Frank Foster is one of our favorite talents in jazz – an excellent tenorist who spent some of his key years in the Count Basie orchestra, but a player who also had a very rich career on his own as well! This album features Frank's talents really coming to the forefront of the Basie group – in a set of all-original material penned and arranged by Foster – really fresh tunes that are a perfect fit for the soulful spirit of the reedman's collaborators in the group, and which definitely show off the growing talents of Foster as a composer. There's a lot more going on here than you might expect – some surprisingly complicated charts for the horns, yet still with that rock-solid swing you'd expect from Basie – and most tracks are longer than usual for a Roulette album, nicely open numbers that include "Brotherly Shove", "Easin It", "Blues For Daddy-O", "Four Five Six", and "Mama Dev". LP, Vinyl record album

Yipes! This one made everyone a bucket of money – especially Quincy Jones, whose new Qwest imprint the record was one of the first to grace. George has come a long way from his roots with Jack McDuff here – but in a way that kind of has us impressed, as he's grooving away slickly on guitar, laying down some smooth vocals that we never would have imagined from his mid 60s recordings. Includes the massive hit "Give Me The Night", a cover of "Moody's Mood", and the tracks "Star Of A Story (X)", "Midnight Love Affair", "What's On Your Mind", and "Dinorah, Dinorah". The sound of a million supermarkets and elevators during the 80s! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare bit of righteous jazz from the Cali scene of the 70s – a record that's much more obscure than some of the better-known efforts from the Bay Area and the LA scene, but which resonates strongly with all the power of those classics too! James Benson was an educator as much as he was a musician – yet here, he proves himself very strongly as a hell of a leader – blowing flutes, tenor, and soprano in a cool combo that also features the greats Cal Green and Roy Gaines on guitars, Ed Pratt on alto, Buffalo Williams on piano, and Ronnie Randall on drums! There's plenty of percussion on the record, including some congas by Big Black – and the set mixes rootsy rumblings with spiritual solos in a really great way. Sandra Meadows sings a bit on the set, and titles include "Malcolm IX", "Spring 2000", "Brother Don", "Song For My Black Mother", "Nigeria West Africa", and a nice remake of "Compared To What". (Jazz, Jazz) CD

Jac Berrocal is a trumpeter, with some background in jazz – but the tracks within are way more than that – and feature Berrocal at some of his most experimental, in ways that range nicely through a wide array of styles! The work here is a mix of rare and unreleased tracks – some very spare and instrumental, others with inventive use of voice – but often not vocals at all – more combined, processed, and played with like the other instrumentation on the tracks – which includes electronics, percussion, keyboards, and all sorts of other instruments. The vibe is a bit like some of the more experimental work on the French Nato label back in the 80s, mixed with some post-punk experiments too – in titles that include "Inca D'Enfance", "Aristocrates", "Lisylis Pavillon", "Fruh In Berlin", "Boite Boite", "Extaz", and "RAS". LP, Vinyl record album

Just tenor and drums, coming together beautifully – the former from Binker Golding, the latter from Moses Boyd – a contemporary London duo who step out here in a soulful, almost spiritual mode! The music is loose, and very exploratory – yet never too free to swing – and always has this sense of rhythmic cohesion that almost seems to come more from Golding's tenor than it does from the drums of Boyd – although both players seem to shift back and forth in terms of centering the performance. The recording quality is wonderful – with this stark, crisp feel that almost takes us back to 70s New York loft jazz performances of this nature – and titles include "The Creeper", "Retox", "ESU", "No Long Tinges", and "Black Ave Maria". CD

A sublime tribute to the music of Bobby Hutcherson – put together by drummer Brian Blade with a group that really lives up to the soulful spirit of some of Bobby's best Blue Note material of the early 70s! Monte Croft is on vibes, and really gets that sense of color right that we love in Hutcherson's music – yet the record also has a nice sense of flavor of its own – thanks to strong use of congas from Rogerio Boccato, guitar from John Hart, and some especially nice flute, tenor, and alto from Myron Walden. John Cowherd colors in things nicely on piano and Wurlitzer piano, Doug Weiss plays bass, and titles include "Now", "Black Heroes", "The Final Four", "Love & Hate", "Hello To The Wind", and "Slow Change". CD

A true orgy in rhythm from Art Blakey – a set that not only features his drums next to the kit of Art Taylor, but which also adds in a bevy of other percussionists – including Sabu Martinez, Patato Valdez, and Jose Valentine! Joe Jones and Specs Wright also bring in additional jazz drums – making for more drummers than you might even find in a high school band – all working together with amazing qualities in sound, sometimes even melodic amidst all of the rhythms. Lighter lyrical touches are provided by Herbie Mann's flute, and Ray Bryant throws in some great lines on piano – underscoring the grooves in a nice way. Titles on this first volume include "Buhaina Chant", "Split Skins", and "Toffi". LP, Vinyl record album

A true orgy in rhythm from Art Blakey – a set that not only features his drums next to the kit of Art Taylor, but which also adds in a bevy of other percussionists – including Sabu Martinez, Patato Valdez, and Jose Valentine! Joe Jones and Specs Wright also bring in additional jazz drums – making for more drummers than you might even find in a high school band – all working together with amazing qualities in sound, sometimes even melodic amidst all of the rhythms. Lighter lyrical touches are provided by Herbie Mann's flute, and Ray Bryant throws in some great lines on piano – underscoring the grooves in a nice way. Titles on this second volume include "Amuck", "Elephant Walk", and "Abdallah's Delight". LP, Vinyl record album

