Raw and rumbling gospel sounds from the Designer Records vaults – real and resonant southern gospel from Reverend Douglas Bell & Th Stage Cruisers! Heavy vocals & sermonizing with swirling organ and wailing keyboards along with the impassioned vocals. As with the material on the Together compilation, the material is well produced, with bluesy, gritty immediacy. Titles include "Nuclear Blast", "Bitter And The Sweet", "I Got To Make Heaven My Home", "Hard Love Affair", "I Got A Home", "I'll Fight Goliath", "How Many Miles To Heaven", "What You Need From The Lord" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A legendary album from a legendary moment in jazz – and one that's got a very unique lineup, given that the young tenor genius John Coltrane meets up here with the brilliant piano of Cecil Taylor! The pair were both very influential in the farther reaches of jazz, yet in very different ways – so working here together on this unique session really creates a special moment in jazz – as both musicians are an incredible force on record, and create a really strong sense of tension throughout. The rest of the group is great – Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Chuck Israels on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – an equally unique blend of talents brought together for the session – stretching out on long tracks that include "Shifting Down", "Double Clutching", and "Just Friends". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring disco from Carol Douglas – a tightly produced set, but one that still has a surprising degree of soul! Douglas has a way of holding it together a bit more than some of her contemporaries on the Midsong label – and the backings here are all by John Davis, and filled with warm touches that are heavy on Philly Soul influences. There's plenty of strings, but also a core combo with Davis on the keyboards – and the percussion stands out nicely on many numbers. Titles include "Full Bloom Suite", "I Want To Stay With You", "We're Gonna Make It", "We Do It", and "I Got You On My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Carol's at the top of her game in this set of full-sounding disco numbers arranged and conducted by John Davis – singing with that heartfelt tone that still has plenty of great traces of AM radio soul, but which also slides nicely into the smoother, sophisti-club arrangements of the set. There's no real standout singles on the set, but a few of the tracks have some nice hooks – and titles include "Lie To Me", "Life Time Guarantee", "Crime Don't Pay", "Headline News", and "Midnight Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Douglas on trumpet, Louis Sclavis on clarinet and bass clarinet, Peggy Lee on cello, and Dylan Van Der Schyff on drums and electronics. CD

Seminal work from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a half dozen albums recorded for the Black Saint/Soul Note labels, all of which show his depth and diversity – some with Douglas as a leader, some as a key player in other groups! Even at the start, Douglas showed a tremendous ability to step out into new settings and explore new ideas – which he certainly does on the albums in this set – each of which represents a different facet of his abilities, in ways that together make the package one hell of a collection! Albums include Parallel Worlds, which features a quartet with Mark Feldman on violin and Mark Dresser on bass; Force Green, led by bassist Mark Dresser, and featuring very interesting work on voice by Theo Bleckman; Bounce, a record by the John Lindberg Ensemble – led by bassist Lindberg, and also featuring saxes from Larry Ochs, and great drums from Ed Thigpen; Rova's 1995 recording of John Coltrane's Ascension, with three tenor saxes, two altos, two trumpets, two bassists, piano, and drums; Convergence, which features a group with Fedman on violin and Erik Friedlander on cello; and Dave Douglas Five, which has a quintet with Mark Feldman on violin, Erik Friedlander on cello, Drew Dress on bass, and Michael Sarin on drums. 6 albums in all – all in tiny LP-styled sleeves. CD

A musical gift from trumpeter Dave Douglas – working here in a quartet that features some fantastic work on tneor from James Brandon Lewis! Lewis is becoming a musician who's as fluid and adaptable as Douglas has been over his many years and many projects – and the pair explore some great sonic space in the company of guitarist Rafiq Bhatia and drummer Ian Chang – both players who create the sort of unconventional setting that always makes Dave sound his best. Bhatia's got an especially great style – these colors that shift in shape and tone with slight edges, and a sense of pacing that's very unique – which, when coupled with the performances of Douglas and Lewis, makes for an album that might be one of the best Greenleaf releases in eyars. Titles include "Day Dream", "Blood Count", "Third Dream", "Small Bar", "Rain Check", and "Gifts". CD

