With Gert-Jan Blom on bass. CD

Features Henry Threadgill, Don Byron, Marty Ehrilich, and the Soldier String Quartet. CD

Features Joe Lovano, Ralph Lalama, George Garzone, Steve Slagle, and Gary Smulyan on saxophones – plus Conrad Herwig on trombone, Tim Hagans on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Dennis Irwin on bass,and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

A very nice set of Japanese fusion tracks cut by guitarist Reggie Lucas, with nice electric backing by Hubert Eaves on keyboard, Michael Henderson on bass, and other acoustic players like Mtume, John Stubblefield, and Clifford Adams. The set was recorded by East Wind in Japan, and the best cuts on here have that nice smooth fusion sound that graced their releases in this vein from the 70's. Lucas hits some excellent grooves with a warm sweeping feel, punctuated by tight solos with lots of blue notes, and these cuts include "Tender Years", "The Barefoot Song", and "Slewfoot". The "Survival Themes" suite is a bit more "out", and less to our liking, but there's more than enough good moments on the other cuts! CD

A new take on Duke Ellington's score for Anatomy Of A Murder, with new arrangements by Bob Freedman, and performed by Herb Pomeroy and his orchestra, plus themes from Perry Mason, M-Squad, Peter Gunn, The Thin Man, 77 Sunset Strip, and more. CD

One of the best later albums by French tenor genius Barney Wilen – a true gem that's far better than the title might indicate! The tunes, as you might guess, are all themes from French films – stretching back to the late 50s jazz/new wave days, when Wilen recorded on a few brilliant soundtracks with Miles Davis and Art Blakey – and moving forward into later years to include a few great tunes from the 60s French scene. The group on the set is Mal Waldron's excellent trio with Stafford James on bass and Eddie Moore on drums – the three of them rounding out the tunes with a strong degree of soul, and lots of open notes and space, which lets Wilen do some incredible work on both tenor and soprano saxes. Tunes are all quite long, and really depart from the original structures – and titles include "Un Homme Et Une Femme", "Les Parapluies De Cherbourg", "Manha De Carnaval", "No Problem", and "Julien Dans L'Ascenseur". CD

A nice once – certainly not as funky as some of Cannon's other work for Capitol, but with a dark edge that really makes it great! The core Cannonball quintet of Nat Adderley, Joe Zawinul, et al, is set up in string arrangements by Ray Ellis – a bit flowery at times, but in a way that makes for an edgey juxtaposition against the undeniably soulful groove of the quintet, even when they're playing ballads and love songs. Adderley's horn breaks out in these free solos, a bit like some of the Charlie Parker/Ralph Burns work from the early 50s – which makes for a very nice sound to our ears! Titles include "Morning Of The Carnival", "Stella By Starlight", "So In Love", "The Song Is You", and "The End Of A Love Affair". CD

Music from Dinah Washington, George Shearing, Chuck Berry, Anita O' Day, Jimmy Giuffree, Thelonious Monk, Big Maybelle, Mahalia Jackson, Gerry Mulligan, and more. CD

One of their early classics, and still one of the greatest groups with roots in the Chicago AACM scene! The lineup is wonderful – drums and percussion from the late Steve McCall, bass from Fred Hopkins, and alto, tenor, and flute from the always-amazing Henry Threadgill! The group do a wonderful job reworking older themes from Jelly Roll Morton and Scott Joplin – plus Threadgill's own "Paille Street" – a really amazing mix of eras and styles on one record. CD

On Great Summit Duke joins the combo of Louis Armstrong on piano – a group that includes Trummy Young on trombone and Barney Bigard on clarinet! We've always loved Duke Ellington's soundtracks, and Paris Blues is one of his best! The score is a moody introspective one, written for a 1961 film that starred Paul Newman as a frustrated jazz musician living in Paris. The "Paris Blues" theme is a dark, somber composition that is supposedly Newman's masterpiece as a jazz writer – and it works beautifully with the film's themes of frustration and unfulfilled desire. Ellington's at his best here, and apart from the main theme, the score also has great versions of classics like "Mood Indigo" and "Take The A Train", plus originals like "Nite", "Wild Man Moore", "Guitar Amour", and "Paris Stairs". Also features Louis Armstrong on one track! CD

