Nicely sharp sounds from the great JJ Johnson – a set that has the trombonist really honing his edge on a host of tight, short tracks – with a vibe that almost recalls his initial bop recordings on Blue Note and Prestige! The style here is a bit more sophisticated – definitely with an ear towards the modern directions that JJ was exploring in the 50s – but the sound is also nicely spontaneous, with more focus on improvisation between group members than larger arrangements – quite nice, given that the group features excellent tenor from Bobby Jaspar on tenor – and either Tommy Flanagan or Hank Jones on piano, Percy Heath or Wilbur Little on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Tracks are short, and titles include "Overdrive", "Cube Steak", "Chasin The Bird", and "Solar". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy Sounds, indeed – a beautiful little set of dark-edged soul jazz from the mid 60s – co-led by bassist Richard Davis and drummer Elvin Jones! The sound here is a bit different than any work ever released by either player as a leader – and is almost more in the vein of Blue Note or Prestige work of the same period – hardbop turned towards more soulful notes, but also still touched with a degree of modernism. A key element in the group is Frank Foster on tenor – whose blowing here is superb, and really on a par with his own albums as a leader from the time – marking a strong sound away from too many years of Basie influences! Frank does a killer job on his own "Raunchy Rita", taken here in a nice sexy groove, and stretched out nice and long with a very sinister feel – and other tracks include "ME", "Summertime", and "Elvin's Guitar Blues", which actually features Jones on guitar! CD

A holy grail from the prime years of Blue Note hardbop – and one of the first records ever recorded by Clifford Jordan, then a fresh young tenor talent, just blown in from Chicago! The album has Jordan working with an all-star lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Sonny Clark on piano, and Louis Hayes in drums – blowing with a style that is a bit looser than other Blue Notes from the time, with touches of lyrical expression, brought on by the presence of Farmer and Hayes. Great overall – as tight as a bop side, but with a much deeper soul! Titles include "Confirmation", "Laconia", "Soul-Lo Blues", and "Cliff Craft". CD

A holy grail from the prime years of Blue Note hardbop – and one of the first records ever recorded by Clifford Jordan, then a fresh young tenor talent, just blown in from Chicago! The album has Jordan working with an all-star lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Sonny Clark on piano, and Louis Hayes in drums – blowing with a style that is a bit looser than other Blue Notes from the time, with touches of lyrical expression, brought on by the presence of Farmer and Hayes. Great overall – as tight as a bop side, but with a much deeper soul! Titles include "Confirmation", "Laconia", "Soul-Lo Blues", and "Cliff Craft". CD

A holy grail from the prime years of Blue Note hardbop – and one of the first records ever recorded by Clifford Jordan, then a fresh young tenor talent, just blown in from Chicago! The album has Jordan working with an all-star lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Sonny Clark on piano, and Louis Hayes in drums – blowing with a style that is a bit looser than other Blue Notes from the time, with touches of lyrical expression, brought on by the presence of Farmer and Hayes. Great overall – as tight as a bop side, but with a much deeper soul! Titles include "Confirmation", "Laconia", "Soul-Lo Blues", and "Cliff Craft". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little session from Wynton Kelly – one that has him breaking out of the lyrical roots of his trio work, and hitting some harder notes as a leader of a larger hardbop group! The album features Kelly working in both trio and sextet format – the latter with players who include Nat Adderley, Bobby Jaspar, and Benny Golson; and the former with Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb (who also play with the sextet). The sextet tracks are the ones that we really love here – as they tend to feature 2 long original numbers by Kelly – much more open than usual, and in a mode that was rarely captured as well on Wynton's albums as a leader. The trio sides are still nice too, though – although a bit more like some of his other sides – and the album features 6 tracks in all, titles that include "Kelly Blue", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Green Dollphin Street", "Keep It Moving", and "Old Clothes". CD

Beautiful early work from John Klemmer – one of the most under-rated talents of his generation, and a great player who frequently gets overlooked because of his later, smoother work. This album is Klemmer's first – recorded with a soulful Chicago tenor sound, touched with some of the freedoms of the late 60s Cadet Records scene. The approach is a bit like Eddie Harris at his best – with Klemmer rolling out soulful, stretched out notes over backing by a Harris-inspired rhythm section that includes Melvin Jackson on bass, Wilbur Cambell on drums, and Jodie Christian on piano. The groove is very solid, very in the pocket – and Klemmer blows in a tradition that includes Frank Strozier and Eric Alexander – 2 other players who've made a strong contribution to the Chicago scene. Titles include "My Blues", "Will N Jug", "Passion Food", "Stand In the Sun", and "Later With Them Woes". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever album as a leader from Finnish saxophonist Eero Koivistoinen – an amazing debut that's filled with sharp notes and soaring rhythms! The style here is slightly modern, but also filled with a tremendous sense of soul – a deeply creative vibe that takes off from the hippest side of Blue Note in the mid 60s, and really moves into it's own kind of space. Most numbers have a strong sort of pulse – sometimes modal, sometimes more tightly snapping, and almost in a hardbop vein – providing a perfect platform for the bold solo work from Eero on tenor, soprano, and alto sax – and Bertil Lovgren on trumpet, whose instrument dances with Eero's on the leads, then blasts off with some beautifully crafted lines of its own! Titles include "For Fun", "Traneology", "Sleeping", "So Nice", "Country Jive", and "Odysseus". CD

The first-ever album as a leader from Finnish saxophonist Eero Koivistoinen – an amazing debut that's filled with sharp notes and soaring rhythms! The style here is slightly modern, but also filled with a tremendous sense of soul – a deeply creative vibe that takes off from the hippest side of Blue Note in the mid 60s, and really moves into it's own kind of space. Most numbers have a strong sort of pulse – sometimes modal, sometimes more tightly snapping, and almost in a hardbop vein – providing a perfect platform for the bold solo work from Eero on tenor, soprano, and alto sax – and Bertil Lovgren on trumpet, whose instrument dances with Eero's on the leads, then blasts off with some beautifully crafted lines of its own! Titles include "For Fun", "Traneology", "Sleeping", "So Nice", "Country Jive", and "Odysseus". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's noteworthy not just for the presence of alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, and for the leadership of baritonist Gerry Mulligan – but a record that also features the great Chet Baker on trumpet, working here as part of a trio of musicians who were really helping transform the sound of jazz in the early 50s! And maybe most noteworthy in the set is the lack of any piano at all – a strategy of Mulligan's at the time, but used in a way that also echoes some of Lee's sublime quartet sessions of the mid 50s too – and a nice setting for Chet, as he has plenty of space to open up and craft those magical notes of his youth! The rest of the group features Larry Bunker on drums, and either Carson Smith or Joe Mondragon on bass – and material was recorded partly live, and partly in the studio – with titles that include "Broadway", "Sextet", "Almost Like Being In Love", "Too Marvelous For Words", "Lover Man", "I'll Remember April", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

Drummer Joe LaBarbera always seems to know how to get the most out of a group – and that's definitely the case here, on a record that bristles with bold energy that hearkens back to the best years of hardbop – while also letting some of the individual players deliver some decidedly modern tones! The group features excellent work from Clay Jenkins on trumpet – a player whose phrasing really grabs us – next to tenor from Bob Sheppard, a player with this raspy edge that really adds a lot to the session! Bill Cunliffe plays piano, and brings a broad sense of tone to the record that seems to wrap everything up and unify the sound – and the group's completed by Jonathan Richards on bass. Titles include "Blue Notes", "Lake Erie", "Landmarks Along The Way", "You Know I Care", and "Grand Central". LP, Vinyl record album

