One of Handy's important mind-expanding sets from the late 60s – a classic album with his group that featured a young Michael White on violin and Mike Nock on piano. White's work on the album is especially striking – very different from many other players in jazz, using the instrument in styles that evoke traditions of ancient stringed instruments, while also exploring new possibilities to use the violin as a sonic tool. As always, Nock's dark piano work is always a treat – especially on the beautiful compositions he contributed to the set. Titles include "Dance To The Lady", "Sanpaku", "Song Of Uranus", "Three In One", and "Projections". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff! This fantastic lost John Handy album for Roulette, like his others, stands as some of the finest unknown jazz of the 60's. These records are always (unfortunately) passed by in the racks, but don't make the same mistake! Handy's alto is honed to a razor sharp point, fresh from his work with Mingus, and the writing and playing is at a level that he (and few other alto players) ever reached again. A young Walter Bishop plays piano, and the cuts include "No Coast", "Boo's Ups & Downs", and "Quote, Unquote". LP, Vinyl record album

Handy's really going for the college crowd here – breaking away from the modernist hardbop of his post-Mingus years, going for a melange of styles put together with a host of hipper San Francisco players that includes Jerry Hahn on guitar and Michael White on violin. There's traces of some of Chico Hamilton's grooves from the same time, but the overall sound is a lot freer. Titles include "Theme X", "Dance For Carlo B", "Scheme #1", and "Dancy Dancy". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from saxophonist John Handy – an extended performance from the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1965, and a set that shows that he's grown tremendously as an artist since his early recordings for Roulette! The tracks are quite long – with only 2 numbers overall, "Spanish Lady" and "If Only We Knew" – each of which take up a side of the album. Handy's work on alto sax is incredibly soulful – and the group here includes Jerry Hahn on guitar and Michael White on amplified violin – playing with a sound that is sprawling, spiritual, and a little bit "out" at times – but always filled with that sense of soul that made Handy so wonderful, even during his early years with Charles Mingus! LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent John Handy album from the 60s – and one that features some especially nice vibes from Bobby Hutcherson – in a group that also features Pat Martino on guitar! Tracks are all nice and long, and the record maybe features some of the most "out" moments in Handy's career – as he blows very soulful solos on alto, while Hutcherson hits some very hard noisy notes on the vibes. The rest of the group includes Albert Stinson on bass and Doug Sides on drums – and titles include "Naima", "A Little Quiet", and "Tears Of Ole Miss (Anatomy Of A Riot)". LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from the great saxophonist John Handy – working here at a time when he was fresh from some key experience with Charles Mingus, and ready to try out some of his own great ideas as a leader on his own! The album's a stunner right from the start – a record of subtle power and very deep soul – one that's also different than some of the directions Handy would take in years to come – both in some of his more freewheeling hippy modes, or his slicker jazz funk of the 70s. Instead, this set's a mix of modern ideas and sharper swing – a bit like Jackie McLean during some of his pivotal early 60s years, but with raspier soul too – delivered by a perfect group that also features great work on trumpet from Richard Williams, plus piano from Roland Hanna, bass from George Tucker, and drums from the great Roy Haynes. Titles include "Blues In The Vernacular", "Suggested Line", "First Time", "I'll Close My Eyes Again", "Quote Unquote", and "Dance To The Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A cheapo package, but some really great material! Side one features two long cuts recorded live – with Gato Barbieri on tenor, Don Cherry on trumpet, and Karl Berger on vibes – on "OCDC" and "Third Movement". Next is another live track – Albert Ayler's tenor on a version of "Ghosts" with Norman Howard on trumpet, Earle Henderson and Henry Grimes on basses, and Sonny Murray on drums. Last is a side-long take of "If Only We Knew" – led by John Handy on alto – with Michael Sampson on violin, George Tucker on bass, and Bobby Fuhlrodt on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Lineup features Warren Gale on trumpet, John Handy on alto, Mel Martin on tenor and curved soprano (!), George Cables on piano, Frank Tusa on bass, and Eddie Marshall on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

John Handy on alto and tenor saxophone, Jim McNeely and Buddy Montgomery on paino, Rufus Reid on bass, and Billy Hart and Eddie Marshall on drums. CD

