John Coltrane returns to the Village Vanguard – but his sound here is a lot more far-reaching than a few years before! The album's a great counterpart to the first Vanguard session – as it takes all of the bold, soaring energy of that date, and balances it with the newly introspective sound of the later Coltrane years – plus some of the freedoms learned from the Love Supreme era. The group here showcases the new territory explored by Coltrane – with Trane himself on tenor, soprano, and a bit of bass clarinet (echoing earlier Dolphy), plus Pharoah Sanders on additional tenor, Alice Coltrane on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Rasheid Ali on drums. The album only features 2 long tracks – an incredibly soulful version of "Naima", and a very firey version of "My Favorite Things", but one that begins with a haunting bass solo by Garrison! CD

2 exotica classics on one CD! Quiet Village is an undisputed classic in the exotica field, and the record that yielded Denny his biggest hit – the title reworking of "Quiet Village", written by Les Baxter a few years earlier. The rest of the record's pretty darn nice, too – with Denny's trademark piano/percussion style firmly in place – and we can't think of a better way to start off a collection of exotic 50s tunes. Titles include "Sake Rock", "Martinique", "Tune From Rangoon", and "Pagan Love Song". Enchanted Sea is another great classic by Denny – with a nice approach that has sort of a drifting South Seas feel! The record is one of his last good ones for Liberty, and has lots of nice tracks like "My Isle Of Golden Dreams", "Beyond The Reef", "Flotsam & Jetsam", and "Cross Current". Nice sexy cover, too! CD

One of the first albums in a long line of successes from the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – recorded live in their home turf at the Village Vanguard! The group at this point was a freshly-created outfit filled with some of the best large group jazz soloists of the time – players that included Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels, Pepper Adams, Richard Williams, and Bob Brookmeyer – not to mention Jones and Lewis themselves! The style here is very much in the mode that the Clarke Boland Band was crafting in Europe during the same period – a redefinition of the larger jazz group, in a way that allowed it to swing with the dynamic energy and soul of some of the smaller combos of the 60s. And while the Jones/Lewis group had many years over which to hone their craft, they've never sounded better than on these initial recordings – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Samba Con Getchu", "A That's Freedom", "Bachafillen", and "Little Pixie". CD features 3 bonus tracks too – "Lover Man", "The Second Race", and "Quietude". CD

Recorded live at the Village Vanguard, with special guests Clark Terry and Bob Brookmeyer, and featured soloists that include Dick Oatts on soprano, Jim McNeely on piano, Richard Perry on tenor, and Gary Pribeck on baritone. CD

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki". CD

One of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever! The set is a legendary batch of trio tracks that feature Sonny working in a format that is incredibly free for the time, and which show him as more of a modernist than a bopper – although his solos are still pretty darn fantastic from a bop perspective – stretching out in free, piano-less space – really cutting some amazing edges, and blown in tones we might never have expected from Rollins a few years before. The group is beautifully open ended – with Wilbur Ware on bass and Elvin Jones on drums, and both of them in their best mode of the late 50s. This package features a reworked lineup of tracks from the LP – showing the true first volume of material – and adding in Donald Bailey on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums for a few tracks. Titles include "Night In Tunisia (afternoon take)", "Night In Tunisia (evening take)", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Four", "Woody N You", and "Old Devil Moon". CD

A really amazing package – the full performances that created the seminal album Our Man In Jazz – one of the most freewheeling recordings of Sonny Rollins! Sonny plays here in a great quartet that features Don Cherry on cornet, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and only three of the many tracks on the set were ever issued before! CD

An album recorded relatively early in the career of singer Nina Simone – but a set that already shows the very unique approach that would make her a legend by the time the 60s moved on! Even the very first tune is a stunner – a haunting reworking of the favorite "Just In Time", but with Nina grunting instead of singing at the start – as the bass comes across with more power than the drums or piano – really shaping the song in moody tones! That sort of inventiveness follows on every other tune – making the familiar numbers sound very unique, and the unusual ones even more striking – as the set list also features numbers by Oscar Brown Jr, Olatunji, and Simone herself. The recording quality is great – intimate, yet lively – and the set's filled with longish readings of some great tunes that include "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Brown Baby", "Zungo", "Children Go Where I Send You", and "He Was Too Good To Me". CD

One of the first big moments of Albert Ayler's work in the jazz mainstream – and a record that doesn't dim his greatness at all from the earlier sides recorded for ESP! The album's got a sharply angular sound that more than lives up to its vibrant cover image – a well-honed approach to improvisation, showcased by Ayler in a set of recordings done upon his return from work on the European scene. The material was recorded on two different dates – featuring two different groups: one with Alan Silva, Beaver Harris, and Joel Friedman; the other with Donald Ayler, Henry Grimes, and Michel Sampson. Titles are long, with the searing emotional sound that Ayler was peaking at during this time – and titles include "For John Coltrane", "Change Has Come", and "Truth is Marching On". CD

