Not a vocal session from Ray Charles, but instead a set that showcases his great abilities in jazz – a side of Charles' talents that Atlantic was focusing on a bit more at the end of the 50s! The record's a collaboration with vibist Milt Jackson, who's nicely more loose and gritty here than in the company of the Modern Jazz Quartet – and in addition to piano, Ray also plays a bit of alto sax too – which comes as a nice surprise! Other players include the great Billy Mitchell on tenor sax, Skeeter Best on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and titles include "Blue Funk", "Cosmic Ray", "Soul Brothers", and "How Long Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure little live set – recorded at the end of the 70s, at a time that makes it some of Sonny Stitt's last work on record! The format is straight and boppish – with some lyrical touches, and a strong open solo mode that goes well with the live setting. Stitt seems to dominate a bit more than Jackson, but that's ok with us – as he's in his best "back to basics" format of the 70s. The rest of the group features Gerald Price on piano, Don Moses on bass, and Bobby Durham on drums – and titles include "Loose Walk", "Star Eyes", "SKJ", and "Parking Lot Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Jackson, Johnson, Brown, and company – and a few more too – a nicely laidback sextet date from the later years of Pablo Records, done in the great mode that always made the label's work a 70s extension of the Verve Records ethos! Key players here, obviously, are Milt Jackson on vibes, JJ Johnson on trombone, and Ray Brown on bass – Brown also produced the set – and the group also features John Collins on guitar, Tom Rainer on piano, and Roy McCurdy on drums. Tracks are shorter and tighter than a jam session mode for three such heavy players – and titles include "Jaybone", "Lament", "Our Delight", "Bag's Groove", "Watch What Happens", and "The Jumpin Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Milt Jackson joins the Oscar Peterson Trio – helping the group to hit some great new space with his magical work on vibes! Jackson's got an open, airy feel – an approach that almost lets Peterson punctuate the tunes a bit more with his piano – while the pair get strong rhythmic support from the bass of Ray Brown and lyrical drums of Ed Thigpen. Tunes are open and relaxed, letting Milt hit some great mellow tones – and titles include "Green Dolphin Street", "Heartstrings", "The Work Song", "John Brown's Body", "A Wonderful Guy" and "Reunion Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Milt Jackson joins the Oscar Peterson Trio – helping the group to hit some great new space with his magical work on vibes! Jackson's got an open, airy feel – an approach that almost lets Peterson punctuate the tunes a bit more with his piano – while the pair get strong rhythmic support from the bass of Ray Brown and lyrical drums of Ed Thigpen. Tunes are open and relaxed, letting Milt hit some great mellow tones – and titles include "Green Dolphin Street", "Heartstrings", "The Work Song", "John Brown's Body", "A Wonderful Guy" and "Reunion Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly different take on the Modern Jazz Quartet sound of the early years – as the album features Milt Jackson's vibes in the company of MJQ bandmates Percy Heath and Connie Kay, but also includes Horace Silver on piano – in the spot normally reserved for John Lewis! The presence of Silver on piano gives a bit of a harder edge to the set, one that almost recalls some of Jackson's work on Blue Note in the early 50s, yet which is rounded out here by a few lighter and more lyrical touches on rhythm. The set includes a great reading of "Moonray", the Jackson original "Stonewall", and the tracks "Wonder Why", "I Should Care", and "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

23 tracks – all early Savoy Records material by this legendary vibist – including some rare alternate takes! CD

A beautiful combination we'd like to hear more of – one that comes from the meeting of Milt Jackson's vibes and the guitar of Wes Montgomery – both recorded here in easygoing brilliance! The session's a nice break from the usual sound of both players at the time – and although Wes played a bit with vibes when working in The Montgomery Brothers, the Jackson approach here is a bit different – more soulful, and a bit more driven on by the rhythm section of Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones, and Philly Joe Jones. Titles include the originals "SKJ", "Blue Roz", "Jingles", and "Sam Sack" – plus bonus tracks "Stairway To The Stars (take 2)" & "Delilah (take 3)". CD

