Eddie continues the funky groove begun on Instant Funk, and smoothed out over albums like I Need Some Money – and although jazz fans probably gave him hell for going this way, we think this is actually a pretty darn great album! The record takes all of Eddie's experimentation with groovy styles from the early 70s, and filters it through some tighter playing that actually makes the groove a lot more compelling than before. A number of the tracks have vocals, almost in a humorous Bill Cosby mode – but in a way that also preserves the party feel of the cuts. Players include Bobby Lyle, Paul Humphrey, Buck Clarke, and Bradley Bobo – and one Chicago-recorded track features a great assortment from older years that includes Muhal Abrams, Odell Brown, Marshapp Thompson, Willie Henderson, and Richard Evans. Titles include "Tryin Ain't Dyin", "Ooh", "Exempt", "Live Again", "Flowers", "Why Do You Hurt Me", and "It's All Right Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly the blues that you might expect from the title – although knowing Muhal Richard Abrams, there's no doubt some sort of blues influence lurking in the background of his complicated orchestrations for the date! The album's a suite of original compositions by Abrams – all numbers played by a largeish group with lots of wonderful horn patterns – complexly woven together with lots of shifting shapes and tones, then sometimes breaking out in bold, free moments of improvisation! It's records like these that show why Abrams was one of the leading lights of the AACM by the early 80s – as much an important composer as a musician – equally skilled at both levels, and very sensitive to the strengths of the players he chose to work with. Muhal plays piano here – and other group members include Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Craig Harris on trombone, Wallace Laroy McMillan on baritone and flute, Jimmy Vass on alto and flute, Eugene Ghee on tenor and clarinet, Howard Johnson on tuba, Jean-Paul Bourelly on guitar, Michael Logan on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums. Titles include "Cluster For Many Worlds", "Quartet To Quartet", "Ancient & Future Reflections", "Du King", "Chambea", and "Duet For One World". LP, Vinyl record album

Once again, Cannonball Adderley proves the old jazz adage – it's not the song, but the singer – as he breathes fantastic new life here into a set of tunes from the musical Fiddler on the Roof! Yet in thinking of the music, there's also a special sort of genius – as there's some exotic currents in most of the melodies, which may be why the young producer David Axelrod chose the tracks for the set – as they've got the same blend of hardbop and exotic elements that you'll hear on some of the original tunes by this group. The lineup is great – Nat Adderley on cornet, Charles Lloyd on reeds, Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – and the tones of Cannon and Lloyd are great together – and the make the best songs sound like strange Eastern-tinged jazz numbers. Tunes include "To Life", "Fiddler On The Roof", "Cajvalach", "Sewing Machine", "Matchmaker", and "Now I Have Everything". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the greatest records that Brazilian percussionist Airto ever recorded – a stunning blend roots and jazzy currents, and a set that follows strongly off his work in the group Quarteto Novo! The set's got contributions from one of his key partners in that combo – reedman Hermeto Pascoal – and like Pascoal's material at this point, the whole thing is maybe one of the most perfect realizations of the musical vision that Airto was going for! There's none of the tighter, more polished sounds of his later fusion years – and this is the record that will show you just why his arrival on the American scene made such big waves at the time. Flora Purim also sings on the record – and titles include "Andei", "On Sonho", Papo Furado", and "O Galho da Rosiera". (Brazil, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album that's as compelling as its title! The set was one of the classic early 10" jazz sides recorded for Bethlehem in the early years of the label – and it features a group led by bassist Max Bennett, and featuring Charlie Mariano on alto, Stan Levy on drums, Claude Williamson on piano, and Frank Rosolino on trombone. Helen Carr makes a vocal appearance on a track or two, and the album's got a nicely schizophrenic style that pushes it past simple expectations – really cooking with a mean Mariano solo one minute, and laying back for a mellower vocal passage the next. Titles include "Rubberneck", "Just Max", "They Say", "TK", "Do You Know Why", and "I'll Never Smile Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic early set featuring the Jazz Messengers back when the group was less of an Art Blakey project, and more of an all-around affair – as you might guess from a lineup that also includes Horace Silver on piano, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, and Doug Watkins on bass! The live set is one of the earliest and purest versions of Blakey's hardbop vision, touched with the slightly exotic lyricism of Silver, which gives the tracks a wonderful edge. The playing is excellent throughout – and the album's the kind of live stormer that shows why the group were such a huge draw right out of the box, and why they performed as well (if not better) in a live setting than they did in a studio one! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut by trumpeter Dave Burns – an excellent batch of soul jazz numbers with a comfortable easy swing that will make you wonder why he wasn't a much bigger success! Dave played trumpet briefly in the Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington groups – and at the time of this set, he was playing with Al Grey and Billy Mitchell. This album's quite different than his work with them, though – as it's a very tight, very in the pocket set of grooves that feels like the best on Blue Note or Prestige from the time. Burns' trumpet is fantastic – sounding a bit like a young Lee Morgan – and his group features a young Kenny Barron on piano, plus sharp tenor work by Herbie Morgan, a player who recorded as rarely as Burns. Titles include "Tali", "Something Easy", "CB Blues", "Rhodesian Rhapsody", and "Straight Ahead". LP, Vinyl record album

