A really great little set from Zoot Sims – earthy, and almost a bit more fragile than much of his other work! There's a real "down home" feel to the whole record – as Zoot blows comfortably and easily in a quartet with Dave McKenna on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – making a rare non-Mingus appearance for the set! Zoot's horn has a bit more dirt in the tone than on some of his "cleaner" sessions – a style that we like a lot, and which really fits the feeling of the set. Titles include "Doggin' Around", "Avalon", "Jive At Five", "I've Heard That Blues", and "Goodnite Sweetheart". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great little set from Zoot Sims – earthy, and almost a bit more fragile than much of his other work! There's a real "down home" feel to the whole record – as Zoot blows comfortably and easily in a quartet with Dave McKenna on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – making a rare non-Mingus appearance for the set! Zoot's horn has a bit more dirt in the tone than on some of his "cleaner" sessions – a style that we like a lot, and which really fits the feeling of the set. Titles include "Doggin' Around", "Avalon", "Jive At Five", "I've Heard That Blues", and "Goodnite Sweetheart". The CD contains 14 tracks, with a number of alternate takes, for a total of 72 minutes. CD

Includes the songs "Vout Rhythm", "Stormy Mood", "Baggin' The Boogie", "Bee Boogie Boo", "Irresistible You", "Phace", "Don't Drive This Jive Away", "The Hour Of Parting", "Abernathy's Boogie", "Cherokee", "Slowin' Down The Blues", "I'm Gonna See My Baby", "Frantic Blues", "Snowbound", "Flight Of The Vout Bug", "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream", "For You", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Jeep's Blues", "Day Dream", "Take The "A" Train", "Hickory Dickory Dock", and "Blue Rhythm Be-bop". CD

A really great back to basics album from guitarist Phil Upchurch – a set that's a lot more jazz-based than the instrumental funk he was laying down in the late 60s and early 70s – with a lean style that brings plenty of focus to Phil's stunning work on a hollow-body guitar! The group's a quartet – with David Arnay on piano, Kevin Axt on bass, Vince Wilburn on drums, and Mike Smith on percussion – acoustic players who balance out the warmer electric vibe of the Upchurch guitar – on titles that include a strong mix of soul and jazz covers, plus two originals too. Tracks include "La Costa", "Jive Samba", "Jack Of Speed", "Tell The Truth", "Home Again", "Girl Talk", "She's Alright", and "Back In Love Again". (Soul, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sarah Vaughan's first albums of Latin-tinged tracks – showing the roots of her interest in Brazilian music that would develop even more fully into the 70s. The record features a large group arranged and conducted by Frank Foster – with a host of jazz soloists, plus Latin percussion by the likes of Willie Bobo, Jose Mangual, and Willie Rodriguez. Titles include lively versions of "Jive Samba", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Mr Lucky", "Quiet Nights", and "Moment Of Truth". Tasty stuff – and very groovy! (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from one of the hippest big bands of the 70s – the legendary ensemble led by pianist Toshiko Akioshi and reedman Lew Tabackin! The group marks a huge shift for Akiyoshi – a move away from the more bop-inflected small combo work of earlier years, into a rich new role as a composer and arranger – one who comes up with fantastic charts for the ensemble, filled with color, tone, and a great sense of swing! Tabackin's reeds are great too – always handled with bold lines, and a strongly visionary sound – and other players on the dates include Bill Perkins and Gary Foster on saxes, Bobby Shew and Ron Raider on trumpets, Britt Woodman and Charlie Loper on trombones, Don Baldwin on bass, and Peter Donald on drums. The 3CD set features 5 albums in all – Kogun, Long Yellow Road, Tales Of A Courtesan, Insights, and March Of The Tadpoles – and titles include "Elegy", "American Ballad", "Henpecked Old Man", "Opus Number Zero", "Since Perry/Yet Another Tear", "Strive For Jive", "Village", "Studio J", "Mobile", "Deracinated Flower", and "Notorious Tourist From The East". CD

A fantastic live performance from this legendary ensemble – and a record that brings a nice sort of edge to the group's already great sound! It's a bit hard to describe – but somehow the live recording quality seems to create more intensity, maybe more urgency to the way the group emotionally communicates – maybe partly just the echo and open space of the recording, but also maybe the way the group seems to open up with a fresh on-the-spot energy. In addition to Toshiko Akiyoshi on piano and Lew Tabackin on reeds, the lineup features saxes from Beverly Darke, Dick Spencer, Gary Foster, and Gary Herbig; trombones from Bill Reichenbach, Charlie Loper, Phil Teele, and Rick Culver; and trumpets from Bobby Shew, Mike Price, Richard Cooper, and Steven Huffstetter. Titles include the always-great "Warning Success May Be Hazardous To Your Health" – plus "Road Time Shuffle", "March Of The Tadpoles", and "Strive For Jive". CD

