Great later work from Eddie Harris – three albums in a single set! Live In Berlin is a surprisingly great concert – recorded by Eddie at the end of the 80s, with a fire and open approach that we wouldn't have expected! The album features Eddie on piano and tenor, with backing only by Ray Peterson on bass and Norman Fearrington on drums – and the spare setting really has Eddie taking charge of the set dynamically, hitting funky notes one moment, soulful notes another, and messing around in a tripped-out style that we haven't heard since his best Atlantic recordings of the early 70s. The set kicks off with the funky jamband number "Ambidextrous", rolls into the weird vocal tune "La Carnival", and contains other great numbers like "Scatting Unlyrically Simultaneously", "Airigen", "Walkin", "Lover", and "Eddie Who". Eddie Who is only a trio set, but one that often has all the full, soulful currents of some of the reedman's 70s material for Atlantic Records! Eddie plays piano and trumpet in addition to his usual tenor – and often does so at the same time, thanks to the magic of overdub – which also allows Harris to vocalize a bit next to his instrumental passages, with this very cool sound that's both an extension of the vocalizations he'd begun with Les McCann, but also some more familiar jazz singing as well. The whole album's not vocal, and the more instrumental passages feature some mighty nice tenor – and rhythm is from the team of Ralphe Armstrong on bass and Sherman Ferguson on drums. Titles include "Eddie Who", "Cedar Trees", "Silverplated", "Eddie Theme", and "Ambidextrous". People Get Funny is a later album from reedman Eddie Harris – but a set that still continues some of his best funky styles from the 70s Atlantic Records years! In fact, the record may well be the last that Eddie ever cut in this mode – a real surprise at a time when some of his other sessions were more traditional – and the record's filled with lots of very groovy surprises that include great Fender Rhodes from William Henderson, plus more electric piano from Eddie – who also sings a bit too, in that great raspy tone of his. Rhythms are often pretty great, too – funky, in an offbeat way – thanks to sweet basslines from Larry Gales and drums from Carl Burnett. Titles include "People Get Funny When They Get A Little Money", "Ski Ball", "Three Quarter Miles", "Silver Plated", "Hal Strange", and "Step Down To The Top". CD

Incredible work by the great Eddie Harris – an album that was initially recorded for Vee Jay during his early tenure at the label, but not issued for years! The album's one of Eddie's greatest from the time – a really far-reaching blend of soul jazz, hardbop, and some of the more exotic influences running through the Chicago scene from whence he came. Two tracks on the album are especially long groovers – "Cuttin Out" and "Shakey Jake" – both in the 15 minute mark, and extended jammers with Ira Sullivan on trumpet, Bunky Green on alto, and Melvin Rhyne on organ. The first two tracks on the set feature Eddie in a lineup with Willie Pickens, Raphael Don Garrett, and Ira Sullivan – on the modal groovers "The Dancing Bull" and "Antidote". And the last 4 tracks on the CD are pulled from the album "Half & Half" – an 8 track release that initially featured 4 tunes with Eddie blowing with a vocal group, and these other 4 that have him working with a very hip group that includes Charles Stepney on piano, Melvin Jackson on bass, Joe Dorio on guitar, and Marshall Thompson on drums. Titles include "Half & Half", "KC Blues", "Lawrence Of Arabia", and "Yea Yea Yea". CD

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

Sweet silver cycles from Eddie Harris – a wonderful late 60s album that features lots of lines on the electrified Varitone saxophone, mixed with cool contributions from a shifting lineup of soulful musicians! The set's one of Eddie's real classics from the Atlantic years – completely inventive, but never in a gimmicky way – and a really great bridge between late 60s modes of funk, jazz, and soul – at the same level he'd serve up more famously in his collaborations with Les McCann! There's a lot of that same energy here, but the vibe is even tighter – and Harris really blows us away with his great arrangements, which get a slight bit of help from Arif Mardin. Other players include Melvin Jackson on bass, Seldon Powell on reeds, and Joe Zawinul on keyboards – and titles include "Silver Cycles", "Electric Ballad", "Little Bit", "Free At Last", "Coltrane's View", "Electric Salad", "1974 Blues", and "Smoke Signals". CD

