Pivotal work from pianist Mal Waldron – stepping out of the blowing session mode, and emerging as one of the 60s most striking modernists! The set shows an amazing desire for new forms and ideas – and features a stunning lineup that's overflowing with creative talent – Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet, Booker Ervin on tenor, Ron Carter on cello, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums! Carter plays bowed cello, as he did on Dolphy's Out There session, and he gives the set a dark moody feel. Ervin's in his best modernist mode, and he ably trades lines with Dolphy and keeps the whole thing moving nicely. Waldron's writing and arranging is superb, and the tracks feature a lot of weird time structures and unusual modal patterns. Includes the tracks "Status Seeking", "Warm Canto", "Warp and Woof", and "Fire Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

The second issue of an album that was originally issued under the name of leader Mal Waldron – and a real Prestige Records gem from the early 60s! The set is pivotal work from pianist Mal Waldron – stepping out of the blowing session mode, emerging as one of the 60s most striking modernists! The set shows an amazing desire for new forms and ideas – and features a stunning lineup that's overflowing with creative talent – Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet, Booker Ervin on tenor, Ron Carter on cello, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums! Carter plays bowed cello, as he did on Dolphy's Out There session, and he gives the set a dark moody feel. Ervin's in his best modernist mode, and he ably trades lines with Dolphy and keeps the whole thing moving nicely. Waldron's writing and arranging is superb, and the tracks feature a lot of weird time structures and unusual modal patterns. Includes the tracks "Status Seeking", "Warm Canto", "Warp and Woof", and "Fire Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

Booker Ervin hits a great blue note here – working with a wonderfully soulful group that includes the mighty Carmell Jones on trumpet and Gildo Mahones on piano! These players both help Ervin hit a sound that's much more in the pocket than some of his other work on Prestige at the time – a lot less modern, and more with roots in the Texas tenor tradition from whence Ervin sprang. But as you might guess with Jones – and maybe a bit with Mahones – the overall sound still has some nice modern touches too – subtle, sneaky little bits thrown in alongside the gutsier, more full-on solo moments. Rhythm is by Richard Davis on bass and Alan Dawson on drums – and the album features 4 long tracks that include "Eerie Dearie", "One For Mort", "No Booze Blooze", and "True Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums on the Bethlehem label – and one of the first albums as a leader by the legendary Booker Ervin! At the time of the set, Ervin had come off a great stint with the Charles Mingus group – one that inflected his rootsy Texas tenor tones with a sharper modern edge – heard to perfection on this great little session, which is equal parts hard swinging soul jazz and dark-tinged early 60s modern! Zoot Sims joins Booker in the front line, and the two of them trade tenor solos throughout on the album's long compositions – grooving with a great sextet that includes Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Mingus' drummer Dannie Richmond on the kit! Cuts include "Largo", "The Book Cooks", "The Blue Book", and "Git It". CD

Although the "with brass" tag of this one might make you think it's a hokey big band album, the record is actually a far-reaching modernist session that has Book's edgey tenor fronting a large-ish group filled with some of the best trumpet and trombone players of his generation – including Freddie Hubbard, Charles Tolliver, Richard Williams, and Johnny Coles. The rhythm section is pretty darn great too – and includes Lenny McBrownie, Reggie Johnson, and Kenny Barron. The presence of all of these soul jazz modernists keeps the set from falling into any of the cliches you might expect, and the album's an extremely fresh batch of tracks that is one of the last albums Booker ever recorded. Titles include "LA After Dark", "Salt Lake City", and "Baltimore After Dark". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer stuff from Booker Ervin – and one of his first sessions as a leader! The album was recorded during a stretch when Ervin was coming into fame as a member of the Mingus group – and he's playing here with a number of Mingus-ites like Richard Williams on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums – plus some great bass work from George Tucker – not exactly Mingus, but with a soulful undercurrent that's totally great! The record's got a hardbop groove with a modernist tinge, and it features some excellent playing by Booker that shows off both sides of his style – the deep Texas tenor roots, and some of the sharper tones he picked up with Mingus. Tracks include "Mister Wiggles", "Well Well", "Dee Da Do", and "Down in the Dumps" – plus two tracks from the Barbara Long LP on Savoy, on which Booker solos. LP, Vinyl record album

