Insanely beautiful work from the great Joe McPhee – an album that was recorded and intended to be issued during his groundbreaking stretch with Hat Art Records – but which never saw the light of day at the time! Why that happened, we're not entirely sure – because the album is tremendous right from the very first note – as McPhee blows alto, tenor, and pocket cornet alongside the work of Andre Jaume on alto, tenor, and bass clarinet – in a set of horn-only performances that are breathtaking from start to finish! Jaume's a great player too – and his work of the time, especially on Hat Art, is a masterpiece of subtlety and soul – and he balances McPhee perfectly here, often with some deeper currents that create a beautifully organic energy between the two. Jaume's got this way of handling his reed that's amazing – and, of course, Joe's phrasing is as incredible as always. Titles include great reworks of modern jazz classics – including "Pithecanthropus Erectus", "Self Portrait In Three Colors", "Evidence", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Lonely Woman" – plus the originals "Nuclear" and "Rue St Jaume". CD

A long overdue return to duet formation for Joe McPhee and Hamid Drake – the duo who played together so beautifully on the Emancipation Proclamation album! This set is maybe even more personal, and more open – with Drake working some incredible magic on the drum kit, creating sounds that so many others would only get from a huge variety of percussion instruments – while McPhee blows both alto sax and pocket trumpet – sometimes with an intensity that makes it hard to believe the record's not some lost session of his from the 70s! If you think that you missed out on all the famous improv records the first time around, then think again – because this one's an instant classic. Titles include "Endangered Species", "Medgar/Malcolm/Martin", "Keep Going", "Lord Don't Let Them Drop Them Goddamn Nukes On Us Lord", "Sojourner's Truth", "Morning Star", and "Time Was". CD

Lots of funky keys and choppy sax passages – on this sweet Japanese fusion session headed up by reedman Kohsuke Mine! Mine plays both soprano and tenor on the record, and it's got a feel that's halfway between some of the harder jamming European fusion sides of the 70s – like mid 70s electric groovers on MPS – and some of the more cosmic Japanese sides of the same time – those more tripped-out records that had a relaxed, soulful approach to the music. The group also features Mikio Masuda on some great keyboards, plus Hiroshi Yasukawa on guitar – and the album's got 4 long tracks – each over 10 minutes long – and titles include "We Got Our Dance", "Expectation", "Sunshower", and "I Know Where You Come From". CD

Maybe one of the most beautiful records we've ever heard from the mesmerizing Zeena Parkins – a set of solo work, mostly done on her electric harp – an instrument that she hasn't used in awhile, but which is wonderfully reawakened here! There's a sonic sensitivity to the record that really brings us back to why we first fell in love with Parkins so many years ago – and the electric harp sounds hardly like you might guess from an instrument of such a name – as Zeena turns it into a conveyor of all sorts of sounds and tones, with extra help from percussion, assorted pedals,a nd some found objects! The album features ten tracks, all really beautiful – making this one of the real standouts in this Black Cross series. CD

Free jazz, and lots lots more – a lost nugget from an especially creative period in the Dutch scene, headed up by cellist Tristan Honsinger! At some level, the music echoes other improvised work by Honsinger – but at others, it also reflects the criss-crossing of genres and scenes that were taking place during these key years – a point after which free jazz had established itself, post-punk had opened up new waves of expression, too-prog tendencies had settled down, and the higher art world had opened their arms to embrace them all! The songs are both instrumental, and feature occasional vocals from Tiziana Simona Vigni – whose role with the sextet is not unlike some of Irene Aebi's performances with Steve Lacy, although maybe a bit more freewheeling and open-ended – more in a Recommended Records vein – a label that might have been a good home for this set, were it not issued by Data Records. In additional to Honsinger on cello and additional voice, the record also features Toshinori Kondo on trumpet, Jean-Jacques Avenel on bass, Sean Bergin on saxes, and Michael Vatcher on percussion – on titles that include "Quandro Era Estate", "Picnic", "Violets", "Teeth", "Orient Express", "Laly", "Romy", and "After The Rain". CD

One of the rarest free jazz albums of the European 60s scene – a set that was originally intended for release by Sonet Records, pressed up in test records for the musicians, then denied release because they felt that they'd already moved past the performance! Yet in the space of over 50 years, the music still sounds remarkably fresh – an early, striking, and stunning example of the way that the European avant jazz scene was not only overtaking the American one, but also providing the kind of energy that would be a key inspiration for artists like Albert Ayler or Cecil Taylor! Pianist Tom Prehn offers up a lot of the latter here – boundless piano lines that leap forward into space with a frenzied, yet tuneful approach – followed by tremendous tenor from Frits Krogh, a player we don't know at all – but who blows powerfully and soulfully, at a level that maybe even prefaces some of John Coltrane's more outside material to come. The rest of the group features Poul Ehlers on bass and Finn Slumstrup on drums – and the album features the full "Axiom (parts 1 & 2)" performance from the Sonet album – plus a more contemplative number titled "Percussive Anticipations", recorded by the same group in 1966, and appearing here for the first time ever! CD