With Dave Douglas on trumpet, Chris Potter on tenor sax and bass clarinet, Uri Caine on electric piano, James Genus on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums. CD

Silent film score by trumpeter Dave Douglas – with Jamie Saft on wurlitzer, Marcus Strickland on saxophones, Brad Jones on bass, Gene Lake on drums, and DJ Olive on turntables. Tracks include "Just Another Murder", "Fatty's Day Off", "Famous Players", and "Barnyard Flirtations" – plus a DVD featuring the original 1916 Fatty Arbuckle movie "Fatty & Mabel Adrift" with score by Douglas. CD

Includes work by Uri Caine on Fender Rhodes and Donny McCaslin on tenor! CD

Dave Douglas on trumpet, Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Joshua Roseman on trombone, Greg Tardy on clarinet, bass clarinet and tenor saxophone, Uri Caine on piano, James Genus on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. Tracks are a mix of originals and compositions by Mary Lou Williams. CD

Features Dave Douglas on trumpet – with Chris Speed on tenor, Joshua Roseman on trombone, and Uri Caine on piano! CD

Features Dave Douglas on trumpet, Chris Potter on tenor sax and bass clarinet, Uri Caine on fender rhodes, Bill Frisell on guitar, James Genus on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums and percussion. CD

A really wonderful take on the music of Jimi Hendrix – an all-piano trio headed by Geri Allen, and one that presents Jimi's songs in a wonderful new way! There's a completely different feel to these recordings than any famous Hendrix sides – and Allen really does a great job of unlocking the joy and sensitivity in Jimi's compositions, with some key sonic assistance from pianists Mark and Scot Batson. Titles include "Message To Love", "Cherokee Mist", "Manic Depression", "Wind Cries Mary", "Love Or Confusion", and "1983". CD

The second volume in this seminal series from the mid 70s – one that did a great job of documenting some of the formative underground playing that was happening in the New York loft scene, almost more creative work than in previous generations, thanks to a lack of commercial venues, and hence, commercial constraints on the music. Tracks include "And Then They Danced" by Marion Brown, "Locomotif" by Leo Smith, "Naomi" by Ken McIntyre, and "The Need To Smile" by a group with Byard Lancaster, Sonelius Smith, Don Moye, and Olu Dara. LP, Vinyl record album

A repackaged version of the album To Is A Preposition, Come Is A Verb – a 70's issue of material that was too raunchy to be released in the 60's! This is Lenny Bruce at his finest, with some of the best little bits that made him famous (including many of the ones that were used in the movie Lenny.) The recordings are live, and capture Bruce with that spontaneous riffing mode that was the best side of his genius – doing routines that include "Dirty Toilet", "To Come", "Tits & Ass", and "I Just Do It And That's All". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Eric Dolphy – one of his most perfectly realized moments at the head of a larger ensemble – and a record that definitely set the tone for countless spiritual jazz sessions of the 70s! Dolphy recorded this session for Alan Douglas in 1962, and it features a larger array of players than you'll find on most of his records for other labels – the cream of the "new thing" players that were around New York at the time, including Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Prince Lasha on flute, Sonny Simmons on alto, and even Clifford Jordan on soprano sax – making a rare appearance on record on that instrument! Together, the players create a set of soundscapes that lies somewhere between Dolphy's Out To Lunch album, and some of the more modernist work by Mingus – a stunning batch of tracks that go out, but never too far. Titles include "Ode to CP", "Burning Spear", "Iron Man", and "Mandrake". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare bit of lost rocky funk, recorded by Alan Douglas for his short-lived 70s label. The record includes a lot of nice keyboards by Neil Larson, funky drums by Phillip Wilson, and some heavy guitars by Buzz Feiten. There are also some guest playing by Airto, Ray Barretto, and Randy Brecker – but the core sound's by the funky Full Moon. Some tracks have vocals that are a bit weak, but there are some nice fuzzy funky moments to make up for them. Titles include "The Heavy Scuffle's On", "To Know", "Midnight Pass", "Selfish People", and "Need Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Dizzy Gillespie caught live at Monterey – recorded with a great group during one of our favorite stretches in his career! The combo's kind of a post-Lalo Schifrin quintet, but still shares plenty of the bossa-inspired elements of his tenure with Diz – long tracks, bits of Latin rhythms, and a hip swing that's just right for the 60s! James Moody's in the group on alto, flute, and tenor, Kenny Barron plays piano, Chris White is on bass, and Rudy Collins is on drums – and Jon Hendricks joins the group on vocals for one cut too! Titles include "Morning Of The Carnival", "Dizzy Atmosphere", "Vote Dizzy", "Desafinado", "No More Blues", and "The Cup Bearers". CD