Brilliant late work from spiritual saxophone genius Albert Ayler – one of his last truly great albums! The session has none of the jazz-meets-other music feel of some of the other Impulse albums – and is more in the straight expressive style of the ESP recordings. Tracks are more reined in here – with some short themes that are almost a distillation of the freedom Ayler had been expressing for a few years, summed up beautifully in tunes that have a plaintive cry, filled with as much soul and love as Ayler could muster into his horn! Players include Donald Ayler on trumpet, Cal Cobbs on harpsichord, Alan Silva on bass, and Milford Graves on drums – and titles include "Zion Hill", "Love Flower", "Love Cry", "Ghosts", "Omega", and "Dancing Flowers". CD also includes some extra bonus material! CD

Three full albums from this tremendous singer – all in a single set! Morning In Paris is very early work from South African singer Sathima Bea Benjamin – recorded in Paris in 1963, with backing by longtime partner Abdullah Ibrahim, plus additional piano and production by Duke Ellington! The album was cut around the same time as Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) did his famous Reprise album in Paris with Ellington – and it's got a similar mix of modern and moody styles – with Sathima singing in a mellower tone than we're used to from her later records, over extremely spare backing that often has the piano barely stepping in, and which also features some nice plucked violin work from Svend Asmussen – acting almost as the bass on a few tracks! Billy Strayhorn also sits in on this extremely unusual session – and titles include "The Man I Love", "Soon", "Lover Man", "I Should Care", "I Could Write A Book", and "Darn That Dream". Lovelight is always-great work from Sathima Bea Benjamin – one of the hippest jazz vocalists of the 80s, working here in a highly spiritual mode that sounds a lot more like records from many years past! There's a warmly gentle glow to the whole set – thanks to instrumentation from Larry Willis on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Higgins on percussion, and Ricky Ford on tenor sax – all coming together in ways that are filled with unusual rhythms, odd turns of phrases, and just the right sort of unconventional accompaniment to fit the Africanist themes of Sathima's music at its best. A few numbers are more traditional, but even these have a nicely sensitive feel – and offer plenty of room for Willis to solo. Titles include "Winne Mandela Beloved Heroine", "African Songbird", "Gift Of Love – For Duke", "Music", and "You Are My Heart's Delight". Southern Touch is a set that's maybe a bit more of a straight jazz vocal record than some of Sathima Bea Benjamin's earlier material – but that might also be because the great Kenny Barron is part of the group on piano – supporting Sathima's great voice with the help of Buster Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums! Tunes are mostly standards, but it's great to hear them opened up with Benjamin's unique phrasing – that voice that was raised up on more righteous material in earlier years, and which still seems to bring some of that power to tunes that include "Street Of Dreams", "Lush Life", "One Alone", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "I've Heard That Song Before". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD

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". CD

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". CD

A great counterpart to the rare Stanton Davis Ghetto Mysticism album – and a set that was recorded right around the same time, with a number of previously unreleased tracks! The spiritual energy of that group has been well-loved by collectors for years – and enjoyed by others thanks to a recent reissue – and this sweet batch of rare cuts really augments that rare musical moment, by offering up a further set of completely cosmic grooves! The style is spacey jazz funk with some deeper elements in the mix – all recorded and arranged with an indie vibe that reminds us a lot of the classic Oneness Of Juju albums on Black Fire, but without as much vocals – just a strong focus on the sweet keyboard lines and soaring horn passages. Some tracks are brand new, others are different versions of themes from the Brighter Days album – and titles include "Delta Six/Brighter Days", "Isis Voyage", "Odwalla", "Things Can Not Stop Forever (Al Kent version)", "High Jazz (reprise – alt mix)", "Things Cannot Stop Forever (inst mix)", and "Funky Fried Tofu (alt inst version)". CD

