One of the best-known 50s jazz sessions from the Savoy label – a laidback classic that's a great illustration of the label's shift in modes after the early bop years! The setting here is relatively informal – with Milt Jackson as the ersatz leader, working almost in blowing session mode with hip players who include Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Eddie Jones on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – all players who relax into a groove wonderfully, and really open up on the album's four long tracks. Titles include the classic reading of "Opus De Funk", plus "Opus Pocus", "You Leave Me Breathless", and "Opus & Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-known 50s jazz sessions from the Savoy label – a laidback classic that's a great illustration of the label's shift in modes after the early bop years! The setting here is relatively informal – with Milt Jackson as the ersatz leader, working almost in blowing session mode with hip players who include Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Eddie Jones on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – all players who relax into a groove wonderfully, and really open up on the album's four long tracks. Titles include the classic reading of "Opus De Funk", plus "Opus Pocus", "You Leave Me Breathless", and "Opus & Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-known 50s jazz sessions from the Savoy label – a laidback classic that's a great illustration of the label's shift in modes after the early bop years! The setting here is relatively informal – with Milt Jackson as the ersatz leader, working almost in blowing session mode with hip players who include Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Eddie Jones on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – all players who relax into a groove wonderfully, and really open up on the album's four long tracks. Titles include the classic reading of "Opus De Funk", plus "Opus Pocus", "You Leave Me Breathless", and "Opus & Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

A 12" album that combines sides that JJ Johnson previously issued on Prestige – some as 78rpm singles, some as 10" LP material – all of it very top-level bop modern work from Johnson's first stretch on the scene! There's a sharpness here that really sets JJ apart from other trombonists – that mix of fresh ideas that makes all of his recordings from the time worth checking out – both the late 40s cuts that make up a third of the record, and the additional 8 tracks from 1954 that make up the rest. Other players include Kenny Dorham on trumpet, John Lewis on piano, and Sonny Rollins on tenor for the 1949 sessions – and Kai Winding on trombone and Dick Katz on piano for the 1954 sessions. Titles include "Elysses", "Hilo", "Fox Hunt", "Opus V", "Don't Argue", "Riviera", "Dinner For One", "Wing Bag", and "Hip Bones". LP, Vinyl record album

"Starting Time" is a great early 60s session by Jordan – who at the time of the recording, was one of a number of firey young tenor players from Chicago – all of them hard-blowing, with a nice soulful bottom that opened up a bop sound to more moods and emotions – but Jordan stood apart from most of them with an approach that was decidedly more complex and forward-thinking. As you'll hear on the album's tracks, he wasn't content enough to just blow off a riff – but had to twist things up a bit, working a tune for more shades and colors than it might yield with another player, pushing on the proceedings with an edge that's very strong. The great Wilbur Ware's on bass, and a young Cedar Walton's playing piano, and with warmth like that, Jordan and trumpeter Kenny Dorham sound great next to each other. Loads of original hard bop lines by Jordan, including "Extempore" and "Quittin' Time", plus "Mosaic" and "One Flight Down" by Cedar Walton. Even better is A Story Tale – a brilliant collaboration between Clifford Jordan and Sonny Red! Red's tone is excellent – a sharper one next to Jordan's more supple blowing – and the pair are a perfect team to lead off tunes like "Prints", "Hip Pockets", "A Story Tale", and "Defiance". CD

One of the few albums to ever feature the pre-Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross talents of Dave Lambert on vocals – caught here in duets with Buddy Stewart, in a sweet vocalese mode! Backing is by a hip lineup that includes Charlie Ventura on tenor, Red Rodney on trumpet, Tony Aless on piano, Serge Chaloff on baritone sax, and Billy Bauer on guitar. (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful late 50s work by Yusef Lateef – played in that "jazz exotic" style he was using to perfect form at the time, a mixture of the lyrical hard bop of the Horace Silver group, with some of the more spare and eastern styles used by groups like the early Sun Ra Arkestra. The drummer, Frank Gant, makes ample use of brushes and mallets to keep the rhythms in a mode that works with the overall sound – and other players include trumpeter Lonnie Hillyer and pianist Hugh Lawson, both of whom were part of the super-hip Detroit scene that spawned Lateef. Titles include "Cry Tender", "Butter's Blues", "Dopolous", "Sea Breeze", and "The Snow Is Green". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent live set from James Moody – one that really captures all the creative soulfulness that was part of his genius during the 60s! The set was recorded at the Jazz Workshop in LA, and features a hip group that includes Bernard McKinney on trombone, Musa Kaleem on baritone, Howard McGhee on trumpet, and Moody on flute, alto, and tenor. The groove is a mix of soul jazz and bop – but always with that slightly exotic style that Moody was picking up at the time, kind of a mix of the harder edge of Yusef Lateef, and the more playful Latin grooving of Dizzy Gillespie. The CD features all the tracks from the album Cooking the Blues, plus 3 unissued numbers, and one that had only ever shown up on a compilation. Very nicely done overall, as part of an excellent and short-lived reissue series on Chess. Titles include "Moody's Mood For Love", "Bunny Boo", "One For Nat", "The Jazz Twist", "Little Buck", "Sister Sadie", and "Home Fries". CD

Blue Note boy genius Jason Moran rolls forward with another fine set for the label – leading a quartet session with a keen ear for 40s deep south jazz with groundwork in the blues – without sacrificing the freedom and fervor of bop or more contemporary sounds! Moran's been moving very well for a few years in the comfort of his great trio, featuring Tarus Mateen on bass and Nasheet Waits on the kit – this time adding a stellar guitar in Marvin Sewell. It's only appropriate that the measured piano firebrand would jump back a couple generations after lending his attention to hip hop and electro on the last studio album – and he does so with the same geniune passion, and perhaps even more appealing results! Tracks include "Gangsterism On The Rise", "Jump Up", "Aubade", "G Suit Saltation", "I'll Play The Blues For You", Mal Waldron's hot "Fire Waltz", "Field Of The Dead", "Restin'", "Gangsterism On The Set" and more. CD