Incredible work from saxophonist John Handy – an extended performance from the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1965, and a set that shows that he's grown tremendously as an artist since his early recordings for Roulette! The tracks are quite long – with only 2 numbers overall, "Spanish Lady" and "If Only We Knew" – each of which take up a side of the album. Handy's work on alto sax is incredibly soulful – and the group here includes Jerry Hahn on guitar and Michael White on amplified violin – playing with a sound that is sprawling, spiritual, and a little bit "out" at times – but always filled with that sense of soul that made Handy so wonderful, even during his early years with Charles Mingus! CD

A wonderful testament to the soul and sensitivity of the music of John Hicks – a loving tribute to the late, great pianist – handled here by some of his closest jazz associates! Even without Hicks' compositions, the group would be great enough – but given that John's musical legacy lives on in the songs, there's a deeper sense of feeling here that really unites the music – a rich extension of that flowing, spiritual side of his music that first flowered most strongly in the 70s, then continued to please us for years in a series of excellent later albums. Elis Wood-Hicks delivers some great work on flute throughout the set – and other players include Craig Handy on tenor and soprano, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, and core rhythm from Larry Willis on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Steve Williams on drums. Willis' later tones on the keys are a wonderful complement to Hicks' tunes, and Lundy's bass is always an element that makes a set great – and continues that legacy here. Titles include "Mind Wine", "After The Morning", "Blues In The Pocket", "Single Petal Of A Rose","Avotcja", and "Yemenja". CD

A trio of later gems from this legendary South African pianist! Mindif is a great set that features Abdullah Ibrahim's soundtrack music for the 1988 Clair Denis film Chocolat – some of his best group recordings of the 80s! The feel here is a bit more African-styled than usual – even for Ibrahim – with strong use of reeds to inflect the tunes with the right degree of color and tone for their use in the film. The ensemble on the record features Ricky Ford on tenor and soprano, Craig Handy on flute and tenor, Benny Powell on trombone, David Williams on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the tracks have a languid groove that recalls some of Dollar Brand's best South African recordings with Kippie Moketsie. Titles include "Earth Bird", "African Market", "Pule", "Star Dance", and "Serenity". African River is one of the great larger group recordings that pianist Abdullah Ibrahim gave us in the 80s – from a moment when he was able to use added horns to really expand that amazing sense of color and rhythm he'd brought to his music on earlier trio recordings! There's a sense of musical vision here that really lives up to Abdullah's majestic look on the cover – a fantastic merging of flute and tenor from John Stubblefield, soprano and alto from Horace Alexander Young, tuba and baritone from Howard Johnson, and trombone from Robin Eubanks – all vibrant horn players who seem to have just about every tone and mood covered with their horns – given this wonderfully warm support from Buster Williams on bass, and Brian Adams on drums. All titles are originals by the leader – and tunes include "Chisa", "Sweet Samba", "Duke 88", "The Wedding", and "Joan Capetown Flower". Yarona is a beautifully sensitive set from Abdullah Ibrahim – recorded live at the Village Vanguard, and with an open, lyrical sound that almost seems to recall some of Bill Evans' magical moments in the venue! Ibrahim's quite a different player, of course – but there's an open, exploratory quality to his music that's a bit unusual here – maybe not as rhythmically based as it is balanced between sound and silence – given very respectful company in the bass of Marcus McLaurine and drums of George Johnson. Titles include "Cherry/Mannenberg", "Duke 88", "African River", "Stardance", "Tuang Guru", "Tintinyana", and "African Marketplace". CD

One of Mingus' classic sessions from the middle period – a legendary blending of jazz with bluesy gospel touches, in a mode that seemed to move away from the politics of some of the late 50s years, and open up his work to a whole new audience! The band is an all-star ensemble all the way through – tentet that features Jackie McLean, Booker Ervin, John Handy, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis, and Horace Parlan – cutting a line perfectly with Mingus on the album's 6 original tunes. Includes the oft-copied "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "My Jelly Roll Soul", "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too", "Moanin", and "Tensions". CD

