A really wonderful record, and one that's very different than any sort of piano trio album we've ever heard – as there's this richly textural quality to the album that has all the elements resonating in a very special way, with an overall sonic palette that's beautiful! Sure, there's piano on the set, but the bass is often almost higher in the mix, and more melodic too – while the drums move between soft fills and gentle rhythms – with occasional moments that are more powerful, and kick up the bass too – but again with this production approach that has these really amazing sound patterns between all the instruments. Titles include "Bird Flew By", "Drizzling Rain", "Siciliano", "Stefano", "Doppio Movement", "Abacus", and "Wonderful One". CD

One of the hippest albums ever from the team of Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland – a unique small combo session that's even groovier than their famous big band work! The setting is wonderful – Clarke on drums, Boland on piano, and a sextet lineup that includes Sahib Shihab on flute, Fats Sadi on vibes, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Joe Harris on percussion – all players who know each other well, and groove together as one amazing unit on the set! The tunes here are lyrical and lively, modal and moving, and still some of the freshest jazz cut on the European scene of the 60s – music that's having a huge impact these days in the club jazz underground. Shihab's flute work is sublime, especially next to Sadi's vibes – and Harris' added percussion gives a number of the cuts a bit of a Latin kick that's totally great! There's a bit of vocals on the set, and titles include "Ebony Samba", "Tin Tin Deo", "Potter's Crossing", "Wives & Lovers", "Ensadinado", "Lorraine", "Day By Day", "Love Hungry", and "Please Don't Leave". CD

Primo work by one of the greatest Brit jazz groups of the 50s – the legendary Jazz Couriers, and their smoking frontline of Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott on tenor sax! The pair have a way of coming together that's simply beautiful – not the kind of "battle" you might have gotten from American tenorists a few years before – and instead, a way of collaborating on long-spun, beautifully-blown tracks that really expand under the two voices of the tenors – in ways that other hardbop groups might with just a sax and trumpet. Part of the group's success is their great rhythm section too – Terry Shannon on piano, Jeff Clyne on bass, and Billy Eyden on drums – a trio who really kick things into gear wonderfully on this previously-unissued live date! The material was recorded at a restaurant gig – nice and intimate, but with very good sound – so much so that the record is very much on a par with the group's famous studio sides of the time. Tubby Hayes also plays a bit of vibes on the record – and titles include "For All We Know", "Embers", "Tippin", and "Cherokee/The Theme". CD

Japanese jazz vocalist Junko Mine made a great trip to LA for this album – working here under the leadership of pianist Lou Levy, with a group that includes some of the best west coast jazz players of the 50s! At the time, American labels were often ignoring the talent that was still flourishing strongly in the city of angels – and it was up to Japanese labels like this to give them a chance to shine on record – which they do wonderfully, in a group that features Levy on piano, Bill Perkins on tenor and flute, Conte Candoli on trumpet, Red Mitchell on bass, and Mundell Lowe on drums. Junko handles vocals, but also knows when to step aside for an instrumentalist to solo – and titles include "Easy To Love", "You're The Top", "I Concentrate On You", "In The Still Of The Night", "You Do Something To Me", and "I Get A Kick Out Of You". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

A rare non-Blue Note 60s date as a leader from Stanley Turrentine – recorded for Impluse when his (then) wife Shirley Scott was contracted to the label – and featuring the talents of both players on some very groovy tracks! The quartet features both Stan's tenor and Shirley's Hammond – with bass by Ron Carter and drums from Mack Simpkins – all in an easy-going groove that recalls some of the best Turrentine/Scott pairings on Prestige! There's a quality here that's relaxed, but never lazy – professional, but never slick – and the album's great proof that although both players could be great on their own, they often sounded even better together at this point in their careers. The album features a cool version of "On a Clear Day", which Shirley always manages to kick into a nice groove – plus the tracks "Good Lookin Out", "Let It Go", "Sure As You're Born", "T'Aint What You Do", and "Ciao Ciao". CD

