Excellent mid 70s duet jazz from pianist Dave Brubeck & alto Paul Desmond! Duets 1975 is a nicely laidback work from the duo – playing here with no other accompaniment, in a spare set of material that's incredibly fragile and intimate – and all the better for that. The move is a real change from the pair's more famous sides of the late 50s and early 60s – and with no drums and bass to get in the way, they drift around warmly, working together and apart as old friends with a great deal of sympathy for each other. Titles include "Koto Song", "Blue Dove", "Stardust", "Alice In Wonderland", and "Summer Song". LP, Vinyl record album

The roots of a legend – and a massive look at the early work of the great Desmond Dekker – the singer who would soon explode on the global scene as one of the first big ambassadors of Jamaican music, heard here on a whole host of singles done at the start of his career! The set brings together titles that Dekker cut for producer Leslie Kong – some as a solo act, some as a member of The Aces – and the package includes both sides of every single, so that you'll also get some very cool instrumental cuts from Roland Alphonso and the Beverleys All-Stars! Titles include "It's A Shame", "007 (Shanty Town)", "Wise Man", "Madgie", "Sinners Prepare", "Parents", "You've Got Your Troubles", "Keep A Cool Head", "Sweet Music", "Unity", "Dracula", "Pretty Africa", "Sabotage", and "Mount Zion". CD

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A fantastic early reggae hit – and a classic bit of rocksteady that never grows old! Desmond was one of the first artists to really crack the global charts, and this American pressing of "Israelites" is more than proof of his popularity – as well as a great little tune! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The team of Paul Desmond and Jim Hall was one of the best ideas ever forged in American jazz of the 60s – and the icy pair are perfect company together on this album of bossa-inflected tracks with a very cool edge! The album allows Desmond's alto to take on a warmth and flowing quality it never had in the Dave Brubeck group – and Hall's guitar work, while a masterpiece of understatement, brings in just the right amount of ringing tone to echo out the brilliance of Desmond's ideas. Gene Wright and Connie Kay complete the group, and titles include "O Gato", "Samba Cantina", "Girl From East 9th", "Ship Without A Sail", and "Bossa Antigua". LP, Vinyl record album

The team of Paul Desmond and Jim Hall was one of the best ideas ever forged in American jazz of the 60s – and the icy pair are perfect company together on this album of bossa-inflected tracks with a very cool edge! The album allows Desmond's alto to take on a warmth and flowing quality it never had in the Dave Brubeck group – and Hall's guitar work, while a masterpiece of understatement, brings in just the right amount of ringing tone to echo out the brilliance of Desmond's ideas. Gene Wright and Connie Kay complete the group, and titles include "O Gato", "Samba Cantina", "Girl From East 9th", "Ship Without A Sail", and "Bossa Antigua". Plus, this excellent CD reissue features 2 bonus tracks – the groovy "Samba Cepeda" and an alternate take of "O Gato". CD

The legendary alto saxophonist Paul Desmond serves up his own versions of key tunes by Simon & Garfunkel – with results that are simply amazing, and very different than the originals! The style here takes all the airy brilliance of the original S&G tunes, and turns it towards a more jazz-based mode – one that has some of the slight Brazilian undercurrents in the rhythms that you'll find on Desmond's previous two albums for CTI! The full arrangements are by Don Sebesky, who brings a great sense of balance to the set – and Herbie Hancock plays some great electric piano, in a group that also features Airto on percussion and Gene Bertoncini on guitar. But the real star of the set is Paul Desmond – blowing with that amazing tone of his – and sliding from tune to tune with effortless ease, in a way that really transforms these tunes in their instrumental readings. Titles include "Cecilia", "Mrs. Robinson", "America", "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright", and "Scarborough Fair" – all done with a sweet jazzy A&M approach! LP, Vinyl record album

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

Genius in one of its purest forms! Paul Desmond's alto sax was honed to perfection by the time of these recordings – worked out through fame in the Dave Brubeck Quartet years of the late 50s and early 60s, but also relaxed in a confidence that makes these sides completely majestic, and utterly fantastic! Desmond's tone and approach are languid – but in a way that's incredibly compelling: notes just floating out of the horn, almost effortlessly, seeming not to come from Desmond himself, but to him, gathered together by his warmth and good wit, honed in further by the spare and gentle guitar work of the great Jim Hall – and heard in the company of Gerry Mulligan on one album too! The package is great – with mini LP-styled cover reproductions of 60s RCA classics that include Desmond Blue, Take Ten, Bossa Antigua, Glad To Be Unhappy, Easy Living, and Two Of A Mind – with a booklet of notes, too. CD

