A Savoy piano two-fer featuring small group work by Errol Garner and Billy Taylor. CD

Includes a side's worth of material from each pianist – with Garner titles including "Cottage For Sale", "Rosalie", "Stairway To The Stars", "September Song" and more; and Taylor songs including "Mad Monk", "Solace", "Misty Morning Blues" and more, with sidemen including Al Hall, Jimmy Crawfor, John Hardee, Milt Page, John Simmons, and Shadow Wilson. LP, Vinyl record album

Very unusual material from this famous pianist – given that the group here features John Hardee on tenor sax and Milt Page on organ! Titles include "The Bug", "Misty Morning Blues", "Solace", "Monk's Mood", and "Night & Day". LP, Vinyl record album

A flurry of fantastic recordings from the legendary Billy Taylor – material the pianist recorded for Prestige Records in the early 50s – at a time when he was really helping to transform the sound of the piano in jazz! These sides have Taylor showing that a small combo piano date can be just as exciting as a larger set with horns – and in a way, these recordings really helped move the instrument past some of the bluesier modes of 30s small group recordings, or some of the more cocktail-styled sounds of 40s instrumentalists. The trio formation is key to this – a great balance between the excellent bass of Earl May and drums of Charlie Smith – both of whom give things a lot of rhythmic intensity. Tracks on this second volume include "That's All", "Nice Work", "Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "Cool & Caressing", "Tenderly", "Bird Watcher", and "B.T.'s D.T.'s". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Roost sides from Billy Taylor – recorded with a unique combo that features Charles Mingus on bass and Marquis Foster on drums! Mingus' bass tones are extremely pronounced in the set – bolder and more aggressive than we're used to hearing with Taylor at the time – and Taylor himself is nicely open on the keys, and plays with a hard left hand touch at some points. Titles include "Laura", "All The Things You Are", "Lady Bird", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "I'm Beginning To See The Light". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Billy Taylor albums of the 60s – thanks to some great big band backing by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's touch was golden at this point, and he could make just about any instrumentalist swing like a hammer – which is what he does with Taylor on this album, taking his normally flowery keyboard style, and holding it in place with some extremely tight orchestrations. Tracks are a mix of soul jazz groovers and jazzy pop tunes – and titles include "Soul Sister", "That's Where It Is", "Stolen Moments", "Freedom", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", and "I Wish I Knew". LP, Vinyl record album

Billy Taylor on piano. CD

Some of the best work you can get from Billy Taylor – and some of the earliest too! Taylor's 50s trio with Earl May and Percy Brice is augmented by conga work by the great Candido – and this addition brings a lot of fire to the group, giving Taylor's normally safe style a harder percussive edge. Proof of this can be found in the classic reading of "Mambo Inn", one of those Latin piano tunes that's been a jazz dance classic for years. Other tracks include "Love For Sale", "A Live One", and "Bit Of Bedlam". LP, Vinyl record album

Billy Taylor on piano, Fred Tillis on tenor & soprano saxes, Bob Thomas on drums & Victor Gaskin on bass. CD

Billy Taylor on piano, Earl May on bass & Charlie Smith on drums. CD

Some of the best work ever from pianist Billy Taylor – and some of the earliest too! Taylor's 50s trio with Earl May and Percy Brice is augmented here by conga work by the great Candido – and this addition brings a lot of fire to the group, giving Taylor's normally safe style a harder percussive edge – one that really makes the whole set groove nicely! Proof of this can be found in the album's classic reading of "Mambo Inn", one of those Latin piano tunes that's been a jazz dance classic for years – and other tracks are great too, and include "Love For Sale", "A Live One", "Bit Of Bedlam", "Declivity", and "Different Bells". CD

A great change of pace for Billy Taylor – and one of the most striking sessions he made in the 50s! As you'll guess from the title, the record features Taylor's piano along with four flutes – played by Frank Wess, Herbie Mann, Jerome Richardson, and Phil Bodner – working here both in group formation, and in solo mode – fluttering nicely with a cool jazzy sound that really prefaces lots of use of the instrument in the 60s! Another added bonus on the record is added congas from Chano Pozo on most tracks, making for a groovy Latinesque bounce. Titles include "Blue Shutters", "One For The Woofer", "The Song Is Ended", "Back Home", "No Parking", and "Lady Be Good". CD

