A rare album as a leader from Teo Macero – one of the driving forces behind some of the key Miles Davis albums on Columbia Records – and other great jazz on that label too! Although Teo Macero is probably best known as Columbia's jazz producer during their successful early 60s run with Miles, he's also quite a composer in his own right, as you'll hear on this striking set of sides from the late 50s! Macero splits the album with Bob Prince – and each of these lesser-known modernists get a side apiece, and fairly free reign in coming up with some wild material. The sound has a little bit of that hip east coast chamber sound that you'd hear in Hal McKusick recordings – but there's also a bit more influences from 20th century modernism, as well as some of the larger Kenton-esque experiments of the early 50s. Macero's group includes John LaPorta, Eddie Bert, and George Barrow – and Prince is assisted by Jon Eardley, Phil Woods, and Frank Socolow. A great slice of lost avant playing, and one of the more striking jazz sides in the Columbia catalog! Titles include "Sounds Of May", "Ground Base", "Germination", "24+ 18+", and "Neally". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing sounds from Chicago flute player Nicole Mitchell – a set of work inspired by the science fiction writings of Octavia Butler – with a striking style to match! Although the music has some arch qualities that live up to the darkness of Butler's writings, the performance here is also still mostly acoustic – in the mode we're used to from Mitchell's Black Earth group – but with odd tones and weird bits of phrasing that keep have us checking the notes to figure out the different instruments! The approach is a bit like the early cosmic visions of Sun Ra – especially when Mitchell hits more spiritual and rhythmic moments – and the well-matched ensemble of players features Nicole on flute, David Boykin on tenor and bass clarinet, David Young on trumpet and srali thom, Renee Baker on violin, Tomeka Reid on cello, Josh Abrams on bass, Jeff Parker on guitar, and Avreeayl Ra on percussion. Mankwe Ndosi sings just a bit on the record – and titles include "Dripping Matter", "Web Of Hope", "Fields Of Possibility", "Resisting Entanglement", "The Inevitable", and "The Ooli Moves". LP, Vinyl record album

An assortment of material that Wes Montgomery recorded for Verve before his too-early death – which the label then collected together as a surprisingly good posthumous release for Wes! There's a really great feel to the record – a mix of small combo and large group settings that offers up both sides of Montgomery's genius in the 60s – all without any sort of confusion of sounds or modes, thanks to a really great assemblage of material. A number of tunes that that sly, stepping groove that always made Wes so great – especially the album's great version of "Bumpin On Sunset", which is offered up here as a small group number. Other titles include "Wives & Lovers", "Sunny", "The Big Hurt", "Tequila", and "Just Walkin". LP, Vinyl record album

Few people did soulful fusion better than Lee Ritenour back in the early 80s – and the guitarist always seemed to find a way to really link together all the different sounds of the electric genre – from heavy jamming to soulful grooving to a rock-like appreciation for a good hook! Harvey Mason provides some great heavy drums, and also helped Lee produce – which gives the record a sharp, soulful focus that's like some of Harvey's own great records of the time – an undercurrent of funk that more than helps keep the Ritenour vocals moving along! Titles include "Mr Briefcase", "Countdown", "Good Question", "Dreamwalk", "Is It You", and "Just Tell Me Pretty Lies". LP, Vinyl record album

A real stormer from Jimmy Smith – done in his first year at Blue Note, but with a sense of power and imagination that cannot be denied! It might be easy to pass up this album, because many of the tunes are standards, done in a simple trio format – but back at the time of this session, Jimmy had a real penchant for unusual phrasings and complicated rhythms – of a sort that rarely showed up on his later Blue Notes, but which made for some incredible sounds overall on a set like this! A key moment here is the crazy cut "Judo Mambo" – which has this wild "chop chop" organ sound that certainly fits with the "judo" theme, and which is followed up by some great raspy guitar work by Thornel Schwartz. Donald Bailey is on drums, doing an excellent job as usual – and other nice moments are the track "Fiddlin' The Minors", plus Jimmy's nice Monkish take on "Well You Needn't" – plus the tracks "Willow Weep For Me" and "Autumn Leaves". If you've ever doubted what a genius Jimmy Smith was on the organ in the early days, check out this one, and prepare to have your mind blown! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early Blue Note album by guitarist Tal Farlow – pre-Verve material that's really wonderful, and which shows that Farlow was already one of the freshest jazz guitar talents of his generation! The record has a cool 2-guitar frontline, played by Farlow and the obscure Don Arnone – with a sound that's very different from Farlow's other work, decidedly more modernist and edgey – almost in the territory of some of the Gil Melle Blue Note recordings, filled with rich colors and tones. The only other instrumentation is bass from Clyde Lombardi and drums from Joe Morello – the latter of whom sounds great here in a pre-Brubeck appearance. Titles include "Tina", "All Through The Night", and "Splash" – and the cool original cover will make your eyes pop out with delight! LP, Vinyl record album

Sharp sounds from guitarist Jim Hall – a record that's filled with all the cool, complicated lines the musician could muster on his instrument – yet a record that also manages to swing a bit too! The sound here is a great evolution from the sound of Hall's music in the 50s – even more modern at most moments, with unique phrasing that shows just how much Jim continued to grow over the decades – delivered at a level that's very fresh, and without a debt to any other guitarist on the planet! Part of the album's unique feel comes from the large amount of original Hall compositions – interpreted by Jim with a trio that also features Don Thompson on piano and bass and Terry Clarke on drums – on titles that include "Kyoto Bells", "Echo", "Without Words", "Light", "Something For Now", and "Two Special People". LP, Vinyl record album

