An excellent live set from James Moody – one that really captures all the creative soulfulness that was part of his genius during the 60s! The set was recorded at the Jazz Workshop in LA, and features a hip group that includes Bernard McKinney on trombone, Musa Kaleem on baritone, Howard McGhee on trumpet, and Moody on flute, alto, and tenor. The groove is a mix of soul jazz and bop – but always with that slightly exotic style that Moody was picking up at the time, kind of a mix of the harder edge of Yusef Lateef, and the more playful Latin grooving of Dizzy Gillespie. The CD features all the tracks from the album Cooking the Blues, plus 3 unissued numbers, and one that had only ever shown up on a compilation. Very nicely done overall, as part of an excellent and short-lived reissue series on Chess. Titles include "Moody's Mood For Love", "Bunny Boo", "One For Nat", "The Jazz Twist", "Little Buck", "Sister Sadie", and "Home Fries". CD

Notable sidemen include Pierre Michelot, Kenny Clarke, Barney Wilen, Jimmy Gourley, and Clark Terry. CD

A nice little cooker from Junior – with no pun on the artist or title intended! The album's one of Cook's few sets as a leader, and arguably has an even better focus than most of the rest – thanks to strong production from Cedar Walton, who's also backing Junior for the record with his trio of Billy Higgins on drums and Buster Williams on bass. The groove is nice and fluid – in the best Walton way that combines warmth with a sense of free-soaring energy – and Junior's solos seem a bit more hard-bitten than before, but still with that sense of lyrical warmth that he developed with Horace Silver. Titles include "Chi Chi", "Hindsight", "Heavy Blue", "Illusion Of Grandeur", "Fiesta Espanol", and "Detour Ahead". CD

A seminal set from the young Miles Davis – working here on one of his legendary pairings with tenorist John Coltrane, who's equally important to the sound of the session as Miles! Tracks are long, and mix up some modern modes with remade ballads – both sublime expressions of the new ideas in jazz that both players were unlocking at the time, presented here in a setting that still sets a standard for modern jazz on record! The rhythm trio is equally wonderful – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles "Tune Up", "Blues By Five", and "Airegin" – plus the pair's classic reading of "My Funny Valentine". CD

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Junior's definitely cooking on this session – working with trumpeter Blue Mitchell at a time when both players were members of the Horace Silver Quintet – but in a groove that's somewhat different than the Silver sound overall! Junior Cook's tenor really is tremendous on the record – played with a sharp, raspy tone that's almost deeper than his work with Horace Silver – a cutting quality that almost reminds us of Clifford Jordan at his best. Mitchell's great too – really spurred on by this sound, and finding some new notes in the setting – and other players on the date include Gene Taylor on bass and Roy Brooks on drums, both from the Silver group – plus piano from either Ronnie Matthews or Dolo Coker, each of whom handle half of the set. Matthews is especially great – a real treat at this early point in his career – and titles on the set include the sublime "Mzar", plus "Blue Farouq", "Sweet Cakes", "Turbo Village", "Field Day", and "Pleasure Bent". CD

Just about as essential as it gets – RVG Editions of Cookin', Relaxin', Workin', and Steamin' – all in one nice set! CD

Killer stuff from Booker Ervin – and one of his first sessions as a leader! The album was recorded during a stretch when Ervin was coming into fame as a member of the Mingus group – and he's playing here with a number of Mingus-ites like Richard Williams on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums – plus some great bass work from George Tucker – not exactly Mingus, but with a soulful undercurrent that's totally great! The record's got a hardbop groove with a modernist tinge, and it features some excellent playing by Booker that shows off both sides of his style – the deep Texas tenor roots, and some of the sharper tones he picked up with Mingus. Tracks include "Mister Wiggles", "Well Well", "Dee Da Do", and "Down in the Dumps". CD

A seminal set from the young Miles Davis – working here on one of his legendary pairings with tenorist John Coltrane, who's equally important to the sound of the session as Miles! Tracks are long, and mix up some modern modes with remade ballads – both sublime expressions of the new ideas in jazz that both players were unlocking at the time, presented here in a setting that still sets a standard for modern jazz on record! The rhythm trio is equally wonderful – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles "Tune Up", "Blues By Five", and "Airegin" – plus the pair's classic reading of "My Funny Valentine". CD

