A way different album than usual for both tenor giant Coleman Hawkins, and up-and-coming trumpet talent Clark Terry – a very soulful set that falls much more into the spirit of the few soul jazz gems on early 60s Epic/Columbia Records! This could be because Dave Bailey's holding down the drum chores, and the record sounds a bit like his great recordings from the early 60 – a tight, soulful groove that's also got support from Tommy Flanagan on piano and Major Holley on bass! All tracks are nice and long, with strong solos from Hawkins and Terry – and there's a fantastic cut called "Tune For The Tutor", which was written by Pat Patrick, and which really grooves! Other nice ones include "Feedin' The Bean" and "Squeeze Me" – plus "Don't Worry Bout Me", and "Michelle". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 70s session from Clark Terry – playing flugelhorn here with backings from Peter Herbholzheimer, and sounding wonderfully sweet throughout! There's a spacious, patient quality to Terry's horn that reminds us a bit of his gentler moments in the 60s with Bob Brookmeyer – and even though Herbholzheimer's normally in a fuller funky mode, his backings here are nicely restrained and quite mature – modern enough to have a 70s feel, but never slick or cloying. There's almost an Art Farmer feel to the record at times – and titles include the great original "Clark After Dark", plus versions of "Emily", "Yesterdays", "Nature Boy", "Girl Talk", and "November Song". CD

A great 70s session from Clark Terry – playing flugelhorn here with backings from Peter Herbholzheimer, and sounding wonderfully sweet throughout! There's a spacious, patient quality to Terry's horn that reminds us a bit of his gentler moments in the 60s with Bob Brookmeyer – and even though Herbholzheimer's normally in a fuller funky mode, his backings here are nicely restrained and quite mature – modern enough to have a 70s feel, but never slick or cloying. There's almost an Art Farmer feel to the record at times – and titles include the great original "Clark After Dark", plus versions of "Emily", "Yesterdays", "Nature Boy", "Girl Talk", and "November Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from trumpeter Clark Terry – a small group date that features superb tenor from Paul Gonsalves, in a mode that's very similar to the work that both he and Terry recorded for Chess/Argo Records in the late 50s! This set's a French date, and features both horn players in a hip quintet with Raymond Fol on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and GT Hogan on drums – playing in a mode that's laidback, open, and which really has Terry showing off the most soulful side of his phrasing! Gonsalves is fantastic too – very different in a setting like this than in his larger group performances with Ellington – and the pair together are really at their best, with very expressive tones. Titles include "Blues For The Champ Of The Champs", "Clark Bars", "Lonely One", "Pannonica Ou Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 No 2", and "Serenade To A Bus Seat". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from trumpeter Clark Terry – a small group date that features superb tenor from Paul Gonsalves, in a mode that's very similar to the work that both he and Terry recorded for Chess/Argo Records in the late 50s! This set's a French date, and features both horn players in a hip quintet with Raymond Fol on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and GT Hogan on drums – playing in a mode that's laidback, open, and which really has Terry showing off the most soulful side of his phrasing! Gonsalves is fantastic too – very different in a setting like this than in his larger group performances with Ellington – and the pair together are really at their best, with very expressive tones. Titles include "Blues For The Champ Of The Champs", "Clark Bars", "Lonely One", "Pannonica Ou Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 No 2", and "Serenade To A Bus Seat". LP, Vinyl record album

With arrangements by Phil Woods and Frank Wess – on titles that include "Dirty Old Man", "Big Bad Band", "Rock Skipping At Blue Note", and "Shell Game". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent little album that's also one of Clark Terry's hippest! The set was recorded as part of the monumental Candid catalog in the early 60s – and it's got an edgey quality that we don't normally hear in Terry's work. At some level, he's working in a mode picked up from his time with Ellington – painting in wide shades of tone and color – but at another level, he's also using some more modern small group modes, of the sort that Candid was perfect at recording! Other players on the session include Jimmy Knepper, Yusef Lateef, Julius Watkins, and Seldon Powell – all fluidly coming together with Terry's horn to create some tremendously evocative work! Titles include "Chat Qui Peche", "No Problem", "La Rive Gauche", "Blue Waltz", and "Brother Terry". CD

