An album of dark and subtle beauty – and still one of our favorite Miles Davis albums of all time! The set's not as earth-shattering as some of Davis' other work of the 60s, but that's why we like it so much – because the emerging genius of the group with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams is held in a really special place here – one that ruminates quietly on space and soul, while Davis majestically directs tones and colors that he'd never gotten in a small group format before! Titles include the amazing "Iris", one of Miles' most haunting themes – plus "Little One", "RJ", "ESP", "Mood", and "Agitation". CD

An album of dark and subtle beauty – and still one of our favorite Miles Davis albums of all time! The set's not as earth-shattering as some of Davis' other work of the 60s, but that's why we like it so much – because the emerging genius of the group with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams is held in a really special place here – one that ruminates quietly on space and soul, while Davis majestically directs tones and colors that he'd never gotten in a small group format before! Titles include the amazing "Iris", one of Miles' most haunting themes – plus "Little One", "RJ", "ESP", "Mood", and "Agitation". CD

An album of dark and subtle beauty – and still one of our favorite Miles Davis albums of all time! The set's not as earth-shattering as some of Davis' other work of the 60s, but that's why we like it so much – because the emerging genius of the group with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams is held in a really special place here – one that ruminates quietly on space and soul, while Davis majestically directs tones and colors that he'd never gotten in a small group format before! Titles include the amazing "Iris", one of Miles' most haunting themes – plus "Little One", "RJ", "ESP", "Mood", and "Agitation". LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! CD

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! CD

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! LP, Vinyl record album

One of a number of unofficial live recordings of Miles, the kind that seem to crop up every once in a while, but that you never find on vinyl anymore. This set features the great 60s quintet with Miles joined by Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, and like the more famous live sides from the period like the Plugged Nickel set the group is playing with a fiery intensity here that shows why they are considered one of the greatest small jazz ensembles of the period. Beautiful modal excursions on "Stella By Starlight", "Walkin", "Autumn Leaves" and "So What". CD

A key point in the development of the Miles Davis sound of the 60s – his first album to feature work from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by some equally nice work on other tracks from Victor Feldman and Frank Butler! The sound here is beautifully spare – a wonderful exploration of ideas that Miles had been putting forth on some other albums for Columbia, but crafted here with a vision that's apparent in the very first note – and which transforms both the tunes and the work of the players into a focused, near-perfect sound all the way through. Titles include "So Near So Far", "Seven Steps To Heaven", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Joshua", and "Basin Street Blues" – which even sounds great in this setting! CD

A key point in the development of the Miles Davis sound of the 60s – his first album to feature work from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by some equally nice work on other tracks from Victor Feldman and Frank Butler! The sound here is beautifully spare – a wonderful exploration of ideas that Miles had been putting forth on some other albums for Columbia, but crafted here with a vision that's apparent in the very first note – and which transforms both the tunes and the work of the players into a focused, near-perfect sound all the way through. Titles include "So Near So Far", "Seven Steps To Heaven", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Joshua", and "Basin Street Blues" – which even sounds great in this setting! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful take on the Zodiac Suite composed by Mary Lou Williams – one that has the same mix of piano and larger arrangements as her initial performance, but which takes the tones and colors in some much different directions overall! The core of the set has Aaron Diehl on piano, in the trio of David Wong on bass and Aaron Kimmel on drums – but there's some beautiful larger arrangements that really flesh out the sound in a wonderful way – with performances from Nicole Glover on tenor, Brandon Lee on trumpet, and Mikaela Bennett on soprano sax – all ringing out beautifully next to Diehl's work on the keys, which maybe have more sensitivity here than we've ever heard before! As with the original, the work features twelve parts, each divided up into a sign of the zodiac – "Cancer", "Libra", "Scorpio", and so on. CD

A beautiful take on the Zodiac Suite composed by Mary Lou Williams – one that has the same mix of piano and larger arrangements as her initial performance, but which takes the tones and colors in some much different directions overall! The core of the set has Aaron Diehl on piano, in the trio of David Wong on bass and Aaron Kimmel on drums – but there's some beautiful larger arrangements that really flesh out the sound in a wonderful way – with performances from Nicole Glover on tenor, Brandon Lee on trumpet, and Mikaela Bennett on soprano sax – all ringing out beautifully next to Diehl's work on the keys, which maybe have more sensitivity here than we've ever heard before! As with the original, the work features twelve parts, each divided up into a sign of the zodiac – "Cancer", "Libra", "Scorpio", and so on. CD

A beautiful 60s album from Duke Ellington – one that features some of his more popular numbers, as you'd guess by the title – but captured in these sublime, sophisticated arrangements that really reflect the genius sound of his group during the later years! The tracks are familiar, and the arrangements are maybe never too way out – but they're also these mini-masterpieces in color and tone – carried off by a fantastic group of all-stars who've matured and grown as much as the Duke himself – Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson on trumpets, Lawrence Brown and Buster Cooper on trombones, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on piano. There's a darkness in Duke's piano that's maybe missing from earlier versions of this material – that great modern undercurrent of the late years – and titles include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "The Twitch", "Perdido", "Solitude", "The Mooche", "Creole Love Call", "Take The A Train", and "Sophisticated Lady". CD

A beautiful 60s album from Duke Ellington – one that features some of his more popular numbers, as you'd guess by the title – but captured in these sublime, sophisticated arrangements that really reflect the genius sound of his group during the later years! The tracks are familiar, and the arrangements are maybe never too way out – but they're also these mini-masterpieces in color and tone – carried off by a fantastic group of all-stars who've matured and grown as much as the Duke himself – Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson on trumpets, Lawrence Brown and Buster Cooper on trombones, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on piano. There's a darkness in Duke's piano that's maybe missing from earlier versions of this material – that great modern undercurrent of the late years – and titles include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "The Twitch", "Perdido", "Solitude", "The Mooche", "Creole Love Call", "Take The A Train", and "Sophisticated Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal 70s work from Sarah Webster Fabio – an amazing blend of poetry and music, and incredibly hip all the way through! Fabio's got a depth that goes beyond other commercial poets of the time – a righteousness that's right at home in the spiritual jazz scene of the 70s, and which is supported here by some great backings on guitar, bass, and percussion – plus some especially evocative saxophone, played by Denianke (Leon Williams) on some of the best tracks. The voice of Thomas Fabio joins Sarah on some of the numbers – with a brooding, echoey feel that's really great – and titles include "Eclipse", "Interrogation", "Together To The Tune Of Coltrane's Equinox", and "A Black Girl's Mean Ol Low Down Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime early work from the legendary Tal Farlow – the kind of sides that show by he was one of the most important jazz guitarists of the 50s! The bulk of the 2CD set features LA sessions recorded for Norman Granz during Farlow's early years at Verve – dates from 1954 and 1955 that often feature Tal's hollow body guitar right out front in the mix, over backing from Gerald Wiggins, Claude Williamson, Red Mitchell, Chico Hamilton, and others. One session features some added horn work by Bob Enelvoldsen, Bill Perkins, and Bob Gordon – and the package features 29 mid 50s titles that include "Tal's Blues", "Little Girl Blue", "Autumn In New York", "I Like To Recognize The Tune", "I Remember You", "It's You Or No One", "Tenderly", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", "Tea For Two", "This Is Always", "Walkin", "Will You Still Be Mine", and "Lorinesque". Added to these are a handful of earlier tunes recorded when Tal was in the Red Norvo trio – really beautiful work that features Farlow's guitar next to bass from Charles Mingus and vibes from Red! Titles include "Godchild", "This Can't Be Love", "Move", "Swedish Pastry", and "Cheek To Cheek". CD

