A classic Arkestra live set from the end of the 80s – beautifully recorded, and put together with a lot more dynamic energy than some of the less professional Sun Ra live dates from the time! The set runs for nearly an hour in length, and tracks are long, but often quite focused – served up with a good deal of soulfulness in both the rhythms and horn work, as well as some of that Ellington-inspired tightness that marked Ra's best later years. Players include Michael Ray, John Gilmore, Tyrone Hill, Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, and Ahmed Abdullah – and titles include "Astro Black", "If You Came From Nowhere Here", "Can You Take It", "Angel Race/I Will Wait For You", "Cosmo Approach Prelude", and "Interstellar Lo-Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the best M-Base related sessions for DIW from the early 90s – and certainly one that's the most free from the dated touches of the others! The real strength here is the strong saxophone work – done by Von Freeman on tenor, and both Steve Coleman and Greg Osby on alto – coming together with the guitar of David Gilmore, bass of Kenny Davis, and drums of Marvin Smitty Smith – all in a setting that offers plenty of bite on the reeds! The presence of Freeman is quite unusual for a date like this, and he really deepens the sound by sometimes holding back from the too-angular rhythms of the rest of the group – almost (if we dare) a sense of Chicago soul to cut through the too-arty New York inclinations of the rest of the group! Titles include "Khan", "Mr Lucky", "3 Against 2", "It's You", and "Thebes". CD

The trio here is a great one – Mulgrew Miller on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Freddie Waits on drums – joined by some great alto from Oliver Lake! CD

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A solo piano performance recorded live at Pit Inn – titles include "Mt. Senba", "Hamp's Blues", "Jamaican Parrot – Little Question", "My Funny Valentine", and Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean A Thing". CD

With Dave Douglas on trumpet, Greg Cohen on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. CD

Beautiful beautiful work from David Murray – a follow-up to his initial Shakill's Warrior album, and done in a style that we like even better than the first! Don Pullen is a key part of the set – working here on fluid organ lines that are somewhere between the early Larry Young work on Blue Note and the later John Patton styles for the label – a perfect foil for Murray's straight and soulful blowing on the session. This blend of organ and tenor is really wonderful – and carried off with a near-perfect modal groove on most of the set, save for one or two numbers that get a bit bogged down in guitar work from quartet member Bill White. Titles include "Crazy Tales", "One For The Don", "For Cynthia", "The Sixth Sense", and "1529 Gunn Street". CD

David Murray on tenor saxophone, Dave Burrell on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Ralph Peterson Jr. on drums. CD

An album that was years ahead of its time – and which still stands as one of the boldest statements from the New York jazz underground of the 60s! The revolutionary styles of the scene were documented by bigger labels like Impulse and Blue Note – but this obscure indie set goes even deeper, and opens up to a special side of the generation that would have lasting influence for years to come – players who work here with a formative free jazz mode, one that begins with the energy of the ESP scene, but also hits some of the more open styles of the loft jazz and European recordings to come! The lineup is legendary – drummer Sonny Murray at the head – with Albert Ayler on tenor, Don Cherry on trumpet, and both Henry Grimes and Louis Worrell on drums – working with unbridled imagination and righteous power. LeRoi Jones performs a recitation on "Black Art" – and other titles include "Virtue" and "Justice". CD also features the bonus track "The Lie". CD

James Carter's first album as a leader – and a set that helped mark a place for him as one of the strongest saxophone voices of the 90s! The album has Carter's work on alto, tenor, and baritone saxes set center stage – alongside backing by a trio that features pianist Craig Taborn, but which allows plenty of space for Carter to dominate the sound with his deeply soulful tone and often-pyrotechnic approach to his solos. There's some occasional moments that go a bit over the top, in a "hey look at me" sort of mode – but they're nicely offset by a deeper spirit that appreciates the traditions that inform Carter's sound, and which made the record a real standout in the early 90s. Titles include "Lunatic", "Hour Of Parting", "Caravan", "Blues For A Nomadic Princess", "Worried & Blue", and "Baby Girl Blues". CD

There's nothing prehistoric about this set – as saxophonist James Carter's working here in an angular mode that's strikingly modern, despite the "classics" in the title! The tunes are all familiar ones, but they're recast by Carter with a deep tone on tenor, alto, and soprano sax – one that recalls the freshness of Sonny Rollins during his most creative period, but which also is recorded here with a bit more looseness and sense of freedom. The group are all players from Carter's Detroit scene – Craig Taborn on piano, Jaribu Shahid on bass, and Tani Tabaal on drums – and titles include "Oleo", "Out Of Nowhere", "Take The A Train", "Ask Me Now", "Sandu", and "Equinox". CD

One of the more compelling later recordings of the great Teddy Edwards – a set that also features Gerald Wiggins on piano! CD

The title's a bit of a silly joke, but the album's a really great one – a five-pianist effort that features Donald Brown, Harold Mabern, Mulgrew Miller, James Williams, and Geoff Keezer on the keys – all stepping off from some great rhythm from Christian McBride on bass and Tony Reedus on drums! The pianos are often used together wonderfully – so that one handles rhythm and another the melody – and the interplay is really great, and never too gimmicky – a sound that's almost just a deepening of the already-great DIW trio mode of the time, given new shades and inflections by the style of the recording! Titles include "Theme For My Father", "Valerie", "Hibiscus", "Will Power", "One's Own Room", "Up There", and "PNJ". CD

Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Ronnie Burrage on drums! CD

One of the true soul jazz classics of the 90s! Although Andrew Cyrille is better known for some of his more "out" material, we totally dig this 1992 album – because it's got a sweeping spiritual feel, and a very soulful groove that recalls 70s work by players like Billy Harper or Marvin Hannibal Peterson! Tracks are long and very open-ended, but never go too far out – just progress along with a great sense of vision, courtesy of a group of players that includes Hannibal on trumpet, Oliver Lake on soprano and alto sax, Adegoke Steve Colson on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Cyrille on drums. The group is impeccably tight, and the whole thing sounds like a lost session from Strata East – with just the right mix of outside soloing and inside grooving – and titles include "Soul Brother", "The Prophet", "Shell", "Tap Dancer", "South Of The Border Serenade", and "Where's Nine". CD

A lost chapter in the all too short history of Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra – an album recorded shortly after the group's better-known album for ECM in the 80s! Like other Liberation Music outings, Carla Bley is a very strong presence on this set – penning original tunes for the album, handling arrangements, and sharing Charlie Haden's love of rhythms and inspirations from Latin and African sources – inspirations that are brought in subtly, and shaped to fit the overall spirit of the group. Players include Tom Harrell, Ken McIntyre, Joe Lovano, Dewey Redman, and Ray Anderson – and titles include "Dream Keeper", "Rabo De Nube", "Nkosi Sikelel'I Afrika", and "Sandino". CD

A recent recording by tenorist Billy Harper – but one that follows strongly in the tradition of his 70s classics recorded in Japan! Like those records, this one was done for the Japanese label DIW – and features Harper in a free sort of setting that really lets him unfold with spiritual majesty! Tracks are a bit shorter than some of the side-long classics from the 70s – but no less great – and feature that tremendous Harper tone and hard-burning, soul-searching energy that always grabs us within the first few notes of any track. The group's a well-honed lineup that features pulsing rhythms from Francesca Tanksley on piano, Clarence Seay on bass, and Newman Baker on drums – and Eddie Henderson also joins the group on 3 tracks. Billy sings a bit on the record – in a beautifully spiritual way that's very much in keeping with his tenor work, and which is a whole new dimension of his talents – and titles include "Egypt", "Speak To Me Of Love Speak To Me Of Truth", "The Seventh Day", "World Without End", and "The One Who Makes The Rain Stop". CD

Harold Mabern was one of the greatest under-discovered jazz talents of the 60s – playing on records with artists like The MJT+3, Lee Morgan, and others – and all these years later, he's still one of our favorite talents on the piano! This early 90s set for DIW features Mabern in a trio format, with backing by Christian McBride on bass and Tony Reedus on drums – done in a swirling soulful sound that brings out the most lyrical side of Mabern's playing – this flowing waves of energy he developed strongly from the 70s onward. Titles include "Hymn Of The Orient", "Blue Bossa", "Maybe September", "Lament", and "To Maya Glynne With Love". CD

Jaco Pastorius on bass and keyboards, Kenwood Dennard on drums, and Hiram Bullock on guitar and keyboards. CD

A classic Arkestra live set from the end of the 80s – beautifully recorded, and put together with a lot more dynamic energy than some of the less professional Sun Ra live dates from the time! The set runs for nearly an hour in length, and tracks are long, but often quite focused – served up with a good deal of soulfulness in both the rhythms and horn work, as well as some of that Ellington-inspired tightness that marked Ra's best later years. Players include Michael Ray, John Gilmore, Tyrone Hill, Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, and Ahmed Abdullah – and titles include "Astro Black", "If You Came From Nowhere Here", "Can You Take It", "Angel Race/I Will Wait For You", "Cosmo Approach Prelude", and "Interstellar Lo-Ways". This 2CD version features a lot more bonus material than was on the original album – a total of 20 tracks in all – with other numbers that include "East Of The Sun", "Tokyo Dance Blues", "Frisco Frog", "Cosmo Swing", "Space Is The Place", "If You Come From Nowhere Here", and "Can You Take It". CD

We'll be the first to admit that David S. Ware has made some clunky records over the years – but we love this album from 1992, and think it's one of the best that he ever made! The record is tighter than most, and Ware is nicely restrained, and locked into a spiritual groove that links him in a tradition with players like Billy Harper and Pharoah Sanders. He's also playing with his excellent quartet that includes Matthew Shipp, William Parker, and Marc Edwards. Shipp and Parker lay down these amazing modal grooves, and Ware dips in, searches around, and blows out incredibly soulful solos – filled with a lot more emotion and meaning than some of his other work from the mid 90s. Titles include "Aquarian Sound", "Yesterdays", "Infi-Rhythms #1", and "Sad Eyes". CD

