Benny Green on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

Early work from this great pianist – in a quintet with Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Javon Jackson on tenor, Peter Washington on bass, and Tony Reedus on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Benny Green on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Carl Allen on drums. CD

Benny Green on piano and Russell Malone on guitar. CD

Tremendous work from an alto player with a very unique conception – a player who was unlike Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, or some of his precursors on the instrument – and instead really took off in bold new directions, like Lou Donaldson or fellow Chicagoan Sonny Cox in the mid 60s! Bunky's got a very sharp edge on his horn – one that's deft and skillful, but never too boppish. Instead, he really uses space and timing to carve out a new sort of groove – one that's punctuated slightly by the rhythms of the combo, but which also firmly takes its cue from Bunky's own forcefully blown horn. Players here include Cleveland Eaton on bass, Willie Pickins on piano, and Harold Jones on drums – and titles include "Playin For Keeps", "Mi Compasion", "Brazilano", "Mama Looka Boo Boo", and "What Can I Do". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of records cut by the lovely singer Byrdie Green for Prestige during the 60s! Byrdie's got a sweet soulful voice – not the greatest in the world technically, but very much in that classic small club mode of the 60s and 70s, as often heard singing with a hip small combo late into the nights. In this case, the hip combo's that of Johnny Hammond Smith – as Johnny arranged the whole set, and sort of acted as Byrdie's mentor at Prestige. Johnny's groovy organ group also features Virgil Jones on trumpet, Gene Walker on tenor, and Eddie Diehl on guitar – and they provide some very tasty backing for Byrdie on cuts like "Hurt", "Gin House Blues", "Goin Out Of My Head", "Somebody Groovy", and "In The Dark". (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

The back cover of this one says "This Album Should Be Titled MONSTER" – and for once, the back cover is right! The album's the only one we've ever seen by the super-dope LA guitarist Cal Green – a wonderful talent with a hard-edge approach to the strings, one that's a bit like that of George Freeman, but a bit more laidback and spaced out. You might know Green from his work on albums by organist Charles Kynard – and Kynard joins Green here in a sweet little quartet session with some very funky moments. The album's got a killer original called "Trippin" which has some super-wonderful work on guitar – and it's also got some surprisingly great covers of "Days Of Wine & Roses" and "My Cherie Amour", taken with the chromatic wandering style of Eddie Fisher. Other highlights are the originals "Sieda", and "Mellow In Blue", plus the slightly offbeat "Johnny's Gone To Vietnam". A monster – indeed! LP, Vinyl record album

A long overdue classic from Count Basie's excellent 50s guitarist! Freddie was one of the strongest single-line players of the 50s – coming to prominence in the years before Grant Green and Wes Montgomery completely transformed jazz guitar, but never getting as much chance as those greats to record under his own name. This rare 1956 set is one of the few that Freddie ever did on his own, and it's a nicely laidback small group romp, with players that include Al Cohn, Joe Newman, Nat Pierce, and Milt Hinton. Tracks are short, with a focus on Green's guitar on the solos. Titles include "Down For Double", "Free & Easy", "Date With Ray", "Swinging Back", and "Feed Bag". CD

A really fantastic album from guitarist Grant Green – a set that's every bit as great as his other Blue Note funk albums from the time – but in a very different way! First off, the group has vibes – played by the more obscure Willie Bivens, sometimes with this hard chromatic sound that's really wonderful – especially when combined by the organ work on the set by Ronnie Foster and Neal Creque – both very cool players with an unusual conception – which sends the whole thing off in very hip territory! The mighty Idris Muhammad plays drums – ensuring a very tight bottom – and the group also features Claude Bartee on tenor, who has a strong, soulful vibe. The set includes a fantastic live version of "Down Here On the Ground" – famously sampled by Tribe Called Quest – and other highlights include heavy funk takes on "Let The Music Take Your Mind" and "Sookie Sookie", and the Creque original "Time To Remember". CD

A really fantastic album from guitarist Grant Green – a set that's every bit as great as his other Blue Note funk albums from the time – but in a very different way! First off, the group has vibes – played by the more obscure Willie Bivens, sometimes with this hard chromatic sound that's really wonderful – especially when combined by the organ work on the set by Ronnie Foster and Neal Creque – both very cool players with an unusual conception – which sends the whole thing off in very hip territory! The mighty Idris Muhammad plays drums – ensuring a very tight bottom – and the group also features Claude Bartee on tenor, who has a strong, soulful vibe. The set includes a fantastic live version of "Down Here On the Ground" – famously sampled by Tribe Called Quest – and other highlights include heavy funk takes on "Let The Music Take Your Mind" and "Sookie Sookie", and the Creque original "Time To Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Grant Green's mellowest albums – a haunting set of intimate ballads and blues, played with a quintet that includes John Patton on organ, Joe Henderson on tenor, and Johnny Coles on trumpet. Henderson and Coles give the album a very different feel than the usual Grant Green soul bop session – and Green proves himself to be a sensitive soloist more than capable of opening up new moods and colors of old standards like "For All We Know", "Am I Blue", and "I Wanna Be Loved". CD

