A smoker from Art Blakey's later years – a killer session that features a reunion of past Jazz Messengers, with a cast that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Benny Golson on tenor, and Walter Davis Jr on piano! Buster Williams is on bass, and he brings a nice degree of soul to the set – rounding and warming things to give the album a progressive soul jazz approach that we really love – a dose of the slightly more righteous side that Blakey hit during his early 70s Prestige Records years. The group comes together with a magical flourish – moving past simple "here's my solo" styles, into a unified ensemble that really sounds special here. Titles include the excellent "Dana's Dance" – penned by Davis, and a really fresh choice for a date like this – plus "Uranus", "Ala Mode", and "Just By Myself". CD

A nice little cooker from Junior – with no pun on the artist or title intended! The album's one of Cook's few sets as a leader, and arguably has an even better focus than most of the rest – thanks to strong production from Cedar Walton, who's also backing Junior for the record with his trio of Billy Higgins on drums and Buster Williams on bass. The groove is nice and fluid – in the best Walton way that combines warmth with a sense of free-soaring energy – and Junior's solos seem a bit more hard-bitten than before, but still with that sense of lyrical warmth that he developed with Horace Silver. Titles include "Chi Chi", "Hindsight", "Heavy Blue", "Illusion Of Grandeur", "Fiesta Espanol", and "Detour Ahead". 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

Herbie Hancock further expands his cosmic vision in this groundbreaking album of free-flowing fusiony tracks – a record that really steps up his range of keyboards, mixing in both acoustic and electric pianos, mellotron, and even a bit of spacey moog from the legendary Patrick Gleeson! The whole thing is wonderful – very open and flowing, and even more organic than Hancock's later work on Columbia – especially given the length of the tracks on the set. In addition to Gleeson, other players include Benny Maupin on reeds, Julian Priester on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include the 3 long tracks "Quasar", "Sleeping Giant", and "Water Torture" – all good ones! CD

An incredible record – and virtually the blueprint for countless other keyboard records to come! At the height of his 70s powers, Herbie really takes off into space with this set – moving away from more commercial music, and hitting a groove that's totally righteous, totally electric, and completely mindblowing! The album's got a bit of a Headhunters vibe, but it also veers off into some very wild analogue electronics too – a mix of Fender Rhodes, clavinet, melotron, and echoplex processing – augmented by additional work on Arp from Patrick Gleeson. Other players on the set include Bennie Maupin on reeds, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and the great Buck Clarke rounds out the combo on percussion. The album only features three long tracks – "Rain Dance", "Hidden Shadows", and "Hornets" – but all of them are killers! CD

One of Lasha & Simmons firey collaborations from the mid 60's! Both players are at the top of their form, and the backing – by Bobby Hutcherson, Buster Williams, and Charles Moffett – provides a hard rythmic drive that sets their solos on edge and really gives them focus. Lasha plays flute, alto, and alto clarinet, and Simmons plays alto and a bit of English horn. Great stuff, and beautiful mix of out sensibilities and tight rhythm playing. With the tracks "Island Song", "Firebirds", and "Psalms Of Solomon". CD

Geri Allen on piano, Wallace Roney on trumpet, Robin Eubanks on trombone, Buster Williams on bass, Lenny White on drums, Mino Cinelu on percussion, and others. CD

Two early 60s albums from the team of Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt – both recorded in Chicago! Boss Tenors is a head to head classic from Jug & Stitt that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut here in our hometown with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love". The second album, Dig Him, is one of those overlooked Argo sessions and features great straight-ahead blowing from Stitt and Jug! The album's a quintet session, with John Houston piano, Buster Williams bass, and George Brown drums providing all the rhythm. But the real focus is on the twin-sax frontline – with Sitt taking up the alto on a few numbers, but mostly blowing tenor head to head with Jug. Recorded in 1961 during Jug's great year of contract-breaking – and issued later in the 60s by Prestige under a different title. Titles include "A Mess", "Water Jug", "New Blues Up & Down", "Red Sails In The Sunset", and "A Pair Of Red Pants". CD

