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6 classic 70s albums from pianist Monty Alexander – all recorded for the MPS label, at a time when he was at the height of his funky powers! Most of the work here is in a trio or quartet mode, but Monty has a way of hitting a groove that really makes the tracks come across with a much larger sense of energy – a soulful sensibility that stood out from the rest of his contemporaries on MPS, and which had him crossing over to larger US audiences than other players on the label! Alexander's talents were first explored by a few labels in the US during the 60s – but working for MPS in the 70s, he really started to shine – with a freer, more open approach to the keys of the piano – and a groove that drew both on American soul jazz and some of the Caribbean inspirations of Alexander's Jamaican roots. Guitarist Ernest Ranglin joins Alexander on about a fourth of the material here – and other players include John Clayton, Eugene Wright, and Eberhard Weber on bass – and Bobby Durham, Kenny Clare, or Jeff Hamilton on drums – plus just a bit of extra percussion from Montego Joe. 4CD set features the albums Here Comes The Sun, We've Only Just Begun, Perception, Love & Sunshine, and The Way It Is – with a total of 42 tracks in all!

A groovy dream come true – the complete studio recordings of German bandleader Peter Herbolzheimer – easily one of the funkiest European talents of the 70s! Although Herbolzheimer's got a clunky name, his sound is incredibly fluid and tight – a large group approach to funk that rivals some of the best American work of his time – including classics from Lalo Schifrin, Johnny Pate, and other key maestros of the blacksploitation era. Peter's got a way of taking a large group of players and really making them groove – a sound that's kind of an electrified extension of the styles first laid out at MPS by the Clarke-Boland Big Band, but served up with a hipper, funkier 70s approach to rhythm. Like the CBBB, Herbholzheimer's groups often feature American players – such as Art Farmer on trumpet or Herb Geller on saxes – alongside more familiar MPS talents like Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Dieter Reith on organ, Ferdinand Povel on flute, Jiggs Whigham on trombone, and Sigi Schwab on guitar – joined by the legendary Sabu Martinez on a few of the best sessions here! The 4CD set is a massive discovery in music – as it features not only Herbholzheimer's Rhythm & Brass albums for MPS and Polydor, but also records under the group names Certain Lions & Tigers and The Galactic Light Orchestra. The package features a whopping 8 albums in all – Soul Condor, Time Travellers Galaxis, Waitaminute, Wide Open, Hip Walk, Touchdown, and I Hear Voices – most of which have never been reissued before – a whopping 61 long funky jazz tracks!

Amazing work from guitarist Baden Powell – 4 incredible albums for the MPS label, each of which set a new standard for his music! The albums include Tristeza On Guitar, Poema On Guitar, Canto On Guitar, and Images On Guitar – each unique in their own way, and together an incredible portrait of Powell's mighty talents – recorded by the European label with a sound that's quite different than his earlier work in Brazil! Tristeza and Poema are both from the late 60s, and have a somewhat spare approach – one in keeping with the title promises of sadness and poetry, both of which come through strongly in Powell's acoustic work on guitar, plus some nice use of flute on some of the tracks. Canto On Guitar expands the sound a bit more – with Powell adding in his own vocals on a few numbers, alongside a nice mix of rootsy Brazilian percussion in echoey space to create a dark feel for the record. Images is even more amazing, and features not only more vocals from Baden, but also some singing from Janine De Waleyne, an amazing European partner who graced some of Powell's best 70s sessions. The 2CD set features a whopping 34 tracks in all – all titles from the albums, including "Blues A Volante", "Petite Waltz", "Canto", "E De Lei", "Samba Em Preludio", "Tristeza", "Canto A Xango", "Round Midnight", "Consolacao", "Samba Triste", "Euridice", and "Reza".

An amazing package of work from George Duke – 6 of his legendary fusion albums for MPS Records, including the never-reissued double-length set Solus/The Inner Source! That incredible album is worth the price of the package alone – as it begins with some sublime trio work from Duke, rooted in jazz but already stretching out in amazing ways – then moves into some even hipper Latin-styled grooves, with Jerome Richardson on reeds and Luis Gasca on a bit of trumpet! Other albums in the set are equally great – and trace Duke's evolution from straighter jazz into funky freer fusion and soul – an incredible musical shift that's presented on the albums Faces In Reflection, Feel, I Love The Blues She Heard My Cry, The Aura Will Prevail, and Liberated Fantasies – each of them classics in their own right, presented together wonderfully here in this complete MPS package! The set is amazing – with a whopping 64 titles in all, and complete notes on all the music – including some recollections from Duke himself.

The accordion never sounded groovier – thanks to some great playing by Art Van Damme and amazing production by MPS! This 5CD set features a whopping 10 albums that Art recorded for the legendary German label between 1966 and 1972 – all of which are hipper and more swinging than any of Van Damme's work in the US – and most of which have never been on CD before! Most numbers feature a trademark blend of accordion, vibes, and guitar – and Van Damme plays his instrument in a way that's somewhere between an organ and a saxophone – often hitting notes in really surprising ways, and working with a phrasing that's far different from any mainstream use of the accordion in the 50s. A few sessions augment the instrumentation a bit more – using flutes or saxophones – and overall the whole thing's an amazing illustration of the way that MPS was always able to get work that was a cut above regular dates by any player! 5CD set features the full albums Mit Art Van Damme In San Francisco, Ecstasy, Gentle Art Of Art, Lullaby In Rhythm, Art In The Black Forest, On The Road, Art & Four Brothers, Squeezing Art & Tender Flutes, Keep Going, and Blue World – all remastered, and presented with beautiful notes!

One of the funkiest records ever from Charly Antolini – the drummer who cut some mighty groovy records for MPS! This album features Charly's drums really kicking hard – actually hitting some moments that make for some tight breaks in the set, supported by instrumentation that's very much in the best MPS big band mode of the time! The mixture of heavy drums and tight horns reminds us a lot of some of the best funk from Buddy Rich – although the MPS setting here is a lot groovier – and players include Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Armin Rusch on organ, Sigi Schwab on guitar, and Ack Van Rooyen on trumpet and flugelhorn. The whole thing's jumping – an extremely propulsive little set – and titles include "Handicraft", "Punching Ball", "Gemma Ham", "Skinny", and "Scratches".

A trio of amazing records from the legendary Francy Boland – sessions done away from his big band work with Kenny Clarke, and in a groove that breaks nicely from that group's more famous style! The sessions here are still very much in Clarke/Boland Big Band territory – as Francy's working with a large group of familiar players, and is produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi – but the overall sound is quite different too, and features a range of sensitive and sophisticated tones and colors! Boland plays piano, electric piano, and mellophone – and other players include Benny Bailey and Dusko Goykovich on trumpets, Frank Rosolino and Nat Peck on trombones, Fats Sadi on vibes, and some especially great reed work from Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, and Sahib Shihab – all players with the right balance between ensemble strength and standout solos to really make these tunes sparkle! There's a richness here that's really great – a hint of the driving Clarke/Boland sound, but also a fuller feel too – almost a soundtrack-like depth at points, with shimmering tones that are filled with life and imagination. Some tunes are originals by Boland, mixed in nicely with other jazz standards that are really transformed by his arranging touch. 2CD set features 18 titles in all – including "Clair Obscure", "Yesterdays", "Hopeless", "Dancing In The Dark", "Off The Top Of My Head", "Stella By Starlight", "Daffodils", "East Of The Sun", "Nargileh", "A Gal In Calico", and "The Son Of Sax No End".

One of the first real recording successes of the MPS/Saba label was the discovery of Austrian pianist Eugen Cicero. Cicero had been trained in classical piano, but was also a fierce fan of jazz – and during the mid 60s, he recorded a number of big-selling albums that blended jazz rhythms with classical melodies. Sure, this style was proving to be very successful in France at the same time – as evidenced by the work of Jacques Loussier and The Swingle Singers – but Cicero's ace-in-the-hole was his great trio, which included Peter Witte on bass and the legendary Charly Antolini on drums. Antonlini's style is great, and he gives the tracks a nice kick that keeps them moving in a very fresh way. This CD brings together MPS sessions from the 60s by Cicero – for a total of 11 tracks that include Liszt's "Libestraum", Chopin's "Prelude In E Minor", Mozart's "Fantasia In D Minor", Tchaikowsky's "Melodie Antique Francaise", and "Bach's "Erbarme Dich, Mein Gott".

U.S. double LP reissue of two great sides of hard swinging, hard grooving jazz by the great Clark-Boland Big Band. This is some of the best European jazz to be recorded in the late 60's, and one of the best ways to hear "lost" geniuses like Benny Bailey, Sahib Shihab, Jimmy Woode, Shake Keane, and Jimmy Deuchar – not to mention more famous players like Ronnie Scott, Eddie Davis, and Johnny Griffin. Great all the way through, with loads of tight short cuts like "The Turk", "Milkshake", "November Girl", "Peter's Waltz", and "New Box". Big on the international club scene, and big on the south side of Chicago. How can you go wrong?

A seminal session from one of the greatest large groups ever! This one captures the Clarke-Boland ensemble at the peak of their creativity – swinging hard in that tight firey way that was virtually their trademark during the late 60s. The players are a top-shelf mix of European and American jazz legends – coming together without ego, without attitude, and having a hell of a time working through groundbreaking arrangements from leader Francy Boland. Soloists include Sahib Shihab, Tony Coe, Dusko Goykovich, Ronnie Scott, Jimmy Woode, and Benny Bailey – and the tracks are all short, but swing like a mofo, with plenty of solo action in the mix. Titles include "Love For Sale", "November Girl", "All Through The Night", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", and "Bei Dir War Es Immer So Schon".