Wild guitar from Luther Johnson – an obscure earlier session recorded with a nicely gritty feel, and a fair bit of funk in the rhythms too! The group's billed as the Muddy Waters Blues Band – and Muddy appears to be on the record, although the notes are a bit lean – and the album features a number of great instrumentals, with really ripping guitar solos – plus a few vocal tracks too. The record's got a raw sound that's more of a Delmark Chicago blues vibe than a Chess Records one – and titles include "Top Of The Boogaloo", "Sting It", "Natural Wig", "Blues For Hippies", "Remember Me", "Snake", and "Sad Day Uptown". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the Last Poets greatest albums – and one of their most sophisticated as well! Gone are the rough-hewn rhymes of the group's first album, and in their place are better arranged, more thought-out tracks that mix in a wealth of musical influences – and which expand the group's verbal expression past simple protests, and into the realm of Jazzoetry that became their trademark during the mid 70s. Tracks include "Related to What", "Black Is", "White Man's Got a God Complex", "Black People What Y'All Gonna Do", and "This is Madness" – and a number of tracks are preceded by strong and forceful chants before the lyrics kick in! LP, Vinyl record album

An intensely jamming album from guitarist John McLaughlin – and a record that set a whole new tone for electric jazz in the 70s! The album was recorded shortly after McLaughlin's work with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew and Tony Williams on the first Emergency album – and in a way, it's a key piece of the jazz-rock fusion puzzle that has those two sets as cornerstones. McLaughlin's working here with keyboardist Larry Young from the Emergency group – playing both his usual organ on the record, plus a bit of electric piano – and the rest of the group includes bassist Billy Rich, plus superdrummer Buddy Miles – really giving a lot of power to the album's sound at the bottom! McLaughlin is getting into a bit of his mystic trip on the record, but is still playing with a lot of electric power here – plenty distorted and fuzzy on most numbers, and really jamming throughout! Titles include "Devotion", "Dragon Song", "Marbles", "Siren", "Don't Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother", and "Purpose Of When". LP, Vinyl record album

Two sides of McLaughlin, both showcasing his spiritual exploratory inclination. The first side of this album features McLaughlin in a group with Billy Cobham, Airto, Charlie Haden, Dave Liebman and Jerry Goodman plus nice Indian touches from Mahalakshmi on sitar and Badal Roy on tabla. They perform two extended numbers, "Peace One" and "Peace Two", both modal free-ish excursions. Side 2 is solo guitar, or rather McLaughlin multi tracking himself, performing number of shorter pieces, like Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and Miles' "Blue In Green", plus "Follow Your Heart", "Something Spiritual" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best of the Wildflower series of freeform loft jazz sessions – and a record that features a side of work apiece by both Sunny Murray and Roscoe Mitchell. Murray leads his Untouchable Factor group, with David Murray, Byard Lancaster, Khan Jamal, and Fred Hopkins – and the group plays Murray's extended piece "Something's Cookin". The other side of the record features Roscoe leading a trio with Jerome Cooper and Don Moye, on the decidedly more moody "Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A great later effort from tenor sax giant Charlie Rouse – a record that's quite different than his 50s hardbop or his 60s modernist work with Thelonious Monk – but still pretty darn great in its own sort of way! The album features Rouse working with a larger ensemble in a batch of tracks that has a distinct Brazilian influence – not one from bossa nova, but from the more sophisticated Brazilian jazz modes of later years – particularly as the style started to pick up from some of the arranging modes used in MPB. The players here are all well-suited to the session – and include Clifford Adams on trombone, Claudio Roditi on trumpet, Dom Salvador on piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Amaury Tristao on acoustic guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Wilbur Bascomb on bass – all working together in a style that's somewhat complicated, yet which has an open-ended flow, and a very joyous sensibility overall! Arrangements are by Dom Salvador and Amaury Tristao – and titles include Salvador's romping groover "On The Corner – a real jazz dance classic – plus "Sertao", "Desencontro", "Alvorada", "Natal No Interior", and "Cravo Canela". LP, Vinyl record album

