With Shelton Hemphill, Harold Baker, Francis Williams, and Wilbur Bascomb, and Ray Nance on trumpets; Claude Jones, Lawrence Brown, and Tyree Glenn on trombones; Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet and tenor; Johnny Hodges and Russel Procope on alto; Al Tears on tenor; Harry Carney on baritone; Fred Guy on guitar; Oscar Pettiford on bass; and Sonny Greer on drums. Titles include "Hy A Sue", "Golden Cress", "The Clothed Woman", "Stop Look & Listen", "Sultry Serenade", "Women", "Fancy Dan", "Brown Betty", and "Smada". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary live set from Dizzy Gillespie – recorded over in Paris, but featuring a very hip large ensemble! The group includes extra trumpet from Dave Burns, trombone from Ted Kelly and William Shepherd, alto from John Brown, tenor from George Nicholas, baritone from Cecil Payne, piano from John Lewis, bass from Al McKibbon, and drums from Kenny Clarke – plus congas from the great Chano Pozo, and a bit of vocals from Kenny Pancho Hagood! LP, Vinyl record album

A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electric fusion from Dave Grusin – a set that has the keyboardist working with great help from Japanese saxophone legend Sadao Watanabe – plus help from Don Grusin on keyboards, Tom Browne on trumpet, Dave Valentin on flute, Bobby broom on guitar, and Marcus Miller on bass! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice bit of funky organ work from Jimmy McGriff – a set that's got his famous talents on the Hammond out front of a larger ensemble – but in a way that's very different than some of his albums of that type from the 70s! There's lots of electricity in the mix – electric piano from Horace Ott, bass from Richard Evans, and guitar from Wayne Bennett – mixed with sharp work on horns from Cliff Davis on tenor and flute, Murray Watson on trumpet, and Johnny Beard on baritone – three players who really flesh out the sound! The album's got some excellent stone funky classics – like "The Bird", "Groove Grease", and "Plain Brown Bag" – plus some surprisingly funky readings of standards like "Canadian Sunset" and "Mr Lucky", both made to sound super-nice, thanks to excellent work on bass and drums! LP, Vinyl record album

The tenor of Stan Getz meets the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan – and then they switch things around for half of the record, as Stan picks up the baritone and Mulligan takes on tenor! Gerry always seems to open up whole new sides of his playing when sharing the leader spotlight with another star – and here, in the company of Getz, he hits a shimmering, sparkling sound that's really great, and filled with feeling. Stan's wonderful too – very much in his best mid 50s Verve period – working in a groove that's deep and laidback, with a strong undercurrent of warmth – thanks to familiar rhythm backing from the trio of Lou Levy on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. Titles include "Anything Goes", "Ballad", and "That Old Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

