2 wonderful late 50s sessions from arranger Gil Evans – both of which we'd rank right up there with his best work with Miles Davis, or the albums under his own name for Impulse in the 60s! The first half of the CD is from the album New Bottle Old Wine – a record of swinging modern backdrops, used to showcase both the solo talents of a young Cannonball Adderley, and the dynamic energy of Evans himself! Cannon's sharp-edged early tone is a really great sound for the record – far more modern than you might expect from later funk and soul sides of the 60s – and perfectly poised next to Gil's larger back drops to reignite a host of older tunes with new energy! And while the titles are familiar, the readings certainly are not – as the Evans pen has really changed things up beautifully – as you'll hear on numbers that include "St Louis Blues", "King Porter Stomp", "Willow Tree", "Struttin' With Some Barbeque", "Lester Leaps In", "Round About Midnight", "Manteca", and "Bird Feathers". Great Jazz Standards is equally great, a fantastic lost set from Evans – and one that features Mingus trumpeter Johnny Coles as the lead soloist in front of Evans-led modern groups that include players like Elvin Jones, Ray Crawford, Steve Lacy, Budd Johnson, Rod Levitt, and Chuck Wayne. Despite the "standards" in the title, most of these numbers are modern tunes from the 50s – like "Joy Spring", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", "Django", "Straight No Chaser", and "Chant Of The Weed" – all given Evans' unique style of arrangement, tweaked up a few notches to give them a really edgey quality. Coles is clearly standing in for Miles here, but the format works well overall! CD features 15 tracks in all, including some newly-improved versions of a few tracks, correcting mistakes in the original records! CD

Dave Frishberg on piano and vocals. Titles include "Eastwood Lane", "The Difficult Season", "Do You Miss New York?", "Oklahoma Toad", and "Little Did I Dream". CD

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Beautiful work from Jamal's early Chicago years – and a perfectly titled set that really gets at the differences he made in modern jazz! The tunes are wonderfully fluid, soulful, and swinging – but not in the gutbuckety style of other trios of the time, more in a lightly modern style that features almost equal interplay between Jamal's piano, the bass of Israel Crosby, and the guitar of the wonderful Ray Crawford – who really ads an amazing touch to the record. Tracks include the great original "New Rhumba", plus cool versions of "Jeff", "Darn That Dream", "Spring Is Here", and "All Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from Jamal's early Chicago years – and a perfectly titled set that really gets at the differences he made in modern jazz! The tunes are wonderfully fluid, soulful, and swinging – but not in the gutbuckety style of other trios of the time, more in a lightly modern style that features almost equal interplay between Jamal's piano, the bass of Israel Crosby, and the guitar of the wonderful Ray Crawford – who really ads an amazing touch to the record. Tracks include the great original "New Rhumba", plus cool versions of "Jeff", "Darn That Dream", "Spring Is Here", and "All Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. This album wasn't their first – but it was the first to really break them with the masses, and it's a vocal jazz classic if there ever was one. Backings are by the Ike Isaacs Trio, plus Harry Edison on trumpet – and titles include "Moanin", "Twisted", "Cloudburst", "Everybody's Boppin", and "Sermonette". CD

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. This album wasn't their first – but it was the first to really break them with the masses, and it's a vocal jazz classic if there ever was one. Backings are by the Ike Isaacs Trio, plus Harry Edison on trumpet – and titles include "Moanin", "Twisted", "Cloudburst", "Everybody's Boppin", and "Sermonette". CD

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. Previously, the singers had only sung vocal solos for one instrument – but with a trio of players, they were suddenly able to take over the solos of all the frontline instruments in a group, such as the piano, trumpet, and tenor solos in their incredible version of "Home Cookin". That track alone is a perfect summation of the group's genius – as it offers a true vocal interplay, with words in place of notes and changes, and opens the already great soul jazz classic into a whole new level of meaning and wonder. It also helps that that track, like most of the ones on this CD, features excellent rhythm backing by Gildo Mahones, Ike Isaacs, and Walt Bolden, plus the occasional alto solo by Pony Poindexter. Their Columbia work's always been their best – and this CD brings together all 3 LPs (Hottest Group In Jazz, Sing Ellington, and the amazing High Flying), plus 7 previously unissued tracks! There's a whopping 39 cuts in all – and the set's one of the best jazz vocal CDs you could ever buy! CD

