Wow! We can never get enough of Eddie Harris. Despite all of the silly situations he's ended up in over the years, an album like In Sound still stands as a beautiful testament to all of the raw power in Eddie's playing. His tone is perfect, and totally unique – and he plays here with Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and the great Ray Codrington on trumpet, who also played with the JFK Quintet. No tricks here, just incredibly solid jazz playing, on tracks like Eddie's famous "Freedom Jazz Dance", plus "Born To Be Blue" and "Cryin' Blues". Mean Greens is another example of classic 60s soul jazz material by Eddie – and proof that the move to Atlantic was a good one! As usual with Eddie's 60s sessions, the players are very hip – and feature an amalgamation of younger and lesser-known talents like Melvin Jackson, Ray Codrington, and Sonny Philips. Cedar Walton also plays some lovely piano on the record, giving a few tracks a bit more of a lyrical touch than usual – and Eddie responds to this nicely in his solos. Includes an early take of "Listen Here", with Eddie on electric piano, next to Sonny Philips' organ. Also with "Goin' Home", "Blues In the Basement", and "Mean Greens". CD

Eddie Harris on tenor saxophone, Cecil McBee on bass, Kenny Barron on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. CD

The extremely successful union of two of Atlantic's biggest funky jazz stars, caught live in Switzerland, with the amazing Benny Bailey sitting in on trumpet. The tracks are long and funky, and are virtually a blueprint for pop soul jazz playing of the time – mixing slinky rhythms with some breakout solos that show that all players are still deeply committed to a strong jazz sound. Titles include "Cold Duck Time", "The Generation Gap", "Kathleen's Theme", and their great version of "Compared To What", with the famous vocal by Les that made the track a soul jazz vocal hit! CD

Eddie Harris was a hell of a saxophonist, and he was also a hell of an entertainer too – something that didn't always come through on his studio records of the 60s and 70s! This live set features Eddie late in life, but still completely on fire – scatting a very cool intro to the whole performance, then leading a tight group with a lot of warmth – while he also still blows us away with the soul and personality he brings to his solos on tenor. Things are a bit loose on the rhythmic tip, which seems to open up Eddie's horn even more – and the group here features Ronald Muldrow on guitar, Louis Spears on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Eddie plays a bit of piano, too – and titles include "Scat", "Song", "There Was A Time", "Lover", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

It's the late 60s, and Eddie's creating his famous electrified Varitone sound – unique among other soul jazz players in that it actually added a lot to Eddie's work, instead of detracted from it (as with some other boppers who briefly picked up the instrument.) The Varitone's cool flat tone works extremely well with the original tracks on Electrifying Eddie Harris – like the long version of "Listen Here", the groovy "Sham Time", the Latiny "Spanish Bull", or the incredible "Theme In Search Of A Movie", written by the great Chicago soul genius Charles Stepney. The album Plug Me In features Harris along with some fantastic arrangements by Stepney. Stepney's work on the album is amazing, and he contributes incredible touches like prepared piano and funky strings, both of which make the album one of the best that Harris ever did! Titles on the session include "Live Right Now", "It's Crazy", "Winter Meeting", and "Theme In Search Of A TV Commercial". CD

Although Exodus to Jazz was probably the biggest album of Eddie's career, we've always been a bit more partial to the excellent LP Mighty Like A Rose, which is combined here with Exodus for a very nice 2-fer CD of Eddie's work from his early days on the Chicago jazz scene. Both CDs feature Eddie's good early group with Willie Pickens on piano, Jo Dorio on guitar, and Harold Jones on drums. The sound is a nice mix of soul jazz, hard bop, and slightly more exotic themes, with the kind of tinges that Yusef Lateef was putting into his work at the time. Cuts include "Velocity", "A.T.C.", "There Is No Time", "W.P.", and "Gone Home". Nice package, and a great remastering job, too. CD

Features Eddie Harris on tenor sax, piano, reed trumpet, organ, and vocals – with Ronald Muldrow on guitar, Ray Peterson on bass, and Norman Fearrington on drums. CD

