Way more than just a James Moody album – a true proof of his genius in the 60s! The album was put together under the guidance of Tom McIntosh – a very hip young writer and arranger that Moody had been pushing on other records, and who steps into the limelight here with a wonderful set of compositions and arrangements. The backings on the set are larger than usual for Moody, shaded in by McIntosh with a rich array of tones and colors that are perfect for Moody's shifting solos on tenor, alto, and flute. Includes a fantastic reading of "Malice Towards None" – plus the tracks "Opales'que", "Blues Impromptu", "Great Day", "Let's Try", and "The Search". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Moody's "second phase" – the post-Overbrook time in which he picks up the flute, drops a bit of the bop style, and starts working in a much more complicated style that showed that he had a hell of a lot of room to grow as an artist! This album's Moody's second for Argo – recorded in 1959, with help from the brilliant arranger Tom McIntosh. Players include Johnny Coles, Musa Kaleem, Gene Kee, and McIntosh – and the album features the first reading of Moody's famous "Darben The Redd Foxx", plus "Cookie", "RBQ", "Daahoud", and McIntosh's perennial favorite, "With Malice Toward None". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare setting for Moody – a player who rarely cut sides with larger backing, but who sounds really wonderful here! The album's got Moody blowing mostly alto, and a bit of flute – over large backings by Torrie Zito that feature equal parts strings and woodwinds – conducted in a way that's got the same modern touches as the best Verve "with strings" work from the 50s, but which also shares some of the boozier, more mature touches that Zito brought to his work for vocalists in the 60s. There's a sad, languid feel to the record that's emotively redeemed by Moody's soulful and contemplative solo work – breaking out nicely on titles that include Zito originals "Somerset", "Another Day", "Dorothee", "A Song Of Love", and "Dorian Mood" – plus versions of "I Remember Clifford", "Love For Sale", and "All My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album from Moody – one of his "comeback" albums for Chess/Argo, recorded after his release from the Overbrook institution, hence the title. By this point, Moody was writing and playing with much more of an edge than during his bebop days – and the record certainly shows that – not only on the title track "Last Train From Overbrook", a jumpy little number that became one of the big new tunes in Moody's book, but on the whole album, which features some well-conceived large charts written by Johnny Pate. Pate and Moody wrote the bulk of the songs, too – and titles include "Yvonne", "Brother Yusef", "The Moody One", "There She Goes", "Tico Tico", and "Why Don't You". The album also features a great double-exposed cover photo, and some of the most chilling liner notes you'll ever read about a jazzman's struggles with addiction. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little collection of James Moody's excellent work for the Argo label from the early 60s – featuring tunes that originally appeared on the albums Moody's Mood For Love, Flute N The Blues, and Last Train From Overbrook! The overstuffed set actually seems to include almost all the tracks from the records – a total of 26 tracks that show Moody as an incredibly inventive player at the time, really moving past bop into a realm of exotic soul jazz and freer-thinking tones and colors! Titles include "Tico Tico", "Yvonne", "Brother Yusef", "There She Goes", "Boo's Tune", "Breaking The Blues", "Birdland Story", "Mean To Me", "Parker's Mood", and "Plus Eight". LP, Vinyl record album

A great 2 CD set that brings together both of James Moody's LPs for Perception – The Teachers and Heritage Hum! The Teachers is one of the best albums that Moody ever recorded – and it's a great batch of crackling jazz funk, jazzy riffing, and nicely arranged little bits that sound like they might be lifted from a cool early 70's soundtrack. The album's got some nice jazzy breaks, and Moody's flute is hard and funky, sounding a lot like 70s funksters like Jeremy Steig or the flautist in the group SOUL. Titles on The Teachers include "Hello Goodbye", "The Teachers", "Street Talk Suite", "Behind Every Good Man", and "The New Spirit". Heritage Hum is a little bit more subdued – but has a great slinking groove to it, and features nice playing by Michael Longo, who was also in Dizzy's funky 70s group at the time. Eddie Jefferson sings vocals on a hilarious version of "Pennies From Heaven", and other titles include "Heritage Hum", "Road Runner", "Soul Searching", and "Travel On". CD