Three albums by this wonderfully unique keyboardist! First up is Eyeball – a really nice mix of modes from keyboardist Jasper Van'T Hof – as some cuts feature the heavy electric modes we know from his MPS recordings of the 70s – but others feature a much more personal approach on acoustic piano! As with other records from the time, Jasper plays a range of keyboards here – from piano to Fender Rhodes to organ – and the group shifts a bit from track to track, depending on the mood – and features Wim Overgaauw on guitar, John Lee on bass, Zbigniew Seifert on violin, and Gerry Brown on drums. Lee and Brown kick in heavily on the jamming cuts, but lay back more on the mellower ones – and titles include "One Leg Missing", "Bax", "Viper Snake", "Eyeball 1", "The Rev", and "Schwester Johanna". Next is Solo Piano – a record that's a bit more down to earth than some of the electric 70s material from Jasper Van't Hof, but equally great in its own sort of way! The session has Jasper playing solo acoustic piano, mixing a few standards with even cooler original material that really makes the record shine! Titles include "Eyes", "7th Day Ticket", "Dinner For Two", "Skyline", "The Dodge", and "New Bob". Tomorrowland is a cool trio set from pianist Jasper Van't Hof – one that has him joined by the great Bob Malach on tenor, a player Jasper's worked with for years, and who really gets some great space to open up here! The third member of the group is the wonderful JF Jenny Clarke on bass – and titles include "Ventre A Terre", "The Quiet American", "Round About", "Ma Belle", "Mr Woof", and "Rutherford" – all nice original material! CD

A beautiful album of mellow-grooving tracks from Lou Donaldson – recorded during his rich post-bop late 50s years, and done with a wonderfully warm sound! The group features Horace Parlan on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Laymon Jackson on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums – plus Ray Baretto added in on conga, giving the whole session a little bit of a kick with a light Latinish groove on the best numbers! The rhythm's nice and skittish – lightly leaping around on even the quieter numbers, and letting Lou blow his alto in the strongly rhythmic mode that was starting to appear in his recordings of the time. Titles include "Crosstown Shuffle", "Mack The Knife", "Be My Love", and "Lou's Blues". CD

A wonderful small combo session from tenorist Benny Golson – one of a few key albums like this from the early years! Although Golson is perhaps best known as a lively arranger in the modern idiom, he's also a kick-ass tenor player when he wants to be – and on this classic, he definitely wants to be! Unlike some of Golson's more tightly arranged records of the early years, this date is a deeply gutsy soul jazz session – support from a group that includes Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Art Blakey on drums, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – all sliding into long tracks that have plenty of room for solos! The whole thing's a bit like the more spontaneous side of the Jazz Messengers groove – and titles include "The Stroller", "Drumboogie", "My Blues House", and a beautiful version of "Yesterdays". CD

Rock-solid work from Wynton Kelly – a standout trio side from the early 60s, and one of his few dates recorded for Vee Jay Records! Kelly seems to have a bit more kick here than in the 50s – and a bit more of a down to earth quality than on his later sides for Verve – really laying back on the keys of the piano, and getting some great help from a rhythm group that features Jimmy Cobbs on drums, and either Sam Jones or Paul Chambers on bass. The tunes are mostly familiar numbers, but they're offset by a few strong Kelly originals – including "Joe's Avenue" and "Sassy" – amidst other titles that include "Love I've Found You", "Autumn Leaves", "Gone With The Wind", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

A great early album from pianist Kunhiko Sugano – a set that has the leader working in a relaxed live setting, in a small Japanese club that also features a conga added to his usual trio! Most numbers begin with an introspective introduction from Sugano – those lyrical lines he does so well – then the trio gets moving with a nice sort of kick that really opens up the longer solos – with that majestic, soulful style that some of the best Japanese pianists of the time did so well! The record's a classic in the 70s Japanese piano style – and the group features Izao Suzuki on bass, Shinji Mori on drums, and Yoichi Ogawa on congas. Titles include "Good Morning Heartache", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Black Orpheus", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

