Key work as a leader from bassist Johnny Dyani – one of his most soulful, spiritual outings ever – and a record dedicated to the important South African political prisoner Stephen Biko! There's a sense of flow and rhythmic focus here that's wonderful – as Dyani comes together with a tremendous quartet that features Don Cherry on cornet, Dudu Pukwana on alto sax, and Makaya Ntshoko on drums – players that are joined as one in meaning and message as they make their way through the original Dyani compositions on the set. The album features a wonderful extended tune, running for all of side two, entitled "Jo'Burg–New York" – a musical journey that's worth the price of the album alone – and the set also features a number of great shorter tunes that include "Wish You Sunshine", "Song For Biko", and "Confession of Moods" LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked group from the Chicago scene of the early century – a group made up of very familiar names from the world of free improvisation in the city, but coming together here with a slightly different vibe! The real difference is the use of electric elements at times – both electronics from Fred Lonberg-Holm and Nate McBride, plus acoustic bass from McBride, who switches between that instrument and acoustic! The electronics are sometimes used in an abstract way to fill in space, and not dominate the sound – which then lets the tenor and clarinet work of Ken Vandermark snake out in some really cool ways, while Tim Daisy is also sometimes a bit more rhythmic than usual on drums. Titles include "Multi Chrome", "MES", "Straw", "Theater Piece", and "Lens". CD

A rare set from one of Stan Getz's hippest groups! The album was recorded in Paris in 1966, during a time in which Stan was working with a groundbreaking quartet that included Gary Burton on vibes, Steve Swallow on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a combo that unfortunately got a bit overshadowed by Stan's bossa work, which was recorded in earlier years, but still getting issued and played heavily during the time of the Burton quartet's reign. The upshot of that situation was that the combo weren't nearly as exposed, or recorded, as much as they should have been – making the record an essential look at this under-documented side of Stan's career. Getz's tone is fantastic – and he glides freely with the young modernists in a way that you barely ever hear on any of his sides from the 60s, save for, perhaps, the sublime Sweet Rain LP. Titles include the long "The Knight Rides Again" – plus the tracks "Singing Song", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Edelweiss", and "Manha De Carnaval". CD

Chicago attracted many great European improvisers to its scene in the 90s – and one of them was pianist Georg Grawe, who moved to the city to take advantage of its thriving jazz and free music scene! Here, Grawe demonstrates his rapport with the city – working with a great group that features Kent Kessler on bass, Hamid Drake on drums, and Frank Gratkowski on reeds – in modes that are quite different than some of George's other recordings of the period! A wild mix of jazz harmonies, intricate polyrhythms, free blowing, and tight bits of straight jazz – on titles that include "Multiversum", "Trajectory", "Nodality", "Pressing Scopes", "Fringe Factor", and "Memory Of Wings II". CD

Charlie Haden's ode to the silver screen, Raymond Chandler, and 1940s Hollywood – with help from Ernie Watts on tenor, Alan Broadbent on piano, and Lawrence Marable on drums – plus vocals from Jo Stafford, Jeri Southern, and Billie Holiday. CD

Swedish ballads, recorded in Denmark – in a setting that makes the album a real standout in the long career of tenorist Scott Hamilton! Hamilton's always been a master of tone and timing – but in his more mature years, he also seems to have loosened up, and almost comes across with a more human, open sort of vibe – one that really comes through here in the company of overseas players Jan Lundgren on piano, Jesper Lundgaard on bass, and Kristian Leth on drums – just the right sort of rhythm trio to let Hamilton make magic with these tunes. A few numbers here are familiar as jazz standards – thanks to postwar reworkings of tracks like "Dear Old Stockholm" and "Stockholm Sweetnin" – and other titles include "You Can't Be In Love With A Dream", "Swing In F", "Min Soldat", and "Blues I Oktover". CD

A real treat – one of the few small group sessions ever recorded by Slide Hampton during the 60s! The session was cut in Paris, where Hampton had taken up residence at the end of the decade – and was done with an all-star group that features Joachim Kuhn on piano, Niels-Henning Orsted-Pederson on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The quality of the work is great – with very long tracks that dance with the freedom you'd expect from Kuhn's piano work, yet which also still swing very nicely in Hampton's usual groove. In all, we'd be tempted to rate this one as one of the more free-thinking trombone jazz sides of the 60s – and it's certainly one of Slide's finest records overall! Titles include "Last Minute Blues", "Lament", "Chop Suey", "Impossible Waltz", and "In Case Of Emergency". LP, Vinyl record album