During the late 30s and early 40s, the team of Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart cut some of the grooviest little records ever pressed on shellac! Slim had a crazy vocal style that was augmented by his tight guitar work – and Slam kept the whole thing rolling with a big warm bass, and with occasional comments directed in Slim's direction! The style of the music is part early R&B, part jazz vocal, and all hipster jiving and jamming! Slim had an influence on an entire century of hipsters – and this CD is the only one we've ever seen that does a good job of bringing together his early early work with good sound and notes on the material. The set includes 20 cuts in all, including a few unreleased ones – and titles include "Flat Foot Floogie", "Chicken Rhythm", "Matzoh Balls", "Bongo", "Dopey Joe", "A Tip On The Numbers", "Groove Juice Special", "African Jive", and "Ti Pi Tin". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

A very cool live set from the great tenorist Stan Getz, and one that really echoes some of the best styles of his Getz Au Go Go album – as it not only features guest vocals on a number of tracks from the lovely Astrud Gilberto, but also includes work from vibist Gary Burton throughout the entire performance! The combination of Burton and Getz is tremendous – one that wasn't captured nearly enough by Verve in the 60s, which makes these live recordings so essential – as Gary's modern chromatic elements really seem to unlock a fresh spirit in Stan's horn – all the fluidity of the bossa years, but with these unusual inflections that are completely mindblowing! The rest of the core group is equally hip – Chuck Israels on bass and the great Roy Haynes on drums – and Astrud Gilberto sings on seven of the album's nineteen selections. Titles include instrumental cuts "The Singing Song", "Blues Walk", "O Grande Amor", "Edelweiss", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Jive Hoot", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "On Green Dolphin Street" – and the vocal numbers "Voce E Eu", "Corcovado", "Telephone Song", "Girl From Ipanema", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Samba De Uma Nota So". CD

A killer diller of a live set from Brother Jack McDuff – a cut that burns with energy that almost beats his studio 60s classics for Prestige! The group is one of Jack's best ever – a lineup that includes the twin tenors of Red Holloway and Harold Vick, plus incredibly sharp guitar from a young George Benson, and some of the most unique soul jazz drum work you'll ever hear – courtesy of the amazing Joe Dukes. Despite their individual strengths, which might make this whole thing an ego-fest – all players fit perfectly into place on the album's hard wailing batch of groovers, and groove together with a sympathetic energy that's simply amazing! Titles include a great remake of "Jive Samba", plus "Dink's Blues", "Grease Monkey", "Passing Through", and "Vas Dis". This is the kind of thing live recording equipment was made for! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last great records by Charles Mingus – a set of extremely compelling original compositions, played by a fresh group of younger players, plus a few older masters! The record's got a fire and sense of emotion that's missing from a number of other 70s Mingus sessions – and it's one of the few later albums we'd easily rank right up there with his late 50s and early 60s classics! Orchestrations were partially arranged and conducdted with help from Sy Johnson – and soloists include James Moody and Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Snookie Young and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, and Roland Hanna on piano. Titles include "The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers", "Adagio Ma Non Troppo", "The Chill of Death", and "The I Of Hurricane Sue". LP, Vinyl record album

Count Basie taken down a few notches – not in quality, but in terms of the size of the group – as Oscar really opens up some of the Count's standards in a whole new way, by playing them with a stripped-down quartet that features Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Buddy Rich on drums. Given that Rich is working with the Peterson trio, their sound has a bit more bottom than on some other Verve sides from the time – grooving things nicely in a true Basie way, on a set of tunes that includes "Blues For Basie", "Broadway", "Topsy", "One O'Clock Jump", and "Jive At Five". CD

A great live classic from the Cannonball Adderley Sextet of the early 60s – that famous group that included Nat Adderley on cornet, Yusef Lateef on tenor and flute, Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums! Tracks are long, and these guys are really on fire in a live setting – and titles include a stellar 11 minute version of "The Jive Samba", one of Cannonball's greatest track – plus "Primitivo", "Lillie", and "Mellow Buno". CD includes the bonus track "Unit 7"! CD

A great live classic from the Cannonball Adderley Sextet of the early 60s – that famous group that included Nat Adderley on cornet, Yusef Lateef on tenor and flute, Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums! Tracks are long, and these guys are really on fire in a live setting – and titles include a stellar 11 minute version of "The Jive Samba", one of Cannonball's greatest tracks – plus "Primitivo", "Lillie", and "Mellow Buno". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary trio, very firmly back in action – and making us feel like it's the late 60s European free jazz scene all over again! The energy of the players here is tremendous – and while we've enjoyed the renewed strengths of saxophonist Peter Brotzmann in recent years, we're equally impressed with the fire of Alexander Von Schlippenbach on piano and Han Bennink on drums – both musicians who can give us so many different sounds and styles, but who really remind us here that they're some of the key folks who helped put the "free" in free jazz! Brotzmann blows tenor, b flat clarinet, and tarogato – and titles include the very long "Fifty Years After" and "Frictional Sounds" – plus "Short Dog Of Sweet Lucy", "Bad Borrachos", and "Street Jive". CD

Never-issued work from this legendary fusion group – a 1971 live performance recorded in Rotterdam, and a set of tracks that's a perfect complement to the legendary Nucleus albums issued by Vertigo at the time! Leader Ian Carr is upfront on trumpet – but as with the best Nucleus recordings, this is definitely an all-out group affair – driven by very strong work from John Marshall on drums and Roy Babbington on bass – and filled with work from two different simultaneous electric pianos, handled by both Hywel Thomas and Karl Jenkins, the latter of whom also blows a bit of oboe. Other reeds are from Brian Smith on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – and all tracks are nice and long, and often quite funky – with titles that include "Snakehips Dream", "We'll Talk About It Later", "Song For The Bearded Lady", "Exit Interlude 1", "Persephone's Jive", "Exit Interlude 2", and "Oasis". LP, Vinyl record album

Dark genius from the always-amazing Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that's a bit more subtle than some of the group's other efforts, but no less powerful – and virtually a blueprint for countless changes to come in jazz during the next few decades! The interplay of Davis' trumpet, Wayne Shorter's tenor, and Herbie Hancock's piano is worth the price of admission alone – a force that seems to flow of its own direction, pulled three ways equally, but always emerging as a sound greater than its parts. And adding in the subtle pulse of Ron Carter on bass and nearly melodic drums of Tony Williams, the sound is even more incredible – a well-crafted and evocative sound that's far more than jazz! Titles include versions of Herbie's "Riot" and "Madness", Shorter's "Nefertiti" and "Pinocchio", and Williams' "Hand Jive". Plus, the CD reissue features 4 bonus alternate takes from the original session! CD

Includes the songs "After You've Gone", "The Gasser", "Jump Through the Window", "Minor Jive", "Stardust", "Oh, Lady Be Good", "I Surrender, Dear", "Body And Soul", "I Can't Get Started", "After You've Gone", "Fish Market", "Twilight Time", "St. Louis Blues", "Embraceable You", "All The Cats Join In", "Poor John", "Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip", "Yard Dog", "Lover, Come Back to Me", "Rockin' Chair", "It's the Talk of the Town", and "Christopher Columbus". CD

A really stunning album from Hammond legend Caesar Frazier – maybe his heaviest album in recent decades, thanks in part to a surprise appearance from the great Jonas Kullhammar on tenor! You might know Jonas for his work on his own Moserobie label – but here, he demonstrates his very wide-ranging skills on tenor, and fits in alongside Caesar's work on the organ with a really great style – soulful, but also offbeat – maybe in the way that Harold Vick could throw in surprises next to the Hammond of Jack McDuff back in the day – and Frazier's pretty wonderful too, really romping with a strong sense of groove and sense of tone that really lives up to his legacy. The rest of the group features Kresten Osgood on drums and Johannes Wamberg on guitar – and titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Jive Samba", "King Of Leonne", "Thieves In The Temple", "I Wanna Make It With You", and "123". CD

A stunning roster of players made up the house band at Hermosa Beach, CA's legendary Lighthouse Cafe – an outfit accompanied on these early-to-mid 50s dates by tenor sax giant Stan Getz – with work that's as much an aural snapshot of the sound of place and time as it is a piece of the players' pedigrees! The 2CDs in this set is made up of work captured on a few dates in 1953 and 1955 – some of it laidback and charming, and some of it with more than a little bit of heat and heaviness – with lots of players that include Russ Freeman on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, Jimmy Guiffre on baritone, Teddy Charles on vibes, Howard Rumsey on bass, Shorty Rogers and Maynard Ferguson on trumpets, Milt Bernhart on trombone, and others! Disc 1 titles include "I Only Have Eyes For You", "Jive At Five", "Moonlight In Vermont", Topsy", "Bernie's Tune", "Solitaire" and more. Disc 2 includes "Morgan Davis", "La Soncailli", "The Big Top", "The Duke You Say!", "Mood For Lighthouse", "Casa De Luz" and more. CD

Count Basie taken down a few notches – not in quality, but in terms of the size of the group – as Oscar really opens up some of the Count's standards in a whole new way, by playing them with a stripped-down quartet that features Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Buddy Rich on drums. Given that Rich is working with the Peterson trio, their sound has a bit more bottom than on some other Verve sides from the time – grooving things nicely in a true Basie way, on a set of tunes that includes "Blues For Basie", "Broadway", "Topsy", "One O'Clock Jump", and "Jive At Five". LP, Vinyl record album

All of Prima's sides for Capitol from the late 50s and early 60s, plus wife and colleague Keely Smith and band leader Sam Butera's solo work from the era in an incredible 8 CD box! We often think of Louis as kinda of a loungey, Vegas cool cat, but what is so awesome about the material you'll find here is how furiously manic so much of it is. The first 3 discs document Prima at his wild, hard-swinging studio best – and could give Tito Puente a run for his money in the sweaty big-beat department! Tracks include "Buona Sera", "Just A Gigolo/I A'int Got Nobody ", "Jump, Jive, And Wail", "The Closer To The Bone", "Pennies From Heaven", "Pump Song", "Fee Fio Foo", "Lazy River", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and tons more. Discs 4 covers live sets at the Harrah's Club and the Sahara, and includes "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "A Foggy Day", "Robin Hood", "Judy", and "Greenback Dollar Bill". Discs 5 & 6 cover Keely's sweeter but nearly as great sides, with Nelson Riddle and others, and tracks include "I Wish You Love", "It's Magic", and "Nothing In Common" and "How Are Ya' Fixed For Love?" with Frank Sinatra. Finally, Sam Butera's solo work is collected on the last 2 discs, returning things to Prima-style rockin' jazz, and including "Bim Bam", "Twinkle In Your Eye", "Bugs", "Tennessee Waltz", "Better Twist Now Baby", and "I'll Feel Good All Over". Great stuff from one of the tightest working units from the era, and a real treat to have in one place! (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

A set recorded in the 90s, but one that brings together a host of players who recorded for Riverside Records in the late 50s and early 60s! The core sound is right in keeping with the label's best mix of hardbop, modern, and soul jazz at the time – and the ensemble is mighty tight, and hardly the "jam session" group you might expect! Instead, the record features a sextet with Nat Adderley on cornet, Jimmy Heath on tenor, Buddy Montgomery on vibes, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – all coming together with the solid sock you might expect from some of Nat's classic Riverside dates with brother Cannonball Adderley! Tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Hi Fly", "Jive Samba", "Big P", "Back To Back", "You've Changed", and "Pannonica". CD

Titles include "Spellbound", "Looking Glass", "U Turn", "Bones Jive", "Luma En New York", and "Somehow Our Love Survives". CD

One of Sarah Vaughan's first albums of Latin-tinged tracks – showing the roots of her interest in Brazilian music that would develop even more fully into the 70s. The record features a large group arranged and conducted by Frank Foster – with a host of jazz soloists, plus Latin percussion by the likes of Willie Bobo, Jose Mangual, and Willie Rodriguez. Titles include lively versions of "Jive Samba", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Mr Lucky", "Quiet Nights", and "Moment Of Truth". Tasty stuff – and very groovy! (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Nobody deserves the title of King Of the Tenors more than Ben Webster – as his warm soulful style influenced countless players in his day, and stil sounds pretty darn great today! This early Verve LP features some excellent small combo work by Ben, playing as the main soloist in smaller groups that include players like Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson, and Harry Edison – on swing-based tunes like "Bounce Blues", "Cottontail", "That's All", and "Jive At Six". Includes a single version of "That's All", and the unissued tracks "Poutin" and "Bounce Blues (alt)". CD

Rare work by Cannonball Adderley – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until after his death! The album features live material – recorded in Tokyo and San Francisco – performed by Cannon's amazing sextet that includes Joe Zawinul on piano, Yusef Lateef on reeds, Nat Adderley on cornet, and the rhythm section of Sam Jones in bass and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are all long and grooving – with a sublime mix of the earlier soul jazz that Adderley forge in the late 50s, with some of the more exotic traces that were coming into the group through the work of Lateef. Titles include "New Delhi", "Peter & The Goats", "This Here", "Jive Samba", "Primitivo", "Autumn Leaves", "Dizzy's Business", and "Never Say Yes". CD

A hard-jamming bit of jazz rock – with lots of free solo work on alto and soprano sax by Ron Aspery, and a pretty strong power-trio instrumental format from Tony Hicks on drums and Colin Hodgkinson on bass. The album's more jamming than it is funky, but there's some pretty great playing on the set – and overall, the whole thing sounds better than most albums of its type because the group never use vocals, just stick in a tight instrumental format – one that almost sounds like a rock take on the ESP sound at times! Titles include "Back Door", "Jive Grind", "Askin The Way", "Vienna Breakdown", "Plantagenet", and the Beastie Boys' sample track "Slivadiv"! CD

A smoking stormer from Basie's Verve years – filled with tight-grooving shorter tunes, played in a style that's a great update of the original approach of the group! Eddie Lockjaw Davis is actually working with the group on this set, making for some searing tenor moments that really stand out – and Al Hibbler makes a gues appearance on vocals on two numbers as well. Other players include Ernie Wilkins, Paul Quinichette, Freddie Green, and Charlie Shavers – and titles include "Tippin On The QT", "Blee Blop Blues", "Jive At Five", "Be My Guest", "No Name", "Blues For The Count & Oscar", and "Redhead". Great cover, too – with Basie on a scooter! LP, Vinyl record album

A strong double dose live set for Smoke Sessions led by guitarist Peter Bernstein – in a quartet setting with Christian McBride on bass, Brad Mehldau on piano and Gregory Hutchinson on drums – reconvening the the line-up that recorded Bernstein's Signs album on Criss Cross back in the mid 90s! It's wonderful for several reasons – for one, in getting these amazing, incredibly busy players back together after all these years – and for fleshing out the material so greatly in a live setting! The Signs tunes really breathe here, with lots of air and space for each player to shine, most tracks running nice on long on the 2CD set. They're all Bernstein originals save for 3 Thelonious Monk numbers, and the titles include "Blues For Bulgaria", "Hidden Pockets", "Dragonfly", "Jive Coffee", "Pannonica", "Useless Metaphor", "Let Loose", "All Too Real", "Resplendor", "Crepuscule With Nellie/We See" and "Cupcake". CD

Sound, space, tone, and color – a tremendous effort from trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, and a record with a really unique feel! The album features a wonderful group that includes Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Stan Getz on tenor, Gary Burton on vibes, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – all coming together in a way that's extremely equally-weighted – with less of Brookmeyer as the leader, than as a warm friend, gathering together a few key players in the studio. Given that Getz worked with Brookmeyer back in the early 50s, and had Burton in his group at the time, the album's always a link between both sides of a decade in Stan's career – but with the presence of the modernists on the rhythm team, there's a sound here that's much more unique – one that has a place for Stan's wonderful tone, and Brookmeyer's airy phrasing – but which also drives along in a rhythmically pulsing mode that almost puts Burton's vibes at the top of the set on some numbers. There's a change in mood from tune to tune that gives the record a remarkable depth, but without sounding schizophrenic – and titles include "Bracket", "The Wrinkle", "Jive Hoot", "Skylark", "Sometime Ago", and "Who Cares". CD also features 3 previously unissued bonus tunes from the sessions – "Time For Two", "Pretty Girl", and "Day Dream" – the last of which features vocals by Tony Bennett! CD

Never-issued work from this legendary fusion group – a 1971 live performance recorded in Rotterdam, and a set of tracks that's a perfect complement to the legendary Nucleus albums issued by Vertigo at the time! Leader Ian Carr is upfront on trumpet – but as with the best Nucleus recordings, this is definitely an all-out group affair – driven by very strong work from John Marshall on drums and Roy Babbington on bass – and filled with work from two different simultaneous electric pianos, handled by both Hywel Thomas and Karl Jenkins, the latter of whom also blows a bit of oboe. Other reeds are from Brian Smith on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – and all tracks are nice and long, and often quite funky – with titles that include "Snakehips Dream", "We'll Talk About It Later", "Song For The Bearded Lady", "Exit Interlude 1", "Persephone's Jive", "Exit Interlude 2", and "Oasis". LP, Vinyl record album

Nat King Cole as a leader and a sideman – incredible material from 1936-1946 – featuring the King Cole Trio, side work with Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers, Dexter Gordon, The Keynoters and The Lester Young Trio! There's a number of great tunes here with Nat singing, but also a whole bunch of recordings that shine a light on his impeccable work as a group piano player of the finest caliber, working as Nat King Cole and under some funny pseudonyms while he was recording hits for Capitol! Packaged stunningly, even by Hip-O Select Standards – essentially housing the CDs in a hardcover book of 31-pages with an essay by David Ritz, 7 3/8" square package with detailed session notes, and beautifully reproduced art work from original 78s and 10-inch LPs! Disc one features 17 tracks by the King Cole Trio with Nat singing and at the piano, with Oscar Moore on guitar and and Wesley Prince on bass: "Sweet Lorraine", "This Side Up", "Babs", "Scotchin' With The Soda", "Slow Down", "Hit That Jive, Jack" and more. Disc one also includes 5 tracks with Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers, with Nat on piano, Eddie Cole on bass, Kenneth Roane on trumpet, Tommy Thompson on saxes and Jimmy Adams on drums:" Honey Hush" (with Eddie on vocals) plus an alternate take, "Thunder", "Stompin' At The Panama" and "(Bedtime) Sleep, Baby Sleep". Last up on disc one, four tracks by the Keynoters with Willie Smith on alto, Nat as Lord Calvert on piano, Red Callender on bass and Jackie Mills on drums: "The Way You Look Tonight", "My Old Flame" and more. Disc 2 is comprised of Jazz At The Philharmonic: Los Angeles, July 1944, with collective personal including Nat as Shorty Nadine on piano and singing on "Sweet Lorraine", Shorty Sherlock on trumpet, JJ Johnson on trombone, Illinois Jacquet and Jack McVea on tenor, Red Callender on bass, Lee Young on drums, and Carolyn Richards singing on "The Man I Love". Other titles include "Blues", "Tea For Two", "Rosetta", "Bugle Call Rag", "Oh, Lady, Be Good!" and more. Disc 3 starts with 1943/44 material by Dexter Gordon's group featuring Nat on piano, Sweets Edison on trumpet, Gordon on tenor, Red Callender or Johnny Miller on bass and Clifford Owens on drums: "I've Found A New Baby", "I Blowed And Gone" and more. That's followed by Lester Young Trio material of similar vintage with Nat as Aye Guy on piano, Young on Tenor and Buddy Rich on drums: "I Cover The Water Front", "The Man I Love", "Peg Of My Heart" and more. Last, but not least, Keynoters alternate takes including "The You You Look Tonight", "Airiness A La Nat" and "I can't Believe That You're In Love With Me". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Dark genius from the always-amazing Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that's a bit more subtle than some of the group's other efforts, but no less powerful – and virtually a blueprint for countless changes to come in jazz during the next few decades! The interplay of Davis' trumpet, Wayne Shorter's tenor, and Herbie Hancock's piano is worth the price of admission alone – a force that seems to flow of its own direction, pulled three ways equally, but always emerging as a sound greater than its parts. And adding in the subtle pulse of Ron Carter on bass and nearly melodic drums of Tony Williams, the sound is even more incredible – a well-crafted and evocative sound that's far more than jazz! Titles include versions of Herbie's "Riot" and "Madness", Shorter's "Nefertiti" and "Pinocchio", and Williams' "Hand Jive". Plus, the CD reissue features 4 bonus alternate takes from the original session! CD

Maybe the coolest album ever recorded by the great Babs Gonzales – singer, poet, and a key force on the scene during the early years of bebop! Babs has a style that's unlike anyone else – he does a bit of the vocalese soloing based on jazz instrumentation that you'll hear from Eddie Jefferson or King Pleasure, but he's also got a wit and raw energy that's maybe more in the Slim Gaillard vein – sophistication mixed with down to earth pleasure – served up here on material that's from a time when Babs was mostly recording on 45s and 78s! Gonzales had key friends and supporters on the modern jazz scene of the postwar years – and the lineup here includes tenor from Johnny Griffin and Charlie Rouse, piano from Horace Parlan, and very hip arrangements by Melba Liston. Titles include "Me Spelled ME Me", "Them Jive New Yorkers", "A Nite In Tunisia", "Movin' & Groovin'", "You've Changed", "Babs Mood For Love". and "Cool Cookin". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

One of Quincy Jones' best for Mercury Records in the 60s – a very groovy record that was done with a feel that's somewhere in between his Big Band Bossa album and his best 60s soundtrack work! The format is simple – Quincy picks a sweet batch of jazz semi-hits from the early 60s, plays them with a nice mix of soul jazz arrangements, and works with a great ensemble filled with wonderful players – including Roland Kirk, Budd Johnson, Seldon Powell, James Moody, and Jerome Richardson on reeds; Lalo Schifrin and Patti Brown on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Melba Liston on trombone – plus lots of great percussion at the bottom, helping bring some Latin energy to the grooves at points. Tunes are familiar, but all given a great Quincy Jones twist – and titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Jive Samba", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Bossa Nova USA", and "Watermelon Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky organ and plenty of vamping – a really tight little set from the mighty Charles Kynard – who's working here with a really wide-ranging command of the keyboard! As with some of the other Mainstream Records sessions of the time, the backings here are somewhat full – arranged and conducted by Richard Fritz with a style that's almost soundtrack funk at points, but which still has a more jazzy feel overall – thanks to the space given to Kynard's organ solos, and to backings from players who include George Bohannon on trombone, Arthur Adams on guitar, and Paul Humphrey on drums. The set features a surprising cover of Joe Quarterman's classic "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind" – one that's almost as funky as the vocal original – plus "The World Is A Ghetto", "Superstition", "Zambezi", "Summer Breeze", "Momma Jive", and "You've Got It Bad Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive work from one of the funkiest drummers of all time – the legendary Bernard Pretty Purdie, stepping out here in a batch of instrumentals that may well be his greatest album ever! Bernard's drums are right up front in the mix – leading off all tunes with a full, funky, echoey sort of approach that's unlike anything else we can think of – and certainly different from any other late 60s albums of this type! The production is totally great – and has a way of pulling out some of the weirdest aspects of the music – which itself features guitar from Billy Butler and Eric Gale, bass from Bob Bushnell, tenor and flute from Seldon Powell, and organ and piano from Richard Tee – who also handled all the arrangements on the set! The centerpiece is the hit single "Funky Donkey", but just about every track's a groover in its own way – and titles include "Soul Drums", "Bill's Groove", "Jimmy's Back", "Testifyin", "Modern Jive", "Blow Your Lid", "Bee N Tee", and "Soul Bossa Nova". This new edition includes 8 bonus tracks, with a couple rare 45 tracks and more that have never been released – all soulful & funky – well paired with the Soul Drums album! Bonus tracks are in stereo, and include "Alexander's Rag Time Band", "Genuine John", "Soul Clappin", "If You Never Cried", "Stop" and "Time Is Tight". Also comes with a nice booklet with new liner notes, and choice quotes from Purdie's peers and those he influenced, from Galt MacDermot to Large Professor. CD

Titles include "Spellbound", "Looking Glass", "U Turn", "Bones Jive", "Luma En New York", and "Somehow Our Love Survives". LP, Vinyl record album

Two killers from Cedar Walton – back to back on a single CD! First up is Mobius – a real revelation from pianist Cedar Walton – an unusual electric album from the 70s – quite a surprise, given the mostly-acoustic sound of most of Cedar's other records! The album's a killer, though – and has this fresh, full take on funky jazz for the time – not the usual CTI copycat mode, and instead this compelling hybrid of elements that includes lots of Fender Rhodes from Walton, sweet guitar likes from Ryo Kawasaki, and lots of rootsy percussion from Ray Mantilla and Omar Clay – two players who really make the album nice and earthy at the bottom. The rest of the group is wonderful, too – and includes tenor from Frank Foster, alto and baritone from Charles Davis, and trumpet from Roy Burrowes – all fresh players who open up a big can of soul for the set – on titles that include a classic break version of "Off Minor", plus "Blue Trane", "Soho", and "Road Island Red". Beyond Mobius is a great electric set from Cedar Walton – and a set that moves beyond his previous Mobius album, in case you couldn't guess from the title! The style here is a bit more tightly arranged – with some backup vocals on a few cuts, which underscore the core jazzy elements from Walton on a range of keyboards and synth, Eddie Harris on tenor, and Blue Mitchell on trumpet – all grooved together with some tight guitar lines from Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree! Keyboards definitely get some great solo time in the spotlight, but the overall sound is quite strong too – a nice instrumental funk approach, save for the added chorus vocals in a few spots. Titles include the moogy "Beyond Mobius", a cover of "Low Rider", and the tracks "Jive Talkin", "The Girl With The Discotheque Eyes", and "Lonely Cathedral". CD

Way more than just a regular set of 60s soul jazz – as the package offers up a wide variety of styles, genres, and work from both European and American sources – all at a ridiculously low price! The set brings together 18 numbers from key 60s labels like Verve, MPS, and Impulse – all grooving together nicely in an upbeat mode that brings in plenty of Latin, Brazilian, and slightly funky touches too! All these tunes are plenty darn hip – longtime favorites at Dusty Groove that include "Jive Samba" by Peter Herbholzheimer, "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" by Marcos Valle, "Evil Ways" by Willie Bobo, "Terra Samba" by Fritz Pauer, "Um Grao De Areia" by Clarke Boland Big Band, "Cubano Chant" by Wolfgang Dauner Trio, "For Mods Only" by Chico Hamilton, "Love & Happiness" by Monty Alexander, "The Fakir" by Cal Tjader, "Big Schlepp" by Dave Pike Set, "Watermelon Man" by Jon Hendricks, "Why & How" by Mark Murphy, and "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Ella Fitzgerald. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

The Jazzman label hits a whole new level of brilliance – as they turn their funk-trained crate digging skills to the world of spiritual jazz! The collection's an amazing batch of ultra-rare tunes – tracks that take inspiration from the John Coltrane/Archie Shepp work on Impulse Records in the 60s, then run with those roots in bold new directions – soaring, spiritual aims in jazz that reach for new freedoms, but never lapse into the totally-outside modes of free jazz! Instead, there's a really great balance here between structure and struggle – as many tunes often have a good rhythmic pulse, usually modal and soulful, then let the horn solos stretch out more in their own sounds and directions. The mix is amazing, as is the selection of tunes – rare numbers pulled mostly from American independent jazz releases of the 60s and 70s – most of which are as obscure as the funky 45s we normally get from Jazzman. As with the label's US funk compilations, there's full notes on all the music – a heck of a lot of detail on these artists – and tracks on the set include "Paul's Ark" by Morris Wilson Beau Bailey Quintet, "Ayo Ayo Nene" by Mor Thiam, "Nomusa" by Ndikho Xaba & The Natives, "The Afrikan In Winter" by The Positive Force, "Neveen" by Salah Ragab, "Ja Mil" by Hastings Street Jazz Experience, "Be There" by Leon Gardner, "Psych City" by Ohio Penitentiary 511 Jazz Ensemble, "Introduction" by James Tatum Trio Plus, and "No Jive" by Frank Derrick Total Experience. US pressing has 2 bonus tracks – "All Prasies To Allah (parts 1 & 2 edit)" by Lightmen Plus One, and "Bada Que Bash" by PE Hewitt Jazz Ensemble. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

Titles include "74 Miles Away", "Country Preacher", "Work Song", "Jive Samba", "Mercy Mercy Mercy", "Walk Tall", and "Why Am I Treated So Bad" – lots of classics produced by David Axelrod! CD

