The legendary John Lee Hooker, heard here in one of his more obscure recordings from the late 50s – at least in contrast to his famous sides for Vee Jay Records! This set's an unusual date – recorded in Detroit, despite the claim of the title – and featuring Hooker on acoustic guitar and vocals, without any other instrumentation at all – pitched much more towards the growing folk blues scene than some of his more familiar Chicago recordings. Tracks are short, but pack plenty of punch – and titles include "Black Snake", "I Rowed A Little Boat", "Bundle Up & Go", "Behind The Plow", "Water Boy", "Tupelo Blues", and "Pea Vine Special". LP, Vinyl record album

A really well-recorded set by Lightnin Hopkins – one that's got a crisper, cleaner sound than some of his others of the time – yet which still comes across with all his best rootsy modes too! The instrumentation here is quite spare – just Hopkins' acoustic guitar behind his vocals, with a bit of bass and drums too – recorded with some of the folksy undercurrents that were common in some of the Prestige/Bluesville dates of the period. Titles include "Shinin Moon", "The Walkin Blues", "Katie Mae", "Down There Baby", "You Better Watch Yourself", and "Automobile Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly different take on the Modern Jazz Quartet sound of the early years – as the album features Milt Jackson's vibes in the company of MJQ bandmates Percy Heath and Connie Kay, but also includes Horace Silver on piano – in the spot normally reserved for John Lewis! The presence of Silver on piano gives a bit of a harder edge to the set, one that almost recalls some of Jackson's work on Blue Note in the early 50s, yet which is rounded out here by a few lighter and more lyrical touches on rhythm. The set includes a great reading of "Moonray", the Jackson original "Stonewall", and the tracks "Wonder Why", "I Should Care", and "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly different take on the Modern Jazz Quartet sound of the early years – as the album features Milt Jackson's vibes in the company of MJQ bandmates Percy Heath and Connie Kay, but also includes Horace Silver on piano – in the spot normally reserved for John Lewis! The presence of Silver on piano gives a bit of a harder edge to the set, one that almost recalls some of Jackson's work on Blue Note in the early 50s, yet which is rounded out here by a few lighter and more lyrical touches on rhythm. The set includes a great reading of "Moonray", the Jackson original "Stonewall", and the tracks "Wonder Why", "I Should Care", and "My Funny Valentine". CD

A massive early Prestige set from tenorist Willis Jackson – and just the kind of record that set him firmly in the soul jazz camp for the 60s! By the time of the set, Jackson had already won plenty of fame for his R&B-tinged work – but here, he stretches out a bit more, and really gets creative on his solos – working with a very hip group that includes Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar – both players making a similar shift in their music at the time. The tracks are lively, recorded with a bold, loud tone, and have lots of those great open-mouthed tones from Jackson – quite possibly a good reason for his "Gator" nickname! Tracks include "Blue Gator", "East Breeze", "The Gator Jumps", and "Try A Little Tenderness". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the key records that helped cement the role of tenorist Willis Jackson in the soul jazz scene of the 60s – a record that not only features some killer Hammond from Jack McDuff, but also plenty of guitar from the great Bill Jennings! Unlike some other McDuff sessions, there's bass on this one – plus conga work from Buck Clarke on one cut, who really keeps things kicking. Titles include "The Man I Love", "Blue Strollin", "A Smooth One", and "Keep On A Blowin". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from the 60s years of tenorist Willis Jackson – a time when the older R&B player was really rising to the top – thanks to the sort of smoking soul jazz setting that a record like this could provide! The whole thing's great – very much in the Groove Holmes or Jack McDuff vibe of the time – familiar tunes taken in all sorts of new, groovy directions – with help from the young Pat Azzarra on guitar and Carl Wilson on Hammond – plus trumpet from the lesser-known Joseph Hadrick! Titles include "One Mint Julep", "Tangerine", "Ebb Tide", "Blue Gator", and "Secret Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set of soul jazz tracks from Gator Tail and Brother Jack McDuff – recorded in a raw grooving style, very similar to that used on some of their live recordings from the same time. The core of the group features Bill Jennings on guitar and Wendell Marshall on bass, but some of the rhythm players change up over the course of the tracks, and Buck Clarke adds some nice conga on side 2! Includes the nice 10 minute groover "This'll Get To Ya", plus "Glad A See Ya", "Three Little Words", and "To' Gether". LP, Vinyl record album

A late 60s set, but one that recalls the sweet swinging style of Prestige Records' Swingville sessions from the early part of the decade! Illinois Jacquet sounds wonderful here on tenor (and a bit of bassoon on one track!) – blowing with plenty of open space amidst a lineup that includes Tiny Grimes on guitar, Wynton Kelly on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Oliver Jackson on drums. The approach is kind of a mix of Jacquet's mid 60s work for Argo/Cadet, with some of the late 50s non-bop swing sessions issued by Prestige – and titles include "The Galloping Latin", "Still King", "For Once In My Life", and "Every Day". LP, Vinyl record album

A selection of tracks from Illinois Jacquet's late 60s albums for Prestige, featuring Milt Buckner, Barry Harris, and Wynton Kelly on piano, Alan Dawson, Al Foster, Jo Jones, and Oliver Jackson on drums, Frank Foster on tenor, Matthew Gee on trombone, Tiny Grimes, Billy Butler, and Wally Richardson on guitar, Montego Joe on congas, Joe Newman and Ernie Royal on trumpet, and Ben Tucker and Buster Williams on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of a mad LP for Jacquet – ostensibly trad on the outside, but with some weird little elements once you give it a closer listen. The lineup is conventional enough – with players that include Joe Newman, Milt Buckner, Billy Butler, Jo Jones, and Montego Joe – but it's the way they come together that makes the set really work. Jacquet's tone is rough and growly on most numbers – and the rhythm has a scattered finish that keeps things a bit off-guard. Titles include "The King", "Caravan", "A Haunting Melody", and "How High The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from one of the hippest jazz singers ever – a session that showed the world that Eddie Jefferson was firmly back in business during the 60s! The set's got a really rollicking feel, and a bit more influence from soul than the bop of Eddie's roots – with elements of gospel and R&B filtering into the mix from time to time, alongside some of the more sophisticated jazz styles we've always loved in Jefferson's vocals. The group features some great tenor work from James Moody – one of Eddie's frequent musical partners – plus Dave Burns on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Bill English on drums. Titles include "Now's The Time", "So What", "Psychedelic Sally", "Filthy McNasty", "Oh Gee", and "See If You Can Git To That" – plus a very cool spoken introduction by Ed Williams! CD