Excellent later work from Frank Morgan – the legendary LA altoist who first burned brightly in the bop generation, then came back to make really rich recordings like this! The set's got Frank in some really great company – a hip sextet that features Joe Henderson on tenor, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a sweet modern jazz lineup that ensures that the record's filled with sharp changes and deep colors – arguably a lot more so than some of Morgan's later revival sessions – with a vibe that's much more like some of Hutcherson or Henderson's best from the 80s. Titles include "Old Bowl New Grits", "Starting Over", "Reflections", "OK", and "Black Narcissus". CD features a bonus track – "Caravan". CD

5 albums from Lee Morgan – one of the coolest cats to ever handle a trumpet for Blue Note! First up is Delightfulee – really unique album from the great Lee Morgan – a set that features the trumpeter in two different settings, but in a way that really works well together! Most of the album has Lee blowing in a very cool quintet – with Joe Henderson on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a group who maybe bring out a slightly hipper vibe that really points the way to the rest of Morgan's direction in the late 60s, when he was really letting some more spiritual currents loose. The other two tracks on the record feature a hip larger band directed by Oliver Nelson – swinging hard in a really soulful style! Nelson's arrangements on these two tracks are great – quite progressive, with a soul jazz big band style that seems to point the way towards the 70s – and the band provides a raging backdrop that lets Lee's trumpet soar over the top in beautiful crystal clear solos. Titles include "Nite Flite", "Delightful Deggie", "Ca-Lee-So", and "Zambia". Also features a few bonus tracks. The Cooker is a very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". Lee Way is an undisputed masterpiece by Lee Morgan – and one of the first records in which he shed his straight bop sensibility, and began evolving into a soulful genius for the 60s! The album's got 4 long tracks that all build beautifully – really extended numbers that break the format of some of Lee's earlier work, and hint a bit at some of the more complicated touches he'd use on later sessions. All players are great – and include fellow Jazz Messengers Bobby Timmons on piano and Art Blakey on drums, plus Jackie McLean on alto and Paul Chambers on bass. Titles include the sublime "These Are Soulful Days" – a perfect model of soulful lyricism – plus "Midtown Blues", "Nakatini Suite", and "The Lion & The Wolff". Rumproller often gets too easily lumped next to The Sidewinder – because of an obvious title and cover similarity to that hit record – but like that one, the album's far more than jazz cliche – and shows Lee Morgan to be one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 60s. The set starts off with the title cut, "The Rumproller" – hard-wailing soul bop, in the manner of Lee's most popular work – but then it easily flows into more sensitive material that has a freer, lyrical feel – like the great original tune "Eclipso" and Wayne Shorter's "Edda" – both of which are superb. Lee is astounding, as always, on trumpet – and the rest of the group includes the great Ronnie Matthews on piano, plus Joe Henderson, Victor Sproles, and Billy Higgins. Search For The New Land is a brilliant album that proves that even at the height of his success, Lee Morgan was one of the freest thinkers on Blue Note – always coming up with fresh ideas that continued to grow his talents! The first cut on the album is keen poof of that fact – the title track "Search For The New Land" – a beautiful 16 minute exploration of modal jazz themes, with an unusual stop/start device as a means of ushering solos by different bandmates – including Wayne Shorter on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, and Herbie Hancock on piano! The approach is unlike anything that Morgan ever did before – and unlike most of other Blue Note as well – and it also benefits from great rhythmic help from Reggie Workman on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Other tunes are a bit more conventional, but still pretty special – like some of Morgan's inventive work on the Rajah albums – with titles that include "The Joker", "Melancholee", "Mr. Kenyatta" and "Morgan The Pirate". CD

One of Lee Morgan's first-ever recordings as a leader, cut way back when he was just a hip teenager from Philly with a bucketful of promise on the trumpet! The session's a crack hard bop date – with an all-star cast that includes Hank Mobley on tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and although the proceedings are a bit rough around the edges compared to some of the Blue Note sets, the album's still filled with a heck of a lot of fire, and like all Morgan albums, is totally worth owning! Tracks are longish, and filled with imagination – and titles include "Bet", "Hank's Shout", "Nostalgia", "That's All", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

One of Lee Morgan's first-ever recordings as a leader, cut way back when he was just a hip teenager from Philly with a bucketful of promise on the trumpet! The session's a crack hard bop date – with an all-star cast that includes Hank Mobley on tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and although the proceedings are a bit rough around the edges compared to some of the Blue Note sets, the album's still filled with a heck of a lot of fire, and like all Morgan albums, is totally worth owning! Tracks are longish, and filled with imagination – and titles include "Bet", "Hank's Shout", "Nostalgia", "That's All", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". 70s pressing of the sessions – with the previously unissued track "A-1"! LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely focused set from the great Art Pepper – a record that features a number of familiar bop and jazz themes, but set to a more open, relaxed, and very soulful style that wonderfully reflects all the greatness of Pepper in his final years! The group on the record is nicely understated, but still very hip – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and Art gets plenty of space to step out front and really blow these amazing solos, including one number that features just bass and drums, while Pepper blows a bit of clarinet – which we always love. All other titles feature alto sax – and titles include "Donna Lee", "Anthropology", "You Go To My Head", "Body & Soul", and "Desafinado". CD

