Subtle, spacious sounds from two understated masters of jazz – bassist Red Mitchell and pianist Hank Jones – both working here in a superbly-recorded setting! The tunes are mostly standards, but they've got a warmth and personality that could only come from top talents like this – all the careful, thoughtful motions on the keyboard that Jones always has in his music – really augmented by the soundshaping that Mitchell brings to his bass! Titles include "A Child Is Born", "Wee", "Gone With The Wind", "But Beautiful", "I'll Remember April", "Like Someone In Love", and "Mean To Me" CD

Two rare sessions originally recorded for a larger collection called The Birdland Story and gathered here under the title Minor Strain. The first set is led by Lee Morgan and features Wayne Shorter on sax, Bobby Timmons on piano, Jimmy Rowser on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The second half of the record features a septet session with Thad Jones on trumpet, Billy Mitchell and Frank Wess on reeds, Hank Jones on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. CD

Genius early work from the legendary Thad Jones – one of his greatest albums ever, and a sublime tribute to his talents on the trumpet! Jones has a groove here that definitely fits in nicely with the title – some of the more contemplative, expressive modes of his native Detroit scene – honed with a bit more of the sharpness that New York players were bringing to hardbop at the time! Jones' trumpet is warmly lyrical, but never in a sleepy, or too-easy sort of way – and the group here has plenty of nice edges, thanks to killer tenor sax from the under-rated Billy Mitchell, guitar from Kenny Burrell, piano from Tommy Flanagan, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Shadow Wilson. There's a tremendous balance between gentleness and depth going on here – and the album has an unbounded sense of creativity that easily makes it one of the most sparkling Blue Note sides from the time! Titles include "Little Girl Blue", "Blue Room", "Tar Riff", "Zec", and "Scratch". LP, Vinyl record album