A real hard-burner from Kenny Burrell – a set that was recorded for Blue Note in the guitarist's early career, but not issued by the label until the 70s – and even then only in Japan! Kenny's got the sharp edge and strong sense of leadership you'll hear on his classic Midnight Blue – and the lineup features strong tenor work from Hank Mobley, who seems to underscore the best elements in Burrell's tone – plus work from Horace Silver on piano – who plays with lots of soulful undercurrents, alongside Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums! The record's got some slightly raspy edges, which may be why Blue Note originally held it back – but it's a real treasure for the deeper side of Kenny's tones – and titles include "Out For Blood", "Nica's Dream", "KB Blues", and "DB Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Kenny Burrell albums – and a record with a much deeper feel than lots of his other work! Kenny cut this album with John Coltrane in 1958 – and the session's a real standout in both of their careers at the time – Kenny's, for being a well-crafted, highly-focused effort – and Coltrane's, for being a unique outing with a guitar, but one that's done with the same deep-spirited sound of his best work for Prestige. The group's a quintet, with Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb in the rhythm section – and titles include "Big Paul", "Lyresto", "Why Was I Born?", "I Never Knew", and "Freight Trane". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Kenny Burrell albums – and a record with a much deeper feel than lots of his other work! Kenny cut this album with John Coltrane in 1958 – and the session's a real standout in both of their careers at the time – Kenny's, for being a well-crafted, highly-focused effort – and Coltrane's, for being a unique outing with a guitar, but one that's done with the same deep-spirited sound of his best work for Prestige. The group's a quintet, with Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb in the rhythm section – and titles include "Big Paul", "Lyresto", "Why Was I Born?", "I Never Knew", and "Freight Trane". LP, Vinyl record album

The second of two early LPs that the Byrd and Gryce team cut for Columbia – and the more obscure of the two by far! This one features the group's groundbreaking format – a mixture of hardbop and modern jazz, always swinging, but angularly carved, with striking tones and colors that recall the best mid 50s Mingus. The difference, though, is that 4 tracks also feature some vocals by Jackie Paris, a hip singer who's at his best here – vocalizing with way better material than he often got on his own albums, singing on the tracks "Now Don't You Know", "Elgy", "Early Byrd", and "Early Morning Blues". The rest of the group features Wynton Kelly, Art Taylor, and Wendell Marshall – but more than anything else, it's Gryce's unbelievable tone on alto that really makes the record cook. Why couldn't he have played like this forever? We love it to death! Other tracks include "Satellite", "Social Call", and "Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A great example of why the Swingville label was such a great idea – a perfect setting for older players to have a chance to relax in the studio and really do their thing – hitting the sort of notes they might reach in a late-nite set at a club, without all the pressures to try for a crossover hit or short takes on overdone standards! The tracks here are all quite long – surpassing even Verve material of this nature – and Carter plays both alto and trumpet, Webster his classic tenor, and Bigard clarinet – in a group that also includes Shorty Sherock on trumpet, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and Dave Barbour on guitar. Rhythm's from Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Mel Lewis on drums – so that part of the equation is rock-solid too – and titles include "Opening Blues", "Lula", "When Lights Are Low", and "You Can't Tell The Difference When The Sun Goes Down Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set in the rebirth of straight jazz in the early 80s – a wonderful record with a much warmer, more traditional feel than you'd expect from some of the players involved! Bassist Stanley Clarke and pianist Chick Corea really return to their roots here – Stanley with some of the bold acoustic tones of his earliest soul jazz years, Chick with those modern-yet-soulful piano lines he first brought to magical recordings of the 60s – including the Sweet Rain session with Stan Getz. Freddie Hubbard's also in the group – blowing wonderfully with that reborn sound of his early 80s years, still some of the best work he ever did – and the group also features Joe Henderson on tenor, always a treat, and Lenny White on drums, really keeping things focused. The set's a gem through and through – and titles include "L's Bop", "Happy Times", "Remember", "Guernica", "October Ballade", and "Why Wait". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff – and work that will have you changing your opinion about Chick Corea! Around 1970, Corea was part of a groundbreaking group called Circle – an amazing avant quartet that featured his own piano next to the reeds of Anthony Braxton, bass of Dave Holland, and drums of Barry Altschul – a really groundbreaking group, one who was able to tie together so many new strands of jazz – even though they only were around for a few short years! Circle are one of those groups who always gets talked about, but who left behind almost no recorded legacy – which is why this set of recordings from 1970 is so important to an understanding of Corea and Braxton's career. The double length set features three sides worth of Circle material – including "Quartet Piece 1, 2, & 3", and the shorter "Percussion Piece". The 4th side of the set features the trio of Corea, Holland, and Altschul performing the haunting "Drone". LP, Vinyl record album

