One of a handful of records cut by St Louis Hammond player Sam Lazar for Chess Records at the start of the 60s – and a set that's also noteworthy for an early appearance on record of the young guitar genius Grant Green! The style here is very different than Grant's work to come on Blue Note, and also different than some of the organ/guitar sessions you'd hear later on Prestige Records too – as the tracks are short, without the kind of extended solos that Jimmy Smith might serve up – almost R&B mixed with jazz at times! The combo features the great Willie Dixon on bass and Chauncey Williams on drums – and the guitar is nice and loud – really racing to keep up with Lazar's fast work on the Hammond. Titles include "Mad Lad", "Space Flight", "Caramu", "Funky Blues", and "Big Willie". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest jazz albums of the 60s – and a crucial crossover set from the legendary Ramsey Lewis trio! The record's a live one, which gives the group a perfect chance to show off their special genius – not just soulful grooves from Ramsey on piano, but wickedly sharp and playful basslines from the great Eldee Young, and equally inventive work on drums from Redd Holt – both fantastic players who would soon break out on their own as Young Holt Unlimited! There's a surprising mix of modes on the record, too – as Ramsey begins with the group's classic reading of "The In Crowd" – formerly a soul tune, but maybe more of a hit here in their instrumental reading – then runs through material that really showcases the creative depth of the group, on titles that include "Love Theme From Spartacus", "Felicidade", "Come Sunday", and "You Been Talkin Bout Me Baby". CD features 2 non-LP bonus tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest jazz albums of the 60s – and a crucial crossover set from the legendary Ramsey Lewis trio! The record's a live one, which gives the group a perfect chance to show off their special genius – not just soulful grooves from Ramsey on piano, but wickedly sharp and playful basslines from the great Eldee Young, and equally inventive work on drums from Redd Holt – both fantastic players who would soon break out on their own as Young Holt Unlimited! There's a surprising mix of modes on the record, too – as Ramsey begins with the group's classic reading of "The In Crowd" – formerly a soul tune, but maybe more of a hit here in their instrumental reading – then runs through material that really showcases the creative depth of the group, on titles that include "Love Theme From Spartacus", "Felicidade", "Come Sunday", and "You Been Talkin Bout Me Baby". CD

Ramsey and the trio are on the front in tuxedoes, top hats, and tails – but the overall sound of the record is much more in keeping with their soul jazz grooves of the late 50s – not necessarily gentlemanly, but with a worldly appreciation for a variety of styles of music, and perhaps a bit more of a flowery touch than in later years. Titles include "Black Is The Color", "Brother John", "Seven Valleys", "Delilah", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", and "Please Send Me Someone To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just a James Moody album – a true proof of his genius in the 60s! The album was put together under the guidance of Tom McIntosh – a very hip young writer and arranger that Moody had been pushing on other records, and who steps into the limelight here with a wonderful set of compositions and arrangements. The backings on the set are larger than usual for Moody, shaded in by McIntosh with a rich array of tones and colors that are perfect for Moody's shifting solos on tenor, alto, and flute. Includes a fantastic reading of "Malice Towards None" – plus the tracks "Opales'que", "Blues Impromptu", "Great Day", "Let's Try", and "The Search". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Moody's "second phase" – the post-Overbrook time in which he picks up the flute, drops a bit of the bop style, and starts working in a much more complicated style that showed that he had a hell of a lot of room to grow as an artist! This album's Moody's second for Argo – recorded in 1959, with help from the brilliant arranger Tom McIntosh. Players include Johnny Coles, Musa Kaleem, Gene Kee, and McIntosh – and the album features the first reading of Moody's famous "Darben The Redd Foxx", plus "Cookie", "RBQ", "Daahoud", and McIntosh's perennial favorite, "With Malice Toward None". CD

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Rare work from obscure Chicago tenor player Vito Price – recorded back in the days when there actually used to be a jazz scene in the city's center – also known as The Loop! Price was a New Yorker by birth, but worked in Chicago clubs, TV, and radio in the 50s – and was most likely brought to Argo for this session by Chubby Jackson – with whom he'd worked on a previous date for the label. Price has a strong, bold tone in his horn – swing-based, but with a fluid sense of movement that's absorbed plenty of bop – and on the album, he's playing in two different settings. Side one features a largeish group with two more trumpets and two trombones, and side two features a quintet with a slightly more intimate sound. Lou Levy plays piano in both groups, and titles include "Credo", "Eye Strain", "Swingin The Loop", "Mousey's Tune", and "Duddy". CD

