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A pair of hard-wailing tenor albums on Verve – both of them great! Boss Tenors In Orbit is a studio album, but one that really has Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recreating some of the bold energy of their live shows – coming across with a vibe that's much more Prestige Records than Verve, thanks to the presence of the Don Patterson trio on the set! Backing is by Don on Hammond, Paul Weeden on guitar, and Billy James on drums – a nicely loose combo that really lets the tenorists stretch out and show their stuff. The cuts are mostly standard material – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long Ago And Far Away" – but the twin-tenor sound is great, and Patterson's free organ lines riff away nicely! On Boss Tenors, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love".

A classic live date from Satchmo – and expanded to include the complete performances on that legendary night at Boston's Symphony Hall – for the first time ever! Recorded in November of 1947 and originally released in '51, it's never before been issued with both the first and second sets that night. There's also a number of great tunes here that were released before in edited versions, but fully presented here. It's such wonderful stuff – both as a top-shelf document of this period of American jazz – and as a brilliant example of Satcho's charming stage presence. His trumpet and solo vocals are well captured, and you can here up humming along on the instrumentals, too. The players at this point who are All Stars, indeed, include Jack Teagarden on vocals and trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Dick Cary on piano, Arvell Shaw on bass, and Sid Catlett on drums – plus some great vocals by Velma Middleton. 29 songs on 2CDs – in a hardback package with a great booklet – and featuring "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", "Stars Fell On Alabama", "Body And Soul", "Steak Face", "Back O'Town Blues", "St James Infirmary", "Mop Mop", "Jack Armstrong Blues", "That's My Desire", "C Jam Blues", "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", "Mahogany Hall Stomp" and more – many previously unreleased!

One of the greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time – and one of the rarest! The record is right in the same vein as Roy's groundbreaking He's Coming LP – a righteous mix of soul jazz, subtle funk, and some of the cosmic wisdom that Roy was spreading among the jazz funk underground – all wrapped up beautifully, but never in a way that's like commercial soul of the time. There's a few instrumental tracks on the album, plus some vocal ones that show that off-beat male/female style that Roy would use more famously in later tracks like "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" or his work with Ramp. Players include Harry Whitaker on electric piano, Edwin Birdsong on organ, Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Jumma Santos on congas – and titles include a version of Nat Adderley's "Hummin", done as "Hummin In The Sun", and very much in the Ramp vein. Also features instrumental cuts "The Fuzz", which has Roy's vibes toned way up, and the cool mellow "The Painted Desert", a really offbeat slow jazz number. The group also does a great job with Edwin Birdsong's "Pretty Brown Skin", picking up the song as a really anthemic groover that gives the record a nice kick! CD also includes the rare 45-only track "He Gives Us All His Love" – originally done for the movie Cold Turkey.

An amazing little record – with results that are even greater than the sum of its parts! As you'd guess from the title, Count Basie takes on the 60s sounds of The Beatles – but he's doing so with arrangements from the great Chico O'Farrill – who really keeps things interesting throughout – throwing in those hip rhythms and odd twists and turns he first forged with his Latin recordings – in ways that definitely live up to the groovy pedigree of the tunes. And the Basie group's got a groovier sound than usual – probably due to the arrangements – and Basie plays some nice organ riffs on a number of the album's tracks – one of the Count's rare outings on the instrument, always a treat. Titles include "Help!", "Can't Buy Me Love", "I Wanna Be Your Man", "All My Loving", and "And I Love Her". Proof that The Beatles' influence was way farther reaching than you'd ever expect!

Maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from trumpeter Till Bronner – a beautiful tribute to the 70s sound of Freddie Hubbard – recorded with instrumentation that's heavy on Fender Rhodes, and these soaring solos that are simply the greatest we've ever heard Bronner play! There's a perfection to the record that may well even go past Freddie's classics for CTI – a sense of solid, soulful sounds throughout – with not a moment of filler, and a great mix of originals from Bronner that really capture the Hubbard vibe – mixed with a few others that further the essence. The whole thing's wonderful – a killer contemporary set, but with a richly vintage feel too – no vocals, no remixes, or any of the other things that you might find on other Bronner albums. Titles include "Will Of Nature", "FFH", "Return To The Fold", "Gibraltar", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Condor", "Pegasus", "Red Street", "Wacky Wes", and "The Gate".

Maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from trumpeter Till Bronner – a beautiful tribute to the 70s sound of Freddie Hubbard – recorded with instrumentation that's heavy on Fender Rhodes, and these soaring solos that are simply the greatest we've ever heard Bronner play! There's a perfection to the record that may well even go past Freddie's classics for CTI – a sense of solid, soulful sounds throughout – with not a moment of filler, and a great mix of originals from Bronner that really capture the Hubbard vibe – mixed with a few others that further the essence. The whole thing's wonderful – a killer contemporary set, but with a richly vintage feel too – no vocals, no remixes, or any of the other things that you might find on other Bronner albums. Titles include "Will Of Nature", "FFH", "Return To The Fold", "Gibraltar", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Condor", "Pegasus", "Red Street", "Wacky Wes", and "The Gate". Limited deluxe edition features a bonus CD – with the tracks "Till's Blues", "Body & Soul", and "Little Sunflower".

A really sweet little album from guitarist Kenny Burrell – one in which he takes older tunes ("a generation ago"), and updates them with a sweetly compressed Verve 60s groove ("today"!) The record features 2 small groups – one with Ron Carter, Grady Tate, and Phil Woods; the other with Carter, Tate, and Richard Wyands – and the style is light, laidback, and recorded with a warm tone overall – in a mode that's almost a precursor to the CTI sound of the late 60s. Mike Maineri joins on vibes on one track – and titles include "Wholly Cats", "Rose Room", "As Long As I Live", and "A Smooth One".

Great work from one of the funkiest periods in the career of the Jazz Crusaders – that point when they first dropped the "jazz" from their name, and started moving into groovier territory! The set's a bit electric, but never as much so as their later, bigger hits – just enough so that the basslines bump the tunes along strongly, and the keyboards start to sparkle in the mix too – but still leaving plenty of space for acoustic contributions on piano, trombone, and tenor. Arthur Adams joins the group for a bit of guitar, which is well-placed – and titles include the massive "Pass The Plate" medley, which runs for over 15 minutes – plus "Young Rabbits 71/72", "Goin' Down South", "Listen & You'll See", "Greasy Spoon", and "Treat Me Like Ya Treat Yaself".

Herb Ellis pays homage to one of the first great jazz guitarists – the legendary Charlie Christian, certainly one of the first true soulful talents to emerge on the instrument! The set's one of Ellis' nicer ones for Verve – and although it mentions Christian in the title, there's nothing outdated or old-timey about the sound of the record! Herb's lean lines on the guitar come through nice and clear – in a group that features Frank Strazzari on piano, Chuck Berghofer on bass, and Kenny Hume on drums – as well as Harry Babasin on cello, playing some nicely plucked notes that sound beautiful alongside the guitar! Tracks are relatively short, and titles include "Everything's Pat", "Workin' With The Truth", "Cherry Kijafa", and "Karin".

A pair of great Bill Evans albums for Verve – both a very good fit together! The cover of Empathy co-credits Bill Evans and Shelly Manne as the leader of the set – and that distinction's an important one – as the record has a slightly different feel than some of Bill's other 60s work for Verve! The sound is often a bit stronger, somewhat bolder – and although Manne's not a monster on the drums, he does have a way of directing the tunes that's a bit different than some of Evans' other piano-led albums. Bass is by Monty Budwig, who's nicely sensitive to the talents of both players – and there's almost an equally-weighted melodic feel to all three elements of the trio – which really rounds out the record nicely. Titles include "The Washington Twist", "Danny Boy", "Let's Go Back To The Waltz", "With A Song In My Heart", "Goodbye", and "I Believe In You". Simple Matter Of Conviction is a move into a more sophisticated vein than his earlier recordings! The album has him working with bassist Eddie Gomez, a hugely talented bassist that would be one of Bill's best partners during this period, and a player who added a nice dose of soul to the proceedings. The drummer is Shelly Manne, who's pretty nice, too – and really shows off some of his more sophisticated shadings here in the presence of Evans and Gomez – similar to his work on the great Empathy album. Tracks are shortish, but filled with imagination – and titles include "Unless It's You", "These Things Called Changes", "Stella By Starlight", and "A Simple Matter Of Conviction".

The title may be a bit strangely put – as "Steamer" isn't a word that we'd necessarily think to use with the gently flowing tenor tone of Stan Getz – but that doesn't stop the album from being a great one, and perhaps in Getz-like terms, it might well have a bit more steam than usual! The album features Getz in a quartet with a nicely flowing groove – nicely vamping piano from Lou Levy in the background on most numbers, and a definite edge in the lead tenor solos – still blown with the warmth of earlier Getz recordings, but perhaps showing some of the modern flourishes to come. Bass is by Leroy Vinnegar and drums are by Stan Levey – and titles include "Blues For Mary Jane", "There'll Never Be Another You", and "You're Blase".

A pair of bossa classics – back to back on a single CD! The first Jazz Samba set is one of those records that no home should be without – not only a pivotal album in the growth of bossa nova in the 60s – but a set that also really helped set the career of tenorist Stan Getz on fire! The real credit here might almost go to guitarist Charlie Byrd – as Byrd was a big early proponent of bossa nova rhythms, and had already been experimenting with them on his records of the time – yet also gets a key extra "umph" here in the presence of Stan's tenor – a bold, rich, soulful sound that really helps give the music a lot of direction – in ways that still resonate strongly all these many years later! Getz is completely sublime – a master of tone and timing throughout – and perfectly fit to these tunes. Rhythms are mostly from Byrd's trio, augmented with some extra percussion – and titles include the classic "Desafinado", plus "E Luxo So", "Samba Dees Days", "Samba Triste", "O Pato", "Samba De Uma Nota So", and "Baia". Jazz Samba Encore is hardly an "encore" of the first Stan Getz Jazz Samba album – as this set's got a slightly different feel, and lots of great elements that make it really unique! This time around, Brazilian musician Luiz Bonfa is on guitar – already a skilled proponent of the bossa by the time of the record, and arguably one of the few who really got it going back home in Rio. Stan's tenor sounds wonderful – as carefully and soufully blown as on the first set, but also with some new colors and tones too. Bonfa's wife Maria Toledo sings a bit on the record – hinting at Stan's work to come with Astrud Gilberto (this album was cut right before the Getz/Gilberto collaboration) – and the record also features added work on piano and guitar from the great Antonio Carlos Jobim – more than enough proof that the album's got a pure bossa pedigree! Titles include "Menina Flor", "Ebony Samba", "Saudade Vem Correndo", "Sambalero", "Samba De Duas Notas", and "Mania De Maria".

