A classic 50s collection of Verve material by Charlie Parker – and one of those records that will definitely help you understand his genius right from the start! The lineup here is slightly large – wonderful arrangements by Joe Lipman that are a bit orchestral, with strings as well – but never used in styles that get in the way of Charlie Parker's solidly smoking alto sax! In fact, the music is a key example of just what makes Bird so different – as he's right out front, taking off in all his own directions – showing that although part of a group, a musician of his caliber can also take flight in ways that few jazz musicians would have imagined a few years before. The set features incredible readings of the tunes "Temptation", "Lover", "Stella By Starlight", "Dancing In The Dark", and "Laura". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic meeting of two giants from the early years of bop – altoist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie – brought together here in a session that Norman Granz would later list as one of the truest realizations of his vision for recording jazz music! Parker's sharp lines are a great contrast to the robust horn work of Diz – and the players work here with a rhythm section that features Thelonious Monk on piano, Curley Russell on bass, and Buddy Rich on drums. Titles include "Relaxin With Lee", "Leap Frog", "Oscar For Treadwell", and "Mohawk". The LP also includes a number of alternate takes, and has a nice photo of the 2 jazz giants on the cover. LP, Vinyl record album

Oscar pays tribute to Frank – but he uses his keys, not his voice – to come up with some great renditions of tunes from Sinatra's classic Capitol years! It's true that Peterson was known to vocalize on some sessions (most notably on his tribute to Nat King Cole, recorded a few years later) – but this album is straight trio grooving, with Peterson skipping soulfully over the keys of the piano, abetted by Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – in a wonderfully-crafted set of tunes that includes "Witchcraft", "Come Dance With Me", "You Make Me Feel So Young", "All Of Me", "It Happened In Monterey", and "The Tender Trap". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Oscar Peterson's biggest records ever – one of those albums we turn up time and time again when digging through classic jazz collections – and for good reason too, given the lasting power of the set! The album's got a rock-solid sound that's filled with soul – almost a bit more down and dirty than some of Peterson's earlier work, very much in the spirit of the group's hit performance of the title track. In a way, the album's almost Oscar's answer to some of the rising younger stars in the soul jazz scene – and is proof that the master still can do things as great as the artists he inspired. Ray Brown is on bass and Ed Thigpen is on drums – and tracks include "Bag's Groove", "Georgia On My Mind", "Easy Does It", "Band Call", and "Night Train". LP, Vinyl record album

Oscar follows up the original Night Train album – one of his most famous sessions and best selling albums! The format here is the same – Peterson working with likely suspects Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen (save for 2 tracks, which feature Herb Ellis, Brown, and Buddy Rich) – playing open and bluesy on tracks that include "Lil Darlin", "Night Train", "Easy Does It", "D&E", "Close Your Eyes", and "Blues For Basie". LP, Vinyl record album

The Oscar Peterson Trio plays – and pretty nicely too! The album's got a simple, unassuming cover and title – but it delivers some rock-solid grooves that are very much in the spirit of Peterson's famous sound in the 60s – that classic combination of piano, bass, and drums delivered with the help of Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen – both players who helped Oscar set a whole new standard in piano jazz! Titles include the great groover "The Strut" – plus "Little Darlin", "Fly Me To The Moon", "This Nearly Was Mine", "Let's Fall In Love", and "Little Right Foot". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

