Ella Fitzgerald swings it nicely with the Tommy Flanagan Trio – a small group on the date for backup, but one who give this Montreux performance almost as much bounce as Ella's 70s live dates with a bigger ensemble! Tommy seems to have a bit more punch in his piano than usual, and Fitzgerald really makes great use of that quality – hanging her groove on his bold lines nicely, with support from Keter Betts on bass and Bobby Durham on drums. Titles include "Day By Day", "Billie's Bounce", "Too Close For Comfort", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "One Note Samba", and "Ordinary Fool". CD

A key 70s session from Tommy Flanagan – a record that showed that he was still one of the most fluid and soulful players of his generation! The album has Flanagan working only with the bass of George Mraz – in a drum-less format with even less structure than usual, a perfect setting for Tommy to stretch out, open up, and do his thing on the keys of the piano. There's still always a gentle swing and good focus to most tracks here – and Flanagan never gets too indulgent with the setting, even on the longer numbers. Titles include "Blue Twenty", "With Malice Towards None", "Blues For Sarka", "Star Eyes", and "They Say It's Spring". CD

Lovely lyrical sounds from Tommy Flanagan – a pianist who can be as deft as a bopper, but also bring in some richer currents of soul as well! Case in point is this great album from the late 70s – a time when Flanagan wasn't as much in the recording spotlight as the decade before, but a period when he'd actually matured a lot more as a player – able to step effortlessly between both his inclinations, especially when working with a group this great – a trio that features George Mraz on bass and Elvin Jones on drums! Tommy's got a touch on the keys that's subtle at times, but extremely powerful – a knowledge of notes and colors that's never overstated, but always right on the money. Titles include a great reading of the Tom McIntosh tune "Cup Bearers", plus "Maybe September", "Confirmation", "50 21", and "It Never Entered My Mind". CD

A sweetly swinging seventies set from pianist Tommy Flanagan – one of those records that's a perfect balance between the bop-inspired dexterity of his work on the keyboard, and that undeniable warmth he always brought to his best recordings! Tommy's got maybe a bit more bite on the keys, especially when moving at a quicker pace – and backing is by George Mraz on bass, whose round tones emphasize the warmer elements, and Elvin Jones on drums – who may well be part of the reason for the bite! The set features a number of bop classic tunes – like "Oleo", "Confirmation", and "Relaxin At Camarillo" – plus the great title cut "Eclypso", and a moody reading of Tom McIntosh's excellent "The Cup Bearers". CD

Features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

Features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

A different version of the album Bash – recorded for the Jazztime label in 1961, with leadership by Dave Bailey – a set that's filled with fire, soul, and imagination – recorded as part of the drummer's amazing (and amazingly short) early 60s run as a leader! The date smokes with the same sort of energy as Dave's great "Gutter" albums for Epic – a groove that's part Blue Note, part Prestige, and carried off with so much precision, we wonder why Bailey never recorded more as a leader. Players are all wonderful – Kenny Dorham's on trumpet, Curtis Fuller's on trombone, Frank Haynes is on tenor, and Tommy Flanagan's on piano. Ben Tucker provides excellent basswork, and proves that him and Bailey were one of the best hardbop rhythm teams ever! Cuts include "Grand Street", "Osmosis", "Soul Support", and "An Oscar For Oscar". CD features 7 tracks in all – including some that haven't been on other versions of this session. Other titles include "Just Friends", "Like Someone In Love", and "BMT Express". CD

A great title for this one – given the extremely poetic sound of Tommy Flanagan on the piano! For years, Tommy's had a great talent for being as bopper, yet as sensitive as a mellower, more lyrical player too – a brilliant combination that shows up instantly in the first few notes of this set – a late 80s recording that's filled with warmth and subtle imagination. The trio features George Mraz on bass and Kenny Washington on drums – the latter of whom really gets things swinging in some great gentle ways – and titles include "Raincheck", "Lament", "Caravan", "Voce Abuso", "Mean Streets", and "That Tired Routine Called Love". CD

Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones on piano, performing separately and as a duo, accompanied by Hein Vandegeyn on bass and Idris Muhammad on drums. CD

There's nothing standard here – because with a lineup that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – the set is definitely a cut above! The title's a reference to the songs – which are all older jazz standards – but the trio really set fire to the music, despite its familiarity – coming together with a round, warm, well-recorded tone that brings new life out the music – and which gets careful creative handling by all three players. The mix of Workman and Chambers is especially nice – a bit more fresh than some of Flanagan's other rhythm partners – and titles include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Autumn Leaves", "It's All Right With Me", "Angel Eyes", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

Really special magic from pianist Tommy Flanagan – exactly the of record that shows why his approach to the piano can be so great – this wonderful balance of fuller rhythms and lighter lyrical moments – given some equal spin here by guitarist Kenny Burrell, whose work in the quartet is every bit as great as Tommy's! There's a nicely understated vibe to the record – but just because the players make things seem so effortless – such a command of their instruments the moments of beauty just keep coming at a level that's breathtaking once you stop to think about the way they're spinning things out! The group also features George Mraz on bass and Lewis Nash on drums – the last of whom is perfect here – and titles include "Bluebird", "Yesterdays", "Blues In My Heart", "Barbados", "The Con Man", and "Bluebird After Dark". CD

There's a definite Monkish bent to this one, in case you couldn't guess from the title – but Tommy Flanagan doesn't simply copy Monk's compositions, but also throws in a few great touches of his own! The session's got a depth and complexity that goes beyond other standard tributes to Thelonious Monk – partly due to Tommy's lyrical approach to the keys, which warms some of the tunes nicely, and shades in colors that Monk never seemed to touch. Trio members here include George Mraz on bass and Art Taylor on drums – and titles include "Thelonica", "Off Minor", "Ugly Beauty", "Reflections", "Thelonius", and "North Of The Sunset". CD

A well-titled super session from pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Elvin Jones – and one with a bit more sense of surprise than similar all-star trio outings from the 80s! There's a looseness here that's a good antidote to some of the more tightly-produced Japanese trio sessions – by the Great Jazz Trio, Super Jazz Trio, and other groupings of American players – and Flanagan's touch on the keys is especially nice here, almost a bit more "human" than on other records – with an odd sense of tone and phrasing that keeps our interest throughout. Titles include "Too Late Now", "Minor Perhaps", "Rachel's Rondo", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", and "Django". CD

A wonderful little tribute to the late, great John Coltrane – served up as a piano trio session led by Tommy Flanagan, but done with a sense of power and imagination that rivals the strength of Trane's classics! All tracks here are originals by Coltrane, performed by Flanagan with a forceful approach to the piano that shows a bit more McCoy Tyner than usual – and which is propelled strongly on most numbers by bold rhythm work from the team of George Mraz on bass and Al Foster on drums. Foster's work on the kit is especially nice – quite bold, and really soaring forward with a sense of righteous energy – inspiring Flanagan to heights we've never heard before on a session like this. Titles include "Naima", "Giant Steps", "Syeeda's Song Flute", "Central Park West", "Mr PC", and "Cousin Mary". CD

A great pairing of lyrical jazz talents – the piano of Tommy Flanagan and the compositions of Thad Jones – working together here perfectly, at a level that reminds us how great Thad's music can be in a more intimate mode! Tommy's got that amazing command of the keyboard here that's always made his best records so great – an effortless ability to blend full-on lines with more subtle understanding of the true tonal possibilities of the instrument – balanced with the work of Jesper Lundgaard on bass and Lewis Nash on drums – both players who really share Flangan's sensitive approach. Titles include "To You", "Bird Song", "Let's", "Mean What You Say", "Elusive", "Zec", "Quietude", and "Three In One". CD

