Brad Mehldau on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Jorge Rossy on drums. CD

With Lyle Mays on piano and keys, Steve Rodby on bass, Richard Bona on vocals and percussion, Cuong Vu on trumpet and vocals, and Antonio Sanchez on drums. CD

With Larry Grenadier on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. 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 showcase for the talents of a young Michael Brecker – rich orchestrations by Claus Ogerman, topped by Brecker's sharp-edged, and well-stated lines on tenor! The album predates Brecker's first record as a leader by a number of years, and it shows a serious side to his playing that's quite different than some of his 70s jazz funk with his brother – a deeper, more modern sound that comes off surprisingly well – in full Ogerman orchestrations that are quite moody, and filled with dark colors. Side one features three shorter tunes – "Cityscape", "Habanera" and "Nightwings" – and side two features the three-part suite "In The Presence & Absence Of Each Other". CD

Features Michael Brecker on tenor, Bob Mintzer on tenor and soprano, Peter Erskine on drums, and Don Alias on congas! CD

Features Joshua Redman on saxophones, Aaron Goldberg on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. CD

A real breakout set from the young Joshua Redman – the kind of record that made some mighty big ripples in the jazz world at the time – and which ended up in more record collections than we can count – and for good reason, too! The group's a rock-solid quartet – with Redman on tenor, Brad Mehldau on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Brian Blade on drums – and titles include "Sweet Sorrow", "Chill", "Rejoice", "Faith", "Alone In The Morning", "Mischief", "Dialogue", "The Oneness Of Two (In Three)", "Past In The Present", "Obsession", and "Headin' Home". CD

Features Joshua Redman on tenor, Pat Metheny on guitar, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! CD

Features Joshua Redman on saxophones, Peter Martin on piano, Christopher Thomas on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. CD

Joe Sample on piano and synthesizer, Jay Anderson and Marcus Miller on bass, Lenny Castro and Steve Gadd on drums, and Dean Parks on guitar. CD

One of Sonny Stitt's amazing albums for Roost – a record with a beautifully mature conception of bop soloing, and a totally confident tone throughout! There's an understated brilliance here that's nearly impossible to describe in words – a sense of placement, timing, and phrasing that's really impeccable – and handled with Stitt at a level that shows tremendous growth from his early years on Prestige! The group's a quintet, with Freddie Green on guitar and Hank Jones on piano – and titles include "Afterwards", "Biscuit Mix", "Blues For Bobby", and "The Nearness Of You". Great cover, too – with Stitt backlit against a smokey backdrop, blowing away easily. CD

Mark Turner on tenor saxophone, Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Reid Anderson on bass, and Nasheet Waits on drums. CD

Kirk Whalum on tenor and soprano saxophones and keyboards, Garry Goin on guitar and keyboards, John Stoddart on keyboards, Luis Conte on percussion, and Blair Cunningham on drums. CD

With Kenny Barron, James Carter, Roy Hargrove, Barry Harris, Charles McPherson, and Christian McBride. CD