A key example of the popularity of the Oscar Peterson Trio in the mid 60s – an album of tracks that listeners wanted to hear done in the group's familiar style – that wonderful way of soulful inflection that Oscar had when he shifted up the lineup of the trio at the start of the 60s! There's a lot more bounce here than back when Peterson was working without drums – although the great Ed Thigpen is also a master of subtle energy on the kit – working with bassist Ray Brown to provide the best setting for the fluid touches that Oscar brings to the keys of the piano! Titles include "The Girl From Ipanema", "Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "D&E", and "Time & Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful meeting of two mid-century musical talents – the piano of Oscar Peterson and the arrangements of Nelson Riddle – a surprisingly wonderful pairing, heard here on a rare set for Verve! Peterson never recorded with strings nearly as much as he did with a trio, but almost all of his dates in the format are wonderful – and this album may well be one of the best! Riddle's nicely restrained here – using that new sense of space he was finding in the 60s, and moving a bit away from more sentimental modes of the 50s, into some laidback jazzy charts that are really great. Peterson's piano steps through the arrangements wonderfully – never trying to dominate, and instead really going with the flow that Riddle provides. There's a mature sound to this record that really points the way towards some of the later Verve and CTI orchestrations of the 60s – proof that Riddle could have a huge influence on styles to come – and titles include "Judy", "My Ship", "Nightingale", "A Sleeping Bee", "Goodbye", "Portrait Of Jenny", "Come Sunday", "Round Midnight", and "My Foolish Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible pairing of two important 60s talents – magnificent vocals from Arthur Prysock, and some of the best backings he ever received – thanks to Basie! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little Lou Rawls album from his short-lived time at Bell Records – and like most of his smaller stints at 70s labels, work that really stands out from the rest! The album was cut in LA with smooth production from Norman Ratner – but the overall sound is still pretty darn hip – a nice update of Lou's earlier style at Capitol and MGM, and almost a precursor to his late 70s fame at Philly International. The vocals are still given strong center stage – and are as magnificent as always – and the track selection is slinky smooth at times, in ways that give a subtle sophistication to the record that's really great. Titles include a great cover of "She's Gone", plus "Feel Like Makin Love", "Now You're Coming Back Michelle", "You're A Lady", "Keep The Faith", "Baby You Don't Know How Good You Are", and "Let It Be Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Irene Reid later went on to make some recordings that had her in a more rootsy setting, this nice set from the mid 60's features her deep soul voice amidst classy jazz-based arrangements by Oliver Nelson. The record's got the feel of one of Nancy Wilson's classics for Capitol, with a mix of standards and pop material like "When Did You Leave Heaven", "Save Your Love For Me", "Who Can I Turn To", and "They All Say I'm The Biggest Fool". LP, Vinyl record album

A drum-heavy spectacular that returns Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich to their big band roots – thanks to some hard-swinging arrangements from George Williams! The tracks are a bit shorter and done with a larger group than on some of the other Rich or Krupa sides for Verve – but there actually seems to be even more drum pyrotechnics here, possibly because the players' efforts are compressed into such a tight space! Production is a bit odd – with the drums so high in the mix that they sometimes come across with more treble than bass – but that really highlights some of the most inventive moments on the top of the kit as well. Titles include "Duet", "Perdido", "Evolution", "Night Train", and "Hawaiian War Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual record for Sonny Rollins – but a great one too! At first glance the concept is a strange one – almost a crazy decision to pair modernist tenorist Sonny Rollins with a set of large brassy arrangements – but oddly, the idea works, and works nicely – as Rollins' edgey solos cut through the heavy arrangements with ease, creating some angular counterpoint and a tight little space to make his own sound. The group was conducted by Ernie Wilkins, and the flipside of the album features Rollins playing in a small trio with the great Henry Grimes on bass (who also played with Rollins on some of his best sessions from the time!) and Charles Wright on drums. Titles include "Manhattan", "If You Were The Only Girl In the World", "Who Cares?", and "Far Out East". Originally issued on MGM/Metro – but this is the Verve pressing. LP, Vinyl record album

The Marquis De Sade never sounded so sweet! For some strange reason, Schifrin decided to pay a musical hommage to De Sade with this one – but fortunately, he's not punishing himself with the subject matter at all, and is sticking to his jazzy bossa guns. The arrangements have a tight Verve mid 60s groove to them – with breakout solos on piano and flute, slightly baroque scoring that mixes strings, harpsichord, and some straighter jazz playing, and a good focus on strong rhythm playing throught. A breezy treat that would make any of us drop a paddle and kick back for a cocktail – if we had the chance! Titles include "Bossa Antique", "The Wig", "Old Laces", "Beneath A Weeping Willow Shade", "Renaissance", and "Troubadour". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Jimmy Smith's biggest albums of the 60s – and a classic Verve pairing of his lean Hammond organ solos with the fuller, hard-swinging arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is working here at the height of his powers – backing Smith with a large group, but in a way that only seems to free him up to solo even more – pushing the tunes with an undeniable power from the all-star band, as Jimmy takes off on flights of soulful fancy over the top! Side two features some more stripped-down solo work – in the manner of Jimmy's later Blue Note sides – and the set includes the hit single "Walk On The Wild Side", plus the tracks "Bashin", "Step Right Up", and "Beggar For The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little collection of Jimmy's tight tight tight Hammond sides cut for Verve during the 60s – with backings by Oliver Nelson and Lalo Schifrin, plus a few other sides in smaller combo format. Tracks include "Walk On The Wild Side", "Ol Man River", "The Cat", "Got My Mojo Workin", "High Heel Sneakers", "Hobo Flats", and "Organ Grinder's Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

