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Soulful, spiritual work from guitarist Grant Green – an exploration of older tunes with a hip Blue Note 60s soul jazz approach! The album features Grant working in a quartet with Herbie Hancock, Billy Higgins, and Butch Warren – plus some added tambourine on a number of tracks –... read more

Grant Green's first-ever session as a leader – recorded by Blue Note in 1960, and not issued until now! The set features Green's guitar playing in a piano quartet, with rhythm by Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones – about as fine a backing trio as Green could hope to... read more

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in... read more

A tight quartet session that pairs the master funky guitarist with Jack McDuff, Al Harewood, and (surprisingly) Yusef Lateef, who plays tenor and flute on the record, in a style that's a lot harder than some of his own work from the time! The group grooves in a nice laidback way through 4 long... read more

One of Grant Green's best funky records for Blue Note! The group's cut from the same cloth as Lou Donaldson's great ones from this period – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – with Idris Muhammad on drums, kicking up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's... read more

Fantastic stuff! This was one of Grant Green's first ever sessions, and it's a winner all the way through! Dave Bailey and Ben Tucker back up the young Grant in a set of impeccably played guitar grooves that showcase the brilliant technique of this young genius – straight and to the point... read more

A rare early chapter in the career of guitarist Grant Green – local material, cut in his hometown of St Louis – in the years before Lou Donaldson picked him up and delivered him to Blue Note Records! Amazingly, though, the Grant Green heard here is every bit as great as the guitarist... read more

A wicked session by Grant Green – one that's very different than any of his other Blue Note records! Here, Grant's going for a "Latin bit" – adding in a trio of percussionists to spice up the groove with a bit of bossa rhythms, and some harder jamming styles that feel a lot... read more

A wicked session by Grant Green – one that's very different than any of his other Blue Note records! Here, Grant's going for a "Latin bit" – adding in a trio of percussionists to spice up the groove with a bit of bossa rhythms, and some harder jamming styles that feel a lot... read more

A soaring set from guitarist Grant Green – a really amazing double-length set that caps off his legendary run for Blue Note – done with a vibe that's different than most of his other work for the label! Like some of the other Lighthouse sessions from Blue Note – particularly... read more

A soaring set from guitarist Grant Green – a really amazing double-length set that caps off his legendary run for Blue Note – done with a vibe that's different than most of his other work for the label! Like some of the other Lighthouse sessions from Blue Note – particularly... read more

A fantastic mid 60s album from Grant Green – but one that never got its due originally, because it was unreleased at the time – and didn't come out until a Japanese version in the late 70s! Despite that oddly long gap, Matador is truly one Grant's best ever records – a really... read more

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at... read more

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano,... read more

Although Grant Green started the 60s recording for Blue Note in a soulful churchy kind of groove, he ended the decade recording some great funky albums, most of them with a tight hard groove, of the sort of Idris Muhammad-ish rhythm track that was dominating the soul jazz scene at the time. This... read more

One of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a... read more

Vivian's in the green room, and more than ready to step out on the stage – sounding tighter, smoother, and more confident than ever – easily one of the strongest leading lights in contemporary soul today! The set's got a nice sort of crackle right from the start – a crispness... read more

A cooking group effort from the Chris Greene Quartet – a great Chicago combo we've watched grow tremendously with each previous release – stepping out here in their first-ever live recording! Greene's got a soulfully sophisticated approach to his saxes that really belies his Windy City... read more

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Jimmy Greene really knocks it out of the park with this cooking live set – showing us again that he's definitely a tenor talent to watch – one with a depth of soulfulness that stretches back to some of the more righteous players of the 60s, but with a contemporary vibe too – one... read more

Solo Burton Greene – beautifully recorded – in ways that have his already-wonderful lines on piano echoing out in the performance space, and almost folding back on themselves in waves of sound! Given Greene's striking touch on the keyboard – sharp, yet always melodic, which we... read more

A beautifully tuneful record from Narada Burton Greene – maybe more so than any of his other albums – at least that we can remember! The set's a solo outing, and it's definitely got some of the modern elements that have always made Greene's music so wonderful – but it's also got... read more

Damn great work from the Greyboy Allstars – a record that's deeper, hipper, and more rewarding than we ever remember from the group – a rich blend of jazz and funk, without any tricks or gimmicks at all! The playing of the members has really deepened a lot since the last album –... read more