A classic session for MPS, one of the few labels smart enough to ever make Davis a leader on a session. This is arguably his best record as a leader, and it features a great group, playing in a number of different configurations. Players include Freddie Hubbard, Roland Hanna, Louis Hayes, and Jerry Dodgion – and the playing's a nice mix of modernism and soul jazz, with the kind of approach that Hubbard was using on a lot of his Atlantic records at the time. Titles include "Milktrain", "What Is It", "Toe Tail Moon", and "A Child Is Born".

The aura here is spreading wide – as George Duke really grows his sound strongly from the early years, and takes hold of a whole host of cosmic influences! The record's one of Duke's biggest for MPS – a beautiful balance between jazzy fusion and spacey soul – served up with help from an array of great singers and players from the west coast scene. Duke's still stretching out plenty on keyboards – but never in a too-jamming, too-indulgent way – always sensitive enough to never mess up the groove, and always with a sense of space and timing that never showed up this well in his later records. Players include Airto on percussion, Alphonso Johnson on bass, Ndugu Chancler on drums, and Duke himself on more keyboards than we could ever hope to list here! Vocals are by Sylvia St James, Gee Janzen, and Kathy Woehrle – as well as Duke himself – and titles include "Foosh", "For Love", "Uncle Remus", "Fools", "The Aura", "Enchinda's Arf", "Floop De Loop", and "Dawn".

Killer keyboards from the legendary George Duke – and one of his most righteous albums for the MPS label! The album's a spectacular set that showcases both sides of Duke's genius at the time – his spacey, soulful approach to a laidback tune – and his more jamming styles on the harder cuts! Instrumentation is somewhat spare – just keyboards and piano from George, who also sings a bit – plus Ndugu Chancler on drums and John Heard on bass – both playing with a freely creative energy that's definitely motivated by Duke. There's a beautiful mix of electricity and acoustic warmth on the set – never too forced, and clearly an inspiration for countless players in years to come – maybe even more so than Herbie Hancock's work of the time. Drums are great too – and snap tightly for plenty of nice breaks on the set – which are in turn augmented by mellower keys from Duke, who also sings with a sweetly electric soul style. Titles include "Capricorn", "The Opening", "Psychosomatic Dung", "North Beach", "Faces In Reflection", "Maria Tres Filhos", and "Da Somba".

Sweet keyboards and lots of funky grooves – one of the best of George Duke's seminal albums for MPS – and a record that captures him at a key middle point in his growth! The sound here is tighter than the trippier records of before, but also never too smooth or commercial – still with plenty of cosmic influences in the funk, and a wealth of great keyboard work that rivals some of Herbie Hancock's best from the same stretch. George sings a bit himself – in a warmly compressed mode that's simply wonderful, and which further expands the grooves – and although much of the album's instrumentation comes from the keyboards, the record also features guest appearances from Airto on percussion and Ndugu on drums – as well as a bit of guest vocals from Flora Purim. Titles include "The Once Over", "Tzina", "Statement", "Love", "Feel", "Funny Funk", "Rashid", and "Cora Joberge".

One of George Duke's best albums for the MPS label – and a set that has a sound that's a little bit more soul than before! The album uses a fair bit of vocals alongside Duke's funky keyboards – but in a way that's not nearly as smooth as some of his albums for Epic, and which still retains all the best spacey and cosmic bits of his roots! The record's got a strong west coast soul feel – with elements of some of the jazzy funk of the Fantasy Records/Bay Area scene, and elements of the electric funk that was starting to come out of LA at the time – and there's a huge host of guest stars on the record, including Johnny Guitar Watson (who sings on one track), Emil Richards (who plays marimba), and Flora Purim (who does her usual thing!) Titles include "Chariot", "Someday", "That's What She Said", "Sister Serene", "Prepare Yourself", "Rokkinrowl", and "Look Into Her Eyes".

Incredible work from George Duke – a killer collection of his earliest recordings for the MPS label – all of them great! Although Duke's probably best known for his smoother, more soul-based sides for Columbia, he got his biggest start on the MPS label in the early 70s – working out a groove that was part jazz, part fusion, part funk, and part cosmic soul – wrapped up in keyboards, and often served up with a righteously tripped-out edge! Most of Duke's best records from these years have been unavailable for years, making the collection a completely essential look at this period – the first bold flowering of genius, at a level that would hardly be matched again. George plays plenty of Fender Rhodes, mini moog, and Arp on these sides – and most numbers feature small combo instrumentation, which really helps keep a nice sort of edge. Titles include "Capricorn", "The Opening", "Maria Tres Filhos", "Dawn", "Faces In Reflection No 2", "Sister Serene", "Someday", "Seeing You", "The Aura", "Malibu", "For Love", "Chariot", "Feel", "Liberated Fantasies", "Yana Aminah", "Tzina", "After The Love", and "I Can Hear That".

Solid soul from the amazing George Duke – a record with a fair bit more focus than some of his previous efforts for MPS, but still done with a free and righteous vibe overall! The album's one of the last before Duke moved into smoother soul territory for his US albums of the late 70s – and it's still got plenty of the best hallmarks of the MPS years – especially on the keyboards, which are always warm and mellow, used with a great sense of space and inherent rhythm. There's a bit more vocals than before, but they're fused in nicely with the instrumentation – and players in Duke's group include Airto on percussion, Emil Richards on marimba, and Ndugu Chancler on some very heavy drums! Vocals are by Duke, Napoleon Murphy Brock, and Bonnie Bowdon Amaro – and titles include "Back To Where We Never Left", "I C'n Hear That", and "Liberated Fantasies", all of which are nice jazz funk numbers – plus "Don't Be Shy", "Seeing You", "Tzina", and "After The Love".

A well-titled album from trumpeter Don Ellis – as the set soars to the skies from the very first note! The album's got a dynamic energy that almost beats Don's American work of the time – lots of funky rhythms, and a cool MPS groove that shows the label's strong 70s legacy of larger group jazz recordings! Like other MPS dates of the time, there's a nice mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation in the lineup – bass and guitar that kick the rhythms up strongly, plus keyboards and electrified strings that bring in their own unique sounds. Milcho Leviev handles the keys on the session – and titles are a fresh batch of numbers that include "Sidonie", "Image Of Maria", "Sladka Pitka", "Go Back Home", "Whiplash", "The Devil Made Me Write This Piece", and "Invincible".

Earlier billed as "progressive ethnic rock", this early album by Embryo is more of a great bit of spacey fusion – featuring some cool ethnic percussion, soaring Fender Rhodes keyboard lines, and nice choppy reed work by Charlie Mariano! The record was originally issued on MPS, and it's got that great mix of styles the label was pioneering in the early 70s. Titles include "No Place To Go", "Flute & Saz", "Abdul Malek", and "Ehna, Ehna, Abu Lele".

Very nice electric Latin jazz session from this legendary LA piano player. Clare plays organ and electric piano, and the group also features Poncho Sanchez on congas. The band has a wonderful warm mellow groove, and the record is one of Fischer's best from the time! Includes a great version of Clare's classic "Morning", plus the cuts "Descarga – Yema Ya", "Guarabe", "Bachi", and "Cosmic Flight".

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

Hip modern big band material from pianist George Gruntz – some of his finest work from the time, cut with a group that includes Eje Thelin, Les Soloff, Charles Sullivan, Joe Henderson, Alan Skidmore, Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, and Jasper Van't Hof. The soloists are all pretty fantastic – and they're given lots of room to break out amidst the washes of color and mood from the larger band. In a way, this feels a lot like a Gil Evans session from the 70s – save for the fact that the tracks are longer, and probably a bit edgier! Titles include "So Much We Don't Know", "Black Narcissus", "Pistrophallobus", and "No One Can Explain It".

Amazing stuff – and one of the hippest records ever cut by pianist Friedrich Gulda! Unlike some of his other more modernist efforts, this one's got a really free swing to it – and it features a spare stripped-down approach that has Gulda's work on piano and "electra piano" backed only by the drums of Klaus Weiss. If you know Weiss' playing, you'll know that he's a heck of a player – one of the hardest swinging players in Germany during the 70s, with a rich range of styles that included funk, soul jazz, and hard bop playing. The best numbers on the album feature Gulda playing these amazing lines on "electra piano", with Weiss grooving underneath – either hitting a modal groove, a bossa one, or in some cases a freer beat to match Gulda's solos. The record kicks off with the four-part "Suite For Piano, Electra Piano, & Drums" – which has two great groovers, the "bossa nova" and "finale" section". Side two features the more avant "Meditation III", plus the excellent "Blues Fantasy", which starts out free, then rolls into a great modal funky part with great electric keyboard lines!

By the time of this early 80s recording, original Hi-Lo's member Gene Puerling had been crafting sly vocal jazz gems for MPS with the Singers Unlimited – mixing together smooth 70s production and slight electric instrumental touches, to get a sublime sound that took the harmony approach of the 50s male quartets to whole new limits! On this set, he's back with his original group, giving them the same treatment – adding in some wonderful west coast backings directed by Clare Fischer, and featuring Fischer on electric piano, Tommy Tedesco on guitar, and Gary Foster on flute. Titles include "Mr Blue", "Quiet Nights", "While We're Young", "Ain't Doin Bad Doin Nothin", and "The Night We Called It A Day".

