Killer work from the same sessions that gave the world Cannonball Adderley's classic Black Messiah album – live material from an extended stretch as the Troubadour club in LA – featuring a very righteous, freewheeling version of Cannonball's group! The lineup features some wonderful work on Fender Rhodes from George Duke – who brings a more soulful, spiritual current to the proceedings than Joe Zawinul did in earlier years – a really commanding presence that hints at his brewing solo fame, and which is a very welcome addition to the core lineup, which also includes Cannon on soprano and alto, and brother Nat on cornet! The performance also fetaures some great guest work from Ernie Watts on tenor and Airto on percussion – who really help round out the long tunes on the set. David Axelrod produced – leaving some nice room for Adderley's key spoken bits – and titles include the 12 minute groover "The Brakes", plus "Oh Babe", "Music You All", and "Capricorn" – plus a sweet take on "Walk Tall", which really has Duke stomping away on the Rhodes! CD

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". CD

An incredible album that has Cleanhead moving way past his usual bag! Sure, he's normally known as an R&B vocalist and alto player, but here, in one of those great Riverside "Cannonball Adderley Presents" sessions, Vinson gets into a whole new bag on some cuts. He's playing with Cannonball's group of Nat, Joe Zawinul, Sam Jones, and Louis Hayes – and there's one track in particular that's amazing – "Arriving Soon", an instrumental that has Vinson soaring on alto, wailing with an almost Coltrane-esque level of freedom. It's a killer modal track, and is worth the price of the album alone. There's another instrumental called "Vinsonology", plus vocal numbers like "Hold It", "This Time", and "Kidney Stew" – all with a nice groovy Adderley quintet kind of groove. CD also includes 4 bonus tracks! CD

Two different 60s performances by Cannonball Adderley – both recorded in Amsterdam for the Concertgebouw jazz series! The first half of the album has Cannon working with a classic quintet – one of those groups that helped virtually invent the sound of soul jazz at the start of the 60s – with Nat Adderley on cornet, Victor Feldman on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums! All tracks are nice and long, with that especially bold approach to soloing that made the Riverside live albums by the group so great – and titles include "This Here", "Exodus", "One For Daddy O", and "Bohemia After Dark". The second batch of the material is from 1966, and has Cannonball blowing alto with a group led by pianist Pim Jacobs – with Wim Overgaauw on guitar, Ruud Jacobs on bass, and Cees See on drums – a Dutch combo who still hang in a soul jazz mode, but bring a nicely different flavor to the usual Adderley groove – on titles that include "Blues", "Stella By Starlight", "Work Song", and "Tune Up". CD

A smoking live set from Cannonball Adderley – one recorded in a space between his famous concert albums for Riverside and Capitol Records – and equally as great as any of them! The group's got a slightly unique lineup – in that Charles Lloyd is in the combo on tenor sax – alongside Nat on cornet and Joe Zawinul on piano – really making the most of the long tracks that are carved out perfectly by the group, in a blend of soul jazz and modal styles! Titles include "Jessica's Birthday", "Cajvalach", "Sewing Machine", "The Little Boy With The Sad Eyes", and "Come Sunday". CD

A smoking live set from Cannonball Adderley – one recorded in a space between his famous concert albums for Riverside and Capitol Records – and equally as great as any of them! The group's got a slightly unique lineup – in that Charles Lloyd is in the combo on tenor sax – alongside Nat on cornet and Joe Zawinul on piano – really making the most of the long tracks that are carved out perfectly by the group, in a blend of soul jazz and modal styles! Titles include "Jessica's Birthday", "Cajvalach", "Sewing Machine", "The Little Boy With The Sad Eyes", and "Come Sunday". LP, Vinyl record album

Cannon's left his usual soul jazz combo for this album – and he's recording on the west coast with an all-star group that includes Wes Montgomery on guitar, Victor Feldman on vibes and piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. The sound's a bit different than usual – with a strong focus on the solos of the big stars, and less on the tight grooving of the group – but that doesn't stop it from being a great set, and Cannon blows in a way that reminds us of his classic Mercury sides. Titles include "The Chant", "Azule Serape", "Never Will I Marry", and "Au Prive". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". CD