Steve Lacy's legendary Argentinean recording – one of his boldest moments of the early years, and the start of a long history of superb work away from the American scene! The group here is quite unusual – as players include Enrico Rava on trumpet, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums – one budding European improviser, and two key members of the Blue Notes – who'd left South Africa for the UK by the time of this release. The live performance features only two long tracks – "Forest" and "Zoo" – both played with a sense of freedom not heard before in Lacy's music, at a level that really points the way towards his explosive presence in the French and Italian scenes in years to come! CD

The layers here come from the wonderful interplay between the guitar of Julian Lage and his trio members Jorge Roeder on bass and Dave King on drums – both musicians who lay back nicely, and find a way to resonate with those trademark chromatic notes that Lage seems to spin out effortlessly! The album's billed as a precursor to the previous View With A Room album – looser and more exploratory than that one, but also pretty darn great on its own. Titles include "The Layers", "Mantra", "Everything Helps", "This World", "Missing Voices", and "Double Southpaw". CD

The layers here come from the wonderful interplay between the guitar of Julian Lage and his trio members Jorge Roeder on bass and Dave King on drums – both musicians who lay back nicely, and find a way to resonate with those trademark chromatic notes that Lage seems to spin out effortlessly! The album's billed as a precursor to the previous View With A Room album – looser and more exploratory than that one, but also pretty darn great on its own. Titles include "The Layers", "Mantra", "Everything Helps", "This World", "Missing Voices", and "Double Southpaw". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue look at the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden – an tiny little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time – politician, club owner, and local businessman – but he also put together his own band and record label, and worked in a very hip mix of R&B and 60s soul jazz modes! Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact with a variety of great musicians, both national and local – and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here for his LG family of labels – issued on a handful of singles and two rare LPs. Although rough-edged at times, these tracks have a really great sound – kind of a grittier take on the Prestige Records groove of the 60s – helped out by musicians who include Oliver Nelson and Hamiet Bluiett – and singers who include Albert King and Charles Drain. The package is a bit loose on discographical details, but definitely includes all the best moments from these mighty years on the East St Louis scene – and the full story in the notes more than helps to fill in the gaps in Gooden's compelling tale. The titles by Leo's Five – Gooden's group – are all hip jazz instrumentals, often with a strong mix of Hammond, guitar, and tenor – and these titles include "Hold It", "Sunrise Serenade", "Something You Got", "Tippin", "Johnnie Come Marching Home (Country Style)", "Minor Over Matter", "Mop Water", "Fredrick's Dream", and "Cookin With Chezie Mae". Other cuts include "COD" and "Worsome Baby" by Albert King, "So Glad" and "Stop & Think About It Baby" by Charles Drain, "Winkee Do" and "Ugly Ugly" by Leo Gooden, and "Let's Do The Cat" by Jamie Ross. CD

One of the strongest sessions recorded by pianist John Lewis in the 50s – a date that shows depths of his talents that run even greater than his work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, quite possibly because is work on piano is at the forefront of the record throughout! There's a sense of darkness here that really fits the image on the cover – a style that's stated clearly on piano lines that are often as spacious as they are gentle, but which also have a moodier undercurrent below, thanks to Lewis' careful choice of keys and notes. The backing is often quite spare – Lewis sometimes plays just with Connie Kay's drums, or the guitar of either Jim Hall or Barry Galbraith – and at its fullest, the record features 2 trio numbers with the bass of Percy Heath and drums of Connie Kay. Tracks are lyrically and thoughtfully composed – and titles include "Two Lyric Pieces", "Harlequin", "D&E", "Little Girl Blue", and "Warmeland". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most righteous sounds we've ever heard from Houston legends The Lightmen – recorded at a time when the group was at their most spiritual, and very firmly following a cosmic path set down by drummer Bubbha Thomas! The music here owes nothing to the hippest sounds coming from the coastal cities – and even the undergrounds of Chicago and Detroit in the early 70s – and in fact, there's a vibe here that would be right at home with the Tribe Records spirit of the motor city, as the group balance their freewheeling inclinations with a nice sense of rhythm as well! Players include Doug Harris on some excellent soprano, tenor, and flute – plus Virgil Solomon on flute and alto, James Hensley on trumpet and light whistle, Joe Singleton on trombone, and Marshia Frazier on electric piano. Titles include "Sorrow Bitterness & Revolution", "Hope", "Blue Tip", "On The Road Home", "Song Of Praise", and "Ujimma". 2CD version features the standard stereo mix and the unissued mono version – plus a great booklet of notes! CD

Imagine a record that starts with a fantastic reading of a Roy Ayers' tune, then just gets better as things go on – and that's very much what you'll get here, in this sweet set from vibist Chien Chien Lu! The record's got Chien Chien ringing out on these bold, well-placed notes – recording in Brooklyn, and hitting a sound that's up there with the best of the contemporary NY scene, but with some nice echoes of the past in the way she uses the vibes – full, rich, and very soulful. The rest of the group features work from Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, and Shdrick Mitchell on piano and organ – and in addition to a killer remake of "We Live In Brooklyn", the set features tunes that include "The Imaginary Enemy", "Blossom In A Stormy Night", "Blue In Green", "Invitation", "Tears & Love", and "Mo Better Blues". CD

A very nice set of Japanese fusion tracks cut by guitarist Reggie Lucas, with nice electric backing by Hubert Eaves on keyboard, Michael Henderson on bass, and other acoustic players like Mtume, John Stubblefield, and Clifford Adams. The set was recorded by East Wind in Japan, and the best cuts on here have that nice smooth fusion sound that graced their releases in this vein from the 70's. Lucas hits some excellent grooves with a warm sweeping feel, punctuated by tight solos with lots of blue notes, and these cuts include "Tender Years", "The Barefoot Song", and "Slewfoot". The "Survival Themes" suite is a bit more "out", and less to our liking, but there's more than enough good moments on the other cuts! CD

The image on the cover really gets at the feel of the set – as the instrumentation here features simply percussion, electric guitar, and flute – all used in really inventive, highly rhythmic ways! There's a lilting groove to the set that recalls earlier rhythms from the South African scene – but the use of guitar and phrasing of the flute are also showing a stronger influence from jazz – maybe not the modern modes of a group like The Blue Notes, yet still a key cultural shift that really makes the album a legendary one from the scene at the time! Titles include "Soul Of Africa", "Jolly Journey", "Malombi Walk", "Sibathathu", "Abbey's Body", "Umkhosi", "Ngivulele", and "Emoubane". (Global Grooves, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

The only session as a leader from trumpeter Cal Massey – a big influence on soulful modernism in the 60s, but an artist who showed up more in the liner notes for records than he did in the studio! The record's a really unique one – and a set that crackles with the best sort of intensity of the Candid jazz label at the time. Massey's vision here is one that's extremely progressive – open in a hardbop sort of way, but often touched with more of the modernism that was showing up in the darker corners of the Blue Note scene. His trumpet work here has a mix of sweetness and sharp edges that reminds us a lot of Johnny Coles at his best – but almost even more important is his writing and overall conception – as the tunes here are a fantastic mix of high concept ideals that never fail to groove – of a sort that would show up later in the 60s on records by Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, and others. The group here is a sextet – with Massey on trumpet, Julius Watkins on French Horn, Hugh Brodie on tenor, Patti Brown on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and GT Hogan on drums – and titles include "These Are Soulful Days", which was recorded by Lee Morgan, and "Bakai", which was recorded by Coltrane – and the tracks "Blues To Coltrane", "What's Wrong", and "Father & Son". CD

