A group that's a lot greater than you'd guess from its name – with performances by Lewis Nash, Peter Washington, Steve Turre, Slide Hampton, Renee Rosnes, Jerry Dodgion, Ted Nash, and Ralph Lalama – plus Jon Faddis, who directs the group too! CD

Young lion jazz from a great little combo – one headed up by pianist Marc Cary, and featuring Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Ron Blake on tenor, and Yarborough Charles Laws on flute! The record's got the positive, forward-thinking sound you'd guess from the players – a great mix of entitled optimism with some nice undercurrents of darkness – really showing this generation of players on the cusp of their maturing talents! The horn work from Blake and Hargrove is especially nice – full of soulful colors that really make the record sparkle – and other players include Dwayne Burno on bass, Dion Parson on drums, and Charlene Fitzpatrick on a bit of vocals. Titles include "Melody In C", "The Trial", "The Vibe", "He Who Hops Around", and "We Learn As We Go". CD

An unusual session from the heart of Lou Donaldson's return to Blue Note in the late 60s – a mellower date that stands in strong contrast to his funkier albums of the time! As you might guess from the title, there's a lusher feel going on here – one that has Lou's alto sax augmented by larger backings from Duke Pearson – who manages to score things perfectly with a balance of soul and sophistication. The album's hardly a "Donaldson with strings" date – and instead is done in the more mature mode that Duke was using in some of his own sides from the time, and on work with players like Donald Byrd or Stanley Turrentine. Other players here include Wayne Shorter on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Garnett Brown on trombone – plus core rhythms from the trio of McCoy Tyner on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Harewood on drums. Titles include "Sweet Slumber", "The Good Life", "Sweet & Lovely", "Stardust", and "You've Changed" – and the album was recorded in the 60s, it was only first issued in Japan in 1980 – and even then only later in the US! CD

A beautiful 60s album from Duke Ellington – one that features some of his more popular numbers, as you'd guess by the title – but captured in these sublime, sophisticated arrangements that really reflect the genius sound of his group during the later years! The tracks are familiar, and the arrangements are maybe never too way out – but they're also these mini-masterpieces in color and tone – carried off by a fantastic group of all-stars who've matured and grown as much as the Duke himself – Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson on trumpets, Lawrence Brown and Buster Cooper on trombones, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on piano. There's a darkness in Duke's piano that's maybe missing from earlier versions of this material – that great modern undercurrent of the late years – and titles include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "The Twitch", "Perdido", "Solitude", "The Mooche", "Creole Love Call", "Take The A Train", and "Sophisticated Lady". CD

A hell of a cooker from bassist Red Mitchell – a set that's got a sound that's way more mature and modern than you might guess from the image on the cover! Red's at the helm of a hip combo that also features sharp tenor from Zoot Sims and beautiful work on valve trombone from Bob Brookmeyer – working here at that cool compressed height of his 50s style we love so much. Conte Candoli's in the group on trumpet, giving things a surprising sort of bite – and rhythm is completed by Claude Williamson on piano and Stan Levey on drums – players who can be bold one minute, and carefully quiet the next. Titles include "Kelly Green", "Once In A While", "Bluesology", "Happy Minor", and "Long Ago & Far Away". CD

A surprising 90s set from The Jazz Passengers – the New York group who'd worked in many modes other than just the straight jazz you might guess from their name, but who here maybe take things back to basics, especially on some of the cuts that bring in vocals from famous guests who include Deborah Harry and Elvis Costello! In some ways, Harry is the core of the set – as she unlocks this great jazz-based side of her style, in a way that gives her voice a whole new level of expression – one that's surprisingly strong next to the instrumentation provided by Roy Nathanson, Curis Fowlkes, and the rest of the group. Elvis Costello sings moodily on the tune "Aubergine" – but most other vocal numbers feature Deborah Harry, and include "Pork Chop", "Lil Darlin", "Maybe I'm Lost", "Imitation Of A Kiss", "Ole", and "Angel Eyes". Harry and Costello duet on "Doncha Go Way Mad" – and the set also features a nice instrumental remake of the Nat Adderley tune "Jive Samba". CD

