Soaring organ work from Brian Auger's Oblivion Express – and arguably the greatest album he ever cut with this post-Trinity group! The sound here is clean and lean – with Brian himself on a mix of organ, piano, and moog – really hitting a nice jazz funk mode that drops some of the bluesier touches of earlier years, and goes for a 70s-styled sound that we really like a lot – and which even makes us like the vocals a bit more than usual! Backings are mostly spare bass, drums, and percussion – and the set's got a great remake of "Inner City Blues", plus the spacey original "Light On The Path", a nice cover of "Compared To What", plus "Whenever You're Ready" and "Voices Of Other Times". LP, Vinyl record album

A blinding reissue of Roy's early jazz work for Atlantic! Both records are great, and feature super-hip lineups that include players like Herbie Hancock, Sonny Sharrock, Joe Henderson, Reggie Workman, Charles Tolliver, and Ron Carter. Despite the early placement of the material in Roy's career, his conception on the vibes is extremely mature, and both records represent a haunting new conception of the instrument that was to later emerge in full force on Roy's jazz funk albums for Polygram a few years later. These Atlantic sides are essential listening for Roy, and they're amazing little records that show a previously under-recognized side of his career. They're filled with great original tracks like "Ayerloom", "Virgo Vibes", "Glow Flower", "Shadows", and "Daddy Bug" – and the sound and package is excellent! CD

A crucial European performance by Albert Ayler in the mid 60s – one that wasn't issued until many years after the recording, but which has become one of the sharpest pictures of his genius at the time! The vibe here is different than the Ayler albums for ESP – still very much in the same territory, but with this approach that's really reaching out with a deeply spiritual consciousness – an energy to embrace the whole history of jazz, both very old and very new – and re-form its entire ideology into a richly personal expression. Ayler's tremendous on tenor, but Don Ayler is often equally great on trumpet – and the unusual group features Michel Samson on violin, William Fowell on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums. Titles include really unique readings of "Bells", "Prophet", "Our Prayer/Spirits Rejoice", "Ghosts", "Truth Is Marching In", and "Spiritual Rebirth/Light In Darkness/Infinite Spirit". CD

A crucial European performance by Albert Ayler in the mid 60s – one that wasn't issued until many years after the recording, but which has become one of the sharpest pictures of his genius at the time! The vibe here is different than the Ayler albums for ESP – still very much in the same territory, but with this approach that's really reaching out with a deeply spiritual consciousness – an energy to embrace the whole history of jazz, both very old and very new – and re-form its entire ideology into a richly personal expression. Ayler's tremendous on tenor, but Don Ayler is often equally great on trumpet – and the unusual group features Michel Samson on violin, William Fowell on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums. Titles include really unique readings of "Bells", "Prophet", "Our Prayer/Spirits Rejoice", "Ghosts", "Truth Is Marching In", and "Spiritual Rebirth/Light In Darkness/Infinite Spirit". CD

Exciting, energetic and unpretentious jazz from The Bad Plus – an indefatigable combo we dig more and more as their career rolls on – and this as strong as anything they've done in years. Whether you want to call it jazz rock, jam jazz, or whatever – it's invigorating, dare we say it, straight up fun. The trio of Reid Anderson (bass), Ethan Iverson (piano) and Dave King (drums) can stroll from complex, obtuse improvised parts to head nodding catchiness at the drop of a dime – and do! We're digging it, and hope you will, too. Includes "The Radio Tower Has A Beating Heart", "You Are", "Never Stop", "Snowball", "Bill Hickman At Home", "Super America" and more. CD

Badbadnotgood have always been pretty damn great, actually – and never better than on album IV – a remarkable step forward for the group! As ever, they take inspiration from some of the best prog, jazz, funk (and proggy jazz funk...they blend) of the 70s and beyond, but weave it into fairly distinctive and genuinely fun modern sound. It's built to last, too –we're sure be able to come back to their work in a couple decades and it'll still work! IV finds them with the confidence to trade in some fairly subtle, smoothed out moments between to more boisterous ones, and they're more dexterous in the instrumentation – especially in the horns, keys and percussion – but some great vibes, strings, flute and more when the mood calls. Includes the great vocal track "Time Moves Slow" with Sam Herring of Future Islands, "And That, Too", "Lavender", "IV", "Chompy's Paradise", "Structure No. 3", "Cashmere", "Hyssops Of Love" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from Chet Baker's 1955 tour of the NATO nations – 13 recordings done with the legendary pianist Richard Twardzik, plus a few other surprising guest stars! Twardzik was one the the freshest talents of the west coast scene of the 50s, but a player who was sadly overlooked, due to his tragic early death. The set captures him at the height of his powers, working with Baker on 9 tracks recorded in the studio in Paris – with a lineup that includes Jimmy Bond on bass and Peter Littman on drums – plus 4 more live recordings from a 1955 concert in Stuttgart, with Lars Gullin joining the group on baritone sax, plus one especially great number that features Catherina Valente scatting along on jazz vocals! The set features 13 tracks in all – with studio titles that include "Rondette", "Mid Forte", "Sad Walk", "Re-Search", "Just Duo", "Piece Caprice", and "The Girl From Greenland" – plus live tracks that include "Cool Blues", "Brash", "Lover Man", and "I'll Remember April". And for discographers, note that some of this material has appeared on the albums Chet In Paris and Chet Baker In Europe. CD

Brilliant work from this well-matched trio of improvisers – a group who definitely smash and grab in a highly sonic way – thanks to cello and electronics from Fred Lonberg-Holm, drums and percussion from Paal Nilssen Love, and alto, tenor, and baritone saxes from the great Dave Rempis! If you know the players in other formats, you'll know what they're capable of – and if you've heard them as Ballister before, you'll know that they really seem to set each other on fire – often working with an intensity that's breathtaking, very much at the level that Paal serves up on some of his own work as a leader. Fred uses the cello in a very different way than most other classical and jazz – and Dave, as always, is incredible with his freeform sense of creativity throughout. Titles include "Smash", "Grab", and "Even More Smashing". CD

Brilliant work from this well-matched trio of improvisers – a group who definitely smash and grab in a highly sonic way – thanks to cello and electronics from Fred Lonberg-Holm, drums and percussion from Paal Nilssen Love, and alto, tenor, and baritone saxes from the great Dave Rempis! If you know the players in other formats, you'll know what they're capable of – and if you've heard them as Ballister before, you'll know that they really seem to set each other on fire – often working with an intensity that's breathtaking, very much at the level that Paal serves up on some of his own work as a leader. Fred uses the cello in a very different way than most other classical and jazz – and Dave, as always, is incredible with his freeform sense of creativity throughout. Titles include "Smash", "Grab", and "Even More Smashing". LP, Vinyl record album

