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A stone classic from the Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded back when the group still featured Kenny Clarke in its membership, but already with some of the more serious, somber tones that would mark the combo's more famous years! Tracks here are from a variety of sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955 – and trace an evolution of the MJQ style from initial more composed renditions of bop and modern jazz, to some of the more ambitious colors and tones of the Lewis-penned songbook. Titles include longish readings of "Django" and "La Ronde Suite", plus "Milano", "But Not For Me", "The Queen's Fancy", and "Delaunay's Dilemma".

A stone classic from the Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded back when the group still featured Kenny Clarke in its membership, but already with some of the more serious, somber tones that would mark the combo's more famous years! Tracks here are from a variety of sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955 – and trace an evolution of the MJQ style from initial more composed renditions of bop and modern jazz, to some of the more ambitious colors and tones of the Lewis-penned songbook. Titles include longish readings of "Django" and "La Ronde Suite", plus "Milano", "But Not For Me", "The Queen's Fancy", and "Delaunay's Dilemma".

Features a long reading of "Pyramid" – plus "Django", "Romaine", "Vendome", and "It Don't Mean A Thing".

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".

A great early 60s set from Modern Jazz Quartet! This one marked the then growing sophistication in the sound of the Modern Jazz Quartet – a concept album based on themes and characters from the Italian tradition of commedia dell'arte. The music is served up in gentle sound poems that have a haunting, timeless sort of feel – very spare and melancholy – with lots of tragic overtones, and hardly the comedic sound you'd expect from the title! Diahann Carroll sings on the track "La Cantatrice" – and other numbers include "Spanish Steps", "Columbine", "Piazza Navona", and "Harlequin".

Even at this early point in their career, the Modern Jazz Quartet were plenty proud of their relation to and reception in Paris – almost rubbing their international fame in the faces of other American combos with the title and cover of this record! The set's still got the quartet at their crisp early best – before any of the sometimes too academic or too serious tones of later sides – and tracks are mostly shortish, ringing out with especially nice vibes from Milt Jackson. Titles include an early reading of the title cut "Concorde", plus an extended "Gershwin Medley", and the tracks "All Of You", "I'll Remember April", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "Ralph's New Blues".

Even at this early point in their career, the Modern Jazz Quartet were plenty proud of their relation to and reception in Paris – almost rubbing their international fame in the faces of other American combos with the title and cover of this record! The set's still got the quartet at their crisp early best – before any of the sometimes too academic or too serious tones of later sides – and tracks are mostly shortish, ringing out with especially nice vibes from Milt Jackson. Titles include an early reading of the title cut "Concorde", plus an extended "Gershwin Medley", and the tracks "All Of You", "I'll Remember April", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "Ralph's New Blues".

A classic set of high-class jazz from the MJQ – one that shows John Lewis' growing compositional skills, and the band's always tight ability to work in a compressed chamber format. Features the extended "Fontessa" suite, plus the tracks "Versailles", "Angel Eyes", "Bluesology", and "Woodyn You".

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".

One of the first MJQ albums on Atlantic – and a bit fresher than some of their later outings, when it seemed like they were churning records out at the drop of a hat! Titles include an extended medley of standards, all given the MJQ touch – plus the drum-heavy "La Ronde", and the tracks "Baden Baden", "Bag's Groove", and "Night In Tunisia".

The MJQ always manage to sound especially great when working on music for film – and this album's a great illustration of that fact! The work here is written by John Lewis, for a movie that never lasted the test of time as much as the record – and it's some of John's most evocative writing of the time – almost imagistic enough without the film! Selections are played by the core quartet of Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and titles include "The Golden Striker", "One Never Knows", "The Rose Truc", "Venice", "Cortege", and "Three Windows".

One of the groovier albums the Modern Jazz Quartet ever recorded – as you might expect, given the cover and title! In addition to the group's usual cool sound from Milt Jackson's vibes, the set also features John Lewis playing a bit of harpsichord in addition to his usual piano – and the group's also augmented on a few tracks with some great horns from Snookie Young and Joe Newman on trumpets, Garnett Brown on trombone, Jim Buffington on French horn, and Don Butterfield on tuba – a change that really gives the record a nicely different flavor from other MJQ albums. John Lewis composed all of the tracks – and titles include "Walkin Stomp", "Dancing", "Plastic Dreams", "Variations On A Christmas Theme", "Travlin", "Piazza Novona", and "England's Carol".

A nice one! The MJQ record for the Beatles' famous Apple label, and the album's one of their most interesting of the 60s! 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".

A great addition to the Modern Jazz Quartet – as the clarinet of Jimmy Giuffre brings a sharp modern edge to the record! The album's similar to the other MJQ Music Inn date with Sonny Rollins – and shows how the addition of a reed player can really unlock new colors, tones, and possibilities in the sounds of the group. And in this case, given the Giuffre's at the height of his early powers – coming off some sublime trio dates for Atlantic – the pairing of players is completely sublime! Titles include "A Fugue At Music Inn", "Serenade", and "Fun".

An excellent set that has the vocal talents of the Swingle Singers backed by the sweet and mellow instrumentation of the Modern Jazz Quartet! Given that John Lewis & Co were essentially local residents in Paris for so many years, it's amazing it took them until 1966 to hook up with Ward Swingle's hip vocal group – but the album's more than worth the wait, as the MJQ really help open things up, and take the Swingles into more complicated territory than before. Milt Jackson's vibes are especially great alongside the groovy vocals – and titles include "Little David's Fugue", "Vendome", "When I Am Laid In Earth", "Air For G String", and "Three Windows".

The MJQ always manage to sound especially great when working on music for film – and this album's a great illustration of that fact! The work here is written by John Lewis, for a movie that never lasted the test of time as much as the record – and it's some of John's most evocative writing of the time – almost imagistic enough without the film! Selections are played by the core quartet of Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and titles include "The Golden Striker", "One Never Knows", "The Rose Truc", "Venice", "Cortege", and "Three Windows".

An early Atlantic set from the Modern Jazz Quartet – and a bit of an odd one, in which the crack MJQ crew recruit a rich slate guests! The first two numbers, "Da Capo" and "Fine" bring in Jimmy Giuffre's trio, nicely stretching out the vibe with expected, but no less sweet results! The remaining tunes, "Exposure", "Sketch", and "Conversation" bring in a crew of classical musicians in an effort bridge the world's of small combo jazz and chamber music! An amibitious set – from much different creative viewpoint than later, staid MJQ work!

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. The album is live, but still has that sophisticated composure that made the group so unique at the time – and the whole thing's a perfect complement to their famous studio albums on Atlantic! Titles include "Django", "Bluesology", "La Ronde", "Festival Sketch", "Vendome", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "I Should Care", and "I Remember Clifford".

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. The album is live, but still has that sophisticated composure that made the group so unique at the time – and the whole thing's a perfect complement to their famous studio albums on Atlantic! Titles include "Pyramid", "It Don't Mean A Thing", "The Cylinder", "Round Midnight", "Bag's Groove", and "Skating In Central Park".

The MJQ always manage to sound especially great when working on music for film – and this album's a great illustration of that fact! The work here is written by John Lewis, for a movie that never lasted the test of time as much as the record – and it's some of John's most evocative writing of the time – almost imagistic enough without the film! Selections are played by the core quartet of Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and titles include "The Golden Striker", "One Never Knows", "The Rose Truc", "Venice", "Cortege", and "Three Windows".

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".

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. The album is live, but still has that sophisticated composure that made the group so unique at the time – and the whole thing's a perfect complement to their famous studio albums on Atlantic! Set features 15 tracks in all – including "Django", "Bluesology", "La Ronde", "Festival Sketch", "Vendome", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "Skating In Central Park", "The Cylinder", "Bags' Groove", "I Should Care", "Round Midnight", and "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)".