A beautiful album of understated brilliance – one of Art Farmer's early shifts into the sublime, and an easily-blown batch of trumpet tracks that always takes our breath away! There's a sense of relaxed freedom here that's really tremendous – a difference from some of Farmer's more arranged, or more hard-blown moments of the 50s – and a real move into notes that are airier and more open – almost effortless at times, and played like nobody else! The group's a quartet – with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Tommy Williams on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – and the tracks are all in the four to five minute range, with Art crafting lyrically soulful lines over the top. Titles include "Who Cares", "Out Of The Past", "Younger Than Springtime", "That Ole Devil Called Love", and "Goodbye Old Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

A great CD that combines most of the material on Art's two albums for Argo – Art (1960) and Perception (1961). Art is a beautiful album of understated brilliance – one of Farmer's early shifts into the sublime, an easily blown batch of trumpet tracks played with trio backing by Tommy Flanagan, Tommy Williams, and Albert Heath. The tracks are all in the four to five minute range, with Art crafting lyrically soulful lines over the top. Titles include "Who Cares", "Out Of The Past", "Younger Than Springtime", "That Ole Devil Called Love", and "Goodbye Old Girl". Perception is similar, an amazingly beautiful set of tracks from Art – playing with superb accompaniment from a young Harold Mabern, in a laidback quartet format that really lets Art open up! Art's playing is fresh and creative throughout – never over the top, with that subtle genius that he was bringing to his work in the 60s – and the choice of material includes Tom McIntosh's great composition "The Day After", plus Art's "Punsu" and "Kayin". One track from each album has been omitted to fit the material on one CD (which is BS, by the way, as the CD is only 64 minutes long!) – but if you can stand having the incomplete versions of the albums, this is a great deal for some rare material! CD

An amazingly beautiful set of tracks from Art Farmer – playing here with superb accompaniment from a young Harold Mabern on piano, in a laidback quartet format that really lets Art open up! Art's playing is fresh and creative throughout – never too over the top, and always blown with that subtle genius that he was bringing to his work in the 60s – a pure exercise in understatement, with a quality that seems to make the notes fall out of the air by themselves. Rhythm is by Tommy Williams on bass and Roy McCurdy on drums – and the choice of material includes Tom McIntosh's great composition "The Day After", plus Art's "Punsu" and "Kayin" – and versions of "Change Partners", "Blue Room", and "Nobody's Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive music from Ella Fitzgerald – 2CDs worth of sublime small group recordings – all of them live, and all of them previously unissued before the Hip-O/Verve Select box set! The set follows the same format of the Verve Ella In Hollywood album – recorded in a small club setting, with combo backing that really lets Fitzgerald open up and swing – inflecting the tunes with the kind of warmth and spontaneity that she brought to her famous live performances of the time – which were almost always more compelling than her studio sides, no matter how great those were too! Vols 1 & 2s feature material from two weeks' worth of recording in May of 1961 – with backing from Jim Hall on guitar, Lou Levy on piano, Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Gus Johnson on drums. A brief intro rolls into beautiful material on 2CDs – 37 tracks in all: "Lover Come Back To Me", "Too Close For Comfort", "Little White Lies", "I Found A New Baby", "Perdido", "'Round Midnight", "Take The 'A' Train", "Mr Paganini", "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "I Can't Get It Started", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Lorelei", "Witchcraft", "That Old Black Magic", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Imagination", "Joe Williams' Blues" and more. CD

Massive music from Ella Fitzgerald – 4CDs worth of sublime small group recordings – all of them live, and all of them previously unissued! The set follows the same format of the Verve Ella In Hollywood album – recorded in a small club setting, with combo backing that really lets Fitzgerald open up and swing – inflecting the tunes with the kind of warmth and spontaneity that she brought to her famous live performances of the time – which were almost always more compelling than her studio sides, no matter how great those were too! The first 3CDs feature material from two weeks' worth of recording in May of 1961 – with backing from Jim Hall on guitar, Lou Levy on piano, Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Gus Johnson on drums – and CD four features Ella returning to Hollywood for two more nights in 1962, with trio backing from Paul Smith on piano, Middlebrooks on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. There's a massive 77 tracks in all – handsomely package in a hardcover 7" square book – which also features beautiful color pages inside, lots of notes on the music, and design that's every bit as groovy as the old albums on Verve. Titles include "Joe Williams' Blues", "It's De-Lovely", "Lorelei", "I Can't Get Started", "Round Midnight", "Perdido", "Little White Lies", "Lover Come Back To Me", "Across The Alley From The Alamo", "Love For Sale", "Exactly Like You", "Mack The Knife", "Teach Me Tonight", "My Kind Of Boy", "It Had To Be You", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "All Of Me", and "Too Darn Hot/Ella's Twist". And, in case you're wondering, there's almost no repetition in the set at all – all discreet, unique tunes – not just the sort of rehash you might get in other concert box sets of this nature! CD

A wicked album that's one of Stan Getz's best from the 70s! The record features Stan reunited with Chick Corea, whose warm lyricism was the lynchpin in Getz's landmark Sweet Rain – the stunning session from 1968 that is perhaps our favorite-ever Getz album. Corea plays electric piano here, but with none of the indulgence that he was lapsing into at the time. His blocky chords stake out a stark new territory, into which Getz solos beautifully, into a range yet untapped at that time in his career. Tony Williams augments the group on drums, giving the whole thing a sense of freedom, but also a nice tight swing. Tracks include "La Fiesta", "Five Hundred Miles High", "Times Lie", and "Day Waves". CD

