A fantastic album from tenor legend Benny Golson – one in which he reinvents his sound for the 70s, but still keeps all the tight sense of arrangement we loved in his earlier work! Benny's going for a funky jazz groove on most cuts – a bit clubby, in a Kudu Records mode – with a fair bit of tracks recorded at Sigma Sound in Philly, some with a female chorus adding in vocal lines from time to time. But this approach isn't clunky or commercial, and actually works a lot better than so many other tenorists who tried this mode at the time – thanks both to Benny's sense of arrangement, which graces most tracks – and his way of hitting a solid, soulful solo that really fills out the tunes from the middle. The album is worth it alone for its sweet remake of "Killer Joe" – the tune he first made famous with the Jazztet, recut here with a nice 70s vibe! The cut begins with Benny doing a cool monologue at the beginning, then hitting the "New Killer Joe" groove – and other cuts include "Tomorrow Paradise", "Walkin & Stalkin", "Love Uprising", and "Timbale Rock". CD features some bonus tracks – including "I'm Always Dancin To The Music (orig 12" single)", "Walkin & Stalkin", and "The New Killer Joe" – in a version with Mortonette Jenkins on vocals. CD

Soul jazz Benny – and very nice! Unlike some of Golson's other, more arranged sessions from the time, this one is a laidback quintet set, with strong emphasis on blowing, which you'll hear plenty of in the album's long open-ended tracks! Golson's tone is always great, but here he hits a deep groove on tenor that will really blow your mind – much more in a Gene Ammons way, but still with touches of the impeccability that makes all his work so great. The rest of the group includes Curtis Fuller, Tommy Flanagan, Doug Watkins, and Art Taylor – and tracks include "Tippin On Thru", "Bob Hurd's Blues", "Blue Streak", and "Baubles Bangles & Beads". CD

A wonderful meeting of the old and new jazz underground – as drummer Joe Farnsworth works here with a host of great players that include Eric Alexander, Harold Mabern, Curtis Fuller, Jim Rotondi, and Benny Golson. There's a classic soul jazz vibe running through the set that we really love – similar to that in some of Alexander's recent work, and often featuring a strong tenor in the frontline, leaping over warm piano lines that have a sweet, rhythmic feel. Titles include "Sweet Poppa", "Old Folks", "Prime Time", "And So I Love Again", "Third Plane", and "Jose's Lament". CD

Seminal work from Dizzy – showing that he was a genius in any form of jazz! In the mid 50s, Diz had one of the hippest big bands going – filled with great young players that included Lee Morgan, Joe Gordon, Melba Liston, Benny Golson, Billy Mitchell, and Walter Davis Jr. The work he crafted here was partly an extension of his earlier bop sides, but also a demonstration of his desire to express himself in more expansive forms – kind of a hint of the direction he'd take in the 60s, with his work in Latin, soundtrack, and funk styles. The set combines tracks from 3 different Verve albums – and it also packages the material with a number of previously unissued tracks, and some great liner notes that do a wonderful job of summing up the spirit of the work. Arrangements are by AK Salim, Quincy Jones, Tadd Dameron, and Dizzy himself – and tracks include "Jordu", "Tin Tin Deo", "Groovin For Nat", "Dizzy's Business", "Jessica's Day", "Doodlin", "Yo No Quiero Bailar", "Birk's Works", "Tangorine", "Umbrella Man", and "Mayflower Rock". 42 tracks in all! CD

One of Lee Morgan's most sparkling sessions from the early years – a record that already shows a sense of depth and imagination that would take Lee way beyond simple hardbop solo work! There's a sensitivity here that owes something of a debt to Clifford Brown, yet which is much more modernist overall – touched, no doubt, by a set list that features tunes by Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson, and played in a spirit that's similar to the blend of soul jazz and modernism that both of those players were carving out at the time. Morgan's bandmates for the record include George Coleman on tenor and alto, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all in tight formation, but with a sense of relaxed and easy flow that's rare, even in a Blue Note of this vintage! Titles include "You're Mine You", "Just By Myself", "Kin Folks", "City Lights", and "Tempo De Waltz". CD

New York and LA sessions with Benny Golson, Gigi Gryce, John Lewis, Zoot Sims, Shlley Manne, and others. CD

With Judith, Michelle, and Aria Hendricks all joining in on vocals – plus Red Holloway on alto, Benny Golson on tenor, and Al Grey on trombone! CD