Muddy Waters' band meets the vocals and guitar of Luther Snake Johnson – in a sweet little set that's almost a double-header, given the talent on deck! The material's got a gritty feel that's right up there with Muddy's best for Chess – and the group features Mojo Buford on harmonica, Otis Spann on piano, and Waters on guitar (Muddy couldn't sing, due to contractual obligations!) Johnson's got a nice rough approach – almost a touch of soul at times – and the group keeps things nicely in a classic 60s electrified Chicago mode. Titles include "Sad Day Uptown", "I'm So Glad", "Chicken Shack", "Long Distance Call", "Digging My Potatoes", "Coming Home Baby", and "Mud In Your Ear". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from the New York avant scene of the mid 70s – an important series of recordings done by Alan Douglas, and sides that initially broke the creative spirit of the scene to a much wider audience! There's a loose, openly creative spirit to these recordings that's a marked change from the intensity of the New York avant recordings of the 70s – a maturity, and confidence, that's come from some of the players' previous work in avant scenes in Chicago, St Louis, and elsewhere – coming together in New York's limelight with some really amazing energy! This 3CD set brings together tracks from all 5 volumes of the original LPs – over 3 hours' of music, with work by players who include Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and David Murray on tenors; Ken McIntyre, Marion Brown, Oliver Lake, Jimmy Lyons, and Byard Lancaster on alto saxes; Randy Weston, Anthony Davis, and Sonelius Smith on piano; Ted Daniel, Leo Smith, and Olu Dara on trumpet; Khan Jamal on vibes, George Lewis on trombone, Jerome cooper on percussion, and many others too! CD

Aerosmith's second album – and a prime slab of badass mid 70s rock – coming close to, maybe even equalling Toys In The Attic as ultimate Aerosmith badassery! It's got a tighter, punchier sound than their debut – courtesy of producer Jack Douglas – who would continue to produce Aerosmith in their pre-blowout 70s best. It opens up with one of their staples, "Same Old Song And Dance" and other tracks include their kickass cover of "Train Kept A Rollin'", plus "Lord Of The Thighs", "Spaced", "Woman Of The World" and "Pandora's Box". LP, Vinyl record album

Sharp tenor from the great JD Allen – a very striking set that's filled with all original compositions – work that really shows the way that Allen's grown strongly as both a writer and player in recent years! There's a sense of darkness to the record right from the start – a brooding intensity that finds a way to both move forward and fold back on itself – this kind of elliptical mode that's very compelling, and brought into strong focus by a quartet that features Eldar Djangirov on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Jonathan Barber on drums. Titles include "Grace", "Chagall", "Load Star", "Cross Damon", "Detroit", "Mass", and "The Little Dipper". CD

Accompanied by Michael Arnopol on bass, John McLean on guitar, Mark Walker on drums and percussion, Dave Douglas on trumpet, and Jeff Stitely on udu. LP, Vinyl record album

Features Beasley on trumpet, Anthoney Wonsey on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass – plus special guests Wynton Marsalis, Mark Whitfield, and Carla Cook! CD

