Features 18 short tracks Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Art Pepper, AK Salim, Frank Wess, Kenny Clarke, and Milt Jackson CD

A great quartet date from guitarist Larry Coryell – quite laidback at times, but pretty darn soulful too – thanks to a rhythm section that features Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums! Coryell's not as dynamic with his guitar lines as in years back, but that's ok with us – because he takes on a fluid groove next to Kenny's piano almost making the album feel like a Barron album at times, with added guitar. Titles include "The Duke", "Nefertiti", "Floyd Gets A Gig", "The Sorcerer", "Yesterdays", and "Apathy Rains", which is a duet between Kenny and Larry. Includes the bouns track "All The Things You Are". CD

The title may be a simple one, but the record really marks a key point in John Coltrane's development – an embrace of the newer freedoms allowed to him at Atlantic Records, but in a way that's a bit more subtle than some of his other work for the label! At one level, the record moves at the same groove as Trane's later Prestige years – with rhythm mostly from Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – carving out some sharp lines for Coltrane to cascade over on tenor sax. Yet there's also a new sense of darkness here too – one that moves into edgier territory, and which isn't nearly as settled in as before. These qualities sneak out of both original numbers like "Harmonique", "Fifth House", and "Like Sonny" – as well as standards like "My Shining Hour" and "Little Old Lady". And they really come to the forefront on the classic "Village Blues" – the one track that features the new Coltrane group of McCoy Tyner, Steve Davis, and Elvin Jones! CD features 4 more bonus alternate takes too! CD

A rare slice of Duke Ellington at Newport in the 50s – recorded live at the festival in 1959, but unlike other sessions of the time, never issued on record! The set remained unissued until Duke's 90th birthday, and it's a great discovery that easily matches the strength of Ellington's larger live recordings for Columbia at the same time. As is usual for this type of outing, there's a number of shorter tracks that reprise Ellington favorites for the crowd – but those are offset by longer, more serious works that are deeply complex, the highlight of which is "Idiom 59", a great lost composition done especially for the Festival! The full performance runs for over an hour – with players that include Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Harry Carney, and Johnny Hodges – and other tunes include "Cop Out", "Rockin In Rhythm", "Skin Deep", "Jam With Sam", "Perdido", and "Jones". CD

A brilliant album that follows on the trend that was begun by Sinatra and Tony Bennett – one that takes strong jazz backings from Count Basie to push a singer past the usual pop format! Sammy didn't always get backing this strong – and the album's got Quincy Jones handling the arrangements for Basie in the same mode the he used on the Sinatra/Basie sides for Reprise. Titles include "The Girl From Ipanema", "She's A Woman", "New York City Blues", "Work Song", and "Blues For Mr Charlie" – and the album even features Sammy doing a bit of tap dancing! CD

A legendary meeting of two famous tenor talents – the mighty Eddie Harris, and Detroit legend Wendell Harrison – recorded live together at the Montreux Detroit Festival in 1994. The pair play together in a variety of modes – from twin tenor solo battle styles, to mellower, more open and spacious ones – showing Harris to be still extremely inventive at this later point in his life. Eddie even vocalizes a bit, as he did on some of his 70s records – and the rest of the group features drums, electric guitar, and electric bass – which makes for some funkier moments at times. Titles include "Vocalese", "My Shining Hour", "The Wok", "Tenor Madness", and "Ampedextrious". CD

Some of the first bop sides cut by Americans in Paris – a quartet of material from four different sessions, issued properly for the first time on CD, with great mastering, and a good set of notes in French and English! Don Byas is at the forefront of two sessions here – one with the Tyree Glenn Orchestra, the other featuring the Don Byas Ree-Boppers – and tracks on those include "Walking Around", "Red Cross", "Cement Mixer", "Mad Monk", "Billie's Bounce", and "The Hour Of Parting". Howard McGhee is next up – with 7 tracks from a rare 1948 session, and titles that include "Big Will", "Donna Lee", "Nicole", "Denise", and "Punkins". Last up are four tunes by James Moody – cut during the prime of his early bop years, in 1949, and done with a nicely modern edge. Titles include "Verso", "Recto", "Oh Well", and "Convulsions". 23 tracks in all! CD

