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Unusual material from Chico Hamilton – recorded around the same time as his groundbreaking work for Pacific Jazz – but for the smaller Crown/Modern label in LA! The format's a bit unusual, and changes a bit throughout the record – showing Chico's already-strong ear for creative formats that go way beyond conventional jazz. There are 2 numbers at the end of side 2 featuring Chico in the familiar chamber jazz lineup, with Fred Katz on cello and Paul Horn on reeds – "Crazy Cats" and "Lord Randall". The rest of the tracks feature the stringed instruments handling most of the melody, in a free floating style that's got the same "modern yet swinging" approach of some of Jimmy Giuffre's best late 50s recordings, which ultimately places it in a similar context to the chamber jazz numbers. Titles include "Porch Light", "Autumn Landscape", "Uyawda", "Lolly Pop", "Pluck It", "Katz Up", "Crazy Cats", and "Lord Randall".

An obscure release by Chico Hamilton – but with some really great moments that more than rival his famous sides for Pacific Jazz in the 50s! The set was issued on the obscure Crown label, and is a bit short on notes – but side one features work by Chico's early trio – a cool group with either Howard Roberts or Jim Hall on guitar, and George Duvivier on bass – really sounding open and airy, yet swinging too – on titles that include "Nutty", "Skinned Strings", "Street Of Drums", and "Blues On The Rocks" – played by a group that seems to feature bass, drums, and guitar. Even better, though, is side two, which features the more complicated "Suite For Horn" – a long piece built around the flute work of Paul Horn – presented here with a shorter track called "Montuna", which is mostly just heavy percussion, bass, and very noisy cello from Fred Katz!

One of the most starkly beautiful recordings in Paul Horn's career – with spiritually resonant, almost spine tingling solo flute and some chants, all recorded in the Taj Majal one day in April of 1968! It's really all about the atmosphere, as it would have to be given the location – with Horn playing of the amazing echo in a completely wonderful way, never feeling anything less than wholly authentic and genuinely inspired! Titles include "Vibrations", "Akasha", "Jumna", "Shah Jahan", "Mantra II/Duality", and "Unity".

Fantastic stuff – and a beautiful album of modal grooves that really deserves wider recognition! Horn plays alto and flute in a groovy west coast quintet with Emil Richards on vibes and Paul Moer on piano – and the overall feel is very similar to his stellar Something Blue album on the HiFi label. Tracks begin with some tight bass and drum workouts, then the piano of Moers sets down lines that let horn and Richards groove over the top. Wonderful stuff – with only a hint of Horn's later hippy-dippy work, and some great tight jazz soloing. Titles include "Fun Time", "Now Hear This", "Abstraction", and "Straight Ahead".

A seminal session from the team of Miles Davis & John Coltrane – not nearly as "cookin" (at least in a blowing session way) as you might guess from the title, but instead a beautiful example of the lyrically modern explorations the pair created together! Rhythm is by the trio of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones – but the horn work of Davis and Coltrane are clearly the starring attraction on the set! Titles include "Tune Up", "Blues By Five", and "Airegin" – plus the pair's classic reading of "My Funny Valentine".

A wonderful bit of cinematic jazz from the 50s – played by the Chico Hamilton group as part of the soundtrack! The combo was a key part of the LA scene at the time, but are oddly featured as a regular club act in the movie's New York setting – but we'll gladly forgive that geographic error, given that the music on the set is so great. The quality's a bit like some of the Hamilton Quintet work on World Pacific – but there's a slightly freer, more urgent feel here too – work that's sometimes somewhat driving, and beautifully blended from the guitar of John Pisano, clarinet of Paul Horn, cello of Fred Katz, piano of Carson Smith, and drums from Chico. Side one features a lot of short incidental cuts – like "Susan", "Cheek To Chico", "Jam", and "Night Beat" – and side 2 is an extended "Concerto Of Jazz Themes From The Soundtrack Of Sweet Smell Of Success".

A jazz soundtrack double-header – one that features both the small combo and larger band version of the soundtrack to The Sweet Smell Of Success! The first half of the CD features the Chico Hamilton Quintet's album of music – a wonderful bit of cinematic jazz from the 50s. The combo was a key part of the LA scene at the time, but are oddly featured as a regular club act in the movie's New York setting – but we'll gladly forgive that geographic error, given that the music on the set is so great. The quality's a bit like some of the Hamilton Quintet work on World Pacific – but there's a slightly freer, more urgent feel here too – work that's sometimes somewhat driving, and beautifully blended from the guitar of John Pisano, clarinet of Paul Horn, cello of Fred Katz, piano of Carson Smith, and drums from Chico. Side one features a lot of short incidental cuts – like "Susan", "Cheek To Chico", "Jam", and "Night Beat" – and side 2 is an extended "Concerto Of Jazz Themes From The Soundtrack Of Sweet Smell Of Success". The second half of the CD features the full orchestral version of the Sweet Smell Of Success soundtrack – but done in a style that's almost as jazzy and swinging as the small combo one! Elmer Bernstein's at the helm here – and the music's a wonderful pastiche of modes that's right up there with his sublime score for The Man With The Golden Arm – done in a similar blend of driving jazz, somber moments, and some slightly more raucous touches! As with that album, the players are all great – and soloists on the album include Pete Candoli, Ted Nash, and Shelly Manne – west coast players despite the New York setting of the film, and playing here with a fair bit of grit in their groove. Titles include "The Street", "Hot Dogs & Juice", "Toots Shor's Blues", "Nite Spot Rock", "Love Scene", and "Out Of Darkness".

