Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Milt Jackson on vibes, and Karriem Riggins on drums. CD

Oscar Peterson and Benny Green on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. CD

A live set from the Oscar Peterson Trio – with Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Peterson on piano – plus a little extra help from drummer Bobby Durham. Tracks include "Falling In Love With Love", "Billie's Bounce", and "I Wished On the Moon". CD

Andre Previn on piano, Mundell Lowe on guitar and Ray Brown on bass. CD

Features Tony Allen on drums – on tracks that include "Outernational Incident", "Memories Of Senegal", "Many Roots", and "Sound Invasion". CD

A timeless mix of heart tuggingly intimate strings and beautiful vocals by Esperanza Spalding – a set that feels deep down close to the heart, and in turns, quite soaring – all the while wonderful! The aspects we loved so dearly on Esperanza's previous albums are also done here – touching on soulful Brazilian, soul jazz and chamber pop & soul influences, lovely wordless vocals as well as sweeter singing, and beautiful performances by the players. Ms Spalding is on bass and vocals with Leo Genovese on piano, Rhodes & melodica, Terri Lyne Carrington on drums and Quintino Cinalli on percussion. The great Milton Nasciemento guests on "Apple Blossom", and other titles include "Little Fly", "Knowledge Of Good And Evil", "Really Very Small", "Chacarera", "Wild Is The Wind", "Apple Blossom" and "Short And Sweet". CD

Maybe the greatest record so far from the lovely Esperanza Spalding – a set that has her moving farther from jazz, into a wonderfully warm style of soul music overall! The mix of modes is exquisite – a blend of Spalding's jazz-trained vocals with some beautiful arrangements that sparkle and glisten with this righteous vibe we'd put right up there with the best 70s recordings by Minnie Riperton or Linda Lewis – a really rare breed that goes way beyond the wonderful promise Esperanza's always had right from the start! The album is an instant treasure – the sort that's sure to please everyone who's already followed Spalding on her journey, yet also win her a huge new audience as well. Q-Tip helped a bit on production, but most of the work is by Spalding herself – and titles include "Radio Song", "Cinnamon Tree", "Crowned & Kissed", "Land Of The Free", "Black Gold", "Let Her", "Endangered Species", "Smile Like That", and "I Can't Help It". Deluxe edition comes with bonus DVD that includes 11 short films and lots of bonus footage! CD

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Features Steve Turre, Andre Hayward, Douglas Purviance, Joe Alessi, Robin Eubanks, and Steve Davis on trombones – plus Stephen Scott on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. CD

A relatively recent set from pianist McCoy Tyner, but one that shows the same great ear for choosing a horn that we love in his 70s classics! As with those records, a key force on the recording here is altoist Gary Bartz – a player who's always great on his own, but seems to take on a special energy in the company of Tyner – really stretching out with a soulful, spiritual vibe that matches McCoys musical vision wonderfully! Trumpeter Terence Blanchard is also in the group – a bit more let loose than usual – and the combo's completed by Christian McBride on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. Titles include "Angelina", "Illuminations", "New Orleans Stomp", "The Chase", "West Philly Tone Poem", and "Soulstice". CD

With Johnny Almeda, Gary Bartz, Ignacio Berroa, Giovanni Hidalgo, Claudio Roditi, Avery Sharpe, Steve Turre, and Dave Valentin. CD

Tracks include "Trane-Like", "Never Let Me Go", "Will You Still Be Mine", "Carriba", and "Never Let Me Go". CD

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Ray Brown on bass, Geoffrey Keezer on piano, and Karriem Riggins on drums – plus a second disc of previously unreleased recordings with Monty Alexander, Benny Green, Christian McBride, and others. CD

Erroll Garner on piano, Ike Isaacs on bass, Jimmie Smith on drums, and Jose Mangual on percussion. CD

With Danilo Perez on piano, George Mraz on bass, Lewis Nash, and Kenny Washington on drums. CD

A solo piano album – tracks include "I Wish You Love", "Misty", "I Got It Bad", and "Ain't Misbehavin". CD

Benny Green on piano and Russell Malone on guitar. CD

Frank Morgan on alto saxophone, Cedar Walton on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. CD