Excellent album recorded by vibist Walt Dickerson during the mid 60's. Ostensibly a "soundtrack session", Dickerson freely improvises on themes from the movie A Patch Of Blue, and turns the score into a great platform for moody jazz playing on vibes and piano. Even more surprising is the fact that Sun Ra is the pianist in the quartet, making a rare non-Arkestra appearance – and on a major label, too! Titles include "Bacon & Eggs", "Alone In The Park", "Selina's Fantasy", and "Thataway". CD

One of Ellington's greatest albums of the 60s – and a record tinged with Eastern themes and darkly angular modern arrangements. The group here features Ellington stalwarts Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, and Rufus Jones – and the players work together tightly to craft the suite of tracks based on Ellington's impressions of recent travels through the Mid and Far East during the 60s. Titles include "Tourist Point Of View", "Isfahan", "Depk", "Mount Harissa", "Amad", "Agra", and "Blue Pepper". CD

A really unique little album that features jazz versions of themes from Swedish folk music – all served up by a sublime quartet that features Art Farmer on flugelhorn and Jim Hall on guitar! The exploration of folk roots in jazz is not a new one – and a number of the postwar Swedish modernists were especially strong in their love of folk music for inspiration. But the genre's never been handled this well before, and Farmer's warmly lyrical sensibilities really transform the tunes – opening up a timeless sense of expression in their melodies, yet still keeping things strongly in a modern jazz vein with his timing and phrasing. The other members of the piano-less quartet certainly help in this respect – Steve Swallow on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – and Jim Hall's guitar is always a treat in a stripped-down session like this. The sound of the record is both warm and eerie at the same time – and titles include "Va Da Du?", "De Salde Sina Hemman", "Kristallen Den Fina", and "Visa Vid Midsommartid". CD

A portrait of Duke, done by Dizzy – and one that's got a whole different feel than you might think! Gillespie's working here with arrangements by a young Clare Fischer – who takes Ellington's themes and recasts them with an even deeper sense of color and tone – one that pushes the already-modern themes of the numbers into a whole new realm of sound, and uses the horn passages to carve things out a lot differently than Duke might have done! The result is a wonderfully striking session – one with familiar melodies that unfold in a whole new way – and which showcases some great phrasing from Dizzy, over rhythms by a combo that features Hank Jones, George Duvivier, and Charlie Persip – playing alongside a group of larger horns. Titles include "Perdido", "Caravan", "Upper Manhattan Medical Group", and "Chelsea Bridge". Essential Jazz release adds 4 bonus tracks recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival. CD

Guitar genius Grant Green is definitely feelin the spirit here – as he mixes his lean 60s style with a host of traditional numbers from the spiritual canon – at a level that provided a whole new sense of soul at the time! There was plenty of music influenced by gospel during the decade – but here, Green makes the link a lot more explicit – taking traditional themes and turning them into jazz instrumentals – with the help of a lean quartet that features Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working with a feel that's a lot more like the Grant Green/Sonny Clark material than some of Grant's more organ or tenor-assisted albums! Garvin Masseaux provides a bit of extra percussion on tambourine – and titles include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD

Guitar genius Grant Green is definitely feelin the spirit here – as he mixes his lean 60s style with a host of traditional numbers from the spiritual canon – at a level that provided a whole new sense of soul at the time! There was plenty of music influenced by gospel during the decade – but here, Green makes the link a lot more explicit – taking traditional themes and turning them into jazz instrumentals – with the help of a lean quartet that features Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working with a feel that's a lot more like the Grant Green/Sonny Clark material than some of Grant's more organ or tenor-assisted albums! Garvin Masseaux provides a bit of extra percussion on tambourine – and titles include "Go Down Moses", "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD

A really unique album in the career of Johnny Griffin – and one of the few entries in the short-lived "jazz meets folk" genre of the 60s! The record features Griffin blowing through versions of older folk numbers – mostly traditional tunes, re-arranged by Johnny here with a swinging vibe that's a bit soul jazz, but also slightly more exotic and lyrical – in keeping with the timeless themes of the compositions. The rest of the group includes Barry Harris on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – a trio who seem well-suited to match the sensitive spirit of some of the tunes! And while you might have reservations about a record like this, don't – because Griffin's tone and phrasing are great, and really keep things away from the gimmicky side of the spectrum! Titles include "The Kerry Dancers", "Green Grow The Rushes", "Black is The Color of My True Love's Hair", "25 1/2 Daze", and "The Londonderry Air" – plus the Griffin original "Oh Now I See". CD