A sweet Japanese piano trio session, but one with a great added kick – thanks to the conga work of Yohichi Ogawa, who's rhythms really bring a lot to the trio of Kunhiko Sugano on piano, Eizoh Honda on bass, and Teruhiko Takada on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have that fluid, open vibe we always love in Sugano's music – a blend of lyrical imagination, gentle swing, and really freewheeling energy that shows up especially well on the longer tracks on the set! Titles include versions of "Wave", "Summertime", and "Menina Moca" – plus the original "Blues". CD

A great lost chapter in the Larry Mizell story – a record that's not nearly as well known as Mizell-produced jams for Bobbi Humphrey or Johnny Hammond, but which is every bit as great! Roger Glenn's a funky flute player with a really great groove – California groovy, with just a touch of Latin – served up here with some great Mizell-infused touches – that rolling rhythm on the bottom, soaring instrumentation on the top, and some great Latin elements that are wrapped up warmly in the fusion! There's plenty of great keyboards, too – played both by Larry Mizell, and also by Mark Soskin – a range of Fender Rhodes, Arp, mini-moog, and more – all adding in the right sort of warmth to Roger's flute, and the album's rich array of percussion. Titles include "Kick", "Reachin", "Rio", "Gloria", "Overtime", and "Don't Leave". CD

Very cool work from Leonard King & The Soul Messengers – a Detroit combo who really kick things up here with some great work from the clubs and a few rare studio recordings as well! King's a drummer, and gives the group a mighty solid sound from the start – and the whole group are equally comfortable in a soul instrumental mode as they are when letting loose with jazzier solos – a bit like the Jazz Crusaders on the LA scene of the mid 60s, but even groovier overall! Instrumentation shifts a bit throughout – depending on the lineups – and includes alto from Gregory King, cornet from Atiba King, trumpet from Jimmy Nash, and organ, electric harpsichord, and piano from George Roundtree. The range of material varies in a really great way – showing not just an evolution of King and his combo, but also the changing tastes of the Detroit scene at the end of the 60s – and there's also a few soul vocal numbers mixed in with the jazz instrumentals. Titles include "Delen 1967", "Voice Your Choice", "The Barracuda", "I've Been Saved", "Lily The Fox", "Cold Sweat", "Psychedelic Pi", "Bumpy's Lament", "Hang Up", "Spinning Around/It's Too Late", and a "Jackson Five Medley". CD

Very very very groovy stuff by this masterful jazz vibist, recorded with a sort of late 60s swingin' feel – but still very much in the pocket and warm as a summer breeze! Lytle has a pretty remarkable way of playing the vibes with speed and energy, yet the overall feel still has kind of a relaxed West Coast vibe – a beautiful blend that rivals, if not beats, the sound of Cal Tjader on late 60s Verve! Jimmy Foster grooves along on organ, and the interplay with Lytle is key to the classic sound – but the whole group is great here – Major Holley on bass, Peppy Hinant on drums and Don Alias on conga, which brings in plenty of Latin kick. 6 of the 10 numbers are Lytle originals, including "Done It Again", "Sleepy Dozier", "Zote", "Jungle Child" and "Happy Preacher" – plus "If Ever I Should Leave You", "People" and "The Nearness Of You". CD

Japanese pianist Kunihiko Sugano works here with the legendary American drummer Jo Jones – a player who helps make for a nicely traditional feel to this trio set from the early 80s! Sugano plays acoustic throughout, and the record's filled with easygoing tracks that move along with lots of lyrical touches – warm, soulful solos from Kunihko, which are given just a gentle kick from Jones on drums, and some nice support from Kunimitsu Inaba on bass. Most numbers are relatively long – and titles include "Autumn Leaves", "I'll Remember April", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "Night In Tunisia". CD