The title may be a simple one, but the record really marks a key point in John Coltrane's development – an embrace of the newer freedoms allowed to him at Atlantic Records, but in a way that's a bit more subtle than some of his other work for the label! At one level, the record moves at the same groove as Trane's later Prestige years – with rhythm mostly from Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – carving out some sharp lines for Coltrane to cascade over on tenor sax. Yet there's also a new sense of darkness here too – one that moves into edgier territory, and which isn't nearly as settled in as before. These qualities sneak out of both original numbers like "Harmonique", "Fifth House", and "Like Sonny" – as well as standards like "My Shining Hour" and "Little Old Lady". And they really come to the forefront on the classic "Village Blues" – the one track that features the new Coltrane group of McCoy Tyner, Steve Davis, and Elvin Jones! CD features 2 bonus alternate takes too! CD

Key moments in the career of Charles Mingus – all recorded during the crucial years of 1964 and 1965, and featuring the first-time release of a fair bit of live material too! The set represents the first full presentation of recordings that have appeared piecemeal on a handful of obscure releases – self-released records from Mingus himself – Town Hall, My Favorite Quintet, and Music Written For Monterey – all really expanded here with the full recordings of the tracks, and unreleased titles provided from the original tapes! Mingus was really on fire during these years – severed from most of his bigger label associations, and freely working on some of his most inventive ideas with various smaller groups of players – all fresh young talents who were key interpreters of Charles' ideas – including Johnny Coles and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, Jimmy Owens on trumpet and flugelhorn, Charles McPherson on alto sax, Clifford Jordan on tenor, Jaki Byard on piano, Eric Dolphy on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. The stalwart Dannie Richmond is on drums, and the sides represent some of Dolphy's last, and most important recordings on the planet – recordings done at Town Hall and in Amsterdam in April of 1964 – in addition to live material at Monterey in 1964 and 1965, in Minneapolis in May of 1965. Tracks are all quite long – some pushing the half-hour timing – and as with the best live Mingus, there's variations here that go way past any studio readings – really incredible solo flights that are still beautifully integrated with the ideas of the main group. Titles include "So Long Eric", "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress Then Blue Silk", "Mingus Piano Solo", "Bird Preamble", "Themeless Blues", "Copa City Titty", "A Lonely Day In Selma", "Cocktails For Two", "Praying With Eric", "Parkeriana", "ATFW", "Meditations On A Pair Of Wire Cutters", and "Meditations On Integration". 7CDs, limited edition, and with a great book of notes too! CD

Wonderful work by Oscar Pettiford! Manhattan Jazz Septette is a nice mid 50s effort from– with a sound that ranges from an easy-going, lightly swinging style to full on, dexterous workouts! The arrangements by Manny Alban really allows for a lot of tight grooving from a stellar group – including Herbie Mann on flute and tenor, Barry Galbraith on guitar, Osie Johnson on drums, Urbie Green on trombone, Hal McKusick on alto, and Eddie Costa on piano and vibes! Titles include "King Porter Stomp", "Never Never Land", "Like Listen", "Rapid Transit", the great Herbie Mann showcase "Flute Cocktail", My Shining Hour" and more. CD

Plenty of jazz giants here – some of the biggest heavyweights of John Coltrane's generation, working here either as leaders of the dates, or sidemen on some of Coltrane's earliest recordings for Prestige! The package features material originally issued under the names of Miles Davis, Tadd Dameron, Red Garland, and Thelonious Monk – with other tracks headed by Coltrane himself – a great collection of Prestige sides that runs for over an hour in length. Players include Garland or Monk on piano, Davis on trumpet, Donald Byrd or Wilbur Harden on trumpets, Paul Chambers or Wilbur Ware on bass, and Jimmy Cobb or Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Airegin", "Mating Call", "Monk's Mood", "Soft Lights & Sweet Music", "Russian Lullaby", "Lover", "Billie's Bounce", "Invitation", "Trinkle Trinkle", and "I Love You". CD