A cool jazz classic from altoist Paul Desmond and guitarist Jim Hall! The album was recorded under Desmond's name, but Hall's the guitarist throughout, and his playing lends an indescribably wonderful edge to the set, making the album a real team effort! Unlike other RCA sides by Hall and Desmond, this one features the pair with larger string backings by Bob Prince, which create a dreamy pillow for alto and guitar to solo across. Titles include the Desmond originals "Late Lament" and "Desmond Blue" – plus "Ill Wind", "My Funny Valentine", and "Like Someone In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A perfect complement to Paul's other early CTI album – From The Hot Afternoon – and like that one, this album's a swirling match of tracks that mix together bossa rhythms, jazzy orchestrations, and Desmond's impeccably sharp alto sax. Don Sebesky handled the arrangements, giving the album a slightly more moody sound than the other CTI set – and players include Airto, Mike Maineri, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Idris Muhammad (as Leo Morris). Titles include "North By Northwest", "Olvidar", "Samba With Some Barbeque", "Where Is Love?", and "Lady In Cement". LP, Vinyl record album

That's "Take Ten", not "Take Five" – a great title cut that echoes Paul Desmond's previous work with Dave Brubeck – but which then gives way quickly to some sweet bossa-styled grooves done with guitar from Jim Hall! The album's one of the strongest of the Hall/Desmond collaborations for RCA – A sublime showcase not just for Paul's impeccable alto, but also for the amazing tones and chromes that fly freely from the strings of Jim's guitar! Both players are set up with just a bit of gentle backing – light percussion from Connie Kay, and a bit of bass from Gene Cherico or Gene Wright. The whole thing's a well-conceived study in economy, as the two players craft sly and subtle lines around spare drum and bass backings – slowly hanging sound in space to weave a rich web of sound that's as compelling as it seems to be effortless! Titles include "Take Ten", "El Prince", "Embarcadero", "Samba De Orfeu", "Theme From Black Orpheus", and "Alone Together". Plus, the CD reissue features 3 bonus tracks – "Out Of Nowhere", and alternate takes of "El Prince" and "Embarcadero". CD

A reunion of sorts for Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan – given that the pair had played together on record 5 years before, in a similar session for Verve! This album's almost lighter and more airy than the previous one – as it's done in a mode that echoes strongly with Desmond's own genius at RCA at the time – using a piano-less quartet format that has both horns carving out their own subtle space in sound, hanging together, but each occupying a different range of tonal color. The tracks are relatively longish, and the pair dart around each other nicely on tracks like "All The Things You Are", "Out Of Nowhere", "Blight Of The Fumble Bee", and "Two Of A Mind". CD

A cool jazz classic from altoist Paul Desmond and guitarist Jim Hall! The album was recorded under Desmond's name, but Hall's the guitarist throughout, and his playing lends an indescribably wonderful edge to the set, making the album a real team effort! Unlike other RCA sides by Hall and Desmond, this one features the pair with larger string backings by Bob Prince, which create a dreamy pillow for alto and guitar to solo across. Titles include the Desmond originals "Late Lament" and "Desmond Blue" – plus "Ill Wind", "My Funny Valentine", and "Like Someone In Love". CD features 7 bonus tracks – masters and alternates, but tunes not on the album, including "Autumn Leaves", "Imagination", and "Advise & Consent". New notes, and extra photos too! CD

Paul Desmond doesn't get any better than this – blowing his icy cool alto next to warm guitar lines from the mighty Jim Hall – a classic RCA Records pairing in jazz, heard to great effect on this classic album! There's a slight bossa groove to some of the rhythms, which is great for Desmond's sound – and the backing is also free of piano, so the guitar and alto hang together wonderfully by themselves – suspended in space, dipping and turning around each other beautifully! The pair get some very light rhythmic accompaniment from Connie Kay on drums, and either Percy Heath or Gene Wright on bass – on titles that include "That Old Feeling", "Easy Living", "Blues For Fun", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "When Joanna Loved Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Roger Kellaway on piano and Randy Brecker on trumpet. CD

Gerry Mulligan with Paul Desmond, the University Of Illinois Orchestra with Gerry Mulligan & Al Belleto, Freddy Gray & Loyola Stage University Band. CD

