... CD

Beautiful sounds from Joanna Brouk – an artist who was sometimes lost amidst the new age scene of the 80s, but one who's got a much deeper, more intellectual approach overall! True, Brouk's music does have a certain meditative spirit – but she also was a student of Terry Riley and Robert Ashley, and drank deep of the new compositional spirit of the time – especially in the work of Riley, which is often reflected here, but in a more contemplative way than his own recordings. Music sometimes features a core line on flute, opening up and unfolding slowly – and there's also some nice piano, and even a bit of conch shell and Orca sounds too. Double-length set features the usual strong Numero Group level of notes and history – and contains 22 tracks in all, some of which were only ever issued on cassette! CD

Butcher Brown move past their roots as a core funk combo here – opening the door to contributions from a whole host of guests, and moving even more strongly into the world of soul music than on their album with Triple Trey! There's an expansive sound here that seems to have the hardworking outfit finally getting their chance at more mainstream fame – not in a commercial way, but at a level that just opens up with the energies they've always had, given focus through contributions from Braxton Cook, Keyon Harrold, Jay Prince, Vanisha Gold, Julia Shuren, Nappy Nina, Pink Siifu, and others – on titles that include "This Side Of Sunshine", "Happy Hourrr", "Around For Awhile", "Pink Fur", "Run It Up", "Espionage", "I can Say To You", "Move (Ride)", "Turismo"- "Eye Never Knew", "Half Of It", "No Way Around It", and "DYKWYD". CD

Features Steve Wilson on alto, Uri Craine on piano, David Gilmore on guitar, and Pheeroan akLaff, Billy Hart, and Joey Baron taking turns on drums. CD

One of the strangest albums ever from John Cage – but one of the most compelling too – and a record that really gets at the larger person behind his incredible music! The album has a very spare format – and features John Cage reading 90 stories – all short, spoken bits that are woven with Cage's theories on art, music, chance, and existence – backed by music from David Tudor, who plays piano passages from Cage's "Concert For Piano & Orchestra" and tape sections from the classic "Fontana Mix". Cage's voice alone is worth the price of admission – especially on some of the more autobiographical sections! CD

The first release of a groundbreaking performance – David Tudor's 1956 recording of "Music Of Changes" – one of John Cage's first experiments of writing based around the I Ching! The work is based heavily on chance – following charts of possibilities put together by Cage, and extrapolated dramatically by Tudor – who was, at the time, one of the few pianists who really understood Cage's impulses – and could bring them to fruition with a performance like this! CD

Michael Carvin on drums – with Marcus Strickland on saxophone, Carlton Holmes on piano, and Dezron Douglas on bass. CD

Great early work from one of the hippest bassists of his generation! Paul Chambers cut this obscure little album in LA, featuring a "jazz delegation from the east" that included Philly Joe Jones on drums and John Coltrane on tenor – plus pianist Kenny Drew, who had already been working on the west coast – all in a style that's much more relaxed and stretched-out than most other jazz recorded in LA at the time! The album is one of the earliest small group sessions with Coltrane, and it's a very spare batch of tracks that lead off with Chambers' amazing work on bass – but which also feature some incredible early work from Trane – very raw and loud in the mix, with a lot more bluesiness than you'd expect – and we mean that in a good way! Titles include "Dexterity", "Visitation", "John Paul Jones", and "Eastbound". CD

One of the hippest albums ever from the team of Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland – a unique small combo session that's even groovier than their famous big band work! The setting is wonderful – Clarke on drums, Boland on piano, and a sextet lineup that includes Sahib Shihab on flute, Fats Sadi on vibes, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Joe Harris on percussion – all players who know each other well, and groove together as one amazing unit on the set! The tunes here are lyrical and lively, modal and moving, and still some of the freshest jazz cut on the European scene of the 60s – music that's having a huge impact these days in the club jazz underground. Shihab's flute work is sublime, especially next to Sadi's vibes – and Harris' added percussion gives a number of the cuts a bit of a Latin kick that's totally great! There's a bit of vocals on the set, and titles include "Ebony Samba", "Tin Tin Deo", "Potter's Crossing", "Wives & Lovers", "Ensadinado", "Lorraine", "Day By Day", "Love Hungry", and "Please Don't Leave". CD