A 50s Fantasy album that brings together 2 earlier 10" jazz sessions – one by Mulligan and one by Desmond, both unusual outings for the players. Side one features Gerry Mulligan working with a strong early group – Chet Baker on trumpet, Chico Hamilton on drums, and Carson Smith on bass – on 4 tracks recorded in San Francisco, and 4 others recorded slightly later in LA. The tunes are short, piano-less, and have that fluid 50s Mulligan groove – and titles include "Turnstile", "Limelight", "Carioca", "Bark For Barksdale", and "Line For Lyons". Side two is a session that features 4 tracks with Paul in a quintet with Dick Collins on trumpet and Dave Van Kriedt on tenor sax – working without a piano, and in a fluid-grooving style that recalls a lot of the Gerry Mulligan style of the time. The other 4 tracks from the set are even more unique – and have Desmond blowing dreamily over a "with voices" chorus – done with the Bill Bates singers in a style that's warmer than similar work by Charlie Parker, and which really points the way towards some of the Desmond solo genius of the 60s. Titles include "Jeruvian", "Garden In The Rain", "Misty Window", "Winky", "Soon", and "Will I Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Pearson knocks it out of the park with this one – perfectly summing up all the new ideas in jazz arranging and large ensemble work he'd been exploring at Blue Note – and pushing things way way past his previous small group material as well! The album's quite different than most other 60s iterations of big band jazz – as Pearson's got a way of making all instruments come together on the rhythms, then exploding with subtle colors and soulful tones – yet all at a level that's never forced or gimmicky at all. It helps that he's got a tremendous lineup of players here – both Lew Tabackin and Frank Foster on tenor (the latter of whom does some arranging for the record) – plus Pepper Adams on baritone, Marvin Stamm and Randy Brecker on trumpets, Garnett Brown and Jimmy Cleveland on trombones, Jerry Dodgion and Al Gibbons on alto, and the rhythm team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Mickey Roker on drums. Duke plays superb piano with a really sophisticated touch, but it's really his strength as an arranger that makes the whole thing come together beautifully. Andy Bey sings on a version of "I'm Tired Cryin Over You" – and other titles include "Amanda", "Tones For Joan's Bones", "Dad Digs Mom", "Disapproachment", and "Make It Good". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual live date for Oscar Peterson – in that it wasn't actually officially recorded by Verve, but done by a fan and handed over to Norman Granz at a later date! Given that origin, though, the material is quite strong – recorded with an edge that's slightly earthier than usual for Verve at the time, but with a clarity that still beautifully displays Peterson's dynamic work on the keys – as well as the gentle guitar backing of Herb Ellis and the always-great bass tones of Ray Brown. Titles include "Daahoud", "Bluesology", "Budo", "Evrev", and "We'll Be Together Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that will blow your mind – way different than you might expect from the cover! Sure, Pee Wee was a bit of a traditionalist on his instrument – the clarinet – but he's working here in a starkly modern way that almost recalls some of the best 50s work of Jimmy Guiffre, or some of the earlier sides by Steve Lacy. There's still a swing-based approach to the tunes, but they're handled in a spare style that features equal interplay between Russell, trombonist Marshall Brown, bassist Russell George, and drummer Ronnie Bedford – a great player who really makes the album sparkle! The tracks include a couple of Thelonious Monk titles – "Ask Me Now!" and "Hackensack" as well as a couple of Marshall Brown originals – "Licorice Stick" and "Calypso Walk". Other titles are Ornette Coleman's "Turnaround", Coltrane's "Some Other Blues" and Ellington's "Prelude To A Kiss". LP, Vinyl record album

Great live material from Shepp – not out or crazy, but also not spiritual or hippy dippy, either. The record's kind of a perfectly soulful straight ahead set – in a mode that hints at the traditional direction Shepp would take at the time, but with a lot more interesting moments. The group's a quartet with Charles Greenlee on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums – and the tracks feature Shepp soloing with a lot of soul, and criss crossing styles from track to track. "U-jamaa" is a strong straight number – and the 3 other titles are "Lush Life", "Crucificado" and "Miss Toni". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best jazz-based sessions recorded by Dinah Washington in the 50s – appropriately titled Dinah Jams, which is a pretty good reference to the feeling of the set! The sessions were recorded in a relatively relaxed, intimate feel – not necessarily as unbridled as a true jam session might be, but with a lot more interplay between the instrumentalists in the group than you might get on a typical 50s jazz session. And with horn players that include Cliford Brown, Harold Land, and Herb Geller – alongside rhythm by Junior Mance, Richie Powell, and Max Roach – you'd have to expect that there'd be some good interplay on the set! Titles include "I've Got You Under My Skin", "No More", "Darn That Dream", "You Go To My Head", and a nice open-ended version of "I'll Remember April"! (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Trad jazz tunes played by a group led by Newport Jazz Fest impresario George Wein, and featuring players that include Ruby Braff, Marshall Brown, Bud Freeman, Pee Wee Rusell, and Bill Takas. Titles include "The Bends Blues", "Ja-Da", "Keepin Out Of Mischief Now", and "Blue Turning Grey Over You". LP, Vinyl record album

Two different sides of Verve Records in the 50s – one modern, one a bit more traditional – and both represented in live material from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957! Side one features a stunning live performance from pianist Teddy Wilson – working in a tight trio with Milt Hinton on bass and Spec Powell on drums – and really blowing away any conceptions we might have had about Wilson being aging or flowery at the time. Instead, he's got a sharp edge and command of the keys that's amazing – and which almost seems to have a bit more bite than usual in this concert setting. Titles include "Stompin At The Savoy", "Basin Street Blues", and "Airmail Special" – and Gerry Mulligan joins the group on baritone for a reading of "Sweet Georgia Brown". Mulligan then takes off with his own group, in a completely different format – no piano at all, just beautiful work from Joe Benjamin on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – and sublime sounds from Bob Brookmeyer's valve trombone, which is a perfect match for Gerry's deep tones. The group plays long takes on "My Funny Valentine" and "Utter Chaos". LP, Vinyl record album