Sweet silver cycles from Eddie Harris – a wonderful late 60s album that features lots of lines on the electrified Varitone saxophone, mixed with cool contributions from a shifting lineup of soulful musicians! The set's one of Eddie's real classics from the Atlantic years – completely inventive, but never in a gimmicky way – and a really great bridge between late 60s modes of funk, jazz, and soul – at the same level he'd serve up more famously in his collaborations with Les McCann! There's a lot of that same energy here, but the vibe is even tighter – and Harris really blows us away with his great arrangements, which get a slight bit of help from Arif Mardin. Other players include Melvin Jackson on bass, Seldon Powell on reeds, and Joe Zawinul on keyboards – and titles include "Silver Cycles", "Electric Ballad", "Little Bit", "Free At Last", "Coltrane's View", "Electric Salad", "1974 Blues", and "Smoke Signals". LP, Vinyl record album

A warm set of soulful 60s numbers from Eddie Harris – almost a ballad album at times, but with a groovier feel overall! The album features a great group that has Harris on acoustic tenor or Varitone sax – warmed up by the piano of Cedar Walton, bass of Ron Carter, and drums of Bobby Thomas. Walton's presence here is especially strong – a nice pairing with Eddie, given the inherently lyrical lines in both players. Titles are familiar, but come off with a very personal vibe – and tunes include "My Funny Valentine", "If Ever I Would Leave You", "The Tender Storm", and "On A Clear Day". Great stuff – with a very solid vibe! LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie continues the funky groove begun on Instant Funk, and smoothed out over albums like I Need Some Money – and although jazz fans probably gave him hell for going this way, we think this is actually a pretty darn great album! The record takes all of Eddie's experimentation with groovy styles from the early 70s, and filters it through some tighter playing that actually makes the groove a lot more compelling than before. A number of the tracks have vocals, almost in a humorous Bill Cosby mode – but in a way that also preserves the party feel of the cuts. Players include Bobby Lyle, Paul Humphrey, Buck Clarke, and Bradley Bobo – and one Chicago-recorded track features a great assortment from older years that includes Muhal Abrams, Odell Brown, Marshapp Thompson, Willie Henderson, and Richard Evans. Titles include "Tryin Ain't Dyin", "Ooh", "Exempt", "Live Again", "Flowers", "Why Do You Hurt Me", and "It's All Right Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie Harris on tenor saxophone, Cecil McBee on bass, Kenny Barron on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. CD

A massive batch of funky soul jazz – the Second Movement (to the first album Swiss Movement) of the collaboration of Eddie Harris and Les McCann! The vibe here is even freer, and hipper, than on the first set – with a host of long tracks that have Les really working the Fender Rhodes into some great grooves, as Eddie blows along some mean, mad Varitone with equal charm! Players include Bernard Purdie, Buck Clarke, and Cornell Dupree – and titles include "Saima", "Carry On Brother", "Universal Prisoner", and the brilliant sample cut "Shorty Rides Again"! LP, Vinyl record album

Features Eddie Harris on tenor sax, piano, reed trumpet, organ, and vocals – with Ronald Muldrow on guitar, Ray Peterson on bass, and Norman Fearrington on drums. CD

A great assortment of some of the great jazz recorded during the short-lived run of Vee Jay Records – titles that include "Exodus" by Eddie Harris, "Awful Mean" by Paul Chambers, "Wrinkles" by Wynton Kelly, "Bye Bye Blackbird" by Bill Henderson, "Hazing" by Louis Hayes, "I'm A Fool To Want You" by Lee Morgan, "Jim Dog" by Bennie Green, and "Sleepy" by The MJT + 3. LP, Vinyl record album

