(Funky 45's, Jazz) 7-inch, Vinyl record

Eddie Harris hits the London scene of the 70s – and like some of the bluesmen who travelled there from Harris' hometown of Chicago, he gets the chance to work with some of the younger British musicians who've been inspired by his music! Eddie plays electric versions of both tenor sax and trumpet – plus some acoustic piano too – and on one track he even sings a bit through his horn, in this really cool, really weird sort of mode! The big names each make appearances in varied order throughout the set – players who include Albert Lee and Jeff Beck on guitar, Chris Squire on bass, Tony Kaye on moog, and both Zoot Money and Steve Winwood on Fender Rhodes – and although there's a bit of a rockish vibe to their playing, the overall mode is still very strongly in the electric funky jazz style that Harris begun with his Atlantic Records sessions of the 60s! Titles include "Baby", "Conversations Of Everything & Nothing", "I Waited For You", and "He's Island Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A super-long batch of messed-up funky jazz from Eddie Harris! The record's got Eddie working all aspects of the electric sax – in a similar style to some of his other work on the best Atlantic albums of the 70s (like Instant Death of Plug It In) – and the group features a shifting cast of hip players that even includes Muhal Richard Abrams on electric piano! Eddie's nice and tripped out here – yet still undeniably funky – and the record is proof that the move to Atlantic let him really open up his concept. Titles include "Renovated Rhythm", "Turbulence", "Recess", "Drunk Man", "Listen Here Goes Funky", "Hey Wado", and "Fragmentary Apparitions". LP, Vinyl record album

We can never get enough of Eddie Harris – and a record like this is a great reason why! Despite all the many different settings Eddie worked in at Atlantic, he still always stayed true to his roots – and a record like this is a perfect example of that – no electric horn, no funk, but a rock-solid sense of tone and timing that's unbelievable – and which makes the album a soulful treasure throughout! Of course, the group really helps a lot too – keeping things as in the pocket as Eddie's playing – with great rhythms from Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. And as an added treat, the set features killer work on trumpet from Ray Codrington – a player who we only know from the JFK Quintet albums – but who's an equal killer here. Titles include the first version of Eddie's classic "Freedom Jazz Dance", plus "Born To Be Blue", "Love For Sale", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Cryin' Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from the amazing Eddie Harris – a record that's got a perfect blend of jazz and funk, but still holds onto more righteous elements too! Eddie's using his electric sax in a really great way – not as a gimmick at all, but as a way of linking both the soulful and progressive sides of the Chicago jazz scene – much like the way his old bassist Melvin Jackson did on the classic Funky Skull record! The group here is a small one, but features some really surprising work from players who include Muhal Richard Abrams on electric piano, Rufus Reid on electric and acoustic bass, Billy James on drums and Kalimba, Ronald Muldrow on guitar, and Henry Gibson on some mighty nice percussion. Eddie himself is a stunner – working not just on electric tenor, but also trumpet with a reed mouthpiece, and some weird way of vocalizing through a horn as well. The whole thing's got a vibe that matches the hippest, coolest electric jazz of the Cadet/Concept years – and titles include the great groover "Zambezi Dance", plus "Nightcap", "Tampion", "Instant Death", and "Superfluous". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eddie's groovier Varitone albums, and a record that has a very electric sound to it! At times, Eddie's electric sax is so off-beat that you'd think he was playing a synthesizer instead of a sax, but in true Harris form, he always keeps it funky, and even the weird sounds have a great groove to them. Tracks include "Space Commerical", "Funkaroma", "Happy Gemini", "Look Ahere", and "It's War". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer stuff – and an amazing album that not only showcases the varitone sax talents of Eddie Harris, but also features some fantastic arrangements by Chicago soul genius Charles Stepney! Harris plugs in right from the start – blowing an electric sax that comes up with some groovy groovy sounds – perfect for Stepney to work with on the backdrops – mixing together funky orchestrations, off-kilter strings, and even some prepared piano, ala John Cage – similar to the mode he used with Ramsey Lewis at Cadet! Tunes are wonderful – offbeat, funky, and plenty darn soulful – and titles include "Live Right Now", "It's Crazy", "Winter Meeting", and "Theme In Search Of A TV Commercial". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly great record from Milt Jackson – and we're saying that after being plenty darn suspicious about a record titled Be Bop recorded in the late 80s! The set has Jackson returning to the sound of his earliest roots – the boppish material he first cut for Blue Note as a leader in the early 50s, before rising to greater fame in the Modern Jazz Quartet, and later on as a strong solo artist in his own right. The recording is modern, but the feel is pretty darn right – better recorded than the old days, but played in a style that's quite faithful to the roots by a group that features Milt on vibes, Jon Faddis on trumpet, JJ Johnson on trombone, Jimmy Heath on tenor, and Cedar Walton on piano. Titles include "Now's The Time", "Au Privave", "Good Bait", "Woody N You", "Birk's Works", and "Salt Peanuts". LP, Vinyl record album

A generous 1971 effort from Keith Jarrett – backed up by his incredible, multi-instrumentalist co-horts Dewey Redman (tenor sax, clarinet, bells, percussion and more), Charlie Haden (bass, congas, clappers, steel drum) and Paul Motion (drums and percussion). The pieces cover a pretty far range of styles – from the meandering and mellow Jarrett piano that begins "Birth", to the wonderful, heaving funky bass work on "Mortgage On My Soul (Wah Wah)" – which also includes some squalling soprano sax by Jarrett, who gives the piano a rest for this wild tune! Later on the album, he picks up a banjo, too! Other tracks include "Spirit", "Forget Your Memories (And They'll Remind You)", "Markings" and "Remorse". LP, Vinyl record album

