An unlikely pairing of albums, but another nice 2-fer of classic Atlantic sides. The Jazz Messengers album is a great one – and features the firey hardbop of Blakey's late 50's Messengers (with Johnny Griffin and Bill Hardman) meeting the modernist piano playing of Monk, who was really hitting his stride at this point on his own Riverside recordings. The session's an interesting one, and if it lacks the groove of the usual Blakey album, Monk more than makes up for any lack of soulfulness by throwing in some nice complicated piano lines. We still prefer Bobby Timmons to Monk with Blakey – but the album's worth having, and includes nice Monk tracks like "Evidence", "Blue Monk", "I Mean You", and "Purple Shades". The MJQ session's a live one, and features the usual tightly arranged chamber jazz approach. Tracks on that one include "Bag's Groove", "Blues Milanese", "Pyramid", and "The Cylinder". CD

Not really the last concert ever from the Modern Jazz Quartet – but a set that seemed so at the time, given that the group went their separate ways for a number of years! The record's got the combo in really top form – very much back to the basics of their early time on Atlantic Records, with a sublime focus on that unique sound that no other group like this could match. Milt Jackson's vibes are chromatically aligned in this amazing way with the piano of John Lewis – and somehow the live recording seems to bring out even more tones in the bass of Percy Heath, who feels an even stronger presence here than usual. Connie Kay's work on drums are a masterpiece of percussive understatement – and titles include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Summertime", "The Cylinder", "Blues In A Minor", and "One Never Knows". CD

A classic set of high-class jazz from the MJQ – one that shows John Lewis' growing compositional skills, and the band's always tight ability to work in a compressed chamber format. Features the extended "Fontessa" suite, plus the tracks "Versailles", "Angel Eyes", "Bluesology", and "Woodyn You". CD

Not really the last concert ever from the Modern Jazz Quartet – but a set that seemed so at the time, given that the group went their separate ways for a number of years! The record's got the combo in really top form – very much back to the basics of their early time on Atlantic Records, with a sublime focus on that unique sound that no other group like this could match. Milt Jackson's vibes are chromatically aligned in this amazing way with the piano of John Lewis – and somehow the live recording seems to bring out even more tones in the bass of Percy Heath, who feels an even stronger presence here than usual. Connie Kay's work on drums are a masterpiece of percussive understatement – and titles include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Summertime", "The Cylinder", "Blues In A Minor", and "One Never Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool 70s album from the Modern Jazz Quartet – and one that has John Lewis playing a bit of electric piano, in addition to his usual acoustic keys! At some level, it almost feels like the group's working off the lessons learned during their Apple Records years – and are also picking up some elements of Milt Jackson's work on other projects in the late 60s – as the record has a soulful groove you might not normally expect from the MJQ, and less of the more academic tones that had marked some of their earlier 60s recordings for Atlantic. Tunes are really nicely focused, but still have that strong sense of space and sound that's the Lewis' hallmark – and Jackson's nicely-pointed vibes sound really great next to Lewis' keys, whether acoustic or electric. Titles include "The Legendary Profile", "Valeria", "Misty Roses", "The Martyr", and "What Now My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest material ever recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet – early 50s sides that were originally issued as 78rpm singles, then brought together in this self-titled LP! Some of the material was first released under the name of the Milt Jackson Quartet – but featured the lineup of Jackson on vibes, John Lewis piano, Percy Heath bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Yet other tracks on the set have bassist Ray Brown in for Heath and drummer Al Jones in for Clarke – both players who make for a slightly different groove in the company of Jackson and Lewis. Tunes are short, but already show that Lewis love of chromatic tones – and titles include "Yesterdays", "Love Me Pretty Baby", "Milt Meets Sid", "Moving Nicely", "D&E", "True Blues", and "Autumn Breeze". CD