Steve Coleman on alto saxophone, Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Miles Okazaki on guitar, Anthony Tidd on bass, and Sean Rickman on drums. CD

One of Chris Connor's most obscure albums from the 60s – and one of her nicest too! The record's got a less polished feel than some of Connor's work for Atlantic or ABC – recorded live at the Village Gate, and divided up into "late" and "early" shows that both have a slightly different spirit. Backing is by a small group that includes Mundell Lowe on guitar, Ronnie Ball on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Ed Shaunessy on drums – and the liveness of the recording really comes through, in a way that gets more at the boozy Chris of late nite clubs than you'd hear on most of her studio albums. Titles include "All Or Nothing At All", "Old Devil Moon", "Goodbye", "Only The Lonely", "Black Coffee", "Ten Cents A Dance", and "Only The Lonely". CD

Magical trio recordings from the classic trio that featured Bill Evans on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – a massive 3CD set of music, and one that brings together the complete June 1961 Village Vanguard recordings! The revolutionary bass work of LaFaro, and free-thinking rhythms of Motian really helped open up Evans' work on piano at the time – and their influence is heard to best effect on this spontaneous live set, spread out over the course of 22 tunes, recorded throughout the afternoon and evening on June 25, 1961. The package features one newly-discovered take, plus a number of alternates, spoken bits from Bill, and even a few final bars of music. Titles include "Solar", "Milestones", "All Of You", "Gloria's Step", "My Man's Gone Now", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", and "Waltz For Debby". CD

One of Bill Evans' landmark sessions with the young bassist Scott LaFaro – a player who made key contributions on every record he touched, then left this earth far too soon in his career! The live session's a perfect demonstration of the way that the Evans trio format not only re-worked the use of the piano in jazz, but also the bass and drums as well – as LaFaro's deeply evocative playing is paired with the equally fresh drum work of Paul Motian – heard here at his youthful early best, before some of his contributions to jazz had become cliche in the hands of other players. The session was caught live at the Village Vanguard on the night of June 25, 1961 – and titles include longish takes on "Solar", "Jade Visions", "Gloria's Step", and "Alice In Wonderland". CD

A sweet collection and one the label could have called The Diverse Yusef Lateef if that title wasn't already taken. This anthology goes way past Yusef Lateef's Atlantic years and includes material recorded for Savoy, Prestige, and Impulse – it even has a track recorded with Grant Green for Blue Note! CD

Rare material from the short lived Pendulum group – an expanded release of their one and only album, a live recording from the Village Vanguard. The original LP release included just 3 tracks – "Pendulum", "Picadilly Lilly", and "Footprints" – this version adds 8 songs, including "Blue Bossa", "Solar", another version of Liebman's "Picadilly Lilly", and a long reading of Coltrane's "Impressions"! CD

One of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever! The set is a legendary batch of trio tracks that feature Sonny working in a format that is incredibly free for the time, and which show him as more of a modernist than a bopper – although his solos are still pretty darn fantastic from a bop perspective. Blue Note recorded Sonny at 2 sessions at the Village Vanguard on November 3, 1957 – and both sessions are offered here in their complete form! Donald Bailey and Pete LaRoca are the rhythm section for the early set – and Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones are the backing for the later set. Both groups are amazing, and this is simply one of the best live sets ever captured by the label – and the kind of work that Rollins' had yet to reach in the studio. Titles include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Four", "Old Devil Moon", "Night In Tunisia", and "I've Got You Under My Skin". But forget the titles, because it's the playing that makes this one so wonderful! CD

One of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever! The set is a legendary batch of trio tracks that feature Sonny working in a format that is incredibly free for the time, and which show him as more of a modernist than a bopper – although his solos are still pretty darn fantastic from a bop perspective – stretching out in free, piano-less space – really cutting some amazing edges, and blown in tones we might never have expected from Rollins a few years before. The group is beautifully open ended – with Wilbur Ware on bass and Elvin Jones on drums, and both of them in their best mode of the late 50s. This package features a reworked lineup of tracks from the LP – showing the true first volume of material – and adding in Donald Bailey on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums for a few tracks. Titles include "What Is This Thing Called Love", "I Can't Get Started", "Get Happy", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Sonnymoon For Two", "Strivers Row", and "I'll Remember April". CD

With Wallace Roney on trumpet, Antoine Roney on reeds, Geri Allen and Chick Corea on piano, Clarence Seay on bass, and Lenny White on drums – plus guest tenors Michael Brecker and Pharoah Sanders! CD

A real gem from Phil Woods' back to basics years of the 80s – a time when he seemed to be able to make magic happen anywhere – no matter the label, no matter the setting! Here, Phil's in some very familiar territory that really has him opening up with ease – not just the Village Vanguard, but a warm quartet with Hal Galper on piano, Steve Gilmore on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums – an easygoing ensemble that really lets Woods' solo lines spin out like magic! Titles include "Very Early", "Webb City", "Prelude To A Kiss", and a sublime soulful take on "Springsville". CD