That's Band X, not Brand X – and they're a damn funky jazz combo from the 70s – one whose work is filled with plenty of sharp changes and wonderfully chromatic moments! Rhythms are at the core of the set – lots of choppy drum parts that are mighty nice, bumped along by sweet compressed basslines too – and other instrumentation includes lots of vibes, reeds, and a bit of keyboards from time to time – used in really creative ways! If we had to come up with a comparison, we might say these guys sound a bit like some of the best work by Steve Grossman and the PM Records crew in the 70s – but they've definitely got their own vibe too. Titles include "Home", "Black Hole", "Rip Van Winkle", "Red Cloud", "Trullion Alastor", "Afterthought", and "Picking Mushrooms With Rabbit". LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing performance from Billy Bang – cut during some of his most creative years on the New York loft jazz scene, at a time when Bang was carving out a rich new space for his instrument in jazz – and helping move forward a very creative generation of musicians as well! The lineup here includes Bilal Abdur Rahman on tenor and soprano sax, William Parker on bass, Rashid Bakr on drums – along with Bang's violin, bells, shaker, and percussion. But almost even more compelling are a few spoken passages from Billy – extremely proud, righteous words, spoken with assurance that really sends them home – and which helps the album stand out strongly in the genre of jazz and spoken word. Not all tracks feature spoken bits, but when they appear, they're great – and titles include "Ganges/Enchantment/Tapestry" and "Black Man's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster! If you buy one Latin record this year – make it this one – because it's one of the greatest ever recorded! Ray's late 60s Acid album is a landmark recording – a sublime mixture of Latin jazz, percussion, and soul – grooving hard in a variety of styles, and always hitting the money on every single track. The title cut "Acid" is one of those tunes you'll be playing until you're locked up in a nursing home – and the rest of the record is equally great – with cuts like the bouncy groover "Soul Drummers", the tasty boogaloo "El Nuevo Barretto", and the extended "Espiritu Libre", a great Latin jazz track, with very "out" piano! CD

Seminal work from the lovely Basia – and an album that's a wonderful hybrid of jazz, soul, and pop – all put together at a level that really goes beyond most of her contemporaries! There's a vibe here that's almost like Swing Out Sister at their best – catchy, but never cloying – and done in an 80s style that refers strongly back to 60s and 70s styles, yet still keeps things quite contemporary overall. And although most of the tunes are pretty poppy, they're also pretty great, and really hold up over the years – thanks to slight undercurrents of jazzy instrumentation, of the sort you'd get from Brit artists like Working Week or Sade. Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away". 2CD version is amazing – and features 5 bonus instrumental tracks, plus 8 more remix tracks, and 5 more single versions, and the non-album track "Give Me That". 30 titles in all! CD

With that whip in her hand, we're not gonna argue with Fontella Bass about her New Look in the photo – and we can definitely say that the whole classic album definitely lives up to her hip, powerful stance on the cover! Fontella's a singer who started in gospel, later sung jazz, but who really comes into her stride here – mixing St Louis roots with Chicago 60s soul in a completely sublime batch of tracks all the way through! To most folks, Fontella's remembered for a few reasons – her Aretha Franklin-styled hit "Rescue Me" (often mistaken for Aretha herself), or the fact that she married Art Ensemble member Lester Bowie. But back at the start, Fontella was a heck of a great little soul singer – capable of a wide variety of modes, all of which are included here! Some tracks are as sophisticated and classy as Marlena Shaw at the time, others are downright rootsy – with more of a deep soul southern mode – and in addition to the seminal hit "Rescue Me", other titles include "Come & Get These Memories", "Soul Of The Man", "Oh No Not My Baby", "How Glad I Am", "Our Day Will Come", and "I'm A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A really surprising step forward for two members of the legendary group Blossom Toes – guitarist Brian Godding and bassist Brian Belshaw – both musicians who were already blowing the scene away in their previous group, but who here expand their sound with a whole range of influences they'd just picked up! One of those is the voice of Julie Driscoll, who sings on a few tracks here with Godding – and another is some jazz elements they'd absorbed in the Centipede group of Keith Tippett – carried off here by guest work from Mark Charig on trumpet, Nick Evans on trombone, and even some piano from Brian Auger! Yet it's clear that Belshaw and Godding are having more than enough fun experimenting on their own with drummer Kevin Westlake – and there's an open, creative style to the record that really keeps things interesting throughout – and moves past the guitar-based modes that were the Blossom Toes stock in trade. Titles include "Rocky Yagbag", "Seed", "Moondance", "Rise", "Lost Horizons", "You're So Young", "Sticky Living", and "New Day". 2CD version features loads of bonus tracks and rare material – including "Square Dance", "Snippet With Tippett", "Come On Eyes", "Black Crow's Nest", "Freedom", "When I was In The Country", "Backstreet", "Waltz", "Earache", and "Hard Day's Night" – plus BBC live recordings of "Sticky Living" and "Go Have Yourself A Good Time". CD

Cliff Beach has given us some wonderfully homegrown projects in recent years – but here, his approach turns out to be especially well-suited to the territory of a Holiday record – as Cliff reworks a host of familiar tunes, but with this very personal blend of jazz and soul that really sends the whole thing over the top! Beach plays Rhodes and other keyboards – and gets small combo backing by a nice jazz group – who move between soulful interpretations and a few more jazz-based moments, while Cliff's raspy vocals work a special sort of magic on tunes that include "My Favorite Things", "This Christmas", "Soulful Christmas", "Merry Christmas Happy New Year", "Merry Christmas Baby", and "You're A Mean One Mr Grinch". CD

Three full albums from this tremendous singer – all in a single set! Morning In Paris is very early work from South African singer Sathima Bea Benjamin – recorded in Paris in 1963, with backing by longtime partner Abdullah Ibrahim, plus additional piano and production by Duke Ellington! The album was cut around the same time as Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) did his famous Reprise album in Paris with Ellington – and it's got a similar mix of modern and moody styles – with Sathima singing in a mellower tone than we're used to from her later records, over extremely spare backing that often has the piano barely stepping in, and which also features some nice plucked violin work from Svend Asmussen – acting almost as the bass on a few tracks! Billy Strayhorn also sits in on this extremely unusual session – and titles include "The Man I Love", "Soon", "Lover Man", "I Should Care", "I Could Write A Book", and "Darn That Dream". Lovelight is always-great work from Sathima Bea Benjamin – one of the hippest jazz vocalists of the 80s, working here in a highly spiritual mode that sounds a lot more like records from many years past! There's a warmly gentle glow to the whole set – thanks to instrumentation from Larry Willis on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Higgins on percussion, and Ricky Ford on tenor sax – all coming together in ways that are filled with unusual rhythms, odd turns of phrases, and just the right sort of unconventional accompaniment to fit the Africanist themes of Sathima's music at its best. A few numbers are more traditional, but even these have a nicely sensitive feel – and offer plenty of room for Willis to solo. Titles include "Winne Mandela Beloved Heroine", "African Songbird", "Gift Of Love – For Duke", "Music", and "You Are My Heart's Delight". Southern Touch is a set that's maybe a bit more of a straight jazz vocal record than some of Sathima Bea Benjamin's earlier material – but that might also be because the great Kenny Barron is part of the group on piano – supporting Sathima's great voice with the help of Buster Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums! Tunes are mostly standards, but it's great to hear them opened up with Benjamin's unique phrasing – that voice that was raised up on more righteous material in earlier years, and which still seems to bring some of that power to tunes that include "Street Of Dreams", "Lush Life", "One Alone", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "I've Heard That Song Before". CD

A great second pairing of this hip team – further proof that Tony Bennett was a hell of a jazz singer when he wanted to be! Titles include "You're Nearer", "Lonely Girl", "You Must Believe In Spring", "Two Lonely People", and "The Bad & The Beautiful". CD

