Nice album from the 70s that brings together some of the beautiful jazz sides that Charlie Mariano cut while he was living in Japan with his (then) wife, pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi. The record's split up into two sets of tracks – one is a series of compositions from West Side Story that feature Mariano's icy alto playing in beautiful light, free lines. The other set's comprised up of 2 longer, later tracks – "Haru-No-Umi" and "Stone Garden Of Ryoan Temple" – both of which show Charlie in a haunting experimental period, and playing a number of different reed instruments, in addition to his usual alto. If you're a bit fan of Mariano (and we're huge fans of his), the record is an essential collection of some great rare stuff by him. LP, Vinyl record album

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Solo piano performances of "Willow Weep For Me", "Easy Living", "Twilight World", "Turn Around", "My Funny Valentine", and "The Duke". CD

Proof that Marian McPartland actually did something professionally before working for NPR! This obscure session from the 50's is one of her best, and features the lovely pianist cut live before a crowd at The London House in Chicago. Titles include "Easy Blues", "So Many Things", "Blues Intro", "Signature Blues", and "Tune For Tex". CD

Accompanied by Rusty Gilder on bass and Eric Nebbia on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

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Uri Caine on Hammond organ, Forte piano, harpsichord, and keyboards, Greg Osby on alto saxophone, Don Byron on clarinet, Josh Roseman on trombone, Ralph Alessi and Paul Plunkett on trumpet, Bob Stewart on tuba, Arno Jochem on viola da gamba, Annegret Siedel on violin, Reggie Washington on electric bass, Drew Gress, James Genus, and Reid Anderson on bass, Ralph Peterson on drums, vocals from Davis Moss with the Kettwiger Bach Ensemble choir, Kettwinger Bach Ensemble, the Koln String Quartet, and Quartetto Italiano. CD

Bill Frisell on acoustic and electric guitars, with Vinicius Cantuaria on vocals, percussion, and acoustic guitar. (Latin, Jazz) CD

A rare early chapter in the career of guitarist Grant Green – local material, cut in his hometown of St Louis – in the years before Lou Donaldson picked him up and delivered him to Blue Note Records! Amazingly, though, the Grant Green heard here is every bit as great as the guitarist who emerged strongly on his early Blue Note dates as a leader – a smoking soloist with a strong talent for single-line grooving – working here in a hip organ combo that features Sam Lazar on Hammond and Bob Graf on tenor sax! Lazar's got a mean bite to his organ, and pairs beautifully with Green – and together, the players hit a groove that's gritty, yet which has surprisingly strong fidelity – more than enough to make the record an essential piece of Grant's catalog. The CD's hardly a muddy live recording, and instead has surprisingly great fidelity – and lots of long tracks with open solos, on titles that include "Deep", "Blue Train", "Holy Barbarian Blues", "Caramu", "Grovvin High", and "Out Of Nowhere". CD

Titles include "Billie's Bounce", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Shirley's Blues", and "Cherry". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Charles Lloyd on reeds and flute – with Maria Farantouri on vocals, Socratis Sinopoulos on lyre, Takis Farazis and Jason Moran on piano, Reuben Rogers on double bass, and Eric Harland on drums. CD

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago – and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer – and plays with a creative tightness that you'll be hard pressed to find on other record. Some tracks are almost straight jazz – but there's all these wonderful little breakdowns and burst of creative energy that keep the AACM spirit alive and true. The centerpiece of the album is the massive "Theme De Yoyo", a righteous powerful groover that features vocals by Fontella Bass (wife of Lester Bowie of the group), and which has become an all-time jazz dance classic! Other tracks have a sparer soundtracky feel, and a few more are in the experimental vein of the Art Ensemble's other Paris work at the time. Wonderful overall though – and an incredibly righteous album filled with power and imagination! Titles include "Theme De Celine", "Proverbes", "Theme Libra", and "Variations Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi". Very hard to find original French pressing – with different cover image! LP, Vinyl record album

An expanded, remastered version of the album Prophecy – early work by Albert Ayler, recorded live in 1964 at the Cellar Cafe in New York, but not issued by ESP until years later, after his untimely early death. The performance is a trio outing – with Ayler's tenor alongside the bass of Gary Peacock and drums of Sunny Murray – all freely skirting around each other's space on the date, in a way that allows Ayler to take the bold lead with his sharp-toned solos, but which also allows for free interplay between the bass and percussion. Ayler's tone and wide swaths of sound are simply amazing – and titles include two variations on "Ghosts", plus "Spirits", "Prophecy", and "Wizard". Newly remastered version of the full concert – with 10 tracks in all! CD

Fantastic late work from Albert Ayler! The record is one of the last he ever recorded – and it's a no-nonsense live set, without any of the silly influences of some of his late Impulse sides. Most of the material features Ayler blowing long free solos, with a tightness and directness missing from mid 60s sessions. Cal Cobbs is on piano, Steve Tintweiss is on bass, Allen Blairman is on drums, and Mary Maria plays a bit of soprano sax. Tracks include "Truth Is Marching On", "Spiritual Reunion", and "Universal Message". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously unreleased live performance by Albert Ayler – recorded in France in 1970 for the Maeght Foundation, but not the same material that was issued on the better-known Shandar albums! This concert predates those, and is a unique later outing that's strongly in the spirit of some of Ayler's earliest work for ESP – with longer tracks that serve mostly as a vehicle for Albert's own exploratory passages on tenor and soprano sax! The group's a quartet, with Steve Tintweiss on bass, Allen Blairman on drums, and Mary Maria on soprano sax and a bit of voice – but the way the concert's recorded, Ayler's tone is most strongly upfront in the mix, and seems to dominate most numbers. Titles include "Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe", "Birth Of Mirth", "Masonic Inborn", "Oh Love Of Life", "Heart Love", and "Island Harvest". CD

An incredible revamping of some of the most important material recorded by Albert Ayler in the years before his too-soon death – a package that adds in over two hours of new music to the original three volume Fondation Maeght recordings – which were usually issued in low-budget packages without the care that this set receives! Ayler is fantastic here – very spiritual, and bridging the gap between his early material for ESP and his later work on Impulse – less of the experiments of the studio sets of those later years, and more of the searing longform improvisation that he could deliver at his best! The group features wonderful work from Mary Parks (Mary Maria) on soprano sax, plus Call Cobbs on piano, Steve Tintweiss on bass, and Allen Blairman on drums – and Parks delivers a sublime vocal on a version of "Music Is the Healing Voice Of The Universe". Ayler blows both tenor and soprano – and the set features a whopping 29 tracks, recorded on July 25 and 27 in 1970 – titles that include "Spirits Rejoice", "Thank God For Women", "Revelations", "Holy Family", "A Man Is Like A Tree", "Zion Hill", "Truth Is Marching In", "Love Cry", "Ghsots", "Speaking In Tongues", "Heart Love", "Island Harvest", "Masonic Inborn", and a few versions of "Revelations". CD

