A rare set from vibist Walt Dickerson – one of the most compelling jazz musicians to ever lay hold of a set of vibes! The album was originally issued as a Japanese-only session by the Why Not label in the mid 70s, and it features Dickerson playing on 5 tunes that have a slightly different feel than a lot of his other work from the time. First up is "Sky", which features some electric bass work by Jamaaladeen Tacuma, which makes for a more full-on sound than you usually get with Dickerson. Next up is "Awareness", an extremely haunting solo track that features this incredible tone on the vibes. The last three tunes feature a trio with Wilbur Ware on bass and Edgar Leon Bateman on drums – and Ware's bass work brings out a swing in Dickerson's vibes that we rarely ever hear. Titles include "Key Of Wisdom", "Yesterdays", and "I Love You". Essential work for any fan of this enigmatic vibist – and great to have back out again! CD

A triple-tenor powerhouse – as Doug Webb invites Walt Weiskopf and Joel Frahm in for the sessions – and things really begin to cook! The trio get this raw, spare accompaniment from Brian Charette on Hammond and Rudy Royston on drums – which leaves the tenors plenty of room to open up, stretch out, and really do their thing – coming together as unified voices on the heads, then breaking out into really well-crafted, well-defined individual solos. The feel is a bit like some of those great Don Patterson albums of the 60s, but even more modern – and titles include "Jazz Car", "Giant Steps", "Three's A Crowd", "Jones", "Pail Blues", and "Triple Play". CD

A rare set from vibist Walt Dickerson – one of the most compelling jazz musicians to ever lay hold of a set of vibes! The album was originally issued as a Japanese-only session by the Why Not label in the mid 70s, and it features Dickerson playing on 5 tunes that have a slightly different feel than a lot of his other work from the time. First up is "Sky", which features some electric bass work by Jamaaladeen Tacuma, which makes for a more full-on sound than you usually get with Dickerson. Next up is "Awareness", an extremely haunting solo track that features this incredible tone on the vibes. The last three tunes feature a trio with Wilbur Ware on bass and Edgar Leon Bateman on drums – and Ware's bass work brings out a swing in Dickerson's vibes that we rarely ever hear. Titles include "Key Of Wisdom", "Yesterdays", and "I Love You". Essential work for any fan of this enigmatic vibist – and great to have back out again! CD

How can we even begin to describe the genius of Lambert Hendricks and Ross? The group was a jazz vocal supergroup that merged three talents that had already made a big name in the bebop vocalese field – Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and the lovely Annie Ross – and the project was an attempt to completely work the emerging vocalese style onto a full-blown jazz group. Previously, the singers had only sung vocal solos for one instrument – but with a trio of players, they were suddenly able to take over the solos of all the frontline instruments in a group, such as the piano, trumpet, and tenor solos in their incredible version of "Home Cookin". That track alone is a perfect summation of the group's genius – as it offers a true vocal interplay, with words in place of notes and changes, and opens the already great soul jazz classic into a whole new level of meaning and wonder. It also helps that that track, like most of the ones on this CD, features excellent rhythm backing by Gildo Mahones, Ike Isaacs, and Walt Bolden, plus the occasional alto solo by Pony Poindexter. Their Columbia work's always been their best – and this CD brings together all 3 LPs (Hottest Group In Jazz, Sing Ellington, and the amazing High Flying), plus 7 previously unissued tracks! There's a whopping 39 cuts in all – and the set's one of the best jazz vocal CDs you could ever buy! CD