A massive set of Monk interpretations – easily one of the greatest tributes to Thelonius we've ever seen, and a package that features more than just piano parts too! The performance is divided into four different sets – each one featuring a different pianist – either Muhal Richard Abrams, Barry Harris, Anthony Davis, or Mal Waldron – all of whom make for surprisingly fresh choices for the program! But almost equally great are the other players too – a lineup that includes Don Cherry on trumpet, Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Charlie Rouse on tenor, and Roswell Rudd on trombone – all adding in some wonderful Monkish lines on horns, in ways that really expand the sound and take this past some of the overdone straight piano tributes to Monk we've seen over the years. Rhythm is by Richard Davis on bass and either Ed Blackwell or Ben Riley on drums – and the 4CD set features 30 tracks that include "Ruby My Dear", "Light Blue", "Evidence", "Monk's Mood", "Reflections", "Gallop's Gallop", "I Mean You", "Let's Call This", "Round Midnight", "Well You Needn't", "Thelonious", and "Friday The 13th". And in case you're wondering, all of the Monk compositions only get played once throughout the entire performance. CD

Really wonderful work from a perfectly-matched trio – an all-star lineup, even though pianist Geri Allen was just at the start of her career – and a group who'd already given the world a few different studio albums on other labels! The set follows up with more material from the group's sessions for DIW at the Village Vanguard – and trust us, the material here is every bit as great as the work that was first issued decades back – a perfect balance between the lyrical flights of Geri Allen on the piano, the warmly round basslines of Charlie Haden, and the measured drum work of Paul Motian – a set that's free of ego, and which really has all three players working in wonderfully sympathetic company. Titles include "Fiasco", "In Walked Bud", "Obtuse Angles", "Two Women From Padua", "Mambo Jumbo", "Song For The Whales", "Dance Of Infidels", "Dancing In The Dark", and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". CD

Beautiful trio work from Geri Allen – recording here with a great group that features Paul Motian on drums and some especially great work from Charlie Haden on bass! Haden's bass really figures into the sound of most of the songs strongly – almost leading more than Allen's piano, with a sound that's round and deep-toned, and which really brings a great sense of soul to the set – which is then given a nicely punctuated vibe by Allen's strong piano! Motian, as you might expect, is nicely elliptical – able to move all around the kit, but without ever losing control – and although the performances get a bit outside at times, the whole thing's mostly got a strong sense of soul and a tight rhythmic core. Titles include "Law Years", "Segment", "La Pasionaria", "Rain", "Home", and "I'm All Smiles". CD

Rare later work from pianist Chris Anderson – an under-recorded modernist who first made a name for himself on the Chicago scene of the 60s, but who's emerging here as a warmer, gentler soul on the keys! The set's got the feel of some of the other DIW piano trio sessions from the time – recorded in an intimate style by producer Mickey Bass – himself a jazzman, with a good ear and sensitivity to the group. Billy Higgins is on drums and Ray Drummond is on bass – and Anderson's work on the keys is beautifully captured with a subtle genius that must be heard to be fully understood. Titles include "The End Of A Beautiful Friendship", "Star Eyes", "Blues One", "Blue Bossa", and "Summer Of 42". CD

One of the more interesting later sessions from the Art Ensemble – one in which the group push their African influence strongly, by teaming up with the Amabutho Male Chorus for a real Soweto soul sound! Oddly, the Art Ensemble are the ones in African garb on the cover – while the chorus is going more for a late 80s American male fashion look – but in the grooves of the record, the two units come together nicely – and make for a set of tunes that have the AACM sound heading way way past Graceland (that's a Paul Simon/Ladysmith Black Mambazo reference, not an Elvis one!) – really coming up with some compelling cross-cultural sounds in the process. Titles include "African Woman", "Coming Soon", "Black Man", "Fresh Start", and "The Bottom Line". CD

A really unusual session – the Art Ensemble Of Chicago is joined by pianist Cecil Taylor – in a celebration of the music of Thelonious Monk! CD

A great lost sleeper from pianist Rahn Burton – a set that's even better than most of the DIW trio material from the time, thanks to some extremely thoughtful work by Burton on the keys! The trio here features Walter Booker on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and the record has a warmly glowing sound, but one that's never too sleepy – a style that's a bit like some of the best soulfully expressive work by Ronnie Matthews or Michel Saradaby from the time, and done with a similar balance of modal energy and lyricism. Titles include "The Poem", "Light Blue", "Lazy Bones", "Green Veil", "Derby Town Blues", "Chinatown", and "Almost Spring". CD

A lovely little set from George Cables – quite expressive work on piano, but in ways that are a bit different from some of his American records at the time! George takes strong advantage of the open, sympathetic format of the DIW trio series here – and works wonderfully in a group that features Cecil McBee on bass and Billy Hart on drums – both players who move easily with Cables into whatever space he leads throughout the set. Some times have a warmly sentimental approach, others are a bit more freewheeling – and George really delights our ears with his range of tones and timings in the set. Titles include "Very Early", "Three Views Of A Secret", "I Love You", "Doxy", "Grear Is Here", and "Ebony Moonbeams". CD

