Features Patrick Clahar on saxophones, Steve Hamilton on piano, Mark Hodgson on bass, and Bill Bruford on drums. CD

Titles include "Original Dixieland One-Step", "Basin Street Blues", "That's A Plenty", "Dese, Dem & Dose", "Sugar Blues", "Milenberg Joys", "Careless Love", and more – 15 tracks total. CD

A fantastic set of Fender Rhodes from the Italian scene of the 70s – not a record that got the kind of mainstream play as American classics by Bob James and Ramsey Lewis – but a set that definitely shares their spirit! Cabildos Three were a studio group as much as a jazz combo – a trio with Cabildo on Fender Rhodes, working alongside tight bass and percussion – on jazzy tunes that were originally only done as a sound library session, but which have attained legendary status when pulled together in this full length album. The whole thing is every bit as great as the words "Fender Rhodes", "Italy", and "percussion" might suggest – and titles include "Castenada Drive", "Yuxtaposicion", "Collection Samba", "Two Types Of Complexion", "Jesus Maria District", "African Penta Song", and "Akorin". CD

Fantastic stuff, and proof that Rosemary Clooney was always one heck of a great singer – with strengths in jazz that you didn't always hear in her pop work! As you'd guess from the cover, Duke Ellington's leading the group on the album – and most of the tracks here are older Ellington standards, reworked with bold vocal lines from Clooney – in a way that's right up there with any of the usual singers with Ellington's band! Players include Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, and Harry Carney – and titles include "I'm Checkin Out", "Mood Indigo", "Blue Rose", "Grieving", "Hey Baby", and "Passion Flower". CD

Live radio broadcasts from Eddie Condon's club in Greenwich Village. Shifting lineup includes Wild Bill Davison on cornet, Cutty Cutshall on trombone, and Ed Hall on clarinet. CD

Includes the songs "When Your Lover Has Gone", "Yesterdays", "Why Was I Born", "Ghost Of A Chance With You", "She's Funny That Way", "Just A Gigolo", "After You've Gone", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Memories Of You", "St. James Infirmary Blues", "Blues In The Air", "Sunday", "Blue And Broken Hearted", "Save It Pretty Mama", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "Blue Turning Grey Over You", "Empty Arms", and "I'll Build A Fence Around You". CD

Four full albums from the great Martin Denny – presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is the initial Exotica album – the birth of a sound and the birth of a legend – Martin Denny's first album in the Exotica series, and a record so great it named an entire genre! Denny certainly didn't invent the tropical style of easy listening that came to be known as "exotica" in the 50s – but with a record like this, he delivered the goods better than anyone else – by taking away all the too-sweet styles of Hawaiian music, and serving up a stripped-down, jazzy kind of sound! The album features Denny's classic original quartet – with Arthur Lyman on vibes and Augie Colon on bongos – and titles include "Stone God", "Jungle Flower", "Busy Port", "Lotus Land", and his hit recording of "Quiet Village". Exotica 2 is the second album in Denny's legendary Exotica trilogy – a set of records that provided the extreme definition of the small sub-genre that today has become the stuff of legend! Denny's still working here in his classic format – a small group with heavy piano lines, playful percussion, and some birdcalls sung by the members of the group! The set's a mix of strange songs from strange sources, all given the sublime Denny twist – and titles include "Singing Bamboos", "Escales", "August Bells", "Ebb Tide", "Rush Hour In Hong Kong", and "Soshu Night Serenade". Exotica 3 is sublime late 50s work from Martin Denny – his third album under the Exotica banner, and almost a deeper and weirder album than the other two! The sound here is extremely haunting – even more freed from conventional melody than the rest, and very fixated on the tonal possibilities that could be produced from Denny's unique grouping of percussion, piano, bass, and vibes. There's few tricks or gimmicks on the set – just a spare and other-worldly approach to music that's totally great! Titles include "Manila", "Mama Iti E Papa E", "Bamboo Lullaby", "Ringo Oiwake", "Moon Of Manakoora", "Congo Train", and "Beautiful Kahana". Quiet Village is an undisputed classic in the exotica genre – and the record that yielded Martin Denny his biggest hit! The title track "Quiet Village" was originally written by Les Baxter, but it was Martin Denny's approach that really managed to send the tune over the top – using spare percussion, rhythmic piano, and just the right amount of vibes and bird calls to give the track a really haunting feel. That approach is echoed throughout the set – with shifting instrumentation that includes celeste, bongos, marimbas, and marimbula as well! Titles include "Quiet Village", "Paradise Found", "Sake Rock", "Martinique", "Tune From Rangoon", and "Pagan Love Song". CD features bonus tracks too – "Llama Serenade" and "The Enchanted Sea" and more. CD

Albert Beltman and Hans Meijdam on alto saxophone, Nils Van Haften on baritone saxophone, Ab Schaap and Toon Roos on tenor saxophone, Hans-Jorg Vink, Ilja Reijngoud, and Martijn Sohier on trombone, Erik Veldkamp, Mike Booth, Peter van Soest, and Ruud Breuls on trumpet, Ack van Rooijen on flugelhorn, John Ruocco on clarinet, Rob Van Bavel on piano, Frans Van Der Hoeven on bass, and Erik Ineke on drums. CD