Jan Harbeck on tenor, Henrik Gunde on piano, Eske Norrelykke on bass, Anders Holm on drums, and special guest Eliel Lazo on congas. CD

Drummer Roy Haynes always brings something great to the table for any album he does as a leader – and this record is no exception! Here, the "added something" is the presence of Roland Kirk on reeds – offered a key early chance to express his most modern ideas in the freedom of Haynes' group – working alongside Tommy Flanagan on piano and Henry Grimes on bass, in what was easily one of the hippest groups to record for Impulse in the early 60s! The record's filled with wonderful material – and a mix of originals and standards done with a very twisted edge – all with great interplay between Kirk's quirky sax work and Roy Haynes' amazing drumming – often changing up timings and rhythms with ease, and really matching Kirk's quirky energy for the set. Titles include "Moon Ray", "Raoul", "Snap Crackle", and "Long Wharf". CD

Drummer Roy Haynes always brings something great to the table for any album he does as a leader – and this record is no exception! Here, the "added something" is the presence of Roland Kirk on reeds – offered a key early chance to express his most modern ideas in the freedom of Haynes' group – working alongside Tommy Flanagan on piano and Henry Grimes on bass, in what was easily one of the hippest groups to record for Impulse in the early 60s! The record's filled with wonderful material – and a mix of originals and standards done with a very twisted edge – all with great interplay between Kirk's quirky sax work and Roy Haynes' amazing drumming – often changing up timings and rhythms with ease, and really matching Kirk's quirky energy for the set. Titles include "Moon Ray", "Raoul", "Snap Crackle", and "Long Wharf". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a really beautiful title – and a sound that definitely lives up to the "Sailing Ice" on the cover! The music is very much in the best post-Coltrane mode – played by a group led by the great Japanese drummer Motohiko Hino, and featuring Mabumi Yamaguchi on tenor and Yasuaki Shimizu on soprano and tenor – two reed players who really express themselves with a great sense of spirituality, and lots of searching energy throughout. The tracks are mostly originals (save for a version of "Soultrane") – served up in freewheeling modal grooves, and peppered with sharp, soulful solos that search out bold new territory, but which never get too free and sloppy. The set was recorded live, but the recording quality is excellent – and titles include "Sailing Ice", "New Moon", and "Soultrane". CD features bonus tracks "Rio Rome" and "Milky Shade". CD

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

A cool cut with many different levels – or maybe "new levels" – a track that's based around a 70s sound library tune by the Modern Sound Quartet, reworked by Koralle, then given a hip hop spin by Illa J! The original version of "Chartreuse" is fantastic – a slow-stepping number that has all sorts of cool keyboards, watery guitar, and light orchestrations – all with a sublime mellow funk soundtrack vibe! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Features guest bass from Ron Carter and Chuck Israels. CD

A classic set – featuring work by Charles Ives, Ornette Coleman, Bela Bartok, and Kevin Volans. CD

Hard-blown brilliance from Jonas Kullhammar – quite possibly our favorite tenor talent of the 21st Century, and a heck of a great leader on this session! Kullhammar's quartet have a raw power that grabs from the very first note – yet they're never abusive of their strength, never over-indulge, and instead have a sharp focus that stands out to us as one of the clearest, freshest new visions in jazz we've heard in a long time. The group features angular piano lines from Torbjorn Gulz, rhythmic bass work from Torbjorn Zetterberg, and tightly snapping drums from Jonas Holgersson – and titles include "Pumpernickel", "Salut", "Super G", "I Sheriffens Klor", and "Frippes Blues". CD

Harold Land on tenor sax, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! CD