There's nothing prehistoric about this set – as saxophonist James Carter's working here in an angular mode that's strikingly modern, despite the "classics" in the title! The tunes are all familiar ones, but they're recast by Carter with a deep tone on tenor, alto, and soprano sax – one that recalls the freshness of Sonny Rollins during his most creative period, but which also is recorded here with a bit more looseness and sense of freedom. The group are all players from Carter's Detroit scene – Craig Taborn on piano, Jaribu Shahid on bass, and Tani Tabaal on drums – and titles include "Oleo", "Out Of Nowhere", "Take The A Train", "Ask Me Now", "Sandu", and "Equinox". CD

Ambitious funky work from trombonist Joseph Bowie and his Defunkt ensemble – a mix of 80s groove, retro funk, and lots of the cross-cultural touches that were filtering through the New York downtown scene at the time. For most of the record, things are a bit too confused to straighten themselves out and groove clearly – cluttering the music with a bit too much politics, and not ever deciding if the whole thing's ironic or serious – but there's enough going on here to merit a listen, especially if you like Bowie's work. Titles include "I Want Your Girlfriend", "Manic Depression", "Rain Flower", "Foxy Lady", "Got To Give", "Control Freak", and "Milestyles". CD

A killer trio with a really wonderful sound – one that's equal parts jazz and funk, but which also maybe has a strong inspiration from 70s electric modes – not in a way that's too spacey or trippy, but which really uses the right sense of space between the notes to open up the groove! The lineup features drums, keyboards, and guitar – all beautifully combined without too much hype or fanfare, but definitely in a way that's less familiar than other combinations of the instruments – and which has plenty of sweet electric funk appeal throughout! This CD-only release combines the group's Mosaic EP and their Murmurations album – for a total of nine tracks that include "Cannonball", "Pocket 5", "Breakthrough", "Miles Away", "Dragonfly", "Mariposa", "Ivory Mountain", and "Transcoso". CD

A fantastic early trio album from pianist Tommy Flanagan – a set that was originally recorded overseas by Metronome Records, hence the title – and part of a long tradition of Tommy making some of his best music for non-US labels! Flanagan's already a hell of a craftsman here on the piano – able to mix boppish sharpness with the strong sense of lyricism that would grace some of his later work – in a trio that features great bass from Wilbur Little, and a pre-Coltrane Elvin jones on drums. The set's a great early example of Flanagan's special touch on the keys – and titles include "Skal Brothers", "Verdandi", "Dalarna", "Little Rock", "Eclypso", and "Beat's Up" – and this "complete" version features a few alternate takes! CD

A record that makes us go "wow" all over again at the mighty talents of Bob James – because even this late in life, he's clearly open to new ideas and pushing the boundaries – which he really does here in collaboration with younger musician Sam Franz! In the way that Bob's CTI albums were a landmark electric jazz effort for the 70s – this set's maybe one for the 21st Century, with a vibe that's shows the passage of time in so many different ways! This isn't fusion, smooth jazz, or traditional jazz at all – yet Bob's got some great moments on keyboards throughout, in different sonic settings from Franz, merging together in ways that make it difficult to figure out who's doing what. Titles include "Brew This Again & Again", "This Theme Needs A Movie", "Polar Tangents", "Starless Vault Of Heaven", "See Ya", and "Atsuko's Arcade". CD

Wonderfully introspective work from pianist Ronnie Mathews – one of his better sides from later years, recorded with a free and open spirit! The set features Ronnie working with Ray Drummond on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – in a light and fragile mode that's perfectly recorded in the bright DIW style of the time. Titles include "One For Trane", "Meaning Something", "Dark Before The Dawn", and "You Leave Me Breathless". CD

Ronnie Mathews on piano, David Williams on bass, and Frank Gant on drums. CD

Solo piano by six different artists ; Donald Brown, Charles Thomas, Russell Wilson, Harold Mabern, James Williams, and Mulgrew Miller. CD

One of our favorite Misha Mengelberg albums of recent years – done as part of a number of excellent John Zorn-produced sessions for DIW! There's a lightness here that's a bit different than the sound of Misha on FMP – one that's a bit less brooding, and which allows space for the older traditions of piano work that clearly inspired Mengelberg in the years before he took off into his own unique direction. Echoes of Garner and Peterson hang back in the construction of the tunes, and the accompaniment from Joey Baron on drums and Greg Cohen on bass seems to bring out an even more rhythmic side of Mengelberg than usual. Titles include Misha-ized versions of "Begin The Beguine", "The Mooche", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Someone To Watch Over Me", and "House Party Starting" – plus the original "No Idea". CD

A nicely gritty set from David Murray – proof that even at the height of his modern moments, he could also be a tenor talent with deeply-rooted traditions! The album's got a really wonderful feel – almost a tenor date from a few decades past, but with some slight edges that definitely mark it as a mid 80s recording – some odd twists and turns that you'd never find in previous years, and a sense of brooding that comes to the forefront as the album moves on – so that by the end of the record, things are definitely more outside than at the start. Murray's tenor is featured in a quartet that includes James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – and titles include "Light Years", "Patricia", "Red Car", "Long Goodbye", and "Kareem". CD

Murray's fronting a big band led by Butch Morris – a group that sounds a lot better to our ears than most of Morris' own larger groups of the time, possibly because of the style of the recording. The tracks shift mood, tone, and approach with each number – working out references to some spiritual leaders, and forging new ground on a few of the more adventurous numbers. Murray's horn is in the lead mostly – but the interplay with the rest of the group is pretty incredible at times. Players include Fred Hopkins, Sonelius Smith, James Spaulding, John Purcell, Craig Harris, Vincent Chaney, and Don Byron – and titles include "Istanbul", "Lovejoy", "Calling Steve McCall", "Paul Gonsalves", and "Lester". CD

