Gene Krupa on drums, Benny Moten on bass, Dill Jones on piano, and Eddie Shu on tenor saxophone. CD

Recently unearthed live recordings from bassist Steve Tintweiss – an overlooked figure from the late 60's avant scene who played on key records with Patty Waters, Frank Wright, Burton Greene, and Albert Ayler. The music here is in the spirit of these other ESP recordings and features Tintweiss on bass and melodica, Mark Whitcage on tenor sax and flute, Trevor Koehler on baritone sax, James Dubois on trumpet, and Judy Stuart and Amy Sheffer on vocals. CD

A very hip set from Bill Evans' second trio – the legendary lineup that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Both players bring Evans' sound to an even greater level of spaciousness – allowing for lyrical interplay that's completely amazing, and even furthers the promise of genius made by Bill on his first few albums – a bold step forward that really makes this album one of Evans' standout sets of the early 60s! Titles include an early reading of Evans' wonderful tune "Re: Person I Knew", plus "Very Early", "In Love In Vain", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "If You Could See Me Now", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". CD

A very well done compilation truly including some of the very Best Of Serge Gainsbourg – programmed chronologically starting with the late 50s – not only some of the best of Serge, but some of the most provocative, innovative and creatively fearless popular music ever! From the more elegant, jazzier early number and on through the great duets, more sultry and stripped down numbers and bits of all the great strains of his inimitable style. Features the previously unissued "Comme Un Boomerang", plus "Leau A La Bouche", "Baudelaire", "Elaeudanla Teiteia", "Comic Strip", "Requiem Pur Un C", "L'Anamour", "Elisa", "La Decadanse" with Jane Birkin, "Bonnie And Clyde" with Bridgette Bardot, "Aux Armes Et Caetera" and more. 27 tracks on the 2LP version, LP1 from 1960-1968 and LP2 from 1968 to 1979. LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning sounds from the team of Serge Gainsbourg and Michel Colombier – and maybe the most perfect example of why Gainsbourg soundtracks can be so great! Le Pacha is a wonderful blend of trippy touches and more subtle jazzy moments, plus bits of electric sitar and bassy funk – shifting effortlessly from track to track to create a mad melange of musical grooves! Cuts include the classic "Requiem Pour Un Con", which is a funky gem – plus "Psychastenie", "Joss A La Calvados", "Un Noel 67", "Cadavres En Serie", "Batucada Meurtriere", and Brigitte Bardot singing "Harley Davidson"! Also includes 3 bonus tracks – the unreleased instrumental version of "Requiem Pour Un Con", plus "Freedom Baby" and "No No Yes Yes". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record that's a bit hard to peg – one that features guitars and vocals from both Jesse Harris and Vinicius Cantuaria, in modes that move between jazz, Brazilian, and other styles – often with the kind of gentle warmth that we love from Cantuaria's own recordings, but with a slightly different vibe too! That vibe might be the vocals of Harris – who has a rasp that's nicely personal, even when Cantuaria's harmonizing along – and there's also some nice touches from musical guests along the way – a lineup that includes Bill Frisell on guitar, Jeremy Gustin on percussion, and Melody Gardot on vocals and piano, shifting in different modes from track to track. Both leaders also handle a bit of percussion – and titles include "Rio Negro", "Far Away", "How Long", "Waiting", "Surpresa", "Broken Umbrellas", "O Maria", and "West Broadway Shuffle". CD

An obscure release that features some rare material by British jazz saxophone giants Tubby Hayes and Tony Coe! The tracks were all recorded live in 1966 at the Students Union Hall at Bristol University – and although the recording quality isn't up to some of Hayes' other live sets from the time, the energy of the playing certainly is! Hayes plays with the quartet of trumpeter Les Condon – on tracks that include "Freedom Monday" and "When My Baby Gets Mad – Everybody Split". Tony Coe is on tenor, and leading his quintet with John Picard on trombone, Colin Purbook on piano, Peter Ind on bass, and Jackie Dougan on drums – on versions of "The Jeep Is Jumpin", "Tenderly", and "Blues We Played Last Night", both of which feature Coe on tenor. Last up is guitarist Frank Evans, playing with Ind and Dougan, on "Blues For Sunday" and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". CD

Bassist Joelle Leandre always seems to bring out something special in a session – and that's definitely the case here, as her warm spirit of creative creation seems to really shape the contributions of Agusti Fernandez on piano and Evan Parker on tenor sax! Make no mistake, Parker also brings out a lot in players too – and his ability to adapt, especially in mature years, continues to blow us away – especially on a record like this, as his tenor wraps around the bass in all sorts of wonderful ways, sprinkled with notes from Fernandez, and dotted by the drums and objects used by Zlatko Kaucic – who we may be hearing here for the first time. The set features one long performance – recorded at the Cerkno festival in 2018, dedicated to Kaucic's 40 years as a musician! CD

