Although the Muse label had a reputation for doing mostly straight ahead sessions, they did manage to come up with some great avant ones, thanks mainly to the production work of Michael Cuscuna. Here, percussionist Barry Altschul is joined by his old Circle bandmate Dave Holland, and free-thinking out players Sam Rivers, Muhal Richard Abrams, and George Lewis. The melding of AACM and Circle-esque traditions of out playing is a good one, and the set has a number of different tones and voices. Titles include "King Korn", "Hey Toots", "Cmbeh", and "Natal Chart". CD

With Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone, Kenny Kirkland and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Dave Holland and Buster Williams on bass and Daniel Humair on drums. CD

Way more than just an album with Gene Ammons as a leader – and instead, a set that truly earns the "all stars" listed on the cover – thanks to a great array of supporting players, and a very loose, open-ended jam session style that lets everyone get in plenty of solo space! Ammons' tenor is tremendous, but he's also a great collaborator here, too – working with Idrees Suliman on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone, Mal Waldron on piano, Art Taylor on drums, Doug Watkins on bass, and Ray Barretto on conga – in a mode that's maybe slightly tighter than some of the blowing sessions Prestige was doing at the time, but which still has that key longform creative energy that made the hardbop generation so great. Titles include "Blue Gene", "Scamperin", "Blue Greens n Beans", and "Hip Tip" – and all tracks are long, with plenty of focus on solos! CD

A crucial European performance by Albert Ayler in the mid 60s – one that wasn't issued until many years after the recording, but which has become one of the sharpest pictures of his genius at the time! The vibe here is different than the Ayler albums for ESP – still very much in the same territory, but with this approach that's really reaching out with a deeply spiritual consciousness – an energy to embrace the whole history of jazz, both very old and very new – and re-form its entire ideology into a richly personal expression. Ayler's tremendous on tenor, but Don Ayler is often equally great on trumpet – and the unusual group features Michel Samson on violin, William Fowell on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums. Titles include really unique readings of "Bells", "Prophet", "Our Prayer/Spirits Rejoice", "Ghosts", "Truth Is Marching In", and "Spiritual Rebirth/Light In Darkness/Infinite Spirit". CD

A key album from a fantastic point in the career of trumpeter Chet Baker – his later years, a time when most of the world was ignoring Baker's talents, but Chet was still in a hugely creative mode, and turning out some of his freshest sounds in decades! There's a wonderful quality to the whole record – and vibist David Friedman is a key part of the sound, as he really matches the air inclinations of Chet, as the pair are backed by Buster Williams on bass and Joe Chambers on drums and percussion – a fantastic duo who only make things sound even better. 4 of the album's 6 tracks are Friedman originals – including "For Now", "Shadows", "Syzygies", and "Lament For Thelonious". CD

Chet Baker and Rolf Ericson on trumpet, Bud Shank on alto and baritone saxophone, Bob Cooper and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor saxophone, Claude Williamson and Russ Freeman on piano, Howard Rumsey on bass, and Max Roach and Shelly Manne on drums. CD

With Al Grey, Bill Hughes, Groer Mitchell, Melvin Wanxo, and John Watson Sr on trombones; Paul Cohen, George "Sonny" Cohn, George Minger, and Waymon Reed on trumpets; Bobby "Jersey Bounce" Plater, Eric Dixon, Curtis Peagler, JC Williams, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis on saxophones; Freddie Green on guitar, Norman "Dewey" Keenan on bass, and Harold Jones on drums. CD

The Beatles at their late best – 1968's self-titled set, now immortalized as The White Album! The White Album capped offed a period of intense creativity for the band with a double that's as freewheeling as anything they'd ever release. It's got raw rockers with wry lyricism, tender acoustic balladry, psych blues jams and some flat out weird bits. As was always the case, John's and Paul's songs cover the majority of the sides, but The White Album also features what's arguably George's most vital moment as a Beatle with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Other tracks include "Back InThe USSR", "Dear Prudence","Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "Martha My Dear", "Rocky Raccoon", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "Julia", "Yer Blues", "Sexy Sadie", "Helter Skelter", "Revolution 1", Good Night" and more. CD

George Benson on guitar with Ben Williams on bass, Harvey Mason on drums, David Garfield on keyboards and David Garfield and Joe Sample on piano. CD

A great group set with Bobby Watson on alto, Bill Pierce on tenor, and James Williams on piano! Tracks are long – and titles include "Gypsy Folk Tales", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "Webb City", and "Skylark". CD

Art Blakey at the Keystone Korner – really rattling the rafters with a great lineup that includes Bobby Watson on alto sax, David Schnitter on tenor, and Valery Ponomarev on trumpet! Although the Shorter/Morgan lineup is always hailed as one of Blakey's best, we're also pretty partial to this great late 70s stretch of The Jazz Messengers – as it shows some wonderful early flowering of Watson's alto, and his songwriting abilities; Ponomarev's well-blown trumpet lines; and Schnitter's crisp, sharp lines on tenor – always carved out with a great depth of feeling. Add to the mix some great piano from James Williams, and bass from Dennis Irwin, and you've got a great lineup next to Blakey's drums – all working together in a rough-edged, hard soul space on tracks that include "Pamela", "Unlimited", "Dark Side Light Side", "Blues For Two", and "In This Korner". CD also features the bonus track "1977 AD". CD