Some of the greatest albums ever from tenorist George Adams – packaged together here in a sweet set that also features the CDs in tiny LP-styled covers! Much of the music here was done in collaboration with fellow members of Charles Mingus' group – three albums with pianist Don Pullen, and all with drummer Dannie Richmond – players who are very simpatico with Adams' vibe, as they all together find rich new ground after the passing of Mingus. There's a soulful swing to most of the records – that way that Adams and Pullen had of being sharply creative, yet still rooted in straighter jazz modes too – balancing both impulses perfectly, especially over the progression of albums in this set. The package includes tiny LP-styled reproductions of the records Don't Lose Control, Hand To Hand, Gentleman's Agreement, and Live At The Village Vanguard Volumes 1 & 2. CD

Open, swinging live work from the George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet – and a set that shows both the group's sense of jazz tradition, and their willingness to play with it on their own terms! The tracks here are all quite long, jamming numbers – built on lively rhythms from the bass of Cameron Brown and drums of Dannie Richmond, and featuring a mix of exploratory solos and more swinging moments from Adams on tenor and Pullen on piano. Titles include a great reading of the Mingus tune "Diane" – plus "The Necessary Blues", "Intentions", and "Solitude" – all of which are over 13 minutes long! CD

Abraham Burton on tenor saxophone, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Eric McPherson on drums. CD

Titles include "What's Up", "Beautiful She Is", "Joanna", "The Village", "Music Came", "Soft Platonicism", and "Expressions Of Quietude". With Ron Carter on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. CD

Sublimely spiritual work from the great John Coltrane – a live album, but one that's easily one of his most important contributions to music in the early 60s – and a set that we'd rank right up there with his best studio sides for Impulse or Atlantic Records at the time! The group here features McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – plus the very important addition of Eric Dolphy on the leadoff tune "Spiritual" – a number that features Dolphy on bass clarinet alongside Coltrane's tremendous tenor, as both players open up on extended solos that take the tune to nearly 14 minutes in length! Other numbers omit Dolphy, but are still totally great – and Coltrane picks up the soprano sax for a classic reading of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" – and the group shifts slightly for the freer "Chasin The Trane", a 16 minute romp done with only tenor sax, drums, and bass – the latter of which is handled here by Jimmy Garrison instead of Workman. CD

One of Bill Evans' landmark sessions with the young bassist Scott LaFaro – a player who made key contributions on every record he touched, then left this earth far too soon in his career! The live session's a perfect demonstration of the way that the Evans trio format not only re-worked the use of the piano in jazz, but also the bass and drums as well – as LaFaro's deeply evocative playing is paired with the equally fresh drum work of Paul Motian – heard here at his youthful early best, before some of his contributions to jazz had become cliche in the hands of other players. The session was caught live at the Village Vanguard on the night of June 25, 1961 – and titles include longish takes on "Solar", "Jade Visions", "Gloria's Step", and "Alice In Wonderland". CD

One of Bill Evans' landmark sessions with the young bassist Scott LaFaro – a player who made key contributions on every record he touched, then left this earth far too soon in his career! The live session's a perfect demonstration of the way that the Evans trio format not only re-worked the use of the piano in jazz, but also the bass and drums as well – as LaFaro's deeply evocative playing is paired with the equally fresh drum work of Paul Motian – heard here at his youthful early best, before some of his contributions to jazz had become cliche in the hands of other players. The session was caught live at the Village Vanguard on the night of June 25, 1961 – and titles include longish takes on "Solar", "Jade Visions", "Gloria's Step", and "Alice In Wonderland". CD

An amazing jam session set – of the sort that was rarely issued in the 60s, and hardly ever on labels like Solid State Records! The album features a small group of all-star players recorded live at the Village Vanguard in 1967 – all blowing on long, unstructured tunes that offer amazing solo space, and the kind of spontaneity that's rarely captured so well in a live jazz setting. Players include Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Chick Corea on piano, Ray Nance on violin, Richard Davis on bass, and either Elvin Jones or Mel Lewis on drums – and the unusual mix of players really comes together beautifully for the record, in a rare spirit that recalls the best of the Norman Granz JATP sessions, but with a hipper sort of 60s feel. Titles include "Birk's Works", "Blues For Max", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "Lullaby At The Leaves" – all presented in very long versions, 2 of which are longer here than ever before! The second disc in this series that captures the fire and spontaneity of the famous late 60s Sunday afternoon sessions at the Village Vanguard – recorded when that club was an important site for criss-crossing of styles and traditions, as you'll hear wonderfully in this set! The album features a sextet that includes Pepper Adams, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Richard Davis, Mel Lewis, and Garnet Brown – playing in an easy, open format that has them really stretching out on 3 long tracks. The focus here is on the solo work of the players, but there's also a surprisingly great sense of cohesiveness and lyrical interplay as well. Titles include "Tour De Force", "On The Trail", and "Sweet Gorgia Brown" – 2 of which are here in tracks that have never been issued in this longer format! CD