A stunner of a set from Jason Moran – hardly the easy Fats Waller tribute you might guess from the title, and instead a sweet electric session that's filled with soul, and a quality that's a real change from some of Moran's other music! The record was co-produced by Meshelle Ndegeocello, who also sings on the set at times – and it's got a blend of jazz and vocals that's not far from some of the other Blue Note projects of late – especially from the Roberg Glasper camp! A few tunes are definitely older Waller numbers, or standards that Fats might have played – but Moran's handling is very untraditional – with lots of Fender Rhodes or Wurlitzer organ, and vocals from singers who include Ndegeocello, Lisa Harris, Charles Haynes, and Leron Thomas. Thomas also plays trumpet, and the group also features trombone from Josh Roseman and tenor from Stephen Lehman – on titles that include "Put Your Hands On It", "Yacht Club Swing", "The Joint Is Jumpin", "Two Sleepy People", "Jitterbug Waltz", "Fats Elegy", and "Handful Of Keys". CD

A really unusual album from bassist William Parker – an artist whose musical world is usually quite far from the 70s soul of Curtis Mayfield – even though both Mayfield and Parker are pretty darn righteous individuals! Yet here, Curtis and William come together in a stunning way – as Parker reworks classic Mayfield songs, and transforms them into fantastic vehicles for spiritual jazz expression! The group has a warmly collaborative vibe, and energy that feels like some lost indie jazz project from the 70s – all held together by Parker's bold acoustic bass and masterful leadership – in a lineup that includes vocals from Leena Conquest, piano from Dave Burrell, saxes and flute from Sabir Mateen, tenor and soprano from Darryl Foster, trumpet from Lewis Barnes, drums from Hamid Drake, and poetry and voice from Amari Baraka. With a lineup like that, you can already guess the vibe – and we can promise that the whole is even better than you might have hoped! Titles include "I Plan To Stay A Believer", "If There's A Hell Below", "This Is My Country", "People Get Ready/The Inside Song", "It's Alright", "Freddie's Dead", "New World Order", and a great 17 minute take on "We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue". CD

Stanley Turrentine's no spoiler here – as his tenor sax soars out over the top of some sweet larger group arrangements from Duke Pearson – all awash in a great sense of soul, joy, and life! The album's got a much brighter feel than you might guess from the cover – a vibe that's a bit similar to Stan's classic Joyride album, but a bit more open and free – thanks to the lyrical touches of Pearson on the charts. Other players include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Pepper Adams on baritone sax – plus rhythm from McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on electric bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Joseph Rivera on percussion. As on some of the other Pearson dates from the time – particularly those with Donald Byrd – the use of electric bass really opens things up, by creating a subtle rhythmic pulse that really drives most numbers along. And also in the Pearson mode, the added players aren't really a horn section in the conventional way – just a group of like-minded, top-shelf jazz players who egg on the main soloist with a great sense of enthusiasm for the music! Titles include "La Fiesta", "The Magilla", "Sunny", "Maybe September", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", and "When The Sun Comes Out". CD

Two LP's on one CD. The first set is a later one for Vee Jay, and it brings together half of the Jazz Messengers with a batch of west coast players – in a groove that wonderfully mixes together different traditions and rhythms in jazz – and which steps out with a sound that's far more than the sum of its parts! Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller join a group headed by Buddy De Franco, and featuring Victor Feldman on piano and vibes, plus Victor Sproles on bass and Freddie Hill on trumpet. The sound of the group is quite unusual – and a lot lighter than you'd guess – giving Buddy plenty of room to solo in a breezy style that's grown tremendously since his 50s recordings – pushed along by some heavier soul from Art and the group. Titles include "Rain Dance", "Blues Bag", "Twelve Tone Blues", "Kush", and "Cousin Mary". The second album's one of the few ever cut as a leader by Louis Hayes – a very soulful talent who's probably best known for his work with Horace Silver and Cannonball Adderley during the late 50s. Hayes' has a wonderful approach to the record – borrowing bits of the exoticism of his work with Silver, and bits of the harder soul jazz from Cannonball's group – all of which is played to perfection by a tight quintet that includes Yusef Lateef, Sam Jones, Barry Harris, and Nat Adderley. Tracks are all originals by the group, and titles include "Hazing", "Rip De Boom", "Teef", and "Sassy Ann". CD