A great second pairing of this hip team – further proof that Tony Bennett was a hell of a jazz singer when he wanted to be! Titles include "You're Nearer", "Lonely Girl", "You Must Believe In Spring", "Two Lonely People", and "The Bad & The Beautiful". LP, Vinyl record album

A great second pairing of this hip team – further proof that Tony Bennett was a hell of a jazz singer when he wanted to be! Titles include "You're Nearer", "Lonely Girl", "You Must Believe In Spring", "Two Lonely People", and "The Bad & The Beautiful" – plus 2 bonus tracks and 9 more alternate takes! CD

A great little vocal session on Bethlehem – and maybe the only record we've ever seen from singer Betty Blake! Blake's a great vocalist right from the start – one who balances swing and sophistication wonderfully – amidst some very hip jazz backings from a combo that features Zoot Sims and Roland Alexander on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Teddy Charles on vibes, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Mal Waldron on piano! The set's got a bit more punch than some other Bethlehem vocal dates, but it also has a nice sense of spontaneity too – never over-arranged or too staid, in ways that really show off Blake's swinging side. Titles include "Moon and Sand", "I'll Be Around", "While We're Young", "Blue Fool", and "Trouble Is A Man". CD

Seminal work from Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers – recorded at a time when that group was really coming together! After a slightly wayward year of 1957, when the Messengers had a different lineup away from Blue Note, Art re-forged the group for the end of the 50s with a rock-solid array of players – including a young Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, plus Benny Golson on tenor, with a sense of arrangement that really helps give the group some focus – while still letting the solos open up in a live setting like this! All tracks are long, and played with lots of fire – and the kind of amazing open-ended solos that the group could cook up whenever they were working in a live environment. Titles on this first volume include "Politely", "Whisper Not", "Now's The Time", and "The First Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual little record from Art Blakey – a live set recorded at the Lighthouse in 1966, with a band that includes the surprising lineup of Keith Jarrett on piano and Chuck Mangione on trumpet! If you're surprised at the mix of players, and figure that they won't groove with Blakey's soulful approach – don't worry, as Art's still strongly at the helm, and manages to get incredibly tight performances out of both of them – really forging them strongly into a Jazz Messengers groove! The group also features Frank Mitchell on tenor and Reggie Johnson on bass – and Mangione wrote a number of the tracks for the album, including "Buttercorn Lady", a nice funky soul jazz groover, "Recuerdo", with a bit of a Latin feel, and "Between Races", a charger in typical Jazz Messengers style! CD

An unusual little record from Art Blakey – a live set recorded at the Lighthouse in 1966, with a band that includes the surprising lineup of Keith Jarrett on piano and Chuck Mangione on trumpet! If you're surprised at the mix of players, and figure that they won't groove with Blakey's soulful approach – don't worry, as Art's still strongly at the helm, and manages to get incredibly tight performances out of both of them – really forging them strongly into a Jazz Messengers groove! The group also features Frank Mitchell on tenor and Reggie Johnson on bass – and Mangione wrote a number of the tracks for the album, including "Buttercorn Lady", a nice funky soul jazz groover, "Recuerdo", with a bit of a Latin feel, and "Between Races", a charger in typical Jazz Messengers style! LP, Vinyl record album

Pounding! This is the long-awaited re-release of a lost session that Blakey recorded in 1958, with a triple-drum rhythm group that included himself, Philly Joe Jones, and Roy Haynes – plus some additional conga work by Ray Barretto. Unlike other Blakey "drum orgy" sessions, though, this one's got a much straighter jazz feel – with plenty of solo space for trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Bobby Timmons. The drums work together in fantastic interplay – with Haynes' lyricism, Blakey's crackle, and Jones' raw power all providing perfect complement to each other while Morgan solos freely out front as the only horn (a role that he rarely ever got to take!) The set also includes 2 amazing other tracks that feature only bass and drum (not drum n bass!) interplay between Blakey and the late Paul Chambers – making for a total of 8 incredible tracks in all, with titles that include "Lee's Tune", "Blakey's Blues", "Lover", and "Drums In the Rain". Great stuff, and with notes by Kenny Washington, too! CD

Art Blakey at the Keystone Korner – really rattling the rafters with a great lineup that includes Bobby Watson on alto sax, David Schnitter on tenor, and Valery Ponomarev on trumpet! Although the Shorter/Morgan lineup is always hailed as one of Blakey's best, we're also pretty partial to this great late 70s stretch of The Jazz Messengers – as it shows some wonderful early flowering of Watson's alto, and his songwriting abilities; Ponomarev's well-blown trumpet lines; and Schnitter's crisp, sharp lines on tenor – always carved out with a great depth of feeling. Add to the mix some great piano from James Williams, and bass from Dennis Irwin, and you've got a great lineup next to Blakey's drums – all working together in a rough-edged, hard soul space on tracks that include "Pamela", "Unlimited", "Dark Side Light Side", "Blues For Two", and "In This Korner". LP, Vinyl record album

Art Blakey at the Keystone Korner – really rattling the rafters with a great lineup that includes Bobby Watson on alto sax, David Schnitter on tenor, and Valery Ponomarev on trumpet! Although the Shorter/Morgan lineup is always hailed as one of Blakey's best, we're also pretty partial to this great late 70s stretch of The Jazz Messengers – as it shows some wonderful early flowering of Watson's alto, and his songwriting abilities; Ponomarev's well-blown trumpet lines; and Schnitter's crisp, sharp lines on tenor – always carved out with a great depth of feeling. Add to the mix some great piano from James Williams, and bass from Dennis Irwin, and you've got a great lineup next to Blakey's drums – all working together in a rough-edged, hard soul space on tracks that include "Pamela", "Unlimited", "Dark Side Light Side", "Blues For Two", and "In This Korner". CD also features the bonus track "1977 AD". CD

Seminal work from Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers – recorded at a time when that group was really coming together! After a slightly wayward year of 1957, when the Messengers had a different lineup away from Blue Note, Art re-forged the group for the end of the 50s with a rock-solid array of players – including a young Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, plus Benny Golson on tenor, with a sense of arrangement that really helps give the group some focus – while still letting the solos open up in a live setting like this! All tracks are long, and played with lots of fire – and the kind of amazing open-ended solos that the group could cook up whenever they were working in a live environment. Titles on this second volume include "Moanin With Hazel", "Blues March For Europe #1", "Like Someone In Love", and "We Named It Justice". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Luiz Bonfa albums we've ever heard! The record was recorded in Paris in 1962 – and it's got a clean lively bossa sound that reminds us a lot more of the catchy early work by Joao Gilberto and Baden Powell than Bonfa's sometimes flowery sessions from the same time. There's a tight jazz combo backing him up – with drums, bass, and flute – and a number of tracks have some wonderful breathy vocals next to Bonfa's driving guitar. There's more than a few great uptempo numbers – and the whole album's really a mad bossa treat! Titles include "Bonfa Nova", "Teu Olhar Triste", "Lila", "Sorrindo", "Bossa Em Re", and "Dor Que Faz Doer". LP, Vinyl record album

An early 80s gem from Booker T – and continuing proof that he made some mighty nice music after he split from the MGs! This set's got Book grooving in a sweet Cali mode all the way through – a vibe that's warm, yet never sleepy at all – and blended with just the right touches of funk and jazz to keep things hip, and give the album way more depth than you might expect! There's some surprising fusion touches at times, but the album always has a great focus – and if anything, reminds us of some of the best soul sides on Capitol Records of the time – particularly those influenced by earlier funk on Blue Note. Booker handles vocals, keyboards, and guitar – plus most of the arrangements too – and the album's got a sweet stepping groove that's mighty nice all the way through! Titles include "I Want You", "Treasure Chest", "Don't Stop Your Love", "Electric Lady", "You're The Best", and "I Came To Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