A legendary meeting of two famous tenor talents – the mighty Eddie Harris, and Detroit legend Wendell Harrison – recorded live together at the Montreux Detroit Festival in 1994. The pair play together in a variety of modes – from twin tenor solo battle styles, to mellower, more open and spacious ones – showing Harris to be still extremely inventive at this later point in his life. Eddie even vocalizes a bit, as he did on some of his 70s records – and the rest of the group features drums, electric guitar, and electric bass – which makes for some funkier moments at times. Titles include "Vocalese", "My Shining Hour", "The Wok", "Tenor Madness", and "Ampedextrious". CD

The extremely successful union of two of Atlantic's biggest funky jazz stars, caught live in Switzerland, with the amazing Benny Bailey sitting in on trumpet. The tracks are long and funky, and are virtually a blueprint for pop soul jazz playing of the time – mixing slinky rhythms with some breakout solos that show that all players are still deeply committed to a strong jazz sound. Titles include "Cold Duck Time", "The Generation Gap", "Kathleen's Theme", and their great version of "Compared To What", with the famous vocal by Les that made the track a soul jazz vocal hit! CD also features the bonus track "Kaftan". CD

A great pairing, and one that didn't even happen back in the 60s – Jimmy Smith on Hammond, Eddie Harris on tenor, and Kenny Dixon on drums! CD

A great overview of the career of this mighty saxophonist – with 24 tracks, including "Boogie Woogie Bossa Nova", "Exodus", "Cold Duck Time", "Cryin' Blues", "Live Right Now", "Without You", and "Mean Greens". CD

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

Late work from Eddie Harris – but a great session too, and one that cooks with raw soulful energy that shows he was still at the top of his game! The date's a quartet session, with that spare, back-to-basics approach Eddie was using in the years after his bigger 70s fame – a great reminder of the tenor roots from which he sprang in the Chicago scene, where he could still make some compellingly complicated moments, even without any electricity or tricks. Other players include Jacky Terrasson on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include "Little Sunflower", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "For All We Know", "Georgia On My Mind", and "Lisa Marie" CD

Late work from Eddie Harris – but a great session too, and one that cooks with raw soulful energy that shows he was still at the top of his game! The date's a quartet session, with that spare, back-to-basics approach Eddie was using in the years after his bigger 70s fame – a great reminder of the tenor roots from which he sprang in the Chicago scene, where he could still make some compellingly complicated moments, even without any electricity or tricks. Other players include Jacky Terrasson on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include "Little Sunflower", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "For All We Know", "Georgia On My Mind", and "Lisa Marie" CD

Sweet silver cycles from Eddie Harris – a wonderful late 60s album that features lots of lines on the electrified Varitone saxophone, mixed with cool contributions from a shifting lineup of soulful musicians! The set's one of Eddie's real classics from the Atlantic years – completely inventive, but never in a gimmicky way – and a really great bridge between late 60s modes of funk, jazz, and soul – at the same level he'd serve up more famously in his collaborations with Les McCann! There's a lot of that same energy here, but the vibe is even tighter – and Harris really blows us away with his great arrangements, which get a slight bit of help from Arif Mardin. Other players include Melvin Jackson on bass, Seldon Powell on reeds, and Joe Zawinul on keyboards – and titles include "Silver Cycles", "Electric Ballad", "Little Bit", "Free At Last", "Coltrane's View", "Electric Salad", "1974 Blues", and "Smoke Signals". CD

Seminal work from one of the hippest jazz singers ever – a session that showed the world that Eddie Jefferson was firmly back in business during the 60s! The set's got a really rollicking feel, and a bit more influence from soul than the bop of Eddie's roots – with elements of gospel and R&B filtering into the mix from time to time, alongside some of the more sophisticated jazz styles we've always loved in Jefferson's vocals. The group features some great tenor work from James Moody – one of Eddie's frequent musical partners – plus Dave Burns on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Bill English on drums. Titles include "Now's The Time", "So What", "Psychedelic Sally", "Filthy McNasty", "Oh Gee", and "See If You Can Git To That" – plus a very cool spoken introduction by Ed Williams! CD