A seminal set from the young Miles Davis – working here on one of his legendary pairings with tenorist John Coltrane, who's equally important to the sound of the session as Miles! Tracks are long, and mix up some modern modes with remade ballads – both sublime expressions of the new ideas in jazz that both players were unlocking at the time, presented here in a setting that still sets a standard for modern jazz on record! The rhythm trio is equally wonderful – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles "Tune Up", "Blues By Five", and "Airegin" – plus the pair's classic reading of "My Funny Valentine". CD

Tal Farlow on guitar, James Williams on piano, Gary Mazzaroppi on bass, and Vinnie Johnson on drums. CD

Some of the greatest albums that Hammond organist Jimmy Smith issued at the start of the 60s – all records that completely cemented the role of the organ in jazz – and took the instrument out of the realm of back rooms and jukeboxes! That's not to say that the music here wouldn't play great on a jukebox, as some of the cuts here were issued by Blue Note as 45rpm singles, and went on to get a fair bit of organ play – but they're also mixed with longer cuts that really have Smith opening up on the Hammond – showing the world why his skills on the keys were so different than most that came before him! All the records here feature tight small combo backing – not the larger arrangements that Jimmy would later use at the Verve label – and the set features all albums in original artwork, in LP-styled sleeves – and includes the records Home Cookin, Crazy Baby, Midnight Special, Back At The Chicken Shack, and Softly As In A Summer Breeze! CD

One of the key classics from the Jimmy Smith years at Blue Note Records – a really groundbreaking time for the Hammond organ in jazz, as Jimmy helped take it from backrooms in bars to center stage of jazz with a record like this! The album's about as iconic as you can get for Jimmy at the label – from the fantastic cover image, to the well-crafted tunes – many of which are shorter than some of Smith's earlier jam session-styled work, and help forge a bridge between soul jazz and the emerging soul instrumental sound of the early 60s. The album features some excellent work from the obscure Percy France on tenor on most of the tracks – a player we only know from a handful of dates – next to other quartet members who include Kenny Burrell on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums. Titles include "Sugar Hill", "I Got A Woman", "Motoring Along", "Gracie", and "Messin Around". CD features 5 previously unissued bonus tracks! CD

CD features 5 bonus tracks too – alternate takes of 2 tracks on the album, plus "Apostrophe", "Groanin", and "Since I Fell For You". CD

With Chris Gestrin on piano. CD

Features Hod O'Brien on piano and Bobby Routch on French horn! CD

A beautiful overview of some of the most legendary material in the catalog of both Miles Davis and John Coltrane – quintet collaborations for Prestige Records from the late 50s, presented here with all master and alternate takes, plus a full bonus CD of unreleased material! The original tracks were issued on a groundbreaking run of albums that include the classics Cookin, Relaxin, Steamin, and Workin With The Miles Davis Quintet – all with Davis on trumpet, Coltrane on tenor, and rhythm from the trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. But in addition to the 32 tracks of studio material from the group – presented on the first 3 CDs in the set – the package also features 8 more live numbers, recorded for the Tonight Show in 1955, and live at the Blue Note in Philly in 1956 and at Cafe Bohemia in 1958! Original studio tunes include "Stablemates", "The Theme", "How Am I To Know", "Four", "Salt Peanuts", "Woody'n You", "Ahmad's Blues", "Well You Needn't", "Half Nelson", "Oleo", "Tune Up", and "Blues By Five". Unreleased live tunes include "Tune Up", "Walkin", "Max Is Making Wax", "Four", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "Two Bass Hit". Added bonuses include 5 solo transcriptions, a 40 page booklet, and original cover art by Miles! CD

Includes the songs "Cheek To Cheek", "Cookin'", "Lou's Blues", "Dorothy", "Herman's Mambo", "The Blues Walk", "The Masquerade Is Over", "Funky Mama", "Caracas", "What Will I Tell My Heart", "Alligator Bogaloo", "Peepin'", and "Caravan". CD

Tracks include "You Got It", "The Vibe", "Manteca", "Cajun Cookin", "Birdland", and "Milestones". CD

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. Previously, the singers had only sung vocal solos for one instrument – but with a trio of players, they were suddenly able to take over the solos of all the frontline instruments in a group, such as the piano, trumpet, and tenor solos in their incredible version of "Home Cookin". That track alone is a perfect summation of the group's genius – as it offers a true vocal interplay, with words in place of notes and changes, and opens the already great soul jazz classic into a whole new level of meaning and wonder. It also helps that that track, like most of the ones on this CD, features excellent rhythm backing by Gildo Mahones, Ike Isaacs, and Walt Bolden, plus the occasional alto solo by Pony Poindexter. Their Columbia work's always been their best – and this CD brings together all 3 LPs (Hottest Group In Jazz, Sing Ellington, and the amazing High Flying), plus 7 previously unissued tracks! There's a whopping 39 cuts in all – and the set's one of the best jazz vocal CDs you could ever buy! CD

