Although most of the world knows Ike Quebec these days for his "comeback" recordings with Blue Note in the early 60s, back in the 40s, he recorded some totally smoking sides for the label that show him playing in a much younger, gutsier vein – nicely shifting between the camps of bop and swing, as a fierce young tenor master. Those recordings, all originally issued on 78s, have all been tough to find – and now they're paired nicely with a great set of recordings that Quebec did for the Savoy label around the same time. Both sets are excellent material by one of the most woefully overlooked tenorists of the 20th century, and this set features great remastering, and probably the best packaging we've ever seen for the material. There's a total of 22 cuts in all – with a number of unreleased ones – and titles include "Zig Billion", "IQ Blues", "Jim Dawgs", "Facin The Face", "Tiny Exercise", and "Hard Tack". CD

An incredible batch of electric funk from Grover Washington Jr – easily one of his best albums ever! The record really picks up from the sweet CTI sound of the 70s – taking Bob James arrangements with a lot of space and electric keyboards, and letting Groover blow some wonderfully soulful lines over the top on soprano sax! The album's got some really wonderful funk tracks that feature a mad mix of drums, bass, and lots of that Bob James "space" – including the massive cuts "Hydra" and "Knucklehead" – both of them magic! Other tracks include "Moonstreams", "It Feels So Good", and "The Sea Lion". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unique packages we've ever seen from the mighty Mosaic Records – not a set that focuses on a specific artist or record label – but instead a treasure trove of freshly-unearthed material from the archives of Bill Savory – a legendary sound engineer whose work for Columbia Records helped transform our understanding of classic jazz! The sides here aren't Bill's work for that label – but instead feature recordings he made of rare broadcast performances – material that's surprisingly well-recorded, given Savory's skills with the technology of the times – which means that these tracks are way more than the kind of fuzzy radio tapes that used to show up on older jazz bootleg albums. Mosaic did a great job of restoring these materials, and presenting them with wonderful clarity – in a succession of late 30s performances that feature rare work by Count Basie, Albert Ammons, Mildred Bailey, Teddy Wilson, Glenn Miller, John Kirby, Carl Cress, Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Fats Waller, Lionel Hampton, Roy Eldridge, Jack Teagarden, and other giants of the swing generation. There's 108 tracks in all – including a few surprisingly long performances – and the whole thing comes with the usual hefty Mosaic Records package of notes and photos! CD

Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz – music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary – and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip late 60s soul jazz group of Max Roach – and Bartz's playing at the time is a perfect model of mid-Coltrane searching with some of the tighter sides of soul jazz that were being forged at labels like Blue Note by players like Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan. The record's a masterpiece of youthful soulful energy – and the group includes Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, Albert Dailey on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums, all players who are perfectly matched to fit Bartz's stridently creative vision. His solos on alto are impeccable – some of the most meaningful we've ever heard on the instrument from the time – and the album's a great one all the way through! Titles include "Air & Fire", "Eastern Blues", "Libra", "Freedom Of The Day", and "Cabin In The Sky". Another Earth is amazing too – one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut – done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell, Freddy Waits, Charles Tolliver, Pharoah Sanders, and Reggie Workman – and the music sounds like it was lifted from one of the best albums on Strata East from the 70s. There's no funk, no vocals, no weird rhythms – just pure spiritual jazz, played to perfection, and filled with a creative vitality that most of the players had lost a few years later. Tracks include the album-side "Another Earth", plus "Dark Nebula", "UFO", and "Perihelion & Aphelion". Note: CD omits the track "Disjunction" from Libra – due to space restrictions. CD

One of the greatest albums ever by pianist Kenny Drew – a record that's as noteworthy for the contributions of the sidemen as it is for the efforts of the leader! Drew's a player who often worked mostly in trio formats – but here, he's hitting hard with a righteous Blue Note power – thanks to the presence of Hank Mobley on tenor and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, both of whom really give the record an edge! Drew's lyrical sensibilities are shifted to darker, more modern moments at times – and the rest of the group features Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. An essential addition to the Blue Note legacy of Mobley and Hubbard – and the set's filled with original tunes by Kenny, including "The Pot's On", "Undercurrent", "Funk-Cosity", and "Lion's Den". CD