Two Verve albums from Johnny Hodges – both relatively obscure, and both pretty darn great! The Eleventh Hour is an overlooked gem from Johnny Hodges – a 60s session that hearkens back to the "with strings" Verve mode of the 50s – but one that also updates the approach strongly, thanks to some well crafted arrangements by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's work in the jazz backings for soloist mode during the 60s was some of the best of the big band genre – and although his work here is much more in the mellow tone mode than his backings for players like Jimmy Smith and Lou Donaldson, Hodges is still getting top shelf treatment, some really wonderful washes of sound and color that show that his tone is still very much alive! A nice preface to the pair's classic set for Flying Dutchman – and with tracks that include "Something to Live For", "Don't Blame Me", "Warm Valley", "The Eleventh Hour", "Guitar Amour", and "You Blew Out The Flame In My Heart". Sandy's Gone is a set that has the sweet alto sax of Johnny Hodges working with great arrangements from Claus Ogerman – a mode that's a bit more groovy and 60s than some of Johnny's previous work – in a setting that offers up a nice change for his sound! Claus is in fine form here – swinging with the same style as his own instrumental records for RCA in the 60s – echoes of his German roots, especially in the use of bass at the bottom – which gives even some of the gentler tunes a nice kick we're not used to hearing in Johnny Hodges material. Johnny's got a sound that's soulful, yet sweet too – almost pop, but still very strongly rooted in jazz – on titles that include "Again", "Sandy's Gone", "Monkey Shack", "Scarlett O'Hara", "Candy's Theme", and "Follow Me".

One of the greatest small group sessions of the 50s by tenorist Illinois Jacquet – and a record that really lets you hear his development as a musician at the time! Jacquet was always a standout on his instrument – especially in some of the larger group recordings that won him acclaim in the 40s. Yet the player heard here is much more mature, and even more confident – yet in ways that actually have him doing less – really finding his sense of timing and tone, and moving out magically in a hip Verve combo with Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Jimmy Jones on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. Titles include "Las Vegas Blues", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", and "Achtung".

Wonderful work from Portuguese singer Maria Joao – a vocalist who's worked mostly in Europe, but who's also made some great contributions to the world of Brazilian music over the years! The backings here are more adventurous than some of Joao's straighter jazz sessions – with large orchestrations by Mario Laginha, performed by the NDR Radio Philharmonic – often with a mix of modern tones alongside the warmer elements we always expect from Maria's music. The blend is sublime – and Joao's voice is even more pretty and fragile than we remember it – and it floats over the top of these arrangements in a beautiful way. Titles include a nice remake of "Asa Branca", plus Edu Lobo's "Beatriz", and the originals "Filhotes", "Viarias Dancas", "Chao", and "Uma Casa Com Gente".

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more.

One of the coolest vocal groups of the late 60s – Germany's Gunter Kallmann Choir, presented here in a batch of tracks that includes some of their hippest tracks from the Polydor years! The group's sound is quite similar to that of the Horst Jankowski singers – a large ensemble of mixed male and female voices, often recorded with mod instrumental touches like electric bass, bubbling organ, funky flute, and sweet percussion – an approach that seems especially well-suited to the sorts of groovy 60s tunes presented in this package! Things are plenty sweet, but never sleepy at all – a cool blend of Anglo lyrics and German studio genius – on 24 cuts that include "Windmills Of Your Mind", "Daydream", "One Summer's Day", "Live For Life", "My Cherie Amour", "Wait Until Dark", "The Eyes Of Love", "A Time For Us", "Just A Dream", "Once In Each Life", and "The Colour Of My Love".

Two great examples of Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band – back to back on a single CD! First up is Concert Jazz Band 63 – the sound of Gerry Mulligan in the early 60s – and one of the best records by his larger than usual Concert Jazz Band! Given Gerry's piano-less experiments of the 50s, it's surprising to actually have him as the pianist on this session – hitting the keys with a nice light touch, so that the larger horn section can take over most of the tunes – a beautifully-arranged ensemble who have a feel that's lighter than some of the groups of the 50s – such as the Kenton ensemble – yet one that's equally modern at times! The lineup is wonderful – with Clark Terry and Nick Travis on trumpets, Willie Dennis and Bob Brookmeyer on trombones, and Gene Quill, Gene Allen, and Eddie Caine on saxes – plus guitar from Jim Hall, bass from Bill Crow, and drums from Gus Johnson. Titles include "Big City Life", "Bridgehampton South", "My Kind Of Love", "Pretty Gypsy", "Bridgehampton Strut", and "Big City Blues". The second album features great large group material from Gerry Mulligan – and a record that definitely defines the sound of his famous Concert Jazz Band of the early 60s! The group features a four part sax section – headed by Mulligan, with other players that include Zoot Sims on tenor, Gene Allen on baritone, Gene Quill on alto, and Dick Meldonian on alto – and the set also features work by Nick Travis and Conte Candoli on trumpets, and Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone and trombone – shading in some nice colors to the group's tone-heavy approach! Titles include "Out Of This World", "Sweet & Slow", "Bweebida Bobbida", and "Manoir Des Mes Reves".

A pair of Oscar Peterson gems – back to back on a single CD! Night Train is one of Oscar Peterson's biggest records ever – one of those albums we turn up time and time again when digging through classic jazz collections – and for good reason too, given the lasting power of the set! The album's got a rock-solid sound that's filled with soul – almost a bit more down and dirty than some of Peterson's earlier work, very much in the spirit of the group's hit performance of the title track. In a way, the album's almost Oscar's answer to some of the rising younger stars in the soul jazz scene – and is proof that the master still can do things as great as the artists he inspired. Ray Brown is on bass and Ed Thigpen is on drums – and tracks include "Bag's Groove", "Georgia On My Mind", "Easy Does It", "Band Call", and "Night Train". Jazz Soul Of Oscar Peterson is one of the first Peterson albums to ever feature "soul" in the title – added, no doubt, as a way of keeping up with Ray Bryant and other pianists making their name in the growing soul jazz field at the time! There's a groove here that's a bit harder than usual for Peterson on Verve – a heavier approach to rhythm on the keys, and a more focused trio formation – one that clearly sets a pace for albums to come in the 60s, but which must have been relatively striking to Peterson fans at this point. The trio here features Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – and tracks are longer than usual, with some really great room to stretch out! Titles include "Liza", "Con Alma", "Close Your Eyes", "Maidens Of Cadiz", and "Woody'n You".

A near-lost gem in Oscar Peterson's mid-50s catalog for Verve – and a sparkling set of trio numbers recorded at the Shakespeare Festival in Ontario! Despite the literate setting of the recording, the work's never stuffy or academic – and Peterson swings things mightily with his trio that includes Herb Ellis on guitar and Ray Brown on bass. The recording quality is wonderful – deep, rich, and luminous – at a level that almost makes us say "why didn't they stop here, since Oscar sounds so perfect?" Titles include "Love You Madly", "52nd Street Theme", "Flamingo", "How About You", and "Noreen's Nocturne".

Oscar Peterson takes on two famous scores – back to back on a single CD! West Side Story features music from the famous musical – but handled here by the great Oscar Peterson Trio – in ways that really push the tunes past their Broadway roots! The approach is tight, soulful, and filled with strong lines from Peterson on piano – plus bass by Ray Brown and drums from Ed Thigpen – that classic trio from the early 60s that came together in different ways than Oscar's group of the 50s. The set features an especially nice long take on "Jet Song" – plus versions of "Something's Coming", "Somewhere", "Tonight", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty". Porgy & Bess is less an interpretation of Porgy & Bess than an extrapolation of its themes – one that lets the Peterson trio recraft the music into their own! Given that the Porgy & Bess theme had been explored heavily by many other jazz albums of the late 50s – due to the release of the film at the time – Peterson clearly knows he's got to take a different approach here, and manages to dissect the tunes in really unique ways – bringing in gentleness where it wasn't before, and finding space for new music between notes that are already familiar. Of course, it helps a lot that he's got Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – as the album's almost a three-pronged melodic attack – with great versions of titles that include "Summertime", "I Got Plenty O Nuttin", "I Wants To Stay Here", "Oh Lawd I'm On My Way", "Bess You Is My Woman Now", and "Bess Oh Where's My Bess".

The obscure first Verve album from Don Randi – a great little pianist who was well known for his lively club work on the LA scene in the early 60s! Don's got a touch on the keys that's both lyrical and soulful – somewhere between the pyrotechnics of Ramsey Lewis and the smoother grooving of Duke Pearson – always well-composed, but breaking out with some tremendous solo bits from time to time! The album's got Don working with Mel Lewis on drums, and Leroy Vinnegar on bass – and titles include "Take Six", "TJ's Blues", "I Love Paris", "That's All", and "Interlude".

Heavy drums from this mighty pair – presented together on two classic albums! Burnin Beat is a drum-heavy spectacular that returns Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich to their big band roots – thanks to some hard-swinging arrangements from George Williams! The tracks are a bit shorter and done with a larger group than on some of the other Rich or Krupa sides for Verve – but there actually seems to be even more drum pyrotechnics here, possibly because the players' efforts are compressed into such a tight space! Production is a bit odd – with the drums so high in the mix that they sometimes come across with more treble than bass – but that really highlights some of the most inventive moments on the top of the kit as well. Titles include "Duet", "Perdido", "Evolution", "Night Train", and "Hawaiian War Chant". Original Drum Battle is a pretty darn great album – with a wonderful mix of JATP swing and strong-handed drumming by the leaders. The material was recorded at a Jazz At The Philharmonic show at Carnegie Hall in 1952, and although the main focus appears to be Krupa and Rich's drum work, there's actually some fantastic sax playing on the album – from both the alto of Willie Smith and the tenor of Flip Phillips, both of whom are at the height of their powers in this relaxed setting, working amazingly well around the bombastic drum pounding of Krupa and Rich. Tracks are long, and titles include "Idaho", "Flying Home", "Drum Boogie", "Drum Battle", and "Perdido".

Frank Zappa's amazing tribute to the sounds of LA that inspired him in his youth – not just the early rock and roll of the late 50s, but the way the music was picked up and given a home by the scene in East LA! There's a surprising amount of nascent soul elements in the music here – especially the early harmony groups, who Frank's clearly paying tribute to with The Jets – sometimes dealing with subject matter that goes way beyond what most of those groups would have touched – but other times, right in line with the most heartfelt sounds of the 60s! Titles include "Deseri", "How Could I Be Such A Fool", "Cheap Thrills", "No No No", "Anyway The Wind Blows", "Stuff Up The Cracks", and "Jelly Roll Gum Drop".

