A pivotal album from the early 90s – one that not only furthered the rebirth of live funk instrumentation at a time when ditigal elements dominated the scene – but also really opened up that mode to a whole new generation of hip hop as well! At a time when the music was all about the samples and beats, Brand New Heavies took it back to the generation before – and provided live instrumentation for a host of fantastic talents – a legendary lineup that includes performances from Main Source, The Pharcyde, Black Sheep, Kool G Rap, Gang Starr, and Masta Ace – all young and at the top of their game, with a quality level that alone would make the album great – then really sends it over the top when paired with the instrumentation! The whole thing's amazing – still maybe yet to be topped in such a style – and titles include "Who Makes The Loot", "It's Getting Hectic", "Wake Me When I'm Dead", "Soul Flower", and "Bonafide Funk". CD

A stunning set from overlooked tenor genius Tina Brooks – a musician who recorded for Blue Note during the key years of Hank Mobley and Johnny Griffin, but whose music was mostly un issued at the time! This rare set is a great second chapter to Tina's True Blue album – material recorded in 1958, but unissued until the late 70s in Japan – at which time the album became an instant classic in the Blue Note catalog – and for good reason, too – as the quintet features a crack lineup – with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Sonny Clark on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. The group grooves nicely on Brooks' "Nutville" and "Minor Move" (done in other versions later on Blue Note), plus a nice long take of "The Way You Look Tonight" – and the tracks "Star Eyes" and "Everything Happens To Me". CD

Great rare material from Clifford Brown's legendary days at Emarcy – tracks recorded as part of the Dinah Jams vocal sessions, but done in a much more extended jam session mode! Washington sings a bit on 2 of the tracks, but the main focus here is on Brownie working with a jamming set of instrumentalists that really open up on extended solo work. The album features 2 groups – one with the great Walter Benton on tenor, Herb Geller and Joe Maini on altos, and Kenny Drew on piano – the other with Clark Terry on trumpet, Geller on alto, Harold Land on tenor, and Junior Mance on piano – great lineups on both sessions! Tracks are long, very much in the "jams" feeling of the title – and titles include "Coronado", "I'll Remember April", and "Crazy He Calls Me". CD

A smoking live set from the Butterfield Blues Band – and like all the group's work, as much of a jazz and soul album as a blues one! Butterfield drew his inspiration from the Chicago bluesmen, it's true – but his style also has plenty of echoes of New Orleans soul, Memphis R&B, and other strands of American work – in a mode that's quite similar to some of the changes that were going on in the British beat group scene at the end of the 60s. The lineup here features some really nice touches on sax from Trevor Lawrence and Gene Dinwiddie – and the live setting only seems to loosen all the players up even more than usual, and let them hit a few nice funky moments. Titles include "Get Together Again", "Love Disease", "The Boxer", "No Amount Of Loving", "Driftin & Driftin", "Number Nine", and "Born Under A Bad Sign". CD

One of our favorite records of all time from trumpeter Donald Byrd – a sometimes-overlooked gem from the late 60s, and one that has Byrd really playing with a slightly different edge than before! The set's recorded with a group that Byrd maintained for two years – a stunning lineup that features Sonny Red on alto sax, Cedar Walton on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all of whom come together magnificently in a razor-sharp formation, mixing hardbop and soul jazz with an edge that you'll hardly find on any of Byrd's other albums from the time. A lot of the credit is due to Sonny Red – who plays with a raspy tone that's odd for the alto, and which really draws out Byrd's solo skills. Walton's got a heavy left-handed approach that really hits some great grooves – and the team of Booker and Higgins leap lyrically, yet also throw just the right amount of funk into the rhythms. Includes the Blue Break classic "Jelly Roll", the amazing jazz dancer "Book's Bossa", and the sublime "Slow Drag", one of the strangest groovers you'll ever hear! CD

A brilliant tribute to one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of the 50s – featuring 3 full albums of material, plus some bonus tracks as well! Conte Candoli is a name that's appeared on countless sessions as a sideman or studio player, but here, Conte really sparkles as a leader – setting fire amidst some great small group lineups that include the players Bill Holman, Lou Levy, Lawrence Marable, Leroy Vinnegar, Max Bennett, Stan Levey, and Ira Sullivan. The set features material from 2 Bethlehem albums by Conte – Sincerely Conte and Powerhouse Trumpet – plus an Atlantic album, West Coast Wailers – and a rare 78rpm session for the Chicago-based Chance label, and a few additional tunes from a New York session in 1956 with Hank Jones! Conte's never sounded better – and with all this material in one place, the 2CD set is a great bargain overall. 30 tracks in all – with titles that include "Mambo Junior", "Flamingo", "TNT", "Thank You Judge", "Comes Love", "Tune For Tex", "Fine & Dandy", "Night Flight", "Toot Sweet", "Jazz City Blues", "Four", "Groovin Higher", "Lover Man", "Pete's Alibi", "Cheremoya", and "Jordu". CD

If you ever doubted the blues chops of Canned Heat, take a listen to this album – as the group are joined by the great John Lee Hooker, who they let stand strongly in the spotlight and almost make the album his own! Previous sets by Canned Heat were already pretty darn great – a huge cut above blues-inspired rock groups of the late 60s years – but with Hooker in the lineup here, the sound gets even more raw and sensitive – so much so that a number of these cuts almost feel like some of the early Detroit 78rpm recordings the older blues musician recorded at the start of his career – hardly the watered-down blues rock you might expect. Titles include "Burning Hell", "Send Me Your Pillow", "Messin With The Hook", "Boogie Chillen No 2", "Peavine", "Just You & Me", "Whiskey & Wimmen", and "I Got My Eyes On You". CD