One of the greatest albums ever by pianist Kenny Drew – a record that's as noteworthy for the contributions of the sidemen as it is for the efforts of the leader! Drew's a player who often worked mostly in trio formats – but here, he's hitting hard with a righteous Blue Note power – thanks to the presence of Hank Mobley on tenor and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, both of whom really give the record an edge! Drew's lyrical sensibilities are shifted to darker, more modern moments at times – and the rest of the group features Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. An essential addition to the Blue Note legacy of Mobley and Hubbard – and the set's filled with original tunes by Kenny, including "The Pot's On", "Undercurrent", "Funk-Cosity", and "Lion's Den". CD

A pretty nice set of "mood jazz in hi fi" – featuring Don on the mellophone, trumpet, and vibes – working with a surprisingly hip group that features Bill Evans, Hal McKusick, Paul Motian, and Barry Galbraith. A number of tunes feature backings by a vocal choir of 6 voices – dreamily setting a field of sound for the main soloists to work through – creating a style that actually works better here than some of Elliott's straighter jazz sides of the time. Titles include "A Waltz", "Blue Waltz", "Poinciana", "Summer Scene", "Tired Of Me", and "A Million Dreams Ago". Quite nice, with some dark and modern edges that you wouldn't expect! LP, Vinyl record album

Mosaic Records doing what it does best – providing a brilliant way to hear material from the 78rpm generation – all remastered with great sound, and presented with fantastic notes on the music! 171 tracks in all – recorded for Brunswick, Vocalion, Bluebird, Okeh, and other labels – with some unissued tracks. CD

Perhaps THE greatest Quincy Jones album of the 60s – a hard-swinging batch of big band bossa tunes – and one of the greatest American takes on the bossa sound ever! Quincy really brings a lot of soul to the set – syncopating the bottom end of the tunes to really bring out the rhythms, and working with a jazzy flourish of horns that creates all these quick and clever little turns in the tunes! The sound's been heard most famously on the incredible track "Soul Bossa Nova" – an original by Quincy for the set, which has gone onto much greater fame through its use in the film Austin Powers, and a bazillion TV commercials! But the whole album's great too – and other tracks include "Serenata", "Lalo Bossa Nova", "Boogie Bossa Nova", and "Chega De Saudade". CD

Mindblowing! This is when Wes Montgomery really starts to get interesting to us – when he's working with a top-line arranger like Don Sebesky, crafting some incredibly compelling chords over lightly jazzy arrangements and soaring strings, in a whole new mode of expression that would go onto transform a generation of guitar players! And sure, this album sold a gazillion copies – but we'll be honest in saying that we think it's loads more complex and mature than some of Wes' straight jazz sides from earlier years – light years away from the small combo dates of the early years, both in conception and sound. Titles include "Day In The Life", "Watch What Happens", "California Nights", "Windy", "Trust In Me", and "The Joker". CD

Mindblowing! This is when Wes Montgomery really starts to get interesting to us – when he's working with a top-line arranger like Don Sebesky, crafting some incredibly compelling chords over lightly jazzy arrangements and soaring strings, in a whole new mode of expression that would go onto transform a generation of guitar players! And sure, this album sold a gazillion copies – but we'll be honest in saying that we think it's loads more complex and mature than some of Wes' straight jazz sides from earlier years – light years away from the small combo dates of the early years, both in conception and sound. Titles include "Day In The Life", "Watch What Happens", "California Nights", "Windy", "Trust In Me", and "The Joker". LP, Vinyl record album

A motherlode of great music from Zoot Sims – mid 70s recordings done for the Groove Merchant label, presented here in a double-length package! Although Groove Merchant was mostly known for its funkier sounds, the work here is nicely back to basics for Sims – small group sessions that give him plenty of room to open up and blow – paired with players that include Lionel Hampton on vibes, Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Teddy Wilson on piano, and Buddy Rich on drums. The sound is warm, but never sleepy – and Zoot's tenor has a nice edge on his solos that dominate most tunes. CD features 14 tracks that include "Nirvana", "Somerset", "A Summer Thing", "Somebody Loves Me", "Up A Lazy River", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Send In the Clowns", "Air Mail Special", "Ham Hock Blues", and "Ring Dem Bells". CD

Twin-tenor magic from South African saxophonists Winston Mankunku Ngozi and Mike Makhalemele – working together here with backing from a sweet electric combo that features Trevor Rabin on guitar! The groove is open and fluid – the band just vamping and opening things up, to let Ngozi and Makhalemele spin out these long solos that have plenty to say – which is maybe why both artists are listed on the cover as "voices" in the credits! The vibe is different than Ngozi's early records, and much more in the style of Makhalemele's music – and the set features the side-long track "Rainy Day", plus "Snowfall" and "Togetherness" – all great mellow jazz funk numbers! LP, Vinyl record album

