There was definitely a dread in this session from producer Clement Bushay – but one who also brought in a strong influence from American soul – at a level that creates this mighty nice blend between roots reggae and lovers rock modes! The set trips along in an easygoing mode, and titles include originals by the artists who provide the vocals, plus some great covers too – on titles that include "Loving Girl" and "Come On Back To Me" by Bob Davis, "Have You Ever Loved Someone" by Delroy Washington, "Summertime" by Domino Johnson, "Traveling Man" by Eugene Paul, "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "Higher & Higher" by Carl Bert, "You Said You Love Me More & More" by Gene Rondo, and "Rock Your Baby" by Anne & Annis Peters. LP, Vinyl record album

Really fantastic sounds from Butcher Brown – a group who just seem to leap forward more and more with each new release – and who've really hit their groove with this well-recorded performance! The album was recorded live to disc in London – with a superb sound that only further emphasizes the sharp instrumentation that make these guys way more than just another funky combo – the fluid blend of heavy drums, warm keyboards, rich bass, and great interplay between guitar, trumpet, and occasional tenor – handled with the dexterity of a 70s jazz funk supergroup, but with all the lean energy of a funky 45! The tunes are all originals, all nice and long, and wonderfully soulful – and titles include "918", "Camden Square", "Street Pharmacy", and "Fiat". CD

A really unique session from these two great players – a rare moment when both were brought together in the studio – performing here in a German session that really knocks it out of the park, and has a different vibe than early 60s Blue Note material from either player! In addition to Donald Byrd on trumpet and Dexter Gordon on tenor, the group also features Herb Geller on alto and Ake Persson on trombone – horns criss-crossing in a great way, but with plenty of room for solos, especially from Byrd, who is sublime! The group also features Heinz Kitschenberg on guitar, with no piano at all – which makes for a nice change in the sound – and remaining players include Jurgen Ehlers on bass and Joe Harris on drums. The set's a bit short, just four tracks in all – but all the tunes are wonderful – and titles include "An Air For The Heir", "The Dexter Byrd", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "Blue Orchids". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best work ever recorded by bassist Paul Chambers – one of the greatest bass players in jazz! This excellent 3CD box set features the bulk of albums that Paul Chambers recorded for Blue Note as a leader, plus an earlier gem recorded for the Imperial label, and another session for the Transition label. Together, the records give an incredible picture of Chambers' work – showing why most jazz players of the 50s regarded him as one of the most important forces on his instrument, and why Chambers had some unique talents that made him one of the few bassists to regularly record albums as a leader. Players on the albums include John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Clifford Jordan, Pepper Adams, and Curtis Fuller – and the albums include Chamber's Music, Whims Of Chambers, Paul Chambers Quintet, Bass On Top, and Transition Session. 32 tracks in all! CD

Don Cherry really breaks out here on his classic Mu sessions from France – using the new freedoms of post-68 Paris to explore themes at a level that would set the tone for generations to come! The album's very spare, and very improvised – with Cherry on pocket trumpet, piano, and wooden flute – plus a bit of percussion too – alongside drummer Ed Blackwell, who's equally unbridled – showing a huge evolution since the time both he and Don spent in the group of Ornette Coleman! There's a few echoes of the global elements that Cherry would later embrace more strongly in the 70s – but the core energy here is mostly improvised jazz, handled at a level that really makes a lot better use of the freedom than some of Don's contemporaries. Titles include "Total Vibration", "Sun Of The East", "Brilliant Action", "Terrestrial Beings", "Bamboo Night", "The Mysticism Of My Sound", "Psycho Drama", "Smiling Faces Going Places", "Teo Teo Can", and "Dollar Brand/Spontaneous Composing/Exert Man On The Moon". CD

Cuba descarga – played American style! The set's a killer bit of Latin jazz from the New York scene of the 60s – a really brilliant effort headed up by Osvaldo Chihuahua Martinez – who plays both timbale and guiro – in a crack lineup that also features Chocolate Armenteros on trumpet, Chombo Silva on tenor sax, Manfredo Lee on guiro, and Dick Meldonial on flute – all players that get plenty of space to show off their talents here – especially on the solo moments, which really take off from the straighter vocal passages. Percussion is tremendous too – thanks to congas from Enrique Navarro – and titles include "Oye Lo Pollo", "Chihuahua En Timbales", "Cosquilla", "El Cavallo", "Cuban Night", and "Coco De Agua". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". CD also adds 2 long bonus cuts – "Lover" and "Royal Flush" – both of which weren't on the original album! CD

An album that was recorded right in the middle of the fantastic run of Blue Note albums by pianist Sonny Clark – but a set that wasn't issued until many years later, even though it's one of the best of the bunch! The vibe here is prime late 50s Blue Note – not just thanks to Sonny's great work on piano, and the fresh tunes that he brought to the set – but also because the rest of the group is a really all-star lineup too – Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums! The set's got Clark at his most lyrical – playing with a lot of hardbop fire, but also some touches of Horace Silver soulfulness, a perfect match for session-mates Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley. Mobley's in particularly fine form at this point, and the whole set's a real winner! Titles include "Junka", "Blues Blue", "Minor Meeting", and "Royal Flush". The record is paired here with another lost session, one from 1957 that features Clifford Jordan on tenor and Kenny Burrell on guitar. There's a total of 9 brilliantly remastered tracks on the CD – and the set's one of the best bunch of tracks we've ever heard from the great lost piano talent of Sonny Clark. CD

