Music from Carlo Aonzo, Martin Taylor, Mike Marshall, Bob Brozman, Mike Compton, Jerry Douglas, Radim Zenkl, Frank Vignola, Frank Wakefield, Jim Hurst, and more. CD

Sweet sweet keyboards from the amazing Gene Harris – one of his seminal electric sides for Blue Note in the 70s – recorded between his earliest fame in the Three Sounds, and his later return to acoustic styles in the 80s! The sound here is equal parts jazz and soul – as Gene's working with vocalist/arranger Jerry Peters, who brings in a good deal of his own groove to the tracks – giving them a strong focus that's sometimes missing from other solo Harris sets. Both Peters and Harris play Fender Rhodes and other keyboards on the album – alongside a variety of players that include Donald Byrd on trumpet, Harvey Mason on drums, and Chuck Rainey on bass. Tracks include the Peters tunes "If You Can't Find Love" and "A Minor", a two-part remake of Duke Pearson's "Christo Redentor", the sweet stepper "Peace Of Mind", and a strong vocal take on Stevie Wonder's "As". LP, Vinyl record album

Great later work from this tenor giant – some of his sublime and surprisingly modern work for the Moodsville label! CD

Features Susie Ibarra, Roy Campbell, Rob Brown, and Steve Swell. CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Music from the Specials, the Beat, the Bodysnatchers, Rico, the Swinging Cats, the Higsons, JB's Allstars, Madness, and more – 44 tracks total! CD

Here's how most of the kids in America had to get their revivalist ska during the 80s! Classic stuff nearly all the way through – with the cuts "Gangsters" by The Specials AKA, "Jungle Music" by Rico, "Madness" by Madness, " On My Radio" and "Too Much Pressure" by Selecter, "Rankin Full Stop" by English Beat", and "Ghost Town", "Message To You Rudi", "Stereotype", "Do Nothing" by The Specials! LP, Vinyl record album

The first full-length from Mos Def and Talib Kweli together as Black Star – a benchmark moment in hip hop history, and one of the finest duo vocal hip hip records of the 90s – and one of the best ever on Rawkus! In hindsight, it's all the more rewarding given Talib Kweli's longevity in proud, mic skills centric hip hop and while highs and lows of Mos Def's work as the years rolled along – and it still stands as strong (then) underground hip hop that takes on the ghetto fabulous themes of the day and well beyond. Stand out cuts include "Definition" "Twice Inna Lifetime", "Children's Story" – the Slick Rick classic redone along the lines of Jeru's "One Day" – and "Respiration" featuring Common Sense – and other tracks include "Brown Skin Lady", "Yo Yeah", "Thieves In The Night", "Twice Inna Lifetime and more. 13 in all. LP, Vinyl record album

25 track compilation from the mid to late 70s. CD

... CD

Includes the albums Castle Rock, In A Mellow Tone, Perdido, and Creamy. CD

A rare gem from Hank Mobley's initial late 50s run at Blue Note – a session recorded by the label in 1957, but unissued at the time! The quality of the set is right up there with Hank's best from the period – presented here in full album format, and the mix of searing hardbop and gentle soul that we've always loved in Mobley's work – all so great that the album's easily a cut above most other jazz sides of the time, and at a level that has us (as always) scratching our heads as to why Blue Note never put this one out. Players include Art Farmer on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Sonny Clark on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles include "East Of Brooklyn", "Tune Up", "Poppin", and "Getting Into Something". LP, Vinyl record album

A great full length album from Motown's mighty Jimmy Ruffin – and a set with a lot deeper soul sound than you'd guess from the "top ten" in the title! The music's not commercial, but some of the sharpest Motown soul of the time – the kind of work that made the young Jimmy as important a solo male act to Motown as Marvin Gaye – thanks to a wonderfully crackling, raspy style of singing that makes any tune really stand out strongly. Some of the numbers here are originals associated with Ruffin, and others are 60s hits by others – but completely remade by Jimmy with his wonderful approach – and titles include the classic "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted", plus "I've Passed This Way Before", "Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got", "World So Wide Nowhere To Hide", "Black Is Black", "Bless You", "How Can I Say I'm Sorry", and "As Long As There Is Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Woody Shaw albums from his later years – and an album that's got the same joyous spirit and free soaring feel of his best 70s work on Muse – really soaring with a sense of life and freedom in a really great way! The core group on the album is the Tone Jansa Quartet – led by European reedman Jansa, and working in a space that's quite similar to that of Shaw's backing groups on previous sessions – strong modal currents in the rhythms, and with Tone's work on soprano, tenor, and flute turning out to be a great partner for Woody's trumpet! Jansa wrote all the tunes on the set, and gave them a soaring feel that we really love – just the right mix of introspection and exploration found on classic Shaw sessions like Little Red's Fantasy or Lovedance. Titles include "Midi", "Boland", "Call Mobility", "River", and "May". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Ben Webster on tenor sax, Alan Branscombe on piano, Lennie Bush on bass, and Jackie Dougan on drums. Tracks include "In A Mellow Tone", "Gone With The Wind", "Perdido", "Ben's Theme Tune", and "Over The Rainbow" – plus a short interview track with Ben Webster. CD