Early genius from Eddie Higgins – a pianist who was a big thing on the Chicago scene of the 60s, but is probably best known to most folks for his revival records of the past decade or two! The younger Higgins has more of an edge than the later one – and this self-titled debut is a cooker of a hardbop album – thanks not only to work from Eddie's core trio, but also some great horn interplay from Frank Foster on tenor and Paul Seranno on trumpet! Eddie wrote some of the best cuts on the record – some really fresh numbers – and he gets rhythmic help from either Richard Evans or Jim Atlas on bass, and Marshall Thompson on drums. Higgins titles include "Foot's Bag", "Zarac The Evil One", and "AB's Blues" – and the album also features versions of "Blues For Big Scotia" and "Falling In Love With Love".

A lost chapter in the career of cellist Fred Katz – an album recorded after his small combo work with Chico Hamilton, and sort of a larger group take on the whimsical sound of the classic Hamilton Quintet! The tracks are all older folk tunes, adapted by Katz to fit a chamber jazz mode – and featuring shifting instrumentation from track to track, in order to fit the African, American, or Jewish origins of the tunes. Although the concept may sound a bit gimmicky, the record's actually pretty darn great from a jazz perspective – and is one of the few to show the real depth of Katz as a leader! Players include Billy Bean on guitar, Gene Estes on vibes, Jack Costanzo on percussion, Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Paul Horn on flute and alto – all great talents for this sort of work, especially Horn, whose reed lines help keep things lively. Titles include "Mate'ka", "Chili'lo", "Mathni-ki", "Old Paint", "Foggy Foggy Dew", and "Rav's Nigun".

One of the grooviest albums ever recorded by guitarist Barney Kessel – a sweet reworking of Henry Mancini's fabulous music for Breakfast At Tiffanys! The set's got a warm feel and more than a bit of bossa nova inspiration – similar to some of the other Kessel and Shorty Rogers projects for Reprise at the time – and the group features some wicked reed work from Bud Shank and Paul Horn, both of whom add some great color to the set – and make it way more than just another trio date from Kessel! The whole thing's wonderful – filled with favorites from the Mancini songbook – titles that include "Something For Cat", "Sally's Tomato", "Mr Yunioshi", "The Big Blowout", "Hub Caps & Tail Lights", "Breakfast At Tiffany's", "Latin Golightly", "Loose Caboose", and "Moon River Cha Cha".

A wonderful wonderful set from Barney Kessel – bossa-inflected jazz, and a wonderful setting for Barney to hit some very groovy lines on electric guitar! The group on the date is part of the strength of the record – with Conte Candoli on trumpet, Emil Richards on vibes, Paul Horn on flute, and Victor Feldman on piano – with loads of great percussion and guitar interplay on the set, plus some excellent use of flute and vibes – all of which makes for the sort of session that really translates the Brazilian groove into the best sort of sound the LA scene was cutting at the time! Nice, light, and dancing rhythms – and titles that include "Love", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Latin Dance #1", "Lady Byrd", and "One Note Samba".

A great little live set from King Curtis – cut in his local turf of Harlem, with a very loose sort of feel and nice gritty groove – which lets both King and his combo get even freer and funkier than usual! There's an edge here you don't usually get on the studio work from Curtis – or at least the material you'd find on other 60s albums from the same stretch – which often just featured sax instrumental reworkings of pop hits. Instead, this cooker has King's horn working in a cool combo with keyboards from Paul Griffin and guitar from Cornell Dupree – really all coming together as a tight funk act, and more in the mode that you'd find on some of King's overlooked b-sides from his Atco singles. Titles include "Philly Dog", "Tough Talk", "Soul Theme", "Something On Your Mind", and "Pots & Pans".

A pretty wonderful album by Michel Legrand – way better than you'd guess from the title! Sure, the tunes are mostly numbers by Richard Rodgers, but Legrand handles them here with the best of his soundtrack skills – really opening them up with some amazingly deft arrangements, and working with a stellar set of American jazz players to give the tunes a sound that's as jazzy as possible – and swinging them with the inherent lyricism that always makes us love his music! Players are a great lineup – with Clark Terry and Ernie Royal on trumpets, Urbie Green and Bob Brookmeyer on trombones, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Jerry Dodgion and Phil Woods on alto, Julious Watkins on French horn, Gary Burton on vibes, and Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones on piano. Titles include "This Can't Be Love", "Falling In Love With Love", "Bali Hai", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "There's A Small Hotel", and "The Lady Is A Tramp".

Very groovy work from Paul Mauriat – quite different than his hit albums of the 60s, with lots of cool electronic touches and kind of a spacey feel overall! The set definitely plays on its Chromatic title, with tunes that each have kind of a different color to their sound – sometimes in ways that use sweet keyboards, other times a bit of flute or woodwinds – and often with a feel that's like a late 70s European soundtrack. All tunes are originals – penned by Mauriat and arranger Gerard Gambus – and titles include "Romantic Laser", "Elie Upa", "Crocodile Tears", "Sica Sica", "Chromatic Dream", and "Pop Horn". Plus, the set also features five tracks each from the similar Aerosong and Bienvenido albums – with titles that include "Nube Girls", "Criollisima", "Aerosong", "Llamarada", "Pobre Diablo", and "Quien Sera".

