Featuring special material by all-star groups that feature Al Sears, Coleman Hawkins, and Buddy Tate on tenor – plus Hilton Jefferson on alto, Jimmy Hamilton and Pee Wee Russell on clarinet, Tiny Grimes on guitar, and Joe Newman on trumpet! LP, Vinyl record album

A big tone and a round bottom – Al Sears could always deliver the goods in any kind of setting, but sounds especially nice in this rare small group date with a keen focus on his wonderful tenor sax! The session's one of our favorite in the short-lived Swingville offshoot of Prestige – and is a perfect illustration why the label's format worked so well – taking Sears out of his more familiar large group setting (especially with Ellington), and setting him up in a late nite, laidback sort of mode! Other players here include Don Abney on piano, Wally Richardson on guitar, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Joe Marshall on drums – all grooving nicely, but letting Al get plenty of solo room in the spotlight! Tunes include "Moving Out", "Record Hop", "Take Off Road, " Already Alright", "In A Mellow Tone", "Out Of Nowhere", "Ain't No Use", and "The Thrill Is Gone". CD

Mid-40s recordings with the classic Ellington Orchestra line-up with Rex Stewart, Taft Jordan, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Al Sears, Sonny Greer, Al Hibbler, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

With Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, Al Sears, Ben Webster, Ray Nance, Al Hibbler, Ivie Anderson, and Kay Davis. LP, Vinyl record album

Great work as a leader from this legendary Duke Ellington altoist – working here with Ben Webster on tenor, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Emmett Berry on trumpet, Leroy Lovett on piano, and Lloyd Trotman on bass – plus some tracks that Flip Phillips and Al Sears on tenor, and Sonny Green on drums. Titles include "In A Mellow Tone", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Solitude". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever collection to focus on the work of this lost soulful genius – an artist whose name never made the history books, but who we can always trust when we see it on the label of a funky 45! This set brings together most of those great singles from the early 70s – a wicked run of sharp-edged, always-biting numbers that Chet Ivey recorded for the Sylvia label – run by old school tenor wailer Al Sears! Both Chet and Al had years of experience in music before these singles – but refocus their energy in a badass version of 70s funk – clearly inspired by the James Brown and blacksploitation styles of the time, but given a very special spin, thanks to Chet's personality and way of putting over a tune. The instrumentation is every bit as important here as Ivey's vocals – and titles include "Funky Chit Chat (parts 1 & 2)", "Recipe To Get Down (parts 1 & 2)", "Bad On Bad", "So Fine", "Movin", "When Love Comes Home", "Dose Of Soul", "Party People (parts 1 & 2)", "Get Down With The Geater (part 1)", "Been So Long", "He Say She Say", and "Don't Ever Change". CD

With Harold Baker, Lawerence Brown, Harry Carney, Kay Davis, Tyree Glenn, Sonny Greer, Fred Guy, Al Killian, Jimmy Hamilton, Shelton Hemphill, Al Hibber, Johnny Hodges, Claude Jones, Ray Nance, Oscar Pettiford, Russell Procope, Junior Raglin, Al Sears, and Francis Williams. CD

A collection of recordings by the Duke Ellington big band from late 1947, with sidemen that include Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Tyree Glenn, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Harry Carney, Oscar Pettiford, and Sonny Greer. 22 titles total, including "How High The Moon", "Lady Of The Lavendar Mist", "It's Mad Mad Mad!", "H'ya Sue", "Kitty", "Air Conditioned Jungle", "Three Cent Stomp", "Stomp Look And Listen", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With Cat Anderson, Hillard Brown, Lawerence Brown, Harry Carney, Kay Davis, Marie Ellington, Otto Hardwicke, Shelton Hemphill, Al Hibber, Johnny Hodges, Claude Jones, Taft Jordan, Ray Nance, Tricky Sam Nanton, Junior Raglin, Al Sears, and Rex Stewart. LP, Vinyl record album

With sidemen including Taft Jordan, Cat Anderson, Lawrence Brown, Wilbur De Paris, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Oscar Pettiford, Sonny Greer, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

Great long jam session tracks – pulled from the albums Coleman Hawkins/Things Ain't What They Used To Be and Coleman Hawkins/Years Ago. Features Coleman Hawkins and Al Sears on tenor, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Hilton Jefferson on alto, and Joe Thomas and Joe Newman on trumpets. LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington on piano with Rex Stewart on cornet, Cat Anderson, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan & Ray Nance on trumpets, Joe Nanton, Claude Jones & Lawerence Brown on trombones, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet & tenor sax, Johnny Hodges & Otto Hardwick on alto saxophones, Al Sears on tenor saxophone, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone & clarinet, Ray Nance on violin, Fred Guy on guitar, Junior Raglin on bass, Sonny Greer on drums with vocals from Ray Nance, Joya Sherill & Al Hibbler. CD

A great early album from the young Aretha Franklin – a set that shows a very different trajectory in her sound, but a great one too! There's less of the deep soul of Franklin's Atlantic recordings, but that's more than compensated for a great jazzy vibe – served up courtesy of the piano of Ray Bryant, whose group here really makes the album cook! And it's not just Ray on piano – the set also features Al Sears on tenor and Quentin Jackson on trombone – and Bryant steps aside to let Aretha play some piano too. Tracks include "Won't Be Long", "Love is The Only Thing", "Sweet Lover", "All Night Long", "Who Needs You", "Today I Sing The Blues", and "Maybe I'm A Fool". LP, Vinyl record album

Missouri State Duck Calling Champion. 78 RPM, Vinyl record