Sweet funky electric work from James Moody – and pretty darn nice too! The set was produced by Ed Bland, the force behind the funky James Moody (and Dizzy Gillespie) sessions for the Perception and GWP labels in years back – and at many levels, the feel here is similar to those great sets, but perhaps a bit more mellow overall. Moody's playing alto, tenor, and soprano saxes – in a small combo with Kenny Barron on keyboards, Roland Prince on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Emanuel Rahim on percussion. Titles include "Funky Jazz Walk", "A Funky Aura", "Keep It Greasy", "Pot Licka", and "A Statement". LP, Vinyl record album

Wail Moody, indeed – a killer set from the 50s that really shows the strong development of James Moody after the initial bebop years – already growing into one of the most forward-thinking jazzman of his generation! The group here is a bit larger than before – a septet, put together with both a mix of modern arrangements and some of the more freewheeling styles of a bop jam session – a great testament to Moody's growing ability as a leader. The lineup is a bit unusual, but in a good way – with work from Pee Wee Moore on baritone, Dave Burns on trumpet, Jimmy Boyd on piano, and William Shepherd on trombone – plus John Latham on bass and Clarence Johnson on drums – and the groove is open – informed by bop, but with a lot of early soul jazz in the mix, too – especially in the ensemble phrasing. Side one features the side-long jammer "Wail Moody Wail" – and other titles include "The Golden Touch", "The Donkey Serenade", and "Moody's Blue Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late 60s album that brings together earlier bop sides recorded for Blue Note – key material from two of the biggest modernists in the early days of the label! The James Moody tracks are from an early 10" session – recorded in 1948 with Dave Burns on trumpet, Art Blakey on drums, James Forman on piano, and Cecil Payne on baritone – all working under the name James Moody & His Modernists, on tracks that include "Oh Henry", "Tropicana", "The Fuller Bop Man", and "Moodamorphis" – all penned by Gil Fuller. Side two features a 1954 session led by pianist George Wallington with Burns on trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, and Frank Foster on tenor – on titles that include "Festival", "Bumpkins", "Frankie & Johnny", and "Baby Grand". LP, Vinyl record album

One of James Moody's first albums for Argo – and an album that features him shifting from tenor sax over to flute – and playing in a slyly seductive way that would have great implications for generations of soul jazz musicians for years to come! The sound here is never sleepy – and instead shows the flute to be a perfect vehicle for creating more sensitive colors and tones in jazz – in a way that's also offset by a bit of work on alto and tenor on the album as well. The group features some excellent work from trumpeter Johnny Coles and baritonist Pee Wee Moore – plus some sparkling arrangements from pianist Jimmy Boyd – and Eddie Jefferson joins in on 3 great vocal numbers. Titles include "Birdland Story", "I Cover The Waterfront", "Breaking The Blues", "Easy Living", "Richard's Blues", and "Boo's Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

James Moody's first record after returning to the US from Paris – an unusual set for Mercury, a label that he didn't record for much at the time! The groups vary a bit throughout – and players include Dave Burns on trumpet, Cecil Payne on baritone, John Acea on piano, and Donald Cole on trombone – and Babs Gonzales sings with Moody on the great "The James Moody Story". Moody plays both tenor and alto sax – and titles include "Until The Real Thing Comes Along", "Moody's Theme", "And Now Moody Speaks", "Serenade In Blue", "Poor Butterfly", "Wiggle Wag", "Moody's Home", and "The Bite". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set of electric funk from James Moody – and a great little record to match the grooves he was laying down at the Perception label in the early 70s – with a very unique sound! Moody's working here alongside some sweet work on electric piano by either Jodie Christian or Tennyson Stephens – and with some sly and soulful arrangements by Chicago soul maestro Richard Evans, who also plays bass on the record and gives it a style that's almost an extension of the later Cadet kind of groove. The album features an excellent funky instrumental version of " First Thing I Do In the Morning", originally a funky vocal 45 by Chicago singer Joyce Williams – and other cuts include "Trilby", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely", "World Is A Ghetto", "Good Sense Humor Man", and "Country City Country". CD