An obscure early 60s date from Buddy Rich – recorded with a very unusual group of musicians! The cover bills the group as Buddy Rich & His Buddies – a hip little combo that features some strong Chicago players, most of whom went onto greater fame, and who make the record an interesting batch of jazz numbers! Mike Mainieri's on vibes, Sam Most is on flute, John Morris is on piano, Wilbur Wynne is on guitar, and Richard Evans is on bass – and Don Goldie plays trumpet solos on a few other tracks – all in tight formation, but with a groove that's a bit different than Buddy's work on Verve a few years before. Titles include the originals "Marbles" and "Playtime" – plus "Lulu's Back In Town", "Will You Still Be Mine", and "Cheek To Cheek". CD

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A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit". CD

A gorgeous album from the UK folk scene – vocals and guitar from Cyril Tawney, with accompaniment on concertina, melodeon, and dulcimer – all of which makes for a very haunting, moody vibe! LP, Vinyl record album

Completely haunting work from this overlooked UK folk singer – an album of really timeless brilliance that sometimes has the voice and guitar of Cyril Tawney working with backing from The Yetties on a few tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic hard-hitting organ jazz session by this great Chicago keyboard player, better known to the world for his two Blue Note LPs, but playing here in a style that's much more creative, and much more open-ended than on those LPs. He's got a tight trio here, with Ben White on guitar and Jerry Donavon on drums, and the group runs through a wild mix of material – from short groovers like "Tacos Joe" and "Sinnin Sam", to the extended Larry Young-ish "Song Of The Universe". The album's a classic bit of Chicago jazz, and a darn tough one to find! LP, Vinyl record album

With compositions by Leonard Benstein, John Adams, Libby Larsen, Dominick Argento and more. CD

A great little collection, filled with music from Ahmad Jamal, Zoot Sims, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Etta James, Oliver Nelson, Yusef Lateef, Art Farmer, and Illinois Jacquet. CD

Two albums by one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time! Early In The Morning is a very hip affair – recorded with the Ramsey Lewis Trio backing her up on one side, and a group led by Frank Foster on another – both playing in a tight soul jazz mode that works perfectly for Lorez's great voice, and which takes her way past the straighter style of the King recordings. Includes a version of Louis Jordan's "Early In The Morning", plus "So Long", "Don't Explain", "Baby Don't You Cry", and "Rocks In My Bed". Deep Roots is like hearing Lorez in a smoky club on the south side of Chicago – a perfect summation of her rich talents as a singer! Backing is by a small Chicago trio that includes John Young on piano, Vernel Fournier on drums, and George Eskridge on bass – but the arrangements of the tracks, and Lorez's unique interpretations drive the tunes into territory that's surprisingly advanced for the 1962 date of the session. You'll recognize most of the tunes – but as the old adage goes, it's not the song, but the singer – and you'll hear Lorez crafting a rich tapestry of sound and emotion from titles like "No Moon At All", "I Was A Fool", "Detour Ahead", "Travlin Light", and "I Want To Talk About You". CD

An amazingly beautiful set of tracks from Art Farmer – playing here with superb accompaniment from a young Harold Mabern on piano, in a laidback quartet format that really lets Art open up! Art's playing is fresh and creative throughout – never too over the top, and always blown with that subtle genius that he was bringing to his work in the 60s – a pure exercise in understatement, with a quality that seems to make the notes fall out of the air by themselves. Rhythm is by Tommy Williams on bass and Roy McCurdy on drums – and the choice of material includes Tom McIntosh's great composition "The Day After", plus Art's "Punsu" and "Kayin" – and versions of "Change Partners", "Blue Room", and "Nobody's Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a gimmick – but one that's totally great, and really unique for the time! The "1 to 10" in the title is the way that the album spins out – as track 1 features Golson blowing solo tenor, track 2 features him in duet, track 3 a trio – and so on, until track 10, which features a ten-piece group! One of the best things about the record is the way it really lets you focus on Golson's tone and phrasing – as even some of the bigger group tunes have a nicely laidback feel that's really dominated by Benny's solo work – and in a way, the record's a nice bridge between the more tightly arranged Golson sessions of the late 50s, and some of his looser sides of later years. Players include Cedar Walton, Curtis Fuller, Freddy Hubbard, and Albert Heath – among ohters – and titles include the Golson originals "Little Karin", "Swing It", "The Touch", "Impromptune", and "Time", plus versions of "You're My Thrill", "Out Of This World", and "I Fall In Love Too Easily". CD

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

One of Ahmad Jamal's best early albums for Argo – a brilliant set of live recordings, done at the Spotlite Club in Washington DC in 1958 – and with a fluid vibe that's simply incredible – one of the best true statements of Jamal's genius from the early years! The trio is incredible on the set – opening up even more than on other classics from the time – and really letting the bass work of Israel Crosby and the mellow drums of Vernell Fournier get equal time with Jamal's incredible lines on piano – as the stretch out and do things that jazz pianists would hardly have been able to conceive a few years before. The whole thing's fantastic – and the double-length set is really unusual for the time, but a great way to encompass all the wonderful energy of the performance. Titles include "Aki & Ukthay", "Our Delight", "Tater Pie", "Seleritus", "This Can't Be Love", "Ole Devil Moon", "Ivy", and "Let's Fall In Love". CD

