A haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

A haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

Ron Carter on bass, Herbie Hancock on piano, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, James Newton on flute, and Tony Williams on drums. Tracks include "Hat And Beard", "Cantaloupe Island", "Recorda Me", and "Little B's Poem". CD

Way more than just the promised tribute to Charlie Parker – and the group features Johnny Griffin on tenor, Jackie McLean on alto, Cecil Payne on baritone, Duke Jordan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – all directed by Don Sickler! CD

Japanese reedman Sadao Watanabe joins this hip trio on alto – with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

Two whole albums with just Ron Carter on bass and Jim Hall on guitar! CD

George Coleman on tenor saxophone, Mike Stern on electric guitar, Ron Carter on double bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. CD

A pair of classic early 60s modern jazz sets – back to back in this great 70s package! First up is the album Far Cry from Eric Dolphy – Eric Dolphy's first meeting in the studio with trumpeter Booker Little – a brilliant batch of modernism that's easily one of the hippest records Little ever worked on! The Dolphy heard here is Eric at his most inventive – sharp-edged and angular one minute, then spiritually lyrical the next – playing flute, bass clarinet, and alto sax equally well on the record – and somehow managing to get Little to share his inspiration perfectly on every number. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a rhythm team whose abilities are a big part of the success of the record – and titles include "Far Cry", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "Left Alone", "Ode To Charlie Parker", and "Miss Ann". Next is Where – a haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Eighty-One", "Worse and Worse", "Raise Four", "Pretty Polly", "On The Street Where You Live", and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". CD

Drummer Gerry Gibbs has a hell of a trio for this set – and a great batch of guests as well – all of whom help make some real magic on jazz instrumental versions of soul tunes from the 70s! The core trio features Kenny Barron on piano and Ron Carter on bass – both wonderfully sensitive players, without any of the "thrasher" qualities you might guess from the group's name on the cover – and some passages expand things with the addition of Warren Wolf on vibes, Steve Wilson on alto sax, and Larry Goldings on Hammond – all players we really love too. Titles include "Pick Up The Pieces", "Where Is The Love", "What's Going On", "Reasons", "Too High", "Fantasy", "Creepin", and "Brazilian Rhyme". CD

The title's an apt one, as the session features spare, unaccompanied duets between guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ron Carter – done at a time when both players were stepping into some of their warmest, most sensitive years. Hall's especially great here – and even though he had already built a career out of working in lighter, less rhythm section-based settings, the early 70s saw him moving into even more unfettered territory – and opening up with incredibly personal, sensitive notes that danced equally well with the space around them. Titles include "St Thomas", "I'll Remember April", "Alone Together", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

A reunion of Miles' legendary sidemen after his death in 1991, including live renditions of "So What" and "All Blues", plus "RJ", "Little One", "Pinocchio", "Elegy" and "Eighty One". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Houston Person on tenor sax and Ron Carter on bass. CD

Houston Person on tenor saxophone and Ron Carter on bass. CD

Duets between guitarist Akio Sasajima and bassist Ron Carter. Tracks include "Waltz For Brazil", "Gentle Rain", "God Bless The Child", and "Akiology". CD

A real surprise – and a record we come back to again and again! Sickler's trumpet has a nicely different feel than Kenny Dorham's – and the group's got some especially nice tenor from Jimmy Heath – supported by rhythm from Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful combination of players – really stretching out here in a hip double-length set! The live performance features three key musicians all recording for Milestone Records in the 70s – Sonny Rollins on tenor and soprano sax, McCoy Tyner on piano, and Ron Carter on bass – joined by drummer Al Foster, who provides some great energy to round out the quartet! But not all the tracks here are quartet ones, either – as the set also features some duet, trio, and solo moments too – really changing things up on some extended tracks that continue to keep things interesting! Titles include the excellent "Cutting Edge" – plus "Continuum", "Alone Together", "Nubia", "NO Blues", and "Don't Stop The Carnival". LP, Vinyl record album

Ron Carter on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Cedar Walton on piano. CD

A late 80s set from George Benson, but one with a relatively classic jazz feel – instrumentation that's mostly small combo, and which has Benson serving up a range of familiar jazz and standards! George plays guitar on some tracks, and also sings a bit on others – and the groups here are mostly in the quartet range – with players who include McCoy Tyner on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Louis Hayes or Herlin Riley on drums. There's a bit of added strings at times, and George's sweet style of singing gives a few of the numbers a slightly more contemporary feel – but never too much so. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "Stardust", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "This Is All I Ask", "Tenderly", and "At The Mambo Inn". CD

