Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Jamie Saft on organ and synthesizer, and Ben Perowsky on drums. CD

An album with a very personal vibe, maybe even more so than other recent work on the Steeplechase label – as Andrew Rathbun composed all the tunes himself, and really seems to have a commanding sense of timing throughout the album! The music swings, but also stops for some more contemplative moments too – and in both modes, there's a really keen sense of feeling for sound and tone – almost painterly at points, and moving with bolder strokes at others. Gary Versace contributes some wonderful piano to the set – really resonating strongly with Rathbun – and the group also features bass from John Hebert and drums from Tom Rainey, on titles that include "Widen The Doorway", "Wandering", "Fast 5th", "Tooth & Nail", "Velocity Unknown", and "Still A Thing". CD

This isn't the first time that pianist Kenny Barron and bassist Dave Holland have played together – but there's definitely something special about the record that really grabs our ears – and it's not just the excellent work on drums by Johnathan Blake! Barron's at his roundest, most soulful sort of tone – really grabbing the notes out of the air in this wonderful way – and Holland really follows suit too, with this very personal, organic approach that's such a change from some of his more experimental work of years back – and which makes him a stunning part of the group, especially at all those many moments when he and Barron dance around each other's sound with this beautifully resonant vibe. Titles include "Until Then", "Porto Alegre", "Without Deception", "Speed Trap", "Secret Places", "Worry Later", and "Pass It On". CD

Uri Caine on piano, Joyce Hammann on violin, Chris Speed on clarinet, Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Nguyen Le on electric guitar, Dj Olive on turntables, Drew Gress on double bass, and Jim Black on drums. CD

Dave Douglas on trumpet, Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Joshua Roseman on trombone, Greg Tardy on clarinet, bass clarinet and tenor saxophone, Uri Caine on piano, James Genus on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. Tracks are a mix of originals and compositions by Mary Lou Williams. CD

Fantastic early work from Gil Evans – emerging here in this early session as an already far-thinking modernist. The tracks are shorter and less ambitious than some of Evans' work on Impulse, but the group is excellent – and even in a shorter format, the conception of the work still contains plenty of rich new ideas. Players include Louis Mucci, John Carisi, Steve Lacy, Willie Ruff, Paul Chambers, Nick Stabulis, and "Zeke Tolin" on alto, who is certainly a more famous player under a fake name. Titles include "Ella Speed", "Big Stuff", "Jambangle", "Nobody's Heart", and "Remember". CD

2 of Boogaloo Joe's best and rarest albums on one CD – guitar jazz funk at its best! First up is Boogaloo Joe – a killer session of funky guitar jazz, and the record that gave Ivan "Boogaloo" Joe Jones his nickname! The set's a full-on wailer that really blows away Joe's first two on Prestige – breaking out ouf the box with a killer lineup that includes Rusty Bryant on tenor, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Sonny Phillips on organ – all working with Joe's incredibly tight guitar lines to craft some wicked tunes that take soul jazz firmly into the sound of the 70s! Titles include "Boogaloo Joe", "People Are Talking", "Dream On Little Dreamer", and "Atlantic City Soul". Right On Brother is next – and is Ivan's first truly sublime album – a set that showed the world that he was easily one of the greatest jazz guitarists of his generation – able to spin out single-note jams with a speed and dexterity that few others could match! The groove here is totally great and very righteous – heavy drums from Bernard Purdie, wailing organ from Charles Earland, and saxophone from Rusty Bryant – all cooking together in the best early 70s Prestige jazz funk mode! Titles include "Right On", "Brown Bag", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", and "Poppin". CD