We're normally not the biggest fans of Oscar Peterson, but on this set, he's working with tenorist Ralph Moore and trumpeter Roy Hargrove – and really gets past his usual trio sound! The album's got a strong and soulful frontline that really makes things happen – with Moore's tenor solos as impeccably placed as always, and Hargrove's trumpet strutting boldly at the top of the proceedings. Some of the strongest work on the set happens on Peterson's original compositions – and titles include "Rob Roy", "Blues For Stephane", "Cool Walk", "Ecstasy", "Truffles", and "She Has Gone". CD

A classic album from one of the coolest groups to emerge from the southern rock scene of the 70s – a combo who can be as tight and jazzy as The Crusaders one minute, then show off their down home roots the next! Sea Level have a sound that's impeccable throughout this self-titled set – almost a Macon, Georgia answer to the sound of Steely Dan in LA – and the set mixes instrumental tracks that have a jazzy fusion vibe with more straightforward tracks that hit the soul-inspired sound of southern rock in the years after the rise of Memphis and Muscle Shoals. The jazz cuts are the real charmers – tremendous stuff that we'd rank right up there with the best fusion of the period – and titles include "Rain In Spain", "Shake A Leg", "Grand Larceny", "Scarborough Fair", "Just A Good Feeling", "Tidal Wave", and "Nothing Matters But The Fever". LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely grooving album from Cuban jazz piano great Chucho Valdes – sounding as lively and vital as he has in years on Chucho's Steps! There's an invigorating blend of far reaching influences throughout the set, played masterfully by a combo that includes "Juan Carlos Rojas Castro on drums, Lazaro Rivero Alarcon on bass, Carlos Miyares Hernandez on tenor, Reynaldo Melian Alvarez on trumpet, precussionist Yaroldy Abreu Robles and others. Includes "Zawinul's Mambo", "Danzon", "Both Sides", "Begin To Be Good", "Yansa", "Julian" and "Chucho's Steps". CD

Gerald Albright's not really one to push the envelope – at least not in the way you'd expect from more progressive jazzmen – but this set is still right on the money for Gerald, and very much in the soul-drenched territory that's kept him high in the charts for years! Albright's got help on the record from some classic soul jazz heavyweights – including Earl Klugh, Fred Wesley, and George Duke, who each guest on a track apiece – but it's Gerald's horn that's still the most winning element here, wrapped up in some relatively lean backings with a smooth variant on funk at the bottom. Titles include "Get On the Floor", "Bobo's Groove", "What Would James Do", "Capetown Strut", "Close To You", "Embrace The Spirit", and "Highway 70". CD

Tracks include "Double Barrel", "Confucius", "Stalag 17", "East Of The River Nile", "Redemption Song", and "Israelites". CD

Geri Allen on piano, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. CD

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Ray Brown on bass, Geoff Keezer on piano, and Karriem Riggins on drums. CD

Christian McBride, John Clayton Jr, and Ray Brown on bass, Benny Green on piano, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. CD

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Features Herbie Hancock on piano! CD

Magician features Bob Cranshaw on fender and acoustic bass, Grady Tate on percussion, Jose Mangual on congas, Norman Gold on organ and Jackie Williams on tambourine. The second album features Eddie Calhoun on bass, Kelly Martin on drums, and Charles Ike Isaacs on bass. CD

Two nicely offbeat sessions from Erroll Garner – both with some slightly unusual aspects, yet all the great choppy grooves we've always loved in his music! That's My Kick features a cool lineup that's somewhere in territory you might find on Verve or Prestige Records at the time – some nice added percussion at the bottom, thanks to congas from Jose Mangual and Johnny Pacheco – and a cool guitar-accented sound, played by the always-great Wally Richardson! Garner's piano is still very strongly in the lead of the tunes – strutting away with plenty of soul – and titles include "Gaslight", "Nervous Waltz", "More", "Like It Is", "That's My Kick", and "Shadow Of Your Smile". On Gemini, Erroll Garner gets a great added boost – thanks to Jose Mangual Jr, who plays congas on this great date from 1971! The presence of Mangual's congas make the album sound a bit like some of the George Shearing Amigos albums on MPS – a sound that still echoes the older modes of the players, but which has a slightly more contemporary groove – one that's almost slightly funky at points. Titles include "Eldorado", "Something", "Gemini", "How High The Moon", "It Could Happen To You", and "These Foolish Things". 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