One of Mingus' classic sessions from the middle period – a legendary blending of jazz with bluesy gospel touches, in a mode that seemed to move away from the politics of some of the late 50s years, and open up his work to a whole new audience! The band is an all-star ensemble all the way through – tentet that features Jackie McLean, Booker Ervin, John Handy, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis, and Horace Parlan – cutting a line perfectly with Mingus on the album's 6 original tunes. Includes the oft-copied "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "My Jelly Roll Soul", "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too", "Moanin", and "Tensions". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – recorded in Mingus' classic period! Mingus leads a sharp small group here – a wonderful quintet that features Booker Ervin on tenor, John Handy on alto, and Richard Wyands on piano – with longtime musical partner Dannie Richmond on drums! The session was recorded live at the Nonagon Gallery in New York, and has that sort of arch-modernist groove that was Mingus' hallmark in these key late 50's years. Ervin, as always, is amazing, and John Handy, who makes his recording debut here, demonstrates the genius that Mingus had for spotting brilliant young players as he plays with the sort of imagination and intensity that he only ever managed to hit again on one or two of his own records as a leader. The record's got four long tracks, including long takes of "Nostalgia In Times Square", "Alice's Wonderland", and "No Private Income Blues". CD

A landmark recording from Mingus – and one of his best of the mid 60s! The album was recorded live at the Montery Jazz fest – and it features great work by Jaki Byard, Charles McPherson, John Handy, and Lou Blackburn. Mingus explores his increasing fascination with the work of Ellington on the extended Ellington Medley, which takes up most of the first record – and then he moves into two long fantastic originals, "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk" and "Meditations On Integrations. Both works represent some of his most sophisticated compositions – and the performances here are legendary. CD

Great stuff – recorded in Mingus' classic period! Mingus leads a sharp small group here – a wonderful quintet that features Booker Ervin on tenor, John Handy on alto, and Richard Wyands on piano – with longtime musical partner Dannie Richmond on drums! The session was recorded live at the Nonagon Gallery in New York, and has that sort of arch-modernist groove that was Mingus' hallmark in these key late 50's years. Ervin, as always, is amazing, and John Handy, who makes his recording debut here, demonstrates the genius that Mingus had for spotting brilliant young players as he plays with the sort of imagination and intensity that he only ever managed to hit again on one or two of his own records as a leader. The record's got four long tracks, including long takes of "Nostalgia In Times Square", "Alice's Wonderland", and "No Private Income Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – recorded in Mingus' classic period! Mingus leads a sharp small group here – a wonderful quintet that features Booker Ervin on tenor, John Handy on alto, and Richard Wyands on piano – with longtime musical partner Dannie Richmond on drums! The session was recorded live at the Nonagon Gallery in New York, and has that sort of arch-modernist groove that was Mingus' hallmark in these key late 50's years. Ervin, as always, is amazing, and John Handy, who makes his recording debut here, demonstrates the genius that Mingus had for spotting brilliant young players as he plays with the sort of imagination and intensity that he only ever managed to hit again on one or two of his own records as a leader. The record's got four long tracks, including long takes of "Nostalgia In Times Square", "Alice's Wonderland", and "No Private Income Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking little bop set from Sonny Stitt – recorded live at the Keystone in 1981, as sort of a "summit meeting" of horns – one that features Richie Cole and John Handy in the frontline with Sonny! The rhythm section alone is enough to cook this one up nicely – with Cedar Walton on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the sextet is expanded by Bobby Hutcherson, whose vibes seem to bring an even deeper level of soul to the set. But the main focus here is on the horns – and it's a focus that's well-kept, especially on the longer tunes, which really sparkle in the range of tone and mood expressed. Highlights include an extended "Ballad Medley" and versions of "Wee", "Lover Man", and "Star Eyes". (And by the way, that's "bad", as in "good" – in case you couldn't guess from the title!) CD

Reedman Joe Thomas is wrapped up here in some very warm grooves – a mix of electric jazz and clubby modes – all of which takes Thomas' usual sound right to the discos! Most cuts have a backup vocal group – with contributions from Gwen Guthrie and Jocelyn Brown – but these vocals soon step aside to make room for Joe's solos on both tenor and flute – every bit as soulful as before, maybe a bit like Stanley Turrentine or John Handy in such a setting! The album's also got some great keyboards from Pat Rebillot – and titles include "Plato's Retreat", "Mr Mumbles", "Get In The Wind", "Two Doors Down", and "Low Down". CD