Absence is a word that can instantly have a sense of sadness, but it can also have a sort of beauty, too – and that's definitely the case in this album of work done as a tribute to the great Wayne Shorter by trumpeter Terence Blanchard! The record's way more than just a collection of Shorter's tunes – and although it features a few numbers penned by the saxophonist, there's also a set of new music by Blanchard and his piansist too – really lovely numbers that have the trumpeter at his most evocative – in maybe a condensed expression of some of the modes he brings to his larger soundtrack material. The core group is his E-Collective – with Fabian Almazan on piano, Charles Altura on guitar, David Ginyard on bass, and Oscar Seaton on drums – but maybe the most interesting aspect of the record is the gentle use of the Turtle Island String Quartet, who shade in Blanchard's deeper ideas in a nicely subtle way. Titles include "I Dare You", "Envisioned Reflections", "When It Was Now", "Diana", "The Elders", "Dark Horse", "The Second Wave", and "Fall". CD

A sweet set of 70s spiritual jazz from Argentine tenor player Chivo Borraro – one of his best albums of the time, and a really wonderful session with lots of nice touches! The record features Borraro playing keyboard effects, in addition to his usual tenor – and it also features some additional keyboards by Fernando Gelbard, who plays both Fender Rhodes and ring modulator on the album, working things wonderfully as he did on his own albums of the time. This wealth of keyboards gives the album a spacious feel – keys soaring out into space, creating platforms for solo work on sax, and a space to showcase the talents of Stenio Mendes, who plays the 12-stringed craviola on the album. There's lots of post-Coltrane exploration to the record – and titles include "Mi Amgio Tarzan", "Cancion De Cuna Para Un Bebe Del Ano 2000", "Lineas Torcidas", and "La Invasion De Los Monjes". CD also features two bonus tracks – "Intro/Mi Amigo Tarzan" and "Mi Amigo Tarzan (alt take)". CD

Domo Branch is represented as a group on the front cover – but if you take a closer look, you'll notice the image features multiple shots of the man himself – a killer drummer who delivers a wonderful performance on this full album of solo drums! The set was recorded overseas, but Domo Branch hails from Portland, where he's a key part of the scene, both as a player and an educator – and he plays here with a style that certainly understands many currents of jazz – in a mode that maybe takes a Baby Dodd solo drum performance forward through lessons learned in the generation of Milford Graves and Andrew Cyrille! Titles include "Purity/Honesty", "Influence", "Togetherness", "Patience", "Tribal", and "Longing". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet mix of Brazilian grooves and New York attitude – an overlooked session from the end of the 90s – recorded in the US by Brazilian saxman Leo Gandelman, with soulful help from a variety of American players – including Reuben Wilson on organ and both Charlie Hunter and Grant Green Jr on guitar! There's a rich sort of 70s vibe to the record – a tight, funky blend of jazzy riffing and Brazilian percussion, all put together at a level that almost reminds us of Kudu Records at its best – lean, soulful, and surprisingly focused throughout – a great step forward for Gandelman, and for percussionist Juliano Zanoni, who co-arranged the set with Leo, and also wrote most of the tunes. Supposedly, the record never saw the light of day when it was recorded – making this sweet Far Out package its first-ever release! Titles include "Safari", "Pau Grande", "April 7th", "Dance", "Prince Samba", "Groove In The Head", "Pirulito", and "Charlie 1". (Brazil, Jazz) CD

There's nothing broken about this set – as the album's one of the strongest, most spiritual sessions we've ever heard from the Chicago Tentet of Peter Brotzmann – a really great group who gave us some amazing albums on the Okka Disk label! The set features two great guests – trumpeter Roy Campell and bassist William Parker – and at some level, the rest of the lineup seem to be opening up into modes that welcome the territory of both jazz giants – especially on the long first track, which is a very different reworking of a composition the group explored on another album! As usual, reedman Peter Brotzmann is at the helm – on tenor, alto clarinet, and tarogato – with Ken Vandermark, Mars Williams, and Mats Gustafsson on other reeds – plus Joe McPhee on trumpet and valve trombone, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello and violin, Kent Kessler on bass, Michael Zerang on drums, and Hamid Drake on drums and frame drum, plus some great vocalizations. Titles include "Stonewater" and "Broken English". CD

A classic album from San Francisco pianist Dave Brubeck – recorded at Oberlin College, the mid-Ohio haven of bohemiana, and a growing hotbed of jazz activity centered around students in the college's conservatory of music at the time of the recording! Dave and crew made the trip at the request of the kids – breaking from their mostly San Francisco-based recording career to cut what would end up becoming a very successful album in Dave's catalog, and begin a whole "at" or "goes to" series in his career – followed up at many other locations. The group's the early quartet with Paul Desmond on alto, Ron Crotty on bass, and Lloyd Davis on drums – and tunes include long and jamming versions of "The Way You Look Tonight", "How High The Moon", and "Stardust". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual high-concept project from Dave Brubeck – with the man himself on piano, in a setting that features the Cinncinnatti Symphony conducted by Erich Kunzel, with voices too! LP, Vinyl record album

Solo Ray Bryant – recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1972, and featuring versions of a number of his classics, plus a few other odd numbers. Ray's no stranger to the solo piano format – having first recorded this way in the early 60s – and his work in the style is surprisingly great, far more exploratory and open-ended than you might expect if you know his regular soul jazz work. Titles include "Cubano Chant", "Gotta Travel On", "Little Susie", "Blues #2", "Libestraum Boogie", "Slow Freight", and "Blues #3". CD

Mighty nice work from singer Ann Burton – one of those jazz vocalists who was almost a secret star in the 70s – continuing a legacy of earlier fame, but through a series of overseas recordings and small label dates that really let her grow creatively and open up fresh territory as an artist! The set features accompaniment from a shifting lineup of Japanese jazz players – and includes some especially nice tenor and flute from Akira Miyazwa, plus piano from Masahiko Satoh and Toshihiko Ogawa, guitar from Sadanori Nakamure, and bass from Kunimitsu Inaba – an especially great player whose round, warm tone really shapes the record. Titles include "Yesterday & Yesterdays", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "May I Come In", "Love Is A Necessary Evil", "By Myself Alone", and "That Old Feeling". CD features two bonus tracks – "Oh What A Shame" and "Nice To be Back Again". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Very hip work from Art Turk Burton – percussionist, educator, and underground figure on the AACM scene in Chicago for decades – working here on a set of very long, live readings of key jazz tunes, served up with help from some equally hip musicians on the scene! The great Ari Brown plays tenor in the group, alongside the alto of Edwin Daugherty, keyboards of Ed Beard, and bass of Yosef Ben Israel – in a group that also features plenty of congas from Art, and more percussion from Sammie Torres and Dushun Mosley too – as the group takes off on these very extended performances that are filled with plenty of strong solos over equally strong percussion too! Maggie Brown brings in some vocals and spoken parts too – and titles include long takes on "Song For My Father", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Listen Here", "Afro Blue", and "Inner City Blues". CD