An incredible album that has Cleanhead moving way past his usual bag! Sure, he's normally known as an R&B vocalist and alto player, but here, in one of those great Riverside "Cannonball Adderley Presents" sessions, Vinson gets into a whole new bag on some cuts. He's playing with Cannonball's group of Nat, Joe Zawinul, Sam Jones, and Louis Hayes – and there's one track in particular that's amazing – "Arriving Soon", an instrumental that has Vinson soaring on alto, wailing with an almost Coltrane-esque level of freedom. It's a killer modal track, and is worth the price of the album alone. There's another instrumental called "Vinsonology", plus vocal numbers like "Hold It", "This Time", and "Kidney Stew" – all with a nice groovy Adderley quintet kind of groove. CD also includes 4 bonus tracks! CD

A standout session from bassist Ray Brown – one of a few 60s big band sessions recorded for Verve, featuring some searing solo work from Cannonball Adderley! Brown's name as a leader is possibly more as a compadre than the main driving force of the record – as the arrangements here are by Ernie Wilkins, often in the tightly soulful bag he was laying down at the time – and Adderley's presence as the main soloist certainly gives a Cannonball flair to the record. But there's definitely plenty of Brown's warmth guiding the whole session – and other players include Nat Adderley, Clark Terry, Melba Liston, Budd Johnson, and Yusef Lateef. Some tracks have Brown's bass right out front in the arrangements, dipping nicely and adding into the groove – and titles include "Tricotism", "Cannon Built", "Thumbstring", "Two For The Blues", and "Work Song". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A great lost chapter in the Cannonball/David Axelrod story! The record features Cannon's classic quintet performing some longer, more serious works with orchestral backing – and the sound is vaguely similar to some of Axelrod's "high concept" work for Capitol. The record features a recording of Axelrod's "Tensity" and William Fischer's "Experience In E", both conducted by Fischer, a hip modern soul-oriented arranger, with a sound that's not dissimilar to Axelrod. The last piece on the album is a nice long one by Lalo Schifrin, "Dialogues For Jazz Quintet & Orchestra", which is also conducted by him as well. LP, Vinyl record album

A great session from 1959 – one that features John Coltrane playing with the Adderley group, recorded in Chicago when they were stopping through the city with Miles Davis' combo at the time! In fact, since the rhythm section includes Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb – and since Coltrane's sitting in with Cannon – the album's essentially a Kind Of Blue-era Miles album, recorded without Miles on trumpet, and grooving in a slightly more soul-based Adderley mode. Given the presence of Coltrane, there's a bit less of the gutbuckety soul jazz that Cannon was cutting in his own Quintet – but that's more than ok with us, as the Coltrane solos more than make up for that difference! The set's got 2 great originals by Coltrane – "The Sleeper" and "Grand Central" – plus the cuts "Wabash" and "Limehouse Blues". CD

One of the greatest Cannonball Adderley albums from the Riverside years – a completely smoking live date recorded in San Francisco, often with long tracks that really let the group open up and do their thing! The lineup here is that classic one that first grabbed attention – the group with brother Nat on cornet, Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums – and a young Bobby Timmons on piano, really cooking things up with tremendous drive, energy, and a sense of the groove! Titles include a great workout on Timmons' classic "This Here", plus originals "You Got It" and Spontaneous Combustion", and a great version of "Hi Fly". Soul jazz at its best, by one of the groups who gave the genre its name in the first place! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Cannonball Adderley albums from the Riverside years – a completely smoking live date recorded in San Francisco, often with long tracks that really let the group open up and do their thing! The lineup here is that classic one that first grabbed attention – the group with brother Nat on cornet, Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums – and a young Bobby Timmons on piano, really cooking things up with tremendous drive, energy, and a sense of the groove! Titles include a great workout on Timmons' classic "This Here", plus originals "You Got It" and Spontaneous Combustion", and a great version of "Hi Fly". Soul jazz at its best, by one of the groups who gave the genre its name in the first place! CD

An undated Cannonball Adderley live set – but most likely from the early 70s, given that the group features electric keyboards by Mike Wolf, bass by Walter Booker, and drums by Roy McCurdy. The album has the group opening up a lot more than on Cannon's live sets for Capitol – playing straight, soul jazz, and even a bit more outside material – and some of the tracks feature a great deal of opening remarks from Cannon. Titles include "Five Of A Kind", "Country Preacher", "Wobum", and "Unknown Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's right on target, right from the start – and one that has the young Cannonball Adderley really coming into his groove! The set's a lot more soul jazz-oriented than some of Cannon's records from a few years before – played by a rock-solid group that includes brother Nat Adderley on cornet, Junior Mance on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – hitting a groove that's got plenty of nascent elements of that Cannonball sound that would virtually take over jazz in the 60s! Yet there's also a nicely different vibe going on here too – a bit less structure, and a looser approach to the mode – spun out with some modern moments too, on titles that include "Straight No Chaser", "Jubilation", "Our Delight", "Fuller Bop Man", and "Stay On It". LP, Vinyl record album