A wonderful album from the team of Toshiko Akioshi and Charlie Mariano – a set that was only ever issued in Japan, and which we like a fair bit more than their better-known US album for Candid! The group here is the same as that one – with Charlie Mariano on alto sax, Toshiko Akioshi on piano, Eugene Chirico on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – but the sound is a lot more focused, and often a bit more swinging – with some especially great emphasis on Mariano's magnificent tone – nicely rough-edged at this point in his career, but still strongly inside – with none of the overindulgence of later years. Charlie cuts through the tunes brilliantly – and Toshiko's got a great mix of bop and modern tones in her piano work. And even though the first half of the set list is tunes from West Side Story, the quartet make them cook like you've never heard before – really taking off with a new sort of energy that's totally great! Titles include "Tonight", "America", "Cool", "Plaisir D'Amour", "Malaguena", and "Oleo".

A wonderful set by the enigmatic Charles Bell – a 60s modernist, but one with a great sense of soul! The album definitely lives up to its title, and has a fresh approach to the medium – a style that has some of the Modern Jazz Quartet influence in its structure, yet which also shares some more complex rhythmic ideas from the Ornette Coleman camp – mixed with a straighter hardbop vibe as well! The blend is quite compelling – and in addition to Bell's work on piano, the set also features Bill Smith on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Allan Blairman on drums. Titles include "Satan Said", "Django", "Portrait Of Aunt Mary", "Theme", and "Bass Line".

Some of the first bop sides cut by Americans in Paris – a quartet of material from four different sessions, issued properly for the first time on CD, with great mastering, and a good set of notes in French and English! Don Byas is at the forefront of two sessions here – one with the Tyree Glenn Orchestra, the other featuring the Don Byas Ree-Boppers – and tracks on those include "Walking Around", "Red Cross", "Cement Mixer", "Mad Monk", "Billie's Bounce", and "The Hour Of Parting". Howard McGhee is next up – with 7 tracks from a rare 1948 session, and titles that include "Big Will", "Donna Lee", "Nicole", "Denise", and "Punkins". Last up are four tunes by James Moody – cut during the prime of his early bop years, in 1949, and done with a nicely modern edge. Titles include "Verso", "Recto", "Oh Well", and "Convulsions". 23 tracks in all!

A second helping of Latin Beat from Cesar's Salad – and a feverish, funky and tight set on Perfect Toy that's easily as strong its predecessor! Led by percussionist Cesar Granados – who really knocks us out on the congas – the group is a quartet with a raw approach and a live feel. Rooted in 60s and 70s Afro-Cuban jazz, soul and funk, they do it with a modern, hard-grooving immediacy. Hajo Von Hadeln is on drums, Jo Junghanss on the piano, and Jerker Kluge on bass – and we really love the big sound from this small combo! Titles include "Jenjere", "El Dynamico", "Watermelon Man", "Song For My Father", "Pushing Spaces", "Bahamas", "Recordame", "On Broadway" and more.

The sounds are definitely convergent here – very individual strands from all the musicians, but each finding space to come together in a really beautiful way! The album's got a great balance between improvised moments and more compositional impulses – a balance that's not unlike that moment when modern jazz was reaching for new freedoms in the 60s, yet still able to come back to the idea of unified group energy – perhaps a bit like Ornette Coleman in his post-Atlantic years, or the work of the west coast underground. The players really have a great feel for each other – and the quartet features Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, Alexander Hawkins on piano, Dominic Lash on bass, and Harris Eisenstadt on drums – on titles that include "Assemble/Melancholy", "Remember Raoul", "The Taff End", "Slow & Steady", and "Oat Roe + Three By Three".

An overlooked late 60s treasure on Blue Note – one of the few new groups to work on the label at the time, and an up-and-coming modern combo from Detroit! The album's quite unique for a number of reasons – not just because the group was a little-known new signing to the label, but also because the work is quite far-reaching at times – some of the most free-thinking jazz recorded for Blue Note during the time, with a sense of boldness that almost stretches back to Jackie McLean's first few records of the new thing years, or a sense of lyrical invention that's a bit like Wayne Shorter when he made a shift towards the outside. Some numbers are awash in fast colors and changes, while others are a bit more in the pocket, with echoes of soul jazz – but the whole thing's incredibly fresh and free, a wonderful little record that only gets better and better over the years! The group features pianist Kenny Cox as the leader, plus Charles Moore on trumpet, Leon Henderson on tenor, Ron Brooks on bass, and Danny Spencer on drums. Titles include "Mystique", "You", "Trance Dance", "Eclipse", and "Number Four".

Don't pass this one up! Although lots of other albums by Eddie Lockjaw Davis are laidback quartet and quintet sessions, done in a soul jazz organ/tenor mode – this session features Eddie working with stunning bigger band backings, in a searingly soulful sound that's simply incredible! The leadoff track, "Trane Whistle", has Lockjaw really working new waves of sound into his tenor sax – screaming the horn in a way that you thought you'd never hear, and playing with tones that are a lot darker than usual! The set moves on from there in a nice batch of material that includes "Whole Nelson" and "Stolen Moments", two fantastic originals by Oliver Nelson, who also arranged the album – and takes a great deal of responsibility for the strength of the set. The record shows a whole new side of Davis' talents – one that was barely if ever recorded like this again – and which is made even better by the presence of freshly modern players that include Eric Dolphy, Richard Williams, Melba Liston, and Roy Haynes. Great stuff!

Classic early work from Kenny Dorham as a leader – a brilliant set that sparkles with modern touches! The group's a quartet that pairs Kenny's trumpet with the alto sax of the late Ernie Henry – a perfect accompanist that brings out both the brightness in Kenny's horn, and the edgier touches that made him one of the most exciting trumpeters to appear in the 50s scene. The rest of the group features GT Hogan on drums and Wilbur Ware or Eddie Mathias on bass – and the session's got a great reading of Kenny's classic "Lotus Blossom", plus the tracks "Jazz Classic", "Noose Bloos", "The End Of A Love Affair", and "Soon".

Classic early work from Kenny Dorham as a leader – a brilliant set that sparkles with modern touches! The group's a quartet that pairs Kenny's trumpet with the alto sax of the late Ernie Henry – a perfect accompanist that brings out both the brightness in Kenny's horn, and the edgier touches that made him one of the most exciting trumpeters to appear in the 50s scene. The rest of the group features GT Hogan on drums and Wilbur Ware or Eddie Mathias on bass – and the session's got a great reading of Kenny's classic "Lotus Blossom", plus the tracks "Jazz Classic", "Noose Bloos", "The End Of A Love Affair", and "Soon". CD also features a bonus track – an alternate take of "Sposin".

2 different slices of work from Tal Farlow! First is the 1955 album Red Norvo With Strings – originally issued under Norvo's name – a "with strings" session with a difference! This one's not the sleepy orchestral jazz set that you'd expect. Instead, it's a cool modernist batch of trio recordings – featuring the vibes of Norvo in front of the guitar of Tal Farlow and the bass of Red Mitchell. We'll be the first to admit that Norvo's made some snoozy recordings, but the stuff on here is pretty darn cool – and has that icy modern sound that we'd compare to the work of the Jimmy Giuffre trio or the Blue Note work of Gil Melle. Titles include "How Am I To Know?", "Who Cares", "I Brung You Finjans For Your Zarf", and "Lullaby Of Birdland". Next is The Return Of Tal Farlow, from 1969 – a great little return to form for Tal Farlow – his first recording in a decade, and a rare Prestige side that features a groovy quartet with John Scully on piano, Jack Six on bass and Alan Dawson on drums. There's a different vibe here than Tal's work for Verve – a bit more open, but still with that great Farlow tone that was always one of the greatest jazz guitar sounds of the 50s. The tracks include "Straight No Chaser", "Darn That Dream", "Summertime", "Sometime Ago", "I'll Remember April", "My Romance", and "Crazy, She Calls Me". Farlow did not record again until 1976.

