Samba Soul LP. There's lots of extra percussion, thanks to Montego Joe and Juan Amalbert of the Latin Jazz Quintet, and Kenny Burrell lays down some sprightly guitar that provides a nice counterpoint to Willis' deep deep tenor. Tracks include "Cachita", "Shuckin", "Amor, Amor, Amor", and "Mama Inez".

A great overlooked album by this fantastic tenor talent from Detroit. Although often lost in other people's groups, Billy is excellent here, and lays down some great solos with a lot of imagination and fire. He's backed by a group that includes Thad Jones, Kenny Burrell, and Richard Wyands, and the tracks include "Bossa Nova Ova", "Oliver Jr.", and "Brother Peabody".

Soulful bossa from Blue Note – and a real lost treasure! Tenor giant Charlie Rouse makes a rare appearance as a leader here – working with a percussion-heavy group that includes Willie Bobo, Potato Valdez, and Garvin Masseaux – and hitting a sax-meets-bossa groove that's simply outta site! The tunes on the set feature 2 guitarists – one of them Kenny Burrell – snaking alongside Rouse's tenor as he blows over the grooves – and the whole feel of the album's at once spare, yet full – quite different than the Brazilian take on bossa jazz, with a really uniquely wonderful sound! Titles include "Velhos Tempos", "Back To The Tropics", "Un Dia", and "In Martinique".

Although he was the consummate high-class hipster at the start of his career, for some reason Jimmy Smith seemed to hit a forced sort of rootsy style about halfway through his years at Verve. The style worked well for him, even if it sometimes languished in bluesy tones that seemed a bit forced – and on this album, his basic trio of Grady Tate and Kenny Burrell are augmented by arrangements by Oliver Nelson. Nelson keeps things from getting too hokey, and Jimmy's organ lines are free and sharp on the best cuts. Titles include "Mustard Greens", "Hobson's Hop", "Got My Mojo Workin", and "High Heel Sneakers".

No hokey organ grinder here – no monkey on a leash, begging for change on a street corner – just a smoking little trio session that stands as one of the best records that Jimmy Smith ever recorded for Verve! The album's got a groove that's similar to Jimmy's early years at Blue Note – long, stretched-out tracks – played by a trio that features Kenny Burrell on guitar and Grady Tate on drums, with lots of room left for Jimmy to cook up mighty solos on the Hammond! There's loads of little twists and turns that make the session shine nicely – and titles include "Oh No, Babe", "Blues for J", "Greensleeves", and "The Organ Grinder's Swing".

One of the first albums in what was to become a very successful pairing – the bass of Ray Brown and the vibes of Milt Jackson, working here in a down-homier setting that was miles away from his work with the MJQ! The set's got a light jazzy backing on most tracks – with some guitar from Kenny Burrell, some piano by Hank Jones, and some organ by Wild Bill Davis – and about half the tracks on the set feature vocals by gospel singer Marion Williams, singing here in a jazz/gospel style that comes across with a lot less of the hoke than you'd expect. Titles include "What Kind Of Fool Am I", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", "Nancy", "Much In Common", and "Gravy Blues".

One of the nice sets of late 50s trad material recorded by Vanguard – and like the others, an album that's peppered with some bop elements, and a slightly freer approach than usual. Clayton's group features Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Earle Warren on alto – and the titles include "Blues Blase", "Buck Huckles", "Claytonia", "Cool Too", and "Squeeze Me".

One of the raunchiest albums ever cut by organist Freddie Roach – not as high-reaching as some of his later work, but with lots of short tracks that groove with a tight jukebox organ/tenor approach! The band is a strong one – with Conrad Lester on tenor, Eddie Wright on guitar (replaced by Kenny Burrell on a few cuts, and Clarence Johnson on drums – a power packed quartet groove that's lean, clean, and simple – giving the record a raw sound that's a bit more Prestige Hammond than the usual Blue Note set! Titles include "Baby Don't You Cry", "I Know", "Googa Mooga", "Mo Greens Please", "Nada Bossa", and "Party Time".

A great back to basics session from organist Jimmy Smith – recorded live in the early 80s, but with a freewheeling small combo sound that takes us back to his Blue Note years! The group on the album's a quartet – with Jimmy on both piano and organ, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Johnny Griffin on drums – and the tracks are long and open-ended, with plenty of solo space for all players – especially Burrell, whose warmly-colored lines really help shape the sound of the record. Titles include "No Problem", "Keep On Comin", "Callitwhachawanna", and "Be Yourself" – as well as a short piano solo medley from Jimmy!

Definitely a Jimmy Smith jam session – as each side of the record features one long track, with Smith on Hammond, plus Clark Terry and Joe Newman on trumpets, Illinois Jacquet and Zoot Sims on tenor, and Kenny Burrell and BB King on guitars!