A hell of a cooker from bassist Red Mitchell – a set that's got a sound that's way more mature and modern than you might guess from the image on the cover! Red's at the helm of a hip combo that also features sharp tenor from Zoot Sims and beautiful work on valve trombone from Bob Brookmeyer – working here at that cool compressed height of his 50s style we love so much. Conte Candoli's in the group on trumpet, giving things a surprising sort of bite – and rhythm is completed by Claude Williamson on piano and Stan Levey on drums – players who can be bold one minute, and carefully quiet the next. Titles include "Kelly Green", "Once In A While", "Bluesology", "Happy Minor", and "Long Ago & Far Away". CD

Jerri Winters gets some hip backings here – thanks to help from the Al Belletto Sextet, who almost share the star spotlight on the record as much as Jerri! The combo are perhaps best known for their 50s work on Capitol, but they sound equally great here – stepping out with a tight sound that must have made them a great act to catch live in a club! And in addition to the combo's instrumentation – which includes alto sax, piano, trombone, and trumpet – the group also harmonize a bit behind Jerri's vocals – supporting her with a sound that's sort of a groovy 50s update on the older 40s mode of matching a female lead with a male harmony group. Don't let all this praise of the Belletto group take away from Winters, though – because she steps out strongly too – and really makes the album sparkle with a personal take on some lesser-remembered standards. Titles include "In Other Words", "Crazy In The Night", "Kind Of Moody", "Ridin On The Moon", "Dark Shadows", "Sometimes I'm Happy", and "It's Always You". CD

One of the coolest albums ever from organist Milt Buckner – a set that not only features his own great work on Hammond, but also some excellent vibes from Gene Redd! This isn't the Redd that was a member of Kool & The Gang, but his pops – and Gene works with Buckner here on arrangements to craft a sound that's much hipper and more soulful than usual for Milt – quite a change from some of his dates for other labels, especially some of the overseas ones. The rest of the group features Bill Willis on bass and Phil Paul on drums – and tunes are awash in cool tones and unusual sounds – handled very differently than in other versions. The album includes nice versions of "Take Five", "Fly Me To The Moon", "All Blues", and "Why Don't You Do Right" – all with a lot more of a soul jazz groove than you'd expect! CD

A great little album from this overlooked singer – an east coast vocalist from the 50s, working here on one of the few sessions she ever recorded! Teal's got an exotic look on the cover, but the presentation of the music is right up there in the best mainstream jazz modes of the time – and unlike some of the other small combo vocal work on Bethlehem in the 50s, this album has the fuller feel of the sorts of records you might hear on a label like Capitol or Verve at the time. Ted Steele handles the arrangements – and is also credited with discovering Teal in Atlantic City – and the backings are a mix of jazzy flourishes and larger strings – never poppy or overdone. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "El Cumbanchero", "Deed I Do", "For You My Love", "Who's Sorry Now", "Let's Fall In Love", and "Easy To Remember". CD also features three bonus alternate takes! CD