Brilliant early work by Miles Davis – some of his first truly important sessions to appear under his own name – originally issued as singles or 10" LP recordings by Blue Note, and brought together here in a full length set that would help to define the early years of his career! This is work before Miles was able to stretch out on longer sessions for Prestige, but the material already showcases his unique contribution to jazz – shorter tracks that are perhaps more boppish, than you might expect from some of Miles' other 50s work – but in a way that still allows for many moments of lyrical beauty, and that brilliantly cool sound of his which forever changed the sound of jazz trumpet. The set features work from an assortment of players who vary from track to track – including Jimmy Heath on tenor, Jackie McLean on alto, JJ Johnson on trombone, Horace Silver on piano, and Art Blakey on drums. Titles on this second volume include "Weirdo", "Donna", "Ray's Idea (alt)", "Take Off", "Would'n You", "The Leap", "Lazy Suzan", and "Tempus Fugit (alt)". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Minor's Holiday", "Lotus Flower", "Mexico City", "Philly Twist", "Blue Bossa", "Short Story", "Una Mas", and "The Fox". Features work by Joe Henderson, Elvin Jones, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Burrell, Horace Silver, and Pete LaRoca. CD

An excellent live performance – presented here with loads of unreleased tracks! Players include Clark Terry and Cat Anderson on trumpets, Quentin Jackson on trombone, and Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, and Paul Gonsalves on saxes! CD

With Junior Mance on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Kenny Washington on durms – plus guest trumpet from Wynton Marsalis, Wallace Roney, Doc Cheatham, and Claudio Roditi, as well as Red Rodney on flugelhorn. CD

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A hell of a great large group session from Jimmy Heath – filled with those special tones and colors we always love in his arrangements, and that special sort of soul that usually makes his bigger band records swing like most small combo dates! The album's one of the best we've heard from Heath in years – and maybe his best in this format for decades – and in addition to Jimmy's own excellent leadership and solos on tenor and soprano sax, the group's overflowing with great talent throughout – including Antonio Hart on alto and flute, Charles Davis on tenor, Roy Hargrove and Michael Mossman on trumpets, Steve Davis on trombone, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. Tracks are all long and really lovely – scored with a vibe that's more 70s than you'd guess from the date – and titles include "Togetherness", "A Time & A Place", "A Sassy Samba", "Fiesta Mojo", and "A Sound For Sore Ears". CD

Pivotal work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – eleven full albums recorded by the young jazzman as a leader, together showing a really incredible scope of his talents in just a few short years in the studio! The Blue Note albums here already show an incredible evolution – from initial hardbop crackle at the best level of the label, to a slight shift into new thing territory that marks a more experimental side of Freddie's work that would take off later in the 60s. There's also two Impulse Records releases in the package – the completely sublime sextet outing of The Artistry Of Freddie Hubbard – a great date with Curtis Fuller on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and John Gilmore on tenor – making a rare appearance in the studio away from the Sun Ra Arkestra! The other Impulse album is titled Body & Soul – and has Hubbard amidst a larger group of modernists on most tracks, with these incredible Wayne Shorter arrangements – then in a small group with shorter on tenor and Eric Dolphy on alto and flute. Blue Note albums include Breaking Point, Blue Spirits, Open Sesame, Going Up, Hub Cap, Ready For Freddie, Hub Tones, and Here To Stay – with players who include Tina Brooks, Jimmy Heath, and Wayne Shorter on tenors; McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, and Herbie Hancock on pianos; Paul Chambers, Sam Jones, and Reggie Workman on basses; and James Spaulding making a key early appearance on alto and flute. 70 long tracks in all – and a very detailed booklet of notes with rare photos! CD

Includes the songs "Run For It", "Rhythm Music Rides Again", "Greasy Granny", "Mean Streak", Nothin' But Trouble", "Lively Up Yourself", "The Shango Pt. III", "Enter The Dragon", "Two For Bleu", "The Spin Seekers", "Ashby Man", and "Fistful Of Haggis". CD