Booker Ervin's definitely grooving high here – hitting some of the same soulful notes as on his classic Blues Book album, but also bringing in some more modernist moments too! The set features one track that's clearly a Blues Book number – a take on "Groovin High" with Carmell Jones on trumpet and Gildo Mahones on piano – but the rest of the album features a quartet that really lets Ervin dominate the proceedings on tenor – blowing hard with that mix of deep roots and sharper edges he brought to his amazing work with Charles Mingus! Jaki Byard's on piano on these other tracks – giving a nice sense of urgency to the set, as well as a similar range of jazz traditions in his sound – and other players include Richard Davis on bass and Alan Dawson on drums – both nicely loose one minute, then tight as a drum the next. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "The Second #2", "Bass-Ix", and "Groovin' High". CD

One of the most fantastic Booker Ervin albums from the sixties – a really soulful set that combines his gutsy tenor with some crackling fresh modern touches! Booker's working here with a larger group than usual – a sextet that creates a bit more of an ensemble feel than usual – with less of the space for Booker to stand alone on his solos, and a rolling groove overall that has traces of some of the best Blue Note work of the time. That group features Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Garnett Brown on trombone, and Jaki Byard on piano – plus some spectacular rhythm work from the team of Richard Davis on bass and Alan Dawson on drums. There's some wonderfully dark touches throughout – thanks to the players in the group – and titles include "Aluminum Baby", "Bachafillen", and "Not Quite That Way". CD also contains the bonus track "Ode To Charlie Parker". CD

A tremendous non-Prestige moment from tenorist Booker Ervin – one of his first albums ever as a leader, and a record that bristles with 60s modern energy! The group here is only a quartet – with Horace Parlan on piano – and the album's got Booker's amazing tenor right out front, played with those angular, searching tones that are heard most famously on the Space and Freedom Book sessions for Prestige – but which seem to get almost more room for expression here! The remaining players are George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – both of whom help the album maintain a nicely rhythmic pulse, even when Ervin is going off into the stratosphere – and the album features 4 original tunes – "Mojo", "Uranus", "Boo", and "Booker's Blues" – plus versions of "Speak Low" and "Poinciana". CD

A tremendous non-Prestige moment from tenorist Booker Ervin – one of his first albums ever as a leader, and a record that bristles with 60s modern energy! The group here is only a quartet – with Horace Parlan on piano – and the album's got Booker's amazing tenor right out front, played with those angular, searching tones that are heard most famously on the Space and Freedom Book sessions for Prestige – but which seem to get almost more room for expression here! The remaining players are George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums – both of whom help the album maintain a nicely rhythmic pulse, even when Ervin is going off into the stratosphere – and the album features 4 original tunes – "Mojo", "Uranus", "Boo", and "Booker's Blues" – plus versions of "Speak Low" and "Poinciana". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster! This is a stellar session that has Booker Ervin's tenor fronting a tight group led by drummer Roy Haynes – all with an amazing sense of rhythm that's made the album a standout for years! Ervin is playing in his best modernist vein, and the rhythm section features the excellent pianist Ronnie Matthews – who's playing here in a very funky modal style that makes for some really wonderful grooves. Haynes is the real star, though, as his lively, lyrical drumming breaks from any tight time constraints – and adds an extra-musical edge to the whole session with some quick changes and an undercurrent of lyrical energy. The group's completed by bassist Larry Ridley, also a key force in the sound – and the set includes the track "Dorian", a massive modal groover, plus the killer "Scoochie" – and the cuts "Under Paris Skies", "Honeydew", "Bad News Blues", and "Sketch Of Melba". CD

Pivotal work from pianist Mal Waldron – stepping out of the blowing session mode, and emerging as one of the 60s most striking modernists! The set shows an amazing desire for new forms and ideas – and features a stunning lineup that's overflowing with creative talent – Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet, Booker Ervin on tenor, Ron Carter on cello, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums! Carter plays bowed cello, as he did on Dolphy's Out There session, and he gives the set a dark moody feel. Ervin's in his best modernist mode, and he ably trades lines with Dolphy and keeps the whole thing moving nicely. Waldron's writing and arranging is superb, and the tracks feature a lot of weird time structures and unusual modal patterns. Includes the tracks "Status Seeking", "Warm Canto", "Warp and Woof", and "Fire Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

A never-issued performance from Randy Weston – captured during a time when he wasn't recording as much as before! The group here features Booker Ervin on tenor, Cecil Payne on baritone, and Ray Copeland on trumpet – with Bill Wood on bass, Lenny McBrowne on drums, and Big Black on congas! CD