The legendary Azymuth rises from the ashes – on this, their first record after the passing of keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami – with a sound that takes us back to the amazing cosmic funk of their first few albums in the 70s! The new keyboardist, Kiko Continentino, has a sound that's really wonderful – the same sort of spare approach to Fender Rhodes that made Bertrami so great back in the day – but also maybe a bit more edge than Jose had in recent years, which gives the group a really refreshed sound, and a lean groove that's completely sublime! The trio are joined by percussionist Robertinho Silva and keyboardist Daniel Maunick at some points – and Maunick also produced the record. Titles include "Orange Clouds", "Neptunians", "Fenix", "Villa Mariana", "Papa Samba", and "Rio Doce". (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A great return to form for drummer Donald Bailey – a player who's probably best known for his work in the classic Jimmy Smith Trio of the late 50s/early 60s – but who sounds especially amazing here in a recent, righteous recording! Bailey's working with some very tight talent – the mighty Odeon Pope on tenor sax, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, George Burton on piano, and Tyrone Brown on bass – all players with a lot of depth in their music, and a brooding intensity that makes the record burn a lot more fiercely than anything Bailey ever recorded back in the day. The horns are especially nice – and although Tolliver's only on two of the album's nine tracks, Pope more than holds his own on the others – blowing that heady tenor sound that always grabs attention right from the get-go. Titles include "Blues It", "Gone Now", "For All We Know", "USQ/Trilogy", "Blue Gardenia", "Plant Life", and "Variations". CD

A jazzy group, but one that's not straight jazz either – as they work with a strongly rhythmic vibe that's somewhere between classic fusion and some of the contemporary sounds we love on Schema Records – maybe no surprise as this combo also hails from the Italian scene as well! There's a great mix of keyboards in the music – Korg Sigma, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CP70, and Farfisa Synthorchestra – the latter of which sounds especially great, and gives the music some great spacey touches around the edges. Rhythms are all live, and have some great currents from classic boogie and late 70s club – but the vocals on most tracks bring in a special sort of vibe, in part because the singers shift, and the lyrics are in Italian. Titles include "Malavita", "Fuga Finale", "Citta Futura", "Napoli Visionaria", and "Oro Di Miele". (New Grooves, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest jazz soundtracks of all time! Elmer Bernstein wrote the score to Otto Preminger's chilling film version of Nelson Algren's book The Man With The Golden Arm – a sad tale of jazz, gambling, and heroin addiction on the streets of Chicago (not far from Dusty Groove, in fact!) – and in doing so, he came up with one of the first jazz soundtracks to really work strongly with a dramatic narrative. The film's striking theme is played in a number of variations, either with orchestral backing, or in small combo format by Shorty Rogers & His Giants, a crack west coast group that features work by Bud Shank, Shelly Manne, Bob Cooper, and Pete Candoli. The tracks work perfectly together as a suite of tracks, even without the images of the film – telling a tale of temptation, sadness, tragedy, and rebirth. Titles include "Clark Street", "Breakup", "The Fix", "Zosh", "Frankie Machine", and "Audition". Worth the price for the Saul Bass cover alone! (Soundtracks, Jazz) 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

One of the few albums ever as a leader from alto saxophonist Pete Brown – a less-remembered talent of his times, but a key link between the generations of bop and swing! The set was only issued as a 10" LP, but packs the full punch of most longer albums – sublime alto from Brown with a crisp tone firmly in place – sitting somewhere between older bop players and some of the emerging Tristano-ites from the east coast – a vibe that's almost like Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson in their best younger years, but with a bit more soul too. The group's a hip sextet – with trumpet from Joe Wilder, guitar from Wally Richardson, and piano by Wadde Legge – and the album includes a great version of "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise", plus the nice originals "Delta Blues" and "Used Blues". CD

A collection of classic work by Dave's group with Paul Desmond – featuring 5 tunes from West Side Story, inlcuding "Tonight", "Somewhere", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty", plus others from shows and standards. The group, as usual, really opens up the tunes – and Desmond's icily skating alto really makes the best of the material. Other titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", and "Night & Day". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of classic work by Dave's group with Paul Desmond – featuring 5 tunes from West Side Story, inlcuding "Tonight", "Somewhere", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty", plus others from shows and standards. The group, as usual, really opens up the tunes – and Desmond's icily skating alto really makes the best of the material. Other titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", and "Night & Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully righteous work from Burnt Sugar Arkestra – a group who've been giving us great records for years, but who are maybe even more important to the scene than ever before! The core of the record is the long title track – a very jazzy tune that builds up over loops set down by composer Greg Tate, with a flowing, snakey vibe that allows for plenty of long trumpet, tenor, flute, and alto solos over the guitars and Fender Rhodes that work the rhythms – maybe almost in electric Miles territory, but more laidback. That tune is then reworked on a number of variations that are very different – mostly instrumental, as the main track – but finishing up with a bit of vocals near the end of the record – a great contribution from singer Lisala Beatty! Titles include "Angels Over Oakanda", "Repatriation Of The Midnight Moores", "Oakanda Overdrive", and "Lisala Oer Inna Oakanda". (Deep Funk, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A really early nugget from the Detroit jazz scene of the 50s – and a record that marks a key moment for players who would soon become huge on a variety of different labels! The group here features a very young Donald Byrd on trumpet, with Yusef Lateef on tenor, Barry Harris on piano, Alvin Jackson on bass, and Frank Gant on drums – plus Bernard McKinney blowing euphonium – an instrument he would use on a number of other important recordings over the years to really deepen their sound. The date was originally issued by the Transition label, and very quickly disappeared when they quickly closed up show – brought back over the years in a few variations by Delmark, to keep the memory of this moment alive. Tracks include "Yusef", "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Blues", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Tortion Level". CD

