On Great Summit Duke joins the combo of Louis Armstrong on piano – a group that includes Trummy Young on trombone and Barney Bigard on clarinet! We've always loved Duke Ellington's soundtracks, and Paris Blues is one of his best! The score is a moody introspective one, written for a 1961 film that starred Paul Newman as a frustrated jazz musician living in Paris. The "Paris Blues" theme is a dark, somber composition that is supposedly Newman's masterpiece as a jazz writer – and it works beautifully with the film's themes of frustration and unfulfilled desire. Ellington's at his best here, and apart from the main theme, the score also has great versions of classics like "Mood Indigo" and "Take The A Train", plus originals like "Nite", "Wild Man Moore", "Guitar Amour", and "Paris Stairs". Also features Louis Armstrong on one track! CD

Insanely beautiful work from the great Joe McPhee – an album that was recorded and intended to be issued during his groundbreaking stretch with Hat Art Records – but which never saw the light of day at the time! Why that happened, we're not entirely sure – because the album is tremendous right from the very first note – as McPhee blows alto, tenor, and pocket cornet alongside the work of Andre Jaume on alto, tenor, and bass clarinet – in a set of horn-only performances that are breathtaking from start to finish! Jaume's a great player too – and his work of the time, especially on Hat Art, is a masterpiece of subtlety and soul – and he balances McPhee perfectly here, often with some deeper currents that create a beautifully organic energy between the two. Jaume's got this way of handling his reed that's amazing – and, of course, Joe's phrasing is as incredible as always. Titles include great reworks of modern jazz classics – including "Pithecanthropus Erectus", "Self Portrait In Three Colors", "Evidence", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Lonely Woman" – plus the originals "Nuclear" and "Rue St Jaume". CD

Blues, but with an undercurrent of New Orleans jazz – no surprise, given the Louisiana roots of Eurreal "Little Brother" Montgomery! The album's a classic set recorded in Chicago in the early 60s – featuring both Montgomery in a spare solo setting, and with help from a small backup group that includes Ted Butterman on cornet, Bob Gordon on clarinet, and Mike McKendrick on banjo. Little Brother plays piano on all numbers, and sings on most – and titles include "44 Vicksburg", "Prescriptions Of The Blues", "Sweet Daddy", "Home Again Blues", "Up The Country Blues", "Saturday Night Function", "Michigan Water Blues", and "Oh Daddy". CD features the bonus track "Cooter Crawl". CD

Insanely beautiful work from the great Joe McPhee – an album that was recorded and intended to be issued during his groundbreaking stretch with Hat Art Records – but which never saw the light of day at the time! Why that happened, we're not entirely sure – because the album is tremendous right from the very first note – as McPhee blows alto, tenor, and pocket cornet alongside the work of Andre Jaume on alto, tenor, and bass clarinet – in a set of horn-only performances that are breathtaking from start to finish! Jaume's a great player too – and his work of the time, especially on Hat Art, is a masterpiece of subtlety and soul – and he balances McPhee perfectly here, often with some deeper currents that create a beautifully organic energy between the two. Jaume's got this way of handling his reed that's amazing – and, of course, Joe's phrasing is as incredible as always. Titles include great reworks of modern jazz classics – including "Pithecanthropus Erectus", "Self Portrait In Three Colors", "Evidence", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Lonely Woman" – plus the originals "Nuclear" and "Rue St Jaume". CD

