Seminal sounds from the LA scene of the late 40s – one of the most important records to showcase the tenor talents of the legendary Wardell Gray – a key player on the harder side of the west coast for its formative bop years – and one whose career was cut short all too soon! The material here really shows that strong LA tradition of fervent jam session work – recorded here with Gray alongside additional tenor from Vido Musso – plus guitar from Barney Kessel and Irving Ashby, trumpet from Ernie Royal and Howard McGhee, trombone from Vic Dickenson, piano from Arnold Ross and Erroll Garner, and bass from Red Callender and Harry Babison. Tracks are nice and long – with plenty of room for Gray to show of his solo talents – and titles include "Tenderly", "Blue Lou", "Just You Just Me", and "One O'Clock Jump". CD

One of the only albums ever cut by tenorist Bob Hardaway – a young west coast player who really cooks on this obscure record for Bethlehem! Hardaway's tenor has a bit more bite than some other Bethlehem horns of the time – and the vibe is almost east coast at time – with a stronger attack on the solos, and a sense of soul that comes through even more strongly on the ballads. The lineup is great, too – with Marty Paich on piano, bringing a nice punch to the tunes – plus vibes from Larry Bunker on side one, ringing out with a really wonderful tone. Bunker shifts to drums on side two – and the record features bass from either Max Bennett or Joe Mondragon, and additional drums from Art Madigan. Titles include "Jr", "Lou's Blue", "Indiana", "I Cover The Waterfront", and "Out Of Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic split album of bop piano from both coasts – kind of a double-header in jazz, and one that really packs a punch! Hamp Hawes represents the west coast – and unlike his cool jazz contemporaries, he's grooving hard in a quartet that includes Larry Bunker on vibes, Larry Marable on drums, and Clarence Jones on bass. Hawes' playing on the record is some of his best of the 50s – and titles include "Terrible T", "Move", "Fanfare", "Hamp's Paws", and "Buzzy". The east coast side of the set is laid down by Freddie Redd – grooving hard in a rare early set, with a trio that includes John Ore on bass and Ron Jefferson on drums. Redd's titles include "Reddy Freddie", "Lady J Blues", and "Debut". CD

A classic split album of bop piano from both coasts – kind of a double-header in jazz, and one that really packs a punch! Hamp Hawes represents the west coast – and unlike his cool jazz contemporaries, he's grooving hard in a quartet that includes Larry Bunker on vibes, Larry Marable on drums, and Clarence Jones on bass. Hawes' playing on the record is some of his best of the 50s – and titles include "Terrible T", "Move", "Fanfare", "Hamp's Paws", and "Buzzy". The east coast side of the set is laid down by Freddie Redd – grooving hard in a rare early set, with a trio that includes John Ore on bass and Ron Jefferson on drums. Redd's titles include "Reddy Freddie", "Lady J Blues", and "Debut". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure set of solo tunes from modernist Andrew Hill – originally recorded for the Japanese East West label in 1975, and a very different side of Andrew's music than his Blue Note work of the 60s – but one that's equally great!. Hill's playing a grand piano – with a complex approach to chords that's really compelling – this sense of flow and majesty that we really love, as Andrew tries out some sharp edges at points – but still retains some of that soulfulness he rediscovered as the 70s approached. There's a darkness to the material that we didn't always hear in Hill's other sides – and the intimacy of the recording shows that his talents are still extremely rich at this point in his career. Titles include "Naked Spirit", "Rambling", "Vision", "Clayton Gone", and "Insanity Riff". CD

A live performance from pianist Keith Jarrett, recorded at Suntory Hall in Tokyo – but one that's a bit different than some of the solo sets that came earlier in his career, as it's got both a different sound and different style overall! The tracks here aren't side-long improvisations, and instead are shorter tunes that offer up a compressed version of the freewheeling Jarrett style on the piano – still with a sense of openness that really sets Keith apart from the rest, but maybe with more pronounced melodies – although many of those are as dark as you might guess from the title! Tracks include "Fire Dance", "Ritual Prayer", "Hymn", "Americana", "Parallels", and "Entrance". CD

One of the most unusual albums we've ever heard from Japanese bassist Hideto Kanai – maybe the only one to feature his King's Roar group, a magnificent spiritual avant ensemble who work through two side-long tracks with plenty of amazing moments! There seems to be a nice blend of structure and improvisation going on here – as Kanai's bass is well up in the mix, and at the helm of a fantastic lineup that includes Hideo Miyata on tenor, soprano sax, and flute; Kenji Mori on bass clarinet, alto, and flute; Teruyuki Fukushima on trumpet, Yasukazu Amemiya on percussion, and Shoji Nakayama on percussion and drums – moving in ways that almost feel like some American west coast group from the LA underground, really finding their own individual spirits on the two long tracks – "Ode To Birds" and "One For Charlie". CD

