Easily one of the most modern recordings made by pianist Don Friedman in his early years – a set of forward-thinking numbers done with a quartet that includes guitar Atilla Zoller! As with Zoller's own work from the time, there's a freewheeling approach here that slides effortlessly between melody and rhythm – in a way that often has the guitar and piano flying freely, while the bass from Dick Kniss and drums from Dick Berk take off into sound patterns and tunes of their own. The approach isn't totally out, nor totally free – but it's certainly moreso than the usual album on Riverside from the time! Titles include "Israel", "Episodes", "Exploration", "Blizzard", and "Park Row". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Supremely soulful modern jazz from the great Booker Little – one of his best albums ever as a leader, and a real standout moment amidst so many of the re-titled sessions that came out after his early death! The album's got a tremendous feel from the very first note – a furthering of the modernism that Little forged with Max Roach and Eric Dolphy – but stated more strongly in his own voice as a leader and composer – a bold jazz vision that makes us miss his talents even more strongly than before! The group here is the stuff of legends – with Dolphy on alto, bass clarinet, and flute – plus Don Friedman on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, Ron Carter or Art Davis on bass, and Max Roach on drums, tympani, and vibes! Titles are all original compositions by Little – and include "We Speak", "Strength & Sanity", "Quiet, Please", "Hazy Hues", and "Moods In Free Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost set of modernist piano jazz from the British scene of the late 60s – very much in the mode of the best American work of the time by pianists like Steve Kuhn or Don Friedman! Taylor's got an incredible touch on the keys – a post-Bill Evans mode that uses space as much a sound, and which paints in broad colors and tones that seem to glisten in their own unique place in the musical spectrum. The sound is free, but never too "out" – and the trio performs a number of strong originals like "Just A Blues", "Two Autumns", "Guru", and "Abena" – plus completely transformed versions of "Stella By Starlight" and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few truly great albums by one of the hippest guitarists we can think of! Zoller was a fantastic talent of the European scene – with an approach to the guitar that's unlike anyone else we've heard. Unfortunately, though, he didn't always make that many albums as a leader in a regular jazz format – where his modernist ideas were allowed free reign, without some sort of gimmicky presentation getting in the way. This album's one of the rare few that let Zoller really take hold of the direction of the record – and it might be the best ever to hear his amazing work in action. The group's a quartet of well-matched players that includes Don Friedman on piano, Barre Philips on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – and the album includes 4 originals by Zoller, including "Explorations", "Blizzards, and "The Hun", plus a version of Carla Bley's "Ictus". LP, Vinyl record album

A late 70s return to glory for the Captain – and a set that has a bit of a checkered path, in that it was originally done for Frank Zappa's Discreet label as the album Bat Chain Puller – then was held back, and mostly re-recorded for this seminal release on Warner Brothers! The set shows all the grown that Don Van Vliet had undergone during the decade – and also echoes his previous collaboration with Zappa – served up with instrumentation that is wonderfully complex, but still quite personal and earthy – a blend of composition, improvisation, and individuality that almost has Beefheart rivaling the work of Hermeto Pascoal during the decade, yet in a very different mode – given his vocal styles and occasional spoken musings! The Cap sings, plays harmonica, and blows soprano sax – alongside Jeff Moris Tepper on slide guitar and spell guitar, Bruce Lambourne Fowler on trombone, Eric Drew Friedman on Fender Rhodes and bass, Art Tripp III on marimba and percussion, Robert Arthur Williams on drums, and Richard Redus on slide guitar, bottleneck guitar, fretless bass, accordion, and guitar. Tracks include "The Floppy Boot Stomp", "Ice Rose", "Bat Chain Puller", "Candle Mambo", "Love Lies", and "Suction Prints". LP, Vinyl record album

A great return to form for Chet Baker – his first record in a number of years away from the studio, and proof that his genius could adapt to just about any setting! The album's got a tight focus that's probably one of the keys to its success – a set of arrangements by Don Sebesky that mix lusher moments with some more tightly snapping rhythms – a blend that allows Chet to display the full range of his talents without veering too far in one direction. Paul Desmond plays some great alto on the record, really bringing in a strong sense of crispness to a few numbers – and instrumentation also includes great electric piano from Bob James, vibes from Dave Friedman, and flute from Hubert Laws. Baker sings on a few numbers, and titles include "Autumn Leaves", "She Was Too Good To Me", "Funk In Deep Freeze", "Tangerine", "With A Song In My Heart", "What'll I Do", and "It's You Or No One". LP, Vinyl record album