Features Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Donald Harrison on alto, Jean Toussaint on tenor, Tim Williams on trombone, Lonnie Plaxico on bass, and Mulgrew Miller on piano! CD

Great work as a leader from Don Braden – a set that was one of his last before moving onto bigger-label fame, and one that's very firmly rooted in the soul jazz underground! Don's got a really classic sound on his tenor – blowing with focus, poise, and a hell of a lot of soul – at times taking us back to older Houston Person records from a few decades before, but also burning with more fire too – especially on the numbers that leap strongly forward with some great rhythms from Kevin Hays on piano, Joris Teepe on bass, and Cecil Brooks III on drums. Brooks produced the set, keeping all edges sharp – and titles include "The Break", "Hillside", "A Blue Spree", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Landing Zone", "Nightline", and "Amsterdam Jam". CD

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An incredible collection of work from Bob Brookmeyer – tracing the development of his sound in the 50s through a variety of different settings! The package begins with material from an original 10" LP session in 1954 – featuring Brookmeyer on trombone with backing by the John Williams trio. The set then expands to feature tracks recorded by Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, and Jimmy Giuffre as material that was originally issued on the album Traditionalism Revisited, but which also features tracks from that session that came out on other more obscure sources, including a Playboy jazz album and a Brookmeyer LP on Crown. The set then follows with a beautiful guitar/trombone session that features Jim Hall, Jimy Raney, and Brookmeyer – originally issued as The Street Swingers. Next up is material from a bluesy 1958 set, recorded with vocalist Big Miller, as well as Paul Quinichette, Al Cohn, and Jim Hall – for the album Kansas City Revisited. The set's completed by material from the beautiful UA album Stretching Out – which featured Zoot Sims, Harry Edison, and Al Cohn – and the whole thing's packaged with a great booklet that gives notes on the material. 37 tracks in all – in a limited, numbered set! CD

Seminal west coast recordings by Clifford Brown – recorded in LA in 1954, with a mixture of hard bop and lyricism, in that sparkling mode that Brownie left as his indelible imprint on the west coast scene of the 50s! Players include Bob Gordon on baritone, Stu Williamson on trombone, Zoot Sims on tenor, and Russ Freeman on piano – and Jack Montrose arranged the set. Titles include "Tiny Capers", "Bones For Jones", "Joy Spring", "Finders Keepers", and "Daahoud". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from James Brown – even if it wasn't issued during his classic run of funk records in the early 70s! Yet the material here is all from that time – recorded by Polydor when James and the JBs were completely kicking ass in the studio – turning out these monstrous longform funk jams that often gave up too much material to fit on all of his albums – which makes this package an overdue dip into the vaults to rescue some of those treasures! The package first saw the light of day in 1988 – at a time when the genius of James was being rediscovered by younger hip hoppers and DJs – and the set is a love letter to all that James had to offer that scene – with gems that include the lost soul classic "She's The One", a duet with Bobby Byrd called "Since You Been Gone", a live version of "There It Is", an untitled instrumental and another instrumental one called "Funk Bomb" – plus a huge long 9 minute version of the great "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" from Slaughter's Big Ripoff, and the cuts "Say It Loud & Live", and "Baby Here I Come". Plus, this expanded version also features a 7 minute version of "I Got Ants In My Pants", the track "You've Changed", and a 12 minute alternate mix of "Bodyheat". CD

We're not normally great fans of the Ray Brown Trio, but this album's a corker – thanks to some great tenor work by Ralph Moore! Moore's a the height of his powers here – blowing with an easy soulfulness that recalls the classic late 50s work of Hank Mobley. His presence on the set really opens things up – and althoguh Brown's trio is more than fine, and Gene Harris' piano is always a treat, it's really Moore's tenor work that makes this album a gem. Titles are mostly standards, but done with imagination – and titles include "The Champ", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Like Someone In Love", "Quasimoto", "Ralph's Boogie", and "SOS". CD

Matt McBane on violin, Mike Cassedy on piano and organ, Andrea Lee on cello, Ben Campbell on bass, and Adam Gold on drums. CD

The legendary Kenny Burrell played often at the Village Vanguard over the years – and this sweet set from later years has the guitarist really stretching out in the familiar setting – hitting some surprisingly deep, strong lines throughout – all with effortless ease! The record's a great reminder that Burrell kept on growing over the decades, and never seemed to lose his power as both a leader and a soloist – something we've been reminded of in his many records after this early 90s set – and the younger combo here really seems to bring out a fresh fire in Kenny, with work from James Williams on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums. Titles include the originals "Then Along Came You", "Good News Blues", and "Maya's Dance" – plus "Fungi Mama", "Lament", and "Black & Tan Fantasy". CD