The spacey image on the cover gives part of the picture of the wound of Wasafiri here – cosmic fusion with a really soaring vibe at most moments – but there's also some warmer, more intimate moments too – times when the more full-on rhythms kick back slightly, and let the group's acoustic elements step more strongly into the fold! The group is led by bassist Max Gerl, and there's loads of vintage keyboards and Arp on the record – handled by the group's Kwinton Gray and Cole Riddle – but there's also reed work from Shelly Carrol and Matthew Babineaux, who use saxes and flutes on some great solos – especially nice at times the live percussion comes into play. Titles include a nice remake of "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – plus "Future Step", "Wasafiri Theme", "Reminiscence", "The Traveler", and "Embarkation". CD

A rare funk treat from tenor sax jazz legend Joe Houston – working in a far funkier mode than usual for the obscure Big Town label! The lineup and production is heavy with 50s LA R&B names in it – including Ted Butler, Bo Rhambo and Larry Johnson – and sure enough, there's genuine prime era rhythm & blues DNA in some of the material, to say nothing of the incredible chops of all involved – but the overall sound is very modern 70s jazz, with some really funky cuts, too! The highlight is the two-part title track, "Kicking Back", which is a top shelf jazz funk groover – but the whole record is solid, with "T-Bone Disco", "Hawaiian Disco", "Trippin' In", "Mr. Big H", and "Why Don't You Rock Me". CD

A well-titled set from Art Blakey – considering the hard-driving sound of the group! The album's one of the best from that unusual year of 1957 – almost a "lost" year for Art, when he was working away from Blue Note with a very different lineup of the Jazz Messengers than on his famous sessions for that label! The players here are all great – and include Johnny Griffin on tenor, Bill Hardman on trumpet, Junior Mance on piano, and Spanky DeBrest on bass – all working with a style that's a bit loose and open, allowing plenty of space for solos! Griffin's horn has all the sharp edges you'd expect, and Hardman's great too – and Blakey himself seems to sit back a bit more than usual in his chair, letting the soloists lead the tracks, instead of kicking things into gear from the drums. Titles include "Deo X", "Sweet Sakeena", "Late Spring", "Krafty", and "For Miles & Miles". CD

A Donald Byrd treasure – and an album that was almost left in the vaults by Blue Note, until they briefly released it at the end of the 70s! The cover and title are a bit unfamiliar, but the music is right up there with Byrd's classic sessions with baritonist Pepper Adams – a great player here, with a deftness on his horn that's incredible – matching all the sharp changes and soulful undercurrents of Byrd's sparkling trumpet! There's a nice hard sound to the whole thing – almost the raw power of the pair's albums for the Warwick label – and as with those, Herbie Hancock is on piano – giving the whole thing an excellent soul jazz groove that really kicks the main soloists into action! Titles include "Great God", "I'm An Old Cowhand", "That's All", "You're Next", and "Chant". CD

Two jazz rock classics – back to back as a 2CD set! Solar Plexus was a pivotal album in the career of British jazzman Ian Carr – one that had him really opening up into some trippy, spacey grooves – adding in a lot of keyboards, kicking up the grooves, yet still never losing the strong jazzy finish that was the best part of his earlier work. Players on the set include trumpeters Harry Beckett and Kenny Wheeler, guitarist Chris Spedding, and keyboardist Karl Jekins, who really throws in some groovy lines on the set! Titles include "Elements 1 & 2", "Snakehips Dream", "Torso", "Spirit Level", and "Bedrock Deadlock". Belladonna is one of the heaviest electric sets from UK trumpeter Ian Carr – and that's really saying a lot, given how much heavy work he cut with his group Nucleus! The sound here is a groundbreaking mix of acoustic horns and keyboards – trumpet from Carr, and a mix of tenor, soprano, alto, and flute from Brian Smith – coming into contact with the Fender Rhodes of Dave MacRae and the Hohner electric of Gordon Beck! The pairing of keys is wonderful – and the whole thing is sewn together by the guitar of a young Allan Holdsworth, who's very much in the sway of Carr's sound here, instead of the later directions he'd take as a leader. The set might be worth it alone for the massive "Summer Rain" – a slow funk track that trips along beautifully – but the whole thing's great, and other titles include "Belladonna", "Mayday", "Suspension", and "Hector's House". CD