As beautiful an illustration of the genius of Lester Young as you could ever hope to find – tight, short small group numbers recorded with a keen focus on Young's amazing tone – all served up with beautiful sound throughout! The cover bills the set as being by Young and his orchestra, but the material's presented in a variety of different small group settings – with Verve regulars who include Ray Brown on bass, Hank Jones or John Lewis on piano, and Buddy Rich or Joe Jones on drums. There's no other horns on the date, so Lester's tenor is right out front on all numbers – and titles include "Little Pee Blues", "Neenah", "Thou Swell", "Up N Adam", "Encore", and "Frenesi". LP, Vinyl record album

A mellow set of ballads, taken mostly from Trane's first few years at Impulse – in various formations that have him working with his classic quartet, plus guests like Johnny Hartman, Eric Dolphy, or Duke Ellington. Titles include "Soul Eyes", "What's New", "Dear Lord", "Lush Life", "Wise One", "My Little Brown Book", "The Spiritual", and "After The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

2LP set of Roy Eldrige's classic Verve sides from the mid 50's, featuring the great trumpet player in a variety of groups that include Herb Ellis or Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Oscar Peterson on piano and organ! The organ sides by Peterson are perhaps some of the most intriguing on the set, and they include "Love For Sale", "Dale's Wail", and "Oscar's Arrangement". Other tracks include "Little Jazz", "Roy's Riff", "Echoes Of Harlem", and "Feeling A Draft". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky funky funky! Lonnie plays live with a tight group that includes tenor, guitar, and some very heavy drumming – really wailing at a level that was surprising for funky organists of the time, and which really set the pace for a whole new generation! The players are more obscure than on the usual Blue Note sides – save for Ronnie Cuber, who played baritone with Mongo Santamaria, and is one of the most underrated 60s funky players. Recorded live at the Club Harlem in Atlantic City, and with a deep raw funky sound that must have blown the roof off the club! Titles include "Move Your Hand", "Layin' In the Cut", "Charlie Brown", and "Sunshine Superman". One of his best ever! LP, Vinyl record album

A great documentation of this rare live set from 1940 – one of the best slices of Ellington from the time! Johnny Hodges on alto sax, Duke Ellington on piano, Harry Carney on baritone sax & clarinet, Jimmy Blanton on bass, Otto Hardwick on alto sax & clarinet, Barney Bigard on tenor sax & clarinet, Sonny Greer on drums, Freddy Guy on guitar & whistle, Ben Webster on tenor sax, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown & Tricky Sam Nanton on trombones, Rex Stewart & Wallace Jones on trumpets, Ray Nance on trumpet, vibes & vocals & Herb Jeffries & Ivie Anderson on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

A standout classic from trumpeter Luis Gasca – and a set that may well be the artists' most complete musical vision of the 70s! The group here is larger than on previous records, and Gasca's dropped a bit of his Latin roots in exchange for a soaring, slightly spiritual sound put together by arranger Don Menza – who's really at the top of his game here! There's a perfection and poise that's almost like CTI or Kudu at their best – almost a bit above the usual Fantasy Records session like this from the 70s, too! Other players include Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Menza and Hadley Caliman on reeds, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, and Harvey Mason on some mighty nice drums – which makes for more than a bit of funk in the mix. Titles include the sweet vibes/Rhodes number "Kathy", the stepper "Sara", and the tracks "Visions", "The Way I Feel Sometimes", "Patrice", "Collage", and "Night People". LP, Vinyl record album

The tenor of Stan Getz meets the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan – and then they switch things around for half of the record, as Stan picks up the baritone and Mulligan takes on tenor! Gerry always seems to open up whole new sides of his playing when sharing the leader spotlight with another star – and here, in the company of Getz, he hits a shimmering, sparkling sound that's really great, and filled with feeling. Stan's wonderful too – very much in his best mid 50s Verve period – working in a groove that's deep and laidback, with a strong undercurrent of warmth – thanks to familiar rhythm backing from the trio of Lou Levy on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. Titles include "Anything Goes", "Ballad", and "That Old Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