One of the greatest Donald Byrd albums ever – a smoking live performance spread out over two different records – all with some of the tightest, most grooving work that Byrd ever recorded in his early years on Blue Note! Part of the strength of the set is the group – as Don's trumpet is alongside the brilliant baritone of Pepper Adams – who plays with the deftness of a tenor, but with a richer, fuller sound – and the group also includes the great Duke Pearson on piano, who has this way of comping out tunes that are soulful, but richly lyrical too. The group's completed by Lex Humphries on drums and Laymon Jackson on bass. The whole thing's great – and this 2CD set features both volumes of the albums, plus a lot of extra material that wasn't on the vinyl versions! Titles include "My Girl Shirl", "Jeannine", "Pure D Funk", "Kimyas", "When Sunny Gets Blue", "Mr Lucky", "Chant", and "Child's Play". CD

One of the best of Donald Byrd's early Blue Note albums – a sparkling set of hardbop tunes with a really souful edge! The album's one of a few that feature Byrd working with baritonist Pepper Adams – a frequent partner on his best recording dates of the late 50s, of which this set is one of the best. The rest of the group includes a rhythm section of Walter Davis, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor – all grooving nice and hard – plus tenor work by the great Charlie Rouse, whose raspy tone really gives the set a tremendous amount of depth. Tracks are a good blend of originals by Byrd and Davis, swinging with the lyrical beauty of a Horace Silver set of tracks – and titles include "Devil Whip", "Bronze Dance", "Clarion Calls", and "The Injuns". CD

Donald Byrd in a sweet electric mode – as you'd guess from the title! The set was recorded right before Byrd's legendary run with Larry Mizell in the early 70s – and the electric approach is a bit different here – a style that blends Byrd's wonderful trumpet lines with the larger ensemble mode Blue Note sometimes used in the late 60s, but with a spacey, stretched-out feel that's mighty nice! The album's somewhat similar to Byrd's Kofi set – but possibly a bit more open overall – and players here include Duke Pearson on electric piano, Jerry Dodgion on alto and sopranos ax, Frank Foster on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Hermeto Pascoal on flute, Wally Richardson on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Airto on percussion. Pearson produced, and probably arranged too – given a slight Brazilian undercurrent to the grooves – and titles include "Estavanico", "Essence", "The Dude", and "Xibaba". CD

Will Calhoun on drums, drum programming, flute, keyboards and bass, Orrin Evans on piano, Buster Williams and John Benitez on bass, Antoine Roney on soprano saxophone, Pharoah Sanders on tenor saxophone, and Wallace Roney on trumpet. CD

Michael Carvin's one of those players who always makes us sit up and take notice – not just for his own dynamic work on drums, but also for the way that he manages to lead a group with such soulful fire! This album's a great example of that skill, as Carvin brings together a mix of players who really open up beautifully together – driven by his own direction with the same free-thinking, soul-searching energy that Art Blakey used to bring to the Jazz Messengers in years back. But Carvin's rhythms are hardly Jazz Messengers stuff – given that the tunes here step out in a nice range of modes, and really show a nice evolution of soulbop standards over the years. The group features Antoine Roney on tenor, Claudio Roditi on trumpet, Carlton Holmes on piano, and David Williams on bass – and Houston Person plays guest tenor on one track, and also co-produced the album with Carvin. Titles include "Waltz For Gina", "Nails", "Recife's Blues", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "One By One", and "I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You". CD

The music of Michael Carvin is always a revelation – a joyous, soulful outpouring of feeling that never fails to move us – and which always makes us wonder why more folks don't treasure gems like this that he made as a leader! Carvin's drum work is filled with energy from the get-go – but never in a too-showy, too-unbridled sort of way – just perfectly-balanced, perfectly-timed sense of rhythm that really seems to inspire the key players he's gathered around him. For this date, the lineup is especially nice – Claudio Roditi and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpets, Sonny Fortune on alto sax and flute, Cyrus Chestnut on piano, and David Williams on bass. John Hicks sits on on piano on one track – and the album's got some of the free-soaring spirituality that you'll find in Sonny Fortune's best work as a leader. Titles include "Morning", "Revelation", "Effi", "Thabo", "Avotcja", and "We Three Kings". CD

Some of the best work ever recorded by bassist Paul Chambers – one of the greatest bass players in jazz! This excellent 3CD box set features the bulk of albums that Paul Chambers recorded for Blue Note as a leader, plus an earlier gem recorded for the Imperial label, and another session for the Transition label. Together, the records give an incredible picture of Chambers' work – showing why most jazz players of the 50s regarded him as one of the most important forces on his instrument, and why Chambers had some unique talents that made him one of the few bassists to regularly record albums as a leader. Players on the albums include John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Clifford Jordan, Pepper Adams, and Curtis Fuller – and the albums include Chamber's Music, Whims Of Chambers, Paul Chambers Quintet, Bass On Top, and Transition Session. 32 tracks in all! CD

