Rare work from obscure Chicago tenor player Vito Price – recorded back in the days when there actually used to be a jazz scene in the city's center – also known as The Loop! Price was a New Yorker by birth, but worked in Chicago clubs, TV, and radio in the 50s – and was most likely brought to Argo for this session by Chubby Jackson – with whom he'd worked on a previous date for the label. Price has a strong, bold tone in his horn – swing-based, but with a fluid sense of movement that's absorbed plenty of bop – and on the album, he's playing in two different settings. Side one features a largeish group with two more trumpets and two trombones, and side two features a quintet with a slightly more intimate sound. Lou Levy plays piano in both groups, and titles include "Credo", "Eye Strain", "Swingin The Loop", "Mousey's Tune", and "Duddy". CD

Brilliant work from the "Vice Pres" – tenorist Paul Quinichette, stepping out here in one the best of of his all-too-few sessions as a leader! Paul's tone is amazing throughout – very much on a par with that of Ben Webster or Coleman Hawkins, and proof that his admission to the jazz "executive branch" in the 50s was well deserved. The tunes are shortish, but very swinging – and Quinichette's tenor work dominates in a group that also includes Nat Pierce, Henry Coker, Thad Jones, Freddie Green, and Joe Newman. There's a Basie-esque swing overall – but the final result is miles from Basie, and has a very different vibe overall. Titles include "Big Deal", "Happy Feeling", "Pardon The Blues Please", "Start Here", and "The Kid From Denver". Plus, this CD features a huge amount of bonus tracks – 12 extra tunes, all pulled from exclusive sessions for various Jazzville compilations! The overall sound is similar to the full album – although the players differ a bit – and titles include "Colonel Hodge", "I Never Knew", "The Creeper", "Big George", "Suitcase", and "Minor Scene". CD

Featuring Blue Mitchell, Walter Bishop Jr, Art Taylor, Gildo Mahones, Dave Bailey, Clark Terry, Curtis Fuller, and Horace Parlan. CD

A pretty unusual quartet – with Scott on clarinet, Dick Katz on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums! CD

Three albums on 2 discs! CD

Tracks include "Along Came Betty," "Are You Real?" "Killer Joe," "Domingo," and more. CD

Featuring the following compositions by Mercedes Rossy – "Some Like To Love More Than Once," "Amidst A Yesterday's Presence," "The Other Side of Time," "1991," "Water Stones," "6 D'Octubre," "Gone But Not Forgotten," and "The Newcomer." CD

Genius early work from a young Barney Wilen – an album issued in the US during a brief time when the French tenor star was turning a lot of heads on the American scene! The date's a great illustration of Wilen's amazingly deft talents on the tenor right from the start – a keen ear for the best changes of American jazzmen of the generation, but a depth of soul that really points the way towards some of Barney's more expressive modes in later years! Tracks are relatively short, but he gets a hell of a lot into such a small space – and the group features alto from Hubert Fol, piano from Nico Buninck, bass from Lloyd Thompson, and drums from Al Levitt. Titles are mostly originals, played with a sharp, crisp edge – and tunes include "Brainstorm", "Papiermento", "Blue Hubert", "The Office", and "Spracklin". CD

Featuring Charlie Mariano, Jimmy Giuffre, Bill Holman, and Claude Williamson. CD

A beautiful set of modal jazz tracks – recorded by the great LA pianist Jack Wilson with a young Roy Ayers! The set is amazing, and features haunting piano and vibes interplay between Ayers and Wilson – in a style that could best be summed up as LA modern modal, but which is also embellished by lots warm, lyrical twists by both of the soloists. The title cut is a totally groovy workout on Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin", and the rest of the set includes Coltrane's "Impressions", Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments", Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder", and a great 3-part reading of "The Sandpiper". One of our favorite albums from the 60's, and a beautiful document of one of the lesser-known streams of jazz that was coming out of the west coast during the time – and it's key proof that Ayers was an incredible jazz player in his years before moving to soul music! CD

Previously unreleased European recordings by Louis Armstrong & His All Stars. CD

Gerald Cleaver on drums, Andrew Bishop on clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophone, Craig Taborn on organ and keyboards, Ben Monder on guitar, Mat Maneri on viola and Reid Anderson on bass. CD