A great take on the score to the hit show My Fair Lady – heard here in one of the best jazz interpretations from the time! Billy Taylor really gets a great setting for the music here – one that moves past the more familiar small group takes on the tunes, and features soaring large group backings arranged by a young Quincy Jones! Jones really knows how to keep things groovy, and free from cliche – allowing plenty of space for Taylor to step out in fluid solos in the frontline, but also featuring lots of great horn work from players that include Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Don Elliott on Mellophone, Ernie Royal on trumpet, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, and Anthony Ortega on both alto and tenor! Titles include "Show Me", "Get Me To The Church On Time", "The Rain In Spain", "With A Little Bit Of Luck", and "On The Street Where You Live". CD

An early 60s session by Cecil Taylor for Candid, and a record that's one of our favorites by him from the early years! Despite the seemingly odd use of the term "R&B" in the title, the record's actually got a sound that's a bit more soulful than usual for Cecil, with surprising use of blue chords and deep rhythms that make for tunes with a different feel at points – yet a groove that's still as modern as you might expect from Taylor! Neidlinger was actually the leader on this session, which we think wasn't issued except for the Jazzman and Barnaby series that dug through the Candid vaults some years after this it was recorded – so they took advantage of Taylor's greater notoriety when they cooked up the packaging. Other sidemen include Archie Shepp, Billy Higgins, Dennis Charles, Clark Terry, Steve Lacy and Roswell Rudd. 4 numbers in all, "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Cell Walk For Celeste", "OP", and "Cindy's Main Mood". LP, Vinyl record album

A late 80's compilation of some of the greatest work ever recorded by Ted Taylor – done as a string of sessions in Chicago, New York, and Nashville for Okeh Records. Taylor's a singer with a wonderful voice – one that was more famously tuned towards bluesier work later in his career, but which is hear heard coming off an initial run in doo wop – in a mix of modes that includes both Chicago and southern soul styles! Production is by Carl Davis, Billy Sherrill, and others – and no matter what the setting Taylor's vocals are incredible – crackling with a sense of emotion and soul that made him one of the singers to match at the time, even if his Okeh years never yielded that many hits. 18 songs in all, including "Since You're Home", "Be Ever Wonderful", "Hold Me Tight", "She's A Winner", "That Happy Day", "Someday (I Know, I Know", "My Darling", "If It Wasn't For You", "Top Of The World", "Somebody's Always Trying", "Try Me Again", "It Ain't Like That No More", "You've Been Crying", "Dancing Annie", "So Hard", "You Give Me Nothing To Go On", "Can't Take No More", and "Long Distance Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed look at songwriter Chip Taylor – best-remembered for penning the Troggs' classic "Wild Thing", but the man behind some other wonderful work of the 60s as well! As you'll hear in this wonderfully-collected set, Taylor's tunes found plenty of welcome ears in both the rock and soul sides of the music spectrum – no surprise, as his songs often have a timeless, personal quality that we'd rank right up there with the work of Jimmy Webb – although most of Chip's compositions are often a bit more playful as well! As with others in the "songwriter" series from Ace, this volume presents the material with rich track-by-track notes, label scans, and vintage photos – a very detailed look at Taylor's tunes, with titles that include "I Can't Let Go" by Evie Sands, "Country Girl City Man" by Billy Vera & Judy Clay, "Sneakin Up On You" by Peggy Lee, "Picture Me Gone" by Madeline Bell, "Is That You" by Arthur & Mary, "Welcome Home" by Walter Jackson, "Son Of A Rotten Gambler" by The Hollies, "Wake Up John" by Little Eva, "Tommy" by Reparata & The Delrons, "My Johnny Doesn't Come Around Any More" by Debbie Rollins, "His True Love For You" by Al McCarther, "Make Me Belong To You" by Barbara Lewis, "Any Way That You Want Me" by Tina Mason, "Try Just A Little Bit Harder" by Lorraine Ellison, and "I Want The Real Thing" by Chip Taylor himself. CD