A simple but elegant set from the west coast scene of the 50s – one that features the trio of "poll winners" Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – all coming together in tight formation for the set! There's a well-crafted mood to the record that's way more than just "stars in the studio jamming" – and tunes are focused nicely, and often dominated by Kessel's solo work, which is clearly the strongest draw to the record. Titles include the original "Minor Mood", plus west coast readings of jazz standards like "Green Dolphin Street", "Jordu", "Mean To Me", and "You Go To My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the cookinest albums we've ever heard from pianist Lou Levy – an obscure early 60s trio session that shows a whole new side of his sound! Lou's playing with likely suspects Max Bennett on bass and Stan Levy on drums – but unlike some of his west coast sides of the late 50s, this album's got a broader, freer approach – one that brings in more hues and colors than we're used to hearing in Lou's piano, and which has a kind of sparkle that we really love. Timings for the tunes are all a bit unconventional, making things more interesting even on the familiar tunes – and titles include "Davana", "My Old Flame", "Won't You Please Let Me In", "The Piccolino", and "The Hymn". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer live set from Ramsey Lewis and his classic early 60s trio – a record that's not nearly as well known as The In Crowd, but every bit as great! Drummer Red Holt and bassist Eldee Young really get in some great elements here – working with Ramsey's piano in a groove that's far more than the standard trio mode of the time – and much more in a triangulated exchange of energy that's filled with life and joy throughout! Side one begins with a 12 minute "West Side Story Medley" – one that starts slow, but really builds with excitement as the tune rolls on – and other tunes include a version of "My Babe", with some funky cello work by Eldee Young; a soul-stepping take on "Something You Got"; Ramsey's original "The Caves"; and versions of "People", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "The Shelter Of Your Arms". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s west coast bop side, from a few players who had faded a bit from their prime, but are still playing with a lot of energy and freshness. The treat for us is Frank Strozier on alto and flute, joined by Conte Condoli on trumpet up front, while Monty Budwig and Mike Wofford round out the rhythm section. 8 tracks in all, including "Perk Up", "I Married An Angel", "Seer", "Bleep" and "Bird Of Paradise". CD

A mid 70s west coast bop side, from a few players who had faded a bit from their prime, but are still playing with a lot of energy and freshness. The treat for us is Frank Strozier on alto and flute, joined by Conte Condoli on trumpet up front, while Monty Budwig and Mike Wofford round out the rhythm section. 8 tracks in all, including "Perk Up", "I Married An Angel", "Seer", "Bleep" and "Bird Of Paradise". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty darn great record – the first full length LP cut by Shelly, issued by Contemporary in the mid 50s, and pulling together side from sessions in 1953, some of which were issued previously, others of which appear for the first time here. The tracks are short and playful – very much in the "west coast sound" noted in the title, with Shelly playing the kit in a creative and lyrical way, joined by horn work by players that include Joe Maini, Bill Holman, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Enevoldsen, Art Pepper, and Bob Cooper. Titles include "Gazelle", "Sweets", "Mallets", "Fugue", "Grasshopper", and "Afrodesia". CD

A pretty darn great record – the first full length LP cut by Shelly, issued by Contemporary in the mid 50s, and pulling together side from sessions in 1953, some of which were issued previously, others of which appear for the first time here. The tracks are short and playful – very much in the "west coast sound" noted in the title, with Shelly playing the kit in a creative and lyrical way, joined by horn work by players that include Joe Maini, Bill Holman, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Enevoldsen, Art Pepper, and Bob Cooper. Titles include "Gazelle", "Sweets", "Mallets", "Fugue", "Grasshopper", and "Afrodesia". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice album from the 70s that brings together some of the beautiful jazz sides that Charlie Mariano cut while he was living in Japan with his (then) wife, pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi. The record's split up into two sets of tracks – one is a series of compositions from West Side Story that feature Mariano's icy alto playing in beautiful light, free lines. The other set's comprised up of 2 longer, later tracks – "Haru-No-Umi" and "Stone Garden Of Ryoan Temple" – both of which show Charlie in a haunting experimental period, and playing a number of different reed instruments, in addition to his usual alto. If you're a bit fan of Mariano (and we're huge fans of his), the record is an essential collection of some great rare stuff by him. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the only albums we've ever seen from Japanese guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo – and an unusual record that features very small, spare groupings – either solo, or with some slight accompaniment from a set of musicians that includes Bob Mover on alto, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and David Lee on drums! The approach is almost like Jim Hall at his mellow best – although Masuo's got a different style on the instrument, but one that's open and expressive, even when laidback – so that there's plenty of color and life throughout, even at the gentler moments. The pairing of Mover's alto with guitar is especially nice – and titles include "Swing 42", "Reminiscence", "West Side Highway", and "Washington Square Blues". CD