The second great session from two of Verve's biggest jazz stars of the 60s – organist Jimmy Smith and guitarist Wes Montgomery – an unlikely pair, to be sure, but one who work great together on the set! The real change here is in Wes' playing – as it's shifted from the mellower style used over larger backings on most of his Verve sets, back to the rootsier soul jazz tone of his earliest recordings from his days on the Indianapolis scene. Jimmy and Wes are working with a core combo that includes Grady Tate on drums and Ray Barretto on conga – making for a lean organ/guitar groove that's only got percussion to kick it along. Titles include "Call Me", "OGD", "King Of The Road", "Mellow Mood", and "Maybe September" – plus a great version of "Milestones" that features some hard swinging larger backings from Oliver Nelson!

Sonny Stitt makes Oscar Peterson sit up and groove! The record's a great one, and uses the Peterson Trio as a perfect rhythm section for Sonny's confidently blown solos of the late 50s – in a way that pushes the combo past their usual safe area, and into more freewheeling territory to keep up with Stitt's sense of power and invention! The tunes on the set are every bit as great as those on Sonny's own albums as a leader for Verve – crisp, clear, and perfectly blown – a masterpiece of subtle creativity and one of the greatest tones to ever emerge from the saxophone! Titles include "Au Privave", "Scrapple From The Apple", "Moten Swing", and "Easy Does It".

Delicate dissonance, bruised beauty, and hazy noise pop – all in one of the best rock albums ever made – the amazing first album from the Velvet Underground and Nico! The album's the stuff of legend – and for good reason, too – a surprising slab of vinyl that barely set the world on its ear when first issued back in the mid 60s – yet a record that's gone onto have an influence felt for decades to come – arguably one of the most important rock records of all time. There's a really sinister edge to the record, even when things are sweet – and the range of subject matter and handling here is brilliant – from the dream pop slice of heaven "Sunday Morning", the melodic bitterness of "Femme Fatale", the massive White Light-esque freakout "European Son", and the sublime "Heroin" – quite possibly the inspiration for generations of drug use to come. The whole thing's a classic – with wonderful vocals from both Nico and Lou Reed – and titles include "Venus In Furs", "Run Run Run", "Black Angel's Death Song", "I'll Be Your Mirror", and "All Tomorrow's Parties". 2CD versions features 9 tracks from Scepter Studios sessions from 1966, 6 tracks from Factory Rehearsals in 1966, the stereo version of the album, and 5 alternate versions that include "All Tomorrow's Parties (alt single voice version)", "Heroin (alt version)", "European Son (alt version)", "I'll Be Your Mirror (alt mix)", and "All Tomorrow's Parties (alt inst mix)".

Delicate dissonance, bruised beauty, and hazy noise pop – all in one of the best rock albums ever made – the amazing first album from the Velvet Underground and Nico! The album's the stuff of legend – and for good reason, too – a surprising slab of vinyl that barely set the world on its ear when first issued back in the mid 60s – yet a record that's gone onto have an influence felt for decades to come – arguably one of the most important rock records of all time. There's a really sinister edge to the record, even when things are sweet – and the range of subject matter and handling here is brilliant – from the dream pop slice of heaven "Sunday Morning", the melodic bitterness of "Femme Fatale", the massive White Light-esque freakout "European Son", and the sublime "Heroin" – quite possibly the inspiration for generations of drug use to come. The whole thing's a classic – with wonderful vocals from both Nico and Lou Reed – and titles include "Venus In Furs", "Run Run Run", "Black Angel's Death Song", "I'll Be Your Mirror", and "All Tomorrow's Parties".

One of the grooviest records ever – a sublime blend of African percussion, soulful orchestrations, and Dorothy Ashby's amazing electric harp! By the time of this landmark album, Dorothy had been knocking around the jazz world for a number of years, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard Evans at Cadet Records that her sound really began to cook – breaking down genres and expectations in the trademark style of the best late 60s sides from the Chicago underground. The record's got a bit of funk, a bit of jazz, and a heck of a lot of soul – and the setting works perfectly for Dorothy's harp, giving it a lot more room to work around than some of her smaller jazz combo albums. The album includes two great originals – "Soul Vibrations" and "Afro-Harping" – both of which have a nice funky edge, and a groovy soulful bounce – and other tunes include "Lonely Girl", "Life Has Its Trials", "Look Of Love", "Come Live With Me", and a great version of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower".

Pure genius throughout – two great albums on a single CD! Trombone Jazz Samba is an overlooked gem from Bob Brookmeyer – and a set that fits in strongly with the other Verve Records bossa nova albums of the 60s! Bob's the center star on valve trombone, but the record's awash in work from other great Verve talents too – a tight small group that features Gary McFarland on vibes, Jim Hall and Jimmy Raney on guitars, and Willie Bobo on drums – alongside some added percussion that really helps keep the bossa spirit strong! Tunes have that spare, soulful crackle that you'd find in the Stan Getz bossa sessions for Verve – except that trombone is the lead solo instrument here – and titles include "A Felicidade", "Col Bogey Bossa Nova", "Blues Bossa Nova", "Qual E O Po", "Chara Tu Tristeza", and "Samba De Orfeu". Samba Para Dos is a great lost groover on Verve – recorded during the heyday of the label's bossa years with Stan Getz! The record features Bob Brookmeyer fronting a large group arranged and conducted by Lalo Schifrin – soloing over the top, while Lalo comes up with sparkling bossa-tinged grooves that are in the spirit of his best soundtrack work of the mid 60s. Brookmeyer's playing is great too – very different than his sparer, modernist work on other records – and very much in the tradition of Brazilian trombone players who were a key force in bossa jazz at the time. The set includes one long original, "Samba Para Dos", plus shorter standards like "My Funny Valentine", "What Kind Of Fool Am I", and "I Get A Kick Out Of You" – all taken in great jazzy bossa versions!

Two great ones as a leader from bassist Ray Brown – back to back on a single CD! All Star Big Band is a standout session from Brown – one of a few 60s big band sessions recorded for Verve, featuring some searing solo work from Cannonball Adderley! Brown's name as a leader is possibly more as a compadre than the main driving force of the record – as the arrangements here are by Ernie Wilkins, often in the tightly soulful bag he was laying down at the time – and Adderley's presence as the main soloist certainly gives a Cannonball flair to the record. But there's definitely plenty of Brown's warmth guiding the whole session – and other players include Nat Adderley, Clark Terry, Melba Liston, Budd Johnson, and Yusef Lateef. Some tracks have Brown's bass right out front in the arrangements, dipping nicely and adding into the groove – and titles include "Tricotism", "Cannon Built", "Thumbstring", "Two For The Blues", and "Work Song". Ray Brown & Milt Jackson is a really hip record from the team of bassist Ray Brown and vibist Milt Jackson – a swinging large group record that has them fronting arrangements from Oliver Nelson and Jimmy Heath! Nelson and Heath are both mighty hip cats at this point in their career – and bring a soulful swing to the record that really takes off – a groove that's lively, but tuned with lots of cool colors and tones too – shifting effortlessly while things move forward – but always with the right soulful appeal for older fans of both leaders. Milt's especially great in this setting – even more on fire than some of his other collaborations with Brown – and titles include "Dew & Mud", "Lined With A Groove", "Lazy Theme", "In A Crowd", and "Now Hear My Meaning".

Vocal magic from Ella Fitzgerald – a pair of 60s Verve albums, back to back on a single CD! On Ella Sings Broadway, Fitzgerald sings songs from the great white way – but in a style that makes the tunes completely her own! Marty Paich turns in some great jazzy arrangements for the set – and the tunes are far more swinging than the usual showtunes you might expect – stripped of all their stage-bound drama, and retooled by Paich as these tight little vehicles for Ella's amazing vocals! The album's arguably more expressive than even some of Fitzgerald's previous songbook sessions – even though most work comes from the same American stage mode – titles that include "Hernando's Hideaway", "I Could Have Danced All Night", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Guys and Dolls", "If I Were A Bell", "No Other Love", and "Steam Heat". They're not lying with the title to Rhythm Is My Business – as Ella's singing to backings from the great Bill Doggett – who cooks up some of the liveliest rhythms Ella ever received from Verve! The style is still similar to other Verve records of the time – with that magnificent Fitzgerald vocal style transforming familiar tunes and standards – but the groove is much more upbeat, and Ella swings it hard in a style that really takes us back to her earlier years. Titles include "Runnin Wild", "No Moon At All", "Laughin On The Outside", "I Can't Face The Music", and "Rough Ridin".

Two unusual vocal sessions from Anita O'Day – each with a different jazz star in tow! Anita O'Day & The Three Sounds brings together a great singer and a great trio – a unique Verve outing that has vocalist Anita O'Day joining forces with the Three Sounds combo of pianist Gene Harris! The Three Sounds were always happy to serve as a rhythm combo on dates like this – and they really bring a lot of their own flavor to the record – standing out on a few instrumental selections that highlight their own brief relationship with Verve – but mostly backing Anita with a groove that's tight and always soulful! O'Day's vocals are as confident as Harris' work on the keys – making for a very nice match – and titles include "Fly Me To The Moon", "All Too Soon", "My Ship", and "Whisper Not", which also features a guest solo by Roy Eldridge. Time For Two is a great little meeting of two of the better talents on Verve Records in the early 60s – one that pairs the warm vocals of Anita O'Day with the cool vibes of Cal Tjader – in a sweet little session that's actually one of O'Day's best from the time! The feel here is lively, and slightly Latinesque – as Cal's smal combo features Johnny Rae on drums, and Lonnie Hewitt on piano – both players who are well-tuned towards a more rhythmic approach. Includes a great version of "An Occasional Man", plus the tracks "Mr. Sandman", "I Believe In You", "Peel Me A Grape", and a nice take of "Thanks For The Memory".

Some of the most important recordings in the career of Sarah Vaughan – rich package of albums that really helped her refine her style strongly, and unlock an approach to jazz that nobody else could touch! Vaughan had always been a great singer, no matter what the setting – but here, she takes things a strong step forward – by mixing instrumental inspiration with careful lyrical delivery, all at a level that's quite different than Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, or any other contemporaries! Vaughan's got this mature approach that's never overdone, and never tries to call too much attention to itself – even though Sarah's singing in ways that are technically mindblowing, and set to the kinds of backings that never would have been so subtle a few years before. The beautiful package is a 7" square book – with heavy hardcovers, and lots of color images on the many pages inside – plus four CDs nestled alongside the words – containing the full albums Images, In The Land Of Hi Fi, Sarah Vaughan, At Mister Kelly's, After Hours At The London House, and No Count Sarah – plus 11 bonus tracks added to the Mister Kelly's album, and 5 more bonus tracks from the Swingin Easy record as well. 72 tracks in all – in a really lovely package!