Much later than classic vintage for Chic, but still pretty darn great – and a record that was relatively overlooked at the time! The style here steps off strongly from the Chic sound of the early 80s – and the team of Edwards and Rodgers still definitely have their funky sense of rhythm intact – using drum programs, basslines, and riffing guitar bits to set most of these tracks up with a tightly snapping groove! The vocals are a bit more contemporary – presented in the way that some pop dance work of the time was using, but not nearly as cloying. Titles include "Chicism", "Your Love", "Jusagroove", "Something You Can Feel", "Doin That Thing To Me", "MMFTCF", and "High". CD

Conducted by William Russo, Paul Mertens and Tyrone Tatum on alto saxophone, Billy Rogers on baritone saxophone, Eddie Johnson and Pat Mallinger on tenor saxophone, Chuck Parrish, Mark Olen, Orbert Davis, Scott Hall, and Terry Connell on trumpet, Audrey Morrison, Edwin Williams, Loren Binford, and Tracy Kirk on trombone, Fritz Hocking on bass trombone, Larry Combs on clarinet, Charley Harrison on guitar, Brandon McCune on piano, James Cammack on bass, Bobby Everson on timpani, and Dana Hall and Frank Donaldson on drums, with Bobbi Wilsyn, Carol Loverde, and Cynthia Felker on vocals. CD

Def Jux's funky party band Chin Chin returns – spacey, 70s inspired club funk and synthy grooves galore! The core Chin Chin trio of keys, strings, drums, percussion & vocals but they really flesh these jams out in the studio – going all in with loads of horns and additional percussion, guitars and more. Unpretentious and groovy fun all around. Titles include "The Flashing", "Stay", "Moments", "It's OK", "Peteredactyl", "Go There With You", "That's Where I'll Be", "The Fancing", "GG And The Boys" and "Hotter Than Hot". CD

With Art Porter on alto sax, Roscoe Mitchell on flute, Soprano and alto sax, Odies Williams on bass, and Ernie Adams on drums. CD

James Clay on tenor sax, Cedar Walton on piano, David Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. CD

We'll be honest with you – we love this stuff! Sure, Ornette made some great recordings for a number of other labels – but as a whole, his Atlantic stuff is some of the greatest modern jazz ever recorded, and no other period of an artist is more worth collecting and having in a complete format than this one! The package is unbelievably thorough – and includes not only all the tracks from classic albums like Change Of The Century, This Is Our Music, Free Jazz, Shape Of Jazz To Come, Ornette!, Ornette On Tenor, The Art Of The Improvisors and Twins – but also 6 previously unreleased tracks, and rare material like Ornette's Japanese-only LP To Whom Who Keeps A Record plus 2 selections from Gunther Schuller's Jazz Abstractions featuring Ornette! There's 6CDs in all – packaged in a great case with a well annotated booklet. Titles include "Proof Readers", "Revolving Doors", "Joy Of A Toy", "Cross Breeding", "Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk", "Eos", "Focus On Sanity", "Una Muy Bonita", "Lomely Woman", "Little Symphony", "The Circle With The Hole In The Middle", "Beauty Is A Rare Thing", "Folk Tale", "The Face Of The Bass", "Brings Goodness", "Rise & Shine", and lots and lots more! CD

Set of material from the mid 80's – one featuring Ornette reunited with his classic quartet of Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Billy Higgins; the other with his Prime Time group that included Bern Nix, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and Denardo Coleman. The whole set's a "30 Years Of Harmelodic Music" tribute, and includes the tracks "Space Church", "In All Languages", "Latin Genetics", "Peace Warriors", "Music News", and "Feet Music". Some tracks are done by both bands, and are a good illustration of how Ornette's style had grown in the 30 year period. CD

Common newcomers who buy Electric Circus for the single with Mary J Blige are going to be left with some head scratching – but if you like the spiritual/psychedelic Com that was hinted at on Like Water For Chocolate, this may be the follow up you were waiting for! This is still hip hop – with production by the Neptunes, Jay Dee, ?uestlove and others, but it's definitely a boundary stretcher. The mood runs from Roots style soul bumpers to Hendrix and Eugene McDaniels style feedback heavy freakouts. There's a guest on nearly every track, mostly from the Okayplayer camp and NuSoul titans, including Bilal, Omar, Pharrell Williams, Cee-Lo, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab and others. We won't lie to you, we miss the Chicago hip hop Common that kicked insight over raw and soulful productions, but you can't fault the guy for being an artist, and he really has crafted something original here. A great cover – a kind of rainbow drenched cut and paste photo collage of the contributors and inspirations with Com out front, sort of reminding us of Tribe's Midnight Maurauders, and even Sgt. Pepper. Tracks include "Ferris Wheel", "Soul Power", "The Hustle", the first single "Come Close", "New Wave", "Star *69", "Jimi Was A Rock Star" and more. CD

The title's a bit of a silly joke, but the album's a really great one – a five-pianist effort that features Donald Brown, Harold Mabern, Mulgrew Miller, James Williams, and Geoff Keezer on the keys – all stepping off from some great rhythm from Christian McBride on bass and Tony Reedus on drums! The pianos are often used together wonderfully – so that one handles rhythm and another the melody – and the interplay is really great, and never too gimmicky – a sound that's almost just a deepening of the already-great DIW trio mode of the time, given new shades and inflections by the style of the recording! Titles include "Theme For My Father", "Valerie", "Hibiscus", "Will Power", "One's Own Room", "Up There", and "PNJ". CD