A well-conceived session that brings together 4 extremely different styles of altoists – the icy Lee Konitz, the freewheeling Phil Woods, the soulful Pony Poindexter, and the rhythmic Leo Wright – all backed by a hiply swinging modern rhythm section that includes Steve Kuhn on piano, Palle Danielsson on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums. Most tracks feature all four players soloing, and the album includes a great version of Curtis Amy's "Native Land", plus Pony's "Good Booty", Woods' "Perils Of Poda", and Benny Bailey's "Prompt".

The funky fusion classic from guitarist Volker Krieger – finally issued in a great CD edition! Easily one of Krieger's best albums, Spectrum was remarkably cut in just two days at MPS Studios in 1971 – with a group that includes Peter Baumeister on drums, Cees See on bongos and percussion, Peter Trunk on bass and cello, and John Taylor on Hohner electric piano. It kicks of with the amazing track "Zoom", a seriously funky maelstrom of groovy funky guitar and percussion that mixes in washes of sitar and Eastern effects here and there for a really trippy effect! The album doesn't try to duplicate the frenzy whipped up by the opener right away, and finds a much more relaxed groove in tracks like "So Long, For Now", "More About D", "Ach Kina", and "Instant Judgement" before flailing away in the exciting closer "Strings Revisited". One of the great ones from MPS – and a hugely influential one to the progression of 70s jazz funk. A really groovy record!

A really full, fantastic set from the great Rolf Kuhn – a late 70s session that has him working with a pretty large group overall, but in a tight fusion mode that's got lots of sharp edges! The work's not nearly as jamming as you might expect from the title – and Kuhn allows plenty of space for sound amidst the larger ensemble, which includes brother Joachim on keyboards, Charlie Mariano on saxes, Philip Catherine on guitars, and Herb Geller on flute. There's some extra keyboards, horns, and strings in the lineup – all arranged by Kuhn with a quality that we've not heard on some of his other records – the majesty of Claus Ogerman at some moments, and a tighter 70s soundtrack funk approach at others! Titles include "Judy", "Just Call", "Swampfire (parts 1 & 2)", and "La Canal".

One of the trippiest records ever led by a clarinetist – a hip funky fusion outing that's right up there with better-known MPS dates of the time! Rolf Kuhn's in the lead on clarinet, but it's the rest of the group who really get things going here – a powerful Euro fusion lineup that includes Gerd Dudek on tenor and soprano sax, Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, Joachim Kuhn on electric piano, and Philip Catherine on guitar – all driven on strongly by drums from Kasper Winding and Daniel Humair, and bass from Bo Steif! A larger horn group joins in at points, pushing the record into funky fusion big band territory at points – and the groove is in the headiest, most full-on MPS fusion groove of the time – as you might guess from the already-electric cover image. Titles include "Total Space", "Miss Maggie", "Uncle Archibald", and "Buzz".

Few players can muster a solo trombone set like Albert Mangelsdorff – and this beautiful set is great proof of that fact! First up is the album Trombirds (1972) – incredible solo work from one of the best trombone players on the planet – a set that's almost more FMP jazz than MPS – and a beautiful demonstration of the mighty talents of Albert Mangelsdorff! The set's quite unique, especially for the time – and Albert really sounds beautifully in this solo space – never blowing too free, or losing his sense of swing at all – but also really opening up his horn to new styles and new sounds – some of which are hard to believe they came from a trombone! There's a sonic sensibility to the record that's really amazing – never just blown, but always done with a sense of tone – and titles include "Sing A Simple Song For Change", "Blues Of A Cellar Lark", "Trombirds", "Yellow Hammer", and "Espontaneo". Tromboneliness (1976) has Albert blowing solo, and beautifully, in a set of highly imaginative numbers! Solo trombone may not sound like the most earth-shattering thing in the world – but in the hands of Mangelsdorff, it can definitely move mountains – creating complicated patterns of shape and sound with a very familiar instrument – used here in ways you'd never expect, even from some of Albert's other group recordings. There's a strong sense of tone here – one that's perhaps only matched by George Lewis for sheer inventiveness and creativity – and Mangelsdorff never misses an opportunity to surprise, and the whole set is refreshing throughout. Titles include "Do Your Own Thing", "Fur Peter", "Marc Suetterlyn's Boogie", "Creole Love Call", "Questions To Come", and "Bonn". The last album in the set is Solo (1982) – a simply-titled album, but one that's full of complicated sounds – trombone modes that few other players could match, and a mighty testament to the improvising powers of the legendary Albert Mangelsdorff! The set seems to draw on a range of jazz tradition – but delivers the music in a stark, fresh sort of way – tones and sounds that are almost right at home with the early 80s generation that also gave us industrial music and a huge wave of free European jazz – but always delivered here by Mangelsdorff with a sense of poise, timing, and class – proof that his inventive work on trombone was never a matter of tricks or gimmicks. Titles include "Rooty Toot", "Lost & Found", "Nexus", "Bone Blues", "JC Was Here", "Give Me Some Skin", and "Der Alte Dreiviertel".

"Originals" is a great title for this one – as Albert Mangelsdorff is easily one of the most original jazzmen we've ever heard! The set is a wonderful package of groundbreaking music – 5 of Albert's rare albums for MPS, brought together as a mighty testament to his magical talents on the trombone – with virtually a different style and sound on each release! The set features Zo Ko Ma (1968), a stunning trio collaboration with Lee Konitz on alto and Attila Zoller on guitar; Wild Goose (1969), a unique MPS mix of jazz and folk music, with some great vocals on a few tracks; Never Let It End (1970), a bold set of avant jazz from a quartet that includes Heinz Sauer on tenor and alto; Trombone Workshop (1971), a set that features Mangelsdorff with other trombonists Slide Hampton, Jiggs Whigham, and Ake Persson, supported by a trio with electric piano from George Gruntz; and Birds Of Underground (1972), another bold avant set with Sauer on alto and Gerd Dudek on tenor sax. Together, the five albums represent an amazing batch of music – sounds on the trombone that few other players could make, served up in enough settings to show that Mangelsdorff is always at the top of his game. Each album packaged individually – with full cover art and liner notes for each!

Rob McConnell was one of the few leaders still flying the big band flag high at the end of the 70s – and his work for the MPS label takes off where most of the imprint's bigger groups of the late 60s and early 70s left off. The group's got some strong players who had fame in their own groups – like Moe Koffman, Sam Noto, Guido Basso, and others – and the group's got acoustic horns in the lead, plus electric guitar, bass, and keyboards in the rhythm section, giving the album that nice juxtaposition used by some of the hipper big bands of the 70s. There's no real funky numbers here, but the sound is strong enough – and titles include "The Waltz I Blew For You", "Start With Mrs Beanhart", "Twist Of The Wrist", and "Everything Happens To Me".

A funky fusion classic from superdrummer Alphonse Mouzon – a rare date as a leader for MPS, and a set that rivals his best 70s grooves on Blue Note! The album's got a slightly more electric feel than some of Mouzon's previous work, but it's still far from the smoother soul of the 80s – thanks to a sharp-edged lineup that includes Gary Bartz on soprano and alto sax and Stu Goldberg on keyboards – both players who bring a nice sense of depth to the set! Some of the best cuts are actually the most laidback – somewhat spacey grooves that spin out beautifully, and which are then offset nicely by the choppier fusion cuts on the set. Titles include the massive break cut "Poobli" – an electric bit of MPS that we never tire of – and other tracks include "The Mouzon Drum Suite", "Virtue", "Master Funk", "Nyctophobia", and "Baker's Daughter".

One of the grooviest records we've ever heard from guitarist Joe Pass – a sweet European session for MPS, and one with a very different feel than some of his US recordings! The setting's a trio, with a feel that's more open than some of Joe's pop-jazz sets from the 60s – and the rhythms are warmly fluid, in ways that allow Pass to play some great open-handed solos that spin out wonderfully – hanging softly in air, almost with Jim Hall-like qualities, although a bit more inside overall. The rest of the group features Eberhard Weber on bass and Kenny Clare on drums – and titles include a great version of "Ode To Billy Joe", plus "Chloe", "I Love You", "Joe's Blues", "Watch What Happens", and "El Gento".

A well-titled set – in that it's got Oscar's piano in a fairly loose, soulfully relaxed setting with Sam Jones on bass and Bob Durham on drums. The album was recorded by MPS wizard Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer in his own home – and it's an excellent example of the label's scene at its most relaxed mode. Tracks are longish, but never too self-indulgently so – and titles include "Waltzing Is Hip", "Satin Doll", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Sandy's Blues", "Alice In Wonderland", and "Noreen's Nocturne".

Another fine batch of tunes from the previously loooong unreleased 1968 sessions recorded for MPS! This is another release in the trio line up of Peterson on piano, and core crew of the sessions Sam Jones on a wonderfully springy bass, and Bob Durham on the kit. These sessions are essentially identifiable for the relaxed, soulful warmth that came so naturally from the atmosphere of the home of producer/engineer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer – who manned the booth as well as provided the venue. Beautiful stuff – made even more so thanks to the new Super Audio remastering process! Tracks include "Travelin' On", "Emily", "Quiet Nights", "Sax No End" and "When Lights Are Low".