Wild and wonderful work by Keith Jarrett – light years away from his records on ECM! The album features a quartet that includes Dewey Redman on tenor, Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – but it's clearly Keith who's driving the bus here, taking lots of odd twists and turns for playful moments that come as an unexpected surprise. One of the best of these is the short percussion track "Pre Judgement Atmosphere", which almost sounds like a Moondog number – and another is the rollingly funky "Gypsy Moth", a tune that always seems to be careening out of control, but is never "outside", just percussively grooving. Side two features two longer jamming tracks that almost have a loft jazz feel – "El Juicio" and "Piece For Ornette" – and Keith plays alone on the track "Pardon My Rags". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of an album – and one that definitely draws plenty power from the double drummers in the lead! The set's way different than most of Elvin Jones' other work of the time – and is even more hard-hitting than some of the Philly Joe Jones sessions too – and, unusual for Atlantic Records at the time, the tracks are all quite long – with a very open, freewheeling sound! There's some great horn players who really help shape the sound of the tunes – Hank Mobley on tenor, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – and the piano of Wynton Kelly and bass of Paul Chambers ensure that the music is right in the groove. The set features three long tracks – "Brown Sugar", "Le Roi", and "Beau-ty". LP, Vinyl record album

An odd little album from tenorist Clifford Jordan – but a great one too, given the unique format! As the title implies, Cliff pays tribute to Leadbelly – handling a host of Huddie Ledbetter originals, but in a style that's kind of 60s soul jazz, with a bit of blues as well – one of those unusual criss-crossings of styles that you'd get on some of the Atlantic jazz sessions of the 60s. Jordan's tenor is firmly in the lead on all numbers – and other players include Roy Burrowes on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, and Chuck Wayne on banjo instead of his usual guitar! Two tracks feature vocals by Sandra Douglass – and titles include "Dick's Holler", "Silver City Bound", "Black Girl", "De Gray Goose", "Yellow Gal", and "Black Betty". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's last truly fantastic albums – a set that still has all the amazingly messed-up qualities of his best late 60s work – delivered with the honest heart and sense of soul that always make us love his music! The set was recorded for Atlantic in the early 70s, and it's got a wonderful mix of inside and outside playing – a bit more Kirk-unleased overall than some of the more focused experiments of previous records – filled with lots of personality, incredible reed work, and a sound that's spiritual, yet also deeply individual too! Rahsaan plays flute, notes flute, black mystery pipes, E flat sax, and clarinet – and other musicians include Charles McGhee on trumpet, Dick Griffin on trombone, Ron Burton on piano, and Sonny Brown and Ralph MacDonald on percussion – plus a hip string ensemble on some cuts – definitely giving the album a touch of the "Black Classical Music" style that Kirk always claimed was at the root of his work. Side two features the extended "Saxophone Concerto", which has some cool breathing tricks that really let Roland wail – and other tracks include "Celestial Bliss", "One Mind Winter/Summer", and "Ninth Ghost", all of which have a nice dose of spirituality. LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite album ever from Roland Kirk – and a beautiful mix of two different sides of his genius! Side one's got Roland doing these crazy takes on late 60's pop cuts like "My Cherie Amour" and "Say a Little Prayer", plus his own "songs", done with soulful vocals and a straight-on approach that shows him trying to break out of the avant jazz underground, and reach a wider audience with a spiritual message on tracks like "Search For The Reason Why" and "Spirits Up Above". If this description sounds like a mess, it's not – because this side of the album is one of Kirk's most brilliant statements ever about jazz, soul, love and freedom! Side two has Roland in a straighter vein – running through a tight live set from Newport 1968, handled with fire and imagination, the kind of boundless energy he always brought to his public appearances. Tracks on that set include "One Ton", "Three For The Festival", "Afro Blue", and some great remarks by Roland! LP, Vinyl record album

A classic session of cool jazz from the 50s – a majestic meeting of the alto of Lee Konitz and the tenor sax of Warne Marsh! The album's a perfect example of icy modernism at its best – swinging nicely, never too uptight, but with a well-composed approach that really shows the magic of the Konitz approach. The group features the great Billy Bauer on guitar, plus either Ronnie Ball or Sal Mosca on piano – and rhythm is by Kenny Clarke and Oscar Pettiford. Tracks are short, and titles include "Topsy", "Lee", "Donna", "Don't Squawk", and "Ronnie's Line". LP, Vinyl record album

Solo recordings of self composed titles by Kuhn. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best early albums cut by John Lewis as a leader – a set that's a fair bit different than John's work with the Modern Jazz Quartet – thanks to strong guest appearances from players who include Paul Gonsalves and Benny Golson on tenor sax, Eric Dolphy on alto, Jim Hall on guitar, and Herb Pomeroy on trumpet. Most of the tracks are a great mix of the mellow, introspective Lewis approach with some of the freer, more relaxed styles of the soloists – an approach that's slightly third stream, but which also has some of the great sounds and tones that Lewis forged on his Afternoon In Paris album with Sacha Distel. Titles include great versions of "Body & Soul" and "Afternoon In Paris", plus Lewis' classic "2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West", as well as "I Should Care" and "I Remember Clifford". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session of violin-led jazz – recorded for Atlantic Records in 1960! Harry Lookofsky may not be a famous name as a leader in jazz, but he scored strings for many pop and instrumental outings during the 60s – and he also has the distinction of being the father of one of the members of The Left Banke (which is why they got a record deal so early on!). Here, he's working as the leader of a jazz combo, playing violin and viola in a mode that would make Stephane Grappelli proud – but which also has some much darker edges, and a style that's hardly a recreation of older jazz violin modes. The tunes have a hip edge that's almost third stream jazz at times – with arrangements by Bob Brookmeyer and Hank Jones that keep a tightly swinging beat on most tracks, and which also feature solos by the two, plus drums by Elvin Jones and bass by either Paul Chambers or Milt Hinton. Titles include "Dancing On The Grave", "Move", "Champagne Blues", and "Little Willie Leaps". LP, Vinyl record album