An excellent pairing of funk talents – the tight trumpet of Blue Mitchell, and the super-soulful backings of Monk Higgins! Higgins has a groove that was schooled in the funky 45 underground of Chicago – and here, he really finds a great way to pick things up for Mitchell – relieving him of the duties of being a leader on his own, and coming up with tight jams that then let Blue step out as the main solo talent! Other players include Paul Humphrey on drums, Anthony Ortega on tenor, Jim Horn and Ernie Watts on flute, and Monk Higgins himself on organ, tenor, and piano! The whole thing's a great jam, and includes many tasty cuts, like "Deeper In Black", "Jo Ju Ja", "Blue On Black", "Monkin Around", and "Keep Your Soul".

One of Art Pepper's classic recordings, in which he plays with a spare quartet backing by Miles Davis' rhythm section at the time – Paul Chambers, Red Garland, and Philly Joe Jones. An essential "east meets west" jazz recording, with Art at the top of his game, playing in a unique setting for the first and only time (it's said that Art didn't even know of the date until the morning of the session). Pepper is one of the few alto players to really establish his own voice on the horn, without aping Bird, and his emotive playing really shines here. A definitive version of "Straight Life" is on this album, along with "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To". and "Star Eyes".

Head to head blowing from Sonny Sitt and Paul Gonsalves – just the kind of twin-horn performance that Stitt was famous for in his live battle days, and one that also reminds us that Gonsalves can be a very loose swinger when he wants to be! The tracks are all long, and played with the sort of feel you'd hear if you caught these guys live at some small southside club – and the solos also show the kind of inventiveness and imagination you'd catch in that sort of setting – backed by a swinging rhythm combo that features Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Titles include a version of "Perdido" that's nearly 13 minutes long – plus "Stardust", "Sposin", "Salt & Pepper", and "Theme From Lord Of The Flies".

A crazy collection of poetry and jazz – but one that doesn't come from as much of the sort of hipster/beat angle as one would expect from this sort of project! Instead, the interpreters take the high art road – with John Carradine, Hoagy Carmichael, Ben Wright, Roy Glenn and Bob Dorough all reading selections penned by Walt Whitman, Dylan Thomas, William Carlos Williams, Langston Hughes, Lawrence Lipton, Philip Whalen, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. The music is very progressive and expressionistic for the period – performed by the Chico Hamilton Quintet, the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, the Ralph Pena-Bob Dorough Quintet, or a special group put together for this recording called the Jazz Canto Ensemble – which features Jack Montrose, Larry Bunker, Paul Horn, Buddy Collette and other west coast players from the LA scene. The sound is a bit more serious than some of the Fantasy Records jazz-meets-poetry experiments of the same time – and titles include "Poets To Come", "Tract", "In My Craft Or Sullen Art", "Night Song For The Sleepless", "Lament", "Dog", "Young Sycamore", "Three Songs", and "Big High Song For Somebody".

A second turn in the Movements series on the Perfect Toy label – some of the most blazingly funky 45s you'll hear – put together by the Tobias Kirmayer of Tramp Records! Once again we're floored by how great all of this stuff sounds – some of the deepest, tightest funk material we've ever heard – with snapping drums, perfectly timed horn blasts – and some hard psychedelic soul touches of organ and wailing vocals – while never falling short of unfailingly funky! 15 great tracks: "If It Feels Good" by Phil Flowers, "There's A Wrinkle In Our Time" by 1984, "Don't Chain My Soul" by Carlton Basco, "My Mind Set Me Free Pt 1" by House Guests, "Now Is The Time" by Sisters Love, "Southern Fried Chicken Pts 1 & 2" by Bill Thomas & The Fendells, "Warm Daddy's Choice" by River Front Band, "Bring Out Yourself" by Emperors Soul 69, "Bahama Soul Stew" by Funky Nassau, "Motherless Child" by Harmonica Paul, "Arabian Funk" by Ray Anthony and more!

Pounding! This is the long-awaited re-release of a lost session that Blakey recorded in 1958, with a triple-drum rhythm group that included himself, Philly Joe Jones, and Roy Haynes – plus some additional conga work by Ray Barretto. Unlike other Blakey "drum orgy" sessions, though, this one's got a much straighter jazz feel – with plenty of solo space for trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Bobby Timmons. The drums work together in fantastic interplay – with Haynes' lyricism, Blakey's crackle, and Jones' raw power all providing perfect complement to each other while Morgan solos freely out front as the only horn (a role that he rarely ever got to take!) The set also includes 2 amazing other tracks that feature only bass and drum (not drum n bass!) interplay between Blakey and the late Paul Chambers – making for a total of 8 incredible tracks in all, with titles that include "Lee's Tune", "Blakey's Blues", "Lover", and "Drums In the Rain". Great stuff, and with notes by Kenny Washington, too!

Did Ellington ever record in concert and it not be great? This wonderful double-length set from the 60s is key proof of his genius in an unfettered live setting – recorded in Paris in 1963 with plenty of dark edges! The tracks are short overall, but Duke's really at the head of the group on piano – playing with those angular, modern tones he picked up in the post Money Jungle years – and clearly in charge of the group from the keyboard, not the podium. Horn players include Harry Carney, Ray Nance, Lwarence Brown, Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges, and Paul Gonsalves – all bringing in some special tones and unique performances to an extended set list that includes both Ellington standards and a few lesser-known numbers. Titles include "Rockin In Rhythm", "Concerto For Cootie", "Suite Thursday", "Tone Parallel To Harlem", "Bula", "Cop Out", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "Theme From Asphalt Jungle", and "Star-Crossed Lovers".