A great one from this all-star group – an incredibly righteous combo that's given Billy Harper one of his best chances to play in years! As with the previous album by The Cookers, the Harper influence really runs strong – not just in the use of some of his great tracks in the performance, but also in the way the tunes build and work together – that bold, powerful energy that Billy first unleashed on the world in the 70s – driven to new heights here by a lineup that also includes Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Craig Handy on alto sax, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! But key thanks should also go to trumpeter David Weiss – also in the group, and producer for the record – a great talent for getting these guys to work together so well. Titles include tunes by McBee, Cables, and Hart as well – with tracks that include "Ebony Moonbeams", "Believe For It Is True", "Free For All", "Quest", "But He Knows", "Tight Squeeze", and "Naaj". CD

Warmly wonderful work from guitarist Larry Coryell – an album that's got a simple, straightforward feel – and a rock-solid rhythm section in the form of Stanley Cowell on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums! Despite the far-reaching resumes of all the players, things are pretty straight here – but always handled with a style that's informed by the deeper prospects of the musicians – especially Cowell, who throws in a few offbeat moments to keep the album on edge at some of its best points. Titles include "Toku Do", "Just Friends", "Sophisticated Lady", "Round Midnight", and "Moment's Notice". CD

Danny Turner and Manny Boyd on alto saxophone and flute, John Williams on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, Bill Hughes on bass trombone, Charlton Johnson on guitar, George Caldwell on piano, Doug Miller and Kenny Hing on tenor saxophone and flute, Clarence Banks, Robert Trowers, and Mel Wanzo on trombone, Bob Ojeda, Derrick Gardner, Melton Mustafa, and Mike Williams on trumpet, Cleveland Eaton on bass, and David Gibson on drums. CD

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Don't pass this one up! Although lots of other albums by Eddie Lockjaw Davis are laidback quartet and quintet sessions, done in a soul jazz organ/tenor mode – this session features Eddie working with stunning bigger band backings, in a searingly soulful sound that's simply incredible! The leadoff track, "Trane Whistle", has Lockjaw really working new waves of sound into his tenor sax – screaming the horn in a way that you thought you'd never hear, and playing with tones that are a lot darker than usual! The set moves on from there in a nice batch of material that includes "Whole Nelson" and "Stolen Moments", two fantastic originals by Oliver Nelson, who also arranged the album – and takes a great deal of responsibility for the strength of the set. The record shows a whole new side of Davis' talents – one that was barely if ever recorded like this again – and which is made even better by the presence of freshly modern players that include Eric Dolphy, Richard Williams, Melba Liston, and Roy Haynes. Great stuff! CD

With Ron Carter on bass, Tony Williams on drums, Herbie Hancock on piano & Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone. CD

One of the most formative periods of Miles Davis' career, with lots of new ideas taking shape – including Fender Rhodes from Herbie Hancock, guitar from George Benson and Joe Beck, and plenty of great tenor from Wayne Shorter, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Tony Williams! Includes material that appeared on the albums Miles Smiles, ESP, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, Water Babies, Miles In The Sky, and Filles De Kilimanjaro – as well as unreleased tracks, alternates, and material that showed up on Directions and Circle In The Round. CD

One of those key cases where Miles Davis took a familiar song and made it his own! The set's a live one, and features a famous 15 minute version of "My Funny Valentine" – played by Davis in a spacious, open sort of way – and one that has key hints of the modernism to come in his music, yet still rings out with some of his more easygoing late 50s appeal. The group here features George Coleman on tenor alongside the rhythm section of Herbie Hancock piano, Ron Carter bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all three of whom help Davis edge into darker territory, even when things are ostensibly sweet! Apart from the version of "My Funny Valentine", other titles include "All Blues", "All Of You", "I Thought About You", and "Stella By Starlight". Four & More is breakneck live work from Miles Davis – and proof that his famous 60s quintet wasn't only just about mellow and spacious sounds! The set was recorded at the same concert as the album My Funny Valentine – and while that one's mostly ballads, this one's mostly high tempo numbers that skip along with incredible ease – crackling with modern touches on the rhythm from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and featuring some really excellent work by George Coleman on tenor sax! Titles include "Four", "So What", "Joshua", and "Seven Steps To Heaven". CD

An expanded take on the album that gave the world the start of the electric Miles Davis generation – with a lineup that includes Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, and Chick Corea on keyboards – with John McLaughtlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, Tony Williams and Jack Dejohnette on drums, and Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax. Loads of long tracks, non-album material, and alternates. CD