Pure genius from Oscar Peterson – one of his finest moments ever! The record is very different than most of Oscar's over-recorded trio format ones – and features Claus Ogerman crafting some impeccable backings of lofty strings and compressed horns, creating a pillow of air that takes Oscar's piano to the sky and beyond, floating into realms never dreamed of on other LPs! The set sparkles with a strident MPS easy groove – completely sublime, with a perfectness that we'd ascribe to a rare few albums, such as the similar-grooving Jobim album Wave, also helped out tremendously by Ogerman. Titles include "Dreamsville", "Sally's Tomato", "Sunny", "Wave", "Wandering", and "Ode To Billy Joe".

The first of a series of great "private" recordings that Oscar Peterson did for the MPS label in the late 60s – sessions done at the home of label owner Hans Georg Brunner Schwer, in a laidback and easygoing style that's different than some of his American work of the time! The group on the set features Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums, and the tunes open up nicely on some of the album's longer takes. Titles include "Easy Walker", "Tin Tin Deo", "Like Someone In Love", and "A Foggy Day".

The fourth in the MPS reissue series of long unreleased late 60s recordings from the home of producer/engineer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer finds Oscar Peterson in a glorious solo piano mode! All of the recordings in the series were from very relaxed, loose sessions that were some of Peterson's favorite of the time – and they're done in a mode that has Oscar playing loosely and soulfully throughout. Titles include "Someone To Watch Over Me", "Perdido", "Body And Soul", "Bye, Bye Blackbird", "Lulu's Back In Town", Little Girl Blue", "Who Can I Turn To", "Take The 'A' Train" and more.

A solo sparkler from Oscar Peterson – recorded in a flurry of excellent late 60s recordings for MPS, and done in a warmly rhythmic mode that puts Peterson's solo work right up there in the ranks of Tatum and Garner! The production on the album is immaculate – done with a depth that easily set a new level for solo piano at the time, and which has Peterson's tones ringing out with clarity and an incredible sonic range. Oscar's touch on the keys is quick, but never thoughtless – and his ease of approach in a mode like this is somehow even more incredible than some of his trio work of the time. Titles include "A Child Is Born", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "If I Should Lose You", "Django", "Just A Gigolo", and "A Little Jazz Exercise".

A wonderful set of laidback tracks from Peterson – featuring a good mix of tunes from Brazilian sources, soundtracks, and a few nice 60s pop numbers. The group here features Sam Jones on bass and Bob Durham on drums – and while the album might have sparkled a bit more with some added arrangements – Peterson's in an expansive mode that makes the spare trio setting still groove with enough of a flair to keep our ears interested. Titles include "Tristeza", "Nightingale", "Triste", "Watch What Happens", "Down Here On The Ground", and "Fly Me To The Moon".

One of the first albums cut by the fab Singers Unlimited – and the set that has them backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio! The Singers always mixed well with guest jazz talents – and the style of this albums gives their sweet harmonies a nice jazz-based groove and not too much cheese on the top – one of the leanest instrumental settings from their MPS era, and a nicely gliding groove that supports their voices wonderfully! The record includes great versions of "The Gentle Rain", "Once Upon A Summertime", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and Thad Jones' great "A Child Is Born" – as well as a pretty crazy rendition of "Sesame Street"!

Great US double LP set compiling two of Baden's MPS recordings from the late 60's. The first record's got some excellent tracks with Baden Singing, including "Tres Themas Da Fe Afro-Brasileira", "Samba Em Preludio", and "Tributo A Um Amigo". And the second LP features Baden's guitar with Sidney Smith's flute, Eberhard Weber's bass, and Charly Antolini's drums. Tracks include "Feitiha Pro Poeta", "Consolacao", and "Samba Triste".

One of Baden Powell's grooviest albums ever – a brilliant blend of his bossa roots with the freer 70s grooves of MPS! The album follows the mode of some of his other European recordings, but is still a bit different – in that the overall sound is a bit freer than before, with tracks that really open up beautifully – including one or two that hit a nicely heavy groove! The lovely Janine De Walyene sings these wonderful wordless vocals on some of the album's best tracks – scatting heavily on the famous jazz dance number "Blues A Volante" – and drifting moodily behind the guitar on other numbers. Other instrumentation includes bass, drums, and a bit of Brazilian percussion – and titles include the classic "Blues A Volante", plus "Violao Vagabundo", "Canto", "Ate Eu", and "Conversacao Comigo Mesmo".

Sadness on guitar – a perfect title for Baden Powell's work on his chosen instrument, especially the way he could bring a simple but emotive style to his music! Powell's work on guitar here is often quite spare, but beautifully handled – set up with rhythms by a small combo that includes Milton Banana on drums alongside added percussion, as well as some especially great flute from Copinha – and recorded with an echoey style that makes each new note resonate with tremendous strength. The overall groove is a bit more upbeat than some of Powell's other "on guitar" sessions for MPS – with a number of tracks that hit the livelier groove of his earlier Brazilian recordings. Titles include a great spare version of "Round Midnight", plus "O Astronauta", "Sarava", "Canto De Xango", "Canto De Ossanha", and "Som Do Carnival".

An unusual Jimmy Raney album from the 70s – recorded for MPS, with some very hip rhythm backing from Richard Davis on bass and Alan Dawson on drums! The date was produced by Don Schlitten, and has a nice extension of that hip Dawson/Davis groove that was going down at Prestige in the 60s – on titles that include "Momentum", "Autumn Leaves", "We'll Be Together", and "Just Friends".

A classic live set that has Don Cherry joining George Russell's group that included Ray Pitts on tenor, Bertil Loevgren on trumpet, and Brian Trentham on trombone. The record is one of Russell's strongest, and manages to escape from some of the overly academic scoring that his albums are sometimes subject to. Titles include "Freein Up", "Lydia & Her Friends", and "Round Midnight".

A surprisingly great set from violinist Zbigniew Siefert – a player who uses his instrument in ways that are a bit different than some of his European contemporaries! There's less of a tendency to jam on this set – yet Seifert still plays with a nice sense of boldness, really feeling the shapes of the sounds, and exploring the full tonal possibilities of his instrument – a bit like Billy Bang at some of his most inventive moments! The core group really adds a lot to the sensitivity of the record – Joachim Kuhn on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – the two latter players bringing in some especially nice elements at the bottom of the rhythms. Jasper Van't Hof plays electric piano and organ on a few tracks – and titles include "Coral", "Turbulent Plover", "City Of Spring", "Man Of The Light", and "Stillness".

A landmark session of world jazz! This is one of the first entries in MPS' "Jazz Meets The World" series – and it features the quintet of Japanese drummer Hideo Shiraki (featuring a young Terumasa Hino on trumpet), working with additional traditional instrumentation by three female Koto players. The combination of postwar Japanese hardbop and folkloric melodies is astounding – and the format allows the jazz players to groove at their best, while still interacting nicely with the Kotos. The record is a gem through and through – with a visionary sound that shows that MPS was already one of the most groundbreaking labels in jazz, even at an early age. Titles include "Alone Alone and Alone", "Suvwa", "Yamanaka Bushi", and "Sakura, Sakura".

With Heribert Thusek on tenor and Otto Weiss on piano – plus great drums from Charley Antolini. Titles include "April In Paris", "Cherokee", "Yesterdays", and "One O'Clock Jump".

Titles include "Brain Stream", "Retro Active", "Energy", "Satar", "Four Keys", and "Grapes".

A great example of the strength of the MPS label in the trad jazz side of the spectrum – a well-done session that features Tate's tenor in a small "celebrity club" group that includes Wilbur Bascomb on trumpet, Ben Richardson on clarinet and alto, Nat Pierce on piano, and Eddie Jones on bass. The tracks are short and swinging, but played in a manner that illustrates the rich appreciation of their talents experienced by these American jazzers in Europe. Titles include "Moten Swing", "Ben's Broken Saxophone", "Airmail Special", "Body & Soul", and "One For Johnny".

A rare meeting of these two American giants of the tenor sax – brought together at the end of the 60s in Europe, both recording late in their careers, but with a laidback and open approach that's really wonderful! The format here is quite loose – a bit like some of the late hours, swing-based sides on Prestige at the end of the 50s – with longish tracks that let both players state their solos in clean, well-recorded phrasings – with gentle support from a trio that includes Tete Montoliu on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. There's a few faltering moments at times, but they also add a nice degree of humanity to the record – kind of a dimming genius that might not have been allowed on an American session by either player, but which speaks volumes here for the time and distance both players had travelled! Titles include "Caravan", "Sundae", "Blues For Dottie Mae", and "Perdido".

Some of the funkiest, grooviest tunes ever from the MPS label – all brought together in one double-length set at an incredible price! These are the tracks that first got MPS re-noticed by a younger generation of groovers a decade or more ago – tunes that offer up an amazing blend of soul jazz, Brazilian, modal, and vocal styles – all done with genre-crossing genius, and some of the best production an artist could ever hope for in the studio! The collection's sort of an amalgamation of the essential (and now-deleted) compilations by Gilles Peterson that appeared on the Talkin Loud label – a filtering down of all the best bits into a 19-track CD that runs for over 75 minutes in length. Titles include "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Ella Fitzgerald, "Color" by Erwin Lehn, "Just Give Me Time" by Mark Murphy, "Little Bird" by Elsie Bianchi, "Waldmadchen" by Gustav Brom, "Espresso Loco" by Francy Boland, "That Ol Bus Smell" by Peter Herbholzheimer, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by Dee Dee Barry & The Movements, "Big Schlepp" by Dave Pike, "Carmell's Black Forest Waltz" by Nathan Davis, "Upa Neguinho" by Edu Lobo, "Hold Me I've Got To Leave You" by Johnny Teupen, "Volcano's Daughter" by Nelson Riddle, "Monticello" by Monty Alexander, "Scratches" by Charly Antolini, and "Speech Craft" by Horst Jankowski.