A wonderful little tribute to the late, great John Coltrane – served up as a piano trio session led by Tommy Flanagan, but done with a sense of power and imagination that rivals the strength of Trane's classics! All tracks here are originals by Coltrane, performed by Flanagan with a forceful approach to the piano that shows a bit more McCoy Tyner than usual – and which is propelled strongly on most numbers by bold rhythm work from the team of George Mraz on bass and Al Foster on drums. Foster's work on the kit is especially nice – quite bold, and really soaring forward with a sense of righteous energy – inspiring Flanagan to heights we've never heard before on a session like this. Titles include "Naima", "Giant Steps", "Syeeda's Song Flute", "Central Park West", "Mr PC", and "Cousin Mary". CD

There's a definite Monkish bent to this one, in case you couldn't guess from the title – but Tommy Flanagan doesn't simply copy Monk's compositions, but also throws in a few great touches of his own! The session's got a depth and complexity that goes beyond other standard tributes to Thelonious Monk – partly due to Tommy's lyrical approach to the keys, which warms some of the tunes nicely, and shades in colors that Monk never seemed to touch. Trio members here include George Mraz on bass and Art Taylor on drums – and titles include "Thelonica", "Off Minor", "Ugly Beauty", "Reflections", "Thelonius", and "North Of The Sunset". CD

The title says "recital", but the album's no stiff, starched concert affair – as Tommy Flanagan is right at home on the piano, playing with a fluid grace that makes the record one of his best from the 70s! There's a simple, unadorned quality to the album – one that really lets Tommy sparkle with a quality that was always present in his work, but sometimes slightly dimmed in the studio – especially in large group records. And it's almost as if Pablo records has taken a cue from advances in Japanese piano trio recordings of the decade to bring a new sort of life to Flanagan's career – one that Tommy would later go onto explore heavily in later Japanese-only sides. Rhythm is by Keter Betts on bass and Bobby Durham on drums – and tracks include "The Intimacy Of The Blues", "Ummg", "Something To Live For", "All Day Long", "Mainstem", and "Daydream". CD

With Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone, Kenny Kirkland and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Dave Holland and Buster Williams on bass and Daniel Humair on drums. CD

A soul jazz classic from Gene Ammons – the kind of session that easy made him "boss" on tenor – with a tone and conception that few other players could touch! The set is done in a style that's laidback, but never too loose – bouncing along in that "with conga" style of rhythm that was used strongly at the start of the 60s – with Ray Barretto on percussion, alongside Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The style is nice and echoey – a mode that works well not only here, but on most of the 22 other albums that Ammons went onto record during the next 2 years! Titles include "Close Your Eyes", "Canadian Sunset", "Hittin' The Jug", "Confirmation", and "Blue Ammons". CD

One of the best blowing sessions on Prestige – and proof that Kenny Burrell could hit a nice groove when he wanted to! The record is a very open-ended set, and players include Burrell, Donald Byrd, Frank Foster, Tommy Flanagan, Doug Watkins, and Art Taylor. Side one features a great long track called "All Day Long", with loads of space and plenty of great soloing – a cut that is quite possibly THE blowing session tune from Prestige – as it's a perfect example of the label's work in that style, and one of the longest ever recorded in that format. Side two features shorter cuts "Slim Jim", "Say Listen", and "AT" – all a bit tighter, and still very nice! CD features the bonus track "CPW". CD

The entirety of Kenny's first 3 sessions for Blue Note together on one 2 disc set. Arguably some of Kenny Burrell's best work! Unlike some of Kenny's other sessions, which hide his guitar in arrangements that are a bit too complicated – this one's a nicely stripped-down album that sets his hollow electric in a group with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Kenny Clarke on drums, and Candido on conga. The tracks are nicely laidback, and Kenny hits some nice deep grooves on cuts like "Fugue N Blues", "Takeela", and "Delilah". Plus, the album also includes a totally cool percussion-only track – "Rhythmorama", which is a duet between Kenny Clarke and Candido! This CD adds the entire session to include the album issued as Kenny Burrell Volume 2 which featured Frank Foster's tenor on numbers like "Moten Swin", "Cheeta" and Phinupi. K.B. Blues, an early 10" side that included the title track (with an alternate take also included here), "Nica's Dream" and "Out For Blood" with tenor man Hank Mobley, is also included. CD