A pair of classic albums from The Undisputed Truth! First up is Method To The Madness – a gem from the second chapter of the group – that time when they stepped away from Motown, and followed producer/creator Norman Whitfield to his own label in California! The shift of record companies also marks a cool shift in styles too – an approach that still has all the bold, bassy elements you'd know from the earlier hits – but one that also has some fuller, more cosmic elements too! The set begins with a weird electronic spoken number that's almost experimental – then brings up the bass for a bit of heavy funk, while also using electric elements in a way that really points the way to sounds that other big funk groups would cop at the start of the 80s – but which really sound fresh here. Titles include "Sunshine", "Take A Vacation From Life (And Visit Your Dreams)", "Life Ain't So Easy", "You + Me = Love", "Cosmic Contact", "Hole In The Wall", and "Let's Go Down To The Disco". Smokin has them still going strong with Whitfield, in a groove that's every bit as wonderful as their early years! There's a killer mix of funk and deeper soul here that few other acts could handle this well – a way of hitting the flashy funk of Sly & The Family Stone or Graham Central Station – but also not falling into any showbiz traps, either – in a mode that really his the group not only respecting the role of each member, but also working together in a very cohesive way on the album. The result is a great little set that balances funky grooves with some excellent cosmic soul cuts – supported by great session work from giants like Wah Wah Watson, Walt Downing, and Jack Ashford. Titles include "Show Time", "Space Machine", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Misunderstood", "Sandman", "Atomic Funk", and "Talkin To The Wind". CD

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players". CD

Back in the day, we never would have thought that the film Tron would have had such a great revival in the 21st Century – but then again, we also might never have guessed that a group like Daft Punk would make the movie sound so great! At some level, the 80s retro fusion of the film is the perfect setting for Daft Punk – as it allows them to really play well with all their classic keyboard styles, while also pushing things with a nice sense of drama too – really surprising us when the larger orchestrations bring just the right touch to the electric elements at the core. Titles include "Solar Sailer", "Disc Wars", "Rectifier", "Outlands", "Rinzler", "Arena", "Armory", "The Son Of Flynn", "Arrival", "CLU", and "Derezzed". CD

A trio of albums from Junie Morrison, plus bonus tracks too – all to document the genius of the guy who really helped the Ohio Players find their groove! First up is When We Do – the solo debut of Junie – a crazy little album recorded for Westbound in the time after he split company with The Ohio Players – and a set that's definitely got the weirdly wonderful mix of music that group was known for in their pre-Mercury years! Junie effortlessly moves between a number of styles, all with a great degree of wit – still keeping things funky in all the best ways, but also really experimenting with larger sounds and unusual arrangements – which come into play here in a really wonderful way! The album's an overlooked funk treasure from the 70s – far too sophisticated for its own time – and titles include "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Johnny Carson Samba", "Anna", "Loving Arms", "Married Him", and "The Place". Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include "Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". Suzie Super Groupie is a funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrison every came to a concept album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records, there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender", "Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". Set also features rare Junie cuts – including "Junie's Ultimate Departure", "Walt's Second Trip", "Tight Rope (single)", "Loving Arms (mono)", "If You Love Him (single)", "Super J (single)", and "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce (mono)". CD

It's hard to sum up the genius of the Ohio Players at Westbound Records in words – but this set does a pretty good job of doing the whole thing with music! The group are at their trippy, early best here – much more funk and soul than on their initial psych debut, yet still not as smooth or clubby as in their later years – coming across with a badass righteous vibe that takes full advantage of the unique Detroit spirit of Westbound Records – best known as the initial home of Funkdelic. The Ohio Players are maybe not as tripped-out as that group, but maybe not that far away either – and come across beautifully here on a stunning back of 15 tracks that includes "Funky Worm", "Varee Is Love", "Walt's First Trip", "Food Stamps", "Laid It", "Singing In The Morning", "Ecstasy", "Climax", "Pain", "Sleep Talk", and "Player's Balling". CD

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players". CD

"Mostly" live genius from Frank Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention – recorded at The Roxy with some studio additions – and the players include George Duke, Tom Fowler, Ruth Underwood, Walt Fowler, Ralph Humphrey and the other great players from this peak period! It's astonishing stuff – and as strong of a mix of the tightly rock-centric and exploratory/hard fusiony sides of Zappa as you could hope for – shoot, even the stage banter is priceless! Includes "Penguin In Bondage", "Pygmy Twylyte", "Village Of The Sun", "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?", "More Trouble Everyday" and "Be-Bop Tango (Of The Old Jazzmen's Church)" and more. CD