More material from the famous Last Concert record from the MJQ – not really the last concert ever from the Modern Jazz Quartet – but a set that seemed so at the time, given that the group went their separate ways for a number of years! The record's got the combo in really top form – very much back to the basics of their early time on Atlantic Records, with a sublime focus on that unique sound that no other group like this could match. Milt Jackson's vibes are chromatically aligned in this amazing way with the piano of John Lewis – and somehow the live recording seems to bring out even more tones in the bass of Percy Heath, who feels an even stronger presence here than usual. Connie Kay's work on drums are a masterpiece of percussive understatement – and titles include "The Jasmine Tree", "Tears From The Children", "England's Carol", "Blues In H (b)", and "Really True Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Features a long reading of "Pyramid" – plus "Django", "Romaine", "Vendome", and "It Don't Mean A Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one! The MJQ record for the Beatles' label, and the record's one of their most interesting in years! The production's pretty straight, but the group's playing in a cool open-ended style that still has elements of their earlier work, but which really makes things a lot more interesting than some of the Atlantic recordings. Milt Jackson's vibes have a bit more of a bell-like quality on some parts, and the rhythm team of Percy Heath and Connie Kay kick it with a soul jazz vibe on a few numbers – a nice change from the sleepier rhythms of earlier albums. Titles include "The Blue Necklace", "Exposure", "Jasmine Tree", and "Three Little Feelings". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the later albums in the group's classic run for Atlantic Records – with titles that include "Bag's Groove", "Blues Milanese", "Pyramid", "The Cylinder", "Really True Blues", "Ralph's New Blues", "Monterey Mist", and "Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early 60s set from Modern Jazz Quartet! This one marked the then growing sophistication in the sound of the Modern Jazz Quartet – a concept album based on themes and characters from the Italian tradition of commedia dell'arte. The music is served up in gentle sound poems that have a haunting, timeless sort of feel – very spare and melancholy – with lots of tragic overtones, and hardly the comedic sound you'd expect from the title! Diahann Carroll sings on the track "La Cantatrice" – and other numbers include "Spanish Steps", "Columbine", "Piazza Navona", and "Harlequin". LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length live set from the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded in Scandinavia in 1960, almost as a summation of the group's growing genius in the 50s! The tunes are a mix of John Lewis and Milt Jackson originals, plus other songs all given the wonderful MJQ twist – distilled into a sublime blend of piano, vibes, bass, and drums – all delivered with a sense of class, but never too much polish. Set features 15 tracks in all – including "Django", "Bluesology", "La Ronde", "Festival Sketch", "Vendome", "Odds Against Tomorrow", "Skating In Central Park", "The Cylinder", and"Round Midnight". CD

Truly one of the Modern Jazz Quartet's greatest albums – and a set that has an edge and a darkness that's missing from some of their other Atlantic records! Part of the reason for this may be the group's fantastic reading of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – a killer moody track that sounds great in the group's vibes/piano style – and which leads off the album with a chilling tone that's really unbelievable! The rest of the album's pretty great too – and there's a brooding intensity we don't normally hear in the piano of John Lewis and vibes of Milt Jackson. Other tracks include Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue" – plus John Lewi's "Belkis", "Animal Dance", "New York 19", and "Trieste". CD

A 2LP set that brings together most of the material from the first three full-length albums by the Modern Jazz Quartet – all recorded at a time when the combo were first forging their famous sound! Most of the sides here are in contrast to the group's better-known Atlantic work, because the group at this point still featured Kenny Clarke on drums – and although a few tracks here include Connie Kay, the bulk of the recordings are touched by Clarke's tighter, sometimes more aggressive work on percussion – making for a less-than-trademark sound that we really like. As usual, the rest of the group features Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, and Percy Heath on bass – and the 2LP set features 18 tracks that include "Concorde", "Vendome", "Milano", "La Ronde", "Django", "All The Things You Are", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Delauney's Dilemma", "La Ronde Suite", "All Of You", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice moody stuff from the MJQ – featuring a number of longish tracks with kind of a haunting soundtrack quality to them. In fact, most of these cuts (we think) appeared on the soundtrack to the film Odds Against Tomorrow, but are redone here by the band in new versions. Titles include "Skating In Central Park", "A Social Call", "Cold Wind Is Blowing", and "Cue #9". LP, Vinyl record album

An extremely haunting version of the score to Porgy & Bess – recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet at the height of their powers, in a gently soulful version that really takes off from the original. The group have a very free approach here – one that uses Gershwin's originals as a set of loose guidelines to work from – shading in the spaces with their own tones and colors on vibes, piano, bass, and drums. The album features some great modern takes on "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" – and other tracks include "O Bess, Where's My Bess", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man's Gone Now", and "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York". LP, Vinyl record album

The MJQ always manage to sound especially great when working on music for film – and this album's a great illustration of that fact! The work here is written by John Lewis, for a movie that never lasted the test of time as much as the record – and it's some of John's most evocative writing of the time – almost imagistic enough without the film – filled with tones and colors that are quite visual, especially in the hands of this great group! Selections are played by the core quartet of Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums – and titles include "The Golden Striker", "One Never Knows", "The Rose Truc", "Venice", "Cortege", and "Three Windows". CD

A nice one! The MJQ record for the Beatles' famous Apple label, and the album's one of their most interesting of the 60s! The production's pretty straight, but the group's playing in a cool open-ended style that still has elements of their earlier work, but which really makes things a lot more interesting than some of the Atlantic recordings. Milt Jackson's vibes have a bit more of a bell-like quality on some parts, and the rhythm team of Percy Heath and Connie Kay kick it with a soul jazz vibe on a few numbers – a nice change from the sleepier rhythms of earlier albums. Titles include "The Blue Necklace", "Exposure", "Jasmine Tree", and "Three Little Feelings". CD