A treasure trove of lost material from Jaki Byard – recorded during a time when he was at the height of his powers! The 7 tunes on this set were originally cut for the 2 volume series of live recordings Byard did for Prestige in the mid 60s – and of those 7, only 1 was ever issued, and even then, never on CD. The work is quite striking – with Byard on piano, leading a quartet that features a very young Joe Farrell on tenor, soprano, and flute, with crack rhythm by the team of George Tucker on bass and Alan Dawson on drums. All the tracks were recorded during one set at Lennie's in Massachusetts in 1965, and overall, the performances have a longer, more unbridled feel than most of Byard's studio work of the time. The range of his work on piano is incredible – modern one moment, soulful another, and trad the next – and Farrell's playing is surprisingly strong for such an early point, especially on the longer tunes on the set, which really let him open up in exploratory solos. Titles include "Dolphy #1", "King David", "Twelve (alt)", "St Mark's Place Among The Sewers", and "Jaki Byard's Ballad Medley". CD

Sharp Brazilian fusion – with Rique Pantoja on keyboards, Mauro Senise on saxes, and Pascoal Meirelles on drums! (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure on the legendary Palm Records label – that famous French avant jazz imprint owned by pianist Jef Gilson, and which issued some of the most creative albums on the scene in the 70s! This set is maybe one of the most obscure – a record that's noteworthy not only for important early work from later composer Butch Morris on cornet, but also for the really unusual interplay between the musicians – a quartet that features Jean Charles Capon on cello, Philippe Mate on tenor, and Serge Rahoerson on drums! There's a loose, open feel going on – but a vibe that's different than some other piano-less groups of this nature – maybe in part because Capon seems to have a lot of presence with his cello, almost directing the proceedings at times – and also because the layering of elements always seems to have an inherent structure, even when relatively free. Titles include "Complainte", "Mode De Fa/Salegy Drums Solo", "Orly Ivato", "Blues For Guy Labory", and "Spanish Cake Walk". CD

Francois Carrier on alto saxophone, Dewey Redman on tenor saxophone, Michel Donato or Ron Seguin on bass, and Michel Lambert on drums. CD

One of the most obscure of the Paul Chambers albums on Blue Note – and one of the most interesting as well! Although best known for his solid rhythm work on late 50s hardbop recordings, Chambers breaks out here with a more introspective, more exploratory style on the bass – using the instrument "on top", as a lead solo force in a group with Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Jones on piano, and Art Taylor on drums. The sound is surprisingly soulful, and modern yet swinging – in the manner of Oscar Pettiford's best sides of this style. Titles include "Yesterdays", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Confessin", and "The Theme". CD

Arguably the best of Cherry's albums for Blue Note – and a real masterpiece of soulful avant playing! The group features Cherry on cornet, Gato Barbieri on tenor (and he's incredible, by the way!), Henry Grimes on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums. Grimes and Blackwell are more than just timekeepers – and deliver a lot of the melody of the session, yet still never lose their sense of swing. Barbieri's fragile raw tone proves to be a good one to work with Cherry, even if there are a few touches of Ornette in his playing. The album's divided up into 2 long suites – "Complete Communion" and "Elephantasy" – both of which are excellent. A real treat – with no sloppiness, lots of fresh ideas, and a good sense of both freedom and control! Reissued here with 24-bit remastering! CD

A rare performance from trumpeter Don Cherry – caught here at a key experimental moment in the 60s, when he was working with his Complete Communion lineup! The group are a trans-Atlantic quintet – with a young Gato Barbieri on tenor sax, Karl Berger on piano and vibes, Bo Stief on bass, and Aldo Romano on drums – all players who'd make even bigger waves in years to come – but who already step out boldly under the leadership of Cherry on cornet! The tracks are relatively free and open – as on Cherry's Blue Note material from the same period – but the live performance seems to bring in even more fire, especially from Berger's vibes and the excellent tenor of Barbieri – which has all the sharp edges we love when he's at his best. Titles include "UT", "Elephantasy", and a really freewheeling take on "Orfeo Negro". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare slice of work from trumpeter Don Cherry – music that's every bit as forward-thinking as his three classic 60s albums on Blue Note! The session is a live one, but the sound is quite strong – recorded up-close, and with great focus on Cherry's incredible horn work – as well as the efforts of the rest of the group, which includes Gato Barbieri on tenor, Karl Berger on vibes, Bo Stief on bass, and Aldo Romano on drums. There's a definite "new thing" vibe going on here – a style that's similar to some of Archie Shepp's work of the period, or that of some of Cherry's Blue Note contemporaries. Tracks are all long, and titles include "Complete Communion", "Neopolitan Suite", "Cocktail Piece", and "Free Improvisation Music Now". CD

One of the first truly important records from Don Cherry as a leader – and an amazingly well-crafted session that brings together ideas from his early years with Ornette, and expands them with some of the freedoms he was learning from the European scene! The record boasts a format and lineup that's quite unusual for Blue Note at the time – 2 side-long "suite" tracks, performed by a group that features Cherry on cornet, Pharoah Sanders on tenor and piccolo, Karl Berger on vibes and piano, Gato Barbieri on tenor, Ed Blackwell on drums, and both Jean-Francois Jenny- Clark and Henry Grimes on bass! There's a fair bit of room for creative improvising on the session, but the overall album's a bit more structured than contemporary free jazz outings – and clearly shows the mark of Cherry's interpolation of styles at the time. Two long suites are entitled "Symphony For Improvisers" and "Manhattan Cry" – with shorter passages that include "Nu Creative Love", "Infant Happiness", "Manhattan Cry", and "Lunatic". CD