One of the greatest albums on the Bethlehem label – and one of the first albums as a leader by the legendary Booker Ervin! At the time of the set, Ervin had come off a great stint with the Charles Mingus group – one that inflected his rootsy Texas tenor tones with a sharper modern edge – heard to perfection on this great little session, which is equal parts hard swinging soul jazz and dark-tinged early 60s modern! Zoot Sims joins Booker in the front line, and the two of them trade tenor solos throughout on the album's long compositions – grooving with a great sextet that includes Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Mingus' drummer Dannie Richmond on the kit! Cuts include "Largo", "The Book Cooks", "The Blue Book", and "Git It". CD

A well-titled session – given the strong early groove of organist Don Patterson! At a time when some of his contemporaries were tightening things up on the Hammond, going for shorter tunes aimed at the jukebox and radio crowd, Don Patterson was a great reminder that the organ was best used on longer jamming tracks – tunes that stretched out nicely with a style that was heard best in the clubs, where an organ player could really do his thing. Patterson's trio here is quite stripped down – just drums from Billy James, and tenor from Booker Ervin – another player who always knows what to do with plenty of space! Titles include versions of "The Good Life" and "Oleo", plus two Patterson originals – "Up In Betty's Room" and "S'Bout Time". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever from pianist Jaki Byard – a razor-sharp set that features some tremendous work from tenorist Booker Ervin and trumpeter Richard Williams! Byard starts out the set in trio formation for the first two numbers – echoing the great qualities of his earlier albums for New Jazz/Prestige – and then Ervin and Williams slide in on the following two tracks – really expanding the sound with a nice sense of added fire. Both players are a perfect fit for Byard – schooled in a Mingus modernist sensibility that has them really pushing the edges, but never going too far out or getting too free. A few numbers have almost a gutbuckety sense of soul – one that stretches back over previous eras of jazz expression – and titles include "Searchlight", "European Episode", "Out Front", "Two Different Worlds", and "When Sunny Gets Blue" – a track that has Byard on alto and piano, recorded a few years before. This CD includes two previously unreleased tracks, "I Like To Lead When I Dance" and "After The Lights Go Down Low." CD

Eric Kloss' sessions for Prestige somehow always get overlooked – but do yourself a favor and don't pass this one by! The record's a crackling bit of modernist free play, with a very soulful edge – and the group includes Booker Ervin, Jaki Byard, Richard Davis, and Alan Dawson all joining Kloss as he hits his mid-period "exploratory" stage. His alto is super-crisp here, and although he's reaching out a bit more than on earlier albums, he never manages to lose the swing that made him sound so great right out of the box. Tracks include "So What", "When Two Lovers Touch", and "Sock It To Me Socrates". CD

One of Mingus' classic sessions from the middle period – a legendary blending of jazz with bluesy gospel touches, in a mode that seemed to move away from the politics of some of the late 50s years, and open up his work to a whole new audience! The band is an all-star ensemble all the way through – tentet that features Jackie McLean, Booker Ervin, John Handy, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis, and Horace Parlan – cutting a line perfectly with Mingus on the album's 6 original tunes. Includes the oft-copied "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "My Jelly Roll Soul", "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too", "Moanin", and "Tensions". CD

One of Mingus' classic sessions from the middle period – a legendary blending of jazz with bluesy gospel touches, in a mode that seemed to move away from the politics of some of the late 50s years, and open up his work to a whole new audience! The band is an all-star ensemble all the way through – tentet that features Jackie McLean, Booker Ervin, John Handy, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis, and Horace Parlan – cutting a line perfectly with Mingus on the album's 6 original tunes. Includes the oft-copied "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "My Jelly Roll Soul", "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too", "Moanin", and "Tensions". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a crazy little record from Charles Mingus – a record that fits nicely in his legacy of other recordings for Atlantic, but which has a very different approach! On this set, Mingus plays piano, and even sings a bit – using this messed-up take on blues roots, but filtered through a hipper modern jazz filter, and with a bit of a political bent too – almost as if he were trying to break out of the avant jazz ghetto, and reach a larger audience with his message and music! The group is an all-star lineup with Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and both Booker Ervin and Roland Kirk on reeds – the latter of whom might be a good comparison in spirit, especially for some of the genre-crossing things he did on Atlantic during the late 60s. Titles include the classic "Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me" – plus "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Devil Woman", and "Passions Of A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Two great albums featuring Eric Dolphy! Where is a haunting and unusual session lef by bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". Quest is a pivotal album from pianist Mal Waldron – stepping out of the blowing session mode, and emerging as one of the 60s most striking modernists! The set shows an amazing desire for new forms and ideas – and features a stunning lineup that's overflowing with creative talent – Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet, Booker Ervin on tenor, Ron Carter on cello, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums! Carter plays bowed cello, as he did on Dolphy's Out There session, and he gives the set a dark moody feel. Ervin's in his best modernist mode, and he ably trades lines with Dolphy and keeps the whole thing moving nicely. Waldron's writing and arranging is superb, and the tracks feature a lot of weird time structures and unusual modal patterns. Includes the tracks "Status Seeking", "Warm Canto", "Warp and Woof", and "Fire Waltz". CD

