Oliver Nelson's follow-up to his classic Blues & The Abstract Truth session for Impulse – and like that one, a tremendous little album – filled with deep tones and wonderful colors in sound! The group here's a bit larger than before – an ensemble that includes Phil Woods on alto, Ben Webster on tenor, Thad Jones on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone, Roger Kellaway on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Grady Tate on drums. The album includes some superb original compositions by Nelson – just the kind of overlooked jazz numbers that make the set great – and as with most of his arrangements from the time, there's a perfect balance between group force and intimate solo space! Titles include "The Critic's Choice", "Blues & The Abstract Truth", "One For Bob", and 2 versions of Dave Brubeck's "Theme From Mr. Broadway". Also included are two bonus tracks- "One For Phil" and "Night Lights". CD

2 funky classics from the legendary Pretty Purdie! Purdie Good is Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of the early 70s – tightly vamping rhythms that draw heavily from Purdie's monstrous drums – and which also offer solo showcase space for Harold Wheeler on electric piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Tippy Larkin on trumpet, and Charlie Brown and Warren Daniels on tenor. Rhythm is augmented by Gordon Edwards on Fender bass and Norman Pride on congas – and the grooves hit a variety of modes that show that Purdie could sometimes be a more open-thinking rhythmatist than his funky contemporary Idris Muhammad. Titles include great instrumental versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Montego Bay", plus the originals "Wasteland", "You Turn Me On", and "Purdie Good". Shaft is a full funky session from master drummer Bernard Purdie – a set that expands out his previous Prestige vibe, and almost goes for a soundtrack scope to match the record's Shaft title! The set leads off with a great take on the Isaac Hayes hit – one that follows in the same fully-flowing, slow-building mode as Ike's – but which comes across here as an instrumental with some great solo work from Houston Person – playing here almost in a Stanley Turrentine sort of mode! Other tracks continue the hip mix of jazz and larger backings – and feature a lineup of players that includes Neal Creque on electric piano, Gerry Thomas and Danny Moore on trumpets, Willie Bridges and Houston Person on tenors, Billy Nichols and Lloyd Davis on guitars, Gordon Edwards on Fender bass, and Norman Pride on congas. The sound is warm without ever sounding too smooth – and Purdie's funky drums at the bottom ensure that most tunes are nicely lively. Titles include "Shaft", "Butterfingers", "Summer Melody", "Changes", "Way Back Home", and "Attica". CD

Key Sun Ra albums for ESP records – the Heliocentrics World trifecta – in a 3CD set! The work here is a bit more intense than usual – almost cerebral at times, with very contemplative passages on percussion and reeds, offset by strong piano lines from Ra – all in a mode that marks a sharp break from earlier Saturn albums. Volume One finds the group working in an interstellar formation that holds up strongly with the Saturn sides – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto, Teddy Nance on trombone, Chris Capers on trumpet, Danny Davis on flute and alto, and Ra on piano, bass marimba, and some especially nice electronic celeste! Things get quite out at points – freer almost than other Arkestra sides of the time – and titles include "Outer Nothingness", "Other Worlds", "Nebulae", "Dancing In the Sun", "The Cosmos", and "Of Heavenly Things". Volume Two has a freer feel than the first volume, and a bit more avant-oriented work overall. Ra and the group play a lot of percussion – and Ra himself is on tuned bongos, piano, and clavioline, which has a very nice spooky sound! The reed work on the album is by Robert Cummings, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, and Marshall Allen – with bass by Ronnie Boykin and percussion by Roger Blank. Tracks include "Cosmic Chaos", "House of Beauty", and "The Sun Myth". Volume Three features tracks recorded during the sessions for Volume Two, but it was lost to the sands of time for nearly 40 years! Like that previous album, this one features a smaller version of the Arkestra than usual – an octet that has Ra working with core hornmen Pat Patrick, John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Walter Miller, and Robert Cummings – supported by a rhythm section that includes Ronnie Boykins on bass and Roger Blank on percussion. Apart from a lot of added percussion by various members of the group, the instrumentation overall is relatively straightforward – even if Ra's compositions are not. The set kicks off with the 17 minute "Intercosmosis" – a relatively free, stretched-out tune – then is followed by shorter numbers that travel along darker, more introspective pathways. These titles include "World Worlds", "Interplanetary Travelers", "Mythology Metamorphosis", and "Heliocentric Worlds". CD

