Muhammad Ali's in for the biggest fight of the decade – as he tries to knock out tooth decay! Fortunately, he's got some help from famous friends like Frank Sinatra, Richie Havens, Ossie Davis, and Jayne Kennedy – so the going isn't too tough. Supposedly, this is volume 1 of the series – as if the world could have stood for any more volumes! Howard Cosell sits in for some special announcing, too! LP, Vinyl record album

A really burning live set from Argentine tenorist Chivo Borraro – a set that features very extended performances that capture Borraro and his group at their most modern! Chivo burns here in a way you don't always hear on other sessions – very relaxed and opening up in the comfortable confines of the Cricket night club in Buenos Aries – with help from Fernando Gelbard on piano, Jorge Lopez Luis on bass, and Pocho Lapouble on drums – keeping things swinging, but in a loose way that really lets the leader go where he wants! The extended format and bold energy put the record in territory that's similar to, but more avant than, some of the Dexter Gordon live sets coming from the European scene of the time – and titles include "Africa", "Minor Key", "Blues Con Amague" and "Lover Man". CD

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". LP, Vinyl record album

The coolest record so far from this totally great combo – a live recording done on the home turf of the Greg Foat Group – the Playboy Club in London! The retro venue really fits the slinky, sexy vibe of the group's music – and although we already loved these guys before, this album has a really special sort of feel – with loads of wonderful keyboard lines from Greg on Hohner Electra piano, Elka Rhapsody, Hammond L 100, and Mutron Phaser – almost always distorted with a nice degree of fuzz, but still a straight ahead approach, and some great undercurrents of fuzz too! The group also features tenor and trumpet – which sometimes sound distorted, ala Varitone modes – and the overall sound feels like some lost jazzy club combo from the late 60s, really tripping out in a very comfortable space. We'd easily stack this one next to our favorite funky Fender Rhodes records from back in the day – and titles include "By The Grace Of God I Am", "Ingen Reklam", "Funky Fanfare", "Madrid", and "Mr Minor". CD features two bonus tracks – "Finky Minky" and "Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag". CD

Pivotal work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a tight, edgy quintet performance that's done with a modern jazz sound that approaches the Blue Note "new thing" sound, but which stays just this side of the fence to keep in line with Freddie's other soulful work of the 60s – yet still with an edge that you never would expect if you only know his electric and funky work of the 70s! The group features some great work by James Spaulding, who gets a lot of solo room on alto and flute – and Ronnie Matthews is on piano, effortlessly shifting between rhythmic and soulful lines, and passages that get a bit darker and deeper. The tunes are nearly all Freddie Hubbard originals, except for the classic "Mirrors", written by drummer Joe Chambers, who's also a key part of the group – and other tunes include "Breaking Point", "Far Away", "Blue Frenzy", and "D Minor Mint". LP, Vinyl record album

Pivotal work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a tight, edgy quintet performance that's done with a modern jazz sound that approaches the Blue Note "new thing" sound, but which stays just this side of the fence to keep in line with Freddie's other soulful work of the 60s – yet still with an edge that you never would expect if you only know his electric and funky work of the 70s! The group features some great work by James Spaulding, who gets a lot of solo room on alto and flute – and Ronnie Matthews is on piano, effortlessly shifting between rhythmic and soulful lines, and passages that get a bit darker and deeper. The tunes are nearly all Freddie Hubbard originals, except for the classic "Mirrors", written by drummer Joe Chambers, who's also a key part of the group – and other tunes include "Breaking Point", "Far Away", "Blue Frenzy", and "D Minor Mint". CD features 2 bonus tracks – 45 rpm takes of "Blue Frenzy" and "Mirrors". CD

A beautiful pairing of the baritone of Gerry Mulligan and the trumpet of Art Farmer – brought together wonderfully in this piano-less session that has both players effortlessly carving lines in the open space of the studio. Rhythm is by the team of Bill Crow on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – both of whom snap along a harder groove than you'll hear on most of Mulligan's mid 50s work – making for a set that's got as much going on at the bottom as it does at the top, in a way that allows Gerry and Art to concentrate on lyrical interplay while the rhythms open up. Titles include "Utter Chaos", "Blueport", "What Is There To Say", "Festive Minor", and "As Catch Can". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout in the catalog of pianist George Wallington – a very cooking live set, recorded at the Cafe Bohemia with an expanded quintet! The record supposedly showcases Wallington's style (or gimmick) – called "The Peck", and explained as a series of incomplete phrases from the players – but to us, this approach is just prime 50s hardbop at its most inventive – a mode that might be dubbed "call and response", in which players trade lines back and forth with great dynamism and energy! Players here are all very well suited to the task – and include Donald Byrd on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all working with great boppish fire on a set of tunes that include "Sweet Blanche", "Minor March", "Jay Mac's Crib", and "Bohemia After Dark". CD

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". CD also adds 2 long bonus cuts – "Lover" and "Royal Flush" – both of which weren't on the original album! CD

A landmark late 50s album on Prestige Records – one of the label's key efforts to bring together some of the best talents in the hardbop business, and really let them loose on the kind of extended passages that weren't being recorded a few years before! The Cats here are all quite hip ones – an all-star sextet effort that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, John Coltrane on tenor, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are long, and open – and although each player is really at their best on their solos, there's still a sense of group unity that makes the record stand out from other efforts of its type – enough so that it's often cited as a key early entry in the Coltrane catalog. Titles include "Eclypso", "Solacium", "Tommy's Tune", and "Minor Mishap". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". Plus, this CD also adds 2 long bonus cuts – "Lover" and "Royal Flush" – both of which weren't on the original album! CD

