The title's no lie, as Wallace Roney serves up a set of jazz standards – yet in keeping with his other great work on Muse Records, the album's also got a heck of a lot going on as well! The album's hardly the kind of "trumpeter hits the classics" album you might expect – as throughout the session, things open up nicely – starting with sparkling notes on trumpet, but pushing into some of the bolder territory Roney was known for at the time, eventually ending on a number composed by the group. Players include Gary Thomas on tenor, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Charnett Moffett on bass, and Cindy Blackman on drums – and titles include "Loose", "When Your Lover Has Gone", "Con Alma", "Giant Steps", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "Don't Blame Me". CD

A rare jazz treasure from the European scene of the early 70s – killer material from a wealth of American artists and local talents – all done as special sessions for Dutch radio, and never issued to the public on record! Despite the radio origins of the music, the sound here is tremendous – easily on a par with the best MPS sessions of the time – which is no surprise, given that many of the artists here worked in similar circles! The first half of the set features the trio of pianist Louis Van Dyke augmented with guests who include Mark Murphy, Helen Merrill, Eddie Jefferson, Toots Thielemans, Herb Geller, and Dave Pike – all stepping out into the spotlight while Van Dyke's combo backs them up with lively grooves that are often heavy on bossa influences! The second half features larger orchestrations from The Metropole Orchestra – a soaring big band who groove wonderfully, often in support of vocals from Murphy or Greetje Kauffeld, but also featuring instrumental solos from European players Ack Van Rooyen, Piet Nordijk, Ferdinand Povel, and others. The whole set is worth it alone for the vocals of Murphy – because the record easily stands as some of his best work ever from this decade – and given how great Mark was at the time, that's really saying a lot! Small group titles include "Children Of The Sun", "So What", "Love Sick", "Sao Paulo", "Con Alma", "Seventh Day", and "Falling In Love With Love" – and bigger group numbers include "Out Of This World", "My Shining Hour", "Let's Fall In Love", "Get Happy", "I'll Wind", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "Paper Moon", "One For My Baby", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", and "That Old Black Magic". 37 tracks in all! CD

A wonderful album from the great Cedar Walton trio that featured Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a really beautiful group of musicians who completely transformed the sound of the piano trio in the 70s! The group played together often in the 70s, and they've never sounded better than on an album like this – freely soulful and dancing, with Walton in firm command of his talents – sometimes coming on with the strength of his early 60s material, but always opening up with a more exploratory vibe too. Walton worked often in this mode for the decades that followed this set – but this Japanese album is almost the start of that great legacy, and still one of the best from this group! Titles include "Con Alma", "Suite Sunday", "Suntory Blues", and "Fantasy In D". CD

A wonderful album from the great Cedar Walton trio that featured Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a really beautiful group of musicians who completely transformed the sound of the piano trio in the 70s! The group played together often in the 70s, and they've never sounded better than on an album like this – freely soulful and dancing, with Walton in firm command of his talents – sometimes coming on with the strength of his early 60s material, but always opening up with a more exploratory vibe too. Walton worked often in this mode for the decades that followed this set – but this Japanese album is almost the start of that great legacy, and still one of the best from this group! Titles include "Con Alma", "Suite Sunday", "Suntory Blues", and "Fantasy In D". CD

One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from either player involved – a set that's a tremendous showcase for the alto and soprano work of Steve Wilson, and an open presentation of the drum genius of Lewis Nash! The record comes as a bit of a surprise – especially in contrast to some of Wilson's work in larger groups, which can be more structured and sometimes darker – and although we love when Nash can swing a quintet or a quartet, we're also wonderfully impressed at his presentation here in a looser format. The set feels very improvised along themes, but still has a sense of melody and swing – as the pair deliver very unique readings of tunes that include "Equinox", "Con Alma", "Chelsea Bridge", "Senor Blues", "Island Birdie", and "Freedom Jazz Dance". CD