An album with a bit of a gimmick – songs about the moon – but one that quickly transcends that mode, thanks to the vocal strengths of Allegra Levy! Levy's definitely a singer who's working in a jazz-based style, but she's also got this very pointed, personal approach to phrasing that almost feels as if she's talking to us personally – almost a style that could be set up with more contemporary instrumentation in the backings, but which feels even warmer here in the company of Carmen Staaf on piano, Alex Goodman on guitar, an Tim Norton on bass. The lack of drums gives the trio a slightly softer (but not sleepy) vibe – one that seems to really push Allegra to the forefront, as she takes on an unusual mix of songs that includes some familiar standards, plus tunes by Nick Drake, Neil Young, and Cat Stevens. The album features a great take on "Pink Moon" – plus "Harvest Moon", "Moon Ray", "Moon River", "No Moon At All", "Polkadots & Moonbeams", "Moonshadow", and "Moonlight In Vermont". CD

An incredible document of late 60s America – composed and conducted by Gary McFarland, in a style that's much more ambitious than any of his other work! The album's fully titled "America The Beautiful: An Account Of Its Disappearance" – and features "movements" with very telling subtitles that include "On This Site Shall Be Erected", "80 Miles An Hour Through Beer Can Country", "Suburbia: Two Poodles And A Plastic Jesus", and our personal favorite, "Due To A Lack Of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Cancelled". Gary's really wearing his politics on his sleeve here – picturing a late 60s America that's without hope, without revolution, and clearly in danger of falling prey to its own plasticization. The whole thing's a wonderful antidote to the "revolution is coming" side of the 60s that is more popularly pushed – and Gary was one of the few musicians at the time with an eye that was clear enough to see that in the 60s, you could sing "The Times Are A-Changing" – but in reality, the corporations were a-growing! Musically, the album features a larger group of jazz players working in a full, rich style that has lots of soundtrack touches. There's a real Axelrod-like feel to the set – with string passages one minute, funky rhythms the next – and some breakout jazz soloing that really colors the tunes nicely! Players include Jerome Richardson, Eric Gale, Bernard Purdie, and Chuck Rainey – and Gary's mostly doing the conducting on the set. CD

They're not kidding with the title of this one – because although the record was only Wes Montgomery's second album as a leader, he was already making plenty of waves with the sound of his guitar! The session lines Wes up with the very tight rhythm team of Tommy Flanagan on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – all of whom lay back and mostly let Wes take center stage – sparkling on a number of original tunes that include "West Coast Blues", "Mister Walker", and "D Natural Blues". Other tracks include a great fast take on Sonny Rollins' "Airegin", plus "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". CD

Sun Ra's really moving forward with this classic set – refining the sound of his Chicago-based Arkestra, and reaching for new territory that moves him way past familiar jazz modes! The cover bills the group as playing "music from tomorrow's world" – and you can definitely hear that on some titles here, including one number that features Ra on some really haunting celeste, and another that features Marshall Allen making weird noises with his mouthpiece! The group is all greats from the old days – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute, Pat Patrick on baritone and flute, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Charles Davis on baritone, and Ronnie Boykins on bass – and titles include "Hours After", "Saturn", "Ancient Ethiopia", and "Blues At Midnight". CD

Great early work from Sun Ra & The Arkestra – two never-issued tracks, and a classic Saturn Records groove! "Rocket Number Nine" may well be one of the group's strongest early anthems – a propulsive number that's bold enough to soar to the skies – driven by old school snapping snare, but given a very moody vibe by the group's chanting, and some very offbeat horn solos! "Ankhnation" is a never-issued track – one that has a great mix of comping chords from Ra on piano and right rhythm lines – with lots of nice solos over the top from John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, and Hobart Dotson – almost a Yusef Lateef track overall. Last up is the previously-unissued "Project Black Mass" – a tune that has all these cool percussion bits and piano notes in a flurry – almost a more outside take on the style of Moondog! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Brazilian gem from guitarist Bola Sete – recorded before his more famous work for Fantasy Records, in a slightly different groove! Bola's playing a hollow-body electric here, and with a style that's more jazz than bossa – very well played, with a nice sense of tone and color – and backings that have a slightly blue sort of quality and modern overtones. There's still a bit of samba rhythms at times, and the record is a real standout from the early Odeon years – with titles that include "Eu Vou De Samba Rock", "Menino Desce Dai", "Un Recuerdo", "Noite Chuvosa", "Brigitte Bardot", and "Piel Canela". LP, Vinyl record album