Quite a crazy little record from Charles Mingus – a record that fits nicely in his legacy of other recordings for Atlantic, but which has a very different approach! On this set, Mingus plays piano, and even sings a bit – using this messed-up take on blues roots, but filtered through a hipper modern jazz filter, and with a bit of a political bent too – almost as if he were trying to break out of the avant jazz ghetto, and reach a larger audience with his message and music! The group is an all-star lineup with Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and both Booker Ervin and Roland Kirk on reeds – the latter of whom might be a good comparison in spirit, especially for some of the genre-crossing things he did on Atlantic during the late 60s. Titles include the classic "Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me" – plus "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Devil Woman", and "Passions Of A Man". Plus the CD includes three bonus tracks "Old Blues For Walt's Torin", "Peggy's Blue Skylight", and "Invisible Lady". CD

"Mostly" live genius from Frank Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention – recorded at The Roxy with some studio additions – and the players include George Duke, Tom Fowler, Ruth Underwood, Walt Fowler, Ralph Humphrey and the other great players from this peak period! It's astonishing stuff – and as strong of a mix of the tightly rock-centric and exploratory/hard fusiony sides of Zappa as you could hope for – shoot, even the stage banter is priceless! Includes "Penguin In Bondage", "Pygmy Twylyte", "Village Of The Sun", "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?", "More Trouble Everyday" and "Be-Bop Tango (Of The Old Jazzmen's Church)" and more. CD

One of the few sessions ever recorded by tenor player Walter Benton – a great talent with a very strong voice, coming out of a gutsier 50s era, and growing into a capable hardbop player by the time of this set. The album's got Benton playing in a quintet that features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and either Jimmy Cobb or Albert Heath on drums – and although the group's clearly not Benton's working unit, the overall sound of the record is quite strong, with very capable rhythm playing, and some nicely arcing solos with spirit and surprising touches. Titles include "Iris", "Night Movement", "A Blues Mood", "Azil", and "Walter's Altar". CD

The music here is as evocative as the title – almost a mix of contemporary Blue Note modes with older ECM styles – all served up as a perfect showcase for the ever-growing talents of trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire! We've really dug the last two records from Ambrose, and this one seems to push his voice even father than before – sometimes in smaller acoustic settings, sometimes with a bit of vocals, and sometimes a bit of strings – performed by a shifting lineup that includes guests Becca Stevens, Theo Bleckmann, and Cold Specks on vocals – plus a core group that includes Walter Smith on tenor and Sam Harris on piano. Titles include "Marie Christie", "Memo", "Ceasless Inexhaustible Child", "Rollcall For Those Absent", "Vartha", and "Our Basement". CD

A fantastically beautiful album that strongly proves the old jazz adage "It's not the song, but the singer"! The "singer" in this case is alto player Sonny Criss – and the songs are a middle of the road batch of compositions, like "Sunny", "Willow Weep For Me", "Up Up & Away", and "Scrapple From the Apple". Forget the songs, in this case, because it's the "singer" who adds all the genius, as Criss' solos are fantastically warm, lyrical, and imaginative – far more so than you could imagine by just reading the titles on the album. We love all of the late 60s albums by Criss on Prestige, but this one's one of our favorites, and is a beautiful example of the late altoists sheer creative power in action. Other players include Cedar Walton, Tal Farlow, and Bob Cranshaw. CD

The only Blue Note album ever cut by pianist Walter Davis Jr – but a heck of a hard-swinging set, and possibly his greatest album ever! Although Davis is more frequently heard in trio formation as a leader, this set brings him back to the mode used during some of his bop sideman dates of some years before – two completely solid horn players in the frontline, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Jackie McLean on alto – both blowing with a tremendous amount of soul and spirit on each track! Jackie's nicely sharp edges helps push Davis strongly – and rhythm work by Sam Jones on bass and Art Taylor on drums also add strongly to the punch of the set as well. Titles are all original compositions by Walter – and tracks include "Smake It", "Rhumba Nhumba", "Minor Mind", and "Millie's Delight". CD