Some of the coolest work Kai Winding ever recorded – two very odd albums, back to back on a single CD! Soul Surfin is hardly the trombone jazz outing you might have guessed from Kai's famous work with JJ Johnson – and instead, an electrified set that's got plenty of cool 60s touches! Winding does play trombone, but the group also features lots of guitar from Kenny Burrell, electric piano from Paul Griffin, and ondioline from Jean Jacques Perry – who really gives the whole thing a cool sort of watery sound – making the guitar and trombone sound wonderful together! Burrell's at his boldest too – almost surf-ish in parts – and titles include the album's hit version of "More", plus "Gravy Waltz", "China Nights", "Pipeline", "Sukiyaki", "Tube Wall", "Sinner", and "Hearse Ride". Mondo Cane 2 is a sweet return of the cool sounds that Kai Winding cut on his Soul Surfin album – not really jazz, but a wicked hybrid of groovy 60s modes – set to larger orchestrations this time around, but still featuring some great ondioline from Jean Jacques Perry! Perry's instrument is really unique – gliding out here in ways that make the instrumental tunes cross over to worlds that Winding might never have touched before – augmented by great arrangements from Claus Ogerman, Charlie Calello, Billy Byers, and Winding himself! The set features guitar from Les Spann – and titles that include "Python", "Mondo Cane #2", "The Gospel Truth", "Warm", "Theme From The Medic", "The Struggle", and "Portrait Of My Love".

Possibly the greatest album ever by the legendary Chicago soul singer Terry Callier! Terry's rich mellow voice is mixed with superb arrangements from the Cadet studio team, with Charles Stepney at the head, and the result is completely sublime. The songs are longer than on earlier albums – and spun out with a complex groove that mixes equal parts of jazz, folk, and soul with the soaring spiritual vibe that was running through the Chicago scene at the time. The first side alone is the stuff that legends are made of – with classic tracks like "Dancing Girl", "What Color is Love", and "You Goin' Miss Your Candyman" all in a row, sewn together in a wash of love, soul, and emotion that you'd be hard pressed to find on any other album from the time. Other tracks include "I'd Rather Be With You", "Just As Long As We're In Love", and "You Don't Care" – and the whole album's a masterpiece beyond compare!

A rare 80s set from Astrud Gilberto – cut at a time when she was hardly doing any new recording at all! As you'll guess from the title, the album has Gilberto teaming up with German groovemaker James Last – who handles all the orchestrations for the record, and shows a surprising sensitivity towards Astrud's bossa styles in his music. Last can sometimes be a bit over the top, but he's quite subtle here – leaving lots of room for Gilberto's sweetly sensitive vocals, and the music of her core combo, which features Romero Lubambo on guitar and Dudu Da Fonseca on percussion. Paulo Jobim guests on vocals and guitar on a few tracks – and titles include "Aqua De Beber", "Champagne & Caviar", "Samba Do Soho", and "Saci".

A rare vocal session from Jane Powell – a singer better known for her film performances, but who sounds pretty darn great here on an obscure 50s studio session for Verve! Jane's got a higher-voiced style than most of the other singers on Verve, but she's brought down to earth nicely by arranger Buddy Bregman – who manages to keep things jazzy and swinging, but also creates some of the loftier modes from her film work – some lush moments that really come through on the mellower tracks. Titles include "My Baby Just Cares For Me", "Comes Love", "In Love In Vain", "Can't We Be Friends", "Imagination", and "Ev'ry Time".

A Hammond organ double-header – two Verve classics from Jimmy Smith, back to back on a single CD! First up is Bashin – one of Jimmy Smith's biggest albums of the 60s – and a classic Verve pairing of his lean Hammond organ solos with the fuller, hard-swinging arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is working here at the height of his powers – backing Smith with a large group, but in a way that only seems to free him up to solo even more – pushing the tunes with an undeniable power from the all-star band, as Jimmy takes off on flights of soulful fancy over the top! Side two features some more stripped-down solo work – in the manner of Jimmy's later Blue Note sides – and the set includes the hit single "Walk On The Wild Side", plus the tracks "Bashin", "Step Right Up", and "Beggar For The Blues". Hobo Flats is another mighty pairing of Jimmy Smith and Oliver Nelson – one that has the heavy Hammond of Smith set up in some sparkling jazz backdrops from Nelson! The sound here has some bluesy undercurrents, as you might guess from the title – but Oliver's charts keep things hip throughout, and ensure that the record stays far from any 60s cliches in the music – and always keeps one ear out for the sharper edges that always makes Nelson's arrangements a great match for Smith. The horns are full at times, but Jimmy's organ bursts right out over the top – gliding along a great groove with a really inherent sense of rhythm. Titles include a shimmering bossa take on "Meditation", plus "Hobo Flats", "Walk Right In", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "The Preacher".

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

Something wonderful happened to Coleman Hawkins at the end of his career – record companies started letting him record in really long formats, stretching out creatively on extended solos that continued to push the boundaries of his talents! This set is a prime example of that shift – as it features Hawkins alongside Roy Eldridge and Johnny Hodges – all working with trio backing by Tommy Flanagan, Major Holley, and Eddie Locke in a live setting at the Village Gate. Tracks are all well over ten minutes long – 2 at eleven minutes, and 1 at sixteen – and they allow the three lead soloists to really stretch out in a warmly improvisatory manner that surpasses even the easygoing Verve studio sessions of the 50s. Titles include "Satin Doll", "Perdido", and "The Rabbit In Jazz". CD also features Coleman Hawkins Alive At The Village Gate – tracks from the same date, but without Eldridge and Hodges – great long tracks that include "Mack The Knife", "It's The Talk Of The Town", "All The Things You Are", and "Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho".

Maybe our favorite album ever from singer Helen Merrill – certainly from the early days – and a unique outing cut for MGM's excellent Metrojazz label! The set's got a more laidback sound than Merrill's previous records – and a definite bluesy undercurrent too – one that comes through strongly in the piano and arrangements of Jimmy Jones, and in the tremendous tenor work from Frank Wess – whose playing on the record gives the set a soulful quality we're not used to hearing with Helen! Tunes all follow the theme of the title – but are done in really inventive ways, especially when Wess gets a chance to solo – and titles include "Blues In My Heart", "The Blues", "The Thrill Is Gone", "You've Got A Date With The Blues", "The Meaning Of The Blues", and "Vous M'Ebloussez".

One of the greatest records of the 60s – and a sublime debut from Nico, sounding fresher and less dreary here than on many of her later sides – although still pretty chilling overall! The record features larger orchestral backings on most tracks – never too heavy, but with light strings that really help Nico depart from the sound of her work with The Velvet Underground. This style adds a new level of sophistication to her vocals, and really helps in her interpretation of the unusual material culled for the set – tunes that include a few key numbers by old partners in The Velvets, as well as some especially great tracks by a young Jackson Browne – a romantic interest of Nico at the time! The whole thing's incredible – on a par with the best from Scott Walker during the same stretch, although very different overall – and a key entry in the darker side of the non-hippie end of the 60s spectrum. Titles include "These Days", "It Was A Pleasure Then", "Eulogy To Lenny Bruce", and the incredible title cut, "Chelsea Girls". Fantastic!

Kid Ory gets plenty of room to do his thing here – caught with a great degree of warmth and expression on this key Paris live date from the mid 50s! The record's got a fluid, easy-going swing that's echoes some of the best trad sides cut by American players in Paris during the postwar years – a sense of energy that seems to re-ignite Ory in front of a newly-appreciative audience. The group's a septet driven by Kid's dynamic work on trombone – and also features Alvin Alcorn on trumpet, Phil Gomez on clarinet, Cedric Haywood on piano, and Julian Davidson on guitar. Titles include "South", "Savoy Blues", "Muskrat Rumble", "Dippermouth Blues", "Down In Jungle Town", "Memphis Blues", "Washington & Lee Swing", and "4 or 5 Times". CD features 72 minutes of music – which seems to be much longer than the original Verve LP!

Charlie Parker takes on the music of Cole Porter – with results that make for some of his most classic moments at Verve! Parker's horn is as hard-bitten as always, but it's also working here in a slightly lyrical vibe – one that brings out the warmth that Charlie could have at just the right moments – that sense of soul that made his contribution to jazz one of the more formative sounds of the century! Porter's music takes on tones that we might never have expected – especially in some of the album's alternate versions, which give key proof that Bird was always working out new ideas with each new solo. The group features Walter Bishop on piano, Billy Bauer or Jerome Darr on guitar, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Roy Haynes or Art Taylor on drums – on titles that include "Just One Of Those Things", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Love For Sale", and "I Love Paris.

Upbeat, jazzy, and swinging – two great albums from Mel Torme's years at Verve! I Dig The Duke I Dig The Count is an album dedicated to the music of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, set to some very upbeat, jazzy backings from Johnny Mandel! The album's quite swinging at points – and given the choice of material, Mel really breaks from the familiar – stretching out nicely to reach the spirit of the famous leaders, but always with that tremendous sense of tone! Titles include "Down For Double", "I'm Gonna Go Fishin", "I Like The Sunrise", "Reminiscing In Tempo", "Oh What A Night For Love", and "In The Evening". On Swings Shubert Alley, Mel Torme takes on the sound of Broadway at the start of the 60s – but he does so in a very groovy way, thanks to hip backings from the amazing Marty Paich! The style here is as swinging and jazzy as the work that Mel and Marty cut together on the Bethlehem label in the late 50s – and the tracks have a nice sort of groove, and an overall lean feel – a sound that takes the music far from its Broadway roots! Players include Art Pepper on alto, Stu Williamson on trumpet, Bill Perkins on tenor, and Frank Rosolino on trombone – all bringing a nice sense of themselves to the set. Titles include "Lonely Town", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Old Devil Moon", "Hello Young Lovers", "Too Close For Comfort", and "Just In Time".

One of the richest albums from the Kudu years of Grover Washington – a double-length set that shows the full range of his soul and imagination! The album was done in collaboration with Bob James – who arranged and conducted all tracks, and also plays keyboards on the date – and the style is kind of an added extension of other Washington work on Kudu, with added string and chorus bits to round out the sound! Things are still wonderfully soulful – thanks to James' sense of space and timing on the charts – and if anything, the added voices and orchestrations bring an almost soundtrack-like quality to the record – but one that still leaves plenty of room for Washington's solos on tenor, alto, and soprano sax! Most tracks are quite long – really stretching out with lots of room for fresh ideas – and titles include a 15 minute version of "Trouble Man", plus "Taurian Matador", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Masterpiece", "Aubrey", and "Don't Explain". Both volumes together – for the price of a single CD!

