A monster set of work by one of the funkiest guitar players ever! Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones recorded a number of sides for Prestige Records during the early 70s – but this rare gem came out after all those, in 1975, on the tiny Joka label, and never really got into proper circulation at the time – making it one of THE indie jazz funk classics of the 70s! The album's actually one of Boogaloo's best – and has a rougher edge than his Prestige albums – heard to great effect on the two standout funky cuts, "Sweetback" and "Confusion" – both of which are stunners that feature Jones really ripping away on the guitar! The whole set's nice, though – and other tracks include "You've Got It Bad Girl", "Trouble In Mind", and "Jamaica Farewell". CD

The rarest of three albums that King Pleasure ever recorded – and pretty darn hard to find, too. The set was recorded after King's earlier sides for the Prestige and HiFi jazz labels, but it's in a very similar style, with some wonderful vocalese-ing done in Pleasure's landmark style. He's really one of the greatest jazz singers of the 20th century, and it's unfortunate that apart from the big hit fame of "Moody's Mood For Love" (recorded here once again), King never got strong recognition as a richly talented singer. A number of cuts on here are re-recordings of earlier work – like "Don't Get Scared" and "Sometimes I'm Happy" – and other tracks include "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "Old Black Magic". Plus, this CD reissue also expands the original album with a lot of bonus cuts, including some great unreleased numbers – a total of 18 tracks in all, and a treasure trove of work by King Pleasure! CD

Despite the fact that the title's "Introducing Roland Kirk", it's not actually Kirk's first album – but it is a heck of a smoker with a very unusual sound! The session features Roland with a Chicago group that includes Ira Sullivan on trumpet, Don Garrett on bass, and Ron Burton on both piano and organ – the latter of which gives Kirk's playing a very different feel than usual – a bit more soul jazz and gutbuckety than on the later Mercury recordings. In fact, given Roland's use of many different reed instruments (tenor, manzello, stritch, and whistle – all often played at the same time!) – there's almost a Yusef Lateef quality to the album, at last in the style of some of Lateef's more hardbop sides for Prestige at the time. Kirk's tone, as always, is amazing – with that really spacious feel he gets from playing more than one horn at once! Titles include some great originals, like "The Call", "Soul Station", and "Spirit Girl" – plus "Our Waltz" and "Jack The Ripper". CD

One of THE key records in the Konitz school – a full length Prestige album that brings together important material from sessions originally issued on 10" LPs! The lineup here is virtually the Konitz school – with shifting lineups that include Billy Bauer on guitar, Lenny Tristano or Sal Mosca on piano, and Warne Marsh on tenor – all working as airily and fluidly as Konitz himself! How Lee managed to achieve such unity with his groups here will forever be a mystery to us – as will the freshness of the work at the end of the 40s, especially given that it's still arguably more "modern" than much of the jazz it inspired in years to come! Titles include "Progression", "Subconscious-Lee", "Rebecca", "Sound-Lee", "Fishin Around", "Palo Alto", "Ice Cream Konitz", "You Go To My Head", and "Tautology". CD

A long-overdue look at the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden – an tiny little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time – politician, club owner, and local businessman – but he also put together his own band and record label, and worked in a very hip mix of R&B and 60s soul jazz modes! Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact with a variety of great musicians, both national and local – and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here for his LG family of labels – issued on a handful of singles and two rare LPs. Although rough-edged at times, these tracks have a really great sound – kind of a grittier take on the Prestige Records groove of the 60s – helped out by musicians who include Oliver Nelson and Hamiet Bluiett – and singers who include Albert King and Charles Drain. The package is a bit loose on discographical details, but definitely includes all the best moments from these mighty years on the East St Louis scene – and the full story in the notes more than helps to fill in the gaps in Gooden's compelling tale. The titles by Leo's Five – Gooden's group – are all hip jazz instrumentals, often with a strong mix of Hammond, guitar, and tenor – and these titles include "Hold It", "Sunrise Serenade", "Something You Got", "Tippin", "Johnnie Come Marching Home (Country Style)", "Minor Over Matter", "Mop Water", "Fredrick's Dream", and "Cookin With Chezie Mae". Other cuts include "COD" and "Worsome Baby" by Albert King, "So Glad" and "Stop & Think About It Baby" by Charles Drain, "Winkee Do" and "Ugly Ugly" by Leo Gooden, and "Let's Do The Cat" by Jamie Ross. CD

The only album to ever feature drummer Lawrence Marable as the leader of a group – and a cooking little hardbop set that showed the world that LA wasn't just a source for cool jazz in the 50s! The record is quite different than anything you'd hear from Chet Baker or Shorty Rogers – much more a Blue Note or Prestige-styled session, thanks in large part to the bold work of James Clay on tenor – who's noted here in the title, but is also an undeniable force in the music, and part of a wave of Texas talent that was really helping to transform the Cali sound in the 50s. Other players include the great Sonny Clark on piano – making a strong pre-Blue Note appearance – and the equally great Jimmy Bond on bass. Titles include "Airtight", "Easy Living", "Minor Meeting", "Marbles", and "Three Fingers North". CD

