The title's an apt one, as trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff's out here in his loneliness – blowing solo, and beautifully, in a set of highly imaginative numbers! Solo trombone may not sound like the most earth-shattering thing in the world – but in the hands of Mangelsdorff, it can definitely move mountains – creating complicated patterns of shape and sound with a very familiar instrument – used here in ways you'd never expect, even from some of Albert's other group recordings. There's a strong sense of tone here – one that's perhaps only matched by George Lewis for sheer inventiveness and creativity – and Mangelsdorff never misses an opportunity to surprise, and the whole set is refreshing throughout. Titles include "Do Your Own Thing", "Fur Peter", "Marc Suetterlyn's Boogie", "Creole Love Call", "Questions To Come", and "Bonn". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous little record and maybe THE album from trombonist George Lewis – a groundbreaking solo set that's maybe his equivalent of Anthony Braxton's For Alto – and which does similar things both for his instrument and the further growth of the AACM in jazz! The record features Lewis completely solo – but also features one brilliant long track that features overdubs – "Piece For 3 Trombones Simultaneously" – in which Lewis clones himself, and creates this incredible trio trombone sound that's completely wonderful. But even the straight solo tracks are mindblowing – filled with sounds and ideas on the instrument that couldn't have been imagined a decade before – on the titles "Lush Life", "Phenomenology", and "Untitled Dream Sequence". LP, Vinyl record album

Harold Mabern on piano & Kieran Overs on bass. CD

Recorded At Sunnie Sutton's Rocky Mountain Jazz Party. CD

A solo piano album recorded at Toronto's Cafe des Copains. Tracks include "House Of Jade", "Pent Up House", "Thou Swell", and "Dat Dere". CD adds the bonus tracks "Manhattan" and "Indian Summer". CD

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Pretty great solo work from Julius Hemphill – an extended 2LP set that features a completely solo performance on reeds – almost his answer to similar creative recordings by Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell from the AACM! The extended set really stretches out beautifully – billed as an "audiodrama", and featuring some overdubbing of solo performance – so that Hemphill's interweaving his reed work beautifully – mixing lines on flute, soprano sax, and alto – all with thoughtful, lyrical elements that easily show the reedman at his 70s best! The album features one long track, spread out over both discs – with a hell of a lot of dynamic energy throughout – very much in the mode of some of Sackville's best solo avant recordings of the time – like records by Roscoe Mitchell and George Lewis. CD

Wonderful late work from Junior Mance – a solo piano session, and one that really shows the great range of growth he'd experienced over the decades! Mance was always great, no matter what the setting – from lyrical trio dates of the early years, to soul-drenched sides of the 60s – but this album has him moving with a wonderfully sensitive vibe, as well – amazing right hand touches that flow with boundless energy over the keys of the piano, as Junior paints these sublime pictures in sound, while still keeping an overall sense of soul as well. A really revelatory album, especially if you only know Junior from the 60s and 70s – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "The Single Petal Of A Rose", "Autumn Leaves", "Atlanta Blues", and "Old Folks". CD

Incredible solo work from Roscoe Mitchell – almost even more compelling than any of his work with bigger groups! The set compiles material from a number of different concerts, and features Mitchell on alto, tenor, baritone, and soprano sax – blowing these wonderfully shaped, thoughtfully formed lines that are filled with soul and feeling – almost more inside than most of Roscoe's other work of the time, but still with some of the exploratory sensibilities you might hear in his Nessa albums. Sounds are quite fragile at points, but quite bold at others – and the range of expressions really keeps things interesting throughout. Titles include "Eeltwo", "Nonaah", "Tutankamen", "Ttum", "Jibbana", and "Oobina". 9 tracks in all – pulled from 1973 concerts in Kalamazoo and Montreal, and a 1974 set in Finland. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful records that either Roscoe Mitchell or Anthony Braxton recorded in the second half of the 70s – an amazing set of duets that seems to instantly take both musicians back to their AACM roots! Mitchell had recorded in this style a few times around the date of the session – but the presence of Braxton really makes for something amazing, especially in the way that the musicians split the set between compositions they each created. Mitchells songs take up all of side one – and have this textural quality that's beautiful – and the second half of the record features some of Braxton's musical equations, but of a variety that's maybe more spiritual than usual. Titles include "Five Twenty One Equals Eight", "Cards Three & Open", "Line Fine Lyon Seven", "Composition 40Q", "Composition 74A", and "Composition 74B". CD features one bonus alternate take, too. CD

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Great duets between these two well-matched Canadian players – Ed Bickert on guitar and Don Thompson on bass! LP, Vinyl record album

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Texas tenor from the great Buddy Tate – heard here in a lesser-known session from the 70s – originally done for the indie Sackville label, and easily one of Tate's best recordings from the decade! Buddy's in a nice, loose, open sort of setting – a bit like that on his classic Felsted album – and the record's free from some of the need to overstate the "classic" nature of the leader – as you'd sometimes find on the 70s – and still allows Tate to be a vibrant, contemporary expressionist on the tenor! The group's a Canadian rhythm section – with Wray Downes on piano, Dave Young on bass, and Pete Magadini on drums – and titles include "June Night", "Alone Together", "Someday Sweetheart", "I'll Remember April", and "Bye Bye Blackbird". CD also features two bonus tracks – never issued – "Isfahan" and "Lullaby Of The Leaves". CD

A fantastic pairing of players – two Chicago legends, both in the sort of setting that really suits them best! Roscoe Mitchell works here on two long improvisations with drummer Mike Reed – blowing a variety of reed instruments, and really taking us back to the groundbreaking work he did in such formats in the late 60s and 70s – very much in the spirit of his work for both Delmark and Sackville. Reed's a drummer who can present himself in larger arrangements and some very important groups – but a date like this reminds us how great he can be on the kit when improvising freely, with a very sympathetic ear to the still-amazing constant creations of Mitchell on reeds. Mike also brings in a bit of electronics – and titles include "The Ritual" and "The Dance". LP, Vinyl record album