One of our favorite Kenny Burrell albums – and a record with a much deeper feel than lots of his other work! Kenny cut this album with John Coltrane in 1958 – and the session's a real standout in both of their careers at the time – Kenny's, for being a well-crafted, highly-focused effort – and Coltrane's, for being a unique outing with a guitar, but one that's done with the same deep-spirited sound of his best work for Prestige. The group's a quintet, with Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb in the rhythm section – and titles include "Big Paul", "Lyresto", "Why Was I Born?", "I Never Knew", and "Freight Trane". CD

One of the most hard-hitting sessions ever recorded for the Bethlehem label – and a rare date for the imprint by the team of trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist Pepper Adams! The style here is similar to work the pair recorded for Riverside and Blue Note at the same time – razor-sharp hardbop, played with a strong sense of imagination, and plenty of room for drawn-out, creatively-blown solos. Adams is especially great – playing the baritone here with the leanness of a tenor sax – but Byrd is wonderful too, and really starts to break out of some of the more staid modes of his work from a few years back. The group's a sextet that includes guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer "Hey" Lewis (another name for Louis Hayes?) – on titles that include "Trio", "Philson", "Libeccio", and "Bitty Ditty". CD

Incredible work from the team of Donald Byrd and Gigi Gryce – crisp modern jazz, filled with soul, and never failing to swing! During the time of these recordings, Gryce was one hell of an arranger – with a tight ensemble approach that worked magic in a small combo setting. He was also a tremendous alto player – with a tone that was unlike any other musician at the time, magically sharp, with a sound that always seemed to inspire a great deal of energy from his bandmates. He gets plenty of that here from trumpeter Donald Byrd – sounding better on these sides than on most of his other 50s recordings – thanks also to some great accompanists, who include Tommy Flanagan, Wendell Marshall, and Art Taylor. Some tunes feature additional horn work from players that include Benny Powell, Julius Watkins, and Sahib Shihab. Volume 1 in this Lonehill's Complete Jazz Lab Studio Sessions mixes 13 tracks originally released on the LPs Jazz Lab, Modern Jazz Perspective, plus mutual tracks with the rare compilation Jazz Omnibus. Titles include "Nica's Tempo", "Smoke Signal", "Over The Rainbow", "Sans Souci", "Speculation", "Stablemates", "Steppin Out", "Social Call", "Satellite", "An Evening In Casablanca" and more! CD

Kenny may be quiet, but he's never muted – and the record is far from the sleepy session you might guess from the title! The album's a real standout in the Dorham catalog – a set that let's Kenny's trumpet sparkle beautifully in a quartet that includes piano from Tommy Flanagan, bass from Paul Chambers, and drums from Art Taylor – all bringing their own spirit to the record, but really hanging back in the space to let Dorham's sound dominate the record. Kenny's notes are beautifully shaped throughout – in a mode that has echoes of Clifford Brown's sweetness, but which also speaks with a raspier, earthier tone overall! Titles include 2 key Dorham classics – "Lotus Blossom" and "Blue Spring" – plus "Mack The Knife", "My Ideal", "Blue Friday", and "Old Folks". CD

A wonderfully free-thinking set by Kenny Dorham – and a record that really breaks from his earlier work! The album's not exactly experimental, but it features longer tracks with a looser approach than some of Dorham's sweeter shorter work – more in a rhythmically progressive mode that lets the soloists carve out their own space in the set. Joe Henderson joins Kenny on the frontline, and the rest of the group includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Albert Heath on drums. All titles are originals, with some great modernist inflections, especially in the changes – and titles include "The Fox", "Mamacita", "Tropeta Toccata", and "Night Watch". CD