The music of Michael Carvin is always a revelation – a joyous, soulful outpouring of feeling that never fails to move us – and which always makes us wonder why more folks don't treasure gems like this that he made as a leader! Carvin's drum work is filled with energy from the get-go – but never in a too-showy, too-unbridled sort of way – just perfectly-balanced, perfectly-timed sense of rhythm that really seems to inspire the key players he's gathered around him. For this date, the lineup is especially nice – Claudio Roditi and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpets, Sonny Fortune on alto sax and flute, Cyrus Chestnut on piano, and David Williams on bass. John Hicks sits on on piano on one track – and the album's got some of the free-soaring spirituality that you'll find in Sonny Fortune's best work as a leader. Titles include "Morning", "Revelation", "Effi", "Thabo", "Avotcja", and "We Three Kings". CD

One of the few great records that modern bassist Paul Chambers made as a leader – a rare treasure given to the world before he left this planet all too soon! Chambers is maybe best remembered for some of his late 50s work with Miles Davis and John Coltrane – and the session also marks a key early appearance on Blue Note for Coltrane on tenor – acting as a sideman here, instead of a leader – but also bringing a really deep vibe to an all-star lineup that also includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Horace Silver on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The writing is great, and the group has a nice dark edge that gives the session a slightly different sound than other Blue Note albums from the time. Chambers leads off with the bass on most tracks, kind of putting the work at an off-center pace that really gives it a fresh feel – and which makes it different from the straighter bop sound of his albums as a leader on Vee Jay. Tracks include "We Six", "Dear Ann", "Tale Of The Fingers", and "Omicron". CD

A really back to basics album from trumpeter Don Cherry – or maybe a set that goes back to basics that Don didn't even have, given that most folks initially heard him in the freewheeling group of Ornette Coleman! The album's straighter than his work with Ornette, and also different than his 70s experiments with world cultures and fusion – as the record has a tight, acoustic vibe – Cherry blowing these great solos on pocket trumpet, in the company of a swinging lineup that also features James Clay on tenor, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! The lack of piano is definitely a nod to Don's roots, and there's certainly an open vibe to the record at times – but things are mostly straight and swinging, in a way that opens up another level in Cherry's long and varied career. Titles include "Art Deco", 'When Will The Blues Leave", "Body & Soul", "Bemsha Swing", "Maffy", "Folk Medley", "The Blessing", "Passing", "I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face", and "Compute". CD

One of the first truly important records from Don Cherry as a leader – and an amazingly well-crafted session that brings together ideas from his early years with Ornette, and expands them with some of the freedoms he was learning from the European scene! The record boasts a format and lineup that's quite unusual for Blue Note at the time – 2 side-long "suite" tracks, performed by a group that features Cherry on cornet, Pharoah Sanders on tenor and piccolo, Karl Berger on vibes and piano, Gato Barbieri on tenor, Ed Blackwell on drums, and both Jean-Francois Jenny- Clark and Henry Grimes on bass! There's a fair bit of room for creative improvising on the session, but the overall album's a bit more structured than contemporary free jazz outings – and clearly shows the mark of Cherry's interpolation of styles at the time. Two long suites are entitled "Symphony For Improvisers" and "Manhattan Cry" – with shorter passages that include "Nu Creative Love", "Infant Happiness", "Manhattan Cry", and "Lunatic". CD

An album that was recorded right in the middle of the fantastic run of Blue Note albums by pianist Sonny Clark – but a set that wasn't issued until many years later, even though it's one of the best of the bunch! The vibe here is prime late 50s Blue Note – not just thanks to Sonny's great work on piano, and the fresh tunes that he brought to the set – but also because the rest of the group is a really all-star lineup too – Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums! The set's got Clark at his most lyrical – playing with a lot of hardbop fire, but also some touches of Horace Silver soulfulness, a perfect match for session-mates Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley. Mobley's in particularly fine form at this point, and the whole set's a real winner! Titles include "Junka", "Blues Blue", "Minor Meeting", and "Royal Flush". The record is paired here with another lost session, one from 1957 that features Clifford Jordan on tenor and Kenny Burrell on guitar. There's a total of 9 brilliantly remastered tracks on the CD – and the set's one of the best bunch of tracks we've ever heard from the great lost piano talent of Sonny Clark. CD

Classic trio material from pianist Sonny Clark – a talent who left our planet all too soon, but who managed to record quite a number of really great albums for Blue Note in the second half of the 50s! Clark's talents were always great in a group with horns, but he's equally wonderful on a trio date like this – and gets a chance to show off both his strong sense of rhythm, and some more lyrical modes that really make the album sparkle – playing here in a perfect lineup with Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The set's easily one of the best straight trio sessions ever cut for Blue Note – tracks are longish, with a very hardbop groove – and titles include "Be Bop", "Two Bass Hit", "Tadd's Delight", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD features 3 bonus alternate takes! CD

One of the greatest American albums to be issued under Kenny Clarke's name – a smoking set of boppish tracks that groove in a very early 50s Blue Note sort of way! And in fact, the tracks are a bit longer than the usual Blue Note bop sides, which makes them open up with some even longer solos – and creates plenty of space for the septet lineups to do their thing. The album features 2 different groups – one with Milt Jackson on vibes, Frank Morgan on alto, Walter Benton on tenor, and Gerald Wiggins on piano; the other with Jackson on piano (!), Henry Coker on trombone, Frank Wess on tenor, and Charlie Fowlkes on baritone. Titles include "Inhibitions", "Klook's Nook", "Telefunken Blues", "Skoot", "Sonor", and "Blue's Mood". CD

Cohn's legendary sax meets the backing of The Jazz Seven, a UK group with a lineup that includes tenor, alto, trumpet, and trombone. The tracks are long, with an easy swing-based feel, and titles include "High On You", "Bilbo Baggins", "Casa 50", and "Feel More Like I Do Now". CD