Nicely complicated work from Scottish jazz composer David Mack and one of the original Lansdowne Series recordings – a set that almost has some of the same sharp changes and breakout solos of the best Mingus music from the time! The ensemble here is a British one – with some great trumpet and flugelhorn from the legendary Shake Keane, plus tenor from Gordon Lewin, alto from Al Baum, and soprano sax from Ralph Bruce – all of whom come together beautifully in some well-crafted sound patterns. All tunes are originals, and titles include "Ralph's Mead", "Cameo", "Chiquita Moderne", "Altona", and "Johnnie's Door". LP, Vinyl record album

A very rare gem from the late 50s – a smoking set that was cut for a very small label, but which is every bit as great from a musical perspective as it is from a collector's one as well! The whole thing cooks with the insensity of a Prestige date from the early 50s – very sharp hardbop energy throughout, spurred on by the work of leader Reese Markewich on piano – in a group that also features tremendous tenor from Jesse Avery, a player who don't really know at all, but who brings an especially sharp edge to the set! Reese also plays a bit of flute – and the quintet also includes Nick Brignola on baritone and alto sax, Steve Fillo on bass and Ronnie Zito on drums – all players with a very cohesive, hard-swinging sound. The set's got a number of great original tunes – and titles include "Hurricane Connie", "Pony", "Mildew", "Flute Street", "Crazy In The Heart", "Moonlight In Vermont", and "Last Lap". CD

Tracks include "Flor De Lis", "Menina na Janela", "Triste", "Vamos Nessa", and "I Can't Get Started". CD

Don't be mis-led by the title – as this isn't one of those "jazz meets classical" albums that were big on the European scene in the 60s – and instead, the album features very ambitious, very compelling sounds by one of the most free-thinking Japanese ensembles of the time! The album features four long pieces – penned by Masahiko Sato, Hiroshi Takami, Norio Maeda, and Kozaburo Yamaki – all interpreted by Toshiyuki Miyama with a strong sense of sound and texture – an approach that's still rooted in jazz, but which sounds like some of the more modern large group charts of the 60s. The sound isn't free at all, but definitely has some solo moments that are pretty unbridled – save for the last track, which brings back in a funky, swinging sort of vibe! That gem is titled "Sensyuraku" – and other tracks include "Shirabyoshi", "Ikisudama", and "Mumyoju" – the last of which features some koto by Kideaki Sakurai. LP, Vinyl record album

Wes Montgomery's first album as a leader – a relatively obscure set that has him playing in a trio with Indianapolis bandmates Mel Rhyne on organ and Paul Parker on drums – a mode that strongly recalls Montgomery's roots in the Indy scene at the time! If you only know the later, famous Wes Montgomery with bigger charts, you'll be surprised to hear him here in a cooking little combo – the kind of group that made Mel Rhyne a local Hammond hero in Indy, although it seemed to take decades for him to get any sort of larger recognition. The groove is straight and simple, but the real charm is Wes' chromatic lines on guitar – already quite distinctive among his contemporaries, and allowed ample room to express their voice in this setting. Titles include "Ecorah", "Missile Blues", "Too Late Now", "Jingles", and "Whisper Not". CD features 2 bonus tracks! CD

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

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

Conducted by Gunther Schuller. LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure set on a tiny label – one that carries little in the way of information, but which includes a young Laurence Hobgood on piano – soloing a fair bit throughout! Tracks include "Watusi", "Free Beer", "Bijou", and "Go Shakabushi". LP, Vinyl record album