Seminal work from one of the hippest jazz singers ever – a session that showed the world that Eddie Jefferson was firmly back in business during the 60s! The set's got a really rollicking feel, and a bit more influence from soul than the bop of Eddie's roots – with elements of gospel and R&B filtering into the mix from time to time, alongside some of the more sophisticated jazz styles we've always loved in Jefferson's vocals. The group features some great tenor work from James Moody – one of Eddie's frequent musical partners – plus Dave Burns on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Bill English on drums. Titles include "Now's The Time", "So What", "Psychedelic Sally", "Filthy McNasty", "Oh Gee", and "See If You Can Git To That" – plus a very cool spoken introduction by Ed Williams! LP, Vinyl record album

An essential album for fans of early vocalese – and a record that brings together 3 of the greatest talents of the genre! The sides were pulled from early Prestige singles by the artists – and Eddie Jefferson's represented on 4 great numbers with backing by a group that includes Seldon Powell, plus some additional vocals from Irv Taylor. Jefferson titles include "Old Shoes", "Please Be Kind To Me", "Strictly Instrumental", and "Start Walkin Stop Talkin". Joe Carroll swings in next – laying down 4 straighter vocal tunes with a group that includes Bill Graham on baritone sax, on songs that include "Two Wrongs Won't Make It Right", "I Was In The Mood", and "Got A Penny Benny". Last up is Annie Ross, delivering some of the classic numbers from her Ross/Pleasure album – including "Twisted", "Farmer's Market" and "Jackie". LP, Vinyl record album

About as hip as you can get for a hardbop session – a real cooker from the left end of the spectrum, filled with great work from all three players in the title! The pairing of Clifford Jordan's tenor and John Jenkins' alto is especially nice – as Jordan seems to bring out a bit of a deeper groove than Jenkins' gets on other records. And we're always big fans of Bobby Timmons' work on piano in just about any group setting – and here he's working with unique rhythm backing by Wilbur Ware on bass and Dannie Richmond on drums – making a rare non-Mingus appearance on the set!. The tracks are long, but extremely tight – in the manner that you'd expect from some of those modernist soul jazz sets on Riverside/Jazzland, particularly the work of Johnny Griffin and Wilbur Ware – with titles that include "Cliff's Edge", "Tenderly", "Princess", and "Soft Talk". CD

A groovy glide from the mighty Bill Jennings – making a key transition here from earlier R&B into hipper soul jazz – thanks to the help of organist Jack McDuff! Bill was Jack's guitarist on a few of his key early Prestige dates, but the roles are reversed here – with Jennings as the leader, and McDuff as the sideman – playing some incredible Hammond in a variety of tones and timings that really help keep things cool throughout! Bill's lean guitar lines are out front on all tunes, but Jack's organ follows strongly in second place – alongside other instrumentation that includes vibes from Al Jennings, bass from Wendell Marshall, and drums from Alvin Johnson. Titles include "Azur-Te", "Hey Mrs Jones", "Cole Slaw", "Glide On", "Billin & Burnin", and "Fiddlin". LP, Vinyl record album

Rootsy blues from the brief stretch when Prestige Records was experimenting with non-jazz material – a back-to-basics session that features Johnson on electric guitar and vocals, Snowden on acoustic guitar, and only Wendell Marshall's jazz-trained bass to back the pair up. The work's in a style that's rootsier than the mainstream – almost an imagined past for this sort of blues, and one that was more aimed at the college and folksy crowd of the time than anyone else. Titles include "Savoy Blues", "I'll Get Along Somehow", "Haunted House", "Memories Of You", "I Found A Dream", and "Blues For Chris". 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

Could anyone ever utter a sexier line than "Don't go to strangers, come to me?" We think not, and it's material like that that makes the album a real killer from Etta Jones – one of her best from the 60s, cut when she was really developing her skills as a vocalist, but still had enough of an edge to be interesting. Backing is by a small group that includes Frank Wess, Roy Haynes, and Richard Wyands – and the album has a relaxed, jazzy quality that easily makes it one of the real standouts in Etta's career! Titles include "All The Way", "Where Or When", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", "If I Had You", "Something To Remember You By", and "Don't Go To Strangers". CD

Could anyone ever utter a sexier line than "Don't go to strangers, come to me?" We think not, and it's material like that that makes the album a real killer from Etta Jones – one of her best from the 60s, cut when she was really developing her skills as a vocalist, but still had enough of an edge to be interesting. Backing is by a small group that includes Frank Wess, Roy Haynes, and Richard Wyands – and the album has a relaxed, jazzy quality that easily makes it one of the real standouts in Etta's career! Titles include "All The Way", "Where Or When", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", "If I Had You", "Something To Remember You By", and "Don't Go To Strangers". LP, Vinyl record album

Could anyone ever utter a sexier line than "Don't go to strangers, come to me?" We think not, and it's material like that that makes the album a real killer from Etta Jones – one of her best from the 60s, cut when she was really developing her skills as a vocalist, but still had enough of an edge to be interesting. Backing is by a small group that includes Frank Wess, Roy Haynes, and Richard Wyands – and the album has a relaxed, jazzy quality that easily makes it one of the real standouts in Etta's career! Titles include "All The Way", "Where Or When", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", "If I Had You", "Something To Remember You By", and "Don't Go To Strangers". CD