One of the coolest albums ever cut by trumpeter Don Ellis – quite different from any of his American sessions of the time, and done with a really stretched-out, ambitious sort of feel! The record matches Ellis bold trumpet work with some hip arrangements that feature multiple guitars, keyboards from Milcho Leviev, a bit of harp, and some added strings to round out the sound nicely – a complex approach that gives the record some of the sophistication of the hipper Creed Taylor productions of the early 70s. The strings really bring in some arch-sounding notes at points, then slide into warmer passages at others – and Leviev's keyboards have a rich tone next to the sharper notes of Don's trumpet on some of the best cuts. The whole thing's about as poetic as you'd guess from the title, and from songs like "Dew", "Summer Rain", "Forest", "Cherry Petals", "Water Jewel", "Blossoming", "Mirror Pond Of Stars", and "Parting".

A rich "midlife harvest" of work by Austrian pianist Friedrich Gulda – a key figure in the intersection between jazz and modern music on the European scene of the postwar years, represented here by a wealth of recordings done for Decca and MPS in the 60s and 70s! Gulda's work here takes a wide variety of formats – from solo piano, to trio material, to larger group recordings with jazz soloists, as well as some more experimental sessions that step strongly into the territory of 20th century classical music. Drummer Klaus Weiss is on a good number of the recordings, and other jazz artists include Phil Woods, Fritz Pauer, Palle Mikkelborg, Freddie Hubbard, Tubby Hayes, Ron Carter, Sahib Shihab, and JJ Johnson. One session features vocalist Albert Golowin, singing in an avant garde style – and another is solo Gulda, in a "piano play in 10 acts". The package reproduces the booklet that came with the original 1973 9LP box set – and titles include "Variations On Light My Fire", "Music For Four Soloists & Band", "Blues Fantasy", "Fantasy For Four Soloists & Band", "Siben Golowin Lieter", "Play Piano Play", "Little Suite", "Piano Concerto No 1", "Duo", "Meditation", "Poem Fur Friedrich Gulda", "Anima In Heidelberg", and "Suite For Piano E-Piano & Drums".

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.

Moody vocals from the Jankowski Singers – a hip ensemble led by pianist Horst Jankowski, with a floating dreamy sound that's very much in the best MPS easy mode! The tracks on the set are as haunting as the "nightpeople" in the title might imply – harmonic, yet slightly off-kilter – and easy, yet with an undercurrent of 70s slink that makes everything feel a bit stranger than it otherwise might. The title track – "Nightpeople Only" – is a real gem, and worth the price of the record alone – but the rest of the set is pretty wonderful too, with a cool blend of male/female chorus vocals, Jankowski's piano and keyboards, and some sweetly compressed flugelhorn solos from Ack Van Rooyen. Other tracks include "Didn't We", "Let's Make A Day", "With Two Eyes", "Light My Fire", and "Lady Eve". CD also features lots of bonus tracks too – 9 more numbers that include "Heideroslein", "Ach Wie Ist's Moglich Dann", "Dreamflight", "Pink Balloon", "So Wie Heut", "Like A Ruby In The Street", and "Du Du Liegst Mir Im Herzen".

Incredible late 70s work from Albert Mangelsdorff – easily one of the most powerful jazz players of his generation, really standout out here in a set of 5 classic albums for MPS! Despite the later date of the records, the albums have all the power of Albert's earlier work – perhaps even more so, as this part of the decade really had him experimenting with new sounds and settings – moving way past familiar fusion or straighter jazz modes of MPS, often into out territory that would be right at home on the German label FMP! Albums include The Wide Point (1975), a powerful trio outing with Palle Danielsson on bass and Elvin Jones on drums; Solo Now (1976), a weird collaborative outing with a shifting lineup that features Joachim Kuhn on piano, Gunter Hampel on vibes and reeds, and Pierre Favre on percussion; the legendary MUMPS (1977), a set that mixes avant jazz and electronics, with a quartet lineup that includes Stu Martin, Barre Phillips, and John Surman; A Jazz Tune I Hope (1978), which features a quartet with Wolfgang Dauner on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums; and the well-titled Triple Entente (1982), with Leon Francioli on bass and Pierre Favre on drums, in that powerful later Mangelsdorff trio formation. All albums are wonderful – mindblowing jazz trombone you'd be hard-pressed to match elsewhere – and each album is packaged individually, with full artwork and liner notes!

One of George Duke's best albums for the MPS label – and a set that has a sound that's a little bit more soul than before! The album uses a fair bit of vocals alongside Duke's funky keyboards – but in a way that's not nearly as smooth as some of his albums for Epic, and which still retains all the best spacey and cosmic bits of his roots! The record's got a strong west coast soul feel – with elements of some of the jazzy funk of the Fantasy Records/Bay Area scene, and elements of the electric funk that was starting to come out of LA at the time – and there's a huge host of guest stars on the record, including Johnny Guitar Watson (who sings on one track), Emil Richards (who plays marimba), and Flora Purim (who does her usual thing!) Titles include "Chariot", "Someday", "That's What She Said", "Sister Serene", "Prepare Yourself", "Rokkinrowl", and "Look Into Her Eyes".

A killer collection of 70s tracks from reedman Rolf Kuhn – hand-picked by the artist from his groundbreaking albums on MPS – and a really mad mix of musical styles overall! Rolf first started out as a clarinetist with a more traditional feel – but by the time of these 70s sides, he was really opening up – using the instrument with open, flowing possibilities in the post-Coltrane generation – a bit like Tony Scott a times, with a range of influences from fusion, funk, free, and exotic jazz! The set features some of Rolf's grooviest work from this time – cuts that often feature electric work from players who include Joachim Kuhn or Wolfgang Dauner on keyboards, and Philip Catherine on guitar – plus supporting horns from players like Albert Manglesdorff on trombone, Randy Brecker on trumpet, and Gerd Dudek, Charlie Mariano, Herb Geller, and Alan Skidmore on saxes. Most tracks are long and jamming – and the set features nearly 80 minutes of music, with titles that include "Cucu Ear", "The Day After", "Made In Spain", "Sultans Of Jazz", "Just Call", "La Canal", "Swampire (part 2)", "Devil In Paradise", and "Uncle Archibald".

Jazzy, Latiny, and a little bit funky! We're not always the biggest fans of George Shearing, but the work on this CD is totally great – 2 rare albums cut in 1974 for the MPS label, both of which feature a fair bit of Latin percussion in the mix! The style here is a great update of Shearing's older combo mode for a hipper 70s sound – and the core quintet is augmented by additional timbales, bongos, and congas – all of which really help the tracks groove nicely! Shearing's on piano, and the group here is his "Amigos" lineup with Sigi Schwab on guitar, Andy Simpkins on bass, Rusty Jones on drums, and Heribert Thusek on vibes – bringing in a cool little element that really adds some color to the tunes. The sound is subtle, but soulful – often very slightly funky, and proof that Shearing still had a great sense of rhythm in his later years – at least when caught in the right setting like this! Titles include the famous funky cover of "Aquarius", which begins with a nice break – plus "The World Is A Ghetto", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "The Way We Were", "The Hands Of Time", "To A Wild Rose", "I'll Be Around", "Alone Again (Naturally)", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", and "Superstar".

A fantastic set from vocalist Mark Murphy – easily one of his greatest albums ever! The session was recorded for the MPS label in Germany during the late 60s – at a time when Murphy was recording some excellent work overseas – and the album features backings by a small combo peeled off of the legendary Clark-Boland Big Band, who were also working for MPS at the time! Murphy's vocals get some tremendous backing on the set from a combo that includes Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, Derek Humble on alto, and Ronnie Scott on tenor – and the grooves are a mix of modal numbers and straight jazz tunes – almost always dancing together in a lovely way that unlocks a side of Murphy's talents that hadn't been recorded this way before. And in fact, the album's gone onto have a huge influence on the current sound of club jazz – and is a key inspiration for the work of Nicola Conte, Koop, Five Corners Quintet, and others! The vocals are perfect, too – with nary a hint of overindulgence, and always a sweet measured groove that works perfectly with the material – and titles include "My Ship", "I Don't Want Nothin", "Hopeless", "Sconsolato", "Why & How", and "Just Give Me Time".

The name of Stephane Grappelli's often associated with that of Django Reinhardt – given the famous recordings by the pair when Django was still alive. But sides like these are a lot less familiar – rare 70s MPS recordings done by Grappelli – definitely showing his roots with Reinhardt, but at a level that's a bit more modern as well! The collection pulls together tracks from MPS albums Violinspiration, The Reunion, Afternoon In Paris, and Young Django – with players who include George Shearing on piano, Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine on guitars, and Isla Eckinger or Eberhard Weber on bass – and the set features 18 tracks that include "Swing Guitars", "Undecided", "Hot Lips", "Minor Swing", "This Can't Be Love", "Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir", "Shine", "Blues For Django & Stephane", and "La Chanson De Rue".