A real high point in Jimmy Smith's famous 60s run at Verve Records – a key collaboration with arranger Lalo Schfrin, who brings a great blend of jazz and soundtrack styles to Jimmy's famous groove on the Hammond! Lalo's backings are totally great – with touches of Latin and Brazilian that really open up the sound from some of Smith's other records – but in a way that still keeps the whole thing nicely on point as Jimmy soars away on his solos. The single "The Cat" was kind of a minor hit for Smith – and there's a lot of other nice tunes on the album, including "Theme From Joy House", "Chicago Serenade", "Delon's Blues", and "Main Title From Carpetbaggers". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit bluesy, and the record is too – one of the grittier collaborations between Hammond legend Jimmy Smith and ultra-hip arranger Oliver Nelson – who manages to make the whole thing come across with all the right soul styles in the end! There's definitely a nod to the electric blues of Chess Records and Chicago, but the approach is more sculpted in Nelson's tight, swinging big band modes – which snap along in the background, as Jimmy takes some freewheeling solos on Hammond that are outta sight – and even vocalizes occasionally along with his grooves – in a grunting, bluesy sort of way! Rhythm is augmented strongly by Grady Tate on drums and Kenny Burrell on guitar – and titles include "Mustard Greens", "Hobson's Hop", "Got My Mojo Workin", and "High Heel Sneakers". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem from Jimmy – a great set of organ tracks backed by some solid soul arrangements by the great Johnny Pate! Jimmy's organ is right out front, and as with most of his Verve albums, he never misses a note. There's a nice long version of "Ode To Billy Joe" that, while lacking the funky break that graces other versions, has a nice bubbling groove and a stupendous solo from Jimmy. Other titles include "Groove Drops", "Sunny", and "Days Of Wine & Roses". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty pairing of Jimmy Smith and Oliver Nelson – one that has the heavy Hammond of Smith set up in some sparkling jazz backdrops from Nelson! The sound here has some bluesy undercurrents, as you might guess from the title – but Oliver's charts keep things hip throughout, and ensure that the record stays far from any 60s cliches in the music – and always keeps one ear out for the sharper edges that always makes Nelson's arrangements a great match for Smith. The horns are full at times, but Jimmy's organ bursts right out over the top – gliding along a great groove with a really inherent sense of rhythm. Titles include a shimmering bossa take on "Meditation", plus "Hobo Flats", "Walk Right In", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "The Preacher". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy pays tribute to an earlier generation of R&B – in a hard-wailing set of soul jazz, done with backings from the legendary Oliver Nelson! A few tracks feature vocals by Jimmy, in a rough bluesy style, and others have some harmonica by Buddy Lucas – in a raspy, hard-wailing mode that still fits in nicely with the jazzier style of the album. Jimmy's organ is right up front on most numbers – recorded with that full, dynamic sound that makes so many of his Verve albums a treasure – and the best numbers have a more contemporary 60s groove alongside the older bluesy roots. Grady Tate plays drums – surprisingly funky at times – and other players include Melba Liston and Tom McIntosh on trombones, Billy Butler on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on Fender bass, and Joe Newman on trumpet. Titles include "Hi Heel Sneakers", "TNT", "Boom Boom", "Ain't That Just Like A Woman", and "One Mint Julep". LP, Vinyl record album

Totally cool Jimmy Smith album that has him playing a lot of funky groovy versions of TV and Film themes, like "Goldfinger", "Theme From The Munsters", "Theme From Man With the Golden Arm", and "Theme From Bewitched". Oliver Nelson leads a large band and does the arrangements, and Jimmy's in fine fine form, with hard solos that come out wailing over the top of the orchestrations. LP, Vinyl record album

