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

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

Great double album live set with Roland leading a tight group through a long and varied set of material, all of which showcases the odd goofy sound of his music, and his offbeat approach to more familiar tracks. He talks a bit, makes the odd joke about being blind, and never ceases to amaze with his playing. There's also bit of vocals too – not the most soulful in the world, but sung in such a heartfelt way that you've gotta love 'em! Tracks include "Pedal Up", "Clickey Clack", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Bright Moments Song", "If I Loved You", and "Jitterbug waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

Solo piano from Joachim Kuhn. LP, Vinyl record album

A soulful late 60s outing for Brother Yusef – one of his first, and one of his best, albums for Atlantic! Despite the misleading title, this isn't really the "complete" Yusef Lateef (it would have to be a 50 LP set for that!) – but the record is a nice slice of Yusef's playing from the late 60's, a record that shows him tightening things up a bit, and adding a bit of a soul jazz touch – but still keeping some of the jazz exotic roots of earlier recordings. The group includes Roy Brooks on drums, Cecil McBee on bass, and Hugh Lawson on piano – all Detroiters who have a keen sense of Lateef's style and poise on material like this! Titles include "Kongsberg", "See Line Woman", "Brother", and "You're Somewhere Thinking Of Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from reedman Charles Lloyd – a set that really pushes forward all the experiments he'd begun in the Chico Hamilton group – and shows a bold move forward for rhythms in 60s jazz! The tracks are long, and spiral out wonderfully – but in ways that are different than those used by other creators of the time – like Eric Dolphy or John Coltrane. Even though leading the group on tenor and flute, Lloyd's got a real sense of rhythm to his playing – echoes of the Hamilton group – but set loose with a stellar quartet of younger players – including Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all perfect choices for inventive music like this! The standout cut is the amazing "Sombrero Sam", a tight little groover that we never tire of – and one that has Jarrett sounding much more in the pocket than you'd ever imagine – and other tracks include "Dream Weaver", "Autumn Sequence", and "Bird Flight". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from the Charles Lloyd group of the late 60s – a set that still stretches out with all the spiritual energy of Lloyd's other Atlantic albums, yet also seems to have a bit more of a groove, too! The setting is live, and the tracks are nice and long – allowing ample room for solos by Lloyd on tenor and flute and Keith Jarrett on piano – working here with great accompaniment from Ron McClure on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Titles include a massive take on "Sombrero Sam" – done in a nice Latin groove, and very upbeat – plus the spiritual "Voice In The Night", and the cuts "Pre-Dawn" and "Forest Flower 69". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Mann's at the Village Gate – really wailing away in a set of extended numbers that not only set a whole new standard for live recording in jazz, but which also pushed forward the role of the flute in the music as well! There's a heck of a lot of soul in the grooves here – served up by a totally cooking rhythm section that includes basses from Ben Tucker and Ahmed Abdul-Malik, percussion from Chief Bey and Ray Mantilla, and drums from Rudy Collins – plus some especially great work on vibes from Haygood Hardy, sounding beautifully chromatic underneath Herbie's sharp-edged work on flute! The set features a key reading of "Comin Home Baby" that runs for over 8 minutes long – plus great long versions of "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So". 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

Herbie Mann rides his Memphis Underground approach over to London – where he grooves nicely in a similar jazz funk take on that scene's biggest tunes of the time! The set was recorded in the UK, and features hip help from an assortment of rockers – including Mick Taylor and Albert Lee on guitars, Ian MacDonald on alto sax, and Aynsley Dunbar on drums – plus Herbie's frequent partner Pat Rebillot on keyboards. The sound is surprisingly laidback at times – warmly soulful, and a lot less rockish than you might guess for an album with two guitarists in the mix – and titles include "Bitch", "Spin Ball", "Mellow Yellow", "Paper Sun", "Layla", and Herbie's original "Memphis Spoon Bread & Dover Sole" – plus a great Fender Rhodes-heavy take on "You Never Give Me Your Money". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet electric set from the great Herbie Mann – one of his best of the time! Like a number of his contemporaries recording jazz for Atlantic, Herbie had moved pretty firmly into a funky soul mode by the mid 70s – adding in lots of electric instrumentation and vocals to keep up with the success of some of the bigger-selling jazz albums of the time. Oddly, this approach actually sounds pretty darn good to us – especially having the hindsight of over 25 years to get over the shock of any sort of perceived "sell out". The players are all pretty tight, and Herbie manages to keep things pretty hip on all tracks, sticking to his roots in Latin-influenced playing. The record features remakes of "Comin Home Baby" and Joe Cuba's "Bang Bang", plus a version of Astor Piazzolla's "Deux Xango", and the orignals "Paradise Music", "Body Oil", and "Waterbed". 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