A unique Japanese-only Blue Note record, one that features trio dates by both players – Sonny Clark from 1958, and Wynton Kelly from 1951! Some material later ended up on the Standards CDs – but this Japanese-only album is the first LP issue of the material. LP, Vinyl record album

A heavy classic from trumpeter Buck Clayton – and a record that set a whole new standard for the jam session on record at the time! The album pushes forward strongly from the territory of the Jazz At The Philharmonic and Jam Session records on Verve – with a vibrancy that's even stronger, and which really has Clayton's leadership bringing all the players into sharp focus. Each track takes up a side of the record – with plenty of room for individual solo work from players who include Joe Newman on trumpet, Urbie Green and Henderson Chambers on trombones, Lem Davis on alto, Julian Dash on tenor, Charlie Fowlkes on baritone, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, and Freddie Green on guitar! The performances are nicely more focused than looser live jam session material of this nature – and titles include "The Huckle-Buck" and "Robbin's Nest". LP, Vinyl record album

With solos by Milt Hinton, Earl Hines, Joe Newman, Zoot Sims, Urbie Green, Buddy Tate, Lee Konitz, Vic Dickenson, Sal Nistico, and many others. LP, Vinyl record album

A great album, and one in which Nat King Cole returns to his roots as a jazz singer! The session differs greatly from Nat's other schmaltzy ones from the time, and it features a very "after midnight" sound – with Nat playing and singing backed only by a small combo that includes jazz greats like Harry Edison, Willie Smith, Jual Tizol, and Jack Costanzo. Plus, if that's not enough, this fab CD adds a whopping batch of extra tracks to the original LP – for a total of 18 beauties that sound perfect on a warm summer night, long after the sun has gone down. Titles include "Caravan", "Candy", "What Is There To Say", "You're Looking At Me", and "Blame It On My Youth". Great stuff! CD

An excellent double-length album that brings together a full session of material by John Coltrane – titles that were initially scattered over a number of different albums, but finally brought back together for this package! The album features Coltrane blowing in a quintet with trumpeter Wilbur Harden – making the set a nice counterpart to the Harden/Coltrane work at Savoy – but done here in a style that's more fully spacious, in keeping with Trane's Prestige work as a leader. Rhythm is by the trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and tracks were originally issued on the albums Stardust, Standard Coltrane, and Bahia. 8 titles in all – including "I'll Get By", "Don't Take Your Love From Me", "Stardust", "Invitation", "Love Thy Neighbor", and "My Ideal". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Featuring Miles Davis on trumpet, Jay Jay Johnson on trombone, Jimmy Heath on sax, Gil Coggins on piano, Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. CD

Tracks include "My Blue Heaven", "S'Wonderful", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "After You've Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

A great return to form for this legendary Somalian group – a combo who made some important records in the 80s, but were part of the huge diaspora on their scene as the troubles of the following decade forced a long pause in cultural activity! Here, the group are reborn with new youthful energy – as Dur Dur Band International, and working here with vocals from three different singers – Fadumina Hilowle, Zabiib Sharabi, and Cabdinuur Alaale – three different voices who really help expand the sound of the set! There's still plenty of East African roots here – in both the rhythms, and the exotic currents of the keyboards and saxophone lines – and despite the Berlin setting for the album, the record has a very traditional approach to production and presentation. Titles include "Love My Love", "Duurka", "Jija Love", "Sallal", "Heeyaa", "Hasha Geel", and "Riyo". CD

A great return to form for this legendary Somalian group – a combo who made some important records in the 80s, but were part of the huge diaspora on their scene as the troubles of the following decade forced a long pause in cultural activity! Here, the group are reborn with new youthful energy – as Dur Dur Band International, and working here with vocals from three different singers – Fadumina Hilowle, Zabiib Sharabi, and Cabdinuur Alaale – three different voices who really help expand the sound of the set! There's still plenty of East African roots here – in both the rhythms, and the exotic currents of the keyboards and saxophone lines – and despite the Berlin setting for the album, the record has a very traditional approach to production and presentation. Titles include "Love My Love", "Duurka", "Jija Love", "Sallal", "Heeyaa", "Hasha Geel", and "Riyo". LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington and jazz violin – a mode that's maybe not such a surprise, once you realize how important Ray Nance was to his group! Nance played trumpet, but also turned in plenty of violin solos for Ellington over the years – and here, he's joined by European greats Stephan Grappelli on violin, and Svend Asmussen on viola – both players who had a huge reputation overseas, and who work here with a core lineup of Ellington musicians that includes Russell Procope on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Buster Cooper on trombone! The setting is a bit more relaxed and small combo than larger Ellington dates – and although the session was recorded by Reprise Records in 1963, it wasn't issued until over a decade later – making it a nice surprise to fans of the recently-departed Duke. Titles include "Cotton Tail", "Blues In C", "String Along With Strings", "Limbo Jazz", "The Feeling Of Jazz", and "Tricky's Licks". LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington in fine fine form – working here in a selection of tunes played at jazz festivals in 1959 – a very good year for the Ellington Orchestra! The styles here are a mix of older Duke modes and some of the more sophisticated modernism of his late 50s years – and performances are often long and open-ended, with just the sort of spontaneous energy the Ellington organization offered to live crowds of the time. Titles include the extended "Idiom 59", plus "Launching Pad", "Perdido", "Duel Fuel", "Copout Extension", and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be". Includes bonus tracks "VIP Boogie" and "Jam With Sam". CD

