Seminal work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a set that's issued under his own name, but which continues a string of key early 60s performances with tenorist Bill Barron – who's work together here with Ted is fantastic! The group has no piano – just Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums – both players with a fluid, open sense of rhythm – one that allows for plenty of horn interplay, at a level that almost has Curson borrowing some of the lessons he learned from Mingus, then taking them into small group formation and really opening things up! Curson also blows a bit of pocket trumpet, and Barron handles some clarinet – on a set of all original material that includes a great version of Curson's "Quicksand", plus the tracks "Kassim", "East 6th Street", "Tears For Dolphy", "7/4 Funny Time", and "Desolation". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a set that's issued under his own name, but which continues a string of key early 60s performances with tenorist Bill Barron – who's work together here with Ted is fantastic! The group has no piano – just Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums – both players with a fluid, open sense of rhythm – one that allows for plenty of horn interplay, at a level that almost has Curson borrowing some of the lessons he learned from Mingus, then taking them into small group formation and really opening things up! Curson also blows a bit of pocket trumpet, and Barron handles some clarinet – on a set of all original material that includes a great version of Curson's "Quicksand", plus the tracks "Kassim", "East 6th Street", "Tears For Dolphy", "7/4 Funny Time", "Reava's Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic, freewheeling session from trumpeter Ted Curson – one that we'd rank right up there with his seminal sides for the French Futura label! Like those, this album really features Ted stretching things out – working in very loose trio formation, with just Ray Drummond on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – on these open-ended tunes that still swing with plenty of soul, even without any other instrumentation. Curson's horn is great – blown beautifully, and filled with spirit – and some numbers have him really reaching out with his sound, in ways that may well make the date one of Ted's most adventurous since the 60s! Titles include classic Curson tunes "Quicksand" and "Straight Ice" – plus "Round Midnight", "Snake Johnson", "Pent Up House", and "Wave". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic 70s material from trumpeter Ted Daniel – a hell of an artist in his own right, and one whose participation in the New York scene is finally given some documentation with releases like this! The set has Daniel working with some of his most important contemporaries, in two different groups – one a lineup that's heavy on saxophone work – from players who include David Murray, Charles Tyler, Arthur Blythe, Hassan Dawkins, Oliver Lake, and Kappu Umezu; the other a group with a slightly different lineup, which still includes Tyler and Dawkins, but also adds in trumpet from Ahmed Abdullah, trombone from Cahrles Stephens, and drums from Steve Reid! Both groups feature guitar from Melvin Smith and percussion from Tatsuya Nakamura – and compositions are by Lake, Blythe, Tyler, and Daniel – but all given that sense of bold, majestic energy that we usually find in Ted's performances of the time. Titles include "Hassan", "Illusions", "Folley", and "Greeting". CD

An incredible album from trumpeter Ted Daniel – recorded at the start of the 70s with a lineup and a style that virtually puts Ted in a space all his own, and which may well make the album the greatest one he's ever given us! There's boldness to the set right from the start – as Daniel takes off on trumpet and flugelhorn with a vibrancy that seems inspired by Ted Curson, but which also has much freer elements too – working with a sextet that has boundless energy, but also a strong sense of cohesion – in ways that really set the record apart both from some of the AACM material of the late 60s, and the New York loft jazz sides to come. All the numbers are originals – very visionary numbers delivered with work from Otis Harris on alto, Hakim Jami and Richard Pierce on basses, and Kenneth Hughes and Warren Benbow on percussion – and, as you might imagine, the double basses and double percussion players really given the whole thing a lot of power. Tracks include "Pagan Spain", "OC", and "Congratulations". CD features two bonus tracks – "The Kicker" and "Otis Song". CD

Trumpeter Ted Daniel takes on the music of jazz founder King Oliver – but as you'd expect from all of Daniel's other groundbreaking work, the result here is something quite unique! True, the tunes are older numbers from the Oliver songbook of the 20s – but the approach is maybe a bit more freewheeling and pan-historic – a bit like the mode you'd expect if this project was handled by some of the artists on the Black Saint/Soul Note label in the early 80s. As with their work, the immediate approach is historically respectful, but the individual currents in the music really update the sound – thanks to a lineup that includes Daniel on cornet, Charlie Burnham on violin, Newman Baker on percussion, Joe Daley on tuba, and Marvin Sewell on guitar. Titles include "Tears", "Working Man's Blues", "Riverside Blues", "Mabel's Dream", "Just Gone", and "Zulu's Ball" – most taken in much longer readings than recordings from the 78rpm generation. CD

Great work from saxophonist Charles Davis – a player who doesn't always get to record as a leader, but who always turns out tremendous material whenever he gets the chance! This date's an early 90s gem cut with pianist Barry Harris – a session that's steeped in soul, and which has plenty of the bold notes and deft turns of tenor we always love in Davis' music – underpinned by some warm notes from Harris' piano that really share a similar sense of spirit. The rhythm section's wonderful too – with Peter Washington on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and Davis contributed almost all the tunes to the set, including the titles "KD", "Reflections", "Monking", "To The Highest Degree", and "Miriam's Delight" – plus a bonus alternate of "KD". CD

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". LP, Vinyl record album

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". CD

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". This "complete" package follows up the core tracks with live material recorded at the Royal Roost, even before the original studio sessions – in a group that features Mike Zwerin on trombone with Konitz, Mulligan, Lewis, and Roach – plus a bit of vocals from Kenny Pacho Hagood. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Moon Dreams", "S'Il Vou Plait", "Move", "Birth Of The Cool Theme", "Godchild", and "Budo". CD

A really cool later project from Spencer Davis – working here with acoustic guitar, including 12 string and autoharp – alongside Peter Jameson who also plays 12 string and bottleneck! The duo get some LA help from Barney Kessel and Larry Knechtal – and titles include "Balkan Blues", "Brother Can You Make Up Your Mind", "Thinking Of Her", "Mountain Lick", "Jay's Time", and "It's Been So Long". LP, Vinyl record album

As the title indicates, the session features Buddy DeFranco and Oscar Peterson – but the real guy we wanna thank here is arranger Russ Garcia! Unlike some of the other Verve "soloist with the Peterson Trio" albums of the 50s, this one is more of a shared effort that has Buddy and Oscar both acting as soloists over larger backings directed by Garcia. Russ takes a lot of cues from Ralph Burns on the session – and like Burns on earlier Verve recordings, he sets things up so that the orchestrations never overwhelm the players – and instead simply augment their moods and shade in the colors of the tunes. We especially like Peterson in this format – as he was so often recorded heavily in trio format – but DeFranco is great too, snaking out over the top of the strings with a lean and angular tone on clarinet. Titles include "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "I Got Rhythm", and "It Ain't Necessarily So". LP, Vinyl record album