Duet recordings with Eddie Harris on saxophone and Ellis Marsalis on piano. LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary meeting of two famous tenor talents – the mighty Eddie Harris, and Detroit legend Wendell Harrison – recorded live together at the Montreux Detroit Festival in 1994. The pair play together in a variety of modes – from twin tenor solo battle styles, to mellower, more open and spacious ones – showing Harris to be still extremely inventive at this later point in his life. Eddie even vocalizes a bit, as he did on some of his 70s records – and the rest of the group features drums, electric guitar, and electric bass – which makes for some funkier moments at times. Titles include "Vocalese", "My Shining Hour", "The Wok", "Tenor Madness", and "Ampedextrious". CD

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

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

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

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

A great pairing, and one that didn't even happen back in the 60s – Jimmy Smith on Hammond, Eddie Harris on tenor, and Kenny Dixon on drums! CD

Wild electric work from Les McCann – an album of free, open sounds that's quite a change from his styles of the 60s – and from most of his other work of the 70s too! Side one features an extended 26 minute track titled "The Lovers" – a slow-building number that has Les on sublime Fender Rhodes, as things build slowly with this really spiritual current that comes from the addition of Yusef Lateef on reeds, Cornell Dupree and David Spinozza on guitar, Corky Hale on harp, and both Bernard Purdie and Alphonse Mouzon on drums! The track is loose, but builds into some great funky moments – almost a keyboard version of electric Miles Davis at the time, but a lot more soulful. And side two continues the heavy keyboard vibe – with a killer remake of Les' classic "Beaux J Poo Poo" and a similar "Poo Pye McGoochie", both with the kind of choppy funky grooves Les laid down with Eddie Harris a few years prior! LP, Vinyl record album

Wild electric work from Les McCann – an album of free, open sounds that's quite a change from his styles of the 60s – and from most of his other work of the 70s too! Side one features an extended 26 minute track titled "The Lovers" – a slow-building number that has Les on sublime Fender Rhodes, as things build slowly with this really spiritual current that comes from the addition of Yusef Lateef on reeds, Cornell Dupree and David Spinozza on guitar, Corky Hale on harp, and both Bernard Purdie and Alphonse Mouzon on drums! The track is loose, but builds into some great funky moments – almost a keyboard version of electric Miles Davis at the time, but a lot more soulful. And side two continues the heavy keyboard vibe – with a killer remake of Les' classic "Beaux J Poo Poo" and a similar "Poo Pye McGoochie", both with the kind of choppy funky grooves Les laid down with Eddie Harris a few years prior! CD features a long bonus track – a live version of "Compared To What", which originally appeared on the Doldinger Jubilee album from 1975. CD

Includes work with Richard Groove Holmes, Gerald Wilson, Stanley Turrentine, Lou Rawls, and Eddie Harris. 21 tracks total. CD

Funking around something old and something new – as the title says – and a pretty tasty set that has Les on keyboards and vocals, working with a quartet that includes drums, bass, and some nice sax licks from Keith Anderson. The sound's a mixed bag – with some tunes that hit a perfect late 60s Eddie Harris/Les McCann vibe – and others that get a bit mellower and play around the keys, plus one or two vocal numbers that kind of dip down a bit. Overall, though, the feel is fresh enough to warrant our attention, and even the older tunes are remade in some nicer new versions. Titles include "Maleah", "It's You", "Little Blue Volkswagen", "Compared To What", "With These Hands", "Cold Duck Time", and "Zora". CD