Featuring Red Mitchell, Shelly Mann, Bud Shank, Joe Mondragon, Carson Smith, Stu Williamson, and Monty Budwig. CD

One of Stan's earliest sides as a leader – recorded for Roost Records in the early 50s, and originally issued as 10" LPs. Players include Jimmy Raney on guitar with either Horace Silver or Duke Jordan on piano, and either Leonard Gaskin and Roy Haynes or Bill Crow and Frank Isola in the rhythm section. 9 tracks in all, with titles that include "Yvette", "Wildwood", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Melody Express", "Potter's Luck", "The Song Is You", "Fools Rush In", "Autumn Leaves", and "Fools Rush In". CD

Features Arne Domnerus, Carl Henrik Norin, Ake Persson, Rune Ofwermann, Georg Riedel, Rolf Billberg, Jan Allan, Rune Gustafsson, Lars Bagge, Bengt Arne Wallin, Harry Backlund, Putte Wickmann, and Nils Bertil Dahlander. CD

This CD contains the albums Chico Hamilton Trio Introcuding Freddie Gambrell and Freddie Gambrell With Ben Tucker, Bass. CD

Despite the stupid name (or perhaps because of it), this is one of the great lost sessions of the 60s! Drummer Pete LaRoca originally cut this set for the tiny Douglas label, and the session's an amazing bit of modernist jazz that features a rare non-Sun Ra appearance by tenorist John Gilmore. Gilmore's playing is fantastic, and quite different from that on some of his Ra albums – probably because the rest of the quartet features Chick Corea and Walter Booker, who groove in a very modal vein. The material's out, but not too out – and although Corea and Gilmore's solos are quite far-reaching, they also snap back nicely into the tight playing of the ensemble. And forget all of your biases against Corea – because at this young age, his playing is great! Titles include "Sin Street", "Dancing Girls", "Love Planet", and "Bliss". CD

One of Jackie McLean's earliest dates as a leader – a stone cooker that already shows an edge that sets him apart from other artists! The feel here is similar to McLean's albums for Prestige at the same time – a mixture of bop and some of the modernist themes that often surfaced in McLean's work, played in a seductively laidback manner, but with a razor-sharp intensity overall! Players include Donald Byrd on trumpet, Mal Waldron on piano, and Doug Watkins on bass – just the right sort of lineup to match the dark intensity of Jackie's music. Titles include "Mood Malody", "Lover Man", "Blue Doll", "It's You Or No One", and a key early take of "Little Melonae". CD

Features tracks originally issued on Joe Newman and His Band, Joe Newman and the Boys in the Band, I Feel Like a Newman, and includes appearances by Frank Wess, Count Basie, Freddie Green, Frank Foster, Benny Powell, and more – 25 tracks in all! CD

Noah Preminger on tenor saxophone, Masa Kamaguchi on bass and Rob Garcia on drums. CD

Jason Rigby on tenor and sopranino saxophone, and flute, Russ Johnson on trumpet, Mike Holober on Fender Rhodes, Gameron Brown on bass, and Gerald Cleaver on drums. CD

Includes the albums Take A Number, Hooray For Love, and Mavis Rivers Sings About The Simple Life. Also includes the bonus tracks "Isa Lei" and "My Little Grass Shack". CD

One of the most obscure modern jazz albums on Savoy – an obscure album that's also one of the few dates as a leader from pianist Ronnie Ball! Also features Ted Brown on tenor, Willie Dennis on trombone, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – on titles that include "Pennie Packer", "Citrus Season", "Feather Bead", and "Little Quail" – plus 10 more bonus tracks! CD

3 tremendous albums from modern trombonist Eddie Bert – all of which stand as some of his greatest work of the 50s! The records were all originally recorded for Savoy, and all within a few months of each other – and there's a crystal-clear focus on all of them that you don't always find in both Savoy sessions, and other trombone outings from the time. The groups here are all small – either quartet or quintet lineups that feature Bert's trombone with Hank Jones on piano, JR Monterose on tenor, Joe Puma on guitar, Clyde Lombardi on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – carving amazing lines out of the ether, and using the instrument with a deftness and sense of imagination that most other 50s players couldn't touch! Titles include "Fragile", "Three Bass Hit", "See You Later", "Bert Tram", "One For Tubby", "It's Only Sunshine", "Crosstown", "Wishbone", "Steady Eddie", "Slow Crosstown", "Conversation", "Bronx Line", and "Manhattan Suite". CD