The music of Richard Rodgers – swung beautifully by tenorist George Coleman – blowing in that clear, strong, soulful style we love so much! The rhythm section is great – a cooking lineup that features Harold Mabern on piano, Jamil Nasser on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – the three of whom really help keep things right on the money throughout! George opens up with some beautifully-blown solos – and titles include "Bewitched", "Falling In Love With Love", "My Funny Valentine", "Thou Swell", and "I Could Write A Book". CD

One of the less-remembered acts of the Solar Records west coast soul scene – but a great one too – and a group who step out beautifully on this killer set, thanks to great production help from The Whispers! Collage themselves have a tight, funky approach – heavy on basslines and keyboards, and almost setting the stage for Midnight Star – but they also have a nice sense of soul that The Whispers really bring out, especially on the mellower cuts, which may well be our favorites on the record. Titles include the wonderful slow stepper "Feelings" – a complete transformation of the hit to a slow jam soul classic – plus "Money In Your Pocket", "When You Smile", "Special Occasion", "Do You Like Our Music", and their cover of "Groovin". CD features bonus tracks "Groovin (single version)" and "Money In Your Pocket (single)". CD

The magnificent voice of Chris Connelly serves up a sublime tribute to the work of Nico – a set that's not a reworking of just her key classics, but which also includes a huge amount of original new songs by Chris as well! Connelly put together the double length set after being inspired by the book on Nico, You Are Beautiful & You Are Alone – and the spirit of that well-penned biography really moves throughout the tracks, as Chris balances his own originals with really different takes on the Nico tunes – all at a level that really comes across like some modern day masterpiece that feels like it was years in the making! If you've never heard Connelly sing, you'll be blown away – and the setting of the whole project really seems to have him at his best – in a selection of two dozen songs that include "Ripcord Ripcord", "The Last Mile", "Union Square West", "Eulogy To Lenny Bruce", "I Cannot Care For You", "The Falconer", "The Black Rooms Of Richeleiu", "Reims 12/74", "A Slow Jones In New York", "Running Pure", and "Andy Incidentally". CD

Titles include "Chloe", "Yellow Roses", "Smack Dab In The Middle", "The Bourgeois Blues", "I Got Mine", and "He'll Have To Go". CD

... CD

A great ECM trio date – tracks include "Open, To Love", "Touching", "Albert's Love Theme", "Cartoon", "Blood", and the title track "Nothing Ever Was, Anyway". CD

Yussef Dayes works here under a title that was first coined by Rahsaan Roland Kirk to refer to jazz – but Dayes takes the term to a whole new level with this groundbreaking set – really moving past jazz to unlock a whole field of soulful expression – served up an excellent group at the core, and key contributions from very hip guests throughout! Dayes has always been someone who defies expectations, but here he's going past just some sort of unconventionality to really make his own mark in music – letting an instrumental solo take center stage when needed, or working through vocals in another moment – but all with this effortless flow that really comes together over the course of the album! The group features Charlie Stacey on keyboards, Alexander Bourt on percussion, and Venna on tenor – and guests include Shabaka Hutchings, Leon Thomas, Miles James, Theon Cross, Chronixx, and others. Titles include "Early Dayes", "Afro Cubanism", "Black Classical Music", "Rust", "The Light", "Pon Di Plaza", "Marching Band", "Tioga Pass", "Cowrie Charms", "Crystal Palace", and "Presidential". CD

A glorious little album from The Dazz Band – a set that quickly proclaims its intentions with the title – as the group roll into a tight batch of upbeat funky numbers, all graced with their superb sense of musicianship! There's almost a late 70s funk mainstream vibe here than some of the other groups of their generation were hitting in the early 80s – amazing guitar riffs, just the right keyboard elements, and this sense of coming together with a cool, compressed sound that's completely right on the money! A few mellower cuts balance things out nicely – and titles include "Freaky Lovin", "Let The Music Play", "What Will I Do Without You", "I Believe In You", "Everyday Love", and "Satisfying Love". CD