A massive set of music recorded for RCA in 1955 – five classic albums, all featuring shifting lineups of players related to the Count Basie Band! The style here is often a bit more modern than most Basie work, but still also shows an undeniably strong sense of rhythm – one that comes into play wonderfully with the tighter RCA approach to hornwork of the 50s – which often brings out some of the sharper edges of the players. Although the material's been partially issued separately over the years, this complete Mosaic package is a real delight through and through – as it brings together all albums in one set, showing shared players and a very similar sensibility running through all the record. Albums include The Natural Seven, led by Al Cohn on tenor and featuring Joe Newman on trumpet and Freddie Green on guitar; Mr Rhythm, led by guitarist Green, and featuring Newman, Cohn, and trombonist Henry Coker; Lullaby Of Birdland, a leaderless date with Newman, Cohn, and Green, plus Frank Rehak on trombone and Ernie Wilkins on alto; I'm Still Swinging, led by newman with Cohn on tenor, Urbie Green on trombone, and Gene Quill on alto; and The Jazz Workshop Four Brass One Tenor – a set that has Cohn's tenor with trumpets from Newman, Thad Jones, Joe Wilder, Bernie Glow, Phil Sunkel, and Nick Travis – each playing in shifting lineups. The package features a whopping 61 tracks in all – and the usual thorough Mosaic notes! CD

A classic set of interlocking tenor work from 3 giants who made up the best part of Woody Herman's classic 4 horn lineup – Al Cohn, Bill Perkins, and Richie Kamuca – all coming together here in small group formation! The album's a wonderful example of the way that the hornplay of the larger Herman group had an influence on the smaller combos of the west coast scene – and Perkins and Kamuca are especially great here, working with a strong sense of precision, but also some nice humanity in their tone. Other group members include either Jimmy Raney or Barry Galbraith on guitar, Hank Jones on piano, John Beal on bass, and Chuck Flores on drums – and titles include "Cap Snapper", "Pro Ex", "Hags", "Gay Blade", and "The Walrus". This CD offers up the complete sessions, and features a number of extra tracks! CD

The music of Richard Rodgers – swung beautifully by tenorist George Coleman – blowing in that clear, strong, soulful style we love so much! The rhythm section is great – a cooking lineup that features Harold Mabern on piano, Jamil Nasser on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – the three of whom really help keep things right on the money throughout! George opens up with some beautifully-blown solos – and titles include "Bewitched", "Falling In Love With Love", "My Funny Valentine", "Thou Swell", and "I Could Write A Book". CD

A really unique chapter in the career of Ornette Coleman – an album that he produced by himself in 1962, away from any other label – as an effort to showcase the newly freer sounds of his music! The recording's the first in a really groundbreaking stretch for the 60s – and it was fortunately finally issued by ESP Records a few years after the recording – providing a nice link between Coleman's earlier experiments and the sound of the younger generation usually showcased by the label. The group's a trio, with a sound that's quite different than the more rhythmic modes of Coleman on Atlantic Records – a freer, less structured lineup that features percussion from Charles Moffett and bass from David Izenzon. One track also adds in a string quartet – making the record one of Coleman's first experiments with this format – and titles include a 23 minute recording of "The Ark", plus "Doughnut", "Sadness", and "Dedication To Poets and Writers". CD

John Coltrane live – in a setting that really shows the tenorist starting to stretch out a lot – almost hitting some of the freer modes of a few years later, but still keeping things swinging throughout! The rhythm section is superb – that legendary lineup of Jimmy Garrison on bass, McCoy Tyner on piano, and Elvin Jones on drums – creating this magical flow that really sets the tenor free – stretching out in a take of "Bye Bye Blackbird" that really transforms the tune – matched by a equally great reading of "Traneing In". Each long track takes up a side of the record – and both were recorded live in Europe in 1962. CD

The complete recordings done by John Coltrane for Bethlehem Records – mostly cut during December of 1957, and issued on the albums The Winner's Circle and Art Blakey Big Band! Both albums were a bit unusual for the label – in that The Winner's Circle was sort of a blowing/jam session type record, cut with some of the big poll winners of the year, but with shorter tracks than the usual Prestige-styled set of that nature. The lineup includes Donald Byrd, Al Cohn, Eddie Costa, Oscar Pettiford, and Philly Joe Jones – and Coltrane's a bit buried in the group, but gets out some nice licks from time to time. The second set of tracks was recorded for a unique big band session led by Art Blakey – featuring a core group with Coltrane, Donald Byrd, Walter Bishop Jr, and Wendell Marshall on some tracks – plus a larger lineup on a number of others. The CD brings together a whopping 27 tracks from these sessions, including some great alternate takes – and titles include "Midriff", "Tippin", "The Outer World", "The Kiss Of No Return", "Pristine Take", and "Oasis" – a previously unreleased track! CD

Live radio broadcasts from Eddie Condon's club in Greenwich Village. Shifting lineup includes Wild Bill Davison on cornet, Cutty Cutshall on trombone, and Ed Hall on clarinet. CD

A great one from this all-star group – an incredibly righteous combo that's given Billy Harper one of his best chances to play in years! As with the previous album by The Cookers, the Harper influence really runs strong – not just in the use of some of his great tracks in the performance, but also in the way the tunes build and work together – that bold, powerful energy that Billy first unleashed on the world in the 70s – driven to new heights here by a lineup that also includes Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Craig Handy on alto sax, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! But key thanks should also go to trumpeter David Weiss – also in the group, and producer for the record – a great talent for getting these guys to work together so well. Titles include tunes by McBee, Cables, and Hart as well – with tracks that include "Ebony Moonbeams", "Believe For It Is True", "Free For All", "Quest", "But He Knows", "Tight Squeeze", and "Naaj". CD

The scene is clean, and Ronnie Cuber is plenty swinging – really coming into his own here as a leader, after years of important work as a sideman for others! Cuber blows beautifully on a host of horns – tenor, alto, baritone, and flute – in a groove that wraps together his years of experience in both Latin and soul jazz bands – held together here by a lineup that includes Joey DeFrancesco on organ, Milton Cardona on percussion, and Geoff Keezer on keyboards. Titles include "Song For Pharoah", "Arroz Con Pollo", "Mezambo", "Fajardo", and "Tete's Bag". CD

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". CD

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". CD features one bonus track – "Feio" – nearly 12 more minutes of electric goodness! CD