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A later session from Bill Evans – but one that features some great work from Lee Konitz on alto and Warne Marsh on tenor – one of Evans' last sessions with horn players! Eddie Gomez plays bass – and titles include "Eiderdown", "Pensativa", "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Pensativa", and "Speak Low". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Evans on pinao, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Marty Morell on drums. Titles include "Very Early", "Waltz For Debby", "Quiet Now", "Elsa", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Sareen Jurer", and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life". CD

Features Bill Evans on piano, Marc Johnson on bass, and Joe Labarbera on drums. Tracks include "Emily", "Knit For Mary", "Days Of Wine And Roses", "Your Story", "My Man's Gone Now", and "Letter To Evan". CD

A double-sized set of live Bill Evans material from the early 70s – a great amount of material that showcases a time when Evans had an especially fluid, open touch on the keys of the piano! The group here features the great trio with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums – and unlike some other live Evans albums of this nature, which tend to mike the piano more than the rhythm, this one really has all three points of the trio coming out strongly together – especially Gomez' wonderfully rich, round tones on the bass. Titles include "Two Lonely People", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Re Person I Knew", "Elsa", "Emily", "Turn Out The Stars", and "Quiet Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime late live work from Bill Evans – a well-recorded performance for French radio, and one that really stands out from some of the scratchier late 70s concerts on the market! Bill's working here with a sound as sensitive and picturesque as the cover image – never pushing things too hard, but letting each tune unfold organically in waves of sound few other players could conjure up! Trio musicians include Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums – and titles on this second volume include "Nardis", "Laurie", "34 Skidoo", "Letter To Evan", and "Gary's Theme". CD

Three sets and three different lineups! The album opens with a duet with Eddie Gomez, just piano and bass, which expands to a trio with drummer Eliot Zigmund in the second set. The final set shifts to an entirely different lineup with regular collaborators Marc Johnson on bass and John LaBarbera on drums – plus guest harmonica from Toots Thielemans! CD

A trio date with Marc Johnson on bass a Joe Labarbera on drums. Tracks include "Laurie", "My Romance", "Turn Out The Stars", and "But Beautiful" – 7 tracks in all. CD

One of the few larger group Bill Evans sessions from the later years – an album that features sax and flute from Larry Schneider and trumpet from Tom Harrell – in addition to core trio instrumentation from Bill on piano, Marc Johnson on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums. The added horns really make the session sparkle – and although those players aren't on every number in the record, when they do show up they really help change the sound nicely from overly familiar Evans trio modes. Bill plays a bit of electric piano on the set – especially beautifully on the track "Only Child" – and other titles include "Comrade Conrad", "Peri's Scope", "We Will Meet Again", "Bill's Hit Tune", "Laurie", "Five", and "For All We Know". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously-unissued live date from Bill Evans – recorded in Copenhagen right at the end of the 60s, in a very hip trio that features Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums! There seems to be a bit more force than usual in Bill's left hand – a pulse that comes through nicely on a few tracks in particular – offsetting the brilliantly understated lyrical modes that always makes his music from this period so wonderful. The set features nicely dark versions of "Nardis" and "Waltz For Debby" – plus "Time Remembered", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", "Round Midnight", "Our Love Is Here To Stay", and "Emily". CD

A great pairing – one who barely recorded together, but always made magic when they did! The vibe here is different than the Evans/Getz date on Verve in the mid 60s – partly because of the live setting, but maybe also because the group is Bill's – with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morrell on drums! CD

Features Bill Frisell on guitar and loops in a live set with Viktor Krauss on bass, and Kenny Wollesen on drums on the first disc – with Tony Scherr replacing Krauss for the second half. CD

An album with as much power as you'd expect from the title – and a set that's billed as featuring "Music To The Limits Of Audibility"! The limits explored are the farther ones in sound – not the lower tones at the end of hearing – and Marty Gold does a very good job of hitting the heights with his bold orchestrations, captured here in dramatic RCA sound of the time! Orchestrations are often a bit more complicated than the usual bachelor pad record – with lots of complex horn patterns especially, instead of driving rhythms – and titles include "Stella By Starlight", "The Moon Was Yellow", "I'll Remember April", "A String Of Pearls", "Without A Song", and "Misty". Very dramatic – and bound to make your speakers pop! LP, Vinyl record album

The first album to document a great new chapter in the career of drummer Billy Hart – his ultra-hip quartet with saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson – both younger players who have brought back a real edge to his music! The group has a very different feel than some of the other recent "revival" projects by older jazz drummers – and the focus here is extremely equal, if not even more heavily weighted towards, the younger members of the group. Turner's tenor has all the dark tones and edgey post-Shorter modes heard on his best albums under his own name – and Iverson's angular piano lines revel in a style that's almost in the legacy of Andrew Hill, but more swinging overall. Hart's rhythms are as fluid and complex as ever – making nice use of the cymbals on the fringe, but returning home to the core of the kit when a tighter groove is needed. Titles include "Mellow B", "Lorca", "Irah", "Lullaby For Mike", "Iverson's Odyssey", "Neon", "Charvez", and "Moment's Notice". CD