A beautiful box set, and one that's filled with amazing material by one of our favorite players of all time! Roland Kirk's work for Mercury has always been darn tough to come by on wax, and even though a number of titles have been reissued individually over the years, this box set is still the best way to approach his early and mid 60's work for Mercury and related labels. The set's got a whopping 10 CDs in all – plus a bonus CD of unreleased stuff – and it's filled with rare material, live tracks, big band tracks, and just plain ol' great hard-wailing straight ahead material by Roland. Players on the set include Jaki Byard, Benny Golson, Wynton Kelly, Roy Haynes, Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones, and Horace Parlan. Very nice, and one you won't tire of quickly! CD

One of Lee Morgan's most sparkling sessions from the early years – a record that already shows a sense of depth and imagination that would take Lee way beyond simple hardbop solo work! There's a sensitivity here that owes something of a debt to Clifford Brown, yet which is much more modernist overall – touched, no doubt, by a set list that features tunes by Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson, and played in a spirit that's similar to the blend of soul jazz and modernism that both of those players were carving out at the time. Morgan's bandmates for the record include George Coleman on tenor and alto, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all in tight formation, but with a sense of relaxed and easy flow that's rare, even in a Blue Note of this vintage! Titles include "You're Mine You", "Just By Myself", "Kin Folks", "City Lights", and "Tempo De Waltz". CD

One of Lee Morgan's beautiful early sets for Blue Note – and proof that he was emerging as a youthful lyricist even in his hardbop days! The group on the session is a sextet – with rock-solid Hank Mobley on tenor, Horace Silver on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Charlie Persip on drums – plus the highly obscure Kenny Rodgers on alto – making his only Blue Note appearance ever! As on Morgan's third album for Blue Note, most of the tracks are composed by Benny Golson – perfectly penned numbers that maintain a hardbop swing, but which let Morgan explore things with a bit more depth than on some of his sessions for Savoy! Titles include "Slightly Hep", "D's Fink", "Whisper Not", and "Latin Hangover". CD

One of the hardest to find of the early Lee Morgan albums on Blue Note – and a very lyrical batch of hardbop tracks, played with a slightly exotic flair! Morgan's group on the date features melodic modernists Benny Golson on tenor and Gigi Gryce on alto sax – both of whom push Morgan past his youthful bop approach into more sensitive areas – especially Golson, who wrote and arranged the tunes on the date with a sublime mix of hardbop and deeper musical ideals! Rhythm is from the trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – and titles include a great reading of Golson's "I Remember Clifford", plus four other originals by Benny – "Hasaan's Dream", "Domingo", "Mesabi Chant", and "Tip Toeing". CD

One of Art Blakey's first true moments of genius! This transitional version of the Jazz Messengers included two parts – Lee Morgan and Bobby Timmons – of the holy Morgan/Shorter/Timmons trilogy, and it's also got the added bonus of Benny Golson on tenor, who was at the height of his power at this point. The record really shines in ways that few Blakey albums shone since his days with Horace Silver – in that it's a forum for fresh new writing, most importantly Golson's landmark compositions "Blues March" and "Along Came Betty", and Timmons' instant classic "Moanin". The whole album's wonderful, though, and Golson's edgey modernism adds a strong dimension to the group's usual soulful romping groove! (And in fact, as a tribute to the group's success, the album was initially named Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, but quickly retitled Moanin in this version, after the big hit single!) CD

Sublime work from trumpeter Art Farmer – and a key document of the way that he continued to develop his sound in the 70s! Farmer's at the height of his powers here – working in a soulful quartet with Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins – just setting up these beautiful little solos that seem to float out effortlessly from his golden horn. The gentle emotion and light swing of the album give it the surprisingly emotional pull of a sad San Francisco afternoon – as the sun shines brightly, but a strange chill interrupts any easy dreaming that might take place. Includes sublime versions of "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "How Insensitive", "Firm Roots", and Benny Golson's "Yesterday's Thoughts". CD

A really classic session – one that features an all-star lineup of players who were in the Dizzy Gillespie band of the mid 50s – stepping out here in a smaller group on their own for a one-off date on the Specialty Records label! Specialty normally recorded R&B at the time, but they knock it out of the park with this one – really letting the players stretch out with lots of soulful energy – in a lineup that includes the young Lee Morgan on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul West on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – plus the fantastic Billy Root on baritone – a really great player who only recorded a bit back in the day! Arrangements are nice and hip – done by Benny Golson and Roger Spotts – and titles include "About Time", "DDT", "Whisper Not", and the very long "Dishwater" – a nice uptempo workout, Dizzy style! CD