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Pre-Bread work from Jimmy Griffin – recording here in a sweet Cali setting, thanks to arrangements from the young Jack Nitzsche! The album's got all the light sounds and sunny feelings you'd guess from the title and cover – but Jimmy's also got a voice that's surprisingly strong, too... read more

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If you've ever needed a definition of hardbop, this is it! The set's a crack quartet session for Blue Note, recorded in the mid 50s by a young Johnny Griffin – fresh in from Chicago, and playing with tons of fire and loads of imagination! Wynton Kelly's on piano and Max Roach is on drums... read more

One of Johnny Griffin's hard blowing LPs as a leader for Jazzland – recorded with a crack lineup that includes Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Albert Heath on drums! This is the kind of work that the term "hard... read more

Tremendous work from Johnny Griffin – one of those players whose talents never dimmed at all – and who's blowing here with all the same sharp intensity he first brought to his initial work in the 50s! The date's a tight acoustic session – with Johnny's bold tenor firmly in the... read more

One of the only albums as a leader from bassist Henry Grimes – a hell of a great player who'd made his name working with Sonny Rollins, but who steps out here into much freer territory! The group features Grimes at the helm on bass, but also features killer contributions from Perry Robinson... read more

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Man, it's been forever since we heard from Groove Stu – and during that time, they've really grown a lot! This excellent set is full of soul and charm right from the very first night – a very unique nu school harmony record – yet done without any chart cliches or some of the... read more

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One of the most dynamic George Gruntz albums we've heard in years – a sweet tribute to the Village Vanguard recordings of John Coltrane! The album's a modern one, and done with a large ensemble – but it's a really well-spirited tribute to Trane's famous live material from the Vanguard... read more

A pair of 60s gems – together on a single CD! First up is the original Jazz Goes Baroque from George Gruntz – one of the best blends of jazz and classical music we can think of! Sure, the tunes are from Corelli, Handel, Pachelbel, and other baroque composers – but they're taken... read more

One of the most obscure chapters in the career of Ennio Morricone – important avant garde work recorded in the mid 60s, just at a point when he was beginning to rise in soundtrack fame! The ensemble is a key Italian modernist group featuring Morricone, Giovanni Piazza, Mario Bertoncini,... read more

A classic 70s outing from The Gruppo Di Improvisazione – historically important Italian avant collective, similar to AMM or MEV – with a really groundbreaking approach to their sound! We say "sound" here instead of "music" – because the album's filled with... read more

Sweet electric piano grooving from Vince Guaraldi – previously unreleased material from the early 70s, but easily one of his greatest later albums! Vince works here both on Fender Rhodes and clavinet, plus a bit of Hammond organ and acoustic piano as well – and the tunes have a... read more

Great early work from the amazing Vince Guaraldi – an album issued in the 60s on the wave of his rising fame, but which was most likely recorded a few years earlier! The group here is Vince's key early trio with Eddie Duran on guitar – grooving with Vince in drumless splendor that... read more

The coolest grooves we've ever heard from percussionist Henri Guedon – a really wonderful blend of Latin, Caribbean, and jazz-based influences – all filtered into a very special sound! There's plenty of percussion at the core, but there's also some sweet keyboards too – used... read more

A hell of a great record – as you might already guess from the fact that Kassin produced the album, and it also features guest appearances by Chico Buarque and Tom Ze! Yet Thais Gulin is clearly the main draw here – a really lovely, inventive singer with a freshness that comes through... read more

Quite a rare set from this important Swedish player – one recorded in Sweden by Metronome, but issued here in the US on the short-lived East-West imprint of Atlantic. The tracks all feature Gullin on baritone sax – in a variety of settings that range through quartet, quintet, sextet,... read more

A genius album from Swedish baritone giant Lars Gullin – and a set that's from a period that was much less documented on our side of the Atlantic! Gullin was one of the undisputed masters of the instrument, and his American recordings on Mercury and Prestige stand as proof to his talent... read more

A beautiful solo record from pianist Ulrich Gumpert – quite different than some of the more offbeat or avant sounds he recorded with other players – and instead, a great illustration of his more personal, poetic style on piano! Parts of the record resonate strongly with Gumpert's... read more

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A wonderful larger-concept piece from reedman Mats Gustafsson – and an important recording that really stands to only complement some of his freer, looser work of the time! The set's got a vibe that's similar to some of the best mixed composition/improvisation works of the 90s – put... read more