A sweet set of electric funk from James Moody – and a great little record to match the grooves he was laying down at the Perception label in the early 70s – with a very unique sound! Moody's working here alongside some sweet work on electric piano by either Jodie Christian or Tennyson Stephens – and with some sly and soulful arrangements by Chicago soul maestro Richard Evans, who also plays bass on the record and gives it a style that's almost an extension of the later Cadet kind of groove. The album features an excellent funky instrumental version of " First Thing I Do In the Morning", originally a funky vocal 45 by Chicago singer Joyce Williams – and other cuts include "Trilby", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely", "World Is A Ghetto", "Good Sense Humor Man", and "Country City Country". CD

An excellent live set from James Moody – one that really captures all the creative soulfulness that was part of his genius during the 60s! The set was recorded at the Jazz Workshop in LA, and features a hip group that includes Bernard McKinney on trombone, Musa Kaleem on baritone, Howard McGhee on trumpet, and Moody on flute, alto, and tenor. The groove is a mix of soul jazz and bop – but always with that slightly exotic style that Moody was picking up at the time, kind of a mix of the harder edge of Yusef Lateef, and the more playful Latin grooving of Dizzy Gillespie. The CD features all the tracks from the album Cooking the Blues, plus 3 unissued numbers, and one that had only ever shown up on a compilation. Very nicely done overall, as part of an excellent and short-lived reissue series on Chess. Titles include "Moody's Mood For Love", "Bunny Boo", "One For Nat", "The Jazz Twist", "Little Buck", "Sister Sadie", and "Home Fries". CD

One of those great funky records that James Moody cut for the Perception label in the early 70s – a set tha has some mighty nice piano from the great Mike Longo! Eddie Jefferson sings vocals on a hilarious version of "Pennies From Heaven", and other titles include "Heritage Hum", "Road Runner", "Soul Searching", and "Travel On". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe not the very beginning of James Moody's career – but definitely some tracks from the early years, recorded overseas in 1949 – with material done both in Paris and Zurich! Some tracks are under Moody's leadership, and some under the name of Max Roach – and Moody blows tenor on almost all numbers, save for two which have him dropping out in favor of Kenny Dorham's trumpet. Other players include Al Haig on piano, Trummie Young on trumpet, Red Allen on alto, and Tommy Potter on bass – and most numbers have that sharp-edged, slightly modern tinge that marked Moody's famous early years. Titles include "Moody & Soul", "Monday Blues", "Maximum", "Tomorrow", "Baby Sis", "Prince Albert", and "Just Moody". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice nice early 10" featuring some of Moody's excellent bop sides for Prestige. The band includes the great Dave Burns on trumpet, Jimmy Boyd on piano, and Eddie Jefferson singing a famous vocal on one track ("I've Got The Blues"). Other titles include "Blues Walk", "Faster James", and "Moody Mood For Blues". The cover is purple, with a graphic design, and a photo of Moody blowing! LP, Vinyl record album

James Moody celebrates his 70th Birthday in a really wonderful setting – a soulful, easygoing set of work recorded with a tight little combo, and some all-star guests! The performance is from a live date at the Blue Note, with Bill Cosby acting as the MC at a few points – and Moody plays tenor and alto, with a combo that features Mulgrew Miller on piano, Tod Coolman on bass, and Terri Lynne Carrington on drums – plus help from guest musicians who include Roy Ayers on vibes, Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Chris Potter on tenor, and Grover Washington Jr on soprano sax. The overall vibe is mostly boppish, a bit less complex and varied than some of Moody's other late albums – and titles include "The Eternal Triangle", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Benny's From Heaven", "Bebop", and "Groovin High". CD