Unreleased live work from Les McCann – recorded at a time when the soulful giant was really breaking it up in clubs around the country, and just about to unleash a whole new righteous side of his talents! The tracks here resonate strongly with some of the earlier Pacific Jazz live work that Les was cutting earlier in the decade – but also show a new evolution that's partly the confidence he had as one of the key soulful musicians on the west coast, but also a shift in his style past some of the more standard soul jazz modes that others were taking from his bag – leaving McCann to keep on growing in new directions of his own. All tracks here are trio titles – recorded in Seattle or at the Village Vanguard – and players include Stanley Gilbert and Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Frank Severino and Paul Humphrey on drums. Titles include "The Grabber", "Could Be", "I Can Dig It", "Doin That Thing", "Sunny", "The Shampoo", "Blues 5", "Out In The Outhouse", "Lavande", "Da Da", "Yours Is My Heart Alone", and "Wait For It". LP, Vinyl record album

Unreleased live work from Les McCann – recorded at a time when the soulful giant was really breaking it up in clubs around the country, and just about to unleash a whole new righteous side of his talents! The tracks here resonate strongly with some of the earlier Pacific Jazz live work that Les was cutting earlier in the decade – but also show a new evolution that's partly the confidence he had as one of the key soulful musicians on the west coast, but also a shift in his style past some of the more standard soul jazz modes that others were taking from his bag – leaving McCann to keep on growing in new directions of his own. All tracks here are trio titles – recorded in Seattle or at the Village Vanguard – and players include Stanley Gilbert and Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Frank Severino and Paul Humphrey on drums. Titles include "The Grabber", "Could Be", "I Can Dig It", "Doin That Thing", "Sunny", "The Shampoo", "Blues 5", "Out In The Outhouse", "Lavande", "Da Da", "Yours Is My Heart Alone", and "Wait For It". CD

One of the most soulful sets that Jun Miyake ever recorded – a set that's still very strongly on the jazz side of his musical spectrum, but which also has some strong city pop elements in the production at times! Jun serves up lead flugelhorn solos, in a manner that's inspired by American soulful fusion players of the 70s – mostly with small combo backing that features keyboards from Soichi Noriki and Hiroki Inui, and tenor from Yasuki Shimizu – key players amidst an array that shifts a bit from track to track. Some cuts have acoustic rhythms, others are more electric – and one track features backing vocals from the female trio Eve! Titles include "A Thoughtful Touch", "34 West 10th Street", "I Knew I Was", "You Would Smile So", "Scorpio", and "Could It Be Real". (Japanese, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album that defined the fresh sound of a whole new generation in jazz – that "third stream" movement that was different from the cool jazz of the west coast, and the fire of New York! The style here follows that same mix of jazz and higher-concept elements you'd hear on other Modern Jazz Quartet albums for Atlantic – but the music is expanded here with some great help from outside parties too. The Jimmy Giuffre trio join the quartet on most of side one – adding in Jimmy's snakey clarinet and Jim Hall's fluid guitar lines for a really fresh take on the MJQ groove. The remainder of the album brings in the Beaux Arts String Quartet – who shade in the mix of vibes and piano with these dark strains that are really beautiful – and bring even more drama than usual to the music. Titles include "Da Capo", "Fine", "Exposure", "Sketch", and "Conversation". CD

A seminal album that defined the fresh sound of a whole new generation in jazz – that "third stream" movement that was different from the cool jazz of the west coast, and the fire of New York! The style here follows that same mix of jazz and higher-concept elements you'd hear on other Modern Jazz Quartet albums for Atlantic – but the music is expanded here with some great help from outside parties too. The Jimmy Giuffre trio join the quartet on most of side one – adding in Jimmy's snakey clarinet and Jim Hall's fluid guitar lines for a really fresh take on the MJQ groove. The remainder of the album brings in the Beaux Arts String Quartet – who shade in the mix of vibes and piano with these dark strains that are really beautiful – and bring even more drama than usual to the music. Titles include "Da Capo", "Fine", "Exposure", "Sketch", and "Conversation". LP, Vinyl record album

