Features Clark Terry, Jackie McLean, Charlie Haden, and Billy Higgins – plus arrangements by Ron Carter! (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Rez Abbasi on guitar, Mark Shim on tenor saxophone and MIDI controller, Ben Stivers on keyboards and organ, and Kenny Grohowski on drums. CD

One of those fantastic later albums that really had Abbey Lincoln finding a whole new sound and spirit – a style that offers up a mature take on all that righteous energy of her younger days – nicely focused, and set up here with some superb arrangements put together by Abbey herself! Lincoln's clearly got an ear for the kind of tones that suit the spirit of the tunes just right – and works here with a great lineup that features a core trio with Marc Cary on piano, plus guest work throughout the set from a variety of giants – including Steve Coleman, Oliver Lake, and Frank Morgan on alto saxes – plus Graham Haynes on cornet, Julien Lourau on tenor, and Rodney Kendrick on piano on one track. Titles include "The River", "When Autumn Sings", "Who Used To Dance", "Love Has Gone Away", "I Sing A Song", and "Love What You Doin". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Features Mose Allison on piano and vocals, Roy Babbington on bass, and Mark Taylor on drums. (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Produced by Ben Sidran with Jim Mullen on guitar, Roy Babbington on bass, and Mark Taylor on drums. (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

This isn't the first time that pianist Kenny Barron and bassist Dave Holland have played together – but there's definitely something special about the record that really grabs our ears – and it's not just the excellent work on drums by Johnathan Blake! Barron's at his roundest, most soulful sort of tone – really grabbing the notes out of the air in this wonderful way – and Holland really follows suit too, with this very personal, organic approach that's such a change from some of his more experimental work of years back – and which makes him a stunning part of the group, especially at all those many moments when he and Barron dance around each other's sound with this beautifully resonant vibe. Titles include "Until Then", "Porto Alegre", "Without Deception", "Speed Trap", "Secret Places", "Worry Later", and "Pass It On". CD

David Boykin works here in a very different guise than his usual role as a saxophonist – stepping out here with a range of different singers, in a set of tracks that showcase a whole new side of his talents! The music is a mix of modern jazz vocals and contemporary soul modes – different depending on the singers, who shift from cut to cut – at a level that sometimes echoes June Tyson or Abbey Lincoln, other times reflects more contemporary work from the underground! As always with Boykin's CDs, the notes are a bit spare, so it's hard to tell who did what in terms of the music – but we can say that the set features vocals from Abeeku, Consuela Ivy-Vaughn, Dark Mery, Liz Mputu, and Ugochi – on titles that include "Listen Up", "She Was Screaming", "What The Afrofuture Say", "Slow Sweet Burn", "Conspiracy", and "Of My Voice". CD

With a record like this, it's clear that bassist Jamale Davis is a player to watch – as he's got a way of really bringing something new to the table, and presenting us with a very fresh conception of jazz! Way back through a legacy that includes albums by Ron Carter, Richard Davis, and Oscar Pettiford, it's often the case that groups led by a bassist can really deliver something different – not just a way of pushing a player who's sometimes in the background to the front, but maybe changing up approaches to rhythm and melody in all these really inventive ways – something that Jamale definitely does here – working with a lineup who shape their sounds beautifully – Dario Terzuolo on tenor, John Mosca on trombone, Mferghu on piano, and Ben Zweig on drums and pandeiro. The mix of tenor and trombone is beautiful next to the bass – and the album has a good blend of unusual tunes and a few well-chosen remakes – in a set list that includes "Rabbit Island", "Indra", "Taxi Bird", "Star Eyes", "Run With The Hunted", "Congo Blues", and "Hello I Must Be Going". CD

Bluebird, Columbia, and Decca recordings – with Jack Teagarden, Max Kaminsky, Pee Wee Russell, Eddie Condon, and Dave Bowman. Tracks include "The Eel", "Satanic Blues", "I've Found A New Baby", "I Need Some Pettin", "Tia Juana", "Prince Of Wails", and "Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble". 24 tracks total. CD

A wonderful session by Andrew Hill – recorded in 1968, but issued only briefly in 1981 – and out of print for years! The session is a key one in understanding Hill's work – as it's a bridge between the arch modernism of his early Blue Note sides, and the more soul-oriented playing of the Grass Roots album. The set features wonderful frontline work in the trumpet of Charles Tolliver, and tenor and soprano of Joe Farrell – both players who open up the sound at the same time they're giving it a nice bottom – egged on by the rest of the combo, which includes Victor Sproles on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. The album's an enchanting one – not as dark as early years, but still with a compelling vision that's all Hill's own. Titles include "Dance With Death", "Love Nocturne", "Black Sabbath", "Partitions", and "Fish N Rice". CD features a bonus alternate take of the title cut. CD

A wonderful session by Andrew Hill – recorded in 1968, but issued only briefly in 1981 – and out of print for years! The session is a key one in understanding Hill's work – as it's a bridge between the arch modernism of his early Blue Note sides, and the more soul-oriented playing of the Grass Roots album. The set features wonderful frontline work in the trumpet of Charles Tolliver, and tenor and soprano of Joe Farrell – both players who open up the sound at the same time they're giving it a nice bottom – egged on by the rest of the combo, which includes Victor Sproles on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. The album's an enchanting one – not as dark as early years, but still with a compelling vision that's all Hill's own. Titles include "Dance With Death", "Love Nocturne", "Black Sabbath", "Partitions", and "Fish N Rice". CD features a bonus alternate take of the title cut. CD

Mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". CD reissue also features 3 bonus alternate takes of some of these, for a total of 8 tracks in all. CD