The Yusef here is Yusef Lateef – and reedman Bennie Maupin teams with Adam Rudolph in a set of richly organic numbers that we're guessing Lateef would have really appreciated! There's less "symphonic" and more "tone poem" on the record than the title might imply – as the setting is very intimate, with just a variety of reeds from Maupin, used in sonic territory created by Rudolph – a mix of percussion, electronics, and plenty of effects – but all used gently, and without any sort of bombast – so that the music progresses with a careful unfolding that lets all the best elements find a way to resonate together! The album features one long track, divided into five movements – and Maupin is at his most experimental here, while Rudolph really seems to respectfully address the legendary legacy of his collaborator. LP, Vinyl record album

Nobody's out to dinner here – or out to lunch – as the quintet revel in the tight intensity that we love from some of the recent all-star projects like this on the Posi-Tone label! The combination of instrumental elements here is wonderful – the sharp alto of Patrick Cornelius, colorful vibes of Behn Gillece, the deep-toned trombone of Ryan Keberle, careful basswork of Boriz Kozlov, and well-placed drums and percussion of Rudy Royston – all players that really have an understanding of each other, and work brilliantly as a group, even though any of the members could be a leader on their own! As with other projects like this, almost all the tunes are originals by group members – really fresh numbers that make the album a fresh delight throughout – titles that include "Episodes Of Grace", "We Create", "Precious Moments", "Hollow Men", "Green Machine", and "The Last Corner". CD

Nobody's out to dinner here – or out to lunch – as the quintet revel in the tight intensity that we love from some of the recent all-star projects like this on the Posi-Tone label! The combination of instrumental elements here is wonderful – the sharp alto of Patrick Cornelius, colorful vibes of Behn Gillece, the deep-toned trombone of Ryan Keberle, careful basswork of Boriz Kozlov, and well-placed drums and percussion of Rudy Royston – all players that really have an understanding of each other, and work brilliantly as a group, even though any of the members could be a leader on their own! As with other projects like this, almost all the tunes are originals by group members – really fresh numbers that make the album a fresh delight throughout – titles that include "Episodes Of Grace", "We Create", "Precious Moments", "Hollow Men", "Green Machine", and "The Last Corner". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

The masterpiece by one of the greatest, most sincere rock bands of all time! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as honest and heartfelt. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". LP, Vinyl record album

A corker of a set from tenorist Diego Rivera – a player who's been around for a bit, but who really seems to find his groove in this Posi-Tone setting! The album's got Diego working with some great labelmates – including trombonist Michael Dease on all cuts, a name that's worth us checking out the album alone – plus work on various tracks by Joe Magnarelli on trumpet, Markus Howell on alto, and Behn Gillece on vibes! The core quintet also includes Luther Allison on piano, Andea Owens on bass, and Jason Tiemann on drums – all playing nice and tight, so Rivera and Dease can really soar on their solos – taking off on tunes that include the Rivera originals "Connections", "Ties That Bind", "Nueva York", "O Moderno", and "Mother's Nature" – plus Dease's "Seiko Time", and a nice bold-voiced version of "Naima" – done very differently than usual! CD

Diego Rivera's a hell of a tenorist – and he plays a bit of soprano too – packing a heck of a lot into just a little bit of space, almost with the mix of hardbop and soul jazz we'd hear from 60s favorites like Benny Golson or Jerome Richardson! As with both of those artists, Rivera's got a way of making his presence known right from the start – but then never needs to overstate himself – as his playing is always right on the money, with just the right notes along the way – supported here by a crack quartet that features Helen Sung on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Donald Edwards on drums – plus trumpet from Etienne Charles on three of the album's twelve tracks. Many tunes are originals by Diego – just the right material for his balance of expression – and titles include "Indigenous", "Sombras Del Pasado", "Secret Life Of Plants", "Melina Maria", "BLM Plaza", "Shir Lashalom", and "Purpose". CD