One of the most open-ended sessions ever recorded by the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Hones, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – a live set from the Village Vanguard, and one that features them really stretching out on 4 longer tracks! Jones' work on piano is an especially nice treat here – as he's still got the poise that we know from his more restrained studio sessions, yet also seems to really loosen up with the warm rhythm accompaniment of Carter and Williams. The session features a great obscure gentle groover titled "Wind Flower", plus a really introspective take on Miles Davis' "Nardis", and the tunes "Lawra" and "Confirmation". CD

Prime post-Coltrane material from Elvin Jones – featuring his "power trio" style of operation, with one great sax player out front, and Jones kicking it in the back with the bass player! In this case, the sax player is George Coleman – who's really finding a voice of his own in these late 60s years, and really makes the most of the extended space of the album to stretch out, soar, and show off his ever-growing talent for a powerful solo! Wilbur Little is on bass, playing nice round warm notes to offset Jones' edgey playing – and the group's joined by trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson on one track – who brings in a soulful edge that's mighty nice. All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Laura", "Mister Jones", and "By George". CD

Elvin Jones on drums, Chip Jackson on bass, Fumio Karashima on piano, Frank Foster and Pat LaBarbera on saxophone. CD

More Kinks music than you could ever hope for in one package – a whopping 3CD set that brings together every bit of music associated with the landmark Village Green Preservation Society album! The original record is one of the best-ever British pop albums from the 60s – and it has the Kinks moving past their garage rock roots into a whole new realm of picture postcard pop perfection! The 15 songs on the original LP are the blueprint for closeted Brit postwar worry, anxiety, and disillusion – classics like "Do You Remember Walter?", "Picture Book", "Sitting By The Riverside", "Village Green", "All of My Friends Were There", and "The Village Green Preservation Society". This new CD moves past those 15 tracks to feature a total of 52 titles in all – including mono and stereo mixes of tracks on the record, alternate takes, remakes, and obscure cuts like "Groovy Movies", "Spotty Grotty Anna", "Days", "Mr Songbird", "Polly", and "Berkley Mews". Great stuff all around – and a dream for Kinks fans like us! CD

A really great showcase for the budding talents of Joe Lovano – heard here at a crucial point in his rise to glory on Blue Note! Joe had already been blowing greatness on tenor for years before this set, but these Village Vanguard recordings put Lovano in the same heady space as Joe Henderson or Sonny Rollins at the Vanguard on Blue Note – by really allowing a great sense of open, spontaneous expression that stands as a nice counterpoint to his well-conceived studio work – a very earnest demonstration of Lovano's rich talents as a saxophonist. Joe plays soprano and C melody sax as well – and the group features always-great work on trumpet and flugelhorn from Tom Harrell, plus Anthony Cox on bass and Billy Hart on drums. Tracks include "Song & Dance", "Sail Away", "Blues Not To Lose", "Birds Of Springtimes Go By", and "Uprising". CD

A searing little quartet session from David Murray – very long tracks performed in a freer, looser style – of the sort that's always made Murray's playing a more compelling and changeable force for live local audiences than it is for those following his studio sides. The format here is simple, and shows Murray as a great leader with a talent for pushing a group dynamically even when there's no over structuring force or concept to the set, as there often is on some of his recent studio sides. Players include Kelly Roberty on bass, Hilton Ruiz on piano, and Pheroan Aklaf on drums – and titles include "Red Car", "Desegregation Of Our Children", "Acoustic Octofunk", and "Hope/Scope". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "But Beautiful" and "Caravan", plus two Pepper tunes "Labyrinth" and "Las Cuevas De Mario". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "No Limit", "These Foolish Things", "More For Les" and "Over The Rainbow". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "You Go To My Head", "The Trip", and "Cherokee". CD

A record that marks the live recording debut of the alto giant Art Pepper – quite a surprise, given that he'd already had many years of playing under his belt – but also a date that captures Art at a time of real revival in his career – stretching out with new inspirations, and a sound that's very different from the Art Pepper of the 50s and 60s! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – on titles that include "Valse Triste", "Goodbye", "Blues For Les" and "My Friend John". CD

Features Joshua Redman on saxophones, Peter Martin on piano, Christopher Thomas on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. CD