Two albums that really show why we love Benny Golson so much! Turning Point is an incredible, and oft-overlooked album from the great Benny Golson – and one of the few early albums that really point the way to his huge run of work for decades to come! The style here is a bit looser, and more open than some of Golson's previous albums – less of a focus on arrangements, and more on the spontaneous interplay between his tenor and the crack rhythm section – which features Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – a dream lineup who really make the record sparkle. But the real star of the show is Golson – who's hitting this raspy, soulful tone he never had before – much freer of soul jazz formalities, and with a modern edge that's wonderful – as you'll hear on titles that include "Alone Together", "Turning Point", "Stella By Starlight", and "Dear Kathy". On Free, things aren't as tightly structured as on some of Benny's more arranged albums of the period – and he opens up wonderfully in a small group setting – playing in a beautifully confident tone, but with a slightly raspy edge – cutting, changing, and swinging perfectly in lines that are masterfully crafted, yet full of raw emotion. The group's a thoughtful quartet, and includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and tracks that inlcude "Sock Cha", "Shades Of Stein", "Just By Myself", and "Just In Time".

One of the most dynamic George Gruntz albums we've heard in years – a sweet tribute to the Village Vanguard recordings of John Coltrane! The album's a modern one, and done with a large ensemble – but it's a really well-spirited tribute to Trane's famous live material from the Vanguard – music that not only stands out as some of his best from the time, but which also really went on to open up some fresh new spaces in jazz! Gruntz explores this space with a group that's quite different than Coltrane's Quartet – an ensemble of younger Swiss players who really hit some sharp edges under his leadership – with soloists who include Fiete Felsch on soprano sax, Peter Bolte on alto, Ingolf Burkhardt on trumpet, Frank Delle and Bjorn Berger on tenor, and Klaus Heidenreich on trombone – all musicians we don't know at all, but who are definitely infused with the spirit of Coltrane on the set. Titles include "Big Nick", "Impressions", "Moment's Notice", "Naima Mysterious", "Blue Train", "After The Rain", "Lazy Bird", and "My Favorite Things".

A hip 70s session from Roy Haynes – recorded in Paris, and a fair bit different than some of his few American dates of the time! The group's a very cool one – with alto and flute from Ricardo Strobert, plus guitar, electric bass, and Roy's drums – a groove that's partly electric, but not really in a fusion way – more a semi-spiritual jazz vibe, with almost a Strata East or Black Jazz undercurrent at times! Haynes wrote most of the tunes for the record, and they're some very sharp-edged numbers – never as arch-modern as some of his work in later years, and instead handled with a wicked sense of rhythm – almost a deeper 70s extension of the wonderful groove that Roy brought to his few dates as a leader in the 60s. The whole thing's a key lost chapter in Haynes career – and titles include versions of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower" and Wayne Shorter's "Foot Prints" – plus the originals "I'm So High", "Bull Fight", "Riverbop Blues", and "True or False".

Great recent work from legendary bassist Chuck Israels – a player known for his famous work with Bill Evans, but a musician who's just kept on growing over the years! This set's got a great 50s modern jazz vibe – bass by Israels and guitar from co-leader Axel Hagen – in a setting that also features drums from Peter Kahlenborn and tenor and clarinet from John Ruocco. The bass and guitar often take the lead – in ways that echo the vibe of an older Jim Hall-styled session – and when clarinet's in the mix, there's a wonderfully open style to the record – not exactly the Jimmy Giuffre trio on Atlantic, but not far off either! Titles include "Koko", "Slow Freight", "The Boy Next Door", "Chaconne A Son Gout", "The Sweetest Sounds", and "Minor Tributary".

A great statement from vibist Milt Jackson – one of his key solo sessions in a great 60s run of recordings away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! Like the classics that followed this one, the vibe is much more soulful than any of Milt's records with the MJQ – kind of an extension of the groove he hit on 50s dates for Savoy and Prestige, swung with an even tighter feel here in the Impulse Records setting! The backing's from a trio that includes Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and the tracks are short, but have some nice haunting themes that work well with the sensitive vibes of Jackson and piano of Jones. Titles include "Put Off", "Statement", "Slowly", "Sonnymoon For Two", and "Thrill From The Blues".

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".

One of the great jazz sessions that Ray Charles cut towards the end of his years at Atlantic Records – a surprisingly great little album with vibist Milt Jackson! The set really shows a side of Milt that didn't always surface in the Modern Jazz Quartet – and Charles is surprisingly great on piano (and even a bit of alto sax, which is mighty nice) – especially on the long tracks, which really let the players stretch out! 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".

One of the great jazz sessions that Ray Charles cut towards the end of his years at Atlantic Records – a surprisingly great little album with vibist Milt Jackson! The set really shows a side of Milt that didn't always surface in the Modern Jazz Quartet – and Charles is surprisingly great on piano (and even a bit of alto sax, which is mighty nice) – especially on the long tracks, which really let the players stretch out! 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".

Way more than just "abstractions" – as the set's a very focused batch of some of the larger ideas that John Lewis had about jazz – explored beautifully here away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! The album has Lewis working with frequent partner – and fellow third stream conceptualist – Gunther Schuller – and also features great guest work from Ornette Coleman on alto, Joe Wilder on trumpet, Jim Hall on guitar, and Scott LaFaro on bass – all very different talents at the forefront of jazz at the time, helping bring a wider range of voices than you might normally get on a John Lewis project. Titles include "Abstraction", "Variants On A Theme of Thelonious Monk", and "Piece For Guitar & Strings".

A wonderfully moody album from singer Helen Merrill – recorded with backing by pianist John Lewis, in an overall feel that's got some of the styles that Lewis forged with the Modern Jazz Quartet! The tunes are familiar ones, mostly, but arranged in a style that's got wonderfully sad and somber touches – really bringing out the best of the dark qualities in Merrill's vocals. Backing is by a quartet with Lewis, Richard Davis, Hubert Laws, and Connie Kay – and titles include "Close Your Eyes", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "The Singer", "Yesterdays", "How Long Has This Been Going On", "Mad About The Boy", and "Django".

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny".

The self-titled debut of Mostly Other People Do The Killing – an exciting NYC quartet that manages to both celebrate and skewer jazz traditions, blending the past with modern experimentalism – and also making simply exciting records that are a joyful blast! These guys have chops, dexterity and smarts – but they somehow strip all pretenses down to the bone and make viscerally enjoyable compositions. Players include bassist Moppa Elliot, trumpet from Peter Evans, Jon Irabagon on sax, and drums by Kevin Shea. Titles include "Elliot Mills", "Between Panic And Desire", "Good Intent", "Moanin", the 13+ minute "Aspers" and more.

Great material from Norwegian pianist Christian Reim – all of it unreleased, but all of it pretty darn great! Reim's honestly not a player we know at all, but he emerges as a heck of a great talent in this set – a pianist with a really thoughtful, lyrical sort of feel – but one who also knows how to keep up a groove as well! The set features some early work in a soul jazz combo mode, then moves into more complicated grooves – but ones that all stay pretty darn swinging, without any too-modern or too-out moments – all to end with a wonderful quartet of tracks from the end of the 70s, showing a bit of a California sense of warmth in some of the tunes. Reim plays mostly piano, but also a bit of organ – and other players include Ditlef Eckhoff on trumpet, Knut Riisnaes on tenor, Helge Hurum on flute, and Carl Magnus Neumann on alto sax. Titles include "Away", "Revolution", "Hippie", "Llut", "Shalom", "Quiquenita", and "Variasjoner Over Et Tema Av Nordraak".

One of the greatest modern moments on Blue Note – ever! From the cover, to the compositions, to the playing on the set – the whole album crackles with an unbelievable fire that was hardly ever matched again. A young Sam Rivers leads a quartet that includes Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Anthony Williams on drums – coming together in a sound that's got lots of sharp edges, yet which also beats with an undeniably swinging heart. Rivers blows incredibly on the session – held in check by the rhythm section, and never getting too free (or sloppy, as on some later sides) – and instead hitting these hard tones that really push the envelope of 60s jazz without rewriting the rules entirely. Brilliant all the way through, with tracks that include "Beatrice", "Ellipsis", "Cyclic Episode", and "Downstairs Blues Upstairs".