Features a long list of guest musicians including Roy Hargrove, Jon Hendricks, Joe Lovano, Gerry Mulligan, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride and George Shearing. CD

A fantastic collection – five seminal years in the recording history of Lester Young – pulled from an assortment of rare 78s for a number of different labels. A huge amount of material – the first-ever clear, complete look at this period! CD

An amazing tribute to the genius of this important trumpeter in his prime – a set that features 151 recordings, pulled from a variety of labels – all supported with detailed discographical information and other notes! CD

A great side of Duke Ellington's genius – smaller group settings for his key players – originally issued on 78s on a variety of labels – some under Ellington's name, and also under the names of Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, Rex Stewart, and others! The set is wonderfully done – a huge amount of material, with very detailed notes on the sessions. CD

Paris was always a great city for Lionel Hampton – but it seemed like in the mid 50s, it was also a place where he cut some of his best work, too! The French New Sound pair of albums are both classics in Hamp's book – records that take off from the looser, longer-form style that he'd been hitting with his Verve recordings of the early 50s – yet which also retain some of the tighter, fuller elements of his famous large ensembles. Players on the records are great – a lineup that includes travelling American jazz greats like Benny Bailey and Nat Adderley on trumpets, and a young David Amram on French Horn – plus crack Parisian players who include Sacha Distel on guitar, Rene Urtreger on piano, and Guy Pederson on bass. The tracks are simple jamming numbers – long and open-ended, in the mode of some of Hamp's very popular live work at the time, and the vibes are right out front – hard-edged, with that soulful sound that Hamp pioneered on the instrument – and the other players are given very ample room to solo. Tracks on this second volume include "All The Things You Are", "Night & Day", and "Red Ribbon". CD

Some of the first important jazz work on vibes – and a key bridge between swing and later styles too! The package features a wealth of material originally issued on 78rpm singles, plus unissued tracks too – all with the usual Mosaic attention to detail. CD

With Dr John, Freddie Kohlman, and the New Orleans Brass Band. LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My Favorite Things" a million times – but it still blows our mind the way Coltrane hits this incredibly soulful modal groove, twisting and turning on soprano sax, always keeping things interesting, so that we're surprised that the cut's 13 minutes have gone by so quickly! The rest of the record's equally great – and the 3 other long cuts are "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Summertime" and "But Not for Me". The other players include McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the whole album is as great today as when it was cut, and still one of Coltrane's most revelatory albums! LP, Vinyl record album

Very late work from the legendary Thelonious Monk – but surprisingly great as well! The session was recorded in London – as you might guess from the title – and although Monk's not working with his regular quartet with Charlie Rouse, he does interact wonderfully with a trio that includes Art Blakey on drums and Al McKibbon on bass! Blakey's drums have this nice crispness that transforms the Monk experience – and some performances stretch out in a nicely inspired way. CD

Wicked funky fusion from Opa – a Brazilian-inspired set, and one with loads of great electric moments! Although originally from Uruguay, Opa are best known for their Brazilian-tinged albums on the soul/jazz Fantasy records label in Cali during the mid 70s – great placement, given that their sound is a bit like Azymuth – with a similar mix of South American roots and contemporary electric grooves! This album is actually their first – captured in America before their two classics on Fantasy – and featuring a sharp quartet that includes legendary pianist Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards – a great talent who'd already made jazz and bossa records in the 60s – working here with George Osvaldo Fattoruso on drums, percussion, and flute – plus Ringo Thielmann on bass. The core trio is also joined for this record by percussionist Pappo Atiles – and although there's some light vocal touches, they've got that breezy style that was often used in Brazilian jazz at the time – almost more instrumental than vocal. Titles include a great take on Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte" – plus "Back Home (The Inner City)", "Brother Rada", "African Bird", "Goldenwings", "Brooklynville", and "One & One & One Is Two". CD also features the bonus track "I Came To This Country". CD

With Lionel Hampton, Harry Edison, Buddy Rich, Red Callender, and Barney Kessel. CD

