Features Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Ingrid Laubrock on tenor sax, Jacob Garchik on trombone, and others! CD

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A mighty heavy group – paying tribute to the late drummer Alvin Fiedler – working with the kind of fierce improvisation that Fiedler would have really loved! Tenorist Kidd Jordan was a frequent musical partner of Alvin on record – and the group here really recreates some of the intensity they could deliver together – with Hamid Drake on drums and percussion, Joel Futterman on piano, and William Parker on bass – soaring out beautifully on one extended improvisation that takes up the entire record! Futterman is ferocious on piano, really matching the searing sounds that come from Jordan's horn – as he blows with a legacy of bold, spontaneous creation that almost takes us back to the years of ESP Records or BYG/Actuel. CD

Never-heard music from guitarist Calvin Keys – recorded in a number of different settings over the past decade or two, and issued here together to make for one of his most satisfying records in years! While we've liked the Wide Hive material Keys has recorded during his comeback, we're even more stunned by these tracks – as they've got an even more solid jazz basis overall – as Calvin plays in modes that run from group performances with varied artists who include pianist Elmer Gibson, tenorist Dawan Muhammad, and flute player Art Maxwell – to one solo number that shows an especially beautiful side of Key's music! The whole thing's put together wonderfully – not a scattered batch of tracks, but a record with a surprisingly unified feel – in the manner of the other excellent work we love on this label – and titles include "Emily", "The Last One To Be Loved", "Seems To Be", "Dolphin Dance"," Blues For Ahmed", and "Satchmo's Song". CD

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Angel Ontalva on guitar, Fran Mangas on saxophone, Victor Rodriguez on keyboards, Amanda Pazos Cosse on bass, and Toni Mangas on drums. CD

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We always love the work of drummer Alvin Queen as a leader – but we love it even more when he's got horns in the group, which is definitely the case here – as the cool combo on the record features both Jesse Davis on alto and Terrell Stafford – both of whom really add a lot to the set! Not only, that, there's some great Hammond too – handled by Mike LeDonne alongside guitarist Peter Bernstein – two players who make the session cook like some of the best New Jersey soul jazz sessions produced by Cecil Brooks III, but with maybe a bit more of the modern touches that Queen can bring to his work. There's also some great percussion on the date from Neil Clark – who helps complicate the rhythms – and titles include "Alba", "Let Us Go Into The House", "Drum Thing", "Mighty Long Way", "Blues On Q", and "Sushi". CD

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A landmark album of Brazilian funk – the record that set the tone for so many others to follow – and which can easily stand head to head with the best American funk of the time as well! The group's headed by Brazilian pianist Dom Salvador – who you'll know from 60s bossa nova material and straighter jazz sounds – but here, Dom's got this heavy-hitting left hand approach –which is a perfect balance to the funky combo Abolicao – who play with this rich sound that's an equal balance of jazz, funk, and Brazilian music influences. The record's a great precursor to later Brazilian funk albums – like those by Banda Black Rio or Unaio Black – but the influence of Salvador's piano gives the record a jazzier edge, one that mixes extremely well with the wide range of percussion on the set. Titles include "Som Sangue e Raca", "Guanabar", "Moeda Reza e Cor", "O Rio", "Tio Macro", "Evo", "Number One", "Hei Voce", and "Samba Do Malandrinho". LP, Vinyl record album

Sal Salvador was one of the 50s more accomplished modernist talents on jazz guitar – and his work ranks up there with players like Tal Farlow, or Gil Melle's great bandmate Joe Cinderella. This is Salvador's rare first album for Blue Note – only issued in a 10" vinyl format! The record features quartet and quintet material, and includes tenorist Frank Sokolow, an icy-toned genius who's never gotten his just dues. Sokolow and Salvador sound great together, and create a haunting sound that's better than anything we've heard on other Salvador records from his later years. Titles include "My Old Flame", "Get Happy", "Too Marvelous For Words", "Gone With The Wind", and "After You've Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