One of the greatest modern moments on Blue Note – ever! From the cover, to the compositions, to the playing on the set – the whole album crackles with an unbelievable fire that was hardly ever matched again. A young Sam Rivers leads a quartet that includes Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Anthony Williams on drums – coming together in a sound that's got lots of sharp edges, yet which also beats with an undeniably swinging heart. Rivers blows incredibly on the session – held in check by the rhythm section, and never getting too free (or sloppy, as on some later sides) – and instead hitting these hard tones that really push the envelope of 60s jazz without rewriting the rules entirely. Brilliant all the way through, with tracks that include "Beatrice", "Ellipsis", "Cyclic Episode", and "Downstairs Blues Upstairs".

The band may be riding in a carriage on the cover, but there's nothing old-timey about this set – as the record represents some of the best modern jazz on the Danish scene at the start of the 60s! The album's a rare gem from drummer Bjarne Rostvold – one of the key exponents of his scene at the time, working here in both trio and quartet formation – the former with Bent Axen on piano and Erik Moseholm on bass, the latter featuring the same group with the addition of trumpeter Allan Botschinsky! The quartet tracks lead off the set, and really sparkle nicely, thanks to Botschinsky's presence – a trumpet sound that's sharp-edged, but never too modern – muted at times, and blowing with echoes of the Pacific Jazz years of the LA scene. Trio tracks follow on the second half of the record, and showcase both the well-crafted piano lines of Axen and the round-toned bass of Moseholm – one of those players who contributed a lot to key sides back in the day, but who only now finally seems to be getting his due. Titles include "Mister Man", "Fluted Columns", "Autumn Leaves", "No Problem", and "Mister PC".

A surprisingly nice set that brings together Clark Terry and Thelonious Monk! Given Terry's bright approach to jazz, it's a bit hard to imagine him and Monk working well together – but at the time of this session, Clark still had a fair bit of an edge – with roots in a number of modern styles of the 50s, and a flair for crafting a compelling line on his horn. The set's got a number of nice originals – and titles include "In Orbit", "Pea Eye", "Argentina", "One Foot In The Gutter", and "Buck's Business". (Also issued under the name Clark Terry In Orbit.)

Some of Lucky Thompson's rarest work from the 50s – and some of his best! The American tenorist is working here in two different French groups – one a quintet with Henri Renaud on piano, the other a tentet with the core quartet of Renaud, plus some additional local horn players. Unlike some of Thompson's other albums from the time, which can frequently be dominated by standards, this set's got some great original material – mostly written by Renaud, and infused with a sharp modernist swing. Tiltes include "Souscription", "Marcel Le Fourreur", "G&B", "Tight Squeeze", "Meet Quincy Jones", and "Influence". Lucky's tone is rich and soulful – and the session's gone to the top of our list of his work!

A landmark album from one of the greatest European pianists ever! Stan Tracey first made his mark in the Brit bop scene of the late 50s – breaking out with a fresh style that was infused with modern touches of Monk and Tristano – certainly some of the most striking on his side of the Atlantic at the time. By the time of this 1965 album, he'd honed his sound brilliantly – and is working here in quartet formation on a set of original tunes based around Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood. Don't be put off by the source of the album's inspiration, though – as there's no "jazz meets poetry" here, just straight jazz in a fresh modern vein – played by a group that features wonderfully edgey tenor by Bobby Wellins, arcing perfectly with Tracey's angular lines on piano! Drums are by Jackie Dougan, bass is by Jeff Clyne, and the album's one of the key British jazz treasures of the 60s! Titles include "AM Mayhem", "Starless & Bible Black", "Cockle Row", "No Good Boyo", "Penpals", and "Llareggub".

Quite an interesting record – one that was sort of a jam session party, starring most of the leading lights of Flying Dutchman during their early days. Thiele broke the set into 4 sides – 1. A bunch of messed-up jazz tunes from the Tom Scott, Roger Kellaway, Howard Roberts camp; 2. The Jazz Story – tracing the development of jazz in the 20th century, and featuring Esther Marrow on one track, plus some modern performances by John Carter, Bobby Bradford, and Horace Tapscott; 3. Dedication To John Coltrane – featuring work by the Elvin Jones Trio, The Ornette Coleman Quartet, and Joe Farrell; 4. A Few Thoughts For The Day, featuring some of the political spoken side of the label, with music by the Appleton Syntonic Menagerie. Very wild stuff overall – with more than a few great moments. Titles include "Lament For John Coltrane", "Head Start", "Freaky Zeke", "Lanoola Goes Limp", and "Jungle Sound".

Tenors can't get any more conclaved than this – as the record brings together 4 players on the instrument in a great match from 2 of the best sides of 50s jazz! John Coltrane and Hank Mobley represent the more open, soulful side of the spectrum – and Al Cohn and Zoot Sims the tighter, more smartly arranged aspect. Together, the quartet of horns work in an open-ended blowing mode with rhythm by Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor – in a way that almost makes the set a "Coltrane plus" album for Prestige – one that has the structure of some of the best Trane/Garland sides for the label, but which blows in some other horns with different voicings. If you ever needed a record to demonstrate the subtler shadings of genius within 50s modern jazz, yet still convince you that it could also be relaxed and spontaneous, this record may well be the one. Titles include 2 standards – "Just You, Just Me" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 2 Mobley originals – "Tenor Conclave" and "Bob's Boys".

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". Like Dave Brubeck's legendary Time Out set? Try this one – a great record that takes off from the concept of the first, but which goes in some very fresh new directions – using the same great group with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums! Dave's still working out some nutty time signatures here – but apart from the science, the thing that really makes the record cook is Desmond's alto – icy, edgey, floating, and always a treat – almost even more amazing in the space of some of these offbeat numbers. Titles include "Maori Blues", "Far More Drums", "Bluetee", "Far More Blue", and "It's A Raggy Waltz".

Some of the first bop sides cut by Americans in Paris – a quartet of material from four different sessions, issued properly for the first time on CD, with great mastering, and a good set of notes in French and English! Don Byas is at the forefront of two sessions here – one with the Tyree Glenn Orchestra, the other featuring the Don Byas Ree-Boppers – and tracks on those include "Walking Around", "Red Cross", "Cement Mixer", "Mad Monk", "Billie's Bounce", and "The Hour Of Parting". Howard McGhee is next up – with 7 tracks from a rare 1948 session, and titles that include "Big Will", "Donna Lee", "Nicole", "Denise", and "Punkins". Last up are four tunes by James Moody – cut during the prime of his early bop years, in 1949, and done with a nicely modern edge. Titles include "Verso", "Recto", "Oh Well", and "Convulsions". 23 tracks in all!

An overlooked late 60s treasure on Blue Note – 2 rare albums by Kenny Cox & The Contemporary Jazz Quintet – one of the few new groups to work on the label at the time, and an up-and-coming modern combo from Detroit! The first album's quite unique for a number of reasons – not just because the group was a little-known new signing to the label, but also because the work is quite far-reaching at times – some of the most free-thinking jazz recorded for Blue Note during the time, with a sense of boldness that almost stretches back to Jackie McLean's first few records of the new thing years, or a sense of lyrical invention that's a bit like Wayne Shorter when he made a shift towards the outside. Some numbers are awash in fast colors and changes, while others are a bit more in the pocket, with echoes of soul jazz – but the whole thing's incredibly fresh and free, a wonderful little record that only gets better and better over the years! The group features pianist Kenny Cox as the leader, plus Charles Moore on trumpet, Leon Henderson on tenor, Ron Brooks on bass, and Danny Spencer on drums. Titles include "Mystique", "You", "Trance Dance", "Eclipse", and "Number Four". The CD also features the group's second Blue Note album, Multidirection – a session of work that builds strongly on the colors and changes explored by Miles Davis earlier in the 60s, but which takes things off into a whole new direction! (A Multidirection?) The horns on the record have incredible interplay – trumpet by Charles Moore and tenor from Leon Henderson, playing together with a sense of dexterity that may even beat the team of Davis and Wayne Shorter – angular one moment, softly lyrical the next, and always in pursuit of fresh tones and righteous sounds. Kenny Cox's piano is great too – an exercise in understatement at times – getting as much done with one note as other players would with five – as he slowly guides the group along, and grounds their freer expressions with a good sense of humanity. Titles include "What Other One", "Gravity Point", "Spellbound", "Snuck In", and "Sojourn".