Popular soul jazz piano work from Junior Mance – who's playing here in a semi-traditional style that fits the evocative title of the album. Most of the cuts feature Mance in a trio – wither with Gene Taylor or Bob Cunningham on bass, and Ray Lucas or Alan Dawson on drums. There's two cool tracks in which Mance plays harpsichord – the cuts "The Uptown" and "Cootin" – and these have a nice edgey vibe that makes them stand apart from other tracks like "Harlem Lullaby", "That Mellow Feeling", and "I'm Falling For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early 70s work from Herbie Mann! By this point in his career, Herbie must have had a fleet of cars, a harem of ladies, and a golden flute. You can hear his success in the live material that makes up the album – recorded before very enthusiastic audiences at the New York and Montreux festivals in 1972. Who'd have thought jazz flute could go so far? All tracks are long and pretty darn lively – and Herbie's group still includes Sonny Sharrock on guitar, plus the groovy Pat Rebillot on piano, and David Newman on tenor and 2nd flute. Titles include "Soul Beat Momma", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Respect Yourself", "Memphis Underground", and "Hold On, I'm Coming". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Mann takes strong inspiration from the great Ray Charles here – working in a cool mode that's partly the soulful sound of Mann's other work for Atlantic Records, and partly the fuller style of Charles' 60s music for ABC! Backings are full, but very groovy – thanks to arrangements by William Fischer that keep plenty of edges on the tunes – even amidst the larger strings and orchestrations! Herbie gets plenty of space to solo out front, and the album also features female backing vocals – but used in a spare way that only really seems to further enforce the groove! Titles include "Lonely Avenue", "I Got A Woman", "Drown In My Own Tears", and "Georgia On My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Mann kicks Johnny Rivers off the stage of the Whisky A Go Go – and serves up some amazing long tracks that really redefine the sound of jamming on the Sunset Strip! The album's quite unusual for the time – in that it features two long tracks, which each run a side apiece – played by Herbie's hip late 60s group that featured Sonnh Sharrock on guitar and Roy Ayers on vibes – plus Steve Marcus on tenor and Miroslav Vitous on bass! With players like that, you can bet there's a massive sound to the whole thing – one that goes beyond even the boldness of other live Herbie Mann albums – and titles include a long take on Chris Hill's "Ooh Baby", and side two features a great version of Rufus Thomas' classic "Philly Dog". LP, Vinyl record album

After dipping into the Memphis Underground, Herbie continues his tour of the funky south – recording here at American Studios in Memphis (only 5 miles from Mississippi, we guess!), with a small combo that includes Bobby Emmons on organ, Bobby Wood on electric piano, and Reggie Young on guitar! There's a relaxed easy groove to the album that makes it one of Mann's most consistently satisfying funky albums – a really cool, laidback style that's a great showcase for Herbie's funky flute – and David Newman turns out some great solos on tenor and flute, which really soup the record up! Tracks are long, and titles include "Dippermouth", "Mississippi Gambler", "Respect Yourself", and "Satisfaction". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Mann got a standing ovation for this performance – at least if the title is to be believed – and considering the grooves on the set, it was all for very good reason! The album's one of the few to feature Mann in the company of pianist Chick Corea – who steps out here with some hard, soulful, Latin-inflected energy that's totally great – and which really makes the group cook. Other players include Dave Pike on vibes and Patato Valdes on congas – and the great Ben Tucker joins the group on an extremely popular 10 minute version of his composition "Comin Home Baby", one of Herbie's all-time hits. The format is very much in that best live performance style of Herbie's best records of the 60s – very open and freewheeling – and other tracks are equally long and jazzy, with titles that include "Mushi Mushi" and "Patato". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest albums ever from Herbie Mann – and a set that's definitely got the vibrant sound you'd expect from its title and cover! The set's a live one, and pretty open at times – and the great Rufus Harley joins Mann's group for one track – in a really mad mix of sounds that also includes lots of other exotic instrumentation too! Roy Ayers plays vibes on about half the set – and other instrumentation includes oud, dumbek, and zither – set over modal rhythms that have a very strong Eastern vibe! Titles include "Wailing Dervishes", "Flute Bag", "In the Medina", and "Armenian Lullaby". LP, Vinyl record album

Shelly Manne scored big with a jazz version of the Peter Gunn soundtrack in the 50s – and he does it again in this 60s version of Henry Mancini's music for the full-length Gunn movie! The style here is a bit more far-reaching and looser than before – showing not just Manne's development as an artist, but also his ear for some of the best styles of the younger generation – as evidenced by his inclusion of Frank Strozier on alto and flute, and Mike Wofford on piano – alongside more familiar faces Monte Budwig on bass and Conte Candoli on trumpet. There's a crisp jazzy edge to the whole thing – and titles include "Sweet", "A Bluish Bag", "Night Owl", and "A Quiet Happening". LP, Vinyl record album

More of a soul album than a jazz album – and a stripped-down mellow set that has Les singing and playing keyboards with a quartet that includes Miroslaw Kudykowski on guitar. Cuts include "Everywhere I Go, People Ask Me a Question", "Woman, Come Home", "I've Been Thinking About My Problems", and "You Little Cheat". Also includes the cut "I'm A Liberated Woman", which features Paul Humphrey on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