Incredible music from the great Bobby Hutcherson – a series of crucial 60s sessions for Blue Note that forever changed the way the vibes were heard in jazz! Bobby's work here is incredible – as he finds ways to create whole new sounds and shapes on his instrument – very different than both the softer sounds and romping percussive modes of previous generations – with a sense of dynamic expressiveness that matches the fantastic contributions of key sidemen here – including saxophonists James Spaulding, Joe Henderson, and Harold Land – the last of whom is heard here on a few key early collaborations with Hutcherson – which would enrich both of their careers. Other players include Grant Green on guitar, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Sam Rivers on flute and tenor, McCoy Tyner, Stanley Cowell, and Herbie Hancock on piano – plus the great Joe Chambers on drums – who was kind of a secret hero on so many of these sessions! Some of the albums here were so ahead of their time, Blue Note didn't issue them until many years later and the box set adds some unissued bonus tracks that were not on previous issues of some of the records too. The box features the full albums The Kicker, Dialogue, Components, Happenings, Stick Up, Oblique, Patterns, Total Eclipse, Spiral, Medina, and San Francisco – all fantastic. CD

Wicked early work from Milt Jackson – a record that's got a lot more of an edge than some of his later work with the Modern Jazz Quartet – a near-perfect modernist bop sound that's every bit the best side of Blue Note in the early 50s! The package brings together material from a few different sessions – some originally on 10" LPs – and the core of the material features Jackson in the company of pianist Thelonious Monk, on some tracks that also feature Sahib Shihab on alto sax! John Lewis plays piano on another batch of tracks that are essentially the early MJQ lineup, but with Lou Donaldson on alto too – so they swing with a bit more soul than you might expect. Titles include "Bag's Groove", "On The Scene", "Willow Weep For Me", "Criss Cross", "Evidence", "Tahiti", "Misterioso", "Four In One", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great lost ones from Blue Note – hard to find in any pressing, and a killer hardbop session from the days when the label could crank them out with a quality unmatched by other labels! Clifford Jordan's leading an unusual group here – a septet, which is a bit of a change from his smaller combos – with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, John Jenkins on alto, Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums! At first glance, the lineup might look like more of an unstructured blowing session – but there's a lot more cohesion here than you'd guess – kind of an under-recognized chapter of Jordan's early musical vision, and one that marks him right away as a visionary leader as much as the tenor talent he was known for. Titles include "Not Guilty", "St. John", "Blue Shoes", and "Ju-Ba". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue look at the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden – an tiny little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time – politician, club owner, and local businessman – but he also put together his own band and record label, and worked in a very hip mix of R&B and 60s soul jazz modes! Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact with a variety of great musicians, both national and local – and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here for his LG family of labels – issued on a handful of singles and two rare LPs. Although rough-edged at times, these tracks have a really great sound – kind of a grittier take on the Prestige Records groove of the 60s – helped out by musicians who include Oliver Nelson and Hamiet Bluiett – and singers who include Albert King and Charles Drain. The package is a bit loose on discographical details, but definitely includes all the best moments from these mighty years on the East St Louis scene – and the full story in the notes more than helps to fill in the gaps in Gooden's compelling tale. The titles by Leo's Five – Gooden's group – are all hip jazz instrumentals, often with a strong mix of Hammond, guitar, and tenor – and these titles include "Hold It", "Sunrise Serenade", "Something You Got", "Tippin", "Johnnie Come Marching Home (Country Style)", "Minor Over Matter", "Mop Water", "Fredrick's Dream", and "Cookin With Chezie Mae". Other cuts include "COD" and "Worsome Baby" by Albert King, "So Glad" and "Stop & Think About It Baby" by Charles Drain, "Winkee Do" and "Ugly Ugly" by Leo Gooden, and "Let's Do The Cat" by Jamie Ross. CD

A really revolutionary album – both at the time it was released, and all these many years later! In a surprising nod to the younger generation, Blue Note opened the door to Madlib – already making a name with his array of great projects at the start of the century – an early part of his legacy of bringing in lots of jazz energy to hip hop production! The album wasn't the first effort of this nature, but certainly set a new standard – one that so many others have tried to match over the years, but never got this right. The set's got a fair bit of live jazz work – in the mode of Madlib's Yesterdays New Quintet project – mixed with all sorts of cool production elements too. We love the vibes of Ahmad Miller especially in the lineup – and titles include reworks of "Montara", "Song For My Father", "Footprints", "Stepping Into Tomorrow", "Peace/Dolphin Dance", "Stormy", "Distant Land", and "Slim's Return" – plus the original "Funky Blue Note". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning live set from Tania Maria – recorded with her Viva Brazil combo in a mode that's very similar to her classic recordings from 70s France! The sound here is great – Tania on keyboards and vocals, with backing only from bass, drums, and percussion – a spare framework that allows Tania to groove in a free and breezy way over the album's long tracks. The result is an instant classic – one of Tania's best records in years, and a delight throughout, especially if you dig her older albums! Titles include "Granada", "Quase", "Funky Tamborim", "Florzinha", "E Carnaval", and "Valen". CD