Incredible material from the LA jazz underground! Although Los Angeles was always best known for its cool jazz scene during the 50s and 60s, beneath it all, there was a core group of modernist soul jazz players (Jack Wilson, Curtis Amy, Horace Tapscott, and others) working away to forge a whole new idiom. And although much of that music never got the attention it deserved, it has left a lasting influence on the face of modern jazz – as you'll hear in this excellent reissue of rare early material by the quintet headed by trombonist Lou Blackburn and trumpeter Freddie Hill, and featuring pianist Horace Tapscott. Tapscott's well known for his later work as part of the LA avant scene, but he's equally talented here in this early session, adding some fantastic piano touches to Blackburn's lively compositions. The set sparkles with energy and creativity, and it's got a whopping total of 18 tracks in all. The liner notes are a bit spare as to whether or not this stuff has been issued before, but who cares? The whole package is great, and it's filled with killer tracks like "New Frontier", "Perception", "Scorpio", "Harlem Bossa Nova", and "Grand Prix". CD

Includes the songs "Janine", "Byas Jump", "Chicago Boogie", "The Man I Love", "To Each His Own", "Riffin'And Jivin'", "Manana Sera Tarde", "La Pena De Perder", "Quisiera Saber...", "Sonar En Ti", "Infiniment", "Siempre, Siempre" "Johnson Rock", "Flamingo", "St. Louis Blues", "Cherokee", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Zoom", "All The Things You Are", and "Georgia Impromptu Brown". CD

A key album in the development of the flute in jazz – issued under the Swingin Shepherds name to cash in on the fame of that popular hit of the time! The album's a bit more serious and conceptual than you might guess from the title and cover image – and follows strongly on the approach Collette and others of the LA scene were working through in Chico Hamilton's groundbreaking Quintet of the time. The set's got a unique lineup that features Collette, Bud Shank, Paul Horn, and Harry Klee on an assortment of flutes – plus Bil Miller on piano, Joe Comfort on bass, and Bill Richmond on drums. The sound is light and swinging – in the playful mode that recalls the Hamilton group, but which is also a bit more flute heavy, and lighter overall. Titles include "The Four Winds Blow", "Flute Diet", "Short Story", "Machito", "Improvisation", and "The Funky Shepherds". Buddy takes his Swinging Shepherds crew to the movies on this one – serving up a set of tunes from 40s and 50s films that all come off perfectly with the group's multi-flute approach! The sound's nicely mellow at times, but still has that tightly arranged west coast modern style that made the group's first record so great. Players include Paul Horn, Bud Shank, and Harry Klee on flutes – plus Jim Hall on guitar, Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. Titles include "The Bad & The Beautiful", "The Shrike", "Invitation", "Ruby", "Swinging On A Star", and "Intermezzo" CD

Featuring Buck Clayton on trumpet, Jimmy Forrest on tenor, Jimmy Jones on piano, Freddie Green on guitar, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. CD

Some of the earliest genius of alto saxophonist Herb Geller – one of our favorite players of the mid 50s LA scene, heard here on some key sessions cut with his pianist wife Lorraine! The bulk of the set comes from 3 classic albums for Mercury – Herb Geller Plays, Herb Geller Sextette, and The Gellers – plus a bit more from the rare Imperial EP Sensational Saxophone Of Herb Geller – all tremendous records that strongly showcase Geller's amazingly dexterous approach to the alto sax – in a style that has some of the sharpness and modernist elements of Lee Konitz from the same time, but which also comes across with the deeper sense of soul that you might find in work by Charlie Mariano or Art Pepper. Lorraine's work on piano is great too – fast, fluid, and often quite boppish – not at all what you might expect from the cooler LA scene of the 50s. Other players here include Curtis Counce or Red Mitchell on bass, Lawrence Marable or Mel Lewis on drums, Conte Candoli on trumpet, and Ziggy Vines on tenor sax. 2CD set features 37 tracks in all – all completely sublime – with titles that include "It's Swell Of You", "Mad About The Boy", "A Room With A View", "Happy Go Lucky", "Breaking Through The Sound Barrier", "Silver Rain", "Patterns", "Arapahoe", "Love", "Two Of A Kind", "Outpost Incident", "Tardi At Zardi's", "Vone Mae", and "Owl Eyes". CD

