An early album as a leader from the great Roy Ayers – a set that captures the vibes man at a time when he'd been working on the west coast soul jazz scene, and was stepping into even greater fame in the group of Herbie Mann! Yet this set is definitely Roy's own – kind of an introduction to the more righteous sounds he'd pursue in the 70s, set up in an instrumental mode with great help from Herbie Hancock on piano, Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, and Hubert Laws on flute – all ultra-hip players who really bring a lot to the record! And despite the colorful cover, and its reference of a pop hit, there's a much deeper vibe going on here – on titles that include a great version of Jobim's "Wave" – done like we've never heard it before – plus the original cuts "What The People Say", "Lil's Paradise", and "A Rose For Cindy". CD

This one was recorded in 1968, issued briefly on a small label, and then finally pressed for the larger masses during the early 70s by the Cobblestone label. Despite this checkered history, though, the album's one of Green's best small group recordings – and features a classic jazz organ trio sound, and features Green's guitar with the organ of John Patton and the drumming of Ben Dixon. We can't imagine a better combo, especially as the three of them were one of the best teams ever to put out soul jazz sessions for Blue Note! The record includes the version of "High Heel Sneakers" that has shown up on a few comps over the years, plus the tracks "Work Song", "Iron City", and "Old Man Moses". The feel is very similar to some of Green's Blue Notes, with a very classic sound. CD

One of the last great albums that Hank Mobley ever cut! Although Mobley's 70s output was nothing compared to his 60s Blue Note work, this 1972 session for Cobblestone/Muse is a winner, and features the aging tenorist co-leading a crack quintet with Cedar Walton, and featuring Billy Higgins, Sam Jones, and Charles Davis. The set's freer than Mobley's Blue Note work, but the group's right on the money – and the record is dominated by fierce soulful solos. Walton plays both acoustic and electric piano, at times, the record feels as if it might have been issued on the Black Jazz label. Tracks include "Sabia", "Breakthrough", "Early Morning Stroll", and the beautiful "House On Maple Street". CD

We never tire of the saxophone work of Sonny Criss – and this mid 70s gem is a perfect example of his brilliance! Sonny's sound on alto here is completely his own – raspily, soulful style that's really unique – and which draws strongly from Criss' rich life experience, including his years away from music (he'd been retired for most of the 70s before the time of this album.) The group's laidback and open – with Dolo Coker on piano, Ray Crawford on guitar, Larry Gales on bass, and Jimmy Smith on drums – a group that's all well with Criss on his journey – but also lets him sparkle brightly in the lead. Titles include the extended track "Isle Of Celia", plus "This Is For Benny", "Blues In My Heart", and "Crisscraft". CD

Great later work from Sonny Criss – very much in the format of his late 60s work for Prestige, but with an approach that's perhaps a bit more open-ended overall! The vibe here is laidback and soulful – Sonny blowing alto sax in that wonderful, all-his-own sort of tone – a sound that's almost tenor-like in phrasing, but with a crisp alto quality that's completely sublime! The group's a batch of familiar associates, all of whom lay back wonderfully in the rhythms – Dolo Coker on piano, Larry Gales on bass, and Jimmie Smith on drums. There's a solidness here that few other players can match – and titles include the original numbers "The Dreamer" and "The First One" – plus "El Tiante", "All The Things You Are", and "Out Of Nowhere". CD

Nice set that brings together the best moments from Eddie Jefferson's Muse years! Eddie's one of our favorite jazz vocalists of all time – and even though he got his start in the bebop years, these 70's recordings are still fantastic stuff. In fact, they may even show him in his best light ever, as the decade was a time when he was being rediscovered by younger fans and players, which added a heck of a lot of energy to his work. The CD includes a range of material – from straight jazz numbers like "Night In Tunisia", "Keep Walkin", and "Ornithology", to stranger 70's funky ones, like "Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again", "Freedom Jazz Dance", and "Zap! Carnivorous". CD

This might well be the best album that Les McCann ever cut during the 70s! It's got some killer electric piano riffs, of the sort that are being sampled heavily today by the kids, and which are getting his music to a whole new generation. The tracks have a tight spacey funk sound, and they don't have any of the vocals that (we feel) can often get in the way of some of Les' later works! Loads of great tracks, including "The Harlem Buck Dance Strut" and "Dunbar High School Marching Band", both of which are nice and sexy and funky, and with a cool dope sound to them! Other tracks include "Before I Rest", "Soaring (At Sunset)", and "Sometimes I Cry". CD

A great little later set from Charlie Rouse – recorded for the Landmark label, and done in a real "back to basics" style! The format is modern, Monkish hardbop – a full set of Thelonious originals, performed lovingly by Rouse, Monk's most important sideman of the 60s. The tunes are taken a bit more freely than on their classic readings by Monk – which is a good thing, as it makes the album much more than just a rehash of older themes. Players on the set include Don Cherry, George Cables, Buddy Montgomery, and Jessica Williams – and tunes include "Nutty", "Ruby My Dear", "Blue Monk", "Epistrophy", and "In Walked Bud". CD

Features Zoot Sims on tenor and soprano sax, Benny Aronov on piano, Major Holley on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums. CD

