A legendary album from start to finish – and easily one of the most compelling experimental sets from the 70s! Call it a "auralgraphic entertainment", or "an incredible mental experience" – both claims listed on the title – and you wouldn't even be getting half of the picture of this amazing set – because the music rolls out here in a really dreamy blend of folksy elements, found sounds, and electronics – on two long tracks that each run for a side apiece – but which have far more song-structure than you might expect! There's no jamming, but no sloppiness either – and instead, Bill Holt finds a way to bring together disparate sounds and ideas in this really dynamic way – but also with a subtlety that few other later works like this ever thought to try. The record has been legendary for decades – and for good reason, too – and if you're not in an altered state, it will definitely get you there – and if you are, you'd better hold onto your hat! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning image of our legendary Chicago outpost – the three story building where Dusty Groove has resided since the start of the 21st Century, and a building that's chock full of music, every day of the week! The sleek images gets at the charms of our Wicker Park location, and our placement alongside other important Windy City landmarks – and as always, the inside contents can always be found, in an ever-changing array, at dustygroove.com! Print is on heavy paper, mounted flat inside a plastic sheath for easy handling. Photo

A stunning image of our legendary Chicago outpost – the three story building where Dusty Groove has resided since the start of the 21st Century, and a building that's chock full of music, every day of the week! The sleek images gets at the charms of our Wicker Park location, and our placement alongside other important Windy City landmarks – and as always, the inside contents can always be found, in an ever-changing array, at dustygroove.com! Print is on heavy paper, mounted flat inside a plastic sheath for easy handling. Photo

Themes from Batman, Dick Tracy, Darkman, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, The Simpsons, Scrooged, and Tales From The Crypt. CD

Early genius from Kurt Elling – one of Blue Note's best vocal signings of the 90s, and a richly talented singer who's still not well understood by many audiences! The set's got Kurt doing a bit of everything he does great – completely transforming old standards like "Nature Boy" and "April In Paris"; coming up with new lyrics for harder jazz numbers, like Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy" or Donald Byrd's "Tanya Jean"; and working through compelling original material that includes "It's Just A Thing", "Endless", and "The Messenger". CD

Live recordings from the Paradise Theatre in Detroit on May 19, 1945, and at the Regal Theatre in Chicago on May 26, 1945. LP, Vinyl record album

With Jimmy Heath on tenor and Roland Hanna on piano – soloing in an ensemble led by Maurice Peress. Works include "New World A Comin", "Harlem", "Black Brown & Beige", and "Three Black Kings". CD

Dave Ellis on tenor saxophone, Marty Wehner on trombone, Dmitri Matheny on flugelhorn, Eric Reed and Jeff Chimenti on piano, Peter Barshay and Robert Hurst on bass, and Albert "Tootie" Heath and Deszon Claiborne on drums. CD

A bold, bracing ensemble of improvising musicians from both sides of the Atlantic – and one that features some surprising electric elements too! The lineup includes trumpet from Nate Wooley, alto from Mette Rasmussen, and reeds from Ken Vandermark – balanced with core sounds from Elisabeth Harnik on piano, Steve Heather and Did Kern on drums, Joe Williamson on acoustic and electric bass, Jasper Stadhouders on electric bass and guitar, Terrie Hessels on guitar, and Dieb 13 on turntables and electronics – coming together in this great mix of sonic elements that's really fantastic throughout! The three long tracks were recorded live in performance – and have the Ken Vandermark standard of being dedicated to creative inspirations – Ikue Mori, Richard Serra, and Francis Picabia. Titles include "Telegram", "Foundry", and "Perpetual Desk". CD

Gil Evans plays an electric grand piano and is joined by a rather large set of musicians who include Masabumi Kikuchi on a variety of synthesizers, Billy Cobham on drums, Lou Soloff on trumpet, George Lewis on trombone and many others. Tracks include two Evans originals – "Copenhagen Sight" and "Zee Zee" plus others like "Sirhan's Blues", a Jimi Hendrix song "Stone Free", and Mingus' "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress". LP, Vinyl record album

Gil Evans plays an electric grand piano and is joined by a rather large set of musicians who include Masabumi Kikuchi on a variety of synthesizers, Billy Cobham on drums, Lou Soloff on trumpet, George Lewis on trombone and many others. Tracks include two Evans originals – "Copenhagen Sight" and "Zee Zee" plus others like "Sirhan's Blues", a Jimi Hendrix song "Stone Free", and Mingus' "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress". CD

A really great record, and maybe one of the few hip hop soundtracks to get at the real feel of the music on the streets – maybe no surprise, as the film for which it was created did the same thing! This isn't a fluffed-up Hollywood take on hip hop, with mainstream soul thrown into the mix – as the record was put together by Fab 5 Freddy and Chris Stein – the latter of whom really invests in his hip hop cred away from Blondie, and also provides some cool guitar bits and effects in the music too! There's some great freestyle bits and turntable tracks that really get at the underground side of the music that was alive and well at the time – and titles include "Wild Style Theme Rap 1" by Grandmaster Caz & Chris Stein, "Basketball Throwdown" by Cold Crush Bros & The Fantastic Four, "Stoop Rap" by Double Trouble & Rodney Cee, "Rammellzee & Shock Dell at the Amphitheatre" with Grandmixer DST, "Wild Style Subway Rap 2" by Grand Master Caz & Chris Stein, and "Cold Crush Brothers At The Dixie". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked fusion set from the mighty Muse Records – an early 80s date recorded under the leadership of keyboardist Mitch Farber, and featuring work from Randy Brecker on trumpet, Gary Campbell on tenor and soprano, and Steve Khan on guitar! Given the players, there's almost a major label fusion feel to the set, although the overall sound is more open and laidback – not slick at all, and a nice reminder that in the farther corners of jazz in the early 80s, fusion didn't always have to be focused on commercial hits. Rhythm is from Mark Egan on bass, Danny Gottlieb on drums, and Sammy Figuera on percussion – and titles include "Monuments", "Sky Dance", "The Chooser", "Lonely Promises", and "Starclimber". CD also features the bonus track "Theme From Travels" – recorded in 1990. LP, Vinyl record album

