The title gets it right on this one – as the set's one of Cal's greatest straight jazz albums of the early years – done in a harder, and more soulful mode than some of his Latin-based sets from the time! The album features 2 different groups, both of them great – a main quintet that includes Brew Moore on tenor and Sonny Clarke on piano – and an additional quartet that features Bob Collins on trombone and Eddie Duran on guitar. The use of horns on the set is a nice change from some of the heavily percussive styles of Cal's other Fantasy records – and Moore's work on the album is especially nice, with some strong tenor moments that really make the album! Titles include "Moten Swing", "I've Never Been In Love Before", "Imagination", "I'll Know", "Brew's Blues", "A Minor Goof", and "How About You". CD

Lost European jazz recordings from the vaults of producer Gigi Campi – and a stellar batch of non-US material with Johnny Griffin at the lead – working in the company of Clarke/Boland compatriots who include Benny Bailey, Sahib Shihab, Jimmy Woode, Idrees Sulieman, and Milt Jackson! Despite the "Bags" in the title, Milt's only on a few tracks – but that's fine with us, because Johnny Griffin is the main attraction – and the material is good small group sides with Griff soloing and trading lines with players like Sulieman and Bailey, or with some of the other players on their own. The recordings are different than the usual breed of Johnny Griffin European recordings – most of which have him soloing with a piano quartet on extended tracks. On this release, most of the tracks are short, hard, and very nicely swinging with a good hard bop groove – as with the best of Griffin's Riverside and Blue Note recordings. Kenny Clarke's on drums on nearly all the material, and he pulls out his bop chops to drive Griff's hard solos as fast as he can. The set's a great batch of work, with excellent notes and photos, and some great playing all around. Cuts include "Gamal Sady 'n Em", "Foot Patting", "Lady Heavy Bottom's Waltz", "Blues For K", "Muvaffak's Pad", "The Girl & The Turk", and "Gyson's Bag". 16 cuts in all, and none of them are from the Griffin/Davis LP on MPS (just in case you thought to ask!) CD

An excellent batch of modern instrumental readings of some of Jobim's greatest compositions – put together with the usual respect and care of the Lumiar label, and featuring a huge number of great Brazilian jazz players, like Joao Donato, Nelson Ayres, Sivuca, Roberto Menescal, Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti, Antonio Adolfo, Nico Assumpcao, Osmar Milito, and Jobim himself! The arrangements are haunting, and some tracks have wonderful instrumentation (trumpet/piano, cello quartet, etc) that really opens up these great tracks. Titles include "Surfboard", "Tema Para Ana", "Tema Jazz", "O Homem", "Stoneflower", "Radames Y Pele", and "Dialogo". 2 CDs, with lots of niceness! Note that a number of these tracks (if not all of them) are on the 5 volume Jobim series that we carry, also on Lumiar. CD

Two great sets from reedman Charles Lloyd! Dream Weaver really pushes forward all the experiments he'd begun in the Chico Hamilton group – and shows a bold move forward for rhythms in 60s jazz! The tracks are long, and spiral out wonderfully – but in ways that are different than those used by other creators of the time – like Eric Dolphy or John Coltrane. Even though leading the group on tenor and flute, Lloyd's got a real sense of rhythm to his playing – echoes of the Hamilton group – but set loose with a stellar quartet of younger players – including Keith Jarrett on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all perfect choices for inventive music like this! The standout cut is the amazing "Sombrero Sam", a tight little groover that we never tire of – and one that has Jarrett sounding much more in the pocket than you'd ever imagine – and other tracks include "Dream Weaver", "Autumn Sequence", and "Bird Flight". Love-In features a classic batch of modal grooves from Charles Lloyd – recorded during the height of his mind-expanding years, with his famous quartet that included Keith Jarrett on piano and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The tracks are long and magical, done with that spiritual spiraling sound that Lloyd was wowing the hippies with at the time – and considering that this set was recorded live at the Fillmore, there were an awful lot of hippies present to be wowed! But the set's also got a charm that lives long past its time – thanks to an expansive vision from Lloyd on flute and tenor, and from Jarrett on piano too. Titles include "Sunday Morning", "Love-in", "Tribal Dance", and "Temple Bells". CD

A wild little record – one that was issued under the name of Flying Dutchman label headman Bob Thiele – but which actually features work from some of the grooviest artists on the label at the time – including Tom Scott, Ornette Coleman, Jon Appleton, John Carter, Horace Tapscott, and Bobby Bradford! The package has a very different feel on each of the album's four sides – and side one is a tremendous showcase for the young reedman Tom Scott – working here in a cool mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation that's similar to his other records of the time – including organ, vibes, and some nice funky touches as well. Side two features an exploration of the history of jazz – but one that progresses quickly from early modes to hipper ones – showcasing the talents of John Carter on tenor, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, and Horace Tapscott on piano! Side three is a mighty dedication to the late John Coltrane – played at first by a trio with Joe Farrell on flute, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – then moving into a mix of Farrell's flute and narration by Rosko – then a performance by the Ornette Coleman quartet. And side four is especially mindblowing, as it's comprised of lone long piece by Jon Appleton's Syntonic Menagerie – a mix of sound samples, tape tricks, and jazz – as a commentary on The American Indian, JFK, and Martin Luther King. The whole thing's a great illustration of the Flying Dutchman label at its most revolutionary – and titles include "Head Start", "Freaky Zeke", "Lanoola Goes Limp", "Swing Era", "In The Vineyard/Avant Garde", "Love Supreme", "Lament For John Coltrane", and "A Few Thoughts For The Day". CD also features a rare bonus track – "The Flying Dutchman". CD

Excellent album recorded by vibist Walt Dickerson during the mid 60's. Ostensibly a "soundtrack session", Dickerson freely improvises on themes from the movie A Patch Of Blue, and turns the score into a great platform for moody jazz playing on vibes and piano. Even more surprising is the fact that Sun Ra is the pianist in the quartet, making a rare non-Arkestra appearance – and on a major label, too! Titles include "Bacon & Eggs", "Alone In The Park", "Selina's Fantasy", and "Thataway". CD