Mindblowing music from Sun Ra & The Arkestra – sounds recorded during the same marathon session that gave the world the records Other Planes Of There, When Sun Comes Out, and When Angels Speak Of Love – but titles that are much more obscure overall! The initial release of the material featured very misleading notes, but the true details of the session are even more impressive – as Ra plays a variety of unusual instruments alongside piano – including the piano strings, space organ, and clavioline – alongside some sublime straight horn work from John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on alto and oboe, Pat Patrick on baritone, Danny Davis on alto and clarinet, Walter Miller on trumpet, Robert Cummings on bass clarinet, and Ali Hasaan on trombone! The lineup here has that raw power the Arkestra first unleashed after their initial move to New York – almost a sense of new freedom in the new environment – even at a time when they weren't clicking on a financial level, but still continued to push forward with new ideas in music! Some passages have this great approach that links the cosmic ideas of the Arkestra with older traditions of jazz soloing – while others reflect the growing concern of the group with new textures and sounds – making for some very impressive elements on both the horns and percussion. The group is completed by Ronnie Boykins on bass, Art Jenkins on space voice and percussion, and Tommy Hunter on drums, percussion, and some mighty nice reverb – and titles include "Biosphere Blues", "Intergalactic Research", "Earth Primitive Earth", "New Planet", and "Continuation To Jupiter Festival". Beautiful 2CD reissue features sublime sounds from the original tapes, remastered – plus a full bonus CD of unreleased tracks that include "Blue York", "Conversation Of The Universe", "Red Planet Mars", "Cosmic Rays/Next Stop Mars", "The Myth", "Meteor Shower", "Infinity", "The Beginning Of", and "Endlessness". CD

Fantastic material from Sun Ra – a never-heard 1972 performance at Slugs, and one that captures the group at their most spiritual point! The core of the set is the track "I Roam The Cosmos" – one of the more obscure Ra compositions, and a title that appears here for the first time on any record – folded together with bits of "Astro Black" and "Discipline 27 II" – in a wonderfully extended single musical performance – stretching for 51 minutes long, and filled with righteous vocal moments alongside some great solos too! The groove is great – kind of a slow dipping and turning rhythm – showcasing recitations by June Tyson and Sun Ra – with lots of room for soulful work from Marshall Allen on flute and alto, Danny Davis on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Kwame Hadi and Akh Tal Ebah on trumpets, and Danny Ray Thompson on baritone – plus lots of drums and percussion. Really beautiful stuff – as deeply spiritual as the best of the Impulse Records artists, circa 1972 – and appearing here for the first time ever! CD

A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit". CD

A wild little record – one that was issued under the name of Flying Dutchman label headman Bob Thiele – but which actually features work from some of the grooviest artists on the label at the time – including Tom Scott, Ornette Coleman, Jon Appleton, John Carter, Horace Tapscott, and Bobby Bradford! The package has a very different feel on each of the album's four sides – and side one is a tremendous showcase for the young reedman Tom Scott – working here in a cool mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation that's similar to his other records of the time – including organ, vibes, and some nice funky touches as well. Side two features an exploration of the history of jazz – but one that progresses quickly from early modes to hipper ones – showcasing the talents of John Carter on tenor, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, and Horace Tapscott on piano! Side three is a mighty dedication to the late John Coltrane – played at first by a trio with Joe Farrell on flute, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – then moving into a mix of Farrell's flute and narration by Rosko – then a performance by the Ornette Coleman quartet. And side four is especially mindblowing, as it's comprised of lone long piece by Jon Appleton's Syntonic Menagerie – a mix of sound samples, tape tricks, and jazz – as a commentary on The American Indian, JFK, and Martin Luther King. The whole thing's a great illustration of the Flying Dutchman label at its most revolutionary – and titles include "Head Start", "Freaky Zeke", "Lanoola Goes Limp", "Swing Era", "In The Vineyard/Avant Garde", "Love Supreme", "Lament For John Coltrane", and "A Few Thoughts For The Day". CD also features a rare bonus track – "The Flying Dutchman". CD

A wonderfully sensitive record from the legendary St Louis saxophonist Luther Thomas – very different than some of his larger group material, and in a really great way! The record features Thomas in duets with Luther C Petty – the leader on alto sax, Petty on flute, and both musicians on a variety of "small instruments" – used in these openly creative ways throughout the set as the pair improvise together with a sense of spiritual engagement that's really wonderful! The set's got that vibe from the moment when some of the energy from the New York loft jazz scene was almost hitting a sort of more personal, almost pastoral expression on some records – really pushing forward experiments first started in the AACM at a very individual level on records like this. Despite the "suite" of the title, tracks are each singular and on their own – titles that include "11th Street Fire", "Charge & Discharge", "Dormin", and takes on "Since I Lost My Baby" and "The Fire Just Keeps On Burning". CD

Three albums from this great guitarist! Common Cause is a spare trio outing from guitarist Attilla Zoller, done with support from Ron Carter on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and in a groove that nicely slips from mellow straight material one moment to more adventurous tunes the next! The straighter work is oddly some of the most appealing here – and is a refreshing change to some of Zoller's more experimental (but still great) work from the period – a great illustration of his strong tone on a simple line, in a way that we don't often get to hear on record. Straight numbers include "Lady Love" and "Kaybee" – juxtaposed with the more "out" "Tshitar", and the soaring number "Meet". Dream Bells is a hell of an album from guitarist Attila Zoller – one that's just a trio date, but which almost seems to have a fuller feel than some of his records from the time! The rhythms are wonderful – this warm, round bass from Frank Luther, whose tones alone really create a soulful energy on the record – and drummer Sonny Brown's got this nicely skittish tone that percolates even the mellow moments in this really great way – leaving Zoller to solo spaciously over the top with a sublime tone, and maybe a slightly deeper sense of soul than usual. Titles include "Dream Bells", "Seascape", "In Your Own Sweet Way", and "Sudden Romance". Overcome is beautiful live work from guitarist Attila Zoller – stretching out here on long, spacious tracks that are maybe even more majestic an example of his tone than some of his studio work of the time! The group is a quartet – with Kirk Lightsey on piano, Michael Formanek on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – nicely subtle players at all the right moments, on titles that include "Overcome", "Starry Night", "Lullabye", and "Lev Blues". CD