The Modern Jazz Quartet with a very noteworthy addition – the great Sonny Rollins, whose work on this record really makes it a cut above the usual MJQ outing for Atlantic! As on the quartet's previous Music Inn album with Jimmy Giuffre, the addition of a reed player really inflects their trademark sound with a new range of sounds and feelings – and Rollins himself cuts back on the hardbop influences, and shows some great restraint in matching some of the group's more modern modes. Sonny only plays on 2 of the album's 6 tracks – but that's enough to open it up nicely – and on other numbers, the MJQ begin in their usual mellower mode, but then seem to step things up with more boppish inflections, almost anticipating Rollins' arrival on the last 2 numbers. Sonny plays on the tunes "Bag's Groove" and "Night In Tunisia" – and other titles include "Midsommer", "Festival Sketch", "Yardbird Suite", and an opening medley. LP, Vinyl record album

A great addition to the Modern Jazz Quartet – as the clarinet of Jimmy Giuffre brings a sharp modern edge to the record! The album's similar to the other MJQ Music Inn date with Sonny Rollins – and shows how the addition of a reed player can really unlock new colors, tones, and possibilities in the sounds of the group. And in this case, given the Giuffre's at the height of his early powers – coming off some sublime trio dates for Atlantic – the pairing of players is completely sublime! Titles include "A Fugue At Music Inn", "Serenade", and "Fun". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Nature Boy", "Valeria", "Le Cannet", and "Connie's Blues". CD

Truly one of the Modern Jazz Quartet's greatest albums – and a set that has an edge and a darkness that's missing from some of their other Atlantic records! Part of the reason for this may be the group's fantastic reading of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" – a killer moody track that sounds great in the group's vibes/piano style – and which leads off the album with a chilling tone that's really unbelievable! The rest of the album's pretty great too – and there's a brooding intensity we don't normally hear in the piano of John Lewis and vibes of Milt Jackson. Other tracks include Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue" – plus John Lewi's "Belkis", "Animal Dance", "New York 19", and "Trieste". CD

Early and brilliant work by the MJQ – recorded at a time when the combo's idea was quite unique, and when its execution was still filled with a lot of creative energy! The group, of course, features the core duo of Milt Jackson and John Lewis – and bass chores are handled by either Percy Heath, or Ray Brown – the latter of whom dominates the album surprisingly. Drums are mostly by Kenny Clarke, whose harder touch gave the group an edge on a lot more of these early recordings – and on a few numbers, Al Jones sits in instead of Kenny. Titles include "Love Me Pretty Baby", "D&E", "True Blues", "Yesterdays", "Round About Midnight", and "Milt Meets Sid". CD

Beautifully spacey work from the Modern Jazz Quartet – a record that more than earns its enigmatic title! The session's an odd one – in that the MJQ are recording for the Beatles' famous Apple label – but that fact is also one of the best aspects of the record, as it seems to push the group past the staid third stream sound of some of their 60s recordings for Atlantic, into territory that's a bit more experimental, and concerned with sound, colors, and texture. The album's got 2 incredible originals from John Lewis – "Visitor From Mars" and "Visitor From Venus" – plus the tracks "Dilemma" and "Adagio From Concierto De Aranjuez". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that has the vocal talents of the Swingle Singers backed by the sweet and mellow instrumentation of the Modern Jazz Quartet! Given that John Lewis & Co were essentially local residents in Paris for so many years, it's amazing it took them until 1966 to hook up with Ward Swingle's hip vocal group – but the album's more than worth the wait, as the MJQ really help open things up, and take the Swingles into more complicated territory than before. Milt Jackson's vibes are especially great alongside the groovy vocals – and titles include "Little David's Fugue", "Vendome", "When I Am Laid In Earth", "Air For G String", and "Three Windows". LP, Vinyl record album

Early Sonny Rollins work for Prestige – recorded in the years 1951 and 1953, in a variety of settings! 4 tracks on the album features Rollins blowing with the MJQ, one more has him working with a Miles Davis group, and the last 8 feature a quartet with Kenny Drew, Percy Heath, and Art Blakey. The tunes are shorter than you might be used to hearing Rollins, but there's still plenty of power and imagination in the grooves – very economical solos, crafted with a great deal of imagination. Titles include "Scoops", "Shadrack", "Mambo Bounce", "The Stopper", "I Know", and "No Moe". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare pairing, and a great one too – as Paul Desmond joins the Modern Jazz Quartet for a unique live set from the early 70s – with a great sound that's even more wonderful than we expected! Desmond is always great no matter what the setting – but he sounds especially nice working here alongside the mix of piano and vibes offered by the MJQ – in a style that's subtle, but never as sleepy as some of their other records from the period, thanks to some sharper edges from Desmond. The alto sax really brings something new to this record – carving out snakey little lines that glow and glimmer with a nicely subdued soul – and in a way, the MJQ really just seem to be holding back in a role where they're Paul's accompanists, and not the main stars of the set. Titles include "Greensleeves", "Blue Dove", "You Go To My Head", "East Of The Sun", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Bag's Groove", and "Jesus Christ Superstar". LP, Vinyl record album