Four full albums from the great Martin Denny – presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is the initial Exotica album – the birth of a sound and the birth of a legend – Martin Denny's first album in the Exotica series, and a record so great it named an entire genre! Denny certainly didn't invent the tropical style of easy listening that came to be known as "exotica" in the 50s – but with a record like this, he delivered the goods better than anyone else – by taking away all the too-sweet styles of Hawaiian music, and serving up a stripped-down, jazzy kind of sound! The album features Denny's classic original quartet – with Arthur Lyman on vibes and Augie Colon on bongos – and titles include "Stone God", "Jungle Flower", "Busy Port", "Lotus Land", and his hit recording of "Quiet Village". Exotica 2 is the second album in Denny's legendary Exotica trilogy – a set of records that provided the extreme definition of the small sub-genre that today has become the stuff of legend! Denny's still working here in his classic format – a small group with heavy piano lines, playful percussion, and some birdcalls sung by the members of the group! The set's a mix of strange songs from strange sources, all given the sublime Denny twist – and titles include "Singing Bamboos", "Escales", "August Bells", "Ebb Tide", "Rush Hour In Hong Kong", and "Soshu Night Serenade". Exotica 3 is sublime late 50s work from Martin Denny – his third album under the Exotica banner, and almost a deeper and weirder album than the other two! The sound here is extremely haunting – even more freed from conventional melody than the rest, and very fixated on the tonal possibilities that could be produced from Denny's unique grouping of percussion, piano, bass, and vibes. There's few tricks or gimmicks on the set – just a spare and other-worldly approach to music that's totally great! Titles include "Manila", "Mama Iti E Papa E", "Bamboo Lullaby", "Ringo Oiwake", "Moon Of Manakoora", "Congo Train", and "Beautiful Kahana". Quiet Village is an undisputed classic in the exotica genre – and the record that yielded Martin Denny his biggest hit! The title track "Quiet Village" was originally written by Les Baxter, but it was Martin Denny's approach that really managed to send the tune over the top – using spare percussion, rhythmic piano, and just the right amount of vibes and bird calls to give the track a really haunting feel. That approach is echoed throughout the set – with shifting instrumentation that includes celeste, bongos, marimbas, and marimbula as well! Titles include "Quiet Village", "Paradise Found", "Sake Rock", "Martinique", "Tune From Rangoon", and "Pagan Love Song". CD features bonus tracks too – "Llama Serenade" and "The Enchanted Sea" and more. CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

Tracks include "Fantastic Rhythm" and "Let Nature Take Its Course", unabridged versions of "Chelsea Bridge" and "Pretty Girl", and Strayhorn's 1942 arrangements of "Something To Live For". CD

A beautiful tribute to the historic pairing of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman – delivered here by one of our favorite jazz singers working today! The album's way more than just a simple rehash of a classic – as Kurt Elling expands upon the Coltrane/Hartman vibe tremendously, taking the music into even loftier territory with his own wonderful vocals, and creative presentation of the music that includes a few medley moments, and some great spoken bits to link the whole thing together! Musical arrangements are by Laurence Hobgood, who's been with Elling for years – and Hobgood really stretches out with his own energy here, to break the set past any easy cliches, and make it a really Elling-centrist effort that stands as one of Kurt's best records in years. The whole thing was recorded live, and titles include "Say It", "They Say It's Wonderful", "It's Easy To Remember", "Dedicated To You", "All Or Nothing At All", "You Are Too Beautiful", and a medley of "What's New/Lush Life/Autumn Serenade". CD

... CD

Gil plays Jimi? Sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off pretty darn great – and it helps you forgive him for trying to convince the kids that he's not as old as his grey hair might make you think! As always with Evans, the key to the album is a beautiful balance between the strength of the players and vision of the arrangements – a hip mix of musicians who include Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, and both Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie on guitars! Arrangements are great too – handled by Tom Malone, Warren Smith, and Howard Johnson – all of whom make the album way more than just an instrumental reading of Jimi Hendrix tunes – and instead a great platform for improvisation that uses tunes that include "Up From The Skies", "Foxy Lady", "Gypsy Eyes", "Voodoo Chile", "Angel", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Castles Made of Sand". Plus, the CD features 4 bonus alternate tracks – not on the original album! CD