Pretty hip stuff from drummer Billy Hart – and a record that mixes New York loft jazz traditions with a warmer sense of soul jazz that was being forged by some of the players on the record. Players like Don Pullen, Eddie Henderson, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Dewey Redman, and Oliver Lake come together nicely – and the album's filled with original tracks that include "Diff Customs", "Layla Joy", "Shadow Dance", "Corner Culture", and "Pharoah". CD

Amazing sounds from Joe Henderson's later years – a completely sublime take on the music of Billy Strayhorn, and a wonderful demonstration of Henderson's mature talents on the tenor! There's a fantastic balance here between darkness and light, grit and clarity, heard in Joe's very first notes on the set – and holding on strong through some of the bolder moments in the set – with work by a shifting lineup, from solo to quintet, that features Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Stephen Scott on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. Yet although Marsalis might be a draw for some folks, we really love it best when Henderson gets to do his own thing – stretching out in these marvelous laidback solos that are heavy on those rich tones he developed in his early years, yet turned towards Strayhorn's brilliant ear for space between the sounds. Titles include "Blood Count", "Isfahan", "Rain Check", "Lotus Blossom", "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", and "Upper Manhattan Medical Group". CD

Beautiful Billie from the last years of her life. The material was recorded in 1956 and 1957 in Hollywood, featuring Barney Kessel, Ben Wesbster, Harry Edison, and Jimmy Rowles – all grooving nicely in small group formation. The tracks have a wonderfully fragile quality – and although standards, are still some of Billie's nicest work for Verve. Titles include "April In Paris", "All Or Nothing At All", "We'll Be Together Again", and "But Not For Me". Great David Stone Martin cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

A damn great little record – a small label indie side, but a set that had an unusually strong influence on vocal jazz in the 60s – really setting a new standard for the generation to come! Marv swings things with a hip, sophisticated style – shaking off some of the excesses of the Billy Eckstine generation, going for the leaner modes of the Frank Minion set – and coming up with some groovy tunes that really sparkle in his hands! Marvin plays piano and celeste, and the set also features organ from Charles Kynard and Groove Holmes, flute and tenor from Buddy Collette and Clifford Scott, trumpet from Carmell Jones, and guitar from Hank Crawford – about as hip a backing group as you could hope to pull from the LA scene! The set includes the killer "Big City" – penned and sung by Jenkins, but covered by plenty of others – plus "Chicago", "Small Town", "City Blues", "Visit Me Today", and "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco". LP, Vinyl record album

Searing sounds from 50s rockabilly legend Benny Joy! Benny was hardly a chart-topper in the late 50s – but in decades since, he's earned a strong reputation as one of the most fire-fueled early rockers, thanks to his deft work on guitar, and his unfailing ability to turn out a triple-tempo number that had as much sharpness of wit as sneering intensity! LP, Vinyl record album

A great look at a really unique moment in fashion – a time when the mainstream trappings of ivy league styles were taken up by African-American cultural figures – a moment of cooption that led was key to a rising sense of pride and power in the postwar years! You'll instantly recognize the look from the image of Miles Davis on the cover – and Davis is one of the figures who gets focus in the book – alongside other jazz musicians like Billy Taylor and Sonny Rollins, writers like Amiri Baraka and James Baldwin, and civil rights icons like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X – all of whom wore button down shirts, well-crafted blazers, and hip skinny ties as they helped forge a whole new identity for black America in the 50s and 60s. The book is beautifully done – and ties together so many images we know from the press and record covers, mixed with others we're seeing here for the first time – all give thoughtful text along the way by British writer Jason Jules. The heavy, hardcover book is 224 pages in all – with color and black and white images throughout. Book

A landmark recording – but never issued properly until this reissue! This rare live set was recorded in New York in 1959, and it features the unusual pairing of Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh with the Bill Evans trio of the time – Bill on piano (natch), Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Paul Motion on drums. Evans' warm, round lyricism is quite striking here – much more different backing than we're used to hearing behind Konitz and Marsh, although still with enough modern tones to make them feel right at home. There's a darkly brooding feel to the best numbers here, and most tracks stretch out far past the 5 minute mark – making for a 12 track set that offers over 90 minutes of music! Titles include "Lennie Bird", "April", "Just Friends", "Palo Alto", "317 E 32nd", "It's You Or No One", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "Lennie-Bird", and "How About You?". CD

Produced by George Martin! LP, Vinyl record album

Produced and arranged by Bill Laswell. CD

French recordings from the group of alto saxophonist Willie Lewis – with players that include Bobby Martin on trumpet, Benny Carter on alto, Herman Chittison on piano, and Frank Big Boy Goodie on tenor! LP, Vinyl record album

Charles Lloyd plays tenor and alto saxophone, bass, alto and C flute, piano, taragato, Tibetan oboe, percussion, and maracas – accompanied by =Billy Higgins on drums, guitar, guimbri, strings, percussion, and vocals. CD