A two LP set from the 70s collecting some excellent "new thing" avant jazz moments from the Impulse vaults – including unreleased tracks from Charles Tolliver and Grachan Moncur! The first side features the Cecil Taylor Unit performing three numbers that were released on Gil Evans' Into The Hot LP, "Bulbs", "Pots" and "Mixed", featuring Archie Shepp, Jimmy Lyons, Henry Grimes, Sunny Murray,Ted Curson and Roswell Rudd. The remaining three sides were recorded live in 1965, and a couple of the tracks made it onto the Impulse LP The New Thing. There's two numbers from Charles Tolliver performing alongside James Spaulding, Bobby Hutcherson, Cecil McBee and Billy Higgins, "Brilliant Corners" and "Plight", Grachan Moncur performing "The Intellect" and "Blue Free" in a quartet that features Bobby Hutcherson, Cecil McBee and Beaver Harris and Archie Shepp's "Hambone" finding him alongside Marion Brown in a nice, large-ish group. LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty well peak era material from pianist Cecil Taylor – doing his thing with incredible line up of jazz greats on a couple NYC dates from early 1961! A couple of the pieces here are pure magic – we're especially loving the bits where Cecil is kind of hitting the keys heavily, spurring the players from a comfortable, measured gait into something a bit more feral, but it never busts wide open, creating a dynamic tension. The cream of the crop are on board, including Clark Terry, Roswell Rudd, Steve Lacy, Archie Shepp and Billy Higgins. The numbers mostly run north of 8 minutes, for a nicely loose, lingering groove, and titles include "Jumpin' Punkins", "OP", "O Forgot" and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be". CD

With Billy Taylor, Max Roach, Beryl Booker, Peanuts Holland, Tyree Glenn, Sanford Gold, Teddy Brannon & Fred Radcliffe. CD

A great collection of the obscure recordings that Hawk did for the Jazztone label in the mid 50s – sides that were not well packaged at the time, and often get confused with other work recorded for different labels. The tracks capture Hawkins at a wonderful period in his career – almost lost between eras, but playing with a sound and tone that demand immediate attention – and which have a timeless quality that we love even more than his earlier work. There's some slight touches of the modern edge that Hawk would pick up more at the end of the 50s – but mostly, the dominant approach is one that features lush and soulful tenor work – almost perfect, with nary a note out of place! Players include Billy Taylor, Milt Hinton, and Joe Jones on the core group – plus Emmett Berry and Eddie Bert on about half of the album. Titles include "Blue Lou", "If I Had You", "Get Happy", "Just You Just Me", "Cheek To Cheek", and "Lullaby Of Birdland". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible tribute to the genius of Memphis Soul legend Issac Hayes – one that's overflowing with unreleased material, and presented in a totally cool package! The set's shaped like a 7" single box – and is book-like, with very detailed notes by Stax historian Robert Gordon, alongside page after page of vintage photos and other cool images, too. And inside some of the pages are 4 super-cool CDs – each of which has a different theme that further exposes Ike's genius! CD1 is titled "Soul Songwriter Soul Producer" – and features two dozen tracks that Hayes handled for Stax/Volt – material by The Astors, Danny White, David Porter, Floyd Newman, Johnnie Taylor, Charlie Rich, Judy Clay, The Charmels, Soul Children, Billy Eckstine, The Emotions, Ruby Johnson, and others. CD2 is titled "Volt & Enterprise Singles" – and features all the 7" tracks released by Isaac Hayes during his time on those labels – including two tracks done as a duet with David Porter, two more as Sir Isaac & The Do-Dads, and even a rare Radio Spot too! Things really get interesting on CD3, titled "Cover Man" – which features those cool, long extrapolations of other folks' songs that Hayes pioneered on his albums – but included here with unreleased material too. There's a great never-heard take on "Windows Of The World" – plus unreleased PUSH Black Expo material from 1970 – live takes on "Ten Commandments Of Love", "Just Want To Make Love To You/Rock Me Baby", "I Stand Accused", and "Stormy Monday". CD4 is maybe the coolest of the bunch – titled "Jam Master", with those long grooves that Ike did in the studio while putting together records. Almost all the tracks on CD4 are previously unissued – including "You've Made Me So Very Happy", "Black Militant's Place", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Do Your Thing (extended jam)", "Groove A Thon (extended jam)", and "Hung Up On My Baby (extended jam)". And if all that isn't enough, the set even comes with a cool 7" replica of Ike's first single for the Youngstown label – "Laura We're On Our First Go-Round". CD