2 sets of classic live soul jazz material from the group that invented the genre! Cannonball's caught live in 2 settings, one per disc – live at the Jazz Workshop in 1959, with Bobby Timmons, Sam Jones, and brother Nat; and again at the Village Vanguard in 1962, again with brother Nat and Sam Jones, plus Yusef Lateef, and Joe Zawinul. Titles include "This Here", "You Got It", "High Fly", "Scotch & Water", "Dizzy's Business", "Gemini", and "Planet Earth". Classic material! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work by Cannonball Adderley – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until after his death! The album features live material – recorded in Tokyo and San Francisco – performed by Cannon's amazing sextet that includes Joe Zawinul on piano, Yusef Lateef on reeds, Nat Adderley on cornet, and the rhythm section of Sam Jones in bass and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are all long and grooving – with a sublime mix of the earlier soul jazz that Adderley forge in the late 50s, with some of the more exotic traces that were coming into the group through the work of Lateef. Titles include "New Delhi", "Peter & The Goats", "This Here", "Jive Samba", "Primitivo", "Autumn Leaves", "Dizzy's Business", and "Never Say Yes". CD

A key meeting of Cannonball Adderley and David Axelrod – and one of the pair's first larger collaborations together! The album features Cannonball solos over larger backings by Oliver Nelson – with some occasional help from brother Nat Adderley – all produced with that dark Axelrod edge that we love so much from the Capitol years. The tunes have just the right amount of space to keep things interesting – but also enough soul to link the work nicely to the other Adderley albums of the time. Nelson himself brings in some captivating modern moments to the set – and titles include "Interlude", "Mystified", "Gon Gong", "Shake A Lady", and "Introduction To A Samba". CD also features the extended bonus track "Experience In E" – recorded in 1970 with arrangements by William Fischer! CD

A key meeting of Cannonball Adderley and David Axelrod – and one of the pair's first larger collaborations together! The album features Cannonball solos over larger backings by Oliver Nelson – with some occasional help from brother Nat Adderley – all produced with that dark Axelrod edge that we love so much from the Capitol years. The tunes have just the right amount of space to keep things interesting – but also enough soul to link the work nicely to the other Adderley albums of the time. Nelson himself brings in some captivating modern moments to the set – and titles include "Interlude", "Mystified", "Gon Gong", "Shake A Lady", and "Introduction To A Samba". CD also features the extended bonus track "Experience In E" – recorded in 1970 with arrangements by William Fischer! CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Classic funky soul jazz playing by Cannonball and one of his great groups, caught live in San Francisco, with a nice hard groove that you don't always get in their studio recordings. The record includes a stellar 11 minute version of "The Jive Samba", one of Cannonball's greatest track, plus "Primitivo", "Lillie", and "Mellow Buno". Nat Adderley's on trumpet, Joe Zawinul's on piano, and Yusef Lateef is on tenor! CD includes the bonus track "Unit 7"! CD

Classic funky soul jazz playing by Cannonball and one of his great groups, caught live in San Francisco, with a nice hard groove that you don't always get in their studio recordings. The record includes a stellar 11 minute version of "The Jive Samba", one of Cannonball's greatest track, plus "Primitivo", "Lillie", and "Mellow Buno". Nat Adderley's on trumpet, Joe Zawinul's on piano, and Yusef Lateef is on tenor! LP, Vinyl record album