2 lost sides of soul jazz – both of them rare gems on vinyl, and back-to-back here in one nicely priced CD package! Doin The Thang is an excellent bit of lost soul jazz piano work – featuring the highly underrated Ronnie Mathews, with a quartet that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Charles Davis on baritone. The sound is very groovy, and very funky, with a feel that's more like some of the classic Blue Notes from the time than it is like the other Prestige recordings. Mathews' piano playing is perfect, and he grooves with a soulful firey edge, and lays down solos that blow away Hubbard and Davis. Tracks include "The Thang", "Ichi Ban", and "The Orient". Pleasure Bent is one of the few albums ever cut by the incredible tenor player Roland Alexander – an artist who appeared briefly on the scene during the early 60s, and the few recording's he's left us with are the consummate picture of hip soulful playing. This 1961 session features Alexander leading a group that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Ronnie Matthews on piano, Gene Taylor on bass, and Clarence Stroman on drums – and it's a laidback batch of lyrical tunes, nearly all penned by Alexander. Titles include "I'll Be Around", "Dorman Road", "Lil's Blues", and "Orders To Take Out". CD

One of the best of the early 60s comeback albums by the legendary bop trumpeter Howard McGhee – and a record that really has the player finding a whole new groove in his music! At this point, Maggie's got a fantastic tone that was missing from his earlier records, filled with pain and raw emotion – but also measured with a maturity that gives his solos an incredible sense of economy that delivers a whole hell of a lot with just a few simple notes – a balance that comes through beautifully here, maybe even more so than on any other record by Howard from the time! He's playing here in a great group that includes Roland Alexander on tenor, Bennie Green on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Pepper Adams on baritone – and tracks include "Dusty Blue", "Groovin High", "Cottage For Sale", "Flyin Colors", and "With Malice Towards None". CD

One of the best of the early 60s comeback albums by the legendary bop trumpeter Howard McGhee – and a record that really has the player finding a whole new groove in his music! At this point, Maggie's got a fantastic tone that was missing from his earlier records, filled with pain and raw emotion – but also measured with a maturity that gives his solos an incredible sense of economy that delivers a whole hell of a lot with just a few simple notes – a balance that comes through beautifully here, maybe even more so than on any other record by Howard from the time! He's playing here in a great group that includes Roland Alexander on tenor, Bennie Green on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Pepper Adams on baritone – and tracks include "Dusty Blue", "Groovin High", "Cottage For Sale", "Flyin Colors", and "With Malice Towards None". CD

One of the best of the early 60s comeback albums by the legendary bop trumpeter Howard McGhee – and a record that really has the player finding a whole new groove in his music! At this point, Maggie's got a fantastic tone that was missing from his earlier records, filled with pain and raw emotion – but also measured with a maturity that gives his solos an incredible sense of economy that delivers a whole hell of a lot with just a few simple notes – a balance that comes through beautifully here, maybe even more so than on any other record by Howard from the time! He's playing here in a great group that includes Roland Alexander on tenor, Bennie Green on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Pepper Adams on baritone – and tracks include "Dusty Blue", "Groovin High", "Cottage For Sale", "Flyin Colors", and "With Malice Towards None". LP, Vinyl record album

In the early 70s, pianist Chris McGregor was one of the leading lights of the British jazz scene – an expatriot South African living in London, whose work with the legendary group The Blue Notes was steeped in an African rhythmic traditions! This seminal work from 1971 shows how much McGregor's style evolved in the late 60's, and how fiercely it had become intertwined with the British avant styles of the time – in a groove that comes across here with an earthy, rootsy bottom – but also features plenty of far-reaching solos that go out, yet never too far – the best balance of modes from players that include fellow Blue Notes Mongezi Feza, Dudu Pukwana, and Louis Moholo – as well as British jazz luminaries who include Harry Beckett, Alan Skidmore, and John Surman. Titles include "Andromeda", "Union Special", "Night Poem", "MRA", "The Bride", and "Davashe's Dream". CD

Amazing sounds from the legendary Chris McGregor – a rare set of solo piano performances that shows a whole new side of his genius! The music here is still steeped in South African roots, yet has a style that's a bit more personal and intimate than some of Chris' better-known recordings with The Brotherhood Of Breath, or The Blue Notes – as McGregor here has to carry all the weight on his own – and does a tremendous job of spinning out these haunting melodies on piano – usually with a rhythmic pulse that's as compelling as the tune! The style's got echoes of previous Afro-inspired piano jazz from Randy Weston or Dollar Brand – but there's a deftness, and sense of feeling here that's completely McGregor's own – a really compelling quality that holds us rapt in ways that few other solo piano sets might do. This CD brings together lots more material than was on the original LP release – over 70s minutes of music, with tracks that include "Call", "Raincloud", "Umhome", "Mngqusho", "The Bride", "In His Good Time", "Ududu Nombambula", "Kwa Tebugo", and "Green Hymn". CD

In the early 70s, pianist Chris McGregor was one of the leading lights of the British jazz scene – an expatriot South African living in London, whose work with the legendary group The Blue Notes was steeped in an African rhythmic traditions! This seminal work from 1971 shows how much McGregor's style evolved in the late 60's, and how fiercely it had become intertwined with the British avant styles of the time – in a groove that comes across here with an earthy, rootsy bottom – but also features plenty of far-reaching solos that go out, yet never too far – the best balance of modes from players that include fellow Blue Notes Mongezi Feza, Dudu Pukwana, and Louis Moholo – as well as British jazz luminaries who include Harry Beckett, Alan Skidmore, and John Surman. Titles include "Andromeda", "Union Special", "Night Poem", "MRA", "The Bride", and "Davashe's Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing music from Chris McGregor and his legendary Brotherhood Of Breath ensemble – easily one of the most exciting forces in British jazz in the 70s, and one fo the few who was still sounding their best in the latter half of the decade! McGregor's got as much bite and burn here as with his famous earlier combo, The Blue Notes – and the lineup here boasts ex-members of that group – Dudu Pukwana on alto, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums – all joining together perfectly with McGregor's long-spun piano lines. The ensemble also features other key British players – Mike Osborne on alto, Evan Parker on tenor, Harry Beckett and Mark Charig on trumpets, and Radu Malfatti on trombone – creating this bold horn section that stretches to the skies on waves of soul! Two lengthy pieces "Sunrise On The Sun" and "Kwaholo" bookend the shorter piece "Sonia". CD features three more tracks not on the original album – "TBS", "Andromeda", and "You Ain't Gonna Know Me Cos You Think You Know Me". CD

A tremendous set from Jackie McLean – perfectly poised between his hardbop and modern years, with a set of compositions that are as great as the performances! The lineup on this one's a bit unusual – with Walter Bishop on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – but that mix of players makes for a really unusual sound – as the rhythm section's often straight ahead, Blue Mitchell's notes are bold and sparkling, and Jackie's own solos are reaching for the darker corners of the spectrum! There's a great sense of tension here that heralds the genius of later McLean sides of the 60s – and original titles include "Francisco", "Condition Blue", "On The Lion", and "Capuchin Swing". CD

A tremendous set from Jackie McLean – perfectly poised between his hardbop and modern years, with a set of compositions that are as great as the performances! The lineup on this one's a bit unusual – with Walter Bishop on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – but that mix of players makes for a really unusual sound – as the rhythm section's often straight ahead, Blue Mitchell's notes are bold and sparkling, and Jackie's own solos are reaching for the darker corners of the spectrum! There's a great sense of tension here that heralds the genius of later McLean sides of the 60s – and original titles include "Francisco", "Condition Blue", "On The Lion", and "Capuchin Swing". CD

A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". CD

A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed by a knowledge of the space explored during Jackie's avant years, but never quite willing to go to that space – especially if it means sacrificing the soulful swing of the set! The group's filled with young soulful modernists – including Woody Shaw on trumpet, Lamont Johnson on piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and Jackie himself seems to be working out a whole new phase of his career with each new track – showing that even when he was at his "new thing" best, he was still ready to move on! Tremendous stuff, and one of our favorite Blue Notes from the time – and one of the most soulful too! Titles include "Floogeh", "Message From Trane", "Toyland", and "Boo Ann's Grind". CD