A smooth batch of early work from Brazilian jazz and vocal mainstay Dick Farney – a collection of his wonderful vocal tunes and more jazz based work from the mid 40s through the mid 50s – collected from ultra rare releases of the time! The first half of the CD concentrates on his wonderful vocal tunes – steeped in mellow, expressive tunes ranging from stripped down piano and vocal ballads and some more lush material with strings. Dick's doesn't get his vocal props in our half of the globe – and here's hoping sets like this will spread the word! Titles include "Copabana", "Marina", "Uma Loura", "Nick Bar", "Mundo Distaste", "Perdido De Amor", "Tereza Da Praia" (Dick Farney & Lucio Alves), "Grand Verdade" and more. The 9 tracks that close out the CD concentrate on his jazzier side, with Dick on piano with his Quintet on the tracks "O Genio Da Marly", "Fique Calma", "Nervosinho" and more; the Dick Farney Quartet works the Gershwin songbook with "Strike Up The Band", "Oh Lady Be Good", Bt Not For Me" and "I've Got Rhythm". CD

A fantastic session of 60s "new thing" jazz – and one of our favorite early records by Joe Henderson – exactly the kind of album to show why his emergence in the decade was such an important new voice in jazz! The album features some incredibly hard playing from Joe – with a very dark edge to his solos that's nicely offset by McCoy Tyner's lyrical piano, and the supple rhythms of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Elvin Jones drums – a really magical quartet who come across very different here than you might expect from the Coltrane legacies of Tyner and Jones! Instead, Henderson makes his presence known right from the very first note – as his voice on the tenor is completely singular – and titles include the Henderson originals "Inner Urge", "Isotope" and "El Barrio" – plus the great Duke Pearson song "You Know I Care", and the standard "Night & Day". CD

A fantastic session of 60s "new thing" jazz – and one of our favorite early records by Joe Henderson – exactly the kind of album to show why his emergence in the decade was such an important new voice in jazz! The album features some incredibly hard playing from Joe – with a very dark edge to his solos that's nicely offset by McCoy Tyner's lyrical piano, and the supple rhythms of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Elvin Jones drums – a really magical quartet who come across very different here than you might expect from the Coltrane legacies of Tyner and Jones! Instead, Henderson makes his presence known right from the very first note – as his voice on the tenor is completely singular – and titles include the Henderson originals "Inner Urge", "Isotope" and "El Barrio" – plus the great Duke Pearson song "You Know I Care", and the standard "Night & Day". CD

Acoustic sounds from two players who made their mark during the fusion generation – and a wonderful illustration that at their core, both Bob James and David Sanborn are pretty darn great jazz musicians! The album's got a laidback vibe that's wonderful – these flowing lines on acoustic piano from James, mixed with Sanborn's well-blown alto and soprano sax solos – moving with this mellow groove that's never sleepy, and certainly never cheesy in a commercial way – just a great late night sort of mode with a surprisingly classic feel. The quartet also features Steve Gadd on drums and James Genus on bass – both working at a well-matched pace with the leaders – and titles include "Geste Humain", "You Better Not Go To College", "Maputo", "Deep In The Weeds", and "Genevieve". CD

Five tremendous albums from saxophone genius Art Pepper – presented here with a lot of bonus tracks too! First up is So In Love – beautiful late work from Art Pepper – one of his albums recorded for the well-done Artist House label, and a set that's maybe got a different vibe than some of his Galaxy recordings of the time! There's a rock-solid sense of soul to the record – one that comes from the work of two different rhythm trios – one that features George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm trio who keep things swinging, but never in a way that's too straight – pushing Art a bit around the edges, but letting him come right down the middle with some fantastic solos on alto – the other with Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Tunes are a bit shorter than on some other albums of the period, but in a great way that really lets you focus in on Pepper's amazing sound –and titles include "Diane", "Stardust", "Blues For Blanche", and "Straight No Chaser". Artworks is a nicely focused set from the great Art Pepper – a record that features a number of familiar bop and jazz themes, but set to a more open, relaxed, and very soulful style that wonderfully reflects all the greatness of Pepper in his final years! The group on the record is nicely understated, but still very hip – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and Art gets plenty of space to step out front and really blow these amazing solos, including one number that features just bass and drums, while Pepper blows a bit of clarinet – which we always love. All other titles feature alto sax – and titles include "Donna Lee", "Anthropology", "You Go To My Head", "Body & Soul", and "Desafinado". Next is a New York Album, but one that was oddly recorded in Burbank – and which has Art Pepper sounding very much at the top of his game! The format here is a bit like the other Artist House Pepper sessions, and those he did for the Japanese Atlas label – tight, focused, often tunes that are older jazz or bop standards – but swing with a great rhythm section, and topped with completely sublime alto solos from the leader! The quartet features Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – but one number is a duo between Carter and Pepper, and another features just piano and alto. Titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Duo Blues", "My Friend John", and "Straight No Chaser". Stardust is a great little record from Art Pepper – four long tracks that really have him stretching out on alto – but in a way that's maybe a bit different than some of his more burning albums on the Galaxy label at the time! The group here follows from some of the previous Artist House recordings – George Cables on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a rhythm combo that's mighty nice – and which benefits from some great straight basswork from Haden, and Higgins' always compelling sense of rhythm! Titles include "My Friend John", "Stardust", and "Tin Tin Deo" – plus a reading of "In A Mellotone" that has Art on clarinet. CD5 features a full disc of Sessions material, titled as such – alternates, and unusual versions from the recording dates – and all other of the four CDs feature bonus material as well – different takes and alternates! CD

A landmark album from Sonny Rollins – a record that really lives up to its title, as it shows the maturing tenorist really finding his own voice in jazz – a sound that's unlike any other! Rollins' Riverside work sometimes seems to get overlooked sometimes in light of his freer late 50s playing on other labels – but this album's a real standout that shows that even with familiar material, Sonny can make magic happen in the way he phrases a tune and places a solo. Sonny's working here with a group that includes some hard-edged piano from Sonny Clark and some wonderfully inventive rhythm from Roy Haynes on drums – but Rollins is the real star in this quartet setting – shining throughout, in a mode that's incredibly economical, yet which speaks volumes with every note! Titles include "Mangoes", "Cutie", "Just In Time", and "Every Time We Say Goodbye". CD features one bonus track. CD

A slightly misleading record – but a great one nonetheless! From the title and cover, you might imagine that Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis were sharing the stage together at the Newport Jazz Festival – but instead, the album actually features separate performances by each artist – actually even recorded 5 years apart! The Miles Davis recording is from 1958 – a great year that has John Coltrane working with the group, alongside Wynton Kelly on piano, Cannonball Adderley on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – performing lively versions of "Ah Leu Cha", "Straight No Chaser", "Fran Dance" and "Two Bass Hit". The Monk material is even more unique – recorded in 1963, with Monk's usual quartet of Charlie Rouse on tenor, Butch Warren on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums – joined by the legendary Pee Wee Russell on clarinet – recently revived in jazz at the time, and displaying surprisingly modernist tendencies! Both Monk tracks are long – and include versions of "Nutty" and "Blue Monk". CD