Two classic 60s albums from pianist Andrew Hill – back to back in a single set! First up is Point Of Departure – mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". Compulsion is one of the most dynamic albums that Andrew Hill ever cut for Blue Note – a record of long tracks, played by a largeish group who seem perfectly suited to Hill's most creative musical ideas! There's an approach here that almost predates some of the more righteous soul jazz ensemble sides of the 70s – as Hill's piano leads a octet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, John Gilmore on tenor and bass clarinet, Cecil McBee and Richard Davis on basses, Joe Chambers on drums, and Nedi Quamar and Renaud Simmons on percussion. The percussionists roll out with quite a bit of presence in the set – not so much as on some of the Art Blakey percussion sides for Blue Note, but more with a pronounced sense of "bottom" that you might not always hear from Hill – an earthy, sometimes organic way of riffing that then allows freer solo work from the horns and piano on the top! Titles include "Compulsion", "Legacy", "Premonition", and "Limbo". CD

Brad Mehldau plays piano, treated piano, and vibes – accompanied by Larry Grenadier on bass, Matt Chamberlain and Jorge Rossy on drums and percussion, Phillip Yao on French horn, William Reichenbach on trombone, and others. Tracks include "Wave/Mother Nature's Son", "When It Rains", "Dusty McNugget", "Sabbath", and "Paranoid Android". CD

A tremendous first outing as a leader for Japanese saxophonist Kosuke Mine – one of our favorite players of the 70s, already sounding wonderful here right at the start! The album's got a freewheeling vibe – not entirely avant, and maybe more in the modal territory unlocked by Miles Davis a few years before – although with a very different vibe, given the Mine's in the lead on alto! Yet the group also features some very Miles-like use of electric piano – handled here by Masabumi Kikuchi, a key young contemporary of Mine, and one who'd gotten a bit more of a head start in the world of recording – really adding a lot to the record here, next to the very forward-thinking rhythm duo of American players Larry Ridley on bass and Lenny McBrowne on drums! All tracks are nice and long, and most are originals – the kind of open, long-spun cuts that really herald all the great changes taking place on the Japanese jazz scene at the time. Titles include "Little Abbi", "McPhee", "Love Taken", "Morning Tide", and "Bar L'Len". CD

With George Cables on piano, David Williams on bass, Lewis Nash on Drums, and Roy Hargrove on trumpet, – plus Abbey Lincoln on guest vocals. CD

Rare work from a very unique chapter in the career of baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan – his larger Concert Jazz Band – an ensemble that really helped flesh out some of the ideas he'd explored previously with smaller combos! The group recorded a few albums for Verve in the early 60s, but this 3CD package presents never-heard performances recorded in Paris during the same time – very fitting, given that the "concert" in the group's name was a reference to their ability to improvise amidst structure – of which you'll hear plenty here, with a lineup that includes Zoot Sims on tenor and Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone. The tracks are very well-recorded, and many are quite long – with titles that include "Blueport", "Utter Chaos", "Spring Is Sprung", "Five Brothers", "Black Nightgown", "Eighteen Carrots For Rabbit", "Out Of This World", "I'm Gonna Go Fishin", "Apple Core", and "Barbara's Theme". CD

Phillip Frazier on tuba, Keith Frazier on bass drums, Derrick Tabb on snare drum, Stafford Agee and Gregory Veals on trombone, Derrick Shezbie and Chadwick Honore on trumpet, and Vincent Broussard on saxophone. CD

A wonderful album for all those folks who ever crabbed about Shepp going back "inside" during the late 70s! The record is straight jazz – not as righteous as Attica Blues or some of the other Impulse albums, yet done with a wonderfully soulful quality that shows that even without a large group backing him up, Shepp could blow wonderfully on the sax. Most tunes feature him on soprano, and the album also features a bit of tenor – and the group is a quartet with Walter Bishop on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums. Tracks are all long, and Shepp's got this great laidback and mellowly searching tone. Titles include "In A Mellow Blues", "Enough", "The Scene Is Clean", and "On Green Dolphin Street". CD

There might be a trumpet in Archie Shepp's soul, but the album features him on tenor and soprano sax – working in a wonderfully spiritual vein that's almost in the same mode as his early 70s work on Impulse! The album features some very long, drawn out tracks – but ones that build nicely with Shepp's soulful styles of the 70s – that groove he explored a bit on the Black Saint label, with a bold sense of majesty and power, presented with more control than the BYG/Actuel years. The album features some great vocals – again recalling Archie's later Impulse years – and players include Walter Davis Jr on electric piano, Dave Burrell on acoustic piano, Charles Greenlee on trombone, Ray Draper on tuba, and Beaver Harris on drums. Titles include "There's A Trumpet In My Soul", "Zaid", "Down In Brazil", and "It Is The Year Of The Rabbit". CD

Cosimo Fiaschi on soprano sax, Alessandro Giachero on piano and prepared piano, Emanuele Guadagno on electric guitar, and Nicholas Remondino on drums and electronics. CD

Quartet date led by Loren Stillman on alto sax performing a set of original compositions that include "Chicken", "How Sweet It Is", "Between The Devil And God", and "Chasing The White Rabbit". CD

One of the gems that Lucky Thompson cut on his return to the US in the mid 60s – and one of the few albums from that time that got wide release! The album's a laidback quartet session that has Lucky blowing both tenor and his new love, soprano sax, with a group that includes Hank Jones on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Thompson's playing is a masterpiece in understatement – with these sly lines, especially on soprano sax, that really set things off beautifully – grabbing you by surprise and holding you rapt, in ways that remind us a bit of Pony Poindexter during the same time. Titles include "Mumba Neua", "Invitation", "Prey Loot", "Fly With The Wind", and "Mid Nite Oil". CD