A great little session by Jackie McLean – recorded in 1962 by Blue Note, but not issued until years later, only initially in Japan! The album's one of Jackie's last pure hardbop sides – recorded in the pivotal year of 1962, when he was just beginning to dip his toe into modernist ideas – and inflect his straighter work with some beautiful shifts, twists, and turns that skirted the fringes of modern jazz wonderfully. There's a vibe here that's totally great – one that has McLean breaking away from the pack and working in one of the freshest voices in jazz at the time. Players include Kenny Dorham on trumpet and Sonny Clark on piano – and tracks include "Three Minors", "Marilyn's Dilemma", "Iddy Bitty", and "Blues For Jackie". LP, Vinyl record album

Insane music that's unlike anything else on Blue Note – and unlike anything else we can describe! Gile Melle was a baritone sax player who was heavily involved with the Blue Note label in the early 50's. He recorded four 10" LPs, and one full length album for the label – and he also used his talents as a graphic designer to create many of the label's classic early covers. This amazing 2 CD set brings together all of Melle's recorded output for Blue Note, and the tracks are otherworldly mix of strange instrumentation that includes bass, guitar, baritone, and spooky vocals. The music is sublime and moving, and this short space hardly gives us room to let you know how much it affects us. Hopefully, the titles will give you some sort of a hint – and they include wistful ones like "Four Moons", "Cyclotron", "Mars", "Spellbound", "A Lion Lives Here", and "Weird Valley". A real treat – and a superb packaging job! CD

We put the catalog number in the title of this one because it seemed that Blue Note was putting out too many title-less Hank Mobley albums during the late 50s. Who cares, though? This album's a great batch of hardbop tracks that show Mobley at his finest, and which hardly need a title to hang them together. The group's a sextet, with little-known reed player Curtis Porter on alto and tenor, plus Sonny Clark on piano and Bill Hardman on trumpet. Titles include "Mighty Moe & Joe" and "News" (both written by Porter), plus Mobley's "Double Exposure". Prime hardbop material, and with a great cover that has Mobley looking like an alien behind a microphone! CD

An obscure late 50s set from the mighty Hank Mobley – and like all of the tenorist's sides for Blue Note, an essential gem that tops most work by the rest of his contemporaries! The setting here is a really warm and lyrical one – as Mobley's playing with Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, Art Blakey on drums, and the great Art Farmer on trumpet – making one of his rare (and appreciated!) Blue Note appearances on the set! The tracks have a good mixture of hardbop and more lyrical overtones – in a manner that's similar to Silver's work, but with a little more gutbucket soloing on tenor from Mobley. Titles include "Base On Balls", "Fin De L'Affaire", "Funk In Deep Freeze", and "Startin From Scratch". CD

A real hardbop treasure from Hank Mobley – one of the hardest to find albums from the legendary Blue Note 1500 series, and a title that's hardly ever been reissued over the yers! The session is a monstrous meeting of Mobley with two of the great young trumpet talents of the late 50's – Lee Morgan and Donald Byrd – really blowing in this open-ended way, but with a lot more focus than you'd find on a record that was just strictly a blowing session too! There's only 4 tracks, and all of them are great, long drawn-out hard bop classics. Horace Silver's on piano, so you know it's got a great groove – and the rest of the group features Paul Chambers on bass and Charlie Persip on drums. Titles include "Double Whammy", "Barrel Of Funk", "Touch & Go", and "Mobleymania". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 22 tracks from Genius Of Moden Music Vols 1 & 2, Milt Jackson & Thelonious Monk Quartet, and Sonny Rollins Vol 2. CD

A fantastic collection of Monk material for Blue Note – recorded in a few different periods and settings! The package features some late 40s sides with Idrees Sulieman on trumpet and Billy Smith on tenor; 1947 trio material with Art Blakey on drums; a 1947 quartet with Sahib Shihab on alto; a 1948 group with Milt Jackson on vibes and a bit of vocals from Kenny Pancho Hagood; a 1941 quintet with Shihab, Jackson, and Blakey; a 1952 group with Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Lucky Thompson on tenor, and Lou Donaldson on alto; and a 1957 session cut with tenorist Sonny Rollins. Includes some unissued tracks, too! CD