Really beautiful work from Johnathan Blake – a record that shows just how strongly Blake seems to be finding his voice with each new release! The set's got this richly visionary quality that goes beyond the leader's work on drums – and instead has a unified focus that comes from a really strong group of contemporary young lions – including Immanuel Wilkins on alto, Joel Ross on vibes, David Virelles on piano, and Dezron Douglas on bass – most of them strong leaders on their own, but putting aside ego to fuse together wonderfully here! The blend of vibes, piano, and alto is especially great – and titles include "Muna & Johna's Playtime", "A Slight Taste", "Tears I Cannot Hide", "Tiempos", "Groundhog Day", and "Out Of Sight Out Of Mind". CD

This beautiful record features 2 different recordings of an extended piece that Braxton wrote especially for a trio ensemble – and one recording features Braxton with Henry Threadgill and Douglas Ewart, the other features him with Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman. Both recordings feature the players on a huge host of different reed and percussion instruments, alternating freely in the kind of playful interplay that characterized the best work of the AACM. LP, Vinyl record album

Anthony Braxton on piano – with Thomas Chapin handles reeds on this outing, with Dave Douglas on trumpet, co-leader Mario Pavone on bass, and Pheeroan Ak Laff on drums. Tracks include "Dewey Square", "All Or Nothing At All", "Eronel", "The End Of A Love Affair", and "Autumn In New York". CD

Abraham Burton on tenor saxophone, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Eric McPherson on drums. CD

Uri Caine on piano, Dave Holland on bass, Don Byron on bass clarinet, Ralph Peterson on drums, Don Alias on percussion, Gary Thomas on tenor saxophone and flute, Joshua Roseman on trombone, and Dave Douglas on trumpet. CD

Michael Formanek on bass, Larry Gold on cello, Don Byron on clarinet, Joey Baron on drums, Danny Blume on guitar and electronics, Uri Caine on piano, Dave Binney on soprano saxophone, Josh Roseman on trombone, Dave Douglas on trumpet, DJ Olive of turntables, Mark Feldman on violin, Arto Lindsay, Dean Bowman on vocals, and Aaron Bensoussan on vocals and hand drums. CD

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

Features Dave Douglas on trumpet, Joel hallany on trombone, and Scott Robinson on reeds. CD

A great one from trombonist Steve Davis – a set that not only showcases his skills on his instrument, but also his increasingly great ear for a composition as well! The album's sub-titled "The Hartford Suite" – and features a set of original tracks commissioned by that city, and penned by Davis with a wonderfully fluid mix of lyricism and swing – that quality he's always got in his own solo work, carried forth here by a hip sextet that features Josh Evans on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mike DiRubbo on alto, David Bryant on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Eric McPherson on drums. The music is beautifully vivid right from the start – a host of fresh compositions given wonderful treatment from the group – and titles include "Twain's World", "Nato", "The Modernist", "Club 880", "Kenney's", "Park Street", and "Mode For Miantonomoh". CD

A seminal set from Eric Dolphy – one of his most perfectly realized moments at the head of a larger ensemble – and a record that definitely set the tone for countless spiritual jazz sessions of the 70s! Dolphy recorded this session for Alan Douglas in 1962, and it features a larger array of players than you'll find on most of his records for other labels – the cream of the "new thing" players that were around New York at the time, including Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Prince Lasha on flute, Sonny Simmons on alto, and even Clifford Jordan on soprano sax – making a rare appearance on record on that instrument! Together, the players create a set of soundscapes that lies somewhere between Dolphy's Out To Lunch album, and some of the more modernist work by Mingus – a stunning batch of tracks that go out, but never too far. Titles include "Ode to CP", "Burning Spear", "Iron Man", and "Mandrake". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly our favorite album ever from Chico Freeman – a beautiful set that was originally issued only in Japan, and which has Chico hitting some of his strongest, most spiritual modes on record! The album features Freeman's reeds in the company of other Chicagoans – AACM players who include Henry Threadgill on saxes, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, Douglas Ewart on flutes, and Steve McCall on percussion – plus added work from Cecil McBee on bass and Ben Montgomery on drums – both players who round out the group with a very solid rhythmic focus. There's a bold sense of direction to this record that you don't always get in other work from Chico – a sound that's almost more Strata East at points, and which serves to bring the AACM players into sharp formation, and a strongly rhythmic orientation at times. The whole thing's wonderful – very well-crafted, and filled with spirit and soul – and titles include "The In Between", "Like The Kind Of Peace It Is", "Morning Prayer", "Pepe's Samba", and "Conversations". CD also features a bonus 19 minute version of "Pepe's Samba". CD