A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – both players of Gryce's same postwar generation, and coincidentally recording for Mercury at the same time. Although the groove here is definitely different – less emphasis on the bottom, and more on the top – not just Gryce's wonderfully raspy alto, but also the trumpet of Richard Williams too. All other players are great as well – and Eddie Costa brings in some sweet vibes – in a lineup that also features Richard Wyands on piano, and either Reggie Workman or George Duvivier on bass, and either Walter Perkins or Bob Thomas on drums. Tracks include "Reminiscing", "Gee Blues Gee", "Blue Light", and "Night In Tunisia". CD

A well-done overview of some of the best recordings by trumpeter Roger Guerin – one of the most important players on his instrument in Paris during the postwar years – and one of the few to regularly interact with important soloists from overseas! This set brings together Guerin in both dates as a leader, and as a key guest with others – pulled from a section of rare 10" and 7" releases, plus a few full album recordings as well – all bundled together here in a package that really lets Roger's trumpet talents shine! There's a huge range of material here – and the set begins with a few tracks from a session with James Moody on alto in 1961, a few more from a date with guitarist Jimmy Raney in 1954 – then moves into a quartet date with Martial Solal in 1956 and one with pianist Christian Chevailier during that same year. The set has four great tracks with a 1958 date co-led with the great Benny Golson on tenor, with Bobby Timmons on piano in the group – then ends with one track with Michel Hausser on vibes and Martial Solal on piano. The book includes detailed notes on all the sessions – and titles include "Bootsie", "Vline", "Chet", "Mythe", "Blues March", "I Remember Clifford", "Not Serious", "Ca Turne", "Night & Day", "Deep Purple", and "Sweet Feeling". CD

Ray Drummond on bass, Benny Golson on tenor saxophone, Mickey Tucker on piano, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Albert Heath on drums, and Art Farmer On flugelhorn. CD

With Benny Golson on tenor saxophone. CD

With Benny Golson on tenor saxophone, James Williams on piano, Michael Formanek on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. CD

A box packed with nothing but cracking hard bop! All of Lee Morgan's seminal 50s sides for Blue Note assembled in one package, including the albums Indeed!, Volume Two, Volume Three, City Lights, the Cooker and Candy. Morgan's quite young on these sessions, but his voice is fully formed and he plays with fire throughout, as do the sidemen, who include Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Benny Golson, Gigi Gryce, Bobby Timmons, Philly Joe Jones, Art Taylor, Sonny Clark, Curtis Fuller, and Wynton Kelly. There's 37 tracks in all, spread out over 4 discs, including "Reggie Of Chester", "Little T", "Stand By", "Latin hangover", "D's Fink", "Slightly Hep", "Hasaan's Dream", "I Remember Clifford", "Mesabi Chant", "Domingo", "City Lights", "Kin Folks", "Heavy Dipper", "New-Ma", and "CTA". CD

An odd title, but a really wonderful album from Mark Murphy – an 80s session for Muse that easily matches some of his most creative moments for the label in the 70s! There's some wonderful versions of soulful jazz tracks here – takes on "Effendi" by McCoy Tyner, "Beauty & The Beast" by Wayne Shorter, and "Along Came Betty" by Benny Golson – the first two of which feature new lyrics by Mark that are totally great! "Betty" is always a treat done vocally, and Murphy scats the tune here with just the right sort of sadness for the number. Other cuts include "Vocalise" and "Doxy" – and the group is led by keyboardist Bill Mays, who also handled arrangements. CD

Pure genius from a great lineup – an assortment of players who've made quite a name recording sets like this one for the Japanese market! Tenorist Eric Alexander is very firmly in place on the set – giving it the same gentle soul and well-crafted sound as his own great albums – and other players include Jim Rotondi on trumpet, David Hazeltine on piano, Joe Farnsworth on drums, and Steve Davis on trombone. The horns in the frontline are beautifully poised throughout – tightly crackling on the head arrangements, then breaking out in soulful solos – in a way that reminds us a lot of some of the legendary work by the Benny Golson-Art Farmer Jazztet. It's no surprise that the group covers the Jazztet standard "Killer Joe" – and the album also features great versions of Duke Pearson's "You Know I Care" and Ahmad Jamal's "Night Mist Blues" – plus originals "Island" and "Hot Sake". CD