David Murray on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet, Olu Dara on cornet, Bobby Broom and Daryl Thompson on guitar, Robert Irving III on synthesizer and organ, Darryl Jones on bass, Toby Williams on drums, and Kahil El'Zabar on percussion. CD

A surprisingly nice album of straight ahead tenor tracks from David Murray – playing here in a quartet with guitarist Stanley Franks, drummer Andrew Cyrille, and the great Don Pullen, who plays organ on the session! The album's not exactly in the classic soul jazz organ/tenor mode – but it is one of the few that Murray ever recorded, and it's quite interesting to hear him in this sort of a format. Plus, it was also one of the few recorded during that magic year of 1991 – when DIW really seemed to be getting things right, turning out some of the few truly genius albums in the history of the label. Titles include "Milano Strut", "Black February", "At The Cafe Central", "In The Spirit", and "High Priest". CD

An album of spiritual tunes and spiritual themes – played by David Murray in a style that's quite similar to his work on the Deep River set! The format's a bit more traditional here, given the album's use of older themes from gospel music – but the core quartet of Dave Burrell, Fred Hopkins, and Ralph Peterson all work together with Murray's tenor to keep things fresh throughout. The album features 2 great originals by Dave Burrell – "Dave Blue" and "Abel's Blissed Out Blues" – plus versions of "Crucifixion", "Amazing Grace", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD

Freewheeling duets between David Murray and Milford Graves – the former on tenor and bass clarinet, the latter on a nice range of percussion! There's an open, flowing feel to the record that really takes us back to Murray's initial moments of the 70s – an almost loft jazz looseness to the session that's quite a change from other Murray dates for DIW. Things get somewhat free at points, but both players have an inherently rhythmic structure that holds the work together – and titles include "Stated With Peace", "The Third Day", "Moving About", "Under & Over", "Essential Soul", and "Continuity". CD

One of the greatest jazz voices on the bass clarinet – save perhaps for the late Eric Dolphy – working here in a wonderful batch of ballads and gentle groovers! The set's quite different from the usual jazz date to bear "ballads" in the title – as David Murray's not ruminating over standards with too much strings – and instead still works in a hip small combo mode that's filled with swing and soul. In fact, most tunes are hardly ballads in the traditional style – and just showcase a slightly gentler, more personal side of Murray's music – but one that still has plenty of darkness around the edges. The group's a quartet – with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and tunes include "Portrait Of A Black Woman", "Waltz To Heaven", "Elegy For Fannie Lou", "Lyons Street", "Chazz", and "New Life". LP, Vinyl record album

David Murray on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet, Bobby Bradford on cornet, Dave Burrell on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums. CD

A strong, soulful quartet album – and features John Hicks on piano, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums! CD

Just David Murray on tenor and bass clarinet and Jack DeJohnette on drums and piano – plus a bit of bass work from Fred Hopkins on two tracks! CD

The Music Revelation Ensemble gets some great work here on horns – as the album features guest work from both John Zorn on alto and Pharoah Sanders on tenor! Main sounds are by the core trio of James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Calvin Jones on bass, and Cornell Rochester on drums – all working in a mode that's definitely a 90s extension of Ulmer's harmelodic legacy from decades past. Sanders and Zorn each alternate tunes – so that between them, there's a sax on every number – making the album a quartet date in execution. Zorn's sharp edges are what you might expect in the setting – and Sanders takes on a bolder, less earthy quality in the group – in ways that really differ from his usual sort of guest appearance. Titles include "Law", "Suspect", "Devotion", "Sweet", "Proof", "My Prayer", and "Evidence". CD

Bold tones from the Music Revelation Ensemble – a group that's heavy on guitar work from James Blood Ulmer, but which also features some great guest reeds from Arthur Blythe, Sam Rivers, and Hamiett Bluiett! The core trio features Amin Ali on electric bass and Cornell Rochester on drums – moving in somewhat harmelodic formation – echoing Ulmer's styles of the decade before, but perhaps pushing his sound with a more forceful feel, possibly to showcase his crossing over to bigger audiences at the time. But the real charm here is the reed work – contributions that include alto from Blythe, baritone from Bluiett, and either soprano, tenor, or flute from Rivers – players that are heard separately from track to track, but who really help bring a deeper sense of spirit to the record. Titles include "The Dawn", "Mankind", "Purity", "Abundance", "In Time", and "Non-Believer". CD