Two of LA's leading soul jazz luminaries – playing head to head in an interesting session that mixes lines on piano and organ! McCann gives the set a good rollicking rhythm, and Holmes' increasing skill on the Hammond makes the set blow out over the top – and the pair get backing by Joe Pass on guitar, Ron Jefferson on drums, and the enigmatic Joe Splink on tenor, who we're sure is a more famous player, working here uncredited due to contract restrictions. The tracks are all originals by Les –a nd titles include "Black Groove", "Me & Groove", "Comin Through The Apple", "Carma", and "Somethin Special", which grooves for over 9 minutes! LP, Vinyl record album

A key example of the popularity of the Oscar Peterson Trio in the mid 60s – an album of tracks that listeners wanted to hear done in the group's familiar style – that wonderful way of soulful inflection that Oscar had when he shifted up the lineup of the trio at the start of the 60s! There's a lot more bounce here than back when Peterson was working without drums – although the great Ed Thigpen is also a master of subtle energy on the kit – working with bassist Ray Brown to provide the best setting for the fluid touches that Oscar brings to the keys of the piano! Titles include "The Girl From Ipanema", "Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "D&E", and "Time & Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a soul jazz set on Motown's Workshop Jazz label! Pianist Earl Washington hails from Chicago, and never cut much as a leader – but here he heads a great group with Thad Jones on trumpet, Frank Foster on tenor, Benny Powell on trombone, Eddie Jones on bass, and Donny Payne on drums! Also, one track features Earl alongside some of his Chicago-based contemporaries – John Neely on tenor, John Avant on trombone, Herb Brown on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums. A really wonderful set – with original tunes "Opus No 3", "The Swinging Jester's Blues", "The Ghost", and "March Lightly". LP, Vinyl record album

Weather Report at the height of their 70s fame – captured live in a double-length set, very much the practice for jazz superstars of the time! The format is familiar – but the liveness gives the album a slightly different feel than their studio sets – a sound that echoes out strongly along with thunderous applause from the crowds, who are themselves clearly situated in some very large arenas. And while the studio Weather Report albums are easily documents of the group's power themselves, it's something extra to hear the crowd going nuts for them here – cheering on Jaco Pastorius during a frenetic bass solo, roaring with approval at a Joe Zawinul keyboard bit, or clapping with enthusiasm after Wayne Shorter finishes a snakey solo. Tracks are all longish, and titles include "Scarlet Woman", "Black Market", "Birdland", "Thanks For The Memory", "8:30", "Brown Street", "In A Silent Way", and "Slang". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful beautiful work from tenorist Gene Ammons – and an album that really demonstrates that during the 60s, one of Ammons' strongest suits was his work with a mellow tune or ballad! The tracks here are wonderfully laidback, but never sleepy – very soulful, and solidly put together in that Ammons-made gentle-blown way – using just a few notes to send the message out with a powerful punch, without ever overdoing things the way that a few of his tenor contemporaries might be tempted to do! The group's a great fit too – with the lovely Patti Brown on piano, plus bass from George Duvivier and bass from Ed Shaughnessy – and titles include "Two Different Worlds", "Skylark", "Three Little Words", "Street Of Dreams", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To". LP, Vinyl record album

An easy-going, openly-swinging set from British reedman Sandy Brown – long live tracks that feature lots of deft clarinet work from Sandy, plus some tightly swinging rhythms from a combo that includes Ray Crane on trumpet, Brian Lemon on piano, Phil Bates on bass, and Mike Scott on drums! There's certainly trad roots to the music, but the execution is much more bop-inflected overall – especially given the long tracks that allow plenty of room for solo work – which almost gives the record the feel of a Buddy DeFranco appearance in a Verve Jam Session! Titles include "Splanky", "In The Evenin", "I Got It Bad", "Royal Garden Blues", and "Roll Em Pete". LP, Vinyl record album

Features early work from Ronnie Cuber on baritone, Benny Jacobs-El on trombone, Mike Citron on tenor, Mike Abene on piano, and Alan Rubin on trumpet! LP, Vinyl record album

