Features Branford Marsalis, who produces the album and plays on three tracks. CD

18 songs. CD

Titles include "Scat Song", "Winin' Boy Blues", "Mr, Jelly Lord", "CC Rider", "Call Of The Freaks", "The Dirty Dozen", and "Benny Frenchy's Tune" – 23 titles total. CD

Jelly Roll Morton on piano and vocals. CD

A very nice session that actually has a bit of a soul jazz touch – with elements that are similar to Ra's Lanquidity set, a much sought-after spacey fusion classic! The band still plays fairly out, but the singing's a bit more soulful than usual, and the music has some funky vibes, guitar, and bass in addition to the group's usual array of "out there" instrumentation. Players include Ra on keyboards, Michael Ray on trumpet, Craig Harris on trombone, Harry Wilson on vibes, and John Gilmore and Marshall Allen on reeds. The whole thing's got 3 long tracks – "Celestial Road", "Say", and "I'll Wait For You". CD

Features Ra on synthesizer, Chris Anderson on piano, John Gilmore on tenor, John Ore on bass, Buster Smith on drums, and Bruce Edwards on guitar. CD

A set that focuses on the many different styles of arranger/conductor/horn player David Amram. The best material mixes up "Near Eastern" instrumentation and funkier arrangements, and some other cuts that have kind of a groovy beatnik jazz sound to them. Most notable of these is a version of "Pull My Daisy", but other cool tracks include "Tompkins Square Park Consciousness Expander", "Brazilian Memories", "Sao Paulo", and "Going North". This version of the album features 7 tracks in total, with the remaining titles being "Waltz From After The Fall" and "Wind From The Indies". CD

Jimmy Cobb on drums, Ellis Marsalis on piano, Andrew Speight on saxophone, and Orlando Le Fleming on bass. CD

With vocals from Jenell Marshall. CD

Branford Marsalis on saxophones, Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. CD

With Robillard on guitar and vocals, Scott Hamilton on tenor, Chris Flory and Jim Kelly on additional guitar, Mike LeDonne on piano and organ, Phil Flanigan on bass, and Chuck Riggs on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Features Dr. John on piano and organ! (Blues, Jazz) CD

With Clyde Kerr Jr on trumpet, flugelhorn, and tambourine, Steve Masakowski on guitar, Davod Torkanowsky on piano, James Singleton on bass, and Johnny Vidacovich on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Miguel Zenon on alto sax – with Luis Perdomo on piano and Fender Rhodes, Hans Glawischnig on bass, and Antonio Sanchez on drums CD

A bold little set from Steve Grossman – a record that's nicely poised between his frenetic work of the 70s and mellower moments of later years – done in quartet formation, but with plenty of focus on Steve's wonderful tenor, especially on the longer tracks! There's a very nice "bit" in Grossman's reed on most of the numbers here – a sound that's not as screeching as on his 70s dates, but which often hints at that direction, then swings back into a rounder, fuller tone on the horn. Backing is by Takehiro Honda on piano, Masahiro Yoshida on drums, and either Hideo Kawahara or Yasushi Yoneki on bass – on titles that include "Taurus People", "Soultrane", "Katonah", and "Afternoon In Paris". CD

A never-issued live performance by the legendary Heath Brothers – and a set that's got the same freewheeling spiritual jazz vibe as their classic album on Strata East! The group's a quartet here, with excellent piano work from Stanley Cowell – who also plays mbira, and might also account for the more open, spacious, spiritual quality of the record – although the Heath Brothers clearly bring a lot to the table too! Jimmy Heath is superb on tenor, soprano, and flute – blowing soulful solos that are as great as on his own 70s albums as a leader – and Albert Tootie Heath mixes in some flute work next to his drums and percussion. Percy plays a bit of baby bass next to his fuller, rounder acoustic – and titles include a great long reading of their classic "Smilin Billy" – plus "One For Juan" and "Watergate Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The great John Jenkins was one of the lesser-known sax stars to come out of the Chicago scene of the late 50s – but he was also one of the best! Jenkins played alto impeccably – with boppish agility, and a deep sense of soul that worked great on this one and only Blue Note session as a leader. The group features Kenny Burrell playing some of his best work on record – and the rhythm section features Sonny Clark on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – playing in a rare non-Mingus appearance! Tracks include "Motif", "Sharon", "Blues For Two", and "Chalumeau" – and the session is a wonderful bit of lost Blue Note – great sharp edges from Jenkins' alto, and some warmer, rounder tones from Burrell on guitar. CD also features 2 bonus alternate takes. CD