Hard to believe that given Duke Ellington's presence at the start of the 60s, there would be an unknown session from the time – but the discovery of this material in the 70s made for another great chapter in the Duke's career during the classic Columbia years! The material here is played by a sweet small group that includes Ray Nance on coronet, Lawrence Brown on Trombone, Johnny Hodges on alto sax, Harry Carney on baritone, Aaron Bell on bass, and Sam Woodward on drums – all working in a format that almost feels a bit more relaxed and intimate than other Columbia sessions – although not with the rough edges you might expect from a lost date. Tracks include "Everything But You", "Black Beauty", "Something To Live For" "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", "Mighty Like The Blues", and "Dual Highway". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard studio work from the great Bill Evans – not another one of those many (and great) live performances from overseas – but a well-conceived, beautifully recorded set of tracks that were done for MPS Records in their famous studios in the Black Forest! The group here is Evans sublime trio with the great Eddie Gomez on bass and a young Jack DeJohnette on drums – perfect players for completely reworking the sound of the jazz piano trio, with all the new ideas that Bill had bursting forth at the time – and this material is the only studio session by the group, recorded right after their famous live appearance at Montreux in 1968 (documented on a well-known album on Verve.) The set's a double-length outing – recorded with the kind of crisp, clear sound that MPS brought to its other classic piano albums of the time by artists like Hampton Hawes or Tete Montoliu. The whole thing's wonderful – and Gomez has a wonderful presence in the mix – as the trio really shines on titles that include "Wonder Why", "Green Dolphin Street", "These Foolish Things", "Walkin Up", "Turn Out The Stars", "Very Early", "You Go To My Head", "Lover Man", and "Baubles Bangles & Beads". CD

The Faces gave us a handful of fantastic records during the early 70s – but alongside those studio sets, their antics as a live group were even more stunning – as you'll hear on some of this material recorded for the BBC at the time! The tunes aren't as totally freewheeling and over the top as their work on stage, but are still pretty great – and show that rawness at the core that has continued to give the group power that's lived on for many years, even past the more mainstream career of Rod Stewart too! Stewart is incredible here on vocals – and the rest of the group are impeccable instrumentally – and this set adds in more material than previous BBC vinyl releases – to present all the work the group recorded for the network during their time together. Titles include "Country Comfort", "Had Me A Real Good Time", "Maybe I'm Amazed", "Miss Judy's Farm", "Stay With Me", "Love In Vain", "Wicked Messenger", "Oh Lord I'm Borrowed Off", and "Around The Plynth/Gasoline Alley". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled super session from pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Elvin Jones – and one with a bit more sense of surprise than similar all-star trio outings from the 80s! There's a looseness here that's a good antidote to some of the more tightly-produced Japanese trio sessions – by the Great Jazz Trio, Super Jazz Trio, and other groupings of American players – and Flanagan's touch on the keys is especially nice here, almost a bit more "human" than on other records – with an odd sense of tone and phrasing that keeps our interest throughout. Titles include "Too Late Now", "Minor Perhaps", "Rachel's Rondo", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", and "Django". CD

A never-issued studio session from the 70s – one that has Stan Getz working with a really superb group that includes Joanne Brackeen on electric and acoustic piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all exploring the kind of territory that we loved on Stan's classic mid 70s albums on Columbia! The set's on Steeplechase, but this isn't one of those EU live albums with long takes of standards – and instead, the group have a warm, intimate, really cohesive style that's completely great – almost a bridge between Stan's Captain Marvel album and the Concord sessions to come. Titles include some really great song choices – versions of Milton Nascimento's "Cancao Do Sal" and Kenny Wheeler's "Quiso" – plus the classic tune "Litha" by Chick Corea, which Stan recorded so wonderfully in the past. Other titles include "Blue Serge", "I Remember Clifford", and "Lady Sings The Blues" LP, Vinyl record album

A never-issued studio session from the 70s – one that has Stan Getz working with a really superb group that includes Joanne Brackeen on electric and acoustic piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all exploring the kind of territory that we loved on Stan's classic mid 70s albums on Columbia! The set's on Steeplechase, but this isn't one of those EU live albums with long takes of standards – and instead, the group have a warm, intimate, really cohesive style that's completely great – almost a bridge between Stan's Captain Marvel album and the Concord sessions to come. Titles include some really great song choices – versions of Milton Nascimento's "Cancao Do Sal" and Kenny Wheeler's "Quiso" – plus the classic tune "Litha" by Chick Corea, which Stan recorded so wonderfully in the past. Other titles include "Blue Serge", "I Remember Clifford", and "Lady Sings The Blues". CD features three bonus alternate takes too! CD