Unbelievably fantastic work from two of Blue Note's best sax players of the early 60s! The material is a lost session recorded as by a sextet that includes Jackie McLean on alto, Tina Brooks on tenor, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The tracks were recorded in the 60s, but only ever issued on vinyl on this rare Japanese-only album from the early 80s. The key word here is tone tone tone, as the pairing of McLean and Brooks is incredible, with both players hitting a razor sharp tone that's among some of their best on record. Taylor really kicks the rhythm, too, and the session has the same firey drive as his AT's Delight session. Titles include "Street Singer", "A Ballad For Doll", "Melonae's Dance", "Appointment In Ghana", "Medina", and "Isle Of Java". Great, great, great! LP, Vinyl record album

Key moments in the career of Charles Mingus – all recorded during the crucial years of 1964 and 1965, and featuring the first-time release of a fair bit of live material too! The set represents the first full presentation of recordings that have appeared piecemeal on a handful of obscure releases – self-released records from Mingus himself – Town Hall, My Favorite Quintet, and Music Written For Monterey – all really expanded here with the full recordings of the tracks, and unreleased titles provided from the original tapes! Mingus was really on fire during these years – severed from most of his bigger label associations, and freely working on some of his most inventive ideas with various smaller groups of players – all fresh young talents who were key interpreters of Charles' ideas – including Johnny Coles and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, Jimmy Owens on trumpet and flugelhorn, Charles McPherson on alto sax, Clifford Jordan on tenor, Jaki Byard on piano, Eric Dolphy on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. The stalwart Dannie Richmond is on drums, and the sides represent some of Dolphy's last, and most important recordings on the planet – recordings done at Town Hall and in Amsterdam in April of 1964 – in addition to live material at Monterey in 1964 and 1965, in Minneapolis in May of 1965. Tracks are all quite long – some pushing the half-hour timing – and as with the best live Mingus, there's variations here that go way past any studio readings – really incredible solo flights that are still beautifully integrated with the ideas of the main group. Titles include "So Long Eric", "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress Then Blue Silk", "Mingus Piano Solo", "Bird Preamble", "Themeless Blues", "Copa City Titty", "A Lonely Day In Selma", "Cocktails For Two", "Praying With Eric", "Parkeriana", "ATFW", "Meditations On A Pair Of Wire Cutters", and "Meditations On Integration". 7CDs, limited edition, and with a great book of notes too! CD

Charles Mingus at Carnegie Hall – but playing here with relaxed and intimate feel that's not what you might expect from the staid setting! The original album features two long tracks – both done in more of a jam session mode than any other Charles Mingus recordings we can think of. Both numbers are Ellington classics – "C Jam Blues" and "Perdido" – showcasing Mingus' late fascination with the Duke, but in a way that still preserves all of the modern inventions of his own earlier work. As on much of the best Mingus albums from the time, there's a real focus on the strengths of the soloists here – players who include Roland Kirk on tenor and stritch, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Handy on alto and tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, and Don Pullen on piano – all of whom really play with some sharp edges and bold notes! This great expanded version features more very long tracks – over 70 minutes of unreleased music, with versions of "Celia", "Big Alice", "Fables Of Faubus", and "Peggy's Blue Skylight" – as well as Mingus' introduction of the music. CD

Charles Mingus at Carnegie Hall – but playing here with relaxed and intimate feel that's not what you might expect from the staid setting! The original album features two long tracks – both done in more of a jam session mode than any other Charles Mingus recordings we can think of. Both numbers are Ellington classics – "C Jam Blues" and "Perdido" – showcasing Mingus' late fascination with the Duke, but in a way that still preserves all of the modern inventions of his own earlier work. As on much of the best Mingus albums from the time, there's a real focus on the strengths of the soloists here – players who include Roland Kirk on tenor and stritch, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Handy on alto and tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, and Don Pullen on piano – all of whom really play with some sharp edges and bold notes! This great expanded version features more very long tracks – over 70 minutes of unreleased music, with versions of "Celia", "Big Alice", "Fables Of Faubus", and "Peggy's Blue Skylight" – as well as Mingus' introduction of the music. CD

An extremely well-titled set from the legendary Hank Mobley – one of his key Blue Notes of the 60s, and an album that glides along with an undeniable sense of joy, life, and soul! Mobley's really opening up his groove at this point – moving way beyond standard hard bop and soul jazz riffs, into a field of complicated rhythms – and a flurry of sound that features his mighty tenor atop a crack sextet that includes Blue Mitchell and Jackie McLean. John Hicks handles piano on the session – and brings in a beautiful range of colors and tones – and rhythm's handled by the skipping drums of Billy Higgins and the always-solid bass of Bob Cranshaw. Titles include "Two & One", "High Voltage", "No More Goodbyes", "Advance Notion", and "Bossa De Luxe". CD

A lost session by Hank Mobley – originally recorded in 1966, but not officially issued until 1979, and then only briefly until another short issue in the mid 90s! The record has Mobley really reaching out into a new bag – hitting a more soulfully arranged sound than on some of his other straighter Blue Notes – a full, rich groove that's totall wonderful! Duke Pearson arranged the group, and it's slightly larger than usual – with James Spaulding on alto, Lee Morgan on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Kiane Zawadi and Howard Johnson providing a very unique tuba/euphonium bass part – hardly the clunky horns you might expect, and instead sort of a rumbling bottom-end sound that's really great. Titles include "Hank's Other Bag", "Touch Of Blue", and "A Slice Of The Top". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost session by Hank Mobley – originally recorded in 1966, but not officially issued until 1979, and then only briefly until another short issue in the mid 90s! The record has Mobley really reaching out into a new bag – hitting a more soulfully arranged sound than on some of his other straighter Blue Notes – a full, rich groove that's totall wonderful! Duke Pearson arranged the group, and it's slightly larger than usual – with James Spaulding on alto, Lee Morgan on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Kiane Zawadi and Howard Johnson providing a very unique tuba/euphonium bass part – hardly the clunky horns you might expect, and instead sort of a rumbling bottom-end sound that's really great. Titles include "Hank's Other Bag", "Touch Of Blue", and "A Slice Of The Top". CD

A beautiful double-length package of work from drummer Louis Moholo – a 2CD set that features one record from recent years, and a key classic from the 70s! Spirits Rejoice is one of the strongest 70s statements from ex-Blue Notes drummer Moholo – recorded in the company of fellow expatriots and UK avant jazzers that include Johnny Dyani, Evan Parker, Kenny Wheeler, Nick Evans, Radu Malfatti, and Harry Miller. The album shifts easily between strongly rhythmic passages that show Moholo's roots in the South African jazz scene, and other, freer sections that also illustrate his importance in the European avant scene of the 70s – and overall, the record's got a beautifully soulful quality that guides it well through all of these moments. Titles include "Wedding Hymn", "Khanya Apho Ukhona", "Ithi Gqi", "Amaxesha Osizi", and "You Ain't Gonna Know Me". That record is followed here by 1995's Bra Louis Bra Tebs – a session with a similar style, especially in its use of African-inspired rhythms – but one that also features a different lineup, and some great use of vocals! Francine Luce sings on a number of the album's best tracks – in a style that's almost an avant-tuned approach to vocalese, and which seems to carry echoes of Norma Winstone – a voice that's dreamy one minute, challenging the next – and often used as a key instrument in the combo's lineup of tenor, alto, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums. Titles include "Utshaka", "Maybe Of Cause", "Moegoe", "Sonke", and "Lakutshona Ilanga". CD