A nicely focused set from the great Art Pepper – a record that features a number of familiar bop and jazz themes, but set to a more open, relaxed, and very soulful style that wonderfully reflects all the greatness of Pepper in his final years! The group on the record is nicely understated, but still very hip – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and Art gets plenty of space to step out front and really blow these amazing solos, including one number that features just bass and drums, while Pepper blows a bit of clarinet – which we always love. All other titles feature alto sax – and titles include "Donna Lee", "Anthropology", "You Go To My Head", "Body & Soul", and "Desafinado". LP, Vinyl record album

Five tremendous albums from saxophone genius Art Pepper – presented here with a lot of bonus tracks too! First up is So In Love – beautiful late work from Art Pepper – one of his albums recorded for the well-done Artist House label, and a set that's maybe got a different vibe than some of his Galaxy recordings of the time! There's a rock-solid sense of soul to the record – one that comes from the work of two different rhythm trios – one that features George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm trio who keep things swinging, but never in a way that's too straight – pushing Art a bit around the edges, but letting him come right down the middle with some fantastic solos on alto – the other with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Tunes are a bit shorter than on some other albums of the period, but in a great way that really lets you focus in on Pepper's amazing sound –and titles include "Diane", "Stardust", "Blues For Blanche", and "Straight No Chaser". Artworks is a nicely focused set from the great Art Pepper – a record that features a number of familiar bop and jazz themes, but set to a more open, relaxed, and very soulful style that wonderfully reflects all the greatness of Pepper in his final years! The group on the record is nicely understated, but still very hip – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and Art gets plenty of space to step out front and really blow these amazing solos, including one number that features just bass and drums, while Pepper blows a bit of clarinet – which we always love. All other titles feature alto sax – and titles include "Donna Lee", "Anthropology", "You Go To My Head", "Body & Soul", and "Desafinado". Next is a New York Album, but one that was oddly recorded in Burbank – and which has Art Pepper sounding very much at the top of his game! The format here is a bit like the other Artist House Pepper sessions, and those he did for the Japanese Atlas label – tight, focused, often tunes that are older jazz or bop standards – but swing with a great rhythm section, and topped with completely sublime alto solos from the leader! The quartet features Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – but one number is a duo between Carter and Pepper, and another features just piano and alto. Titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Duo Blues", "My Friend John", and "Straight No Chaser". Stardust is a great little record from Art Pepper – four long tracks that really have him stretching out on alto – but in a way that's maybe a bit different than some of his more burning albums on the Galaxy label at the time! The group here follows from some of the previous Artist House recordings – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm combo that's mighty nice – and which benefits from some great straight basswork from Haden, and Higgins' always compelling sense of rhythm! Titles include "My Friend John", "Stardust", and "Tin Tin Deo" – plus a reading of "In A Mellotone" that has Art on clarinet. CD5 features a full disc of Sessions material, titled as such – alternates, and unusual versions from the recording dates – and all other of the four CDs feature bonus material as well – different takes and alternates! CD

There was a special sort of magic in the larger groups on the French scene of the postwar years – a quality of playing and arrangement that wasn't the same as American big bands, and which instead brought in some really creative interplay between the instrumental elements in the lineup! It might be said that these groups were born after bop, and also carried some modern jazz ideas forward too – and that's definitely the case here, with work from pianist Andre Persiany – whose groups on the record are all pretty darn hip! As indicated by the title, there's some wonderful work from Guy Lafitte on tenor – a player who can move between familiar and modern modes with effortless ease – and other players inlcude Bill Jackson and Lucian Juanico on trumpets, Michel De Villers on baritone, Maurice Meunier and Jean Claude Fohenbach on tenors, and Teddy Hameline and Michel Attenoux on altos – players who move beautifully together under Persiany's leadership. A number of cuts are originals by the leader, and there's a number of Basie tunes, remade in a great way – as the 23 track CD pulls together material from three different 10" album releases, the last of which is Andre Persiany Joue Count Basie. Titles include "Halbe Funf", "Blue Organ", "T Bone Steak", "Beer Barrel Bounce", "Little Story", "Panorama", "Shorty George", "Two Cats & A Piece Of Lung", and "Just For Fun". CD

A split album that combines work from 2 different early 10" LPs on Bethlehem – both led by some of the best bassists to record for the label at the time! The first 6 tracks are classic work by Oscar Pettiford – some of his best as a leader, and cut with a hip group that includes Charlie Rouse on tenor, Duke Jordan on piano, and Julius Watkins on French horn. The tracks swing nicely with a strong modernist bop influence – and titles include "Cable Car", "Tricotism", "Oscar Rides Again", and "Golden Touch". The other 8 tracks are a bit mellower, but still quite modern – and with a really fresh approach. Recorded by Vinnie Burke's quartet, they feature a very unusual lineup of bass, clarinet, accordion, and guitar – the latter of which is played by the enigmatic Joe Cinderella, of Gil Melle group fame, and who gives the record a similar feeling to Melle's strange work for Blue Note. Titles include "For All We Know", "Time Out", "On The Alamo", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

A split album that combines work from 2 different early 10" LPs on Bethlehem – both led by some of the best bassists to record for the label at the time! The first 6 tracks are classic work by Oscar Pettiford – some of his best as a leader, and cut with a hip group that includes Charlie Rouse on tenor, Duke Jordan on piano, and Julius Watkins on French horn. The tracks swing nicely with a strong modernist bop influence – and titles include "Cable Car", "Tricotism", "Oscar Rides Again", and "Golden Touch". The other 8 tracks are a bit mellower, but still quite modern – and with a really fresh approach. Recorded by Vinnie Burke's quartet, they feature a very unusual lineup of bass, clarinet, accordion, and guitar – the latter of which is played by the enigmatic Joe Cinderella, of Gil Melle group fame, and who gives the record a similar feeling to Melle's strange work for Blue Note. Titles include "For All We Know", "Time Out", "On The Alamo", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