A wicked album that's one of Stan Getz's best from the 70s! The record features Stan reunited with Chick Corea, whose warm lyricism was the lynchpin in Getz's landmark Sweet Rain – the stunning session from 1968 that is perhaps our favorite-ever Getz album. Corea plays electric piano here, but with none of the indulgence that he was lapsing into at the time. His blocky chords stake out a stark new territory, into which Getz solos beautifully, into a range yet untapped at that time in his career. Tony Williams augments the group on drums, giving the whole thing a sense of freedom, but also a nice tight swing. Tracks include "La Fiesta", "Five Hundred Miles High", "Times Lie", and "Day Waves". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked album that's one of Stan Getz's best from the 70s! The record features Stan reunited with Chick Corea, whose warm lyricism was the lynchpin in Getz's landmark Sweet Rain – the stunning session from 1968 that is perhaps our favorite-ever Getz album. Corea plays electric piano here, but with none of the indulgence that he was lapsing into at the time. His blocky chords stake out a stark new territory, into which Getz solos beautifully, into a range yet untapped at that time in his career. Tony Williams augments the group on drums, giving the whole thing a sense of freedom, but also a nice tight swing. Tracks include "La Fiesta", "Five Hundred Miles High", "Times Lie", and "Day Waves". Great stuff – and expanded here with the new track "Crystal Silence", plus bonus alternates of "Five Hundred Miles High" and "Captain Marvel". CD

A wicked album that's one of Stan Getz's best from the 70s! The record features Stan reunited with Chick Corea, whose warm lyricism was the lynchpin in Getz's landmark Sweet Rain – the stunning session from 1968 that is perhaps our favorite-ever Getz album. Corea plays electric piano here, but with none of the indulgence that he was lapsing into at the time. His blocky chords stake out a stark new territory, into which Getz solos beautifully, into a range yet untapped at that time in his career. Tony Williams augments the group on drums, giving the whole thing a sense of freedom, but also a nice tight swing. Tracks include "La Fiesta", "Five Hundred Miles High", "Times Lie", and "Day Waves". Great stuff – and expanded here with the new track "Crystal Silence", plus bonus alternates of "Five Hundred Miles High" and "Captain Marvel". CD

A huge step forward in music for saxophonist Jimmy Greene – an artist who's still reeling from the loss of his daughter, who was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012 – but who's turning his grief and sorrow into some of the richest music he's ever recorded! The feel here is even deeper than the first volume dedicated to Green's daughter – original songs that burst out with so much life and energy, we're held rapt right from the very first note – almost never mired in the sort of melancholy you might expect from such an experience, and instead ready to set a new fire to light the way ahead! Greene plays tenor, soprano, alto, and baritone – and other musicians include Kevin Hayes on Rhodes and piano, Mike Moreno on guitar, Renee Rosnes on piano, Ben Williams and John Patitucci on bass, and Jeff Tain Watts and Otis Brown III on drums. Titles include "Fun Circuits", "Second Breakfast", "Flowers", "Stanky Leg", "Big Guy", "Amantes", and "Thirty Two". CD

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". LP, Vinyl record album

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". LP, Vinyl record album

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". Also includes 2 CD bonus cuts! CD

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". CD features a bonus alternate of "Oliloqui Valley". CD

An excellent session that was one of Herbie Hancock's first free-flowing fusion records of the 70s! Herbie's playing Fender Rhodes with a sound that's at once cosmically beautiful, soulfully fragile, and spacily grooving – and he gets some excellent accompaniment from an all-hip group of players that includes Benny Maupin on bass clarinet and flute, Buster Williams on bass, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, and Julian Priester on trombone – plus percussion from Jose Areas and Ndugu Chancler. The roots of later classics like Sextet and Flood all start with this session – and the album contains 3 long tracks – "You'll Know When You Get There", "Ostinato", and "Wandering Sprit Song". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most striking Don Pullen albums of the 80s – a beautifully open session that has the pianist co-leading a version of the 360 Experience group of drummer Beaver Harris – with an excellent lineup that also features Ricky Ford on tenor sax, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, and Buster Williams on bass! The mix of players is unusual, and the sound here is as well – a record that easily steps between freer moments and more tuneful passages – imbued with the creative spirit of the loft jazz generation, but also taken a step further too – possibly via the album's production work by Hal Willner. There's some truly majestic moments on the album – and the whole thing is a great demonstration of the way that the farther fringes of the jazz universe were finding even more focused expression in the 80s – during a time when records like this really helped give musicians a great outlet for their new ideas. The set begins with the very long "Goree", which has additional work by Candido on percussion – and other tracks include "Land Of The Pharoahs", "Double Arc Jake", and "Newcomer". CD

One of the most striking Don Pullen albums of the 80s – a beautifully open session that has the pianist co-leading a version of the 360 Experience group of drummer Beaver Harris – with an excellent lineup that also features Ricky Ford on tenor sax, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, and Buster Williams on bass! The mix of players is unusual, and the sound here is as well – a record that easily steps between freer moments and more tuneful passages – imbued with the creative spirit of the loft jazz generation, but also taken a step further too – possibly via the album's production work by Hal Willner. There's some truly majestic moments on the album – and the whole thing is a great demonstration of the way that the farther fringes of the jazz universe were finding even more focused expression in the 80s – during a time when records like this really helped give musicians a great outlet for their new ideas. The set begins with the very long "Goree", which has additional work by Candido on percussion – and other tracks include "Land Of The Pharoahs", "Double Arc Jake", and "Newcomer". CD

A record that certainly makes us smile – as it's got the fantastic cornet of Terumasa Hino in a group that features Cedar Walton on piano, David Williams on bass, and Michael Carvin on drums – all working together as almost a "Walton plus one" sort of date – but with specially sparkling solos from the leader! The mix of Walton and Hino is one that we never would have thought possible 20 years before – but here, the maturing players come together wonderfully with energy that's very intuitive, as they make their way through the set of mellow ballads you might expect from the title. Tunes include the original "Blue Smiles", plus "Alfie", "My Funny Valentine", "Smile", "You Are So Beautiful", "Unforgettable", and "My One & Only Love". CD