A great reunion of Buddy DeFranco and Oscar Peterson – two players who recorded together famously for Verve in the 50s, working here on an 80s date under the supervision of old Verve head Norman Granz! The setting here is even more loose and laidback than in the 50s – that mellow Pablo Records mode that seems to bring in a lot more feeling to the players than some of their dates for other labels at the time – and Buddy's lost none of the charm in his tone, playing the clarinet with a soulful swing that's almost more like an alto sax at times! Other players include Joe Pass on guitar, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Martin Drew on drums – and titles include "Summer Me Winter You", "Llovisna", "By Myself", "Joy Spring", "All Too Soon", and "Hark". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Black Saint/Soul Note recordings of Bill Dixon – an amazing body of work that represents one of the strongest points in Dixon's career! Bill first burst on the scene with some important 60s avant albums on the Savoy label – including a key collaboration with Archie Shepp – but it wasn't until these 80s sides for the Italian label that his talents really took off – reaching out to new heights that explored some of the more serious themes in his music, often in longer-form conceptual recordings that are a great illustration of the freedoms offered by the label! The records also feature Bill working closely with a host of important musicians – including bassists Alan Silva, Peter Kowald, William Parker, and Barry Guy – and drummers Tony Oxley and Freddie Waits. The set features 9 full albums, each packaged in a mini LP-style sleeve – and titles include Bill Dixon In Italy Vol 1, Bill Dixon In Italy Vol 2, November 1981, Thoughts, Son Of Sisyphus, Vade Mecum, Vade Mecum 2, Papyrus Vol 1, and Papyrus Vol 2. CD

A really mindblowing collection of work from trumpeter Bill Dixon – and a package that does full justice to the other sides of his creative activity too! Odyssey is a limited, numbered box set – filled with 6CDs that include music from Dixon, and two books that also display his artwork and paintings – and also offer up some commentary on his music as well. 5CDs feature Dixon on mostly solo trumpet – with some of the recordings going as far back as the early 70s, but most of more recent vintage – and CD6 features Dixon speaking – in ways that really get at some of the larger ideas he explores in his recordings and paintings. The box also contains some great vintage paper inserts, too – almost as documents of the avant underground in which Dixon circulated in the 60s and 70s – and the book also features a few contributions from later students too. Even for the music alone, the set is a treasure – but the extra items all make it especially wonderful! CD

A set that features music from three different sessions recorded by trumpeter Bill Dixon in the mid 60s – all pretty groundbreaking work, even all these many years later! First up is a quartet co-led by Archie Shepp and Bill Dixon – easily one of the greatest modern jazz pairings of the 60s! If you only know Shepp from his later work, you'll hear something very different here – as his tenor's often brought into tight focus with the trumpet of Dixon – in a blend of arrangement and freedom that's like that of Ted Curson and Bill Barron, but a lot more powerful overall! The tunes still have a sense of structure – and get great help from the bass of Don Moore and drums of Paul Cohen – but there's also some tremendously unbridled energy from the leaders, especially Dixon, who might not have sounded this great ever again. Titles include "Quartet" and "Trio". Next up is one side of an album that Dixon split with Shepp for Savoy – and Dixon's material here features a septet, with a great lineup that includes Ken McIntyre on alto and oboe, George Barrow on tenor, and both Hal Dodson and David Izenzon on basses. Titles include "Winter Song 1964" and "The 12th December". Last up is the seminal Intents & Purposes record – one of the few rare records cut by Bill Dixon during the 60s, and a perfect example of "new thing" jazz in action. Trumpeter Dixon plays in 3 different ensembles – a nonet, a quintet, and a duet – with players like Byard Lancaster, Reggie Workman, Robert Pozar, and Jimmy Garrison. The tracks are long, with an approach that begins with compositional structures, but which also showcases the avant solo talents of the players – in a manner that's similar to some of the Blue Note work by Anthony Williams or Grachan Moncur III. A darn tough record to find – and with the tracks "Voices", "Nightfall Pieces I & II", and "Metamorphosis". CD

A pair of classic early 60s modern jazz sets – back to back in this great 70s package! First up is the album Far Cry from Eric Dolphy – Eric Dolphy's first meeting in the studio with trumpeter Booker Little – a brilliant batch of modernism that's easily one of the hippest records Little ever worked on! The Dolphy heard here is Eric at his most inventive – sharp-edged and angular one minute, then spiritually lyrical the next – playing flute, bass clarinet, and alto sax equally well on the record – and somehow managing to get Little to share his inspiration perfectly on every number. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a rhythm team whose abilities are a big part of the success of the record – and titles include "Far Cry", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "Left Alone", "Ode To Charlie Parker", and "Miss Ann". Next is Where – a haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard wailing! Poppa Lou's caught right at the height of his early Blue Note powers here – recorded in 2 different groups on this set of unreleased sessions from the early 60s! Both sets have Lou in a guitar/organ soul jazz setting – with backing by Grant Green on guitar, and either Jack McDuff or John Patton on organ. The McDuff set features the great Joe Dukes on drums, and the session sparkles like one of McDuff's best Prestige albums from the time. The other session has the classic Patton/Green lineup augmented by trumpeter Irwin Stokes, a lesser-known talent who really opens up the sound nicely. There's a total of 9 tracks in all – a number of them ballads, but done with a lively soulful tone that keeps the whole thing nice and fresh – even after sitting in the vaults for nearly 40 years! Titles include "Star Dust", "Hippty Hop", "Please", "Man With A Horn", and "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White". CD

A completely unique little session – and a record that's every bit as musically striking as you might guess from its title and cover! The date's a rare Latin-tinged one for trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a record that takes his usually smooth sound and sets it up against octet backings with horns from JJ Johnson on trombone, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, and Hank Mobley on tenor – plus piano from Horace Silver, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Art Blakey – plus added congas from Patato Valdes! The expanded group plays with a great sense of power – really pushing Kenny's sound tremendously – and although the album also features a few tracks by a smaller group with less percussion, these also have a bit of a Latin/exotic tinge too. Titles include "Basheer's Dream", "Lotus Flower", "KD's Motion", "Venita's Dance", "Minor's Holiday", "La Villa", and "Afrodisia". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely unique little session – and a record that's every bit as musically striking as you might guess from its title and cover! The date's a rare Latin-tinged one for trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a record that takes his usually smooth sound and sets it up against octet backings with horns from JJ Johnson on trombone, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, and Hank Mobley on tenor – plus piano from Horace Silver, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Art Blakey – plus added congas from Patato Valdes! The expanded group plays with a great sense of power – really pushing Kenny's sound tremendously – and although the album also features a few tracks by a smaller group with less percussion, these also have a bit of a Latin/exotic tinge too. Titles include "Basheer's Dream", "Lotus Flower", "KD's Motion", "Venita's Dance", "Minor's Holiday", "La Villa", and "Afrodisia". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Echo Of Spring (aka KD's Cab Ride)" and "Minor's Holiday (alt take)". CD