Later material by Mingus – and very much an exploration of rootsier styles, with a slight modernist bent. The group's a good assemblage of players who'd become Mingus' most trusted by this point – a smaller ensemble that includes George Adams, Don Pullen, Ronald Hampton, and the always-faithful Dannie Richmond. Doug Hammond and Honey Gordon sing vocals on the track "Moves" – and other titles include "Canon", "Opus 4", and "Opus 3" – all by Mingus – plus Pullen's "Newcomer" and Adams' "Flowers For A Lady". CD

James Moody's definitely feelin it here – stepping back into a straighter hardbop mode after some funkier sets of the early 70s – really sounding great on tenor, alto, and flute – and working with a very hip quartet for the date! Kenny Barron's in the group on both electric and acoustic piano (plus a bit of harpsichord) – and given his previous work with Moody in Dizzy Gillespie's group, the players already have a well-established repoire that shows clearly on the record – at at times, Barron nicely sets the scene with some of his moodier 70s playing, which really suits James' flute work well. Bass is by Larry Ridley and drums are by Freddie Waits – two more key players in this very hip quartet – and titles include "Anthropolgy", "Dreams", "Autumn Leaves", 'Wave", "Morning Glory", and "Kriss Kross". CD

With Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet and Stan Hope on piano – on titles that include "Only Trust Your Heart", "Almost Like Being In Love", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Just For You". CD

A smoking little bop set from Sonny Stitt – recorded live at the Keystone in 1981, as sort of a "summit meeting" of horns – one that features Richie Cole and John Handy in the frontline with Sonny! The rhythm section alone is enough to cook this one up nicely – with Cedar Walton on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the sextet is expanded by Bobby Hutcherson, whose vibes seem to bring an even deeper level of soul to the set. But the main focus here is on the horns – and it's a focus that's well-kept, especially on the longer tunes, which really sparkle in the range of tone and mood expressed. Highlights include an extended "Ballad Medley" and versions of "Wee", "Lover Man", and "Star Eyes". (And by the way, that's "bad", as in "good" – in case you couldn't guess from the title!) CD

A surprising 90s set from The Jazz Passengers – the New York group who'd worked in many modes other than just the straight jazz you might guess from their name, but who here maybe take things back to basics, especially on some of the cuts that bring in vocals from famous guests who include Deborah Harry and Elvis Costello! In some ways, Harry is the core of the set – as she unlocks this great jazz-based side of her style, in a way that gives her voice a whole new level of expression – one that's surprisingly strong next to the instrumentation provided by Roy Nathanson, Curis Fowlkes, and the rest of the group. Elvis Costello sings moodily on the tune "Aubergine" – but most other vocal numbers feature Deborah Harry, and include "Pork Chop", "Lil Darlin", "Maybe I'm Lost", "Imitation Of A Kiss", "Ole", and "Angel Eyes". Harry and Costello duet on "Doncha Go Way Mad" – and the set also features a nice instrumental remake of the Nat Adderley tune "Jive Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Grant Green, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Donald Byrd, Richard "Groove" Holmes, David "Fathead" Newman, Sonny Criss, Ernie Andrews, Woody Shaw, Hank Jones, and Roomful Of Blues. CD

Music from Catalyst, Les McCann, Joao Donato, Grant Green, Carlos Garnett, Eddie Jefferson and more. CD

Features Stanley Cowell on piano and Buster Williams on bass! CD

A surprising 90s set from The Jazz Passengers – the New York group who'd worked in many modes other than just the straight jazz you might guess from their name, but who here maybe take things back to basics, especially on some of the cuts that bring in vocals from famous guests who include Deborah Harry and Elvis Costello! In some ways, Harry is the core of the set – as she unlocks this great jazz-based side of her style, in a way that gives her voice a whole new level of expression – one that's surprisingly strong next to the instrumentation provided by Roy Nathanson, Curis Fowlkes, and the rest of the group. Elvis Costello sings moodily on the tune "Aubergine" – but most other vocal numbers feature Deborah Harry, and include "Pork Chop", "Lil Darlin", "Maybe I'm Lost", "Imitation Of A Kiss", "Ole", and "Angel Eyes". Harry and Costello duet on "Doncha Go Way Mad" – and the set also features a nice instrumental remake of the Nat Adderley tune "Jive Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2CD set that brings together some of Mark Murphy's best recordings for the legendary Muse label – one that has a focus on the more standard sides sung by Murphy, but in true Murphy mode, also has some really surprising moments! Murphy's work for the label really helped redefine the sound of the male voice in jazz – as he opened up the staid, often overly-romantic manner that male singers had be held to in jazz – and went for a more freewheeling style that pushed the envelope of rhythm, improvisation, and overall swing. The sides on the set are amazing – whether Murphy's singing hipper jazz tunes like "Effendi", Naima", or "Maiden Voyage" – or working with more traditional numbers like "Lush Life", "Farmer's Market", "Bijou", or "Along Came Betty". Great stuff all around, with tracks that span his work in the 70s and 80s – 26 numbers that also include "Doxy", "Ceora Lives", "Charleston Alley", "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", and "Come & Get Me". CD

Includes music by Charles Brown, Houston Person, Jimmy Ponder, Wallace Roney, Hank Jones, Sonny Criss, and more. CD

With Al Cohn on tenor sax, Zoot Sims on tenor and soprano sax, Jaki Byard on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. CD