An incredible tribute to the legendary Strata Records in Detroit – performed by Jazzanova with a host of other guests – and at a level that's maybe the greatest thing the group has ever given us on record! The vibe here is a lot more Strata and spiritual than the style you'd expect from Jazzanova – as they take on tunes by label legends like Lyman Woodard, Kenny Cox, Sam Sanders, Maulawi, and other talents from the same Motor City underground of the 70s that gave the world Tribe Records. Instrumentation is a blend of Fender Rhodes and lots of live jazz work on flute, tenor, trombone, and trumpet – sometimes topped with vocals from Sean Haefeli, who really helps open up the soulful side of the tunes! Wonderful throughout, better than we might have even guessed – with titles that include "Joy Road", "Face At My Window", "Ortotundes", "Loser", "Scorpio's Child", "Creative Musicians", "Lost My Love", "Inside Ourselves", and "Saturday Night Special". (New Grooves, Jazz) CD

A lost legacy of work from Black Jazz Records – the important 70s imprint that's best known for its groundbreaking albums of spiritual and funky jazz – and a company who also issued some rare 45s back in the day! The cuts here represent some of the coolest, funkiest tracks these artists recorded for Black Jazz – all originally issued as 7" singles, some with a two-part approach that has both parts of a longer track spread out over both sides of the wax. The presentation here is as top-shelf as the other Black Jazz reissues handled by Real Gone – complete with notes by Pat Thomas – and titles include "Little B's Poem" and "Peace" by Doug & Jean Carn, "Chi Town Theme" by Cleveland Eaton, "Soul Daddy" and "Be All Your Own" by Kellee Patterson, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and "Me & Mrs Jones" by Gene Russell, "Coral Keys (parts 1 & 2)" by Walter Bishop, "Moon Child (parts 1 & 2)" by Doug Carn, "Mr TJ (single edit)" and "Devon Jean" by Rudolph Johnson, "Gee Gee (parts 1 & 2)" by Calvin Keys, and "Powerhouse (parts 1 & 2)" by Chester Thompson. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

Spiritual soul and spoken word with instrumental inflections – a perfect illustration of the righteous sound of the Flying Dutchman label at the start of the 70s! The imprint was famously home to Gil Scott Heron, Lonnie Liston Smith, Leon Thomas, and other hip cats at the time – but also recorded a fair bit of work that was even more progressive and political – including key records from forces helping to carry the legacy of Civil Rights well into the 70s! This package offers up a perfect blend of those modes – great jazz tracks that carry the legacy of John Coltrane forth even further, and political records that were often more powerful than anything in the press at the time. Titles include "Sais" by Lonnie Liston Smith", "Nevertite" by The Esoteric Circle, "The Creator Has A Master Plan" by Louis Armstrong and Leon Thomas, "Lament For John Coltrane" by Bob Thiele Emergency, "Friends & Neighbors" by Ornette Coleman, "Sit Down" by Carl B Stokes with Oliver Nelson, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, "The Giant Is Awakened"b y Horace Tapscot, "Gonna Get Some Right Now" by Chico Hamilton", and "We're Threatening The Oppressors" by Angela Davis. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

A reverent snapshot of the spiritual & soul jazz emanating from the Mainstream label in the early 70s – a well curated set featuring great numbers by Frank Foster, Blue Mitchell, Hadley Caliman, Roy Haynes and other giants of the scene! The material comes from a time in Mainstream label history when it was essentially relaunched as a jazz label, following some the psyche era rock albums of the previous few years. Soulful jazz sounds from a spiritual realm as well as some in a jazz funk mode, and excellent material all the way! 12 great tracks in all: The sprawling opener "The Loud Minority" by Frank Foster, "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell, "Up And Down" by Harold Land, "Watercress" by Hadley Caliman, "Kamili" by Buddy Terry, "Senyah" by Roy Haynes, "EW Beautiful People" by Frank Foster, "Little One" by Hadley Caliman and "Petits Machins" by Johnny Coles/ (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD

CTI Records meets that Brazilian fusion sound of the 70s – served up here on two classic albums! Fingers is one of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! Flora Purim joins in here on both vocals and percussion – and the rest of the group features Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards and harmonica, Jorgte Fattoruso on drums, and David Amaro on both electric and acoustic guitars – shifting nicely between both instruments in a way that further underscores the blended vibe of the record! Most of these tracks are Airto classics – like "Tombo in 7/4", "San Francisco River", "Romance Of Death", "Ringers", and "Wind Chant" – and the record has a very sweet CTI production style, but is still rough enough around the edges to keep things nice and real! Deodato In Concert is an excellent little live set from Deodato – hard to believe because the sound's just as tight and funky as his studio albums, and possibly even more interesting because he manages to pull it off equally well in a live setting! The record features percussion by Airto, guitar by John Tropea, and vocals by Flora Purim – and those are just the marquee names of a large and amazing grew of great musicians! All tracks are long and complicated, for very hynotic feel throughout. The funkiest number is "Tropea", which has a nice long 8 minute groove – and the set also features a cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", plus the tracks "Parana", "Branches", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" and "Skyscraper". Amazing! (Brazil, Jazz) CD

