A great title for this set – given the very balanced energy of the trio in this collaboration between drummer Ralph Peterson, pianist Geri Allen, and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet! Things move along with an angular bounce at times – and although Peterson's drums get plenty of play in the mix, the bass is very upfront too – very much in the same space as Allen's bold lines on piano – played here with about as much fire as you'd get from Geri at the time! As usual with Peterson on Blue Note, some times step out in a more striking way than other work on the label at the time – while other still show a soulful sensitivity that really keeps things well rounded. Titles include "Water Colors", "Triangular", "Bemsha Swing", "Move", "Splash", and "Princess". CD

Features Geri Allen on piano and Hammond organ, Charnett Moffett on double bass, Ronnie Burrage on drums and percussion, and DJ Pogo on the turntables. CD

Features Geri Allen on piano! CD

Wallace Roney on trumpet – with Antoine Roney on reeds, Geri Allen on piano and keys, Robert Irving III on Fender Rhodes, Rashaan Carter on bass, Eric Allen on drums, and DJ Axum and Val Jeanty on turntables. CD

One of the best records ever from reedman John Stubblefield – a set that balances his spiritual roots with a more wide-reaching sense of soul! The tunes here are some of the best that Stubblefield ever penned – proud, righteous numbers that have this great sense of energy – offered up not just in the leader's own work on tenor and soprano sax, but also in the keyboards of Geri Allen, bass of Charnett Moffett, drums of Victor Lewis, and percussion of Mino Cinelu. Things are electric, but never at a level that's crossover fusion at all – and the whole album rings out with that new sense of pride that came to jazz like this as the previous spiritual generation found more acceptance in the 80s. Cinelu sings a bit on the record, and titles include "Bushman Song", "Serenade To The Mother Land", "Some Things Never Change", "East Side West Side", and "Mwe Malad O". LP, Vinyl record album

A reworked vision of Blue Note Records for the 90s – put together by Bob Belden, and featuring some excellent remakes of classics from the Blue Note songbook! Each tune has a slightly different flavor – and all work is played by the best artists of the then-revived label – a great way of showing the new talent Blue Note discovered, the old talent it helped bring back, and the rich legacy of sound they were still capable of sending forth! Titles include "Blue Train" by Greg Osby, "Evidence" by Ron Carter & TS Monk, "Maiden Voyage" by Dianne Reeves & Geri Allen, "Un Poco Loco" by Jacky Terrasson, "Tom Thumb" by John Scofield, "Una Mas" by Eliane Elias, "Song For My Father" by Rene Rosnes, "Recado Bossa Nova" by Gonzalo Rubalcaba, "Tanganyika Dance" by Kurt Elling, and "Alligator Boogaloo" by Junko Onishi & Freddie Hubbard. CD

A beautiful version of one of Erroll Garner's best-selling albums ever – in a special oversized package that features the full unedited concert on two CDs, plus a third CD with the original edited album and special interview material too! The album's a famous live date recorded in the mid 50s – and a record that's as important to his catalog as the classic Misty! Garner's playing before an apparently large audience, but the recording quality is still nice and clear – a strong focus on his amazing work on the keys of the piano – filled with rhythmic invention at every turn, in a way that can only be described as Garner-esque, and which still leaves us breathless after all these years. Despite the oft-heard power of the record, it's still a great one – worthy of discovery even if it wasn't a hit, and still great even if it was. Rhythm is by Eddie Calhoun on bass and Denzil Best on drums – and the 3CD package was co-produced by pianist Geri Allen, with a total of 36 tracks that include "Teach Me Tonight", "I'll Remember April", "Autumn Leaves", "Red Top", "April In Paris", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Erroll's Theme", and "Where Or When". CD

A hip group – with Oliver Lake on alto, Pheeroan AkLaff on drums, Geri Allen on piano, and Santi Debriano on bass – plus guest drums on one track from Gene Lake and Brandon Ross. LP, Vinyl record album

Oliver Lake on alto and soprano saxophone and flute, Greg Osby, Jay Branford, John Stubblefield, Marty Ehrlich and Matt Darriau on saxophone, Alfred Patterson, Frank Lacy, Joshua Roseman and Marshall Sealy on trombone, Peter Cirelli on bass trombone, Baikida Carroll, Ken Cervanka, Roy Okutani and Stanton Davis on trumpet, Mark Taylor on French horn, Anthony Peterson on guitar, Geri Allen and Michele Rosewoman on piano, Fred Hopkins and Leon Dorsey on bass, and Andrew Cyrille and Gene Lake on drums. CD

A great appearance on a bigger label for this spiritual flute player – working here with a cool lineup that includes Steve Turre on trombone, Jay Hoggard on vibes, Abdul Wadud on cello, Geri Allen on piano, and Pheeroan Ak Laff on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