Long-blowing late 50s work from Jackie McLean – one of his standout sets as a leader from the pre-Blue Note years! The album features McLean in two different settings – really opening up on side one with a sextet that includes Curtis Fuller on trombone, Webster Young on trumpet, Gil Coggins on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – in two long takes of "A Long Drink Of The Blues", which features Jackie on both alto and tenor! Side two is a bit tighter, with Jackie heading up a quartet that includes Mal Waldron on piano, Art Phipps on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – on tunes that include "I Cover The Waterfront", "These Foolish Things", and "Embraceable You". CD

Louie Bellson on drums, John Heard on bass, Son Menza on flute and tenor saxophone, and Larry Novak on piano. CD

A great set – unissued material from the same concert that gave us the original College Of The Pacific album! Classic early live material from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums. CD

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "Very Good Advice". CD

Great early material from Lou Donaldson – with a hard-hitting bop sound missing from his later work! The tracks are short, raw, and lively – and filled with the kind of pre-hardbop soul that Donaldson was infusing into jazz, along with other players on the material – like Horace Silver on piano, Art Blakey on drums, and Blue Mitchell on trumpet – all of whom make key early appearances here. The material is from rare 10" LPs – originally recorded in the early 50s, but packaged in a full album by Blue Note for the legendary 1500 series! Titles include "Moe's Bluff", "Roccus", "Sweet Juice", "Down Home", and "The Stroller". CD

The first album to document a great new chapter in the career of drummer Billy Hart – his ultra-hip quartet with saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson – both younger players who have brought back a real edge to his music! The group has a very different feel than some of the other recent "revival" projects by older jazz drummers – and the focus here is extremely equal, if not even more heavily weighted towards, the younger members of the group. Turner's tenor has all the dark tones and edgey post-Shorter modes heard on his best albums under his own name – and Iverson's angular piano lines revel in a style that's almost in the legacy of Andrew Hill, but more swinging overall. Hart's rhythms are as fluid and complex as ever – making nice use of the cymbals on the fringe, but returning home to the core of the kit when a tighter groove is needed. Titles include "Mellow B", "Lorca", "Irah", "Lullaby For Mike", "Iverson's Odyssey", "Neon", "Charvez", and "Moment's Notice". CD

A classic split album of bop piano from both coasts – kind of a double-header in jazz, and one that really packs a punch! Hamp Hawes represents the west coast – and unlike his cool jazz contemporaries, he's grooving hard in a quartet that includes Larry Bunker on vibes, Larry Marable on drums, and Clarence Jones on bass. Hawes' playing on the record is some of his best of the 50s – and titles include "Terrible T", "Move", "Fanfare", "Hamp's Paws", and "Buzzy". The east coast side of the set is laid down by Freddie Redd – grooving hard in a rare early set, with a trio that includes John Ore on bass and Ron Jefferson on drums. Redd's titles include "Reddy Freddie", "Lady J Blues", and "Debut". CD

Bobby Hutcherson breaks it down in two different ways – solo on the first half of the record, and in a quartet on the rest! The set begins in a very spare way – Bobby playing vibes, marimba, xylophone, and bells – often a bit overdubbed, so that although alone, Hutcherson fills the tracks with a rich palette of sound – glowingly rhythmic lines that ring out with plenty of soul, and showcase a really under-tapped side of Bobby's talents! Remaining tracks are equally great, but in a totally different way – played by a righteous lineup that includes McCoy Tyner on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – really working together beautifully in ways that make the album feel like a lost 70s soul jazz set. Forget Hutcherson's slick look on the cover – because this album's drenched in open, honest, acoustic feeling – a rich tapestry of sound and emotion, on tracks that include "Gotcha", "The Ice Cream Man", "For You Mom & Dad", "Messina", "My Foolish Heart", and "La Alhambra". CD

A great date from pianist Dave McKenna – an artist who's frequently caught in a trio set or smaller – which makes this quartet session with Zoot Sims a mighty nice treat! McKenna's got a really timeless approach to piano – one that often spans decades of jazz expression, especially the earlier ones – and that seems to bring out a nice sound here in Sims' horns – which include both tenor and soprano sax for the session, the latter of which is especially sweet. Tracks are relatively short, but have a warm, personal feel – and the group also features Major Holley on bass and Ray Mosca on drums. Titles include "One Good Turn", "Dave's Tune", "Deed I Do", "Limehouse Blues", "Linger Awhile", and "Wherever There's Love". CD features some bonus alternate takes, too! CD

Some of the earliest material ever recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet – early 50s sides that were originally issued as 78rpm singles, then brought together in this self-titled LP! Some of the material was first released under the name of the Milt Jackson Quartet – but featured the lineup of Jackson on vibes, John Lewis piano, Percy Heath bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Yet other tracks on the set have bassist Ray Brown in for Heath and drummer Al Jones in for Clarke – both players who make for a slightly different groove in the company of Jackson and Lewis. Tunes are short, but already show that Lewis love of chromatic tones – and titles include "Yesterdays", "Love Me Pretty Baby", "Milt Meets Sid", "Moving Nicely", "D&E", "True Blues", and "Autumn Breeze". CD

An extremely haunting version of the score to Porgy & Bess – recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet at the height of their powers, in a gently soulful version that really takes off from the original. The group have a very free approach here – one that uses Gershwin's originals as a set of loose guidelines to work from – shading in the spaces with their own tones and colors on vibes, piano, bass, and drums. The album features some great modern takes on "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" – and other tracks include "O Bess, Where's My Bess", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man's Gone Now", and "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York". CD

A set that shows that none of the group's imagination or talent had dimmed over the years – and the core quartet of John Lewis on piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums are joined by The New York Chamber Symphony, who are a small string-based group who slide in and out of the jazz-based grooves with an inventive range of colors and sounds! The album's hardly a "jazz with strings" sort of date – and instead, the strings are nicely integrated with a fluidly creative approach – in the mode of some of the more experimental string quartets that were showing up at the time. Titles include "Kansas City Breaks", "Three Windows", "Encounter In Cagnes", and the "Day In Dubrovnik" suite. CD

