Two older greats from the MPS label scene of the 70s – coming together here in a later set that shows a wonderful maturation of their talents! Both Jean-Luc Ponty and Wolfgang Dauner had an early talent to stun the ears with great use of electronics – but both musicians are all-acoustic here, and really sounding wonderful in a set of extended duets recorded at the Bern Jazz Festival! Dauner's got a stunning ear for the full range of tones and colors in the piano – almost as if he inherited a new sonic spectrum from his early electronic experiments, then turned them back to straighter jazz – in modes that also have Ponty following suit with these long-flowing lines that remind us how great he can be in just the right mode. Each player gets one solo track, but the record is mostly duet material – and titles include "Suite For Claudia", "Once Upon A Dream", "Pamukkale", "Sketch Up & Downer", "Hong Kong Fu", and "Two Thousand One Years Ago". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the greatest work as a leader ever cut by tenorist Paul Quinichette – longtime Basie alum, and a key player who was the "Vice Pres" next to Lester Young's "Pres". The record is one of the best full-length albums by Quinichette from the early days, and combines material from a 10" LP and an earlier e.p. into a sparkling set of a dozen tracks that includes "Cross Fire", "The Hook", "Samie", "Shad Roe", "Prevue", "Sandstone", "Bot Bot", and "Paul's Bunion". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary overview of jazz on the Italian scene at the start of the 60s – a great document of the new modes that was really setting the work of Italian jazz musicians apart from those in other parts of Europe – working with fresh ideas and a new conception that's completely sublime! The work here often has a great balance between structure and individual voice – and many numbers feature strong soloists who'd go on to great fame in a variety of settings – already graced here with talents that seem greater than their young years. Trumpeter Enrico Rava leads things off in a quartet with pianist Maurizio Lama, on a version of the tune "Line For Lyons" – and Lama follows with a trio reading of his own "Tema For Franco". Trumpeter Sergio Fanni is joined by the great Eraldo Volante on tenor and baritone on the tunes "Duo" and "Circeo". Later soundtrack artist Piero Umiliani serves up his "Picolla Suite Americana" – followed by the Modern Jazz Gang of saxophonist Sandro Brugnolini (with later sound library giants Enzo Scoppa and Cicci Santucci), on the tracks "The Drum Is A Tramp" and "Blue Mirria". Trombonist Dino Piana delivers the tune "Tempo Di Febbraio" with help from the great Gianni Basso on tenor – and the set also features a reading of "Bag's Groove" with Giorgio Azzolini on bass, Piano on trombone, and Attilio Donadio on alto. LP, Vinyl record album

We've always loved the music of Logan Richardson, but here he's onto something completely new and groundbreaking – as you might begin to guess from the cover and title! Logan still blows alto sax, but he also handles piano and keyboards, and works in this swirling mix of sound that really lives up to what you might expect – really far-seeing future jazz – with rhythms that shift and soar, instrumentation that shimmers and glows, and a sound that's very cosmic and righteous throughout! The set also features vibes and keyboards from Peter Schlamb, guitars from Igor Osypov, bass from Dominique Sanders, and drums from Ryan Lee and Corey Fonville – set to some occasional vocals from Laura Taglialatela, and light use of strings to really give the music a sense of majesty. Titles include "Say My Nhame", "Awaken", "The Birth Of Us", "Black Wallstreet", "Farewell Goodbye", "For Alto", "According To You", "Praise Song", and "Photo Copy". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A stone cold smoker from the Chicago scene of the 50s – the kind of record we're proud to say came from our hometown! The album brings together the best of some of the under-recognized players in the Windy City at the time – including bassist Wilbur Ware, alto saxophonist John Jenkins, pianist Junior Mance, and a young Johnny Griffin – really tearing up the set on tenor! There's a groove here that's modern, yet soulful – fresh, clear, and very concisely blown – with a number of different musical strands all tied together tightly, and handled by the players with a sharpness that few groups today could hope to match. Titles include the legendary "Mama Daddy", plus "Desert Sands", "Be-Ware", "31st & State", and "Latin Quarters". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Gato's best! The record's neither too out, nor too poppy – and it has Barbieri playing with that incredible raspy tone – and working over modal grooves laid down by a hip group that includes Lonnie Liston Smith on acoustic and electric pianos, Ron Carter on bass, Lennie White on drums, and additional percussion on most tracks. The cuts have a Latin finish to them, but they've also got a strongly pronounced soul jazz vibe – something that's missing from lots of Gato's other work, and which feels a lot here like some of Pharoah Sander's best work for Impulse! Titles include "Tupac Amaru", "Bahia", "Falsa Bahiana", "El Dia Que Me Quieras", "El Arriero" and "Carnavalito". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite-ever album by Alice Coltrane – a masterpiece of spirit and soul, recorded in a wonderfully open-handed style – and with a vibe that's maybe a bit different than some of her other records, especially the ones with larger groups! The album's mostly a spare batch of tracks cut by Alice and her trio with Ron Carter on bass and Ben Riley on drums – a group who are already wonderful, and maybe a bit more introspective than Coltrane in other settings – and they're joined at a few points by guest tenor from both Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders – both at key parts of their career, and really adding a lot to the album! Pharoah and Joe blow with beautiful post-Coltrane spirituality on the tracks "Ptah The El Daoud" and "Mantra" – but equally great is the beautiful spare piano cut "Turiya & Ramakrishna" – an incredible tune that has Alice playing with a soulfulness you'd hardly expect! A real treasure all the way through – and the kind of album that ranks with the best in the Impulse catalog! LP, Vinyl record album