A great overseas album by Art Farmer – done with a driving Latin-tinged feel and a mellifluous groove that really shows the best side of Art's playing! The set was recorded while Art was living in Vienna, and the group features Jimmy Heath on soulful tenor, soprano sax, and flute, plus some great piano work by Fritz Pauer. Jimmy Woode's in the rhythm section, giving the set the light dancing feel he brought to his best work for MPS – and the album's got a lot of drive, especially on cuts like Heath's "The Gap Sealer" or "Cascavelo", another great original from the session. Other tracks include "The Day After", "Con Fab", and "Cocodrilo". CD

One of Art Farmer's pivotal mid 50s sides – recorded in the company of altoist Gigi Gryce, a great player and a budding young arranger who helped Farmer really formulate the best side of his sound! The tracks are lyrically modern – but still have a nice dose of soul in them – a wonderful blend that really sets the stage for the move that Art was making away from earlier trumpeters in jazz – into that hip territory that was neither too cool, nor too overblown – and which would almost be known as "Farmer-like" in years to come! The album features Gryce and Farmer in 2 different groups – one with Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – the other with Freddie Redd on piano, Addison Farmer on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Social Call", "Capri", "Deltitnu", "Stupendous Lee", and "Blue Concept". CD

One of the best albums ever by this crack soul jazz combo – the mighty Jazztet, an early 60s group led by Art Farmer and Benny Golson! The set was recorded in Chicago, and it features the group hard-grooving through some really well-arranged numbers – lively tunes with a snapping, in-the-pocket kind of groove, played with a lot more soul than you'd expect from either Golson or Farmer's solo albums. The rest of the group's great, too – and features Cedar Walton on piano, Tom McIntosh on trombone, and Albert Heath on drums. A few tracks are nice and long, and titles include "Farmer's Market", "Junction", "November Afternoon", and "Shutterbug". CD

That's not a spaceship on the cover, it's a movie theater – one of a number of open-air cinemas presented here in a beautiful book of photos that documents a world we never would have known otherwise! The book documents a variety of theaters in different styles – but focuses heavily on the more open cinema spaces created in the 60s to deal with the climate in Angola – spaces that are very different than the more closed movie theaters we know up north, and which are presented here in large, lavish, full color photographs! The book is more of an art book than a documentary edition – but it does include some smaller text on the locations and spaces – almost enough to get you on a special cinematic field trip to Angola. Hardcover edition is 235 pages, with full color images throughout. Book

... Cassette

A double album from Roberta & Peabo – with some nicely recorded tracks from a gig at The Holiday Star Theater in Merrillville, IN (not too far south of Chicago) in the dawn of the 80s – and some tight studio material, too! It's got a some terrific live versions of some of the biggest hits from both singers – plus their great duets. Titles include "Don't Make Me Wait Too Long", a nice version of "Back Together Again" – which was originally done by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, "Killing Me Softly", "God Don't Like Ugly", "Feel The Fire", and "Only Heaven Can Wait/You Are My Heaven". 14 tracks on 2LPs. LP, Vinyl record album

With Mos Def. 12-inch, Vinyl record

An overlooked group from the Chicago scene of the early century – a group made up of very familiar names from the world of free improvisation in the city, but coming together here with a slightly different vibe! The real difference is the use of electric elements at times – both electronics from Fred Lonberg-Holm and Nate McBride, plus acoustic bass from McBride, who switches between that instrument and acoustic! The electronics are sometimes used in an abstract way to fill in space, and not dominate the sound – which then lets the tenor and clarinet work of Ken Vandermark snake out in some really cool ways, while Tim Daisy is also sometimes a bit more rhythmic than usual on drums. Titles include "Multi Chrome", "MES", "Straw", "Theater Piece", and "Lens". CD

The clubby jazz funk debut of Freeez – plus the Anti-Freeez remix album from a couple years later – issued together along with even more bonus material in this great 2CD set! Dancefloor ready live band grooving is the warmly beating heart of the Freeez sound at this early point – with heated drums and killer basslines driving it – clearly influenced by late 70s international club sounds, but with this great, tight energy and dexterous musicianship that could only come from a real, functioning, true band. Nice stuff! Disc One includes the original album & remixes: "Mariposa (Butterfly)", "Caribbean Winter", "Easy On The Onions", "Sunset", "Flying High", "Roller Chase", "First Love" and more from the original, plus bonus tracks including "Ainti-Freeez (Set Me Free) – Disco Version", "Fly By Night", "Flying High (12" Remix)" and more. Disc Two includes early singles, demos, instrumentals and the complete Anti-Freeez remix album from 1984 – with "Keep In Touch", "Hot Footing It", "Stay", "Roller Chase (1984 Remix)", "Alone (1984 Remix)", "One To One (1984 Remix)", "Caribbean Winter (1984 Remix)", "Say You Will Be My Lover (Previously Unreleased Demo)" and more. 30 tracks on 2CDs. CD

This CD takes the full content of their second album, and adds in some rare extra material, like tracks from a live set at The Players Theater in 1967 and songs from "Thrown Off Atlantic". 15 tracks, with "Group Grope", "Skin Flowers", "Virgin Forest", "Nameless Voices Crying For Kindness", "Carpe Diem", and "Mutant Stomp". Great notes, and loads of rare stuff by them! CD

