With Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

2 wonderful late 50s sessions from arranger Gil Evans – both of which we'd rank right up there with his best work with Miles Davis, or the albums under his own name for Impulse in the 60s! The first half of the CD is from the album New Bottle Old Wine – a record of swinging modern backdrops, used to showcase both the solo talents of a young Cannonball Adderley, and the dynamic energy of Evans himself! Cannon's sharp-edged early tone is a really great sound for the record – far more modern than you might expect from later funk and soul sides of the 60s – and perfectly poised next to Gil's larger back drops to reignite a host of older tunes with new energy! And while the titles are familiar, the readings certainly are not – as the Evans pen has really changed things up beautifully – as you'll hear on numbers that include "St Louis Blues", "King Porter Stomp", "Willow Tree", "Struttin' With Some Barbeque", "Lester Leaps In", "Round About Midnight", "Manteca", and "Bird Feathers". Great Jazz Standards is equally great, a fantastic lost set from Evans – and one that features Mingus trumpeter Johnny Coles as the lead soloist in front of Evans-led modern groups that include players like Elvin Jones, Ray Crawford, Steve Lacy, Budd Johnson, Rod Levitt, and Chuck Wayne. Despite the "standards" in the title, most of these numbers are modern tunes from the 50s – like "Joy Spring", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", "Django", "Straight No Chaser", and "Chant Of The Weed" – all given Evans' unique style of arrangement, tweaked up a few notches to give them a really edgey quality. Coles is clearly standing in for Miles here, but the format works well overall! CD features 15 tracks in all, including some newly-improved versions of a few tracks, correcting mistakes in the original records! CD

One of Dizzy Gillespie's hippest big band sessions ever – and one of the few dates as a leader from arranger Gil Fuller! Fuller will always be best-remembered as the man who composed some of Dizzy Gillespie's best known tunes from the bop era – like "Manteca", "One Bass Hit", and "Things To Come" – but on this album from 1965, he's reunited with Dizzy for a large group set of tracks that feature Diz as the main soloist – at a level that really shows the growth of both men at the time! Fuller's charts are large and full, but with a sense of space that's really amazing – almost like some of the soundtrack work Dizzy had done for The Cool World – with a mix of soulful and modern moments that's really wonderful. The group's kind of a mix of hip LA players – with Phil Moore Jr on piano, Dennis Budimir on guitar, and Jimmy Bond on bass – plus a larger set of horn players backing Dizzy up. Titles include a number of great originals – such as "Be's That Way", "Big Sur", "Things Are Here", "Man From Monterey", and "Angel City". CD

An overlooked late 60s treasure on Blue Note – 2 rare albums by Kenny Cox & The Contemporary Jazz Quintet – one of the few new groups to work on the label at the time, and an up-and-coming modern combo from Detroit! The first album's quite unique for a number of reasons – not just because the group was a little-known new signing to the label, but also because the work is quite far-reaching at times – some of the most free-thinking jazz recorded for Blue Note during the time, with a sense of boldness that almost stretches back to Jackie McLean's first few records of the new thing years, or a sense of lyrical invention that's a bit like Wayne Shorter when he made a shift towards the outside. Some numbers are awash in fast colors and changes, while others are a bit more in the pocket, with echoes of soul jazz – but the whole thing's incredibly fresh and free, a wonderful little record that only gets better and better over the years! The group features pianist Kenny Cox as the leader, plus Charles Moore on trumpet, Leon Henderson on tenor, Ron Brooks on bass, and Danny Spencer on drums. Titles include "Mystique", "You", "Trance Dance", "Eclipse", and "Number Four". The CD also features the group's second Blue Note album, Multidirection – a session of work that builds strongly on the colors and changes explored by Miles Davis earlier in the 60s, but which takes things off into a whole new direction! (A Multidirection?) The horns on the record have incredible interplay – trumpet by Charles Moore and tenor from Leon Henderson, playing together with a sense of dexterity that may even beat the team of Davis and Wayne Shorter – angular one moment, softly lyrical the next, and always in pursuit of fresh tones and righteous sounds. Kenny Cox's piano is great too – an exercise in understatement at times – getting as much done with one note as other players would with five – as he slowly guides the group along, and grounds their freer expressions with a good sense of humanity. Titles include "What Other One", "Gravity Point", "Spellbound", "Snuck In", and "Sojourn". CD

