There were three sets of musicians that played with Monk for these recordings and they include Sonny Rollins on tenor sax, Percy Heath on bass, Art Blakey on drums and Julius Watkins on French horn. The tracks are "The Way You Look Tonight", "I Want To Be Happy", "Work", "Nutty", and "Friday The Thirteenth". LP, Vinyl record album

Some excellent Monk from the mid 50s – recorded between the early Blue Note sides and the later revolutionary ones for Riverside, all featuring Monk in some pretty heavy tenor company! Side one features Monk playing with Frank Foster, Ray Copeland, Curley Russell, and Art Blakey – on tracks that include "We See", "Locomotive", and "Hackensack". Side two features Monk with Sonny Rollins, Julius Watkins, Percy Heath, and Willie Jones – on two takes of "Think Of One", plus "Let's Call This". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare late work from Thelonious Monk – recorded in London, with Al McKibbon on bass and Art Blakey on drums – mostly trio material, but with some piano solos too! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark in jazz – easily one of Thelonious Monk's greatest albums ever, and a magical crossroads of talents that brings together a variety of jazz traditions! The work is performed by an ambitious Monk septet that includes both Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane on tenor – and if you've ever doubted the brilliance of Hawk, this is the record to change your mind. The rest of the group is equally great – with Ray Copeland on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – all coming together with Monk to craft a perfect set of tunes that are virtually the definition of "modern jazz". Titles include "Abide With Me", "Off Minor", "Crepuscule With Nellie", and "Epistrophy". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark in jazz – easily one of Thelonious Monk's greatest albums ever, and a magical crossroads of talents that brings together a variety of jazz traditions! The work is performed by an ambitious Monk septet that includes both Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane on tenor – and if you've ever doubted the brilliance of Hawk, this is the record to change your mind. The rest of the group is equally great – with Ray Copeland on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – all coming together with Monk to craft a perfect set of tunes that are virtually the definition of "modern jazz". Titles include "Abide With Me", "Off Minor", "Crepuscule With Nellie", and "Epistrophy". CD features 2 bonus tracks – alternates of "Off Minor" and "Crepuscule With Nellie". CD

Thelonious Monk on piano – notable sidemen include Joe Gordon on trumpet, Charlie Rouse, Harold Land, and Johnny Griffin on tenor saxophone, Ahmed Abdul-Malik, John Ore, and Sam Jones on bass, and Art Blakey, Art Taylor, Billy Higgins, and Frankie Dunlop on drums. CD

Monk plays solo piano and is joined on some of the tracks by Art Blakey on drums and Al McKibbon on bass. The songs are all originals except for "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and they include "Blue Sphere", "Hackensack", "Criss Cross", "Something In Blue", "Evidence", "Jackie-ing", and "Nutty". The album was recorded in London and produced by Alan Bates. LP, Vinyl record album

A full length set that compiles earlier sessions cut under either the name of Thelonious Monk or Sonny Rollins – most of them together in the same group! At the time of recording, Monk was an established figure on the bop scene, but Rollins was still a fresh voiced up-and-comer – yet they work together beautifully here on an early take of "Friday The Thirteenth" which really benefits from Rollins' voicing on tenor, next to Monk's angular arrangement. The pair also perform "The Way You Look Tonight" and "I Want To Be Happy" with a quartet – twisting the familiar tunes into strongly Monkish territory – and the album's last 2 tracks, "Nutty" and "Work" are performed by Monk with a trio that includes Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. CD

A full length set that compiles earlier sessions cut under either the name of Thelonious Monk or Sonny Rollins – most of them together in the same group! At the time of recording, Monk was an established figure on the bop scene, but Rollins was still a fresh voiced up-and-comer – yet they work together beautifully here on an early take of "Friday The Thirteenth" which really benefits from Rollins' voicing on tenor, next to Monk's angular arrangement. The pair also perform "The Way You Look Tonight" and "I Want To Be Happy" with a quartet – twisting the familiar tunes into strongly Monkish territory – and the album's last 2 tracks, "Nutty" and "Work" are performed by Monk with a trio that includes Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. CD

A full length set that compiles earlier sessions cut under either the name of Thelonious Monk or Sonny Rollins – most of them together in the same group! At the time of recording, Monk was an established figure on the bop scene, but Rollins was still a fresh voiced up-and-comer – yet they work together beautifully here on an early take of "Friday The Thirteenth" which really benefits from Rollins' voicing on tenor, next to Monk's angular arrangement. The pair also perform "The Way You Look Tonight" and "I Want To Be Happy" with a quartet – twisting the familiar tunes into strongly Monkish territory – and the album's last 2 tracks, "Nutty" and "Work" are performed by Monk with a trio that includes Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. CD

A full length set that compiles earlier sessions cut under either the name of Thelonious Monk or Sonny Rollins – most of them together in the same group! At the time of recording, Monk was an established figure on the bop scene, but Rollins was still a fresh voiced up-and-comer – yet they work together beautifully here on an early take of "Friday The Thirteenth" which really benefits from Rollins' voicing on tenor, next to Monk's angular arrangement. The pair also perform "The Way You Look Tonight" and "I Want To Be Happy" with a quartet – twisting the familiar tunes into strongly Monkish territory – and the album's last 2 tracks, "Nutty" and "Work" are performed by Monk with a trio that includes Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. CD

with Pepper Adams, Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Haynes, Billy Higgins, Philly Joe Jones, Sam Jones, Thad Jones, Harold Land, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Charlie Rouse, and others. CD

One of those 70s two-fers that pulls together a nice batch of Prestige recordings, and in this case, largely restores them to chronological order. The tracks here were recorded between 1952 and 1954 and were mostly originally issued as 10" LPs, but eventually found their way to the LPs Thelonious Monk, Monk With Sonny Rollins & Frank Foster and Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins. The better part of the set is trio sides, with Gary Mapp or Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey or Max Roach on drums, and the qui8ntet sides also feature Sonny Rollins, Frank Foster, Julius Watkins and Ray Copeland. 19 tracks in all, including "Little Rootie Tootie", "Sweet & Lovely", "Monk's Dream", "Trinkle Trinkle", "Bemsha Swing", "Reflections", "Let's Call This", "Think Of One", "We See", "Locomotive", "Hackensack", "Work", "Nutty" and "Blue Monk". LP, Vinyl record album