A beautiful album of heartfelt vocal tracks by a young Etta Jones – featuring arrangements by Oliver Nelson that rank among the best sort that he was penning for vocalists of this sort during the 60s. Etta's got a nice mix of material here, and although some of the tracks are a bit well-known, the arrangements and performance keep them fresh enough throughout. Titles include "By The Bend In The River", "There Goes My Heart", "Look For The Silver Lining", "Good Morning Heartache", and "I'll Never Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to imagine Etta Jones being lonely and blue – especially when she sounds as great as this! The album's one of Jones' early classics from Prestige – a date that really has her classing things up a lot, and drawing on bits of Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington's styles, to mix in with the bluesier tones of her roots – put together with a great deal of charm, and a new sophistication that made Etta one of the hippest jazz singers of the 60s! Backing is by a cool small combo – with Patti Brown on piano, Wally Richardson on guitar, and a bit of tenor from Budd Johnson – and titles include "I'll Be There", "In the Dark", "Gentlemen Friend", "I Wonder", and "Miss You So". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to imagine Etta Jones being lonely and blue – especially when she sounds as great as this! The album's one of Jones' early classics from Prestige – a date that really has her classing things up a lot, and drawing on bits of Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington's styles, to mix in with the bluesier tones of her roots – put together with a great deal of charm, and a new sophistication that made Etta one of the hippest jazz singers of the 60s! Backing is by a cool small combo – with Patti Brown on piano, Wally Richardson on guitar, and a bit of tenor from Budd Johnson – and titles include "I'll Be There", "In the Dark", "Gentlemen Friend", "I Wonder", and "Miss You So". CD includes 3 more bonus tracks from a date recorded with Gene Ammons on tenor – "But Not For Me", "If You're But A Dream", and "Cool Cool Daddy". CD

Etta Jones is definitely nice and warm here – working with some great backings from Oliver Nelson, who mixes in a bit of strings with the usual jazzy punch he was delivering at the time! Jones' vocals are at the height of her early powers here – working with poise, class, and a heck of a lot of soul – and titles on the set include "You Better Go Now", "All My Life", "And This Is My Beloved", "Unchained Melody", "If You Were Mine", "Hurry Home", and "I Laughed At Love". CD

It's always something nice when Etta Jones makes a record – but this one is especially so, thanks to some intimate small group backing from players who include Oliver Nelson, Lem Winchester, Wally Richardson, and Richard Wyands! The style is relatively intimate throughout – more late nite than some of Jones' other records, in a way that really works well for her vocals, and takes her away from some of the crossover pop modes of her albums that sound a bit more like Gloria Lynne. Titles include "Easy Living", "Through A Long And Sleepless Night", "My Heart Tells Me", "I Only Have Eyes For You", "That's All There Is To That", "Love Is The Thing", and "Canadian Sunset". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff – 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". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from the short time that saxophonist King Curtis recorded for Prestige records – mostly on their R&B-tinged Tru-Sound label! Players include Paul Griffin on piano, Billy Butler on guitar, and Jack McDuff on Hammond! LP, Vinyl record album

The "new scene" of King Curtis here is a jazz one – as Prestige takes him into the studio, and backs up his tenor with accompaniment from Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Oliver Jackson – plus trumpet from Nat Adderley, billed on the back as "Little Brother" for contractual reasons! The tracks are long and open, with less of King's tenor tricks, and more of a laidback Gene Ammons-ish style of blowing. Titles include "Little Brother Soul", "In A Funky Groove", "Have You Heard", and "Da Duh Duh". LP, Vinyl record album

With the Dave Lambert Singers. 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A record that revolutionized the concept of jazz vocals in the 50s – thanks to famous performances by Annie Ross and King Pleasure! The tracks on the LP include Ross' early interpretations of Wardell Gray's classics "Twisted" and "Farmer's Market", and the King Pleasure set includes classics like "Red Top", "This Is Always", "Sometimes I'm Happy", and his great duet with Jon Hendricks, "Don't Get Scared". A landmark LP of jazz vocal sides, and one that no fan of vocalese should be without. LP, Vinyl record album

Nice 2-in-1 set that reissues 2 hard to find albums by Roland Kirk! Kirk's Work is a strange and tasty album that Kirk made with organist Jack McDuff in the early 60s. The album's also been issued under the title Funk Underneath – but this is the original version. Kirk's tenor, manzello, stritch, and flute sound great next to Brother Jack's organ, and his sense of humor matches that of the great keyboardist. They swing hard, and have a lot of fun, especially on tracks like "Kirk's Work", "Three for Dizzy", and "Doin' the Sixty-Eight". The second album was cut under Jaki Byard's name – and is an amazing (and often forgotten) quartet session that brings together the enigmatic pianist and the mind-blowing multi-reed player. Kirk and Byard had played together previously, most notably on some of Kirk's Mercury recordings, and they fit together perfectly in this mad session of off-kilter jazz. The two of them are backed by Alan Dawson on drums and Richard Davis on bass, and the group's as tight as a drum. Titles include "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Evidence", "Memories Of You", and "Hazy Eve". CD

A strange and tasty little album that Roland Kirk made with organist Jack McDuff in the early 60s – one of his few outings in such a format, and a smoking little session that almost makes us wish he'd cut more of them! The format is relatively simple – with lots of interplay between McDuff's organ and Kirk's range of reeds (tenor, manzello, stritch, flute, and siren on this record!) And given that both players have a good sense of whimsy that still always manages to swing nicely, the pairing is a strong one – and makes for a record that's slightly different for both artists. Titles include "Makin Whoopie", "Funk Underneath", "Kirk's Work", "Three for Dizzy", and "Doin' the Sixty-Eight". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album from Eric Kloss – maybe one of his last good ones, too! The record has him playing with a hip group of young players – basically the Miles Davis rhythm section (Chick Corea, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette) plus guitarist Pat Martino, who was really stretching out at this time. The resultant electric grooves are way different than Kloss' earlier work, yet still much tighter and more soulful than his later stuff – with some slight bits of funk and soul jazz to keep things real. All tracks are fairly long, and the record features versions of "Sunshine Superman" and "Songs To Aging Children" – plus the tunes "Consciousness" and "Outward Wisdom". LP, Vinyl record album