Unissued live material from a great stretch in the career of Count Basie – that time when he was turning in some excellent concert performances for Roulette Records, material that's got very similar charms to the music on this set! As with most of Roulette Basie, that revived sense of timing from Neal Hefti is very strongly in play – that magnificent sense of space between the notes that made this period of the Count's ensemble such a great one – with a rhythmic focus that's brilliant, and which opens up with even more excitement when a key soloist steps in! Players include Thad Jones and Snooky young on trumpets, Henry Coker and Benny Powell on trombones, Frank Foster and Eric Dixon on tenors, Freddie Green on guitar, Marshall Royal on alto, and Frank Wess on flute and alto – and there's a bit of vocals on a few tracks from later soul singers OC Smith and Irene Reid. Titles include "Segue In C", "Why Not", "Easy Money", "Backwater Blues", "Lil Darlin", "Easin It", "April In Paris", and "Cute". CD

A cool little album from Joe Beck – very different than most of his other work! Although Beck's best known for his guitar work on funky 70s jazz records, this early album has him working in a mixture of rock, jazz, and folk styles – all cast in the hipster mode of Verve's Forecast imprint. There's a few funk tunes on here, but the best numbers are stretched out trippy ones that bring together jazz and folk, in a floating "folk funk experience" sound that we totally love, perfect for the generation of Tim Hardin and Nick Drake. Beck sings on some cuts, and others are instrumental. Titles include "Ain't No Use Talkin", "Goodbye LA", "Please Believe Me", "Let Me Go", "Come Back: Visions Without You", and "Spoon's Caress". CD

One of the tightest, sharpest sessions ever from trumpeter Conte Candoli – an early date done for Bethlehem Records, with a quartet setting that gives Conte plenty of room to cook! The solos are bold and fierce right from the start – with an energy that goes beyond even Candoli's work in bigger groups – and the rhythms are often very lively, and seem to push Conte onto his best level of expression – thanks to work from Stan Levey on drums, Max Bennett on bass, and Claude Williamson on piano. There's a bit more bite here than you'd guess from the west coast pedigree of the group – and titles include "On The Alamo", "I Can't Get Started", "Tune For Tex", "Fine & Dandy", "Night Flight", and "I'll Remember April". CD

A lost treasure on the legendary Palm Records label – that famous French avant jazz imprint owned by pianist Jef Gilson, and which issued some of the most creative albums on the scene in the 70s! This set is maybe one of the most obscure – a record that's noteworthy not only for important early work from later composer Butch Morris on cornet, but also for the really unusual interplay between the musicians – a quartet that features Jean Charles Capon on cello, Philippe Mate on tenor, and Serge Rahoerson on drums! There's a loose, open feel going on – but a vibe that's different than some other piano-less groups of this nature – maybe in part because Capon seems to have a lot of presence with his cello, almost directing the proceedings at times – and also because the layering of elements always seems to have an inherent structure, even when relatively free. Titles include "Complainte", "Mode De Fa/Salegy Drums Solo", "Orly Ivato", "Blues For Guy Labory", and "Spanish Cake Walk". CD

A great small club performance from Nat King Cole – of the sort he never really recorded for Capitol Records, even though this set is right in the middle of his glory days on the label! In some ways, the set hearkens back to Nat's roots – maybe no surprise, as he's back in Chicago – and the combo here features John Collins on guitar, Charlie Harris on bass, and Lee Young on drums – working with Cole to offer up some nicely lean versions of tunes you might know from his fuller, more polished studio versions. The set's a great reminder that at the core, even during the big years, Nat was still a jazzman at heart – as you'll hear on tunes that include "Funny", "Straighten Up & Fly Right", "Nature Boy", "Route 66", "This Can't Be Love", "Somewhere Along The Way", "Mona Lisa/Too Young", "Exactly Like You", "Sweet Lorraine", and "Calypso Blues". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Rare material from John Coltrane – tracks that were done for Bethlehem Records at a time when he was just rising up as a leader, and still contributed work as a sideman! The album features Trane playing tenor on only four of the album's eight tracks – making it kind of surprising that they used his name in the title – but the album is a lesser-known batch of large group recordings that offer an interesting early chapter in his career! The main force behind the album is arranger Harry Tubbs – possibly not a name that's as sexy as John Coltrane, hence the billing – but a worthy leader for the date, given the quality of the music. Many of the other players here are small combo heroes who can also shine brightly in bigger groups – such as Donald Byrd and Art Farmer on trumpets, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Al Cohn on baritone sax, Eddie Costa on piano and vibes, and Oscar Pettiford on bass – plus Rolf Kuhn, making an early American appearance on clarinet. Coltrane gets in some nice, but short moments on the date – but the bigger charm is the full ensemble work – on titles that include "She Didn't Say Yes", "Turtle Walk", "At Home With The Blues", "Seabreeze", and "Love & The Weather". CD

A deep dive into the work of pianist Raymond Fol as a leader – material that includes a number of rare broadcast tracks, and a handful of records that have Fol in the spotlight – something that didn't happen all that much, even though Raymond played on dozens of important sessions for other musicians on the French scene! The set begins with Fol's initial four track EP for Columbia, a trio date that's followed by more live recordings in Paris – then steps into an assortment of unusual dates from the late 50s – including two tracks with singer Annie Fratellini, three with trumpeter Nonzio Rotondo and tenorist Enzo Scoppa, and more trio recordings as well. CD2 features rare broadcast material from the 60s – including one title with Donald Byrd on trumpet, and six more with a septet that also includes Ivan Jullien and Roger Guerin on trumpets! The package has copious notes on Fol and his contribution to the postwar scene in Paris – and the 2CD collection features a massive 38 tracks in all, with titles that include "Hush", "Melancholia", "Scandinavian", "Lazy Lady Daisy", "John's Groove", "Tune Up", "Circeo", "Thrilling", "Oh My Lord", "Out Of Art", "Where Is Salvador", and "Little Niles". CD