One of the most obscure 50s releases from Blue Note Records – part of a pair of 10" albums recorded on the west coast – which was quite a change from the label's usual east coast home! The album's originally came with no full artist information, and were released as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather – in which the listener was supposed to guess the players! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include the cream of the LA scene of the time – Conte Candoli on trumpet, Jimmy Giuffre and Charlie Mariano on reeds, Howard Roberts on guitar, and Marty Paich on piano – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's more like the classic 50s sessions on the Mode or Bethlehem labels instead of Blue Note. Titles on volume 2 includes "Here's Pete", "Blindfold Test No 3", "Arcadia", and "Burbank Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little session that's one of Nat's last great vocal albums – thanks to some solid jazz backing by George Shearing. Shearing's group here is a super-hip west coast Latin one, with Emil Richards on vibes, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Al McKibbon on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. Most tracks have them augmented by some larger backings by Ralph Carmichael – which creates this dreamy jazzy pillow for Nat to sing over. Cole's voice is still super-sweet and super-sexy, and the record is a good mix of ballads and more jazzy material. Titles include "Lost April", "Azure-Te", "September Song", "Don't Go", "There's A Lull In My Life", and "Serenata". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

We'll be honest with you – we love this stuff! Sure, Ornette made some great recordings for a number of other labels – but as a whole, his Atlantic stuff is some of the greatest modern jazz ever recorded, and no other period of an artist is more worth collecting and having in a complete format than this one! The package is unbelievably thorough – and includes not only all the tracks from classic albums like Change Of The Century, This Is Our Music, Free Jazz, Shape Of Jazz To Come, Ornette!, Ornette On Tenor, The Art Of The Improvisors and Twins – but also 6 previously unreleased tracks, and rare material like Ornette's Japanese-only LP To Whom Who Keeps A Record plus 2 selections from Gunther Schuller's Jazz Abstractions featuring Ornette! There's 6CDs in all – packaged in a great case with a well annotated booklet. Titles include "Proof Readers", "Revolving Doors", "Joy Of A Toy", "Cross Breeding", "Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk", "Eos", "Focus On Sanity", "Una Muy Bonita", "Lomely Woman", "Little Symphony", "The Circle With The Hole In The Middle", "Beauty Is A Rare Thing", "Folk Tale", "The Face Of The Bass", "Brings Goodness", "Rise & Shine", and lots and lots more! CD

We'll be honest with you – we love this stuff! Sure, Ornette made some great recordings for a number of other labels – but as a whole, his Atlantic stuff is some of the greatest modern jazz ever recorded, and no other period of an artist is more worth collecting and having in a complete format than this one! The package is unbelievably thorough – and includes not only all the tracks from classic albums like Change Of The Century, This Is Our Music, Free Jazz, Shape Of Jazz To Come, Ornette!, Ornette On Tenor, The Art Of The Improvisors and Twins – but also 6 previously unreleased tracks, and rare material like Ornette's Japanese-only LP To Whom Who Keeps A Record plus 2 selections from Gunther Schuller's Jazz Abstractions featuring Ornette! There's 6CDs in all – packaged in a great case with a well annotated booklet. Titles include "Proof Readers", "Revolving Doors", "Joy Of A Toy", "Cross Breeding", "Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk", "Eos", "Focus On Sanity", "Una Muy Bonita", "Lomely Woman", "Little Symphony", "The Circle With The Hole In The Middle", "Beauty Is A Rare Thing", "Folk Tale", "The Face Of The Bass", "Brings Goodness", "Rise & Shine", and lots and lots more! CD

A previously unissued album from Indian guitarist Amancio D'Silva – recorded during his legendary run of work at Lansdowne Studios, but making its first-ever appearance here! The work on the set is every bit as far-reaching and progressive as some of D'Silva's official releases – and like those sides, this one does a tremendous job of blending complicated guitar lines, unusual rhythms, and some super-hip instrumentation! Amancio has a way of playing guitar that's a bit like Gabor Szabo – airy and exotic at times, with a free-flowing quality that's really explored nicely here on the longish tunes on the set. Players include Don Rendell on saxophone, Stan Tracey on piano, and Alan Branscombe on flute, vibes, and electric piano – but best of all is the use of sitar and tabla on the record – often employed sparingly, but in a way that adds some great echoes of Indian music. Titles include "A Street In Bombay", "What Maria Sees", "A Song For Francesca", and "Konkan Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of soul jazz piano instrumentals – produced by James Brown! The Dee Felice Trio were a groovy combo from Cincinnati, and James Brown took a shine to them at some point in the late 60s. They backed James on one record, but their big moment was this album – which had James producing, and the group grooving nicely on some hard piano jammers! The sound's a lot more stripped-down than usual for James, but the groove is very nice! Includes an excellent funky version of "There Was A Time", a great cover of Marcos Valle's "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", and the tracks "Summer In The City", "In Heat", "Both Sides Now", and "Never". Features 3 bonus tracks too – "Nightingale", "Little Liza Jane", and "There Was A Time (single version)". CD

Maynard Ferguson cut an undue number of excellent records in his early years – and this smoking set is definitely part of that group! At the time, Maynard was one of the few cats trying to find a way to move the larger band forward in jazz – finding ways to groove like Basie, but also add in some higher ideals, too – all with a surprisingly soulful current that definitely earns the title, and hints at his funky work to come in the 70s! Here, things are more shaded in blue tones and given a nice rhythmic kick – and as always with Maynard, the choice of band members is great – as the lineup features Charlie Mariano on alto, Don Rader on trumpet, Phil Bodner on reeds, Richard Davis on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums – working with strong creative energy on titles that include "What'd I Say", "Baltimore Oriole", "I Believe To My Soul", "I've Got A Woman", and "Alright OK You Win". CD

Maynard really grooves it up on this one – playing with a group that's even larger than some of his early 70s funk sessions, in a style that's got traces of disco and R&B-styled fusion! The set was arranged, conducted, and produced by Jay Chataway – who's going for a nice smooth mode on most of the cuts, almost in the slick manner of some late 70s cop show soundtrack. Tracks are a bit longer than usual, with more room for the groove, and titles include the originals "Oasis" and "El Vuelvo", a surprisingly nice disco take on "Maria", and the cuts "Airegin" and "Star Wars". CD