Gerardo Frisina always seems to give us joyful sounds – but this time around, that might be the case more than ever – as the album's overflowing with all sorts of lively rhythms that are peppered with jazz-based instrumentation! Things are less hard-driving than some of Frisina's earlier work – which allows more space for things to seep into the grooves in a really nice way – warm Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ, and sweet solos on saxes, flute, and trumpet! As always, Frisina's the maestro at the helm – working rhythms both acoustic and electric – but there's also a fair bit of guest players who provide the live instrumentation – on tracks that include plenty of Gerardo's own songs, plus takes on tracks by Joao Donato, Waltel Branco, and Yusef Lateef. Titles include "Misterioso", "Hombre", "Naquela Base (new blend)", "On Again (album version)", "Hechizo Magico", "Dansi Na/Mahaba", "Parkview Theme", "Duende", and "Africa (Brazil)". CD

Sax-heavy New Orleans R&B instrumentals from Herb Hardesty – the tenor player and secret weapon in Fats Domino's band – one of those incredible players whose name isn't as well known as the sound of his instrument! His sax sounds really great out front and in the lead – tightly grooving late 50s and early 60s rhythm & blues. This first ever CD retrospective of Herb's relatively few recordings as a leader features sessions recorded in New Orleans in '58, NYC in '59 and Cincinnati in '61 – with stellar players that include Hank Jones, Jimmy Davis, Walter Nelson, Clarence Ford and Roy Montrell. 12 of the tracks from a never-released Mercury LP – and the set has 20 tracks in all! Includes "Sassy", "Goldie", "Herb's Mood", "Nat", "Adam And Eva", "Coach Train", "69's Mother's Place, "The Chicken Twist", "Perdido Street" and more – plus 2 tunes with vocals by group guitarist Walter "Papoose" Nelson – "It Must Be Wonderful" and "Why Did We Have To Part". CD

A great date from the later revival years of altoist Frank Morgan – thanks to a warm performance from the Cedar Walton trio! One of the great things about late Morgan is the way in which he's able to really fit himself into different settings – still holding onto his soulful roots, but also fluidly picking up the best elements of the groups he works with – such as the rich tones and soaring styles that Walton brings to this session! Cedar's piano always sounds great with a horn, and the warmth in Morgan's alto is quite a different match than some of Walton's tenor-driven sessions – and bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Billy Higgins keep things in just the right subtle side of the spectrum to fit the mood. Titles include "The Rubber Man", "Yes & No", "Manha De Carnaval", "Now's The Time", "Three Flowers", and "Third Street Blues". CD

A great date from the later revival years of altoist Frank Morgan – thanks to a warm performance from the Cedar Walton trio! One of the great things about late Morgan is the way in which he's able to really fit himself into different settings – still holding onto his soulful roots, but also fluidly picking up the best elements of the groups he works with – such as the rich tones and soaring styles that Walton brings to this session! Cedar's piano always sounds great with a horn, and the warmth in Morgan's alto is quite a different match than some of Walton's tenor-driven sessions – and bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Billy Higgins keep things in just the right subtle side of the spectrum to fit the mood. Titles include "The Rubber Man", "Yes & No", "Manha De Carnaval", "Now's The Time", "Three Flowers", and "Third Street Blues". CD

An ambitious project from David Murray – one that features an expanded string ensemble working with his core quartet – performing a set of original material that includes the long "Pushkin Suite" and some shorter numbers that revel in Murray's own soulful spirit. While the "Pushkin Suite" is supposedly the main focus of this effort, we're more partial to the shorter tracks – as they dance, glide, and soar with the freely exploratory spiritualism we love so much in Murray's earlier years – and get past the headier mode of the longer suite. Titles include "Waltz Again", "Dark Secrets", "Steps", and "Sparkle" – and players include Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Jaribu Shahid on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums. CD