One of the greatest solo albums ever issued by Latin jazz trumpeter Luis Gasca – a set that really expands on his debut for Atlantic Records, and which brings in a whole host of early 70s west coast Latin influences! The style here is very laidback and open – a bit like some of the Chicano funk coming out of the LA scene at the time, but a fair bit more jazz oriented overall – with long lean solos from both Gasca on trumpet and Joe Henderson on tenor sax, set up in a half-electric set of rhythms laid out on guitar, organ, keyboards, bass, and plenty of percussion! Other players here are all top-shelf too – and include Carlos Santana, George Cables, Stanley Clarke, Coke Escovedo, and Lenny White. The album features 4 long tracks – "Spanish Gypsy", "Street Dude", "La Raza", and "Little Mama". CD

A lost bit of funky vibes and Fender Rhodes – one of those few records that's as sublime as it is rare – like work by Billy Wooten or Lyman Woodard! The Bobby Hamilton Quintet were an obscure combo from upstate New York – but they've lived on in our hearts (and ears!) with this rare gem from the 70s – a killer set that features Bobby on Rhodes, vocals, and percussion; Mike Gipson (aka Brother Fundi) on vibes, percussion, and electronics; and additional trumpet, tenor, and percussion – used to just the right effect in these totally great arrangements. Most of the tunes on the album are instrumentals – with a very cool, ultra-hip soul jazz approach that's somewhere between the very early Polydor work of Roy Ayers, and the funky electric grooves of the Nineteenth Whole – and the tracks are long, and have a really deep, soulful feel! Titles include "Pearl", "Priscilla", "In The Mouth Of The Beast", "Roll Your Own", and "Dream Queen". 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

An unusual British jazz group gets even more unusual – with a sound that's even more mindblowing than some of their better-known records! The combo's headed by pianist John Mayer, who cut two fantastic Indo Jazz Fusions with reedman Joe Harriott in the late 60s – working here on an unreleased studio session from a few years later – with stunning guest work on harmonica from the great Larry Adler! At the core are the familiar Indo Jazz Fusions sounds – reeds from Stan Sulzmann on alto and flute, plus sitar from Clem Alford, guitar from Jim Moyes, bass from Jeff Clyne, drums from John Marshall, and tablas from Krishav Sathe – players who continue that jazz-meets-Indian spirit at the start of the set – then step back slightly on the Eastern tip from track two onwards – as Adler comes in with these amazingly eerie harmonica lines – a very strange but compelling blend with the energy of the rest of the group, and quite different than any of Larry's better-known recordings from earlier years. Once things get going, the mix of harmonica and Indian modes really steps up – a really cool mix, with lots of modal energy – on titles that include "Raga Malika", "Serenade", "Raga Megha", "Summertime", and "Sarabande". CD

Wonderfully groovy work from the team of Jackie Cain & Roy Kral – a set that has the pair moving into much hipper modes for the 60s, and really taking off from the greatness of earlier records! Backing is still by Roy's core trio, with acoustic piano at the lead – but the addition of electric bass to the lineup really helps the tunes step along nicely – hitting a groove not heard before from Jackie & Roy, with results that are completely sublime! There's a definite bossa influence that comes into some of the best tracks – a skipping, lilting approach to rhythm that's made even better by the unique dual vocals of the team, especially when they're singing wordlessly. But even when lyrical vocals are part of the mix, the sound is still great too – and Jackie & Roy have a way of bringing charm to a tune that few other singers can touch! Titles include "Lovesick", "A Big Beautiful Ball", "You Really Started Something", "Let's Begin", "Mimosa & Me", "Corcovado", "Samba Triste", and "The World Is Your Balloon". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

Really fantastic music from pianist Ahmad Jamal – a set of tracks that's a really nice change from some of the recordings he was doing for Chess Records in the early 60s, and which definitely point the way towards the more stretched-out performances to come on Impulse Records! As the title implies, the setting is live – and Jamal really stretches out here on a number of tunes – working with a free-flowing sense of lyrical beauty that's even more stunning than in the shorter space of a studio cut – really skilled with that ear for tone and timing that made his work such a fresh voice on the piano scene at the time, and a subtle hint at righteous modes to come in the following generation. Chuck Lampkin is on drums throughout, and one set features Richard Evans on bass, the other Jamil Nasser – on long takes of "Bogota", "Minor Adjustments", "All Of You", "Squatty Roo", "Keep On Keeping On", "Minor Moods", "Lollipops & Roses", "Tangerine", and "But Not For Me". CD

One of the most wonderfully lyrical records ever cut for Blue Note – and a shimmering early showcase for the genius of trumpeter Thad Jones! Jones is maybe best remembered for his work in bigger groups, but at the start of his career he's a lyrical genius – as you'll hear on this sublime session that also features tremendous tenor from Billy Mitchell – a player who was also often lost in larger groups, but who really shines wonderfully here next to Thad! The pair are perfect together, and move seamlessly through the session, trading solos with incomparable ease – yet never getting too perfect, and never lacking the humanity that makes a record like this so great. Barry Harris plays some wonderful piano – and the tracks include "If I Love Again", "Thedia", "If Someone Had Told Me", and "April In Paris". 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 record with a killer combination at the core – the tenor of Jonas Kullhammar and Hammond work of Steiner Nickelsen – both players who take this familiar pairing and really find a way to make something new! Yet that's also often the point of some of the best records on Kullhammar's Moserobie label – that sense of play with older modes and ear for newer ideas – qualities that are carried forth by the work of other quartet members Havard Stubo on guitar and Johan Holmegard on drums. This isn't your father's tenor/organ record to be sure – as you'll hear on titles that include "Paris", "The Wild East", "Stratos", "Domedagen", and "Cai Shen Calypso". CD