One of our favorite albums of all times – and a legendary testament to the greatness of the Chicago music scene in the late 60s! Melvin Jackson was the bassist in Eddie Harris' very successful group of the time – and his playing on Eddie's trippy and funky records for Atlantic is one of the factors that made them so great. Here, he's working with an acoustic bass, amplified with electronics like a Varitone sax – and this strange-sounding instrument is set up in a hip group that mixes Cadet funky studio players (Phil Upchurch, Morris Jennings, Jody Christian) with some of the brighter young players of the AACM (Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, and Leo Smith.) Jackson's bass is looped through all sorts of crazy effects, and the result is this amazing blend of avant garde playing and groovy rhythms that is beyond compare! The album includes great reworkings of two Eddie Harris funk tracks – "Bold and Black" and "Cold Duck Time" – plus monster originals like "Funky Doo", "Say What", "Dance Of The Dervish", and "Funky Skull (parts 1 & 2)". CD

Beautiful early work from John Klemmer – one of the most under-rated talents of his generation, and a great player who frequently gets overlooked because of his later, smoother work. This album is Klemmer's first – recorded with a soulful Chicago tenor sound, touched with some of the freedoms of the late 60s Cadet Records scene. The approach is a bit like Eddie Harris at his best – with Klemmer rolling out soulful, stretched out notes over backing by a Harris-inspired rhythm section that includes Melvin Jackson on bass, Wilbur Cambell on drums, and Jodie Christian on piano. The groove is very solid, very in the pocket – and Klemmer blows in a tradition that includes Frank Strozier and Eric Alexander – 2 other players who've made a strong contribution to the Chicago scene. Titles include "My Blues", "Will N Jug", "Passion Food", "Stand In the Sun", and "Later With Them Woes". CD

Wild electric work from Les McCann – an album of free, open sounds that's quite a change from his styles of the 60s – and from most of his other work of the 70s too! Side one features an extended 26 minute track titled "The Lovers" – a slow-building number that has Les on sublime Fender Rhodes, as things build slowly with this really spiritual current that comes from the addition of Yusef Lateef on reeds, Cornell Dupree and David Spinozza on guitar, Corky Hale on harp, and both Bernard Purdie and Alphonse Mouzon on drums! The track is loose, but builds into some great funky moments – almost a keyboard version of electric Miles Davis at the time, but a lot more soulful. And side two continues the heavy keyboard vibe – with a killer remake of Les' classic "Beaux J Poo Poo" and a similar "Poo Pye McGoochie", both with the kind of choppy funky grooves Les laid down with Eddie Harris a few years prior! CD features a long bonus track – a live version of "Compared To What", which originally appeared on the Doldinger Jubilee album from 1975. CD

Bernard Purdie takes a trip down 40 years of soul jazz history – starting with late 50s jazz experiments by Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderley, and others – and working his way up through 60s soul and 70s funk! The set's got a slightly polished feel, but still plenty of nice moments – with soloists that include Michael and Randy Brecker, Eddie Harris, and Nils Landgren, plus larger arrangements by the WDR Big Band, conducted by Gil Goldstein. Titles include "Moanin", "Superstition", "Iko Iko", "Senor Blues", "Sidewinder", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Work Song", "Land Of 1000 Dances", and "Brother Where Are You". CD

A way hipper record than you'd guess from a group with a name like "Rare Silk" – and some of the best group jazz vocalese recorded in the 80s! The group is a quartet of voices – 3 female, 1 male – and they come together in a style that's far less hokey than most of the other practictioners of this mode at the time – a timeless sort of hipster approach that's really got a lot of the same sort of energy as Mark Murphy on Muse! Backing is small combo jazz on all numbers, with some really sweet keyboards on a few of the best tracks – and titles include versions of Flip Nunez's "Happying", Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay", Richie Cole's "New York Afternoon", Chick Corea's "Spain", Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar", and Eddie Harris' "You Know It's Wrong". CD

A strong return to form for Horace Silver – with work from Red Holloway, Eddie Harris, and James Moody on saxes! CD