Moody instrumental magic from Hareton Salvanini – an artist with an Italian sounding name, and an approach that reminds us of some of the hippest composers of the sound library and film score scene in Italy during the 70s! The album's all instrumental, and is almost a soundtrack for a film that never existed – as Salvanini mixes his own piano lines with these moody strings and dark-tinged instrumentation – all with a vibe that's maybe a bit warmer than David Axelrod or Johnny Harris, but in the same sort of territory as their important albums of the time! Weird reeds color in some moments, offbeat strings some others – and there's a suppressed sense of emotion that lingers with lots of blue currents on the record – really fitting Hareton's look on the cover. Titles include "Salamandras", "Viver", "So, "Primitivo", "Irracional", "Papa Mama", "Yelris", and "Preludio Em Si Bemol Menor". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic new chapter in music from Cecile McLorin Salvant – a singer who's only been with us for a little more than a decade, has already gotten a Grammy and a MacArthur Genius Grant – yet hasn't let that stop her from being even more creative than ever! Cecile's still very much a jazz singer at the core, but there's also an expressive range here that we might never have guessed on her earlier records – and that's saying a lot, as those albums really blew us away! The singer's really breaking out of just the world of jazz vocals here – rising with star power, ala Gregory Porter or Esperanza Spaulding – but also maybe going deeper at the same time too. Titles include a surprising remake of "Wuthering Heights", plus "Thunderclouds", "Unquiet Grae", "Moon Song", "Trail Mix", "The World Is Mean", "Obligation", "Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying", "I Lost My Mind", and "Dead Popular". LP, Vinyl record album

Cecile McLorin Salvant has already been one of the most striking jazz singers to emerge in years – and here, she pushes her talents even further – as she moves past standard material, into a complex realm that's all her own! The album's a unified batch of songs dedicated to the European folkloric figure in the title – and Cecile mixes her own material with older songs from a span of centuries – singing in French on most numbers, and with a style that adapts to the needs of the material from track to track! As a result, she's using her voice in ways that we've never heard before – and which we never would have expected – and many of the songs are relatively spare, which brings an even greater focus on the vocals in a way that's incredible. Titles include "Wedo", "La Route Enchantee", "Dodou", "Fenestra", "Domna N'Almucs", "Dame Iseut", "Petite Musique Terrienne", and "Dites Moi Que Je Suis Belle". LP, Vinyl record album

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Head to head blowing from Sonny Sitt and Paul Gonsalves – just the kind of twin-horn performance that Stitt was famous for in his live battle days, and one that also reminds us that Gonsalves can be a very loose swinger when he wants to be! The tracks are all long, and played with the sort of feel you'd hear if you caught these guys live at some small southside club – and the solos also show the kind of inventiveness and imagination you'd catch in that sort of setting – backed by a swinging rhythm combo that features Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Titles include a version of "Perdido" that's nearly 13 minutes long – plus "Stardust", "Sposin", "Salt & Pepper", and "Theme From Lord Of The Flies". Also features the full bonus album – Now! CD

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A fantastic album from trumpeter Clark Terry – a small group date that features superb tenor from Paul Gonsalves, in a mode that's very similar to the work that both he and Terry recorded for Chess/Argo Records in the late 50s! This set's a French date, and features both horn players in a hip quintet with Raymond Fol on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and GT Hogan on drums – playing in a mode that's laidback, open, and which really has Terry showing off the most soulful side of his phrasing! Gonsalves is fantastic too – very different in a setting like this than in his larger group performances with Ellington – and the pair together are really at their best, with very expressive tones. Titles include "Blues For The Champ Of The Champs", "Clark Bars", "Lonely One", "Pannonica Ou Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 No 2", and "Serenade To A Bus Seat". LP, Vinyl record album