Three albums in one package! First up is TTT – a great later date from tenor genius JR Monterose – a set that's deceptively simple at the outset, but which has JR playing with all of those wonderfully sharp lines and well-chosen phrases of earlier years! Monterose is a real unsung talent on his instrument – a player who never went too far out on most recordings, but managed to pack an incredible amount of ideas into each solo – a bit like Sonny Rollins at his most inventive, but with a raspier tone that's got to be heard to be fully appreciated. This set features Monterose continuing his genius in a live setting – working in a Danish club in 1988 with a quartet that includes Hod O'Brien on piano, Guffy Pallesen on bass, and Jesper Elen on drums. The titles are all familiar ones, but the solos are the sort of thing that make you fully appreciate jazz at its best – the kind of phrasing, timing, and tone that true giants like Monterose bring to their best work. Tracks include "All The Things You Are", "What's New", "Central Park West", "Airegin", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". Next is Alive In Amsterdam – some of the rawest work ever from this under-recorded tenor genius – a late 60s Dutch set that's very different than both the famous blue album by JR Monterose, and his later comeback material too! Here, the bulk of the record is just JR on tenor with percussion accompaniment – the drums of Han Bennink on side one, then added percussion from three other players alongside Bennink on side two – while JR switches to a very cool electrified, amplified version of the tenor! His tone and texture are wonderful right from the start – as he and Bennink deliver fantastic duet performances of "I Remember Clifford" and "Sonnymoon For Two" – before joining with the other percussionists on the extended "Reborn" on side two – a very well-titled number, given JR's sound! Last is Body & Soul – an extremely rare set – recorded in 1970 in Holland, and featuring the tenor of JR Monterose in quintet with Jon Eardley on trumpet, Rien De Graaff on piano, Henk Haverhoek on bass, and Pierre Courbois on drums. The set's a key lost chapter in the career of this enigmatic tenor player – as it's got a sound that reaches back to his few hardbop recordings from the 50s, but also shows that Monterose had grown a lot as a soloist in the past decade, inserting a lot more freeness to his style, possibly an influence from 60s modernists like Coltrane or Ayler. The Dutch rhythm of the set works quite well for the nature of the materials – and Courbois' drums are especially compelling, nicely held back here from some of their more over-the-top tendencies, but adding in a lot of complicated fills and rhythmic changes underneath the sax solos. Titles include "Short Bridge", "Old Folks", "For Hank", "Just Blues", and "Body & Soul". CD

A 70s set that brings together some nice sides from Wes and his brothers. Side one is taken from the Montgomery Brothers set, the first session to feature the group with Wes on the west coast – caught in the studio at a time when Buddy and Monk had left The Mastersounds, and recorded here with a sound that's quite similar to that group – but with a bit of a harder edge, thanks to the guitar. Side two continues in the same vein, capturing the group on a live set in Vancouver, grooving in a similar style that's a bit like some of Wes' early small group albums from the same time. The final two sides are pulled from the Groove Yard LP, another lively set that has a lot more swing than usual, and which grooves nicely on just about every cut. The drummers on the sides are Lawrence Marable, Paul Humphries and Bobby Thomas, all fitting nicely into the pocket with the Montgomerys. 15 tracks in all, including "Jeanine", "Green Dolphin Street", "Beaux Arts", "Snowfall", "Lover Man", "June In January", "Monterey Blues", "Delirium", "Back To Back", "Doujie", "Just For Now", and "Groove Yard" LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully romping work from Phineas Newborn – and a great showcase for the harder side of his sound on the piano, something that didn't always show up on his RCA albums of the 50s! The style here has plenty of bluesy overtones – not in a cliched soul jazz way, but in an earthy mode that's natural and spontaneous – thanks, possibly, to some excellent rhythm accompaniment from the team of Sam Jones and Louis Hayes, who work with Phineas on side two of the record. Side one features Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Milt Turner – and titles include the originals "Theme For Basie" and "New Blues" – plus versions of "This Here", "Way Out West", "Four", and Bud Powell's "Celia". CD

Pretty incredible work from Lennie Niehaus – one of his seminal albums for Contemporary – nearly all of which were as poorly titled as this one, but equally worth checking out! This side has Lennie grooving on alto – blowing in a tighter, harder style than most west coasters – more in the realm of Herb Geller or Art Pepper than some of his other contemporaries on the instrument – really shining in a larger group that includes Bill Holman, Jimmy Giuffre, Stu Williamson, and Pete Jolly. Arrangements are beautiful, and there's a lot more soul on the set than you might first expect! Titles include "They Say It's Wonderful", "Rick's Tricks", "Yes Yes Honey", "Rose Room", and "Cooling It". LP, Vinyl record album

