An extremely great session from Eddie Costa and Art Farmer – arguably more so, because the cover and label make you think it's going to be a cheap knockoff! In what is an odd meeting of players, especially for the label, Eddie's piano and vibes meet up with Art's trumpet, the alto of Phil Woods, bass of Teddy Kotick, and drums of Paul Motian – all of whom work together with the fluidity and soulfulness of some of the best Prestige sessions of the time. The horn work is tremendous – and it's hard to remember Woods sounding this great on other albums of the time, really cutting an edge next to Farmer's trumpet – which also has an incredible tone for the album, right up there with his Farmer's Market record. Titles include "Big Ben", "Blues Plus Eight", "Stretch In F", and "Get Out Of The Road". LP, Vinyl record album

An extremely great session from Eddie Costa – one of the best of the all-great Mode sessions from 1957! In what is an odd meeting of players, especially for the label, Eddie's piano and vibes meet up with Art Farmer's trumpet, the alto of Phil Woods, bass of Teddy Kotick, and drums of Paul Motian – all of whom work together with the fluidity and soulfulness of some of the best Prestige sessions of the time. The horn work is tremendous – and it's hard to remember Woods sounding this great on other albums of the time, really cutting an edge next to Farmer's trumpet – which also has an incredible tone for the album, right up there with his Farmer's Market record. Titles include "Big Ben", "Blues Plus Eight", "Stretch In F", and "Get Out Of The Road". LP, Vinyl record album

An extremely great album from Eddie Costa – one of the best of the all-great Mode sessions from 1957! In what is an odd meeting of players, especially for the label, Eddie's piano and vibes meet up with Art Farmer's trumpet, the alto of Phil Woods, bass of Teddy Kotick, and drums of Paul Motian – all of whom work together with the fluidity and soulfulness of some of the best Prestige sessions of the time. The horn work is tremendous – and it's hard to remember Woods sounding this great on other albums of the time, really cutting an edge next to Farmer's trumpet – which also has an incredible tone for the album, right up there with his Farmer's Market record! Titles include "Big Ben", "Blues Plus Eight", "Stretch In F", and "Get Out Of The Road". CD

Rare material from John Coltrane – tracks that were done for Bethlehem Records at a time when he was just rising up as a leader, and still contributed work as a sideman! The album features Trane playing tenor on only four of the album's eight tracks – making it kind of surprising that they used his name in the title – but the album is a lesser-known batch of large group recordings that offer an interesting early chapter in his career! The main force behind the album is arranger Harry Tubbs – possibly not a name that's as sexy as John Coltrane, hence the billing – but a worthy leader for the date, given the quality of the music. Many of the other players here are small combo heroes who can also shine brightly in bigger groups – such as Donald Byrd and Art Farmer on trumpets, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Al Cohn on baritone sax, Eddie Costa on piano and vibes, and Oscar Pettiford on bass – plus Rolf Kuhn, making an early American appearance on clarinet. Coltrane gets in some nice, but short moments on the date – but the bigger charm is the full ensemble work – on titles that include "She Didn't Say Yes", "Turtle Walk", "At Home With The Blues", "Seabreeze", and "Love & The Weather". CD

A great 4-part suite that rivals any of Manny Albam's other sessions from the time – including Jazz Greats Of Our Time, or Jazz New York – and, like that one, a set that's filled with top-shelf jazz talents at the time! The tracks here are all quite long, and done in a bluesy mode that gives the album a bit more soul than usual for Albam – and the set features Phil Woods and Gene Quill on altos, Al Cohn on tenor, Art Farmer and Ernie Royal on trumpets, Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, and Eddie Costa on piano. LP, Vinyl record album

Rare material from John Coltrane – tracks that were done for Bethlehem Records at a time when he was just rising up as a leader, and still contributed work as a sideman! The album features Trane playing tenor on only four of the album's eight tracks – making it kind of surprising that they used his name in the title – but the album is a lesser-known batch of large group recordings that offer an interesting early chapter in his career! The main force behind the album is arranger Harry Tubbs – possibly not a name that's as sexy as John Coltrane, hence the billing – but a worthy leader for the date, given the quality of the music. Many of the other players here are small combo heroes who can also shine brightly in bigger groups – such as Donald Byrd and Art Farmer on trumpets, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Al Cohn on baritone sax, Eddie Costa on piano and vibes, and Oscar Pettiford on bass – plus Rolf Kuhn, making an early American appearance on clarinet. Coltrane gets in some nice, but short moments on the date – but the bigger charm is the full ensemble work – on titles that include "She Didn't Say Yes", "Turtle Walk", "At Home With The Blues", "Seabreeze", and "Love & The Weather". LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – both players of Gryce's same postwar generation, and coincidentally recording for Mercury at the same time. Although the groove here is definitely different – less emphasis on the bottom, and more on the top – not just Gryce's wonderfully raspy alto, but also the trumpet of Richard Williams too. All other players are great as well – and Eddie Costa brings in some sweet vibes – in a lineup that also features Richard Wyands on piano, and either Reggie Workman or George Duvivier on bass, and either Walter Perkins or Bob Thomas on drums. Tracks include "Reminiscing", "Gee Blues Gee", "Blue Light", and "Night In Tunisia". CD

A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – both players of Gryce's same postwar generation, and coincidentally recording for Mercury at the same time. Although the groove here is definitely different – less emphasis on the bottom, and more on the top – not just Gryce's wonderfully raspy alto, but also the trumpet of Richard Williams too. All other players are great as well – and Eddie Costa brings in some sweet vibes – in a lineup that also features Richard Wyands on piano, and either Reggie Workman or George Duvivier on bass, and either Walter Perkins or Bob Thomas on drums. Tracks include "Reminiscing", "Gee Blues Gee", "Blue Light", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album