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the 70s group that recorded under the same name – but a cool 50s combo with Joe Puma on guitar, Herbie Mann on flute and clarinet, Mat Mathews on accordion, and Whitey Mitchell on bass. The record's got the small combo modern vibe as projects on the Dawn and RCA labels from the time – and titles include "Adam's Theme", "Blue Chips", "Skylark", "Minors Not Allowed", "Early Morning Blues", and "Just You Just Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The great French tenor player, caught live at Newport in 1959 with backing by Toshiko Akioshi, Tommy Bryant, and Roy Haynes. The set's as boppish as you'd expect, with versions of Charlie Parker's "Passport", Monk's "Round Midnight", and Wilen's own "Barney's Tune". Added to the CD are some extra recordings made in Europe – including 2 tracks recorded with Bud Powell and Kenny Clarke, and 1 recorded with The Modern Jazz Group of Freiberg. CD

Two different sides of Verve Records in the 50s – one modern, one a bit more traditional – and both represented in live material from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957! Side one features a stunning live performance from pianist Teddy Wilson – working in a tight trio with Milt Hinton on bass and Spec Powell on drums – and really blowing away any conceptions we might have had about Wilson being aging or flowery at the time. Instead, he's got a sharp edge and command of the keys that's amazing – and which almost seems to have a bit more bite than usual in this concert setting. Titles include "Stompin At The Savoy", "Basin Street Blues", and "Airmail Special" – and Gerry Mulligan joins the group on baritone for a reading of "Sweet Georgia Brown". Mulligan then takes off with his own group, in a completely different format – no piano at all, just beautiful work from Joe Benjamin on bass and Dave Bailey on drums – and sublime sounds from Bob Brookmeyer's valve trombone, which is a perfect match for Gerry's deep tones. The group plays long takes on "My Funny Valentine" and "Utter Chaos". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't take the "keep it light" title too seriously – as the work here is pretty darn heavy overall – a massive look at the way the British jazz scene was rapidly changing with the approach of the 60s – and finally starting to get a voice of its own! The big package takes a look at the best smaller groups and standout soloists of the time – many of whom have clearly been inspired by American modern jazz, from California cool to New York hardbop – but who are also bringing plenty of their own inventive phrasing and arrangements to bear as well – so much so that the London scene was exploding with new surprises at every twist and turn! This 3CD box set features a total of 62 tracks in all – plus a nice booklet of notes – with wonderful work from artists who include Joe Harriott, Dudley Moore, Victor Feldman, Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Annie Ross, Don Rendell, British Jazz Trio, London Jazz Quartet, Dizzy Reece, Cleo Laine, Tony Crombie, Ronnie Ross, and others. CD

Forget the hokey kangaroo picture on the cover, because the record's a mighty sweet set of 50s modern jazz – played by some key musicians from Australian who were working in the US at the time! The record's got a style that's somewhere between the hippest sessions of LA and Sweden at the time – all the coolness of both scenes, but a sense of playful expression that really comes through on some of the more unusual passages. The core group features Errol Buddle and Dick Healey on reeds, Bryce Rhode on piano, and Jack Brokensha on vibes – with added work from John Fawcett or Jimmy Gannon on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums. Titles include "Loose Walk", "Like Someone In Love", "Music For Walkin", "Fascinating Rhythm", "A Foggy Day", and "Little Girl Blue". CD

Fantastic French material from Chet Baker – one of his legendary albums recorded for the Barclay label in Paris – and a set that's noteworthy for also featuring work from modern jazz pianist Richard (Dick) Twardzik – who passed away shortly after the sessions! The pairing of Baker and Twardzik is one of the best of Chet's 50s years – and the group here is rounded out by the excellent Jimmy Bond on bass, and Peter Littman on drums. There's a nice bite to the set – a bit more than some of Baker's west coast material from the year or two before – and there's also an undercurrent of some of the soul that would emerge in his solos in coming years. Titles include "Rondette", "Piece Caprice", "Sad Walk", "Mid Forte", "The Girl From Greeland", "Just Duo", and "Pomp" LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one from one of Chicago's most underrated jazz men! Bobby Broom's been plying his trade here in the Windy City on guitar in small group combos for years, playing some of the finest post bop modern jazz we've heard, but he's made few recordings. This great disc captures him alongside Lonnie Smith, Ronnie Cuber and Idris Muhammad, about as near as you'll come today to the classic George Benson quartet that cut some burning sides for Columbia in the late 60s, and as you might hope, this session lives up to the promise of the lineup! The group grooves along nicely on renditions of standards like "Old Devil Moon" and "Peck A Sec", jazzy takes on pop tunes like "Superstition" and "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" and Broom's originals"Dance For Osiris" and "Blues For Modern Man". 10 tracks in all. CD