The second album by The Freedom Sounds – a very cool west coast soul jazz collective, headed by Wayne Henderson, and featuring a great mix of jazz, soul, and Latin rhythms! This set's a little more ambitious than the group's first album – with a number of tracks that groove in a very strong Latin jazz mode, sounding a lot like some of the best work on Atlantic at the time by Mongo Santamaria, Hubert Laws, and others. Henderson's trombone is still a key solo instrument, but the album also features some incredible sax work from Willie Gresham – a player we know little about, but who makes the album cook in the same fantastic way that Hubert Laws and Sonny Fortune did for Mongo's best work of the 60s! The grooves are very right-on, with plenty of excellent percussion work – and titles include the originals "Love-Out", "Behold The Day", and "Soul Sound System", plus some groovy covers, like "All You Need is Love", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", and "Are You Sure?" – all done with a great Latiny groove! LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly an "encore" of the first Stan Getz Jazz Samba album – as this set's got a slightly different feel, and lots of great elements that make it really unique! This time around, Brazilian musician Luiz Bonfa is on guitar – already a skilled proponent of the bossa by the time of the record, and arguably one of the few who really got it going back home in Rio. Stan's tenor sounds wonderful – as carefully and soufully blown as on the first set, but also with some new colors and tones too. Bonfa's wife Maria Toledo sings a bit on the record – hinting at Stan's work to come with Astrud Gilberto (this album was cut right before the Getz/Gilberto collaboration) – and the record also features added work on piano and guitar from the great Antonio Carlos Jobim – more than enough proof that the album's got a pure bossa pedigree! Titles include "Menina Flor", "Ebony Samba", "Saudade Vem Correndo", "Sambalero", "Samba De Duas Notas", and "Mania De Maria". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking early work from drummer Milford Graves and pianist Don Pullen – a set of long, free improvisations that were originally issued on Graves' Self-Reliance Productions label – combined here for the first time ever! The music is even more striking than sounds from the time on the ESP label – and also really predates some of the freer work of this type from the European scene – as Graves is a monster on the drum kit and a range of percussion, reaching out with this scope of sound and deft command of his hands that's simply breathtaking – matched by energy from Pullen that really surpasses some of his later work too – almost Cecil Taylor-like vibes at points, mixed with other elements that are in a more familiar mode for the pianist. The set features five long improvisations, each a numbered variant with the title "PG". Great gatefold package – with images of some of the hand-painted covers that Graves used for his releases! CD

The title's a bit misleading – as Chico really wasn't much of a hitmaker, at least as far as the charts go – but the album is a wonderful collection of his groundbreaking work for Impulse, killer tracks that are head and shoulders above any of his earlier work! At the time, Hamilton was really going out from his more composed style of earlier years – exploring modal and eastern rhythms with the help of strong players like Gabor Szabo, Charlie Mariano, Charles Lloyd, Jerome Richardson, and Larry Coryell – setting up incredible off-beat grooves that proved to be a perfect foil for edgey reed solos, and tightly woven guitar work. The set's got a heck of a lot of great work from those years – and titles include "For Mods Only", "That Boy With The Long Hair", "Helena", "Baby You Should Know", "Manila", "Lonesome Child", "El Moors", "Transfusion", and "Man From Two Worlds". LP, Vinyl record album

A firey stormer from the great Slide Hampton! The album's one of his few early sides for Atlantic – and like the others, it's a groundbreaking batch of larger group material, with slide out front on trombone, and the rest of the ensemble vamping along like a tight Blue Note combo. Players are excellent – and include George Coleman on tenor, Horace Parlan on piano, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, and Ray Barretto on drums – and Slide makes them come together so tightly, you'd think they were working together every night of the week! Titles include "The Barbarians", "Strollin", "The Jazz Twist", "Red Top", "Slide Slid", and "Day In Day Out". CD

An incredible package – one that features all three variations on this legendary album, along with bonus material on other pieces of vinyl – plus complete replicas of all 17 issues of the legendary Tribe Magazine – a key outlet for knowledge and culture in the Detroit scene of the 70s! The package has all three variations of the record in their original artwork – and version 1 comes with a 7" single that includes short versions of "Where Am I" and "How Do We End All Of This Madness". Version 2 comes with a 10" album that features full instrumental versions of "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", and "Angela's Dilemma". Version 3 is pressed on 2LPs, which each play at 45rpm! The core album is genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison – and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Jeamel Lee on vocals, Charles Eubanks on electric piano, and Charles Moore on flugelhorn. The tracks have a spacious spiritual approach that recalls some of the later Archie Shepp on Impulse – a blend of soul jazz with slight touches of electric instrumentation, some vocals, and a very progressive spirit overall – stepping proud in the new freedoms of the 70s, yet still swinging and very groovy. Titles include "Angela's Dilemma", "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", "Merciful", and "Beneficent". But maybe even cooler are the issues of Tribe Magazine – rare treasures from the Detroit underground, reproduced here for the first time ever – and maybe even worth the price of the heavy box set. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible package – one that features all three variations on this legendary album, along with bonus material on other pieces of vinyl – plus complete replicas of all 17 issues of the legendary Tribe Magazine – a key outlet for knowledge and culture in the Detroit scene of the 70s! The package has all three variations of the record in their original artwork – and version 1 comes with a 7" single that includes short versions of "Where Am I" and "How Do We End All Of This Madness". Version 2 comes with a 10" album that features full instrumental versions of "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", and "Angela's Dilemma". Version 3 is pressed on 2LPs, which each play at 45rpm! The core album is genius work from the Detroit underground of the 70s – one of the greatest records ever on the now-famous Tribe Records label, and a masterpiece of soul, jazz, and righteous spirit! The session's headed by tenor player Wendell Harrison – and it's got an all-star Motor City lineup that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Jeamel Lee on vocals, Charles Eubanks on electric piano, and Charles Moore on flugelhorn. The tracks have a spacious spiritual approach that recalls some of the later Archie Shepp on Impulse – a blend of soul jazz with slight touches of electric instrumentation, some vocals, and a very progressive spirit overall – stepping proud in the new freedoms of the 70s, yet still swinging and very groovy. Titles include "Angela's Dilemma", "What We Need", "How Do We End All Of This Madness", "Merciful", and "Beneficent". But maybe even cooler are the issues of Tribe Magazine – rare treasures from the Detroit underground, reproduced here for the first time ever – and maybe even worth the price of the heavy box set. LP, Vinyl record album

Moody work by Paul Horn – with a focus more on "images" of Brazil, than on the Brazilian jazz you might expect from the title! Like much of Horn's work from the time, the recording is very spacious – with Paul blowing on flute in a style that's as much about exploring space as it is creating a tune – working with a small group that includes percussion and acoustic guitar, plus a few additional percussion bits from Airto. Titles include "Amazonia", "Brazilian Images", "Streets Of Sao Paulo", "Mulher Solitaria", "Sambinha", and "Funky Town". CD