Trombonist Clifton Anderson always makes us wait way too long between his albums as a leader – but each of his sets is definitely worth the anticipation, and seems to push Clifton's music forward a fair bit more than before! This album's a gem through and through – all original music, save one Bacharach tune – played with a core group that includes Stephen Scott on piano, Buster Williams on bass and either Ronnie Burrage or Al Foster on drums – but open to a shifting array of players who include Peter Bernstein on guitar, Antoine Roney on soprano and tenor, Rene McLean on tenor, and Victor See Yuen on percussion – players who open things up past Anderson's already-great phrasing on the trombone, which is especially striking on a few tunes that feature some less conventional instrumentation. Titles include "Nana D", "Mission Statement", "TUBC", "Sista Gemini", "Sonny Says", "Been Down This Road Before", and "Mysticancients". 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

Plenty of spirit, and plenty of soul – a 70s classic from organist Doug Carn, and a record that took his instrument, and jazz in general, to a whole new level for the decade! Carn's got this burning, righteous quality on his keys – a vibe that certainly owes something to Larry Young, but also takes off even further – working in a spiritual ensemble that also features his wife Jean Carn on vocals – sounding way more like a righteous jazz singer than on her later soul sides for Philly International! Other players are great, too – and include Charles Tolliver on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, George Harper on tenor and soprano sax, Buster Williams on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks include "New Moon", "Trance Dance", "My Spirit", "Blue In Green", and "Arise & Shine". CD

Features Stanley Cowell on piano and Buster Williams on bass! CD

A great quartet date from guitarist Larry Coryell – quite laidback at times, but pretty darn soulful too – thanks to a rhythm section that features Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums! Coryell's not as dynamic with his guitar lines as in years back, but that's ok with us – because he takes on a fluid groove next to Kenny's piano almost making the album feel like a Barron album at times, with added guitar. Titles include "The Duke", "Nefertiti", "Floyd Gets A Gig", "The Sorcerer", "Yesterdays", and "Apathy Rains", which is a duet between Kenny and Larry. Includes the bouns track "All The Things You Are". CD

One of Dexter's most solid albums on Prestige – and a great set cut at the Van Gelder studios with a rock-solid American lineup that includes Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard, Buster Williams, and Billy Higgins. The ensemble groove is a lot tighter than on some of Gordon's solo-heavy European sessions – and in a way, the record hearkens back to some of the greatness of the Blue Note days. Titles include "Milestones", "Scared To Be Alone", "We See", and "The Group". CD

Features Billy Hart on drums – with Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Ralph Moore on tenor, Dave Liebman on soprano, Bill Frisell on guitar, Kenny Kirkland on piano, and Eddie Gomez or Buster Williams on bass! CD

Features guest work from Branford Marsalis on tenor, Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Toots Thielemans on harmonica, Buster Williams on bass, and Miles Davis on trumpet! CD

A fantastically beautiful record that stands as the first meeting between Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land – an album that's possibly even better than the more famous Blue Note work by the pair! This is one of those "once in a lifetime" jazz sessions – filled with magical interplay that's made the record a favorite with collectors for years, and done with a sound that's as lyrically graceful as it is soulful and righteous! Hutcherson's vibes are at their warmest 60s mode, but still have some of the angularity of his more modern sides for Blue Note – but Land is the real discovery here – as he steps out with a fluidity that surpasses any of his earlier hardbop albums, a flowing exploratory style expressed on both flute and tenor – with a mode that's years ahead of its time, and sounds a lot more like work on labels like Strata East or Muse from the 70s. Tracks are nearly all originals by Land, and are the kind of thoughtful jazz compositions that show up on a rare few records from the 60s – all of them are great, and sparkle with creativity and a subdued sense of righteousness. The other players on the date include Joe Sample on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Donald Bailey on drums – and titles include "One For Nini", "Angel Dance", "The Peace Maker", "40 Love", "Stylin", and "The Aquarian". CD

One of the most earthy, organic offerings of the Herbie Hancock scene of the 70s – a session that's led by Headhunter reedman Bennie Maupin, and which also features Herbie on acoustic and electric piano – all in a sound that's quite different from his own work of the time! The tracks here have a very spacious, slow-building approach – a sound that's often quite stark at times, and not nearly as funky or soul-directed as you might expect. Maupin shows incredible sensitivity in his way of putting together a tune – letting things come together quite naturally, almost with the botanical quality you might expect from the title. Other players include Buster Williams on bass, Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums, Bill Summers on percussion, and Charles Sullivan on trumpet – all used quite spaciously and sparingly. Titles include "Esenada", "Mappo", "Excursion", "Past Is Past", "The Jewel In The Lotus", and "Song For Tracie Dixon Summers". CD