Includes the songs "Moment's Notice", "The Duke", "'Round Midnight", "Joy Spring", "Yesterdays", "No More Booze, Minor Blues", "Tender Tears", "My Shining Hour", "Toku Do",and "Sophisticated Lady". CD

A fantastic late life album by the Argentine musical genius Astor Piazzolla – and a set that shows just how far he'd transformed the format of the tango along his musical path of the previous decades! The sound here is completely unique – with some elements of modern string quartet modes, avant jazz, and other styles – blended together with guitar, violin, piano, and bass next to Astor's completely sublime lines on bandoneon! The whole thing's a treasure, and if there's one record to hear by Piazzolla, this is it! Titles include "Tanguedia III", "Milonga Del Angel", "Concierto Para Quinteto", "Milonga Loca", and "Contrabajissimo". CD

Kind of an obscure session by Ammons – most likely recorded in that jumble of contracts and conflicting label arrangements in the early 60s – a time when Jug actually did some of his best work! There's no players listed on the notes – which is sometimes typical for these early 60s sides (although not usually the ones on Prestige), and overall, the spirit is in keeping with the "preachin" title – as Jug blows his way over small combo organ backing, in a very churchy kind of soul jazz mode. Titles include "The Prayer", "The Light", "What A Friend", "Sweet Hour", and "Yield Not". CD

Brilliant later work from Ornette Coleman – quite adventurous stuff, too! By the late 80s, the shock of the new of Ornette's harmolodic sound had worn off enough that majors like CBS/Portrait were more than willing to invest in it – but for every catchy modern groove here, there's a left turn into more subtly daring territory! A few tracks feature Jerry Garcia – "3 Wishes", "Singing In The Shower", and "Desert Player" – and his jazz-folk-psych improv guitar style is a pretty wild match for Ornette and Prime Time. We didn't give those cuts nearly enough credit to over the years! The Garcia-less tracks show Ornette's awareness of hip hop and funky fusion, but he doesn't cop to trends. It's more that he's showing his continuing relevance in the 80s landscape. The group features Denard Coleman on percussion and keys, Calvin Weston on drums, Al MacDowell and Chris Walker on bass, Bern Nix and Charlee Ellerbe on guitars, and Ornette on alto, trumpet and violin. Other tunes include "Happy Hour", "Bourgeois Boogie", and "Spelling The Alphabet". CD

A pair of burning 21st Century recordings by Per Henrik Wallin – easily one of the greatest free jazz pianists working the European scene for the past few decades – as you'll certainly hear on this set! CD 1 features duets between Wallin and drummer Sven Akie Johansson – recorded in an intimate setting in Wallin's apartment, but played with a full sense of explosive energy that would easily rival the best live work by either player. The performance runs for nearly an hour, and features 10 segments, all numbered versions of "Proklamation". CD 2 is a live date from Amsterdam – one that features a trio with Peter Janson on bass and Leif Wennerstrom on drums – working with Wallin in a mode that's certainly a bit more inside than the first one, but no less creative overall. Echoes of piano modernism from the 50s onward characterize many of the numbers – and Wallin brings together a legacy of key players into dialectic with his own approach – shifting back and forth beautifully, and showing a command of the keyboard that's simply breathtaking. Titles include "Farewell To Sweden", "Winter Rap", "Work", "PH's Delight", "Time Waits", "Voodoo", and "The Question Of Evoking". CD