Overlooked spiritual jazz genius from Chicago trumpeter Malachi Thompson – a player who was making 70s-styled sessions when most folks had given up on the music! The vibe here is right between Strata East and some of the more righteous 70s sessions on Muse – and the group features superb work from tenorist Carter Jefferson, who's at the level of his Rise Of Atlantis work from back in the day – in a group that also features Albert Dailey on piano, James King on bass, Nasar Abadey on drums, and Randy Abbott on congas. Arnae Burton sings on the track "Back To The One", Leon Thomas guests on "No More Hard Times" – and other instrumental tracks include "A Rising Daystar", "Spirit Of Man", "Dhyia Malika", and "I Remember Clifford". CD features the bonus track "Dearly Beloved". CD

Never-issued work from pianist Keith Tippett – live studio recordings from 1970, and cuts that really capture Tippett at the height of his young brilliance! There's a vibe here that's often a bit different than some of his famous albums of the period – more modal in the rhythms overall, with long-spun cuts that sparkle with a beautifully spiritual sense of energy! The package features three tracks each from two different sessions in 1970 – both of which feature Elton Dean on saxes, Marc Charig on cornet, and Nick Evans on trombone – all sounding every bit as special and soulful as Tippett on the recordings. The first date also features Jeff Clyne on bass and Trevor Tomkins on drums – the second has Roy Babbington on bass and Bryan Spring on drums – and titles include "In A Vacant Mood", "Thoughts To Geoff", "How Long This Time", "Five After Dawn", and "Green & Orange Night Park". CD

Features key ingredients from the Chicago scene including Chad Taylor, Jemeel Moondoc, Tom Abbs, Steve Swell, David Boykin, Rob Mazurek, and Avreeayl Ra. CD

One of the greatest Cannonball Adderley albums from the Riverside years – a completely smoking live date recorded in San Francisco, often with long tracks that really let the group open up and do their thing! The lineup here is that classic one that first grabbed attention – the group with brother Nat on cornet, Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums – and a young Bobby Timmons on piano, really cooking things up with tremendous drive, energy, and a sense of the groove! Titles include a great workout on Timmons' classic "This Here", plus originals "You Got It" and Spontaneous Combustion", and a great version of "Hi Fly". Soul jazz at its best, by one of the groups who gave the genre its name in the first place! CD features 3 bonus tracks, 2 previously unreleased – "This Here (alt)", "You Got It (alt)", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

A legendary bit of funky fusion from the French scene of the 70s – the standout set from Cortex, a combo who's very heavy on the keyboards! The tunes have a feel that's quite different than American electric work of the time – funky, but also a bit breezy too – with a strong Brazilian influence in some of the rhythms, and hip use of female vocals alongside the Fender Rhodes – which makes for a double layer of sound that's totally great! There's a bit of alto sax in the instrumentation, but most of the sound comes from the interplay between keyboards, voice, bass, and drums – rolling along in a sound that's stunningly soulful, and which makes the record one of the hippest European dates from the decade. Tremendous all the way through – with tracks that include "Automne", "L'Enfant Samba", "La Rue", "Go Round", "Madbass", "Sabbat", "Mary Et Jeff", and "Chanson D'Un Jour D'Hiver". This CD version includes the bonus track "Jazz Dance". CD

One of the most starkly beautiful recordings in Paul Horn's career – with spiritually resonant, almost spine tingling solo flute and some chants, all recorded in the Taj Majal one day in April of 1968! It's really all about the atmosphere, as it would have to be given the location – with Horn playing of the amazing echo in a completely wonderful way, never feeling anything less than wholly authentic and genuinely inspired! Titles include "Vibrations", "Akasha", "Jumna", "Shah Jahan", "Mantra II/Duality", and "Unity". Paul Horn follows up his Inside The Taj Majal set – in someways leaving behind the stark, spare initimacy of that set for a more layered and tailored approach – and also leaving behind his more pronounced jazz roots for a more earthy and nature themed mode! Like Inside, it's a solo flute record and a spatial exploration – this time handled with a number of different flutes, and also dabbling in overdubbing – with wind and other nature sounds, up to and including some live dolphin sound effects! Titles include "The Mahabhutas" suite, plus "Centaur", "Morning Song", "Haida", and "Mass: Kyrie". CD

Jon Irabagon on tenor and soprano saxophone, Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn, Luis Perdomo on piano, Yasushi Nakamura on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums. CD

A really early piece of music from the great Karl Jenkins – the British instrumentalist that most folks know for his work in Soft Machine in the mid 70s – heard here a few years before, on a beautiful composition that mixes his jazz inclinations with some of his more serious ambitions! The album features one long work, divided up into movements – played by a lineup of some of the hippest British jazz players of the moment – including Ian Carr on flugelhorn, Ray Warleigh on alto, Alan Skidmore on tenor, Brian Smith on soprano, Chris Spedding on guitar, and Frank Ricotti on percussion! There's a solid, soaring vibe to "Penumbra II" – as the piece builds slowly, with some great piano from Jenkins himself – then really takes off, with added help from Dave MacRae on electric piano, Ray Babbington on bass, and John Marshall on drums – all at a level that mixes modal energy with some solos that step out nicely, but never too free or outside! CD