One of the best non-Blue Note albums from the early years of trombone giant Curtis Fuller – a definite cooker that more than lives up to its title! At his best, Fully often played his instrument with a style that was more like a trumpet than trombone – isolated notes, sharp sense of rhythm, and an ability to match energy of all his top-shelf contemporaries – which is a key thing here, as the lineup includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jimmy Heath on tenor, and Cedar Walton on drums – almost like a Jazz Messengers album from the time that Fuller was in the group, but without Art Blakey. The whole album's wonderful – and titles include "The Clan", "Newdles", and "Ladies Night" – plus a hard hitting rendition of "Dear Old Stockholm" which runs for 9 minutes. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest albums ever from the legendary Mort Garson – an all-electronic film score, one that was originally only available on record in the lobby of a Seattle theater that was showing the film! The tracks are shorter than on some of Garson's more commercial projects of the time, and there's a lot more of them too – all with a vibe that resonates nicely with some of Mort's more private recordings, including some of his advertising work – showing that even though the project was a small one, Garson was still bringing his all to the music. Titles include "Sail Sail", "Kevin's Theme", "No Smoking", "Bamboo City", "Walk To Grange Hall", "Jeep Ride", "Dead Tree", "Walk To The Other Side Of The Island"- and "Virgil's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever cut by altoist Herb Geller, and one of the few to document the work of his group that included wife Lorraine Geller on piano! Lorraine's quite nice, and the rhythm by Keith Mitchell and Mel Lewis is good too – but the real wonder is Herb's alto, which cuts along in a razor-sharp mode that clearly defines him as one of the best players of his generation on the instrument! The set's one of the few times you can really hear Herb cut loose – unencumbered by overwritten arrangements, or by other players in the group – and its his work on the album that makes this record a treasure! Titles include "The Answer Man", "Patterns", "Suppertime", "The Heather On The Hill", and "Love". CD

One of the few albums ever cut as a leader by pianist Lorraine Geller – a player who's probably best remembered for her work with saxophonist (and husband) Herb Geller, but who also really swings nicely on her own! The album has Lorraine working with an LA trio that features Leroy Vinnegar on bass and drumming by either Lawrence Marable or Bruz Freeman – all of whom bring in a very soulful undercurrent to the record, helping bridge the two sides of the LA scene of the time, and making the album way deeper than you'd expect from the slightly elegant cover and title! The tracks aren't as strikingly modern as work cut by her husband during the 50s, but are quite strong nonetheless – with many unusual titles that include "Clash By Night", "Madam X", "Mystery Theatre", and "Everybody's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Biscuits" feat Trife, "Beat The Clock", "Metal Lungies" feat Sheek Louch & Styles P, "Save Me Dear", "It's Over", "Tush" feat Missy Elliott, "Holla", "Ghostface", "Run" feat Jadakiss, "Love" feat Musiq & K Fox, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s reunion of some of the key figures in the early New York bop scene – all recorded here in great fidelity, and on tracks that run a lot longer than their initial 78rpm recordings! The lineup includes Dizzy on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on tenor, John Lewis and Hank Jones on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Max Roach on drums – making a rare 70s appearance in a straight set like this. Tracks are all bop standards, played in versions that allow for plenty of solo space – and titles include "Confirmation", "Groovin High", "Lover Man", "All The Things You Are", and "Lady Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little collection of some of Dizzy Gillespie's best bop material for Savoy – tunes that were originally recorded as 78rpm singles – then issued together on this classic album of all-star players! The tunes are short, catchy, and often very grooving – that mix of whimsy and modernism that made Dizzy stand out from the start – handled by a few different groups of players, with musicians who include Milt Jackson on vibes, John Coltrane on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, and Percy Heath on bass. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Star Dust", "The Bluest Blues", "The Champ", "Birk's Works", "Caravan", "Time On My Hands", and "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Bee". CD

A stunning session, and proof that Dizzy never slept on his playing – even in the 70s! Originally released as 2 separate LPs in France on the America label, the record is a crack small group set recorded in Paris, and featuring very long tracks that let Dizzy really stretch out on his solos. Kenny Clarke is on drums, and he does some amazing work on the LP's version of "Manteca", which has a great breakbeat at the intro, then grooves along funkily for 13 minutes! The whole set's beautiful, and the other titles include "Brother K", "Wheatleigh Hall", and "Alone Together". The group also features a Brazilian percussionist on a few tracks – most notably the tight groover "Fiesta Mo Jo", a killer track with great solos and a rhythmic conception that shows that Dizzy's still got the Latin beat down nicely. Other titles include "Girl Of My Dreams", "Stella By Starlight", and "I Waited For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy trumpets here – lead lines from both Dizzy Gillespie and Arturo Sandoval, playing together in a sweet session recorded in Finland! The set's got an open, flowing feel – one that matches some of the best Gillespie work on Pablo – those sides where the label really was able to let Gillespie hit that mature later groove – a strong fusion of soul, Latin, and other jazz modes! The core rhythm group is definitely hip enough for the spirit of the date – Esko Linnavalli on piano, Pekka Sarmanto on bass, and Esko Rosnell on drums – and the tracks are all nice and long, and nicely inventive, too. Titles include "Dizzy The Duck", "Rimsky", "And Then She Stopped", "First Chance", and "Wheatleigh Hall". CD

Heavy trumpets here – lead lines from both Dizzy Gillespie and Arturo Sandoval, playing together in a sweet session recorded in Finland! The set's got an open, flowing feel – one that matches some of the best Gillespie work on Pablo – those sides where the label really was able to let Gillespie hit that mature later groove – a strong fusion of soul, Latin, and other jazz modes! The core rhythm group is definitely hip enough for the spirit of the date – Esko Linnavalli on piano, Pekka Sarmanto on bass, and Esko Rosnell on drums – and the tracks are all nice and long, and nicely inventive, too. Titles include "Dizzy The Duck", "Rimsky", "And Then She Stopped", "First Chance", and "Wheatleigh Hall". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of hardbop tracks that shows what a great tenorist Benny Golson was during the late 50s – paired for the CD version with an obscure French session cut in 1958! The Benny Golson And The Philadelphians session features Benny on tenor with other Philly-mates, like Lee Morgan, Ray Bryant, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones – and the set's got all the tightness of a late 50s Jazz Messengers set. Golson contributed 3 tracks to the set – his classic "Stablemates", plus "Blues On My Mind" and "Thursday's Theme". A nice one that you might overlook, but a great set with a lot of warmth and imagination! The French session has a looser Parisian rhythm section is more than compensated for by the presence of a young firey Bobby Timmons on piano. Titles on that one include Golson's "I Remember Clifford" and "Blues March", plus Ray Bryant's "Calgary", and a version of Timmons' classic "Moanin". CD