One of Charles Mingus' true classics – and an essential album in any jazz collection! This 1959 gem was recorded by Mingus at a key point in his career – when he was rising from the jazz underground into the ranks of America's elite jazzmen, penning some of the most challenging work of his career, and working with incredible younger players that interpreted his work with a great deal of fire! The tracks are a bit more tightly arranged than work on some of Mingus' previous work for labels like Atlantic and Bethlehem, but that also gives them a razor-sharp emotional edge that's carried off perfectly by players who include John Handy and Shafi Hadi on alto saxes, Booker Ervin on tenor, Willie Dennis and Jimmy Knepper on trombones, Horace Parlan on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums. The album is filled with key Mingus classics – like "Better Git It In Your Soul", "Boogie Stop Shuffle", "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", and "Fables of Faubus" – plus "Self Portrait In Three Colors", "Open Letter To Duke", and "Bird Call". LP, Vinyl record album

A Columbia Records classic by the great Charles Mingus – his follow-up to the seminal Mingus Ah-Um, and a set that's got a very similar flavor! As with some of Mingus' best material for Columbia, the album has him working with a slightly larger ensemble, but still holding onto the intensity of his smaller groups from a few years before – a way of merging the voices of saxophonists like Booker Ervin, John Handy, Benny Goldson, and Jerome Richardson – yet still allowing them space to break out with moments of pride and power that really send the whole thing home! This mix of the individual and ensemble is key to the Mingus genius of the period – and is also heard in the work of Roland Hanna on piano, Donald Ellis on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Theodore Cohen on vibes – all of whom work alongside Charles' key drummer of the time, the great Dannie Richmond. Titles include "Diane", "Song With Orange", "Gunslinging Bird", and "Far Wells Mill Valley" – and a haunting take on "Mood Indigo". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". CD

Stunning early work from trumpeter Ted Curson – a record that's got as much soul and rock-solid power as you'd guess from the image on the cover! Ted's working here in the company of his frequent partner from the early days – tenorist Bill Barron – and together, they come up with a riveting sound that rivals the genius of early 60s work from Charles Mingus or Booker Ervin – with a similar blend of sharp edges, tight rhythms, and in the pocket soul! The rest of the group features Georges Arvanitas on piano – making a rare American appearance – plus Herb Bushler on bass and Dick Berk on drums. Titles include the classic "Straight Ice", plus "Reava's Waltz", "Elephant Walk", and "Nublu". CD

One of Mingus' classic sessions from the middle period – a legendary blending of jazz with bluesy gospel touches, in a mode that seemed to move away from the politics of some of the late 50s years, and open up his work to a whole new audience! The band is an all-star ensemble all the way through – tentet that features Jackie McLean, Booker Ervin, John Handy, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis, and Horace Parlan – cutting a line perfectly with Mingus on the album's 6 original tunes. Includes the oft-copied "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "My Jelly Roll Soul", "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too", "Moanin", and "Tensions". Includes 4 bonus tracks – alternates from the album! CD

Fantastic material recorded at the legendary Birdland nightclub – with long tracks and plenty of the fire you'd know from the Candid Records years! Players include Richard Williams on trumpet, Charles McPherson on alto, Booker Ervin on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jaki Byard on piano, Roland Kirl on tenor and flute, and even Toshiko Akioshi on piano on one set of tracks! CD