A great follow-up to Claudio Roditi's Braziliance record – and like that set, a record that's filled with a similarly warm and breezy groove! There's a range of bossa and post-bossa elements at work in the mix, plus some slight Latin jazz touches too – and Roditi's horn sounds wonderful in the setting, really stretching out with these well-blown lines over work from a group that includes Romero Lubambo on guitar, Michael Dease on trombone, Helio Alves on piano, John Lee on bass, and Duduka Da Fonseca on drums. All songs are originals by Roditi – and titles include "Slow Fire", "Piccolo Blues", "A Dream For Kristen", "Blues For Ronni", "Vida Nova", "Winter Dreams", and "Spring Samba". CD

An overlooked Sonny Rollins set from the early 80s – one that has him recording with a fair bit of guitar, but still staying very much in his best form as an improviser! The group here features both Bobby Broom on electric guitar, and Yoshiaki Masuo on acoustic and electric – both players who get in plenty of sound during the set, but always as a follow-up to Rollins' bold tenor voice in the lead. Remaining group members include Bob Cranshaw on electric bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and although the electric strings might normally make for a smooth sort of record, Sonny's sharper sound still brings plenty of edge – even when the rhythms of a few tunes get a bit bright. Titles include "My Little Brown Book", "Reel Life", "McGhee", "Rosita's Best Friend", and "Best Wishes". CD

Jimmy Smith live was a killer – especially in the early days, when this one was recorded! Back in the late 50s, when Jimmy was shocking the world with his fantastically creative approach to the organ, Blue Note cut some of the first strong-selling live albums by following Jimmy to the clubs – where he would really let loose with some incredible work on the Hammond B-3. The albums recorded that time shine far brighter than Jimmy's studio work – as you'll hear in this great 2CD set that brings back the rare Groovin At Smalls vols 1 & 2, plus a whole bunch of unreleased material! There's a total of 13 tracks in all – many of them very very long – and all of them featuring Jimmy on organ, Eddie McFadden on guitar, and Donald Bailey on drums. A whopping batch of nice tracks – and titles include "After Hours", "Walkin", "My Funny Valentine", "Laura", "Slightly Monkish", and "The Champ". CD

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! CD

Legendary recordings from the mighty Art Tatum – captured here in some late night studio sessions from early 50s LA – produced with just the right sort of laidback vibe by a young Norman Granz! Tatum could really shine the most in a setting like this – open, yet still very focused too – able to do a hell of a lot in a very short amount of space – with this inherent sense of rhythm that few of his contemporaries (or predecessors or followers) could ever ever hope to match! Titles include "Moonglow", "Love For Sale", "Body & Soul", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "My Last Affair", and "Have You Met Miss Jones". CD

Some of the most important work ever recorded by Randy Weston – 5 early albums that really pushed the boundaries of modern jazz! First up on the set is Little Niles – a fantastic set that features some of Weston's best early compositions – angular and Monk-ish numbers, but with a profound influence from African rhythms. Next up is Live At The Five Spot – a really compelling live set that features Randy working out Little Niles-ish numbers with a live group that includes Kenny Dorham and Coleman Hawkins. After that is Piano A La Mode – a sublimely simple album of mellow piano tracks – followed by a series of previously unissued tracks done with a quartet that includes Roy Haynes, Cecil Payne, and Ron Carter. Following that are some of Randy's most Afro-centric albums – very unique for the time, and equally powerful today – the records Uhuru Afrika and Highlife – both of which feature larger groups working through some distinctly African ideas in jazz. Nearly every record features arrangements by Melba Liston – and if you've ever wondered where to start with Randy, this is it – because the set encapsulates nearly all of the biggest contributions he ever made to jazz! 40 titles in all – with tunes that include "Little Niles", "Nice Ice", "Earth Birth", "Gingerbread", "Saucer Eyes", "204", "CB Blues", "Where", "Fe Double U Blues", "African Lady", "Bantu", "Kucheza Blues", "Blues To Africa", and "Congolese Children". CD

An assortment of tracks recorded together under the Downbeat name, but which was really designed to showcase the budding jazz talents on late 50s Dot Records! The set kicks off with a big band, Basie-ish number – "Blues Over Easy", performed by Manny Alban and jazz greats that include Nick Travis, Gene Quill, and Jerome Richardson. Next up is the Tony Scott quintet with Jimmy Knepper – on a version of "Scrapple From The Apple" – followed by 2 tracks by Steve Allen – one trio, one with a quartet with Georgie Auld – "Rose Room" and "The Fast Thing In C". Paul Horn follows up with "Give Me The Simple Life" – and the set's completed by "Dougy's Buggy" performed by the Don Elliott Quintet, with Elliott on trumpet and vibes, plus bass clarinet by Hal McKusick. CD