A great set from James Moody, nice and edgey, with his genius firmly in place – and done at a time when he was moving past straight bop, and into some more sophisticated modes! Quincy Jones handled the arrangements, and the group swings in a variety of modes. Moody's on alto and tenor – no flute yet at this point – and highlights include "Workshop", a great number with vocals by Eddie Jefferson, one of his best vocalese tracks from the early years, and never issued on any of his own LPs. Other tracks include "Blues In The Closet", "Keepin Up With Jonesy", "I'm Gone", "Mambo With Moody", and "Nobody Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Young At Heart", "Love And Marriage", "Nancy (With The Laughing Face)", "That Old Black Magic", "Only The Lonely", "The Song Is You", "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning", "It Was A Very Good Year", "Come Fly With Me", and "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square". CD

Hard swinging work from James Spaulding – still sounding great after all these years! Spaulding's in perfect company here – with Ronnie Matthews on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums, plus horn work by Dan Faulk and Don Sickler, next to the range of flute and alto work supplied by Spaulding. The tracks have a hard soul approach that's a bit Horace Silver, a bit James Moody – and inflected by the modern leanings that Spaulding brought to some of his earlier work. Titles include "Rue Prevail", "John Charles", "Soul Station", "Public Eye", "Hipsippy Blues", and "Vaun Ex". CD

Moody, meditative jazz from Zytron – a group co-led by percussionist James Zitro and saxophonist David Liebman. There's a really nice 70s Bay Area feel to the set – one that mixes Eastern spiritual inspiration with some more deeply soulful jazz moments, provided mostly by Liebman's saxophone solos. Other players in the group include Paul Contos on flute, Paul Nagle on piano, and Stan Poplin on bass – and most tracks on the set are long and flowing. Includes a version of Coltrane's "Equinox", plus "Green Sun God", "Aquarian Dance", "Haiku", and "The Call". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session as a leader from trumpeter Johnny Coles – a player who cut some great work in the groups of James Moody and Gil Evans, but who shines even more brightly on this classic Blue Note album! Coles really has an ear for finding the hippest side of his instrument – and he blows with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – and certainly far from the mellower tones of his previous leader set for Columbia. This album's got a great mix of hardbop and modern ideas – right up there with the best Blue Note had to offer at the time – and the group's filled with equally hip players who include Joe Henderson on tenor, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Pete LaRoca or Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Heavy Legs", "Hobo Joe", "Jano", and "Little Johnny C". Very hip, very hard, and very swingin! CD

A rare session as a leader from trumpeter Johnny Coles – a player who cut some great work in the groups of James Moody and Gil Evans, but who shines even more brightly on this classic Blue Note album! Coles really has an ear for finding the hippest side of his instrument – and he blows with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – and certainly far from the mellower tones of his previous leader set for Columbia. This album's got a great mix of hardbop and modern ideas – right up there with the best Blue Note had to offer at the time – and the group's filled with equally hip players who include Joe Henderson on tenor, Leo Wright on alto and flute, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Pete LaRoca or Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Heavy Legs", "Hobo Joe", "Jano", and "Little Johnny C". Very hip, very hard, and very swingin! LP, Vinyl record album

Notable sidemen include Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Milt Jackson, John Lewis, Ray Brown, Kenny Clarke, James Moody, John Coltrane, JJ Johnson, and Art Blakey. CD