Tracks from Memphis Slim And The House Rockers, Cootie Williams And His Orchestra, Mabel Scott, Wynonie Harris,Johnny Moore's Three Blazers, Morris Lane Amos Milburn, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Camille Howard, Paul Williams Sextet, Louis Jordan And His Tympany Five, T-Bone Walker, and more. CD

22 songs from Bill Doggett Combo, the Flamingos, Joe Lutcher, Tiny Bradshaw, Wynonie Harris, Earl Bostic, Joe Lutcher, Roy Brown, Little Esther, the Dominos, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and more. CD

Stone funky work from the late 60s – a landmark batch of tracks by Quincy Jones – originally recorded for the soundtrack of the first Bill Cosby show, and issued here to the public for the first time ever! The show's famous theme "Hikky-Burr" is a well-known groover with a sinister snapping edge that sums up all the best of Quincy's funky jazz soundtrack work in the 60s – and the rest of the tracks on the set follow in a blend of California soul jazz modes that's mighty mighty nice! Players on the tunes include Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander, Joe Sample, Eddie Harris, Ray Brown, and Paul Humphrey – and the tracks have a loose, improvised feel that's a nice contrast from a lot of Quincy's tighter soundtrack work. Along with 2 different versions of "Hikky-Burr" (one with vocal by Cosby, one without), the set also features tracks that include "Toe Jam", "Jive Den", "Monty Is That You", and "Eubie Walkin" – plus a loosely disguised version of "Listen Here", and a take on "Oh Happy Day". Great stuff – and wonderful to finally have out on CD! CD

Titles include "You Put It In, I'll Take It Out" by Papa Charlie Jackson, "I Want A Bowlegged Man" by Bullmoose Jackson, "Doodle Hole" by Charlie Lincoln, "Let Me Roll Your Lemon" by Bo Carter, "Good Jelly Blues" by Eddie Miller, and "She Kept On Sittin' On It All The Time" by Wynonie Harris – 18 tracks total. CD

Great later Coleman Hawkins on Impulse – just the sort of deep-toned, soulfully-blown record that makes all his sessions for the label so great! Hawk's very firmly in the lead on that classic tenor of his – but the rest of the lineup keeps things swinging too – with Snooky Young and Bill Berry on trumpets, Urbie Green on trombone, Barry Harris on piano, and Eddie Locke on drums. The best tracks are the sparest – the album's quartet readings of "Out of Nowhere" and "Indian Summer" – but the rest of the material features some nice gutsy solos from Hawk too, and other tracks include "Bean's Place", "Marchetta", and "She's Fit". CD

One of the last John Patton albums for Blue Note, and one of the best! A young James "Blood" Ulmer's on guitar, and Marvin Cabell (who we only know from Patton LPs) is on tenor and flute. The sound is deep and soulful, and despite the "accent on the blues" of the title, the feel's more Blue Note soul than it actually is bluesy. Ulmer's guitar is great, with this raspy edge that gives a nice depth to the album – and titles include reat versions of Harold Mabern's "Rakin' & Scrapin" and Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz Dance", plus some excellent originals by Cabell like "Captain Nasty" and "Village Lee". Plus, this CD reissue also features 4 other tracks, 3 of which are unreleased titles like "Sweet Pea", "2 J", and "Buddy Boy". CD

A tribute to Thelonious Monk, but one that's done with a real soul jazz swing – thanks to a lineup of players from the late 50s/early 60s glory days of the Riverside Records label! The core group could take just about any sort of music and make it great – but they sound especially nice here working with the modern compositions of Monk – swinging them in the same sort of angular, soulful way that Eddie Davis and Johnn Griffin did on some of their famous records from years back – but even more fleshed out instrumentally, too. Players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Jimmy Heath on tenor, Buddy Montgomery on vibes, Barry Harris on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. Titles include "Bemsha Swing", "Four On Six", "Work Song", "Gemini", "Well You Needn't", "Round Midnight", and "West Coast Blues". CD

With Joe Ford on alto saxophone, Doug Harris on flute and alto saxophone, Avery Sharpe on bass, Aaron Scott on drums, John Clark on french horn, Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet and percussion, Billy Harper and John Stubblefield on tenor saxophones, Frank Lucy and Steve Turre on trombones, Earl Gardner, Eddie Henderson and Virgil Jones on trumpets, and Tony Underwood on tuba. CD

