The first album after David Lee Roth's departure, now with Sammy Hagar on vocal duties. Produced by the band and Mick Jones of Foreigner. Includes the hits "Why Can't This Be Love", "Dreams", "Love Walks In", "Best Of Both Worlds", "Good Enough", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer batch of large ensemble numbers – very much in the mode of the Clarke-Boland Big Band, or some of the other groups on MPS at the time! The group's led by Jerry Van Rooyen, the Dutch jazzman and composer who did some excellent funky soundtrack work over the years – a fact that certainly shows up in the tracks on the set – which have a sweetly grooving feel mixed in with the large ensemble jazz – a great approach that would have been right at home in some hip Euro film score from the time! Van Rooyen gives the material a soulful feel that's a lot like some of Quincy Jones' best scoring from the 60s – blending together work on organ, Fender Rhodes, and piano (played by Frans Elsen, Rob Madna, and Rob Franken) – with breakaway horn solos by players like Benny Bailey on trumpet and Rolf Ericson on trumpets, Ake Persson and Jiggs Whigham on trombones, and Herb Geller, Ferdinand Povel, and Tony Coe on reeds – most of whom are players who've sparked great notes previously on sets with the Clarke-Boland Big Band, or other hip MPS ensemble projects. Titles include "Sonlite", "Because I Love You", "Some Blues", "For Nathalie", "The Runners", "JBW", "Green", and "Whirligig". LP, Vinyl record album

Van Dyke Parks is at his finest here – painting a unique picture of early 70s America that's touched with the same mad vision as his classic Song Cycle album! The styles are a bit wider-ranging here – and in a way, Parks seems to draw from a sonic space as wide-ranging as the "discover America" bus trip promised on the cover – shifting between Caribbean, country, classical, and soul styles – but all in a weird blend that comes off sounding very strange in the end. As before, there's a certain sense of nostalgia to the music – but any sweetness is undercut by the offbeat arrangements and instrumentation. Titles include "Jack Palance", "Bing Crosby", "John Jones", "FDR In Trinidad", "Stars & Stripes Forever", and "G-Man Hoover". CD

With Sean Jones on trumpet. CD

A great meeting of tenor talents – a collection of some fantastic early material recorded by Jug for Prestige. This collection of great sides, originally issued as 78s, features Ammons and Stitt locking horns on "Blues Up And Down", "You Can Depend On Me", "Easy Glide", "Walkin", "Touch Of The Blues", "Who Threw The Sleeping Pills In Rip Van Winkle's Coffee?" and "Chabootie", with sidemen that include Duke Jordan, Bill Massey, Tommy Potter, Gene Wright, Jo Jones, Art Blakey and Wesley Landers. Classic blowing material! LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – material recorded as the soundtrack for the Canadian film Le Chat Danse Le Sac – which features new recordings of material that Coltrane had done in previous years, but really updated by the fresh version of this group! Although the music was used in the film, which was an art house hit at best, it's never been issued on record before – and in fact, its existence was something of a mystery until not that long ago – quite a surprise, given that the sessions were done at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, and have a quality level that really matches the Impulse Records best by these musicians! The tunes are almost like this amazing bridge between the mid 60s Impulse years and the Coltrane sound at the start of the decade on Atlantic – as the grooves are modal, and most music is more inside than the group was hitting by 1965 – yet still burning with that searching spirit that made them so great. The lineup, of course, features John Coltrane on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the whole thing is an instant key addition to the catalog of this tremendous quartet. Titles include two takes on "Naima", three takes on "Village Blues", and the tracks "Like Sonny", "Traneing In", and "Blue World". LP, Vinyl record album

Jackie McLean's got a great pal here – trumpeter Bill Hardman, who'd work with Jackie in the Jazz Messengers a year later! Here, the pals are cutting sharp lines in a perfect early hardbop mode – a great Prestige session with big bold sound from Rudy Van Gelder, and fresh modern tones from the rhythm section of Mal Waldron on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums! Both McLean's alto and Hardman's trumpet get plenty of space to open up and ring out in a very personal voice – and titles include "Dee's Dilemma", "Sublues", "Just For Marty", and "Sweet Doll". LP, Vinyl record album

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". CD

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". LP, Vinyl record album

Claude Williamson pays tribute to the talents of pianist Al Haig – playing both some Haig originals on the date, and hitting some familiar standards in a way that would make Al proud! Given that Williamson was one of Haig's contemporaries on the 50s jazz piano scene, he's a great choice for such a date – and the sensitive setting of the record gives him plenty of space to hit the right sort of vibe – almost even more laidback than usual for Venus Records. The date was recorded beautifully by Rudy Van Gelder, and the trio features Bill Crow on bass and David Jones on drums – on titles that include "Samba Lhasa", "Linear Motion", "Autumn In New York", "I Want To Be Happy", and "How About You". CD