Dave Liebman takes on a host of standards – but all with the very hip sound you'd expect from his previous work – and a tight soulful groove that comes from the strong rhythm trio of Mulgrew Miller on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums! These three really set things up with a captivating vibe right from the start – while Dave soars out on soprano sax throughout, and really crafts some free-thinking standards for otherwise more familiar tunes. Given that some of the work is from the John Coltrane or Miles Davis songbooks, the overall setting isn't nearly as evergreen as other records of this nature – and titles include "Without You", "Milestones", "Invitation", "Nica's Dream", "Grand Central Station", and "I'm A Fool To Want You". CD

The only album to ever feature drummer Lawrence Marable as the leader of a group – and a cooking little hardbop set that showed the world that LA wasn't just a source for cool jazz in the 50s! The record is quite different than anything you'd hear from Chet Baker or Shorty Rogers – much more a Blue Note or Prestige-styled session, thanks in large part to the bold work of James Clay on tenor – who's noted here in the title, but is also an undeniable force in the music, and part of a wave of Texas talent that was really helping to transform the Cali sound in the 50s. Other players include the great Sonny Clark on piano – making a strong pre-Blue Note appearance – and the equally great Jimmy Bond on bass. Titles include "Airtight", "Easy Living", "Minor Meeting", "Marbles", and "Three Fingers North". CD

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

Titles include "Regret", "Precious Joy", "Blues In H", "Blues In C Minor", "Rise Up In The Morning", and "Blues In B Flat". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early 60s set from Modern Jazz Quartet! This one marked the then growing sophistication in the sound of the Modern Jazz Quartet – a concept album based on themes and characters from the Italian tradition of commedia dell'arte. The music is served up in gentle sound poems that have a haunting, timeless sort of feel – very spare and melancholy – with lots of tragic overtones, and hardly the comedic sound you'd expect from the title! Diahann Carroll sings on the track "La Cantatrice" – and other numbers include "Spanish Steps", "Columbine", "Piazza Navona", and "Harlequin". CD

Even at this early point in their career, the Modern Jazz Quartet were plenty proud of their relation to and reception in Paris – almost rubbing their international fame in the faces of other American combos with the title and cover of this record! The set's still got the quartet at their crisp early best – before any of the sometimes too academic or too serious tones of later sides – and tracks are mostly shortish, ringing out with especially nice vibes from Milt Jackson. Titles include an early reading of the title cut "Concorde", plus an extended "Gershwin Medley", and the tracks "All Of You", "I'll Remember April", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from the Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded back when the group still featured Kenny Clarke in its membership, but already with some of the more serious, somber tones that would mark the combo's more famous years! Tracks here are from a variety of sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955 – and trace an evolution of the MJQ style from initial more composed renditions of bop and modern jazz, to some of the more ambitious colors and tones of the Lewis-penned songbook. Titles include longish readings of "Django" and "La Ronde Suite", plus "Milano", "But Not For Me", "The Queen's Fancy", and "Delaunay's Dilemma". CD

A stone classic from the Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded back when the group still featured Kenny Clarke in its membership, but already with some of the more serious, somber tones that would mark the combo's more famous years! Tracks here are from a variety of sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955 – and trace an evolution of the MJQ style from initial more composed renditions of bop and modern jazz, to some of the more ambitious colors and tones of the Lewis-penned songbook. Titles include longish readings of "Django" and "La Ronde Suite", plus "Milano", "But Not For Me", "The Queen's Fancy", and "Delaunay's Dilemma". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. The album is live, but still has that sophisticated composure that made the group so unique at the time – and the whole thing's a perfect complement to their famous studio albums on Atlantic! This edition collects both of the original LP's in their entirety – titles include "Django", "Bluesology", "La Ronde", "Festival Sketch", "Vendome", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "I Should Care", "I Remember Clifford", "Pyramid", "Cylinder", and "Bags' Groove". CD

Truly one of the Modern Jazz Quartet's greatest albums – and a set that has an edge and a darkness that's missing from some of their other Atlantic records! Part of the reason for this may be the group's fantastic reading of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – a killer moody track that sounds great in the group's vibes/piano style – and which leads off the album with a chilling tone that's really unbelievable! The rest of the album's pretty great too – and there's a brooding intensity we don't normally hear in the piano of John Lewis and vibes of Milt Jackson. Other tracks include Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue" – plus John Lewi's "Belkis", "Animal Dance", "New York 19", and "Trieste". CD

