The first record we've heard in years from Italian pianist Mario Rusca – and a set that really lives up to the strength of all of his classic material from back in the day! The album's a beautifully recorded set – done in mono, which seems to bring an even richer quality to the sound of the piano in the hands of Rusca – deep, round tones that ring out beautifully in a set that's heavy on original compositions – and which features work from Riccardo Fioravanti on bass and Tony Arco on drums. The spirit of the record is like one of those lost Italian jazz treasures from the 60s – the kind of record would normally change hands for hundreds of dollars – and the double-length set is overflowing with gems – on titles that include "Monocrhome Blues", "Double Horn", "Tempo Blues", "Blue Dream", and versions of "Infant Eyes", "Blues For Gwen", "Blues Walk", "Blue Minor", "Rachid", and "Bass Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking Latin Jazz – and an essential 2LP set! The album brings together classic work for Norman Granz' Verve and Clef labels in the cubop mode – including Dizzy Gillespie's Manteca Suite, Machito's Afro-Cuban Suite, titles by Chico O'Farrill, and others recorded in 1949 and arranged by Rene Hernandez. Players include Machito, Charlie Parker, Diz, Mario Bauza, Eddie Bert, Flip Phillips, Chano Pozo, and Jos Mangual – and the quality of the work unifies the sessions wonderfully, even though they were recorded separately over a 5 year period. LP, Vinyl record album

The cover's a bit goofy, but the record's one of those great back to basics Latin jazz sides that Tito Puente cut in the 80s – with a group that has Tito on vibes, plus the great Sonny Bravo on piano, Bobby Rodriguez on bass, Jose Maderas on congas, and Mario Rivara on a variety of saxes and flute! LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of hip work from this famous Brazilian song festival – with other material by Quarteto Em Cy, Claudette Soares, Guetemberg Guarabyra & Grupo Manifesto, and Mario Teles! LP, Vinyl record album

The George Coleman Octet featured Coleman on tenor sax, Frank Strozier on alto sax, Junior Cook on tenor sax, Mario Rivera on baritone sax, Danny Moore on trumpet & flugelhorn, Harold Maburn on piano, Lisle Atkinson on bass and Idris Muhammad on drums. There are a total of six track which include two Coleman originals "Joggin" and "Revival" plus Strozier's "Frank's Tune", "Green Dolphin Street", Shirley Scott's "Big George", and "Body & Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth and soulful guitar work from Cornell Dupree – a player who recorded on countless sessions as a studio sideman, but didn't break out as a leader until the late 70s! The set has a full sound that's in the mode of the larger Kudu/CTI productions of the time – an approach that takes larger orchestrations and uses them as the backdrop for Dupree's work on guitar, often with a fair bit of keyboard support on Rhodes, Korg and piano from Mario Sprouse, who arranged the set. The set's made up of pop tunes from the day, and will remind you of 70s am radio at some level, which for us isn't a terrible thing, though there is a commercial sheen to the whole affair that still has a touch of what we love about the funky dancefloor style of David Matthews during the same stretch – and the album features a total of 7 tracks that include "Stayin' Alive", "Slip, Slidin' Away", "How Deep Is Your Love", "Lovely Day", "Boogie Nights", "It's So Easy", and "Shake It Well". LP, Vinyl record album

