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Mellow warmth from the great Monty Alexander – one of his best for MPS, and a trio set cut with Senator Eugene Wright on bass and Bobby Durham on drums! The roundness of Wright's bass makes the best cuts on the album even better – as he rolls around with a subtle sense of soul that... read more

One of the funkiest records ever from Charly Antolini – the drummer who cut some mighty groovy records for MPS! This album features Charly's drums really kicking hard – actually hitting some moments that make for some tight breaks in the set, supported by instrumentation that's very... read more

Very groovy stuff – two unlikely gems from mid 70s MPS! First up is Amazing Strings from Svend Asmussen – a set that features his famous jazz violin in the lead, but amidst larger arrangements that feature MPS players like Dieter Reith on keyboards, Sigi Schwab on guitar, and Gunter... read more

One of Don Cherry's most hypnotic albums ever – a full album-length performance that features one of his first experiments with mixing jazz and global elements! The set was captured at the 1968 Berlin Jazz Festival – and mixes Cherry's amazing work on cornet, flute, and a myriad of... read more

Some of the grooviest classical piano work you'll ever hope to hear, thanks to the keyboard talents of the amazing Eugen Cicero – heard here on a two rare albums of material recorded for the MPS label! Back in the 60s, a number of European artists were experimenting with a blend of classics... read more

A hard slammer from the Clarke-Boland Big Band – recorded when the band was burning up the road in Europe, taking great players and audiences in one fell swoop, coming up with some of the strongest straight jazz of their generation! The album features stunning solos all around by an all-star... read more

One of the greatest records ever by this hip jazz ensemble – and one of their most unique! The record has the band grooving hard through two incredible suites of Latin music – Gary McFarland's "Latin Kaleidoscope" and Francy Boland's "Cuban Fever" – each of... read more

One of the greatest records ever by this hip jazz ensemble – and one of their most unique! The record has the band grooving hard through two incredible suites of Latin music – Gary McFarland's "Latin Kaleidoscope" and Francy Boland's "Cuban Fever" – each of... read more

A seminal session from one of the greatest large groups ever! This one captures the Clarke-Boland ensemble at the peak of their creativity – swinging hard in that tight firey way that was virtually their trademark during the late 60s. The players are a top-shelf mix of European and American... read more

Mad MPS material from Wolfgang Dauner – right up there with some of the wildest records on the label during the 70s! The album's easily one of Dauner's most striking sessions – a set that has him handling a whole host of electric keyboards, and working with a group that also includes... read more

One of the funkiest records ever cut for the mighty MPS label – and a unique session that definitely lives up to the "soul time" promised in the title! The set features a unique combination of American soul vocals and European funky jazz – a hybrid formed in late 60s Germany... read more

One of the funkiest records ever cut for the mighty MPS label – and a unique session that definitely lives up to the "soul time" promised in the title! The set features a unique combination of American soul vocals and European funky jazz – a hybrid formed in late 60s Germany... read more

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... read more

One of George Duke's best albums for the MPS label – and a set that has a sound that's a little bit more soul than before! The album uses a fair bit of vocals alongside Duke's funky keyboards – but in a way that's not nearly as smooth as some of his albums for Epic, and which still... read more

An amazing package of work from George Duke – 6 of his legendary fusion albums for MPS Records, including the never-reissued double-length set Solus/The Inner Source! That incredible album is worth the price of the package alone – as it begins with some sublime trio work from Duke,... read more

A well-titled album from trumpeter Don Ellis – as the set soars to the skies from the very first note! The album's got a dynamic energy that almost beats Don's American work of the time – lots of funky rhythms, and a cool MPS groove that shows the label's strong 70s legacy of larger... read more

Fantastic stuff – and one of our favorite lost sessions from the 70s! The album's a completely unique work by pianist Bill Evans album – one that features him playing both electric and acoustic piano over stunning arrangements by Claus Ogerman! The sound is indescribably beautiful,... read more

The hard wailing trumpet of Maynard Ferguson gets a perfect showcase on this obscure MPS session from the 60s – a record that offers up a nice bridge between his earlier albums on Roulette, and his more famous funk sides for Columbia! The sound here is mostly acoustic, but definitely hard-gro... read more