A really great little album – one that really gets at the bright, joyous feel that Clark Terry brings to his music! Despite the "happy" in the title – which might make you think this one would be a bit silly – the album's a pretty great record! Terry plays both trumpet and flugelhorn (hence the "horns" in the title) – and he's working with a spare, tight, and surprisingly creative group that includes drummer Walter Perkins, bassist Milt Hinton, pianist Roger Kellaway, and the sax team of Phil Woods and Ben Webster. Tunes are light and playful, but never sloppy – instead quite inventive, and done in a way that's halfway between Terry's own late 50s work as a leader (as on Argo), and some of his work on sessions like Ed Thigpen's magnificent Out Of The Storm. Titles include "Jazz Conversations", "High Towers", "In A Mist", "Rockin In Rhythm", "Return To Swahili", and "Impulsive". CD

One of the key early albums in the career of trumpeter Clark Terry – and a set that's also noteworthy for being a key 50s session for the great Thelonious Monk! If you only think of Terry from his later smiling face on record covers, the player here you'll find is very different – one that has a lot more bite, and whose horn not only matches the sharpness of Monk's piano – but also delivers some great original material that allow you to hear Thelonious in a nicely varied setting than his own records! The group features excellent rhythm work from Sam Jones on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles include great originals like "In Orbit", "Pea Eye", "Argentina", "One Foot In The Gutter", and "Buck's Business". LP, Vinyl record album

Clark Terry on trumpet and flugelhorn, George Robert on alto saxophone, Mark Nightingale on trombone, Dado Moroni on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Jeff Hamilton on drums. CD

Clark Terry on trumpet, and a bit of vocals on one cut – plus Eddie Cleanhead Vinson on alto, Art Hillery on piano, John Heard on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums, and Harmonica George Smith on harmonica. CD

One of the most exciting records we've heard from either player in years – a really magic session that captures all the raw energy of their best recordings of the 50s! Roach is a real demon on the drums – both tightly swinging, but also showing aspects of his years in the left end of the jazz spectrum – and Terry response accordingly, by blowing those raw, unfettered, almost earthy notes that we first came to love on his early albums for Emarcy and Argo. The rest of the group is comprised of Don Friedman on piano and Marcus McLaurine on bass – but it's really just Terry and Roach jamming together on most of the set – poised somewhere between the history and future of jazz! Titles include "The Profit", "Let's Cool One", "Statements", "Lil Max", "I Remember Clifford", and "Brushes & Brass". CD

Late work from trumpeter Clark Terry, but the kind of record that really lives up to his long legacy of specially-shaped sounds from his instrument – matched here by superb work from Al Grey on trombone! Terry always has this great way of evoking a mouthy, gritty vibe from his horn, while still delivering a clear, clean sound – and a great vision for a solo, even in a compact space – and that's carried forward here by very strong work from Al Grey, a player who didn't always get his chance to sparkle this much in later years! The group's got another great feature – no drums, just the bass of Marcus McLaurine and piano of Charles Fox – leaving plenty of open room for improvisation, and even more reliance on the inherently rhythmic styles of both hornmen. Titles include "Hooties Blues", "Greazy Blues", "Cool Vibes", "Sluggo", "Hip Hat Blues", and "The View From Glencove". CD

A really great little album – one that really gets at the bright, joyous feel that Clark Terry brings to his music! Despite the "happy" in the title – which might make you think this one would be a bit silly – the album's a pretty great record! Terry plays both trumpet and flugelhorn (hence the "horns" in the title) – and he's working with a spare, tight, and surprisingly creative group that includes drummer Walter Perkins, bassist Milt Hinton, pianist Roger Kellaway, and the sax team of Phil Woods and Ben Webster. Tunes are light and playful, but never sloppy – instead quite inventive, and done in a way that's halfway between Terry's own late 50s work as a leader (as on Argo), and some of his work on sessions like Ed Thigpen's magnificent Out Of The Storm. Titles include "Jazz Conversations", "High Towers", "In A Mist", "Rockin In Rhythm", "Return To Swahili", and "Impulsive". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early date as a leader from trumpeter Clark Terry – one cut during the stretch when he was keeping company with players like Thelonious Monk and Johnny Griffin! The latter player is a key member of Terry's group here – as Johnny's tenor adds a nice sharp edge to Clark's trumpet – mixing modern and bop inflections wonderfully in a solid quintet setting that also features Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Titles include "Serenade To A Bus Seat", "That Old Black Magic", "Cruising", "Boardwalk", "Boomerang", and "Digits". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous American recordings from British tenorist Tubby Hayes with Clark Terry on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, George Duvivier on bass, Dave Bailey on drums, and Eddie Costa on vibraphone – presented here in a CD that features four previously-unreleased titles that include "Soho Soul", "Simple Waltz", "Half A Sawbuck", and "You're My Everything". CD