Two keyboard heavy cuts – a great original, and a funky cover too! The group's "Inner Space" is wonderful – and begins with this romping drum part that sets the tune for a mellower keyboard line – all nice and funky, and balanced with each other in a really unusual way! The flipside features a remake of the great Manzel tune "Space Funk" – with a drumbreak that's a nice take on the sound of the original's intro – and a nicely changed-up bassline that's a perfect blend for the cool moogy keyboards! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Funky trio Nautilus plays standards, but not the kind of over-recorded songs from Cole Porter and Irving Berlin – and instead a whole host of mighty cool cuts from the likes of Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, and Woody Shaw! As with the group's other records, the approach is that of a trio – Mariko Nakabayashi on keyboards, Shigeki Umezawa on bass, and Toshihuki Sasaki on drums – but the format is nicely different, as these guys shift up rhythms in all sorts of cool, creative ways – a bit like the Indigo Jam Unit and other Japanese groups who proceeded them – which does great things to some of these already-great cuts! Mizuki Kamata provides guest vocals on the track "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" – and other titles include "The Eye Of The Hurricane", "Little B's Poem", "Sweet Love Of Mine", and "Solitude". LP, Vinyl record album

"Skyscrapers" is a classic 70s cut by legendary Brazilian keyboardist Deodato – and here, Nautilus remake the tune for a new generation – using their crackling groove to really invent a piano trio approach to the song! "Another World" is one of their own – a track with this fantastic piano line at the start – really setting the tone with a joyous, upbeat vibe – before cascading over the nicely crackling drums and bass at the core! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two great cuts from this funky Japanese trio! "We Gettin Down" is the classic tune from Weldon Irvine – sampled famously by Tribe Called Quest, and done here with this lean groove that's wonderful – funky drums, bass, and these cool keyboards that are also mixed with a vocoder chant of the title! "Nautical Table" is more full on and intense – the kind of cascading piano groove the group does so well – and a tune that's exploding with color and light! 7-inch, Vinyl record

We've gotta hand it to pianist Roberto Olzer – a player who can combine references from classical music and more straightforward jazz trio modes – all at a level that's very different than earlier work from players like Jacques Loussier and Eugen Cicero, who worked in similar territory! Olzer is clearly a jazz musician first, and the tunes here are often his own, and have a great sense of open, fluid energy – but he's also clearly a master of the keyboard, and can manage to swing the odd tune from Chopin, Purcell, and Mendelssohn – which are included here nexst to the original material! The trio features stunning work on bass from Yuri Goloubev and drums from Mauro Beggio – and titles include "Milano Rain", "Notturno", "Andante Con Moto", "Images", "Touchdown", "Dido's Lament", and "Eveline". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing meeting of two unlikely talents – the classic Blue Note Hammond sound of John Patton, and the angular alto of improvisor John Zorn! The set's not as much of a surprise when you realize that Zorn had been a fan of Patton for years – and had used the organist on some of his key 80s projects, at a time when Patton had really fallent out of the limelight. As a way of returning the favor, Zorn produced this excellent album as part of Patton's comeback efforts in the late 90s – and without a doubt, it's one of Big John's best records since the 60s! Zorn's amazingly respectful of the classic Patton sound, and manages to create a setting of angular, modal grooves that really recalls the freshest, freest-thinking styles of the Blue Note years – with long tracks that let both players stretch out nicely – in a way that shows that Patton has lost none of his solo imagination on the Hammond, and which has Zorn playing soulfully and straight ahead, but with a wonderful edge that's almost like Benny Maupin or Tyrone Washington on Blue Note at the time! The rest of the group features Ed Cherry on guitar and Kenny Washington on drums – and titles include "B Men Thel", "Lite Hit", "The Way I Feel", "Tyrone", "Minor Swing", "The Rock", and "Along Came John". File this one next to your Patton Blue Notes – and you'll hardly notice the difference! CD

An amazing meeting of two unlikely talents – the classic Blue Note Hammond sound of John Patton, and the angular alto of improvisor John Zorn! The set's not as much of a surprise when you realize that Zorn had been a fan of Patton for years – and had used the organist on some of his key 80s projects, at a time when Patton had really fallent out of the limelight. As a way of returning the favor, Zorn produced this excellent album as part of Patton's comeback efforts in the late 90s – and without a doubt, it's one of Big John's best records since the 60s! Zorn's amazingly respectful of the classic Patton sound, and manages to create a setting of angular, modal grooves that really recalls the freshest, freest-thinking styles of the Blue Note years – with long tracks that let both players stretch out nicely – in a way that shows that Patton has lost none of his solo imagination on the Hammond, and which has Zorn playing soulfully and straight ahead, but with a wonderful edge that's almost like Benny Maupin or Tyrone Washington on Blue Note at the time! The rest of the group features Ed Cherry on guitar and Kenny Washington on drums – and titles include "B Men Thel", "Lite Hit", "The Way I Feel", "Tyrone", "Minor Swing", "The Rock", and "Along Came John". File this one next to your Patton Blue Notes – and you'll hardly notice the difference! CD

A classic Arkestra live set from the end of the 80s – beautifully recorded, and put together with a lot more dynamic energy than some of the less professional Sun Ra live dates from the time! The set runs for nearly an hour in length, and tracks are long, but often quite focused – served up with a good deal of soulfulness in both the rhythms and horn work, as well as some of that Ellington-inspired tightness that marked Ra's best later years. Players include Michael Ray, John Gilmore, Tyrone Hill, Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, and Ahmed Abdullah – and titles include "Astro Black", "If You Came From Nowhere Here", "Can You Take It", "Angel Race/I Will Wait For You", "Cosmo Approach Prelude", and "Interstellar Lo-Ways". CD