With Mike Noch on drums. CD

A great set by one of the more obscure groups to record for the CTI/Motown subsidiary Salvation – a great quartet that features Frank Wess on soprano sax and flute, Roland Hanna on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The group play in a mode that really pushes past that of Hanna and Wess' regular work – with Frank blowing in a more soulful, open style than usual; and Roland playing in a more rhythmic, slowly swinging kind of style. Tracks are long and open – with lots of space – but they manage to groove with a really subtle approach, thanks to some excellent bass work from Carter. Titles include "Little Waltz", "Well You Needn't", "Introspection", and "Mediterranean Seascape". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual album from an unusual group – one that has reedman Frank Wess sounding far more introspective and personal than on some of his other material from the 70s and 80s – thanks to work from a group that also includes Roland Hanna on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Ben Riley on drums! We're tempted to say that Hanna's voice is what really shapes the record – that thoughtful mix of sophistication and lyricism that always comes across sounding surprisingly natural – but Wess also wrote some of the album's most compelling songs, alongside a few other great numbers by Roland. Mraz brings some extra-special energy to his phrasing on bass, Wess also blows a bit of flute alongside his tenor – and titles include "The Patient Prince", "Cram It Damn It", "Funk House", "Don't Come Don't Call", "It's Just A Social Gathering", and "Oasis". CD

Jaco Pastorius on bass, Hiram Bullock on guitar, Kenwood Dennard on drums, Alex Foster and Butch Thomas on saxophone, Delmar Brown on synthesizer, Michael Gerber on piano, and Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet and congas. CD

Some of the best-recorded work to ever come from the Preservation Hall scene in New Orleans – one of Atlantic Records' great 60s albums of material from the legendary venue! Side one features a small combo led by trombonist Jim Robinson – a group with a great gutbuckety groove, thanks to banjo, bass, and drums on the rhythms – and graces with some especially nice clarinet by Louis Cottrell in the lead with Jim. Titles include "Gettysburg March", "You Tell Me Your Dream", and "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It". Side two features the classic group of trumpeter Joseph De De Pierce and pianist Billie Pierce – in a lineup that has George Lewis on clarinet and Louis Nelson on trombone. Titles include "Shine", "San", "Ciribiribin", and "Shake It & Break It". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice two-fer that combines 2 great sides from Rollins' RCA years. What's New is a unique album from Sonny Rollins – one that features him blowing tenor over some Latin-based rhythms that have a tight uptempo feel. The core group on the album features Jim Hall on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – but they're augmented by larger arrangements that mix together bossa nova and calypso rhythms, which forge a surprisingly great background for Rollins' gutsy tenor. Although it's easy to dismiss the record as a throwaway cash-in affair on the Latin boom of the early 60s – Rollins actually handles himself wonderfully, and the longer-than-usual tracks on the album show a whole new side of his talents that were later reprised on Latin sessions during the 70s. Titles include "Bluesongo", "Jungoso", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", and "Brownskin Girl". Our Man In Jazz is one of Sonny Rollins' best albums ever, and a totally inspired, totally non-stop freewheeling live set, recorded with Don Cherry, Bob Cranshaw, and Billy Higgins. Rollins' hits one of those rare moments of genius where he can turn his solo over and over again, never losing interest, and always opening up new territory. Thankfully, the three tracks on the album are long enough to let him get enough creative action in. Titles include "Oleo", "Dearly Beloved", and "Doxy". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the albums New York New York, Jazz In The Space Age, Stratusphunk, George Russell Sextet In KC, Ezz-Thetics, The Stratus Seekers, and The Outer View. CD

A 70s issue of 2 seminal sides from George Russell, originally recorded in the 50s. The first, New York New York is a wonderful album from George Russell – and a refreshing change from his overly-academic modernist work! The session's an unusual one – a musical portrait of New York City, performed with an all-star cast that includes John Coltrane, Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Phil Woods, Benny Golson, Max Roach, and Hal McKusick – all working together to paint tones on the tunes that George has crafted to set up his scene of New York in the 50s. Most importantly, though, Jon Hendricks acts as the narrator of the album – talking and scatting in hipster mode, laying out a bit of beat rapportage about the Big Apple, all done in a very cool 50s style that's a bit different from his own vocal work. Titles include "Manhattan", "Big City Blues", "Manhattan-Rico", and "A Helluva Town". And don't let the title of the second, Jazz In The Space Age, mislead you into thinking it's a record of bachelor pad musi. The set's one of Russell's finest recordings of the 50s, and it features some wonderful work in odd tones and scales, executed by another awesome cast of players, including Bill Evans, Paul Bley, Hal McKusick, Bob Brookmeyer, and David Young. An essential chapter in Russell's career, and nice to have in any form. Titles include "Chromatic Universe (parts 1, 2, & 3)", "Dimensions", "Waltz From Outer Space", and "The Lydiot". LP, Vinyl record album