An unusual session from the heart of Lou Donaldson's return to Blue Note in the late 60s – a mellower date that stands in strong contrast to his funkier albums of the time! As you might guess from the title, there's a lusher feel going on here – one that has Lou's alto sax augmented by larger backings from Duke Pearson – who manages to score things perfectly with a balance of soul and sophistication. The album's hardly a "Donaldson with strings" date – and instead is done in the more mature mode that Duke was using in some of his own sides from the time, and on work with players like Donald Byrd or Stanley Turrentine. Other players here include Wayne Shorter on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Garnett Brown on trombone – plus core rhythms from the trio of McCoy Tyner on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Harewood on drums. Titles include "Sweet Slumber", "The Good Life", "Sweet & Lovely", "Stardust", and "You've Changed" – and the album was recorded in the 60s, it was only first issued in Japan in 1980 – and even then only later in the US! CD

Milt Jackson sings, in addition to his familiar vibes on this set – an unusual date done during his Pablo Records run of the late 70s – and a surprisingly great little album overall! As you might guess, Jackson's not the greatest singer in jazz – but it's this quality that also makes the record really great – kind of an honest approach to the tunes that reminds us of the sort of singers we used to catch at south side jam sessions here in Chicago – vocalists whose love of a tune was so great, they were willing to get out and take whatever chances they may – showing a care for the lyrics that's almost greater than a more proficient singer. Electric piano backs up Jackson on most of the vocal numbers – creating a cool, soulful glow – and other players on the record include Cedar Walton on keyboards, Dennis Budimir and John Collins on guitar, Billy Higgins on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – who also produced the session. Titles include "Heartstrings", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Yes Sir That's My Baby", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face", "Someone I Love", and "Parking Lot Blues". CD

Despite what you might guess from the title, the record's not a blues-based one – but a great little blowing session from an all-star array of players! It's our guess that Prestige chose to use the word "blues" in the title because "soul jazz" had yet to come into prominence – but the album's definitely a push of the hardbop blowing session mode in the soul jazz direction – using players that include Art Farmer, Idrees Sulieman, Jerome Richardson, Jimmy Forrest, Pepper Adams, Ray Bryant, and Tiny Grimes on a batch of longish tunes that have plenty of bluesy overtones. Arrangements here are by Jerry Valentine, who we don't really know – but he really gets the feel of the record right – and tracks include "Sent For You Yesterday", "Blue Flute", "Jelly Jelly", and "I Wanna Blow Blow Blow". CD