Another great double release from the Muse vaults – both of which showcase Newman on a variety of reeds plus flute. Resurgence features a great group including Cedar Walton, Ted Dunbar, Marcus Belgrave, Buster Williams, and Louis Hayes. Still Hard Times features Howard Johnson on baritone, Charlie Miller on trumpet, Larry Willis on piano, and Steve Nelson on vibes! CD

A great amalgamation of players – and a quintet with powers far beyond their hokey name! The group's working in a polished approach to post-bop – a bit like styles heard on some of the Timeless and Steeplechase sessions of the late 70s, but with a more directive approach that really pushes the strong tunes on the set. The quintet features Charlie Rouse on tenor, Benny Bailey on trumpet, Albert Dailey on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Keith Copeland on drums – all working their way through longish tunes by composers that include John Hicks and Fritz Pauer, as well as Rouse and Dailey. The album features a beautiful take on Hicks' great tune "Naima's Love Song", plus the tracks "After The Morning", "Spelunke", "Lil Sherry", and "Mr McGhee". CD

Carl Saunders on trumpet, Roger Kellaway on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Santo Savino on drums – with special guests Jerry Pinter on sax and Andy Martin on trombone. CD

With Charlie Rouse on tenor, Kenny Barron on piano, Ben Riley on drums, and Buster Williams on bass – on titles that include "Baiana", "Bittersweet", "Lunacy", and "Lupe". CD

A real treasure through and through – one of the most unusual Blue Note albums you'll ever hear, and a set that's one of the best-remembered from the team of pianist Jack Wilson and vibist Roy Ayers! Long before Roy struck out on his own in the world of funky soul, he worked often in the 60s with Wilson – and the pair have this unique way of blending vibes and piano that's completely fresh, and still unmatched all these many years later! Wilson's natural lyrical style blends with Roy's modal approach to a groove – and the pair soar out in space with these long-flowing lines that make the whole album a treasure. There's no horn players at all – as with Wilson's other small combo Blue Note date – and rhythm is from Varney Barlow on drums, and either Roy Brown or Buster Williams on bass. Titles include a wonderful version of "Sernata", an unusual take on Ornette Coleman's "The Sphinx", and the wonderful Wilson originals "CFD", "Most Unsoulful Woman", and "Harbor Freeway 5pm". CD

A key album from a fantastic point in the career of trumpeter Chet Baker – his later years, a time when most of the world was ignoring Baker's talents, but Chet was still in a hugely creative mode, and turning out some of his freshest sounds in decades! There's a wonderful quality to the whole record – and vibist David Friedman is a key part of the sound, as he really matches the air inclinations of Chet, as the pair are backed by Buster Williams on bass and Joe Chambers on drums and percussion – a fantastic duo who only make things sound even better. 4 of the album's 6 tracks are Friedman originals – including "For Now", "Shadows", "Syzygies", and "Lament For Thelonious". CD

Masterful later work from saxophonist Gary Bartz – proof that he kept on growing and maturing his style after his initial explosive years in the 70s! This album is a bit more subtle than those righteous classics, but still carries a lot of message in the music – a suite of tracks composed by Gary Bartz and pianist Larry Willis – whose sharp-yet-round tones are a perfect accompaniment to Gary in the quartet alongside the bass of Buster Williams and the drums of Ben Riley! And yes, there's no vocals, nor funky bits – but the maturing power of Gary's message really comes through loud and clear – on titles that include "Children Of Harlem", "Tico Tico", "Amos & Andy Theme", "Heavy Blue", and "Tap Dancer". CD

Always-great work from Sathima Bea Benjamin – one of the hippest jazz vocalists of the 80s, working here in a highly spiritual mode that sounds a lot more like records from many years past! There's a warmly gentle glow to the whole set – thanks to instrumentation from Larry Willis on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Higgins on percussion, and Ricky Ford on tenor sax – all coming together in ways that are filled with unusual rhythms, odd turns of phrases, and just the right sort of unconventional accompaniment to fit the Africanist themes of Sathima's music at its best. A few numbers are more traditional, but even these have a nicely sensitive feel – and offer plenty of room for Willis to solo. Titles include "Winne Mandela Beloved Heroine", "African Songbird", "Gift Of Love – For Duke", "Music", and "You Are My Heart's Delight". CD