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

More great grooves by this incredible band with a real talent for mixing jazz funk organ with a much freer sensibility – hitting a range of influences that run the gamut from Jimmy Smith to Larry Young, and blending them into something all their own. Titles include "Spy Kiss", "Night Marchers", "Kenny", "Lifeblood", "Henduck", "Think", and "Dracula". LP, Vinyl record album

Ellington numbers all around, played by a great Japanese 70s big band, headed up by Toshio Mori! The sound here would make the late Duke proud – as Mori and the group perform 8 Billy Strayhorn numbers all with just the right mix of ensemble soul and modern touches that made the later Ellington group such a thrill. And while you might be expecting a gimmick or some sort of a stylistic move to mark the album as particularly Japanese or 70s-oriented – it's a just a great straight ahead big band session, done in a very respectful style. Titles include "UMMG", "After All", "Lotus Blossom", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Snibor". CD

A tribute to Bill Evans with Joe Lovano on tenor, Bill Frisell on guitar, Marc Johnson on bass, and Paul Motian on drums. CD

A record that marks a very different chapter in the career of Bill Nelson than his initial rise to fame at the head of Be Bop Deluxe – a set that offers up a leaner take on the 70s styles of Nelson's music, and a sound that's decidedly aimed much more at the new wave generation! Bill was always a bit ahead of the pack in terms of production and instrumentation – and he definitely puts that work to use here, by retuning an earlier aesthetic in ways that are definitely at the forefront of UK electronic pop! Vocals are often processed, keyboards and guitars intertwine nicely, and titles include "Don't Touch Me I'm Electric", "Stop Go Stop", "Furniture Music", "Revolt Into Style", "The Atom Age", and "A Better Home In The Phantom Zone". 2CD version features the remastered album, a new stereo mix, and bonus tracks that include "Acquitted By Mirrors" and "Wonder Toys That Last Forever", in both mixes – plus "My Light", a previously unreleased track from the sessions – and Red Noise session tracks "Ideal Homes", "Instantly Yours", and "Disposable". CD

The only LP from this First Priority family member who released a couple of nice tracks as singles on the label, especially his duets with MC Lyte. This major label album somehow managed to get lost, though it's one of our favorites from the early 90s, with stripped down funky beats and a tight flow and intelligent rhyme style that won't leave you scratching your head. 16 tracks in all, counting the shorter intros and interludes, including "Pass The Mic", "One 2 The Head", "How The F*ck Would You Know", "Carhoppers", "A Flower Grows In Brooklyn", "Nightshift", "I Got A Man", "Ain't No Crime" and "It's All Over". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone cooker – and one of the best versions of Porgy & Bess recorded in a jazz format! It's a slightly-forgotten fact that at the time of the big late 50s film version of Porgy & Bess, there was a bit of trouble with the soundtrack – so the market was flooded with other versions of Gershwin's score in a hope to fill the void. This is one of the best of that bunch – a very well-done set of tunes arranged and conducted by Bill Potts, recorded with a strong set of soloists that include Al Cohn, Gene Quill, Zoot Sims, Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Charlie Shavers, Bob Brookmeyer, and Harry Edison. Tracks are the usual batch of Porgy & Bess numbers – "I Loves You Porgy", "It Ain't Necessarily So", "My Man's Gone Now", "A Woman Is A Sometimes Thing", "Summertime" – all woven together wonderfully in a rich tapestry of sound, with some particularly evocative solos. CD

Martha Reeves' first solo album for MCA – an all-out studio affair that's quite different from her classic 60s work for Motown! The album's done in a way that really focuses on the deepest side of Martha's vocals – in a way that goes for the sort of "rootsy" soul that was cropping up heavily on majors at the start of the 70s – well-recorded in LA studio sessions, but featuring styles that were decidedly down-homey. Players on the album include Billy Preston, Dennis Doffey, Joe Sample, and Arthur Adams – all of whom bring a tightly professional focus to the backings – and Martha's helped on backup vocals by both Clydie King and Jim Gilstrap. Titles include "Power Of Love", "My Man", "Sweet Misery", "Wild Night", "You've Got Me For Company", "Storm In My Woul", "Facsimilie", and "Many Rivers To Cross". CD also features bonus tracks "Stand By Me", "Our Day Will Come", and "I Sure Do Love You" LP, Vinyl record album

Martha Reeves' first solo album for MCA – an all-out studio affair that's quite different from her classic 60s work for Motown! The album's done in a way that really focuses on the deepest side of Martha's vocals – in a way that goes for the sort of "rootsy" soul that was cropping up heavily on majors at the start of the 70s – well-recorded in LA studio sessions, but featuring styles that were decidedly down-homey. Players on the album include Billy Preston, Dennis Doffey, Joe Sample, and Arthur Adams – all of whom bring a tightly professional focus to the backings – and Martha's helped on backup vocals by both Clydie King and Jim Gilstrap. Titles include "Power Of Love", "My Man", "Sweet Misery", "Wild Night", "You've Got Me For Company", "Storm In My Woul", "Facsimilie", and "Many Rivers To Cross". CD also features bonus tracks "Stand By Me", "Our Day Will Come", and "I Sure Do Love You" CD