A completely unique little session – and a record that's every bit as musically striking as you might guess from its title and cover! The date's a rare Latin-tinged one for trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a record that takes his usually smooth sound and sets it up against octet backings with horns from JJ Johnson on trombone, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, and Hank Mobley on tenor – plus piano from Horace Silver, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Art Blakey – plus added congas from Patato Valdes! The expanded group plays with a great sense of power – really pushing Kenny's sound tremendously – and although the album also features a few tracks by a smaller group with less percussion, these also have a bit of a Latin/exotic tinge too. Titles include "Basheer's Dream", "Lotus Flower", "KD's Motion", "Venita's Dance", "Minor's Holiday", "La Villa", and "Afrodisia". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Echo Of Spring (aka KD's Cab Ride)" and "Minor's Holiday (alt take)". CD

A completely unique little session – and a record that's every bit as musically striking as you might guess from its title and cover! The date's a rare Latin-tinged one for trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a record that takes his usually smooth sound and sets it up against octet backings with horns from JJ Johnson on trombone, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, and Hank Mobley on tenor – plus piano from Horace Silver, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Art Blakey – plus added congas from Patato Valdes! The expanded group plays with a great sense of power – really pushing Kenny's sound tremendously – and although the album also features a few tracks by a smaller group with less percussion, these also have a bit of a Latin/exotic tinge too. Titles include "Basheer's Dream", "Lotus Flower", "KD's Motion", "Venita's Dance", "Minor's Holiday", "La Villa", and "Afrodisia". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Echo Of Spring (aka KD's Cab Ride)" and "Minor's Holiday (alt take)". CD

Great work from one of the hippest jazz contemporaries of the late 60s – trumpeter Kenny Dorham, a player who was really coming into his own by the time of this album! The record has Kenny with a nice sort of edge – not as boldly experimental as his 60s work for Blue Note, but definitely pushing things forward from the 50s – shaking off the sweet for a bit more bite, and working with a great lineup that includes Steve Kuhn on piano, Charles Davis on baritone sax, and either Jimmy Garrison or Butch Warren on bass. Kuhn and Davis really bring some interesting elements to the record – and titles include "Tonica", "Monk's Mood", "In Your Own Sweet Way", and "Horn Salute". CD

Great work from one of the hippest jazz contemporaries of the late 60s – trumpeter Kenny Dorham, a player who was really coming into his own by the time of this album! The record has Kenny with a nice sort of edge – not as boldly experimental as his 60s work for Blue Note, but definitely pushing things forward from the 50s – shaking off the sweet for a bit more bite, and working with a great lineup that includes Steve Kuhn on piano, Charles Davis on baritone sax, and either Jimmy Garrison or Butch Warren on bass. Kuhn and Davis really bring some interesting elements to the record – and titles include "Tonica", "Monk's Mood", "In Your Own Sweet Way", and "Horn Salute". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant album from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a set that's maybe a bit less-known than some of his records for Blue Note, but a set that shares a lot with those classics – as it's got that similar mix of larger compositional structures and more open solo moments! Kenny's own playing is tremendous, and the rest of the group is wonderful – a unique lineup with Jackie McLean on alto, Bobby Timmons on piano, Teddy Smith on bass, and JC Moses on drums – all working with Kenny in a slightly Latin tinged mode that features some really shimmering trumpet work! The record features a stunning three part reading of McLean's haunting tune "Melanie" (done under his name on the album A Fickle Sonance) – plus the tracks "Prelude", "El Matador", "Smile", and "There Goes My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

A musical gift from trumpeter Dave Douglas – working here in a quartet that features some fantastic work on tneor from James Brandon Lewis! Lewis is becoming a musician who's as fluid and adaptable as Douglas has been over his many years and many projects – and the pair explore some great sonic space in the company of guitarist Rafiq Bhatia and drummer Ian Chang – both players who create the sort of unconventional setting that always makes Dave sound his best. Bhatia's got an especially great style – these colors that shift in shape and tone with slight edges, and a sense of pacing that's very unique – which, when coupled with the performances of Douglas and Lewis, makes for an album that might be one of the best Greenleaf releases in eyars. Titles include "Day Dream", "Blood Count", "Third Dream", "Small Bar", "Rain Check", and "Gifts". CD

Great early work from trumpeter Jon Eardley – captured here at a point when he was a budding young modernist in the 50s! The album features 2 early 10" LPs – Jon Eardley in Hollywood and Hey There Jon Eardley – both recorded for Prestige within a few months in the mid 50s. The first date features Eardley's trumpet right out front in the mix – hard, spare, and a bit angular – with backing from the piano of Pete Jolly, as well as Red Mitchell on bass and Larry Bunker on drums. Titles include "Late Leader", "Indian Spring", "Black", and "Gloss". The second session is even more interesting, as it features Eardley's horn in tandem with tenor saxophonist JR Monterose, brimming with new ideas at this point in his career, and adding a real edge to the tracks. The remaining players include George Syran on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – and titles include "Hey There", "Sid's Delight", "Demanton", and "If You Could See Me Now". CD

Great early work from trumpeter Jon Eardley – captured here at a point when he was a budding young modernist in the 50s! The date features Eardley's trumpet right out front in the mix – hard, spare, and a bit angular – with backing from the piano of Pete Jolly, as well as Red Mitchell on bass and Larry Bunker on drums. Titles include "Late Leader", "Indian Spring", "Black", and "Gloss". LP, Vinyl record album

Two tenor greats pay tribute to a host of other tenor greats – but with results that are quite different than you might expect! The album's hardly the type that just revisits familiar cliches from tenor giants of years past – and instead, the team of Houston Person and Teddy Edwards really bring a lot of themselves to the record – working through modes previously expressed by John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, and others – but all in ways that are more than solid enough to stand on their own. Of course, they've got some great help here in the rhythm section – Richard Wyands on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – the latter two of whom we'd be happy to hear in anyone's company. Titles include "Equinox", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Body & Soul", "Talk Of The Town", "That's All", and "Out Of Nowhere". CD