The legendary trumpeter Booker Little – paired here with drummer Max Roach, who was frequently Book's leader at the time! The set's got a sharp-edged and modern mix of hardbop and fresh ideas – very similar to the best Roach albums of the time – and with a similar sort of group – given that in addition to Little's trumpet, the set also features George Coleman on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Art Davis on bass! All arrangements were done by Little – making the album a real showcase of that bold vision in jazz that was taken from us all too soon – and titles include "Milestones", "Rounder's Mood", "Dungeon Waltz", and "Jewel's Tempo". CD

The legendary trumpeter Booker Little – paired here with drummer Max Roach, who was frequently Book's leader at the time! The set's got a sharp-edged and modern mix of hardbop and fresh ideas – very similar to the best Roach albums of the time – and with a similar sort of group – given that in addition to Little's trumpet, the set also features George Coleman on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Art Davis on bass! All arrangements were done by Little – making the album a real showcase of that bold vision in jazz that was taken from us all too soon – and titles include "Milestones", "Rounder's Mood", "Dungeon Waltz", and "Jewel's Tempo". LP, Vinyl record album

2 of the best studio albums from the legendary trumpeter Booker Little – back to back on 1 CD! The first 7 tracks on the set are from the Bethlehem album Booker Little & Friend – a fantastic sextet session recorded in 1961, shortly before Booker Little's death, and filled with all the promise and power he ever packed into his playing! The lineup includes Julian Preister, George Coleman, and Pete La Roca, and the groove is tight modern hard bop all the way through. An excellent album, and one of the best recordings ever on Bethlehem – with tracks that include "Matilde", "Booker's Blues", "Forward Flight", and "Victory and Sorrow". Next up are 6 tracks from the album Booker Little 4 & Max Roach – recorded for United Artists in 1958, at a time when Little was in the Max Roach band. The album is virtually a Max Roach session, as it features regular Roach group members Coleman and Little – plus bassist Art Davis and pianist Tommy Flanagan – all of whom fall perfectly into line behind Roach's masterful drumming on tracks like "Rounder's Mood", "Dungeon Waltz", and "Jewel's Tempo". 13 tracks in all. CD

The legendary trumpeter Booker Little – paired here with drummer Max Roach, who was frequently Book's leader at the time! The set's got a sharp-edged and modern mix of hardbop and fresh ideas – very similar to the best Roach albums of the time – and with a similar sort of group – given that in addition to Little's trumpet, the set also features George Coleman on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Art Davis on bass! All arrangements were done by Little – making the album a real showcase of that bold vision in jazz that was taken from us all too soon – and titles include "Milestones", "Rounder's Mood", "Dungeon Waltz", and "Jewel's Tempo". CD

2 rare Columbia albums by trumpeter Joe Wilder! The Pretty Sound has a title that might make you think that the album's a bunch of flowery instrumentals – but don't let that put you off, because it's actually a pretty strong set of tunes from trumpeter Joe Wilder, recorded with a bit of polish, to be sure, but in a way that lets him take the lead, solo-wise. Players on the session include Jerome Richardson, Hank Jones, Urbie Green, and Milt Hinton – and titles include "Caravan", "Harbor Lights", "It's So Peaceful In The Country", and "Guys & Dolls". Jazz From Peter Gunn is probably Joe Wilder's greatest album as a leader – and one of a number of competing Peter Gunn jazz albums on the market! Joe's take on the Mancini score is a bit warmer and rounder than some of the others – thanks in part to his fluid tone on the trumpet, and to the fact that the album's only a quartet session, with Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and John Cresci behind Joe's solos. Titles include "Brief & Breezy", "A Quiet Gass", "The Floater", "Slow & Easy", and "Brothers Go To Mothers". CD