Grant Green's last session as a leader – and although the tracks are a bit slicker than earlier work, the album's still pretty darn nice. The tracks are long in a CTI-type funky jazz mode, with arrangements by Mario Sprouse, and a nice little Latin feel to some of the best numbers. Green's solo ability is still quite good – and on the more uptempo tunes, he solos with that versatility and amazing dexterity that you'd find on his best earlier sessions. Other tracks have him in a mellower, more chromatic and Wes Montgomery-inspired mode – and titles include "Empanada", "Three Times A Day", "Nighttime In The Switching Yard", "Easy", and "Wave". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Japanese-only vinyl set of Art Pepper's legendary 1977 recordings at the Village Vanguard – really open, freewheeling material that has the mature altoist at his best! A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and Pepper also plays some great tenor, too. All tracks are very long – and titles include "The Trip", "You Go To My Head", "Cherokee", "My Friend John", "Blues For Les", "Valse Triste", "Goodbye", "But Beautiful", "Caravan", "Labyrinth", and "Las Cuevas De Mario". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent small group material from modern alto genius Art Pepper – a set that might well be our favorite of all the classic albums he cut for Contemporary Records! The album's got quite a strange title – Smack Up, a very strange choice, given Pepper's well-known experience as a junkie – and the set features some edgey work that really pushes Art away from the sweeter sounds of a few years before – material that maybe reflects some of the troubles he'd been going through, which shows up in the music in some really great ways. The group is a lean quintet – with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums – and there's some slightly off-kilter tracks on the set that really make it sparkle, including Duane Tatro's "Maybe Next Year", Ornette's "Tears Inside", and Harold Land's "Smack Up" – the irony of which, we're sure, was not lost on Art Pepper! Also includes Pepper's own "Las Cuevas De Mario". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent 2LP set that brings together a whole bunch of great Machito sides from the late 40s. This is classic stuff that defined the Latin jazz idiom, and stood as an inspiration to players for years. The group includes Mario Bauza on trumpet, Jose Madera on tenor, Frank Davila on trumpet, Jose Mangual on bongos, and Machito and Graciela on vocals. The set includes 24 tracks, with the titles "Asia Minor", "Jungle Drums", "Donkey Serenade", "Mambo Jambo", "Babalu", and "Gone City". Great stuff, and very hard to find otherwise. LP, Vinyl record album

A great smooth soul session from Carmen McRae – an album that's not nearly as well known as her American sides of the 70s, but which is possibly even better overall! The record features a great batch of smooth soul arrangements by Mario Sprouse – a blend of jazz and contemporary soul modes that's almost in the same space as Marlena Shaw – and the band backing up Carmen is filled with superstar players who include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Hubert Laws on flute, and Grover Washington on sax. The whole thing's got that well-crafted feel you'd expect from a Japanese session at the time – and it includes many nice moments, like a cover of "Mister Magic" with some nice breaks – plus "New York State Of Mind", "Sweet Alibis", "Come In From The Rain", "This Masquerade", and "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A great smooth soul session from Carmen McRae – an album that's not nearly as well known as her American sides of the 70s, but which is possibly even better overall! The record features a great batch of smooth soul arrangements by Mario Sprouse – a blend of jazz and contemporary soul modes that's almost in the same space as Marlena Shaw – and the band backing up Carmen is filled with superstar players who include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Hubert Laws on flute, and Grover Washington on sax. The whole thing's got that well-crafted feel you'd expect from a Japanese session at the time – and it includes many nice moments, like a cover of "Mister Magic" with some nice breaks – plus "New York State Of Mind", "Sweet Alibis", "Come In From The Rain", "This Masquerade", and "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty sweet late 70s salsa set from Chamaco Ramirez – a wonderful singer best remembered for his work in the 60s & 70s for bandleader Tommy Olivencia – and this is the one-and-only solo album to Chamaco's name! Alive & Kicking was released in 1979, and in a bit of sad irony, came out just a few years before Ramirez was killed, but sad history aside, it's a nice little record! Arrangements are by Javier Vazquez – and the group features lots of strong trumpet from Chocolate Armanteros, and tenor from Mario Rivera. Titles include "San Agustin", "Rumba Moderna", "Cuando Manda El Corazon", "Kikiriki", "Respetala", "No Es Vacilon", "Fania" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from some of the best years of the Chick Webb group – with solos from Mario Bauza and Taft Jordan on trumpets, Edgar Sampson on alto, Elmer Williams on tenor, and Sandy Williams on trombone. LP, Vinyl record album

With Francisco Alves, Silvio Caldas, Carlos Galhardo, Mario Reis, Almirante, Lamartine Babo, Castro Barbosa, Patricio Teixeira, and Murillo Caldas. LP, Vinyl record album