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

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) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most interesting records from the duo of Dwike Mitchell and Willie Ruff – thanks to the addition of the great percussionist Helicio Milito on drums! Helcio worked with the Tamba Trio, and has a very groovy sense of rhythm that works great with the inventive piano of Mitchell and mixture of bass and French horn from Ruff – instrumentation that's somewhere in the same playful spirit as the Ramsey Lewis group with Redd Holt and Eldee Young, but tuned towards very different directions here. Like the Lewis trio, these guys shoe that the piano need not always be the lead instrument – as things round out in very compelling ways over tracks that include "Young Soul", "After This Message", "Chou Chou", "Love", "Improvisation On Solo For Unaccompanied Bass", and "The Prank". LP, Vinyl record album

Volume 1 of a double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. Titles include "Django", "Bluesology", "La Ronde", "Festival Sketch", "Vendome", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "I Should Care", and "I Remember Clifford". LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic early work by Phineas Newborn – and a record cut right after his emergence from the great Memphis scene of the 1950s! Most of the album features trio material – cut with Kenny Clarke on drums and Oscar Pettiford on bass – but a few tracks also feature some very nice guitar work by Newborn's lesser-known brother, Calvin – who helps give the record some slight bluesy undercurrents you won't hear on other albums from Phineas at the time. The style is a mix of bop soloing and that lyrical approach to the keyboard that Newborn was forging along with a few other popular pianists of his generation – and titles include "Dahoud", "Celia", "Barbados", and "Newport Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that features the successful Dave Pell Octet of the mid 50s – a group who was playing a lot of swing-oriented gigs at colleges around the country, hence the title. The set features Pell leading players that include Andre Previn, Don Fagerquist, and other smooth west coasters – and tracks include "Love Is The Sweetest Thing", "Let's Do It", "I've Found a New Baby", and "I've Got A Crush On You". LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of an unusual variation on the Martians Come Back album – done during a time when record labels almost saw their stereo releases as a completely different product! The tracks aren't the same entirely as Martians – although the album does include "Astral Alley" and "Chant Of The Cosmos" – plus "Dickie's Dream", "Baklava Bridge", and "Serenade In Sweets" – all in stunning early stereo! LP, Vinyl record album

(Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

The second fantastic album from Chicago saxophonist Clarence Wheeler and his hard-hitting Enforcers combo – a group who were one of the brightest lights in soul jazz at the start of the 70s, really helping to keep the genre fresh and exciting! The groove here is in the tenor/organ mode first popularized in the 60s – but the overall sound is a lot more expansive, and filled with unusual time changes, complicated rhythms, and inventive solo work that go way beyond more familiar albums of this nature on Prestige or Blue Note! Sonny Burke is the organist in the group, and he's got a touch on the keys that's a lot like Jack McDuff at his best – filled with great sounds and unusual notes that always keep things interesting. Added to that is trumpet from Sonny Covington, guitar from Eric Gale, and tenor from Wheeler – all vamping and grooving in an amazing way! There's a bit of the Charles Earland sound from the same period going on here – and like Earland, the group have a great way of keeping things slightly funky, even when mellow! Titles include a great version of "Broasted or Fried", Charles Earland's "Mighty Burner", Jack McDuff's "The Heebie Jeebie Dance", plus "We've Only Just Begun" and "The Love I've Been Looking For". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Giuffre, Modern Jazz Quartet, Milt Jackson, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Mann, Mel Torme, Carmen McRae, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, David Newman, Hank Crawford, Mose Allison, Eddie Harris, Yusef Lateef, Les McCann, Eddie Harris, Freddie Hubbard, Billy Cobham, Jean Luc Ponty, Manhattan Transfer, Passport, Gerald Albright, and Ahmad Jamal. LP, Vinyl record album

