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

The mighty Mulatu Astatke has given us lots of amazing music over the years – key records both home in Ethiopia and here in the US – yet this performance may well be one of his most special, as it unites the legendary musician with a host of giants from the American scene – all in a one-off performance that finally gave Mulatu his due! The leader handles vibes at the helm of an all-star group that includes Bennie Maupin on flute and soprano sax, Azar Lawrence on tenor, and Phil Ranelin on trombone – all spiritual jazz giants of the 70s who only further expand the genius of Mulatu's music – in the company of some younger musicians who include Miguel Atwood Ferguson on violin and Brandon Coleman on electric piano and organ. The whole thing is very much in keeping with the best Mulatu classics from back in the day, but also pushes things forward wonderfully too, with a lot more jazz in the mix – on titles that include "Yekermo Sew", "The Radcliffe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", "I Faram Gami", "Yekatit", "Mulatu", and "Ebo Lala". CD

With Peter Washington, Sammy Figueroa, Eddie Gladden, Greg Bandy, Roger Humphries, Victor Jones, Winard Harper, Bill Saxton, John Patton, Lonnie Smith, Lawrence Killian, Benny Green, Mark Soskin, Geary Moore, Houston Person & James Anderson. CD

A lost bit of Cali soul from the 80s – the first album from Twilight, not really a group, but more of a solo studio project from Lawrence Ross! Ross was a shift worker at General Mills, but had some free time to conceive his dream soul album during the twilight hours of the day – hence the name of the "group" –and after slaving away on his off hours to put the whole thing together, he recorded most of this set within the space of a week playing most of the instruments himself! A few other guest artists came in to round out the sound, but there's definitely a personal quality to the record that belies Ross' close association with the whole thing – carefully written tunes that could have challenged the mainstream, had they gotten bigger production, but which have a great deal of charm since they're done here in a more stripped-down, indie-styled way. Twilight has all the best aspects of soul acts of the time – some tight groovers that mix up boogie rhythms with some warmer Cali soul – and a few mellower cuts that benefit from some cool spacey keyboards. Titles include "Play My Game", "Scorpittiarus", "We'll Be Special", "Love's High", "You Know It's Me", "Love's The Way", "Straight To My Heart", and "Just A Kiss Away". CD

Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone, Ben Webster on tenor saxophone, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Ray Nance on trumpet, Lou Levy and Russ Freeman on piano, Emil Richards on vibraphone, Joe Mondragon and Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Gus Johnson and Mel Lewis on drums. CD

A really wonderful album from trumpeter Josh Lawrence – a very strong-voiced talent who's got a way of being bright and sharp at the same time, and who can always bring lots of his own compositional strengths to bear as well! The core group is a quartet – with Lawrence blowing beautifully over piano from Zaccai Curtis, bass from Luques Curtis, and drums from Anwar Marshall – and the set also features some great alto from Caleb Curtis on two tracks, balancing out the sound of Josh in this strongly soulful spirit! Brian Charette brings some organ to the album's final track – a great remake of the Earth Wind & Fire tune "That's The Way Of The World" – and all other titles are Lawrence originals, with tunes that include "We're Happiest Together", "Composition #2", "Wind", "Earth", "Sugar Hill Stroll", and "Sunset In Santa Barbara". CD

Steve Slagle on alto and soprano saxophone and flute, Scott Colley on bass, Lawrence Fields on piano, Roman Diaz on percussion, Bill Stewart on drums, with Dave Stryker on guitar. CD

A very tight early session by the great organist Larry Young! The album's quite different than Young's later Blue Note work – more in-the-pocket soul jazz, but filled with the expansive sensibility that would later have him take off for the heavens. The biggest example of this tendency is the track "Talking Bout JC" – a cut dedicated to John Coltrane (who Young used to jam with, although sadly never on record!), recorded more famously later on Blue Note, but still sounding pretty hip here in an early take. The group on the set is a quartet that includes guitarist Thornel Schwartz and tenorist Bill Leslie (with whom he cut an album for Argo, under the name of Lawrence Olds) – and other tracks include "Gettin' Into It" (which is 15 minutes long) and "Groove Street". CD

Strings of many shapes and sizes – not just violins, but guitars as well – all coming together in a host of instrumental pop classics! The package is a lot cooler than you might expect – and features about a decade of chart-topping instrumentals – the kind of clever little tunes that made radio so great back in the day, and which often took familiar instrumentation and played around with it a bit in the studio – so that the end result was a heck of a lot more than just the sum of its parts! Styles are great – and run from folksy to rocking to exotic, and more – really creative stuff spun out over a set list of 28 tracks that include "The Dis-Advantages Of You" by The Brass Ring, "Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat, "Fly Me To The Moon" by Joe Harnell, "Flying Circle" by Frankie Slay, "Image" by Hank Levine, "Mexico" by Bob Moore, "Beautiful Obsession" by Sir Chauncey & His Exciting Strings, "Summer Set" by Monty Kelly, "Baby Elephant Walk" by The Minature Men, "Java" by Al Hirt, "The Enchanted Sea" by The Islanders, "More" by Kai Winding, "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" by Sounds Orchestral, "Swingin Safari" by Billy Vaughan, "Calcutta" by Lawrence Welk, and "Lost Love" by HB Barnum. CD

Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams, Ray Nance, trumpet: Rex Stewart, cornet, Joe Nanton, Lawrence Brown, trombone, Juan Tizol, valve trombone, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Ben Webster, Harry Carney. Chauncey Haughton, reeds. Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, piano, Fred Guy, guitar, Jimmie Blanton, Alvin "Junior" Raglin, bass, Sonny Greer, drums: lvie Anderson, Herb Jeffries, Ray Nance, vocals. Arrangements by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. CD

Features Ernie Watts on tenor, Alan Broadbent on piano, and Lawrence Marable on drums – with a string orchestra conducted by Broadbent. CD

Incredible work by the great Eddie Harris – an album that was initially recorded for Vee Jay during his early tenure at the label, but not issued for years! The album's one of Eddie's greatest from the time – a really far-reaching blend of soul jazz, hardbop, and some of the more exotic influences running through the Chicago scene from whence he came. Two tracks on the album are especially long groovers – "Cuttin Out" and "Shakey Jake" – both in the 15 minute mark, and extended jammers with Ira Sullivan on trumpet, Bunky Green on alto, and Melvin Rhyne on organ. The first two tracks on the set feature Eddie in a lineup with Willie Pickens, Raphael Don Garrett, and Ira Sullivan – on the modal groovers "The Dancing Bull" and "Antidote". And the last 4 tracks on the CD are pulled from the album "Half & Half" – an 8 track release that initially featured 4 tunes with Eddie blowing with a vocal group, and these other 4 that have him working with a very hip group that includes Charles Stepney on piano, Melvin Jackson on bass, Joe Dorio on guitar, and Marshall Thompson on drums. Titles include "Half & Half", "KC Blues", "Lawrence Of Arabia", and "Yea Yea Yea". 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