Bud's second LP for Blue Note – a firey batch of trio tracks that feature George Duvivier on bass and Art Taylor on drums – some of Powell's best work from the time, and a nearly all-classic set of bop piano tracks! The album's nothing fancy on the outset, but Powell and the trio really make magic happen on the best of moments – lighting fire underneath old standards, while also unveiling some hip new originals that are really worth the price of the set. Titles include "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Sure Thing", "Reets & I", "Glass Enclosure", and "Collard Greens & Black Eyed Peas", "Audrey", and "Autumn In New York". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant set with a real 60s modern feel overall – in case you couldn't guess from the hip cover image! The group's got a sound that's definitely in the sharper side of the Italian jazz spectrum – kind of a Basso-Valdambrini groove, but with some bolder tones at times – all handled wonderfully by a quintet that features Oscar Rocchi on piano, Sergio Fanni on trumpet, Hugo Heredia on flute and sax, Giovanni Tommasso on bass, and Gianno Cazzola on drums! The horn parts are especially great – coming together with some nice tension on the heads, the burning out into solos that are filled with soul and feeling – the kind of sparkling energy that makes digging up older Italian sessions like this so great. Titles include "Thema", "Elixir", "Preposition", "Action Up", "Kind Words", "Wafers", "Relax Love", and "Example". CD also features 6 bonus tracks too – "Nigredo", "Gold Fast", "Rubedo", "Solution", "Silver Bop", and "Sulphur". CD

One of the greatest 50s sessions from bop trumpet legend Red Rodney – a set that has longer tracks than some previous albums – and a very hip lineup with Ira Sullivan on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and either Elvin Jones or Philly Joe Jones on drums! Titles include "Ubas", "Box 2000", "Red Arrow", and "Star Eyes". CD

Great jazzy grooves from this hip Italian combo – a late 90s precursor to the current club jazz scene! The group's got a classic Blue Note sound – mixing up soul jazz and modal grooves with some very tight playing and a strong commitment to a classic sound. The horn players are all great – and include Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet, Gianluca Petrella on trombone, and Rosario Giuliani on alto sax – all great names from the Italian scene. The rhythm section's pretty darn nice, too – with piano from Pietro Lussu – and the tracks have a hard groove that reminds us of classic lines by Art Blakey from the early 60s! The set's a tribute to the classic Italian hard bop combo of Gianni Basso and Oscar Valdambrini – and the album includes some of that group's great original compositions, like "Look Out", "Young Man", "Time Was", "Lothar", "Before Ten O'Clock", and "Bob's Buddy". (New Grooves, Jazz) CD

Bop modes, updated strongly for the 70s – and played by a hip group of older players who really know how to cook! Supersax is led by Med Flory on alto, who also did the arrangements – and works here with great reed help from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, Joe Lopes on alto, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – plus soaring sounds from Conte Candoli and Blue Mitchell on trumpets, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Lou Levy on piano – all of whom really help the reed players find their groove! Charts are large, as is the ensemble, but there's a nice sense of individual personalities too – even when all the saxophonists are taking a solo together at once. Titles include "Shaw Nuff", "Drifting On A Reed", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Now's The Time", and "The Song Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

Two MPS gems from this unusual 70s ensemble – back to back on the same CD! Chasin The Bird features classic bop modes, updated strongly for the 70s – and played by a hip group of older players who really know how to cook! Supersax is led by Med Flory on alto, who also did the arrangements – and works here with great reed help from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, Joe Lopes on alto, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – plus soaring sounds from Conte Candoli and Blue Mitchell on trumpets, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Lou Levy on piano – all of whom really help the reed players find their groove! Charts are large, as is the ensemble, but there's a nice sense of individual personalities too – even when all the saxophonists are taking a solo together at once. Titles include "Shaw Nuff", "Drifting On A Reed", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Now's The Time", and "The Song Is You". Dynamite is a looser, more free-swinging album than usual for Supersax – one that still has the group working with some key contributions from west coast jazz luminaries, but in a vibe that's almost more small combo than larger ensemble! The tracks here include a fair bit of Bud Powell and Charlie Parker numbers, but the arrangements are mighty fresh – open, and swinging with some hipper 70s touches, thanks to rhythms from a trio that features Lou Levy on piano, Fred Atwood on bass, and John Dentz on drums – players that are never locked into a strict bop mode. As with other Supersax albums, there's a brace of reed players working together at the front – Lanny Morgan on alto, Jack Nimitz on baritone, and both Jay Migliori and Don Menza on tenors – coming together as one voice on the solos, and getting some key help from Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone. Titles include "The Fruit", "Bambu", "Blues For Alice", "Tempus Fugit", "Parker's Mood", and a surprising, but great take on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave". CD

The roots of modern jazz never sounded this great before – and this is the first time ever that all the early bop recordings by Savoy have been properly brought together in one place! Savoy was one of the most important labels to record the early bop pioneers – and had a dedication to the music that begin in 1945, and moved well into the 50s – as the label captured some of the brightest young stars who'd go onto shape a generation! Almost all of this material was originally issued just as 78rpm singles – then later scattered and repackaged in a confusing way – although many tracks here also never made it into the LP or CD generation, either. The folks at Mosaic have worked incredible magic to correct that error – and have pulled together a stunning 10CD package that finally presents this amazing legacy of music in its proper form – complete with notes and session details that were never given in later years, too. There's way too much here to list in this space – but the set features dates recorded under the name of Dexter Gordon, Fats Navarro, Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, Sonny Stitt & Kenny Dorham's Bebop Boys, Allen Eager, Kai Winding, Ray Brown, Eddie Davis, Serge Chaloff, Kenny Hagood, Leo Parker, Tadd Dameron, Teddy Reig, Brew Moore, Milt Jackson, Kenny Clarke, and Gil Fuller – all with groups that are filled with equally hip and important musicians too. We love Mosaic all the time – but with a collection of 78rpm material, they really knock it out of the park – and do us, and the jazz history books, a mighty big favor! CD