2 great Paris live sets from Gerry Mulligan – with his Concert Jazz Band at L'Olympia in 1960 – followed by a 1962 quartet set at the same venue serving as bonus tracks! The 11 titles on the first CD and the first titles on the second CD are culled from the 1960 set – a tight affair with great solo work from a larger group of players – which includes Don Ferrara and Conte Candoli on trumpet, Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Willie Dennis and Alan Raph on trombone, Bob Donovan and Gene Quill on alto, Jim Reider and Zoot Sims on tenor, Buddy Clark on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. A real triumph! Titles include "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Black Nightgown", "Body And Soul", "Barbara's Theme", "Apple Core", "Out Of This World", "Go Home", "I'm Gonna Go Fishing", "Blueport" and more! The second CD is closed out by a 1962 set by the the Gerry Mulligan Quartet – originally released as the LP Gerry Mulligan & His Quartet Live At The Olympia Theatre 1962! The tracks are long, and the setting fluid – as Gerry plays baritone on most tracks, but piano on a couple; and Bob Brookmeyer does the same, taking a break from valve trombone to play piano for one track as well. Rhythm is by the team of Bill Crow on bass and Gus Johnson on drums – and titles include "Spring Is Sprung", "Five Brothers", "Subterranean Blues", "Blue Port", and "Utter Chaos". More than 2 1/2 hours of music on 2CDs! CD

Gerry Mulligan brings the piano back in nicely here – but in a way that still hangs onto all the best modern tones of his earlier Pacific Jazz sessions! The date's a live one – done at Storyville in Boston – but the sound is wonderfully intimate, with Gerry on baritone sax and piano, Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, Bill Crow on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums. The Crow/Bailey rhythm section is superb – nicely swinging throughout – and Gerry's work on piano has that airy, moody quality that would show up even more strongly in the 60s. Titles include "Bweebida Bwobbida", "Open Country", "Rustic Hop", "Bike Up The Strand", and "Storyville Story". CD

One of the greatest jazz voices on the bass clarinet – save perhaps for the late Eric Dolphy – working here in a wonderful batch of ballads and gentle groovers! The set's quite different from the usual jazz date to bear "ballads" in the title – as David Murray's not ruminating over standards with too much strings – and instead still works in a hip small combo mode that's filled with swing and soul. In fact, most tunes are hardly ballads in the traditional style – and just showcase a slightly gentler, more personal side of Murray's music – but one that still has plenty of darkness around the edges. The group's a quartet – with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and tunes include "Portrait Of A Black Woman", "Waltz To Heaven", "Elegy For Fannie Lou", "Lyons Street", "Chazz", and "New Life". CD

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

A warmly crafted set that features Cecil Payne at the height of his powers on baritone sax – blowing with a sense of soul and timing that's right up there with some of the hipper tenor players of his generation! Payne's sound on the instrument is amazingly precise and wonderfully fluid – blown beautifully in two different settings for the album – one in a quartet with Duke Jordan on piano, Tommy Potter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – the other in the same group, but with Kenny Dorham added in on trumpet! Dorham's tones further emphasize the sweeter sound of Cecil on his chosen instrument – and titles on the set include "Arnetta", "Chessman's Delight", "Bringing Up Father", "Groovin High", "Saucer Eyes", and "Man Of Moods". CD

Sal Salvador was one of the 50's more accomplished modernist talents on jazz guitar – and his work ranks up there with players like Tal Farlow, or Gil Melle's great bandmate Joe Cinderella. This long-overdue CD brings together some of his best work from the mid 50s – by pairing one rare Blue Note 10" jazz session with another album that Salvador cut as part of Capitol's "Stan Kenton Presents" series. The Blue Note session's got some great tracks that feature tenorist Frank Sokolow, an icy toned genius who's never gotten his just dues. Other cuts (on both the Blue Note and Capitol sessions) feature Eddie Costa on piano and vibes, and titles from both include "See", "Round Trip", "Wheels", "Salutations", "Down Home", and "Yesterdays". 18 cuts in all, in a great looking package that replicates the orignal cover art! CD

Key early work from trumpeter Jack Sheldon – a set that captures his talents at their most basic and most stripped-down – very much in the spirit of the best LA jazz coming out on the Pacific Jazz label at the time! If the cover makes the set look a bit like a Chet Baker album, that's because there's a bit of the Baker approach here – one that's simple and focused, with a strongly melodic style that comes through beautifully on Sheldon's shimmering horn. But there's also a bit more of an edge, too – thanks to bold piano work from Walter Norris, and the addition of Zoot Sims on a number of tracks – and unlike Baker (or Sheldon on later records), there's no vocals here at all – just a strong instrumental groove. Titles include "Beach-Wise", "Groovus Mentus", "Dozo", "Jack Departs", and "Palermo Walk". CD

Key early work from trumpeter Jack Sheldon – a set that captures his talents at their most basic and most stripped-down – very much in the spirit of the best LA jazz coming out on the Pacific Jazz label at the time! If the cover makes the set look a bit like a Chet Baker album, that's because there's a bit of the Baker approach here – one that's simple and focused, with a strongly melodic style that comes through beautifully on Sheldon's shimmering horn. But there's also a bit more of an edge, too – thanks to bold piano work from Walter Norris, and the addition of Zoot Sims on a number of tracks – and unlike Baker (or Sheldon on later records), there's no vocals here at all – just a strong instrumental groove. Titles include "Beach-Wise", "Groovus Mentus", "Dozo", "Jack Departs", and "Palermo Walk" – plus three bonus tracks! CD

Buster Williams on bass, Steve Nelson on vibes, Mulgrew Miller on piano, and Carl Allen on drums! CD

Pure genius from pianist Monty Alexander – a collection that features some of his greatest recordings for MPS! Sometimes, there's a special sort of magic that happens between a player and a label – and that's definitely what happened with Alexander at MPS Records during the 70s – a whole new level of his playing that never came out with other labels – and which, despite countless other recordings in later years, may not have ever sounded this great again! There's a sense of freedom to the MPS recordings – a unique approach to rhythm that really works well with Monty's touch on the keys – and which makes the tunes, although often just trio or quartet number, supremely groovy from the ground up. Titles include "So What", "Theme From Shaft", "Montevideo", "Brown Skin Girl", "We've Only Just Begun", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Here Comes The Sun", and "Theme From Love Story". CD

A sweet little quartet session from the mid 50s – recorded in Paris, with backing by Gerard Gustin on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Bert Dahlander on drums. Chet's playing in a simple open-ended style – working some lyrical magic on a series of standards that include "I'll Remember April", "Tenderly", "Lover Man", "Summertime", and "You Go To My Head". The album's as great as any of his US work of the time – and it's long overdue for reissue! CD

Rare live material from Chet Baker – recorded at 1954 performances at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and the Tiffany Club in LA. The material was never officially issued at the time, although it did make an appearance in a now out of print box set on Mosaic – and it features Chet grooving easily in quartet formation, with Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "Line For Lyons", "Carson City Stage", "All The Things You Are", "Lady Bird", and "Out Of Nowhere". CD