Milt Jackson joins the Oscar Peterson Trio – helping the group to hit some great new space with his magical work on vibes! Jackson's got an open, airy feel – an approach that almost lets Peterson punctuate the tunes a bit more with his piano – while the pair get strong rhythmic support from the bass of Ray Brown and lyrical drums of Ed Thigpen. Tunes are open and relaxed, letting Milt hit some great mellow tones – and titles include "On Green Dolphin Street", "Heartstrings", "The Work Song", "John Brown's Body", "A Wonderful Guy" and "Reunion Blues". CD

Fairly decent jazz session, and one in which Ray plays alto sax and electric piano, along with his usual acoustic piano. Milt Jackson is on vibes, of course, and the rest of the group includes Kenny Burrell, Percy Heath, and Art Taylor. Titles include "Soul Meeting", "X Ray Blues", "Blue Genius", and "Bags Of Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

With Cedar Walton on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – plus some guitar from John Collins and Vaughn Andre. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Milt Jackson albums ever – thanks to an incredible lineup that features Art Farmer on trumpet and Benny Golson on tenor – both of whom give the record a lot more edge than usual for Jackson! The set's almost a maturation of the earliest modern grooves that Milt forged in his earlier sessions for Blue Note and Prestige – a sound that comes across here with a lot more confidence and focus than some of his 50s Savoy sides – with a sharper, edgier quality that comes from Golson's great arrangements for the record. Milt's vibes have a really chromatic feel here, and a sound that's almost louder than usual – and the rest of the group features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Titles include "Blues For Diahann", "I Remember Clifford", "Thinking Of You", and "Whisper Not". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet larger group session from vibist Milt Jackson – proof that he was really trying to stretch his wings, and get into new things during the 60s! The set's got Milt working with some great help from Tadd Dameron and Ernie Wilkins on larger group arrangements – nicely swinging charts that have a nice touch of modern, but lots of straightforward grooving too! Milt's the primary soloist, buoyed by an orchestra built around a rhythm section of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and either Connie Cay or Philly Joe on drums – plus loads of great horn players like Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Melba Liston, James Moody and Jimmy Heath among others. Titles include renditions of "Old Devil Moon", "'Round Midnight", "The Dream Is You", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Echoes", "If You Could See Me Now", "Star Eyes", "Namesake", "If I Should Lose You", and "Later Than You Think". CD features 2 bonus tracks! CD

Wicked early work from Milt Jackson – a record that's got a lot more of an edge than some of his later work with the Modern Jazz Quartet – a near-perfect modernist bop sound that's every bit the best side of Blue Note in the early 50s! The package brings together material from a few different sessions – some originally on 10" LPs – and the core of the material features Jackson in the company of pianist Thelonious Monk, on some tracks that also feature Sahib Shihab on alto sax! John Lewis plays piano on another batch of tracks that are essentially the early MJQ lineup, but with Lou Donaldson on alto too – so they swing with a bit more soul than you might expect. Titles include "Bag's Groove", "On The Scene", "Willow Weep For Me", "Criss Cross", "Evidence", "Tahiti", "Misterioso", "Four In One", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With Harry Sweets Edison on trumpet, Eddie Lockjaw Davis on tenor, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson on alto, Ray Brown on bass, Art Hillery on piano, and Larance Marable on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Milt Jackson sings, in addition to his familiar vibes on this set – an unusual date done during his Pablo Records run of the late 70s – and a surprisingly great little album overall! As you might guess, Jackson's not the greatest singer in jazz – but it's this quality that also makes the record really great – kind of an honest approach to the tunes that reminds us of the sort of singers we used to catch at south side jam sessions here in Chicago – vocalists whose love of a tune was so great, they were willing to get out and take whatever chances they may – showing a care for the lyrics that's almost greater than a more proficient singer. Electric piano backs up Jackson on most of the vocal numbers – creating a cool, soulful glow – and other players on the record include Cedar Walton on keyboards, Dennis Budimir and John Collins on guitar, Billy Higgins on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – who also produced the session. Titles include "Heartstrings", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Yes Sir That's My Baby", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face", "Someone I Love", and "Parking Lot Blues". CD