(Funky 45's, Jazz) 7-inch, Vinyl record

A sweet Atlantic soul groover from Brother Jack McDuff – and a set that has him tightening up his Hammond sound from his earlier years at Prestige Records! The tunes here are short and punched-up – almost instrumental soul numbers in their construction, but still filled with plenty of jazz – thanks to Jack's mad solos on organ, and some killer drums from Joe Dukes and Bernard Purdie! Other players include George Coleman on tenor, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and Buddy Lucas on baritone sax – and arrangements are by JJ Jackson and Jack himself. Titles include "Hotcha", "Down In the Valley", "Same Old Same Old", "No Tears", "What'd I Say", "Gonna Hang Me Up A Sign", and "Minha Saudade". LP, Vinyl record album

The title sounds a bit ambitious, but the album's actually a great intimate date from Carmen McRae – a beautifully-recorded small combo performance – caught live at Donte's in LA, with a sound that hearkens back to some of Carmen's best work of the 50s! The format is spare and simple – backing by a quartet that features Joe Pass on guitar, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Chuck Domanico on bass, and Chuck Flores on drums – all grooving with a light and lively touch behind Carmen's wonderful vocals – served up here with a lot more freedom than she was getting on most of her studio dates from the time. The "great American songbook" is really just a catch-all for a very wide variety of work included on the record – and the album's hardly the staid "songbook" sort of album you'd guess from the title. Instead, Carmen really opens herself up to a lot of great tunes, from classic to contemporary – with titles that include "Three Little Words", "Glad To Be Unhappy", "The Ballad Of Thelonious Monk", "Behind The Face", "Sunday", "Day By Day", "If The Moon Turns Green", "At Long Last Love", and "A Song For You". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A much groovier record than you might expect – hardly the older-styled jazz session normally associated with Jay McShann, and more of a wide-ranging session that brings in some great contemporary touches! The album's something of a celebration for Jay – and it features wonderful guest work from players who include Gerry Mulligan on baritone and soprano sax, Herbie Mann on flute and tenor sax, John Scofield on guitar, Doc Cheatham on trumpet, and Eddie Gomez on bass. A few tunes have an older Kansas City sort of swing, but others have a vamping groove that's really great – and these numbers really stand out in the set with some great solo moments. Titles include "Crazy Legs & Friday Strut", "Blue Feeling", "Jumpin The Blues", "Dickie's Dream", and "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late date from the Kansas City pianist who first gave Charlie Parker his start – working here with Buddy Tate and Paul Quinichette on tenors, and Joe Newman on trumpet – plus the younger addition of John Scofield on guitar! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little 70s session from Mingus – the first in the 2-part Changes set – and whether you collect those jointly or separately, they contain some of his best work from the period The sessions were recorded with a small group that includes George Adams, Don Pullen, and Jack Walrath. Tracks are long, with that late love of Ellington that Mingus was developing – and titles include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". LP, Vinyl record album

Later material by Mingus – and very much an exploration of rootsier styles, with a slight modernist bent. The group's a good assemblage of players who'd become Mingus' most trusted by this point – a smaller ensemble that includes George Adams, Don Pullen, Ronald Hampton, and the always-faithful Dannie Richmond. Doug Hammond and Honey Gordon sing vocals on the track "Moves" – and other titles include "Canon", "Opus 4", and "Opus 3" – all by Mingus – plus Pullen's "Newcomer" and Adams' "Flowers For A Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

The Modern Jazz Quartet with a very noteworthy addition – the great Sonny Rollins, whose work on this record really makes it a cut above the usual MJQ outing for Atlantic! As on the quartet's previous Music Inn album with Jimmy Giuffre, the addition of a reed player really inflects their trademark sound with a new range of sounds and feelings – and Rollins himself cuts back on the hardbop influences, and shows some great restraint in matching some of the group's more modern modes. Sonny only plays on 2 of the album's 6 tracks – but that's enough to open it up nicely – and on other numbers, the MJQ begin in their usual mellower mode, but then seem to step things up with more boppish inflections, almost anticipating Rollins' arrival on the last 2 numbers. Sonny plays on the tunes "Bag's Groove" and "Night In Tunisia" – and other titles include "Midsommer", "Festival Sketch", "Yardbird Suite", and an opening medley. LP, Vinyl record album

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Hannibal Marvin Peterson's come a long way from his spiritual soul jazz sessions of the 70s – working here in a format that's tighter, a bit more electric, and filled with about as many different ideas as there are players on the session! If you approach the record from a soul-based perspective, and consider the date of the set, the album's actually still got some great moments – because Peterson's keeping an older soul fire alive here, and working out lots of his ideas from the 70s in tracks that are shorter and more focused, and which have a bit smoother sound – similar to that picked up by other 70s spiritual players, like Lonnie Liston Smith or Norman Connors, by this point. One of the best elements is the album's vocals by Dee Dee Bridgewater – who sings on a good number of cuts, in a mode that's more soul than jazz. Instrumentation includes a fair bit of electric elements – as does the production – and titles include "Diamonds Without Fire", "Fire In The Hole", "Free Mandela", "Visions Of A New World", "A Song Of Peace", and "Life Is More Than You Know". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic little album that's every bit as groovy as its cover – served up by vibist Dave Pike, and one of the first true expressions of his talents! The set's a standout early American date that predates Pike's later experiments for MPS – done in a great blend of soul jazz and some tighter Atlantic Records influences – all served up by a hip group of players that includes Billy Butler on guitar, Clark Terry and Marty Sheller on trumpets, and Grady Tate on drums – plus Herbie Hancock making a rare appearance on organ! There's a great little bounce to most numbers – not really funk, but a blend of soul instrumental and more contemporary jazz styles – in a way that takes a Blue Note groove more towards the jukebox audience. Titles include "When I'm Gone", "Devilette", "Sweet Tater Pie", "Blind Man Blind Man", and "Sunny". LP, Vinyl record album