A wonderfully free-thinking set by Kenny Dorham – and a record that really breaks from his earlier work! The album's not exactly experimental, but it features longer tracks with a looser approach than some of Dorham's sweeter shorter work – more in a rhythmically progressive mode that lets the soloists carve out their own space in the set. Joe Henderson joins Kenny on the frontline, and the rest of the group includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Albert Heath on drums. All titles are originals, with some great modernist inflections, especially in the changes – and titles include "The Fox", "Mamacita", "Tropeta Toccata", and "Night Watch". CD

One of the greatest albums on the Bethlehem label – and one of the first albums as a leader by the legendary Booker Ervin! At the time of the set, Ervin had come off a great stint with the Charles Mingus group – one that inflected his rootsy Texas tenor tones with a sharper modern edge – heard to perfection on this great little session, which is equal parts hard swinging soul jazz and dark-tinged early 60s modern! Zoot Sims joins Booker in the front line, and the two of them trade tenor solos throughout on the album's long compositions – grooving with a great sextet that includes Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Mingus' drummer Dannie Richmond on the kit! Cuts include "Largo", "The Book Cooks", "The Blue Book", and "Git It". CD

A wonderfully warm session from tenor legend Booker Ervin – maybe not as experimental as some of Booker's other dates for Prestige Records in the 60s – but a really wonderful record that fully explores the deep tones of his Texas tenor, and still lets him come off with a bit of an edge! The title refers to the tunes in the set – which are all standards from the American song book – but as usual with Ervin, the treatment is a bit harder-hitting and more expressive than most – played here with a sense of timing and tone that's amazing! Tommy Flanagan accompanies Booker on piano, and the rhythm is by the crack team of Richard Davis and Alan Dawson – on titles that include "All The Things You Are", "Just Friends", "Come Sunday", "Yesterdays", and "The Lamp Is Low". CD

Ella Fitzgerald in Budapest – but swinging just as hard as on any of her other records from the time! The set's a later issue of an unreleased live date recorded in 1970 – a set that captures Fitzgerald right at the height of her international fame, at a time when she could captivate just about any audience with her inherent charm and amazing vocals! Backings are by a trio that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Frank De La Rosa on bass, and Ed Thigpen on bass – and titles are a hip mix of tunes that include a funky take on "Spinning Wheel", plus "Hello Young Lovers", "The Girl From Ipanema", "You Better Love Me", "As Time Goes By", "Crazy Rhythm", "People", "Mack The Knife", "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", and "Dancing In The Dark". CD

A seminal session from Curtis Fuller – one of a handful he cut for Savoy, recorded during that late 50s/early 60s period when he seemed poised to become one of the biggest trombonists in jazz! (Whatever happened? How did he cut so many records as a leader so fast, then slide back into being a sideman for most of the rest of his career?) The set's cut in that laidback blowing session mode of the Savoy hardbop years – with tremendous work from Benny Golson on tenor, plus Tommy Flanagan on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Al Harewood on drums – all working through easily-handled tunes that include "Minor Vamp", "Love Your Spell Is Everywhere", "Five Spot After Dark", and "Twelve Inch". Think soul jazz with a slight touch of mysticism! CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes of tunes on the album! CD

With Milt Jackson on vibes, Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Johnny Griffin on tenors, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Mickey Roker on drums – on titles that include "Lover Come Back To Me", "What's New", and "Cherokee". CD

An overlooked US date from 1970 – a set that Dexter Gordon recorded during a quick stop home from his time abroad – really cooking away in the Prestige studios with a great little rhythm section, in ways that are quite different than his better-known European work of the time! The title cut's a groover that definitely matches the promise of its name – a slinky soul jazz number driven along nicely by a rhythm trio that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Larry Ridley on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. The group keep things interesting on other cuts too – even when Gordon's dominating with the kind of inventive solo lines he was forging in Europe – and most tracks are longish, with plenty of room for action. Titles include "The Panther", "Valse Robin", "Mrs Miniver", and "The Blues Walk". CD