Proof that Milt Jackson was easily the hippest member of the Modern Jazz Quartet – and one of the few who could really open up into different sounds away from that combo! This sweet 70s set for CTI is totally great – a whole new chapter for Jackson's vibes, and a real re-setting of the soulful modes he'd explored as a leader in the 60s. There's a wonderfully warm and chromatic feel to the set from the start – as Milt's vibes are set in fuller arrangements from Don Sebesky – with added instrumentation from Herbie Hancock on electric piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Phil Bodner on reeds. The highlight of the album is a nice long take on "People Make The World Go Round", but it's all pretty sweet, and other titles include nice versions of "Sunflower" and "What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life" – and Jackson's own "SKJ" and "For Someone I Love". LP, Vinyl record album

There's no "used to be" here – as vibes legend Milt Jackson is still very much at the top of his game – working in a really great small combo on this Japanese-only set of recordings – all put together by bassist Ray Brown of the quartet, with also features Cedar Walton on piano and Mickey Roker on drums! The warmth and lyricism of Walton's piano is a great match for Jackson's vibes, and really seems to pull out a lively, soulful quality in his music – as do the drums of Mickey Roker, who has a bit more snap here than some of the other drummers you might be used to hearing with Milt! 2CD set features 16 tracks from both volumes of the LP releases – titles that include "Blue Monk", "In Walked Bud", "Used To Be Jackson", "Blues March", "Come Sunday", "Django", "Manha Do Carnaval", "Close Enough For Love", "Our Delight", and "Nature Boy". CD

Milt Jackson and JJ Johnson – working here together on 1954 session cut in New York – but some of which features contributions from the famous French pianist Henri Renaud! At this point in their career, Jackson and Johnson had a very similar modern swing – and the record makes for a great matching of their talents – a bit like some of the earliest Blue Note work recorded under the leadership of either player. Johnson sits out on a few tracks, and Jackson plays a bit of piano in addition to vibes – on the tracks that don't feature Renaud – and other players include Al Cohn on tenor, Percy Heath on bass, and Charlie Smith on drums. Titles include "Jay Jay's Blues", "If I Had You", "Out Of Nowhere", and "Indiana". LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Milt Jackson on vibes with John Clayton Jr on bass, Jeff Hamilton on drums, and Jeff Clayton on lead alto sax, flute, and clarinet. CD

Nice stuff from the early days of the MJQ – recorded back when Kenny Clarke was still playing drums with the group, and giving them a bit more of a bottom! One side of the record features material recorded from one of the quartet's first sessions – in late 1952, with the tracks "La Ronde", "Vendome", and "Rose Of The Rio Grande". The rest of the record features material by Jackson's group with Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, Kenny Clarke on drums, and the obscure Henry Boozier on trumpet. That material's a bit more bop-oriented, and titles include "Opus De Funk", "Buhania", and "Soma". LP, Vinyl record album

From Oscar Peterson "Perdido" and "Mack The Knife", from Milt Jackson & Ray Brown "Red Top", from Dizzy Gillespie "Here 'Tis",from Count Basie "Freeport Jump", and Pablo All Stars' "Donna Lee". CD

Cannonball Adderley and Earle Warren on alto saxophone, Jerome Richardson on baritone saxophone and flute, Ray Brown and Sam Jones on bass, Ray Brown on cello, Nat Adderley on cornet, Albert Heath, Grady Tate, and Osie Johnson on drums, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Wild Bill Davis on organ, Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Danny Bank, Jimmy Heath, Phil Woods, and Robert Ashton on reeds, Budd Johnson and Seldon Powell on tenor saxophone, Yusef Lateef on tenor saxophone and flute, Britt Woodman, Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston, Paul Faulise, Tom McIntosh, Tony Studd, and Urbie Green on trombone, Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Joe Newman, and Snooky Young on trumpet, Milt Jackson on vibraphone, and Marion Williams on vocals. CD