Ernie Henry was a fantastic alto player who recorded famously with Thelonius Monk, but only got to make a handful of his own dates before an untimely early death, two of which are collected here! Last Chorus is a wonderful record and the last album issued under the name of altoist Ernie Henry. The posthumous release brings together some unreleased material cut by Henry for Riverside in a few different styles – a hip octet session with Melba Liston on trombone, Benny Golson on tenor, and Lee Morgan on trumpet; a piano-less quartet date cut with Kenny Dorham on trumpet; a session with Monk on piano and Sonny Rollins on tenor; and a quartet date with Wynton Kelly on piano. Titles include "Melba's Tune", "Cleo's Chant", "Ba Lu Bolivar Ba Lues Are", "Like Someone In Love", "All The Things You Are", and "Beauty & The Blues". Seven Standards & A Blues features tracks that were the last the Henry cut as a leader, done in late 1957 shortly before he passed away. The records show Henry as an emerging lyrical modernist on the alto – kind of a soul jazz version of Lee Konitz, but with a bit more of a swing. The group includes Wynton Kelly, Wilbur Ware, and Philly Joe Jones – and tracks include "Specific Gravity", "My Ideal", "Like Someone In Love", and "Soon". CD

Incredible postwar bop recordings by one of the hippest groups in Germany! During the 50s, pianist Jutta Hipp cut a number of straighter sides for Blue Note that were recorded in the US – but this CD features earlier German recordings, some later issued by Blue Note – all done with a killer quintet that features a young Joki Freund on tenor sax and Emil Mangelsdorff on alto! Jutta's working in a trio mode on some numbers here, but most of the tracks feature both horn players – working with amazing interplay that really makes the record shine – working in unison on many of the intros to the songs, cutting back and forth like a double-edged sword, then breaking out into wonderfully compact solos that easily rival the best of the west coast at the time! The CD greatly expands the first Jutta Hipp Quintet album – and features a total of 20 tracks that includes material from that arecord, other studio sessions, and 2 more live tracks. Titles include "Cleopatra", "Mon Petit", "What's New", "Yogi", "Anything Goes", "Variations", "Laura", "Simone II", "Morning Fun", and "Frankfurt Special". CD

Featuring Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall, Kenny Clarke, Wade Legge, John Lewis, Horace Silver, and Oscar Pettiford. CD

JJ Johnson on trombone, Bobby Jaspar on tenor sax & flute, Hanks Jones & Tonny Flannigan on piano, Percy Heath & wilbur Little on bass & Elvin Jones on drums. CD

Great work by a great singer – the far under-recorded Irene Kral, a lovely lady who really bridges a number of different camps in the vocal jazz world! At one level, Irene's got the coolness of a Christy or Connor, but at another, she's got a more open, swinging, and soulful style – one that comes off with none of the hoke of Anita O'Day, and which is a perfect balance between class, cool, and easy going honesty. The trio of Junior Mance provides the backings, and titles include "Better Than Anything", "The Meaning Of The Blues", "Passing By", "No More", "Nobody Else But Me", "This Is Always", and "It's A Wonderful World". CD

One of the hipper albums ever cut by singer Monica Lewis – an artist who's maybe as remembered for her cheescake image as she is for her vocals! Yet make no mistake, the lady's definitely got some jazz chops here – working in a nicely stripped-down setting led by pianist Jack Kelly, who also handles arrangements – and makes nice use of guitar to almost create a Julie London vibes, plus a bit of clarinet to cut a sharper edge at all the right moments. There's a nice current of melancholy in Monica's vocals – maybe echoing the blue on the cover – and titles include "What'll I Do", "Do It Again", "You'd Better Go Now", "But Not For Me", "Am I Blue", "Fools Rush In", and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

Twelve songs, featuring arrangements by Jimmie Jones. Tracks include "Wild Is The Wind", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "You're Mine You", "The Lamp Is Low", "I Thought About You", and "He Needs Me". CD

