A live bit of fusion supergroup jamming – one in which Billy Cobham and George Duke are joined by Alphonso Johnson and John Scofield in a set of really soulful numbers! The main focus here is straight fusion jamming, but there's also a nice undercurrent of funk and soul in the set as well – and Jon Lucien makes an appearance on the track "Almustafa The Beloved" – a great number with a break sampled by Peanut Butter Wolf! George Duke indulges himself a touch on "Space Lady", a spare electric keys number with a lengthy spoken intro – and other titles include "Do What Cha Wanna", "Frankenstein Goes To The Disco", "Hip Pockets", "Ivory Tattoo", "Sweet Wine", and "Juicy". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few Bud Powell sessions cut for RCA, but a brilliantly swinging date that has the pianist working at the height of his powers! There's an edge here that comes through right from the start – an off kilter vibe in both Bud's tone, and even in the way he's vocalizing joyously in the background at a few spots – not singing, but exclaiming – at a level that really helps you feel how much he owns the piano while he's performing! Dark pockets and sharp angles pervade – while still swinging right down the middle – balanced off perfectly with work from Art Taylor on drums and George Duvivier on bass. Tremendous all the way through – and different than Bud's work for Verve and Blue Note – in a really compelling way. Titles include "Another Dozen", "Like Someone In Love", "She", "Oblivion", "Swedish Pastry", and "Birdland Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Hancock is certainly Takin Off at this point in his career – stepping into the limelight with an excellent batch of soul jazz tunes, including the first recording of his classic "Watermelon Man", the one track that probably put all his kids through school! Although that one went on to become a standard within a few short years in 60s jazz, it still sounds great here in the original – a very fresh take on the sound of soul jazz in the 60s – offered up here in a 7 minute version that has more sharp soloing than most other takes on the tune! The group here is great too – with Dexter Gordon on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the tracks are all also originals by a young Herbie – including "Watermelon Man", "The Maze", "Driftin", "Three Bags Full", "Alone & I", and "Empty Pockets". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of early Herbie Hancock work for Blue Note Records – done in his pre-electric years, but with a sound that's already ahead of the pack – as Herbie's mixing modernism with 60s soul jazz – alongside players that include Freddie Hubbard and Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley and Joe Henderson on tenor, Hubert Laws on flute, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, Grachan Moncur on trombone, Ron Carter and Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins and Tony Williams on drums! Titles include "Cantaloupe Island", "Blind Man Blind Man", "Maiden Voyage", "Empty Pockets", "Speak Like A Child", "Toys", "Three Bags Full", "Triangle", "And What If I Don't", "Drifitin", "Goodbye To Childhood", and "The Prisoner". LP, Vinyl record album