Three rare Storyville albums from singer Teddi King – all packaged up here in a cool Japanese paper sleeve set! First up is Now In Vogue – one of a number of great small group sessions done by singer Teddi King for the Storyville label – nicely relaxed, with backing from a septet that features Billy Taylor on piano, Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, Nick Travis on trumpet, and Gene Quill on alto! The Storyville approach really brings out the best in Teddi's vocals – as the easy-going nature of the record has King sounding a bit more grown-up and adult than before – singing lines in a slightly sultry style, yet still with some of the bird-like notes heard on other albums. Taylor's piano adds a nice grounding to the record – and titles include "Old Folks", "Why Do You Suppose", "I'm In The Market For You", "You Hit The Spot", "Something To Live For", and "Like A Ship Without A Sail". Miss Teddi King is great early work from vocalist Teddi King – a set that's got a lot more dark corners and moody moments than some of her later work! The group here is nice and small – a quartet that features Ruby Braff on trumpet, Jimmy Jones on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Milt Hinton on bass – all of whom accompany Teddi with a nicely sensitive sound – often augmenting her trilling vocals with some nicely blue tones of their own. The tracks are all familiar ones, but they're done in a mellow late nite feel that really gives them a new life of their own. Titles include "I Saw Stars", "New Orleans", "Love Is A Now & Then Thing", "It's The Talk of the Town", "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan", and "It's All In The Mind". Round Midnight features vocals as dark as they are lovely – a sublime early set from singer Teddi King, served up in a style that's nicely perched between two decades of jazz! There's a moody, intimate feel here that really takes us back to an earlier era – a bit in the way that Lee Wiley often does at the same period, with a sound that's almost timeless, yet never outdated. The only backings here are piano from Beryl Booker – and in a way, the record's almost a duet outing between Teddi and Beryl, with a wonderfully intimate feel overall. Tracks include "Round Midnight", "What's New", "I Concentrate On You", "Little Girl Blue", and "It Never Entered My Mind". CD

With Marty Krystall on tenor, Warren Gale on trumpet, Buell Neidlinger on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – with guests Cecil Taylor on piano and Dennis Charles on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Parker takes on the music of Cole Porter – with results that make for some of his most classic moments at Verve! Parker's horn is as hard-bitten as always, but it's also working here in a slightly lyrical vibe – one that brings out the warmth that Charlie could have at just the right moments – that sense of soul that made his contribution to jazz one of the more formative sounds of the century! Porter's music takes on tones that we might never have expected – especially in some of the album's alternate versions, which give key proof that Bird was always working out new ideas with each new solo. The group features Walter Bishop on piano, Billy Bauer or Jerome Darr on guitar, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Roy Haynes or Art Taylor on drums – on titles that include "Just One Of Those Things", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Love For Sale", and "I Love Paris. LP, Vinyl record album

A live large group session from Don Redman & His Orchestra featuring Don Byas, Billy Taylor, Peanuts Holland, and vocals by Inez Cavanaugh. Tracks are a mostly standards plus a few originals by Redman including "Chant of the Weeds", "Frantic Atlantic", " Dark Glasses". CD

One of Sarah's few albums for Columbia – and quite possibly the best, thanks to some great small group backing, heard on 8 of the album's 12 tunes! The group's a really great one – with Miles Davis on trumpet, Benny Green on trombone, Buddy Johnson on tenor, Tony Scott on clarinet, Mundell Lowe on guitar, and Billy Taylor on piano – all of whom get some surprising solo space on the album, and make the record one of Sarah's best jazz outings of the 50s. The remaining tracks on the set have a lusher ballad style, but are still quite nice – and titles include "Mean To Me", "Goodnight My Love", "Can't Get Out Of This Mood", "East Of The Sun", "Pinky", "Ooh Whatcha Doin To Me", and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of earlier sides that Young recorded for Savoy, released after his death, and featuring various small groups that include such players as Freddie Greene, Count Basie, Junior Mance, Roy Haynes, Billy Taylor, and Cozy Cole. Tracks include "Blues N Bells", "Ghost Of A Chance", "These Foolish Things", "Exercise In Swing", "Ding Dong", and "June Bug". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Savoy album that compiles sides cut previously for the label by Pres – all apparently during the late 40s years, with players that include Roy Haynes, Junior Mance, Billy Taylor, Cozy Cole, Harry Edison, Buddy Tate, and others. Tracks are offered in master takes, and alternate ones – and titles include "Ghost Of a Chance", "Tush", "Circus In Rhythm", "Exercise In Swing", "Basie English", and "Salute To Fats". Great cover, too – with a guy painting a portrait of Pres! CD