Very cool, very groovy, and one of Ella Fitzgerald's hippest albums of the 60s! The set was recorded in San Francisco in the late 60s, but was issued by MPS in Germany as proof that the label always had an ear for bringing something different out of a mainstream artist. And although live, the... read more

Very cool, very groovy, and one of Ella Fitzgerald's hippest albums of the 60s! The set was recorded in San Francisco in the late 60s, but was issued by MPS in Germany as proof that the label always had an ear for bringing something different out of a mainstream artist. And although live, the... read more

A tremendous European meeting of tenorist Dexter Gordon and trombonist Slide Hampton – brought together in this impeccable sextet session for MPS – a real standout in the label's straight jazz catalog over the years! By the time of the set, Gordon had been working heavily in Europe,... read more

One of the most beautiful albums Friedrich Gulda ever recorded for MPS – a wonderful session that features key solo work from players who include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, JJ Johnson on trombone, and Sahib Shihab on flute and baritone sax! The work has a somewhat serious feel, but isn't... read more

A groovy dream come true – the complete studio recordings of German bandleader Peter Herbolzheimer – easily one of the funkiest European talents of the 70s! Although Herbolzheimer's got a clunky name, his sound is incredibly fluid and tight – a large group approach to funk that... read more

Classic funky MPS material from Peter Herbolzheimer and his legendary group of European and American ex-patriot players. The record grooves on hard and funkily, in a way that you'd hardly guess from a German bandleader – but which has become a favorite with groovers and jazz dancers... read more

A bold, brilliant record from one of the funkiest ensembles of the 70s – and proof that Peter Herbolzheimer could groove as great in a live setting as he could in the studios of MPS! The session's done in a style that's right in keeping with the combo's famous studio sets of the early 70s... read more

Amazing live work from this legendary MPS group – electric funk mixed with plenty of horns – all in a hard-grooving big band style that nobody else could match at the time! Peter Herbolzheimer may not be a household name on this side of the Atlantic, but back in the day he was one of... read more

A groovy late 70s outing from the Hi Los – done at the same time that group member Gene Puerling was having a great run for MPS with his group The Singers Unlimited! The style here's a bit like the Hi Los of old, but it's also got some of the smoother, sweeter tones that Puerling developed... read more

A classic European date from Freddie Hubbard – recorded right around the vintage of his Red Clay years, but with a sound that hearkens back more towards his Blue Note sessions of the mid 60s! There's a nicely angular feel to this set – that bold, modern quality that really set Hubbard... read more

Moody vocals from the Jankowski Singers – a hip ensemble led by pianist Horst Jankowski, with a floating dreamy sound that's very much in the best MPS easy mode! The tracks on the set are as haunting as the "nightpeople" in the title might imply – harmonic, yet slightly off-ki... read more

Great stuff – the US issue of some very rare tracks that were recorded for MPS in Germany under the leadership of either Carmell Jones or Nathan Davis. One group on the record features Davis and Jones, along with a rhythm section of Francy Boland, Kenny Clarke, and Jimmy Woode. They swing... read more

A well-conceived session that brings together 4 extremely different styles of altoists – the icy Lee Konitz, the freewheeling Phil Woods, the soulful Pony Poindexter, and the rhythmic Leo Wright – all backed by a hiply swinging modern rhythm section that includes Steve Kuhn on piano,... read more

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Damn great work from guitarist Volker Kriegel – a player who rose to prominence in the Dave Pike Set, then went onto make some wonderful records of his own! Volker plays both acoustic and electric guitar on the set, and works with a very hip fusion combo that features electric piano from... read more

Psychedelic jazz & funky numbers from Volker Kriegel – a compilation of grooves from his MPS albums of the early-to-mid 70s! Funky electric and fuzzed out jazz from albums such as Lift!, Octember Variations, Spectrum and Elastic Menu – was well as choice selections from records by... read more

The funky fusion classic from guitarist Volker Krieger – finally issued in a great CD edition! Easily one of Krieger's best albums, Spectrum was remarkably cut in just two days at MPS Studios in 1971 – with a group that includes Peter Baumeister on drums, Cees See on bongos and... read more