One of the greatest Bobby Hutcherson albums for Blue Note – a classic session recorded in quartet form, with a style that seems to set a whole new standard for the vibes in modern jazz! The group here is sublime – Herbie Hancock on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all working with Bobby in cool, blocky chords, with a sound that lies somewhere on the road to "out", but has more of a swing than Hutcherson's "new thing" recordings! The balance is a perfect one – exciting and fresh, but still always soulfully grooving – and titles include a sublime version of Herbie's "Maiden Voyage" – plus originals by Hutcherson that include "The Omen", "Aquarian Moon", "Rojo", and "Head Start". CD

One of the greatest Bobby Hutcherson albums for Blue Note – a classic session recorded in quartet form, with a style that seems to set a whole new standard for the vibes in modern jazz! The group here is sublime – Herbie Hancock on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all working with Bobby in cool, blocky chords, with a sound that lies somewhere on the road to "out", but has more of a swing than Hutcherson's "new thing" recordings! The balance is a perfect one – exciting and fresh, but still always soulfully grooving – and titles include a sublime version of Herbie's "Maiden Voyage" – plus originals by Hutcherson that include "The Omen", "Aquarian Moon", "Rojo", and "Head Start". CD

A wonderful collection of later work from this legendary Japanese pianist – a set that's named after his famous Watarase album from years back, but which includes some unusual live recordings and material that we haven't seen elsewhere! Some of the tracks here really break the standard piano trio format of some of Fumio Itabashi's other albums, but still glow in that boldly spiritual, soulful style he brought to his work from the 70s onwards – and the set features one track that's a duet with drummer Takeo Moriyama, another that's a duet with alto player Kazutoki Umezo, a quintet title with tenorist Tetsuro Kawashima and trumpeter Shinpei Ruike, two solo tracks, and one trio number that features Fumio on melodica – an instrument we're not sure we've ever heard him perform on before! Most tracks are titled "Watarase", in variations of his famous tune – but the performances are very different, and mostly include live material from the 2010s, plus one more track from 2001, and a never-released demo from 1981 too. CD

Pianist Duke Jordan takes on the groovy score to the French film Les Liasions Dangereuses – material best known via Art Blakey's original recording with tenorist Barney Wilen – but equally great here in Jordan's lesser-known version! The group here is excellent – with some of Jordan's hardest-hitting piano of the time in the lead – plus creative work on drums from Art Taylor, who brings in a very different spirit than Blakey – and soulful tenor from the great Charlie Rouse – alongside trumpet from Sonny Cohn, and bass from Eddie Khan. Titles include three different variations on the famous theme "No Problem" – plus two takes on the moody "The Feeling Of Love", and the cuts "Jazz Vendor" and "Subway Inn". LP, Vinyl record album

A hard-swinging session that's much hipper than you might guess from the "hi fi" or "west coast" in the title – recorded with none of the cliches that both tags might make you think – and instead a well-crafted set of solos from the mighty Richie Kamuca! Back in the 50s, Kamuca really had a tremendous tone – one that was often buried in larger groups, but occasionally got to take the solo spotlight on gems like this – stepping out with a raspy, almost gritty undercurrent – a sense of deeper soul in the sound that was uncommon for the west coast scene, and which we might almost compare to the similar qualities of a young Charlie Mariano on the alto sax. Although the group here is fairly largeish – with Bill Holman on baritone sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Conte Candoli on trumpet, and Vince Guaraldi on piano – Kamuca's clearly the main solo star, and is set up nicely in some subtle arrangements by Holman. Titles include "Linger Awhile", "Star Eyes", "Stella By Starlight", "Blue Jazz", and "Way Down Under". LP, Vinyl record album

Late Kenton on Capitol – but great Kenton too! In a way, Stan was almost best when he was working with standards – as on a set like this, he has an incredible way of transforming the sound of familiar numbers into something dark, moody, and modern. It's amazing to hear the way he raises the edge of tunes we thought we'd already heard too much of – and working with players like Charlie Mariano, Don Sebesky, and Rolf Ericson, Stan's in perfect company to really work magic with the material. Titles include "Django", "Willow Weep For Me", "I Get Along Without You Very Well", "The Thrill Is Gone", and "When Sunny Gets Blue". CD features the bonus track "Lazy Afternoon". CD

One of two albums that Lee Konitz cut with the trio of Marial Solal in 1968 – originally issued only very briefly in Europe on the small Campi label, and some of Konitz' most groundbreaking work of the 60s! Solal had been transforming the sound of jazz piano for most of the 60s by this point – working in a modernist mode that pushed far past most other American players of the time. His trio with Henry Texier and Daniel Humair is honed to perfection by this point – and the addition of Konitz's icy, angular horn really gives the set a compelling finish that you don't even find on Solal's own albums of the 60s. Titles include "Impressive Rome", "Anthropology", "Roman Blues", and "Stella By Starlight". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically beautiful record that stands as the first meeting between Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land – an album that's possibly even better than the more famous Blue Note work by the pair! This is one of those "once in a lifetime" jazz sessions – filled with magical interplay that's made the record a favorite with collectors for years, and done with a sound that's as lyrically graceful as it is soulful and righteous! Hutcherson's vibes are at their warmest 60s mode, but still have some of the angularity of his more modern sides for Blue Note – but Land is the real discovery here – as he steps out with a fluidity that surpasses any of his earlier hardbop albums, a flowing exploratory style expressed on both flute and tenor – with a mode that's years ahead of its time, and sounds a lot more like work on labels like Strata East or Muse from the 70s. Tracks are nearly all originals by Land, and are the kind of thoughtful jazz compositions that show up on a rare few records from the 60s – all of them are great, and sparkle with creativity and a subdued sense of righteousness. The other players on the date include Joe Sample on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Donald Bailey on drums – and titles include "One For Nini", "Angel Dance", "The Peace Maker", "40 Love", "Stylin", and "The Aquarian". LP, Vinyl record album

