French modern meets French traditional – in a really unique set of recordings that pair soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet and pianist Martial Solal! Includes work from 2 different 1957 sessions recorded in Paris – both of which perfectly illustrate the way in which Bechet's tone and phrasing on his instrument could have a huge influence on later modernists like Steve Lacy and Albert Ayler. The work is straight, and often based around standards – but Solal's work on piano sets up the tunes in a way that allows Bechet to really play with his sound – and the record's made even better by the stark production technique, which brings out Bechet's tone better than many other French recordings we've heard. Kenny Clarke drums on about half the tracks, and titles include "Once In A While", "I Only Have Eyes For You", "The Man I Love", "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams", "Embraceable You", "Rose Room", "I Never Knew", and "These Foolish Things". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge overview of work from one of the hippest large group leaders in France at the end of the 50s – the mighty Christian Chevallier, who was almost to the Parisian scene what Quincy Jones was to the American one! Chevallier has a great way of building a larger group out of really strong individual voices – using key jazz musicians on almost all the tracks here – players who include Roger Guerin on trumpet, Benny Vasseur and Billy Byers on trombones, Bobby Jaspar and Jean Louis Cheautemps on tenors, Armand Migiani on alto and baritone, Michel Hausser and Fats Said on vibes, Pierre Michelot on bass, and even Kenny Clarke on drums on a few great tracks! The set begins with a famous soundtrack done in collaboration with Martial Solal for a film by Jean Pierre Melville – then moves into a great range of jazz material from assorted albums and EP releases from the late 50s and early 60s. The set feature a great EP with Kenny Clarke, a Madison record, a date with Bilbert Becaud, and assorted other releases – a total of 75 tracks in all! CD

Pretty modern work from alto genius Lee Konitz – recorded in Rome in 1968, with a French rhythm section of Martial Solal on piano, Henry Texier on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums. The presence of Solal especially gives the session an edge – as Kontiz drifts into Solal's moody, introspective mode of the time – playing long, angular, sparely-hung solos that rank with some of his most challenging work of the 60s. Titles include "Collage On Standards", "Duet For Saxophone & Drums, & Piano", "Anthropology", "Roman Blues", and "Lover Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of two albums that Lee Konitz cut with the trio of Marial Solal in 1968 – originally issued only very briefly in Europe on the small Campi label, and some of Konitz' most groundbreaking work of the 60s! Solal had been transforming the sound of jazz piano for most of the 60s by this point – working in a modernist mode that pushed far past most other American players of the time. His trio with Henry Texier and Daniel Humair is honed to perfection by this point – and the addition of Konitz's icy, angular horn really gives the set a compelling finish that you don't even find on Solal's own albums of the 60s. Titles include "Impressive Rome", "Anthropology", "Roman Blues", and "Stella By Starlight". LP, Vinyl record album

Solo piano from one of the greatest French modernists – on cuts that include "Bluesine", "Lover", "Moins De 36", "14 Septembre", and "Yardbird Suite". CD

Great work from this legendary modernist – and a set that features Martial Solal in two different modes! Side one features a trio with Guy Pederson and Daniel Humair – on some amazing compositions by Solal, like "Ouin-Ouin", "Theme A Tics", and "Very Fatigue". Side two features solo Solal – on more standard jazz numbers, like "The Squirrel", "Lover Man", and "Round Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

Oddly titled "The Debut On Disc", this set isn't really Solal's first on vinyl – but it is some classic early modernist material. Side one features a trio with Guy Pederson and Daniel Humair – on some amazing compositions by Solal, like "Ouin-Ouin", "Theme A Tics", and "Very Fatigue". Side two features solo Solal – on more standard jazz numbers, like "The Squirrel", "Lover Man", and "Round Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever American release from French pianist Martial Solal – and one of the few, too – which is a real surprise, considering the huge recorded legacy he had overseas! The legendary European modernist is caught live at Newport, with backing by an American rhythm section of Teddy Kotick and Paul Motian – and although the tracks are mostly jazz standards – like "Stella By Starlight", "Round Midnight", "Boplicity", and "Poinciana" – but the album also features Solal's incredible "Suite Pour Une Frise", an extended work that is a perfect example of the kind of far-reaching piano work that was coming out of France at the time! LP, Vinyl record album