2 Eric Kloss albums back to back on a single CD – both under-discovered, and both totally great! Sky Shadows is one of the late 60s killers for Prestige by reedman Kloss – sublime material that was every bit as great as some of the bigger-name work for the label, but never really got its due! Kloss is sharper and more focused here than in later years – starting with a hardbop groove, but really reaching out with some inventive sounds of his own, and some great changes from the group! The inventive ensemble features Pat Martino on guitar, Jaky Byard on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and titles include "Sky Shadows", "January's Child", "The Girl With The Fall In Her Hair", and "In A Country Soul Garden". In The Land Of Giants is a crackling bit of modernist free play, with a very soulful edge – and the group includes Booker Ervin, Jaki Byard, Richard Davis, and Alan Dawson all joining Kloss as he hits his mid-period "exploratory" stage. His alto is super-crisp here, and although he's reaching out a bit more than on earlier albums, he never manages to lose the swing that made him sound so great right out of the box. Tracks include "So What", "When Two Lovers Touch", and "Sock It To Me Socrates". CD

A bold brilliant statement from pianist Steve Kuhn – his next great record after the seminal Three Waves, and a record that pushes the envelope even further! From the title, you might think that Kuhn's playing some familiar 60s standards for MPS – but he's really working strongly in his own agenda here, stepping forward in strong new voice he was bringing to piano at the time, and even going a bit more outside than ever before. The trio includes Palle Danielsson on bass and Jon Christensen on drums – and although familiar, some of the titles have a sense of freedom that really transforms them. Titles include Burt Bacharach's great "Windows On The World", Michel Legrand's "Watch What Happens", Gary McFarland's "Once We Loved", Carla Bley's "Ad Infinitum", and Kuhn's own "Silver". Prestige US reissue of this MPS recording. LP, Vinyl record album

The rarest of all Charles Kynard albums – and a real standout groover from the classic funk days of Prestige! The album's a really creative outing – with arrangements by Richard Fritz that take the usual small combo Prestige sound to new heights – twisting and turning the rhythms past the usual heavy foot on the bass motif! Fritz wrote the bulk of the tracks, and they've got a modal grooving mode – with a mixture of hard rhythms and dancing organ, guitar, and tenor from Houston Person that's almost in a Funk Inc mode – with lots of sharp changes. The rest of the group is great – Bernard Purdie's on drums, Jimmy Lewis plays Fender bass, and Grant Green is on guitar – on titles that nclude "Sweetheart", "Odds On", "Afro-Disiac", "Trippin", and "Chanson Du Nuit". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful late 50s work by Yusef Lateef – played in that "jazz exotic" style he was using to perfect form at the time, a mixture of the lyrical hard bop of the Horace Silver group, with some of the more spare and eastern styles used by groups like the early Sun Ra Arkestra. The drummer, Frank Gant, makes ample use of brushes and mallets to keep the rhythms in a mode that works with the overall sound – and other players include trumpeter Lonnie Hillyer and pianist Hugh Lawson, both of whom were part of the super-hip Detroit scene that spawned Lateef. Titles include "Cry Tender", "Butter's Blues", "Dopolous", "Sea Breeze", and "The Snow Is Green". LP, Vinyl record album

The title says it all – as Yusef Lateef works here in that wonderful mixture of hardbop, soul jazz, and Eastern stylings that he brought to all of his best early sessions as a leader! Lateef himself is playing tenor, flute, and oboe – which he uses to craft these eerie snakecharmer lines that work perfectly with the modal grooves of the tracks – very unusual rhythms for the time, and a real precursor to some of the world jazz experiments to come from overseas. The rest of the group features pianist Barry Harris, drummer Lex Humphries, and bassist Ernie Farrow, who also plays a strange instrument called a rabat – which further adds to the charm of the record. Titles include "Plum Blossom", "Purple Flower", "Three Faces Of Balal", and "Chinq Miau". LP, Vinyl record album

The title says it all – as Yusef Lateef works here in that wonderful mixture of hardbop, soul jazz, and Eastern stylings that he brought to all of his best early sessions as a leader! Lateef himself is playing tenor, flute, and oboe – which he uses to craft these eerie snakecharmer lines that work perfectly with the modal grooves of the tracks – very unusual rhythms for the time, and a real precursor to some of the world jazz experiments to come from overseas. The rest of the group features pianist Barry Harris, drummer Lex Humphries, and bassist Ernie Farrow, who also plays a strange instrument called a rabat – which further adds to the charm of the record. Titles include "Plum Blossom", "Purple Flower", "Three Faces Of Balal", and "Chinq Miau". CD

A beautifully haunting set by Yusef that marked his move to Prestige, and a sophistication of the Eastern-tinged jazz style that he developed during his years with Savoy. The tracks on here feature Yusef playing tenor, flute, and argol – with backing by a group of Detroit musicians that includes Hugh Lawson, Wilbur Harden, and Oliver Jackson, all frequent bandmates of Lateef. The tracks have a beautiful quality to them that mixes soulful jazz playing with Eastern approaches to arrangements, and they're unlike anything else we could describe (except, perhaps, some of Lateef's other LPs from the time!). Titles include "Meditation", "Love & Humor", and "Buckingham". CD

Pure genius – just vocals and guitar from this legendary Memphis figure! LP, Vinyl record album

A very hip album that shows that Mundell Lowe was much more than just a regular jazz guitarist. Lowe emerges here as a relatively hip modernist – working in a small combo that includes Ed Thigpen on drums, Billy Taylor on piano, and Les Grinage on bass, as well as occasional alto work by Gene Quill. The tracks have a slightly unusual groove to them – with Lowe handling both the regular solos, and also dipping into the rhythmic lines in an interesting way – and this style is heard to especially great effect on the three tunes with Quill. Titles include "Crazy Rhythm", "Blues Before Freud", "Love Me Or Leave Me", and "You Turned The Tables On Me". CD