An important larger work from Duke Ellington – a suite of tracks that encompasses a range of styles and emotions in African-American expression! The work features some key guest work from Mahalia Jackson – singing here in a way that's different than other vocalists who worked with Duke in the 50s – much more steeped in a rootsy tradition. Group members include John Sanders, Harry Carney, Ray Nance, Quentin Jackson, and Cat Anderson – and the piece is divided into 6 sections, and includes the famous "Come Sunday" theme throughout most of the second half. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of modal jazz tracks – recorded by the great LA pianist Jack Wilson with a young Roy Ayers! The set is amazing, and features haunting piano and vibes interplay between Ayers and Wilson – in a style that could best be summed up as LA modern modal, but which is also embellished by lots warm, lyrical twists by both of the soloists. The title cut is a totally groovy workout on Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin", and the rest of the set includes Coltrane's "Impressions", Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments", Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder", and a great 3-part reading of "The Sandpiper". One of our favorite albums from the 60's, and a beautiful document of one of the lesser-known streams of jazz that was coming out of the west coast during the time – and it's key proof that Ayers was an incredible jazz player in his years before moving to soul music! LP, Vinyl record album

We love this record! Although Gato Barbieri has put out a few snoozers in his career, this amazing first chapter of his Latin venture for Impulse is an incredible record throughout – one of the greatest Impulse sessions of the 70s! Gato returns to his native Argentina for the session – and works with a collective of musicians in Buenos Aires to create a sound that's a startling blend of Latin rhythms and post-Coltrane freeness. Barbieri's tone is amazing, and has a rich Pharoah Sanders-ish spirituality to it – soaring out over acoustic percussion and Latin rhythms with an earthy, organic sound that's completely wonderful! Titles include "Encuentros", "India", "Nunca Mas", and the fantastic "To Be Continued". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from John Coltrane – one of those amazing records that wasn't issued until a few years after his death – then blew folks' minds even further with the depths of his talents! The setting is a live performance in Japan from 1966 – a really open-ended, freewheeling, totally expressive session cut with a group that also includes Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Alice Coltrane on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums. Clearly, the group's opening up a huge amount of new territory here – not just for Coltrane, but for jazz in general – as they propel firmly forward on two very long tracks – really letting Trane's ideas spill forth, continuously building momentum. One of the definitive statements of "energy-jazz", and a recording that has gone onto become one of Trane's most-hailed albums ever – with the tracks "Peace On Earth" and "Meditations/Leo". LP, Vinyl record album

A 2 LP retrospective of some of the more spiritual exploratory sides 'Trane was cutting in the mid to late '60's for Impulse. A number of cuts feature the classic quartet with Jimmy Garrison, McCoy Tyner & Elvin Jones, but a few feature some of the later lineups with Pharoah Sanders, Reggie Worman & Alice Coltrane. Tracks arte "Dear Lord", "Chasin the Trane", "Up 'Gainst the Wall", "Crescent", "Nature Boy", "Welcome", "Cosmos", "Dedicated to You", "Expression" & "Living Space". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a set that's issued under his own name, but which continues a string of key early 60s performances with tenorist Bill Barron – who's work together here with Ted is fantastic! The group has no piano – just Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums – both players with a fluid, open sense of rhythm – one that allows for plenty of horn interplay, at a level that almost has Curson borrowing some of the lessons he learned from Mingus, then taking them into small group formation and really opening things up! Curson also blows a bit of pocket trumpet, and Barron handles some clarinet – on a set of all original material that includes a great version of Curson's "Quicksand", plus the tracks "Kassim", "East 6th Street", "Tears For Dolphy", "7/4 Funny Time", "Reava's Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