The Nash Ensemble features Marianne Thorsen and Malin Broman on violins, Lawrence Power and Philip Dukes on violas, Paul Watkins and Pierre Doumenge on cellos, Duncan McTier on double bass, and Ian Brown on piano. CD

A surprisingly groovy musical based on the film Some Like It Hot – one of the better of a slew of 20s-set musicals that played big on Broadway in the 60s! The music and lyrics are by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, respectively – but the thing that really makes the soundtrack itself work is the lead performances by Robert Morse and Tony Roberts – the former always a charming presence on the stage, the latter a surprisingly good straight man. Elaine Joyce handles the Marilyn Monroe character – and the music sports some nicely jazzy arrangements by Elliott Lawrence. Titles include "It's Always Love", "Hey Why Not", "Sugar", "November Song", and "Sun On My Face". 2CD version features a full bonus mix of the score – remixed just for this release, with better sound than the original album! CD

Spiritual sounds from the source – a host of incredible tracks from a time when jazz was really opening up into new dimensions – as players stepped forward in a wave of strong post-Coltrane energy to really push the music into the skies! The music here can be seen as a blueprint for generations to come – styles that are now getting new fame in the hands of Kamasi Washington and some of his contemporaries, but which flowered first in recordings like these – pulled from the early 70s vaults of Prestige, Milestone, and Muse Records – and brought together here in a really wonderful collection! Tracks are all nice and long, and the set showcases an older generation of jazz musicians really flowering at the time – balanced perfectly between a sense of freedom and a spiritual soul – on titles that include "Celestial Blues" by Gary Bartz NTU Troop, "Let Us Go To Higher Heights" by Carlos Garnett, "The Almoravid" by Joe Chambers, "Brown Eyes" by Charles Earland, "Warriors Of Peace" by Azar Lawrence, "Aftermath" by Oliver Nelson, "Josie Black" by Hampton Hawes, "Let It Take Your Mind" by Bayete Umbra Zindiko, "Fire" by Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane, and "The Free Slave" by Roy Brooks. CD

Classic Art Pepper material, recorded in one of his comeback periods, and featuring the famous Richard Claxton photo of Art Holding his horn next to a tree. There's several different lineups featured, with a coupl of quintet and quartet sides, and a few with larger horn section, and the sidemen are the cream of the West coast jazz crop, including Bud Shank, Chet Baker, Curtis Counce, Leroy Vinnegar, Mel Lewis, Stan Levey and Lawrence Marable. 9 numbers in all, with rousing takes on standards like "What Is This Thing Called Love" and "A Foggy Day" and Pepper originals "Diane A Flow", "Zenobia", and "Powder Puff". CD

Killer work from one of THE big labels during the psychedelic generation – one of the few imprints to really take a chance on fresh new artists, and really let them do their thing in the studio! Vanguard may be known mostly as a folk label, and the company is now owned by the parent company of Lawrence Welk – but back in the late 60s, the company was very much at the forefront of musical changes in the US – and went out of their way to record artists that nobody else would touch! The result is a stunning legacy of funk records that really blow most bigger label work away – most of which is compiled here in this excellent collection. Some cuts are from rare albums, other from rare 45s – and titles include "Did You Have To Rub It In" by The Hi Five, "Getting Together" by The Third Power, "Where I'm At" by Notes From The Underground, "You Should Be More Careful" by Elizabeth, "Stoned Is" by Listening, "A Nickel's Worth Of Benny's Help" by The 31st Of February, "The Endless Tunnel" by Serpent Power, "Big Time Spender" by Frost, and "Hellhound" by The Far Cry. CD

A beautifully sensitive set from Tex Allen – mostly a trumpeter, but also a singer here on two numbers – working with a laidback approach that's totally great! Tex blows with a bit of Miles Davis space in his trumpet – early Miles, not late – and his singing has a warm, mellow feel that's a bit like Grady Tate, although a bit more understated too, with a slight rasp that gives him a nice sense of personality – and makes him a really great change from the obvious. This approach sounds especially great on the tune "The Process Necessary" – almost a samba-esque jazz dancer, but with a gentle groove – and Allen also sings on the longer tunes "When You Find A Love" and "The Things We'll Never Know". All other titles are instrumental, with players who include Jesse Davis on alto, Jackie Terrasson on piano, Ugonna Okagu on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums. Lawrence Killian plays percussion on half the album – and other titles include "Estate", "Mutti's Bletten", "Wings Of Ceola", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

One of the most spiritual, most well-conceived sessions we've heard from reedman David Boykin in years – a single performance that runs for almost 30 minutes, featuring a totally hip lineup that includes Nicole Mitchell on flute, Joshua Abrams on bass, Jeff Parker on guitar, Eliel Sherman Storey on tenor, and Avreeyal Ra on drums! The key element here, though, is Lasana Kazembe – who delivers a powerful spoken passage at points – these righteous words about our fair city of Chicago, with a powerful message about the city and life within. Lawrence Jones adds congas to the proceedings, Zahra Glenda Baker sings a bit, and the whole thing resonates with a mix of jazz, spoken word, and spiritual message that takes us back to some of our favorite recordings of the 70s! CD

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

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

Kenny Drew Jr on piano, Christine Gommere, Richard Locker, and Tomas Ulrich on cello, Ron Lawrence on viola, Hanne-Berit Hahnemann, Laura Seaton, Lenny Rivlin, Mark Feldman, Mary Rowell, Nancy McAlhany, Paul Peabody, and Yuri Vodovoz on violin, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

Recorded in January of 1943 – with Ellington on piano, Ray Nance on trumpet and violin, Rex Stewart and Harold Baker on trumpets, Juan Tizol and Lawrence Brown on trombones, Johnny Hodges on alto, and Ben Webster on tenor. CD

Don't let the title put you off, because this certainly isn't a session of background music – and the name simply refers to the fact that the arrangements on the set really showcase the strong horn work of the Ellington orchestra! Duke's still on piano for the session, but the real strength of the album's carried by classic Ellington players that include Ray Nance, Willie Cook, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, and Lawrence Brown. Arrangements are by Bill Mathieu and Gerald Wilson – and although many of the tunes are older Ellington numbers, they've got a tight groove (and excellent recording quality) – which updates the material nicely. Titles include "Midriff", "Main Stem", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "What Am I Here For", "Kinda Dukish", and "Perdido". CD