A great reunion of pianist Pandelis Karayorgis and reedman Dave Rempis – both of whom seem to bring out the best in each other on the album's two long, improvised tracks! Rempis blows alto, tenor, and baritone – crafting those completely imaginative solos we love in his music – almost these sensitive journeys in sound that have a distinct presence that always marks Dave as one of the most gifted players of his generation – set off strongly by the piano work of Pandelis, who has a much freer approach on the keys. The group also features bass from Jakob Heineman and drums from Bill Harris – and titles include the very long "Stone Fruit", and the shorter "Burning Bush". CD

These days, pianist Billy Tipton is somewhat of a legend – largely because "he", was actually a "she", masquerading as a man, and making a name for her/himself as a moody interpreter of standards. Billy's talents on the keys are certainly not enough to get him remembered on his/her own – but the album's a nice one to have if you're curious about the myth, especially because it's got the famous cover image of the masculine Billy, sitting at the piano surrounded by two busty girls! In fact, you'll probably never play the record – with tracks like "Marie", "Delilah", and "Christopher Columbus" – but the cover's worth the price alone! LP, Vinyl record album

A great "birth of the cool" album from Capitol – a 10" record that brings together some key recordings from that pivotal jazz year of 1949! Titles include "Imagination" by a large group with Bill Harris in the lead on trombone; "Wow", "Marionette", and "Yesterdays" from a great Lennie Tristano group with Warne Marsh on tenor, Lee Konitz on alto, and Billy Bauer on guitar; "Boplicity" by Miles Davis with JJ Johnson and Lee Konitz; and "Penthouse Serenade", "Extrovert", and "Good For Nothin Joe" by a quintet with Buddy DeFranco on clarinet and Teddy Cohen on vibes. LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the greatest albums ever cut by Swedish vocalist Monica Zetterlund – a landmark album that has her singing with the Bill Evans Trio! The album was recorded in 1964, with a spare sound that's quite different from most of Monica's other work. As usual, her vocals are wonderfully cool and icy, and she runs through a strong set of material that includes a few jazz standards, a few jazz versions of traditional Swedish material, and a remake of "Waltz for Debby". Other cuts include "Once Upon a Summertime", "It Could Happen to You", "So Long Big Time", and "Lucky To Be Me". Sophisticated jazz vocals by one of the biggest talents of the continent, and a rare recording by Bill Evans from the classic years! Plus, this Japanese reissue features 6 bonus tracks not on the original LP! CD

A wonderful pairing of sounds from these two giants of the New York downtown scene – John Zorn on alto and Bill Laswell on bass, both players who've really evolved a hell of a lot over the decades – and who come together here with a maturity that really marks the sound of the set! There's less in your face type energy going on here – as the tracks stretch out, and both players feel a sense of sonic freeplay more than overwrought improvisation – spinning out long, almost poetic tributes to three key musical inspirations – "Wayne Shorter", "Milford Graves", and "Pharoah Sanders". CD

A wonderful compilation of classic bossa tunes – packaged in a lovely way, and selected by Ruy Castro, who (literally) wrote the book on bossa nova! Castro's the author of a great book on bossa nova – the first of its type in English (and incidentally, often for sale at Dusty Groove!) – and here, he's selected 2CDs worth of tracks to fit the mood and spirit of the book, a perfect soundtrack for a sunny summery afternoon on the beach in Rio! Titles include "Que Besteira" by Joao Donato, "Pois E" by Nara Leao, "Captain Bacardi" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, "Tem Do" by Rio 65 Trio, "Two Kites" by Mario Adnet, "Jangal" by Dom Um, "Domingo Azul" by Billy Balanco, "E Nada Mais" by Os Gatos, "Surfboard" by Roberto Menescal, "Coisa No 8" by Moacir Santos, "Samba De Verao (live)" by Marcos Valle & Patricia Marx, "Ledusha Com Diamantes" by Celso Fonseca, "Tim Dom Dom" by Jorge Ben, and "Voce" by Dick Farney & Norma Benguell. CD

Features Bill Frisell, Vernon Reid, Geri Allen, Don Byron, Elvis Costello, Mark Ribot, Greg Cohen, Don Alias, Dr. John, and many others. CD

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Rare rockers from a very obscure source – material pulled from two different California labels of the 50s – both companies that grew up in the recording boom of the big move west from all points south at midcentury – and which were close to the ground, and very well poised to capture some of the best up-and-coming sounds on the scene! The work here is the sort that came about from a label being more open to new ideas than having some sort of larger plan to conquer the world of pop music – as these companies might have recorded hillbilly and R&B equally well, which often shows in the approach to the music – nicely free, open, and almost genre-hopping at times – very different than the house styles of some of the more iconic labels. As with other volumes in the series, the set list is great, and supported by very detailed notes – a whopping 33 tracks in all, with work by The Empala Six, The Fretts, Linda & The Epics, The Downbeats, Chuck Royal & The Sharpsters, Gradie O'Neal & The Bella Tones, Pat LaRocca, The Martells, Shorty Joe, and others! CD