Nice 2LP set that brings together some of his most striking sessions of the early 60s recorded for Emarcy. This set includes pieces composed and arranged by Lalo Schifrin played by a large ensemble led by Benny Carter – with Dizzy as the main soloist, and work by players that include James Moody, Phil Woods, Emil Richards, Francisco Aguabella, and Schifrin himself. Tracks are long, and have complicated introductions – then easily give way to the sort of flowing grooves that Schifrin was penning often at the time. Titles include "The Conquerors", "The Chains", "The Swords", "The Empire", and "The Legend Of Atlantis". The set also features Diz playing tracks from Tom McIntosh, one of the scene's brightest arrangers at the time, and a talent who was looming large, thanks to support from folks like Diz and James Moody. Moody's in the group – blowing tenor with a quintet that includes Kenny Barron on piano, Chris White on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums – and his tone is incredible, with a darkness that he'd rarely had before, and the whole group has a mixture of modern tones and soulful grooves that's beyond compare! Titles include "November Afternoon", "The Cup Bearers", "The Day After". Also included are songs from the soundtrack for the lost Shirley Clarke verite drama The Cool World. Mal Waldron wrote the material for the score, and Diz plays the music with a moody emotionality that you don't often hear in his other 60's work. The recording was made by his great group that included Kenny Barron and James Moody, and the titles include "The Pushers", "Duke's Fantasy", "Coney Island", and "Street Music". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Savoy bop work from Diz – featuring some sides cut with the orchestra of Johnny Richards, plus some cut with the "Bepop (sic) Boys", a group that includes Milt Jackson, James Moody, Hank Jones, Dave Burns, and John Brown. The Richards sides are great – a bit more swinging than the ones he and Diz cut on Verve, but no less well-conceived. Titles include "Interlude In C", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", "The Things I Love", "Moody Speaks", "For Hecklers Only", and "Boppin The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Three later live sets from Dizzy Gillespie – all in a single package! Sesjun Radio Shows 1 is great, and if you like Dizzy Gillespie as much as us, you'll know that he kept on getting better and better as the years went on – continuing to evolve as a musician, into territory that's always very different than what he was giving the world a few years before! That's definitely the case here, on two live performances done for Dutch Radio in the late 70s – both of which feature a guitar as the key partner – with Rodney Jones on the first half, Ed Cherry on the second, and bass from Benjamin Brown and drums from the great Mickey Roker. Tracks are long, and open up in this really wonderful way – and the group is joined by percussionist Sheyvonne Wright on the second half, who also sings a bit too. There's a quality here that's much more in the best 70s work on the Muse label than you might expect – and titles include "Barcelona", "Diddy Wah Diddy", "Toccata", "The Truth", "Night In Tunisia", "Manha De Carnaval", and Round Midnight". Sesjun Radio Shows 2 is further proof that the genius of Dizzy Gillespie knows no bounds, even in later years – as these two different radio performances feature Diz with very unique saxophonists – both of whom really transform the sound of the group! The first half of the set has Gillespie on trumpet with a young Paquito D'Rivera on soprano and alto sax – a young player really coming into his own here, in an unusual group that also features Canadian guitarist Ed Cherry, bassist Michael Howell, and drummer Ignacio Berroa – on titles that include the funky "Unicorn", plus "All The Things You Are" and "Cripple Crapple Crutch". The second half will be even more surprising to fans of avant jazz – as the legendary Sam Rivers joins the group on tenor and soprano sax – blowing straighter than on his free improv records, but definitely adding an edge! The rest of the group features Cherry and Berroa, with John Lee in on bass for Howell – and titles include "Tanga", "Manteca", and "Birk's Works". Concert Of The Century is a record with a title that's a hell of a claim to make – but it's also a hell of a concert, too – one that features Dizzy Gillespie blowing with an all-star small group lineup – in really stretched-out takes on the tunes, at a level that rivals his best 70s material on the Pablo label! In addition to Gillespie on trumpet, players also include Milt Jackson on vibes, James Moody on tenor and flute, Hank Jones on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all working together as seamlessly as you'd expect! Titles include "Darben The Redd Foxx", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Get Happy", "Blues N Boogie", "If I Should Lose You", and "Bass Solo/Manha De Carnaval/Work Song". CD