A really great take on the sort of territory that's usually covered in Cramps-related compilations like this – a set of tracks that still trawls through the weird and wooly world of the 7" single in the late 50s and early 60s, but one that does so here with a special ear towards British 45s from the time – stacked up with a whole host of cool, offbeat tracks we never would have heard otherwise! The set mixes instrumentals, rockers, vocal numbers, and other modes together – with a total of 28 weird tracks that really work wonders together – and make you feel like you've found some very old jukebox in the back room of some east end pub that has been standing in the same place for decades. Titles include "Cool Gool" by Sharkey Todd & The Monsters, "Demon Lover" by Lynn Cornell, "The Mole In The Hole" by The Southlanders, "My Baby's Crazy Bout Elvis" by Billy Boyle, "Diabolical Twist" by Max Bygraves, "Taboo" by Sounds Inc, "Death Valley" by Charles Blackwell, "Fried Onions" by Ted Taylor Four, "African Waltz" by Johnny Dankworth, "Payroll" by Reg Owen, "Juvenile Delinquent" by Suzy Cope, and "Just Couldn't Resist Her With Her Pocket Transistor" by Alma Cogan. CD

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orpheus". However, Guaraldi also managed to pen his own amazing track – "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – a lyrical romping piano instrumental that went onto become a huge charting instrumental hit during the 60s. The track's been heard a million times over the years, but it's still pretty darn great – and it's surrounded in a nice set with other tunes that have the same feel – including "O Nosso Amour", "Alma-Ville", "Since I Fell For You", and "Moon River". LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking little set from DJ Kemit – done in that great old school mode we used to love – in which a hip producer gets vocal help from a range of key contemporary singers! Vocals here are from the best of the best – Eric Roberson, N'Dambi, Osunlade, Frank McComb, Lady Alma, Carl McIntosh, Choklate, and others – each of whom step in on a different track, and really help shade in the different flavors of the record! Kemit comes up with a different groove for each guest – often one that really helps show them at their best – and titles include "Digital Love", "You Don't Know", "Funky 8 Ball", "Inside Out", "Summers Night", "Spread Love", "Never Go Away", "Fortune Teller", and "I Was I Am". CD

One of the more song-based sets from Phil Manzanera – a really wonderful record that definitely foregrounds all the magic he was bringing to early records by Roxy Music, but put out here in a nicely different way as well! Things are never too prog-indulgent – and Manzanera's got some wonderful help to make the record really come out great – including key vocal moments from Brian Eno, John Wetton, and Robert Wyatt – and a hip lineup of instrumentalists who include Andy MacKay on saxes, Eddie Jobson on keyboards, and Charles Hayward on percussion! Phil's got a wonderfully strong sense of rhythm on most numbers – almost at the level of his Listen Now album – and titles include Eno's wonderful performance on "Big Day", plus "Miss Shapiro", "East Of Echo", "Lagrima", "Alma", "Carhumba", "Same Time Next Week", "Frontera", and "The Flex". LP, Vinyl record album

Features multiple tracks from Sippie Wallace, Julia Lee, Dinah Washington, Alma Mondy, Joyce Jackson, Ella Johnson, Violet Hall, Zilla Mays, Myra Taylor, Vivian Green & Helen Humes – that's 57 songs on two CD's! CD

A solo piano recording – tracks include "Con Alma", "Blues In G/Willow Weep For Me", "After Hours", "In The Back Room", "Slow Freight", and "Until It's Time For You To Go". CD

There may be a mountain of Stan Getz records on the market – but take it from us, this is definitely one that you need in your collection! The set presents material from a never-issued live recording – Stan on sublime, soulful tenor at the Keystone Korner in 1976 – working with a quartet that includes Joanne Brackeen on piano, Clint Houston on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all ultra-hip players who set Stan up at a level that rivals the openly creative genius of studio albums like Sweet Rain or Captain Marvel, but with that special sort of snapshot that also marks his rare live material with Gary Burton too! The tracks were cut during the same week that produced the Getz/Gilberto 76 album, but the sound here is very different – not bossa, all jazz, and with that really inspired sense of soloing that Stan hit once he discovered Coltrane and the influence of that generation. Wonderful all the way through – with titles that include "Infant Eyes", "Summer Night", "Peace", "Con Alma", "Morning Star", and "The Cry Of The Wild Goose". CD