Ben Webster's tone is wonderful here – that mature, mellow sound that he brought to some of his standout live dates – and which is captured here in the kind of relaxed, soloist-focused setting that always makes 60s recordings from the Cafe Montmartre so great! The group is a familiar one for the house – Kenny Drew on piano, Nils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – but it's clear that Ben's the main star, and steps out on the kind of tenor solos really set him apart from the rest – on a record that's also one of his best from the decade! Titles include "I Can't Get Started", "Londonderry Air", "My Romance", and "Blues For Herluf". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of 28 early Basie recordings for Vocalion, Columbia, and Brunswick labels, plus unissued masters! Includes work with the orchestras of Mildred Bailey, Harry James, Glenn Hardman, Teddy Wilson, plus the Basie orchestra, with vocals by Billie Holiday, Helen Humes, and Jimmy Rushing. LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My Favorite Things" a million times – but it still blows our mind the way Coltrane hits this incredibly soulful modal groove, twisting and turning on soprano sax, always keeping things interesting, so that we're surprised that the cut's 13 minutes have gone by so quickly! The rest of the record's equally great – and the 3 other long cuts are "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Summertime" and "But Not for Me". As great today as when it was cut, and still one of Coltrane's most revelatory albums! With McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. CD

Tremendous work from saxophonist Paul Gonsalves – one of his rare UK sessions from the 60s, all of which show that he had a fantastic sound that went way beyond his more famous work with Duke Ellington! The style here is tight, hip, and very grooving – work by a quartet that features Gonsalves on tenor, plus Pat Smythe on piano, Kenny Napper on bass, and Ronnie Stevenson on drums – all hitting a soulful hardbop style that's very much like the best Tubby Hayes records from the time! Gonsalves' tone is incredible – with that raspy, almost flatted mode that he used with Ellington – and it really stretches out here with plenty of room for creativity, in a way that makes us wonder why nobody ever got this one issued over on our side of the Atlantic. Titles include "Boom Jackie Boom Chick", "Village Blues", "Poor Butterfly", "Blue PG", and "Taboo". CD

Tight early work from Lee Konitz – recorded on location at the very hospitable Storyville nightclub in Boston – a sweet setting for his angular tones on the alto! The style here is great – cutting lines that are incredibly precise, yet crafted with enough soul to keep them from just being exercises in sound – delivered with a bit more warmth than some of Lee's other recordings of the time. The group's a quartet with Ronnie Ball on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Al Levitt on drums – and titles include "Sound Lee", "Subconscious Lee", "Hi Beck", and "These Foolish Things". Great reissue of the original 10" LP! CD

A real treasure from the South African scene of the 60s – and the kind of record that we thought wasn't being made until the following decade! Tenorist Winston Mankunku Ngozi rivals the genius of Coltrane and Wayne Shorter here – both artists to whom he dedicates a key track on the album – and the record's hardly just a South African jazz effort, as it's got this long-flowing spiritual energy that rivals some of the best American work on Impulse or Blue Note at the time – but, like the best of those records, never does so in any sort of slavish way at all! Instead, Ngozi really finds his own voice here – blowing tenor with a great amount of depth, in a quartet that often hits these modal currents that work great with his horn – a lineup that features Lionel Pillay on piano, Agrippa Magwaza on bass, and Early Mabuza on drums. Incredibly hip and soulful, no matter what the origin – and titles include "Yakhal Inkomo", "Dedication", "Doodlin", and "Bessie's Blues". CD

A real treasure from the South African scene of the 60s – and the kind of record that we thought wasn't being made until the following decade! Tenorist Winston Mankunku Ngozi rivals the genius of Coltrane and Wayne Shorter here – both artists to whom he dedicates a key track on the album – and the record's hardly just a South African jazz effort, as it's got this long-flowing spiritual energy that rivals some of the best American work on Impulse or Blue Note at the time – but, like the best of those records, never does so in any sort of slavish way at all! Instead, Ngozi really finds his own voice here – blowing tenor with a great amount of depth, in a quartet that often hits these modal currents that work great with his horn – a lineup that features Lionel Pillay on piano, Agrippa Magwaza on bass, and Early Mabuza on drums. Incredibly hip and soulful, no matter what the origin – and titles include "Yakhal Inkomo", "Dedication", "Doodlin", and "Bessie's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive material, with lots of alternate takes that really let you hear the genius Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter at this early age! Features material from sessions that created the albums The Young Lions, Wayning Moments, Second Genesis, Introducing Wayne Shorter, Expoobident, and Here's Lee Morgan – plus lots of bonus tracks! CD