Live work from two Birdland sessions in 1962, with Charles McPherson on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone, Booker Ervin on tenor, Ed Armour and Richard Williams on trumpet, Don Butterfield on tuba, and Danny Richmond on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A great counterpart to the two famous Charles Mingus albums for the Candid label – really a third "lost" Candid album, recorded at the time of those sets, but never issued until many years later! As with those great dates, the work here is filled with righteous anger, unbridled emotion, and some of the most passionate jazz work of the 20th Century – directed by Mingus with unfailing energy on the bass, and featuring solo work from players who include Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet, Booker Ervin on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Ted Curson and Lonnie Hillyer on trumpets, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Paul Bley on piano – all giants in their own right, most of whom gave the world some fantastic records under their own leadership too! Tracks are all nice and long, mostly from the November 11, 1960 date that featured two different groups – titles that include "Bugs", "R&R", "Reincarnation Of A Lovebird (2nd version)", "Body & Soul", and "All The Things You Are (all)". CD

A searing live set by Charles Mingus – a double-length performance recorded in Antibes during his classic years for Atlantic Records, but not issued by the label until many years later! The album's a great extrapolation of the sound that Mingus had forged on sessions for Columbia, Atlantic, and Candid – the latter label especially, as the tunes here are all quite long, and really put a lot of emphasis on the solo voices of the players in the group. Given that those players include Ted Curson on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Eric Dolphy on alto sax, the sound here is proud and loud throughout – with plenty of fire from all three horns! Bud Powell makes a guest appearance on the set – and titles include "Prayer For Passive Resistance", "What Love", "I'll Remember April", "Folk Forms 1", and "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting". CD

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". CD features the bonus track "Freedom" – not on the original LP! CD

The title's exploding with Mingus, and the album is too – a completely classic effort for Impulse Records that's easily one of Charles' best of the 60s! Things are reigned in somewhat from the Mingus years at Atlantic or Candid, but the sound is still great – almost more focused than before – with a sense of all the best qualities that Charles was finding in his music, laid out back to back in near-perfect formation! The group's full of great players – with reeds from Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and Jerome Richardson – all of whom really contribute some deep tones to the album – and Jaki Byard's on piano, making one of his key Mingus appearances of the 60s. Titles include the massive "Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul" (the virtual Mingus "trademark" tune), plus the tracks "Celia", "Hora Decubitus", and "II B.S.". CD

Quite a crazy little record from Charles Mingus – a record that fits nicely in his legacy of other recordings for Atlantic, but which has a very different approach! On this set, Mingus plays piano, and even sings a bit – using this messed-up take on blues roots, but filtered through a hipper modern jazz filter, and with a bit of a political bent too – almost as if he were trying to break out of the avant jazz ghetto, and reach a larger audience with his message and music! The group is an all-star lineup with Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and both Booker Ervin and Roland Kirk on reeds – the latter of whom might be a good comparison in spirit, especially for some of the genre-crossing things he did on Atlantic during the late 60s. Titles include the classic "Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me" – plus "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Devil Woman", and "Passions Of A Man". Plus the CD includes three bonus tracks "Old Blues For Walt's Torin", "Peggy's Blue Skylight", and "Invisible Lady". CD

An unusual chapter in the label-hopping career of Charles Mingus – a one-off date recorded for Mercury right after Mingus' legendary sessions for Columbia! The format here may well be Mingus' most ambitious to date – as the album features larger groups than before, exploring a range of musical ideas that run from Charles' own highly political expressions of the Civil Rights era to some of his landmark explorations of Duke Ellington! As always, the individual players in the group are given a strong voice in the proceedings – and the record bristles with energy from solos by Ted Curson, Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Jimmy Knepper, Yusef Lateef, and a young Joe Farrell – as well as vocal performances by Lorraine Cousins, who sings on the classic "Weird Nightmare" and the haunting "Eclipse". A tremendous record throughout – filled with life, imagination, and boundless creativity – with titles that include "Mingus Fingus no. 2", "Weird Nightmare", "Eclipse", "Bemoanable Lady", "Half Mast Inhibition", and "Prayer for Passive Resistance". LP, Vinyl record album

A great counterpart to the two famous Charles Mingus albums for the Candid label – really a third "lost" Candid album, recorded at the time of those sets, but never issued until many years later! As with those great dates, the work here is filled with righteous anger, unbridled emotion, and some of the most passionate jazz work of the 20th Century – directed by Mingus with unfailing energy on the bass, and featuring solo work from players who include Charles McPherson, Lonnie Hillyer, Booker Ervin, Paul Bley, Eric Dolphy, and Jimmy Knepper. None of the tracks here appeared on the albums that were released by Candid – Presents Charles Mingus or Mingus – and they were all recorded on the November 11, 1960 date that yielded part of that second album. Titles include "Bugs", "Reincarnation of a Lovebird", "R&R", "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams", and a soulful take on "Body and Soul". CD