Killer piano jazz, and some of the greatest modernist work ever recorded by Blue Note! Herbie Nichols deserves every bit of the rare fame he ever got – and it's only the paucity of his recordings that has kept him from achieving the status of Monk or Cecil Taylor as an avant garde forefather. This killer box set features all of Nichols' recordings for Blue Note – including loads of unissued and alternate tracks, packaged with a discographical booklet with writings and photos. Tracks include "Third World", "Step Tempest", "Dance Line", "Shuffle Montgomery", "The Spinning Song", "Riff Primitif", "Query", "Chit Chatting", "Hangover Triangle", "2300 Skidoo", and "Blue Chopsticks". CD

Tracks include "Honeysuckle Rose", "Let There Be Love", "Peace For South Africa", "Sushi", "I Remember You/A Child Is Born/Tenderly", "Sweet Georgia Brown", and "Blues For Big Scotia". Cassette

Live date features Oscar's regular group – guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown – plus drummer Bobby Durham. Tracks include "Nighttime", "Song To Elitha", "You Look Good To Me", "Old Folks", "Love Ballade/If You Only Knew", "Kelly's Blues", and "Reunion Blues". CD

A greatly expanded version of ESP's classic album of live Bud Powell material – one that adds in an extra batch of long tracks that features Zoot Sims blowing tenor with the trio! The core album here features Powell's piano in that famous Paris trio with Kenny Clarke on drums and Pierre Michelot on bass – working in a batch of tracks that features a fair bit of compositions by Thelonious Monk – a somewhat surprising choice, but one that Powell handles beautifully – with plenty of angular edges and sharp tones that show that he's still very much on top of his game at this point! Other numbers are a bit more in the bop standard mode, but still pretty great – and titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Thelonious", "Monk's Mood", "Round Midnight", "Shaw Nuff", and "Lover Man". But almost even better is the material with Zoot Sims – 3 long tracks that all hit the 10 minute mark, and which not only show Powell's trio in the same great shape as on the other tracks – but which also let us hear how Zoot could really open up in the freedom of a live setting. Sims tracks include "Groovin High", "Taking A Chance On Love", and "Bud's Blues/52nd Street Theme". CD

A greatly expanded version of ESP's classic album of live Bud Powell material – one that adds in an extra batch of long tracks that features Zoot Sims blowing tenor with the trio! The core album here features Powell's piano in that famous Paris trio with Kenny Clarke on drums and Pierre Michelot on bass – working in a batch of tracks that features a fair bit of compositions by Thelonious Monk – a somewhat surprising choice, but one that Powell handles beautifully – with plenty of angular edges and sharp tones that show that he's still very much on top of his game at this point! Other numbers are a bit more in the bop standard mode, but still pretty great – and titles include "Night In Tunisia", "Thelonious", "Monk's Mood", "Round Midnight", "Shaw Nuff", and "Lover Man". But almost even better is the material with Zoot Sims – 3 long tracks that all hit the 10 minute mark, and which not only show Powell's trio in the same great shape as on the other tracks – but which also let us hear how Zoot could really open up in the freedom of a live setting. Sims tracks include "Groovin High", "Taking A Chance On Love", and "Bud's Blues/52nd Street Theme". CD

Amazing early work from Sonny Rollins – the first of his tremendous Blue Note albums – and a record that really shows him taking off at the time! The record captures Rollins at a key turning point – emerging from his firey bop years, moving into a much more complicated, introspective tenor style that was a perfect showcase for his developing genius for improvisation – not as far out as in a few years to come, but already awash in imagination and creativity. The group here includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Max Roach on drums – but as with all Rollins Blue Note sessions, his tenor is the dominant force. Titles include "Bluesnote", "Plain Jane", "Sonnysphere", and "Decision". CD

The first two tracks are from a live date recorded at the Blue Note in 2002. Ins & Outs is a great return to form for Lalo Schifrin – and a straight album of jazz tunes, recorded after years of late 70s disco work! The album almost returns Schifrin to his 60s years with Dizzy Gillespie (except for the fact that there's no trumpet on the set) – and the tunes have a great mix of jazz, Latin, and soundtrack influences – of the sort that first got Lalo noticed back in the early days! Lalo's playing acoustic piano throughout – and pretty nicely, too we might add – and titles include "Chano", "Ritual","Ins & Outs", "Con Alma", "Manteca", "Paraphrase", "The Fox", and "Love Poem For Donna". CD