A wonderful mid 80s effort from the Don Pullen Quintet – a group that features young lion Donald Harrison on alto sax – recording in a setting that's nicely fresh, compared to some of his other work! Other players include the under-recorded trumpeter Olu Dara, and a wonderful elastic rhythm section of Fred Hopkins on bass and Bobby Battle on drums – all working with Pullen's piano in a groove that's angular at times, but never loses its sense of swing – that wonderful balance that always made Pullen a real standout amongst the jazz communities in which he worked. Titles include "The Sixth Sense", "In The Beginning", "Tales From The Bright Side", "Gratitude", and "All Is Well". CD

A tremendous recording from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – done during the same Paris stretch as their Great Black Music classics on the BYG/Actuel label – and a set that easily matches, if not tops, those classics! You can really hear the group finding their own space here – taking some of the free jazz explorations of the Chicago scene in the late 60s, and forging them with an even earthier use of both percussion, and the more offbeat sonic possibilities of their own instruments – often with a sense of surprise that you don't always get from some of their later albums. Titles include the side-long "The Spiritual" – plus "Toro", "Lori Song", and "That The Evening Sky Fell Through the Glass Wall and We Stood Alone Somewhere?" (And they wondered why they never got their songs on the radio!) CD

An excellent hard bop side from the late 80s, an era when the new "young lions" were getting a lot of press, and some nice recordings were being made with any eye on the future while their feet were firmly planted in tradition. This set features two players of Cindy's generation in the front line: Wallace Roney and Kenny Garrett, with some older masters filling out the rest of the group: Joe Henderson, Buster Williams and Larry Willis. The recordings are filled with energy and imaginative playing as they run through originals like "Arcane", "Late Autumn", "Dual Force" and "Mirrored Glances". CD

A really mindblowing collaboration between two of the most spiritual mainstream musicians of the early 70s – legendary guitarist Carlos Santana and spiritual jazz guru Alice Coltrane! The set came at a time when Santana was reaching for much deeper ideas in both his music and his personal life – and Coltrane turned out to be a perfect creative fit, as she'd already been down the path with her own music for years – and helps Carlos here find an incredible setting that really lets his new vision take flight! The album's a very collaborative effort – with Alice on piano, organ, and harp – but Coltrane also brings in some fuller arrangements on half of the tracks – really opening things up, alongside other musicians who include Jack DeJohnette on drums, Dave Holland on bass, Jules Broussard on soprano sax and flute, and Tom Coster on both acoustic and electric piano. The strings are sublime – as heavenly as on Alice's own records – and titles include "Angel Of Air Angel Of Water", "Bliss The Eternal Now", "Angel Of Sunlight", "Illuminations", and "Guru Sri Chinmoy Aphorism". CD

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My Favorite Things" a million times – but it still blows our mind the way Coltrane hits this incredibly soulful modal groove, twisting and turning on soprano sax, always keeping things interesting, so that we're surprised that the cut's 13 minutes have gone by so quickly! The rest of the record's equally great – and the 3 other long cuts are "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Summertime" and "But Not for Me". The other players include McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the whole album is as great today as when it was cut, and still one of Coltrane's most revelatory albums! LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My Favorite Things" a million times – but it still blows our mind the way Coltrane hits this incredibly soulful modal groove, twisting and turning on soprano sax, always keeping things interesting, so that we're surprised that the cut's 13 minutes have gone by so quickly! The rest of the record's equally great – and the 3 other long cuts are "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Summertime" and "But Not for Me". The other players include McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the whole album is as great today as when it was cut, and still one of Coltrane's most revelatory albums! CD also features 2 bonus single versions of "My Favorite Things" – parts 1 and 2! CD

A pair of classics from Deodato – back to back on a single high-quality CD! First up is Prelude – a legendary album from the 70s funk scene – and one of the crowning achievements of keyboard maestro Eumir Deodato! Deodato got his start during the bossa years of the 60s – where his sophisticated charts were already enough to make his career a landmark – but in the following decade he picked up the Fender Rhodes, and really took off in a great new direction with classic records like this! The set's a wonderful blend of larger charts and jazzy soloing – with sublime Rhodes lines from the leader, plus a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in the best CTI mode – underscored by percussion from both Ray Barretto and Airto. The features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole". Deodato 2 is filled with funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – a sublime electric piano groove that's quite different than anything Deodato recorded before – and possibly never realized this perfectly again after his CTI years. Other players include Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums, and Hubert Laws on flute – and titles include the massive Latin funk track "Super Strut", plus the tunes "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Skyscrapers", and a great version of "Nights In White Satin". Plus, this CD reissue features 3 bonus tracks – "Venus", "Do It Again", and "Latin Flute"! CD