One of the great Mingus albums for Atlantic – and a record that brings together material from 2 different sessions: one from 1957, with Shafi Hadi on alto; and another from 1961, with Roland Kirk and Booker Ervin on saxes. The '57 session has a raw quintet sound, and features some haunting solos by Hadi, who was one of Mingus' best players, but who doesn't always get his due. On the other session, Kirk and Ervin are youthful, firey, and frenetic – and they play with passion as Mingus backs them up on piano (Doug Watkins plays bass on the session). Despite the split nature of the album, it's still one of Mingus' best. Titles include "Tonight At Noon", "Invisible Lady", "Peggy's Blue Skylight", and "Passions Of A Woman Loved". Great French reissue, with the original cover and everything! CD

A fantastic lost session by this incredible hardbop group from Chicago! The MJT+3, although never hugely famous, are one of our favorite-ever jazz groups from the 60s. Under the aegis of drummer Walter Perkins, and including the talents of Harold Mabern, Frank Strozier, and Bob Cranshaw, the MJT+3 mixed soul jazz and modernist hardbop, with a crossbreeding of styles that spoke volumes about the group's mixed roots in Memphis and Chicago. We love all their albums from the old days – and this set of tunes is some of the best work we've ever heard from the group. The set was recorded in 1960 for Vee Jay, but never saw the light of day until this CD – which takes the original 7 tracks intended for release as an album, and adds in 8 other bonus and alternate takes. Titles include Perkins' great composition "No Land's Man", done later on the Booker Ervin album Exultation, plus "Jerry Lee", "Is It", "On The Show", and "Old Images". Proof that Chicago in the 60s was an incredible jazz town! CD

Wicked work by pianist Horace Parlan – and one of his most stunning Blue Note sessions ever! The album was first recorded in 1963, but then kept on the shelf for years – seeing only brief release as part of a Booker Ervin package in the late 70s, and finally coming out with the proper cover and lineup at some point in the 80s! Why Blue Note waited so long is a mystery, because the album's a gem throughout – almost more important, and more starkly modern than any of Parlan's other work for the label. Booker Ervin leads the frontline on tenor, alongside Johnny Coles on trumpet, Grant Green on guitar, and the rhythm section of Butch Warren and Billy Higgins. Parlan's choice of material is fantastic – with a number of Africanist tracks that feature unique rhythmic patterns that really push the soloists! Titles include "A Tune For Richard", "Dexi", "Home Is Africa", "Kucheza Blues", and "Back From The Gig". CD

A darkly-grooving killer from pianist Horace Parlan – and one of our favorite Blue Note albums ever! Although Parlan's always a great player on other sides for the label, this album has him stepping out with an extra edge that's really amazing – working with brothers Tommy and Stanley Turrentine to craft some tunes that roll with the propulsive energy of the best Blue Note hardbop sides, but which also have some edgier moments, and almost point the way towards some of the new thing experiments that would transform the work of Jackie McLean! All players are still quite straight, but they've got a way of putting together tones and textures that's really wonderful – heard to famous effect on the album's early version of Booker Ervin's track "Skoochie" – but soaring all the way through on titles that include "On The Spur Of The Moment", "Ray C", "Al's Tune", and "Pyramid". CD reissue also has 2 bonus cuts! CD

A killer set from an amazing quintet made up of some of the best players to ever grace the Blue Note label! Horace Parlan leads a tight tight tight combo that includes Grant Green on guitar and Booker Ervin on tenor sax – and the three of them fit together beautifully, with a dark moody edge that's unlike anything we can think of – loads of sharp, downturning notes, deeply soulful solo moments, and this raw sound that's totally great! Ervin's tone is razor-sharp, Green's guitar is unbelievably precise, and Parlan keeps on laying out these beautiful blocky chords that have a deeply resonant bottom – supported wonderfully by rhythms from Al Harewood on drums and George Tucker on bass. Tracks include "The Book's Beat", "The Other Part Of Town", "Fugee", and "Up & Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of African-tinged jazz – recorded privately by Randy Weston in the mid 60s, and not issued formally until 1972 by Atlantic Records! The session shows Weston at the height of his modernist experiments – and at a time when his work was going largely undocumented, probably because of its progressive nature – but really flowing out with a rich Africanist inspiration, and served up with even sharper modern edges than before! His group here includes Big Black on congas, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Ray Copeland on trumpet – and Copeland also arranged all the tracks, transforming a few older numbers with the bolder spirit of the session. Titles include "Niger Mambo", "African Cookbook", "Portrait Of Vivian", and Weston's classic "Congolese Children". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Wardell Gray, Sonny Criss, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Jackie McLean, Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, and more! CD