Includes the songs "Yes Or No", "Adam's Apple", "Night Dreamer", "Witch Hunt", "Kryptnite", "Speak No Evil", "The All Seeing Eye", "Angola", "Etcetera", and "Super Nova". CD

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki". LP, Vinyl record album

Lyrical beauty from trumpeter Blue Mitchell – one of those records that really has him coming into his own, sounding fantastic on Blue Note in a way he never did on his earlier albums as a leader! it's clear that Blue learned a lot while playing in the group of Horace Silver – a way of balancing rhythm with warmer emotion – and moving past more standard hardbop into the more sophisticated territory you'll hear on this set. A young Chick Corea is on the set on piano, shading the tunes with some slightly Latin touches – and fitting in surprisingly well with a quintet lineup that also includes Junior Cook on tenor, Gene Taylor on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Cook is great too – matched with Mitchell as on some of the Silver sessions – and titles include an early version of the Terumasa Hino tune "Alone Alone & Alone", plus "One Shirt", "March On Selma", and "Samba De Stacy". LP, Vinyl record album

Lyrical beauty from trumpeter Blue Mitchell – one of those records that really has him coming into his own, sounding fantastic on Blue Note in a way he never did on his earlier albums as a leader! it's clear that Blue learned a lot while playing in the group of Horace Silver – a way of balancing rhythm with warmer emotion – and moving past more standard hardbop into the more sophisticated territory you'll hear on this set. A young Chick Corea is on the set on piano, shading the tunes with some slightly Latin touches – and fitting in surprisingly well with a quintet lineup that also includes Junior Cook on tenor, Gene Taylor on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Cook is great too – matched with Mitchell as on some of the Silver sessions – and titles include an early version of the Terumasa Hino tune "Alone Alone & Alone", plus "One Shirt", "March On Selma", and "Samba De Stacy". CD

Lyrical beauty from trumpeter Blue Mitchell – one of those records that really has him coming into his own, sounding fantastic on Blue Note in a way he never did on his earlier albums as a leader! it's clear that Blue learned a lot while playing in the group of Horace Silver – a way of balancing rhythm with warmer emotion – and moving past more standard hardbop into the more sophisticated territory you'll hear on this set. A young Chick Corea is on the set on piano, shading the tunes with some slightly Latin touches – and fitting in surprisingly well with a quintet lineup that also includes Junior Cook on tenor, Gene Taylor on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Cook is great too – matched with Mitchell as on some of the Silver sessions – and titles include an early version of the Terumasa Hino tune "Alone Alone & Alone", plus "One Shirt", "March On Selma", and "Samba De Stacy". CD