A lost little gem from pianist Monty Alexander – recorded for RCA in the time between his early Pacific Jazz sides, and his later, better-known sessions for MGM and MPS! The "zing" in the title is quite appropriate – as Monty's got a rhythmic punch that grabs us from the very first note – and which makes the album swing nicely throughout, even when it's settling down into the mellower, more pianistic style of other RCA sessions from the same period. Monty's working with 2 different groups on the set – one with Roy McCurdy on drums and Victor Gaskin on bass – the other with Bob Cranshaw on bass and Al Foster on drums. Tracks include "Zing", "Girl Talk", "Nocturne In E Flat", "You're My Everything", "Always True To You In My Fashion", and "Bossa Nova Do Marilla".

A holy grail of jazz – Roy Ayers' first album as a leader, and a near-lost session that's simply sublime! The record was cut at the same time that Roy was working in LA with pianist Jack Wilson – and it's got an approach that's a bit similar to some of the Wilson/Ayers sessions for Atlantic, Blue Note, and Vault – but with a marked difference here in the presence of Curtis Amy, who plays some incredible tenor and soprano sax on the session – arcing out over the modal lines set up by the vibes and piano, and shading in the record with a much deeper sense of soul! Amy plays on about half the album's tracks – all of which are standout modal tunes that preface the MPS/Saba sound by a number of years, and which we'd easily rank as some of the greatest jazz recorded anywhere in the 60s. And even the tracks without Amy are great too – and have Roy echoing out with a wonderfully round tone on the vibes – no tricks, no gimmicks, no attempt to cross over to commercial jazz – just a brilliant tone and fresh vision on his instrument for the time. Wilson's great too (but when is he not?) – and rhythm is by either Bill Plummer or Victor Gaskin on bass, and either Tony Bazley or Kenny Dennis on drums. Titles include "Sound & Sense", "Ricardo's Dilemma", "Out Of Sight", "Young & Foolish", "Reggie Of Chester", and "Days Of Wine & Roses". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Now's The Time" and "Perhaps/Cool Blues" – both pulled from the Bird Call record with Vi Redd as a leader, noteworthy as Roy's first time in the studio!

An excellent early 70s set from Benny Bailey – originally issued on Freedom, but recorded by Gigi Campi, with arrangements by Francy Boland – and very much in the mode of work at the time on MPS. The session features Bailey as the lead soloist amidst bandmates from the Clarke-Boland Big Band – including Francy Boland, Sahib Shihab, Tony Coe, and Tony Inzalaco. The smaller group's augmented by a string section that provides dark, but lush washes of sound – dramatic texture that's perfect for Benny to blow blue solos over the top in a complicated way, but makes it sound easy. Francy Boland also conducted, and wrote a few of the tunes – and titles include "Mirrors", "Flunkeyania", "At Ronnie's", "Effluves", "Everything Happens To Me" and "Sum Umbra". A beautiful set of somber, mellow work that gets in our soul – and straight up wonderful!

Great work by this legendary hard swinging band – an early 60s American album issued on Atlantic Records, in the years before the Clark Boland Band's legendary run on MPS! Despite the early date, the album's got all the core elements of the band's sound in place – soaring rhythms, sharp-edged frontlines, and some great solo work by players who include Benny Bailey, Derek Humble, Jimmy Woode, Shahib Shihab, Idrees Sulieman, and Fats Sadi – coming together in a brilliant trans-Atlantic meeting of jazz talents! Tracks include "Long Note Blues", "Speedy Reeds", "Sonor", and "Om Mani Padme Hum".

Great early genius from the Clarke Boland Big Band – proof that Kenny and Francy were onto something great, right from the start! The album really has the group hitting the heights of their MPS years – stretching out way past earlier big band modes, into the hip mix of rhythms and soulful solos that made the ensemble unlike any other group in the 60s – a really groundbreaking approach to their music, delivered by a range of top-shelf players! Arrangements are by Boland, who also plays piano –a nd other group members include Benny Bailey and Jimmy Deuchar on trumpets, Derek Humble on alto sax, Carl Drewo and Zoot Sims on tenor, Sahib Shihab on baritone sax and flute, and Ake Persson on trombone – plus rhythm from the rock-solid duo of Jimmy Woode on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include the Latin-tinged "Los Bravos", and more great originals by Boland – including "Volutes", "The Styx", "Charon's Ferry", and "Box 703 Washington DC" – plus versions of "Gloria" and "Last Train From Overbrook".

A triple header of genius from Brit jazz legend Graham Collier! First up is Deep Dark Blue Centre, presented in stereo on CD for the first time ever – a seminal set from the UK jazz scene of the 60s, and a key indication that they had as many changes going on as we did! Collier's leadership and vision for the music are impeccable – a very well-balanced blend of modernism and more personal moments – carried off beautifully by a group that includes either Harry Beckett or Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Mike Gibbs on trombone, Karl Jenkins on baritone sax, Dave Aaron on alto and flute, and Philip Lee on guitar. Collier brings an elegantly Blue Note-esque manner of scoring to the set, but also manages to delve into deeper complexities too – almost a bit of MPS exoticism at times! Titles include "Crumblin Cookie", "El Miklos", "Blue Walls", and "Conversations". Next up is Portraits – one of the most progressive sessions from Collier, and one that shows hints of the changes that were beginning to emerge in the British jazz scene at the time – but also one that resists those influences nicely, and which still stays relatively committed to Collier's regular modal jazz approach. The difference with Collier's other albums of the time is the prominent placement of a guitarist – Ed Speight, who plays long complicated solos which stretch out from the rest of the group. The other instrumentation is more traditional, with warm passages of alto, piano, and fluegelhorn next to the guitar. The track "And Now For Something Completely Different" takes up most of the album, and the album is completed by "Portraits 1". Last up is Alternate Mosaics – an alternate take of the material on the Mosaics album – recorded the same night as the version that was officially released. Like that one, Alternate Mosaics comprises one long piece – Collier's "Mosaics" – performed live by a group that includes Alan Wakeman on tenor and soprano, Harry Beckett on trumpet, and Geoff Castle on piano. "Mosaics" has that amazing mid 60s Coltrane quality of going out in a spiritual kind of way – yet always returning to the groove, never getting too free, and always remaining firmly focused on the direction ahead. All players are great, and the record crackles with the intensity of a classic session on Impulse!

A little bit funky, and a lotta bit groovy – a really wonderful little record that's an odd melange of soul, funk, and bossa elements! The pair at the front – Daniela and Ann – sing together in a harmonic style that's a bit like the female voices in Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 – but the overall musical style is far from straight bossa – and often has some odder, trippier jazz touches – thanks to the presence of players like Sigi Schwab on guitar and electric sitar, Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, and Olaf Kuebler on tenor sax! Some of the grooves have eletric bossa moments, but others show more late 60s European elements that belie the record's German origin – traces of MPS fusion, Peter Thomas playfulness, and some especially nice studio techniques that make for some really cool moments, and a really offbeat album that's quite a musical discovery overall. Titles include "Life Is Nothing But A Dream", "Somebody Somebody", "The Reason Why", "The Pain In My Heart", "Mi Lobo Mi Libi", "A Man & His Girlfriend", "When I Look At You", and "All My Love Is Gone".

Two excellent albums from German keyboardist Wolfgang Dauner – both made away from his better-known years on MPS! Changes is a really beautiful set – a session that has Dauner playing both acoustic and electric, sometimes at the same time – as he uses a sampler to capture sounds of the acoustic piano, then manipulates it while playing – creating a really haunting blend! There's a great mix of warm lyricism and spacier moments on the record – and titles include "Changes", "Fur Flo", "Tanz Trans", and "Landscape". Zeitlaufe is a record based around the photographs of Manfred Rieker – and as such, is almost a soundtrack of sorts – very evocative, with these great melodies you'd never expect to hear in Dauner's earlier work. Titles include "Echos Stimme", "Selinious", "Sikilos Lied", "Hypnos", and "Besinnung".

An album that's every bit as hip as you'd expect from its Sam Rivers-inspired cover image – a beautiful tribute to the modal jazz scene of the 60s, particularly the work of John Coltrane and some of his followers on Impulse Records! Apart from a cover of "Naima", though, the set's hardly a simple rehash of Coltrane modes – as all other tunes are originals, and the band delivers them with a core piano trio groove, then adds in flute, tenor, and soprano sax on different tracks! Rhythm is at the heart of the record, and bassist/leader Jerker Kluge really moves the group with a pulsating sound on his instrument – a deep, soulful tone that's matched beautifully by the brightly soaring piano lines of Jo Junghanss. A few cuts feature vocals by Julia Fehenberger, who further deepens the soul of the record – and the whole thing's a massive killer – like finding some lost Saba/MPS gem from the late 60s, with all the European jazz genius you'd expect from such a reference. Titles include "Heaven & Earth", "Naima", "Orange Flower", "Red Smoke", "Starlings Talk", and "Black Tiger".