One of the moodiest sessions on CTI from the early days – and a landmark album that took George Benson from the funky jazz scene into the upper reaches of 70s jazz. The record was put together by Don Sebesky, and it's a lot more high concept than some of George's earlier work – and proof that he was a totally great player who just needed a push in the right direction to find his own vibe. Other players include Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Airto – and titles include "California Dreaming", "El Mar", "White Rabbit", and "Little Train". This CTI Records 40th Anniversary edition was remastered using the original analog tapes. CD

One of the moodiest sessions on CTI from the early days – and a landmark album that took George Benson from the funky jazz scene into the upper reaches of 70s jazz. The record was put together by Don Sebesky, and it's a lot more high concept than some of George's earlier work – and proof that he was a totally great player who just needed a push in the right direction to find his own vibe. Other players include Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Airto – and titles include "California Dreaming", "El Mar", "White Rabbit", and "Little Train". CD

Cindy Blackman on drums, Ron Carter on bass, Jacky Terrasson on piano, and Ravi Coltrane on tenor saxophone. CD

Cindy Blackman's one of those players who always surprises us with her music – coming across with a lot more to offer than just her unique role as a girl drummer in jazz – sounds so bold, we instantly forget her gender and pretty image on the cover, and always just let ourselves get swept away by the power of her music! This set is possibly one of Blackman's best from the Muse Records years – thanks to a top-shelf quartet that includes Gary Bartz on alto and soprano sax, Kenny Barron on piano, and Ron Carter on bass – a great trio even on their own, but given a nice sense of focus through Blackman's drums. As usual, Blackman penned some great originals for the date – and the setting is an especially nice one for Bartz, who's really given a lot of space for great solo work on the set. Titles include "The Oracle", "AJ", "Beatrice", "Traffic", "Why", "Our Blues", and "Who Needs Forever". CD

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

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

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

Features unreleased bonus material! Includes Phil Woods on alto and clarinet, Ron Carter on bass, Grady Tate on drums, Mike Maineri on vibes, and Richard Wyands on piano. CD

Grover Washington Jr on Blue Note – but sounding really great here in the company of guitarist Kenny Burrell – very much back to the more basic reed work of his roots, and away from some of the smoother settings of his bigger dates from a few years before! Kenny's well-crafted guitar lines really direct the set – spinning out with energy and soul, and shaping the sound in tones that work especially well with Washington's soprano sax lines. The rest of the group features Ron Carter on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Ralph MacDonald on percussion – and titles include "Togethering", "Daydream", "Sails Of Your Soul", "Soulero", and "What Am I Here For". LP, Vinyl record album

Henry Butler plays piano and Korg synthesizer, with Ron Carter on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, Alvin Batiste on clarinet, John Purcell on oboe, english horn, soprano, and flute, and Bob Stewart on tuba. Titles include "What's Up", "Beautiful She Is", "Joanna", "The Village", "Music Came", "Soft Platonicism", and "Expressions Of Quietude". LP, Vinyl record album

2 LP set of haunting piano work by Jaki Byard, recorded in his early days on Prestige, and not too long after his association with Mingus. He's backed here by some great trio players, including Ron Carter, Roy Haynes, and Pete La Roca, and the set has a lot more going on than the usual piano jazz album. Tracks include "Cinco Y Quatro", "To My Wife", "Hi Fly", "Yamekraw", and "There Are Many Worlds". LP, Vinyl record album

Important early work from Jaki Byard – one of his first records as a leader, and a wonderful set of quirky piano trio tunes! Jaki's working here with Ron Carter on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – in a format that's similar to other trio records of the time, but which is really pushed to the limit by Byard's unique conception of the keys, and his unabashed ability to play well and whimsical at the same time! And by "whimsical", we're not saying "goofy", or "silly" – but really just are referring to Jaki's clearly unabashed love of all things musical – a joyous celebration of many strands of jazz, all coming together in a sound that's all his own! (Jaki worked often with Roland Kirk – and that's a good point of comparison.) Titles include "Cinco Y Quatro", "Giant Steps", "Garnerin A Bit", "To My Wife", and "Mellow Septet". CD