2 key albums in the early career of Nancy Wilson – back to back on one CD! For Hollywood My Way, Wilson turns her wonderfully sophisticated vocal style towards a batch of hits from Hollywood films of the 40s, 50s, and 60s – arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones, in that classy blend of jazz and soul that suited Wilson so well in the 60s! The style is really a cut above the usual – handled with great poise by Nancy throughout, but also done in a mode that's relaxed enough to get past some of the stodgier sounds of records like this. The mellower tunes are actually some of the best here – personal, reflective, and echoing the "Guess Who I Saw Today" sound of Wilson in the 60s. Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Almost In Your Arms", "When Did You Leave Heaven?", "My Shining Hour", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Wild Is The Wind". Broadway My Way is also arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones – and as usual with Wilson in this sort of setting, the material is really transformed by her presentation – taken way past its roots in popular shows of the time. Titles include "Loads Of Love", "My Ship", "Getting To Know You", "Tonight", "You Can Have Him", and "I Believe In You". 24 tracks in all. CD

A huge step forward for the mighty, expansive Exploding Star Orchestra – having recruited free jazz trumpet titan Bill Dixon as a band member and featured composer, if not the de facto leader – on this incredible second album for Thrill Jockey! The previous Exploding Star Orchestra set balanced a fiery, unpredictable intensity with a 70s style pulp soundtrack groove – while this one has more delicate and sublime moments at the outer edges, while ratcheting up the intensity all the more when the spirit hits! The group is made up of mainstays from the genre defiant Chicago scene – with group harbinger Rob Mazurek on coronet, Nicole Mitchell on flute, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jeff Parker guitar, Jim Baker on piano, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes and tubular bells, Matthew Lux on bass, Jon Herndon on drums, Damon Lock with a spoken text read, and others. Heavy, spacious and truly beautiful! Titles include 3 long pieces that add up to over an hour all together, with the Dixon compositions "Entrances/One" and "Entrances/Two", and the killer centerpiece "Constellations For Innerdelight (For Bill Dixon)" composed by Rob Mazurek. CD

One of the greatest Henry Mancini soundtracks of the 60s – and a record that showed the world that he could do a lot more than just crime jazz and groovy tunes! The title track is a well-known gem from the Mancini songbook – perfect for the bittersweet, melancholy of the film – and a great start for Mancini's music – which first shows some of the joy of the couple in the narrative, then moves into much bluer, deeper territory. There's an undercurrent of sadness that haunts even the more sprightly numbers – and some of the best instrumentation is handled by west coast jazzmen who include Pete Candoli and Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Harry Klee and Ted Nash on reeds, Bob Bain on guitar, and Larry Bunker on percussion. The music was never properly issued on record at the time – and this CD features very detailed notes, lots of images, and 27 tracks that include "Cocktail Hour", "No Guts", "A Sad Pop", "I Want To Go Home", "Man Meets Girl", and "Hi Fi". CD

An obscure moment in June Christy's career, but a great one too – a rare later recording, done many years after her time at Capitol Records – in a laidback setting with a hip group of west coast players! June's voice definitely shows a bit of age, but she's still head and shoulders above most jazz singers of her generation – mixing subtle feeling and darkness together beautifully, in a way that makes for a wonderfully moody record! Lou Levy leads the group on piano, and other players include Bob Cooper on tenor and flute, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet – although the horns don't seem to appear on all the tracks on the date. Titles include "The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye", "My Shining Hour", "Once Upon A Summertime", "Show Me", "Willow Weep For Me", "Everything Must Change", and "Autumn Serenade". CD

A brilliant standout in a late 60s world of blues rock – a set that goes way beyond what most of Steve Miller's contemporaries were doing at the time – to find a brave new world that's all its own! As before, the drums are key to the group's sound – harder and funkier than most of their contemporaries – with a propulsive energy that really pushes the group past any sort of sleepy cliches, and allows Miller to grab a whole host of other influences, and manage to forge them into the sound. Tim Davis is the mighty man on the kit – really kicking it throughout – and the group also features work from future jazz singer Ben Sidran on keyboards, and an appearance by Paul McCartney on one track too! Titles include "Space Cowboy", "Got Love Cause You Need It", "Celebration Song", "In My Dark Hour", "Kow Kow", and "Brave New World". CD