One of the few albums we've ever seen by keyboardist Hubert Eaves – a great player whose work crops up on some of our favorite 70s soul jazz and jazz funk sides, but who rarely got a chance to lead his own group! Fortunately, he did get the chance to cut this one – as the session's a real doozy – sweet mellow fusion, handled very soulfully, with a kicked-back feel that's right up there with the most righteous soulful fusion of the time. Players include Mtume, John Lee, Reggie Lucas, Malachi Thompson, and Rene McLean – and Cheryl Alexander sings vocals on the track "Under Standing". A great blend of laidback funk and soulful grooves – in the manner of Bobby Lyle at his best – and titles include "Slow Down", "Painful Pleasure", "Call To Awareness", and "Flead Dancing". CD

A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! CD

An excellent set by Grant Green – recorded in 1964, but not issued until close to 1980, when Blue Note first pulled it out of the vaults, and dropped it on the world! The session's a great one – with an unusual lineup that features Green's guitar in a sextet, with McCoy Tyner on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Joe Henderson on tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a really wonderful group who help bring something different to the proceedings – helping showcase the great change in Green's second chapter for Blue Note. The album's got a mix of modal grooving and piano-driven hardbop – with a harder groove than some of Green's other non-organ sides for Blue Note. Titles include "Solid", "Minor League", "Ezz Thetic", "Grant's Tune" and "The Kicker". Also features the bonus track "Wives & Lovers". CD

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". This stunning version adds in some killer bonus tracks – 6 never-heard cuts from the Milestone vaults, including "Song For My Family", "Funky Native", "Detroit Rainbow", "Can't We Smile (alt)", and slow and fast versions of "A Child's Love". CD

The start of a legend – a huge amount of material that introduced the world to the tenor genius of the young Joe Henderson – recorded over the space of a few short years, on records that feature Joe as both the leader and a sideman on some of the hippest Blue Note records of the time! Henderson was amazing right at the start – able to play a soulful hardbop lead at one moment, then slide into edgier modern territory the next – a quality that made him a key artist to work with some of the other strong Blue Note innovators of the period – as you'll hear in this overstuffed set! The set features a total of 47 gems – including some alternate takes – all wrapped up with the usual top-shelf Mosaic Records booklet of notes, photos, and other key details on the material. Includes the full albums Page One, Our Thing, In N Out, Mode For Joe, and Inner Urge – all recorded under the leadership of Joe Henderson – plus tracks from the albums Unity by Larry Young, The Kicker by Bobby Hutcherson, Little Johnny C by Johnny Coles, and Step Lightly by Blue Mitchell – and the full Kenny Dorham albums Una Mas and Trompeta Toccatta, both of which are essential in Henderson's career! CD

Fantastic French grooves from the end of the 60s – a killer set of jazz-based tracks recorded by trumpeter Ivan Jullien, with help from funky arranger Michel Colombier! Jullien recorded a fair bit of jazz and studio work around the time, and his playing here is razor-sharp – and supported by Colombier grooves that rival his best soundtrack material, his experiments with Pierre Henry, or his backings for singers like Serge Gainsbourg or Brigitte Bardot! Colombier also plays keyboards on the record, as does the great Maurice Vander – amidst a host of other great French jazzmen who include Pierre Gossez on sax, Roger Guerin on additional trumpet, and Eddie Louiss on organ. Drums are nice and funky on most cuts – and the whole thing kicks even more than most funky big band records on MPS! Includes the great break cut "I Remember Otis" – plus "Sonoro", "The Looser", "Talk", "An Oscar For Eddy", "Wake The Monster", "Edith", and "Crescendo". CD