A trio of albums from one of our favorite trumpeters on the European scene! First up is Portrait – a set that stands as a tribute to trumpeter Dusko Goykovich's 70 years on this planet – and a record that features him in a variety of settings too! Other players include Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, Tony Lakatos on tenor, Steve Gut on trumpet, Isla Eckinger and Ray Drummond on basses, Abraham Burton on alto, and Kenny Barron and Tommy Flanagan on pianos – on titles that include "Recado Bossa Nova", "Balkan Blue", "Adriatica", "One For Klook", and "Inga". Next is Swinging Macedonia – a legendary German session from the 60s – and a record that really showcases the unusual criss-crossing of modes that was going on in the European scene at the time! There's a very strong MPS vibe here – as trumpeter Dusko Goykovich leads a swinging sextet that includes Nathan Davis on flute, soprano, and tenor – blowing some tremendously soulful reed lines – plus incredible rhythms from Mal Waldron on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Cees See on drums. The record's an attempt to bring traditional Macedonian rhythms into a jazz perspective – but with players like these, it swings in a way any Macedonian album never could – damn soulful, and with a great exotic vibe. Davis is especially great, and plays in a soaring modal vein that's similar to his work on his classic MPS sides, and on the records he cut in America in the early 70s. The album's a beautiful session that often get's overlooked because it blends it with the Enja catalog – but it's really more of a record that belongs in an MPS reissue series, and is a great lost groover that's waiting to be rediscovered by the Dusty Groove crowd. Titles include "Macedonia", "Old Fisherman's Daughter", "Jumbo Uganda", "Bem Basha", "Saga Se karame", and "The Nights Of Skopje". Brandenberg Concert features one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene of the past few decades – heard here in a completely sublime setting! Dusko Goykovich has played in many styles and many ways, but hasn't ever done a date with full strings before – a long-overdue placement for his wonderful tone on trumpet – shimmering out front of a larger ensemble, in the manner of classic "with strings" dates by Dizzy Gillespie or Art Farmer! Altoist Peter King arranged the album – and titles are all originals by Dusko, some of which you might know from earlier records – reworked here beautifully for the new setting. King also solos on a handful of tracks too – a rich voice that provides a nice balance with Dusko's trumpet. Strings are never overdone, and the album's always got a nice swing from a core rhythm trio that features Renato Chicco on piano. Titles include "Good Old Days", "Handful O Soul", "Danca Comigo", "St Germain Des Pres", "Adriatica", "In My Dreams", and "I Miss You So". CD

Wonderful late work by Coleman Hawkins – a player who was very much "at ease" with himself at the time, and opened up tremendously on albums like this. The format is beautiful – simple small group backings by Tommy Flanagan, Wendell Marshall, and Osie Johnson – with Coleman out front, blowing these deep and mellow tenor lines that could stop a locomotive in its tracks! Titles include "At Dawning", "I'll Get By", "For You For Me For Evermore", and "Mighty Lak A Rose". CD

A beautiful record – but that's no surprise, since most of the later work of Coleman Hawkins tends to be great! The setting is quite laidback – and Hawkins' time-weathered tenor is placed in a perfect setting with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Major Holley on bass, and Eddie Locke on drums. The set list is spare, with simple quartet arrangements – but Hawk's solos are mindblowingly perfect, and with a great edge that you won't find in his earlier recordings. It's hard to describe what we're talking about – but the more and more we listen to his later records, the more we realize what a genius he was! Includes the tracks "Don't Love Me", "Quintessence", "Go Lil Liza", and "Swingin' Scotch". CD

Drummer Roy Haynes always brings something great to the table for any album he does as a leader – and this record is no exception! Here, the "added something" is the presence of Roland Kirk on reeds – offered a key early chance to express his most modern ideas in the freedom of Haynes' group – working alongside Tommy Flanagan on piano and Henry Grimes on bass, in what was easily one of the hippest groups to record for Impulse in the early 60s! The record's filled with wonderful material – and a mix of originals and standards done with a very twisted edge – all with great interplay between Kirk's quirky sax work and Roy Haynes' amazing drumming – often changing up timings and rhythms with ease, and really matching Kirk's quirky energy for the set. Titles include "Moon Ray", "Raoul", "Snap Crackle", and "Long Wharf". CD