One of Grant Green's mellowest albums – a haunting set of intimate ballads and blues, played with a quintet that includes John Patton on organ, Joe Henderson on tenor, and Johnny Coles on trumpet. Henderson and Coles give the album a very different feel than the usual Grant Green soul bop session – and Green proves himself to be a sensitive soloist more than capable of opening up new moods and colors of old standards like "For All We Know", "Am I Blue", and "I Wanna Be Loved". CD

You know, we can remember a time when Michael Cuscuna used to say that Grant Green's late sessions for Blue Note were just a bunch of throwaway funk records. Now, though, the label seems to be doing everything it can to get behind Green's late 60s/early 70s jazz output – and this compilation of rare breakbeat tracks is total proof of that! The set's got 6 funky guitar groovers, including Grant's version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", plus "The Final Comedown", "Ease Back", "Sookie Sookie", and "Cataloupe Woman". CD

Firey guitar work from one of the all-time greats! Grant Green was one of the most incredible jazz guitarists of all time, and his early Blue Note work has always been some of the best guitar jazz ever recorded. With this great album, Blue Note has finally unearthed an amazing early session by Green – recorded in trio format with drummer Ben Dixon and organist John Patton. Both Patton and Green originally hailed from St. Louis, but were picked up on a tour by Lou Donaldson to join his band – and brought by Donaldson to Blue Note when the group hit New York. This set of tracks, dedicated to their boss, shows Patton and Green in sparkling interplay – trading lines with an ease, confidence, and rawness that would make most other organ/guitar teams weep with joy to achieve! The CD's a perfect one if you're a fan of Green's First Stand or Green Street albums – and it includes the tracks "Blues For Lou", "Big John", "Look At That Girl", and "This Little Girl Of Mine". CD

A rare one from Grant Green – recorded in 1962, but not issued until this first pressing of the material, in 1985. The set's one of Green's early classics recorded with pianist Sonny Clark – a deeply soulful player who really had the right feel for Green's more lyrical soul jazz numbers. The rest of the group includes Ike Quebec on tenor, plus Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. The tracks are laidback and introspective – but still have enough of a groove to fit with Green's best work at the time. Titles include "Count Every Star", "If I Should Lose You", "Born To Be Blue", and "My One And Only Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Grant Green's late great funky albums for Blue Note! Carryin' On is a solid groover with heavy jazz funk grooves that won't stop, and that vibe carries all the way throughout – in the same mode as some of Lou Donaldson's classic sounds from the time! The group features Idris Muhammad on drums, playing his trademark funky breakbeat sound from the late 60s – plus Jimmy Lewis on bass, Willie Bivens on vibes, Claude Bartee on tenor sax and Clarence Palmer on keys. Titles include a great versions of James Brown's "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothin", The Meters' "Ease Back", and Neal Creque's "Cease The Bombing" (featuring Creque on electric piano) plus Green's own "Upshot". CD

One of Grant Green's late great funky albums for Blue Note! Carryin' On is a solid groover with heavy jazz funk grooves that won't stop, and that vibe carries all the way throughout – in the same mode as some of Lou Donaldson's classic sounds from the time! The group features Idris Muhammad on drums, playing his trademark funky breakbeat sound from the late 60s – plus Jimmy Lewis on bass, Willie Bivens on vibes, Claude Bartee on tenor sax and Clarence Palmer on keys. Titles include a great versions of James Brown's "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothin", The Meters' "Ease Back", and Neal Creque's "Cease The Bombing" (featuring Creque on electric piano) plus Green's own "Upshot". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Grant Green has been getting a lot of attention lately for his heavy-duty funk work of the late 60s, it's the subtly beautiful work of the early 60's that first caught our attention years ago. From the start of his young career, Green was an amazing player who had developed a unique single-note approach to soloing that was positively riveting. And while his appearances on other Blue Note albums were filled with a heavy soul jazz sound that had Green playing next to organ and tenor, material like this gives you a perfect chance to hear how well he could swing a group on his own, with little other accompaniment than a tight rhythm section, and some soulful piano from Sonny Clark. None of this material was issued at the time. Includes material that appeared on the later albums Gooden's Corner, Oleo, Born To Be Blue, and Nigeria – plus tracks from The World Of Jazz Guitar, and Blue & Sentimental by Ike Quebec. LP, Vinyl record album