A tight little groover from Wynton Kelly – one of a few mid 60s gems done for Verve in a style that's harder-hitting and more focused than some of Kelly's other work! The record's got an approach that's a bit pop, but plenty darn soulful too – a style that focuses the already-great Kelly approach to the keys, and brings it into territory explored by Ramsey Lewis and Ray Bryant – kicking up the rhythms with lots of playful touches, including extra guitar by Kenny Burrell and conga from Candido, and even an added steel band on one number! The record's got a few mellower ballads that recall the lyrical Kelly mode of the past – but most is upbeat and very grooving – with titles that include "South Seas", "Not A Tear", "It's All Right", "Kelly Roll", "Moving Up", and "Escapade". CD

The great Harold Mabern kicks it hard with a key core group – then finds a way to open up with some surprise guest artists as well – including singers Gregory Porter, Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, and Norah Jones! The core of the album features Mabern's piano rocketing out with rhythm from John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums – and getting some strong tenor work from the mighty Eric Alexander – and as the set goes on, the group also brings in Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Peter Bernstein on guitar, and Steve Turre on trombone. But the key force here is the singers – especially Porter and Elling, who seem to find an old school space with the group that really takes them back to their roots. Elling sings on "You Needed Me", "Portrait Of Jennie", and "Billie's Bounce"'; Porter sings on "Afro Blue" and "The Man From Hyde Park"; Monheit sings on "I'll Take Romance" and "My One & Only Love"; and Norah Jones sings on "Don't Misunderstand" and "Fools Rush In". CD also features Alexis Cole on "Such Is Life" – and the instrumental tracks "The Chief", "Mozzin", and "Bobby Benny Jymie Lee Bu". CD

A killer set by one of the greatest pianists of the postwar era – and one that features Horace Parlan's piano trading lines with the legendary Turrentine brothers (both Stanley & Tommy), playing here at the height of their powers! Tommy Turrentine's trumpet is especially great here – spurring on Stanley's tenor into a groove that's a lot deeper, and more soulful than usual – a perfect sound in the frontline, kicked up nicely by Horace Parlan's piano! Rhythm is from the team of George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – very tight and crackling throughout – and the album's easily one of the most cooking Blue Notes from the time. Titles include "Wadin", "Oh So Blue", "Speakin My Piece", "Up In Cynthia's Room", "Rastus", and "Borderline". CD

One of the greatest Sun Ra records from the early 80s – and a set that's every bit as striking as its sinister title! The album was recorded in 1982 – in marathon New York sessions that yielded more than one album's worth of material – but of all of them, this is probably the best, and the one with some of the strongest playing – a really unified album that should have gotten a lot more circulation at the time, instead of a mostly underground release on Saturn Records. The set kicks off with the fantastic "Nuclear War", a wonderful little groover – and a track that's probably as strong a number in the Arkestra's book as "Space Is The Place" – but with a shift in righteous message from the 70s to the 80s. The album then shifts into 2 mellower numbers with weird spacey overtones – "Retrospect" and "Makeup" – before moving into side two, and the drawn-out edgey "Fireside Chat With Lucifer". Players include Ra on piano, electronics, and organ – plus John Gilmore on tenor, Danny Ray Thompson on baritone, Marshall Allen on flute and alto, and Atakatune on percussion – plus vocals from June Tyson and Tyrone Hill on "Nuclear War". CD

An easygoing, long-flowing record from Cedar Walton – one that has the pianist in very relaxed space, playing with a style that's very open, contemplative, and beautiful! There's a bit more sensitivity here than the usual Walton trio date – and despite the cover's emphasis on the other members of the trio, bassist David Williams and drummer Billy Higgins, some of the standout tunes are the ones in which Walton is working out front, almost solo – although when the rhythm duo kicks in, things are pretty great too (we're always huge fans of Higgins' work on drums, especially in the company of Walton.) Titles include "Theme For Ernie", "For All We Know", "Jacob's Ladder", "Bluesville", and "Ojos De Rojo". CD

The groovy 70's big band of Japanese arranger Bingo Miki hits the Montreux festival in 1979, and they're joined by a host of guest players that include Richard Davis, Jon Faddis, and Joe Beck. If you don't know Miki's work, the 70's stuff (like this album) has a cool electric orchestral sound that feels like it was lifted from a cop show, or a crime film. Most of the instrumentation is acoustic, with a large sax section in front, but there's also some guitar and electric bass that work well with the kicking rhythm section. This album was originally issued as a double, but this cool XRCD gatefold package fits all the material on one CD – and titles include "Zylvia", "Pitter Pat", "Sibelius' Testament", and "Alcazar". CD