Heavenly grooves from Hiroshi Okazaki & His Star Gazers – a group who harmonize wonderfully on this set! Despite their Japanese origin, the Star Gazers sing in English – clearly drawing from a legacy that includes The Four Freshmen and Hi-Los – but they also scat wordlessly at points too, in ways that really transform the sound of the tunes! There's a wonderfully sparkling feel to the whole record – of the sort you'd find in the hippest 60s European soundtracks or Brazilian bossa albums – and although the group hardly cracked the market outside their native Japan, a session like this has strong global appeal all these many years later. Titles include "What Can I Do Dear", "Agua De Beber", "I Can't Find The Words", "Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars", "This Guy's In Love With You", and "The Last Waltz". CD

A wonderful album from the great Cedar Walton trio that featured Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a really beautiful group of musicians who completely transformed the sound of the piano trio in the 70s! The group played together often in the 70s, and they've never sounded better than on an album like this – freely soulful and dancing, with Walton in firm command of his talents – sometimes coming on with the strength of his early 60s material, but always opening up with a more exploratory vibe too. Walton worked often in this mode for the decades that followed this set – but this Japanese album is almost the start of that great legacy, and still one of the best from this group! Titles include "Con Alma", "Suite Sunday", "Suntory Blues", and "Fantasy In D". CD

A wonderful album from the great Cedar Walton trio that featured Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a really beautiful group of musicians who completely transformed the sound of the piano trio in the 70s! The group played together often in the 70s, and they've never sounded better than on an album like this – freely soulful and dancing, with Walton in firm command of his talents – sometimes coming on with the strength of his early 60s material, but always opening up with a more exploratory vibe too. Walton worked often in this mode for the decades that followed this set – but this Japanese album is almost the start of that great legacy, and still one of the best from this group! Titles include "Con Alma", "Suite Sunday", "Suntory Blues", and "Fantasy In D". CD

We've always loved the way that Cedar Walton kept maturing in his style over the years – and this 80s album is a wonderful example of the way he really took off during his third decade in jazz! At one level, the tunes are very simple and basic – familiar trio settings, with David Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – but Walton manages to work this subtle magic on the tunes as the album moves on – some hip undercurrents of soul, warmly flowing lyricism, and fresh ideas that make even the better-known cuts stand out from other readings. Higgins' drums help a lot to this end – always shifting up underneath the piano – almost with their own sense of melody at times – and the round, warm tones of David Williams certainly help ground the album nicely too. Titles include the Walton numbers "Ground Work", "Fantasy In D", "Theme For Red", and Another Star" – plus versions of "Once I Loved" and "Girl Talk From Harlow". CD

We've always loved the way that Cedar Walton kept maturing in his style over the years – and this 80s album is a wonderful example of the way he really took off during his third decade in jazz! At one level, the tunes are very simple and basic – familiar trio settings, with David Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – but Walton manages to work this subtle magic on the tunes as the album moves on – some hip undercurrents of soul, warmly flowing lyricism, and fresh ideas that make even the better-known cuts stand out from other readings. Higgins' drums help a lot to this end – always shifting up underneath the piano – almost with their own sense of melody at times – and the round, warm tones of David Williams certainly help ground the album nicely too. Titles include the Walton numbers "Ground Work", "Fantasy In D", "Theme For Red", and Another Star" – plus versions of "Once I Loved" and "Girl Talk From Harlow". CD