A nice little take on the "city symphony" mode that was big in American music a few decades back – served up by the Wynton Marsalis Septet of the early 90s, with decidedly modern touches! The double-length album's a three-tiered affair – with part one standing out as Wynton's extended "Cityscape" – a tribute to New York, done in styles that range from mellow and contemplative, to more hustling and bustling, in true speed of the city. Next up is another suite of tracks titled "Transatlantic Echoes" – work that's still jazz-based, but with a nod to African roots in some of the percussion and phrasing. Last up is "Some Present Moments Of The Future" – the final suite of the album, and one that almost echoes some of the rootsier modes explored by Wynton in his southern trilogy of a few years before. Players include Wynton on trumpet, Todd Williams on tenor and soprano sax, Wes Anderson on alto, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Reginald Veal on bass, Herlin Riley on drums, and Eric Reed on piano – and the album also features some guest tenor from Herb Harris and a bit of piano by Marthaniel Roberts. CD

Features Myra Melford on piano, Dave Douglas on trumpet, Chris Speed on tenor sax and clarinet, Eirk Friedlander on cello, and Michael Sarin on drums. CD

A crackling bit of hardbop from Sonny Rollins – and a session that has Sonny playing with the Max Roach/Clifford Brown group that included Bud Powell's brother Richie on piano! Sonny had already made a strong name for himself on albums issued under the Roach/Brown tag at the time, and here the group returns the favor by allowing Sonny to lead, and by giving him a good deal of time in the spotlight! Rollins' solo ability is risen to a razor-sharp level for the set – really getting fire, and managing to invent at a speed and sharpness that's simply amazing. Titles include Sonny's classic reading of "Pent-up House", plus "Valse Hot", "Kiss & Run", and "Count Your Blessings". CD

A crackling bit of hardbop from Sonny Rollins – and a session that has Sonny playing with the Max Roach/Clifford Brown group that included Bud Powell's brother Richie on piano! Sonny had already made a strong name for himself on albums issued under the Roach/Brown tag at the time, and here the group returns the favor by allowing Sonny to lead, and by giving him a good deal of time in the spotlight! Rollins' solo ability is risen to a razor-sharp level for the set – really getting fire, and managing to invent at a speed and sharpness that's simply amazing. Titles include Sonny's classic reading of "Pent-up House", plus "Valse Hot", "Kiss & Run", and "Count Your Blessings". CD

Angelica Sanchez on piano, Chris Speed on tenor sax and clarinet, Ben Goldberg on contra alto clarinet, Omar Tamez on guitar, John Hebert on bass, and others. CD

Tim Berne on alto and baritone sax, Chris Speed on tenor sax, Marc Ducret on elextric guitar, Michael Formanek on bass, and Jim Black on drums. CD

Reid Anderson on bass, David King on drums, Ben Monder on guitar, and Chris Speed on tenor saxophone and clarinet. CD

Tim Berne on alto and baritone saxophone, Michael Formanek on double bass, Chris Speed on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Marc Ducret on electric guitar, and Jim Black on drums. CD

John Hollenbeck on drums and percussion, Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Red Wierenga on accordion, Matt Moran on vibraphone, and Drew Gress on acoustic bass. CD

One of the few 70s albums as a leader from reedman Ronnie Cuber – a player who'd already been making some great appearances on studio sessions with giants like George Benson, Mongo Santamria, and Lonnie Smith – as well as even a few Steely Dan records! But despite that ability to sound tight in the studio, Ronnie really shows a completely different side of his talents here – a hard-burning approach to baritone sax, with a deftness that rivals Pepper Adams in a similar setting – a quality that almost feels like a tenor at times, given Cuber's dexterity and speed of improvisation. The rest of the group's great, too – and includes Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – who really provide the right amount of soulful hardbop to keep things crackling. Titles include "Star Eyes", "Rifftide", "Tin Tin Deo", "Samba D'Orfeo", "Misty", "Sudwest Funk", and "Prince Albert". CD

Features Myra Melford on piano and harmonium, Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor sax, Cuong Vu on trumpet, Stomu Takeishi on bass guitar, and Kenny Wollesen on drums. CD