A great double-length set from Stockhausen, and a wonderful mix of acoustic and electric elements – featuring a whole host of cool electronic sources, augmented by trumpet, soprano, bass, and bass clarinet. This album's one of his classics for DG – and the record's a masterpiece that provides a perfect introduction to his groundshaking music! LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent session that was one of Herbie Hancock's first free-flowing fusion records of the 70s! Herbie's playing Fender Rhodes with a sound that's at once cosmically beautiful, soulfully fragile, and spacily grooving – and he gets some excellent accompaniment from an all-hip group of players that includes Benny Maupin on bass clarinet and flute, Buster Williams on bass, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, and Julian Priester on trombone – plus percussion from Jose Areas and Ndugu Chancler. The roots of later classics like Sextet and Flood all start with this session – and the album contains 3 long tracks – "You'll Know When You Get There", "Ostinato", and "Wandering Sprit Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz message from late 50s Tokyo – loud, proud, and proof that the Japanese scene was really coming into its own! The set's awash in great bop and swing performances from the postwar years – exclusive tracks to this set, played by four different groups that include Akira Miyazawa on tenor, Shungo Sawada on guitar, and Eiji Kitamura on clarinet – all players that work with other key jazzmen of the Tokyo scene at the time, on sharp-edged tracks that include "An Instant Of The Life", "Funny Bone", "Wherever I Go", "Hello Mr Basie", "Flashing", and "Jog". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes three tunes from a 1945 session by the Capitol International Jazzmen, with Bill Coleman on trumpet, Buster Bailey on clarinet, Benny Carter on alto, Coleman Hawkins on tenor, Nat King Cole on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, John Kirby on bass, Max Roach on drums, and Kay Starr on vocals; four tunes by the Metronome All Stars from 1947 and 1951, with sidemen that include Dizzy Gilletpie, Buddy DeFranco, Flip Phillips, Nat King Cole, Buddy Rich, Miles Davis, Max Roach, and others; and a side's worth of material from Louis Bellson's Just Jazz All Stars from 1952, with Clark Terry, Juan Tizol, Wardell Gray, Billy Strayhorn, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of great albums back to back – both rare albums from a percussionist who worked with Sun Ra! First up is Mora volume 1 – a legendary early set from percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett – and a really sublime blend of spiritual jazz and Latin rhythms! Mora's percussion is definitely at the core – but the set also features wonderful contributions from Vincent Bowens on tenor and soprano sax, Jerome LeDuff on berimbau, Alberto Nacif on quinto, and Detroit jazz legend Kenny Cox on piano! There's a balance here that really matches the best Strata East energy of the 70s – an open, flowing approach that's completely sublime, and very righteous too – even more so than anything Mora's done since the 70s – making this record one of his greatest achievements ever. Tersa Mora sings a bit of vocals at times – and titles include "Afra Jum", "Five AM", "Rumba Morena", "Samba De Amor", and "Cultural Warrior". Mora 2 is a set recorded in Detroit, but one that's got a globe's worth of elements in the mix – originally recorded in the mid 80s, but not released until a brief CD issue in the early part of the 21st Century! Despite that history, the album's a really timeless record that encompasses a world's worth of elements in jazz! Francisco Mora Catlett's at the height of his powers here – leading the group with a sense of righteous majesty that takes us back to some of the most ambitious heirs of the post-Coltrane generation, but with perhaps an oddly rhythmic twist as well – such as you might find in some of the 70s classics of Bobby Vince Paunetto. Echoes of Latin, Afro, and spiritual jazz come together as one – soaring to the skies on soulful waves of sound – brought together with a sense of focus and spirit that really moves us a lot. Players include Marcus Belgrave and John Douglass on trumpets, Sherman Mitchell on trombone, Vincent Bowens on tenor and flute, Alex Harding on baritone and bass clarinet, Kenny Cox on piano, and Rodney Whitaker on bass – and titles include "Samba/Conga De Amor", "Amazona Prelude/Dawn", "Old Man Joe", "Por Que Paro", and "Afra-Jum (parts 2 & 3)". CD

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". CD

One of Duke Ellington's best albums of the 50s – a well-conceived session of dark moody tracks that revisits a few old favorites, hits a few standards, and offers a new gem that's right up there with the classics! The "indigos" title is taken very seriously here – as the album's awash in blue tones and darker hues – a bit Kenton in inspiration, but carried off with a lot more intimacy and sense of soul throughout. The group by this point is completely mature – and old bandmates like Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Cat Anderson and Ray Nance on trumpets, and Jimmy Woode on bass all fit together perfectly under Ellington's direction. Titles include Duke's great "The Sky Fell Down", plus "Mood Indigo", "Autumn Leaves", "Tenderly", "Dancing In The Dark", "Where Or When", and "Solitude". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredibly lovely work from Joyce – quite possibly her best album in years, and a set that's filled with the same scatting brilliance we loved in her classics from the 70s and 80s! The set's done in collaboration with husband/drummer Tutty Moreno – and the pair lead a small combo with a nicely jazzy feel that further enforces the freely soaring lines in Joyce's vocals! Instrumentation includes a shifting array of saxes, flute, clarinet, and piano – plus plenty of warm guitar from Joyce, played with a crystal clear and sensitive sound. Titles include "Garoto", "Sabe Quem", "Tema Pro Baden", "Bodas De Vinil", "Magica", "Penalty", "April Child", "Shangri-La", and a great cover of Tenorio Jr's classic "Embalo". CD