Don't let the title put you off, because this certainly isn't a session of background music – and the name simply refers to the fact that the arrangements on the set really showcase the strong horn work of the Ellington orchestra! Duke's still on piano for the session, but the real strength of the album's carried by classic Ellington players that include Ray Nance, Willie Cook, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, and Lawrence Brown. Arrangements are by Bill Mathieu and Gerald Wilson – and although many of the tunes are older Ellington numbers, they've got a tight groove (and excellent recording quality) – which updates the material nicely. Titles include "Midriff", "Main Stem", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "What Am I Here For", "Kinda Dukish", and "Perdido". CD features 5 bonus tracks – "Lullaby Of Birdland" (in 2 versions), "The Wailer", "Dreamy Sort Of Thing", and "Harlem Air Shaft". CD

A beautiful 60s album from Duke Ellington – one that features some of his more popular numbers, as you'd guess by the title – but captured in these sublime, sophisticated arrangements that really reflect the genius sound of his group during the later years! The tracks are familiar, and the arrangements are maybe never too way out – but they're also these mini-masterpieces in color and tone – carried off by a fantastic group of all-stars who've matured and grown as much as the Duke himself – Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson on trumpets, Lawrence Brown and Buster Cooper on trombones, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on piano. There's a darkness in Duke's piano that's maybe missing from earlier versions of this material – that great modern undercurrent of the late years – and titles include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "The Twitch", "Perdido", "Solitude", "The Mooche", "Creole Love Call", "Take The A Train", and "Sophisticated Lady". CD

Right from the start of his career, poet Allen Ginsberg experimented with recording and music – maybe not a surprise, because as a young beat poet, he grew up in the era when long playing records were really taking off – yet still delivered in a way that was often very different than recorded projects by contemporaries like Lawrence Ferlinghetti or Jack Kerouac! For one thing, Ginsberg was never afraid to sing – which he definitely does here – and as a poet with an already-striking voice for reading, his vocals really follow suit – as does his collaborative spirit that ran through all generations of his creativity – leading him to work on some of these tracks with artists as diverse as Paul McCartney, Elvin Jones, Bob Dylan, Arthur Russell, and Philip Glass. The set was done in collaboration with Ginsberg's estate, and brings together both vocal and spoken selections, some never issued before – with selections that include "First Party At Ken Kesey's With Hell's Angels", "Raghupati Raghava", "Ballad Of The Skeletons", "Hum Bum", "Birdbrain", "Grey Monk", "Prayer For John Sinclair", "Put Down Yr Cigarette Rag", "Gospel Noble Truths", and "Ballad Of The Skeletons". CD

One of Dexter Gordon's proudest moments of the 50s – a rock-solid session for Bethlehem – easily one of the best-remembered hardbop sides from the label's California years! The album's got a relaxed, free-blown sound that's quite nice – with Dex in the lead on tenor, supported by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums. Gordon's perhaps not as fully imaginative as he would become in the 60s, but his sound and control is still great throughout – and the rhythm section really helps knock this one out of the park. Titles include versions of "Darn That Dream", "Autumn In New York", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Confirmation", plus two originals "Number Four" and "Daddy Plays The Horn". CD

One more amazing chapter in the mighty development of drummer Chico Hamilton – a killer 70s session for Blue Note – and a record that goes way beyond his earlier experiments of the 50s, modal grooves of the 60s, and funk work for the Flying Dutchman label! The style here is fusion, but way fresher than the usual type – neither jamming rock-styled, nor mellow and smooth – and instead always tickled by Hamilton's sense of a unique rhythm, and his continued great ear for inventive use of reeds – in this case handled by Arthur Blythe on alto and Arnie Lawrence on soprano and tenor sax. The set's also got Steve Turre on bass and trombone, and both Barry Finnerty and Joe Beck on electric guitars – but the real genius is Chico himself, who handled arrangements and wrote most of the album's great tracks. Titles include the exotic number "Abdullah & Abraham" – plus "Andy's Walk", "Peregrinations", "It's About That Time", "Sweet Dreams", "On & Off", "Little Lisa", and "Space For Stacy". CD

Funky, soulful, and completely sublime work from keyboardist Gene Harris – working here with some great help from Jerry Peters on arrangement and production – in a style that makes the album one of Harris' most compelling sets of the 70s! The backings are full, but tight too – and in addition to Gene's own sweet work on keyboards, the set's also got some massive drums from Harvey Mason and James Gadson – both of whom really help things crackle at the bottom! Other instrumental highlights include more keyboards from Jerry Peters, tenor from Azar Lawrence, and trombone from George Bohannon – plus guitar from Lee Ritenour too. There's a bit of vocals on the set – mostly a soul chorus sort of mode that works perfect with Peters' groovy arrangements – and titles include "Love For Sale", "Theme For Relana", "Rebop", "Zulu", and "Soft Cycles". CD

A rare slice of 50s work from pianist Hampton Hawes – material recorded during his initial strong run for Contemporary Records, but unissued until many years later! The album allows a chance to hear Hamp away from his better-known trio of the period – and some of the tracks feature Paul Chambers on bass and Lawrence Marable on drums, while others feature Scott LaFaro's bass and Frank Butler's drums. The work still has the incredible fluidity that Hawes brought to the table back in the 50s – a style that's inspired by the fast invention of bop, but colored with a warmer sense of lyricism overall. Titles include "Cheryl", "Blues For Jacque", "Bird Song", "Big Foot", "Ray's Idea", and "Stella By Starlight". CD

Drummer Roy Haynes works here with an ensemble that's definitely as hip as the title promises – a really righteous group that makes the album one of Roy's most spiritual records ever! Haynes was always a drummer who was really a cut above, even back at the start – but here, he really steps out strongly with a new musical vision for the 70s – working with a lineup that includes George Adams on tenor and flute and Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet – but players who give the music a really bold feel, right from the start! The rest of the lineup is wonderful, too – as Carl Schroeder plays Fender Rhodes with this flowing vibe that's plenty soulful – alongside bass from Terud Nakamura and Mervin Bronson, conga from Lawrence Kilian, bongo from Elwood Johnson, and more drums from Haynes himself. Titles include a sublime reading of Stanley Cowell's "Equipoise" – plus "Tangiers", "You Name It", and "Satan's Mysterious Feeling". CD