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". CD

A fantastic 70s album from the great Sarah Vaughan – maybe one of her best small combo sessions of the decade – and a set that also makes room for some great instrumental contributions too! As you'd guess from the title, the group features the great Jimmy Rowles on piano – having a bit of time in the limelight at this point in his career, and graced with a relaxedly emotive style that's perfect for the similar qualities in Sarah's voice! Yet it's also the whole package on the set that makes things great – as Rowles group features wonderful work on bass from Monty Budwig, maybe some of his best performances on record – plus drums from Donald Bailey, tenor from Teddy Edwards, and trumpet from Al Aarons. These players never get in the way of Sarah, but do a true job of accompanying the singer, while inspiring her to her best with their own top talents – on titles that include "That Face", "Folks Who Live On The Hill", "A House Is Not A Home", "That Sunday That Summer", and "Morning Star". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Not only a great follow-up to the first Echoes Of An Era session, but also a standout 80s performance from Nancy Wilson – quite possibly her best of the decade! The setting is nice and laidback – a live date with a core combo that features Joe Henderson on tenor, Chick Corea on piano, Stanley Clarke on acoustic bass, and Lenny White on drums – plus steller vocals from Wilson, who's really at home in the setting – stretching out beautifully on the long tracks, and coming into play with the soloists at a level that's quite different from her more polished studio records. Clarke's bass is a delight, too – a great reminder that his talents didn't always lie in the electric realm during the 80s – and Henderson, as you might guess, provides some soulful undercurrents that reallyg round the whole proceedings. Titles include "500 Miles High", "Round Midnight", "Rhythm A Ning", "My One & Only Love", "Them There Eyes", and "I Want To Be Happy". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Obscure work from Kenny Burrell – material originally issued by Muse Records, most of it with a very laidback feel – as you'd guess from the title! The original sides were produced by Helen Keane, who'd done some of Bill Evans' greatest sets – and who had a real ear for the mellower side of the jazz spectrum. And for the record, she's got Kenny playing in a trio format that's very spacious – with only gentle accompaniment on bass and drums, and most of the sound on the set coming from the strings of Kenny's guitar. Following in the gentle spirit of the set, Kenny even plays an acoustic guitar on some numbers – making for a very different sound than usual. Some tracks are quite long, really letting Kenny open up on his solos – and titles include "So Little Time", "All Blues", "In A Mellow Tone", "In The Still Of The Night", "Tenderly", "Listen To The Dawn", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

Jack DeJohnette's best known as a drummer, but he's also played a bit of piano too – and this album focuses nicely on that side of his talents, in case you couldn't guess from the title! The trio lineup is a great one – with Eddie Gomez on bass and Freddie Waits on drums – both players who'd make any keyboardist sound good, even if they didn't have the chops. Jack, though, definitely brings some skills to the session – playing both a bit inside at times, and also freewheeling and open, as you might expect from his work on drums. There's a bit of synth at points, but most of the record is acoustic and warmly soulful – with titles that include "Minority", "Lydia", "Countdown", "Spiral", "Milton", and "Ahmad The Terrible". CD

A brilliant return from the Hot 8 Brass Band – a New Orleans combo who take tradition into some great funky new territory! As you'd guess from their name, the instrumentation is heavy on brass – played with a gritty, soulful edge – in the way you'd find during some street performance in a corner far from the mainstream Quarter – sometimes accompanied by ensemble vocals, and almost always driven by these great rhythms at the bottom – more than funky enough to set even the heaviest horns on fire with their energy. Titles include "Bingo Bango", "Fine Tuner", "Steamin Blues", "Can't Hide From The Truth", "New Orleans (After The City)", and a nice remake of The Specials' "Ghost Town". (Deep Funk, Jazz) CD

A classic from Wes Montgomery – and exactly the kind of record that made him a legend in the 60s! The set's one of Wes' collaborations with arranger Claus Ogerman – a key talent who was really on the rise at the time, and who understood how to perfectly balance Montgomery's unique sound on the guitar with larger arrangements in the back. There's a slightly Latin feel to some of the rhythms, as you might guess from the title – but it's very slight, and more there just to give the tracks a bit of a slink, in the classic full-on production way that Wes was using for his best Verve and A&M work in the late 60s. Titles include the classic groover "Bumpin On Sunset", plus the cuts "The Big Hurt", "Midnight Mood", "The Thumb", and "What The World Needs Now". Also includes the bonus tracks "Wives & Lovers", "Big Hurt" plus other alternate takes. CD

Maybe the strongest statement so far as a leader by Javier Nero – a larger group recording that really bristles with energy – full of all sorts of fantastic twists and turns amidst a set of original compositions by Nero, all every bit as soulful as you might guess from the album's title! Nero blow trombone, but he's an equally strong leader – and the group features some key guest work from Sean Jones on trumpet and Warren Wolf on vibes – the latter of whom gets two especially nice solos on the set! Titles include "Reflections On The Dark Tranquil Water", "Discord", "One Day", "Kemet The Black Land", "Time", "Nostalgic Haiku", and "Just Let Go". CD