Four sides of noisy, funky, stretched-out playing from Miles Davis – recorded at the Fillmore West, but with an intensity that matches some of Miles' crazy electric recordings from Japan during the early 70s! The music is a powerful blast of music that stretches out over the double-length set of the package – with a style that moves from heavy-duty avant playing, then back to more mellow grooving, then kicks it out nice and hard again – a heavy dose of rock mixed in with the fusion, but still plenty jazzy throughout. In all, the record is probably one of the most heavy-duty that the Miles electric group recorded in the 70s – and the lineup on the set features Steve Grossman on saxes, Chick Corea on electric piano, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto on percussion. Tracks include "Spanish Key", "Directions", "Masqualero", "It's About That Time", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Bitches Brew", "Willie Nelson", and "Sanctuary". CD

An expanded take on the album that gave the world the start of the electric Miles Davis generation – with a lineup that includes Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, and Chick Corea on keyboards – with John McLaughtlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, Tony Williams and Jack Dejohnette on drums, and Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax. Loads of long tracks, non-album material, and alternates. CD

This stunning live set has been hailed by many as one of the finest moments of Miles' mid 60s career – music played with a frenetic energy that even blows away the famous studio sessions of the time! The group here is a landmark lineup – young modernists Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, and Tony Williams on drums – all reaching out to really increase their craft, and work through new ideas alongside Miles' trumpet. CD

There's nothing "silent" here – as the album's a bold entry in the electric years of Miles Davis – one that still features contributions from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams – but which also expands the lineup considerably – really reaching out towards the sound of Bitches Brew! Herbie's on electric keys here, working alongside Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul, who really help increase the flow of the tunes and enforce the "directions in music" stated on the cover of the set! Shorter's on soprano sax, playing in an even more angular way – and Dave Holland is on bass, replacing the sound of Ron Carter, getting some rhythmic assistance at times from John McLaughlin, whose sound really helps to shape the record! Titles include 2 side-long tracks – "Shhh/Peaceful" and "In A Silent Way/It's About Time" – both long, and both beautiful! CD

Previously-unreleased live work by one of Miles Davis' most important groups ever – a Bitches Brew-era lineup, playing live at the Fillmore East a month before the record was released to the public – which makes this performance one of the first times the world had ever heard jams like this! The group's heavy on rhythm here – a rumbling groove brought up from the bottom, courtesy of the drums of Jack Dejohnette, basses of Dave Holland, and percussion of Airto – sewn together beautifully by the Fender Rhodes work of Chick Corea – easily some of the noisiest sounds the instrument ever produced! Miles plays trumpet, and Wayne Shorter's on soprano and tenor sax – on titles that include "Directions", "Spanish Key", "Masqualero", "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Bitches Brew", and "It's About That Time/Willie Nelson". CD

Excellent live work from the start of the 80s – very different than the full-on electric jams of Miles Davis concert performances from the early 70s – and at a level that shows that Miles was really finding a way forward with at great new groove! There's a nice sense of open space on the very long performances here – well-blown solos from Davis, really showing a new sort of form – in a lineup that also features Bill Evans on soprano sax, Mike Stern on guitar, Marcus Miller on bass, and the great Al Foster on drums! Mino Cinelu adds in some nice percussion moments, and Miller's basslines really help give the record a great sense of direction. Titles include "Kix", "My Man's Gone Now", "Jean Pierre", "Fast Track", and "Back Seat Betty". CD

A post-ECM set from drummer Jack DeJohnette – one that's got a bit more electricity in the mix than before, yet which still has that great sense of energy that Jack gave us with his Special Edition group! The lineup here is youthful – Greg Osby on alto and soprano sax, Gary Thomas on tenor and flute, Michael Cain on acoustic and electric piano, and Lonnie Plaxico on acoustic and electric bass – and while the keyboards and bass definitely inform the rhythm at points, Jack's own bold command of the drums still holds the session tight – and moves things forward with a boundless sense of energy that really sets the horns on fire. Titles include "Blue", "Where Or When", "Earth Walk", "On Golden Beams", "Monk's Plumb", "Lydia", and "It's Time To Wake Up & Dream". CD

A rare bit of Dutch jazz from the 60s – a hip quintet led by pianist Cees Slinger, and featuring a cooking lineup that's every bit as great as groups coming out of the British or French scenes at the time. Slinger was the pianist in the legendary Wessel Icken trio – and through his years in that group, he developed a solid swing that started stretching out into a more modal styled groove – and works here with Cees Smal on trumpet, Harry Verbecke on tenor, Jacques Schols on bass, and John Engels on drums – all top shelf players too! Many of the tracks on this set are a lot more adventurous than you might expect from the staid look of the group – and the album burns with the warmth and originality of some of the best Saba records of the late 60s, with slightly longer tracks that really stretch out, both in terms of rhythm and solo work. The writing is superb, and all titles are originals by European players – with tracks that include "Ruined Girl", "Lutuli", "Lining Up", "New Born", and "Monosyl". CD

Some of the most striking Eric Dolphy work we've ever heard – a set of live performances from the years 1962 and 1963 that feature Dolphy in a free-thinking mode that surpasses even the modernism of his classic studio sides! The recordings feature Dolphy amidst a variety of players – including a number of unlikely suspects like Barry Galbraith, Eddie Costa, and Jim Hall – and although some of the tracks have a moody and introspective third stream quality (3 of the numbers are written by Gunther Schuller), others are quite open, and almost have an ESP-like intensity. One longer title is a jam session take on Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" – recorded with a lineup that includes Phil Woods, Nick Travis, Benny Golson, Don Ellis, and Lalo Schifrin! Other titles include "Iron Man", "Half Note Triplets", "Densities", and "Night Music". CD

A fantastic bit of lost hardbop – an obscure ABC album that has Kenny Dorham working with his Jazz Prophets group! The combo's a quintet with a unique lineup that includes Dick Katz on piano, JR Monterose on tenor, Sam Jones on bass, and Arthur Edgehill on drums – and the whole set's got an open-ended sort of approach that's much more like albums of the time on Blue Note or Savoy than it is the usually more staid ABC jazz sides of the 50s! Monterose and Dorham are fantastic, and really open up on the 5 tracks on the album – all of which are long enough to give the players plenty of room to blow. Probably one of the best jazz records ever recorded for ABC – with titles that include "The Prophet", "DX", "Tahitian Suite", and "Blues Elegante". CD