The legendary meeting of the two biggest Brazilian keyboard talents of the 70s – Joao Donato and Eumir Deodato – coming together in beautifully funky formation! The sound is a great blend of the moody electric work of Donato's classic Quem E Quem album, and some of the fuller, funkier grooves on Deodato's work for CTI – served up here in a double-keyboard blend with help from a host of great guest musicians! Other players include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Romeo Penque on flute, Mauricio Einhorn on harmonica, and Michael Gibson on guitar – plus plenty of percussion from Airto and Ray Barretto, who both join in to round out this all star session. Tracks are nicely long, and very jamming at times – and titles include the funky "Whistle Stop", plus "Where's JD", "Capricorn", "Nightripper", and "Batuque". CD

Fantastic material from the late 60's period in which Eddie Harris was using his amazing tone, Atlantic's money, and the deep resources of the Chicago jazz scene to come up with some of the best recordings of his career. The four albums on this CD set – The In Sound, Mean Greens, Tender Storm, and Silver Cycles – blend soul jazz, groovy production, and larger concepts into a haunting melange of jazzy tracks that bring us joy time and time again – even though we've owned most of the albums for years! The whole thing's packaged together very nicely, and includes all the original cover art, plus new and old liner notes, and great sound. There's a far too much music on here to mention in great detail, but we're super-pleased to see something like this on the market – and to see this under-reissued side of Eddie's career finally get this kind of attention! CD

One of the greatest contributions made by the 32 Jazz label so far has been the rich amount of classic Roland Kirk material they've released on the market. The best of Kirk's work has been out of print for years, and like the folks at 32 Jazz, we think that's a darn shame – which is why we're extra-excited about a set like this! This nicely (and strangely) packaged 3 CD set features 2 CDs worth of previously unreleased live material – recorded in the years 1964 to 1975, by jazz recordist/archivist George Bonafacio. The material is amazing, and definitely gives proof to the claim that Kirk's live sets were even more amazing than his studio recordings. There's a wealth of great stuff here that really opens up an understanding of Kirk's 60s and early 70s years – and titles include "Rahsaantalk", "Misterioso", "Jammin With A Wolf", "Sister Sadie", "Blues For Alice", and a very groovy "Multi-Horn Medley". And if that's not enough, the 3rd CD of the set features the totally rare Natural Black Inventions album, which Kirk recorded for Atlantic. The record's got an amazing sound: Roland plays solo (mostly), and without the aid of overdubbing, to create these amazing soundscapes of multiple horns and circular breathing. It's filled with these fantastic throbbing pulsating reed lines, with one horn blowing rhythm, and one playing an adventurous solo – and both being blown live a the same time! Tracks include "Black Root", "Raped Voices", "Day Dream", and "Something For Trane That Trane Could Have Said". 3 great CDs of material by one of our favorite-ever reed players – and nicely priced, if we do say so ourselves! CD

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Tracks include "Together Again", "Serenade In Blue", "Willow Weep For Me", "Bouncing With Bud", and "The Midnight Sun Will Never Set". CD

With Roy Brooks, Jimmy Cobb, Alan Dawson, Walter Davis, George Duvivier, Barry Harris, Louis Hayes, Billy Higgins, Sam Jones, Duke Jordan, Herbie Lewis, Junior Mance, Cedar Walton, and Leroy Williams. CD

With Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. Includes "Samba Du Bois", "Nefertiti", "Airegin", "The Last Page", and "The Summer Knows". CD

An obscure little session from Kenny Burrell – recorded at the end of the 70s, and with a very laidback feel! The set was produced by Helen Keane, who'd done some of Bill Evans' greatest sets – and who had a real ear for the mellower side of the jazz spectrum. And for the record, she's got Kenny playing in a trio format that's very spacious – with only gentle accompaniment from Reggie Johnson on bass and Sherman Ferguson on drums, and most of the sound on the set coming from the strings of Kenny's guitar. Following in the gentle spirit of the set, Kenny even plays an acoustic guitar on 2 numbers – making for a very different sound than usual. Some tracks are quite long, really letting Kenny open up on his solos – and titles include "So Little Time", "All Blues", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "You & The Night & The Music". CD

Billy Childs on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. CD

2 classic Atlantic sessions by Roland Kirk! The wonderful Volunteered Slavery is our favorite Roland Kirk album, and a beautiful mix of two different styles. Side one's got Roland doing these crazy takes on late 60's pop cuts like "My Cherie Amour" and "Say a Little Prayer", plus his own "songs" (with vocals and everything!). Side two has him running through a tight live set from Newport 1968, and playing non-stop, with fire throughout. Both sides are fantastic – and the album's a brilliant testament to his nutty genius, and proof that it worked the best when it was at its nuttiest! Blacknuss features moody jazz versions of some of the biggest soul hits of the early 70's – including tracks like "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me", and "Ain't No Sunshine" – plus some other nice originals which sum up his take on "blacknuss". Titles include "Blacknuss", "Which Way Is It Going", and "One Nation". Billy Butler is on guitar, and the great Sonelius Smith is on piano on a number of tracks. There's 21 cuts in all, on 2 CDs! CD