Very vibrant work from trumpeter Wallace Roney – the sort of record that seems to burst out strongly even on the ballads – which is no surprise, given Wallace's tone at the time! The group here is a strong one for Roney – Antonio Hart on alto, Geri Allen on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and the great Kenny Washington on drums – and although the tunes are mostly standards, Wallace voices them strongly as his one – hitting hard with that Roney approach even at gentle moments, but sounding especially nice on the upbeat tracks. Titles include "We See", "What's New", "Angel Eyes", "Time After Time", and "Woody N You". CD

Underground grooving from trumpeter Wallace Roney – one of the excellent albums he recorded for the Muse label in the 90s – a wonderfully well-rounded set that's a tremendous tribute to his tone! The group here is every bit as great as Wallace's work in the frontline – Ravi Coltrane on tenor, Geri Allen on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – an especially sympathetic rhythm section who bring out some nice warmer touches to offset Roney's occasionally bold tones on trumpet. Tracks are strongly in a traditional soulbop mode – and titles include "Smooch", "Whims Of Chambers", "Lost", "Bemsha Swing", and "Solar". CD

A nicely electrified set from trumpeter Wallace Roney – working here in a style that has plenty of moody backdrops on Fender Rhodes, plus some really snapping percussion from drummer Eric Allen! There's a sound here that's clearly inspired by 70s Miles, but which also moves through a range of more recent expression, and which often reminds us of work from French trumpeter Erik Truffaz on his first few Blue Note albums. Some of the tracks are more acoustic and straightforward, in the manner of Roney's earlier albums – and players include Adam Holzman on Fender Rhodes, Geri Allen on acoustic keys, Antoine Roney on tenor and soprano saxes, and Matt Garrison on bass. Guest performers include Don Byron on bass clarinet, Clifton Anderson on trombone, and DJ Logic on turntables – and titles include "Cyberspace", "Shadow Dance", "Prototype", "Then & Now", "Secret Identity", and "Three Views Of The Blues". CD

With Wallace Roney on trumpet, Antoine Roney on reeds, Geri Allen and Chick Corea on piano, Clarence Seay on bass, and Lenny White on drums – plus guest tenors Michael Brecker and Pharoah Sanders! CD

One of the best records ever from reedman John Stubblefield – a set that balances his spiritual roots with a more wide-reaching sense of soul! The tunes here are some of the best that Stubblefield ever penned – proud, righteous numbers that have this great sense of energy – offered up not just in the leader's own work on tenor and soprano sax, but also in the keyboards of Geri Allen, bass of Charnett Moffett, drums of Victor Lewis, and percussion of Mino Cinelu. Things are electric, but never at a level that's crossover fusion at all – and the whole album rings out with that new sense of pride that came to jazz like this as the previous spiritual generation found more acceptance in the 80s. Cinelu sings a bit on the record, and titles include "Bushman Song", "Serenade To The Mother Land", "Some Things Never Change", "East Side West Side", and "Mwe Malad O". CD

Features plenty of guests – Billy Taylor, Eric Reed, Geri Allen, Tommy Flanagan, Don Friedman, Benny Green, John Lewis, Junior Mance, and Kenny Barron – a heck of a lot of piano players! CD

Oliver Lake on alto saxophone and flute, Reggie Workman on bass, Andrew Cyrille on drums, with Geri Allen on piano. CD

Features Geri Allen on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, and Sam Rivers on saxophones and flute! CD

Ravi Coltrane's first album for Blue Note – put together here with production help from Joe Lovano, who also plays a bit of guest tenor too! The album's got a really dark edge – and really works strongly in those edgier sides of the spectrum – those modes that Coltrane's developed best in the past decade or so – which are almost more saxophonic elements of a maturing Wayne Shorter than they are those of his famous father! Ravi's got a good sense of space between his notes – never bridging the gaps with flurries of sound, and instead making these bold statements that swing together nicely, with help from a lineup that includes Geri Allen and Luis Pedromo on piano, James Genus and Drew Gress on bass, and EJ Strickland and Eric Harland on drums. In addition to tenor from Lovano on two tracks, the set also features some guest trumpet from Ralph Alessi – on titles that include "The Change My Girl", "Spirit Fiction", "Klepto", "Roads Cross", "Cross Roads", "Yellow Cat", and "Check Out Time". CD

One of the boldest artists on the revived Blue Note label in the late 80s – drummer Ralph Peterson, working here with a really great group of younger talents too! The fire of the musicians really hints at all the power they'd unleash in the coming decade – and the group features Steve Wilson on alto and soprano sax, Terence Blanchard on trumpet, and Geri Allen on piano – each bursting with new ideas and a very youthful sort of energy – streaming new sounds and thoughts at just about every moment. Wilson's especially great – and titles include "Monief", "Enemy Within", "Bebopskerony", and "Viola's Dance". CD