Rich-voiced tenor work from Diego Rivera, a player who just seems to get better and better with each new album as a leader! The set follows strongly on Diego's previous – and as with that one, features that top-shelf Posi-tone presentation – with a focus on original material, a strong group of sidemen, and a nicely unified vibe! Other players include Art Hirihara on piano, Luques Curtis on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – plus Pete Rodriguez on trumpet, also adding in some percussion at points that have a slightly Latin vibe. Titles include the originals "With Just A Word", "Tinte Latino", "Machete", and "Dignified Response". CD

A standout set from trombonist Altin Sencalar – a player who seems to get better and better with each new record, not just for the soulful sound on his instrument, but also for his work as both a leader and writer of fresh new tunes! The record's got the tightness we love on the best Posi-tone label releases – and also features a slightly larger group too, with work from Diego Rivera on tenor, Markus Howell on alto and soprano, Anthony Hervey on trumpet, and Michael Dease on baritone – players who shift strongly between the solo work you'd know from their own albums as leaders, and a strong ensemble to color in Sencalar's tunes. Rhythms are great, too – and include work from Art Hirihara on piano, Paul Reyas Bueno on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – with occasional Latin currents from percussionist Pete Rodriguez. Titles include "Nuevo Dia", "The Sunday Affair", "Awareness", "Pocket Of Clave", "Blue Evening", "It's Easy", and "More Than One Answer". CD

Trobonist Altin Sencalar is a new name in the lineup of Posi-Tone Records jazz musicians – yet he steps out right away with all the sorts of strength we love from their releases, while also bringing in some strong new flavors as well! There's some Latin currents on the record at times, and Sencalar has a great way of updating the role of trombone in Latin jazz, while also merging it with the strengths of some of his labelmates – working here in a really cool combo that features Diego Rivera on tenor and soprano, Patrick Cornelius on alto and flute, Art Hirahara on piano and Fender Rhodes, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums! We fell in love with Altin's sense of tone and phrasing right away, and are eager to hear more – and titles on this debut include "Homenaje A Armando", "Mixed Feelings", "Reimagined", "Marina's Arrival", "Nutville", "Minor Mishap", and "Fall". CD

Steve Slagle on alto sax and flute, Dave Stryker on guitar, Cameron Brown on bass, and Gene Jackson on drums – plus special guests Joe Lovano on tenor and Joe Locke on vibes. CD

A record that definitely lives up to its promised title – as the whole thing brims over with excellent work from players you might know from other albums on the Posi-Tone label! The group name doesn't get at the heart of the sound, though – as there's a sharp, soulful focus to the music throughout – kind of a classic hardbop approach, but with maybe a more contemporary sense of freshness, especially on the solo voices – which is no surprise, given that the sextet features Nick Finzer on trombone, Alexa Tarantino on alto, Sam Dillon on tenor, Art Hirahara on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums! The album's also brimming over with original material – tunes composed by group members or their labelmates – with tracks that include "Coppertone", "Slick", "New Directions", "Why Aren't You Excited", "Breeze", "Vast", and "Overcooked". CD

A gem of a record, and one that might be easy to overlook – given the unfamiliar group name and relatively murky cover – yet a set that bristles with all of the energy of some of the best records on the Posi-tone label of late! There's a number of the label's key players here – working as a sharp sextet who manage to really pack a lot into each tune on the set – well-written numbers that are full of personal moments from players who include Markus Howell on alto and soprano, Willie Morris on tenor, Altin Sencalar on trombone, Misha Tsiganov on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Donald Edwards on drums. Sencalar is a great player here – someone we really want to hear more of – and as with the label's best, the work here is mostly original, contributed by the players in the group – a lineup fo tracks that include "Grit", "Niecee", "Here To Stay", "The Path", "Flyover Country", "Seeley Street Song", and "Yasya". CD