Donald Byrd in a sweet electric mode – as you'd guess from the title! The set was recorded right before Byrd's legendary run with Larry Mizell in the early 70s – and the electric approach is a bit different here – a style that blends Byrd's wonderful trumpet lines with the larger ensemble mode Blue Note sometimes used in the late 60s, but with a spacey, stretched-out feel that's mighty nice! The album's somewhat similar to Byrd's Kofi set – but possibly a bit more open overall – and players here include Duke Pearson on electric piano, Jerry Dodgion on alto and sopranos ax, Frank Foster on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Hermeto Pascoal on flute, Wally Richardson on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Airto on percussion. Pearson produced, and probably arranged too – given a slight Brazilian undercurrent to the grooves – and titles include "Estavanico", "Essence", "The Dude", and "Xibaba". CD

Donald Byrd in a sweet electric mode – as you'd guess from the title! The set was recorded right before Byrd's legendary run with Larry Mizell in the early 70s – and the electric approach is a bit different here – a style that blends Byrd's wonderful trumpet lines with the larger ensemble mode Blue Note sometimes used in the late 60s, but with a spacey, stretched-out feel that's mighty nice! The album's somewhat similar to Byrd's Kofi set – but possibly a bit more open overall – and players here include Duke Pearson on electric piano, Jerry Dodgion on alto and sopranos ax, Frank Foster on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Hermeto Pascoal on flute, Wally Richardson on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Airto on percussion. Pearson produced, and probably arranged too – given a slight Brazilian undercurrent to the grooves – and titles include "Estavanico", "Essence", "The Dude", and "Xibaba". LP, Vinyl record album

Donald Byrd in a sweet electric mode – as you'd guess from the title! The set was recorded right before Byrd's legendary run with Larry Mizell in the early 70s – and the electric approach is a bit different here – a style that blends Byrd's wonderful trumpet lines with the larger ensemble mode Blue Note sometimes used in the late 60s, but with a spacey, stretched-out feel that's mighty nice! The album's somewhat similar to Byrd's Kofi set – but possibly a bit more open overall – and players here include Duke Pearson on electric piano, Jerry Dodgion on alto and sopranos ax, Frank Foster on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Hermeto Pascoal on flute, Wally Richardson on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Airto on percussion. Pearson produced, and probably arranged too – given a slight Brazilian undercurrent to the grooves – and titles include "Estavanico", "Essence", "The Dude", and "Xibaba". LP, Vinyl record album

Benny Carter plays with The American Jazz Orchestra, directed by John Lewis, with John Eckert, Virgil Jones, Bob Millikan, and Marvin Stamm on trumpets, Eddie Bert, Jack Jeffers, Jimmy Knepper, and Britt Woodman on trombones, Bill Easley and John Purcell on alto and flute, Loren Schoenberg on tenor, Lew Tabackin on tenor and flute, Danny Bank on baritone and bass clarinet, Dick Katz and John Lewis on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. CD

Features Cyrus Chestnut on piano, James Carter on alto, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – with guest work from Joe Lovano on tenor, plus vocals from Anita Baker! CD

Swirling spiritual work from Alice Coltrane – an incredible trio album that features her heavily on harp, plus a bit of piano – in a trio with Ron Carter on bass and Rashied Ali on drums! The sound is wonderful – lush, yet contemplative – in a personal style that really shows Alice beginning to express herself in new modes after the death of The Great One. The us of harp is especially incredible – handled here with a sense of majesty that really leaves us breathless, and which goes far beyond other use of that instrument in jazz. And even Alice's piano is surprisingly nice – with these mellow, earthy undertones that bubble at the bottom and ground the whole effort on earthly territory. Titles include "Turiya", "HIS", "Jaya Jaya Rama", and "Via Sivanadagar". CD

Swirling spiritual work from Alice Coltrane – an incredible trio album that features her heavily on harp, plus a bit of piano – in a trio with Ron Carter on bass and Rashied Ali on drums! The sound is wonderful – lush, yet contemplative – in a personal style that really shows Alice beginning to express herself in new modes after the death of The Great One. The us of harp is especially incredible – handled here with a sense of majesty that really leaves us breathless, and which goes far beyond other use of that instrument in jazz. And even Alice's piano is surprisingly nice – with these mellow, earthy undertones that bubble at the bottom and ground the whole effort on earthly territory. Titles include "Turiya", "HIS", "Jaya Jaya Rama", and "Via Sivanadagar". LP, Vinyl record album