One of the first MJQ albums on Atlantic – and a bit fresher than some of their later outings, when it seemed like they were churning records out at the drop of a hat! Titles include an extended medley of standards, all given the MJQ touch – plus the drum-heavy "La Ronde", and the tracks "Baden Baden", "Bag's Groove", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first Modern Jazz Quartet albums on Atlantic – a 1957 set that finds the crew in one of their freshest periods – laying down their soon-to-be trademark style in a fashion that warrants the self-titled tag! The set kicks off with a stellar medley of standards, all given the tight MJQ touch! The crew strolls through "They Say It's Wonderful", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "Body And Soul" and more in that 10 minute stretch. Other album highlights include the drum-heavy "La Ronde", a sweet reading of "Night In Tunisia", "Baden Baden", "Bag's Groove" and "Yesterdays". CD

A 2LP set that brings together most of the material from the first three full-length albums by the Modern Jazz Quartet – all recorded at a time when the combo were first forging their famous sound! Most of the sides here are in contrast to the group's better-known Atlantic work, because the group at this point still featured Kenny Clarke on drums – and although a few tracks here include Connie Kay, the bulk of the recordings are touched by Clarke's tighter, sometimes more aggressive work on percussion – making for a less-than-trademark sound that we really like. As usual, the rest of the group features Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, and Percy Heath on bass – and the 2LP set features 18 tracks that include "Concorde", "Vendome", "Milano", "La Ronde", "Django", "All The Things You Are", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Delauney's Dilemma", "La Ronde Suite", "All Of You", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest material ever recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet – early 50s sides that were originally issued as 78rpm singles, then brought together in this self-titled LP! Some of the material was first released under the name of the Milt Jackson Quartet – but featured the lineup of Jackson on vibes, John Lewis piano, Percy Heath bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Yet other tracks on the set have bassist Ray Brown in for Heath and drummer Al Jones in for Clarke – both players who make for a slightly different groove in the company of Jackson and Lewis. Tunes are short, but already show that Lewis love of chromatic tones – and titles include "Yesterdays", "Love Me Pretty Baby", "Milt Meets Sid", "Moving Nicely", "D&E", "True Blues", and "Autumn Breeze". CD

An extremely haunting version of the score to Porgy & Bess – recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet at the height of their powers, in a gently soulful version that really takes off from the original. The group have a very free approach here – one that uses Gershwin's originals as a set of loose guidelines to work from – shading in the spaces with their own tones and colors on vibes, piano, bass, and drums. The album features some great modern takes on "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" – and other tracks include "O Bess, Where's My Bess", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man's Gone Now", and "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York". CD

An extremely haunting version of the score to Porgy & Bess – recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet at the height of their powers, in a gently soulful version that really takes off from the original. The group have a very free approach here – one that uses Gershwin's originals as a set of loose guidelines to work from – shading in the spaces with their own tones and colors on vibes, piano, bass, and drums. The album features some great modern takes on "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" – and other tracks include "O Bess, Where's My Bess", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man's Gone Now", and "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York". LP, Vinyl record album

More material from the famous Last Concert record from the MJQ – not really the last concert ever from the Modern Jazz Quartet – but a set that seemed so at the time, given that the group went their separate ways for a number of years! The record's got the combo in really top form – very much back to the basics of their early time on Atlantic Records, with a sublime focus on that unique sound that no other group like this could match. Milt Jackson's vibes are chromatically aligned in this amazing way with the piano of John Lewis – and somehow the live recording seems to bring out even more tones in the bass of Percy Heath, who feels an even stronger presence here than usual. Connie Kay's work on drums are a masterpiece of percussive understatement – and titles include "The Jasmine Tree", "Tears From The Children", "England's Carol", "Blues In H (b)", and "Really True Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Features a long reading of "Pyramid" – plus "Django", "Romaine", "Vendome", and "It Don't Mean A Thing". CD

Early and brilliant work by the MJQ – recorded at a time when the combo's idea was quite unique, and when its execution was still filled with a lot of creative energy! The group, of course, features the core duo of Milt Jackson and John Lewis – and bass chores are handled by either Percy Heath, or Ray Brown – the latter of whom dominates the album surprisingly. Drums are mostly by Kenny Clarke, whose harder touch gave the group an edge on a lot more of these early recordings – and on a few numbers, Al Jones sits in instead of Kenny. Titles include "Love Me Pretty Baby", "D&E", "True Blues", "Yesterdays", "Round About Midnight", and "Milt Meets Sid". CD