One of a few albums released in the US by the famous French pianist Martial Solal – a player who'd made a bit of a splash in the early 60s, when he was making a few appearances in America. This album presents a Solal that's more straightforward, more traditional than on later, more avant recordings. This one captures a strong side of Solal's playing – and features him in a trio with Guy Pederson's bass. Titles include "Dermaplastic", "Nos Smoking", "Special Club", and "Gavotte A Gaveau". LP, Vinyl record album

Martial Solal on piano, Francois Moutin on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. CD

With Solal on piano, Guy Pedersen on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – on titles that include "Let's Waltz", "Under Paris Skies", "Billie's Bounce", "Jordu", "Vice Versa", and "Aigue Marine". LP, Vinyl record album

What happens when Art Farmer and Phil Woods get together? Some pretty magical music – and a set that's quite different than most of their other 60s recordings! The session is a special date – put together by Clarke-Boland Band impresario Gigi Campi – with Farmer's flugelhorn and Woods' alto backed by a very cool French rhythm trio – which features Martial Solal on piano, Henri Texier on bass, and Daniel Humair on the drums! The group's a bit more modern than some of Art's usual combos, which makes for really surprising results, and often a much harder sound – one that matches the growing intensity of Woods during this part in his career. The tracks are long and openly grooving – and titles include "Blue Bossa", "Watch What Happens", "Blue Lights", "Sunrise Sunset", and "The Day After". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare European material – with backing from Martial Solal on piano, Jimmy Gourley on guitar, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

Stan Getz on tenor saxophone, Martial Solal and Rene Urtreger on piano, Rene Thomas on guitar, Eddy Louiss on organ, Jean-Marie Ingrand and Pierre Michelot on bass, and Bernard Lubat and Kenny Clarke on drums. CD

A well-done overview of some of the best recordings by trumpeter Roger Guerin – one of the most important players on his instrument in Paris during the postwar years – and one of the few to regularly interact with important soloists from overseas! This set brings together Guerin in both dates as a leader, and as a key guest with others – pulled from a section of rare 10" and 7" releases, plus a few full album recordings as well – all bundled together here in a package that really lets Roger's trumpet talents shine! There's a huge range of material here – and the set begins with a few tracks from a session with James Moody on alto in 1961, a few more from a date with guitarist Jimmy Raney in 1954 – then moves into a quartet date with Martial Solal in 1956 and one with pianist Christian Chevailier during that same year. The set has four great tracks with a 1958 date co-led with the great Benny Golson on tenor, with Bobby Timmons on piano in the group – then ends with one track with Michel Hausser on vibes and Martial Solal on piano. The book includes detailed notes on all the sessions – and titles include "Bootsie", "Vline", "Chet", "Mythe", "Blues March", "I Remember Clifford", "Not Serious", "Ca Turne", "Night & Day", "Deep Purple", and "Sweet Feeling". CD

A budget-looking CD – but an essential slice in the career of the great Slide Hampton! Hampton was one of the great American players who departed for Europe during the 60s – and his work on the continent was some of his most fruitful ever, breaking him out of his harbop origins, and turning him into a much more sophisticated modal jazz player. This CD brings together 2 sessions from the late 60s – one a quartet session with Martial Solal on piano, and the rhythm team of Henri Texier on bass and Daniel Humair on drums. The other set's even better – and features the great Nathan Davis on tenor sax, plus vibes work by Dave Pike and piano by Hampton Hawes. Six cuts in all, with many great originals by Hampton, one of the 60s most under-rated jazz writers! Titles include "The Thing", "Chop Suey", "Impossible Waltz", and "Us Six". CD