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With tracks by Aurea Martins, Elizabeth Curi, Heraldo Carlos, Carmencita Luz, Nilton Barbosa, Ze Do Violao, Valdea Soares, Lucio Silvestre, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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Three sessions, includes the songs"Lover", "Flamingo", "Splash", "Rock 'N' Rye", "All Through The Night", "Tina", "Gone With The Wind", "Get Happy", "My Old Flame", "This Can't Be Love", "Too Marvelous For Words", "After You've Gone", "All The Things You Are", "You Go To My Head", "Bernie's Tune", "Stan's Invention", "The Song Is You", and "Just One Of Those Things". CD

Tremendous work from saxophonist Paul Gonsalves – one of his rare UK sessions from the 60s, all of which show that he had a fantastic sound that went way beyond his more famous work with Duke Ellington! The style here is tight, hip, and very grooving – work by a quartet that features Gonsalves on tenor, plus Pat Smythe on piano, Kenny Napper on bass, and Ronnie Stevenson on drums – all hitting a soulful hardbop style that's very much like the best Tubby Hayes records from the time! Gonsalves' tone is incredible – with that raspy, almost flatted mode that he used with Ellington – and it really stretches out here with plenty of room for creativity, in a way that makes us wonder why nobody ever got this one issued over on our side of the Atlantic. Titles include "Boom Jackie Boom Chick", "Village Blues", "Poor Butterfly", "Blue PG", and "Taboo". CD

Tremendous work from saxophonist Paul Gonsalves – one of his rare UK sessions from the 60s, all of which show that he had a fantastic sound that went way beyond his more famous work with Duke Ellington! The style here is tight, hip, and very grooving – work by a quartet that features Gonsalves on tenor, plus Pat Smythe on piano, Kenny Napper on bass, and Ronnie Stevenson on drums – all hitting a soulful hardbop style that's very much like the best Tubby Hayes records from the time! Gonsalves' tone is incredible – with that raspy, almost flatted mode that he used with Ellington – and it really stretches out here with plenty of room for creativity, in a way that makes us wonder why nobody ever got this one issued over on our side of the Atlantic. Titles include "Boom Jackie Boom Chick", "Village Blues", "Poor Butterfly", "Blue PG", and "Taboo". CD

One of the best small-group sessions recorded by Paul Gonsalves – a session with a clear Ellington orientation, as you'd expect from a lineup that includes Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Jones, Ray Nance, and Oliver Jackson. Tracks have a much more relaxed and open-ended feeling than some of Duke's work – giving Hodges, Nance, and Gonsalves plenty of room to open up on their solos. Titles include "The Lineup", "Chocataw", "DA Blues", and "Way Way Back". CD

A great small combo set from tenorist Paul Gonsalves – one of his best albums away from Duke Ellington, and a record that really opens up with his tremendous tone on the tenor! The group's a great small combo, with more of a soul jazz groove than usual for Paul – Nat Adderley on cornet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – all players who really help Gonsalves find the right sort of vibe! The set includes two of Babs Gonzales' great compositions – "Low Gravy" and "Gettin Together" – and other titles include "Walkin", "Hard Groove", "J&B Blues", and "Yesterdays". CD

A great small combo set from tenorist Paul Gonsalves – one of his best albums away from Duke Ellington, and a record that really opens up with his tremendous tone on the tenor! The group's a great small combo, with more of a soul jazz groove than usual for Paul – Nat Adderley on cornet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – all players who really help Gonsalves find the right sort of vibe! The set includes two of Babs Gonzales' great compositions – "Low Gravy" and "Gettin Together" – and other titles include "Walkin", "Hard Groove", "J&B Blues", and "Yesterdays". LP, Vinyl record album

Paul Gonsalves on tenor saxophone, Earl Hines on piano, Al Hall on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. CD