Sublime late 50s hardbop – recorded in the best Prestige blowing session mode! The record has an incredibly open-ended feel – as you might probably guess from the track "All Night Long", which runs for all of side one, and gives all the players included plenty of room to work out their best solo moments! Members of the group here include Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Mobley on tenor, Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Mal Waldron on piano – really holding the whole thing together with his dark lines on the keys! The groove is laidback, but never sloppy – and the spaciousness of side one is matched by 3 shorter tracks on side two – "Boo Lu", "Flickers", and "Little Hankie". CD

Searing sounds from the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s – music that's equal parts noise and equal parts free jazz – served up on some freaky, fuzzy guitar from Masayuki Takayanagi – and a mix of alto sax, harmonica and bass clarinet from Karou Abe! Abe's a lot noisier here than on some of his later records – and maybe has to be, too – to match the frenetic sounds from Takayanagi's guitar – at a level that prefaces so much later electronic noise improvisation to come – as both musicians come together on two long, improvised tracks. Yet the intensity also abates a bit at points – making for a richer balance of tones as the set goes on – even though we'd guess that if Takayanagi had his way, the whole thing would be full-on, all the way through! CD

The title here is very apt – as this fantastic quartet seem to set a different kind of fire on every one of the CDs in the set – six different performances, recorded over the space of two months – in Paris, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Poland! The group should be well-known to lovers of improvised music from earlier Okka Disk recordings in the 90s – and the passage of two decades has only made them sharper and more intense – especially when the tenor and pocket trumpet of Joe McPhee joins the lineup of Ken Vandermark on reeds, Kent Kessler on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums. The set of recordings is dedicated to James Baldwin – which you might have guessed from the title – and the whole thing is a fitting tribute to the transformation of ideas about freedom and identity over the passage of time. CD

A really beautiful record, and one that's every bit as righteous as you might guess from its cover and title – maybe even more so, as there's a hugely collaborative energy to the whole record, a sense of group spirit that's not even hinted at on the front! Nududuzo Makhathini is listed as the "composer and conceptualizer" on most tracks – and that's a great way of putting it, as there's definitely a core concept to most of the record – which is then taken up by an array of other musicians and singers, and lifted up with energy that maybe makes the whole thing one of the most spiritual releases on Blue Note since the days of Eddie Gale! Makhathini plays piano, and other musicians include Logan Richardson on alto, LInda Sikhakane on tenor, Ndabo Zulu on trumpet, and Ayanda Sikade on drums – used in a shifting lineup with other players, and joined by voices on some tracks – so that the record has this amazing blend of spiritual and South African jazz modes, with some traces of contemporary soul. A wonderfully uplifting record – with titles that include "Beneath The Earth", "Saziwa Nguwe", "On The Other Side", "Shine", "Indawu", "Umlotha", "Unyazi", and "Saziwa Nguwe". CD

One of David Murray's most ambitious projects ever – and that's saying a lot, given the depth of the 150-plus albums in his recording career! As you'd guess from the title, the set's a tribute to the En Espanol albums by Nat King Cole from the early 60s – and like those gems, Murray's project is a trans-cultural outing that brings together his jazz roots with Cuban musicians, additional strings, and an occasional vocalist – all recorded in studios from Argentina, to Portugal, to France! There's still a nicely unified feel to the whole record, though – and there should be, given how long Murray has kept this musical vision in his heart – and honestly, the whole thing is one of the most impressive things he's recorded in years – not only a great reminder that he's got deep respect for many jazz traditions, but also that he can inflect his horn with rich flavors with effortless ease. Titles include "Quizas Quizas Quizas", "Black Nat", "Piel Canela", "Cachito", "Aqui Se Habla En Amor", and "El Bodeguero". US version features the bonus cut "El Chocolo"! CD