Excellent work from pianist Harold Mabern – a strong talent whose lyrical powers graced the MJT sides from Chicago on Vee Jay in the early 60s, and a player who also worked on some great Blue Note sessions in the mid 60s. This set is possibly his strongest for Prestige – a tight, hard batch of soul jazz tracks, with a more pronounced punch than some of his other work. The group is great – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor, Bill Lee on bass, and the excellent (and virtually unknown) Hugh Walker on drums. The album's got some great long cuts – including "Rakin & Scrapin", "Such Is Life", and "Aon". LP, Vinyl record album

2 of Harold Mabern's best albums for Prestige on one CD! First up is the soulful laidback album Workin & Wailin, which features some excellent extended tracks that let Mabern show his deep Memphis roots. Idris Muhammad's on drums, and the titles include "Strozier's Mood", "Waltzing Westward", and "Blues For Phineas". The next album's the great rare Greasy Kid Stuff, which has more of a harder funk feel, and which features some very nice playing by Lee Morgan and Boogaloo Joe Jones. Titles on that one include "Greasy Kid Stuff", "Alex The Great", "I Want You Back", and the mellowly beautiful "John Neely-Beautiful People". Both records are great, and this CD's an excellent introduction to the amazing soul jazz piano work of one of our favorite artists from the 60s! CD

Different work than usual for Herbie – a series of sides recorded in Sweden in the late 50s, featuring Herbie on both flute and tenor! The feel here is at once more poised and more open than some of Herbie's US sides from the time – as the groups shift from track to track, and Herbie's movement between tenor and flute gives the album a nicely rough edge. Players include Ake Persson, Rolf Blomqvist, Arne Domnerus, and Beng Arne Wallin – and titles include "Cherry Point", "Serenata", "Hurry Burry", "Adam's Theme", "Ow", and "Nature Boy". 1969 pressing of an album originally titled Mann In The Morning. LP, Vinyl record album

Very groovy stuff from guitarist Pat Martino – and a record that has him breaking past the soul jazz roots of his early days with Trudy Pitts – into a more open-ended spiritual vein, well-suited for the "east" tag in the title! The record's not filled with a lot of Eastern instrumentation, but Martino's clearly been listening to Indian music – and the longer tracks have more of a modal feel that works great for his colorful tones on the guitar. Other players include Eddie Green on piano, Ben Tucker on bass and tambourine, and Lenny McBrownie on drums – and titles include "East", "Trick", "Park Avenue Petite", and "Lazy Bird". CD

An excellent album from guitarist Pat Martino – caught here at a key point when he was breaking out of his earlier soul jazz roots, and going for a more complicated style that showed he was picking up a lot of spiritual influences from the Coltrane generation. The record's got a core group of players that includes Cedar Walton, Joe Farrell, Ben Tucker, and Walter Perkins – but it also features some extraordinary contributions from Dave Levin and Ray Appleton, who play some odd percussion on the title track "Strings". As a whole, the album's got some wonderful modal jazz moments – all acoustic, save for Martino's guitar, and nicely lyrical, without being too overindulgent. Titles include "Strings", "Minority", "Lean Years", and "Querido". CD

2 lost sides of soul jazz – both of them rare gems on vinyl, and back-to-back here in one nicely priced CD package! Doin The Thang is an excellent bit of lost soul jazz piano work – featuring the highly underrated Ronnie Mathews, with a quartet that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Charles Davis on baritone. The sound is very groovy, and very funky, with a feel that's more like some of the classic Blue Notes from the time than it is like the other Prestige recordings. Mathews' piano playing is perfect, and he grooves with a soulful firey edge, and lays down solos that blow away Hubbard and Davis. Tracks include "The Thang", "Ichi Ban", and "The Orient". Pleasure Bent is one of the few albums ever cut by the incredible tenor player Roland Alexander – an artist who appeared briefly on the scene during the early 60s, and the few recording's he's left us with are the consummate picture of hip soulful playing. This 1961 session features Alexander leading a group that includes Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Ronnie Matthews on piano, Gene Taylor on bass, and Clarence Stroman on drums – and it's a laidback batch of lyrical tunes, nearly all penned by Alexander. Titles include "I'll Be Around", "Dorman Road", "Lil's Blues", and "Orders To Take Out". CD

A striking little set from vibesman Freddie McCoy – not just for the cool superhero image on the front cover, but also for the tight grooves underneath! The album's one of McCoy's most unified for Prestige – as all tracks feature a core quartet with Freddie on vibes, Charlie Wilson on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Rudy Lawless on drums – not your usual Prestige players, and all musicians who really make the album sparkle! There's a bold soul jazz vibe running through the set – similar to some of Freddie's other work, but a bit more open too – and titles include a groovy take on "Girl From Ipanema", plus the soul jazz classics "Speak Out, Deagan!" and "Hav' Mercy" – as well as the cuts "Yesterdays" and "Spider Man". CD

A very unusual set from Prestige records – rural southern blues, recorded by Alan Lomax with help from Shirley Collins – featuring tracks from Fred McDowell, John Dudley, Matti Gardner, Miles Pratcher, Ed Young, Viola James, Leroy Gary, and Leroy Miller! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer live set from Hammond genius Jack McDuff – one of a few totally smoking records he did in this style for Prestige during the 60s! The group's a quartet, with stunning work from the young George Benson on guitar, burning tenor from Red Holloway, and amazing drums from Joe Dukes – one of the few players on the kit who really got the right energy to match McDuff on the keys! The album's filled with screamin' groovers throughout, including a great version of "Girl From Ipanema", plus originals like "Another Goodun" and "S'Okay". McDuff was always best in a live setting – and this rare gem is a great testament to that fact! LP, Vinyl record album