A big moment for the British ska scene – and the soundtrack to a film that featured live work by nearly all of the big names at the time! The album features live work by artists who owed a lot to 2 Tone, but who'd even moved onto bigger fame by the film – but who are working here in a nice back-to-basics mode – and titles include live versions of "Concrete Jungle", "Man At C&A", and "Nite Klub" by The Specials; "Mirror In The Bathroom", "Big Shot", and "Ranking Full Stop" by The English Beat; "Inner London Violence" and "Lip Up Fatty" by Bad Manners; "Easy Life" by The Bodysnatchers; and "Razor Blade Alley" and "One Step Beyond" by Madness. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The album's a heck of a great ride with tenorist Tom Tallitsch – a player who's stepped in traditional tones and phrasing, but who can also push things forward with his own personal agenda as well! Tallitsch has a really old school depth to his instrument – a quality that reminds us a bit of Eric Alexander at his best, as does the flowing sense of rhythm the album gets from Art Hirahara on piano, Peter Brendler on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – a rhythm trio that fits together very well and provides a rock-solid and soulful swing on the album's best numbers. Michael Dease blows some tight trombone throughout too, and most tunes are originals – with titles that include "Ride", "Rubbernecker", "Rain", "The Giving Tree", "El Luchador", and "Turtle" – but the album also features two surprising ballad remakes, of David Bowie's "Life On Mars" and Led Zepplin's "Ten Years Gone". CD

Late 70s punk and new wave bands in the Minneapolis area! Includes Suburbs, Commandos, Jets, Pistons, Fingerprints, Buzz Barker & The Atomic Bums, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by The Mofos, Magnolias, PS, Bob Dunlap & Symphonic Fuzz, Otto's Chemical Lounge, Halo Of Flies, Breaking Circus, Whole Lotta Loves, David Postlewaite, Twa Corbies, Good Joe, and The Jayhawks. LP, Vinyl record album

Cascading vibes from Behn Gillece – easily one of our favorite contemporary players on his instrument, and a musician who always seems to find a great way to resonate with his bandmates on a session! This date has Gillece mixing his warmly chromatic sound with great contributions from Art Hirahara on piano and Fender Rhodes, Diego Rivera on tenor, Altin Sencalar on trombone, and Patrick Cornelius on alto, soprano, and bass clarinet – musicians who don't all crowd in at once, but are nicely spaced in ways that really help shape the sound of the record when they appear. Rhythm is from Peter Slavov on bass and Vinnie Sperrazza on drums – and the record is filled with great original tunes from Behn – including "Between The Bars", "Mindful Moments", "Roamers", "It's Like Magic", "Due Up Next", "Thinking Cap", "Celestial Lullaby", and "Horizons". CD

Robben Ford on guitars, Jimmy Haslip on bass, and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums. CD

A really wonderful album from trumpeter Josh Lawrence – a very strong-voiced talent who's got a way of being bright and sharp at the same time, and who can always bring lots of his own compositional strengths to bear as well! The core group is a quartet – with Lawrence blowing beautifully over piano from Zaccai Curtis, bass from Luques Curtis, and drums from Anwar Marshall – and the set also features some great alto from Caleb Curtis on two tracks, balancing out the sound of Josh in this strongly soulful spirit! Brian Charette brings some organ to the album's final track – a great remake of the Earth Wind & Fire tune "That's The Way Of The World" – and all other titles are Lawrence originals, with tunes that include "We're Happiest Together", "Composition #2", "Wind", "Earth", "Sugar Hill Stroll", and "Sunset In Santa Barbara". CD

A group of younger players, coming together in great formation that rivals some of the bigger names to record for the Posi-Tone label in recent years! There's a sharpness to the record that grabs us right from the very first note – a strong sense of writing and overall presentation – which has the quintet working very firmly as a unit, even amidst the strengths of its individual members! Tunes include numbers by members of the combo, plus labelmates like Michael Dease and Steve Davis – all delivered in a rock-solid way by Markus Howell on alto, Eric Wortzman on trumpet, Luther Allison on piano, Liany Mateo on bass, and Zac Adleman on drums. Michael Dease guests on trombone on four tracks – and titles include "Free Time", "Onward", "Indestructible", "Last Smile", "That Uncle G Thang", "Stay While", "Twisting & Turning", and "One-Sided Love Affair". CD