One of THE key records in the Konitz school – a full length Prestige album that brings together important material from sessions originally issued on 10" LPs! The lineup here is virtually the Konitz school – with shifting lineups that include Billy Bauer on guitar, Lenny Tristano or Sal Mosca on piano, and Warne Marsh on tenor – all working as airily and fluidly as Konitz himself! How Lee managed to achieve such unity with his groups here will forever be a mystery to us – as will the freshness of the work at the end of the 40s, especially given that it's still arguably more "modern" than much of the jazz it inspired in years to come! Titles include "Progression", "Subconscious-Lee", "Rebecca", "Sound-Lee", "Fishin Around", "Palo Alto", "Ice Cream Konitz", "You Go To My Head", and "Tautology". CD

Two rare albums from Dutch reedman Theo Loevendie – both amazing little records that sound beautiful here on a single CD! Mandela features complicated lines from a hip Netherlands combo of the late 60s – one headed up by Theo Loevendie on alto sax, but which acts a lot more like a collective of modernists working together – Hans Dulfer on tenor and bamboo flute, Willem Van Manen on trombone, Nedly Elstak on trumpet, Joop Mastenbroek on baritone and clarinet, Maarten Altena on bass, and Martin Van Dunhoven and John Engels on drums. The tunes all have a nice sense of structure – energy that's more like the early 60s modernism of the European scene – particularly some of the more rhythmic styles – than the looser freedoms that some of Loevendie's contemporaries were hitting at the same time. There's definitely plenty of offbeat sounds in the mix – but the group also knows how to swing, too – on titles that include "Trombomanie", "Mr Brook", "Timbuktu", "Trompedly", and "Pepy". Chess is a really playful outing from a very cool Dutch combo – one with lead alto from Theo Loevendie, but a rich array of sounds from the other members too! The reeds are especially nice – often coming together with a complexity that goes back to older European modern traditions, yet with a swinging sensibility that's still plenty jazz, too – kind of a mix of composition, arrangement, and inherent swinging – with standout work from Hans Dulfer on tenor, Leon Van Oostrom on baritone, Leo Cuypers on piano, and Willem Van Manen on trombone – a player we barely know at all, but whose bold tones really bring a lot to the record. Titles include "Lapsang Souchong", "Scratch", "Brasilia", and "Tremolo". CD

A set of incredible records from Charles Mingus – all presented together in one mighty nice package! First up is Mingus Moves – a fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". CD also features bonus tracks – "Big Alice" and "The Call". Changes is key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", "Remember Rockefeller At Attica", "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. On 3 Or 4 Shades Of Blues, Charles Mingus is returning to the soulful gospel-influenced mode he swung big in the early 60s! The record's something of a later predecessor of the classics Blues & Roots for Atlantic and Mingus (x5) for Impulse – and the style is slightly less dramatic, but still quite steeped in soulful explorations that feature plenty of notes from the bluer side of the spectrum! Players include George Coleman and Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and titles include new takes on "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" and "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" – plus"Nobody Knows", "Noddin Ya Head Blues", and "Three Or Four Shades Of Blues". Next is Cumbia & Jazz Fusion – one of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". Me Myself An Eye is complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker on tenors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side two contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". Something Like A Bird is one of the last albums Charles Mingus ever gave us – before departing this planet way way too soon! The set shows the increasing sophistication of Mingus' music in these later years – a mode that almost echoes the path that Duke Ellington would take in his final decade – a move towards some larger-form material that still holds onto all the raw energy of the early days, but finds a way to not only bridge larger musical ideas – but musical generations as well! As part of this, the set's got a wonderful lineup – with Lee Konitz on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, George Coleman on tenor, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include the long title track, "Something Like A Bird", split up over 2 sides of the LP, plus "Farewell Farwell". CD

A great counterpart to the two famous Charles Mingus albums for the Candid label – really a third "lost" Candid album, recorded at the time of those sets, but never issued until many years later! As with those great dates, the work here is filled with righteous anger, unbridled emotion, and some of the most passionate jazz work of the 20th Century – directed by Mingus with unfailing energy on the bass, and featuring solo work from players who include Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet, Booker Ervin on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Ted Curson and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpets, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Paul Bley on piano – all giants in their own right, most of whom gave the world some fantastic records under their own leadership too! Tracks are all nice and long, mostly from the November 11, 1960 date that featured two different groups – titles that include "Bugs", "R&R", "Reincarnation Of A Lovebird (2nd version)", "Body & Soul", and "All The Things You Are (all)". CD