The moody title's a great one for this album by pianist Craig Taborn – given the spare melodies and ghost-like traces of sound that move the album forward! The album's a perfect match between Taborn's music and the ECM aesthetic – as space and air mean as much to the record as the sound of the players – who work together in this really thoughtful way to shape the slow-flowing evolution of the tunes! In addition to piano, Taborn also plays a bit of electronics – and the album features some especially great clarinet from Chris Speed, who also plays tenor – plus bass from Chris Lightcap and drums from Dave King. Titles include "Abandoned Reminder", "The Shining One", "The Great Silence", "Ancient", "Phantom Ratio", and "Subtle Living Equations". CD

Features Tim Berne on alto, Chris Speed on tenor and clarinet, Michael Formanek on bass, Jim Black on drums, and Marc Ducret on electric guitar. CD

Features Tim Berne on alto, Chris Speed on tenor and clarinet, Michael Formanek on bass, Jim Black on drums, and Marc Ducret on electric guitar. CD

Tim Berne on alto and baritone saxophone, Chris Speed on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Michael Formanek on bass, and Jim Black on drums. CD

Great work by this legendary hard swinging band – an early 60s American album issued on Atlantic Records, in the years before the Clark Boland Band's legendary run on MPS! Despite the early date, the album's got all the core elements of the band's sound in place – soaring rhythms, sharp-edged frontlines, and some great solo work by players who include Benny Bailey, Derek Humble, Jimmy Woode, Shahib Shihab, Idrees Sulieman, and Fats Sadi – coming together in a brilliant trans-Atlantic meeting of jazz talents! Tracks include "Long Note Blues", "Speedy Reeds", "Sonor", and "Om Mani Padme Hum". CD

Includes the songs "Speedliner", "Pastel", "Groovin'", "Cotton Tail", "Boot 'Em Up", "Bluesitis", "Lean Baby", "Port Of Rico", "Where Are You", "Heads", "It's The Talk Of The Town", "The Kid And The Brute", "Sophia", "Honeysuckle Rose", "Star Dust", "Las Vegas Blues", "Achtung", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "No Sweat", and "Flying Home". CD

Tremendous work by Lee Morgan – easily one of his greatest albums, and a soaring session of modal energy that easily rivals the best work of the Impulse era! The album's got a slightly different feel than usual for Blue Note – a sense of freedom, joy, and soaring energy that's totally great – explored by a crack group that features Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all coming together with a unique sense of creativity! The rhythm section is one of the key factors here – as Mabern, Cranshaw, and Higgins have a fluid groove that really sets the tone for the record – letting Morgan and Shorter stretch out to the height of their powers, and explore some incredible modal and soulful themes. Titles include the seminal 11 minute reading of "The Gigolo", plus "Yes I Can No You Can't", "Speedball", and "Trapped" – as well as an excellent reading of "You Go To My Head" that completely opens up the old standard! Plus, this CD reissue's got a bonus alternate take of "The Gigolo", for an extra 10 minutes of music! CD

A double-length set of work from one of the greatest pianists of the 50s – both of his Atlantic albums together on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Lennie Tristano, from 1955 – darkly imaginative work from the great Tristano – and one of the few full albums he ever cut as a leader! The record features the incredible track "Turkish Mambo" – which has Tristano overdubbed 3 times in this dark modal way that's totally amazing, and which will hook you into his playing immediately! A number of other tracks feature a quartet with Lee Konitz – always a good match for Tristano – and a few others have a great trio that's completed by Peter Ind and Jeff Morton. Tracks include "Requiem", "East 32nd", "You Go To My Head", and "Line Up". New Tristano is an incredible record by Lennie – one that features him playing solo piano, but in a way that's so inventive, so creative, so pyrotechnic, that Atlantic Records had to include text on the back cover saying "No use is made of multi-tracking, over-dubbing, or tape-speeding." The album's also one of the last (the last?) that Lennie ever cut – and although many other players are kind of faltering in last sessions like this, Lennie's sounding better than ever – ready to take on a realm of new challenges in the 60s. Titles include "Love Lines", "G Minor Complex", "Becoming", and "Deliberation". CD