Ray plays alto sax and electric piano, along with his usual acoustic piano, Milt Jackson is on vibes, of course, and the rest of the group includes Kenny Burrell, Percy Heath, and Art Taylor. Titles include "Soul Meeting", "X Ray Blues", "Blue Genius", and "Bags Of Blues". Contains 14 tracks across two discs – plus a couple of CD only bonus tracks. CD

The title's a bit self-pitying, but the music certainly isn't – and even at this late point in his career, the sound of Milt Jackson is coming across loud and clear – possibly more so, because Milt's firmly shaken off the mellower modes of his years with the MJQ! The record has Jackson working with the Oscar Peterson trio with Ray Brown on bass and Grady Tate on drums – and the overall structure of the tunes is definitely dictated by Peterson, but very strongly touched by Jackson once his vibes ring into the mix. Titles include "Stuffy", "Body & Soul", "What Am I Here For", "If I Should Lose You", "A Time For Love", and "Ain't But A Few Of Us Left". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Milt Jackson's best albums from the 60s – and one we love because it's got a lot more of a soul jazz feel than others! Of course, you've got to thank the rest of the group for that – because with players like Jimmy Heath, Jimmy Owens, Cedar Walton, Mickey Roker, and Walter Booker, Milt couldn't help being a little bit soulful. Tracks are short, tight, and Milt's vibes ring out in a soulful, almost Roy Ayers-ish jazzy way. Titles include "Some Kinda Waltz", "Bring It Home", "Whale Pool", "Tears Of Joy", and "One Step Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly nice pairing – the vibes of Milt Jackson and some larger horn backings that fall heavy on the trumpet and trombone side of the spectrum! The sound's not nearly as heavy or hokey as you'd expect – thanks to arrangements by Melba Liston – and the horns do a nice job of setting a scene that lets Milt's vibes sneak in and out with effortless ease – coloring things with a great one, and a very rhythmic feel. The album's worth it for one track alone – the really great "Bossa Bags", which grooves with a sound that's everything you'd expect from the title! Other tracks include "Extraordinary Blues", "Save Your Love For Me", "For Someone I Love", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Just Waiting". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-known 50s jazz sessions from the Savoy label – a laidback classic that's a great illustration of the label's shift in modes after the early bop years! The setting here is relatively informal – with Milt Jackson as the ersatz leader, working almost in blowing session mode with hip players who include Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Eddie Jones on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – all players who relax into a groove wonderfully, and really open up on the album's four long tracks. Titles include the classic reading of "Opus De Funk", plus "Opus Pocus", "You Leave Me Breathless", and "Opus & Interlude". A great little set from Milt Jackson – not just for his work on vibes, but also for some great tenor from Lucky Thompson! Thompson's raspy edge brings a nice degree of soulfulness to the set – a sound that adds depth to the sometimes mellower moments set down by Jackson and the rhythm section of Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall, and Kenny Clarke! The small group setting and the longer tracks make the record a good showcase for Thompson's talents at the time – and his way of building a solo gets plenty of room to do its thing here – on tracks that include "Lover", "Angel Face", "Can't Help Lovin That Man", "Sometimes I'm Happy", and "What's New". CD

Sweet 70s electric work from the great vibist Milt Jackson – a record that has him hitting some nicely moody modes, and in a spacious style that's almost a 70s remake of the energy of the Modern Jazz Quartet! Cedar Walton plays piano and Fender Rhodes – and Hubert Laws is in the group on flute – providing these lyrical lines next to Milt's more understated vibes – in a setting that's almost got the same sense of space and timing as some of Laws' records from the period – bigger ideas at play, but never too complicated – really flowing with a subtle sense of sound and tone. Freddie Hubbard plays guest trumpet on the track "SKJ" – the hardest-hitting number on the set – and other titles include "Opus De Funk", "Detour Ahead","Goodbye", and "Old Devil Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