Not your usual public domain compilation of random big band tracks but actually a sweet collection of twenty orchestra and large groups albums by Billy Taylor, Art Farmer, Gil Evans, Louis Bellson, Stan Kenton, Marty Paich, Count Basie, Pete Rugolo, Duke Ellington, George Russell, and others. Yes, the packaging is a little skimpy, but the music is great! CD

124 tracks in all – all late 30s/early 40s recordings from the HRS label, mostly issued initially on 78s! Includes groups led by Harry Carney, Joe Thomas, Jimmy Jones, Sandy Williams, Billy Taylor, Rex Stewart, Brick Fleagle, Buck Clayton, Trummy Young, Russell Procope, and JC Higginbotham. CD

A fantastic collection of music – 66 tracks that show the huge influence of Cuban rhythms in American music during the mid-century years – presented here in a wider range of styles than you might expect! This isn't just Latin music, made by Cuban cats hitting the New York scene – and instead, these are tracks that show the very deep penetration of sounds from Havana – at a level that has the rhythms emerging in soul, hardbop, R&B, and even more standard blues material! The CD divides the music up into three different CDs, each with a different theme – one that looks at rumba in jazz music, another the influence of the mambo, and the third the range of slower Cuban rhythms well into the 60s. Titles include "Dem Tambourines" by Don Wilkerson, "Cuba Doll" by Lloyd Glenn, "Summertime" by Red Saunders, "Soony Roony" by Slim Gaillard, "De Laff's On You" by Louis Jordan, "Conga Brava" by Duke Ellington, "I Come From America" by Chris Powell, "Jock A Mo" by Sugar Boy Crawford, "Woke Up This Morning" by BB King, "Fool Burro" by Mabel Scott, "Cu-Blue" by Billy Taylor, "Arabian Love Call" by Art Neville, "Out Of Nowhere" by Cal Tjader, "I've Waited So Long" by Eddie Cochran, "She Wants To Mambo" by The Chanters, "Mambo Hop" by Oscar Saldana, and "Mambocito Mio" by Illinois Jacquet. CD

A great look at the Elvis Presley universe – not sounds by the King himself, but music that first inspired his creations – and other songs that have contemporary artists inspired by the records that Presley was releasing during the early years of his career! The collection is fantastic – a great sideline to the famous sounds of Elvis and Sun Records – and there's a really great range of material included throughout, all supported by very detailed notes that really show the thought and care that went into the selection of tracks. The whole thing is as vibrant and colorful as the image on the cover – and titles include "All Shook Up" by David Hill, "Just Because" by The Shelton Brothers, "Baby Let's Play House" by Vince Taylor, "King Creole" by Dick Penrose, "Hard Headed Woman" by Paul Rich, "Baby I Don't Care" by Rodney Scott, "I Beg Of You" by Jimmy Lane, "Hot Dog" by Young Jessie, "I Need Your Love Tonight" by Col Joye & The Joy Boys, "Love Me" by Billy Williams Quartet, "Paralyzed" by Mickie Most & His Playboys, and "Mystery Train" by Vernon Taylor. CD

Jazzy grooves from the global underground – all brought together in a sweet set of tracks for the Free Soul series! Despite the "urban jazz" in the title, the sound here isn't the smooth jazz you might expect – and instead these tracks are mostly small label numbers that are hipper than usual, often with a blend of instrumentation and vocals that really shows the more forward-thinking side of the contemporary underground! Titles include "Already There" by Taylor McFerrin with Robert Glasper, "Hyperballad" by Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra, "Thinkin Bout You" by Becca Stevens Band, "Singularis" by Eric Harland Voyager, "The Look Out" by Richard Spaven, "Lorton" by Zhenya Strigalev, "Nothing Like This" by Erimaj featuring Chris Turner, "Willow" by Elizabeth Shepherd, "7th Avenue North" by Marc Cary, "Sketch For Miguel" by Mark De Clive-Lowe, and "Upstairs By A Chinese Lamp" by Billy Childs with Esperanza Spaulding. CD