A great no-nonsense session from Chet – blowing here with Russ Freeman on piano, blocking out backgrounds that work perfectly with the fragile tone of Chet's horn. The rest of the group is completed by Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Shelly Manne on drums – and the tracks are simple and elegant, but with well placed solo work. Titles include "Fan Tan", "Love Nest", "Summer Sketch", and "Say When". CD

A slightly different take on the Modern Jazz Quartet sound of the early years – as the album features Milt Jackson's vibes in the company of MJQ bandmates Percy Heath and Connie Kay, but also includes Horace Silver on piano – in the spot normally reserved for John Lewis! The presence of Silver on piano gives a bit of a harder edge to the set, one that almost recalls some of Jackson's work on Blue Note in the early 50s, yet which is rounded out here by a few lighter and more lyrical touches on rhythm. The set includes a great reading of "Moonray", the Jackson original "Stonewall", and the tracks "Wonder Why", "I Should Care", and "My Funny Valentine". CD

An early session as a leader from trumpeter Blue Mitchell – recorded during his glory years with Horace Silver! Unlike his other records, which usually have him in the company of another horn player, this set's got him carrying the full horn solo load by himself – working in a quartet, and playing in a vein that reminds us of similar Art Farmer quartet sessions from the time. Wynton Kelly's backing him up on piano – in a group that also includes Sam Jones on bass and Roy Brooks on drums. Some of the titles are quite unique too – and include "Avars", "Kinda Vague", "Sir John", and "Sweet Pumpkin". CD

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. Set features 15 tracks in all – including "Django", "Bluesology", "La Ronde", "Festival Sketch", "Vendome", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "Skating In Central Park", "The Cylinder", and"Round Midnight". CD

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. The album is live, but still has that sophisticated composure that made the group so unique at the time – and the whole thing's a perfect complement to their famous studio albums on Atlantic! This edition collects both of the original LP's in their entirety – titles include "Django", "Bluesology", "La Ronde", "Festival Sketch", "Vendome", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "I Should Care", "I Remember Clifford", "Pyramid", "Cylinder", and "Bags' Groove". CD

Truly one of the Modern Jazz Quartet's greatest albums – and a set that has an edge and a darkness that's missing from some of their other Atlantic records! Part of the reason for this may be the group's fantastic reading of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – a killer moody track that sounds great in the group's vibes/piano style – and which leads off the album with a chilling tone that's really unbelievable! The rest of the album's pretty great too – and there's a brooding intensity we don't normally hear in the piano of John Lewis and vibes of Milt Jackson. Other tracks include Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue" – plus John Lewi's "Belkis", "Animal Dance", "New York 19", and "Trieste". CD

One of the groovier albums the Modern Jazz Quartet ever recorded – as you might expect, given the cover and title! In addition to the group's usual cool sound from Milt Jackson's vibes, the set also features John Lewis playing a bit of harpsichord in addition to his usual piano – and the group's also augmented on a few tracks with some great horns from Snookie Young and Joe Newman on trumpets, Garnett Brown on trombone, Jim Buffington on French horn, and Don Butterfield on tuba – a change that really gives the record a nicely different flavor from other MJQ albums. John Lewis composed all of the tracks – and titles include "Walkin Stomp", "Dancing", "Plastic Dreams", "Variations On A Christmas Theme", "Travlin", "Piazza Novona", and "England's Carol". CD

Sonny Stitt's work for Verve was some of his best on record – and this album is a perfect illustration of that bold claim! Sonny's blowing here in a wonderful style – a bit more restrained than on his early bop sides, more complicated than on his later soul jazz sessions, and all together totally solid, totally in-the-pocket – with not a note out of place, nor a moment of superfluous blowing on the set. Stitt's extremely confident here – dominating the intimate quartet setting with lots of fire, warmth, and imagination. The rhythm section includes Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Ray Brown on bass – and tracks include "Sonny's Tune", "Down Home Blues", "Alone Together", and "Norman's Blues". CD

The last in a series of rare 50s live material from Chet Baker – featuring a near-lost performance from the Tiffany Club in LA, recorded in 1954 with a group that includes Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums. The tracks are presented in crystal-clear long versions – really sparkling with a sound that's tremendous for a live set at the time – and which is even more amazing, considering that most of the tracks hadn't been issued before. A few numbers were issued in edited form on an Italian label, and later briefly on one of the out of print Mosaic box sets – but the CD features the full performance – 12 tracks in all, all in unedited takes. Titles include "Lullaby Of the Leaves", "Russ Job", "The Wind", "Frenesi", "Carson City Stage", and "A Dandy Line". CD

Trumpeter Ruby Braff and pianist Dave McKenna – a tremendous combination that makes for some very swinging music! The CD features the full track list from the excellent (and obscure) ABC album recorded by the pair in 1956 – a great date that draws from Braff's more traditional approach to jazz trumpet, but which also inflects it with a good dose of McKenna's well-stated and sometimes more modern lines on piano. Rhythm is by Sam Herman on guitar, Al Lucas on bass, and Buzzy Drootin on drums – and although the style is trad, there's also a lean and hoke-free quality to the work that's a lot more appealing than we expected. Titles include "Why Was I Born", "Blue Prelude", "Dancing In The Dark", "Louisiana", "It's Wonderful", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "Almost Like Being In Love". CD also features 9 more bonus tracks too – 7 from the album Braff, 1 from the album Easy Now, and 1 with Benny Goodman. All tracks feature Braff and McKenna – and titles include "As Long As I Live", "Stardust", "I'm Shooting High", "Soft Lights & Sweet Music", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "If I Had You". CD

Even at an early age, Anthony Braxton was already experimenting with new forms of jazz composition – and this 1968 debut as a leader is filled with the imaginative approaches to music that would make him a key shaper of jazz in the next decade! The tracks here are all quite long, and although free-sounding, still have an intrisic logic dictated by Braxton's compositional ideals – played by himself on alto, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, and a variety of other instruments – in a quartet that features Leo Smith on trumpet and mellophone, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and cello, and Leroy Jenkins on violin and viola. In true AACM fashion, all players pick up other instruments as the tunes roll on – percussion bits, kazoo, slide whistle, bells, and more – almost more Art Ensemble-like than some of Braxton's more tightly-controlled environments on later records. Titles include two pieces titled in Braxton's equation-like style – plus "The Bell". CD