Spiritual sounds galore – an amazing 2-fer from Alice Coltrane! Huntington Ashram Monastery is powerful work from Alice Coltrane – an incredible trio album that features her heavily on harp, plus a bit of piano – in a trio with Ron Carter on bass and Rashied Ali on drums! The sound is wonderful – lush, yet contemplative – in a personal style that really shows Alice beginning to express herself in new modes after the death of The Great One. The us of harp is especially incredible – handled here with a sense of majesty that really leaves us breathless, and which goes far beyond other use of that instrument in jazz. And even Alice's piano is surprisingly nice – with these mellow, earthy undertones that bubble at the bottom and ground the whole effort on earthly territory. Titles include "Turiya", "HIS", "Jaya Jaya Rama", and "Via Sivanadagar". World Galaxy is one of Alice Coltrane's most ambitious albums of the early years – recorded with a full set of heavenly orchestrations! The core group features Alice on piano, organ, and harp – alongside Frank Lowe on saxes, Reggie Workman on bass, Leroy Jenkins on violin, and Ben Riley on drums. Added to this combo is a much larger set of strings – swirling around in a rich musical backdrop that gives Alice's work a sense of majesty and power we could have never imagined. This is the album that really showed the world that she was far far more than just the wife of the late great one – a true mystical visionary with a sound that demanded to be heard! Side 2 features a recitation by Alice's spiritual mentor, Swami Satchdiananda – and the album features a wonderful version of "My Favorite Things", done with both organ and harp, plus the tracks "Love Supreme", "Galaxy In Turiya", and "Galaxy In Satchidandana". CD

Our favorite-ever album by Alice Coltrane – a masterpiece of spirit and soul, recorded in a wonderfully open-handed style – and with a vibe that's maybe a bit different than some of her other records, especially the ones with larger groups! The album's mostly a spare batch of tracks cut by Alice and her trio with Ron Carter on bass and Ben Riley on drums – a group who are already wonderful, and maybe a bit more introspective than Coltrane in other settings – and they're joined at a few points by guest tenor from both Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders – both at key parts of their career, and really adding a lot to the album! Pharoah and Joe blow with beautiful post-Coltrane spirituality on the tracks "Ptah The El Daoud" and "Mantra" – but equally great is the beautiful spare piano cut "Turiya & Ramakrishna" – an incredible tune that has Alice playing with a soulfulness you'd hardly expect! A real treasure all the way through – and the kind of album that ranks with the best in the Impulse catalog! CD

Our favorite-ever album by Alice Coltrane – a masterpiece of spirit and soul, recorded in a wonderfully open-handed style – and with a vibe that's maybe a bit different than some of her other records, especially the ones with larger groups! The album's mostly a spare batch of tracks cut by Alice and her trio with Ron Carter on bass and Ben Riley on drums – a group who are already wonderful, and maybe a bit more introspective than Coltrane in other settings – and they're joined at a few points by guest tenor from both Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders – both at key parts of their career, and really adding a lot to the album! Pharoah and Joe blow with beautiful post-Coltrane spirituality on the tracks "Ptah The El Daoud" and "Mantra" – but equally great is the beautiful spare piano cut "Turiya & Ramakrishna" – an incredible tune that has Alice playing with a soulfulness you'd hardly expect! A real treasure all the way through – and the kind of album that ranks with the best in the Impulse catalog! CD