One of the best of Donald Byrd's early Blue Note albums – a sparkling set of hardbop tunes with a really souful edge! The album's one of a few that feature Byrd working with baritonist Pepper Adams – a frequent partner on his best recording dates of the late 50s, of which this set is one of the best. The rest of the group includes a rhythm section of Walter Davis, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor – all grooving nice and hard – plus tenor work by the great Charlie Rouse, whose raspy tone really gives the set a tremendous amount of depth. Tracks are a good blend of originals by Byrd and Davis, swinging with the lyrical beauty of a Horace Silver set of tracks – and titles include "Devil Whip", "Bronze Dance", "Clarion Calls", and "The Injuns". CD

A landmark album for Donald Byrd – one that marks a key departure in his sound! Donald's really opening up on this one – picking up more of the soulful and the spiritual side of jazz, and moving from the hardbop and modern jazz of his late 50s years – no surprise, since he's surrounded by an incredibly hip group – with Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The tracks are longish and lyrical, with wonderfully-crafted solos, and some fresh writing from both Hancock and Byrd that really mark the album as one of the most inventive Blue Notes of the time! Titles include a great instrumental version of "Pentacostal Feelin", plus the cuts "Nai Nai", "Night Flower", and "French Spice" – all of which were written by Byrd. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album for Donald Byrd – one that marks a key departure in his sound! Donald's really opening up on this one – picking up more of the soulful and the spiritual side of jazz, and moving from the hardbop and modern jazz of his late 50s years – no surprise, since he's surrounded by an incredibly hip group – with Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The tracks are longish and lyrical, with wonderfully-crafted solos, and some fresh writing from both Hancock and Byrd that really mark the album as one of the most inventive Blue Notes of the time! Titles include a great instrumental version of "Pentacostal Feelin", plus the cuts "Nai Nai", "Night Flower", and "French Spice" – all of which were written by Byrd. Plus, this CD also features the bonus cut "Three Wishes", written by Hancock! CD

A landmark album for Donald Byrd – one that marks a key departure in his sound! Donald's really opening up on this one – picking up more of the soulful and the spiritual side of jazz, and moving from the hardbop and modern jazz of his late 50s years – no surprise, since he's surrounded by an incredibly hip group – with Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The tracks are longish and lyrical, with wonderfully-crafted solos, and some fresh writing from both Hancock and Byrd that really mark the album as one of the most inventive Blue Notes of the time! Titles include a great instrumental version of "Pentacostal Feelin", plus the cuts "Nai Nai", "Night Flower", and "French Spice" – all of which were written by Byrd. Plus, this CD also features the bonus cut "Three Wishes", written by Hancock! CD

A really landmark album in soulful jazz for the 60s – a set that takes the already-great energy of the young trumpeter Donald Byrd, and mixes it with some voices borrowed from gospel music bur turned towards modern jazz – all in a style that's very similar to some of the Max Roach experiments from the time! The core group is really great – with tenor from Hank Mobley, guitar from Kenny Burrell, and piano from Herbie Hancock – plus vibes from the obscure Donald Best, an instrument that you don't always hear on Donald Byrd's albums! Added to this group are voices directed by Coleridge Perkinson, a very hip cat who takes the voices far away from cliched modes of earlier years – and into some very righteous territory that makes the record one of Donald Byrd's first really powerful statements as a leader. Duke Pearson handled the arrangements, and the sound is beautiful and spiritual, with a sound that mixes Blue Note hardbop with a style that would later show up on labels like Strata East, or in the experiments of Max Roach and Billy Harper. The tracks are long and moody, and the vocal group never gets in the way, but instead backs Byrd in a way that lets him hit new heights, and which gives him a stronger sense of voice. Titles include the classic "Christo Redentor", plus "Chant", "The Black Disciple", and "Elijah". LP, Vinyl record album

A really landmark album in soulful jazz for the 60s – a set that takes the already-great energy of the young trumpeter Donald Byrd, and mixes it with some voices borrowed from gospel music bur turned towards modern jazz – all in a style that's very similar to some of the Max Roach experiments from the time! The core group is really great – with tenor from Hank Mobley, guitar from Kenny Burrell, and piano from Herbie Hancock – plus vibes from the obscure Donald Best, an instrument that you don't always hear on Donald Byrd's albums! Added to this group are voices directed by Coleridge Perkinson, a very hip cat who takes the voices far away from cliched modes of earlier years – and into some very righteous territory that makes the record one of Donald Byrd's first really powerful statements as a leader. Duke Pearson handled the arrangements, and the sound is beautiful and spiritual, with a sound that mixes Blue Note hardbop with a style that would later show up on labels like Strata East, or in the experiments of Max Roach and Billy Harper. The tracks are long and moody, and the vocal group never gets in the way, but instead backs Byrd in a way that lets him hit new heights, and which gives him a stronger sense of voice. Titles include the classic "Christo Redentor", plus "Chant", "The Black Disciple", and "Elijah". LP, Vinyl record album