No need to be cautious here – as the album's the sort you can jump into right away – thanks to some wicked grooves from legendary guitarist Calvin Keys! Calvin's had a great revival in recent years, but this album's the stuff that first put him on the map – a brilliant early date for the Black Jazz label, done in a unique blend of spiritual and soul jazz modes! Keys' guitar has a sharper focus here than on his other 70s set for the label – and he's working with some beautifully complex arrangements, played by a group that includes Charles Owens on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – plus Kirk Lightsey on electric piano, Henry Franklin on bass, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, Owen Marshall on percussion, and Ndugu Chancler on drums. Most titles are originals – and tunes include the nice groover "Aunt Lovey", plus "Tradewinds", "Night Cry", "Renaissance", and "Efflugence". CD

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A landmark album of Brazilian funk – the record that set the tone for so many others to follow – and which can easily stand head to head with the best American funk of the time as well! The group's headed by Brazilian pianist Dom Salvador – who you'll know from 60s bossa nova material and straighter jazz sounds – but here, Dom's got this heavy-hitting left hand approach –which is a perfect balance to the funky combo Abolicao – who play with this rich sound that's an equal balance of jazz, funk, and Brazilian music influences. The record's a great precursor to later Brazilian funk albums – like those by Banda Black Rio or Unaio Black – but the influence of Salvador's piano gives the record a jazzier edge, one that mixes extremely well with the wide range of percussion on the set. Titles include "Som Sangue e Raca", "Guanabar", "Moeda Reza e Cor", "O Rio", "Tio Macro", "Evo", "Number One", "Hei Voce", and "Samba Do Malandrinho". LP, Vinyl record album

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Includes a few recordings of Ataulfo Alves singing his songs – plus later recordings by Miltinho, Orlando Silva, Carlos Galhardo, Silvio Caldas, and Ataulfo Alves Jr – all packaged with a nice booklet of notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Na Cadencia Do Samba", "Da Licenca", "O Que Que Ha", "Corda E Cacamba", and "Nao Tenho Pressa". LP, Vinyl record album

Core piano lines from the Helio Alves trio – a group with a nicely deep sound, and one that's touched by a few Brazilian jazz elements too – especially on some of the tracks with guest instrumentation from trumpeter Claudio Roditi and guitarist Romero Lubambo! Most of the tunes here are trio numbers, with Alves' tone ringing out beautifully – more captivating than we remember from before, both bold and subtle at the same time. Bass is by Reuben Rogers, drums are by Antonio Sanchez, and titles include "Kathy", "Gafeira", "Black Nile", "Sombra", "Flor Das Estradas", "Adeus Alf", and "Tribute To Charlie 2". CD

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A whopping great 47 track, 2CD package – one that features nearly all the recordings made by the team of vibist/pianist Eddie Costa and guitarist Sal Salvador! They almost should have billed this one under the name of Salvador – as most of the tracks on the set are from albums issued under Salvador's name – including the Capitol album Kenton Presents Sal Salvador, the Bethlehem record Frivolous Sal, and the 1956 session Shades Of Sal Salvador. Remaining titles on the set are from the Salvador/Costa quartet album Tribute To The Greats – and the brilliant Bethlehem sextet session by Frank Socolow – entitled Shades of Socolow. Whew, now that we've gotten all the discographical information out of the way, let us just say what a great pair Salvador and Costa are together – as Sal's warmly chromatic work on the guitar was always a great match for the thoughtful and spacious work that Eddie brought to his vibes and piano. The 2CD set allows you to hear the team in a variety of settings – but usually always a small group one, carried off with just the right blend of modern and personal styles! CD

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A very cool date from Duke Ellington – one that's based strongly around the talents of tenorist Paul Gonsalves – always a key member of the Ellington ensemble, and quite a leader on his own in the 60s! The lineup is a familiar version of the Ellington orchestra – but the setting's a bit different, in the Gonsalves is really the main soloist here – blowing long and beautifully on tracks that are really designed to showcase his amazing tone on the tenor! Things are nice and raspy from Paul, and plenty creative too – especially since he's got room to get in a lot more licks than usual – and titles include "Paris Blues", "Ready Go", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "Caravan", and "Jam With Sam". CD