A rare gem of a session – live material recorded by the Voice Of America in 1957, and featuring a unique Thelonious Monk quartet with John Coltrane on tenor! The performance is contemporaneous with Coltrane's appearance on the legendary Monk's Music album for Riverside – and the overall feel here is a bit similar to that classic. Yet the live setting also allows Coltrane to open up and improvise a lot more – stretching out in fluid lines that are often a strong contrast to the more angular notes coming out of Monk's piano. Rhythm is by the team of Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums – and titles are broken up into an "early show" and "late show" – 9 numbers in all that include "Bye-ya", "Epistrophy", "Nutty", "Crepuscule With Nellie", "Monk's Mood", and "Evidence". CD

With grooves this great, the house must have been full – and the album's a gem of an early live date by Wes Montgomery, recorded in Berkeley with a quartet that includes Johnny Griffin on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The tunes have a nicely cooking feel throughout – even when they're more gentle ones – and the record's a good reminder that outside of the studio, Wes could sometimes play with a bit more force on the strings – raspily hitting notes that explode off the guitar with tremendous precision and a good deal of feeling. Titles include the Montgomery originals "Full House", "SOS", and "Cariba", plus the tunes"Blue N Boogie" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". This great set brings together a full batch of alternate takes from the sessions, some appearing here for the first time ever, some on vinyl-only releases – with different versions of "Blue N Boogie", "Cariba", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Born To Be Blue", "SOS", and a take on "Full House" with the original solo restored! CD

With grooves this great, the house must have been full – and the album's a gem of an early live date by Wes Montgomery, recorded in Berkeley with a quartet that includes Johnny Griffin on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The tunes have a nicely cooking feel throughout – even when they're more gentle ones – and the record's a good reminder that outside of the studio, Wes could sometimes play with a bit more force on the strings – raspily hitting notes that explode off the guitar with tremendous precision and a good deal of feeling. Titles include the Montgomery originals "Full House", "SOS", and "Cariba", plus the tunes"Blue N Boogie" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". This great set brings together a full batch of alternate takes from the sessions, some appearing here for the first time ever, some on vinyl-only releases – with different versions of "Blue N Boogie", "Cariba", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Born To Be Blue", "SOS", and a take on "Full House" with the original solo restored! CD

With grooves this great, the house must have been full – and the album's a gem of an early live date by Wes Montgomery, recorded in Berkeley with a quartet that includes Johnny Griffin on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The tunes have a nicely cooking feel throughout – even when they're more gentle ones – and the record's a good reminder that outside of the studio, Wes could sometimes play with a bit more force on the strings – raspily hitting notes that explode off the guitar with tremendous precision and a good deal of feeling. Titles include the Montgomery originals "Full House", "SOS", and "Cariba", plus the tunes"Blue N Boogie" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

With grooves this great, the house must have been full – and the album's a gem of an early live date by Wes Montgomery, recorded in Berkeley with a quartet that includes Johnny Griffin on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The tunes have a nicely cooking feel throughout – even when they're more gentle ones – and the record's a good reminder that outside of the studio, Wes could sometimes play with a bit more force on the strings – raspily hitting notes that explode off the guitar with tremendous precision and a good deal of feeling. Titles include the Montgomery originals "Full House", "SOS", and "Cariba", plus the tunes"Blue N Boogie" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

With grooves this great, the house must have been full – and the album's a gem of an early live date by Wes Montgomery, recorded in Berkeley with a quartet that includes Johnny Griffin on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The tunes have a nicely cooking feel throughout – even when they're more gentle ones – and the record's a good reminder that outside of the studio, Wes could sometimes play with a bit more force on the strings – raspily hitting notes that explode off the guitar with tremendous precision and a good deal of feeling. Titles include the Montgomery originals "Full House", "SOS", and "Cariba", plus the tunes"Blue N Boogie" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". CD features 5 bonus tracks – alternate takes of "Cariba", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Born To Be Blue", and "SOS". CD

With grooves this great, the house must have been full – and the album's a gem of an early live date by Wes Montgomery, recorded in Berkeley with a quartet that includes Johnny Griffin on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The tunes have a nicely cooking feel throughout – even when they're more gentle ones – and the record's a good reminder that outside of the studio, Wes could sometimes play with a bit more force on the strings – raspily hitting notes that explode off the guitar with tremendous precision and a good deal of feeling. Titles include the Montgomery originals "Full House", "SOS", and "Cariba", plus the tunes"Blue N Boogie" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

A very different album for Lee Morgan – especially in comparison with his other early sessions! The record is a gentle batch of ballads and standards, played by Morgan with a quartet that includes Sonny Clark on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all beautifully poised to help Lee hit just the right notes in the set. The album's a crucial one, in that it gives Lee Morgan a chance to show off a warmer, mellower, and more introspective style – after first coming onto the scene as a stormer on his first few sessions. The whole thing's great, and a really important part of Morgan's catalog – and an album that was sadly "lost" in the Blue Note catalog for years, due to a too-short initial release! Titles include "Candy", "Who Do You Love, I Hope", "All The Way", and "Since I Fell For You". CD

A very different album for Lee Morgan – especially in comparison with his other early sessions! The record is a gentle batch of ballads and standards, played by Morgan with a quartet that includes Sonny Clark on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all beautifully poised to help Lee hit just the right notes in the set. The album's a crucial one, in that it gives Lee Morgan a chance to show off a warmer, mellower, and more introspective style – after first coming onto the scene as a stormer on his first few sessions. The whole thing's great, and a really important part of Morgan's catalog – and an album that was sadly "lost" in the Blue Note catalog for years, due to a too-short initial release! Titles include "Candy", "Who Do You Love, I Hope", "All The Way", and "Since I Fell For You". LP, Vinyl record album

A very different album for Lee Morgan – especially in comparison with his other early sessions! The record is a gentle batch of ballads and standards, played by Morgan with a quartet that includes Sonny Clark on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all beautifully poised to help Lee hit just the right notes in the set. The album's a crucial one, in that it gives Lee Morgan a chance to show off a warmer, mellower, and more introspective style – after first coming onto the scene as a stormer on his first few sessions. The whole thing's great, and a really important part of Morgan's catalog – and an album that was sadly "lost" in the Blue Note catalog for years, due to a too-short initial release! Titles include "Candy", "Who Do You Love, I Hope", "All The Way", and "Since I Fell For You". CD

A very different album for Lee Morgan – especially in comparison with his other early sessions! The record is a gentle batch of ballads and standards, played by Morgan with a quartet that includes Sonny Clark on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all beautifully poised to help Lee hit just the right notes in the set. The album's a crucial one, in that it gives Lee Morgan a chance to show off a warmer, mellower, and more introspective style – after first coming onto the scene as a stormer on his first few sessions. The whole thing's great, and a really important part of Morgan's catalog – and an album that was sadly "lost" in the Blue Note catalog for years, due to a too-short initial release! Titles include "Candy", "Who Do You Love, I Hope", "All The Way", and "Since I Fell For You". CD

Lost genius from trumpeter Lee Morgan – a session recorded for Blue Note in 1967, but not issued until the late 70s – and even then, only for a very short time! The session has Morgan moving into that wonderful last stage of his career – working in tight formation towards a sound that still had that groovier hardbop styles of earlier recordings, but which also unfolds towards a more ambitious spiritual jazz mode. The writing on the session is superb – original tunes that crackle with energy in a surge of dark notes and shadowy moods, inspiring the soloists to express themselves at levels that rank with their best work of the time! The group features David Newman on tenor – sounding completely different, and far more righteous, than on his Atlantic sides of the 60s – plus Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A great sound overall – right up there with Tom Cat or The Gigolo for lyrical modernism – and with titles that include "Sneaky Pete", "The Mercenary", "Sonic Boom", and "Mumbo Jumbo". LP, Vinyl record album