Creative sounds from alto saxophonist Steve Coleman – working here with his Five Elements group, at a time that was one of his most productive! The group have an angular sort of swing – a style that certainly grows out of some more exploratory moments in 80s mainstream jazz, yet which here comes across with a warmer, more acoustic feel overall – never nearly as bogged down by some of the too academic moments that could hold back some of their contemporaries, or even Coleman at some earlier moments. Rhythms are stiff, but still nice and warm – thanks to drums from Gene Lake – and in addition to Steve's alto, the group also features piano from Andy Milne, bass from Reggie Washington, and a bit of tenor from Ravi Coltrane. Titles include "Dogon", "Flint", "Veritable Pedagogy", "The Khu", "Pad That", and "Multiplicity Of Approaches". CD

Early work by Alice Coltrane – somewhat under the shadow of her late husband, as you'd guess from the use of his name on the front cover – but really stepping out here with a voice of her own! The Monastic Trio of the set features Alice on harp and piano – alongside bass from Jimmy Garrison and drums by either Ben Riley or Rashied Ali – both really fluid players who open up nicely in this way that's never to far out, at least in the way that John Coltrane was using rhythms at the time – but which allow Alice to really take the lead as a bold musical visionary of her own! Perhaps most exciting, Pharoah Sanders sits in on one of the album's longest tracks – blowing tenor with a force that's enough to bring back The Great One – but the real charm of the set is Alice's piano work, bubbling out here with a sensitivity that we never would have expected from the harder-edge sessions cut with Coltrane – that new level of spirituality she instantly brought to her own solo sessions. Titles include "Ohnedaruth", "Lovely Sky Boat", and "Atomic Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a different album than usual for John Coltrane, but a classic one too – and a set that has the great one exploring his ideas in a set of longer tracks recorded with an expanded jazz orchestra! The format's hardly the mainstream big band of the time – as Coltrane's filled the group with very hip players – including Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard, Julian Priester, and Eric Dolphy – in addition to usual compatriots who include McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones. The tunes have a soaring, modal sort of pulse – one that's filled with color and light from the addition of the other horn players, but which still has plenty of space for extended, exploratory solos. Coltrane plays both tenor and soprano sax – and titles include the legendary 16 minute track "Africa", a classic reading of "Greensleeves", redone here as a modal searching spiritual track, and "Blues Minor". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the freest, most exploratory albums ever recorded by John Coltrane – and a unique session done with an expanded group of some of the most important avant jazz players of his generation! The format here is similar to Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz album – in that the music is freely improvised, and spans the entire LP as a non-stop performance – one that has Coltrane in the lead, but which also features alto from Marion Brown and John Tchicai, tenor from Archie Shepp and Pharaoh Sanders, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard and Dewey Johnson – and core rhythms from McCoy Tyner on piano, drums from Elvin Jones, and double basses from Art Davis and Jimmy Garrison. The record set the format for larger improvisatory groups in years to come – but is still one of the best examples of the form! CD features both "editions" of the of the album – making for a double-length set! CD

One of the freest, most exploratory albums ever recorded by John Coltrane – and a unique session done with an expanded group of some of the most important avant jazz players of his generation! The format here is similar to Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz album – in that the music is freely improvised, and spans the entire LP as a non-stop performance – one that has Coltrane in the lead, but which also features alto from Marion Brown and John Tchicai, tenor from Archie Shepp and Pharaoh Sanders, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard and Dewey Johnson – and core rhythms from McCoy Tyner on piano, drums from Elvin Jones, and double basses from Art Davis and Jimmy Garrison. The record set the format for larger improvisatory groups in years to come – but is still one of the best examples of the form! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful name for a beautiful record – a classic set of hardbop material from John Coltrane's early years as a leader – and a session that has him working with Donald Byrd on trumpet, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums! The album's got a beautifully laidback feel that prefaces some of the Coltrane's more exploratory work on Impulse and Atlantic – but one that still also has the earthy, straight ahead feel of his best early years on Prestige – a great combination that makes the record a key moment in the early career of The Great One. Tracks are all quite long – not exactly blowing session tunes, but done with a feel that's more open than some of the other Coltrane albums of the time – and titles include "Black Pearls", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "Sweet Sapphire Blues". CD

A great meeting of tenor sax talents old and young – as the up-and-coming John Coltrane plays alongside Paul "Vice Pres" Quinichette – in a classic Prestige session of well-blown saxophone work! The rhythm section on the album features Mal Waldron on piano, Julian Euell on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums – but the real focus here is on the tenor giants in the title – working together in warm spirit that's surprisingly well matched! Titles include "Sunday", "Cattin", "Anatomy", and "Vodka". 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

A fantastic second album from this ultra-hip French combo – a group who effortlessly mix up jazz, funk, and global elements in the best cross-cultural tradition of the Parisian scene! Cotonete have been around for many years, even though they haven't given us many records – and it's clear from this set that their sound has gelled and evolved even more than before – no gimmicks or easy tricks on the record, and instead this really cohesive blend of keyboards from Florian Pellissier with trumpet, saxes, guitar, trombone, bass, and plenty of percussion! Guests include Omar, Leron Thomas, and Sabrina Malheiros – each of whom sing on a single track – and titles include "Satori", "La Derniere Guitare", "Bebete Vaobora", "Venezuela", "Cinq Pour L'Aventure", and "What Did You Run For". (Deep Funk, Jazz) CD