Finally!!! The notoriously elusive album that every digger spends hours combing the Easy Listening bins in search of. Of course, this one is in demand for the excellent sample cut "Harlem Hendoo", but it certainly isn't a one tracker thanks to composer Paul Griffin and arranger Teacho Wiltshire, as Hirt gets un-characteristically funky on tunes like "Honey Pot", "Mess Around", "Girl", and "Love Ya' Baby".

A stunner of an album – and one that definitely draws plenty power from the double drummers in the lead! The set's way different than most of Elvin Jones' other work of the time – and is even more hard-hitting than some of the Philly Joe Jones sessions too – and, unusual for Atlantic Records at the time, the tracks are all quite long – with a very open, freewheeling sound! There's some great horn players who really help shape the sound of the tunes – Hank Mobley on tenor, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – and the piano of Wynton Kelly and bass of Paul Chambers ensure that the music is right in the groove. The set features three long tracks – "Brown Sugar", "Le Roi", and "Beau-ty".

A really hard-edged set from trumpeter Louis Smith – one of his only two albums as a leader from the early years, and a heck of a great little album, thanks to tenor work by Charlie Rouse! Rouse is blowing beautifully here in one of his classic pre-Monk appearances – recorded at a time when he was more of a hard bopper than a modernist, but still working with an ear for unusual tones and phrasing. His horn sounds beautiful next to the deeply soulful trumpet of Smith – and the pair are supported by a rhythm team that includes Sonny Clark on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Smithville", "Embraceable You", "Wetu", and "Later" – all done in nice long versions!

Quite different than most of Letta's other albums – with a smooth approach that's got a strong modern soul feel, one that works surprisingly well with Letta's vocals. Paul Riser handled the string and horn arrangements, and although the album's not as "authentic" as some of Letta's other albums, the overall style is still quite compelling – and whatever the record lacks in African funk, it more than makes up for in smooth jazzy LA soul. Titles include "Mamani", "Haraje", "I Need You", and "Buza".

A pair of soundtracks from Claude Bolling – both pretty darn great! La Gitane is a really fresh one from Claude – a score that echoes both his ear for acoustic swing of the 30s, and his blend of mixing jazz and classical modes – yet all the tracks somehow come across with a feel that's different than Bolling's usual bag – surprisingly spontaneous at times, especially on the numbers that feature acoustic guitar in the lead – and often filled with little twists and turns that you'd never find in Claude's non-soundtrack work. Titles include "Hubert Florence Et Elsa", "Hubert Et Mona", "Hold Up", "Poursuite", "Caramba", "Theme De Mona", and "Les Gitans". Le Leopard is of similar vintage, and shows a lot more of an 80s approach to instrumentation overall – bits of keyboards mixed in with evocative orchestrations – a blend of strings, horns, and electric modes – all done with a great deal of warmth and feeling. A few moments even veer a bit towards funk – or at least as close as you might come in a Bolling soundtrack – and titles include "Les Camions Moustiques", "Les Camions Monstres", "Le Lac De Feu", "Generique Fin", and "Pauline Et Nick Denver".

Hard-slamming genius from pianist Sonny Clark – one of his greatest albums for Blue Note, and a real cooker that's served up with an all-star group! Clark's vision has never been tighter or fuller than on this album – save, perhaps, for the magnificent Cool Struttin – and his command as a leader is impeccable, effortlessly shaping the horns of Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, and John Coltrane to realize his unique vision in music. Rhythm is by Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums – and titles include classics like "News for Lulu" and "Sonny's Crib", plus smoking renditions of "Speak Low" and "With a Song in My Heart".

Paul Clifton checks in with a great wobble-walker – a heavy number with a rich R&B vibe – vocals and horns all vamping nicely together over the groove! "Too Young" has echoes of "Fever", especially in one of the choruses – and has a similar vamping groove that's equal parts R&B and early soul!

A bold early statement from a young John Coltrane – and an album that really has him expanding his talents as a tenor soloist! Coltrane's working here in open-ended quartet format – with backing from the Red Garland trio that includes Paul Chambers and Art Taylor – on a set of longer tunes that really let the young Trane stretch out on his solos, unobstructed by any other horns in the lineup. There's a nice mix of hardbop ideals, gentle ballads, and personal soul to the set – and titles include Coltrane's classic reading of Tadd Dameron's "Good Bait", plus "I Want To Talk About You", "Russian Lullaby", and "Theme For Ernie".

Duke Ellington and Mary Poppins? Sounds like a terrible combination – but it's actually pretty darn great! You see, the key words in the title are "plays with" – as Duke takes the core score of the film and, working with Billy Strayhorn, comes up with some groovy little tunes that really depart from the originals – and become perfect backdrops for the modern Ellington genius of the 60s. Solo work on the set is by Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Cootie Williams, and Harry Carney – and overall, the album's got that nice punchy feel of Ellington's other Reprise sides – and makes especially nice use of the modal quality of some of the tunes from the film. Titles include "Jolly Holiday", "The Life I Lead", "I Love To Laugh", "Stay Awake", "Chim Chim Cheree", and "Feed The Birds".