This stunning live set has been hailed by many as one of the finest moments of Miles' mid 60s career – music played with a frenetic energy that even blows away the famous studio sessions of the time! The group here is a landmark lineup – young modernists Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, and Tony Williams on drums – all reaching out to really increase their craft, and work through new ideas alongside Miles' trumpet. 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 dark blend of acoustic and electric modes from Miles Davis – a set that still has him working with elements of the classic 60s quintet, but which also brings in a stronger emphasis on electric piano too! The rhythms here are really fantastic – ready to burst forth into a whole new direction, yet still not hitting the Bitches Brew level of freedom – and drummer Tony Williams may well be the real star of the set for his tremendous work on the kit – even though, as stated, the album's got some heavy electric piano contributions both from Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea! All titles feature Miles on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums – and the titles with Herbie feature Ron Carter on bass, while the rest with Chick Corea feature Dave Holland. Titles include "Frelon Brun", "Tout De Suite", "Petits Machins", "Mademoiselle Mabry", and "Filles De Kilimanjaro". CD

Breakneck live work from Miles Davis – and proof that his famous 60s quintet wasn't only just about mellow and spacious sounds! The set was recorded at the same concert as the album My Funny Valentine – and while that one's mostly ballads, this one's mostly high tempo numbers that skip along with incredible ease – crackling with modern touches on the rhythm from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and featuring some really excellent work by George Coleman on tenor sax! Titles include "Four", "So What", "Joshua", and "Seven Steps To Heaven". CD

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! CD

Previously-unreleased live work by one of Miles Davis' most important groups ever – a Bitches Brew-era lineup, playing live at the Fillmore East a month before the record was released to the public – which makes this performance one of the first times the world had ever heard jams like this! The group's heavy on rhythm here – a rumbling groove brought up from the bottom, courtesy of the drums of Jack Dejohnette, basses of Dave Holland, and percussion of Airto – sewn together beautifully by the Fender Rhodes work of Chick Corea – easily some of the noisiest sounds the instrument ever produced! Miles plays trumpet, and Wayne Shorter's on soprano and tenor sax – on titles that include "Directions", "Spanish Key", "Masqualero", "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Bitches Brew", and "It's About That Time/Willie Nelson". CD

Not just Miles Davis live at Newport – but Miles at Newport over the course of 20 years, in the space of eight different live performances – almost all of which are previously unreleased! Apart from the 1958 and 1969 Newport material here, most of the 4CD set features all-new, all-great vintage Miles material – with Newport performances from 1955, 1958, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, and 1975 – the last three of which are Newport festivals in Europe and New York. And these aren't just random tracks, but full sets, too – even with some announcements at the start or end – and players include Gerry Mulligan and Zoot Sims for the 1955 concert; John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, and Bill Evans in 1958; Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams for 1966 and 1967; Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, and Chick Corea in 1969; a big electric group with Keith Jarrett, Gary Bartz, Michel Henderson, and Mtume in 1971; and Pete Cosey, Davie Liebman, Reggie Lucas, and Mtume for the 1973 and 1975 shows. A huge amount of material – 4 CDs in a great package, with detailed notes, too! CD

A wonderful live set from the Seven Steps-era Miles group – with rhythm by Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and tunes that are all in that transformative mode that really showed Miles hitting a new voice at the time! Tenorist George Coleman's playing with the group on the set – proving again that he's got a depth that few people ever seem to give him credit for – and that it wasn't just Wayne Shorter who made the 60s Davis quintet so great. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "All Of You", "Walkin", and "Joshua". CD

A wonderful live set from the Seven Steps-era Miles group – with rhythm by Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and tunes that are all in that transformative mode that really showed Miles hitting a new voice at the time! Tenorist George Coleman's playing with the group on the set – proving again that he's got a depth that few people ever seem to give him credit for – and that it wasn't just Wayne Shorter who made the 60s Davis quintet so great. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "All Of You", "Walkin", and "Joshua". CD features the bonus track "I Thought About You" – and new liner notes by Harvey Pekar! CD

Amazing live documents of Miles Davis and his incredible mid-to-late 60s quintet – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – complete concert recordings from Antwerp, Copenhagen and Paris on 3CDs seeing release for the first time ever, plus a DVD featuring the only known video footage of this group from the period! CD 1 features material from 10/28/68 in Antwerp, CD 2 on 11/2/67 in Copenhagen and 11/6/67 in Paris, with the latter concert continued on CD 3. This is landmark stuff here – a surprisingly rare opportunity to hear first rate live recordings of legendary material from the ESP, Miles Smiles, Sorcerer and Nefertiti albums – as well as brilliant revisits of vital earlier material. Includes live takes on "Agitation", "Foot Prints", "No Blues", "Gingerbread Boy", "On Green Dolphin Street", "The Theme", "Footprints", "Masqualero", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Walkin'" and more. The DVD starts with five numbers recorded on 11/7/67 in Karlzruhe, Germany: "Agitation", "Footprints", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". It concludes with material in Stockholm on 10/31/67: "Agitation", "Footprints", "'Round Midnight", "Gingerbread Boy" and "The Theme". CD