A stone classic from the great Gwen Guthrie – a singer who forged some brilliant vocals in the backdrop of other folks' soul sessions – then really exploded forth as a star on her own, with a handful of key albums in the early 80s! This cooker really shows off Guthrie's ear for the... read more

Classic work from Gwen Guthrie – a tight batch of keyboard-heavy cuts that sparkles with a strong 80s groove! Deodato's at the helm on production, and he clearly helps direct the sound of the set – giving it some of the sharpness and focus of his other 80s soul productions – and... read more

Early work from Gwen Guthrie – produced by Sly & Robbie, but with a sweet modern soul sound that's got a lot less of their influence than you'd guess! The sound is much more New York than Jamaica – and that's probably due to some great instrumental backing on keyboards by the likes... read more

Dirty beats with some sweet earthy touches – and a record that we like a lot more than usual for this sort of thing! Guts mixes it up with a host of classic influences – bits of spiritual jazz, cinematic soundscapes, 70s funk, dancehall, and electro – but all wrapped into... read more

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Once again the GZA shines as the true Genius of the Wu Tang Clan. He continues to move in a more straight ahead rhyme direction, but there's still some nice metaphorical, numerological and knowledge dropping moments sprinkled in between the all-up-in-your-face Wu attitude alongside his acronym... read more

One of the greatest moog albums ever – all original sounds and tunes from the legendary Bruce Haack! Haack had spent most of the 60s doing small label kiddie records on his own, but this late 60s gem on Columbia is probably his best known work – a masterpiece of short and groovy little... read more

Funky funky solo work from Joni Haastrup – an artist who's also known for his work in Monomono, and who sounds equally great on his own! Joni's got this tight approach that wraps together Nigerian grooves of the 70s scene, and some bolder soul star energy that would be right at home in the... read more

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With Ernie Watts on tenor, Alan Broadbent on piano, and Lawrence Marable on drums – plus a string orchestra conducted by Broadbent on most tracks!... read more

Charlie Haden and Hank Jones reunite as a duo – working through a set of songs with spiritual sources, in ways that really seem to unlock the warmest elements of both players! Jones is no stranger to this sort of mode, especially in later years – and his gentle, spacious touch on the... read more

Recorded live at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and a special set featuring the acoustic talents of trumpeter Tim Hagan and soprano saxist Bob Belden, mixed with electronics by Scott Kinsey, and turtablism by DJ Kingsize. Most of the material is fairly out – with off-kilter solos draped over... read more

The complete collection of Hag's 60s singles at Capitol – with some of his most legendary songs – along with some equal treasures that just didn't hit as big on the charts! It's a pretty tightly-focused set that starts with the formative, Bakersfield honky tonk-honed style of the... read more

One of the coolest projects we've heard from Bongolian in years – a great collaboration with vocalist Fay Hallam, who really helps his grooves find a great sense of focus! Unlike other efforts of this nature – the usual "soul diva with funk group" outing – Fay and... read more

Maybe the best work so far from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – and a wonderful continuation of the spiritual vibe he's been giving us for the past few years! Halsall's a real up-and-comer – a trumpeter with a spiritual sensibility that rivals the best players on 70s Impulse or Strata East... read more

A gem of an album from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – his third on the Gondawa label, and like all the others, a set that we'd easily rank right up there with the best 70s spiritual jazz on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz! The set's got a fluid sound that's extremely compelling –... read more

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Incredible work from one of the most overlooked players of the British scene of the 60s – trumpeter Ian Hamer, best known for his studio sessions and large group apperances – heard here in an assortment of breathtaking small group recordings! The tunes on the 2CD set are from 5... read more

Chico Hamilton in the 70s just can't miss – he's really changed loads from his mellow 50s work in LA, and has a tendency to go for a hard grooving sound – but also one that's slightly left of center than the work of most other 70s jazz drummers – and we mean that in a good way! ... read more

Unusual material from Chico Hamilton – recorded around the same time as his groundbreaking work for Pacific Jazz – but for the smaller Crown/Modern label in LA! The format's a bit unusual, and changes a bit throughout the record – showing Chico's already-strong ear for creative... read more

Different is right – as this obscure early 60s side shows Chico Hamilton really opening up, moving past the modern chamber style of the late 50s, into the freer modal rhythms that characterized his incredible work of the 60s! The group's the beginning of that sound too – with Charles... read more