A lovely record from Woody Shaw – one of his excellent and understated sides from the early 80s, recorded with a quartet that includes Cedar Walton on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Victor Jones on drums. The tunes are mostly standards, but they're handled with a soulful depth that really takes them to the next level – and the album's got a great original called "Spiderman Blues", plus versions of "There Is No Greater Love", "All The Way", and "What's New". CD

Early 70s magic from Sonny Stitt – two albums recorded in 1972 for the Cobblestone label! First up is Tune Up – a great one from Stitt's post-Prestige years, and a real back-to-basics effort that recalls the genius of his work on Roost! The format is straight and simple – Stitt's tenor and alto fronting a quartet that includes Barry Harris, Sam Jones, and Alan Dawson – all playing in a way that puts Sonny in command on all tracks, blowing with an amazing tone that makes us want to throw away all his funk, organ, and electric outings, and just concentrate on these straight acoustic sides. Stitt has a way of blowing the reed like he's got his whole mouth moving into the sax – an earthy, human, and personal feel that first came out strongly in his work during the late 50s, but which has grown even more by this point – even if you couldn't hear the development on other sets. And given our love of funk and electric sides, we're honestly surprised we find ourselves championing a record like this from the early 70s – but it's a great one, and not to be missed if you remotely dig Stitt! Titles include "Tune Up", "Idaho", "Just Friends", "Groovin High", and "Blues For Prez & Bird". Constellation is all bop and all soul all the way through, and recorded with a tight quartet that features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums! The style's a bit like Sonny's work of the late 50s, but there's also a fluidity to the rhythm section that makes it a bit different too – a sound that's warm, open, and soulful – creating a space into which Stitt settles nicely and blows like mad. There's no gimmicks at all, just solid classic jazz skills – and titles include "Casbah", "Constellation", "By Accident", "Webb City", and "Topsy". CD

Music from Jimmy Smith, King Curtis, Herbie Hancock, Mose Allison, Jimmy McGriff, Brother Jack McDuff, Oscar Brown Jr., Herbie Mann, The Kenny Clarke - Francy Boland Sextet, Googie Rene, and more -32 songs in all. CD

A mighty nice collection of work from the second chapter in the career of piano legend Ramsey Lewis – work that he recorded for Columbia Records in the 70s and 80s, after his initial run at Chess – and with a sound that's even groovier and more soulful than before! Ramsey in the 70s was a many of many talents and expressions – still great on acoustic piano, but also a hell of a player on Fender Rhodes, which he uses often on a lot of these cuts – and also tied even more strongly than before to Maurice White (his old drummer) and the world of Earth Wind & Fire – who are on board to help Lewis hit some really righteous moments at times. There's also some live material, a bit of soul-styled tracks, and guest work from Nancy Wilson alng the way – and the set features a whopping 32 tracks on 2CDs – with titles that include "Spring High", "Caring For You", "Tambura, "So Much More", "Lynn (live)", "Hot Dawgit", "Paradise", "Expansions", "Sun Goddess", "Sassy Stew (live)", "Whisper Zone", "Camino El Bueno", "All The Way Live", "Intimacy", and "I'll Always Dream About You". CD

A record that definitely lives up to its title – as it's a lot freer and more spiritual than later work from drummer Bubbha Thomas and his Lightmen group! This set perfectly captures the unique vibe that the ensemble brought to the Houston scene at the start of the 70s – really the same sort of new jazz freedom explored by artists like Horace Tapscott in LA, or the AACM in Chicago – performed by a generation of musicians who might have been more straight ahead a few years before – but who really take off here in the new energy of the post-Coltrane years! Most numbers are still pretty rhythmic, and have a unified core – but some of the performances are even more outside than you'd know from later Lightmen records – showing a strong avant jazz pedigree for the members of the group. The lineup here features a very young Ronnie Laws on alto, soprano sax, and flute – sounding quite different than his jazz fusion work of the late 70s – and in addition to Thomas on drums, other players include Doug Harris on tenor, Carl Adams on trumpet, Kenny Abair on guitar, and Joe Singleton on trombone. Titles include "Creative Music", "Free As You Wanna Be", "May 67", "Luke 23:32-49", "#109 Psychosomatic", and "Talk Visit". Plus, this 2CD version features unreleased extended mono mixes – and a great booklet of notes! CD

Five years of amazing sounds from Dexter Wansel – a keyboardist who could be as far out as his fiercest fusion contemporaries of the 70s, yet also groove with enough soulful styles to be a key part of the Philadelphia International explosion of the 70s! This massive collection really gets at all that made Wansel so great back in the day – his incredible ear for inventive arrangements, spacey way of spinning out a soul tune, and great sense of balance that never made his music sound overdone – always an effortless blend of jazz, soul, and funk – in ways that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to touch! Many of these tunes have vocals, but they also have plenty of keyboard solos too – kind of like CTI hitting a Philly groove, but one that was definitely reserved for the hipper spaces of the clubs – or the hipper clubs out there in outer space. 2CD set features great notes, sublime sound, and a killer batch of 32 tracks that includes "Life On Mars", "Disco Lights", "Let Me Rock You", "I'll Never Forget My Favorite Disco (12" version)", "The Sweetest Pain", "Holdin On", "One Million Miles From The Ground", "Rings Of Saturn", "Theme From The Planets", "Funk Attack", "Stargazer", "Ode Infinitum", "Latin Love", "Let Me Rock You", "Holdin On", "Prelude 1", "New Beginning", "Time Is The Teacher", "A Prophet Named KG", "I Just Want To Love You", "All Night Long", "It's Been Cool", "Voyager", and "Time Is Slipping Away". CD