Excellent work from one of our favorite pianists ever – the oft-overlooked Marco Di Marco, Italian genius from the 70s! Marco's got a style that features lots of bossa-inspired touches – running up and down the keys with a lively and modalist sound, often backed by an extra-soulful rhythm section, which makes for a style that ranks right up there with some of the best MPS recordings of the 70s. The tunes on this set are pulled from sessions from 1973, 1974, 1980, and 1981 – some of which were issued on his long out of print LPs, others of which are issued here for the first time. A few great tracks feature American altoist Chris Woods in the group – grooving nicely with a cutting and soulful edge. Tracks include "Par Avion" and "I Miei Ricordi" from the album Live at the Living Room, "Camparenda" from Quartet in New York, and two tracks from the fantastic album Together in Paris, which he recorded with Chris Woods – "Bossa With Regards" and "Together In Paris". Unreleased tracks include "Monsieur Le Bois In Paris" and "You Can't Win None Of Him".

One of the coolest projects ever to come from the Clarke Boland Big Band scene of the 60s – an album done under the leadership of Austrian tenor player Carl Drewo, but one that features all of his bandmates from the better-known big band! The set's wonderfully swinging throughout – done in a jazz waltz style with plenty of modal inflections – hardly the overdone Strauss modes you might expect from Drewo's roots, and more of the groovy 60s European rhythm modes that would show up often in sessions on Saba & MPS! Most tracks dance along beautifully – using instrumentation that includes Benny Bailey and Dusko Goykovich on trumpets, Sal Nistico on tenor, Sahib Shihab on baritone and flute, and Derek Humble on alto – all supported by the CBBB rhythm team of Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – plus the amazing Fats Sadi on percussion, really grooving along nicely at the bottom. Drewo's the lead soloist in most numbers, but he allows plenty of space for his bandmates too – and the session's got a sound we'd rank right up there with some of the best Clarke Boland projects of the 60s. Titles include "Wives & Lovers", "Fruhlingsstimmen", "My Favorite Things", "Claudia", "Schon Ist Die Welt", "Just Give Me Time", and "Keep On Keeping On".

Although Duke's music had always had plenty of Brazilian influences – as you can hear on most of his records from the early 70s for MPS – this album brings that sound to the forefront, and even features a number of tunes that Duke recorded in Rio with Brazilian artists like Simone, Milton Nascimento, Roberto Silva, Toninho Horta, and Airto. Titles incluce "Brazilian Love Affair", "Cravo E Canela", "Brazilian Sugar", "Sugarloaf Mountain", "Ao Que Vai Nascer", and "I Need You Now".

Heavily layered work from George Duke – a record that seems to push all his influences and aspects at once, sometimes getting in the way of each other, but sometimes making for some very nice grooves! The best tunes on the set are those that have a bit of space in them – letting Duke stretch out on the keys in between the notes, or croon in that wispy, spacey style that we always liked best on his MPS albums. Dianne Reeves guests on vocals on the sweet stepper "You & Me", which is worth the price of admission alone – and other tracks include "Up On It", "Sing It", "Down In It", "Carry On", and "What Do They Really Fear".

A weird little concept album from George Duke – a full "musical fantasy", laid out in the notes inside the cover, but executed with the R&B fusion approach he was using often at the time. George sings lead vocals on all cuts, but also gets some backing help from Jeffrey Osborne, Portia Griffin, and Patti Austin. Not as sublime as his groundbreaking MPS albums, clearly, but with some mellow moments that do come off with a nice spacey soul touch. Titles include "Born To Love You", "You Are The Light", "Reach Out", "Give Me Your Love", "Soon", and "Fly Away".

One of the most compelling Bill Evans albums of the 70s – a set that has him teaming up with arranger George Russell in a unique 8 part "Living Time" suite – on which Evans plays both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes! The sound is complex, with distinct modern tones – more in the spirit of his Symbiosis album for MPS, which would be a very good partner to this one – although Russell's vision is even more farther-reaching, and the set list here includes work by Richard Williams on trumpet, Webster Lewis on additional keyboards, and Jimmy Giuffre, Sam Rivers, and Joe Henderson on reeds! Russell composed and conducted the whole session – and this unique paring makes for a very memorable record, and one that sounds unlike any of Bill's other work.

A killer batch of large ensemble numbers – very much in the mode of the Clarke-Boland Big Band, or some of the other groups on MPS at the time! The group's led by Jerry Van Rooyen, the Dutch jazzman and composer who did some excellent funky soundtrack work over the years – a fact that certainly shows up in the tracks on the set – which have a sweetly grooving feel mixed in with the large ensemble jazz – a great approach that would have been right at home in some hip Euro film score from the time! Van Rooyen gives the material a soulful feel that's a lot like some of Quincy Jones' best scoring from the 60s – blending together work on organ, Fender Rhodes, and piano (played by Frans Elsen, Rob Madna, and Rob Franken) – with breakaway horn solos by players like Benny Bailey on trumpet and Rolf Ericson on trumpets, Ake Persson and Jiggs Whigham on trombones, and Herb Geller, Ferdinand Povel, and Tony Coe on reeds – most of whom are players who've sparked great notes previously on sets with the Clarke-Boland Big Band, or other hip MPS ensemble projects. Titles include "Sonlite", "Because I Love You", "Some Blues", "For Nathalie", "The Runners", "JBW", "Green", and "Whirligig".

Modal brilliance from Gerardo Frisina – possibly his greatest album ever, and a set that really shows his true transformation into a jazzman! The set's got a wide range of acoustic jazz instrumentation played live, and features none of the rhythm programs you might get on earlier Frisina records – a shift that has him moving in the same classic jazz space as labelmate Nicola Conte! As with Conte's recent records, there's a warmth and soul here that's undeniable – a feel that wraps up 50s Blue Note, 60s Italian jazz, and 70s MPS with ease – delivering something new and fresh for a younger generation in the process. Core instrumentation includes vibes, piano, tenor, flute, and trombone – and the set features guest vocals by Norma Winstone on one track, and Francesca Sortino on another. All other titles are instrumental, and tunes include "Titoro", "Joy Shout", "Will You Walk A Little Faster", "Tata Somba", "Mille E Una Notte", "High Hat", "Bubbly", and "Another Waltz".

Modal brilliance from Gerardo Frisina – possibly his greatest album ever, and a set that really shows his true transformation into a jazzman! The set's got a wide range of acoustic jazz instrumentation played live, and features none of the rhythm programs you might get on earlier Frisina records – a shift that has him moving in the same classic jazz space as labelmate Nicola Conte! As with Conte's recent records, there's a warmth and soul here that's undeniable – a feel that wraps up 50s Blue Note, 60s Italian jazz, and 70s MPS with ease – delivering something new and fresh for a younger generation in the process. Core instrumentation includes vibes, piano, tenor, flute, and trombone – and the set features guest vocals by Norma Winstone on one track, and Francesca Sortino on another. All other titles are instrumental, and tunes include "Titoro", "Joy Shout", "Will You Walk A Little Faster", "Tata Somba", "Mille E Una Notte", "High Hat", "Bubbly", and "Another Waltz".

Hard-burning new work from the legendary Dusko Goykovich – just the sort of smoking session we've come to expect from him over the years! The set's not to be confused with the earlier collection of 80s material with the same title – as this recent recording is filled with even more fire than that one, with Dusko's trumpet at the head of a five horn group that also features additional trumpet, trombone, tenor, and baritone sax – all wrapped together with some of the best arrangements we've heard on a Goykovich album in a long time! There's a killer groove here that really takes us back to Dusko's late 60s years on Saba/MPS – with plenty of original compositions that really keep things fresh. Titles include "Ballad For Miles", "Unit Seven", "Handful Of Soul", "Samba Tzigane", "Tokyo Shuffle Blues", "Quo Vadis Summit", and "One For Klook".

One of the legendary albums cut by hip European trumpeter Dusko Goykovich! The album was recorded in 1971 in Barcelona, and it's a very soulful quintet session that features fantastic performances from two of our favorite European players – trumpet player Dusko Goykovich and tenor player Ferdinand Povel, along with Spanish pianist Tete Montouliu, and his regular rhythm backing of Joe Nay and Robert Langereis. Goykovich and Povel groove hard in the frontline, bringing a hard edge to the session that you don't always hear on some of Montouliu's sessions from the time. The set grooves like a classic Blue Note, or some of the best straight ahead jazz on MPS – with lines that have their roots in soul jazz, but also show a real preference for modal grooving and lyrical soloing. Goykovich's tone is wonderful, and is a real mix of jazz and non-jazz European influences. Tracks include "Bosnia Calling", "Nameless Tune", and "The End Of Love".

Another great early 80s live recording by Swiss pianist George Gruntz and his international big band, following his Live At The Quartier Latin Berlin set for MPS. This time out Gruntz' players include Dino Saluzzi, Billy Harper, Cecil Bridgewater, Palle Mikkelborg, Jimmy Knepper, Eje Thelin, and Gerry Brown. Gruntz continues here with the long, roomy compositions he favored at the time. Tracks include Saluzzi's fifteen minutes plus "El Chanco", Daniel Humair's "Too Monk", and Gruntz' own "Great Jones", and "In The Tradition".

We always passed his albums on Solid State up, but now we think we must have been idiots! This is a fantastic bit of nuttiness, with Chico leading a tight group with Steven Potts on alto and Russell Andrews on tenor, both playing hard over a subdued background of four trombones that creates a strangely compressed sound next to the saxes. Jackie Arnold sings wordless vocals on a number of the cuts – scatting away like someone you might hear on an MPS record at the same time. Tracks are wild – very groovy and swinging, with an approach that's different than most of Chico's other work, but which takes off from the skittish rhythms of the mid 60s Impulse years. Titles include "MSP", "Third Wing On The Left Side Of An Eagle", "Daht Doo Dah", and "Blow Jim Blow".