To say this one's been a long time coming would be an understatement! This awesome set features a 4 hour (!) DVD, loaded with rare footage of the Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo and Ernest Ranglin, plus in-depth interviews with Dodd and a whole host of artists that had worked their way through the Studio One stable throughout the years. Then there's the 16 track CD – a fitting complement to the film and next worthy installment in the fine series of compilations of Studio One material that Soul Jazz has undertaken, this time spanning all the genres that Studio One would cover, including ska, rocksteady, roots and dancehall, including Theo Beckford "Easy Snapping", The Skatalites "Guns Of Navarone", Delroy Wilson "Dancing Mood", The Heptones "Baby", Alton Ellis "I'm Still In Love With You", Tommy McCook "Tunnel One", Sugar Minott "Jah Jah Children", The Dub Specialist "Banana Walk", Dennis Alcapone "Run Run", The Lone Ranger "Love Bump" and Jackie Mittoo "Freak Out". And if that weren't enough, there's the 100 page booklet, loaded with photos and a complete history of the label, making this choice set one of the nicest packages we've come across in a long, long time! CD

2 great Paris live sets from Gerry Mulligan – with his Concert Jazz Band at L'Olympia in 1960 – followed by a 1962 quartet set at the same venue serving as bonus tracks! The 11 titles on the first CD and the first titles on the second CD are culled from the 1960 set – a tight affair with great solo work from a larger group of players – which includes Don Ferrara and Conte Candoli on trumpet, Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Willie Dennis and Alan Raph on trombone, Bob Donovan and Gene Quill on alto, Jim Reider and Zoot Sims on tenor, Buddy Clark on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. A real triumph! Titles include "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Black Nightgown", "Body And Soul", "Barbara's Theme", "Apple Core", "Out Of This World", "Go Home", "I'm Gonna Go Fishing", "Blueport" and more! The second CD is closed out by a 1962 set by the the Gerry Mulligan Quartet – originally released as the LP Gerry Mulligan & His Quartet Live At The Olympia Theatre 1962! The tracks are long, and the setting fluid – as Gerry plays baritone on most tracks, but piano on a couple; and Bob Brookmeyer does the same, taking a break from valve trombone to play piano for one track as well. Rhythm is by the team of Bill Crow on bass and Gus Johnson on drums – and titles include "Spring Is Sprung", "Five Brothers", "Subterranean Blues", "Blue Port", and "Utter Chaos". More than 2 1/2 hours of music on 2CDs! CD

Sun Ra's really moving forward with this classic set – refining the sound of his Chicago-based Arkestra, and reaching for new territory that moves him way past familiar jazz modes! The cover bills the group as playing "music from tomorrow's world" – and you can definitely hear that on some titles here, including one number that features Ra on some really haunting celeste, and another that features Marshall Allen making weird noises with his mouthpiece! The group is all greats from the old days – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute, Pat Patrick on baritone and flute, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Charles Davis on baritone, and Ronnie Boykins on bass – and titles include "Hours After", "Saturn", "Ancient Ethiopia", and "Blues At Midnight". CD

Some of the first truly sublime work from Johnny Guitar Watson – mid 50s R&B sides cut for the Modern label in LA, served up in a wonderful blend of blues roots, jazzy inflections, and that undeniable Johnny Guitar sense of power and personality! Even at this early age, Johnny had a style that was unlike anyone else – electric guitar-based blues at its roots, but served up with a hipper, smoother, more jazz-inspired style – one that was a perfect match for the wit and charm of Watson's vocals. The 16 track collection is still one of the best documents of Johnny's talents from the time – and it's filled with classics that include "She Moves Me", "Hot Little Mama", "Motor Head Baby", "Hot Little Mama", "Ruben", "Ain't Gonna Hush", "The Bear", "Those Lonely Lonely Nights", and "Three Hours Past Midnight". CD