A sweet live set from guitarist Pat Martino – recorded with a nice gritty feel, and just the right blend of organ and tenor that Pat would get on his Prestige Records dates of the 60s! The tracks are all nice and long, with the kind of open, freewheeling energy that we love back in the 60s soul jazz days when Martino got his start – and as on some other excellent recent dates, the move back to basics works perfectly for Pat's deep talents on the guitar – augmented nicely here by organ lines form Tony Monaco, and some especially tight tenor from Eric Alexander. The group's completed by drummer Jeff Tain Watts – and titles include "Lean Years", "Inside Out", "Side Effect", "Goin To A Meeting", and "Double Play". CD

Twin organs back to back – and a heck of a hard-wailing set from Groove Holmes and Jimmy McGriff! The album cooks from the very first note – and features long tunes that open up with the same sort of solo-heavy approach that you'd get on Holmes' Prestige albums of the 60s – very stretched out, in a way that offers the keyboardists no cover at all, and forces them to keep thinking on their feet to come up with great notes! Bernard Purdie plays some nicely tight drums on the set, and guitar is by George Freeman and O'Donel Levy – both of whom add some nice superdope touches to the set! A winner all the way through, with great solos – and titles that include "Licks A Plenty", "The Squirrel", and "Finger Lickin' Good". CD

A mighty nice setting for Carmen McRae, and a bit different than usual too – especially given that the backing group is a pretty soulful tenor/organ combo! Jack McDuff handles the Hammond, and Red Holloway plays both tenor and alto, with some nice comping from Phil Upchurch on guitar in the group – and this mix of hip players gives the set a more soulful swing than some other McRae dates from the time – and from other times as well – almost going for the feel of some of the 60s Etta Jones sets on Prestige. Titles include "Black & Blue", "My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More", "Fine & Mellow", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry", and "One More Chance". CD

One of Charles Mingus' excellent albums for the Bethlehem label – recorded during that magical year of 1957, a real turning point in his career! There's a sharpness here to Mingus' musical vision that hadn't shown up in previous years – a refinement of ideas expressed for Savoy and Prestige on previous sessions, drawn with tighter tension, and a bolder sense of spirit and emotion throughout. The group's a well-chosen batch of modernists – with Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, and the surprising addition of Bill Evans on piano – sounding a fair bit bolder here than elsewhere. Titles are almost all Mingus originals with a great balance of modern structures and freer solo moments – and tracks include "Conversation", "West Coast Ghost", "Fifty First Street Blues", "East Coasting", and the sublime "Celia", which Mingus and Hadi performed in the film Shadows by John Cassavettes. CD reissue also features bonus alternate takes of "East Coasting" and "Memories Of You". CD

One of Charles Mingus' excellent albums for the Bethlehem label – recorded during that magical year of 1957, a real turning point in his career! There's a sharpness here to Mingus' musical vision that hadn't shown up in previous years – a refinement of ideas expressed for Savoy and Prestige on previous sessions, drawn with tighter tension, and a bolder sense of spirit and emotion throughout. The group's a well-chosen batch of modernists – with Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, and the surprising addition of Bill Evans on piano – sounding a fair bit bolder here than elsewhere. Titles are almost all Mingus originals with a great balance of modern structures and freer solo moments – and tracks include "Conversation", "West Coast Ghost", "Fifty First Street Blues", "East Coasting", and the sublime "Celia", which Mingus and Hadi performed in the film Shadows by John Cassavettes. CD reissue also features bonus alternate takes of "East Coasting" and "Memories Of You". CD

A very unique album from Hank Mobley – one that has him working alongside Milt Jackson, in an unusual format that mixes the soulful Mobley tenor with some well-crafted work on vibes! The "all star" title is certainly appropriate here – as Mobley and Jackson are joined in a quintet by Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – almost bringing in an early Jazz Messengers sensibility to the record, but also hitting more of a looser, laidback blowing session approach. There's less of the tightness of other Mobley sessions from the time, and the record has the players really feeling each other out in the studio – with the sort of spontaneity you might hear in a Prestige or Savoy album from the time. Tracks are long, and titles include "Ultramarine", "Don't Walk", "Lower Stratosphere", and "Mobley's Musings". CD

The jazz message of Hank Mobley here is loud, proud, and plenty soulful – a key early illustration of his massive talents on the tenor sax, recorded in the relaxed company of top-shelf players of his generation! The format's a bit less structured than Mobley on Blue Note – more in a Prestige mode, although not as loose as a blowing session, given the length of the tunes. Two groups work with Hank on the set – one that includes John LaPorta on alto, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Horace Silver on piano – another with Byrd on trumpet and Ronnie Ball on piano. La Porta's alto is an especially nice treat – quite an unusual modern pairing with Mobley – and rhythm is from either Doug Watkins or Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Cattin", "Madeline", "When I Fall In Love", "Budo", "I Married An Angel", and "The Jazz Message". CD