A full length LP that brings together 2 earlier sessions by Thelonious Monk! The main part of the album is a legendary Monk quintet recording, done at a time when Thelonious was mostly pretty trio-heavy in the studio – and a set that features some great tenor by Frank Foster, alongside trumpet by Ray Copeland, bass by Curley Russell, and drums by Art Blakey! Tracks are longish, and although they have some Monkish moments, especially on the ballads, there's also some looser bop-style solo work from the horns. Titles include "Locomotive", "Hackensack", "We See", and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". Added to these tracks are 3 more by another quintet – one that features Sonny Rollins on tenor, Julius Watkins on French Horn, Percy Heath on bass, and Willie Jones on drums. Titles include 2 takes of "Think Of One", plus "Let's Call This". CD

A full length LP that brings together 2 earlier sessions by Thelonious Monk! The main part of the album is a legendary Monk quintet recording, done at a time when Thelonious was mostly pretty trio-heavy in the studio – and a set that features some great tenor by Frank Foster, alongside trumpet by Ray Copeland, bass by Curley Russell, and drums by Art Blakey! Tracks are longish, and although they have some Monkish moments, especially on the ballads, there's also some looser bop-style solo work from the horns. Titles include "Locomotive", "Hackensack", "We See", and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". Added to these tracks are 3 more by another quintet – one that features Sonny Rollins on tenor, Julius Watkins on French Horn, Percy Heath on bass, and Willie Jones on drums. Titles include 2 takes of "Think Of One", plus "Let's Call This". CD

A mid 50s LP that compiles two different Monk sessions from the early 50s – both of which were originally issued as eps. The first set features trio recordings with Art Blakey or Max Roach on drums and Gary Mapp on bass – on versions of "Trinkle Tinkle", "Monk's Dream", "Bye Ya", and "Little Rootie Tootie". The other set features a trio from 1954, with Art Blakey on drums and Percy Heath on bass – on two tracks: "Blue Monk" and "Just A Gigolo". LP, Vinyl record album

Key early trio material from Thelonious Monk – a record that features seminal recordings of important compositions, all done in sharply angular versions that showcase the best modern Monk touch on piano! As with a number of early Prestige LPs, the material here is pulled from 2 different sessions that were originally issued as smaller records – but there's a deeply unified sound to the record, and the raw early Monk sound is undeniably great! The trios here feature either Gary Mapp or Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey or Max Roach on drums – and titles include "Monk's Dream", "Little Rootie Tootie", "Bemsha Swing", "Trinkle Trinkle", "Blue Monk", "Just A Gigolo", and "Bye-Ya". CD

Key early trio material from Thelonious Monk – a record that features seminal recordings of important compositions, all done in sharply angular versions that showcase the best modern Monk touch on piano! As with a number of early Prestige LPs, the material here is pulled from 2 different sessions that were originally issued as smaller records – but there's a deeply unified sound to the record, and the raw early Monk sound is undeniably great! The trios here feature either Gary Mapp or Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey or Max Roach on drums – and titles include "Monk's Dream", "Little Rootie Tootie", "Bemsha Swing", "Trinkle Trinkle", "Blue Monk", "Just A Gigolo", and "Bye-Ya". CD

The session's billed as "very personal treatments of great standards" – and it's a great twist on familiar material, all given the Thelonius touch! There's less of Monk's creative composition and angular group arrangements going on here – and instead, the album's almost a rewriting of 40 years of popular compositions, all taken into the modern world of Monk's piano. The group's a trio, with Oscar Pettiford on bass and Art Blakey on drums – and titles include nicely reworked versions of "Just You Just Me", "Memories Of You", "Liza", "Darn That Dream", and "Tea For Two". CD

The session's billed as "very personal treatments of great standards" – and it's a great twist on familiar material, all given the Thelonius touch! There's less of Monk's creative composition and angular group arrangements going on here – and instead, the album's almost a rewriting of 40 years of popular compositions, all taken into the modern world of Monk's piano. The group's a trio, with Oscar Pettiford on bass and Art Blakey on drums – and titles include nicely reworked versions of "Just You Just Me", "Memories Of You", "Liza", "Darn That Dream", and "Tea For Two". LP, Vinyl record album

A massively expanded package of music – filled with previously unreleased gems! The 2CD set features a landmark collaboration between John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk – two generations of jazz modern, working here to create some really incredible music! The core of this material is from the pair's work issued on the amazing Monk's Music album for Riverside – but the expanded collection also features lots of additional work from the same period too – including some unusual and alternate studio moments too! Other players vary from track to track – and include Gigi Gryce on alto sax, Ray Copeland on trumpet, Coleman Hawkins on additional tenor, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Titles wonderful versions of "Ruby My Dear", "Trinkle Tinkle", "Nutty", "Well You Needn't", "Crepescule With Nellie" and "Monk's Mood" – plus some alternate versions, false starts, and more – all wrapped up with notes and reflections from original producer Orrin Keepnews. CD

Milestone compiled this album of some of the tracks Monk and Coltrane recorded together when their union began in the late 50s. The songs are taken from the albums Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane, Monk's Music, and Thelonious Himself. Some of the musicians who turn up on these recordings are Art Blakey on drums, Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Wilbur Ware on bass and Ray Copeland on trumpet. Tracks include "Nutty", "Trinkle, Tinkle", "Off Minor (both the alternate master and original master recordings)", "Abide With Me", and "Blues For Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late 60s album that brings together earlier bop sides recorded for Blue Note – key material from two of the biggest modernists in the early days of the label! The James Moody tracks are from an early 10" session – recorded in 1948 with Dave Burns on trumpet, Art Blakey on drums, James Forman on piano, and Cecil Payne on baritone – all working under the name James Moody & His Modernists, on tracks that include "Oh Henry", "Tropicana", "The Fuller Bop Man", and "Moodamorphis" – all penned by Gil Fuller. Side two features a 1954 session led by pianist George Wallington with Burns on trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, and Frank Foster on tenor – on titles that include "Festival", "Bumpkins", "Frankie & Johnny", and "Baby Grand". LP, Vinyl record album