Later live work from Dizzy Gillespie – working in London here with a very hip ensemble! We're not entirely sure of the date, but given the skinny ties on a few of the players, we're guessing it's from that 80s stretch when Dizzy was still going strong – working in a great mix of Latin and bop modes that's always kept fresh through his creative energies! Slide Hampton's on trombone – and also wrote most of the arrangements – and other players include Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Paquito D'Rivera on reeds, James Moody on sax and flute, Airto on percussion, and Danilo Perez on vocals – and Flora Purim also joins the group on vocals for a few numbers. Titles include "Kush", "Tanga", "Dizzy Shells", "Night In Tunisia", "Tin Tin Deo", "Seresta", and "Samba For Carmen". CD

Later live work from Dizzy Gillespie – working in London here with a very hip ensemble! We're not entirely sure of the date, but given the skinny ties on a few of the players, we're guessing it's from that 80s stretch when Dizzy was still going strong – working in a great mix of Latin and bop modes that's always kept fresh through his creative energies! Slide Hampton's on trombone – and also wrote most of the arrangements – and other players include Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Paquito D'Rivera on reeds, James Moody on sax and flute, Airto on percussion, and Danilo Perez on vocals – and Flora Purim also joins the group on vocals for a few numbers. Titles include "Kush", "Tanga", "Dizzy Shells", "Night In Tunisia", "Tin Tin Deo", "Seresta", and "Samba For Carmen". CD

A well-done overview of some of the best recordings by trumpeter Roger Guerin – one of the most important players on his instrument in Paris during the postwar years – and one of the few to regularly interact with important soloists from overseas! This set brings together Guerin in both dates as a leader, and as a key guest with others – pulled from a section of rare 10" and 7" releases, plus a few full album recordings as well – all bundled together here in a package that really lets Roger's trumpet talents shine! There's a huge range of material here – and the set begins with a few tracks from a session with James Moody on alto in 1961, a few more from a date with guitarist Jimmy Raney in 1954 – then moves into a quartet date with Martial Solal in 1956 and one with pianist Christian Chevailier during that same year. The set has four great tracks with a 1958 date co-led with the great Benny Golson on tenor, with Bobby Timmons on piano in the group – then ends with one track with Michel Hausser on vibes and Martial Solal on piano. The book includes detailed notes on all the sessions – and titles include "Bootsie", "Vline", "Chet", "Mythe", "Blues March", "I Remember Clifford", "Not Serious", "Ca Turne", "Night & Day", "Deep Purple", and "Sweet Feeling". CD

Features tracks from separate live dates in 1955 and 1991, with contributions from Hank Jones, Barney Kessel, James Moody, Buddy Rich, Art Tatum, Clark Terry and more! – 8 tracks total. CD

Lionel Hampton on vibraphone, Clark Terry on trumpet and flugelhorn, Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Buddy Tate and James Moody on tenor saxophone, Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on double bass, and Grady Tate on drums. CD

Tenor giant Coleman Hawkins leads a septet featuring fellow tenorist James Moody, Nat Peck on trombone, Hubert Fol on alto, Jean-Pierre Mengeon on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. CD

A sweet larger group session from vibist Milt Jackson – proof that he was really trying to stretch his wings, and get into new things during the 60s! The set's got Milt working with some great help from Tadd Dameron and Ernie Wilkins on larger group arrangements – nicely swinging charts that have a nice touch of modern, but lots of straightforward grooving too! Milt's the primary soloist, buoyed by an orchestra built around a rhythm section of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and either Connie Cay or Philly Joe on drums – plus loads of great horn players like Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Melba Liston, James Moody and Jimmy Heath among others. Titles include renditions of "Old Devil Moon", "'Round Midnight", "The Dream Is You", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Echoes", "If You Could See Me Now", "Star Eyes", "Namesake", "If I Should Lose You", and "Later Than You Think". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from one of the hippest jazz singers ever – a session that showed the world that Eddie Jefferson was firmly back in business during the 60s! The set's got a really rollicking feel, and a bit more influence from soul than the bop of Eddie's roots – with elements of gospel and R&B filtering into the mix from time to time, alongside some of the more sophisticated jazz styles we've always loved in Jefferson's vocals. The group features some great tenor work from James Moody – one of Eddie's frequent musical partners – plus Dave Burns on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Bill English on drums. Titles include "Now's The Time", "So What", "Psychedelic Sally", "Filthy McNasty", "Oh Gee", and "See If You Can Git To That" – plus a very cool spoken introduction by Ed Williams! LP, Vinyl record album