A great groover from Brother Jack! The record is one of a few that Prestige cut matching Jack's hot quartet with the larger arrangements of Benny Golson – and that formula created some real winners that still sound great today! Sure, the formula was initiated by matching Jimmy Smith with Oliver Nelson, but the McDuff/Golson team is infinitely hipper, and they always managed to swing hard hard hard. Plus, Brother Jack's firey organ solos stretch out nice and lean through the arrangement, giving the record a great soulful sound. Titles include "Rail Head", "Bossa Nova West", "Pink Panther", and "Once In A Lifetime". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the records that put a young Brother Jack McDuff on the map – and a perfect example of the rougher R&B roots that first emerged in his early work on the Hammond! The session's got a much more down-n-dirty feel than some of McDuff's tighter 60s quartet work – and offers a nice bridge between 50s use of the organ in R&B, and the growing soul jazz take on the instrument that McDuff was helping to forge at the time. The group's a real cooker too – with some great work on guitar by a young Grant Green, smoking tenor from Jimmy Forrest, and lyrically dancing drums from the great Ben Dixon. Titles include the great original "Whap!", plus versions of "I Want A Little Girl" and "The Honeydripper" – and an excellent reading of Henry Mancini's "Mr Lucky", virtually worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer, and one of three live sides that Hammond organ genius Brother Jack McDuff cut for Prestige during the 60s – a monster session of stretched-out jazzy grooves, with many fine little dancers, and a raw soulful feel throughout! The group's one of Jack's best – as Red Holloway's tenor blows and hollers over the fingerpoppin' grooves delivered by a young George Benson on his first major guitar gig – and the soulful drums of Joe Dukes scatter across the place, taking the whole band into some incredible rhythms! Titles include cookin' live versions of "Rock Candy", "Sanctified Samba", "Undecided", and "A Real Goodun'". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer diller of a live set from Brother Jack McDuff – a cut that burns with energy that almost beats his studio 60s classics for Prestige! The group is one of Jack's best ever – a lineup that includes the twin tenors of Red Holloway and Harold Vick, plus incredibly sharp guitar from a young George Benson, and some of the most unique soul jazz drum work you'll ever hear – courtesy of the amazing Joe Dukes. Despite their individual strengths, which might make this whole thing an ego-fest – all players fit perfectly into place on the album's hard wailing batch of groovers, and groove together with a sympathetic energy that's simply amazing! Titles include a great remake of "Jive Samba", plus "Dink's Blues", "Grease Monkey", "Passing Through", and "Vas Dis". This is the kind of thing live recording equipment was made for! LP, Vinyl record album

A real killer from Brother Jack McDuff – one of his first truly great albums, and a record that has him breaking from the sleepier R&B organ sound of the 50s – into the leaner, cleaner mode of the 60s! The album's one of the first to have him playing with the incredible drummer Joe Dukes – who gives the grooves plenty of weird twists and turns – that trademark McDuff approach to rhythm that would really set him apart from other organ players. The rest of the group features Leo Wright on alto sax and Kenny Burrell on guitar – both great players here, and not always heard with Jack. Titles include an early take on "Soulful Drums", plus the cuts "After Hours", "Screamin", and "He's A Real Gone Guy". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful stuff from Brother Jack McDuff – very hip, with a mixture of soul jazz and 60s grooving that's hard to beat! The album's also one of Jack's harder to find numbers on Prestige – and it features tenor work by Red Holloway and Harold Ousely, guitar by Pat Azzara, drums by Joe Dukes, and some occasional bigger arrangements by Benny Golson, who always gave Jack the hippest sound around! Includes a sublime mellow cover of "Walk On By", plus the tracks "Song Of The Soul", "Too Many Fish In The Sea", "For Those Who Choose", "Talkin Bout My Woman", and "Around The Corner". LP, Vinyl record album

2 of the greatest albums ever by Jack McDuff – back to back on one CD! Soulful Drums of Joe Dukes was originally issued under the name of McDuff's famous mid-60s funky drummer, Joe Dukes – but it's actually a McDuff session, recorded with the classic quartet lineup that includes Red Holloway on tenor and alto, George Benson on guitar, and Dukes on drums. The album's got an incredible sound, with Dukes' unique approach to drums scattering all over the kit, creating these complicated dancing rhythms for the organ, sax, and guitar lineup. The album's filled with excellent groovers, like "Moohah the D.J.", "Soulful Drums", "Greasy Drums", and "My Three Sons" – and the whole thing's great! Equally sublime is the album Hot Barbeque – probably the strongest of all of McDuff's mid 60s albums, with a coherency and a solidness to the playing that you'd have to work hard to find on other organ group sides from the time. Jack's work on the Hammond is incredible, filled with sharp changes and turns that will leave you breathless, and which will soon make him your favorite organist ever. Benson's guitar is incredible, too – filled with energy and intensity, vamping away at a pace and accuracy that's simply inexplicable. Every single cut's a gem – and the album includes the vocal-driven groover "Hot Barbeque", plus "Hippy Dip", "601 1/2 North Poplar", "The Three Day Thang", and "Briar Patch". All That, and the CD also includes the rare bonus track "Redwood City"! CD

An unusual title, but one that refers to Jackie McLean in quartet, quintet, and sextet formation – a growing lineup that develops along the course of the record, as new players are added into the mix with a casual, almost blowing session approach! The set begins with Jackie's alto set out in spare territory with Mal Waldron on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – plenty of space to solo on "Sentimental Journey" and "Why Was I Born" with sharp changes and deeply soulful tones that really push past the conventions of the tunes – and as the record moves on, Hank Mobley steps in on tenor and Donald Byrd on trumpet – expanding out the sound for nicely-blown versions of"Abstraction", "Confirmation", and "Contour". CD