A great later record from Milt Jackson – one that finds the vibist in very hip company, with Cedar Walton on piano and Jimmy Heath on soprano and tenor sax! The set features versions of Walton's "Holy Land" and "NPS" – which are two of the best songs on the album. CD

A surprisingly big collection of tracks from Milt – documenting his oft-forgotten years at Impulse Records, plus a few more sides from albums he cut with other folks for ABC. The range of the material is far greater than you might think – and takes Milt way past the MJQ stylings of more famous recordings, into a span of tunes that include soul jazz, hardbop, and even a few funky numbers! Titles include "I Love You", "Braddock Breakdown", "Who Can I Turn To", "Queen Mother Stomp", "Bags' Groove", "Evening In Paris", "Put It Off", and "Gingerbread Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

A very nice little Milt Jackson album – cut in the mode of some of his excellent soul jazz group sides from the mid 60s. This set pushes Milt past the format of much of his other work – especially that of the MJQ – as it features him in a very soulful sextet, working with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Jimmy Heath on tenor, Ron Carter on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. The presence of Dorham and Heath give the album a light lyrical swing that really opens things up – and there's a fair bit of modally-oriented tunes on the set that hint at the more soulful playing of most of the players in the 70s. Tracks include a great version of "Invitation", plus "The Sealer", "Poom A Loom", "Ruby", and "None Shall Wander". CD

One of the best-known 50s jazz sessions from the Savoy label – a laidback classic that's a great illustration of the label's shift in modes after the early bop years! The setting here is relatively informal – with Milt Jackson as the ersatz leader, working almost in blowing session mode with hip players who include Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Eddie Jones on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – all players who relax into a groove wonderfully, and really open up on the album's four long tracks. Titles include the classic reading of "Opus De Funk", plus "Opus Pocus", "You Leave Me Breathless", and "Opus & Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty plenty soul here – as Milt Jackson's moving away from the Modern Jazz Quartet, and working with a great group of players that really expand his sound! The session's a bit like some of Milt's soul jazz work for Riverside and other labels – in that it's got rhythms, timings, and solos that all are much more gutbuckety than you'd expect from the other side of his career – a real nod towards the nascent soul jazz sound in the late 50s, served up with lots of undercurrents from R&B and gospel in the mix. Side one features players that include Ronnie Peters on alto sax, Frank Foster on tenor, and Sahib Shihab on baritone – plus Horace Silver on piano – and Silver makes a return appearance on side two, alongside a group that includes Lucky Thompson on tenor and Joe Newman on trumpet. Titles include "Plenty, Plenty Soul", "Boogity Boogity", "Heartstrings", "Sermonette", "The Spirit Feel", "Ignunt Oil", and "Blues At Twilight". CD

With Cedar Walton on piano, John Clayton on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – plus Joshua Redman on tenor and guest vocals by Joe Williams. CD

Features Milt Jackson backed by large string orchestra – with Cedar Walton on piano, John Clayton on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. CD

A great collection of Milt's excellent sides as a leader for Savoy, pulled together for a 70s release. Wonderful bop rendered here in a small agile group that features the vibist alongside the great Lucky Thompson on tenor, with Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall and Kenny Clarke in the rhythm section. These tracks were cut in the mid 50s, when Savoy was transitioning from the early bop 78's that were their stock in trade to making longer LP sessions giving the players a bit more room to stretch out. 16 numbers in all, including "Flamingo", "Can't Help Lovin' That Man", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Ellington Medley" "Now's The Time", "Soul In 3/4", "Minor Conception", "Fred's Mood", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Angel Face" and "Soulful". LP, Vinyl record album