The great Joe Quijano was still cutting some killer music in the 80s – as you'll hear on this cooking set with lots of great arrangements from Paquito Pastor! Features flute and baritone from Mario Rivera, and flute and alto from Bobby Nelson – both of whom bring in some nice jazzy currents – on titles that include "Me Hace Falta", "El Muerto Se Fue De Rumba", "Alla En Mi Tierra", and "La Media Vuelta". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from the glory days of the Brazilian TV soundtrack – with cuts from Agepe, Vanusa, Jards Macale, Bandits Of Love, Guilherme Arantes, Martinho Da Vila, Paulinho Da Viola, Beth Carvalo, and Mario Gomes! LP, Vinyl record album

A really great record – maybe worth it alone for the duets between Marion Brown on alto and Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet! These tracks take up the first half of the record – while the second features Brown in duets with Elliott Schwartz on piano and keyboards! LP, Vinyl record album

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An unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful lineage of avant talent in the 60s, stated boldly here, given Brown's amazing talent on the record! The album's filled with hard, soulful playing that goes out, but never too far – like Shepp in his best sixties moments – and Brown's working with a great lineup of players that includes Grachan Moncur on trombone, Beaver Harris on drums, and Stanley Cowell on piano! The tunes include three Marion Brown originals on side one, plus three tracks by Shepp on side two. "Spooks" alone will leave you loving this album for years to come – and other tracks include "West India", "Delicado", "New Blue", and "Fortunato". A brilliant blend of 60s "new thing" playing and 70s underground jazz! LP, Vinyl record album

The second volume in this seminal series from the mid 70s – one that did a great job of documenting some of the formative underground playing that was happening in the New York loft scene, almost more creative work than in previous generations, thanks to a lack of commercial venues, and hence, commercial constraints on the music. Tracks include "And Then They Danced" by Marion Brown, "Locomotif" by Leo Smith, "Naomi" by Ken McIntyre, and "The Need To Smile" by a group with Byard Lancaster, Sonelius Smith, Don Moye, and Olu Dara. LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly our favorite record ever from reedman Marion Brown – and very different than both his seminal 60s recordings, and his European sides from later years! There's a really earthy feel to this record – one that really lives up to the title, and which comes from the use of lots of percussion, played by just about every group member, ala AACM – but handled in a style that's warmly spiritual, and very organic too – right in line with the best Impulse Records vibe of the time, yet completely its own thing too! Brown plays alto and soprano sax, and is working with players who include Leo Smith on trumpet, William Malone on mbira and autoharp, James Jefferson on bass, and Steve McCall, Jumma Santos, Bill Hasson, and A Kobena Adzenyah on percussion – in addition to percussion plays by other group members too. Two tracks are spare, beautiful solos – almost a Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre vibe – and titles include "Buttermilk Bottom", "Once Upon A Time", "Tokalokaloka", and "Karintha". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius early work from reedman Marion Brown – an album that was originally only issued overseas, where it was recorded – as part of that legacy that's always had Brown getting a lot more attention in Europe than back at home! Yet the record's a monster that stands equally with Marion's seminal sides for Impulse and ESP – and is maybe even bolder than both of them, as Brown blows alto in a loose trio – with Maarten Van Altena on bass and Han Bennink on drums – in a mode that definitely puts the "free" in free jazz – recorded before the start of both FMP and BYG! Yet there's also that sensitive, soulful quality that makes Brown so great – that element in the music that's always had recordings like these as key pointers forwards to the loft jazz years on the NYC scene – a brilliant blend of freedom and inner spirit – on titles that include "Sound Structure", "QBIC", "Porto Novo", and "Similar Limits". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice rare one from the late 70s! Like his mentor Archie Shepp, Marion Brown came inside a bit in the late seventies, perhaps to prove that he could still play that way. On this Japanese-only recording, he's joined by Kenny Barron, Cecil McBee, and Philly Joe Jones. Some nice moody originals, plus well selected jazz standards like "Soul Eyes" and "Blue Monk". Inside – but with an edge. LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the freest, most exploratory albums ever recorded by John Coltrane – and a unique session done with an expanded group of some of the most important avant jazz players of his generation! The format here is similar to Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz album – in that the music is freely improvised, and spans the entire LP as a non-stop performance – one that has Coltrane in the lead, but which also features alto from Marion Brown and John Tchicai, tenor from Archie Shepp and Pharaoh Sanders, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard and Dewey Johnson – and core rhythms from McCoy Tyner on piano, drums from Elvin Jones, and double basses from Art Davis and Jimmy Garrison. The record set the format for larger improvisatory groups in years to come – but is still one of the best examples of the form! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever from trombonist Roswell Rudd – an early Impulse Records session, cut right at a time when Rudd was a crucial part of the New York "new thing" scene in the 60s! The album's almost more of an ESP session from its lineup – which includes Giuseppi Logan on flute and bass clarinet, Robin Kenyatta on alto sax, Charlie Haden and Lewis Worrell on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums – yet the overall feel of the record has more of the control and sense of vision we've come to love on Impulse – the mix of structure and freedom you might find in crucial 60s recordings by Marion Brown or Archie Shepp on the label – particularly the latter's Fire Music generation! Titles include "Respects", "Satan's Dance", "Everywhere", and "Yankee No How". LP, Vinyl record album