Although Grant Green has been getting a lot of attention lately for his heavy-duty funk work of the late 60s, it's the subtly beautiful work of the early 60's that first caught our attention years ago. From the start of his young career, Green was an amazing player who had developed a unique single-note approach to soloing that was positively riveting. And while his appearances on other Blue Note albums were filled with a heavy soul jazz sound that had Green playing next to organ and tenor, material like this gives you a perfect chance to hear how well he could swing a group on his own, with little other accompaniment than a tight rhythm section, and some soulful piano from Sonny Clark. None of this material was issued at the time – and even though some of it came out around 1980 as a limited release titled Oleo, the rest of it's only ever been out in Japan. Now, though, this stunning 2CD set brings forth a whopping batch of 19 tracks from the prime of Green's career, and believe us, it's been worth the wait! Tracks include "Hip Funk", "Two For One", "Gooden's Corner", "Shadrack", and "Airegin". CD

Grant Green's last session as a leader – and although the tracks are a bit slicker than earlier work, the album's still pretty darn nice. The tracks are long in a CTI-type funky jazz mode, with arrangements by Mario Sprouse, and a nice little Latin feel to some of the best numbers. Green's solo ability is still quite good – and on the more uptempo tunes, he solos with that versatility and amazing dexterity that you'd find on his best earlier sessions. Other tracks have him in a mellower, more chromatic and Wes Montgomery-inspired mode – and titles include "Empanada", "Three Times A Day", "Nighttime In The Switching Yard", "Easy", and "Wave". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitar genius Grant Green is definitely feelin the spirit here – as he mixes his lean 60s style with a host of traditional numbers from the spiritual canon – at a level that provided a whole new sense of soul at the time! There was plenty of music influenced by gospel during the decade – but here, Green makes the link a lot more explicit – taking traditional themes and turning them into jazz instrumentals – with the help of a lean quartet that features Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working with a feel that's a lot more like the Grant Green/Sonny Clark material than some of Grant's more organ or tenor-assisted albums! Garvin Masseaux provides a bit of extra percussion on tambourine – and titles include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD

Guitar genius Grant Green is definitely feelin the spirit here – as he mixes his lean 60s style with a host of traditional numbers from the spiritual canon – at a level that provided a whole new sense of soul at the time! There was plenty of music influenced by gospel during the decade – but here, Green makes the link a lot more explicit – taking traditional themes and turning them into jazz instrumentals – with the help of a lean quartet that features Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working with a feel that's a lot more like the Grant Green/Sonny Clark material than some of Grant's more organ or tenor-assisted albums! Garvin Masseaux provides a bit of extra percussion on tambourine – and titles include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD

Guitar genius Grant Green is definitely feelin the spirit here – as he mixes his lean 60s style with a host of traditional numbers from the spiritual canon – at a level that provided a whole new sense of soul at the time! There was plenty of music influenced by gospel during the decade – but here, Green makes the link a lot more explicit – taking traditional themes and turning them into jazz instrumentals – with the help of a lean quartet that features Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working with a feel that's a lot more like the Grant Green/Sonny Clark material than some of Grant's more organ or tenor-assisted albums! Garvin Masseaux provides a bit of extra percussion on tambourine – and titles include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitar genius Grant Green is definitely feelin the spirit here – as he mixes his lean 60s style with a host of traditional numbers from the spiritual canon – at a level that provided a whole new sense of soul at the time! There was plenty of music influenced by gospel during the decade – but here, Green makes the link a lot more explicit – taking traditional themes and turning them into jazz instrumentals – with the help of a lean quartet that features Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working with a feel that's a lot more like the Grant Green/Sonny Clark material than some of Grant's more organ or tenor-assisted albums! Garvin Masseaux provides a bit of extra percussion on tambourine – and titles include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitar genius Grant Green is definitely feelin the spirit here – as he mixes his lean 60s style with a host of traditional numbers from the spiritual canon – at a level that provided a whole new sense of soul at the time! There was plenty of music influenced by gospel during the decade – but here, Green makes the link a lot more explicit – taking traditional themes and turning them into jazz instrumentals – with the help of a lean quartet that features Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working with a feel that's a lot more like the Grant Green/Sonny Clark material than some of Grant's more organ or tenor-assisted albums! Garvin Masseaux provides a bit of extra percussion on tambourine – and titles include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD

An excellent lost funky soundtrack on Blue Note – their only one for years, and Grant Green's entry into the blacksploitation genre! The whole thing bristles with the kind of chunky, thumping percussive feel as the best funky soundtracks of the era – informed by the work of Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes, but with the deeper jazz feel that Green brings from his other Blue Note sides of the time! Some cuts are quite funky, particularly the opener, "Past, Present, and Future" with it's crisp trap, chicken scratch guitar and bongo driven beat. Others have more of a stripped-down dope instrumental feel – there's some sweet funky flute work on "Fathers Lament", and even a slight bossa groove creeps into the title track! The whole album's very nice, and it's very different than any of Grant Green's other work! Other titles include "Afro Party", Luana's Theme", "Slight Fear And Terror", and "Battle Scene". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful stripped-down session that was recorded in the mid 60s, but not issued until the end of the decade, for some strange reason! Grant Green plays guitar in a laidback quartet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working wonderfully together, in long spiralling lines that are filled with soul and a gentle, easy groove. The set is an odd mix of compositions with a "western" theme – like "I Can't Stop Loving You", "Wagon Wheels", and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" – but the players more than manage to make the session swing way past the origins of the material! Very tough to find, but an essential addition to any Grant Green collection. CD

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green". CD

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green". LP, Vinyl record album

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green". CD

An early moment of genius from the great Grant Green – a set that's a real standout from his other Blue Note albums of the time – even though all of those are plenty darn great as well! Grant's working here with an unusual group – Yusef Lateef on tenor and flute, making a rare Blue Note appearance, and playing with a very soulful, very hardbop edge – and the excellent Jack McDuff on Hammond – a musician who wouldn't show up more at the label for a few more years! Tracks are nice and long, with an open, loping rhythm that's perfect for all three soloists – thanks to Al Harewood on drums, who really helps open things up for Green. Titles include "Grantstand", "My Funny Valentine", "Blues In Maude's Flat", and "Old Folks" – all done in nicely relaxed takes. LP, Vinyl record album

An early moment of genius from the great Grant Green – a set that's a real standout from his other Blue Note albums of the time – even though all of those are plenty darn great as well! Grant's working here with an unusual group – Yusef Lateef on tenor and flute, making a rare Blue Note appearance, and playing with a very soulful, very hardbop edge – and the excellent Jack McDuff on Hammond – a musician who wouldn't show up more at the label for a few more years! Tracks are nice and long, with an open, loping rhythm that's perfect for all three soloists – thanks to Al Harewood on drums, who really helps open things up for Green. Titles include "Grantstand", "My Funny Valentine", "Blues In Maude's Flat", and "Old Folks" – all done in nicely relaxed takes. CD also features a bonus track – "Green's Greenery". This is the newly remastered version, with crisp sound and additional notes and photos! CD

A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! CD

A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! LP, Vinyl record album

A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! LP, Vinyl record album

A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! CD features 2 bonus alternate takes! CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that shows off a different side of his talents than some of his other records of the time! The date has Grant working in a trio – with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – a super rhythm duo who are both soulful and modern, and who really have a great sense of matching the right modes of Green's guitar – which includes a number of those strong, long runs that always leave us breathless in these early years. The album has no Hammond or tenor – more frequent pairings with Green's instrument – and the open space really gives you the chance to hear what a completely inventive player Grant was, right from the start. The whole thing's great – and the album's got some great original titles that include "No 1 Green Street", "Grant's Dimensions", and "Green With Envy" – all of which sound a lot better than their gimmicky titles! Also includes two alternate takes. CD

A rare early chapter in the career of guitarist Grant Green – local material, cut in his hometown of St Louis – in the years before Lou Donaldson picked him up and delivered him to Blue Note Records! Amazingly, though, the Grant Green heard here is every bit as great as the guitarist who emerged strongly on his early Blue Note dates as a leader – a smoking soloist with a strong talent for single-line grooving – working here in a hip organ combo that features Sam Lazar on Hammond and Bob Graf on tenor sax! Lazar's got a mean bite to his organ, and pairs beautifully with Green – and together, the players hit a groove that's gritty, yet which has surprisingly strong fidelity – more than enough to make the record an essential piece of Grant's catalog. The CD's hardly a muddy live recording, and instead has surprisingly great fidelity – and lots of long tracks with open solos, on titles that include "Deep", "Blue Train", "Holy Barbarian Blues", "Caramu", "Grovvin High", and "Out Of Nowhere". CD