A record with a gimmick – but one that's totally great, and really unique for the time! The "1 to 10" in the title is the way that the album spins out – as track 1 features Golson blowing solo tenor, track 2 features him in duet, track 3 a trio – and so on, until track 10, which features a ten-piece group! One of the best things about the record is the way it really lets you focus on Golson's tone and phrasing – as even some of the bigger group tunes have a nicely laidback feel that's really dominated by Benny's solo work – and in a way, the record's a nice bridge between the more tightly arranged Golson sessions of the late 50s, and some of his looser sides of later years. Players include Cedar Walton, Curtis Fuller, Freddy Hubbard, and Albert Heath – among ohters – and titles include the Golson originals "Little Karin", "Swing It", "The Touch", "Impromptune", and "Time", plus versions of "You're My Thrill", "Out Of This World", and "I Fall In Love Too Easily". LP, Vinyl record album

A standout 70s set from Dexter Gordon – one that's a bit tighter than some of his longer-blown dates from overseas – and which almost sparkles with the same power as his 60s albums on Blue Note! The group here is nice and tight – with Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – all grooving in a style that's sharply focused, and which really sets the stage for Dex's wonderful tone on the solos. Pedersen's bass is great too – sometimes stepping out with a presence not usually heard on a set like this – and titles include the Gordon originals "The Apartment", "Antabus", and "Candlelight Lady" – plus "Wee Dot" and "Old Folks". LP, Vinyl record album

A standout 70s set from Dexter Gordon – one that's a bit tighter than some of his longer-blown dates from overseas – and which almost sparkles with the same power as his 60s albums on Blue Note! The group here is nice and tight – with Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – all grooving in a style that's sharply focused, and which really sets the stage for Dex's wonderful tone on the solos. Pedersen's bass is great too – sometimes stepping out with a presence not usually heard on a set like this – and titles include the Gordon originals "The Apartment", "Antabus", and "Candlelight Lady" – plus "Wee Dot" and "Old Folks". CD also features the bonus track "Stablemates" – from the same session, but previously unissued. CD

Dexter Gordon at his European best – working at his very familiar haunt, the Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen – a city that welcome Dexter Gordon with welcome arms in the 60s, as Dex left America to take care of himself and renew his energy overseas – expanding his sound and styles in ways that made him a much more revolutionary tenorist than during his earlier time on the US scene! The group features Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pederson on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – and tracks are all nice and long. LP, Vinyl record album

With George Benson, Cedar Wlaton, Percy Heath, Woody Shaw, and Art Blakey! CD

With George Benson on guitar, Art Blakey on drums, Percy Heath on bass, Woody Shaw on trumpet, and Cedar Walton on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

Dex's famous return to New York in the mid 70s – recorded at the Village Vanguard in 1977, and featuring some of his best group-heavy playing of the decade! The quintet is fantastic – and includes Woody Shaw, Ronnie Matthews, Stafford James, and Louis Hayes. Features versions of Shaw's "Little Red's Fantasy" and "In Case You Haven't Heard", Matthews' "Let's Get Down", Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy", and Gordon's own "Fenja" and "Backstairs". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first great European statements from tenorist Dexter Gordon – a 1967 live recording that really lets Dexter stretch out, and show an even deeper side of his talents than on his 60s albums for Blue Note! The rhythm section here is rock solid – Kenny Drew on piano, Neils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – a unit that still retains the sharpness of the Blue Note dates, but also has the energy to "go long" as Gordon pushes a few of the numbers on the set well past the ten minute mark. Gordon's solos are wonderfully imaginative and expressive – and titles include "Devilette", "For All We Know", "Doxy", and "Sonnymoon For Two". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of great American albums from Dexter Gordon – back to back in a single set! First up is Tower Of Power – recorded at a time when Dexter Gordon certainly was a tower of power – as his lengthy 60s stay in Europe helped him to work work work, and season his playing considerably – to a point at which he emerged as a masterful soloist far beyond the limits of his early bop recordings! This session features Dexter back with an American group – one that features Barry Harris on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums – plus a very welcome James Moody on tenor on one track, "Monmartre", blowing in that raspier tone of the late 60s we love so much! Other titles include "Stanley The Steamer", "The Rainbow People", and "Those Were The Days" – all nice and long! More Power is one of Dex's few great group sessions from the late 60's. Unlike a lot of other records from the time – in which he solos long and meanderingly with a piano trio backing him up, on standards he's played a million times – this one has him playing with a tight group that includes James Moody, Barry Harris, Buster Williams, and Albert Heath, on a set of nice original material with titles like "Fried Bananas", "Boston Bernie", and "Sticky Wicket". There's also 2 jazz standards – "Lady Bird" and "Meditation" – but they're both taken in a nice tight way, and in keeping with the rest of the album. LP, Vinyl record album

An ultra-rare performance from Dexter Gordon – one at a high school in Denmark at the same time he was really beginning to take off at the Club Montmartre in Copenhagen! The group here is similar to one that was working with Dex in the club – Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – a rollicking rhythm section that really takes off on the title track – a searing rendition of "Soy Califa", which is one of our favorite Dexter Gordon tunes from the Blue Note years. The set then slides into a laidback reading of "Shadow Of Your Smile", with Dex blowing soulfully and deep – and the record concludes with a tight boppish version of "Blues Up & Down", with lots of room for long tenor and piano solos! The playing is great, but we should say that the recording quality seems to have the bass more upfront than both the piano and tenor – so the mix is a bit unusual. LP, Vinyl record album

Dexter Gordon in Tokyo, but working strongly with a lineup that helped him make some of his best 70s recordings in Europe – that wonderful quartet with Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums! The format is familiar, and Dex is right on the money – spinning out those wonderfully strong, richly imaginative solos that make his Copenhagen material so strong over the years – that special Gordon way of taking a familiar tune, and opening it up completely in the space of his extended solo! Titles include Gordon's classic "Fried Bananas" – plus "Misty", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Jelly Jelly Jelly". CD features two bonus tracks – "Rhythm A Ning", recorded with the same group, but with Espen Rud on drums in 1973 – and "Old Folks", recorded with an unusual quartet that features Ronnie Mathews on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. CD