A heavenly blend of jazz and spiritual modes – one of the best jazz mass projects of the 70s, presented here with bonus alternate takes as well! Pianist Heikki Sarmanto composed the work, and leads the core instrumental group on piano – often working in a sweet modal style with help from Pekka Poyry and Seppo Paakkunainen on flutes and saxes – bringing some really soulful currents to the larger arrangements, which feature voices conducted by Gregg Smith, with some occasional solos from singer Maija Hapuoja! As with most projects of this nature, the music takes off from an older mass style, but in a mode that bridges to the spiritual jazz traditions of the 70s too – mixing familiar themes with new compositions, on titles that include "Duke & Trane", "Gracious Father", "Northern Dance", "Intercessions", "Hymn For The Day", "Holy Holy Holy", and "Through Him". CD

The title here is interesting – given that Matthew Shipp's been giving us new concepts in jazz piano for decades – yet there also is a way that this set differs from some of Shipp's classic recordings – maybe in part because it seems to hew to older piano trio traditions at times, especially the modern generation of Monk and Herbie Nichols – while also really expanding the sound, thanks to the inventive contributions of all three musicians – not just Shipp on piano, but also Michael Bisio on bass and Newman Taylor Baker on drums! Titles include "The Function", "Primal Poem", "Sea Song", "Brain Work", "Coherent System", and "Tone IQ". CD

Sonny Stitt's work for Verve was some of his best on record – and this album is a perfect illustration of that bold claim! Sonny's blowing here in a wonderful style – a bit more restrained than on his early bop sides, more complicated than on his later soul jazz sessions, and all together totally solid, totally in-the-pocket – with not a note out of place, nor a moment of superfluous blowing on the set. Stitt's extremely confident here – dominating the intimate quartet setting with lots of fire, warmth, and imagination. The rhythm section includes Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – and tracks include "Sonny's Tune", "Down Home Blues", "Alone Together", and "Norman's Blues". CD

Sonny Stitt's work for Verve was some of his best on record – and this album is a perfect illustration of that bold claim! Sonny's blowing here in a wonderful style – a bit more restrained than on his early bop sides, more complicated than on his later soul jazz sessions, and all together totally solid, totally in-the-pocket – with not a note out of place, nor a moment of superfluous blowing on the set. Stitt's extremely confident here – dominating the intimate quartet setting with lots of fire, warmth, and imagination. The rhythm section includes Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – and tracks include "Sonny's Tune", "Down Home Blues", "Alone Together", and "Norman's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

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2 rare sides of work by trumpeter Clark Terry – both with a fair bit more edge than many of his later recordings! The first half of the CD is from the amazing 1955 album Clark Terry for Emarcy – a real stunner, and one of Terry's finest moments ever! The record has a rawness and groove that you'd hardly expect from his later albums – no surprise, though, considering that it was cut during that really hip time at Emarcy, when the label was working in a mode that was darker and more challenging than many of the smaller labels at the time. Credit is also due to arranger Quincy Jones – who pulls together a group that includes Horace Silver, Jimmy Cleveland, Cecil Payne, and Art Blakey, all into a fiercely grooving sound that recalls some of his most adventurous work of the 50s. The album kicks off with the stunning "Swahili", a tune that will instantly make you happy you bought the record – and other tracks include "Coop", "Chuckles", "Tuma", "Kitten", and "The Countess". These tracks are followed by 8 more from an obscure 1954 session done under the leadership of clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton – and featuring Terry on trumpet, Barry Galbraith and Sidney Gross on guitars, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums – all in a really unusual group formation that's totally great! One guitar's used for solos and the other for rhythm – and the lack of piano gives the record a decidedly different swing than you might expect from a Jimmy Hamilton session – one that's less traditional, and more airy and open – really inventive in the rhythmic construction of the tunes, in a mode that's followed up very nicely by the soloists in their own energy. Titles include "Chuckles", "Bohemia After Dark", "Blues In My Room", "Blues For Clarinet", and "What Am I Here For". CD