Maybe the most majestic album that Makaya McCraven has recorded to date – and that's really saying a lot, given the power of his music on previous records! This time around, the group is large, and the performance is more organic than some of the more mixed/produced sessions that Makaya has given us – and great as those records have been, there's a sense of power here that really places McCraven strongly in the Chicago legacy of the 20th Century – a jazz spectrum that includes Eddie Harris, Ramsey Lewis, Charles Stepney, the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and so many other musical giants! The mix of instrumentation is almost like some Chess/Cadet session from the end of the 60s – but Makaya still adds in some samples and electronics next to his acoustic work on percussion, drums, and a variety of other instruments – next to Jeff Parker on guitar, Brandee Younger on harp, Joel Ross on vibes, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and Junius Paul on bass – all tremendous players and strong leaders in their own right – working here to make a special sort of magic with McCraven. There's other voices on the set too – more violins, cello, alto, tenor, piano, and other sounds – on titles that include "So Ubuji", "Seventh String", "This Place That Place", "The Fours", "Dream Another", "High Fives", "The Knew Untitled", and "In These Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most majestic album that Makaya McCraven has recorded to date – and that's really saying a lot, given the power of his music on previous records! This time around, the group is large, and the performance is more organic than some of the more mixed/produced sessions that Makaya has given us – and great as those records have been, there's a sense of power here that really places McCraven strongly in the Chicago legacy of the 20th Century – a jazz spectrum that includes Eddie Harris, Ramsey Lewis, Charles Stepney, the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and so many other musical giants! The mix of instrumentation is almost like some Chess/Cadet session from the end of the 60s – but Makaya still adds in some samples and electronics next to his acoustic work on percussion, drums, and a variety of other instruments – next to Jeff Parker on guitar, Brandee Younger on harp, Joel Ross on vibes, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and Junius Paul on bass – all tremendous players and strong leaders in their own right – working here to make a special sort of magic with McCraven. There's other voices on the set too – more violins, cello, alto, tenor, piano, and other sounds – on titles that include "So Ubuji", "Seventh String", "This Place That Place", "The Fours", "Dream Another", "High Fives", "The Knew Untitled", and "In These Times". LP, Vinyl record album

That's the legendary Marshall Allen on the cover with bassist Tyler Mitchell – the latter of whom leads a very cool combo through a set of material that includes classic tunes by Sun Ra, plus tracks from other sources as well! The octet has the mixture of cohesion and individuality that Ra brought to the Arkestra back in the day – yet the presentation here is hardly slavish to their roots, even with Allen in the group – as there's plenty of personal spirit in Mitchell's arrangements, carried forth by a lineup that includes Chris Hemmingway on tenor, Nicoletta Manzini on alto, Giveton Gelin on trumpet, and Farid Barron on piano – all working here with Mitchell and Allen on a live performance recorded at Smalls. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "New Dawn", "Love In Outer Space", "Velvet", "Cosmic Hop", "Free Ballad", "Eddie Harris", "Discipline", and "Bouncing At Smalls". CD

That's the legendary Marshall Allen on the cover with bassist Tyler Mitchell – the latter of whom leads a very cool combo through a set of material that includes classic tunes by Sun Ra, plus tracks from other sources as well! The octet has the mixture of cohesion and individuality that Ra brought to the Arkestra back in the day – yet the presentation here is hardly slavish to their roots, even with Allen in the group – as there's plenty of personal spirit in Mitchell's arrangements, carried forth by a lineup that includes Chris Hemmingway on tenor, Nicoletta Manzini on alto, Giveton Gelin on trumpet, and Farid Barron on piano – all working here with Mitchell and Allen on a live performance recorded at Smalls. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "New Dawn", "Love In Outer Space", "Velvet", "Cosmic Hop", "Free Ballad", "Eddie Harris", "Discipline", and "Bouncing At Smalls". CD

1954-1955 recordings with Moody on alto and tenor sax, playing in several group settings that includes Dave Burns on trumpet, William Shepard on trombone, Pee Wee Moore on baritone sax, Sadik Hakim on piano, John Latham on bass, Joe Harris on drums, and a few vocal tracks – featuring Eddie Jefferson on the title track and "I Got The Blues", and Iona Wade on 'That Man O' Mine". Other tracks include "I'm Gone", "Over The Rainbow", "Mambo With Moody", "Blues In The Closet", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Faster James". 16 tracks in all, and with some nice soulful and bluesy moments! LP, Vinyl record album