A soulful set of jazz vocal tracks from singer Carmen Bradford – an underground talent that we've loved for years! Carmen's got a style that's in the tradition of some of the classier soul singers of the 70s – a mixture of jazz and touches of modern soul, peppered with a bit of old fashioned swing – similar to some of Marlena Shaw's work during the past 15 years or so. The album features a tight backing group led by Frank Foster on tenor – and tracks include "Destiny", "Rough Ridin", "Right To Love", "I Believe To My Soul", "You Must Believe In Spring", and "Chicago Hello", one we're still trying to get the Mayor to make the official city song! CD

One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of all time – and one of the first true moments of genius from a young Dee Dee Bridgewater! The album's a Japanese only release (proof that they're always hipper to our jazz artists than we are!) – and it features Dee Dee singing material that's quite different than her later R&B-inflected sides from the late 70s – very soaring and spiritual work, delivered in a way that set a whole new standard for jazz at the time! Backing is by a small combo with brothers Ron and Cecil Bridgewater, plus Roland Hanna on acoustic and electric piano, George Mraz on bass, and Motohiko Hino on drums and percussion – but the star of the set is always Dee Dee, who sparkles beautifully on the album's classic versions of "Afro Blue" and "Little B's Poem" – both of which have been redone by many other singers over the years. Other great cuts include "People Make The World Go Round", "Love From The Sun", and "Love Vibrations". CD

One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of all time – and one of the first true moments of genius from a young Dee Dee Bridgewater! The album's a Japanese only release (proof that they're always hipper to our jazz artists than we are!) – and it features Dee Dee singing material that's quite different than her later R&B-inflected sides from the late 70s – very soaring and spiritual work, delivered in a way that set a whole new standard for jazz at the time! Backing is by a small combo with brothers Ron and Cecil Bridgewater, plus Roland Hanna on acoustic and electric piano, George Mraz on bass, and Motohiko Hino on drums and percussion – but the star of the set is always Dee Dee, who sparkles beautifully on the album's classic versions of "Afro Blue" and "Little B's Poem" – both of which have been redone by many other singers over the years. Other great cuts include "People Make The World Go Round", "Love From The Sun", and "Love Vibrations". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of all time – and one of the first true moments of genius from a young Dee Dee Bridgewater! The album's a Japanese only release (proof that they're always hipper to our jazz artists than we are!) – and it features Dee Dee singing material that's quite different than her later R&B-inflected sides from the late 70s – very soaring and spiritual work, delivered in a way that set a whole new standard for jazz at the time! Backing is by a small combo with brothers Ron and Cecil Bridgewater, plus Roland Hanna on acoustic and electric piano, George Mraz on bass, and Motohiko Hino on drums and percussion – but the star of the set is always Dee Dee, who sparkles beautifully on the album's classic versions of "Afro Blue" and "Little B's Poem" – both of which have been redone by many other singers over the years. Other great cuts include "People Make The World Go Round", "Love From The Sun", and "Love Vibrations". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most creative albums we've heard from Dee Dee Bridgewater in years – a set of tracks recorded with a host of Malian artists – in a unique cross-cultural mode that's unlike anything else Dee Dee has ever recorded! The core style here is still very firmly rooted in Bridgewater's jazz roots – but that sound is augmented strongly by the additional singers and musicians – in a mix of jazz and Mali musics that comes off surprisingly well. There's hardly any of the overdone cliches that you might expect from such a record – and Dee Dee herself seems creatively re-ignited in the setting – singing with a sense of freedom and exploration we haven't heard in a long long time, and which is a great reminder of why we've always stood by her over the years. Guest artists include Toumani Diabate, Kasse Mady Dibate, Zoumana Tereta, Baba Sissoko, and Oumou Sangare – and the jazz side of the music is handled quite strongly by pianist Edsel Gomez and bassist Ira Coleman. Titles include "Afro Blue", "Bad Spirits", "Dee Dee", "Mama Don't Ever Go Away", "Footprints", "No More", "Four Women", "The Griots", and "Oh My Love". Also features 3 Parisian tracks too – "Compared To What", "Red Earth", and "Meanwhile". CD

We're not sure what a neck-peckin jammie is, but drummer Cecil Brooks really makes us want to know more – as the sound of this set is solidly soulful, and way deeper than you might guess from the cartoony image on the cover! Brooks has some very sharp help here in the group – Craig Handy on tenor and soprano sax, Justin Robinson on alto, and Terell Stafford on trumpet – a really bold frontline that steps out beautifully with Cecil's strongly rhythmic insistence – supported even further in these efforts by Geoff Keezer on piano and Christian McBride on bass. Tracks are easygoing and soulfully flowing – just the sort of soul jazz that Muse Records always got so right – and tunes include "In Jody's Corner", "Hill District", "Yvette", "Creepin", "One By One", "Blues Citizens", and "Mood Swings". CD

A legendary trio, very firmly back in action – and making us feel like it's the late 60s European free jazz scene all over again! The energy of the players here is tremendous – and while we've enjoyed the renewed strengths of saxophonist Peter Brotzmann in recent years, we're equally impressed with the fire of Alexander Von Schlippenbach on piano and Han Bennink on drums – both musicians who can give us so many different sounds and styles, but who really remind us here that they're some of the key folks who helped put the "free" in free jazz! Brotzmann blows tenor, b flat clarinet, and tarogato – and titles include the very long "Fifty Years After" and "Frictional Sounds" – plus "Short Dog Of Sweet Lucy", "Bad Borrachos", and "Street Jive". CD

A great collection of 60s work by James – one that goes way past the hits, to show the birth of the funky style that would forever be James' calling card in the 70s! The package starts in the earlier King R&B years – with tracks that are hard and soulful, yet which also have a unique approach to rhythm that was the beginning of Brown's experiments in funk. As the set moves on, it runs through an assortment of 60s hard soul styles – with touches of soul jazz, sock-boogaloo, and more – all coming together to serve up a great portrait of James' early genius! The package has a number of wonderful vocal cuts, some instrumental bits, and even some rare studio dialogue – and it features tracks pulled from a number of rare singles and long out of print LPs, complete with a killer booklet too! Titles include "Baby You're Right", "Doodle Bee", "This Old Heart", "I'll Never Never Let You Go", "I Cried", "I Don't Care", "Shout & Shimmy", "Mashed Potatoes USA", "Maybe The Last Time", "Oh Baby Don't You Weep (parts 1 & 2)", "Just You & Me Darling", "And I Do Just What I Want", "Hold It", "Begging Begging", "That Dood It", and "Chonnie On Chon". 43 tracks in all! CD

One of the last albums ever from the legendary Oscar Brown Jr – a set that features the famous vocalist working with daughter Maggie Brown – in a setting that's one of the most jazz-based that Oscar's used in years! Backing us by a hip small combo – and Oscar brings a hell of a lot of personality to the tunes – those soulful inflections we've always loved in his lyrics, augmented by some spoken bits from time to time – and matched with a very deep, spiritual jazz approach from Maggie! The set's a great one – filled with great memories from Brown's many years in music – and many numbers feature this really great creative interplay, as other singers come into the group with the spirit of instrumental voices in a small combo. Titles include "Bird Chase", "Midnight", "All Blues", "Strongman", "Insight", "Young Jazz", "My Little Maggie", and "Brown Baby". CD