A warm, wonderful set by Sarah Vaughan – and a later one, closing the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1971 – released for the first time ever! Sarah is backed for most of the set by the trio of Billy Mays on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – with Sarah managing to both portray heavy emotion and mood and also an easygoing, playful charm – joking with the audience and obviously having a wonderful time. Very nice! Includes the Norman Granz intro, plus "I Remember You", "The Lamp Is Low", "'Round Midnight", "There Will Never Be Another You", "And I Love Him", "Scattin' The Blues", and "Tenderly" – plus a 14 plus minute jam with the Jazz At The Philharmonic All-Stars – Bill Harris, Roy Eldridge, Clark Terry, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Benny Carter and others! CD

A dozen songs from David "Fathead" Newman, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, Hank Crawford, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Herbie Mann, Ornette Coleman, Mose Allison, John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Yusef Lateef, and Charles Mingus. CD

Here it is, the mother of them all! The set's got 8CDs worth of killer soul, funk, and Rhythm & Blues – all culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! Although this sort of set usually tends to be a bit simplistic, this box actually features a beautiful mix of tracks, lots of which are hard to get in any format. It's a lot to go through, but it's worth the trip! We can't even begin to list the tracks here, there's 203(!) of them in all, but some of the artists include the Bar Kays, the Beginning of the End, Archie Bell & The Drells, Ruth Brown, Solomon Burke, the Capitols, Clarence Carter, the Chords, the Cookies, Don Covay, King Curtis, Tyrone Davis, the Drifters, Roberta Flack, King Floyd, Aretha Franklin, Major Harris, Donny Hathaway, the Ikettes, Willis Jackson, Nat Kendricks & The Swans, Barabra Lewis,the Mar-keys, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, Stick McGhee, Otis & Carla, the Persuaders, Percy Sledge, The Spinners, Willie Tee, Joe Tex, Chuck Willis, Betty Wright and loads more! CD

A long-overdue entry in this amazing series – a set of music that's gone on to be a genre unto itself, and which stands as a tribute to the song-picking genius of the great Dave Godin! The music here is a really special breed of soul – sounds that start out in the heart-worn style of southern work of the 60s, but which also expand to encompass other modes of very expressive singers – music that definitely lives up to the "deep" in the deep soul title! Godin's been gone from the planet for a number of years, but the set list is based on suggestions he had when compiling the earlier versions of the famous series – and Dave lives again in the notes, which include an interview with the soul music expert by Jon Savage. But even without the words, the music is more than enough – on titles that include "Without Love" by Ronnie Taylor, "Where Is The Party" by Helena Ferguson, "Dead" by Carolyn Sullivan, "Who Knows" by Soul City, "I Will" by Lattimore Brown, "Right Here Is Where You Belong" by Jerry Washington, "Can't Last Much Longer" by Betty Harris, "Standing At The Crossroads" by Eddie & Ernie, "What Can I Do Without You" by Linda Jones, "It's Too Late For Tears" by Rene Bailey, and "All I Want Is You" by Zilla Mayes. CD

One of our favorite-ever albums on Prestige Records from the 60s – and a set that's a fair bit different than most of the other work on the label! The set's an unusual outing for saxophonist George Braith – cut after his famous albums for Blue Note, and in a mode that's quite different – very far-reaching, and almost spiritual at points – with the blend of jazz and other modes that you might find on the Cadet/Concept sessions in late 60s Chicago! Braith plays a wide assortment of saxes – c-melody, alto and soprano – but his playing here is a bit different than the Roland Kirk-like vibe of before – sometimes more stretched-out and exploratory, in a Nathan Davis sort of vibe – sometimes wrapped up in some larger explorations from the whole group. There's moments of raw percussion with echoey production, others with wordless vocals floating alongside the lead soloist, and still others that have that catchy blend of soul jazz and exoticism you'd find in the music of Eddie Harris or Yusef Lateef – even though Braith here is completely his own artist too! The set features Jane Getz on piano, Jay Carter and Eddie Diehl on guitar, and Ben Dixon on drums – but there's also a lot of percussion, both Latin and otherwise, from a shifting lineup of players. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Del's Theme", "Musart", "Evelyn Anita", "Our Blessing", "Laura", and "Splashes Of Love". CD