Lost genius from trumpeter Lee Morgan – a session recorded for Blue Note in 1967, but not issued until the late 70s – and even then, only for a very short time! The session has Morgan moving into that wonderful last stage of his career – working in tight formation towards a sound that still had that groovier hardbop styles of earlier recordings, but which also unfolds towards a more ambitious spiritual jazz mode. The writing on the session is superb – original tunes that crackle with energy in a surge of dark notes and shadowy moods, inspiring the soloists to express themselves at levels that rank with their best work of the time! The group features David Newman on tenor – sounding completely different, and far more righteous, than on his Atlantic sides of the 60s – plus Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A great sound overall – right up there with Tom Cat or The Gigolo for lyrical modernism – and with titles that include "Sneaky Pete", "The Mercenary", "Sonic Boom", and "Mumbo Jumbo". Plus, the album is expanded here by 6 more tracks – all recorded in 1969, and only briefly issued on a 2LP late 70s album called The Procrastinator. These tunes have a slightly different, almost sadder feel – with a group that includes Julian Priester, George Coleman, and Harold Mabern – on more wonderful originals that include "Cla Til Da", "Uncle Rough", "Mr Johnson", and "The Stroker". CD

Seminal recordings from Jemeel Moondoc's important Muntu ensemble – a group who worked with amazing energy in the avant scene of the late 70s – easily offering up some of the greatest performances from the members involved! There's a mixture of structure and freedom to these tracks that's mighty nice – a bold conception of message headed by Moondoc, but executed with these open solos that really show the full talents of every musician. The lineup shifts a bit over the space of the recordings here – the First Feeding album features Moondoc on alto, Arthur Williams on trumpet, Mark Hennen on piano, William Parker on bass, and Rashid Bakr on drums; Evening Of The Blue Men has trumpeter Roy Campbell joining Moondoc, Parker, and Bakr; and the previously-unreleased Live At Ali's Alley is an extended trio performance from Moondoc, Parker, and Bakr – one long track that really opens up! Equally amazing is the package – 3CDs in an oversized case, packaged with a beautiful book that's over 100 pages – with notes on the group, sessionography, vintage photos, poster reproductions, and more. CD

Early genius from British saxophonist Mike Osborne – his first session as a leader, recorded in the company of some of the greatest players on his scene! Osborne's got a strong vision here that's apparent from the first note of the set – a mixture of freedom and cohesive energy that resonates with the best modes of the ESP albums cut a few years before this one – stretching out with the new imagination that was setting the London jazz scene on fire at the start of the 70s. Osborne's alto is at the lead of a quintet that also includes Harry Beckett on trumpet, Chris McGregor on piano, Harry Miller on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums – and the sound is a mixture of some of the post-Blue Notes work of McGregor with bolder-blown trumpet/sax lines from Beckett and Osborne. The album features 2 long tracks – the stark, angular "So It Is", and the slower-building "Outback", which features some especially nice solos from Beckett. LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great "never was" Blue Note sessions – recorded in the 60s, but never issued until years later – even though the label had assigned it a cover, title, and catalog number! The album was the last session by baritone sax player Leo Parker – a bop and R&B legend who sadly passed along at the young age of 36, but left a really rich legacy of music. Parker has a way with the baritone that's almost as lean as a tenorist – blowing the horn with sharp, well-placed notes that really make this session cook – somewhere in the R&B-influenced territory of Don Wilkerson's work on Blue Note. Other players include the great Dave Burns on trumpet – always a welcome presence on any date – plus Bill Swindell on tenor sax, Johnny Acea on piano, Al Lucas or Stan Conover on bass, and Wilbert Hogan or Purnell Rice on drums. Tracks include "The Lion's Roar", "Rollin With Leo", "Jumpin Leo", "Talkin The Blues", "Mad Lad Returns", and Illinois Jacquet's "Music Hall Beat". CD

One of those great "never was" Blue Note sessions – recorded in the 60s, but never issued until years later – even though the label had assigned it a cover, title, and catalog number! The album was the last session by baritone sax player Leo Parker – a bop and R&B legend who sadly passed along at the young age of 36, but left a really rich legacy of music. Parker has a way with the baritone that's almost as lean as a tenorist – blowing the horn with sharp, well-placed notes that really make this session cook – somewhere in the R&B-influenced territory of Don Wilkerson's work on Blue Note. Other players include the great Dave Burns on trumpet – always a welcome presence on any date – plus Bill Swindell on tenor sax, Johnny Acea on piano, Al Lucas or Stan Conover on bass, and Wilbert Hogan or Purnell Rice on drums. Tracks include "The Lion's Roar", "Rollin With Leo", "Jumpin Leo", "Talkin The Blues", "Mad Lad Returns", and Illinois Jacquet's "Music Hall Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great "never was" Blue Note sessions – recorded in the 60s, but never issued until years later – even though the label had assigned it a cover, title, and catalog number! The album was the last session by baritone sax player Leo Parker – a bop and R&B legend who sadly passed along at the young age of 36, but left a really rich legacy of music. Parker has a way with the baritone that's almost as lean as a tenorist – blowing the horn with sharp, well-placed notes that really make this session cook – somewhere in the R&B-influenced territory of Don Wilkerson's work on Blue Note. Other players include the great Dave Burns on trumpet – always a welcome presence on any date – plus Bill Swindell on tenor sax, Johnny Acea on piano, Al Lucas or Stan Conover on bass, and Wilbert Hogan or Purnell Rice on drums. Tracks include "The Lion's Roar", "Rollin With Leo", "Jumpin Leo", "Talkin The Blues", "Mad Lad Returns", and Illinois Jacquet's "Music Hall Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great "never was" Blue Note sessions – recorded in the 60s, but never issued until years later – even though the label had assigned it a cover, title, and catalog number! The album was the last session by baritone sax player Leo Parker – a bop and R&B legend who sadly passed along at the young age of 36, but left a really rich legacy of music. Parker has a way with the baritone that's almost as lean as a tenorist – blowing the horn with sharp, well-placed notes that really make this session cook – somewhere in the R&B-influenced territory of Don Wilkerson's work on Blue Note. Other players include the great Dave Burns on trumpet – always a welcome presence on any date – plus Bill Swindell on tenor sax, Johnny Acea on piano, Al Lucas or Stan Conover on bass, and Wilbert Hogan or Purnell Rice on drums. Tracks include "The Lion's Roar", "Rollin With Leo", "Jumpin Leo", "Talkin The Blues", "Mad Lad Returns", and Illinois Jacquet's "Music Hall Beat". CD

Three later albums from pianist Horace Parlan – all cut overseas, many years after his early work for Blue Note! On Joe Meets The Rhythm Section, the "Joe" is Dutch tenorist Joe Van Enkhuizen, who's a great fit with a trio that features Horace Parlan on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Al Harewood on drums! The album's got that subtle approach that marks Parlan's later years – a less all-out style than his start on Blue Note, but one that's maybe even more rewarding if you're willing to let yourself slide into it – something that's easy to do when you've got Joe pointing the way with his well-blown, raspy-edged tenor! Reid is mighty nice too – with those instantly-deep notes that always grab us strongly when he's recorded this well – the sort of presence that most other bassists would need to be electric to reach. Titles include "Alfie's Theme", "Bluesville", "FSR", "Wadin", and "Willow Weep For Me". Ellington Ballads is a nice little record that's very much along the lines of the duet sessions that pianist Horace Parlan cut with Archie Shepp – done with a similar open, soulful style that really brings a lot of personal energy to these tunes penned by Duke Ellington! This might be the first time we've ever heard tenorist Joe Van Enkhuizen, but he's a surprisingly great player – and one who carves out these raspy lines on his instrument that fit really well with the well-crafted lines from Parlan's piano – a lot more subtle and spacious than during his Blue Note years, but maybe even more powerful because of that. Titles include "Serenade To Sweden", "I Got It Bad", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Melancholy", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Creole Blues/Tonight I Shall Sleep". Pannonica is a tight little live set from pianist Horace Parlan – recorded with a wonderful trio that features Reggie Johnson on bass and Alvin Queen on drums – both players who seem to effortlessly match Parlan's shifts at every stage of the proceedings! The tracks are relatively long, and showcase all those changes that Horace had made on the European scene since his earlier years on Blue Note – that move towards warmer, more lyrical elements in his music – but still shaped with his ear for soulful modernism too. The titles are all familiar, but served up at the level that can make the right sort of live piano date sound so great – on selections that include "Hi Fly", "Who Cares", "No Greater Love", and "Pannonica". CD