A fantastic second album from this ultra-hip French combo – a group who effortlessly mix up jazz, funk, and global elements in the best cross-cultural tradition of the Parisian scene! Cotonete have been around for many years, even though they haven't given us many records – and it's clear from this set that their sound has gelled and evolved even more than before – no gimmicks or easy tricks on the record, and instead this really cohesive blend of keyboards from Florian Pellissier with trumpet, saxes, guitar, trombone, bass, and plenty of percussion! Guests include Omar, Leron Thomas, and Sabrina Malheiros – each of whom sing on a single track – and titles include "Satori", "La Derniere Guitare", "Bebete Vaobora", "Venezuela", "Cinq Pour L'Aventure", and "What Did You Run For". (Deep Funk, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Danny Turner and Manny Boyd on alto saxophone and flute, John Williams on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, Bill Hughes on bass trombone, Charlton Johnson on guitar, George Caldwell on piano, Doug Miller and Kenny Hing on tenor saxophone and flute, Clarence Banks, Robert Trowers, and Mel Wanzo on trombone, Bob Ojeda, Derrick Gardner, Melton Mustafa, and Mike Williams on trumpet, Cleveland Eaton on bass, and David Gibson on drums. CD

Man, it's like a talent bomb exploded! This set's stuffed with work by some of the greatest jazz funk players of the early 70s – Johnny Hammond, Bob James, Deodato, George Benson, Joe Farrell, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard, Grover Washington Jr, Hubert Laws, and others – all playing together at a massive live concert recorded in Hollywood in 1972! And although you might worry that the collection of so many great talents on one stage might just create confusion – don't! The quality of the work is excellent – almost better than the best of the CTI studio sides, with a lean, clean sound that's really really tight – never overblown, just sweet electric funk with loads of great space for solo work. This second volume of the 3 LP set includes takes of "Blues Force", "Rock Steady", "People Make The World Go Round" and a medley of "Ithe From Love Story", "Pavane" and "Fire & Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little later album from Miles Davis – one that still has some sharp edges and interesting moments that refine the earlier electric sound of the 70s! Teo Macero's still producing here, and he gives the record a focus that really brings the best sound out of the tunes – and although there's not as much noise, funk, or raw energy as before, there's still a shimmeringly modern style that's quite different from most other electric jazz of the time – proof that Davis was still an innovator even in these years! Other instrumentation includes electric piano, guitar, and soprano sax – and titles include "Fat Time", "Aida", "The Man With The Horn", "Ursula", and "Back Seat Betty". LP, Vinyl record album

Originally a 2LP set, but now a 4CD package – with 14 previously unissued tracks! Legendary early live work from Miles Davis – one of the first examples on record of the way that Davis could really stretch out in a concert setting! The music's a bit more straight ahead than later live dates, but still pretty open and exploratory – and in addition to Davis' sparkling work on trumpet, the album also features some killer tenor lines from Hank Mobley – working here as a key part of Miles' group, and blowing with a hell of a lot of soul. Rhythm is by the rock-solid trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "Neo", "So What", "Fran Dance", and "Well You Needn't". CD

A really great bit of live work from Miles Davis – and the first-ever recorded appearance of the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – even though the album was never issued in the US at the time! The set follows very strongly in the mode of the group's work at the Plugged Nickel – with a pace that's faster than usual, and bristling with freely exploratory energy. Titles include "Milestones", "So What", "Walkin", and a nicely stepped-up version of "Autumn Leaves". Shorter's solos are worth the price of the record alone, but Williams' work on the kit never ceases to amaze! CD features a bonus track – "Stella By Starlight"! CD

A masterful tribute from one bad cat to another – and easily one of Miles Davis' greatest electric albums ever! The album's got a powerful, epic sort of feel – a renewed focus after the looser style of Bitches Brew, and the 70s live albums – and one that mixes a deeper funky sound with the raw, exploratory style Davis had let loose a few years before. Michael Henderson's bass is a big part of the power of the record, and John McLaughlin's guitar has never sounded better, or sharper. Teo Macero made the whole thing magic in the studio, and titles include two sidelong funkdafied jams – "Right Off" and "Yesternow". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most jazz-based work we've ever heard from keyboardist Mark De Clive-Lowe – continuing a progression that's been taking place over the past decade or so – to a point where the musician is turning out a record to rival the classics of some of the 70s giants who influenced his sound in the first place! Mark plays Fender Rhodes, piano, and other keyboards in the company of bassist Andrea Lombardini and drummer Tommaso Cappellato – on live tracks that are full of energy and life, driven with strong rhythms, and have lots of strong solos over the top. Titles include "Birds Of Prey", "Strolling Down Degnan", "Volta Ao Mundo", "Dreamweavers", "Kodama Shade", and "In Answer To Your Question". (New Grooves, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Legendary drummer Tullio De Piscopo is all by himself on the cover, and that's how he sounds on the record – just playing solo, but with amazing grooves that hardly make you miss the other instruments at all! Tullio's got a long legacy in both jazz and club music – yet this set may be one of his most unique, and one of the purest demonstrations of his talents as a musician – as he manages to serve up these solo tracks that are all rhythmic and very groovy, with a melodic command of the drum kit that fills in all the other elements you might miss – on tracks that move between classic hip hop break cuts, to Brazilian-inflected groovers, to some other rhythmic masterpieces that were certainly years ahead of their time back in 1974! Titles include "Afro Cubano", "Samba Carnival", "Rocking Special", "Afro Jazz", "7/4 Rock", "Fast Afro Samba", "Drum Fantasy", "Onda Nueva 3/4", "Moderato Swing", and "Dodiciottavi". LP, Vinyl record album

A live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet sweet work from Deodato – a great little set that almost makes us think it's the 70s all over again! Deodato's working in that great blend of jazz and soul he first set down during his CTI years – then took to new heights on MCA and Warner too – a wonderfully warm blend that's filled with plenty of jazz at the core, but which also features key soulful touches from guests who include Al Jarreau, John Tropea, Novecento, and Londonbeat! Most numbers feature vocals, but there's plenty of space for Deodato's keyboards too – which have that round sound and deep feel we really remember from the Fender Rhodes generation. Titles include "Night Passage", "The Crossing", "Double Face", "I Want You More", "Border Line", and "Rule My World". CD