An early album as a leader from the great Roy Ayers – a set that captures the vibes man at a time when he'd been working on the west coast soul jazz scene, and was stepping into even greater fame in the group of Herbie Mann! Yet this set is definitely Roy's own – kind of an introduction to the more righteous sounds he'd pursue in the 70s, set up in an instrumental mode with great help from Herbie Hancock on piano, Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, and Hubert Laws on flute – all ultra-hip players who really bring a lot to the record! And despite the colorful cover, and its reference of a pop hit, there's a much deeper vibe going on here – on titles that include a great version of Jobim's "Wave" – done like we've never heard it before – plus the original cuts "What The People Say", "Lil's Paradise", and "A Rose For Cindy". 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

Titles include "Hard Times", "Rockhouse", "Sweet Sixteen Bars", "Doodlin", "How Long Blues", and "Blues Waltz". (Soul, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime modern jazz from Teddy – right up there with the best mid 50s work of other groundbreakers like Charles Mingus or George Russell, to whom Charles acknowledges more than a bit of inspiration! Charles plays vibes like no one else – especially at this point in his career, when he's moving into offbeat chromatic ranges that wouldn't be duplicated for another decade, in the work of players like Bobby Hutcherson or Gary Burton. His players on this set include Art Farmer, JR Monterose, Gigi Gryce, and Mal Waldron – and the album includes the original tracks "Green Blues", "The Emperor", and "Vibrations", plus a great version of "Nature Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

Given Hank Crawford's soulful legacy on the alto sax – one that already made him a star in Ray Charles group by the time of this LP – it would be hard to add More Soul to his bag – but that's what he's going for here, and we've gotta say that it works pretty darn well! The session's a small group one – with Hank's alto alongside tenor by David Newman, trumpet by Phillip Guilbeau, and baritone sax by Leroy "Hog" Cooper – and in addition to tenor, Hank also plays some piano on the set as well. The tunes have an easygoing soul jazz groove that makes the record feel more like a Prestige jazz session than an Atlantic one – and there's a nice variety to the record, which helps it get past some of the hoke on Hank's other sets from the time. Titles include "Boo's Tune", "Four Five Six", "The Story", "Sister Sadie", and "Dat Dere". LP, Vinyl record album

A great meeting of two key sides of Atlantic Records in the 60s – a set that has altoist Hank Crawford blowing jazz solos over a set of tracks dedicated to Aretha Franklin! Most numbers are Franklin vocal classics, served up here in some sweet instrumental readings with arrangements by Arif Mardin – who really keeps the mood the same as his work with Aretha – and Hank's alto really shines in this soulful setting, hitting a warm mode that's pretty darn great. The title cut – "Lady Soul" – is an original by Crawford, dedicated to Aretha – and other titles include "Take A Look", "Going Down Slow", "Groovin", "Baby I Love You", "Never Let Me Go", and "Ain't No Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A magnificent set from the team of Art Farmer and Jim Hall – one of those rare pairings in jazz that somehow comes off sounding even way better than the sum of its parts – and that's saying a lot, given that the parts here are already pretty darn great! Farmer's flugelhorn and Hall's guitar create these wonderful shapes in sound – softly coming together with a vibe that's very modern, yet also soulful – gently swinging while still experimenting – with a combination that's completely wonderful! Think of Bob Brookmeyer and Clark Terry, or Bill Evans and Jim Hall – and you'll be somewhere in the territory of these magically unique sounds – augmented with some gentle rhythm work by Steve Swallow on bass and Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "By Myself", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Sometime Ago", and "My Kinda Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record, from an amazing player – the mighty Rufus Harley, heard here on tenor, flute, and soprano sax – as well as bagpipes, his "trademark" instrument! Don't be put off by the bagpipes, though, because Harley plays in a righteous soul jazz groove, and uses the instrument more like a Coltrane-ish reed soloing vehicle, with sheets of hard blown sound, than he does as a corny Scottish sounding one. His playing is great, and he's recorded here with a great group of obscure Detroit musicians who play with a style that hints at the later stuff to come on the Tribe label – Oliver Collins on piano, James Glenn on bass, and Billy Abner on drums. The LP includes the cuts "Bagpipe Blues", "Sportin", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", "Chim Chim Cheree", "Kerry Dancers", and "More". 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