An assortment of work from the team of Urbie Green and Jimmy Raney – two players who rarely worked together in such small group settings! First up is the full ABC album Blues & Other Shades Of Green – one of the most obscure small group sessions by trombonist Green – a heck of a great player who was too often lost amidst larger ensembles! The album's got Urbie playing both slide and valve trombone, in a quintet that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Dave McKenna on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – and the tracks have a tightly arranged approach, but also still allow plenty of room for the individual instrumentalists to express themselves. Titles include "Reminiscent Blues", "One For Dee", "Am I Blue", "Dirty Dan", "Warm Valley", "Paradise", and "It's Too Late Now". Added to that album are 3 more tracks from the Vinnie Burke All Stars album for ABC – truly an all-star session, as the record boasts a lineup that includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Al Cohn on tenor, Urbie Green on trombone, Eddie Costa on piano, and Joe Morello on drums! The sound is in keeping with Burke's album for Bethlehem, but fleshed out a bit more with the extra horn players – kind of a loosely swinging take on the chamber jazz sound of the mid 50s, with room for plenty of gentle solos from the key players in the set. The sound excellent – recorded with that crispness and focus that made the best mid 50s ABC jazz sides so great – and the 3 titles include "Lulu's Back In Town", "Blue Jeans", and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". Last up are 4 more titles from a rare 10" LP – Urbie Green & His Band, featuring Freddie Green on guitar (instead of Raney), Ruby Braff on trumpet, Med Flory on alto, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, and Sir Charles Thompson on piano. The sound is somewhat more traditional, but never too much so – and tracks include "Med's Tune", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Old Time Modern", and "I Got It Bad". CD

2 later albums by Johnny Griffin – both recorded after his return to the US during the late 70s! Bush Dance is a pretty interesting little set – one that features Griffin working in an easygoing combo with slight electric touches – a group that features George Freeman on guitar, alongside Cedar Walton's acoustic piano, plus bass by Sam Jones, drums by Albert Heath, and percussion and congas from Kenneth Nash. The mixture of guitar and congas gives the album a very different feel than some of Griffin's other work – almost a lighter soul jazz touch that recalls some of the best Muse Records sides from the time. Tracks are long, and rhythms get nice and free at times – and titles include a 17 minute take on "Night In Tunisia" that really gets a bit wild, plus "Since I Fell For You", "Bush Dance", "Knucklebean", and "The JAMFs Are Coming". Call It Whatchawanna is a more straight-ahead album, and a great one too – recorded with a youthful and soulful rhythm combo that features Mulgrew Miller on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – all supporting Griffin with warm round tones that work perfectly with his open solo style. Titles include "I Mean You", "Lover Man", "Call It Whachawanna", and "A Waltz With Sweetie". CD

One of Johnny Griffin's hard blowing LPs as a leader for Jazzland – recorded with a crack lineup that includes Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Albert Heath on drums! This is the kind of work that the term "hard bop" was coined for – sharp-edged jazz at its best – informed strongly by earlier bop and modern modes, but also played with a deeper dose of soul overall. The six players come together perfectly throughout – working with a tightness that matches most Blue Note work of the time – and titles are a great set of tracks that includes 3 by Chicago pianist Norman Simmons, and 1 by the great Babs Gonzales. Tunes include "Olive Refractions", "The Message", "Lonely One", "Playmates", and "63rd Street Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

An astounding live set from Johnny Griffin – recorded at the famous Club Montmartre in Copenhagen, where Griff had practically taken up residence in the late 60s! The record crackles with the kind of free energy of the best Montmartre sessions – long tracks and compelling solos, stretched-out versions of tunes you may recognize, but which are transformed nicely by Griff's great solo work – and by a rhythm section that features Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Heath on drums! Titles include "The Man I Love", "Blues For Harvey", "Sophisticated Lady", "Hush A Bye", and "Wee". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic of Canadian rock – and a set that broke big on this side of the border too! Wheatfield Soul is a sublime showcase for the young talents of Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman, and other members of the group – working here in a mix of jazz/rock modes and blue-eyed soul that would go onto set the scene for countless other groups in years to come – hard to describe accurately, but beautifully summed up in the album's "These Eyes" hit! Cummings vocals and keyboards come across wonderfully – and the rhythms often have clever changes that hint at his jazzy future to come, but on shorter tunes here that have a rich amount of complexity packed in a very tight space. Titles include "These Eyes", "Lightfoot", "I Found Her In A Star", "Pink Wine Sparkles In The Glass", "Maple Fudge", "We're Coming To Dinner", "When You Touch Me", and the amazing 10 minute tune "Friends Of Mine". CD

A classic of Canadian rock – and a set that broke big on this side of the border too! Wheatfield Soul is a sublime showcase for the young talents of Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman, and other members of the group – working here in a mix of jazz/rock modes and blue-eyed soul that would go onto set the scene for countless other groups in years to come – hard to describe accurately, but beautifully summed up in the album's "These Eyes" hit! Cummings vocals and keyboards come across wonderfully – and the rhythms often have clever changes that hint at his jazzy future to come, but on shorter tunes here that have a rich amount of complexity packed in a very tight space. Titles include "These Eyes", "Lightfoot", "I Found Her In A Star", "Pink Wine Sparkles In The Glass", "Maple Fudge", "We're Coming To Dinner", "When You Touch Me", and the amazing 10 minute tune "Friends Of Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Paul Desmond, Bill Smith, Carl Parkins, Red Kelly, Red Mitchell, Monty Budwig, Percy Heath, Shelly Manne and Connie Kay. CD