James Moody on alto and tenor saxophone, Pee Wee Moore on baritone saxophone, William Shepherd on trombone, Dave Burns on trumpet, Jimmy Boyd and Sadik Hakim on piano, John Lathan on bass, Clarence Johnson and Joe Harris on drums, with vocals from Eddie Jefferson and Iona Wade. CD

One of the last John Patton albums for Blue Note, and one of the best! A young James "Blood" Ulmer's on guitar, and Marvin Cabell (who we only know from Patton LPs) is on tenor and flute. The sound is deep and soulful, and despite the "accent on the blues" of the title, the feel's more Blue Note soul than it actually is bluesy. Ulmer's guitar is great, with this raspy edge that gives a nice depth to the album – and titles include reat versions of Harold Mabern's "Rakin' & Scrapin" and Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz Dance", plus some excellent originals by Cabell like "Captain Nasty" and "Village Lee". Plus, this CD reissue also features 4 other tracks, 3 of which are unreleased titles like "Sweet Pea", "2 J", and "Buddy Boy". CD

Bernard Purdie takes a trip down 40 years of soul jazz history – starting with late 50s jazz experiments by Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderley, and others – and working his way up through 60s soul and 70s funk! The set's got a slightly polished feel, but still plenty of nice moments – with soloists that include Michael and Randy Brecker, Eddie Harris, and Nils Landgren, plus larger arrangements by the WDR Big Band, conducted by Gil Goldstein. Titles include "Moanin", "Superstition", "Iko Iko", "Senor Blues", "Sidewinder", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Work Song", "Land Of 1000 Dances", and "Brother Where Are You". CD

A tribute to Thelonious Monk, but one that's done with a real soul jazz swing – thanks to a lineup of players from the late 50s/early 60s glory days of the Riverside Records label! The core group could take just about any sort of music and make it great – but they sound especially nice here working with the modern compositions of Monk – swinging them in the same sort of angular, soulful way that Eddie Davis and Johnn Griffin did on some of their famous records from years back – but even more fleshed out instrumentally, too. Players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Jimmy Heath on tenor, Buddy Montgomery on vibes, Barry Harris on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Bemsha Swing", "Four On Six", "Work Song", "Gemini", "Well You Needn't", "Round Midnight", and "West Coast Blues". CD

A really great funky moment from guitarist John Scofield – kind of a bridge between the chromatic hues of his music from the 80s, and the tighter, sharper direction he'd take in years to come! The set has some classic-styled soul jazz elements at the core, really living up to the cover image – including Hammond from Larry Goldings and tenor from Eddie Harris – both of whom really deepen the sound of the record, especially when Scofield is still sliding out into some of the fuzzier tones in his bag. Rhythms are nice and tight too – with Dennis Irwin on bass, Bill Stewart on drums, and Don Alias on percussion – and tracks include "Don't Shoot The Messenger", "She's So Lucky", "Do Like Eddie", "Dark Blue", "I'll Take Les", and "Out Of The City". CD

Freaky keyboards and fuzzy saxophone – played by the team of Dieter Seelow and Peter Mayer, working here in a rare bit of funk from the early 70s German scene! The record's got a sound that's very much in the madder side of the MPS spectrum at the time – jazz influenced by a bit of fuzzier rock elements – heard to good effect on Seelow's amplified, processed saxophone lines – and on some of the heavier organ moments from Mayer. The sound is wide-open, but never too free or jamming – clearly inspired by the hipper American soul jazz of the late 60s – the side of the scene that started with electric Eddie Harris, and moved into weirder Melvin Jackson moments – both players who are a good comparison here, as the groove definitely shows a love of the electrified music that Harris and Jackson made together. Remaining instrumentation includes electric bass and drums – so the overall sound is quite spare – and titles include the massive three-part "Mr Dynamite", plus "Masquerade","Danny's Walk", "The Swinger From Rio", and "With A Little Help From My Friends". CD