Clubby takes on classic themes – mostly famous film numbers from the 70s, with a few other great cuts mixed in for good measure! The package is definitely heavy on the disco promised in the title – and features some killer cuts that really take off from the original tunes – stretching out the melody over longer readings that rely on heavy rhythms, sweet strings, and lots of other great elements to forge the groove! Meco are the clear stars of the package – as they virtually invented the genre – and the set features their versions of "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band", "The Empire Strikes Back Medley", "Love Theme From The Black Hole", "Love Theme From Star Trek", and "Theme From Close Encounters". But the set also features "Theme From King Kong" and "Theme From Superman" by Love Unlimited Orchestra, "Moonshine" by Philharmonic 2000, "Three Days Of The Condor" and "Lipstick" by Rhythm Heritage, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Galactic Light Orchestra, "Bolero" by Lalo Schifrin, and "Battlestar Galactica Medley" by Giorgio Moroder.

A rare early album by the legend Brazilian guitar genius – still bossa, but also recorded in the US – which gives the album a stronger jazz feel at times! The core focus here is still on Bonfa's lively guitar solos – but the presence of added jazz musicians make for a set that's a bit fuller and richer than some of the more solo-styled album from Luiz – not exactly Verve bossa, but somewhere close – and a wonderful record that manages to capture the best side of Bonfa's lyrical genius – thanks to a mix of original sambas and bossa tunes, plus Bonfa-ized versions of some American standards. Titles include "Brasilia", "Island Of Trinidade", "Blue Madrid", "Old Times", "Indian Dance", "Marajo", and "Arabesque".

A great slice of work from trumpeter Bill Coleman – an American player by birth, but one who became a key part of the French jazz scene in the postwar years – thanks to a big move overseas! Yet the sides here show Bill in an even fresher setting – not just a UK venue, but also working in more of a bop-oriented mode – which is a change from the trad and swing of some of his better-known albums from France! Coleman's trumpet has plenty of charm – a raspy, soulful approach that really makes his swing sessions sparkle – but which turns out to work equally well on some of the more hard-driving tracks here – which, mixed with the gentler lines, almost feel like some great lost 50s Verve album. The set features a lineup of players who include Lou Hooper on tenor, Alan Littlejohn on additional trumpet, Tony Millener on trombone, Ron Matherson on piano, Ron Rubin on bass, and Johnny Richardson on drums – and titles on this first volume include "Spain", "Telegraph", "Sweets", "Three Little Words", and "I'm Growing Fonder Of You/Dream Man".

A great slice of work from trumpeter Bill Coleman – an American player by birth, but one who became a key part of the French jazz scene in the postwar years – thanks to a big move overseas! Yet the sides here show Bill in an even fresher setting – not just a UK venue, but also working in more of a bop-oriented mode – which is a change from the trad and swing of some of his better-known albums from France! Coleman's trumpet has plenty of charm – a raspy, soulful approach that really makes his swing sessions sparkle – but which turns out to work equally well on some of the more hard-driving tracks here – which, mixed with the gentler lines, almost feel like some great lost 50s Verve album. The set features a lineup of players who include Lou Hooper on tenor, Alan Littlejohn on additional trumpet, Tony Millener on trombone, Ron Matherson on piano, Ron Rubin on bass, and Johnny Richardson on drums – and titles on this second volume include "Impulsive You", "Jam", "Theme Song", "Take The A Train", and "Blue Turning Grey".

A great trad revival set from trombonist Vic Dickenson – working here with trumpeter Joe Thomas, in a style that really shows the respect that Atlantic Records had for older jazz modes – even during the height of their R&B and modern jazz years! The group's a great one – with trumpet from Buck Clayton, and tenor from Hal Singer and Buddy Tate – and the session features one great long jam session that's almost Verve-like in nature – a cut called "Blues For Baby", that's obviously a great setting for these players. Other shorter numbers include "Undecided", "Lamp Is Low", and "Crazy Rhythm".

Paris was always a great city for Lionel Hampton – but it seemed like in the mid 50s, it was also a place where he cut some of his best work, too! The French New Sound pair of albums are both classics in Hamp's book – records that take off from the looser, longer-form style that he'd been hitting with his Verve recordings of the early 50s – yet which also retain some of the tighter, fuller elements of his famous large ensembles. Players on the records are great – a lineup that includes travelling American jazz greats like Benny Bailey and Nat Adderley on trumpets, and a young David Amram on French Horn – plus crack Parisian players who include Sacha Distel on guitar, Rene Urtreger on piano, and Guy Pederson on bass. The tracks are simple jamming numbers – long and open-ended, in the mode of some of Hamp's very popular live work at the time, and the vibes are right out front – hard-edged, with that soulful sound that Hamp pioneered on the instrument – and the other players are given very ample room to solo. Titles include "Voice Of The North", "A La French", and "Zebu".

German grooves galore – a host of classic tracks from vocalist Hildegard Knef – a remixed with a 21st Century flavor! Think of this one as a German answer to the Verve Remixed series – as Hildegard's older lyrics are layered amidst some heavy beats, keys, and electronics – hardly the instrumentation used in the original recordings, but at times a surprisingly great setting for her voice. Given the slightly cold quality of Knef's singing, the mix with electronics really works well – and titles include "Ich Schreib Dir En Buch", "Das Jahr 2000", "Meine Lieder Sind Anders", "So Oder So Ist Das Leben", "Heute Morgen War Termin", and "Du Bist Das Salz In Der Suppe".

Very groovy stuff – and one of Herbie Mann's best records from the 60s! In a way, this album's very similar to some of the best Verve "groovy experimental" albums from the same period – like some of Cal Tjader's Eastern/Latin work – and it features Herbie playing with a wide range of instrumentation that includes oud, zither, harp, and lots of eastern percussion – really adding some great elements to the jazzy tunes. Keeping things real, though, are some key musicians – Roy Ayers on vibes, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, and Julian Priester on trombone – plus wicked rhythm from Reggie Workman on bass, Bruno Carr on drums, and Patato Valdez on percussion. Tracks are very groovy – with a mixture of jazz and exotic instrumentation – and titles include "Turkish Coffee", "Odalisque", "Uskudar", "Eli Eli", and "Dance Of The Semites".

A mod little record from trumpeter Willie Mitchell – a set that's as groovy as it is soulful, with a vibe that's somewhere between 60s instrumental outings on Verve and Atlantic Records! Tunes are a mix of soul and pop numbers, handled by Mitchell's combo with some mighty tight drums and good use of organ on most numbers – which creates a fluid feel that really takes off with the album's fresh and inventive arrangements! Even familiar tunes are transformed nicely by Mitchell's great touch in the studio – as you'll hear on cuts that include "634-5789", "Taste Of Honey", "Secret Agent Man", "Bad Eye", "Wooly Bully", "Java", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Hot Cha".

Mellow ballad material from Mark Murphy – as you might expect from the title – a sad-tinged session that almost hints at the style of his recent work in Verve – showing a real maturity for Murphy's music at the time! There's a bit of electricity in the instrumentation – some keyboards and guitar – but the record's got a warm, mellow tone that mostly focuses on Mark's wonderful vocals – gently making their way through a well-chosen set of tunes that includes "September Fifteenth", "Night Life", "Sack Full Of Dreams", "Crystal Silence", "Sausalito", "Para Nada", "Spring Is Where You Are", "I Never Went Away", and "When She Is Mine". Art Farmer also plays some sweet solos on three of the album's tracks!

Joe blows it strong and mellow – in this spare swinging group that includes Frank Wess on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Jones on bass, and Oliver Jackson on drums. Tracks are warm and unpressured, more in a Verve mode than a Prestige one – and titles include "Wednesday's Blues", "Jive At Five", "Taps Miller", and "Cuein The Blues".

Clean, clear, and incredibly soulful – a wonderful rare live performance that's way more than just another muddy concert record – and instead a key addition to the Oscar Peterson catalog that stands proudly with his best Verve albums of the time! This 1960 performance features Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – a pair who've already reached rhythmic vitality in the company of Peterson, and fill the album's long tracks with loads of creative interplay – shifting sounds that move way past the obvious, and create grooves that really set Oscar's piano lines on fire! Titles include "Jordu", "Cubano Chant", "Con Alma", "Daahoud", and "Politics & Poker".

An overlooked gem from the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s – a record that's got a great mix of funky and groovy touches, all of which come across like better-known work from the Japanese Columbia label! Reedman Richard Pine leads the group on soprano sax, tenor, alto, and flute – and other instrumentation includes guitar, drums, and bass – plus funky piano and electone – all used in ways that have a groovy/funky sort of vibe overall – somewhere near the coolest late 60s projects on Verve or Impulse, with maybe a bit of Cadet Records thrown in for good measure. We don't know Pine at all, but he's got the soulful edge of a young Tom Scott – and titles include "Left Right", "Cosmos", "Summertime", "Windy", "30 60 90", and "El Condor Pasa".

One of the few Blue Note albums with a bossa groove – and a great one too! The record features soulful tenor star Ike Quebec blowing in front of Brazilian-styled rhythms laid out by a combo that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, and a duo of Latin percussionists! Willie Bobo plays drums on the session, and the cuts have a short groovy feel, with a sax-heavy lead, in a similar style to Stan Getz's bossa work on Verve – but much more soulful overall, and with a nicely rougher feel on the rhythms. Really great stuff, and with titles that include "Loie", "Goin Home", "Favela", "Blue Samba", and "Shu Shu". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes – of "Loie", "Shu Shu", and "Favela".

A great little set from guitarist Shungo Sawada – a player who was Japan's answer to Wes Montgomery in the 60s – and went onto cut some really nice records in later years too! This album's definitely one of that batch – and has a sparkling quality that's very much like Sawada's best work from earlier years, but with a bit less bossa nova in the mix – and more of a strong focus on his own great solos over larger orchestrations. The approach is a bit like Wes Montgomery on Verve or CTI in the late 60s – and titles include "Sjungo", "Django", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "Darn Dat Dream", and "Straight No Chaser".

A late 50s stormer from Japanese drummer Hideo Shiraki – caught here at a great point in his early career! The album's got a bit more of a swing-based feel than some of Shiraki's later sides – a bit more Verve-like energy than Blue Note style – which is a-ok with us, because the sound of the set is so great! But even more than Hideo's work on drums, the real star of the album is almost saxophonist Akira Miyazawa – who gets in some great solo moments on nearly every track, blowing tenor with a great sense of soul that really lights up the record and makes things shine. Titles include "The Man I Love", "Moritat", "Night In Tunisia", "Drum Boogie", "Around The World", and "I Got Rhythm".