An instant classic from Slum Village – one of those records that kind of snuck out into the world, then became legendary as the years went on! Of course, with work from Jay Dee, there's no surprise that the album's got plenty of staying power – as he does a killer job here, throughout, really elevating the work of T3 and Baatin with a mix of influences from soul, deep funk, and mellowed-out jazzy touches! In addition to the core Slum crew the record features D'Angelo, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Pete Rock, and Jazzy Jeff – on titles that include "Conant Gardens, "I Don't Know", "Jealously", "Fall In Love", "Get Dis Money", "Once Upon A Time", "Go Ladies", "Hold Tight", "What's It All About", and "Fourth & Back". CD

11 hits. CD

The debut of a legend – and a record that, we hate to admit it, must have actually had some political and cultural punch at the time – especially as the group had yet to go onto super-stardom, and were here stepping out with a butch camp, all-gay style that still had some power in the immediate post-Stonewall years. The approach here is similar to their later hits, but also nicely grounded in the standard disco mode of the time – thanks to some vocal arrangements from Phil Hurtt, and soulful string and horn backings from Horace Ott. Tracks are long, and as gay as you'd expect – but it's also not like the group's making fun of themselves as much yet either. Titles include "Fire Island", "Village People", "San Francisco", and "In Hollywood". CD

A fantastic live set – with Woody Shaw on trumpet, Charlie Rouse on tenor sax and flute, Mal Waldron on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums! Tracks include "Snake Out", "Judy", and the 26 minute "Seagulls Of Kristiansund". CD

Jon Batiste is fantastic here – way more so than we normally give him credit for, and maybe even sharper in a live setting than in the studio! The group works with a mix of jazz, funk, and soul – but very different than Jon's band on TV, as there's deeper, richer elements going on – both in the general colors of the instruments, and in the way that the solos soar out and really give the songs some emotion. The lineup features tenor, alto, trumpet, and lots of nice bottom currents on the rhythms – sometimes funky, sometimes more lyrical – all topped with great piano lines from Batiste, who also sings a bit too. Much of the phrasing and flavor is more modern than some of his other albums – and titles include "Blacck", "Prince", "Pwwr", "Birthe", "Kenner", "Story", "Ordr", and "Higher". CD

Sublimely spiritual work from the great John Coltrane – a live album, but one that's easily one of his most important contributions to music in the early 60s – and a set that we'd rank right up there with his best studio sides for Impulse or Atlantic Records at the time! The group here features McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – plus the very important addition of Eric Dolphy on the leadoff tune "Spiritual" – a number that features Dolphy on bass clarinet alongside Coltrane's tremendous tenor, as both players open up on extended solos that take the tune to nearly 14 minutes in length! Other numbers omit Dolphy, but are still totally great – and Coltrane picks up the soprano sax for a classic reading of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" – and the group shifts slightly for the freer "Chasin The Trane", a 16 minute romp done with only tenor sax, drums, and bass – the latter of which is handled here by Jimmy Garrison instead of Workman. CD

Brilliant late work from Bill Evans – his last set of recordings from the Village Vanguard – recorded in the summer of 1980, nearly two decades after his first famous albums at the club! Evans here is a wealth of imagination – really stretching out in relaxed, fluid formation – gentler than before, but also with a deeper sense of feeling too – and getting some great support from trio members Marc Johnson on bass and Joe Labarbera on drums. Tracks mostly hover around the five minute range – but there's some key longer numbers too – and the whole thing's a perfect example of why live Bill Evans is often some of the best Bill Evans you can find! 58 tracks on 6CDs, packaged with a booklet – and titles include "Nardis", "Knight For Mary F", "Emily", "Minha", "My Romance/Five", "But Not For Me", "Bill's Hit Tune", "I Do It For Your Love", "Quiet Now", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Your Story", "Tiffany", and "Re Person I Knew". CD

Long, lean, and later work by Coleman Hawkins – recorded in a beautifully stripped-down and free setting at the Village Gate! The tracks are all pushing the 10 minute mark – and feature Hawk soloing in that open, exploratory way he was using during the time – a mix of older traditions and slight moments of modernism – carried off with gentle accompaniment from a trio led by Tommy Flanagan on piano. The tenor dominates – and dominates beautifully – and titles include "All The Things You Are", "Mack The Knife", "Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho" and "Talk Of The Town". CD

Something wonderful happened to Coleman Hawkins at the end of his career – record companies started letting him record in really long formats, stretching out creatively on extended solos that continued to push the boundaries of his talents! This set is a prime example of that shift – as it features Hawkins alongside Roy Eldridge and Johnny Hodges – all working with trio backing by Tommy Flanagan, Major Holley, and Eddie Locke in a live setting at the Village Gate. Tracks are all well over ten minutes long – 2 at eleven minutes, and 1 at sixteen – and they allow the three lead soloists to really stretch out in a warmly improvisatory manner that surpasses even the easygoing Verve studio sessions of the 50s. Titles include "Satin Doll", "Perdido", and "The Rabbit In Jazz". Plus, added to these 3 are 4 more bonus tracks from the Hawkins Alive album – recorded at the same time, but without the other 2 soloists. These titles include "It's The Talk Of The Town", "Mack The Knife", "Caravan", and "Bean & The Boys". CD