One of Stan Getz's greatest records – no fooling! This gem often gets overlooked because it was issued in the years between Stan's bossa recordings and his later pop experiments – but trust us, it's a totally solid jazz album, with a quality level that was hardly ever matched by Getz again! The tracks are all long, sweeping, and very spiritual – and the group's a soulful batch of freer players (Chick Corea on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Grady Tate on drums) – all of whom really open Stan up, and drive him to give out some of the best solos of his careers, with a tone that's completely sublime. All tracks are long, and the album includes an amazing version of Corea's "Litha", plus the cuts "Windows", "Con Alma", and "O Grande Amor". One of our favorite jazz albums ever! LP, Vinyl record album

Jazztronik alone are great enough – but this excellent collection really takes them to a whole new level, by letting in collaborative talents on a host of remixes – all of which further expand the groove of Jazztronik's recent Cannibal Rock and En:Code albums! In recent years, Jazztronik have deepened their sound even more than before – working in bright Brazilian and Latin influences to their mix of cosmic and jazzy dancefloor modes, all of which dance together beautifully in this wonderful set of work. The album is way more than just one of those "hey, let's let someone else mess with the originals" sort of projects – as all tunes here really keep the original Jazztronik spirit burning bright, and respect the vibe that first allowed all of this to happen! Titles on this first volume include "Dentro Mi Alma (Yoruba Soul rmx)", "Searching For Love (Rasmus Faber rmx)", "Working Days (DJ Spinna mix)", "Pathways Jazztronik Theme (Sleepwalker rmx)", "Get It Right (Isoul 8 rmx)", "En Code (As One rmx)", "Samurai (Yukihiro Fukutomi rmx)", and "City Of Rivers (Franck Roger rmx)". CD

Great stuff – and one of the gems that Arif Mardin produced for Chaka during her immediate solo years after leaving Rufus. Mardin's sweet soulful arrangements are a perfect fit for Chaka's voice – not only on soul tracks like "Tearin' It Up", "Got To Be There", "Slow Dancin", and "Pass It On", but also on the album's extended jazz vocal medley, which features takes on "Hot House", "Epistrophy", "Yardbird Suite", "Con Alma", "Twisted", and "Giant Steps". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more song-based sets from Phil Manzanera – a really wonderful record that definitely foregrounds all the magic he was bringing to early records by Roxy Music, but put out here in a nicely different way as well! Things are never too prog-indulgent – and Manzanera's got some wonderful help to make the record really come out great – including key vocal moments from Brian Eno, John Wetton, and Robert Wyatt – and a hip lineup of instrumentalists who include Andy MacKay on saxes, Eddie Jobson on keyboards, and Charles Hayward on percussion! Phil's got a wonderfully strong sense of rhythm on most numbers – almost at the level of his Listen Now album – and titles include Eno's wonderful performance on "Big Day", plus "Miss Shapiro", "East Of Echo", "Lagrima", "Alma", "Carhumba", "Same Time Next Week", "Frontera", and "The Flex". CD

Two 60s jazz albums from Atlantic Records – back to back in a single set! Les McCann leads off with Much Les – a groovy set of late 60s soul jazz piano tunes – played by Les McCann in a swinging style that pre-dates his 70s funk work – and which also features him playing in a strictly instrumental setting! The core of the material is by Les' trio with Leroy Vinnegar on bass – but most tracks feature an expanded sound, either by adding Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja on Latin percussion, or by backing the group with off-beat arrangements by the great William Fischer, whose talents had graced some of the best Atlantic jazz albums at the time! Titles include "Burnin Coal", "Doin That Thing", "Roberta", and a groovy version of "Love For Sale". On Catbird Seat, the usual duo of Dwike Mitchell and Willie Ruff is augmented by drummer Charlie Smith – in a mode that makes the set one of their strongest of the 60s! The format is essentially piano trio jazz – but handled with the pyrotechnic touches that the pair were known for – and with Smith's strong and light touch on the kit, the album at times has the feel of some Ahmad Jamal work for Argo. Includes a great version of "Con Alma", plus the tracks "The Catbird Seat", "So In Love", and "I'll Remember April". CD

