A Canadian prog masterpiece from this key 70s group – and a record that's got some nicely understated elements that almost feel a bit more like some of the best European electric jazz acts of the time! There's definitely vocals on the record – sung by Pierre Flynn – but his use of piano and keyboards is even more striking, often with a spaciousness that brings a slight current of funk to the record at times, especially when he serves up Fender Rhodes passages that have that chunky quality we love from this period of the work of Marc Moulin. The group work with an added vocal group at points, to increase the majesty of the music – and titles include "Generation", "Voyage En Mer", "Violence", "Ma Chanson", "Les Nouvelles Terres", and "La Passe Du Grand Flambeau". LP, Vinyl record album

Great live material from the best years of this amazing ensemble that included some of the finest American and European players of the 60s! The band's at its best here – wailing away in a firey live setting, recorded with high quality by Europe 1 Radio in 1969. Players include Tony Coe, Johnny Griffin, Benny Bailey, Art Farmer, Sahib Shihab, and Derek Humble – plus the great rhythm team of Jimmy Woode, Francy Boland, and Kenny Clarke! Most of the tunes are classics of the band – and titles include "All Through The Night", "Now Hear My Meaning", "New Box", "Volcano", "Box 702", "Sax No End", "Sonor", "The Jamfs Are Coming", "Doing Time", and "Evanescence". CD

Nicely dark-tinged sound from clarinetist Sylvain Kassap – always a musician who gives us amazing sounds from his instrument, but who may be at his most compelling here – in a fantastic group that features Sophia Domonich on piano and Fender Rhodes, Christiane Bopp on trombone, Aymeric Avie on trumpet, Fabien Duscombs on drums, and Helene Labarriere on some mighty nice bass! The tunes all have a sense of structure composed by Kassap, but are filled with moments of free play – never too noisy, but also nicely far from standard musical notes – little sonic bouquets that flower beautifully throughout the set. Titles include "Criniere", "Canturbury", "La Semaine Sanglante/The Loop Is Looped", "DMZ", and "Oktiabr". CD