One of the most righteous, message-oriented albums ever from David Axelrod – and the third in his legendary trilogy of instrumental sets for Capitol Records! Earth Rot moves even past the modes of Songs Of Innocence and Songs Of Experience – to offer up a chilling message on the environment, circa 1970 – with beautiful arrangements in the best Axelrod tradition – performed by a large group of jazz players who mixes vibes, guitars, and off-kilter reeds – augmented by a group of singers who perform some of the lyrics of the set, most of which are adapted from the Old Testament and from Navajo legends! The record's broken into two long suites – "The Warnings" and "The Signs" – and the whole thing blends together in a spacey, other-worldly mix of heavy arrangements and trippy grooves! Amazing package – includes a full bonus LP of instrumental versions, appearing here for the first time ever – plus a huge 32 page booklet of notes and images! CD

A full three albums by the legendary Pyramids – all packaged together in one complete set, with an unreleased bonus album too! The Pyramids recorded three key records during the 70s – each of them an underground classic, all served up in a wonderful bit of spiritual soul jazz with a really cosmic feel! The group are heavy on percussion and reeds – blending congas and assorted other percussion instruments with soprano sax, alto, and flute – all in a captivating sound that builds up nicely over the course of the album's two long tracks! The music is very organic – never too forced, nor never too far out – and there's a majestic quality to the whole thing, one that really lives up to the group's name and image on the cover. And although the ensemble hail from Ohio – hardly a spot you'd peg for spiritual jazz in the 70s – they're a key link between the early 70s avant movements in Chicago and St Louis, some of the hip grooves in Detroit's Tribe Records scene, and the growing loft jazz movement in New York. The reeds are especially nice – alto sax from Idris Ackamoor and flute from Margo Ackamoor – and all other group members play percussion, and vocalize too – singing along with some of the tunes in chanting, chorus formation, which adds an even further element of soul to the mix. Includes the full albums Lalibela, King Of Kings, and Birth Speed Merging – plus the rare album Live At KQED, recorded by the group in 1975! Great package – features the full albums, plus a 32 page booklet of new notes and rare photos! CD

A compelling mix of tracks from the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe – one that's definitely the concert album promised in the title, but one that seems to bring together performances from many different shows! The music here seems to span the space of a few decades, which is great – because you get to hear Tharpe in her early days with Lucky Millinder – as much more of a jazz performer – then move into later years, where she was getting new respect from audiences in folk and blues, and was able to record in some very intimate, personal settings. We wish there were more details on the recordings (a frequent complaint of ours with the Airline label) – but we can hardly complain, given that the set features a massive 32 tracks on 2CDs for a mighty nice price – with titles that include "Rock Daniel", "I Want A Tall Skinny Papa", "This Train", "Two Little Fishes & Five Loaves Of Bread", "Take My Hand Precious Lord", "Mansions In The Sky", "Sit Down", "That's All", and "Travelin Shoes". CD

A real standout in Chris Connor's legendary run for Atlantic Records – and a unique double-length set that was almost her answer to some of the 2LP Verve songbook sessions from Ella Fitzgerald! Like those, this album's based upon the work of a single composer – and features key Gershwin compositions from the 20s and 30s, redone here with a moody, mellow, jazz-based approach – one that unlocks even more darkness in these tunes than you might expect! Instrumentation is by a number of different small groups – assemblages of players who include Joe Newman on trumpet, Sam Most on clarinet, Herbie Mann on flute, Milt Jackson on vibes, Al Cohn on tenor, and Ralph Sharon on piano – all working with arrangements by Sharon, Ray Ellis, and Stan Free. The album features a whopping 32 titles in all – with tracks that include "A Foggy Day", "Strike Up The Band", "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "Little Jazzbird", "My One & Only", "That Certain Feeling", "Fascinating Rhythm", "Our Love Is Here To Stay", "Liza", "Soon", and "I Can't Be Bothered Now". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Strike Up The Band" and "Summertime", done in different takes. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible addition to the world of Charlie Brown soundtracks – and a record that's different both from the jazz album of Vince Guaraldi tunes issued by Fantasy, and the album of Rod McKuen and other instrumental tunes issued by Columbia! Instead, this one goes right to the source tapes for the original cartoon, instead of featuring later re-recordings – and the result is a batch of music that's wonderfully fresh, and which offers up a sublime mixing of both Guaraldi and McKuen modes! There's certainly lots of jazzy tunes by Vince – those cool piano cuts that he did so famously for Peanuts shows – but served up here in versions that are different than the ones on record, and interspersed with some larger orchestrations from John Scott Trotter – and the McKuen tunes are different than those recorded for Columbia – as they sometimes feature vocals by the characters, mixed with a few sung by Rod – and also a few instrumentals too. Plus, the whole thing comes with 10 more bonus tracks – a whopping 32 titles in all – with alternate and unused versions. Titles include "Percussion Swinger/Baseball Theme", "Blue Charlie Brown", "I Before E", "Champion Charlie Brown", "Linus & Lucy (Big City)", "Charlie Brown & His All Stars", "Bus Wheel Blues", and "Failure Face". CD