Late stuff by Cannonball, with a dope spacey electric sound, no doubt due to some very nice keyboards on the session by George Duke. The album's a bit mellower than some of the others on Fantasy, but it makes up for that with a warm snaking mellow funk groove. Brother Nat gives a helping hand on both cornet and production duties, and the group also features Airto, Alphonso Johnson, Jack DeJohnette, and Alvin batiste with guest spots by Flora Purim and Ron Carter. Tracks include "New Orleans Strut", "Salty Dogs", "Lovers", and "Children of Time". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Sweet funky 70s work from Cannonball Adderley – a record that has him revisiting older tunes from his early soul jazz years – but in ways that give them a whole new electric vibe overall! The album's actually Cannonball's last full studio set, but it's also one of his greatest too – a very hip little record that features arrangements that are slightly bigger than before – almost a CTI sort of mode, with a similar CTI sense of space, sound, and timing! There's some great keyboards on the set – courtesy of George Duke and Mike Wolff – and other players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Airto on percussion, Sam Jones and Walter Booker on bass, and Louis Hayes and Roy McCurdy on drums. The keyboards lead off most numbers, but they're followed strongly by Cannon and Nat – both of whom open up wonderfully in the magical setting of the record! Titles include great new takes on "Sack O Woe", "Work Song", "Jive Samba", "74 Miles Away", "Walk Tall/Mercy Mercy Mercy", "Country Preacher", "Domination", and "This Here" – plus "Hi Fly" and "Hamba Nami". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazzy portrait of Cannonball Adderley in his early soul jazz prime – oddly one that doesn't feature his regular quintet lineup, but which more than makes up for that lack with a batch of players that includes Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Bill Evans on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums! Given the personnel, the record's almost kind of a transition from Cannon's brief time with Miles Davis into his tighter more soul-inflected group to come – and Evans' piano provides an especially spacious sensibility here, one that marks the time spent with Miles nicely. Titles include "Nardis", "A Little Taste", "Minority", and "Blue Funk". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from the massive electric years of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet – one of the group's last records to feature the keyboards of Joe Zawinul – and also one of the heaviest from the time! The set's a double-length gem that presents the group in an open live setting – one that really displays the full charm of their approach at the time, and that wonderfully crowd-winning mode that made Cannon a key act at this time for rock and soul audiences too! Adderley raps a bit at key points, and brings some righteous energy to the concert – while the rest of the group follow up with performances that really send the whole thing home – Nat Adderley on cornet, Zawinul on Fender Rhodes and piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums. Cannon plays some soprano sax, in addition to his familiar alto – and titles include "Alto Sex", "Lonesome Stranger", "Wild Cat Pee", "Soul Virgo", "Painted Desert", "Directions", "Pra Dizer Adeus", "Rumplestiltskin", "Price You Got To Pay To Be Free", "Esquisition", "Get Up Off Your Knees", "Down In Black Bottom", and "The Scene". Produced by David Axelrod too! CD

Fantastic work from the massive electric years of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet – one of the group's last records to feature the keyboards of Joe Zawinul – and also one of the heaviest from the time! The set's a double-length gem that presents the group in an open live setting – one that really displays the full charm of their approach at the time, and that wonderfully crowd-winning mode that made Cannon a key act at this time for rock and soul audiences too! Adderley raps a bit at key points, and brings some righteous energy to the concert – while the rest of the group follow up with performances that really send the whole thing home – Nat Adderley on cornet, Zawinul on Fender Rhodes and piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums. Cannon plays some soprano sax, in addition to his familiar alto – and titles include "Alto Sex", "Lonesome Stranger", "Wild Cat Pee", "Soul Virgo", "Painted Desert", "Directions", "Pra Dizer Adeus", "Rumplestiltskin", "Price You Got To Pay To Be Free", "Esquisition", "Get Up Off Your Knees", "Down In Black Bottom", and "The Scene". Produced by David Axelrod too! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Cannonball Adderley's excellent moody electric albums from the early 70s – with a stripped down vibe that's really nice, made even better by sweeeet production by David Axelrod! The set's got great keyboard work by George Duke and Hal Galper – both working in a spare, subtle funk mode that's a perfect fit for Axelrod's production style and Cannon's soulful soloing. Tracks include David Axelrod's "Book-Ends", plus 2 Hal Galper tunes, "Phases" and "My Lady Blue", and Cannonball's "Suite Cannon". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work by Cannonball – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until after his death! The album features live material – recorded in Tokyo and San Francisco – performed by Cannon's amazing sextet that includes Joe Zawinul on piano, Yusef Lateef on reeds, Nat Adderley on cornet, and the rhythm section of Sam Jones in bass and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are all long and grooving – with a sublime mix of the earlier soul jazz that Adderley forge in the late 50s, with some of the more exotic traces that were coming into the group through the work of Lateef. Titles include "New Delhi", "Peter & The Goats", "This Here", and "Never Say Yes". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". Includes bonus track "Alison's Uncle". CD