A set that shows that none of the group's imagination or talent had dimmed over the years – and the core quartet of John Lewis on piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums are joined by The New York Chamber Symphony, who are a small string-based group who slide in and out of the jazz-based grooves with an inventive range of colors and sounds! The album's hardly a "jazz with strings" sort of date – and instead, the strings are nicely integrated with a fluidly creative approach – in the mode of some of the more experimental string quartets that were showing up at the time. Titles include "Kansas City Breaks", "Three Windows", "Encounter In Cagnes", and the "Day In Dubrovnik" suite. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one! The MJQ record for the Beatles' label, and the record's one of their most interesting in years! The production's pretty straight, but the group's playing in a cool open-ended style that still has elements of their earlier work, but which really makes things a lot more interesting than some of the Atlantic recordings. Milt Jackson's vibes have a bit more of a bell-like quality on some parts, and the rhythm team of Percy Heath and Connie Kay kick it with a soul jazz vibe on a few numbers – a nice change from the sleepier rhythms of earlier albums. Titles include "The Blue Necklace", "Exposure", "Jasmine Tree", and "Three Little Feelings". LP, Vinyl record album

Larger group meditations by the Modern Jazz Quartet – working here in an expanded lineup that includes work from Phil Woods, Charlie Mariano, Seldon Powell, Richie Kamuca, Clark Terry, and Jimmy Cleveland! The album takes a core MJQ groove, and only seems to lay out out over the larger arrangements as backing – almost as if the set were recorded in two parts, and stitched together – but in a way that works with a brilliant sense of counterpart, one that brings a lot more soul and color to the group's work than usual. Titles include versions of the John Lewis numbers "One Never Knows", "Animal Dance", "The Golden Striker", "Django", and "Home" – plus Milt Jackson's "Ralph's New Blues". CD

A rare gem of a session – live material recorded by the Voice Of America in 1957, and featuring a unique Thelonious Monk quartet with John Coltrane on tenor! The performance is contemporaneous with Coltrane's appearance on the legendary Monk's Music album for Riverside – and the overall feel here is a bit similar to that classic. Yet the live setting also allows Coltrane to open up and improvise a lot more – stretching out in fluid lines that are often a strong contrast to the more angular notes coming out of Monk's piano. Rhythm is by the team of Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums – and titles are broken up into an "early show" and "late show" – 9 numbers in all that include "Bye-ya", "Epistrophy", "Nutty", "Crepuscule With Nellie", "Monk's Mood", and "Evidence". CD

One of two albums cut for Bethlehem by the Pat Moran Quartet – a groovy little combo that harmonized vocally while they were grooving on their instruments! The group's led by Pat on piano and lead vocals – and singer Bev Kelly is also with the group – and this album features additional backings by Nat Pierce, with players that include Anthony Ortega and Sam Most on reeds – fleshing the sound out nicely from some of the group's other work. The four part harmony mode is in the Hi-Los mode, but the twist is that it's half-male, half-female – making for a lighter sound. Tracks include "I'll Be Around", "Jordu", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", and "Mother Macree". CD

Late 50's session in which Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker try to recreate the sound that made them a legend on the West Coast in the first place. Cool breezy renditions of a number of standards, held down by the drumming of Dave Bailey and the bass of Henry Grimes, which is a nice treat on an album like this! Titles include "Reunion", "Travelin Light", "Surrey With The Fringe On Top", and "Stardust". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest jazz voices on the bass clarinet – save perhaps for the late Eric Dolphy – working here in a wonderful batch of ballads and gentle groovers! The set's quite different from the usual jazz date to bear "ballads" in the title – as David Murray's not ruminating over standards with too much strings – and instead still works in a hip small combo mode that's filled with swing and soul. In fact, most tunes are hardly ballads in the traditional style – and just showcase a slightly gentler, more personal side of Murray's music – but one that still has plenty of darkness around the edges. The group's a quartet – with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and tunes include "Portrait Of A Black Woman", "Waltz To Heaven", "Elegy For Fannie Lou", "Lyons Street", "Chazz", and "New Life". CD