One of the first albums to feature the trumpet of Blue Mitchell in a larger group – a really great move that let his soulful horn really come to the lead! Blue sounds wonderful here – soaring out in front of larger charts from Duke Pearson, Jimmy Heath, Don Pickett, and Melba Liston – all talents who start to bring in a bit of funk to Mitchell's music – which Blue responds to with a mighty nice kick! The group also features Pepper Adams on baritone, Jerry Dodgion on alto, Julian Preister on trombone, and Junior Cook on tenor – and titles include "Heads Up Feet Down", "Togetherness", "Good Humor Man", "Len Sirrah", and "People in Nassau". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from the legendary Thelonious Monk – a live date recorded in Paris at the end of the 60s – late in Monk's life, and every bit as wonderful as his famous 60s studio work with his quartet! Of that group, only Charlie Rouse remains on tenor sax – but Rouse is more than enough to make things great, and the interplay between his tenor and Monk's piano is completely sublime – full of angular movements, underscored with plenty of soul – and given support from Nate Hygelund on bass and either Paris Wright or Philly Joe Jones on drums. There's a rough edge to the music that's really great – that sharper, more sinister vibe that Monk could have in a live setting – and titles include "Light Blue", "Bright Mississippi", "I Mean You", "Ruby My Dear", "I Love You Sweetheart Of All My Dreams", "Crepuscule With Nellie", and "Nutty". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest discoveries of mid 80s Blue Note – a key group filled with bold young players who'd really go onto make some big waves in jazz for years to come! The musicians state their presence strongly right from the start – with just the sort of energy you'd expect from a group that features Kenny Garrett on alto, Ralph Bowen on tenor, Michael Philip Mossman on trumpet, Harry Pickens on piano, Robert Hurst on bass, and Ralph Peterson on drums – all players who also get to express themselves strongly on the host of original compositions on the set! Tunes are on fire with new voices and new ideas – much more hard-burning than you might expect – and titles include "RH Factor", "Output", "Reunited", "OTB", "Blue Hughes", and "Git In There". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent all-star group – with Michael Philip Mossman on trumpet, Steve Wilson ona lto, Ralph Bowen on tenor, Renee Rosnes on piano, Kenny Davis on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing set from altoist Sonny Red – a player who hardly ever got to make any albums as a leader, and who really burns brightly on this Blue Note classic! Red's got a tone on alto that's as deep and sharp as most tenorists of his generation – extremely soulful, but with a really raspy edge that's almost modern at times – a combination that's quite unique, and which makes his playing on a few key albums well worth tracking down. This album's one of the best of Sonny's few dates on record – and it features the saxophonist working with two different groups – both headed by Wynton Kelly on piano, and with either Sam Jones or Paul Chambers on bass, and either Roy Brooks or Jimmy Cobb on drums – a hell of a great rhythm lineup, no matter how you slice it! Both groups are right on the money, and the whole album swings very nicely – and titles include "Alone Too Long", "The Lope", "Nadia", "Bluesville", and "Blues In the Pocket". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing set from altoist Sonny Red – a player who hardly ever got to make any albums as a leader, and who really burns brightly on this Blue Note classic! Red's got a tone on alto that's as deep and sharp as most tenorists of his generation – extremely soulful, but with a really raspy edge that's almost modern at times – a combination that's quite unique, and which makes his playing on a few key albums well worth tracking down. This album's one of the best of Sonny's few dates on record – and it features the saxophonist working with two different groups – both headed by Wynton Kelly on piano, and with either Sam Jones or Paul Chambers on bass, and either Roy Brooks or Jimmy Cobb on drums – a hell of a great rhythm lineup, no matter how you slice it! Both groups are right on the money, and the whole album swings very nicely – and titles include "Alone Too Long", "The Lope", "Nadia", "Bluesville", and "Blues In the Pocket". CD features 5 previously unreleased bonus tracks too – "Crystal", "Lost April", "Blues For Kokee", "You're Driving Me Crazy", and "You're Sensational". CD

A surprising project from tenorist George Adams – one that seems to take its cover and title quite seriously – yet also find a way to have some real fun with the concept too! The album's definitely an Americanist one – as the tunes are all older standards from our nation's songbook, of the sort you'd hardly expect a hipster like Adams to touch. Yet George also really works some great magic from the inside too – recasting these tunes with a very soulful finish on his solos – and even vocalizing bit on two numbers too. The setting is very basic – a quartet with Hugh Lawson on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Mark Johnson on drums – and the overall vibe is maybe in the same mode as some of the David Murray theme-based projects around the same time – carried off at a level that's much stronger than you might expect. Titles include "Tennessee Waltz", "Old Folks At Home", "You Are My Sunshine", "Take Me Out To The Ball Game", and "America The Beautiful" – plus the originals "Have You Thanked America" and "Motivation". CD

Cannonball Adderley joined by Wynton Kelly, Hank Jones, Paul Chambers, Nat Adderly, Joe Zawinful, Charles Lloyd, Oliver Nelson's Orchestra, and the Bossa Rio sextet. CD

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing trumpet in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style on alto sax – also different than the sound of his brother Nat, who was Adderley's more frequent partner on records. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", "Autumn Leaves", "Love For Sale", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". CD

No rift in decorum here – as the record may well be one of the tightest, most focused efforts we've ever heard from trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire – a beautifully-played live set from a really wonderful quartet! Ambrose shapes his notes perfectly throughout – over these building, blocky piano parts from Sam Harris – whose sense of color both balances and amplifies the presence of the leader. The pairing is so great, we might almost miss the work of Harish Raghavan on bass and Justin Brown on drums – except for moments when they burst out in waves of richness that are very inspirational. The song style and length shifts throughout, but never breaks the cohesiveness of the set – and titles include "Brooklyn", "Moment In Between The Rest", "Umteyo", "Maurice & Michael", "Taymoor's World", "Condor", "Withered", and "HAMS". CD

The tenor of Melissa Aldana fits right in here with the contemporary sound of Blue Note – especially given that labelmate Lage Lund is on guitar, and has a way of folding together all the tones from his strings very nicely next to the sharper edges of Aldana's tenor! The set begins with a dedication to Wayne Shorter – and that number maybe really sets the spirit of the album – as Melissa has a way of phrasing that's equally distinct, and very much her own – soulful and modern at the same time, set up in a quintet that also includes Fabian Almazan on piano, Pablo Menares on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums. Titles include "Echoes Of The Inner Prophet", "A Purpose", "I Know You Know", "The Solitary Seeker", "Unconscious Whispers", and "A Story". CD