4 early Cannonball Adderley albums on 2 CDs! The package is a brilliantly put-together look at Cannon's early style – forged at Mercury in the years before he settled into soul jazz fame in the 60s, a mix of hardbop styles that shows his genius even as a young player, working with players that include brother Nat Adderley, Junior Mance, Jimmy Cobb, and Sam Jones, as tight a combo as Cannon had in the 60s, and a bit more versatile too! The set features a total of 36 tracks, some great notes, and a wealth of excellent titles that will have you rediscovering why you like Cannonball Adderley all over again! Titles include "Bimini", "Porky", "Another Kind Of Soul", "Jubilation", "Our Delight", "Stay On It", "Fuller bop Man", "That Funky Train", "Sam's Tune", "Miss Jackie's Delight", and "Cobbweb". CD

One of the coolest, baddest, funkiest albums Cannonball Adderley ever recorded – a massive suite of tunes based on the signs of the Zodiac, produced to perfection by David Axelrod, and featuring some hip recitations from the mighty Rick Holmes! The double-length set is completely compelling all the way through – a darkly brooding batch of funky jazz that shows a strong Miles Davis electric influence at points, thanks to Nat Adderley's spacey trumpet lines, Mike Deasy's trippy guitar, and George Duke's excellent keyboards! Other tracks are a bit more laidback, fitting the mood of their respective signs – and overall, the whole thing slips and slides wonderfully from cut to cut – taking you through the star signs with a really righteous, soulful approach. Titles include "Cancer", "Sagittarius", "Pisces", "Aquarius", "Capricorn", "Virgo", "Taurus", "Aries", "Libra", and a special "Introduction". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The quintet forged a sound that made them an immediate hit – and which had their tight, jagged, soul-drenched sound getting copied by everyone. The record features some amazing soul jazz standards – like Nat's original version of "Work Song", the first-ever record of Timmons' amazing "Dat Dere", Cannon's slinky "Them Dirty Blues", and the jaunty groover "Jeannine", a wonderful cut by Duke Pearson that never sounded better! The CD features alternates of "Work Song" and "Dat Dere" – for a total of 9 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

An album that definitely lives up to its title – given the great change and evolution in the style of Cannonball Adderley's music – definitely pointed towards the soul jazz fame to come in the 60s! The group here has Adderley's alto in the company of some all-stars who may not be his regular group, but who definitely help keep the whole thing at a top-shelf level throughout – a quintet that features Milt Jackson on vibes, Wynton Kelly on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. There's still a few echoes of Cannon's earlier bop recordings, but the sound is also moving towards the new modes to come – especially on the classic title cut "Things Are Getting Better". Other cuts include "Just One Of Those Things", "Sounds For Sid", "Groovin High", "Serves Me Right", and "Blues Oriental". CD

An album that definitely lives up to its title – given the great change and evolution in the style of Cannonball Adderley's music – definitely pointed towards the soul jazz fame to come in the 60s! The group here has Adderley's alto in the company of some all-stars who may not be his regular group, but who definitely help keep the whole thing at a top-shelf level throughout – a quintet that features Milt Jackson on vibes, Wynton Kelly on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. There's still a few echoes of Cannon's earlier bop recordings, but the sound is also moving towards the new modes to come – especially on the classic title cut "Things Are Getting Better". Other cuts include "Just One Of Those Things", "Sounds For Sid", "Groovin High", "Serves Me Right", and "Blues Oriental". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of the Cannonball funky sound – and an amazing number! "Walk Tall" would be enough for its sense of pride and power – but it's given an extra twist with some super-dope electric piano, laying out the groove in a really magical way! "Do Do Do" is a nice one too – with a bit of an Afro twist – and David Axelrod produced both tracks! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A real treat for Cannonball Adderley fans in the years after his passing – vintage live material recorded in 1960, right at a time when Adderley was really finding his groove! The lineup here features a classic quintet – with brother Nat on cornet, Victor Feldman on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – rolling out in a heavy soul jazz groove that's right up there with Cannon's best Riverside albums from the time! The tracks are longish, given the live setting – with energy to match his Live In San Francisco or Japan albums – and titles include "Big P", "One For Daddy O", "The Chant", "Azule Serape", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Cannonball Adderley recorded this nice little groover in 1962, when American musicans were just getting on the bossa tip, and still keeping things pretty authentic. The record was cut in New York with Sergio Mendes' early Bossa Rio group – the legendary Brazilian jazz ensemble that featured Paulo Moura, Dom Um Romao, and Durval Ferreira. The mixture of tight bossa rhythms and Cannon's soulful sax is totally great – and it's only because the Riverside label was folding at the time that the record never got bigger fame. Includes the cuts "Joyce's Samba", "Clouds", "Minha Saudade", "Corcovado", "Batida Diferentes", and "Sambops". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique little album from Cannonball's all-great late years at Capitol – a session that features some strong influences from Brazilian music – "The Happy People" – and production from the legendary David Axelrod! The mix makes for a really unique little record – a set that isn't really bossa, but isn't regular Cannonball funk either – kind of a special hybrid of the two! Airto plays on the set, and contributed the great groover "The Happy People" – a long bit of funky samba that features George Duke on electric piano, and percussion and vocals by Airto himself. The rest of the album's pretty darn great too – with some long tracks that have a more open-ended groove than the usual Cannon funk – featuring more piano by Duke, percussion by Airto and King Errison, cornet by Nat Adderley, and guitar by David T Walker. Other titles include "Ela", "Maria Tres Filhos", and "Savior" – and the album was recorded live, with a very lively feel! LP, Vinyl record album