Two classic early albums from San Francisco pianist Dave Brubeck! Jazz at Oberlin was famously recorded at the mid-Ohio college and haven of bohemiana, and a growing hotbed of jazz activity centered around students in the college's conservatory of music at the time of the recording! Dave and crew made the trip at the request of the kids – breaking from their mostly San Francisco-based recording career to cut what would end up becoming a very successful album in Dave's catalog, and begin a whole "at" or "goes to" series in his career – followed up at many other locations. The group's the early quartet with Paul Desmond on alto, Ron Crotty on bass, and Lloyd Davis on drums – and tunes include long and jamming versions of "The Way You Look Tonight", "How High The Moon", and "Stardust". College Of The Pacific is another great live set from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums – and titles include "Laura", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "For All We Know", "All The Things You Are", and "I'll Never Smile Again". CD

Classic early live material from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – already humming along nicely with some great alto sax from Paul Desmond! The group's in fine form here – a bit more relaxed and open than on their Columbia recordings – with plenty of creative piano lines from Dave, showing just a slight dose of modernism, and lots more of that cool, icy alto sax work that made Desmond a standout right from the start. Rhythm is by Ron Crotty on bass and Joe Dodge on drums – and titles include "Laura", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "For All We Know", "All The Things You Are", and "I'll Never Smile Again". 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

An overlooked late 60s treasure on Blue Note – 2 rare albums by Kenny Cox & The Contemporary Jazz Quintet – one of the few new groups to work on the label at the time, and an up-and-coming modern combo from Detroit! The first album's quite unique for a number of reasons – not just because the group was a little-known new signing to the label, but also because the work is quite far-reaching at times – some of the most free-thinking jazz recorded for Blue Note during the time, with a sense of boldness that almost stretches back to Jackie McLean's first few records of the new thing years, or a sense of lyrical invention that's a bit like Wayne Shorter when he made a shift towards the outside. Some numbers are awash in fast colors and changes, while others are a bit more in the pocket, with echoes of soul jazz – but the whole thing's incredibly fresh and free, a wonderful little record that only gets better and better over the years! The group features pianist Kenny Cox as the leader, plus Charles Moore on trumpet, Leon Henderson on tenor, Ron Brooks on bass, and Danny Spencer on drums. Titles include "Mystique", "You", "Trance Dance", "Eclipse", and "Number Four". The CD also features the group's second Blue Note album, Multidirection – a session of work that builds strongly on the colors and changes explored by Miles Davis earlier in the 60s, but which takes things off into a whole new direction! (A Multidirection?) The horns on the record have incredible interplay – trumpet by Charles Moore and tenor from Leon Henderson, playing together with a sense of dexterity that may even beat the team of Davis and Wayne Shorter – angular one moment, softly lyrical the next, and always in pursuit of fresh tones and righteous sounds. Kenny Cox's piano is great too – an exercise in understatement at times – getting as much done with one note as other players would with five – as he slowly guides the group along, and grounds their freer expressions with a good sense of humanity. Titles include "What Other One", "Gravity Point", "Spellbound", "Snuck In", and "Sojourn". CD

The quartet here is definitely great enough to earn their name – a wonderful pairing of the piano of Hank Jones and bass of Ray Brown at the core – augmented with superb work from Alan Dawson on drums, a player we love going back to his 60s recordings on Prestige – joined by Sam Most on flute and tenor near the end of the set! In that way, the whole thing is more of a trio date than anything else – recorded with superb tone on Brown's bass throughout, and with space for Dawson to deliver these great solo spots in the middle of some tracks – nicely understated, which is always part of his genius. Titles include "Blue Monk", "All Blues", "Sister Sadie", "Emily", "A Time For Love", "Tea For Two", and "The Voodoo". CD

A rare late 50s live date from saxophonist Harold Land – released here for the first time ever! But the set's not as noteworthy for the rarity of the date as it is for the strength of the group – an amazing quartet of modernists that includes Elmo Hope on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Lennie McBrowne on drums – all working with Land's tenor on a batch of incredibly long tracks that have a looser, freer feel than anything Harold did in the studio during the 50s! The performance took place at the Cellar Club in Vancouver in November of 1958 – and there's an open-ended, well-blown quality that reminds us of Land's work with Max Roach a few years before – somewhat boppish, and always soulful. Titles include "Just Friends", "The Scene Is Clean", "Big Foot", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", and "Cherokee". CD

One of the few 50s small group sessions recorded by Teo Macero as a leader – and one of the best! Macero's probably better known both for his work as an arranger, and as a producer of famous albums at bigger labels – but here, he's working with a quintet in a laidback vibe that really showcases his talents on the tenor saxophone! The sound is quite modern – with Teddy Charles on vibes and Mal Waldron on piano – both working in more angular styles, with lots of tones and chromes that recall their own best work as leaders at the time. And Macero's horn cuts through these instruments with a sometimes-soulful edge, similar to some of the use of tenor in Charles Mingus' work of the period (no surprise, as Macero had worked with Mingus!) Titles include "What's Not", "Polody", "Ghost Story", "Please Don't Go Now", and "Just Spring". CD

Great early material from Hank Mobley – a record that's practically a Jazz Messengers album, given the lineup – and which comes across with the fire and power of that classic group at their start! Mobley's tenor is set tightly in a combo that includes Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – just like an early Jazz Messengers group, but without trumpet – and really kicking strongly on the rhythm tip. Mobley's tenor gets some great focus out front – amazing lines that already show the young Hank as one of the freshest tenor voices of his generation. Titles include "Hank's Prank", "Walkin The Fence", "Just Coolin", and "Avila & Tequila". CD

Truly one of the Modern Jazz Quartet's greatest albums – and a set that has an edge and a darkness that's missing from some of their other Atlantic records! Part of the reason for this may be the group's fantastic reading of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – a killer moody track that sounds great in the group's vibes/piano style – and which leads off the album with a chilling tone that's really unbelievable! The rest of the album's pretty great too – and there's a brooding intensity we don't normally hear in the piano of John Lewis and vibes of Milt Jackson. Other tracks include Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue" – plus John Lewi's "Belkis", "Animal Dance", "New York 19", and "Trieste". CD

A unique little album from Thelonious Monk – an early 60s live date that features a really cooking big band, plus some solo and quartet tracks as well! The bulk of the album's played by the big band – an unusual mix of players that includes Phil Woods on alto, Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Charlie Rouse on tenor, Thad Jones on cornet, Eddie Bert on trombone, and Nick Travis on trumpet – all cutting nicely angular lines under the direction of Monk's piano. The quartet material strips things down to a group with Rouse on tenor, Butch Warren on bass, and Frank Dunlop on drums – and one selection features Monk on solo piano. Titles include "I Mean You", "Oska T", "Four In One", "Darkness On The Delta", "Evidence", and "Played Twice". 2CD set features bonus tracks too – including "Bye Ya", "Misterioso", "Epistrophy", and "Light Blue" – 2 of which are additional quartet numbers. CD