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". 2LP version features 7 more alternate takes – some very different! LP, Vinyl record album

Houston Person grooving strong – still burning with a nice sort of fire, as one of the few soul jazz giants from his generation still left in the 21st Century! The set's got the lean, clean, later sound of some of Person's self-produced sets for Muse from years back – and like those gems, this one was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder with a really great sound – Houston at the helm of the production, and the group on tenor – with other players who include Terell Stafford on trumpet, Randy Johnston on guitar, John DiMartino on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Willie Jones III on drums. Titles include "Bleeker Street", "Moment To Moment", "Freight Dance", "E Nada Mais", "Nina Never Knew", "Back In New Orleans", and "All My Life". CD

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". CD

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". CD

A killer album that stands as a wonderful complement to Ike Quebec's classic LP sessions for Blue Note – and a set that's even more noteworthy for a rare early appearance of keyboardist Earl Van Dyke! Earl's best known for later famous work at Motown – but here, he plays some great mellow Hammond – really laying back nicely, alongside Quebec's soulful tenor – in a group that also features Willie Jones on guitar, Sam Jones on bass, and Wilbert Hogan on drums. The tunes here were all originally recorded as potential singles for Quebec, but most weren't issued by Blue Note at the time – and they're pulled together here as a really well-crafted album that's essential listening if you're a fan of the tremendous tenorist! Titles include "Intermezzo", "With A Song In My Heart", "How Long Has This Been Going On", "What Is There To Say", "All The Way", and "But Not For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem that's worth all the attention it's bound to get over the years – never-issued material from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – an instrumental session recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on the day before his famous record with singer Johnny Hartman – completely fantastic throughout! The material here shows the group really starting to stretch out – Impressions would be their next record to follow, and its spirit is certainly in place here – as Coltrane blows magnificently on tenor and soprano sax, alongside McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. There's a few tunes that the group would fix on later, but which sound very different in this context – and there's even a few excellent numbers that didn't even receive titles at the time of recording. Tracks include "Untitled Original 11383", "Untitled Original 11386", "Slow Blues", "One Up One Down", "Vilia", "Impressions", and a short version of "Nature Boy". 2CD version features 7 more alternate takes – some very different! CD

A beautiful album of heartfelt vocal tracks by a young Etta Jones – featuring arrangements by Oliver Nelson that rank among the best sort that he was penning for vocalists of this sort during the 60s. Etta's got a nice mix of material here, and although some of the tracks are a bit well-known, the arrangements and performance keep them fresh enough throughout. Titles include "By The Bend In The River", "There Goes My Heart", "Look For The Silver Lining", "Good Morning Heartache", and "I'll Never Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from Tamiko Jones – one of the more enigmatic soul singers of her generation! Tamiko could always handle a number of styles – and on this set, she moves between jazz and deep soul, working through a set of tracks that were recorded at either Sam Phillips in Memphis, or Rudy Van Gelder's famous jazz studio in New Jersey. Arrangements are by Teacho Wiltshire, Horace Ott, and Artie Butler – and Solomon Burke makes a guest appearance on the track "Try It Baby". Other tunes include "Where Are They Now?", "Black Is Black", "Ya Ya", "Suddenly", "This Time Tomorrow", and "Please Return Your Love To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Elvin Jones rose to fame in the company of one of the greatest saxophone players ever – the mighty John Coltrane – and his post-Coltrane work like this really continues a keen respect for the role of the reeds in jazz – and really does a lot to push it forward as well! There's a compelling edge to the record that's light years from Elvin's work with Coltrane – a completely new sensibility that can be spacious one minute, extremely powerful the next – and quite possibly realized to its fullest potential here, thanks to the mindblowing contributions of Dave Liebman on tenor and soprano sax, Frank Foster on tenor and flute, and Joe Farrell on alto and soprano sax. All three players work together on each track – and all shift reeds throughout the session – opening up majestically with inspiration from Elvin's drums, and some wonderful work from Gene Perla on bass. The sound is beyond easy categorization or simple style – and the record's filled with wonderful titles that include "PP Phoenix", "For All The Other Times", "Three Card Monty", and "Cecilia Is Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to imagine Etta Jones being lonely and blue – especially when she sounds as great as this! The album's one of Jones' early classics from Prestige – a date that really has her classing things up a lot, and drawing on bits of Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington's styles, to mix in with the bluesier tones of her roots – put together with a great deal of charm, and a new sophistication that made Etta one of the hippest jazz singers of the 60s! Backing is by a cool small combo – with Patti Brown on piano, Wally Richardson on guitar, and a bit of tenor from Budd Johnson – and titles include "I'll Be There", "In the Dark", "Gentlemen Friend", "I Wonder", and "Miss You So". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful mixing of modes – a set that blends the compositions of Woody Shaw with driving rhythms from a Latin jazz group – and a very strong frontline that's overflowing with top trumpet talents! In addition to leader Brian Lynch, the set also features performances by Dave Douglas, Josh Evans, Sean Jones, Etienne Charles, and others – working with core sounds from a combo that's heavy on percussion, with piano and bass to round things out. Trumpets criss-cross in a beautiful way – making new rhythmic magic from Woody's classic tunes, and also really stating a strong difference in the solo performances too. Most tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Zoltan", "In A Capricornian Way", "Tomorrow's Destiny", "Sweet Love Of Mine", "Just A Ballad For Woody", "On The New Ark", and "Song Of Songs" – plus Lynch originals "Blues For Woody & Khalid" and "Madera Latino Suite". CD