Wonderfully sophisticated soul from Etta James – a real departure from the raw shouting R&B of earlier years, and perfectly set to sparkling arrangements by the great Riley Hampton (who'd had similar success with Walter Jackson, Lorez Alexandria, and other Chicago soul stars.) Hampton's dark use of strings brings out a whole new side of James' brilliance – a quality that raised Etta James up out of the R&B ghetto, and forever put her into the legions of legendary 60s soul stars! Titles include the perennial classic "At Last", plus "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Tough Mary", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Anything To Say You're Mine", and "Trust In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great bit of Hammond jazz – featuring Jimmy Smith's sometime guitarist Thornel Schwarz heading up a combo that includes Bill Leslie on tenor, and Larry Young on organ (although he's billed on this set as Lawrence Olds!) Young plays in a similar vein to his Prestige recordings from the same time, that is, he has a traditional soul jazz organ sound, but occasionally stretches out and searches, in the style that he would use later on Blue Note. The set includes the tracks "Soul Cookin", "Brazil", "Blues & Dues", and a goofy take on "Theme From Mutiny On The Bounty". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record – bold, proud, and soulful – a set that we'd easily rank with any classic early 60s session on Blue Note – and for good reason too! This rare date is the debut as a leader for trumpeter Gene Shaw – also known as Clarence Shaw in an earlier history of work with Charles Mingus – and it's an incredible blend of hardbop grooving with sharper-edged modern jazz ideals – an incredible blend that comes off beautifully on every track in the set! Shaw's probably best known for his late 50s work on the Charles Mingus albums Tijuana Moods, East Coasting, and Modern Jazz Symposium Of Music & Poetry – but after a famous fight with Mingus, Clarence "hid out" in Chicago and worked under the name of Gene – but soon made big waves on his own with tremendous work like this. (In the liner notes to the 1963 release of Tijuana Moods, in which Mingus says that he loved Shaw, but can't get in touch with him anymore!) Every aspect of the record is superb – from the writing, to the rhythm section, to the incredibly well blown solos from trumpeter Shaw and tenorist Sherman Morrison – who himself is another vastly-overlooked talent in jazz. The rest of the group features James Taylor on piano, Sidney Robinson on bass, and Bernard Martin on drums – a totally crackling rhythm section who give most tunes a snapping sort of groove! Most tracks are originals, and titles include "Autum Walk", "Six Bits", "The Thing", "It's A Long Way", "AD's Blues", "Marj", and "Our Tune". CD

A great little groover from Sonny Stitt – blowing here with a very soulful group that features piano by soul jazz giant Ronnie Matthews! Matthews is at his prime here, and his heavy left-handed approach lays out some wonderful grooves for Stitt – crackling little tunes that are extra-great because they include a good number of original compositions by Sonny! The group's a quartet, with Sonny and Ronnie alongside Art Harper on bass and Lex Humphries on drums – and the session's got the great tone and inventive solo work of Stitt's best work on Roost, but also a more pronounced role from the rhythm section, who really help drive the record! Titles include "Rearin Back", "Cut Plug", "Queen", "Carpsie's Groove", and "Bunny R". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip live date from Kenny Burrell – and a record that really showcases his amazing tone in a stripped-down trio setting! Burrell has a way of mixing chromatic chords with leaner lines that's simply breathtaking – qualities that really come out in the intimate space of the Village Vanguard, where Kenny is just working with accompaniment from the bass of Richard Davis and drums of the great Roy Haynes! The rhythms here are quite gentle, almost spare at times – and always touched with Haynes' great sense of lyricism – and Kenny's guitar lines are right out front, really dominating the set and freely flowing with plenty of warm chromatic hues, and styles that echo a bit more modernism than we've heard in other work of his from the late 50s! Titles include "Well You Needn't", "Trio", "All Night Long", and "Soft Winds". LP, Vinyl record album

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A rare early trio session from bassist Richard Evans – known much more famously for his late 60s soul and jazz arrangements at Chess! The set's not only unique for it's exposure of Evans as a jazz artist, but it also marks one of the first appearances of pianist Jack Wilson – still a part of the Chicago scene at the time of this album, but already playing with the fluid lyricism we love so much from his 60s LA recordings! Wilson's piano is a really key part of the record, and he works a groove that's simply sublime – filled with lots of flowing, gliding touches on the top of the keys, but also coming across with enough of a bottom to give the record plenty of soul! The drummer in the group is Robert Barry, another noteworthy south sider at the time – and titles include "Consu", "The Preacher", "Trees", "Vera", "Should I", and "Daybreak". Nice cover, too, with a young Evans sitting in front of a globe! CD