Dinah's in a perfect setting here – one that gets more jazz out of her style than other records at the time! The "after hours" setting has Dinah singing with a relaxed jazz combo – one that features Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Paul Quinichette on tenor, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Junior Mance on piano – as well as some other nice touches, like congas from Candido, and a bit of organ work from Jackie Davis! The tunes still have the slightly bluesy feel of Dinah's other work, but are more jazz-based in their phrasing and presentation – and titles include "A Foggy Day", "Bye Bye Blues", "Am I Blue", "Blue Skies", and "Love For Sale". CD features one bonus track – an unedited "Blue Skies", which runs over three minutes longer than the originally released version! CD

After Hours is the time when Crawford really hits his stride – playing lean and mellow in that easy soulful way that always seemed to work better than any of his other approaches to jazz. This album's got him blowing alto and even playing a bit of piano, in middle-sized groups that include players like Wendell Harrison, Joe Dukes, Sonny Forriest, and Willie Jones. These lesser-known soul jazz players do a pretty darn nice job of setting the mood, and Hank's comfortable approach puts everyone at ease. Tracks include "Soul Shoutin", "After Hours", "Junction", and "Next Time You See Me". CD

The album that really put Sarah Vaughan on the map – a killer set that really showed how sultry jazz vocals could sound in the postwar years – never overtone, nor torchy-cliched – but right on the money, with a sense of grace and poise that few others can match – even after all these decades! Tracks include "Black Coffee", "After Hours", "Street Of Dreams", "My Reverie", "I Cried For You", "Deep Purple", and "Just Friends". CD

Includes the songs "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning", "Time On My Hands", "Early Autumn", "Prisoner Of Love", "When I Fall In Love", "Willow Weep For Me", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Chelsea Bridge", "My Funny Valentine", "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me", and more. CD

Seminal work from the New York avant scene of the mid 70s – an important series of recordings done by Alan Douglas, and sides that initially broke the creative spirit of the scene to a much wider audience! There's a loose, openly creative spirit to these recordings that's a marked change from the intensity of the New York avant recordings of the 70s – a maturity, and confidence, that's come from some of the players' previous work in avant scenes in Chicago, St Louis, and elsewhere – coming together in New York's limelight with some really amazing energy! This 3CD set brings together tracks from all 5 volumes of the original LPs – over 3 hours' of music, with work by players who include Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and David Murray on tenors; Ken McIntyre, Marion Brown, Oliver Lake, Jimmy Lyons, and Byard Lancaster on alto saxes; Randy Weston, Anthony Davis, and Sonelius Smith on piano; Ted Daniel, Leo Smith, and Olu Dara on trumpet; Khan Jamal on vibes, George Lewis on trombone, Jerome cooper on percussion, and many others too! CD

The first album we've heard in years by trumpeter Eddie Gale – an artist that we'll love forever for his 2 righteous sides on Blue Note! Gale's come a long way since his Blue Note years – and since his early 80s live album (the last recording we'd heard by him) – and he's working here in a style that mixes muted trumpet blowing with a range of electronics – in a style that's got some of the traces of messed-up mid 80s Ornette Coleman, and some of the mellower electric work of Miles Davis in his later years. Eddie sings a bit on one track, and the album's got a political undercurrent that reminds us of some of the mid 80s New York jazz/funk/electronics recordings. Titles include "Free You Free Me", "Welcome To Silicon Valley", "Inner Peace To You", "Afro Fire", "New York After Hours", "Route 95", and "Tribal Future". CD

A classic live set by Cecil Taylor – easily one of his best-remembered albums of the 70s! The group here is a sextet – with Taylor on piano, Jimmy Lyons on alto, Raphe Malik on trumpet, Ramsey Ameen on violin, Sirone on bass, and Ronald Shannon Jackson on drums – all working together in the collaborative spirit of the loft jazz generation! This is heard especially on the beginning section of the set – which features duet and solo performances by group members, all without Taylor – before rolling into the full sextet performance passage of the work. The album is one long performance – spanning over 2 hours of music! CD