A pair of amazing records from a legendary group – one who didn't record much, but who really shaped the sound of the avant garde in the 60s! First up is the self-titled New York Art Quartet, one of our favorite albums ever on the legendary ESP label – and a key session in the best "new thing" mode of the 60s! The New York Art Quartet were a short lived collaboration between trombonist Roswell Rudd, saxophonist John Tchicai, bassist Lewis Worrell, and percussionist Milford Graves – but their legacy in this one album is almost greater than that of other combos who recorded more frequently at the time. The sound is similar to the best "spacious" groups of the new thing years – such as the Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon work, or some of the looser sides by the New York Contemporary Five – a group that featured Shepp and Tchicai. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) makes a key guest appearance on the title "Black Dada Nihilismus" – reciting his writings alongside the group's somber instrumental musings – and other titles include "Short", "Rosmosis", and "No 6". The album Mohawk is next – rare and brilliant work from this amazing group – a lineup that features Roswell Rudd on trombone, John Tchicai on alto, Reggie Workman on bass, and Milford Graves on drums and percussion – a combo who are best known for their one LP on ESP, but also sounding equally great on this rare European-only album! The record has a wonderfully creative approach – still in the energetic mode of the New York scene of the 60s, but also with the more introspective style that would come into play more in the 70s loft scene. Players handle a variety of instruments – almost in an AACM mode – and titles include "Mohawk", "Banging On The White House Door", "Rufus 3rd", and "No 6". CD

A trio of Columbia Records sets from Jean-Luc Ponty – served up here in a single package! First up is Gift Of Time – a set that really shows him embracing keyboards much more than at the start of his career – even though he also still turns in plenty of great jazzy sounds on violin! Ponty often seems to be mixing both – using the keyboards to augment inflections in the violin – at a level that makes you feel like he's not using the older stringed instrument at all during some sections, even though it's there in the mix. The set's got a vibe that very much fits with its cover – somewhat lean, with guitar from Pat Thomi, bass from Baron Browne, and percussion and drums from Rayford Griffin. Titles include "Faith In You", "New Resolutions", "No More Doubts", "Metamorphosis", and "Introspective Perceptions". Storytelling is a set that has Jean-Luc Ponty really staying on top of his fusion game – part of that ever-evolving run of records that took the European musician from early straight jazz violin records in the 60s, to the height of American jazz crowds in the 70s and 80s! Here, Ponty continues his exploration of various keyboard modes, while also folding in warm work on electric violin – a blend that's surprisingly seductive, and augmented along the way with guest work from Grover Washington on soprano sax, and Patrice Rushen on additional keyboards. The core group also has guitar from Jamie Glaser, and piano and more keyboards from Wally Minko – on titles that include "Tender Memories", "In The Fast Lane", "After The Storm", "The Amazon Forest", "A Journey's End", and "Pastoral Harmony". Tchokola is a very different record than usual for Jean-Luc Ponty – as you maybe can tell from the global-styled image on the cover! This time around, Ponty's bringing in some key elements from African music – plenty of live, acoustic percussion, which makes for a really great blend with the warmer keyboard and electric violin styles he's normally known for! The percussion was recorded at an analog level, which helps it retain its warmth – a great mix of balafon, tama, sabar, bongos, and other instruments – plus some nice use of kora too. There's also some vocals on the record – sung by Angelique Kidjo and Myriam Betty – and titles include "Yeke Yeke", "Rhum N Zouc", "Cono", "Bottle Bop", "Tchokola", "Sakka Sakka", and "Mouna Bowa". 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

One of the most mysterious, elusive Sun Ra albums in the legendary Saturn Records catalog – a set that was only ever pressed in small quantities back in the 80s, and often with different tracks for different pressings too! The material here is from a range of different performances, and really showcase the continued sense of majesty the Arkestra carried forth from the 70s, even when they were working farther from the limelight – often with the lovely June Tyson in the lead on vocals, and a bit of vocalizations from Ra as well – and different lineups depending on the tracks – but with mindblowing material from John Gilmore on tenor and Marshall Allen on alto throughout the recordings. Ra plays a bit of electronics, but most of the sounds here are acoustic – although still as other-worldly as ever – and this package finally brings together all the tracks that have appeared on variations – with one unissued number too. Titles include "When Spaceships Appear/Ra To The Rescue Ch 1", "Back Alley Blues", "Drummerlistics", "Children Of The Sun", "Mystery Mr Ra", "Space Shuttle/Ra To The Rescue Ch 2", and "Cosmo Party Blues". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". CD

Trobonist Altin Sencalar is a new name in the lineup of Posi-Tone Records jazz musicians – yet he steps out right away with all the sorts of strength we love from their releases, while also bringing in some strong new flavors as well! There's some Latin currents on the record at times, and Sencalar has a great way of updating the role of trombone in Latin jazz, while also merging it with the strengths of some of his labelmates – working here in a really cool combo that features Diego Rivera on tenor and soprano, Patrick Cornelius on alto and flute, Art Hirahara on piano and Fender Rhodes, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums! We fell in love with Altin's sense of tone and phrasing right away, and are eager to hear more – and titles on this debut include "Homenaje A Armando", "Mixed Feelings", "Reimagined", "Marina's Arrival", "Nutville", "Minor Mishap", and "Fall". CD

A very groovy set from guitar genius Gabor Szabo – one that features all those cool tones and elements he'd developed on his late 60s albums for Impulse and Skye Records, given a tighter LA groove here, with almost an A&M Records vibe! There's loads of great solos throughout, played in a combo that also features Lynn Blessing on vibes, Richard Thompson and Nick DeCaro on keyboards, and Sandra Crouch on percussion – all set to some backings handled by DeCaro, who really helps shape the sound of the set! The tunes are a really nice mix of material – and while this might not be Gabor's most way-out album, it's still full of lots of his great groovy guitar – on titles that include "Love Theme From Spartacus", "Country Illusion", "Sombrero Sam", "Lady With Child", "Pretty Girl Why", "Hum A Song", "Magical Connection", and "Fred & Betty". CD