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A beautiful book that traces the intersection of art and commerce in the field of the record album cover – as museum-level creative talents from Salvador Dali, to Albert Oehlen, to Raymond Pettibon all got their time in the record racks – as you'll see in this huge book of full-color images! The book is done in the most lavish Taschen style – and goes way way past the obvious entries, like record covers that use Vincent Van Gough or Hieronymus Bosch – and instead includes mostly work by cutting-edge 20th Century artists, including loads of important talents from the underground – including a surprising amount of images that we never realized were the result of a famous talent. The book is about 450 pages – and doesn't just include the album covers, but also a fair bit in the way of notes and other credits – all laid out alphabetically, by the creators – as a great antidote to some of the more mainstream record album art books on the market. Super-huge, super-heavy, and beautiful color throughout. Book

A hip set of swinging urban tunes – recorded by Piero Umiliani in 1976, in a mode that recalls American "urban" jazz tributes from the 50s and 60s – especially some of the albums that were dedicated to New York! Yet the difference here is that he session's got a bit of a 70s sound – with some slight electric instrumentation, and some backings that feel a bit like they were lifted from a Lalo Schifrin soundtrack – an influence that's more than ok in our book! The work is quite different than some of Umiliani's mad 60s work – but no less great, and a welcome addition to his rich catalog of work. The record is definitely one of Piero's jazziest from the 70s – thanks to work from Italian legends who include Oscar Valdambrini, Bruno Tommaso, and Dino Piano – on titles that include "Citta Amica", "Citta Frenetica", "Viadotti", "Piazza Di Siena", "L'Uomo E La Citta", "Rete Urbana", "Suoni Della Citta", and "Centrali Termiche". CD

A hip set of swinging urban tunes – recorded by Piero Umiliani in 1976, in a mode that recalls American "urban" jazz tributes from the 50s and 60s – especially some of the albums that were dedicated to New York! Yet the difference here is that he session's got a bit of a 70s sound – with some slight electric instrumentation, and some backings that feel a bit like they were lifted from a Lalo Schifrin soundtrack – an influence that's more than ok in our book! The work is quite different than some of Umiliani's mad 60s work – but no less great, and a welcome addition to his rich catalog of work. The record is definitely one of Piero's jazziest from the 70s – thanks to work from Italian legends who include Oscar Valdambrini, Bruno Tommaso, and Dino Piano – on titles that include "Citta Amica", "Citta Frenetica", "Viadotti", "Piazza Di Siena", "L'Uomo E La Citta", "Rete Urbana", "Suoni Della Citta", and "Centrali Termiche". LP, Vinyl record album

With 16 tracks including "Polka Dots and Moonbeams", "Bewitched", "April In Paris", "Misty", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". CD

A rare meeting of these two American giants of the tenor sax – brought together at the end of the 60s in Europe, both recording late in their careers, but with a laidback and open approach that's really wonderful! The format here is quite loose – a bit like some of the late hours, swing-based sides on Prestige at the end of the 50s – with longish tracks that let both players state their solos in clean, well-recorded phrasings – with gentle support from a trio that includes Tete Montoliu on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. There's a few faltering moments at times, but they also add a nice degree of humanity to the record – kind of a dimming genius that might not have been allowed on an American session by either player, but which speaks volumes here for the time and distance both players had travelled! Titles include "Caravan", "Sundae", "Blues For Dottie Mae", and "Perdido". LP, Vinyl record album

A truly incredible collection – even more wonderful than we might have guessed from the title and cover – and both of those are already pretty darn appealing! This package might well be the most comprehensive we've ever seen on the early days of punk in England – a package that goes way past the big names, way past the classic cuts, and really digs deep into the huge explosion of indie labels that fueled the scene – creating a legacy of rare singles and amazing sounds that the British scene hadn't seen in years! If you dig the Sex Pistols or Clash, there's dozens of other tunes here to love – some by artists you'll know from later fame, represented here on very early tracks – and lots more from acts who maybe only gave the world a handful of brilliant singles. The presentation is as stunning as the music – 111 tracks on 4CDs, inside a heavy 64 page book-style jacket – with page after page of notes on each song and band, and lots of images as well. Consider this whole thing an overdue primer on all the punk you missed – even if you lived back in the day – and lose yourself in the huge array of tracks by groups who include The Radiators From Space, Puncture, Some Chicken, The Panik, The Only Ones, Suspects, Tueway Army, The Boys, Acme Sewage Co, Raped, Bazoomis, Menace GLC, Sids, Rudi, Art Attack, Angelic Upstarts, Mean Street, Poison Girls, Chelsea, Demon Preacher, Leyton Brothers, The Dole, Riff Raff, The Tights, Social Security, Nicky & The Dots, No Way, The Wall, Hollywood Brats, Disco Zombies, Spizzoil, Horrorcomic, The Cravats, and lots lots more! CD