One of Charles Mingus' classic recordings for the Candid label – far and away some of the best recordings he ever made, and some of the few studio sessions that really let him stretch out and do his thing! The Candid label didn't last long – but during their short stretch of recording, they gave musicians like Mingus a chance to do things they weren't able to do at bigger labels – and this 1960 session is a great change from some of the tighter style that Charles was using just the year before at Columbia. The group is a searing combo – Eric Dolphy on alto, Booker Ervin on tenor, Ted Curson on tenor, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone – really taking off on long tracks that are filled with brilliant solo work – titles that include "Lock Em Up", "MDM", and "Stormy Weather". LP, Vinyl record album

A searing live set by Charles Mingus – a double-length performance recorded in Antibes during his classic years for Atlantic Records, but not issued by the label until many years later! The album's a great extrapolation of the sound that Mingus had forged on sessions for Columbia, Atlantic, and Candid – the latter label especially, as the tunes here are all quite long, and really put a lot of emphasis on the solo voices of the players in the group. Given that those players include Ted Curson on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Eric Dolphy on alto sax, the sound here is proud and loud throughout – with plenty of fire from all three horns! Bud Powell makes a guest appearance on the set – and titles include "Prayer For Passive Resistance", "What Love", "I'll Remember April", "Folk Forms 1", and "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting". CD

A great early moment for the legendary Charles Mingus – music that was used in the equally-legendary film Shadows – the first directorial effort from a young John Cassavetes! The album's worth it alone for the unusual piece "Untitled Percussion Composition" – one of the loosest, sparest Mingus moments ever – and a work that features Charles on both piano and percussion, alongside more percussion from Dannie Richmond, Horace Parlan, Jimmy Knepper, and Clarence Shaw – with a sublime flute solo from Shafi Hadi over the top! The rest of the tracks are more familiar moments from the key Mingus year of 1959 – played by groups with John Handy on alto, Booker Ervin and Shafi Hadi on tenor, and either Richard Wyands or Horace Parlan on piano – on the titles "Self Portrait In Three Colors", "Nostalgia In Times Square", and "Alice's Wonderland" – plus an "Untitled Percussion Composition". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – recorded in Mingus' classic period! Mingus leads a sharp small group here – a wonderful quintet that features Booker Ervin on tenor, John Handy on alto, and Richard Wyands on piano – with longtime musical partner Dannie Richmond on drums! The session was recorded live at the Nonagon Gallery in New York, and has that sort of arch-modernist groove that was Mingus' hallmark in these key late 50's years. Ervin, as always, is amazing, and John Handy, who makes his recording debut here, demonstrates the genius that Mingus had for spotting brilliant young players as he plays with the sort of imagination and intensity that he only ever managed to hit again on one or two of his own records as a leader. The record's got four long tracks, including long takes of "Nostalgia In Times Square", "Alice's Wonderland", and "No Private Income Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark work from the Finnish scene of the 60s – one of those ultra-rare European jazz records that collectors have dug for decades! The set's got a stark, modern sort of feel – but also a nice soulful swing, too – a balance that few of the other Scandinavians hit so well at the time – as they were either hanging between farther-out progressions, or more inside, tightly arranged jazz! Drummer Christian Schwindt's vision here is exceptional – full of rich feeling, deep tone, and careful construction of the tunes – with a sensibility that almost reminds us of Ted Curson and Bill Barron working together – in ways that we'd state from the comments above. (And we've also been told that he's had some great help on conceiving the record from trumpeter Otto Donner – whose playing here is great too!) The whole thing has a quality that you'd find in a rare few albums – maybe some of the best French new wave soundtracks, an early solo Booker Ervin record, or a few other treasures in your collection. Players include Heikki Sarmanto on piano, Otto Donner on trumpet, Erik Danholm on tenor and alto, and Tapani Tamminen on bass – on titles that include "D Day", "My Next & Only Love", "Helsinki At Noon", "Miniature", and "Claudine". CD