Bossa jazz from 60s Japan – a set recorded right around the same time that Verve first started hitting bossa grooves in the US! The sound here is sharper than a Verve bossa album, though – with some of the same hardbop inflections you'd hear on other Hideo Shiraki albums from the time – thanks to flute and tenor from Sleepy Matsumoto, and trumpet from Hisaya Omata. The tenor and trumpet come together with almost a Blue Note-styled sort of sound – but the bossa vibe is still nicely maintained in some of the looser percussion touches in the rhythms – a great blend that makes the album a real standout in the Japanese jazz scene of the 60s! Titles include "Sayonara Blues", "Gypsy Blue", "Deux Step", "Groovy Samba", "Orfeo Negro", and "Tico Tico".

An incredible record by Jimmy Smith – unlike anything we've ever heard from him! The session is a rare French soundtrack one – recorded in 1965, in a setting that was quite different than any of Jimmy's American sessions from the same time. According to the notes, Smith was just shown the film, and given free reign to improvise as needed. The result is a set of tracks that at times almost resembles Larry Young's work more than it does any of Smith's sides for Blue Note or Verve – moody and atmospheric tracks that still swing nicely, but have a strong degree of freedom. Rhythm is by Quentin Warren on guitar and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include "Love Theme", "Generique", "Blues Pour Alphonse", "Melodie Pour Catherine", and "Angoisse/Race Track Blues". CD also features 5 bonus tracks from Verve albums of the time, mostly soundtrack related, and including "Man With The Golden Arm", "Any Number Can Win", "Mission Impossible", and "Goldfinger".

A pair of very unusual albums – back to back on a single CD! The set's a bit out of order – and actually starts with Panic, the sequel to Creed Taylor's previous album for ABC, and like that one, a very weird mix of jazzy backings, odd sound effects, and cool production techniques! The record begins with a familiar core – jazzy instrumentals, of the sort that Taylor was already producing for other artists, and would go on to do even more famously for Verve. But here, the music's really played with too – changed up in the middle of a song, as the rhythms get weird, sound effects come in, and the whole thing gets turned into a batch of spooky little scenes that more than live up to the title of the record – and the titles of the songs, which include "Alpine Honeymoon", "Wreck Of Old 97", "A Shot In The Dark", "The Fastest Gun", "No Smoking", "The Operation", and "The Prison Break". Shock is very cool work from Creed Taylor – material cut when he was still a bandleader, and hadn't yet evolved into the role of super-producer! The session's a long way from the CTI sound of the 70s – and instead has Creed playing some very spooky stuff – compositions by Kenyon Hopkins that have a horror sort of theme – dark little tunes that would be a perfect soundtrack for a haunted house! The core instrumentation is jazz-based, but augmented with some great other touches as well – and there's two female voices that scream, groan, and make other odd noises on the record from time to time. Titles include "The Long Walk", "Jungle Fever", "Heartbeat", "Haunted House", "In Bedlam", "Time Runs Out", and "The Secret".

2 totally great Cal Tjader electric albums – both recorded originally for the Skye label, and back to back on one CD! Cal Tjader Plugs In is a beautifully plugged-in, turned-on session from Cal Tjader – one that features the funky vibist alongside some sweet Fender Rhodes! The session was recorded live, but it's got a flowing, modal quality that rivals Tjader's best work in the studio for Verve and Fantasy at the end of the 60s – a soaring, spacious sound that comes from the interplay between Cal's ringing vibes and the Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano work of Al Zulaica – an excellent player we only know from a few of Tjader's albums. Armando Peraza provides some tight conga work on the set – and titles include "Spooky", "Tra La La Song", "Morning Mist", "Alonzo", "Nica's Dream", and "Get Out of My Way" – a great instrumental take on the Latin soul hit from Joe Torres! Solar Heat is even better – a record that features Joao Donato on organ and Gary McFarland on vibes! The record is a brilliant extension of Cal's styles at Verve – a bit of Latin, a bit of jazz, with some easily grooving numbers that have just the right dose of funk! Donato's organ sounds especially great, and there's also some added electric piano and electric harpsichord on the record, which expands the electricity even more! Loads of great numbers – including "Mambo Sangria", "Fried Bananas", "Solar Heat", "Ode to Billy Joe", and Donato's great "Amazonas".

Way more than just a sweet beat – because everything about these grooves is great – a rich array of jazzy tracks from Polish reedman Jan Ptasyn Wroblewski, cut in a style that rivals the best European jazz sides of the late 60s – but also done with an occasional soundtrack vibe as well! The core combo is backed with some fuller orchestrations – but always in a way that just augments the sharp instrumentation from Jan and the other players – a lineup that also features some great piano, organ, and harpsichord – alongside bass, drums, and percussion! At times, there's a Verve 60s groovy feel to some of the backings – but the sharpness of the musical ideas really keeps things interesting – and Jan's one hell of a soulful player when he wants to be. Titles include "Jesien", "Bitwa O Grzede", "Dziewcynha Tanczaca", "Sweet Beat", "300 Kilometrow Przed Nami", and "Nie Pozaluje Pan". CD also features 14 more bonus tracks added to the original album – loads more vintage gems from the Polish Radio vaults, including "Trawa", "Tata Lata", "Tylko Spokoj", "Tango Nieforme", and "Stopniowanie".

Groovy jazz from 2 very cool labels – the related Skye and Gryphon companies of the late 60s and mid 70s, respectively – home to some very very cool bits! Skye's best known as the home of Cal Tjader and Gary McFarland in their post-Verve years – and the label's got a feel that's very much in the spirit of both artists – often blending together jazz, Latin, and easy grooves with a dreamy floating sort of quality. Gryphon recordings came a few years later – and had a warm and mellow 70s jazz sort of feel – using richer production to deeply color work by a variety of well-known artists who got a chance to stretch out in their albums for the label. Despite the difference of a few years between them, the work from both labels sits very nicely together here – thanks to an expert job of compilation by Toru Hashimoto, the force behind the Café Apres Midi and Free Soul series! Titles include "Mixing" by Airto, "What's Going On" and "My Favorite Things" by Louis Hayes, "Tandoori" by Barry Miles, "Flea Market" and "Suburbia" by Gary McFarland, "Theme From Peter Gunn" by Chuck Rainey, "Don't Fence Me In" by Grady Tate, "Viva Peraza" by Armando Peraza, "La Pasionaria" by Michel Legrand, "You'll Never Get To Heaven" and "Armando's Bossa" by Cal Tjader, "Bluesette" by Mel Torme & Buddy Rich, and "Change Partners" by Phil Woods.

Revolutionary jazz from the era of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond – soulful and spiritual jazz as important as any of the era – an impeccably well chosen compilation of Freedom, Rhythm & Sound from Soul Jazz Records! The set is a tie-in with Soul Jazz's essential Freedom, Rhythm & Sound book – documenting the sounds and providing an aural portrait of a fertile creative period in African American music and cultural history – when the societal struggles were a counterpart to the heretofore unseen depth of creativity and empowerment in jazz music. Includes a nice booklet of notes, and songs from both the independent underground, and some that made it onto established labels like Verve and others, and material by Joe Henderson, Archie Shepp, Errol Parker, Mary Lou Williams, Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Horace Tapscott, Sun Ra and many more. 23 pivotal tracks on 2CDs, many running on the longer side, for a straight up incredible set of spiritual soul jazz: includes "Africa" by Oliver Lake/NTU, "Space A Nova" by Stanton Davis' Ghetto/Mysticism, "Miss DD" by Mary Lou Williams, "Old Time Religion" by Art Ensemble Of Chicago, "Drinking Song" by Gary Bartz NTU Troop, "Attica Blues" by Archie Shepp, "Peyote Song No III" by Horace Tapscott & Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, "Freedom Time" by Pharoahs, "Black Survival" by Roy Brooks & Artistic Truth and more.

Bossa Nova singers from both sides of the equator – in a groovy collection of work recorded both in Brazil and the US! The set's a wonderfully done exploration of the true range of bossa talents in the 60s – and it features both stars from the Brazilian scene, plus other artists who managed to cross over to US audiences, and got a chance to record for labels like Verve and A&M – all presented without cliche, and without too many over-heard bossa standards – a really fresh set overall, and very much up to the high level we expect from the Jazzclub series! Titles include "Oba La La" by Jorge Ben, "Berimbau" by Nara Leao, "Mas Que Nada" by Luiz Henrique, "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" by Elis Regina, "Fim De Noite" by Chico Feitosa, "Samba Da Pergunta" by Marcia, "Agua De Beber" by Quarteto Em Cy & Tamba Trio, "O Barquinho" by Lucio Alves, "Bim Bom" by Astrud Gilberto, "Bloco Do Eu Sozinho" by Joyce, "Reza" by Elis Regina & Tamba Trio, "The Face I Love" by Marcos Valle, and "Voce" by Dick Farney & Norma Bengell.

An important 50s overview of the strength of Japanese jazz in the postwar years – a killer collection of some of the hottest acts on the Tokyo scene – all recording here specially for the set! The record features some alto from Sadao Watanabe, tenor from Hidehiko Matsumoto, and work from Shin Watanabe and his Six Joes. As with most Japanese albums of this vintage, the notes aren't in English at all – which makes it a bit tough for us to give you specifics – but we can say that the album's a corker, and has the feel of some of the best Verve collections of the time – especially those that bring together bop and swing players on the same record. The set appears to feature individual tracks at the start, then some jam session numbers near the end – and titles include "Jammin For Swing Journal", "Mixture", "Young Buds", "Gloomy Phantom", and "Chattering About Mr Kay".

Poll winners from the Japanese scene of the late 50s – stepping out in a special live performance from the time! The album's almost got a Verve Records sort of feel – especially from the all-star tip – and tunes are more swing than bop, although there's definitely a few modern touches from time to time. Notes are all in Japanese, so it's hard to say who's on which cut – but the set features work from Eji Kitamura, Jimmy Takeuchi, Seiji Hiraoka, Akio Nagata, and others – on titles that include "Someday Sweetheart", "Moonglow", "Shine", "Sweet Lorraine", "Tendery", "Russo", and "Padam Padam".

An overlooked gem from the Verve bossa years – a session that features the sweet tenor sax work of Stan Getz, alongside some swinging bossa arrangements from the great Gary McFarland! Given the strength of Gary's own work for Verve at the time, it's no surprise that he's a perfect accompanist for Getz on the session – working with just the right amount of space to let Stan stand out from the pack, and really creating a great blend of Brazilian rhythms and some of the modder 60s styles at Verve. Gary contributed a number of originals to the session too – and titles include "Bim Bom", "Manlancolico", "Balanco No Samba", "Noite Triste", "Chega De Saudade", and "Manha De Carnival".