One of the greatest jazz voices on the bass clarinet – save perhaps for the late Eric Dolphy – working here in a wonderful batch of ballads and gentle groovers! The set's quite different from the usual jazz date to bear "ballads" in the title – as David Murray's not ruminating over standards with too much strings – and instead still works in a hip small combo mode that's filled with swing and soul. In fact, most tunes are hardly ballads in the traditional style – and just showcase a slightly gentler, more personal side of Murray's music – but one that still has plenty of darkness around the edges. The group's a quartet – with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and tunes include "Portrait Of A Black Woman", "Waltz To Heaven", "Elegy For Fannie Lou", "Lyons Street", "Chazz", and "New Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Features David Murray on tenor, DD Jackson on piano, Santi Debriano on bass, and JT Lewis on drums! CD

One of David Murray's straighter sides from the early 80s – and exactly the kind of record to prove to the world that he could be a strong tenor traditionalist while still bringing an inventive sound to play! Murray's tone is deep and soulful, and often quite lyrical – set nicely in a quartet that features warm piano from John Hicks, bass from Reggie Workman, and drums from Ed Blackwell. The Workman/Blackwell component ensure that things still have an edge at times, even when swinging – and the tunes are a mix of Murray originals and a few standards. Titles include "Morning Song", "Light Blue Frolic", "Off Season", "Duet", "Body and Soul", and "Jitterbug Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful beautiful work from David Murray – a follow-up to his initial Shakill's Warrior album, and done in a style that we like even better than the first! Don Pullen is a key part of the set – working here on fluid organ lines that are somewhere between the early Larry Young work on Blue Note and the later John Patton styles for the label – a perfect foil for Murray's straight and soulful blowing on the session. This blend of organ and tenor is really wonderful – and carried off with a near-perfect modal groove on most of the set, save for one or two numbers that get a bit bogged down in guitar work from quartet member Bill White. Titles include "Crazy Tales", "One For The Don", "For Cynthia", "The Sixth Sense", and "1529 Gunn Street". CD

David Murray on tenor saxophone, Dave Burrell on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Ralph Peterson Jr. on drums. CD

Ted Nash on tenor sax, clarinet & alto flute, Tomas Ulrich on cello, Ben Allison on double bass, Tim Horner on drums, Frank Kimbrough on piano, Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Erik Charlston on vibraphone & percussion, Ron Lawrence on viola & Joyce Hammann on violin. CD

Steve Nelson on vibraphone, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Tony Reedus on drums. CD

One of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best "new thing" mode of the 60s! The New York Art Quartet were a short lived collaboration between trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Lewis Worrell, and percussionist Milford Graves – but their legacy in this one album is almost greater than that of other combos who recorded more frequently at the time. The sound is similar to the best "spacious" groups of the new thing years – such as the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon work, or some of the looser sides by the New York Contemporary Five – a group that featured Shepp and Tchicai. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) makes a key guest appearance on the title "Black Dada Nihilismus" – reciting his writings alongside the group's somber instrumental musings – and other titles include "Short", "Rosmosis", and "No 6". CD

One of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best "new thing" mode of the 60s! The New York Art Quartet were a short lived collaboration between trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Lewis Worrell, and percussionist Milford Graves – but their legacy in this one album is almost greater than that of other combos who recorded more frequently at the time. The sound is similar to the best "spacious" groups of the new thing years – such as the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon work, or some of the looser sides by the New York Contemporary Five – a group that featured Shepp and Tchicai. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) makes a key guest appearance on the title "Black Dada Nihilismus" – reciting his writings alongside the group's somber instrumental musings – and other titles include "Short", "Rosmosis", and "No 6". CD