A real moment of genius for Joe Henderson from the 80s – a spare trio session, recorded live at the Village Vanguard, in a mode that recalls Sonny Rollins classic sets there for Blue Note! And while Sonny often performed heavily in a trio setting, unfettered by chords in the rhythm section – this is a unique date for Joe, and he sounds brilliant throughout! Ron Carter and Al Foster provide a crisp but elastic foundation for Henderson's burnished melodies and solos in a very spacious setting – and this first volume features the tracks "Beatrice", "Friday The Thirteenth", "Happy Reunion", "Loose Change", "Ask Me Now", and "Isotope". CD

Includes three complete Jazzland LPs, plus a 1961 live recording from Birdland in NYC! CD

Martial Solal on piano, Francois Moutin on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. CD

The title may be a simple one, but the record really marks a key point in John Coltrane's development – an embrace of the newer freedoms allowed to him at Atlantic Records, but in a way that's a bit more subtle than some of his other work for the label! At one level, the record moves at the same groove as Trane's later Prestige years – with rhythm mostly from Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – carving out some sharp lines for Coltrane to cascade over on tenor sax. Yet there's also a new sense of darkness here too – one that moves into edgier territory, and which isn't nearly as settled in as before. These qualities sneak out of both original numbers like "Harmonique", "Fifth House", and "Like Sonny" – as well as standards like "My Shining Hour" and "Little Old Lady". And they really come to the forefront on the classic "Village Blues" – the one track that features the new Coltrane group of McCoy Tyner, Steve Davis, and Elvin Jones! CD features 4 more bonus alternate takes too! CD

Includes the albums New Jazz Conceptions, Everybody Digs Bill Evans, The Ivory Hunters, Portrait In Jazz, Explorations, Sunday At The Village Vanguard, Waltz For Debby, Undercurrent, Moon Beams, Interplay, Empathy, and How My Heart Sings. CD

Sure, the young Bob Dylan might look a bit hokey on the cover – but he's already out there way ahead of the pack – and starting to blow away any of the less interesting pop folkies who'd been crowding into the Greenwich Village scene of the early 60s! There's a difference here right from the start – not just some of his own material, but the way that Dylan transforms older tunes too – not with this crew-cutted, clean-voiced style – but bringing in elements of blues, and using these very personal guitar inflections and harmonica lines to really make the music his own. Titles include "Highway 51", "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean", "Song To Woody", "Man Of Constant Sorrow", "Fixin To Die", "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down", and "Talkin New York". CD

An album that maybe marked the close of one chapter of The Kinks, and the start of another – music that still holds on to some of the best elements of their late 60s Village Green era, but which also moves the group into some of the headier territory of their Muswell Hill/RCA years too! Ray Davies has never sounded more earnest – still able to pull off wit when needed, but also more down to earth – and because of the massive title hit, the set was also one that put the group in front of the ears or more folks than had been hearing them in previous years. Titles include, of course, the mega-hit "Lola" – plus "This Time Tomorrow", "Apeman", "Strangers", "The Contenders", "Long Way From Home", "Rats", and "Top Of The Pops". CD

An album that maybe marked the close of one chapter of The Kinks, and the start of another – music that still holds on to some of the best elements of their late 60s Village Green era, but which also moves the group into some of the headier territory of their Muswell Hill/RCA years too! Ray Davies has never sounded more earnest – still able to pull off wit when needed, but also more down to earth – and because of the massive title hit, the set was also one that put the group in front of the ears or more folks than had been hearing them in previous years. Titles include, of course, the mega-hit "Lola" – plus "This Time Tomorrow", "Apeman", "Strangers", "The Contenders", "Long Way From Home", "Rats", and "Top Of The Pops". CD

Genius work from Les Baxter – two of his best albums for Capitol, back to back on one CD! Ritual Of The Savage is one of those must-have albums from the 50s – a super-huge record upon its initial release, and an album that pushed the genre of exotica far further than most others at the time! Before this record, most attempts at exotica were simple instrumental pop, colored with slight worldly instrumentation – or too-dreamy recordings, putting over a sleepy version of life on the islands. Enter Les Baxter, who had an amazing ear for sounds, rhythms, and arrangements – one that was the first to record this sort of music in a way that was sonically evocative, and could stand on its own without other referents. Instrumentation is often conventional, but used oddly here – and Baxter's original compositions are all pretty darn great – playful without being goofy, and nicely mixing Latin and Pacific rhythms at the bottom. Titles include "Busy Port", "The Ritual", "Coronation", "Jungle Jalopy", and Les' original version of "Quiet Village". Heck, even the cover is gorgeous – with a brilliant blue illustration of some guy putting the moves on a woman amidst spooky tribal relics! The Passions is a really obscure box set recording – done as Les Baxter's classic exploitation of "a woman's passions", using vocalist Bas Sheva in the role of the tormented female! Shiva's got a bold, evocative style that's not unlike Yma Sumac – and she sings here wordlessly, as an added instrument on top of Baxter's orchestrations – playing the role of the inner psyche of woman, on titles that include "Lust", "Terror", "Joy", "Hate", "Ecstasy", and "Despair"! The whole thing's a mini docu-drama in sound – beautifully recorded in a flurry of red, blue, and other chromatic hues – not as exotic as Baxter's other work from the 50s, but equally great as a modern sonic psychoanalytic text! CD