A set titled after a Beatles hit of the 60s, but one that's got a lot more depth than that – as the record is a landmark moment in the development of organ/guitar jazz at the time – a set that features the key pairing of guitarist Grant Green and Hammond modernist Larry Young! As with other records from the duo, there's a sense of rhythmic progression and tonal inflection here that's quite different than more standard soul jazz of the time – a complexity that also comes from the drum work of Elvin Jones, and which is topped by the soulful expressions of Hank Mobley on tenor – the last member of this all-star quartet! The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love". CD

A set titled after a Beatles hit of the 60s, but one that's got a lot more depth than that – as the record is a landmark moment in the development of organ/guitar jazz at the time – a set that features the key pairing of guitarist Grant Green and Hammond modernist Larry Young! As with other records from the duo, there's a sense of rhythmic progression and tonal inflection here that's quite different than more standard soul jazz of the time – a complexity that also comes from the drum work of Elvin Jones, and which is topped by the soulful expressions of Hank Mobley on tenor – the last member of this all-star quartet! The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love". CD

A set titled after a Beatles hit of the 60s, but one that's got a lot more depth than that – as the record is a landmark moment in the development of organ/guitar jazz at the time – a set that features the key pairing of guitarist Grant Green and Hammond modernist Larry Young! As with other records from the duo, there's a sense of rhythmic progression and tonal inflection here that's quite different than more standard soul jazz of the time – a complexity that also comes from the drum work of Elvin Jones, and which is topped by the soulful expressions of Hank Mobley on tenor – the last member of this all-star quartet! The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love". CD

A set titled after a Beatles hit of the 60s, but one that's got a lot more depth than that – as the record is a landmark moment in the development of organ/guitar jazz at the time – a set that features the key pairing of guitarist Grant Green and Hammond modernist Larry Young! As with other records from the duo, there's a sense of rhythmic progression and tonal inflection here that's quite different than more standard soul jazz of the time – a complexity that also comes from the drum work of Elvin Jones, and which is topped by the soulful expressions of Hank Mobley on tenor – the last member of this all-star quartet! The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A set titled after a Beatles hit of the 60s, but one that's got a lot more depth than that – as the record is a landmark moment in the development of organ/guitar jazz at the time – a set that features the key pairing of guitarist Grant Green and Hammond modernist Larry Young! As with other records from the duo, there's a sense of rhythmic progression and tonal inflection here that's quite different than more standard soul jazz of the time – a complexity that also comes from the drum work of Elvin Jones, and which is topped by the soulful expressions of Hank Mobley on tenor – the last member of this all-star quartet! The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love". CD

A warmly melodic session from Blue Note's greatest guitarist! The sound of the set's as evocative as the title – an idle moment of space between the notes, explored by Green's tight single-note work on guitar – and wonderfully supported by a lineup that includes Joe Henderson on tenor, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, and Duke Pearson on piano – all working in a surprising blend of modern ideas and warmer lyricism. Hutcherson and Pearson are always a treat together – bringing out the best exotic side of each other, and crafting a set of spiritually soulful grooves that are really great! The album's got four long tracks – exploratory and open, in the best manner of Green's mid 60s work – and titles include "Nomad", "Idle Moments", and "Jean De Fleur". LP, Vinyl record album

A warmly melodic session from Blue Note's greatest guitarist! The sound of the set's as evocative as the title – an idle moment of space between the notes, explored by Green's tight single-note work on guitar – and wonderfully supported by a lineup that includes Joe Henderson on tenor, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, and Duke Pearson on piano – all working in a surprising blend of modern ideas and warmer lyricism. Hutcherson and Pearson are always a treat together – bringing out the best exotic side of each other, and crafting a set of spiritually soulful grooves that are really great! The album's got four long tracks – exploratory and open, in the best manner of Green's mid 60s work – and titles include "Nomad", "Idle Moments", and "Jean De Fleur". CD also features two alternate takes! CD