A Kenny Dorham-billed version of the only full album ever issued by tenor player Rocky Boyd – but a set so great, it's definitely made a name for him over the years! Boyd's got a wonderful tone on the set – sharp and soulful, with an approach to the tenor that almost reminds us of early 60s Jackie McLean – particularly in the way that Jackie could hit dark corners with raspy, personal tone. The rest of the group's no slouch either – and features Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Walter Bishop Jr on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – a lineup so great, they give the album a real Blue Note sort of polish – and the album's definitely one that would have been a better-known date, if it hadn't died quickly on the short-lived Jazztime label. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "West 42nd Street", "Avars", "Ease It", "Samba De Orfeu", and "Why Not". CD features bonus tracks too – alternates of 4 tracks on the album! CD

A very cool date from Duke Ellington – one that's based strongly around the talents of tenorist Paul Gonsalves – always a key member of the Ellington ensemble, and quite a leader on his own in the 60s! The lineup is a familiar version of the Ellington orchestra – but the setting's a bit different, in the Gonsalves is really the main soloist here – blowing long and beautifully on tracks that are really designed to showcase his amazing tone on the tenor! Things are nice and raspy from Paul, and plenty creative too – especially since he's got room to get in a lot more licks than usual – and titles include "Paris Blues", "Ready Go", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "Caravan", and "Jam With Sam". CD

The Bill Evans trio with Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums – a near-perfect lineup that forever raised the bar for jazz piano expression! The title here is certainly apt – because even though many of the tunes are shortish, Evans has a sense of exploration in the way he's approaching the keys – one that still retains some of the lyrically rhythmic traces of his first few records – but which also glides forth into territory that was virtually untapped on record for the time. The revolution here is so subtle, it's easy to miss from the perspective of our generation – but give it a few listens, and the record will open up beautifully! Titles include "Israel", "Haunted Heart", "Elsa", "Nardis", and "I Wish I Knew" – CD adds two bonus tracks. CD

A very hip set from Bill Evans' second trio – the legendary lineup that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Both players bring Evans' sound to an even greater level of spaciousness – allowing for lyrical interplay that's completely amazing, and even furthers the promise of genius made by Bill on his first few albums – a bold step forward that really makes this album one of Evans' standout sets of the early 60s! Titles include an early reading of Evans' wonderful tune "Re: Person I Knew", plus "Very Early", "In Love In Vain", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "If You Could See Me Now", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". CD

One of the best records ever cut by funky sax man Joe Farrell! The album's got a stripped down, choppy groove – virtually the blueprint for later 70s funk of this type, and played perfectly by Farrell and a very hip quartet lineup! Players include Joe on soprano and tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – playing with a very angular sense of rhythm that really dives the record! The record's got a tight combo sound that's far more energetic than most CTI jazz from the time – and titles include the great cut "Great Gorge", which has a tight modal sample groove, plus "Times Lie", "Bass Folk Song", and "Moon Germs". CD

The cover's a silly one, but the record is rock-solid all the way through – a wonderful blend of funky jazz and warmer soul, and a real lost treasure from the 70s TK Records empire! Fat is Fats Gallon – who plays drums on the record, and also sings lead vocals a bit too – with this raspy southern soul style that's a great counterpoint to the smoother sounds on the set! Things get plenty funky and tough throughout – and the small combo lineup ensures that the record steers quite clear of the more commercial styles that were coming out of the Miami scene in the 70s. There's a jazzy inflection to most of the instrumentation, which makes for some compelling changes that have kept this set going strongly with new generations over the years – and the instrumentation includes loads of great guitar and keyboard bits too. Titles include "Doing Bad", "Tip Of My Tongue", "How Can I Explain", "Magician Man", "Life Is A Beautiful Thing", "Satan's Dream", and "Free My Mind". CD

Maynard Ferguson cut an undue number of excellent records in his early years – and this smoking set is definitely part of that group! At the time, Maynard was one of the few cats trying to find a way to move the larger band forward in jazz – finding ways to groove like Basie, but also add in some higher ideals, too – all with a surprisingly soulful current that definitely earns the title, and hints at his funky work to come in the 70s! Here, things are more shaded in blue tones and given a nice rhythmic kick – and as always with Maynard, the choice of band members is great – as the lineup features Charlie Mariano on alto, Don Rader on trumpet, Phil Bodner on reeds, Richard Davis on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums – working with strong creative energy on titles that include "What'd I Say", "Baltimore Oriole", "I Believe To My Soul", "I've Got A Woman", and "Alright OK You Win". CD

One of the most classic albums of the 70s – a never-ending hit that's continued to inspire generations! Back in the early years of punk, we were thinking that Rumours was a record that would pass by quickly – but it turns out to have a fair bit more staying power than Never Mind The Bollocks – and continues to get new interest and new appreciation as the years go on! And, after decades, we're finally on board with the greatness of the record, and everything the group was going through, and put into the songs within – a classic lineup that includes "Dreams", "Don't Stop", "Never Going Back Again", "Go Your Own Way", "The Chain", "You Make Loving Fun", "Oh Daddy", and "Gold Dust Woman". CD

Never-heard music from pianist Red Garland – working here with a unique trio that features Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a lineup that only existed for this one set of performances from 1977! The material is great – maybe better than most Garland albums issued at the time – and the tracks were recorded with great care at the Keystone Korner club in San Francisco – at a level that's similar to the best Fantasy Records live dates from the venue, which were often like this album – a great chance for the artist to really stretch out and do something new! Garland still has that fluid, lyrical sensibility we love in his famous 50s sides – but there's also a much richer, more sophisticated approach to the piano as well – an even deeper sense of tonal color that comes through on the album's long tracks. Jones is great too – increasingly complex during these years, as you'd hear on his own recordings – and a great accompaniment to Red's new modes of expression. The whole thing presents 150 minutes of unreleased music, plus some great notes and photos too – and titles include "Love For Sale", "Billy Boy", "Blues In Bebop", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bag's Groove", "On A Clear Day", "Straight No Chaser", "Autumn Leaves", and even a version of "The Christmas Song" (since the material was recorded a few weeks before Christmas!) CD