A great stripped-down set – just the piano of Oscar Peterson and trumpet of Clark Terry! LP, Vinyl record album

Big BAD Band includes Frank Wess, Chris Woods, Ernie Wilkins, Dr Ronnie Oldrich, and Charles Davis on reeds; Clark Terry, Greg Bobulinski, Dale Carley, Paul Cohen, and Richard Williams on trumpets; Sonny Costanzo, Eddie Bert, Jimmy Wilkins, and Jack Jeffers on trombones, Ed Soph on drums, Victor Sproles on bass, and Ronnie Mathews on piano. LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly nice set that brings together Clark Terry and Thelonious Monk! Given Terry's bright approach to jazz, it's a bit hard to imagine him and Monk working well together – but at the time of this session, Clark still had a fair bit of an edge – with roots in a number of modern styles of the 50s, and a flair for crafting a compelling line on his horn. The set's got a number of nice originals – and titles include "In Orbit", "Pea Eye", "Argentina", "One Foot In The Gutter", and "Buck's Business". (Also issued under the name Clark Terry In Orbit.) LP, Vinyl record album

Everything's Mellow indeed – and that fact makes the record one of Clark Terry's greatest from the 60s! The obscure session features Clark blowing in the laidback style of Prestige's Moodsville imprint – almost a swing-based, Verve-styled mode that makes for some really great tunes. Terry plays both trumpet and flugelhorn on the session – working through really restrained readings of tunes that include "The Simple Waltz", "Out In The Cold Again", "Among My Souvenirs", and "In The Alley" – and the rest of the players on the session include Junior Mance on piano, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds from Terry Allen – one of the key underground Texas talents who were helping transform the style of country music in the 70s – and one of the few who maybe never fully got his due! Terry's from the same scene as David Allen Coe, Billy Joe Shaver, and Guy Clark, but his music is much more underground than theirs – maybe only ever designed to be put forth in an intimate club setting, late in the night – where the very conversational style of Allen's songs almost make them feel like barroom musings of a cat who's seen a heck of a lot of life on this planet, but still very able to peer into the souls of those he comes across. This double-length set is Allen's masterpiece – originally issued on a small pressing back in the 70s, and very much an alt-country relic – but from a time when such a thing didn't even exist. Titles include "Cocktails For Three", "High Plains Jamboree", "Amarillo Highway", "Lubbock Woman", "Rendezvous USA", "The Girl Who Danced Oklahoma", "Truckload Of Art", and "The Pink & Black Song". CD

Sweet trumpet work from one of Duke Ellington's best sidemen – done for Mercury in 1958 with some very tight arrangements by Anderson and Ernie Wilkins – all in a mode that show's a bit of Cat's Ellington association, but which also opens up in some other swinging modes – including a bit of Basie, and even some wider ranging styles. Cat's in the lead on trumpet, getting support from other players on the instrument – including Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, and Ray Copeland – plus Jimmy Cleveland and Frank Rehack on trombone, Earl Warren on alto sax, Jimmy Forrest and Ernie Wilkins on tenor, and Sahib Shihab on baritone. Titles include "Little Man", "Cat's In The Alley", "June Bug", "Adorable D", "Nina", "Birth Of The Blues", and "Blue Jean Beguine". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most soulful jazz ever recorded for Columbia Records – 3 albums worth of material from the combo of drummer Dave Bailey! Bailey's probably best known for his work in the Gerry Mulligan group, but for a brief time at the start of the 60s he stepped out as a leader – working with a focus and intensity that easily matched the best hard boppers on Blue Note or Prestige! These 3 records for Columbia are all amazing sets that we'd rank with some of our favorite jazz from the time – razor-sharp records that have a really earthy finish, and which bring out some of the best hardbop work on record from horn soloists Curtis Fuller, Clark Terry, Junior Cook, Charlie Rouse, and Bill Hardman – all of whom really catch fire under Bailey's guidance! But even above the great horn work on the albums, we really have to note the piano – as Horace Parlan plays on 2 of the albums, easily matching his Blue Note classics, and Billy Gardner follows up on the last set – working with a low low bottom that we love from his sides with Lou Donaldson. Bassists are Peck Morrison and Ben Tucker – and titles include "Slop Jah", "Little Old Mongoose", "Blues For JP", "One Foot In The Gutter", "Sandu", "Two Feet In The Gutter", "Lady Iris B", "Coffee Walk", and "Brownie Speaks". And if 3 albums' worth of material isn't enough, the CD also features 3 more tunes from Bailey's rare Jazztime session with Grant Green and Frank Hayes – "Reaching Out", "Our Miss Brooks", and "One For Elena". 16 tracks in all – most of them quite long! CD