The tenor of Melissa Aldana fits right in here with the contemporary sound of Blue Note – especially given that labelmate Lage Lund is on guitar, and has a way of folding together all the tones from his strings very nicely next to the sharper edges of Aldana's tenor! The set begins with a dedication to Wayne Shorter – and that number maybe really sets the spirit of the album – as Melissa has a way of phrasing that's equally distinct, and very much her own – soulful and modern at the same time, set up in a quintet that also includes Fabian Almazan on piano, Pablo Menares on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums. Titles include "Echoes Of The Inner Prophet", "A Purpose", "I Know You Know", "The Solitary Seeker", "Unconscious Whispers", and "A Story". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the only albums ever cut by Maxi Anderson – a hell of a soul singer who's lent her talents to a number of sessions over the years, but who sounds especially great here in the lead! Anderson's got a vibe that's almost like Minnie Riperton at the time – a warmly glowing approach to soul that's sophisticated, yet sweet and personal too – set up nicely here with some great Cali arrangements from Gene Page, who slides in an undercurrent of funky soul at the bottom – especially on some of the album's great Skip Scarborough cuts. Titles include "Dancin To Keep From Cryin", "Glory Glory", "Delta Road", "Lover To Lover", "Let Him In", "By Your Side", "Walk Softly", "The Perfect Day", and "Music On My Mind". CD

One of the only albums ever cut by Maxi Anderson – a hell of a soul singer who's lent her talents to a number of sessions over the years, but who sounds especially great here in the lead! Anderson's got a vibe that's almost like Minnie Riperton at the time – a warmly glowing approach to soul that's sophisticated, yet sweet and personal too – set up nicely here with some great Cali arrangements from Gene Page, who slides in an undercurrent of funky soul at the bottom – especially on some of the album's great Skip Scarborough cuts. Titles include "Dancin To Keep From Cryin", "Glory Glory", "Delta Road", "Lover To Lover", "Let Him In", "By Your Side", "Walk Softly", "The Perfect Day", and "Music On My Mind". CD

That's "Heath", not "health" – as you might think the title's misspelled – as in Jimmy Heath, who arranged most of the numbers on the set! Heath's contribution is a good one too – as it helps Baker create one of his most tightly-wrapped albums of the time, a well-blown session recorded here with a group that includes Art Pepper on alto, Phil Urso on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano, and Lawrence Marable on drums. The presence of Urso is especially appreciated – as his sharper, deeper tone really brings a wider sound to the album than some of Chet's other dates of the time – especially when combined with the excellent sound of Pepper! Titles include "CTA", "For Minors Only", "For Miles & Miles", and "Resonant Emotions". LP, Vinyl record album

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An excellent gimmick from the United Artists label – a way of mixing their strong run of 60s soundtrack hits with the world of jazz – thanks to Count Basie and his group taking on a whole host of themes from the successful James Bond films! Count Basie brings a soulful swing to the work of John Barry, who scored most of these cuts – hitting hard on the tracks with his own smoking piano, and an orchestra filled with some of his best players – including Al Grey on trombone, Eric Dixon on saxes, and Freddie Greene on guitar – plus guest tenor work from Eddie Lockjaw Davis, an artist who wasn't credited on the session at he time. Arrangements are by Chico O'Farrill and George Williams – and titles include "Thunderball", "From Russia With Love", "007", "Girl Trouble", and "Goldfinger". CD