A killer set by one of the greatest pianists of the postwar era – and one that features Horace Parlan's piano trading lines with the legendary Turrentine brothers (both Stanley & Tommy), playing here at the height of their powers! Tommy Turrentine's trumpet is especially great here – spurring on Stanley's tenor into a groove that's a lot deeper, and more soulful than usual – a perfect sound in the frontline, kicked up nicely by Horace Parlan's piano! Rhythm is from the team of George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – very tight and crackling throughout – and the album's easily one of the most cooking Blue Notes from the time. Titles include "Wadin", "Oh So Blue", "Speakin My Piece", "Up In Cynthia's Room", "Rastus", and "Borderline". CD

A killer set by one of the greatest pianists of the postwar era – and one that features Horace Parlan's piano trading lines with the legendary Turrentine brothers (both Stanley & Tommy), playing here at the height of their powers! Tommy Turrentine's trumpet is especially great here – spurring on Stanley's tenor into a groove that's a lot deeper, and more soulful than usual – a perfect sound in the frontline, kicked up nicely by Horace Parlan's piano! Rhythm is from the team of George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – very tight and crackling throughout – and the album's easily one of the most cooking Blue Notes from the time. Titles include "Wadin", "Oh So Blue", "Speakin My Piece", "Up In Cynthia's Room", "Rastus", and "Borderline". CD

A killer set by one of the greatest pianists of the postwar era – and one that features Horace Parlan's piano trading lines with the legendary Turrentine brothers (both Stanley & Tommy), playing here at the height of their powers! Tommy Turrentine's trumpet is especially great here – spurring on Stanley's tenor into a groove that's a lot deeper, and more soulful than usual – a perfect sound in the frontline, kicked up nicely by Horace Parlan's piano! Rhythm is from the team of George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – very tight and crackling throughout – and the album's easily one of the most cooking Blue Notes from the time. Titles include "Wadin", "Oh So Blue", "Speakin My Piece", "Up In Cynthia's Room", "Rastus", and "Borderline". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set by one of the greatest pianists of the postwar era – and one that features Horace Parlan's piano trading lines with the legendary Turrentine brothers (both Stanley & Tommy), playing here at the height of their powers! Tommy Turrentine's trumpet is especially great here – spurring on Stanley's tenor into a groove that's a lot deeper, and more soulful than usual – a perfect sound in the frontline, kicked up nicely by Horace Parlan's piano! Rhythm is from the team of George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – very tight and crackling throughout – and the album's easily one of the most cooking Blue Notes from the time. Titles include "Wadin", "Oh So Blue", "Speakin My Piece", "Up In Cynthia's Room", "Rastus", and "Borderline". CD

A killer set from an amazing quintet made up of some of the best players to ever grace the Blue Note label! Horace Parlan leads a tight tight tight combo that includes Grant Green on guitar and Booker Ervin on tenor sax – and the three of them fit together beautifully, with a dark moody edge that's unlike anything we can think of – loads of sharp, downturning notes, deeply soulful solo moments, and this raw sound that's totally great! Ervin's tone is razor-sharp, Green's guitar is unbelievably precise, and Parlan keeps on laying out these beautiful blocky chords that have a deeply resonant bottom – supported wonderfully by rhythms from Al Harewood on drums and George Tucker on bass. Tracks include "The Book's Beat", "The Other Part Of Town", "Fugee", and "Up & Down". CD

A killer set from an amazing quintet made up of some of the best players to ever grace the Blue Note label! Horace Parlan leads a tight tight tight combo that includes Grant Green on guitar and Booker Ervin on tenor sax – and the three of them fit together beautifully, with a dark moody edge that's unlike anything we can think of – loads of sharp, downturning notes, deeply soulful solo moments, and this raw sound that's totally great! Ervin's tone is razor-sharp, Green's guitar is unbelievably precise, and Parlan keeps on laying out these beautiful blocky chords that have a deeply resonant bottom – supported wonderfully by rhythms from Al Harewood on drums and George Tucker on bass. Tracks include "The Book's Beat", "The Other Part Of Town", "Fugee", and "Up & Down". CD contains a bonus alternate of "Fugee". CD

A killer set from an amazing quintet made up of some of the best players to ever grace the Blue Note label! Horace Parlan leads a tight tight tight combo that includes Grant Green on guitar and Booker Ervin on tenor sax – and the three of them fit together beautifully, with a dark moody edge that's unlike anything we can think of – loads of sharp, downturning notes, deeply soulful solo moments, and this raw sound that's totally great! Ervin's tone is razor-sharp, Green's guitar is unbelievably precise, and Parlan keeps on laying out these beautiful blocky chords that have a deeply resonant bottom – supported wonderfully by rhythms from Al Harewood on drums and George Tucker on bass. Tracks include "The Book's Beat", "The Other Part Of Town", "Fugee", and "Up & Down". CD

An obscure session by John Patton, and a great one too! The set was recorded sometime between the end of Patton's successful run at Blue Note, and before he was rediscovered, and brought back out into the light by John Zorn and other younger players who appreciated his skill. The style of the album's great – in a mode that really recalls the farther-reaching organ work of Pattons' later Blue Note years, not exactly as modern as players like Larry Young, but clearly inspired by a freedom that was coming into use of the organ at the time. The group's an all-star one, too – with Grachan Moncur making a rare organ jazz appearance, Melvin Sparks on guitar, Grant Reed on tenor, and drummer Alvin Queen (who's label the set was recorded for), laying down some dexterous rhythms that remind us a bit of Hugh Walker's work on some of Patton's best Blue Notes. Includes a great reading of Dusko Goykovich's "Soul Connection", plus versions of Moncur's "Space Station" and "The Coaster". And oddly, this one turns up less than most of Pattons' albums from the 60s! LP, Vinyl record album

A key moment in the career of pianist Michel Petrucciani – and a set that features an amazing collaboration with guitarist Jim Hall, and a fair bit of great tenor and soprano sax from Wayne Shorter too! Hall's guitar is heard on every track on the set – ringing out in those wonderfully spare, openly flowing notes he first started crafting in the 50s – a surprisingly wonderful counterpart to the piano of Petrucciani, which seems to take on an even more sensitive and evocative feel for the date. Shorter comes in on a few of the album's tracks – arcing great lines over the colors of the pair, in a way that's a bit like some of the Jimmy Giuffre experiments with Hall in the 50s – but more tuned towards Shorter's own sense of tone and timing. Titles include "Careful", "Bimini", "Morning Blues", "Limbo", and "Waltz New". CD