Nice stuff – a much richer album than you might guess from the cover and title! Pino Palladino and Blake Mills have a way of making some wonderfully fresh sounds here – Palladino on a variety of basses, and Mills on reeds, guitars, and a whole host of other instruments too! The music is jazz, but of the sort that goes most strongly for the overall sound of the group's output – maybe reaching forth past the sonic experiments of early ECM, but with a very contemporary vibe, and a spirit that's much more varied and filled with surprise overall! Players shift as much as the instruments from track to track – and the set features work from Sam Gendel on poly sax (which sounds great!), plus Larry Golding on flutes and mellotron sax, Marcus Strickland on bass clarinet, and Chris Dave on drums and percussion. The sound is great – very unique, in ways that are hard to describe easily in words – with titles that include "Soundwalk", "Man From Molise", "Djurkel", "Off The Cuff", "Notes With Attachments", and "Ekute". CD

Brilliant later work from the Young Holt Unlimited combo – 2 albums that really stand apart from the rest of their recordings! Born Again is a sophisticated batch of jazzy tracks that really opens the group's style up – going way way past the stock soul of some of their Brunswick recordings. The band's clearly taken on a more spiritual bent for this one – as you can probably guess from the Afro-madonna cover – and the music ranges from electric funk to trippier more spiritual numbers. The record features hip keyboards by Ken Chaney, Marylean Holt, and a young Bobby Lyle. Cash McCall plays guitar on a great reading of Richard Evans "Hot Pants" – and other tracks include "Luv Bugg", "Wah Wah Man", and "Save The Day". Mellow Dreamin is one of the group's wildest and most beautiful LPs – really pushing the sound to a freer-thinking style of soul with a myriad of interesting rhythms, strange instrumentation, and uncanny arrangements! The best proof of this is their fantastic take on "Midnight Cowboy" from the set – done with an insane breakdown, funky piano, and this cool trumpet line playing counterpoint to the piano as the track goes on! The whole set's great, though, and features some great originals by piano player Ken Chaney, like "The Creeper" and "Trippin" – plus the cuts "Mellow Dreamin", "The Devil Made Me Do Dat", and "Black & White". (Soul, Jazz) CD

Nicole Mitchell is in very different territory here than on some of her more spiritual albums – something you might have guessed from the cover, which signals another great chapter in Mitchell's shift into science fiction territory on some of her other projects! At some level, Nicole's working more here almost as a writer of speculative soundscapes instead of a jazz musician – blowing a variety of flutes, and adding in some vocalizations – next to the original Vivo electronic system employed by Fabio Paolizzo – whose dark tones and dystopic elements really shape the sound of the set! Titles include "Perils To Beauty", "A Baby Jellyfish", "Replicas", "The Birth", "Transformation Of A Simple Life Form", "Make Fertile", "Wings", and "Apotropaic". CD

As you can probably guess from the title, Carol Sloane and Clark Terry recreate some of the vocal magic of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong on Verve back in the 50s – but all in ways that are still quite fresh overall! The album's got a much more contemporary feel than you might expect – not in a modern way, but more in the way the trio's used behind the vocals, and the way the whole set's recorded – very much in the manner of some of the best Japanese sessions like this from the same time. Sloane's vocals really seem at the head of the set on most numbers, as Terry only vocalizes part of the time – and plays trumpet or flugelhorn at others, but not on every track. Other players include Bill Charlap on piano, Marcus McLaurine on bass, and Dennis Mackrel on drums – and titles include "Can't We Be Friends", "I Won't Dance", "Tenderly", "Blueberry Hill", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Stars Fell On Alabama", and "Autumn In New York". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