A wonderful stripped-down set of piano work from Duke Ellington – presented here in an obscure set of duets recorded with Billy Strayhorn in 1950, finally issued as a full package by Riverside in the mid 60s – at a time when more folks seemed to be paying attention to Duke's stylings on the keys! The tracks are all relatively shortish, and accompaniment includes bass from either Lloyd Trotman, Joe Schulman, or Wendell Marshall, plus a bit of drums from Jo Jones. Strayhorn plays celeste on two numbers, and some numbers feature either artist solo. Titles include "Oscalypso", "Flamingo", "Cottontail", "Bang Up Blues", "Johnny Come Lately", "Tonk", "In A Blue Summer Garden", and "Blues For Banton". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Bill Evans' landmark sessions with the young bassist Scott LaFaro – a player who made key contributions on every record he touched, then left this earth far too soon in his career! The live session's a perfect demonstration of the way that the Evans trio format not only re-worked the use of the piano in jazz, but also the bass and drums as well – as LaFaro's deeply evocative playing is paired with the equally fresh drum work of Paul Motian – heard here at his youthful early best, before some of his contributions to jazz had become cliche in the hands of other players. Pulled from the afternoon and evening sessions caught live at the Village Vanguard on June 25, 1961 – and titles include longish takes on "Solar", "Jade Visions", and "Gloria's Step". CD

Fantastic work from piano legend Bill Evans – recorded at the Keystone club in San Francisco just a week before his too-early death – and a batch of material that shows us that Bill still had plenty to offer the world! This isn't the work of a musician on his last legs – and instead, Evans is a master of imagination, phrasing, and timing – working with his superb late trio that features Marc Johnson on bass and Joe Labarbera on drums – and further opening up tunes we've already heard him open up before – leaving us breathless all over again, at that level that makes Bill Evans live material maybe even more important to understanding his genius than his studio material! CD

Fantastic work from piano legend Bill Evans – recorded at the Keystone club in San Francisco just a week before his too-early death – and a batch of material that shows us that Bill still had plenty to offer the world! This isn't the work of a musician on his last legs – and instead, Evans is a master of imagination, phrasing, and timing – working with his superb late trio that features Marc Johnson on bass and Joe Labarbera on drums – and further opening up tunes we've already heard him open up before – leaving us breathless all over again, at that level that makes Bill Evans live material maybe even more important to understanding his genius than his studio material! Tracks include "Emily", "Two Lonely People", "Knit For Mary F", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "You & The Night & The Music", and "Re Person I Knew". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from piano legend Bill Evans – recorded at the Keystone club in San Francisco just a week before his too-early death – and a batch of material that shows us that Bill still had plenty to offer the world! This isn't the work of a musician on his last legs – and instead, Evans is a master of imagination, phrasing, and timing – working with his superb late trio that features Marc Johnson on bass and Joe Labarbera on drums – and further opening up tunes we've already heard him open up before – leaving us breathless all over again, at that level that makes Bill Evans live material maybe even more important to understanding his genius than his studio material! Tracks on this second volume include "Tiffany", "Your Story", "Like Someone In Love", "My Romance", "Turn Out The Stars", and "Days Of Wine & Roses". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from piano legend Bill Evans – recorded at the Keystone club in San Francisco just a week before his too-early death – and a batch of material that shows us that Bill still had plenty to offer the world! This isn't the work of a musician on his last legs – and instead, Evans is a master of imagination, phrasing, and timing – working with his superb late trio that features Marc Johnson on bass and Joe Labarbera on drums – and further opening up tunes we've already heard him open up before – leaving us breathless all over again, at that level that makes Bill Evans live material maybe even more important to understanding his genius than his studio material! This album features unreleased tracks not included on the first two Consecration albums – and titles include versions of "MASH", "Re: Person I Knew", "Emily", "Who Can I Turn To", "But Beautiful", "My Foolish Heart", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime late live work from Bill Evans – a well-recorded performance for French radio, and one that really stands out from some of the scratchier late 70s concerts on the market! Bill's working here with a sound as sensitive and picturesque as the cover image – never pushing things too hard, but letting each tune unfold organically in waves of sound few other players could conjure up! Trio musicians include Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums – and titles on this first volume include "Quiet Now", "My Romance", "Noelle's Theme", "I Loves You Porgy", and "Up With The Lark". CD

Sublime late live work from Bill Evans – a well-recorded performance for French radio, and one that really stands out from some of the scratchier late 70s concerts on the market! Bill's working here with a sound as sensitive and picturesque as the cover image – never pushing things too hard, but letting each tune unfold organically in waves of sound few other players could conjure up! Trio musicians include Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums – and titles on this first volume include "Quiet Now", "My Romance", "Noelle's Theme", "I Loves You Porgy", and "Up With The Lark". CD

Two slices of never-issued work from pianist Bill Evans – material recorded on two different dates in Denmark in 1964, both featuring work from his fantastic trio that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Larry Bunker on drums! Both players were key to helping Evans develop the sound that he would carry forth strongly into the 70s – Bunker with a very subtle, open touch on the drums – and Israels with a modern conception of basswork that followed strongly from some of the experiments that Scott LaFaro had begun with Evans a few years before. The set features one batch of tracks recorded for Danish Radio, another for TV in Copenhagen – and titles include "Give", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "Waltz For Debby", "Sweet & Lovely", "My Foolish Heart", and "How My Heart Sings". CD also features a bonus track – a 1969 Denmark recording of "Round Midnight", with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums. CD