A really beautiful record by young Chilean pianist Enrique Rodriguez – a set that's got little more going on than piano and keyboards, but which really makes the most of those elements! Rodriguez plays in a style that's not entirely jazz – maybe more moody instrumentals with a slight bit of rhythm in the background, but always at a gentle pace – so that the tunes have a flow that's really driven by the keys, which sound equally great, whether acoustic or electric! Some tunes glow with a soundtrack theme style, others have a deeper soul vibe – and titles include "Chao", "Estamos Bien Aqui", "Una Pared", "Mantener El Arriba", "Ambos", "Lograr Decidirnos", "Lo Que Somos", and "Ni Siquiera Se Si Quiero Encontrarte". CD

An Arkestra performance, but one that's headed up by Mark De Clive-Lowe – who wrote all the material, and produced the record too – as a great extension of some of the more spiritual directions he's been taking in his own music in recent years! The group have a sound that definitely lives up to the spiritual jazz reference you might expect from their name – building nicely on waves of piano and keyboards from Mark, with excellent work from other ensemble members on tenor, flute, alto, trumpet, and guitar – all soaring to the skies in a great 21st Century take on 70s spiritual jazz modes! There's a number of drummers on the record, and there's no rhythm programs listed – save for "fx" and "live electronics" in the credits – but it feels as if there might be a slight current of beats amidst the live instrumentation from time to time. Not that any of that gets in the way of the sound – which is tightly focused and soaring to the skies, on tracks that include "Fallen Angel", "Tempestuous Temperaments", "Cosmic Collisions", "Lullabies Of The Lost", "Elegy Of Entrapment", and "The Art Of Altercation". CD

A really lovely album from pianist Michel Sardaby – an artist who's best known for his work on the scene in Paris, but who's had a universal sense of appeal to anyone who digs a hip, soulful player on the keys! This set is maybe one of Sardaby's best known – one of the few to get true worldwide circulation – and it's also one of his best, too – with a slightly different vibe than some of his Parisian records, thanks to work from Tootie Heath on drums and Jay Leonhart on bass. Michel's a master of lyrical fluidity throughout – and the set features some great originals that include "Farewell Tokyo", "Madrugada", "Way Farer", "Maelstrom", and "Night Blossom". LP, Vinyl record album

Searing sounds from the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s – music that's equal parts noise and equal parts free jazz – served up on some freaky, fuzzy guitar from Masayuki Takayanagi – and a mix of alto sax, harmonica and bass clarinet from Karou Abe! Abe's a lot noisier here than on some of his later records – and maybe has to be, too – to match the frenetic sounds from Takayanagi's guitar – at a level that prefaces so much later electronic noise improvisation to come – as both musicians come together on two long, improvised tracks. Yet the intensity also abates a bit at points – making for a richer balance of tones as the set goes on – even though we'd guess that if Takayanagi had his way, the whole thing would be full-on, all the way through! CD

Searingly spiritual work from David S Ware – a set that definitely draws on the gospel reference in the title, but in ways that are far from any sort of easy cliches! Ware blows tenor boldly here – drawing on a rich legacy from John Coltrane through Billy Harper, all focused sharply into his own dynamic musical vision – and that of his classic quartet with Matthew Shipp on piano and William Parker on bass! Ware's tones really dominate the record – especially given that the production brilliantly brings out all their sharpest edges and raspier moments – but Shipp's elliptical piano is a treat too, and nicely offsets some of Ware's sense of freedom. Susie Ibarra completes the group on drums – and titles include "Wisdomsphere", "Inner Temple", "The Stargazers", "Wisdom Through Time", and "Eternal Faces Of Braham". CD

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A wonderfully soulful session from the best years of the DIW label – a set that has pianist James Williams recording with tremendous tenor work from Billy Pierce, George Coleman, and Joe Henderson! The album parcels the players out – so that 2 tracks only feature Pierce, and the others feature all 3 players, recorded with placement in different channels of the record – making for a spaciously collaborative sound that's really unique! Williams' piano is great – strong and bold, and without some of the too-traditional echoes that sometimes lose us on other records – and as with a number of the best DIW sessions from the time, there's a bit more grit in the production, which really helps deepen the sound of the music. Titles include "Common Knowledge", "Afro Centric", "Up To The Minute Blues", "Girl Talk", and "Three Card Molly". CD

James Williams on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Tracks include "Sonnymoon For Two", "Sweet And Lovely", "Time After Time", "Go Tell It On The Mountain", and Mary Lou Williams' "Lonely Moments". CD

Features James Williams on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Ronnie Burrage on drums! Features versions of Benny Golson's "I Remember Clifford", Cecil Bridgewater's "As I Live & Breathe", and Frank Foster's "Simone". CD

Unreleased live material from this legendary Japanese artist from the 70s – working here with his Lamp Manufacturing Factory group, which also includes lead guitar from Takashi Asayama! The recording is nice and intimate – a laidback set that shows the way that Daisaku Yoshino could bring some of the roots rock mode of the American scene into play with Japanese rock at the time. The first 7 tracks on the set are all live from 1974 – then the CD concludes with 8 more titles recorded in 2021, showing Daisaku still going strong! CD