A simple trio album, but a really great one – the kind that almost re-ignites Ray Bryant's career, which is a hard thing to do, given how many records he's already got under his belt! But somehow, there's really something fresh going on here – an array of sounds and modes that goes far beyond his earlier sides for Columbie, Sue, and even Atlantic – and although Bryant was heard on the latter label only a few short years before this outing, the style here is something different altogether. There's almost a timeless approach here – but not in a hokey way – one that's still firmly grounded in the rhythmic impulses of Ray's soul jazz years, but which also easily traverses a piano jazz territory of many more eras – almost in the way of Jaki Byard, but without as much of a gimmick. Rhythm is by George Duvivier on bass and Grady Tate on drums, and we've never heard Ray sound so great in such a setting. Titles include "Prayer Song", "Lil Darlin", "Girl Talk", "Good Morning Heartache", and "Manteca". CD

An overlooked score from the great Roy Budd – one that we're not sure ever made it to vinyl back in the day – and which is presented here in a nicely expanded version! The music has that tense quality that made the non-groovy cuts from Budd's Get Carter score so great – and which was followed in some of his other early 70s soundtracks – which, like the music here, really shows a maturation away from the straighter jazz of Roy's roots – but still features the occasional piano solo (including electric) to remind us that he's a performer as much as a composer. There's a darkly moody vibe to many numbers – this current of sadness that's really beautiful, and which flowers often in a subtle way – on titles that include "Change Of Plan", "The Journey Continues", "Opening", "In The Woods", "Peeping Robin", "Mingle With Me", "Swept Up In Memories", "In The Office", and "Bossa Nova". CD features the bonus tracks "Pipe Tobacco", "You Can Never Trust A Friend", and "Demo Jingle". CD

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". CD

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from a sanctuary in Illinois – and even the more familiar instruments, like piano, drums, reeds, violin, or bass are often mixed with some "room" elements that really locate the recording in a special place – in ways that also seem to have some of that post-studio touches around the edges that we love from the International Anthem label. Burch clearly delivers most of the sound herself, almost doing an "in residence" to create the music – but she gets help along the way from guests who include Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney, Rob Frye, Anna Butterss, and Macie Stewart – on titles that include "When Love Begins", "Don't Go Back To Sleep", "Dawn Blessings", "Follow Me I Make You Happy", "Start Before You're Ready", "Pardieu", and "If I Was You I'd Be Doing Exactly The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

Three vocal gems in a single set! First up is It Might As Well Be Love – a record that's a perfect example of the way that Ann Burton really stands out among the field of female jazz vocalists – as an artist who's both able to continue a classic legacy, yet also bring all sorts of special inflections and expressions of her own to really transform the music! At first glance, the record's in familiar territory – with combo backing from Mike Renzi on piano, Jay Berliner on guitar, Buster Williams on bass, and Grady Tate on drums – but the choice of material and Ann's execution really take the album into something fresh, different, and really unique – that little something extra that always makes Burton's more obscure albums always worth seeking out! Titles include "Sooner Or Later", "After You", "I Like You You're Nice", "Humpty Dumpty Heart", and "What'll I Do". That's All is an easygoing live set from vocalist Ann Burton – one that has her working with the trio of pianist Rob Agerbeek, and which features a few guest appearances from Mark Murphy! The whole thing's got an approach that makes you feel like you're right in the club with Ann – as Rob's trio handle a few titles instrumentally, then Ann steps in for vocals, and Mark Murphy makes a surprise appearance at the end. Recording quality is great – clean and clear, but never too much so to lose the spontaneity of the performance – and Ann herself is especially wonderful in the way she slides easily into the tunes, and sings them with a lively punch that really gives them a bit of new life. Titles include "Dreamer", "Blue Bossa", "Time Was", "My Gentleman Friend", "My Buddy", "I Wish I Were In Love Again", and "That's All". New York State Of Mind is wonderfully laidback vocal work from Ann Burton – a richly talented singer who really sounds best in a setting like this! The album's got Burton working with a trio – Grady Tate on drums, Buster Williams on bass, and sweet acoustic and electric piano from Michael Renzi. Burton interprets the tunes here with a classic care that's rare for a vocalist of her generation. The set was produced by Helen Merrill, which might well account for an approach that works so sympathetically with warm vocals. Titles include "You Started Something", "All Too Soon", "Never Never Land", "Come In From The Rain", and "I Can Dream, Can't I?" CD

A pretty full-on group from the Virginia scene – one that comes on strong with a mix of funky drums, fuzzy guitar, bumping bass, and some great work on trumpet and keyboards! The groove here is almost a psychedelic take on jazz funk from years back – filtered into a very contemporary space, too – almost post-Medeski Martin & Wood, although nothing like that group at all – just in the kind of space that the new freedoms of recent years have opened up! In other words, these guys are pretty funky, but also not slavishly so – especially in any sort of retro mode – and although they're playing live here, there's an electric crackle to the whole proceedings that further ties their collaborative energy together. Titles include "Tunnelvision", "Moses", "Cairo", "Tomahawk", "Lysol", and "Forest 2.0". CD

Important early work from Jaki Byard – one of his first records as a leader, and a wonderful set of quirky piano trio tunes! Jaki's working here with Ron Carter on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – in a format that's similar to other trio records of the time, but which is really pushed to the limit by Byard's unique conception of the keys, and his unabashed ability to play well and whimsical at the same time! And by "whimsical", we're not saying "goofy", or "silly" – but really just are referring to Jaki's clearly unabashed love of all things musical – a joyous celebration of many strands of jazz, all coming together in a sound that's all his own! (Jaki worked often with Roland Kirk – and that's a good point of comparison.) Titles include "Cinco Y Quatro", "Giant Steps", "Garnerin A Bit", "To My Wife", and "Mellow Septet". CD

Classic soul jazz material from trumpeter Donald Byrd – one of his most sinister (and most rare) albums for Blue Note! The group's a quintet, with frequent bandmate Pepper Adams on baritone, Duke Pearson on piano, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all grooving with some of the tightness heard on other Adams/Byrd dates, but also a warmer, more open-ended approach to the music, especially on the solos! The tracks slink along with a dark little groove – and although Pearson's piano is often sweetly lyrical, it also has a nice hard sound that works well with the sharp-edged horn lines of Byrd and Adams. The album's very much in the vein of the pair's work on the Warwick label during the same time – and with excellent compositions that include "Say You're Mine", "Duke's Mixture", "The Cat Walk", and "Hello Bright Sunflower". CD