Cannonball Adderley recorded this nice little groover in 1962, when American musicans were just getting on the bossa tip, and still keeping things pretty authentic. The record was cut in New York with Sergio Mendes' early Bossa Rio group – the legendary Brazilian jazz ensemble that featured Paulo Moura, Dom Um Romao, and Durval Ferreira. The mixture of tight bossa rhythms and Cannon's soulful sax is totally great – and it's only because the Riverside label was folding at the time that the record never got bigger fame. Includes the cuts "Joyce's Samba", "Clouds", "Minha Saudade", "Corcovado", "Batida Diferentes", and "Sambops". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to figure out where this material is from – and the notes don't help much! Side one contains "Jitterbug Waltz" and "Music Matador" – both pretty clearly from the sessions Dolphy cut with Alan Douglas. Side two, though, features three tunes – "Juggin Around", "Awful Mean", and "Litty Ditty" – that are very different, and which supposedly include Cannonball, Benny Green, Tommy Flanagan, and Gene Ammons. They're very different, and some pretty nice soul jazz material, but we're not really sure if Dolphy's on them! LP, Vinyl record album

We last heard altoist Sherman Irby on a hip tribute to Cannonball Adderley – and here, in a recent live set, he blows with an equally soulful vibe! The tunes are all quite long, and played by a quartet – which leaves plenty of room for Irby to take the lead on his solos – stretching out with a wonderfully soulful sense of imagination, really making the most of the ten-plus minutes of most of the numbers, while the group really soars alongside in a sweet modal groove! Titles include "Depth", "Laura's Love Song", "Countdown", "Four", and "Bohemia After Dark". CD

A wonderfully experimental album from drummer Philly Joe Jones – and one that has just the right sort of "ethnic" feel to earn its "Around The World" title! Mostly, the ethnicity comes through in exotic reed work by Sahib Shihab, Herbie Mann, and Cannonball Adderley – who all play wonderfully on the album – alongside straighter sidemen who include Lee Morgan and Blue Mitchell on trumpets, Benny Golson on tenor, and Curtis Fuller on trombone. There's a bit of the Yusef Lateef late 50s sound on here – mixed with Philly's killer crack sock drum approach – a blend that comes off wonderfully throughout, and really makes the album a standout in Philly Joe's catalog from the time. Titles include "Land Of The Blue Veils", "Blue Gwynn", "El Tambores", and "The Tribal Message", which is a nice drum solo! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic – and an important early album from Quincy Jones! Q's working here in some of his hippest settings of the 50s – scoring longish versions of jazz tunes for groups that include players like Lucky Thompson on tenor, Herbie Mann on flute, Art Farmer on trumpet, Phil Woods and Gene Quill on alto sax, Hank Jones on piano, and even Charles Mingus on bass! As with most Jones albums of the time, Quincy has a way of making a bigger group sound nice and lean – hitting some especially nice edges along with the rhythms, and really showing the way towards a new soulful sound for a bigger band. Titles include a sublime 10 minute version of "Walkin" that kicks off the album with a great soulful groove – plus original tunes "Evening In Paris", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Boo's Blues", as well as a version of Cannonball Adderley's "Sermonette". LP, Vinyl record album

Yusef Lateef's one and only album for the Charlie Parker label – cut during a period when he's been making real waves in the jazz scene with work on Prestige and Savoy! The set's a bit more straight ahead than some of Lateef's more exotic sides of the time – focusing on his work on tenor, and going for a soulful hardbop approach that relatively upbeat and swinging, with traces of the work that Lateef was doing in the Cannonball Adderley group of the time. Players on the album include Vincent Pitts on trumpet, John Horman on piano, Ray McKinny on bass, and either George Scott or Clifford Jarvis on drums – and all tunes save two are originals, with titles that include "Outside Blues", "Blue Rocky", "Introlude", "Train Stomp", and "Trudy's Delight". LP, Vinyl record album