A seminal record in the transition from the funky 45 underground to the world of the full length LP – a record we'd put right up there with early classics by The JBs and Kool & The Gang! As with the latter, Fatback Band grew up first getting some great play on instrumental 45s – and right out of the gate, they set this on fire with the same sort of energy – impeccable instrumentation that needs to be heard to be believed – all live, all pre-sampling, but with a quality that's gone on to transform the worlds of funk, soul, and hip hop over the decades! Every cut is great, and the album's a non-stop party – with titles that include "Nija Walk", "Fatbackin", "Soul March", "Soul Man", "Kiba", "Clap Your Hands", "Gotta Have You", and "Baby Doll". CD

An overlooked 70s gem from the great Jose Feliciano – a set that really continues the warm soul styles he'd hit on his last few years at RCA – a wonderful blend for his unique vocals and his tremendous way of putting over a tune! The set was recorded down at Muscle Shoals, but it's got a nicely subtle approach that never tries to lean on the modes of that studio too strongly – avoiding some of the cliches that other records might showcase in such a setting – and throughout it all, it's clear that Jose's the star in the spotlight, using that warmly crackling vocal approach in a wonderful way – especially on the more upbeat modern soul moments. Titles include "Every Woman", "Marguerita", "Loving Her Was Easier", "Sweet Soul Music", "I Love Making Love To You", "Love Comes From Unexpected Places", and "Funny/Night Life". CD features the bonus track "What I Wanna Do". CD

19 tracks in all – including some classic Roxy Music work from the 70s, plus both solo Ferry and revival Roxy from the early 80s! CD

... CD

A classic 70s soul soundtrack – and a dream of a combination! Curtis Mayfield wrote the soundtrack and produced the album – and the result is a killer batch of 70s soul tracks that matches Aretha's strong vocals with the hip Curtom sound of Chicago! Aretha was still doing pretty well at this point, but the album really gave her a push – and the super-hip setting let her record some of her best work of the 70s. If you own only one Aretha Franklin album from the 70s, it should probably be this one – as the mixture of soul, funk, and soundtrack grooves is great, and a refreshing change from some of the cliches that could show up on other records. Features the sublime "Something He Can Feel", plus "Loving You Baby", "Look Into Your Heart", "Sparkle", and Jump". CD

A tremendous collection of work from moog maestro Mort Garson – a name you might know from projects like the Wozard Of Iz, Lucifer, or Ataraxia – stepping out here on some much more obscure recordings, including some that appear here for the first time ever! Garson was easily one of the hippest and most talented artists to work with the moog and related analogue electronics – and his music was always a cut above some of the more simple moog pop instrumentals – as Mort brought in lots of original ideas and compositions to his recordings, while also using the electronics for melody as much as for effect. That blend is very much in place here – on tracks from a number of different projects, including some cool advertising work – and at times, there's a slinky sensuality to Garson's electronics that almost sound like the Italian cinema work of Stelvio Cipriani. Titles include "Killers Of The Wild", "Music For Advertising 2", "Is He Trying To Tell Us Something (inst)", "Geisha Girl", "Space Walker", "Dragonfly", "Cathedral Of Pleasure", "Realizations Of An Aeropolis", and "Son Of Blob Theme". CD

A really beautiful follow-up to the previous set of duets from these two west coast musicians – and a record that's maybe even more sublime than the first! We're not sure what it is – maybe it's the passage of a few years that has deepened the sound, or maybe just the warmth that both players have for each other – yet whatever the case, the combination of the saxophones of Sam Gendel and the bass of Sam Wilkes flows out with all these tones and textures that go way past the obvious – definitely in some of the "beyond jazz" modes of the LA scene in recent years, but still with enough solo strengths to please fans of more conventional instrumentation too. There's great sonic touches to many tracks – almost an International Anthem vibe, but not in a remix/cutup way – and titles include "Greetings To Idris More Songs", "Flametop Green", "Welcome Vibe", "Theem Prototype", "SG's Prius", "Streetlevel", and a nice version of "Caroline No". CD