A really great live set from alto genius Johnny Hodges – a set that's right up there with some of his best studio albums on Verve at the time! As with those records, Johnny's taking a slight sidestep from the world of Duke Ellington here – working with similar material and familiar players, but also really stretching out on these beautiful solos that focus on his warm, raspy charm on the alto – that quality that made Hodges as important to the sound of mid 50s jazz as Ben Webster or Lester Young on the tenor! The group's a septet, and other players include Lawrence Brown on trombone, Harry Carney on baritone, Al Williams on piano, and Ray Nance on cornet – on titles that include "All Of Me", "Blues For Madeline", "Solitude", "Mood Indigo", "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me", "Jeep's Blues", "Rockin In Rhythm, and a nice long take on "Perdido". CD

Rare small group work from the great Johnny Hodges – an unissued live set from the start of the 60s, and one that has Johnny working with key Ellington sidemen in a very Ellington-like setting! Solo Hodges could usually take one of two forms – more soulful small group material that has less of the arrangements of his longtime leader, the Duke – and more Ellington-based performances, of which this set is definitely one – as Hodges leads a hip combo with Ray Nance on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Harry Carney on baritone, Al Williams on piano, Aaron Bell on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. Tunes are almost all numbers by Ellington or Billy Strayhorn, but done in a nice lean style, with key solo performances throughout – and titles include "Rocking In Rhythm", "Jeep Is Jumpin", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Sophisticated Lady", "Mood Indigo", and "Solitude" – plus "Good Queen Bess", "Perdido", and "Autumn Leaves". The sound quality is great – very clear, with a nicely crisp tone on the horn parts, especially Hodges and Carney! CD

Ted Nash on tenor sax, clarinet & alto flute, Tomas Ulrich on cello, Ben Allison on double bass, Tim Horner on drums, Frank Kimbrough on piano, Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Erik Charlston on vibraphone & percussion, Ron Lawrence on viola & Joyce Hammann on violin. CD

One of the few albums as a leader cut by legendary LA pianist Carl Perkins – an amazing talent on his instrument, and one who had an unusual "sideways" approach to the keys! Perkins kind of leaned alongside the piano – so that his body was parallel to the instrument, and his fingers reached out, moving back and forth on the ivories – with a sound that was almost as if he was strumming the whole thing! The style really stands out, and makes for some especially deft moments here in this classic trio set for Dootoo – a fluid and grooving session that also features Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Lawrence Marable on drums. Tracks include "Marble Head", "Way Cross Town", "Carl's Blues", and "Lilacs In The Rain". CD

One of the few albums as a leader cut by legendary LA pianist Carl Perkins – an amazing talent on his instrument, and one who had an unusual "sideways" approach to the keys! Perkins kind of leaned alongside the piano – so that his body was parallel to the instrument, and his fingers reached out, moving back and forth on the ivories – with a sound that was almost as if he was strumming the whole thing! The style really stands out, and makes for some especially deft moments here in this classic trio set for Dootoo – a fluid and grooving session that also features Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Lawrence Marable on drums. Tracks include "Marble Head", "Way Cross Town", "Carl's Blues", and "Lilacs In The Rain". With eleven bonus tracks. CD

Vocalist Jimmy Rushing first came to fame working with Count Basie in the 30s, but it wasn't until the 50s that he really got the chance to step out on his own and cut a number of great sessions in the studio! This set features one of Jimmy's finest moments of the 50s – material recorded for Vanguard Records in 1954 and 1955, respectively, and featuring Rushing in the company of great small group trad players like Buddy Tate, Pat Jenkins, Emmett Berry, Lawrence Brown, and Freddie Green. The format is laidback and simple on both records – a style that clearly hearkens back to the Kansas City swing of the 30s, but which is delivered here with a more stripped-down approach that lets us focus even more on Rushing's earthy vocal presentation. Titles include the original tracks "Good Morning Blues", "Take Me Back Baby", "Sent For You Yesterday", and "Goin To Chicago" – plus versions of "How Long", "See See Rider", "Evenin". CD

One of the most fantastic Pharoah Sanders albums – and one that we'd rate head and shoulders above most of his other work! You rarely see this one, which is a shame, because it's not only a beautiful spiritual masterpiece, but it's also got a sound that's very unique, and a nice shift from the Impulse records too! Pharoah's playing with a small group that includes instrumentation you don't usually hear on his albums – like organ and guitar – but the addition of these instruments is used in a way that augments Pharoah's spiritual style, not suppresses it – in a lineup that includes guitar from Munoz, organ from Jiggs Chase, bass from Steve Neil, drums from Greg Bandy, and percussion from Lawrence Killian – all very unusual players, which furthers the unusual sound of the album! Pharoah vocalizes a bit on a version of "Love Will Find A Way" that has a warm spacey groove, and a nice conga base – and the other tracks on the LP are "Harvest Time" and "Memories Of Edith Johnson". This beautiful package also includes rare material added to the album – two long live takes of "Harvest Time", a tremendous track that features Khalid Moss on electric piano and Pharoah stretching out in Teresa Records soulful modes – plus great notes as well! CD

Lillo Thomas has a mighty nice vocal style here – one that's a bit high in the spectrum, and which works perfectly with the sweet keyboards in the grooves! Thomas takes the lyrics right up to the top of the mix – and floats them way high above the basslines, but still in a way that snaps along with the 80s groove that drives most of the numbers a great blend that's served up by Paul Lawrence – who handles the keys, production, and songwriting – really making for a tight package overall! Lillo's got the chops to challenge the bigger chart names in 80s soul, yet keeps things a bit more relaxed too. Titles include "Your Love's Got A Hold On Me", "Holding On", "Show Me", "Settle Down", "All Of You", and "My Girl". CD

Malachi Thompson always has a great ear for the saxophonist in his groups – and that's definitely the case here, as the record sparkles as much from the tenor of Carter Jefferson and alto of Joe Ford, as it does from Malachi's trumpet! The three horns rise together wonderfully – Ford plays a bit of soprano, as well – and the session has a vibe that's very different than others recorded at the time – maybe more in the soulful blend of styles you would have found on a 70s session for a label like Muse. The rest of the group features Kirk Brown on piano, Harrison Bankhead on bass, Nasar Abadey on drums, and Richard Lawrence on congas – and titles include a great reading of the Billy Harper gem "Croquet Ballet", plus "In Walked John", "Lucky Seven", "Drown In My Own Tears", and "Mystic Trumpet Man". CD