A really landmark album in soulful jazz for the 60s – a set that takes the already-great energy of the young trumpeter Donald Byrd, and mixes it with some voices borrowed from gospel music bur turned towards modern jazz – all in a style that's very similar to some of the Max Roach experiments from the time! The core group is really great – with tenor from Hank Mobley, guitar from Kenny Burrell, and piano from Herbie Hancock – plus vibes from the obscure Donald Best, an instrument that you don't always hear on Donald Byrd's albums! Added to this group are voices directed by Coleridge Perkinson, a very hip cat who takes the voices far away from cliched modes of earlier years – and into some very righteous territory that makes the record one of Donald Byrd's first really powerful statements as a leader. Duke Pearson handled the arrangements, and the sound is beautiful and spiritual, with a sound that mixes Blue Note hardbop with a style that would later show up on labels like Strata East, or in the experiments of Max Roach and Billy Harper. The tracks are long and moody, and the vocal group never gets in the way, but instead backs Byrd in a way that lets him hit new heights, and which gives him a stronger sense of voice. Titles include the classic "Christo Redentor", plus "Chant", "The Black Disciple", and "Elijah". CD

The second of two early LPs that the Byrd and Gryce team cut for Columbia – and the more obscure of the two by far! This one features the group's groundbreaking format – a mixture of hardbop and modern jazz, always swinging, but angularly carved, with striking tones and colors that recall the best mid 50s Mingus. The difference, though, is that 4 tracks also feature some vocals by Jackie Paris, a hip singer who's at his best here – vocalizing with way better material than he often got on his own albums, singing on the tracks "Now Don't You Know", "Elgy", "Early Byrd", and "Early Morning Blues". The rest of the group features Wynton Kelly, Art Taylor, and Wendell Marshall – but more than anything else, it's Gryce's unbelievable tone on alto that really makes the record cook. Why couldn't he have played like this forever? We love it to death! Other tracks include "Satellite", "Social Call", and "Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session as a leader from trumpeter Johnny Coles – a player who cut some great work in the groups of James Moody and Gil Evans, but who shines even more brightly on this classic Blue Note album! Coles really has an ear for finding the hippest side of his instrument – and he blows with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – and certainly far from the mellower tones of his previous leader set for Columbia. This album's got a great mix of hardbop and modern ideas – right up there with the best Blue Note had to offer at the time – and the group's filled with equally hip players who include Joe Henderson on tenor, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Pete LaRoca or Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Heavy Legs", "Hobo Joe", "Jano", and "Little Johnny C". Very hip, very hard, and very swingin! CD

A rare session as a leader from trumpeter Johnny Coles – a player who cut some great work in the groups of James Moody and Gil Evans, but who shines even more brightly on this classic Blue Note album! Coles really has an ear for finding the hippest side of his instrument – and he blows with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – and certainly far from the mellower tones of his previous leader set for Columbia. This album's got a great mix of hardbop and modern ideas – right up there with the best Blue Note had to offer at the time – and the group's filled with equally hip players who include Joe Henderson on tenor, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Pete LaRoca or Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Heavy Legs", "Hobo Joe", "Jano", and "Little Johnny C". Very hip, very hard, and very swingin! CD

A rare session as a leader from trumpeter Johnny Coles – a player who cut some great work in the groups of James Moody and Gil Evans, but who shines even more brightly on this classic Blue Note album! Coles really has an ear for finding the hippest side of his instrument – and he blows with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – and certainly far from the mellower tones of his previous leader set for Columbia. This album's got a great mix of hardbop and modern ideas – right up there with the best Blue Note had to offer at the time – and the group's filled with equally hip players who include Joe Henderson on tenor, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Pete LaRoca or Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Heavy Legs", "Hobo Joe", "Jano", and "Little Johnny C". Very hip, very hard, and very swingin! CD

A rare session as a leader from trumpeter Johnny Coles – a player who cut some great work in the groups of James Moody and Gil Evans, but who shines even more brightly on this classic Blue Note album! Coles really has an ear for finding the hippest side of his instrument – and he blows with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – and certainly far from the mellower tones of his previous leader set for Columbia. This album's got a great mix of hardbop and modern ideas – right up there with the best Blue Note had to offer at the time – and the group's filled with equally hip players who include Joe Henderson on tenor, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Pete LaRoca or Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Heavy Legs", "Hobo Joe", "Jano", and "Little Johnny C". Very hip, very hard, and very swingin! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session as a leader from trumpeter Johnny Coles – a player who cut some great work in the groups of James Moody and Gil Evans, but who shines even more brightly on this classic Blue Note album! Coles really has an ear for finding the hippest side of his instrument – and he blows with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – and certainly far from the mellower tones of his previous leader set for Columbia. This album's got a great mix of hardbop and modern ideas – right up there with the best Blue Note had to offer at the time – and the group's filled with equally hip players who include Joe Henderson on tenor, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Pete LaRoca or Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Heavy Legs", "Hobo Joe", "Jano", and "Little Johnny C". Very hip, very hard, and very swingin! CD

A killer hardbop session from the early years of MPS/Saba Records – and one of the boldest statements on record from the mighty American reedman Nathan Davis – then residing in Europe, and really making some great waves on the scene! As with so many of the best Saba gems, the record has a way of taking Blue Note/Prestige Records inspiration, and pushing it with a fresher sensibility picked up overseas – elements of spiritual and modal jazz in the mix, served up by Davis on tenor, flute and soprano – in a wonderful combo that also features Carmell Jones on trumpet – with Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – that ultra-hip rhythm section who opened up so many Gigi Campi productions! The album's a prize in the collection of any serious jazz collector – and titles include "The Hip Walk", "Train Of Thought", "B's Blues", and the nice groover "That Kaycee Thing". CD

A killer hardbop session from the early years of MPS/Saba Records – and one of the boldest statements on record from the mighty American reedman Nathan Davis – then residing in Europe, and really making some great waves on the scene! As with so many of the best Saba gems, the record has a way of taking Blue Note/Prestige Records inspiration, and pushing it with a fresher sensibility picked up overseas – elements of spiritual and modal jazz in the mix, served up by Davis on tenor, flute and soprano – in a wonderful combo that also features Carmell Jones on trumpet – with Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – that ultra-hip rhythm section who opened up so many Gigi Campi productions! The album's a prize in the collection of any serious jazz collector – and titles include "The Hip Walk", "Train Of Thought", "B's Blues", and the nice groover "That Kaycee Thing". CD