Overlooked 70s work from Jimmy Giuffre – a hip trio session that has all the free elements of his earlier recordings, but possibly an even greater focus on tone! Jimmy plays a range of reeds here – tenor, clarinet, and flute – and he works with bass and drum accompaniment, but often in a really gentle way that allows his own solo energy to dictate the tunes – coming out in space that's boldly soulful on the tenor, yet more fragile and intimate on the flute – kind of a cross between more expressive avant work and some of the more spiritual tones of the time. The tenor tunes are especially great – kind of opening a new chapter for Giuffre's career – and the group features Kiyoshi Tokunaga on bass and Randy Kaye on percussion. Titles include "The Bird", "Mosquito Dance", "The Chanting", "The Butterfly", "Dervish", "Phoenix", and "Night Dance". CD

All 12 parts of Glass'suite of pulsating modal minimalist music. The ensemble here is a sextet, with three electric organs and three reeds, plus voice. Like his other work of this era, the tones overlap and slowly unfold to reveal underlying patterns over the course of the piece. Far more interesting (to our ears at least) than his later operas for the latte-sipping set. CD

... CD

A tribute to Herbie Hancock's most freewheeling group – with Billy Hart on drums and Eddie Henderson on trumpet! CD

Features Don Byron, Greg Tardy, and Miguel Zenon on reeds. CD

... CD

... CD

Spare duets between Charlie Haden and Hampton Hawes – just bass and piano, with nothing else to hold them up – presented here as a wonderful illustration of the mature, sophisticated talents both artists had developed by the 70s! Hawes had really learned how to spin out a special kind of longform magic as the 60s turned into the new decade – and here, it's great to hear that approach without any drum in the group at all – as the tracks are long and wonderfully introspective, and offer up some beautifully moody work from Haden on bass. Titles include "As Long As There's Music", "This Is Called Love", "Hello Goodbye", "Irene", and "Rain Forest". CD

You probably know the music – as the record got a lot of press when it came out – but in case you don't, some tracks feature Herbie Hancock and Christian McBride backing Joe up, and others have Eliane Elias and Oscar Castro-Neves. Titles include "Boto", "Felicidade", "Passarim", and "Photograph". CD

Amazing sounds from Joe Henderson's later years – a completely sublime take on the music of Billy Strayhorn, and a wonderful demonstration of Henderson's mature talents on the tenor! There's a fantastic balance here between darkness and light, grit and clarity, heard in Joe's very first notes on the set – and holding on strong through some of the bolder moments in the set – with work by a shifting lineup, from solo to quintet, that features Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Stephen Scott on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. Yet although Marsalis might be a draw for some folks, we really love it best when Henderson gets to do his own thing – stretching out in these marvelous laidback solos that are heavy on those rich tones he developed in his early years, yet turned towards Strayhorn's brilliant ear for space between the sounds. Titles include "Blood Count", "Isfahan", "Rain Check", "Lotus Blossom", "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", and "Upper Manhattan Medical Group". CD

Brilliant live work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a set of well-recorded, long and open tracks that really lets him stretch out on his solos – and direct a majestic group of musicians as a leader! We already love Freddie Hubbard in the studio, but on a live record like this he always seems to find deeper, more powerful currents in his music – soaring out with a lineup that includes George Cables on Fender Rhodes, Junior Cook on tenor and flute, Kent Brinkley on bass, and Michael Carvin on drums – mostly playing tunes from the CTI years, but with a very different, more spontaneous vibe. Each track runs the length of the side of a record – and titles include long takes on "Sky Dive", "The Intrepid Fox", "Povo", and "First Light". CD

... CD

Large group of improvisational musicians performing works by Mike Nock including " Earthbound", "Floating Cloud", "Flowing Water", and others. CD

Hank Jones on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. CD

... CD

With Richard Sussman on piano. CD

... CD

... CD

Lee Konitz on alto saxophone, Catherine Bent on cello, Judith Insell on viola, and Meg Okura and Rob Thomas on violin. CD

Music that's a definite "sekrety" to most of us western listeners – as the set brings together some rare and overlooked soundtrack material from the great Polish composer Andrezj Korzynski – served up here in a range of modes that really show him going strong well into the 80s! A number of tracks showcase that great ear for odd, offbeat sounds that has made Korzynski such a key rediscovery in recent years – served up both on electric instrumentation with nice variations in styles and techniques, but also with some larger orchestrations that are pretty darn great too. As with other Gad label titles, the presentation here is wonderful – and the 2CD package features 54 tracks in all – titles from the projects Akademia Pana Kleksa, Pan Kleks W Kosmosie, and Podroze Pana Kleksa – plus bonus material too! CD