The cover's got a classic FMP look, and the album follows suit nicely – a set of solo acoustic guitar improvisations from Duck Baker, played in a spirit that recalls the 70s generation of improvisers, such as Derek Bailey or Henry Kaiser – yet played with a nice undercurrent of warmth! Baker really uses the full range of the instrument – still sticking mostly to the strings, but plucking, strumming, and knocking them in some very cool and creative ways. Titles include "Peace", "Juxta Pose", "Pole Ska", "The Idea Of San Francisco", "Instant Opus", "Allah Perhaps", and "Adolescent Ballad". CD

With players like these, the life of a trio must be a great one – and the album's one part of a two-day recording session done by pianist Paul Bley, bassist Steve Swallow, and saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre! The "trio" tag is somewhat misleading at times – because the album's often a gathering of all three players in the studio, rather than a continuous collaborative effort. Some tracks have a single player, working alone – while others sneak in a duet, and others then follow a trio format – and the album's a great illustration of the sharp talents that all players still had at this point in their career! Giuffre's especially great – and works here on both clarinet and soprano sax – and given that Swallow had been a key part of Jim's trio in years back, many moments often sound like a revival of the more "out" Giuffre trio sides, with the addition of Bley's great tones on piano. This first volume features the "Saturday" recordings – with 12 titles that include "Endless Melody", "Foreplay", "Black Ivory", "Owl Eyes", "Clarinet Zone", and "By The Way". CD

With players like these, the life of a trio must be a great one – and the album's one part of a two-day recording session done by pianist Paul Bley, bassist Steve Swallow, and saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre! The "trio" tag is somewhat misleading at times – because the album's often a gathering of all three players in the studio, rather than a continuous collaborative effort. Some tracks have a single player, working alone – while others sneak in a duet, and others then follow a trio format – and the album's a great illustration of the sharp talents that all players still had at this point in their career! Giuffre's especially great – and works here on both clarinet and soprano sax – and given that Swallow had been a key part of Jim's trio in years back, many moments often sound like a revival of the more "out" Giuffre trio sides, with the addition of Bley's great tones on piano. This second volume features the "Sunday" session – with titles that include "Things", "Fallen Statue", "Play Ball", "Scrambled Legs", "Where Were We", "Mephisto", and "Tango Del Mar". CD

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". This "complete" package follows up the core tracks with live material recorded at the Royal Roost, even before the original studio sessions – in a group that features Mike Zwerin on trombone with Konitz, Mulligan, Lewis, and Roach – plus a bit of vocals from Kenny Pacho Hagood. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Moon Dreams", "S'Il Vou Plait", "Move", "Birth Of The Cool Theme", "Godchild", and "Budo". CD

One of the most starkly beautiful recordings in Paul Horn's career – with spiritually resonant, almost spine tingling solo flute and some chants, all recorded in the Taj Majal one day in April of 1968! It's really all about the atmosphere, as it would have to be given the location – with Horn playing of the amazing echo in a completely wonderful way, never feeling anything less than wholly authentic and genuinely inspired! Titles include "Vibrations", "Akasha", "Jumna", "Shah Jahan", "Mantra II/Duality", and "Unity". Paul Horn follows up his Inside The Taj Majal set – in someways leaving behind the stark, spare initimacy of that set for a more layered and tailored approach – and also leaving behind his more pronounced jazz roots for a more earthy and nature themed mode! Like Inside, it's a solo flute record and a spatial exploration – this time handled with a number of different flutes, and also dabbling in overdubbing – with wind and other nature sounds, up to and including some live dolphin sound effects! Titles include "The Mahabhutas" suite, plus "Centaur", "Morning Song", "Haida", and "Mass: Kyrie". CD

A follow-up to Shorter's successful Footprints Live album – done in the same sort of angular and introspective mode, and also with a group that includes Danilo Perez on piano, John Patitucci on bass, and Brian Blad on drums. The overall style's not as much in the joyous, soulful Shorter mode that we love so much from the earlier years – but the record is a good follow-up to Footprints, and will please if you dig that set. Titles include "Smilin Through", "Joy Ryder", "Tinker Bell", "Over Shadow Hill Way", "Adventures Aboard The Golden Mean", and "Beyond The Sound Barrier". CD