A nice collection, with some previously unissued tracks by Riverside's hippest trumpet players – all cuts that are exclusive to this album! Titles include "Optional" by Kenny Dorham, "Studio B" by Blue Mitchell, "Fluegelin The Blues" by Clark Terry, "Mammy Yokum" by Nat Adderley, and "Early Morning Mood" and "Soft Winds" by Chet Baker. LP, Vinyl record album

Lesser known early-to-mid 50s orchestra work by the Count, featuring Wardell Gray on tenor sax, Buddy Defranco on clarinet, Clark Terry, and Buddy Rich on drums. This Japanese release features 14 fairly short pieces, most barely hit the three minute mark, and finds Basie at the height of the swinging 50s. Tracks include "Neal's Deal", "Bluebeard Blues", "The Golden Bullet", "I'm Confessin", "One O'Clock Jump", "Little White Lies", "Tootsie", "Howzit", "Nails", and "Little Pony". LP, Vinyl record album

Lesser known early-to-mid 50s orchestra work by the Count, featuring Wardell Gray on tenor sax, Buddy Defranco on clarinet, Clark Terry, and Buddy Rich on drums. This Japanese release features 14 fairly short pieces, most barely hit the three minute mark, and finds Basie at the height of the swinging 50s. Tracks include "Neal's Deal", "Bluebeard Blues", "The Golden Bullet", "I'm Confessin", "One O'Clock Jump", "Little White Lies", "Tootsie", "Howzit", "Nails", and "Little Pony". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual setting for the legendary Ruth Brown – the singer who first rose to fame singing raw-edged R&B tracks for Atlantic Records in the 50s – but who works here in a much jazzier mode overall! The set features backings from Peter Matz – who often accompanied the classier singers of the time – and Ruth really does a great job of mixing her bold vocals with his jazzy charts – soaring to new heights in a way that swings nicely, and makes for much deeper soul than most of Matz's other projects. Musicians include Hank Jones on piano, Clark Terry on trumpet, Barry Galbraith on guitar, Urbie Green on trombone, and Richard Davis on bass – and there also seem to be some female backup singers in a few spots too. Titles include two from Nellie Lutcher "Hurry On Down" and "He's A Real Gone Guy" and Dick Hyman's "Watch It", "Whispering Grass", "I Know Why", "Here's That Rainy Day", and a very interesting interpretation of "On The Good Ship Lollipop" – which almost makes the whole tune sound like a sad ballad. CD

A trio of early RCA albums from vibes genius Gary Burton – all brought together in a single set! First up is New Vibe Man In Town – the first-ever album from vibist Gary Burton – a very young player at the time of recording, but one who's definitely worth the "new vibe man" promised in the title! The style here is maybe a bit more conventionally swinging than some of Burton's records from later years – a trio setting with Gene Cherico on bass and the great Joe Morello on drums – but both rhythm players are already pretty hip with their timings, and really push Burton into spacious, chromatic territory that's completely sublime – a sound that already marks the musician as really bringing something fresh to his instrument. Titles include "Joy Spring", "Over The Rainbow", "Like Someone In Love", "Minor Blues", "Out Waltz", "So Many Things", "Sir John", and "You Stepped Out Of A Dream". Next is Who Is Gary Burton – a gem of an album from the young Gary Burton – his second date for RCA, and a perfectly-pitched session that's got plenty of modern edges, but none of the too-experimental modes that sometimes bogged Gary down in later years! The date's especially noteworthy for the presence of two great horn players – Clark Terry on trumpet and Phil Woods on alto – both of whom flesh out Burton's lyrical approach to vibes with some deeply soulful solos of their own – opening up the record with a range of sounds that's simply breathtaking, and which represents some of the freshest work from both players in the early 60s. The rest of the group features Tommy Flanagan on piano, John Neves on bass, and Joe Morello on drums – and titles include "Storm", "I've Just Seen Her", "Fly Time Fly", "Conception", "Get Away Blues", and "One Note". Gary Burton In Concert features groundbreaking work on vibes by Gary Burton – recorded in a setting that's live and open, yet quite groovy too! There's a rhythmic freeness that marks the set from the very first note – lessons learned from the generation of Ornette, yet taken in new direction – and definitely into new colors and tones – thanks to Burton's amazingly chromatic vibes, and the vivid guitar of Larry Coryell – not to mention the unusual rhythms from Steve Swallow on bass and Bob Moses on drums. These youthful players push the envelope even more than on some of Burton's other RCA albums of the time – going for a groove that's much more open and abstract, and which puts Coryell's guitar in a role that's as important as Burton's vibes in the set. Titles include "Wrong Is Right", "Walter L", "Lines", "The Sunset Bell", and "Blue Comedy". CD