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

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth jazzy work from Deodato – a record that takes off from his electric keyboard work of the early 70s, and shows his growing interest in modern soul and R&B a the time! Deodato's still a few years way from some of his famous soul production work, but he's already got a great ear for a groove – and works in a style that's tight, but never too slick – the best Joe Sample or Crusaders territory, but even more groove oriented too. You can definitely hear Deodato's growing taste for modern soul here – especially on the seminal club jammer "Whistle Bump", which is a tight keyboard-driven groove, with some sweeping strings underneath wah wah guitar. The cut's the real standout on the album – although there's a few other nice moments, like "Space Dust" and "Lovely Lady", which has a great mellow Bob James-ish sound. LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of early 80s gems from this Brazilian keyboard legend – back to back on a single CD! Night Cruiser is a key record in Deodato's move from funky jazz in the 70s to modern soul in the 80s – and one that showcases the best of his talents in both genres! The approach here is more tightly arranged and produced than that of his earlier CTI sides – but in a mode that's still plenty nice to our ears – as Deodato's uncanny sense of rhythm and timing is still very firmly in place, making the set way way more than just a smooth jazz album – and pushing it strongly into the realm of soulful spacey fusion! There's some really great tracks on the set – like the amazing "Skatin", a sweet keyboard number that's a perfect roller skating jam (in case you couldn't guess from the title) – plus "Love Magic", "Uncle Funk", "East Side Strut", and "Night Cruiser". Happy Hour is a classic from Deodato's soul-based years with a nice little R&B-inspired groove! Happy Hour was done at a time when Deodato was really getting into a lot of modern soul production and arranging work with other groups – and here, he tries his hand wonderfully at the style himself – transforming his 70s jazz funk groove into a tightly snapping 80s soul approach! Most tracks on the set feature vocals – by singers who include Kelly Barretto, Eban Kelly, and Candi Staton – but the instrumentation behind them is still plenty jazzy too, thanks to some nice work by Deodato on Fender Rhodes, mini moog, Arp, and other keyboards. Titles include "I Never Get Enough", "Keep On Movin", "Happy Hour", "Just This One Night", "Tears Of A Clown", "Sweet Magic", and "Keep It In The Family". CD features two bonus tracks – "Uncle Funk (7" mix)" and "Keep On Movin (7" mix)". CD

An organ bossa classic from the legendary Eumir Deodato – one of his strongest albums from his early years in Brazil! There's a very jazzy feel to the set all the way through – thanks to a tightly arranged group that not only features the organ and percussion you might expect from such a date, but which also features some great horn work as well! Trombone, tenor, and baritone sax all get in some nice licks – and Deodato's organ cooks wonderfully throughout, often with a quick-stepping bossa jazz sound that really keeps things lively. Titles include "O Sol Nascera", "Samba Do Dom Natural", "Terra De Ninguem", "E Bom Parar", and "Ataque". (Brazil, Jazz) CD

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more pop than jazz from Deodato – a record that has the keyboardist working with a trio of younger vocalists who alternate lyrics on each track in the set! The approach here takes off from Deodato's strong soul production and arranging work of earlier years, but has a bit more of a crossover sound overall – still echoing strains of his R&B side in the rhythms, yet exposing the real agenda a bit more in the lead vocals of the tunes. Keyboards aren't nearly as important to the sound as the drum programs on the record – and titles include "Everybody Wants To Be My Girl", "Where Can You Run", "When A Lover Says Goodbye", "Forever For You", "Stay With Me", and "Somewhere Out There". CD

Sweet keyboard soul from Deodato – a set that steps off nicely from the strengths of his big hits on CTI, hitting a similarly flowing groove that's really great! The instrumentation here is a bit more expanded than before, but never in a way that buries the keyboards – and Deodato's right out front on a range of electric keys that get some great support from John Tropea's finely-honed work on guitar! Titles include "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "West 42nd Street", and a nice cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again". And heck, even the album's version of Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" manages to come off like a funk tune! LP, Vinyl record album

With Kei Akagi on keyboards, Tommy Brechtlein on drums, Mino Cinelu on percussion, Anthony Jackson on bass guitar, Jose Renato on vocals, and Harvey Swartz on acoustic bass. LP, Vinyl record album

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". CD

Eric Dolphy's first album ever as a leader – recorded almost immediately after his arrival on the New York scene! The sound here is already bolder and stronger than the Dolphy experiments on the west coast – sharp-edged and freely exploratory, in a way that pushes the playful lyricism of the Chico Hamilton years aside, and reaches out into the new territory hinted at by the title! The group is a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and the overall sound is a beautiful mix of modernist hard bop and some of Dolphy's later freer styles. Dolphy plays his usual mix of alto, flute, and bass clarinet – and the tracks include "245", "Miss Toni", "Les", and "GW". CD

Excellent funky work from Lou Donaldson – and a groundbreaking record that was the first to feature him playing on Blue Note with drummer Idris Muhammad – who is listed on the session under his birth name, Leo Morris! Muhammad gives the album that crackling funky bottom sound that instantly defined Lou's later years at Blue Note – a hard and heavy approach to soul jazz that's had incredible repercussions in the world of hip hop, as well as soul and funk. The rest of the group features soul jazz burners Lonnie Smith on organ, Melvin Lastie on trumpet, and George Benson on guitar – and the album includes the highly successful "Alligator Boogaloo", plus hard groovers "The Thang", "Aw Shucks!", and "One Cylinder". CD

Includes the songs "Cheek To Cheek", "Cookin'", "Lou's Blues", "Dorothy", "Herman's Mambo", "The Blues Walk", "The Masquerade Is Over", "Funky Mama", "Caracas", "What Will I Tell My Heart", "Alligator Bogaloo", "Peepin'", and "Caravan". CD