Duke Ellington and Mary Poppins? Sounds like a terrible combination – but it's actually pretty darn great! You see, the key words in the title are "plays with" – as Duke takes the core score of the film and, working with Billy Strayhorn, comes up with some groovy little tunes that really depart from the originals – and become perfect backdrops for the modern Ellington genius of the 60s. Solo work on the set is by Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Cootie Williams, and Harry Carney – and overall, the album's got that nice punchy feel of Ellington's other Reprise sides – and makes especially nice use of the modal quality of some of the tunes from the film. Titles include "Jolly Holiday", "The Life I Lead", "I Love To Laugh", "Stay Awake", "Chim Chim Cheree", and "Feed The Birds".

Excellent Duke Ellington work from the late 50s – written and recorded during a period in which he was reemerging with a stronger jazz vision than ever before! The set was written by Ellington and Strayhorn – and dedicated to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario – but forget the Bard-inspired roots of the tracks, because the shimmering moods of the pieces is pure Ellington – with a richness of feeling that's totally great, and a sound that's wonderfully fresh, given that most of these numbers aren't overplayed Ellington compositions! Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpets, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Johnny Hodges on alto – and titles include "The Telecasters", "Circle Of Fourths", "Sonnet For Caesar", "Sonnet To Hank Cinq", and "Such Sweet Thunder".

One of the greatest records we've ever heard from Jazzanova – a set that really returns the group to their roots, and features live funk instrumentation, and ultra-soulful vocals from singer Paul Randolph! The sound is unlike anything Jazzanova's done in the past – even tighter, and more soulful than their excellent Of All The Things album – with a lean groove that's light years away from some of their too-electric moments from a decade ago! A number of tunes here are tracks from the group's more electronic years, but redone with much warmer live instrumentation –and the evolution in the music is mindblowing, with stunning results – a record filled with instant classics – as funky drums mix with jazzy horns, and set up a perfect vibe for the complex yet soulful sound of Randolph's vocals. Titles include "Little Bird", "Flashback", "No Use", "Lucky Girl", "I Human", "Let Me Show Ya", "Theme From Belle Et Fou", "Fedime's Flight", and "Boom Clicky Boom Klack".

One of the greatest records we've ever heard from Jazzanova – a set that really returns the group to their roots, and features live funk instrumentation, and ultra-soulful vocals from singer Paul Randolph! The sound is unlike anything Jazzanova's done in the past – even tighter, and more soulful than their excellent Of All The Things album – with a lean groove that's light years away from some of their too-electric moments from a decade ago! A number of tunes here are tracks from the group's more electronic years, but redone with much warmer live instrumentation –and the evolution in the music is mindblowing, with stunning results – a record filled with instant classics – as funky drums mix with jazzy horns, and set up a perfect vibe for the complex yet soulful sound of Randolph's vocals. Titles include "Little Bird", "Flashback", "No Use", "Lucky Girl", "I Human", "Let Me Show Ya", "Theme From Belle Et Fou", "Fedime's Flight", and "Boom Clicky Boom Klack".

Killer piano from Ronnie Kole – a set with loads of cool soul jazz touches throughout! The core of the album's based around Ronnie's trio – with some excellent hard-handed work from Kole that's right up there with Ray Bryant in the 60s – but it also features great arrangements from John Bergeron and Charlie Brent, both of whom bring in horns and inventive rhythms to really push things over the top! The set crackles like some hip Argo/Cadet set from the Chicago scene – hardly the New Orleans jazz you'd guess from the title – and the set's got groovy takes on "Aquarius" and "Spinning Wheel" – plus nice originals "God Bless Bu-Butz", "Just A Feelin", "Happy Is Love", and "Lonely Waltz".

A great Morricone soundtrack for a Jean-Paul Belmondo thriller – a score that starts out spare and brooding, then builds nicely as things move on – with lots of cool bottom-end sounds that make the whole thing really move up from the depths! Some tunes echo the sweeter side of Morricone, while others are a bit more brooding – and instrumentation includes some of the same offbeat piano you'd hear in The Burglars, plus light guitar, weird-tuned horns, and other nice bits that are sometimes abstracted beyond recognition! Titles include "Paura Sulla Citta", "Avvertire La Polizia", "La Scorta", "Le Tellier E Helen", and "Maichini". A tremendous package – with 22 tracks in all, and almost 75 minutes of music!

Really rich sounds from Woody Shaw – one of his sublime studio sessions for Columbia Records – a major label, but one who really let Woody explore some new ideas in his music! There's a depth here that surpasses some of Shaw's straight small group sessions – really magnificent sounds that push the boundaries of soulful jazz at the end of the 70s, yet still hold onto all the best aspects of Woody's roots – kind of a distillation of all the soulful, spiritual experiments of the past 10 years – delivered in ways that really help them reach out to new ears! The core group features Woody on trumpet and flugelhorn, Larry Willis on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums – but each track features some key guest appearance too – by artists who include Gary Bartz on alto, Curtis Fuller and Steve Turre on trombones, Carter Jefferson on tenor and soprano sax, James Spaulding on flute, Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, and Judi Singh on vocals – singing beautifully on the cuts "Time Is Right" and "Why" – alongside other instrumental numbers that include "Opec", "Josua C", "Isabel The Liberator", and "Ginseng People".

An excellent set of some fairly out material – performed by Shorter with a group that includes Freddie Hubbard, Grachan Moncur, James Spaulding, Herbie Hancock, and a rare appearance by his brother Alan on flugelhorn! At times, the record builds into a sound that's freer and more challenging than on some of Shorter's other albums from the time – but it does so in more of the "new thing" mode that you'd hear on records from the time by Jackie McLean or Moncur, with an overall sense of purpose that really keeps the message clear. Features all original compositions by the Shorter brothers – and cuts include "Chaos", "Face Of The Deep", "Mephistopheles", and "Genesis".