With work from Lionel Hampton on vibes, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, and Lou Levy on piano. Titles include "Soft Winds", "It Never Entered My Mind", "Blues For Janet", and "Cherokee". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A wonderful mid 80s effort from the Don Pullen Quintet – a group that features young lion Donald Harrison on alto sax – recording in a setting that's nicely fresh, compared to some of his other work! Other players include the under-recorded trumpeter Olu Dara, and a wonderful elastic rhythm section of Fred Hopkins on bass and Bobby Battle on drums – all working with Pullen's piano in a groove that's angular at times, but never loses its sense of swing – that wonderful balance that always made Pullen a real standout amongst the jazz communities in which he worked. Titles include "The Sixth Sense", "In The Beginning", "Tales From The Bright Side", "Gratitude", and "All Is Well". LP, Vinyl record album

Magical work from Lonnie Liston Smith – one of those players who actually seemed to get better the more he worked on major labels! The album's a really wonderful blend of mellow jazz and soulfully spiritual themes – at one level inspired by Roy Ayers-styled crossover material, but at another still very much in the righteous camp of some of Lonnie's earlier records. A few tracks have vocals, but others step along in a sweet and smooth instrumental mode that mixes up acoustic piano and keyboards very nicely! Titles include "In The Park", "Speak About It", "Love Is The Answer", "On The Real Side", "Give Peace A Chance", and "The Enchantress". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "Space Princess (special disco version)", "A Song For The Children (7" single mix)", and 7" single versions of "Give Peace A Chance", "Free & Easy", "Bridge Through Time", and "Love Is The Answer". CD

Fantastic material from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – tracks recorded during their same crucial Paris trip of 1969 that also gave the world the better-known BYG/Actual albums – but delivered in a style that's slightly different overall! There's maybe more of the cerebral side of the group at play here – that great love of small shifts, textures, and instrumental interplay – similar, maybe, to their People Of Sorrow album at times – but with a lot more force, especially in the freer moments. In addition to bass, Malachi Favors plays electric bass, sitar, and banjo – all worth the price of admission alone – and Lester Bowie plays trumpet, flugelhorn, and other instruments, while Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman handle a variety of reeds and percussion. Titles include "Tutankhamun", "The Ninth Room" and "Tthinitthedalen". CD

Early recordings by Dollar Brand – recorded in London in 1965, playing solo on a batch of tunes dedicated to two big influences – Duke Ellington and Randy Weston – and also featuring a number of his own compositions. Titles include "Pye R Squared", "Knights Night", "Mood Indigo", "On The Banks Of Allen Waters", "Little Niles", and "Resolution". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My Favorite Things" a million times – but it still blows our mind the way Coltrane hits this incredibly soulful modal groove, twisting and turning on soprano sax, always keeping things interesting, so that we're surprised that the cut's 13 minutes have gone by so quickly! The rest of the record's equally great – and the 3 other long cuts are "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Summertime" and "But Not for Me". The other players include McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the whole album is as great today as when it was cut, and still one of Coltrane's most revelatory albums! CD

A beautiful illustration of the deep talents of Anthony Ortega – a player who still sounds as creative and inventive this late in his career as he did way back in the 50s and 60s! The bulk of the CD features Ortega in two settings – one, a batch of studio duets with bassist Kash Killion; the other a series of live solo performances, recorded in Paris by a video camera! The Killion duets have a wonderfully warm, round sound – acoustic bass set up next to Ortega's alto and flute, with a carefully structured approach that's extremely thoughtful, and almost poetic. The live solos have a much rougher sound – partly from the starkness of the video recording, but also because they represent Oretga taking it much more off the cuff – just spinning things out on alto sax with a sound that's a fair bit like the old days. And to cap things off – speaking of the old days – the CD closes with one more duet from the 60s – a track that has Ortega and bassist Chuck Domanico playing together from an older Revelation session, appearing here for the first time ever! That track is a long version of "Ornithology", and other titles include "Ask Me Now", "Jupiter", "Blue Monk", "I'll Remember April", "Now's The Time", and "Open Spaces". CD