Lots of rare work from the great trumpeter – material from the albums Roy & Diz, Roy & Diz Vol 2, Little Jazz, Rockin Chair, Dales Wail, Trumpet Battle, Trumpet Kings, Ralph Burns Among The JATPs, Swing Goes Dixie, That Warm Feeling, The Urbane Jazz Of Roy Eldridge/Benny Carter, Swingin On The Town, Tour De Force, and other 10" and compilation tracks too. CD

A nice little session that features Roy with an expanded group – a core combo that features Oscar Peterson on organ and piano, Buddy Tate on tenor, Ray Brown on bass, and Barney Kessel on guitar, plus a larger set of string backings by George Williams. Tracks are short, with mostly solos by Eldridge – and titles include "Roy's Riff", "Sweet Lorraine", "Yard Dog", "Little Jazz", "Rockin Chair", "Easter Parade", and "Jumbo The Elephant". LP, Vinyl record album

We think this guy's one of the best new jazz vocalist to emerge over the past decade, and this album – his 4th for Blue Note – is far and away his best! The album was recorded live at Chicago's Green Mill nightclub – with nice small combo backing by Laurence Hobgood, Rob Amster, and Michael Raynor, plus guest horn work by Von Freeman, Eddie Johnson, and Ed Peterson. Kahil El'Zabar also plays percussion, and Jon Hendricks joins in on vocals a bit. But the best part is Elling's voice – which is a sweet mix between Mark Murphy at his best, and earlier vocalese masters, like Hendricks or Joe Lee Wilson. The album features mostly straight-ahead jazz vocalizing – with little of the hipster monologues that have ruined other Elling albums – and it includes an incredible version of Wayne Shorter's "Night Dreamer", plus the cuts "Oh My God", "Esperanto", "My Foolish Heart", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and the King Pleasure classic "Don't Get Scared". A real treat – especially if you like Cleveland Watkiss' Green Chimneys album, or any of the good Mark Murphy recordings for Muse! CD

A pretty tasty little album from trumpeter Don Ellis – his first funky outing for Columbia Records, and a groundbreaking batch of funky big band material! The set's quite different from some of Don's earlier recordings – in that it's a bit less academic, and has a focus more on a strong and freewheeling groove. Plus, the use of electric instrumentation in the rhythm section creates the feel of a classic 70s soundtrack – quite different in style for the time, and sounding really fresh here – a mode that Ellis would inspire in so many other musicians to come! The group features Fender Rhodes from Mike Lang, sitar from Ray Neapolitan, congas from Chino Valdes, timbales and vibes from Mark Stevens, and a range of flutes and reeds – and titles include "Open Beauty", "Indian Lady", "Turkish Bath", "New Horizons", and "Alone". CD features single versions of "Turkish Bath" and "Indian Lady". CD

Bracingly modern work from trumpeter Don Ellis – recorded quite early in his career, long before he broke out with his funkier big band of the late 60s and early 70s! The Ellis heard here is a clear-headed, fresh-thinking player – one who's keenly aware of the changes going on in jazz at the time – and who's working here to carve out his own unique little space. Unusual timings, phrasing, and spacings are common on the set – and Ellis' own well-tuned trumpet sound is at the lead, supported by very inventive rhythm work from Paul Bley on piano, Gary Peacock on bass, and either Gene Stone or Nick Martinis on drums. Titles include the original numbers "Form", "Irony", "Slow Space", and "Ostinato" – plus a great version of Carla Bley's "Donkey". CD

Quite possibly the greatest record that Don Ellis ever recorded – and his hippest too! The trumpeter's playing here with a quartet that includes Jaki Byard on alto and piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – coming together perfectly in that arch-modern style that you'd find on the best Candid albums from the time. Ellis tone is skittish and fragile – and sounds here almost like he's working in a Mingus-y mode, quite possibly because Byard's influence on the session is pretty strong. Titles include "Waste", "A Simplex One", and "Sallie" – and an extended "Improvisational Suite #1". CD

A really great little album recorded by trumpeter Don Ellis in his early years – done at a time before he started putting a bit more fusion in his mix! The record features an extended live performance by a larger group, caught in concert at the Monterey Jazz Fest in 1966 – opening up in a fresh, youthful, modern sound – never too out there, but with a sense of optimism that Ellis must have carried to the stage right from music school! The band has a lot of extremely cool elements in its composition – like organ by Dave Mackay, tenor by Ira Schulman, and some very heavy conga work by Chino Valdes – all of which help give the tunes some unusual flavors and tones – making them swing with a lot more character than you might expect. The overall feel is a mix of strange time changes, off-kilter arrangements, and (most importantly) a tight jazzy groove! Titles include "Passacaglia & Fugue", "New Nine", and "Concerto For Trumpet". CD

80s material from trumpeter Rolf Ericson – but sides that we'd rank right up there with his better-known work from the 50s! There's a great back-to-basics feel to this material – a timeless quality that has Rolf really hitting his stride and the best side of his sound – blowing trumpet and flugelhorn on most of the set in a quintet with Nils Sandsdtrom on tenor, Goran Lindberg on piano, and Mel Lewis on drums – but also working beautifully on a few duet sides with pianist Claes Croona. No matter the setting, Ericson blows with a strength of feeling and sense of tone that's totally great – one that makes us wonder how we lost track of him in the years between the albums we have in our collection, and this surprise session from the 80s. Titles include "Evelyn", "What Am I Here For", "Without A Song", "Mel's Bells", "Nancy With The Laughing Face", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Just Squeeze Me". CD

2 wonderful late 50s sessions from arranger Gil Evans – both of which we'd rank right up there with his best work with Miles Davis, or the albums under his own name for Impulse in the 60s! The first half of the CD is from the album New Bottle Old Wine – a record of swinging modern backdrops, used to showcase both the solo talents of a young Cannonball Adderley, and the dynamic energy of Evans himself! Cannon's sharp-edged early tone is a really great sound for the record – far more modern than you might expect from later funk and soul sides of the 60s – and perfectly poised next to Gil's larger back drops to reignite a host of older tunes with new energy! And while the titles are familiar, the readings certainly are not – as the Evans pen has really changed things up beautifully – as you'll hear on numbers that include "St Louis Blues", "King Porter Stomp", "Willow Tree", "Struttin' With Some Barbeque", "Lester Leaps In", "Round About Midnight", "Manteca", and "Bird Feathers". Great Jazz Standards is equally great, a fantastic lost set from Evans – and one that features Mingus trumpeter Johnny Coles as the lead soloist in front of Evans-led modern groups that include players like Elvin Jones, Ray Crawford, Steve Lacy, Budd Johnson, Rod Levitt, and Chuck Wayne. Despite the "standards" in the title, most of these numbers are modern tunes from the 50s – like "Joy Spring", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", "Django", "Straight No Chaser", and "Chant Of The Weed" – all given Evans' unique style of arrangement, tweaked up a few notches to give them a really edgey quality. Coles is clearly standing in for Miles here, but the format works well overall! CD features 15 tracks in all, including some newly-improved versions of a few tracks, correcting mistakes in the original records! CD