A killer instrumental album of hard organ grooves and funky basslines! This was the album that broke Funk Inc out of their Indianapolis scene, and made them a force to be forever reckoned with in the history of funky jazz. The album grooves hard in the same sound as some of the classic work by Prestige jazz funk giants like Rusty Bryant, Charles Earland, or Ivan Boogaloo Jones – but it's almost even tighter than their work, because the Funk Inc combo as a tightly woven group of players who'd been together for a number of years. The record's filled with monster cuts that you'll recognize immediately, like the group's famous "Kool is Back", which has a monster sample on the intro, and hard heavy Kool & The Gang grooves throughout. Other tracks include "Sister Janie", "The Whipper", and "Bowlegs". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most intense work we've ever heard from composer/reedman Darius Jones – a set of longer works, recorded live in Vancouver – with a style that mixes core jazz instrumentation with some added string elements that really send things over the top! There's plenty of free improvisation going on here – and the alto of Jones sounds especially nice next to the skittish drums of Gerald Cleaver – as the duo find strong interplay with the work of Jesse and Josh Zubot on violins, Peggy Lee on cello, and James Meger on bass! All the string instruments are hardly any sort of string quartet – and instead, they come across with those freer improv modes unlocked during the loft jazz generation of the 70s – really exploding here with a sense of united majesty and individual expression. Titles include "Zubot", "Damon & Pythias", "Rainbow", and "Fluxus V5T 1S1". CD

Some of the most intense work we've ever heard from composer/reedman Darius Jones – a set of longer works, recorded live in Vancouver – with a style that mixes core jazz instrumentation with some added string elements that really send things over the top! There's plenty of free improvisation going on here – and the alto of Jones sounds especially nice next to the skittish drums of Gerald Cleaver – as the duo find strong interplay with the work of Jesse and Josh Zubot on violins, Peggy Lee on cello, and James Meger on bass! All the string instruments are hardly any sort of string quartet – and instead, they come across with those freer improv modes unlocked during the loft jazz generation of the 70s – really exploding here with a sense of united majesty and individual expression. Titles include "Zubot", "Damon & Pythias", "Rainbow", and "Fluxus V5T 1S1". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster set of work by one of the funkiest guitar players ever! Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones recorded a number of sides for Prestige Records during the early 70s – but this rare gem came out after all those, in 1975, on the tiny Joka label, and never really got into proper circulation at the time – making it one of THE indie jazz funk classics of the 70s! The album's actually one of Boogaloo's best – and has a rougher edge than his Prestige albums – heard to great effect on the two standout funky cuts, "Sweetback" and "Confusion" – both of which are stunners that feature Jones really ripping away on the guitar! The whole set's nice, though – and other tracks include "You've Got It Bad Girl", "Trouble In Mind", and "Jamaica Farewell". CD

One of the first albums in a long line of successes from the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – recorded live in their home turf at the Village Vanguard! The group at this point was a freshly-created outfit filled with some of the best large group jazz soloists of the time – players that included Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels, Pepper Adams, Richard Williams, and Bob Brookmeyer – not to mention Jones and Lewis themselves! The style here is very much in the mode that the Clarke Boland Band was crafting in Europe during the same period – a redefinition of the larger jazz group, in a way that allowed it to swing with the dynamic energy and soul of some of the smaller combos of the 60s. And while the Jones/Lewis group had many years over which to hone their craft, they've never sounded better than on these initial recordings – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Samba Con Getchu", "A That's Freedom", "Bachafillen", and "Little Pixie". CD features 3 bonus tracks too – "Lover Man", "The Second Race", and "Quietude". CD

