A tribute to Herbie Hancock's most freewheeling group – with Billy Hart on drums and Eddie Henderson on trumpet! CD

A sextet session with Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Grover Washington Jr. on soprano sax, Joe Lovano on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Billy Higgins on bass. CD

Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Dave Kikoski on piano and Fender Rhodes, Ed Howard on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. CD

An album that begins with a drumbreak, then features electric piano from George Cables – all at a level that almost feels like Eddie Henderson has gone back to those sublime funky years of the mid 70s! Back in the day, the trumpeter's spacious approach to jazz funk really marked the start of a new era for the music – and since that time, Henderson's only gotten better and better in an acoustic setting too – really developing strongly since his initial appearance on spiritual sessions for others, with a range of expression that's on full display here! The album moves from the electric start to more acoustic modes – sometimes swinging, sometimes intimate – and Cables is a superb accompanist throughout, on both electric and acoustic keys – in a group that also features Donald Harrison on alto, Gerald Cannon on bass, and Lenny White on drums. Titles include "Totem Pole", "Scorpio Rising", "Why Not", "It Never Entered My Mind", "I Am Going To Miss You My Darling", and "Freedom Jazz Dance". CD

A classic straight session by Joe Henderson – cut during his early years, when he was breaking out of the box with a heck of a lot of fire! Kenny Dorham's subdued lyricism complements Joe's impassioned playing over the angular, yet still-swinging rythm section of Andrew Hill, Eddie Kahn and Pete La Roca. The track "Pedro's Time" reflects Joe's fascination with Latin-flavored pieces (as evidenced by Joe's previous effort Page One, and his work on Dorham's Una Mas), while pieces like "Teeter Totter", "Our Thing" and "Back Road" play with time and structure in subtle ways. CD includes a bonus alternate take of "Teeter Totter (alternate take)". CD

A classic straight session by Joe Henderson – cut during his early years, when he was breaking out of the box with a heck of a lot of fire! Kenny Dorham's subdued lyricism complements Joe's impassioned playing over the angular, yet still-swinging rythm section of Andrew Hill, Eddie Kahn and Pete La Roca. The track "Pedro's Time" reflects Joe's fascination with Latin-flavored pieces (as evidenced by Joe's previous effort Page One, and his work on Dorham's Una Mas), while pieces like "Teeter Totter", "Our Thing" and "Back Road" play with time and structure in subtle ways. CD includes a bonus alternate take of "Teeter Totter (alternate take)". CD

A classic straight session by Joe Henderson – cut during his early years, when he was breaking out of the box with a heck of a lot of fire! Kenny Dorham's subdued lyricism complements Joe's impassioned playing over the angular, yet still-swinging rhythm section of Andrew Hill, Eddie Kahn and Pete La Roca. The track "Pedro's Time" reflects Joe's fascination with Latin-flavored pieces (as evidenced by Joe's previous effort Page One, and his work on Dorham's Una Mas), while pieces like "Teeter Totter", "Our Thing" and "Back Road" play with time and structure in subtle ways. CD

An excellent set of material from the Bay Area bassist James Leary – a package that brings together one rare album, and a whole host of unreleased recordings as well! The core album is Legacy – originally issued on the tiny Blue Collar label at the start of the 80s, and a wonderful set that features plenty of tenor work from Joe Henderson – a really much-needed document of Joe's tremendous sound during this under-recorded period of his career – and very heavy in those sharp, dark tones he used on the Mirror Mirror album! The rest of the group is great – a core combo with George Cables on piano, Eddie Marshall on drums, and Kenneth Nash on percussion – augmented by some larger backings at times, but always in a relatively subtle way that preserves the energy of the core. Titles from that session include "Twenty Five/Mister X", "Remember To Smile", "Today's Song", "So Far So Good", "Legacy", and "Wajumbe". CD also then features 90s recordings made by Leary with some mighty hip players in the southern Cali scene – a shifting lineup that features vocals from Dwight Trible on two numbers, plus trumpet from James Smith, tenor from George Harper, and piano from Eric Reed. Titles include "Song For My Mother", "Little Birds", "Come & Talk", "Together", and "Expose". CD