One of the coolest compilations we've seen from Sonar Kollektiv in a long time – a set that features both CD and a cookbook by the artists! The approach here is pretty unique – very much in keeping with the Homecooking title, which is matched both by the recipes in the book, and the mellow moods of the tunes in the set! Artists are from the warmer, more soulful side of the Sonar Kollektiv spectrum – and the set is really an amazing overview of some incredible work – tracks we'd love to death anyway, even if they weren't in a package like this. But the cookbook makes the whole thing even cooler – and features recipes, stories, and food information by the likes of Leon Ware, Rainer Truby, Clara Hill, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Hannes Bieger, and many others – 32 pages in a cool tiny "Betty Crocker-like" cover – with a total of 27 recipes. Music includes "Everything" by Georg Levin, "Solid Water" by Extended Spirit, "Love Thang" by Soul Phiction, "Macedonia" by Third Eye, "The Day II" by Platnum, "The Fake Anti Waltz" by The Slapped Eyeballers, "Held Him First" by Deyampert, "Just Paradise" by Clara Hill, "Ray Ray" by Fat Freddys Drop, "Night In Brazil" by Leon Ware, and "Mandelbrot" by Meitz. CD

One of the funkiest CD sets you could ever hope to own – a 2 disc package that contains all 3 legendary Janus albums by Cymande, plus rare unreleased tracks! Cymande were a key part of the crumbling British colonial network that produced some excellent music in the postwar years – a group comprised mostly of West Indians who'd emigrated to England in the 60s, eventually meeting up under a shared musical vision to create a completely new blend of funk, dub, jazz, and soul that was unlike anything else that had been recorded before! There's plenty of heavy bassy bits on many tracks – coupled with skittish rhythms, odd production, and a cross-cultural groove that runs the gamut from African, to American, to Jamaican influences. The set's got a whopping 32 cuts in all – with killer funk numbers like "Brothers On the Slide", "Bird", "Crawshay", "Losin Ground", "Changes", "Bra", "Fug", "Anthracite", and "The Message", sampled by Master Ace to great fame – plus unreleased tracks like "Friends", "Mighty Heavy Load", and "Our Love"! CD

A whopping 3CD collection of work by Shorty Rogers – and one of the best to document his classic quintet years of the mid 50s! Although Shorty may be best known for his bigger group arrangements of the time, his quintet work is almost even better – sharply tuned and very angular stuff, graced with some impeccable reed work by Jimmy Giuffre, a player who's perfectly suited to Rogers' great blend of modern jazz and swinging rhythms! The package describes something of a recording arc by Shorty – his self-titled quintet session for RCA in 1955 – with Giuffre, Pete Jolly, Curtis Counce, and Shelly Manne – followed by the Atlantic albums Swinging Mr Rogers and Martians Come Back for Atlantic – finished with the classic RCA date Wherever The Five Winds Blow – a really amazing album that has Rogers playing on some of his longest and most open-ended tunes of the 50s! The whole thing's great – a really cohesive package that steps across two different labels to offer a comprehensive portrait of Shorty during these seminal years. 32 tracks in all – including "Joycycle", "The Goof & I", "Martians Go Home", "Not Really The Blues", "Bill", "Lady In Red", "Solarization", "That's What I'm Talkin Bout", "Michele's Meditation", "Peals", "Lotus Bud", "Easy", "Amber Leaves", "March Of The Martians", "Marooned In A Monsoon", "Prevailing On The Westerlies", and "Breezin Along In The Trades". CD

Fantastic stuff – one of Mary Lou Williams' hippest albums, and one of the few in which she blended in funk with her spiritual jazz piano musings! The record's got a larger group arranged by Mary – grooving in a post-Hair kind of funky ensemble way – a bit spiritual at times, but nicely stripped down and soulful at others – with a mystical blend of voices and jazz, at a level to rival similar work from the time by Max Roach, Horace Silver, or Billy Harper! The bassist and drummer really make the record groove nicely – giving a few tracks a surprisingly funky sound – and tracks include "Gloria", "In His Day", "Lazarus", "One", "Praise The Lord", and "Lamb Of God". CD also adds some additional tunes to the original album – making for a 24-track package that's also supported by a 32-page booklet! CD

Democracy got a mighty challenge in 2020, and the Jazz At Lincoln Center group did as well – kept away from performing for a big part of the year, but able to finally regroup and give the world this wonderful suite of tracks composed by Wynton Marsalis! Over the years, Marsalis has become such a frontman and public figure, we sometimes forget that at the core, there's a great ear for creative music – both on the charts, and in performance – something that definitely comes to the forefront here as Wynton solos in a lineup that also features solo performances from Ted Nash on flute and alto, Elliot Mason on trombone, Walter Blanding on tenor and soprano, Dan Nimmer on piano, and Obed Calvaire on drums and percussion. The tunes on the set work together both as separate songs and a unified whole – give a spirit that's hopeful and majestic, on titles that include "Out Amongst The People", "Deeper Than Dreams", "Sloganize Patronize Realize Revolutionize", "It Come Round Gin", and "That's When All Will See". LP, Vinyl record album