Landmark work from Desmond Dekker – one of the first Jamaican artists to break bigger on the global scene at the end of the 60s – thanks to soulful sets like this! The music is still very much in a rocksteady mode, but has some currents of ska that's kept it on turntables for years – not the upbeat variant of the genre, but the laidback mode that was perfect for a hot night in Jamaica – when nobody ever wanted the grooves to move too fast! Both the instrumentation and production are impeccable – the latter handled by Leslie Kong – and Desmond is completely charming throughout, on titles that include "Music Like Dirt", "Rudy Got Soul", "007", "Sabotage", "Wise Man", "Shing A Ling", "Unity", "Mother Pepper", and "Mother's Young Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to be unhappy in a setting like this – a classic RCA session from the 60s, and one that matches the sublime icy alto sax of Paul Desmond with the perfectly airy guitar of the great Jim Hall! The pair work simple wonders with familiar tunes on the set – bringing together a love of the understated, mixed with a desire to delight and surprise – a quality that plays out wonderfully throughout the course of the record, and keeps us hanging with a sense of joy and delight. The group's completed by bass and drums – with no piano for rhythm, leaving the guitar and alto suspended in mid-air – and titles include "Any Other time", "Glad To Be Unhappy", "Poor Butterfly", "Stranger In Town", and "Taste Of Honey". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

One of our favorite Paul Desmond records of all time – a set of understated brilliance that really lets him display his genius! Desmond at this time had been lost in some other sets that respected his talents, but didn't offer the greatest proof that he'd been growing as an artist – and this live album presents his magical alto work in a totally unfettered setting, with just guitar, bass, and drums backing him up. The spare sound is simply sublime – as Desmond's alto floats in air, magically picking notes out of nowhere, and illuminating the empty space with notes that seem to fall from the heavens. Titles include "Manha De Carnaval", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Wave", "Wendy", and "Take Five" – all done in nice long takes! LP, Vinyl record album

Features Paul Desmond on alto, Jim Hall on guitar, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Tracks include "For All We Know", "East Of The Sun", "Susie", and "I Get A Kick Out Of You". CD

An album of sublime understatement from alto genius Paul Desmond! Desmond was one of the few players who resisted the lure of the 70s electric CTI sound – and stuck pretty much in his usual bag of easy-going grooves, blowing alto with effortless ease, working here with a quartet that includes Ed Bickert on guitar, Connie Kay on drums, and Ron Carter on bass. The tracks are short, but have that magical Desmond quality to them – no tricks, no electric work, just pure and simple coolly blown jazz. Titles include "Everything I Love", "Squeeze Me", "I'm Old Fashioned", "Nuages", and "Why Shouldn't I". CD features 2 bonus tracks "Wave" and "MASH". CD

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Dave and the quartet pay tribute to the songwriting genius of Cole Porter – working with familiar older tunes, but nicely unlocking them with a strong sense of Brubeck modernism! Things start out slow, but get extremely playful as the set goes on – with fresh timings and phrasings that move the chestnuts past their usual territory – and allow some great space for crisp alto solos by Paul Desmond, always a treat in any Brubeck set! Dave himself sounds slightly heavier in his left hand on the keys – hitting things with a harder tone than one might expect for a Cole Porter session, and again making for an unusual twist for the material. Titles include "Night & Day", "Anything Goes", "Love For Sale", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "All Through The Night", and "You're The Top". CD

An early version of the quartet – with Paul Desmond on alto, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. Titles include "Audrey", "Jeepers Creepers", "Stompin For Mili", "A Fine Romance", and "Brother Can You Spare A Dime". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little live set – nicely extended, with the kind of surprises that Brubeck could bring to his concert appearances! The group's his classic quartet – with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. Tracks include "Eleven Four", "St. Louis Blues", "For All We Know", "Castillian Drums", and "Blue Rondo a la Turk". CD

With Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of classic work by Dave's group with Paul Desmond – featuring 5 tunes from West Side Story, inlcuding "Tonight", "Somewhere", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty", plus others from shows and standards. The group, as usual, really opens up the tunes – and Desmond's icily skating alto really makes the best of the material. Other titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", and "Night & Day". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of classic work by Dave's group with Paul Desmond – featuring 5 tunes from West Side Story, inlcuding "Tonight", "Somewhere", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty", plus others from shows and standards. The group, as usual, really opens up the tunes – and Desmond's icily skating alto really makes the best of the material. Other titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", and "Night & Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 31 tracks, mostly from Brubeck's classic Columbia recordings with Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright, and Joe Morello. CD

A sweet live set from Dave Brubeck's early years on Columbia Records – recorded in New York, but with all the calculated cool and modern tones Brubeck first forged in the San Francisco scene of the 50s! Paul Desmond's on board on alto sax – really getting a lot of space to stretch out on the album's extended performances, with a haunting, floating tone that really sends us. Remaining members include Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums – and tracks include "Lover", "Love Walked In", "The Duke", "Little Girl Blue", and "Fare Thee Well Annabelle". CD features 2 bonus tracks, previously unissued – "Taking A Chance On Love" and "Closing Time Blues". CD