A nice little blend of Brazilian and club-styled grooves – done by this Bah Samba offshoot with a similar feel to Bah Samba's own work! There's a wonderful London-meets-Rio vibe running through the whole set – a love of real Brazilian music that gets past the mis-steps of so many other attempts in recent years – but which has that great London ability to expand upon the original with a whole new feel. There's nice bits of older funk and club sliding in and out of the mix – coming into play with Brazilian elements and instrumentation in a way that's almost like some of the recent work on Far Out. Titles include "O Ronco Da Cuica", "Elephant Man", "U Got Me Spinnin", "I'm Missing You", "Omeriah", "And It's Beautiful", "Mozza", and a cover of Roy Ayers' "Running Away". CD

The legendary Kenny Burrell played often at the Village Vanguard over the years – and this sweet set from later years has the guitarist really stretching out in the familiar setting – hitting some surprisingly deep, strong lines throughout – all with effortless ease! The record's a great reminder that Burrell kept on growing over the decades, and never seemed to lose his power as both a leader and a soloist – something we've been reminded of in his many records after this early 90s set – and the younger combo here really seems to bring out a fresh fire in Kenny, with work from James Williams on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums. Titles include the originals "Then Along Came You", "Good News Blues", and "Maya's Dance" – plus "Fungi Mama", "Lament", and "Black & Tan Fantasy". CD

Live radio broadcasts from Eddie Condon's club in Greenwich Village. Shifting lineup includes Wild Bill Davison on cornet, Cutty Cutshall on trombone, and Ed Hall on clarinet. CD

The complete Riverside recordings! Complete! That's 12 CDs worth of Bill Evans, documenting some of the finest performances he ever recorded. As you'd expect, there's quite a lot of trio sides presented here, including the great group featuring Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, but there's also a few early excursions into the solo setting he'd return to again and again as well as a few sessions featuring horns. The list of sidemen is filled with heavies from Paul Chambers, Teddy Kotick, Philly Joe Jones and Cannonball Adderley to Freddie Hubbard, Jim Hall, Zoot Sims and Ron Carter. If you know any of the Riverside recordings, you know this is where Evans established himself as one of the leading pianists of his age, and laid the blueprint for a much imitated style. This set features the entirety of loads of great LPs, like New Jazz Conceptions, Everybody Digs Bill Evans, Waltz For Debby, Portrait In Jazz, Sunday At The Village Vanguard and more! CD

A stellar live jazz trio effort led by drummer Paul Motian – and what a trio he leads, with Chris Potter on tenor sax and the always wonderful Jason Moran on piano – one of the better new ECM albums in years! The material was captured in February of '09 at the Village Vanguard, NYC – with frequent collaborators Motian & Potter working exceptionally well with Moran, which we'd have had to expect given Moran's versatility and respect for his peers and inspirations. Most of the material here keeps you rapt in loose, delicate and quiet inteplay with some more feverish solos and mostly Motian compositions. Titles include "Mode VI", "Casino", "Lost In A Dream", "Blue Midnight", "Be Careful It's My Heart", "Birdsong", "Ten", "Abacus" and "Cathedral Song". CD

New vocal work from Grady Tate – very much in the spirit of his classic albums for the Skye label! The record has grady singing with a small jazz combo – Kenny Barron on acoustic piano, John Di Martino on Fender Rhodes, Frank Wess on flute and sax, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. The set's got a very laidback feel – very mellow tunes that are perfect for Grady's deep rich vocals, stretching out easily with warm and jazzy touches. Titles include "Estate", "Follow The Path", "Weaver Of Dreams", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", and "Dream Love". CD

No bummer here, as the set's a really great one – filled with late 50s Chess Records sides by Sonny Boy Williamson – a number of which are previously unissued! The package does a great job of reviving this material for a newly-informed blues audience of the modern age – giving liner notes, recording details, and more – in addition to pulling together sides that hadn't appeared on album before. Titles include "Little Village" – which is 12 minutes long, and interestingly marked as "not suitable for airplay" – plus "She Got Next To Me", "Santa Claus", "Unseen Eye", "I Can't Do Without You", "Temperature 110", and "This Old Life". CD