Insanely wonderful early work from Charlie Mariano – some of the freshest, cleanest alto sax work of its time! The album's one of Charlie's strongest early efforts – a no-nonsense quartet session that features rhythm by the trio of John Williams on piano, Max Bennett on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. Charlie's tone is impeccable – somewhere between Lee Konitz and Charlie Parker, but with that back bay Boston blend of soul and modernism that made the city one of the best scenes for alto players in the 50s. Titles include "Blues", "Floormat", "I Heard You Cried Last Night", "Johnny One Note", and "King For A Day". CD

A wonderfully modern little record from the team of Charlie Mariano and Jerry Dodgion – a set that was originally issued with an old-timey bathing beauty cover image that obscured its fresh-voiced 50s appeal! Mariano and Dodgion work here to open up some older chestnuts from many years back – recasting familiar tunes as surprisingly great vehicles for jazz improvisation, in a way that really allows plenty of space for Charlie's own great work on alto, and which makes the album one of the best early Mariano sessions ever! The group's a sextet, with Charlie on alto and recorder, Dodgion on alto and flute, Victor Feldman on vibes, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – and tunes include "Over There", "After You've Gone", "Deep River", "Till We Meet Again", and "Hello Central Give Me No Man's Land". CD

Charlie Mariano on alto saxophone, Tete Montoliu on piano, Horacio Fumero on bass, and Peer Wyboris on drums. CD

Features Gene Quill on alto sax and clarinet, Lou Stein on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. CD

Gene Quill on alto saxophone, Barry Galbraith and Dick Garcia on guitar, Argonne Thornton, Dick Katz, Hank Jones, and Terry Pollard on piano, Dick Sherman on trumpet , Bill Anthony, Burgher Jones, Milt Hinton, and Teddy Kotick on bass, and Frank Isola, Osie Johnson, and Sol Gubin on drums. CD

Includes three albums and features work with Tommy Flanagan, Roy Haynes, Oscar Pettiford, and Philly Joe Jones! CD

Arnold Ross on piano, Harry Babasin on bass, and Roy Harte on drums. CD

Featuring Lloyd Lifton, Mickey Simonetta, Gail Brookman, Bill Trujillo, Sandy Mosse, Bill Porter, Eddie Baker, Chris Leuba, Kenny Mann, and Shelby Davis. CD

A really great record from pianist Billy Taylor – much more hard-swinging than his 50s trio records, and done same time as Argo's famous hard swing sets by Paul Gonsalves, Jimmy Woode, and Clark Terry – possibly even during the same sessions, as they all seem to overlap personnel and mood quite a bit! Players include Paul Gonsalves on tenor and Clark Terry on trumpet – and titles are all originals by Billy, and include "Tune For Tex", "Cu Blu", "Biddy's Beat", "Theodora", and "Mood For Mendes". CD

Nicely relaxed jam session material by a group of late swing players that includes Williams, Coleman Hawkins, Rex Stewart, Bud Freeman, Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Billy Bauer. The tracks are all trad standards – like "I'm Beginning To See The Light", "When Your Lover Has Gone", "I Got A Right To Sing The Blues", "I Knew You When", "Walkin' My Baby Back Home", and "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me" – plus one original, "Alphonse and Gaston". CD

A gem of a record from this pair of Basie-ites – one that allows Joe Williams to hit some different modes than on his fuller records with the Count – set up here in a nicely relaxed groove with trumpeter Harry Sweets Edison! Arrangements are by Ernie Wilkins, but are more laidback than some of his fuller charts – and we love hearing Joe at a level when he doesn't have to punch it out of the park, and can just fall back in a sweet groove alongside Harry's trumpet, which then often gets a spot to solo on the tune. Charles Thompson plays piano – again with a style that's more easygoing than Basie – and titles include "Out Of Nowhere", "Together", "Winter Weather", "By The River Saint Marie", "Alone Together", "Deep Purple", and "Lover Come Back To Me". CD