25 tracks including the huge hit "Shotgun", plus "Home Cookin", "Road Runner", "Hip City", "Shake & Fingerpop", "Shoot Your Shot", and "Do You See My Love". CD

A great Horace Silver album – and one of the rarest! The record features some top-line material that virtually defines Silver's post-Jazz Messengers sound – tracks that come out with a hard and heavy groove, yet which also have a lightness in the mix too – a sense of play and lyricism that's always made Silver's soul deeper than most of his contemporaries! The group on the set is top-shelf all the way through – with Art Farmer on trumpet and Hank Mobley on tenor – alongside a rhythm team that includes Teddy Kotick on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Metamorphosis", "Home Cookin", "No Smokin", and "Soulville". CD

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". CD features great mastering and 18 tracks in all! CD

A great Horace Silver album – and one of the rarest! The record features some top-line material that virtually defines Silver's post-Jazz Messengers sound – tracks that come out with a hard and heavy groove, yet which also have a lightness in the mix too – a sense of play and lyricism that's always made Silver's soul deeper than most of his contemporaries! The group on the set is top-shelf all the way through – with Art Farmer on trumpet and Hank Mobley on tenor – alongside a rhythm team that includes Teddy Kotick on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Metamorphosis", "Home Cookin", "No Smokin", and "Soulville". CD

A massive overview of work from the Barcelona scene of the mid 20th century – most of it music we'd never heard before! The package was done in conjunction with the book of the same name – and it's divided up into 3 different sections – trad jazz from the 20s and 30s, mainstream jazz from the years after the Spanish Civil War, and modern jazz from the late 50s and early 60s! That last segment is our favorite here – as you might guess – and the CD features rare early material from pianist Tete Montoliu, often in groups with horn players, plus other tracks from saxophonist Mantequilla. Modern titles include "The High & The Mighty", "Bernie's Tune", "Delaunay's Dream", "Home Cookin", and "Laverne Walk" by Montoliu; and "Blue Note", "Vat 69", "Balada", "Whisky Jazz", and "La Tuna Club" by Mantequilla. Trad jazz CD features a total of 27 tracks by assorted groups – and "posguerra" CD features an additional 31, mostly from the 40s and early 50s. CD

Funk from Seattle? Hardly seems likely – but prepare to be amazed! The funky reissuers at Light In The Attic, in collaboration with Mr Supreme, have unearthed a treasure trove of rare singles and groovers for the set – all obscure local recordings from the Emerald City scene, most of which never made it past the Pacific Northwest to the national charts. Back in the day, Seattle was a real cross-cultural hotbed – filled with folks who'd picked up and moved out from points east, settling in the Central District, working for Boeing, and reveling in the freedom of the new city to find their own groove. This set does a great job of documenting the flowering of eastern-styled funk in Seattle's growing scene of the late 60s – and features a range of tracks that run from deep funk to hard soul, sock-boogaloo, and even a bit of hard-handed piano jazz! The package features a great set of notes on the music, and a long set list that includes "Louie Louie" by The Topics, "Brighter Tomorrow" by Soul Swingers, "This Is Me" by Cookin Bag, "Bold Soul Sister Bold Soul Brother" by Black On White Affair, "Cissy Strut" by Johnny Lewis Trio, "Stop Losing Your Chances" by Cold Bold & Together, "I Just Want To Be" by Robbie Hill, "Wheedle's Groove" by Annakonda, "Hey Jude" by Overton Berry Trio, and "A Little Love Affair" by Patrinell Staten. CD

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". CD

Clifford Brown only recorded a handful of sides for Blue Note – but all of the best ones are included in this excellent album – a full length set that culls together Brown's material from the 10" years, issued as a memorial to his early death in 1956! Side one features Brown with the modernist Gigi Gryce on flute and alto sax – plus Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a lineup that has a strong sense of soul, balanced with a dose of modernism – on titles that include the classic "Hymn to the Orient" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Easy Living", "Cherokee", "Wail Bait", and "Minor Mood". Side two features an equally sharp group – with Lou Donaldson on some excellent alto, and the great Elmo Hope on piano – on titles that include "Brownie Speaks", "De Dah", "Cookin", "You Go To My Head", and "Carving The Rock". CD