No hokey organ grinder here – no monkey on a leash, begging for change on a street corner – just a smoking little trio session that stands as one of the best records that Jimmy Smith ever recorded for Verve! The album's got a groove that's similar to Jimmy's early years at Blue Note – long, stretched-out tracks – played by a trio that features Kenny Burrell on guitar and Grady Tate on drums, with lots of room left for Jimmy to cook up mighty solos on the Hammond! There's loads of little twists and turns that make the session shine nicely – and titles include "Oh No, Babe", "Blues for J", "Greensleeves", and "The Organ Grinder's Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange record, and pretty darn goofy – but proof that the Jimmy Smith/Oliver Nelson team could tackle just about anything and make it come up hard and swinging! The album has Nelson arranging a jazz version of Prokofiev's Peter & The Wolf, with Smith soloing out front on most tracks, and lots of nice players in the group, like Billy Butler, Grady Tate, Richard Williams, and Richard Davis. The reed players really stand out, as they play the voices of the characters in the piece, and the album includes some very deft work by Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Phil Woods, and Bob Ashton. Titles include "Duck Theme", "Jimmy & The Duck", "Cat In A Tree", and "Elegy For A Duck". LP, Vinyl record album

Mad respect for Jimmy Smith – a cool small group record that's different than some of his bigger-concept, larger arrangement records for Verve! The groove here is tight and right on the money – and the tracks are a bit longer than other Verve sessions too – as the master really opens up on Hammond, and hits some sweet soulful lines in the company of players who include Thornel Schwartz or Eric Gale on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Bernard Purdie or Grady Tate on drums! Titles include a sweet take on "Get Out Of My Life Woman" – funky, but in a way that's different than all the other copycat versions of the tune – plus Jimmy's takes on tracks that include "Funky Broadway", "T Bone Steak", and "Mercy Mercy Mercy". LP, Vinyl record album

A real treasure, and a record that may well be our favorite Jimmy Smith album for Verve – a masterful meeting of his smoking Hammond work with some swingingly sophisticated arrangements by Oliver Nelson and Claus Ogerman! Both Nelson and Ogerman bring a fuller spectrum of horn work to the album than heard on other Smith sides of the time – using an almost orchestral approach to the backings, one that pushes Jimmy even further into the stratosphere as he solos madly on the organ! But don't think that the larger backings are clunky at all – because they're not – and there's a surprisingly deep soul to all the proceedings on the album, making it one of the tightest, grooviest, and deeply soulful records that Jimmy cut after leaving Blue Note! The LP includes two very long cuts – killer versions of "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolf" and "Slaughter On 10th Avenue" – plus shorter takes on "Bluesette", "Women Of The World", and "Wives & Lovers" that are all plenty amazing too! LP, Vinyl record album

The second great session from two of Verve's biggest jazz stars of the 60s – organist Jimmy Smith and guitarist Wes Montgomery – an unlikely pair, to be sure, but one who work great together on the set! The real change here is in Wes' playing – as it's shifted from the mellower style used over larger backings on most of his Verve sets, back to the rootsier soul jazz tone of his earliest recordings from his days on the Indianapolis scene. Jimmy and Wes are working with a core combo that includes Grady Tate on drums and Ray Barretto on conga – making for a lean organ/guitar groove that's only got percussion to kick it along. Titles include "Call Me", "OGD", "King Of The Road", "Mellow Mood", and "Maybe September" – plus a great version of "Milestones" that features some hard swinging larger backings from Oliver Nelson! LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album in the Verve Records catalog of the 60s – a set that's not only a fantastic meeting between two superstar jazz musicians, with Jimmy Smith on Hammond and Wes Montgomery on guitar – but one that also takes things in a whole groovy new dimension, thanks to the arrangements of Oliver Nelson! Nelson is at his soulful best here – working on hard-swinging charts that almost seem to liberate Jimmy and Wes to do even more with their solos – really stretching out, with an especially great sound from Smith on the organ – maybe at a level that makes the record one of his best of all time for Verve! Titles include "James & Wes", "Night Train", "13 (Death March)", and "Down By The Riverside". LP, Vinyl record album