A really fantastic record from Blue Note guitar genius Grant Green – and a set that's got a sound that goes way past his goofy look on the cover! The title's a bit right – in that there's something of a Latin vibe going on, with more percussion than usual in a small group – but the sound is also not straight New York Latin, with looser currents that are borrowed a bit from bossa nova, but also given a fluid soul jazz spin! There's maybe a slight touch of some of Cal Tjader's records from the period, but with more of the edge that we love on his guitar – served up in a combo that features the mighty Willie Bobo on drums, Johnny Acea on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, Patato Valdez on congas, and Garvin Masseux on chekere. Together, the group makes for a very hip set of tracks that includes "Tico Tico", "Mama Inez", "Besame Mucho", and "Mambo Inn". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare funky treasure – lost live material from Grant Green's hippest years at Blue Note – recorded in the early 70s funky years, but unissued for decades! The set's an incredibly smoking one – with loads of long tracks that really stretch out in a hard-hitting, bottom-heavy funky mode – no surprise, considering that Idris Muhammad's on drums, as part of a lineup that also includes Ronnie Foster on organ, Houston Person on tenor, and the more obscure Clarence Thomas on soprano sax and tenor! The groove here is a bit more Prestige jazz funk than Blue Note – the kind of rough-edged and spontaneous vibe that Rusty Bryant, Leon Spencer, and others cooked up during the early 70s on some of their best classics for that label – but Green's a perfect person to catch the spirit of that wildfire, and jams long and nicely here on 8 tracks that include "Farid", "Jan Jan", "One More Chance", "Patches", "I Am Somebody", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Bottom Of The Barrel", and "Walk On By". LP, Vinyl record album

A soaring set from guitarist Grant Green – a really amazing double-length set that caps off his legendary run for Blue Note – done with a vibe that's different than most of his other work for the label! Like some of the other Lighthouse sessions from Blue Note – particularly those from Lee Morgan and Elvin Jones – this one has a very open, free vibe – a way of stretching out on the tracks, yet still staying soulful – all an amazing document of the rich talents of the leader in a live setting! The group's a bit unique, too – and features Gary Coleman on vibes, Shelton Laster on organ, Claude Bartee on tenor and soprano sax, Wilton Felder on bass, and Greg Williams on drums – all players who hit this hip Cali groove with Green – and really take off on cuts that include versions of Donald Byrd's "Fancy Free", Neal Creque's "Windjammer", and The Fabulous Counts' "Jan Jan" – plus the cuts "Flood In Franklin Park", "Walk In The Night", and "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD

Quite an unusual album from Grant Green – a record that's quite different than his earlier records for Blue Note, but still pretty darn great overall! Grant's working here in a large group – Kudu style – with arrangements by David Matthews, but a sound that's still pretty lean overall! There's a fair bit of great players in the lineup – including Jon Faddis on trumpet, Hubert Laws on flute, and Joe Farrell on tenor – and the horns soar out nicely to set the scene over some tightly stepping backings – all served up with plenty of room for Grant to solo spaciously on guitar! The title track – "The Main Attraction" – is nearly 20 minutes long – and the other two tracks, "Creature" and "Future Feature", both approach the 10 minute mark themselves! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic mid 60s album from Grant Green – but one that never got its due originally, because it was unreleased at the time – and didn't come out until a Japanese version in the late 70s! Despite that oddly long gap, Matador is truly one Grant's best ever records – a really inventive session that goes way past his standard soul jazz roots – and which really shows the guitarist stretching out towards future styles of jazz! The session's a spare quartet date – with Green's guitar playing modal grooves over rhythm by by his incredible combo – with Bob Cranshaw on bass, Elvin Jones on drums and the incomparable McCoy Tyner on piano – blocking out bold changes that really drive the record strongly. Cuts are long, and there's a freewheeling quality to the material that's only ever matched by some of the Grant Green/Larry Young sessions from the same time – especially the Street Of Dreams Record. Titles include "Matador", "Bedouin", Green Jeans", and a killer version of "My Favorite Things", done in a very Coltrane-esque style. CD

A fantastic mid 60s album from Grant Green – but one that never got its due originally, because it was unreleased at the time – and didn't come out until a Japanese version in the late 70s! Despite that oddly long gap, Matador is truly one Grant's best ever records – a really inventive session that goes way past his standard soul jazz roots – and which really shows the guitarist stretching out towards future styles of jazz! The session's a spare quartet date – with Green's guitar playing modal grooves over rhythm by by his incredible combo – with Bob Cranshaw on bass, Elvin Jones on drums and the incomparable McCoy Tyner on piano – blocking out bold changes that really drive the record strongly. Cuts are long, and there's a freewheeling quality to the material that's only ever matched by some of the Grant Green/Larry Young sessions from the same time – especially the Street Of Dreams Record. Titles include "Matador", "Bedouin", Green Jeans", and a killer version of "My Favorite Things", done in a very Coltrane-esque style. LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn great work from guitarist Grant Green – one of his killer sessions with pianist Sonny Clark – recorded in the early 60s, but unissued until nearly 20 years later! The groove here is a bit different than some of Green's early dates with organ – a bit more soulful hardbop at times, with some great work on rhythm from Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums – two great players who complete the group beautifully. The setting is calm and spare, but very fluid, and all players play with a brilliant edge – Blakey is excellent, and hearing him on this one makes you want more of his work as a sideman (which was to diminish greatly after this recording). Tracks include takes on "Airegin", "I Concentrate on You", ""The Song Is You", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and a stellar version of "It Ain't Necessarily So". CD also features "Nancy" and an alternate of "Airegin". CD