A great live date from Bill Evans – one of his essential sides of the 70s, even if you've already got a bunch of other Evans live material! We know what you're thinking: "Do I have this one? Seems to be a lot of tunes here that I've got on other Evans recordings." But take it from us, this set's a real winner – beautifully recorded despite a larger venue performance in Tokyo – and captured with all the grace, poise, and gentle-flowing genius of Evans in his best better-known live dates – a real antidote to some of the other 70s live albums that might have been better left unissued. Everyone's at the top of their game here – Eddie Gomez on bass with those round warm tones, Marty Morrell on drums with his simple spare rhythms, and Evans himself with a sound that's bold then quiet then bold then soft – beautiful throughout, and really setting fire. Titles include "My Romance", "Yesterday I Heard The Rain", "Mornin Glory", "Up With The Lark", "When Autumn Comes", "TTTT", "Gloria's Step", and "Hullo Bolinas". CD

A beautiful pairing – the keyboards of Bill Evans and harmonica of Toots Thielemans – presented here in a space that marks the record as one of the best from both players in the 70s! Some tunes are sad and blue, and very spare – others a bit more upbeat and lyrical, almost taking us back to Bill's more sprightly modes of the early 60s – and the clear, clean sound offers up the best tones from both players in a perfect space. Other musicians include Marc Johnson on bass, Eliot Zigmund on drums, and Larry Schneider on flute, tenor, and soprano sax – and Evans plays a bit of electric piano in addition to acoustic, something we always love! Titles include "I Do It For Your Love", "The Days Of Wine & Roses", "Jesus' Last Ballad", "The Other Side Of Midnight", "Blue & Green", and "Tomato Kiss". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Frisell on guitar, loops and music boxes, Ry Cooder on electric guitar, Greg Leisz on pedal steel guitar, dobro, lap steel guitar, Weissenborn guitar, National guitar, and mandolin, Wayne Horvitz on piano and sampler, Viktor Krauss on bass, and Jim Keltner on drums and percussion. CD

Stone funky work from the late 60s – a landmark batch of tracks by Quincy Jones – originally recorded for the soundtrack of the first Bill Cosby show, and issued here to the public for the first time ever! The show's famous theme "Hikky-Burr" is a well-known groover with a sinister snapping edge that sums up all the best of Quincy's funky jazz soundtrack work in the 60s – and the rest of the tracks on the set follow in a blend of California soul jazz modes that's mighty mighty nice! Players on the tunes include Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander, Joe Sample, Eddie Harris, Ray Brown, and Paul Humphrey – and the tracks have a loose, improvised feel that's a nice contrast from a lot of Quincy's tighter soundtrack work. Along with 2 different versions of "Hikky-Burr" (one with vocal by Cosby, one without), the set also features tracks that include "Toe Jam", "Jive Den", "Monty Is That You", and "Eubie Walkin" – plus a loosely disguised version of "Listen Here", and a take on "Oh Happy Day". Great stuff – and wonderful to finally have out on CD! CD

With Yusef Ali, Joey Baron, Tyrone Brown, Richard Davis, Ralph Dorsey, Sherman Ferguson, Gil Goldstein, Eddie Green, Jabali Billy Hart, Billy Higgins, Marc Johnson, Bob Kenmotsu, Steve LaSpina, Jimmy Lewis, James Ridl, Bobby Rose, Bill Stewart, Ron Thomas and Carl Wilson, CD

Includes the songs "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", "Mood Indigo", "St. Louis Blues", "Hindustan", "Bill Bailey (Won't You Please Come Home)", "St. James Infirmary", "The Bucket's Got A Hole In It", "I Shall Not Be Moved", "When The Saints Go Marchin' In", and "Amen". CD

With Clark Terry on trumpet and flugelhorn, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Julius Watkins on frech horn, Jay McAllister on tuba, Phil Woods on alto, Frank Wess on tenor, Jerome Richardson on baritone, Les Spann on guitar, George Duvivier on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Wither's most underrated sets, a nice effort from the latter part of his Columbia career. The set has the sort of modern soul polish throughout that separates these CBS sides from his earlier grittier work for Sussex, and though the sound has a little more commercial and mainstream appeal than some of the funkier folksier early albums, it's aged a lot better than we might have predicted upon its release. Overall the vibe is a lot like the excellent Menagerie album which immediately preceded this, with some nice jazzy touches, and even though it didn't produce a big hit like "Lovely Day", it does features some arrangements by Wade Marcus that contribute to the warm, polished production. Titles include "Love Is", "All Because Of You", "You Got The Stuff", "Don't It Make It Better", and "Look To Each Other For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A totally great entry in this always-great series – and one that looks at a slice of raunchy rock that's a bit different than usual! The Warner Brothers label started up right at the end of the 50s – after most of the other rock powerhouse imprints – and they also had more of an ear for pop and mainstream sounds, given their Hollywood home. Yet they also quickly found a way to turn out some really remarkable 45s – music that was maybe even just recorded with leftover studio time, or between the bigger projects on the label – funded by bigger money from films, and often done in a top-shelf studio setting! This legacy of Warner isn't nearly as well-known as their 60s pop and vocal material, but it's equally groovy – if not more so – and gets fantastic treatment here from Bear Family, who not only present a whopping 30 tracks, but also accompany the whole thing with a wonderful booklet that's filled with notes, photos, and record images. The set even includes some surprising rockers by unlikely sources – and titles include "Shimmy Shake" by Billy Land, "The Swing" by Johnny Carroll, "Teen Beat" by Don Ralke, "Road Hog" by Johnny Zorro, "Hanna Lee" by Shelly Dane, "The Fool" by Bob Luman, "Lucille" by The Everly Brothers, "Baby Please Don't Go" by Troyce Key with Eddie Cochran, "Drum Twist" by Buddy Harman, "Saturday Night Fish Fry" by Eddie & Betty, and "Forbidden City" by John Buck & His Blazers. CD