Twin alto sax work from the leaders – blowing here together with a really rich sound that almost feels like some of Phil Woods alto-heavy dates from years back, but with a vibe that's more 70s Japanese as well! The pair are both great soloists on their own – and step out in the lead on boppish tracks, but with phrasing that's far beyond just hokey Charlie Parker cliches – given an even more modern sense of expression through the quintet's use of guitarist Kazumi Watanabe, alongside bass and drums. The set features 11 minute takes on both "Lover Man" and "Scrapple From The Apple" – plus the side-long original "Blues For T&O", which runs for 19 minutes! CD

An excellent 70s side from Art Pepper – recorded with a West Coast rhythm section that includes Hampton Hawes, Charlie Haden, and Shelly Manne! The trio all play here with a remarkable intensity, given the date of the session – and although the production's got that later, crisper Contemporary tone, it still lets Art's horn come through beautifully! Pepper's singular voice and beautiful phrasing are still intact, and the quartet cooks nicely on half a dozen numbers, mostly Pepper originals – "Ophelia", "Here's That Rainy Day", "What Laurie Likes", "Mr Yohe, "Lost Life", and "Samba Mom-Mom". CD features 1 bonus track! CD

An excellent 70s side from Art Pepper – recorded with a West Coast rhythm section that includes Hampton Hawes, Charlie Haden, and Shelly Manne! The trio all play here with a remarkable intensity, given the date of the session – and although the production's got that later, crisper Contemporary tone, it still lets Art's horn come through beautifully! Pepper's singular voice and beautiful phrasing are still intact, and the quartet cooks nicely on half a dozen numbers, mostly Pepper originals – "Ophelia", "Here's That Rainy Day", "What Laurie Likes", "Mr Yohe, "Lost Life", and "Samba Mom-Mom". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent 70s side from Art Pepper – recorded with a West Coast rhythm section that includes Hampton Hawes, Charlie Haden, and Shelly Manne! The trio all play here with a remarkable intensity, given the date of the session – and although the production's got that later, crisper Contemporary tone, it still lets Art's horn come through beautifully! Pepper's singular voice and beautiful phrasing are still intact, and the quartet cooks nicely on half a dozen numbers, mostly Pepper originals – "Ophelia", "Here's That Rainy Day", "What Laurie Likes", "Mr Yohe, "Lost Life", and "Samba Mom-Mom". CD features 1 bonus track! CD

An interesting LP, where Bethlehem pulled together two previous 10" sessions led by bassists for one LP! Pettiford's Basically Duike is a beautiful set – ostensibly a session of Ellington material, but one that features some great arrangements that really blow past the obvious! The group's an octet, with Pettiford leading trumpeters Clark Terry & Joe Wilder, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, and alto saxophonist Dave Schildkraut – with Earl Knight on piano, taking Ellington's place in the arrangements. Titles include 2 Pettiford originals – "Tamalpais" and "Swing Until The Girls Come Home" – plus a Terry number called "Chuckles", and the tracks "Mood Indigo" and "Jack The Bear". The second side is an obscure side from Red Mitchell, a tight little sextet session featuring a group of LA players that includes Zoot Sims, Bob Brookmeyer, Claude Williamson, Stan Levey and Conte Candoli. The set cooks nicely, a snapping west coast bop side that's hard to come by in any format. Titles include "Happy Minor", "Bluesology", "Kelly Green" and "Scrapple From The Apple". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost chapter in the career of trombonist Phil Ranelin – a player who's best known to most of us for his classic 70s recordings on the Tribe label, and for his recent work and remix projects! This set is a quite different side of Phil than we've ever heard – and a great one too, as it captures Ranelin in a straighter jazz setting – working in a west coast soul jazz mode, one that features longer tracks grooving out with a sweetly swinging style, and some great solo work as well. The overall vibe is less righteous overall than Ranelin's Tribe work, but the sound is no less soulful – as a great group that includes Eric Reed and Steve Turre help Ranelin work nicely through a set of tracks that includes the originals "Forever Yours", "A Close Encounter", "Full Moon", and "You Know What I Mean" – plus versions of Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower" and Joe Henderson's "Recorda-Me". CD

Very unusual work from trumpeter Shorty Rogers – recorded in 1962 for the Navy Swings radio show, and done in a way that captures a different side than usual of Rogers' playing! As the title implies, a number of tunes feature vocalist Jeri Southern joining in the group – singing in a style that's nicely more jazzy than some of her other work, really surprising us with her ability to deliver a heartfelt ballad. But even more than the vocals on the CD, we love the instrumental numbers – as Rogers is playing here with 2 different groups that feature an assortment of unusually-matched LA players – including Harold Land on tenor, Gary Peacock on bass, Larry Bunker on drums, and either Mike Wofford or Amos Trice on piano. Rogers himself plays both trumpet and flugelhorn – and although the tracks are relatively short, there's some well-crafted interplay between the members of the group. The set features 13 tracks, 3 of which are vocal – "Down With Love", "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year", and "I Hadn't Anyone Till You". Instrumental numbers include "Time Was", "Popo", "Morning Fun", "Martians Go Home", "Casa De Luz", and "Paul's Pal". CD