Definitely some mystical adventures here from Jean-Luc Ponty – one of the few artists on the violin who can make it come up with sounds like this – weird cool and spacey elements that sound great next to the album's use of organ, keyboard, and Fender Rhodes! The album features two long tracks – "Mystical Adventures" and "Final Truth" – both building nicely on straightforward themes which are then extrapolated by the fusiony solos – never too jamming or intense, but moving with a nice sense of progression, too. The album also features two shorter, catchier numbers – a compelling cover of Stevie Wonder's "As", plus "Rhythms Of Hope". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The only Atlantic Records session from the Quartette Tres Bien – and a set that's got a bit more punch than some of their records for Decca! The groove here still features the compelling percussion/piano lineup of the combo – with Percy James on bongo and conga, Albert St James on drums, and Jeter Thompson on piano – and the playing has a strong focus on the piano work by Thompson, with a good mix of soul jazz and lyrical styles! Includes the original track "Bully", plus versions of "Work Song", "Caravan", "Three O'Clock In The Morning", and "I Never Knew". LP, Vinyl record album

The drums are certainly unlimited here – and the album's a really unique one, in that it shows Max Roach in 2 different settings – one with a group, and one that's simply solo! One batch of tracks has Max in the company of a tight group of soul jazz players like Freddie Hubbard, Roland Alexander, James Spaulding, and Ronnie Matthews. The group is very tight, and they've got hard wailing sound similar to a Blue Note group, but with a bit more of a soul jazz feel. They play on two long tracks – "Nommo" and "In the Red". The rest of the tracks – "Drums Unlimited", "The Drum Also Waltzes", and "For Big Sid" – feature Max playing solo, which is a rare treat for a recording of this vintage. The tracks are great, with a very musical groove, and lively playing by Max that never gets too self indulgent. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare American release from British baritonist Ronnie Ross – working here in the sharp-edged company of drummer Allan Ganley! The group's got a really tight sound throughout – that best sharp-lead mode of the Brit scene of the 50s – but with a looser feel on the solos, which are handled especially well by Ross and tenorist Art Ellefson – a player we hardly know at all, but who cuts some really imaginative lines on the set. The overall feel's a bit like the Jazz Couriers work of Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott – or a bit like some of Don Rendell's best – and the rest of the group features Stan Jones on piano and Stan Wasser on bass. Tracks are mostly originals, and titles include "The Country Squire", "The Moonbather", "The Real Funky Blues", "Blues For The Five Of Us", "I Won't Fret If You Don't Get The Blues Anymore", and "Pitiful Pearl". LP, Vinyl record album

A wide range of styles here from saxophonist Tom Scott – some tracks that are in the funkier fusion he scored with in the 70s, but others that have some soul and pop touches as well! Scott's horn is still nice and sharp when he gets to step out in the solo spotlight – more so on the instrumental tracks, but a bit less so on the vocal ones – which feature singers who include Maria Muldaur, Kenny James, and Lee Ving. Other players include Harvey Mason on drums, Ernie Watts on tenor and alto, Victor Feldman on keyboards, and Paul Jackson on guitar – and titles include "Burundi Bump", "The Biggest Part Of Me", "He's Too Young", "Aerobia", "Target", and "Come Back To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare return to recording for alto player Buster Smith – captured here in a setting that's even sharper than before! Smith has roots that go back to the 30s bands of Bennie Moten and Andy Kirk – but he also was an early boss of Charlie Parker, who claimed to be strongly influenced by his alto – and you can definitely hear Buster take off in a few Bird-like flights during the set! The groove is mostly older swing-based jazz, yet there's a sharper edge too – and certainly an understanding of bop that informs the solos. Buster's tone is incredible throughout – deeply personal, and very soulful – and titles include "Late Late", "Organ Grinder's Swing", "King Alcohol", and "Kansas City Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Mel Torme's hippest albums of the 60s – and a strong shift towards more swinging material after some of his mellower work for other labels! There's a bit of electric piano in the mix, and plenty of that Atlantic records pop/soul jazz approach – a take on soul jazz that's similar to tunes by Herbie Mann at the same time, but with vocals. The whole thing's filled with greatly grooving tracks – and it draws no small influence from Jon Hendricks' excellent work of the time! Titles include "Hi Fly", "Comin Home Baby", "Dat Dere", "Sidney's Soliloquy", and "Moanin". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Darkly imaginative work from the great Lennie Tristano – and one of the few full albums he ever cut as a leader! The record features the incredible track "Turkish Mambo" – which has Tristano overdubbed 3 times in this dark modal way that's totally amazing, and which will hook you into his playing immediately! A number of other tracks feature a quartet with Lee Konitz – always a good match for Tristano – and a few others have a great trio that's completed by Peter Ind and Jeff Morton. Tracks include "Requiem", "East 32nd", "You Go To My Head", and "Line Up". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record by Lenny Tristano – one that features him playing solo piano, but in a way that's so inventive, so creative, so pyrotechnic, that Atlantic Records had to include text on the back cover saying "No use is made of multi-tracking, over-dubbing, or tape-speeding" – just to prove that the whole thing was simply a product of Tristano's legendary prowess on the piano! The album's also one of the last (the last?) that Lennie ever cut – and although many other players are kind of faltering in last sessions like this, Lennie's sounding better than ever – ready to take on a realm of new challenges in the 60s. Titles include "Love Lines", "G Minor Complex", "Becoming", and "Deliberation". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from bop legend George Wallington – one of the last records in an initial run of 50s strengths from the pianist – and a set that features some great original compositions of his own! The set's a bit unusual for Atlantic Records at the time – almost more of a Prestige or Blue Note-styled date – as Wallington's loose, open, and really hits his groove – working alongside Teddy Kotick on bass and Nick Stabulis on drums, both players whose understated approach lets Wallington sparkle even more in the spotlight. The complexity of his performance is wonderful – even while swinging – and titles include "World Weary", "Billie's Tune", "Godchild", "Serendipity", and "Up Jumped The Devil". LP, Vinyl record album

