Sweet electric keys from Kenny Barron – one of those few excellent 70s albums that have the pianist hitting some Fender Rhodes! The record has Kenny playing electric on most of the set – in a mode that's as open, and spiritual as his best work for the Muse label – maybe even better, as the tracks have a freer style, and really open up with a beautiful sense of energy! The other players here really make the record special, too – and include Sonny Fortune on alto sax, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Buster Williams on bass, Ben Riley on drums, and Billy Hart on percussion – a lineup that really gives the whole thing a level that's right up there with classics on the Black Jazz or Strata East label. As always with the electric piano, Kenny hits some wonderful notes, colors, and tones that make us wish he used the instrument all the time – on titles that include "Sunshower", "Innocence", "Bacchanal", and "Nothing To Fear". CD

One of the hippest projects we've heard from drummer Ben Riley in awhile – a big band project devoted to the music of Thelonious Monk, and one that gets most of its angular changes from the saxophone section! There's a great post-Monk quality to this one that makes it way more than just a copycat of the old days – a re-interpolation of the music and inspirations of Monk for a slightly different jazz idiom, presented with 4 saxophones, 1 trumpet, guitar, bass, and drums – and no piano at all! Riley's on drums, and saxophones include Bruce Williams on alto and soprano, Wayne Escoffery and Jimmy Greene on tenor, and Jay Brandford on baritone – working alongside guitar from Freddie Bryant, bass from either Kiyashi Kitagawa or Peter Washington, and trumpet from Don Sickler, who sometimes blasts out in the lead. Titles include "Gallop's Gallop", "Green Chimneys", "Shuffle Boil", "Straight No Chaser", "Rhythm-A-Ning", and "Let's Call This". CD

Later work from legendary jazz vibist Lionel Hampton – and a set that has him returning to the energy of the large group ensemble that first brought him fame in the 40s! Yet the style isn't 40s at all – and instead shows an evolved take on big band modes – similar to the great shift in the European scene of the 70s, as Hamp brings in a bit of electricity on the piano, organ, and guitar – mixing with a larger section of horns that have a surprisingly strong, screaming style – often over rhythms that are heavy in touches from funk and soul! Hamp gets to solo on the record, but the approach is often more focused on the overall sound too – in a lineup that includes Herman Riley and Paul Moen on saxes, Wild Bill Davis on organ, Walt Johnson and Oscar Brashear on trumpets, and George Bohannon, Tom McIntosh, Curtis Fuller, and Jimmy Cleveland on trombones! Tracks are nice and long, and full of colorful changes – on titles that include "Hamp & Dex", "Dr Lambchop", "Ko Ko", "Wail For The Cat", and "Tap Step". CD

Live At The Muzeval is a great comeback set from Lionel Hampton – one of those overseas sessions that really has him reworking his sound for a more mature jazz generation! All the energy of the earlier Hamp recordings is here – but the sound maybe also leans a bit more on the evolved larger ensemble style of the MPS big band generation – a great mode under the dynamic leadership and vibes of Hampton! Other players include Wild Bill Davis on organ and piano, Joe Newman and Victor Paz on trumpet, Paul Moen on tenor, Eddie Chamblee on alto and tenor, Billy Mackel on guitar, Barry Smith on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums – and titles include "Giant Steps", "No Me Esqueca", "Moments Notice", and "Rodney Round Robin". On Hamp In Haarlem Hampton is leading a lively large ensemble that takes us back to some of his best recordings on his own Glad-Hamp label! Like those, this set's an evolution of the earlier swing sound that first made Hampton great – a groove that's infused with more bop-era touches on some of the solos, and also the funkier advances made in big band material at the start of the 70s – which creates some nicely contemporary sounds in the rhythms. The group features solos from Hamp on vibes – plus a bit of vocals as well – and other soloists include Joe Newman on trumpet, Paul Moen on tenor, Steve Slagle on alto, Paul Jeffrey on baritone, and Curtis Fuller on trombone. Titles include "Greasy Greens", "Mr PC", "Hamp's Got The Blues", "Salsa", and "Glad Hamp". Outrageous is later work from legendary jazz vibist Lionel Hampton – and a set that has him returning to the energy of the large group ensemble that first brought him fame in the 40s! Yet the style isn't 40s at all – and instead shows an evolved take on big band modes – similar to the great shift in the European scene of the 70s, as Hamp brings in a bit of electricity on the piano, organ, and guitar – mixing with a larger section of horns that have a surprisingly strong, screaming style – often over rhythms that are heavy in touches from funk and soul! Hamp gets to solo on the record, but the approach is often more focused on the overall sound too – in a lineup that includes Herman Riley and Paul Moen on saxes, Wild Bill Davis on organ, Walt Johnson and Oscar Brashear on trumpets, and George Bohannon, Tom McIntosh, Curtis Fuller, and Jimmy Cleveland on trombones! Tracks are nice and long, and full of colorful changes – on titles that include "Hamp & Dex", "Dr Lambchop", "Ko Ko", "Wail For The Cat", and "Tap Step". CD

A really special live performance from Thelonious Monk – one that features his killer quartet of the 60s, but also opens the door to some surprise guest appearances too – all of which makes for a recording that's nicely different than much of the Monk live material of the period! The core group is already great enough – the tremendous Charlie Rouse on tenor, and superb rhythm work from Larry Gales on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and they're joined by other players at points, including Clark Terry and Ray Copeland on trumpets, Johnny Griffin on tenor, Phil Woods on alto, and Jimmy Cleveland on trombone – whose presence on the record echoes some of the larger charts that Monk cooked up during the late 50s for a few key albums. The tracks with the added players are especially long – and titles include "Hackensack", "We See", "Epistrophy", "Evidence/Epistrophy", "Don't Blame Me", "Blue Monk", and "Oska T/Epistrophy". CD