A classic album from San Francisco pianist Dave Brubeck – recorded at Oberlin College, the mid-Ohio haven of bohemiana, and a growing hotbed of jazz activity centered around students in the college's conservatory of music at the time of the recording! Dave and crew made the trip at the request of the kids – breaking from their mostly San Francisco-based recording career to cut what would end up becoming a very successful album in Dave's catalog, and begin a whole "at" or "goes to" series in his career – followed up at many other locations. The group's the early quartet with Paul Desmond on alto, Ron Crotty on bass, and Lloyd Davis on drums – and tunes include long and jamming versions of "The Way You Look Tonight", "How High The Moon", and "Stardust". LP, Vinyl record album

The Dave Brubeck Quartet goes to college – a pretty good place for the combo, considering how many fans they had on campus in the 50s! The sound here is never too academic for the setting, though – just the same sort of Brubeck groove first forged in the small clubs in San Francisco – played beautifully by an incarnation of the quartet that includes Paul Desmond on alto sax, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. The long, bluesy "Balcony Rock" is a real gem, with some standout work by Desmond that reminds us that he could be a great improvisor in an extended format – and other tracks include "Out Of Nowhere, "Le Souk", "The Song Is You", "Don't Worry Bout Me", and "Take The A Train". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued live material from the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – that legendary lineup that features Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums – playing together here with a sensitivity and sympathy for each other that may well surpass their famous early recordings as a group! Brubeck always seems to bring something special to a live setting – and in this case, there's an especially surprising moment – the 17 minute track "Blues For Joe", which is very different than the usual work of the group – balanced out by performances of "Rude Old Man", "Take Five", "Cielito Lindo", "Forty Days", "La Paloma Azul", and "Three To Get Ready". CD

A classic live set from Brubeck – with some great alto work from Paul Desmond! LP, Vinyl record album

Like Dave Brubeck's legendary Time Out set? Try this one – a great record that takes off from the concept of the first, but which goes in some very fresh new directions – using the same great group with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums! Dave's still working out some nutty time signatures here – but apart from the science, the thing that really makes the record cook is Desmond's alto – icy, edgey, floating, and always a treat – almost even more amazing in the space of some of these offbeat numbers. Titles include "Maori Blues", "Far More Drums", "Bluetee", "Far More Blue", and "It's A Raggy Waltz". CD features 2 bonus tracks "Slow & Easy" and "It's A Raggy Waltz (live at Carnegie Hall)". CD

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". 2CD version features a set of previously unreleased Dave Brubeck material recorded at Newport in the early 60s – 8 rare bonus tracks on a separate CD – plus a DVD that features an interview with Dave on Time Out, historic Brubeck performance footage, a piano lesson, and a photo grallery too! CD

One of the coolest collaborations of Dave Brubeck's years at Columbia Records – and one of the greatest jazz sessions from vocalist Jimmy Rushing too! On paper, the modernist Brubeck and Kansas City roots singer Rushing would seem to be a very unlikely pair – but by this time in his career, Jimmy had gotten extremely inventive and was very open to new ideas – and manages to lend his amazing vocals to some sublime instrumental backdrops from the Brubeck quartet! Dave unlocks a whole host of bluesy tones for the session, and really matches Rushing's energy – and Paul Desmond's alto sounds somewhat unusual in that setting, but with a real appeal too – a very unusual sound for a record like this. Titles include "There'll Be Some Changes Made", "My Melancholy Baby", "Blues In The Dark", "I Never Knew", "Ain't Misbehavin", "Evenin", "All By Myself", "River Stay Way From My Door", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Am I Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest collaborations of Dave Brubeck's years at Columbia Records – and one of the greatest jazz sessions from vocalist Jimmy Rushing too! On paper, the modernist Brubeck and Kansas City roots singer Rushing would seem to be a very unlikely pair – but by this time in his career, Jimmy had gotten extremely inventive and was very open to new ideas – and manages to lend his amazing vocals to some sublime instrumental backdrops from the Brubeck quartet! Dave unlocks a whole host of bluesy tones for the session, and really matches Rushing's energy – and Paul Desmond's alto sounds somewhat unusual in that setting, but with a real appeal too – a very unusual sound for a record like this. Titles include "There'll Be Some Changes Made", "My Melancholy Baby", "Blues In The Dark", "I Never Knew", "Ain't Misbehavin", "Evenin", "All By Myself", "River Stay Way From My Door", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Am I Blue". CD features the previously unreleased bonus track "Shine On Harvest Moon". CD

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", and "Someday My Prince Will Come". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "Very Good Advice". CD