A long-overdue collection of work – one that really gets at the unusual appearance of Latin rhythms on the African scene of the postwar years! Latin sounds from Africa are nothing new, but they're one of those things that's always taken for granted, too – kind of assumed in most discussions of the rhythms from the 60s onward, but never explained as fully as might be needed! Given the already-great grooves going down on the continent for generations, it's surprising that African musicians might pick up styles from Cuba and the Caribbean – yet due to the vagaries of global cultural circulation, that's exactly what happened – and the music has never been the same ever since. This really well-done package offers up a range of tracks from the 50s through the 70s – showing some of the earliest African extrapolations of Latin styles – clearly enforcing the "Afro" in Afro-Cuban rhythms – then moving onto some later grooves that offer up some funkier styles too. The work's a bridge between the ethnographic sets on Honest Jons, and some of the tighter grooves you might find on a Soul Jazz collection – a wonderful blend of music, packaged beautifully too. Titles include "A Moins Que Namikosa" by Orchestra OK Jazz, "Rampa Rampa" by Orchestre Yaya Mas, "Quiero Wapacha" by Charles Lembe, "Ven Y Ven Y Ven" by Orchestre OK Jazz, "Vamos A Bailar" by Rio Band, "Guantanamo" by Laba Sosseh, "On Verra Ca" by Orchestre Baobab, "Mi Guajeo" by Orchestre N'Guewel, "N'Niyo" by Amara Toure, "Il N'Est Jamais Trop Tard" by Pierre Tchana & Orchestre Poly Rhythmo, "Africa Boogaloo" by Le Grande Kalle with Don Gonzalo & Manu Dibango, and "Adigbedoto" by Gnonnas Pedro. LP, Vinyl record album

Crucial work from the mighty King Jammy – nearly a decade's worth of productions involving a host of key artists on the Kingston scene – set up with a quality that really helps Jamaican move forward at the underground, after a burst of global fame in the 70s! Jammy's got this nicely rootsy vibe here – not roots reggae, although there's some of that here – but an evolved version of indie production that makes this work such a great antidote to some of the major label material that was flooding the market at the time – righteous sounds from the streets, by artists who were still working hard to uncover new modes and fresh sounds! The choice of cuts is great – and titles include "Pablo in Moonlight City (12" mix)" by Augustus Pablo, "Fally Ranking" by Johnny Osbourne, "Tonight Is The Night To Unite" by Black Uhuru, "It A Go Dread" by Barry Brown", "Life Hard A Yard" by Natural Vibes, "Boom-Shack-A-Lack" by Junior Reid, "Children Of Israel" by Frankie Paul, "Liberation" by Junior Delgado, "Conscience Speaks" by Black Crucial, "Mr Landlord" by Half Pint, "Please Officer (12" mix)" by Earl Zero, "Jah Fire Will Be Burning" by Hugh Mundell, and "Youth Man" by Noel Phillips. 32 tracks on 2CDs. CD

Crucial work from the mighty King Jammy – nearly a decade's worth of productions involving a host of key artists on the Kingston scene – set up with a quality that really helps Jamaican move forward at the underground, after a burst of global fame in the 70s! Jammy's got this nicely rootsy vibe here – not roots reggae, although there's some of that here – but an evolved version of indie production that makes this work such a great antidote to some of the major label material that was flooding the market at the time – righteous sounds from the streets, by artists who were still working hard to uncover new modes and fresh sounds! The choice of cuts is great – and titles include "Pablo in Moonlight City (12" mix)" by Augustus Pablo, "Fally Ranking" by Johnny Osbourne, "Tonight Is The Night To Unite" by Black Uhuru, "It A Go Dread" by Barry Brown", "Life Hard A Yard" by Natural Vibes, "Boom-Shack-A-Lack" by Junior Reid, "Children Of Israel" by Frankie Paul, "Liberation" by Junior Delgado, "Conscience Speaks" by Black Crucial, "Mr Landlord" by Half Pint, "Please Officer (12" mix)" by Earl Zero, "Jah Fire Will Be Burning" by Hugh Mundell, and "Youth Man" by Noel Phillips. LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual idea for a compilation – but the sort that we've really come to appreciate from the folks at Numero Group! The package traces a shift in American independent jazz during the 80s – following the sorts of players who might have played spiritual jazz or rock-oriented fusion in the 70s, as they pick up new instruments, try out new studio techniques, and work in other modes that are surprisingly soulful overall! You might think of the set as the bridge between 70s jazz and smooth jazz – and there's a a few players here you'll recognize from the previous decade – yet the songs are nearly as slick or commercial as mainstream smooth jazz, and maybe stand as a nice indie antidote to the sounds coming from the GRP label during the decade. Titles include "Tropical Chill" by Plunky, "Maria's First" by Calvin Keys, "Waiting For You" by Frank Potenza, "Born With A Desire" by Tony Palkovic, "Sidetrack" by James Dallas, "6295 SW Fisher" by George Shaw, "Sunbeam" by Larry Bright, and "Orphans" by Michael Hayes. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by Tangerine Dream, Gong, Hawkwind, The Orb, Legendary Pink Dots, Spiral Realms, Syd Barrett, Brian Eno, Pressurehed, Amon Duul II, and Delerium. CD

