... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

The rich tenor sound of Jerry Bergonzi sounds wonderful here – set up strongly next to the guitar work of Sheryl Bailey, a player with a loose, open style that really mixes well with Jerry's own! The duo have a way of really moving past any familiar guitar/tenor pairing – into a world of colors and flowing tones that's completely captivating throughout, and delivered in a way that makes us fans of Bergonzi all over again, constantly amazed at his ability to open up different chapters in his career, while never failing to deliver the goods. The lineup also features Phil Grenadier on trumpet, Harvie S on bass, and Luther Gray on drums – and titles include "Obama", "Czech Mate", "Double Billed", "Extra Extra", "Loudzee", "Separated", and "The Truth". CD

The rich tenor sound of Jerry Bergonzi sounds wonderful here – set up strongly next to the guitar work of Sheryl Bailey, a player with a loose, open style that really mixes well with Jerry's own! The duo have a way of really moving past any familiar guitar/tenor pairing – into a world of colors and flowing tones that's completely captivating throughout, and delivered in a way that makes us fans of Bergonzi all over again, constantly amazed at his ability to open up different chapters in his career, while never failing to deliver the goods. The lineup also features Phil Grenadier on trumpet, Harvie S on bass, and Luther Gray on drums – and titles include "Obama", "Czech Mate", "Double Billed", "Extra Extra", "Loudzee", "Separated", and "The Truth". CD

A motherlode of rare tenor work from the east coast bop scene – rare singles and album tracks recorded for the Dawn label! First up are 4 numbers done by Stan Getz in 1949 with a group that includes Al Haig and Jimmy Raney – on titles that include "Skull Buster", "Ante Room", "Pennies From Heaven", and "Poop Deck". The Getz edge is already very firmly in place on these sides, with a sound to match the quality of Stan's work for Prestige or Roost in the same era. Wardell Gray follows with 2 numbers – "It's The Talk Of The Town" and "In A Pinch" – both done with a similar group that includes Raney and Haig, also recorded in 1949. The scene then moves to 1956 – a big year of recording for the Dawn label – and features 2 tracks that have Paul Quinichette blowing with the Gene Roland group – "These Foolish Things" and "Along About This Time Of Year" (neither of which are on the other Quinichette Dawn/Biograph CD.) Last up is Zoot Sims – one of Dawn's strongest artists – heard here on 6 tracks from 1956, done with a group that includes Jerry Lloyd on trumpet – and including "Blues For The Month Of May", "The Big Stampede", "Jerry's Jaunt", and "I Should Care". CD

Two rare European records from Freddy Cole – best known to most of us in the US as a jazz singer! One More Love Song is surprisingly soulful set from Freddy – quite different than some of the straighter jazz vocals he's cut over the years! This rare gem was recorded in The Netherlands in the mid 70s – and features backings from Jerry Van Rooyen and Tony Noite, both of whom mix jazzy inflections with fuller orchestrations – helping to bring Cole's rich background into a whole new light! Freddy's voice still has that wonderful trademark rasp – familiar to, yet quite different than brother Nat – and the use of some smoother soul modes makes for a really great contrast. Titles include "One More Love Song", "I Loved You", "I Need You So", "Still Wanna Be With You", "Isn't She Lovely", and "Here Is Where Your Love Belongs". Right From The Heart has Freddy Cole taking on a mix of adult ballads and some groovier numbers – set to arrangements by John Gally, Hennie Bekker, and Steve Gray – and recorded in London with a nicely mature feel. There's a bit of polish to the production, especially on the more upbeat cuts – but the mellower numbers still have Cole singing in a great old school mode. Titles include "The Girl From The Piano Bar", "To Be With You", "Teach Me Tonight", "Summer Love", "Somewhere Down The Line", and "Right From The Start". CD

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful Herbie Hancock session from the 60s – a Blue Note album that's sometimes overlooked, but which really shows Herbie taking off – as he adds a nice dose of lyricism into his usual soul jazz approach from the 60s! The sound's a bit farther-reaching than on some of Hancock's smaller group sessions – and the record features a sextet that includes Jerry Dodgion on flute, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, and Peter Phillips on bass trombone – an instrument that combines wonderfully with Thad's horn, to create all these cool, compressed elements. Herbie plays piano alongside Ron Carter on bass and the great Mickey Roker on drums. The harder-hitting soul jazz riffs and hooks of Herbie's first few records are nicely replaced by more thoughtful lines that get a bit deeper, soulfully – and nearly all tracks on the set are originals by Hancock! The album's filled with great moments – and tracks include "The Sorcerer", "Riot", and "Goodbye To Childhood". LP, Vinyl record album

24 songs from Bill Justis,Wayne Powers, Rudy Grayzell, Edwin Bruce, The Sun Rays, Magel Priesman, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dickey Lee, Ray Smith, Gene Simmons, and Tommy Blake. CD