A set that's maybe a bit more of a straight jazz vocal record than some of Sathima Bea Benjamin's earlier material – but that might also be because the great Kenny Barron is part of the group on piano – supporting Sathima's great voice with the help of Buster Williams on bass and Billy Higgins ond rums! Tunes are mostly standards, but it's great to hear them opened up with Benjamin's unique phrasing – that voice that was raised up on more righteous material in earlier years, and which still seems to bring some of that power to tunes that include "Street Of Dreams", "Lush Life", "One Alone", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "I've Heard That Song Before". CD

An excellent hard bop side from the late 80s, an era when the new "young lions" were getting a lot of press, and some nice recordings were being made with any eye on the future while their feet were firmly planted in tradition. This set features two players of Cindy's generation in the front line: Wallace Roney and Kenny Garrett, with some older masters filling out the rest of the group: Joe Henderson, Buster Williams and Larry Willis. The recordings are filled with energy and imaginative playing as they run through originals like "Arcane", "Late Autumn", "Dual Force" and "Mirrored Glances". CD

A set recorded very early in the career of drummer Terri Lyne Carrington – an album that's tight, and full of fantastic work from both the leader and the all-star quartet on the date! Terri's already amazing on drums – shining through here in a more soaring, familiar jazz mode than on some of her later dates – unadorned, and with a great ear for both arrangements and work as a leader – guiding a group that features superb work from Kenny Barron on piano, George Coleman on tenor, and Buster Williams on bass. Sonny Carrington plays guest tenor on "Sonnymoon For Two" – and other cuts include "La Bonita", "St Thomas", "Seven Steps To Heaven", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". CD

Plenty of poise here – a lot more restraint than before for guitarist Larry Coryell, but still plenty of soul as well! The rhythm section is a key element of the set – as it features Stanley Cowell on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all working in different modes than the 70s, but still with enough spirit to really deepen the album underneath Coryell's slightly thinner work on guitar. The highlight of the set is the title track "Equipoise" – a beautifully sensitive re-reading of Cowell's classic composition – and other titles include "Joy Spring", "Christina", "First Things First", and "Tender Tears" – plus "Unemployed Floyd", which also features a bit of flute work from Pamela Sklar. CD

One of the few 70s albums as a leader from pianist Albert Dailey – a player who was making great magic with Stan Getz at the time, but who also seems to have a completely different voice on his own! Dailey's got a way of being open, joyous, and very creative – but always in a style that's never too familiar, nor ever aping the modes of some of his more famous 70s contemporaries – which creates a very fresh sound to the whole record, that kind of special, stand-alone spirit that maybe graces some of the best of the Japanese-recorded trio dates of the 70s, and a rare few American sessions too. Accompaniment is superb – Buster Williams on bass and Billy Hart on drums – both players with more than enough imagination to both keep up with Dailey's creativity, and augment him in just the right way – on titles that include "Body & Soul", "Yesterdays", "Lover Man", "Music That Makes Me Dance", and "That Old Feeling". CD

A great Japanese-only date from Walter Davis Jr – a trio session at the core, but with great flute from Jeremy Steig on the long title track! The trio features Buster Williams on bass – and either Bruno Carr or Art Blakey on drums – and titles include "Scorpio", "Illumination", "Ronnie's A Dynamite Lady", and "Backgammon". Plus, CD also features bonus tracks – 7 more numbers from a different session – with work by Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Carter Jefferson on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums! CD

Notable sidemen include George Lewis on trobmone, Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Shunzo Ono on trumpet, Hiram Bulleck on electric guitar, and Buster Williams on bass. CD

Features Sonny Fortune on alto and flute – with Kirk Lightsey on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! CD

Rock-solid work from the legendary Benny Golson – part of an amazing run of late-life sessions that have had us falling in love with his talents all over again! The set's got a very firm core – piano from Mike LeDonne, bass from Buster Williams, and drums from Carl Allen – players who have all the sense of confidence, complication, and swing to match Golson's rich work on tenor – that raspy tone and careful way of phrasing that we always loved, even at the start, but which has emerged to make Benny a player who's touched whole new generations in recent years. Tracks include the original titles "Jump Start", "Horizon Ahead", "Domingo", and "Night Shade" – and the set also features Carl Allen's "Out Of The Darkness & Into The Light", which has a compelling spoken introduction too. CD