A collection of sides cut in the mid 60s by Wes during his association with Verve. Culled from the albums Movin' Wes, Bumpin', Goin' Out Of My Head and Tequila, these numbers all feature the larger arrangements that gave those albums a richer sound than his small group recordings, though Wes' soulful playing shines over top. Arrangements are by Oliver Nelson, Johnny Pate, Claus Ogerman and Don Sebesky and the tracks are 'Tequila", "Movin' Wes (part 1)", "End Of A Love Affair", "Naptown Blues", "Con Alma", "Goin' Out of My Head", "How Insensitive (Insensatez)", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Caravan" and "Bumpin' On Sunset". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from Wes Montgomery – and the beginning of a whole new sound for his guitar! Wes moves away from his small combo soul jazz roots on the set – and hits a wonderfully sweet new vibe with larger arrangements from Don Sebesky – bigger backdrops that fill in the space between the notes wonderfully, yet still leave plenty of space for Montgomery to really open up and do his thing! Sebesky's got a perfect sense of timing on the record – and many tunes have a subtle sort of groove – one that pushes Wes' solos beautifully, and has them open up in chromatic tones that are simply mindblowing. This is the start of Montgomery's really classic years in the 60s jazz mainstream – and titles include the classic "Bumpin", plus "Mi Cosa", "Musty", "Con Alma", and "Tear It Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful tribute to Dizzy Gillespie – featuring songs penned by Diz, or played by him famously – presented by the fluid fingers of Gonzalo Rubalcaba, who takes Gillespie's inspiration into a whole new realm with his trio! Rubalcaba's got lots of sharp notes on hand – able to create these little corners of sound while still moving forward – spurred on by the deft drum work of Julio Barreto, who's work on the album is mighty nice too. Ron Carter's bass rounds out the set, and brings in some sensitive moments that really balance the record nicely – and titles include "Hot House", "Night In Tunisia", "I Remember Clifford", "Smooch", "Con Alma", and "Woody N You". CD

A set that starts out sounding like one of the most old school, straight ahead records we've ever heard from trombonist Roswell Rudd – but which soon opens up to all the creative, compelling modes we've always loved in Rudd's music! The record's the result of recent work with vocalist Heather Masse – a hell of a singer who takes Roswell back to older eras of jazz in style, but in ways that are still touched with all the creative tones we've always loved in his work on trombone! The mix is a bit like some of Roswell's 70s album with Sheila Jordan – in the way the songs are familiar, the structure is mostly standard, but the whole thing's open to these amazing inflections that really keep things interesting. Masse really surprises us, too – as while she can sing straight some times, she can also open up with these modes that are both modern and inventive, but never in a way that ignores older jazz roots. The pair have a way of embracing decades of jazz history at once – a bit in the way that Jaki Byard was always able to do – and they work here alongside Rolf Sturn on guitar and Mark Helias on bass – on titles that include "Social Call", "I'm Goin Sane", "Winter Blues", "Con Alma", "Tova & Kyla Rain", and "Blackstrap Molasses/Old Devil Moon". CD

A wonderful album from the great Cedar Walton trio that featured Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – a really beautiful group of musicians who completely transformed the sound of the piano trio in the 70s! The group played together often in the 70s, and they've never sounded better than on an album like this – freely soulful and dancing, with Walton in firm command of his talents – sometimes coming on with the strength of his early 60s material, but always opening up with a more exploratory vibe too. Walton worked often in this mode for the decades that followed this set – but this Japanese album is almost the start of that great legacy, and still one of the best from this group! Titles include "Con Alma", "Suite Sunday", "Suntory Blues", and "Fantasy In D". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of rock and roll was a bit different in the UK than it was over here – still with the requisite inspiration from R&B and other American styles, but also inflected with some elements from the colonial scene, the world of music hall, jazz, and other instrumental styles – in ways that made for a slightly different genesis than you might expect! This well-done 3CD package traces the roots in a really great way – especially on the first CD, which features initial postwar moments of musical inspiration, from artists who include Ray Ellington, Ken Colyer, Alma Cogan, Art Baxter, Marty Wilde & The Wildcats, Tommy Steele, Terry Wayne, Lonnie Donegan, Lita Roza, and even a young Alexis Korner! CD2 has things coming together a bit more with a pop-styled polish – work from Cliff Richard, Vince Taylor, Johnny Kidd, Sally Kelly, and Billy Fury – plus later tracks from a few of the artists on CD1. And CD3 sends it home from the early 60s years right before the British Invasion – lots more from Billy Fury, and other cuts from Screaming Lord Sutch, The Shadows, Outlaws, Tornadoes, Blues Incorporated, and even The Beatles. 72 tracks in all – with notes in English and French! CD