Yusef Lateef's one and only album for the Charlie Parker label – cut during a period when he's been making real waves in the jazz scene with work on Prestige and Savoy! The set's a bit more straight ahead than some of Lateef's more exotic sides of the time – focusing on his work on tenor, and going for a soulful hardbop approach that relatively upbeat and swinging, with traces of the work that Lateef was doing in the Cannonball Adderley group of the time. Players on the album include Vincent Pitts on trumpet, John Horman on piano, Ray McKinny on bass, and either George Scott or Clifford Jarvis on drums – and all tunes save two are originals, with titles that include "Outside Blues", "Blue Rocky", "Introlude", "Train Stomp", and "Trudy's Delight". 2nd pressing of the album Lost In Sound – with a cover that's different than the original. LP, Vinyl record album

Although you may recognize Paul Serrano's name from the production credits on countless Chicago soul LPs (on just about every label), this LP's one of the few albums that the trumpeter ever cut in the straight jazz vein. It was put together as part of the "Cannonball Adderley Presents" series for Riverside, in which Cannonball dug up obscure artists from local scenes around the US – and it was recorded in Chicago, with Bunky Green on alto, Jodie Christian on piano, Don Garrett on bass, and Pete La Roca on drums. The set grooves with a classic Chicago hard bop sound, and is a brilliant example of the kind of crossover in styles and groupings that was happening in the city around the time. Titles include Muhal Richard Abrams' "Dream Of Igor", plus "Blues Holiday", "Me Too", and "Little Niles". LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Louis Smith made only two records for Blue Note, but both of them are great! This set's arguably his most famous – because of a rare uncredited appearance by Cannonball Adderley, working here under the "nom de date" of "Buckshot La Funke" – and blowing with a power that beats most of his other Mercury sessions of the late 50s! But the real credit here should go to Louis Smith – who's got a sense of power and command that should have made him one of THE trumpeters of the 50s – an emerging young talent to stand alongside Lee Morgan, Nat Adderley, and other post-Fats Navarro/Clifford Brown talents on the instrument. Smith sparkles throughout with a mix of soul and modernism we really love – and an earthy way of blowing the horn that doesn't always reach its goals, but which draws even more energy from its ability to try! The rhythm section on the album's also very tight – with Art Taylor on drums, Doug Watkins on bass, and either Tommy Flanagan or Duke Jordan on piano – and tracks include "Ande", "Brill's Blues", "South Side", and "Val's Blues". CD

A very successful album for Blue Note – and one that took the searing tenor sax of Stanley Turrentine and backed it with some boldly soulful arrangements from Oliver Nelson! Nelson was perfect at this sort of session – able to provide full backings that infused the record with energy, yet never dominated the space of the soloist – and Turrentine really rises to the occasion here, and matches the quality heard in similar Nelson sessions with Jimmy Smith, Lou Donaldson, and Cannonball Adderley! Other players in the core group here include Kenny Burrell and Herbie Hancock – but Stan's the main star of the set with his gutsy tenor lines, all blown beautifully in a way that points towards his later experiments in this mode. Titles include "Bayou", "Mattie T", "Little Sheri", and "River's Invitation". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip album from Sarah Vaughan – one recorded with great jazz backings from Ernie Wilkins, and featuring a young Cannonball Adderley as the main soloist! The addition of Adderley's alto definitely brings a swinging sound to the set – a sense of soul that's even deeper than usual for Vaughan, and which helps the album live up to its hi-fi promise! Wilkins arrangements have a bit of a Basie bounce at times, but never overwhelm Sarah's vocals – and Jimmy Jones is also on the set, handling the piano lines. Titles include "An Occasional Man", "Oh My", "Soon", "How High The Moon", "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream", and "Maybe". CD