One of the most legendary albums on Blue Note – or maybe THE most legendary albums on Blue Note – a stunning session that shows what the label was capable of when it was really hitting on all burners – from the lineup to the music to the production – and even the classic cover art on the front! The album's a crowning achievement for pianist Sonny Clark – a player who'd already brought greatness to the world before the record, but really knocks it out of the park during the session – leading a razor sharp lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night". Plus, this CD also adds 2 long bonus cuts – "Lover" and "Royal Flush" – both of which weren't on the original album! CD

A landmark late 50s album on Prestige Records – one of the label's key efforts to bring together some of the best talents in the hardbop business, and really let them loose on the kind of extended passages that weren't being recorded a few years before! The Cats here are all quite hip ones – an all-star sextet effort that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, John Coltrane on tenor, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Tracks are long, and open – and although each player is really at their best on their solos, there's still a sense of group unity that makes the record stand out from other efforts of its type – enough so that it's often cited as a key early entry in the Coltrane catalog. Titles include "Eclypso", "Solacium", "Tommy's Tune", and "Minor Mishap". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice session – one with a date that might make you a bit skeptical, but with a sound that's still very much in the pocket, thanks to good handling of the effort by the Bee Hive records team! Curtis blows here with a quintet that includes Sal Nistico, Walter Bishop Jr, Sam Jones, and Freddie Waits – all very hip players, and well chosen for the spirit of the session. Titles include "The Egyptian Two", "Ballade For Gabe Wells", "Minor's Holiday", and "Yesterdays". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Elmo Hope's best trio sessions from the west coast – and a record that really showcases on his skills as a writer as much as a player! The session features 7 original compositions, plus one standard – all done in a complex, modern mode by Hope with a trio that includes the excellent bass player Jimmy Bond, and drummer Frank Butler. Oddly, the session was also one of David Axelrod's first production efforts – not that you can really hear his trademark sound at this point – but it's a nice chapter in his rich legacy! Hope's stellar, as always – and the album's filled with great tracks that include "Barfly", "Boa", "Minor Bertha", "Tranquility", and "Something For Kenny". CD

Given that a busty babe is leaning into the left side of the piano keyboard on the cover, we'd almost expect Lou Levy to focus mostly on the lighter notes on the right – but instead, he really opens up with some great deep notes on the cover, and takes the album far past anything you might expect! Levy's a really subtle player, one who never overstates his obvious ear for modern tones and musical elements – but he's really got a way of bringing them into his music in ways you wouldn't expect – either in the way he shapes a note on the mellower cuts, or comes up with a groove on the more lively ones. There's none of the flowery sounds you might expect from the "baby grand" title – and instead, Lou is in very comfortable territory – working in trio format with the great Max Bennett on bass, and drummer Gus Johnson – on titles that include "Little Girl", "Undecided", "The Gypsy", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "I've Found A New Baby", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget the hokey cover and title, because this set is one of Harold Mabern's best of the 90s – delivered with that subtle soulfulness that's always made us love his piano work so much! There's a beautifully stripped-down sense of lyricism to the set – as Mabern's work on keys dances around full bass work from Christian McBride, plus some nicely economical drums from Tony Reedus – whose playing here is gentle enough that it's almost letting the bass drive the groove of the set. Mabern follows suit by exploring the deeper ranges of the piano with effortless creativity – stretching out especially well on the album's versions of older jazz standards like "Ladybird", "Jeannine", "Grooveyard", and "Minority" – as well as his own composition "Aon". CD

A pair of classic live albums! First up is Thelonious Monk Orchestra At Town Hall – a unique large group effort from Thelonious Monk – but one that bristles with all the angular energy of his other great work for Riverside! The group here is a tentet – filled with excellent players who include Donald Byrd, Phil Woods, Pepper Adams, Eddie Bert, Robert Northern, and Charlie Rouse – all supported by rhythm from the team of Sam Jones on bass and Art Taylor on drums, possibly one of the key factors for the success of the record! The album's comprised of Monk classics like "Little Rootie Tootie", "Thelonious", "Friday The 13th", "Off Minor", "Crepuscule with Nellie" and "Monk's Mood" – all arranged by Hall Overton, a little-remembered modernist from the 50s, but one with a keen dedication towards pushing new sounds from old formats! Overton really keeps the spirit of Monk's music intact here – penning charts that allow for plenty of solo space and the kind of cross-trading lines you'd hear in some of Monk's best multi-horn small group sides for Riverside! Next is Thelonious Monk Quartet Plus Two At The Blackhawk – a stunning pre-Columbia session from Thelonious Monk – a really great live date that has Monk's familiar quartet augmented by west coast players Joe Gordon on trumpet and Harold Land on tenor! Given that Charlie Rouse is already in the group on tenor, the addition of Land's horn makes for a very soulful set – and Gordon's one of those players we love whenever we get a chance to hear him on record, which isn't that often, given how few sessions he cut! Other players include John Ore on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – and titles include "Four In One", "Let's Call This", and "Worry Later". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout in the catalog of pianist George Wallington – a very cooking live set, recorded at the Cafe Bohemia with an expanded quintet! The record supposedly showcases Wallington's style (or gimmick) – called "The Peck", and explained as a series of incomplete phrases from the players – but to us, this approach is just prime 50s hardbop at its most inventive – a mode that might be dubbed "call and response", in which players trade lines back and forth with great dynamism and energy! Players here are all very well suited to the task – and include Donald Byrd on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all working with great boppish fire on a set of tunes that include "Sweet Blanche", "Minor March", "Jay Mac's Crib", and "Bohemia After Dark". LP, Vinyl record album