Classic soul jazz material from trumpeter Donald Byrd – one of his most sinister (and most rare) albums for Blue Note! The group's a quintet, with frequent bandmate Pepper Adams on baritone, Duke Pearson on piano, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all grooving with some of the tightness heard on other Adams/Byrd dates, but also a warmer, more open-ended approach to the music, especially on the solos! The tracks slink along with a dark little groove – and although Pearson's piano is often sweetly lyrical, it also has a nice hard sound that works well with the sharp-edged horn lines of Byrd and Adams. The album's very much in the vein of the pair's work on the Warwick label during the same time – and with excellent compositions that include "Say You're Mine", "Duke's Mixture", "The Cat Walk", and "Hello Bright Sunflower". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic soul jazz material from trumpeter Donald Byrd – one of his most sinister (and most rare) albums for Blue Note! The group's a quintet, with frequent bandmate Pepper Adams on baritone, Duke Pearson on piano, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all grooving with some of the tightness heard on other Adams/Byrd dates, but also a warmer, more open-ended approach to the music, especially on the solos! The tracks slink along with a dark little groove – and although Pearson's piano is often sweetly lyrical, it also has a nice hard sound that works well with the sharp-edged horn lines of Byrd and Adams. The album's very much in the vein of the pair's work on the Warwick label during the same time – and with excellent compositions that include "Say You're Mine", "Duke's Mixture", "The Cat Walk", and "Hello Bright Sunflower". CD

A Donald Byrd treasure – and an album that was almost left in the vaults by Blue Note, until they briefly released it at the end of the 70s! The cover and title are a bit unfamiliar, but the music is right up there with Byrd's classic sessions with baritonist Pepper Adams – a great player here, with a deftness on his horn that's incredible – matching all the sharp changes and soulful undercurrents of Byrd's sparkling trumpet! There's a nice hard sound to the whole thing – almost the raw power of the pair's albums for the Warwick label – and as with those, Herbie Hancock is on piano – giving the whole thing an excellent soul jazz groove that really kicks the main soloists into action! Titles include "Great God", "I'm An Old Cowhand", "That's All", "You're Next", and "Chant". CD

A Donald Byrd treasure – and an album that was almost left in the vaults by Blue Note, until they briefly released it at the end of the 70s! The cover and title are a bit unfamiliar, but the music is right up there with Byrd's classic sessions with baritonist Pepper Adams – a great player here, with a deftness on his horn that's incredible – matching all the sharp changes and soulful undercurrents of Byrd's sparkling trumpet! There's a nice hard sound to the whole thing – almost the raw power of the pair's albums for the Warwick label – and as with those, Herbie Hancock is on piano – giving the whole thing an excellent soul jazz groove that really kicks the main soloists into action! Titles include "Great God", "I'm An Old Cowhand", "That's All", "You're Next", and "Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

A Donald Byrd treasure – and an album that was almost left in the vaults by Blue Note, until they briefly released it at the end of the 70s! The cover and title are a bit unfamiliar, but the music is right up there with Byrd's classic sessions with baritonist Pepper Adams – a great player here, with a deftness on his horn that's incredible – matching all the sharp changes and soulful undercurrents of Byrd's sparkling trumpet! There's a nice hard sound to the whole thing – almost the raw power of the pair's albums for the Warwick label – and as with those, Herbie Hancock is on piano – giving the whole thing an excellent soul jazz groove that really kicks the main soloists into action! Titles include "Great God", "I'm An Old Cowhand", "That's All", "You're Next", and "Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

An essential bit of 70s jazz funk – one of the key Blue Note collaborations between trumpeter Donald Byrd and producer/arranger Larry Mizell – the man who helped set a whole new standard for soulful sounds at the time! The approach here is quite similar to the pair's work on Places & Spaces – tight, but loose at the same time – with Donald delivering solos that are very different than his work from the 60s, while Mizell finds this way to mix together all sorts of instruments, at so many different levels – but with a clarity that's mindblowing. Most tracks have a nice groove, a few points feature a touch of vocals – and titles include the classic, and oft-sampled "Think Twice" – plus "We're Together", "Makin It", "Rock & Roll Again", "I Love The Girl", and "You Are The World". CD

An essential bit of 70s jazz funk – one of the key Blue Note collaborations between trumpeter Donald Byrd and producer/arranger Larry Mizell – the man who helped set a whole new standard for soulful sounds at the time! The approach here is quite similar to the pair's work on Places & Spaces – tight, but loose at the same time – with Donald delivering solos that are very different than his work from the 60s, while Mizell finds this way to mix together all sorts of instruments, at so many different levels – but with a clarity that's mindblowing. Most tracks have a nice groove, a few points feature a touch of vocals – and titles include the classic, and oft-sampled "Think Twice" – plus "We're Together", "Makin It", "Rock & Roll Again", "I Love The Girl", and "You Are The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work by Terry Callier – and his greatest album in years! If you, like us, have loved Terry's older work, but been a bit disappointed by the heavy production of recent albums, then you'll probably love this excellent live set – recorded recently at London's Jazz Cafe, with small combo jazz backing that really brings out the best of Terry's sound! The group's got a warmly soulful sound that really adds a lot to Terry's vocals – yet which also lets them stand out in all their jazzy folksy brilliance. The mix of electric piano, guitar, and saxes is some of the best support Terry could hope to have in recent years – and it returns him to the glory of his classic years at Cadet, like no other recent recording we've heard. Songs are great, production is wonderful, and the album's one you'll proudly stack with your classic work by this legendary Chicago soul singer! Titles include "People Get Ready", "Step Into The Light", "Lament For The Late AD", "Timepiece", "African Violet", "Ordinary Joe", "Dancing Girl", "You're Gonna Miss Your Candy Man", and "I Don't Wanna See Myself". CD

Possibly the greatest album ever by the legendary Chicago soul singer Terry Callier! Terry's rich mellow voice is mixed with superb arrangements from the Cadet studio team, with Charles Stepney at the head, and the result is completely sublime. The songs are longer than on earlier albums – and spun out with a complex groove that mixes equal parts of jazz, folk, and soul with the soaring spiritual vibe that was running through the Chicago scene at the time. The first side alone is the stuff that legends are made of – with classic tracks like "Dancing Girl", "What Color is Love", and "You Goin' Miss Your Candyman" all in a row, sewn together in a wash of love, soul, and emotion that you'd be hard pressed to find on any other album from the time. Other tracks include "I'd Rather Be With You", "Just As Long As We're In Love", and "You Don't Care" – and the whole album's a masterpiece beyond compare! CD

Possibly the greatest album ever by the legendary Chicago soul singer Terry Callier! Terry's rich mellow voice is mixed with superb arrangements from the Cadet studio team, with Charles Stepney at the head, and the result is completely sublime. The songs are longer than on earlier albums – and spun out with a complex groove that mixes equal parts of jazz, folk, and soul with the soaring spiritual vibe that was running through the Chicago scene at the time. The first side alone is the stuff that legends are made of – with classic tracks like "Dancing Girl", "What Color is Love", and "You Goin' Miss Your Candyman" all in a row, sewn together in a wash of love, soul, and emotion that you'd be hard pressed to find on any other album from the time. Other tracks include "I'd Rather Be With You", "Just As Long As We're In Love", and "You Don't Care" – and the whole album's a masterpiece beyond compare! LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant brown-eyed soul from Ray Camacho – an artist who was previously known for more border-styled work with his Teardrops band, but who steps out here with a surprisingly great blend of electric jazz and boogie! The approach is wonderful – a real re-direction of Ray's earlier groove into even more soulful territory – handled with that unique fusion that was happening in just a few of the best Texas spots, like the scene in Austin at the time. The album's equal parts soul and funk, but still has a few Latin roots too – and had this gem come out on Fantasy Records at the time, it would have pushed Ray and group into much headier territory. But we're also happy the set's been undiscovered for so many years (consider it our little secret) – and titles include "Reach Out", "Diggin Deep", "Shake What You Got", "Nobody But You", "Nothing But A Party", and "What A Day". CD