Trad revival material – but like most of Pee Wee's sides from the time, a lot hipper than you might expect, with traces of modernism that show why Russell was getting the ears of a lot of the jazz elite at the time, and why these mid 60s recordings are well worth seeking out. The group includes youthful talents Steve Kuhn on piano and Charlie Haden on bass – further illustrating the modernist component – and titles include "Blue Monk", "2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West", "Body & Soul", and "Graduation Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Very nice stripped-down set by Tony Scott – one of the most overlooked reed players of the 50s, and an artist who ventured into much more hippy-dippy oriented material during the 60s. The set supposedly features "both sides" of Scott's work – but it's really only a simple batch of clarinet tracks, performed in the company of 2 different quartets: one with Mundell Lowe, Teddy Kotick, and Shadow Wilson; the other with Dick Garcia, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson. The guitar/clarinet sound works very nicely throughout – and titles include "East Coast, West Side", "Counterpoint Pleasant", "Star Dust", and "Cry Me A River". CD

A very nice stripped-down set by Tony Scott – one of the most overlooked reed players of the 50s, and an artist who ventured into much more hippy-dippy oriented material during the 60s. The set supposedly features "both sides" of Scott's work – but it's really only a simple batch of clarinet tracks, performed in the company of 2 different quartets: one with Mundell Lowe, Teddy Kotick, and Shadow Wilson; the other with Dick Garcia, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson. The guitar/clarinet sound works very nicely throughout –a nd titles include "East Coast, West Side", "Counterpoint Pleasant", "Star Dust", and "Cry Me A River". LP, Vinyl record album

Great Bud Shank album, in which he's paired with two different groups on the two different sides of the record. Shorty Rogers holds the lead with him on one side, and Bill Perkins is on the other. Shorty's playing is good, but Perkins is fantastic here. Him and Shank's playing is the stuff that dreams of West Coast jazz are made of. Cool reed work, in a mellow mellow vein. Includes almost a full album's worth of bonus material! CD

A sublime little set all the way through – an early 60s date from the west coast scene – and one that was almost as important to that side of the country as the Verve bossa records were to New York! Bud Shank's in the lead on alto sax – no flute at all this time around – blowing sharp and soulfully, in a way that's even more deft than most of his other albums! But the equal star here is the young Clare Fischer – who plays piano in the group, and also contributed a host of original tunes to the set – fresh numbers that are way different than the usual "bossa-ized" standards, or American remakes of Brazilian classics. Ralph Pena is a key member of the group on bass – and Larry Bunker plays some vibes as well. Titles include "Joao", "Pensativa", "Samba Guapo", "Samba Da Borboleta", and "Que Mais?". CD

A sublime little set all the way through – an early 60s date from the west coast scene – and one that was almost as important to that side of the country as the Verve bossa records were to New York! Bud Shank's in the lead on alto sax – no flute at all this time around – blowing sharp and soulfully, in a way that's even more deft than most of his other albums! But the equal star here is the young Clare Fischer – who plays piano in the group, and also contributed a host of original tunes to the set – fresh numbers that are way different than the usual "bossa-ized" standards, or American remakes of Brazilian classics. Ralph Pena is a key member of the group on bass – and Larry Bunker plays some vibes as well. Titles include "Joao", "Pensativa", "Samba Guapo", "Samba Da Borboleta", and "Que Mais?". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime little set all the way through – an early 60s date from the west coast scene – and one that was almost as important to that side of the country as the Verve bossa records were to New York! Bud Shank's in the lead on alto sax – no flute at all this time around – blowing sharp and soulfully, in a way that's even more deft than most of his other albums! But the equal star here is the young Clare Fischer – who plays piano in the group, and also contributed a host of original tunes to the set – fresh numbers that are way different than the usual "bossa-ized" standards, or American remakes of Brazilian classics. Ralph Pena is a key member of the group on bass – and Larry Bunker plays some vibes as well. Titles include "Joao", "Pensativa", "Samba Guapo", "Samba Da Borboleta", and "Que Mais?". CD