The rare second album from Twilight – recorded five years after the first, and with a sound that's every bit as great! Twilight morphed a bit in the time since their debut – moving from a solo act into more of a duo, yet still very strongly under the guidance of mainman Lawrence Ross – a singer, musician, and self-produced artist with a great ear for pushing contemporary soul modes into some hip new directions! The overall feel of the set is more early 80s than you'd expect from the date – no too-tinny keyboards, and lots of warmth in the production – killer indie soul that really brings out the best aspects of Ross' original tunes, with lots of great keyboard work that falls more in a jazzy style than the usual soul modes of the time. There's plenty of groovers, but more in a funky soul style for the 80s than the more familiar boogie or dancefloor modes – and as before, there's some great ballads that show a good degree of depth in Twilight's sound. Titles include "Pains Of Love", "Love From You", "You're In Love", "I Wonder Who", "Dance With Me", "Find Someone Else", and "You Look So Good". 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

Beautifully spiritual jazz from the post-Coltrane generation – a wealth of righteous grooves from the early 70s – brought together in one mighty collection! If you dig the work of Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, and other giants on Impulse Records, this is a great way to dig even deeper – and hear the way their late 60s legacy inspired other musicians to new heights in their own music – sounds that hit a new level of freedom in jazz, yet which are still filled with enough swing and soul to avoid some of the more avant modes of the free jazz scene! If that description sounds a bit obtuse, then just plug into the collection, and let the music do its thing – as it's got a very powerful vibe throughout – the kind of inspirational, socially conscious work that flourished best during the 70s – and which is finally getting its due all these many years later. The package is new territory for Ace/BGP, but they've done a great job as usual – picking key tracks from the era, and coming up with detailed notes on each of the long tracks. Titles include "Free Angela" by Bayete, "Bridge Into The New Age" by Azar Lawrence, "Tress Cun De O La" by Joe Henderson, "Ebony Queen" by McCoy Tyner, "Peace" by Idris Muhammad, "Mother Of The Future" by Norman Connors, "Brown Warm & Wintry" by Jack DeJohnette, "I've Known Rivers" by Gary Bartz, and "Fire" by Joe Henderson & Alice Coltrane. CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

Johnny Hodges on alto sax, Duke Ellington on piano, Harry Carney on baritone sax & clarinet, Jimmy Blanton on bass, Otto Hardwick on alto sax & clarinet, Barney Bigard on tenor sax & clarinet, Sonny Greer on drums, Freddy Guy on guitar & whistle, Ben Webster on tenor sax, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown & Tricky Sam Nanton on trombones, Rex Stewart & Wallace Jones on trumpets, Ray Nance on trumpet, vibes & vocals & Herb Jeffries & Ivie Anderson on vocals. CD

A legendary meeting of two classic jazz talents late in their careers – in a setting that's ideal to bring out all the complexity of their well-honed genius! The approach of the album is mostly an Ellington one – as the group features some of Duke's stalwarts, like Ray Nance on trumpet, Johnny Hodges on alto, and Lawrence Brown on trombone – but Coleman Hawkins gets plenty of space as the main soloist on each number on tenor, alongside Duke, who also solos strongly on piano – both of them with those subtle modern elements that showed up wonderfully in their later work. As with most later records by the players, the writing is great – with a lot more dark moments than you'd expect – and titles include "The Rictic", "You Dirty Dog", "Limbo Jazz", "Wanderlust", and "Self Portrait Of The Bean". CD

Recorded live at Konserthuset in Stockholm, Sweden, with Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Rolf Ericson, and Herbie Jones on trumpets; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, and Harry Carney on reeds; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, and Chuck Connors on trombones, Jimmy Woods on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. CD

A slightly smaller take on the Ellington sound – but one that's still a bit fuller than you might guess from the "Small Bands" on the cover! There's definitely a more intimate feel here than usual – especially given the size of ensembles Duke was working with in the 60s – but the approach is more like some of the earliest Ellington combos, a full feel as most of the group works tightly together, while one soloist snakes out with some deeply soulful lines on his own! The first six tracks here feature "The Combo Suite" – recorded in 1967, with some especially nice horn work from Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Cat Anderson on trumpet, and Lawrence Brown on trombone. Remaining tracks were recorded in 1970, in New York and Las Vegas – and include "Noon Mooning", "Rockochet", "All Too Soon", and "Tippy Toeing Through The Jungle Garden". CD

A great little session that builds on the strength of Johnny Hodges' small group 50s sessions for Verve – and which lets Duke Ellington in on some of the action! The format is nicely stripped-down throughout – featuring Hodges in sextet and septet formation with players who include Ben Webster on tenor, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Les Spann on flute, Lawrence Brown on trombone, and Jo Jones on drums. Surprisingly, Duke's actually only on piano on three tracks on the album – Billy Strayhorn handles keys on the other – but the session's still a great example of small combo Ellingtonia at its best, the special way Ellington players could extrapolate his ideas into a leaner formation on a record like this! Titles include "Ruint", "Stompy Jones", "Big Shoe", "Going Up", "Just A Memory", and "You Need to Rock". CD

The final album in the initial run of genius from Felt – a set that marks a short step from Creation Records over to El at Cherry Red – where they receive some nicely expanded handling on the production! Adrian Borland produced, and the tunefulness of the songs really comes to the forefront – all while still providing a perfect showcase for the lyrical and vocal talents of Lawrence, set up beautifully amidst the swirling Hammond lines that made their Creation material so distinct! There's definitely some new ideas bubbling up here – which Lawrence would explore more freely in later work – and titles include "I Can't Make Love To You Anymore", "Budgie Jacket", "Down An August Path", and "Get Out of My Mirror". CD

One of Dexter Gordon's proudest moments of the 50s – a rock-solid session for Bethlehem – easily one of the best-remembered hardbop sides from the label's California years! The album's got a relaxed, free-blown sound that's quite nice – with Dex in the lead on tenor, supported by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums. Gordon's perhaps not as fully imaginative as he would become in the 60s, but his sound and control is still great throughout – and the rhythm section really helps knock this one out of the park. Titles include versions of "Darn That Dream", "Autumn In New York", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Confirmation", plus two originals "Number Four" and "Daddy Plays The Horn". CD

An early cooker from Richard Groove Holmes – and one of the most important Hammond jazz sets to come out of the west coast at the time! At a point when most folks think the east has a lock on the instrument, Groove bursts forth here with a great hard-edged sound – proof that the LA scene didn't just go for cool jazz and the occasional hardbop date – and the start of a great run of records that would have Holmes sounding great all through the 60s! The lineup is nicely unusual, too – with guitar from Chicagoan George Freeman, then on the west coast – and a key part of Holmes' group for years – and trombone from the excellent Lawrence Tricky Lofton, a player who rarely recorded, but made some great sides with Carmell Jones. The group also features Les McCann on piano, a nice combo with the organ – plus Ben Webster on tenor and Ron Jefferson on drums. Titles include "Good Groove", "That Healin' Feelin'", "Them That's Got", and "Deep Purple". CD