A modernist classic from 60s Blue Note! The album's one of Jackie McLean's greatest from the time – and one of his seminal "new thing" sessions cut with young modernists Grachan Moncur III on trombone and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – both young players who were really finding the sharper edges of their sound at the time! Three of the four long tracks on the record were written by Moncur, and have a similar approach to his own recordings for Blue Note – moody and introspective, in a style that's as concerned with sound and space as it is jazz and rhythm – and Hutcherson's vibes are beyond compare here, with have a sinister metallic quality that he only used briefly in his early career! The whole record's a gem, and one not to pass up! Titles include "Kahlil The Prophet", "Riff Raff", and "Love & Hate". CD

The rarest of all of Art Blakey's percussion group projects – and quite possibly the best, too! The session features Blakey at the head of a strong mix of jazz and percussion players – with Art Taylor and Philly Joe Jones on the regular drum kit, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Ray Bryant on piano, and a host of assorted percussion work by the likes of Ray Barretto, Sabu Martinez, Victor Gonzalez, Julio Martinez, and others. The resultant sound is incredible – very full, rich, and earthy – and done in a way that interweaves African and Latin percussion styles with straighter American jazz! A few cuts have chanting by Blakey and Sabu – and titles include "The Feast", "Mirage", "Lamento Africano", "O'Tinde", "Swingin Kilts", "Dinga", "Reflection", and "Aghano". CD

A wonderful title for this rare fourth album from Tina Brooks – as the set was recorded by Blue Note in 1961, but had to wait for many decades to finally get reissued! Don't let that put you off, though, as the set's every bit as sublime as Tina's classic True Blue album for the label – an equally masterful session from a tenor talent whose every note seems to be very special and well-placed – working here in a quintet setting with Johnny Coles on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums! This was the last year that Brooks would ever record, making the set one of his final testaments in jazz – before he lapsed into relative obscurity, and passed away in the mid 70s. Titles include "David The King", "Dhyana", "Talkin About", and "The Waiting Game". CD

Fantastic work from one of the most overlooked alto talents of all-time! This beautiful CD features tracks from Sonny's 3 rare albums on Imperial – Jazz USA, Go Man, and Plays Cole Porter. The records were all recorded in 1956 – and they feature some of the strongest bop playing to ever come out of LA, total proof that that city wasn't always noodling around with cool jazz during the 50s! Sonny plays alto so well you want to cry – and every note is perfectly placed, with just the right mix of technical skill and warm soulful humanity. Most of this material has only ever been reissued in Japan – and the CD includes wealth of excellent cuts like "If I Had You", "I Love You", "Wailin With Joe", "West Coast Blues", "Criss Cross", "Ham's Blues", and "Blue Friday" – but the whole thing's great! CD

A pretty great little set that combines both of the rare early Elmo Hope 10" LPs for Blue Note – plus some additional material! Introducing The Elmo Hope Trio is seminal early work from Hope – and one of the 10" LP releases that was part of Blue Note's "New Faces – New Sounds" series during the early 50s. Hope's working here with Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones – and the trio go to town on numbers that include complicated bop tunes like "Carving The Rock" and "Hot Sauce", plus more melodic tunes like "Freffie" and "Mo Is On". As always, Hope proves himself to be one of the greatest pianists in jazz history – right up there with Monk, Herbie Nichols, and Bud Powell, bristling with excitement that few of his contemporaries (save those three) could match! The Elmo Hope Quintet session has Hope grooving in a very modernist approach to bop, working perfectly with a tight little quintet. Frank Foster wails on tenor, Freeman Lee soars on trumpet, and Percy Heath and Art Blakey keep the whole thing going on rhythm – while Hope plays madly on piano, adding in rich tones and colors to a set that might have otherwise been a straighter bop outing. Titles include "Chips", "Crazy", "Abdullah", and "Low Tide". The CD also adds in 2 tracks from the 40 Years Of Jazz collection in 1979 – "It's A Lovely Day Today" and "Crazy (alternate)" – plus 3 from the Art Blakey/Elmo Hope album – "So Nice", "St Elmo's Fire", and "Vaun Ex". CD