A beautiful album of understated brilliance – one of Art Farmer's early shifts into the sublime, and an easily-blown batch of trumpet tracks that always takes our breath away! There's a sense of relaxed freedom here that's really tremendous – a difference from some of Farmer's more arranged, or more hard-blown moments of the 50s – and a real move into notes that are airier and more open – almost effortless at times, and played like nobody else! The group's a quartet – with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Tommy Williams on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – and the tracks are all in the four to five minute range, with Art crafting lyrically soulful lines over the top. Titles include "Who Cares", "Out Of The Past", "Younger Than Springtime", "That Ole Devil Called Love", and "Goodbye Old Girl". CD

Landmark work by one of the greatest jazz outfits of the early 60s! Art Farmer and Benny Golson were both known as well-composed players during the 50s – strongly soulful, but often with a fine sense of arrangement that usually tended towards the lyrical side of things. With this group, though, they turned that approach towards a heavier sounding style of jazz – tightly stepping soul jazz, in the manner that was being explored at the time by Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, and others – presented by Farmer and Golson with a bit more groove and a wonderful kick at the bottom! This album's the first the group cut together – and apart from trumpet by Farmer and tenor by Golson, it also features Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Addison Farmer (brother of Art) on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums. Includes the massive original recording of "Killer Joe", which went onto become one of the most recorded jazz standards ever, plus the tracks "Blues March", "Mox Nix", "Park Avenue Petite", and "I Remember Clifford". Perfect tone, perfect groove, and a perfect sound all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark work by one of the greatest jazz outfits of the early 60s! Art Farmer and Benny Golson were both known as well-composed players during the 50s – strongly soulful, but often with a fine sense of arrangement that usually tended towards the lyrical side of things. With this group, though, they turned that approach towards a heavier sounding style of jazz – tightly stepping soul jazz, in the manner that was being explored at the time by Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, and others – presented by Farmer and Golson with a bit more groove and a wonderful kick at the bottom! This album's the first the group cut together – and apart from trumpet by Farmer and tenor by Golson, it also features Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Addison Farmer (brother of Art) on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums. Includes the massive original recording of "Killer Joe", which went onto become one of the most recorded jazz standards ever, plus the tracks "Blues March", "Mox Nix", "Park Avenue Petite", and "I Remember Clifford". Perfect tone, perfect groove, and a perfect sound all the way through! CD

One of those great 60s albums that trombonist Al Grey cut for Chess Records – and a set that's as noteworthy for his work as it is for the always-excellent tenor of Billy Mitchell – a player we always like in a setting like this! The young Eddie Higgins makes a surprising appearance on piano, in a mostly Basie-bred lineup that also includes more trombone from Benny Powell, trumpet from Joe Newman, and guitar from Freddie Green – on titles that include "Al-Amo", "Salty Papa", "Rompin", "Stranded", and "King Bee". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early work by Johnny Griffin – a set that's a bit more obscure than some of his Blue Note classics to come, and which was recorded on the Chicago hometown scene from which he first sprang! The group here is a quartet – with Junior Mance on piano and Wilbur Ware on bass – the same lineup that graced the legendary Chicago Sound album under Ware's own name, which was issued on Riverside – a record that shares a lot with this one in its mix of soul and modernism, new ideas just brimming over from all of the young players involved. The album's overflowing with great tenor work from Griffin – angular, imaginative, and really breaking out of tenor modes of the early 50s. Original titles include "Lollypop", "Satin Wrap", "Riff Raff", and "Bee-Ees" – and the group does some nice work on a few mellower ballads as well! LP, Vinyl record album

Two albums in one package – one a trio date, the other a quartet session with Sonny Stitt! First up is Breakin It Up – a hard to find early album by the great Detroit pianist Barry Harris! Barry's playing here in a trio with William Austin on bass and Frank Gant on drums, and the tracks have a definite boppish quality to them – more straight ahead than some of the flowing lines he brought to later work in the 70s and 80s – but still uniquely soulful, with a really strong sound for such a young player. Titles include bop standards like "Ornithology", "Passport", and "Allen's Alley" – plus Harris originals like "SRO" and "Bluesy" – and the album's got a nice, tight, soul jazz feel overall! Next up is Burnin, a great lost gem from Sonny Stitt – one of his most obscure sides for Argo, recorded with a no-nonsense quartet that included Barry Harris on piano, William Austin on bass, and Frank Gant on drums – all on the day after the trio worked together on Harris' Breakin It Up session for the label! There's a soulful quality to the rhythm section that takes Stitt way past bop – a relaxed groove from Harris that flows nicely into that confident, exploratory territory that we love so much on Stitt's Verve and Roost albums from the time. Sonny blows strongly on both alto and tenor sax – and titles include "It's Hipper Than That", "I'll Tell You Later", "Lover Man", and "A Minor Sax". CD