The classic quartet of John Coltrane, certainly the classic quartet of the 60s jazz scene and perhaps the classic jazz quartet of all time, compiled in one box set with all of their studio recordings! John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones set so many benchmarks for jazz with their envelope pushing style, recording and performances that it's impossible to overstate their importance in the modern musical oeuvre. This set features all of the LPs Coltrane, Ballads, Impressions, Live At Birdland, Crescent, A Love Supreme, The John Coltrane Quartet Plays, Kulu Se Mama, Transition, Sunship, Infinity and First Meditations, plus a number of tracks issued on compilations. 66 tracks in all, spread out over 8 CDs, in a beautiful bookbound package with a metal slipcase and extensive liner notes. The titles are too numerous to list here, but the set includes "Big Nick", "Soul Eyes", "Miles' Mode", "Tunji", "After The rain", "Lonnie's Lament", "The Drum Thing", "Wise One", "Crescent", "A Love Supreme", "Nature Boy", "Brasilia", "Song Of Praise", "Dear Lord", "The Last Blues", "Living Space", "Dusk Dawn", "Dearly Beloved", "Attaining", "Ascent", "Amen", "Love", "Compassion", "Joy", "Consequences", and "Serenity". 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 great little package that features two rare 10" albums by trombonist Herbie Harper – both issued by the short-lived Nocturne label in the 50s! Harper's sound here is totally great – a tightly-crafted approach to his instrument that rivals that of some of his more famous contemporaries on the LA scene, but which is also served up with a bit of grit in the solos – a slightly earthy feel at times that's a nice contrast to some of the more modern tendencies of the records. The first half of the CD features Harper in a quintet with Bob Gordon on baritone sax, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Harry Babasin on bass, and Roy Harte on drums – and the Babasin/Harte team return on the second half, which features quartet and quintet sides with Al Hendrickson on guitar, Bud Shank on tenor, and Marty Paich on piano. Titles include "Patty", "Herbstone", "Five Brothers", "The New York City Ghost", "Julie Is Her Name", "Sanguine", "Now Playing", "6/4 Mambo", and "Bananera". CD

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic French session from one of the greatest American jazz guitarists of the 50s – the legendary Jimmy Raney, a player who mixed his hard-edge tone with a magically fluid groove! Jimmy's playing here on some great single-note lines – alongside a set of players that includes Bobby White on drums, Red Mitchell on bass, and Sonny Clark on piano – coming together in a relaxed, intimate format – one that lets Jimmy's guitar get ample space to stretch out on the set. Raney was one of the first great modern jazz players of the guitar – and this set really shows him at his best! Titles include "Once In A While", "Body & Soul", "Stella By Starlight", and "You Go To My Head". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of Lucky Thompson's rarest work from the 50s – and some of his best! The American tenorist is working here in two different French groups – one a quintet with Henri Renaud on piano, the other a tentet with the core quartet of Renaud, plus some additional local horn players. Unlike some of Thompson's other albums from the time, which can frequently be dominated by standards, this set's got some great original material – mostly written by Renaud, and infused with a sharp modernist swing. Tiltes include "Souscription", "Marcel Le Fourreur", "G&B", "Tight Squeeze", "Meet Quincy Jones", and "Influence". Lucky's tone is rich and soulful – and the session's gone to the top of our list of his work! CD

A really rare look at the scene in Basel, Switzerland in the mid 60s – a combination of modern jazz and older styles served up here by a few different groups! Perhaps the most noteworthy combo on the record is Modern Jazz Group Basel – a quintet that features work from latter bassist Isla Eckinger on trombone, with Andy Scherrer on tenor, Urs Ramseyer on piano, Louis Mermet on bass, and Peter Scmidlin on drums. Other combos include The Svannah Junkmen and South Street Saloon Sweepers – plus the Chester's Tea Pot Combo, a quartet with tenor from Chester Gill. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from the Miles Davis Quintet, the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Eric Dolphy Quintet, Thelonious Monk, King Pleasure, Sonny Rollins, Red Garland, Annie Ross, Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane, Gene Ammons, Etta Jones, and more. CD