A lost bossa classic from Wanda De Sah – aka Wanda Sa, the wife of Edu Lobo, and a singer who worked with Sergio Mendes in his pre-Brasil 66 days! The album's got a wonderfully laidback feel – languid, yet jazzy, with the feel of some of Astrud Gilberto's best work on Verve, yet with vocals that are possibly better – thanks to Wanda's pedigree in Brazilian pop. Recordings were done in California, not Rio – and arrangements are handled by the great Jack Marshall – who's got a strong ear for keeping things interesting with a mix of strings, Latin rhythms, and Capitol pop shadings. Titles include "Aqua De Beber", "Ho Ba La La", "Sweet Happy Life", "The Dreamer", and a great version of "Aruanda".

A lean little set from Jimmy Smith's back to basics years of the early 80s – an album that's recorded in a relatively old school soul jazz mode! Jimmy's mostly playing Hammond here – but also uses a bit of Arp strings at times – and the rest of the group members include George Benson on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Grady Tate on drums, and Stanley Turrentine on tenor sax – all playing in modes that are nicely laidback and open. There's a bit of 70s warmth to the production of the record, but little other in the way of modern touches – and in a way, the record almost takes us back to the sound of Jimmy during his very last years at Verve, when he'd mostly returned to small combo work. Titles include "MASH", "I'll Drink To That", "Off The Top", "Endless Love", "Mimosa Love", and "Ain't Misbehavin" – plus a few words spoken by Jimmy at the end!

Soaring piano work from the great Paul Smith – a player who's working here with a much more vibrant sound than on some of his Capitol sides of the 50s! Smith's got a much harder approach to the keys than during his "liquid sounds" years – one that's possibly a bit influenced by some of Oscar Peterson's most successful trio sides for Verve in the early 60s, but which still retains most of Smith's sense of lyricism and flowing energy. The trio features Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass and Frank Capp on drums – and titles include "Fly Me To The Moon", "That's All", "How About You", "Laura", "What Kind Of Fool Am I", "Satin Doll", and "I Left My Heart In San Francisco".

One of the grooviest Verve albums of all time – a rare American session from Brazilian legend Marcos Valle – and his only US album to feature vocals! The album's even dreamier than Valle's early bossa sides from Brazil – and the setting has some nice Verve-like touches from Deodato – who handled the arrangements, and brings a nicely airy, nicely jazzy style to the record. Most tunes are sung as duets with his lovely wife Anamaria – made famous by the album's landmark groover "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" – an English-language version of Valle's earlier "Os Grilos". Other titles are all great too – and sport English lyrics that hardly ever got much exposure. In addition to the great "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", other titles include "The Face I Love", "She Told Me She Told Me", "Pepino Beach", "Chup Chup I Got Away", and "Batucada".

One of our favorite Walter Wanderley albums ever – and a record that moves past the more familiar bossa trio style used on his hits for Verve, into groovier new territory with added players who include Dom Um Romao on drums and Marcos Valle on guitar! And not only is the lineup expanded, but the styles are too – as Wanderley moves away from the straighter bossa and samba jazz of his roots, into the world of more unusual, more complicated rhythms that were showing up in the Brazilian scene at the end of the 60s. Marcos Valle's contribution is felt strongly here – as the album includes a fantastic instrumental take on his classic "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" (aka "Os Grilos") – plus other Valle compositions that include "Ainda Mais Lindo", "Batucada", and "E Preciso Cantar". Other tracks include "Wave", "So What's New", and "O Barquinho".

The American take on the sound of bossa nova – a mode that started almost as soon as the first sounds headed north from Rio, and which grew to become a very important contribution to the music in the 60s! We love the originals by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luis Bonfa, Joao Gilberto, and others – but we also totally dig these American reinterpretations by musicians on Verve, Fantasy, and other hip labels of the 60s – players who really got into the sound of Brazilian rhythms, and used the new groove to unlock some great power in their own solo playing as well! The package mostly features 60s recordings, with a few gems from later years – and titles include "Temanco No Samba" by Cal Tjader, "Samba De Orfeu" by Bob Brookmeyer, "O Morro" by Wes Montgemery, "Samba With Some Barbecue" by Paul Desmond, "Desafinado" by Charlie Byrd, "Um Abraco No Bonfa" by Coleman Hawkins, "Jazz Bossa Nova" by Milt Jackson, "Nana" by Kenny Burrell, "O Grande Amor" by Stan Getz, and "Mas Que Nada" by Hank Jones & Oliver Nelson.

Two sides of Charlie Byrd in the mid 60s – one focused on Brazil and the other a sweet set of jazzy soundtrack adaptations – on one CD! First up is the classic Brazilian Byrd – a wonderful album of tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, all recorded with full backing arrangements, and sound quality that's a lot better than some of Byrd's previous albums! The setting has Charlie's acoustic guitar right up front in the mix – mic'ed so close you can really hear his work on the strings – while light brass, woodwind, and string backings dance nicely, and more quietly, behind him. There's a very Verve-like approach to the whole record – obviously a market that Columbia were trying to reach with this one – and the album's easily one of Charlie's strongest for the label from the 60s. Arrangements are both by Byrd and Tom Newsom – and titles include "Dindi", "Jazz N Samba", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Corcovado", "Amor E Paz", "Samba Do Aviao" and "Amor E Paz". Next up is the Hollywood Byrd set – with some dreamy, jazzy covers of popular movie tunes. It includes some of our own favorites – such as "Alfie", "The Wishing Doll", "Moment To Moment", "Wish Me A Rainbow" and more. A number of tunes have lovely choral vocals, and all of them have a really groovy 60s sound. We'll also make an admission – we give it a few extra points for having one of the sexiest covers ever – but the music can sell it just as well!

A strange film, but a great soundtrack! George Duning came up with an excellent batch of jazzy tracks for the film – and most of them swing hard and tightly, with strong jazzy solos, in a manner that's similar to some of Henry Mancini's best scores of the late 50s. A number of tracks have odd "Eastern" touches in the melody – mostly through the use of percussion – and this makes the jazzy tracks even nicer, and gives them a strange feel that's similar to some of the "east meets jazz" albums on Verve during the 60s. Titles include "Aberdeen Caper", "Gwenny Lee", "At The Namcock", "Groove For Suzie", and "Hit The Road To Dreamland" – and this great CD version features 29 tracks in all, with lots of rare bonus tracks!

A pair of late 60s gems from Jackie Gleason – back to back on a single CD! Silk N Brass features smooth groovy sounds from Jackie Gleason – a set that definitely serves up the silk and brass promised in the title – but which also features some nice solo work too – thanks to tenor from Charlie Ventura and trumpet from Pee Wee Ervin! There's a slight mid 60s groove to the record – one that's different than the sleepier sounds of Jackie's work from the previous decade – and arrangements by George Williams have a nice bounce at points. Titles include "Real Live Girl", "Girl From Ipanema", "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", "Begin To Love", "It's Such A Happy Day", and "Starry-Eyed & Breathless". The Now Sound is a record that's definitely after our own heart – in case you couldn't tell from the title! The set has Jackie Gleason expanding his bag a bit for the late 60s – moving from the easy sound to the "Now Sound" – with the help of some cool electric sitar, pictured on the front of the set – and other hip instrumentation from Tom Scott on flutes, Milt Holland on tabla, and Emil Richards on a range of exotic percussion! The album's as totally wild and exotic as similar efforts on Impulse or Verve, but the record's still a great batch of "establishment hip" instrumentals – which shows Jackie trying to get a little hip for the times. George Williams handles arrangements, still with lots of the trademark Gleason strings – and titles include "Live For Life", "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", "It Must Be Him", and "I Won't Cry Anymore".

Remixed cuts from Sergio Mendes' Bom Tempo album – a record that's already pretty strongly pointed at the dancefloor, making it a perfect fit for a project like this! Many of the tracks here are very heavily remixed – using only key hooks and vocal elements from the originals, much in the style of the Verve Remixed series – although a few of our favorite mixes here keep more of the core flavor intact, or even bring something new and rich to the table. Perhaps the best cut in this way, is the great Nicola Conte Zona Sul Version of "So Tinha De Ser Com Voce" – which is a warm bossa number that could almost come from Conte's own Schema Records. The set also features some remixes of cuts that weren't even on the original Bom Tempo record – and tracks include "Pais Tropical (Roger Sanchez release yourself mix)", "Magalenha (Moto Bianco rmx)", "Orpheus (Funk Generation mix)", "Ye Me Le (Chuckle rmx)", "Maracatu Atomico (Paul Oakenfold club mix)", "You & I (Cutmore rmx)", "Mas Que Nada (Nervo rmx)", and "The Real Thing (Bimbo Jones rmx)".

One of those great obscure Anita O'Day sessions from the 70s – the sort that we've almost come to love even more than her classic albums on Verve! There's a relaxed, mature approach here that's really great – a toning down of the sometimes too-vibrant energy that Anita hit in her youth – and a way of schooling the tunes with lessons learned from life – so that her readings of the lyrics, and her inflections in a jazz-based way, really show the care that goes into the music. The group features guitar from Billy Webb and Al Bruno, and titles include "Old Folks", "I Cried For You", "Chicago", "It Don't Mean A Thing", and "Ace In The Hole".

2 of Gabor Szabo's classic late 60s albums for the Skye label – back to back on 1 CD, making for a tripped-out guitar-driven batch of groovy tunes! Both records have this mod exotica sound that would hardly ever be matched again – and feature Gabor's own lead guitar next to another guitar playing rhythm – making for lots of dreamy interplay between the strings, as the backup group does a nice job of hitting weird rhythms, and keeping the pace fresh and clean throughout! There's lots of modal, bossa, and psychedelic influences running through the sets – both produced by Gary McFarland, in a style that recalls some of his own great Verve and Impulse work of the time. Mike Melvoin plays organ on about half the tracks, making for an even groovier touch – and titles include "Divided City", "Bacchanal", "Sunshine Superman", "Some Velvet Morning", "Dear Prudence", "Stormy", "Walk Away Renee", "Michael From Mountains", "I've Just Seen A Face", and "You Won't See Me".