Over 50 years in jazz, and Toots Thielemans is still one of the most distinctive players around – one of the few who could actually make us like the sound of harmonica in modern music, and an artist who's lent his style to countless great albums over the years! For this set, Toots explores the music of Harold Arlen – set to arrangements by Jurren Haanstra that follow strongly in the mode of some of Thieleman's albums with larger orchestrations from the 70s and 80s – warm and lush, but never too overwhelming. And noteworthy here are a number of vocalists who are sure to push Toots talents into the consciousness of younger audiences who may recognize his sound, but not know the man behind it – singers who include Jamie Cullum, Laura Fygi, Beth Hart, Till Bronner, Oleta Adams, Silje Nergaard, Madeleine Peyroux, and Lizz Wright. Tunes include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Ill Wind", "Last Night When We Were Young", "Stormy Weather", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues", and "That Old Black Magic". CD

Searing live work from Gato Barbieri – a brilliant little album that follows on the spirit of his other Latin America sessions for Impulse! The format here is similar to those studio outings – an organic blend of percussion, keyboards, and sax – all bubbling together in a highly rhythmic mode that easily shifts between electric and acoustic statements, all in a jazz-based pursuit of older Latin American rhythms and expressions! Eddie Martinez plays some great Fender Rhodes on the album – ringing out with warm tones that are strongly offset by Gato's sharp-edge tenor lines – and all tracks are nice and long, and flow with a sense of creative energy that almost surpasses the studio albums in the series! Titles include "Milonga Triste", "La China Leoncia", "Baihia", and "Lluvia Azul". CD

A great follow up to the legendary Study In Brown album – featuring work recorded by Clifford Brown in the 50s, but not issued until nearly 30 years later, in this Japanese-collected batch of rare material! As with the original album, the core group on the record features Clifford Brown on trumpet, Max Roach on drums, Richie Powell on piano, and George Morrow on bass – plus Harold Land on most of the tenor tracks, replaced by Sonny Rollins on a few more – showing a shift that would occur in the group shortly after Brown's death. The focus is a bit more strongly on Clifford Brown's trumpet work than some of the other Brown/Roach albums – but is still a great group effort overall – and tracks are shortish and very tight, with titles that include "The Blues Walk", "Jordu", "Mildama", "Land's End", and "Junior's Arrival". CD

Two classic early albums from San Francisco pianist Dave Brubeck! Jazz at Oberlin was famously recorded at the mid-Ohio college and haven of bohemiana, and a growing hotbed of jazz activity centered around students in the college's conservatory of music at the time of the recording! Dave and crew made the trip at the request of the kids – breaking from their mostly San Francisco-based recording career to cut what would end up becoming a very successful album in Dave's catalog, and begin a whole "at" or "goes to" series in his career – followed up at many other locations. The group's the early quartet with Paul Desmond on alto, Ron Crotty on bass, and Lloyd Davis on drums – and tunes include long and jamming versions of "The Way You Look Tonight", "How High The Moon", and "Stardust". College Of The Pacific is another great live set from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums – and titles include "Laura", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "For All We Know", "All The Things You Are", and "I'll Never Smile Again". CD

A wonderful session of 60s Hammond jazz – a record that was somewhat overlooked at the time, but which has really gotten the attention it deserves over the years! The album's one of a rare few cut by organist Gloria Coleman – an obscure east coast player who was also the wife of tenorist George Coleman, and who follows wonderfully in a strong tradition of female organists that includes Trudy Pitts and Shirley Scott. Even hipper is the fact that Gloria's quartet has a female drummer – the fiery Pola Roberts, who's got a light touch on the kit that makes the cuts dance nicely. And even still hipper is the fact that that group is completed by Grant Green on guitar and Leo Wright on alto – both of whom groove in a totally tight soul jazz mode that resembles their best work from the early 60s. The session's a wonderful burner, of the sort that you'd proudly display in a collection of 60s soul jazz – and it's filled with excellent original cuts like "Que Baby", "Hey Sonny Red", "Melba's Minor", and "Funky Bob". CD

Solo work from the great pianist Stanley Cowell, and a set that may well offer up some of his most focused performance in the format! The album's one long suite dedicated to the African-American fight for freedom – named after the "Juneteenth" date that's used to celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation, and following the struggle through different modes up through the Civil Rights era. The music is some of Cowell's most expressive in years – served up in a variety of colors and styles, but always with a focused, unified approach that's completely compelling – especially given the very strong recording quality of the album. The music is supported by a 40 page booklet featuring vintage images as an archival documentary – with photos from 1865 through the early 20th Century – and titles include "Proclamation", "Nostalgia For Homelands", "Commentary On Strange Fruit", "Reality Dreams Echoes", and "Anticipation Of The Coming Of Freedom". CD