A great "birth of the cool" album from Capitol – a 10" record that brings together some key recordings from that pivotal jazz year of 1949! Titles include "Imagination" by a large group with Bill Harris in the lead on trombone; "Wow", "Marionette", and "Yesterdays" from a great Lennie Tristano group with Warne Marsh on tenor, Lee Konitz on alto, and Billy Bauer on guitar; "Boplicity" by Miles Davis with JJ Johnson and Lee Konitz; and "Penthouse Serenade", "Extrovert", and "Good For Nothin Joe" by a quintet with Buddy DeFranco on clarinet and Teddy Cohen on vibes. LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's never been done this perfectly again! James Mason's a player who's know for a bit of keyboard work with other artists – but here, he's really working as a collective power – bringing together a brilliant ensemble that work as one to hit some sublime sounds – much in the way that Roy Ayers could work some key magic with his groups at the same time, but with a vibe that's very different too. Players include Ayers associates Justo Almario on saxes and Philip Woo on piano – and a young Narada Michael Walden adds some excellent drums to the record – a lot more powerful and funky than on most of his own albums! Lead vocals are by Clarice Taylor – who's got this unique voice that really makes the record – proud, but sensitive at the same time too – and Mason plays lots of Fender Rhodes, polymoog, Arp, and a bit of guitar. Titles include the breakbeat classic "Funny Girl", the monster groover "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the funky "Slick City", and the massive "Free" – but every cut's a winner, and others include "Mbewe", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Dreams". This is the kind of album that makes us proud to be in business! LP, Vinyl record album