A spiritual jazz classic – one of the rarest albums of its type from the 70s! This legendary session was recorded by Roy Ayers' keyboardist Harry Whitaker – working here as the leader of the Black Renaissance group, a one-shot ensemble that featured Woody Shaw on trumpet, Azar Lawrence on saxes, Buster Williams on bass, and Mtume on percussion. The session was cut in New York in 1976, but only issued on a rare album that came out briefly in Japan. Yet somehow, the quality of the work and the depth of soulfulness have created a strong aura about the session – making it an oft-cited influence by a generation of DJs and soul jazz listeners. The album only features 2 long tracks – both of them strong ensemble numbers that build modally searching grooves in a Strata East-like style, peppered with voices, both sung and spoken, in a hip, socially conscious mode. Both tracks – "Black Renaissance" and "Magic Ritual" are excellent, on a par with the best 70s spiritual soul jazz! CD

A rare live set from guitarist Larry Coryell – working here with his Eleventh House group, a combo that features Mike Lawrence on trumpet, Mike Mandel on keyboards, John Lee on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums! The set begins with a beautiful acoustic solo from Larry, then builds into a more electric mode as things move on – with a burning frenzy that comes especially from Mouzon's drums once they kick into high gear. Titles include "The Eyes Of Love", "Level One", "The Other Side", "Nictophobia", "The Cover Girl", and "That's The Joint". CD

Some of Miles noisiest, freest playing from the 70s – recorded live at Carnegie Hall in 1974, and originally issued only in Japan – most likely because the album was so darn noisy, Columbia was scared to release it to the American market! As with other Davis gems from this time, the group is as adventurous as Miles himself – a really great lineup with Dave Liebman and Azar Lawrence on reeds, plus rhythm from Michael Henderson on bass, Al Foster on drums, and Mtume on percussion – all matched by three searing electric guitarists – Reggie Lucas, Pete Cosey, and Dominique Gaumont – who duel back and forth in monster solos that run all over the place during the set! Titles include "Moja", "Wili", "Tatu", and "Nine". CD

Johnny Hodges on alto sax, Duke Ellington on piano, Harry Carney on baritone sax and clarinet, Jimmy Blanton on bass, Otto Hardwick on alto sax and clarinet, Barney Bigard on tenor sax and clarinet, Sonny Greer on drums, Freddy Guy on guitar and whistle, Ben Webster on tenor sax, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown and Tricky Sam Nanton on trombones, Rex Stewart and Wallace Jones on trumpets, Ray Nance on trumpet, vibes and vocals and Herb Jeffries and Ivie Anderson on vocals. CD

A legendary meeting of two classic jazz talents late in their careers – in a setting that's ideal to bring out all the complexity of their well-honed genius! The approach of the album is mostly an Ellington one – as the group features some of Duke's stalwarts, like Ray Nance on trumpet, Johnny Hodges on alto, and Lawrence Brown on trombone – but Coleman Hawkins gets plenty of space as the main soloist on each number on tenor, alongside Duke, who also solos strongly on piano – both of them with those subtle modern elements that showed up wonderfully in their later work. As with most later records by the players, the writing is great – with a lot more dark moments than you'd expect – and titles include "The Rictic", "You Dirty Dog", "Limbo Jazz", "Wanderlust", and "Self Portrait Of The Bean". CD

A fantastic album from the team of Henry Franklin and Azar Lawrence – proof that the two players' recent pairing has helped them both reach the heights of their recordings from the 70s! The album's got a deeply spiritual vibe that goes way past the slightly gimmicky cover image – a rock-solid sound that really recalls the best spiritual jazz styles of the 70s – given perhaps a bit of a soul jazz focus by Franklin and the group, but still pretty open and expressive overall! Lawrence plays both soprano and tenor sax, and the group also features piano from Theo Sanders, drums from Ramon Banda, and cornet work from Nolan Shaheed on a few of the album's tracks. Barbara Morrison sings on the cut "Philanthropy" – a boppish sort of tune – and other titles include "Under Tanzanian Skies", "Soko", "Yama", "Miles A Round", "Peresina", "Blues For Lunch", and "Harlem Nocturne". CD

One of Dexter Gordon's proudest moments of the 50s – a rock-solid session for Bethlehem – easily one of the best-remembered hardbop sides from the label's California years! The album's got a relaxed, free-blown sound that's quite nice – with Dex in the lead on tenor, supported by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums. Gordon's perhaps not as fully imaginative as he would become in the 60s, but his sound and control is still great throughout – and the rhythm section really helps knock this one out of the park. Titles include versions of "Darn That Dream", "Autumn In New York", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Confirmation", plus two originals "Number Four" and "Daddy Plays The Horn". CD

One of the earliest albums as a leader from reedman Robin Kenyatta – and a set that's also one of his most compelling too! There's a definitely freer sound here than on some of Robin's smoother sets from the 70s – a vibe that's somewhere near the space of Impulse Records in the post-Coltrane years, and which is right at home on Atlantic's Vortex label subsidiary. A few tracks get surprisingly out, but always with a nice sense of focus, especially in the rhythms – and in addition to Kenyatta's own bold work on alto sax, the album features performances by Roswell Rudd on trombone, Mike Lawrence on trumpet, Walter Booker on bass, Fred Simmons on piano, and Horace Arnold on drums. The tunes have lots of sharp edges – almost Ayler-like at times, but more inside – and titles include "You Know How We Do", "Little Blue Devil", "This Year", and "Until". CD

The great Oliver Lake joins the Tarbaby trio of pianist Orrin Evans – along with a few other players who really help the group knock the record out of the park! There's a vibe here that's different than some of Evans' other Tarbaby sets – not just the presence of Lake's alto, which is superb, and given a showcase that could make the album one of his best in years – but also because there seems to be a higher sort of spirit to the whole record overall – really reaching for new goals in the music, as Evans piano resonates strongly with the bass of Eric Revis and drums of Nasheet Waits – with added guest work from Josh Lawrence on trumpet and Dana Murray on percussion. The set begins with Orrin singing on a composition by the great Trudy Pitts (one of our all-time heroes of jazz) – the tune "Blessed Ones The Eternal Truth" – and other tunes are by group members, and include "Purple", "Paix", "Bonu", "Bumper", "Round Robin", "House Of Leaves", and "Dance Of The Evil Toys" – plus a version of the Prince tune "Sometimes It Snows In April". CD