A seminal meeting of the old and new generations of jazz in the 60s – put together in perfect Impulse fashion! At some level, this is actually an early 60s John Coltrane Quartet album – with Duke Ellington sitting in for McCoy Tyner on piano, as that's the lineup on about half of the album – tracks that feature Coltrane on tenor, Elvin Jones on drums, and Jimmy Garrison on bass, all working with Ellington on the keys. On other titles, though, the album features Coltrane playing with a Duke-ish trio that has Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums – slightly less modern, but with a nice sense of depth throughout! Overall, the the record does a great job of balancing between the best talents of both players – and titles include "Big Nick", "The Feeling Of Jazz", "Take The Coltrane", and "My Little Brown Book".

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".

A 70s double LP issue of a variety of sides Milt cut as a leader for Prestige and Riverside. The first batch of numbers were originally released as a couple of 10"s, then repackaged under various guises in LP format, and feature 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". There's also 4 numbers with the same group adding Henry Boozier on trumpet, performing "Soma", "Buhaina", "Opus De Funk" and "I've Lost Your Love". The second LP is from almost a decade on, 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".

Way more than just "abstractions" – as the set's a very focused batch of some of the larger ideas that John Lewis had about jazz – explored beautifully here away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! The album has Lewis working with frequent partner – and fellow third stream conceptualist – Gunther Schuller – and also features great guest work from Ornette Coleman on alto, Joe Wilder on trumpet, Jim Hall on guitar, and Scott LaFaro on bass – all very different talents at the forefront of jazz at the time, helping bring a wider range of voices than you might normally get on a John Lewis project. Titles include "Abstraction", "Variants On A Theme of Thelonious Monk", and "Piece For Guitar & Strings".

One of the greatest collections of work we've ever seen from Quarteto Em Cy – a CD that features their entire Som Definitivo album from 1964, plus 18 more bonus tracks pulled from two other albums! Som Definitivo is an incredible album – one in which the Brazilian female harmony quartet meets up with their male counterparts, the Tamba Trio! The gals have most of the vocals on this set, but backings are in the sublimely modern mode that the Tamba combo was using at the time, set to arrangements by Luiz Eca, the group's pianist – and soaring with a great blend of jazz and bossa elements! The whole thing's a landmark in the Brazilian scene of the time – with edges that are dark and sweet at the same time – and a depth of sound that's really tremendous. Titles include "O Mar E Meu Chao", "Se Voce Pensar", "Imagem", "Zambi", "Arrastao", and "Vim Da Bahia". Bonus tracks on the set are pulled from the 1964 and 1966 albums titled Quarteto Em Cy – also issued on Elenco – and titles include "O Trem", "Barravento", "Nana", "Vida Ruim", "Mascarada", "Resolucao", "Caminho Do Mar", "Canto De Ossanha", "Samba Torto", "Ate Londres", and "Pedro Pedreiro".

A lost modern soul jazz classic! Altoist Bobby Watson is one of the most soulful players on his instrument in the past 20 years – and he never sounds better than when recording with bassist Curtis Lundy, a richly talented player who's best known to folks for his work with Betty Carter. This sublime session features Watson and Lundy playing in a quartet with Mulgrew Miller on piano and the great Kenny Washington on drums – grooving in a mode that's slightly modal, slightly spiritual – driven by an underground fire that makes the session a timeless one that we find ourselves returning to again and again. The spirit of the best 70s indie soul jazz sessions is alive and well on this one – and the album's filled with wonderful original compositions, including "Jewel", "ETA", "To See Her Face", "Minority", and "Orange Blossom".

A nice one from one of Chicago's most underrated jazz men! Bobby Broom's been plying his trade here in the Windy City on guitar in small group combos for years, playing some of the finest post bop modern jazz we've heard, but he's made few recordings. This great disc captures him alongside Lonnie Smith, Ronnie Cuber and Idris Muhammad, about as near as you'll come today to the classic George Benson quartet that cut some burning sides for Columbia in the late 60s, and as you might hope, this session lives up to the promise of the lineup! The group grooves along nicely on renditions of standards like "Old Devil Moon" and "Peck A Sec", jazzy takes on pop tunes like "Superstition" and "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" and Broom's originals"Dance For Osiris" and "Blues For Modern Man". 10 tracks in all.

One of the greatest Bobby Hutcherson albums for Blue Note – a classic session recorded in quartet form, with a style that seems to set a whole new standard for the vibes in modern jazz! The group here is sublime – Herbie Hancock on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all working with Bobby in cool, blocky chords, with a sound that lies somewhere on the road to "out", but has more of a swing than Hutcherson's "new thing" recordings! The balance is a perfect one – exciting and fresh, but still always soulfully grooving – and titles include a sublime version of Herbie's "Maiden Voyage" – plus originals by Hutcherson that include "The Omen", "Aquarian Moon", "Rojo", and "Head Start".

Incredible stuff! The CD features work from four seminal modern mid 50s groups – all recorded at the Blackhawk nightclub in San Francisco at the height of their powers. About half the CD features work by a young Charlie Mariano – playing here with a sextet that includes Dick Collins on trumpet and Richard Wyands on piano, both perfectly matched players for Charlie's young, icy, modern tone. Remaining tracks feature the Vince Guaraldi quartet with Jerry Dodgion on alto, the Dodgion Quartet with Sonny Clark on piano, and the Ron Crotty trio with Vince on piano and celeste. The collection of tracks is extremely well put together – as all tunes are united by a post-bop approach that looks strongly towards modern jazz, yet which never fails to swing. Great stuff – and an essential chapter of the emerging 50s underground. Titles include "After Coffee", "Ginza", "Calling Dr Funk", "My Friend Ethel", "The Nymph", "The Groove", and "Between 8th & 10th on Mission Street".

Damn great work from one of the greatest British tenorists of the 60s – reedman Dick Morrissey, an artist who never cracked our shores as strongly as Tubby Hayes or Ronnie Scott – but whose work is equally wonderful! Like both Hayes and Scott, Morrissey's got a way of mixing solid swing with a touch of modern – really taking Brit jazz to the next level with a recording like this – a smoking studio cooker with a rock-solid rhythm section! Most tunes are originals – played with tight changes that really make the most of Dick's sharp line on tenor – by a quartet that also includes Harry South on piano, Phil Bates on bass, and Jackie Dougan on drums. Titles include "The Goblin", "Serenata", "Down Home", "Skatin", "On The Spot", "There & Back", and "The Celt".

The band may be riding in a carriage on the cover, but there's nothing old-timey about this set – as the record represents some of the best modern jazz on the Danish scene at the start of the 60s! The album's a rare gem from drummer Bjarne Rostvold – one of the key exponents of his scene at the time, working here in both trio and quartet formation – the former with Bent Axen on piano and Erik Moseholm on bass, the latter featuring the same group with the addition of trumpeter Allan Botschinsky! The quartet tracks lead off the set, and really sparkle nicely, thanks to Botschinsky's presence – a trumpet sound that's sharp-edged, but never too modern – muted at times, and blowing with echoes of the Pacific Jazz years of the LA scene. Trio tracks follow on the second half of the record, and showcase both the well-crafted piano lines of Axen and the round-toned bass of Moseholm – one of those players who contributed a lot to key sides back in the day, but who only now finally seems to be getting his due. Titles include "Mister Man", "Fluted Columns", "Autumn Leaves", "No Problem", and "Mister PC".