A really wonderful little chapter in the rich, and all-too-short career of bassist Oscar Pettiford – larger group recordings done for ABC in the mid 50s! The sessions show Pettiford to be surprisingly great at such a format – leading a group through Gigi Gryce arrangements that have a nice modern jazz take on earlier bop themes of the 50s. Gryce himself plays alto on the session, and other players include Jerome Richardson, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Kenny Dorham, Jimmy Cleveland, Al Grey, Tommy Flanagan, and Lucky Thompson. The CD seems to include material from both Pettiford sessions for ABC – for a total of 17 tracks that include "Two French Fries", "Perdido", "Speculation", "Sunrise Sunset", "Smoke Signal", "Deep Passion", "Nica's Tempo", "Not So Sleepy", "Little Niles", and "Seabreeze". CD

Some of our favorite work ever by Esther Phillips – served up on a compilation that does a great job of sorting through her classic 70s sides for Kudu, CTI, and Mercury! Back in the 60s, Esther sung in a sad and bluesy sort of soul style – but in the 70s, at the time of these recordings, Esther picked up a sweet electric vibe, really hipping up her sound with lots of funky guitar, bass, and keyboards. The result is tremendous – as you'll hear on this set – as Esther works with arrangers that include Pee Wee Ellis, Bob James, Benny Golson and Harvey Mason to cut some wickedly soulful tunes! The set includes 18 tracks in all, with titles that include "Use Me", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "That's All Right With Me", "I've Never Found A Man", "Brother Brother", "From A Whisper To A Scream", "All The Way Down", "Black Eyed Blues", "Native New Yorker", "Changing", "SOS", "We've Got A Good Thing Going", "You Think Of Him", "Bedtime Stories", and "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy About Me". CD

Valery Ponomarev, Chris Rogers, and Josh Evans on trumpet, Benny Golson, Peter Brainin, and Steve Harrington on tenor saxophone, Todd Bashore on alto saxophone, Corey Wallace on trombone, Mamiko Watanabe on piano, and Victor Jones on drums. CD

A pretty great session – if only for the work of the sax players! The "stablemates" on the session are a host of older spiritual and soul jazz players – including Nathan Davis, Sam Rivers, Chico Freeman, and Arthur Blythe – alternating solos and coming together in some angular ensemble parts that really sound wonderful. The "Stablemates" reference is well chosen, as there's a lot of Benny Golson influences on the album – especially in the rhythm section of Don Pullen, Santi Debriano, and Idris Muhammad, who groove together with the crackling tightness that Golson would have used on a classic early 60s album, keeping the pace with a soulful swing, so that the horn players can cut loose in some modernist inflections. Titles include "Walkin", "I Remember Eric Dolphy", "Stolen Moments", "Linden Boulevard", and "Stablemates". CD

On the one hand, our jazz snob side wonders why Diana Ross would be picked to star as Billie Holiday, but on the other, it makes perfect sense, as this soundtrack to the film was made during the early 70s, when she was at the top of her career, and one of the highest profile female soul singers. And she acquits herself quite well, with a solid performance that's more than respectable, helped along the way by sympathetic orchestral arrangements from Benny Golson and Oliver Nelson. While we may not turn to this recording over any of Billie's originals, it's a pretty remarkable turning point for Diana, establishing her "diva" status and helping to launch her solo career to new heights. 35 numbers in all, though many of them are dialogue or musical bits lifted from the film. Includes "All Of Me", "the Man I Love", "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "Fine & Mellow", "You've Changed", "My Man", "Strange Fruit" and "God Bless The Child". CD

On the one hand, our jazz snob side wonders why Diana Ross would be picked to star as Billie Holiday, but on the other, it makes perfect sense, as this soundtrack to the film was made during the early 70s, when she was at the top of her career, and one of the highest profile female soul singers. And she acquits herself quite well, with a solid performance that's more than respectable, helped along the way by sympathetic orchestral arrangements from Benny Golson and Oliver Nelson. While we may not turn to this recording over any of Billie's originals, it's a pretty remarkable turning point for Diana, establishing her "diva" status and helping to launch her solo career to new heights. 35 numbers in all, though many of them are dialogue or musical bits lifted from the film. Includes "All Of Me", "the Man I Love", "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "Fine & Mellow", "You've Changed", "My Man", "Strange Fruit" and "God Bless The Child". CD