A pair of amazing records from a legendary group – one who didn't record much, but who really shaped the sound of the avant garde in the 60s! First up is the self-titled New York Art Quartet, one of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best "new thing" mode of the 60s! The New York Art Quartet were a short lived collaboration between trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Lewis Worrell, and percussionist Milford Graves – but their legacy in this one album is almost greater than that of other combos who recorded more frequently at the time. The sound is similar to the best "spacious" groups of the new thing years – such as the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon work, or some of the looser sides by the New York Contemporary Five – a group that featured Shepp and Tchicai. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) makes a key guest appearance on the title "Black Dada Nihilismus" – reciting his writings alongside the group's somber instrumental musings – and other titles include "Short", "Rosmosis", and "No 6". The album Mohawk is next – rare and brilliant work from this amazing group – a lineup that features Roswell Rudd on trombone, John Tchicai on alto, Reggie Workman on bass, and Milford Graves on drums and percussion – a combo who are best known for their one LP on ESP, but also sounding equally great on this rare European-only album! The record has a wonderfully creative approach – still in the energetic mode of the New York scene of the 60s, but also with the more introspective style that would come into play more in the 70s loft scene. Players handle a variety of instruments – almost in an AACM mode – and titles include "Mohawk", "Banging On The White House Door", "Rufus 3rd", and "No 6". CD

Tim Armacost on saxophone, David Berkman on piano, Daiki Yasukagawa on bass, and Gene Jackson on drums. Titles include "Nefertiti", "Giant Steps", "Sweet And Lovely", and the original "Hidden Fondness". CD

Kevin O' Connell on piano, Adam Brenner on alto and tenor saxophones, Paul Gill on bass, and Mark Taylor on drums. CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

We're not sure we've ever heard from bassist Miles Perkin before, but after this album we'll definitely be keeping an ear out for his music – as the whole thing has a wonderfully fresh, wonderfully vibrant sort of sound – Miles' strong lines on the bass really working magic with a quartet that includes Tom Arthurs on trumpet, Benoit Delbecq on piano, and Jim Black on the drums! The vibe of the music is a bit hard to convey in words – as there's plenty of space for the bass right up front in the mix, but the music is never too airy or quiet either – just the right balance with a group flow that really comes along nicely – structure matched with improvisation, on titles that include "Sdreaming", "What Did You Expect", "The Point In Question", "Blue Cloud", and "Sea Drop". CD

A sweet little album of breezy jazz – with vocals by Joan Johnson on a number of tracks, and that modally grooving post-MPS sound that still resonated strongly on a few German labels at the end of the 70s! The real star here is Peters, whose work on saxes is great – kind of pinched in tone, in a snaking way that bubbles soulfully out of the album's best tracks. Johnson's vocals are nice, too – but they come to their strongest point when really challenged by Peters reed work, and by the driving piano of Walter Norris, who's also in the group. Titles include "Kekay", "Mr Steve", "Wings Of Steve", "Morning Mist", and "Happy Endings". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A pivotal album from minimalist genius Steve Reich – a record that got him into living rooms across America – thanks to the album's higher concept, and key participation of the Kronos Quartet and guitarist Pat Metheny! Kronos perform on the long title track "Different Trains" – a piece that is both a meditation on train travel and its role in the Holocaust – performed by the quartet with additional sounds from Reich on tape! Metheny's guitar sounds fantastic on "Electric Counterpoint" – a work that's completely faithful to the amazing range of tones and colors he'd been bringing to his own albums for years, but which also reworks things with Reich's minimal modes. CD

We love the reedwork of Dave Rempis in many settings – but one of our favorites is this excellent percussion quartet – a cool combo that features two drummers, Tim Daisy and Frank Rosaly, plus the bass of Ingebrigt Haker Flaten – all working together as a sublime setting for the alto and tenor of Rempis! The group is sometimes very rhythmic, other times a bit free – and Dave's saxophone lines are tremendous throughout – stretching out on very long tracks with that unbridled sense of imaginative creativity that can make his longform improvisations so wonderful! Flaten is fantastic too – the record is a great reminder of how much focused energy he can bring to a session like this – and titles include "Everything Happens To You", "Spooky Action", "Fat Lip", "Little Fascists", and "The Exuberant Aubergine" – the last of which features guest flugelhorn work from Jean Luc Cappozzo. CD

Timucin Sahin on guitars, John O'Gallagher on alto sax, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Tyshawn Sorey on drums. CD

Grant Stewart on tenor saxophone, Bruce Harris on trumpet, Tardo Hammer on piano, David Wong on bass, and Phil Stewart on drums. CD