Lots of older record companies got in on the action during the early days of rock and roll – but few folks did it as well as RCA Records – home, of course, to Elvis Presley – and also to all the great lesser-known gems featured in this set! Some tracks are by artists who would break big on later labels, or others who might have stepped over a bit from country – but the bulk of the collection represents all the great singles that RCA cut during the late 50s and early 60s – including some on its sub-labels, where the company was going strong in the worlds of underground styles! Given that this excellent series already looked at RCA once before, it's a further testament that there's an additional 35 rocking gems to be pulled from the label's catalog – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Wild Child" by David Hill, "Get On The Right Track" by Joe Clay, "Rainbow Doll" by Jimmy Dell, "Welcome To The Club" by Jean Chapel, "Wolf Boy" by Sammy Salvo, "Hoebe Snow" by Benny Martin, "Never Been Kissed" by Marlin Greene, "Chicken House" by Dave Rich, "Heart Of A Fool" by Lee Denson, "Almost Eighteen" by Roy Orbison, "That Weepin Willow Tree" by Ray Griff, and "Dumb Bunny" by Bill Carlis. CD

Seminal work from one of the hippest big bands of the 70s – the legendary ensemble led by pianist Toshiko Akioshi and reedman Lew Tabackin! The group marks a huge shift for Akiyoshi – a move away from the more bop-inflected small combo work of earlier years, into a rich new role as a composer and arranger – one who comes up with fantastic charts for the ensemble, filled with color, tone, and a great sense of swing! Tabackin's reeds are great too – always handled with bold lines, and a strongly visionary sound – and other players on the dates include Bill Perkins and Gary Foster on saxes, Bobby Shew and Ron Raider on trumpets, Britt Woodman and Charlie Loper on trombones, Don Baldwin on bass, and Peter Donald on drums. The 3CD set features 5 albums in all – Kogun, Long Yellow Road, Tales Of A Courtesan, Insights, and March Of The Tadpoles – and titles include "Elegy", "American Ballad", "Henpecked Old Man", "Opus Number Zero", "Since Perry/Yet Another Tear", "Strive For Jive", "Village", "Studio J", "Mobile", "Deracinated Flower", and "Notorious Tourist From The East". CD

Bill Anschell on piano and electronics – with Brian Monroney on guitar, Chris Symer on bass, and Jose Martinez on drums. CD

If you've ever doubted the real jazz sensibility of Tony Bennett, then this is an album to change your mind – because Tony's working here in a marvelously unadorned setting – with only the piano of Bill Evans to back him up! The record's a rare gem from years after Bennett was cracking the pop charts, but was willing to pull back to the jazz of his roots – and the session's equally rare for Evans, who rarely worked with vocalists at this point in his career. The simplicity of the album is its strength – and together, the pair really sound tremendous – slightly faltering at times, but in a way that exposes a sense of humanity you might not find in other records, especially those by Bennett. Titles include "When In Rome", "Some Other Time", "The Touch Of Your Lips", "My Foolish Heart", "Waltz For Debby", and "Young & Foolish". CD

With Cat Anderson, Gene Goe, Blue Mitchell, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet; Britt Woodman, Jimmy Cleveland, Benny Powell, and Tricky Lofton on trombone; Marshal Royal, Lanny Morgan, Richie Kamuca, Don Menza, and Jack Nimitz on saxophone; Monty Budwig on bass, Dave Frishberg on piano, and Frank Capp on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

The debut of Bilal, and a key album in that second generation merging of hip hop and R&B – very different than the early 90s moment, where the genres might combine in more of a surface level – and a set that marks a key merging of minds with the styles, as Bilal croons vocals, but with the fierceness of some of the rappers he'd collaborated with in years before the record! Part of that identity comes through on the album's release on Interscope, echoed by presence of guests who include Dr Dre, Mos Def, and Common – yet the album's very much Bilal's own, and maybe even pushes past territory explored by D'Angelo a few years before. Production includes work by Bilal himself, plus contributions from Dr Dre and J Dilla – on titles that include "Soul Sista", "You Are", "Slyde", "Second Child", "Sally", "Fast Lane", "All That I Am", "Love It", "Sometimes", "Reminisce", and "Home". CD