Our favorite-ever album by Alice Coltrane – a masterpiece of spirit and soul, recorded in a wonderfully open-handed style – and with a vibe that's maybe a bit different than some of her other records, especially the ones with larger groups! The album's mostly a spare batch of tracks cut by Alice and her trio with Ron Carter on bass and Ben Riley on drums – a group who are already wonderful, and maybe a bit more introspective than Coltrane in other settings – and they're joined at a few points by guest tenor from both Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders – both at key parts of their career, and really adding a lot to the album! Pharoah and Joe blow with beautiful post-Coltrane spirituality on the tracks "Ptah The El Daoud" and "Mantra" – but equally great is the beautiful spare piano cut "Turiya & Ramakrishna" – an incredible tune that has Alice playing with a soulfulness you'd hardly expect! A real treasure all the way through – and the kind of album that ranks with the best in the Impulse catalog! LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite-ever album by Alice Coltrane – a masterpiece of spirit and soul, recorded in a wonderfully open-handed style – and with a vibe that's maybe a bit different than some of her other records, especially the ones with larger groups! The album's mostly a spare batch of tracks cut by Alice and her trio with Ron Carter on bass and Ben Riley on drums – a group who are already wonderful, and maybe a bit more introspective than Coltrane in other settings – and they're joined at a few points by guest tenor from both Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders – both at key parts of their career, and really adding a lot to the album! Pharoah and Joe blow with beautiful post-Coltrane spirituality on the tracks "Ptah The El Daoud" and "Mantra" – but equally great is the beautiful spare piano cut "Turiya & Ramakrishna" – an incredible tune that has Alice playing with a soulfulness you'd hardly expect! A real treasure all the way through – and the kind of album that ranks with the best in the Impulse catalog! LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records that really takes you by surprise – a set that doesn't look like much on the front, but which opens up immediately the minute you drop it on the turntable – with a sense of soul and swing that really hold on throughout! The group's a great one – a quintet with Jimmy Heath on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, Kenny Barron on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all seasoned players working together here on a set of Tadd Dameron tunes, but inflected with a nice early 80s sense of soul – almost a more relaxed Muse Records vibe that really makes the album way more than just another reading of Dameron's classics. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Squirrel", "The Scene Is Clean", "Sid's Delight", and "Nearness". CD

One of those records that really takes you by surprise – a set that doesn't look like much on the front, but which opens up immediately the minute you drop it on the turntable – with a sense of soul and swing that really hold on throughout! The group's a great one – a quintet with Jimmy Heath on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, Kenny Barron on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all seasoned players working together here on a set of Tadd Dameron tunes, but inflected with a nice early 80s sense of soul – almost a more relaxed Muse Records vibe that really makes the album way more than just another reading of Dameron's classics. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Squirrel", "The Scene Is Clean", "Sid's Delight", and "Nearness". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the funkiest album that guitarist Larry Coryell ever cut – his debut as a leader, and a fuzzy, freaky set that features some massively heavy drums from the great Bernard Purdie! The set's jazz at the core, but has lots of rock elements too – including vocals from Coryell on a few cuts, whose rough-edged style of singing works nicely with the fuzz on his guitar. The whole thing's a really freewheeling trip down that genre-busting road that had opened up in the underground of the late 60s – a path taken away from folk, jazz, rock, and other more mainstream roads – served up with help from Mike Mandel on keyboards, Jim Pepper on flute, and bassists Chuck Rainey, Ron Carter, and Albert Stinson. Titles include the long funky groove called "The Jam with Albert", plus the tracks "Sex", "Beautiful Woman", "Morning Sickness", and "Ah Wuv Ooh". (Nice "naked kids" cover, too – the kind that must have made someone's therapist a lot of money!) LP, Vinyl record album

With a record like this, it's clear that bassist Jamale Davis is a player to watch – as he's got a way of really bringing something new to the table, and presenting us with a very fresh conception of jazz! Way back through a legacy that includes albums by Ron Carter, Richard Davis, and Oscar Pettiford, it's often the case that groups led by a bassist can really deliver something different – not just a way of pushing a player who's sometimes in the background to the front, but maybe changing up approaches to rhythm and melody in all these really inventive ways – something that Jamale definitely does here – working with a lineup who shape their sounds beautifully – Dario Terzuolo on tenor, John Mosca on trombone, Mferghu on piano, and Ben Zweig on drums and pandeiro. The mix of tenor and trombone is beautiful next to the bass – and the album has a good blend of unusual tunes and a few well-chosen remakes – in a set list that includes "Rabbit Island", "Indra", "Taxi Bird", "Star Eyes", "Run With The Hunted", "Congo Blues", and "Hello I Must Be Going". CD

With Ron Carter on bass, Tony Williams on drums, Herbie Hancock on piano & Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone. CD

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! CD

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! CD

One of the great Miles 70s groove albums – an album that's often as funky as you might expect from the cover, with a sound that's gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The noise of previous electric sessions is nicely toned down a bit here – leaving lots more room for soulful grooving – and although the selections were recorded over different dates, there's a very unified feel to the record – as most tracks have a similar groove, away from other Davis electric work of the period. Players vary throughout – and include Wayne Shorter and Sonny Fortune on reeds, Lonnie Smith and Chick Corea on keyboards, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Al Foster and Billy Cobham on drums. Titles include "Great Expectations", "Ife", "Go Ahead John", and "Lonely Fire" – and the whole thing kicks! CD features 4 long bonus tracks too – "Yaphet", "The Little Blue Frog", "Recollections", and "Trevere". CD