Unreleased live work from Les McCann – recorded at a time when the soulful giant was really breaking it up in clubs around the country, and just about to unleash a whole new righteous side of his talents! The tracks here resonate strongly with some of the earlier Pacific Jazz live work that Les was cutting earlier in the decade – but also show a new evolution that's partly the confidence he had as one of the key soulful musicians on the west coast, but also a shift in his style past some of the more standard soul jazz modes that others were taking from his bag – leaving McCann to keep on growing in new directions of his own. All tracks here are trio titles – recorded in Seattle or at the Village Vanguard – and players include Stanley Gilbert and Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Frank Severino and Paul Humphrey on drums. Titles include "The Grabber", "Could Be", "I Can Dig It", "Doin That Thing", "Sunny", "The Shampoo", "Blues 5", "Out In The Outhouse", "Lavande", "Da Da", "Yours Is My Heart Alone", and "Wait For It". CD

A classic early 60s session for Candid Records – put together by a group that includes Charles Mingus, Max Roach, and a host of other musicians who were working here as "Newport Rebels" – by setting up the Jazz Artists Guild Festival as a protest against the increasingly commercialized Newport date! And for the record, the group definitely live up to their name – really shaking off the easier modes popularized at the Newport festival, and coming across with a style that's much more modern, firey, and righteous! Other artists include Abbey Lincoln on vocals, Booker Little on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eric Dolphy on saxophone, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone – and titles include a great rendition of "Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do" – plus 2 other great originals, "Cliff Walk" by Booker Little and "Mysterious Blues" by Mingus. CD

A long-overdue tribute to the legendary Moondog – one of the true visionaries of American music in the 20th Century! Moondog got his starts as a blind musician working the streets of New York at the end of the 40s, but he did so (as you'll note on the cover photo) with a range of unusual instruments of his own invention, and in a minimal, rhythmic style that linked together primitivism with higher musical ideals. Moondog's often been called "the father of minimalism" – and while his experiments of the 50s prefaced the work of Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and others, his work was also much more personal, and had an earthy intensity that's still tremendously powerful even decades later! This collection is one of the first to dip into the earliest of Moondog's recordings – his recordings for the Mars, SRC, Brunswick, and Moondog labels – which are presented here alongside selected tracks from his albums for Epic and Prestige, also of similar vintage. Nearly all the tracks here offer a very primitive blend of percussion that's sometimes mixed with unusual woodwind or stringed instruments – nearly all of Moondog's own invention – and the package also features some great notes on his long career, plus some photos that are as gripping as the music itself! Titles include "Down Is Up", "Big Cat", "Bumbo", "Rimshot", "Rabbit Hop", "Instrumental Round", "Be A Hobo", "Dog Trot", "Oasis", "2 W 46th Street", and "Why Spend The Dark Night With You". (Out Sound, Jazz) CD

An unlikely pairing – but that's what makes the record so great! Mulligan and Hodges come together in this rare Verve set from the late 50s – an inspired combination of talents that really work some magic together. Hodges' tone is in the lead in our ears, always wonderful, especially in a set of open-ended tracks like this – but Mulligan's sweet and careful blowing works surprisingly well as a foil, giving the set a nice bottom, and a good overall approach. Backing is by a trio that features Claud Williamson, Buddy Clark, and Mel Lewis – and titles include "Bunny", "Back Beat", "What's The Rush", and "18 Carrots For Rabbit". CD

David Murray on tenor saxophone, Hugh Ragin on trumpet, Dave Burrell on piano, Wilber Morris on bass, and Tani Tabbal on drums. CD

Dang! Does David Murray ever stop re-inventing himself? We think not – and this album is great proof of that fact! The set's a really tasty batch of Latin Jazz numbers – played to perfection by Murray and a host of excellent New York musicians, working together in large group format with a sound and style that's at the peak of perfection for this sort of recording. Murray wrote all the tunes, so the album goes way past the cliches of Latin-ized standards that you're probably sick of hearing anyway – and it's steeped in a soulful approach to the genre that really grabbed our ears from the first note! Titles include "Giovanni's Mission", "Sad Kind Of Love", "Mambo Dominica", "Break Out", and "Aerol's Change". CD

Features James Spaulding on alto and flute, Craig Harris on trombone, and Hugh Ragin and Rasul Siddik on trumpet, Dave Burrell on piano, Wilber Morris on bass, and Tani Tabbal on drums. CD

Max Roach's masterpiece! This album is one of his most perfectly realized visions – and it's a marvelous album that combines politics and modern jazz, yet still manages to swing! The players are some of the hippest that Roach ever worked with – and include Eric Dolphy, Booker Little, Clifford Jordan, and Julian Priester – and the album features some of the best-ever singing from Abbey Lincoln! Abbey's incredible on the track "Mendacity", an incredibly haunting Civil Rights-era number that should go right up there with "Strange Fruit", and which features wonderful alto work from Dolphy! She also sings wordlessly on the track "Garvey's Ghost" – and then sits out the rest of the set so that Max and the group can wail on the tracks "Praise For A Martyr", "Man From South Africa", and "Tender Warriors". Incredibly hip – and a perfect blend of soul, jazz, politics, and pure righteous spirit! CD

Craig Taborn on piano, Jaribu Shahid on bass, and Tani Tabbal on drums. CD

Solo piano work, recorded live at the Workshop Freie Music in 1986. Titles include "Olim", "Glossalalia Part 4", "Mirror And Water Gazing", "The Question", and "For The Rabbit". CD

A New York performance by the legendary pianist Yosuke Yamashita, but one that burns every bit as strongly as his famous albums from Japan – thanks in part to some really incredible work from Akira Sakata on alto and clarinet! There's few folks who could ever hope to match the Cecil Taylor-like energy of Yamashita on the piano, but Sakata always seems to rise to the challenge wonderfully – and with the drums of Shota Koyama along for the ride, the trio must have left the New York audience with their jaws on the floor – especially as most of the US had not been able to get access to Yosuke's records at the time. The set features three very long tracks – "Rabbit Dance", "Mina's Second Theme", and "Sunayama". CD