An anthology of tracks recorded in Paris during September & October 1953. LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work by the team of Clifford Brown and Max Roach – a seminal hardbop album that was one of the few to bridge the east and west coast scenes! The set was recorded in LA under the joint leadership of Brown and Roach – and features the classic quintet lineup that included Harold Land on tenor, Richie Powell (Bud's brother!) on piano, and George Morrow on bass. The mix of Roach's heavy full-on drumming and Brown's lyrical beauty is beyond compare – and Land's angular and sensitive tenor lines provide a perfect link between the two. 5 tracks in all, including classics like "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Delilah", "Daahoud", "Jordu", and "Joy Spring". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare slice of the career of this famous and short-lived jazz duo – tapes that were recorded in 1955 at the legendary Bee Hive niteclub in Chicago, but not issued until the end of the 70s, in this smashing 2LP set that was produced by Max himself! The material offers a strong contrast to the sometimes more staid work the pair recorded for Mercury before Brown's untimely death – as it features unbridled playing in a rougher environment than usual – and a break from the original format of the famous group, with only Roach, Brown, and bassist George Morrow intact – plus appearances from Chicagoans Nicky Hill on tenor, Billy Wallace on piano, and Leo Blevins on guitar. Sonny Rollins makes an early appearance on tenor – and titles include long versions of "Walkin", "Cherokee", "I'll Remember April", and "Woody N You". If you've ever wondered what hard bop sounded like to the average crowd at the time of its popularity, this is the record to dig! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare slice of the career of this famous and short-lived jazz duo – tapes that were recorded in 1955 at the legendary Bee Hive niteclub in Chicago, but not issued until the end of the 70s, in this smashing set that was produced by Max himself! The material offers a strong contrast to the sometimes more staid work the pair recorded for Mercury before Brown's untimely death – as it features unbridled playing in a rougher environment than usual – and a break from the original format of the famous group, with only Roach, Brown, and bassist George Morrow intact – plus appearances from Chicagoans Nicky Hill on tenor, Billy Wallace on piano, and Leo Blevins on guitar. Sonny Rollins makes an early appearance on tenor – and titles on this first volume include "Hot House", "Woody N You", and "I'll Remember April". If you've ever wondered what hard bop sounded like to the average crowd at the time of its popularity, this is the record to dig! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare slice of the career of this famous and short-lived jazz duo – tapes that were recorded in 1955 at the legendary Bee Hive niteclub in Chicago, but not issued until the end of the 70s, in this smashing set that was produced by Max himself! The material offers a strong contrast to the sometimes more staid work the pair recorded for Mercury before Brown's untimely death – as it features unbridled playing in a rougher environment than usual – and a break from the original format of the famous group, with only Roach, Brown, and bassist George Morrow intact – plus appearances from Chicagoans Nicky Hill on tenor, Billy Wallace on piano, and Leo Blevins on guitar. Sonny Rollins makes an early appearance on tenor – and titles on this first volume include long versions of "Walkin" and "Cherokee". If you've ever wondered what hard bop sounded like to the average crowd at the time of its popularity, this is the record to dig! LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of different trumpet sides recorded by Bob Shad for the Time label – material recorded over the space of a decade, but all pretty darn great! Titles include "Clifford's Fantasy" and "The Boss Man" by Clifford Brown, "A Waltz" by Kenny Dorham, "Variations On The Scene" and "Gandolfo's Bounce" by Booker Little, and "Gunga Din" by Tommy Turrentine. LP, Vinyl record album

First volume pulled together in the early 80s of Brownie's remarkable work with a smoking quintet that would record some of the finest bop sides issued on the Emarcy label. He's working here with Max Roach, George Morrow and Richie Powell and Harold Land as Brown's foil in the front line. 14 tracks in all: "Delilah", "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Jordu", "Sweet Clifford", "Ghost Of A Chance", "Stompin' At The Savoy", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Joy Spring", "Mildama", "Daahoud", "Gerkin For Perkin", "Take The A Train", "Lands End" and "Swingin'". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer organ jazz from the Chicago scene of the late 60s – one of the few Chess albums recorded by organist Odell Brown, an artist who'd go on to behind-the-scenes fame in the world of soul later on in the 70s! Here, Odell hosts a cool combo that features his own Hammond work in the lead – with other local players who include Artee "Duke" Payne on alto, Tommy Purvis on tenor, Phil Upchurch on bass, and Master Henry Gibson on conga – all grooving nicely through short "combo" oriented organ cuts like "Get Off My Back", "Mirar, Mirar", "She's Coming My Way", "Tough Tip", and "No More Water In The Well". They play with a mix of funkiness and virtuosity, and with the same sense of wit as contemporaries like the Jack McDuff group or Young-Holt Unlimited! LP, Vinyl record album