Great later work from Eddie Harris – three albums in a single set! Live In Berlin is a surprisingly great concert – recorded by Eddie at the end of the 80s, with a fire and open approach that we wouldn't have expected! The album features Eddie on piano and tenor, with backing only by Ray Peterson on bass and Norman Fearrington on drums – and the spare setting really has Eddie taking charge of the set dynamically, hitting funky notes one moment, soulful notes another, and messing around in a tripped-out style that we haven't heard since his best Atlantic recordings of the early 70s. The set kicks off with the funky jamband number "Ambidextrous", rolls into the weird vocal tune "La Carnival", and contains other great numbers like "Scatting Unlyrically Simultaneously", "Airigen", "Walkin", "Lover", and "Eddie Who". Eddie Who is only a trio set, but one that often has all the full, soulful currents of some of the reedman's 70s material for Atlantic Records! Eddie plays piano and trumpet in addition to his usual tenor – and often does so at the same time, thanks to the magic of overdub – which also allows Harris to vocalize a bit next to his instrumental passages, with this very cool sound that's both an extension of the vocalizations he'd begun with Les McCann, but also some more familiar jazz singing as well. The whole album's not vocal, and the more instrumental passages feature some mighty nice tenor – and rhythm is from the team of Ralphe Armstrong on bass and Sherman Ferguson on drums. Titles include "Eddie Who", "Cedar Trees", "Silverplated", "Eddie Theme", and "Ambidextrous". People Get Funny is a later album from reedman Eddie Harris – but a set that still continues some of his best funky styles from the 70s Atlantic Records years! In fact, the record may well be the last that Eddie ever cut in this mode – a real surprise at a time when some of his other sessions were more traditional – and the record's filled with lots of very groovy surprises that include great Fender Rhodes from William Henderson, plus more electric piano from Eddie – who also sings a bit too, in that great raspy tone of his. Rhythms are often pretty great, too – funky, in an offbeat way – thanks to sweet basslines from Larry Gales and drums from Carl Burnett. Titles include "People Get Funny When They Get A Little Money", "Ski Ball", "Three Quarter Miles", "Silver Plated", "Hal Strange", and "Step Down To The Top". CD

Tremendous early work from Karin Krog – a great example of her rich vocal talents and creative energy, recorded well before her more experimental sessions of the 60s! Even at this early date, Karin's got a strong commitment to improvisation and unique phrasing – a style that really transforms all the tunes in the set, and marks them as her own through inventive performance with the trio of Egil Kapstad on piano, Kurt Lindgren on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums. Krog's voice is amazing – icy, yet never heartless – and her tones ring out especially beautifully on the modal groover "Karin's Kicks" – but sound great throughout, on other tunes that include "All Blues", "Lover Man", "By Myself", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", and "Mood Indigo". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

An incredible album from trumpeter Ted Daniel – recorded at the start of the 70s with a lineup and a style that virtually puts Ted in a space all his own, and which may well make the album the greatest one he's ever given us! There's boldness to the set right from the start – as Daniel takes off on trumpet and flugelhorn with a vibrancy that seems inspired by Ted Curson, but which also has much freer elements too – working with a sextet that has boundless energy, but also a strong sense of cohesion – in ways that really set the record apart both from some of the AACM material of the late 60s, and the New York loft jazz sides to come. All the numbers are originals – very visionary numbers delivered with work from Otis Harris on alto, Hakim Jami and Richard Pierce on basses, and Kenneth Hughes and Warren Benbow on percussion – and, as you might imagine, the double basses and double percussion players really given the whole thing a lot of power. Tracks include "Pagan Spain", "OC", and "Congratulations". CD features two bonus tracks – "The Kicker" and "Otis Song". CD