Ronald Langestraat has been in more jazz-based territory in the past, but here he adds in a bit more rhythm and opens up a groove – quite a surprise for this octogenarian musician! Ronald sings on many tracks, with this cool raspy voice that slides in and out of the grooves nicely – as keyboards dance over beats, often with a spacey quality that's got a bit of an 80s vibe, which is in keeping with Langestraat's work during that decade. Titles include the long groover "Mambo Magic" – hardly a Latin track, but one that has nice keyboards over skittish beats – next to other cuts that include "Energy In Space", "Working Every Day", "Alpha Centauri", "Freedom", and "Chet Baker". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget the title, as (thankfully) this isn't one of those records that ties itself to the dark days of 2020 – and instead, rejoice at the combination of sounds that come from the reed work of Aaron Leaney and the drums and percussion of Guy Thouin – who, we think, may well be making his studio recorded debut here, even though he's 83 years old! The tracks are short, and have a very earthy, organic quality – one that makes full use of the range of instruments on the set, which include Thouin's work on a variety of drums, gongs, and percussion instruments – and Leaney's bolder solos on tenor and alto, mixed with flutes, bells, and mbira. With that instrumental lineup, there's a nicely spiritual vibe to the record at times – on titles that include "Zumba", "Curfew", "Thembi Thouin", "Pontential", "Inward", "Bhariav", and "Turtle Island". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just "abstractions" – as the set's a very focused batch of some of the larger ideas that John Lewis had about jazz – explored beautifully here away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! The album has Lewis working with frequent partner – and fellow third stream conceptualist – Gunther Schuller – and also features great guest work from Ornette Coleman on alto, Joe Wilder on trumpet, Jim Hall on guitar, and Scott LaFaro on bass – all very different talents at the forefront of jazz at the time, helping bring a wider range of voices than you might normally get on a John Lewis project. Titles include "Abstraction", "Variants On A Theme of Thelonious Monk", and "Piece For Guitar & Strings". LP, Vinyl record album

The boldest set so far from up-and-coming vibist Chien Chien Lu – a set that's got a deeper feel and darker energy than some of her previous records – thanks in part to key use of the great Jeremy Pelt on trumpet! The album features a piano-less quartet – with Richie Goods on bass and Allan Mednard on drums – and both Lu and Pelt haver plenty of room to open up and soar on the long tracks on the set – pushing things strongly on original material that really shows Chien Chien starting to grow a lot as a writer, too! The whole thing is great – a new chapter in the career of a musician we're sure to be hearing from for years to come – on titles that include "Just Listen", "Full Moonlight", "Boulangers Variation", "Hsiu Chin", "Chun Yi", and "Special Things" CD

A lost bit of 70s fusion from the west coast – a group led by percussionist Manolo Badrena, with lots of nice Brazilian jazz touches! Many of the tracks have lyrics – soulful and sunny, somewhere in between late 70s work by Flora Purim and Seawind – and the overall groove is like some of the excellent 70s work on CTI/Kudu Records – especially the electric session that would bring in some strong percussion on the bottom! The whole thing's really wonderful – with some keyboard lines that almost link the record to early albums by Azymuth – and musicians include Hugo Fattorso on Fender Rhodes and percussion, Abraham Laboriel on bass, and Maria Fatima and Sybil Thomas on vocals. Titles include "Clube Da Esquina", "Got Some", "Canales", "Fly Away", "Yana", "Amor Lejano", and "Claro Que Si". CD

A set that shows the strong relation Joe McPhee has had with the Chicago scene in the past decade or so – a live date recorded in Italy, but featuring Joe in the company of Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello and Michael Zerang on percussion! The recording has a very loose, open feel – very much concerned with sound, and not just from McPhee's tenor sax and pocket trumpet, but also from the instruments of Lonberg-Holm and Zerang, which are recorded here with a really tremendous sound. The percussion is especially clear – coming through with a great sense of texture that really grounds the record, and lets Joe get a bit free at points. Titles include "Variations On Nation Time", "Variations On Remembrance", "Variations On Harriett", and "Feather Exchange". CD

Sergio Mendes is definitely a swinger – especially on this jazz-based session that was recorded before his famous work with Brasil 66! This album was recorded in New York, at a time when Mendes was one of the hottest things brewing in the bossa scene in Brazil – and apart from the great Antonio Carlos Jobim on guitar, many of the other players are American jazz musicians – including Art Farmer on flugelhorn, Phil Woods on alto sax, and Hubert Laws on flute – all adding in some nice jazzy elements to the tunes! The music is all instrumental, and a great mix of jazz and bossa that really lets you hear the young Sergio's skills on piano. Titles include "Maria Moita", "Sambinha Bossa Nova", "The Dreamer", "Primavera", "Favela", and "Pau Brazil". (Brazil, Jazz) CD

Fantastic – and one of Mingus' greatest albums ever! This one ranks right up with The Clown and Pithecantropus Erectus for sheer raw power and emotion – and Mingus' writing here is incredibly tight, giving soloists like Charlie Mariano, Jaki Byard, Richard Williams, and Jerome Richardson a real workout. The set's an extended suite of tracks with sort of a semi-ballet form. Don't let this fool you into thinking that the work's some sort of semi-classical snoozer, though – as Mingus uses the structure to hit some brilliant raw emotion, and the "dance" part of the piece gives the work a tight rhythmic form, pushing the soloists into raw urgent grooves, of a nature that never show up on Mingus' other work from the time. Titles include "Trio & Group Dancers", "Solo Dancer", "Group & Solo Dance", and "Duet Solo Dancers". CD

Fantastic – and one of Mingus' greatest albums ever! This one ranks right up with The Clown and Pithecantropus Erectus for sheer raw power and emotion – and Mingus' writing here is incredibly tight, giving soloists like Charlie Mariano, Jaki Byard, Richard Williams, and Jerome Richardson a real workout. The set's an extended suite of tracks with sort of a semi-ballet form. Don't let this fool you into thinking that the work's some sort of semi-classical snoozer, though – as Mingus uses the structure to hit some brilliant raw emotion, and the "dance" part of the piece gives the work a tight rhythmic form, pushing the soloists into raw urgent grooves, of a nature that never show up on Mingus' other work from the time. Titles include "Trio & Group Dancers", "Solo Dancer", "Group & Solo Dance", and "Duet Solo Dancers". LP, Vinyl record album

Oh how we love this album – and we think it may well be the best album ever from Charles Mingus! The set was recorded in that magical Mingus year of 1957, but oddly not released until 1962 – missing some of the initial frenzy of his discovery during the Atlantic and Columbia years. But the album's actually a treasure that predates the better-known latter sides – with a sharpness and intensity that Mingus hardly ever matched again! The group is one of his strongest ever – with Shafi Hadi on alto, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Bill Triglia on piano. There's a slight Latin vibe, as you might expect from the title – but it's very slight overall, and most of the tunes are in that sharply angular, fully expressive style that flowered most strongly for Mingus in the late 50s. There's not a wasted moment of music on the whole album – with tight solos and incredible rhythms that dominate every second of the extended tracks – and titles include "Dizzy Moods", "Flamingo", "Los Mariachis", "Ysabel's Tabel Dance", and "Tijuana Gift Shop". Plus, this 2CD set features a whopping 19 tracks added to the original album – with the bonus "A Colloquial Dream (aka Scenes In The City)", plus many alternates, breakdowns, and partial takes. A fitting tribute to this amazing album! CD