Sonny Stitt makes Oscar Peterson sit up and groove! The record's a great one, and uses the Peterson Trio as a perfect rhythm section for Sonny's confidently blown solos of the late 50s – in a way that pushes the combo past their usual safe area, and into more freewheeling territory to keep up with Stitt's sense of power and invention! The tunes on the set are every bit as great as those on Sonny's own albums as a leader for Verve – crisp, clear, and perfectly blown – a masterpiece of subtle creativity and one of the greatest tones to ever emerge from the saxophone! Titles include "Au Privave", "Scrapple From The Apple", "Moten Swing", and "Easy Does It". LP, Vinyl record album

A historic meeting between pianist Art Tatum and tenor sax giant Ben Webster! At some level, it's clear that Tatum's the star of the sessions – as most tracks start out with that introspective and often complicated approach to the keys that marks his trio and solo work – but Webster always slides in just in time to keep the record from being a standard Tatum outing – blowing with a crisp tone that's beautifully recorded here, and hardly concerned at all with the presence of Red Callender on bass and Bill Douglass on drums – who are much lower in the mix. Titles include "Night & Day", "Where Or When", "My Ideal", "Gone With The Wind", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare non-Blue Note session from The Three Sounds – recorded in the early 60s for Verve, and really the group's only straight album for that label! The style here is similar to the Blue Note sides – with Gene Harris firmly at the helm of the group on piano – hitting that fluidly soulful approach to the keys that made him an instant standout from the earliest albums of his career. Bass is by Andrew Simpkins and drums by Bill Dowdy – and the set list includes the original compositions "Gina My Love" and "Blue Genes", plus takes on "Mr Wonderful", "Autumn In New York", "Love Somebody", and "Whims Of Chamberland". LP, Vinyl record album

A great live set recorded in 1962 with some of Cal's best players in the group – pianist Lonnie Hewitt and drummer John Rae, joined by bassist Freddie Schreiber. The groove's a bit less Latin than usual, but the jazz vibe is very strong – and Tjader really shines with the local crowd at San Francisco's famous Blackhawk night spot. Titles include "222 Time", "Noonie's Groove", "Weep", and "Fred's Ahead". One of the more obscure Tjader Verve sides, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Unlike the mellower Breeze from the East LP (another Tjader "eastern" session), this one's got some very lively Latiny stuff – despite the orientalist theme of the LP. There's a monster version of Horace Silver's "Tokyo Blues", plus takes of Lalo Schifrin's "The Fakir", "Borneo", "Song of the Yellow River", and "Almond Tree". Schifrin conducts and plays piano, and the group also runs through a very tight version of Quincy Jones' "Hot Sake". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent Verve album that Cal recorded with the great Clare Fischer on organ and piano. Clare's organ work on here is stellar, and he's got this cool little spare sound that works very well with Cal's vibes. The set includes a great version of "Sally's Tomato", plus the cuts "Hip Walk", "O Barquinho", and "Insight". LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic by Cal – one of the trademark albums of his time at Verve, and a unique blend of jazz, Latin, and other groovy influences! The tunes have that lightly jazzy approach that made Cal a hit with the radio and jukebox crowds at the time – a bossa-influenced mix of vibes, piano, and percussion – dancing easily over some very lively rhythms. Cal's group on the set features pianist Paul Griffin and percussionist Armando Peraza – both of whom bring a nice soulful finish to the album, helping it live past the "Whiffenpoof" in the title! Tracks include "The Prophet" – one of Cal's classics – plus "Soul Motion", "Reza", "Doxy", and "Daddy Wong Legs". Very groovy, very vibesy, and very very Verve. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer Verve Records set from vibist Cal Tjader – a set that brings together both his Latin inclinations and his groovier 60s mod style – all in a blend that's handled perfectly by arranger Oliver Nelson! Other players include Jerry Dodgion and Jerome Richardson on flutes, Attila Zoller on guitar, Chick Corea on piano, and Jose Mangual, Patato Valdez, and Victor Pantoja on Latin percussion! Titles include "Descarga Cubana", "Morning", "Oran", "Curacao", and "Chuchy Frito Man". Very nice! LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably THE classic Cal Tjader album of the 60s – a landmark album that crossed over equally into Latin, jazz, and mainstream audiences – and a stone cooker that's filled with smoking little grooves! The set's probably best known for its title track "Soul Sauce" – one of the biggest jazz hits of the 60s, and a catchy groover that was built around a riff from Dizzy Gillespie, but which also featured a groovier 60s sound, thanks to Cal's use of vibes. The whole album follows in similar format – and features great work by a core combo that includes Armando Pereza on congas, Lonnie Hewitt on piano, and Johnny Rae on drums. Titles include "Soul Sauce" – also known as "Guacha Guaro" – plus the tracks "Joao", "Leyete", "Maramoor", and a killer reading of "Afro Blue" that features guest appearances by Donald Byrd, Jimmy Heath, and Kenny Burrell. LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty nice pairing – the vibes of Cal Tjader and the sophisticated arrangements of Claus Ogerman – who definitely ensures that the album's the warm wave promised in the title! The core group features Jerome Richardson on reeds, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Hank Jones on piano – and titles include "I'm Old Fashioned", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Violets For Your Furs", plus a few pop tunes – and a nice Ogerman original called "Sunset Blvd". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Mel Torme's years at Verve – an album dedicated to the music of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, set to some very upbeat, jazzy backings from Johnny Mandel! The album's quite swinging at points – and given the choice of material, Mel really breaks from the familiar – stretching out nicely to reach the spirit of the famous leaders, but always with that tremendous sense of tone! Titles include "Down For Double", "I'm Gonna Go Fishin", "I Like The Sunrise", "Reminiscing In Tempo", "Oh What A Night For Love", and "In The Evening". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Mel's best albums of jazz vocals! The record was cut in London, with work by arrangers Geoff Love, Tony Osborne, and Wally Stott – and it's got a wonderfully full quality that works perfectly with the vocals of "The Velvet Fog". Stott's best known as the arranger for Scott Walker's solo work – and although this stuff isn't as totally baroque as Scott's work, it's still got an approach to arrangements that is somewhat in the same vein. Includes a driving version of "You & The Night & The Music", Mel's own country-story "County Fair", and a number of tracks from The Bandwagon, including "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan", "By Myself", and "Dancing In The Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Walter Wanderley albums ever – and a record that moves past the more familiar bossa trio style used on his hits for Verve, into groovier new territory with added players who include Dom Um Romao on drums and Marcos Valle on guitar! And not only is the lineup expanded, but the styles are too – as Wanderley moves away from the straighter bossa and samba jazz of his roots, into the world of more unusual, more complicated rhythms that were showing up in the Brazilian scene at the end of the 60s. Marcos Valle's contribution is felt strongly here – as the album includes a fantastic instrumental take on his classic "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" (aka "Os Grilos") – plus other Valle compositions that include "Ainda Mais Lindo", "Batucada", and "E Preciso Cantar". Other tracks include "Wave", "So What's New", and "O Barquinho". LP, Vinyl record album