Carlos Barberia cooks things up nicely here – thanks to arrangements from Manolo Albo, a triple-sax section, and vocals from Tito Contreras and Willy El Baby! Titles include "Mofoibale Al Tambo", "Para Balboa Me Voy", "Milagro De Borinquen", and "Yo Tengo Un Gozo En El Alma". LP, Vinyl record album

Director Alexander Jodorowsky has done music for his own films in the past – but for the well-circulated Santa Sangre, he turned to Simon Boswell – who does a perfect job of expanding on the sorts of musical ideas we might have expected from the master! Given the film's setting, there's a variety of older Mexican modes at play, mixed with some late 80s cinematic styles from Boswell – but all with that haunting, refracted sense of reality that Jodorowsky brings to his films. Titles include "Triste", "Alma", "Carnival Violin", "Fin Del Mundo", "Grave Business", "Acid Revenge", and "Church Tattoo". CD

Bill Evans returns to his alma mater – playing a live set at Southern Louisiana University in the late years of his career – recorded in a way that's quite different from some of his other concert sets of the time! There's a nice amount of echo in the recording – so you really have a strong feel for the room – Bill's lines stretching out beautifully in space, filling the room with waves of sound that might be more at home on the ECM label, especially given Evans' laidback playing at points. Trio members include Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums – and titles include "Very Early", "Turn Out The Stars", "MASH", "Re Person I Knew", "Midnight Mood", and "Minha". CD

One of Dizzy Gillespie's finest Afro-Cuban moments! The material on this album has been issued under a few different titles over the years, but this is the early Afro package – the one that features a beautiful David Stone Martin cover, and a title that really gets at the Latin influences in the material. The centerpiece of the record is a side-long workout on the "Manteca" theme, played by Diz and a group that includes Lucky Thompson, Wade Legge, Charlie Persip, and Jose Mangual – all grooving hard in a sound that virtually defines the term of cubop! The other tracks on the album are great too – versions of "Caravan", "Con Alma", and "Night In Tunisia" – all done in a Latin jazz mode, with some nice flute solos by Gilberto Valdes. And if that's not enough, the reissue features a tiny 5" record sleeve cover – just like the original! CD

Of the classic "big names get together for a session" albums on Verve, the best ones always seem to be the ones with one of the "Sonnys" in the list of leaders. This one compiles titles from the Sonny Side Up album – which featured Stitt and Rollins, plus others from 1957 sessions in which Diz played with one or the other player. The set's a beautiful batch of long tracks with lots of blowing room, and a deep soulful hardbop groove that you don't always hear on Verve. The rhythm section for all groups is comprised of Ray Bryant, Tommy Bryant, and Charlie Persip – who are part of the reason for the magnanimous groove of the set – and titles include "After Hours", "Con Alma", "Haute Mon", "Sumphin", "Weatleigh Hall", "I Know That You Know", and "The Eternal Triangle". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest jam session albums on Verve! Although some of the label's "big horn talent" albums tended to be a bit snoozy, this one crackles with energy, and features three different classes of boppers working together perfectly on long, lively tracks with Ray Bryant on piano, Tommy Bryant on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. In fact, it's probably the soulful rhythm section that makes the whole thing so darn good – as they really chop up some nice rhythms on cuts like "Wheatleigh Hall", "Haute Mon", and the album's classic version of "Con Alma", plus an alternate take of "Con Alma" and the previously unreleased "Anythin'". Great stuff, and essential for fans of Diz and Rollins especially! CD

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orpheus". However, Guaraldi also managed to pen his own amazing track – "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – a lyrical romping piano instrumental that went onto become a huge charting instrumental hit during the 60s. The track's been heard a million times over the years, but it's still pretty darn great – and it's surrounded in a nice set with other tunes that have the same feel – including "O Nosso Amour", "Alma-Ville", "Since I Fell For You", and "Moon River". CD