Two great Bobby Hutcherson albums – both recorded at the end of the 60s, but not released by Blue Note until years later! Both records – Medina and Spiral – give you a glance at the early years of Bobby's famous association with tenorist Harold Land. The Land/Hutcherson combo turned out some of the best modernist soul jazz albums of their age, and their unique interplay, a mixture of free-thinking solos and tight groovy rhythms, set the pattern for so many other 70's jazz groups. Stanley Cowell plays piano on the session, and Bobby's longtime rhythm partner Joe Chambers is on drums. With the tracks "Avis", "Orientale", "Spiral", "Ruth", and "Visions". CD

A landmark session that features two of the greatest tenor talents to emerge from the rich Chicago scene of the 50s! Jordan was well-known to jazz fans, or would be within a few years – but Gilmore's rarely heard in this sort of setting, as most of his recording career was spent in the company of Sun Ra's Arkestra. The record features the duo in a twin-tenor frontline, with backing by Horace Silver, Curly Russell, and Art Blakey. Ostensibly a blowing session, but much tighter than you'd expect – and with a hard heavy Blue Note groove. Titles include "Evil Eye", "Status Quo", "Bo-Till", and "Blue Lights". CD features the bonus track "Let It Stand". CD

A landmark session that features two of the greatest tenor talents to emerge from the rich Chicago scene of the 50s! Jordan was well-known to jazz fans, or would be within a few years – but Gilmore's rarely heard in this sort of setting, as most of his recording career was spent in the company of Sun Ra's Arkestra. The record features the duo in a twin-tenor frontline, with backing by Horace Silver, Curly Russell, and Art Blakey. Ostensibly a blowing session, but much tighter than you'd expect – and with a hard heavy Blue Note groove. Titles include "Evil Eye", "Status Quo", "Bo-Till", and "Blue Lights". LP, Vinyl record album

No filters here, as Hank Mobley's sound is clean, lean, and right on the money – hitting that newly-sophisticated groove of the Caddy For Daddy years in this sweet unissued set! The date was recorded in the 60s, but unissued by Blue Note for many years – another one of those head-scratching mysteries from the label, yet also a real treat to 80s jazz fans who finally got their hands on the sides – a whole new discovery of Hank Mobley's genius, further appreciated at a time when we weren't hearing more from him. The players are top-shelf all the way through – and include Freddie Hubbard or Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock or Barry Harris on piano, Paul Chambers or Butch Warren on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Billy Higgins on drums. Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Soft Impressions", "Up A Step", "Old World, New Imports", "East Of The Village", "Yes Indeed", and "The Good Life" CD

Sal Salvador was one of the 50's more accomplished modernist talents on jazz guitar – and his work ranks up there with players like Tal Farlow, or Gil Melle's great bandmate Joe Cinderella. This long-overdue CD brings together some of his best work from the mid 50s – by pairing one rare Blue Note 10" jazz session with another album that Salvador cut as part of Capitol's "Stan Kenton Presents" series. The Blue Note session's got some great tracks that feature tenorist Frank Sokolow, an icy toned genius who's never gotten his just dues. Other cuts (on both the Blue Note and Capitol sessions) feature Eddie Costa on piano and vibes, and titles from both include "See", "Round Trip", "Wheels", "Salutations", "Down Home", and "Yesterdays". 18 cuts in all, in a great looking package that replicates the orignal cover art! CD

One of the most fantastic Horace Silver albums from the 50s – a set of complicated tunes that really lives up to its "further explorations" title! The session's a perfect example of the way that Silver was mixing hard bop sensibilities with more exotic styles of arranging in the late 50s – pushing past the straighter bop of his Jazz Messengers years, and moving into a territory that can only be described as "Silver-esque", and which went onto have a strong impact on many other players in years to come. And although not as well known as some of Silver's other classics from the time, the album's got some key tracks that show his talents at their best – like the genius "Moon Rays", or other originals that include "The Outlaw", "Melancholy Mood", "Pyramid", and "Safari". The group, which features Clifford Jordan on tenor and Art Farmer on trumpet, has an emotional maturity that you don't always get on Blue Note sessions from these days – and the album is a hauntingly lyrical batch of tracks that is among some of Silver's finest recorded work! CD