A rock-solid 60s session from Blue Note tenor giant Hank Mobley – and a set with a sound that's as iconic as its cover! The record comes from a key point in Mobley's career – when he was shifting from some more conventional hard bop to a variant of his style that was filled with newer, fresher ideas – slight currents of modernism, mixed in with a soulful groove – served up here with a killer group that also features Lee Morgan on trumpet and Harold Mabern on piano, both players hitting a similar stretching out point in their own careers! Rhythm features Larry Ridley on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a fluid duo who really help open up Hank's ideas – on titles that include the Mobley originals "Ballin", "The Vamp", "The Dip", and "The Break Through". The sound is incredible – full, rich, soaring – uniquely Mobley's own vision, and not a copycat approach to the styles of Coltrane, Rollins, or other 60s tenorists. CD

Larger group meditations by the Modern Jazz Quartet – working here in an expanded lineup that includes work from Phil Woods, Charlie Mariano, Seldon Powell, Richie Kamuca, Clark Terry, and Jimmy Cleveland! The album takes a core MJQ groove, and only seems to lay out out over the larger arrangements as backing – almost as if the set were recorded in two parts, and stitched together – but in a way that works with a brilliant sense of counterpart, one that brings a lot more soul and color to the group's work than usual. Titles include versions of the John Lewis numbers "One Never Knows", "Animal Dance", "The Golden Striker", "Django", and "Home" – plus Milt Jackson's "Ralph's New Blues". CD

A genius pairing of these two legendary improvisers – two artists who really had an amazing sense of tone and timing on their instruments! By the time of the recording, Evan Parker had lept far ahead most of his improvising contemporaries on tenor and soprano sax – using the horns in ways that were very far from their roots, as he opens up all sorts of sonic possibilities – at a level that is also echoed by George Lewis, who'd already given the world some amazing moments on his solo trombone record, yet pushes even farther here! The set features five different improvisations, each numbered variations on the title – all great. LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing first album from Brazilian modern musical genius Hermeto Pascoal – a set that would change the world of jazz and Brazilian music for years to come! By the time of the set, Hermeto was no stranger to the scene – he'd recorded famously in Quarteto Novo with Airto, and in some other key groups – yet this set also marks a real transformation, the rise of Pascoal as a new visionary, with endless fresh ideas for sounds, rhythms, and instrumental possibilities! And yet, the album's still very groovy – it follows nicely off the spirit of Quarteto Novo, and mixes tight rhythmic changes with all sorts of incredible instrumental inflections – work by Pascoal on keyboards and flute – augmented with drums and percussion from Airto, and a range of reeds from American jazz musicians Jerome Richardson, Maurico Smith, Joe Farrell, Jerry Dodgion, and Hubert Laws – as well as trombone from the great Garnett Brown, and trumpets from Thad Jones and Joe Newman. The mix of American players and Brazilian inspiration is wonderful – and Airto and Flora Purim produced the set – and the latter sings a bit on the record. Titles include "As Marianas", "Alicate", "Hermeto", "Coalhada", "Fabiola", "Guizos", and "Flor Do Amor". (Brazil, Jazz) CD

The amazing first album from Brazilian modern musical genius Hermeto Pascoal – a set that would change the world of jazz and Brazilian music for years to come! By the time of the set, Hermeto was no stranger to the scene – he'd recorded famously in Quarteto Novo with Airto, and in some other key groups – yet this set also marks a real transformation, the rise of Pascoal as a new visionary, with endless fresh ideas for sounds, rhythms, and instrumental possibilities! And yet, the album's still very groovy – it follows nicely off the spirit of Quarteto Novo, and mixes tight rhythmic changes with all sorts of incredible instrumental inflections – work by Pascoal on keyboards and flute – augmented with drums and percussion from Airto, and a range of reeds from American jazz musicians Jerome Richardson, Maurico Smith, Joe Farrell, Jerry Dodgion, and Hubert Laws – as well as trombone from the great Garnett Brown, and trumpets from Thad Jones and Joe Newman. The mix of American players and Brazilian inspiration is wonderful – and Airto and Flora Purim produced the set – and the latter sings a bit on the record. Titles include "As Marianas", "Alicate", "Hermeto", "Coalhada", "Fabiola", "Guizos", and "Flor Do Amor". (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool record from this hip Hungarian bassist – a set that has all sorts of instrumental surprises along the way! Pege also plays electric bass and cello – in a group with Bela Lakatos on organ and piano, Mihaly Raduly on tenor and flute, and Janos Nemeth on tenor – and titles include "Impressions", "Montreux Inventions", "Baby Car", and "Peter". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever from this legendary Hungarian bassist – with work by Art Farmer and Benny Bailey on trumpets, and Leo Wright on alto – plus some great Fender Rhodes by Jeno Balogh! LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous saxophone interplay throughout – and 2 great 50s sessions that both feature Art Pepper and Warne Marsh! The first half of the CD is the legendary Vanguard album Free Wheeling – one of the few sessions ever cut by tenorist Ted Brown – working here with a group that features Warne Marsh and Art Pepper in the frontline, with rhythm by Ronnie Ball on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Jeff Morton on drums. The session's got the outward appearance of a west coast session, but has much more soul overall – the kind of Back Bay Boston sound you'd hear in 50s sessions by Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson – with plenty of rasp on Pepper's horn, and some nice edges on Brown's as well! Tracks are short, and often with ensemble heads – but the production is beautiful, and the interplay between the three saxophonists comes through with amazing quality! Titles include "Crazy She Calls Me", "Arrival", "Once We Were Young", "Avalon", "Foolin Myself", "Aretha", and "Long Gone". The remaining 7 tracks on the CD were recorded on the same day, but with a lineup that features Ted Brown dropping out, so that the main interplay is between Pepper's alto and Warne Marsh's tenor. Again, the sound is incredible – far fresher than most of Pepper's so-called "classic" sessions, and it shows the edge and creativity of his alto playing in a way that few other albums ever do. We really recommend this one if you've ever been disappointed by another Pepper album – because there's a sharpness here that really comes through. Titles include "All the Things You Are", "What's New", "Avalon", "Warnin", "Stompin At The Savoy", and "Tickle Toe". CD