With a name like Chubby, the set ought to be a snoozer – but it swings nicely, thanks to some strong bass work by Jackson! The group's a Chicago ensemble, featuring lesser-known players of the 50s – like Vito Price, Cy Touff, Don Lamond, and Jimmy Gourley – plus trombone by Bill Harris, whose earlier work is clearly an influence on Jackson's own here. Tunes are in a swinging Basie/Hefti mode – and titles include "Flyin The Coop", "Plymouth Rock", "Tiny's Blues", and "Raffles". CD

Not just a wonderful record for the music, but also for the classic cover image too – a photo of Ahmad Jamal's righteous night club The Alhambra – an Eastern-themed spot on Chicago's Michigan Ave, where Jamal made some incredible music for a few short years! Jamal was one of the few jazz musicians to control his means of production this strongly – and, according to legend, the club actually closed down because he wouldn't allow alcohol to be served – a key support of his spiritual beliefs, but not the greatest choice when running a nightclub. Regardless of that history, though, the music continues to be as proud and powerful as ever – a key modern moment in jazz piano, handled by a trio that also features the legendary Israel Crosby on bass, as well as Vernell Fournier on drums. The set was recorded inside the Alhambra – and tracks include the lovely "Snow Fall", plus hip Jamal takes on "The Breeze & I", "Sweet & Lovely", "The Party's Over", and "Autumn Leaves". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful demonstration of the unique piano genius of Ahmad Jamal in the early years of his career – his way of blending together some of the complex fluidity and keyboard range of postwar pianists from more staid settings, while also picking up a warmer, more soulful groove – but in styles that are so different than soul jazz contemporaries like Ramsey Lewis and Ray Bryant! Instead, Jamal's got this way of swinging the whole trio with a beautiful sense of cohesion – pulsating enough to groove, but also light enough to be lyrical as well – qualities that are really shared by the bass of Israel Crosby and drums of Vernell Fournier – as they work here alongside Jamal in the space of his famous Alhambra nightclub. Titles include "Time On My Hands", "Angel Eyes", "You Go To My Head", "Star Eyes", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". CD

Groundbreaking work from the legendary Ahmad Jamal – not just in his own career, but in live jazz in general! The album's a classic recording of Jamal's trio with Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums – captured at the Pershing Lounge on the south side of Chicago, where Jamal was clearly wowing the crowd with his amazing talents on the piano. The groove here is sublimely fluid and soulful – clearly the next wave of expression on the piano in the 50s, and as important to the Chicago scene as Bill Evans was to that of New York at the time. The recording quality is wonderful – clear enough to capture the subtleties of Crosby's amazing bass, and the lightly tippling sound of Fournier's drums – and titles include a classic extended reading of "Poinciana", plus "What's New", "But Not For Me", and "No Greater Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing step forward for the young Etta James – a singer who was delivering a raw, shouting form of R&B just a few years before – but who here ascends into soul music heaven with her famous work on the album! The title cut is the stuff of legend – played and played, again and again over the years – but the whole record's wonderful, and handled with this new level of soul sophistication by arranger Riley Hampton – the great Chicago talent who'd reach similar heights in his charts for singers that include Lorez Alexandria and Walter Jackson. Hampton's dark use of strings brings out a whole new side of James' brilliance – a quality that raised Etta James up out of the R&B ghetto, and forever put her into the legions of legendary 60s soul stars! Titles include the perennial classic "At Last", plus "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Tough Mary", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Anything To Say You're Mine", and "Trust In Me". Includes 4 bonus tracks – "My Heart Cries", "Spoonful", "It's A Crying Shame", and "If I Can't Have You". LP, Vinyl record album

Searing stuff – easily one of Etta James' greatest albums! The set is a non-stop jam, recorded live at the New Era Club in Nashville before a small and screaming crowd – a perfect performance all the way through, one that showcases Etta as she rarely sounded on vinyl during the 1960s. The whole album runs away like a train on fire, and it's filled with incredibly lively readings of tracks like "Something's Got A Hold On Me", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Money", "Seven Day Fool", and "Woke Up This Morning" – all taken at versions longer than the usual under-3 minute single takes! LP, Vinyl record album