The Brazilian side of Blue Note Records – a double-length collection that mostly features bossa-inspired numbers from the 60s, but also includes a few gems from more recent years too! Unlike Verve or Impulse, Blue Note rarely went straight into bossa nova – and instead, the label's artists often came at the music from a different direction – using bossa themes and inspiration, mixed with their own hard bop impulses – and often served up in a really unique groove in the end! This package is a great illustration of that special magic – tracks that go way past the usual, and which still sound amazingly fresh and visionary all these many years later. Titles include "Wave" by Stanley Turrentine, "Blue Bossa" by Joe Henderson, "Sandalia Dela" by Duke Pearson, "Book's Bossa" by Donald Byrd, "Rio" by Lee Morgan, "Recado Bossa Nova" by Hank Mobley, "Swingin The Samba" by Horace Silver, "Back Down To The Tropics" by Charlie Rouse, "Love For Sale" by Dexter Gordon, "Latona" by John Patton, "O Amor Em Paz" by Cannonball Adderley, "Manha De Carnaval" by Ron Carter, "Waters Of March" by Cassandra Wilson, and "Triste" by Dianne Reeves.

A jazzy soul stunner Pete Belasco – the singer, producer and sole performer on his completely great third album – possibly the best we've heard from him to date! Pete's first album for Verve Forecast was a really strong effort, steeped in emotionally rich, though laidback soul with jazz-learned arrangements and atmosphere. His second album came a good half decade later, which found him moving deeper into a smoldering, resonant soul sound, appropriately titled Deeper. Lights On is the next step, and it's all the more incredible! Pete does everything here – penning the songs, handling the subtle, restrained instrumentation and the soulful falsetto singing. The man truly earns the comparisons to Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield. Timeless and totally real! Includes "I Ain't Doin It", "Lights On", "Rock It", "Down", "My Eyes", "Repay You", "Stubborn (Stay Focused)", "Later", "One", "Just Me", "Sweeter" and "Who's The Man". CD includes 2 bonus versions: "My Eyes (Organic Mix)" and "One (Organic Mix)".

Kenny Burrell joins the quartet of Hammond hero Brother Jack McDuff – in a session that's not only a classic Prestige cooker from the 60s, but also one of Kenny's most hard grooving albums of the decade! Jack's tight group really seem to push Burrell into some great new territory – a different groove than his Blue Note or Verve sides, with a bit more grit overall – although still plenty of those perfectly-chosen notes on his solos. Harold Vick's tenor sax is the main reed element here, although Eric Dixon also plays flute on one track – and remaining players include Joe Dukes on drums and Ray Barreto on congas, a player who didn't often work with Jack, but who's very welcome here. Tracks are longish, with an open-ended soul jazz feel – not really blowing session numbers, given McDuff's tight sense of rhythm, but a nice change from the usual. Titles include "Grease Monkey", "Nica's Dream", "Love Walked In", and "We'll Be Together Again".

A really cool bit of bossa jazz from reedman Buddy Collette – an artist who's not as well associated with the genre as Stan Getz or Paul Desmond – but who really cooks nicely here! The setting is relatively lean and groovy – with guitar from Howard Roberts, bass from Mel Pollan, and percussion from Leo Acosta and Darias – both of whom bring a nice sort of west coast vibe to the set, one that's different from some of the Verve bossa modes of the time. Jim Helms handled the arrangements, with a nice airy sort of mode – and Buddy plays both tenor and flute, on titles that include "Nao Pode Ser", "Porque De Moras", "A Pele Do Marfin", "A Meie Noite", "Samba Da Tartaruga", and "Amor Levado".

A pair of overlooked gems from trumpeter Clark Terry – back to back on a single CD! On Everything's Mellow, things are mellow indeed – and that fact makes the record one of Terry's greatest from the 60s! The obscure session features Clark blowing in the laidback style of Prestige's Moodsville imprint – almost a swing-based, Verve-styled mode that makes for some really great tunes. Terry plays both trumpet and flugelhorn on the session – working through really restrained readings of tunes that include "The Simple Waltz", "Out In The Cold Again", "Among My Souvenirs", and "In The Alley" – and the rest of the players on the session include Junior Mance on piano, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. All American is a surprisingly nice little set from Clark Terry – featuring arrangements by Oliver Nelson, and a pretty nice little group that includes Budd Johnson on tenor and Eddie Costa on vibes and piano. The material appears to be lifted from the musical All American – by the team of Charles Strouse & Lee Adams – although the notes, and certainly not the title, don't do much to indicate this. The best part of the set is Nelson – who manages to, here as always, take any sort of material and give it a really strong swingin – bouncing it up with a lot of soul, and creating plenty of space for some strong breakout solos. Titles include "What A Country", "Same Language", "The Fight Song", "Nightlife", and "It's Fun To Think".

Amazing work from a key force in jazz organ – not Jimmy Smith, not Jack McDuff, but Brazilian musician Walter Wanderley! Not long after American artists first started hitting the Hammond for groovy sounds in the 50s, Wanderley picked up the instrument down in Brazil – and fused a jazz organ approach with lots of lively samba rhythms – to created a style that went onto become the stuff of legend, thanks to later crossover classics on Verve! The sounds here are those from Walter's roots – four albums recorded for EMI/Odeon at the start of the 60s – most of which we've never even seen in the original – which makes this reissue package even more essential! Many tracks were recorded in the early bossa nova years, and there's definitely a bossa jazz vibe to most numbers here – especially given the tight percussion, and Wanderley's great way with an easygoing groove. 4CD package features rare albums Eu Voce E Walter Wanderley (1959), Feito Sob Medida (1959), Successos Dancantes Em Ritmo De Romance (1960), and Sucesso E Samba (1960) – all totally great all the way through, with original cover art too! (Note that there are some offbeat sound passages – mostly flaws in the original tapes that create occasional distortion at short points – which haven't been corrected by the remastering. But the set is fully licensed and legitimate.)

Early EMI/Odeon stunners from organ genius Walter Wanderley – all of them stunners from his better-known years at Verve! Even at this early date, Wanderley had an amazing way around the keyboard – a sweet jazzy groove that was perfect for the bossa rhythms that helped him get his start – and a great ear for a lean sound on the keys of the Hammond – a much cleaner approach that was being used by American jazzmen at the time – and which undoubtedly went on to influence their style once Wanderley's music started making it up to the US! Most titles here are groovers, but even the mellower moments are great too – with loads of excellent guitar and organ interplay – but in ways that are quite different from a Hammond combo up in the north at the time. The 4CD set features rare albums O Samba E Samba (1961), O Samba E Mais Samba (1962), Walter Wanderley E O Bolero (1962), and Samba No Esquema De Walter Wanderley (1963) – all beautifully remastered, with great sound and original cover art too! (Note that there are some offbeat sound passages – mostly flaws in the original tapes that create occasional distortion at short points – which haven't been corrected by the remastering. But the set is fully licensed and legitimate.)

Beautiful ballads from the mighty Don Byas – working here in a rare Paris session with backings from arranger Jacques Denjean! Denjean really brings a great spirit to the set – subtle strings that flow nicely in the background, in a manner that's similar to some of the best Verve "with strings" sessions in the US during the 50s – never too sleepy, and always with plenty of room for Byas to do his thing in the lead! Don's tone is wonderful, and he gets some great support in the group from players who include Georges Arvanitas on piano, Ivan Jullien on trumpet, Raymond Guiot on flute, and Nat Peck on trombone. Titles include "Misty", "Autumn In New York", "April In Paris", "Laura", "My Funny Valentine", and "Don't Blame Me".

Charlie Byrd gets some top-shelf treatment here – in a wonderful album of tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim, all recorded with full backing arrangements, and sound quality that's a lot better than some of Byrd's previous albums! The setting has Charlie's acoustic guitar right up front in the mix – mic'ed so close you can really hear his work on the strings – while light brass, woodwind, and string backings dance nicely, and more quietly, behind him. There's a very Verve-like approach to the whole record – obviously a market that Columbia were trying to reach with this one – and the album's easily one of Charlie's strongest for the label from the 60s. Arrangements are both by Byrd and Tom Newsom – and titles include "Dindi", "Jazz N Samba", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Corcovado", "Amor E Paz", "Samba Do Aviao" and "Amor E Paz". CD also features a previously unreleased alternate take of "Engano"

A really great album from Chris Connor – and very different than most of her other work of the 60s! The album's got a light bossa feel, as you'd guess from the title – an approach that works wonderfully with Connor's vocals, and helps push her into territory that's plenty fresh, and pretty darn groovy too! The great Pat Williams handled the arrangements – in that lightly dancing mode that he used for his work on Verve, and select soundtracks too – a blend of jazz and larger orchestrations that's mighty nice, and every bit as captivating as the vocals from Chris. Titles include the great Steve & Eydie cut "Can't Get Over the Bossa Nova" – plus "A Quiet Thing", "Taste Of Honey", "Feeling Good", "Baby The Rain Must Fall", and "Stranger On The Shore". Great cover, too – with Chris looking all boozy!

There's few singers we like better than Blossom Dearie – and this great little record captures Blossom at her unfettered best, working live before an intimate crowd at London's Ronnie Scott's nightclub in the 60s! The performance is in the same small combo mode as some of Dearie's Verve albums from the 50s – but there's a looser swing here that's really great – an even hipper approach to the even hipper tunes that pushes the Blossom aesthetic very nicely into the 60s. Blossom herself is on piano, supported by the bass of Freddie Logan and drums of Alan Ganley – and overall, the album's a few notches up from the better-known Blossom Time At Ronnie Scotts, thanks to a more fluid groove and very strong choice of material. Titles include "Big City", "One Note Samba", "On A Clear Day", "You Turn Me On Baby", "Let's Go Where The Grass Is Greener", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", "Peel Me A Grape", "Sweet Lover No More", and an early reading of "Sweet Georgie Fame".

A wonderful live performance from Stan Getz – and a special set that seems to combine both of his best modes of the late 50s – as it features piano from Swedish genius Jan Johansson, plus rhythm from the Oscar Peterson team of Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums! The set's got an unusual balance that sets it apart from even other Getz albums of the time – a vibe that might have made it a special Verve album, had it gotten released at the time – recorded beautifully with a clarity that matches any of Stan's studio albums too! Tracks are nice and long, with wonderfully fluid tenor lines from Getz – and titles include "Land's End", "Pernod", "Woody N You", "Gone With The Wind", and "I Remember Clifford".

A Pablo Records release, but one that features material originally done during the classic Verve Records years of Norman Granz – a previously unreleased live performance by the Jazz At The Philharmonic crew! This time around, the combo's a small one – a really all-star lineup with Lester Young and Flip Phillips on tenor, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Max Roach on drums – all given lots of room to really open up, on the kind of long tracks that allow for plenty of solo voicing – exactly what we've come to expect from the JATP at their best! Titles include "Dre's Blues", "How High The Moon", "Undecided", and a long "Ballad Medley".