Tremendous work by Lee Morgan – easily one of his greatest albums, and a soaring session of modal energy that easily rivals the best work of the Impulse era! The album's got a slightly different feel than usual for Blue Note – a sense of freedom, joy, and soaring energy that's totally great – explored by a crack group that features Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all coming together with a unique sense of creativity! The rhythm section is one of the key factors here – as Mabern, Cranshaw, and Higgins have a fluid groove that really sets the tone for the record – letting Morgan and Shorter stretch out to the height of their powers, and explore some incredible modal and soulful themes. Titles include the seminal 11 minute reading of "The Gigolo", plus "Yes I Can No You Can't", "Speedball", and "Trapped" – as well as an excellent reading of "You Go To My Head" that completely opens up the old standard! Plus, this CD reissue's got a bonus alternate take of "The Gigolo", for an extra 10 minutes of music! CD

An incredible album from Lee Morgan – one of his last records ever, and a set that shows a whole new promise in his music – one that was sadly unfulfilled as a result of his tragic early death. The songs hare are all quite long – stretched out live numbers, but never in a way that's overindulgent (especially in comparison to some of Lee's Blue Note contemporaries) – and put together with a level of creativity and imagination that's simply stunning! Lee's in a beautifully searching mode here – stretching out on his solos, and hitting spaces we never would have imagined in his work even a few short years before. The rest of the group's great too – and include Bennie Maupin on flute, tenor, and bass clarinet, Harold Mabern on piano, Jymie Merritt on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums. Titles include "The Beehive", "Something Like This", "Speedball", "Nommo", and "Sidewinder". CD

A wonderfully-named session – as Charles Earland plays here with an intensity that's undeniable! The album marks a key shift for Earland – one away from the more standard soul jazz mode, into a realm of looser, freer rhythms that really take off from the start – knowing no end on the longer tunes, and really letting Charles run to the skies on the keys of the Hammond! The group on the set is a larger than usual one – with a trumpet section that includes Lee Morgan and Virgil Jones; reed players that include Billy Harper and Hubert Laws; and a double-edged rhythm line forged through the drums of Billy Cobham and the conga of Sonny Morgan – often working alongside each other to really widen the groove! The sound is remarkable – tight, but never slick – and in a sophisticated groove that could hardly be hinted at from Earland's earlier work. All tracks are long, and titles include "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "Morgan", "Cause I Love Her", and "Happy Cause I'm Going Home". CD also brings in 2 more bonus tracks – both in a similar mode, from the album Charles III – "Lowdown" and "Speedball". CD

A 2CD collection that features some incredible live work from one of Lee Morgan's greatest years! The title says "Lighthouse", but there's actually some discussion that the material may be from a live set recorded in San Francisco slightly before the famous Live At The Lighthouse album – a detail that seems to be supported by the differences in the tracks from some of the Blue Note Lighthouse material. The feel here is looser than some of Lee's studio work of the time – freely soulful, but never too outside – in an exploratory style that would have marked him one of the greatest trumpet voices of the 70s (next to Miles, Freddie Hubbard, and Woody Shaw) – had he not met an untimely death in 1972. The group features Bennie Maupin on saxes, Harold Mabern on piano, Jymie Merritt on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums – and titles include "Peyote", "Ceora", "Speedball", "Meofelia", "Rakin & Scrapin", "Unjanna", "Something Like This", and "Willow Weep For Me". CD

A set that's full of some great CTI Records gems from Stanley Turrentine – including the first appearance of the unreleased cuts "Gibraltar" and "Storm". Also includes "Sugar", "Speedball", "Cherry", "Don't Mess With Mister T", and "Pieces Of Dreams". CD

The first, and arguably the best, of John Zorn's Naked City albums. The sound is extremely intense, and represents a blinding blend of influences, most of which Zorn had been showcasing in more easy going settings on previous albums. The core group includes Bill Frisell, Wayne Horvitz, Fred Frith, and Joey Baron – plus a guest appearance by Yamatsuka Eye. Hard to find on vinyl, and with the titles "Demon Sanctuary", "Speedball", "James Bond Theme", "Ingenous Ejaculation", "I Want To Live", and "Latin Quarter". CD