A long-overdue tribute to the legendary Moondog – one of the true visionaries of American music in the 20th Century! Moondog got his starts as a blind musician working the streets of New York at the end of the 40s, but he did so (as you'll note on the cover photo) with a range of unusual instruments of his own invention, and in a minimal, rhythmic style that linked together primitivism with higher musical ideals. Moondog's often been called "the father of minimalism" – and while his experiments of the 50s prefaced the work of Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and others, his work was also much more personal, and had an earthy intensity that's still tremendously powerful even decades later! This collection is one of the first to dip into the earliest of Moondog's recordings – his recordings for the Mars, SRC, Brunswick, and Moondog labels – which are presented here alongside selected tracks from his albums for Epic and Prestige, also of similar vintage. Nearly all the tracks here offer a very primitive blend of percussion that's sometimes mixed with unusual woodwind or stringed instruments – nearly all of Moondog's own invention – and the package also features some great notes on his long career, plus some photos that are as gripping as the music itself! Titles include "Down Is Up", "Big Cat", "Bumbo", "Rimshot", "Rabbit Hop", "Instrumental Round", "Be A Hobo", "Dog Trot", "Oasis", "2 W 46th Street", and "Why Spend The Dark Night With You". CD

Ralph Moore's a player we always like to keep our ear on, and this album's no exception – a cracklingly soulful batch of tunes played with a razor-sharp quintet, all tied together beautifully with Moore's tenor on top! The date's great proof that rock-solid sessions could still be cut well after the classic Blue Note or Prestige Records years – and Moore's sense of timing and guidance easily matches that of many other tenor titans from previous years. And even more than some tenorists, who really see themselves as the star of the show, Ralph's got a sense of warmth and comradeship that always seems to bring out the best in his players – who on this date include Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Benny Green on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and either Victor Lewis or Kenny Washington on drums. Titles include "Pheobe's Samba", "Girl Talk", "Line D", "Monk's Dream", "310 Blues", and "Hopscotch". CD

An incredible record from funky drummer Idris Muhammad! Idris is probably known for his funky break work on Blue Note and Prestige records sessions of the late 60s and early 70s – but by the time of this 1974 album, he was really expanding his style, hitting a laidback groove that went way beyond the simple drum break, into a world of complicated fills and riffs that forever changed the face of funk. The best example of this is the album's standout groove – the massive cut "Loran's Dance", which has a mellow jazzy vibe that you'll recognize from its popular use as a sample cut over the years (by the Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, and others.) All cuts are long and mellow, and other titles include "Power Of Soul", "Saddest Thing" and "Piece of Mind". CD

An incredible record from funky drummer Idris Muhammad! Idris is probably known for his funky break work on Blue Note and Prestige records sessions of the late 60s and early 70s – but by the time of this 1974 album, he was really expanding his style, hitting a laidback groove that went way beyond the simple drum break, into a world of complicated fills and riffs that forever changed the face of funk. The best example of this is the album's standout groove – the massive cut "Loran's Dance", which has a mellow jazzy vibe that you'll recognize from its popular use as a sample cut over the years (by the Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, and others.) All cuts are long and mellow, and other titles include "Power Of Soul", "Saddest Thing" and "Piece of Mind". CD

The group's just a trio, but they've got a wonderfully full sound – a rich funky groove that comes from just drums, bass, and keyboards – yet which has this soaring reach that almost takes us back to the 70s genius of work on labels like Fantasy or Prestige! Drummer Toshiyuki Sasaki is a monster on the kit – snapping things into the groove from the very first note, and driven on strongly by the basslines of Shigeki Umezawa – while Mariko Nakabayashi warms things up in a wonderful way with all sorts of great keyboard solos – often in an electric piano mode, but sometimes with a wider sonic reach as well! The approach is a bit like the Indigo Jam Unit from years back, but maybe has some more classic touches as well – thanks to versions of cuts by Weldon Irvine, Manzel, and Deodato, all mixed in with the group's own music too. Titles include "Another World", "Space Funk", "Looking Back", "Inner Space", "La Ritournelle", "Skyscrapers", "Caught Up", "Nautical Table", and "We Getting Down". CD

Eight Prestige, Moodsville, New Jazz, and Impulse albums – all in one set! CD

A killer hardbop session – and a long lost classic! This stunning set is one of the best, and hardest sessions ever cut for the Bethlehem label – and it's got a raw pounding groove that sounds a lot more like some of the classic soul-tinged hardbop coming out on Prestige during the late 50s. Drummer Charlie Persip leads a crack quintet that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ronnie Matthews on piano, and the amazing Roland Alexander on tenor. Alexander was a fantastic soul jazz player in the early 60s – and he was hardly ever recorded, and his work on this session is worth the price of the album alone. Everyone's great, though – and even a young Marcus Belgrave makes an appearance on one track, as Freddie Hubbard sits out. Tracks are all long, and titles include "Sevens", "Right Down Front", "The Champ", and "Soul March". CD