One of the first albums in a long line of successes from the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – recorded live in their home turf at the Village Vanguard! The group at this point was a freshly-created outfit filled with some of the best large group jazz soloists of the time – players that included Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels, Pepper Adams, Richard Williams, and Bob Brookmeyer – not to mention Jones and Lewis themselves! The style here is very much in the mode that the Clarke Boland Band was crafting in Europe during the same period – a redefinition of the larger jazz group, in a way that allowed it to swing with the dynamic energy and soul of some of the smaller combos of the 60s. And while the Jones/Lewis group had many years over which to hone their craft, they've never sounded better than on these initial recordings – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Samba Con Getchu", "A That's Freedom", "Bachafillen", and "Little Pixie". CD features 3 bonus tracks too – "Lover Man", "The Second Race", and "Quietude". CD

An amazing jam session set – of the sort that was rarely issued in the 60s, and hardly ever on labels like Solid State Records! The album features a small group of all-star players recorded live at the Village Vanguard in 1967 – all blowing on long, unstructured tunes that offer amazing solo space, and the kind of spontaneity that's rarely captured so well in a live jazz setting. Players include Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Chick Corea on piano, Ray Nance on violin, Richard Davis on bass, and either Elvin Jones or Mel Lewis on drums – and the unusual mix of players really comes together beautifully for the record, in a rare spirit that recalls the best of the Norman Granz JATP sessions, but with a hipper sort of 60s feel. Titles include "Birk's Works", "Blues For Max", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "Lullaby At The Leaves" – all presented in very long versions, 2 of which are longer here than ever before! The second disc in this series that captures the fire and spontaneity of the famous late 60s Sunday afternoon sessions at the Village Vanguard – recorded when that club was an important site for criss-crossing of styles and traditions, as you'll hear wonderfully in this set! The album features a sextet that includes Pepper Adams, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Richard Davis, Mel Lewis, and Garnet Brown – playing in an easy, open format that has them really stretching out on 3 long tracks. The focus here is on the solo work of the players, but there's also a surprisingly great sense of cohesiveness and lyrical interplay as well. Titles include "Tour De Force", "On The Trail", and "Sweet Gorgia Brown" – 2 of which are here in tracks that have never been issued in this longer format! CD

Prime post-Coltrane material from Elvin Jones – featuring his "power trio" style of operation, with one great sax player out front, and Jones kicking it in the back with the bass player! In this case, the sax player is George Coleman – who's really finding a voice of his own in these late 60s years, and really makes the most of the extended space of the album to stretch out, soar, and show off his ever-growing talent for a powerful solo! Wilbur Little is on bass, playing nice round warm notes to offset Jones' edgey playing – and the group's joined by trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson on one track – who brings in a soulful edge that's mighty nice. All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Laura", "Mister Jones", and "By George". CD

Elvin Jones on drums, Chip Jackson on bass, Fumio Karashima on piano, Frank Foster and Pat LaBarbera on saxophone. CD

Amazing stuff from Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones! Unlike some of the other players on Prestige during the early 70s – who often got a bit weaker as the decade moved on, thanks to the departure of some of the better forces arranging and producing the records – Jones kept on playing hard, improving his guitar skill to a point where he was riffing and grooving away at a pace that's simply mindblowing when you hear it. Case in point is the mighty "Black Whip", a fantastic bit of funky jazz that cracks back and forth with all the whiplike qualities hinted at in the title – and which has a totally infectious jazz dance groove that always gets us on the floor. Other titles include the original groovers "Freak Off" and "Crank Me Up", both tasty numbers, plus some mellow pop covers like "My Love" and "Daniel". LP, Vinyl record album

4 discs worth of material recorded by Coltrane in a variety of settings at the Village Vanguard in November 1961! Eric Dolphy is included on most takes, and the bass chair is filled by either Jimmy Garrison or Reggie Workman, and on some takes both (!), McCoy Tyner is on piano, Elvin Jones is on drums and a few songs feature Ahmed Abdul Malik or Garvin Bushnell. Titles include multiple readings of "India", "Chasin' The Trane", "Spiritual", "Miles' Mode" and more! CD