Although the name of George Wein is usually associated with some super un-hip trad jazz projects, this album's actually a pretty cool batch of grooves that matches Wein's older jazz tendencies with some newer styles of playing – and some good electric instrumentation on the best cuts. The album's got a super-nice version of "Sunny", plus "Blue Boy", "In A Little Spanish Town", "Topsy", and "Ja Da" – and believe it or not, Wein even plays some electric piano! Players include Red Norvo, Tal Farlow, Larry Ridley, and Barney Kessel. LP, Vinyl record album

No blues at all – despite the title – and a great set of tracks that showcases the southside Chicago tenor roots of Clarence Wheeler! The album's a bit different than the first two Wheeler albums for Atlantic – in that the group's slightly bigger, and more 70s electric overall – opening up a bit from the small combo club mode that Clarence brought into play, but still keeping things soulful and edgey throughout! At times, the backings even get a bit ambitious – almost hinting at a Cadet Records vibe – with arrangements by Wheeler, Reggie Boyd, Ken Chaney, and Sonny Burke. All players are Chicagoans, and include Louis Satterfield on bass, Sonny Burke on organ and electric piano, Henry Gibson on percussion, and Larry "The Lar With The Flair" Frazier on guitar. Titles include "Kuumba", "Miss Gee", "Oblighetto", "How Could I Let You Get Away", and "New Chicago Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album recorded in 1963 for Atlantic – one of our favorite ever! Jack Wilson's one of our favorite piano players, and we rave about him all the time on these pages – and one of the reasons why we love him so much is that he was often accompanied by Roy Ayers, who started out his career playing vibes in his group! The pair together are a dream, and this album is arguably their best effort – filled with moody modal cuts, and lots of lyrical interplay that hits these beautiful high points, then dives into pits of darkness. Titles include "Harbor Freeway", "De Critifeux", "Corcovado", "Jackleg", and "Nirvana & Dana". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful fusion of Joe Zawinul's roots in the groups of Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley – a set with some of the far-reaching jazz ideas of the former, and much of the soulful subtleties of the latter! The album features Joe on electric piano throughout, playing alongside Herbie Hancock in a twin-piano style that's quite spacious, and filled with slow-building, long-flowing lines! Other players include Woody Shaw on trumpet, Earl Turbington on soprano sax, George Davis on flute, Miroslav Vitous and Walter Booker on drums, and Joe Chambers, Billy Hart, and David Lee on a range of percussion. All these elements are used slowly, and sparingly – brought in with a style that's modern, but in a gentle sort of way – not as over the top as some of the work that Joe cut with Miles at the end of the 60s – and almost a more sensitive, compositional approach to the same territory of music. Titles include "Arrival In New York", "Doctor Honoris Causa", "In A Silent Way", "His Last Journey", and "Double Image". LP, Vinyl record album

Great 50s material recorded in Chicago – with work by Floyd Dixon, Little Brother Montgomery, Little Johnny Jones, Frank Sweet Williams, and Meade Lux Lewis. (Blues, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal moment for the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – one of their first albums for a widely-distributed label, and an exceptionally strong live performance that really gets to the core of the group's unique approach! The material was recorded at the Ann Arbor Festival in 1972 – and has the Ensemble playing with a sense of focus and power that's even stronger than their previous indie and European records – really hitting their stride before a large live audience who totally gets their groove, and really eggs them on with enthusiastic support! As usual, the range of instrumentation is great – lots of different reeds, percussion, and brass – handled by the legendary lineup of Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Malachi Favors, and Don Moye. Titles include "Oouffnoon", "Ohnedaruth", "Unanka", "Immm", and "Odwalla". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record from the Art Ensemble of Chicago – and although performed for a bigger label than some of their previous indie outings, the set may be one of the most dynamic the group ever recorded! Atlantic Records is clearly giving the group a lot of space here – as they're recording in Chicago, in a relatively free setting – able to stretch out and change things up with amazing energy – never just free jazz exploration, but a very rich, complicated, well-considered approach to their many layers of instrumentation and rhythm! Muhal Richard Abrams makes a great guest appearance on the record – adding in some wonderful piano passages – and the set includes the usual mix of reeds, percussion, and vocals – plus the beautiful bass work of Malachi Favors. Tracks include "Nonaah", "The Key", "Tnoona", and "Fanfare For The Warriors". LP, Vinyl record album