20 tracks in all – from the early 78rpm days of Blue Note! CD

A mighty fresh debut from Domi and JD Beck – a duo who mix together keyboards and drums at a level that channels lots of styles from the global underground of the past decade or so, but with a jazzier sort of warmth, and a nicely soulful current throughout! The pair first got attention on a track by Anderson Paak, who appears here alongside a list of other luminaries who include Thundercat, Busta Rhymes, Herbie Hancock, Snoop Dogg, and Mac DeMarco – all guests who are maybe more at home in the groove of Domi and JD, than trying to push their own agenda! Anderson signed the duo himself – and titles include "Pilot", "Moon", "Duke", "Take A Chance", "Whatup", "Smile", "Bowling", "Not Tight", "Two Shrimps", and "U Don't Have To Rob Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking live material from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – a set recorded at Birdland, aka The Jazz Corner Of The World – home to a number of key performances by the group! The lineup here features a key transitional version of the group – with the younger Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, already setting the combo on fire with their new ideas and very bold work on solos – and the great Hank Mobley on tenor, who'd worked with Blakey for a few years at this time – and provides this deeply soulful grounding that's as great as his own records, but maybe even a bit more open in the live setting. The great Jymie Merritt is on bass – one of Art's secret weapons over the years – and the set list of this first volume includes "Hipsippy Blues", "Justice", "Just Coolin", and a nice version of "Close Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Art Blakey Blue Note sessions of all time – and perhaps one of the greatest to realize the genius of the Jazz Messengers lineup that included Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano! The trio of young talents are at the height of their early soulful powers here – working with Blakey and bassist Jymie Merritt in a set of tunes that are overflowing with expressive solos, unusual timings, and the Blakey genius for mixing bold statements with personally introspective moments. Nearly every track on the record's a classic – and titles include an early version of Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere", plus Wayne Shorter's beautiful tunes "Lester Left Town", "Chess Players", and "Sakeena's Vision". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Art Blakey Blue Note sessions of all time – and perhaps one of the greatest to realize the genius of the Jazz Messengers lineup that included Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano! The trio of young talents are at the height of their early soulful powers here – working with Blakey and bassist Jymie Merritt in a set of tunes that are overflowing with expressive solos, unusual timings, and the Blakey genius for mixing bold statements with personally introspective moments. Nearly every track on the record's a classic – and titles include an early version of Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere", plus Wayne Shorter's beautiful tunes "Lester Left Town", "Chess Players", and "Sakeena's Vision". CD

A landmark recording by a whole new chapter in Art Blakey's career! During the early 60s, Blakey expanded the Jazz Messengers from a quintet to an incredibly tight sextet – adding in the trombone of Curtis Fuller for an extra-punched up frontline that also included Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Wayne Shorter on tenor, who had returned to the group after a short departure. The band was augmented by the wonderfully lyrical and soulful piano of a young Cedar Walton – who brought a strong degree of sophistication, and who was a perfect interpreter of Shorter's rich writing talents. The whole group performs together perfectly on this wonderful (and oft-overlooked) session – especially on the tracks "Shaky Jake", "Backstage Sally", and "Bu's Delight". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly a free for all at all – as the album's a masterpiece of focus and direction, and a classic set from the sextet lineup of the Jazz Messengers! The album's a real feather in the mid-60s cap of Art Blakey –and features an expanded sound from the quintet era of his group – with a sublime horn lineup that features Wayne Shorter on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – all gliding along these soaring piano lines from Cedar Walton! Reggie Workman works some real magic on bass, too – and the tracks are all very long – with titles that include "Free For All" and "Hammer Head" – both written by Shorter – plus "The Core", by Hubbard, and a beautiful version of Clare Fischer's "Pensativa". CD

The rarest of all of Art Blakey's percussion group projects – and quite possibly the best, too! The session features Blakey at the head of a strong mix of jazz and percussion players – with Art Taylor and Philly Joe Jones on the regular drum kit, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Ray Bryant on piano, and a host of assorted percussion work by the likes of Ray Barretto, Sabu Martinez, Victor Gonzalez, Julio Martinez, and others. The resultant sound is incredible – very full, rich, and earthy – and done in a way that interweaves African and Latin percussion styles with straighter American jazz! A few cuts have chanting by Blakey and Sabu – and titles on this first volume include "The Feast", "Mirage", "Lamento Africano", and "Aghano". LP, Vinyl record album

The long-overdue release of an unissued Blue Note session from 1959 – one that features a version of the Jazz Messengers right before Wayne Shorter joined the group, with the mighty Hank Mobley on the quintet lineup on tenor! The Messengers in 1959 and 1960 were really at the top of their game – and here feature the fantastic newcomers, Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, both of whom were helping drummer Blakey to form a new, evolved version of the sound he'd been crafting with other lineups in previous years – aided here by the rock-solid Jymie Merritt on bass! As with some of the other unissued Blue Note dates of this type, the whole thing is fantastic – not an unformed, half-baked session – but the kind of material that could stand right next to Blakey classics of the time, like The Big Beat or Moanin. Titles include "Quick Trick", "M&M", "Just Coolin", "Jimerick", "Close Your Eyes", and "Hipsippy Blues". CD