James Brown's old funky reed player hits wax in this groovy solo set of his own – playing here with a sound that's a bit more produced than usual, and with more of a 70's groove than you're used to hearing him in. His tone is perfect, as always, and the record is arranged and conducted by him in a way that brings his sax solos right up front. Tracks include a funky version of "Nature Boy", plus "Big Daddy", "Gotcha!", "For Apache", and "Pistachio". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of recordings by Dizzy's second band, with Dave Burns, Elmon Wright, Matthew McKay,and Ray Orr on trumpets, Ted Kelly and Bill Shepherd on trombones, John Brown and Howard Johnson on alto, George Nicholas and Joe Gales on tenor, Cecil Payne on baritone, and Kenny Clarke on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic second set from keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones – a musician we first came to love in the UK-based Ezra Collective, and one who's now effortlessly bridging a space between jazz and soul! The record's got a vibe that's as cosmic as its cover – but one that comes not just through creative keyboard work, but from a great overall conception of the songs – so that Joe's music flows out with a warm style that embraces our ears, then takes us on a journey to the heavens! This isn't the usual keyboard jazz, with references heavy on the past – as Armon-Jones is as forward-thinking as his best contemporaries on the London scene. The set features great guest vocals from Georgia Anne Muldrow on the tune "Yellow Dandelion" – and other guest appearances by Nubya Garcia, Jehst, and Obongjayar – on titles that include "Try Walk With Me", "Gnawa Sweet", "Icy Roads", "To Know Where You're Coming From", "The Leo & The Aquarius", and "Self Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to believe that given Duke Ellington's presence at the start of the 60s, there would be an unknown session from the time – but the discovery of this material in the 70s made for another great chapter in the Duke's career during the classic Columbia years! The material here is played by a sweet small group that includes Ray Nance on coronet, Lawrence Brown on Trombone, Johnny Hodges on alto sax, Harry Carney on baritone, Aaron Bell on bass, and Sam Woodward on drums – all working in a format that almost feels a bit more relaxed and intimate than other Columbia sessions – although not with the rough edges you might expect from a lost date. Tracks include "Everything But You", "Black Beauty", "Something To Live For" "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", "Mighty Like The Blues", and "Dual Highway". LP, Vinyl record album