Bossa nova meets organ jazz – a real classic from the great Walter Wanderley, recorded right on the heels of his famous Rain Forest album for Verve! This set's in a very similar format to that one – core trio grooving with organ, bass, and drums – sometimes augmented with added percussion to expand out the bossa and samba rhythms of the tunes, but always done in that lean, clean style that made Wanderley a key figure in transforming the sound of the Hammond back in the 60s – not just in Brazil, but in US jazz circles as well! Tracks are all short, tight, and very groovy – and titles include "Voce E Eu", "Aqua De Beber", "Man & A Woman", "Amanha", and "Da Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from Walter Wanderley – a set that's much more complicated than his earlier trio records for Verve – and which really expands the sound with a host of added elements! Wanderley's core organ bossa groove is amplified wonderfully here with the addition of guitar, vibes, horns, and other elements – all of which help to change the rhythms and move the groove way past just simple stock bossa. Walter plays a bit of electric piano too – hinting at work on later albums – and other players include Jerome Richardson on flute, Bobby Rosengarden on vibes, John Pizzarelli on guitar, and even a bit of vocals from Marge Dodson. There's a wonderful variety of tunes on the set – including Joao Donato's "Amazonas", Baden Powell's "Canto De Ossanha", and Bob Crewe's "Music To Watch Girls By" – plus other gems like "Sensuous", "Sambao", "Arrinho Atoa", "Kee Ka Roo", and "The Bobo". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that not only broke the bossa big in the US – but a set that also really helped transform the sound of the organ in jazz! Not only is the record a key meeting of bossa rhythms and jazz organ – transplanted hugely to the US after a big initial Wanderley run in 60s Brazil – but the set also features some of the cleanest organ lines to ever hit these shores – a big difference from the heavier flutter that some of the US organists were using a few years before, and a sharp shift towards cleaner keyboard sounds for the rest of the decade. Instrumentation's nice and spare – mostly bass and percussion, plus a bi tof flute and guitar – and titles include the massive hit "Summer Samba", plus "Rain", "Beach Samba", "Song Of The Jet", "Cried, Cried", and "Girl From Ipanema". LP, Vinyl record album