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The album that really has Ice T and Afrika Islam moving forward in a wonderful way – stepping things up from the already-great previous record, and pushing Ice well into the kind of superstar role that he'd follow up in coming years in so many ways! At the time, Ice T was part of the rising voice of the west coast – but also had more wit and focus than so many of his contemporaries – able to turn his rage and street experience into sly critiques that get past just swagger – and really thinking of things in the space of a full length album. Titles include "I'm Your Pusher", "Heartbeat", "High Rollers", "Girls LGBNAF", "Grand Larceny", "The Syndicate", "Radio Suckers", "Soul On Ice", and the iconic Glen Friedman cover! LP, Vinyl record album

Ahmad Jamal on piano, Ephraim Wolfolk on bass, and Arti Dixson drums. Tracks include "Prelude To A Kiss", "I Got It Bad", "My Flower", "Chelsea Bridge" and "Never Let Me Go". CD

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Tracks include "Honeysuckle Rose", "Let There Be Love", "Peace For South Africa", "Sushi", "I Remember You/A Child Is Born/Tenderly", "Sweet Georgia Brown", and "Blues For Big Scotia". CD

Live date features Oscar's regular group – guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown – plus drummer Bobby Durham. Tracks include "Nighttime", "Song To Elitha", "You Look Good To Me", "Old Folks", "Love Ballade/If You Only Knew", "Kelly's Blues", and "Reunion Blues". CD

John Pizzarelli on guitar and vocals – with Harrly Allen on tenor sax, Ken Peplowski on clarinet, and others. CD

Features Andre Previn at the piano, Joe Pass on guitar, and Ray Brown on bass. Tracks include "Limehouse Blues", "What Am I Here For", "Cotton Tail", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good". CD

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Music from Sting, Vanessa Williams, Grover Washington Jr, New York Voices, Chaka Khan, Brenda Russell, Peter White, Freddy Cole, Ivan Lins, and more. CD

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A bold statement of power from one of the most legendary versions of the Jazz Messengers – that incredible quintet that featured Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano! The title's an indication of the righteous territory in which the group is working – a nod to the civil rights era, and the sense of empowerment that all the musicians are feeling in both their solos, and their writing – which you'll hear in the album's two compositions each by Morgan and Shorter. Tracks are nice and long, and have the players stretching out beautifully – on titles that include "The Freedom Rider", "El Toro", "Petty Larceny", "Blue Lace", and "Tell It Like It Is". CD reissue has the added bonus of including 3 extra tracks that were previously only issued on a rare Japanese album – including "Pisces" and "Blue Ching". CD

The Brecker brothers meet the WDR Big Band. Tracks include "Shanghigh", "Freefall", "Song For Barry", "Wayne Out", and "Some Skunk Funk". CD

With Jim McNeely on piano, John Lockwood on bass, and David Calarco on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

With Ray Brown on bass, Benny Green on piano, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. CD

A warm set of solo tracks from pianist Dave Brubeck – a record that's a fair bit different than the early material you might know from the jazz legend, with a very personal, intimate quality that really fits the spirit of the season! Dave's work on the keys isn't nearly as modern as in the early days – and there's a nice dose of sentiment that really matches the right Holiday flavor for the material – a set list that includes "Away In A Manger", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "To Us Is Given", "Run Run Run To Bethlehem", "Jingle Bells", "The Christmas Song", and "What Child Is This". LP, Vinyl record album

Features a long list of guest musicians including Roy Hargrove, Jon Hendricks, Joe Lovano, Gerry Mulligan, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride and George Shearing. CD

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Recorded live in Detroit – titles include "Firm Roots", "Three In One Blues", "Way Out Basie", and "Count Basie Remembrance Suite". CD