Classic Jam Session work from Norman Granz – featuring a group with Stan Getz, Harry Edison, Wardell Gray, Benny Carter, Willie Smith, Buddy De Franco, Count Basie, and Freddie Green – on two long tracks, "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Blues For The Count". The session's got a number of interesting aspects – Basie plays organ, Getz is a bit harder than usual, and Willie Smith sounds great, as always, in one of his rare appearances from the time. LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s reunion of some of the key figures in the early New York bop scene – all recorded here in great fidelity, and on tracks that run a lot longer than their initial 78rpm recordings! The lineup includes Dizzy on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on tenor, John Lewis and Hank Jones on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Max Roach on drums – making a rare 70s appearance in a straight set like this. Tracks are all bop standards, played in versions that allow for plenty of solo space – and titles include "Confirmation", "Groovin High", "Lover Man", "All The Things You Are", and "Lady Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A stellar early Johnny Griffin recording for Blue Note, and one that features the young tenor genius from Chicago working alongside the equally fantastic John Coltrane and Hank Mobley – plus some additional trumpet from Lee Morgan, and rock-solid rhythm from Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey! As the "blowing session" title might imply, this set features long tracks that let the players get in plenty of soloing (and, we might add, in a very competitive way!) The record is similar to the Prestige sessions of the same vintage and style, but recorded with a little bit more of the care and rehearsal that Blue Note provided. Cuts include "Ball Bearing", "All The Things You Are", and "Smoke Stack. CD

A stellar early Johnny Griffin recording for Blue Note, and one that features the young tenor genius from Chicago working alongside the equally fantastic John Coltrane and Hank Mobley – plus some additional trumpet from Lee Morgan, and rock-solid rhythm from Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey! As the "blowing session" title might imply, this set features long tracks that let the players get in plenty of soloing (and, we might add, in a very competitive way!) The record is similar to the Prestige sessions of the same vintage and style, but recorded with a little bit more of the care and rehearsal that Blue Note provided. Cuts include "Ball Bearing", "All The Things You Are", and "Smoke Stack. LP, Vinyl record album

A quintet session with Johnny Griffin on tenor, Rolf Ericson on trumpet, Fritz Pauer on piano, Lukas Lindholm on bass, and Ronnie Stephenson on drums. CD

A bit of a change for Group Doueh – but a set that's every bit as wonderful as some of their previous work! The album has the group working with the French trio Cheveu – who add some more conventional guitars next to the snakey Saharan sounds you might expect – but never in a way that ever overwhelms the sound, and which instead is wonderfully respectful, and often seems to just bring a new focus to their energy. The mix is a bit like some of the Ethiopian recordings that were done by The Ex a number of years ago – music that's taken a bit from its roots, but never fully uprooted – even when some French lyrics might be a bit more dominant. Titles include "Charaa", "Azawan", "Moto 2 Places", "Bord De Mer", "Tout Droit", and "Hamadi". CD

Personnel include Edmond Hall on clarinet, Emmet Berry on trumpet, Vick Dickenson on trombone, Billy Taylor on bass, Teddy Wilson on piano, and Art Trappier on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A noteworthy session from pianist Hampton Hawes – a rare quartet session from the 50s (at a time when Hawes was mostly working in trios) – and also a three volume set of releases, all recorded in the space of a single night! The album is truly an All Night Session – as the material here was recorded during the night of November 12 and early morning hours of November 13, 1956 – with an unusual group that features Hawes on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, Bruz Freeman on drums, and Jim Hall on guitar! Hall's ringing tones are a perfect partner for Hawes' light approach to the keys – and the relaxed, extended nature of the recording has both players really opening up on some of the album's longish tracks. Titles on this volume include "Blues #4", "Blues #3", and "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A noteworthy session from pianist Hampton Hawes – a rare quartet session from the 50s (at a time when Hawes was mostly working in trios) – and also a three volume set of releases, all recorded in the space of a single night! The album is truly an All Night Session – as the material here was recorded during the night of November 12 and early morning hours of November 13, 1956 – with an unusual group that features Hawes on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, Bruz Freeman on drums, and Jim Hall on guitar! Hall's ringing tones are a perfect partner for Hawes' light approach to the keys – and the relaxed, extended nature of the recording has both players really opening up on some of the album's longish tracks. 2CD set features all 3 volumes of the recording – a total of 17 tracks that includes "Jordu", "Groovin High", "Takin Care", "Hampton's Pulpit", "I'll Remember April", "I Should Care", "Woody'N You", "Two Bass Hit", "Will You Still Be Mine", "April In Paris", "Blue 'N Boogie", "Blues #4", "Blues #3", and "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me". CD