Queen of Soul is right! Heck, on these early albums, Etta practically invented soul – or at least invented a deep soul style of singing that would be taken up by countless other female singers during the 60s, but rarely matched with this kind of brilliance. Straight up beautiful stuff! The arrangements are uncredited, but we think they're probably by Riley Hampton – who did so much of Etta's other wonderful work in the early 60s. The recordings for sure took place at points between '62 and '64, mostly in Chicago, with couple in New York and one in Nashville. One other thing that is crystal clear about the sessions is that she had access to the very best musicians and the best sound possible – all you need is a listen to know that! The album's an all-solid, all-soul record with loads of obscure tunes and not a bit of filler! Titles include "Flight 101", "Bobby Is His Name", "Breaking Point", "Mello Fellow", "Do Right", and "Somewhere Out There". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of records cut by St Louis Hammond player Sam Lazar for Chess Records at the start of the 60s – and a set that's also noteworthy for an early appearance on record of the young guitar genius Grant Green! The style here is very different than Grant's work to come on Blue Note, and also different than some of the organ/guitar sessions you'd hear later on Prestige Records too – as the tracks are short, without the kind of extended solos that Jimmy Smith might serve up – almost R&B mixed with jazz at times! The combo features the great Willie Dixon on bass and Chauncey Williams on drums – and the guitar is nice and loud – really racing to keep up with Lazar's fast work on the Hammond. Titles include "Mad Lad", "Space Flight", "Caramu", "Funky Blues", and "Big Willie". CD

A wonderful later album from pianist Dodo Marmarosa – quite possibly his greatest record ever! The set's an obscure "comeback" date recorded in Chicago for Chess in the early 60s – a trio session with Richard Evans on bass and Marshall Thompson on drums – both working very gently behind Marmarosa's lead. Dodo sounds wonderful here – slightly broken down and world-weary, but in a way that makes for quite a change both from his earlier recordings, and from the standard piano session of the time. There's nothing too polished here, and there's always a strong sense of "voice" on the tracks – a quality that speaks volumes with a short amount of effort – and which has really made this one a favorite of ours over the years! Titles include "Tracy's Blues", "Mellow Mood", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "Cottage For Sale". CD

The genius of Moody! It's an album like this that you need to prove to your friends that Moody was way way more than a simple bopper. The set was recorded live in San Francisco in 1961, and it's got a hip mix of soul jazz, filtered through some modernist ideals, all played by a great little group that includes Bernard McKinny on trombone, Howard McGhee on trumpet, Musa Kaleem on baritone, and Sonny Donaldson on piano. Eddie Jefferson sits in for 2 numbers – "Disappointed" and "Sister Sadie" – and other tracks include "One For Nat", "Bunny Boo", "Moody Flooty", and "Home Fries". LP, Vinyl record album

One of James Moody's first albums for Argo – and an album that features him shifting from tenor sax over to flute – and playing in a slyly seductive way that would have great implications for generations of soul jazz musicians for years to come! The sound here is never sleepy – and instead shows the flute to be a perfect vehicle for creating more sensitive colors and tones in jazz – in a way that's also offset by a bit of work on alto and tenor on the album as well. The group features some excellent work from trumpeter Johnny Coles and baritonist Pee Wee Moore – plus some sparkling arrangements from pianist Jimmy Boyd – and Eddie Jefferson joins in on 3 great vocal numbers. Titles include "Birdland Story", "I Cover The Waterfront", "Breaking The Blues", "Easy Living", "Richard's Blues", and "Boo's Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool cooker from Oliver Nelson – one of the few 60s albums he cut as a leader with the same sense of soul and swing as his backings for other players! The sound here is right up there with Nelson's work with Jimmy Smith over at Verve – soaring, soulful arrangements that sparkle in ways that few other arrangers could match – perfectly balanced between bold statements by the soloists and a tight ensemble feel overall! The players are all top-shelf – and include Phil Woods on alto sax, Jerome Richardson on flute and baritone, Robert Hashton on tenor, Art Hoyle on trumpet, and Patti Brown on piano – plus Nelson himself on alto, getting in a few key solos. The whole thing's wonderfully upbeat and joyous, but with a deeper sense of feeling too – and many titles are originals by Nelson, including "Hobo Flats", "Post No Bills", "Laz-ie Kate", "Teenie's Blues", and "Three Plus One". LP, Vinyl record album

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A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the few albums ever cut by vibist Lem Winchester – a hip talent from the soul jazz generation, but one who left our planet all too soon! Here, Lem plays vibes with backing from the Ramsey Lewis trio – excellent rhythm work from Eldee Young on bass and Redd Holt on drums – plus lyrical piano that blends nicely with the vibes, almost in a Jack Wilson/Roy Ayers sort of mode! Tracks include "Joy Spring", "Jordu", "Sandu", "Message From Boysie", and "Where It Is", an original by Winchester. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album by one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time! The session's a very hip affair – recorded with the Ramsey Lewis Trio backing her up on one side, and a group led by Frank Foster on another – both playing in a tight soul jazz mode that works perfectly for Lorez's great voice, and which takes her way past the straighter style of the King recordings. Includes a version of Louis Jordan's "Early In The Morning", plus "So Long", "Don't Explain", "Baby Don't You Cry", and "Rocks In My Bed". The groove's very deep, like hearing Lorez in a smoky club on the south side of Chicago! LP, Vinyl record album