A great mid 70s session from keyboardist Sonny Phillips – very different than his early work! Although Sonny was one of the funky organ players to record for Prestige during the classic jazz funk years, by the time of this recording, he'd emerged as a more spiritual talent, with a looser, freer approach, and a much more open-ended vibe. This 1976 session is a good example of that – as it moves beyond simple funky jazz, into a realm that shows Phillips picking up a lot of outside influences, and going for a style that was mellower, more laidback, and a bit more cosmic – while still hitting some nice funky moments. The set was recorded by Houston Person, and features Phillips on piano and organ, with backing by Ben Dixon, Jimmy Ponder, and Ralph Dorsey. Titles include "Salaam 7", "Goin Home", "My Black Flower", and "Jalal". CD

The "flipside" of Ike Quebec's legendary run of albums for Blue Note – a huge set of material recorded only as 45 singles during his same stretch at the label! Although Quebec's work as a soulful tenorist has been well documented and reissued over the years on albums like Blue & Sentimental and Heavy Soul, Ike also cut a fair number of singles aimed at the jukebox and radio crowds of the time – tunes that were more in the gutsy tenor and organ mode recorded by labels like Prestige or Chess, and which never made it onto any of the full-length sets for Blue Note! This great little package brings together all of Ike's 26 tracks recorded for 45s in the late 50s and early 60s – material that features organ on most numbers, played by either Ike Quebec, Sir Charles Thompson, or the enigmatic Edwin Swanston. Quebec's tone and phrasing is similar to his Blue Note LP work of the period, but there's also a more relaxed, and more punctuated feel to these recordings – one that's not as rough or raw as other jukebox tenor stars of the time, but which still steps out past the usual Blue Note poise, especially on the original numbers. Some tracks were briefly issued on the 80s collection With A Song In My Heart, and in a Mosaic box – but this is the first proper Blue Note album of the material. Titles include "Buzzard Lope", "Zonky", "Blue Monday", "Later For The Rock", "Dear John", "Blue Friday", "Ill Wind", "Mardis Gras", "Everything Happens To Me", "Me N Mabe", "All The Way", "Intermezzo", "All Of Me", and "Imagination". CD

A killer batch of hardbop tracks – no-nonsense, straight-ahead, and with all the fire of Roach's work with Clifford Brown! The set was recorded a few years after the untimely death of the Brown/Roach group – and although the album's got "Charlie Parker" in the title, there's a lot more going on here than just a bop revival mode. Players include Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley, and George Coleman – and the album's got that Prestige Records feel from the late 50s, similar to some of Mobley's own work for that label at the time. Titles include "Yardbird Suite", "Confirmation", "Koko", "Billie's Bounce", and "Au Privave". CD also features 4 bonus cuts – "Anthropology", "Tune Up", "This Time The Dream's On Me", and "Raoul". CD

Two classic albums from the great Sonny Rollins – both made during some time on the LA scene of the late 50s, and matched here with a more obscure third album that issued alternate sides from the sessions! First up is the classic Way Out West – a set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". Next is Sonny Rollins & The Contemporary Leaders – one of Sonny's brilliant west coast sessions for Contemporary – records that shouldn't sparkle as much as they do, but which actually stand with his best work of the 50s! Sonny's blowing in front of a session of "leaders" that includes Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, and Victor Feldman, who plays vibes on one track. Sonny's the real leader here, though – as his bold, proud tenor tone really takes front seat, carving lines that never get tired, bringing a sparkle into tunes like "You", "How High The Moon", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Song Is You", and "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". Heck, even with songs like those, the album should be weak – but there's an undeniable magic that really makes it great! Last is Contemporary Alternate Takes – a great collection of alternate takes from Sonny's landmark recordings for Contemporary Records in the late 50s – material recorded in LA with an easier-swinging groove than some of his New York work, in a style that let Sonny blow in round, warm, and really open tones – almost foreseeing his work for RCA in the mid 60s. Players include Ray Brown, Shelly Manne, Victor Feldman, and Barney Kessel – and the set features alternate takes of "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Come Gone", "Way Out West", "The Song Is You", and "You". CD

A classic set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

A killer – and one of the greatest records ever cut on Bethlehem! Charlie Rouse and Paul Quinichette go head to head in a hard-blown session that's very different than most of the work on Bethlehem – grooving in a free-wheeling "chase" mode, as you might guess from the title – with lots of heavy tenor in the lead, cooking at a level that's more like a Prestige or Savoy session from the 50s! The group's as tight as can be – with some killer drum work from Ed Thigpen, and piano by either Wynton Kelly or Hank Jones. Titles include "The Chase Is On", "You're Cheating Yourself", "Knittin", "Tender Trap", and "When The Blues Come On". CD