Lew Tabackin looks a bit stiff on the cover of this one (who wouldn't, in a tan polyester suit?) – but the record's a surprisingly hip date, and a great chance to hear Lew away from his 70s big band with Toshiko Akioshi! As the title and cover imply, the album features Tabackin's "dual nature" on reeds – with one side of flute performances, and another of tenor – both of which are surprisingly soulful. The flute work is somewhat sensitive, and beautifully done – almost poetic at points, and played with a style that's quite different than Lew's big band work. Group members include Don Friedman on piano, Bob Daughtery on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums and waterphone – a rhythm section that really matches the sensitivity of Tabackin's groove on the titles "Euteurpe", "Yellow Is Mellow", and "Out Of This World". The tenor work is a bit more hard-edged, almost boppish, but with a slightly more laidback feel – and titles include "No Dues Blues", "My Ideal", and a great take on "Russian Lullaby". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 70s funk from George Benson – an album that's a bit smoother than some of his earlier work, but still free from the commercial polish of his later hits! Maestro David Matthews is at the helm for this session – and most numbers have a full backing from players who include some of the best of the CTI/Kudu generation – including Ronnie Foster and Bobby Lyle on keyboards, Joe Farrell on flute, Fred Wesley on trombone, Eric Gale on rhythm guitar, Dave Friedman on vibes, and Steve Gadd on drums – who manages to kick in a nicely funky undercurrent, even on some of the mellower numbers. George's guitar is filled with warmly chromatic hues – gliding away nicely on titles that include the slow funky "Em", plus "Siberian Workout", "Shell Of A Man", "Hold On I'm Coming", "One Rock Don't Make No Boulder", and "Theme From Good King Bad". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful bit of soul jazz – much less trippy than some of Charles Lloyd's later work, and handled with a soulful flair that's a mix of Coltrane spiritualism, with an even larger dose of the sort of post-Trane experiments in jazz that would crop up during the early 70s on smaller independent labels – a scene that Lloyd really influenced with albums like this! The record's quite advanced for its time – and features Charles' tenor and flute next to piano by Don Friedman, bass by either Richard Davis or Eddie Khan, and drums by Roy Haynes or JC Moses – on titles that include Lloyd's classic "Forest Flower", plus "Little Peace", "Love Song to A Baby", "Sweet Georgia Bright", and "Bizarre". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Mann's groove is mighty darn great here – a rich refinement of his earlier flute jazz styles, into the tighter sound that really sparkled with soul during the Atlantic Records years of the 60s! Most cuts mix Latin rhythms with some very soulful inflections in the overall instrumentation – with arrangements from Herbie, Oliver Nelson, and Rene Hernandez that really make the whole thing shine – and instrumentation from a tight group of hip players that features Dave Pike on vibes, Don Friedman on piano, Atilla Zoller on guitar, and added percussion by Willie Bobo and Patato Valdez! Titles include "Vikki", "Blues In The Closet", "Saudade De Bahia", "Spanish Grits", "Mushi Mushi", and "Soul Guajira". LP, Vinyl record album

Clark Terry on trumpet and flugelhorn, Don Friedman on piano, Victor Gaskin on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first big moments of Albert Ayler's work in the jazz mainstream – and a record that doesn't dim his greatness at all from the earlier sides recorded for ESP! The album's got a sharply angular sound that more than lives up to its vibrant cover image – a well-honed approach to improvisation, showcased by Ayler in a set of recordings done upon his return from work on the European scene. The material was recorded on two different dates – featuring two different groups: one with Alan Silva, Beaver Harris, and Joel Friedman; the other with Donald Ayler, Henry Grimes, and Michel Sampson. Titles are long, with the searing emotional sound that Ayler was peaking at during this time – and titles include "For John Coltrane", "Change Has Come", and "Truth is Marching On". LP, Vinyl record album

A real watershed album from Horace Silver – a record that has him stepping strongly into the 70s – but with a rich new groove that's different both from his 60s work, and from the heavy politics of his United States series too! The album has Horace picking up a slightly electric sound, changing his groove from 60s soul jazz into more of a 70s modal approach – working here with David Friedman on vibes, Bob Cranshaw on electric bass, and Mickey Roker on drums, plus additional horn work by the Brecker Brothers – a really great combination of musicians that help Silver realize some really unique rhythms, and lots of moments that have a subtle yet righteous sense of soul! The selection of material is fantastic – hipper than usual for Horace – and titles include Weldon Irvine's "Liberated Brother", Moacir Santos' "Kathy", and Horace's own "Strange Vibes", which has some great vibes dancing around Horace's piano! A very nice album, and one of our favorites by Horace! LP, Vinyl record album