Genius work from the Chicago Underground ensemble – expanded here from the duo of Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor, to include guitarist Jeff Parker and bassist Noel Kuppersmith. Mazurek plays cornet and just a hint of electronics, and combined with the fractured guitar work of Parker, the modalling percussion and vibes of Taylor, and the warmly soulful bass of Kuppersmith, the blend of instrumentation has all the startling presence of a lost early 60s modern session that might have been recorded for a label like New Jazz or Savoy. Tracks include "Tunnel Chrome", "Four In The Evening", "Total Recovery", "Nostalgia", "Sink, Charge, Fixture", and "Three In The Morning". CD

Miles Davis and his Quartet doing their thing at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Fest – a previously unreleased set that finds Miles & Co in peak live form! The group isn't out to set the world on fire with this performance, but they're certainly pushing the form and structure of modern jazz in a way that must have been pretty exciting for a festival audience in '63. The group is George Coleman on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums, with plenty sweet solos among them. Greatness! Titles include longish takes on "Autumn Leaves", "So What", "Stella By Starlight" and "Walkin'", plus the intro "Waiting For Miles" and the closer "The Theme", CD

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny". CD

A fantastic lost legacy in European free improvisation – the complete works of a group who were first known as Modern Jazz Quintet Karlsruhe, then later as Fourmenonly – presented here in a beautiful 3CD set! First up is the album Trees – issued on a small label in 1968, but a set that matches the groundbreaking energy of the early work on FMP – played by a group that features Helmuth Zimmer on piano, Wilfreid Eichorn on tenor and soprano sax, Claus Buhler on bass, Rudi Thielmann on drums, and Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, Mellophon, piston, and percussion! The group have a melodic vibe at the core – often feeling out the initial space as a unit, then exploding with sound and color – and really making especially great work of the talents of Joos and Eichorn – players who work together with great power, driven on by the others. Titles include "Lonely Time", "Trees", "Schnee Verbrennt", "Change Of Beauty", and "The Devil Is Green Blue Yellow". CD also features a bonus unreleased improvisation too! Next is Position 2000 – a record of even longer improvisations, and one that shows the quintet really developing their sound – strongly aware of the farther reaches, but always beginning in some more colorful passages that almost have a melody, before exploding out with very vibrant energy! The lineup is the same as on the debut – with Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, mellophone, Indian flute, and percussion – and Wilfried Eichorn on tenor, soprano sax, bass clarinet, flute, and percussion – alongside Helmuth Zimmer on piano, Klaus Buhler on bass, and Rudi Thielmann on drums. Titles include "The Sun Is Coming Over", "Position 2000", and "Where Love Forever Shines". CD also features an unreleased improvisation. For the next album, bassist Buhler has departed the group – who are renamed Fourmenonly! Their first record is a brilliant set of free jazz from the German scene of the 70s – very different than other work of the time, in that there's maybe more of a future-thinking balance between sounds and silence, frenzy and fragility – all served up by a quartet that features Herbert Joos on trumpet and flugelhorn, Wilfried Eichhorn on tenor and soprano sax, Helmuth Zimmer on piano and percussion, and Rudi Theilmann on drums and percussion. Titles include "Viridiana/Ich Und Meine Bruder/Compulsion" and "Count Down/Excess". On the album Eight Science Fiction Stories, the Fourmenonly lineup is expanded by trombonist Wolfgang Czelusta – and perform some fantastic work billed as "science fiction stories", all composed by Herbert Joos. The sound is as revolutionary as on the group's earliest material, but also maybe more compact as well – nicely focused, with especially strong emphasis on the interplay between Czelusta on trombone, Wilifried Eichorn on bass clarinet, flute, and oboe, and Herbert Joos on flugelhorn, trumpet, and mellophone. The piano of Helmuth Zimmer is amazing – almost Cecil Taylor-like in intensity at times – and drummer Rudi Theilmann does a great job of moving from passages of full-on power to more spacious percussion. Titles include "Lucifer Is Marching On", "Dead Season", "The Beauty Without A Face", "Departure", "Plastic Happiness", and "Space Wall". CD

One of the greatest West Coast jazz LPs of all time! Art Pepper plays beautiful spiralling alto lines with a tight quartet that includes Russ Freeman on piano, Chuck Flores on drums, and Ben Tucker on bass. The whole thing swings in a way that's tough to find on some of Pepper's other albums from the time, and the track list includes "Dianne's Dilemma", "Blues In", "Blues Out", and "Cool Bunny". CD

A dozen tracks from The Dave Brubeck Quartet, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Junior Mance, Nat Adderley, Shelly Manne & His Friends, Barney Kessel with Shelly Manne & Ray Brown, Kenny Dorham, JJ Johnson & Kai Winding, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, and Mal Waldron. CD