A killer – and one of the greatest records ever cut on Bethlehem! Charlie Rouse and Paul Quinichette go head to head in a hard-blown session that's very different than most of the work on Bethlehem – grooving in a free-wheeling "chase" mode, as you might guess from the title – with lots of heavy tenor in the lead, cooking at a level that's more like a Prestige or Savoy session from the 50s! The group's as tight as can be – with some killer drum work from Ed Thigpen, and piano by either Wynton Kelly or Hank Jones. Titles include "The Chase Is On", "You're Cheating Yourself", "Knittin", "Tender Trap", and "When The Blues Come On". CD

A searing live performance from Hammond legend Shirley Scott – much more on fire and longspun than her work in the 60s on Prestige Records – and an amazing showcase for the bold tenor talents of the great George Coleman! Coleman's always one of those players who seems to hit an extra something special when blowing live – and that's definitely the case here, as the richness of his tone and dexterity of his imagination – qualities that also really seem to inspire Scott on the organ as well! Unlike earlier dates, Shirley's handling all the basswork herself on the pedals of the Hammond – which only seems to open up and solidify her sense of rhythm – and the trio features excellent work on drums from Bobby Durham, whose loose touch is perfect. Titles include "Blues By Five", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Like Someone In Love", "Impressions", "Witchcraft", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – and Ernie Andrews guests on vocals on a few tracks too, including "Girl Talk" and "Don't Mess Around With Jim". CD

A stone killer from organist Lonnie Smith – one of his completely cooking early albums for Blue Note, and a hard-burner all the way through! Smith's working here with a really great group that includes Idris Muhammad on drums and Melvin Sparks on guitar – both of whom give the album a really heavy bottom, and almost make the set feel like one of those classic Prestige jammers from the same time. But added to them is a great horn section of Lee Morgan on trumpet, Julian Preister on trombone, and Bennie Maupin on tenor – all of whom give the record a slightly hipper, more modern feel – in keeping with the Blue Note groove of the time. Tracks are all nice and long – and titles include the originals "Turning Point" and "Slow High" – plus versions of "See Saw", "People Sure Act Funny", and "Eleanor Rigby". CD

A stone killer from organist Lonnie Smith – one of his completely cooking early albums for Blue Note, and a hard-burner all the way through! Smith's working here with a really great group that includes Idris Muhammad on drums and Melvin Sparks on guitar – both of whom give the album a really heavy bottom, and almost make the set feel like one of those classic Prestige jammers from the same time. But added to them is a great horn section of Lee Morgan on trumpet, Julian Preister on trombone, and Bennie Maupin on tenor – all of whom give the record a slightly hipper, more modern feel – in keeping with the Blue Note groove of the time. Tracks are all nice and long – and titles include the originals "Turning Point" and "Slow High" – plus versions of "See Saw", "People Sure Act Funny", and "Eleanor Rigby". CD

A tasty little live set from Sonny Stitt – recorded in the company of organist Don Patterson! The set cooks with the fire of the best Patterson/Stitt studio sides for Prestige – and features a similar trio lineup that has the pair accompanied only by drummer Billy James – going for a really freewheeling trio sound that lets both leaders spin out some incredible long solos. The quality of the recording is great – part of the rare Left Bank archives – and was never issued until this CD – featuring tracks that include "Deuces Wild", "Blues Up & Down", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Cry Me A River". CD

An album recorded for the Delmark label, but one that follows strongly from the style of Prestige Records in the 60s – particularly those great sessions that featured saxophonist Sonny Stitt blowing next to a Hammond! In this case, the Hammond is handled by the great Don Patterson, who played with Sonny in the 60s – in a trio that also has the great Billy James on drums – a player whose loose, open style really works great with the magic Patterson touch on the keys! The tracks are a bit shorter than some of the longer jams on Don's albums of the 60s, but still equally nice. Stitt plays tenor and alto – and titles include "Funny", "Honey", "Blues For JJ", "Night Has A Thousand Eyes", and "Samba De Orfeo". CD features a previously unissued alternate of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD

One of Sonny Stitt's amazing albums for Roost – a record with a beautifully mature conception of bop soloing, and a totally confident tone throughout! There's an understated brilliance here that's nearly impossible to describe in words – a sense of placement, timing, and phrasing that's really impeccable – and handled with Stitt at a level that shows tremendous growth from his early years on Prestige! The group's a quintet, with Freddie Green on guitar and Hank Jones on piano – and titles include "Afterwards", "Biscuit Mix", "Blues For Bobby", and "The Nearness Of You". Great cover, too – with Stitt backlit against a smokey backdrop, blowing away easily. CD