Malachi Thompson always has a great ear for the saxophonist in his groups – and that's definitely the case here, as the record sparkles as much from the tenor of Carter Jefferson and alto of Joe Ford, as it does from Malachi's trumpet! The three horns rise together wonderfully – Ford plays a bit of soprano, as well – and the session has a vibe that's very different than others recorded at the time – maybe more in the soulful blend of styles you would have found on a 70s session for a label like Muse. The rest of the group features Kirk Brown on piano, Harrison Bankhead on bass, Nasar Abadey on drums, and Richard Lawrence on congas – and titles include a great reading of the Billy Harper gem "Croquet Ballet", plus "In Walked John", "Lucky Seven", "Drown In My Own Tears", and "Mystic Trumpet Man". CD

A wonderful bit of spiritual soul jazz from a barely-recorded saxophonist – one known for a rare debut album on Blue Note! This sweet little record was recorded out of the same energy that produced Larry Young's Lawrence of Newark LP for Perception Records, and it's a strange session by Tyrone Washington – a young player from the Newark scene who'd previously cut a straighter album for Blue Note, but who was working here in kind of a messed-up grab bag of styles that fit well with the stoned-out approach of the Perception label. Hubert Eaves plays piano, Stafford James plays bass, Clifford Barconadhi is on drums, and the album's a mix of funk, modal jazz grooving, and a bit of outside activity. In a way, the album's earnestness reminds us of some of Roland Kirk's work from the same time – except that Tyrone's backing group is incredible, with a tight rhythmic sound that gets funky at just the right moments. Titles include "War Is Not For Men", "1980", "Submission", and "Spiritual Light Of The Universe". CD

Righteous jazz, but with a bit of a funky twist too – a great selection of classics from the years when 60s soul jazz was reaching out with a new sense of pride and power, and finding a way embrace all of the musical changes that were coming its way! The music here is often by artists who might have been playing straighter standards, or bluesy organ numbers a few years before – but who here are set fire by the changes of the 60s – both at a musical level, and a political one – the latter in ways that resonate strongly even in the instrumental passages on the set! The title is a reference to a famous quote by Eldridge Cleaver, used often by The Black Panthers – and the set begins with Joe Henderson's number of the same name, "If You're Not Part Of The Solution You're Part Of The Problem" – and follows with "Let's Make Peace & Stop The War" by Funk Inc, "Bitches Brew" by Eddie Jefferson, "HNIC" by Harold Vick, "Tawhid" by Johnny Lytle, "John Coltrane" by Clifford Jordan, "Celestial Bodies" by Catalyst, "Warriors Of Peace" by Azar Lawrence, "Africans Unite" by Gary Bartz NTU Troop, and "Black Feeling" by Johnny Hammond Smith. All tracks are nice and long – and the set has a great mix of spiritual ideals with a few funky currents. CD

A really great collection of work that sets the scene for the London Underground of the 60s – that heady cultural scene that was about to burst forth and shower the world with a huge range of new music that would influence listeners for decades to come! This package isn't that music – in that most of the artists here are American, mixed with contributions from a few key Brit talents too – and the whole thing works together to showcase the sorts of sounds that were a bit inspiration on the generation that would then inspire many others to come – a mad mix of modern jazz, electronic music, avant classical, groovy vocal, and even some compelling beat/poetry recordings too – all packaged together in an overstuffed 3CD set that makes for a hell of a journey in music! Artists include Ornette Coleman, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Charles Mingus, Daphne Oram, Modern Jazz Quartet, Aldous Huxley, Cecil Taylor, John Cage, Eric Dolphy, Annie Ross, Sun Ra, Gyorgy Ligeti, Allen Ginsberg, Jimmy Smith, Luciano Berio, John Coltrane, Chico Hamilton, Alexis Korner, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Albert Ayler, Joe Harriott, and many others. CD

The last album ever recorded by drummer Rashied Ali – a searing live set from a late European tour, and some of his most striking music from the time! Rashied is really unbridled on the kit – opening up in these long passages that really sum up all the creative inventions that have graced his work over the years – from legendary recordings with John Coltrane, to his own work on the Survival label in the 70s, to important projects with younger musicians in more recent years. This group features a well-matched lineup – with Josh Evans on trumpet, Lawrence Clark on tenor, Greg Murphy on piano, and Joris Teepe on bass – on titles that include "Lourana", "Theme For Captain Black", and "Thing For Joe" – all nice and long. CD

An overlooked gem from the revival years of Impulse Records – a set recorded in the mid 80s, but one that easily matches the soul and spirituality of the label's best work from the late 60s and early 70s! Pianist Henry Butler steps out here with a strong musical vision – one colored by his own bold McCoy Tyner-esque lines on the piano – and embellished by great solo work from Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Azar Lawrence on tenor. Rhythm is by Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – who definitely match Butler's pulsating, modal-influenced groove here – and additional instrumentation includes bits of flute and oboe, plus a string quartet on 2 numbers – coming off with Alice Coltrane-like brilliance! Great proof that righteous jazz was still being made in the 80s – with titles that include "Fivin Around", "LA Samba", "Improvisation On An Afghan Theme", "Giant Steps", and "Butler's Blues". CD

One of the few albums ever cut by Les DeMerle, one of the hippest drummers of his time – made legendary thanks to legions of samplers and beatheads in the 90s! This is certainly one of Les' best ever efforts – a tight batch of funky big band tracks, with lots of nice grooves, and a very hip lineup that includes Frank Foster, Joe Beck, Chris Woods, Arnie Lawrence, and Charles Sullivan – all coming together in some great tunes that have very unusual rhythms, and a great format that puts the drums in line with the hip playing in the reed section! The album includes Les' famous version of "A Day in the Life", which begins with a monster funky intro – plus the cuts "Fusion – Pro & Con", "Underground", "Deflections 1, 2, 3, & 4", and "Aquarius". CD

A legendary meeting of two classic jazz talents late in their careers – in a setting that's ideal to bring out all the complexity of their well-honed genius! The approach of the album is mostly an Ellington one – as the group features some of Duke's stalwarts, like Ray Nance on trumpet, Johnny Hodges on alto, and Lawrence Brown on trombone – but Coleman Hawkins gets plenty of space as the main soloist on each number on tenor, alongside Duke, who also solos strongly on piano – both of them with those subtle modern elements that showed up wonderfully in their later work. As with most later records by the players, the writing is great – with a lot more dark moments than you'd expect – and titles include "The Rictic", "You Dirty Dog", "Limbo Jazz", "Wanderlust", and "Self Portrait Of The Bean". CD