A classic from the west coast scene of the 50s – and not to be confused with other similar-titled Chico Hamilton albums at the time! This one sports an abstract painting on the cover, and was recorded in 1956 at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles – not live, but using the space as a very open-sounding studio – with really amazing results! The lineup features Hamilton on drums, Paul Horn on alto and tenor sax and clarinet, John Pisano on guitar, Fred Katz on cello and Carson Smith on bass – kind of a second-generation of Hamilton's group, with Horn taking over wonderfully from Buddy Collette, and playing with even more sensitivity than before. The work's very much in Hamilton's best sprightly chamber jazz mode – with some great originals that include "Chanel #5", "Beanstalk", "Mr. Jo Jones", and "Reflections" – plus Hamilton-ized versions of "Satin Doll", "Caravan", "Soft Winds", "Siete-Cuatro", "I Know", and "Lillian". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully groovy work from drummer Chico Hamilton – one of his hip 60s albums for Impulse, done in a style that's completely different than his work of the 50s! Here, Chico's clearly in love with a modal groove, and also sets things up with more romping rhythms that are upbeat in a way he never was before – a bit soul jazz, a bit exotic, and served up with a killer combo that includes the young Larry Coryell on guitar, Arnie Lawrence on alto, and Richard Davis on some superb basswork that really sends the whole thing home! The album's also got some surprising guests – Archie Shepp plays piano on one cut, Ernie Hayes on organ on two more, and Jimmy Cheatham does a bit of the arrangements as well. Titles include "The Dealer", "For Mods Only", "Larry Of Arabia", "Thoughts", "Baby You Know", and "A Trip". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully groovy work from drummer Chico Hamilton – one of his hip 60s albums for Impulse, done in a style that's completely different than his work of the 50s! Here, Chico's clearly in love with a modal groove, and also sets things up with more romping rhythms that are upbeat in a way he never was before – a bit soul jazz, a bit exotic, and served up with a killer combo that includes the young Larry Coryell on guitar, Arnie Lawrence on alto, and Richard Davis on some superb basswork that really sends the whole thing home! The album's also got some surprising guests – Archie Shepp plays piano on one cut, Ernie Hayes on organ on two more, and Jimmy Cheatham does a bit of the arrangements as well. Titles include "The Dealer", "For Mods Only", "Larry Of Arabia", "Thoughts", "Baby You Know", and "A Trip". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing, simply amazing – and light years ahead of the staid sounds that Chico Hamilton was cutting in the 50s! Hamilton's one of those players who has an amazing range to his music – almost all of it really incredible, as Chico always shifts things up over time – continually trying new things, and new modes of expression – even though, given his popularity, he could have just kept recording the same things year after year. This album is true testament to that propensity for growth in Hamilton's music – a wonderfully unbridled set that's filled with unusual rhythms, odd instrumentation, and even some of the first touches of psychedelic jazz to appear in the 60s! Players include Sadao Watanabe on alto and flute, Gabor Szabo on guitar, Jimmy Cheatham on trombone, and Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja on percussion – all working together in a really wonderful range of modes from track to track – always groovy, but also pretty far-reaching and exploratory too! Titles include "El Moors", "Helena", "Strange", "Marcheta", "El Chico", and "Conquistadores". LP, Vinyl record album

Lionel Hampton on vibraphone, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, Cat Anderson on trumpet and flugelhorn, Eddie Bert on trombone, Ray Bryant on piano, Doc Cheatham on trumpet, Arnett Cobb on tenor saxophone, Panama Francis on drums, John Gordon on trumpet, Chubby Jackson on bass, Charles McPherson on alto saxophone, Billy Mackel on guitar, Jimmy Mackel on trumpet and flugelhorn, Paul Moen on tenor saxophone, Joe Newman on trumpet and flugelhorn, Benny Powell on trombone, Earle Warren on clarinet, flute and alto saxophone, Bob Wilber on clarinet, and Teddy Wilson on piano. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album of all-out soul from Herbie Hancock – done in close collaboration with Rod Temperton of Heatwave – in a jazzy-styled version of that group's own great groove! Temperton handled arrangements and a lot of songwriting, and most cuts have lead vocals from Wayne Anthony – who does a nice job with the lyrics, but still leaves Herbie some space for keyboard solos too – in a groove that's a fair bit warmer than some of the other keyboard-heavy soul records of the time. Production is by Narada Michael Walden, Herbie, and Jay Graydon – and titles include the jazzy stepping gem "Getting To The Good Part", plus "Lite Me Up", "The Bomb", "Can't Hide Your Love", "The Fun Tracks", and "Motor Mouth". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice late Blue Note change from Herbie Hancock – a very different album than his previous sets for the label – in that it features a slightly larger group, and a sound that really points the way towards his directions in the 70s! There's a slightly ambitious feel to some of these cuts – not in a way that's over-arranged, but just a new sort of thinking for Herbie's kind of groove – a mode that's partially informed by the seriousness of 60s jazz soundtracks, but which also has the beginnings of some more righteous modes of expression too. Players are all great – and include Joe Henderson on tenor and flute, Johnny Coles on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, Hubert Laws on flute, Jerome Richardson on bass clarinet, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums. Herbie plays both acoustic and electric piano – using the latter here in one of his first recordings on the instrument – and titles include "Firewater", "I Have A Dream", "The Prisoner", and "He Who Lives In Fear". CD

A nice late Blue Note change from Herbie Hancock – a very different album than his previous sets for the label – in that it features a slightly larger group, and a sound that really points the way towards his directions in the 70s! There's a slightly ambitious feel to some of these cuts – not in a way that's over-arranged, but just a new sort of thinking for Herbie's kind of groove – a mode that's partially informed by the seriousness of 60s jazz soundtracks, but which also has the beginnings of some more righteous modes of expression too. Players are all great – and include Joe Henderson on tenor and flute, Johnny Coles on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, Hubert Laws on flute, Jerome Richardson on bass clarinet, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums. Herbie plays both acoustic and electric piano – using the latter here in one of his first recordings on the instrument – and titles include "Firewater", "I Have A Dream", "The Prisoner", and "He Who Lives In Fear". LP, Vinyl record album

Always the master storyteller, Kip Hanrahan turns his unique musical vision to source material from 1001 Arabian Nights – interweaving stories from the text with jazz-based expression, augmented by spoken and vocal passages. Carmen Lundy sings quite a bit on the record – which is a real treat to our ears, as its great to hear her in such a left-field project – and other artists on the set include Don Pullen, Milton Cardona, Mike Cain, Jack Bruce, JT Lewis, and Henry Threadgill. Tracks include "Diente De Oro", "Aziz & Azizah", "Dunya's Nocturnal Realization", "The Hasheater's Tale", "The Angel Charles & The Caravans Of Jinns & Dreams", and "The Jewish Doctor's Tale". CD