Sweet soulful fusion from guitarist Volker Kriegel – a player who's definitely tighter here than in his more psychedelic days – but who still has a wonderful sense of sound, space, and timing! The record features some great tones from Volker – sliding along with this slight... read more

A great pianist and a great rhythm section – two factors that make this one of the best albums ever from Spanish pianist Tete Montoliu! The session's got a tightness that some of Tete's other records are missing – a style that still allows him to display his free command of the keys,... read more

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Amazing grooves from the legendary Dave Pike – one of the American vibists' few albums for the MPS label – and quite possibly the trippiest of the bunch! The set's a beautiful illustration of the freedoms that the MPS label offered American players like Pike – a chance to really... read more

Funky, fantastic, and nicely tripped-out – one of the legendary MPS classics by the Dave Pike Set of the late 60s – a combo that did a great job of mixing Dave's vibes with some headier sounds and psychedelic elements! There's a warmth here that's missing from some of the other Pike... read more

Funky vibes, electric sitar, and a madly tripped-out album – one of the best of the MPS psychedelic jazz sessions from the end of the 60s! Back in the US, Dave Pike was always a pretty straight vibist – but he's working here with his European combo that included the legendary Volker... read more

Sadness on guitar – a perfect title for Baden Powell's work on his chosen instrument, especially the way he could bring a simple but emotive style to his music! Powell's work on guitar here is often quite spare, but beautifully handled – set up with rhythms by a small combo that... read more

Sadness on guitar – a perfect title for Baden Powell's work on his chosen instrument, especially the way he could bring a simple but emotive style to his music! Powell's work on guitar here is often quite spare, but beautifully handled – set up with rhythms by a small combo that... read more

Funky and Latiny! Although we don't normally dig records by George Shearing, this cool 1974 session for MPS is a nice groover with a good 70's sound that adds a lot of tight rhythm to Shearing's often-sleepy playing – coming up with a whole new sound that has some really wonderful moments! ... read more

Some of Archie Shepp's most freewheeling material of the 60s – a long, extended, single-song album recorded at the Donaueschingen festival a few years before his classic work for BYG/Actuel – and very much in the same bold spirit as his recordings for that label! The single tune –... read more

One of our favorite albums by Don Sugarcane Harris – largely because it's got more of a jazz component than some of the others! Harris is still playing violin on the set, but the real charm seems to come from the tightness of the group – which features some lesser-known LA players on... read more

Two MPS gems from this unusual 70s ensemble – back to back on the same CD! Chasin The Bird features classic bop modes, updated strongly for the 70s – and played by a hip group of older players who really know how to cook! Supersax is led by Med Flory on alto, who also did the... read more

That's five flies in the title – each of them warranted, given the incredible energy of Cecil Taylor on the keys of the piano! This obscure solo set is a gem all the way through – an unusual session recorded for MPS – with Taylor playing beautiful tones on a Bosendorfer Grand... read more

One of the best live jam sessions on MPS – a really freewheeling performance, filled with an assemblage of all star players! As the title indicates, the set was recorded live in Colorado in the early 70s – and all titles here are quite long, quite lively, and filled with great solo... read more

A wicked little set from British pianist Eddie Thompson – a player who always wasn't as well noticed on this side of the Atlantic, but who will forever be remembered for this classic date for MPS! The set's got a great criss-crossing of styles – a punctuated way of playing the keys... read more

One of jazz accordian player Art Van Damme's groovy records for MPS – recorded in the early and late 70s and finally released in 1979! So Nice was recorded in quintet sessions on 1973 – featuring Siegfried Schwab, Heribert Thusek, Eberhard Weber and Charly Antolini – and it's a... read more

The accordion never sounded groovier – thanks to some great playing by Art Van Damme and amazing production by MPS! This 5CD set features a whopping 10 albums that Art recorded for the legendary German label between 1966 and 1972 – all of which are hipper and more swinging than any of... read more

Probably our favorite entry in this excellent series of classic "jazz meets world music" recordings from MPS. This CD compiles material from 3 rare recordings from the 60's – Djanger Bali by Tony Scott, Sakura Sakura by Hideo Shiraki, and the various artists comp called Jazz Meets... read more

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