One of Sonny Stitt's amazing albums for Roost – a record with a beautifully mature conception of bop soloing, and a totally confident tone throughout! There's an understated brilliance here that's nearly impossible to describe in words – a sense of placement, timing, and phrasing that's really impeccable – and handled with Stitt at a level that shows tremendous growth from his early years on Prestige! The group's a quintet, with Freddie Green on guitar and Hank Jones on piano – and titles include "Afterwards", "Biscuit Mix", "Blues For Bobby", and "The Nearness Of You". Great cover, too – with Stitt backlit against a smokey backdrop, blowing away easily. CD

A sweetly funky little set from Sonny Stitt – one of his hippest albums ever, and a rare date cut for Ahmad Jamal's short-lived record label! The sound here is a great combination of the late 60s tone that Sonny forged on other east coast indies – and some of the hipper, more open rhythms he'd later hit on the Jazz Masters label in Detroit on his work with Eddie Russ – a sound that's quite unique, and which is a fair bit different than the funk-based Stitt dates for Prestige around the same time. Players here are quite unusual too – Herbie Hancock on piano, organ, and Fender Rhodes – plus Ted Sommer on vibes, and guitar by either Gene Bertoncini, Howard Collins, or John Pizzarelli – depending on the track. Rhythm is by Ron Carter on bass and Grady Tate on drums – and the arrangements by Dave Ward have a nicely fresh approach to soul jazz – one that really keeps things interesting throughout! Titles include "Sunny", "My Idea", "Jason's Blues", "Out Of This World", "Opus 1", "When Sonny Blows Blue", and "Mac Arthur Park". CD

A rootsy blues 2-fer – with two rare Prestige Blues sessions on a single CD! First up is Blues & Folk – a set with a very appropriate title, given the earthy feel of the music – mostly just guitar from Brownie McGhee and harmonica from Sonny Terry – plus vocals by both! There's a really laidback, back-to-the-delta sort of sound here – all acoustic, and a real change from the electric blues that was coming out in the mainstream at the time. Titles include "Gone Gal", "Red River Blues", "Sonny's Squall", "Tryin To Win", "Too Nicey Mama", and "Meet Me Down The Bottom". Next is Blues All Around My Head – very stripped down material from the team of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – recorded during the pair's big revival with the folk blues crowds of the 60s! The sound is all acoustic – mostly just vocals, guitar, and harmonica – played with a timeless quality on titles that include "Muddy Water", "My Plan", "Trying To Destroy Me", "Jealous Man", "Understand Me", and "Blues Of Happiness". CD

A very hip set of soul jazz tunes from Belgian guitarist Rene Thomas – one of the best European players of his generation! The album feature Thomas on guitar, backed by a group that includes Lou Bennett on organ, Jacques Pelzer on sax and flute, Gilbert Rovere on bass, and Charles Bellonzi on drums. The groove is very hip – sounding a lot like a Prestige or Blue Note organ/guitar session from the time, with lots of longish tracks that feature plenty of room for solos. Titles include "Meeting", "Hannie's Dream", "Wes Coast Blues", and "Doctor Jackie". CD

One of the few solo albums ever cut by organist Chester Thompson – a player who's known to most as the keyboardist in Tower Of Power, but one who's also remembered by a select funky few for this killer record for the Black Jazz label! The album's a stripped-down quartet session – with labelmate Rudolph Johnson on tenor, blowing some beautiful lines alongside long, drawn-out Hammond solos from Thompson! The overall feel is similar to some of the great late 60s Prestige sessions – especially Don Patterson dates – with the group free swinging away in a very live format, just like you might have heard if you caught them in some hip southside club. Other players include Al Hall Jr on trombone and Ray Pounds on drums – and the album features four long jamming tracks, with titles that include "Mr T", "Trip One", "Weird Harold", and "Powerhouse". CD

Heavily grooving Italian jazz from 1960 – featuring the piano of Amedo Tommasi, and the twin-horn team of Cicci Santucci and Enzo Scoppa! Santucci plays trumpet and Scoppa plays tenor, and together, the pair were one of the tightest front lines working south of the Alps. We've stocked sets that include some of their funky work from the 70s – but this little gem is a rare early appearance in a straight bop mode, grooving nicely all the way through with the soulfulness of a rare side on Blue Note or Prestige from the same time! Titles include "Mulatto", "Zamboni 22", "Ballad For Micheline", "Coltrane", and "Auto Strada Del Sole". CD

A rare non-Blue Note 60s date as a leader from Stanley Turrentine – recorded for Impluse when his (then) wife Shirley Scott was contracted to the label – and featuring the talents of both players on some very groovy tracks! The quartet features both Stan's tenor and Shirley's Hammond – with bass by Ron Carter and drums from Mack Simpkins – all in an easy-going groove that recalls some of the best Turrentine/Scott pairings on Prestige! There's a quality here that's relaxed, but never lazy – professional, but never slick – and the album's great proof that although both players could be great on their own, they often sounded even better together at this point in their careers. The album features a cool version of "On a Clear Day", which Shirley always manages to kick into a nice groove – plus the tracks "Good Lookin Out", "Let It Go", "Sure As You're Born", "T'Aint What You Do", and "Ciao Ciao". CD