Music from Poncho Sanchez, Brasil Brazil, Carribean Jazz Project, Stefon Harris, Carla Cook, the Jazztimes Superband, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet, Steve Turre, Abbey Lincoln, Donald Harrison Jr, Mingus Big Band, and Rufus Harley. CD

Includes 27 tracks and features Kenny Dorham, Booker Little, Hank Mobley, Sonny Rollins, the Boston Percussion Ensemble, Abbey Lincoln, and more! CD

A legendary bit of funky fusion from the French scene of the 70s – the standout set from Cortex, a combo who's very heavy on the keyboards! The tunes have a feel that's quite different than American electric work of the time – funky, but also a bit breezy too – with a strong Brazilian influence in some of the rhythms, and hip use of female vocals alongside the Fender Rhodes – which makes for a double layer of sound that's totally great! There's a bit of alto sax in the instrumentation, but most of the sound comes from the interplay between keyboards, voice, bass, and drums – rolling along in a sound that's stunningly soulful, and which makes the record one of the hippest European dates from the decade. Tremendous all the way through – with tracks that include "Automne", "L'Enfant Samba", "La Rue", "Go Round", "Madbass", "Sabbat", "Mary Et Jeff", and "Chanson D'Un Jour D'Hiver". This CD version includes the bonus track "Jazz Dance". CD

50 early Ellington recordings for the famous Okeh label! Songs feature Jabbo Smith and Cootie Williams on trumpet, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton on trombone, Johnny Hodges on clarinet and alto sax, Barney Bigard on clarinet and tenor sax, Fred Guy on banjo, Lonnie Johnson on guitar, and Sonny Greer on drums. CD

A key set of modern jazz from the late 50s – not so much a Bill Evans album, as it is a collection of larger group recordings that feature his piano. The first 6 tracks on the set are from the 1957 Columbia album Modern Jazz Six – a series of recordings at the Brandeis Festival arranged and conducted by Gunther Schuller and George Russell – and about as hip as you can get for modern jazz from the 50s! Sure, Gunther and George can have their sleepy moments on wax, but this set's great – thanks to a very hip lineup that includes Hal McKusick, John La Porta, Teddy Charles, Bill Evans, Jimmy Knepper, and Louis Mucci. The tunes aren't in that stodgy "classical meets jazz mode", but more in a swinging larger group style – featuring tunes by Jimmy Giuffre, Charles Mingus, Russell, and Schuller – as well as more serious numbers by Harold Shapero and Milton Babbitt. Titles include "All Set", "Revelations", "All About Rosie", and "Suspensions". Added to these are 3 more live tracks from the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival – featuring a group led by Don Elliott on vibes and bongos, plus Evans on piano – on titles that include "Dancing In The Dark", "I Love You", and "S Wonderful". CD

A funky keyboard treasure – a smoking organ and Fender Rhodes session that is one of the greatest Blue Note albums by Ronnie Foster! Foster plays organ on the set, next to electric piano by Ernie Hayes – and the pair stir up the sound wonderfully as they glide over grooves, soaring on twin keyboard lines that really make for a magical sound! A few tracks get hard and funky, and others have that superdope laidback feel that made all of Foster's early work so great – especially for the Quest-era sample crowd. The album's got some really great 70s soul covers, mixed with a few tasty originals – and titles include "Backstabbers", "Lisa's Love", "Superwoman", "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Sweet Revival", "Some Neck", "Inot", and "It's Just Gotta Be That Way". CD

A rare European gem from Johnny Griffin – recorded in quartet formation with backing from the rhythm trio of the Clarke Boland Big Band! Johnny was working with the trio in the bigger group at the time, but he gets plenty of space to state his case here – stretching out on hard-bitten, almost-modern solos that are some of his most adventurous to date on record – supported strongly on the album's longish tracks by Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! There's a quality to Griffin's tone that's incredible – urgent, edgey, but never too far out – completely in command of itself, and able to run free, but without wasting at note at all – unlike some of his over-stretched European solos of later years. The set features beautiful long readings of Boland's "Night Lady" and "Old Stuff", plus Griffin's "Scrabble", and versions of "Summertime", "All The Things You Are", and "Little Man You've Had A Busy Day". CD

Mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". CD reissue also features 3 bonus alternate takes of some of these, for a total of 8 tracks in all. CD

Fantastic unreleased work from the great Joe McPhee – material recorded around the same time as his legendary Nation Time set, and done with a similar blend of spiritual jazz and occasional funky undercurrents! This work shows McPhee to already be an amazing talent, even in the years before his wider reputation grew on record – and the work here is from a series of recordings in the Hudson River valley, where Joe was constantly creative, and very open to exploring new musical ideas! Two thirds of the set feature a version of the Contemporary Improvisational Ensemble – a group led by Joe on trumpet, tenor, and soprano saxophone, and who were clearly inspired by the later work of John Coltrane – with additional work on one group from Ernest Bostic on vibes, Tyrone Crabb on bass, and Bruce Thompson on drums – plus work in another group from Crabb and Thompson, plus Reggie Marks on tenor and flute. Titles from that group include long takes on "Afro Blue", "Naima", "Juju For John Coltrane", and "Black Is The Color" – plus two untitled "Improvisation" tracks. The last batch features slightly more soul-styled work – as McPhee's tenor works alongside the vocals of Octavius Graham – in a lineup that also has piano, drums, and electric bass – on versions of "I Don't Want Nobody" and "Funky Broadway", plus Joe's long original "Blues For The People". CD