A really great live set from alto genius Johnny Hodges – a set that's right up there with some of his best studio albums on Verve at the time! As with those records, Johnny's taking a slight sidestep from the world of Duke Ellington here – working with similar material and familiar players, but also really stretching out on these beautiful solos that focus on his warm, raspy charm on the alto – that quality that made Hodges as important to the sound of mid 50s jazz as Ben Webster or Lester Young on the tenor! The group's a septet, and other players include Lawrence Brown on trombone, Harry Carney on baritone, Al Williams on piano, and Ray Nance on cornet – on titles that include "All Of Me", "Blues For Madeline", "Solitude", "Mood Indigo", "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me", "Jeep's Blues", "Rockin In Rhythm, and a nice long take on "Perdido". CD

A Sunshine Pop relic – and a beautiful one at that! The Holy Mackerel were an early group project of Paul Williams – recorded here in a hip late 60s Warner mode that's very similar to that of Paul's excellent Someday Man album – with nicely compressed instrumentation that matches Paul's wonderful vocal style, and some nice trippy and folksy touches that really push the "sunshine" in the sound. The tunes are great – a bit more biting than Williams' later work – and titles include "The Wild Side Of Life", "Bitter Honey", "The Secret Of Pleasure", "Scorpio Red", "The Lady Is Waiting", "The Somewhere In Arizona At 4:30am Restaurant Song", and "Prinderella". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little session from Bobby Hutcherson – recorded live as a tribute to the legendary Keystone Korner jazz club in San Francisco – but even more important as a later meeting between Bobby and saxophonist Harold Land! The vibe here is a bit different than previous Land/Hutcherson albums – not as tightly righteous, but still tremendously soulful – gliding along with an energy that's always soaring and searching, but never in a way that's nervous or undirected. Other players include Oscar Brashear on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Buster Williams on bass – a perfectly-matched lineup that sets each tune on fire with their imagination. Titles include "Rubber Man", "Starting Over", "Crescent Moon", "Short Stuff", and "Prism". CD

A trio of later gems from this legendary South African pianist! Mindif is a great set that features Abdullah Ibrahim's soundtrack music for the 1988 Clair Denis film Chocolat – some of his best group recordings of the 80s! The feel here is a bit more African-styled than usual – even for Ibrahim – with strong use of reeds to inflect the tunes with the right degree of color and tone for their use in the film. The ensemble on the record features Ricky Ford on tenor and soprano, Craig Handy on flute and tenor, Benny Powell on trombone, David Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the tracks have a languid groove that recalls some of Dollar Brand's best South African recordings with Kippie Moketsie. Titles include "Earth Bird", "African Market", "Pule", "Star Dance", and "Serenity". African River is one of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". Yarona is a beautifully sensitive set from Abdullah Ibrahim – recorded live at the Village Vanguard, and with an open, lyrical sound that almost seems to recall some of Bill Evans' magical moments in the venue! Ibrahim's quite a different player, of course – but there's an open, exploratory quality to his music that's a bit unusual here – maybe not as rhythmically based as it is balanced between sound and silence – given very respectful company in the bass of Marcus McLaurine and drums of George Johnson. Titles include "Cherry/Mannenberg", "Duke 88", "African River", "Stardance", "Tuang Guru", "Tintinyana", and "African Marketplace". CD

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more. CD

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more. CD

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Singer Jose James has always had a classic vibe to his vocals – but that quality is maybe put forward even more here on this well-crafted Christmas album – a set that somehow manages to bridge the gap between classic Holiday records and the more contemporary work that James has given us on recent records! The focus here is very strongly on his voice – upfront and unadorned, and presented at a level that reminds us that James has been one of the freshest new singers in jazz over the past decade or so – working with help from Aaron Parks on piano, Ben Williams on bass, and Jaharis Yokely on drums – plus a few great solo spots from Marcus Strickland on tenor. Titles include the beautiful "Christmas In New York" – plus "My Favorite Things", "Christmas Day", "The Christmas Waltz", "This Christmas", and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". CD

Singer Jose James has always had a classic vibe to his vocals – but that quality is maybe put forward even more here on this well-crafted Christmas album – a set that somehow manages to bridge the gap between classic Holiday records and the more contemporary work that James has given us on recent records! The focus here is very strongly on his voice – upfront and unadorned, and presented at a level that reminds us that James has been one of the freshest new singers in jazz over the past decade or so – working with help from Aaron Parks on piano, Ben Williams on bass, and Jaharis Yokely on drums – plus a few great solo spots from Marcus Strickland on tenor. Titles include the beautiful "Christmas In New York" – plus "My Favorite Things", "Christmas Day", "The Christmas Waltz", "This Christmas", and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the smooth fusion group of the same name, but a tight acoustic quartet with some great tenor from the mighty Clifford Jordan – in a lineup that also includes James Williams on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Ronnie Burrage on drums! Titles include the Jordan originals "Tokyo Road" and "Japanese Dream" – plus "Hi Fly", "Misako Beautiful Shore", and "For My Nephews". CD

A fantastically beautiful record that stands as the first meeting between Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land – an album that's possibly even better than the more famous Blue Note work by the pair! This is one of those "once in a lifetime" jazz sessions – filled with magical interplay that's made the record a favorite with collectors for years, and done with a sound that's as lyrically graceful as it is soulful and righteous! Hutcherson's vibes are at their warmest 60s mode, but still have some of the angularity of his more modern sides for Blue Note – but Land is the real discovery here – as he steps out with a fluidity that surpasses any of his earlier hardbop albums, a flowing exploratory style expressed on both flute and tenor – with a mode that's years ahead of its time, and sounds a lot more like work on labels like Strata East or Muse from the 70s. Tracks are nearly all originals by Land, and are the kind of thoughtful jazz compositions that show up on a rare few records from the 60s – all of them are great, and sparkle with creativity and a subdued sense of righteousness. The other players on the date include Joe Sample on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Donald Bailey on drums – and titles include "One For Nini", "Angel Dance", "The Peace Maker", "40 Love", "Stylin", and "The Aquarian". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically beautiful record that stands as the first meeting between Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land – an album that's possibly even better than the more famous Blue Note work by the pair! This is one of those "once in a lifetime" jazz sessions – filled with magical interplay that's made the record a favorite with collectors for years, and done with a sound that's as lyrically graceful as it is soulful and righteous! Hutcherson's vibes are at their warmest 60s mode, but still have some of the angularity of his more modern sides for Blue Note – but Land is the real discovery here – as he steps out with a fluidity that surpasses any of his earlier hardbop albums, a flowing exploratory style expressed on both flute and tenor – with a mode that's years ahead of its time, and sounds a lot more like work on labels like Strata East or Muse from the 70s. Tracks are nearly all originals by Land, and are the kind of thoughtful jazz compositions that show up on a rare few records from the 60s – all of them are great, and sparkle with creativity and a subdued sense of righteousness. The other players on the date include Joe Sample on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Donald Bailey on drums – and titles include "One For Nini", "Angel Dance", "The Peace Maker", "40 Love", "Stylin", and "The Aquarian". CD