A smoking little bop set from Sonny Stitt – recorded live at the Keystone in 1981, as sort of a "summit meeting" of horns – one that features Richie Cole and John Handy in the frontline with Sonny! The rhythm section alone is enough to cook this one up nicely – with Cedar Walton on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the sextet is expanded by Bobby Hutcherson, whose vibes seem to bring an even deeper level of soul to the set. But the main focus here is on the horns – and it's a focus that's well-kept, especially on the longer tunes, which really sparkle in the range of tone and mood expressed. Highlights include an extended "Ballad Medley" and versions of "Wee", "Lover Man", and "Star Eyes". (And by the way, that's "bad", as in "good" – in case you couldn't guess from the title!) CD

Funky keyboard work from Frank Strazzeri – a player who's really stretching out here in the 70s, with a massively cosmic vibe you'd never have guessed from his earlier work! Strazzeri had recorded and played heavily around the LA scene by the time of this mid 70s release – but most of his other work was a bit restrained, and hardly as wonderfully soulful as this! Frank's working here on moog and electric piano – in a group that includes Sam Most on tenor, Bobby Shew on trumpet, and Don Alias on percussion – grooving with Frank in a gently funky way that's got a heck of a lot of soul, and which makes for some nice extended tunes. Titles include "After The Rain", "Rush Hour", "Philadelphia Flyer", "Cloudburst", and "The Third Eye". CD

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD

Three killer albums from pianist Frank Strazzeri – all brought together in a wonderful demonstration of his genius during the 70s! First up is Taurus, a record that's also known as View From Within – a date that has Frank playing Fender Rhodes with a wonderful sound – that open quality he always had in acoustic piano, stretched out even more with the space allowed by The Rhodes! The group features work from Conte Candoli on trumpet, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Don Menza on tenor and flute, in a nicely laidback vibe – with tracks that include "Strazzatonic", "Taurus", "Lazy Moments", "View From Within", "Calcutta", and "Sphinx". Frames is a great overlooked set from the 70s – one that has the mighty Frank Strazzeri working some real magic on Fender Rhodes – with an open style that's completely wonderful, and warmed up even more with help from Don Menza on soprano sax and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Gary Barone on trumpet. Titles include "Frames", "Injun Jo", "Jo Gee", "Ballad Of The Matador", and "La Mosca". After The Rain is filled with funky keyboard work from Frank Strazzeri – a player who's really stretching out here in the 70s, with a massively cosmic vibe you'd never have guessed from his earlier work! Strazzeri had recorded and played heavily around the LA scene by the time of this mid 70s release – but most of his other work was a bit restrained, and hardly as wonderfully soulful as this! Frank's working here on moog and electric piano – in a group that includes Sam Most on tenor, Bobby Shew on trumpet, and Don Alias on percussion – grooving with Frank in a gently funky way that's got a heck of a lot of soul, and which makes for some nice extended tunes. Titles include "After The Rain", "Rush Hour", "Philadelphia Flyer", "Cloudburst", and "The Third Eye". CD

A stone classic from Gene Ammons – and a record that introduced his talents to a whole new audience in the 60s! The album's a more laidback one than some of Jug's more hard-blown honkers – as you might guess from his hit rendition of the ballad in the title – and the instrumentation here varies between organ from Johnny Hammond Smith and piano from Mal Waldron – making for a nice tapestry of dark-tinged, late nite moods. Other players include Frank Wess on tenor and flute, and Art Taylor or Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include the classic "Angel Eyes", plus "You Go To My Head" and "It's The Talk Of The Town" – and slightly more groovin numbers like "Getting Around" and "Water Jug". CD

Drummer Gerry Gibbs has a hell of a trio for this set – and a great batch of guests as well – all of whom help make some real magic on jazz instrumental versions of soul tunes from the 70s! The core trio features Kenny Barron on piano and Ron Carter on bass – both wonderfully sensitive players, without any of the "thrasher" qualities you might guess from the group's name on the cover – and some passages expand things with the addition of Warren Wolf on vibes, Steve Wilson on alto sax, and Larry Goldings on Hammond – all players we really love too. Titles include "Pick Up The Pieces", "Where Is The Love", "What's Going On", "Reasons", "Too High", "Fantasy", "Creepin", and "Brazilian Rhyme". CD