Jazz organ explodes to the next level – on this brilliant and rare session by Larry Young from 1969! The record was Young's last recording for Blue Note, and was never issued at the time – only making a brief appearance in a short series at the end of the 70s – and its obscurity makes it all the more important, as it's the kind of record that would have transformed jazz tremendously if released at the time. On the set, Young delivers on all his 60s experimentation with modal grooves and Coltrane-styled playing – working with a quartet that includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, Herbert Morgan on tenor, and Eddie Gladden on drums – soaring to the skies on long tunes that push the Hammond farther than any organist had ever imagined! And while modern, and freer than before, Young is also playing here without some of the over-indulgent styles of his later jazz-rock work – still sticking to the Blue Note mode, while managing to record in a "new thing" mode long after the label had abandoned the "new thing" sound! Mindblowing – and with titles that include "Visions", "Love Drops", "Trip Merchant" and "Street Scene".

Tremendous work from the Spanish scene of the 60s and early 70s – way more than just a batch of obscure jazz cuts, and instead a true testament to this very vibrant musical community! The package brings together some really special tracks from Spanish labels like Edigsa, Ensayo, Hispavox, and others – and really shows that in Spain at the time, there was musical growth that was every bit as strong as in better-known scenes in Germany, France, and Italy – a really rich step forward from American inspiration of the postwar years – into a world of freshly inventive rhythms, really imaginative solos, and some key local touches that really made the music sparkle! Not all players here are of Spanish origin, as the set also shows the key crossroads the scene was offering at the time – a wealth of wonderful hardbop, soul jazz, and modal numbers that include "El Cant Dels Ocells" by Catalonia Jazz Quartet, "Movimiento" by Lou Bennett, "Psique" by Juan Carlos Calderon, "Tema Per Alicia" by Jazz Group, "Asteriscs" by Nits De Jazz Al Jamboree, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, "Israel" by Modern Jazz Sextet, "Rememberance To Madrid" by Elia Fleta, "Marcha De Los Dioses" by Tino Contreras, and "Laberinto (2nd part)" by Vlady Bas.

Tremendous work from the Spanish scene of the 60s and early 70s – way more than just a batch of obscure jazz cuts, and instead a true testament to this very vibrant musical community! The package brings together some really special tracks from Spanish labels like Edigsa, Ensayo, Hispavox, and others – and really shows that in Spain at the time, there was musical growth that was every bit as strong as in better-known scenes in Germany, France, and Italy – a really rich step forward from American inspiration of the postwar years – into a world of freshly inventive rhythms, really imaginative solos, and some key local touches that really made the music sparkle! Not all players here are of Spanish origin, as the set also shows the key crossroads the scene was offering at the time – a wealth of wonderful hardbop, soul jazz, and modal numbers that include "El Cant Dels Ocells" by Catalonia Jazz Quartet, "Movimiento" by Lou Bennett, "Psique" by Juan Carlos Calderon, "Tema Per Alicia" by Jazz Group, "Asteriscs" by Nits De Jazz Al Jamboree, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, "Israel" by Modern Jazz Sextet, "Rememberance To Madrid" by Elia Fleta, "Marcha De Los Dioses" by Tino Contreras, and "Laberinto (2nd part)" by Vlady Bas.

Great work from a group who definitely earn their name – as the quartet was one of the biggest and best groups in the Japanese jazz scene at the time! The lineup features brilliant tenor from Hidehiko Matsumoto – a player who's young here, starting a decades-long run in jazz, but already one of the best reed voices of his scene – wonderfully sharp, with this crisp tone that embraces modern elements of the American alto scene, yet which also comes across with a deep sense of soul as well! The gorup also features tight drums from George Kawaguchi, whose punch really makes things swing – as well as piano from Hachidai Nakamura and bass from Goh Ueda – both nicely swinging rhythm players too. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Yesterdays", "Blues In The Closet", "The Carioca", and "Just One Of Those Things".

An overlooked late 60s treasure on Blue Note – 2 rare albums by Kenny Cox & The Contemporary Jazz Quintet – one of the few new groups to work on the label at the time, and an up-and-coming modern combo from Detroit! The first album's quite unique for a number of reasons – not just because the group was a little-known new signing to the label, but also because the work is quite far-reaching at times – some of the most free-thinking jazz recorded for Blue Note during the time, with a sense of boldness that almost stretches back to Jackie McLean's first few records of the new thing years, or a sense of lyrical invention that's a bit like Wayne Shorter when he made a shift towards the outside. Some numbers are awash in fast colors and changes, while others are a bit more in the pocket, with echoes of soul jazz – but the whole thing's incredibly fresh and free, a wonderful little record that only gets better and better over the years! The group features pianist Kenny Cox as the leader, plus Charles Moore on trumpet, Leon Henderson on tenor, Ron Brooks on bass, and Danny Spencer on drums. Titles include "Mystique", "You", "Trance Dance", "Eclipse", and "Number Four". The CD also features the group's second Blue Note album, Multidirection – a session of work that builds strongly on the colors and changes explored by Miles Davis earlier in the 60s, but which takes things off into a whole new direction! (A Multidirection?) The horns on the record have incredible interplay – trumpet by Charles Moore and tenor from Leon Henderson, playing together with a sense of dexterity that may even beat the team of Davis and Wayne Shorter – angular one moment, softly lyrical the next, and always in pursuit of fresh tones and righteous sounds. Kenny Cox's piano is great too – an exercise in understatement at times – getting as much done with one note as other players would with five – as he slowly guides the group along, and grounds their freer expressions with a good sense of humanity. Titles include "What Other One", "Gravity Point", "Spellbound", "Snuck In", and "Sojourn".

A quartet of the most furiously grooving, dancefloor ready numbers from the African Music Today compilation on Truth & Soul – featuring modern African combos working in the tradition of Fela, Tony Allen, Mulatu and others! The 7" EP version features an Ethio jazz inspired Zafari, the heavy percussion grooves of Friends Of The Family, and a great on Original Brothers that takes inspiration from Mulatu and serves him proudly. Includes "Zafari" by King Masuru, "Percussive Movement" (Parts 1 & 2) by Friends Of The Family, and "Black Out" by The Original Brothers.

Way more than the trad jazz and bebop you might guess from the title – as the set's an incredible compilation of unreleased British jazz treasures – mostly from the 60s, and showing the London scene in the grip of some very formative years! In the immediate postwar years, UK jazz was a pretty straight and tight thing – but as the 60s approached, the sound of London really opened up – not just because of a huge influx of key post-colonial players, but also because the locals were really gaining confidence, and trying out a wealth of new styles on their own – styles that explode wonderfully here, in a mix of 60s modern styles that's really incredible. All tracks here are pulled from the archives of the artists, and many capture key players at periods we haven't heard this strongly before – with work by a quintet with Mike Taylor on piano and Dave Tomlin on tenor; a quintet with Henry Lowther on trumpet, Lyn Dobson on tenor, Tony Hymas on piano, and Harry Miller on bass; a septet with John Stevens on drums, Kenny Wheeler on flugelhorn, Alan Skidmore on tenor, and Ray Warleigh on alto; a quintet with Joe Harriott on alto and Kenny Wheeler on flugelhorn; a quartet with Mike Osborne on alto and John Surman on baritone; Amancio D'Silva on guitar with the quintet of Don Rendell and Ian Carr; a quartet with Lol Coxhill on soprano sax and Steve Miller on piano, and work by groups that include Elton Dean's Just Us, Gary Windo's Symbiosis, and Graham Collier Music.