A wonderful album from George Russell – a refreshing change from his overly-academic modernist work – and a brilliant bit of new ideas with some very down to earth expression! The session's an unusual one – a musical portrait of New York City, performed with an all-star cast who really flesh out the ideas in the music – linked together with these fantastic spoken bits by Jon Hendricks – patter about the city and the scene that really make the whole thing come alive! The lineup is virtually a who's who of modern jazz at the moment – John Coltrane and Benny Golson on tenors, Art Farmer on trumpet, Bill Evans on piano, Hal McKusick and Phil Woods on alto, and Max Roach on drums – coming together under some of the clearest leadership that George Russell has ever provided. The whole thing is great – and titles include "Manhattan", "Big City Blues", "Manhattan-Rico", and "A Helluva Town". CD

Featuring Paquito D'Rivera, Benny Golson, Antonio Hart, Clifford Jordan, Bobby McFerrin, Jackie McLean, and David Sanchez. CD

Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet and vocals, Jimmy Powell and Phil Woods on alto saxophone, Billy Root and Marty Flax on baritone saxophone, Nelson Boyd and Paul West on bass, Rod Levitt on bass trombone, Charlie Persip on drums, Walter Davis Jr and Wynton Kelly on piano, Benny Golson, Billy Mitchell, and Ernie Wilkins on tenor saxophone, Al Grey, Frank Rehak, and Melba Liston on trombone, and Ermet Perry, Joe Gordon, Lee Morgan, and Quincy Jones on trumpet. CD

An excellent live set – featuring great work by some of Dizzy's best sidemen of the late 50's! The ensemble is razor sharp, in that hip post-bop way that Dizzy was developing in the 50s, before moving into his Latin groove years of the early 60s. Benny Golson, Billy Mitchell, and Wynton Kelly all get a chance to solo nicely, and the tracks include renditions of "Manteca", "Dizzy's Blues", "Cool Breeze", and "Doodlin". Features three long bonus tracks too! CD

A really wonderful little chapter in the rich, and all-too-short career of bassist Oscar Pettiford – larger group recordings done for ABC in the mid 50s! The sessions show Pettiford to be surprisingly great at such a format – leading a group through Gigi Gryce arrangements that have a nice modern jazz take on earlier bop themes of the 50s. Gryce himself plays alto on the session, and other players include Jerome Richardson, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Kenny Dorham, Jimmy Cleveland, Al Grey, Tommy Flanagan, and Lucky Thompson. The CD seems to include material from both Pettiford sessions for ABC – for a total of 17 tracks that include "Two French Fries", "Perdido", "Speculation", "Sunrise Sunset", "Smoke Signal", "Deep Passion", "Nica's Tempo", "Not So Sleepy", "Little Niles", and "Seabreeze". CD

Eric Reed hits a mighty nice bag here – almost a variant of the sort of soulful depths that first brought him to our attention many years back, but also presented with a freshness that's different from his early records too! The title's a reference to the mix of composers of color chosen by Reed for the record – a mix that includes both older jazz and soul music writers – in a lineup that features work by Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, and others – plus originals by each member of the group, a trio that features Luca Alemanno on bass and Reggie Quinerly on drums. Calvin Rhone sings on "Lean On Me", and David Daughtry adds vocals to "Pastime Paradise" – while all other titles are originals, and include "Peace", "Black Brown & Blue", "Christina", "Infant Eyes", "Cheryl Ann", "Along Came Betty", and "One For E". CD

Way more than just a simple collection of famous cool jazz numbers – and instead, an ultra-hip set that shows the evolution of the original sound over the space of decades and the stretch of two continents! The collection nicely avoids the obvious overplayed west coast examples of the sound, and goes for some less obvious gems that show the way that players in the late 50s and 1960s took the initial cool jazz inspiration and expanded it tremendously in a range of different modes! As with other titles in the excellent Jazz Club series, the tracks here are pulled from Universal-owned labels like Verve, Impulse, and MPS – recorded on both sides of the Atlantic in the 50s and 60s, and brought together here in one well-done, low-priced package. Titles include "Nuages" by Barney Wilen, "The Cool One" by Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet, "Harper" by Ed Thigpen, "Crackle Hut" by Max Roach, "Coolie" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Cleo's Asp" by Paul Gonsalves, "Serenade In Blue" by Stan Getz, "Snap Crackle" by Roy Haynes, "Foolin Myself" by Lee Konitz, "The Gentle Art Of Love" by Hans Koller, and "Wintersong" by Gerry Mulligan & Paul Desmond. CD