A great collection of groundbreaking early work from Michal Urbaniak – early European recordings that are very different than his American records from later years! First up is Paratyphus B – some of Michal Urbaniak's heaviest work of the 70s – an album of relatively free and exploratory fusion, recorded in Stuttgart with a group of Polish contemporaries who include Urszula Dudziak on voice and percussion, and Adam Makowicz on electric piano! Urbaniak plays soprano sax, tenor, and flute next to his more familiar electric violin – and many of the tracks are spacey explorations in sound, with some sort of rhythm, but really more a focus on the jamming of the keys, violin, and Dudziak's incredible voice. Titles include "Valium", "Irena", "Sound Pieces", "Winter Piece", and "Paratyphus B". Inactin is one of the greatest albums that Polish jazzman Michal Urbaniak ever cut – and a sparkling session of funky fusion recorded in Germany, at the studios of Horst Jankowski! The album feels like one of the great MPS electric albums from the 70s – and it's got loads of cool Fender Rhodes and clavinet playing, spacey electric violin, and some tight choppy soprano work. Urszula Dudziak lays down some incredibly spooky vocals on the best tracks – riffing away in an otherworldly way that matches the funk on the album. Includes the nice breakbeat tracks "Inactin" and "Ekim", plus the cuts "Lato", "Fall", and "Groovy Desert". 3CD set features 2CDs worth of rare bonus live material – a concert recorded in Bremen in 1972, with very long tracks that include "Introduction/Valium", "Sound Pieces", "Irena", and "Groovy Desert/Silence/Lato". CD

One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from either player involved – a set that's a tremendous showcase for the alto and soprano work of Steve Wilson, and an open presentation of the drum genius of Lewis Nash! The record comes as a bit of a surprise – especially in contrast to some of Wilson's work in larger groups, which can be more structured and sometimes darker – and although we love when Nash can swing a quintet or a quartet, we're also wonderfully impressed at his presentation here in a looser format. The set feels very improvised along themes, but still has a sense of melody and swing – as the pair deliver very unique readings of tunes that include "Equinox", "Con Alma", "Chelsea Bridge", "Senor Blues", "Island Birdie", and "Freedom Jazz Dance". CD

An excellent set of recordings from a unique moment for the Xanadu Records label – an imprint that was carrying the torch of the Prestige label style well into the 70s – also run by that label's old head, Don Schlitten! The tracks here were all recorded live in Dakar – by a tight quintet that features some of the best Xanadu players at the time – both Al Cohn and Billy Mitchell on tenor, plus Dolo Coker on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Frank Butler on drums. Mitchell is especially wonderful – an excellent soloist who was often lost in larger groups throughout his career, but who really got the chance to shine in the bigger, more open space of the small group sides. Both he and Cohn blow at some of their best levels for the performances – and titles include "Night Flight To Dakar", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", "Blues Up & Down", "Sweet Senegelese Brown", "Robbins Nest", "Blues In The Closet", "Easy Living", and "The King". CD

A trio of Charlie Parker label releases from Lester Young – all served up in a single package! First up is Pres – rare live material from Lester Young – one of the first albums to offer up Pres in such a setting, although without some of the details and notes of other records of this nature! The vibe is definitely "live", and like some of the other Charlie Parker label releases, the record's a good document of a side of a key soloist in a setting that's different from his studio material – as the tunes are all quite long, and with a freer, looser sense of improvisation than on some of his studio sides. There's a trumpeter who gets in a lot of licks on the set (Roy Eldridge?) – and titles include "Destination Moon", "I Cover The Waterfront", "Sunday", "Lester Leaps In", and "Blues". Pres Is Blue is a 60s album, but one that features early 50s material recorded at the Savoy in New York – a live date that features tenor genius Lester Young blowing with an unusual combo that includes Kenny Drew on piano, Aaron Bell on bass, and Jo Jones on drums – plus the lesser-known Jesse Drake on trumpet! The tunes are standards, but opened up by Lester with a heck of a lot of warmth – on titles that include "Stardust", "Mean To Me", "Pennies From Heaven", and "Three Little Words". Just You Just Me is late 40s live work from Lester Young, recorded right on the scene in New York, likely at the Royal Roost – and presented as one of those key bebop documents that came out on the Charlie Parker label in the 60s! As the rest of those, the approach here isn't that of Verve or Norgran, but is a great illustration of the artist at work on the scene – on titles that include "DB Blues", "Be Bop Boogie", "Just You Just Me", "I Cover The Waterfront", "Sunday", and "These Foolish Things". CD

A heavy dose of funky jazz – and one that goes way past the obvious too – to include some real gems from the 70s that even we'd passed up! The package is filled with stellar jazz from the Fantasy Records family – Prestige, Pablo, Galaxy and Fantasy proper – choice numbers by The Blackbyrds, Stanley Cowell, Charles Earland, Patrice Rushen and others – funky jazz, soul, boogie and Brazil-flavored numbers from the top shelf of the diverse period! It's a tight, well chosen compilation with numbers you simply could not overlook in putting a set like this together – productions by the Mizells, Donald Byrd, Earland and others – but there's a few of leftfield choices, too. Simply a great little snapshot of the funky jazz and soul period and the family of labels that generated so much of the most creative music to come from it! 14 tracks and nearly 80 minutes of grooves: Includes "Happy Music" by Blackbyrds, "Close To You" by Marlon McClain, "Let Me Love You (Let Me Be Me)" by Stanley Cowell, "Taj Mahal" by Paulinho Da Costa, "Nov Ano" by Azar Lawrence, "Moon Dreams" by Flora Purim, "Montevideo" by Opa, "Glide" by Pleasure, "Shout It Out" by Patrice Rushen, "If Only I Could Prove To You" by The 3 Pieces and more. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) CD