Think King Curtis only recorded great albums for Atlantic Records? Guess again – because this CD features 2 early gems for Prestige! Trouble In Mind is an unusual early one for King – a special album in that it features him singing and playing guitar, in addition to his usual work on alto sax! The session was cut early in his career, before he'd forged the trademark approach that kind of locked him in in later years – and it's a bit of a blues effort, a bit of a jazz effort, with backing by a combo that includes Al Casey on guitar, Paul Griffin on piano, and a backing group of female singers on a few cuts. Titles include "Jivin Time", "But That's Alright", "Deep Fry", "Don't Deceive Me", "Woke Up This Morning", and "Bad Bad Whiskey". Party Time is hard-wailing early work from King Curtis – one of his few full-out stormers from the time! The set was done for the Tru-Sound subsidiary of Prestige Records – and like the few other albums on the imprint, it's got a heavy-duty sound that's a big departure from the other titles on Prestige – much more R&B influenced, with King blowing heavily on tenor, in a really lively feel. Tracks are short and firey, and titles include "Free For All", "Easy Like", "Hot Saxes", "The Party Time Twist", "Low Down", and "Keep Movin". CD

Joe Fonda on contrabass, Michael Jefry Stevens on piano, Herb Robertson on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mark Whitecage on alto and soprano saxophone, and Harvey Sorgen on drums. CD

The Mosaic Sextet is Dave Douglas on trumpet, Michael Jefry Stevens on piano, Mark Feldman on violin, Michael Rabinowitz on bassoon, Joe Fonda on bass, and Harvey Sorgen on drums. CD