Sweet and soulful early work from Stanley Turrentine – one of the few albums he recorded in the early 60s with wife Shirley Scott – then one of the greatest female organ players in the business! The album's got a easy going soul jazz feel that's a lot like the work the pair cut for Prestige – with great organ rhythms from Scott, and some additional conga from Ray Barretto – cooking up the rhythm section a bit more than usual! Titles include "Never Let Me Go", "Sara's Dance", "Trouble", and "Major's Minor" plus the bonus track "They Can't Take That Away From Me". CD

One of the best records Mal Waldron ever made, and a blinding hard bop session featuring a tight quintet with knock-down-dead front horn lines! The record really follows strongly in the mode of some of Waldron's contributions to Prestige blowing sessions from the same period – but it's also got a much great focus and tightness – one that puts the record right up there with the best hardbop sides on Blue Note! Gigi Gryce plays some razor-sharp alto on the session, Idrees Sulieman is on trumpet, and Waldron's piano is unusually soulful – with slight modern changes that really keep things interesting. Tracks include "Shome", "Transfiguration", "Stablemates", and "Dee's Dilemma". CD

A helluva great CD – one that brings together both volumes of the legendary Night At Boomers live dates on Muse Records from the 70s! The core material is a great little session of soul jazz – and very much in a classic mode, but with touches of the Strata East sound of the 70s. Although Blue Note and Prestige had seemed to abandon straighter soul jazz by the early 70s, Muse was cranking out some nice sides with older players of the 60s scene. This set features Cedar Walton's crack trio with Sam Jones and Louis Hayes, joined by tenorist Clifford Jordan, who was blossoming into a whole new player during the decade. Titles include "Holy Land", "Down In Brazil", "Cheryl", "Naima", "I'll Remember April", "All The Way", and "Bleeker Street Theme". CD

One of the all-time great tenor/organ sessions on Blue Note – totally fierce, with a sound that's a lot rawer than most other work on the label! The incredible Baby Face Willette grooves it hard and heavy on Hammond – working in a quartet that includes Fred Jackson on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, and Ben Dixon on drums – a killer lineup that makes for a very cooking sound throughout! There's a bit of an R&B-ish tinge to most of the tracks on the set – gutbuckety soul jazz, of the sort you'd hear on a label like Prestige, but recorded with more of the Blue Note sense of poise and professionalism – a very unique blend that makes the album an essential one in any collection. Titles include "Swingin' At Sugar Rays", "Face To Face", "Something Strange", and "Goin Down". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Face To Face (alt)" and "Something Strange (alt)". CD

An excellent set of recordings from a unique moment for the Xanadu Records label – an imprint that was carrying the torch of the Prestige label style well into the 70s – also run by that label's old head, Don Schlitten! The tracks here were all recorded live in Dakar – by a tight quintet that features some of the best Xanadu players at the time – both Al Cohn and Billy Mitchell on tenor, plus Dolo Coker on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Frank Butler on drums. Mitchell is especially wonderful – an excellent soloist who was often lost in larger groups throughout his career, but who really got the chance to shine in the bigger, more open space of the small group sides. Both he and Cohn blow at some of their best levels for the performances – and titles include "Night Flight To Dakar", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", "Blues Up & Down", "Sweet Senegelese Brown", "Robbins Nest", "Blues In The Closet", "Easy Living", and "The King". CD

A heavy dose of funky jazz – and one that goes way past the obvious too – to include some real gems from the 70s that even we'd passed up! The package is filled with stellar jazz from the Fantasy Records family – Prestige, Pablo, Galaxy and Fantasy proper – choice numbers by The Blackbyrds, Stanley Cowell, Charles Earland, Patrice Rushen and others – funky jazz, soul, boogie and Brazil-flavored numbers from the top shelf of the diverse period! It's a tight, well chosen compilation with numbers you simply could not overlook in putting a set like this together – productions by the Mizells, Donald Byrd, Earland and others – but there's a few of leftfield choices, too. Simply a great little snapshot of the funky jazz and soul period and the family of labels that generated so much of the most creative music to come from it! 14 tracks and nearly 80 minutes of grooves: Includes "Happy Music" by Blackbyrds, "Close To You" by Marlon McClain, "Let Me Love You (Let Me Be Me)" by Stanley Cowell, "Taj Mahal" by Paulinho Da Costa, "Nov Ano" by Azar Lawrence, "Moon Dreams" by Flora Purim, "Montevideo" by Opa, "Glide" by Pleasure, "Shout It Out" by Patrice Rushen, "If Only I Could Prove To You" by The 3 Pieces and more. CD