This album was the 7th in the Contemporary series of "Shelly Manne & His Men", but it's also easily the best, and features some of the most exciting playing of any of Manne's groups. The success of the whole album comes down to Charlie Mariano, who wrote a large number of the tracks, and who's at the height of his powers on alto here – hitting a beautiful mix of icy modernism and Boston soul, in the tradition of some of his best Bethlehem recordings. Side one features an extended work called "The Gambit", which has a nice blend of far-reaching soloing and tight jazzy rhythm. Other titles include "Blue Gnu", "Hugo Hurwhey", and "Tom Brown's Buddy" – and players include Stu Williamson and Russ Freeman. LP, Vinyl record album

Four early 80s classics from Johnny Mathis – presented here in a single 2CD package! Different Kinda Different is a tremendous start to the 80s for Johnny Mathis – and a set that really continues that strong shift into soul-based territory he begun in the 70s! Gene Page handles a lot of the arrangements here, and gives the whole thing that strong blend of strings and soul that he worked on other 70s classics for different artists – a perfect approach for that magnificent Mathis voice, especially when the tunes have a bit of a groove! Two of the best numbers here – "Different Kind Of Different" and "I'll Do It All For You" – are duets with Paulette McWilliams, who'd recorded on her own, but who really seems to hit her stride with Johnny, and in a way that's different than any of his other soul partners in duets. Other titles include "Never Givin Up On You", "With You I'm Born Again", "I Will Survive", "The Lights Of Rio", and "Love Without Words". Friends In Love is mature 80s work from Johnny Mathis – a set that features two duets with Dionne Warwick, plus some other nice material that shows that Johnny wasn't going to be left behind in the shadows of his older work! At some level, the approach of the 80s, and the rise of a new sort of adult contemporary scene, really helped Mathis find a new audience – especially when teaming with Dionne, who was also having a rebirth at the time! Titles include the classic duet title cut "Friends In Love", and another duet on "Got You Where I Want You" – plus other titles that include "What Do You Do With The Love", "When The Lovin Goes Out Of The Lovin", "I Remember You & Me", and "Somethin's Goin On". Special Part Of Me is a sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. Live is a later live album from Johnny Mathis, and one that brings together classics, newer cuts, and a few titles he'd never sang before – all served up with a sound that shows the continuing strengths of the legendary singer! There's a variety of arrangers used on the set – including Gene Page and Michel Colombier – and titles include "Orange Colored Sky", "When A Child Is Born", "Begin The Beguine", "I Believe In Love", "Fly Away", "99 Miles From LA", and "A Certain Smile". CD

A sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. LP, Vinyl record album

A very apt title – as Jackie McLean sits in for a soulful session with the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Jones, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all "old bottles" at this point in their career, but working together beautifully to brew some very mellow "new wine"! The album's easily one of the best in the trio's run of the time – as Jackie's alto sax really helps flesh things out a bit more than usual – and moves the album past the trio sound of their other records. McLean gets plenty of space to do his thing on the longer tracks – and the piano of Jones, bass of Carter, and drums of Williams have a solid, soulful approach that's really wonderful. Titles include 2 McLean originals titled "Appointment In Ghana Again" and "Little Melonae Again", both remakes of older tunes – plus "Confirmation", "Bein Green", and "Round Midnight". CD

A very apt title – as Jackie McLean sits in for a soulful session with the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Jones, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all "old bottles" at this point in their career, but working together beautifully to brew some very mellow "new wine"! The album's easily one of the best in the trio's run of the time – as Jackie's alto sax really helps flesh things out a bit more than usual – and moves the album past the trio sound of their other records. McLean gets plenty of space to do his thing on the longer tracks – and the piano of Jones, bass of Carter, and drums of Williams have a solid, soulful approach that's really wonderful. Titles include 2 McLean originals titled "Appointment In Ghana Again" and "Little Melonae Again", both remakes of older tunes – plus "Confirmation", "Bein Green", and "Round Midnight". CD

A very apt title – as Jackie McLean sits in for a soulful session with the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Jones, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all "old bottles" at this point in their career, but working together beautifully to brew some very mellow "new wine"! The album's easily one of the best in the trio's run of the time – as Jackie's alto sax really helps flesh things out a bit more than usual – and moves the album past the trio sound of their other records. McLean gets plenty of space to do his thing on the longer tracks – and the piano of Jones, bass of Carter, and drums of Williams have a solid, soulful approach that's really wonderful. Titles include 2 McLean originals titled "Appointment In Ghana Again" and "Little Melonae Again", both remakes of older tunes – plus "Confirmation", "Bein Green", and "Round Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from Charles McPherson – his first for Xanadu in the mid 70s – wherein his amazing quartet breathes fresh, bop-inspired urgency and a deft sense of soul into some older standards – maybe even as strongly as on his best work for Prestige in the 60s! It's truly timeless – holding true to the classic songcraft of the compositions, but leaving plenty of room to riff and improvise in ways that add both subtle shades and energetic flourishes. The group includes Duke Jordan on piano, Sam Jones on bass and Leroy Williams on drums – all on their game. Beautiful indeed! Songs include "It Could Happen to You," "Lover," "This Can't Be Love", "They Say its Wonderful", "Body And Soul","But Beautiful". CD includes a bonus track, and it's a great one – a tremendous 9 minute take on "All God's Children Got Rhythm". CD

One of the most distinct early dates from reedman Charles McPherson – a unique "with strings" session recorded as a tribute to Billie Holiday – and with a style that shows off sides of McPherson's playing that wouldn't show up on other records for years to come! The album's got a beautifully understated quality – hip, adult arrangements by Ernie Wilkins – neither in his Basie-esque style of the early years, nor in any sort of slavish relationship to the Billie Holiday recordings of the 40s and the 50s either – which makes for a mode that just lets Charles flow with this wonderfully soulful tone on his alto – almost in a way that points towards some of Stanley Turrentine's music to come in such a setting. The core group features piano by Barry Harris, guitar by Earl Dunbar, bass by Sam Jones, and drums by Leroy Williams – plus larger backing by a string section – and titles include "Don't Explain", "Miss Brown To You", "Lover Come Back to Me", "Lover Man", and "God Bless the Child" – but all shaped beautifully and personally by McPherson! LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