5 albums from Lee Morgan – one of the coolest cats to ever handle a trumpet for Blue Note! First up is Delightfulee – really unique album from the great Lee Morgan – a set that features the trumpeter in two different settings, but in a way that really works well together! Most of the album has Lee blowing in a very cool quintet – with Joe Henderson on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a group who maybe bring out a slightly hipper vibe that really points the way to the rest of Morgan's direction in the late 60s, when he was really letting some more spiritual currents loose. The other two tracks on the record feature a hip larger band directed by Oliver Nelson – swinging hard in a really soulful style! Nelson's arrangements on these two tracks are great – quite progressive, with a soul jazz big band style that seems to point the way towards the 70s – and the band provides a raging backdrop that lets Lee's trumpet soar over the top in beautiful crystal clear solos. Titles include "Nite Flite", "Delightful Deggie", "Ca-Lee-So", and "Zambia". Also features a few bonus tracks. The Cooker is a very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". Lee Way is an undisputed masterpiece by Lee Morgan – and one of the first records in which he shed his straight bop sensibility, and began evolving into a soulful genius for the 60s! The album's got 4 long tracks that all build beautifully – really extended numbers that break the format of some of Lee's earlier work, and hint a bit at some of the more complicated touches he'd use on later sessions. All players are great – and include fellow Jazz Messengers Bobby Timmons on piano and Art Blakey on drums, plus Jackie McLean on alto and Paul Chambers on bass. Titles include the sublime "These Are Soulful Days" – a perfect model of soulful lyricism – plus "Midtown Blues", "Nakatini Suite", and "The Lion & The Wolff". Rumproller often gets too easily lumped next to The Sidewinder – because of an obvious title and cover similarity to that hit record – but like that one, the album's far more than jazz cliche – and shows Lee Morgan to be one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 60s. The set starts off with the title cut, "The Rumproller" – hard-wailing soul bop, in the manner of Lee's most popular work – but then it easily flows into more sensitive material that has a freer, lyrical feel – like the great original tune "Eclipso" and Wayne Shorter's "Edda" – both of which are superb. Lee is astounding, as always, on trumpet – and the rest of the group includes the great Ronnie Matthews on piano, plus Joe Henderson, Victor Sproles, and Billy Higgins. Search For The New Land is a brilliant album that proves that even at the height of his success, Lee Morgan was one of the freest thinkers on Blue Note – always coming up with fresh ideas that continued to grow his talents! The first cut on the album is keen poof of that fact – the title track "Search For The New Land" – a beautiful 16 minute exploration of modal jazz themes, with an unusual stop/start device as a means of ushering solos by different bandmates – including Wayne Shorter on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, and Herbie Hancock on piano! The approach is unlike anything that Morgan ever did before – and unlike most of other Blue Note as well – and it also benefits from great rhythmic help from Reggie Workman on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Other tunes are a bit more conventional, but still pretty special – like some of Morgan's inventive work on the Rajah albums – with titles that include "The Joker", "Melancholee", "Mr. Kenyatta" and "Morgan The Pirate". CD

One of Lee's totally great hard bop sessions for Vee Jay, recorded around the time of his best early work for Blue Note, and with a good hard group that includes Clifford Jordan on tenor, Eddie Higgins on piano, and Art Blakey on drums. The material's a tight set of tracks that includes originals by Jordan, Higgins, Morgan, and Wayne Shorter – with titles like "Fire", "Lost & Found", "The Hearing", "Triple Threat", and "Expoobidient" – all burners that really sum up the majestic power of the young Lee Morgan at his best! CD

An excellent early session from a young Lee Morgan – a set that we'd rank right up there with his best Blue Note material of the time! The set's from a time when Lee's trumpet was a key force in the Jazz Messengers – and there's definitely a Messengers vibe going on here, thanks to drums from Art Blakey – who works in a quintet alongside Clifford Jordan on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, and Paul Chambers on bass. Jordan's tenor has a nice sharp edge – and like some of the Wayne Shorter sessions for Vee Jay, there's a nice sense of darkness here that's a bit different than some of Morgan's usual moments. Titles include "Terrible T", "Mogie", "Bess", and Wayne Shorter's "Running Brook". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early session from a young Lee Morgan – a set that we'd rank right up there with his best Blue Note material of the time! The set's from a time when Lee's trumpet was a key force in the Jazz Messengers – and there's definitely a Messengers vibe going on here, thanks to drums from Art Blakey – who works in a quintet alongside Clifford Jordan on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, and Paul Chambers on bass. Jordan's tenor has a nice sharp edge – and like some of the Wayne Shorter sessions for Vee Jay, there's a nice sense of darkness here that's a bit different than some of Morgan's usual moments. Titles include "Terrible T", "Mogie", "Bess", and Wayne Shorter's "Running Brook". 2CD version includes 10 bonus alternate takes! CD