John Stowell on guitars, Michael Zilber on saxophones, John Shifflet on bass, and Jazon Lewis on drums. CD

With Davide Logiri on piano. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Ernie Watts on tenor saxophone, Christof Sanger on piano, Rudi Engel on bass, and Heinrich Kobberling on drums. CD

A pretty compelling session – one that features Ben Webster playing with the first version of the Modern Jazz Quartet! The recording quality of the material is a bit rough, but Webster's tone cuts right through any shortcomings of the setting – blowing deeply over rhythms by the team of John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke. Titles include "Poutin", "Confirmation", "Lady Be Good", "Nearness Of You", and "Cotton Tail". CD

Buster Williams on bass, Steve Nelson on vibes, Mulgrew Miller on piano, and Carl Allen on drums! CD

Genius work from the World Sax Quartet – a really unique ensemble who not only set the tone for a generation of jazz musicians to come, but also gave focus to some richly expressive talents from the 70s underground! The quartet is something of a supergroup right from the start – graced with tremendous reed work by David Murray, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and Hamiet Bluiett – all key American players who really helped transform the sound of jazz in the 70s – coming together here in a whole new way on seminal sides for the Black Saint/Soul Note label! The format – which inspired many others – is really compelling – as the group's sounds come only from saxes, no other instrumentation at all – with the four wind players handling all rhythm and melody, and making some really amazing music in the process. Horn interplay had never been heard so clearly before – especially as here, the stars put aside their egos, and never try to overblow each other – and instead have this brilliant way of working together to craft a new sort of groove. The box set features the albums Steppin With, WSQ, Revue, Live In Zurich, and Live At The Brooklyn Academy Of Music – all with the classic lineup – plus Moving Right Along, which actually features a quintet with Bluiett, Murray, and Lake – joined by James Spaulding and Eric Person. CD

With Hamiet Bluiett, Olive Lake, David Murray, and John Purcell – on saxophones, clarinets, flutes, and bells! CD

One of the best albums ever recorded by the WSQ – a sensitive mix of rhythmic tunes and mellow ballads, played by the group with less agression than on previous releases, but in a way that shows that they're really fitting into the style of the ensemble well. Titles include "Cool Red", "Full Deep & Mellow", "Dance Until Dawn", "Fast Life", "Hattie Wall", and "Sweet D". CD

David Murray on tenor sax & bass clarinet, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, Oliver Lake on alto & soprano sax & Bgruce Williams on curved soprano & alto saxes. CD

With Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and David Murray on a multitude of saxophones, clarinets – even a bit of flute. Titles include "Ming", "David's Tune", "I Heard That", "Quinn Chapel AME Church", "Affairs Of The Heart", and "Little Samba". CD

With Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, David Murray, and Oliver Lake – each playing a variety saxophones. Titles include "R&B", "Hearts", "PO In Cairo", "Steppin", and "Ra Ta Ta". CD

Really groundbreaking work from the World Sax Quartet – one of the first, and best, all-horn ensembles! The strength of the album definitely hangs on the backgrounds of the players – Julius Hemphill, Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, and David Murray – all already key reedmen in left field jazz, with a sense of sound and identity that makes each part of the group as strong as its whole – a great trading of musical minds, spirits, and sounds. Instrumentation includes alto, tenor, baritone, clarinet, soprano sax, and bass clarinet – and titles include "Sundance", "Pillars Latino", "Suite Music", "Sound Light", "Connections", and "Fast Life". CD

A very unusual album from the great Toshiko Akiyoshi – and a set that features her young daughter Monday Michiru playing flute on the record! Monday's part of a flute quartet, who play here alongside Toshiko on piano, Bob Bowman on bass, and Joey Baron on drums – on original tunes "Chic Lady", "Blue Dream", "Last Minute Blues", and "Falling Petal". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty sweet set of 50s modern jazz – played by some key musicians from Australian who were working in the US at the time! The record's got a style that's somewhere between the hippest sessions of LA and Sweden at the time – all the coolness of both scenes, but a sense of playful expression that really comes through on some of the more unusual passages. The core group features Errol Buddle and Dick Healey on reeds, Bryce Rhode on piano, and Jack Brokensha on vibes! LP, Vinyl record album