A far-reaching early gem from Roy Ayers – a set that's much more jazz-based than his later work, and a record that has him touching base with the Blue Note and Strata East sides of the jazz spectrum! The lineup here is incredibly hip – a mix of players that includes a young Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Harold Land and Joe Henderson on tenor, Jack Wilson on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass – not to mention Roy himself on some mighty great vibes! There's a surprising spiritual undercurrent to the music – pointing the way towards jazz to come in the 70s – and titles include "Glow Flower", "Ayerloom", "Virgo Vibes", and "In The Limelight" – plus an early take on Charles Tolliver's "The Ringer". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible little record – and the set where it really all comes together for this legendary funky jazz group! Azymuth were already great on their debut, although maybe a little experimental at times – but here, they really find the soulful groove that later got them big fame on the US scene – effortlessly blending their tight jazz skills with a dose of samba soul, and turning out some wonderfully groovy music in the process! There's clearly an influence here from the best years of Earth Wind & Fire – but also more of the edge that you'd expect from the young trio – as the amazing Jose Roberto Bertrami blows us away with his wickedly sharp keyboard solos, as Alexandre Malheiros and Mamao create these beautiful rhythms that go way past anything you might have expected from a trio. The whole thing's wonderful – one of the most soulful Brazilian records of the 70s – and titles include the great cuts "Tarde", "Tamborim Cuica Ganza Berimbau", "Falcon Love Call", and "Aguia Nao Come Mosca". (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Billy's got no "inner conflicts" here – as the album's a full-on set of heavy jamming, one that features some nice electronics alongside Billy's drums! The album's actually one of our favorite Cobham sessions of the 70s – a record that we'd rank right up there with Spectrum for sheer intensity, and for its ability to appeal to our funk-tuned ears. The variety of rhythms on the record is really really great – earthy and tribal one minute, and electric and spacey the next – all coming off well without trying too hard, and with a feel that's much more jazzy and soulful than some of Billy's more rock-focused work. Players include George Duke as Dawilli Gonga on keyboards, John Scofield on guitar, Julian Priester on trombone, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, and Pete & Sheila Escovedo on percussion. Titles include "Inner Conflicts", "Arroyo", "El Barrio", "Nickels & Dimes", and "The Muffin Talks Back". LP, Vinyl record album

A key album for any fan of classic Ornette Coleman – a 1971 Atlantic release that pulled together tracks from the late 50's and early 60's that didn't make it onto Ornette's earlier records for the label! Why these tracks weren't released at the time is a mystery to all, because the material is great, and ranks with some of his best stuff – and over the years, the value of the album has grown even more within the early Ornette oeuvre – as it contains key tracks that have come to define his edgiest moments of the early 60s . The LP includes "First Take", a 17 minute earlier version of the material the ended up on Free Jazz, plus additional quartet recordings with Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Ed Blackwell – on titles that include "Check Up", "Little Symphony", and the wonderful "Joy Of A Toy". LP, Vinyl record album

Hank's blowing it in that stock soulful style he used with Ray Charles – over slightly larger arrangements that feature players like Wendell Harrison, David Newman, Melvin Latiste, and Carl Lynch. Jack McDuff plays piano on "In The Heat Of The Night", and other tracks include "Glue Fingers", "Jimmy Mack", "Double Cross", and "Mud Island Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A great batch of sunny soul jazz numbers – recorded by Wayne Henderson at a time when he was scoring big with the Jazz Crusaders! This combo's very much in the vein of Wayne's work with that more famous group – but they've got a bit of a tighter approach, playing more in a "soul instrumental" mode that mixes jazz soloing with complicated percussion and bits of Latin rhythms. Henderson plays this cool orange trombone on the record (pictured on the cover!), in a mode that recalls some of Fred Wesley's more jazz-based work – and titles include "Things Go Better", "Respect", "Cucamonga", "Orbital Velocity", and "Cathy The Cooker". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early material by Erroll Garner – sides recorded at the end of the 40s, when he was really hitting his rhythmic stride! The tunes bristle with an approach to the material that's filled with life – as Garner seems to sense a rhythm where there might not necessarily be one – and gets equal pleasure from using his piano for rhythm as he does for spinning out a gentle melody. Titles include "Turquoise", "Pavanne", "Impressions", "Confessin", "Summertime", "Flamingo", "Reverie", and "Blue & Sentimental". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Slide Hampton's first albums – and a massively hard-wailing set that will make any doubters sit up and take notice! The set really packs a punch – as Slide leads a hip group that features Freddie Hubbard, Richard Williams, Bernard McKinney, and George Coleman through some tightly woven arrangements that manage to swing with the grace of small combo work, yet wail with the intensity of a big band. Great solos pop out all over the set – and there's a soul jazz groove that makes the album sound like a classic Prestige session. Titles include "Asseveration", "Hi Fly", "Sister Salvation", and "A Little Night Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A gimmicky cover, a gimmick title, but one heck of a soulful set of jazz! The legendary Rufus Harley is a true original – a saxophonist who also plays bagpipes, but can wail on that instrument – along with tenor and soprano sax – in a mode that's strongly influenced by the best work of John Coltrane, Yusef, Lateef, and Eric Dolphy! This early set for Atlantic features Rufus in a kilt – but actually does a deeply righteous thing by returning the bagpipes to their African origin (supposedly the instrument was brought up to the British Isles during the Crusades) – and laying them out here in a sweet mix of modal moments and heavier soul jazz. The mix of modes is a lot like the best work of Yusef Lateef – and like Lateef, Harley hails from the Detroit jazz underground –a nd works here with a hip group of players from that scene – including Oliver Collins on piano, James Glenn on bass, and Billy Abner on drums. Robert Gossett adds in a bit of congas, to give the tunes even more groove than usual – and the whole thing's an important early expression of spiritual modes that would flourish even more strongly in the 70s. Titles include "Passing The Cup Around", "Taurus The 20th", "Sufur", and "Scotch & Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from one of Eddie Harris' greatest periods! This one was cut in the late 60s – when Eddie was creating his famous electrified Varitone sound – unique among other jazz players in that it actually added a lot to Eddie's work, instead of detracted from it (as with some other boppers who briefly picked up the instrument.) The Varitone gives Eddie a cool flat tone works extremely well with some of the album's mutedly funky tracks – like the long version of "Listen Here", the groovy "Sham Time", the Latiny "Spanish Bull", or the incredible "Theme In Search Of A Movie", written by the great Charles Stepney. Great bass work by Melvin Jackson, too! LP, Vinyl record album