A beautiful album of dark-hued vocals – sung by Johnny Hartman with a quality that's as smokey as the image of him with a cigarette on the cover! The album set a whole new standard for male vocal jazz in the 60s – and is a distillation and refinement of earlier ideas in music by Billy Eckstine, taken down to more personal and fluid levels by Hartman – and recorded here with great small group baking that includes Illinois Jacquet on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The vibe is very mellow, but never sloppy or sleepy – and titles include "Charade", "In The Wee Small Hours", "Stairway To the Stars", "Kiss & Run", "Our Time", "Don't You Know I Care", "If I'm Lucky", and "Don't Call It Love". CD

One of the few American albums by Jutta Hipp – a key figure in the German jazz scene of the postwar years, recording here at the Hickory House in New York! The album's a trio date, but it's got more than enough modern energy to warrant inclusion in the Blue Note 1500 series of the 50s – thanks in part to Hipp's forceful, angular approach to the keys of the piano – and also to some great accompaniment from Peter Ind on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums! As usual, Thigpen takes things past any expectations you might have for the trio format – with a great lively touch on the drum kit that keeps the whole proceedings moving nicely. Tracks on this second volume include "After Hours", "Horacio", "Star Eyes", "The Squirrel", and "I Married An Angel". CD

2 early albums by the great Shirley Horn – back to back on one CD! On Loads Of Love, Shirley sings some somber ballads over large orchestrations by Jimmy Jones – in a mode that's different from recent work, but which also shows that she's a great singer with a really sensitive style. The groove's not as open as on some of her small combo recordings, but that also brings out a side of Shirley that you don't always hear on record – a committed, honest, slightly sad style that's quite striking, considering that this was one of Shirley's first albums. Titles include "That's No Joke", "Love For Sale", "Ten Cents A Dance", "Who Am I?", "Only The Lonely", and "Wild Is Love". Horn With Horns is hip stuff from Shirley – very mature and swinging jazz, despite any hokiness you might expect from the "with horns" tag. Arrangements are by Quincy Jones, Thad Jones, and Billy Byers – and the set list features some good current numbers, and a bunch of standards, all redone nicely in a 60s sophistijazz style. Tracks include "Wee Small Hours", "That Old Black Magic", "The Great City", "On The Street Where You Live", and "Let Me Love You". CD

A classic bit of London funky guitar from Ronny Jordan – the heir apparent to Grant Green and Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones – and one of the best new players of his generation! The set takes the older funky guitar styles of the 60s soul jazz generation, and fuses it with a 90s nujazz approach – to come up with some tight groovers that have a surprisingly classic feel, yet which also sparkle with the fresher sounds of the time – some of the hip rhythms that were bubbling around in London during the Talking Loud and early Acid Jazz years. Titles include a great remake of "So What", the jazz/hip hop classic "Get To Grips", and the cuts "Cool & Funky", "Summer Smile", "Show Me", "Nite Spice", and "After Hours". CD

A window into a near-lost side of American avant jazz of the 70s – the self-produced albums issued by Leo Smith on his Kabell label – presented here as a beautiful 4CD set, complete with over 2 hours of previously unreleased material! The original albums have always been incredibly hard to find, and they show a side of Smith that is one of the purest on record from the time – displaying him as a key innovator in the tradition of Chicago musicians of the AACM, and the New York players of the loft scene – both of whom Smith interacted with freely. Players on the set include Oliver Lake, Anthony Davis, and Pheerokan Ak Laff – and the set features music from the albums Creative Music 1, Song Of Humanity, Reflectativity, and Akhreanvention – as well as unreleased tracks from those sessions! CD