Unreleased recordings from that amazing moment when British jazz was really coming into its own – exploring the farther reaches of the avant garde, but in ways that were quite different than American sounds at the time! The lineup here features some of the most inventive London players of the generation– Kenny Wheeler on trumpet and flugelhorn, Paul Rutherford on trombone, Trevor Watts on alto and flute, Evan Parker on soprano and tenor, Barry Guy on bass and piano, and John Stevens on drums and percussion – plus some especially mesmerizing guitar from Derek Bailey on two thirds of the album's tracks. Given the 1966 and 1967 dates, the music is years ahead of its time – and titles include unused tracks for a film soundtrack – "Withdrawal" – plus other Withdrawal tracks, and the longer "Seeing Sounds & Hearing Colours".

A blistering recent set from Brit jazz legend Keith Tippett – proof that his powers are still strong after all these years! The cover and title look a bit new-agey, but the album's got a very avant sound – a free improvisation that runs for almost 50 minutes – featuring a large group with Tippett on piano and percussion, Julie Tippetts on voice and xylophone, Kevin Figes on alto and baritone sax, Paul Dunmall on tenor and soprano sax, James Gardiner-Bateman on alto, Ben Waghorn on tenor and bass clarinet, Thad Kelly on bass, and Peter Fairclough on drums. The tune is listed as composed by Tippett – and there's definitely some pre-conceived lyrics by Julie – but the performance is pretty ope-ended, and definitely feels improvised at most points.

Genius work from the World Sax Quartet – a really unique ensemble who not only set the tone for a generation of jazz musicians to come, but also gave focus to some richly expressive talents from the 70s underground! The quartet is something of a supergroup right from the start – graced with tremendous reed work by David Murray, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and Hamiet Bluiett – all key American players who really helped transform the sound of jazz in the 70s – coming together here in a whole new way on seminal sides for the Black Saint/Soul Note label! The format – which inspired many others – is really compelling – as the group's sounds come only from saxes, no other instrumentation at all – with the four wind players handling all rhythm and melody, and making some really amazing music in the process. Horn interplay had never been heard so clearly before – especially as here, the stars put aside their egos, and never try to overblow each other – and instead have this brilliant way of working together to craft a new sort of groove. The box set features the albums Steppin With, WSQ, Revue, Live In Zurich, and Live At The Brooklyn Academy Of Music – all with the classic lineup – plus Moving Right Along, which actually features a quintet with Bluiett, Murray, and Lake – joined by James Spaulding and Eric Person.

Legendary drummer Harvey Mason in sweet jazz funk groove at Arista – a way stronger record than we remembered! Harvey played on some of our favorite jazz funk records of all time – including the massive Gears LP by Johnny Hammond among so many other great albums – and on his on 70s work for Arista, he explored jazz funk and soul instrumentals, with an expansive approach. He was an integral piece of the pie on so many completely essential records by other artists, that it's far too easy to overlook the considerable strengths of the records he headlined, and this is surely of on one of those! Players include Lee Ritenour & Ray Parker on guitars, the Sea Wind Horns of Bruce Fowler, Sally and Kenny Mason, Greg Pillinganes and Paul Smith on pianos and organs, Jan Hammer on Mini Moog and others. Cuts include "Sweet Mercy", "Bertha Baptist", "First Summer" (with Harvey Mason on vibes, bells and chimes), "No Lands Man", "Sho Nuff Groove", "The Mase", "When I'm With You (Live Version)" and "KY And The Curb". This expanded edition from Soulmusic.com includes 2 bonus tracks: "KY And The Curb (US Single)" and "The Mase (UK Single)".

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus "The Controversial Suite".

A sublime setting for the vocals of the great Ivan Lins – wrapped up here in some really inventive arrangements from the SWR Big Band, who bring an energy to the album we haven't heard from Lins in years! Ivan's vocals take on this soaring, fluid quality that reminds us why we first fell in love with his music so many years ago – a transcendent quality that's really let loose the more the band seems to energize their rhythms and horn charts – almost scatting at times, given the jazzy vibe of the whole record! Arranger Ralf Schmid really makes magic on the record – and the album also features work from Paula Morelenbaum on guest vocals, and a bit of vocals from a South African choir. Tracks include "Samba De Vision", "Missing Miles", "Guantanamineira", "Roda Baiana", "Trem Bom", and "Awa Yio".

Quite possibly the best-remembered album from Pharoah Sanders' legendary run at Impulse Records – a set that crossed over big, and sold to countless folks who might not have bought a jazz album this hip otherwise! The record was Sanders' first in the wake of Coltrane's passing – and it's a beautiful extended suite of tracks that flows with a sense of grace, power, and majesty that's simply breathtaking – a new level of expression in spiritual jazz – and virtually the blueprint for an entire generation to come! The album features the classic track "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – spanning a tremendous amount of space and time – and featuring Leon Thomas' classic vocals on the lyrics! Thomas also returns on the cut "Colors", which is a bit more outside, and quite free overall – and other players on the date include Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, James Spaulding on flute, Julius Watkins on French horn, Ron Carter and Richard Davis on bass, and Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums.