An excellent set that combines the work of two lost horn players from the 50s! The first 8 tracks feature titles from an earlier 10" recording by Eddie Shu – an icy genius on the alto and tenor, working here in quartet format with Bobby Scott, Vinnie Burke, and Roy Haynes. Shu's got an angular tone that's a bit like that of Lee Konitz, but which is slightly less acrobatic, and perhaps a bit warmer – and he's a hell of a player, as you'll hear on the tracks "Tom Dick & Jim", "It's Sand Man", "Justice", "On East Side", and "Peace". Side two features one of the only albums ever cut by tenorist Bob Hardaway – a young west coast player who really cooks on this obscure record for Bethlehem! Hardaway's tenor has a bit more bite than some other Bethlehem horns of the time – and the vibe is almost east coast at time – with a stronger attack on the solos, and a sense of soul that comes through even more strongly on the ballads. The lineup is great, too – with Marty Paich on piano, bringing a nice punch to the tunes – plus vibes from Larry Bunker on side one, ringing out with a really wonderful tone. Bunker shifts to drums on side two – and the record features bass from either Max Bennett or Joe Mondragon, and additional drums from Art Madigan. Titles include "Jr", "Lou's Blue", "Indiana", "I Cover The Waterfront", and "Out Of Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Jimmy Smith's biggest albums of the 60s – and a classic Verve pairing of his lean Hammond organ solos with the fuller, hard-swinging arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is working here at the height of his powers – backing Smith with a large group, but in a way that only seems to free him up to solo even more – pushing the tunes with an undeniable power from the all-star band, as Jimmy takes off on flights of soulful fancy over the top! Side two features some more stripped-down solo work – in the manner of Jimmy's later Blue Note sides – and the set includes the hit single "Walk On The Wild Side", plus the tracks "Bashin", "Step Right Up", and "Beggar For The Blues". CD

One of the best records ever from reedman John Stubblefield – a set that balances his spiritual roots with a more wide-reaching sense of soul! The tunes here are some of the best that Stubblefield ever penned – proud, righteous numbers that have this great sense of energy – offered up not just in the leader's own work on tenor and soprano sax, but also in the keyboards of Geri Allen, bass of Charnett Moffett, drums of Victor Lewis, and percussion of Mino Cinelu. Things are electric, but never at a level that's crossover fusion at all – and the whole album rings out with that new sense of pride that came to jazz like this as the previous spiritual generation found more acceptance in the 80s. Cinelu sings a bit on the record, and titles include "Bushman Song", "Serenade To The Mother Land", "Some Things Never Change", "East Side West Side", and "Mwe Malad O". CD

One of the best records ever from reedman John Stubblefield – a set that balances his spiritual roots with a more wide-reaching sense of soul! The tunes here are some of the best that Stubblefield ever penned – proud, righteous numbers that have this great sense of energy – offered up not just in the leader's own work on tenor and soprano sax, but also in the keyboards of Geri Allen, bass of Charnett Moffett, drums of Victor Lewis, and percussion of Mino Cinelu. Things are electric, but never at a level that's crossover fusion at all – and the whole album rings out with that new sense of pride that came to jazz like this as the previous spiritual generation found more acceptance in the 80s. Cinelu sings a bit on the record, and titles include "Bushman Song", "Serenade To The Mother Land", "Some Things Never Change", "East Side West Side", and "Mwe Malad O". LP, Vinyl record album

No standards here, as the tracks are all originals – written by reedman Ralph Thomas and the rest of his group – to create the sort of unique little record that really keeps us digging for rare jazz over the years! Thomas grew up in Chicago, where he soaked up the soulful sounds of both the west side and the AACM – but the set was recorded after he'd moved to Los Angeles, at the suggestion of some of his contemporaries – where he was able to bring together some equally inventive players, while also working as part of the same hip scene that included Horace Tapscott and Nate Morgan! Some of the rhythms here recall some of Morgan's music on the Nimbus label, but there's maybe a bit more of a soul current too – with Thomas on alto, tenor, soprano, and flute – amidst guitar, keyboards, drums, flute, and some especially nice percussion – all to craft rhythms that move between spiritual, modal, and more conventionally soulful styles – a vibe that's maybe a bit like some of the 70s Detroit work on the Strata label. Titles include "Spellbound", "Cafe Phillipp", "Big Spliff", "Venice", "EST", "Deloreso", and "Muscavado". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best early work by Prez – all recorded in small combo sessions for Aladdin Records during the years 1947 through 1948. The album's one of the few chances you can get to hear Prez blowing clear and free from the time, in that amazing tone which inspired generations of players, which works perfectly in groupings with players that include Roy Haynes, Fred Lacey, Shorty McConnell, Curley Russell, and Tiny Kahn. Titles include "Sunday", "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", "No Eyes Blues", "OnThe Sunny Side Of The Street", "Jumpin' At The Woodside", "One O'Clock Jump", "Easy Does It", "Confessin'", "Sax O Be Bop", "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon", "Sheik Of Araby", "Something To Remember You By" and "Just Cooling". LP, Vinyl record album