One of the great jazz sessions that Ray Charles cut towards the end of his years at Atlantic Records – a surprisingly great little album with vibist Milt Jackson! The set really shows a side of Milt that didn't always surface in the Modern Jazz Quartet – and Charles is surprisingly great on piano (and even a bit of alto sax, which is mighty nice) – especially on the long tracks, which really let the players stretch out! Other players include the great Billy Mitchell on tenor sax, Skeeter Best on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and titles include "Blue Funk", "Cosmic Ray", "Soul Brothers", and "How Long Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The soulful sax of Willis Jackson meets the Philly Soul mecca of Sigma Sound – and the result is a surprisingly wonderful album! Willis blows in the lead on all tracks, supported by legendary Sigma players – and the sound is a lush and sweetly soulful one, almost an instrumental version of the Philly work that had been coming out from some of the mellower soul groups on Atlantic at the time. Phil Hurtt co-produced the album with Tony Bell – and Phil also sings on the set, mostly working in background chorus modes, but occasionally speaking in a warm, romantic mode that's really nice. Titles include a nice remake of "Pick Up The Pieces", plus "Lady Marmalade", "Fire", "Love's Theme", "Brown Eyed Girl", and "Sideshow". LP, Vinyl record album

Surprisingly nice later work from this legendary tenorist – with solos by Frank Lacy on trombone, Jon Faddis on trumpet, Marshall Royal on alto, and Richard Wyands on piano. LP, Vinyl record album

A great blend of older jazz styles and the sweet 70s funk of Robin Kenyatta – served up with a hip sort of sparkle overall! There's a few familiar jazz modes in here that definitely live up to the spirit of the title – but most of the record is more open, laidback, and somewhat spiritual – thanks to help from a hip lineup that includes Billy Harper on tenor sax, Dwight Brewster and Larry Willis on electric piano, Winston Wright on organ, Lew Soloff on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone! Some of the best tracks here are surprisingly open and earthy – almost pointing back towards Kenyatta's Until album, but a bit more inside – and other cuts have a warmer sort of 70s glow, more in the mode that Robin was hitting on other Atlantic albums of the time. Titles include "The Need To Smile", "Mellow In The Park", "Jessica", "River Boat", "Two Bass Blues", and "Smooth Sailing". LP, Vinyl record album

Rahsaan Roland Kirk takes on "other folks music" – that is, a host of tunes penned by other jazz artists – but as you'd expect, there's a really personal feel to the record overall – one that definitely makes the music Kirk's own by the end of the set! The album's a bit more subdued than some of his previous records, but no less creative – as there's a wonderfully understated quality to the record that really cements its charm – that undeniable Kirk genius at work, amidst an inventive lineup that includes Truty Pitts on electric piano, Hilton Ruiz on acoustic piano, Gloria Agnosti on harp, Richard Williams on trumpet, Roy Haynes on drums – and Roland himself on a great range of reeds – including tenor, flute, manzello, stritchaphone, reed trumpet, and harmonica! Titles include a great reworking of Frank Foster's "Simone", plus versions of Hilton Ruiz' "Arrival" , Trudy Pitts' "Anysha", Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee", and Kirk's own "Water For Robeson & Williams". 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