A gem of a record – easily one of Herb Geller's best! There's a bite to the record we really love – a quality in Geller's tone that really blows us away – and which has had us going back and re-evaluating his career after hearing this set. Part of the strength is the setting – a nicely dark vibe, typical to some of the other Jubilee jazz sessions of the time – played by a lineup that includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Harold Land on tenor, Lou Levy on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Lawrence Marable on bass – an ensemble that have a fuller punch than some of Geller's other groups in the 60s. The track's are easily grooving hardbop numbers – nearly all originals, and handled with a style that's much more New York oriented than you'd expect from Geller's west coast roots. Titles include "S'Pacific View", "The Fruit", "Marable Eyes", "Melrose & Sam", and "An Air For The Heir". CD

A very cool mixing of acoustic modes – a set that features the famous jazz violin of Stephane Grappelli joining the rootsy group of mandolin man David Grisman! The mix of modes is quite haunting – and Grappelli's old school lines really do a lot in the company of Grisman's new acoustic group – a lineup that also features Mark O'Connor on guitar, Mike Marshall on mandolin, Rob Wasserman on bass, and Tiny Moore on a bit of guest electric mandolin. Titles are jazzier than usual for Grisman, and tracks include "Shine", "Pent-Up House", "Satin Doll", "Tiger Rag", and "Swing 42". CD

Collaboration has always been at the heart of the work of the Great Jazz Trio – and no matter what the lineup, the group is always an equally weighted, three-pointed star – one that here hits a beautiful balance between the piano of Hank Jones, drums of Elvin Jones, and bass of Richard Davis! The album's one of a few recent efforts that show the group really returning to the form of their initial late 70s genius – simple, elegant, and never overdone – but always at a level that shows that these guys don't take the "great" in their name lightly! Titles include "Blue Bossa", "Summertime", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Autumn Leaves", "Memories Of You", and "Moose The Mooche". CD

This outing's got an unusual lineup for The Great Jazz Trio – one that still has Hank Jones at the helm on piano, but which also features John Patitucci on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums! Jones' contributions to the record are still very much in the spirit of the classic GJT sides from years back, but the presence of DeJohnette makes the record a whole new thing entirely – one with more dynamic percussion than usual for the group, often in a way that opens things up nicely. Patitucci's bass work is right on the money, and very well-suited for a record like this – and titles include "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Take Five", "Moanin", "S'Wonderful", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "Greensleeves". CD

A funky nugget from the second Blue Note chapter of guitarist Grant Green – that wonderful point when he shifted into more funk-based styles from his hardbop work at the start – and found a way to unlock a whole new side of his talents! The approach here is similar to some of the funky Lou Donaldson albums from the time – like Hot Dog or Say It Loud – in that tracks are nice and long, and have some great funky currents at the bottom from the drums of Idris Muhammad – who kicks up lots of those chunky funky breaks that we always love so much! Green's work on guitar is especially nice – stretched out, but never trippy, with a tight single note style that really gets the most out of the grooves – in a great lineup that features Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor, Emanuel Riggins on Hammond, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Candido on congas. Neal Creque contributed two great tracks to the set – "Windjammer" and "Dracula" – and the album also sports a great long version of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now", and a sweet cover of "A Day In The Life"! CD

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

Al Haig may be playing here with memories of his early years in Manhattan, but the set's also got a feel that's a lot more modern too – thanks to a lineup that includes Eddie Diehl on guitar, whose ringing tones sound wonderful next to Al's piano! The group's got some Jamal-like rhythm in the team of Jamil Nasser on bass and Frank Gant on drums – and there's a flowing, easy-going groove to the record that's a nice change for Haig – even though Al himself is keeping his notes in usually well-punctuated territory. Titles include "Manhattan Memories", "My Little Brown Book", "Voices Within Me", "Nuages", and "Joanne". CD

A rare set of work by Chico Hamilton's original quintet – the groundbreaking lineup that features Buddy Collette on flute and saxes, Fred Katz on cello, Jim Hall on guitar, and Carson Smith on drums – all working together in a really unique blend of rhythm and melody! The sound here is a bit looser than the group's studio albums for Pacific Jazz – given the live setting of the album, at the Strollers club in Long Beach. Yet despite that locale, the sound is quite clear and clean – just right for bringing out the subtle nuances in the string work by Katz and Hall, and some of the lighter notes laid out by Collette's reeds. But there's also a firmer, bolder sound here too – a bit more of a groove than you might expect at times. Titles include "Fast Flute", "Cute Little Deal", "Crazy Rhythm", "Caravan", "Change It", "Free Form", and "A Mood". CD

Hard driving jazz from the Japanese scene of the 50s! The album's one of the best recorded by Nobu Hara and the legendary Sharpes & Flats group – a really swinging set of big band jazz that drives with the power of some of the 60s recordings by the Clarke-Boland Big Band, and which offers plenty of space for the soloists to swing out during the set. Unfortunately, all the notes are in Japanese – so we can't tell you the exact lineup or the song titles – but the album's a strong one, and a perfect example of the strength of the Japanese scene in the postwar years! CD

Classic early 70s space rock from Hawkwind – mixing punchy, fuzzy aggression with trippy post psych soundscapes – with less keyboard-heavy prog noodling and tighter vibe! Doremi Faso Latido is the first Hawkwind album with Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister in the lineup, and although we can't say that this is why it's got a tighter sound, it's probably fair to speculate. It's great, whatever may make it so! Includes "Brainstorm", "Space Is Deep", "Lord Of Light", and "Down Through The Night". CD