Hardly any ragtime here – despite the title – and instead, the album's one of the greatest ever from drummer Beaver Harris – cut with his ultra-hip 360 Degree Music Experience group! The title is somewhat accurate in that the record brings together a long history of jazz-based expression – almost a century's worth of music, served up by Harris and the group members with the same fluid sensibility as Jaki Byard in his best work, although Byard was never this ambitious! The ensemble is somewhat large, but really comes together well – with an impressive range of artists who include Doc Cheatham on trumpet, Marshall Brown on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, Keith Marks on flute, Cecil McBee and Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Maxine Sullivan and Bill Willingham on vocals. The album's sort of a mini-history of jazz, but one that's hardly hokey at all – and which usually veers towards Harris' more righteous modes of the 70s, even when hitting older styles. Sullivan is especially great – singing here as a sophisticated soul jazz diva of the 70s, and hardly the older-styled singer we might expect. A few moments are stripped down and percussive – and other odd instrumentation includes a bit of sitar and steel drums. Titles include "It's Hard To But We Do", "I Wish I Knew", "Can There Be Peace?", "Down In Brazil", "African Drums", and "Round Trip". LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie Harris was a hell of a saxophonist, and he was also a hell of an entertainer too – something that didn't always come through on his studio records of the 60s and 70s! This live set features Eddie late in life, but still completely on fire – scatting a very cool intro to the whole performance, then leading a tight group with a lot of warmth – while he also still blows us away with the soul and personality he brings to his solos on tenor. Things are a bit loose on the rhythmic tip, which seems to open up Eddie's horn even more – and the group here features Ronald Muldrow on guitar, Louis Spears on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Eddie plays a bit of piano, too – and titles include "Scat", "Song", "There Was A Time", "Lover", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

A great meeting of these two classic talents – recorded live at Chicago's Opera House in the late 50s, with sound that's surprisingly great for the time! Hawkins and Eldridge are very well-matched in the frontline – blowing in a style that's easygoing yet still quite fresh and imaginative – backed here by a rhythm section that features most of the MJQ: John Lewis on piano, Connie Kay on drums, and Percy Heath on bass. Tracks include "Bean Stalkin", "The Walker", "Time On My Hands", "Tea For Two", and "Kerry". Features all material recorded at the show – 2LPs worth of music! CD

A massively tripped-out set of guitar-based funk – played to perfection by the legendary Eddie Hazel, best known for his work in the George Clinton P-Funk empire! The album offers a different side of Eddie's talents – one that's produced with a smoothly compressed California groove, in a mode that's almost an extension of some of the themes explored by Shuggie Otis on his own 70s albums – taken with a bit more of a P-Funk style. George Clinton produced the set with Eddie – and the tunes have a nice slow-stepping groove that really opens up the guitar solos wonderfully. The record kicks off with a massive cover of "California Dreamin" – but the whole thing's great, with a wonderfully unified feel throughout! Other titles include "Frantic Moment", "What About It?", "So Goes The Story", "Physical Love", and a great cover of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)". LP, Vinyl record album

Good double LP set that compiles some of the best tracks from Jimmy Heath's Riverside years, and which features the razor sharp reed player in the company of Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, and Freddie Hubbard. The tracks were drawn from a number of albums, and the set includes "Mona's Mood", "Nails", "The Quota", "Big P", "Cloak & Dagger", and "Six Steps". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album that Jimmy Heath ever gave the world – and a record that makes us miss him even more – as the whole thing takes Heath back to that spectacular mix of solo expressionist, thoughtful composer, and sensitive arranger territory of his best early years! And if you want proof of Jimmy's warm, open spirit – the set begins with a one minute bowed bass solo before Heath's horn even comes into play – then works sublime magic on a number of original numbers, and a few well-chosen classics – all put together by Jimmy as a "ballads" album, but in a way that's hugely different from some of the more facile songbook sessions of over-recorded standards. Instead, the Heath arrangements throughout are wonderfully fresh, and have a soulful quality that really blows us away – more than even on some of his other late records, which is what makes this final session so bittersweet. The core group features Kenny Barron on piano, Monte Croft on vibes, Russell Malone on guitar, and Lewis Nash on drums – and the set features vocals from Gregory Porter on one track, and Cecile McLorin Salvant on another – and Wynton Marsalis blows a trumpet solo on a third track. Titles include "Ballad From Upper Neighbors Suiter", "Left Alone", "Inside Your Heart", "La Mesha", "Con Alma", "Fasion Or Passion", and "Don't Explain". LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling mid 80s set from Jimmy Heath – playing here on both tenor and soprano saxes, in a group that features piano, guitar, bass, and drums. The mix of guitar and Jimmy's soprano sax is especially striking – angular and edgey, handled in a way that brings an added dimension to the tracks that feature the combination. A few tunes on the album feature additional work on trombone, tuba, and French horn – filling out a bottom that again creates some strong tonal contrasts with Bobby's soprano work. Titles include "New Picture", "Changes", "Keep Love Alive", "Togetherness", and "Dewey Square". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little collection of some classic hard bop from Jimmy Heath, with a few of the sides of some the stuff he recorded with larger ensembles thrown in for good measure, pulled together in the 80s, once the OJC family of labels came under the Fantasy umbrella. Heath's Riverside recordings of the late 50s and early 60s is some of our favorite material on the label, recording with a soulful, hip edge and fiery hard bop energy. This collection pulls numbers from The Thumper, Really Big!, The Quota, Triple Threat, Swamp Seed and On The Trail, and feature a host of top notch players, including Nat Adderley, Curtis Fuller, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Pat Patrick, Cannonball Adderley, Julius Watkins, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, and brothers Percy and Albert Heath. Tracks include "Nice People", "Who Needs It?", "The Picture Of Heath", "Down Shift", "Lowland Lullaby", "Dew & Mud", "Wall To Wall" and "All The Things You Are". CD includes two bonus tracks "Goodbye" & "Swamp Seed". CD