Brilliant work from an overlooked Swedish group of the 60s – a quintet led by tenorist Gilbert Holmstroms, a player we'd rank right up there with the best European modernists of his generation! The record's got a perfectly pitched sound that blends new overseas freedom with some of the structures still in place from the late 50s modern moments – echoes of Ornette, Harriott, and Dolphy – a wonderful balance of sounds that makes for plenty of individual expression on the record, while still moving forward with a soulful sense of swing! There's a nice degree of space in some numbers – almost painterly, with a quality that reminds us of French jazz soundtracks from a few years before – and in addition to Gilbert's great tenor and leadership, the group also features Arne Larsson on cornet, Clas Fehling on piano, Hans Lofman on bass, and Anders Soderling on drums. Titles include "Kontrast", "Ballad For Max", "Resan Till Hellas", "Disappointment", and "Modul". CD also features a great bonus track, too – a 1968 recording of "Novotec", done by a quartet that features Holmstroms on tenor and Ake Johansson on piano!

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny".

Jazz organ explodes to the next level – on this brilliant and rare session by Larry Young from 1969! The record was Young's last recording for Blue Note, and was never issued at the time – only making a brief appearance in a short series at the end of the 70s – and its obscurity makes it all the more important, as it's the kind of record that would have transformed jazz tremendously if released at the time. On the set, Young delivers on all his 60s experimentation with modal grooves and Coltrane-styled playing – working with a quartet that includes Lee Morgan on trumpet, Herbert Morgan on tenor, and Eddie Gladden on drums – soaring to the skies on long tunes that push the Hammond farther than any organist had ever imagined! And while modern, and freer than before, Young is also playing here without some of the over-indulgent styles of his later jazz-rock work – still sticking to the Blue Note mode, while managing to record in a "new thing" mode long after the label had abandoned the "new thing" sound! Mindblowing – and with titles that include "Visions", "Love Drops", "Trip Merchant" and "Street Scene".

Snowboy returns with another batch of grooves in the Hi Hat series – the first volume we've heard under that name in awhile – and while the sound is still great, the format here is a bit different than before! The style this time around is heavily jazzy – and pulled from records that are even more obscure than those used on previous volumes – mostly relatively recent recordings from the past decade or so, but those which were ignored the first time around – making the music here seem even more fresh! Most of the numbers are titles that were buried in more conventional records, but which stand out as modern jazz dance tracks – keeping the spirit of modal, hardbop, and Latin-styled jazz grooves alive and well on the dancefloor – as testified by the album's photos from Snowboy's Hi Hat club night! Titles include "Sunny Day (live)" by Jon Lucien, "Speed Trap" by Peter King, "If I Perish" by Terrell Stafford, "Our Man In Havana" by Cubana Bop, "Seven Steps To Heaven" by World Saxophone Quartet, "Caribbean Fire Dance" by Bobby Sanabria & Ascension, "Blue Bossa" by McCoy Tyner Latin Big Band, and "Fical Mal Com Deus" by Airto.

A strong showcase for young Nat Adderley's talents on cornet – and an album that's got a different feel that his work with his more famous brother's combo at the same time! The style here is simple – Nat blowing with 2 different quartets – one with Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums (all from Cannonball's group) – the other with the rhythm section of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Despite's Nat's reputation as a gutbuckety soul jazz player, he actually gets in some nicely lyrical licks in this set – blowing in a soulful modern style that almost recalls the work of Carmell Jones at times! Titles include "Chloe", "Images", "Scotch & Water", and "Naturally".

A richly complex album from vibist Teddy Charles – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and certainly one with the boldest sound! The groups here are filled with hip players – all working under Charles' direction in a set of tracks that shimmers with dark sounds and moody colors – often as textural as it is jazz-based – with a level of sophistication that goes beyond even Charles key modernist work from the early 50s. Teddy's on vibes, alongside Art Farmer on trumpet, Eddie Bert on trombone, Hal Stein on alto, Don Butterfield on tuba, George Barrow on baritone, Hall Overton on piano, and Jimmy Raney on guitar – and while some tracks feature a tentet, 4 of the album's numbers feature a smaller quartet with Charles Mingus on bass! Titles include the 10 minute composition "Word From Bird" – plus "Blue Greens", "Laura", "Showtime", and "Just One Of Those Things".

A beautiful combination of piano and vibes – performed here by a hip German combo from the postwar years! The quartet features piano from Wolfgang Lauth and vibes from Fritz Hartshuh – the latter of whom plays with a nicely hard-edged, chromatic sound – a great link between some of the first jazz players to pick up the instrument and some of the key modernists to emerge later in the 60s. Lauth's piano work is great, and the record is a wonderful early example of his standout skills on the instrument – one that also features bass from Wolfgang Wagner and drums from Joe Hackbarth. The album's recorded with a bit of an echoey tone, which brings out some of the darker elements in the music – and the set includes a few really great original compositions, plus more familiar standards. Titles include "La Cave", "Miniature", "Darn That Dream", "Visions Of Cathy", "London Bridge Is Not Falling Down", "Near You It Was Always So Beautiful", and "Everything Happens To Me". (Note: there appears to be a slight imperfection on track 3 – causing a musical dropout for a brief moment.)

A rare set from one of Stan Getz's hippest groups! The album was recorded in Paris in 1966, during a time in which Stan was working with a groundbreaking quartet that included Gary Burton on vibes, Steve Swallow on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a combo that unfortunately got a bit overshadowed by Stan's bossa work, which was recorded in earlier years, but still getting issued and played heavily during the time of the Burton quartet's reign. The upshot of that situation was that the combo weren't nearly as exposed, or recorded, as much as they should have been – making the CD an essential look at this under-documented side of Stan's career. Getz's tone is fantastic – and he glides freely with the young modernists in a way that you barely ever hear on any of his sides from the 60s, save for, perhaps, the sublime Sweet Rain LP. Titles include the long "The Knight Rides Again" – plus the tracks "Singing Song", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Stan's Blues", "Edelweiss", and "Manha De Carnaval".

One of the few beautiful early albums cut by John Handy for Roulette – and an obscure session that has him playing alto with a quartet that includes a young Walter Bishop Jr. on piano. Handy here is fresh from his work with Mingus – and his alto is filled with fire and emotion, yet also touched by a great deal of warm soufulness. His work with Bishop on the album hearkens towards later directions in 70s soul jazz – but it's also firmly rooted in a modernist hardbop vein. Titles include "Strugglin", "No Smiles Please", "Blues For MF", and "Afternoon Outing".

An amazingly unique little group – one that kind of stepped in the Impulse Records back door from the Coltrane galaxy, but which features some very unique aspects overall! As the cover states, the ensemble's led by bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones – and also features McCoy Tyner from Coltrane's quartet – yet the real charm of the record comes from the reed men, who include Prince Lasha on flute and clarinet, Sonny Simmons on alto and English horn, and Charles Davis on baritone sax! All players are free-thinking modernists, with ties to some of the farther reaches of 60s jazz – yet they work here in a beautifully inside mode, similar to Lasha's excellent Insight album on CBS UK – a vibe that takes all the most wonderful aspects of the Coltrane generation, but pushes them even further with some deeply personal expressions. Tracks include the seminal "Half & Half" – plus "Aborigine Dance In Scotland", "Oriental Flower", and "Nuttin Out Jones", and "Gettin On Way".

One of the hippest albums that John Lewis ever recorded – and a set that's noteworthy for the presence of two European modernists! Most of the record features Lewis in a wonderful group with trobmonist Albert Mangelsdorff – who gets plenty of space here to play in his stepping, stuttering style – one of the more angular approaches to trombone in the 60s, and a nice contrast to the piano of Lewis. The group shared by both features Karl Theodor Geier on bass and Silvije Glojarnic on drums – and titles include "Animal Dance", "Set Em Up", "Monday In Milan", and "Why Are You Blue". But possibly even better than these sides is the album's one track by the amazing Zagreb Jazz Quartet – a group that features Bosko Petrovic on vibes, in a style that's somewhat inspired by the MJQ, but a fair bit darker too! The group play the wonderful "Ornaments" – awash in blue tones and richly chromatic vibes.