Three great albums in one package! Steam is a later set from Archie Shepp and a real lost gem – quite different from his earlier works, especially the better known late 60s sessions – and a surprisingly nice album that runs through some truly excellent longer takes – filled with warmth and tenderness you wouldn't expect! Steam was recorded in early 1976, in a stripped down setting, with Cameron Brown on bass and Beaver Harris on drums. The group wonderfully rolls through Ellington's "Solitude", Shepp's "Steam", and the epic "A Message From Trane", a tremendous number written by the great Cal Massey – and Shepp plays both tenor and piano on the record. CD reissue includes bonus tracks not on the original album – "Ah Leu Cha" and "52nd Street Theme". Lover Man is an overlooked treasure from his years as a straight jazz musician – a time we come to appreciate more and more as the years go by! The Shepp heard here is one who's still got all the raw tone and bite of the old days, but also finds a way to swing things on a set of familiar standards – so that he's cutting these great raspy lines out of tunes you might already know – but which are taking on a whole new life in the process. The small combo also features Dave Burrell on piano – another player who could go out, but instead here hangs inside, yet uses all the knowledge of his reach to keep things interesting. A few of the tracks feature vocals from Anne Lowman – with Shepp alongside on tenor – and the rest of the group features Herman Wright on bass and Steve McCraven on drums. Titles include "Brand New World/Breaking A New Day", "My Funny Valentine", "Stars Are In Your Eyes", "Lush Life", and "Yesterdays". Something To Live For is a set of standards from Archie Shepp – but one that's done in a much less traditional way than you might expect – that new standard of returning to roots, but doing them differently that Shepp first began in the 70 – and which really colored the rest of his recording career in a really strong way! Shepp plays tenor, but also vocalizes on many tracks – almost more talking than singing at times, with a raspy, almost bluesy style – but not blues at all – an element that's warmed up by the sparkling trumpet and flugelhorn of Eddie Henderson, whose role in the lead is equally as important as Archie! The rest of the group features John Hicks on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – all players who make great contributions in more subtle ways – on tunes that include "You're Blase", "California Blues", "My Foolish Heart", "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", and "Something To Live For". CD

Cool later work from Horace Silver – with some nicely complicated horn parts that remind us of his hip Blue Note projects of the 70s! Features a bit of vocals from Andy Bey – and horn solos from Red Holloway and Eddie Harris! CD

A strong return to form for Horace Silver – with work from Red Holloway, Eddie Harris, and James Moody on saxes! CD

Compelling work from Horace – in the years between his time on bigger labels! The group features Eddie Harris on tenor, Bobby Shew on trumpet, and some vocals by Feather! LP, Vinyl record album

Stitt hits the Varitone for Roulette, and while his work isn't as funky as that of Eddie Harris or Lou Donaldson, the instrument lets him get in a nice raw tone, with a good honest edge that comes through despite backing by a largeish group. Other players include Ernie Hayes on organ, Walter Perkins on drums, and JJ Johnson on trombone – and the set includes short tracks like "Round Midnight", "Beastly Blues", "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", and "Morgan's Song". LP, Vinyl record album

With Joe Ford on alto saxophone, Doug Harris on flute and alto saxophone, Avery Sharpe on bass, Aaron Scott on drums, John Clark on french horn, Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet and percussion, Billy Harper and John Stubblefield on tenor saxophones, Frank Lucy and Steve Turre on trombones, Earl Gardner, Eddie Henderson and Virgil Jones on trumpets, and Tony Underwood on tuba. CD

Free and easy grooves from the great Phil Upchurch – a set that has the guitarist evolving more strongly into the world of fusion, after beginning his career with instrumental soul, shifting to heavier funk, and continuing to really open up his jazz chops as the years went by! Here, Phil's playing with a great lineup that includes plenty of soulful tenor from Eddie Harris, billed as having a "saxophone attachment" – which might be an update of his earlier Varitone sound – plus lots of nice work on keyboards from Russ Ferrante, and bass from Phil's son too. The great Harvey Mason sets the groove on drums – and titles include "Groovin Slow", "Midnite Blue", "Free & Easy", "Reunion", "Moment's Notice", and a nice take on "People Make The World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