A bossa nova spectacular – two great albums, and bonus tracks too! First up is Muito A Vontade – a landmark bit of bossa – one of the first albums ever recorded by Joao Donato, the Brazilian pianist whose styles would go onto influence many in the coming years – and the US issue of the the 1962 Polygram album Muito A Vontade! Joao's got an incredibly fluid touch on the keys – gentle but jazzy, filled with lots of warm and soulful overtones that were sometimes missing from other, cooler bossa piano players. And on top of all of that, he's got a real flair for composition – and pens some wonderful tunes for the session, like the classics "Sambou Sambou", "Tema Teimoso", "Jodel", and "Vamos Nessa". Killer stuff all around, and with the great Milton Banana on drums, Sebastian Neto on bass and Amaury Rodrigues on percussion. Great early work from Donato – and the US issue of the 1962 album Muito A Vontade. Next is Bossa Nova Carnival – one of the first true moments of genius on record from the legendary vibist Dave Pike – a sublime set of bossa nova numbers, all written by the bossa pianist Joao Donato! Joao doesn't actually play on the record, but his compositions here are enough – as they help Pike find a new sense of space and pulse in his music – rhythms that really unlock his vibes towards their grooviest ends for the first time ever on record. Most numbers are heavily modal – a great mix with the bossa setting – and the album also features key work from Clark Terry on flugelhorn, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Chris White on bass – whose loping lines really help shape the overall sound of the record. Also features lots of nice percussion – and titles include "Ginha", "Samba Lero", "Sono", "Carnival Samba", "Sausalito", and "Melvalita". CD also features three early bonus tracks – "Eu Quero Um Samba", "Minha Saudade", and "Mambinho". CD

Personnel include Paul Gonsalves, Clark Terry, Johnny Hodges and more. CD

With Joe Benjamin on bass, Sam Woodyard on drums, Harold Shorty Baker, Willie Cook, and Clark Terry on trumpets, Ray Nance on cornet, Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, and Johnny Hodges on alto, Russell Procope and Jimmy Hamilton on alto and clarinet, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on baritone and bass clarinet. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare slice of Duke Ellington at Newport in the 50s – recorded live at the festival in 1959, but unlike other sessions of the time, never issued on record! The set remained unissued until Duke's 90th birthday, and it's a great discovery that easily matches the strength of Ellington's larger live recordings for Columbia at the same time. As is usual for this type of outing, there's a number of shorter tracks that reprise Ellington favorites for the crowd – but those are offset by longer, more serious works that are deeply complex, the highlight of which is "Idiom 59", a great lost composition done especially for the Festival! The full performance runs for over an hour – with players that include Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Harry Carney, and Johnny Hodges – and other tunes include "Cop Out", "Rockin In Rhythm", "Skin Deep", "Jam With Sam", "Perdido", and "Jones". CD

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus a 13 minute reading of "A Tone Parallel To Harlem (aka The Harlem Suite)". CD

One of Duke Ellington's standout sides for Columbia – a strong recording that revisits many of the best elements of his earlier work, and offers up some more sophisticated scoring for the 50s – thanks to extended track length in the LP generation! The tunes here are older ones, but they're taken to some nicely hip territory – thanks to Duke's strong ear for modern changes, and a line up of players that includes Billy Strayhorn on piano, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Clark Terry and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Louis Bellson on drums. Bellson does a great job on the classic "Skin Deep" – a real showcase for his talents in this recording – and other titles include "The Mooche", "Take The A Train", and "Perdido" – plus "The Controversial Suite". CD