Dream session indeed, as this date brings together Eddie Henderson, Benny Golson, George Coleman, Grover Washington, Jaki Byard, and Ron Carter – plus a crack group of younger players including Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Joe Locke, and Ed Thigpen – performing a great set of songs made famous by Miles Davis! Titles include Davis classics "All Blues" and "So What", plus standard "My Funny Valentine" and "I Thought About You", as well as the original "Davis", penned by Benny Golson. CD

A great one from this all-star group – an incredibly righteous combo that's given Billy Harper one of his best chances to play in years! As with the previous album by The Cookers, the Harper influence really runs strong – not just in the use of some of his great tracks in the performance, but also in the way the tunes build and work together – that bold, powerful energy that Billy first unleashed on the world in the 70s – driven to new heights here by a lineup that also includes Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Craig Handy on alto sax, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! But key thanks should also go to trumpeter David Weiss – also in the group, and producer for the record – a great talent for getting these guys to work together so well. Titles include tunes by McBee, Cables, and Hart as well – with tracks that include "Ebony Moonbeams", "Believe For It Is True", "Free For All", "Quest", "But He Knows", "Tight Squeeze", and "Naaj". CD

Features Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Joe Lovano on tenor, and John Hicks on piano! CD

Features Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Mike LeDonne on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Carl Allen on drums. CD

Features James Carter and Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Chick Corea on piano, Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, and Cyro Baptista on percussion – plus guest vocals from Stevie Wonder and Kathleen Battle. CD

Pretty hip stuff from drummer Billy Hart – and a record that mixes New York loft jazz traditions with a warmer sense of soul jazz that was being forged by some of the players on the record. Players like Don Pullen, Eddie Henderson, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Dewey Redman, and Oliver Lake come together nicely – and the album's filled with original tracks that include "Diff Customs", "Layla Joy", "Shadow Dance", "Corner Culture", and "Pharoah". CD

Bertha Hope on piano, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Dave Riekenberg and Junior Cook on tenor saxophone, Walter Booker on bass, and Leroy Williams on drums. CD

Material recorded early in the Blue Note career of Jimmy Smith – but not issued until the mid 60s, and often overlooked at the time! The record's still in the spare trio mode of the early Jimmy Smith years – but is a bit lighter and more lyrical than before – a nice change from the harder tones of Jimmy's early trio records, and a hint and the expansive lines he'd take on later recordings! The lineup features mostly Kenny Burrell on guitar and Philly Joe Jones on drums – plus a few additional tracks that use Eddie McFadden on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums – and titles include "These Foolish Things", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Someone To Watch Over Me", "One For Philly Joe", and a nice version of Monk's "Hackensack". CD features 4 bonus tracks – "Willow Weep For Me", "Ain't No Use", "Angel Eyes", and "Ain't That Love" – all with vocals by Bill Henderson! CD

With Eddie Henderson on trumpet. CD

An incredible record – and virtually the blueprint for countless other keyboard records to come! At the height of his 70s powers, Herbie really takes off into space with this set – moving away from more commercial music, and hitting a groove that's totally righteous, totally electric, and completely mindblowing! The album's got a bit of a Headhunters vibe, but it also veers off into some very wild analogue electronics too – a mix of Fender Rhodes, clavinet, melotron, and echoplex processing – augmented by additional work on Arp from Patrick Gleeson. Other players on the set include Bennie Maupin on reeds, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and the great Buck Clarke rounds out the combo on percussion. The album only features three long tracks – "Rain Dance", "Hidden Shadows", and "Hornets" – but all of them are killers! CD

Great recent work from tenor giant Billy Harper! After his classic sides in the 70s, we didn't hear from Harper for years as a leader, but when this one came out, it was well worth the wait! The album's a beautiful batch of tracks in Harper's unique style of soulful avant blowing, and the players on the record with him are incredibly sensitive to the sound he's trying to achieve. Eddie Henderson is on trumpet, Horacee Arnold is on drums, and Louie "Mbiki" Spears is on bass. All tracks are long and spiritual, as with Harper's best work, and titles include "Somalia", "Thy Will Be Done", "Quest", and "Light Within". CD