A gem of an early album from Lee Morgan – quite different than his work as a leader for the Savoy label during the same period! Although Morgan's only a wee lad at the time, the album's got an incredible sense of warmth and imagination – one that's steeped in lessons learned from Horace Silver and Art Blakey, and played with a style that's as richly expressive as it is soulful – a no-nonsense, no-tricks approach to the trumpet that gave Morgan a voice that was clearly different from predecessors like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Fats Navarro! The album's got a stellar lineup that includes Horace Silver, Wilbur Ware, and Philly Joe Jones – plus the virtually unknown Clarence Sharpe, who makes a rare appearance on alto on this session! The whole thing's great, and filled with unique titles that include "Reggie Of Chester", "Little T", "Gaza Strip", and "Roccus". LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed masterpiece by Lee Morgan – and one of the first records in which he shed his straight bop sensibility, and began evolving into a soulful genius for the 60s! The album's got 4 long tracks that all build beautifully – really extended numbers that break the format of some of Lee's earlier work, and hint a bit at some of the more complicated touches he'd use on later sessions. All players are great – and include fellow Jazz Messengers Bobby Timmons on piano and Art Blakey on drums, plus Jackie McLean on alto and Paul Chambers on bass. Titles include the sublime "These Are Soulful Days" – a perfect model of soulful lyricism – plus "Midtown Blues", "Nakatini Suite", and "The Lion & The Wolff". CD

An undisputed masterpiece by Lee Morgan – and one of the first records in which he shed his straight bop sensibility, and began evolving into a soulful genius for the 60s! The album's got 4 long tracks that all build beautifully – really extended numbers that break the format of some of Lee's earlier work, and hint a bit at some of the more complicated touches he'd use on later sessions. All players are great – and include fellow Jazz Messengers Bobby Timmons on piano and Art Blakey on drums, plus Jackie McLean on alto and Paul Chambers on bass. Titles include the sublime "These Are Soulful Days" – a perfect model of soulful lyricism – plus "Midtown Blues", "Nakatini Suite", and "The Lion & The Wolff". CD

One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up! CD

One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up! CD

One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up! CD

A fitting title for this scorching set tracks led by the incomparable Lee Morgan – captured over several dates throughout 1960 at the legendary Birdland club – and backed up by Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers! Nothing but legends on the stage here – with Morgan's trumpet out front of Blakey on the kit, Bobby Timmons on piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Jymie Merrit on bass. The tracks on the first disc were recorded on three dates in the spring and summer of '60, and they include "The Chess Players", "This Here", "The Midget", "Nelly Bly", "Dat Dere", "Justice", Night In Tunisia" and more. Disc two features numbers recorded in the summer and fall of the same year, and it includes "Lester Left Town" with Lester Young sitting in on piano, "It's Only A Paper Moon", "This Here", Sakeena's Vision", "Koko's Waltz" and more. CD

A fantastic lost set from the Detroit jazz scene of the 60s – by a group who was years ahead of their time, and who bridged a number of different parts of the city's scene! The group's listed here under the name of drummer Bert Myrick, but was actually co-led by George Bohanon on trombone – who also blew on sides for Motown, and went onto a big range of west coast work in the 70s – but has a razor-sharp edge here! The other co-leader was tenorist Ronnie Fields – a lesser-known player, but a great one too – and a perfect pairing with Bohanon for a soaring, soulful voice on the record. A young Kenny Cox is also in the group on piano – best known for his later albums for Blue Note, which were some of the most modern the label issued at the time – and the last member of the group is Will Austin on bass. Myrick's drums are great – as powerful a force in leadership as Art Blakey with the Messengers – and all tracks are nice and long, and all originals too. The groove is soaring, modal, and very soulful – and titles include "Sevenths", "Paramour", "Scorpio's Child", and "The Latin Bit". CD

Seminal early work from this important bebop trumpeter! 23 tracks – with work from Charlie Rouse on tenor, JJ Johnson on trombone, Tadd Dameron and Hank Jones on piano, and Art Blakey and Max Roach on drums. CD

An excellent set that brings together Fats Navarro's recordings for Savoy – late 40s sides that were always poorly packaged and annotated on record, which are compiled here wonderfully, with great notes, and a few unissued tracks! Players include Leo Parker, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Ernie Henry, Tadd Dameron, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, and Charlie Rouse – and the set's got a huge amount of titles, including "Boppin A Riff", "Fat Boy", "Everything's Cool", "Webb City", "Fracture", "Calling Dr Jazz", "Red Pepper", "Spinal", "Fat Girl", "Ice Freezes Red", "A Bebop Carol", and "The Tadd Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer piano jazz, and some of the greatest modernist work ever recorded by Blue Note! Herbie Nichols deserves every bit of the rare fame he ever got – and it's only the paucity of his recordings that has kept him from achieving the status of Thelonious Monk or Cecil Taylor as an avant garde forefather – which makes this album a really key piece of a too-small jazz puzzle! Nichols is amazing throughout – bristling with new ideas, and a fresh approach to modern jazz that also transforms the presence of the other two members of the trio – Art Blakey on drums and Al McKibbon on bass, both of whom are clearly following Herbie's lead here. All titles are original – Nichols was a hell of a writer – and titles include "Third World", "Step Tempest", "Dance Line", "Blue Chopsticks", "Shuffle Montgomery", "Brass Rings", "Crisp Day", and "Amoeba's Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer piano jazz, and some of the greatest modernist work ever recorded by Blue Note! Herbie Nichols deserves every bit of the rare fame he ever got – and it's only the paucity of his recordings that has kept him from achieving the status of Thelonious Monk or Cecil Taylor as an avant garde forefather – which makes this album a really key piece of a too-small jazz puzzle! Nichols is amazing throughout – bristling with new ideas, and a fresh approach to modern jazz that also transforms the presence of the other two members of the trio – Art Blakey on drums and Al McKibbon on bass, both of whom are clearly following Herbie's lead here. All titles are original – Nichols was a hell of a writer – and titles include "Third World", "Step Tempest", "Dance Line", "Blue Chopsticks", "Shuffle Montgomery", "Brass Rings", "Crisp Day", and "Amoeba's Dance". Single LP version features all material that was originally on the two different 10" LP releases. LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Nichols was one of the greatest piano players of the 20th Century, and his best work was recorded for Blue Note! You can hear just about every track he recorded for the label in this set (apart from some alternate takes), which is a stunning batch of lively tracks that rank Nichols right up there with Monk, Cecil Taylor, and Randy Weston for sheer modernist inventiveness. The set includes Herbie's first two 10" albums for Blue Note, and his full Herbie Nichols Trio record – with players who include Art Blakey or Max Roach on drums, and Teddy Kotick or Al McKibbon on bass. Titles include "Step Tempest", "Crisp Day", "2300 Skiddoo", "Query", "Blue Chopsticks", and "Chit Chatting". LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Parker on alto saxophone, JJ Johnson on trombone, Fats Navarro and Red Rodney on trumpet, Al Haig and Bud Powell on piano, Curley Russell and Tommy Potter on bass, and Art Blakey and Roy Haynes on drums. CD