The first 2 entries in Decca's incredible Jazz Studio series – a set of recordings designed to rival the Jam Session sides over at Verve – handled with an equally great range of players, and often recorded in an open studio style! Jazz Studio 1 is the first and loosest of the series from the 50s – an quite possibly the most Verve-like too. This set's got a very open-ended jam session feel – with a group that include Paul Quinichette and Frank Foster on tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Benny Green on trombone, Joe Newman on trumpet, Johnny Smith on guitar, and Kenny Clarke on drums – playing two long tracks, one on each side: "Let's Split" and "Tenderly" – taken in long versions that have plenty of room for solo space! Jazz Studio 2 is easily one of our favorite of the Jazz Studio series on Decca – featuring altoist Herb Geller with a group that includes Milt Bernhardt on trombone, John Graas on French horn, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Marty Paich on piano, and Howard Roberts on guitar – supported by the team of Curtis Counce on bass and Larry Bunker on drums. The overall approach is tight, but with lean and mean solos – similar to work by these players on labels like Mode or Nocturne at the time, but with longer than usual tracks – in keeping with the Jazz Studio style. Titles include "Do It Again", "Graas Point", "Laura", "Here Come The Lions", and "Paicheck" – which is not a typo, as the tune was written by Marty Paich! CD

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All That Jazz expand their sound here, as you might guess from the winds and wood hinted in the title – using saxes and a bit of strings in a great way over their surprisingly dynamic grooves – almost at a level that seeks to link the club jazz modes of the Tokyo scene with some of the thematic elements of the world of Studio Ghibli! The melodies are as spare and compelling as before, but the presentation is nicely full – light strings and other orchestrations in the background – while the core energy comes from the piano, heavy bass, and dancing drums – on titles that include "Kazeno Toorimichi", "Kazeno Tanino Maushika, "Umino Miero Machi", "Kimio Nosete", "Monokoke Hime", "Ano Natuse", "Tonarino Totoro", and "Ashitakasekki". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from one of the coolest cats on the LA scene of the 50s – bassist Harry Babasin, who also plays a bit of cello here – in work that's very much in the territory of Fred Katz with Chico Hamilton! The group is very cool – with Larry Bunker on vibes, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Bob Enevoldsen on valve trombone, and Roy Harte on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring the Boswell Sisters, Benny Goodman, Eddie Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Fats Waller, Georgie Auld and more. CD

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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

Stan reprises his famous modernist swing in a great little album that's one of his best works from the early 60s. The tracks are longish, with the mixture of dark shading and breakout solos that grace some of his best early work – and although the players in the group aren't the famous west coasters that Stan first brought to fame, they all do a fine job when the solo moment comes. Titles include "Waltz Of The Prophets", "Turtle Talk", "Malaguena", and "Body & Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

A split LP of performances from the legendary Polish jazz festival Jazz Jamboree – nicely showing both sides of the Polish scene! Side one shows the modern – and features two stark tracks – "Induction 1" and "Induction 2", both of them modern numbers in the spirit of the work of Komeda and Stanko – performed by a group with Nikolov on tenor, plus piano, bass, and drums. Side two is more traditional – featuring backings by the group of Zbigniew Namyslowski, plus vocals by Big Bill Ramsey. Titles include "Kansas City" and "I Got It Bad". Last up are two more trad numbers – "Festina Lente" and "You Are Next" – by Traditional Jazz Studio Praha. LP, Vinyl record album

Sun Ra's really moving forward with this classic set – refining the sound of his Chicago-based Arkestra, and reaching for new territory that moves him way past familiar jazz modes! The cover bills the group as playing "music from tomorrow's world" – and you can definitely hear that on some titles here, including one number that features Ra on some really haunting celeste, and another that features Marshall Allen making weird noises with his mouthpiece! The group is all greats from the old days – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute, Pat Patrick on baritone and flute, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Charles Davis on baritone, and Ronnie Boykins on bass – and titles include "Hours After", "Saturn", "Ancient Ethiopia", and "Blues At Midnight". This fantastic expanded reissue includes bonus material – some tracks that appeared on the album Sun Sound Pleasure, and other recordings too – titles that include "Hour Of Parting", "Round Midnight", "Hours After", "Velvet", "Enlightenment", "Hours After (single version)", "Great Balls Of Fire (single version)", "Back In Your Own Backyard", and the unreleased tunes "Blues For Saturn", "State Street (alternate)", and "Horoscope (incomplete)". CD

Sun Ra's really moving forward with this classic set – refining the sound of his Chicago-based Arkestra, and reaching for new territory that moves him way past familiar jazz modes! The cover bills the group as playing "music from tomorrow's world" – and you can definitely hear that on some titles here, including one number that features Ra on some really haunting celeste, and another that features Marshall Allen making weird noises with his mouthpiece! The group is all greats from the old days – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute, Pat Patrick on baritone and flute, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Charles Davis on baritone, and Ronnie Boykins on bass – and titles include "Hours After", "Saturn", "Ancient Ethiopia", and "Blues At Midnight". This fantastic expanded reissue includes bonus material – some tracks that appeared on the album Sun Sound Pleasure, and other recordings too – titles that include "Hour Of Parting", "Round Midnight", "Hours After", "Velvet", "Enlightenment", "Hours After (single version)", "Great Balls Of Fire (single version)", "Back In Your Own Backyard", and the unreleased tunes "Blues For Saturn", "State Street (alternate)", and "Horoscope (incomplete)". LP, Vinyl record album