A wealth of classic work from Bud Powell – his complete recordings for both the Blue Note and Roost label – served up in a mighty 4CD set! The package begins with early 78rpm sides from the late 40s, then moves into material from full albums in the 50s – and ends with one track from 1963. As with most Powell recordings from the time, much of the material is recorded with a trio – players like Paul Chambers, Sam Jones, or Curley Russell on bass – and drummers who include Art Taylor, Max Roach, and Roy Haynes. A few sides feature added horns from Fats Navarro on trumpet and Sonny Rollins on tenor – and the set features a total of 75 tracks in all, plus a 40 page booklet of notes. CD

A completely unique slide of work from Dudu Pukwana – a side of the reedman you may never have heard before! Dudu's best known for his work in the Blue Notes – that legendary avant assemblage of South African players – and although he's also recorded in other creative settings, this may well be the first time we've heard him on a soul jazz session – burning brightly with some killer Hammond from organist Bob Stuckey! The combo's tight and right on the money – grooving live at Ronnie Scotts with the feel of some Prestige Records sax/organ group of the mid 60s – a real change for Dudu, but one we really love! Pukwana still puts in lots of unusual edges in his music – some odd tones and unusual shifts that really keep things interesting – especially giving the group's use of mostly original compositions, most by Dudu! Titles include "Jauana's Dream", "Messengers", "Kicks For Sale", "B My Dear", "Moonshine", "Kippie", and "Blessing Light". Plus, the CD features 5 more tracks by a trio that features Stuckey on Hammond and Terry Smith on guitar – "I Feel Pretty", "All Of You", "When I Grow Too Old To Dream", "Bob's Hop", and "Sweet Georgia Brown". CD

A fantastic slice of sound from the legendary Dudu Pukwana – not his work with the famous Blue Notes combo, nor his globally-styled projects – but instead this searing free jazz date cut for the ICP label with Misha Mengelberg on piano and Hank Bennink on drums, clarinet, viola, and trombone! Pukwana is always great, but here he comes on with an improvising force that's even more amazing than you might expect – really stretching out over long tracks on alto sax, with moments that echo his more familiar tones, but with a lot more intensity – really driven on by the fantastic piano impulses from Mengelberg, and all pushed to the brink by Bennink's boundless energy on all instruments. Titles include "The King Of Weasle Is Called Easle", "Yi Yole", and "Silopobock". CD

Mindblowing music from Sun Ra & The Arkestra – sounds recorded during the same marathon session that gave the world the records Other Planes Of There, When Sun Comes Out, and When Angels Speak Of Love – but titles that are much more obscure overall! The initial release of the material featured very misleading notes, but the true details of the session are even more impressive – as Ra plays a variety of unusual instruments alongside piano – including the piano strings, space organ, and clavioline – alongside some sublime straight horn work from John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto and oboe, Pat Patrick on baritone, Danny Davis on alto and clarinet, Walter Miller on trumpet, Robert Cummings on bass clarinet, and Ali Hasaan on trombone! The lineup here has that raw power the Arkestra first unleashed after their initial move to New York – almost a sense of new freedom in the new environment – even at a time when they weren't clicking on a financial level, but still continued to push forward with new ideas in music! Some passages have this great approach that links the cosmic ideas of the Arkestra with older traditions of jazz soloing – while others reflect the growing concern of the group with new textures and sounds – making for some very impressive elements on both the horns and percussion. The group is completed by Ronnie Boykins on bass, Art Jenkins on space voice and percussion, and Tommy Hunter on drums, percussion, and some mighty nice reverb – and titles include "Biosphere Blues", "Intergalactic Research", "Earth Primitive Earth", "New Planet", and "Continuation To Jupiter Festival". Beautiful 2CD reissue features sublime sounds from the original tapes, remastered – plus a full bonus CD of unreleased tracks that include "Blue York", "Conversation Of The Universe", "Red Planet Mars", "Cosmic Rays/Next Stop Mars", "The Myth", "Meteor Shower", "Infinity", "The Beginning Of", and "Endlessness". CD

2CDs worth of previously unissued material! Both records – Cymbals and Crystal Spears – were originally due to be released on Impulse during the same stretch that the label was repackaging older Saturn albums, but were never issued because of all the messed up relations that quickly terminated what should have been a much longer deal. (Some of this is nicely outlined in the good set of notes that go with the set.) Cymbals features 3 tracks that did appear on a Saturn album called Deep Purple, plus 2 titles that were never issued before – and the set features Ra on organ Rocksichord, vibes, and organ – playing very out and raucously with a group that includes Danny Davis, John Gilmore, and Akh Tal Ebah. Crystal Spears is a lot more introspective, and takes us back to earlier years of the Arkestra. Ra's on organ, marimba, mini moog, and vibes – and the rest of the group's playing a variety of horns and percussion. Tracks include "Crystal Spears", "Sunrise In The Western Sky", "The Embassy Of The Living God", "Thoughts Under A Dark Blue Light", and "The Mystery Of Two". CD

Something of a "lost" album from Sun Ra – material initially intended as his second album for Transition records in the 50s, but not issued until a decade later when Delmark Records was first putting the Chicago underground on the map! The sound here steps out nicely from the first Transition session – and Ra is already a bit bolder, not just in his structure of the songs, but in the way he handles his piano – with some darker notes and tones, more exotic phrasing, and even some very early use of electric piano – already with the haunting qualities that would show up more strongly in the Saturn years. Every member of the group is wonderful too – each with their own voice, spoken strongly and freely – in a lineup that includes Art Hoyle and Dave Young on trumpets, Julian Priester on trombone, Pat Patrick on alto and baritone sax, John Gilmore on tenor, Charles Davis on baritone, Victor Sproles on bass, William Cochran on drums, and Jim Herndon on tympani and timbali. Titles include "El Is A Sound Of Joy", "Overtones Of China", "Ankh", "Two Tones", "Saturn", "Reflections In Blue", and "Planet Earth". LP, Vinyl record album

Something of a "lost" album from Sun Ra – material initially intended as his second album for Transition records in the 50s, but not issued until a decade later when Delmark Records was first putting the Chicago underground on the map! The sound here steps out nicely from the first Transition session – and Ra is already a bit bolder, not just in his structure of the songs, but in the way he handles his piano – with some darker notes and tones, more exotic phrasing, and even some very early use of electric piano – already with the haunting qualities that would show up more strongly in the Saturn years. Every member of the group is wonderful too – each with their own voice, spoken strongly and freely – in a lineup that includes Art Hoyle and Dave Young on trumpets, Julian Priester on trombone, Pat Patrick on alto and baritone sax, John Gilmore on tenor, Charles Davis on baritone, Victor Sproles on bass, William Cochran on drums, and Jim Herndon on tympani and timbali. Titles include "El Is A Sound Of Joy", "Overtones Of China", "Ankh", "Two Tones", "Saturn", "Reflections In Blue", and "Planet Earth". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "As You Once Were" and "Dreams Come True" – with vocals by Clyde Williams. CD

A really beautiful collection of rare tracks from Sun Ra – put together by the mighty Gilles Peterson, who we've trusted for years to give us some of the most soulful, cosmic music on this planet! Gilles has a wonderful ear for a certain strand of sounds from Ra and the Arkestra – their more spacey, more spiritual moments – which are strung together in this wicked double-length collection – which also includes a few tracks never issued before! The inside is as beautiful as the cover, and the whole thing's got copious notes on the music – including some track-by-track details that never showed up on some of the original records. 2CD set features 34 tracks in all – with titles that include "When There Is No Sun", "Spontaneous Simplicity", "Love In Outer Space (voc)", "On Jupiter, "We Travel the Spaceways", "Sleeping Beauty", "Mystery Mr Ra", "Blackman", "The All Of Everything", "The World Of Africa", "They Plan To Leave", "Children Of The Sun", "Dreaming", "Black Sky & Blue Moon", "Enlightenment", and "India". CD