Ralph J Gleason might just be one of the coolest cats to ever write about music – a key part of the San Francisco scene during the postwar years – where his talents helped illuminate both the worlds of art and music during the beat generation – then really helped shine a spotlight on all the cultural changes in the city during the 60s – which even led to Gleason's role in the founding of Rolling Stone magazine! Gleason always had a great eye (and ear) for things that were new and special, but never in a way that was slavish to the moment – or to its creator – and the book features an initial section on his writings on jazz and blues – with essays on John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Carmen McRae, BB King, John Handy, Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete, Cal Tjader, Ben Webster, the San Francisco Jazz scene, and other diverse topics. The second section features Gleason on folk and rock – with bits on Jefferson Airplane, Hank Williams, Lenny Bruce, Odetta, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and others – and the final section features articles on politics and culture – covering topics that include Richard Nixon, radio payola, Law & Order, flower children, and other slices of society, seen from the Gleason viewpoint. Book is hardcover, and 309 pages. Book

An extended suite for a large ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller and featuring 30 (!) musicians including Randy Brecker, Wynton Marsalis, John Handy, Bobby Watson, John Hicks, Sir Roland Hanna, John Abercrombie and Victor Lewis. CD

Great stuff – recorded in Mingus' classic period! Mingus leads a sharp small group here – a wonderful quintet that features Booker Ervin on tenor, John Handy on alto, and Richard Wyands on piano – with longtime musical partner Dannie Richmond on drums! The session was recorded live at the Nonagon Gallery in New York, and has that sort of arch-modernist groove that was Mingus' hallmark in these key late 50's years. Ervin, as always, is amazing, and John Handy, who makes his recording debut here, demonstrates the genius that Mingus had for spotting brilliant young players as he plays with the sort of imagination and intensity that he only ever managed to hit again on one or two of his own records as a leader. The record's got four long tracks, including long takes of "Nostalgia In Times Square", "Alice's Wonderland", and "No Private Income Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Charles Mingus' true classics – and an essential album in any jazz collection! This 1959 gem was recorded by Mingus at a key point in his career – when he was rising from the jazz underground into the ranks of America's elite jazzmen, penning some of the most challenging work of his career, and working with incredible younger players that interpreted his work with a great deal of fire! The tracks are a bit more tightly arranged than work on some of Mingus' previous work for labels like Atlantic and Bethlehem, but that also gives them a razor-sharp emotional edge that's carried off perfectly by players who include John Handy and Shafi Hadi on alto saxes, Booker Ervin on tenor, Willie Dennis and Jimmy Knepper on trombones, Horace Parlan on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums. The album is filled with key Mingus classics – like "Better Git It In Your Soul", "Boogie Stop Shuffle", "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", and "Fables of Faubus" – plus "Self Portrait In Three Colors", "Open Letter To Duke", and "Bird Call". LP, Vinyl record album

Charles Mingus at Carnegie Hall – but playing here with relaxed and intimate feel that's not what you might expect from the staid setting! The original album features two long tracks – both done in more of a jam session mode than any other Charles Mingus recordings we can think of. Both numbers are Ellington classics – "C Jam Blues" and "Perdido" – showcasing Mingus' late fascination with the Duke, but in a way that still preserves all of the modern inventions of his own earlier work. As on much of the best Mingus albums from the time, there's a real focus on the strengths of the soloists here – players who include Roland Kirk on tenor and stritch, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Handy on alto and tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, and Don Pullen on piano – all of whom really play with some sharp edges and bold notes! This great expanded version features more very long tracks – over 70 minutes of unreleased music, with versions of "Celia", "Big Alice", "Fables Of Faubus", and "Peggy's Blue Skylight" – as well as Mingus' introduction of the music. CD

Charles Mingus caught live is a totally different experience from Mingus in the studio – as this crack album from 1964 will testify! The album features a stripped-down quartet that includes Clifford Jordan on tenor, Jane Getz on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums – plus a guest appearance by altoist John Handy on one of the album's two tracks. Although you'll recognize the titles – "New Fables" and "Meditations (For A Pair Of Wire Cutters)" – as two of Mingus' more famous compositions, the versions here are extremely long (over 20 minutes), and show the less-composed side of Mingus' playing – one in which he allowed soloists to have much freer rein than usual, and really stretch out with their sound! Jordan and Handy take more than ample use of this space, and wail away mightily in some of their best recorded work from the time. Nice stuff, and one of the best mid-60's Mingus albums! LP, Vinyl record album