Features Ingrid Laubrock on saxophones, Cory Smythe on piano and quarter-tone keyboard, Sam Pluta on electronics, Zeena Parkins on electric harp, Adam Matlock on accordion, Josh Modney on violin, Robert Landfermann on bass, and Tom Rainey on drums. CD

Andy LaVerne on piano, Rick Margitza on tenor and soprano saxophone, Marc Johnson on bass, and Danny Gottlieb on drums. CD

With Kenny Kirkland on piano, Robert Hurst on bass, and Jeff 'Tain' Watts on drums. CD

A wonderful later album from 50s cool jazz saxophonist Warne Marsh – one that really has an incredible focus on his tone! With his combination of a warm full tone and cool post-Tristano phrasing, Marsh has one of the most singular voices on the tenor, and one of our favorites! This mid 70s recording has him heading up a quartet playing modern bop, with Lou Levy on piano and Jake Hanna & Fred Atwood providing the pulse underneath. Unlike a lot of other players, Marsh didn't slow down or lose it in later years and his concept sounds as fresh in these later recordings as it does on his classic sides with Konitz & Tristano. The group shines on the Tristano number "317 East 32nd" and Konitz's "Subconscious-Lee" and there's some Warsh & Levy originals too, like "Lunarcy" & "Background Music". CD fatures some alternate takes of the track "On Purpose", "A Time For Love", and "I Have A Good One For You". CD

One of the greatest 50s showcases for the tenor talents of Warne Marsh – a deceptively understated album that captures Warne at his most fluid and creative point! The setting is a quartet – with Ronnie Ball on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Stan Levey on drums – and Marsh is magnificent throughout, really blowing with a tone that is fresh and filled with modern ideas – yet never overdone, nor too willfully complex to lose the train of the tunes. The approach is almost Konitz-soulful – a wonderful distillation of ideas in the hands of one magical talent – and titles include "Ad Libido", "It's All Right With Me", "Playa Del Ray", "Autumn In New York", and "You Are Too Beautiful". CD

Two early 70s recordings by pianist Marian McPartland. CD

... CD

... CD

One of the last great records by Charles Mingus – a set of extremely compelling original compositions, played by a fresh group of younger players, plus a few older masters! The record's got a fire and sense of emotion that's missing from a number of other 70s Mingus sessions – and it's one of the few later albums we'd easily rank right up there with his late 50s and early 60s classics! Orchestrations were partially arranged and conducted with help from Sy Johnson – and soloists include James Moody and Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Snookie Young and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, and Roland Hanna on piano. Titles include "The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers", "Adagio Ma Non Troppo", "The Chill of Death", and "The I Of Hurricane Sue". CD features the bonus track "Taurus In The Arena Of Life". CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A rare rare landmark from Charles Mingus – music written for the 1965 Monterey festival, but (as the title indicates) not played at the festival! The recording was done later, at UCLA, with a group that includes Charles McPherson, Julius Watkins, Jimmy Owens, Hobart Dotson, and Howard Johnson – and it features a large group of horns, playing in some of Mingus' most sophisticated arrangements of the 60s! There's still a tremendous amount of fire in the work, as you'd guess from titles that include "Don't Let It Happen Here", "Don't Be Afraid The Clown's Afraid Too", "Once Upon A Time There Was A Holding Corporation Called Old America", and "They Trespass On The Land Of The Sacred Sioux". The album was originally only issued on Mingus' own label, available only by mail – and is presented here as a well-done 2CD set complete with some spoken introductions. CD

Titles include "Darn That Dream", "My Sin", "Alone Together", "I Should Care", "The Good Life", and "Fin De L'Affaire". CD

Includes the albums Modern Jazz Quartet, Django, Fontessa, and Modern Jazz Quartet At Music Inn. CD