Proof that Milt Jackson was easily the hippest member of the Modern Jazz Quartet – and one of the few who could really open up into different sounds away from that combo! This sweet 70s set for CTI is totally great – a whole new chapter for Jackson's vibes, and a real re-setting of the soulful modes he'd explored as a leader in the 60s. There's a wonderfully warm and chromatic feel to the set from the start – as Milt's vibes are set in fuller arrangements from Don Sebesky – with added instrumentation from Herbie Hancock on electric piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Phil Bodner on reeds. The highlight of the album is a nice long take on "People Make The World Go Round", but it's all pretty sweet, and other titles include nice versions of "Sunflower" and "What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life" – and Jackson's own "SKJ" and "For Someone I Love". CD

Two CTI label gems from vibist Milt Jackson – back to back on a single CD! Sunflower is proof that Milt Jackson was easily the hippest member of the Modern Jazz Quartet – and one of the few who could really open up into different sounds away from that combo! This sweet 70s set for CTI is totally great – a whole new chapter for Jackson's vibes, and a real re-setting of the soulful modes he'd explored as a leader in the 60s. There's a wonderfully warm and chromatic feel to the set from the start – as Milt's vibes are set in fuller arrangements from Don Sebesky – with added instrumentation from Herbie Hancock on electric piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Phil Bodner on reeds. The highlight of the album is a nice long take on "People Make The World Go Round", but it's all pretty sweet, and other titles include nice versions of "Sunflower" and "What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life" – and Jackson's own "SKJ" and "For Someone I Love". Goodbye is classic work from vibist Milt Jackson – opening up his bag a lot for the 70s, in a way that makes for some wonderfully casual grooves! The album's not as moodily funky as some of Jackson's other CTI records, but it is a nice batch of laidback tunes played with a distinctly soulful edge – handled by a group that features Cedar Walton on piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Ron Carter bass, Steve Gadd drums – and some guest trumpet from Freddie Hubbard on the track "SKJ". Other titles include "Opus De Funk", "Detour Ahead","Goodbye", and "Old Devil Moon". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

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". CD

An incredible collaboration from John Coltrane and Milt Jackson – and one that gives Milt one of his sharpest records ever! The setting is relatively straight – tenor from Coltrane, vibes from Jackson – plus rhythm from Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Yet there's also a sense of openness here that you'd hardly ever expect on other records by Jackson – especially his contemporaneous sides with the Modern Jazz Quartet – and Coltrane's tenor gets as much room to roam here as it did on Prestige – really cutting some beautifully soulful, open, and flowing lines throughout! Titles include "Bags & Trane", "Three Little Words", "Be-Bop", "Late Late Blues", and "The Night We Called It a Day" – plus 2 bonus tracks! CD

At the end of the 60s, Milt Jackson and Ray Brown cut some very groovy records together – teamed up in a great pairing of styles that pushed both of them way past the more standard sounds of earlier years! This album's one of the best of the bunch – as it features pianist Monty Alexander joining the pair, bringing in some warmly soulful elements on piano – in ways that are a great bridge between his work for MGM and MPS! The set also features great tenor from Teddy Edwards – blowing with a deep tone and a sharp edge – and in addition to vibes by Jackson and bass by Brown, the group also features Dick Berk on drums. The set was recorded live at Shelly's Manne-Hole – and titles include Alexander's "That's The Way It Is", plus "Blues In The Basement", "Wheelin & Dealin", and "Tenderly". LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Pass on guitar, Milt Jackson on vibes, Ray Brown on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums. CD

Milt Jackson joins the Oscar Peterson Trio – helping the group to hit some great new space with his magical work on vibes! Jackson's got an open, airy feel – an approach that almost lets Peterson punctuate the tunes a bit more with his piano – while the pair get strong rhythmic support from the bass of Ray Brown and lyrical drums of Ed Thigpen. Tunes are open and relaxed, letting Milt hit some great mellow tones – and titles include "Green Dolphin Street", "Heartstrings", "The Work Song", "John Brown's Body", "A Wonderful Guy" and "Reunion Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