Brazilian blues rock harmonica player. CD

A really unique little album for Paul Gonsalves – very different than most of his American sessions of the time, and cut in the UK with some very hip accompaniment! The record's got an open, edgey sort of tone – as British modernists that include Stan Tracey on piano and Kenny Wheeler on trumpet come into play with Gonsalves tenor – steeped in tradition on one hand, but easily moving into strange tones and colors that we would have never expected. The album's got one snapping groover that's totally great, called "Almost You", plus some mellower tunes that almost get a bit abstract. Very nice stuff overall, and much more in the Brit 60s tradition of Landsdowne than Gonsalves' own work in the US! Titles include "XOX", "Sticks", "Humming Bird", and "All The Things You Are". CD

Mary Halvorson seems to expand her sound here a bit more than usual – not in that she's working with a large ensemble, or in any sort of too-ambitious ways – but just that she's mixing her very unique phrasing on the guitar with just the right blend of other instruments – all at a level that feels way more than just the sum of its parts! The sextet features work from Adam O'Farrill on trumpet, Jacob Garchik on trombone, and Patricia Brennan on vibes – the last of whom is especially great, and whose tones really do a lot to color the album and shape the sound. The trumpet's got a great presence too – trading nicely with the trombone – and titles include "Desiderata", "Collapsing Mouth", "The Gate", "Tailhead", and "Ultramarine". Plus, Laurie Anderson plays guest violin on "Incarnadine". CD

A stone classic on the Black Jazz label – and one of the most unique guitar albums ever! We're not sure what the title meant originally – but over the past few decades, it's come to stand for some heavy heavy guitar work from the legendary Calvin Keys – a record that's really stood the test of the time, continually rediscovered by new generations of diggers! Keys has a very unique touch here – a mix of open chords and tighter lines – beautifully wrapping up a history of soul jazz guitar that stretches back to the early 60s – then propelling things forward with loads of righteous 70s spiritual jazz energy. The set also features loads of sweet keyboards – played by Larry Nash, and mixed with flute and "hose-a-phone" from Owen Marshall – set to grooves from Lawrence Evans on bass and Bob Braye on drums. A stone classic from the Black Jazz label – and titles include "Gee Gee", "BK.", "BE", and "Shawn-Neeq". CD

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The debut of Skyzoo, and a set that already has the Brooklyn MC confident enough to share his thoughts and ideas at a very personal level – maybe taking some of the modes of the backpack generation, and giving it a bit more bite – all in a way that prefaces other work of its time to emerge strongly in the following decade! The set's got a variety of production help – 9th Wonder, Eric G, Cyrus Tha Great, Best Kept Secret, Just Blaze, and others – which creates this great palette of sonic energy, while also keeping things unified by the presence of Skyzoo in the lead! There's not really much in the way of features – which keeps the core energy going strong – and titles include "The Shooter's Soundtrack", "My Interpretation", "The Beautiful Decay", "Easy To Fly", "For What It's Worth", "Dear Whoever", and "Metal Hearts". LP, Vinyl record album

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A classic early bossa session on the Elenco label! Sylvia Telles and Lucio Alves sing, both solo and in duets, while Roberto Menescal backs them up with his tight little combo – and even plays vibes on a few instrumentals! The whole thing's got a great fragile bossa feel, with lots of nice groovy tracks, and a warm lyrical sound. Tracks include "Baiaozinho", "Telephone", "Primavera", "Esse Seu Olhar", "Ainda Mais Lindo", "Vivo Sonhando", and "Amanhecendo". The package is very sharp looking, with the typical angular geometric style of the other Elenco covers! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from trumpeter Clark Terry – a small group date that features superb tenor from Paul Gonsalves, in a mode that's very similar to the work that both he and Terry recorded for Chess/Argo Records in the late 50s! This set's a French date, and features both horn players in a hip quintet with Raymond Fol on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and GT Hogan on drums – playing in a mode that's laidback, open, and which really has Terry showing off the most soulful side of his phrasing! Gonsalves is fantastic too – very different in a setting like this than in his larger group performances with Ellington – and the pair together are really at their best, with very expressive tones. Titles include "Blues For The Champ Of The Champs", "Clark Bars", "Lonely One", "Pannonica Ou Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 No 2", and "Serenade To A Bus Seat". LP, Vinyl record album