A great compilation – despite the title – one that features west coast recordings made by Savoy, showing the less "cool jazz" side of the LA scene in the late 40s and early 50s! There's some excellent material on here not available elsewhere – especially some great bop groovers in the Central Ave kind of mode. The album's got 4 tracks by Slim Gaillard – "The Jam Man", "Slim's Riff", "I'm Confessin'" and "Oxydol Highball" plus "Blow Blow Blow" by the Wardell Gray All-Stars, 3 takes each of "Blues A La Russ" and "Wake Up Old Maid" by Russell Jacquet, 'What Is This Thing Called Love" by Wild Bill Moore and Gene Montgomery, "Strollin'", "Sonor", "Blues Mood", "Skoot" and "I've Lost Your Love" by a KennY Clarke Sextet that features Milty Jackson and Gerald Wiggins and 4 numbers from Helen Humes. LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones. (Funky Compilations, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Tomorrow may be the question, but the record screams "today!" – and even this many years after its recording, this early set by Ornette Coleman has an energy and presence that cannot be denied! The sound here is kind of a rougher take on the mode that would gel more strongly on Ornette's Atlantic albums – but even so, it's still incredibly fresh, and well worth seeking out – especially as an example of the sharper edges that were bursting forth from the once-cool west coast scene! Coleman's on alto sax and Don Cherry is on trumpet – but they're not joined by their more familiar associates, and are instead working with a more conventional rhythm team that includes either Percy Heath or Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – all clearly trying to make a bit of sense of Ornette's approach here, but in a way that also creates a great sense of tension on the record! Tracks are shortish, with great solos by Ornette and Cherry – and titles include "Tomorrow Is The Question", "Endless", "Rejoicing", "Lorraine", "Turnaround", "Tears Inside", and "Giggin". LP, Vinyl record album

Tomorrow may be the question, but the record screams "today!" – and even this many years after its recording, this early set by Ornette Coleman has an energy and presence that cannot be denied! The sound here is kind of a rougher take on the mode that would gel more strongly on Ornette's Atlantic albums – but even so, it's still incredibly fresh, and well worth seeking out – especially as an example of the sharper edges that were bursting forth from the once-cool west coast scene! Coleman's on alto sax and Don Cherry is on trumpet – but they're not joined by their more familiar associates, and are instead working with a more conventional rhythm team that includes either Percy Heath or Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – all clearly trying to make a bit of sense of Ornette's approach here, but in a way that also creates a great sense of tension on the record! Tracks are shortish, with great solos by Ornette and Cherry – and titles include "Tomorrow Is The Question", "Endless", "Rejoicing", "Lorraine", "Turnaround", "Tears Inside", and "Giggin". CD

Fantastic work from the Atlantic Records years of John Coltrane – a time when he was really finding his sound, and branching out strongly from his early Prestige Recordings! Before these sides, Trane was a hardbop player who was starting to do something new – but at Atlantic, he really developed his overall conception, sense of phrasing, and songwriting skills – really pushing forward to the Impulse years – on titles that include "Syeeda's Flute Song", "Aisha", "Countdown", "Mr. Knight", "My Shining Hour", Blues To Bechet", "The Invisible", "My Favorite Things", "Giant Steps", "Central Park West", "Like Sonny", and "Body & Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from a lost chapter of Coltrane's career! Sure, you may know his early work with Miles Davis, or his groundbreaking later recordings on Atlantic and Impulse – but in the late 50s, 'Trane recorded some fantastic sides with trumpeter Wilbur Harden for Savoy Records, and the material is unlike anything he ever did for other labels. (We should state that for some incredibly odd reason, the CD lists the work as being recorded for Mainstream Records – but the titles are the same as those in the Harden/Coltrane sides for Savoy.) In a way, the Harden tunes are similar to Yusef Lateef's work for Savoy – hardbop at the core, but with touches of exoticism and spiritualism that brings out whole new modes of playing from the musicians. Most tracks are long and modal, a perfect platform for Coltrane's new ideas of soloing that were beginning to take shape at the time. Harden's a much different horn player than Miles Davis ever was – with a fiercer approach to rhythm that kind of drives Coltrane along in a more souful groove than ever before. The 2CD set features 19 tracks from the Savoy Sessions – lovingly packaged in a way that really helps you navigate the confusing structure of the LP releases. Titles include "Gold Coast", "Dial Africa", "BJ", "Once In A While", "Tanganyika Strut", "West 42nd Street", and "Rhodamagnetics" – and the CD includes alternate versions of some tracks. CD