Four full albums by this fantastic Chicago pianist! CD

One of the few albums ever recorded by Lola Albright – a vocalist as sweet as she was sexy! The album's got a seductive feel – summarized by the cover and title – one that might make you think Lola had more to offer in the looks department than the voice – but the overall sound is pretty nice, much better than other cheesecake sessions from the time. Part of the strength goes to Dean Elliott – who came up with some sprightly arrangements for the set – and who also contributed a number of unique tunes that work very nicely with Lola's vocal approach. Titles include "A Man A Man A Man", "Goodbye My Lover", "Here Tis", "There's A Man In My Life", "Think Of Me", and "Do What You Gotta Do". CD

With Phil Urso on tenor saxophone, Bobby Timmons on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Petere Littman on drums. CD

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An ultra-hip trio with a very unique approach – Billy Bean on guitar, Walter Norris on piano, and Hal Galor on bass! CD includes six bonus tracks, also recorded in the early 60s! CD

Chris Cheek and Mark Turner on tenor saxophone, Ben Monder on guitar, Marc Johnson on double bass, and Dan Rieser and Jordi Rossy on drums. CD

A brilliant little CD – one that features 2 rare 60s recordings by vibraphonist Walt Dickerson! First up is Unity, a session that has Dickerson in the company of pianist Walter Davis Jr. and drummer Andrew Cyrille. The record is very unusual for the time – as each side is one long track, both very open-ended, with a haunting approach to vibes that had yet to be cut on wax by any other player. Dickerson is as fantastic as always, and this session ranks right next to his classic "To My Queen" for sheer brilliance. Titles are "Unity" and "High Moon" – both with writing credits split between Dickerson and Sidney Frey, the guy who owned Audio Fidelity! This one's followed by Vibes In Motion, a strange little album – one that repackages Walt's Lawrence Of Arabia album in the early 60s, ostensibly because the big Arabia buzz had died down! Forget the "Lawrence Of Arabia" in the title, or any of the cheesy references that it might imply, because this LP is as great as any of Walt Dickerson's other records from the time, and it's got the same band that graced his Prestige recordings – Andrew Cyrille on drums, Henry Grimes on bass, and Austin Crow on piano. The music's a beautiful blend of piano and vibes, played with Dickerson's usual dark edge – and even though the compositions are from a familiar soundtrack of the time, Dickerson makes them into moody bases for improvisation over some exotic jazz changes. Beautiful all the way through – and featuring the tracks "That Is The Desert", "Motif", "Nefud Mirage", and "Voice Of The Guns". CD

Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins on alto saxophone, Bill Pemberton on bass, Buster Bailey on baritone clarinet, Jimmy Crawford on drums, Al Casey on guitar, Red Richards on piano, Garvin Bushell and Hilton Jefferson on saxophone, Haywood Henry on tenor saxophone, Benny Morton, Dickie Wells, and J.C. Higginbotham on trombone, and Emmett Berry, Joe Thomas, Rex Stewart, and Taft Jordan on trumpet. CD

Tony Fruscella on trumpet, Brew Moore on tenor, Bill Triglia on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Bill Heine on drums – plus two bonus tracks featuring Fruscella and saxophonist Stan Getz! CD

Wonderful work from the Jimmy Guiffre trio – and two sessions that stand nicely next to his classic late 50s sides for Atlantic and Verve! The first 5 tracks on the set were recorded for the Stars Of Jazz TV show in Hollywood in 1957 and 1958 – and feature Jimmy first with Jim Hall on guitar and Ralph Pena on bass, then with Hall on guitar and Bob Brookmeyer on trombone. That lineup is continued on the last 5 tracks on the set – live material recorded at Newport in July of 1958. Together, the tracks are wonderfully recorded – with the lively, light feel that Guiffre was pioneering in his drum-less trios of the time. Titles include "Pony Express", "The Lonely Time", "That's The Way It Is", "Waltz", "The Train & The River", and "Gotta Dance". CD

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Featuring Junior Mance and John Jenkins. CD

Dick Hafer on tenor saxophone, Ross Tompkins on piano, Dave Carpenter on bass, and Jake Hanna on drums. CD

Bobby Jaspar on tenor sax and flute – with Mundell Lowe or Rene Thomas on guitar, George Duvivier or Mondy Budwig on bass, and others. CD