Rare small combo work from Duke Ellington – just the sort of excellent later-years material that follows nicely in the spirit of his Money Jungle and Live At The Whitney albums! As with those records, you'll hear an Ellington here who's a hell of a modernist – a wonderful talent in a piano trio setting, which gives him lots of space to open up and try out new ideas he might never have reached in some of his larger group dates. The material here is from two different sessions – one in 1966, with John Lamb on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums – the other from 1970, with Victor Gaskin and Paul Kondziela on bass, and Rufus Jones on drums. Titles include "Fat Mess", "Duck Amok", "The Shepherd", "Don Juan", "Looking Glass", and "Slow Blues". CD

Fantastic Verve Records material from Bill Evans – a set that follows the no-nonsense trio style of his Riverside material, but which definitely shows the evolving Evans style of the 60s! The group here is a nicely mellow one – bassist Chuck Israels, whose sound is tremendous – and drummer Larry Bunker – a player you might know from percussion work on other albums, which seems to give him a very sensitive touch on the drum kit here! Both players have a dancing quality that goes far beyond strict rhythmic timekeeping – and this approach opens up Evans' solos in to a freer mode than on some of his early 60s sets. The result is a wonderful album that really transforms the tunes – as you'll hear on the set of tracks that include "Round Midnight", "Israel", "Elsa", and "How My Heart Sings". CD

A compilation album, but one that's classic enough to stand on its own – thanks to a rock-solid roster of talent from the mighty Savoy Records catalog of the 50s! The format here follows in the looser blowing session mode of some of Savoy's best sides of the period – and groups shift from track to track, but really maintain the feel of the record overall. Titles include "Walkin" by a large group arranged by Billy Ver Planck, "Monday Stroll" by Frank Wess and Kenny Burrell, "Sram" by Yusef Lateef, "MC" by Frank Foster with Donald Byrd, "June Is Busting Out All Over" by AK Salim, "Stop"by Sonny Redd & Pepper Adams, and "Sugar Dugar" by Sahib Shihab with Phil Woods. CD

A fantastic album from trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire – a set that really kicks his career up to the next level, and which is easily the most powerful record he's ever given us! The music finds Ambrose in many moods, all of them righteous – sometimes blowing hard and fierce in a small combo, sometimes issuing out more personal statements in a more stripped-down setting – working with players that include Harish Raghavan on bass, Justin Brown on drums, and Sam Harris on piano – plus vocalist Genevieve Artadi on one especially beautiful number that features Akinmusire on Fender Rhodes! We've loved the music of Ambrose for many years – and this is one of those faith-rewarding sets that always makes it so wonderful to follow the career of any key jazz musician – as we hope you'll also find on titles that include "Roy", "4623", "Moon", "Tide Of Hyacinth", "Cynical Sideliners", and "Mr Roscoe". CD

A really great bit of live work from Miles Davis – and the first-ever recorded appearance of the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – even though the album was never issued in the US at the time! The set follows very strongly in the mode of the group's work at the Plugged Nickel – with a pace that's faster than usual, and bristling with freely exploratory energy. Titles include "Milestones", "So What", "Walkin", and a nicely stepped-up version of "Autumn Leaves". Shorter's solos are worth the price of the record alone, but Williams' work on the kit never ceases to amaze! CD features a bonus track – "Stella By Starlight"! CD

Stone funky work from the late 60s – a landmark batch of tracks by Quincy Jones – originally recorded for the soundtrack of the first Bill Cosby show, and issued here to the public for the first time ever! The show's famous theme "Hikky-Burr" is a well-known groover with a sinister snapping edge that sums up all the best of Quincy's funky jazz soundtrack work in the 60s – and the rest of the tracks on the set follow in a blend of California soul jazz modes that's mighty mighty nice! Players on the tunes include Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander, Joe Sample, Eddie Harris, Ray Brown, and Paul Humphrey – and the tracks have a loose, improvised feel that's a nice contrast from a lot of Quincy's tighter soundtrack work. Along with 2 different versions of "Hikky-Burr" (one with vocal by Cosby, one without), the set also features tracks that include "Toe Jam", "Jive Den", "Monty Is That You", and "Eubie Walkin" – plus a loosely disguised version of "Listen Here", and a take on "Oh Happy Day". Great stuff – and wonderful to finally have out on CD! CD