Quite possibly our favorite album ever from Chico Freeman – a beautiful set that was originally issued only in Japan, and which has Chico hitting some of his strongest, most spiritual modes on record! The album features Freeman's reeds in the company of other Chicagoans – AACM players who include Henry Threadgill on saxes, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, Douglas Ewart on flutes, and Steve McCall on percussion – plus added work from Cecil McBee on bass and Ben Montgomery on drums – both players who round out the group with a very solid rhythmic focus. There's a bold sense of direction to this record that you don't always get in other work from Chico – a sound that's almost more Strata East at points, and which serves to bring the AACM players into sharp formation, and a strongly rhythmic orientation at times. The whole thing's wonderful – very well-crafted, and filled with spirit and soul – and titles include "The In Between", "Like The Kind Of Peace It Is", "Morning Prayer", "Pepe's Samba", and "Conversations". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Frisell goes to Nashville – and finds a whole new outlet for his tremendous talents on guitar! The record's definitely got some of the elements you'd expect – some dobro from Jerry Douglas on another of tracks – plus bits of banjo, mandolin, and even some harmonica – but the whole thing is often in a very Frisell-familiar mode, with a sense of color, space and sound – just given a bit of a Nashville pitch! Robin Holcomb sings on three of the album's 14 tracks – and titles include "Family", "Pipe Down", "Go Jake", "One Of These Days", "Brother", "Mr Memory", "Gimme A Holler", "Shucks", and "The End Of The World". CD

Bill Frisell goes to Nashville – and finds a whole new outlet for his tremendous talents on guitar! The record's definitely got some of the elements you'd expect – some dobro from Jerry Douglas on another of tracks – plus bits of banjo, mandolin, and even some harmonica – but the whole thing is often in a very Frisell-familiar mode, with a sense of color, space and sound – just given a bit of a Nashville pitch! Robin Holcomb sings on three of the album's 14 tracks – and titles include "Family", "Pipe Down", "Go Jake", "One Of These Days", "Brother", "Mr Memory", "Gimme A Holler", "Shucks", and "The End Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing work from Philip Glass – his second great opera, and a long-overdue follow-up to Einstein On The Beach – a set of music that's every bit as great as that groundbreaking work, but maybe even with stronger, fuller execution overall! The piece looks at the early political years of Gandhi – the title is a term coined by him, as a reference to his philosophy of truth and love – with words by Constance DeJohng, and these amazing minimalist orchestrations by Glass – filled with the kind of long-spun lines you'd find in his instrumental work, but somehow made even more amazing with the presence of lyrics! Douglas Perry handles the role of Gandhi – and the performance is by the New York City Opera Orchestra and Chorus, directed by Christopher Keene. CD

Amazing work from Philip Glass – his second great opera, and a long-overdue follow-up to Einstein On The Beach – a set of music that's every bit as great as that groundbreaking work, but maybe even with stronger, fuller execution overall! The piece looks at the early political years of Gandhi – the title is a term coined by him, as a reference to his philosophy of truth and love – with words by Constance DeJohng, and these amazing minimalist orchestrations by Glass – filled with the kind of long-spun lines you'd find in his instrumental work, but somehow made even more amazing with the presence of lyrics! Douglas Perry handles the role of Gandhi – and the performance is by the New York City Opera Orchestra and Chorus, directed by Christopher Keene. LP, Vinyl record album