2 LP set of tracks from Roland's best moments over the Atlantic years. Included within are many hard to find cuts from albums that we almost never see any more. Titles include "Volunteered Slavery", "Black & Crazy Blues", "Rahsaanica", "Ninth Ghost", "Portrait Of Those Beautiful Ladies", and "The Inflated Tear". Lots more, and a good set of notes too! 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

One of the best early albums cut by John Lewis as a leader – a set that's a fair bit different than John's work with the Modern Jazz Quartet – thanks to strong guest appearances from players who include Paul Gonsalves and Benny Golson on tenor sax, Eric Dolphy on alto, Jim Hall on guitar, and Herb Pomeroy on trumpet. Most of the tracks are a great mix of the mellow, introspective Lewis approach with some of the freer, more relaxed styles of the soloists – an approach that's slightly third stream, but which also has some of the great sounds and tones that Lewis forged on his Afternoon In Paris album with Sacha Distel. Titles include great versions of "Body & Soul" and "Afternoon In Paris", plus Lewis' classic "2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West", as well as "I Should Care" and "I Remember Clifford". LP, Vinyl record album

A uniquely European Encounter between pianist John Lewis and violinist Svend Asmussen – and one that makes for a different blend of instrumentation than you'd get on some of John Lewis' other albums as a leader! The pair are supported by Jimmy Woode on bass and Sture Kalin on drums – for a 50/50 mix of American and European – in a style that's wonderfully spare, and which brings out some of the best dark tones of both players – and which also has Asmussen's instrument inflecting some nice color into Lewis' tones. The album sports a wonderful version of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – plus a set of Lewis originals that include "If I Were Eve", "Winter Tale", "Slater's Theme", and "New York 19". LP, Vinyl record album

Mel Lewis leads a big band including Kenny Werner on piano, Dennis Irwin on bass, Earl Gardner, Joe Mosello, Glen Drewes, Jim Powell, and Bill Pusey on trumpets, John Mosca, Ed Neumeister, Douglas Purviance, and Earl McIntyre on trombones, Stephanie Fauber on french horn, Dick Oats, Ted Nash, Joe Lovano, Ralph Lalama, and Gary Smulyan on saxophones, clarinet, and flute. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful 70s set from Herbie Mann – and one that features some heavy help from P&P maestro Patrick Adams! The album's more of an Adams-directed affair than the usual Herbie set – as Adams produced and arranged all the tracks, and really takes Mann in the direction of a hip late 70s dancefloor! Rhythms are upbeat and lively – the best side of 70s disco – and there's still plenty of room for Herbie's flute to solo over the top, even though the cuts also feature added keyboards from Adams and Leroy Burgess, plus some occasional vocal choruses as well. Titles include a remake of Celi Bee's "Superman", plus "Etagui", "Jisco Dazz", "Django", "Body Oil", "Rock Freak", and "Stomp Your Feet". LP, Vinyl record album

This might well be the best album that Les McCann ever cut during the 70s! It's got some killer electric piano riffs, of the sort that are being sampled heavily today by the kids, and which are getting his music to a whole new generation. The tracks have a tight spacey funk sound, and they don't have any of the vocals that (we feel) can often get in the way of some of Les' later works! Loads of great tracks, including "The Harlem Buck Dance Strut" and "Dunbar High School Marching Band", both of which are nice and sexy and funky, and with a cool dope sound to them! Other tracks include "Before I Rest", "Soaring (At Sunset)", and "Sometimes I Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

This might well be the best album that Les McCann ever cut during the 70s! It's got some killer electric piano riffs, of the sort that are being sampled heavily today by the kids, and which are getting his music to a whole new af generation. The tracks have a tight spacey funk sound, and they don't have any of the vocals that (we feel) can often get in the way of some of Les' later works! Loads of great tracks, including "The Harlem Buck Dance Strut" and "Dunbar High School Marching Band", both of which are nice and sexy and funky, and with a cool dope sound to them! Other tracks include "Before I Rest", "Soaring (At Sunset)", and "Sometimes I Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

The extremely successful union of two of Atlantic's biggest funky jazz stars, caught live in Switzerland, with the amazing Benny Bailey sitting in on trumpet. The tracks are long and funky, and are virtually a blueprint for pop soul jazz playing of the time – mixing slinky rhythms with some breakout solos that show that all players are still deeply committed to a strong jazz sound. Titles include "Cold Duck Time", "The Generation Gap", "Kathleen's Theme", and their great version of "Compared To What", with the famous vocal by Les that made the track a soul jazz vocal hit! LP, Vinyl record album

Complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker ont enors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side 2 contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a crazy little record from Charles Mingus! Mingus plays piano and sings (yes, you read that right!) in a tight sextet with Booker Ervin and Roland Kirk on reeds, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. Mingus is trying out a kind of messed-up, blues-inspired sound here – but for some reason the tracks sort of fall short of their potential, perhaps because they're not infused with the same clarity and anger as his earlier works, or perhaps because Mingus' work on the piano just isn't as fierce as his bass playing. Still, the album's a nice one, and way better than the other Mingus piano album, on Impulse. Titles include "Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me", "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Devil Woman", and "Passions Of A Man". LP, Vinyl record album