A bigger step into a piano led jazzy style from Allen Toussaint – grooving in a timeless Crescent City influenced sound – a wonderful record, one we'll go back to for years to come! Allen's been a huge part of the New Orleans musical landscape for many, many years, and it's not a stretch to imagine he's had the laidback, but evocative jazz of the territory in his blood for just as long – so it's a wonder that he hasn't made a record like this before now. There's nothing cliche or cheesy in Allen's work here, which has kind of an after hours vibe that suits it well, and he's put together an outstanding group of players. Marc Ribot is on guitar, Don Byron on clarinet, Nicholas Payton on trumpet, David Piltch on upright bass, Jay Bellarose on drums, and guests Joshua Redman on tenor sax and Brad Mehldau on piano. Titles include "Egyptian Fantasy", "Dear Old Southland", "St James Infirmary", "Singin' The Blues", "Winin' The Blues", West End Blues", "Blue Drag", "Bright Mississippi", "Day Dream", "Solitude" and more. CD

Groovy groovy work from Johnny Williams – a second volume of material for one of his best 60s soundtracks – excellent early work from on the great modern film score composers! The film's a goofy sex romp, as you might expect from the title, and Williams' tunes really keep the spirit of the movie up nicely – running through a variety of upbeat styles, from jazzy Hammond, to groovy vocals, and even a few surprisingly nice chorus vocal type tunes! Includes the great song "Big Beautiful Ball", presented in vocal versions as well as a bonus instrumental, the former with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. This great Film Score Monthly Vol 2 features the nearly complete original film tracks, derived from the original scoring masters. Other titles include "My Inamorata", "It'll Take Hours", "Tom's Jealousy", "Two Of Everything", "High Tank", "Cold Feet", "Bowed Heads And Flowers" and many more. Also includes several bonus track instrumental versions. 38 tracks in all. CD

Frank Zappa live in the 70s – working with a surprisingly hip large ensemble, with all the sharp changes and unusual moments of his classic studio albums! Like some of Zappa's other concert performances, there's an approach that steps a few years back – clearly to please the group coming to hear their favorites, but in a way that also offers up a nice sharpening-up of the music too – especially given that the whole thing's happening live on stage! There's some great jazz help here – horns from The Brecker Brothers, Lou Marini, Ronnie Cuber, and Tom Malone – plus wonderful vibes from Dave Samuels and keyboards from Eddie Jobson – and even a bit of narration from Don Pardo. Titles include "I'm The Slime", "Titties & Beer", "Cruisin For Burgers", "The Illinois Enema Bandit", "Punky's Whips", "Big Leg Emma", and "Sofa". Box set includes the original album album, 3 hours of previously unreleased performances, and other nuggets – plus a 60 page booklet with lots of behind the scenes photos. CD

Incredible work from John Coltrane's Newport Jazz Festival sets from 1963 and 1965 – totally amazing work from Trane and his superior quartet of McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – nearly 1 1/2 hours of essential avant garde! This CD features a trio of pieces from each year, "I Want To Talk About You", "My Favorite Things" and "Impressions" from '63 – plus One Done, One Up and "My Favorite Things" from '65 – with an endearing intro by Father Norman O'Connor for the '65 parts. Includes the extended version of "Impressions" from the '63 appearance – the full 23+ minute version that's never been released until now! CD

Godlike work from the legendary Nick Drake – and exactly the kind of record that's made him a continuing legend over the years! The style is completely its own – not really folk or rock, but not really jazz either – yet served up with plenty of jazzy phrasing that's helped keep Drake's music fresher than most as the decades move on – and which makes each song here a really rich discovery – even if, like us, you've heard the album hundreds of times in the past! The production is wonderful – with slight underscorings of strings that help unlock dark corners of the songs – and tracks include the classic "River Man" – easily one of Nick's best songs ever – plus "Fruit Tree", "Day Is Done", "Three Hours", "Saturday Sun", and "Time Has Told Me". A record we'd never part with – ever! CD