A noteworthy session from pianist Hampton Hawes – a rare quartet session from the 50s (at a time when Hawes was mostly working in trios) – and also a three volume set of releases, all recorded in the space of a single night! The album is truly an All Night Session – as the material here was recorded during the night of November 12 and early morning hours of November 13, 1956 – with an unusual group that features Hawes on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, Bruz Freeman on drums, and Jim Hall on guitar! Hall's ringing tones are a perfect partner for Hawes' light approach to the keys – and the relaxed, extended nature of the recording has both players really opening up on some of the album's longish tracks. 2CD set features all 3 volumes of the recording – a total of 17 tracks that includes "Jordu", "Groovin High", "Takin Care", "Hampton's Pulpit", "I'll Remember April", "I Should Care", "Woody'N You", "Two Bass Hit", "Will You Still Be Mine", "April In Paris", "Blue 'N Boogie", "Blues #4", "Blues #3", and "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me". CD

A noteworthy session from pianist Hampton Hawes – a rare quartet session from the 50s (at a time when Hawes was mostly working in trios) – and also a three volume set of releases, all recorded in the space of a single night! The album is truly an All Night Session – as the material here was recorded during the night of November 12 and early morning hours of November 13, 1956 – with an unusual group that features Hawes on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, Bruz Freeman on drums, and Jim Hall on guitar! Hall's ringing tones are a perfect partner for Hawes' light approach to the keys – and the relaxed, extended nature of the recording has both players really opening up on some of the album's longish tracks. 2CD set features all 3 volumes of the recording – a total of 16 tracks that includes "Jordu", "Groovin High", "Takin Care", "Hampton's Pulpit", "I'll Remember April", "I Should Care", "Woody'N You", "Two Bass Hit", "Will You Still Be Mine", "April In Paris", "Blue 'N Boogie", "Blues #4", "Blues #3", and "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me". CD

Great long jam session tracks – pulled from the albums Coleman Hawkins/Things Ain't What They Used To Be and Coleman Hawkins/Years Ago. Features Coleman Hawkins and Al Sears on tenor, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Hilton Jefferson on alto, and Joe Thomas and Joe Newman on trumpets. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The J Masters are Japanese Jazz Masters – a really great sextet with key members from a few different generations – all coming together here in a really wonderful performance! The group is grounded by work from Yoshio Suzuki on bass and Shingo Okudaira on drums – and features tenor from Kosuke Mine and trombone from Shigeharu Mukai – both players who gave us killer albums from the 70s – alongside pianist Soichi Noriki and trumpeter Tomonao Hara. Tracks are nicely structured, different than you might expect from the "jam session" title – and tunes include "Cleopatra's Dream", "EJ Blues", "Norwegian Wood", "Night In Tunisia", "What A Wonderful World", and "Ellen David". CD

The "J Masters" here are all Japanese jazz masters – particularly some players from the 70s who we really appreciate hearing from again! The group's an all-star assemblage, working in a nicely loose, live setting – without any one ego taking the lead, and instead this spontaneous flowering of energy between all the players. Musicians include Kosuke Mine on tenor, Shigeharu Mukai on trombone, Tomonao Hara on trumpet, Fumio Karashima on piano, Yoshio Suzuki on bass, and Hiroshi Murakami on drums – and titles include nicely swinging takes on "Recado Bossa Nova", "Moment's Notice", "Five Spot After Dark", "Norwegian Wood", and "Round Midnight". CD

Pianist Wynton Kelly recorded for some of the key labels in jazz during his too-short life – a list that includes both Blue Note and Verve, as well as the smaller Vee Jay imprint – yet this session, which was his final, came out after his early passing on Chicago's Delmark label – at a time when it was crucial that Kelly's name was kept alive in the record racks. The group here takes the proceedings almost back to those excellent Kelly dates for Vee Jay at the start of the 60s – thanks to work from Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and the tunes have that easygoing, soulful vibe that Wynton did so well. Titles include "Castilian Waltz", "Say A Little Prayer For Me", "House Of Cards", "Yesterday", "Watch What Happens", and "When Love Slips Away". CD

Pianist Wynton Kelly recorded for some of the key labels in jazz during his too-short life – a list that includes both Blue Note and Verve, as well as the smaller Vee Jay imprint – yet this session, which was his final, came out after his early passing on Chicago's Delmark label – at a time when it was crucial that Kelly's name was kept alive in the record racks. The group here takes the proceedings almost back to those excellent Kelly dates for Vee Jay at the start of the 60s – thanks to work from Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and the tunes have that easygoing, soulful vibe that Wynton did so well. Titles include "Castilian Waltz", "Say A Little Prayer For Me", "House Of Cards", "Yesterday", "Watch What Happens", and "When Love Slips Away". CD

... CD

One of the more openly-grooving albums we've heard from Japanese reedman Eiji Kitamura in the 70s – a live performance that has the players working in this relaxed, small combo version of swing! Kitamura plays clarinet, and the group features some especially great tenor from Satoru Oda – who really shines on a long solo during the album's leadoff version of "Lester Leaps In"! Vocalist Martha Miyake sings a bit on the record – adding in a nice late nite vibe to tunes like "My Ideal" and "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" – before stepping back to make room for players Muneyoshi Nishiyo on trumpet, Kazuo Yashiro on piano, and Ichiro Masuda on vibes. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Desert Blues", "You've Changed", "Bubbles In The Wine", and "Gee's Flat". CD