A landmark album from Roland Kirk – one of his key 60s sides for Atlantic records, and an amazing blend of soul jazz, hardbop, and freer thinking styles! Roland's playing an insane assortment of horns on the set – often at the same time, if you know his 3-way style of blowing – and instruments used for the recording include Manzello, stritch, flute, whistle, English horn, and flexatone – in addition to standard tenor and clarinet. Other players in the group include Ron Burton on piano, Steve Novosel on bass, and Jimmy Hopps on drums – and the album's got some incredible original compositions that include "Many Blessings", "Handful Of Fives", "Lovellevellioqui", "Laugh for Rory", "Black and Crazy Blues", and "The Inflated Tear". 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 wonderfully mellow record by John Lewis – recorded with some great European jazzmen! Lewis leads the group on piano – and he's joined by Bobby Jaspar on flute and tenor, Giovanni Tomasso on bass, and Rene Thomas on guitar. The tracks are long, and a number of them also feature a string quartet behind the jazz group. Titles include "Monday In Milan", "Danielle In The Lion's Den", "In A Crowd", and "Winter Tale". 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 classic batch of modal grooves from Charles Lloyd – recorded during the height of his mind-expanding years, with his famous quartet that included Keith Jarrett on piano and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The tracks are long and magical, done with that spiritual spiraling sound that Lloyd was wowing the hippies with at the time – and considering that this set was recorded live at the Fillmore, there were an awful lot of hippies present to be wowed! But the set's also got a charm that lives long past its time – thanks to an expansive vision from Lloyd on flute and tenor, and from Jarrett on piano too. Titles include "Sunday Morning", "Love-in", "Tribal Dance", and "Temple Bells". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record, filled with loads of cross-cultural influences that make for one of the most exotic Herbie Mann albums of the 60s! The group's billed as the Afro-Jazz Sextet– but has a strong Latin vibe as well – a bit of an echo of the experiments Herbie Mann did with Latin jazz previously on labels like Verve and United Artists – but given a bit more of the Atlantic-era punch here as well! The group features some wonderful vibes from John Rae – whose tones ring out beautifully on some of the best numbers – plus a mix of Latin and African-styled percussion from Ray Barretto, Olatunjii, and Ray Mantilla – who really make the record cook. A few tunes feature an added trumpet group, and the rest are mostly just flute and percussion – on titles that include "St Thomas", "Walkin", "Uhuru", "High Life", and "Sawa Sawa De". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – a groovy batch of short tunes from the TV show of the same name, performed by a larger ensemble that includes Frank Strozier, Bud Shank, Bob Bain, Victor Feldman, and Emil Richards. The tracks have a bit of a jungle/exotic groove to them – in keeping with the African setting of the show – and titles include "Elephantime", "Daktari", 'Out On A Limb", "Africa", "Galloping Girraffes, and "Rhino Trot". 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

(Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – quite possibly one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, and a session that has Charles Mingus stepping boldly forward in a whole new direction! The album shakes loose the sometimes too-academic modern tones of Mingus albums from the previous year or two – and unleashes the bold, raw emotion that would drive him firmly into the 60s – a new sense of freedom in music, filled with poetry, anger, joy, and life! The tracks are all quite long – and played by a sharp quintet with Mingus on bass, Jackie McLean on alto sax, JR Monterose on tenor, Mal Waldron on piano, and Willie Jones on drums. Titles include "Pithecantrhopus Erectus", "A Foggy Day", "Love Chant", and "Profile of Jackie". The whole thing bubbles over with an anger and intensity that you hardly find in other Mingus albums, and if you've ever heard a weak Mingus album, and wondered what all the fuss was about, you owe it to yourself to own this one! We promise that it will never ever let you down. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – quite possibly one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, and a session that has Charles Mingus stepping boldly forward in a whole new direction! The album shakes loose the sometimes too-academic modern tones of Mingus albums from the previous year or two – and unleashes the bold, raw emotion that would drive him firmly into the 60s – a new sense of freedom in music, filled with poetry, anger, joy, and life! The tracks are all quite long – and played by a sharp quintet with Mingus on bass, Jackie McLean on alto sax, JR Monterose on tenor, Mal Waldron on piano, and Willie Jones on drums. Titles include "Pithecantrhopus Erectus", "A Foggy Day", "Love Chant", and "Profile of Jackie". The whole thing bubbles over with an anger and intensity that you hardly find in other Mingus albums, and if you've ever heard a weak Mingus album, and wondered what all the fuss was about, you owe it to yourself to own this one! We promise that it will never ever let you down. LP, Vinyl record album