Curtis Mayfield is a hell of a singer – as most folks know from his work in the Impressions, and his later solo classics of the 70s – and he's also a hell of a songwriter too, one who was very generous with his magical material, right from the start! Back in the 60s, Curtis was sharing his songs with other up-and-coming soul singers on the Chicago scene – some of whom he was also producing in the studio, as well – and as the decade moved into the 70s, others were soon picking up Mayfield's tunes – both for their ability to deliver a personal message, and for the larger political agenda that was always in the music too! This really well-done collection brings together two dozen of Curtis' best songs, handled by other folks – mostly from the 60s and early 70s, but with a few surprises from later years too – all supported with a really great collection of notes and other information too. Titles include "Man's Temptation" by the Jackson 5, "Behind The Curtains" by Jan Bradley, "Rainbow (alt)" by Gene Chandler, "Monkey Time" by The Miracles, "I'm So Proud" by Main Ingredient, "Give Me Your Love" by Barbara Mason, "That's What Love Will Do" by The Gaylads, "Never Stop Loving Me" by Keni Burke, "I've Been Trying" by Jerry Butler, "Queen Majesty" by The Techniques, "It's All Over" by Walter Jackson, "Mama Didn't Lie" by The Orlons, "He Will Break Your Heart" by Freddie Scott, "People Get Ready" by Dionne Warwick, "Need To Belong" by Isaac Hayes, "Make Me Believe In You" by Patti Jo, "Let's Do It Again (single edit)" by The Staple Singers, "Look Into Your Heart (single edit)" by Aretha Franklin, and "The Makings Of You" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. CD

At the time of this album, Johnny Hartman definitely was the voice that is – a singer with a new level of maturity for the 60s, and a voice that's far more masculine than the geeky look of the photo on the cover! Hartman's sound here is smooth and warm, but never in a too-commercial way – a great antidote to some of the bigger singers of his generation, and cast perfectly here in some lightly jazzy arrangements by Bob Hammer. A few tracks feature backing by a quartet led by Hank Jones – and the rest feature a slightly larger group with 2 guitars and some nice Latin percussion. Titles include "Funny World", "Waltz For Debbie", "It Never Entered My Mind", "Let Me Love You", "My Ship", "The Day The World Stopped Turning", "Slow Hot Wind", and "The More I See You". CD

The great altoist Sonny Criss is one of our favorite-ever reed players, and this beautiful session from his late 60's "comeback" period is a loving portrait of the wide range of his deep deep talents! On the surface, the record is deceptively simple, and only features Criss' work on alto sax, alongside with a piano trio led by Walter Davis. On hearing, though, the album is a rich tapestry of many soulful colors, all wrought by Sonny in a tone that had travelled the world – and which had been beaten down by years of struggle. All tracks are great, and titles include "On A Clear Day", "Blues In The Closet", "Wee", and "A Million Or More Times". 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

The only Blue Note album ever cut by pianist Walter Davis Jr – but a heck of a hard-swinging set, and possibly his greatest album ever! Although Davis is more frequently heard in trio formation as a leader, this set brings him back to the mode used during some of his bop sideman dates of some years before – two completely solid horn players in the frontline, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Jackie McLean on alto – both blowing with a tremendous amount of soul and spirit on each track! Jackie's nicely sharp edges helps push Davis strongly – and rhythm work by Sam Jones on bass and Art Taylor on drums also add strongly to the punch of the set as well. Titles are all original compositions by Walter – and tracks include "Smake It", "Rhumba Nhumba", "Minor Mind", and "Millie's Delight". CD

An amazing record by one of England's greatest jazz talents ever! This very rare album was recorded in the US, under the supervision of Roland Kirk – who also plays on the record, along with Walter Bishop Jr, Sam Jones, and Louis Hayes. Tubby's tone is fantastic – with all the raw mature cutting solo power that's made his early 60s sessions some of our favorite jazz records ever. Putting him on a record with Kirk was a genius move – as Kirk's approach brings out a nuttiness in Hayes that you don't always get in his otherwise more straight-laced British groups. Titles include "Lady E", "Afternoon In Paris", "I See With My Third I", and "For Heaven's Sake". Nice long tracks, too! Beautiful reissue of the British version of this set – also issued in the US as Tubby's Back In Town. CD