Features Eddie Allen on trumpet, Donald Harrison on alto, Anthony Wonsey on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums! CD

Donald Harrison on saxophone, Chris Botti and Brian Lynch on trumpet, Bill Soley, Chuck Loeb, Darius Harrison, Eric Slaughter, John Bagnado, Jonathan Lewis, and Marc Pero on guitar, Daryl Levigne and Eddie Palmieri on piano, Chris Severin, John Benitez, and Louis Cato on bass, Andrew Marsh, El Negro, Jamal Batiste, and Michael White on drums, Giovanni Hidalgo and McKinley "Bug" Williams on percussion, with vocals from Denise Hudson, Darius Harrison, Smoke, and Leoniere Allen. CD

The genius of Eddie Palmieri never seems to dim at all as the years go on – and, if anything, the genius only seems to flower even more – finding new ways of expression that maybe even blow away some of Eddie's classic work from the 60s and 70s! This set is amazing – a fantastically modern refiguring of Latin roots – with elements that stretch back to Palmieri's earliest charanga years and his Latin jazz rebirth, but used in ways that are very different – and very striking throughout! The lineup remains relatively small on most numbers – with very heavy focus on piano, percussion, and bass – but Eddie also makes great use of key guests who include Alfredo De La Fe on violin, Donald Harrison on alto, Ronnie Cuber on baritone, and Joe Locke on vibes. Titles include "Locked On", "Cuervas Y Tumbao", "Wise Bata Blues", "La Cancha", "Augustine Parish", "Life", "Samba Do Sueno", and "Jibarita Y Su Son". CD

A relatively recent effort by Eddie, but also one of his best albums in 25 years! The record's a beautiful batch of Latin jazz instrumentals, played with a lot of fire, but also a lot of maturity and creativity. The compositions are great, and Eddie's in top form on piano, with backing by Donald Harrison, Conrad Hewig, and Brian Lynch. Titles include "Palmas", "Doctor Duck", "Bouncer", and "Slowvisor". Recorded in the 90s, but with a beautifully classic sound! CD

An album that begins with a drumbreak, then features electric piano from George Cables – all at a level that almost feels like Eddie Henderson has gone back to those sublime funky years of the mid 70s! Back in the day, the trumpeter's spacious approach to jazz funk really marked the start of a new era for the music – and since that time, Henderson's only gotten better and better in an acoustic setting too – really developing strongly since his initial appearance on spiritual sessions for others, with a range of expression that's on full display here! The album moves from the electric start to more acoustic modes – sometimes swinging, sometimes intimate – and Cables is a superb accompanist throughout, on both electric and acoustic keys – in a group that also features Donald Harrison on alto, Gerald Cannon on bass, and Lenny White on drums. Titles include "Totem Pole", "Scorpio Rising", "Why Not", "It Never Entered My Mind", "I Am Going To Miss You My Darling", and "Freedom Jazz Dance". CD

Jazzy goodness from Eddie Palmieri – a recent set that shows him still burning strong after a stunning 50 years in Latin music! The arrangements are spare, but extremely creative – well-penned jazz charts that allow Eddie plenty of modern moments on the keys of the piano, but which also always swing into a tight Latin groove when needed. Other players include Brian Lynch on trumpet, Conrad Herwig and Doug Beavers on trombones, Donald Harrison on alto sax, and John Benitez on bass – and titles include "Nica's Dream", "In Flight", "Listen Here", "Vals Con Bata", "Tema Para Eydie", "EP Blues", and "Mira Flores". CD