An incredible lost slice of music from the young Bob Marley – an unissued set of recordings done at the Capitol Studios in LA, at a time when the Wailers were just beginning to rise in global power! The session came at an unusual moment for the group – they had come to the US to tour with Sly & The Family Stone, and were fired because the audiences were not yet ready for their groove – leaving the group a bit astray in California. But an opportunity arose to record at Capitol, a performance that was also filmed – and the result is this amazing set of tracks that captures Bob and the group at a level that's even different than their massive Island Records sets to come. There's a current of funk running through a number of these tracks, and a lean groove that's wonderfully soul-drenched throughout – not just in Marley's vocals, but in the overall performance of the rest – a tight sextet that includes Peter Tosh, Joe Higgs, Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett, and Earl Lindo. Titles include "Rastaman Chant", "Midnight Ravers", "Put It On", "Stop That Train", "Get Up Stand Up", "You Can't Blame The Youth", "Slave Driver", "Duppy Conqueror", and "Burnin & Lootin". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic lost material from Jackie McLean! The set was recorded right before his "new thing" era – in the same period as the amazing Fickle Sonance album. And like that one, this features Jackie edging out towards modernist ideas, yet still swinging hard and fierce, with a firey boppish sensibility. The writing is great – and the players include Herbie Hancock on piano, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Butch Warren on bass, and a young Tony Williams on drums – making his recording debut on the album! The whole thing's tinged with dark and fragile emotion – and a heated sense of urgency that makes it one of McLean's best albums of the 60s – even though it was recorded then, and not issued by Blue Note until many years later! Titles include "Marney", "Dusty Foot", "Vertigo", and "Cheers". Now, in this reissue with 24-bit mastering, it's also coupled with a great set that has McLean playing with Kenny Dorham and Sonny Clark, recorded a year earlier. The whole CD's got a total of 11 great tracks – and it's one of the best Jackie McLean titles you can find! CD

With BillEvans on piano. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

With Slick Rick on the Alchemist mix! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Brilliant work throughout – the last studio album ever cut by Lee Morgan, and a mindblowing session that always leaves us wondering how massive he would have become if he hadn't been tragically murdered shortly after it was recorded! The album's a huge change from Morgan's already-great work of the 60s – and features some very extended numbers, most a side long and these free-flowing numbers that are played by a larger group than usual – but with all the intensity and focus of a small group date from Lee! The set features key work from a young Billy Harper on tenor – especially on his own fantastic compositions "Capra Black" and "Croquet Ballet" – and for many folks, the record was a key introduction to Harper's genius. But the whole lineup is wonderful too – especially Harold Mabern on piano – and other titles include "In What Direction Are You Heading", "Angela", and "Inner Passions Out". CD

Brilliant work throughout – the last studio album ever cut by Lee Morgan, and a mindblowing session that always leaves us wondering how massive he would have become if he hadn't been tragically murdered shortly after it was recorded! The album's a huge change from Morgan's already-great work of the 60s – and features some very extended numbers, most a side long and these free-flowing numbers that are played by a larger group than usual – but with all the intensity and focus of a small group date from Lee! The set features key work from a young Billy Harper on tenor – especially on his own fantastic compositions "Capra Black" and "Croquet Ballet" – and for many folks, the record was a key introduction to Harper's genius. But the whole lineup is wonderful too – especially Harold Mabern on piano – and other titles include "In What Direction Are You Heading", "Angela", and "Inner Passions Out". CD

A fantastic transformation of the Oliver Nelson sound of the 60s – a large ensemble record that takes all the soul of his earlier groove, and reworks it with a more electric vibe for the 70s! Nelson's at the height of his powers here – working brilliantly as a leader and arranger, to open the door for strong sounds from younger players like Mike Wofford and Lonnie Liston Smith on keyboards, and the great Dennis Budimir on guitar! The record's unlike most of what you'll hear on Nelson's other albums – even his other Flying Dutchman work of the time – as it's got loads of wonderful keyboard moments, and even some moog and Arp as well. Titles include "Skull Session", "125th And 7th Ave", "Flight For Freedom", "Baja Bossa", and "Dumpy Mama". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from Nico – material recorded for the BBC during that wonderful early 70s stretch when she had firmly broken from the Velvet Underground, and was really making some mindbending music of her own! The vibe here is a lot like Desertshore – with very spare instrumentation made mostly from long lines on harmonium, providing very moody waves of sound next to the singer's incredible vocals – which have a more powerful, hypnotic quality in the setting than they ever did in a bigger group – a minimalist power that clearly owes a bit of a debt to Terry Riley and LaMonte Young, but which is definitely imbued with Nico's own strong spirit. The four tracks here are a crucial addition to her all-too-small catalog from the time – and titles include "No One Is There", "Frozen Warnings", "Janitor Of Lunacy", and "Secret Side". Only four tracks – but all of them are great! LP, Vinyl record album

Well, it's not the whole Charlie Parker Story – but the album does feature some great material from a very famous session, recorded on 11/26/1945, originally issued on 78s, along with extra tracks, compiled here in one of Savoy's posthumous Bird LPs from the early 60s. The group includes Miles Davis on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Curley Russell on bass, and Max Roach on drums – and titles include original and alternate takes of "Thriving From A Riff", "Meandering", "Koko", "Now's The Time", and "Billie's Bounce", all in early famous versions – with alternate takes too. LP, Vinyl record album