The long-awaited (and much needed) reissue of Joe McPhee's first record – recorded at Holy Cross Monastery in New York in 1969, and originally only issued in a small number of copies. Even at this early stage, Joe's showing a strong musical vision, working in a style that moves off the New York avant scene of the 60s – but which also shows traces of the spiritual exploration to come in the 70s. Joe plays trumpet, pocket cornet, and tenor – and the rest of the group features Reggie Marks on saxes, Tyrone Crabb on bass, and Ernest Bostic on drums and vibes. Six months before that gig, the same group performed at Holy Cross – recorded, but never issued until now. This great 2CD set brings together the 1968 and 1969 recordings – for a package of 5 long tracks that include "New Spiritual No 1", "Underground Railroad", "Harriet", "E=MC2", and "Message From Denmark". CD

Some of the hippest Max Roach work of the 60s – issued here professionally for the first time in years! The first tracks in the set are from a concert in Paris, with Max's group that included Tommy & Stanley Turrentine, as well as Julian Priester. The tracks are long and open-ended – with an approach that you wouldn't find on the group's Mercury sides from the time – and two Roach originals in particular – "Kardouba" and "Stop Motion" – are especially great, and have the Turrentines stretching out in a soul jazz searching mode that's quite different than their Blue Note work. This approach is continued strongly in the set – which features Clifford Jordan on tenor, Coleridge Parkinson on piano, and Abbey Lincoln on some vocals – all recorded at an unknown location in 1961. Again, the Roach originals – especially "This Night Mountain" and "Ceciliana" – are the tunes to watch – but there's also some great other work, including "Jordu", "Who Will Buy", and "Love For Sale". CD

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". CD

One of the greatest Cannonball Adderley albums from the Riverside years – a completely smoking live date recorded in San Francisco, often with long tracks that really let the group open up and do their thing! The lineup here is that classic one that first grabbed attention – the group with brother Nat on cornet, Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums – and a young Bobby Timmons on piano, really cooking things up with tremendous drive, energy, and a sense of the groove! Titles include a great workout on Timmons' classic "This Here", plus originals "You Got It" and "Spontaneous Combustion", and a great version of "Hi Fly". Soul jazz at its best, by one of the groups who gave the genre its name in the first place! CD

With David McMurray on soprano sax and flute, Racy Biggs on trumpet, Robin Eubanks on trombone, Steve Coleman on alto, and Tani Tabbal on drums. CD

The saxophone work of Tim Berne never fails to amaze us – and even after decades, he's got a presence and sense of individuality that really makes his music stand out! And that's definitely the case here – as Berne blows alto in a set of spare duets with guitarist Greg Belisle-Chi – a player who often uses these open chords with plenty of color – never overwhelming, but also never too mellow either – just a tonal contrast to the sharper edges of Tim's horn, which makes for a really great sound throughout! Titles include "Rose Bowl Charade", "Microtuna", "Purdy", "Big Belly", "Rabbit Girl", "Palm Sweat", and "Not What You Think They Are". CD

A Heavy Hitter from tenorist Eddie Lockjaw Davis – recorded a bit late in his career, but with a sound that's mighty nice – and every bit as great as some of his 60s recordings for Prestige! The combo's small, swinging, and soulful – Albert Dailey on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums – coming together with a perfect punch that makes Davis sound better than he'd sounded in years – blowing with that raspy, human tone that nobody else did so well – grabbing us from the get-go, even on familiar tunes! Titles include "Comin Home Baby", "Jim Dog", "Just One Of Those Things", and "When Your Lover Has Gone". CD

Joey Defrancesco on organ, George Coleman on saxophone, Jake Langley on guitar, and Byron Landham on drums – plus vocals from Colleen McNabb. CD

A wonderful session by Andrew Hill – recorded in 1968, but issued only briefly in 1981 – and out of print for years! The session is a key one in understanding Hill's work – as it's a bridge between the arch modernism of his early Blue Note sides, and the more soul-oriented playing of the Grass Roots album. The set features wonderful frontline work in the trumpet of Charles Tolliver, and tenor and soprano of Joe Farrell – both players who open up the sound at the same time they're giving it a nice bottom – egged on by the rest of the combo, which includes Victor Sproles on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. The album's an enchanting one – not as dark as early years, but still with a compelling vision that's all Hill's own. Titles include "Dance With Death", "Love Nocturne", "Black Sabbath", "Partitions", and "Fish N Rice". CD features a bonus alternate take of the title cut. CD

Mindblowing work from pianist Andrew Hill – one of the key records during that short initial run when Blue Note was really giving him a special showcase for his talents – and when the label was dabbling in more avant jazz as part of the "new thing" moment on the scene! The group here is really the stuff of legends – as the set features a very late performance from Eric Dolphy on alto, plus Joe Henderson on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all players at the prime of their young talents, soaring to the skies under the leadership of Hill – skittishly working their way into territory that's never truly free, but wonderfully expressive and exploratory – a clear summation of the sense of "modern" in modern jazz! All tracks are originals by the pianist, too – and titles include "New Monastery", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Dedication", and "Refuge". CD reissue also features 2 bonus alternate takes of some of these, for a total of 7 tracks in all. CD