One of the most exciting albums we've heard in a long time – and one of the few modern records to capture the excitement of the late 60s big band crossover scene! The Matthew Herbert group's clearly inspired here by older experiments on MPS and other European labels – and they work in a style that builds from older big band modes, by adding in lots of funky touches, soulful vocals, and complicated rhythms – all the while still managing to groove mightily, but also using the full range of sounds, tones, and colors of the group to create something truly amazing! The album's got some really wonderful tunes, and stays fresh throughout the whole double-length set – thanks to a range of vocals by singers that include Jamie Lidell, Dani Siciliano, Arto Lindsay, Shinghai Shoniwa, and others. Really fresh – and really unique – with tracks that include "Stationary", "The Battle", "Misprints", "Fiction", "Everything's Changed", "Chromoshop", "The Three W's", and "Turning Pages".

Dianne Reeves joins the hard-grooving band of Peter Herbholzheimer for a killer reading of "Cherokee" – one that takes the cut way past its familiar roots, into the wicked sort of groove that Peter forged during the 70s on his albums for MPS! "Kon Djab Djigdi" is another quick-grooving jazzer from Mario Canonge – fast drums kicking things off with a really great groove, then a flurry of frenetic piano amidst some horns – and a cool bass bit right in the middle!

A brilliant album of cosmic jazz from this up and coming German group! Hipnosis work in a territory that's half 70s fusion, and half underground club jazz – in a style that kind of feels like what would have happened if Herbie Hancock recorded for Compost Records! The group boasts some excellent work on Fender Rhodes and reeds – and most of the rhythms of the set have a loping, romping, modal feel – giving the record that warmth and grooveness of a classic album on MPS – showing that the European scene is still quite alive and well, and that all the years of sampled jazz records have finally lead to a great real jazz outing! File this one next to recent work by Sleepwalker and Koop – and prepare to be quite impressed. Titles include "My Words", "Black Forest Stomp", "Faery Song", "Helio Kop", "Moonflower", and "Half & Half".

Not the original MPS version, but a later recording that also features the orchestra of Gustav Brom playing "Missa Jazz" – with Jaromir Hnilicka on trumpet and Gunter Koci on tenor and flute.

Previously-unheard material from Freddie Hubbard – great live sides recorded in Europe during 1969, all with a stretched-out sound that really points the way to some of Freddie's growth in the 70s! The feel here is a bit like Hubbard's excellent Hub Of Hubbard album recorded for MPS around the same time – tracks that have a very spacious sound, much more so than some of his late 60s studio work – but which also are free of the electric modes that Freddie would begin to use at CTI. The balance is almost a bit like that of Hubbard's excellent post-electric sides of the early 80s, but with even more bite at times – played by a killer quartet that features Roland Hanna on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Space Track", "Without A Song", "Hub Tones", "The Things We Did Last Summer", "Body & Soul", and "Blues By Five".

Very cool late 60s recordings from German pianist Horst Jankowski – tracks done between his famous 60s easy listening years and his later electric grooves on MPS – all small combo material recorded with a group that features Hans Wenzel on guitar, Peter Witte on bass, and Branislav Kovacev on drums! The Jankowski groove here is fluid and rhythmic – a sound on piano that's certainly steeped in modes common to other easy players of the 60s, but which also has a punctuated brilliance that's really all its own. Plus, some of the tracks here feature Horts on clavinet, and a few more feature backing vocals from the Jankowski Singers – making for some groovier touches that only helps flesh out the song of the work. CD features 20 tracks in all – with titles that include "And We Got Love", "Tiflis Melody", "Turkish March", "I Will Wait For You", "Slick", "A Man & A Woman", "My Gerti", "Moon River", "Fly Me To The Moon", "Lover's Concerto", and "MacArthur Park".

One of the coolest records the Jazz Crusaders ever cut! The album's got their usual hard soul jazz quintet sound augmented by a bigger band – strangely uncredited on the record, but giving the group a lofty sound that pushes them into a whole new sound! The core style is still the LA soul jazz that the group virtually pioneered – but the added instrumentation gives them a hard-swinging feel that makes the album feel like a lost gem on MPS. Cool tracks include the group's strident reading of Edu Lobo's "Arrasto", a tenor-heavy version of "Walkin My Cat Named Dog", and the great original track "Turkish Black", which has some excellent organ work by Joe Sample!

A further chapter in the big band years of JJ Johnson – heard here at a point when JJ was pushing his ensemble even more than before, with a fluid groove that almost matches the energy of similar groups on MPS at the time! There's a real undercurrent of hipness going on in the record – a quality that's not content to ape bigger band modes of earlier years, and instead finds a whole new space in sound – a relatively lean quality, but one that still uses the added players to create some magnificent qualities in sound – all to support the well-blown lead solo work by Johnson. There's a nice groove on most numbers, and the album features some especially nice reeds from Jerome Richardson and Frank Wess. Johnson handled arrangements, and titles include "Short Cake", "Space Walk", "Little Dave", and "Euro #1".

Quite possibly the grooviest album ever from Anita Kerr – a set that brings the sweet sound of her vocal quartet into play with some of the best elements of the Sunshine Pop generation! The orchestrations, arrangements, and tunes here are all a lot hipper than before – not just simple pop tunes, given the Kerr touch – but a completely remade approach to the music, with deep consideration for all elements, and where they might be used the best! There's a really heavenly quality to the entire set – a sound that's somewhere between early Association and the best Singers Unlimited work at MPS – and along with a few well-chosen tunes by other writers, Anita even includes a few self-penned gems of her own. Titles include "I'm Falling In Love Again", "I Would Love You", "The Two Of Us", "They Always Ask Me", "Wine In The Wind", "Happiness Is", and "Today Is".

One of our favorite albums of the past decade – remixed! Waltz For Koop was an amazing debut for Koop – a set of tunes that drew heavily from real jazz of the 60s and 70s, and which fit perfectly in a tradition of modal jazz grooves that stretched back to the glory days of the European MPS scene! The tracks were all instant classics that helped restore our faith in modern music – and here, they're getting some really loving treatment from a host of remixers that include some of the best of the current European club jazz underground. Titles include "Baby (O Malicious rmx)", "Tonight (Nicola Conte new jazz version)", "Summer (Markus Enochson rmx)", "Bright Nights (Rima techno chimp dub)", "Summer Sun (Carlito rmx)", "Waltz For Koop (DJ Patife rmx)", "Relaxin At Club F***n (Dorfmeister vs Madrid De Los Austrias rmx)", and "Modal Mile (2 Banks Of 4 rmx)".

A stunning set from 60s Prague – a hard-swinging big band session with plenty of modern touches, and a nice little groove at the bottom! The album's got the non-traditional feel of the best work from the time by Gustav Brom – playfully mixing hard rhythms, soaring ensemble passages, and broken-out solo work – making for a set that's got the freeness of the best MPS/Saba work from the time. Alto saxophonist Karel Krautgartner is at the head of the group, and the tunes have plenty of room for his sharp solos – played in a "filled with fire" mode that almost reminds us of Phil Woods in the way he was really taking off at the time! Other players include Karel Velebny on vibes, Laco Deczi on trumpet, and Rudolf Roki on piano – and tunes are all original, with a sound that's as exciting as their titles – and titles include "Jazz Cult", "31 Degrees Above Zero", "Models", "Out Of A Blue Sky", "In The Traffic", and "Ex". Really great stuff – with a modern conception, and undeniable groove! CD also adds in some great bonus tracks – "Portrait" and "Concertino For Alto Sax".

A stunning set from 60s Prague – a hard-swinging big band session with plenty of modern touches, and a nice little groove at the bottom! The album's got the non-traditional feel of the best work from the time by Gustav Brom – playfully mixing hard rhythms, soaring ensemble passages, and broken-out solo work – making for a set that's got the freeness of the best MPS/Saba work from the time. Alto saxophonist Karel Krautgartner is at the head of the group, and the tunes have plenty of room for his sharp solos – played in a "filled with fire" mode that almost reminds us of Phil Woods in the way he was really taking off at the time! Other players include Karel Velebny on vibes, Laco Deczi on trumpet, and Rudolf Roki on piano – and tunes are all original, with a sound that's as exciting as their titles – and titles include "Jazz Cult", "31 Degrees Above Zero", "Models", "Out Of A Blue Sky", "In The Traffic", and "Ex". Really great stuff – with a modern conception, and undeniable groove! 2LP set also adds in some great bonus tracks – "Portrait" and "Concertino For Alto Sax".

Two 80s albums from German guitarist Volker Kriegel – back to back in one set! Journal has a warmly stretched-out feel – still with guitars that echo the trippier tones of Kriegel's famous 70s recordings for MPS, but with a more inside quality overall – a deepening and mellowing of Volker's moods, showing us that he can do a lot more than just freak out and get funky! The album's still quite far to the left of most mainstream fusion of the time – and titles include "Storyboard", "Calcador", "Schwebebahn", "Am Worthsee", and "Naura". Palazzo Blue is a late 80s outing – recorded with a quintet that features Thomas Bettermann on keyboards and Christof Lauer on saxes – done in a way that's got more of a 70s European fusion feel than you'd expect – especially on some of the more jamming numbers! Titles include "Castel Fiora", "Postcards For FW Amber", "Palazzo Blue", and "Ouagadougou".