A great early moment for the legendary Charles Mingus – music that was used in the equally-legendary film Shadows – the first directorial effort from a young John Cassavetes! The album's worth it alone for the unusual piece "Untitled Percussion Composition" – one of the loosest, sparest Mingus moments ever – and a work that features Charles on both piano and percussion, alongside more percussion from Dannie Richmond, Horace Parlan, Jimmy Knepper, and Clarence Shaw – with a sublime flute solo from Shafi Hadi over the top! The rest of the tracks are more familiar moments from the key Mingus year of 1959 – played by groups with John Handy on alto, Booker Ervin and Shafi Hadi on tenor, and either Richard Wyands or Horace Parlan on piano – on the titles "Self Portrait In Three Colors", "Nostalgia In Times Square", and "Alice's Wonderland" – plus an "Untitled Percussion Composition". LP, Vinyl record album

A bold statement from former members of the Charles Mingus group – working here together as a unit after the passing of Mingus, in a set that has some of the best fire and energy of Charles' later years! The tracks here are all Mingus compositions – performed in longish takes that allow for some great solo work from John Handy on alto, Joe Farrell on tenor, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone – and rhythm on the session is by the trio of Don Pullen on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums. Titles include "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", "Boogie Stop Shuffle", "My Jelly Roll Soul", and "Sweet Sucker Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

Tubby Hayes – we love you! You're a big ol' white guy from England, but you're one of our favorite-ever tenor players – and this set of tracks features some pivotal work from your late 50s years! The set features Tubby on tenor and vibes, Terry Shannon on piano, Jeff Clyne on bass, and Phil Seamen on drums – and although the tunes are simply done, Tubby's wonderfully well-crafted solos remind us of the best of Sonny Rollins or Gene Ammons, with slight touches of early John Handy. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Embers", "Blue Hayes", "Sunny Monday", and "Like Someone In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – recorded in Mingus' classic period! Mingus leads a sharp small group here – a wonderful quintet that features Booker Ervin on tenor, John Handy on alto, and Richard Wyands on piano – with longtime musical partner Dannie Richmond on drums! The session was recorded live at the Nonagon Gallery in New York, and has that sort of arch-modernist groove that was Mingus' hallmark in these key late 50's years. Ervin, as always, is amazing, and John Handy, who makes his recording debut here, demonstrates the genius that Mingus had for spotting brilliant young players as he plays with the sort of imagination and intensity that he only ever managed to hit again on one or two of his own records as a leader. The record's got four long tracks, including long takes of "Nostalgia In Times Square", "Alice's Wonderland", and "No Private Income Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Simple and elegant genius from Zoot Sims – an overlooked quartet session recorded with George Handy on piano, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. Handy was the famous arranger for the Boyd Rayburn group in the 40s, and here he arranges the whole set – and also contributes a number of original tunes – making for a very fresh session that gets Zoot far past the usual bag of well-worn standards. And with Ware on bass, there's an extra depth to the set in the rhythm department that opens things up nicely – not dramatically, but enough to allow for some more emphatic playing on the part of Sims! Titles include "Osmosis", "Here & Now", "Swim Jim", "Why Cry", and "Echoes Of You". CD

An amazing tribute to the Bakersfield scene – one that finally gives the California city the same sort of attention that we usually see in sets dedicated to Nashville! Bakersfield is well-known as the home of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, but the city's got a long legacy of influencing country music for decades – a good deal of which is presented here, in a package that brings together loads of rare Cali country singles that we never would have heard otherwise, along with well-chosen cuts from some of its stars, and a fair bit of rare and unissued material too! At the center of the set is a huge hardcover book by Scott Bomar – hardcover, 12" square, and with 224 full color pages of notes and images on the genius of Bakersfield, and what made it such a unique country music spot. The 10 CDs feature nearly 300 songs in all – one disc of which is all rare live and unissued material – and in addition to work by Buck and Merle, the set features tracks by Wayne Morris, Jerry Cornelius, Vancie & Rita, Georgia Lynn, Kenny Hays, Tommy Lewis, Rollie Webber, Johnny Barnette, Bonnie Owens, Bobby Durham, George Latta, Owen Charles, Larry Daniels, Gene Moles, Al Brumley, Bill Handy, Leo Stephens, Faye Hardin, Tom Tall, Cliff Crofford, Kenny Vernon, Rose Lee Maphis, Oscar Whittington, Foyle Holley, Dick Curless, Red Simpson, Gary Paxton, Jim Ward, and many many more! CD

22 songs from Joe Hill Louis, Johnny London, Handy Jackson, Joe Hill Louis, Willie Nix, Jimmy And Walter, Rufus Thomas, Dusty Brooks, D A Hunt, Big Memphis Marainey, and Jimmy Deberry. CD