A really beautiful book, and one that's quite different than most other jazz books we can think of – in that it approaches its main subject matter from many different directions, in a way that actually proves to be more illuminating overall! As the title implies, the book looks at the huge run of recordings that avant pianist Matthew Shipp has done for the Rogue Art label – and author Clifford Allen begins with a look at Shipp himself, then his New York setting, then interviews with collaborators who include Whit Dickey, William Parker, Joe Morris, and Rob Brown – before then moving on to look at the Rogue Art label, through an interview with its founder – then ending with page after page of liner notes for Shipp albums on the label – including a few that haven't been released yet! The presentation is very smart, and really opens up Shipp's creative process in a great way – and this softcover edition is 207 pages, with some black and white images. Book

Recorded with Kool & the Gang, Melvin Wah Wah Watson, and Onaje Allen Gumbs. CD

Clifford Lamb on piano – accompanied by Henry Franklin or Edwin Livingston on bass, and Herlin Riley or Carl Allen on drums. CD

A really great collection of work from the legendary BYG/Actuel label – home not just to the famous avant jazz recordings that have made the company a legend, but also a host of other unusual sounds that don't often get the exposure they deserve! This collection finally gives that full range of BYG sounds their due – as it mixes some of the avant classics from Paris at the end of the 60s with other freely creative work from the French scene – including some great contributions from British artists who were as unbridled at BYG as the American musicians were with their jazz material! The set features 15 tracks from the key years of the catalog – titles that include "Le Nouveau Monde" by Alice, "Terrestrial Beings" by Don Cherry, "Seventh Time Key" by Ame Son, "Duke" by Jacques Coursil, "Enchanted Wood" by Freedom, "Ancient Ethiopia" by Sun Ra, "Ragalia" by Areski & Brigitte Fontaine, "Le Cocotier (part 2)" by Coeur Magique, "Dexterity" by Art Ensemble Of Chicago, "Sound Pool (part 1)" by MEV, "Time Of Your Life" by Daevid Allen, "Pan African Festival" by Clifford Thornton, and "Willing To Fight" by Aynsley Dunbar. CD

An incredible record from Sun Ra! The session was recorded in New York in the late 60s – and it features Ra playing the "solar sound instrument", which is actually a modified Hohner Clavinet, used here with some really spooky sounds! The setting of the album is spare and moody – with Ra striking out first on the "solar sound instrument" – laying down a groove that's filled in by John Gilmore on tenor, plus additional percussion by Robert Barry (who plays a bit of the "lightning drum"), Clifford Jarvis, Marshall Allen, and Pat Patrick. Titles include "Mu", "Lemuria", "Atlantis", "Bimini", and "Yucatan". CD features 2 versions of "Yucatan" – one from the original Saturn record, and one from the later Impulse album. CD

A fantastic Sun Ra album – with otherworldly sounds that perfectly sum up his unique jazz vision! The album features material recorded in New York in 1961, and released on Saturn in 1965 – but whatever the date, it's still light years ahead of its time! Ra plays piano, as usual, but he also works with some beautiful instruments of his own creation – including the strangely wonderful Sun Harp, the Dragon Drum, and the Spiral Percussion Gong. The percussion instruments are heard to great effect on the track "Solar Drums" – which has an echoey percussive sound that's really wonderful! The rest of the group includes John Gilmore, Ronnie Boykins, Pat Patrick, Clifford Thornton, Marshall Allen, and Clifford Jarvis – classic Ra players all of them – and other titles include "Lights On A Satellite", "Kosmos In Blue", and "Cluster Of Galaxies". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique pairing of talents – Japanese singer Miki Yamaoka, and American tenor legend Benny Golson – who also produced and arranged the set! Miki's got a voice that's surprisingly deep and dusky at points, which makes here a great match for Golson's tenor solos on the record – blown in this easygoing, soulful style that matches the pace of the rhythms nicely – served up by the trio of Soichi Moriki on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Carl Allen on drums! Yamaoka's definitely got a different vibe than some of the other female Japanese jazz singers on the market – and titles include "One Day Forever", "Feeling Good", "I Remember Clifford", "Whisper Not", "Autumn In New York", "I Love You", and "Fly Me To The Moon" – which just features Miki's vocals and Buster's bass! CD

A treasure trove of work from the European scene – recordings that were unissued at the time, but which feature fantastic performance by American soloists done for Austrian radio! The core group is led by trombonist Eich Kleinschuster – a player from Vienna who never got much notice on our side of the Atlantic, but who was a fantastic host for visiting musicians in a series of broadcast concerts done by the Austrian radio – with Erich as the leader, and a fair bit of work on piano and Fender Rhodes from the mighty Fritz Pauer – a talent you'll know from some key MPS Records sessions of the period! And the vibe here is very much like MPS at its best – a great meeting of talents, at a level that rises everyone else involved – which makes these sessions superb throughout, no matter the soloist. This Volume 1 features six tracks from the mighty tenorist Clifford Jordan – on "Looking Across", "872", "Leavin Train", "Impressions Of Scandinavia", "Vienna", and "Sandra". Trumpeter Charles Tolliver shows up on the remaining five titles – on titles that include his fantastic "On The Nile", plus "Lil's Paradise", "Paper Man", "Right Now", and "Household Of Saud". LP, Vinyl record album

Three albums from Dutch drummer Eric Ineke – served up in a single set! Dexternity is a tribute to the music of Dexter Gordon, one that's led by drummer Eric Ineke, and which features the reed talents of Sjoerd Dijkhuizen on Dexter's role – blowing both tenor and a bit of soprano sax! The rest of the group features Rik Mol on trumpet, Rob Van Bavel on piano, and Marius Beets on bass – and titles include "The Panther", "Body And Soul", "Soy Califa", "Cheese Cake", "Boston Bernie", and "Fried Bananas". Meets The Tenor Players is a selection of tracks from different sessions, all of which feature drummer Eric Ineke interacting with a range of famous tenorists – including some key American players recording overseas! The set features work from Dexter Gordon, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Clifford Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Lucky Thompson, Goerge Coleman, and Grant Stewart – each of whom play on their own tracks – with piano work from players who include Rein De Graaff, Rob Agerbeek, and Rob Madna. Titles include "Let There Be Life Love & Laughter", "Prayer To The People", "Walkin", "Lady Bird", "Stablemates", and "Wee". Cruisin is a later date from Dutch drummer Eric Ineke, but one that maybe burns with even more fire than some of his earlier albums – thanks to the work of some great musicians in the quintet! At some points, the group takes off in strongly soulful hardbop formation – but at others, they can equally slide into a slightly modern mode, but all without losing their swing at all – a performance that's given plenty of focus from Ineke's drumming, and topped with these warmly lyrical piano lines from Rob Van Bavel, plus trumpet from Rik Mol, tenor and bass clarinet from Sjoerd Dijkhuizen, and bass from Marius Beets. Titles include "Oak City", "When We Were One", "Just A Tune For You", "What Is This", "Cruising", and "Seven On The Richter Scale". CD