Searing rockabilly work from the Texas scene of the late 50s – all work that came from the powerhouse TNT label out of San Antonio, and the related Marathon Records too! These cuts aren't country twangers, and are instead definitely the kind of raw early rockers that this series does such a good job of tracking down – really wonderful numbers that we never would have heard otherwise, and which explode with the same sort of energy that must have made them fantastic to hear from some backroom jukebox in a small corner tavern! As with the other volumes, there's very detailed notes within, and label scans too – the kind of package that makes this series such a great antidote to some of the more random rockabilly compilations out there. Titles include "China Doll" by Ray Stone, "Here I Come" by Jimmy Dee & The Offbeats, "Catapiller" by Ray Campi, "Set Me Free" by Bill Morrison, "I Love Her" by The Blue Notes, "One More Time" by The Traits, "Pink Bow Tie" by Jerry Dove & His String Dusters, "Duck Tail Cat" by Dan Virva & The Flying D Ramblers, "Trapped" by Cecil Moore & The Notes, "Living Myself To Death" by Chuck Goddard, "I Want You To Love Me Tonight" by Ray Liberto, and "Truck Drivers Special" by Lonnie Lille. CD

Gritty live work from twin tenor giants Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon – recorded in an open-ended style that's a bit like some of Gordon's famous early work on the Central Avenue scene in LA, or Ammons' famous live "battles" with Sonny Stitt! The date was recorded in Chicago at the North Park Hotel – with sound that's a bit more "live" than some of the other Prestige sessions at the time – and an unusual lineup that features local players Jodie Christian and John Young on piano, Cleveland Eaton on bass, and Steve McCall on drums. The lovely Vi Redd makes a vocal appearance on the track "Lonesome Lover Blues" – and other titles include "The Chase", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "The Happy Blues" – all nice and long! LP, Vinyl record album

The 50s Basie band, loud and proud – recorded beautifully by Verve on the stage of the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 – a great year, both for the group and the fest! The lineup here features Count Basie firmly at the helm on piano – with players who include Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet, and Frank Foster on tenor – plus Thad Jones and Joe Newman on trumpets – all tightly grooving on arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, AK Salim, and others – filled with plenty of Basie jumps, leaps, and vamps! Jimmy Rushing sings vocals on the track "Sent For You Yesterday & Here You Come Today" – and other tracks include "Lester Leaps In", "Swingin At Newport", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "Evenin". CD also contains 5 more bonus tracks from another Verve album – Count Basie & Joe Williams at Newport, most with Williams on vocals – including "All Right Okay You Win", "The Comeback", "Roll 'Em Pete", "Smack Dab In The Middle", and "One O' Clock Jump". CD

Bob Dylan and his incomparable band take on old school pop standards for the second album in a row – and it's a real charmer! Fallen Angels has a lot in common with the preceding Strangers In The Night, as they're again taking on songs recorded by, and in some cases popularized by Sinatra, but this one goes a bit deeper into the classic American songbook – and it's all the better for it. Dylan's reputation as a songwriter is borderline biblical, while his reputation as a conventionally gifted singer is, well...something else – so there's a sly allurement here that's not lost on the headliner. He's paying earnest tribute to the songs themselves – which in the course of pop history have been overshadowed by the voices singing them – and on that front, it's masterful! Still, Dylan's raspy croon is pretty darn charismatic itself on this material, making it another late career gem. Longtime Dylan players Charlie Sexton, Stu Kimball, Tony Garnier, George Recile and Donnie Herron make the instrumental magic happen, along with newer Dylan player (though longtime session guitar ace) Dean Parks – but extra credit to Herron, whose steel guitar sound makes it extra special. Includes "Young At Heart", "Maybe You'll Be There", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "All The Way", "Skylark", "Nevertheless", "All Or Nothing At All", "It Had To Be You", "Melancholy Mood", "That Old Black Magic" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". CD

A great live date from Bill Evans – one of his essential sides of the 70s, even if you've already got a bunch of other Evans live material! We know what you're thinking: "Do I have this one? Seems to be a lot of tunes here that I've got on other Evans recordings." But take it from us, this set's a real winner – beautifully recorded despite a larger venue performance in Tokyo – and captured with all the grace, poise, and gentle-flowing genius of Evans in his best better-known live dates – a real antidote to some of the other 70s live albums that might have been better left unissued. Everyone's at the top of their game here – Eddie Gomez on bass with those round warm tones, Marty Morrell on drums with his simple spare rhythms, and Evans himself with a sound that's bold then quiet then bold then soft – beautiful throughout, and really setting fire. Titles include "My Romance", "Yesterday I Heard The Rain", "Mornin Glory", "Up With The Lark", "When Autumn Comes", "TTTT", "Gloria's Step", and "Hullo Bolinas". CD