Free and easy grooves from the great Phil Upchurch – a set that has the guitarist evolving more strongly into the world of fusion, after beginning his career with instrumental soul, shifting to heavier funk, and continuing to really open up his jazz chops as the years went by! Here, Phil's playing with a great lineup that includes plenty of soulful tenor from Eddie Harris, billed as having a "saxophone attachment" – which might be an update of his earlier Varitone sound – plus lots of nice work on keyboards from Russ Ferrante, and bass from Phil's son too. The great Harvey Mason sets the groove on drums – and titles include "Groovin Slow", "Midnite Blue", "Free & Easy", "Reunion", "Moment's Notice", and a nice take on "People Make The World Go Round". CD

A dozen songs from David "Fathead" Newman, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, Hank Crawford, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Herbie Mann, Ornette Coleman, Mose Allison, John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Yusef Lateef, and Charles Mingus. CD

22 songs from Bill Doggett Combo, the Flamingos, Joe Lutcher, Tiny Bradshaw, Wynonie Harris, Earl Bostic, Joe Lutcher, Roy Brown, Little Esther, the Dominos, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and more. (Soul, Jazz) CD

A heck of a collection – and one that really gets at the amazing array of free-thinking jazz that was brewing up on the European scene during the 70s! The set brings together over eight hours of music recorded during two years of this legendary festival – and each new disc has some great surprises along the way! There's some possibly more familiar material here – such as long improvisations that include a solo piano performance by Joachim Kuhn, two by a Mal Waldron trio with Jimmy Woode on bass and Allen Blairman on drums, one by a trio headed by pianist Yosuke Yamashita and with Akira Sakata on alto, two more by the duo of Peter Brotzmann on tenor and Han Bennink on drums, and a final two long improvisations by a great Archie Shepp gruop with Richard Greenlee on trombone, Dave Burell on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums! Yet that's only the tip of the iceberg – as there's a full CD of music by a group led by Hugo Heredia on saxes and flute – with Horace Parlan on piano, Dodo Goys on bass, Tullio D'Piscopo on drums, and Mandrake Ivanir Do Nascimento on percussion. And there's another CD that features an hour-long improvisation by a version of the Willem Breuker Kollektief with Leo Cuypers on piano, Maarten Van Norden on tenor, Boy Raaymakers on trumpet, and Bernhard Hunnekink and Willem Van Manen on trombones. There's also a very long track by a cool quartet headed by Polish alto giant Zbigniew Namyslowski – and one more by the French Machi Oul Big Band. There's also tracks by Riot, with Uli Beckerhoff on trumpet; Grumpff with Michael Schlaper on tenor and soprano, and Ekkehard Jost on baritone; Mumps with Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone and John Surman on tenor; and the Eddie Prevost Quartet with Geoff Hawkins on tenor and Gerry Gold on trumpet. And last but not least are two long trcks by the Czech group Celula Jazz Crew – with Laco Deczi on trumpet, Karel Ruzicka on electric piano, and Svatopluc Kosvanec on trombone. Phew – that's a lot of music, and the whole thing comes in a very cool 10" box set, complete with a booklet of notes, too! CD

Classic jazz dance material with a very sparkling groove! The tracks on here are pulled from mainstream album of the 50s and 60s – but the tracks overall are quite rare, and there's plenty on here that haven't been reissued on vinyl at all! 16 cuts in all, and titles include "Shout Brother" by Red Holloway, "Lolita Marie" by Eddie Harris, "Chickadee" by Willie Bobo, "Implorar" by Cipo & His Authentic Rhythm Group, "El Toro" by Gabor Szabo, "Perdido" by Candido, "Nuther'n Like Thuthern" by Willis Jackson, "Parchman Farm" by Mose Allison, and "Tequila" by King Curtis. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD