Mighty nice work from singer Ann Burton – one of those jazz vocalists who was almost a secret star in the 70s – continuing a legacy of earlier fame, but through a series of overseas recordings and small label dates that really let her grow creatively and open up fresh territory as an artist! The set features accompaniment from a shifting lineup of Japanese jazz players – and includes some especially nice tenor and flute from Akira Miyazwa, plus piano from Masahiko Satoh and Toshihiko Ogawa, guitar from Sadanori Nakamure, and bass from Kunimitsu Inaba – an especially great player whose round, warm tone really shapes the record. Titles include "Yesterday & Yesterdays", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "May I Come In", "Love Is A Necessary Evil", "By Myself Alone", and "That Old Feeling". CD features two bonus tracks – "Oh What A Shame" and "Nice To be Back Again". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

With solos by Buster Cooper, Richie Kamuca, Blue Mitchell, and Plas Johnson. LP, Vinyl record album

Notable players include Howard Johnson, Wayman Carver, Ernest Hill, Mezz Mezzrow, Teddy Wilson, Chu Berry, Wilbur De Paris, and Max Kaminsky. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set of interlocking tenor work from 3 giants who made up the best part of Woody Herman's classic 4 horn lineup – Al Cohn, Bill Perkins, and Richie Kamuca – all coming together here in small group formation! The album's a wonderful example of the way that the hornplay of the larger Herman group had an influence on the smaller combos of the west coast scene – and Perkins and Kamuca are especially great here, working with a strong sense of precision, but also some nice humanity in their tone. Other group members include either Jimmy Raney or Barry Galbraith on guitar, Hank Jones on piano, John Beal on bass, and Chuck Flores on drums – and titles include "Cap Snapper", "Pro Ex", "Hags", "Gay Blade", and "The Walrus". This CD offers up the complete sessions, and features a number of extra tracks! CD

A classic set of interlocking tenor work from 3 giants who made up the best part of Woody Herman's classic 4 horn lineup – Al Cohn, Bill Perkins, and Richie Kamuca – all coming together here in small group formation! The album's a wonderful example of the way that the hornplay of the larger Herman group had an influence on the smaller combos of the west coast scene – and Perkins and Kamuca are especially great here, working with a strong sense of precision, but also some nice humanity in their tone. Other group members include either Jimmy Raney or Barry Galbraith on guitar, Hank Jones on piano, John Beal on bass, and Chuck Flores on drums – and titles include "Cap Snapper", "Pro Ex", "Hags", "Gay Blade", and "The Walrus". CD

A stunning early moment in the long career of reedman Idris Ackamoor – music that predates his famous 70s work with The Pyramids, but which came from the same Ohio scene – an early collective of spiritual jazz players who are captured here in an amazing live performance! Unlike work by The Pyramids, The Collective were never issued on record at the time – yet they've got a tremendously powerful blend of spiritual currents and avant ideas – always skating the line between inside and out, structure and freedom – with work from Ackamoor on alto, Margaux Simmons on flute, Steve Rumboat on French Horn, Lester Knibbs on piano, Greg LaMont Wright on soprano, and Steve Maniscoso on percussion. Titles include "Beginning Roots", "The Shepherd's Tune", "Idrissa's Dream", "Black Queen", and "Veil Of Solitude". LP, Vinyl record album

With Max Kaminsky, Pee Wee Russell, Brad Gowans, Artie Shapiro, and featuring Fats Waller and Joe Bushkin. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic 70s material from trumpeter Ted Daniel – a hell of an artist in his own right, and one whose participation in the New York scene is finally given some documentation with releases like this! The set has Daniel working with some of his most important contemporaries, in two different groups – one a lineup that's heavy on saxophone work – from players who include David Murray, Charles Tyler, Arthur Blythe, Hassan Dawkins, Oliver Lake, and Kappu Umezu; the other a group with a slightly different lineup, which still includes Tyler and Dawkins, but also adds in trumpet from Ahmed Abdullah, trombone from Cahrles Stephens, and drums from Steve Reid! Both groups feature guitar from Melvin Smith and percussion from Tatsuya Nakamura – and compositions are by Lake, Blythe, Tyler, and Daniel – but all given that sense of bold, majestic energy that we usually find in Ted's performances of the time. Titles include "Hassan", "Illusions", "Folley", and "Greeting". CD

Unreleased live material from trumpeter Ted Daniel – a hell of a talent on the New York scene of the 70s, but one who hardly ever got as much recorded exposure as some of his contemporaries! Ted's got this fantastic way of blowing – bold and free, but with a sense of structure too – almost more inheriting a legacy of 60s experimentalists like Ted Curson, or the later Lee Morgan – than graced with the style of some of his contemporaries on the loft jazz scene. This album definitely has Daniel at the top of his game – shaping sound with boundless imagination and energy – lots of strength, but also lots of focus – never too free for free's sake, and always strongly influenced by the pulse of group members Richard Pierce on bass and Tatsuya Nakamura on drums. In fact, the mix of bass, drums, and trumpet almost evokes some of the Sonny Rollins trio material – especially of the more outside variety – and Daniel also plays a bit of flugelhorn and French hunting horn too. Titles include "OC", "The Moor", "Jiblet", and "Congeniality". (And in case you're wondering, the material here is of similar vintage to that on the No Business album from Ted – but different recordings.) CD

Lost loft jazz work from trumpeter Ted Daniel – an important force on the east coast scene of the time, but one who was never as well-recorded as his contemporaries – which makes a set like this a real treasure! The group here is Ted's Energy Module ensemble – a group who really live up to their name, with searing work on tenor from Daniel Carter, plus lots of spiritual elements from Oliver Lake on alto, soprano sax, and flute – played in a very open-ended, freewheeling style – which also makes strong use of Richard Pierce on bass and Tasuya Nakamura on drums. All tracks are quite long – and very expressive – and the group takes on work by key contemporaries like Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, Dewey Redman, and Sunny Murray – as well as some of Daniel's own tunes. Ted plays flugelhorn too – and also gets amazing sounds out of a French hunting horn and Moroccan bugle – and titles include "The Probe", "Ghosts", "Jiblet", "Innerconnection", and "Entering/Congeniality/Pagan Spain". CD

Beautifully cascading sounds from drummer Kaito Nakamura Davis – a player whose own work is often more a part of the larger group in which he works, at a level that has all the other elements wrapped up and rolling along together! The group features superb bass from Keisuke Furuki, a player who is bold and warm at the same time – spacious and present as well – on grooves that are punctuated with just the right chords from the fingers of Kento Tsubosaka on the piano, then topped with these alto lines from Riko Sasaki – who sometimes breaks free of the rest on his solos, sometimes moves in these chunky formations that hang on to the rhythms. Titles include "Blaque Dawn", "Song For Numan", "Noir", "My Funny December", "New Friends", and "That Little Boy". CD

A selection of very cool cuts from a long-running party hosted by the mighty Mark De Clive-Lowe – an event that showcases all his rich love of sounds in jazz, soul, club, and other contemporary modes – delivered live as a very collaborative effort, in a style that's captured beautifully on this expanded CD! Mark's got a hand in all the cuts here, but he also opens the door to all the guests to really do their thing – including Tommaso Cappellato, Myele Manzanza, Stro Elliot, Kamau Daaood, Joy Jones, and Colectivo Arte & Manha – all artists who share Mark's genre-jumping cosmic vision! The tracks here are all different than the Ropeadope album with Church in the title – and cuts include "Mystic Brew", "ACHH", "Steps Ahead", "ESSS (Love The Space)", "Ancient Prophecy", "Montara", "Blueberries", "Atlantic Journey", and "Invocation". Also includes the Japanese-only bonus track "Ryugu Jo". (New Grooves, Jazz) CD

A sublime blend of jazz and Yoruba influences – served up here by keyboardist Jamael Dean with a sound and style that's all his own! Most of the tracks feature vocals from Sharada Shashidhar, but used in a wordless style that blends in beautifully with the instrumentation on the record – music from players who include Aaron Shaw on saxes, Zekkereya El Maghharbel on trombone, and Carlos Nino on piano – all working in a west coast spiritual style that certainly lives up to Nino's roots on the scene, and Dean's own legacy working with Kamasi Washington. There's some great other elements along the way – harp, bassoon, oboe, and other surprise – all used with a subtle sense of majesty that really elevates the whole sound – on titles that include "Galaxy In Leimert", "Osun", "Overstood", "Sango", "Ifa", "Akoda", "Odo To Da Iwa", and "Ori Apere". CD

Jazzy disco grooves from Henryk Debich and his long-running broadcast orchestra – a group who were well-schooled in jazz modes from years past, and were very able to soar with upbeat rhythms in the latter half of the 70s! The tunes here echo some of the best sound library modes of Western European labels of the time – core instrumentation on keyboards, saxes, and trumpets – augmented by larger arrangements that help the grooves come on with a nicely sweeping sort of vibe! Titles include a great take on the Komeda tune "Dwaj Ludzie Z Safa", with mighty nice Fender Rhodes – plus "Tylko Trzy Dni", "Nibeezpieczny Rajd" "Kama", "Wymarzona", and "Feeria". CD features four bonus tracks too! (Sound Library, Jazz) CD

The great CD release of two previous albums from this hip contemporary combo – two vinyl albums back to back on a single CD! Both albums have a fantastic blend of jazz, contemporary soul, and hip hop – served up by a group who can really get the sound right – Terrace Martin on keyboards and alto, Robert Glasper on keyboards, Kamasi Washington on tenor, and 9th Wonder on beats! Vocals on most tracks are by Phoelix, who really helps give the instrumentation some focus – yet the jazz component of the record is never buried under the lyrics, as the players get plenty of space to do their thing – with a vibe that's a bit like some of Glasper's Black Radio project, yet given much more the kind of cool Crenshaw vibe that we've loved in Martin's previous records. All four artists are credited with songwriting and production and you can really hear that balance in the sound – on tracks that include "Love You Bad", "Sleepless Nights", "The Mighty Tree", "Freeze Tag", "Luv U", "Sleepless Nights", and "From My Heart & Soul". The Dessert album offers up a reworked version of the core record – with titles that are partly remixes, partly reworks – with guest appearances from Snoop Dog, Cordae, Herbie Hancock, Reuben Vincent, and others! CD

Maybe the best work so far from this really wonderful group – a magnificent match of the keyboards of Robert Glasper, the saxophones of Terrace Martin and Kamasi Washington, and the superb production talents of 9th Wonder – all working together in a stunning blend of jazz, soul, funk, and hip hop! The tunes have a sharpness and focus that's even more powerful than previous work by the lineup – like they've really found that special space where the all-stars can come together in a united voice that really soars – working with key contributions from Phoelix on vocals, alongside Arin Ray and Ant Clemons. Titles include "Insane", "Watts Renaissance", "For Granted", "Secure", "Can't Go", "The Lower East Side", "Love Love", and "Answered Prayer". CD

Maybe the best work so far from this really wonderful group – a magnificent match of the keyboards of Robert Glasper, the saxophones of Terrace Martin and Kamasi Washington, and the superb production talents of 9th Wonder – all working together in a stunning blend of jazz, soul, funk, and hip hop! The tunes have a sharpness and focus that's even more powerful than previous work by the lineup – like they've really found that special space where the all-stars can come together in a united voice that really soars – working with key contributions from Phoelix on vocals, alongside Arin Ray and Ant Clemons. Titles include "Insane", "Watts Renaissance", "For Granted", "Secure", "Can't Go", "The Lower East Side", "Love Love", and "Answered Prayer". LP, Vinyl record album

Albert Beltman and Hans Meijdam on alto saxophone, Nils Van Haften on baritone saxophone, Ab Schaap and Toon Roos on tenor saxophone, Hans-Jorg Vink, Ilja Reijngoud, and Martijn Sohier on trombone, Erik Veldkamp, Mike Booth, Peter van Soest, and Ruud Breuls on trumpet, Ack van Rooijen on flugelhorn, John Ruocco on clarinet, Rob Van Bavel on piano, Frans Van Der Hoeven on bass, and Erik Ineke on drums. CD

A great set from Maynard Ferguson's "Dream Band " – a small orchestra that featured Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, Mel Lewis, Paul Moer, and Nino Tempo – and which was a perfect vehicle for Ferguson's hard-swinging approach to jazz. There's some slight Kenton touches here – in the shift between larger ensemble tones and breakaway solos – and given the strength of some of the horn players in the group, the latter part are especially nice! CD

Lawrence Fields is a pianist with a wonderful blend of complexity and rhythm – a player who can spin out quick lines that almost verge into modern jazz territory, yet one who also holds things back to reach the right sort of interplay with bassist Yasushi Nakamura and Corey Fonville – trio members who really set fire to the lyrical ideas in Lawrence's music! Fields is young, but comes on here with a depth that almost makes us think of mature Cedar Walton at his best – and the set's full of original tunes that showcase Field's strong powers as a composer as well. Titles include "LBF", "New Season Blues", "Moving On", "Parachute", "Yasorey", "Vision", and "Sketches". CD

With Mark Levine on piano. CD

Bluebird, Columbia, and Decca recordings – with Jack Teagarden, Max Kaminsky, Pee Wee Russell, Eddie Condon, and Dave Bowman. Tracks include "The Eel", "Satanic Blues", "I've Found A New Baby", "I Need Some Pettin", "Tia Juana", "Prince Of Wails", and "Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble". 24 tracks total. CD

A really powerful project from the LA underground – served up by a group led by Jesse Sharps, who you may remember from classic albums on the Nimbus label – and done at a level that unites the sound of his generation with some of the best currents of more contemporary years! The lineup here is filled with righteous, spiritual giants – the great Dwight Trible on vocals, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Theo Saunders on piano, Robwerto Miranda on bass, Derf Recklaw on congas and percussion – alongside Mercedes Smith on alto, Amos Delone on baritone , and Maia on flute! There's a strong mix of message and music going on here – also delivered with a bit of poetry from Kamau Daaood – and although the set was recorded before the events of 2020, it's got a deep sense of power that really gets at the needs of America in the years after George Floyd. The set begins with a stunningly dark take on "Strange Fruit", then moves into Daaood's equally powerful "Healing Suite" – and soars next on the long "Freedom's Sweet" by Horace Tapscott, before closing with "Mother", a composition by the great Nate Morgan. LP, Vinyl record album

Marshall Gilkes on trombone, Michael Rodriguez on trumpet and flugelhorn, Jon Cowherd on piano, Yasushi Nakamura on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums. CD

An excellent document of two key players on the west coast scene of the late 50s – both of whom passed away at too far young an age! Trumpeter Joe Gordon was one of the most soulful players on the LA scene of the period – almost a Lee Morgan in his sense of timing and space – and Scott LaFaro was hailed by many as one of the most revolutionary talents on the bass at the time, and had a huge influence on the scenes on both coasts, despite his few short years in the jazz business. The set features LaFaro working with Shelly Manne's group that included Joe Gordon, Richie Kamuca, and Russ Freeman – in a long, open, and exploratory approach to jazz – one that's very similar to the excellent live recordings made by the Manne group at The Blackhawk. Kamuca's tenor work is extremely imaginative on the album's longer tracks – at a level that's far far different than most of his LA work of the 50s – and Gordon's solos are a delight throughout, with a voice that is heard here as strongly as on any of his few recordings. The set features 3 long tracks – "Summertime", "Poinciana", and "Our Delight", which is offered in an incomplete take. Plus, the session also features a quartet recording of "It Could Happen To You" by a group with Kamuca, LaFaro, Victor Feldman, and Stan Levey – from 1958. CD

Dusko Goykovich on trumpet and flugelhorn with Yutaka Shina on piano, Shin Kamimura on bass, and Masahiko Osaka on drums. CD

Drummer Roy Haynes works here with an ensemble that's definitely as hip as the title promises – a really righteous group that makes the album one of Roy's most spiritual records ever! Haynes was always a drummer who was really a cut above, even back at the start – but here, he really steps out strongly with a new musical vision for the 70s – working with a lineup that includes George Adams on tenor and flute and Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet – but players who give the music a really bold feel, right from the start! The rest of the lineup is wonderful, too – as Carl Schroeder plays Fender Rhodes with this flowing vibe that's plenty soulful – alongside bass from Terud Nakamura and Mervin Bronson, conga from Lawrence Kilian, bongo from Elwood Johnson, and more drums from Haynes himself. Titles include a sublime reading of Stanley Cowell's "Equipoise" – plus "Tangiers", "You Name It", and "Satan's Mysterious Feeling". CD

Drummer Roy Haynes works here with an ensemble that's definitely as hip as the title promises – a really righteous group that makes the album one of Roy's most spiritual records ever! Haynes was always a drummer who was really a cut above, even back at the start – but here, he really steps out strongly with a new musical vision for the 70s – working with a lineup that includes George Adams on tenor and flute and Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet – but players who give the music a really bold feel, right from the start! The rest of the lineup is wonderful, too – as Carl Schroeder plays Fender Rhodes with this flowing vibe that's plenty soulful – alongside bass from Terud Nakamura and Mervin Bronson, conga from Lawrence Kilian, bongo from Elwood Johnson, and more drums from Haynes himself. Titles include a sublime reading of Stanley Cowell's "Equipoise" – plus "Tangiers", "You Name It", and "Satan's Mysterious Feeling". CD

A stunning side project from Albert Toodie Heath of the Heath Brothers – a musician who was sometimes a bit staid in the past, but who was really feeling the vibe of the spiritual scene in the post-Coltrane years! The set resonates with a vibe that's very similar to the rare Heath Brother's album on Strata East, Marchin On – and the lineup here is incredible, with reeds from Jimmy Heath, trumpet from Don Cherry, piano from Herbie Hancock, bass from Buster Williams, percussion from Mtume, and drums from Ed Blackwell – all coming together for a session that's nearly lost to the history books, but which is one of the strongest spiritual jazz sessions of the late 60s! Herbie plays all acoustic piano throughout, and the tracks are long, leaping, and loping – with stretched-out spiritual solos from Jimmy Heath and Don Cherry – and a proud and righteous sound that's extremely free-spirited without going too far out. Titles include "Baraka", "Maulana", "Dunia", and "Kamili". CD

A tribute to the music of Charlie Parker – but a set that sparkles more from the individual inspiration of the three alto giants in the lead – a great lineup that features Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson, and Vincent Herring! The tracks are long, with great lead passages that have all three horns soaring together, then individual solos from each player – and although the songs include a number of classics from the Charlie Parker songbook, the album also features original tunes by Herring and Watson, and another by Jackie McLean – maybe marking the whole thing as being very much in the spirit of its title – a look back at a century that's felt the influence of Bird, with all the alto sax changes that have taken place in the time since his passing. The rhythm trio is excellent too – David Kikoski on piano, Yasushi Nakamura on bass, and Carl Allen on drums – and titles include "Bird-Ish", "Klactoveedsedstene", "The Hymn", "Folklore", "Bird Lives", and "Yardbird Suite". CD

A great big band indeed – a session from 1960 that has Bill Holman still sitting nicely at the top of the west coast large group format from the 50s! As with previous dates of this nature, Holman's got a way around the charts that few can match – a way of swinging the whole ensemble strongly, yet never in ways that are cloying, commercial, or cliched. All the right players find a space for expression – and the lineup includes Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenor sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all players who really sparkle nicely when they step out from the larger group. Titles include "Stereoso", "Shadrack", "Quickstep", "Aura", "The Moon Is Blue", "June Is Busting Out All Over", and "Spinuet". LP, Vinyl record album

A great big band indeed – a session from 1960 that has Bill Holman still sitting nicely at the top of the west coast large group format from the 50s! As with previous dates of this nature, Holman's got a way around the charts that few can match – a way of swinging the whole ensemble strongly, yet never in ways that are cloying, commercial, or cliched. All the right players find a space for expression – and the lineup includes Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenor sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all players who really sparkle nicely when they step out from the larger group. Titles include "Stereoso", "Shadrack", "Quickstep", "Aura", "The Moon Is Blue", "June Is Busting Out All Over", and "Spinuet". LP, Vinyl record album

A full package of work from the mighty Bill Holman – 2CDs worth of music – including three full albums plus bonus tracks! First up is material from the 1957 Coral album The Fabulous Bill Holman – a record that's got a maturity of expression that pushes Holman way past his Kenton years! The tracks are all larger ensemble ones, arranged and partially written by Bill, and played by the group in a broad chromatic style that's very nice – certainly Kenton-esque, but with a style that's somehow a bit more personal. Players include Charlie Mariano, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, Conte Cantoli, Stu Williamson, and Holman himself – and titles include "Evil Eyes", "You & I", "Bright Eyes", and the extended "The Big Street" – a great 17 minute tune! Next Is In A Jazz Orbit – a set that has Holman in a great mode that bridges the large group styles of the swing years and the changes in big band sounds that would take place in the 60s – and he's almost prefacing the style of the Clarke Boland Big Band by writing charts here that pack a real punch on the ensemble passages, yet which also rely very strongly on breakaway horn solos to tear up the tunes! The strength of the players is a key factor in the success of the album – as soloists include Frank Rosolino, Jack Sheldon, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, and Holman himself – on titles that include "Kissin Bug", "You Go To My Head", "Far Down Below", "Aura", "Theme & Variation #2", and "No Heat". Bill Holman's Great Big Band is a session from 1960 that has Bill Holman still sitting nicely at the top of the west coast large group format from the 50s! As with previous dates of this nature, Holman's got a way around the charts that few can match – a way of swinging the whole ensemble strongly, yet never in ways that are cloying, commercial, or cliched. All the right players find a space for expression – and the lineup includes Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenor sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all players who really sparkle nicely when they step out from the larger group. Titles include "Stereoso", "Shadrack", "Quickstep", "Aura", "The Moon Is Blue", "June Is Busting Out All Over", and "Spinuet". CD features 10 more bonus tracks – tunes from Holman's Kenton Presents sessions for Capitol in 1954 – octet material done with Don Fagerquist, Bob Eneveldsen, and Stu Williamson providing full brass support on trumpet and trombones – while Holman, Herb Geller, and Bob Gordon cut some broader lines themselves on saxes. Tunes are all great originals by Holman – extremely inventive in both melody and structure – with titles that include "Sparkle", "Tanglefoot", "Song Without Words", "Cousin Jack", "Back To Minors", and "Jughaid". CD

A wonderful showcase for the arranging talents of Bill Holman – one that steps off with a more straightforward and swinging style than some of his work of the time for the Stan Kenton group! Holman here is in a great mode that bridges the large group styles of the swing years and the changes in big band sounds that would take place in the 60s – and he's almost prefacing the style of the Clarke Boland Big Band by writing charts here that pack a real punch on the ensemble passages, yet which also rely very strongly on breakaway horn solos to tear up the tunes! The strength of the players is a key factor in the success of the album – as soloists include Frank Rosolino, Jack Sheldon, Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, and Holman himself – on titles that include "Kissin Bug", "You Go To My Head", "Far Down Below", "Aura", "Theme & Variation #2", and "No Heat". CD

Straight trio grooving from Takehiro Honda – but pretty darn great work nonetheless! The album's a nice bridge between the harder, more rhythmic pulse of his early soul jazz sessions, and the later, freer sound of his more lyrical trio sides – and the whole album shows Honda opening up with a new sense of freedom, really taking off on the keys of the piano, while still keeping a nicely understated groove going at the bottom. The rest of the trio includes Yoshio Suzuki on bass and Kan Murakami on drums – and titles include "Sunny", "I Love You", "Autumn Leaves", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Here's That Rainy Day". LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely bold record from pianist Masaru Imada – one of his most strongly-grooving records of the 70s, and a set that features some great hork work as well! The core trio features Kunimitsu Inaba on bass and Fumio Watanabe on drums – both of whom bring out a more soulful groove than on some of Imada's other albums of the time – which then gets really expanded by some excellent work from Seiichi Nakamura on tenor and Shigeharu Mukai on trombone – both very welcome players here, who really make the album shine! Titles include "Seeking Blue", "Piko", "Wake Up", and "Morning Sunrise". CD

A beautiful little record, and one that definitely feels like the "conversation" promised in the title – as the whole thing's a batch of duets between Kunimitsu Inaba on bass and Sadanori Nakamure on guitar – put together in a loose, open way that allows for plenty of free exchange between the musicians! As with other gems in the Three Blind Mice catalog of the time, there's a nicely different approach to the record – jazz that's neither avant, nor too electric – and recorded with a sound that's sympathetic and never sloppy, spacious but never sleepy – a really fresh approach that creates very unusual, individual sounds throughout. Titles include "Alone Together", "Day Dream", "Old Folks", "My Foolish Heart", and "Our Love Is Here To Stay". CD

Duets between AACM legend Lester Bowie – who plays trumpet – and Ino – who plays bass and synthesizer. The tracks have a spare, spacious feel – recalling some of the duet projects on ECM from the same time. Titles include "Fela Ellen David", "Kami Fusen", "Moon Over Bourbon Street", "Wishful Thinkin", and "Three Legged Race". LP, Vinyl record album

Jon Irabagon on tenor and soprano saxophone, Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn, Luis Perdomo on piano, Yasushi Nakamura on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums. CD

The "J Masters" here are all Japanese jazz masters – particularly some players from the 70s who we really appreciate hearing from again! The group's an all-star assemblage, working in a nicely loose, live setting – without any one ego taking the lead, and instead this spontaneous flowering of energy between all the players. Musicians include Kosuke Mine on tenor, Shigeharu Mukai on trombone, Tomonao Hara on trumpet, Fumio Karashima on piano, Yoshio Suzuki on bass, and Hiroshi Murakami on drums – and titles include nicely swinging takes on "Recado Bossa Nova", "Moment's Notice", "Five Spot After Dark", "Norwegian Wood", and "Round Midnight". CD

Brian Edwards on alto and soprano saxophone, Andy Harewood on baritone saxophone and clarinet, Gary Crosby and Val Maniks on double bass, Mark Mondesir on drums, Kevin Robinson on flugelhorn, Jeff Gordon on flute, alto and soprano saxophone, Alan Weekes on guitar, Mamadi Kamara on percussion, Adrian Reid on piano, Philip Bent on piccolo flute, Ray Carless on tenor and soprano saxophone, Courtney Pine on tenor and soprano saxaphone, clarinet and flute, Robin Walker and Trevor Edwards on trombone, Claude Deppa and Harry Beckett on trumpet and flugelhorn, Andy Grappy on tuba, Orphy Robinson on vibraphone, marimba and percussion, and Cleveland Watkiss on vocals. CD

With Bob Wilbur on tenor, Peanuts Huckel on clarinet, Urbie Green on trombone, Marty Napoleon on piano, Mundell Lowe on guitar, Jack Lesberg on bass, Osie Johnson on drums, and Chet Amsterdam on percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

With Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Donald Bailey on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca – a magical exercise in tone and balance, played by Richie with that warm and raspy style that we love so much in his work! Kamuca's probably best known for his bigger group work of the 50s, but on a session like this he steps out as a marvelously creative soloist – working at a good bop-inspired clip, but also taking the time to explore deeper, more personal ideas through his well-voiced solos on the set. Even on more familiar numbers, Richie steps out with a sense of personality that transforms the tunes to his own way of thinking – and he's very well aided in this work by a crack rhythm section that includes Carl Perkins on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. Titles include originals like "Fire One", "Early Bird", "Rain Drain", "My One & Only Love", and "What's New". CD

Pure genius from tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca – a magical exercise in tone and balance, played by Richie with that warm and raspy style that we love so much in his work! Kamuca's probably best known for his bigger group work of the 50s, but on a session like this he steps out as a marvelously creative soloist – working at a good bop-inspired clip, but also taking the time to explore deeper, more personal ideas through his well-voiced solos on the set. Even on more familiar numbers, Richie steps out with a sense of personality that transforms the tunes to his own way of thinking – and he's very well aided in this work by a crack rhythm section that includes Carl Perkins on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. Titles include originals like "Fire One", "Early Bird", "Rain Drain", "My One & Only Love", and "What's New". LP, Vinyl record album

A hard-swinging session that's much hipper than you might guess from the "hi fi" or "west coast" in the title – recorded with none of the cliches that both tags might make you think – and instead a well-crafted set of solos from the mighty Richie Kamuca! Back in the 50s, Kamuca really had a tremendous tone – one that was often buried in larger groups, but occasionally got to take the solo spotlight on gems like this – stepping out with a raspy, almost gritty undercurrent – a sense of deeper soul in the sound that was uncommon for the west coast scene, and which we might almost compare to the similar qualities of a young Charlie Mariano on the alto sax. Although the group here is fairly largeish – with Bill Holman on baritone sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Conte Candoli on trumpet, and Vince Guaraldi on piano – Kamuca's clearly the main solo star, and is set up nicely in some subtle arrangements by Holman. Titles include "Linger Awhile", "Star Eyes", "Stella By Starlight", "Blue Jazz", and "Way Down Under". CD

A hard-swinging session that's much hipper than you might guess from the "hi fi" or "west coast" in the title – recorded with none of the cliches that both tags might make you think – and instead a well-crafted set of solos from the mighty Richie Kamuca! Back in the 50s, Kamuca really had a tremendous tone – one that was often buried in larger groups, but occasionally got to take the solo spotlight on gems like this – stepping out with a raspy, almost gritty undercurrent – a sense of deeper soul in the sound that was uncommon for the west coast scene, and which we might almost compare to the similar qualities of a young Charlie Mariano on the alto sax. Although the group here is fairly largeish – with Bill Holman on baritone sax, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Conte Candoli on trumpet, and Vince Guaraldi on piano – Kamuca's clearly the main solo star, and is set up nicely in some subtle arrangements by Holman. Titles include "Linger Awhile", "Star Eyes", "Stella By Starlight", "Blue Jazz", and "Way Down Under". LP, Vinyl record album

With featured soloists including Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Milt Bernhart, Ray Wetzel, Bob Cooper, Lennie Niehaus, Bill Holman, Lee Konitz, Kent Larsen, Bill Perkins, Jack Sheldon, Richie Kamuca, Jerry McKenzie, San Noto, Gabe Baltazar, Dick Hypde, Bud Shank, and John Lowe. LP, Vinyl record album

The trio of pianist Yasuhiro Kohno work here with a really wonderful "+ One" – the vibes of Mashiro Kanno, who really adds a heck of a lot to the long-flowing grace of the tunes in the set! The album's a live one, but it's got all the warmth and creative intimacy of the best Japanese piano dates of the 70s – a quality that has Kohno's group pushing the edges, but never going too far out – very different than a more conventional piano trio session, with a mixture of boldness and lyricism that keeps things wonderful throughout the set! Tracks are all nice and long, the group features work from Tsutomu Numakami on bass and Hironobu Fujisawa on drums – and titles include "Village Festival", "Mr Nilson", "Time For Peace", "Song Of Island", and a very groovy take on "Love For Sale". LP, Vinyl record album

An interesting concept record, with Konitz approaching a variety of material, much of it written by his collaborators, in wide open duet settings. Players include Jim Hall, Joe Henderson, Elvin Jones and Richie Kamuca, and on each piece, both Konitz and his companion have loads of room to extrapolate on the base composition. Perhaps the highlight of the record is to be able to listen to Konitz wrap his warm tone around each piece, and then dance lightly around the melody. 8 numbers, including "Erb" with Jim Hall, "Checkerboard" with Dick Katz, and "You Don't Know What Love Is" with Joe Henderson. CD

One of the few sessions ever cut as a leader by LA drummer Stan Levey – as tight a set of west coast bop as you'll ever find on the Bethlehem label – recorded with a really cooking sextet that includes Conte Candoli on trumpet, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Sonny Clark on piano – getting his start on wax here before his more famous Blue Note sessions in New York! The presence of Clark really gives the set a great deal of energy – of the sort that Sonny brought to his other key west coast contributions of the time – and both Kamuca and Rosolino serve up some especially sharp solos. Tracks are mostly all over five minutes long – and titles include "Hit That Thing", "Tiny's Tune", "Blues At Sunrise", "Grand Stan", and "Angel Cake". CD

One of the few sessions ever cut as a leader by LA drummer Stan Levey – as tight a set of west coast bop as you'll ever find on the Bethlehem label – recorded with a really cooking sextet that includes Conte Candoli on trumpet, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Sonny Clark on piano – getting his start on wax here before his more famous Blue Note sessions in New York! The presence of Clark really gives the set a great deal of energy – of the sort that Sonny brought to his other key west coast contributions of the time – and both Kamuca and Rosolino serve up some especially sharp solos. Tracks are mostly all over five minutes long – and titles include "Hit That Thing", "Tiny's Tune", "Blues At Sunrise", "Grand Stan", and "Angel Cake". CD

A gem of a set from drummer Stan Levey – one that features some incredible tenor work from Richie Kamuca! The album's got a relaxed feel that's different than a lot of Stan's other sets – not nearly so tightly arranged as before, and with room for Kamuca to open up on tenor in that magnificent tone of his, with some additional strong work in the frontline from trumpeter Conte Candoli – and some inventive piano work from Lou Levy, who manages to give the record a real sense of depth with his phrasing. Levey's leadership is wonderful on the set – very much in the background, but with a warmth that's clear in the playing of all the members of the group – and a clear inspiration to make the record more than just another "players you know from larger groups heard in a quickly done small group session". Tracks are longish, and titles include 2 great Kamuca originals – "Stan Still" and "One For Joan" – plus "Ole Man Rebop", "What Can I Say", and "Old Folks". CD

Gus Mancuso was a 50s instrumentalist who made a brief but strong flash on the modern scene – playing one of the most unlikely jazz instruments ever, a euphonium, which he handled with surprising dexterity and grace, creating a bass-heavy sound that was not unlike some of the work done on baritone during the decade. This 18 track CD features tunes from two of Mancuso's earliest (and only) albums as a leader – Introducing Gus Mancuso and Music From New Faces. The first set features Mancuso blowing hard in a group with Cal Tjader, Richie Kamuca, Eddie Duran, and Vince Guaraldi – and the second set features him working through titles from the show New Faces. Tracks include "The Ruble & The Yen", "Brother Anitz", "Ev'ry Time", "How Do You Like Your Eggs In The Morning?", "A Hatful Of Dandruff", and "Scratch My Back". CD

An incredible record from Shelly Manne – one of his only dates recorded at The Manne Hole, even though it was his own club – and a killer live recording that was issued in a rare 2LP format for the time! The style here is similar to Manne's excellent recordings at the Blackhawk – open-ended, stretched out, and more freely expressive hardbop than on his 50s sides – played by a group that features plenty of excellent tenor from the great Richie Kamuca, plus trumpet from Conte Cantoli, piano from Russ Freeman, bass from Chuck Berghofer, and drums from Manne himself. As with the Blackhawk date, many of the tunes are familiar, but open up mostly as longer solo vehicles – completely transformed by the efforts of the group and their freewheeling lines. Titles on this second volume include "Love For Sale", "The Champ", "How Could It Happy To A Dream", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

An incredible record from Shelly Manne – one of his only dates recorded at The Manne Hole, even though it was his own club – and a killer live recording that was issued in a rare 2LP format for the time! The style here is similar to Manne's excellent recordings at the Blackhawk – open-ended, stretched out, and more freely expressive hardbop than on his 50s sides – played by a group that features plenty of excellent tenor from the great Richie Kamuca, plus trumpet from Conte Cantoli, piano from Russ Freeman, bass from Chuck Berghofer, and drums from Manne himself. As with the Blackhawk date, many of the tunes are familiar, but open up mostly as longer solo vehicles – completely transformed by the efforts of the group and their freewheeling lines. Titles on this second volume include "What's New", "A Gem From Tiffany", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "If I Were A Bell". CD

A stunning hardbop set from drummer Shelly Manne – a player most folks associate with more arranged jazz, or cooler modes of the LA scene of the 50s – but a player who was already starting to open up and forge new roads by the end of that decade! Shelly became a surprising proponent of hardbop modes with a few key records like this – and the live setting has Manne leading a great group with really searing solo work that's very different than west coast cool jazz modes normally associated with both the drummer and the Contemporary label! The album features key work from trumpeter Joe Gordon – stunning work, recorded in the years before his too-soon death – and tenorist Richie Kamuca really opens up too – in a combo that also has Victor Feldman on piano and Monty Budwig on bass – going through very long tunes that are filled with extended solo space. Tracks on this first volume include "Summertime", "Our Delight", "Poinciana", "Blue Daniel", and "Theme From A Gem From Tiffany". CD

A stunning hardbop set from drummer Shelly Manne – a player most folks associate with more arranged jazz, or cooler modes of the LA scene of the 50s – but a player who was already starting to open up and forge new roads by the end of that decade! Shelly became a surprising proponent of hardbop modes with a few key records like this – and the live setting has Manne leading a great group with really searing solo work that's very different than west coast cool jazz modes normally associated with both the drummer and the Contemporary label! The album features key work from trumpeter Joe Gordon – stunning work, recorded in the years before his too-soon death – and tenorist Richie Kamuca really opens up too – in a combo that also has Victor Feldman on piano and Monty Budwig on bass – going through very long tunes that are filled with extended solo space. Tracks on this first volume include "Summertime", "Our Delight", "Poinciana", "Blue Daniel", and "Theme From A Gem From Tiffany". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning hardbop set from drummer Shelly Manne – a player most folks associate with more arranged jazz, or cooler modes of the LA scene of the 50s – but a player who was already starting to open up and forge new roads by the end of that decade! Shelly became a surprising proponent of hardbop modes with a few key records like this – and the live setting has Manne leading a great group with really searing solo work that's very different than west coast cool jazz modes normally associated with both the drummer and the Contemporary label! The album features key work from trumpeter Joe Gordon – stunning work, recorded in the years before his too-soon death – and tenorist Richie Kamuca really opens up too – in a combo that also has Victor Feldman on piano and Monty Budwig on bass – going through very long tunes that are filled with extended solo space. Tracks on this fourth volume include "Cabu", "Just Squeeze Me", and "Nightingale". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning hardbop set from drummer Shelly Manne – a player most folks associate with more arranged jazz, or cooler modes of the LA scene of the 50s – but a player who was already starting to open up and forge new roads by the end of that decade! Shelly became a surprising proponent of hardbop modes with a few key records like this – and the live setting has Manne leading a great group with really searing solo work that's very different than west coast cool jazz modes normally associated with both the drummer and the Contemporary label! The album features key work from trumpeter Joe Gordon – stunning work, recorded in the years before his too-soon death – and tenorist Richie Kamuca really opens up too – in a combo that also has Victor Feldman on piano and Monty Budwig on bass – going through very long tunes that are filled with extended solo space. Tracks on this fifth volume include "Pullin Strings", "Eclipse Of Spain", "Wonder Why", "This Is Always", and "How Deep Are The Roots". CD

Includes tracks from a 1947 session, with sidemen that include Bud Freeman, Art Hodes, Pops Foster, and George Wettling; plus a 1950 session with Max Kaminsky and Wilber DeParis. LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful TV soundtrack work from Skip Martin – who's really giving Henry Mancini a run for his money in the crime jazz department! Martin's score for the Mike Hammer show here is totally great – penned with a range of styles that run from swinging to sentimental – all handled by a top-shelf crew of west coast jazz players that includes Ted Nash on flute and alto, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Bud Shank on alto, Don Fagerquist and Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Pete Jolly on piano. Titles include "Bad Guys", "Coffee House", "Like Mike", "Summer Mood", "Corn Pone Woman", and "Riff Blues". (Soundtracks, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Terrace Martin is an artist who just keeps on getting deeper and deeper over the years – an already-great jazz musician, but one who's widened his scope to touch on broader currents of soul and hip hop – all of which really open up with the jazz-based energy at the core! At some level, this record might be to Martin's career what the Black Radio project was to Robert Glasper – as Terrace opens the door to all-star guests who include Kim Burrell, Leon Bridges, Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, and even Glasper himself – while also finding space to serve up a few key tracks on his own, without any guests – tracks that may well be some of our favorite on the album. Titles include "Turning Poison Into Medicine", "Drones", "Leave Us Be", "Don't Let Go", "Listen", "Sick Of Cryin", "Leimert Park", "Tapped", and "Griots Of The Crenshaw District". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty incredible set from sax player Masato Nakamura, aka Masa – late of the trailblazing Japanese jazzy explorers Sleep Walker – here leading a new combo and some fellow Sleep Walker alum on a set of cover tunes selected by some of his (and some of our) favorite modern groove figures! The group brings fresh jazzy life a batch of all great tunes by Yusef Lateef, Julius Hemphill, Mary Parks (and Albert Ayler), Milton Nascimento and others. Beautiful stuff with timeless soul jazz inspiration – here's hoping Deep Cover isn't simply a one off project and we'll hear much more from Masa Sextet! Song selectors include Kyoto Jazz Massive, Patrick Forge (who also produces the album), Yoshihiro Okino of Kyoto Jazz Massive, Dilip Harris of Two Banks Of Four, Jurgen V Knoblauch of Jazzanova, Shuya Okino of Kyoto Jazz Massive and Gilles Peterson. Many of the numbers skew to the long side, with 7 great tracks the run a total of 55 minutes. Includes "Waiting For Marvin", "Look Into Tomorrow" and "Healing Is The Healing Force Of The Universe" (both with vocals by Bembe Segue), "Winds Of Change", "The Hard Blues", "Nem Premisou Mais Um Sol", and "Before Dawn". (New Grooves, Jazz) CD

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". CD

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". CD

Makaya McCraven pushes his unique jazz genius even further – by serving up a completely groundbreaking remix of live jazz performance on the London scene! McCraven's already stood out from the pack in the way that he breaks down jazz norms by playing with a recorded performance later in the studio – but this time around, he really pushes that approach to the forefront – working in a mode that really lives up to the "mixtape" of the title – but which also still has everything that we love from his other records too! Makaya's on drums – and plays with a massively heavy groove – and he plays here with some of the leading lights of the contemporary London scene – Soweto Kinch and Nubya Garcia on saxes, Joe Armon Jones on Fender Rhodes, Kamaal Williams on keyboards, and Theon Cross on tuba – in amazing performance activity which is then brought home to Chicago, where the music gets additional remix and overdub help from LeFto, Don Leisure, Earl Jeffers, Ben LaMar Gay, Emma Jean Thackray, Quiet Dawn, and Lexus Blondin. Clearly, Makaya's one hell of a collaborative spirit – yet he also manages to make this record his boldest personal statement to date – as you'll hear on titles that include "Halls", "Suite For Artis Gilmore", "Ox Tales", "The Bounce", "Oracle", "Run Dem", "Too Shy", and "Drums & Bruk & Feel The Vibe". LP, Vinyl record album

A great record – and one that's filled with so many wonderful little moments! The whole thing's a very cool, very off-beat set of jazz tracks recorded by vibist Gary McFarland, with a group that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Richie Kamuca on tenor, and Steve Swallow on bass – a lineup that's as quirky as the sound of the record! The tunes are quite different than some of Gary's larger arrangements for Verve, but they've definitely got a very similar charm – quite groovy, and a unique blend of bossa influences, west coast jazz, modal rhythms, and other wonderful touches. Tracks include "Pecos Pete", "Hello To The Season", "Schlock-House Blues", and "Love Theme From David & Lisa". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little jazz record by Gary – very different than his groovy/easy albums on Verve, and with a dark sound that shows his strength as a composer and arranger. The group features McFarland in the lead on vibes, plus reed work by Phil Woods, Zoot Sims, and Richie Kamuca, and lots of rhythm backing by the likes of Richard Davis, Gabor Szabo, Sam Brown, and others. Willis Conover does a bit of narration, and tracks include "Sage Hands", "Milo's Other Samba", "Winter Colors", and "Bygones & Boogie". LP, Vinyl record album

Jim McNeely on piano, Harald Rosenstein, Heiner Wiberny, Olivier Peters, Paul Peucker, and Rolf Romer on reeds, Bernt Laukamp, Dave Horler, Henning Berg, and Roy Deuvall on trombone, Andy Haderer, Klaus Osterloh, Rick Kiefer, Rob Bruynen, and Rudiger Baldauf on trumpet, John Scofield and Paul Shigihara on guitar, Rainer Bruninghaus on keyboards, Marc Johnson on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. CD

Live performance by Lasse Marhaug, John Hegre, and Masami Akita. (Rock, Jazz) CD

Beautifully burning work from Japanese saxophonist Kohsuke Mine – a player who cut some fantastic albums in the 70s, even though he never fully got his due on this side of the Pacific! The vibe here is very much in a post-Coltrane spiritual mode – with the leader blowing both tenor and soprano sax, and really working some amazing long, visionary lines on his instruments – sometimes really soaring off with Impulse Records-like energy, other times hitting more modal modes that remind us that Mine was one of the most powerful, soulful forces in the Japanese jazz scene at the time. The rest of the lineup is excellent too – and the album features additional tenor from Hideo Miyata, plus piano from Fumio Itabashi, bass from Hideaki Mochizuki, and drums from Hiroshi Murakami. Titles include "Thirsty", "Self Contradiction", "Spin Drift", "Daguri", and "Expectation". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from this tremendous Japanese saxophonist – working here on both alto and soprano sax, in styles that are sharply angular, but also quite warm and soulful! Kosuke Mine's got a quality that's a bit like Joe Henderson at the same time – obviously informed by earlier hardbop, but let loose in some bolder lines that snake out with a rich, bold feel that's totally great. His group here features Fender Rhodes from Hideo Ichikawa – possibly further underscoring some of the Henderson electric styles of the set – and other players include Takashi Imai on trombone, Takashi Mizuhashi on bass, and Hiroshi Murakami on drums. The record's got a nice sense of freedom, but is never too far outside – and titles include a version of Joe Henderson's "Isotope", plus the originals "Morningtide", "Dream Eyes", and "Work I". CD

Early work from this tremendous Japanese saxophonist – working here on both alto and soprano sax, in styles that are sharply angular, but also quite warm and soulful! Kosuke Mine's got a quality that's a bit like Joe Henderson at the same time – obviously informed by earlier hardbop, but let loose in some bolder lines that snake out with a rich, bold feel that's totally great. His group here features Fender Rhodes from Hideo Ichikawa – possibly further underscoring some of the Henderson electric styles of the set – and other players include Takashi Imai on trombone, Takashi Mizuhashi on bass, and Hiroshi Murakami on drums. The record's got a nice sense of freedom, but is never too far outside – and titles include a version of Joe Henderson's "Isotope", plus the originals "Morningtide", "Dream Eyes", and "Work I". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from this tremendous Japanese saxophonist – working here on both alto and soprano sax, in styles that are sharply angular, but also quite warm and soulful! Kosuke Mine's got a quality that's a bit like Joe Henderson at the same time – obviously informed by earlier hardbop, but let loose in some bolder lines that snake out with a rich, bold feel that's totally great. His group here features Fender Rhodes from Hideo Ichikawa – possibly further underscoring some of the Henderson electric styles of the set – and other players include Takashi Imai on trombone, Takashi Mizuhashi on bass, and Hiroshi Murakami on drums. The record's got a nice sense of freedom, but is never too far outside – and titles include a version of Joe Henderson's "Isotope", plus the originals "Morningtide", "Dream Eyes", and "Work I". CD

Incredible solo work from Roscoe Mitchell – almost even more compelling than any of his work with bigger groups! The set compiles material from a number of different concerts, and features Mitchell on alto, tenor, baritone, and soprano sax – blowing these wonderfully shaped, thoughtfully formed lines that are filled with soul and feeling – almost more inside than most of Roscoe's other work of the time, but still with some of the exploratory sensibilities you might hear in his Nessa albums. Sounds are quite fragile at points, but quite bold at others – and the range of expressions really keeps things interesting throughout. Titles include "Eeltwo", "Nonaah", "Tutankamen", "Ttum", "Jibbana", and "Oobina". 9 tracks in all – pulled from 1973 concerts in Kalamazoo and Montreal, and a 1974 set in Finland. LP, Vinyl record album

Don't be mis-led by the title – as this isn't one of those "jazz meets classical" albums that were big on the European scene in the 60s – and instead, the album features very ambitious, very compelling sounds by one of the most free-thinking Japanese ensembles of the time! The album features four long pieces – penned by Masahiko Sato, Hiroshi Takami, Norio Maeda, and Kozaburo Yamaki – all interpreted by Toshiyuki Miyama with a strong sense of sound and texture – an approach that's still rooted in jazz, but which sounds like some of the more modern large group charts of the 60s. The sound isn't free at all, but definitely has some solo moments that are pretty unbridled – save for the last track, which brings back in a funky, swinging sort of vibe! That gem is titled "Sensyuraku" – and other tracks include "Shirabyoshi", "Ikisudama", and "Mumyoju" – the last of which features some koto by Kideaki Sakurai. LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty soulful set from the group of bassist Takahashi Mizuhashi – served up in a really strong range of sounds that are spun out over the album's very long tracks! The set begins with a soulful rendition of "When A Man Loves A Woman", but then soars into freer jazz territory at the start of "So What" – which begins with one of the most outside readings of the Miles Davis classic we've ever heard! The album really sparkles – thanks to some strong work on alto from Yoshio Otomo, and piano from the great Fumio Karashima – and side two features guest trombone from Shigeharu Mukai and tenor from Seiichi Nakamura – who really help things stretch out on an 18 minute take on Stanley Turrentine's classic "Sugar". CD

A fantastic criss-crossing of modes – free jazz, funk, big band, and fusion – all styles that were blooming big on the Japanese scene of the 70s – wrapped up and reworked here into something new entirely! The set's a live one, and features extended performances from a range of great players who were key to the scene at the time – coming together here under the leadership of keyboardist Shumko Mizuno on the first half, and working with the New Herd of Toshiyuki Miyama on the second! Mizuno wrote all three tracks – and plays both keyboards and drums on the first – alongside a shifting lineup of players who include Seiichi Nakamura on tenor, Kenji Mori on alto, Hideto Kanai on bass, and Kazumi Watanabe on guitar! Titles include the avant "Dum", the sharper "Concentration", and the side-long jam "Jazz Orchestra 75 Part 2". CD