A really great bit of live work from Miles Davis – and the first-ever recorded appearance of the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – even though the album was never issued in the US at the time! The set follows very strongly in the mode of the group's work at the Plugged Nickel – with a pace that's faster than usual, and bristling with freely exploratory energy. Titles include "Milestones", "So What", "Walkin", and a nicely stepped-up version of "Autumn Leaves". Shorter's solos are worth the price of the record alone, but Williams' work on the kit never ceases to amaze! CD features a bonus track – "Stella By Starlight"! CD

Miles Davis makes the electric transition – in this groundbreaking set from the late 60s! The classic mid 60s quintet is still in place here – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – but the sound is looser, freer, and more spacious – often echoing some of the rhythmic concerns that would dominate Miles' music in a few more years, but without as much of a bombastic sound. Williams' drums are amazing – fierce one minute, then fading the next – and Herbie Hancock's use of both electric and acoustic piano really points at his own directions in coming years. George Benson plays one one track – "Paraphernalia" – introducing electric guitar to the Miles Davis sound – and other long tracks on the set include "Stuff", "Black Comedy", and "Country Son". CD

Miles Davis makes the electric transition – in this groundbreaking set from the late 60s! The classic mid 60s quintet is still in place here – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – but the sound is looser, freer, and more spacious – often echoing some of the rhythmic concerns that would dominate Miles' music in a few more years, but without as much of a bombastic sound. Williams' drums are amazing – fierce one minute, then fading the next – and Herbie Hancock's use of both electric and acoustic piano really points at his own directions in coming years. George Benson plays one one track – "Paraphernalia" – introducing electric guitar to the Miles Davis sound – and other long tracks on the set include "Stuff", "Black Comedy", and "Country Son". CD features 2 bonus alternate takes of "Black Comedy" and "Country Son". CD

Miles Davis makes the electric transition – in this groundbreaking set from the late 60s! The classic mid 60s quintet is still in place here – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – but the sound is looser, freer, and more spacious – often echoing some of the rhythmic concerns that would dominate Miles' music in a few more years, but without as much of a bombastic sound. Williams' drums are amazing – fierce one minute, then fading the next – and Herbie Hancock's use of both electric and acoustic piano really points at his own directions in coming years. George Benson plays one one track – "Paraphernalia" – introducing electric guitar to the Miles Davis sound – and other long tracks on the set include "Stuff", "Black Comedy", and "Country Son". CD features 2 bonus alternate takes of "Black Comedy" and "Country Son". CD

Miles Davis' first-ever performance in Japan – a really unique concert that featured the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by a young Sam Rivers on tenor! The presence of Rivers really gives the set an edge – and although Miles is holding Sam a bit more in check than on some of his "new thing" albums from the time, there's an overall quality here that's different than the other Davis quintet albums of the time. The set was one of a number of important Miles Davis live sessions from the period – including albums from Berlin, Antibes, and Chicago – and titles include "If I Were A Bell", "My Funny Valentine", "So What", "Walkin'" and "All Of You". CD

Another bold new direction for the legendary Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that has some of the angular styles of earlier albums, but also a bit more of the flowing grace to come in the electric years! A key illustration of this is the leadoff track "Prince Of Darkness" – which has a fluid sensibility that still never fails to floor us, even all these many decades later! The rest of the tracks are equally great – even when subtle – and by this point, the group of Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams were well earning their acclaim as one of the most groundbreaking groups in jazz. Titles include "Prince Of Darkness", "Masqualero", "The Sorcerer", "Pee Wee", and "Vonetta" – plus the odd inclusion of a vocal version of "Nothing Like You" – recorded 5 years before with singer Bob Dorough and arranger Gil Evans! The tune's an odd cap to this otherwise cohesive set – but we love it plenty too, and it somehow oddly fits! CD reissue features alternate takes of the tracks "Masqualero" and "Limbo"! CD

Another bold new direction for the legendary Miles Davis Quintet of the 60s – a set that has some of the angular styles of earlier albums, but also a bit more of the flowing grace to come in the electric years! A key illustration of this is the leadoff track "Prince Of Darkness" – which has a fluid sensibility that still never fails to floor us, even all these many decades later! The rest of the tracks are equally great – even when subtle – and by this point, the group of Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams were well earning their acclaim as one of the most groundbreaking groups in jazz. Titles include "Prince Of Darkness", "Masqualero", "The Sorcerer", "Pee Wee", and "Vonetta" – plus the odd inclusion of a vocal version of "Nothing Like You" – recorded 5 years before with singer Bob Dorough and arranger Gil Evans! The tune's an odd cap to this otherwise cohesive set – but we love it plenty too, and it somehow oddly fits! CD reissue features alternate takes of the tracks "Masqualero" and "Limbo"! CD

Excellent live work from the start of the 80s – very different than the full-on electric jams of Miles Davis concert performances from the early 70s – and at a level that shows that Miles was really finding a way forward with at great new groove! There's a nice sense of open space on the very long performances here – well-blown solos from Davis, really showing a new sort of form – in a lineup that also features Bill Evans on soprano sax, Mike Stern on guitar, Marcus Miller on bass, and the great Al Foster on drums! Mino Cinelu adds in some nice percussion moments, and Miller's basslines really help give the record a great sense of direction. Titles include "Kix", "My Man's Gone Now", "Jean Pierre", "Fast Track", and "Back Seat Betty". CD