Benny Green on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

Sublimely spiritual work from trombonist Charles Greenlee – a player who's best remembered for work as a sideman with Archie Shepp, but who really sparkles as a leader on this rare Japanese set! The vibe here is totally great – a righteous approach to soul jazz that rivals the best work of the Strata East scene in the US, but which is carried off with the poise and power of some of the best mid 70s Japanese-only dates of this type – clearly a great deal of respect and freedom given to Greenlee in the studio, but also some good help in putting together the record in as solid a way as possible. Jean Carn makes a great appearance singing on 3 tracks here – with a quality that's even more righteous than her work with Doug Carn on Black Jazz – and one more number features the great Joe Lee Wilson on vocals too. Players include Hubert Eaves and Art Matthews on piano, Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Archie Shepp on tenor and soprano, Buster Williams on bass, and either Charlie Persip or Beaver Harris on drums – and titles include "I Know About The Life", "He's Gone", "Steam", "Someday", "Crusificado", and "Miss Barbara". CD

A nice late Blue Note change from Herbie Hancock – a very different album than his previous sets for the label – in that it features a slightly larger group, and a sound that really points the way towards his directions in the 70s! There's a slightly ambitious feel to some of these cuts – not in a way that's over-arranged, but just a new sort of thinking for Herbie's kind of groove – a mode that's partially informed by the seriousness of 60s jazz soundtracks, but which also has the beginnings of some more righteous modes of expression too. Players are all great – and include Joe Henderson on tenor and flute, Johnny Coles on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, Hubert Laws on flute, Jerome Richardson on bass clarinet, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums. Herbie plays both acoustic and electric piano – using the latter here in one of his first recordings on the instrument – and titles include "Firewater", "I Have A Dream", "The Prisoner", and "He Who Lives In Fear". CD includes bonus alternate takes of "The Prisoner" & "Firewater". CD

One of the most striking Don Pullen albums of the 80s – a beautifully open session that has the pianist co-leading a version of the 360 Experience group of drummer Beaver Harris – with an excellent lineup that also features Ricky Ford on tenor sax, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, and Buster Williams on bass! The mix of players is unusual, and the sound here is as well – a record that easily steps between freer moments and more tuneful passages – imbued with the creative spirit of the loft jazz generation, but also taken a step further too – possibly via the album's production work by Hal Willner. There's some truly majestic moments on the album – and the whole thing is a great demonstration of the way that the farther fringes of the jazz universe were finding even more focused expression in the 80s – during a time when records like this really helped give musicians a great outlet for their new ideas. The set begins with the very long "Goree", which has additional work by Candido on percussion – and other tracks include "Land Of The Pharoahs", "Double Arc Jake", and "Newcomer". CD

One of the best recordings from Freddie Hubbard's "back to basics" stretch in the early 80s – a time when Freddie returned to a strongly acoustic jazz mode after a mostly electric 70s! The record still has Freddie stretching out on the longer tracks he got used to during the CTI years – but he's working here in tight quartet formation with Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and the always-great Al Foster on drums – carving out long lines on extended, but well-conceived numbers that echo with a tremendous amount of force. Freddie's lost none of his edge by this point, and the record shows a new sense of energy and focus that are extremely impressive – and also pretty darn soulful! Titles include "Santa Anna Winds", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "The Outpost Blues", "Dual Force", and "Loss". CD

A beautiful little session from Bobby Hutcherson – recorded live as a tribute to the legendary Keystone Korner jazz club in San Francisco – but even more important as a later meeting between Bobby and saxophonist Harold Land! The vibe here is a bit different than previous Land/Hutcherson albums – not as tightly righteous, but still tremendously soulful – gliding along with an energy that's always soaring and searching, but never in a way that's nervous or undirected. Other players include Oscar Brashear on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Buster Williams on bass – a perfectly-matched lineup that sets each tune on fire with their imagination. Titles include "Rubber Man", "Starting Over", "Crescent Moon", "Short Stuff", and "Prism". CD

A subtle gem from Bobby Hutcherson's wonderful years on Landmark Records – a point when he was really getting back to basics, and cutting some great straight work that almost hearkened back to his 60s gems on Blue Note! The set's recorded live at the Village Vanguard – and Bobby swings soulfully in a great quartet with Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Hutcherson's playing both vibes and marimba – and the scope of his playing here has both grown from earlier years, awash with tones, colors, and light – which Barron and Williams are only happy to fill in more deeply. Titles include "I Wanna Stand Over There", "Little Niles", "Estate", "Well You Needn't", and "Young & Foolish". Includes CD only bonus track "Young & Foolish". CD