The beginning of a whole new chapter of greatness for singer Eddie Jefferson – a record that took his older style of putting words to jazz solos, and updated it nicely for a new generation in the 60s! Eddie's got a rootsy look on the cover, but the sound here is snappingly hip and sophisticated throughout – a cool soul jazz take on vocalese that's right up there with the best solo work by Jon Hendricks, and sung in a similarly raspy style. The group shifts a bit from track to track – between small combo and larger ensemble arranged by Ernie Wilkins – and players include Clark Terry and Joe Newman on trumpets, Johnny Griffin on tenor, James Moody on alto and flute, Junior Mance and Joe Zawinul on piano, and Barry Galbraith on guitar. Titles include some great original lyrics by Jefferson on the tunes "Soft & Furry", "Keep Walkin", "Things Are Getting Better", and "Back In Town" – and equally great vocals on versions of "Letter From Home", "Billie's Bounce", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Quincy Jones' best for Mercury Records in the 60s – a very groovy record that was done with a feel that's somewhere in between his Big Band Bossa album and his best 60s soundtrack work! The format is simple – Quincy picks a sweet batch of jazz semi-hits from the early 60s, plays them with a nice mix of soul jazz arrangements, and works with a great ensemble filled with wonderful players – including Roland Kirk, Budd Johnson, Seldon Powell, James Moody, and Jerome Richardson on reeds; Lalo Schifrin and Patti Brown on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Melba Liston on trombone – plus lots of great percussion at the bottom, helping bring some Latin energy to the grooves at points. Tunes are familiar, but all given a great Quincy Jones twist – and titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Jive Samba", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Bossa Nova USA", and "Watermelon Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual album for Yusef Lateef – and that's saying quite a lot, given how quirky most of his work can be! The session has Lateef exploring both rootsy and modern modes – working in a unique quartet that features George Arvanitas on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and legendary New Orleans musician James Black on drums and assorted percussion. Arvanitas has an excellent style with a very dark edge, and his playing is augmented strongly here by Workman's exploratory basslines, and Black's creatively rhythmic way of approaching the percussion. The whole thing's a very moody session, with a subdued sound, and a nice edgey approach to the material that differs nicely from some of Lateef's other recordings – an earthy feel that grabs the listener from the very first track. Yusef plays flute, tenor, and other wind instruments – and tracks include "Psychicetmotus", "Medula Sonata", "Semiocto", and a version of Satie's "First Gymnopedie". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual album for Yusef Lateef – and that's saying quite a lot, given how quirky most of his work can be! The session has Lateef exploring both rootsy and modern modes – working in a unique quartet that features George Arvanitas on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and legendary New Orleans musician James Black on drums and assorted percussion. Arvanitas has an excellent style with a very dark edge, and his playing is augmented strongly here by Workman's exploratory basslines, and Black's creatively rhythmic way of approaching the percussion. The whole thing's a very moody session, with a subdued sound, and a nice edgy approach to the material that differs nicely from some of Lateef's other recordings – an earthy feel that grabs the listener from the very first track. Yusef plays flute, tenor, and other wind instruments – and tracks include "Psychicetmotus", "Medula Sonata", "Semiocto", and a version of Satie's "First Gymnopedie". LP, Vinyl record album