A stunner of a set from Ken Vandermark & co as Powerhouse Sound – a riveting 2CD batch of rhythmic juxtaposition inspired by dub, sound collage production, and free rock caterwauling – done with a pair of line-ups in both Oslo and Chicago! The Oslo group is heavy with bass and stuttering electronic manipulations, and features Vandermark, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten and Nate McBride on electric bass, Pall Nilssen-Love on drums and Lasse Marhaug on electronics. The Chicago crew runs through variations of the material and changes up the instrumentation with Vandermark, John Herndon on drums, Jeff Parker on guitar and McBride on bass. Disc one (Oslo version) includes "Shocklee (For Hank Shocklee)", "King To Crown (For King Tubby), "Coxsone (For Coxsone Dodd)", "2-1-75" (For Miles Davis), "Acid Scratch (For Lee Perry)", "Exit-Salida (For Burning Spear)" and "New Dirt (For The Stooges)". Disc two (Chicago version) includes "Old Dictionary (For Bernie Worrell)", "King To Crown Pt 1/Acid Scratch Pt 2", "Coxsonne", "2-1-75" and "New Dirt/King To Crown Pt 2". CD

One of the most mysterious, elusive Sun Ra albums in the legendary Saturn Records catalog – a set that was only ever pressed in small quantities back in the 80s, and often with different tracks for different pressings too! The material here is from a range of different performances, and really showcase the continued sense of majesty the Arkestra carried forth from the 70s, even when they were working farther from the limelight – often with the lovely June Tyson in the lead on vocals, and a bit of vocalizations from Ra as well – and different lineups depending on the tracks – but with mindblowing material from John Gilmore on tenor and Marshall Allen on alto throughout the recordings. Ra plays a bit of electronics, but most of the sounds here are acoustic – although still as other-worldly as ever – and this package finally brings together all the tracks that have appeared on variations – with one unissued number too. Titles include "When Spaceships Appear/Ra To The Rescue Ch 1", "Back Alley Blues", "Drummerlistics", "Children Of The Sun", "Mystery Mr Ra", "Space Shuttle/Ra To The Rescue Ch 2", and "Cosmo Party Blues". CD

One of the most mysterious, elusive Sun Ra albums in the legendary Saturn Records catalog – a set that was only ever pressed in small quantities back in the 80s, and often with different tracks for different pressings too! The material here is from a range of different performances, and really showcase the continued sense of majesty the Arkestra carried forth from the 70s, even when they were working farther from the limelight – often with the lovely June Tyson in the lead on vocals, and a bit of vocalizations from Ra as well – and different lineups depending on the tracks – but with mindblowing material from John Gilmore on tenor and Marshall Allen on alto throughout the recordings. Ra plays a bit of electronics, but most of the sounds here are acoustic – although still as other-worldly as ever – and this package finally brings together all the tracks that have appeared on variations – with one unissued number too. Titles include "When Spaceships Appear/Ra To The Rescue Ch 1", "Back Alley Blues", "Drummerlistics", "Children Of The Sun", "Mystery Mr Ra", "Space Shuttle/Ra To The Rescue Ch 2", and "Cosmo Party Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Blue Note recordings of trumpeter Dizzy Reece – an amazing West Indian player who made some big waves on the London scene of the late 50s, then came to the US to cut a few key sides! Reece had an approach to the trumpet that shared some of the boldness of his US contemporaries on the hardbop scene, but which also occasionally had a few more exotic touches as well – not just in Dizzy's phrasing, but also in the way he liked to set up a tune – mixing modern and soulful modes together nicely, in a way that made him a perfect match for the Blue Note era that boasted work by Horace Silver and Art Blakey! The 3CD set features Dizzy's three Blue Note albums Blues In Trinity, Star Bright, and Soundin Off – plus material that was unissued at the time, but later appeared on the now-deleted Comin On CD – a real lost treasure of a session that has Dizzy stepping out even more strongly than before. Players include Hank Mobley, Tubby Hayes, Donald Byrd, Art Taylor, Walter Bishop Jr, Stanley Turrentine, Musa Kaleem, and Art Blakey – and titles include "Blues In Trinity", "Color Blind", "Shepherd's Serenade", "Groovesville", "The Rebound", "A Variation On Monk", "Blue Streak", "Ye Olde Blues", "Comin On", "Sands", "Goose Dance", "Achmet", and "The Case Of The Frightened Lover". CD

One of three incredible albums cut by trumpeter Dizzy Reece for Blue Note Records – all a bit unusual, in that Dizzy was a key part of the scene in London at the time, and not part of the regular New York group that were so important to the Blue Note roster at the end of the 50s! Yet despite that difference, Reece fits into the groove perfectly – with a bold sound on trumpet that's a nice change from the usual – set up in a classic hardbop lineup that includes Hank Mobley on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Mobley's playing is fantastic – as on all of his Blue Notes – and his presence alone takes the set into another level. His solos on the harder tracks are all great, and played with a razor-sharp edge that opens up Reece a lot more than usual too – very different than some of his work recorded in the UK. Tracks include "The Rebound", "Groovesville", "The Rake", and "A Variation On Monk". Great stuff, and a true classic lost Blue Note! CD

A seminal album from Hans Reichel – a musician who might be to free jazz what John Fahey was to acoustic music – a player who can at once be immediately modern and completely timeless in his approach – working here in a way that opens up the instrument beyond any conventional expectations! Many of these tracks have an inherent cyclical pulse – a bit like the way that Fahey could mix Eastern elements with blues inspiration – but there's also a more chromatic approach to the instrument, and ways of playing that go beyond simple notes – so that each touch of a string is almost like a little explosion of color – explosions that work together to make some amazing sounds throughout! Titles include "Bonobo I", "Peter Zweifel", "Lurch", "Toeni", "Moor", "Nicht Sand Sondern Popel Im Getriebe", and "Mariahhilf". CD

Classic work by Django Reinhardt – and a CD that reissues material that originally appeared on Decca 78s from the early 40s. All the work was recorded in 1939, by Django and the Hot Club Of France (which included Stephane Grappelli, Joseph Reinhardt, and Pierre Barro Ferret). Titles include "Twelfth Year", "Jeepers Creepers", "Swing 39", "Japanese Sandman", "Tea For Two", "I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight", "Time On My Hands", and "Hungaria". CD