A hip album from Sarah Vaughan – one recorded with great jazz backings from Ernie Wilkins, and featuring a young Cannonball Adderley as the main soloist! The addition of Adderley's alto definitely brings a swinging sound to the set – a sense of soul that's even deeper than usual for Vaughan, and which helps the album live up to its hi-fi promise! Wilkins arrangements have a bit of a Basie bounce at times, but never overwhelm Sarah's vocals – and Jimmy Jones is also on the set, handling the piano lines. Titles include "An Occasional Man", "Oh My", "Soon", "How High The Moon", "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream", and "Maybe". LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably the best solo record that Joe Zawinul ever cut – and one of the few to really show him working in the soulful style that he had with Cannonball Adderley's famous 60s combo! The record features Joe on piano – stepping out on cuts that still have all the soul jazz currents that he brought to his work with Cannon – those rolling lines and heavy left-hand grooves that made a Zawinul groove instantly infectious! The lineups shift a bit here, but include heavyweight players throughout – including Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Clifford Jordan or Joe Henderson on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums! The presence of those giants puts the whole thing in Blue Note or Prestige Records 60s territory – and titles include "Money In The Pocket", "If", "Midnight Mood", "Some More Of Dat", "Sharon's Waltz", and "Del Sasser". LP, Vinyl record album

The Latin side of Blue Note Records – and the Brazilian one, too – served up here in a series that brought together classic work from the label in a special sort of groove – tunes that are maybe more influenced by south of the border rhythms than you'd expect from the soul jazz and hardbop artists who originally made the records! There's a bit of bossa here, but the rhythms open up into a fair bit more, too – and it's great to hear the difference in these musicians as they change things up from straighter bop modes, and use the new grooves to open up their solos and rework their phrasing too! This side of Blue Note was sometimes buried in a world of collectors looking for more familiar hardbop, but it really lives again, thanks tot he Blue Bossa collection. 3CD set features 41 tracks in all – including "Afreaka" by Lee Morgan, "Avila & Tequila" by Hank Mobley, "Chitlins Con Carne" by Kenny Burrell, "Congalegre" by Horace Parlan, "Back Down To The Tropics" by Charlie Rouse, "Latona" by Big John Patton, "Girl From Ipanema" by Lou Rawls, "La Fiesta" by Stanley Turrentine, "Headin South" by Horace Parlan, "La Malanga" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Mama Inez" by Grant Green, "Swingin The Samba" by Horace Silver, "Upa Neguinho" by Duke Pearson, "Mambo Inn" by Grant Green, "Ghana" by Donald Byrd, "Love For Sale" by Dexter Gordon, "Samba De Orfeu" by Charlie Rouse, "Afrodisia" by Kenny Dorham, "Sambop" by Cannonball Adderley with Bossa Rio, "Loi" by Ike Quebec, "Sandalia Dela" by Duke Pearson, "Congo Lament" by Ike Quebec, "Corcovado" by Grant Green, "Tin Tin Deo" by James Moody, "El Gaucho" by Wayne Shorter, and "Stormy" by Duke Pearson. CD

A special package that brings together the first three volumes in this landmark series – one that had the Blue Note label digging back in their catalog and completely re-thinking their approach to reissues – given the new popularity of jazz in the hip hop sample world! As you'd guess from the title, the music here is very strongly oriented in the mode of "breaks", or tracks that were sampled for later hip hop and club recordings – classic jazz tunes from the glory days of Blue Note that have gone onto live again, thanks to the keen ears and inventive work of more contemporary DJs and producers. After all these years, The Blue Breakbeats series still stands as one of the best illustrations of the funkier side of the label – and titles include "Blue Juice" by Jimmy McGriff, "Groovin For Mr G" by Richard Groove Holmes, "Street Lady" by Donald Byrd, "Jasper Country Man" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Higga Boom" by Gene Harris, "Walk Tall" by Cannonball Adderley, "Howlin For Judy" by Jeremy Steig, "Sho Nuff Mellow" by Rueben Wilson, "Ode To Billie Joe" by Lou Donaldson, "Don't Call Me N*gger Whitey" by Gene Harris, "Mystic Brew" by Ronnie Foster, "Ground Hog" by Duke Pearson, "Ummh" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Ain't It Funky Now" by Grant Green, "Your Love Is Just Too Much" by Gene Harris, "Kudu" by Eddie Henderson, "The Weasil" by Donald Byrd, "It's Your Thing" by Lou Donaldson, "The Worm" by Jimmy McGriff, "Orange Peel" by Reuben Wilson, "The Kumquat Kids" by Eddie Henderson, "Good Humor Man" by Blue Mitchell, "Viva Tirado" by Gerald Wilson, "Turtle Walk" by Lou Donaldson, "Final Comedown" by Grant Green, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by Joe Williams, "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Lou Rawls, and "Oliloqui Valley" by Herbie Hancock. CD