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". Also features the bonus track "Wives & Lovers". CD

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". CD also features the bonus track "Wives And Lovers". CD

One of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a quartet that also includes Elvin Jones on drums – who provides a loose, fluid approach to rhythm that really sets the tone for the date – a flowing vibe that folds together the organ, guitar, and vibes beautifully – with an incomparable floating vibe that's pure magic! All tracks are long and very open – and titles include "Street Of Dreams", "Somewhere In The Night", and "Lazy Afternoon". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a quartet that also includes Elvin Jones on drums – who provides a loose, fluid approach to rhythm that really sets the tone for the date – a flowing vibe that folds together the organ, guitar, and vibes beautifully – with an incomparable floating vibe that's pure magic! All tracks are long and very open – and titles include "Street Of Dreams", "Somewhere In The Night", and "Lazy Afternoon". CD

A beautiful little session from one of the greatest guitarists ever! The album's part of Blue Note's tendency to "churchify" Grant Green on some albums – giving his guitar a gospelly groove that has some nicely soulful connotations – but it's also a record that's maybe the strongest of that bunch, as it's got this approach that's loose and open – and which has this fantastic flow that's aided by the piano of Kenny Drew! Drew is the equal star on this set – and the longer tunes on the record really allow for plenty of open solo space – and the whole thing shines with Drew's piano matching lines with Green's strung-out single-note solos. The groove is pretty hard, and the recording quality keeps the whole thing nice and lively – thanks also to work from Ben Tucker on bass and Ben Dixon on drums. Titles include "Sunday Mornin", "Come Sunrise", "Exodus", and "Freedom March". CD

A beautiful little session from one of the greatest guitarists ever! The album's part of Blue Note's tendency to "churchify" Grant Green on some albums – giving his guitar a gospelly groove that has some nicely soulful connotations – but it's also a record that's maybe the strongest of that bunch, as it's got this approach that's loose and open – and which has this fantastic flow that's aided by the piano of Kenny Drew! Drew is the equal star on this set – and the longer tunes on the record really allow for plenty of open solo space – and the whole thing shines with Drew's piano matching lines with Green's strung-out single-note solos. The groove is pretty hard, and the recording quality keeps the whole thing nice and lively – thanks also to work from Ben Tucker on bass and Ben Dixon on drums. Titles include "Sunday Mornin", "Come Sunrise", "Exodus", and "Freedom March". CD features the bonus track "Tracin Tracey". CD

A real standout in the career of guitarist Grant Green – and that's really saying a lot, as every one of his albums is pretty darn special! The set's a trio date, but it's very different than the mode that Grant was using just a few years before – as it's an early pairing with organist Larry Young, and both players take off in all these really wonderful new directions – working with just the drums of Elvin Jones for accompaniment, a player whose Coltrane-trained sense of rhythm brings Green and Young to the height of their early powers! The songs are open and loose, and the set includes two killer early Young compositions – "Talkin About JC" and "Luny Tune" – plus takes on "People", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A real standout in the career of guitarist Grant Green – and that's really saying a lot, as every one of his albums is pretty darn special! The set's a trio date, but it's very different than the mode that Grant was using just a few years before – as it's an early pairing with organist Larry Young, and both players take off in all these really wonderful new directions – working with just the drums of Elvin Jones for accompaniment, a player whose Coltrane-trained sense of rhythm brings Green and Young to the height of their early powers! The songs are open and loose, and the set includes two killer early Young compositions – "Talkin About JC" and "Luny Tune" – plus takes on "People", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A real standout in the career of guitarist Grant Green – and that's really saying a lot, as every one of his albums is pretty darn special! The set's a trio date, but it's very different than the mode that Grant was using just a few years before – as it's an early pairing with organist Larry Young, and both players take off in all these really wonderful new directions – working with just the drums of Elvin Jones for accompaniment, a player whose Coltrane-trained sense of rhythm brings Green and Young to the height of their early powers! The songs are open and loose, and the set includes two killer early Young compositions – "Talkin About JC" and "Luny Tune" – plus takes on "People", "I'm An Old Cowhand", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". CD