A wickedly funky album from Joao Donato – quite different than his earlier bossa sessions, and recorded in LA with a sweet jazzy bounce! The album's overflowing with great keyboard work – and Joao plays both piano and organ, in a group that includes percussion from Emil Richards, who also produced the set with this mad skittish edge that's awash in crazy and off-kilter rhythms! Deodato helped a bit with the arrangements, too – and the album's got an electric feel that's somewhat similar to Deodato's own work on CTI, but a lot more messed up – and with that sense of odd instrumental placement that we love so much in Donato's classic Quem E Quem album! Tracks are all pretty darn great – and titles include "Mosquito", "Bambu", "Cade Jodel", "Lunar Tune", and "The Frog", nicely done here in a funky version! (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A completely unique little session – and a record that's every bit as musically striking as you might guess from its title and cover! The date's a rare Latin-tinged one for trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a record that takes his usually smooth sound and sets it up against octet backings with horns from JJ Johnson on trombone, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, and Hank Mobley on tenor – plus piano from Horace Silver, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Art Blakey – plus added congas from Patato Valdes! The expanded group plays with a great sense of power – really pushing Kenny's sound tremendously – and although the album also features a few tracks by a smaller group with less percussion, these also have a bit of a Latin/exotic tinge too. Titles include "Basheer's Dream", "Lotus Flower", "KD's Motion", "Venita's Dance", "Minor's Holiday", "La Villa", and "Afrodisia". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Echo Of Spring (aka KD's Cab Ride)" and "Minor's Holiday (alt take)". CD

Dezron Douglas and Brandee Younger are two of our favorite jazz musicians to emerge in the past decade – and this set of duets may well be some of the greatest work that either artist has done on record to date! The setting is unique – material pulled from live stream broadcasts that bassist Douglas and harpist Younger did from their Harlem apartment during the lockdown in Spring of 2020 – and if that makes you think that the material's going to be low-fi or cheap, it's not – as there's a sense of majesty here that's really surprising, given that the album features just two musicians! Dezron's bass has never sounded better – and blended with the harp of Younger, the sound is amazing – as Brandee evokes both Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby on the instrument – but also brings in a spirit that's very much her own. The set features remakes of tracks from both Coltranes, and Pharoah Sanders – plus lots of other surprises and original material too – on titles that include "Gospel Trane", "Force Majeure", "This Woman's Work", "Nothing Stupid", "Sing", "The Creator Has A Master Plan", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "We'll Be Right Back", "You Make Me Feel Brand New", and "Equinox". LP, Vinyl record album

Kenny Drew Jr on piano, Christine Gommere, Richard Locker, and Tomas Ulrich on cello, Ron Lawrence on viola, Hanne-Berit Hahnemann, Laura Seaton, Lenny Rivlin, Mark Feldman, Mary Rowell, Nancy McAlhany, Paul Peabody, and Yuri Vodovoz on violin, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

One of a few rare albums recorded as a leader from bassist Cleveland Eaton – a player who first rose to fame with Maurice White in the second Ramsey Lewis trio – and one who gave the world some amazingly hip records on the Black Jazz label in the 70s! This set is a unique effort for the label of Philly soul team of Gamble & Huff – yet the set was recorded in Chicago, and has a wickedly funky vibe that's very much like the coolest Chess/Cadet material of the period – nice fuzzy touches around the edges, and some righteous soul currents too! There's plenty of great Chicago players on the session – Odell Brown on Fender Rhodes, Artee Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on drums – on titles that include "Keep It Funky", "Slipping Into Darkness", "Here Comes Funky Lou", "Day Dreaming", "Ah Movin On", and a nice cover of "People Make The World Go Round". (Soul, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". CD

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". CD

Titles include "Black Swan", "Azure", "In Triplicate", "Fifi", "Black Butterfly", "El Gato", "BP", and "4:30 Blues" – plus a speech by Duke at the end! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Take The "A" Train (Intro)", "Caravan", "Three Cent Stomp", "Yesterdays","Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Blues On The Double", "Kissin' Bug", "(Otto Make That) Riff Staccato", "Cotton Tail", "I'll Buy That Dream", "Fickle Fling", "Autumn Serenade", "How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky)", "Goin' Up","Jump For Joy", and "I Wonder Why". CD

Really fantastic late material from Duke Ellington – two different performances from the Berlin Jazz Festival, both of which really capture him in that mature, modernist mode that we love so much! The first session here definitely has Duke working at that level – beginning with a beautiful long piano improvisation, then shifting into some smaller combo performance material with Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Harold Johnson on trumpet, Harry Carney on baritone, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Quinten White on drums. There's less of the full orchestra Ellington approach, which allows even more focus on those wonderful late piano lines that made Duke's final years so distinct – on titles that include "Piano Improvisation No 1", "Pitter Panther Patter", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Tap Dance", which has tapping from Baby Laurence! Next is a set of tracks from 1969 – recorded with a larger group that contains most of the important Ellington players of the 60s – serving up some beautiful ensemble performances of titles that include "La Plus Belle Africaine", "El Gato", "Caravan", "Meditation", "Satin Doll", and "Mood Indigo". CD

A tremendous non-Prestige moment from tenorist Booker Ervin – one of his first albums ever as a leader, and a record that bristles with 60s modern energy! The group here is only a quartet – with Horace Parlan on piano – and the album's got Booker's amazing tenor right out front, played with those angular, searching tones that are heard most famously on the Space and Freedom Book sessions for Prestige – but which seem to get almost more room for expression here! The remaining players are George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – both of whom help the album maintain a nicely rhythmic pulse, even when Ervin is going off into the stratosphere – and the album features 4 original tunes – "Mojo", "Uranus", "Boo", and "Booker's Blues" – plus versions of "Speak Low" and "Poinciana". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the finest Peruvian grooves of the 60s and 70s – served up by three different groups headed by reedman Nilo Espinosa, plus a few other combos as well! Nilo's got a way with a groove that's totally unique – a bit soul jazz a times, influenced by bossa at others, and sometimes even moving into sweet electric fusion – always with a very pronounced sense of rhythm that makes nearly all of his numbers into the kind of groovers that can easily traverse the globe far from their roots in the Peruvian scene! The package features work from the mid 60s Los Hilton's, the early 70s Bossa 70, and the mid 70s Nil's Jazz Ensemble – the last of whom have been favorites for years with crate-diggers, due to their use of electric keyboards and very tasty drums! Titles include "Here Come The Hilton's" and "Sherezade" by Los Hilton's; "El Gato", "Think", "Get Out Of My Way", and "Las Mariopsas" by Bossa 70; "Reflexiones", "Summer Love", "Hard Work", "Looking For A Blues", and "Somos Nada" by Nil's Jazz Ensemble; "El Bueno El Feo Y El Malo" by Nilo Espinosa Con Los 007; "Light My Fire" by Charlie Guerrero; "Gotas De Miel" by Nilo Espinosa Y Orquesta; and "People Got To Be Free" by Charlie & Many. CD