A wonderful, wonderful, wonderful "new thing" jazz session from Blue Note – and proof that the avant garde in the 60s didn't necessarily have to resort to blowing their heads off to make fantastic music! Trombonist Grachan Moncur III organized the session – but like other key Blue Note dates of this type, including work from Tony Williams and Jackie McLean, the album's a very evenly-weighted date that features equal contributions from all members involved! The lineup's a dream – and features Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – and the set's very much in the vein of Williams' Life Time album for Blue Note – with lots of dark, moody, and extremely complex compositions – and beautifully restrained modern solos. Moncur wrote all the tracks, and titles include "The Twins", "Nomadic", "Gnostic", and "Thandiwa". CD

A wonderful, wonderful, wonderful "new thing" jazz session from Blue Note – and proof that the avant garde in the 60s didn't necessarily have to resort to blowing their heads off to make fantastic music! Trombonist Grachan Moncur III organized the session – but like other key Blue Note dates of this type, including work from Tony Williams and Jackie McLean, the album's a very evenly-weighted date that features equal contributions from all members involved! The lineup's a dream – and features Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – and the set's very much in the vein of Williams' Life Time album for Blue Note – with lots of dark, moody, and extremely complex compositions – and beautifully restrained modern solos. Moncur wrote all the tracks, and titles include "The Twins", "Nomadic", "Gnostic", and "Thandiwa". CD

A really amazing record from Dawan Muhammad – a west coast musician who never got the same sort of spiritual jazz credit as some of the giants of the 70s – but who kept on making really wonderful music as the years went on! Muhammad's recently known as the force behind the Life Force Jazz label – but here, he's stepping out in a mode that's much earlier, but already shows his sense of musical vision – a set that's almost like some of the more ambitious Strata East recordings of the 70s – with beautiful original compositions by Dawan, served up by a shifting set of musicians who really capture his spirit! Muhammad plays saxes and flutes – plus electric and acoustic piano, drums, and lots of percussion – and other players include Oscar Williams on trumpet, Paul Nagle on piano, and Daniel Sabanovich and Prince Lawsha on drums and percussion. Delores Pierce sings a bit on the record, but most tracks are instrumental – and titles include "Deep Stream", "East Wind", "Taumbu", "Is That You", "Cocoon", and "Anxiety". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal recordings from Jemeel Moondoc's important Muntu ensemble – a group who worked with amazing energy in the avant scene of the late 70s – easily offering up some of the greatest performances from the members involved! There's a mixture of structure and freedom to these tracks that's mighty nice – a bold conception of message headed by Moondoc, but executed with these open solos that really show the full talents of every musician. The lineup shifts a bit over the space of the recordings here – the First Feeding album features Moondoc on alto, Arthur Williams on trumpet, Mark Hennen on piano, William Parker on bass, and Rashid Bakr on drums; Evening Of The Blue Men has trumpeter Roy Campbell joining Moondoc, Parker, and Bakr; and the previously-unreleased Live At Ali's Alley is an extended trio performance from Moondoc, Parker, and Bakr – one long track that really opens up! Equally amazing is the package – 3CDs in an oversized case, packaged with a beautiful book that's over 100 pages – with notes on the group, sessionography, vintage photos, poster reproductions, and more. CD

A really beautiful book, and one that's very different than most other hip hop books we've ever stocked – as this well-done volume is a companion piece to a show at the Baltimore Museum of Art – one that looks at the way that hip hop has influenced different strands of art and culture in the 21st Century – presented here in a variety of ways that are sometimes very subtle, sometimes a lot more direct! The book is full color, and has a really unique design – and presents 70 different art objects, by artists who include Devin Allen, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Hank Willis Thomas, Vivienne Westwood, Pharrell Williams, Stan Douglas, Shabez Jamal, Gordon Parks, Kahlil Joseph, and many others – next to essays by Greg Tate, Lester Spence, Devin Allen, Simon Reynolds, Seph Rodney, Noriko Manabe, Ebony Haynes, and many others too! Book

One of the most open-ended and laidback records ever from Oliver Nelson – a set that gets away from the tighter arrangements of other albums, and really lets you concentrate on his saxophone work! The album's got a really wonderful feel throughout – easygoing and soulful, with work by a sextet that includes Eric Dolphy on alto, Richard Williams on trumpet, and Richard Wyands on piano – all grooving beautifully with immaculate Rudy Van Gelder production – used here with a slightly echoey quality that really deepens the sound of the set! Nelson plays both alto and tenor sax – and titles include "Screamin The Blues", "Alto-It is", "The Meetin", "The Drive", "Three Seconds", and "March On March On". CD

One of the most open-ended and laidback records ever from Oliver Nelson – a set that gets away from the tighter arrangements of other albums, and really lets you concentrate on his saxophone work! The album's got a really wonderful feel throughout – easygoing and soulful, with work by a sextet that includes Eric Dolphy on alto, Richard Williams on trumpet, and Richard Wyands on piano – all grooving beautifully with immaculate Rudy Van Gelder production – used here with a slightly echoey quality that really deepens the sound of the set! Nelson plays both alto and tenor sax – and titles include "Screamin The Blues", "Alto-It is", "The Meetin", "The Drive", "Three Seconds", and "March On March On". CD

2 albums on 1 CD – and a package that not only features great work from leader Lennie Neihaus, but also some great tenor from Bill Perkins too! On the first album Lennie swings, but he keeps it cool too – as this rare Mercury set steps off of the same octet energy Niehaus brought to his better-known sides for Contemporary in the mid 50s! The players here are a bit lesser known than some of Niehaus' other all-star groups – with Ken Shroyer on trombone, Ed Leddy on trumpet, and Steve Perlow on baritone – alongside some nicely searing tenor from Bill Perkins, whose presence always makes a set like this sparkle! Lou Levy plays piano and Red Kelly is on bass – and titles include "Soon", "Little Girl Blues", "P & L", "Four Eleven West", "He Ain't Got Rhythm", "Kiss Me & Kill Me With Love", and "I See Your Face Before Me". The second half of the CD drops out Lennie Niehaus entirely, and features the album Bill Perkins Live On Stage – originally recorded for Pacific Jazz in 1956, and featuring Niehaus arrangements on 2 tracks. The group includes Perkins on tenor, Bud Shank on alto, Jack Nimitz on baritone, Stu Williamson on trumpet, Carl Fontana on trombone, Russ Freeman on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. The live setting takes nothing away from the perfection of the group's conception, as Perkins' leadership is impeccable, bringing together the horns in a beautiful wash of sound. Titles include "Let Me See", "Zing Zang", "For Dancers Only", "One Hundred Years From Today", "Song Of The Islands", and "As They Reveled". CD