Unissued live work from the great Shirley Horn – recorded in Las Vegas right before her big comeback recordings of the 90s – at a time when Shirley was hardly getting a chance to make an album! That lack of attention hardly matters to Horn, though – as she faces this performance with all of the class, charm, and undeniable soul of her bigger label material – both singing and playing piano with that unique sense of phrasing that made her a standout from the 60s onward – easily one of the coolest jazz talents of her generation – and an artist that we'd rank up there with Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and a rare few others. The album's got a few especially nice long tracks – which have Shirley stretching out with great long solos on piano, too – in a trio that features Charles Ables on bass and Steve Williams on drums. Titles include "Meditation", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Hi Fly", "Just For A Thrill", "Blues For Big Scotia", "Lover Man", and "Isn't It Romantic". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

A classic early 60s session for Candid Records – put together by a group that includes Charles Mingus, Max Roach, and a host of other musicians who were working here as "Newport Rebels" – by setting up the Jazz Artists Guild Festival as a protest against the increasingly commercialized Newport date! And for the record, the group definitely live up to their name – really shaking off the easier modes popularized at the Newport festival, and coming across with a style that's much more modern, firey, and righteous! Other artists include Abbey Lincoln on vocals, Booker Little on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eric Dolphy on saxophone, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone – and titles include a great rendition of "Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do" – plus the originals "Cliff Walk" by Booker Little, "Mysterious Blues" by Mingus, and "Me & You" by members of the group. CD

A fantastic program of live recordings – all captured at the Museum Of Contemporary Art in Chicago – as part of their 50th Anniversary tribute to the AACM! Roscoe Mitchell works here in a very unusual format – with four different trios, each heard separately – then grouped together in different ways on larger recordings that feature all members in varied formation! The trios feature James Fei on reeds and electronics with William Winant on percussion and vibes; Hugh Ragin on trumpet withTyshawn Sorey on trombone, piano, and percussion; Craig Taborn on piano, organ, and electronics with Kikanju Baku on drums and percussion; and Jribu Shahid on bass and percussion with Tani Tabball on drums and percussion. Mitchell plays a range of reeds and percussion – and some of the percussion used is from the collection of various Art Ensemble Members, being exhibited by the museum. The performances are great – and not only is Mitchell still at the height of his improvisational powers, but he's also got the other musicians working in a spirit that really lives up to the tradition of the AACM! CD

David Murray on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet, Patience Higgins on tenor and soprano saxophone, John Purcell on alto saxophone, James Spaulding on alto saxophone and flute, Don Byron on baritone saxophone and clarinet, Graham Haynes on cornet, Kahlil Henry on flute, Vincent Chancey on French horn, Al Patterson, Craig Harris, and Frank Lacy on trombone, Hugh Ragin, James Zollar, and Rasul Siddik on trumpet, Sonelious Smith on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Tani Tabbal on drums, with Larry McDonald on percussion. CD

The first album from Phineas Newborn in a number of years – and a set with a strong enough sound to warrant the "Phineas Is Back" in the title! Newborn's sound here has hardly dimmed at all – and he's still got that great blend of complicated flourishes and bluesier undercurrents that first made him an up and comer back in the 50s. The outing's a trio one – with drummer Jimmy Smith and bassist Ray Brown – both working with Phineas in a simple, unadorned way that allows the strongest focus on piano! Titles include "Salt Peanuts", "The Man I Love", "Abbers Song", "Tamarind Blues", and "Donald's Dream". CD features the bonus track "Just In Time". CD

A best of set from this band of very successful studio playersfeaturing Richard Tee, Cornell Dupree, Steve Gadd, and Eric Gale. Tracks include "Stuff It", "Shuffle", "Foots", "Love Having You Around", "Subway", and "De Rabbit". (Soul, Jazz) CD

A groundbreaking set from British pianist Keith Tippett – an album of completely improvised material, all-acoustic – and performed with a group that includes Julie Tippett on voice and guitar, Frank Perry on percussion, and Roy Babbington on bass. The album's got a really organic feel – not nearly as free as you might guess from the improvised nature of the work – and more with a fluid, earthy approach that's heavily concerned with sound and spirit, and which reminds us a lot of some of the more challenging early 70s work on Impulse Records. Instrumentation is all acoustic (although the set was oddly produced by Robert Fripp!) – and titles include "Song", "Dance", "Blues I", and "Woodcut". CD

Cooper-Moore on piano, Tom Abbs on bass, and Chad Taylor on drums. CD

Paul Tynan on trympoet, Aaron Lington on baritone sax, Trifon Dimitrov on electric bass, and Joe Abba on drums and percussion. CD

An extremely eclectic selection of groovers – with that spiritual jazzy vibe that you'd expect from the London scene, and from the crates of the legendary Russ Dewbury. The compilation has a similar feel to the Freedom Time set – with a batch of tracks that move beyond the usual heavy funk numbers to include some excellent jazz vocal numbers, and some other more complicated tracks that have a sweet fusiony sound. Just about all the tracks on here are super-obscure, and you won't find them easily on original vinyl – nor in such a set as lovingly put together as this one! Titles include "Morning Spring" by Copeland Davis, "Afro Beat" by Jazz Techniques, "Let The Sunshine In" by Sons & Daughters Of Life", "If You Can Live With Yourself" by Dale Dennard, "Gang Progress" by Andre Ceccarelli, "Partido Alto" by Airto & Flora, "Pretty Bird" by Terea, "No Other Love But You" by Clarice Labbe, "Gemstones" by Jack Wilson, "Morning" by Lorez Alexandria, and "Frozen Tundra Lady" by Steamheat. Loads more, and packed with rare tracks! (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