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orpheus". However, Guaraldi also managed to pen his own amazing track – "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – a lyrical romping piano instrumental that went onto become a huge charting instrumental hit during the 60s. The track's been heard a million times over the years, but it's still pretty darn great – and it's surrounded in a nice set with other tunes that have the same feel – including "O Nosso Amour", "Alma-Ville", "Since I Fell For You", and "Moon River". Great expanded edition – with 16 more tracks added to the original album – alternate versions of album titles from the sessions, plus a few takes on "Jitterbug Waltz" as well! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rare few albums cut as a leader by bassist Clint Houston – a player who always worked with very hip collections of musicians, including the lineup for this unusual date! The album's got a wonderfully warm, soulful vibe – a mode that's never polished or commercial, but which has Houston expressing himself in this very personal sort of way – in the company of players who include Onaje Allen Gumbs on piano and moog, Joanne Brackeen on piano, John Abercrombie on guitar, and Al Foster on drums – playing with even more sensitivity than usual. Abercrombie's especially great – and his chromatic notes have a way of ringing out with a slightly sprightly feel that illuminates some of Clint's deeper tones on bass – a balance that's also offset well by the acoustic piano. Titles include "Escape Velocity", "Watership Down", "Lifetrip", "Con Alma", and "Afternoon Moods". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from Wes Montgomery – and the beginning of a whole new sound for his guitar! Wes moves away from his small combo soul jazz roots on the set – and hits a wonderfully sweet new vibe with larger arrangements from Don Sebesky – bigger backdrops that fill in the space between the notes wonderfully, yet still leave plenty of space for Montgomery to really open up and do his thing! Sebesky's got a perfect sense of timing on the record – and many tunes have a subtle sort of groove – one that pushes Wes' solos beautifully, and has them open up in chromatic tones that are simply mindblowing. This is the start of Montgomery's really classic years in the 60s jazz mainstream – and titles include the classic "Bumpin", plus "Mi Cosa", "Musty", "Con Alma", and "Tear It Down". CD

An album that reminds us that Manuel Valera's as great a writer as he is a pianist – as the set's overflowing with original material that really helps give the group a fresh direction – all sorts of rich colors, bold tones, and sensitive movements – delivered by a combo that also features John Ellis on tenor, Alex Norris on trumpet, Hamish Smith on bass, and Mark Whitfield Jr on drums! The leader's got a way of arcing in with his energy – leading the tunes in a great way, but letting the soloists unfold – especially Ellis, who's got a wonderful tone throughout. Titles include "Garzonian", "First Day", "Blues For Kenny K", "Alma", "Crisis", "Remembrance", and "Pablo". CD

One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from either player involved – a set that's a tremendous showcase for the alto and soprano work of Steve Wilson, and an open presentation of the drum genius of Lewis Nash! The record comes as a bit of a surprise – especially in contrast to some of Wilson's work in larger groups, which can be more structured and sometimes darker – and although we love when Nash can swing a quintet or a quartet, we're also wonderfully impressed at his presentation here in a looser format. The set feels very improvised along themes, but still has a sense of melody and swing – as the pair deliver very unique readings of tunes that include "Equinox", "Con Alma", "Chelsea Bridge", "Senor Blues", "Island Birdie", and "Freedom Jazz Dance". CD

A contemporary set, but one that sparkles with all the best brilliance of the 70s scene in Brazil – and that includes such heady company as Marcos Valle, Azymuth, and Joao Donato! As with all those artists at the time, Lucas Arruda has a groove that's strongly based on Fender Rhodes – warm keys that are underscored with some great acoustic percussion that gives the whole thing an earthy core at the bottom, and a vibe that's quite different than any American fusion of the time! The music is completely sublime throughout – very jazzy in its inflections, but also with a more freewheeling approach – as you'd hear on classic keys from Jose Roberto Bertrami. The set's got a bit of vocals, but really focuses on the keyboards – and titles include "Physis", "Rio Afternoon", "Batuque", "Alma Nova", "Sambadi", "Carnival", and a sweet cover of "Who's That Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet trio session featuring Peter Washington on bass, Kenny Washington on drums, and George Cables on piano. Tracks include "In Walked Bud", "Just Friends", "Waltz For Debby", "Con Alma", and the Cables originals "Lullaby", "Helen's Song", and "Sweet Rita Suite". CD