Frank Gambale on guitar, Stuart Hamm on bass, and Steve Smith on drums. CD

Steve Khan on guitar, Ruben Rodriguez on bass, Dennis Chambers on drums, Marc Quinones on percussion, Bobby Allende on congas, Rob Mounsey and Jorge Estrada on keyboards, Randy Brecker on flugelhorn, Bob Mintzer on tenor sax, and Tatiana Parra on vocals. CD

A definite conversation starter from tenorist Willie Morris – a rich-voiced player who steps out here in a set of mostly original material that really knocks things out of the park! Willie's got this way of wrapping his horn next to the alto of Patrick Cornelius – as the pair move things past conventional hardbop, maybe in the way that Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan were doing at Blue Note near the end of the 60s, but with a more conventional vibe as well – one that picks up plenty of energy from the rest of the group – Jon Davis on piano, Adi Meyerson on bass, and Ej Strickland on drums! There's a soaring, soulful quality to the whole thing that's wonderful – a shining moment from a leader we'll be watching in years to come – served up on titles that include "Keep Talking", "Azar", "Tina's Dream", "St Upton Hin", and "Cries", and "The Strength Of Those Who Bear The Burden". CD

Great work from Out To Dinner – an all-star group who certainly weren't out to lunch when this set was recorded – as it's got all the sharp crackle of some of the members' other work on the Posi-Tone label! The lineup is a bit different than the previous record, but every bit as wonderful – theses bold colors from the vibes of Behn Gillece, soulful flow from the tenor of Nicole Glover, well-punctuated trumpet from Giveton Gelin, round bass from Boris Kozlov, and sharply snapping drums from Donald Edwards – joined by the alto sax of Patrick Cornelius on three of the album's thirteen tracks. Tunes are all relatively short – between four and six minutes – but are mostly originals from group members, and really pack a lot of imagination into a short space. Titles include "Asami's Playland", "Random", "The Essential Passion", "Abe Duct", "Something From Nothing", "Rebecca's Dance", and "Into The Shadows". CD

An obscure one from Chicago – a cool mix of vocal jazz, exotic rhythms, and a bit of club soul! LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record, and one that might be easy to overlook – given the unfamiliar group name and relatively murky cover – yet a set that bristles with all of the energy of some of the best records on the Posi-tone label of late! There's a number of the label's key players here – working as a sharp sextet who manage to really pack a lot into each tune on the set – well-written numbers that are full of personal moments from players who include Markus Howell on alto and soprano, Willie Morris on tenor, Altin Sencalar on trombone, Misha Tsiganov on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Donald Edwards on drums. Sencalar is a great player here – someone we really want to hear more of – and as with the label's best, the work here is mostly original, contributed by the players in the group – a lineup fo tracks that include "Grit", "Niecee", "Here To Stay", "The Path", "Flyover Country", "Seeley Street Song", and "Yasya". CD

David Thomas has left Pere Ubu behind – but he's got great help here from The Wooden Birds – a group that features Allen Ravenstine on keyboards and electronics, and Tony Maimone on bass! Thomas also plays a bit of accordion alongside his increasingly wild vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

A triple-tenor powerhouse – as Doug Webb invites Walt Weiskopf and Joel Frahm in for the sessions – and things really begin to cook! The trio get this raw, spare accompaniment from Brian Charette on Hammond and Rudy Royston on drums – which leaves the tenors plenty of room to open up, stretch out, and really do their thing – coming together as unified voices on the heads, then breaking out into really well-crafted, well-defined individual solos. The feel is a bit like some of those great Don Patterson albums of the 60s, but even more modern – and titles include "Jazz Car", "Giant Steps", "Three's A Crowd", "Jones", "Pail Blues", and "Triple Play". CD

An incredibly well-crafted set of soulful hardbop – the kind of record that the Posi-Tone label seems to do better than just about anyone else these days – and which is so tight, so together, the whole thing almost seems effortless! Yet there's clearly a lot of effort going in here – original songs by some members of the group, and a crack cohesion of all the players, right from the start – an ace lineup that features Alexa Tarantino on saxes and flute, Caili O'Doherty on piano, Tony Davis on guitar, Adi Meyerson on bass, and Joe Strasser on drums! The album bursts out of the gate, filled with color and life – and there's an especially magical combination of the piano, bass, and guitar as they trade tones and colors together in the rhythms. Titles include "Reach Within", "Le Var", "Lake Sebago", "Mr M", "Salt & Vinegar", "Your Smile Keeps Me Sane", and "El Gran Birane". CD