One of the best albums ever recorded by this Brazilian saxophone giant! This rare 1968 album features Moura working with a quartet that includes Wagner Tiso on piano, Luiz Carlos on bass, and Paschoal Meirelles on drums – gently grooving with a darker edge than usual, and a definite modernist bent. There's very little bossa in the grooves here – and instead, the set's more in the mode of a late 60s American soul jazz set, with a definite turn towards more righteous themes and melodic exploration. Tracks are still relatively short, but both Moura and Tiso pack a lot of creative energy into them. Titles include "Meu Lugar", "Razao", "Terra", "Feitico De Oracao", "Samarina", "Eu E A Briza", and "Aos Pes Da Santa Cruz".

A landmark album that changed a generation of Brazilian musicians – a sublime instrumental collaboration between Airto, Hermeto Pascoal, and 2 other great musicians of their generation! The sound is quite unique – almost a modern recasting of older rootsy modes – taken into the complicated jazzy territory of Airto and Pascoal's best work of the early 70s, but done in an even more stripped down mode! Airto plays percussion, Pascoal plays flute, Geraldo Vandre handles guitar, and Theo De Barros is also in the group – and there's a groove that's impossible to describe accurately, but which you'll instantly recognize as archetypal! Includes the legendary tracks "Misturada" and "Vim de Santana" – plus "Sintese", "Canta Maria", "Canto Geral", and "O Ovo".

Sal Salvador was one of the 50's more accomplished modernist talents on jazz guitar – and his work ranks up there with players like Tal Farlow, or Gil Melle's great bandmate Joe Cinderella. This reissue is Salvador's rare first album for Blue Note – only issued in a 10" vinyl format! The record features quartet and quintet material, and includes tenorist Frank Sokolow, an icy-toned genius who's never gotten his just dues. Sokolow and Salvador sound great together, and create a haunting sound that's better than anything we've heard on other Salvador records from his later years. Titles include "My Old Flame", "Gone With The Wind", and "After You've Gone" – and the cover and packaging job is totally cool!

A rare set from one of Stan Getz's hippest groups! The album was recorded in Paris in 1966, during a time in which Stan was working with a groundbreaking quartet that included Gary Burton on vibes, Steve Swallow on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a combo that unfortunately got a bit overshadowed by Stan's bossa work, which was recorded in earlier years, but still getting issued and played heavily during the time of the Burton quartet's reign. The upshot of that situation was that the combo weren't nearly as exposed, or recorded, as much as they should have been – making the CD an essential look at this under-documented side of Stan's career. Getz's tone is fantastic – and he glides freely with the young modernists in a way that you barely ever hear on any of his sides from the 60s, save for, perhaps, the sublime Sweet Rain LP. Titles include the long "The Knight Rides Again" – plus the tracks "Singing Song", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Stan's Blues", "Edelweiss", and "Manha De Carnaval".

Reissue of a rare Teddy Charles album that also featured Booker Little and Booker Ervin. The album features the inventive vibist caught live in New York at a Metronome sponsored gig featuring Mingus alums Mal Waldron, Booker Ervin and Booker Little. The set includes one expansive Charles original, "Take Three Parts Jazz", a Little original "The Confined Few", Ervin's "Scoochie" and Waldron's "Cycles", along with a few standards. The music is fantastic, and is a mix of modernist modal themes with rich soul jazz playing. Ervin and Little are fantastic, and their sharp edgey sounds are a perfect contrast with Charles' moody vibes. Very little of Teddy Charles' work, which ranged from introspective avant garde pieces with Jimmy Giuffre to more swing based collaborations with Mingus, has been documented, this piece showcases his New Directions Quartet in a unique setting, with inspired guests.

An amazing batch of tracks that will convince you that Walt Dickerson is one of the greatest jazz musicians ever to touch a set of vibes! The record was Dickerson's first for Prestige, and (like most of his albums on the label) it features a quartet lineup that includes the enigmatic Austin Crowe on piano, a very young Andrew Cyrille on drums, and little-known bassist Bob Lewis – whose pulsating work here really makes the album move! There's a strong sense of modernism to the music – those sharper tones that set Dickerson apart from most of his contemporaries on the vibes – but there's also a great sense of soul and warmth as well, more so than on some of Walt's other albums. Titles include the classic "Death & Taxes" – a massive modal groover – plus the beautiful "Evelyn", the haunting "Time", and other titles that include "Infinite You" and "Elizabeth".

Despite the stupid name (or perhaps because of it), this is one of the great lost sessions of the 60s! Drummer Pete LaRoca originally cut this set for the tiny Douglas label, and the session's an amazing bit of modernist jazz that features a rare non-Sun Ra appearance by tenorist John Gilmore. Gilmore's playing is fantastic, and quite different from that on some of his Ra albums – probably because the rest of the quartet features Chick Corea and Walter Booker, who groove in a very modal vein. The material's out, but not too out – and although Corea and Gilmore's solos are quite far-reaching, they also snap back nicely into the tight playing of the ensemble. And forget all of your biases against Corea – because at this young age, his playing is great! Very hard to find in this original form! Titles include "Sin Street", "Dancing Girls", "Love Planet", and "Bliss".

A very rare gem from the late 50s – a smoking set that was cut for a very small label, but which is every bit as great from a musical perspective as it is from a collector's one as well! The whole thing cooks with the insensity of a Prestige date from the early 50s – very sharp hardbop energy throughout, spurred on by the work of leader Reese Markewich on piano – in a group that also features tremendous tenor from Jesse Avery, a player who don't really know at all, but who brings an especially sharp edge to the set! Reese also plays a bit of flute – and the quintet also includes Nick Brignola on baritone and alto sax, Steve Fillo on bass and Ronnie Zito on drums – all players with a very cohesive, hard-swinging sound. The set's got a number of great original tunes – and titles include "Hurricane Connie", "Pony", "Mildew", "Flute Street", "Crazy In The Heart", "Moonlight In Vermont", and "Last Lap".

An album and a half from Charlie Rouse – plus some great work by Seldon Powell too! First up is Rouse's Yeah album for Epic from 1961 – a fantastic (and rare) hardbop session from the early 60s! The album's quite different than some of the work Charlie Rouse cut with Monk's classic quartet at the time – more in a hardbop mode that takes us back to his late 50s sides for Prestige – but done with a new sense sharpness, and a bit more of a soul jazz influence overall! The group is great too – a quartet that includes Dave Bailey on drums, Billy Gardner on piano, and Peck Morrison on bass. The latter two were playing a lot with Lou Donaldson in the early 60s, and they bring a similar rhythmic flavor to this set as well – and although we've always loved Rouse's modernist tones with Monk, this session shows him as a true emotional genius, capable of laying down a tight solo that's right in the pocket! Titles include "Billy's Blues", "Lil Rousin", "Stella By Starlight", and "Rouse's Point". We Paid Our Dues is a really great little album – featuring some of the best small combo work by the both Charlie Rouse and Seldon Powell! The album is split into two parts – one part featuring work by Rouse with a trio that features Gildo Mahones on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. With Mahones leading the rhythm, the session's a lot more soulful than some of Rouse's other work – swinging with a lean mean sound that really returns his tenor style to some of its 50s power. The other group on the set features rare small combo work by Seldon Powell – an excellent tenor player who almost never got to work in small group settings. The rest of Powell's group includes Peck Morrison on bass, Denzil Best on drums, and Lloyd Mayers on piano. Both players are well suited to appear on the same record, and the split in personnel from track to track is less bracing than you might think. Titles include "Two For One", "Quarter Moon", "I Should Care", "Bowl Of Soul", and "For Lester".