A great set of soul jazz from McPherson – recorded live, with a rolling groove that's in the Blue Note mode of the mid 60s – but even more open overall! The group's got a lot of hometown talent from McPherson's native Detroit – including Barry Harris on piano, Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, and Ray McKinney on bass – and the mighty Billy Higgins handles the drums, always with a lean and fluid groove that works well with the extended energy of the set! McPherson's horn is sometimes a bit overshadowed by Hillyer's trumpet on the head arrangements – but given how much we like Lonnie, that's hardly a bad thing – and Charles more than comes into his own on the solos! The album features a catchy original called "The Viper", plus the tracks "Suddenly", "Shaw Nuff", and "Never Let Me Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Live material from Mingus' classic mid 60s period – one album recorded at Town Hall in New York in 1964, the other recorded at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis in 1965. Town Hall set features Johnny Coles on trumpet, Clifford Jordan on tenor, and Eric Dolphy on flute, bass clarinet, and alto – on the tracks "So Long Eric" and "Praying With Eric". The Minneapolis set features Lonnie Hillyer on trumpet, Charles McPherson on alto, and Jaki Byard on piano – on another version of "So Long Eric" – this one recorded after Dolphy's death – plus a medley of standards, done the Mingus way! LP, Vinyl record album

A 2LP reissue of very hard to find Hank Mobley sessions from the mid 50's – Mobley's Message, and Mobley's Second Message. The record's filled with damn great hard bop tenor material, with groups that include players like Donald Byrd, Art Taylor, Kenny Dorham, Doug Watkins, and Walter Bishop. All tracks are long, with that good Rudy Van Gelder "roominess" that graced most of the best Prestige albums of the late 50's. With the cuts "Bouncing With Bud", "Alternating Current", "Crazeology", "The Latest", and "Xlento". LP, Vinyl record album

Even at this early point in their career, the Modern Jazz Quartet were plenty proud of their relation to and reception in Paris – almost rubbing their international fame in the faces of other American combos with the title and cover of this record! The set's still got the quartet at their crisp early best – before any of the sometimes too academic or too serious tones of later sides – and tracks are mostly shortish, ringing out with especially nice vibes from Milt Jackson. Titles include an early reading of the title cut "Concorde", plus an extended "Gershwin Medley", and the tracks "All Of You", "I'll Remember April", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from the Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded back when the group still featured Kenny Clarke in its membership, but already with some of the more serious, somber tones that would mark the combo's more famous years! Tracks here are from a variety of sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955 – and trace an evolution of the MJQ style from initial more composed renditions of bop and modern jazz, to some of the more ambitious colors and tones of the Lewis-penned songbook. Titles include longish readings of "Django" and "La Ronde Suite", plus "Milano", "But Not For Me", "The Queen's Fancy", and "Delaunay's Dilemma". CD

A stone classic from the Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded back when the group still featured Kenny Clarke in its membership, but already with some of the more serious, somber tones that would mark the combo's more famous years! Tracks here are from a variety of sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955 – and trace an evolution of the MJQ style from initial more composed renditions of bop and modern jazz, to some of the more ambitious colors and tones of the Lewis-penned songbook. Titles include longish readings of "Django" and "La Ronde Suite", plus "Milano", "But Not For Me", "The Queen's Fancy", and "Delaunay's Dilemma". CD

A 2LP set that brings together most of the material from the first three full-length albums by the Modern Jazz Quartet – all recorded at a time when the combo were first forging their famous sound! Most of the sides here are in contrast to the group's better-known Atlantic work, because the group at this point still featured Kenny Clarke on drums – and although a few tracks here include Connie Kay, the bulk of the recordings are touched by Clarke's tighter, sometimes more aggressive work on percussion – making for a less-than-trademark sound that we really like. As usual, the rest of the group features Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, and Percy Heath on bass – and the 2LP set features 18 tracks that include "Concorde", "Vendome", "Milano", "La Ronde", "Django", "All The Things You Are", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Delauney's Dilemma", "La Ronde Suite", "All Of You", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Yipes! The MJQ must have freaked out when they saw the title to this one – especially since the record doesn't feature them playing especially for lovers, it's just a collection of their excellent early work for Prestige. The album features some of the group's great work with Kenny Clarke on drums – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "All Of You", "But Not For Me", "Rose Of The Rio Grande", and "I'll Remember April". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice stuff from the early days of the MJQ – recorded back when Kenny Clarke was still playing drums with the group, and giving them a bit more of a bottom! One side of the record features material recorded from one of the quartet's first sessions – in late 1952, with the tracks "La Ronde", "Vendome", and "Rose Of The Rio Grande". The rest of the record features material by Jackson's group with Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, Kenny Clarke on drums, and the obscure Henry Boozier on trumpet. That material's a bit more bop-oriented, and titles include "Opus De Funk", "Buhania", and "Soma". LP, Vinyl record album

A full length set that compiles earlier sessions cut under either the name of Thelonious Monk or Sonny Rollins – most of them together in the same group! At the time of recording, Monk was an established figure on the bop scene, but Rollins was still a fresh voiced up-and-comer – yet they work together beautifully here on an early take of "Friday The Thirteenth" which really benefits from Rollins' voicing on tenor, next to Monk's angular arrangement. The pair also perform "The Way You Look Tonight" and "I Want To Be Happy" with a quartet – twisting the familiar tunes into strongly Monkish territory – and the album's last 2 tracks, "Nutty" and "Work" are performed by Monk with a trio that includes Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. CD

A full length set that compiles earlier sessions cut under either the name of Thelonious Monk or Sonny Rollins – most of them together in the same group! At the time of recording, Monk was an established figure on the bop scene, but Rollins was still a fresh voiced up-and-comer – yet they work together beautifully here on an early take of "Friday The Thirteenth" which really benefits from Rollins' voicing on tenor, next to Monk's angular arrangement. The pair also perform "The Way You Look Tonight" and "I Want To Be Happy" with a quartet – twisting the familiar tunes into strongly Monkish territory – and the album's last 2 tracks, "Nutty" and "Work" are performed by Monk with a trio that includes Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. CD