An even more powerful album than the first intimacy set from trumpeter Jeremy Pelt – a record that has his trumpet sparkling wonderfully over some larger orchestrations on half the tracks, yet also directed well by a small combo at the core! The album's definitely part of a new chapter in Pelt's career – especially as he sings on the album's final track – but it also is more of an evolution in his role as one of the strongest mainstream trumpeters of the past decade or two – a role that's certainly cemented by the classic-styled approach of this set. David O'Rourke handles the larger strings on half the tracks – and other instrumentation is from Victor Gould on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Chico Pinheiro on guitar, and Billy Hart on drums. Titles include "Slow Hot Wind", "There'll Be Other Times", "When She Makes Music", "Two For The Road", and "I Can't Escape From You". CD

Emily Remler on guitar – with Hank Jones on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums. CD

Jonathan Schwartz is the son of composer Arthur Schwartz – and on this sparkling late 70s set, he does a surprisingly great job running through tunes penned by his old man! The group's a big part of the strength of the record – as the combo features Harold Mabern both on acoustic and electric piano, Jack Wilkins on guitar, Buster Williams on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – a hip lineup who make the record a bit more than just a simple "songbook" rehash of familiar standards, nicely opening up in a Muse Records 70s mode. Marvin Stamm plays a bit of trumpet and flugelhorn on the record – and titles include "New Sun In The Sky", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Alone Together", "By Myself", "Where Do I Go From You", and "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan". CD

A lovely record from Woody Shaw – one of his excellent and understated sides from the early 80s, recorded with a quartet that includes Cedar Walton on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Victor Jones on drums. The tunes are mostly standards, but they're handled with a soulful depth that really takes them to the next level – and the album's got a great original called "Spiderman Blues", plus versions of "There Is No Greater Love", "All The Way", and "What's New". CD

Features Kenny Burrell on guitar, Stanley Turrentine on tenor, and Buster Williams on bass! CD

A killer combo – caught live, and playing some nicely extended tracks that really let all players do their thing! Sphere's in top formation here – snapping along with great rhythms from Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – and getting some wickedly sharp tenor help from Charlie Rouse – who blows here both with some of the modern edges forged during his years with Monk, and some of the deeper soul he picked up in later stretches. Barron's piano is sharper than usual too – still with some of the lyricism we know from his own records, but a bit more bite overall – definitely a great match for Rouse's horn. Titles include "Pumpkins Delight", "Saud's Song", "Christina", "Tokudo", and "Deceptakon". CD

A lesser-known outing for this all-star group – a combo who first recorded for Timeless Records, hence their name, but who shine almost even more brightly on this tiny date for the Early Bird label! Most of the lineup is as before – a very soulful group with Cedar Walton on piano, Bobby Hutcherson on bass, Harold Land on tenor and flute, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – plus the great Steve Turre on trombone and some of those funky shells he always like to use! The mix of Hutcherson and Land alone are enough to make the album worth hearing – as both players still sound as beautiful partnered here as they did back in the 60s. Add in Walton's warmth and the tight rhythms of Williams and Higgins, and you've got one hell of a great little set! Titles include "Cedar's Blues", "Dark Mood", "Song For Thaddeus", "Firm Roots", "Coastin With Bobby", and "Cruisin The Bird". CD

A relatively mellow set of trio tracks, recorded by Walton on the west coast – with an excellent group that features Buster Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums, plus a guest appearance on one track by Bobby Hutcherson. Tracks have a long, soulful, flowing quality – and titles include "Midnight Waltz", "Without A Song", "Off Minor", "For All We Know", and "My Foolish Heart". CD

Larry Willis on piano – with Buster Williams on bass, and Al Foster on drums! CD

Beautiful sounds from pianist Denny Zeitlin – one of those players who often gets overlooked, but who's made some incredibly expressive music over the years! The album's got a sparkle that really takes us back to Denny's 60s sides for Columbia, but it's also got a slightly more mature quality as well – especially at the gentler moments – a sense of humanity that definitely comes through the passage of time in Zeitlin's years at the piano, given just the right sort of gentle accompaniment here from Buster Williams on bass and Al Foster on drums. Titles include "Cousin Mary", "Canyon", "As Long As There's Music", "There & Back", and "I Fall In Love Too Easily". CD