A crack quartet set from 1967 – one of the famous "lost" concerts recorded by Baltimore's Left Bank Jazz Society, and especially noteworthy because it features Hank Mobley sitting in with the trio of Wynton Kelly. The tracks are nearly all over 15 minutes long – which means that Mobley and Kelly solo intensely, and with a great deal of freedom. Rhythm's by Jimmy Cobb and Cecil McBee, so things always stay right in the pocket – and titles include "Hackensack", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Milestones", and "Speak Low". CD

Linda Lawson's a heck of a singer, and it's a shame that her career really didn't take off with this excellent album – because it's a doozy! The record has Linda singing over some sublime west coast backings from Marty Paich – leading a group that includes Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Bud Shank on alto, Bill Perkins on tenor, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and a host of other great talents – honed to perfection with the rare mix of swing and space that you'd get in a classic album by June Christy or Chris Connors – both of whom Linda's matching on this set. Titles include "Are You With Me", "Easy To Love", "But Beautiful", "Meaning Of The Blues", and "Up Pops Love". CD includes four bonus tracks, recorded with Henry Mancini! CD

Linda Lawson's a heck of a singer, and it's a shame that her career really didn't take off with this excellent album – because it's a doozy! The record has Linda singing over some sublime west coast backings from Marty Paich – leading a group that includes Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Bud Shank on alto, Bill Perkins on tenor, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and a host of other great talents – honed to perfection with the rare mix of swing and space that you'd get in a classic album by June Christy or Chris Connors – both of whom Linda's matching on this set. Titles include "Are You With Me", "Easy To Love", "But Beautiful", "Meaning Of The Blues", and "Up Pops Love". CD

Lou Levy on piano, Harry Babasin on bass, and Larry Bunker on drums. CD

One of Gloria's most jazz-oriented albums – featuring small combo backing from the Earl May trio, with Herman Foster on piano, Grasella Oliphant on drums, and May on bass. Tracks are sweetly done, and titles include "Stella By Starlight", "All Night Long", "Young & Foolish", "That's No Joke", "Trouble Is A Man", and "Sweet Pumpkin". CD

A classic set from singer Gloria Lynne – mature vocals that bridge the worlds of soul and jazz – all set to some beautiful modern arrangements by Melba Liston! The set's got a depth that goes a bit past some of Gloria's other records from the time – less of the pop-styled approach, and more of a sound that presents the album as a really cohesive, unified set. Titles include "We Never Kissed", "Blue & Sentimental", "Am I Blue", "For All We Know", "In Other Words", "Tis Autumn", and "Man Of Mine". CD

Brad Mehldau on piano, Jordi Rossy on drums, and Mario Rossy on bass. CD

Fantastic mid-50's work by Mingus, and a pivotal pair of recordings that clearly show his transition from bop bassist to groundbreaking modernist. The CD brings together two rare 10" albums that originally came out on the Period label in 1954. The albums are also noteworthy for the incredible talents of reed player John LaPorta, a mid-50's Mingus collaborator, and one of the most overlooked geniuses of that decade's jazz scene. Other players include John LaPorta, Thad Jones, and Clem DeRosa – and the titles are a good mix of originals and strangely-arranged standards (which were sort of Mingus' trademark at the time). Includes "The Spur Of The Moment", "Stormy Weather", "Minor Intrusion", "Four Hands", and "Thrice Upon A Theme". CD

Features David Weiss, Craig Handy, Jimmy Greene, and Myron Walden. CD

With Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Frank Foster on tenor, Benny Powell on trombone, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Ed Jones on bass, and Shadow Wilson on drums. CD

Bill Perkins on tenor sax and clarinet, Jan Lundgren on piano, Dave Carpenter on bass, Paul Kreiblich on drums, and special guest Jack Sheldon on vocals. CD

A sweet and mellow session of vocals from singer Ruth Price – very nicely matched here with backings by the quartet of guitarist Johnny Smith! The album's unusual for Smith in that his group also includes the vibes of John Rae – a player who brings in some added chromatic range to the album, and manages to match Johnny's tone nicely! Ruth herself is a nicely laidback singer who works perfectly with the Smith approach – never too dramatic or overly emotional, and with a cool tone that slides in nicely alongside the guitar and vibes. The feel's a bit like some of Chris Connor's work on Bethlehem, but a bit warmer – and titles include "I'm Nobody's Baby", "Goodbye", "Run Little Rain Drop Run", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "It Never Entered My Mind", "Wonderful Guy", "Sleeping Bee", and "Wonderful Guy". CD