A great selection of tracks that Kenny recorded for the Argo/Cadet label in the mid 60s – some of his grooviest work from the decade, with a lean sound that has him soloing brilliantly in rhythmic settings that bring out the best of his soulful side! A number of tracks were arranged with larger backings by Richard Evans - who gives the tracks the same swing as his work for Ramsey Lewis – and other sides feature a quartet with Richard Wyands on piano. Titles include "Hot Bossa", "La Petite Mambo", "The Tender Gender", "I Want My Baby Back", "Con Alma", "Soulero", "Blues Fuse", and "Isabella". Includes the 10 tracks that make up The Tender Gender LP, 5 more from Ode To 52nd Street, and 1 more – "My Favorite Things" – from Have Yourself A Soulful Christmas. CD

Fantastic! This amazing record is one of the best albums ever to be released by Argo in the sixties. The great percussionist Buck Clarke leads a soulful group of players from Washington, DC that includes the amazing Charles Hampton, who plays flute, alto, and piano – and who contributed most of the arrangements, and some of the best compositions on the album. One of these is the amazing "Feel", a hard swingin' groover with a heavy vibes sound and great off-kilter piano. There's loads of other great tracks, and this album is a fantastic document of one of the best underground local groups working in the early 60's. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Buck Clarke's fantastic albums from the early sixties, featuring Mr. C himself on conga, with accompaniment by the incredible lost jazz player Charles Hampton, who not only plays piano, sax, and flute with a really dark edge, but also lays down some amazing compositions and arrangements. Clement Wells plays vibes, and the whole thing's got a souful, dark sound. 10 tracks in all: "Woody'N You", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "Funk Roots", "Darben, The Redd Foxx", "Bag's Groove", "Blues For Us", "Georgia", "Drum Sum", "Buckskins" and "I Got Rhythm". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album of understated brilliance – one of Art Farmer's early shifts into the sublime, and an easily-blown batch of trumpet tracks that always takes our breath away! There's a sense of relaxed freedom here that's really tremendous – a difference from some of Farmer's more arranged, or more hard-blown moments of the 50s – and a real move into notes that are airier and more open – almost effortless at times, and played like nobody else! The group's a quartet – with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Tommy Williams on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – and the tracks are all in the four to five minute range, with Art crafting lyrically soulful lines over the top. Titles include "Who Cares", "Out Of The Past", "Younger Than Springtime", "That Ole Devil Called Love", and "Goodbye Old Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Basie may be his boss, but Frank Foster's definitely his own man – especially working here on this hip little session for Chess Records – a small group date with some key members of the Count's ensemble! There's a bit of the Basie sense of arrangement in the tunes – especially in the playful way the horns come together – but other points have a looser, more soul jazz sort of approach – a great mix of modes that's a bit like some of Foster's recordings of the 50s, but even groovier overall! In addition to Frank's tenor, the group also features excellent flute and tenor from Eric Dixon – plus trumpet from Al Aarons, piano from John Young, bass from Buddy Catlett, and drums from Phil Thomas – on titles that include "Samba Blues", "Kelly Blue", "May We", and "Vested Interest". CD

A brilliant little record from the legendary team of Michael Garrick and Norma Winstone – easily one of their most striking albums ever, and hardly the "blues" set you might guess from the title! Winstone's vocals are very firmly woven into the group's sound here – and most tunes have some sort of lyrics, not just wordless jazz voice – so there's almost an extra level of meaning and intensity to the songs, one that further expands the modally-influenced grooves laid down by Garrick and the other instrumentalists! The rest of the group includes Trevor Tomkins on drums, Henry Lowther on trumpet, Art Themen on soprano and tenor, and Don Rendell on tenor – and Garrick himself plays harpsichord as well as his usual piano – all with a flowing, soaring grace that's amazing. Titles include "Fire Opal", "Home Stretch Blues", "Sweet & Low", "Epiphany", "Wishbone", "Blue Poppies", and "Limbo Child". CD

A landmark album from pianist Michael Garrick – one of the sublime recordings he made with vocalist Norma Winstone in the late 60s and early 70s! Garrick's approach is really unique – a flowing, almost modal approach that spirals out in a joyously dancing groove – not nearly as chunky or standard as styles from American jazz, but working in the freer rhythms being explored on the European scene of the time. Winstone's vocals are a perfect accompaniment for this approach – as she sings in a moody style that's often wordless, and which fits nicely next to flowing piano and sax lines on the set. Players include Don Rendell, Coleridge Goode, Art Themen, and Garrick himself – and titles include "Troppo", "To Henry, A Son", "Lime Blossom", "Sons Of Art", and "Overtones Of A Forgotten Music". CD