2 of the few sessions that pianist Elmo Hope cut as a leader in groups with horn players – back to back on one CD, with great notes! First up is Informal Jazz – a 1956 blowing session with Hope on the keys, and a great group that includes Donald Byrd, John Coltrane, and Hank Mobley – plus Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The 4 tracks from that session are all nice and long, with plenty of solo space – and titles include "Weeja", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "On It", and "Avalon". Next is material from the album Homecoming – a great little album that Hope made upon his return to the east coast in the early 60s, not too long before he passed away. Half the tunes are cut with a sextet that features Blue Mitchell, Frank Foster, and Jimmy Heath – and the other are cut with a trio that features Hope, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones, who provide the rhythm for the sextet tunes. The mix of settings is about half and half – and titles include "Moe Jr", "La Berthe", "Eyes So Beautiful", and "One Mo Blues". It's great to hear Hope back with horns, after cutting so many trio sides during this point in his life – and his unique style on the keys is still matched nicely with the larger group of players. CD

2 of the few sessions that pianist Elmo Hope cut as a leader in groups with horn players – back to back in a 2LP set, with great notes! The first disc on the set features material from the album Informal Jazz – a 1956 blowing session with Hope on the keys, and a great group that includes Donald Byrd, John Coltrane, and Hank Mobley – plus Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The 4 tracks from that session are all nice and long, with plenty of solo space – and titles include "Weeja", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "On It", and "Avalon". Next up is material from the album Homecoming – a great little album that Hope made upon his return to the east coast in the early 60s, not too long before he passed away. Half the tunes are cut with a sextet that features Blue Mitchell, Frank Foster, and Jimmy Heath – and the other are cut with a trio that features Hope, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones, who provide the rhythm for the sextet tunes. The mix of settings is about half and half – and titles include "Moe Jr", "La Berthe", "Eyes So Beautiful", and "One Mo Blues". It's great to hear Hope back with horns, after cutting so many trio sides during this point in his life – and his unique style on the keys is still matched nicely with the larger group of players. LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work by this overlooked pianist – a solo album and a trio date, packaged together wonderfully in this 2CD set! Afterblue features Alain Jean-Marie alone at the piano – playing these incredible notes on his own – a gentle sound painting in color and tone, but one that's free of any too-staid styles you might expect from other solo dates. The depth of feeling that Jean-Marie gets is really unique – a way of hitting just the right notes in gentle succession – never overstating his own skills on the keys, yet always making us keenly aware of his personal brilliance. Few solo piano dates have held us as rapt as this one – and titles include "Pastel City", "By The Lake", "Pretty Morning", "Delirio", "Ghost Of Yesterday", and "Resignation". Lazy Afternoon is a trio date from a year later – one that has Alain Jean-Marie working with Gilles Naturel on bass and John Betsch on drums – a group with a restrained power that really lets the piano lines of Alain stand out strongly on the date. Jean-Marie's tone is tremendous – a rich, round sound that's completely captivating, yet never in ways that are overstated or overdone. Alain's got a genius that rivals Bill Evans for his sense of sound and space – and the trio members really seem to follow that ear with their own work on the date. Titles include "Valse Pour AJM", "UMMG", "Lazy Afternoon", "Arioso", "Reincarnation Of A Love Bird", and "Thanks To You". CD

David Newman on alto sax & flute, Cornell Dupree on guitar, Ellis Marsalis on piano, James Clay on tenor sax, Leroy Cooper on baritone sax, Dennis Dotson on trumpet, Chuck Rainey on bass, and George Rains on drums. CD

Nothing slow and sticky here – because Eddie Palmieri is really hitting his groove by this point in his career – soaring along in a dark blend of jazz and Latin elements, with a fair bit more complicated modes than most of his contemporaries! There's a sophistication here that's really wonderful – and light years ahead of Eddie's albums of a few years before. Yet the album's never too bogged down in its own importance that it fails to groove – as most of the numbers here are killer groovers that burst out with raw energy that's perfect for a Latin dancefloor! Barry Rogers and Jose Rodrigues play twin trombones, Manny Oquendo is on timbales, and George Castro plays flute – but Eddie's really the star of the set with his incredibly bold lines on piano! Vocals are by Ismael Quintana, and titles include "Melao Para El Sapo", "You're Gonna Hear From Me", "Tirandote Flores", "Campesino", "Bombonsito de Pozo", and "Carnaval en Camaguey". CD