A mixture of Verve regulars and early third streamers join together in this one-off session designed as a focus on the writing talents of John Lewis. Most of the material takes off from Lewis' work with the MJQ, and the band includes two of his bandmates from that group, Connie Kay & Percy Heath – as well as soloists Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, Aaron Sachs, and Lucky Thompson. Titles include "Little David's Fugue", "Sun Dance", "Django", and "Midsommer". In a great David Stone Martin cover, too! CD

A great collection of Thelonious Monk's early pre-LP recordings for Blue Note – seminal not only for the label's commitment to a modernist bop ideal, but also for Monk's integration in the growing collection of top-level jazz players on the New York scene! The work is notable also for the fact that Monk's playing sometimes in larger group settings – not just trio ones – and here, his early writing for and interplay with saxes and trumpet certainly has a strong effect on the development of modern jazz in the 50s – as you'll hear on tracks that include work from players like Sahib Shihab and Lou Donaldson on alto, Milt Jackson on vibes, and Idrees Suliman and Kenny Dorham on trumpets – depending on the volumes. Art Blakey is on drums throughout – and titles on this first volume include "Round Midnight", "In Walked Bud", "Thelonious", "Epistrophy", "Misterioso", "Well You Needn't", and "Off Minor". New version features a total of 21 tracks with great remastering and some rare alternate takes! CD

... CD

45 tracks on 2 CDs. CD

... CD

Features songs from the TV show – including their classic take on Piero Umiliani's "Mahna Mahna" – as well as music from the movies. 27 tracks total. CD

... CD

One of the last bold statements made by the Music Revelation Ensemble – recorded at the end of the 80s, but still very much in an angular mode that's somewhere between the Ulmer/Ornette experiments of the 70s, and some of the post-no wave jazz in New York! Neither of those comparisons are a surprise, given that the group had strong New York roots – and a lineup that includes James Blood Ulmer on guitar, David Murray on tenor sax, Amin Ali on electric bass, and Cornell Rochester on drums. Tracks are sharp-edged and freewheeling – sometimes with a ferocity that was a bit more common in the Naked City generation – and titles include "Exit", "Inter City", "Big Top", "Tap's Dance", and "No More" – all written by Ulmer. CD

Hip hop for the Gainsbourg fan? This Handsome Boy Modeling School spin off has Nathaniel Merriweather, aka Dan The Automator, working in his smoothest, sexiest, loungiest mode ever! Like Handsome Boy, Lovage is packed to the rafters with mysterious guest appearances, including the turntable and mixing skills of Kid Koala, Chest "Prince Paul" Rockwell, Afrika Bambaataa, and Maseo of De La Soul. Guest vocalists include Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields, Damon Albarn, and Mike Patton. Tracks include "Ladies Love Chest Rockwell", "Pit Stop (Take Me Home)", "Anger Management", "Everyone Has A Summer They Want To Remember", "To Catch A Thief", "Lies And Alibis", "Book Of The Month", "Strangers On A Train", "Sex (I'm A)", "Tea Time With Maseo", "Herbs, Good Hygiene, & Socks", and the best song named after a bad Burt Reynolds movie ever, "Stroker Ace". CD

... CD

... CD

... CD

... CD

A seminal blend of folk roots and jazz improvisation – with Ralph Towner on guitar, Collin Walcott on sitar, oboe and horn from Paul McCandless, and bass and flute from Glen Moore. Titles include "North Star", "Children Of God", "Naiads", "Shard", "Bell Spirit", and "The Swan". CD

... CD

The title's a bit misleading – because it makes you think that Art Pepper's playing TV Themes – but the music's great, and the session features some excellent work from Pepper during the razor-sharp year of 1957! The tracks on the set are recordings made for the LA-based Stars Of Jazz and Steve Allen Show – all of which feature Pepper in quartet formation with players that include Larry Bunker, Victor Feldman, Carl Perkins, Ben Tucker, and Chuck Flores – and one of which features vocalist Pam Russell singing with the group. The sound quality is wonderful – especially given the TV recording nature of the tunes – and Pepper's tone is incredible throughout, a real delight, with that sharp edge and soulful undercurrent that made his late 50s recordings so great. Titles include "All The Things You Are", "Over The Rainbow", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Stormy Weather", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Cherokee". CD