A split album featuring a live recording and studio meeting with Steve Lacy, Bernhard Lang, Paulo Alvares, Christof Kurzmann, and others. CD

With Thorsten Benkenstein on lead trumpet. CD

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An obscure, but very moving session by this little-known pianist from the 60's. The session's one of the great avant ones that Savoy recorded during the decade, and like all of them, it's got a surprisingly powerful feel, despite the apparent disregard of the label for projects such as this at the time. Valdo Williams has a hypnotic approach to the piano that's unlike any of the other avant players we can think of from the period. At times, he's as free as Cecil Taylor, but he always manages to rope things back in, and then hit a groove that's a little more soulful. In a way, the album's a mix of free jazz and "new thing" playing, and it's a very unique piece of work from the period. Tracks are long, and include the titles "Desert Fox", "Move Faster", and "The Conqueror". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early stuff from Paul Winter – a player who's certainly done some terrible stuff over the years, but who really sounded great in his younger days! Winter was a hip young player coming out of Northwestern U in Chicago, and he had a well-educated, slightly-modern approach to jazz that was still supported by a lot of straight soulful playing. Here, Winter's working with a great group – his sextet that included Jay Cameron on baritone, Dick Whitsell on trumpet, Chuck Israels on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The set list includes some very hip numbers like "The Sherrif" by Gil Melle, "All Members" by Jimmy Heath, and "With Malice Towards None", "Cupbearers", and "Ally" written by Tom McIntosh. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Charles A Matson's Creole Serenaders, Bernie Young's Creole Jazz Band, and Wade's Moulin Rouge Orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Stanley Jordan, Bobby McFerrin, Michel Petrucciani, James Newton, Tony Williams, Bill Evans, Bennie Wallace, and OTB. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully spiritual jazz from the post-Coltrane generation – a wealth of righteous grooves from the early 70s – brought together in one mighty collection! If you dig the work of Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, and other giants on Impulse Records, this is a great way to dig even deeper – and hear the way their late 60s legacy inspired other musicians to new heights in their own music – sounds that hit a new level of freedom in jazz, yet which are still filled with enough swing and soul to avoid some of the more avant modes of the free jazz scene! If that description sounds a bit obtuse, then just plug into the collection, and let the music do its thing – as it's got a very powerful vibe throughout – the kind of inspirational, socially conscious work that flourished best during the 70s – and which is finally getting its due all these many years later. The package is new territory for Ace/BGP, but they've done a great job as usual – picking key tracks from the era, and coming up with detailed notes on each of the long tracks. Titles include "Free Angela" by Bayete, "Bridge Into The New Age" by Azar Lawrence, "Tress Cun De O La" by Joe Henderson, "Ebony Queen" by McCoy Tyner, "Peace" by Idris Muhammad, "Mother Of The Future" by Norman Connors, "Brown Warm & Wintry" by Jack DeJohnette, "I've Known Rivers" by Gary Bartz, and "Fire" by Joe Henderson & Alice Coltrane. CD

The reach of Miles Davis is plenty wide – as right from the start, the trumpeter was associating himself with some of the hippest young talent on the scene! Yet the apex of those associations may have come in the late 60s and early 70s, when the newly-electric Miles was experimenting in all sorts of new rhythms and instrumental combinations – and inviting a whole host of soon-to-be-legends to help him with his projects! This set is a great overview of some of those key contemporaries – and the way that they took new directions of their own, when away from Miles – some very much in the spirit of the Bitches Brew generation, others opening up in whole new frontiers of soul and spirit. The set features some really well-chosen tracks – a key who's who to this generation – and titles include "Sweet Pea" by Wayne Shorter, "In A Silent Way" by Joe Zawinul, "Common Mama" by Keith Jarrett, "Song Of The Wind (alt)" by Chick Corea, "In Search Of Truth" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "Arjen's Bag" by John McLaughlin, "Politician Man" by Betty Davis, "Uhuru Sasa" by Gary Bartz, "You'll Know When You Get There" by Herbie Hancock, and "Directions (16 December 1970 – first set)" by Miles Davis himself. CD