Gil Evans never stopped growing as the years went on – a leader who was always open to new ideas and new modes of expression – which he reached for strongly, even as his older "modern" contemporaries started to sound out of date! This excellent late 70s session is a key illustration of Evans' continual drive – as he works in modes that equally embrace acoustic and electric elements, but never like a funky big band record, or some of the electrification added to older groups – instead with this richly visionary way that brings all the elements together at a level that's completely sublime! The lineup features Gil on piano, alongside almost equal use of keyboards from Pete Levin – and other players include Arthur Blythe and David Sanborn on alto, George Adams on tenor, Marvin Hannibal Peterson and Ernie Royal on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Keith Loving on guitar – an extremely varied group that comes together beautifully under the leadership of Evans. Side one features a brilliant reworking of the Billy Harper tune "Priestess", which runs for almost 20 minutes in length – and side two features Charles Mingus' "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress Then Silk Blue" – plus "Lunar Eclipse" and "Short Visit". LP, Vinyl record album

A great example of the way that Gil Evans really opened up his groove in the 70s – moving here way way past the cool jazz and third stream of earlier years – into a soulful style that's far groovier than might be expected! Part of the strength of the set is because of the players – as Gil's working with a group of younger soul jazz and spiritual soloists that include Ted Dunbar, Billy Harper, and Hannibal Marvin Peterson – as well as the older soul modernist Richard Williams. But there's also some other specifically Evans-like touches to the record that stand out – like Gil's stark notes on acoustic piano and his lighter work on the electric keys – plus a bit of inventive synthesizer from David Horowitz, who makes a few tracks really crackle with energy. Tracks include "Zee Zee", "Blues In Orbit", "Cry Of Hunger", and "Thoroughbred" – the latter two of which are lovely compositions by Billy Harper! CD

A great example of the way that Gil Evans really opened up his groove in the 70s – moving here way way past the cool jazz and third stream of earlier years – into a soulful style that's far groovier than might be expected! Part of the strength of the set is because of the players – as Gil's working with a group of younger soul jazz and spiritual soloists that include Ted Dunbar, Billy Harper, and Hannibal Marvin Peterson – as well as the older soul modernist Richard Williams. But there's also some other specifically Evans-like touches to the record that stand out – like Gil's stark notes on acoustic piano and his lighter work on the electric keys – plus a bit of inventive synthesizer from David Horowitz, who makes a few tracks really crackle with energy. Tracks include "Zee Zee", "Blues In Orbit", "Cry Of Hunger", and "Thoroughbred" – the latter two of which are lovely compositions by Billy Harper! LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty great 70s album from Gil Evans – a set that's got some great use of electric instrumentation, and a mighty groove on the best cuts! The overall approach is different than the early modernist sound of Gil Evans, but still very striking – a 70s equivalent to Gil's famous 60s work – and as always with Evans, the players in the ensemble are impeccably well-chosen – as the lineup includes Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Billy Harper on tenor, Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, and a young Dave Sanborn handling the solos. Includes the odd spacey Tony Williams number "There Comes A Time", plus a cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing" – both of which have vocals by Peterson. Other tracks include "Aftermath Of The Fourth Movement Children Of The Fire", "Anita's Dance", and "Makes Her Move". CD

Really great work from Art Farmer – one of a handful of records from the mid 60s that have the trumpeter picking up a slightly sharper edge than before – a nice contrast to some of his more spacious albums on labels like Argo or Atlantic! The vibe here is almost a small group take on the Jazztet sound that Art created with Benny Golson – but a bit more organic overall, thanks to a tight rhythm trio that features Cedar Walton on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Jimmy Roker on drums – who almost give the record a Prestige Records sort of vibe. The great Jimmy Heath plays sublime tenor in the lead – and turns out to be a perfect partner for Art, helping hit a different sound than his material with Golson – and although the tunes are mostly the jazz hits promised in the title, they get some really fresh readings here – as the pair make magic on tunes that include "Take Five", "I Remember Clifford", "Watermelon Man", "Song For My Father", "Sidewinder", "Moanin", and "Gemini". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Latin outing from trumpeter Art Farmer – one that has him working with the mighty Cuban arranger Chico O'Farrill! The grooves here are hardly "Aztec", as Chico brings a hip postwar vibe to the session – a blend of American jazz and Latin rhythms that's totally great, and played by an all-star array of players conducted by Al Cohn! Side one of the record features the extended "Aztec Suite" – an ambitious number that begins with modern moments that are somewhere in a space between Stan Kenton and Ralph Burns' experiments of this nature, but which always has Farmer's trumpet as the center focus. Side two features tracks that are a bit more conventional Latin jazz – still played by the bigger group, but with an even stronger sense of swing! Titles include "Aztec Suite", "Heat Wave", "Drume Negrita", "Alone Together", "Woody N You", and "Delirio". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Latin outing from trumpeter Art Farmer – one that has him working with the mighty Cuban arranger Chico O'Farrill! The grooves here are hardly "Aztec", as Chico brings a hip postwar vibe to the session – a blend of American jazz and Latin rhythms that's totally great, and played by an all-star array of players conducted by Al Cohn! Side one of the record features the extended "Aztec Suite" – an ambitious number that begins with modern moments that are somewhere in a space between Stan Kenton and Ralph Burns' experiments of this nature, but which always has Farmer's trumpet as the center focus. Side two features tracks that are a bit more conventional Latin jazz – still played by the bigger group, but with an even stronger sense of swing! Titles include "Aztec Suite", "Heat Wave", "Drume Negrita", "Alone Together", "Woody N You", and "Delirio". LP, Vinyl record album