A rare meeting of 2 modern talents from the 50s – joined together in one unique performance from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1971! The baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan's a nice contrast to the usual Brubeck alto of Paul Desmond – long-departed from Dave's combo by this time, but referenced strongly by Gerry in his fluid lines for the set, almost a solo culmination here of previous recorded duets with Desmond in earlier years. Tracks are all quite longish, and given that Dave's group here features Jack Six on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, there's a quality to the session that's a fait bit more rhythmic than before – pulsating strongly with forceful lines on Brubeck's piano, and an overall feel that's much more freewheeling than you'd expect! Album features 3 long tunes – "Blues For Newport", "Open The Gates", and "Take Five". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album from guitarist Jim Hall – different than some of his other work, and with a slightly harder edge! The unique session has him playing in an MPS 60s mode – more straight-on than some of his more airy moments – with a sound and tone that still recalls his work with Paul Desmond or Art Farmer, but a more direct approach, and an occasional groove as well! The trio's as unique as the record – the great Jimmy Woode on bass and drums from Daniel Humair – and titles include "Blue Joe", "Romaine", "Young One For Debra", "Body & Soul", and a great version of "Up Up & Away", which soars to the sky in a way you'd never expect from Jim! LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Paul Desmond, Bill Smith, Carl Parkins, Red Kelly, Red Mitchell, Monty Budwig, Percy Heath, Shelly Manne and Connie Kay. CD

Mulligan always sounds great next to a tenor – especially in the Verve series that has him teamed up with players like Johnny Hodges, Paul Desmond, or Stan Getz. This release, cut with Ben Webster upfront, is one of the best of that series – and features the pair blowing easily and soulfully on some long tracks with rhythm by Jimmy Rowles, Leroy Vinnegar, and Mel Lewis. Titles include "Go Home", "The Cat Walk", "Sunday", "Who's Got Rhythm", and "Tell Me When". CD

One of the most ambitious albums on CTI – a very large project in which Don Sebesky seems to work with just about everyone else who recorded for the label! The Giant Box title is apt – as the record originally came packaged in a cardboard box – room enough to hold the 2 records that comprised it, all the long tunes on the set, and the huge array of cast who helped out on the project. Players include Sebesky on organ, piano, and electric piano – plus Baws, Joe Farrell, Paul Desmond, and many others. There's some sweet vocal backgrounds on the set – by Jackie & Roy, Lani Groves, and Tasha Thomas – and titles include "Vocalise", "Semi Tough", "Firebird/Birds Of Fire", "Free As A Bird", and "Song To A Seagul". Great stuff – with bits of funk, jazz, and ambitious arrangements – all filtered into the cool CTI sound! LP, Vinyl record album

Only the first full album on Soul Tune, and the label's got themselves a set of All-Stars – a Swedish combo who seem driven by the talents of Niclas Wretelid – who plays drums, bass, keyboards, and even horns – emerging here as a one-man all-star all by himself! Yet there's also some good contributions by other members, too – especially singers Anna Thiam and Desmond Foster, who balance out the instrumental funk with some great vocal moments – especially Thiam, who's got a warmth and depth that's a nice change from some of the too-easy retro soul vocals we usually hear on records like this. Titles include "Day To Day", "Mother Nature", "World", "Don't Stop", "Spread The Message", "Natural Feeling", and "Latin Mama". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A great little set of rocksteady and early reggae tracks – featuring 16 gems recorded in the late 60s by producer Leslie Kong. Titles include "Monkey Man" by The Maytals, "Rivers Of Babylon" by The Melodians, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, "Monkey Girl" by The Maytals, "Freedom Street" by Ken Boothe, "Peeping Tom" by The Maytals, "Samfie Man" by The Pioneers, "Night Flight" by Ansell Collins, and "Gave You My Love" by Delroy Wilson. CD

With selections by The Association, Three Dog Night, Procol Harum, Lovin' Spoonful, Friend & Lover, Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Spanky & Our Gang, Harpers Bizarre, Nazz, Mojo Men, Critters, and Thunderclap Newman. LP, Vinyl record album

The Trojan Records label was a pivotal force in taking reggae to a larger audience at the end of the 60s – pushing a huge amount of Jamaican artists into the global scene, and forever helping the sound of music in the process! Trojan was especially heavy in the years of ska and rocksteady, and this package is filled with some of the key cuts the label helped put on the map – tracks that are classic numbers from the early reggae years, and which had a hell of a lot of power both in Jamaica, and overseas in the UK! 2CD set features 50 tracks in all – and titles include "007" by Desmond Dekker & The Aces, "Double Barrel" by Dave & Ansel Collins, "Everything I Own" by Ken Boothe, "Uptown Top Ranking" by Althea & Donna, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker & The Aces, "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" by The Pioneers, "54 46 Was My Number" by the Maytals, "Monkey Spanner" by Dave & Ansel Collins, "OK Fred" by Errol Dunkley, "Girlie Girlie" by Sophia George, "Money In My Pocket" by Dennis Brown, "Black Pearl" by Horace Faith, "You Can Get It If You Really Want" by Desmond Dekker, and "To Be Young Gifted & Black" by Bob & Marcia. CD