A massive assortment of tracks that go way past the familiar – not a collection of standard classics from Blue Note, Impulse, or Prestige – and instead a whole host of jazzy groovers that we'd never have discovered otherwise! This volume of the series does a great job mixing in contemporary cuts with rare nuggets from years past – in ways that never make you notice the passage of years, as almost all of this work is rooted in a solid blend of tight rhythms and inventive improvisation – heavy on acoustic instrumentation, but with occasional electric moments too! Imagine the kind of groove that Gilles Peterson used to turn us onto years back, when he was spinning rare jazz records, and you'll get the vibe here – served up on titles that include "Tape Your Beat" by Born 74 & Onj, "Still In Love" by GeeW, "46 To Somewhere" by The Sultan's Swing, "Unreachable Galaxy" by Stefano Di Santis, "Movin" by Charro Band De Emilio Guerro, "Caught In A Fever" by Moreen Meridian, "Mr Fool" by Alonson Gonzalez & Jazz Latino, "Cla Samba" by Juju, "I Face East" by Mary Greer Mudiku, "Mende" by Jacques Schwarz Bart, "Mother Of The Future" by Venus Dodson, "Wanting Touch (inst)" by Juju, "Mambo De Papi" by El Caballo Y Su Orquesta, "Ponteio" by Miho Nobuzane, "Samba De La Cruz" by Tres Men, and "I'll Bet You Thought I'd Never Find You" by Lifetime. CD

A deep look at a blues scene that doesn't always get its due – music not from Chicago, Memphis, or various points south – but some nicely gritty tracks that were cut in New York during the postwar years! Despite New York's fame as a hub of jazz, soul, and other styles – the city also had a surprisingly strong blues scene in the 50s and 60s, which is when most of these tracks were recorded – music that's both in the electric modes that were showing up in other urban centers at the time, and also in some more traditional modes that were sometimes left behind in other cities – but which got a nice revival in New York, thanks to an interest in folk blues from the underground! Material here was originally recorded by a range of different labels – Old Town, Atlantic, Mercury, Prestige, Fire, Apollo, King, and Chess – and as you'd expect from Ace, there's also some unreleased material on the set, all presented with a great assortment of notes and details on every single track. 26 titles in all – with cuts that include "Bad Blood" by Champion Jack Dupree, "Step It Up & Go" by Blind Boy Fuller, "The Guy With A 45" by Allen Bunn & His Trio, "Stormy Monday Blues" by Bob Gaddy, "Kansas City March" by Wild Jimmy Spruill, "Four Women Blues" by Larry Johnson & Hank Adkins, "Idle Hours" by Lonnie Johnson with Victory Spivey, "Hard Times" by Noble Thin Man Watts, "Believe Me Darling" by June Bateman, "Security" by Tarheel Slim & Little Ann, "Jack That Cat Was Clean" by Dr Horse, and "Goodbye Kansas City" by Wilbert Harrison. CD

It might be a bit of a stretch to say that things were going mod in 1957 – as the London mod movement still had a few years to come – but modern jazz was certainly taking over the scene in the city, thanks to a huge rise of homegrown acts who were serving up their own response to American work on labels like Blue Note and Prestige! This set's full of some of the best to appear at the time – a great lineup of London players at their best – with cuts that include "Sputnik" by Dick Heckstall Smith, "Cheek To Cheek" by the Jazz Couriers, "Monkey Business" by Kenny Graham's Afro Cubists, "Cinders" by Vic Ash Plus Four, "Chelsea Bridge" by Derek Smith, "Four" by Tubby Hayes & Victor Feldman, "Headin North" by Johnny Keating, "Salt Air" by Dave Lee, "Act One Scene One" by Kenny Baker's Half Dozen, and "Pittsburgh Opener" by Ronnie Scott. As a bonus, the set also features a full CD of American artists who were also making Soho hop at the time – work by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Miles Davis, and others. CD

Funky nuggets galore – and a fair bit of righteous numbers too – all brought together in celebration of one of the hippest record labels of the early 70s! Flying Dutchman was around for just a bit over five years – yet during that time, the label recorded all sorts of really wonderful music – a mixture of jazz, soul, funk, and other styles that really helped push the envelope at the time – as it took the torch from older labels like Impulse or Prestige, and really continued a big wave of new sounds and groovily experimental music! You'll no doubt recognize some of the cuts here – but the collection does a great job of digging deeper past the Flying Dutchman hits – bringing together some real surprises that showcase the way that the company was trying so many cool things at once, and creating music that's still the stuff of legends many years later. Titles include "Head Start" by Bob Thiele Emergency, "Peaceful Man" by Esther Marrow, "Mama Soul" by Harold Alexander, "Soulful Strut" by Steve Allen, "Heavy Soul Slinger" by Pretty Purdie, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, "See Saw Affair" by Cesar, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "Bolivia" by Gato Barbieri, "125th Street & 7th Ave" by Oliver Nelson, "Whitey On The Moon" by Gil Scott-Heron, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, and "Lament For John Coltrane (take 1)" by Bob Thiele. CD