Conducted by William Russo, Paul Mertens and Tyrone Tatum on alto saxophone, Billy Rogers on baritone saxophone, Eddie Johnson and Pat Mallinger on tenor saxophone, Chuck Parrish, Mark Olen, Orbert Davis, Scott Hall, and Terry Connell on trumpet, Audrey Morrison, Edwin Williams, Loren Binford, and Tracy Kirk on trombone, Fritz Hocking on bass trombone, Larry Combs on clarinet, Charley Harrison on guitar, Brandon McCune on piano, James Cammack on bass, Bobby Everson on timpani, and Dana Hall and Frank Donaldson on drums, with Bobbi Wilsyn, Carol Loverde, and Cynthia Felker on vocals. CD

Rare Blue Note work from Dexter Gordon – an album that was recorded during Gordon's legendary run for the label in the 60s, but not issued until a brief vinyl pressing nearly 15 years later! The record's got Gordon vamping in tight hardbop formation – a sound that's strongly 60s Blue Note all the way through, and which shows the great control that the label helped bring to Dex's music – giving him new focus and energy to take off on much freer flights later in the 60s. Other players on the date include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass – and Hubbard's trumpet is an especially welcome element here on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "Hanky Panky", "Jodi", "Lady Iris B", "Clubhouse", and "Devilette". CD

Rare Blue Note work from Dexter Gordon – an album that was recorded during Gordon's legendary run for the label in the 60s, but not issued until a brief vinyl pressing nearly 15 years later! The record's got Gordon vamping in tight hardbop formation – a sound that's strongly 60s Blue Note all the way through, and which shows the great control that the label helped bring to Dex's music – giving him new focus and energy to take off on much freer flights later in the 60s. Other players on the date include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass – and Hubbard's trumpet is an especially welcome element here on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "Hanky Panky", "Jodi", "Lady Iris B", "Clubhouse", and "Devilette". CD

No filters here, as Hank Mobley's sound is clean, lean, and right on the money – hitting that newly-sophisticated groove of the Caddy For Daddy years in this sweet unissued set! The date was recorded in the 60s, but unissued by Blue Note for many years – another one of those head-scratching mysteries from the label, yet also a real treat to 80s jazz fans who finally got their hands on the sides – a whole new discovery of Hank Mobley's genius, further appreciated at a time when we weren't hearing more from him. The players are top-shelf all the way through – and include Freddie Hubbard or Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock or Barry Harris on piano, Paul Chambers or Butch Warren on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Soft Impressions", "Up A Step", "Old World, New Imports", "East Of The Village", "Yes Indeed", and "The Good Life" CD

No filters here, as Hank Mobley's sound is clean, lean, and right on the money – hitting that newly-sophisticated groove of the Caddy For Daddy years in this sweet unissued set! The date was recorded in the 60s, but unissued by Blue Note for many years – another one of those head-scratching mysteries from the label, yet also a real treat to 80s jazz fans who finally got their hands on the sides – a whole new discovery of Hank Mobley's genius, further appreciated at a time when we weren't hearing more from him. The players are top-shelf all the way through – and include Freddie Hubbard or Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock or Barry Harris on piano, Paul Chambers or Butch Warren on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. CD version really expands from the original LP – with 9 titles that include "Chain Reaction", "Third Time Around", "Hank's Waltz", "Yes Indeed", "Straight No Filter", "Syrup & Biscuits", and "The Feelin's Good". CD

One of the best-ever Hank Mobley albums on Blue Note – and a killer batch of soulful hardbop that was cut right around the same time as the classic No Room For Squares LP. In fact, the album contains work from 2 different sessions that filtered over to the Squares album – one that featured Mobley with Freddie Hubbard, Barry Harris, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins; and another that included Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Butch Warren, and Philly Joe Jones. The work is incredibly sharp – with that wonderful mix of soul jazz, hardbop, and nascent spiritualism that Mobley brought to his best work of the 60s. Titles include "My Sin", "Straight Ahead", "The Turnaround", and "Pat N Chat". CD