Ella Fitzgerald, recorded in a nice lean setting – with mostly just the piano of Oscar Peterson to back her up, plus a bit of extra bass from Ray Brown on a few of the album's tracks! We love Fitzgerald in this mode – which is quite a change from some of her more familiar 70s work, and really shows the singer in her best light possible – handling things right out front, with an inherent sense of swing that's completely sublime! Peterson is great here too – playing with some of those more ragged edges that you'll get on his spare sessions for Pablo – some nice bluesy undercurrents that really help shape the sound of the record. Titles include "Mean To Me", "April In Paris", "Street Of Dreams", "I Hear Music", "More Than You Know", and "Midnight Sun". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Features Max Roach on drums, Ray Brown on bass, Billy Bauer on guitar and John Laporta on Clarinet. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful 60s album from Duke Ellington – one that features some of his more popular numbers, as you'd guess by the title – but captured in these sublime, sophisticated arrangements that really reflect the genius sound of his group during the later years! The tracks are familiar, and the arrangements are maybe never too way out – but they're also these mini-masterpieces in color and tone – carried off by a fantastic group of all-stars who've matured and grown as much as the Duke himself – Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson on trumpets, Lawrence Brown and Buster Cooper on trombones, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on piano. There's a darkness in Duke's piano that's maybe missing from earlier versions of this material – that great modern undercurrent of the late years – and titles include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "The Twitch", "Perdido", "Solitude", "The Mooche", "Creole Love Call", "Take The A Train", and "Sophisticated Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice late Blue Note change from Herbie Hancock – a very different album than his previous sets for the label – in that it features a slightly larger group, and a sound that really points the way towards his directions in the 70s! There's a slightly ambitious feel to some of these cuts – not in a way that's over-arranged, but just a new sort of thinking for Herbie's kind of groove – a mode that's partially informed by the seriousness of 60s jazz soundtracks, but which also has the beginnings of some more righteous modes of expression too. Players are all great – and include Joe Henderson on tenor and flute, Johnny Coles on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, Hubert Laws on flute, Jerome Richardson on bass clarinet, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums. Herbie plays both acoustic and electric piano – using the latter here in one of his first recordings on the instrument – and titles include "Firewater", "I Have A Dream", "The Prisoner", and "He Who Lives In Fear". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous little record that has Oscar Peterson really pushing the fuller, stronger sound he started with his trio of Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen – a set that features additional backings by Ernie Wilkins behind the core sound of the piano combo! The mode here is in that "all soul" style of Peterson's huge-selling Verve albums from the time – but the addition of a larger group makes for a mode that's even fresher – because Oscar rarely used any larger backings, so the record's a real standout! Hearing the strength of the tracks, we're a bit surprised that Peterson never made more albums like this – because there seems to be added inspiration from Wilkins' presence, giving Oscar even more focus and drive on his solos. A rare outing, but a great one – with titles that include "Blues For Big Scotia", "Tricotism", "Manteca", "I'm Old Fashioned", "West Coast Blues", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz vocal masterpiece from Sarah Vaughn – one of her greatest albums ever, and a record that raised the bar for countless vocal sessions in years to come! Sarah's working here in an intimate group arranged by Ernie Wilkins – filled with famous trumpet solo work by Clifford Brown, during his last few years on the planet - plus tenor from Paul Quinichette, flute from Herbie Mann, and piano from Jimmy Jones. Sarah's vocals are incredible – curving, turning, and lilting with a tremendous amount of jazz-based inflection – and titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "April In Paris", "September Song", "He's My Guy", and "I'm Glad There Is You". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz vocal masterpiece from Sarah Vaughn – one of her greatest albums ever, and a record that raised the bar for countless vocal sessions in years to come! Sarah's working here in an intimate group arranged by Ernie Wilkins – filled with famous trumpet solo work by Clifford Brown, during his last few years on the planet - plus tenor from Paul Quinichette, flute from Herbie Mann, and piano from Jimmy Jones. Sarah's vocals are incredible – curving, turning, and lilting with a tremendous amount of jazz-based inflection – and titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "April In Paris", "September Song", "He's My Guy", and "I'm Glad There Is You". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly wonderful debut from the Yellowjackets – one of those groups who've become such a cliche that we forget how great they can be when they're on! This original album was cut years before "smooth jazz" meant "too slick to have soul" – and it's got a sweet electric bounce that follows nicely from the 70s R&B fusion experiments of players like Donald Byrd, Tom Browne, and Ronnie Foster. Russell Ferrante plays some great keyboards on the set next to the bass of Jimmy Haslip and drums of Ricky Lawson – and the album's rounded out with some excellent guest work by fusion luminaries that include Bobby Lyle, Ernie Watts, Larry Williams, Paulinho Da Costa, Robben Ford, and Roland Bautista. LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking work from Donald Byrd – post-Blue Note, post-Larry Mizell, and with a modern funk groove that's still pretty darn tasty! Not one to rest on his laurels – which he could have easily done with endless Mizell-based recordings – Donald shifts his groove here towards more of a boogie-styled 80s approach – one that's got the same sort of loping funk that was showing up in the work of Tom Browne and some of the younger players on the scene at the time. There's a fuller, richer, more soul-based approach to the set – but still some strands of the Mizell years – especially in the album's great keyboard work by Clare Fischer, and its use of chorus vocals on a number of tracks. Wade Marcus and George Bohannon helped with arrangements – and titles include a great funky remake of Fischer's "Morning" – plus "Veronica", "Gold The Moon, White The Sun", "Marilyn", "Pretty Baby", and "People Suppose To Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album