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". LP, Vinyl record album

The younger Grant Green grooves in ways that would have made his pops proud – recording here in a sweet old school style that features Hammond from either Reuben Wilson or Michael Torsone, plus alto sax from the legendary Eddie Pazant! There's a warm, fluid groove to most tracks – one that hits that same sort of Prestige-era groove referenced in the "Jungle Strut" title – and the hollow-body tones of Green's instrument ring out very nicely next to the organ lines on the set. Titles include "Green Onions", "We Can Fly", "Jungle Strut", "Walk On By", and "When A Man Loves A Woman". CD

Altoist Nick Green is in a mighty sharp group here – one that's tight enough to match the Charlie Parker energy of the leadoff track, but which then moves into more soulful territory that really gives the whole record a wonderful vibe! The great Joe Magnarelli is on trumpet in the frontline, sounding great next to Green as both players really seem to have a way of elevating each other – and Jeb Patton's piano provides these rich currents that take the the whole thing back to the feel of an old Riverside Records or Blue Note date – thanks to crackling energy from Mike Karn on bass and the great Kenny Washington on drums. Green's definitely going to be a player to keep our ears out for in years to come – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "Horizons", "Cheatin", "Tear & A Smile", "Barry", "You Krane", and "A Handful Of Stars". CD

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An assortment of work from the team of Urbie Green and Jimmy Raney – two players who rarely worked together in such small group settings! First up is the full ABC album Blues & Other Shades Of Green – one of the most obscure small group sessions by trombonist Green – a heck of a great player who was too often lost amidst larger ensembles! The album's got Urbie playing both slide and valve trombone, in a quintet that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Dave McKenna on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – and the tracks have a tightly arranged approach, but also still allow plenty of room for the individual instrumentalists to express themselves. Titles include "Reminiscent Blues", "One For Dee", "Am I Blue", "Dirty Dan", "Warm Valley", "Paradise", and "It's Too Late Now". Added to that album are 3 more tracks from the Vinnie Burke All Stars album for ABC – truly an all-star session, as the record boasts a lineup that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Al Cohn on tenor, Urbie Green on trombone, Eddie Costa on piano, and Joe Morello on drums! The sound is in keeping with Burke's album for Bethlehem, but fleshed out a bit more with the extra horn players – kind of a loosely swinging take on the chamber jazz sound of the mid 50s, with room for plenty of gentle solos from the key players in the set. The sound excellent – recorded with that crispness and focus that made the best mid 50s ABC jazz sides so great – and the 3 titles include "Lulu's Back In Town", "Blue Jeans", and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". Last up are 4 more titles from a rare 10" LP – Urbie Green & His Band, featuring Freddie Green on guitar (instead of Raney), Ruby Braff on trumpet, Med Flory on alto, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, and Sir Charles Thompson on piano. The sound is somewhat more traditional, but never too much so – and tracks include "Med's Tune", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Old Time Modern", and "I Got It Bad". CD

A nice cooker from Urbie Green – one that has his tightly compressed trombone soaring out over some sweet fuller backings! Al Cohn and Irwin Kostal handled the arrangements, and they have a playfully dynamic feel that's a nice change from some of the more staid, serious RCA jazz of the time – an energy that's almost veering towards RCA's hi fi work of the late 50s, but which is still firmly grounded in jazz overall. Green's trombone is the main solo instrument, and it sounds really wonderful in this setting – on tracks that include "Love Walked In", "The Moon Is Low", "When You're Smiling", "That Old Gang Of Mine", "It Must Be True", and "Dinner For One Please James". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer lost album from the early days of Blue Note – the original 10" LP! Urbie Green's normally a snoozer to us, but this beautiful set of modernist bop tracks has him leading a septet with some other lively young players, including Jimmy Lyon, who we know, and many others who we don't – like Doug Mettome, John Murtaugh, and Sam Staff. This is killer stuff from the days when the Blue Note image wasn't so clearly formed as it was in the late 50s – the sound is great – with titles like "Johnbo Mambo", "La Salle", and "Incubator" – and the cover and packaging are stunning! LP, Vinyl record album

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A brilliant late album from British tenor giant Tubby Hayes – one of his last true studio sessions, and a free-thinking album by a quartet that included Mike Pyne on piano, Ron Matthewson on bass, and Tony Levin on drums. Hayes' tenor talents are as strong as ever – imaginative and firey and with a tone that most other British players never reached – but he's also picking up some late 60s elements of freedom, and playing with his style a bit, in kind of an edgey way that creates more tension than usual for a set by Tubbs. The tracks are long and very creative original compositions – and the album's a true masterpiece that shows the wealth of talent bubbling on the UK jazz scene during the mid to late 60s. Titles include "Trenton Place", "Blues In Orbit", "Mexican Green", "Dedication To Joy", and "The Second City Steamer". CD