A classic batch of Bay Area Brazilian grooves – recorded in the sweet breezy electric style of the Fantasy studios, and featuring the vocals of the lovely Flora Purim in the lead! The session's got a great mix of Brazilian and American fusion players – including Airto (of course!), Ron Carter, George Duke, Egberto Gismonti, Alphonso Johnson, Robertinho Silva, Hermeto Pascoal, and Ndugu Leon Chancler. Pascoal's reed work is a very nice treat, especially over the warm keyboards of George Duke. Purim's voice is as wonderful as ever, and the album's got lots of nice numbers, like "Ina's Song", "Andei (I Walked)", "Time's Lie", and "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly". (Brazil, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

The beginning of a whole new chapter of greatness for singer Eddie Jefferson – a record that took his older style of putting words to jazz solos, and updated it nicely for a new generation in the 60s! Eddie's got a rootsy look on the cover, but the sound here is snappingly hip and sophisticated throughout – a cool soul jazz take on vocalese that's right up there with the best solo work by Jon Hendricks, and sung in a similarly raspy style. The group shifts a bit from track to track – between small combo and larger ensemble arranged by Ernie Wilkins – and players include Clark Terry and Joe Newman on trumpets, Johnny Griffin on tenor, James Moody on alto and flute, Junior Mance and Joe Zawinul on piano, and Barry Galbraith on guitar. Titles include some great original lyrics by Jefferson on the tunes "Soft & Furry", "Keep Walkin", "Things Are Getting Better", and "Back In Town" – and equally great vocals on versions of "Letter From Home", "Billie's Bounce", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem by singer Jackie Paris – an underrecorded LA singer from the 50s and 60s, with a sound and style that's somewhere between early Mark Murphy and later Bobby Troup! Paris has less of the vocalese approach of some of his contemporaries – and is also lacking the heavy vocal style of singers like Johnny Hartman or Billy Eckstine – which means that he's got a bright, to the point approach that's rare for singers of his generation. Arrangements on the set are by Bobby Scott – who does a good job of shifting between jazzy and moody to fit the range of the material – and titles include "Jenny", "My Very Good Friend In The Looking Glass", "Nobody Loses All The Time", "Duke's Place", "Thad's Blues", and "Cinderella". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the coolest album ever recorded by the great Babs Gonzales – singer, poet, and a key force on the scene during the early years of bebop! Babs has a style that's unlike anyone else – he does a bit of the vocalese soloing based on jazz instrumentation that you'll hear from Eddie Jefferson or King Pleasure, but he's also got a wit and raw energy that's maybe more in the Slim Gaillard vein – sophistication mixed with down to earth pleasure – served up here on material that's from a time when Babs was mostly recording on 45s and 78s! Gonzales had key friends and supporters on the modern jazz scene of the postwar years – and the lineup here includes tenor from Johnny Griffin and Charlie Rouse, piano from Horace Parlan, and very hip arrangements by Melba Liston. Titles include "Me Spelled ME Me", "Them Jive New Yorkers", "A Nite In Tunisia", "Movin' & Groovin'", "You've Changed", "Babs Mood For Love". and "Cool Cookin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest albums by Frank Rosolino – and a surprisingly great vocal set as well! The tunes are short, but Frank manages to both sing and turn in his usual trombone solo work here – and while the latter is great, we especially love the former! Frank's vocals have a raspy, playful quality that's a bit like Jack Sheldon's singing – and as with some of the later Sheldon albums, this one's a great illustration of the under-recorded side of some of the talents of players on the LA scene – their "entertainer" personas that were often used when working the bandstand in a live environment. And if you're suspicious about the vocals, don't be – because Frank is really great here, and manages to transform the tunes heavily – taking old standards and playfully inflecting them with new life and a rough edge – a bit similar to work by Bob Dorough or Johnny Watson (for his Chess session) on similar material. The rest of the group is a quartet that features Charles Berghofer on bass, Victor Feldman on piano, and Irv Cottler on drums – and titles include "It Had To Be You", "I Cover The Waterfront", "Whatcha Gonna Do On Monday", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "It Had To Be You", and "Please Don't Bug Me". (Jazz, Vocalists) CD