Quite possibly the best album to feature the talents of Chico Hamilton and Eric Dolphy – a set recorded at a time when Dolphy was an up-and-coming player on the west coast scene! Although Chico Hamilton had recorded with unusual reed players before, Dolphy brings a depth of soul and spirit... read more

An obscure release by Chico Hamilton – but with some really great moments that more than rival his famous sides for Pacific Jazz in the 50s! The set was issued on the obscure Crown label, and is a bit short on notes – but side one features work by Chico's early trio – a cool... read more

Very interesting work from Chico Hamilton – one of his most compelling albums of the 50s! The three "faces" of Chico are as follows: his vocals, his solo percussion, and his quintet. Forget the vocals, because they're just OK (and Chico hardly embarked on a singing career after... read more

Killer work from Chico Hamilton – and a key batch of sides recorded between his 50s quintet sessions for Pacific Jazz and his later modal magic at Impulse! The work here was originally done for the Navy Swings series of radio shows – and features a Chico with the group that included... read more

One of the best records that Chico Hamilton cut during the 50s – and one that features Eric Dolphy, who was with Chico's group for a short while! The record's got the quintet (which also includes the excellent Dennis Budimir on guitar) fronting larger string arrangements by Fred Katz (no... read more

A jazz soundtrack double-header – one that features both the small combo and larger band version of the soundtrack to The Sweet Smell Of Success! The first half of the CD features the Chico Hamilton Quintet's album of music – a wonderful bit of cinematic jazz from the 50s. The combo... read more

Soulful reggae legend Beres Hammond – still going strong on 2012's double album One Love, One Life – which is a nice, timeless take on his tried-and-true mix of lover's rock and straighter soul – and well produced by Beres and Chris Chin! Honestly, pretty much everything we've... read more

Romantic reggae from a master of blending lover's rock and other soulful strains of reggae with an even more profound touches of classic-styled soul! Red Light once again finds Beres working well with producer Willie Lindo – with lean, crisp vibe – but it's never too glossy! A really... read more

Produced by Wilie Lindo, but rather than taking a soulful approach to his reggae, or infusing some soul numbers with an island vibe, this set is split between straight soul numbers and a handful of roots material – and it works well on both fronts! Surprisingly, the soul tracks come off... read more

An overlooked gem from the equally-overlooked Clay Hammond – a sweet 70s groover that offers up a great mix of modern and deep soul modes! Clay's vocals are still every bit as great as on some of his earlier soul singles, but the arrangements push things into tighter territory that's mighty... read more

An amazing bit of jazz funk from Johnny Hammond – and one of his greatest LPs! This is the first album that Johnny recorded with Larry Mizell, cut right before the pair of them went onto do the landmark Gears album. While this one never became as famous as Gears, it's got some fantastic... read more

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... read more

Excellent Parisian work by Lionel Hampton – recorded during a very fruitful year in France, featuring material that was originally issued on a full LP, and a 10" ep. Most of the tracks feature a group that includes Eddie Chamblee on tenor, Ed Mullens on trumpet, Billy Mackel on guitar,... read more

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The explosion in the title is definitely well-placed – as trombonist Slide Hampton makes his group groove with a tremendous amount of power here – all horns focused strongly on the rhythms, which themselves are wonderfully soulful! As with some of Hampton's best from the time, there's... read more

Sanctified, indeed – and just the kind of record to show why Slide Hampton was unlike any of his trombone-playing contemporaries! The set's got a tightness and punch that's really unique – not the compact quality of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but also not the hardbop of Curtis Fuller... read more

A lyrical masterpiece from the mid-60's! Freddie Hubbard and Herbie trade lines on extended compositions, as Herbie shows the world that he's more than just a soul jazz player by coming up with some of the most spiritual work of his career. Of course, that doesn't displace the treasure that is... read more

The start of funky funky Herbie Hancock! This album's the first to feature Herbie really breaking away from his straight jazz work – moving into a groove that's nice and funky, using electric piano along with acoustic, to forge the sound that he'd develop famously over the 70s. The album's... read more

A really unique little record from Herbie Hancock – one that's almost completely improvised over Latin percussion! The setup is quite spare – and quite different than Herbie's other Blue Note work – and the group features improvised backgrounds by bassist Paul Chambers and 2... read more

Classic Herbie from the early years, and a great mix of soul jazz and modernism! The record include a nice groovy "hit", Herbie's "Blind Man, Blind Man" – an obvious follow-up to "Watermelon Man", but still a standout track with a lot of imagination, and a... read more