12 tracks of South Asian new grooves: "Jaan" by Talvin Singh, "Flight IC408" by State Of Bengal, "ShangHigh" by Future Soundz Of India and "Spiritual Masterkey" by Osmani Soundz. CD

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One of Glen's last super-huge albums of the 60s – featuring the sublime Jimmy Webb-penned "Galveston", a track that must have been written for Glen's unique vocal style! The album also includes the hit "Where's The Playground, Susie?" – plus the tracks "Today", "If this Is Love", "Gotta Have Tenderness", "Time", and "Oh What A Woman". Darker than before – in a great way! LP, Vinyl record album

A strange mixture of triggered sound samples and improvised music from Alvin Curran – working here on a range of keyboards and elctronics, alongside Mauro Tespio on trumpet, bells, and other instruments – and Paolo Tofani on a laptop system too! Curran draws on sounds he's recorded over the course of decades – which are then filtered through in live performance, and improvised alongside the musicians – all with the kind of compelling textures and tones you'll know from his older recordings. CD

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Beautiful early solo work from Alvin Curran – a set that's much more cerebral than his sounds with MEV, but which also has maybe a more personal vibe than some of his later works! There's a very organic approach to the music here – as Curran mixes source recordings with bits of voice, electronics, percussion, chimes, and even kalimba – elements that bring an acoustic spirit to the recording that's really wonderful – maybe more in the spiritual side of Terry Riley's music at times, but with some of the more earthbound modes of Popul Vuh as well. Yet there's also no easy comparison to this piece – part of Curran's genius – we're just pointing out that there's more of a spiritual side than you might expect! CD

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A very cool date from Duke Ellington – one that's based strongly around the talents of tenorist Paul Gonsalves – always a key member of the Ellington ensemble, and quite a leader on his own in the 60s! The lineup is a familiar version of the Ellington orchestra – but the setting's a bit different, in the Gonsalves is really the main soloist here – blowing long and beautifully on tracks that are really designed to showcase his amazing tone on the tenor! Things are nice and raspy from Paul, and plenty creative too – especially since he's got room to get in a lot more licks than usual – and titles include "Paris Blues", "Ready Go", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "Caravan", and "Jam With Sam". LP, Vinyl record album