One of the most ambitious sets we've heard from Nicole Mitchell – a really unique mixing of modes that features a core Chicago group coming into play with the Arche New Music Ensemble! The initial group features Nicole on flute, vocals, and electronics – with Mwata Boden on baritone and bass clarinet, David Boykin on tenor, and Renee Baker on violin – all set against the larger backdrop of Arche – which features eleven musicians led by Rafal Zapala on electronics and percussion, on piano, trumpet, cello, viola, clarinet, trombone, oboe, and more! Mitchell's still at the heart of the performance – as the tracks are all her own compositions, and she conducts the proceedings as well – with this wonderful mode that's almost a blend of AACM energy with some of the more orchestrated improvisations of the European scene. The bulk of the record features the long "Arc Of O" piece – followed by a smoking rendition of Mitchell's great "Afrika Rising", a much more freewheeling and spiritual number! CD

One of the most important Sun Ra albums from the early years of Saturn Records – a set that got a bit more circulation than some of his other records, and which shows the group really expanding their sonic range in a wonderful way! The title track takes up all of side one – and is this mystic workout that features Sun Ra on clavioline and piano – an acoustic/electric combination that creates really mindblowing results – and which is echoed by some very inventive reed work from Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, Pat Patrick on baritone, and John Gilmore on tenor. The tune has a brooding intensity that's amazing – very spacey at times, and free, but not in an aggressive way. Other tunes follow in their own rich pattern – and also feature Ra on Sun Harp, celeste, dragon drum, and marimba – on titles that include "The Shadow World", "Abstract Eye", and "Abstract I". CD

An overlooked treasure from Archie Shepp – a set recorded for the Enja label with a profile that's not as bold as some of his other albums, but a great later session that has some surprisingly wonderful moments! Perhaps the best of these is the album's long workout on "Mama Rose" – done here as a free-flowing modal number with some great soprano sax lines from Archie – blown beautifully over soaring rhythms from Kenny Werner on piano, Santi DeBriano on bass, and the great Marvin Smitty Smith on drums. The track really cooks wonderfully – and is followed by the more sensitive "Soul Song", the hard-blown tenor cut "Geechee", and a laidback take on "My Romance". Both "Geechee" and "Mama Rose" dominate the record – and are perfect examples of the later soulful sound of Shepp in the post-Impulse years! CD

A wonderful album from the great Cedar Walton trio that featured Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a really beautiful group of musicians who completely transformed the sound of the piano trio in the 70s! The group played together often in the 70s, and they've never sounded better than on an album like this – freely soulful and dancing, with Walton in firm command of his talents – sometimes coming on with the strength of his early 60s material, but always opening up with a more exploratory vibe too. Walton worked often in this mode for the decades that followed this set – but this Japanese album is almost the start of that great legacy, and still one of the best from this group! Titles include "Con Alma", "Suite Sunday", "Suntory Blues", and "Fantasy In D". CD

A really great bit of live work from Miles Davis – and the first-ever recorded appearance of the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – even though the album was never issued in the US at the time! The set follows very strongly in the mode of the group's work at the Plugged Nickel – with a pace that's faster than usual, and bristling with freely exploratory energy. Titles include "Milestones", "So What", "Walkin", and a nicely stepped-up version of "Autumn Leaves". Shorter's solos are worth the price of the record alone, but Williams' work on the kit never ceases to amaze! CD features a bonus track – "Stella By Starlight"! CD

One of Joe Farrell's first LPs as a leader – and a stellar session that's easily one of the early high points for the legendary CTI label! Farrell had been making some great noise in the underground during the late 60s – but here, he bursts forth as one heck of a soulful cat – working on these great modal grooves that slide out wonderfully and really have a sense of flow – a style that's different than Joe's later material, but equally powerful! Part of the strength of the record comes from the lineup – a key quintet of like-mined up-and-comers that includes Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – players who definitely know the farther reaches of jazz, yet hang just on the inside here with Joe – providing some amazing accompaniment for his lines on soprano, tenor, and flute. Titles include "Molten Glass", "Song Of The Wind", "Motion", "Follow Your Heart", and "Circle In The Square". CD

Keith Jarrett hits some of the styles of his later ECM years – working here on both piano, soprano sax, and percussion – in a quartet with Dewey Redman on tenor sax and percussion, Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums and percussion. The first half features the long "Eyes Of The Heart" – followed by a long encore performance – as the set was recorded live! CD