A post-ECM set from drummer Jack DeJohnette – one that's got a bit more electricity in the mix than before, yet which still has that great sense of energy that Jack gave us with his Special Edition group! The lineup here is youthful – Greg Osby on alto and soprano sax, Gary Thomas on tenor and flute, Michael Cain on acoustic and electric piano, and Lonnie Plaxico on acoustic and electric bass – and while the keyboards and bass definitely inform the rhythm at points, Jack's own bold command of the drums still holds the session tight – and moves things forward with a boundless sense of energy that really sets the horns on fire. Titles include "Blue", "Where Or When", "Earth Walk", "On Golden Beams", "Monk's Plumb", "Lydia", and "It's Time To Wake Up & Dream". CD

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

Way more pop than jazz from Deodato – a record that has the keyboardist working with a trio of younger vocalists who alternate lyrics on each track in the set! The approach here takes off from Deodato's strong soul production and arranging work of earlier years, but has a bit more of a crossover sound overall – still echoing strains of his R&B side in the rhythms, yet exposing the real agenda a bit more in the lead vocals of the tunes. Keyboards aren't nearly as important to the sound as the drum programs on the record – and titles include "Everybody Wants To Be My Girl", "Where Can You Run", "When A Lover Says Goodbye", "Forever For You", "Stay With Me", and "Somewhere Out There". CD

One of Eric Clapton's greatest moments – and a set that also features guitars from Duane Allman and organ from Bobby Whitlock! Recorded in Miami at Criteria Studios – and titles include "Layla", "It's Too Late", "Little Wing", "Have You Ever Loved A Woman", "Tell The Truth", "Anyday", "Key To The Highway", and "Bell Bottom Blues". CD1 includes the original album remastered, CD2 features long jams from the sessions, and CD3 features more jams and alternates! CD

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". CD

An unusual session from the heart of Lou Donaldson's return to Blue Note in the late 60s – a mellower date that stands in strong contrast to his funkier albums of the time! As you might guess from the title, there's a lusher feel going on here – one that has Lou's alto sax augmented by larger backings from Duke Pearson – who manages to score things perfectly with a balance of soul and sophistication. The album's hardly a "Donaldson with strings" date – and instead is done in the more mature mode that Duke was using in some of his own sides from the time, and on work with players like Donald Byrd or Stanley Turrentine. Other players here include Wayne Shorter on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Garnett Brown on trombone – plus core rhythms from the trio of McCoy Tyner on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Harewood on drums. Titles include "Sweet Slumber", "The Good Life", "Sweet & Lovely", "Stardust", and "You've Changed" – and the album was recorded in the 60s, it was only first issued in Japan in 1980 – and even then only later in the US! CD

Armen Donelian on piano, Thomas Chapin on alto sax, Calvin Hill on bass, and Jeff Williams on drums. CD

Dave Douglas on trumpet, Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Joshua Roseman on trombone, Greg Tardy on clarinet, bass clarinet and tenor saxophone, Uri Caine on piano, James Genus on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. Tracks are a mix of originals and compositions by Mary Lou Williams. CD

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". CD

Franz Von Klenck on alto sax, Helmut Rheinhardt on alto and baritone sax, Johnny Feigl on baritone sax, Werner Schulze on bass, Bobby Schmidt on drums, Mary Lou Williams and Werner Drexler on piano, Kurt "Bubi" Aderhold and Paul Martin on tenor sax, Helmut Hauck, Otto Bredl and Werner Betz on trombone, Heinz Herrmannsdorfer on lead trombone, Klaus Mitschele, Rolf Schneebiegl and Siegfried Achhammer on trumpet, Gottfried "Hanne" Wilfert on lead trumpet, and Caterina Valente on vocals. CD

Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone, Virgil Jones on trumpet, Richard Wyands on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Chip White on drums. CD

Includes 66 tracks on 3 CDs. Notable sidemen include Wallace Jones and Cootie Williams on trumpet, Rex Stewart on cornet, Tricky Sam Nanton and Lawrence Brown on trombone, Johnny Hodges on alto and soprano sax, Ben Webster on tenor sax, Fred Guy on guitar, Jimmy Blanton on bass, and Sonny Greer on drums. CD

A great entry in the series that includes both tracks issued under Ellington's own name and dates led by regular band members Johnny Hodges, Cootie Williams, and Barney Bigard. CD

A great entry in the series that includes both tracks issued under Ellington's own name and dates led by regular band members Johnny Hodges, Cootie Williams, and Barney Bigard. CD

Notable sidemen include Ben Webster, Jimmy Blanton, Ivie Anderson, Rex Stewart, Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, Cootie Williams, and Tricky Sam. CD

A collection of small group recordings with Duke Ellington's sidemen – tracks recorded by groups led by Rex Stewart on cornet, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Cootie Williams on trumpet, and Johnny Hodges on alto. 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