A killer hardbop session from the early years of MPS/Saba Records – and one of the boldest statements on record from the mighty American reedman Nathan Davis – then residing in Europe, and really making some great waves on the scene! As with so many of the best Saba gems, the record has a way of taking Blue Note/Prestige Records inspiration, and pushing it with a fresher sensibility picked up overseas – elements of spiritual and modal jazz in the mix, served up by Davis on tenor, flute and soprano – in a wonderful combo that also features Carmell Jones on trumpet – with Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – that ultra-hip rhythm section who opened up so many Gigi Campi productions! The album's a prize in the collection of any serious jazz collector – and titles include "The Hip Walk", "Train Of Thought", "B's Blues", and the nice groover "That Kaycee Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing music by one of our favorite saxophone players of all time – captured here at the height of his 60s genius on the European scene! The tracks here have never been issued at all – but stand as a perfect complement to the killer MPS/Saba albums by Nathan Davis – and are served up with a similar blend of soulful hardbop and modernist edges – qualities that are already present in the fantastic phrasing of Davis on tenor and flute, pushed even further by the equally great work of French piano legend Georges Arvanitas! Although Arvanitas could be out when he wanted, he could also swing like the best of them – and his pairing with Davis here is perfect, and really brings out both the soul and edge in both players – especially in the company of George's fantastic rhythm duo of Charles Saudrais on drums and Jacky Samson on bass. The set's full of other surprises, too – including a bit of organ from Arvanitas, and an appearance by Jack Dieval – and the whole thing is beautifully recorded by French Radio. Tracks are all long – and include "Mid Evil Dance", "Blues For Southeast Asia", "The Hip Walk", "Rules Of Freedom", "A5", "The Thing", "Love Ye The Neighbor", "Nathalie's Dance", and "Yesterdays" in both flute and tenor versions. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Richard Davis' hippest records of the 70s – a live session recorded with two very strong hornmen in front – Clifford Jordan on tenor and Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, both blowing beautifully in very spacious, and open-ended styles! The album only features two long tracks – each running a side apiece – and although they're familiar jazz standards, Davis really opens them up with his performance – letting the group take them in a space that's somewhere between open loft jazz modes, and more familiar bop improvisation – but definitely at the left fringes of that style! The rest of the group features Joe Bonner on piano and Freddie Waits on drums – and the album's almost more typical of Clifford Jordan's albums from the time, than it is Davis' more tightly-arranged sessions for Muse. Tracks include versions of "Epistrophy" and "Now's The Time" that both run for over 20 minutes! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Richard Davis' hippest records of the 70s – a live session recorded with two very strong hornmen in front – Clifford Jordan on tenor and Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, both blowing beautifully in very spacious, and open-ended styles! The album only features two long tracks – each running a side apiece – and although they're familiar jazz standards, Davis really opens them up with his performance – letting the group take them in a space that's somewhere between open loft jazz modes, and more familiar bop improvisation – but definitely at the left fringes of that style! The rest of the group features Joe Bonner on piano and Freddie Waits on drums – and the album's almost more typical of Clifford Jordan's albums from the time, than it is Davis' more tightly-arranged sessions for Muse. Tracks include versions of "Epistrophy" and "Now's The Time" that both run for over 20 minutes! CD features a bonus take of Jordan's "Highest Mountain". CD

Buddy DeFranco on clarinet, Larry Novak on piano, Joe Cohn on guitar, Keter Betts on bass &and Jimmy Cobb on drums. CD

Not the Broadway record that you might guess from the title, but a great showboat for the hipper talents of trumpeter Kenny Dorham! The album is made up of tunes from the famous show, but the presentation here is quite strongly hardbop – blown by Kenny with the same mix of sweet and modern you might hear on his Blue Note records, but a bit looser too – almost with the rougher edges of a Prestige date. Other players include Jimmy Heath on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Garrison on piano, and Art Taylor on drums – one hell of a great group – and although the titles are familiar – "Can't Help Lovin Dat Man", "Ol Man River", "Why Do I Love You", and "Nobody Else But Me" – they're recast by Kenny as thoughtful little showpieces, rich with imagination, and played as if they were his own compositions. CD

Not the Broadway record that you might guess from the title, but a great showboat for the hipper talents of trumpeter Kenny Dorham! The album is made up of tunes from the famous show, but the presentation here is quite strongly hardbop – blown by Kenny with the same mix of sweet and modern you might hear on his Blue Note records, but a bit looser too – almost with the rougher edges of a Prestige date. Other players include Jimmy Heath on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Garrison on piano, and Art Taylor on drums – one hell of a great group – and although the titles are familiar – "Can't Help Lovin Dat Man", "Ol Man River", "Why Do I Love You", and "Nobody Else But Me" – they're recast by Kenny as thoughtful little showpieces, rich with imagination, and played as if they were his own compositions. CD

Fantastic work from a time when Billy Eckstine had one of the hippest groups going – a bop-heavy lineup that features trumpet from Dizzy Gillespie, and saxes from Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, and Wardell Gray! (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A hokey cover and title, but a hip little record from Duke Ellington – kind of a story of percussion and jazz, all wrapped together with some great vocals and narration! The format is kind of far-reaching, but never too stuffy – and in a way, the album offers a great opportunity to hear some of the Ellington players stepping out in a slightly different vibe than the usual Columbia date from the decade. Duke does a bit of narration himself – and singers include Margaret Tynes, Joya Sherrill, and Ozzie Bailey – who beautifully illustrate the shifting passages of the longer suite. Solos are by Johnny Hodges on alto, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Paul Gonsalves on tenor – and titles include "Congo Square", "Madam Zajj", "Drum is A Woman", "You Better Know It", "Rhythm Pum Te Dum", and "Rhumbop". LP, Vinyl record album