A set that brings together the famous Charlie Parker performance on one of Verve's Jam Session albums in the early 50s – with other material too! Parker plays alto alongside Benny Carter and Johnny Hodges – in a group that also includes Ben Webster on tenor, Oscar Peterson on piano, and Barney Kessel on guitar – on a long "Ballad Medley", plus "Jam Blues", "Funky Blues", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". Also features a sextet with Flip Philips on tenor and Charlie Shavers on trumpet – on Blues For The Midgets", "Cottontail", and "If I Had You" – plus a quintet with Benny Carter, Oscar Peterson, and Buddy Rich – on "I Got It Bad", "Long Ago & Far Away", and "I've Got The World On A String". LP, Vinyl record album

An expanded version of the first album to carry the Jazz At The Philharmonic formula into the studio – and a record that virtually coined the term "jam session" for 50s jazz! Norman Granz repeats the style he'd done so well in a live setting – and brings together a host of all-star players in a very relaxed, open environment – one that gives them all plenty of space to open up and hit some nice long solos. Players include Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, and Benny Carter in a three-alto frontline, plus Flip Phillips and Ben Webster on tenor, Barney Kessel on guitar, Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and JC Heard on drums. Side one features the original "Jam Blues", and side two features a "Ballad Medley", with each solo star taking one of the tunes in the set. Also features the material from vol 2 – "Funky Blues" and "What Is This Thing Called Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An expanded version of the first album to carry the Jazz At The Philharmonic formula into the studio – and a record that virtually coined the term "jam session" for 50s jazz! Norman Granz repeats the style he'd done so well in a live setting – and brings together a host of all-star players in a very relaxed, open environment – one that gives them all plenty of space to open up and hit some nice long solos. Players include Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, and Benny Carter in a three-alto frontline, plus Flip Phillips and Ben Webster on tenor, Barney Kessel on guitar, Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and JC Heard on drums. Side one features the original "Jam Blues", and side two features a "Ballad Medley", with each solo star taking one of the tunes in the set. Also features the material from vol 2 – "Funky Blues" and "What Is This Thing Called Love". CD

An expanded version of the first album to carry the Jazz At The Philharmonic formula into the studio – and a record that virtually coined the term "jam session" for 50s jazz! Norman Granz repeats the style he'd done so well in a live setting – and brings together a host of all-star players in a very relaxed, open environment – one that gives them all plenty of space to open up and hit some nice long solos. Players include Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, and Benny Carter in a three-alto frontline, plus Flip Phillips and Ben Webster on tenor, Barney Kessel on guitar, Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and JC Heard on drums. Side one features the original "Jam Blues", and side two features a "Ballad Medley", with each solo star taking one of the tunes in the set. Also features the material from vol 2 – "Funky Blues" and "What Is This Thing Called Love". CD

Vintage live recordings by George Clinton and his mighty P-Funk empire in the mid 70s – rehearsal sessions for the famous P-Funk Earth Tour – recorded in an airplane hanger in upstate New York! The sound is incredibly crisp and vibrant – these aren't sloppy rehearsal moments, but the group at their best – working with a tightness that's mindblowing, and having a sense of presence that's maybe even more upfront than the famous live album from the tour – as the smaller venue and recording style really captures the spontaneous energy of the performance! All the classic names are here, except Bootsy Collins – Fuzzy Haskins, Garry Shider, Jerome Brailey, Bernie Worrell, and even Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns – on titles that include "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On", "Undisco Kidd", "Gettin To Know You", "Comin Round The Mountain", "Do That Stuff", "Dr Funkenstein", and "Mothership Connection". LP, Vinyl record album

Roman Pokorny on guitar, Frank Basile on baritone sax, Pat Bianchi on Hammond, and Byron Wookie Landham on drums. CD

A DJ mix album by Liam Howlett of Prodigy. CD

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A classic set of 70s fusion – featuring Lee Ritenour on guitar and both Don Grusin and Pete Robinson on keyboards! There's a bit of vocals – courtesy of Bill Champlin, Venette Gloud, and Carmen Twillie – and titles include "Puzzle People", "The Baron", "Fly By Night", "Single Again", and "All Night Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

A Swingin Session indeed – as Frank steps out with Nelson Riddle on one of his last great albums for Capitol! The record's got the bounce and lilt of Frank's earlier gems with Riddle – a sly mix of jazz and strings that's every bit the best fit for Blue Eyes' vocals at the end of the 50s as it was back when he and Riddle cooked up the comeback sound earlier in the decade – and as before, although the tunes are mostly familiar, they're spun out by Frank as if they're his own – phrased beautifully, punched up nicely, and swung in just the right way to fit the spirit of the session! Titles include "I Concentrate On You", "Blue Moon", "When You're Smiling", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Always", and "September In The Rain". CD