Wow! An incredible collection of seminal recordings from one of the most important figures in modern music! All of Miles' recordings from the Prestige label in one place, bound up in a well annotated box, and given a complete discography and lots of excellent photos. It's almost too much astounding jazz in one place! The list of sidemen and great LPs is almost too long to go over, but in addition to Miles' remarkable Cookin'/Relaxin'/Walkin'/Workin' sessions, there's all of the material issued as Bags' Groove, with the Modern Jazz Giants and loads more, and some of the stellar accompanists includes John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz, Red Garland, Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, Milt Jackson, Paul Chambers, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, and Max Roach, just to name a few. There's far too many tracks to list here, but there's takes of "Blue Room", "Conception", "Compulsion", "Miles Ahead", "Blue Haze", "Airegin", "Bag's Groove", "The Man I Love", "Green Haze", "Dr Jackle", "The Theme", "Trane's Blues", "'Round About Midnight", "Half Nelson", "My Funny Valentine" and loads more! CD

Great old school sounds from Quincy Jones – the kind of smoking big band album we'd know from his early years on ABC or Mercury Records! The Q's done many great things in the years since those albums – including great work in the soul music and soundtrack fields – but it's great to know he can still turn out a jazz cooker like this when he wants – thanks in part to great help as a co-leader from reedman Sammy Nestico! The horns are totally tight – that great old Quincy way of coming on strong, then letting individual voices break out of the pack – and players include Ernie Watts, Gerald Albright, and Gary Foster on saxes; Oscar Brashear and Wane Bergeron on trumpets; George Bohannon and Bill Watrous on trombones – all great players who really make the record kick. The set also features guest solo work by Hubert Laws on flute, and Kirk Whalum on tenor and soprano sax – and Emil Richards even turns in a bit of vibes, too. Titles include "Grace", "Jelly Roll", "The Joy Of Cookin", "Ya Gotta Try Harder", "Lisett", and "No Time Like The Present". CD

Titles include "Something In The Way", "Home", "Real Love", "Comfort Of A Man", "Fast Talk", "Good Girl Gone Bad", and "Ain't No Cookin". CD adds 2 non-LP bonus tracks plus a 9 minute extended version of "Something In The Way". CD

12 Blue Note classics including "Sister Sadie", "Peace", "Cookin At The Continental", "Opus De Funk", "Room 608", "Senor Blues", "The Preacher", "Cool Eyes", and "Doodlin". CD

A really great little set from Joy Of Cooking – one of the best Bay Area groups to mix together rock, folk, and bits of country! Somehow, the group have a way of doing their thing without sounding hokey or "fake" – taking their groove way past simple references too roots they never really had, and into a nicely hippie-ish territory that's made even better by the lead vocals of Terry Garthwaite and Toni Brown. Titles include "Castles", "Don't The Moon Look Fat & Lonesome", "Lady Called Love", "Three Day Loser", "All Around The Sun & The Moon", and "Beginning Tomorrow". CD

A fantastic album from the team of Henry Franklin and Azar Lawrence – proof that the two players' recent pairing has helped them both reach the heights of their recordings from the 70s! The album's got a deeply spiritual vibe that goes way past the slightly gimmicky cover image – a rock-solid sound that really recalls the best spiritual jazz styles of the 70s – given perhaps a bit of a soul jazz focus by Franklin and the group, but still pretty open and expressive overall! Lawrence plays both soprano and tenor sax, and the group also features piano from Theo Sanders, drums from Ramon Banda, and cornet work from Nolan Shaheed on a few of the album's tracks. Barbara Morrison sings on the cut "Philanthropy" – a boppish sort of tune – and other titles include "Under Tanzanian Skies", "Soko", "Yama", "Miles A Round", "Peresina", "Blues For Lunch", and "Harlem Nocturne". CD

Rickey Woodard on alto and tenor sax, Dwight Dickerson and piano, Tony Dumas on bass, and Harold Mason on drums. CD

The second album by this excellent all-female San Francisco jazz combo – a live date that's even more cooking than their debut! As before, there's a sweetly breezy style to the record – that hip SF sound of the 70s – with echoes of Braziliana and soul amidst the group's jazzier leanings – all wrapped together with a sound that's tight, but never uptight! The female vocals give the music a feel that's like Janet Lawson, Sheila Landis, or some of the hipper European singers of the 70s – and instrumentation is mostly acoustic, save for a bit of Fender Rhodes. Titles include a version of Gil Scott-Heron's "Willing", plus "Greeting Song", "Call It Jazz", "Too Bad", "Golden River/Golden Dream", and "Heaven Is In Your Mind". CD