A real lost treasure from Art Farmer – a tremendous album that hardly ever shows up in the history books, and which, to our knowledge, has never properly been reissued! The set's a rare jazz side for the mostly-pop Scepter label – featuring Farmer at the head of a small group working with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Charles McPherson on alto, and either Steve Swallow or Ron Carter on bass. The album was done under the direction of Tom McIntosh – the brilliant young composer who had a magical talent for blending together modern and lyrical modes while still keeping a strong degree of soul. McIntosh contributed a few tunes to the set, as did Dennis Sandole – the nearly-forgotten trumpeter from the Philly scene of the 50s. There's a dark beauty to this session that surpasses even many other Farmer sides from the time – and titles include "Hyacinth", "Ally", "Happy Feet", "Minuet In G", and "Saucer Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-failing genius from Art Farmer – recording here in his later years, and working in that long and open-ended mode we love so much! There's few trumpeters who could make a record like this work – but Farmer's got a tremendous ability to stretch out on longer tunes with well-crafted solos that make beautiful use of soundspace and texture – letting his trumpet almost float along in the air and find its own notes, while the trio of Geoff Keezer piano, Kenny Davis bass, and Lewis Nash on drums provide just the right sort of accompaniment. The album's got a grace that matches any of Art's excellent mid 70s sides from Japan – and is proof that his talents never waned as the years went on – making him one of the few talents from his generation who continued to create and invent beautifully over time. Titles include "Soul Eyes", "Isfahan", "Will You Still Be Mine", "Sad To Say", "Time On My Hands", and "Recorda Me". CD

Never-failing genius from Art Farmer – recording here in his later years, and working in that long and open-ended mode we love so much! There's few trumpeters who could make a record like this work – but Farmer's got a tremendous ability to stretch out on longer tunes with well-crafted solos that make beautiful use of soundspace and texture – letting his trumpet almost float along in the air and find its own notes, while the trio of Geoff Keezer piano, Kenny Davis bass, and Lewis Nash on drums provide just the right sort of accompaniment. The album's got a grace that matches any of Art's excellent mid 70s sides from Japan – and is proof that his talents never waned as the years went on – making him one of the few talents from his generation who continued to create and invent beautifully over time. Titles include "Soul Eyes", "Isfahan", "Will You Still Be Mine", "Sad To Say", "Time On My Hands", and "Recorda Me". CD

One of Art Farmer's pivotal mid 50s sides – recorded in the company of altoist Gigi Gryce, a great player and a budding young arranger who helped Farmer really formulate the best side of his sound! The tracks are lyrically modern – but still have a nice dose of soul in them – a wonderful blend that really sets the stage for the move that Art was making away from earlier trumpeters in jazz – into that hip territory that was neither too cool, nor too overblown – and which would almost be known as "Farmer-like" in years to come! The album features Gryce and Farmer in 2 different groups – one with Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – the other with Freddie Redd on piano, Addison Farmer on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Social Call", "Capri", "Deltitnu", "Stupendous Lee", and "Blue Concept". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Art Farmer's pivotal mid 50s sides – recorded in the company of altoist Gigi Gryce, a great player and a budding young arranger who helped Farmer really formulate the best side of his sound! The tracks are lyrically modern – but still have a nice dose of soul in them – a wonderful blend that really sets the stage for the move that Art was making away from earlier trumpeters in jazz – into that hip territory that was neither too cool, nor too overblown – and which would almost be known as "Farmer-like" in years to come! The album features Gryce and Farmer in 2 different groups – one with Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – the other with Freddie Redd on piano, Addison Farmer on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Titles include "Social Call", "Capri", "Deltitnu", "Stupendous Lee", and "Blue Concept". CD

Sublime work from trumpeter Art Farmer – and a key document of the way that he continued to develop his sound in the 70s! Farmer's at the height of his powers here – working in a soulful quartet with Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins – just setting up these beautiful little solos that seem to float out effortlessly from his golden horn. The gentle emotion and light swing of the album give it the surprisingly emotional pull of a sad San Francisco afternoon – as the sun shines brightly, but a strange chill interrupts any easy dreaming that might take place. Includes sublime versions of "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "How Insensitive", "Firm Roots", and Benny Golson's "Yesterday's Thoughts". CD

Sublime work from trumpeter Art Farmer – and a key document of the way that he continued to develop his sound in the 70s! Farmer's at the height of his powers here – working in a soulful quartet with Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins – just setting up these beautiful little solos that seem to float out effortlessly from his golden horn. The gentle emotion and light swing of the album give it the surprisingly emotional pull of a sad San Francisco afternoon – as the sun shines brightly, but a strange chill interrupts any easy dreaming that might take place. Includes sublime versions of "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "How Insensitive", "Firm Roots", and Benny Golson's "Yesterday's Thoughts". CD

Saxophonist Shamek Farrah is best known for a pair of legendary 70s albums on the Strata East label – but he was still working strongly in the American jazz underground for years after that – as you'll hear on this brilliant batch of live recordings from the end of the 80s! The album was initially only issued as a cassette sold at gigs, and it shows Farrah sounding wonderful in the company of trumpeter Norman Person – blowing alto and bringing the fire he had on his 70s spiritual jazz recordings – as he and Person work in a few different groups, alongside some especially great piano work from either David Durrah or Sonelius Smith – both players with strong legacies of their own! Garry Hammon joins the pair on tenor on two tracks, Marvin Neal on trombone on one, and the final track is a trio number without Farrah, showing wonderful phrasing from Person next to Smith's piano. All titles are nice and long – and tunes include "Negative Forces", "Aisha", "Footprints", "Timeless Beginning", and "I Remember Clifford". CD

Saxophonist Shamek Farrah is best known for a pair of legendary 70s albums on the Strata East label – but he was still working strongly in the American jazz underground for years after that – as you'll hear on this brilliant batch of live recordings from the end of the 80s! The album was initially only issued as a cassette sold at gigs, and it shows Farrah sounding wonderful in the company of trumpeter Norman Person – blowing alto and bringing the fire he had on his 70s spiritual jazz recordings – as he and Person work in a few different groups, alongside some especially great piano work from either David Durrah or Sonelius Smith – both players with strong legacies of their own! Garry Hammon joins the pair on tenor on two tracks, Marvin Neal on trombone on one, and the final track is a trio number without Farrah, showing wonderful phrasing from Person next to Smith's piano. All titles are nice and long – and tunes include "Negative Forces", "Aisha", "Footprints", "Timeless Beginning", and "I Remember Clifford". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible batch of Brazilian fusion – cut by keyboardist Manfredo Fest, and one of the few records he ever waxed in the US during the 70s! The record mixes Fest's soaring Brazilian groove with a tight soulful set of arrangements by Jerry Peters – a bit club-oriented, with a similar sound to some of the other records on the Tabu label at the time, but always sensitive to Fest's playing and writing – especially his Brazilian roots! The record features wonderful vocals by Roberta Davis – a very soulful singer who had a hip wordless style that was similar to Tania Maria's at the time – breezy, scatting, and very nice. Her work really makes the record sparkle, working perfectly with Fest's jazzy electric keyboards in a perfect way! Titles include "Jungle Kitten", "Koko & Leeroe", "Arigo", and "Who Needs It". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice backing on most tracks by a small combo that features Oscar Peterson on piano and Herb Ellis on guitar – and a larger group on a few more, with Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, and Lester Young on tenors! Titles include "Stompin At The Savoy", "Goody Goody", "Ill Wind", and "Bewitched Bothered & Bewildered". CD