Second pressing of a set that originally focused on the many different styles of arranger/conductor/horn player David Amram, but unlike the original on RCA, this pressing condenses the material into a single LP. The best material mixes up "Near Eastern" instrumentation and funkier arrangements, and some other cuts that have kind of a groovy beatnik jazz sound to them. Most notable of these is a version of "Pull My Daisy", but other cool tracks include "Tompkins Square Park Consciousness Expander", "Brazilian Memories", "Sao Paulo", and "Going North". This version of the album features 7 tracks in total, with the remaining titles being "Waltz From After The Fall" and "Wind From The Indies".

Hard-slamming genius from pianist Sonny Clark – one of his greatest albums for Blue Note, and a real cooker that's served up with an all-star group! Clark's vision has never been tighter or fuller than on this album – save, perhaps, for the magnificent Cool Struttin – and his command as a leader is impeccable, effortlessly shaping the horns of Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, and John Coltrane to realize his unique vision in music. Rhythm is by Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums – and titles include classics like "News for Lulu" and "Sonny's Crib", plus smoking renditions of "Speak Low" and "With a Song in My Heart".

A bold early statement from a young John Coltrane – and an album that really has him expanding his talents as a tenor soloist! Coltrane's working here in open-ended quartet format – with backing from the Red Garland trio that includes Paul Chambers and Art Taylor – on a set of longer tunes that really let the young Trane stretch out on his solos, unobstructed by any other horns in the lineup. There's a nice mix of hardbop ideals, gentle ballads, and personal soul to the set – and titles include Coltrane's classic reading of Tadd Dameron's "Good Bait", plus "I Want To Talk About You", "Russian Lullaby", and "Theme For Ernie".

A bold early statement from a young John Coltrane – and an album that really has him expanding his talents as a tenor soloist! Coltrane's working here in open-ended quartet format – with backing from the Red Garland trio that includes Paul Chambers and Art Taylor – on a set of longer tunes that really let the young Trane stretch out on his solos, unobstructed by any other horns in the lineup. There's a nice mix of hardbop ideals, gentle ballads, and personal soul to the set – and titles include Coltrane's classic reading of Tadd Dameron's "Good Bait", plus "I Want To Talk About You", "Russian Lullaby", and "Theme For Ernie".

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".

A HUGE batch of samba-soul grooves from Seu Jorge! Jorge previously knocked around Brazil as a member of the late 90s pop group Farofa Carioca, but his first solo outing is a massive step forward into the upper echelon of the Brazilian scene! Like the best of his contemporaries, Jorge uses the rich history of samba and bossa as a springboard – but it's the pronounced contemporary qualities, such as production and mix work by Beastie Boy producer Mario Caldato – that push Carolina way over the top and make it much more than a genre exercise! The title track echoes the earlier work of Jorge Ben, who actually pens the reggae-inflected tune "Em Nagoya Eu Vi Eriko", and the tracks "Mangueira" and "O Samba Tai" have the classic samba groove and crisp background vocals that would sound right in place on Tom Ze's Se O Caso E Chorar. "Hagua" has a deep reggae thump, and nearly everything here has kind of a 70s soul feel thanks to some bright, almost Kool & The Gang-like horn arrangements! The group includes Azymuth drummer Mamao, Paulinho Black on bass, Banda Black Rio's William Magalhaes on keyboards, and Josimar Monteiro on violin. Another great new solo artist from Brazil, and one that we expect amazing things from in the years to come!

Quite possibly the best-remembered album from Pharoah Sanders' legendary run at Impulse Records – a set that crossed over big, and sold to countless folks who might not have bought a jazz album this hip otherwise! The record was Sanders' first in the wake of Coltrane's passing – and it's a beautiful extended suite of tracks that flows with a sense of grace, power, and majesty that's simply breathtaking – a new level of expression in spiritual jazz – and virtually the blueprint for an entire generation to come! The album features the classic track "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – spanning a tremendous amount of space and time – and featuring Leon Thomas' classic vocals on the lyrics! Thomas also returns on the cut "Colors", which is a bit more outside, and quite free overall – and other players on the date include Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, James Spaulding on flute, Julius Watkins on French horn, Ron Carter and Richard Davis on bass, and Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums.

Stanley's soulful horn is set in a slightly larger group, in the style that would dominate his later years for the Blue Note label. Duke Pearson arranged the set, and players include James Spaulding, Blue Mitchell, Grant Green, Pepper Adams, and McCoy Tyner. Tracks are of medium length, with Stan blowing some nicely-pinched solos on titles like "Shake", "Walk On By", and "And Satisfy" – all with tight arrangements by Pearson!

A great album – with a really swinging groove! Stanley's soulful horn is set in a slightly larger group, in the style that would dominate his later years for the Blue Note label. Duke Pearson arranged the set, and players include James Spaulding, Blue Mitchell, Grant Green, Pepper Adams, and McCoy Tyner. Tracks are of medium length, with Stan blowing some nicely-pinched solos on titles like "Shake", "Walk On By", and "And Satisfy" – all with tight arrangements by Pearson.

Stanley Turrentine's no spoiler here – as his tenor sax soars out over the top of some sweet larger group arrangements from Duke Pearson – all awash in a great sense of soul, joy, and life! The album's got a much brighter feel than you might guess from the cover – a vibe that's a bit similar to Stan's classic Joyride album, but a bit more open and free – thanks to the lyrical touches of Pearson on the charts. Other players include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Pepper Dadams on baritone sax – plus rhythm from McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on electric bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Joseph Rivera on percussion. As on some of the other Pearson dates from the time – particularly those with Donald Byrd – the use of electric bass really opens things up, by creating a subtle rhythmic pulse that really drives most numbers along. And also in the Pearson mode, the added players aren't really a horn section in the conventional way – just a group of like-minded, top-shelf jazz players who egg on the main soloist with a great sense of enthusiasm for the music! Titles include "La Fiesta", "The Magilla", "Sunny", "Maybe September", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", and "When The Sun Comes Out".