Rachel Z on piano, Miriam Sullivan on bass, and Allison Miller on drums. CD

Ehud Asherie on piano, Grant Stewart on tenor, Ryan Kisor on trumpet, Joel Forbes on bass, and Phil Stewart on drums. CD

With Antonio Sanchez on drums. CD

With Donald Edwards on drums. CD

Luques Curtis, Mark Przybylowski, and Mike Boone on bass, Mark Allen and Todd Marcus on bass clarinet, Anwar Marshall, Donald Edwards, and Gene Jackson on drums, Jim Holton, Neil Podgurski, and Orrin Evans on piano, Chelsea Baratz, Darryl Yokley, Doug DeHays, Jaleel Shaw, Mark Allen, Ralph Bowen, Rob Landham, Tia Fuller, Tim Warfield, Todd Bashore, Victor North, Wade Dean and Wayne Escoffery on saxophone, Brent White, Ernest Stuart, Frank Lacy, Joe McDonough, and Stafford Hunter on trombone, and Brian Kilpatrick, Curtis Taylor, Daud El-Bakara, Josh Evans, Leon Jordan Jr, Luke Brandon, Tatum Greenblatt, Tim Thompson, and Walter White on trumpet. CD

Patrick Cornelius steps out here both as a strong leader, and as a great songwriter too – on a set that's filled with almost all original material from the pen of the alto saxophonist – tunes that have a strong sense of color and verve, which makes the record one of the most illuminating to date from Cornelius! The group's also got a real strength in the piano of John Escreet – who has some sharper edges that really enrich the vibe of the record – and Patrick's alto lines are also balanced with a nice sense of depth from trombonist Nick Vayenas, a player we don't know at all – but who seems to be finding his own with the set. The rest of the group features Ben Allison on bass and Mark Ferber on drums – and titles include "Precious Souls", "Telescope", "Big Pictures", "This Should Be Fun", "For Morgan", and "Restless Willow". CD

Top shelf jazz trio from pianist Jon Davis – an artist who might look pretty laidback, sipping wine on the cover – but who serves up some great original material as well as key takes on some classics! Working with bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Mark Ferber on this one, Davis earnestly sets out to pay homage to the 60s modern piano jazz genius of his five favorite players – and also manages to really show some of his own best work – a really impressive feat! The originals shine brightly – including "Happy Juice", "Slant Six", "As We Know", "Bred On Read" and "Mostly Minor" – and fit in seamlessly with the nods to classics by Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner and Keith Jarrett – including "The Two Lonely People", "Tones For Joans Bones", "Speak Like A Child", "Search For People" and "Rainbow". Wonderful stuff! CD

A great one from trombonist Steve Davis – a set that not only showcases his skills on his instrument, but also his increasingly great ear for a composition as well! The album's sub-titled "The Hartford Suite" – and features a set of original tracks commissioned by that city, and penned by Davis with a wonderfully fluid mix of lyricism and swing – that quality he's always got in his own solo work, carried forth here by a hip sextet that features Josh Evans on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mike DiRubbo on alto, David Bryant on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Eric McPherson on drums. The music is beautifully vivid right from the start – a host of fresh compositions given wonderful treatment from the group – and titles include "Twain's World", "Nato", "The Modernist", "Club 880", "Kenney's", "Park Street", and "Mode For Miantonomoh". CD

With Tony Reedus on drums. CD

Equal Interest is Joseph Jarman on flute and reeds, Leroy Jenkins on violin and viola, and Myra Melford on piano. CD

Drummer Steve Fidyk is a hell of a sharp talent on the kit – and he's working here with a mighty tight group that features Terell Stafford on trumpet and Tim Warfield on tenor! Fidyk's got a way of propelling things forcefully one minute, then stepping back and providing this carefully compelling rhythm the next – a quality that really makes him a well-balanced player, but also one with an inherently rhythmic focus even in the mellower moments. All players really seem to catch the fire of his leadership – including guitarist Shawn Purcell, who rings out with some beautiful tones at times, in a group that also features Regan Brough on bass. Titles include the originals "Untimely", "Might This Be Bop", "TTJ", and "The Bender" – plus versions of "Make Someone Happy" and "Love For Sale". CD

... CD

Steve Khan on guitar, Ruben Rodriguez on baby and electric bass, Dennis Chambers on drums, and Marc Quinones on timbales, bongos, and percussion. CD