A damn funky record from Dizzy Gillespie – not the bebop of his early years, nor the longer Latiny tracks of the 60s – but instead this great set of short, tight instrumentals that are all arranged by funky genius Ed Bland, then topped with some wicked solos from Dizz! The group also features excellent work from James Moody – blowing flute and tenor, and very much into the spirit of the groove – alongside an ultra-hip lineup that features more saxes from Joe Farrell and Eddie Pazant, guitar from Billy Butler and Cornell Dupree, organ from Ernie Hayes, and drums from Ray Lucas. The record is wonderful all the way through – killer heavy drums, heavy electric bass, searing solos from Diz and Moody – all produced with a mad mad full-on funk sound that will make your jaw drop! Titles include "Blue Chuchifrito", "Chicken Giblets", "Rutabega Pie", "The Fly Fox", "Pot Licka" "Stomped & Wasted" and "Casbah Melon". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work all around – two rare sessions for Argo, plus additional material recorded for Emarcy! The core Cookin album is quite possibly the best album that Paul Gonsalves ever cut as a leader in the US! The record was cut during a flurry of recordings for Argo that all featured small group Ellington setups – sessions that were issued on three different albums under the names of Clark Terry, Jimmy Woode, and Paul Gonsalves! This set features both Terry's trumpet and Woode's bass – but Gonsalves' tenor is very firmly in the lead – blowing with a harder edge and a deeper soul than we ever remember on other records – a gritty style that's almost more hardbop or soul jazz than regular Ellington swing. Other players include Willie Jones on piano, and Sam Woodyard on drums – and the set features some great original titles that include "Clark's Bars", "Funky", "Festival", "Impeccable", "Paul's Idea", "Phat Bach", and "Milli Terry". Next up is The Colorful Strings Of Jimmy Woode – an incredible record from bassist Woode – quite possibly his only small group session as a leader, and a super-hip album that bridges his work with Duke Ellington and later sides with the Clarke Boland Big Band! The record's got a groove that's far different than anything Woode cut with Ellington – and in a way, it already points the way towards some of the sounds that would be created by American ex-patriots on the European scene of the 60s. The groove is very light – and features Woode's bass leading a combo with flute from Mike Simpson, tenor from Paul Gonsalves, trumpet from Clark Terry, and piano from Ramsey Lewis – all coming together in unusual timings and phrasings that are a fair bit different than their own work of the time. Simpson's flute is especially great – a really lyrical element that works perfectly with Woode's melodic bass work – and Gonsalves and Terry are working here in their best tonal color mode, really shading things in nicely! All cuts are originals by Woode, and they're done in long takes – with titles that include "Dance Of The Reluctant Drag", "Man From Potter's Crossing", "Falmouth Recollections", and "Foofy For President". The CD features 4 more tracks from an Emarcy album titled The Jazz School – work recorded in 1956 with Terry on trumpet, Gonsalves on tenor, Junior Mance on piano, Porter Kilbert on baritone, Chubby Jackson on bass, and Eugene Miller on drums. Titles include "Don't Blame Me", "Everything Happens To Me", "Take Nine", and "It Don't Mean A Thing". CD

Paul Gonsalves tells it the way it is – but in a hiply swinging sort of way that showcases his rising star as a leader in the 60s! The groove here is freed up from some of the earlier cliches in Gonsalves' work with larger groups – leaving a lot more room for his great sense of tone and timing, and creating some wonderful new rhythms for him to open up on. Bits of Ellingtonia are mixed with groovier 60s rhythms – played by a group that also includes Johnny Hodges on tenor, Ray Nance and Rolf Ericson on trumpet, and Walter Bishop Jr. on piano. Titles include a nice 11 minute long version of "Tell It The Way It Is", plus "Impulsive", "Body & Soul", and "Rapscallion in Rab's Canyon". CD

A great spinoff session from the Duke Ellington group – cool small combo material with Clark Terry on trumpet, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Jimmy Woode on bass – almost similar to the players' work for Chess/Argo at the same time! CD

A nice small group set of Ellington sidemen – with Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Ray Nance on trumpet and violin, Norris Turney on alto, and Hank Jones on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

Guitar, bass, and drums – coming together here on a set that lives up to the strong legacy of creative music we've come to expect from the legendary Dave Holland! Holland plays both electric and acoustic versions of his instrument – which makes for a nice shift in the way he interacts with the guitar of Kevin Eubanks – different sorts of sonorous interplay between the strings, given different sorts of emphasis by the drums of Obed Calvaire! Many tracks seem to have Holland leading the action out front, then opening the door to the contributions of the other two – but the album certainly feels like a group effort throughout, with nicely triangulated energy on tunes that include "Grave Walker", "20 20", "Quiet Fire", "Mashup", "The Village", "Another Land", "Gentle Warrior", and "Passing Time". CD

Lovely early piano work from Calvin Jackson – much more evocative than his later work on bigger labels, in ways that are very much in keeping with the album's title and 50s modern art cover! Jackson plays a number of familiar tunes, often with a fluid feel that has some echoes of Garner and a similar sense of class – and the only other backing here seems to be a bit of bass in the background. Titles include "Laura", "Lover", "Prelude In C Sharp Minor", "Gershwin Prelude", "Blue Skies", and "Lady Be Good". LP, Vinyl record album