Plenty of spirit, and plenty of soul – a 70s classic from organist Doug Carn, and a record that took his instrument, and jazz in general, to a whole new level for the decade! Carn's got this burning, righteous quality on his keys – a vibe that certainly owes something to Larry Young, but also takes off even further – working in a spiritual ensemble that also features his wife Jean Carn on vocals – sounding way more like a righteous jazz singer than on her later soul sides for Philly International! Other players are great, too – and include Charles Tolliver on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, George Harper on tenor and soprano sax, Buster Williams on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks include "New Moon", "Trance Dance", "My Spirit", "Blue In Green", and "Arise & Shine". CD

The genius of Betty Carter knows no bounds – and this album's a perfect illustration of that fact! The record is one of the few that Betty released on her own label – working in near obscurity at a time when she really wanted to break from the BS of the bigger companies, and the staid approach they were using towards vocal jazz. This set is one of Betty's most freewheeling – performed with trio lineups that include players like Onaje Alan Gumbs, Buster Williams, and Louis Hayes – really stretching things out past the simple "piano trio meets standards with singer" that you might hear on other records. The best illustration of the style is the amazing track "Sounds" – a 7 minute workout that has the trio and Betty cutting loose, taking jazz vocals a million miles past Ella or Billie or any other singer. Most other tracks are originals – and beautiful ones too – and titles include "What Is It", "I Can't Help It", "We Tried", "Happy", and "Tight". CD

A real standout in the Stan Getz catalog of the 70s – a session of mostly spare duets with pianist Jimmy Rowles, done in a way that really breaks from the format of Stan's other work of the time! Rowles here has a raspy warmth that brings out new voicings in Getz's tenor – an earthiness that comes through especially well on the half of the album that features only Stan and Jimmy playing together alone, but which still shines on the few other tracks that feature the bass of Buster Williams and drums of Elvin Jones expanding the group. 2 short tracks feature only solo piano, and Rowles also sings on a number of the album's tracks, in that breathy mode of his that rarely got captured this well on record – and one other track features Jon Hendricks leading a vocal quartet through a rendition of "The Chess Players". Other titles include "It'll Never Be The Same", "Body & Soul", "What Am I Here For", "The Hour Of Parting", "The Peacocks", "Rose Marie", and "Serenade To Sweden". CD

One of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". CD

One of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". CD

Features Ronnie Matthews and George Cables on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Al Foster on drums – plus guest trumpet from Wynton Marsalis. CD

With Buster Williams, Christian McBride, Ira Coleman, Peter Washington, Ron Carter, Scott Colley, Al Foster, Billy Drummond, Jack DeJohnette, Lewis Nash, Don Alias, Steve Wilson, Wayne Shorter, Chris Potter, Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter, Joe Henderson, and Walt Weiskopf. CD

One of the few sessions ever cut as a leader by soul jazz trumpeter Charles Sullivan – a brilliant talent who shone brightly in the mid 70s, working in hip small groups that were very much in the Strata East mode. This rare, previously Japanese-only release has Sullivan working with Rene McLean, Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, and Billy Hart – on a tightly crafted set of tunes that share the same lyrical searching quality as some of McLean or Barron's own work from the time. The compositions are incredibly soulful – very much in the mode of some of Billy Harper's genius Japanese recordings – and titles include "Re Entry",take on "Body & Soul", "Carefree", "Mabe's Way", and "Waltz For Cricket". CD also includes 2 bonus tracks – longer takes of the beautiful "Body & Soul" and "Carefree". Outstanding! CD

Beautiful sounds from pianist Denny Zeitlin – one of those players who often gets overlooked, but who's made some incredibly expressive music over the years! The album's got a sparkle that really takes us back to Denny's 60s sides for Columbia, but it's also got a slightly more mature quality as well – especially at the gentler moments – a sense of humanity that definitely comes through the passage of time in Zeitlin's years at the piano, given just the right sort of gentle accompaniment here from Buster Williams on bass and Al Foster on drums. Titles include "Cousin Mary", "Canyon", "As Long As There's Music", "There & Back", and "I Fall In Love Too Easily". CD