A Swingin Session indeed – as Frank steps out with Nelson Riddle on one of his last great albums for Capitol! The record's got the bounce and lilt of Frank's earlier gems with Riddle – a sly mix of jazz and strings that's every bit the best fit for Blue Eyes' vocals at the end of the 50s as it was back when he and Riddle cooked up the comeback sound earlier in the decade – and as before, although the tunes are mostly familiar, they're spun out by Frank as if they're his own – phrased beautifully, punched up nicely, and swung in just the right way to fit the spirit of the session! Titles include "I Concentrate On You", "Blue Moon", "When You're Smiling", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Always", and "September In The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A Swingin Session indeed – as Frank steps out with Nelson Riddle on one of his last great albums for Capitol! The record's got the bounce and lilt of Frank's earlier gems with Riddle – a sly mix of jazz and strings that's every bit the best fit for Blue Eyes' vocals at the end of the 50s as it was back when he and Riddle cooked up the comeback sound earlier in the decade – and as before, although the tunes are mostly familiar, they're spun out by Frank as if they're his own – phrased beautifully, punched up nicely, and swung in just the right way to fit the spirit of the session! Titles include "I Concentrate On You", "Blue Moon", "When You're Smiling", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Always", and "September In The Rain". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Sentimental Baby", "Hidden Persuasion", and "Ol MacDonald". CD

Rare early 60s recordings from the Japanese scene – issued here in a 70s album on Three Blind Mice, and with a depth and complexity that's a fair bit like some of the more modern work on that label! The tracks here are all quite long – and feature interplay between the bass and drums that recall the more openly creative Three Blind Mice mode – a style that shakes off more conventional combo rhythms, in exchange for a more equally-weighted approach. Players here vary from track to track, and include drummer Masahiko Togashi, trumpeter Terumasa Hino, guitarist Sadanori Nakamurei, and bassist Hideto Kanai – and tracks include "If I Were A Bell", "Obstruction", "Nardis", and "Greensleeves". CD

One of the greatest records ever from Japanese drummer Masahiko Togashi – a rare European session that features the talents of Don Cherry on trumpet and Charlie Haden on bass! The session's one of Cherry's most compelling performances from the time – a really loose and free date that could have easily been recorded a decade before – yet which also seems to have that new sense of warmth and spiritualism that Don brought to his best experiments in the 70s. And Togashi really brings this spiritual, soulful quality to the proceedings – using percussion in earthy and subtle ways that really let Haden's basslines come forward too! Titles include "Rain", "Song Of Soil", "June", "Oasis", and "Words Of Wind (parts 1 & 2)". CD

One of the greatest records ever from Japanese drummer Masahiko Togashi – a rare European session that features the talents of Don Cherry on trumpet and Charlie Haden on bass! The session's one of Cherry's most compelling performances from the time – a really loose and free date that could have easily been recorded a decade before – yet which also seems to have that new sense of warmth and spiritualism that Don brought to his best experiments in the 70s. And Togashi really brings this spiritual, soulful quality to the proceedings – using percussion in earthy and subtle ways that really let Haden's basslines come forward too! Titles include "Rain", "Song Of Soil", "June", "Oasis", and "Words Of Wind (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

A quintet date with Mark Turner out front on tenor, Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Kevin Hays on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. Tracks include "Nefertiti", "Some Other Time", "Alone & I", "Skylark", and "All Or Nothing At All". CD

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Hard heavy stuff – and some of Jr's earliest work for Motown, only the second album to be issued on the small Soul subsidiary! The groove is nice and hard, with lots of original tracks done in the tenor-heavy instrumental style that was Jr's calling card during the time. Titles include "Mark Anthony Speaks", "Hewbie Steps Out", "Everybody Get Together", "Satan's Blues", "Brainwasher", and "Eight Hour Drag". With titles like that, you can guess how it sounds! LP, Vinyl record album

Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone, Ben Webster on tenor saxophone, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Ray Nance on trumpet, Lou Levy and Russ Freeman on piano, Emil Richards on vibraphone, Joe Mondragon and Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Gus Johnson and Mel Lewis on drums. CD

Some of the most important work ever recorded by Randy Weston – 5 early albums that really pushed the boundaries of modern jazz! First up on the set is Little Niles – a fantastic set that features some of Weston's best early compositions – angular and Monk-ish numbers, but with a profound influence from African rhythms. Next up is Live At The Five Spot – a really compelling live set that features Randy working out Little Niles-ish numbers with a live group that includes Kenny Dorham and Coleman Hawkins. After that is Piano A La Mode – a sublimely simple album of mellow piano tracks – followed by a series of previously unissued tracks done with a quartet that includes Roy Haynes, Cecil Payne, and Ron Carter. Following that are some of Randy's most Afro-centric albums – very unique for the time, and equally powerful today – the records Uhuru Afrika and Highlife – both of which feature larger groups working through some distinctly African ideas in jazz. Nearly every record features arrangements by Melba Liston – and if you've ever wondered where to start with Randy, this is it – because the set encapsulates nearly all of the biggest contributions he ever made to jazz! 40 titles in all – with tunes that include "Little Niles", "Nice Ice", "Earth Birth", "Gingerbread", "Saucer Eyes", "204", "CB Blues", "Where", "Fe Double U Blues", "African Lady", "Bantu", "Kucheza Blues", "Blues To Africa", and "Congolese Children". CD