A great pairing of reedman Warne Marsh and pianist Sal Mosca – two players who really found a lot of sympathy in each others sound in their later years! The bulk of the set – four out of six tracks – features just Warne's tenor and Sal's piano – hung out beautifully in open space, dancing together in ways that draw heavily from the Konitz school of the 50s, but which also explores some of the newer freedoms of the 70s too. That doesn't mean that each player ever goes too far out, or gets too free – but they do a great job of trying new sounds and ideas, while still keeping things swinging – quite a feat, without any rhythm section! The remaining two tracks add in Sam Jones on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – and titles include "The Hard Way", "Noteworthy", "Finishing Touch", "How Deep How High", and "Background Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's gotta be one of the most righteous school band records ever – way more than just a bunch of students doing big band numbers, and instead a killer batch of spiritual jazz numbers, directed by the legendary Alvin Batiste! The record's one of a rare few 70s sets of this nature – one that shows a group of younger musicians really reaching out for bold new sounds – every bit as complex and soulful as work on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz, with a fiery power that signals a new generation of the jazz underground! And while Batiste is at the head of the group, there's plenty of other great younger players too – including Henry Butler on piano, Henry Scott on flute, Kirk Ford on tenor, Reginald Houston on baritone, Raymond Deggs on trumpet, Julius Farmer on bass, and Herman Jackson on drums! Side one features burning ensemble numbers that include "Music Came", "Tunjii", "Straight Life", and "North American Idiosyncrasy" – and side two features early material by the Henry Butler Trio, on titles that include "So What", "In My Solitude", and "Milestones". LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a record from the LA scene of the mid 70s – recorded by a quartet of musicians who'd gotten their start during the early bop years of the city, and who kept the flame burning brightly with great records like this! The set's noteworthy not just for a rare appearance as a leader by tight drummer Frank Butler, but also for some tremendous tenor from Jack Montrose – a musician who sounds even more powerful and expressive here than on his records from the 50s – with an open tone, and plenty of space to display a sense of imagination on his solos that he never had before! The great Dolo Coker helps keep things swinging on piano, and Monty Budwig turns out some very powerful work on bass – on titles that include the long title track "The Stepper", plus "Au Prive", "Urbane", and "Captain Kidd". LP, Vinyl record album

An album issued in the years after John Coltrane left the Prestige Records label – but a set that includes some very compelling sounds from the early years, really showing the tenorist in a strongly spiritual transition! Coltrane plays tenor throughout, and the record also features the Red Garland trio, with Red on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and either Art Taylor or Jimmy Cobb on drums – but the set also features trumpet from the great Wilbur Harden on half the record – Coltrane's frequent partner over at Savoy Records, who comes into the music here with the sort of searching, open style that works so well with Trane's tenor! The music is partly in the Garland/Coltrane late 50s Prestige mode, but also has some of the deeper spiritual vibe of the Savoy years too – and titles include "I'm A Dreamer Aren't We All", "Something I Dreamed Last Night", "Bahia", and "Goldsboro Express". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking early work from pianist Chick Corea – a set of unissued material that's very different than much of what he'd record during his later, more successful years! The set's especially noteworthy in that it features the amazing pairing of Chick and AACM reed genius Anthony Braxton – working together here during the short space of time when they were together in the group Circle, and really making some sublime sounds together! Some of the tracks feature a trio – Chick on piano, Braxton on clarinets and alto, and Dave Holland on guitar, cello, and bass – and some feature the full Circle lineup, with the addition of Barry Altschul on drums and percussion. The package also features some other unique early sides – a trio track with Altschul and Holland, and a few more trio tracks with Miroslav Vitous on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – equally groundbreaking, but in a different sort of way. Titles include "Duet for Bass & Piano", "Bossa", "Gemini", "Starp", "Chimes", "Danse For Clarinet & Piano", and "Samba Yanta". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from Bill Evans – unreleased material from the mid 70s – one side that has Bill on electric and acoustic piano, with Eddie Gomez on bass – another side of solo acoustic work! LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked 80s session from trombonist Curtis Fuller – and a great one too – a record that really returns the player to the powerful presence we first loved in his albums of the late 50s and early 60s! Fuller's the leadoff solo instrument throughout – working here with backing from the Roma Trio of Danilo Rea on piano, Enzo Pietropaoli on bass, and Roberto Gatto on drums – all playing with that careful, classic vibe that maybe made the Italian scene in the 80s one of the richest on the continent. Curtis blows boldly, even at mellower moments – often phrasing more like a trumpet than a typical trombonist – and serving up lots of soulful sounds in the process. The set features a sublime reading of "Naima", plus "Blue Bossa", "Afternoon In Paris", "Red's Delights", and "Impressions". LP, Vinyl record album

Garner grooves nicely here – finding an almost renewed energy for the 60s, but still hitting all those highly-rhythmic modes we love so much in his early work! The recording quality is great – lots of bold echo from the piano, and even a bit of Erroll's grunting vocalizations somewhere in the mix – kind of an extra added emphasis that sounds great next to the bass of Eddie Calhoun and drums of Kelly Martin. Titles include "Just One Of Those Things", "Blue Lou", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "Dreamstreet", and the groovy "Mambo Gotham" – an especially jaunty little number! LP, Vinyl record album