A great follow-up to the Doldinger Jubilee album of a few years previous – easily one of the most successful Passport records for Atlantic, thanks to a host of great guest stars! The format is followed again for this recording too – by augmenting the core Passport quartet with players that include Philip Catherine on guitar, Johnny Griffin on tenor, and Les McCann on Fender Rhodes – plus a surprising bit of vocals and guitar from Buddy Guy! Les steps out on their rendition of his "Compared To What" – and other tracks are more fusion-centrist numbers in the Passport mode – with titles that include "Albatros Song", "Abracadabra", "Jadoo", and "Angel Wings". LP, Vinyl record album

Composed and produced by Kluas Doldinger, with Hermann Weindorf, Kevin Mulligan, Dieter Peterit, and Curt Cress. LP, Vinyl record album

A strange and beautiful album from the late Don Pullen! The record is almost a funk album at times, but it's really more of an electrically-tinged session that brings Pullen's lively keyboards into play with some strident groupings that include George Adams, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, and Roland Prince. The whole thing's got a really sweet mellow feel – with lots of nice work on Fender Rhodes and clavinet by Pullen. There's even some electronic accompaniment provided on a couple of numbers by Ilhan Mimaroglu. Tracks include "Big Alice", "Poodie Pie", "Last Year's Lies & Tomorrow's Promises", and the Latin-tinged "Kadji". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful blend of jazz, voices, and soul – a landmark record in Max Roach's vocal experimental tradition, and a fitting companion piece to Billy Harper's classic Capra Black album – an equally soulful blend of styles! Like Capra Black, this set features Harper's sharp and soulful tenor up against a choir of voices – blowing on hard-hitting soul jazz arrangements handled by Max Roach, of the style he used on some of his classic early 60s sides for Impulse and Candid. The tracks are long, Harper's in top form, and the group also includes Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet and George Cables on piano – ultra hip cats, always! Cuts include "Motherless Child", "Let Thy People Go", and "Troubled Waters. LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy groovy electric set from Hammond giant Shirley Scott – a set that really kicks things up in the rhythm department, in a way ties the album as much to Atlantic Records soul of the 60s as it does to some of Scott's earlier work for Prestige! There's a great pulse at the bottom of the tunes – thanks to guitar work from Billy Butler and Eric Gale, and some sweet electric bass from Chuck Rainey – working here in the rhythm section with Jimmy Johnson on drums and Ralph MacDonald on congas. The combination of all these great players on one date really makes things cook – and Shirley's organ sounds groovier than ever – so much so, she also seems free to try out a few sounds here on piano and ondoline as well. Things take on a nicely trippy feel at times, and a funky groove at others – and titles include "I Want You Back", "Because", "Someday We'll Be Together", and "Can I Change My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the mellowest and most laidback records ever from pianist Don Shirley – and that's saying a lot, given the quietude of his other records! The lineup here is an unusual one – with Shirley on both piano and organ, accompanied by two cellos and one bass – all flowing in drumless splendor on longish tracks that partly pitch Don as a Les McCann-styled 70s sophisticate, but which also are much more strongly introspective, and almost have the seriousness of John Lewis. Titles include "Alfie", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Gershwin Medley", "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", and "The Warning". LP, Vinyl record album

After years of staying free of comparisons with Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt steps confidently into a set of compositions by the late, great one – sounding really wonderful in his own interpretations of these classics! The album's got the same simple and focused still as Stitt's best work on Roost – and although the compositions are all by Bird, the overall sound is still very much Sonny's own – especially given the wonderful sense of space and timing brought to some of the performances! The group's an unusual one, especially for Stitt – and features John Lewis on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Richard Davis on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – all offering a slightly more modern take on Bird than might be expected – especially through the angular lines on Hall's guitar. Titles include "Ko Ko", "Confirmation", "Ornithology", "Parker's Mood", "Au Privave", and "Constellation". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky flute from Art Webb – an overlooked 70s jazz player who's probably best known for his Latin fusion work, but who really shines here in a more soul-based setting! This set shows Art working strongly in a mode that references that part of his career, yet also has him stepping into more of the mainstream of funky jazz, too – working with the rhythm section of John Lee and Gerry Brown, plus guitarists Reggie Lucas and Hiram Bullock, and keyboardists Mike Mandel and Hubert Eaves – both of whom make the record sparkle with a soulful fusion sound that's totally great! Arrangements are by Mike Gibbs and John Lee, and overall the album's got a very solid soulful sound. Titles include "Flute Magic", "Can't Hide Love", "Pyramids", "Love Eyes", "Free", and "Glass Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