Two LP's on one CD. The first set is a later one for Vee Jay, and it brings together half of the Jazz Messengers with a batch of west coast players – in a groove that wonderfully mixes together different traditions and rhythms in jazz – and which steps out with a sound that's far more than the sum of its parts! Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller join a group headed by Buddy De Franco, and featuring Victor Feldman on piano and vibes, plus Victor Sproles on bass and Freddie Hill on trumpet. The sound of the group is quite unusual – and a lot lighter than you'd guess – giving Buddy plenty of room to solo in a breezy style that's grown tremendously since his 50s recordings – pushed along by some heavier soul from Art and the group. Titles include "Rain Dance", "Blues Bag", "Twelve Tone Blues", "Kush", and "Cousin Mary". The second album's one of the few ever cut as a leader by Louis Hayes – a very soulful talent who's probably best known for his work with Horace Silver and Cannonball Adderley during the late 50s. Hayes' has a wonderful approach to the record – borrowing bits of the exoticism of his work with Silver, and bits of the harder soul jazz from Cannonball's group – all of which is played to perfection by a tight quintet that includes Yusef Lateef, Sam Jones, Barry Harris, and Nat Adderley. Tracks are all originals by the group, and titles include "Hazing", "Rip De Boom", "Teef", and "Sassy Ann". CD

One of the best-ever Hank Mobley albums on Blue Note – and a killer batch of soulful hardbop that was cut right around the same time as the classic No Room For Squares LP. In fact, the album contains work from 2 different sessions that filtered over to the Squares album – one that featured Mobley with Freddie Hubbard, Barry Harris, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins; and another that included Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Butch Warren, and Philly Joe Jones. The work is incredibly sharp – with that wonderful mix of soul jazz, hardbop, and nascent spiritualism that Mobley brought to his best work of the 60s. Titles include "My Sin", "Straight Ahead", "The Turnaround", and "East Of The Village". CD

One of the greatest groups going in recent years – a strong revival of key soulful jazz talents from previous years, all working under the leadership of trumpeter David Weiss – who's really helped them come together and find a whole new sort of energy! The lineup features tremendous tenor from Billy Harper – sounding at his classic best with The Cookers – especially when the rhythms spin out majestically from George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – often with these dark undercurrents that make the music wonderfully powerful! And in addition to Weiss on trumpet, the frontline also includes Eddie Henderson's trumpet as well, plus the alto of Donald Harrison – and the horns have a great way of folding together and interweaving, before breaking out in these very personal solos. Titles include tracks by almost all members of the group – and tunes include "Slippin & Slidin", "Renada", "Sir Galahad", "Time & Time Again", "Dance Of The Invisible Nymph", "Dance Eternal Spirits Dance", and "Three Fall". CD

A hip Japanese collection with Blue Note work by Bobby Hutcherson, Bobbi Humphrey, Chico Hamilton, Alphonse Mouzon, Freddie Hubbard, Ronnie Foster, Gene Harris, Donald Byrd, and others. CD

Illinois Jacquet on tenor saxophone, John Brown and Ray Perry on alto saxophone, Arthur Dennis and Leo Parker on baritone saxophone, Trummy Young on trombone, Joe Newman on trumpet, Russell Jacquet on trumpet and vocals, Wynonie Harris on vocals, Freddie Green and Ulysses Livingston on guitar, Bill Doggett and Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Al Lucas, Charles Mingus, and John Simmons on bass, and Al Wichard, Denzil Best, and Shadow Wilson on drums. CD

Music from Garfield Akers, Kid Bailey, William Harris, Blind Willie Reynolds, Arthur Petties, Blind Joe Reynolds, Mississippi Jook Band, Geeshie Wiley, Jelly Jaw Short, King Solomon Hill, Freddie Spruell & more. CD

A cooker from DC tenorist Buck Hill – one of those great local players who never got their due strongly until late in life! Buck's got a tremendous sound on his horn – full and rich in feeling, with occasional raspy edges that really grab us, and a warm command of his instrument that really belies his many decades in music. Yet Buck's also not just blowing familiar notes, either – and, like Von Freeman out of Chicago, he's a dedicatedly creative player who keeps things on edge throughout the set, even in familiar territory. The approach is a bit like that of Ben Webster late in life, but sharper overall – and the group on the date includes Barry Harris on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Freddie Waits on drums. Titles include "Jazz Ballad", "Tenor Madness", "On The Trail", "Hail To The Redskins",a nd "Chelsea Bridge". CD also features the bonus track "Vierd Blues". CD