A beautiful set of work from this legendary pianist – material that's issued here for the very first time, but which may well top some of the most important albums in Art Tatum's catalog! As with his classic 20th Century material, the setting here is a live one – the Blue Note club in Chicago, where Art is working with a trio that features Slam Stewart on bass and Everett Barksdale on guitar – a really cool group in that it features no drums at all, which is maybe no surprise, given the inherently rhythmic pulse that Art brings to the material! The whole thing is great – crisp, clear, and full of imagination – and the expanded package also features great notes that really benefit the recordings – a huge amount of tracks that include "Air Mail Special", "What Does It Take", "Crazy Rhythm", "Tea For Two", "The Man I Love", "Where Or When", "Night & Day", "Body & Soul", "Laura", "Humoresque", "Dark Eyes", "Judy", "Tabu", and "Lover". CD

Forget the hokey kangaroo picture on the cover, because the record's a mighty sweet set of 50s modern jazz – played by some key musicians from Australian who were working in the US at the time! The record's got a style that's somewhere between the hippest sessions of LA and Sweden at the time – all the coolness of both scenes, but a sense of playful expression that really comes through on some of the more unusual passages. The core group features Errol Buddle and Dick Healey on reeds, Bryce Rhode on piano, and Jack Brokensha on vibes – with added work from John Fawcett or Jimmy Gannon on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums. Titles include "Loose Walk", "Like Someone In Love", "Music For Walkin", "Fascinating Rhythm", "A Foggy Day", and "Little Girl Blue". CD

A really magical combination of sounds – the tenor of Tony Kofi and the harp of Alina Bzhezhinska – coming together here with a really strong sense of spiritual majesty! There's a sense of grace and pacing to the record that's wonderful – and Alina's approach to her instrument is nicely different from soulful predecessors, like Dorothy Ashby or Alice Coltrane – yet equally captivating as well, especially when grounded by the deep, rich tones that Kofi brings from his horn – blown in modes that take us back to some of the spiritual saxophone giants on Impulse records! And yet the pair aren't out here to just ape older modes – as there's a very thoughtful, very personal approach to the music – meditative, but never too much so to lose its groove – on titles that include "Tu Vides", "Tange", "Alteria Vita", "Anima", and "Tabula Rasa". CD

Rare material from the great Lennie Tristano – a host of tracks that sit perfectly with his two landmark albums for Atlantic Records – and which maybe even push the envelope a bit more as well! The material is all from the 50s and early 60s – and is pulled together here in an excellent album that originally appeared on the Japanese market, then got wider circulation – really helping fill in the picture of Tristano's talents, which were often sadly under-represented on record. Highlights include a beautiful solo piece based on an Edgar Allen Poe story – "Descent Into The Maelstrom" – plus the lovely "Dram Paris 1965" and "Image Paris 1965" – plus three more tracks from a 1961 rehearsal, and trio titles with either Sonny Dallas or Peter Ind on bass, and Roy Haynes or Nick Stabulas on drums. CD

Early work by one of the greatest voices on the alto sax in the 1950s – a player who worked with the deftness of other altoists of his generation, but a depth of soul usually reserved for the tenor! The setting is simple and perfect – as Phil Woods blows at the helm of a quartet that features John Williams on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – players who know how to get things moving, but allow plenty of room for the leader to fill space with his solos! Even at this early date, Woods' command of his instrument is amazing – and the record is easily one of the greatest introductions to his work you'll ever find. Titles include "Strollin With Pam", "Be My Love", "Slow Boat To China", "Woodlore", and "Falling In Love All Over Again". CD