Great later issue of two classic Prestige hardbop albums from the 50s! First up is Two Trumpets – one of those wonderful late 50s Prestige Records blowing sessions that really let individual players have lots of the right sort of space to find their own voice alongside each other! Byrd and Farmer are both young here, and mighty sharp in their sounds – already quite distinct from each other in phrasing, and a great choice as soloists to illuminate in a setting like this. The rest of the group features Jackie McLean on alto – getting in some great solos too – plus Barry Harris on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and the great Art Taylor on drums. Byrd's bite is a great counterpart to the lyricism of Farmer – and titles include "Contour", "Round Midnight", "The Third", and "Dig". Next is Three Trumpets – an excellent follow-up to the legendary Two Trumpets session on Prestige – and even rarer than that one! The lineup features Farmer, Byrd, and Idrees Sulieman on the horns in the title – with hip rhythm from Hod O'Brien on piano, Addison Farmer on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include "Diffusion Of Beauty", "You Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Who's Who", and "Palm Court Alley". LP, Vinyl record album

Drummer Steve Fidyk is a hell of a sharp talent on the kit – and he's working here with a mighty tight group that features Terell Stafford on trumpet and Tim Warfield on tenor! Fidyk's got a way of propelling things forcefully one minute, then stepping back and providing this carefully compelling rhythm the next – a quality that really makes him a well-balanced player, but also one with an inherently rhythmic focus even in the mellower moments. All players really seem to catch the fire of his leadership – including guitarist Shawn Purcell, who rings out with some beautiful tones at times, in a group that also features Regan Brough on bass. Titles include the originals "Untimely", "Might This Be Bop", "TTJ", and "The Bender" – plus versions of "Make Someone Happy" and "Love For Sale". CD

A different version of the album Bash – recorded for the Jazztime label in 1961, with leadership by Dave Bailey – a set that's filled with fire, soul, and imagination – recorded as part of the drummer's amazing (and amazingly short) early 60s run as a leader! The date smokes with the same sort of energy as Dave's great "Gutter" albums for Epic – a groove that's part Blue Note, part Prestige, and carried off with so much precision, we wonder why Bailey never recorded more as a leader. Players are all wonderful – Kenny Dorham's on trumpet, Curtis Fuller's on trombone, Frank Haynes is on tenor, and Tommy Flanagan's on piano. Ben Tucker provides excellent basswork, and proves that him and Bailey were one of the best hardbop rhythm teams ever! Cuts include "Grand Street", "Osmosis", "Soul Support", and "An Oscar For Oscar". CD features 7 tracks in all – including some that haven't been on other versions of this session. Other titles include "Just Friends", "Like Someone In Love", and "BMT Express". CD

A landmark late 50s album on Prestige Records – one of the label's key efforts to bring together some of the best talents in the hardbop business, and really let them loose on the kind of extended passages that weren't being recorded a few years before! The Cats here are all quite hip ones – an all-star sextet effort that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, John Coltrane on tenor, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are long, and open – and although each player is really at their best on their solos, there's still a sense of group unity that makes the record stand out from other efforts of its type – enough so that it's often cited as a key early entry in the Coltrane catalog. Titles include "Eclypso", "Solacium", "Tommy's Tune", and "Minor Mishap". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark late 50s album on Prestige Records – one of the label's key efforts to bring together some of the best talents in the hardbop business, and really let them loose on the kind of extended passages that weren't being recorded a few years before! The Cats here are all quite hip ones – an all-star sextet effort that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, John Coltrane on tenor, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are long, and open – and although each player is really at their best on their solos, there's still a sense of group unity that makes the record stand out from other efforts of its type – enough so that it's often cited as a key early entry in the Coltrane catalog. Titles include "Eclypso", "Solacium", "Tommy's Tune", and "Minor Mishap". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Blu-Bop", "Flying Saucer Dudes", "Hole In The Wall", and Lennon & McCartney's "Michelle". CD

An excellent follow up to Roberto Gatto's first Remembering Shelly date – a sublime reworking of older west coast jazz modes, handled by a hip batch of contemporary Italian players! The groove here is less the whimsical Shelly Manne of the early 50s, than it is the hardbopper of the early 60s – heard most famously on his live Blackhawk and Manne Hole dates! The tracks here are nice and long – really approximating the feel of those great records – and Gatto's drums are topped with some great horn work from Marco Tamburini on trumpet and Max Ionata on tenor – both players who really know how to spin out some imaginative solos on the long tracks! Other players include Luca Mannutza on piano and Giuseppe Bassi on bass – and titles include "Pullin Strings", "Speak Low", "Seite X Seite", "Blue Daniel", and "Eclipse Of Spain". CD

Herb Geller's one of those players that almost sounds hipper in the later part of his career – he's lost none of the sharpness of his earlier years, and really starts to open up even more on his solos – as you'll hear on this early 90s session with Kenny Drew on piano! The pair are working here in the studio, with bass from Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen and drums from Mark Taylor – all in a mode that's open and relaxed, but not as loose as some of the live dates that Drew was recording on the European scene. Geller plays alto throughout, with a wonderfully sharp tone – boppish one minute, a bit more fluid and open the next – and Pedersen's bass has a surprisingly strong role on some of the best numbers. Titles include "Birdland Stomp", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Cheryl", "Autumn Nocturne", and an extended "Ellington & Strayhorn Medley". CD