An interesting album – in that it purports to be a trio recording by Powell, but is actually a packaging of material recorded at the legendary Jazz At Massey Hall concert in 1953. Given the "trio" title, the album features the material at Massey recorded by the group that featured Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max Roach on drums – on performances that include "Polkadots & Moonbeams", "Cherokee", and "Sure Thing". Nice cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Later work by Pharoah Sanders – and an overlooked set that's filled with some pretty nice material! The group features electric piano by Donald Smith and acoustic piano by William Henderson – and the groove is a mixture of spiritual soul jazz with a few more standard numbers that differ from Pharoah's albums on Impulse. At the best moments, Pharoah is blowing with all his classic magic – crafting the sort of long and raspy lines that always grab us immediately, as the rhythm section comps out modally behind him, setting up a soulfully swinging groove. Highlights include a version of Coltrane's "Equinox", done in a building modal way that stays very faithful to the original, and a long version of "Out Of This World", one that runs for 14 minutes, building into a straight jazz groove that layers sound upon sound upon sound. Leon Thomas sings a bit on the record – and titles include "Next Time You See Me", "If It Wasn't For A Woman", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of live performances – both of them great, and both done in the very open, creative style of the Three Blind Mice label at the time! Side one features core work by the trio of pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, but with key guest work from Isao Suzuki on cello and Sunao Wada on guitar – both players who really open up the groove a lot! Suzuki solos in this great way on a long version of "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and also makes an appearance on "Midnight Sugar" – which also has a long, soulful solo from Wada on guitar. Side two features a long take on "Now's The Time" – done in a freewheeling jam session mode – with Yoshio Otomo and Kenji Mori on alto sax, Takao Uematsu and Mabumi Yamaguchi on tenors, and Toshiyuki Daitoku on Fender Rhodes – all in a group led by drummer George Otsuka. CD

Beautiful work from songwriter Chips Moman – a key force on the Memphis scene at the end of the 60s, and a writer whose pen managed to touch a huge range of genres and styles over the years! Chips is maybe best known for the famous songs he gave to Aretha Franklin and others in his early years – but Moman has that special southern style of easily crossing genres, which meant that his heartfelt lyrics were also taken up by folks in country and rock as well – as you'll hear on this great collection that brings together all sorts of unusual interpretations of Chips' tunes! If there ever was an artist to warrant the treatment that Ace gives in its "songwriter" series, it was Moman – and there's plenty of notes on the songs and the recordings to help flesh out your understanding of his genius. Titles include "Promises" by Carla Thomas, "For You" by Gizzelle, "Do Right Woman Do Right Man" by Cher, "Fool In Love" by the Veltones, "I'll Never Give Her Up" by The Canes, "Don't Let It Be This Time" by The Gentrys, "You're Gonna See A Lot More Of My Leaving" by Barbara Lynn, "Okeechobee Purple" by Gary Stewart, "Dark End Of The Street" by The Flying Burrito Brothers, "Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" by BJ Thomas, "Luckenbach Texas" by Waylon Jennings, "So Much Like My Dad" by George Strait, "Here Come The Flowers" by Dottie West, and "Easy Street" by Johnny Cash. CD

A set that looks at the early years of funk music – at a time when blues, R&B, and jazz were all bubbling together in the first few years of soul – before heavier sounds of later years came in and almost made funk into a genre of its own! The date range in the title is large, but most of the cuts here are from the late 50s and early 60s – brought together in a mix of vocal and instrumental modes that really preface some of the ways that funk would be laid out in the second half of the 60s. The package features 49 tracks in all – and titles include "Say Yeah Yeah" by Yvonne Fair, "Big Nick" by James Booker, "Tell Me The Truth" by Turquinettes, "Keep On Lovin You" by Jimmy Jules, "Stop My Heart From Crying" by Jimmy Pace, "Say Yeah" by Porky & The Polka Dots, "Come On (parts 1 & 2)" by Earl King, "Mambo Gunch" by Chris Powell, "I'm Leaving You Today" by Al Robinson, "Honky Tonk Woman" by Fabulous Playboys – and lots lots more! CD

The deepest album we've heard in years from Till Bronner – a beautiful collection of Brazilian-tinged tunes, performed with a host of wonderful guest stars! Bronner plays his usual trumpet, and also sings a bit too – in that warmly raspy voice that we first grew to love during his Chet Baker tribute. But almost even better are the guests – who include Milton Nascimento, Vanessa De Mata, Aimee Mann, Sergio Mendes, Luciana Souza, Melody Gardot, and our own Kurt Elling – all of whom really bring a lot of depth to the record with their contributions. There's still a warmly soulful feel to the set, as you'd hear on other Bronner albums – but the additional Brazilian touches really make the whole thing sound fresh and wonderful – an unexpected treat from an artist we always like to keep our ear on. Titles include "O Que Sera", "Evening", "Ela E Carioca", "Ligia", "Cafe Com Pao", "A Ra", "Bonita", "Sim Ou Nao", "Aquelas Coisas Todas", and "Misterios". CD