Features the tracks "One O Clock Jump", "Jive At Five", "Shorty George", "Basie Blues" and much much more! CD

Sound, space, tone, and color – a tremendous effort from trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, and a record with a really unique feel! The album features a wonderful group that includes Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Stan Getz on tenor, Gary Burton on vibes, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – all coming together in a way that's extremely equally-weighted – with less of Brookmeyer as the leader, than as a warm friend, gathering together a few key players in the studio. Given that Getz worked with Brookmeyer back in the early 50s, and had Burton in his group at the time, the album's always a link between both sides of a decade in Stan's career – but with the presence of the modernists on the rhythm team, there's a sound here that's much more unique – one that has a place for Stan's wonderful tone, and Brookmeyer's airy phrasing – but which also drives along in a rhythmically pulsing mode that almost puts Burton's vibes at the top of the set on some numbers. There's a change in mood from tune to tune that gives the record a remarkable depth, but without sounding schizophrenic – and titles include "Bracket", "The Wrinkle", "Jive Hoot", "Skylark", "Sometime Ago", and "Who Cares". CD also features 3 previously unissued bonus tunes from the sessions – "Time For Two", "Pretty Girl", and "Day Dream" – the last of which features vocals by Tony Bennett! CD

Includes the songs "Sittin' In", "Sittin' In No. 2", "Stardust", "Body And Soul", "Forty Six West Fifty Two", "Forty Six West Fifty Two No. 2", "The Gasser", "Jump Through The Window", "Minor Jive", "Stardust", "Don't Be That Way", "I Want To Be Happy", "Fiesta In Brass (Alt. Take)", "Fiesta In Brass", "St. Louis Blues (Alt. Take)", "St. Louis Blues", "I Can't Get Started", "After You've Gone", "Body And Soul", "Fish Market", and "Twilight Time". CD

A really stunning album from Hammond legend Caesar Frazier – maybe his heaviest album in recent decades, thanks in part to a surprise appearance from the great Jonas Kullhammar on tenor! You might know Jonas for his work on his own Moserobie label – but here, he demonstrates his very wide-ranging skills on tenor, and fits in alongside Caesar's work on the organ with a really great style – soulful, but also offbeat – maybe in the way that Harold Vick could throw in surprises next to the Hammond of Jack McDuff back in the day – and Frazier's pretty wonderful too, really romping with a strong sense of groove and sense of tone that really lives up to his legacy. The rest of the group features Kresten Osgood on drums and Johannes Wamberg on guitar – and titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Jive Samba", "King Of Leonne", "Thieves In The Temple", "I Wanna Make It With You", and "123". CD

A classic set of soul jazz from Chicago – a rare indie date recorded in the early 80s, but with a tight and swinging feel that's more 70s jazz funk than you might think! Corky's on Yamaha keyboards, and he's backed by a hip group of Chicago players that includes Curtis Prince on drums, Artee Duke Payne on saxes, and Stephen Harris on guitars – all working together in a tightly rhythmic sound with some slight spiritual undercurrents – almost in the same territory as James Mason on his legendary record from a few years before! As with that set, there's a bit of polish here, but never too much – a balance that makes the record a wonderfully mature record with a depth that keeps it going for years. Byron Woods sings lead vocals on the album's jazz dance classic "Searching For Soul" – and a few other tracks feature Theresa Davis on lead vocals. Other titles include "Everything Must Change", "Open Wide", "Passion", "Jive Mama T", "Off C", and "Mirror Mirror". LP, Vinyl record album

The title tells the tale on this one – as the session's a studio meeting of players all associated with Count Basie over the years – captured here in a style that's much more laidback and relaxed than the usual Basie set! Originally issued as 2 separate LPs a year apart, and both have the feel of Prestige's best work in the Swingville series. The set has an approach more in the blowing session mode, with long tracks on the album that really let each player step out in their own voice. Players include Paul Quinichette, Shad Collins, Buck Clayton, Jack Washington, Nat Pierce, Freddie Greene, Walter Page, Eddie Jones and Jo Jones. 10 numbers in all including "Rock-A-Bye Basie", "Texas Shuffle", "Out The Window", "Jive At Five", "Diggin' For Dex", "Blues I Love To Hear", "Love Jumped Out", "John's Idea", "Roseland Shuffle" and "Baby Don't Tell On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sarah Vaughan's first albums of Latin-tinged tracks – showing the roots of her interest in Brazilian music that would develop even more fully into the 70s. The record features a large group arranged and conducted by Frank Foster – with a host of jazz soloists, plus Latin percussion by the likes of Willie Bobo, Jose Mangual, and Willie Rodriguez. Titles include lively versions of "Jive Samba", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Mr Lucky", "Quiet Nights", and "Moment Of Truth". Tasty stuff – and very groovy! (Vocalists, Jazz) CD