The Trojan Records label was a pivotal force in taking reggae to a larger audience at the end of the 60s – pushing a huge amount of Jamaican artists into the global scene, and forever helping the sound of music in the process! Trojan was especially heavy in the years of ska and rocksteady, and this package is filled with some of the key cuts the label helped put on the map – tracks that are classic numbers from the early reggae years, and which had a hell of a lot of power both in Jamaica, and overseas in the UK! 2LP set features 28 tracks in all – and titles include "007" by Desmond Dekker & The Aces, "Double Barrel" by Dave & Ansel Collins, "Everything I Own" by Ken Boothe, "Uptown Top Ranking" by Althea & Donna, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker & The Aces, "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" by The Pioneers, "54 46 Was My Number" by the Maytals, "Monkey Spanner" by Dave & Ansel Collins, "OK Fred" by Errol Dunkley, "Girlie Girlie" by Sophia George, "Money In My Pocket" by Dennis Brown, "Black Pearl" by Horace Faith, "You Can Get It If You Really Want" by Desmond Dekker, and "To Be Young Gifted & Black" by Bob & Marcia. LP, Vinyl record album

An early version of the quartet – with Paul Desmond on alto, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. Titles include "Audrey", "Jeepers Creepers", "Stompin For Mili", "A Fine Romance", and "Brother Can You Spare A Dime". CD

A surprisingly nice little album from Brubeck – one that's mostly comprised of old-fashioned type tunes, but which all take on a hip new light in the hands of his classic quartet! As usual, Paul Desmond's one of the main assets of the set – working with Brubeck to forge a slightly off-beat and swinging approach that brings plenty of nice moments to tunes like "Gone With The Wind", "Ol Man River", "Shortnin Bread", "Camptown Races", and "The Lonesome Road". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic early live material from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums – and titles include "Laura", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "For All We Know", "All The Things You Are", and "I'll Never Smile Again". CD

Dave Brubeck takes on the Eurasian scene – with wonderfully groovy results! The album's one of Brubeck's first in the "impressions" series, and it's a really colorful assortment of tunes – tracks with some lyrical and exotic moments that come through strongly, and which really offer a slightly different take on the Brubeck groove. Paul Desmond's alto sax is key to the sound here, and so is the progressive percussion of Joe Morello – and in addition to Brubeck's piano, the quartet also features bass from Joe Benjamin. Titles are all originals by Dave, and they include "Calcutta Blues", "Marble Arch", "Brandenburg Gate", "Nomad", and "The Golden Horn". LP, Vinyl record album

Unreleased live material from the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – recorded at a time when the group was really making waves with its famous albums on Columbia Records, and playing here with a much more open, extended style than on those more compact LPs! The lineup features Dave on piano, Paul Desmond on alto, Gene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums – and the set features long takes of "That Lonesome Road", "Gone With The Wind", "Two Part Contention", "Basin Street Blues", and "When The Saints Go Marching In" – all given that very personal, very modern Dave Brubeck spin! LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". CD

Captured in performance at the 1956 American Jazz Festival in Newport, RI. Brubeck plays with his quartet, with Paul Desmond on saxophone, Norman Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums; and Johnson and Winding are accompanied by Dick Katz on piano, Bill Crow on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's not only a landmark in Jamaican music – but also a set that was to reggae what Curtis Mayfield's Superfly was to 70s soul! In other words, the set not only raised the bar for all the competition, it also ended up in a lot more record collections than most of them too – maybe in part because it was a soundtrack, as was Superfly – but also because it has this global power that makes it a defining album of the genre! Jimmy Cliff is obviously the mainman here, but there's help from other key players in the growing reggae scene – and titles include Jimmy's classic "You Can Get It If You Really Want", in two versions – plus two takes on "The Harder They Come", "Many Rivers To Cross", and "Sitting In Limbo" – plus "Sweet & Dandy" and "Pressure Drop" by The Maytals, "007" by Desmond Dekker, "Johnny Too Bad" by The Slicers, "Draw Your Brakes" by Scotty, and "Rivers Of Babylon" by The Melodians. LP, Vinyl record album