Unreleased live material from this legendary Japanese artist from the 70s – working here with his Lamp Manufacturing Factory group, which also includes lead guitar from Takashi Asayama! The recording is nice and intimate – a laidback set that shows the way that Daisaku Yoshino could bring some of the roots rock mode of the American scene into play with Japanese rock at the time. The first 7 tracks on the set are all live from 1974 – then the CD concludes with 8 more titles recorded in 2021, showing Daisaku still going strong! CD

A sweet neo soul set from Brazil – one that uses the raspy qualities of the vocals in ways that make the whole record completely sublime! Even if you can't understand the lyrics, you'll be captivated immediately – as the record has this warm swirl of keyboards that's fantastic – wrapped up warmly in this magical musical swirl, and set off by the way the vocals crackle crisply alongside – all in a mode that echoes plenty of underground American soul modes, but with a vibe that's really fresh! Titles include "Jazz", "Follow Me", "Meu Grande Amor", "Inebrio", "Nova York", "Cores E Peles", "Welcome", and "Se Foi". CD

John Zorn on alto, Dave Douglas on trumpet, Greg Cohen on bass, and Joey Baron on drum. CD

John Zorn on alto, Dave Douglas on trumpet, Greg Cohen on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. CD

Artists include Odean Pope, Gerald Veasley, Cornell Rochester, Peter Brotzmann, Ed Blackwell, Don Cherry and more. CD

Don't let the "alternate" in the title fool you, because it's not like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago are getting all alt-rock or anything – nor is the album a set of alternate takes! Instead, the album's one of their best from the time – a well-crafted set of tunes, recorded in very familiar company in Chicago – issued only for the Japanese market by DIW. There's a richly organic quality to some of the tunes – as many of the numbers are sparer, more thoughtful tracks that focus on spare percussion and instrumental interplay between members of the group. The album also features the longer tune "Kush", which gets fairly outside at times – plus shorter numbers that include "Imaginary Situations", "And There Was Peace", "Whatever Happens", and "Alternate Express". CD

The Art Esemble of Chicago pay tribute to a surprising range of influences – from Duke Ellington to Otis Redding to Fela Kuti and Jimi Hendrix – but all in a set that's still filled with plenty of their trademark creative improvisation, too! In a way, the record's a great illustration of the changes that had come to the AACM over the course of two decades – still bold enough to break down new territory in jazz, but also feeling confident enough to claim a key role in, and link to, a larger history of African-American expression – one that's handled quite deftly here by the group! Lee Bowie joins the group a bit on synth, a relatively small addition to the core sounds from Lester Bowie on trumpet, Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell on reeds, Malachi Favors on bass, and Don Moye on percussion. Titles include a firey reading of Fela's "Zombie", which is great, plus covers of "No Woman No Cry", "Purple Haze", "These Arms Of Mine", and "Creole Love Call" – and the group's own "Ancient To The Future" suite. CD

A second pairing of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago and the Amabutho Male Chorus – one that's indicated not just in the title of the record, but in a changing of the group's name! The sound here is even more Afro-styled than the previous effort – coming across right from the start with a bold, righteous vibe that's quite unique – almost a bit more confident than some of the Ensemble's other work of the time – and executed in a way that really shows that confidence! The male voices aren't always in strong focus, which still leaves plenty of space for the group's creative instrumental interplay – and titles include "Colors One", "US of A/U of SA", "Zola's Smile", "America", and "You Got It". CD

Guitarist Duck Baker takes on the music of Herbie Nichols – the sometime-overlooked modernist of the postwar years, a player that some folks rank right up there with Thelonious Monk – later given his due with a run of revival projects like this! Nichols' music sounds very different here – less of the sharp percussive angles that a piano might create – and almost more warmly chromatic, through the acoustic guitar readings of the tunes by Baker – himself a very creative player, and really setting himself apart from some of his contemporaries with this project. The album's got equal appeal to both fans of Herbie's mid-century modernism, and the decades of creative acoustic guitar solo material that came before Baker's rise – work by John Fahey, Robbie Basho, and others. Titles include "117th Street", "Portrait Of Ucha", "House Party Starting", "Nick At T's", and "Spinning Song". CD

Tenorist Steve Grossman's a hell of a player in so many different settings – but we're especially fond of the mid 80s stretch in which he made this record – a time when Steve had learned from all of his bolder, more dynamic moments of the 70s – and was able to fold them back into some soulful, old school tenor work that's really amazing! Case in point is this cooker – a record with the simple, subtle title of Standards – and which features Grossman making his way through a host of familiar tunes – yet at a level that's really breathtaking – a classic sense of individual phrasing and interpretation – beholden to none, and maybe all the more revolutionary in the way it's never trying to overstate its own existence. Yet that quality is also what makes it even more exciting – maybe more so than some of Steve's more experimental sessions – and Grossman holds us rapt throughout, in a quartet that also features Fred Henke on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Masahiro Yoshida on drums. Titles include "Time Was", "Just In Time", "Autumn Leaves", "Half Nelson", "Easy Living", and "When I Fall In Love". CD

A great trio – with Curtis Lundy on bass and Victor Lewis on drums! CD