Includes the albums Mavis, Swing Along With Mavis, and Mavis Meets Shorty, as well as a handful of bonus singles. CD

The New Groove referred to in the title is most likely soul jazz – as Bud's in extremely soulful company, working with a combo that includes Dennis Budimir on guitar, Carmell Jones on trumpet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. Tracks are a bit longer than usual for Shank, with less of the angular west coast touches, and more of an open-ended groove-based approach. Titles include "The Awakening", "New Groove", "White Lightnin", "Sultry Serenade", and "Liddledabllduya". Although Barefood Adventure is a soundtrack to some goofy California surfer film, it's actually a killer batch of off-kilter jazz tracks composed by Bud Shank, and with a sound that's unlike anything we've ever heard from him! The frontline of the session is Shank, Bob Cooper, and Carmell Jones – but forget any conceptions you may have about West Coast Cool for a set like this, because Jones' off-kilter hardbop approach is in full-tilt, and the set grooves with an amazing modernist edge. Part of this may be due to the presence of Gary Peacock and Dennis Budimer in the album's sextet grouping – but we actually think the real genius lies with Shank, who scored the whole fershlugger thing, and who plays with a sinister tone that just cuts us to the quick. One of our favorite west coast albums of all time – honest! Titles include "Jungle Cruise", "Ala Moana", and "How Hight The Makaha". CD

Mid 50s work by trombone legend Jack Teagarden – one of the few albums cut for the small Urania label back, and a pretty great album that has maybe more of a 50s jazz vibe than some of his other records! That's partly due to the approach – which uses slightly longer tracks, really opening up nicely – with work from a hip combo that includes Lucky Thompson on tenor, Ruby Braff on trumpet, Kenny Kersey on piano, and Sidney Gross on guitar! Tracks include "Lover", "Blue & Esoteric", "After You've Gone", "Hundred Years From Today", and "Stars Fell On Alabama". CD

A great later date from this modern trombone giant – with Jerry Dodgion on alto, Carmen Leggio on tenor, Duke Jordan on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums! CD

With Lee Konitz on alto saxophone, Gerry Mullgan on baritone saxophone, Max Roach and Kenny Clarke on drums. CD

A wealth of work by Maynard Ferguson – caught here at one of the best points in his early career! The group on the set is Maynard's "Dream Band " – a small orchestra that featured Herb Geller, Richie Kamuca, Mel Lewis, Paul Moer, and Nino Tempo – and which was a perfect vehicle for Ferguson's hard-swinging approach to jazz. There's some slight Kenton touches here – in the shift between larger ensemble tones and breakaway solos – and given the strength of some of the horn players in the group, the latter part are especially nice! The 2CD set features 25 tracks in all – all recorded live in December of 1956 and January of 1957 – with titles that include "Lady Bug", "Maynard The Fox", "Fee Lee", "Dancing Nitely", "The Wailing Boat", "Blue Birdland", "Great Guns", "Stand Up & Preach", and "Rosebud". CD

A deep dive into the work of pianist Raymond Fol as a leader – material that includes a number of rare broadcast tracks, and a handful of records that have Fol in the spotlight – something that didn't happen all that much, even though Raymond played on dozens of important sessions for other musicians on the French scene! The set begins with Fol's initial four track EP for Columbia, a trio date that's followed by more live recordings in Paris – then steps into an assortment of unusual dates from the late 50s – including two tracks with singer Annie Fratellini, three with trumpeter Nonzio Rotondo and tenorist Enzo Scoppa, and more trio recordings as well. CD2 features rare broadcast material from the 60s – including one title with Donald Byrd on trumpet, and six more with a septet that also includes Ivan Jullien and Roger Guerin on trumpets! The package has copious notes on Fol and his contribution to the postwar scene in Paris – and the 2CD collection features a massive 38 tracks in all, with titles that include "Hush", "Melancholia", "Scandinavian", "Lazy Lady Daisy", "John's Groove", "Tune Up", "Circeo", "Thrilling", "Oh My Lord", "Out Of Art", "Where Is Salvador", and "Little Niles". CD