2CDs worth of classic work by Milt Jackson! CD one features 14 tracks from Milt's Atlantic years – recorded with players that include Kenny Burrell, Connie Kay, John Lewis, Frank Wess, and John Coltrane, lifted from a number of different records, and including the titles "Bag's New Groove", "Plenty Plenty Soul", "Cylinder", "Sandra's Blues", and "Ghana". CD two features the album Soul Brothers – featuring Milt in the company of Ray Charles, who gives the set much more of a soulful feel than some of Milt's other records. Titles on that set include "Blue Funk", "Cosmic Ray", "Soul Brothers", and "How Long Blues". CD

Sweet 70s electric work from the great vibist Milt Jackson – a record that has him hitting some nicely moody modes, and in a spacious style that's almost a 70s remake of the energy of the Modern Jazz Quartet! Cedar Walton plays piano and Fender Rhodes – and Hubert Laws is in the group on flute – providing these lyrical lines next to Milt's more understated vibes – in a setting that's almost got the same sense of space and timing as some of Laws' records from the period – bigger ideas at play, but never too complicated – really flowing with a subtle sense of sound and tone. Freddie Hubbard plays guest trumpet on the track "SKJ" – the hardest-hitting number on the set – and other titles include "Opus De Funk", "Detour Ahead","Goodbye", and "Old Devil Moon". CD

Whatever you may think of Milt Jackson's later work, this stuff from the early 50s, recorded in his pre-MJQ years, shows the vibist as a lively talent, playing head to head with boppers that he'd never dare face in later years. Players include Lou Donaldson, John Lewis, Thelonious Monk, and Shadow Wilson – and Kenny "Pancho" Hagood sings vocals on 3 tracks. Tracks include "On The Scene", "Tahiti", "Lillie", "Epistrophy", and "Misterioso". 17 tracks in all – with some alternate takes. CD

Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Milt Jackson on vibes. CD

One of the nicest moments from Milt Jackson in the 50s – an open-ended blowing session cut with Miles Davis, in a mode that's even better than Jackson's work for Savoy at the time! The style is very much in the key Davis mode on Prestige – with Jackie McLean in the group on alto sax, Ray Bryant on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. But the presence of Jackson's vibes bring out some new tones and chromes from Miles' horn – in a way that's subtle, but magical – unfolding nicely over the course of the album's 4 extended tracks! Titles include "Dr Jackle", "Bitty Ditty", "Changes", and "Minor March". LP, Vinyl record album

Truly one of the Modern Jazz Quartet's greatest albums – and a set that has an edge and a darkness that's missing from some of their other Atlantic records! Part of the reason for this may be the group's fantastic reading of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – a killer moody track that sounds great in the group's vibes/piano style – and which leads off the album with a chilling tone that's really unbelievable! The rest of the album's pretty great too – and there's a brooding intensity we don't normally hear in the piano of John Lewis and vibes of Milt Jackson. Other tracks include Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue" – plus John Lewi's "Belkis", "Animal Dance", "New York 19", and "Trieste". CD

A 2LP set that brings together most of the material from the first three full-length albums by the Modern Jazz Quartet – all recorded at a time when the combo were first forging their famous sound! Most of the sides here are in contrast to the group's better-known Atlantic work, because the group at this point still featured Kenny Clarke on drums – and although a few tracks here include Connie Kay, the bulk of the recordings are touched by Clarke's tighter, sometimes more aggressive work on percussion – making for a less-than-trademark sound that we really like. As usual, the rest of the group features Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, and Percy Heath on bass – and the 2LP set features 18 tracks that include "Concorde", "Vendome", "Milano", "La Ronde", "Django", "All The Things You Are", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Delauney's Dilemma", "La Ronde Suite", "All Of You", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest material ever recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet – early 50s sides that were originally issued as 78rpm singles, then brought together in this self-titled LP! Some of the material was first released under the name of the Milt Jackson Quartet – but featured the lineup of Jackson on vibes, John Lewis piano, Percy Heath bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Yet other tracks on the set have bassist Ray Brown in for Heath and drummer Al Jones in for Clarke – both players who make for a slightly different groove in the company of Jackson and Lewis. Tunes are short, but already show that Lewis love of chromatic tones – and titles include "Yesterdays", "Love Me Pretty Baby", "Milt Meets Sid", "Moving Nicely", "D&E", "True Blues", and "Autumn Breeze". CD