Sublimely spiritual work from the great John Coltrane – a live album, but one that's easily one of his most important contributions to music in the early 60s – and a set that we'd rank right up there with his best studio sides for Impulse or Atlantic Records at the time! The group here features McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – plus the very important addition of Eric Dolphy on the leadoff tune "Spiritual" – a number that features Dolphy on bass clarinet alongside Coltrane's tremendous tenor, as both players open up on extended solos that take the tune to nearly 14 minutes in length! Other numbers omit Dolphy, but are still totally great – and Coltrane picks up the soprano sax for a classic reading of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" – and the group shifts slightly for the freer "Chasin The Trane", a 16 minute romp done with only tenor sax, drums, and bass – the latter of which is handled here by Jimmy Garrison instead of Workman. CD

The complete Riverside recordings! Complete! That's 12 CDs worth of Bill Evans, documenting some of the finest performances he ever recorded. As you'd expect, there's quite a lot of trio sides presented here, including the great group featuring Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, but there's also a few early excursions into the solo setting he'd return to again and again as well as a few sessions featuring horns. The list of sidemen is filled with heavies from Paul Chambers, Teddy Kotick, Philly Joe Jones and Cannonball Adderley to Freddie Hubbard, Jim Hall, Zoot Sims and Ron Carter. If you know any of the Riverside recordings, you know this is where Evans established himself as one of the leading pianists of his age, and laid the blueprint for a much imitated style. This set features the entirety of loads of great LPs, like New Jazz Conceptions, Everybody Digs Bill Evans, Waltz For Debby, Portrait In Jazz, Sunday At The Village Vanguard and more! CD

Bill Evans on paino, Michael Moore on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Tracks include "Gary's Theme", "Emily", "The Peacocks", "How My Heart Sings", "Song From M*A*S*H", and "Re: Person I Knew". CD

Lost Bill Evans material from his tremendous early run on Riverside Records – sessions recorded in 1959, but unreleased to the public for many years! The core of the record features Evans working with Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones both rhythm players that Bill interacted with while working in the Miles Davis group, and a strongly-voiced team to echo the sense of space and timing that was the particular Evans touch in the early days. Why these tracks never came out is a real mystery to us – because Bill's still very much at the top of his game, despite having not liked the material at the time of recording – and the Chambers/Jones rhythm section give the tunes a very solid focus throughout. Titles include "You & The Night & The Music", "My Heart Stood Still", "On Green Dolphin Street", "How Am I To Know", and 2 takes of "Woody N You". Added to that number is a really surprising bonus – a 1962 recording of "Loose Bloose", done with Jim Hall on guitar and Zoot Soms on alto – making for one of those rare non-trio dates by Evans! 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

A fantastic lost set from modernist genius Gil Evans – one that expands on some of the larger group territory he was exploring with Miles Davis at Columbia Records – but with an even hipper range of soloists overall! The lineup on the record is an all-star one – mostly top shelf players, not studio musicians – and the set has Evans making room in the arrangements for key solo performances by giants who include Johnny Coles on trumpet, Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Budd Johnson on tenor, Ray Crawford on guitar, and both Curtis Fuller and Jimmy Cleveland on trombones – all players who each bring some key moments of magic to the larger arrangements on the album. Evans himself plays piano, and drums are by Elvin Jones and Dennis Charles – which should give you an idea of the modernist inclinations in the music. And although the title says "standards", the tunes here are definitely on the hipper side of the jazz spectrum of the 50s, expanded with beautiful modern arrangements by Gil – on versions of "Joy Spring", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", "Django", "Straight No Chaser", and "Chant Of The Weed". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal session for Gil Evans – one that brought his genius to the American public strongly and successfully, without the help of Miles Davis! Sure, Gil had recorded albums as a leader before this one – but the sparkling quality of this set is right up there with the charts he handled for Miles, and the quality of the players in the group make the performance every bit as great. Gil's band includes trumpeter Johnny Coles, plus Ron Carter on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, Budd Johnson on tenor, and Ray Crawford on guitar – all players who open up the sound with a magnificent array of colors that sparkle from the sublime Evans arranging touch. Titles include "Stratusphunk", "Sunken Treasure", "La Nevada", and a great reading of Kurt Weil's "Bilbao Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Blue Note 2-fer that brings together some of Gil Evans' great modernist jazz pieces for the World Pacific label. The material was all recorded in New York in 1958 and 1959, and the groups include crack jazz players like Steve Lacy, Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderley, Johnn Coles, Elvin Jones, and Evans himself. The tracks are mostly standards, but they're given super-sharp arrangements by Evans, in the style that he was using for some of his work with Miles Davis. They also feature prominent soloists, also as with the Miles work, and titles include "Chant Of The Weed", "Lester Leaps In", "Round Midnight", "Manteca", and "Sruttin With Some Barbeque". 2 LPs, with a good essay on Evans' work. LP, Vinyl record album