Rare live material from Charlie Parker – recorded in the very familiar territory of the Birdland nightclub, but not issued until an LP release from the 70s! The material originally was broadcast on radio, but through the series of the Rose transcription disc archive – which meant better recording and preservation than most other radio material of the bop years – helping to make this album a real treasure among Bird fans in the years after his death. The lineup is a very tight bop-based one – with Fats Navarro on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, and Art Blakey on bass. Chubby Newsome adds vocals to "Embraceable You" – and the rest of the set includes "Wahoo", "Round Midnight", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "Dizzy Atmosphere", "A Night In Tunisia", "Move", "The Street Beat", "Out Of Nowhere", "Little Willie Leaps", "Ornithology", "I'll Remember April", and "Cool Blues/52nd St Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Parker on alto sax – joined here by Fats Navarro on tumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Curley Russell on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – plus a bonus set featuring JJ Johnson, Red Rodney, and Roy Haynes! CD

Small group sides with either Ray Brown, Percy Heath, or Curly Russell on bass – plus Art Blakey, Kenny Clarke, Buddy Rich, Max Roach, or Art Taylor on drums. CD

The title says "57", but the music's from a few years before – yet that's OK with us, because Bud Powell always has a sound that's instantly timeless no matter what the year! The album brings together sides from Verve dates in 1954 and 1955 – one featuring Art Blakey on drums and Lloyd Troutman on bass, the other featuring Max Roach and Percy Heath. Given the presence of the strong drummers, there's a drive here that's a bit harder than on some of the other Verve dates – a highly rhythmic component that often brings a real focus to some of the more upbeat numbers, but which lays back nicely on the mellower ones to let Powell hit some especially dark notes. Titles include "Deep Night", "That Old Black Magic", "Round Midnight", "Thou Swell", and "Tenderly". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic collection that has the pianist working in variety of small group settings. Notable sidemen include Curly Russell, George Duvivier, Lloyd Trotman, Percy Heath and Ray Brown on bass; Art Blakey, Art Taylor, Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Max Roach and Osie Johnson on drums. CD

Features work with Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, Art Blakey, Max Roach, and Roy Haynes. CD

Features work with Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, Art Blakey, Max Roach, and Roy Haynes. LP, Vinyl record album

Bernard Purdie takes a trip down 40 years of soul jazz history – starting with late 50s jazz experiments by Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderley, and others – and working his way up through 60s soul and 70s funk! The set's got a slightly polished feel, but still plenty of nice moments – with soloists that include Michael and Randy Brecker, Eddie Harris, and Nils Landgren, plus larger arrangements by the WDR Big Band, conducted by Gil Goldstein. Titles include "Moanin", "Superstition", "Iko Iko", "Senor Blues", "Sidewinder", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Work Song", "Land Of 1000 Dances", and "Brother Where Are You". CD

Notable sidemen include Sonny Clark, Milt Hinton, Art Blakey, Grant Green, Sonny Clark, and Freddie Roach. CD

Landmark work from Sun Ra – a rare 1964 performance that features some very early work from Pharoah Sanders, a good deal of which is appearing here for the first time ever! The material was recorded at Judson Hall – and marks a great large venue performance by the Arkestra on the New York scene. Ra and the group recorded the set on New Year's Eve, 1964 – at a time when John Gilmore had left the Arkestra to work with Art Blakey – leaving Pharoah Sanders to come and take his place on tenor. Also noteworthy is the presence of Black Harold (Harold Murray) on flute – blowing with a dark edge alongside other group members who include Al Evans on trumpet, Teddy Nance on trombone, Marshal Allen on alto sax, Pat Patrick on baritone sax, and both Alan Silva and Ronnie Boykins on bass. The performance starts with a relatively fierce sound, but then moves into some beautifully lyrical moments – and titles include "Gods On A Safari", "The World Shadow", "Rocket Number Nine", "The Voice Of Pan", "Dawn Over Israel", and "Space Mates". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Blue Note recordings of trumpeter Dizzy Reece – an amazing West Indian player who made some big waves on the London scene of the late 50s, then came to the US to cut a few key sides! Reece had an approach to the trumpet that shared some of the boldness of his US contemporaries on the hardbop scene, but which also occasionally had a few more exotic touches as well – not just in Dizzy's phrasing, but also in the way he liked to set up a tune – mixing modern and soulful modes together nicely, in a way that made him a perfect match for the Blue Note era that boasted work by Horace Silver and Art Blakey! The 3CD set features Dizzy's three Blue Note albums Blues In Trinity, Star Bright, and Soundin Off – plus material that was unissued at the time, but later appeared on the now-deleted Comin On CD – a real lost treasure of a session that has Dizzy stepping out even more strongly than before. Players include Hank Mobley, Tubby Hayes, Donald Byrd, Art Taylor, Walter Bishop Jr, Stanley Turrentine, Musa Kaleem, and Art Blakey – and titles include "Blues In Trinity", "Color Blind", "Shepherd's Serenade", "Groovesville", "The Rebound", "A Variation On Monk", "Blue Streak", "Ye Olde Blues", "Comin On", "Sands", "Goose Dance", "Achmet", and "The Case Of The Frightened Lover". CD

Notable sidemen include Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, and Wynton Kelly on piano, JJ Johnson on trombone, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Art Blakey and Max Roach on drums. CD

Sonny Rollins with Gene Ramey, Max Roach, Donald Byrd, Art Blakey, JJ Johnson, Horace Silver, Wynton Kelly and others. CD

Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophome with Art Blakey, Clifford Brown Ray Brown, Ray Bryant Paul Chambers, Kenny Clarke John Coltrane, Miles Davis. Kenny Drew, Kenny Dorham Tommy Flanagan, Red Garland Hampton Hawes, Percy Heath Milt Jackson, Philly Joe Jones Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne Thelonious Monk, George Morrow Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach Horace Silver, Arthur Taylor Leroy Vinnegar, Doug Watkins & oters. CD

Rare European work, with a few different groups! "Oleo" and "Sonny's Blues" feature a quintet with Milt Jackson on vibes, Kenny Drew on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. "Lover" features a trio with Jymie Merritt on bass and Max Roach on drums – and the record has a very long take on "Sonnymoon For Two", with Don Cherry on trumpet, Henry Grimes on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! CD

Key recordings from Sonny's breakout year of 1954 – tracks from 2 different sessions, brought together into one album that packs a hell of a punch! The modernist Rollins tenor is at its early peak here – fresh, bold, and highly creative – yet equally concerned with the role of the ensemble as well. And with players like Kenny Dorham, Elmo Hope, Thelonious Monk, and Art Blakey helping things out, the sessions are both cookers all the way through! Titles include 4 by a group with Dorham, Hope, and Blakey – "Solid", "Movin Out", "Swingin For Bumsy", and "Silk N Satin" – plus 1 more by a quartet with Monk, Tommy Potter, and Art Taylor – the longer "More Than You Know". CD

Key recordings from Sonny's breakout year of 1954 – tracks from 2 different sessions, brought together into one album that packs a hell of a punch! The modernist Rollins tenor is at its early peak here – fresh, bold, and highly creative – yet equally concerned with the role of the ensemble as well. And with players like Kenny Dorham, Elmo Hope, Thelonious Monk, and Art Blakey helping things out, the sessions are both cookers all the way through! Titles include 4 by a group with Dorham, Hope, and Blakey – "Solid", "Moving Out", "Swingin For Bumsy", and "Silk N Satin" – plus 1 more by a quartet with Monk, Tommy Potter, and Art Taylor – the longer "More Than You Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Early Sonny Rollins work for Prestige – recorded in the years 1951 and 1953, in a variety of settings! 4 tracks on the album features Rollins blowing with the MJQ, one more has him working with a Miles Davis group, and the last 8 feature a quartet with Kenny Drew, Percy Heath, and Art Blakey. The tunes are shorter than you might be used to hearing Rollins, but there's still plenty of power and imagination in the grooves – very economical solos, crafted with a great deal of imagination. Titles include "Scoops", "Shadrack", "Mambo Bounce", "The Stopper", "I Know", and "No Moe". LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 70s two-fer that includes the rarest of all the Sonny Rollins Blue Note sessions – and possibly the best! The 1956 session captures Rollins at a key turning point – emerging from his firey bop years, moving into a much more complicated, introspective tenor style that was a perfect showcase for his developing genius for improvisation. He's playing here in a quintet with Wynton Kelly, Donald Byrd, Gene Ramey, and Max Roach – but as with all Rollins Blue Note sessions, his tenor is the dominant force. The 1957 session is classic as it comes for late 50s Blue Note – and a key meeting between Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk! The group on the set features Rollins and Monk with JJ Johnson, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey – all of whom push things more in the direction of Blue Note's sound of the time, then Monk's own recordings of the period for Riverside. But the contrast of modes makes for a really startling sound – one that has Monk "monking" it up next to the straighter rhythm section, and bringing out some more modern tones in Rollins' tenor work. Titles include "Bluesnote", "Plain Jane", "How Are Things In Gocca Morra", and "Decision" from 1956 and "Why Don't I", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "Misterioso", and "Reflections" from 1957. LP, Vinyl record album

As classic as it comes for late 50s Blue Note – and a key meeting between Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk! The group on the set features Rollins and Monk with JJ Johnson, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey – all of whom push things more in the direction of Blue Note's sound of the time, then Monk's own recordings of the period for Riverside. But the contrast of modes makes for a really startling sound – one that has Monk "monking" it up next to the straighter rhythm section, and bringing out some more modern tones in Rollins' tenor work. Horace Silver plays piano on part of the set as well – but still keeps things strong – and titles include "Why Don't I", "Wail March", "Misterioso", and "Reflections". CD

As classic as it comes for late 50s Blue Note – and a key meeting between Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk! The group on the set features Rollins and Monk with JJ Johnson, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey – all of whom push things more in the direction of Blue Note's sound of the time, then Monk's own recordings of the period for Riverside. But the contrast of modes makes for a really startling sound – one that has Monk "monking" it up next to the straighter rhythm section, and bringing out some more modern tones in Rollins' tenor work. Horace Silver plays piano on part of the set as well – but still keeps things strong – and titles include "Why Don't I", "Wail March", "Misterioso", and "Reflections". CD

Early Sonny Rollins work for Prestige – recorded in the years 1951 and 1953, in a variety of settings! 4 tracks on the album features Rollins blowing with the MJQ, one more has him working with a Miles Davis group, and the last 8 feature a quartet with Kenny Drew, Percy Heath, and Art Blakey. The tunes are shorter than you might be used to hearing Rollins, but there's still plenty of power and imagination in the grooves – very economical solos, crafted with a great deal of imagination. Titles include "Scoops", "Shadrack", "Mambo Bounce", "The Stopper", "I Know", and "No Moe". LP, Vinyl record album