A full length LP that brings together 2 earlier sessions by Thelonious Monk! The main part of the album is a legendary Monk quintet recording, done at a time when Thelonious was mostly pretty trio-heavy in the studio – and a set that features some great tenor by Frank Foster, alongside trumpet by Ray Copeland, bass by Curley Russell, and drums by Art Blakey! Tracks are longish, and although they have some Monkish moments, especially on the ballads, there's also some looser bop-style solo work from the horns. Titles include "Locomotive", "Hackensack", "We See", and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". Added to these tracks are 3 more by another quintet – one that features Sonny Rollins on tenor, Julius Watkins on French Horn, Percy Heath on bass, and Willie Jones on drums. Titles include 2 takes of "Think Of One", plus "Let's Call This". CD

Key early trio material from Thelonious Monk – a record that features seminal recordings of important compositions, all done in sharply angular versions that showcase the best modern Monk touch on piano! As with a number of early Prestige LPs, the material here is pulled from 2 different sessions that were originally issued as smaller records – but there's a deeply unified sound to the record, and the raw early Monk sound is undeniably great! The trios here feature either Gary Mapp or Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey or Max Roach on drums – and titles include "Monk's Dream", "Little Rootie Tootie", "Bemsha Swing", "Trinkle Trinkle", "Blue Monk", "Just A Gigolo", and "Bye-Ya". CD

Genius work from Moody – and a larger session than usual – one that shows his strong talents with an expanded lineup! Moody's working here with players that have a definite Dizzy Gillespie Big Band bent – including trumpeter Dave Burns, trombonist William Shepherd, baritonist Pee Wee Moore, and pianist Jimmy Boyd – but they're working with Moody in a groove that's got equal parts modern alongside the bop, in a way that makes for some complicated arrangements that bristle with electricity. There's almost a bit of Gigi Gryce or Benny Golson in the spirit of the set – and Moody's work on alto is an especially good example of this on the record. Eddie Jefferson makes a great vocal appearance on "Disappointed" – and other tracks include "Little Ricky", "Big Ben", "Show Eyes", "Hard To Get", and "And You Called My Name". LP, Vinyl record album

James Moody on alto and tenor saxophone, Pee Wee Moore on baritone saxophone, William Shepherd on trombone, Dave Burns on trumpet, Jimmy Boyd and Sadik Hakim on piano, John Lathan on bass, Clarence Johnson and Joe Harris on drums, with vocals from Eddie Jefferson and Iona Wade. CD

One of the first records ever as a leader from funky drummer Idris Muhammad – a set that was cut right at the same time Idris was burning up the kit on his classic jazz funk sessions with other Prestige label players! The groove here is tight, funky, and very much in the mode that Muhammad laid down for other bigger soloists – a solid, socking sound that was the early 70s inheritance of the "Popcorn" funk groove of the late 60s. Players here are all great – and include Melvin Sparks on guitar, Harold Mabern on electric piano, and Virgil Jones on trumpet – and tracks include great covers of "Express Yourself" and "Super Bad", plus "Wander" and "Soulful Drums". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first records ever as a leader from funky drummer Idris Muhammad – a set that was cut right at the same time Idris was burning up the kit on his classic jazz funk sessions with other Prestige label players! The groove here is tight, funky, and very much in the mode that Muhammad laid down for other bigger soloists – a solid, socking sound that was the early 70s inheritance of the "Popcorn" funk groove of the late 60s. Players here are all great – and include Melvin Sparks on guitar, Harold Mabern on electric piano, and Virgil Jones on trumpet – and tracks include great covers of "Express Yourself" and "Super Bad", plus "Wander" and "Soulful Drums". LP, Vinyl record album

2 classics from the legendary Idris Muhammad! Black Rhythm Revolution is one of the first records ever as a leader from funky drummer Idris Muhammad – a set that was cut right at the same time Idris was burning up the kit on his classic jazz funk sessions with other Prestige label players! The groove here is tight, funky, and very much in the mode that Muhammad laid down for other bigger soloists – a solid, socking sound that was the early 70s inheritance of the "Popcorn" funk groove of the late 60s. Players here are all great – and include Melvin Sparks on guitar, Harold Mabern on electric piano, and Virgil Jones on trumpet – and tracks include great covers of "Express Yourself" and "Super Bad", plus "Wander" and "Soulful Drums". Peace & Rhythms is a wonderful departure from Muhammad – and proof that he could do a lot more than just provide heavy breaks for Lou Donaldson and Melvin Sparks! This set is surprisingly spiritual and righteous at points – with a groove that's almost more like Strata East than some of Muhammad's previous work as a sideman on Blue Note and Prestige. Side one features the extended "Peace and Rhythm Suite" – a beautiful cut that's filled with searching, soaring energy – and side two includes two vocal cuts "Brother You Know You're Doing Wrong" and "I'm a Believer", both sung by Sakinah Muhammad – plus "Don't Knock My Love". Players are all great – and a nicely different lineup than the usual Prestige jazz funk gang. CD

One of the few albums ever recorded by Jimmy Neeley – an unsung piano genius of the 50s and 60s, with a sound and style that placed him right up there with the best work of Ahmad Jamal! Like Jamal, Neeley has a bit of a flair for the exotic – and also like Jamal, his trio performances are very well crafted, fitting together bass (by Michel Mulia) and drums (by Rudy Lawless) into a seamless blend of percussive and rhythmic expression that really grooves nicely with the piano. Titles include "The Chase", "Misirlou", "Getting A Taste", "Lament For The Lonely", and "Gone With The Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first larger concept albums from Oliver Nelson – and a set that really marked a strong step forward as a jazz arranger! The album is one long suite – as you might guess from the title – with righteous themes that deal not just with rising independence in postwar Africa, but also the Civil Rights struggle in the US – performed by a superb lineup that includes Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Eric Dixon on flute and tenor, Joe Neman and Ernie Royal on trumpets, Melba Liston and Billy Byers on trombones, Patti Brown on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Ray Barretto on congas. Nelson is fantastic too – and blows tenor and alto with some fantastic moments. Passages of the suite include "Disillusioned", "Freedom Dance", "Emancipation Blues", and "Jungleaire". CD