Beautiful work from the legendary Hoagy Carmichael – and one of the few albums to feature him singing his own work! Hoagy's name is one that you're more likely to see in the songwriting credits than in the artist slot for a record – but he's actually got a wonderful voice, one that's filled with honest, personal charms – and which has a sometimes broken-down quality that's perfect for the gentle words of his tunes. This wonderful set features Carmichael working with sublime small combo backing – players who include Harry Edison, Jimmy Rowles, and Art Pepper – working with arrangements penned by Johnny Mandel. Titles include "Rocking Chair", "Georgia On My Mind", "Skylark", "Two Sleepy People", and "Baltimore Oriole". CD

Beautiful work from the legendary Hoagy Carmichael – and one of the few albums to feature him singing his own work! Hoagy's name is one that you're more likely to see in the songwriting credits than in the artist slot for a record – but he's actually got a wonderful voice, one that's filled with honest, personal charms – and which has a sometimes broken-down quality that's perfect for the gentle words of his tunes. This wonderful set features Carmichael working with sublime small combo backing – players who include Harry Edison, Jimmy Rowles, and Art Pepper – working with arrangements penned by Johnny Mandel. Titles include "Rocking Chair", "Georgia On My Mind", "Skylark", "Two Sleepy People", and "Baltimore Oriole". LP, Vinyl record album

The group's listed here as the Double Quintet of trumpeter Ian Carr, but the sound is right next to the best work of his Nucleus group for Vertigo Records – a groundbreaking blend of jazz and electric elements, served up in a style that's very different from American work of the time! At one level, Carr and his group mates have this sophisticated style that's awash in complicated colors and very rich tones – but at another, they're able to open up and really let things fly – not really in prog directions, or avant improvisation either – but with a very freewheeling spirit that has Ian and the group exploding with new ideas all the way through! Other players include Harry Beckett on trumpet, Brian Smith on tenor and soprano, Tony Roberts on tenor and bass clarinet, and the electric core of Chris Spedding on guitar, Ron Matthewson on electric bass, and Karl Jenkins on electric piano – on long takes of tracks that include "Element 1", "Bedrock Deadlock", "Torso", "Snakehips Dream", and "Spirit Level". First-ever release – pulled from a well-recorded radio session in 1970! LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of rare early material by Betty Carter – featuring 24 tracks from the early days of her career! The set features one album Betty Recorded for the Peacock label, with hip arrangements by Gigi Gryce and Melba Liston, and one that she recorded for ABC, with more mainstream arrangements by Richard Wess. And although both albums don't have Betty singing in the strident style she adopted in later years, they're still pretty darn great, and are filled with a lot of rich emotion and strong jazz vocalizing. Titles include "Jazz Ain't Nothin But Soul", "I Can't Help It", "By The Bend In The River", "Foul Play", "Babe's Blues", "Mean To Me", "Something Wonderful", and "Make It Last". CD

A great set of rare early material by Betty Carter – and just about the only way you'll ever find these titles on vinyl! The set features one album Betty Recorded for the Peacock label, with hip arrangements by Gigi Gryce and Melba Liston, and one that she recorded for ABC, with more mainstream arrangements by Richard Wess. And although both albums don't have Betty singing in the strident style she adopted in later years, they're still pretty darn great, and are filled with a lot of rich emotion and strong jazz vocalizing. Titles include "Jazz Ain't Nothin But Soul", "I Can't Help It", "By The Bend In The River", "Foul Play", "Babe's Blues", "Mean To Me", "Something Wonderful", and "Make It Last". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the richest albums we've ever heard from saxophonist James Carter – and one of the sparest too, given that he only blows solo throughout the entire album! We're much more used to hearing Carter on tenor sax – and usually in the company of a small combo, where his classic tone has created great albums for many years. Yet here, he's blowing baritone throughout, and with this open style that still manages to swing nicely without any other backing – a balance between jazz tradition and open improvisation that makes the record so wonderful! There's definitely moments here that resonate with solo work by Hamiet Bluiett or David Murray, but Carter has an approach that's very much his own. Most titles are originals – and tunes include "Shipyard Ramble", "UN", "Ming", "Life Phases Take 2", "Nemesis", "Prince Lasha", and "Stepping Into Beauty". LP, Vinyl record album

The fifth album from the Chicago Underground Duo – Chad Taylor on drums, vibes, mbira and electronics and Rob Mazurek on coronet and electronics – a hypnotic aural experience from a pair of modern masters who seamlessly craft a world of influences into their own dynamic sound! It's pretty amazing stuff, with the pair working with sounds from the avant jazz underground of the previous several decades,jazz and world folk music that reaches from Africa to Brazil, and the subtle manipulations of the electronic experimentalists. Some movements build to a dexterous intensity, with Taylor sometimes playing different instruments simultaneously, but it's not about the brazen display of skill and craft, the compositions and the improvisations feel natural and vital. Wonderful stuff, we're very proud of the Chicago underground jazz scene that inspired both players and their title! Titles include "Spy On The Floor", "Green Ants", "Left Hand Of Darkness", "Quantum Eye", "Vergence", "Conflicition", "Roots And Shooting Stars", "Hermeto" and more. 10 tracks on the CD. CD

From its booze-soaked title cut, to its haunting selection of lonely ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Stranger Called The Blues", this is one of the most fantastic vocal jazz albums of all time – and a record that we'd recommend instantly to anyone! June Christy has an incredibly icy tone on the record, filled with sorrow, regret, and loneliness – all of which are amplified even more deeply by Pete Rugolo's eerie, off-kilter arrangements. Titles include "Something Cool", "It Could Happen To You", "Lonely House", "I'm Thrilled", and "The Night We Called It A Day". Fantastic stuff! Stereo re-recording of the full LP – from the late 50s. LP, Vinyl record album

A second set from the Clarke Duke Project – and arguably even more soulful than the first! The tunes here are still rooted in jazz, but strongly move into crossover soul territory too – with vocals from both Stanley Clarke and George Duke – and grooves that really make the best of their respective talents on bass and keyboards! The overall style's perhaps a bit more like Clarke's Columbia work than Duke's – bottom-up funky at many points, but never in clunky or overdone ways – balanced with the nice sort of polish you'd expect from either leader. Titles include "Heroes", "Try Me Baby", "Every Reason To Smile", "Atlanta", "The Good Times", "You're Gonna Lose It", and "Put It On The Line". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky fusion classic from superdrummer Billy Cobham – a set done in collaboration with producer Wayne Henderson, who helps give the whole thing a soulful focus you might not find on Cobham albums from a few years before! The drums are strong, but never too jamming – and instead, they're used here in the best sort of funky soul way – alongside keyboards from Bobby Lyle, and some occasional vocals too – in that best mix of jazz and soul that you'd find in other Wayne Henderson/At Home productions of the time! We honestly love Cobham even more in such a setting as this – as he can sometimes take things too far on his more rock-oriented records, but always sticks right on the money with gems like these! Titles include "Oh Mendocino", "Dana", "What Is Your Fantasy", "The Lonely Bull", and "Bring Up The House Lights". CD features a bonus 12" mix of "What Is Your Fantasy". CD