Tracks from Moby, Cornershop, The Mekons, Joseph Arthur, Moe Tucker, Andrew WK, Hydraulic Funk With Afrikaa Bambaataa, Ari Upp, Sheila Chandra, Hakim, and more. CD

Seminal work from one of the hippest big bands of the 70s – the legendary ensemble led by pianist Toshiko Akioshi and reedman Lew Tabackin! The group marks a huge shift for Akiyoshi – a move away from the more bop-inflected small combo work of earlier years, into a rich new role as a composer and arranger – one who comes up with fantastic charts for the ensemble, filled with color, tone, and a great sense of swing! Tabackin's reeds are great too – always handled with bold lines, and a strongly visionary sound – and other players on the dates include Bill Perkins and Gary Foster on saxes, Bobby Shew and Ron Raider on trumpets, Britt Woodman and Charlie Loper on trombones, Don Baldwin on bass, and Peter Donald on drums. The 3CD set features 5 albums in all – Kogun, Long Yellow Road, Tales Of A Courtesan, Insights, and March Of The Tadpoles – and titles include "Elegy", "American Ballad", "Henpecked Old Man", "Opus Number Zero", "Since Perry/Yet Another Tear", "Strive For Jive", "Village", "Studio J", "Mobile", "Deracinated Flower", and "Notorious Tourist From The East". CD

A great little 2 CD set – one that features 40 tracks from the heyday of the exotica era – from one of its best proponents! Les Baxter was a supremely talented writer and arranger – one who worked at Capitol for a number of years in the 50s, until he hit upon the style of exotic instrumentation and orchestration that soon became an instant hit. Baxter's work from the time set the tone for countless followers – and this well-done package brings together most of the best tunes from that period. Titles include "Quiet Village", "Simba", "Pool Of Love", "Busy Port", "Spice Islands", "Love Dance", "Safari", "Harem Silks From Bombay", "Lost City", "The Left Arm Of Buddha", and "Mombassa After Midnight". CD

Fantastic material from an important early tour of Europe by the John Coltrane Quartet – tracks recorded in Graz, Austria – and a perfect example of the group as they were really beginning to stretch out and explore! At some level, the vibe here is like the famous first run of Village Vanguard sessions by Coltrane – but the sound shows just how much the players had opened up since the previous year – really tremendous work from the leader on both soprano sax and tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums! CD

Rock-solid live material from the classic Cannonball Adderley Sextet – a combo who could usually groove even better on a concert date then they could in the studio! The album's one of a number of key live sides from Cannon in the 60s – and although it pre-dates his work on Capitol, it's done in a similar spacious mode – with plenty of longish tracks that build upon the core groove set down by Joe Zawinul's piano, Sam Jones' bass, and Louis Hayes' drums – a perfect backdrop for the creative and complicated solos of Cannon on alto, Nat Adderley on cornet, and Yusef Lateef on tenor, flute, and oboe! The date was recorded live at the Village Vanguard in 1962 – and titles include "Gemini", "Planet Earth", "Dizzy's Business", "Syn-anthesia", "Scotch & Water", and "Cannon's Theme". CD

One of the great little organ combo that Odell Brown recorded with his crack group The Organ-Izers for Cadet. Lots of very groovy stuff, with Louis Satterfield on bass (before the Pharoahs and before Earth, Wind, & Fire), Curtis Prince on drums, Henry Gibson on congas, and Artee "Duke" Payne on tenor. A great bit of grooviness from the Chicago scene of the late 60's, and a great set of tracks that includes "Mas Que Nada", "Tommy's Thing", "Ain't That A Groove", and a very cool reworking of "Quiet Village", with a cool organ solo instead of piano! CD

An incredible album from Bill Evans – and maybe THE record you need in your collection if you're trying to understand his contribution to jazz! The album's one of Evan's first sides from the Village Vanguard – and features the legendary trio that included Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums – both players who could shake free from conventional rhythmic roles in a piano trio, yet who also support Evans' lyrically modal playing here beautifully! The tracks are a bit longer than Bill's studio sides from the time, allowing for even more magical interplay on the keys – and titles include "My Foolish Heart", "Waltz For Debby", "Detour Ahead", "My Romance", "Some Other Time", and "Milestones". Features bonus tracks – "Porgy", plus alternates of "Waltz For Debby", "My Romance", and "Detour Ahead". CD

A great set of tracks by the Kinks – originally written as the soundtrack for a film that barely saw the light of day – yet presented here as a classic late 60s album that's up there with the other gems from the same period as Arthur and Village Green! A few tunes are instrumental – as you might expect from a soundtrack, and the songs hold together well with similar themes – and those cuts are mixed with some wonderful vocal numbers that have Ray Davies working at the top of his game – that picture postcard way of putting over a scene or a story – served up in titles that include the excellent "God's Children", an instrumental version of "Lola", and the cuts "Animals In The Zoo", "Whip Lady", "Dreams", "Helga", and "Willesden Green". CD