Wonderfully spiritual sounds from the great Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a rare, unissued live recording done for French radio at the start of the 70s – superbly recorded, and every bit as great as Kirk's Atlantic Records classics from the time! The tunes are long, and the setting is lean – with a style that echoes the brilliance of his Volunteered Slavery album, but with more of an edge – less of the humor that Rahsaan could bring to the stage, and lot more bite – both on his reeds, and the work of group members Dick Griffin on trombone, Ron Burton on piano, Vernon Martin on bass, Jerome Cooper on drums, and Joe Texidor on percussion. Kirk blows alto, tenor, soprano, flute, stritch, manzello, and clarinet – and titles include "Three For The Festival", "Sweet Fire", "Inflated Tear", "Volunteered Slavery", and "My Cherie Amour". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy Rushing reprises a nice batch of blues classics from the 20s, all of which were sung by early recording artists like Bessie or Clara Smith. The group that backs him is a nice one, and features Buck Clayton on trumpet, Buster Bailey on clarinet, and Coleman Hawkins on tenor. As with many of Columbia's late 50's sessions in this style, the sound is excellent, and has an intimacy and warmth that works extremely well with the material – including titles like "Arkansas Blues", "Gulf Coast Blues", "Muddy Waters", "Squeeze Me", and "Crazy Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". CD

Brunswick and Columbia sides – includes "In A Sentimental Mood" , "Moonlight Fiesta (Porto Rican Chaos)", "Showboat Shuffle", "Truckin", "Clarinet Lament", and the four part "Reminiscing In Tempo". 23 tracks in all. CD

Two dreamy French classics back to back! The first 12 tracks on the set are pulled from an obscure 1957 Vega LP, issued under the name of Hubert Rostaing, who was the clarinetist on the session, and featuring work by Martial Solal on piano and Michel Hausser on vibes. The mixture of vibes and clarinet is a great one – and gives the album a hiply swinging sound that really fits the angular compositions on the set, most of which are by Rostaing. The next 12 tracks are from a 1956 album on Barclay, issued under the name of Maurice Meunier, who plays alto and clarinet on the album, in a group that includes Raymond Fol on piano and Pierre Michelot on bass. Titles include "Dig", "Samakoutra", "I Know, Don't Know How", "Ca Va Boullir", "J'en Suis Saise", "L'Heure Tourne", "Trop Tot", and "Bonjour Benny". CD

Johnny Hodges on alto sax, Duke Ellington on piano, Harry Carney on baritone sax & clarinet, Jimmy Blanton on bass, Otto Hardwick on alto sax & clarinet, Barney Bigard on tenor sax & clarinet, Sonny Greer on drums, Freddy Guy on guitar & whistle, Ben Webster on tenor sax, Juan Tizol, Lawrence Brown & Tricky Sam Nanton on trombones, Rex Stewart & Wallace Jones on trumpets, Ray Nance on trumpet, vibes & vocals & Herb Jeffries & Ivie Anderson on vocals. CD

A brilliant pairing of two musicians who never recorded together during their early days on record – but who more than made up for that lack with later classics like this! The cover's got the boldness of an FMP album from the 70s, and the music within follows that spirit – a bold live performance at Chicago's Empty Bottle, a frequent home to both musicians at the time – with Joe McPhee on trumpet, alto, and tenor – Peter Brotzmann on alto, tenor, clarinet, and tarogato – driven by tremendous work on bass from Kent Kessler and drums by Michael Zerang. The set features two long live improvisations – "Guts" and "Rising Spirits". CD