A great return to form for Chet Baker – his first record in a number of years away from the studio, and proof that his genius could adapt to just about any setting! The album's got a tight focus that's probably one of the keys to its success – a set of arrangements by Don Sebesky that mix lusher moments with some more tightly snapping rhythms – a blend that allows Chet to display the full range of his talents without veering too far in one direction. Paul Desmond plays some great alto on the record, really bringing in a strong sense of crispness to a few numbers – and instrumentation also includes great electric piano from Bob James, vibes from Dave Friedman, and flute from Hubert Laws. Baker sings on a few numbers, and titles include "Autumn Leaves", "She Was Too Good To Me", "Funk In Deep Freeze", "Tangerine", "With A Song In My Heart", "What'll I Do", and "It's You Or No One". LP, Vinyl record album

A famous pairing of talents from the early 60s – Columbia Records giants Dave Brubeck and Tony Bennett, both recorded at a time when that label was at the forefront of jazz in the US – joined up for a special performance at the end of the set! The special performance was done at the Kennedy-era White House – and features an initial instrumental set from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – with completely amazing alto from Paul Desmond, especially on the album's long reading of "Nomad" – one of our favorite overlooked tunes by the the group at the time – plus versions of "Take Five", "Castillian Blues", and "Thank You". Tony Bennett then takes the stage with backings by the Ralph Sharon trio – on titles that include "Make Someone Happy", "One For My Baby", "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", and "Just In Time". But the real highlight of the set is when Bennett sings with backings from the Dave Brubeck Trio – in a mode that's both different from Tony's work with Bill Evans or Basie, and from Brubeck's work with singers like Jimmy Rushing or Carmen McRae! Titles from the Brubeck/Bennett lineup include "That Old Black Magic", "There Will Never Be Another You", "Lullaby Of Broadway", and "Chicago". CD

An unusual Dave Brubeck set from the start of the 60s – surprisingly on Fantasy, given his Columbia fame of the time – and with a slightly different lineup that features the great Bill Smith on clarinet! Smith's got a cool modern sound that's not unlike Jimmy Giuffre – icy but expressive too, and both a great fit for the band because and apart from their usual work with Paul Desmond! Eugene Wright's still on bass, and Joe Morello plays some wonderfully time-kept drums – on titles that include "The Piper", "Frisco Fog", "Lydian Line", "Ballade", "One For The Kids", "Catch Me If You Can", and "Peace Brother". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful later work by the Dave Brubeck Quartet – an overlooked gem from their 60s Columbia sessions, and an album that features interpretations of tunes written by the great Matt Dennis! Dennis had a way with a tune that often put dark corners in the back of lovely melodies – and this subtle sense of emotion is a perfect foil for the understated talents of Paul Desmond's alto work on the set. Brubeck himself is nice too – less trick-oriented than usual, in a way that lets us focus on the colors of his tone – and drummer Joe Morello and bassist Eugene Wright are in top form, as usual. Titles include "Violets For Your Furs", "Let's Get Away From It All", "Little Man With The Candy Cigar", "Will You Still Be Mine", and "Everything Happens To Me". CD

Way more than just a gimmicky bossa nova session – and a surprisingly great showcase for the inventive rhythms of the Brubeck group, and the sensitive alto work of Paul Desmond! The record's got a really different feel than some of Dave's other work for Columbia – in that the modernism is put slightly on the back burner – letting drummer Joe Morello snap out with some lightly gliding percussion that's a bit more straight ahead than usual, and which offers a unique take on the bossa groove. Paul Desmond's the real star of the set, though – and his alto steps out here with the best gentle presence of his later work for RCA and A&M – beautifully blown throughout, and with a tone that most other players would die for! Titles include "Bossa Nova USA", "Coracao Sensivel", "Theme For June", "Lamento", and "Cantiga Nova Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

A live gem from the classic Dave Brubeck Quartet – and a great reminder that the group could almost be even more exciting in a concert setting than on their studio albums! The date is 1962, and the combo is in perfect form – sublime alto from Paul Desmond, and always-inventive rhythms from Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass – fused perfectly with Dave's piano, but also very open and spontaneous here – with this extra sort of crackle that makes us know that although working at the level of perfection, these guys are still just mere mortals too! The set features a 12 minute take on "Brandenburg Gate" with a solo by Desmond that's simply stunning – and other cuts include "Since Love Had Its Way", "King For A Day", "Good Reviews", and "Cultural Exchange". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously unissued live recording from Dave Brubeck and his classic quartet – Paul Desmond on alto saxophone, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums1 CD