George Benson's first LP for Columbia – a hard, heavy, soul jazz slammer that bears no resemblance to his overproduced work of the 70s! The album's a real cooker – recorded hot on the heels of Benson's classic work on Prestige with the Jack McDuff group, and sounding a lot like McDuff's hard wailing organ jazz of the same time. George is working with a group that features a young Lonnie Smith on organ, plus Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Ronnie Cuber on sax, and Charlie Persip on drums – all tightly coming together, and jamming hard on the album's short cooking tracks. Tracks include "Clockwise", "Jaguar", "Hello Birdie", and "Bullfight". This is the earlier version of the CD – without the bonus tracks on the later reissue. CD

George Benson's first LP for Columbia – a hard, heavy, soul jazz slammer that bears no resemblance to his overproduced work of the 70s! The album's a real cooker – recorded hot on the heels of Benson's classic work on Prestige with the Jack McDuff group, and sounding a lot like McDuff's hard wailing organ jazz of the same time. George is working with a group that features a young Lonnie Smith on organ, plus Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Ronnie Cuber on sax, and Charlie Persip on drums – all tightly coming together, and jamming hard on the album's short cooking tracks. Tracks include "Clockwise", "Jaguar", "Hello Birdie", and "Bullfight". Plus, the CD adds five bonus tracks, including "Sideman", "Minor Chant", and the previously unreleased "J.H. Bossa Nova" and "Clockwise (Alternate Take)". CD

The music of Richard Rodgers – swung beautifully by tenorist George Coleman – blowing in that clear, strong, soulful style we love so much! The rhythm section is great – a cooking lineup that features Harold Mabern on piano, Jamil Nasser on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – the three of whom really help keep things right on the money throughout! George opens up with some beautifully-blown solos – and titles include "Bewitched", "Falling In Love With Love", "My Funny Valentine", "Thou Swell", and "I Could Write A Book". CD

Important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Faces & Places", "Dee Dee", and "Dawn" – and the CD features the previously unissued "Doughnuts", plus alternate takes of "Faces & Places" and "European Echoes". CD

Important second chapter work from Ornette Coleman – a record that marked a real shift in his sound from the Atlantic Records years – issued by Blue Note at a level that gave the rest of the world a chance to see what Ornette had been cooking up on the underground scene! The album was recorded in Stockholm – in the tradition of European live performances that saw Coleman grow so strongly in the mid 60s – and the tracks are long, free, and full of improvised moments – with Ornette adding in trumpet and violin next to his familiar alto – in a trio with David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums – both fantastic players who can be loose at the right moments, and bring things back at others. Tracks are long and unbridled – with less of the rhythmic changes that you'd hear in work by the classic quartet, and more of a full-on fierce soloing mode. Titles include "Snowflakes & Sunshine", "Morning Song", "The Riddle", and "Antiques" – and the CD features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

A beautiful live representation of the energy of the Bitches Brew years – one that has Miles Davis and the group really letting loose with free-flowing, modally-inspired lines – cooking up an incredible blend of acoustic and electric sounds at once! There's a bit of funk here, but not much – and although guitar is sometimes used strongly, it's often not as noisy as in later live sides. Instead, the whole group gels together beautifully – an unlikely assortment of players that includes Gary Bartz and Steve Grossman on reeds, John McLaughlin on guitar, Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Hermeto Pascoal on percussion, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all given new focus, direction, and inspiration by Miles! Titles include "What I Say", "Sivad", "Selim", "Funky Tonk", and a great medley of "Gemini/Double Image". CD

A rare bit of Dutch jazz from the 60s – a hip quintet led by pianist Cees Slinger, and featuring a cooking lineup that's every bit as great as groups coming out of the British or French scenes at the time. Slinger was the pianist in the legendary Wessel Icken trio – and through his years in that group, he developed a solid swing that started stretching out into a more modal styled groove – and works here with Cees Smal on trumpet, Harry Verbecke on tenor, Jacques Schols on bass, and John Engels on drums – all top shelf players too! Many of the tracks on this set are a lot more adventurous than you might expect from the staid look of the group – and the album burns with the warmth and originality of some of the best Saba records of the late 60s, with slightly longer tracks that really stretch out, both in terms of rhythm and solo work. The writing is superb, and all titles are originals by European players – with tracks that include "Ruined Girl", "Lutuli", "Lining Up", "New Born", and "Monosyl". CD