Dave Digs Disney – and hence, so do we! The album's one of the first to ever pay tribute to the great compositions heard in Disney films – and it features the magical sound of the Brubeck Quartet, turned upon a host of familiar numbers, and transforming them into longer vehicles for jazz improvisation. Given Dave's great sense of play with rhythm and timings, the tunes really get changed up in these versions – in a way that takes best advantage of the modal rhythms and jazz waltz styles that many of them share. Paul Desmond's alto work is as impeccably-handled as ever, and Joe Morello's sprightly drums seem perfectly at home with the tunes – as does Dave's warmly lyrical work on piano. Titles include "Alice In Wonderland", "Give A Little Whistle", "One Song", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "Very Good Advice". CD

A new reissue of this obscure 1959 session recorded by Sonny Criss, one of our favorite alto players of all time! Criss recorded this album in Chicago, as Sonny Criss At The Crossroads, and it's one of the only jazz records ever on the Peacock label, which put out mostly gospel and blues – but it's issued here under a different title and on a different label. The style of the record is more relaxed than his mid 50's bop recordings, which tend to be a bit frenetic sometimes, and Criss solos with a maturity that approaches his classic Prestige recordings of the late 60's. He's joined by Wynton Kelly on piano (originally listed under the fake name of Joe Scott), and the Chicago rhythm section of Bob Cranshaw and Walter Perkins, both fresh from the MJT+3 – and the album's got a great tone, warm solos, and a nice vibe throughout. Tracks include "You Don't Know", "Butts Delight", "Softly", and "Sylvia". CD

Miles Davis and his Quartet doing their thing at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Fest – a previously unreleased set that finds Miles & Co in peak live form! The group isn't out to set the world on fire with this performance, but they're certainly pushing the form and structure of modern jazz in a way that must have been pretty exciting for a festival audience in '63. The group is George Coleman on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums, with plenty sweet solos among them. Greatness! Titles include longish takes on "Autumn Leaves", "So What", "Stella By Starlight" and "Walkin'", plus the intro "Waiting For Miles" and the closer "The Theme", CD

Beautiful work from bassist Charlie Haden and his Quartet West – a lovely look back at the styles and chanteuses of the 50s & 60s noirish jazz – with some lush strings accompaniment and guest vocalists including Cassandra Wilson, Melody Gardot, Norah Jones, Ruth Cameron and Diana Krall! It's the kind of thing that could come of hokey without a genuine love if the material in the mix, and the Haden & co. pull it off wonderfully. The quartet players include Ernie Watts on tenor, Alan Broadbent on piano and Rodney Green on drums. Includes "If I'm Lucky" with Melody Gardot, "Sophisticated Lady", "Today I Am A Man", "Ill Wind" with Norah Jones, "My Love And I" with Cassandra Wilson, "Theme From 'Markham'", "Angel Faces", "Goodbye" with Diana Krall, "Wahoo" and more. CD

Features the great Sheila Jordan working with a quartet that includes Steve Kuhn on piano, Dave Finck on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums – plus guest vocals from Theo Beckmann on a few tracks too! CD

A large, ambitious early 70s experiment in "chamber jazz" from pianist/composer Roger Kellaway – a really haunting set with the sweep you'd be much more in store for on a classical or chamber orchestra record, but with an earthbound core, chords and tonal shifts of a piano jazz album! Kellaway leads on piano, with a group that includes Emil Richards on percussion, Ed Lustgarten on cello and string arrangements, and the A&M Records staff symphony orchestra! Tracks include "Saturnia", "Sunrise", "Esque", "Invasion Of The Forest", "Morning Song" and more. CD

With Eric Alexander on tenor, Geore Mraz on bass, Lewis Nash on drums, and Cyrus Chestnut on piano. CD

A deeply soulful set from saxophonist Fredrik Kronkvist – a player we hardly know at all, but who steps out here with a bold strong session as a leader! You may have heard Fredrik's work with A Bossa Eletrica , but here he's in a straight jazz mode – blowing alto sax in quartet formation, and working with a depth and fluid sense of imagination that takes us back to some of Wayne Shorter's best early work, even though Shorter worked on tenor and Fred's here on alto! Almost all the tracks are originals, and flow wonderfully throughout the set – almost hitting a club jazz mode in their energy and sense of rhythm, but opening up more strongly in a creative soulbop way. The rest of the group includes Daniel Tilling on piano, Martin Sjostedt on bass, and Daniel Frederiksson on drums – and a few tracks feature some additional percussion as well. Includes the tunes "Improvised Action", "Supreme Resolution", "Triplet Soul Mob", "Rootsy Vibration", "Kickin Jazz", and "Two Step Takedown" – plus a great version of "Love Theme From Spartacus". CD

The only album to ever feature drummer Lawrence Marable as the leader of a group – and a cooking little hardbop set that showed the world that LA wasn't just a source for cool jazz in the 50s! The record is quite different than anything you'd hear from Chet Baker or Shorty Rogers – much more a Blue Note or Prestige-styled session, thanks in large part to the bold work of James Clay on tenor – who's noted here in the title, but is also an undeniable force in the music, and part of a wave of Texas talent that was really helping to transform the Cali sound in the 50s. Other players include the great Sonny Clark on piano – making a strong pre-Blue Note appearance – and the equally great Jimmy Bond on bass. Titles include "Airtight", "Easy Living", "Minor Meeting", "Marbles", and "Three Fingers North". CD

A very rare gem from the late 50s – a smoking set that was cut for a very small label, but which is every bit as great from a musical perspective as it is from a collector's one as well! The whole thing cooks with the insensity of a Prestige date from the early 50s – very sharp hardbop energy throughout, spurred on by the work of leader Reese Markewich on piano – in a group that also features tremendous tenor from Jesse Avery, a player who don't really know at all, but who brings an especially sharp edge to the set! Reese also plays a bit of flute – and the quintet also includes Nick Brignola on baritone and alto sax, Steve Fillo on bass and Ronnie Zito on drums – all players with a very cohesive, hard-swinging sound. The set's got a number of great original tunes – and titles include "Hurricane Connie", "Pony", "Mildew", "Flute Street", "Crazy In The Heart", "Moonlight In Vermont", and "Last Lap". CD