Early Rollins work for Prestige – recorded between 1951 and 1954, in a variety of settings! Like a lot of the other Milestone 2LP sets issued in the 70s, this album collects tracks from a number of sessions, restoring recordings to the order they were recorded in rather than how they were originally issued, which in this case was mostly as 10" LPs, under a variety of titles including Mambo Jazz, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Rollins With The Modern Jazz Quartet and others. As such the set features five lineups, all smaller groups, mostly quartets and sidemen include Miles Davis, Roy Haynes, Elmo Hope, Kenny Dorham, Thelonius Monk, Kenny Drew, Percy Heath, and Art Blakey. Since most of this was originally issued on 10"s, the tunes are shorter than you might be used to hearing Rollins' LPs, but there's still plenty of power and imagination in the grooves – very economical solos, crafted with a great deal of imagination. 20 tracks in all, with including "Scoops", "Shadrack", "Mambo Bounce", "The Stopper", "I Know", "Movin' Out", "Solid", "Newk's Fadeaway", "Silk'N'Satin", and "No Moe". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible! This is a stunning set of African-inspired jazzy percussion tracks – similar to some of the work done by Art Blakey on his Orgy In Rhythm albums, but with a lot better horn work, and with an overall conception that's much more unified! AK Salim did some sleepier work for Savoy in the 50s – but by the time of this 1965 recording, he was emerging as a progressive composer with a strong talent for bringing together disparate moods and styles. This rare recording was one of his best works ever, and it's one of the most unusual sides cut by Prestige in the 60s. It features Johnny Coles, Pat Patrick, and Yusef Lateef out front on horns – plus backing by a host of Latin and African percussionists. Tracks are very long – and the reed work of Lateef and Patrick makes the set especially worthwhile for jazz listeners. Titles include "Afrika", "Kumuamkia Mzulu", and "Pepo Za Sarari". LP, Vinyl record album

Great jazzy grooves from this hip Italian combo – a late 90s precursor to the current club jazz scene! The group's got a classic Blue Note sound – mixing up soul jazz and modal grooves with some very tight playing and a strong commitment to a classic sound. The horn players are all great – and include Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet, Gianluca Petrella on trombone, and Rosario Giuliani on alto sax – all great names from the Italian scene. The rhythm section's pretty darn nice, too – with piano from Pietro Lussu – and the tracks have a hard groove that reminds us of classic lines by Art Blakey from the early 60s! The set's a tribute to the classic Italian hard bop combo of Gianni Basso and Oscar Valdambrini – and the album includes some of that group's great original compositions, like "Look Out", "Young Man", "Time Was", "Lothar", "Before Ten O'Clock", and "Bob's Buddy". CD

The second Folkways album from trumpeter Charles Shaw – and even more wonderful than the first! This one changes up the groove a bit – still sticking in Shaw's spiritual jazz vein at times, but also tripping things out a bit more with use of electric guitar and the ultra-cool "bag flute" – which is almost like a wah-wah sort of reed instrument, and which makes for some really funky moments! The electric touches are totally great – and mix with rougher acoustic jazz elements in ways that remind us of earlier 70s work from Luther Thomas and Joe McPhee – also both avant players who could show a funky side like this at times. Shaw plays trumpet, flugelhorn, and the bag flute – and other instrumentation includes guitar from James Greggo and Tom Lee Harris, alto from Brian Ross, tenor from Glenn Spears, bass from Ronnie Boykins, and drums from Art Blakey Jr. Titles include "Kid Zorro", "Postage Paid", "Mr Zip", "Chain Reaction", and "Melted Soul". CD

A brilliant early album from Japanese drummer Hideo Shiraki – a jazz session that bristles with the same intensity as key late 50s work by Benny Golson or Gigi Gryce! Although Hideo's leading the group on drums, his work on the kit is remarkably subtle – done with the snappingly rhythmic style that marked some of Golson's best modern experiments of a few years before – not nearly as bombastic as his stint with Art Blakey, and more in the rhythmically stepping quality of his work with Art Farmer in the Jazztet. Key players on the session include Hidehiko Matsumoto on tenor and flute and Yuzuru Sera on piano – both of whom give the album a fluid grace that's really beautiful – and soulful edges that allow the record to stand equally next to anything coming out of the US at the time. One track features a bit of koto at the start – echoing Shiraki's later world jazz experiments – but most of the set is straight modern hardbop, with tracks that include "Blue Romeo", "Etude No 1", "Just One Or Eight", "You Don't Know What Love Is", and Benny Golson's "Five Spot After Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that features 15 tracks from Wayne Shorter's early years recording for Vee Jay Records! Some of the work is from the Introducing Wayne Shorter album – the birth of a genius! From the vantage point of the 21st century,Wayne Shorter hardly needs any introduction – but when he recorded this debut album in the late 50s, Shorter was just the new kid on the block – making a few important waves as the tenor star in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. The album wisely works off that fame, and pairs Shorter with co-Messenger Lee Morgan – in front line on the trumpet – but it's also got a slightly different groove too, thanks to a rhythm team that includes Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. The Kelly trio approach makes for a nice change from the Blakey mode – and Shorter more than follows suit by blowing some wonderfully well-crafted solos, and working in a more introspective soul mode – really pointing the way towards his later genius as a leader on Blue Note. Shorter also emerges as a heck of a great writer too – contributing 5 great original tracks to the set, titles that include "Blues A La Carte", "Harry's Last Stand", "Black Diamond", "Pug Nose", and "Down in The Depths". The set also features material from the album Wayning Moments – a great early set which features playing by Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Higgins, and Jymie Merritt – is filled with haunting original compositions ("Devil's Island", "Dead End", "Powder Keg") and the kind of mature playing that you'd hardly expect from a little tike like Shorter (who, with Lee Morgan, was just a kid when the two of them were playing with Art Blakey). CD

Collects solo material plus work with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Gil Evans, Miles Davis, Weather Report, Milton Nascimento, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, JJ Johnson, and Herbie Hancock! CD

A perfect illustration of the rich new directions Wayne Shorter was taking at the start of the 70s – an amazing flurry of sounds and styles that's light years ahead of where he began in the 60s! Shorter's one of those players who was already great at the start – an amazing tenorist, both on his own and with the groups of Art Blakey and Miles Davis – yet by the time of this record, he'd absorbed a huge amount of influences from Brazilian music, modal jazz, the spiritual underground, and even the free European scene – all of which come to play on the long, complex tunes on the set! The record has Shorter working with some other key contemporaries of this new moment in jazz – John McLaughlin on 12 string guitar, Chick Corea on marimba and percussion, Dave Holland and Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Ron Carter on cello – all players who have the same open, exploratory vibe as Wayne's own lines on tenor and soprano sax. Titles include an excellent cover of Milton Nascimento's "Vera Cruz", plus the tracks "Antiqua", "Iska", and "Montezuma". CD