Music from Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers, The John Coltrane Sextet, The Howard McGhee-Fats Navarro Sextet, The Miles Davis Quartet, The Lee Morgan Quintet, The Herbie Hancock Quintet, and Us3. CD

Tremendous work from the Spanish scene of the 60s and early 70s – way more than just a batch of obscure jazz cuts, and instead a true testament to this very vibrant musical community! The package brings together some really special tracks from Spanish labels like Edigsa, Ensayo, Hispavox, and others – and really shows that in Spain at the time, there was musical growth that was every bit as strong as in better-known scenes in Germany, France, and Italy – a really rich step forward from American inspiration of the postwar years – into a world of freshly inventive rhythms, really imaginative solos, and some key local touches that really made the music sparkle! Not all players here are of Spanish origin, as the set also shows the key crossroads the scene was offering at the time – a wealth of wonderful hardbop, soul jazz, and modal numbers that include "El Cant Dels Ocells" by Catalonia Jazz Quartet, "Movimiento" by Lou Bennett, "Psique" by Juan Carlos Calderon, "Tema Per Alicia" by Jazz Group, "Asteriscs" by Nits De Jazz Al Jamboree, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, "Israel" by Modern Jazz Sextet, "Rememberance To Madrid" by Elia Fleta, "Marcha De Los Dioses" by Tino Contreras, and "Laberinto (2nd part)" by Vlady Bas. CD

Double length CD that brings together all the tracks from the Polish Jazz and Novi Singers LP releases on JCR! The set's an exquisite compilation of rare jazz tracks from the vastly under-documented (at least in the west!) Polish jazz scene! Poland was hipper than a lot of its eastern european counterparts, and despite years of Soviet oppression, the country did have a thriving jazz scene that turned out some incredibly groovy music. Lots of that music was only ever issued in Poland, and not exported to the rest of the free world – so this collection does an even better service of breaking down the iron curtain, and finally unleashing some real jazz gems! The tracks range from funky to groovy to straight ahead, but they all have the kind of fresh twist that makes the compilation essential listening – with a flavor that's vaguely similar to some of the MPS titles we've carried, but only vaguely so. The quality of the work is impeccable, as is the packaging by the folks at Jazzanova/Compost! Titles include a lot of numbers by the Novi Singers ("Torpedo", "Next, Please", "Jeansy", "The Runaway", and others), plus cuts like "Why Not Samba" by Wojciech Karolak, "Mala Septyma" by Jazz Carriers, "Fair Lola" by Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet, and "Choreographic Sketches" by Jerzy Milian. CD

Old Idea, maybe, but a fresh, engrossing and straight up excellent set of modern jazz with an ear for classic avant garde – coronet player Josh Berman's debut as a leader! We're not sure if Berman has shown admirable patience and restraint in waiting until he felt ready to get put out marquee record of his own as leader, or if he's just been so swept up in being such a dynamic part of so many other exceptional improvisational projects (Exploding Star Orchestra, Rolldown, etc), but it's a really strong record, and we hope he stays active in this capacity! It's a quartet setting, with Rolldown leader Jason Adasiewicz on vibes and bringing some excellent atmosphere to the record, Keefe Jackson on tenor sax, Anton Hatwich on bass and Nori Tanaka on drums. Kinetic, unpredictable, but very, connectively textured and grooving. Josh handles all of the compositions, and the titles include "On Account Of A Hat", "Next Year" (Parts A, B & C), "Let's Pretend", "Nori", "What Can?", "Db" and "Almost Late". CD

A much-needed look at the early sound of The Blue Notes – a performance right before they left South Africa, and with a nicely different sound than some of their later London performances issued on the Ogun label! The group here are already very much in their own sound and spirit, but with less of the free improvisation of the 70s – more some of the rhythmic modes you'd know from other South African jazz of the period, but mixed with the kind of complexity you'd hear in a Charles Mingus record – all sorts of of amazing arrangements that are peppered with really wonderful solos from the members of the sextet! The lineup is different than the quartet and quintet dates of the following decade – with tenor saxophonist Nick Moyake working alongside Dudu Pukwana on alto, Mongezi Feza on trumpet, Chris McGregor on piano, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Luis Moholo on drums. The set features a range of great modern jazz compositions by the players – including "Coming Home", "Two For Sandi", "Dorkay House", "B My Dear", "Vortex Special", and "Now". CD

