An amazing run of music – and key sounds from a time when the Chicago avant garde was finally getting its due in the mainstream! The set features all Novus and Columbia recordings from both the Air trio of Henry Threagill, Fred Hopkins, and Steve McCall – a seminal group from the AACM in the Windy City – and the later recordings made by Threadgill as a leader – featuring even more expansive ideas, and an impressive ear for larger compositions in jazz! The set spans nearly 20 years, and features material from 11 different albums, including some unreleased music too – titles that include the Air albums Open Air Suit, Montreux Suisse Air, and Air Lore – and Threadgill sessions X 75 Vol 1, You Know The Number, Easily Slip Into Another World, Rag Bush & All, Carry The Day, Makin A Move, and Where's Your Cup – plus the previously unissued Vol 2 for X 75. The Air sessions are very earthy and spontaneous – that wonderful creative interplay that marked the AACM legacy at the time. And the Threadgill records start the same way, but show lots of new ideas coming into play – with contributions from Joseph Jarman on reeds, Amina Claudine Myers on voice, Frank Lacy on trombone, Ted Daniel on trumpet, Deirdre Murray on cello, Fred Hopkins on bass, Pheeroan AkLaff on drums, Myra Melford on piano, and a host of other important musicians, all coming together under the leadership of Threadgill. Notes are great, and the 8 CD set features 52 tracks in all – most of them quite long in length! CD

Completely evocative late life work from Chet Baker – one of the last albums he ever recorded, and a set that shows just how much Baker kept evolving in the later years of his career! Given some of the personal troubles that plagued Chet over the decades, there's sometimes a thought out there that he was a weaker version of himself at this time – but that's definitely not the case, as Baker really shifted his sound and style to accommodate some of his challenges, at a level that maybe made the music even more powerful than some of his music from years before! Some of the best moments here feature contributions from key musical partner of the 80s Nicola Stilo, who uses flute, guitar, and piano in these light ways while Chet's soloing with this strong, fluid vibe that's a real surprise – gentle, but extremely powerful. A few cuts bring in a bit of keyboards, and Chet sings a bit – but his best "singing" here is through his trumpet, which is still a hell of a voice in jazz. Titles include "Chet's Blues", "Waiting For Chet", "The Party Is Over", "With Sadness", "Deep Arabesques", and "Like The Precedent" – plus a lovely reading of the Elvis Costello tune "Almost Blue". CD

One of the most evocative albums we've ever heard from pianist Ran Blake – a set that's got all the sharp edges of some of his most adventurous solo work, but one that also has Ran working in a few different settings, often with a very poetic feel! The set's not a hokey retro-crime record – as you might fear from the title (and countless later jazz albums that evoke that aesthetic) – and although Blake's working through melodies from older films, plus a few original numbers in the same spirit, his presentation is completely unique – and explosively personal throughout! His own piano is tremendous – blocks of sound and runs of notes that are extremely imaginative, and which flow forward from the same dark spirit we love on Blake's other recordings. And they're often balanced with shifting contributions from other musicians – players who include John Heiss on flute, Paul Meyers on bass, Ted Curson on trumpet, and Daryl Lowrey on alto and soprano sax – all of whom make some great additions to the set. Titles include a nice take on "The Pawnbroker" – plus other film titles that include "Eve", "Touch Of Evil", "Le Boucher", "Pinky", and "Doktor Mabuse" – as well as Blake originals "Spiral Staircase" and "Garden Of Delight". CD

A sweetly jamming set of 70s guitar work – one that features the all-guitar trio of Larry Coryell, John Scofield, and Joe Beck – coming together in really fresh, inventive formations! The whole set's acoustic – with no other backing other than guitar – and the group come together in a jazz-based mode that also has light folksy touches, and some virtuoso playing that really expands the set. Includes a stellar take on Bobby Hutcherson's "Little B's Poem", plus the tracks "Alster Fields", "The File", "Mother's Day", "Zimbabwe", and "Solomon Wednesday". CD

Features Hargrove on trumpet, Antonio Hart on alto, Marc Cary on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums – plus guest tenors Branford Marsalis and David 'Fathead' Newman. CD

With Mark Harvey and Kenny Mason on trumpet and flugelhorn, Len Deflor and John Hagenon tenor and soprano, Stan Strickland on tenor, soprano, and flute, Tim Sessions on trombone, Ernesto Provencher on string and electric bass, TC Tommy Campbell on bass, Arnie Clapman on congas, and David Moss on percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

With Lacy on soprano sax, Steve Potts on alto and soprano, Bobby Few on piano, Jean Jacques Avenel on bass, Oliver Johnson on drums, and Irene Aebi on vocals and violin. LP, Vinyl record album

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Incredible work from Carmen – one of her last great albums! The set was recorded in 1988 – but it's got an "instant classic" feel that makes it one of the best vocal jazz albums of its generation. Carmen's working with a small group that includes Charlie Rouse, Larry Willis, George Mraz, and Clifford Jordan – singing vocal versions of Monk classics like "I Mean You", "Blue Monk", "Well You Needn't", "Ruby My Dear", and "Ugly Beauty" – most of which have lyrics written by Jon Hendricks! This CD makes the original album even better – and throws in some bonus alternate versions of tracks on the album! CD

Features David Sanchez on saxophones, Larry Grenadier on bass and Ignacio Berroa on drums. CD

Marcus Roberts on solo piano. CD

Tracks include "Cherokee", "Slippin' & Slidin", "I Remember You", "Tint Of Blue", and "King Porter Stomp". CD

With Joe Lovano on tenor sax, Randy Brecker on trumpet, and John Scofield on guitar! CD

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Features Houston Person, Cecil Bridgewater, and Steve Turre. CD

Steve Coleman on alto saxophone, Dave Holland on acoustic bass, Ed Blackwell on drums, Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums and percussion, Kevin Eubanks on guitar, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Von Freeman on tenor saxophone, and Kenny Wheeler on trumpet and flugelhorn. CD

Ravi Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Steve Coleman on alto saxophone, Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Andy Milne on piano, Reggie Washington on bass, Gene Lake on drums, Michael Wimberly on percussion, with vocals from Kokayi, Shahliek, and Utasi. CD

With Joe Lovano on tenor sax, Randy Brecker on trumpet, and John Scofield on guitar! CD

Features Hargrove on trumpet and Antonio Hart on saxophone, with John Hicks and Geoffrey Keezer taking turns on piano, and Ralph Peterson and Al Foster on drums. CD

With Lacy on soprano sax, Steve Potts on alto and soprano, Bobby Few on piano, Jean Jacques Avenel on bass, Oliver Johnson on drums, and Irene Aebi on vocals and violin. CD