A tremendous step forward for the young Muhal Richard Abrams – a set that still shows his early roots in the AACM, but which also blossoms with some of his more serious compositional efforts to come! There's a sensitivity here that really stands out – even among Abrams' contemporaries – a striving for a wider range of expression – some as bold as before, some much more deeply personal and intimate. The tracks feature a shifting array of players – working alongside Abrams piano, and building up the sound in a number of different ways. Players include Wallace McMillan on flute and sax, Edwin Daugherty on sax, Richard Brown on sax, Emanuel Cranshaw on vibes, Rufus Reid on bass, and Steve McCall and Wilbur Campbell on drums. Ella Jackson provides vocals on "How Are You?" – and other titles include "Ballad For New Souls", "Things To Come From Those Now Gone", "In Retrospect", "Ballad For Old Souls", "1 & 4 Plus 2 & 7", and "March Of The Transients". CD

Two classic Albert Ayler albums – back to back on a single CD! First up is Live In Greenwich Village – one of the first big moments of Albert Ayler's work in the jazz mainstream – and a record that doesn't dim his greatness at all from the earlier sides recorded for ESP! The album's got a sharply angular sound that more than lives up to its vibrant cover image – a well-honed approach to improvisation, showcased by Ayler in a set of recordings done upon his return from work on the European scene. The material was recorded on two different dates – featuring two different groups: one with Alan Silva, Beaver Harris, and Joel Friedman; the other with Donald Ayler, Henry Grimes, and Michel Sampson. Titles are long, with the searing emotional sound that Ayler was peaking at during this time – and titles include "For John Coltrane", "Change Has Come", and "Truth is Marching On". Next is Love Cry – brilliant late work from spiritual saxophone genius Albert Ayler – one of his last truly great albums! The session has none of the jazz-meets-other music feel of some of the other Impulse albums – and is more in the straight expressive style of the ESP recordings. Tracks are more reined in here – with some short themes that are almost a distillation of the freedom Ayler had been expressing for a few years, summed up beautifully in tunes that have a plaintive cry, filled with as much soul and love as Ayler could muster into his horn! Players include Donald Ayler on trumpet, Cal Cobbs on harpsichord, Alan Silva on bass, and Milford Graves on drums – and titles include "Zion Hill", "Love Flower", "Love Cry", "Ghosts", "Omega", and "Dancing Flowers". CD

Blue in the main style of his early years at Riverside – working in an all-star group (the "Big 6" in the title), with players that include Johnny Griffin, Curtis Fuller, Wynton Kelly, Wilbur Ware, and Philly Joe Jones. Blue's leadership isn't that strong – but fortunately, the others (particularly Griffin, Ware, and Jones) gel together strongly with or without him, making the set crackle with the soulful energy of some of the best Jazzland/Riverside hardbop sides from the time. Tracks include "Sir John", "Blues March", "Big Six", and "Jamph". CD

The last-ever concert from the legendary Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell – recorded live in Berlin with a sound that not only gets at his wonderfully vivid approach to acoustic guitar, but which also showcases his magnetic power in the spotlight as well! Baden provides a bit of introduction to some songs in Portuguese, with a raspy voice that belies his age – but which is then completely offset by his still-nimble, still-youthful sound on guitar – served up here in modes that run the gamut from his early bossa styles, his Afro-Sambas mode, and some of the even more cerebral sounds he created during his 60s and 70s time overseas. Some of those records were issued by MPS, and the label makes a great place for Baden to serve up his last poetic statement – on titles that include "Samba Do Aviao", "Garota De Ipanema", "Samba Triste", "Abaete", "Naquele Tempo Choro", "Primieria Vez", "Tocata 147", "Samba Da Bencao", "Berimbau", "Marcha Escocesa Instrumental", and "Variacoes Sobre Asa Branca". (Brazil, Jazz) CD

You might not know the name of saxophonist Mikolaj Trzaska, but he's working here alongside two top-tier improvising musicians – the mighty Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums – both musicians who are secure in enough in approach to let Trzaka really set the tone for the record! The tenor's got this really great rasp in tone, one that brings a surprising degree of soul to the session – almost a loft jazz-style at times, which seems to bring out equally spacious expressions from Haker Flaten and Nilssen-Love – both working in the more sensitive sides of their spectrum! The concert that created the music is spread out over three different releases, in three different formats – and this CD part features the titles "March Of Pagan" and "Nothing Small Like This". CD