The album's a bit less "historical" than you might guess from the title – at least at the time it was issued in the mid 50s! The material is from Chicago sessions recorded in 1956 – unusual non-Columbia material for the period, featuring the Ellington group working in a slightly older-styled mode. Much of the material is from the earlier songbook of the orchestra – but it's done here with some slight modern touches that show the 50s impulses of the group firmly in place. Players include Cat Anderson and Clark Terry on trumpet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on baritone sax – and titles include "Midriff", "Ko Ko", "Lonesome Lullaby", "Upper Manhattan Medical Group", "Jack The Bear", "Stompy Jones", and "Creole Love Call". LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington on piano, Bill Graham on alto saxophone, Russell Procope on alto saxophone and clarinet, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone and clarinet, Jimmy Hamilton on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Paul Gonsalves on tenor saxophone, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, and Quentin Jackson on trombone, Clark Terry, Harold "Shorty" Baker, and Ray Nance on trumpet, Ray Nance on violin, Jimmy Woode on bass, Sam Woodyard on drums, and vocals by Ozzie Bailey. CD

One of the few full band albums ever recorded by Mercer Ellington – a strong 50s session that features work by Billy Strayhorn, Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Jimmy Jones, Jimmy Hamilton, and other luminaries from the Duke Ellington group. Arrangements are by Jones, Ellington, Dick Vance, and Luther Henderson – and the tunes have a rich tonal quality that well lives up to the "colors" in the title. Titles include "Coral Rock", "Black & Tan Fantasy", "Aqua Tonic", "Little White Lies", "Golden Cress", "Azure", "Blue Serge", and "Dawn Of A Greenhorn". LP, Vinyl record album

A magnificent set from the team of Art Farmer and Jim Hall – one of those rare pairings in jazz that somehow comes off sounding even way better than the sum of its parts – and that's saying a lot, given that the parts here are already pretty darn great! Farmer's flugelhorn and Hall's guitar create these wonderful shapes in sound – softly coming together with a vibe that's very modern, yet also soulful – gently swinging while still experimenting – with a combination that's completely wonderful! Think of Bob Brookmeyer and Clark Terry, or Bill Evans and Jim Hall – and you'll be somewhere in the territory of these magically unique sounds – augmented with some gentle rhythm work by Steve Swallow on bass and Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "By Myself", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Sometime Ago", and "My Kinda Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A great burner from Diz – and one that features a large group, long tracks, and some stellar early work from Lalo Schifrin! Schifrin was in Diz's group at the time, playing piano and contributing fantastic Latin-tinged arrangements that gave the band a whole new life. Other players on this session include Candido, Leo Wright, Julius Watkins, and Willie Rodriguez – and the tracks include "Africana", "Blues", and "Panamerica". An incredible live set from Dizzy Gillespie – one that has him working in stunning big band mode, but with all the depth and agility of a small combo! The set features variations on a number of classic Gillespie themes – including "Kush", "Manteca", "Ool Ya Koo", and "Tunisian Fantasy (Night In Tunisia)" – recast with that ever-growing Latin influence that Dizzy was picking up in the 60s, supported strongly by the presence of a young Lalo Schifrin, who plays piano on the set. Horn players include Dizzy, Clark Terry, and Nick Travis on trumpets; Gunter Schuller and Jim Buffington on French Horns; Leo Wright on sax and flute; and Don Butterfield on tuba – supported by rhythm from Schifrin on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Charles Lumpkin on drums. Tunes are awash in soulful solos and deeply colored hues – and titles include "Manteca", "This Is The Way", "Kush", "Ool Ya Koo", and "Tunisian Fantasy". CD

A mad mad afternoon with the great Babs Gonzales – one of the hippest jazz singers ever! The set is one of Babs' best on records, and it features a mix of jazz vocals and hipster monologues that shows perfectly the mixture of talent and hustling that Babs used to make a name for himself in the New York scene. He's backed by a nice little combo that includes friends and songwriting partners like Horace Parlan, Clark Terry, and Johnny Griffin – and the set includes loads of great numbers like "Dem Jive New York People", "Keep An Ugly Woman", "Be Bop Santa Claus", and "Le Moody Mood Pour Amour". The whole thing's hung together with some great patter, and recorded in a way that shows the warm spirit of all the more famous folks who kept Babs going along during his glory years! LP, Vinyl record album