An incredible album from the man that changed the way the world hears the Hammond! This album was Larry Young's first for Blue Note – and it's a mindblowing batch of tunes that push the organ into realms that had never been heard of in jazz. Young's got a real penchant for a modal groove – no doubt inspired by his friend and sometimes collaborator John Coltrane – and he's working here with a totally hip group that includes Sam Rivers, Grant Green, and Elvin Jones. The tunes are amazing – dancing with delight as they push the envelope, but never go too far to get overindulgent – and the album's filled with classics that include Green's wonderful composition "Plaza De Toros", plus originals by Young like "Tyrone", "Backup", and "Ritha". CD

An amazing set by Lee Morgan – and one that was recorded in the 60s, but not issued until many years later! The album has this really weird sound, which is a combination of Morgan's trumpet, Wayne Shorter's tenor, Herbie Hancock's piano, and Bobby Hutcherson's vibes – the last of which gives the record a uniquely angular quality, and a stark modernist sound that's different from other Lee Morgan albums. This odd sound is possibly one reason why Blue Note didn't release the album at the time – and it's also a quality that makes the finally-issued record a real treasure – an even more wonderful chapter in the great later years of Morgan's all-too-short jazz career! The title track "The Procrastinator" is amazing – and other titles include "Soft Touch", "Dear Sir", "Stopstart", and "Rio". CD

A true orgy in rhythm from Art Blakey – a set that not only features his drums next to the kit of Art Taylor, but which also adds in a bevy of other percussionists – including Sabu Martinez, Patato Valdez, and Jose Valentine! Joe Jones and Specs Wright also bring in additional jazz drums – making for more drummers than you might even find in a high school band – all working together with amazing qualities in sound, sometimes even melodic amidst all of the rhythms. Lighter lyrical touches are provided by Herbie Mann's flute, and Ray Bryant throws in some great lines on piano – underscoring the grooves in a nice way. Both original volumes are super-tough to find on LP, and this cool CD brings them both together as a single release, for a total of 8 long tracks that includes "Elephant Walk", "Amuck", "Ya Ya", "Abdallah's Delight", "Split Skins", "Buhania Chant", and "Toffi". CD

One of the first truly important records from Don Cherry as a leader – and an amazingly well-crafted session that brings together ideas from his early years with Ornette, and expands them with some of the freedoms he was learning from the European scene! The record boasts a format and lineup that's quite unusual for Blue Note at the time – 2 side-long "suite" tracks, performed by a group that features Cherry on cornet, Pharoah Sanders on tenor and piccolo, Karl Berger on vibes and piano, Gato Barbieri on tenor, Ed Blackwell on drums, and both Jean-Francois Jenny- Clark and Henry Grimes on bass! There's a fair bit of room for creative improvising on the session, but the overall album's a bit more structured than contemporary free jazz outings – and clearly shows the mark of Cherry's interpolation of styles at the time. Two long suites are entitled "Symphony For Improvisers" and "Manhattan Cry" – with shorter passages that include "Nu Creative Love", "Infant Happiness", "Manhattan Cry", and "Lunatic". CD

Pure genius from the great Sonny Clark – one of the key Blue Note albums recorded in his all-too-short career – and a set that offers up his perfect blend of modern jazz ideas and hardbop energy! The group here is an all-star one – with a young John Coltrane making one of his few Blue Note appearances – alongside Donald Byrd on trumpet and Curtis Fuller on trombone – a frontline that's brimming over with young enthusiasm and fresh concepts – as Clark moves things along with Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums! Titles include two of Sonny's landmark compositions – "News for Lulu" and "Sonny's Crib" – plus smoking renditions of "Speak Low" and "With a Song in My Heart". Connoisseur release includes three alternate takes! CD

One of Chick Corea's first true moments of genius – a record that has the pianist stepping out into more experimental territory, after doing years of 60s material in a more soul jazz and Latin-styled mode! The tracks have a great sense of arrangement, but also balance that with really well-crafted solos that get nice and free – played by a lineup that includes Woody Shaw on trumpet, Benny Maupin and Hubert Laws on reeds, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – really opening up to Corea's fresh sense of rhythm! The whole thing's great – and titles include the long tracks "Is", "Jamala", "The Brain", "This", "It", "Song Of The Wind", and "Sundance". Features lots of bonus tracks too! CD