A great little session that builds on the strength of Johnny Hodges' small group 50s sessions for Verve – and which lets Duke Ellington in on some of the action! The format is nicely stripped-down throughout – featuring Hodges in sextet and septet formation with players who include Ben Webster on tenor, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Les Spann on flute, Lawrence Brown on trombone, and Jo Jones on drums. Surprisingly, Duke's actually only on piano on three tracks on the album – Billy Strayhorn handles keys on the other – but the session's still a great example of small combo Ellingtonia at its best, the special way Ellington players could extrapolate his ideas into a leaner formation on a record like this! Titles include "Ruint", "Stompy Jones", "Big Shoe", "Going Up", "Just A Memory", and "You Need to Rock". CD

One of the few albums ever cut as a leader by pianist Lorraine Geller – a player who's probably best remembered for her work with saxophonist (and husband) Herb Geller, but who also really swings nicely on her own! The album has Lorraine working with an LA trio that features Leroy Vinnegar on bass and drumming by either Lawrence Marable or Bruz Freeman – all of whom bring in a very soulful undercurrent to the record, helping bridge the two sides of the LA scene of the time, and making the album way deeper than you'd expect from the slightly elegant cover and title! The tracks aren't as strikingly modern as work cut by her husband during the 50s, but are quite strong nonetheless – with many unusual titles that include "Clash By Night", "Madam X", "Mystery Theatre", and "Everybody's Blues". CD

A pair of late 50s gems from Jackie Gleason – back to back on a single CD! Opiate D'Amour definitely has the drug promised in the title – thanks to some lush arrangements from the legendary Jackie Gleason! But the set's also got some other charms, too – thanks to solo instrumental passages by some surprisingly great guests – including Al Caiola on guitar, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Bernie Leighton on piano, and Romeo Penque – who plays the "oboe d'amore"! The album's definitely got Gleason at the top of his game – working well within the specific concepts Capitol allowed him for the record – on titles that include "The Girl", "It's All Right With Me", "Pink Lace", "Casa D'Amor", "Caress", and "Pale Blues". Rebound features beautiful music for the blue at heart – and the kind of record that really helps get us through a late night after a big breakup! Jackie Gleason is at his moody best here – with orchestrations that are full, but nicely restrained – and some great solo inflections from Bernie Leighton on piano, and reedman Romeo Penque – who plays a special instrument here named the "oboe d'amour"! Titles include "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me", "Satin Doll", "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Nevertheless", "Long Before I Knew You", "I'm Making Believe", "Without Love", "Close Your Eyes", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "More Than You Know", and "I Just Couldn't Take It Baby". CD

One of Dexter Gordon's proudest moments of the 50s – a rock-solid session for Bethlehem – easily one of the best-remembered hardbop sides from the label's California years! The album's got a relaxed, free-blown sound that's quite nice – with Dex in the lead on tenor, supported by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums. Gordon's perhaps not as fully imaginative as he would become in the 60s, but his sound and control is still great throughout – and the rhythm section really helps knock this one out of the park. Titles include versions of "Darn That Dream", "Autumn In New York", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Confirmation", plus two originals "Number Four" and "Daddy Plays The Horn". CD

Drummer Roy Haynes works here with an ensemble that's definitely as hip as the title promises – a really righteous group that makes the album one of Roy's most spiritual records ever! Haynes was always a drummer who was really a cut above, even back at the start – but here, he really steps out strongly with a new musical vision for the 70s – working with a lineup that includes George Adams on tenor and flute and Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet – but players who give the music a really bold feel, right from the start! The rest of the lineup is wonderful, too – as Carl Schroeder plays Fender Rhodes with this flowing vibe that's plenty soulful – alongside bass from Terud Nakamura and Mervin Bronson, conga from Lawrence Kilian, bongo from Elwood Johnson, and more drums from Haynes himself. Titles include a sublime reading of Stanley Cowell's "Equipoise" – plus "Tangiers", "You Name It", and "Satan's Mysterious Feeling". CD

Rare small group work from the great Johnny Hodges – an unissued live set from the start of the 60s, and one that has Johnny working with key Ellington sidemen in a very Ellington-like setting! Solo Hodges could usually take one of two forms – more soulful small group material that has less of the arrangements of his longtime leader, the Duke – and more Ellington-based performances, of which this set is definitely one – as Hodges leads a hip combo with Ray Nance on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Harry Carney on baritone, Al Williams on piano, Aaron Bell on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. Tunes are almost all numbers by Ellington or Billy Strayhorn, but done in a nice lean style, with key solo performances throughout – and titles include "Rocking In Rhythm", "Jeep Is Jumpin", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Sophisticated Lady", "Mood Indigo", and "Solitude" – plus "Good Queen Bess", "Perdido", and "Autumn Leaves". The sound quality is great – very clear, with a nicely crisp tone on the horn parts, especially Hodges and Carney! CD

A stone classic on the Black Jazz label – and one of the most unique guitar albums ever! We're not sure what the title meant originally – but over the past few decades, it's come to stand for some heavy heavy guitar work from the legendary Calvin Keys – a record that's really stood the test of the time, continually rediscovered by new generations of diggers! Keys has a very unique touch here – a mix of open chords and tighter lines – beautifully wrapping up a history of soul jazz guitar that stretches back to the early 60s – then propelling things forward with loads of righteous 70s spiritual jazz energy. The set also features loads of sweet keyboards – played by Larry Nash, and mixed with flute and "hose-a-phone" from Owen Marshall – set to grooves from Lawrence Evans on bass and Bob Braye on drums. A stone classic from the Black Jazz label – and titles include "Gee Gee", "BK.", "BE", and "Shawn-Neeq". CD

Geoff Love galore – two instrumental albums from the 70s – back to back on a single CD! War Movie Themes features Love's recasting of famous themes from military films – including some classics from the 50s and 60s, given a slightly lighter reading here as a great device that still lets you enjoy the famous themes – yet without all the heavy drama of the original soundtrack! Titles include "Is Paris Burning", "Colonel Bogey", "Lawrence Of Arabia", "The Guns Of Navarone", "The Longest Day", and "Where Eagles Dare". Concerto Movie Themes features famous concerto moments from older soundtracks – brought back to life in stunning sound by Geoff Love, whose recordings here really make the best of 70s studio technology! Most numbers are from classical sources, but re-arranged for a famous film appearance – then recast here by Love – usually with a piano in the lead. Titles include "Warsaw Concerto", "The Way To The Stars", "Theme From Grieg's Piano Concerto", "Cornish Rhapsody", "Theme From Concerto In B Flat Minor", and "Spellbound Concerto". CD