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

The title gets it right – as the album's easily the closest thing to free jazz that Ornette Coleman ever recorded – an album-length improvisation played by a "double quartet" that's overflowing with classic players! The style here is a fair bit like John Coltrane's Ascension album for Impulse – and like that one, the session features Ornette and his contemporaries really stretching out – blowing like never heard before on record, and working in a highly unstructured setting! Other players include Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Scott LaFaro on bass – alongside regular group members Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass, and both Ed Blackwell and Billy Higgins on drums. One long track – just titled "Free Jazz"! LP, Vinyl record album

An album that certainly lives up to the promise of its title – as it's filled with amazing instrumentation, groundbreaking compositions, and a sound in jazz that few ears could imagine at the time! The groove here is extremely modal – all instruments rolling along on the same rhythmic pulse, with drums, bass, trumpet, and alto sax incredibly intertwined! Ornette's really got an edge on his instrument – cutting even more deeply here than the clipped, punctuated cornet work of Don Cherry – and the rhythm team of Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins are simply amazing – not just keeping up with the energy of Ornette, but also really helping facilitate it as well! Titles include the haunting "Lonely Woman", plus "Peace", "Chronology", and "Focus on Sanity". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that certainly lives up to the promise of its title – as it's filled with amazing instrumentation, groundbreaking compositions, and a sound in jazz that few ears could imagine at the time! The groove here is extremely modal – all instruments rolling along on the same rhythmic pulse, with drums, bass, trumpet, and alto sax incredibly intertwined! Ornette's really got an edge on his instrument – cutting even more deeply here than the clipped, punctuated cornet work of Don Cherry – and the rhythm team of Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins are simply amazing – not just keeping up with the energy of Ornette, but also really helping facilitate it as well! Titles include the haunting "Lonely Woman", plus "Peace", "Chronology", and "Focus on Sanity". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more obscure John Coltrane albums for Atlantic – but a beautiful batch of spiritual numbers that really show him pushing towards the sound of A Love Supreme! The date on the album's 1966, but the material was recorded earlier – in that key turning point year of 1960, when Coltrane really started to let loose with his new ideas – ideas so fresh, in fact, that they might have kept this record from getting released at the time! The group here features piano from McCoy Tyner, drums from Elvin Jones, and bass from Steve Davis – an oft-overlooked talent who did some amazing work with Coltrane during this brief time. The tracks are open, flowing, and filled with imagination – and Coltrane works both on tenor and soprano sax, on titles that include "Liberia", "Equinox", "Satellite", "Central Park West", and a classic reading of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet soulful stepper from the mighty Hank Crawford – a set that's got a bit of the bluesy lines promised by the title, but which also has some snappier soul jazz modes played by a larger ensemble! Hank plays a bit of piano, in addition to his trademark alto sax – and the set's got a style that bridges his roots with Ray Charles and some of the cooler, groovier modes of Atlantic Records jazz in the 60s. Other players include Wendell Harrison on reeds, and Sonny Forriest on guitar – and titles include the originals "Mr Blues", "Smoky City", "Hush Puppies", and "The Turfer" – plus versions of "Danger Zone", "Route 66", and "Lonely Avenue". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Wilbur DeParis on trombone, Sidney DeParis on cornet, Doc Cheatham on trumpet, and Omer Simeon on clarinet. LP, Vinyl record album