Work from the Paul Simon movie of the same name – with the surprisingly nice "Late In The Evening", plus "Ace In The Hole", "That's Why God Made The Movies", "Oh Marion", "God Bless The Absentee", "Jonah", "Long Long Day", and "How The Heart Approaches What It Yearns". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Roy Ayers' greatest albums of the 70s – a set that tightens up the groove from previous Polydor productions, yet still keeps all the soul intact! The record picks up the style begun with the Mystic Voyage album, and pushes it to some slightly tighter territory – a more focused Roy Ayers sound that's totally great, and which makes the album sparkle wonderfully throughout! All aspects of Roy's talents are perfectly balanced here – his warm vocals and jazzy vibes, his uptempo grooves and mellower rhythms – played to perfection by a hip lineup of players that includes Philip Woo on electric piano, Justo Almario on tenor sax, and Steve Cobb on drums. Edwin Birdsong guests a bit on the record – bringing in a nice edge to a few tunes – the album's got a really unique dark undercurrent, even in smoother moments – that subtle Roy Ayers' approach that's always made him one of our all-time favorite artists. Titles include the wonderful jazz-tinged "Searching", a great midtempo stepper that we really love; the funky break track "The Memory", a righteous number that feels like work from earlier records; the clubby classic "One Sweet Love to Remember"; and the sweet instrumental "Vibrations", which has a mellow kickback feel! Other tunes include "Higher", "Domelo (Give It To Me)", "Baby I Need Your Love", and "Better Days". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that has a Motown hit for its title, but the album's got a depth that marks Bennett as one of the most complex singers of his generation – way past the broad belter of ballads from the 50s, and an all-adult male vocalist whose sound was essential to the sophistication of the mainstream in the late 60s. Many tunes are standards, given lush arrangements by Torrie Zito and Marion Evans – sung by Tony with that deep voice that nobody else could ever hope to match! Titles include "Out Of This World", "For Once In My Life", "How Do You Say Auf Wiedersehen", "Keep Smiling At Trouble", "Baby Dream Your Dream", "Days Of Love", and "Something In Your Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from Tony Bennett – a very jazzy album, with a group that features Joe Wilder and Joe Newman on trumpets, Urbie Green on trombone, Joe Soldo on flute, and orchestrations from Marion Evans – all of whom really bring out those unique qualities that set Bennett apart from so many other singers in his generation! Where a Vic Damone might have used his inherent richness to push things over the top, the maturing Tony is a master of restraint – still able to run the full gamut of his amazing range, but set up with these beautiful arrangements that bring some adult understanding to the tunes, in a beautifully subtle vibe. Titles include "What Makes It Happen", "I Don't Know Why", "Can't Get Out Of This Mood", "She's Funny That Way", "A Beautiful Friendship", and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip assortment of avant jazz material – with selections by Roswell Rudd, Randy Weston, Charles Tolliver, Gato Barbieri, Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Marion Brown, Albert Ayler, and Anthony Braxton. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff – easily one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums, and certainly one of the pivotal points of 60s avant garde jazz! The album features Shepp leading a crack "new thing" line up that includes Ted Curson on trumpet, Marion Brown on alto, Joe Chambers on drums, Reggie Johnson on bass, and the lesser-known Joseph Orange on trombone – all playing in a beautifully poised manner, never too far out and free, but with all the dynamic energy of the best jazz changes of the 60s! There's a vibe here that's similar to some of the Blue Note "new thing" work by players like Grachan Moncur, Jackie McLean, and Tony Williams from the time – but there's a vision that's also wider and deeper, too, given the size of the group and the way they interact. Titles include "Hambone", "Los Olvidados", "Malcolm Malcolm–Semper Malcolm", and an insane cover of "Girl From Ipanema". You can't go wrong with this one – trust us! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums by Toots that we've ever heard – a groovy set of tunes recorded in the 60s, with Dick Hyman on organ! Hyman's lean and fluid tone is a real wonder – working better here than even on his own albums, and coming into play magically with Toots – who whistles at the same time he's playing the guitar, making for an incredibly cool whistle/organ/guitar groove that's totally outta site! Tracks include "The Valley Whistler", "Wives & Lovers", "Indian Nuts", "Falling In Love With Love", "Marionette", and a version of "Bluesette" recorded earlier in Sweden. LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool stuff – and a fittingly cool collection of work from the great ESP label! If you've never seen one of their samplers before, they're sort of a mad mix of many different styles – putting together tracks in short little blips, filtered out of longer original ones on albums, into a cool collage of sounds and moods – that includes material by Marion Brown, Sunny Murray, New York Art Quartet, The Fugs, Henry Grimes, Albert Ayler, Pearls Before Swine, Pharoah Sanders, and many others! This album features a number of great bits from records we've never seen, mixed together with some more classic moments, all packaged in a cool cover. Includes bits from "East Village Other" by Ishamael Reed, "The Lovebook Record" by Andrei Vozenensky, "Movement Soul" from a record of traditional recordings, "Ni Kantu En Esperanto" from an Esperanto recording, "The Coach With Six Insides" from a musical based on Finnegan's Wake, "Assemblage" by Gunter Hampel, "East Village Other" by Allen Ginsberg, "Call Me Burroughs" by William S Burroughs, "Zitro" by James Zitro, "Of Love & War" by Randy Burns, and lots more by some of the usual suspects. LP, Vinyl record album