Soulful genius from Kenny Barron – an excellent quintet outing from the late 80s, and one that really benefits from the presence of horns added to the trio! Kenny's work on piano is always great – and his sense of scope, soul, and timing are presented perfectly here – but what we really appreciate is the way that Eddie Henderson's trumpet and John Stubblefield's tenor flesh out the longer tunes on the set, and bring in even more colors that Barron's own writing and performance. The rest of the quintet features Cecil McBee on bass and Victor Lewis on drums – and tracks include the great originals "Lunacy", "518", and "Sand Dune" – plus "There Is No Greater Love" and "Misterioso". CD

Howard Johnson on baritone saxophone and tuba, Jeff Chambers on bass, Donald Bailey and Eddie Marshall on drums, Randy Vincent on guitar, George Cables on piano, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Mel Martin on tenor and soprano saxophone and flute, and Warren Gale on trumpet and flugelhorn. CD

Featuring Vincent Herring, Eddie Henderson, Mulgrew Miller and Ira Coleman. Tracks include "Tu-Way-Pock-E-Way", "Mirrors", "Caravanserai", "Ruth", "Mariposa", "Lady In My Life", "Circles", "Come Back to Me" and "Ruthless". CD

A brilliant sextet session from Stanley Cowell – one of his few larger group sessions of the time, done during a period when he was recording almost exclusively in trio format! The album features a well-crafted sextet with lots of nice edges – bringing together Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Rick Margitza on tenor, Dick Griffin on trombone, Peter Washington on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all to shade and color Cowell's rich piano work and fresh compositions for the set. There's a deeply soulful feel to the record that's quite wonderful – a new exploration of Cowell's inspirations from the 70s, taken to some very tight territory here – but never with any sense of slickness at all. Titles include the excellent "Bright Passion", plus "Departure", "Setup", "Varions", "Bip Bip Bam" and "Sendai Sendoff". CD

Richard Davis and Bill Lee on bass, Sam Brown and Ted Dunbar on guitar, James Spaulding on alto saxophone and flute, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Eddie Henderson on trumpet and flugelhorn, Chick Corea, Consuela Moore, and Stanley Cowell on piano, Billy Cobham, Billy Hart,Freddie Waits, and Sonny Brown on drums, and Frankie Dunlop on percussion. CD

Ron Carter on bass, Herbie Hancock on piano, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, James Newton on flute, and Tony Williams on drums. Tracks include "Hat And Beard", "Cantaloupe Island", "Recorda Me", and "Little B's Poem". CD

Keystone bop indeed – a smoking little set from Freddie Hubbard, recorded during his great back-to-basics years of the early 80s! The tracks here are all quite long, and informed by a strong sense of hardbop – but they also open up with some sharper, more modern moments at times – of the sort that keenly reflect Freddie's best roots during his early years at Blue Note. The other players here are all quite strong – especially well-matched for the energy of such a record – with Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and Joe Henderson on tenor, plus rhythm from Billy Childs on piano, Larry Klein on bass, and Steve Houghton on drums. The CD presents all tracks in long, unedited takes – and this Friday/Saturday Night volume features 4 tracks – "One Of Another Kind", "Round Midnight", "Red Clay", and "First Light". CD

A sweet late 70s set from Freddie Hubbard – a slight move away from some of his highly-electric sides of the CTI years, yet one that still has some of the most soulful qualities of that work! Freddie's trumpet has a nicely spacious quality throughout – one that's flowing, and almost glowing at time – cascading along with qualities you might be more likely to hear from Art Farmer on some of the gentler numbers, yet really bursting out with that old Hubbard dynamism on the rest. Other players include Joe Henderson on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, Kenny Barron on piano and keyboards, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and George Benson also guests on guitar on one number too. A good number of the titles are originals, and tracks include "Super Blue", "To Her Ladyship", "Take It To The Ozone", "The Gospel Truth", and "Theme For Kareem". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