A seminal album that defined the fresh sound of a whole new generation in jazz – that "third stream" movement that was different from the cool jazz of the west coast, and the fire of New York! The style here follows that same mix of jazz and higher-concept elements you'd hear on other Modern Jazz Quartet albums for Atlantic – but the music is expanded here with some great help from outside parties too. The Jimmy Giuffre trio join the quartet on most of side one – adding in Jimmy's snakey clarinet and Jim Hall's fluid guitar lines for a really fresh take on the MJQ groove. The remainder of the album brings in the Beaux Arts String Quartet – who shade in the mix of vibes and piano with these dark strains that are really beautiful – and bring even more drama than usual to the music. Titles include "Da Capo", "Fine", "Exposure", "Sketch", and "Conversation". CD

Frank Morgan on alto – fronting a top notch quartet with George Cables on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Billy Hart on drums! CD

An unusual album from an unusual group – one that has reedman Frank Wess sounding far more introspective and personal than on some of his other material from the 70s and 80s – thanks to work from a group that also includes Roland Hanna on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Ben Riley on drums! We're tempted to say that Hanna's voice is what really shapes the record – that thoughtful mix of sophistication and lyricism that always comes across sounding surprisingly natural – but Wess also wrote some of the album's most compelling songs, alongside a few other great numbers by Roland. Mraz brings some extra-special energy to his phrasing on bass, Wess also blows a bit of flute alongside his tenor – and titles include "The Patient Prince", "Cram It Damn It", "Funk House", "Don't Come Don't Call", "It's Just A Social Gathering", and "Oasis". CD

3 years' of music spread out on 5 different CDs – some of the best albums recorded by Sonny Rollins in the 60s! The package is a great look at the key sides that Sonny recorded for RCA in the years right after his return to playing in the early 60s – and every record here is a treasure, each different in its own way! Sonny Meets Hawk features a landmark live meeting with Coleman Hawkins; Our Man In Jazz is an extended live workout, with some of his most adventurous blowing to date; What's New has a great inflection of Latin and Caribbean rhythms in the music; Now's The Time is a wonderful quartet date with Herbie Hancock on piano, and guest cornet from Thad Jones; and Standard Sonny Rollins is a return to inside playing, but with key evidence of the modern lessons from previous records. Each album comes packaged in a tiny 5" record sleeve – just like the original – and all are contained in a larger slipcase too. A few records feature bonus tracks – and the set includes 38 tracks in all, including bonus cuts! CD

A fantastic pairing of talents! Horace Tapscott on piano, Sonny Simmons on alto saxophone, James Lewis on bass, and John Betsch on grums. CD

A beautifully bold statement from the Stan Tracey Quartet – one of the group's key recordings of the 60s, and a wonderful document of the talents of tenorist Bobby Wellins! During the 60s, Tracey and Wellins worked together like the team of Monk and Charlie Rouse – crafting a groove that was as soulful as it was angular – filled with feeling and life, and at once willing to explore the outer reaches of jazz, yet never going too far as to lose its humanity. Yet Wellins and Tracey were no simple Monkish pair – as heard on this set from 1967, a suite of tracks composed by Stan, and featuring him on celeste and vibes as well as his usual piano. The rhythms are increasingly complex as the set moves on – taking the angularities of Tracey's 50s work, and inflecting them with a sense of exploratory energy that really moves the style into a whole new level – one that's wonderfully dynamic, and filled with a freshness that still resonates strongly today. Titles include "Three Times Loser Three Times Bluser", "Undercover Lover", "Amoroso Only Moreso", "Two Part Intention", "Sweet Used To Be", and "Love Now Weep Later" – all of which sound much better than their hokey titles! CD

Fantastic work from one of our favorite jazz duos of all time – pianist Jack Wilson and the young vibes genius Roy Ayers – working here back before his soul/funk fame of the 70s, in a completely different style! Ayers and Wilson only made a handful of records together back in the day – including important dates for Atlantic and Blue Note – and this set of unreleased live material from 1966 provides a much-needed addition to their short catalog of sides together – sublime modal jazz that we'd put right up there with anything else they ever did! Wilson is already a hell of a pianist on his own – one of the unsung greats of his generation, with a fantastic sense of flow and this mixture of lyricism and soulfulness that leads to all these very vivid moments and tonal explosions. Add Ayers to the mix, and you've really got something special – a vibes/piano pairing that sounds like nobody else – and which shows that even back before he worked with Herbie Mann, Roy was a tremendously unique player, destined for greatness. The group has a rock-solid rhythm duo – Buddy Woodson on bass and Von Barlow on drums – and titles include "Serenata", "Harbor Freeway 5pm", "Here's That Rainy Day", "CFD", "Pensativa", "Stolen Moments", "Nirvana", and "Call Me". 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

Hard-blown brilliance from Jonas Kullhammar – quite possibly our favorite tenor talent of the 21st Century, and a heck of a great leader on this session! Kullhammar's quartet have a raw power that grabs from the very first note – yet they're never abusive of their strength, never over-indulge, and instead have a sharp focus that stands out to us as one of the clearest, freshest new visions in jazz we've heard in a long time. The group features angular piano lines from Torbjorn Gulz, rhythmic bass work from Torbjorn Zetterberg, and tightly snapping drums from Jonas Holgersson – and titles include "Pumpernickel", "Salut", "Super G", "I Sheriffens Klor", and "Frippes Blues". CD

Rare live work by Wes Montgomery – 2 sets from 1965, both with different groups, and both a lot harder-hitting than Wes' studio albums from the time! The first 4 tracks were recorded in New York, at the Half Note, with a quartet that features Harold Mabern on piano, Art Harper on bass, and Jimmy Lovelace on drums. The last 4 were recorded about 6 months later, in Hamburg, Germany, with a European rhythm section that features Martial Solal, Michel Gaudry, and Ronnie Stephenson. Tracks are all pretty long, and titles include "Bleu Monk", "Four On Six", "Twisted Blues", "Round Midnight", and "Caravan". CD

One of Chet Baker's most classic albums of the 50s – a record that features both vocals and strong trumpet solos – all from a time when Baker was one of the hottest things going in jazz! The album's different from records from previous years, in that it moves Baker from LA to New York – where he works with a great quartet that features Kenny Drew on piano, George Morrow or Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Danny Richmond on drums – all players who have a slightly different approach than some of Baker's compatriots on Pacific Jazz sessions, which also seems to bring out a bit more bite in Chet too. Tracks are still shortish, with those breathy Baker vocals we love so much, balanced with really well-crafted trumpet solos – and titles include "It Could Happen To You", "Do It The Hard Way", "Old Devil Moon", "Dancing On The Ceiling", and "The More I See You". CD features 2 bonus tracks! CD