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A record with maybe the sharpest edge of any of the titles in this excellent series – a set that's certainly more jazz-based than most, thanks in part to the presence of the legendary Henry Franklin on bass, and some superb work on guitar from the great Jeff Parker! Although Franklin is best known for his famous 70s albums on the Black Jazz label, he's continued to be a strong force on the west coast scene for decades, and has issued some sublime records on his own label – and this time around, it's almost as if the team of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad have stepped back a bit, and let Franklin act more as a leader than some of the other artists on previous Jazz Is Dead recordings. Tracks are long, and filled with a sense of exploration that's nicely different than some of Franklin's own records, but equally inspired – with work from other players who include Clinton Patterson on trumpet, David Urquidi on alto, Scott Mayo on tenor and flute, and Nicholas Baker on percussion. Titles include "African Sun", "Feedback", "Cafe Negro", "People's Revolution", "Karibu", "The Griot", and "Memories Lost". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Benny Goodman, Lena Horne, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Mel Torme, Dunk Ellington, Gerry Mulligan, Dorothy Dandridge, Louis Armstrong, Pearl Bailey, and more. CD

Proof that there's few labels better at digging up an interesting groove than the mighty Jazzman imprint – home to a consistently great series of reissue 45s over the past 10 years or so! The Jazzman groove goes way beyond the standard deep funk line – into a realm of groovy styles that includes soundtrack bits, primitive electronics, female jazz vocals, socking 60s soul, and a whole lot more – all served up perfectly in this wonderful little set! And as with other Jazzman volumes, it's not just the music that makes the set great, but the way it's put together – as Gerald Jazzman manages to sort tunes and lay them out one by one in a style that really changes up the groove – pushing our expectations with each new number, and really keeping things fresh throughout! This one's way way way more than just a pile of rare funk tracks – a truly loving document of one label's commitment to the depth of music in all its forms – served up over a batch of 12 rare tunes! Titles include "Let's Go" by James Reese & The Progressions, "Baby True" by Gettysbyrg Address, "Hunk Of Heaven" by Lemuria, "Pretty Bird" by Terea, "Transfert 2002" by Le Groupe X, "Scherzi Pesanti" by Remigio Ducros, "One" by Mary Lou Williams, "Bobby's Mood" by Soul Toronadoes, "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, and "Baltimore Oriole (King version)" by Lorez Alexandria. CD

Includes music by Toshiko Akiyoshi, Nina Simone, Buddy Rich, Gil Evans, The Brecker Brothers, Lonnie Liston Smith, and Louis Armstrong. CD

A wonderfully wide-ranging look at the more unique aspects of Japanese jazz from the 60s onward – a set that mixes together spiritual tracks, bossa nova, and some surprisingly soulful tracks too – all from records that were only ever issued in Japan! If you've heard the great first volume, you'll know what to expect here – but we can also say that the scope of work here might even be better, and there's some great surprises along the way – especially on cuts that show the way these Japanese jazz musicians have taken some inspiration from American music, then really run far in their own new directions with the work. Titles include "Yamame" by Akira Miyazawa, "Loving You" by George Otsuka, "Down To The Sea" by Yoshio Ikeda, "Clair Deluge" by Toshiyaki Yokota & The Beat Generation, "Saynoara Blues" by Hideo Shiraki, "Blossom In The Water" by Masao Yagi, "Day Of The Sun" by Masahiko Togashi & Isao Suzuki, "Summer Wind" by Yasuko Nagamine & Yasuaki Shimizo, "Desireless" by Masahiko Togashi, "Lady Boogie" by Takeru Muaroka & His New Grup, "Constant Rain" by Tadao Sawai & Toshiyuki Miyama, and "Ma Mere L'Oye" by Jun Date & Masayki Takayanagi. LP, Vinyl record album

Tripped out, hard rocking, and massively powerful stuff by this little-known British group from the early 70s – a group who clearly have picked up some of the progressive leanings of the jazz rock scene of the time, but who manage to hone the whole thing down into a really focused sound! Some of the real charms of the record come from the way it creates a hard-rocking style by blending fuzzy bass with organ, piano, celeste, vibes, and marimba – making for a guitar-less set that has some nice mystical overtones. Titles include "Copper Sunset", "The Outing – Yes", "Once Upon A Hill", "I Can't Stop", "Put That In Your Pipe & Smoke It", and "Very Nice Of You To Call". CD

An interesting early side by Cannonball that captures him before he'd really found his voice – and when the folks at Mercury still didn't really know what to do with him. The record's a tightly arranged set of tracks from Duke Ellington's musical "Jump For Joy" – with arrangements by Bill Russo, and small group playing that includes Emmett Berry, Bill Evans, Barry Gabraith, Jimmy Cobb, and a small string section. The sound's actually quite haunting – and Cannon's alto solos remind us more of some of the best "with strings" soloing heard on Verve in the early 50s than they do his later soul jazz classics on Riverside or Capitol. That's ok with us, though – because the session's still got a lot to offer in that respect, and Cannonball handles the solos wonderfully! Titles include "Bli Blip", "Just Squeeze Me", "Nothin", and "The Tune Of The Hickory Stick". LP, Vinyl record album