A couple of smooth numbers by this fatastic harmony group who only ever issued a couple singles on the MGM subsidiary Lion. Both numbers hit a righteous sweet soul harmony groove over some great soaring production touches! 7-inch, Vinyl record

An excellent album of funky electric jazz – and possibly the best one that Phil Woods cut with his European group! The quartet's a very hip group that's way hipper than its clunky name – with Gordon Beck on electric piano and organ, Daniel Humair on percussion and drums, and Henri Texier on bass, flute, and African percussion – all instrumentalists who dip heavily into the deep bag of their mighty talents for the date, helping to push Phil's music into some very cool new territory! The album cooks a lot harder than Woods' previous MGM date with the Rhythm Machine group in Europe – and has a really freewheeling vibe, and a sound that's almost outside at points. All tracks are long, with a modal electric approach that's very nice – and funky in the best parts – and titles include "Chromatic Banana", "Ultimate Choice", "The Last Page", and "The Day When The World". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic session of mellow magic from tenorist Lester Young and pianist Teddy Wilson – both giants of jazz from an earlier generation, but maybe sounding even better here in a sublime Verve Records setting from the 50s! Young's tenor fronts the trio of Wilson – with Gene Ramey on bass and Joe Jones on drums – a somewhat unassuming group, which means that Lester's power really holds sway throughout – these magical solos that so easygoing they almost seem effortless – but which are filled with soul and imagination. Titles include "Love Me Or Leave Me", "All Of Me", "Prisoner Of Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic Verve pairing of two of its greatest soloists – both recorded here in a laidback, easily-swinging session that allows both players to shine equally! Young's tenor is always a welcome addition to any set of this nature, and Edison's playing here in a gentler, relaxed mode that's a wonderful fit to the easygoing groove laid down by the rhythm section of Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and Buddy Rich. Titles include "Mean To Me", "That's All", "She's Funny That Way", and "Red Boy Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from Frank Zappa – and a record that showed the world that he was also one hell of an arranger too! The album's got all the offbeat, tripped-out qualities that you'd expect from late 60s Zappa – but at times, it's also got this tightness that's really amazing – almost as if Frank's showing the world that he can easily do the same things as the studio wizards of LA pop – but chooses to keep most of his efforts on the wrong side of the tracks! There's plenty of larger backings at points – handled by some of the cream of the crop of the LA studio and jazz scene – but other moments are pretty darn raw, and have a gritty, almost homemade sound collage feel. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most mindblowing pop culture pastiches of the 60s – a record that's as absolutely mad as it is absolutely free – and proof that a whole new generation of musicians like Zappa were using the studio like an instrument itself! This is work that could have never existed away from record – as the mix of sounds, moods, and music comes together with a maddening frenzy – hardly the languid speed you'd expect from the early years of hippiedom – and instead, an inspirational stream of styles and ideas delivered with trademark Zappa dexterity and wit! The album's divided into two long passages – "Absolutely Free" and "The MOI American Pageant" – with tracks that include "Plastic People", "Amnesia Vivace", "The Duke Regains His Chops", "America Drinks & Goes Home", "Son Of Suzy Creamcheese", "Status Back Baby", and "The Duke Of Prunes". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks from "Freak Out", "Absolutely Free", and "We're Only In It For The Money". LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring the bigger hits from the Verve catalog with titles that include "Desafinado" by Stan Getz, "Walk On The Wild Side", "Hobo Flats", and "What'd I Say" by Jimmy Smith, "Girl From Ipanema" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, "Sweet September" by Bill Evans, "I'm In The Mood For Love" by Pat Thomas, "More" and "Gravy Waltz" by Kai Winding, and "Little Tracy" by Wynton Kelly. LP, Vinyl record album