Ella gets nice backing on most tracks by a small combo that features Oscar Peterson on piano and Herb Ellis on guitar – and a larger group on a few more, with Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, and Lester Young on tenors! Titles include "Stompin At The Savoy", "Goody Goody", "Ill Wind", and "Bewitched Bothered & Bewildered". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic duets between Ella & Louis – done in a sweet mode that only could have been handled by Verve in the 50s! Backings are in a nice small combo mode, and Ella and Louis carry most of the set with their great vocal interplay – warm, personal, and pretty darn charming – in a mode that should be hokey, but comes across great! Oscar Peterson's group provides backing – with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar – and titles include "Love Is Here To Stay", "I Won't Dance", "The Nearness Of You", "Cheek To Cheek", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Can't We Be Friends", and "A Foggy Day". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great take on the duo format that Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong forged together during the 50s – a short little side chapter to the careers of both artists, but one that's gone on to become one of the most classic representations of their music! The record follows up their previous collection of duets, but with a slight difference – in that there's some solo tracks by each singer on the record, which changes things up nicely, while still allowing for some of the duo moments that share the charms of both together! Backing is great, too – nicely unified, in that there's a small combo throughout – Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Louis Bellson on drums – providing great accompaniment on titles that include "They All Laughed", "Comes Love", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Learnin The Blues", "A Fine Romance", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Let's Do It", "I Won't Dance", "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", and "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off". CD

A really great take on the duo format that Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong forged together during the 50s – a short little side chapter to the careers of both artists, but one that's gone on to become one of the most classic representations of their music! The record follows up their previous collection of duets, but with a slight difference – in that there's some solo tracks by each singer on the record, which changes things up nicely, while still allowing for some of the duo moments that share the charms of both together! Backing is great, too – nicely unified, in that there's a small combo throughout – Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Louis Bellson on drums – providing great accompaniment on titles that include "They All Laughed", "Comes Love", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Learnin The Blues", "A Fine Romance", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Let's Do It", "I Won't Dance", "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", and "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The album that brought the excellent, but heretofore underappreciated duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the band – and pretty much changed the fabric of 70s rock! Older fans of the Peter Green and Bob Welch Brit blues eras of Fleetwood Mac may have been in for a shock initially, but this really is one of the best unpretentious pop rock albums of the 70s – they didn't get as hugely popular as they did by luck – the songs, energy and chemistry are really perfect. We may even love this one more than Rumours, especially the deeper cuts that haven't been overplayed over the years. Includes "Monday Morning", "Blue Letter, "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me", "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "I'm So Afraid" and more. CD reissue adds 4 single edits and the previously unissued "Jam #2". CD

The pious bird of good omen might well be the track "Albatross" here – nestled in the middle of the record, and a key sign that Fleetwood Mac were ready to break from their roots! But this is no heavy bird hanging around the group's neck – as the groundbreaking instrumental really set them free from their straight blues rock expressions, and is mixed here with a great range of material that really shows Peter Green and the group ready to take on the 70s. If you loved Green's blues guitar work on other records, don't worry – there's still plenty of it here – but the range of songs is great, and in addition to the amazing "Albatross", other tunes include the fantastic original version of "Black Magic Woman", plus "The Big Boat", "Rambling Pony", "Just The Blues", "Looking For Somebody", "Stop Messin Round", "The Sun Is Shining", "I Believe My Time Ain't Long", and "Coming Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold statement from the Free Music Ensemble – not a large group, but instead a searing power trio that features Ken Vandermark on reeds, Nate McBride on bass, and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums! The group work in a full-on mode that recalls the early power of the FMP scene, or some of the most striking work on ESP from the 60s – but given Vandermark's influence, they've also got a more open sensibility – clear in the shift from passage to passage of the album's numbered tracks, dedicated to influential heroes that include Peter Brotzmann, Paul Lytton, Joe Morris, and Joe McPhee – all contemporary heroes that are given great due here, but in a way that still has the trio retaining a very strong identity of their own. CD

A definite delight from Ronnie Foster – a post-Blue Note set that actually has the keyboardist sounding better than ever! Ronnie's always been one of those guys who seems to work best when moving against a bit of structure – and here, that force is provided by the excellent Jerry Peters – who's come up with some great soul backings that also have these nicely offbeat corners – more than enough to preserve some of the quirkiness of Foster's work from previous years – yet also giving him a bit more direction too! There's a bit of vocals on the set – mostly from Ronnie – with backing from Phyllis Hyman, Jim Gilstrap, and Peters himself. Titles include "Argentina", "We As Love", "Let Me In Your Life", "I've Got Your Love", and "When Will I Write You A Song?". LP, Vinyl record album

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The last album to some from the brilliant team of Peter Howell and John Ferdinando – the partners behind the Ithaca and Agincourt albums – coming across here with one of their greatest sets ever! The music here is a bit more focused and polished than before – taking the best folk and psychedelic elements, and folding them together in a sweet sound that's almost Sunshine Pop – but which is obviously a few years later than the rest of the genre! The vocals often have a slight harmony approach, and there's a strong rhythmic undercurrent to many numbers – not really funky, but a lot more grooving than you might expect – again, a quality that we really appreciate in Sunshine Pop! Titles include "Memories", "Lonely Road", "You Need Friends", "Tale Of Your Life", "In The Morning", "Come Inside", "Take A Walk", and "Once In A Winter Town". CD