Amazing work from Freddie Hubbard – one of his best albums ever! The title cut's a classic, but all cuts on the album are great – and really set a whole new standard for soul jazz in the 70s! Unlike the freer runs of Miles Davis, Freddie takes things into territory here that's open, yet tightly controlled – a really soulful, spiritual vibe that's quite different than any of his later commercial work – or his hardbop of the decade before! The lineup includes Joe Henderson on tenor and Herbie Hancock on piano – and even back in the 80's, when everyone was going purist again, and was pretending they didn't like 70's electric jazz at all, they still claimed that this was a great jazz record, and one of the only good ones for CTI. We know better now, of course, and know that there were loads of great CTI sessions – but that doesn't stop this from being one of the best! Titles include "Red Clay", "Delphia", "Suite Sioux", and "The Intrepid Fox". This CD includes two non-LP bonus tracks, the previously released "Cold Turkey" and a monster 18 minute live version of the title track! CD

Quite an unusual session for trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a set done during his early run of albums for Blue Note, but one that's got some much darker, more modern qualities than the rest! The music here almost verges on some of the "new thing" material of the period on the label – although is not as far outside as some of the others – and the record features two different groups – both with excellent early work from James Spaulding on alto and flute, and really unique use of euphonium from Kiane Zawadi, whose depth on the instrument really explores the darker currents of sound. In addition to Freddie's trumpet work, the set also features Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley on tenors, Harold Mabern and McCoy Tyner on pianos, and Clifford Jarvis and Pete LaRoca on drums. Big Black also adds in percussion on the cuts "Cunga Black" and "Soul Surge" – and other titles include "Outer Forces", "Blue Spirits", and "Jodo". CD

An amazing second CTI set from Freddie Hubbard – one that takes off nicely from Red Clay territory, and starts to hit an even funkier mode! The tracks here are all relatively long, with a huge amount of solo space for Freddie on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, George Benson on guitar, and Herbie Hancock on piano. The title track "Straight Life" has a style that's quite searing and righteous at points – almost some of Freddie's boldest playing on record from the time. It's followed by an excellent take on Weldon Irvine's "Mr Clean" – one that's rompingly funky while still as righteous as the work on side long title track – played with some great electric piano from Herbie and sweet guitar lines from Benson. The set closes with a mellow take on "Here's That Rainy Day", played in a way that reminds us of Hubbard's more lyrical style – but still with plenty of CTI 70s overtones. CD

A sweet late 70s set from Freddie Hubbard – a slight move away from some of his highly-electric sides of the CTI years, yet one that still has some of the most soulful qualities of that work! Freddie's trumpet has a nicely spacious quality throughout – one that's flowing, and almost glowing at time – cascading along with qualities you might be more likely to hear from Art Farmer on some of the gentler numbers, yet really bursting out with that old Hubbard dynamism on the rest. Other players include Joe Henderson on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, Kenny Barron on piano and keyboards, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and George Benson also guests on guitar on one number too. A good number of the titles are originals, and tracks include "Super Blue", "To Her Ladyship", "Take It To The Ozone", "The Gospel Truth", and "Theme For Kareem". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

A landmark concert from the mid 80s – one held to honor the resurrection of the Blue Note label, featuring a wealth of some of the best players for the label – from the 80s back to the 50s bebop years. This first volume in the 4 LP series features centered around Herbie Hancock and Bobby Hutcherson, with appearances by Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, Tony Williams and James Newton. Side one features the group nicely stretching out on a quintet take of "Canteloupe Island" and a sextet reading of "Record A Me", and side two has a quintet take of "Little B's Poem", a trio take of "Bouquet" and a quartet take of "Hat & Beard". CD

A classic Blue Note groover – the funkiest album by Duke Pearson, and a killer batch of piano-heavy soul jazz tunes! Duke really blew out the box for this one – not only coming up with a great batch of original tunes, and playing them with an incredibly soulful touch – but also working with a top-shelf batch of players that includes Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, and James Spaulding! The great Mickey Roker is on drums, playing away with a nice scatter-shot modal mode that grooves in all the right parts – and titles include "Big Bertha", "Sweet Honey Bee", "Sudel", "Ready Rudy?", and "Empathy". CD