The title's a bit obtuse, but the music is warm and soulful throughout – a really tremendous session that carries on the strong legacy of solo work that Jimmy Heath was doing in the 70s! The feel here is a lot like some of Heath's dates for the Muse or Xanadu labels – and Jimmy's working here with a great rhythm section that includes Larry Willis on piano, Stafford James on bass, and Akira Tana on drums – players who provide a very soulful grounding for the set. Heath blows alto, tenor, and soprano sax – and remaining players include Tom Williams on trumpet and Tony Purrone on guitar. The groove is in a classic Prestige/Riverside mode – not hard hardbop, but soulful, with touches of post-Coltrane blowing, and the mix of lyricism and soul jazz that Heath's always brought to his best work. Titles include "Trane Connections", "Forever Sonny", "You Can See", "I Waited For You", and "Song For Ben Webster". LP, Vinyl record album

Very hip work from a young Jimmy Heath – a relative newcomer to the scene at this point, but breaking out with a firm conception and tone, exercised strongly here in a set of large group arrangements worked out in collaboration with Tom McIntosh. McIntosh's work in this format is well known from albums by Dizzy and James Moody – and as with those records, this one has an edgey quality that really keeps the music fresh, and which provides a good foil for solos by Heath, McIntosh, Pat Patrick, and Cannonball Adderley. Titles include "Big P", "Mona's Mood", "Nails", and "The Picture Of Heath". CD

Very hip work from a young Jimmy Heath – a relative newcomer to the scene at this point, but breaking out with a firm conception and tone, exercised strongly here in a set of large group arrangements worked out in collaboration with Tom McIntosh. McIntosh's work in this format is well known from albums by Dizzy and James Moody – and as with those records, this one has an edgey quality that really keeps the music fresh, and which provides a good foil for solos by Heath, McIntosh, Pat Patrick, and Cannonball Adderley. Titles include "Big P", "Mona's Mood", "Nails", and "The Picture Of Heath". CD features the bonus track "Nails", in an alternate take! CD

A fantastic session by Jimmy Heath – cut right at the time of his best 70s soul jazz work! This obscure set was recorded in New York in 1974, but not issued in this form until the mid 90s – and it features Heath with a stellar group that includes Curtis Fuller, Stanley Cowell, Mtume, Billy Higgins, and Pat Martino. The overall sound is modal soul jazz – in the style of the best work on Strata East, with a far-reaching spiritual approach that never goes too far outside, but which is ready to explore the farther aspects of jazz-based expression. Heath is incredible – leading the group on alto and soprano, blowing post-Coltrane lines that are supported by fantastic rhythm work by Cowell, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins. Tracks include "The 13th House", "Time & The Place", "The Voice Of The Saxophone", and "No End". CD

Warm and wonderful work from saxophonist Jimmy Heath – still sounding great here in the 90s, and working in an excellent format that places his tenor and soprano next to guitar, bass, and drums. The lack of piano is quite striking – and the guitar work of Tony Perrone freely steps around Heath's horn with a quality that's really nice – teaming up in a frontline style, as if he were a trumpet player in the group – but also letting back for a more rhythmic approach that also has him shading in certain aspects of the tunes. Drums are by Heath's brother and longtime partner Albert "Tootie" – and titles include "Prince Albert", "Basic Birks", "Sleeves", and "Soul Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning side project from Albert Toodie Heath of the Heath Brothers – a musician who was sometimes a bit staid in the past, but who was really feeling the vibe of the spiritual scene in the post-Coltrane years! The set resonates with a vibe that's very similar to the rare Heath Brother's album on Strata East, Marchin On – and the lineup here is incredible, with reeds from Jimmy Heath, trumpet from Don Cherry, piano from Herbie Hancock, bass from Buster Williams, percussion from Mtume, and drums from Ed Blackwell – all coming together for a session that's nearly lost to the history books, but which is one of the strongest spiritual jazz sessions of the late 60s! Herbie plays all acoustic piano throughout, and the tracks are long, leaping, and loping – with stretched-out spiritual solos from Jimmy Heath and Don Cherry – and a proud and righteous sound that's extremely free-spirited without going too far out. Titles include "Baraka", "Maulana", "Dunia", and "Kamili". CD

Features Percy Heath on bass and cello, Jeb Patton on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Albert "Tootie" Heath on drums and percussion. CD

Beatles Back & Bacharach presents the Ted Heath group in some very groovy territory – playing a fair bit of the first and third "B" in the title, plus a little bit of the second! Heath's instrumentation is quite far from the brassier horns used on his earlier records – and Johnny Keating's sensitive arrangements for the date bring in a fair bit of groovier elements – electric bass, guitar, flute, and even some electric harpsichord! In a way, the record's much more of a Keating album than a Heath one – right down to the subtle dose of funk that Johnny was bringing to his music at this time – and titles include "This Guy's In Love With You", "Norwegian Wood", "B B & B", "Air On The G String", "Let It Be", "You'll Never Get To Heaven", and "I'll Never Fall In Love Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A great later set from The Heath Brothers – proof that the family stayed plenty darn hip into their older years! Although issued by Concord, there's a nicely soulful bent to the record – some slightly angular modern moments, inflected with a lot of warmth on the solos – not just from Jimmy Heath on tenor and soprano sax, but also from guest players who include Roland Hanna and Stanley Cowell on piano, Jon Faddis on trumpet, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Mark Elf on guitar. Jimmy Heath's work really makes the album sparkle – and rhythm from Albert Heath on drums and Percy Heath on bass is as rock-solid as ever. Titles include "This Is What It Is", "The Newest One", "Bop Again", "South Filthy", "For Seven's Sake", and "Dave's Haze". CD

A never-issued live performance by the legendary Heath Brothers – and a set that's got the same freewheeling spiritual jazz vibe as their classic album on Strata East! The group's a quartet here, with excellent piano work from Stanley Cowell – who also plays mbira, and might also account for the more open, spacious, spiritual quality of the record – although the Heath Brothers clearly bring a lot to the table too! Jimmy Heath is superb on tenor, soprano, and flute – blowing soulful solos that are as great as on his own 70s albums as a leader – and Albert Tootie Heath mixes in some flute work next to his drums and percussion. Percy plays a bit of baby bass next to his fuller, rounder acoustic – and titles include a great long reading of their classic "Smilin Billy" – plus "One For Juan" and "Watergate Blues". LP, Vinyl record album