Wicked tunes hand-picked by the Japanese maestro of the groove – a heady batch of tracks collected by Yukihiro Fukutomi, with a brilliant melding of jazz, soul, and Latin influences! The set compiles 10 tracks from American and European sources – and features many hard-to-find remixes that surfaced briefly on expensive singles, but which have long gone by the wayside – making this collection even more essential to fans of the groove. Fukutomi presents the tracks in their entirety, unmixed – and titles include "Don't Mean A Thing (Incognito mix)" by Space Jazz Dub Men, "I Got Somebody New (original)" by Georg Levin with Clara Hill, "Everything (Yam Who rmx)" by Dwayne Morgan, "Life Rhythms (Raw Deal rmx)" by E Smoove, "Dreams Come True (Afronaught mix for Bugz In The Attic)" by Alison David, "Listen (Just Listen Louie's Master mix)" by Urban Species, "Cosmic Gypsy (Fila Brazilia rmx)" by United Future Organization, "I Just Wanna Say (Domu's Number One Mix)" by Michelle Lawson, and "Cloud 9 (Quenti Harris Shelter mix)" by Donnie. CD

A great little collection that seeks to put the Bristol scene on the map – and to show the kind of inventive jazz the city's been offering up in recent years! The compilers aim to demonstrate that Bristol has as many newly-creative acts as the sort that have been bubbling up in London on labels like Brownswood – and the range of material here really shows a similar way of blending newer ideas and older execution – especially strong in the rhythm department, and with an effortless mixing of acoustic and electric modes. If you've been digging sounds from Comet Is Coming, Nubya Garcia, and Joe Armon-Jones, this set is a great place to take that interest further – on work that includes "Bergson" and "Jabba" by Waldo's Gift, "3.3 Encke Ups" and "Sea Of Apathy & Indifference" by Run Logan Run, "Flump (Ishamel Ensemble rework)" and "Grook" by Snazzback, "Owl" by Lyrebird, and "Bourdain" by Alun Elliott Williams. CD

Music by Don Carlos, Booster, The Black Mighty Orchestra, Sven Van Hees, Marc Moulin, Mo Horizons, Royksopp, Aqua Bassino, Thievery Corporation, and more – 28 tracks total. CD

A heck of a collection – and one that really gets at the amazing array of free-thinking jazz that was brewing up on the European scene during the 70s! The set brings together over eight hours of music recorded during two years of this legendary festival – and each new disc has some great surprises along the way! There's some possibly more familiar material here – such as long improvisations that include a solo piano performance by Joachim Kuhn, two by a Mal Waldron trio with Jimmy Woode on bass and Allen Blairman on drums, one by a trio headed by pianist Yosuke Yamashita and with Akira Sakata on alto, two more by the duo of Peter Brotzmann on tenor and Han Bennink on drums, and a final two long improvisations by a great Archie Shepp gruop with Richard Greenlee on trombone, Dave Burell on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums! Yet that's only the tip of the iceberg – as there's a full CD of music by a group led by Hugo Heredia on saxes and flute – with Horace Parlan on piano, Dodo Goys on bass, Tullio D'Piscopo on drums, and Mandrake Ivanir Do Nascimento on percussion. And there's another CD that features an hour-long improvisation by a version of the Willem Breuker Kollektief with Leo Cuypers on piano, Maarten Van Norden on tenor, Boy Raaymakers on trumpet, and Bernhard Hunnekink and Willem Van Manen on trombones. There's also a very long track by a cool quartet headed by Polish alto giant Zbigniew Namyslowski – and one more by the French Machi Oul Big Band. There's also tracks by Riot, with Uli Beckerhoff on trumpet; Grumpff with Michael Schlaper on tenor and soprano, and Ekkehard Jost on baritone; Mumps with Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone and John Surman on tenor; and the Eddie Prevost Quartet with Geoff Hawkins on tenor and Gerry Gold on trumpet. And last but not least are two long trcks by the Czech group Celula Jazz Crew – with Laco Deczi on trumpet, Karel Ruzicka on electric piano, and Svatopluc Kosvanec on trombone. Phew – that's a lot of music, and the whole thing comes in a very cool 10" box set, complete with a booklet of notes, too! CD