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Without a doubt, Benny Golson is one of the most underrated tenorists of his generation – a player with a tone and conception that's always tremendous – but which comes across especially well on this early 60s session for Argo Records! As you might guess from the title, things aren't as tightly structured as on some of Benny's more arranged albums of the period – and he opens up wonderfully in a small group setting – playing in a beautifully confident tone, but with a slightly raspy edge – cutting, changing, and swinging perfectly in lines that are masterfully crafted, yet full of raw emotion. The group's a thoughtful quartet, and includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and tracks that inlcude "Sock Cha", "Shades Of Stein", "Just By Myself", and "Just In Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from trombonist Al Grey – a player who was really sounding at his best when working in this small combo mode with the fantastic tenorist Billy Mitchell! The album was presented by Metronome, and features a live performance at the Museum of Modern Art – one that has Grey and Mitchell adding in Ray Barretto for a slightly more percussive sound than usual. Tracks are lean, rootsy, and with a tight soul jazz approach that really lets Mitchell hit some of those great notes that make his tenor sound one of the great lost treasures of the 60s. Titles include "Wild Deuce", "Bantu", "Melba's Blues", "Home Fries", and "Bluish Grey". LP, Vinyl record album

Basie-esque stuff by Al Grey, who made his name playing trombone in Basie's band. The group includes a lot of other Basie-ites, including Billy Mitchell, Joe Newman, and Benny Powell. The great Floyd Morris (one of Chicago's best talents of the time!) plays piano, and titles include "Bluish Grey", "The Elder", "Kenie-Konie", and "How Come You Do Me Like You Do". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great little album of songs by the oddball soul singer Clarence "Frogman" Henry – and the only full LP he ever cut! The record features many original tracks by Robert Charles Guidry, a strong New Orleans talent who also recorded a bit on his own. The sound is early New Orleans soul – with a bit of Fats Domino, a bit of Allen Toussaint, and some Professor Longhair-ish piano – and it's a key slice of music from the short time that New Orleans arranger Paul Gayten was working for Chess/Argo. The title version of the standard "You Always Hurt" is a nice one – and the record also features Clarence's hit "But I Do". Other tracks include "Steady Date", "Oh, Why", "Live It Right", and "Your Picture". Sad stuff – and with a sad cover to boot! LP, Vinyl record album

With a record like this, it's clear that Shakey Horton's the soul of blues harmonica – if not the king as well! The album's filled with wonderful instrumentals that really focus Horton's talents strongly – not used just as flavoring or an occasional solo to spice up a tune – but as an amazingly powerful lead instrument with a really great range, and a punch that's packed as tight as any electric guitar on a Chess Record at the time! The set features a great group with Buddy Guy on guitar and Bobby Buster on Hammond – and titles include "Wee Baby Blues", "Wrinkles", "It's Alright", "Hard Hearted Woman", "Friday Night Stomp", and "Gonna Bring It On Home". LP, Vinyl record album

An easily-grooving set that features Illinois Jacquet blowing over small combo arrangements with Tommy Flanagan on piano and Kenny Burrell on guitar – plus some added Latin percussion from Willie Rodriguez! The presence of the Latin percussion really adds a nice element to the album – making the tracks dance lightly, in the "conga plus soul jazz" mode that was being employed heavily at the time on labels like Blue Note and Prestige – and in a style that really makes Jacquet hit a few new notes to match the groove! Titles include "Star Eyes", "Blues For The Early Bird", "Lester Leaps In", "Canadian Sunset", and "Desert Winds". CD

A really hard groover from Illinois Jacquet's later years on Chess – a solidly smoking session that features plenty of organ and guitar! There's a gutbuckety groove here that's a lot like some of Willis Jackson's best work on Prestige at the time – a style that's based around the deeply soulful tenor sound of the leader, but which also features some wonderfully playful accompaniment from the rest of the group, who push things past the obvious organ/tenor sound of the time, into the more unusual rhythms that showed up later in Jackson's years at Prestige. Players include Wally Richardson and and Kenny Burrell on guitar, Ralph Smith on organ, and Willie Rodriguez on percussion – giving some tunes a nice Latin flair! Titles include "Wild Man", "The Message", "Like Young", "Turnpike", and "Bonita". LP, Vinyl record album

Not just a wonderful record for the music, but also for the classic cover image too – a photo of Ahmad Jamal's righteous night club The Alhambra – an Eastern-themed spot on Chicago's Michigan Ave, where Jamal made some incredible music for a few short years! Jamal was one of the few jazz musicians to control his means of production this strongly – and, according to legend, the club actually closed down because he wouldn't allow alcohol to be served – a key support of his spiritual beliefs, but not the greatest choice when running a nightclub. Regardless of that history, though, the music continues to be as proud and powerful as ever – a key modern moment in jazz piano, handled by a trio that also features the legendary Israel Crosby on bass, as well as Vernell Fournier on drums. The set was recorded inside the Alhambra – and tracks include the lovely "Snow Fall", plus hip Jamal takes on "The Breeze & I", "Sweet & Lovely", "The Party's Over", and "Autumn Leaves". CD