Amazing sounds from Joe Henderson's later years – a completely sublime take on the music of Billy Strayhorn, and a wonderful demonstration of Henderson's mature talents on the tenor! There's a fantastic balance here between darkness and light, grit and clarity, heard in Joe's very first notes on the set – and holding on strong through some of the bolder moments in the set – with work by a shifting lineup, from solo to quintet, that features Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Stephen Scott on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. Yet although Marsalis might be a draw for some folks, we really love it best when Henderson gets to do his own thing – stretching out in these marvelous laidback solos that are heavy on those rich tones he developed in his early years, yet turned towards Strayhorn's brilliant ear for space between the sounds. Titles include "Blood Count", "Isfahan", "Rain Check", "Lotus Blossom", "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", and "Upper Manhattan Medical Group". CD

Not experienced? Well, this album will help push you over the top – as it's done for decades of listeners from the heyday of young Jimi Hendrix all the way up to the present! The set's a classic through and through – a blueprint not just for the genius of Hendrix, but for generations of guitar heroes to come – as you might expect with a lineup that includes "Hey Joe", "Manic Depression", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Fire", "Third Stone From The Sun", "Are You Experienced", and "Purple Haze". CD

Not experienced? Well, this album will help push you over the top – as it's done for decades of listeners from the heyday of young Jimi Hendrix all the way up to the present! The set's a classic through and through – a blueprint not just for the genius of Hendrix, but for generations of guitar heroes to come – as you might expect with a lineup that includes "Hey Joe", "Manic Depression", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Fire", "Third Stone From The Sun", "Are You Experienced", and "Purple Haze". CD

A true classic by Jimi with the original Experience lineup – the third of three straight up masterpiece LPs to comeout in just over a year's time by the group! You could call the leftfield astral effects in the mix experimental if you had to – innovations in the studio with echo, that hallucinatory backwards sound effect and other stranger bits – but the passionate, naturally expressive playing and singing by Jimi makes it all fell just right, and the Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell still don't get enough credit for being at the heart of such greatness. A massive 2LP effort that includes "Voodoo Chile", "Crosstown Traffic", "Electric Ladyland", "Little Miss Strange", "Moon Turn The Tides", "Still Raining Still Dreaming" and "All Along The Watchtower". CD

Warm, late nite work from the Eddie Higgins trio – that great 90s lineup that features Eddie on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass, and Joe Ascione on drums! It's hard to adequately get at the genius of these guys together in words – as their power is somewhat subtle, but damn effective – a way better sound than we might have ever expected from Eddie many years back, and the kind of a record that's really got us renewing our look at his talents! Higgins is both bold and sensitive on the set – masterful on the keys, yet quite unassuming as well – hard to peg adequately, but just the sort of strength that more than justifies all the tape the Venus Records label have spun on him in recent years. Titles include "If Dreams Come True", "Summertime", "Shinjuku Twilight", "Caravan", "Nightingale", "Frenesi", "Into The Memory", and "Minor Swing". CD

A wonderful album of straight ahead jazz – cut by a current combo from Italy, but done with a really classic sound! The style here is a bit like that of the straighter jazz albums on Schema Records – all acoustic, but often highly rhythmic – and focused in styles that explore older Italian modal jazz of the 60s, as well as some of the deeper shadings of the Blue Note scene from years back! The lineup is incredibly strong – with tenor from Daniele Scannapieco, trumpet from Fabrizio Bosso, and piano from Luca Mannutza, whose firm work and bold notes on the keys really give the album a lot of drive and fire! CD features Nicola Conte remixes of the leadoff track "Conversation" – which is actually great enough in its original version by the group – and other tracks include "Wide Green Eyes", "The Driver", "Shade Of Gira", "Dubai", and "Campagna". CD

One of our favorite records by Earl Hines – a hip little comeback set, recorded in the mid 60s with an Ellingtonish lineup that includes Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Jimmy Hamilton, and Johnny Hodges. Hines' piano is certainly a strong force in the record, but even more delightful is the solid feel of the players overall – working with that complete coherence found in the best 60s sides by Duke, but touched here with some of Hines' sprightly approach to the melody. Titles include "Once Upon A Time", "Black & Tan Fantasy", "You Can Depend On Me", "Hash Brown", and "Fantastic That's You". CD

Late work from the great Billie Holiday – the kind of mature set that made Verve Records such a perfect home for the singer in the 50s! Where other labels might have pushed too much to try to get Billie into more commercial, or more straightforward modes – Verve just relaxes into the kind of small combo sound that usually had the singer at her best – pairing Holiday with a great lineup that includes Harry Edison on trumpet, Ben Webster on tenor, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and Barney Kessel on guitar. The songs are short and focused – with Billie at the top of her form on familiar standards like "Comes Love", "Darn That Dream", "Body & Soul", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and "Embraceable You". This deluxe reissue features 3 takes of "Comes Love", new notes, great sound, and a cool looking package! CD

Classic Freddie Hubbard on Blue Note – from the hip cover to the magical music in the grooves! The session is one of Freddie's all-time best from the early days – and features a very hard wailing lineup that mixes tight hardbop rhythms with some more adventurous soloing that almost has a modern jazz kind of tinge. Cedar Walton's on piano, Julian Preister's on trombone, and Jimmy Heath is on tenor – working with Freddie to craft some mindblowing work on titles that include the amazing "Plexus", plus "Hub Cap", "Cry Me Not", and "Earmon JR." CD also features a bonus alternate of "Plexus". CD

Wonderfully groovy work from the team of Jackie Cain & Roy Kral – a set that has the pair moving into much hipper modes for the 60s, and really taking off from the greatness of earlier records! Backing is still by Roy's core trio, with acoustic piano at the lead – but the addition of electric bass to the lineup really helps the tunes step along nicely – hitting a groove not heard before from Jackie & Roy, with results that are completely sublime! There's a definite bossa influence that comes into some of the best tracks – a skipping, lilting approach to rhythm that's made even better by the unique dual vocals of the team, especially when they're singing wordlessly. But even when lyrical vocals are part of the mix, the sound is still great too – and Jackie & Roy have a way of bringing charm to a tune that few other singers can touch! Titles include "Lovesick", "A Big Beautiful Ball", "You Really Started Something", "Let's Begin", "Mimosa & Me", "Corcovado", "Samba Triste", and "The World Is Your Balloon". CD