A massively expanded version of a landmark album – and fantastic glimpse of recordings that went on to form the legendary 2LP record that opened up a whole new electric world for Miles Davis – and which also yielded a huge amount of wonderful tracks that never made it onto the original release! The lineup here is the stuff of legends – Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Joe Zawinul on keyboards – plus Wayne Shorter on saxes, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all working with Miles in some very new directions in jazz! CD

A massively expanded version of a landmark album – and fantastic glimpse of recordings that went on to form the legendary 2LP record that opened up a whole new electric world for Miles Davis – and which also yielded a huge amount of wonderful tracks that never made it onto the original release! The lineup here is the stuff of legends – Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Joe Zawinul on keyboards – plus Wayne Shorter on saxes, Ron Carter and Dave Holland on basses, John McLaughlin on guitar, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all working with Miles in some very new directions in jazz! CD

One of the most formative periods of Miles Davis' career, with lots of new ideas taking shape – including Fender Rhodes from Herbie Hancock, guitar from George Benson and Joe Beck, and plenty of great tenor from Wayne Shorter, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Tony Williams! Includes material that appeared on the albums Miles Smiles, ESP, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, Water Babies, Miles In The Sky, and Filles De Kilimanjaro – as well as unreleased tracks, alternates, and material that showed up on Directions and Circle In The Round. CD

One of the most formative periods of Miles Davis' career, with lots of new ideas taking shape – including Fender Rhodes from Herbie Hancock, guitar from George Benson and Joe Beck, and plenty of great tenor from Wayne Shorter, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Tony Williams! Includes material that appeared on the albums Miles Smiles, ESP, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, Water Babies, Miles In The Sky, and Filles De Kilimanjaro – as well as unreleased tracks, alternates, and material that showed up on Directions and Circle In The Round. CD

One of those key cases where Miles Davis took a familiar song and made it his own! The set's a live one, and features a famous 15 minute version of "My Funny Valentine" – played by Davis in a spacious, open sort of way – and one that has key hints of the modernism to come in his music, yet still rings out with some of his more easygoing late 50s appeal. The group here features George Coleman on tenor alongside the rhythm section of Herbie Hancock piano, Ron Carter bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all three of whom help Davis edge into darker territory, even when things are ostensibly sweet! Apart from the version of "My Funny Valentine", other titles include "All Blues", "All Of You", "I Thought About You", and "Stella By Starlight". Four & More is breakneck live work from Miles Davis – and proof that his famous 60s quintet wasn't only just about mellow and spacious sounds! The set was recorded at the same concert as the album My Funny Valentine – and while that one's mostly ballads, this one's mostly high tempo numbers that skip along with incredible ease – crackling with modern touches on the rhythm from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and featuring some really excellent work by George Coleman on tenor sax! Titles include "Four", "So What", "Joshua", and "Seven Steps To Heaven". CD

A dark blend of acoustic and electric modes from Miles Davis – a set that still has him working with elements of the classic 60s quintet, but which also brings in a stronger emphasis on electric piano too! The rhythms here are really fantastic – ready to burst forth into a whole new direction, yet still not hitting the Bitches Brew level of freedom – and drummer Tony Williams may well be the real star of the set for his tremendous work on the kit – even though, as stated, the album's got some heavy electric piano contributions both from Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea! All titles feature Miles on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums – and the titles with Herbie feature Ron Carter on bass, while the rest with Chick Corea feature Dave Holland. Titles include "Frelon Brun", "Tout De Suite", "Petits Machins", "Mademoiselle Mabry", and "Filles De Kilimanjaro". CD

A dark blend of acoustic and electric modes from Miles Davis – a set that still has him working with elements of the classic 60s quintet, but which also brings in a stronger emphasis on electric piano too! The rhythms here are really fantastic – ready to burst forth into a whole new direction, yet still not hitting the Bitches Brew level of freedom – and drummer Tony Williams may well be the real star of the set for his tremendous work on the kit – even though, as stated, the album's got some heavy electric piano contributions both from Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea! All titles feature Miles on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums – and the titles with Herbie feature Ron Carter on bass, while the rest with Chick Corea feature Dave Holland. Titles include "Frelon Brun", "Tout De Suite", "Petits Machins", "Mademoiselle Mabry", and "Filles De Kilimanjaro". CD