A seminal album from this genius tenorist – a classic session from the late 60s that has Wayne Shorter pushing into a searching, spiritual groove, but one that's still filled with all the taught electricity of his earlier recordings on Blue Note! Shorter's accompanied by youthful modernists like James Spaulding on alto, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – plus the mighty Curtis Fuller on trombone, whose instrument here proves to be the same key extra ingredient that it was on the best Art Blakey sextet sessions of the 60s – bringing some deeper currents to the album that are completely sublime! There's a tight, soulful feel here that's sublime – an Adams Apple sort of groove, but a bit fuller – and titles include the classic "Tom Thumb", plus "Playground", "Schizophrenia", "Kryptonite", "Miyako", and "Go". CD

A seminal album from this genius tenorist – a classic session from the late 60s that has Wayne Shorter pushing into a searching, spiritual groove, but one that's still filled with all the taught electricity of his earlier recordings on Blue Note! Shorter's accompanied by youthful modernists like James Spaulding on alto, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – plus the mighty Curtis Fuller on trombone, whose instrument here proves to be the same key extra ingredient that it was on the best Art Blakey sextet sessions of the 60s – bringing some deeper currents to the album that are completely sublime! There's a tight, soulful feel here that's sublime – an Adams Apple sort of groove, but a bit fuller – and titles include the classic "Tom Thumb", plus "Playground", "Schizophrenia", "Kryptonite", "Miyako", and "Go". CD

A seminal album from this genius tenorist – a classic session from the late 60s that has Wayne Shorter pushing into a searching, spiritual groove, but one that's still filled with all the taught electricity of his earlier recordings on Blue Note! Shorter's accompanied by youthful modernists like James Spaulding on alto, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – plus the mighty Curtis Fuller on trombone, whose instrument here proves to be the same key extra ingredient that it was on the best Art Blakey sextet sessions of the 60s – bringing some deeper currents to the album that are completely sublime! There's a tight, soulful feel here that's sublime – an Adams Apple sort of groove, but a bit fuller – and titles include the classic "Tom Thumb", plus "Playground", "Schizophrenia", "Kryptonite", "Miyako", and "Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Even at a tender young age, Wayne Shorter could exhibit the kind of sensitivity and creative lyricism that would make him one of the giants of modern jazz. This early set – which features playing by Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Higgins, and Jymie Merritt – is filled with haunting original compositions ("Devil's Island", "Dead End", "Powder Keg") and the kind of mature playing that you'd hardly expect from a little tike like Shorter (who, with Lee Morgan, was just a kid when the two of them were playing with Art Blakey). This excellent CD reissue delivers these early tracks in stunning fidelity, and includes 7 alternate takes of the tracks on the orginal LP! CD

Includes early Jazz Messenger sides – plus trio material featuring Art Blakey! CD

A record with Horace Silver on the cover, but a set that's really more of a Jazz Messengers date overall – as it features a smoking quintet that not only includes Art Blakey on drums and Doug Watkins on bass – but which also has some great frontline work from Hank Mobley on tenor and Kenny Dorham on trumpet! The group's got the rougher, less-iconic feel of the Messengers at their start – similar to their early live dates – but all the right energy is firmly in place, and maybe given even more direction under Silver's leadership and great ear for a tune! The writing is superb, especially on classics like "Doodlin", "The Preacher", "Hippy", and the amazing "To Whom It May Concern" – one of our all-time favorite tunes in the 50s Blue Note catalog – and the solos are all top-shelf too. A real Blue Note classic! LP, Vinyl record album

A record with Horace Silver on the cover, but a set that's really more of a Jazz Messengers date overall – as it features a smoking quintet that not only includes Art Blakey on drums and Doug Watkins on bass – but which also has some great frontline work from Hank Mobley on tenor and Kenny Dorham on trumpet! The group's got the rougher, less-iconic feel of the Messengers at their start – similar to their early live dates – but all the right energy is firmly in place, and maybe given even more direction under Silver's leadership and great ear for a tune! The writing is superb, especially on classics like "Doodlin", "The Preacher", "Hippy", and the amazing "To Whom It May Concern" – one of our all-time favorite tunes in the 50s Blue Note catalog – and the solos are all top-shelf too. A real Blue Note classic! CD

Blue Note double LP that compiles every single trio recording that Horace Silver did for the label. The range of material runs from 1952 up through 1968, and although all the stuff was released previously, this set's just about the only way you can really focus on Horace's work in this type of setting, since many of these tracks appeared in fairly scattered (and fairly rare) releases. Great rhythm sections back him up, with names like Louis Hayes, Art Blakey, Curley Russell, and Gene Taylor cropping up in all of the set lists. Good notes too, with a take on Horace's trio work written by pianist Ran Blake. Titles include "Ecaroh", "St. Vitus Dance", "Shirl", "Buhainia", "Silverware", and "Yeah" – all in trio format! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Horace Silver's greatest records ever – and the album that always makes us remember how many of his tunes are now etched in the memory of modern jazz! The album's got a slightly exotic bent that you might guess from the title – a furthering of the sound that Silver first started on his own after breaking with Art Blakey – a hint of more cosmic modes to come in soul jazz, yet still served up here with more of the punch you might expect from 60s Blue Note. The group is great – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Junior Cook on tenor – both super-tight at the start of the tunes, then breaking off into deeply personal territory on their solos. Rhythm is from Gene Taylor on bass and John Harris on drums – the latter a lesser-known compatriot of Silver, but one with a nicely loose sensibility that really adds a lot to the record. The writing is great – and titles include "Sayanara Blues", "Tokyo Blues", "Ah So", "Cherry Blossom", and "Too Much Sake". CD