A spacious mid 70s set from Yusef Lateef – with some numbers showing his more soaringly spiritual bent – and others hewing towards a more bluesy or loosely funky vein. Tracked live in San Francisco, some numbers were later augmented with overdubbed strings and vocals – there's some nicely thumping elements of earthy percussion, loose moments, and quiet passages that sometimes build slowly, and at others change abruptly for maximum impact. The set features several longer selections, including the suite divided "Samba De Amor" in three sections, plus "Yusef's Mood" and "I Be Cold" – all approach or crossing the 20 minute mark – plus nice takes on "But Beautiful" and " A Flower". The group features Kenny Barron on piano and cowbell, Bob Cunningham on bass and bells, Albert Kuumba Heath on percussion and flute, and Bill Salter on bass – alongside Lateef whose working with tenor sax, flutes, oboe, thumb piano and percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Yusef Lateef's funkier albums for Atlantic – and a record that features some great keyboard work from Kenny Barron! The liner notes indicate a current Lateef fascination with rhythm, and it tries to present this fascination in a way that implies a bigger intellectual approach to the music – but heck, this is just some pretty darn nice 70s jazz funk, and Lateef's angular reed work sounds very nice next to the smoother electric backdrops! In addition to Barron's keyboards, the record also features guitar from Billy Butler, drums from Al Foster, and percussion from Dom Um Romao – plus a bit of Arp from Dana McCurdy, which is mighty nice. Titles include "Hellbound", "The Improvisers", "Mystique", "Technological Homosapien", "Mushmouth", and "Mississippi Mud". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking set from Yusef Lateef – one that mixes together a number of different soul jazz styles! In a way, Atlantic records tried to handle Yusef Lateef in the same way they did Roland Kirk – by creating recordings that either let him express himself strongly as an arch-modernist, or those that focused on his solo talents in material that was a bit more funky and soulful. This album's got a bit of both – as side one has Yusef playing with slightly electric groups on short tracks that feature vocal backings by the Sweet Inspirations, and side two features Yusef playing with the Cologne Radio Orchestra, conducted by William Fischer, on an extended work called "The Symphonic Blues Suite". We dig the shorter tracks better, and those titles include "Nocturne", "Buddy & Lou", and "Down In Atlanta". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from a very unique little group – the short-lived union of bassist Red Mitchell and saxophonist Harold Land – heard here in one of the hippest dates from the LA scene of the early 60s! Mitchell's a well-known name from more straight ahead sides of the 50s, but working here with Land he really hits a great groove – that harder sort of soulbop sound that was coming out of LA for a few brief years in the 60s – played with a sense of tightness and fire that matched the best work of the time in New York! The whole group here is great – and the amazing Carmell Jones is in the group on trumpet, alongside Frank Strazzeri on piano and Leon Pettis on drums. The solos are great, and the writing is too – with some lively lyrical original compositions that include "Comara", "Pari Passu", "Catacomb", and "Triplin Awhile". A great bridge between Land's earlier sessions under his own name, and his later partnership with Bobby Hutcherson! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic treasure from the South African jazz scene of the 60s – a record that's full of soul and spirit, and which draws enough from the piano of leader Chris Schilder as it does from the tenor of Winston Mankuku Ngozi! Nogzi's a player who's very much in the John Coltrane camp, but with a spirit that's all his own – a rich tone that reaches back to late 50s hardbop styles, but which gets a more fluid, modal expression here – alongside well-crafted lines from Schilder on piano, in a quintet with guitar from Garry Kriel, bass from Phillip Schilder, and drums from Gilbert Matthews. There's certainly a South African spirit in some of the rhythms, but the music itself is more in the righteous territory of late 60s Blue Note – like the most creative work from Lee Morgan or Hank Mobley – on titles that include "The Birds", "Look Up", "Before The Rain & After", "Spring", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". LP, Vinyl record album

A true giant step for John Coltrane – and one of the first albums to really showcase his talent as a writer – and his amazing ability for penning some of the most soulful, spiritual themes in jazz! Apart from the well-known title cut, the record's filled with other Coltrane classics – key early readings of "Naima", "Cousin Mary", "Mr PC", "Spiral", and "Syeeda's Song Flute" – all showing a new sense of timing, phrasing, and pacing in jazz – one that would go on to have a huge impact on players in the 70s generation! The group here is relatively straight – Tommy Flanagan or Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – but the players have never sounded better, and really match Coltrane's sense of power and imagination on these legendary tracks! LP, Vinyl record album