Jazz versions of classics by Antonio Carlos Jobim – all done by a group arranged and directed by guitarist Mario Adnet, and featuring guest work from Joyce, Helio Delmiro, Romero Lumbambo, and others! The sound here is really fresh – not merely just a reworking of Jobim's original ideals, but a recasting of them in lightly arranged modes that often take on the shapes, colors, and textures of work by Moacir Santos – styles that are warm, but often have some sharper edges underneath, thanks to great interplay between the instruments. Bits of horns, guitar, piano, and percussion all come together with a tremendous sense of grace – and titles include "Tema Jazz", "Sue Ann", "Domingo Sincopado", "So Danco Samba", "Paulo Voo Livre", "Polo Pony", and "Bate Boca".

Hard-slamming genius from pianist Sonny Clark – one of his greatest albums for Blue Note, and a real cooker that's served up with an all-star group! Clark's vision has never been tighter or fuller than on this album – save, perhaps, for the magnificent Cool Struttin – and his command as a leader is impeccable, effortlessly shaping the horns of Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, and John Coltrane to realize his unique vision in music. Rhythm is by Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums – and titles include classics like "News for Lulu" and "Sonny's Crib", plus smoking renditions of "Speak Low" and "With a Song in My Heart".

A huge moment in jazz – not just for trumpeter Miles Davis, but also for saxophonist John Coltrane – who was virtually introduced to the world at large with this record! As you might guess from the title, the record's the first to feature Coltrane playing along with Davis – a sublime combination that resulted in some key sides that forever helped shape the sound of jazz. Rhythm is by the famous trio of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones – and apart from the top-shelf solo work, the interplay between the horns is also fantastic. Titles include "Just Squeeze Me", "There Is No Greater Love", "How Am I To Know", "S'Posin", "The Theme", and "Stablemates".

Ahh, we'd so love to see a bunch of killer Morricone numbers on funky 45s – but if that doesn't happen, we've got a really great one here!!! "Le Casse" is a moody bit of crime score funk, a killer beat under some harpsichord, strings and somewhat soaring atmospherics that pair so nicely with the rawer undercurrent. "Rodeo" has a more measured approach with a groovy payoff, and some sweet horns in the mix. Great stuff pulled from an early 70s film with Jean-Paul Belmondo & Omar Sharif!

A crazy bit of funk from drummer Roy Porter – a player who first rose to fame during the LA bop years of the late 40s, but who sounds even hipper here in the 70s! The album's got a madly skittish approach to funk – one that's highly rhythmic, but often in unconventional ways – somewhat similar to Redd Holt's excellent albums for the Paula label. Roy plays drums, percussion, and sings a bit – and the grooves run from break-heavy instrumentals to even cooler numbers that bring in more of a sense of flow and soul – really opening things up beyond any simple 70s jazz funk cliches, and hitting some really wicked new territory! Instrumentation includes plenty of great horns, electric piano, guitar, and even a bit of Arp – all used in really inventive anc reative ways. Titles include the classic crate-digging favorites "Panama" and "Party Time", plus a vocal version of "Jessica", a cover of Jobim's "Waver-ing", and another nice original called "Funny Feelin'"! Tremendous stuff all the way through!

Solo, duo, and trio recordings from Paul Bley – all done in an amazingly inventive mode that takes us back to his key sessions of the early 70s! Bley's in great company here – with Hans Koch on reeds and Franz Koglmann on flugelhorn – both musicians who share Paul's sense of sound as shapes, shaped by the space in between – yet always in ways that still have a beating heart underneath – and are never too academic for their own sakes. The blend is a careful one, but it rings true here right from the very first note – on a beautifully recorded batch of 18 tracks!

A sharp early 60s session from the Duke Ellington group – one that seems to draw strongly on the best late 50s work for Columbia Records, but which also seems to add in an extra crackle too! The tunes are relatively short, but the group pack plenty of punch in the small space – especially on the more rhythmic numbers, which almost seem to borrow a bit from Basie's bag – yet with more of the sophistication you'd expect on the Ellington horns. The work of Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums is especially strong on this session – but there's loads of great interplay from reedmen who include Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Russel Procope, Harry Carney, and Paul Gonsalves – plus trumpet from Bill Berry, Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes, and Harold Baker. Titles include "Taffy Twist", "Flirtbird", "Smada", "What Am I Here For", "Boo Dah", "Black & Tan Fantasy", and "I'm Gonna Go Fishin".

Very different work than usual for superdrummer Paul Humphrey – a warm, acoustic set of soul jazz – with a very different approach than his 70s albums! Humphrey's really stepping out here as a strong straight jazz leader – working with a group that includes west coast hornmen Buster Cooper, Oscar Brashear, and Herman Riley – arranged by the pianist in the group, Llew Mathews. The tunes are nearly all originals – done with a post-Horace Silver style that mixes the soulful and the introspective, and which slides into lots of warm tones and colors, all while still keeping its groove. Titles include "My Mind Is Free", "Thiago", "Snap", "Roundabout", and "Return To The Nightsong".