A fantastic never-heard performance from one of the greatest pianists of the 20th Century – a live date recorded in Madison, WI – and exactly the kind of record that reminds us why Bill Evans in a live setting is maybe even more revelatory than Bill Evans in the studio! It's impossible to describe what makes this record wonderful, but the whole thing just grabs us right from the very first note – with that balance of strength and subtlety that makes Evans in the 70s so amazing – balanced out by equally mesmerizing work from Eddie Gomez on bass! The Gomez/Evans interplay is captured fantastically here – and given just the right sort of subtle support from Eliot Zigmund on drums – and despite the fact that the material has never been issued before, the whole thing's completely top-level work, and on a par with anything in Bill's catalog of the 70s. Titles include "Up With The Lark", "Sugar Plum", "Minha", "All Of You", "Some Other Time", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "TTT". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful pairing – the keyboards of Bill Evans and harmonica of Toots Thielemans – presented here in a space that marks the record as one of the best from both players in the 70s! Some tunes are sad and blue, and very spare – others a bit more upbeat and lyrical, almost taking us back to Bill's more sprightly modes of the early 60s – and the clear, clean sound offers up the best tones from both players in a perfect space. Other musicians include Marc Johnson on bass, Eliot Zigmund on drums, and Larry Schneider on flute, tenor, and soprano sax – and Evans plays a bit of electric piano in addition to acoustic, something we always love! Titles include "I Do It For Your Love", "The Days Of Wine & Roses", "Jesus' Last Ballad", "The Other Side Of Midnight", "Blue & Green", and "Tomato Kiss". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime little set – quite possibly the greatest album ever from Brazilian keyboardist Manfredo Fest! Manfredo first cut his teeth on the bossa scene of the 60s – but by the time of this rare indie session, he'd moved up to the US – and was working with sweet keyboards to really electrify his groove! The record's a wonderful blend of 70s Brazilian fusion modes and just a dash of American soul – and in addition to Manfredo's wonderful work on Fender Rhodes, the set also has these brilliant vocals from Roberta Davis – a singer who works wordlessly, using her voice as an instrument in this really cool way – sliding along with the grooves, and making the album sound unlike anything else we can think of. The overall feel is a bit like Joao Donato's excellent Quem E Quem album – and titles include "Jungle Cat", "Facing East", "Who Needs It", and "Brazilian Dorian Dream". (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Natasuki Tamura on trumpet, Satoko Fujii on piano, Kelly Churko on guitar, Tatsuhisa Yamamoto on drums. CD

A group that's not really folk, but who definitely have a special magic of their own – a collective ensemble who played on the Italian scene of the 70s, and who bring together free improvisation with a range of other earthy and organic elements! There's definitely some global currents going on here – and at points, the record's not far from some of the Don Cherry experiments of this nature – especially on passages that are heavy on percussion elements. But the size of the ensemble really gives them a strong force once they get going – and the saxes and flutes are sometimes merged with use of voice – only conventionally singing on one more straight ahead track on the record. Most musicians are ones that we don't recognize from other jazz efforts of the time – but the group does include flute from Nicola Stilo, who later played with Chet Baker – plus soprano and alto from Giancarlo Maurino, tenor from Mario Fulci, and altos from Sandro Satta and Luciano De Bonis. Titles include "Inno Per L'Imperatore", "Grass Leaf Rag", "Alice Alice Che Piange E Che Ride", "Free Bop New Bop", and "Monkey". CD

A group that's not really folk, but who definitely have a special magic of their own – a collective ensemble who played on the Italian scene of the 70s, and who bring together free improvisation with a range of other earthy and organic elements! There's definitely some global currents going on here – and at points, the record's not far from some of the Don Cherry experiments of this nature – especially on passages that are heavy on percussion elements. But the size of the ensemble really gives them a strong force once they get going – and the saxes and flutes are sometimes merged with use of voice – only conventionally singing on one more straight ahead track on the record. Most musicians are ones that we don't recognize from other jazz efforts of the time – but the group does include flute from Nicola Stilo, who later played with Chet Baker – plus soprano and alto from Giancarlo Maurino, tenor from Mario Fulci, and altos from Sandro Satta and Luciano De Bonis. Titles include "Inno Per L'Imperatore", "Grass Leaf Rag", "Alice Alice Che Piange E Che Ride", "Free Bop New Bop", and "Monkey". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant record from tenorist Ken Fowser – a player who seems to grab our attention more and more with each new record – both as a soloist and as a rock-solid leader who always brings something special to a session! Ken dedicates this record to the inspiration of pianist Harold Mabern – and you can really feel a lot of Mabern's warmth and soul flowing through the record – as the tunes bristle with the kind of soulful imagination that we always loved in Mabern's music from years back – even though they're all originals by Ken, with piano handled beautifully by Tadatka Unno! This might be the first time we've ever heard Unno on record, but we're already in love – and the rest of the group features Josh Bruneau on trumpet and flugelhorn, Vince Dupont on bass, and Joe Strasser on drums. Titles include "This That & The Other Thing", "Moving Forward", "Three For Leathers", "Morning Light", "Firefly", "The Instigator", and "Without Saying". CD