Brilliant work from the modernist underground late 50s Paris! Andre Hodeir was one of the city's best-known jazz composers and arrangers at the time – a key part of the postwar scene, and its development into its own style away from strictly American sounds. Hodier's working here with a great batch of French players that include Martial Solal, Roger Guerin, Pierre Gossez, and Pierre Michelot – plus the then-French resident Kenny Clarke. The music swings much more than on other sessions of this type, and works extremely well throughout at blending tight jazzy lines with very "out there" concepts – especially in a way that we never really see in 50's recordings like this. Christine Legrand is on vocals, and although this was years before the Swingle Singers did their thing, and especially before they went onto do avant garde material by Berio, she's got these insane vocals here that are simply astounding. Tracks include "Jazz Et Jazz", "Trope A Saint-Trop", "Jazz Cantata", and "Osymetrios". Very good stuff, and unlike anything else we can think of! LP, Vinyl record album

With Martial Solal on piano, David Holland on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Dick Kats on electric piano. Titles include "Just Friends", "Green Dolphin Street", "Hymn", "Free blues", and "Satori". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare live work by Wes Montgomery – 2 sets from 1965, both with different groups, and both a lot harder-hitting than Wes' studio albums from the time! The first 4 tracks were recorded in New York, at the Half Note, with a quartet that features Harold Mabern on piano, Art Harper on bass, and Jimmy Lovelace on drums. The last 4 were recorded about 6 months later, in Hamburg, Germany, with a European rhythm section that features Martial Solal, Michel Gaudry, and Ronnie Stephenson. Tracks are all pretty long, and titles include "Bleu Monk", "Four On Six", "Twisted Blues", "Round Midnight", and "Caravan". CD

A complete classic from British pianist Howard Riley – exactly the sort of record that made him as important a new voice on the piano as Cecil Taylor in the US or Alexander Schlippenbach and Martial Solal on the European scene! The set's got the free, fiery vibe of some of Taylor's best work – but with even more inventive sounds from the whole trio – which also includes Barry Guy on bass and Tony Oxley on drums and amplified percussion – a tremendous lineup that's equally matched, and brilliant throughout! Riley is as wonderful as on his solo sessions – but he's almost even more incredible here for the way he balances things between all the players, and gives both Oxley and Guy some key space to make themselves known. Titles include "Cirrus", "Motion", "Flight", "For Lesley/For Sue", and "Forgotten Game". LP, Vinyl record album

Prime mid 50s work from Lucky Thompson – recorded in Paris with the group of drummer Dave Pochonet, and featuring tracks that are longer than usual for a Thompson session! Thompson is on tenor throughout – and the other players include either Henri Renaud or Martial Solal on piano, Michel De Villers on baritone and alto, and Fernand Verstraete on trumpet. There's a bit looser feel to the set than some of Thompson's tighter sides from the US – and titles include "Let's Try Again", "Stewin Up A Wig", "Fascinating Blues", "Home Free", and "One For The Boys & Us". CD

An obscure French session cut by the great American tenor player Lucky Thompson, with a group of Parisian players that includes Martial Solal on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass, Michel Hausser on vibes, and Gerard Pochonet on drums. Thompson's sweet tenor sound is given nice backing by the vibes/piano lineup, and the session includes a lot of nice tracks like "Indian Summer", "You Go To My Head", "I Cover The Waterfront", and "East Of The Sun". CD

Prime mid 50s work from Lucky Thompson – recorded in Paris with the group of drummer Dave Pochonet, and featuring tracks that are longer than usual for a Thompson session! Thompson is on tenor throughout – and the other players include either Henri Renaud or Martial Solal on piano, Michel De Villers on baritone and alto, and Fernand Verstraete on trumpet. There's a bit looser feel to the set than some of Thompson's tighter sides from the US – and titles include "Let's Try Again", "Stewin Up A Wig", "Fascinating Blues", "Home Free", and "One For The Boys & Us". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful record, and very different than you might expect from the title – as this set of ballads is delivered with a sharply modern edge from pianist Enrique Villegas – nice and loose, with only the bass of Jorge Lopez Ruiz for accompaniment! Most of the tunes are familiar, but they're delivered with a modernist mode that's somewhere between Thelonious Monk and Martial Solal – both players who would shine equally well in such a setting, and really make their own sort of music with these tunes – a lineup that includes "Love Walked In", "I'm In The Mood For Love", "Blue Orchids", "Love Letters", "Reverie", and "Easy To Love". CD