Featuring performances by Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Earl King, Lee Dorsey, Ernie K Doe, Robert Parker, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Professor Longhair! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little set with music from Ahmed Abdullah, Charles Gayle, Michael Bisio, David S. Ware, Dennis Charles, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Other Dimensions In Music, Rob Brown, and Charles Brackeen! CD

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

Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". LP, Vinyl record album

Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader – and already a bold step forward from the first! The format here changes from the more standard lineup of before – as Dolphy drops out other horn players, loses the piano, and brings the cello of Ron Carter into the frontline! Backing is by the bass of George Duvivier and the drums of Roy Haynes – and the mix of cello and bass creates the freely spirited sound that allows Dolphy to take off on even freer solo flights. The session has a very moody, very dark feel – especially on the tracks where Dolphy is playing B flat and bass clarinet – and titles include "The Baron", "Eclipse", "Sketch Of Melba", "Feathers", and "17 West". CD

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". CD

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". CD

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". LP, Vinyl record album

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by Kenny Dorham as a leader – a Riverside session recorded in two "contrasting" moods that both perfectly show his young talents on the trumpet! Side one is a bit more in a hardbop mode – with two long lyrical tracks ("Falling In Love With Love" and "I'll Remember April") – recorded with a quintet that features Sonny Rollins on tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Max Roach on drums – with plenty of space for all players to solo nicely! Side two features the same group, but also adds in some work on harp by Betty Glamman – an unusual player, but one who works well in the setting – and really helps to emphasize the sweeter sounds in Kenny's horn! Titles on that side include "La Villa", "Larue", and "My Old Flame". LP, Vinyl record album

Kenny may be quiet, but he's never muted – and the record is far from the sleepy session you might guess from the title! The album's a real standout in the Dorham catalog – a set that let's Kenny's trumpet sparkle beautifully in a quartet that includes piano from Tommy Flanagan, bass from Paul Chambers, and drums from Art Taylor – all bringing their own spirit to the record, but really hanging back in the space to let Dorham's sound dominate the record. Kenny's notes are beautifully shaped throughout – in a mode that has echoes of Clifford Brown's sweetness, but which also speaks with a raspier, earthier tone overall! Titles include 2 key Dorham classics – "Lotus Blossom" and "Blue Spring" – plus "Mack The Knife", "My Ideal", "Blue Friday", and "Old Folks". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from trumpeter Jon Eardley – captured here at a point when he was a budding young modernist in the 50s! The date features Eardley's trumpet right out front in the mix – hard, spare, and a bit angular – with backing from the piano of Pete Jolly, as well as Red Mitchell on bass and Larry Bunker on drums. Titles include "Late Leader", "Indian Spring", "Black", and "Gloss". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early work from Gil Evans – emerging here in this early session as an already far-thinking modernist. The tracks are shorter and less ambitious than some of Evans' work on Impulse, but the group is excellent – and even in a shorter format, the conception of the work still contains plenty of rich new ideas. Players include Louis Mucci, John Carisi, Steve Lacy, Willie Ruff, Paul Chambers, Nick Stabulis, and "Zeke Tolin" on alto, who is certainly a more famous player under a fake name. Titles include "Ella Speed", "Big Stuff", "Jambangle", "Nobody's Heart", and "Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece through and through from arranger Gil Evans – a record of swinging modern backdrops, used to showcase both the solo talents of a young Cannonball Adderley, and the dynamic energy of Evans himself! Cannon's sharp-edged early tone is a really great sound for the record – far more modern than you might expect from later funk and soul sides of the 60s – and perfectly poised next to Gil's larger back drops to reignite a host of older tunes with new energy! And while the titles are familiar, the readings certainly are not – as the Evans pen has really changed things up beautifully – as you'll hear on numbers that include "St Louis Blues", "King Porter Stomp", "Willow Tree", "Struttin' With Some Barbeque", "Lester Leaps In", "Round About Midnight", "Manteca", and "Bird Feathers". CD

A great batch of material that Art Farmer recorded for Prestige in the early fifties. This is way before he got hyper-lyrical, and his playing is raw and hard on a bunch of Quincy Jones arrangements, including the savage cut "Mau-Mau", which features a very early use of the electric bass, driving drumming by Sonny Johnson, and a savage Afro groove. This cut alone is worth the price of the album, and deserves to be a club classic. LP, Vinyl record album