Great solo piano work from Abdullah Ibrahim – and a set that's put together a bit differently than some of his other records of this nature! Often, solo Ibrahim sides are quite long and extended – but this time around, most of the tracks are quite short – some around three minutes, some almost only 60 seconds – making for a really fresh approach to the solo piano genre, and one that almost has Abdullah painting these wonderful little pictures in sound! The brevity of the tunes is no reflection of their depth – as Ibrahim really packs a lot into the small space focusing his ideas wonderfully, and moving through some dark themes that really hold us in rapt attention throughout. Titles include "Jabulani", "Mamma", "Bayana Children Of Africa", "In The Evening", "Ocean & The River", "Blue Bolero", "For Coltrane", "Dust", "Tookah", and "Blues For A Hip King". CD

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more. CD

Some of the most soulful sounds we've ever heard from tenorist James Brandon Lewis a reworking of themes from the music of Mahalia Jackson into jazz – all at a level that keeps all the spirit of the originals, while unlocking the songs as vehicles for freer improvisation! Given the mix of freedom and spirit here, there's almost a vibe that takes us back to the brilliance of Albert Ayler at the start – served up through the intertwining magic of Lewis' tenor, the cornet of Kirk Knuffke, cello of Chris Hoffman, bass of William Parker, and drums of Chad Taylor – all tremendous players, but resonating even more strongly in the presence of this project! James has been getting plenty of attention in recent years, but this could be the album that catapults him into the canon of contemporary jazz – thanks to amazing takes of "Elijah Rock", "Were You There", "Go Down Moses", "Precious Lord", "Deep River", "Wade In The Water", "Swing Low", and "Sparrow". 2CD edition features the full bonus album These Are Soulful Days – recorded by James Brandon Lewis with the Lutoslowski Quartet. CD

A set of incredible records from Charles Mingus – all presented together in one mighty nice package! First up is Mingus Moves – a fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". CD also features bonus tracks – "Big Alice" and "The Call". Changes is key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", "Remember Rockefeller At Attica", "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. On 3 Or 4 Shades Of Blues, Charles Mingus is returning to the soulful gospel-influenced mode he swung big in the early 60s! The record's something of a later predecessor of the classics Blues & Roots for Atlantic and Mingus (x5) for Impulse – and the style is slightly less dramatic, but still quite steeped in soulful explorations that feature plenty of notes from the bluer side of the spectrum! Players include George Coleman and Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and titles include new takes on "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" and "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" – plus"Nobody Knows", "Noddin Ya Head Blues", and "Three Or Four Shades Of Blues". Next is Cumbia & Jazz Fusion – one of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". Me Myself An Eye is complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker on tenors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side two contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". Something Like A Bird is one of the last albums Charles Mingus ever gave us – before departing this planet way way too soon! The set shows the increasing sophistication of Mingus' music in these later years – a mode that almost echoes the path that Duke Ellington would take in his final decade – a move towards some larger-form material that still holds onto all the raw energy of the early days, but finds a way to not only bridge larger musical ideas – but musical generations as well! As part of this, the set's got a wonderful lineup – with Lee Konitz on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, George Coleman on tenor, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include the long title track, "Something Like A Bird", split up over 2 sides of the LP, plus "Farewell Farwell". CD

One of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". CD

A great early 60s set from Modern Jazz Quartet! This one marked the then growing sophistication in the sound of the Modern Jazz Quartet – a concept album based on themes and characters from the Italian tradition of commedia dell'arte. The music is served up in gentle sound poems that have a haunting, timeless sort of feel – very spare and melancholy – with lots of tragic overtones, and hardly the comedic sound you'd expect from the title! Diahann Carroll sings on the track "La Cantatrice" – and other numbers include "Spanish Steps", "Columbine", "Piazza Navona", and "Harlequin". CD