The first recordings ever from Orchestra USA – the landmark third stream jazz group co-led by John Lewis and Gunther Schuller! The group sprang out of Schuller and Lewis' preoccupations with bringing jazz to a more serious environment – merging traits of 20th century classical with jazz-based improvisation – in a format that included standout solo players, as well as larger backings from strings and woodwinds. And while some of that group's recordings were a bit dull, this one's totally great – not nearly as stiff and academic as you'd think – with some really strong solo work on saxes, and a soulful approach that gets past any formalism that could mar the proceedings. Players include Eric Dolphy, Phil Woods, Leo Wright, Nick Travis, and Jim Hall – and titles include "Three Little Feelings (parts 1, 2, & 3)", "Milesign", "Milano", "Natural Affection", and "Donnie's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

A serious piece of jazz orchestral work – directed by John Lewis, conducted by Harold Farberman, and featuring solos by Jerome Richardson, Joe Newman, Dick Katz, and Richard Davis. The work's perhaps Lewis' most seriously avant garde on record – taking off even further from previous experiments, and featuring compositions written by Jimmy Giuffre, Hall Overton, and Teo Macero. Titles include "Sonorities For Orchestra", "Pressure", "Hex", and "The Spiritual". LP, Vinyl record album