A tight little no-nonsense set from Al Cohn – the kind of record that he seemed to cut perfectly at the time, in a mold that he was helping trademark as the RCA 50s approach to jazz! The tunes are all quite short, and mostly familiar numbers – but they're arranged with a west coast-ish sort of flair, and played with more of a New York sense of swing – letting Al get in plenty of nice licks next to bandmates that include Joe Newman, Freddie Green, Nat Pierce, and Thad Jones. There's almost a Basie undercurrent to the set at times – as you'd guess from the players – and tracks include "That Old Feeling", "Sweet & Lovely", "Soft As Spring","I'll Be Around", "Honey Blonde", "Willow Weep For Me", and "In A Mellow Tone". CD

Tremendous horn interplay from the team of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims – and a record that may well be one of the best illustrations of their famous magic together in the 50s! The record's got a way of focusing energy, yet letting each player state themselves clearly and cleanly – almost a perfect small group variation of the larger jazz modes of a generation before – carried out here by Cohn and Sims with a great balance of tone and timing, modernism and swing! There's an excellent rhythm group on the date – Mose Allison on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulus on drums – who almost bring in a slightly soulful undercurrent, which works especially well on Sims' solo moments. Tracks include "Two Funky People", "Just You Just Me", "The Wailing Boat", "You're A Lucky Guy", "Brandy & Beer", and "Chasing The Blues". CD

Tremendous horn interplay from the team of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims – and a record that may well be one of the best illustrations of their famous magic together in the 50s! The record's got a way of focusing energy, yet letting each player state themselves clearly and cleanly – almost a perfect small group variation of the larger jazz modes of a generation before – carried out here by Cohn and Sims with a great balance of tone and timing, modernism and swing! There's an excellent rhythm group on the date – Mose Allison on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulus on drums – who almost bring in a slightly soulful undercurrent, which works especially well on Sims' solo moments. Tracks include "Two Funky People", "Just You Just Me", "The Wailing Boat", "You're A Lucky Guy", "Brandy & Beer", and "Chasing The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Freddy Cole serves up a tribute to his famous brother Nat – in a small combo set that also features some nice tenor work from Houston Person and Harry Allen too! Cole's a singer who's ultimately had a lot more of a career than Nat – and we're not entirely sure why he's so often lumped together in settings like this – but the record's a real testament to Freddy's talents in the way he doesn't slavishly repeat Nat's phrasing, and instead makes these classic Cole tunes very much his own. The more jazz-based presentation helps a lot with that – and in addition to the tenor solos, the record also features work from Joe Magnarelli on trumpet, Josh Brown on trombone, Randy Napoleon on guitar, and John DiMartino on piano. Titles include "Love Is The Thing", "Jet", "Exactly Like You", "That's My Girl", "The Best Man", and "Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much". CD

A great album, and one in which Nat King Cole returns to his roots as a jazz singer! The session differs greatly from Nat's other schmaltzy ones from the time, and it features a very "after midnight" sound – with Nat playing and singing backed only by a small combo that includes jazz greats like Harry Edison, Willie Smith, Jual Tizol, and Jack Costanzo. Plus, if that's not enough, this fab CD adds a whopping batch of extra tracks to the original LP – for a total of 18 beauties that sound perfect on a warm summer night, long after the sun has gone down. Titles include "Caravan", "Candy", "What Is There To Say", "You're Looking At Me", and "Blame It On My Youth". Great stuff! CD

A great album, and one in which Nat King Cole returns to his roots as a jazz singer! The session differs greatly from Nat's other schmaltzy ones from the time, and it features a very "after midnight" sound – with Nat playing and singing backed only by a small combo that includes jazz greats like Harry Edison, Willie Smith, Jual Tizol, and Jack Costanzo. Plus, if that's not enough, this fab CD adds a whopping batch of extra tracks to the original LP – for a total of 18 beauties that sound perfect on a warm summer night, long after the sun has gone down. Titles include "Caravan", "Candy", "What Is There To Say", "You're Looking At Me", and "Blame It On My Youth". Great stuff! CD

Nat King Cole as a leader and a sideman – incredible material from 1936-1946 – featuring the King Cole Trio, side work with Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers, Dexter Gordon, The Keynoters and The Lester Young Trio! There's a number of great tunes here with Nat singing, but also a whole bunch of recordings that shine a light on his impeccable work as a group piano player of the finest caliber, working as Nat King Cole and under some funny pseudonyms while he was recording hits for Capitol! Packaged stunningly, even by Hip-O Select Standards – essentially housing the CDs in a hardcover book of 31-pages with an essay by David Ritz, 7 3/8" square package with detailed session notes, and beautifully reproduced art work from original 78s and 10-inch LPs! Disc one features 17 tracks by the King Cole Trio with Nat singing and at the piano, with Oscar Moore on guitar and and Wesley Prince on bass: "Sweet Lorraine", "This Side Up", "Babs", "Scotchin' With The Soda", "Slow Down", "Hit That Jive, Jack" and more. Disc one also includes 5 tracks with Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers, with Nat on piano, Eddie Cole on bass, Kenneth Roane on trumpet, Tommy Thompson on saxes and Jimmy Adams on drums:" Honey Hush" (with Eddie on vocals) plus an alternate take, "Thunder", "Stompin' At The Panama" and "(Bedtime) Sleep, Baby Sleep". Last up on disc one, four tracks by the Keynoters with Willie Smith on alto, Nat as Lord Calvert on piano, Red Callender on bass and Jackie Mills on drums: "The Way You Look Tonight", "My Old Flame" and more. Disc 2 is comprised of Jazz At The Philharmonic: Los Angeles, July 1944, with collective personal including Nat as Shorty Nadine on piano and singing on "Sweet Lorraine", Shorty Sherlock on trumpet, JJ Johnson on trombone, Illinois Jacquet and Jack McVea on tenor, Red Callender on bass, Lee Young on drums, and Carolyn Richards singing on "The Man I Love". Other titles include "Blues", "Tea For Two", "Rosetta", "Bugle Call Rag", "Oh, Lady, Be Good!" and more. Disc 3 starts with 1943/44 material by Dexter Gordon's group featuring Nat on piano, Sweets Edison on trumpet, Gordon on tenor, Red Callender or Johnny Miller on bass and Clifford Owens on drums: "I've Found A New Baby", "I Blowed And Gone" and more. That's followed by Lester Young Trio material of similar vintage with Nat as Aye Guy on piano, Young on Tenor and Buddy Rich on drums: "I Cover The Water Front", "The Man I Love", "Peg Of My Heart" and more. Last, but not least, Keynoters alternate takes including "The You You Look Tonight", "Airiness A La Nat" and "I can't Believe That You're In Love With Me". CD

Wonderful wonderful wonderful work from the legendary John Coltrane – and even though it's probably one of his best-selling albums of all time, it's still a treasure – and has an essential place in just about any jazz collection! We've heard the original title version of "My Favorite Things" a million times – but it still blows our mind the way Coltrane hits this incredibly soulful modal groove, twisting and turning on soprano sax, always keeping things interesting, so that we're surprised that the cut's 13 minutes have gone by so quickly! The rest of the record's equally great – and the 3 other long cuts are "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Summertime" and "But Not for Me". As great today as when it was cut, and still one of Coltrane's most revelatory albums! With McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. CD