An album of dark and subtle beauty – and still one of our favorite Miles Davis albums of all time! The set's not as earth-shattering as some of Davis' other work of the 60s, but that's why we like it so much – because the emerging genius of the group with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams is held in a really special place here – one that ruminates quietly on space and soul, while Davis majestically directs tones and colors that he'd never gotten in a small group format before! Titles include the amazing "Iris", one of Miles' most haunting themes – plus "Little One", "RJ", "ESP", "Mood", and "Agitation". LP, Vinyl record album

An album of sublime understatement from alto genius Paul Desmond! Desmond was one of the few players who resisted the lure of the 70s electric CTI sound – and stuck pretty much in his usual bag of easy-going grooves, blowing alto with effortless ease, working here with a quartet that includes Ed Bickert on guitar, Connie Kay on drums, and Ron Carter on bass. The tracks are short, but have that magical Desmond quality to them – no tricks, no electric work, just pure and simple coolly blown jazz. Titles include "Everything I Love", "Squeeze Me", "I'm Old Fashioned", "Nuages", and "Why Shouldn't I". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked late 70s work from Ronnie Foster – a rare Columbia outing that's arguably better than his earlier sides for Blue Note! There's more of a soul vibe than before in the music – but in a way that's really foregrounded, and without some of the back/forth wavering that Foster had in his groove during previous sets. Jerry Peters produced the record, and gives it a solid, confident style that's right up there with the best soul/fusion sides on Columbia at the time – and the lineup of players features great contributions from Roy Ayers on vibes, Ndugu Chancler on percussion, Harvey Mason on drums, and Alphonso Johnson on bass. Foster himself did all the arrangements – and both sings and plays a mix of keyboards that come off sounding pretty darn great. Titles include "Midnight Plane", "Happy Song", "Why Don't You Look Inside", "I Want To Bring My Love Home", "Nassau Bay", "Shooting Star", and "Easier Said Than Done". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly our favorite album ever from Chico Freeman – a beautiful set that was originally issued only in Japan, and which has Chico hitting some of his strongest, most spiritual modes on record! The album features Freeman's reeds in the company of other Chicagoans – AACM players who include Henry Threadgill on saxes, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, Douglas Ewart on flutes, and Steve McCall on percussion – plus added work from Cecil McBee on bass and Ben Montgomery on drums – both players who round out the group with a very solid rhythmic focus. There's a bold sense of direction to this record that you don't always get in other work from Chico – a sound that's almost more Strata East at points, and which serves to bring the AACM players into sharp formation, and a strongly rhythmic orientation at times. The whole thing's wonderful – very well-crafted, and filled with spirit and soul – and titles include "The In Between", "Like The Kind Of Peace It Is", "Morning Prayer", "Pepe's Samba", and "Conversations". LP, Vinyl record album

Red Garland's piano was certainly humming strong at the time of this session – as Red's trio were one of the key rhythm components of many Prestige albums of the late 50s, but also a real starring act on their own! The album's got a laidback, almost mellow feel that's a bit different from some of the Garland accompaniment on horn-based sessions – a style that's introspective, but always spirited – sprightly, but never flowery – that magical style that allowed Garland to bridge different worlds of jazz piano in the 50s. Paul Chambers is a perfect accompaniment here on bass, Art Taylor's work on drums is a masterpiece of understatement, and although the titles are all familiar, they're certainly given a special Garland touch! Titles include "The Very Thought Of You", "If I Were A Bell", "Please Send Me Someone To Love", "I Know Why", and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent small group work from vibist Terry Gibbs – just the kind of set that shows why he was one of the best known players on his instrument in the 50s! Gibbs has a clear, clean style here that's never too laidback, nor too prone to over-done flourishes – a style that was born in swing, informed by bop, and carried off beautifully by a quartet on the date that includes Terry Pollard on piano, Herman Wright on bass, and Bert Dale (aka Nils Bertil Dahlander) on drums. The sound is nicely straight ahead – no gimmicks, no schtick, just nicely grooving work on vibes and piano – with tracks that include "Seven Come Eleven", "Lonely Dreams", "Dickie's Dream", "Imagination", "King City Stomp", "Pretty Face", "The Continental", "Bless My Soles", and "Nutty Notes". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice collection of tracks recorded by Diz during the early 50s – mostly in Paris, with backing by players that include tenorist Don Byas and pianist Wade Legge, and occasional vocals by Joe Carroll. Titles include "This Is The Way", "Always", "Crutch", "Fais Gaffe", "Hurry Home", "Moon Nocturne", and "I Don't Know Why". LP, Vinyl record album