More material from the famous Last Concert record from the MJQ – not really the last concert ever from the Modern Jazz Quartet – but a set that seemed so at the time, given that the group went their separate ways for a number of years! The record's got the combo in really top form – very much back to the basics of their early time on Atlantic Records, with a sublime focus on that unique sound that no other group like this could match. Milt Jackson's vibes are chromatically aligned in this amazing way with the piano of John Lewis – and somehow the live recording seems to bring out even more tones in the bass of Percy Heath, who feels an even stronger presence here than usual. Connie Kay's work on drums are a masterpiece of percussive understatement – and titles include "The Jasmine Tree", "Tears From The Children", "England's Carol", "Blues In H (b)", and "Really True Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Early and brilliant work by the MJQ – recorded at a time when the combo's idea was quite unique, and when its execution was still filled with a lot of creative energy! The group, of course, features the core duo of Milt Jackson and John Lewis – and bass chores are handled by either Percy Heath, or Ray Brown – the latter of whom dominates the album surprisingly. Drums are mostly by Kenny Clarke, whose harder touch gave the group an edge on a lot more of these early recordings – and on a few numbers, Al Jones sits in instead of Kenny. Titles include "Love Me Pretty Baby", "D&E", "True Blues", "Yesterdays", "Round About Midnight", and "Milt Meets Sid". CD

A set that shows that none of the group's imagination or talent had dimmed over the years – and the core quartet of John Lewis on piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums are joined by The New York Chamber Symphony, who are a small string-based group who slide in and out of the jazz-based grooves with an inventive range of colors and sounds! The album's hardly a "jazz with strings" sort of date – and instead, the strings are nicely integrated with a fluidly creative approach – in the mode of some of the more experimental string quartets that were showing up at the time. Titles include "Kansas City Breaks", "Three Windows", "Encounter In Cagnes", and the "Day In Dubrovnik" suite. CD

A nice one! The MJQ record for the Beatles' label, and the record's one of their most interesting in years! The production's pretty straight, but the group's playing in a cool open-ended style that still has elements of their earlier work, but which really makes things a lot more interesting than some of the Atlantic recordings. Milt Jackson's vibes have a bit more of a bell-like quality on some parts, and the rhythm team of Percy Heath and Connie Kay kick it with a soul jazz vibe on a few numbers – a nice change from the sleepier rhythms of earlier albums. Titles include "The Blue Necklace", "Exposure", "Jasmine Tree", and "Three Little Feelings". LP, Vinyl record album

Larger group meditations by the Modern Jazz Quartet – working here in an expanded lineup that includes work from Phil Woods, Charlie Mariano, Seldon Powell, Richie Kamuca, Clark Terry, and Jimmy Cleveland! The album takes a core MJQ groove, and only seems to lay out out over the larger arrangements as backing – almost as if the set were recorded in two parts, and stitched together – but in a way that works with a brilliant sense of counterpart, one that brings a lot more soul and color to the group's work than usual. Titles include versions of the John Lewis numbers "One Never Knows", "Animal Dance", "The Golden Striker", "Django", and "Home" – plus Milt Jackson's "Ralph's New Blues". CD

A fantastic collection of Monk material for Blue Note – recorded in a few different periods and settings! The package features some late 40s sides with Idrees Sulieman on trumpet and Billy Smith on tenor; 1947 trio material with Art Blakey on drums; a 1947 quartet with Sahib Shihab on alto; a 1948 group with Milt Jackson on vibes and a bit of vocals from Kenny Pancho Hagood; a 1941 quintet with Shihab, Jackson, and Blakey; a 1952 group with Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Lucky Thompson on tenor, and Lou Donaldson on alto; and a 1957 session cut with tenorist Sonny Rollins. Includes some unissued tracks, too! CD