Easily the crowning moment of genius for the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet – the moment when all things came together magically, and the group somehow elevated themselves to a whole new level in jazz! At the time of the set, Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and the rest had already been making plenty of waves with their creative yet swinging approaches to modern jazz – heard on a number of successful albums for Fantasy and Columbia in the 50s. But with this record, they really knocked one out of the park – blending Desmond's cool alto, Brubeck's unusual piano phrasing, Joe Morello's melodic drum work, and Eugene Wright's pulsating bass into a waltzing, almost modal groove that crossed over to many camps at the time! The classics "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo Ala Turk" were both hits on their own – but all titles are great, and include "Kathy's Waltz", "Strange Medow Lark", "Everybody's Jumpin", and "Pick Up Sticks". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic early work from Kenny Dorham as a leader – a brilliant set that sparkles with modern touches! The group's a quartet that pairs Kenny's trumpet with the alto sax of the late Ernie Henry – a perfect accompanist that brings out both the brightness in Kenny's horn, and the edgier touches that made him one of the most exciting trumpeters to appear in the 50s scene. The rest of the group features GT Hogan on drums and Wilbur Ware or Eddie Mathias on bass – and the session's got a great reading of Kenny's classic "Lotus Blossom", plus the tracks "Jazz Classic", "Noose Bloos", "The End Of A Love Affair", and "Soon". CD also features a bonus track – an alternate take of "Sposin". CD

A seminal meeting of the old and new generations of jazz in the 60s – put together in perfect Impulse fashion! At some level, this is actually an early 60s John Coltrane Quartet album – with Duke Ellington sitting in for McCoy Tyner on piano, as that's the lineup on about half of the album – tracks that feature Coltrane on tenor, Elvin Jones on drums, and Jimmy Garrison on bass, all working with Ellington on the keys. On other titles, though, the album features Coltrane playing with a Duke-ish trio that has Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums – slightly less modern, but with a nice sense of depth throughout! Overall, the the record does a great job of balancing between the best talents of both players – and titles include "Big Nick", "The Feeling Of Jazz", "Take The Coltrane", and "My Little Brown Book". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued music from a really legendary group – titled in a way that's similar to their famous 60s record for Atlantic Records – but a batch of live material recorded in Sweden with an equally sublime sort of feel! Art Farmer works here on flugelhorn alongside guitarist Jim Hall – a brief but important pairing in 60s modern jazz – especially when combined with the talents of Steve Swallow on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – four artists who make for a really revolutionary quartet, as they explore the space of sound, and the space between the notes, in ways that still sound as revolutionary now as they did when recorded back in 1964! Titles include "Theme For Jobim", "Sometime Ago", "Waltz Hot", "Birk's Works", "I Love You", and "Bilbao Song". CD

A very cool set of 70s Argentine jazz from the Furst brothers – Hector Lopez Furst on electric violin and Ruben Lopez Furst on electric guitar – playing here in a quartet with bass from Carlos Lopez Furst and drums from Norberto Minichillo – all with a vibe that's really wonderful, and which really opens up the format! The record begins in Django/Stephane Grappelli territory, but quickly takes off – longer tracks and electric energy, and informed by the open cultural vibe in Argentina at the time – with some very dynamic work on the guitar from Ruben, who has a way of shading in all these modern colors and moving between single notes and chords. Hector's violin has a great way of sliding in with its electric qualities – and the rhythms get slightly funky at points, which is a mighty nice surprise! Titles include "Tiempo De Verano", "Mi Hora Brillante", "Paseo Dominical", "Oliendo Los Blues", and "Los Paraguas De Cherburgo" – a nice reading of music from Umbrellas Of Cherbourg. CD features three bonus tracks – alternate takes of three different tunes on the album! CD

Small group recordings from the great Lars Gullin – all recorded in Sweden in the early 50s, and issued by the Modern and Metronome labels on 10" and 7" vinyl releases! The first three tracks on the set are the rarest – as they were never issued at the time – material by a quartet that features Lars blowing beautifully on baritone, with great piano from Gunnar Svensson – on tunes that include "Alone", "The Continental", and "Stella By Starlight". Next are more great quartet tracks that have Rune Ofwerman on piano – on two takes of the tune "For Goofers Only", plus "All The Things You Are" and "You Go To My Head". Next are some of the best-known Gullin material to US listeners of the time – as they were also issued by Prestige as a 10" LP titled Lars Gullin & His Groups – making Gullin probably the most-issued European jazzman in the US during the postwar years! The music here is very much in keeping with the "groups" promised in the title – and Lars plays in an octet, quintet, and sextet – almost all of which have that tightly arranged, Swedish cool jazz approach. Titles include "Smooth Breeze", "Smart Alec", "Silhouette", "Merlin", "Apostrophe", "Disc Major", and "Colon". The last titles are from a very cool 10" album called Holiday For Piano – which came with a cover that had a "for sale" sign on a piano, and which has Gullin's group working piano-less – ala Gerry Mulligan – with Ake Persson's trombone sounding wonderful in the format, on titles that include "Sad Sally", "You Blew Out The Flame", "Holiday For Piano", "Night & Day", and "Brazil". Over 70 minutes of music – a real treasure at this price! CD