Pretty incredible work from Lennie Niehaus – one of his seminal albums for Contemporary – nearly all of which were as poorly titled as this one, but equally worth checking out! This side has Lennie grooving on alto – blowing in a tighter, harder style than most west coasters – more in the realm of Herb Geller or Art Pepper than some of his other contemporaries on the instrument – really shining in a larger group that includes Bill Holman, Jimmy Giuffre, Stu Williamson, and Pete Jolly. Arrangements are beautiful, and there's a lot more soul on the set than you might first expect! Titles include "They Say It's Wonderful", "Rick's Tricks", "Yes Yes Honey", "Rose Room", and "Cooling It". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from the O'Jays – presented here in a multi-channel SACD! First up is Ship Ahoy – a pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". Message In The Music is one of those records that really took Philly soul to the next level back in the 70s – a set that works amazing magic with the already-great harmonies of the O'Jays – pointing them even more strongly towards groove-heavy territory, while still keeping all the fragile, personal qualities of their earlier work! The title cut is a righteous anthem that never gets old – a perfect blend of subtle politics and homegrown soul – all polished to perfection in the Philly studios. And the rest of the record is equally mindblowing – a set where even the ballads have as much power as the upbeat numbers – as you'll hear in the lineup of tracks that includes "Message In The Music", "Darlin, Darlin, Baby", "A Prayer", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Let Life Flow", and "Paradise". Live In London is a seminal album in the development of Philadelphia International – who seemed to be taking a cue from Motown and Stax in the 60s, by bringing their biggest act to a European audience! The set features the O'Jays working as beautifully in a live setting as they had in the Sigma Sound studios – singing to arrangements by Dennis Williams, but still getting enough production by Bobby Martin to keep the sound in line with their better known studio work from the time. There's a bit of a deeper soul sound overall here – especially on the vocals, which crackle nicely with a live sense of spontaneity. Titles include "Back Stabbers", "Sunshine", "Love Train", "When The World Is A Peace", and "Put Your Hands Together" – plus a few vocal introductions! CD

A seminal album in the development of Philadelphia International – who seemed to be taking a cue from Motown and Stax in the 60s, by bringing their biggest act to a European audience! The set features the O'Jays working as beautifully in a live setting as they had in the Sigma Sound studios – singing to arrangements by Dennis Williams, but still getting enough production by Bobby Martin to keep the sound in line with their better known studio work from the time. There's a bit of a deeper soul sound overall here – especially on the vocals, which crackle nicely with a live sense of spontaneity. Titles include "Back Stabbers", "Sunshine", "Love Train", "When The World Is A Peace", and "Put Your Hands Together" – plus a few vocal introductions! LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing music from Jeff Parker – sounds that we always knew were part of his core, but which have maybe taken most of his career to emerge! This album follows beautifully from Jeff's previous album for International Anthem – and like that one, it's an explosion of new and old ideas at once – jazz elements with soul currents, all put together with a complexity that lives up to Parker's long legacy in music, but which also has an organic appeal that makes the whole thing come together with effortless ease! There's plenty of sophistication in the sound, but it also sneaks in with lots of grooves that Jeff never had before – including some funky currents that come from Parker's work on keyboards, drums, and samples in addition to his usual guitar – and added drums from Jamire Williams and Makaya McCraven. Titles include "Lydian Etc", "Build A Nest", "Del Rio", "3 For L", "Fusion Swirl", "After The Rain", and "Max Brown". LP, Vinyl record album

A late live set – recorded in Los Angeles in 1981, with a combo that fetaures George Cables on piano, David Williams on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums! All titles are nice and long – and tracks include "Samba Mom Mom", "Allen's Alley", "But Beautiful", and "For Freddie". LP, Vinyl record album

Revelatory work from the great Art Pepper – presented here in a complete package for the first time ever. In Pepper's later years, his live dates were often more mindblowing than his studio sessions – especially when the tape was rolling over a long stretch, as was the case over the three nights of recordings presented here! Art's on alto, in a tight group with George Cables on piano – arguably one of his most sensitive accompanists in these years – plus David Williams on bass and Carl Burnett on drums – a lineup that remains firm through the seven sets of music captured in this collection. The package features 42 performances, including 23 performances that appear here for the first time ever, plus bits of banter and other between-song conversation – all wrapped up in a box with a 44 page booklet of notes. Titles include "For Freddie", "Without A Song", "Road Waltz", "Mambo Koyama", "Allen's Alley", "Begin The Beguine", "Landscape", "Valse Triste", "But Beautiful", "Roadgame", "For Freddie", "Donna Lee", "Samba Mom Mom", "Yours Is My Heart Alone", and "Arthur's Blues". CD

An interesting LP, where Bethlehem pulled together two previous 10" sessions led by bassists for one LP! Pettiford's Basically Duike is a beautiful set – ostensibly a session of Ellington material, but one that features some great arrangements that really blow past the obvious! The group's an octet, with Pettiford leading trumpeters Clark Terry & Joe Wilder, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, and alto saxophonist Dave Schildkraut – with Earl Knight on piano, taking Ellington's place in the arrangements. Titles include 2 Pettiford originals – "Tamalpais" and "Swing Until The Girls Come Home" – plus a Terry number called "Chuckles", and the tracks "Mood Indigo" and "Jack The Bear". The second side is an obscure side from Red Mitchell, a tight little sextet session featuring a group of LA players that includes Zoot Sims, Bob Brookmeyer, Claude Williamson, Stan Levey and Conte Candoli. The set cooks nicely, a snapping west coast bop side that's hard to come by in any format. Titles include "Happy Minor", "Bluesology", "Kelly Green" and "Scrapple From The Apple". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure pre-Mode date from vocalist Lucy Ann Polk – and a set that's got a wonderful LA 50s feel! Backings here are by the Dave Pell Octet – with Pell on tenor, Ronny Lang on alto, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, and Claude Williamson on piano – and arrangements are by Wes Hensel and Shorty Rogers, nice and jazzy throughout! Lucy's approach to the tunes is light and lovely, but she also burns with a bit of a deeper fire at times too – a bluer tone underneath the charm up top. Titles include "But Beautiful", "Imagination", "It Could Happen To You", "It's Always You", and "Darn That Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Lasha & Simmons firey collaborations from the mid 60's! Both players are at the top of their form, and the backing – by Bobby Hutcherson, Buster Williams, and Charles Moffett – provides a hard rythmic drive that sets their solos on edge and really gives them focus. Lasha plays flute, alto, and alto clarinet, and Simmons plays alto and a bit of English horn. Great stuff, and beautiful mix of out sensibilities and tight rhythm playing. With the tracks "Island Song", "Firebirds", and "Psalms Of Solomon". CD