An overlooked US date from 1970 – a set that Dexter Gordon recorded during a quick stop home from his time abroad – really cooking away in the Prestige studios with a great little rhythm section, in ways that are quite different than his better-known European work of the time! The title cut's a groover that definitely matches the promise of its name – a slinky soul jazz number driven along nicely by a rhythm trio that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Larry Ridley on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. The group keep things interesting on other cuts too – even when Gordon's dominating with the kind of inventive solo lines he was forging in Europe – and most tracks are longish, with plenty of room for action. Titles include "The Panther", "Valse Robin", "Mrs Miniver", and "The Blues Walk". CD

2 of Boogaloo Joe's best and rarest albums on one CD – guitar jazz funk at its best! First up is Boogaloo Joe – a killer session of funky guitar jazz, and the record that gave Ivan "Boogaloo" Joe Jones his nickname! The set's a full-on wailer that really blows away Joe's first two on Prestige – breaking out ouf the box with a killer lineup that includes Rusty Bryant on tenor, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Sonny Phillips on organ – all working with Joe's incredibly tight guitar lines to craft some wicked tunes that take soul jazz firmly into the sound of the 70s! Titles include "Boogaloo Joe", "People Are Talking", "Dream On Little Dreamer", and "Atlantic City Soul". Right On Brother is next – and is Ivan's first truly sublime album – a set that showed the world that he was easily one of the greatest jazz guitarists of his generation – able to spin out single-note jams with a speed and dexterity that few others could match! The groove here is totally great and very righteous – heavy drums from Bernard Purdie, wailing organ from Charles Earland, and saxophone from Rusty Bryant – all cooking together in the best early 70s Prestige jazz funk mode! Titles include "Right On", "Brown Bag", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", and "Poppin". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks on this second volume include "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks titles include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", "The Realm Of Lightning", "The Utter Nots", "Outer Spaceways Inc", "Scene 1 Take 1", "Strange Worlds", "Ancient Ethiopia", "Pyramids", and "Interpretation". CD

A very unusual album from Max Roach – and one that continues his great 50s trend of seeking out some of the freshest players in jazz! The set's a rare trio outing for Max – and it features some incredible piano work by a musician named Hasaan – a player we only know from this set, but who's a cooking modernist with a vibe that ranks him right up there with postwar greats like Thelonious Monk, Randy Weston, and Herbie Nichols! With references like those, you can bet there's plenty of sharp edges in the piano – but the tunes also have a subtle, soulful feel too – a sense of humanity that's really wonderful. The album includes the tracks "Off My Back Jack", "Almost Like Me", "To Inscribe", "Pay Not Play Not", and "Din-Ka Stret", all written by Hasaan. CD

Proof that at his start, Jimmy Smith had a greatness that knew no bounds – as the album's one of a few that Blue Note recorded in the late 50s, but never issued until many years later – even though they had already released so many amazing records from this period! The set has Jimmy really cooking away – playing live at Small's Paradise, in a group that has Lou Donaldson's alto on just about every track, and tenor from Tina Brooks on most of the others too. Tunes are tighter and shorter than on the more jam session albums, which makes for a nice change – and titles include "Groovin At Smalls", "Dark Eyes", "Cool Blues", and "A Night In Tunisia" – which begins with an announcement from Babs Gonzales! CD

Proof that at his start, Jimmy Smith had a greatness that knew no bounds – as the album's one of a few that Blue Note recorded in the late 50s, but never issued until many years later – even though they had already released so many amazing records from this period! The set has Jimmy really cooking away – playing live at Small's Paradise, in a group that has Lou Donaldson's alto on just about every track, and tenor from Tina Brooks on most of the others too. Tunes are tighter and shorter than on the more jam session albums, which makes for a nice change – and titles include "Groovin At Smalls", "Dark Eyes", "Cool Blues", and "A Night In Tunisia" – which begins with an announcement from Babs Gonzales! CD

Proof that at his start, Jimmy Smith had a greatness that knew no bounds – as the album's one of a few that Blue Note recorded in the late 50s, but never issued until many years later – even though they had already released so many amazing records from this period! The set has Jimmy really cooking away – playing live at Small's Paradise, in a group that has Lou Donaldson's alto on just about every track, and tenor from Tina Brooks on most of the others too. Tunes are tighter and shorter than on the more jam session albums, which makes for a nice change – and titles include "Groovin At Smalls", "Dark Eyes", "Cool Blues", and "A Night In Tunisia" – which begins with an announcement from Babs Gonzales! 8 tracks in all – 4 more than on the 1980 album – with better sound than before as well! CD