Four albums from this wonderful group – all presented here with great sonic quality too! First up is Grazin – the debut album from Friends Of Distinction – a very groovy LA harmony vocal group who really transcended the worlds of pop and soul! The quartet were originally part of the earlier Rex Middleton's Hi Fi group – which split into both Friends Of Distinction, and 5th Dimension – and like that other, slightly more famous group, FoD have a soaring approach that really reflects their years in music, tuned towards a groovier late 60s style! The record sports their hit vocal version of Hugh Masekela's "Grazing In The Grass", with the great "I can dig it" line, plus an excellent reading of a lost cut by funky drummer Roy Porter, entitled "Lonesome Mood" – next to other great titles that include "Sweet Young Thing Like You", "Peaceful", "Baby I Could Be So Good At Loving You", "Eli's Coming", and "Going In Circles". Real Friends is a stone early winner from The Friends Of Distinction – featuring a great set of pop soul tunes that really let the group shine in the harmony department! Vocal arrangements are by Jerry Peters – who really pushes the structure of the vocals, taking the singing to a level only hinted at on the group's previous album, combining 60s pop harmony with uptown soul production, given a bit of a smooth 70s touch. Titles include the hit "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely", plus "Any Way You Want Me", "Crazy Mary", "Long Time Comin My Way", "Just a Little Lovin", "It Don't Matter to Me", and "My Mind Is A Camera". Next is Highly Distinct – beautiful baroque soul from LA! The Friends of Distinction were always best known for their big hit version of "Grazing In the Grass" (not on this LP), but they were a pretty progressive soul group, and they spent a lot of time in the studio coming up with cool new ways to present their vocal style. This album includes a very cool "psyche" cut-up track called "Impressions", and it's two minutes worth of tape experiments that might have been lifted from The White Album. The cut then runs right into a great batch of groovy pop soul tracks, like "It's Just A Game Love", "Workin On A Groovy Thing", "It's Sunday", and "Let Yourself Go". Whatever is filled with some nice little groovers from the enigmatic Friends Of Distinction – and a record recorded right after their big "Grazin In The Grass" fame. The album features lots of cool arrangements from Jerry Peters – whose handling of the group pushed them past a simple pop-soul vocal combo into the realm of the more far-reaching soul acts of their time. Most tracks have vocal solos on the main parts – mostly by Barbara Love or Floyd Butler – and tracks include "You and I", "People Talkin & Sayin Nothin", "Bring Us A Better Day", "Great Day", and "Check It Out". CD

A rare early session from trumpeter Tony Fruscella – done before his classic first album on Atlantic Records! The set features tony working on some tracks with the very obscure alto player Chick Maures – plus work from Bill Tiglia on piano, Red Mitchell or Teddy Kotick on bass, and Art Madigan or Dave Troy on drums. The earliest cuts, with Maures, were recorded in New York in 1948 – the others in the same city around 1953. LP, Vinyl record album

Peter Gabriel at the top of his solo game – tight, focused, and coming across with a nice sort of edge – one that really sits nicely in the same late 70s generation that includes Bowie in Berlin, early Talking Heads, and some of the darker-minded work on the left side of the mainstream at the time! The guitars have a nice edge, but never dominate – and Gabriel's vocals are totally great – soaring with majesty, but never overblown, and deeply personal in all the right spots – but without any fake soul modes. Instrumentation is right on the money – processed nicely, but never overproduced – and hell, players on the album even include Brit jazz legend Dick Morrisey on a handful of tracks! Titles include "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember", "Biko", "Intruder", "And Through The Wire", and "Games Without Frontiers". LP, Vinyl record album

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The first album we've heard in years by trumpeter Eddie Gale – an artist that we'll love forever for his 2 righteous sides on Blue Note! Gale's come a long way since his Blue Note years – and since his early 80s live album (the last recording we'd heard by him) – and he's working here in a style that mixes muted trumpet blowing with a range of electronics – in a style that's got some of the traces of messed-up mid 80s Ornette Coleman, and some of the mellower electric work of Miles Davis in his later years. Eddie sings a bit on one track, and the album's got a political undercurrent that reminds us of some of the mid 80s New York jazz/funk/electronics recordings. Titles include "Free You Free Me", "Welcome To Silicon Valley", "Inner Peace To You", "Afro Fire", "New York After Hours", "Route 95", and "Tribal Future". CD

An all-star session put together by Verve in 1958 – one that features a septet of some of the label's biggest giants in jazz at the time! The format here is a bit open-ended – almost like some of the earlier JATP sessions on Verve – with lots of room for personal interaction between the soloists, especially the horn players in the lead! These include Stan Getz on tenor, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, and Harry Edison on trumpet – working alongside Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Louis Bellson on drums. Titles include a beautiful extended "Ballad Medley" – really a great illustration of the freedoms that Verve brought to jazz recording in the 50s – plus the titles"Chocolate Sundae", "When Your Lover Has Gone", and "Candy". CD

Cascading vibes from Behn Gillece – easily one of our favorite contemporary players on his instrument, and a musician who always seems to find a great way to resonate with his bandmates on a session! This date has Gillece mixing his warmly chromatic sound with great contributions from Art Hirahara on piano and Fender Rhodes, Diego Rivera on tenor, Altin Sencalar on trombone, and Patrick Cornelius on alto, soprano, and bass clarinet – musicians who don't all crowd in at once, but are nicely spaced in ways that really help shape the sound of the record when they appear. Rhythm is from Peter Slavov on bass and Vinnie Sperrazza on drums – and the record is filled with great original tunes from Behn – including "Between The Bars", "Mindful Moments", "Roamers", "It's Like Magic", "Due Up Next", "Thinking Cap", "Celestial Lullaby", and "Horizons". CD

Two great albums in the Verve Jam Session tradition – both featuring twin-trumpet leadership from Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge! Diz and Roy come together in a nice blend of two traditions – blowing in a relaxed mode that's less of the "battle" you might expect from the title – and more of a friendly exchange of solos, recorded in the open and laidback style of Verve at the time. The group features Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Louis Bellson on drums – and Dizzy himself even vocalizes a bit on the set! Tracks are mostly longish, with plenty of solo space, and the 10 titles include "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Algo Bueno", "The Heat's On", "The Ballad Medley", "Trumpet Blues", and "Blue Moon". CD

Nicely grooving material – with tracks that are a bit shorter than the usual Verve "celebrity meets celebrity" set, but which are no less well-played. Dizzy is always fantastic in this sort of loosely-crafted setting – and Getz's playing here is nicely relaxed, with more open-ended blowing than you might hear in some of his own sets as a leader. The pair play with backing by the Oscar Peterson trio – on titles that include "Siboney", "Impromptu", "Girl Of My Dreams", and "It Don't Mean A Thing". CD

Nicely grooving material – with tracks that are a bit shorter than the usual Verve "celebrity meets celebrity" set, but which are no less well-played. Dizzy is always fantastic in this sort of loosely-crafted setting – and Getz's playing here is nicely relaxed, with more open-ended blowing than you might hear in some of his own sets as a leader. The pair play with backing by the Oscar Peterson trio – on titles that include "Siboney", "Impromptu", "Girl Of My Dreams", and "It Don't Mean A Thing". CD