Three wonderful albums from this legendary Brazilian singer – all presented in a single set! First up is Nothing Will Be As It Was Tomorrow – a record that's quite different from Flora's earlier work, but in a way that we find very compelling! The record was produced by Leon Ndugu Chancler, and it's got a smooth fusion sound that's kind of in a southern California R&B mode, played by a huge range of excellent Brazilian and west coast talents that include Patrice Rushen, Dorothy Ashby, Fred Jackson, Raul De Souza, Toninho Horta, and Airto. While this sound overwhelms the core of Flora's usual Brazilian jazz approach, it also expands some of the tracks to a great groove – with Flora's vocals on top, stretching out in a whole new way! Includes a great English language version of the Milton Nascimento classic "Nada Sera Como Antes", plus the cuts "You Love Me Only", "I'm Coming For Your Love", "Corre Nina", "Angels", "Bridges", and "Fairy Tale Song". Every Day Every Night is a beautifully soulful record from Flora Purim – still awash with touches from her Brazilian roots, but also done with a great 70s LA sound! Airto's helping Flora out on production, but the real hero here is Michel Colombier – who handles most of the arrangements and wrote a good deal of the tunes with Purim and Airto – mixing his own expansive studio talents with their organically-forged groove, in a way that makes the record a real standout from the California fusion scene of the 70s! Players include Randy Brecker, Lee Ritenour, George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Harvey Mason, and other jazz heavyweights – and titles include "The Hope", "I Just Don't Know", "In Brasil", "Blues Ballad", "Why I'm Alone", "Walking Away", and "Samba Michel". Carry On is one of Flora Purim's more R&B-sounding albums from the 70s, produced by George Duke with an appreciation for Flora's Brazilian jazz roots, but with a smoother sound that's in keeping with Duke's own work of the time! The combination is pretty sweet – a professional culmination of the mixture of fusion and Brazilian jazz that had been happening in the San Francisco scene during most of the 70s, and featuring many of the musicians who had helped make that groove so strong. Players include Airto, Sheila Escovedo, Joe Farrell, Ronnie Foster, Bobby Lyle, and Larry Williams – and tracks include "Niura Is Coming Back", "From The Lonely Afternoon", "Freeway Jam", "Beijo Partido", "Corine", and "Love Lock". Includes bonus tracks too – "Tango Blues" and "Sad Song". CD

A very cool Sun Ra performance from 1980 – recorded in Rome, and a wonderful summation of all the new directions the Arkestra took during the 70s! There's a wonderful balance here between intimate vocal tracks, sung by June Tyson, and some fuller ensemble numbers – mixed up in ways that often show the most soulful side of the group, yet still allow plenty of space for bold, dynamic solos from players who include Marshall Allen on alto and flute, Michael Ray on trumpet, John Gilmore on tenor, Danny Ray Thompson on baritone and flute, Kenny Williams on tenor and baritone, and Noel Scott on alto and baritone. The double-length set also has some beautiful instrumental moments that are quite gentle – a few exotic touches, and nice piano improvisations from Ra – very much like his excellent solo piano work on Improvising Artists. Titles include "Enlightenment", "Watusa", "Lights On A Satellite", "Nothing Is", "Children Of The Sun", "King Porter Stomp", "Sun Ra & His Band From Outer Space", "Springtime Again", "Big John's Special", "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise", and a few untitled pieces. CD

A very cool Sun Ra performance from 1980 – recorded in Rome, and a wonderful summation of all the new directions the Arkestra took during the 70s! There's a wonderful balance here between intimate vocal tracks, sung by June Tyson, and some fuller ensemble numbers – mixed up in ways that often show the most soulful side of the group, yet still allow plenty of space for bold, dynamic solos from players who include Marshall Allen on alto and flute, Michael Ray on trumpet, John Gilmore on tenor, Danny Ray Thompson on baritone and flute, Kenny Williams on tenor and baritone, and Noel Scott on alto and baritone. The double-length set also has some beautiful instrumental moments that are quite gentle – a few exotic touches, and nice piano improvisations from Ra – very much like his excellent solo piano work on Improvising Artists. Titles include "Enlightenment", "Watusa", "Lights On A Satellite", "Nothing Is", "Children Of The Sun", "King Porter Stomp", "Sun Ra & His Band From Outer Space", "Springtime Again", "Big John's Special", "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise", and a few untitled pieces. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the Brooklyn scene of the early 80s – at a moment when it seemed like some of the more spiritual styles of the 70s had fallen out of mainstream favor, but were still being served up beautifully on obscure records like this! Mustafa Abdul Rahman isn't just a tenor player, as he works here as a fantastically majestic leader – leading a small combo through sounds that soar to the heavens on righteous energy – often with vocals from Odell Grier, and delivered with instrumentation from Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Richard Radu Williams on bass, Rafik Abdul Rahim on piano, Gregg Bufford on drums, and Babafumi Akunyon on congas and percussion. There's a spirit here that's a bit like Abdullah's own record of the period, and other players come into the mix from time to time – including a young Malachi Thompson, who plays trumpet on one track. Titles include the originals "Polygamy", "Silent World", and "God Is" – plus a take on Coltrane's "Some Other Blues", and the more traditional standards "Afternoon In Paris" and "One & Only Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a great jazz guitarist – working here in a really wonderful setting – a live date that both lets Jimmy Raney hit some beautifully intimate moments out front, but also lets him swing a bit too – thanks to help from Sam Jones on bass and Leroy Williams on drums! Raney still has that raspy tone that we first fell in love with on his 50s records – a clarity on the strings that easily made him one of the most important jazz guitarists of the time – but he's also got a more mature sense of chromes, which creates this beautiful dance of tones as his fingers move along the strings of the guitar – always clear in his vision, but still working with a sense of surprise that always keeps things interesting. Titles include "How About You", "Darn That Dream", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Stella By Starlight", "Watch What Happens", and "Anthropology". CD features the bonus track "Just Friends". CD