Rare work from one of our favorite Dizzy Gillespie groups ever – the quintet that featured Lalo Schifrin on piano and Leo Wright on alto and flute! The combo was easily one of Dizzy's most compelling of the postwar years, and really helped break him into a whole new groove rhythmically – thanks to Schifrin's key influence on rhythms – working here with bass from Bob Cunningham and drums from Mel Lewis. Yet the group only cut a handful of records together, which makes this well-recorded live date a key addition to their catalog – a set you'll proudly stack next to your early 60s Philips recordings from Diz. Titles include "Con Alma", "Willow Weep For Me", "The Mooche", "Kush", "I Can't Get Started", and "Oops Shoo Be Doo Be". CD

Beautiful new work from Joyce – possibly her best album in years! The lovely Brazilian singer/guitarist blows away all the newcomers in the modern bossa field – and shows the world that she's still one of the strongest talents of her generation. The album's got a stronger jazz component than some of her other recent albums, quite driving, in the mode of classic albums like Agua E Luz and Feminina – and Joyce's voice, guitar, and songwriting skills are top-notch all the way! An instant classic – one that will have you shelving all your faked-out remixed, Nu Brazil albums for the real thing! Titles include "Bota De Sete Leguas", "Azul Bahia", "Forcas D'Alma", "Na Casa Do Villa", "Quatro Elementos", "The Band On The Wall", and "Samba Da Silvia". CD

Great work from R&B legend Percy Mayfield – one of the singer's most obscure sessions, and really more of a soul record overall! The album was done for Brunswick at the end of the 60s – and has lots of work from Chicago soul arrangers like Johnny Cameron and Willie Henderson – both of whom give the set a nice sort of west side kick, with a groove that's somewhere in between Syl Johnson and Tyrone Davis! Mayfield's vocals definitely still hang onto an older school of singing – but the arrangements can't help but update his groove – and a number of the tracks have this great funky crackle at the bottom that's a mighty nice surprise. Titles include "I Made It Just The Same", "Alma Lee", "My Baby's Gone", "To Me Your Name Is Love", "PM Blues", and "Danger Zone". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful live performance from the Oscar Peterson trio, and one that's right up there with the best Verve material of the early 60s – in part because Norman Granz presented the whole concert on the stage in The Netherlands! The group here is Peterson's second famous combo – with Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – and Oscar is at that majestically fluid spot that made his 60s material even more incredible than his 50s work – served up with a fantastic command of the keyboard, and maybe even more of a soulful swing, thanks to Thigpen and Brown! Some tracks here are nice and long – and titles include "I Remember Clifford", "Where Do I Go From Here", "Band Call", "Politics & Poker", "Con Alma", "It Ain't Necessarily So", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully introspective album from Leila Pinheiro – personal, spare, and fragile – and done with a mature sound that's quite different than some of her other work. The easy bossa references are very much on the backburner, and instead there's a sophisticated singer-songwriter feel that's carried off here with a great deal of intimacy. Backings often include some small combo gentle jazz touches next to Leila's work on piano – and titles include "Hoje", "Minha Alma", "Renata Maria", "Gozos Da Alma", "Nos Horiztones Do Mundo", "O Amor E Eu", "Pela Ciclovia", "Tiranizar", and "Vem Amada". CD

A great later jazz set from Toots Thielemans – recorded half in New York and half in LA – as you might guess from the title! The sound is still very much Toots' own, though – no easy nods to styles from either city in earlier years – and despite the fact that the record is on the Private Music label, which could sometimes put out snoozy new age, it's definitely a jazz date through and through – with relatively stripped down small combo instrumentation on all numbers. Players include John Scofield on guitar, Christian Mc Bride and Charlie Haden on bass, Mike Maineri on vibes, Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Lyle Mays on piano, and Peter Erskine on drums – and tracks include "In Walked Bud", "Con Alma", "Groovin High", "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Giant Steps", "Waltz For Debby", "A Child Is Born", and "Take Five". CD