A classic Blue Note groover – the funkiest album by Duke Pearson, and a killer batch of piano-heavy soul jazz tunes! Duke really blew out the box for this one – not only coming up with a great batch of original tunes, and playing them with an incredibly soulful touch – but also working with a top-shelf batch of players that includes Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, and James Spaulding! The great Mickey Roker is on drums, playing away with a nice scatter-shot modal mode that grooves in all the right parts – and titles include "Big Bertha", "Sweet Honey Bee", "Sudel", "Ready Rudy?", and "Empathy". CD

A lost chapter in the career of trombonist Phil Ranelin – a player who's best known to most of us for his classic 70s recordings on the Tribe label, and for his recent work and remix projects! This set is a quite different side of Phil than we've ever heard – and a great one too, as it captures Ranelin in a straighter jazz setting – working in a west coast soul jazz mode, one that features longer tracks grooving out with a sweetly swinging style, and some great solo work as well. The overall vibe is less righteous overall than Ranelin's Tribe work, but the sound is no less soulful – as a great group that includes Eric Reed and Steve Turre help Ranelin work nicely through a set of tracks that includes the originals "Forever Yours", "A Close Encounter", "Full Moon", and "You Know What I Mean" – plus versions of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower" and Joe Henderson's "Recorda-Me". CD

Features Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff, Freddie Hubbard, and Nicholas Payton on trumpets – plus Chick Corea on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Al Foster, Joe Chambers and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

Includes 36 tracks and features work with Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Duke Pearson, Freddie Roach, Renee Rosnes, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Larry Young, Blue Mitchell, Grant Green, Andrew Hill, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, the Thad Jones - Mel Lewis Orchestra, and Pete La Roca. CD

Remarkable modern jazz, from one of the most unique voices in the genre! Hill's piano work and compositions fall into a category of their own, working outside the limits of predominant bop sound, but not quite falling into the world of free jazz that rules the avant scene. This outstanding Mosaic box collects his seminal 60s recordings, comprising of the LPs Black Fire, Smokestack, Judgment, Point Of Departure, Andrew!, One For One, and Compulsion, plus plenty of alternate takes and some material that was issued under Sam Rivers name on the LP Involution. Sidemen include Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Kenny Dorham, Eric Dolphy, John Gilmore, Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, Richard Davis, Cecil McBee, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams and Joe Chambers. There's 52 tracks in all, spread out over 7 CDs, with titles that include "Land Of Nod", "Black Fire", "McNeil Island", "Tired Trade",Pumpkin", "Subterfuge", "Smokestack", "Ode To Von", "The Day After", "Verne", "Not So", "Flea Flop", "Siete Ocho", "Yokada, Yokada", "Reconciliation", "New Monastary", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Symmetry", "The Griots", "Duplicity", "Le Serpenmt Qui Danse", "Euterpe", "Erato", "Roots 'n Herbs", "Compulsion", "Premonition", "Violence" and "Desire". CD

One of the last great "lost" sessions from pianist Andrew Hill – material recorded for Blue Note in the mid 60s, and issued only briefly in the 70s – finally to be reissued here properly in its entirety for the first time ever! The record has Hill working at his sharpest and most modern – really setting fire with a group that includes Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a perfect "new thing" lineup to carry off the original compositions of Hill in the set. There's a nascent soulfulness lurking underneath the surface of the record, making things not as starkly modern as on other Hill Blue Note sessions from the 60s – and that's a quality that we really appreciate, and which gives the record a bit more complexity and depth than usual. (And who knows, perhaps its that quality that made Blue Note hold back the record in the 60s – because it didn't fit the mold of Hill they were trying for at the time!) Whatever the case, though, the record's a great one – and features 7 original titles that include "Eris", "Pax", "Calliope", "Euterpe", "Roots N Herbs", and "Erato". And just in case you're wondering, the material was previously issued on the record One For One – a 2-fer from 1975! CD