An album as incredible as its bulls-eye cover – the first record ever from a young Bob Dorough – and easily one of his most swinging sessions! The style here is a bit straighter jazz than on some of Bob's later work – vocalese inspired by Jon Hendricks, King Pleasure, Eddie Jefferson, and others – recorded with a small combo that includes Jack Hitchcock on vibes, Warren Fitzgerald on trumpet, Jerry Segal on drums, and Bob's longtime partner Bill Takas on bass. Many of the tunes are vocalized versions of bop numbers – done with a nicely quirky style that shows that the mad Dorough touch was already in place during these early years – on titles that include "It Could Happen To You", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Baltimore Oriole", "Yardbird Suite", "Devil May Care", and "Ow" – plus his great original "You're The Dangerous Type"! CD

A very hip set from Bill Evans' second trio – the legendary lineup that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Both players bring Evans' sound to an even greater level of spaciousness – allowing for lyrical interplay that's completely amazing, and even furthers the promise of genius made by Bill on his first few albums – a bold step forward that really makes this album one of Evans' standout sets of the early 60s! Titles include an early reading of Evans' wonderful tune "Re: Person I Knew", plus "Very Early", "In Love In Vain", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "If You Could See Me Now", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best studio albums ever from the legendary Von Freeman – and a date that really captures some of the careful essence of his live performances in Chicago! Unlike the previous Atlantic album, which tried to fit Von into a more expected bag, this easygoing Nessa session really lets him open up and take off – blowing tunes that are straight ahead, but always with that offbeat style that turns the songs inside out – making them rich exploratory fields for inventive and creative solos! The group fits Von's longtime credo of never upstaging the leader – which gives his tenor lots of room to blow – and players include John Young on piano , David Shipp on bass, and the great Wilbur Campbell on drums. Titles include a great version of Mancini's "Mr Lucky", plus "Swinging The Blues", "Polka Dots And Moonbeams", and "Have No Fear Soul Is Here". This great Nessa CD version has a killer bonus track, too – the Freeman-composed "Boomerang". CD

A rare set of crime jazz from early 60s Poland – a wonderfully rich soundtrack that mixes lots of great work on saxes with some fuller orchestrations that deliver a heck of a lot of feeling! The approach is maybe a bit like some of the jazzier soundtracks of Kenyon Hopkins or Elmer Bernstein – still relatively orchestral in format, but making use of a solo horn in ways that are very different than soundtracks of the generation before – sometimes with modes that are straighter jazz, other times with elements that have a bit more of an evocative sense of drama. Titles include "Taras", "Czolowka", "Paszport Dyplomatczny", "Noc/Szpital", "Grob/Klucze", and "Powrot Do Domu/Morderstwo". CD also features 10 more tracks from the film Dotkniecie Nocy – even jazzier work than the first soundtrack – and 2 more from the first film. CD

5CDs' worth of great music from the Nouvelle Vague – the French New Wave of Cinema that emerged at the end of the 50s – and which often featured a fair bit of jazz in the mix for its soundtracks! CD1 features the Paul Misraki score for Et Dieu Crea La Femme – And God Created Woman – an early Brigitte Bardot film directed by Roger Vadim, full of jazzy numbers by Misraki, presented here without the Bardot narration on other versions of the soundtrack. The CD features 23 tracks in all – with bonus material too! CD2 features great work from tenorist Barney Wilen – his full soundtrack to the film Un Temoin Dans La Ville, plus his own jazz album Jazz Sur Seine! CD3 features the Michel Legrand music for Eva – a perfect blend of Legrand's earlier straighter jazz work, with some of his later talent for groovy orchestrations. The overall feel is quite dark – with the kind of jazz-based soundscapes that were showing up in some other French soundtracks at the time, and sweet little noirish feel. CD4 features three scores by Georges Delerue – all for films directed by Francois Truffaut – Jules Et Jim, Tires Sur Le Pianiste, and Le Mepris – all sounding great together. CD5 features Martial Solal's score for A Bout De Souffle – a film best known as Breathless around the world, and an early movie by Jean Luc Godard that perhaps gave Martial Solal his biggest early global exposure! Solal's sharp, modern tones on the piano are very firmly in place here – but there's also lots of more dynamic jazz instrumentation too – of the sort that rivals other French new wave soundtracks by artists like Miles Davis, Barney Wilen, or Art Blakey. Yet Solal, like Godard, is perhaps a bit more sophisticated in his musical approach – and often breaks out into these little paintings in jazz, a bit like some of Elmer Bernstein on our favorite jazzy late 50s soundtracks. CD

Simply fantastic! An amazingly insane assortment of groovy groovy French vocal pop from the 60's, with tracks that will make your ears pop out when you hear them. Soaring vocals, groovy guitars, and arrangements that have quirky little edges that make Serge Gainsbourg sound soft. Stellar stuff from people like France Gall, Nicoletta, Brigitte Bardot, Eddie Barclay, Les Parisiennes, Jacques Dutronc, Andre Brasseur, Daniel Gerard, and sooo many others. Great package, great notes, and the kind of stuff that we always dream about, but have never been able to find. Amazing stuff all the way through, and a real treat for your groovy groovy ears! CD