A seminal album – a late 60s classic meeting of the brain trust of the avant garde jazz scene in New York, recorded for the young JCOA label – and put forth as one of their early attempts to prove that musicians could be in charge of the means of production! Michael Mantler provided the core composition, and directs the group – but the lineup is a who's who of forces who'd record for ESP, Impulse, and other labels – with bold solos from Don Cherry on cornet, Gato Barbieri on tenor, Larry Coryell on guitar, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Cecil Taylor on piano, and Pharoah Sanders on tenor – in a larger lineup of players who also include Steve Marcus, Andrew Cyrille, Reggie Workman, Alan Silva, Carla Bley, Beaver Harris, Charles Davis, Robert Northern, Kent Carter, and many other key avant musicians! Titles include "Communications 8", "Communications 9", "Communications 10", and "Communications 11".' CD

One of the hippest jazz groups going in Czechoslovakia during the 70s – the mighty Jazz Q, a cool fusion combo who really knew how to groove! The group's lineup includes a lot of electric keyboards and guitars – and while some tracks have them jamming out in a really rock-inspired way, there's some other tunes that open up with a great jazzy sound. Side two of the album kicks off with an amazing modal groover called "The Wizard" – a cut that builds and builds on riffs of bass, conga, and keyboards – before soaring into a sweet female lead vocal that sounds like Lani Hall at her best! Other tracks include "Lost Soul", "Starbird", "From Dark To Light", and "Epilog". CD features two bonus tracks – "Mlyn" and "Konstelace". CD

2 of Boogaloo Joe's best and rarest albums on one CD – guitar jazz funk at its best! First up is Boogaloo Joe – a killer session of funky guitar jazz, and the record that gave Ivan "Boogaloo" Joe Jones his nickname! The set's a full-on wailer that really blows away Joe's first two on Prestige – breaking out ouf the box with a killer lineup that includes Rusty Bryant on tenor, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Sonny Phillips on organ – all working with Joe's incredibly tight guitar lines to craft some wicked tunes that take soul jazz firmly into the sound of the 70s! Titles include "Boogaloo Joe", "People Are Talking", "Dream On Little Dreamer", and "Atlantic City Soul". Right On Brother is next – and is Ivan's first truly sublime album – a set that showed the world that he was easily one of the greatest jazz guitarists of his generation – able to spin out single-note jams with a speed and dexterity that few others could match! The groove here is totally great and very righteous – heavy drums from Bernard Purdie, wailing organ from Charles Earland, and saxophone from Rusty Bryant – all cooking together in the best early 70s Prestige jazz funk mode! Titles include "Right On", "Brown Bag", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", and "Poppin". CD

Very rare indeed – and one of the best 70s albums from Elvin Jones – thanks to a tight quartet lineup who follow his every move with tremendous energy! The style's not as all-out bombastic as Jones could sometimes be in these days – and with a group that includes Roland Hanna on piano, Art Pepper on sax, and Richard Davis on bass, Elvin's in company that allows him to be strongly expressive on both sides of the spectrum! Sure, there's a few searching, soaring numbers that show Elvin's Coltrane roots – but there's also some gentler more introspective moments too, ones that provide great space for solos from Hanna and Pepper. Titles include "Witching Hour", "Pitter Pat", "Tin Tin Deo", "Zange", "Sweet Mama", and "Passion Flower". CD

A set of standards, but swung in a very inventive way by the Great Jazz Trio – a lineup here that features Hank Jones on piano, Mads Vinding on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! Both Vinding and Hart find a way to make the genius of Hank Jones sound even fresher than ever – not stale at the end of the 80s, but every bit as vibrant as in his earlier years – especially that moment in the 70s when it seemed like Jones was born anew, and able to both draw on the richness of his legacy, while also finding a new sense of expression overseas. This date takes off from that moment brilliantly, but also with a whole new sense of sound and shapes – on titles that include "Stella By Starlight", "I'll Remember April", "Stardust", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Tenderly", and "As Time Goes By". CD

Not the smooth fusion group of the same name, but a tight acoustic quartet with some great tenor from the mighty Clifford Jordan – in a lineup that also includes James Williams on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Ronnie Burrage on drums! Titles include the Jordan originals "Tokyo Road" and "Japanese Dream" – plus "Hi Fly", "Misako Beautiful Shore", and "For My Nephews". CD

The first album by the second group to call themselves the Last Poets – and as fierce a document of their rich talents as you'll ever find – bursting forth with anger and righteousness at a level as tight as Gil Scott-Heron's first album! The group here is the key second lineup of the ensemble of wordsmiths – comprised of Abiodun Oyewole, Alafia Pudim, and Omar Ben Hassan, plus the percussionist Nilaja – and most cuts feature only spare percussion backing over the spoken protest poetry – delivered with a brutal edge that really sums up the righteous politics of the time. Titles include "Run, N****r", "On The Subway", "When The Revolution Comes", "Jones Comin' Down", "Black Thighs", "N*****s Are Scared Of Revolution", and "Wake Up, N*****s" – all of which should give you a good picture of what's going on with the record! CD

A great lineup – with tenor from Ralph Moore and piano from Kirk Lightsey! CD

Amazing lost work from the Mahvishnu Orchestra – a previously-unreleased studio session from 1973, one that features John McLaughlin and the group working in some beautifully tripped-out territory! The lineup features McLaughlin on a variety of guitars – plus Jerry Goodman on electric violin, Jan Hammer on keyboards, Rick Laird on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums – all coming together perfectly with that sense of subtle, organic fusion that made the Mahvishnu records so great – a real change from the harder, more rockish sounds of Hammer and Goodman in later years. Titles include "Dream", "Sister Andrea", "I Wonder", "Steppings Tones", "John's Song", and "Triology". CD

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". CD