A real lost treasure from Art Farmer – a tremendous album that hardly ever shows up in the history books, and which, to our knowledge, has never properly been reissued! The set's a rare jazz side for the mostly-pop Scepter label – featuring Farmer at the head of a small group working with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Charles McPherson on alto, and either Steve Swallow or Ron Carter on bass. The album was done under the direction of Tom McIntosh – the brilliant young composer who had a magical talent for blending together modern and lyrical modes while still keeping a strong degree of soul. McIntosh contributed a few tunes to the set, as did Dennis Sandole – the nearly-forgotten trumpeter from the Philly scene of the 50s. There's a dark beauty to this session that surpasses even many other Farmer sides from the time – and titles include "Hyacinth", "Ally", "Happy Feet", "Minuet In G", and "Saucer Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet funky album from Art Farmer– an artist we don't normally associate with 70s funk, but who does a really great job on this CTI session! Art's working here in the frontline with Yusef Lateef on reeds – another unlikely candidate for a record like this – and the pair get some strong backing from the band of Dave Matthews, who manages to provide just the right blend of tight arrangements and jazz funk, so that each player gets plenty of room to soar, but the whole album sticks in a nice smooth groove on the rhythms! Includes a soaring version of Chick Corea's "Spain", a slow funk take on Chris Kenner's "Something You Got", and the cuts "Flute Song", "Hombre Del Sol", "Sauhade", and "Sandu". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy batch of tracks that's got a sweet and easy feel – one that features Stan blowing to arrangements by the great Johnny Pate, recorded at a time when both of them were at the height of their powers! Although Pate's style is usually a bit funky, on this set, he's amazingly laidback – setting Stan up in a wash of strings and soul that creates space for some wonderfully breathy solos. The tunes are a mix of late 60s numbers – some of them pop, but not in a bad way – as Stan and Johnny really work some incredible sounds with titles that include "Mandy Is Two", "Didn't We", "The Shining Sea", and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful post-Coltrane playing by the two Grubbs brothers (who get top recommendations from Pharoah Sanders and Naima Coltrane on the back cover!). The album's filled with spiritual spiralling intertwining alto and soprano sax lines, underpinned by soulful backing on piano, bass, drums, and percussion. The quality of the writing on the album is excellent – and we'd easily rank this one up there with the best work on Strata East from the time, or with Gary Bartz's first two albums for Milestone. Includes the long title cut, plus "Reflections (On New York City)", "Pisces", and a beautiful cover of "Naima". Really wonderful stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning work from one of the greatest players of the post-Coltrane generation – a classic session recorded overseas in the mid 70s, and one that's filled with soulful expressions from the great Billy Harper! Harper's tenor kicks off the set with an immediately gripping sound – as searing as Pharoah Sanders at his Impulse best – but driven on by searching, soaring modal rhythms that are all Billy's own – the kind of grooves he first forged with Max Roach, then really expanded on when given the freedom of a record like this. Other players include trumpeter Virgil Jones, pianist Joe Bonner, bassist David Friesen, and drummer Malcom Pinson – and titles include a killer take on "Croquet Ballet", which Harper originally recorded with Lee Morgan – plus the titles "Dance Eternal Spirits Dance" and "Call Of The Wild & Peaceful Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime work from Billy Harper – one of those rare Japanese-only sessions he cut in the 70s – really tremendous stuff that blows away most of his other (already excellent) work from other points around the globe! Billy's blowing some really mighty tenor here – at a level that makes him one of the most righteous, spiritual players of the 70s – a player we'd rank right up there with John Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders at their best, working here with a bold musical vision that's all his own! The long tracks really give Harper plenty of room to stretch out – and he never goes too far out, even with the freedom – hanging tight to some tremendous rhythms from Mickey Tucker on piano, Gregg Maker on bass, and Malcolm Pinson on drums – and getting great help from trumpeter Everett Hollins in the frontline. Titles include "Love On The Sudan", "Priestess", and "Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album