A huge amount of 70s material from the legendary Paul Desmond – all recorded during the year of 1975, with backing from a shifting group of Canadian players – and most of it unissued until now! You'll know some of these tracks from the albums Paul Desmond Quartet Live (A&M), Paul Desmond (Artist House), and Like Someone In Love (Telarc) – but together, the tracks present a much bigger picture of Desmond's genius at the time – really moving past some of the more rigid roles he'd have in his 60s work with Dave Brubeck. Players on most numbers are the trio of Ed Bickert on guitar, Don Thompson on bass, and Jerry Fuller on drums – a really great combo, and the mix of guitar with Desmond's sharply-blown alto is wonderful – a perfect upfront setting for his sound. A few more tracks feature trombonist Rob McDConnell in place of Bickert – which makes for a different, but equally compelling sound – and the whole thing features 51 long tracks, 32 of which appear here for the first time ever – all with the usual great Mosaic Records booklet of notes and presentation. CD

Paul Desmond on alto – with Ed Bickert on guitar, Don Thompson on bass, and Jerry Fuller on drums. CD

Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet, Frank Wess on tenor saxophone, Clark Terry on flugelhorn and trumpet, Junior Mance on piano, Marcus McLaurine on bass, and Dave Gibson on drums. CD

A great Erroll Garner double-header – two 60s albums back to back on a single CD! First up is Dreamstreet – a record in which Garner grooves nicely, finding an almost renewed energy for the 60s, but still hitting all those highly-rhythmic modes we love so much in his early work! The recording quality is great – lots of bold echo from the piano, and even a bit of Erroll's grunting vocalizations somewhere in the mix – kind of an extra added emphasis that sounds great next to the bass of Eddie Calhoun and drums of Kelly Martin. Titles include "Just One Of Those Things", "Blue Lou", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "Dreamstreet", and the groovy "Mambo Gotham" – an especially jaunty little number! One World Concert is a set with an ambitious title, but a nicely earthy feel – a live recording that features Erroll Garner's trio with Eddie Calhoun on bass and Kelly Martin on drums – stretching out strongly in front of a live audience. Titles include "Mack The Knife", "Misty", "Dancing Tambourine", "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe", and "Sweet & Lovely". CD

With Junior Mance on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kenny Washington on durms – plus guest trumpet from Wynton Marsalis, Wallace Roney, Doc Cheatham, and Claudio Roditi, as well as Red Rodney on flugelhorn. CD

Al Grey on trombone, Harry Sweets Edison on trumpet, Junior Mace on piano, Jerome Richardson on tenor saphone and flute, Ben Brown on bass, and Bobby Durham on drums. CD

Jim Hall is working with a core trio of Scott Colley and Terry Clarke – augmented by Tom Harrell on flugelhorn, Joe Lovano on clarinet and soprano sax, Pat Metheny on acoustic guitar, and Greg Osby on alto. CD

Jim Hall on guitar with Scott Colley, Charlie Haden, Dave Holland, Christian McBride, and George Mraz on bass. CD

Jim Hall on guitar, Joe Lovano on reeds, George Mraz on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

Lionel Hampton on vibraphone, Clark Terry on trumpet and flugelhorn, Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Buddy Tate and James Moody on tenor saxophone, Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on double bass, and Grady Tate on drums. CD

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Features Steve Berrios on timbales, Ignacio Berroa on drums, Andy Gonzalez on bass, Tito Puente on vibes and timbales, David Sanchez on tenor, Steve Turre on trombone, and Carlos Patato Valdes on congas. CD

Hilton Ruiz on piano with Charlie Sepulveda on trumpet, David Sanchez on tenor Saxophone, Papo Vazquez on trombone, Andy Gonzalez on bass, Ignacio Berrios on drums & timbales, Steve Berrios on timbales & percussion, Joe Gonzalez on bongos & chekere, and Giovanni Hidalgo on conga & cowbell. CD

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Monty Alexander on piano, Hassan Shakur on bass, and Mark Taylor and Robert Thomas Jr on drums. CD

With Benny Green on piano, Gregory Hutchinson on drums, and Ulf Wakenius on guitar. CD

A late solo piano record – tracks include "For All We Know", "Lili Marlene", "Weep No More", "Something To Remember You By", "We Crossed The Rhine", and "The Last Time I Saw Paris. CD

Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Michael Hawkins on bass, Neal Smith on drums, with Russell Malone on guitar and Steven Kroon on percussion. CD

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