Never-heard live work from Dave Brubeck's legendary quartet – recorded overseas right at the time they were first breaking big on Columbia Record – and with a creative modern energy that shows them right about to leap into Time Out territory! The tunes here are mostly familiar, but given wonderfully fresh readings, thanks to Dave's sense of timing – augmented with the creative rhythms of Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass – and topped with the always-sublime work of Paul Desmond on alto sax! The recording quality is wonderful – and titles include "Watusi Drums", "For All We Know", "One Moment Worth Years", "The Duke", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Two Part Contention", and "The Wright Groove". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2-fer – with 2 different classics from Dave Brubeck! First up is Gone With The Wind – a surprisingly nice little album from Brubeck – one that's mostly comprised of old-fashioned type tunes, but which all take on a hip new light in the hands of his classic quartet! As usual, Paul Desmond's one of the main assets of the set – working with Brubeck to forge a slightly off-beat and swinging approach that brings plenty of nice moments to tunes like "Gone With The Wind", "Ol Man River", "Shortnin Bread", "Camptown Races", and "The Lonesome Road". Time Out is easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic early albums from San Francisco pianist Dave Brubeck! Jazz at Oberlin was famously recorded at the mid-Ohio college and haven of bohemiana, and a growing hotbed of jazz activity centered around students in the college's conservatory of music at the time of the recording! Dave and crew made the trip at the request of the kids – breaking from their mostly San Francisco-based recording career to cut what would end up becoming a very successful album in Dave's catalog, and begin a whole "at" or "goes to" series in his career – followed up at many other locations. The group's the early quartet with Paul Desmond on alto, Ron Crotty on bass, and Lloyd Davis on drums – and tunes include long and jamming versions of "The Way You Look Tonight", "How High The Moon", and "Stardust". College Of The Pacific is another great live set from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums – and titles include "Laura", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "For All We Know", "All The Things You Are", and "I'll Never Smile Again". CD

A great set – unissued material from the same concert that gave us the original College Of The Pacific album! Classic early live material from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums. CD

The Dave Brubeck Quartet goes to college – a pretty good place for the combo, considering how many fans they had on campus in the 50s! The sound here is never too academic for the setting, though – just the same sort of Brubeck groove first forged in the small clubs in San Francisco – played beautifully by an incarnation of the quartet that includes Paul Desmond on alto sax, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. The long, bluesy "Balcony Rock" is a real gem, with some standout work by Desmond that reminds us that he could be a great improvisor in an extended format – and other tracks include "Out Of Nowhere, "Le Souk", "The Song Is You", "Don't Worry Bout Me", and "Take The A Train". CD

Long tracks, with some great alto from Paul Desmond! Titles include "Bru's Blues", "These Foolish Things", and "One Moment Worth Years". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Brubeck takes on the Eurasian scene – with wonderfully groovy results! The album's one of Brubeck's first in the "impressions" series, and it's a really colorful assortment of tunes – tracks with some lyrical and exotic moments that come through strongly, and which really offer a slightly different take on the Brubeck groove. Paul Desmond's alto sax is key to the sound here, and so is the progressive percussion of Joe Morello – and in addition to Brubeck's piano, the quartet also features bass from Joe Benjamin. Titles are all originals by Dave, and they include "Calcutta Blues", "Marble Arch", "Brandenburg Gate", "Nomad", and "The Golden Horn". CD

One of the most obscure of Brubeck's Columbia modern sessions – and one of the best! Side one features more "time" oriented tunes played with the Quartet that included Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright, and Joe Morello – but side two features the extended "Elementals" work, written for the quartet with jazz orchestra conducted by Rayburn Wright. Desmond's alto is fantastic on that track – floating, eerie, and quite sophisticatedly swinging – and the others ("Cable Car", "Iberia", "Shim Wha", and "Unisphere") are all strong examples of the quartet's simple genius. CD

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". CD

Rare material from the sessions for one of the greatest jazz albums ever – the legendary 1959 Time Out album by the Dave Brubeck quartet – expanded here with unreleased outtakes from the recording date, which include two tracks that were not even on the original record! The sound of the group is legendary – the crisp alto of Paul Desmond next to the ever-shifting, always-rhythmic piano of Brubeck – the man who brought modern jazz to the masses – aided with the fantastic bass of Eugene Wright and razor-sharp drum work of Joe Morello – every bit as great here as on the album that was released! The first five tracks are pretty close to the originals, with slight variations – a testament to the well-rehearsed nature of the group – but the added tunes really show the record in formation, as does the extra banter between the band that's included at the end. New titles include "Watusi Jam" and "I'm In A Dancing Mood" – alongside alternate takes of "Blue Rondo A La Turk", "Take Five", "Cathy's Waltz", "Three To Get Ready", and "Strange Meadowlark". CD