A great little collection that seeks to put the Bristol scene on the map – and to show the kind of inventive jazz the city's been offering up in recent years! The compilers aim to demonstrate that Bristol has as many newly-creative acts as the sort that have been bubbling up in London on labels like Brownswood – and the range of material here really shows a similar way of blending newer ideas and older execution – especially strong in the rhythm department, and with an effortless mixing of acoustic and electric modes. If you've been digging sounds from Comet Is Coming, Nubya Garcia, and Joe Armon-Jones, this set is a great place to take that interest further – on work that includes "Bergson" and "Jabba" by Waldo's Gift, "3.3 Encke Ups" and "Sea Of Apathy & Indifference" by Run Logan Run, "Flump (Ishamel Ensemble rework)" and "Grook" by Snazzback, "Owl" by Lyrebird, and "Bourdain" by Alun Elliott Williams. (New Grooves, Jazz) CD

Musicians include 'Kid Shots' Madison, John Marrero, Abby Foster, Paul Barnes, Earl Pierson, Ricard Alexis, Guy Kelly and Narvin Kimball on Oscar Celestin's recordings. Sam Morgan's band features Jim Robinson, and Earl Fouche – 24 tracks in all! CD

Something wonderful happened to Coleman Hawkins at the end of his career – record companies started letting him record in really long formats, stretching out creatively on extended solos that continued to push the boundaries of his talents! This set is a prime example of that shift – as it features Hawkins alongside Roy Eldridge and Johnny Hodges – all working with trio backing by Tommy Flanagan, Major Holley, and Eddie Locke in a live setting at the Village Gate. Tracks are all well over ten minutes long – 2 at eleven minutes, and 1 at sixteen – and they allow the three lead soloists to really stretch out in a warmly improvisatory manner that surpasses even the easygoing Verve studio sessions of the 50s. Titles include "Satin Doll", "Perdido", and "The Rabbit In Jazz". Plus, added to these 3 are 4 more bonus tracks from the Hawkins Alive album – recorded at the same time, but without the other 2 soloists. These titles include "It's The Talk Of The Town", "Mack The Knife", "Caravan", and "Bean & The Boys". CD

Includes the songs "Jeep's Blues", "Castle Rock", "(A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing) Passion Flower", "Duke's In Bed", "Little Rabbit Blues", "Early Morning Rock", "Honey Hill", "The Last Time I Saw Paris", "Not So Dukish", "Back Beat", "Gal From Joe's", "Rosetta", "Don't Sleep In The Subway", "Funky Blues", and "Squatty Roo". CD

The nine to get ready here are the members of Roscoe's Note Factory nonet – an ensemble that includes George Lewis on trombone, Hugh Ragin on trumpet, Matthew Shipp on piano, William Parker on bass, and Tani Tabbal on drums and percussion. The sound here is spare and textural – very much in the ECM mode, and often surprisingly spare, despite the largeness of the group. Mitchell's on soprano, alto, tenor, and flute – stepping slowly alongside more tightly arranged horn passages for most of the set. Titles include "Leola", "Dream & Response", "Nine To Get Ready", "Move Toward The Light", "Big Red Peaches", and "Bessie Harris". CD

Three unreleased slices of work from the legendary Tony Oxley – a British drummer who's had an impact on his scene's music for decades – and also an artist who can handle a whole lot of other musical sources as well! The set begins with some very seminal sounds from Oxley – music from 1974 with a quintet that features Barry Guy on acoustic and electric bass, Dave Holdsworth on trumpet and effects, Howard Riley on piano, and Paul Rutherford on trombone – all giants from the key years of the Brit free jazz scene – working here with Oxley on drums, electronics, and effects – on titles that include "The Embrace", "Ensemble 1", and "Ensemble 2". Next is a long piece from 1981, titled "Frame" – with Oxley on drums, electronics, and even violin – next to Hugh Metcalfe on guitar and cymbals, Howard Riley on piano, Phil Wachsmann on violin and electronics, and the mighty Larry Stabbins on saxes! The final piece is "Combination" from 2016, and is spare, but equally striking – Oxley on electronics, working next to the percussion of Stefan Hoelker – almost evoking an older electro-acoustic style. CD

The first album from Klaus Doldinger's legendary Passport – a jamming little group that was one of THE European fusion combos of the early 70s! The sound here is much more fierce and full on than Doldinger's straighter jazz recordings of the 60s – but it's also kind of a nice extension of that work too – one that takes the soul jazz influences of the earlier decade into a more rock-driven sound than many other groups were hitting at the time. In a way, the progression is similar to the move from beat group to progressive styles followed by a fair bit of UK jazzers – but Doldinger tops his style off here with some nice electricity on moog and keyboards! Other players include Jimmy Jackson on organ and Udo Lindenberg on some mighty heavy drums – and titles include "Madhouse Jam", "Continuation", "Lemuria's Dance", "Uranus", "Schirokko", "Nostalgia", and "Hexensabbat". CD

Viola player Jessica Pavone leads a string trio here – but the result is very different than you might expect, if you're only thinking of music in terms of jazz or more traditional elements – as there's a blend of strings, textures, and tones here that's completely wonderful! In addition to Pavone's viola, the group also features Aimee Neimann on violin, and Abby Swidler on both viola and violin, depending on the track – both musicians who add their voice to one track, along with Jessica – but mostly have this way of finding great sonic resonance together, with a quality that's both abstracting from the original modes of the instruments, yet never too far to make them sound unfamiliar. Titles include "Done & Dusted", "Hidden Voices", "The Pitches & Notated", and "Closeness Unnoticed". CD

Hugh Ragin on trumpet, Bruce Cox and Tanni Tabbal on drums, Jaribu Shahib on bass, Craig Taborn on piano, and Assif Tsahar on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet. CD